RTHK: Tourists panic as Mexico beach shooting leaves 2 dead

A shooting involving rival gangs on a beach near Mexico's Caribbean resort of Cancun left two suspected drug dealers dead on Thursday and sparked panic among foreign tourists.

The armed clash, the second to shake Mexico's Riviera Maya in recent weeks, is another blow to a tourism industry still recovering from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

"There was a confrontation between members of opposing groups of drug dealers on a beach in Bahia Petempich, Puerto Morelos," the Quintana Roo state attorney general's office tweeted. "Two of them lost their lives," it said.

No tourists were seriously injured or kidnapped, the Quintana Roo public security department reported.

Tourists staying in hotels next to the beach described how people ran for cover after shots were fired.

"Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun," tweeted Mike Sington, a tourist from the United States staying at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort.

"Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens."

Videos posted on social media showed dozens of tourists, some in bathing suits, waiting in the hotel lobby along with staff.

"People are hugging each other and crying," said Sington.

Mexico is plagued by cartel-related bloodshed that has seen more than 300,000 people murdered since the government deployed the military in the war on drugs in 2006. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Parliament commends South Africans for reaffirming democracy

With the 2021 Local Government Elections done and dusted, Parliament has applauded South Africans for reaffirming democracy by voting in the elections.

Once more, South Africas democracy has risen to a higher bar, demonstrating new heights in its maturity and in truly reflecting the will of the people. The befitting declaration of the 2021 Local Government Elections as free and fair by Electoral Commission (IEC) is a milestone that Parliament cherishes and celebrates, said the Presiding Officers of Parliament.

The Presiding Officers, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Amos Masondo, said the people of South Africa have spoken and have elected their preferred leaders and political parties to drive the ongoing programme of improving peoples lives.

They also commended all political parties, including independent candidates who contested the elections, as well as their supporters, for the discipline and maturity during electioneering and for accepting the electoral outcomes.

We also convey our sincere word of gratitude to the IEC and the entire electoral brigade that withstood unrelenting pressures, challenges and a range of difficulties to perform excellently in delivering yet another successful and well-executed local government elections.

Even under trying conditions that included the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortest ever period for setting up a well-oiled machinery to run the local government elections, the IEC leadership and staff have made the nation truly proud, the Presiding Officers said.

Noting with concern the low voter turnout during this years elections compared to the previous electoral cycles, especially by young people, the Presiding Officers said this will remain a challenge that all those involved should be concerned about, and do everything feasible to reignite the enthusiasm of South Africans in the countrys democratic processes.

The Presiding Officers have called upon those who have been elected never to betray the trust bestowed on them by the people of South Africa.

They also urged them to prioritise service delivery, and ensure that regular and continuous interface with the people becomes the lifeblood of local governance.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Electorate hailed for participation in municipal elections

Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says although the Local Government Elections were held under some challenging circumstances, their successful completion shows the determination of citizens to participate in democratic processes.

He was speaking during the announcement of the final results of the elections at the National Results Operations Centre in Pretoria on Thursday evening.

The election we have just had, had in its path contours and meandering turns. It was an election characterised by uncertainties at some points in the journey and possibilities at others. At times it was perceived as an election in doubt, for we never were sure about its safe conduct.

It is an election that created diametrically opposed and intense sentiments in the political landscape. The desired linear path to planning was rendered asunder. Yet despite this uneven and oblique path, we have experienced a people involving themselves in the act of electoral engagement.that avails to the citizenry a moment to constitute municipal councils, Mamabolo said.

Mamabolo hailed the 12 million South Africans who cast their vote in what was billed as the most contested elections in the countrys history, in the most challenging set of health related circumstances.

For these voters, the enormity of the act of voting was so pronounced that whatever health risks there may be  that would not deter them from voting. These are compatriots with a deep civic consciousness for in their minds; there can never be a risk big enough to deter them from voting.

We thank you for your simple and humble act of voting, he said.

The Chief Electoral Officer made special mention of those who contested the elections because our electoral reality is hollow without their participation.

Mamabolo reminded those who emerged victorious that their wins are due to the electorate.

To the 10 400 elected councillors, we raise our hands to you in a congratulatory wave. To the voters who bestowed trust in your ability to service communities you now represent, you owe them a measure of gratitude.

Our proposition is that the best reward you can offer them is selflessness and civic mindedness towards communities that you now represent, he said.

Mamabolo reflected that the commission and its staff has been singularly focussed on delivering free and fair elections since September.

My colleagues in the exco, the management committee and all staff of the commission at all levels have not known sleep since 3 September. We collectively had to put together a registration weekend, opening 23 000 registration stations literally in two weeks.

We had an option to take the easy route of dispensing with the registration weekend yet we decided on the arduous task because it enfranchised our fellow compatriots. As if that was not hard enough, the election timetable activities had to be conducted in 42 days. I say to you when your country needed you, you answered the call of national duty, he said. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Judgment on house policy welcomed

The Government has welcomed the Court of Final Appeal's judgment today on the judicial review of the Small House Policy.

The court ruled on the judicial review of the policy, upholding the lawfulness and compatibility of the policy with the Basic Law.

The Development Bureau said the Government will continue to receive and process small house applications in accordance with the policy, and give due regard to various considerations in the course of processing them, including the eligibility of the applicant as an indigenous inhabitant, the planned land use of the location under application, and the availability of infrastructure facilities.

The policy has been implemented since 1972. The forms of grants under the policy include Free Building Licence which allows applicants to build small houses on their private land, Private Treaty Grant for grant of government land to build small houses, and Land Exchange.

Article 40 of the Basic Law stipulates that the lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories shall be protected by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The Court of Final Appeal confirmed that all components under the policy are lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories within the meaning of Article 40 of the Basic Law.

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Full legal recognition for gender diverse persons - a Constitutional right

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Ronald Lamola says legislation must begin to align with and give full legal recognition to those people whose gender identities do not conform to traditional perceptions of male and female and their roles.

He was speaking at a two-day policy dialogue on intersex and transgender rights held in Pretoria on Thursday.

When persons are deprived of legal recognition of their own identities, it results in a multitude of social, economic, political and legal challenges, the Minister said.

Lamola added that although the Sex Description and Sex Status Act 49 of 2003 is aimed at recognising the right to alter sex description on identity documents, the legislation still falls short of accounting for gender diversity and therefore compromises and undermines the constitutional rights of trans and gender diverse persons.

Government as a whole must constantly review all pieces of legislation to see whether they are still fit for purpose in our society or whether they need to be repealed or reviewed. Legislation must never be static, or cast in stone, the law should be dynamic and should adapt as society advances, he said.

Addressing one of South Africas earliest anti-discrimination laws, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Lamola said it is important to acknowledge that government has made significant strides to protect people from discrimination including on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender.

He highlighted that despite this and other efforts by government, a lack of consciousness has enabled systemic inequalities and unfair discrimination [to] remain deeply embedded in society.

He warned that this hampers the full realisaton and implementation of South Africas constitution.

In many of our communities for one to be treated as an equal some sort of performance, some sort of trying to be something one is not, is required. That performance is often expressed in assimilating to whiteness or to class or ethnicity or, in other cases, what is traditionally viewed and perceived as male or female and the roles that are associated with them.

As a result, our communities and some state institutions remain tone deaf to the needs of our people. The State is not built to even deconstruct patriarchy - let alone address the rigidity of gender binary policies and dispositions, he said.

Lamola emphasised that although legislation goes a long way to promote anti-discrimination, more can be done at government's policy execution level to address systemic discrimination against all members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community.

All officials in government must undergo gender sensitivity training, and in particular become familiar with what LGBTQI+ persons require and how best to serve them. This must be a measurable performance target in any departments annual performance plan.

This should be, without a doubt, the starting point for all government departments particularly those in the front line of providing services, gender sensitivity and the sensitisation around the needs of LGBTQI+ persons should be prioritised, Minister Lamola said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Parliament processing electoral reform legislation

Parliament is working with the Department of Home Affairs to reform legislation that will allow independent candidates to contest national and provincial elections.

This comes after claims by One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane claimed that the so-called "Direct Elections Bills" is before Parliament and ready to be passed into law.

In a statement, Parliament said, on 4 December 2020, MP Mosiuoa Lekota introduced the Electoral Laws Second Amendment Bill, Bill 34 of 2020, in the National Assembly.

On the other hand, Parliament is expecting the tabling of a bill from the Department of Home Affairs. Both Bills are intended to deal with Independent Candidates as envisaged by the Constitutional Court order, the statement reads.

On 11 June 2020, the Constitutional Court ordered Parliament to remedy the defect in the Electoral Act to enable independent candidates to be elected to Parliament and provincial legislatures. Parliament has two years to effect the amendment.

Parliament said it was aware of the implications of the Constitutional Courts order on its work, and has put measures in place to fulfil its obligations.

It said the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has been liaising with the Department of Home Affairs as part of its oversight work on this matter to ensure that when Parliament passes a Bill providing for independent candidates, it contains a workable solution that effectively addresses the order of the Constitutional Court.

The claim that Parliament was in contempt of court is therefore unnecessarily alarmist and misleading, it said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: SJ introduces law database

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng

Introduction

Today, we are here to celebrate three matters: the inaugural Rule of Law Signature Engagement Event, the launch of the Rule of Law Database, and the addition of LAWASIA to the Hong Kong legal hub.

Inaugural Rule of Law Signature Engagement Event

The inaugural Rule of Law Signature Engagement Event marks the last event of the Hong Kong Legal Week 2021. Being complementary to the Rule of Law Congress, with the events being held in alternating years during the Hong Kong Legal Week each year, this event aims to have a more in-depth discussion on selected topics involving specific stakeholders. The event title, Signature Engagement Event, with the acronym SEE, is deliberately designed to tie in with the department's Vision 2030 for Rule of Law initiative - for us to see and focus on important topics for discussion, and advancing in the vision for Vision 2030 for Rule of Law towards a sustainable future for all.

The theme of today's event is: A Journey of Transformation for a Sustainable Future. Through today's discussions, covering a number of crucial topics including the development of legal technology, advancing access to justice and the importance of objective data, and how cultural, legal traditions and socio-economic factors interplay for the development of the rule of law, we invite you to join us in our journey and hope to enlighten your thoughts to share our vision in building and maintaining more equal and inclusive societies for a sustainable future in the region and beyond.

UN 2030 Agenda and big data

Vision 2030 was inspired by and aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in Goal 16 of the agenda it aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. The rule of law is a key pillar to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda, and as identified by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July 2021, Invest in more equal and inclusive societies is one of the four areas requiring decisive action.

In his speech at the General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly last year, President Xi Jinping pledged for the establishment of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, the first international scientific research institute in the world that serves the UN 2030 Agenda through big data. Accordingly, the research centre, operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was inaugurated at the International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals in September this year.

In his congratulatory letter at the inauguration ceremony, President Xi stressed the importance of using technology and big data in helping the international community to overcome difficulties and implement the UN 2030 Agenda globally, and to contribute to building a community with a sustainable future, especially after the huge impact of COVID-19. We are very honoured to have Director General of the Research Center Prof Guo Huadong deliver today's keynote speech on the topic Big Earth Data in Facilitating of Sustainable Development Goals, taking us through the challenges and constraints in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and how big data solutions can improve, monitor and evaluate these goals.

Launch of Rule of Law Database

The rule of law manifests itself in a multitude of facets. I said in the ceremonial opening of the legal year 2020, There are many intimations of what constitutes the rule of law - some may be described as perpetual truths and inspirational whilst others imaginative or even misleading. There are many ways by which the practice of rule of law is to be assessed, some based on subjective perception while others on objective indicia. Subjective data such as perception-based surveys may not accurately provide a fair picture of the practice of the rule of law in a particular place. As such, in order to develop a mechanism to review the practice of the rule of law, it may be more productive to use empirical and objective data to review the practice of some core fundamental in the practice of the rule of law.

The United Nations noted that the follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development shall be guided by, among other things, data based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high-quality, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts.

With the invaluable advice and guidance from the Members of the Task Force of Vision 2030 for Rule of Law, and in line with the UN 2030 Agenda, we have embarked on a journey to study the use of objective data in reviewing the practice of the rule of law as well as acknowledging the influence of culture, legal tradition and socio-economic conditions that may impact on the practice of the rule of law in different jurisdictions.

Rule of Law Database

I am delighted to share with you the good news that we have taken the first step forward to launch the rule of law database, which aims to provide an objective assessment of the practice of the rule of law in Hong Kong. Its features can be summarised into three aspects:

(i) Collection of objective data from open source

The objective data used in the database are collected from the public domain. However, raw data needs to be properly processed, analysed, interpreted and formatted before meaningful conclusions can be drawn. One must therefore avoid simply referring to the raw data as a direct reference to the practice of the rule of law in Hong Kong. Without proper analysis and interpretation, they may obfuscate as opposed to illuminate.

(ii) Methodologies subject to refinement

In order to assess the practice of the rule of law in an impartial and fair manner, methodologies have to be developed and continuously refined to effectively analyse the collected data. These methodologies will enable us to review the practice of the rule of law fairly. In updating and further refining these methodologies, any informed and objective views are most welcome.

(iii) Self-monitoring and striving for improvement

At this stage, all the objective data collected and analysed are intended to enable one to review the practice of the rule of law in Hong Kong, with a view to striving for continuous improvement. In the long run, with sufficient data, more focused and specialised analysis on the data based on a methodology with appropriate weighting or such other mathematical formulae can be conducted to study the practice of rule of law in Hong Kong, thereby facilitating self-improvement. This is in line with Target 16.3 of Goal 16 of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and that is to Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

Culture and youth

Further to the successful launch of the Vision 2030 initiative last year, the Department of Justice has spared no efforts in working on various projects to promote and advance the rule of law. For more effective promotion and capacity building, the 3Es projects, namely Engagement, Empowerment and Enrichment, have commenced to take root in society.

The Department of Justice also organised the International Youth Legal Exchange Conference 2021 in September this year as one of our Enrichment projects to explore how culture and legal tradition may influence the practice of the rule of law in different jurisdictions. Connecting the regional students and young legal practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region from 11 jurisdictions, views and ideas were exchanged on the cultural, socio-economic and legal traditions of their respective jurisdictions and how those elements interplay with the development of the rule of law.

As a follow-up to the Youth Conference I have just mentioned, we have invited members of the adjudicating panel and the delegates awarded the Best Paper, the University of Malaya, and the delegates awarded the Best Presentation, the National University of Singapore, for a more in-depth discussion of some of the cultural elements unique to their jurisdictions in the first roundtable dialogue session.

We hope to provide more opportunities for the young generation to participate in international conferences, and, subject to feedback from stakeholders including from all of you here, we may seek to include a youth-centric event in later editions of the Hong Kong Legal Week every year in line with our aim of building a sustainable future for the rule of law.

Legal technology

Technological developments in the law and legal practice may impact on how law students should prepare for their future careers in this age of digital transformation. As lawyers, we are not experts in the fields of science or technology. This is where we bring in scientists and experts in these areas to collaborate and make use of the digital transformation to enhance the legal industry. Questions such as how judges can make use of technology in their courtrooms and how legal practitioners can make use of technology such as online dispute resolution (ODR) platforms in resolving cross-boundary disputes will undoubtedly be asked, in particular against the backdrop of ensuring that justice is not denied during the pandemic. Another intriguing question relates to the use of electronic means such as e-discovery to assist lawyers in achieving clarity, speed and efficiency in managing voluminous documents, assisting in their fight for the best interests of clients. We will hear from the distinguished panellists on these issues in the panel discussion later this afternoon.

The Department of Justice has long recognised the impact of legal technology. To this end the Inclusive Global Legal Innovation Platform on ODR, iGLIP on ODR, was set up to facilitate studies on ODR-related issues in collaboration with UNCITRAL, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, holding its first meeting in March this year and bringing together experts from all around the world to exchange views. Recently, the UNCITRAL Commission at its 54th Session in July endorsed its secretariat's suggestion to continue to collaborate with Hong Kong on this area and to take part in iGLIP on ODR.

The development of the Hong Kong legal cloud is also well under way with a view to providing safe, secure and affordable data storage services for the local legal and dispute resolution sector to keep pace with the digital transformation.

Legal Hub

The third matter that calls for celebration today is the new addition of LAWASIA to the legal hub. Building on the success of the 32nd LAWASIA Conference in Hong Kong during the first Hong Kong Legal Week held in 2019, an agreement was reached between the Department of Justice and LAWASIA in October this year to strengthen co-operation and exchange.

This arrangement would allow LAWASIA to expand their influence in Hong Kong and the region by having a presence in the Hong Kong legal hub, and the Department of Justice will assist to facilitate the organisation of training, conferences or other events of LAWASIA that are of mutual interest in Hong Kong.

Our arrangement with LAWASIA is the first of its kind. To continue to develop Hong Kong as an international legal and dispute resolution services hub, the Department of Justice will continue to explore the possibility of bringing other renowned international organisations to Hong Kong.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, the UN 2030 Agenda seeks to transform the world, and throughout the course of this week, I hope that you can see that the Department of Justice is also committed to embarking on this collective journey by engaging, empowering, and enriching our stakeholders, striving to achieve our ultimate aim of Rule of Law & Justice for All.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng gave these remarks at the Rule of Law Signature Engagement Event: A Journey of Transformation for a Sustainable Future under Hong Kong Legal Week 2021 on November 5.

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Trade licence application relaxed

The Government announced today that it has streamlined administrative procedures by relaxing the arrangement for the food businesses covered by three types of licences to apply for the Offensive Trades Licence (OT Licence) under government leases with immediate effect.

Currently, if a government lease contains an offensive trades clause, which prohibits the carrying out of the trades of sugar baker, oilman, butcher, victualler and tavern keeper on the lot and the premises thereon, the owner of such premises must obtain an OT Licence from the Lands Department in order to operate a food business.

Having considered the operation of the existing mechanism and stakeholders' views, the department will relax the arrangement for applying for the OT Licences in respect of specified licensed food businesses.

The new arrangement covers food businesses that obtained one or more of the statutory licences including a general restaurant licence or a light refreshment restaurant licence granted by the Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene, or a liquor licence granted by the Liquor Licensing Board.

If their premises are subject to the offensive trades clause under the government lease, an OT Licence will automatically be deemed to be granted to the premises' owner by the department with no application and relevant fee required.

The new system aims to foster a facilitating business environment for the food business industry by relaxing existing barriers and reducing the time and cost required for setting up a food business.

An OT Licence deemed to be granted by the department under the new arrangement will remain in force as long as the statutory food business licence is also in force.

The department explained that upon the expiration or cancellation of the statutory licence, such an OT Licence shall automatically cease to have effect, and the original offensive trades clause under the government lease shall resume to be applicable to the premises.

Click here for more details.

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Take the COVID-19 vaccine before the fourth wave hits SA, Minister urges

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, has once again urged people to take the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the imminent fourth wave that could hit the country soon.

We are not oblivious to the fact that we are not yet out of trouble. The virus is still in our midst and every day we record a number of infections, it is only that it is at the low level of transmission at this stage, the Minister said on Friday.

Phaahla was speaking during the 2021 Rotary Health Family Day outreach programme at Gomora Informal Settlement, in Pretoria West.

He described the life-saving vaccines as the only hope of long-term success in eradicating the Coronavirus.

While we're on the elimination of HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, now we've got a new pandemic, the COVID-19. At least in this regard unlike HIV, we do have various vaccines and we ask people to come forward to take these vaccines.

He dedicated the Rotary Health Family Day to ensuring that his department provides focused attention to people living with various disabilities and they receive comprehensive health services, including also vaccination against COVID-19.

This is indeed making sure that no one is left behind, he added.

He also paid tribute to President Cyril Ramaphosa who has been leading from the front and working around the clock to ensure that South Africans have access to the COVID-19 jabs.

Many other countries, especially low and middle-income countries, and especially in our continent are still struggling with access to vaccination. Were still speaking about less than 6% of people in the continent having had access to vaccination.

While South Africa has sufficient stock to inoculate citizens, Phaahla said government was still struggling to reach people.

However, the Minister believes that in the next few days, 40% of the countrys adult population would have received at least one dose of the jab if not fully vaccinated.

Many of our colleagues in the SADC region are still struggling to access vaccines for their people. However, we are struggling to get the people to come to the vaccine. Its embarrassing.

He said he hopes that government will be able to make the breakthrough and that more people will take the jab.

We have all learned over the last 20 months that it is not over and that there is going to be another resurgence of the infection and therefore we must be ready and protect all our people.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Rotarians for their long history in the areas of vaccines.

The polio vaccine played a very important role and even now we're very pleased with the announcement that the Rotary International is working with GAVI and COVAX to make sure that many disadvantaged countries can be able to access the COVID-19 vaccines as well.

He said the fight against COVID-19 is in everyones hands.

By the end of Friday, South Africa would have administered over 23 million doses of vaccines to just under 16 million citizens.

"So, there is still a long way to go from the 70% of the adult population to be covered. Because to reach 70%, we need to reach at least 27 million South Africans.

However, he believes that working with all their partners will help assist their drive to inoculation 40 million of the adult population by December.

"We know is a tall order. But we believe working together; we can be able to reach that.

In addition, the Minister recommitted that by the time the country reaches 2030, South Africa would have made inroads in eliminating HIV and AIDS.

If not completely, but we'll be very close to achieving this in the same way as we also want to eliminate tuberculosis, he added.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Summaries

Turkey's National Pride is Based on Genocide Denial By Sabri Atman During the years of World War I 75% (750,000) of the Assyrian population in the Ottoman Empire was systematically murdered. That genocide of Assyrians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915 is a fact, but it has largely been forgotten by the world.

Turkey's Violation of Human Rights Must Be Challenged By Sabri Atman (AINA) -- When speaking about the Ottoman Empire and Turkey today, it is not their contribution to civilization that comes to mind. Instead it is human rights violations, confiscation of land and property, genocide and genocide denials that are most frequently discussed in the public discourse. Today's Turkey is still far from being ruled by democratic principles.

EU Conference on Nineveh Plains Favors Kurds, Marginalizes Assyrians By Max Joseph (AINA) -- Much has been swirling around on social media about an EU Conference (AINA 2017-06-24) organized by Swedish MEP Lars Adaktusson alongside sponsors such as Demand For Action. No sooner had I heard about it did I also see that it had been boycotted by the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) and the Chaldean Church, together with various other Assyrian parties and organizations, including...

Trump's Immigration Order and Christianity By Peter Ahern Debate has raged since President Donald Trump announced his executive order temporarily banning entry to the United States of residents from seven Muslim-majority countries. This involves a temporary halt in the United States refugee program. When it resumes, Christian and other non-Muslim minority groups stand to gain significantly.

The Winds of Change Are Blowing in Europe By Peter Ahern (AINA) -- If 2015 in Europe was most memorable for the hundreds of thousands of refugees who traipsed across the continent, 2016 will be marked by the dramatic increase in terrorist attacks at different European locations. Sadly, these two developments are not unconnected.
Xi pledges more openness as China fulfills WTO commitments

Xinhua) 08:11, November 05, 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo held in east China's Shanghai on Nov. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Amid the weakening of global consensus on opening up, President Xi Jinping made fresh pledges Thursday to open the Chinese market wider as the country has fully delivered on its accession commitments to World Trade Organization (WTO).

Noting that globalization is facing headwinds, Xi expressed concern over the decline of an index on world openness in the past decade while addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE).

"We must stay on top of the prevailing trend of economic globalization, and support countries around the world in opening up wider while rejecting unilateralism and protectionism. This is significantly important if we are to take humanity to a better future," Xi said.

NEW PLEDGES

"Opening up is the hallmark of contemporary China," Xi told officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs participating in this year's CIIE.

As part of the country's efforts to safeguard true multilateralism, Xi said China will uphold the position of the multilateral trading regime as the main channel for international rules-setting, and safeguard the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

China will also take an active and open attitude in negotiations on issues such as the digital economy, trade and the environment, industrial subsidies and state-owned enterprises, he said.

With a population of 1.4 billion and over 400 million middle-incomers, China will share market opportunities with the rest of the world via measures such as opening more demonstration zones for creative promotion of import trade and promoting Silk Road e-commerce, Xi said.

To firmly promote high-standard opening up, China will further shorten the negative list for foreign investment, and expand the opening of telecommunication, healthcare and other services in an orderly fashion, according to the president.

"China will firmly uphold the common interests of the world," he said, pledging to actively join in global efforts to tackle climate change and safeguard food and energy security, and provide more assistance to fellow developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation.

UNCHANGED RESOLVE

The year of 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO. Over the last two decades, the country's continuous efforts in widening opening-up have brought its development to a new stage and injected fresh impetus into the world economy, Xi noted.

"China has fully delivered on its accession commitments," Xi said.

China's overall tariff rate has been cut from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent, lower than the 9.8 percent accession commitment, delivering dividends to its trade partners all over the world.

In the past 20 years, China's global ranking of trade in goods has risen from the sixth to the first, while that of its trade in services has jumped from the 11th to the second.

The country's development and progress since it entered the WTO is the result of much hard work and great tenacity of the Chinese people under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the country's proactive steps to strengthen international cooperation and work for win-win outcomes, Xi said.

"As for China, we will not change our resolve to open wider at a high standard; we will not change our determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world; and we will not change our commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," Xi said.

As the world's first import-themed national-level expo, China's CIIE has offered a platform for entrepreneurs and traders worldwide. This year's CIIE draws nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions, higher than its last edition.

"As a European company in China for over 30 years, we have witnessed China's continuous efforts to deepen opening up and improve the business environment since its accession to the WTO. We have full confidence in China's development and future," said Tony Wei, Managing Director of Business Services and Managing Director of Swarovski Crystal Business, Greater China.

Full Text: Keynote Speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the 4th China International Import Expo

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Record number of U.S. companies attend China's import expo

Xinhua) 08:13, November 05, 2021

The opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo is held in east China's Shanghai on Nov. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

SHANGHAI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- About 200 U.S. companies are attending the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) that kicked off Thursday night in Shanghai, hitting a new high, the CIIE Bureau told Xinhua.

From 2018 to 2020, the number of U.S. companies attending the CIIE increased from about 180 to 198, and their total exhibition area has been one of the largest among all participating countries and regions, said the bureau.

Many iconic industry leaders have become regulars at the event. Multinational conglomerate Honeywell, a fourth-time exhibitor at CIIE, has expanded its booth area to more than twice that of last year, showcasing innovative technologies in aviation, smart manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.

"We are honored to participate in the CIIE for the fourth consecutive year, a world-class event of open collaboration," said Steven Lien, president of Honeywell China and Aerospace Asia Pacific. "We look forward to continuing shoulder-to-shoulder advancement with our Chinese customers by capitalizing on the CIIE platform while creating a green, low-carbon industrial ecosystem."

U.S. footwear maker Skechers has enjoyed the CIIE experience nonstop since 2019. "We have confidence in the Chinese market and will continue to deepen our 'In China, for China' development strategy and increase our investment here," said Willie Tan, CEO of Skechers China, South Korea, and Skechers Southeast Asia Limited.

E-commerce giant Amazon is participating in the CIIE for the first time. Li Yanchuan, head of China Global Store and Prime, Amazon, said the CIIE is a vital platform for stimulating market potential and enhancing global exchanges.

The company is looking forward to new opportunities the event will offer and wishes to bring more fancy global goods to Chinese consumers, added Li.

Even before the opening of the 4th CIIE, some U.S. companies, including Cargill and Pfizer, had already signed for the fifth edition next year.

These companies' active engagement in the CIIE mirrors U.S. businesses' continued passion for the Chinese market. China was the only major economy to achieve positive growth last year amid the worldwide impact of COVID-19.

According to a survey report released in September by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, U.S. companies in China are generally optimistic about their growth potential in the Chinese market and continue to expand their operations here.

Initiated in 2018, the CIIE is the world's first dedicated import exhibition. Nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions are attending the fourth CIIE, covering an offline exhibition area of 366,000 square meters.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China's import expo brings world towards brighter future

Xinhua) 08:14, November 05, 2021

Photo taken on Nov. 4, 2021 shows an exterior view of the National Exhibition and Convention Center, the main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

From pursuing creative ways to grow foreign trade, to improving its business environment and seeking deeper bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation, China has walked the talk in sharing its development opportunities and building an open global economy.

SHANGHAI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled for Nov. 5-10, is set to open in China's coastal city of Shanghai.

As an icon of China's opening-up and international cooperation, the expo, which has been held every year since 2018, has promoted global development and prosperity, and contributed to shaping a brighter future for China and the world.

Bringing together global business opportunities, which have become much more valuable since the COVID-19 outbreak, the CIIE has grown into a one-stop platform for participants to showcase their products, look for partners and explore new markets.

That is why the event has enjoyed worldwide popularity and yielded fruitful results.

The previous three editions of the CIIE saw about 201.6 billion U.S. dollars' worth of deals reached for intended purchases of goods and services. This year, the total exhibition area has been expanded to 366,000 square meters, with nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions attending the event.

A woman promotes Scottish products via live streaming during a preview banquet held in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Long)

More than 80 percent of Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading companies from last year's CIIE are returning for this latest edition, according to official data.

Meanwhile, openness and inclusiveness are distinct features of the CIIE. Since its debut, it has been a chorus of the whole world, instead of China's solo show.

Both cutting-edge technologies from developed countries and agricultural goods produced by the developing world are welcome at the expo. Both big name multinationals and small start-ups can reap the benefits of participating in the event.

This year, more Belt and Road countries, Central and Eastern Europe countries and the most underdeveloped countries, as well as an increasing number of small-and-medium enterprises will take part in the expo.

These facts are a strong testament to China's determination to open its door wider, even facing the fierce headwinds of anti-globalization. China has always stood on the right side of history and the side of human progress, and endeavored to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

The first "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train is seen upon its arrival in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

From pursuing creative ways to grow foreign trade, to improving its business environment and seeking deeper bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation, China has walked the talk in sharing its development opportunities and building an open global economy.

Moreover, the CIIE has played a vital role in promoting global innovation and replacing old growth drivers for world development with new ones.

In addition to helping the participants grasp the latest innovation trend with novel products, the expo has also shown China's enormous demand for high-quality merchandise.

With a population of 1.4 billion and a middle-income group that exceeds 400 million, China is the most promising market in the world. Total import into China is estimated to top 22 trillion dollars in the coming decade.

Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2021 shows bags of coffee beans to be exported to China at a warehouse of Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Company in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

As the country is pursuing a new development pattern and trying to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality goals, the tremendous purchasing power of its large market has turned into a driving force for global companies to keep innovating to meet Chinese customers' upgraded needs.

China's active promotion of the transition to a modern green economy offers development opportunities for multinationals, said Yin Zheng, executive vice president of French multinational Schneider Electric.

The CIIE is living proof of China's commitments to making the pie of the global market even bigger, strengthening the global mechanisms for benefits sharing and exploring new ways of international cooperation.

It is hoped that through the CIIE, the world can better understand China's openness, inclusiveness and innovativeness. China, together with other countries, can create a more prosperous and brighter shared future.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Putin, Lukashenko sign Union State integration decree

Xinhua) 08:17, November 05, 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (Source: Xinhua)

"By carrying out these sectoral integration programmes, Russia and Belarus can create an equal and unified business environment," Putin said.

MOSCOW, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko has signed an integration decree of the Union State, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The document, which sets forth the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State in 2021-2023, was signed during the online meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, according to the Kremlin.

"This document covers 28 sectoral Union programmes designed to promote a coordinated macroeconomic strategy, introduce unified taxation principles, which is extremely important, implement a common policy in the credit and financial and banking sectors, in industry and agriculture, harmonise regulations for the unified oil, gas and electric power markets and for transport services," Putin said during the meeting.

"By carrying out these sectoral integration programmes, Russia and Belarus can create an equal and unified business environment," he added.

Lukashenko called it "another important step on the path of the union building."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
New Pentagon report hypes 'Chinese nuclear threat' to serve US hegemonic goals

(Global Times) 08:18, November 05, 2021

The formation of Dongfeng-41 nuclear missiles takes part in a military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)

The US Defense Department on Wednesday released its annual report on China's military development, which again hyped the "China threat theory," and discussed China's nuclear arsenal, claiming that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is expanding its nuclear force much faster than the US had predicted, and that it may have 1,000 nuclear warheads by the end of the decade and surpass US global influence by the middle of the 21st century.

Serving the US' own hegemonic goals, the Pentagon's speculative report aims to contain China's rightful national defense development at a time when the US is showing huge strategic malice against China by dragging it to unfair arms talks, and creates excuses to further strengthen its nuclear capability, Chinese experts said on Thursday.

Unlike the US, China will not use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons on anyone as long as it is not attacked by a nuclear weapon first, experts said.

Titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2021," the annual Pentagon report to the US Congress claims that the number of Chinese nuclear warheads could rise to 700 within six years, and may top 1,000 by 2030, AP reported on Wednesday.

China may already have established what is known as a nuclear triad  the combination of land-, sea-, and air-based missiles  by adding an air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), AP cited the report as saying.

The report also asserted that China has begun constructing at least three new missile fields that "cumulatively contain hundreds" of underground silos from which intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) could be launched, AP reported.

In response to the Pentagon report, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press conference on Thursday that the report disregards the facts and is prejudiced.

The US is the biggest nuclear threat in the world, as it owns 5,550 nuclear warheads as of early 2021, Wang said, citing data from international think tanks.

While the US possesses the world's largest, most advanced nuclear arsenal, it is still investing trillions of dollars to upgrade its "nuclear triad," developing low-yield nuclear weapons and lowering the threshold of using nukes, Wang said.

The US left arms control legal instruments like the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, continued to deploy antiballistic missile systems around the world, resumed land-based intermediate-range missile development and tests, and sought to deploy them in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, Wang said, noting that the US is also creating a small clique with strong Cold War undertones through the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation.

These moves seriously harm global strategic stability, and damage international peace and security, Wang said, urging the US to shoulder its special and primary responsibility in nuclear disarmament by further cutting its nuclear arsenal in a verifiable, irreversible and legally binding way to safeguard global strategic balance and stability, Wang said.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Pentagon report's hype of the Chinese "nuclear threat" aims to drag China into a disarmament negotiation on the premise of a nuclear arms race, and give the US sufficient reason to further expand its strategic nuclear force by winning more funding.

While China has never disclosed the size of its nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon said a year ago that the number was in the "low 200s," AP reported. Even bolder guesses from some international think tanks estimate the figure to be at somewhere around 300.

As for nuclear warhead delivery platforms, the AP report admitted that the US and Russia have had the nuclear triad for decades.

The US military operates silo-based Minuteman-III IBCMs, Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines equipped with trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), and nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers capable of air defense penetration.

The US is also upgrading its nuclear arsenal with upgrades to the Minuteman-III ICBM, replacing the Ohio-class submarines with the next-generation Columbia class, and developing the new B-21 stealth bomber. It is also planning to equip F-35 stealth fighter jets with B61-12 tactical nukes, which analysts said could significantly lower the threshold of using nuclear weapons in actual combat.

China's nuclear weapons are way behind the US in terms of quality and quantity, Song pointed out. "The number of Chinese nuclear warheads is only very small compared to the US', and China's means to deliver them are also very limited."

China is not in a position to engage in strategic arms talks with the US, Song said.

Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the US had been in a global leading position in military strength for a long time, and insists on leading others by a wide margin, and China's military development has touched the US elites' nerves on this aspect.

The Pentagon is hyping China's rapid military technological development so it can get more funds, and is attempting to ally the West to strategically compete with China, Li said.

The US is also aggressively building up its antiballistic missile system, which aims not to defend, but to surround its opponents to weaken their nuclear deterrence, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday.

China has not revealed the size of its nuclear arsenal, and the figures the US report released are speculative or even fabricated to serve its goals, as the US cannot get such sensitive data, Wei said.

Prior to the release of the Pentagon report, the US Strategic Command launched the Global Thunder 22 annual training focused on joint operations and nuclear readiness on Monday in a move to test and improve its combat capabilities against China, UPI reported on Monday.

The exercise involves increased bomber flights, missile training and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine preparedness, to ascertain the reliability and resilience of the nuclear triad, the US Strategic Command said in a statement.

As China grows and faces strategic competition, including nuclear threats from the US, China has the right and need to strengthen its national defense, including nuclear deterrence capabilities, Chinese analysts said.

China needs to moderately expand its nuclear forces and nuclear arsenal, including the number of warheads and means of delivery, to safeguard its national security, Song said.

Real capabilities

In response to the West's frequent accusation of China's lack of transparency in its nuclear arsenal, the PLA has been displaying its latest achievements in this aspect on a regular basis outside of the number of warheads.

At the National Day military parade in Beijing on October 1, 2019, the PLA displayed the DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads; the JL-2 SLBM, which is believed to arm the Type 09IV nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine; the DF-31AG road-mobile ICBM, the DF-5B silo-based ICBM, and the country's latest road-mobile ICBM, the DF-41.

The H-6N strategic bomber that appeared at the military parade is believed to be capable of carrying ALBMs, but the PLA has not confirmed this.

Media outlets have also been speculating that China could be developing nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, a new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine with more lethal SLBMs, and the H-20 stealth strategic bomber.

Despite the PLA's nuclear capabilities, China's nuclear forces will not threaten anyone, because China's purpose is different from that of the US, experts said.

China always adheres to nuclear strategic defense, has proposed the final, complete ban and thorough disposal of nuclear weapons, and has been limiting the scale of its nuclear power to the minimum level required for national security, Wang said.

China will never use a nuclear weapon first under any situation, and has promised not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons on nuclear-free countries and regions, Wang stressed.

"As long as China is not attacked by a nuclear weapon first, no country will be threatened by China's nuclear weapons," Wang said.

China implements a limited nuclear deterrence strategy of nuclear counterattack, and China does not seek a nuclear arms race with the US, Song said.

The US uses nukes to protect its global hegemony, and China uses them to safeguard its national security, Song said. "The purpose and goal of the two countries are completely different."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
RCEP expected to effectively boost economic recovery

(China Daily) 08:19, November 05, 2021

The imminent implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement will effectively boost economic recovery. [SHI YU/CHINA DAILY]

The imminent implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, scheduled to take effect from Jan 1, will effectively boost economic recovery and consolidate the supply chain network in the Asia-Pacific region, economists and business leaders said on Thursday.

The Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has confirmed that six member countries of the bloc and four non-ASEAN countriesChina, Japan, New Zealand and Australiahad formally submitted their RCEP ratifications, meeting the conditions for the deal to come into force in those 10 countries at the start of next year, China's Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement on Wednesday.

Apart from showing their willingness to further expand trade flows during the post COVID-19 era, the RCEPthe world's biggest trade pact by GDPwill help these signatory countries ensure the opening of their markets as well as uninterrupted supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region, said Zhang Jianping, director-general of the China Center for Regional Economic Cooperation in Beijing.

The six ASEAN countries that have approved the RCEP are Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The deal comes into force 60 days after ratification by at least six ASEAN countries and at least three non-ASEAN countries, according to the agreement signed in November last year.

As of Wednesday, four ASEAN members and the Republic of Korea haven't ratified the dealt.

Once the RCEP takes effect, local and global companies will enjoy a regional business environment with fewer investment barriers and low tariffs. The implementation of the agreement will help the regional supply chain better respond to external impacts, said Jiang Feng, director of the General Administration of Customs' Department of Duty Collection.

China's foreign trade soared by 22.7 percent on a yearly basis to 28.33 trillion yuan ($4.4 trillion) in the first three quarters of this year, and the volume of its exports and imports with other RCEP participants surged 19.3 percent year-on-year, data from the administration showed.

China, one of the main drivers of the deal, completed the ratification process for the agreement on April 15 and applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, another trade agreement among 11 economies, including Australia, Canada and Japan, in September.

"In the next growth stage, innovations in trade policies, products and practices will be the cornerstones of progress for China and its partners to persevere on the path of development," said Lawrence Loh, director of the Center for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore's Business School.

Despite the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region's economic growth, the RCEP will pave the way for global companies to invest and export more products to various markets within the region, said Donny Yu, president and CEO for China at Nexans SA, a French cable manufacturer for power and data transmission.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
All lip service, no actions -- Developed countries urged to walk the talk on climate crisis

Xinhua) 08:19, November 05, 2021

-- "We've been coming to the COP meetings ever so often. What we have seen is the leaders are making such good speeches ... but we cannot see commitment," Charles Nyambura, from Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), told Xinhua.

-- According to PACJA, one of the biggest civil societies in Africa campaigning for climate actions, many parts of Africa are experiencing higher-than-normal rainfall and ensuing flooding. In some countries like Madagascar, a prolonged drought and poor harvest, complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have triggered a humanitarian crisis.

-- Meanwhile, developing countries, which often lack the resources and resilience to tackle the challenge, are suffering the most from the impacts of climate change.

-- Political mutual trust between the wealthier and low income countries is essential for global cooperation on climate change, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told Xinhua on Tuesday.

GLASGOW, Britain, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Outside the venue of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, a group of African protesters could barely conceal their anger.

Photo taken on Oct. 31, 2021 shows a general view of the opening ceremony for COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, the United Kingdom. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

"We've been coming to the COP meetings ever so often. What we have seen is the leaders are making such good speeches ... but we cannot see commitment," Charles Nyambura, from Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), told Xinhua. Not far away from where Nyambura stood, the banners of COP26 were flapping wildly in the cutting gusty wind of Scotland.

Nyambura, an observer of the conference, said rich countries who built their wealth by burning fossil fuels and accounted most for the climate crisis, have failed to deliver their promise of 100 billion U.S. dollars a year to help lower-income nations by 2020, among other pledges.

"It is not about giving us money. It is about paying climate debt. We want to see our people supported to build their resilience to tackle climate change," Nyambura said.

LIP SERVICE

Nyambura is not alone in voicing his anger about the rhetoric by rich countries who failed to translate words into actions. Recent reports indicate that this goal of paying 100 billion dollars could slip to 2023.

Meanwhile, developing countries, which often lack the resources and resilience to tackle the challenge, are suffering the most from the impacts of climate change.

According to PACJA, one of the biggest civil societies in Africa campaigning for climate actions, many parts of Africa are experiencing higher-than-normal rainfall and ensuing flooding. In some countries like Madagascar, a prolonged drought and poor harvest, complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Photo taken on April 20, 2021 shows cracked soil in drought-hit Morgan Hill, California, the United States. (Photo by Dong Xudong/Xinhua)

"This COP must be a moment of solidarity. The 100 billion U.S. dollars a year climate finance commitment in support of developing countries must become a 100 billion dollars climate finance reality," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his speech at the World Leaders Summit at COP26.

"This is critical to restoring trust and credibility," Guterres said.

It is "pretty disheartening" that the developed countries have failed to deliver their promises under the Paris Agreement, which has damaged trust required for "a real partnership," Federica Bietta, managing director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, told Xinhua.

"The developing countries are coming forward with their own commitments, and with their own reductions. And so we need also the developed world to stick to their words," Bietta said.

"SHIFTING BLAME"

A narrative among some Western media and politicians is that China is mainly responsible for the climate crisis as a major emitter of greenhouse gases. Observers are quick to point out that this is an approach by some Western countries, especially the United States, to shift blame.

"Western media and politicians are trying to shift responsibility for the future of the planet onto China ... This is nonsense," Carlos Martinez, a British author and political commentator, tweeted.

"China's per capita emissions are less than half those of the U.S.," said Martinez. "Unlike the West, China's emissions aren't driven by luxury lifestyles but by industry. Meaning the advanced countries have simply exported their emissions."

Meanwhile, "China is making a concerted effort to reduce its reliance on coal," he said.

China has become the world's largest market for renewable energy, with renewable power accounting for 29.5 percent of overall electricity consumption, according to official statistics.

The country is also the world's biggest manufacturer of renewable energy equipment, ranking first in installed capacity of hydroelectric, wind and solar power generation, and has the largest nuclear power generating projects under construction.

Aerial photo taken on July 28, 2021 shows a view of the China-built Turgusun hydropower station on the Turgusun River near the city of Altai, Kazakhstan. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate change, said the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under former President Donald Trump's administration has caused a complete waste of nearly five years the world could have devoted to a multilateral process to tackle climate change.

Due to the disruption caused by the United States, countries across the globe now "must work harder together to catch up," Xie told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of COP26.

CHINA IN ACTION

As the world's largest developing country that has yet to finalize industrialization, China has announced that it would strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Parties need to honor their commitments, set realistic targets and visions, and do their best according to national conditions to deliver their climate action measures, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a written statement to the COP26.

Xi said China will roll out specific implementation plans for key areas such as energy, industry, construction and transport, and for key sectors such as coal, electricity, iron and steel, and cement, as well as supporting measures in terms of science and technology, carbon sink, fiscal and taxation, and financial incentives.

"These measures will form a '1+N' policy framework for delivering carbon peak and carbon neutrality, with clearly-defined timetable, roadmap and blueprint," Xi said.

The country recently released an action plan for carbon dioxide peaking before 2030, as well as a document titled "Working Guidance For Carbon Dioxide Peaking And Carbon Neutrality In Full And Faithful Implementation Of The New Development Philosophy."

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 19, 2020 shows wind turbines at the Jiucaiping scenic area in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

"China's target of achieving peak emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2060 will be, by far, the fastest journey from carbon peak to carbon neutral in history," said Martinez, the British commentator.

"The focus needs to be on the developed countries meeting their responsibilities as the biggest contributors to cumulative emissions," he added.

MULTILATERALISM MATTERS

"When it comes to global challenges such as climate change, multilateralism is the right prescription," Xi said in his statement.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement provide the fundamental legal basis for international cooperation on climate. Parties need to build on existing consensus, increase mutual trust, step up cooperation and work together to deliver a successful COP26 in Glasgow, he added.

"The essential thing we need to do is to uphold multilateralism. We need to start working together, stop playing blame games. Let's share resources in terms of research, in terms of development. Let's coordinate around how we can support developing countries, especially the least developed countries that don't have the financial and the infrastructure resources to reduce carbon emissions," Martinez told Xinhua.

Antony Froggatt, deputy director of Environment and Society Programme Chatham House, a London-based think tank, also urged the world, especially the European Union, China and the United States, to work together for real progress in tackling climate change.

The cooperation of the three parties is "essential" to cut costs of renewable energy like solar energy and wind power, which enables other countries to access these technologies, he said.

Political mutual trust between the wealthier and low income countries is essential for global cooperation on climate change, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Photo taken on May 27, 2021 shows the Kaposvar solar power plant in Kaposvar, Hungary. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Countries that benefited from early industrialization processes have a responsibility to do more in solving the problems coming along with the heavy reliance on fossil fuels, said the prominent environmentalist, urging developed countries to deliver their promises and provide more assistance to low income countries as soon as possible.

However, the world may not afford to wait for too long. Just as protester Nyambura said, "We don't need more rhetoric. We just need you to act."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China hands over donated maize to Zambia

Xinhua) 08:36, November 05, 2021

LUSAKA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday donated 3,099 tons of maize to Zambia meant for people facing food shortages following the poor farming season of 2018/2019.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie handed over the maize to Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane during a ceremony.

The maize will be distributed to vulnerable families by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

The Chinese envoy said his government was happy for having responded to Zambia's request for food aid following the food shortage caused by the poor rainy season.

He said despite Zambia experiencing good crop harvests in the 2019/2020 farming season, people in some parts of the country still need food assistance.

According to him, global climate change has led to frequent extreme weather and that Zambia has suffered extreme climate disasters such as floods and drought, adding that the spread of the COVID-19 has caused a large number of people to face food shortages.

The donation, he said, demonstrates the cordial relations that have existed between the two countries over the years.

"As an all-weather friend, China understands the need and generously responded to the demands of Zambia, and quickly made a decision to provide humanitarian emergency food aid," he said.

On his part, the Zambian minister thanked China for the donation, saying the Asian nation has demonstrated its generosity during times of adversity.

"The government of China has continuously shown that they are a friend that can be relied upon when Zambia needs a shoulder to lean on," he said.

The donation, he said, was a further gesture of friendship between the two countries and further signifies the cordial bilateral ties enjoyed over the years.

China, he said, has in the recent past been actively involved in Zambia's disaster risk reduction programs including response to disaster-prone areas.

According to him, a total of 296,438 people or 49,406 households from 18 districts needs food aid for a period of six months from October 2021 to March 2022.

Joshua Kamanya, DMMU acting National Coordinator, said the farming season from 2018 to 2020 which was characterized by drought in some areas and flooding in others as well as the emergency of armyworms and locusts left many families food insecure.

He expressed happiness that China was among countries that responded to food assistance, adding that the donation of the maize will help the vulnerable families.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Chinese field hospital offers medical donation to clinic in southern Lebanon

Xinhua) 08:39, November 05, 2021

BEIRUT, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese field hospital on Thursday provided a medical donation to the Deir Mimas clinic in Lebanon's southern town of Marjeyoun, the Elnashra news website reported.

The aid, which consists of anti-inflammatory medicines, was offered to the clinic in the presence of clinic officials, local activists, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeper officers.

This donation came under the framework of the humanitarian and medical assistance provided by the UNIFIL to the residents in its operation area in southern Lebanon.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Efforts to preserve rare plant species in SW China's Gaoligong Mountain pay off

09:04, November 05, 2021 By Shen Jingran ( People's Daily

Gaoligong Mountain, sitting in the southwest of China, is home to about 17 percent of higher plants and 30 percent of mammals of the country.

Big tree rhododendron. (Photo courtesy of the Baoshan management bureau of the Gaoligong Mountain National Natural Reserve)

It borders with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the north and is listed as a key region of terrestrial biodiversity that bears international significance by Biodiversity Science, a journal run by the Biodiversity Committee under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Near a research and monitoring station in the Tengchong section of the Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan province, seedlings of Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum, or big tree rhododendron, are planted under the woods.

The big tree rhododendron, also known as the "king of rhododendrons," is one of the most typical plant species in the mountain. Due to its narrow geographic distribution and scarcity, the species had once been out of sight after its first discovery, which was by chance, in the early 20th century.

Duan Shaozhong, an official with the Baoshan management bureau of the Gaoligong Mountain National Natural Reserve, introduced that in order to get the exact number of the big tree rhododendrons, Chinese scientists started exploration tasks deep in the Gaoligong Mountain.

In the early 1980s, multiple big tree rhododendrons were discovered by a research team led by botanist Feng Guomei half way up the Gaoligong Mountain's Tengchong section. The discovery significantly enhanced the confidence of Chinese scientists in further protecting the species.

In 1983, the government of Yunnan province approved the establishment of a provincial-level nature reserve in the Gaoligong mountain, and the nature reserve was made a national one upon a decision by the State Council three years later.

After systematic field research carried out by relevant government departments and scientists, the population of the big tree rhododendrons was confirmed to be 1,771 in 2014.

Big tree rhododendron. (Photo courtesy of the Baoshan management bureau of the Gaoligong Mountain National Natural Reserve)

"It's difficult for the seeds of the big tree rhododendrons, which are smaller than sesames, to sprout in primitive forests after they fall from the trees," said Duan, explaining that the natural propagation is difficult as it has a rigid requirement in temperature, humidity, altitude, as well as other environmental conditions.

Therefore, artificial intervention is necessary. The CAS Kunming Institute of Botany and the Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland have carried out artificial breeding and propagation experiments for the big tree rhododendrons, and the successfully bred seedlings are planted for further experiments in places that enjoy similar conditions with those in the plants' natural habitats.

Linjiapu is one of the experiment bases. According to statistics, 200 seedlings were planted there in May this year, and they are currently growing well. Sixty percent of the first batch of seedlings planted in Linjiapu in 2017 survived, and the tallest of them have grown to 60 centimeters today, from 25 centimeters four years ago.

"The seedlings transplanted are mostly 25 centimeters, because they photosynthesize well at this height. It can be called a success that these plants have grown so tall over the past four years, as the big tree rhododendrons grow very slowly in natural environment," Duan explained.

In 2005, Yunnan province proposed to protect species with extremely small populations, and approved a 10-year guideline in this regard five years later. A total of 62 plant species and 50 animal species were listed as the species with extremely small populations, and emergency measures have been taken to protect them.

Photo shows a tunnel in the Dulongjiang section of the Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan province. (Photo from Yunnan.cn)

Through on-site protection and artificial breeding, a series of endangered and critically endangered species have been conserved, including the big tree rhododendron and the Craigia yunnanensis.

Zhang Min is a forest ranger in the Gaoligong mountain who started protecting the woods eight years ago. "The government calls on us to protect the ecology, and the job offers stable income for us," he said. According to him, when he just started working as a forest ranger, it was never an easy task to move in the mountain, and people were prohibited from entering it for half a year due to big snow. Fortunately, a tunnel was constructed in the mountain in April 2014, and made his patrols much easier, he said.

In a valley near the tunnel, Zhang set up the first infrared camera in the Dulongjiang section of the Gaoligong mountain. Apart from being forest rangers, Zhang and his fellows also grow Lanxangia tsaoko, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, to gain extra income.

Head of Dulongjiang township Mu Xiaolong told People's Daily that the township's underwood planting is carried out in secondary forests, not natural forests, and forest rangers are on regular patrols to strictly observe the ecological red line.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Prima facie evidence of illegal assembly case involving Jimmy Lai stands: HK court

Xinhua) 09:09, November 05, 2021

HONG KONG, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The District Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ruled on Thursday that the prima facie evidence of an unauthorized assembly case on June 4 last year involving Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, an instigator of Hong Kong riots, stands.

The eight defendants including Lai were accused of inciting others to participate in an illegal assembly in Victoria Park of Hong Kong last year, and the case was heard again at the District Court on Monday.

Five of the defendants, including Lee Cheuk-yan, confessed their offenses Monday. The judge adjourned proceedings for the five pleading guilty until Nov. 12, for mitigation pleas and sentencing.

Three others involved in the case, Lai, Chow Hang-tung and Gwyneth Ho, denied their charges on Monday.

There were 26 people involved in the case, including Lai, Lee, Albert Ho Chun-yan, Joshua Wong and others. Twenty-one have pleaded guilty or been sentenced earlier on.

The rest two, including Nathan Law, have fled Hong Kong. Arrest warrants have been issued for them.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Young artist turns village in central China into gallery

09:13, November 05, 2021 By Bi Jingjin ( People's Daily

At a village in central Chinas Henan province, Shang Qinjie, a young art enthusiast, was busy spraying oil paint onto a wall, drawing the attention of many residents.

Shang Qinjie (left) poses for a photo with Li Junchen, a resident in Xitouying village, Chengde city, north Chinas Hebei province, in front of a wall painting of sunflowers he has made. (Photo/Shanghai Observer)

Im painting an anime-style picture of a pastoral scene. Its merely a one- or two-day job, said the post-90s man, standing on a scaffold.

In May 2019, at the invitation of a schoolmate, he began to paint pictures on walls at Xiaotun village, Zhangcun township, Xinxiang city of Henan, also his hometown, before which he worked in big cities.

At first, Shang merely did it for fun. It is his interest in painting that has kept him doing the job to this day.

Shang wanted to draw paintings on the exterior of houses in the village in a more fashionable and interesting way that differs from the formerly seen idyllic style. The village has given him enough space to realize his ideas. As a result, many brightly colored and lifelike drawings appeared on the walls of Xiaotun village.

Shang didnt expect that his paintings could make Xiaotun village a famous tourist destination. After villagers shared the pictures of Shangs artworks on WeChat and short video platforms, tourists from neighboring villages and even faraway places were attracted to Xiaotun village.

Visitors come either to take photos with the creative paintings on the walls, or relax in idyllic surroundings, or learn about the wall-painting project in the village.

As the characteristic paintings on the walls become more and more widely known, Xiaotun village is winning increasing popularity with tourists.

Residents werent used to seeing so many visitors in their village initially. However, they gradually learned to grasp the opportunity.

Shang Qinjie paints on a wall at Xitouying village, Chengde city, north Chinas Hebei province. (Photo/Shanghai Observer)

Some villagers started to sell snacks and run diners, and their business is booming thanks to tourists flocking to the village. A parking lot has also been built in the village for the convenience of visitors who drive here.

The steady stream of visitors has made the village see broader development prospects. It decided to seize the opportunity and build B&Bs and improve its catering services to form an integrated tourism model.

During this years week-long Spring Festival holiday in February, the daily turnover of my shop reached more than 2,000 yuan ($312.8), said Zhao Haiqing, owner of a small shop in the village, who is very satisfied with the changes to the village.

My relatives and friends who came to visit all said that Xiaotun village has taken a more beautiful look, Zhao added.

Shang has posted many videos about the drawings he made on the Chinese short video platform Douyin under the account name Daxin, which have received hundreds of thousands of likes.

Netizens from other villages left messages to him in the comment sections of his videos, inviting him to paint in their villages. Residents in Xiaotun village also raced to ask Shang to paint pictures on the walls of their houses, and Shang has agreed to their requests willingly.

He has so far finished decorating more than 80 percent of the walls in Xiaotun village with creative pictures and intends to speed up his work and continue to paint for other villages.

I started to paint for fun but gradually became aware of the significance of the job, Shang said, adding that he will pursue the career as a painter in rural areas to bring wall paintings to more villages and make more people become attached to the countryside.

Shang Qinjie paints on a wall at Xitouying village, Chengde city, north Chinas Hebei province. (Photo/Shanghai Observer)

Shang feels a sense of achievement as Xiaotun village becomes more attractive and widely recognized with each passing day.

In fact, besides the well-decorated walls, many other changes are happening in Xiaotun village. The once bumpy unsurfaced roads have been turned into clean and flat cement ones; the living environment of the village has become cleaner and tidier; many villagers even redecorated their houses.

Few people outside knew about or visited Xiaotun village before, recalled Shi Lei, first secretary assigned to fight poverty in Dawangzhuang village, which has administration authority over Xiaotun village.

Xiaotun village now enjoys increasing popularity, Shi noted, adding that it is advancing cultural tourism projects including an insect museum.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
China injects confidence, impetus to global COVID-19 response

Xinhua) 09:25, November 05, 2021

BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- With its efforts to advance the building of a global community of health for all, including information sharing, experience exchanges, anti-virus material supplies and aiding developing countries with vaccines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has injected confidence and impetus into the global response of the virus.

During the 16th Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit on Saturday, China proposed a six-point Global Vaccine Cooperation Action Initiative.

The initiative includes efforts to strengthen vaccine R&D cooperation, uphold equity and justice and provide more vaccines to developing countries, encourage vaccine companies to transfer technology to developing countries, ensure smooth trade in vaccines and related raw and auxiliary materials, advance mutual recognition of vaccines in accordance with the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing, and provide financial support for global vaccine cooperation, especially for developing countries to access vaccines.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese leadership has on many occasions stressed the importance of global inclusiveness and solidarity amid the pandemic.

The pandemic is yet another reminder that humanity rises and falls together with a shared future. Facing the virus, China has called on the world to champion the vision of building a global community of health for all and tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation.

For that reason, China has not only been effective at containing the pandemic at home but also at reaching out to provide help for others with a belief that regards all of the world's people as one big family.

China has been active in responding to and supporting the United Nations (UN) COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

To date, the country has offered material aid for combating the pandemic to over 150 countries and international organizations, exported anti-virus supplies to over 200 countries and regions, provided over 320 billion masks, 3.9 billion units of protective gear and 5.6 billion testing kits abroad.

It has also been earnest in honoring its commitment to make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and improve accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

By providing over 1.6 billion doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries and international organizations around the world, China has made an important contribution to global vaccination and the building of a global immunity barrier.

In May, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed thanks to China for its important contributions to the international cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in achieving a fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries.

While the materials are being transported across the borders, the friendship and bond, as well as the confidence to overcome the disease, are enhanced.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China contributes a lot to world public health, WHO assistant director-general says

Xinhua) 10:00, November 05, 2021

A child waves the Chinese national flag while posing for photos on a bridge in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

"From the field of primary health care in the past, to the prevention and control of some major infectious diseases, China still has many technologies or programs that can provide lessons for other countries," WHO's assistant director-general said.

GENEVA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- China has made great contributions to the world in the public health domain, Ren Minghui, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), has said.

"Many of China's early experiences in public health, for example the barefoot doctors and primary healthcare policies and plannings, have been recognized by the World Health Organization as well as the international community," said Ren, the WHO's assistant director-general for universal health coverage and communicable and noncommunicable diseases, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"China's contributions in traditional medicine have also been accepted by the WHO and many more countries, and have been incorporated into the WHO strategies, with more and more countries actively considering incorporating them into their formal health service systems," he said.

He added that China's work in prevention and control of infectious diseases such as polio, malaria, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, etc., has reached the goals of the WHO's strategic plan for the elimination or eradication of infectious diseases.

A medical worker takes a swab sample from a man at a COVID-19 nucleic acid testing site in Jiangning District of Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 12, 2021.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

China and other countries, Ren said, are facing many common public health problems, such as unbalanced distribution of health resources, insufficient technical personnel, and lack of medicine and healthcare, while China is gradually solving these problems through efforts, and its successful experience can be taken as a reference for other countries.

Describing China's cooperation with the WHO as mutually beneficial, he said: "On one hand, China is sharing experience, technology and funding in its cooperation with the WHO, which is conducive to China's improvement and adjustment of disease prevention and control strategies as well as the promotion of domestic public health; on the other hand, China's practice, experiences and technologies are also being recognized, learned, and promoted by the WHO and the international community."

On the future prospects of cooperation between China and the WHO, Ren believes that the areas of cooperation between the two sides are expanding.

"From the field of primary health care in the past, to the prevention and control of some major infectious diseases, China still has many technologies or programs that can provide lessons for other countries," he said.

A worker conveys China-aided COVID-19 vaccines at an airport in Bujumbura, Burundi, Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Evrard Ngendakumana/Xinhua)

"In particular, China has recently achieved the goal of eliminating malaria, which has been highly praised by the international community. In the area of noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer control, the two sides need to learn from each other," he said.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of China's lawful seat in the United Nations (UN), Ren said China has become a very important member in the UN and the international community as a whole.

"I have attended the UN General Assembly, the World Health Assembly and some other technical committees many times. China's active participation are seen more often, and there are increasing numbers of Chinese delegates," he added.

China, a firm believer in multilateralism and a strong supporter of the future development of the United Nations, "will certainly play a more active role in the future multilateral international organizations," Ren said.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Explainer: A decade of the 'caravans of steel camels' of the Belt and Road Initiative

(People's Daily App) 10:06, November 05, 2021

The China-Europe Railway Express plays a key role in global supply chains.

On March 19, 2011, the first China-EU freight train departed from Chongqing and arrived in Duisburg, Germany.

Since the Belt-and-Road Initiative was introduced in 2013, China-EU freight trains have seen rapid development.

Three primary corridorsthe east, central, and westtie China and Europe together.

174 cities from 23 European countries are covered by this rail network.

In 2020, China allocated 200 million yuan ($28.3 million) toward the construction of five freight hubs: Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xian, and Urumqi.

Rail service expanded to major Chinese cities including Suzhou, Wuhan, Changsha and Guangzhou.

Over the years, trains have carried a wide variety of goods, including tea, coffee, electronics, furniture, toys and clothing.

In the face of the severe impact of the pandemic, the trains play a key role in stabilizing international supply chains and helping international cooperation to fight COVID-19.

Some 100,000 tons of supplies to fight the pandemic have been sent through this international trade lifeline to other countries as of September.

More than 44,000 trips have been made since the first China-EU freight train set off.

The total value of cargo delivered by the trains has exceeded $200 billion.

In the first nine months of 2021, over 11,000 China-EU freight train trips have been made, a 29 percent increase year-on-year.

On October 29, the first "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train arrived in Shanghai. This was the first time for exhibits to arrive at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) by freight train.

Ten years on, these caravans of steel camels continue to empower Chinas dual circulation economic policy and bring new opportunities to countries along the route.

(Produced by Xie Runjia, Li Bowen and Han Xiaomeng)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Village in Guangxi sees increasing number of egrets thanks to efforts of bird rangers

People's Daily Online) 13:06, November 05, 2021

Egrets fly over a forest in Daman village, Liangqing district of Nanning city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Mo Zuyong)

Daman village in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region saw the number of migrating egrets increase from less than 100 in the 1980s to tens of thousands today, thanks to the efforts of a group of bird rangers and a sound natural environment, according to a local official.

Located in the Liangqing district in Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi, the village established a patrol team to protect birds in 2006, said Lu Mingnian, deputy head of the villagers committee, noting that bird rangers need to regularly patrol the forests.

Meanwhile, protecting birds was incorporated into the villages rules and regulations, said Lu, who is also the head of the patrol team, adding that now the villagers have a strong awareness towards the protection of bird populations.

Surrounded by lush mountains and vast bamboo forests, the village is an ideal habitat for egrets.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Dream come true! 5-year-old leukemia patient experiences a day in the life of a traffic officer

People's Daily Online) 13:20, November 05, 2021

Wearing traffic police uniforms and sitting on a police motorcycle as if he was on duty, 5-year-old Mu Mu finally had the chance of a lifetime to experience what a typical day was like for a traffic policeman.

Mu Mu was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December 2020, and has since been hospitalized at the Childrens Hospital affiliated to the Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, east Chinas Zhejiang province.

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

The boy has always wanted to be a policeman when he grows up, having been first introduced to the job responsibilities of a traffic policeman by his parents when he was at an even younger age. While at the hospital, the boy always looked through the window to watch traffic officers working on the street, growing increasingly more interested in becoming a traffic policeman day by day.

Earlier this year, Mu Mu suffered an anaphylactic shock and was in a critical condition at one point. After his symptoms gradually dissipated, Mu Mus mother told the nurses about her sons dream. After completing a chemotherapy process, the nurses told Mu Mus mother that her boy was in a stable condition and that he could leave the hospital for a while.

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

After hearing about Mu Mus dream, the traffic police department in Hangzhou made special arrangements to make the boys dream come true. On Oct. 23, Mu Mu arrived at a traffic police station. Following the instructions of a police officer, Mu Mu changed his outfit, putting on a police officers hat and making a salute in front of a police flag. He also sat on a police motorcycle, visited several offices inside the traffic police station, and got first-hand experience using equipment powered with virtual reality technology. While doing all these different things, the boy, who was shy at first, gradually became more active and lively during the visit.

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

When Mu Mu was about to go back to the hospital, the policemen expressed their best wishes for him, hoping that he could recover soon and encouraging him to keep healthy and strong so that he too could become a policeman one day when he grows up.

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

(Photo provided by the traffic police department of Hangzhou)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
The worlds factory is more than capable in securing sufficient supplies of daily necessities

15:38, November 05, 2021 By Zamir Ahmed Awan ( People's Daily Online

A shopper buys vegetables at a supermarket in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. (Photo by SU YANG/FOR CHINA DAILY)

China is the most populous country in the world with a population of 1.4 billion. The hard work of the Chinese people and the right policies of Chinas Government, have also transformed the country into the worlds biggest industrial nation. Chinese products can be found in almost all parts of the world. Even in Europe and the United States, one can see innumerable Chinese products. The strength of China lies in its hardworking workforce, competitive labor costs, a domestic abundance of raw materials, large-scale manufacturing layouts, and an enormous overarching market potential. China can produce everything in massive quantities, which helps to bring the cost of production down and makes Chinese products more competitive in the international marketplace.

Based on its impressive export data, China has been described as the Worlds Factory, and no other country in the world can compete with China in terms of price or quality. The world knows very well that China is the biggest supplier of daily commodities to the rest of the world. There is no question that shortages of any sort will arise in China.

The recent statement released by the Ministry of Commerce on the supply and storage of daily necessities is part of its routine work to ensure the stable operation of the consumer market, experts said.

In the statement published on Monday, the ministry said that it has urged local commerce authorities to step up efforts to secure sufficient supplies and stabilize the prices of daily necessities during the winter and spring seasons.

Zhu Xiaoliang, director of the ministrys Department of Market Operations and Consumption Promotion, said that there is a sufficient supply of daily necessities, which can be fully guaranteed based on the current situation, China Central Television reported. The purpose of the statement was to strengthen efforts by local authorities to ensure supplies, instruct commercial distribution companies on sourcing goods, smooth out the channels linking production and sales, and encourage the signing of vegetable supply agreements, Zhu said.

Guan Lixin, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperations Institute of Distribution and Consumption, said that the ministry regularly takes moves to ensure the supply of consumer products and stabilize prices.

A few countries, in their anti-China drive, have continued to go all out in spreading fake news and fabricating stories. Unfortunately, these are the countries that maintain a monopoly over the mainstream media. They are campaigning on behalf of their own narrative, aiming to degrade China and distort the countrys image.

However, most of the worlds nations are friendly towards China and understand the ground realities. The fact-based developments that characterize Chinas situation cannot be denied. The countrys trade data, especially its data on exports, provide an obvious indicator of the Chinese capacity to produce daily commodities. Any sensible person will not believe that China, which is feeding the rest of the world and contributing to the global economy, could face shortages.

Western propaganda cannot be expected to succeed and facts and the truth will find a way to prevail throughout the world. It is worth mentioning that China meanwhile also represents one of the biggest importers in addition to its simultaneous status as a major exporter. Hence, China supports many of the worlds economies by importing products from abroad. In 2020, China was the only major economy that showed positive growth despite the worldwide challenge of COVID-19. China has accumulated massive amounts of hard cash and foreign exchange reserves, large enough to face off against any other unexpected circumstances arising in the future. China can overcome any emergency situation. The wit of Chinas Government and the Chinese people's trust in their countrys leadership is a significant source of strength for the countrys governance model. China is very much a stable place and will continue its pace of development on a sustainable course in the many years to come.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a senior fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of People's Daily Online.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Feature: More Zimbabweans turn to traditional Chinese medicine as alternative treatment

Xinhua) 16:28, November 05, 2021

HARARE, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- After receiving his second and last acupuncture treatment, Sebastian Jackson, 53, smiled as he showed everyone how powerful his grip had become. Just over a week ago, he could hardly shake hands with anyone without wincing in pain.

"It works! The first time I came here I was in pain and couldn't shake hands with anyone, but now, as you can feel, my grip is very powerful," he said triumphantly.

Jackson told Xinhua that he had had his wrists treated at the conventional medical centers but had found no luck.

Then he heard about the Zimbabwe-China Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where treatment of ailments could be done using acupuncture. He decided to give it a try.

The treatment has been effective for Jackson, who is one of the thousands of Zimbabweans who have turned to the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) facility to have their diseases treated.

The center was designated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in January 2020, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Zimbabwean and Chinese governments on cooperation in the field of TCM and acupuncture.

The facility, which will also house the country's largest TCM training school and research center, started taking patients in November 2020.

By April this year, it had treated more than 150 people suffering from various ailments such as hypertension, lumbar spine pain, diabetes, hernia, and other health problems.

The center's executive director, Sun Shuang, said that 48 percent of the patients were now locals, compared to the time it was opened when mostly Chinese nationals sought treatment there.

"We accept patients with emergency and urgent problems when there's no other option for them. We don't do advertisements. We have lots of patients only because of the good results on our other patients," she said.

The doctor said the center was training more local doctors in traditional medicine, hoping that with time, more similar facilities will be opened throughout the country.

Karen Gurure, a China-trained Zimbabwean medical doctor who is interning at the clinic, told Xinhua that the major advantage of the TCM is that it has fewer side effects.

Gurure, who had studied at China's Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that more benefits could be derived from adopting the TCM, which uses complex patterns of imbalance within the body to determine a diagnosis while Western medicine tends to focus on diagnosing and treating illness based on a patient's symptoms.

"TCM focuses on the whole body, while conventional medicine focuses on one certain part of the body. If you have back pain, conventional medicine would treat you for just the back pain, with TCM it treats the whole body," she said.

Gurure said China offered valuable lessons to Zimbabwe in terms of modernizing and codifying traditional medicine.

Zimbabwe has a long history of using traditional herbal remedies, which are still the most affordable and easily accessible source of treatment for many people.

Recognized as a formal part of the country's healthcare system, traditional remedies still remain a largely untapped health resource due to a lack of comprehensive research, Gurure said.

Sun said the center was ready to help Zimbabwean health professionals discover their traditional medicine so that they could offer better services to their patients.

To her, every patient's experience is a memorable one. "Every patient who comes here would love to be back again," she said.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China's procuratorate orders arrest of ex-vice public security minister

Xinhua) 16:41, November 05, 2021

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Procuratorate has ordered the arrest of Sun Lijun, former vice minister of public security, for suspected bribe-taking, an official statement said Friday.

Sun's case was transferred to procuratorial authorities for prosecution following an investigation by the National Supervisory Commission.

The handling of the case is underway.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Interview: Slovenian economy minister sees enormous potential for cooperation with China

Xinhua) 16:50, November 05, 2021

LJUBLJANA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Slovenia have "enormous potential" for future economic cooperation, Slovenian Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Pocivalsek told Xinhua ahead of the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) which starts on Friday.

"We are inviting Chinese companies to choose Slovenia as their entry point for European business," Pocivalsek said on Wednesday in a written interview, mentioning in particular Chinese household appliances maker Hisense, which has been running its European operations from Slovenia after taking over Slovenia's Gorenje in 2018.

China is Slovenia's important non-European trading partner, he noted, adding that he is upbeat about future bilateral trade.

Exports could increase in the sectors of information technology, biotechnology, car parts, new materials, alternative energy sourcing and water management, he said, adding that Slovenia also aims to increase exports of its wine and food to China.

"Predictable economic environment (in China) and ensuring equal competitive conditions for Slovenian firms are the most important from our point of view," Pocivalsek said.

Slovenia, as "one of the greenest tourist destinations in the world," can offer quality services to tourists from China, he said, noting that Chinese ski-jumping team is preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in his country.

Pocivalsek said that China has expressed intention to increase its cooperation with Slovenia's port Luka Koper in Northern Adriatic, which offers easy access to Central and Eastern Europe.

Referring to the recent disruptions of raw materials supply experienced by some Slovenian firms, he said, "We believe that China is a stable partner which sticks to what has been agreed."

Pocivalsek also hopes that China will play an active role in trade negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and will contribute to a successful 12th WTO Ministerial Conference that will start in Switzerland at the end of November.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Infographics: China's sci-tech achievements in 13th Five-Year Plan period

17:18, November 05, 2021 By Peng Yukai ( People's Daily Online

China has made great achievements in scientific and technological innovation during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

According to the Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China moved up from 29th place in 2015 to 12th this year in the world ranking.

Related: Factbox: China's sci-tech achievements in 13th Five-Year Plan period

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
China's Yangtze River Delta region has generally become a strong and active growth engine to the country's economic development, as the region's GDP contribution continued to rally, according to the country's top economic planner.

During the first three quarters of this year, the region accounted for 24.5 percent of China's GDP, compared with 24.1 percent in 2018, Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference on Thursday.

Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui are under the ambit of the Yangtze River Delta region.

The integrated development of the region is taking shape, said Cong, adding that the region's influence on the national economy has been continuously enhanced.

In 2018, China announced it would support integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, and make it a national strategy.

The country has detailed 22 measures to boost the region's development, covering areas of common prosperity, cross-regional coordination, among others, and will put emphasis on major projects, including pilot free trade zones and international transport hubs, according to Cong. Enditem




President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum on Thursday, Nov 4, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

Nation to safeguard common interests of all countries President Xi Jinping reiterated on Thursday China's resolve to open wider at a high standard and its determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world, saying that opening-up is the hallmark of contemporary China. He also said that China will not change its commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all. Xi made the remarks when addressing via video link the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum held in Shanghai. The president called on the international community to stay on top of the prevailing trend of economic globalization, and support countries around the world in opening up wider while rejecting unilateralism and protectionism. "This is significantly important if we are to take humanity to a better future," he said. Xi said that as the only major economy to register positive growth of trade in goods last year, China has made important contributions to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and boosting world economic recovery. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has provided the international community with some 350 billion masks, over 4 billion protective suits, more than 6 billion testing kits and over 1.6 billion doses of vaccines, he said, noting that these are concrete actions China has taken to honor its commitments and fulfill its responsibilities. As this year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization, Xi said that the past two decades have witnessed China deepen reform and pursue all-around opening-up, seize opportunities, rise to challenges, step up to its responsibilities and benefit the whole world. "Since joining the WTO, China has kept opening wider to the world, thus generating a new wave of domestic development while injecting fresh impetus into the world economy," he said. Noting that the multilateral trading regime is currently facing challenges, Xi said that China supports WTO reform moving in the right direction and will have an active and open attitude in negotiations on issues such as the digital economy, trade and the environment, industrial subsidies and State-owned enterprises. China will put more emphasis on expanding imports and pursuing the balanced development of trade, he said. He announced that China will open more demonstration zones for the creative promotion of import trade. According to Xi, China will revise and enlarge the encouraged industry catalogue to guide more foreign investment toward sectors such as advanced manufacturing, modern services, high and new technology, energy conservation and environmental protection. To uphold the common interests of the world, China will also actively join in global efforts to tackle climate change and safeguard food and energy security, and provide more assistance to fellow developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation, he said. "China stands ready to work with all countries to build an open world economy so that the spring breeze of openness will bring warmth to all parts of the world," Xi said. International political and business leaders hailed China's holding of the expo and its contribution to the world economic recovery. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said new technologies have changed both the form and substance of trade, helping to increase the share of service trade and blurring the traditional boundaries between services, agriculture and industrial manufacturing. Therefore, he said via video link, Argentina has been encouraging domestic high-tech companies to participate in China's market development. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, also speaking via video link, said the expo is one of the biggest trade promotion events in China and globally, and it embodies China's commitment to international trade and shows the innovation and creativity of humanity through the innovative products and services displayed at the event. Trade should be free and fair, a level playing fiel d must be preserved and an open multilateral trade system must be promoted in order to benefit both consumers and producers, imports and exporters, he said. "Trade should be at the service of the people, not the other way around. We must never lose our guiding values, principles and standards," he said. President Xi's speech again demonstrates China's firm determination to continue its opening-up journey. China has been carrying out higher-level opening-up with the pursuit of win-win collaboration, which is set to bring new vigor to the global economy, said Daniel Brindle, president of Novartis Group, China. Key quotes  China is a firm believer in honoring its words with actions. The measures I announced at the third CIIE for further opening-up have mostly been implemented.  For any country or nation to thrive, it must follow the logic of history and develop in line with the trend of the times.  As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc and the global economy faces a bumpy recovery, it is all the more imperative that people around the world pull together to tide over this difficult time.  China's development and progress since its WTO accession 20 years ago is the result of much hard work and great tenacity of the Chinese people under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China.


The National Development and Reform Commission has recently given approval to the feasibility report on a project in Huaihe River Basin in east Chinas Anhui province.

As one of the 38 projects for further controlling the river, the project has been included by the State Council in the list of 150 national major water conservancy projects.

The project will cover nine major flood storage areas along the main stream of the Anhui-section river, including Mengwa, Jiangtang Lake and Shouxi Lake. Cities of Fuyang, Luan, Bengbu, Chuzhou and Huainan will be involved.

The project will help improve the flood control system of the basin, raise the safety standards of flood storage areas, and realize the timely, effective and safe opening of those areas.

Local authorities including the Development and Reform Commission of Anhui Province will push ahead with initial designs and relevant approval with the aim of kicking off the project before the end of the year.




Chinese troops participating in Peace Mission 2021, a counterterrorism military exercise for Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states, parade at a training range in Orenburg, Russia, on Monday. The participants are from eight SCO member states, including China, Russia and Kazakhstan. LI CHUN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

Beijing hit back on Thursday at a United States report on Chinese military development, saying that it disregards facts and is fraught with bias.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the remark at a regular news briefing after the Pentagon claimed that China was increasing its nuclear weapons arsenal much more quickly than anticipated, narrowing the gap with the US.

Wang said that the US Department of Defense's annual report, like previous ones, "ignores facts and is full of prejudice".

"In fact, the US is the largest source of nuclear threat across the globe," Wang said.

According to statistics from international think tanks, as of early 2021, the US had 5,550 nuclear warheads.

Washington not only boasts it has the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world but also invests trillions of dollars to upgrade its "nuclear triad"its nuclear forces on land, in the sea and in the skies, Wang said, adding that the US has also developed low-yield nuclear weapons and lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.

Wang noted that the US has withdrawn from the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, while it is continuously pushing ahead with the deployment of a global anti-ballistic system.

It has resumed research and development of land-based medium-range ballistic missiles and sought to deploy them in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, he added.

In addition, Washington, with its Cold War mentality, is ganging up with the United Kingdom and Australia to form a "small circle" and conduct nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, the spokesman said.

He urged the US to earnestly undertake its special and primary responsibilities in nuclear disarmament and substantially and largely reduce its nuclear stockpile in a verifiable, irreversible and legally binding manner, in order to safeguard the global strategic balance and stability.

Wang reiterated that China pursues a self-defensive nuclear strategy, with its nuclear forces always kept at the minimum level required to safeguard national security.

He said China remains committed to the nuclear weapons policy of no-first-use at any time and under any circumstances, and the country clearly and unconditionally pledges that it will never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nuclear-free countries and regions.

In another development, the spokesman also urged the European Union to correct its mistakes and not to send any wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, in order to avoid a serious impact on China-EU relations.

Wang made the remark as a European Parliament delegation is currently on its first official visit to the island.

"The clumsy performance of a few individuals cannot alter the situation that the one-China principle is widely recognized and upheld by the international community. Nor can it change the inevitable trend of the country's reunification," the spokesman said, adding that the attempts of certain individuals are doomed to fail.
GULF OF ADEN, Nov. 4 -- On October 29, local time, the 39th Chinese naval escort taskforce, which was on an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden, received an escort application from a bulk cargo vessel "Nasco Jade" registered in Hong Kong. A total of 22 crew members with Chinese nationality were onboard with no security personnel in company, and as scheduled, the ship would return to China eastward.

At that time, all the ships in the 39th escort taskforce were performing missions, while no naval ships of other countries were available either. So, the taskforce decided to escort the cargo vessel home in relays after comprehensive considerations on both its mission plan and the actual route of the cargo vessel.

During the escort, the guided-missile frigate Yantai (Hull 538) and the comprehensive supply ship Taihu (Hull 889) headed for the targeted area to escort the Nasco Jade once completing their previous mission. After sailing for two days, they escorted the cargo vessel to the waters in the middle area of the Gulf of Aden, where the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi (Hull 118) took over the mission and independently completed the follow-up.

The merchant vessels feature low speed and low freeboard, prone to be harassed by pirates. During the escort mission, the warships involved strengthened anti-piracy deployment and adopted infrared searchlight to beef up alert at night. In key waters and key periods, helicopters were also dispatched to conduct air patrols, in a bid to improve reconnaissance and early-warning capabilities and ensure the absolute safety of the vessel protected.

At noon on November 2, local time, the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi successfully escorted the Nasco Jade to safe waters off the eastern Gulf of Aden. It is the first time for the 39th escort taskforce to adopt a relay manner in escorting vessels passing by.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, casts his ballot at a polling station to elect deputies to the Xicheng district people's congress, in Huairentang, Zhongnanhai electoral district in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping cast his ballot at a polling station in Beijing on Friday to elect deputies to a local people's congress.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, cast his vote at a polling station in Huairentang, Zhongnanhai electoral district in Xicheng District of Beijing to elect deputies to the Xicheng district people's congress.

He stressed developing whole-process people's democracy and strengthening electoral supervision.

Around 10:30 a.m. Friday, Xi arrived at the polling station, gave his elector's card to staff, and got a ballot. He cast his ballot after filling it.

Noting that the election of deputies to people's congresses is an important manifestation of the running of the country by the people, Xi called for electoral integrity and an election result that is to the people's satisfaction.

On Friday morning, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, and Han Zheng cast their ballots in person, while Wang Qishan entrusted a staff member to vote on his behalf.

Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao also entrusted others to vote on their behalf, respectively.

Friday saw people cast their ballots at 13,448 polling stations across Beijing to elect 4,898 new deputies to the people's congresses at the district level and 11,137 deputies to the township-level people's congresses.
By Chu Shan

A few weeks ago, the US Army announced that it had successfully tested a Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) with the potential of mid-range capability. The US Defense News website pointed out that the development of this missile will play an important role in confronting China and Russia.

Thirty years have passed since the end of the Cold War. However, the US and some of its allies stubbornly adhere to the zero-sum mentality and continue to hype the so-called theory of missile threats from China, Russia and other countries. But if we take a look at the development history of missiles in the US and what it has done in the missile field over the years, people will inevitably hurl questions at US for its notorious deeds.

The US hypes up the threat from other countries while arbitrarily developing all kinds of advanced missiles itself

It is well-known that the US has developed, produced and been equipped with the largest number of missiles in the world. It also has used the missile armament most frequently and caused lots of tragedies. Up to now, the US is still obsessed with the research and development of various advanced missile technologies, and even conducted intensive tests of hypersonic missiles recently.

Although the US has armed itself to the teeth, it still spreads the so-called missile threats or military threats of other countries, and assumes a righteous posture and an image of victim in order to put a cloak of legitimacy on its actions. However, as the only superpower at present, the US has produced and been equipped with more than 10,000 cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles after the Cold War, and launched more than 1,000 cruise missiles in military operations, which made it a veritable warmonger and the biggest missile threat.

The US pursues double standards and indulges its allies in developing missile capabilities

The US has always regarded itself as a "non-proliferation leader" and promoted the formulation of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).With its hegemony, the US prevents other countries from acquiring related technologies, and even unilaterally sanctions relevant countries and enterprises. However, when it comes to missile cooperation between the US and its allies, the US has completely different standards.

In recent years, the US has continuously exported missiles to or carried out missile cooperation with allies such as Britain, Japan and Australia. Following the sale of 200 air-launched long-range anti-ship missiles to Australia, the US and Australia recently reached an agreement on Tomahawk missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers. With the support of the US, Japan clearly proposed to develop "strike capability against enemy bases," and plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the development of long-range strike missiles next year. The US abolished the missile guidelines with South Korea, and allowed South Korea to accelerate the development of new ballistic missiles. Whats worse, the US has also blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs and wantonly sold various types of missiles to the Taiwan region. The US has been aggressively criticizing, making groundless accusations, and even arbitrarily interfering with the development of missile capabilities of other countries, including the normal space launch activities. This is indeed "double standards."

The US emphasizes both offense and defense, and promotes the deployment of anti-missile systems worldwide

The US not only actively develops missile offensive capabilities, but also vigorously promotes the construction of a missile defense system all over the world. In Europe, the US has deployed a land-based Aegis Ashore system in Romania and a new anti-missile base in Poland. In the Asia-Pacific region, the US actively helps Japan build a new type of anti-missile destroyer, plans to deploy the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Guam, and upgrades the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. Moreover, the US also sought to deploy interceptors in outer space regardless of the international community's calls for peaceful use of outer space. In order to verify anti-missile technology, the US frequently conducts tests and joint anti-missiledrills with its allies.

The above-mentioned acts of the US are generated by its Cold War mentality, the core purpose of which is to pursue its own absolute security and to get profit by destroying the global and regional security environment. This move will trigger a missile arms race, undermine the global and regional strategic balance and stability, seriously impact the international arms control and disarmament process, and completely make the US abandon the moral basis for solving the missile proliferation problem.

Editors note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Kluge said his agency's latest data shows hospitalizations in the region more than doubled in one week. He noted officials are seeing increasing trends across all age groups, but that the rapid increase in the older population is of the most concern. He said this is translating into more people having severe cases and dying, with 75 percent of the deaths among persons aged 65 or older.

At a virtual news briefing from Copenhagen, Hans Kluge said the current pace of transmission across the region's 53 countries is of grave concern. He said new cases are approaching record levels, with the delta variant of the coronavirus driving the surge.

The World Health Organization's regional director for Europe said Thursday the continent is now the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for 59 percent of all cases globally.

Kluge said one reliable projection indicates that at the current pace, Europe could see another half a million COVID-19 deaths by the first of February. COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus. He also cited uneven vaccination rates and the relaxation of public health and social measures throughout the region as the cause of the surge.

While a billion doses of vaccine have been distributed, in Europe, only 47 percent of the total population are fully vaccinated. He says in eight nations, at least 70 percent of the people have been inoculated fully. Kluge notes the rate remains below 10 percent in two other countries.

Kluge encouraged nations with low vaccination rates to increase coverage, particularly among priority groups such as the elderly. He urged nations with high vaccination rates and ample supply to share with less fortunate nations.

He also said that vaccines are most effective when used with other preventive measures, such as social distancing and mask-wearing. Kluge said if the region achieved universal mask use, 188,000 lives could be saved between now and February.

The WHO region chief said, "We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges" of COVID-19 to "preventing them from happening in the first place."
Younger Koreans are being increasingly reluctant to work in factories, and the 52-cap on the working week means the workers who remain can only work limited overtime.

Korean shipbuilders have seen a surge in orders for environmentally friendly vessels recently, and the shortage of workers is causing problems for them. The situation is the same for transportation companies and small and mid-sized manufacturers.

The shipbuilding industry is one of Korea's top manufacturing sectors, but labor is in short supply after several years of massive layoffs.

The country's top three shipbuilders -- Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries -- managed to meet their annual order targets for the year already in the third quarter but are now hard-pressed to keep up with production.

According to the Korea Offshore and Shipbuilding Association, the total number of workers in the industry has fallen from 109,901 in 2017 to 92,738 this year as shipbuilding workers moved into the construction due to the slump.

They have proved hard to woo back. Yang Choong-saeng, who heads an organization representing Hyundai Heavys subcontractors, said, "The prolonged slump forced key workers such as welders and painters to move into construction, which pays more, so the workers who left aren't coming back."

Seven out of 10 laborers in the shipbuilding industry work for smaller subcontractors, which do not pay the stellar wages of the big firms, and their failure to secure enough workers leads to production problems. Subcontractors are saying that the 52-hour cap on the working week caused overtime pay to decline and drove workers into other jobs.

The shipbuilding industry is not alone. According to a survey by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the transportation sector is suffering the biggest labor shortage with around 16,000 unfilled positions. The shortage is particularly worrying amid the home-deliveries boom.

Some pundits blame more generous unemployment benefits and pandemic relief payouts. Sung Tae-yoon at Yonsei University said, "Financial aid is making job seekers less willing to work, which hurts not only individual competitiveness but national competitiveness."
It is unclear why the simulation was so conservative since examples around the world suggest that infections will spike much higher once restrictions are relaxed, especially as winter approaches. But as it stands, it only predicted that daily cases would reach 1,527 to 2,810 around Nov. 24, which has now happened three weeks sooner.

A simulation by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Oct. 27 predicted that daily cases would only rise to somewhere between 1,345 and 1,673 on Nov. 3. But in fact daily cases soared above 2,000 for the last three days as Koreans threw caution to the wind even before lockdown was fully lifted.

If the trend continues, a "circuit breaker" lockdown could be imposed, while experts are urging the government to speed up booster shots for people whose immunity is wearing off and inoculate children.

Since the virus incubates for around five to seven days, the new infections early this week are unlikely to show up in tests if they were contracted as a result of lockdown being lifted on Monday. That must mean that they date back even before the Halloween revels last weekend and numbers could spike much higher next week.

The number of deaths is also on the rise, with 24 patients dying on Wednesday, the largest daily toll since Jan. 11.

When it announced a phased return to normal, the government warned it could impose a circuit breaker if cases rise to over 5,000 a day. That was only expected in the worst-case scenario at the end of December, but at the current rate it could happen much sooner.

"Currently, the occupancy rate of hospital beds for patients with severe COVID-19 is maintained stably at 50 percent," health authorities said. "The most important factor in deciding to impose a circuit breaker is the capacity to treat severely ill patients, but we could also take into account the proportions of severe patients and infections among the elderly and unvaccinated."

Of the 2,482 people who tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, 556 were children and 731 people were over 60. Some 3,389 youngsters and 4,197 over-60s tested positive over the past week, up 25.6 percent and a whopping 68.1 percent from the previous week. The vaccinations of the elderly are wearing off because they got their jabs first, while most children have not been vaccinated at all.

Prof. Jung Jae-hun of Gachon University's Gil Medical Center said, "We need to encourage booster shots and also increase vaccine uptake among children and youngsters."

Health authorities have already said they could reduce the interval between full vaccination and booster shots from six months to five. In the U.S., children aged 5-11 have been given Pfizer vaccine shots since Monday, but they are given only 10  of the vaccine, a third of an adult dose. The EU and Brazil are also considering it.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

A few showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. Thunder possible. High near 75F. SW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Overcast. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Some light rain is likely. Low 47F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
NOT SO SWINGING SIXTIES - Thomasin McKenzie in Edgar Wrights Last Night in Soho from Focus Features. A promising premise detours into a muddled murder mystery that stretches the supernatural concept too far to sustain.
Press Release

November 5, 2021 Bong Go appeals for the release of tobacco excise tax proceeds to tobacco-producing provinces Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to grant the Department of Budget and Management the authority to release the shares of local government units from the collection of excise tax on locally manufactured Virginia-type cigarettes for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Go stated that the tobacco excise tax shares received by the beneficiary LGUs will encourage required economic activity in the agricultural sector, specifically in the tobacco industry, especially in light of recent natural disasters in tobacco-producing provinces. "Dahil po sa mga narakaraang kalamidad, naapektuhan ang produksyon ng ating mga magsasaka, kabilang na ang mga tobacco farmers. Marami sa kanilang mga pananim ang hindi napakinabangan," explained Go. "Sa tulong po nito, mabibigyan natin ng suporta ang mga LGUs upang matulungan ang kanilang mga magsasaka na makabangon mula sa mga problemang kanilang kinaharap," he added. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7171 provides that the financial support given by the national government for the beneficiary provinces will be constituted and collected from the proceeds of 15% of the excise taxes on locally manufactured Virginia type of cigarettes. The funds allotted will be divided among the beneficiary provinces pro rata according to the volume of Virginia tobacco production. On the other hand, RA No. 8240, as amended by RA No. 10351, provides that 15% of the incremental revenue collected from the excise tax on tobacco products will be allocated and divided among the provinces producing burley and native tobacco in accordance with the volume of tobacco leaf production. Notably, the shares of LGUs from fiscal years 2018 and 2019 for collection of excise taxes on locally manufactures Virginia-type cigarettes and Burley and Native tobacco amount to PhP24,810,788,000 and PhP21,277,819,000, respectively. Earlier, Go thanked the agricultural workforce for working hard to help ensure the nation's economic recovery amid the ongoing pandemic. He urged the government to further promote their welfare and safeguard their well-being, particularly small-scale farmers. He also assured agricultural workers that they may reach out to his office should they need any form of support or assistance. He told them that the Duterte administration is committed to ending the ongoing crisis and helping communities attain population protection leading to herd immunity through its vaccination efforts. "Kung may maitutulong kami sa inyo, magsabi lang kayo. Huwag kayong mahiya lumapit sa amin dahil trabaho namin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na magserbisyo sa inyo. Patuloy din tayong magbayanihan at magmalasakit sa ating kapwa upang malampasan natin ang mga pagsubok na hinaharap natin," said Go. "Bisyo ko ang magserbisyo sa inyo. Gagawin natin ang lahat sa abot ng ating makakaya upang makapagbigay ng tulong at makapag-iwan ng ngiti sa oras ng inyong pagdadalamhati," he reassured.
Press Release

November 5, 2021 New perjury law imposes stiffer penalty vs erring gov't officials - Gordon Senator Richard J. Gordon today welcomed the enactment into law of a measure increasing the penalties for those people who are found to commit perjury or make false testimony under oath before the court or other legal proceedings. Gordon, who chairs the Senate justice and human rights committee, hailed the signing of Republic Act (RA) 11594 which amends Articles 183 and 184 of the Revised Penal Code that sets the punishment for the crime of perjury. "The new law should be a stark reminder to everyone, especially to those who are called to testify before the courts and any other legal proceeding, that lying under oath shall be meted with stricter penalties," he said. "Increasing the penalties for perjury would send a strong signal to all that even those in power shall be held accountable for their lies. You cannot lie under oath and go scot-free anymore," he added. Under the new law, perjury is punishable by prison mayor, or six years and one day to eight years, to its medium period of eight years and one day to 10 years. For public official or government employee found guilty of perjury, he shall be penalized with a maximum period with a fine of PhP1 million and perpetual disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in government. In the old law, perjury is penalized with a prescribed period of arresto mayor -- a minimum of four months and a day to a maximum of two years and four months. Gordon, who chairs the Senate justice and human rights committee, sponsored the measure in the Senate. Logged as Senate Bill 1354, it was principally authored by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and co-authored by him, Senators Miguel Zubiri, Panfilo Lacson, and Leila de Lima. "The higher penalties would be sufficient to deter the commission of perjury and create a culture of truth-telling. Ang kapatid ng magnanakaw ang sinungaling at kapag ikaw ay nasa gobyerno, mas malaki ang parusa," he said. The new law came as the Senate blue ribbon committee chaired by Sen. Gordon investigates the alleged anomalous transactions the government entered into with some favoured suppliers, notably the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation. The Committee which has uncovered irregularities in government transactions in its public hearings has repeatedly warned those invited to attend the Senate hearing against committing perjury. Recently, it has warned former Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang and other executives of the controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation against perjuring themselves.
Children ages 5-11 years will be vaccinated with two 10-microgram doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered 21 days apart. The dosage is one-third of the adolescent and adult dose.
Emirates, Dubai flagship carrier, will begin running daily flights to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv from Dec. 06, more than one year after both UAE and Israel have established diplomatic ties.

The route will be served by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three class configuration. Daily flights are scheduled to depart Dubai at 2:50pm, arriving at Ben Gurion Airport at 4:25pm local time. The return flight EK 932 will depart Tel Aviv at 6:25pm, arriving in Dubai at 11:25pm local time, the airline said according to Zawya news outlet.

The carrier will also operate cargo service and will 20 tons of cargo capacity each way between Dubai and Tel Aviv to support exports of pharmaceuticals, high-tech goods, vegetables and other perishables from Tel Aviv.

Emirates SkyCargo will also transport manufacturing raw materials and components, semiconductors and e-commerce parcels into Israel. With the start of services in just a few weeks, Emirates will provide more options for travellers to fly better to and from Tel Aviv via Dubai. We also look forward to welcoming more business and leisure travellers from Israel to Dubai, and onwards to other destinations on Emirates network, said Adnan Kazim, chief commercial officer, Emirates airline.

We would like to thank the UAE and Israeli authorities for their support, and we await the opportunity to serve Israel and open up more prospects for both countries to continue to build a strong relationship while growing business and expanding tourism in the near future, he added.

The Gulf country and Israel established diplomatic ties in September 2020 and since then increased initiatives to develop cooperation in several areas.
The US State Department has approved the sale of 280 AIM-120C air-to-air missiles in a deal valued at up to $650 million, the first such a foreign military cooperation between the two countries under President Bidens administration.

The Pentagon Thursday said the State Department approved sale on October 26 and noted that the sale comes after an increase in cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia over the past year. The Gulf country has been dealing with missile and drone attacks from Yemen Houthi rebels backed by Iran.

The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabias capability to meet current and future threats by increasing its stocks of medium-range missiles for its fighter aircraft fleet for its national defense, the Pentagon agency said, noting it will bolster Saudi Arabias fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15C/D, F-15S and F-I5SA jet fighters.

The Congress is yet to decide on the proposed sale following the notification from the State Department.
Winegeeks has identified Kimmeridgian soil as the top vineyard soil in the world but has erroneously attributed that soil type to the total...
According to information published by Republic World on November 1, 2021, Sudan's military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that Sudan will work to fulfill its commitments in the establishment of a Russian naval base in the country.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Russian Amur-class repair ship PM-138 in Sudan (Picture source: Al Jazeera)

In early December 2020, Russia and Sudan had reached an agreement to build naval maintenance and logistical support facility in the East African country.

The naval logistics base was to allow crew members of Russian warships to rest, carry out repairs and replenish supplies.

For the duration of the agreement, Sudan ceded the territory and real estate to Russia free of charge, which included the coastal area and the water area with the mooring front (berths for floating boats).

Military and civilian personnel should not exceed 300 and may be increased in agreement with Sudan, the document states.

The agreement was to be in force for 25 years with an automatic extension of 10 years if neither party informed the other in writing through diplomatic channels at least 12 months before the expiry of the period concerned of its intention to terminate it.

At the end of April, Sudan announced that it was suspending the agreement with Russia to build a naval base in the country.

However, on 25 October 2021, the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, took control of the government in a new military coup.
[November 04, 2021] Graybar Announces Leadership Changes ST. LOUIS, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, today announced the following leadership changes that will take effect on January 1, 2022. Bill Mansfield will take on a new role as Senior Vice President - Strategy and Business Development. He is currently Senior Vice President - Marketing and will continue to lead Graybar's marketing organization in his expanded role.

will take on a new role as Senior Vice President - Strategy and Business Development. He is currently Senior Vice President - Marketing and will continue to lead Graybar's marketing organization in his expanded role. David Meyer will take on a new role as Vice President - North American Subsidiaries. He is currently Vice President and Chief Information Officer.

will take on a new role as Vice President - North American Subsidiaries. He is currently Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Andy Ciccone will be Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He is currently Vice President - Comm/Data and Commercial, Institutional and Government (CIG).

will be Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He is currently Vice President - Comm/Data and Commercial, Institutional and Government (CIG). will take on a new role as Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Planning at Corporate. He is currently District Vice President in Richmond .

will take on a new role as Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Planning at Corporate. He is currently District Vice President in . Tom Twitty will be District Vice President in Richmond . He is currently District Vice President - Business in the Southwest District.

will be District Vice President in . He is currently District Vice President - Business in the Southwest District. Jeff Wanner will be District Vice President in the Southwest District. He is currently District Vice President - Sales there.

will be District Vice President in the Southwest District. He is currently District Vice President - Sales there. Steve Cray will be District Vice President in California . He is currently District Vice President in Seattle .

will be District Vice President in . He is currently District Vice President in . Danna Stone will be Vice President, Category Management at Corporate. She is currently District Vice President in St. Louis .

will be Vice President, Category Management at Corporate. She is currently District Vice President in . Andy Ipson will be District Vice President in St. Louis . He is currently Vice President - Strategic Accounts.

will be District Vice President in . He is currently Vice President - Strategic Accounts. Vern Dirnberger will be Vice President - Strategic Accounts. He is currently Strategic Accounts National Sales Manager.

will be Vice President - Strategic Accounts. He is currently Strategic Accounts National Sales Manager. Rose McDaniel will take on a new role as Vice President, Field Operations and Administration. She is currently Director National Operations.

will take on a new role as Vice President, Field Operations and Administration. She is currently Director National Operations. Todd Mueller will take on a new role as Vice President, Business Transformation. He is currently Vice President - Pricing. "Graybar is investing in its future through acquisitions, technology, supply chain capabilities and people. For these investments to have a lasting impact, we need strong leaders with the knowledge and experience to move our company forward," said Kathleen M. Mazzarella, Graybar's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "These individuals are proven leaders, and I am confident that they will continue to make a positive difference for our company, our employees and all those we serve. We congratulate them and wish them success in their new roles." Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of more than 300 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, helping its customers power, network and secure their facilities with speed, intelligence and efficiency. For more information, visit www.graybar.com or call 1-800-GRAYBAR. Media Contact:

Tim Sommer

(314) 578-7672

timothy.sommer@graybar.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/graybar-announces-leadership-changes-301417126.html SOURCE Graybar

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]
Woy Woy wharf opened in front of invited guests

The Woy Woy wharf was opened in front of invited guests on Monday, October 25, with ribbon-cutting by Member for Terrigal Mr Adam Crouch and Central Coast Council administrator Mr Rik Hart.

"What a beautiful day to officially open Woy Woy town centre's new wharf," Mr Crouch said.

"After 14 months of construction, today marks the first day of the new wharf being open to everyone in our community.

"The project features a floating pontoon, dedicated fishing area, boardwalk, new seating benches including smart benches with mobile phone charging capability, banner poles and landscaping.

"It was fantastic to see the new wharf in action today with Central Coast Ferries already putting it to good use."

Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch said: "The wharf has been a long journey for the community and it is the community who deserved to open the wharf and witness this historical event."

"This has been in the pipeline since 2011 and in 2018 we pushed the NSW Liberal Government to give us our wharf when 4000 people signed our petition."

"Today after three months of sitting and waiting, despite the wharf being complete, the fence was taken down for the official ribbon cutting ceremony to which the community were not invited."

For the official ceremony Ms Tesch invited 91-year-old local historian Ms Gwen Dundon as well as Australian Ferry Society president Mr John Bennett.

Ms Dundon said: "I am so happy for the ferry owners that come in here because it really has been terrible for them at high tides for so many years, with the old wharf often going under the water.

"This wharf is a huge improvement and can only bring more tourists to Woy Woy. The wharf has always been of importance to Woy Woy in the past, and in the present to some extent."

Ms Tesch said: "It is a shame our community were not able to enjoy this facility during lockdown and I hope that other community resources are not put on hold again for ribbon cutting and formalities.

"Today people were already fishing off the wharf, riding their bikes along the path, enjoying their morning coffee on the benches and looking at the magnificent view off our wharf."

In a social media post, Central Coast Ferries thanked Ms Tesch, Mr Crouch and Central Coast Council "for this $5.65 million project to replace the old wharf with a more modern floating pontoon wharf that will greatly improve accessibility for our disabled and elderly ferry passengers".
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Produced in the aftermath of the Second World War, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946) stars David Niven as an RAF pilot poised between life and death, his love for the American radio operator June (Kim Hunter) threatened by medical, political and ultimately celestial forces. The film is a magical, profound fantasy and a moving evocation of English history and the wartime experience, with virtuoso Technicolor special effects. In the United States it was released under the title Stairway to Heaven, referencing one of its most famous images, a moving stairway between earth and the afterlife.

Ian Christie's study of the film shows how its creators drew upon many sources and traditions to create a unique form of modern masque, treating contemporary issues with witty allegory and enormous visual imagination. He stresses the teamwork of Powell and Pressburger's gifted collaborators, among them Director of Photography Jack Cardiff, production designer Alfred Junge, and costume designer Hein Heckroth, and explores the history of both British and international responses to the film. Christie argues that the film deserves to be thought of as one of the greatest achievements of British cinema, but of all cinema.
Xinhua News Agency: The World Leaders Summit at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is held in Glasgow, the UK, from November 1 to 2. President Xi Jinping delivered a written statement to elaborate on Chinas propositions on climate governance and share Chinas achievements and contributions in climate governance. Could you offer more information?

Wang Wenbin: The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is held in Glasgow, the UK, from October 31 to November 12. The UK hosts the World Leaders Summit on November 1 and 2. President Xi delivered a written statement at the summit.

In this statement, he offered Chinas solution to major tasks of our times including how to address climate change and revitalize the world economy. He put forward three propositions, namely, upholding multilateral consensus, focusing on concrete actions, and accelerating the green transition. He stressed that China, guided by the vision of a community of life for man and Nature, is committed to a green and low-carbon development path that gives priority to ecological conservation. The 1+N policy framework has identified the timetable, roadmap and blueprint for Chinas carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

President Xis statement demonstrates Chinas sense of responsibility as a major country in actively addressing climate change and leading global climate governance. It has been highly acclaimed by the international community. Just as President Xi emphasized, successful governance relies on solid action. China stands ready to work hand in hand with the international community to tackle the climate challenge, protect the planet we all call home and foster a community of life for man and Nature.

Reuters: Why did the Chinese leader only deliver an address at the opening leaders segment of COP26 in written format, and not via video link?

Wang Wenbin: As I understand, the host of the conference did not provide the option to participate by videoconference. What I want to stress is that President Xi Jinping's written statement to COP26 demonstrates China's firm position to actively promote international cooperation on climate change and protect the planet we all call home and its sense of responsibility as a major country. China's proposals and measures have been highly praised and recognized by the international community.

MASTV: Antiy Labs, an anti-virus company of China, announced that a number of phishing activities and cyber attacks targeting China and countries in the South Asian Subcontinent have been busted this year with India-based hackers behind attempts to launch attacks on China's defense and military units as well as state-owned enterprises. The analysis report will soon be published. Do you have any response?

Wang Wenbin: I would like to refer you to the competent authorities of cybersecurity for the specifics. As a principle, China stands against all forms of cyber attacks.

Yonhap News Agency: I have two questions. It is reported that China and Russia recently circulated a draft resolution on the DPRK at the UN Security Council. Can the foreign ministry share more information on the content? Also, Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, met with the DPRKs ambassador to China last week, and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula Affairs had a video conference with his ROK counterpart yesterday. Can you share more information on what China has done to encourage the DPRK to return to dialogue and negotiation and Chinas expectation in this regard?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, China and Russia circulated a DPRK-related draft resolution at the Security Council last Friday. The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is complicated and sensitive with the political settlement process at a standstill. The main consideration behind China and Russias decision to put forward this draft resolution at this point lies in the following aspects. First, it is aimed to strengthen the trajectory of a political settlement to the Korean Peninsula issue and create an enabling atmosphere to facilitate the early start of dialogue. Second, given that the DPRK has taken multiple denuclearization measures in recent years, its legitimate and reasonable concerns deserve attention and response. Third, the negative impact of international sanctions and COVID-19 on the DPRKs economy and peoples livelihood is a cause for concern, so the Security Council should facilitate external support and assistance to the country. Fourth, the Security Council should activate provisions on modifying sanctions in DPRK-related resolutions at an appropriate point to make adjustments to some sanctions concerning the economy and livelihood, which is in line with the spirit of the resolutions. Fifth, to improve inter-Korean relations and promote reconciliation and cooperation is the overriding trend, which the international community and relevant parties should all support by creating necessary conditions. We hope relevant parties will look at the draft resolution by China and Russia with a positive and constructive attitude and make joint efforts to advance the political settlement of the Peninsula issue.

On your second question, China has been playing a constructive role in promoting peace talks on the Peninsula and maintains active interaction and in-depth communication with relevant parties. We firmly uphold peace and stability of the Peninsula, stay committed to promoting peace talks, and support all efforts conducive to easing the situation and facilitating dialogue. The dual-track approach and the phased and synchronized principle put forward by China has received great attention and recognition from all parties. China and Russia jointly proposed a draft resolution at the Security Council on the political settlement of the Peninsula issue, calling for the resumption of talks at an early date. This is very constructive under the current circumstances.

China believes the crux of the Peninsula issue lies in the fact that the denuclearization measures the DPRK has taken have not won due attention, and the countrys legitimate concerns have not received due response. The US should face the crux of the problem squarely, propose attractive plans for dialogue and take real actions instead of simply shouting slogans. China is ready to strengthen communication with all parties on the Peninsula affairs and continue to actively contribute to the political settlement of the Peninsula issue.

Shenzhen TV: According to media reports, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on November 1 that amid the turmoil in Afghanistan, the US had attempted to persuade Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to allow American forces to be stationed in their territory. All rejected the US proposal. During a meeting between the Russian and US heads of state this June, the Russian side stated explicitly that it categorically opposes US attempts to deploy military bases in Central Asian countries. Does the Chinese side have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: We have noted relevant reports. The countries you mentioned are all SCO members. To safeguard regional peace and stability is the shared objective of all SCO members. Relevant countries maintain close cooperation. The two-decade war in Afghanistan waged by the US has wreaked havoc on peace and stability in Afghanistan and the wider region and led to a huge humanitarian disaster. The US should draw a hard lesson, rectify its belligerent policy, earnestly respect regional countries sovereign independence and territorial integrity, act to promote regional peace and stability and avoid repeating past mistakes.

Peoples Daily: At the World Leaders Summit at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26), more than 100 countries, including China, will join the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forest and Land Use. Could you share more details on that?

Wang Wenbin: Forests are the lungs of our planet and the largest carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems. China's participation in the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forest and Land Use demonstrates its resolve and contribution to protecting ecological environment and actively addressing climate change.

Guided by the concept of a community of life for man and Nature, China has taken concrete measures in terms of forest and land use and achieved remarkable results. Against the backdrop of continuous decline of global forest resources, China's forest coverage rate has risen from 12 percent in the 1980s to 23.04 percent today, and its forest stock volume has increased by 8.5 billion cubic meters, registering the largest national increase in forest resources in the world and contributing a quarter of the world's newly forested land.

China has continued its efforts to control desertification, successfully curbed the expansive trend of desertification, realized a historic transformation from sand forcing humans to retreat to trees forcing sand to retreat, and achieved the goal of zero net land degradation by 2030 set by the United Nations ahead of schedule. China has contributed one-fifth of the world's net restored land area.

Earth is what all human beings call home. China's efforts to protect forests and land has not only greened China but also made the world a more beautiful place. In the face of global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, China is ready to work with other parties to take concrete actions to address crises, resolve difficulties and build a beautiful world where man and Nature coexist in harmony.

CCTV: China has applied to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) on November 1. Could you share Chinas consideration and tell us the significance of this decision?

Wang Wenbin: President Xi Jinping announced that China has decided to apply to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement during his attendance at the 16th G20 Leaders Summit. China yesterday submitted the application to New Zealand, the depositary for the DEPA. This showcases Chinas constructive attitude in actively participating in international cooperation on digital economy and relevant rules-making and reflects Chinas firm resolve to expand opening-up and align with high-standard international rules.

China is an active advocate of regional economic cooperation, a staunch defender of multilateral economic and trade rules and a strong promoter of an open world economy. China has been firmly committed to deepening reform and opening-up, actively participating in improving international economic and trade rules, and promoting regional economic integration and trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. China was one of the first countries to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and has formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to further enhance its commitment to opening-up. At the just-concluded leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation, China called for deepening economic integration and promoting the early entry into force and implementation of the RCEP to bring benefits to people in the region, which has received positive response from regional countries.

In just several days, the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will open in Shanghai. This year, a total of 58 countries and three international organizations will join the country exhibition during the expo, and nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions will attend the business exhibition. The numbers of participating countries and businesses are both higher than those at the previous expo. China will continue to take concrete actions to support the multilateral trading system, promote the building of an open world economy and make new contributions to global economic recovery and common development of all countries.

Bloomberg: A question about the statement of the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) issued on November 1. It voiced concerns about the foreign media coverage environment for the Beijing Winter Olympics and called on the Beijing 2022 Olympic Organizing Committee and the IOC to improve conditions and access. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: First of all, China does not recognize the organization you mentioned. It cannot represent the genuine voice of the over 400 foreign journalists in China.

The statement you mentioned is not based on facts. The preparation of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games follows the principle of openness. From the outset of the preparation work, we have always welcomed media outlets from across the world for reporting and coverage. With the ongoing pandemic, in order to protect the health and safety of all parties attending the Experience Beijing test matches in the second half of 2021 and to lower the cost for media operation by reducing the number of people that need to be put in quarantine after the matches, the organizing committee of the test matches made thoughtful arrangements and the organizing party overcame huge difficulties to divide the space into two sections, one under outside-loop management and one under in-loop management, and put the media reporting area under outside-loop management. Because of the limited space of the stadiums and venues, not all media organizations are invited to report on every test match.

The principle to follow when inviting media outlets is that only international news agencies recognized by the IOC, the IOCs official photographic agency, and some media from countries that hosted Olympic Games in recent years or will do so in the coming years are granted access. They can represent the majority of media organizations and meet their needs. In the meantime, the Beijing Organizing Committee provides Newsletter as the matches progress and sends information to all overseas media outlets. There is no such thing as inadequate disclosure of information.

We understand that media organizations are paying much attention to the preparation of the Beijing Winter Olympics and welcome more coverage on the relevant work. To meet the needs of the media, the Beijing Organizing Committee is making active coordination to organize a series of reporting in the three competition zones without affecting the ongoing test matches. Most of the media outlets invited will be overseas resident media in Beijing who have not participated in the test matches. To accommodate the reporting demand of the media, the organizing committee overcame difficulties by coordinating the venues and stadiums to expand the media operation space and has added more media outlets to the list of invitation on the basis of conditions on the ground.

Phoenix TV: Two questions. First, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan referred to China as a significant outlier on climate action and said the US will continue pressing on that. How do you respond to this? Second, reports show freight trains have resumed operation between Afghanistan and China. China has provided emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban interim government yesterday announced that it has exported pine nuts to China. Can you confirm the reports and share more information?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, President Xi Jinping said at the 16th G20 Leaders' Summit that China has all along undertaken due international responsibilities commensurate with its national conditions. We have actively advanced the green transition of our economy and raised the ambition of our climate actions on our own initiative. We will honor our words and strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

China always delivers on its commitments and has made arduous efforts and achieved remarkable progress. Chinas carbon intensity in 2020 was 48.4 percent less than that in 2005, which means that China had more than fulfilled its commitment to the international community  to achieve a 40-45 percent reduction in carbon intensity from the 2005 level by 2020. The drop in carbon intensity translates to a total reduction of about 5.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. China has made great effort to advance a green and low-carbon energy transition. Electricity generated by non-fossil energy represented more than one third of the power consumption of the country. The total installed capacity of PV power generation increased by a factor of more than 3,000 compared with 2005, and wind by a factor of more than 200. China has led the world in PV capacity additions for eight consecutive years. In the manufacture of wind power and PV power generation equipment, China is the global leader in terms of technology and output. Recently China has started construction of a batch of large wind power and photovoltaic bases with a combined installed capacity of 30 million kW, marking the beginning of the first phase of projects with an installed capacity of approximately 100 million kW. As I said yesterday, developed countries generally set a timeframe of 40 to 70 years to move from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality while China, the largest developing country in the world, only gives itself 30 years. Chinas carbon neutrality targets are fully consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of holding global average temperature increase to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. They also fully demonstrate Chinas climate ambition and global leadership commensurate with its development stage and national realities.

I would also like to stress that as a challenge to all humanity, climate change bears on the future of us all and thus requires joint actions of the international community. Developed countries have unshirkable and historical responsibility since they have been releasing a tremendous amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere for the past 200 years or so. In particular, the US, a major emitter in history, has seen reversal and retrogression in its climate policy. Its emissions peaked and began to decline only in recent years. We are looking forward to concrete emissions reduction policies and measures rolled out by the US as soon as possible. Developed countries should earnestly follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction obligations, and provide financial, technological and capacity building support to help developing countries enhance their capacity to respond to climate challenges. They should also stop asking China to reduce the use of coal while sanctioning Chinese photovoltaic companies.

On your question about Afghanistan, freight trains between China and Afghanistan have never been suspended. Agricultural trade between the two countries is recovering. The small pine nuts, while bringing an exotic delicacy to the Chinese people, also fetch foreign exchanges for Afghanistan every year and alleviate the difficulties facing a large number of Afghan farmers as a means of living. The air corridor of pine nuts captures China-Afghanistan friendship that goes way back and economic and trade cooperation that grows steadily.

As we speak, Afghanistan still faces grave humanitarian crisis and economic difficulties. China has announced to provide 200 million yuan worth of emergency humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan and our first batch of emergency humanitarian assistance supplies has arrived in Kabul. China will continue to listen to the appeal and demand of the Afghan people, provide support and assistance for them to the best of our abilities and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan regain stability and achieve development.

AFP: Could you confirm reports that three Chinese workers were rescued from kidnappers in Mali? And would you be able to share any details about this case?

Wang Wenbin: The Chinese government attaches great importance to the kidnapping of three employees of a Chinese company in Mali. Since the kidnapping happened, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Mali have been closely following the development of the case, continuously urging the Malian side to make all-out efforts for rescue, and guiding the enterprise concerned to properly respond. Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, the three abductees were safely rescued on November 1 and are now in good health. We thank the governments of Mali and relevant countries for their efforts and support for the safe rescue of the Chinese nationals.

The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Mali will continue to comfort and take care of those rescued. At the same time, we will further heighten risk alert and consular protection for Chinese citizens and enterprises in Mali, and earnestly safeguard their safety and legitimate rights and interests.

Global Times: According to media reports, French President Macron said in an interview with an Australian media outlet during the G20 Summit that Australian Prime Minister Morrison lied to the French side on the nuclear submarine contract. Whether he will trust the Australian side again will depend on what Morrison delivers, he added. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: China has clearly stated its principled position on Australias nuclear submarine cooperation with relevant countries. Australia should not only give honest answers to its partners questioning, but also honestly face up to the international communitys concerns, earnestly fulfill its non-proliferation obligations, and stop such irresponsible behavior as creating bloc confrontation and proliferation risks.

CRI: The WTA Best Practices of Rural Revitalization Through Tourism 2021 was released in Beijing recently. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The World Tourism Alliance (WTA) recently released the WTA Best Practices of Rural Revitalization Through Tourism 2021. This report fully demonstrates the excellent achievements of China's rural revitalization through tourism, and puts forward suggestions on rural revitalization based on in-depth analysis, summary and research. The release of the report is part of the series of activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. It is also an important measure taken by China to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in tourism and promote mutual learning among countries in this area.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government always attach great importance to rural work. We have introduced a host of policies and measures to accelerate rural infrastructure construction and public service improvement and stated clearly that we must continue to make solving problems relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers the top priority in the Party's work, make comprehensively promoting rural revitalization a major task of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and mobilize the efforts of the whole Party and society to accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas so that farmers can live a better life. This 50 cases from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China compiled in this report are a vivid illustration of the achievements of the path of socialist rural revitalization with Chinese characteristics and China's unique contribution to global poverty reduction and development.

In this report, there are many success stories of achieving development and revitalization through ecological progress. You can find the inspiring stories of how villages achieved prosperity by implementing the strategy of "village development through ecology" and developing featured tourism of the local ecology, how they converted land once used for industries with heavy pollution to scenic spots through ecological upgrading, and how they made full use of the endowment of local world natural heritages to find ways for heritage protection, rural tourism and sustainable livelihood to integrate with and reinforce one another. These cases are positive outcomes of China's commitment to prioritizing ecological conservation and promoting green and low-carbon development and its effort to build a beautiful country with the harmonious coexistence of man and Nature.

We believe that if we humanity do not fail Nature, Nature will not fail us. Rural revitalization cannot be achieved until the vision of blue sky, green land and clear water is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Similarly, the development of China and the world at large cannot be achieved without taking good care of our planet. In the future, we will make unremitting efforts to firmly implement the new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, continue to follow through on the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and work with other countries to build a world of harmonious coexistence between man and Nature and a community with a shared future for mankind featuring zero poverty, zero hunger, and common development. We sincerely hope you will look around in China's beautiful rural areas.

South China Morning Post: Yesterday the US Navy released results of the investigation into the collision of USS Connecticut last month. It stated that the submarine grounded on an uncharted seamount, not another ship, and suffered serious damage. I wonder if the foreign ministry has any response to this?

Wang Wenbin: We have expressed our grave concern repeatedly over this incident and asked the US side to adopt a responsible attitude, offer a detailed explanation, and provide a satisfactory answer to the international community and regional countries.

What we have seen is that a week after the incident, the US issued an evasive statement, saying the submarine hit an unknown object. Nearly a month after the incident, it said the submarine grounded on an uncharted seamount. It also deliberately used the sweeping term international waters in the Indo-Pacific region and has yet to give clear answers to questions like the intention of the operation, the exact location of the incident, whether it lies in the exclusive economic zone or territorial sea of any country, and whether the collision led to a nuclear leak or polluted the marine environment, all causing great concern and doubt. This fully exposed the US lack of transparency and responsibility.

We once again urge the US to give a detailed description of the incident and fully address regional countries concern and doubt. The key is to stop deploying military aircraft and warships to harass and provoke others and flex muscles, and to stop harming other countries sovereign security, otherwise it will be inviting more, not fewer, similar incidents.

Bloomberg: Can the Foreign Ministry confirm if a fertilizer company in Sri Lanka secured a court order to block payment to a Chinese company over a shipment of fertilizer found to be contaminated?

Wang Wenbin: Im not aware of the specific situation you mentioned. I would like to tell you that China attaches great importance to the quality of exports. With regard to fertilizer trade and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, the fertilizer concerned had passed tests of third-party agencies assigned by the Sri Lankan side before shipping. At the moment, China and Sri Lanka are working on the issue through communication and coordination.

China Daily: We noted that the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recently held a plenary session to review a report of the Human Rights Council. At the meeting, China expressed explicit opposition to politicizing human rights. Could you share more details, including on the role China has played?

Wang Wenbin: As you said, the 76th session of the UNGA recently held a plenary session to review a report of the Human Rights Council, and the Third Committee had an interactive dialogue with the President of the Human Rights Council. China worked with many countries at the meeting to jointly oppose politicizing the issue of human rights and taking advantage of the human rights issue to interfere in other countries internal affairs.

The representative of China pointed out that human rights is not a patent held by a few Western countries, but rights enjoyed by people in all countries. The Human Rights Council is a platform to conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues, not an occasion to create disputes and stoke political confrontation. The work of the Council is now faced with challenges posed by aggravating politicization of human rights issues, inadequate input in economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development, an excess of country-specific human rights resolutions and mechanisms, and the violation of the principles of objectivity and impartiality by some special procedures. China firmly opposes politicizing human rights and adopting double standards on this issue, as well as interference in other countries internal affairs in the name of human rights.

Venezuela delivered a statement on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, of which China is also member. Russia, Pakistan, Egypt, Cuba, Syria, India, Indonesia, Iran, Algeria and other countries all spoke up. They called for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states and an immediate stop to politicization of and double standards on human rights. They also rejected interference in the internal affairs of member states and voiced grave concern over the proliferation of country-specific human rights mechanisms, increasing frequency of failure in reaching consensus on Human Rights Council resolutions, and special procedure experts deviation from the principle of objectivity and impartiality. They called on the Council to pay more attention to unilateral coercive measures, racism and terrorism and urged special procedure experts to adhere to their code of conduct. It is a strong voice for justice in line with the aspiration of the international community at a multilateral platform.

China stands ready to work together with other countries to advocate adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms of international relations, jointly check the morbid tendency to politicize human rights issues, and work relentlessly for the lofty cause of human rights for all.

Beijing Youth Daily: According to an NPR poll, 81 percent of US adults say the future of US democracy is under threat. I wonder if you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: I have noticed relevant reports and have no intention to comment on the American peoples perception of their democracy. I would just like to stress that people in all countries have the right to democracy, which is not a patent held by a few countries. Whether a country is a democracy or not should be determined by its own people, not a few captious outsiders. There are many ways to realize democracy. It is impossible to apply one single script to all scenarios. American democracy has its own problems, which can only be resolved by the American people, not other countries.

In the same vein, the path and model a country chooses to achieve democracy should be in keeping with its national realities and stage of development and should be explored and developed by its own people. It runs counter to the very idea of democracy to use one standard and model to gauge whether any given country is democratic or not. To impose ones own model of democracy on others through force, coercion or pressure is hegemonism disguised as democracy, which is the very opposite of democracy. It will only aggravate division and confrontation and lead to conflict and chaos. This sort of pseudo-democracy and fake democracy is bound to be opposed and rejected by the international community.
Hubei Media Group: The UNGA First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) approved the draft resolution Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security put forward by China. Could you give more insight into this as well as Chinas position?

Wang Wenbin: On November 3 Beijing time, the 76th session of the UNGA First Committee approved Chinas draft resolution Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security.

The resolution emphasizes the significant role of international cooperation on materials, equipment and technology for peaceful purposes in facilitating the economic and social development and urges all Member States, without prejudice to their non-proliferation obligations, to lift undue restrictions on developing countries peaceful uses. It decides to include in the provisional agenda of the 77th session an item entitled Promoting international cooperation on peaceful uses in the context of international security and requests the Secretary-General to seek the views and recommendations of all Member States on all aspects concerned and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its 77th session next year.

It is a long-term, comprehensive and global task to coordinate security and development considerations and find the right balance between non-proliferation and peaceful uses. The approval of this resolution marks the beginning of an open, inclusive and just dialogue process under the UNGA framework. It is of great significance to upholding the legitimate rights and interests of all countries in peaceful uses of technology, ensuring that technological dividends are widely shared to the benefit of all, and properly dealing with the security challenge that comes with technological progress.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. The resolution is a concrete step China has taken to uphold multilateralism, safeguard world peace and promote common development. It also embodies the shared position of a vast number of developing countries and serves the common interests of the entire international community. China will continue to work together with all sides to advance the dialogue process under the UNGA framework.

Global Times: The European External Action Service announced today that participants of the JCPOA and the US will restart negotiations on resumption of compliance in Vienna on November 29. Does China have any comment? Whats your expectation for the prospects of the negotiations?

Wang Wenbin: China welcomes the resumption of negotiations at the end of November in Vienna. The political and diplomatic resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue now faces new opportunities. It is Chinas hope that relevant parties seize the opportunity, follow the correct negotiating logic, fully respect all sides legitimate concerns regarding their interests, adopt pragmatic and flexible negotiating tactics, seek creative solutions to outstanding issues, and strive to reach agreement on compliance resumption at an early date to safeguard the international non-proliferation regime and regional peace and stability.

China has all along been actively facilitating talks on the Iranian nuclear issue. Recently, we have held intensive communication and coordination with various parties and played an active role in promoting the resumption of negotiations. Going forward, we will continue to take part in negotiations in a constructive manner and contribute to bringing the JCPOA back onto the right track.

MASTV: The US Defense Department released its latest report on Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China on Wednesday. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The Defense Department report, just like similar reports in the past, disregards facts and is filled with bias. The US is using this report to hype up the China nuclear threat theory. But this trick of manipulating rhetoric to confuse public opinion is seen through by the international community.

As a matter of fact, the top source of nuclear threat in the world is no other but the US itself. According to statistics of relevant international think tanks, by the beginning of 2021, the US actually owned 5,550 nuclear warheads. Despite possessing the worlds largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal, the US is still investing trillions of dollars to upgrade its nuclear triad, developing low-yield nuclear weapons and lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons. In addition, the US has withdrawn from legal instruments in arms control such as the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, kept advancing the deployment of anti-missile systems around the world, resumed research and development and tests of intermediate-range land-based missiles and sought to deploy them in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, and formed a small clique with strong Cold War undertones through the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation. These US moves gravely undermine global strategic stability and international peace and security. China urges the US to earnestly assume its special and primary responsibilities toward nuclear disarmament, and drastically and substantively reduce its nuclear stockpile in a verifiable, irreversible and legally-binding manner to uphold global strategic equilibrium and stability.

I want to stress that China stays firmly committed to a self-defensive nuclear strategy, actively advocates the ultimate complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, and keeps its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security. China abides by the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances and undertakes unequivocally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones unconditionally. No country will be threatened by China's nuclear weapons so long as it does not use nuclear weapons against China.

CCTV: According to reports, the French ambassador to Australia and relevant French officials said that Australian Prime Minister Morrison lied about the nuclear submarine cooperation of the US, the UK and Australia, and criticized the Australian side for leaking French President Emmanuel Macron's text message to the media, calling it very inelegant. Several former Australian politicians also criticized the Morrison government for damaging Australia's reputation. What is your comment on that?

Wang Wenbin: I have noted relevant reports. I want to stress that the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation is not just a diplomatic spat between a few countries, but a serious matter that will create risks of nuclear proliferation and undermine regional peace and stability. It is extremely irresponsible for the Australian government to ignore its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations and the serious concerns of regional countries and the international community in pursuit of its own interests. The Australian government should correct its mistakes, abandon the Cold War mentality, conscientiously fulfill its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations, earnestly safeguard regional peace and stability and give a responsible answer to the international community.

Xinhua News Agency: According to reports, Cambodia has achieved remarkable outcomes in COVID-19 prevention and control with assistance from China, and boasts the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate among ASEAN countries. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the other day that local restrictions would be lifted gradually from November 1 and production and work will be fully resumed. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: We applaud Cambodias COVID-19 response and congratulate it on the remarkable outcomes.

China and Cambodia are ironclad friends. We have jointly built an impregnable line of defense against COVID-19 and set an example of solidarity against the pandemic for the international community. We will continue to support Cambodia in this fight, and our assistance will not stop until the virus is finally defeated. We stand ready to work with our Cambodian brothers and sisters to further deepen practical cooperation in various sectors, help Cambodia revitalize the economy and improve peoples livelihood and make our friendship harder than iron and stronger than steel.

Kyodo News Agency: It is reported that the leader of the Taiwan region Tsai Ing-wen met with members of a European Parliament delegation today. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the visit to Taiwan by certain members of the European Parliament and has lodged solemn representation to the European side. As a universally recognized norm governing international relations and the consensus of the international community, the one-China principle is the political foundation for the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations and development of ties. No official interaction with the Taiwan authorities in any form is an inherent requirement of the one-China principle. The European Parliament is an important official organ of the EU. It follows naturally that its members should fully recognize the complex and sensitive nature of the Taiwan question, stay true to the commitment made by the EU, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues and keep the political foundation for China-EU relations intact. China urges the European side to redress its mistake and avoid sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces, lest it should cause a serious impact on China-Europe relations.

I would also like to point out that the DPP authorities in Taiwan tend to whitewash their Taiwan independence separatist acts under the disguise of democracy and human rights. But however hard they try to cover it, their true agenda of seeking independence is laid bare. Nor will they make a dent in the indisputable fact that Taiwan is part of China. The clumsy show of a few people wont shake in the slightest the international community's universal and firm commitment to the one-China principle or the inevitable trend of reunification of China. Their plot is doomed to fail.

AFP: The US Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley said yesterday that the United States military absolutely has the ability to defend Taiwan from a potential attack from China. Do you have any response to this comment?

Wang Wenbin: For some time, the US has been acting with negative and erroneous words and deeds on Taiwan, which has emboldened the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan question bears on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and concerns China's core interests. No one should underestimate China's firm determination and will to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will never allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any way.

The US should pursue a real one-China policy, instead of a fake one; fulfill its commitments to China faithfully rather than treacherously; truly implement the one-China policy and put it into action, instead of saying one thing and doing the opposite. We urge the US to fully recognize the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan question, abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and avoid sending any wrong signal to Taiwan-independence separatist forces to prevent seriously hurting China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The Paper: According to Japanese media reports, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said on November 2 that marine monitoring in waters near the Fukushima nuclear power plant during the past year had been conducted with a mistakenly set threshold of radioactive substances. The error occurred because the monitoring standards had not been correctly conveyed when a new monitoring agency took over in May 2020. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: China is deeply concerned about the problem mentioned in the report. Many recent media reports have exposed the chaotic management at TEPCO, the company in charge of the disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water and the inadequate supervision and management by the Japanese government. Is the error mentioned in the report an exception or the tip of the iceberg? Is the data of nuclear-contaminated water released by the Japanese side reliable and trustworthy? Stakeholders including neighboring countries have the right to the truth.

This error is also a reminder to the international community that the disposal of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water is by no means Japans private matter. It must be handled with the greatest prudence and stringent supervision. We urge Japan to revoke the erroneous decision to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. It mustnt recklessly start the ocean discharge before reaching consensus through full consultation with stakeholders and relevant international agencies.

Bloomberg: A Chinese companys shipments of solar products were detained by the US Customs as part of a crackdown by Washington over alleged human rights abuses. My question is, will China take any retaliatory action? And if so, what might that look like?

Wang Wenbin: The so-called forced labor in Xinjiang is an out-and-out lie. Citing this preposterous lie as an excuse, the US side has wantonly detained Chinese solar products. This again exposes the US sides malicious intention to undermine Xinjiangs development. It will also disrupt and undercut the stability of international industrial and supply chains and global cooperation on climate change. We deplore and reject the unjustified move and extend sympathy to the affected companies.

We urge the US to immediately redress its mistake, stop suppression of Chinese companies, and provide necessary conditions for our two countries to achieve steady development of relations and work together to tackle climate change. China will take all necessary measures to firmly defend the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Shenzhen TV: It is reported that the US Air Force Inspector General said on November 3 that an investigation concluded that the US strike in August that killed ten Afghan civilians in Kabul was an honest mistake and did not violate any laws, including the Law of War. He said there was not a person to be blamed for the error. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The result of the US investigation is the most callous and ruthless verdict for the more than 32 million Afghan people who suffered so much from the scourge of war. People cannot help but ask: Is it right that the ten civilians killed by the US drone strike should have died for nothing? Is it right that the lives, human rights and freedom of the Afghan people should be treated with such contempt? This investigation once again reveals the arrogance, hypocrisy and double standard of the US on human rights issues.

Afghan lives matter. We urge the US side to respect the lives and human rights of the Afghan people, disclose the truth of the incident to the public, bring perpetrators to justice and offer compensations to the family members of the victims.

In the past 20 years, US military operations including the war in Afghanistan have resulted in over 800,000 deaths, of which about 335,000 were civilians. The international community has yet to see any investigation or accountability in the US. This is an indelible stain in the history of international human rights. The US should stop its wanton interference in other countries' internal affairs in the name of democracy and human rights, earnestly respect and protect human rights, especially those of people in developing countries and prevent recurring human rights violations.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Remarks on the Adoption of the Amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

2021-04-01 02:04

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress deliberated on and adopted the amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR. This is a move to systemically revise and improve the methods for the selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR and for the formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR. It will provide strong institutional safeguards for the full and faithful implementation of the policy of One Country, Two Systems and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", and ensure the stability of Hong Kong in the long run. It embodies the common aspiration of the Chinese people, including the Hong Kong compatriots.

The move to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong SAR aims to develop, in a gradual and orderly manner, a democratic system that is in line with the constitutional order of Hong Kong and suited to its actual situation. It will better ensure extensive and balanced political participation of Hong Kong residents and serve the interests of all social strata, all sectors and all parties of Hong Kong society. It will help improve the governance efficacy of the Hong Kong SAR, safeguard the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and promote its long-term development. We are convinced that the new electoral system will help foster a better political, social, legal and business environment and usher in brighter development prospects for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The Chinese government has the resolve and confidence to safeguard the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. It has the resolve and confidence to ensure the continued success of the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. Any attempt to meddle in Hong Kong affairs and impose pressure on China is doomed to fail.
The first image collected by Landsat 9, on Oct. 31, 2021, shows remote coastal islands and inlets of the Kimberly region of Western Australia.

Landsat 9, a joint mission between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that launched Sept. 27, 2021, has collected its first light images of Earth.

The images, all acquired Oct. 31, are available online. They provide a preview of how the mission will help people manage vital natural resources and understand the impacts of climate change, adding to Landsat's unparalleled data record that spans nearly 50 years of space-based Earth observation.

"Landsat 9's first images capture critical observations about our changing planet and will advance this joint mission of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey that provides critical data about Earth's landscapes and coastlines seen from space," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "This program has the proven power to not only improve lives but also save lives. NASA will continue to work with USGS to strengthen and improve accessibility to Landsat data so decision makers in America - and around the world - better understand the devastation of the climate crisis, manage agricultural practices, preserve precious resources and respond more effectively to natural disasters."

These first light images shows Detroit, Michigan, with neighboring Lake St. Clair, the intersection of cities and beaches along a changing Florida coastline and images from Navajo Country in Arizona that will add to the wealth of data helping us monitor crop health and manage irrigation water. The new images also provided data about the changing landscapes of the Himalayas in High Mountain Asia and the coastal islands and shorelines of Northern Australia.

Landsat 9 is similar in design to its predecessor, Landsat 8, which was launched in 2013 and remains in orbit, but features several improvements. The new satellite transmits data with higher radiometric resolution back down to Earth, allowing it to detect more subtle differences, especially over darker areas like water or dense forests. For example, Landsat 9 can differentiate more than 16,000 shades of a given wavelength color; Landsat 7, the satellite being replaced, detects only 256 shades. This increased sensitivity will allow Landsat users to see much more subtle changes than ever before.

"First light is a big milestone for Landsat users - it's the first chance to really see the kind of quality that Landsat 9 provides. And they look fantastic," said Jeff Masek NASA's Landsat 9 project scientist at Goddard Space Flight Center. "When we have Landsat 9 operating in coordination with Landsat 8, it's going to be this wealth of data, allowing us to monitor changes to our home planet every eight days."

Landsat 9 carries two instruments that capture imagery: the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), which detects visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared light in nine wavelengths, and the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), which detects thermal radiation in two wavelengths to measure Earth's surface temperatures and its changes.

These instruments will provide Landsat 9 users with essential information about crop health, irrigation use, water quality, wildfire severity, deforestation, glacial retreat, urban expansion, and more.

"The data and images from Landsat 9 are expanding our capability to see how Earth has changed over decades", said Karen St. Germain, Earth Science Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "In a changing climate, continuous and free access to Landsat data, and the other data in NASA's Earth observing fleet, helps data users, including city planners, farmers and scientists, plan for the future."

NASA's Landsat 9 team is conducting a 100-day check-out period that involves testing the satellite's systems and subsystems and calibrating its instruments in preparation for handing the mission over to USGS in January. USGS will operate Landsat 9 along with Landsat 8, and together the two satellites will collect approximately 1,500 images of Earth's surface every day, covering the globe every eight days.

"The incredible first pictures from the Landsat 9 satellite are a glimpse into the data that will help us make science-based decisions on key issues including water use, wildfire impacts, coral reef degradation, glacier and ice-shelf retreat and tropical deforestation," said USGS Acting Director Dr. David Applegate. "This historic moment is the culmination of our long partnership with NASA on Landsat 9's development, launch and initial operations, which will better support environmental sustainability, climate change resiliency and economic growth - all while expanding an unparalleled record of Earth's changing landscapes."

Landsat 9 data will be available to the public, for free, from USGS's website once the satellite begins normal operations.

NASA manages the Landsat 9 mission development. Teams from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, also built and tested the TIRS-2 instrument. NASA's Launch Services Program, based at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managed the mission's launch. The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center will operate the mission and manage the ground system, including maintaining the Landsat archive. Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, built and tested the OLI-2 instrument. United Launch Alliance is the rocket provider for Landsat 9's launch. Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona, built the Landsat 9 spacecraft, integrated it with instruments, and tested it.

For more information on Landsat 9 and the Landsat program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/Landsat9

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Over 2,200 Churches Unite to Evangelize for Jesus





NEWS PROVIDED BY

Christ for All Nations

Nov. 5, 2021



ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 5, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- Christ for All Nations (CfaN) just completed their third "Operation Decapolis"  a Gospel Outreach Campaign that simultaneously targets multiple cities or regions (up to 10 at a time). The gatherings were held in 6 different areas of Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam is densely populated. Roads are usually jammed with standstill traffic. It can take hours to travel from one part of the city to another, making it difficult for the entire city to be able to attend an event. But by offering 6 simultaneous Gospel Campaigns in 6 different areas, the CfaN Evangelism Team greatly increased the number of people they were able to reach with the Gospel in the region.



Evangelist Kolenda has enlisted graduates of the CfaN Evangelism Bootcamp to help carry the ministry in each crusade to implement this multiplication strategy. Every night Kolenda travelled to a new crusade and preached in one of their five services.



While an Operation Decapolis Campaign requires a tremendous amount of logistical groundwork, the rewards far outweigh the efforts. As Evangelist Kolenda posted on his social media platforms,



"Tonight, I started out preaching in the Kimara section of Dar es Salaam, where Evangelists Evelina Smane and Denis Artyushevskiy are stationed. After preaching the Gospel, they ministered to the sick, and amazing miracles happened." In addition to thousands of salvations and an outpouring of Holy Spirit, miracles from the 5 days of gatherings included:

A Muslim lady was in an accident a year ago and could not walk without pain. She gave her life to Jesus and was healed. All the pain left her body, and she could walk!



Another woman was having problems with bone marrow in her legs and could not walk without a cane for many years. Jesus healed her, and she was able to walk without her cane.



A man who was deaf in his ear for 16 years was healed.



A woman who was deaf in both ears for three years was healed.



A woman who was blind since she was a child was also healed!

While these massive outdoor gatherings are often noted for their scale, what God is doing behind the scenes is no less incredible. More than 2,200 churches were involved in the organizational process, and multiple thousands of local volunteers joined together to reach their community with the truth of God's love made known through Jesus. The meetings are more than Evangelism events  they are at the heart of a broader strategy to grow meaningful churches in every corner of the earth. To that end, CfaN uses a digital system to send every new convert a text message that points them to a local church. Pastoral teams are also provided with contact information to follow up with these new followers of Christ and invite them into the discipleship process alongside a church in their neighborhood. This system has fostered church growth across Africa, and the Tanzanian church is no different. God's promise to CfaN's founding evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke, is coming true in our day: Africa will be saved!



The operation also relied on 120 CfaN volunteers. Collectively, that team worked more than 40,000 hours to prepare for the monumental six-site event. Altogether, that's 19 years of 40-hour work weeks! Events on this scale are not possible without the prayer, volunteer time, and financial support that CfaN partners generously give. And Evangelist Kolenda and the CfaN team cannot say thank you enough to everyone who has joined with them to make it possible to reach so many for Him.



To learn more about CfaN, visit www.CfaN.org. To learn more about Daniel Kolenda and to read more stories from the recent Operation Decapolis Campaign, visit www.DanielKolenda.com.



SOURCE Christ for All Nations



CONTACT: Sam Rodriguez, Director of Product Development,

407-854-4400, srodriguez@cfan.org


Friday, November 5, 2021 at 11:52AM

 The Hollywood Reporter Paul Mescal and Josh O'Conner to star in early 20th century gay love story, The History of Sound (the curious part is that it's about America and both stars are British and the director is South African)

 The Guardian Eternals banned in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait over gay content

 People actor Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar) has come out publicly before his memoir "You Can't Be Serious" hits. He'll be marrying his partner of 11 years soon

More after the jump including a Paul Newman memoir, new roles for Joe Alwyn and Gael Garcia Bernal, Titane's Oscar dreams, luscious Italians and the annual OUT100 list...



 New York Times Paul Newman memoir to be released 14 years after his death!!!

 GQ James Ivory, one of our all time favourite directors has a memoir that was just released. Here's an excerpt talking about Call Me By Your Name. (Yes, we just ordered a copy as we typed this)

 /Film Gael Garcia Bernal will play a Werewolf By Night for Marvel on Disney+

 EW Tom Hanks talks to Jimmy Kimmel about his recently departed Bosom Buddies co-star Peter Scolari

 MNPP Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley star in Claire Denis' next film The Stars at Noon

 Next Best Picture makes a case that Titane will surprise this awards season

 One Inch Barrier takes on sexy Italian comedy Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (and speaks blasphemy - i love that movie) and the 1964 Best Foreign-Language Film race which was an excellent grouping

 MNPP Speaking of luscious Italians, a necessary list: the hottest men in Luchino Visconti's filmography

Finally the "Out 100" issue of Out is upon us where they highlight queer people making a difference in numerous fields. Naturally for our purposes we focus on the film people:

 BREAKOUT STAR Ariana DeBose gets one of the covers. A lot of this 'performer of the year' stuff will depend on if she delivers in West Side Story but magazine profiles have long lead times. We hope she will but Rita Moreno is a tough act to follow!

 ACTORS Billy Eichner, Emma Corrin, Justice Smith (who everyone needs to fall in love with -- he's great) and more

 BEHIND THE CAMERA Producers, writers, executives etcetera including Lana Wachowski (with a fresh installment of The Matrix coming) and our friend Leslye Headland (pictured above) whose new Star Wars series for Disney+ is coming soon
By Trend

After a sharp rise in fuel prices worldwide, new potential buyers of natural gas from Europe turned to Azerbaijan, Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov told Bloomberg on Nov. 5, Trend reports.

According to Shahbazov, governments and companies in the east and south of Europe have expressed interest in buying gas from Azerbaijan.

"Gas prices have skyrocketed this year as limited flows from Russia have exacerbated supply problems, and Europe is entering winter with the lowest inventory levels in at least a decade. We keep in touch with existing and potential buyers. The likelihood of concluding new sales contracts in the future is quite high," Shahbazov said.

He also noted that Azerbaijan began exporting gas to Europe from the Shah Deniz field through the Southern Gas Corridor worth $33 billion in December 2020.

This connects the Caspian Sea region with Italy, and at the same time, the country also sells gas to neighboring Georgia and Turkey," he noted.

According to the minister, supplies to Italy, Greece and Bulgaria this year will reach almost 6.5 billion cubic meters, and in 2022 they will grow to 10 billion cubic meters. It is noted that these gas exports are based on contracts signed in 2013.

Shahbazov added that Azerbaijan needs new sales agreements before investing in increase of production. New opportunities for gas supplies will be discussed early next year at the annual meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor, a platform that brings together companies and governments from about 20 countries.

In addition, he said that potential development projects include, among other things, the Shafag-Asiman field.

"Depending on European demand, Azerbaijan may also support the Trans-Caspian pipeline to export Turkmen gas to the west. This requires new contracts between buyers and sellers," the minister said.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

The volume of cargo transportation through the Azerbaijani section of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) transport corridor amounted to 30.4 million tons in the first three quarters of 2021, the State Statistics Committee has reported.

There was an increase in the cargo transportation volume by 1.8 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2020.

During the reported period, 17 million tons or 56 percent of the cargo transportation was carried out by automobiles, 9.9 million tons or 32.7 percent by rail and 3.4 million tons or 11.3 percent by sea.

The share of transit cargoes in the total volume of the freight traffic along the TRACECA corridor amounted to 6.6 million tons or 21.9 percent in the first nine months of 2021.

Azerbaijan and TRACECA agreed on cooperation in the areas of expansion of the corridor geography and digitalization of the corridor, during the meeting held between Azerbaijani Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev with TRACECA Secretary-General Asset Asavbayev. The parties agreed to cooperate in the development of multimodal transport, increasing the competitiveness of container traffic, development of new projects that may help to attract additional cargo flows to the corridor and stepping up efforts to promote the TRACECA corridor at the bilateral and international levels.

It should be noted that in 2020, TRACECA transported 35.5 million tons of cargo through Azerbaijan, including 7.5 million tons or 21.2 percent of transit cargo.

Established in 1993, TRACECA is an international transport program involving the European Union and 12 member states of the Eastern European, Caucasian, and Central Asian region (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan).
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

The Azerbaijani State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) revenues from the countrys major oil and gas fields amounted to $5 billion in January-October 2021, SOFAZ has reported.

The Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli block of fields, which are the largest oil field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, accounted for $4.6 billion of this revenue.

The funds revenues from the Shah Deniz field, which is among the worlds largest gas-condensate fields, amounted to $461.9 million, including $135.2 million from condensate, in the first 10 months of the year.

Earlier, it was reported that SOFAZ sold funds in the amount of $4.8 billion at foreign currency auctions during the reported period.

The fund's revenues from the countrys major oil and gas fields amounted to $3.8 billion in 2020, with Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) accounting for $3.5 billion of this revenue and Shah Deniz for $293.9 million.

Established in 1999, SOFAZ is a sovereign wealth fund, which accumulates and preserves Azerbaijans oil and gas revenues for future generations.

The fund accumulates income from the sale of oil contracts, and in 2003 it started to make transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan. As for now, SOFAZ's contribution to the countrys GDP is over 80 percent.

The contract for the development of the ACG oil fields was signed on September 20, 1994, and entered force in December. The contract for the development of the ACG block was extended to 2050 in September 2017.

The shareholders in the ACG project are BP (operator, 30.37 percent), SOCAR (25 percent), MOL (9.57 percent), INPEX (9.31 percent), Equinor (7.27 percent), ExxonMobil (6.79 percent), TPAO (5.73 percent), ITOCHU (3.65 percent), ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) (2.31 percent).

The contract on the development of the Shah Deniz gas field was signed in 1996. Shareholders of the Shah Deniz project are BP (operator, 28.8 percent), TPAO (19 percent), AzSD (10 percent), SGC Upstream (6.7 percent), PETRONAS (15.5 percent), LUKOIL (10 percent), and NICO (10 percent).
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

The Azerbaijani Azercosmos OJSC and the Belarus National Academy of Sciences have signed a cooperation agreement in the field of remote sensing services.

The agreement was signed during the meeting between representatives of Azercosmos and the Institute of Geo-Information Systems under the Belarusian Academy in Baku on November 5.

The agreement envisages using images of the Azersky satellite by the academy in projects on agriculture, ecology, cartography, infrastructure planning and monitoring, updating cadastral data, and determining tourist routes.

During the visit, the participants were briefed on the activities of Azercosmos, the satellites it operates and Azerbaijan's space program. The guests were then introduced to the Main Ground Control Center of Azerbaijan's Space Agency.

Established in 2010, Azercosmos is the only satellite operator in the South Caucasus region and provides high-quality satellite services for telecommunications and geographic intelligence.

Azercosmos along with Azerspace-1, Azerspace-2 and Azersky satellites, facilitates the reception of signals from satellites of other satellite operators and via a fiber-optic network.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus amounted to $320.3 million, with the export accounting for $229.8 million and import for $90/4 million in the first nine months of 2021.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Theater Workers Union has presented a play "The Price of Happiness" based on the work of poet Sahib Mammadov.

The one-act play was staged by Raul Turkkan in an original way. In the play, love for the main character of the work (Ramin) is expressed by the feelings of one, but in the images of four girls and women of different ages.

Four actresses play one image!. At the same time, the heroine has no name - this image reflects the feelings of mothers, sisters, wives and daughters during the 44-day Patriotic War.

"This is both a patriotic project and at the same time a performance that tells about true sincere love... After passing all the trials and prohibitions of parents, loving hearts are reunited and when it seems that real happiness comes, the war begins. Ramin goes to the front to free the native land from the occupiers, "Raul Turkkan told Trend Life.

The play "The Price of Happiness" was presented as part of the festival " Azerbaijan is the winner" jointly organized by the Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan Theater Workers Union.

The main goal of the festival is to increase the number of dramatic performances reflecting the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani army, headed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev.

The performance was presented in Russian, but the musical compositions were performed in Azerbaijani.

The play brought together actors of the State Academic Russian Drama Theater, Honored Actors Inna Imranova, Milana Sokolenko, actors Olga Arsentieva and Yaroslav Trifonov,Honored Actress, dancer Nigar Rzayeva and the 13-year-old student of the Baku Choreographic Academy Aylin Turkkan.

Light artist Karim Askarov, sound designer Huseyn Aliyev, assistant director Nargiz Majidova worked on the production.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The 4.4 Festival of Short Performances is underway in Baku.

The festival is being held for the first time and is co-organized by the Culture Ministry and Teatro.az with the support of the State Academic Musical Theater and the International Union of Theater Critics.

Theater teams from Baku and the country's regions, including 1 state, 6 private and 5 independent theaters, are taking part in the festival which reveals new talents.

Addressing the event, the project manager Vidadi Gafarov expressed gratitude to the participants and jury members for their fruitful activities and announced the program of the festival's last day.

The main goal of the festival is to increase the number of dramatic performances reflecting the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani soldiers. It also focuses on reviving the work theaters which were previously suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The theatrical performances "Until the last breath", "Mother", "Fighting Tar", "Sunday" and others were shown in a video format.

Baku Children and Youth Theater, Lankaran State Drama Theater, Mingachevir State Drama Ganja State. ESA Inclusive Theater, etc took part in the festival.

After performances, jury members and theater workers joined panel discussion on the topic "How to write a play (War and theater)".

The awarding ceremony will be held on October 5. The jury members includes Honored Art Workers Israfil Israfilov ( jury chairman), Aydin Kazimzade, Mehriban Alakbarzade, Ali Amirli and People's Artist Parviz Mammadrzayev.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

National Library has enriched its collection with new books. The publications were presented by the Latvian Embassy in Azerbaijan.

The presentation took place in the library's International Cooperation Hall.

Speaking at the ceremony, the library director, professor Karim Tahirov stressed that the national libraries of Azerbaijan and Latvia actively cooperate in this area. The libraries hold joint exhibitions and exchange books.

Karim Tahirov spoke about the Hall of International Cooperation which operates at the library since 2019. Books of 13 countries, including Latvia are kept there. At the moment, there are permanent book corners of 16 countries in the hall.

The donated books will be presented in permanent book corner dedicated to Latvia. The books will be also included the library's collection of foreign literature.

Deputy Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan Via Bush stressed the importance of international ties between the two countries, as well as cooperation in cultural field.

She praised partnership between the libraries of two countries and joint projects implemented as part of this cooperation.

In conclusion, Via Bush expressed her books that books donated by the Latvian Culture Ministry to Azerbaijan National Library will further contribute to the strengthening of cultural ties.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the UK will continue to be a steadfast partner of Azerbaijan, Azertag has reported.

He made remarks in his message addressed to the VIII Global Baku Forum - "The World after COVID-19" on November 4.

"The United Kingdom is, and will continue to be, a steadfast partner for Azerbaijan. I look forward to the continued development of our partnership in the years ahead," he stated.

It should be noted that the British prime minister's message was read out by the deputy head of the British diplomatic mission in Baku, Philip Barclay.

"Next year marks the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan. During the last thirty years our relationship has blossomed and United Kingdom - Azerbaijani cooperation is currently at an all-time high. We remain your biggest investor, but our relationship goes far beyond that," Johnson said.

He underlined that the UK very much welcomes Azerbaijans growing role in international affairs, such as its support in combatting the use of chemical weapons and in tackling drugs smuggling, its chairmanship of the Non- Aligned Movement, and the help its troops provided in securing Kabul airport during the recent evacuations.

Noting that the biggest international challenge facing today is climate change, Johnson noted that this forum takes place at the same time as COP26.

" As COP26 continues  I very much hope Azerbaijan will play its role in securing a successful outcome. I welcome the emphasis you continue to place on 'green energy', and applaud your plans to increase the role of renewable energy in Azerbaijan," he said.

Johnson added that BP, Azerbaijan's strategic partner for the past 27 years, very much want to support this transition in the country.

British Prime Minister stressed that the UK continues to support peace and stability in the Caucasus region and to address post-conflict challenges.

"I have been horrified to see the continuing reports of deaths and injuries from land mines and unexploded ordnance. We in the United Kingdom  both Government and British companies - are already helping with this challenge, through support to Azerbaijans national demining programme and UNDPs mine action, to contribute to mine risk awareness, and through offering our world-leading expertise," the prime minister said.

He added that the UK encourages all regional countries to also take steps towards signing the relevant treaties, in the forefront of which is the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

Johnson stressed that he also encourages all countries to build in a particular role for women in peacebuilding, including through the adoption of National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security.

"I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the women who are playing a leading role in Azerbaijans society, such as the winners of this years British Council Alumni Awards, and to work of Wendy Morton, the UKs Minister for Europe and Americas, in supporting the role of women in Azerbaijan and ensuring that our two great countries are working effectively together for the benefit of all our citizens," he said.

Azerbaijan and the UK are cooperating in different spheres of the economy. There are already 30 years of successful cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sector, which entered a new stage of development in line with the challenges of the global energy sector.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the next Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off in Baku on November 4.

The 8th Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests to discuss issues of global importance.

The forum will last until November 6.
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 44-day second Karabakh war ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation and the restoration of territorial integrity.

Chronicle of the 40th day of the Second Karabakh War:

- President Aliyev gave an interview to the Spanish EFE news agency.

- The fighting continued mainly in the direction of Aghdara and Khojavand.

- Armenia violated ceasefire on the state border with Azerbaijan

- Armenian armed forces shelled Goranboy, Tartar, and Aghjabadi.

- A person injured as a result of Armenian aggression died in Barda.

- The number of Azerbaijani civilians killed as a result of the Armenian aggression reached 92.

- Armenian armed forces shelled the villages of Tartar and Aghdam districts.

- A video of new military equipment abandoned by Armenian armed forces on the battlefield was released.

- Video of the liberated villages of Fuzuli and Khojavand districts was released.

- Video of the destruction of the Armenian military infrastructure in Tonashen village was released.

- Armenian military column was ambushed and destroyed near Aghdara.

- The battery of the 41st artillery regiment of Armenian armed forces was destroyed.
By Trend

The Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva on the occasion of the Victory Day celebrated on November 8, Trend reports on Nov. 5.

The proposal was put forward by Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova at today's session of the parliament.

The MPs supported this proposal.




By Trend

The regular plenary session of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijans parliament) will be held on November 5, Trend reports.

The agenda of the session includes 10 issues:

- statement of the Milli Majlis in connection with November 8 - Victory Day (to commemorate liberation of Shusha and other Azerbaijani cities and villages from Armenian occupation in the 2020 second Karabakh war);

- declaration of amnesty in connection with the Victory Day;

- bill on amendments to the law "on State Duty" (third reading);

- bill on amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses (third reading);

- bill on amendments to the law "on education" (third reading);

- bill on amendments to the law "on vocational education" (third reading);

- bill on amendments to the law "on privatization of state property";

- bill on amendments to the law "on the establishment of orders and medals of Azerbaijan" in connection with the establishment of the jubilee medal "30th anniversary of the State Customs Committee (1992-2022)" and the medal "For effective cooperation with customs authorities" (second reading);

- bill on amendments to the law "on the establishment of orders and medals of Azerbaijan" in connection with the establishment of the jubilee medal "100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (1921-2021)" (first reading);

- bill on amendments to the law "on the establishment of orders and medals of Azerbaijan" in connection with the establishment of the medal "For cooperation in the defense industry" and the jubilee medal "15th anniversary of the Ministry of Defense Industry (2005-2020)" (first reading).




By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has described Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in the 44-day war with Armenia late last year as an important historical event.

He made the remarks in an interview with journalists during VIII Global Baku Forum - "The World after COVID-19" held in Baku on November 4-6.

The former prime minister noted that by this war, Azerbaijan itself implemented the UN Security Council resolutions.

"Liberation of Azerbaijani lands from occupation also means the restoration of international justice," he added.

Ehud Barak also noted that the development of Azerbaijani-Israeli relations continues in all spheres. He expressed confidence that friendship and brotherhood between the two countries will continue to strengthen and develop.

Speaking about climate change, Barak underlined that the situation with it will worsen if necessary steps are not taken. He underlined that it is important to prevent environmental pollution.

It is necessary to create alliances, coalitions, for which steps must be taken, the former prime minister added.

Barak stressed that at first, everyone thought that the COVID-19 vaccination would last for a year.

"But as you can see, this is not enough, the whole world is still being vaccinated. I am sure that the only way to protect from COVID-19 pandemic is vaccination, so vaccines must be evenly distributed among all countries," he added.

Azerbaijan and Israel have been expanding bilateral cooperation over the years. The cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel is based not only on economic partnership but also on traditional historical, cultural roots and mutual respect and trust. Israel was one of the first countries to recognize the state independence of Azerbaijan and to establish diplomatic relations.

Moreover, Israel was among the first countries to voice support for Azerbaijan over its just position and its territorial integrity during the 44-day Second Karabakh War. In January, Azerbaijan expressed its willingness to involve Israel in the restoration of the countrys newly-liberated territories. Thus, Israel will build a buffalo farm in Azerbaijans liberated Zangilan region.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the next Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off in Baku on November 4.

The 8th Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests to discuss issues of global importance.

The forum will last until November 6.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has said that Azerbaijan supports all the world's requirements for climate change and puts forward its own ways to solve this problem.

He made the remarks during panel discussions on "Combating Climate Change and Meeting the Global Need for Energy: How do we do both?" within the VIII Global Baku Forum - "The World after COVID-19", held in Baku on November 4-6.

The minister noted that the forum has become a platform for discussion and solutions to global problems.

Noting that global climate change is now on the agenda of all countries in the world, Shahbazov recalled that this issue was actively discussed in Glasgow.

"I believe that the responsibility entrusted to us in this sphere should be regulated by political instruments," Shahbazov said.

He stated that the current situation with the state of energy in Europe should not be allowed to develop further.

"We must help European countries to solve this problem. In addition, in solving any issue, we cannot focus on one sector, we must solve everyday problems in a more extended way," Shahbazov said.

The minister also said that in 2020, the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in global electricity production reached 29 percent.

"We know that this is not enough, and we must expand the existing potential of renewable energy sources," he added.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the next Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off in Baku on November 4.

The 8th Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests to discuss issues of global importance.

The forum will last until November 6.
By Trend

Azerbaijan's Parliament is discussing its statement in connection with November 8 - Victory Day [commemorating liberation of Azerbaijani territories from Armenian occupation in the 2020 Second Karabakh War] at the plenary session, Trend reports.

Chairman of the parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, noted at the meeting that the whole world saw what the Azerbaijani army is capable of under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev.

"The heroism of the Azerbaijani army is a source of our pride. Another factor in Azerbaijan's victory is national unity. The enemy did not resist our national unity. Today, the Azerbaijani flag proudly flies in Karabakh, East Zangazur. We are in eternal debt to the Supreme Commander and our Armed Forces for this victory," Gafarova said.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar- Kitarovic has said that climate change led to an increase in the number of refugees and migrants around the world.

She made the remarks during the panel discussions within the VIII Global Baku Forum - "The World after COVID-19" on November 5.

The ex-president stressed that it is necessary to prevent crimes against humanity, incitement to conflicts and to investigate their causes.

"Migrants should contribute to the country where they live and become its useful citizens. It is necessary to make them feel a part of the society to which they have emigrated," she noted.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the next Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off in Baku on November 4.

The 8th Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests to discuss issues of global importance.

The forum will last until November 6.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Former ISESCO Director-General Abdulaziz Altwaijri has called for global renewable energy consumption as soon as possible.

Altwaijri made the remarks at the panel session on the topic "Combating Climate Change and Meeting the Global Need for Energy: How do we do both?" as a part of the VIII Global Baku Forum - The World after COVID-19".

He stressed that electricity production and climate change are closely connected.

"Excessive extraction of energy resources affects the environment. How can this damage be prevented? It is necessary to switch to renewable energy sources. People as a whole must participate in protecting nature and ecology," Altwaijri stressed.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the next Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off in Baku on November 4.

The 8th Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests to discuss issues of global importance.

The Forum will feature panel discussions on such topics as "New world order after COVID-19", "New world economy", "In a new era: peace, security and human rights", "Combating climate change and meeting global energy demand", "Health care and vaccination", "Promoting food security", "Eastern Partnership and its opportunities", including the situation in the EU, the Balkans, and the South Caucasus.

The forum will last until November 6.
By Trend

The problems that have arisen in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic must be resolved through the joint efforts of international organizations - UNESCO, UNICEF and some others, Assistant to the President of Tajikistan for Social Development and Public Relations Emomali Nasriddinzoda said at the panel on the topic "Combating Climate Change and Meeting the Global Need for Energy: How do we do both?" within the framework of the VIII Global Baku Forum titled "The World after COVID-19", Trend reports.

According to Nasriddinzoda, educational institutions were closed in Tajikistan during the COVID-19 pandemic, as in the whole world.

More than 1.5 billion children worldwide are left without education. In Tajikistan, more than 1,700 educational centers for children, as well as thousands of schools, have been closed. According to the UN, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted teachers' incomes. More than 100,000 teachers teach in Tajikistan, and more than two million students receive education. Preferential loans were provided to citizens of our country affected by the pandemic, Nasriddinzoda said

Under the supervision of the President of the country, vaccinations are taking place in Tajikistan, and firstly, teachers were vaccinated. We are ready to take all measures that can solve global problems in connection with the pandemic, he added.

Under the auspices of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and with the organization of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the VIII Global Baku Forum titled "The World after COVID-19" began its work in the capital of Azerbaijan on November 4 and will last until November 6.

The VIII Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives from more than 40 countries of the world, former heads of state and government, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, as well as other guests to discuss issues of global importance.
By Trend

Global climate problems will be impossible to be addressed without high-level cooperation in the field of climate change and energy, Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat (PERMIS) of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Lazar Comanescu said, Trend reports.

Comanescu made the remark during panel discussions on "Combating Climate Change and Meeting the Global Need for Energy: How do we do both?" within the VIII Global Baku Forum - "The World after COVID-19".

According to him, in this area, its necessary to expand regional and international cooperation.

"The impact of climate change must be reduced and at the same time the use of alternative energy must be expanded. This should be our main task," he added.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the VIII Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off on November 4 and will end on November 6.

The VIII Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests, to discuss issues of global importance.
By Trend

The amnesty in connection with November 8, Victory Day [commemorating the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from Armenian occupation in the 2020 Second Karabakh War], is a continuation of the humane policy pursued in Azerbaijan, First Deputy Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Mejlis) Ali Huseynli said, informing about the issue of amnesty at the plenary session of the Milli Mejlis on Nov. 5, Trend reports.

According to Huseynli, the policy of humanism, the foundation of which was laid by the national leader Heydar Aliyev, is continued by President Ilham Aliyev.

Huseynli noted that thanks to the continuation of the policy of humanism in 1995-2021, 67 decrees and orders of pardon were signed.

He added that 11 amnesties were adopted during the mentioned period, several of which were initiated by the First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva.

According to Huseynli, the amnesty adopted so far has affected 117,000 people.
By Azernews





By Vafa Ismayilova

Former Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma has described vaccination as the best way to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

She made the remarks during the panel discussions on "Combating Climate Change and Meeting the Global Need for Energy: How do we do both?" within the VIII Global Baku Forum "The World after COVID-19" held on November 4-6.

"In order to organize a high-level healthcare system, we must create international cooperation. In more vulnerable, low-income countries, a number of serious problems have arisen during the pandemic," Straujuma noted.

"Lack of medical personnel in these countries and a low level of monitoring system have complicated the situation. We must state again that vaccination is the best way to fight the pandemic and we must encourage people to do this," she added.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the VIII Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off on November 4 and will end on November 6.

The VIII Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests, to discuss issues of global importance.

About 300 guests are participating in the event, organized in a hybrid format, live and online.
By Azernews





By Vafa Ismayilova

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has described as very relevant the issues on the agenda of the Global Baku Forum.

The issues on the agenda of the Global Baku Forum are very relevant, productive discussions are underway, said Viktor Yushchenko, who is also a member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

Yushchenko stressed that the forum is being held on very significant days - on the eve of the anniversary of the restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

Many events have happened in the region over the past two years since the previous forum. Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity. I wish Azerbaijan success! he said.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the VIII Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off on November 4 and will end on November 6.

The VIII Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests, to discuss issues of global importance.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani parliament has approved the amnesty act initiated by President Ilham Aliyev on the first anniversary of victory in last year's 44-day Karabakh war, local media reported on November 5.

The act was approved at parliaments plenary session following the relevant discussions.

President Aliyev earlier came up with the initiative taking into account the exceptional significance of November 8 - Victory Day for the Azerbaijani people and the traditions of humanism.

The proposed amnesty act is expected to be the largest one in terms of the number of people and institutions that it will cover.

The act submitted to parliament by the president will apply to more than 16,000 people. Over 3,000 convicts are expected to be released from prisons, as well as the unserved part of the sentences of about 3,000 convicts will be reduced.

Under the amnesty act, close relatives of those who took part in the 44-day war and other military operations to protect Azerbaijans sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as persons awarded orders and medals will be released.

Moreover, close relatives of those with disabilities or killed as a result of military provocations, as well as persons who have committed crimes that do not pose a major public threat will also be released from criminal liability.

At the same time, negligent offenders, persons who have committed a less serious or first-time grave crime for which the unserved part of the sentence is less than six months, persons serving a sentence in a precinct-type penitentiary institution less than one year before the end of their sentence will be released from the unserved part of the sentence.

The act is expected to apply also to individuals, who were fined, sentenced to public work, correctional work, imposed restrictions over military service, detained in a disciplinary military unit, and had other non-custodial sentences.

The amnesty will remove convictions from individuals who do not pose a major public threat or who have committed less serious crimes.

On November 8, Azerbaijan will celebrate Victory Day to commemorate the liberation of Shusha and other cities and villages from Armenias occupation in the 44-day war in late last year.

On September 27, 2020, in response to a large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist".

The 44-day war put an end to nearly 30 years of occupation, ensured the liberation of Azerbaijan's lands and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and urged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city.
By Azernews





By Vafa Ismayilova

Former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa has hailed the international importance of the VIII Global Baku Forum, saying that it got quickly into the center of international attention.

Moussa emphasized the importance of issues pertaining to the future of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, international relations, and the multilateral system

"I'm very optimistic about the usefulness of this forum," he added.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the VIII Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-19 kicked off on November 4 and will end on November 6.

The VIII Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests, to discuss issues of global importance.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has posthumously awarded servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces killed in combat operations for the restoration of the country's territorial integrity in 2020, Azertag reported on November 5.

the story will be updated.
By Trend

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed a resolution perpetuating the names of the heroes of the second Armenia-Azerbaijan Karabakh War, who died for the sake of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, in accordance with the instruction of President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the resolution, to perpetuate the names of the heroes of the second Karabakh War and the national heroes of Azerbaijan who died for the sake of the country's territorial integrity, their names were assigned to 37 schools and lyceums in various cities and districts of the country.

The ministry of education, the ministry of culture, the relevant local executive structures were instructed to resolve the issues arising from this resolution.
By Trend

Azerbaijan purchases the required volume of COVID-19 vaccines, Azerbaijani First Deputy Minister of Health, Acting Minister of Health Teymur Musayev said during the VIII Global Baku Forum panel discussions under the motto "The world after COVID-19, Trend reports on Nov. 5.

Musayev stressed that the vaccination process has been underway in the country since January 18 and 60 percent of people older than 18 have already been vaccinated with both doses of the vaccine.

"The effective measures have been taken to combat COVID-19 from the first day of COVID-19 pandemic," the Azerbaijani first deputy minister of health said. "The number of beds for patients infected with COVID-19 has been brought to 10,000, artificial lung ventilation devices have been brought."

Referring to the "vaccine nationalism" that still exists in the world, Musayev noted that everyone should learn from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic and the primary lesson is the transparency of information related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the VIII Global Baku Forum under the motto "The world after COVID-1" kicked off on November 4 and will end on November 6.

The VIII Global Baku Forum brings together high-level representatives, including former heads of state and government, officials of international and non-governmental organizations from more than 40 countries, as well as other distinguished guests, to discuss issues of global importance.
International Holding Company (IHC), an Abu Dhabi-based multi-sector conglomerate, has recorded a 308 per cent surge in its net profit for the first nine months of the year which rose to AED7.2 billion ($1.9 billion) driven by a series of acquisitions and strong performance across subsidiaries.

Announcing the results for the January to September period, IHC said its revenue grew 297% for the nine-month period to hit AED18.31 billion, while its total assets increased by AED6.1 billion during the third quarter.

IHCs strategic acquisitions continued to strengthen the conglomerates balance sheet, reaching AED 64.4 billion, an increase of AED50.3 billion during the nine-month period ending September.

The Abu Dhabi group has a clear objective of enhancing its portfolio through acquisitions, strategic investments, and business combinations. Comprising more than 30 entities, IHC seeks to expand and diversify its holdings across a growing number of sectors, including Real Estate, Agriculture, Healthcare, Food and Beverage, Utilities, Industries, IT and Communications, Retail and Leisure, and Capital.

Third-quarter revenue jumped 290 percent to AED 8.39 billion, and net profit to AED 2.87 billion.

IHCs financial highlights for the three-month period ending September 30, included:

*Net profit of AED2.87 billion, an increase of 200% when compared to the same period last year.

*Third-quarter revenue of AED8.39 billion, a jump of 290% when compared to the same period last year.

*Total assets of AED64.4 billion, up from AED14.01 billion at the end of December 31, 2020.

CEO and Managing Director Syed Basar Shueb said: "Our investments in the third quarter, including strategic add-on acquisitions, have driven IHC's growth and enhanced our market position and future growth trajectory."

"These results reflect the underlying strength of our business verticals, particularly in the construction sector, where we have expanded significantly in recent months. We continue to maintain a strong appetite for further expansion locally and internationally while retaining specific value creation objectives at the core of our acquisition strategy," noed Sheub.

"Theres more to come for IHC growth, and I believe we have the right strategy in place to unlock the companys full potential and create significant shareholder value," he added.

On its strategic investments, Sheub said IHC had entered into an agreement to exchange 58.29% ownership in Multiply Group for consideration of assets amounting to AED5.5 billion.

It exited a 50% shareholding in Eltizam Assets Management to ADQ for no consideration to the group. Simultaneously, ADQ invested AED102 million into Eltizam to finance future expansion. Presently IHC retains a 50% stake in Eltizam.

Its key acquisitions under common control include: Sandstrom Motor Vehicles Manufacturing 65% (SMVM is involved in manufacturing of motor vehicles); Emirates Gateway Security Services 95% (EGSS is involved in security services) and Support Services and Catering (SSC) 100%. SSC is involved in building cleaning services.

According to him, the group acquired investments under common control from Aflaj Investments amounting to AED4.419 billion.

During the period, the Emirati group listed three of its subsidiaries on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange - Alpha Dhabi Holding, Emirates Stallion Group and Al Seer Marine Supplies and Equipment Company.

IHC now plans to list another unit, Multiply Group, a holding company that invests in tech-focused scalable businesses, on the emirate's main stock market this year, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of land and air transportation on the sidelines of the Omani delegations visit to the KSA.



The MoU on land transport was signed by Said Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and Saleh Nasser Al Jaser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services in the KSA, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).



Moreover, the MoU on air transport was signed by Naif Ali Al Abri, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Abdulaziz Al Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in the KSA.



The two MoUs agreed on sharing scientific and professional information between the two countries in order to enhance technical spheres and to boost logistic cooperation. The MoUs will also increase mutual visits between engineers, experts and professional technicians in the fields of land roads and air navigation.



Moreover, the MoUs also agreed on conducting seminars and joint meetings, as well as training engineers, experts and professionals.



The MoUs also agreed on utilizing the geographical areas of the two countries to serve the joint logistical interests.
DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel and Residences has opened its doors to guests offering spectacular dining, elegant guestrooms and stunning views.

Located in the heart of Sharjahs vibrant arts and cultural scene, overlooking the Al Majaz Waterfront and in close proximity to the city centre, this new hotel offers warm ambience and engaging hospitality and is set to become the leading hotel in Sharjah for curated guest experiences in food, art and culture.

I am delighted that the first DoubleTree by Hilton in Sharjah has opened, offering guests stylish and spacious guestrooms, incredible dining options and service that will truly wow our guests,said Vikram Jamwal, General Manager.

Sharjah has so much to offer  from rich culture, a vibrant arts scene, to unique events  and DoubleTree by Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences is poised to become a lifestyle destination of choice for travellers to the emirate.

DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences features 156 guestrooms and 108 design-led family-friendly apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms. It also offers modern meeting rooms appointed with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and a fully equipped and functional business centre.

Each of the guest rooms, apartments and meeting rooms offer an exceptional Al Majaz Waterfront view with floor-to-ceiling windows.

We believe the opening of this hotel represents a milestone moment in the development of Sharjah as a unique and welcoming destination for visitors, said Marwan Al Zaiem, Chairman of Al Marwan Group. With incredible lake views from every room and fully equipped apartments, the design of this hotel is entrenched with the rich historical and cultural heritage of Sharjah all to offer each of our guests a very memorable experience.

Dining options available at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences include Majdolin, an upscale Levantine restaurant - led by Executive Chef Bilal Saleh - with an outdoor terrace set against panoramic views, and Banyan Cafe, which offers specialty coffee by Boon, as well as tea and fresh bakery items. Guests can also enjoy 24-hour in-room dining masterfully curated by Chef Bilal and his team.

For guests looking to unwind and relax, DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences boasts an impressive semi-Olympic size indoor swimming pool and an ultra-modern fitness centre with steam room and unique Himalayan salt sauna.

Basel Al Zaiem, Deputy Chairman of Al Marwan Group, said: We are pleased to have opened this hotel in partnership with Hilton. With its elegant design and warm ambiance, this hotel will not only serve as a new destination for Sharjah but a landmark for the DoubleTree brand worldwide. The design of the hotel is inspired by the rich heritage of Sharjah. Guests will immediately notice the fusion of the historic Rolla Tree as a key pillar of the lobby layout, enriching our guests overall experience.

DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences is a five-minute walk from the Sharjah City Centre Mall. Al Noor Island and Al Majaz Amphitheatre are less than a kilometer from the Hotel. In addition, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is 12 kilometres away and Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is 20 kilometres away.-- TradeArabia News Service
In Turkey, 'Eternal' Wine Resurrects Assyrian Culture

Yuhanna Aktas, an Assyrian trader, no longer has to hide the fact that the grapes he harvests are intended to produce wine from the locals in his conservative region of southern Turkey.

Aktas, a member of Mardin's decreasing Christian minority, has been fighting an uphill battle to gain acceptance from his Muslim neighbors and municipal officials, who frown on alcohol sales.

"Winegrowing and resurrecting the vanishing Assyrian culture was my boyhood ambition," Aktas said in Midyat, a town 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Syrian border.

Only about 3,000 Assyrians remain in the larger Mardin province, which is part of the historical Mesopotamia region, where archaeologists believe wine was invented 2,700 years ago.

As a result of discrimination and violence, the majority of Assyrians in Turkey have either relocated to Istanbul or emigrated to the West, reducing their population from 700,000 during the Ottoman Empire to 15,000 now.

Their slow departure has inflicted a devastating blow to Mardin's viticulture traditions, forcing Aktas to embark on a torturous quest to realize his ambition.

The 44-year-old, who wears glasses and has a touch of a beard, claims he received death threats when he initially tried to start making wine in 2009.

He said that "workers refused to work for me, and peasants refused to sell their grapes, claiming that wine is forbidden in Islam."

But he persisted, and now he sells 110,000 bottles each year in Turkey.

Choosing the correct local grapes, especially a Mazrona variety with a powerful scent akin to Gewurztraminer grapes used in Alsatian white wines, was the key to his success, according to Aktas.

The wines are organically cultivated and naturally fermented without yeast or sulphites, which are additions that prolong preservation, according to Aktas. They also have the added bonus of being considerably healthier for your health.

"Sulphites in other wines can cause headaches. With a hint of a smirk, he remarked, "That is never the case with our wine."

The business has been so successful that Aktas has opened a second production facility in his hometown of Beth Kustan, roughly 30 kilometers from the Midyat vineyards.

The majority of the original Assyrian families now live in Europe or the United States, as they do in other towns around the region.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was Prime Minister at the time, vowed to make it easy for these families to restore their properties nearly a decade ago, creating hopes for their homecoming.

"A number of Assyrians had intended to return to Turkey at the time. The Washington Newsday Brief News is a daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C.
What Will City's New Autonomy Mean for Assyrian in North Iraq

A woman kisses her son outside the Mar Tshmony church in 2014. Christian families had been sheltered in Ankawa after an unprecedented ISIS advance into Kurdish controlled territory. ( Getty) For Ankawa, an Assyrian Christian-majority suburb of Iraqi Kurdistan's capital Erbil, the last decade has been one of change and transformation.

Its population swelled in 2014 as Assyrian Christian refugees from other parts of northern Iraq poured in ahead of the Islamic State's (IS) onslaught, cementing the town's status as one of the primary nodes of Iraqi Kurdistan's Christian community.

Mechanical engineer Liver Dakali moved to Ankawa from Erbil in 2019, well after the wartime surge. Although he wasn't fleeing war, he too felt the pull of the town's Christian character.

"We are a minority there in Erbil, so we were alone. It was uncomfortable to celebrate occasions like Christmas," Dakali said. "So we came here."

On 4 October, Iraqi Kurdistan's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani moved to recognise Ankawa's ethno-religious distinctiveness by announcing that the town would become a separate, autonomous district from Erbil for the first time.

Like others in Ankawa, Dakali said he is hopeful that the change will lead to improved infrastructure, public services, and security. But for him, any additional quality of life benefits for Christians in Ankawa or beyond will be limited at best.

"I don't think there will be a significant effect," Dakali said, referring to the move's impact on the broader Assyrian Christian community in Iraqi Kurdistan.

According to locals and political leaders alike, Ankawa's new status will be a positive development for the Christian community in Iraqi Kurdistan, and despite some reservations, Dakali and other residents remain optimistic about the town's future.

Yet many argue that the change does not go far enough, and claim that although Ankawa's new designation is a step in the right direction, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) must take serious and concrete steps to rectify a host of grievances before Assyrian Christians can feel completely at home in Ankawa or elsewhere in Iraqi Kurdistan.

For activists and community leaders, wedge issues like taxation, land expropriation, and the erasure of Assyrian Christian identity will continue to plague Christians in the KRG despite the shift in Ankawa's status.

As part of his 4 October announcement, Barzani stated that once its new designation is implemented, Christians in Ankawa would be able to "nominate civic leaders, appoint officials, manage their own security and directly shape their destinies" -- something that residents said will allow them to maintain their heritage, upgrade their cityscape, and improve zoning practices to protect residential areas.

Political officials The New Arab spoke with confirmed that the change, which would be finalised in a matter of weeks or months, would give Ankawa an expanded spending budget.

"This is a huge step, it will be very easy to preserve [Ankawa's] unique culture and religion and traditions now," said Dr Daniel Rawand, a Christian rights activist in northern Iraq. "But it's only on paper, and unfortunately the history [with the KRG] tells us not to be optimistic too early."

Life for Assyrian Christians in the KRG is generally much more secure than in other parts of Iraq, where instability and violence have led to a steady exodus of Christians out of the country. While the KRG has positioned itself as more diverse and pluralistic than other regions of the country, the situation for Christians remains far from perfect.

"Our experiences with the KRG over the years have included good things, but there have also been not so good things," said Fareed Yacoob Elya, an Assyrian Christian member of the KRG Parliament representing Duhok.

One significant recent point of contention in Ankawa has been the issue of taxation and business regulation. According to the Washington, DC-based Assyrian Policy Institute, a new rule issued in 2018 required business owners in Ankawa to renew their licenses for a fee -- a stipulation that was not applied to other subdistricts of Erbil.

The report also alleged that Ankawa residents had to pay a 10% tax on property sales, compared to a tax of 6% in other parts of Iraqi Kurdistan. A war of words ensued in which the KRG called the claims "baseless" and the Institute issued a subsequent statement in response.

Another issue has been the years-long expropriation of Christian agricultural lands in several areas of Iraqi Kurdistan including Duhok and in Ankawa itself, where the Erbil International Airport was built on lands seized from Assyrian farmers, according to a 2017 report from the Assyrian Confederation of Europe. These farmers reportedly received no compensation for the seizure.

According to Rawand, some locals are concerned that taxes would rise further with this latest decision, and Dakali claimed Ankawa's cost of living might rise as well. Reine Hanna, the executive director of the Assyrian Policy Institute, said that despite the rhetoric around Ankawa, she has yet to see evidence that the KRG's approach toward Assyrian Christians has changed.

"This recent development is consistent with the KRG's tendency to paint itself as a protector of religious and ethnic minorities on the surface, but underneath there are all these longstanding grievances," Hanna said.

Ramy Noori Syawish, the Christian mayor of Ankawa, acknowledged that "mistakes" in tax collection have taken place, and that the lack of lands for Christian residents of Ankawa was a "serious problem."

"We are working to make this trust stronger and renewing it," he said, adding that the KRG is working on adding new lands to the Ankawa municipality.

Ano Jawhar Abdoka, the KRG Minister of Transportation and Communications and the Christian representative to the region's Council of Ministers, said that even though governance in Iraqi Kurdistan is better than in the rest of Iraq, the KRG hopes to strive to do more. He said the change in Ankawa's status was part of a pattern of growing autonomy for Kurdistan's localities.

"This step by the Prime Minister in Kurdistan is not only important for the Christians," Abdoka said, "they also declared an autonomous administration in Soran district and in Zakho district. This is a step toward more democratisation in the Kurdistan region."

Abdoka added that modernisation of the education system was also taking place in the KRG with the involvement of Christian representatives. Activists like Rawand contended that Kurdistan's education curriculum contributes to discrimination against Christians.

"All the education is focused on Kurdish -- we are left out of all the curriculum and the history," Rawand said. "They are not killing us in the streets, like is happening in Baghdad and other places, but they are killing our culture and they are discriminating against us."

This erasure extends to the political realm too. Christians have Parliamentary seats allocated for them at both the regional level in Kurdistan and at the federal level in Baghdad, but these seats have historically been occupied by parties with little real Christian support.

In October's parliamentary elections, four out of the five Christian seats at the federal level were won by a party allied with Iran-backed groups in Iraq. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the dominant Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have faced pushback for nominating candidates for Christian seats as well.

Due to this fraught history, Khora Nano, an activist and a project manager at a historical preservation NGO, said that he will reserve judgement on the latest change in Ankawa's status until after it is put into practice.

"Talk is easy and it's sweet -- I can make you hear very good things," Nano said, "but am I going to do them? This is the point."

From Dakali's perspective though, social concerns ultimately pale before the real material concerns of Ankawans. For him, the most direct way that government officials could improve the position of Christians in Ankawa would be to invest directly in its future.

"There needs to be economic improvement," Dakali said, "because [that's] the main reason that makes people stay and improve their lives."
The Latin Patriarchate is taking action to reduce emigration in the Christian community and better integrate it in Palestinian society in partnership with Bethlehem University and the Institute for Community Partnership (ICP). The project includes career guidance workshops.

Bethlehem (AsiaNews)  The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in partnership with Bethlehem University and the Institute for Community Partnership (ICP), has launched Afaq.

Presented at a Catholic school in Taybeh, the project is aimed at empowering Palestinian women and young Christians while politically, economically and culturally integrating the Christian community in Palestinian society and prevent the emigration of young people seeking a better future.

Titled Christian Youth and Women Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Employment in Palestine, the project is set to be implemented in 13 West Bank parishes, namely Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Birzeit, Jifna, Aboud, Ramallah, Ein Arik, Taybeh, Rafidia, Zababdeh, Jenin and Jericho.

Smaller Christian communities in Burqin, Tubas, Kafr Qud, Jalameh and Deir Ghazaleh will also be among those to benefit from the initiative.

Catholic institutions, from Iraq to Syria, the Holy Land to the Gulf, as well as Lebanon are prioritising employment and business opportunities for local Christian communities or migrants to counter the exodus to Europe, United States and Australia.

The Patriarchate and Bethlehem University have laid out this goal, especially for women and young people. For the latter, migration has become an option not so easily available to their parents and grandparents.

For the project to succeed, the ICP, working with Catholic institutions, plans to conduct a survey among Christians in the West Bank and set up a website that will include everyone.

Workshops will be organised for career guidance and entrepreneurship, while grants and loans will be made available to support businesses and entrepreneurs.

Speaking about the project, Fr Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest in Taybeh and chaplain of the Youth of Jesus' Homeland-Palestine (YJHP), expressed hope that this would be the first of a series of meetings that could bear fruit for the community.

in his view, it is necessary to work for the common good, in the heart of our society and our Church, the Church of Jerusalem, Jesus homeland.

For Brother Peter Bray, vice chancellor of Bethlehem University, the university is very aware and conscious of the challenges that many of our graduates face. At the same time, we are [also] very keen to be involved in preventing, or at least restricting the barriers to entrepreneurship and to employment.

Sami El-Yousef, Chief Executive Officer of the Latin Patriarchate, notes that to help women and young people start their own business, the project relies on the partnership of various Christian institutions. [B]y providing suitable qualifications opportunities, people can obtain jobs, he explained.
The sanctioned officials include Taiwans prime minister, foreign minister and parliamentary speaker. The Chinese government is ready to prosecute those on its list. China attacks MEPs visiting Taiwan. European countries are afraid about their relations with China.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  The Chinese government has drawn up a black list of "stubborn Taiwanese secessionists" who are banned from entering China via Hong Kong and Macau, this according to Zhu Fenglian, spokesman for mainland Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office.

The measure mainly affects three Taiwanese leaders, namely Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Legislative Yuan (parliament) Speaker You Si-kun.

This punitive measure extends to family members and activities by Taiwanese citizens included in the list.

According to Beijing, the sanctioned people are guilty of instigating cross-strait confrontations, maliciously attacked and slandered the mainland, sought independence with bad words and deed.

Charges of separatism include the accusation of collaborating with foreign forces to divide the country, damage relations between Communist China and the island, and seriously endanger the regions security.

China considers Taiwan a rebel province, and has never ruled out using force to take it.

The island has been de facto independent since 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces fled the mainland after losing the civil war against the Communists, claiming to be the heir to the Republic of China founded in 1912.

Zhu added that the Chinese government is ready to prosecute the people on the list.

Yesterday the Chinese Foreign Ministry used no less threatening words to criticise the recent visit to Taiwan by a delegation from the European Parliament.

For spokesman Wang Wenbin, The clumsy show of a few people won't shake in the slightest the international community's universal and firm commitment to the one-China principle or the inevitable trend of reunification of China.

Yesterday, the head of an EU parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan, Raphael Glucksmann, told Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen that her country is not alone and that Europe is on the side of the island in defending freedom and the rule of law.

The French MEP described Taiwan as the most vivid, enlightening democracy in the Indo-Pacific region, and a treasure that democrats around the world should cherish and protect.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu's recent European tour is a sign of Taipei's strong diplomatic activism. The Taiwanese envoy again asked the European Union to open negotiations with his country in order to ink a bilateral investment agreement.

However, like several of its member countries, which do not want to jeopardise their relations with China, The European Union has so far proved reluctant to go ahead on this point.

Speaking to AsiaNews, a spokesman for the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade pointed out that on 26 October Prague did not sign any formal agreement with a trade delegation from Taipei, noting that the two sides only held economic consultations.

He added that the "15+1" group is a useful tool for the Czech Republic to develop bilateral relations with China.

The 15+1 group is an economic forum that brings together China and 15 countries in central, eastern and southern Europe, 11 of which belong to the EU. Lithuania recently left the forum.
by Sumon Corraya

Bangladesh relies heavily on remittances from migrant workers in the Gulf or Southeast Asia. While up until 2017 a million workers were leaving each year, by 2020 there were only 200,000. Many now rely on informal money transfer systems.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of migrants leaving Bangladesh every year to go and work abroad has decreased by 80%. In 2017, at least one million workers went to other countries to seek their fortune, according to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, a government agency.

Over the next two years, the figure dropped to 0.7 million and 217,669 in 2020, the year the health emergency broke out. In 2021, the number rose slightly to 317,011. The decline was driven by shrinking markets in Malaysia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, where Bangladeshi migrants find work more easily.

The issue is of primary importance because at least 10 million Bangladeshi workers send remittances from abroad, contributing to the nation's economic development. Those who have returned home now struggle to find new employment and are waiting for the economy to rebound to return abroad.

Subroto Gomes, who worked as a cook in Kuwait, had returned to Dhaka after the pandemic broke out. Now he is waiting for a new letter of employment. "I worked in a Kuwaiti restaurant for 10 years, then I got sick and came home," he told AsiaNews. "They hired someone else and I'm trying very hard to go back to the Gulf country, but I haven't gotten a visa yet."

The government says the situation is changing. "Many countries are lifting entry bans imposed during the pandemic," explained Sahidul Alam, director general of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training. "We are getting more and more applications for our workers. Saudi Arabia has reopened their markets and so has Malaysia. We hope all the other countries will soon follow."

Over the past five months, remittances from abroad have dropped, the government source went on to clarify. He added that migrant workers prefer to send money through hundi (an informal money transfer system based on the word of honor and also known as hawala in the Islamic world) instead of using banks. But the main reason is that at the moment, workers who have returned to Bangladesh cannot get their previous jobs back. According to experts, Dhaka should try to put more pressure on neighboring countries to start taking in Bangladeshi workers again.
The Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission took action after receiving reports of abuses by some companies using borrowers phones to shame them for failing to pay their debt. Because of COVID-19, online credit is growing but 80 per cent of Filipinos do not meet bank loan requirements.

Manila (AsiaNews)  The Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has decreed a moratorium on the registration of new online lending platforms because of more and more reports of abuse and predatory practices.

Recent investigations found that some apps shame customers who fail to pay by texting and calling their friends and relatives.

This comes after the National Privacy Commission investigated some of these apps for extracting sensitive data like contacts on borrowers smartphones.

Online lending is experiencing strong growth throughout Southeast Asia, partly due to the difficulties in accessing traditional credit.

By late 2019, 124 online lenders were operating in the Philippines, 75 directly active with mobile apps.

According to recent research, 80 per cent of adult Filipinos do not meet the requirements for a bank loan. By contrast, online systems offer easy access via mobile phones with few documents required to be provided online.

However, such systems are not very transparent. We have seen the emergence of financial technology companies that engage in predatory lending, taking advantage of those struggling financially during the pandemic, said SEC chairperson Emilio Aquino.

The Commission will work toward stamping out these abusive financing and lending companies that do nothing but bury borrowers in even more debt, he added.

Although companies already registered will be able to continue to operate, the SEC has promised to adopt more stringent rules and impose greater controls. Meanwhile, some 35 lending companies have had their licence to operate revoked.
Francis celebrated Mass to mark the 60th anniversary of Romes Gemelli Polyclinic, the hospital where he was admitted in July. It is good for us, in the evening, to look back on the faces we have met, the smiles we have received, the good words. Such memories of love [. . .] help our memory [. . .] find itself again: May our memory find itself again.

Rome (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass at Romes Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic (pictured) to mark the hospitals 60th anniversary. The pontiff, who was admitted to the hospital back in July, used the occasion to renew his thanks for the care and the affection I have received here.

Pope John Paul II too was hospitalised at the Gemelli a few times, so much so that he dubbed it Vatican III (the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo being Vatican II).

The Gemelli is the teaching hospital for the medical school of the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart).

In his homily, Francis used the universitys name to speak about the Heart of Jesus as well as memory, passion and comfort, words suggested by the contemplation of the Heart of Jesus, in which Jesus offered himself, the compendium of his mercy.

Closeness, compassion and tenderness are part of Gods style, the pope noted. This suggests that we must be passionate about humanity, about all humanity, especially those who live the condition in which the Heart of Jesus was manifested, that is, pain, abandonment and rejection; especially in this throwaway culture that we live in today.

Looking at it, [. . .] it comes naturally to us to remember his goodness, which is freely given, which can be neither bought nor sold; and unconditional, it does not depend on our actions, it is sovereign. And it is moving. In todays haste, in the midst of a thousand errands and continuous worries, we are losing the capacity to be moved and to feel compassion, because we are losing this return to the heart, that is, this memory, this return to the heart. Without memory one loses ones roots, and without roots, one does not grow. It is good for us to nurture the memory of who has loved us, cared for us, and lifted us up.

I believe that in this time of the pandemic it is good for us to remember even of the times we have suffered the most: not to make us sad, but so as not to forget, and to guide us in our choices in the light of a very recent past.

Remembering is a good thing, treasuring the faces we meet. I think of the tiring days in hospital, at university, at work. We run the risk that everything will pass without a trace, or that only fatigue and tiredness will remain. It is good for us, in the evening, to look back on the faces we have met, the smiles we have received, the good words.

Such memories of love can help our memory to find itself again: May our memory find itself again. How important these memories are in hospitals! They can give meaning to a sick persons day. A fraternal word, a smile, a caress on the face: these are memories that heal inside, they do the heart good. Let us not forget the therapy of remembering: it does so much good!

Passion is the second word. Passion. The first is memory, remembering; the second is passion. The Heart of Christ is not a pious devotion, so as to feel a little warmth inside; it is not a tender image that arouses affection, no, it is not that. It is a passionate heart - just read the Gospel -, a heart wounded with love, torn open for us on the cross.

In its tenderness and pain, that Heart reveals, in short, what Gods passion is. What is it? Man, us. And what is Gods style? Closeness, compassion and tenderness. This is Gods style: closeness, compassion and tenderness.

What does this suggest? That, if we really want to love God, we must be passionate about humanity, about all humanity, especially those who live the condition in which the Heart of Jesus was manifested, that is, pain, abandonment and rejection; especially in this throwaway culture that we live in today. When we serve those who suffer we console and rejoice in the Heart of Christ.

The third word is comfort. [. . .]. It indicates a strength that does not come from us, but from those who are with us: that is where strength comes from. Jesus, the God-with-us, gives us this strength, his Heart gives us courage in adversity. So many uncertainties frighten us: in this time of the pandemic, we have found ourselves to be smaller, more fragile. In spite of so many marvellous advances, this is also evident in the medical field: so many rare and unknown diseases!

The Heart of Jesus beats for us, always repeating those words: Courage, courage, do not be afraid, I am here! Courage, sister, courage, brother, do not lose heart, the Lord your God is greater than your ills, He takes you by the hand and caresses you, He is close to you, He is compassionate, He is tender. He is your comfort.

Finally, [l]et us encourage ourselves with this certainty, with Gods comfort. And let us ask the Sacred Heart for the grace to be able to console in turn. It is a grace that must be asked for, as we courageously commit ourselves to opening up, helping one another, carrying one anothers burdens. It also applies to the future of health care, especially Catholic health care: sharing, supporting each other, moving forward together.

May Jesus open the hearts of those who care for the sick to collaboration and cohesion. To your Heart, Lord, we entrust our vocation to care: let us make every person who approaches us in need feel they are dear to us.
In an open letter to the White House, 47 NGOs stress that the policy of "maximum pressure" with Tehran does not work. Their impact only ends up hindering the fight against Covid-19 and impoverishing the population. NIAC president: no time to lose, in front of "dangerous" escalation

Washington (AsiaNews) - The policy of "maximum pressure" by means of "sanctions" of the United States against Iran is not working, all the more so today when efforts are aimed at recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Their impact, combined with the consequences of measures to counter the virus, has devastating effects on families, and continuing to prolong punitive economic measures would be "inexcusable."

This is what the representatives of 47 NGOs led by the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) wrote in an open letter addressed to US President Joe Biden, according to which "there is no more time to lose" to stop the crisis. Hence the positive opinion about the decision to resume the nuclear talks (Jcpoa 2015) on November 29 in Vienna.

Dozens of groups appeal to the tenant of the White House to resume diplomatic relations with the Iranian government, starting with a "necessary and proper" assistance in humanitarian aid in the fight against the coronavirus, and the return to the agreement.

The sanctions, stress the signatories, should not reduce vaccine supplies or block the (limited) resources necessary to supply humanitarian goods, at the same time, it is necessary to allow access to funding for public health and support to the many Afghan refugees now in the Islamic Republic.

Iran is among the most affected nations in the Middle East by Covid-19, in terms of the number of cases and victims; U.S. sanctions would have contributed to a slowdown in efforts to contain the spread of the virus and exacerbated overall poverty. Sara Haghdoosti, deputy director of Win Without War (among the 47 signatory NGOs), rejects the policy of maximum pressure and sanctions that "have not worked", with an "unjustifiable" impact on fragile people. "We must resolve this challenge," he adds, "not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it opens more doors on the diplomatic front as well.

Over the past two years, Tehran progressively violated the terms of the pact by easing restrictions on nuclear activities.

The first steps in this direction date back to 2019, in response to the May 2018 withdrawal by the then US President Donald Trump from the JCPOA and the reintroduction of the toughest sanctions in history, causing a collapse of the Iranian economy. The temporary agreement expired on June 24 and international diplomats have been working on a new nuclear deal.

However, the aftermath of the presidential elections that saw the victory of the ultra-conservative Ebrahim Raisi raises fears of a definitive collapse of the talks.

Among the organizations that have signed the open letter are the American Muslim Bar Association, the Christian Pacemaker Teams, the Jewis Voice for Peace and Action, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, the National Iranian American Council (Niac) and Win Without War.

According to the activists, rumours of a shift from diplomacy to so-called "Plan B" (military) are "very troubling" and an armed confrontation would end up undermining regional security, weakening anti-proliferation efforts, undermining the global fight against Covid-19 and "the risk of a disastrous war."

Jamal Abdi, NIAC president, stresses There is still a window of opportunity for President Biden to restore the Iran nuclear deal and avoid a dangerous escalation to war, but creative solutions are urgently needed... Theres no time to waste. Trita Parsi, vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, warns, "Restoring the Iran nuclear deal is a national security imperative for the United States.

And it is troubling that there is already talk of a Plan B without first exhausting all diplomatic avenues." Abdi concludes, "by taking humanitarian steps to allow Iranians to combat COVID-19, the U.S. can get a win-win that boosts our diplomats at the negotiating table and saves lives."
Carter may have an autoimmune condition that would increase his risk of contracting severe COVID-19, she said, and she has been home schooling him this year. That comes at a cost to his social development, Lua said. On Halloween, his first time around his friends this year without a mask, he was so overcome with happiness that he didnt know how to act, she said.
The morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, was especially beautiful, with clear skies and cool temperatures and none of the humidity that plagues Baltimore during the late summer. The day was shattered at 8:46 a.m., when the first airliner hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Heritage isnt crazy expensive, but its also pricier than what Im used to paying for barbecue. Platters range from $18 to $75, for the all-meat Ron Swanson. Then again, what isnt more expensive lately? Place your order at the bar and take a seat. After dining here once for work, Ive already been back on my nights off. Marsh says some customers have been coming in as often as four times a week, nearly every day the restaurant is open.
Lucas Hewitt said the character heads are made out of heavy card stock but are light on the students heads. They also were made by students during a mask-making party that took hours to complete for some. The idea of the costumes, he said, was to be humans with animalism, like the costumes in the Broadway show The Lion King. Instead of animal heads with African attire, The Jungle Book performers have animal heads with Indian attire because of the setting of the play.
Howard is probably one of the most amazing colleges Ive had an opportunity to become acquainted with, Willis said. As soon as I had the opportunity to interview and then the opportunity to come to campus, I knew instantly that this was the place that I wanted to be.
Another teenage boy, 17 years old, was shot at 11:08 a.m., telling police he was walking on Park Heights Ave. when someone with a gun approached him. They struggled over the weapon, and it fired, striking him in the leg.
A simple majority of lawmakers on the General Assemblys 19-member Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review would need to sign off on the regulations and could vote to approve the rules as soon as 10 days after receiving a draft from MOSH.
McCray said he foresees the Baltimore City Council taking over many responsibilities that fall to the Maryland General Assembly, as the police department is currently considered a state agency. For example, while the mayor selects the police commissioner (with the City Councils confirmation) and the City Council can cut the departments budget, the legislature sets the boundaries of police districts. Residency requirements for officers and take-home vehicle policies have also been outside the citys authority, McCray said.
Buffalo, WY (82834)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 46F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input.
During cross examination by Spencer and Christopher Cantwell, known as the Crying Nazi  who are also defendants but do not have attorneys and are representing themselves in the trial  Heimbach sought to distance himself from them. Attorneys and defendants argued during this case that they did not show up to Charlottesville looking for violence, despite messages indicating otherwise. They said their speech was hyperbolic and constitutionally protected, and blamed violence on police inaction and anti-fascist protesters.
Glasgow, Scotland has been flooded with 120 nations leaders, from presidents to premiers, and with thousands of diplomats and 25,000 scientists and activists from around the globe. They are there deciding the fate of the Earths ecological systems at the UN climate change conference. Instead, they should have chosen Annapolis for their meeting during the last few days of October. They could have commuted daily on the flooded streets of Annapolis by kayak, read by candlelight in areas where the power went out, and waded through chest high waters after meeting for a pint at a local pub  if they could find one open.
Acting interior minister in the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Sirajuddin Haqqani is reportedly playing a role of a mediator between Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to reach a "broader" "peace agreement" to bring an end to the two-decades of militancy in Pakistan, local media reported.

Pakistan has reached a possible understanding with the TTP after the "direct, face-to-face" talks between the two sides that are being held in South-western Khost province of Afghanistan for almost two weeks, reported Dawn citing the sources.

However, it is not clear who on the Pakistan side is negotiating with the TTP.

The understanding includes the declaration of a nationwide truce and the release of some TTP terrorists based on certain conditions, as part of confidence-building measures.

However, the TTP has yet not confirmed or denied the possible understanding reached between the two sides.

The number of terrorists who are to be released was not clear, however, the newspaper reported citing the sources that the number of such terrorists would not be more than two dozen.

"These are foot soldiers (terrorists), not senior or mid-level commanders. We are testing the ground. We are cautious. The truce will come into effect once the prisoners are released," Dawn quoted the sources as saying.

"Talks are being held directly between senior officers and senior TTP leadership. The TTP includes all groups without exception. There are several proposals on the table and both sides are working to hammer out a workable solution," Dawn quoted the source as saying.

However, Dawn reported citing the source that it is clear that no tribal intermediaries were being engaged in talks with the TTP leadership at the moment.

The strong resurgence of Pakistani Taliban's terror activities soon after the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan is raising new concerns about Pakistan's overall stability, including the security of its nuclear arsenal, said a Canada-based think tank.

According to an article in International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS), Pakistan efforts to pressurise the Taliban to ensure that the TTP is not allowed any sanctuary in Afghanistan, have failed to yield any visible results.

In recent times, the Pakistani Taliban has carried out multiple attacks in Pakistan.

A ceasefire between Pakistan's government and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced on October 1 has fallen apart in days as fears rise about the al Qaeda-linked group's true agenda, the think tank said.

(ANI)

Also Read: Shehbaz Sharif slams Imran Khan govt over inflation, says current stock of sugar would only last 15 days
I am inspired this week by an assignment my wife is doing for a Law in Education class. Her assignment was to write about religion in school and particularly release time for religious classes. It is an interesting assignment for her because, unlike most of her class, she grew up in a state 
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Jenny Halladay, a manager and people and culture business partner, joined CoinFlips human resources group in June after earning a masters degree in learning and organizational change from Northwestern University. She describes the CoinFlip experience as a whirlwind. A millennial in her 30s (Im at the upper end of the age range of our population, she notes), she is energized by the pace. In her first few months, the job hasnt evolved, its expanded, she says. For me, any area I want to explore and build, I can do that.
One union is tying the tension to an ongoing dispute over the operation of Metras three Union Pacific lines, which run north to Kenosha, northwest to McHenry County and west to Elburn. The dispute remains in court, but if Metra ends up taking over operation of the lines from Union Pacific the agency will have to negotiate with the unions, which could be difficult given the state of contract talks, said Brian Shanahan, another national vice president for the Transportation Communications Union.
According to the complaint, Schwabs Oct. 15 dismissal came two days after she discussed her treatment with Rivians human resources department, and weeks ahead of the companys initial public offering expected to take place this month. Had Schwab remained with Rivian until her one-year anniversary Nov. 30, she would have received equity in the company through restricted stock options, according to the lawsuit.
The more you can get the vaccine into the schools and also have trusted people within those schools talking about the need for the vaccine, the more effective its going to be, Van Opstal said. It just didnt seem to me like this extra day off really added a lot of additional access, and it just seemed more like an inconvenience for a lot of parents.
Theres a train yard, theres a landfill, theres manufacturing. Theres things still going on. Theres Trinity Hospital and theres a police station. All these people still had to go to work, so youre still hearing stuff, Long recalled. But, at the same time, for simplicitys sake, Im working from home, but not working as much. It was this weird sort of thing where the sounds around the neighborhood were still the same, but I had more time to go out and record. You just had this kind of split, this tension.
But Young and Goldman (who I remember as part of the Chicago theater community) have penned a fine work that very deftly looks both at the legacy of one remarkable man and, in so doing, at the cause of the millions who died and left behind witnesses. Many of those who pay attention to Holocaust history know of Karski, of course, and I imagine they will feel this piece well draws its breath in pain to tell his story.
The police chief declined to comment on if any other calls had been made to the home, if anyone else was inside the home at the time of the shooting or if a gun was found at the scene.
Their 16-year-old son was home and heard several loud banging noises, then more and then heard a single gunshot, Murphy said. The boy went upstairs and saw his dad face up and bleeding and his mom performing CPR. He called 911, said Murphy, and he went outside to wait for paramedics.
Just before 4 p.m., Chicago Police responded to the 2000 block of East 87th Street, where two people were shot while near the sidewalk, police said in an email.
The lawyers have to almost embrace those other outside issues, those political, racial, social economic issues, because those were factors in the decision-making process and how Rittenhouse and witnesses reacted to different situations, said McMahon, who is now in private practice. The challenge for the lawyers, the judge and the jurors is to not let those other factors override the facts of the case. Its going to take a really focused effort to get the jury to focus on what happened here, but those outside factors are going to have an impact on the jurors decision-making process.
On the day of the shooting, Rosenbaum, who took medication for bipolar disorder, stopped by the motel where Swart was staying to see her. They talked for a while, but she told him he couldnt stay. The jury wasnt given a reason for why Rosenbaum had to leave because the judge has barred evidence that Rosenbaum was under an order of protection preventing him from contacting his fiancee.
We have no problem holding off on the construction until at least April and allowing someone to remove the house, said Jay Puckhaber, the companys managing director, development and construction. I would just ask if it that happened, that someone does it with some insurance and they work with us on the appropriate time to do it.
The 17th Chinese American Film Festival (CAFF) will open on Friday, with its official online partner Smart Cinema screening 19 films as part of its online exhibition.

The 19 films include "To-gether," "Rising from Ashes," "Love Across the Strait," "Light Chaser", and "Sitting on a Train to Beijing." Meanwhile, the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles will present two memorable films, "Chinese Doctors" and "A Hustle Bustle New Year." In addition, many of the movies will have a North America premiere or a world premiere at the festival.

Smart Cinema said that the selection "covers a wide range of subjects from the intangible cultural heritage, traditional culture, Sino-foreign exchanges, national unity, the Belt and Road Initiative, new family traditions, and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, to revolutionary and mainstream blockbusters."

Chinese and foreign fans can watch movies and communicate online simultaneously to enhance mutual cultural exchanges and promote mutual learning between the Chinese and American civilizations. The online screening starts from Nov. 6 till Nov. 30, Smart Cinema CEO Jack Gao said.

It was Smart Cinema's fourth time to serve as the online screening partner of the film festival. The mobile cinema app aims to be a significant player in the virtual screening business by providing technology solutions while breaking the distribution channel monopoly of foreign movie giants. In addition, it hopes to give homemade Chinese films more chances to be seen by interested audiences in the U.S. and foreign territories, thus exporting more Chinese cultural products and enhancing Chinese soft power.

The organizing committee said the 17th CAFF and Chinese American TV Festival (CATF) would return to Los Angeles as a live, in-person event mixed with online activities, scheduled from Nov. 5 to 30 this year. Multiple sub-events, including the Golden Angel Awards Ceremony, will be held during the festival. In addition, representatives from major Chinese and American film and television companies and institutions, including Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Legendary Pictures, and Lionsgate, will attend the event. Some of them will join a virtual dialogue to discuss the opportunities and challenges of China-U.S. film and television cooperation in the post-pandemic era.

Founded in 2005 by EDI Media Inc., the annual cultural event aims to promote film and television industry exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States and enhance the influence and visibility of China's outstanding film and television works in international markets.
You are here: Business

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.), China's largest oil refiner, on Thursday signed a long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal with U.S. LNG producer Venture Global LNG.

The purchase and sale agreement, with a duration of 20 years, will see the Chinese oil giant buy 4 million tonnes of LNG per year from Venture Global LNG's project in Plaquemines, Louisiana.

This is currently the largest long-term LNG agreement signed between China and the United States, according to Sinopec.

Meanwhile, Unipec, a subsidiary of Sinopec, will also purchase a combined 3.8 million tonnes of LNG from the Calcasieu Pass project owned by Venture Global LNG.

The LNG deal reflects the consensus of the two companies on pushing forward the global energy shift, Ma Yongsheng, president of Sinopec, told Xinhua. He added that the move is significant to China in achieving its carbon-neutrality goal.

China has announced that it will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
You are here: China

The District Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ruled on Thursday that the prima facie evidence of an unauthorized assembly case on June 4 last year involving Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, an instigator of Hong Kong riots, stands.

The eight defendants including Lai were accused of inciting others to participate in an illegal assembly in Victoria Park of Hong Kong last year, and the case was heard again at the District Court on Monday.

Five of the defendants, including Lee Cheuk-yan, confessed their offenses Monday. The judge adjourned proceedings for the five pleading guilty until Nov. 12, for mitigation pleas and sentencing.

Three others involved in the case, Lai, Chow Hang-tung and Gwyneth Ho, denied their charges on Monday.

There were 26 people involved in the case, including Lai, Lee, Albert Ho Chun-yan, Joshua Wong and others. Twenty-one have pleaded guilty or been sentenced earlier on.

The rest two, including Nathan Law, have fled Hong Kong. Arrest warrants have been issued for them.
 Flash

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko has signed an integration decree of the Union State, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The document, which sets forth the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State in 2021-2023, was signed during the online meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, according to the Kremlin.

"This document covers 28 sectoral Union programmes designed to promote a coordinated macroeconomic strategy, introduce unified taxation principles, which is extremely important, implement a common policy in the credit and financial and banking sectors, in industry and agriculture, harmonise regulations for the unified oil, gas and electric power markets and for transport services," Putin said during the meeting.

"By carrying out these sectoral integration programmes, Russia and Belarus can create an equal and unified business environment," he added.

Lukashenko called it "another important step on the path of the union building."
 Flash

Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional director for Europe, called on Thursday for an end to "complacency" as the latest COVID-19 statistics revealed that "Europe is back at the epicenter of the pandemic -- where we were one year ago."

"We are at another critical point of pandemic resurgence," he said during an online press conference.

In a tweet, Kluge said that "the current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the WHO European Region is of grave concern (as) COVID-19 cases are once again approaching record levels."

During the past four weeks, the WHO's European Region has experienced a startling 55-plus percent increase in new COVID-19 cases, and it now accounts for 59 percent of all cases globally and 48 percent of all reported deaths.

Last week, the WHO reported that the European Region registered 1.8 million new cases and 24,000 new deaths.

"Cumulatively, there are now more reported cases in the European Region than in Southeast Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Pacific and Africa combined," Kluge said.

This unprecedented increase is due to two reasons: insufficient vaccination coverage and the relaxation of public health and social measures, he said.

"On average, only 47 percent of people in the European Region have completed a full vaccination series. While eight countries have now exceeded 70 percent coverage, in two the rate remains below ten percent," Kluge said.

He reiterated that the COVID-19 vaccines are effective against severe illness and death, and it is imperative that authorities invest all efforts to accelerate the pace of vaccine rollout.

He refrained from suggesting that governments should return to "damaging lockdowns," but called upon the region to fully adopt "tried and tested measures that enable lives to continue."

According to Kluge, if face mask use reached 95 percent in the region, this would save up to "188,000 lives of the half a million that could be lost before February 2022."

"Testing, contact tracing, ventilation in indoor space sand physical distancing remain part of our arsenal of defenses."

Discussing the dangerous coupling of the approaching flu season with COVID-19, he said that both could be stalled and pushed back by the available vaccines and preventive measures.

He reiterated that the current "alarming" situation in the European Region should "trigger all of us to act."
 Flash

A training course on digital and e-commerce cooperation for Lancang-Mekong countries started in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Sept. 11, on the sidelines of the 18th China-ASEAN Expo.





The training course was co-organized by China's National Development and Reform Commission and the people's government of Guangxi.





More than 100 e-commerce businesspeople and policymakers from China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand took part in the training course.





In the opening ceremony, the participants said that with the fast development of digital infrastructure, e-commerce, and digital technology, the digital economy is becoming more and more important in relation to the sub-regional cooperation. Therefore, it is necessary for Lancang-Mekong countries to work together to promote the digital application and advance digital transformation so as to boost post-pandemic recovery and advance Belt and Road cooperation.





The training lasted for four days and was conducted both online and offline. The instructors were made up of leaders and experts from competent departments in the field of digital economy, well-known e-commerce enterprises, and financial institutions in six Lancang-Mekong countries.





The course consisted of four modules: digital economy development and policy sharing among Lancang-Mekong countries, industry analyses and compliance interpretation, case sharing and project introduction, sharing of experience in digital information platform construction, and project match-up.





By holding the course, the organizers hoped to continuously deepen production capacity and investment cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries, facilitate regional digital transformation, promote regional coordinated development, and form a mutually beneficial development paradigm.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China is ready to work with Syria to promote the common values of humanity and facilitate dialogue between civilizations.

In a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Xi also called for joint efforts to defend international equity and justice, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Xi noted that Syria is one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China and one of the co-sponsors of the UN General Assembly resolution that restored China's lawful seat in the United Nations.

Since the establishment of China-Syria diplomatic ties 65 years ago, bilateral relations have withstood the test of changes in the international situation, and the friendship between the two countries has grown stronger, he said.

China, he added, attaches great importance to the development of China-Syria relations and is ready to work with Syria to achieve more results in bilateral friendly cooperation.

China will continue to assist Syria to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and support it advancing reconstruction and resuming development, he said, adding that his country also welcomes Syria's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative.

Xi stressed that China firmly supports Syria in safeguarding its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, and firmly opposes interference by external forces in Syria's internal affairs.

He said he is confident that Syria will overcome various risks and challenges, and achieve new victories in the struggle to defend independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the Syrian people will embrace a better future.

For his part, Assad extended congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the restoration of New China's lawful seat in the United Nations, which he said bears great significance to the Chinese people.

China has made great contributions to safeguarding world peace, stability and development, he said.

The Syrian government and people, he added, sincerely thank China for supporting Syria in safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, opposing external interference in Syria's internal affairs, and upholding international law and international equity and justice.

Syria attaches great importance to its friendly relations with China, supports the Belt and Road Initiative, hopes to expand and deepen cooperation with China, and welcomes Chinese companies to increase investment in Syria, he said.

Noting that socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved great success, he said Syria is willing to learn from China's relevant concepts and experience.

Syria, he added, will continue to firmly support China on issues related to Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, human rights, Taiwan and the South China Sea, among others.
Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market Growth & Trends

The global anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapeutics market size is expected to reach USD 12.82 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 0.5% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increased funding for R&D of anti-VEGF therapeutics to boost the development of new drugs is expected to accelerate market growth. Moreover, the introduction of novel innovative products coupled with the increasing geriatric population that is susceptible to develop ophthalmic diseases is expected to propel the market growth over the forecast period.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs data, the global elderly population (aged 60 years and above) was around 703 million in 2019. The share of the population aged 65 years and above was 6%, which increased to 9% in 2019. The aging population, based on countries, was around 68.7 million in Africa, 549.2 million in Asia, 183 million in Europe, 78.4 million in North America, and more than 76 million in Latin America & other regions in 2017. Hence, the increasing geriatric population is anticipated to drive the market.

The lack of reimbursement policies in developing regions is creating an opportunity for cost-effective novel molecules. In addition, ophthalmologists switching to more effective newly launched drugs has compelled companies to invest in R&D to maintain their industry position. The interest of investigators on biosimilar of existing drugs is a major trend in the pipeline of anti-VEGF therapeutics.

Moreover, companies are developing various formulations and drug delivery systems that may increase the adoption of these therapies. For instance, F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd. is developing the port delivery system-RG6321 (Ranibizumab)-which is currently undergoing a phase III clinical trial. It is an eye implant that is refillable and continuously delivers a customized formulation of ranibizumab over a period of months.

Loss of patent protection is likely to have a negative impact on the market growth and has led big pharma companies to consider new revenue streams. However, this is creating an emerging market for biosimilar drug producers in the space. This rising competition is anticipated to impede market growth. However, the launch of novel products with a competitive advantage is anticipated to lower the impact of the restraint during the forecast period.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market Report

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market Report Highlights

In 2020, Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) accounted for the largest revenue share and is anticipated to maintain its dominance over the forecast period

Diabetic retinopathy is anticipated to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to increasing cases of diabetes across the globe

The Beovu segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to the geographic expansion and patent exclusivity

Product expansions in various geographic regions are expected to increase sales and customer base

North America was the largest regional market in 2020 due to the high disease prevalence, rising consumer awareness, proactive government measures, technological advancements, and improvements in healthcare infrastructure

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to a rise in the penetration of anti-VEGF products, rising disposable income, and growing consumer awareness

Access Press Release@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-anti-vascular-endothelial-growth-factor-therapeutics-market

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market on the basis of products, disease, and region:

Anti-VEGF Therapeutics Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Eylea

Lucentis

Beovu

Anti-VEGF Therapeutics Disease Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Macular Edema

Diabetic Retinopathy

Retinal Vein Occlusion

Age-related Macular Degeneration

Anti-VEGF Therapeutics Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

North America US Canada

Europe UK. Germany Spain France Italy

Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia

Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina

Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE South Africa



List of Key Players of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Therapeutics Market

Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Biogen

Pfizer, Inc.

CoherusBioSciences

Amgen, Inc.

Bausch Health Companies, Inc.

Viatris, Inc.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
North America Food Packaging Market Growth & Trends

The North America Food Packaging market size is expected to reach USD 135.52 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2020 to 2028. The market is anticipated to be driven by a surge in demand for food delivery services, coupled with the rapid growth in single-serve and portable food packs.

Plastic packaging products are affordable and offer robust barrier properties, which contribute to their widespread penetration in the food and beverage industry. With the increasing government intervention in plastic product manufacturing, producers operating in the plastic food packaging market are making efforts to offer products using eco-friendly and sustainable raw materials.

The hectic work schedules of consumers and the increased demand for convenient food options drive the market for packaged food items in North America. Moreover, the flourishing e-commerce industry in different countries of the region such as Canada and Mexico is fueling the sales of packed food items across the region.

The extensive presence of large-sized packaged food companies with a robust penetration of distribution channels, such as supermarket and hypermarket chains, in North America is expected to contribute to the growth of food packaging types, such as trays, containers, pouches, and bags, during the forecast period.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: North America Food Packaging Market Report

North America Food Packaging Market Report Highlights

By material, the paper and paper-based food packaging material segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period owing to the increasing demand for biodegradable and more sustainable packaging solutions

By type, under the flexible segment, the pouches segment is expected to witness the highest growth from 2020 to 2028 as they occupy lesser space during transportation, consume less plastic material, and present a better sustainability profile in comparison to their rigid counterparts

The rigid type segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2020. The high adoption of rigid packaging products, such as bottles and jars, trays and containers, and caps and closures, owing to their durability and property of offering high protection to food and beverage products is contributing to the segment growth

Based on application, the packaged food segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 70.0% in 2020. The high demand for packaged foods owing to the change in consumer lifestyle has driven the segment in recent years and the trend is expected to continue over the forecast period

The market is steadily moving toward sustainable packaging owing to the rising stringent regulations on the use of excessive plastic packaging, coupled with the growing awareness regarding sustainability among consumers

Access Press Release@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/north-america-food-packaging-market-analysis

North America Food Packaging Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the North America food packaging market on the basis of type, material, application, and country:

North America Food Packaging Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Rigid Bottles & Jars Cans Trays & Containers Caps & Closures Dispensing Caps Screw Closures Crown Closures Aerosol Closures Others Others

Flexible Wraps & Films Bags Pouches Others



North America Food Packaging Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Paper & Paper-based

Plastic PE PP PET Others

Metal

Glass

Others

North America Food Packaging Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Packaged Food

Food Service Industry

Household

North America Food Packaging Country Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

US.

Canada

Mexico

List of Key Players of North America Food Packaging Market

Amcor plc

Sealed Air

Sonoco Products Company

Berry Global, Inc.

WestRock Company

Mondi

Genpak LLC

Pactiv LLC

Chantler Packages

WINPAK LTD.

Alpha Packaging

BE Packaging

Cheer Pack North America

Evanesce Packaging Solutions Inc.

Pacmoore Products Inc.

Innovative Fiber

Emmerson Packaging

PakTech

Tradepak

ProAmpac

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
Bharat Book Bureau Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Global Baby Skin Care Market Outlook, 2026 under Consumers Goods Market Research Reports Category. The report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and Market reports.

The market research report titled- Global Baby Skin Care Market Outlook, 2026 by Bharat Book Bureau analyses trends and markets for the baby skin care products market. To achieve clarity, the market has been studied from different facets by appropriately segmenting the market. The market is divided into different product types of Baby Cream and Lotion, Baby Powder, Diaper Rash Cream & Others. Further different sales and distribution channels have been analyzed by categorizing them into Supermarket & Hypermarket, Pharmacy Store/ Drug Stores, Convenience store & Online sales channel. The market is studied across 5 major regions and 19 major countries.

The baby skin care market is primarily driven by the increasing awareness about baby skin health. The market in the year 2015 grew with a historic CAGR of 5.95%. The growing concern about the safety standards in the developed countries and the lack of awareness in the under developing countries are to act as a hurdle in the market growth. Through the forecasted period, the market is expected to grow to a value of USD 10234.47 Million.

The baby's skin is very delicate and easily prone to infections, which makes it more important to give them special care. Millennial parents are now shifting towards organic baby care products. Even though the market is huge, it is comparatively newer in Latin America and the Middle East & Africa region. Europe accounts for less than 15% of the market share, since 2015. The skincare industry in the region is lucrative, leading brands have been successful in capitalizing on the existing opportunity. North America is the second-largest regional market, following Asia with quite a huge difference in the market share. The region is expected to grow with a CAGR of over 4% in the forecasted period, with the countries like US and Canada posing upfront. Asia leads the market with the growing middle-class disposable income and the awareness about baby skin health.

Premium products like fragrance skin lotion and cream are expected to see an upward trend in the coming years. Innovations in ingredients are also a rising trend in the baby skincare industry as demand from parents for products with organic, natural, and non-toxic ingredients is rising. Natural and organic ingredients are considered to be the most favorable option for skincare as they are gentle to the skin and nourish it. With the internet penetration, young parents are conscientious, as they are being more aware of the negative impact of the chemical ingredients. This has also created a huge opportunity and potential for growth for the leading companies in the market space.

CONSIDERED IN THE REPORT

 Geography: Global

 Base year: 2020

 Historical year: 2015

 Forecasted year: 2026

REGIONS COVERED:

 North America

 Europe

 Asia Pacific

 Latin America

 Middle East & Africa

ASPECTS COVERED IN THE REPORT

 Market Size by Value for the period (2015-2026F)

 Market Share by product type (Baby Cream and Lotion, Baby Powder, Diaper Rash Cream & Others)

 Market Share by Sales Channel (Supermarket & Hypermarket, Pharmacy Store/ Drug Stores, Convenience store & Online)

 Market Share by Region

 Market Share by Country

This report would help you to answer about Global Baby Skin Care Market:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Baby Skin Care Market during the forecast period?

3. Which region outstands in the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

4. Which are the segments to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

5. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

6. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

7. What are the major companies in the Global Baby Skin Care Market?

Browse our full report with Table of Content :

https://www.bharatbook.com/report/946310/global-baby-skin-care-cream-lotion-diaper-rash-cream-telcum-powder-others-market-outlook

About Bharat Book Bureau:

Bharat Book is Your One-Stop-Shop with an exhaustive coverage of 4,80,000 reports and insights that includes latest Market Study, Market Trends & Analysis, Forecasts Customized Intelligence, Newsletters and Online Databases. Overall a comprehensive coverage of major industries with a further segmentation of 100+ subsectors.

Contact us at:

Bharat Book Bureau

Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773

Email: poonam@bharatbook.com

Website: www.bharatbook.com
Bharat Book Bureau Provides the Trending Market Research Report on "Global Pulse Oximeter Market Outlook, 2026 under Life Sciences Market Research Reports Category. The report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and Market reports.

A Pulse Oximeter is a small, lightweight & noninvasive device used to monitor the oxygen level in the body. Usually attached to fingertips, this device assesses the pulse rate & displays the oxygen percentage and the current pulse rate. The research report titled Global Pulse Oximeter Market Outlook, 2026 by Bharat Book Bureau categorizes the market to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following segments: based on product type (Fingertip, Handheld & Others), based on end-users (Hospital and Health Care Facilities & Home Care), based on region, countries & major companies. The Pulse Oximeter market has been revamped considering the Covid-19 impact.

The growing prevalence of breathing disorders and diseases like asthma, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, ischemic conditions, cardiac arrhythmia, sleep apnea, COPD, etc. have been a major market driver for the Pulse Oximeter industry, allowing it to value to USD 1.65 Billion in 2015. A high-quality Pulse Oximeter is critical for the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with Covid-19. Even though the manufacturing & supply chain of the industry suffered challenges due to the pandemic restrictions, the manufactures ensured an adequate supply to the countries in dire need. The market is expected to witness a growth of over 7% CAGR in the forecasted period.

Majorly divided into two types, the handheld segment dominates the market with over half of the share, yet declining in the coming years. The market is driven by a fact that these products are user-friendly and are easy to use in emergency cases. A rise in the number of stroke cases and surgeries is anticipated to boost market growth over the forecast period. The market shift is a result of technological advancements such as easy transfer of data, extensive memory, alarm system, and Bluetooth feature. Through the forecasted period, the fingertip segment is to grow with a CAGR of over 10%, recording the highest growth.

The hospitals & health care centers hold a clear dominance in the Pulse Oximeter market accounting closely to 90% in the year 2020. It is due to an increase in the number of surgeries and emergency room visits across the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted the visits to medical facilities hindering medical care services, giving a hike in the homecare segment. With the increasing awareness of self-monitoring, people are now actively participating in health management from their homes themselves, augmenting the demand for such monitoring devices. The home care segment is expected to demonstrate growth of 15.42% in the coming years.

North America dominated the market, holding to a share of less than 35% in 2020, owing to increasing awareness of respiratory vitals monitoring among the common population. Recent changes in regulatory norms in Europe, which is the second-largest market, are expected to affect all medical device manufacturers. Although the Asia Pacific has a slightly declining birth rate, the number of infants born every day is considerably large. This results in a large target population for CHD. Latin America, along with the Middle East & Africa could hardly contribute to a market share of 15% by the end of the forecasted period.

According to the WHO, around 64 million patients are currently living with COPD worldwide with approximately 90% of deaths due to COPD occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The global market is led by the US, where around 43 states have made pulse oximetry mandatory for newborn screening. Following this, China & Germany contributes to over 12.86% in the year 2020. Other major countries are becoming a popular market for the product due to applications in the detection of Congenital Heart Defects and other heart and respiratory conditions.

Key industry players are undertaking other major initiatives, such as licensing agreements and strategic partnerships, to strengthen their market presence. The market leaders are introducing new products with additional features to sustain them in the competitive market. The Koninklijke Philips NV & CASMED (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation) together accounted for slightly higher than 10% of the total market share. Other major players are Covidien (Medtroni PLCc), Nihon Kohden Corporation, Smiths Medical International, Welch Allyn INC, Spacelabs Healthcare, Meditech, GE Healthcare, etc.

CONSIDERED IN THE REPORT

 Geography: Global

 Base year: 2020

 Historical year: 2015

 Forecasted year: 2026

REGIONS COVERED:

 North America

 Europe

 Asia

 Latin America

 Middle East & Africa

ASPECTS COVERED IN THE REPORT

 Market Size by Value for the period (2015-2026F)

 Market Share by Product type (Fingertip, Handheld & Others)

 Market Share by End User (Hospital and Health Care Facilities & Home Care)

 Market Share by Region

 Market Share by Country

 Market Share by Company

Browse our full report with Table of Content :

https://www.bharatbook.com/report/871055/global-pulse-oximeter-market-outlook

About Bharat Book Bureau:

Bharat Book is Your One-Stop-Shop with an exhaustive coverage of 4,80,000 reports and insights that includes latest Market Study, Market Trends & Analysis, Forecasts Customized Intelligence, Newsletters and Online Databases. Overall a comprehensive coverage of major industries with a further segmentation of 100+ subsectors.

Contact us at:

Bharat Book Bureau

Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773

Email: poonam@bharatbook.com

Website: www.bharatbook.com
The Global Building Panels Market Report, with its deep industry analysis of the market, estimates the market size bifurcated into segments and regions. The Building Panels market share and growth, trends estimated at the end of 2027 give a fair idea of the new opportunities coming up in the market. The detailed key player's profile and market share analysis give a better understanding of the competitors and their business strategies.

Base Year: 2020

Estimated Year: 2021

Forecast Till: 2027

The report classifies the market into different segments based on type and product. These segments are studied in detail, incorporating the market estimates and forecasts at regional and country levels. The segment analysis is helpful in understanding the growth areas and potential opportunities of the market.

Get | Download FREE Sample Report of Global Building Panels Market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-7358

A special section is dedicated to the analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of the Building Panels market. The impact is closely studied in terms of production, import, export, and supply.

The report covers the complete competitive landscape of the Worldwide Building Panels market with company profiles of key players such as:

Panasonic Corporation

Saint-Gobain

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation

CRH PLC

Lafarge

Evonik Industries AG

Huntsman International LLC.

Dow Corning Corporation

Fletcher Building Limited

Boral Limited

Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

Kingspan Group PLC.

OCI Company Ltd.

LG Hausys Ltd.

BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.

Red Sea Housing Services

Atas International, Inc.

Mueller, Inc.

Innovative Metals Company, Inc.

the Murus Company

Want to add more Company Profiles to the Report? Write your Customized Requirements to us @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/get-custom-research-7358

Building Panels Market Analysis by Type:

Concrete panels

Vacuum insulated panels (VIP)

Structural insulated panels (SIP)

Wood panels

Building Panels Market Analysis by Raw Material:

Concrete

Plastic

Metal

Wood

Silica

Building Panels Market Analysis by Applications:

Residential

Non-Residential

Building Panels Market Analysis by End Use:

Floors & roofs

Walls

Columns & beams

Staircases

Building Panels Market Analysis by Geography:

North America (USA, Canada, and Mexico)

(USA, Canada, and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe)

(Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South-East Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

(China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South-East Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Rest of Latin America)

(Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Rest of Latin America) The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East and Africa)

Key questions answered in the report:

What is the expected growth of the Building Panels market between 2022 to 2027?

Which application and type segment holds the maximum share in the Global Building Panels market?

Which regional Building Panels market shows the highest growth CAGR between 2022 to 2027?

What are the opportunities and challenges currently faced by the Building Panels market?

Who are the leading market players and what are their Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)?

What business strategies are the competitors considering to stay in the Building Panels market?

Purchase the Complete Global Building Panels Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-7358

About Us:

DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles, and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise, and meaningful data at a lightning speed.

For more details:

DecisionDatabases.com

E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com

Phone: +91 90 28 057900

Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/
Non-Invasive Monitoring Device Market: Information by Type (Cardiac Monitoring Devices, Brain Monitoring Devices, Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices, Anesthesia Monitoring Devices and Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices), Modality (Table-Top Devices and Wearable Devices), Application (Cardiology, Neurology and Oncology), End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Diagnostic Centers, Research & Academic Institutes) and Region (Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa) - Forecast till 2027

GET FREE SAMPLE COPY TODAY FOR FUTURE ADVANCEMENT

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1506

Major Companies in Non-Invasive Monitoring Device Market Analyzed are:

General Electric Company (US), Medtronic PLC (Ireland), KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV (Netherlands), Abbott (US), Omron Corporation (Japan), Vaso Corporation (US), Integrity Applications (Israel), CAS Medical Systems, Inc. (US), A&D Medical Inc. (Japan), Tensys Medical Inc (US), OrSense Ltd (Israel), CNSystems Medizintechnik AG (Austria), NIMedical (Israel) and Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc (US).

Non-Invasive Monitoring Device Market Highlights

Non-invasive monitoring devices enable measurement of vital signs of the patient without the need of insertion in the body. Non-invasive monitoring devices are witnessing a rage and top the list of clinicianswish list.The global non-invasive monitoring device market is experiencing a demand cliff and the market is expected to undergo frenzy.

According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the global non-invasive monitoring device market is expected to garner a valuation of USD 21,586.2 MN by the end of 2023. In its recently published analysis, MRFR also asserts that the market would register a CAGR of over 6.8% over the assessment period (2016-2023).

Global Non-Invasive Monitoring Device Market  Segments

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

By Type: Cardiac Monitoring Devices (Electrocardiography and Cardiac Output Monitors), Brain Monitoring Devices, Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices, Anesthesia Monitoring Devices, And Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices, among others.

By Modality: Table-Top Devices and Wearable Devices, among others.

By End Users: Hospital & Clinics, Diagnostic Centers, and Research & Academic Institutes, among others.

By Regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest-of-the-World.

Browse More Information On This Report at @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/non-invasive-monitoring-device-market-1506

Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:

12 Jun 2019 - Nemaura Medical received European approval for the first non-invasive continuous glucose monitor branded SugarBEAT. SugarBEAT owing to its convenience satisfies the unmet need of painless non-invasive glucose testing. Sugar BEAT can be connected to Bluetooth-enabled smartphone. SugarBEAT is a disposable adhesive patch possessing a rechargeable sensor which continuouslymeasures glucose readingsevery 5 minutes. SugarBEAT enables real-time glucose profile and analysis of data to detect patterns. Nemaura Medical is expected to launch SugarBEAT in Europe in last quarter of 2019.

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.

In order to stay updated with the technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.
BEIJING, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to opening wider and sharing development opportunities with the world. It pledged to further expand import and "pursue balanced development of trade." The country also called on the international community to promote and improve economic globalization while rejecting unilateralism and protectionism. "We will not change our resolve to open wider at a high standard; we will not change our determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world; and we will not change our commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," Chinese President Xi Jinping said when delivering a keynote speech via video at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE). Launched in 2018, the annual CIIE is the first dedicated import exhibition in the world. This year's expo is scheduled from Friday to next Wednesday in Shanghai, east China. 20th anniversary of China's WTO accession This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Xi reviewed the country's progress in deepening reform and expanding openness during the past two decades. "China has fully delivered on its accession commitments," he said. "Its overall tariff rate has been cut from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent, lower than the 9.8 percent accession commitment." China's central government has reviewed and revised over 2,300 laws and regulations, and local governments have reviewed and revised 190,000, he added. To facilitate the global fight against COVID-19, China has provided about 350 billion masks and over 1.6 billion doses of vaccines to the international community, he noted. China has grown from the world's sixth-largest economy to the second largest over the past two decades; meanwhile, its trade in goods has grown from the sixth to the largest in the world, and trade in services from the 11th to the second, according to Xi.A "The past 20 years have witnessed a China deepening reform and pursuing all-round opening-up, a China seizing opportunities and rising to challenges, and a China stepping up to its responsibilities and benefiting the whole world," he said, describing opening as the "hallmark of contemporary China." China to 'lay more emphasis on expanding import' The CIIE is an important platform to promote global free trade and international cooperation. From 2018 to 2020, the intended turnover of the previous three expos reached about $201.6 billion. The 4th CIIE is expected to attract nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions. China has been the world's second-largest importer for 11 consecutive years, according to the Ministry of Commerce. And Xi said the country will make more efforts to boost import. "China will open more demonstration zones for creative promotion of import trade, optimize the catalog of retail imports via cross-border e-commerce, encourage the on-site processing of imported goods from trading between border residents, and increase imports from neighboring countries," he announced. China's total imports and exports expanded 22.7 percent year on year to 28.33 trillion yuan (about $4.38 trillion) in the first three quarters of 2021, data from the General Administration of Customs showed. Both exports and imports continued double-digit growth in the first nine months of the year, surging 22.7 percent and 22.6 percent from a year earlier, respectively. "Going forward, China will lay more emphasis on expanding import, and pursue balanced development of trade," Xi said. The country will firmly safeguard true multilateralism, share market opportunities with the rest of the world, promote high-standard opening-up, and uphold the common interests of the world, he stressed. China will shorten the negative list for foreign investment, and revise and enlarge the encouraged industry catalog to guide more foreign investment toward sectors such as advanced manufacturing, modern services, high and new technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, he said. China will "work actively for joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)," he said. The country has officially applied to join the CPTPP, a free trade agreement between 11 countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. Xi added that China will promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to bring more benefits to countries taking part in the initiative. "China stands ready to work with all countries to build an open world economy so that the spring breeze of openness will bring warmth to all parts of the world," he said. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-11-04/Xi-Jinping-addresses-opening-ceremony-of-CIIE-14V5bYl3lny/index.html Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LItP2fA_Ps8 A
LAGOS, Nigeria, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah has said that the Commission is committed to a timely and efficient completion the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project across the country as it willA create a people centered information society which will connect underserved populations and remote communities in Nigeria and hence provide inclusion for all and sundry. Speaking at the launch of the DSO in Kano on Tuesday November 2, Malam Ilehah said NBC is keying into the agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to democratize information in digital broadcasting, empower the people and create millions of jobs along the value chain. "Three ! days ago, 100 artisans from the 44 Local councils were trained on FreeTV dealership, installation and activation," Malam Ilelah, said. He said the beneficiaries are Kano state indigenes being empowered to take up the task of dealership, installation and activation of the set-top boxes in the homes, and those who end up as dealers may engage more hands to work with them which is in tandem with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari on job creation. Also speaking at the KanoA DSO launch Minister ofA Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: "the key benefits of digital television broadcasting are- wider choice in TV and radio channels, improved picture quality, for example, High Definition (HD) and Ultra High Definition (UHD), high-fidelity sound, greater flexibility with the potential for portable and mobile reception, enhanced information services including the electronic programming guide or enhanced 'teletext' services, potential for interactivity and increased market competition," Alhaji Mohammed , said. "We have also instituted a number of reforms, some of them necessitating amendments to the broadcasting code which we have since carried out, with a view to encouraging investments in the broadcast industry in particular and the creative industry in general", the Minister of Information said. A digital switch over is the migration of television broadcast technology from analogue to digital system. Kano is the second state in the phase two of the DSO roll out after Lagos in April this year. With Plateau state pioneering the DSO in Nigeria, other states that followed phase one roll out plan were Kaduna, Enugu, Kwara, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Commenting further Mohammed said: "I want to use this opportunity to implore state governments to be at the vanguard of providing set-top boxes to their people. This is because the provision of set-top boxes is a social service that will take governance to the grassroots and bridge the information gap between the government and the governed, among other advantages", adding, "for Kano state in particular, with a population of over 15 million people, governance will be revolutionised if each of the 2.4million television households can have a set-top box." Host Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje said his administration has studied the DSO and has identified areas it could use to promote digital technology in broadcasting. With the Federal Government determined to achieve a nationwide coverage of the digital switch over, the NBC has listed Rivers State in the South as the next in line to enjoy the new experience in broadcast content consumption that the digital broadcasting technology offers. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679265/NBC.jpg
Litchfield, CT (06759)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 50F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
John McDonald had been working on the software system while on administrative assignment, with his police powers suspended, since the Sept. 25, 2019 crash, said Brian Foley, administrative assistant to the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. His resignation, effective Thursday, followed his May court sentencing in the drunken driving case and the start of an internal affairs investigation of the crash.
The Biden administration says 70% of all adult Americans are fully vaccinated and the new rules target tens of millions who remain unvaccinated. The requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.
The tracts are all close to Route 9 and the Central Connecticut State University campus. But the biggest of the three properties held the rusting hulk of National Weldings metal-fabricating plant, vacant since 1994, while the two others were vacant fields.
The percentage of those kids who tested positive was small, Carpino said at a news conference at the state Capitol in Hartford. Each of those kids lost, on average, over five days in class. Talk to a parent. Talk to her kid who has been forced to miss their friends, their teachers and are scared to go back to school because they know that they are a bit behind.
Cut Bank, MT (59427)

Today

Variable cloudiness and windy. High 43F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 37F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
It takes a long-term approach to establish relationships with companies in Europe and Asia, or youre not going to be successful. So, the cool thing was we actually had a delegation of business folks, not just a salesman like myself, go over to Germany and call on companies and work with their cluster managers who are much more active in Europe than they are here, he said. It is very successful, and weve established some really good relationships across Germany with like-sized communities and smaller communities and weve started to develop those relationships.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

Cloudy with gusty winds. High near 60F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Workers clean the premises of a mall after authorities allowed malls to reopen during COVID-induced lockdown in Bengaluru. (PTI)

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday withdrew the night curfew and gave the nod to holding horse racing in strict adherence to the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

With COVID-19 cases coming down significantly in the state, Karnataka Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar issued an order to this effect.

The order said, "Night curfew, which is being imposed from 10 PM to 5 AM is herewith withdrawn."

Regarding horse racing, the order said, "Number of racing patrons attending horse racing shall be strictly as per the seating capacity of the venue and only fully vaccinated people with COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed entry into such premises."

The night curfew was imposed from July 3 onwards at the end of the two-month lockdown when the second wave hit the state starting from the April-end.

The state reported 261 fresh COVID-19 cases, five deaths and 8,267 active cases on Thursday.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said never ever in the history of Karnataka petrol and diesel prices were reduced by Rs 7 per litre as his government has done.

"Check the records. Fuel price hike is not new but it has been happening. Never ever in the history of Karnataka, no one reduced petrol and diesel prices by Rs 7 per litre in one go. Our government reduced it in a record manner," Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru.

He was reacting to the query on the opposition charges that the state government reduced the fuel prices following the defeat of BJP candidate Shivaraj Sajjanar in the Hangal assembly bypoll at the hands of Congress candidate Srinivas Mane.

Bommai said if it had happened before the bypolls, then the Congress would have said that the reduction was done keeping the elections in mind.

"Instead of appreciating the decrease in fuel prices, which reduced burden on people, the opposition is criticising it. This shows their concern for people," Bommai said.

He added that people will not accept the opposition for making such remarks just for the sake of commenting.

The Chief Minister claimed that the Congress has refused to reduce fuel prices in the states where it is ruling, which shows their anti-people stand.

He challenged the Congress Karnataka unit leaders to explain their stand on fuel prices in states where they are in government.

Taking a cue from the Central government slashing petrol and diesel prices on Wednesday, the state government announced decreasing petrol and diesel prices by Rs 7 per litre.
Horn Lake Board of Alderman agreed to donate $5,000 to the high school choir so it can attend a performance at Opryland in Nashville.
Basketball is underway throughout the Sac-Joaquin Section and we want to know what you think about this season's teams.

You voted:
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
This year marks the centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as commemorated by this poster by Matt Tavares, winner of the U.S. Veterans Administrations annual Veterans Day poster contest.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
El Paso and Juarez prepare to be reunited after 20 months, border restrictions to be eased Monday
Emporia, KS (66801)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 58F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 29F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
While writing todays column on this early November morning, I paused and looked out the living room window. The sky is filled with clouds. Checking the thermometer, it reads 32 degrees. What happened to our beautiful summer? Why is autumn passing so quickly? Another year is speeding by. Very soon, 2022 will be upon us. In online news, Facebook recently announced a name change to Meta. Anyone who writes HTML code knows meta-tags or meta elements are used on web pages. Also, my aging brain realized meta spelled backward is atem. Atem in German translates to breath. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg could have renamed it Breathbook. Okay, enough of my futile attempts at humor. Before Facebook came into existence, many of us were using the MySpace online social media site. In late January 2009, I was convinced to join Facebook by my oldest son, who, at the time, was preparing for his trip to Italy. What would be a good way to stay in contact with you? I asked him. Go to Facebook and request to add me as a friend, he told me. What about using MySpace? I suggested. No, you want to get on Facebook, he confidently replied. When I first started Facebook 12 years ago, it reminded me of the dial-up online community known as Prodigy. The Prodigy interactive online service began in 1984, and by 1990, it had grown to be the second-largest online service behind CompuServe. I was an active Prodigy user and still have my original porcelain Prodigy coffee mug shaped like a computer terminal screen and keyboard. By 1992, being part of a dial-up online virtual community was becoming popular all across the country, so I decided to start a hobbyist computer BBS (bulletin board system) called; WBBS, which was the abbreviation for Winsted Bulletin Board System. I began with a text-only interface BBS software program by Galacticom, Inc. WBBS users sent and received email messages with each other, text-messaged in real-time in the chat rooms, played games, and sent and received software files within the BBS community. The WBBS computer used six telephone lines connected to six modems. Most dial-up users were from the Winsted and Lester Prairie areas, where the telephone number to reach the BBS was a free, local call. Sometimes, users would log in for hours to text chat; others stopped by to play a few games, check their messages, or share files. It was a virtual community. Jumping back to early 2009, I was on the phone and praising the many advantages of Facebook with former Herald Journal and Enterprise Dispatch editor Lynda Jensen, who sadly passed away June 15, 2010. I frequently spoke with Lynda on the phone while writing my columns. I very much miss her and our playful bantering. During one conversation, I said to her, Lynda, it would be so much fun for you to get on Facebook. After some hesitation, Lynda eventually agreed and decided to get her own Facebook account. Of course, once Lynda established her account on Facebook, we included it as a venue for our back-and-forth bantering. It was a lot of fun for both of us. We posted photos and links to interesting stories and shared humorous comments via Facebooks status and text chat program for a little over a year. Lynda told me, because of Facebook, she was able to find her best friend from college, her pastor, a former co-worker, and other people she knew, which made me feel good. She also penned a few columns about her adventures on Facebook. Lyndas March 2, 2009 column is titled Dragged into the 21st Century, which can be read here: https://bit.ly/3buxkdB. At the start of the column, Lynda wrote, Learning new technology is kind of like taking a ride on Valleyfair  you get an intense thrill and then feel like throwing up, I always say. Anyway, taking this love/hate thing to a different level, I decided to open a Facebook account; being prodded into this a bit by fellow columnist Mr. Mark Ollig. She continued, This is great because if I dont like it, I can blame him for my troubles and make him buy me chocolate in compensation. The following week, Lyndas column was titled Hacking my way through the digital jungle on Facebook, you can read it at https://bit.ly/3jURnqu. Lynda began her column March 23, 2009 with, I must confess that Facebook is more fun than I thought it would be. Part of the blame ... er, I mean reason ... is because I goof around with fun people online who have a great sense of humor and are fun to bug. Its a pick-me-upper that only takes a few seconds to check online once a day when I get home from work. I truly miss those days of playful banter and camaraderie.
The US Navy considers re-arming stealth destroyers by replacing the guns with hypersonic missiles for a more potent offensive system equipped. It comes as vessels of the Russian fleet are experimenting with superfast missiles on its ships that threaten American vessels.

Planners in the navy were taken aback by the upgrades on Soviet ships, especially after a Russian vessel chased away an American destroyer.

Russia and China have combined fleets, making US vessels more cautious, as both nations have hypersonic missile technology.

US upgrades its Destroyers as stakes become higher in Asia

Central to this significant move to arm its Zumwalt destroyer DDG-1000 with the capability of launching the Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) by 2024, reported the Sun UK.

Armed initially with 155mm Advanced Gun Systems that will be a refit with IRCPS, to cope with increased threats that need better means at sea.

The navy stopped acquiring ammunition for the guns in 2016 because it got more expensive per round and was considered useless. The navy will replace guns with missiles to be the main weapon. On the ship are high-tech triple-packed Advanced Payload Module canisters. It is similar to the vertical launch system of the Arleigh-Burke class.

According to spokesperson Lieutenant Lewis Aldridge, there will be significant changes in the CPS on Zumwalt-class destroyers, cited Naval News.

The US Navy rethinks re-arming stealth destroyers by taking away components of the ship's guns, then equipping it with the Advanced Payload Module (APM) launcher technology later.

Read Also: US is Deeply Concerned About a Threat to its Vulnerable Defenses Despite the Chinese Denial of Launching Hypersonic Glide Missiles

Only two of the DDG-1000s are in the Navy for now; the USS Zumwalt and the USS Michael Monsoor will be retrofitted. A third one is the USS Lyndon B. Johnson is getting rebuilt with changes.

For now, any info about how many IRCPS missiles are on board is unknown, or the ship's exact number. It does not mention that every AGS turret may be changed with two armaments, permitting a maximum of 12 armaments to be kept aboard a ship. Call it a rude wakeup call after China hypersonic glide vehicle, which circles the earth before a Mach 5+ reentry speed, sent it plunging a low orbit. The US is currently testing its own hypersonic glide vehicle.

Russia Expelled US Destroyer From Territorial Waters

A US destroyer is supposed to have entered Russia's seas intentionally while the Soviet and Chinese fleets were conducting drills. However, the US Navy denied such an intrusion when it got expelled, noted USNI.

Last October 15, two ships almost had a collision in Russian waters, where the USS Chafee encountered Admiral Tribut, which was to close at 65 yards that the Russians confirmed. Although the US vehemently denied that the Russians shooed it away, instead kept moving straight.

China launched hypersonic vehicles recently

The Pentagon and Washington are worried over the successful launch of the hypersonic glide vehicles by China. At the same time, all the military had done its test of a superfast missile in Promontory, Utah.

On October 17, the Financial Times confirmed a test launch of their initial nuclear-capable hypersonic missile last August. It could circle the globe and boost at Mach 5+ to the target, and it shocked the US to bits. There are reports about preparations of China on arming its HGV missile to 1,000 wars in a few years only. If US Navy rethinks re-arming stealth destroyers as an option, it wants a deterrent, but it is uncertain.

Related Article: China Accomplished Launch of Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Into Orbit While the US Develops the Technology, Challenges the Biden Administration

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
President Joe Biden debunked allegations on Wednesday that immigrant families separated at the border may be compensated for their time in detention, angering some immigration groups.

According to the ACLU, Biden's administration is considering paying $450,000 to resolve lawsuits brought by immigrant families who were harmed by former President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which resulted in the separation of approximately 5,500 children from their parents.

White House pulls back Biden's denial

Only roughly 940 claims have been lodged thus far, limiting the number of families eligible for compensation, as per Wall Street Journal. However, when asked about the availability of vaccinations for children during a news conference on Wednesday, Biden strongly denied any allegations of monetary settlements, calling them "garbage and false."

Dena Iverson, a Justice Department spokesperson, said the department would not comment on current litigation when asked about the president's remark. The ACLU, which is defending families in one of the lawsuits filed against the government over the separation program, issued a statement decrying the president's statements.

Per Washington Examiner, the White House sought to pull back President Joe Biden's denial on Wednesday that his government was in discussions to provide $450,000 per person in compensation to immigrant families separated by Trump's administration.

Suits have been launched on behalf of parents and children who claim the US government has caused them long-term psychological distress. In justifying the possibility of compensation to immigrant families separated by Trump administration policy, Jean-Pierre cited the harshness of the policies and said Biden is "perfectly comfortable" with perhaps smaller payments.

Read Also: China, Russia Urge UN Security Council To Lift Economic Sanctions on North Korea

Undocumented immigrants could work in the US under Biden's new bill

Meanwhile, Democrats added a new component to President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion social safety net plan that may allow the nearly 7 million illegal immigrants in the United States to work legally, Newsweek via MSN reported.

Under the new policy, undocumented immigrants will be able to apply for work and travel permits for a period of five years. Furthermore, the rule would allow the federal government to welcome more immigrants into the country using unused work visas.

According to the Senate parliamentarian, Democrats were unable to include immigration legislation in the package that would be adopted through the reconciliation process. However, as criticism of the Biden administration's border management rises, many Democrats agree that changes are needed.

Democrats are hoping that the Senate parliamentarian will accept the new plans in the coming days since they build on existing immigration programs. The president expressed confidence that this version of immigration reform would pass, contributing $100 billion to the program, potentially pushing the bill's overall cost to $1.85 trillion.

Over 1.4 million migrants have been intercepted by US authorities during Biden's administration. Customs and Border Patrol on the southwest land border of the United States.

The surge has been dubbed a catastrophe by Republicans, with governors like as Texas' Greg Abbott asking for more enforcement. As a response, numerous Democrats have blasted the administration's handling of the crisis as a humanitarian disaster, with progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanding greater aid.

The inclusion of immigration reform in the plan might be a source of contention for West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin, whose support is required for the bill to succeed. Although Republicans have remained united in their opposition to the bill, Manchin has stressed cooperation in recent months.

Related Article: Joe Biden Blames Trump Voters for Democrats' Loss in Virginia, Rejects the Idea That Election Defeat is Due to His Presidency

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Many Afghans still dread an unseen enemy: the Islamic State, six months after the Taliban regained control of Kabul and pledged to restore peace in Afghanistan.

The terrorist group's local chapter uses the same methods that the Taliban employed to destabilize the now-deposed US-backed government, including attacks targeting symbolic targets.

A cleaner came by with a hose the day after the attack, rinsing blood off the pavement. At the same time, a Taliban warrior pointed his Kalashnikov at human remains dangling from the perimeter's razor wire.

Taliban blames ISIS-K for dead hospital attack in Kabul, Afghanistan

The action allowed the Taliban to send its dreaded Badri special troops and a team from a helicopter to engage the militant attack squad in a show of force. However, the fighting killed the force's leader, Kabul's security head Hamdullah Mokhlis, and at least three Taliban allies, NDTV reported.

According to a hospital's medical staff member, the Taliban were advised to regulate traffic outside the building, which had previously been attacked. The hospital was last targeted in 2017 when IS-K claimed responsibility for another attack. A six-hour gun war began, with terrorists murdering patients from room to room.

In a gun and bomb attack on a military hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, more than 20 people were killed, and at least 16 more were injured. Officials say the attackers targeted the 400-bed Sardar Daud Khan hospital with two large blasts outside the structure.

Witnesses say gunmen then broke inside the hospital premises. IS-K, an Islamic State offshoot, eventually claimed responsibility for the assault.

Read Also: China, Russia Urge UN Security Council To Lift Economic Sanctions on North Korea

More than 20 killed including Senior Taliban commander

Photographs and video footage from Kabul revealed a column of smoke above the city, as well as gunshots. During the incident, a doctor in the building told the AFP news agency that he was instructed to seek refuge in a secure area and could hear firearms being shot.

After the initial explosion at the front gate, Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi informed the BBC that IS-K members had infiltrated the facility. According to Karimi, Taliban forces shot and killed four IS-K terrorists while capturing one of them alive.

In the meantime, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said special troops deployed by helicopter had prevented the assailants from entering the hospital, killing them at the gate or in the courtyard. He said that all of the assailants were slain in 15 minutes.

According to reports, a major Taliban member was killed in an ISIS attack on a hospital in Kabul on Tuesday. Pajhwok Afghan News reports Maulvi Hamdullah Mukhlis, the chief of Kabul's military corps, was slain in Tuesday's attack on the 400-bed hospital, as per Big News Network.

According to Mujahid, a car full of explosives burst outside the hospital, injuring many, and several Taliban militants were killed or wounded in the subsequent fire battle.

Related Article: Kabul Drone Strike: Video Shows at Least 1 Child Near Site Before the Attack; Pentagon Concludes US Action is "Honest Mistake," Not Illegal Act

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A federal judge suggested on Thursday that she was skeptical of former United States President Donald Trump's attempts to shield White House records from being accessed by the House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

The situation is the latest in a series of legal battles between the former U.S. president and the committee. It also casts doubt on the possibility of the Republican businessman being able to overrule United States President Joe Biden's decision to release House records to investigators.

Release of House Records

During a hearing on Trump's lawsuit that aims to hinder the progress of the committee's investigations, District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan said there was only one executive. The official repeatedly seemed not to believe Trump's attempts to block Congress from acquiring crucial House records.

Chutkan said that the situation was a rare find because Congress and the current White House administration were cooperating with each other. Then comes Trump, the former president, and does not have authority over either side, Yahoo News reported.

In the two-hour oral argument in federal court in Washington, Chutkan said that the person in the best position to determine executive privilege was the current executive, Biden. Despite the situation becoming a rivalry between the former and current U.S. presidents, the federal judge said there was only one executive in the American government.

Read Also: Election Results 2021: Who are Gaining Grounds in America's Government?

The situation comes after Trump, on Oct. 18, sued the chairman of the House's Jan. 6 select committee and the head of the National Archives to block the release of key House records. The incident came at a time when the committee had also issued subpoenas to four top aides, including former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and adviser Stephen K. Bannon.

Despite being a former president, Trump's attorneys said that the Republican businessman still had a residual right to executive privilege. The former U.S. president's lawyers added that leading the nation required "full and frank" advice to carry out their duties properly. They argued that those deliberations must survive more than a few months or years after they leave the office to protect the institution of the presidency, the Washington Post reported.

Broad Requests

President Biden had previously rejected Trump's claim of executive privilege and has allowed the National Archives, who is responsible for holding the records, for releasing them to the committee in compliance with the latter's requests. The committee argued that the documents were crucial to further understanding the inner workings of the government during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot.

Justin Clark, Trump's attorney, said on Thursday that not only was the request for the documents subject to executive privilege, they were also extremely broad. He said that they did not lend themselves to a valid legislative purpose for the House.

But Chutkan seemed to have been unconvinced of Trump's side and its arguments against the release of the documents. Additionally, the federal judge questioned Clark's claims that the committee had other means of investigating the riot, including subpoenas. Chutkan noted that Trump had previously urged individuals who have been issued subpoenas not to comply, CBS News reported.

Related Article: 8 Republicans Who Attended the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Have Just Been Elected for Office

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For small and large businesses looking for a competitive edge in a global marketplace, every advantage is helpful. Outsourcing call center and back-office processes to the Philippines is a great choice for smart SMEs for many reasons. The most obvious is the significant cost savings of up to 50% on labor for premium services. There is also the fact that the Philippines has a highly skilled workforce, with great English proficiency. Quality technology, training, processes, and infrastructure as well as a supportive Philippine government is another factor. Still, another benefit is the wide range of business processes that can be handed off to a BPO vendor in the Philippines.

The BPO industry in the Philippines is robust despite global economic headwinds. The sector grew by 1.4% last year, generating over US$26 billion in revenue, and now stands at 1.2 million individuals in the workforce, accounting for 1.8 percent growth in 2020. That growth is not expected to slow either, with industry projections of up to US$29 billion in revenue by 2022.

"Astute entrepreneurs and enterprise executives understand that cost containment is directly proportional to profitability. To that end, outsourcing business processes to the Philippines delivers. A premium BPO in the Philippines delivers labor at a rate of US$12-14 per hour on average, which is 50% less than the $24-28 per hour average a similar provider in the US would charge," says Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, an award-winning outsourcing provider in the Philippines.

And cost savings is not the only benefit; the Philippines has expanded from voice-based services such as customer service to more advanced offerings and higher value-added activities such as specialized fields like customer relationship management, R&D, and IT Services. Because these offshore BPO companies can take on sophisticated tasks, they're now able to compete with home-grown industries.

A well-educated, highly skilled, and English proficient workforce is another reason the Philippines is an attractive destination for offshore outsourcing of business processes. English proficiency is one of the most important tools in today's global business environment, and 97% of the Philippine population is bilingual. Further, more than forty higher educational institutions offer world-class degree programs in business and engineering among other degree programs, all of which lead to a high-quality workforce.

Government support has also been invaluable to the industry and has created many initiatives, such as the Board Resolution No. 10 Series of 2013: Offshore Call Center (OCC) Board Resolution, which provides guidelines for the growth of offshore business process outsourcing in the country, and continuing education for workforce development. BPO companies have been responsible for the creation of over 1.2 million jobs in the Philippines and have paid millions in tax dollars annually and reinvested at least 30% of their revenue back into the local economy. In return, they receive several incentives from government authorities at both a local and national level.

Widespread reinvestment into cutting-edge technology, processes, training, and infrastructure is another reason smart executives look to offshore to the Philippines for their business processes. Offshore BPOs in the Philippines have steadily increased capital expenditures, with a focus on upgrading and improving their data center facilities. These vendors also invest heavily in the training and development of talent, resulting in a workforce that is better equipped for more sophisticated tasks. One large BPO vendor reported a 30% improvement in their workforce productivity in the last two years, which was driven by these exact initiatives.

"Outsourcing to the Philippines can be a game-changer for SMEs who are looking to increase their bottom line. The country has built the largest business process outsourcing sector of all developing countries. By delivering cost-competitive labor, a highly skilled workforce, widespread investments into technology and infrastructure, and local government support, savvy SMEs know that migrating their business processes to the Philippines is the new 'cheat code' for organizations that cannot afford to lose a single customer and want to compete globally while keeping expenses low," says Ellspermann.

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
According to WHO Europe, the area, which spans as far east as the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, had approximately 1.8 million new cases every week.

Europe is the Epicenter of the Pandemic Again

In a recently published article in MSN News, despite an unlimited supply of vaccinations, top WHO experts stated Thursday that Europe has witnessed more than 50 percent increase in coronavirus infections in the past month, making it the hub of the pandemic again.

Moreover, last week, Europe accounted for 59 percent of newly reported coronavirus infections and almost half of all COVID-19-related fatalities worldwide. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's head for the 53 nations that make up the European area, told the different news outlets.

According to Dr. Kluge, the European area had 1.8 million new cases and 24,000 fatalities in the previous week. He said, "We are at another critical point of pandemic resurgence. Europe is back at the epicenter of the pandemic - where we were one year ago," according to a published report in NBC News.

Read Also: Manchin To Support Paid Family Leave Provided That the Bill Would Not Increase National Debt

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Could Reach 500,000

Kluge, unlike his Geneva colleagues, wore a mask and warned that coronavirus hospitalization rates had more than doubled in the previous week, predicting that the area may witness another 500,000 pandemic fatalities by February if the current trend continues.

WHO Europe reports that over 1.8 million new weekly cases, up by 6 percent from the previous week, and 24,000 COVID-19 weekly fatalities, up by 12 percent, were recorded in the area, which spans as far east as the former Soviet countries of Central Asia, according to a report published in CNBC.

Furthermore, according to Kluge, the nations in the area are at "different levels of vaccine rollout," with an average of 47 percent of individuals completely vaccinated throughout the region. Only eight nations have immunized 70 percent of their people.

Central, Eastern Europe Struggle To Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19

In a published article in DW, on Thursday, coronavirus cases in Central and Eastern Europe reached new daily highs, with many nations setting new daily records in the areas, which have lower vaccination rates than the rest of the continent.

Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia recorded the highest daily case counts in history while other nations had the largest number of infections in months. Most Central and Eastern European nations have vaccinated fewer than half of their people, compared to the European Union average of 75 percent.

Europe has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases for the fifth week in a row, making it the only area in the globe where the disease is still on the rise. The infection rate was far and by the highest in Europe, with 192 new cases per 100,000 individuals recorded, according to a report published in ABC News.

In recent weeks, daily case counts have risen in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Experts from the European Medicines Agency in Amsterdam advised people to get vaccinated at an online briefing on Thursday.

Fergus Sweeney, the EMA's head of clinical studies and manufacturing task force, said that the epidemiological situation in Europe is highly alarming as they enter into the winter season, with spikes in infection rates, hospitalization, and mortality.

Related Article: Europe Records Surge of COVID-19 Cases After WHO Warns Pandemic Could Last Until 2022



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Authorities report a Mississippi teenager was detained after reportedly shooting his Lyft driver many times after he kidnapped her and brought her to the woods to rob her. After picking up 17-year-old Dontarius Magee from an apartment complex in Byram, located south of Jackson, Brandy Littrell, 36, was shot seven times on Tuesday.

Magee allegedly pushed Littrell into the backseat of her black Dodge Journey after calling a ride and drove her to a wooded location off Beasley Road while holding her at gunpoint, according to Jackson Deputy Chief of Police Deric Hearn.

Magee fled the scene after shooting Littrell and obtaining her home address, garage door opener, and car keys, according to authorities. Littrell terrified for her grandmother's safety when he departed so she hurried to a neighboring apartment complex for rescue.

The 17-year-old was apprehended along Adkins Boulevard, according to police, and has now confessed to the assault. Carjacking, abduction, and serious violence are among the charges he faces, Daily Mail reported.

Lyft driver shot multiple times in the woods

Magee was reportedly picked up by Littrell at the Spring Lake apartments after ordering a Lyft drive. When they arrived at Magee's destination, an apartment complex off of McWillie Circle, the teenager pulled out a gun and forced Littrell to crawl into the woods.

Instead, she went to a nearby residence, where a homeowner dialed 911. She survived the shooting thanks to "God's grace," as Littrell described it, as per The Washington Post via MSN. In a Thursday interview from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where she is recovering, she detailed her experience.

According to Hinds County court records, Magee was arrested the day of the incident on counts of carjacking, abduction, aggravated assault, and armed robbery. It was unclear whether he had retained legal counsel in the matter, which WAPT had previously reported on.

Police were contacted at 1:35 p.m., according to Jackson Deputy Police Chief Deric Hearn. An ambulance rushed her to surgery with life-threatening injuries after responding to a report of a lady "shot multiple times in the woods." Hearns said the police department collaborated with the FBI to locate Magee, who allegedly confessed to the crime.

In a statement, a representative for Lyft, an Uber competitor that debuted in 2012, said the company reached out to give assistance to Littrell, permanently banned her assailant, and "stands ready" to assist law enforcement.

Read Also: New York Trooper Charged After 11-Year-Old Girl Died When He Intentionally Rammed His Cruiser into Her Dad's Car

Victim is still thankful to be alive despite losing her car and phone

Between 2017 and 2019, Lyft received 10 complaints of deadly physical assaults and 4,158 allegations of sexual assault, according to its first-ever safety report. More than 99 percent of all rides went without a hitch, the report said.

Littrell claimed she had been driving for Lyft and Uber for five years, using the extra money to fund her "crafting addiction," but she was preparing to drive full-time after being let off from her job as an insurance agent.

She claimed she was on her phone on Tuesday when she received a message from Lyft to pick up Magee from an apartment complex in Byram, a Jackson suburb. He asked for two stops, one at another apartment block and the other at McDonald's. He pulled out the weapon and urged her to go in the back of the car during the initial stop, according to Littrell.

She said that worry for her family prompted her to seek assistance. She was terrified that her assailant would use her phone, car, and personal information to travel to her house and hurt her family until she learned that police had made an arrest.

Doctors have informed Littrell that her survival has amazed them, she stated from her hospital bed. Even though she is concerned about her financial security after losing her phone and car, both of which are essential to her livelihood, she is thankful to be alive.

Related Article: Son Fatally Shoots Mom's Abusive Boyfriend in New York Apartment, Then Flees

@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Meghan Markle was chastised on Thursday when it was revealed that she had been cold-calling US senators on their personal phones, claiming her royal title to persuade them on the disastrous $3.5 trillion budget package.

According to Politico, the exiled UK princess, who has long been reported to have her sights set on the White House, surprised GOP senators when she contacted them unexpectedly to campaign for government paid parental leave as part of President Joe Biden's contentious ideas.

US lawmakers chastise Meghan Markle

Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) claimed she was driving when she received a call from a blocked number, assuming it was Democratic holdout, Sen. Joe Manchin. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) informed Politico that she also received a call from Prince Harry's wife, who famously turned her back on the royals and accused them of racism in a shocking television interview.

The cold calls, as well as Markle's dependence on her duchess title, provoked controversy swiftly. Darren Grimes, a political analyst, termed it "further proof" that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had become an "insufferable pair."

Others criticized Markle for using the title after her husband - who, like his wife, was compelled to cease using HRH following Megxit - declared he would be a low-key citizen. Both Capito and Collins said that they were not anticipating Markle's calls about the parental-leave pay that she is advocating for.

Piers Morgan took to social media to criticize Meghan Markle's use of her royal title to agitate for change by reportedly cold calling Senators "outrageous." On Twitter, Piers said that Princess Pinocchio's use of her royal title for political campaigning was "outrageous."

Read Also: Prince Andrew's Legal Team Exposes Virginia Giuffre's Past in Blistering Response to Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Expert predicts Royals won't abolish Meghan Markle's royal title

Morgan said the Queen must put a halt to the Sussexes' unending harm to the monarchy's reputation. He ended his letter by pleading with the Queen to revoke their titles. Meanwhile, Thomas Markle Jr., 55, claims that the politically astute Duchess of Sussex has the same "determination and drive" as past presidential candidates, as per The Sun.

Meghan's political intervention enraged many Republicans. Following an earlier intervention, Republican Representative Jason Smith of Missouri, 41, asked for the Duchess' titles to be revoked from her.

However, Marlene Koenig, a royal expert based in Virginia, has stated that she "sincerely doubts" the Duchess' titles would be abolished, Express reported. While the royal expert defended Markle's paid leave campaign, Koenig also pointed out that the Duchess of Sussex is unlikely to lose her titles, based on historical practice.

The last time Parliament voted to strip a member of the Firm of their title was in 1917, when the Titles Deprivation Act was approved into law, according to Koenig. This stripped three blue-blooded Anglo-Germans of their British titles after they chose to fight for the Axis powers in World War One, according to the royal expert.

Those who had to give up their titles included the Duke of Cumberland, who Koenig described as "de jure King of Hanover", the Duke of Brunswick, husband to the Kaiser's Prussian Princess daughter, and Queen Victoria's grandson the Duke of Albany. Despite the royal expert's comments, there has been growing speculation the Duchess could throw her hat into the ring for US President in the future.

Related Article: Republicans Urge Queen Elizabeth To Strip Meghan Markle of Royal Title for Interfering in US Politics

@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday that children aged 5 to 11 may get a $100 voucher to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in New York City.

$100 Incentive for Vaccination

In a recently published article in The City, to be vaccinated, the children will need their parent or guardian's permission, and de Blasio warned that the jab might be painful. De Blasio stated in his daily briefing from City Hall that after it's finished, they'll get $100 in sweet money.

Vaccine recipients must submit an email address, to which a link will be provided with instructions on how to claim the $100 bonus after receiving their injections, according to de Blasio spokesperson Danielle Filson. This move is done to make sure that children will get vaccinated before they travel in the upcoming holidays.

Mayor de Blasio said that the pediatric cash-for-jabs scheme is already in place at city-run immunization clinics. Children will be able to receive the money after being vaccinated at pop-up facilities at all public elementary schools around the city starting next week, according to the mayor, according to a published article in Yahoo News.

Read Also: Vaccine Mandate: New York County's Chief Medical Examiner Refuses To Get COVID-19 Vaccine; Human Bodies Subject of Autopsies Relocated To Another Hospital

Number of Vaccinated Persons in New York Has Increased

According to figures from the Health Department, approximately 74 percent of the city's whole population has gotten at least one dosage of vaccination as of Thursday afternoon. Based on the statistics, the adult population's rate is 87 percent.

Meanwhile, the city has been offering the $100 vaccination incentive to all other age groups for weeks. Municipal workers who are required to get vaccinated to work as of this week might receive $500 only for getting their life-saving vaccinations, according to a report published in Gothamist.

Vaccine aversion persists among certain groups, particularly public safety employees despite the lucrative compensation. According to City Hall records, just around 79 percent of FDNY firemen had had their shots as of Thursday.

Vaccination for Kids Might Begin Next Week

Beginning next week, every public school in the city that serves children in the targeted age range will host a dedicated vaccination day for those pupils, covering around 1,070 campuses over the course of the week by touching nearly 200 schools every day, according to the mayor.

Needless to say, parents should be present to offer verbal approval for their children to get the vaccine, whether at a school or a city-run location, according to the city, but de Blasio highlighted that parents and guardians may also give verbal consent over the phone, according to a report in MSN News.

Furthermore, despite the fact that millions of doses of the Pfizer vaccine have already been distributed across the nation ahead of the advisory, physicians in the city claim they have not been inundated with requests for appointments for children to acquire the vaccine.

Meanwhile, a letter from Uptown Pediatrics in Manhattan sent to families Wednesday states: "We do NOT yet have the vaccine in our office. We placed an order last week and are awaiting confirmation about when the vaccine will be delivered. We will NOT schedule appointments until we have it."

However, municipal Health Commissioner David Chokshi highlighted that parents may have their children vaccinated at a variety of locations.

Related Article: Kids Could Get Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine by October But Their Dosage Will Be Different From Adults; Here's Why



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Oxford scientists discovered that a specific gene in South Asians doubles the risk of dying of the coronavirus infection due to respiratory failure and could potentially be the reason why some groups are more vulnerable to the disease compared to others.

The study found a higher-risk version of the South Asian gene was preventing cells lining airways and the lungs from reacting to the infection properly. Scientists discovered that roughly 60% of people who had South Asian ancestry were carrying the high-risk gene. The numbers were relatively high compared to only 15% of people with a European heritage.

High-Risk Gene in South Asians

The researchers' findings may help to explain why certain communities and people on the Indian subcontinent are suffering from higher rates of hospitalization and death related to the coronavirus. Authors of the study, however, warned that the gene was not the only reason for the phenomena as there were several other factors affecting the numbers, including socio-economic conditions, the South China Morning Post reported.

The gene is known as LZTFL1, and people who have it benefit from getting the coronavirus vaccine said the authors. The results of the study also raise the possibility of health officials looking into treatments tailored specifically for patients with the gene.

Read Also: Houston Doctor Fined $500 For Promoting the Use of Hydroxychloroquine To Treat COVID-19

Co-lead author and associate professor of genomics at Oxford, James Davies, said the study showed that the way a person's lungs responded to the coronavirus infection was crucial. He said that it was important because the majority of treatments focused on changing how an individual's immune system responds to the virus.

The study's researchers used artificial intelligence and cutting-edge molecular technology to find the gene. The researchers developed and trained an algorithm to analyze large quantities of genetic data from hundreds of different cells in the human body. The technology was able to help them find the DNA behind the specific genetic signal, Bloomberg reported.

Spread of the Coronavirus Infection

The Oxford scientists believe that the high-risk gene is present in roughly 2% of people from African-Caribbean backgrounds and in about 1.8% of people of East Asian descent. While the gene was correlated to an increased risk of dying of the coronavirus infection, Davies said that other factors affect how an individual responds to the virus, including their age.

The situation comes as the coronavirus continues to threaten people worldwide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) argues that Europe has become the coronavirus epicenter after a surge in the number of infections and deaths. The WHO's Europe head said on Thursday that the infection was spreading further in the region in recent weeks.

During a media briefing, WHO's Hans Kluge said that the transmission rate of coronavirus infection among the 53 European countries was of "grave concern." The official added that new cases were very close to reaching peak levels since the start of the health crisis. The recent surge is exacerbated by the highly transmissible Delta variant. "We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place, said Kluge, Reuters reported.



Related Article: WHO Approves India's Home-Grown COVID-19 Vaccine by Drugmaker Bharat Biotech, Says It Can Be Used for Emergency Cases

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For the fourth time this year, a former Louisiana firefighter has been arrested for sex offenses. Brandon Applewhite was arrested on November 2 for allegedly sexually assaulting an animal and molesting a person with a physical or mental disability.

According to the Bogalusa Police Department, a criminal complaint was filed against Brandon Applewhite in early May of 2021, prompting an investigation. Applewhite was arrested for extortion and non-consensual disclosure of a private photograph based on evidence discovered throughout the inquiry.

Former firefighter arrested for the fourth time in a year

Applewhite bonded out after being booked into the Washington Parish Jail, according to authorities. A woman who works at a nursing facility in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, was also arrested on sexual assault accusations.

Angela Dawn Holloway Austin was arrested on Tuesday, according to the Bogalusa Police Department. She was detained following an inquiry into rape allegations against Brandon Applewhite, who has been arrested four times by various law enforcement authorities this year.

A rape accusation against Applewhite was investigated by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office later in May. His arrest for the crime of Forcible Rape resulted from the inquiry. Applewhite was booked and released out of the Parish Jail once more, as per KATC.

Another rape claim against Applewhite was examined by the sheriff's office in September. He was arrested for the second time for Forcible Rape, and he was booked and released from the Parish Jail.

Bogalusa Police Detectives discovered evidence of yet another crime involving Applewhite and a female accomplice, Angela Dawn Holloway Austin, as the inquiry progressed.

Per WDSU, the arrests this week are the result of a Bogalusa Police Department investigation that began in September when Applewhite was accused of sexual assault. He was subsequently arrested for forcible rape and released from the parish jail for the third time.

Read Also: Son Fatally Shoots Mom's Abusive Boyfriend in New York Apartment, Then Flees

The suspect now has an accomplice for the sexual assault crime

The Bogalusa Police Department's investigation is still underway. Anyone with information should call the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office or the Bogalusa Police Department.

Investigators from the Bogalusa Police Department proceeded to dig into Applewhite's criminal allegations, but this time they discovered that he had a co-conspirator: Austin.

Applewhite arrived for his scheduled court appearance on Tuesday and was arrested for the fourth time.

Sexual abuse of an animal and molestation of a person with a physical or mental impairment were the charges. Investigators from the Bogalusa Police Department proceeded to dig into Applewhite's criminal allegations, but this time they discovered that he had a co-conspirator, Austin.

Applewhite arrived for his scheduled court appearance on Tuesday and was arrested for the fourth time. Sexual abuse of an animal and molestation of a person with a physical or mental impairment were the charges.

"Applewhite's bond was set at $25,000 by District Judge Raymond Childress," BPD stated, as per WWLTV. "From the Parish Jail, he has been booked and bailed." Austin was arrested by BPD detectives and St. Tammany Parish deputies later the same Tuesday while working at a nursing facility in St. Tammany Parish.

Related Article: Mississippi Teenager Kidnaps, Shoots Lyft Driver; Victim Says She Crawled Out of Woods to Survive



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On an upcoming edition of the Drink Champs podcast, Kanye West - now legally known as Ye - will be interviewed.

West may be heard chatting about his former partner Kim Kardashian is one of the clips from the interview that have been uploaded online. Kanye states he's still married to Kardashian and calls to her as "my wife" in the video.

Kanye West speaks out about Kim Kardashian

In another video, West is seen discussing what occurred with Taylor Swift when West crashed her VMA award speech. Others show the rapper talking about his fortune and a now-famous group text exchange with Drake, as per The Independent.

Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian is said to be dating Pete Davidson after the two were recently caught holding hands at a theme park following their appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Kourtney Kardashian and her fiance, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, followed Davidson and Kardashian to the theme park as the four of them celebrated Halloween together.

Davidson and Kardashian enjoyed an on-screen kiss in a "hilarious" Aladdin comedy on Saturday Night Live, which drove fans into a frenzy. It was Kardashian's first time hosting SNL, and she took a shot at her ex-husband during her opening monologue.

Kardashian and West filed for divorce earlier this year. The pair has four children and has been married for seven years. Following his break-up with model Kaia Gerber, Davidson briefly dated Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor earlier this year.

Read Also: Selena Gomez, Chris Evans Dating Rumors: Fans Speculate Singer Spotted on Actor's Instagram Story

Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson's romance heats up

Kanye appeared on the show shortly after Kim began dating Pete, the 27-year-old star of Saturday Night Live. Fans were startled when the reality star kissed the King Of Staten Island actor during their SNL parody of Disney's Aladdin last month.

When the two were seen holding hands on a trip to Knott's Scary Farm in California, romance rumors started. Kim believes Pete is "the funniest person ever" and that he "makes her feel young," according to The Sun.

The couple spent an evening together at Zero Bond, with Pete arriving first and Kim following a few minutes later. They were joined by the camera team for the Kardashians' upcoming program.

The team was also seen coming in and out of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manhattan, where the TV personality was staying, according to the source. According to a source, cameras followed Kim during her journey to Upcoming York City, capturing her every move for her new Hulu series.

The supper occurred after the comedian brought Kim to his favorite Staten Island restaurant, Campania, on Tuesday. The two dined there together, according to The Sun, and a source said she was courteous to the workers during their meal.

"Pete arranged a private dinner on the rooftop for the two of them," a restaurant source told Page Six, adding that they didn't have any security and were able to "quietly sneak in and out."

Related Article: Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson Romance Rumors: Reality Star Spotted Enjoying Dinner with the Comedian on Staten Island

@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Canadian Armed Forces have been stripped of its authority to investigate and prosecute military sexual assault cases after the federal government decided to hand over the cases to civilian courts.

The situation comes amid widespread debate on how the military's top officials treat service members and allegations that they failed to uphold their pledges to change a culture that has allowed such injustices to develop.

Canada Military Sexual Assault Controversies

On Thursday, the country's newly-appointed defense minister, Anita Anand, announced the decision. The official had previously been praised for her successful management of Canada's vaccine rollout process.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberal minority government has recently come back into power, struggled with widespread criticisms for the delay in setting up an independent system to make legal decisions for the sexual misconduct accusations.

Anand's appointment last week was made based on preliminary recommendations from former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour. The former official was reviewing the military's culture and policies, including how it responded to claims of sexual misconduct, the Washington Post reported.

Military leaders in top positions have been under investigation since Feb. 11, which has pushed them out of their roles or forced them to retire. Authorities have also put several others on leave over their alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct investigations.

Read Also: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio To Offer $100 Incentive for Kids Ages 5-11 To Get Vaccinated

Many current and former servicewomen have spoken out about their experiences with what they describe as military culture. The victims claimed that the military enabled and covered up inappropriate sexual behavior conducted by its senior officers.

The former chief of the Canadian Forces defense staff, Gen. Jonathan Vance, who retired in January, was charged by military police with one count of obstruction of justice in July. The incident followed an investigation that looked into allegations of sexual misconduct, the New York Times reported.

Canada's New Defense Minister

After the swearing-in ceremony for Anand, Trudeau said she was a world-class expert in governance with the help of decades of professional experience. The prime minister said the new defense minister's capabilities will help her ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces, the leadership, and the operations thereof were conducted in service of the people of the country.

Anand is a former law professor and expert in corporate governance was first elected to Parliament less than two years ago. The official had a lengthy resume but no military experience under her belt.

However, her lack of a political background was not enough to stop her from overseeing the country's procurement of tens of millions of coronavirus vaccine doses. Many have praised Anand for being responsible for the procurement of the biggest supply of vaccine doses worldwide. This was made even more impressive due to Canada having no capacity to manufacture its own vaccines.

"Like you saw with vaccines, I am determined. I work very hard and I am results-oriented. So, these are the qualities that I will bring to this file," said Anand to reporters on Tuesday. The official later said that she will be reviewing everything, from past reports of misconduct within the military to the most recent incidents, Politico reported.



Related Article: Former Louisiana Firefighter Arrested for Fourth Time for Sexual Assault Crimes Against Animal and Person with Disability

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Australia recently lifted entry restrictions on two of its biggest states just in time for the holiday season. According to reports, Victoria and New South Wales removed their entry restrictions to citizens from both states after the country's COVID-19 vaccination rates reached 90 percent.

Victoria and New South Wales have a combined total population of approximately 25 million. And the states were forced to lockdown after the new Delta variant hit the country.

Victoria and New South Wales re-open for entry

On Thursday, Victoria Primer Daniel Andrews released a statement expressing his excitement over the opening of the two biggest Australian states.

Andrew said Victoria and New South Wales have been through so much over the last few months. But residents will now be able to reunite with their families during the holiday season.

Australia's economy is expected to recover

The removal of entry restrictions in Victoria and New South Wales will impact Australia's economy positively. Travel company Flight Centre said that a boost in hotel and airline reservations is to be expected.

According to The Indian Express, Victoria also announced that all virus hotspots in the state had been downgraded as safe. The state will also allow unvaccinated individuals from New South Wales to enter Victoria without quarantine.

New South Wales previously allowed vaccinated residents of Victoria to enter the state as long as they would adhere to a two-week quarantine. But earlier this week, they also dropped the quarantine requirement.

However, it is essential to note that unvaccinated Victorians aged 16 and older are still unable to enter New South Wales.

Despite the recent ease in entry restrictions, Victoria still reported 1,343 new COVID-19 cases today. New South Wales, on the other hand, reported 249 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

Read Also: Australia's Tourism Minister Vows To Reopen Country's Border By Christmas; Urges All Australians To Get Vaccinated

Australia lifts travel restrictions for locals

Earlier this week, Australia lifted most of its travel restrictions for locals. After almost 600 days, Australians are now able to travel overseas but under strict measures.

However, only fully vaccinated Australians can travel outside the country. Only Australian citizens, permanent residents, and their immediate families will be allowed to enter the country after they travel abroad.

Shortly after the country lifted travel restrictions, Melbourne Airport said they are gearing up for a surge in travelers wanting to get out of the country.

Airlines and airport staff mainly were affected

Chief executive Lyell Strambi said that the previous restrictions have been strict, especially on airport and airline employees.

"We have not really stopped flights, so we have been able to keep things working and made sure that everything is in great shape. But the stop-start nature of the whole episode we have been through has been really hard for the employees of the airport. We would normally have 20,000 person working at the airport. I think a few times we were down to as low as 500 people. So, it has been really hard on those individuals in particular," Strambi said via VOA News.

According to ABC.net.au, tickets to other Australian states are selling out fast because residents want to reconnect with their loved ones. After all, it's unclear whether the easing of entry and travel restrictions are permanent.

Related Article: Australian Open May Allow Unvaccinated Athletes To Compete After Undergoing a 14-Day Quarantine

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the leaders of the October 25 military coup are reportedly making progress.

According to reports, both parties agreed to engage in peace talks after pressing the United States and the United Nations to resolve their issues.

Following the recent discussions, there are whispers that Sudan will set up a new 14-member sovereign council that will help the military form new institutional transitions.

On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to restore constitutional order in the country.

Sudan needs a new government

Burhan later spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the two agreed that there is a need to speed up the formation of a government.

"The two parties agreed on the need to maintain the path of the democratic transition, the need to complete the structures of the transitional government and to speed up the formation of the government," Burhan's office said via Reuters.

Blinken also urged Burhan to immediately release the political figures they detained during last month's coup attempt. The former added that Burnham should have a dialogue with Hamdok that will bring him back to the office.

Read Also: International Leaders Urge the Return of Civilian Rule in Sudan as Coup Threatens Futur Ties With Israel

Last month, the Sudanese prime minister was held hostage in his home while several other political figures were detained in an undisclosed location. At the time, Burhan dissolved the civilian-military government and declared a state of emergency.

However, the army chief stressed that last month's harrowing incident wasn't a coup attempt but an adjustment to the democratic transition, according to DW.

Following the peace talks, Burhan ordered the release of four civilian members of Hamdok's cabinet. Others that were not released were facing criminal charges.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok asked to resign

Prior to the so-called coup attempt, demonstrators have been flocking to the streets of Sudan to urge Prime Minister Hamdok to resign.

Other protesters denounced the high prices of staple goods, the high exchange rate between the Sudanese pound and the US dollar, and more.

Sudan is also suffering from a shortage of basic supplies like bread, cooking oil, and gas. And all this is being blamed on Hamdok's transitional government.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has no plans to quit

The Sudanese Prime Minister will remain in office until next year following Omar al-Bashir's removal from office on April 11, 2019, according to AA.

In August 2019, Hamdok was appointed as the new prime minister of Sudan. At the time of his appointment, the PM said that his priorities are stopping the war, building sustainable peace, addressing the severe economic crisis, and building a balanced foreign policy, according to the BBC.

However, most of Hamdok's promises have not materialized after two years in Sudan's transitional government. As such, his critics have been urging him to resign, but Hamdok recently said that he would never step down willingly in the wake of a coup.

Hamdok will continue to stay in power until July 2023 because this is when the presidential elections will be held in the country.

Related Article: 5 Sudanese Senior Government Officials Detained in Possible Coup Plot Amid Rising Tensions Between Civilian, Military Leaders

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin lost in the lawsuit he filed against NASA over an astronaut lunar lander contract given to Elon Musk's SpaceX months ago.

According to reports, Federal Judge Richard Hertling sided with NASA during Thursday's ruling.

NASA continues its partnership with SpaceX

Following the decision, NASA released a statement saying they will continue their partnership with SpaceX immediately. The agency added that companies would be upcoming opportunities to partner with NASA in fostering long-term human presence to the Moon under their Artemis program.

A spokesperson for Bezos' company, Blue Origin, fired back by saying that their lawsuit highlighted the safety issues with the Human Landing System procurement process that has yet to be addressed.

"Returning astronauts safely to the Moon through NASA's public-private partnership model requires an unprejudiced procurement process alongside sound policy that incorporates redundant systems and promotes competition. Blue Origin remains deeply committed to the success of the Artemis program," a spokesperson said via CNBC.

Jeff Bezos not bitter over his loss

Bezos also tweeted about the federal court's decision and proved that he wasn't bitter. He said that he respects the decision, and he also wished NASA and SpaceX success in their partnership.

Musk has not released a statement regarding the ruling, but he reposted an article about his win on Twitter. He replied to it with a photo from the 2012 movie "Dredd."

Read Also: Bill Gates Shades Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos For Pursuing Space Travel; James Corden Calls Dig 'The Classiest Burn'

Why did Jeff Bezos file a lawsuit against NASA?

In April, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract for the agency's Human Landing System program worth $29.2 million. The contract will pave the way for the company to use its Starship rocket to send astronauts to the moon's surface concerning NASA's upcoming Artemis missions.

Before NASA made its final decision, Blue Origin and Dynetics also competed for the lucrative contract. The agency later decided only to award one company, which led Blue Origin to protest against NASA's decision.

Initially, Bezos filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Office (GOA), but they denied Blue Origin's appeal in July. Bezos then escalated his complaint to the federal court.

Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk feud a publicity stunt?

This is not the first time that Bezos and Musk went head to head over their companies. In fact, Musk previously trolled Bezos for allegedly quitting Amazon so that he could file lawsuits against SpaceX.

According to Business Insider, Musk previously called Bezos, a copycat over Amazon's satellite plans. He also criticized the company's business practices.

Bezos and Amazon retaliated by filing formal protests and lawsuits about issues relating to SpaceX.

But according to The Conversation, there may be no real feud between the two billionaires. After all, their plans for space domination are complementary rather than competitive.

The publication claimed that the new space race is just a publicity stunt to help generate clickbait headlines that focus on a new commercial frontier.

Related Article: Why Is Tesla Headquarters Moving To Texas From California? Elon Musk Explains Decision

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Mexican authorities reported that two people died after a shootout near Cancun resorts on Thursday, forcing vacationers to shelter inside hotels, in what officials are calling a drug-related execution.

Local authorities reported that the incident started after drug dealers turned against each other on a nearby beach. The Quintana Roo state prosecutor's office posted on Twitter that members of hostile groups of drug dealers confronted each other on a beach in Bahia Petempich. The resulting shootout led to the deaths of the two victims.

Drug Turf War

The social media post noted that no other injuries were recorded while another tweet by the state secretariat of public security emphasized that no tourists were seriously injured or kidnapped due to the incident.

During interviews, several guests who were staying at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun hotel said they were ordered to shelter in place for fear of the drug dealers attacking the hotel. One of the people said they heard multiple gunshots while they were at the pool area before hotel staff guided them to hiding, CNN reported.

Another guest at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun hotel, Mike Sington, said he was shaking out of fear when the incident occurred. He added that he later barricaded himself in his hotel room for the entire night to try and relax with the thought that he was somewhat safe from the shooters.

Read Also: Joe Biden Denies Paying $450,000 Each Separated Immigrant Families for Breaking the Law

Video footage uploaded by Sington showed guests in proximity to one another with hotel staff huddling in one corner after they were told to shelter in place. Authorities said they found evidence that suggests the shootout was related to some sort of turf war between drug dealers.

Officials said the two individuals who were killed arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun hotel earlier in the day and claimed it was their territory. "About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area," said Oscar Montes de Oca, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Fox News reported.

Drug-Related Execution

Authorities said that armed suspects later escaped in a stolen motorboat after shooting and killing the two victims. The stretch of beach where the incident occurred was near various popular resorts, which threatened the safety of several tourists.

Officials reported that another individual was transported to a hospital due to non-life-threatening injuries. Shortly after, investigators analyzed the scene of the shootout to look for evidence and potential information as to who the culprits could be. They took the bodies of the victims to be examined by the Forensic Medical Service and hopefully be identified, and their relatives notified.

Jim Wildermuth, originally from Atlanta, was a tourist staying at the Hyatt Ziva Hotel in Puerto Morelos. He said that he was out at the pool at around 2:00 p.m. local time when other guests said they heard "cracks."

"We kind of looked at each other funny," said Wildermuth, who then ran up to his room along with other guests where staff told them to shelter in place. Authorities told them that there was an active shooter in the area. Shortly after, Wildermuth said he saw military personnel escorting people in front of the hotel, ABC News reported.



Related Article: Former Louisiana Firefighter Arrested for Fourth Time for Sexual Assault Crimes Against Animal and Person with Disability

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nearly a decade later, Instagram post previews are working again on Twitter

On Wednesday, Instagram made an announcement nine years in the making. Since 2012, photos shared on Instagram to Twitter can only appear as a link in plain text. From now on, Instagram links will include previews of images, just as they did before Instagram was sold to Facebook, where competitive pressures and professional competition exacerbated our user experience.

Now, Instagram proudly announces that you can now see previews of Instagram posts on Twitter. Once you type any Instagram links into Twitter, they automatically change to a card format.

Sure, that sounds like a great feature, but you might be wondering, why was not it there in the first place? Instagram Twitter account keeps saying "They said it would never happen." What is going on?

In fact, that feature did exist until Facebook bought Instagram a decade ago. Twitter then blocked Instagram from using its API to prevent people from finding Their Twitter friends on Instagram. Instagram then retaliated by preventing Twitter from embedding Instagram posts into tweets when users shared Instagram links.

"They said it would never happen," Instagram tweeted On Wednesday. In fact, few foresaw this reversal. The road to peace includes wine, pizza and backyard deals -- but to really appreciate what is happening, you have to start from the moment it all falls apart.

When Instagram launched in October 2010, it was probably the easiest way to share photos on Twitter. At the time, Twitter could not even host photos itself; You have to publish through third-party services like Yfrog and Photobucket. Thanks to slick filters, Instagram has quickly become one of the most popular ways to post photos on Twitter.

That all began to change in April 2012, when Facebook bought Instagram for $715 million. Twitter also tried to buy the company but lost out to Mark Zuckerberg. Mr. Zuckerberg has promised to help Systrom and its co-founder, Mike Krieger, reach a global scale with minimal disruption. Dorsey took the defeat personally and has since stopped Posting on Instagram. A few months later, Twitter blocked Instagram access to its image, preventing users from quickly finding their friends.

Then, in December, Facebook retaliated: Photos shared from Instagram would no longer appear on Twitter timeline. As Sarah Frier explains in her book No Filter, Facebook executives believed that enabling photo preview would only help Twitter grow and increase its inventory of available ads. So the company canceled the link preview, and Twitter was so outraged that it leaked a story to The New York Times alleging that Strom had perjured himself in the sale to Facebook. (No results except bad feelings.)

Nine years passed. The co-founder of Instagram left Facebook in 2018. By then, Instagram had 1 billion users, most of whom were younger than those on Facebook. Twitter entered a long period of stagnation that began to thaw only in the past two years when the company added hundreds of employees and began rolling out new products at a rapid pace under Kayvon Beykpour, it is head of product.

At the same time, Twitter is increasingly open to cross-platform collaborations. It started a popular and hilarious Instagram account. It shares tweets directly to Instagram stories. It also started embedding YouTube videos directly into Twitter.

Especially given his parent company ambition to build a more integrated world than it is today -- a goal Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared with me this summer when he announced the company shift to the metaverse.

"More and more platforms are going to need to figure out how to be more open," Mosseri said. "It is tricky. Data portability is a huge privacy issue. I think we need to figure that out as an industry."

In the end, all it really takes to end the Instagram-Twitter battle is time and a willingness to put user needs ahead of strategic anxieties.

"People do not live off one product," Beykpour said. He noted that Twitter also rolled out its Snapchat integration in December. "They navigate between the two. So I think it is important to make these crossings convenient and colorful."

Instagram post previews are working again on Twitter and will this have a positive impact on lcd oled promotion? For more information or get the latest price of lcd oled, feel free to send an email to: sales@risinglcd.com.

The market trend of lcd oled

Due to the impact of the global spread of COVID-19, the global MARKET size of LED display screens in 2020 is estimated to be $5.7 billion, down about 10% year-on-year. It is estimated that the global outdoor LED display market will reach 12.9 billion yuan in 2021, and 23.9 billion yuan in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.0%. However, certain application areas, such as outdoor transportation, advertising billboards, and some municipal-related application places, are expected to pick up in the second half, and lcd oled will also benefit from the government economic stimulus. Regarding the development of the next few years, if there are no big macroeconomic changes, it is expected that the global LED display will maintain a compound annual growth rate of 18% from 2021 to 2026, among which the small spacing display is still the biggest driving force for market growth.

The world leading outdoor LED display manufacturers include Daktronics, Samsung, Unilumin and Leyard, etc. The top four manufacturers in the world account for more than 40% of the market share. At present, China is the world largest Outdoor LED Display market, accounting for more than 60% of the market, followed by North America, accounting for nearly 15% of the market.

The market distribution of lcd oled

In terms of regional market pattern, North America and EMEA are the most severely affected regions this year, which are expected to decrease by 7.7% to 6.7% respectively, and their share will also decrease accordingly. China is now slowly recovering from the impact of the epidemic, and stimulated by new infrastructure policies, the Chinese market lcd oled is expected to maintain the world fastest growth rate of about 3.8% this year.

The markets most affected this year are mainly applications related to clustered events, such as cinemas and commercial and retail venues. However, for security monitoring or control room, it will benefit from the government new infrastructure policy this year. It is estimated that this will be the fastest-growing lcd oled application market this year, with the market share expected to increase from 13.3% to 13.9%.

With the decline of LCD cost, size continues to enlarge, currently can see more than 80 inches of LCD TV, electronic whiteboard into commercial, coupled with the rise of LED display market, commercial projector in enterprise conference space shipment quantity will also decrease year by year.

However, the outdoor LED display screen is different from the indoor LED display screen. Since it is applied to outdoor scenes, in addition to meeting the display function, the lcd oled screen needs to ensure the transmission quality under direct sunlight, so it needs to meet the requirements of a high brightness display. In addition, the outdoor environment is changeable and harsh, so the outdoor LED display should have strong weather resistance, fully adapt to all kinds of bad weather, and can be used for a long time.

The high-quality lcd oled supplier-RISINGLCD

RISINGLCD ( WITH BRAND OF RISINGSTAR ) is a professional highlight LCD manufacturer from China, as a superior global lcd oled supplier, a modernized high-tech enterprise with 100 employees including 20 highly qualified and well trained engineers. Rising LCD is a professional LCD panel, TV, display, outdoor display, display modules, LCD TV display equipment supplier providing high quality products for home and business uses such as LCD modules, outdoor monitor, digital signage, interactive touch screen, digital menu and more. For more information or get the latest price of lcd oled, feel free to send an email to: sales@risinglcd.com, the sales team will reply within 48 hours.
With the popularity of cryptocurrency these days, it's no surprise that the industry is also being targeted by cybercrime groups.

Google Ads Phishing Scam

According to Check Point Research (CPR), a new Google Ads scam is snatching cryptocurrency wallets.

Last weekend, Oct. 30 to Oct 31, hackers were able to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cryptocurrencies, thanks to a new scam.

Scammers are using ads that replicate prominent wallet companies like Phantom and MetaMask at the top of Google Search to deceive users into giving up their wallet passcode and private key.

Over $500,000 in cryptocurrency was reportedly stolen in a matter of days, as per NDTV

Hackers are utilizing Google Search as an attack vector to target victims' crypto wallets, according to a new blog post by Check Point Research.

Every advertisement included a malicious link that, when clicked, took the victim to a phishing website that mimicked the real wallet website's branding and messaging.

The scammers then would then deceive their victims into handing over their wallet passwords, allowing them to steal their money.

How To Protect Your Cryptocurrency

Here are ways you can protect our cryptocurrency wallet, according to CNET.

For long-term storage, use a cold wallet.

Cold wallets store data verifying cryptocurrency ownership offline, making them significantly more difficult for cybercrimimals to access.

Cold wallets, according to both Don Pezet and Andrew Gunn, are the safest alternative.

Pezet is the co-founder of ITProTV, an online IT training company. Meanwhile, Gunn is a senior threat-intelligence analyst in a company called ZeroFox.

Hardware, such as a USB drive, can be used to hold the private keys to a cold wallet. You can also print them off and keep them in a file.

In any case, an attacker will be unable to gain access to your cryptocurrencies without them.

The disadvantage of this storage option is that you are totally responsible for its security. You will not be able to retrieve your cryptocurrency if you lose the USB device or misplace your file.

Read Also: Dogecoin Mining Profitability, Hashrate: How Long Does It Take to Mine? Is It Worth It?

Use multifactor authentication and strong passwords.

Using strong passwords to protect your cryptocurrencies, as well as all other digital accounts, is a must.

We're talking about at least 12 different characters here.

Furthermore, two-factor authentication, which entails a second form of identification, such as a fingerprint or a push notification to your smartphone, also aids account security.

If your password is compromised, it will go a long way toward keeping you safe.

To access your wallets, use just your own device.

This could sound convenient, but never use a public computer, such as one at a library or a hotel business center, to access your cryptocurrencies.

It's impossible to know if they've been infected with malware.

Likewise, ensure that your equipment is well-maintained. Keep it updated with the most recent versions of your antivirus software and operating systems.

Lastly, always utilize a secure internet connection, preferably one that is protected by a VPN.

Do your fair share of research.

In general, larger and more regulated exchanges are safer. Make sure the one you choose is trustworthy, especially if you plan to use it as a hot wallet.

Be cautious of communications that appear to come from the firm that manages your cryptocurrency wallet. It might be a phishing email designed to steal your personal information and, eventually, your money.

It's usually preferable to avoid any included hyperlinks and go straight to the company's website, just like it is with emails that appear to be from your bank.

Related Article: Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Value Reach $50000?
Installation view of the exhibition, "Wook-kyung Choi, Alice's Cat," held at the MMCA Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of MMCA



By Park Han-sol





Painter Choi Wook-kyung / Courtesy of MMCA

Painter Choi Wook-kyung (1940-85) left a profound legacy on the Korean abstract art scene with her constant experimentations with colors, styles and compositions. She forged her own path, away from Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) and Minjung art (People's Art, a pro-democracy and populist art movement) that prevailed in the domestic art community during the 1970s and 80s.



But like many other women artists of her time, she has been entangled in a mix of limiting labels put forth by reporters and critics that often downplayed her oeuvre itself.



During her lifetime, she was called "a maiden painter"; "a petite, young lady who created the largest drawing in Korea" and "a woman who paints something that doesn't feel 'feminine' at all." In the United States, where she studied and worked on and off for 15 years, her foreign nationality as an Asian artist became another modifier that followed her works.



But the most striking perception toward Choi that lingers to this day came in 1987, two years after her death at the young age of 45, when the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) held her first large-scale retrospective.



"Back then, perhaps due to the fact that it's been only a couple of years since Choi died at a young age, she was described as such a pessimistic and world-weary figure. What ended up happening was that these images began to overshadow the critical analysis carried out of her vibrant, dynamic pieces themselves," said Jeon Yu-shin, curator of the artist's new, second retrospective at the museum in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.



Titled "Wook-kyung Choi, Alice's Cat," the exhibition sheds the outdated preconceptions about the artist's gender, race and her untimely death. Instead, it reexamines her extensive oeuvre of paintings, sculptures and installations spanning over two decades, including 10 artworks that are on display for the first time.



Another element of equal importance that the show highlights is the intersection between her paintings and her passion for literature  her own published poems and essays, as well as her interest in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" that affected the themes and visuals of a number of her pieces.



"Wook-kyung Choi, Alice's Cat" fittingly starts with Choi's 1965 painting, "Alice, Fragments of Memory"  a piece that represents her own journey into the wonderland called the U.S in 1963 as she entered Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan to earn her master's degree, and the subsequent identity crisis she suffered in a foreign land. She later recalled the moment as "a shock that shook my very roots."



While studying at Cranbrook Academy and later, Brooklyn Museum Art School, the artist was able to explore and interpret a wide variety of American contemporary art from Abstract Expressionism and Post-Painterly Abstraction to Pop Art and Neo-Dada.





Choi's "In Peace" series (1968) / Courtesy of MMCA



Coupling such artistic influence with her perceived identity as an "exotic" Asian woman, Choi produced both colorful and black-and-white pieces, including "La Femme Fache" (1966), "Carless Bitch" (1960s) and "3 Eyes, I Do Have" (1966)  marked by the stark color contrast, expressive strokes and the occasional appearance of text on the canvas.



The experience of painting, writing and teaching in universities as she traveled back and forth between Korea and America from 1963 to 1978 naturally came to bear an everlasting influence on her works. This is most evident in her pieces from the 1970s, often known as her most vibrant and largest paintings.



During this time, she was inspired both by the traditional East Asian aesthetics  "dancheong" (decorative coloring on wooden structures), "minhwa" (folk painting) and Chinese calligraphy  and the vast, natural landscape of New Mexico that was home to thousands of wildlife species. The resulting artworks visualized the organic shapes reminiscent of mountains, birds and animals dancing and soaring through the air.





Choi's "Tightrope Walking" (1977) / Courtesy of MMCA



And nature continued to influence her when she returned to Korea for good in 1979 and taught at Yeungnam University in North Gyeongsang Province. As she featured the curvy ridges of the provincial mountains and the lapping waves of Geoje Island in the southern sea, she focused on the geometry and composition of each painting  something that even affected her choice of the canvas' shape.





Choi's "Self-Portrait" series / Courtesy of MMCA
Ghanaian Ambassador to South Korea Charis Margaretha Obetsebi-Lamptey Zwennes poses near a table showcasing cultural products of her country which will be sold during Seoul International Women's Association's online bazaar to be held at siwakorea.com from Nov. 8 to 21. Courtesy of Nora Gyuris









By Kang Hyun-kyung







Bottles of baobab oil, shea butter in plastic containers, chocolate bars and pieces of colorful fabric are placed on a small table in a corner of the Azaleas Room of the brand-new Fairmont Ambassador Hotel on Yeouido, Seoul.







Also placed behind them are three oil paintings created by Ghanaian artist Nsiah.







One after another, Ghanaian diplomat Isabella Sauponey was putting items in place attentively and trying to make room for another item she had brought from her embassy in Seoul.







"These are $150 each," she said, pointing to one of the oil paintings. "The artist used real sand here as a material. Try it and you can feel the rough texture."







The Ghanaian second secretary then showed a colorful yellow fabric to this reporter. "This is Kent cloth. Kent is a particular style of woven fabric which originates from Ghana. Kent is associated with the Ashanti tribe and their culture," she said.







Items on the table are to be sold during the forthcoming bazaar to be held online from Nov. 8 to 21. It's the biggest annual charity event prepared by Seoul International Women's Association (SIWA) in collaboration with the diplomatic community in Seoul.







The small table featuring iconic Ghanaian cultural items was set up there as a reminder to participants of the 59th SIWA and Diplomatic Community online bazaar opening ceremony that the charity event is just around the corner, so be prepared.







Representing their countries, embassies are blending charity with cultural diplomacy.







The Embassy of Hungary, which also showcased in advance some of its donations at a booth, prepared a small table featuring Hungarian wine also to be sold during the upcoming online bazaar.







Sun-mi Nam, the Korean wife of Hungary's ambassador to South Korea, said Hungarian wine is world-class but lesser-known among Korean consumers. "This white Tokaji wine is a favorite of female consumers. It's a great dessert wine," she said in praise of the country's wine.







In a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Song Hyeon-ok, the wife of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, expressed her gratitude to the dedicated SIWA members who prepared for this year's event, despite the pandemic. Song said she was touched by the international women's association's six decades of unwavering dedication to helping disadvantaged Koreans.







Song Hyeon-ok, center, the wife of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and SIWA President Veronica Koon, fifth from left, cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony for the 59th SIWA and Diplomatic Community online bazaar held at Fairmont Ambassador Hotel on Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. From left are SIWA Special Events Chair Eunice Go; Fairmont Ambassador Hotel in Seoul Sales & Marketing Director Jason Kim; Seoul Foreign School Assistant Head Dawn Stark; Song; Koon; Konnul Teymurov, the wife of Azerbaijan ambassador to South Korea; and SIWA Fundraising Vice President Lee Bock-hee. Courtesy of Nora Gyuris





The opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, days before the start of the online bazaar in order to inform the Korean public of the event, so they can join the group's cause-driven activities.







"The bazaar was held online last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time to host the event online since the creation of SIWA and we learned a lot. With fewer donors participating and fewer people that knew about our online event, last year's event was not as successful as it had been in the past," said Lee Bock-hee, vice president of fundraising. "So, this year, SIWA board members agreed to beat the drum earlier by holding an opening ceremony and actively engaging with media to promote the annual event."







The lingering pandemic is a stumbling block to SIWA's annual bazaar which had been held in person for decades.







"The bazaar is all about gathering. To be successful, people need to come to the event. Due to the pandemic, however, we were unable to hold the event in person," Lee said. "Our decision to hold the bazaar online means a lot to us. This indicates our will and uncompromising spirit that the show must go on despite the pandemic, because it has been held for 58 years."







SIWA President Veronica Koon said there was a consensus among SIWA board members about the need to continue its six-decades-long mission to help those in need through the charity event.







"SIWA has not stopped charity and philanthropy work since 1962 and the pandemic wouldn't stop us, either," she said. "Over the years, SIWA and the embassies that supported us have developed trust and support on the issues we presented since my presidential term started in 2019. Going forward, SIWA would like to be in a role that embraces and supports international women and those in need in Korea."







Koon said this year's event will feature a "gourmet" theme, as SIWA members learned from last year's event that food and beverages were especially popular. Under her leadership, there has been a meaningful membership change in SIWA. The Chinese Embassy has joined the international women's group's charity event.







Lee noted the SIWA bazaar is much more than a platform for buying and selling products to raise money to help others. "Some of the visitors come all the way up to Seoul from Busan for the bazaar. There's something that makes them keep visiting. Each embassy's booth has its own, unique cultural products. If you go to the booth run by the French Embassy, you'll meet French-speaking people and get a glimpse of their culture, too. SIWA bazaar is a rare place where you can meet the world," she said.







This year, 21 embassies will join the online bazaar. The participating embassies are Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Ghana, Georgia, France, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Latvia, Thailand, Tunisia and Turkmenistan.







SIWA will sell the donated products on its website and have them delivered to buyers.







All revenues earned from the sales of the products will go directly to underprivileged people, including single mothers, the disabled and children in need, according to Sunghwa Han, a Korean American who chairs SIWA's welfare committee.







The bazaar is one of the two big annual charity events hosted by the organization. The other is the SIWA Gala held in the first half of year.







Launched in 1962 by several female leaders, SIWA has responded to the changing needs of Korean society through money raised for charity.







In the 1960s when the nation was mired in poverty, the international women's group prioritized feeding hungry children. In the 1970s and 1980s, SIWA provided scholarships for children who were unable to continue their studies due to poverty. Single mothers, the disabled and children from working-class families who cannot afford to attend after-school programs have benefited from SIWA's charity events.







The focus of the international women's group has changed since its founding.







SIWA was initially established as a multicultural group where women from Korea and other countries could socialize to help adjust to Korean culture and develop ties.







Soon the organization became a high-profile platform for gatherings and cultural interactions between like-minded Korean and foreign women. First ladies and wives of Cabinet members and Seoul mayors have participated in the opening ceremonies of SIWA's annual bazaars.







Its membership is largely composed of spouses of foreign executives and ambassadors and Korean women who are educated abroad, as well as those who are interested in cross-cultural exchanges. The group currently has nearly 300 members, about 30 percent of whom are Korean citizens.






The Korean Braille textbook created by the American missionary Rosetta Sherwood Hall in 1897 / Courtesy of CHA



By Park Han-sol



Rosetta Sherwood Hall (1865-1951), an American medical missionary and educator who first came to Korea in 1890, is known for establishing Korea's first special education school for hearing and visually impaired students in Pyongyang in 1894.



The Hangeul braille textbook that she created three years after the school's founding has been proposed by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) to be designated as a national cultural asset, the organization announced, Thursday.



Named "Rosetta Hall Hangeul Braille Textbook" after the missionary, it applied the tactile encoding to the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, using a cell pattern that is four dots wide and two dots high  following the system of New York Point, which Hall learned in her home country.



Its pages are made up of thick, oil-laden hanji paper from the bark of paper mulberry trees, with holes created with needles.



For nearly three decades, the book had been used for teaching the Korean characters to special-needs students in Pyongyang, until Park Du-seong (1888-1963) published the six-dot Braille system called "Hunmaengjeongeum"  a linguistic play on the title of the iconic 15th century manuscript "Hunminjeongeum," with the word "maeng" meaning "visual impairment"  in 1926. The artifact currently belongs to the collection of Daegu University's Braille Publishing Museum.



"As a symbolic relic marking the beginning of special education in Korea, the book has significant historical value," CHA stated. After 30 days of gathering feedback, the organization will hold a committee review to make a final decision whether to register the piece as an asset.



In addition to the proposal made regarding the Braille textbook, CHA also announced that it designated four culturally significant objects and places as national assets.



Among them is a series of letters sent by Kim Ji-seop, an independence fighter during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial era, to his family after being imprisoned for throwing grenades into the entrance of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in January 1924.



Another object is the stone pillar standing at the entrance of the army training camp for recruits on Jeju Island founded during the 1950-53 Korean War  a structure that was already designated as an asset in 2008. CHA explained that along with the main building, the pillar possess a historical significance as an artifact from the war. It also well reflects the regional characteristics of the island as it is made from Jeju's signature black basalt and seashells.


President Moon Jae-in, second from left, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, center, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, right, Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger, second from right, and Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis, left, stand during a press conference after a meeting in Budapest, Nov. 4. AP-Yonhap



South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the prime ministers of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, known collectively as the Visegrad group, agreed Thursday to bolster their cooperation in the fields of economy, science, technology and climate change.



Moon, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki held their second group summit in Budapest earlier in the day.



During the summit, the leaders gave high marks to the fact that bilateral trade between South Korea and the Visegrad nations reached an all-time high last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.



"In spite of a contraction in global trade last year due to COVID-19, the Visegrad group emerged as the second-biggest trade bloc in the European Union," Moon told the summit.



The leaders also agreed to further expand cooperation not only in areas related to technological transformation, dubbed the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but also in digital technology and healthcare.






President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook arrive at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Nov. 5, after their trip to Euripe. Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in returned home Friday from a three-nation trip to Europe which saw him attend the G20 summit in Rome, the U.N. climate change conference in Glasgow, and a state visit to Hungary.



Ahead of the G20 summit in Rome, Moon met Pope Francis at the Vatican and asked the pope to visit North Korea to help achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. Francis positively reacted to the offer, saying he is willing to do so if he receives an invitation from the North.



During the G20 summit, Moon pledged that South Korea will completely phase-out coal-fired power generation by 2050 and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality on a global level.










South Korea and Indonesia will hold what could be the final round of negotiations in the Southeast Asian country next week to address the latter's overdue payments for a joint fighter development project, informed sources said Friday.







Officials from Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), South Korea's sole aircraft maker, will meet with negotiators from Indonesia's defense ministry, the sources said, as Seoul seeks to squelch lingering concerns over Indonesia's commitment to the 8.8 trillion-won (US$7.4 billion) project, called KF-X.







Kang Eun-ho, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), is also expected to visit Indonesia from Tuesday to Thursday to join the Korean negotiation team  in an apparent show of Seoul's resolve to settle the protracted issue.







Indonesia had agreed to shoulder 20 percent of the new fighter's development cost. But it later stopped making payments, with the amount of the overdue payments currently standing at 704.1 billion won (US$593 million).







During a parliamentary audit last month, DAPA chief Kang expressed confidence that the negotiations with India will be concluded by November.







Concerns about Indonesia's possible pullout from the project first surfaced when the country brought its technicians involved in the fighter development program in South Korea back to their home country in March last year, citing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.







Such concerns eased when Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto agreed to resume talks with South Korea over the overdue payments during a visit to Seoul in April, which coincided with a ceremony unveiling a prototype of the country's first indigenous fighter jet named the KF-21 Boramae.







In August, a group of Indonesian technicians returned to Korea, raising expectations that the joint fighter development program will gain traction. (Yonhap)


gettyimagesbank



A 32-year-old single mother was sentenced to 20 years behind bars Friday for leaving her three-year-old daughter home alone for three days, causing her to die of dehydration and neglect.



The Incheon District Court also ordered her to take 40 hours of child abuse therapy and barred her from employment at institutions for children for 10 years, delivering the verdict.



Prosecutors had earlier demanded a 25-year imprisonment.



The mother, whose name was withheld, left the three-year-old daughter alone at their home in Incheon, west of Seoul, for three days in July while she went on a date.



Court records showed the mother found her 38-month-old daughter dead after returning home. Without reporting it to authorities right away, however, she stayed in hiding at her boyfriend's home for two week before making a belated report.



The court pointed out that "the child, left alone while a heat wave warning was in effect, had no power to open a water bottle to drink water or unlock the front door on her own."



"Aware of these facts, the mother was sufficiently able to predict the child, if left alone for three days or longer, could die."



Investigators found she gave the daughter a bag of snacks, candies and two bottles of juice when left home in July. Having been fed no food or water during her mother's three-day absence, the child eventually died of dehydration.



Including the period, the child had been left to stay home alone on a total of 26 occasions during a span of two months.



Investigations also showed she raised the child as an unmarried single mother and was on the government subsidy program for people in the lowest income bracket. (Yonhap)


Fourth graders at Beondong Elementary School in Seoul sit in class in this Sept. 6 photo. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon



By Bahk Eun-ji



Lee Sae-ron, a second grader at an elementary school in northern Seoul's Nowon-gu, has been taking English and math assessment tests offered by a publishing company of study materials every semester since last year.



Such academic performance evaluations have grown popular, because elementary schools across the country do not administer mid-term and final exams.



Beginning with Seoul in 2011, elementary schools abolished mid-term and final exams to reform the score-centered education system. And from 2017, the national evaluation of academic achievement, organized by the education ministry, was abolished and only a small number of students take it for a sampling evaluation, leaving parents with no way of knowing their children's academic abilities.



The COVID-19 outbreak and problems involving online classes have also increased concerns over a widening gap between students in the quality of education, as children of wealthy families generally have greater access to private institutes and other study aids.



Hong Eun-hee, 46, Lee's mother, said, "Children in elementary school don't take tests regularly, so I have no way of knowing what level my daughter is at, so I have her take these tests."



Through such tests, parents can compare the scores of their children with the national average. The application fee for such private assessment tests is about 45,000 won ($38).



This year, Chunjae Education, a publishing company of private education materials, organized a "national Korean language academic proficiency assessment," for which elementary school children answer 30 questions in 40 minutes.



Visang Education has been conducting an evaluation test since last year and Megastudy has been running a similar testing program since 2019.



It is estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 children, or 5 percent of all elementary school students here, take these these exams every year.



Universities have also jumped on the bandwagon. Major universities in Seoul, such as Yonsei University and Korea University, are conducting nationwide academic evaluations for elementary school students.



Hong said she has heard a lot of stories from other mothers around her, saying, "When their children were in elementary school, they just believed they were doing well (in terms of academic achievement). But they soon realized they weren't actually doing well at all after receiving their first mid-term test scores after entering middle school.



"As the period of children being unable to go to school properly due to COVID-19 has been prolonged, more parents seem to want to check their children's academic levels," Hong said.



Parents are not to blame for such anxiety over academic achievements.



According to the education ministry's report in June, 13.4 percent of middle school students did not meet the basic academic level in math in 2020, nearly double the figure in 2017 (7.1 percent). For English, 7.1 percent did not meet the basic academic level, more than doubling since 2017 (3.2 percent).



There is fierce debate among educators that a nationwide evaluation is necessary to check whether the education gap has widened.



Since April, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Administration (KFTA) has been steadily urging members of the National Assembly Education Committee to enact a law to guarantee basic scholastic ability for elementary schoolchildren as well.



"In order to resolve the polarization in education, a standardized, national-level evaluation system should be made and comprehensive measures to support students' learning should be prepared," KFTA President Ha Yun-su said in a statement.



"With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, students' scholastic abilities have been declining. Achieving basic academic skills is a fundamental right of our students," Ha said.


Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Yonhap



Yoon Seok-youl is a former prosecutor who was best known for standing up to power before a series of high-profile clashes with the Moon Jae-in administration launched him into politics and landed him the presidential nomination of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday.



The 60-year-old is a newcomer to the conservative party and has little to show for political experience or alignment with the party's core tenets and values.



If anything, the former prosecutor general has been accused of playing a key role in undermining the legitimacy of the previous conservative government of President Park Geun-hye and exposing its corruption, leading to her impeachment and imprisonment.



In 2013, Yoon conducted an investigation into sensational allegations that the country's main spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, had some of its employees post comments online ahead of the December 2012 presidential election in an attempt to sway public opinion in favor of then ruling party candidate Park.



The probe raised the ire of the Park administration. Later in 2013, Yoon made the bombshell revelation that he received undue pressure from outside during the course of the investigation. The investigation ultimately led to Yoon's demotion.



He famously said at the time: "I do not show allegiance to people."



Despite the setback, Yoon made a comeback in 2016 as a lead prosecutor investigating a massive corruption scandal implicating then President Park.



Park was impeached amid the probe, and the conservatives lost the next presidential election in May 2017 to now President Moon Jae-in, a liberal beacon.



Yoon's career took off under Moon, first as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and then as prosecutor general in July 2019.



Moon's request to Yoon was that he be "strict to living powers also."



But the two men's amicable relationship took a downturn when the prosecution under Yoon launched a corruption investigation into Cho Kuk, Moon's close aide and pick for justice minister.



The most damning of the allegations against Cho was that his wife had forged and obtained false certificates to help their daughter gain admission to a medical school.






People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl raise his hands after being named as the main opposition party's candidate during a primary event in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap



Ex-prosecutor general named PPP's presidential candidate



By Nam Hyun-woo



The battle between the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Seok-youl and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung in the upcoming presidential election will be a fight between "a person with common sense and a person without it" and between "a rationalist and a populist," according to Yoon, Friday.



Yoon was elected as the PPP candidate in the final round of the party's primaries, securing 47.85 percent of votes cast against Rep. Hong Joon-pyo's 41.5 percent, and becoming the first former prosecutor general to be named a presidential candidate.



In the run up to the March 9 presidential election, Yoon will compete against the DPK's Lee, the People Party's Ahn Cheol-soo and other as yet unnamed candidates.



Yoon and Hong staged a neck-and-neck race during the primaries, but he clinched the candidacy after outstripping the latter in party members' votes. Yoon collected 210,034 ballots in party members' voting, while Hong received 126,519. Hong garnered a greater approval rating than Yoon in public surveys, but this was insufficient to make up for the lack of votes from party members.



In his acceptance speech, Yoon expressed his gratitude for the party's choice and denounced the ruling party, saying he represents "common sense," while the DPK's Lee was an icon of "a lack of common sense."



"The responsibility of changing the government comes heavier than the joy of being nominated as the PPP candidate," Yoon said in the speech in Yongsan District, Seoul.



"The upcoming presidential election will be a battle between a Yoon with common sense and a Lee without it. It will also be a battle between a rationalist and a populist. I urge the public to hand down a stern judgment on the ruling party and its candidate who are dividing the nation with populist promises."



Yoon's remarks were targeting Lee's election pledges including providing a basic income to all people, something that not only Yoon but also other PPP presidential hopefuls attacked as populism.





Presidential race begins in earnest Uncompromising prosecutor emerges as hope of conservatives Lee Jae-myung congratulates Yoon Seok-youl on presidential nomination People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl, right, hugs his rival Rep. Hong Joon-pyo during the main opposition party's final primary round in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Throughout his speech, Yoon also stressed fairness and justice, in an apparent bid to remind voters of the process by which Lee became the presidential candidate of the main opposition party despite having no background in politics.



Yoon, who was the top prosecutor of the Moon Jae-in administration, joined the main opposition party after locking horns with President Moon over an investigation into corruption allegations involving Cho Kuk, a former justice minister and close aide to Moon.



"The Moon administration will feel the pain of me being nominated as the PPP candidate, because I am a symbol of fairness who crushed the hypocrisy of Cho Kuk," Yoon said. "Now I am not just an individual but have become the icon of the public's wish for the recovery of fairness and justice."



Regarding national security, Yoon pledged to strengthen efforts to denuclearize North Korea based on close cooperation with other nations. He added that he will enhance ties with countries sharing the value of democracy, and engage with them based on pragmatism.



"In summary, the PPP primaries ended in Yoon's victory, as the candidate established his image as the symbol of the antithesis to Moon and the current administration," said Eom Gyeong-yeong, a director of the Zeitgeist Institute, a private political think tank.



"When you see things from a broad perspective, the public wish to replace the administration accounts for a significant portion in gauging a presidential election. In this sense, Yoon has successfully styled himself to represent the public and the party's sentiment against the Moon government."



Following Yoon's nomination, presidential candidates of both the DPK and the PPP are undergoing investigations into respective corruption allegations against them that will act as decisive variables in their campaigns.



Currently, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is investigating an allegation that Yoon influenced the United Future Party, the predecessor of the PPP, to lodge criminal complaints against several pro-government figures ahead of the general election in April last year.



On the other hand, the prosecution is also investigating a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, over suspicions that DPK candidate Lee, who was mayor of Seongnam at the time of the project, is linked to the scandal, in which a small and newly established asset management firm raked in more than 1,000 times its investment.



"As the Seongnam scandal touched off the public sentiment so strongly, the overall support rate for the DPK, Lee and President Moon are plunging. Given this, the impact of the investigation into Yoon's issue could be overshadowed by the Seongnam scandal," Eom said.



Recent surveys show a mixed outlook for the upcoming race. In a poll by Gallup Korea released Friday before the primary's final result was announced, the DPK's Lee was leading with support of 26 percent, followed by Yoon with 24 percent and Hong with 15 percent. In a separate survey by Embrain Public, KSTAT Research, Korea Research International and Hankook Research released Thursday, however, Yoon secured 35 percent, followed by Lee with 30 percent.



As has Yoon become the flag-bearer of the PPP, attention is also on whether he will meet with President Moon Jae-in. Last month, Moon met Lee and congratulated him on his nomination as the ruling party's presidential candidate.








Lotte World said Friday that it plans to send its only-surviving beluga whale in its aquarium to a wildlife sanctuary next year in a move for its eventual release into its natural habitat.







The theme park business unit of Hotel Lotte said it is in contact with a whale sanctuary in Iceland, and plans to talk with sanctuaries in Russia and Canada.







Lotte World said the East Sea  the body of water between South Korea and Japan  is also considered as a site for releasing "Bella," or the last survivor of the three beluga whales.







"It is utmost important that Bella remains in good health condition in order to survive the wild environment," Lotte World aquarium chief Koh Jeong-rack said in a news conference at Lotte World in western Seoul.







He said the 9-year-old female whale is regularly checked by medical staff members from Japan, Taiwan and Russia.







The announcement came after years of criticism from wildlife and animal rights activists that the endangered oceanic creature naturally cannot live healthily in an aquarium.







Lotte World imported Bella with its two male peers from Russia in 2014 for education and studies when it opened the aquarium. But activists claimed that the import was for profit.







The two male whales died in 2016 and 2019, respectively, at the age of 5 and 12, far below the 40-year average span of beluga whales.







Bella is currently going through wildlife adaptation training, prior to being transported to a sanctuary. If the whale adapts well, it will be permanently sent back to its natural habitat, Lotte World said. (Yonhap)


Steps urged to prevent possible transport crisis



Concern is growing over a possible transport crisis due to the shortage of urea, which is the main component of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), an essential additive needed to cut emissions from diesel engines. The government has been scrambling to find solutions to minimize the possible impact the shortage will have on the proprietors of freight trucks and other diesel-powered vehicles. It is also mobilizing all possible steps to secure a sufficient supply for fire service and emergency vehicles.



The Ministry of Finance and Economy issued an executive order Thursday to prevent people from seeking commercials profit by exploiting the urea shortage. They will be prohibited from either hoarding or not discharging stocks of urea or DEF, and will face punishment for not abiding by the order, the ministry said.



The government is seeking to resume negotiations with China to call on it to promptly conduct export checks as domestic companies have been heavily dependent on Chinese firms for the supply of urea. The government has also decided to explore ways to import the chemical from countries other than China through the overseas trade offices of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).



Reflecting on the urgency of the matter, the National Security Council (NSC) held a meeting Thursday, presided over by chief presidential secretary Yoo Young-min and participated in by officials from relevant ministries  foreign affairs, environment, and industry, trade and energy  and related industry representatives.



Once any overseas company is confirmed to be able to provide urea, the procurement authorities will immediately sign a purchase agreement, while exploring ways to expand purchases by private firms. The price of urea has recently skyrocketed 10 tenfold. Yet what matters more is the severe shortage of the chemical rather than the soaring price. The government should redouble its efforts to persuade China to ease its export curbs on the chemical.



According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 3.3 million freight vehicles handle domestic transportation services. And 2 million of them cannot be operated without urea as they have more modern engines that comply with environmental standards for diesel vehicles.



The government deserves harsh criticism for having failed to take the necessary steps to forestall the shortage of this essential chemical compound, with 97.7 percent of imports coming from China. No countries in Europe, nor Japan, are suffering such a setback as they have little reliance on China. Furthermore, the government has failed to create local stocks of the compound. Though it is considering chemically modifying industrial urea for use in diesel vehicles, this will take some considerable time due to multiple technical issues.



Rather than long-term planning, the government now needs to focus on short-term solutions to prevent the current situation from evolving into a major transport crisis. It should mobilize all possible diplomatic channels to nudge China to mitigate its export restrictions. If necessary, the government should provide assistance to relevant companies to resume production of the agent to reach a sufficient supply level.








By Kim Jae-heun







LS C&S expects to supply more submarine cables







LS Cable & System (C&S) said on Nov. 3 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the domestic offshore wind power business with Northland Power, a Canadian new and renewable energy developer.







"With this MOU, we will comply with the government's new and renewable energy policy and contribute to job creation," LS C&S President and CEO Myung Roe-hyun said.







The two companies prescribed their respective roles and various matters necessary for offshore wind power generation, and agreed to cooperate in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC).







Northland Power has been active in Europe, building and operating new and renewable energy infrastructure such as wind power and photovoltaics, since its establishment in Toronto in 1987. It has recently been making full-fledged efforts to advance into Asian countries such as Taiwan and Japan.







LS C&S has continued to build cooperative relations. For example, it was recently selected as a priority supplier of submarine cables for Northland Power's 1GW Hai Long Wind Farm Project in Taiwan.







Northland Power is also expanding its business in Korea. LS C&S expects to see its sales grow with the 1.3 GW Dado Ocean Wind Power Project in South Jeolla Province.







"Cooperation with LS Cable & System laid the foundation for the smooth operation of the offshore wind power business in Korea," said Seung-soo Han, CEO of Northland Power Korea. "We will take the lead in supplying environmentally friendly renewable energy."






By Kim Hyun-bin







DL Group's market capitalization surged almost 30 percent after the conglomerate initiated major corporate restructuring measures.







According to a recent financial analysis of the country's top 30 conglomerates in the third quarter, DL group's market cap was put at 4.62 trillion won, while the conglomerate's financial situation was rated as stable.







The conglomerate streamlined its line-up of affiliates in January this year, spinning of Daelim Holdings and Daelim E&C. Before the spinoff, DL Group's market cap stood at 3.56 trillion won in late 2020, but surged to 4.3 trillion won in early 2021.







In addition, the stock prices of DL and DL E&C have performed robustly, aiding in the 29.8 percent increase in the conglomerate's market cap since October 2020.







DL Holdings' market cap rose 21.3 percent from 1.15 trillion in January to 1.39 trillion won on Oct. 28.







Industry watchers believe when the conglomerate's chemical and construction businesses were based under the same roof it was difficult for them to be recognized for their true market potential.







DL holds a 100-percent stake in DL Chemical, which has been achieving an operating profit of around 80 billion each year. DL also owns large stakes in Cariflex, D Tower, Daelim Energy and Yeochun NCC.







DL Chemical's share price also rose following the acquisition of Kraton. Last September, DL Chemical's board of directors voted in favor of acquiring a 100-percent stake in the U.S. chemical company for $1.6 billion or $46.50 a share.







DL Construction is the only affiliate of DL Group to have shown a reduction in market capitalization, falling from 688.1 billion won Jan. 4 to 660.5 billion won Oct. 28.






LG Energy Solution Ltd., a leading South Korean battery maker, has signed a battery supply contract with Nikola Corp., a U.S. electric vehicle startup, according to industry sources Friday.







The Arizona-based company said in its third-quarter earnings report it entered into a long term battery supply agreement with LG Energy Solution on Oct. 20, under which LG will be providing battery cells for Nikola's trucks from 2022 through 2029.







It did not give any other details, including the amount of the supply or the value of the deal.







An official at LG Energy declined to comment, citing its policy on clients.







Nikola has been under fire after its founder and former chairman, Trevor Milton, was charged with fraud for allegedly misleading investors about its technology and products to inflate the company's stock price.







Its shares jumped after the company revealed in the earnings report it is in talks with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on a $125 million settlement, subject to approval from SEC commissioners.







Nikola said it will seek reimbursement from Milton for the costs and damages in relation to the investigation.







In the earnings report, the company said it plans to have its Tre Bev electric heavy duty truck ready for public road release by December this year. (Yonhap)


President Moon Jae-in listens to U.S. President Joe Biden during a multilateral forum hosted by Biden on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome, last week. Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



Samsung Electronics and the U.S. government are looking to compromise on the latter's demand for the tech giant to hand over classified "semiconductor data" ahead of a Nov. 8 deadline.



On Friday, government and Samsung sources said the company backed by the National Intelligence Service, and finance and trade ministries, was holding "last-minute" behind-the-scenes discussions with U.S. commerce department officials. However, they added all parties involved have reached a broad consensus that Samsung will provide "second-tier" data regarding its semiconductor business.



"Talks are still underway, but the U.S. commerce department has stepped back from its earlier demand for Samsung and others to submit all first-tier semiconductor business data. Samsung will hand over data to the department by Nov. 8, but this will not include highly-classified information such as the names of clients, inventory levels and order volumes," a high-ranking government official said.



"Instead of submitting data, which would raise concerns about confidentiality, chipmakers asked the U.S. commerce department to step back from its tough demand to allow them to share second-level data including specific sales breakdowns based on different segments. Such a request was said to have been accepted by the department. An official announcement will be made after Nov. 8," a senior industry official said, separately.



The sources said Samsung and SK hynix told senior U.S. government officials that they will provide the maximum level of assistance to resolve supply chain issues. Samsung, one of the top foreign direct investors (FDIs) in the United States, is reviewing the possibility of manufacturing automotive semiconductors "for a while" at its Austin, Texas, plant.



To make its technology supply chains resilient and controllable after prolonged semiconductor shortages revealed the necessity of predictability to ensure parts were available based on reasonable lead times, and to maintain a high-level of utilization, the commerce department told all major chipmakers with factories in the U.S. to supply data on their operations.



Earlier, Korea's trade and finance ministries officially expressed concern over the scope of the U.S. demand for chipmakers to reveal inventory levels, supply times, order volumes and procurement practices.




A steam rises from cooling towers at a power plant in Beijing, Nov. 4. EPA-Yonhap



Indonesia, Poland, Vietnam and other nations pledged on Thursday to phase out use of coal-fired power and stop building plants, but their deal at the COP26 climate summit failed to win support from China, India and other top coal consumers.



Britain has said one of its main aims for the United Nations summit is "consigning coal power to history". The deal saw 23 nations making new commitments, a move the president of the COP26 summit, Alok Sharma, said put the end of coal "in sight".



"Today I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight," Sharma told the Glasgow meeting.



Sharma told a news conference it had been a personal priority as COP26 president to consign coal to history and "I think you can say with confidence that coal is no longer king".



Still, some of the biggest coal-dependent nations were notable in their absence from the pledge to consign the most polluting fossil fuel to history.



China was responsible for about 54.3 percent of global coal consumption in 2020, while India used 11.6 percent, according to BP's 2021 world energy statistical review. The United States, which also did not join the pledge, consumed 6.1 percent, the review showed.



Greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal are the single biggest contributor to climate change, and weaning the world off coal is considered vital to achieving global climate targets.



Signatories of the COP26 agreement agreed to phase out coal-fueled power generation in the 2030s in richer countries, and the 2040s for poorer nations. A majority also committed to shun investment in new coal plants at home and abroad.





Flames rise out of fissures in the ground above coal mines in the village of Liloripathra near Dhanbad, an eastern Indian city in Jharkhand state, Sept. 24. AP-Yonhap



The line-up and pledges of countries kept changing right up until the deal was announced. The absence of China, India and Australia threw a shadow over the attempt to win global backing.



A U.S. official said President Joe Biden's plan to decarbonize the power grid by 2035 will lessen coal dependency, as will legislation on infrastructure and social spending that Congress is haggling over.



"I think we're going to soon have a set of bills which will have $800 billion in clean energy and climate programs that are really going to drive transformation in the United States, and that is what we are focused on," a senior U.S. Department of Energy official told reporters.



U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from the coal-producing state of West Virginia and the founder and partial owner of a coal brokerage, has opposed some climate measures in the legislation.





A coal-powered power station belches smoke in Datong, China's northern Shanxi province, Nov. 4. AFP-Yonhap
Workers install four-meter-high fence on Belarusian border in Druskininkai, Lithuania, Nov. 4. Reuters-Yonhap



Lithuania has built the first stretches of a steel wall on its border with Belarus since migrants from the Middle East and other areas began entering from Belarus this year.



The European Union accuses Belarus of deliberately encouraging the migrants to enter EU states Poland, Lithuania and Latvia via Belarusian territory as a way of putting pressure on the bloc.



Belarus has repeatedly denied this but its president, Alexander Lukashenko, has said his country would no longer stop the migrants since EU sanctions drain resources.





Workers install a four-meter-high fence on the Belarusian border in Druskininkai, Lithuania, Nov. 4. Reuters-Yonhap
Closed for business: A need for accountability in the UK open records office


Budget Coordinator Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Corporate Functions Summary

Posted: Oct 15, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200300198 The people here at Apple don't just build products - we craft the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that supports the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, and help us leave the world better than we found it! Apple's Global Business Solutions (GBS) organization supports tens of thousands of Apple employees, customers and vendors on just about every topic under the sun. We partner with Apple's business and finance teams and develop innovative solutions to challenging problems. The GBS team is looking for a Budget Coordinator in Purchase to Pay who will provide support to the Advertising and Marcom business teams. This position will be located at our offices in Santa Clara Valley. Key Qualifications 2+ years experience, or equivalent work experience and a bachelors' degree in Finance or Accounting

Technical aptitude with database management and analysis

Proficient with Financial databases such as SAP and FileMaker

Other financial systems & tools experience a plus: eApproval, Tableau, GRID

Intermediate to advanced experience with Microsoft Excel

Extensive experience working with Purchase Orders, Invoices, Budgets, and vendors

Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to a global, fast-paced environment

Problem solve and effectively prioritize workload

Built effective business partnerships and work with cross functional teams across multiple business functions

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Detail oriented and exceptional organization skills

Able to exercise good judgment and discretion within Apple's policies Description In this role, the Budget Coordinator will manage the Purchase to Pay (P2P) process for the Advertising & Marcom Finance team. You will assist other team members in getting the job done. Your responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Create and track purchase requisitions, ensure proper purchase order management, including timely payment of vendor invoices and expense recognition Work closely with Business teams & FP&A on budget forecast and tracking Support Finance team through maintenance of data in Marcom and Advertising databases Coordinate all invoice processing, approval and payment workflows ensuring adherence to Accounting & Finance policies Provide support and training to Advertising & Marcom on the Purchase to Pay process and general procurement topics Support management, business partners and Finance team through various financial and reporting activities Perform other duties and special projects as needed Education & Experience BS/BA in Accounting, Finance or related field Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We also take affirmative action to offer employment and advancement opportunities to all applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants.




Description

Must live in Tucson, Vail, Marana, Sierra Vista, Benson, ogales, Rio Rico, Oro Valley, Flagstaff, Prescott, Scottsdale and surrounding areas $5,000 Sign-On Bonus for new candidates that have an active P&C or active Life license or Unlicensed with 2+ years sales experience! *To qualify for the Sign-On Bonus, Applicants must be new (not applied in the past 6 months) and apply from 08/09/21 to 12/31/21 and started by 2/1/2022 to qualify. Bonus will be scheduled on day 30 for next period pay out date. There is a 1-year payback clause if your employment is terminated prior to your first year anniversary. Do you want to join a Fortune 100 company where youll be rewarded for developing new clients, discovering new markets, and providing customers with the products they need? As a Liberty Mutual field sales representative, youll enjoy a diverse, supportive environment, along with a competitive compensation program, including base salary, uncapped commissions and a bonus structure, and comprehensive benefits. In this full-time role, youll also stay ahead of the curve with industry-leading, paid sales training and mentorships with successful colleagues. First year earnings average is between $70K to $85K  through a combination of base salary, uncapped new business and renewal commissions, and bonus structure. Responsibilities: Selling Auto, Home, Life and other insurance and annuity products to individuals within an assigned territory using consultative sales techniques

Identifying prospective customers using established lead methodologies for new business

Counseling and advising prospects and policyholders on matters of insurance coverage that is tailored to their specific situational need

Developing and maintaining business relationships

Making presentations to decision-makers of corporations to establish or maintain an Affinity relationship

Participating in various incentive programs and contests designed to drive sales and exceed production goals

Exceeding sales goals for volume of quality new business quoted and written within company guidelines Competitive go-getter: Ready to earn uncapped commissions and bonuses? Youll have your chance while engaging in friendly (and rewarding!) competitions with your sales team and the opportunity to win recognition awards People person: Using your interpersonal skills and market insight, youll identify and cultivate prospective clients, and tailor products and services to meet the needs of existing customers Relationship builder: Youll play the long game, building strong relationships within local community and organizations, and maintaining open lines of communication for future sales opportunities We encourage you to RSVP and bring your expertise if you have experience as a business owner, generating new business, referral partnerships and client opportunities, are an active insurance sales professional, and/or have a background in network marketing, and outside sales! Experience Previous employment in sales where you have successfully turned prospects into customers

A state insurance licenseor willingness to earn one with Liberty Mutuals training and supportin Property & Casualty, Life, and Accident & Health Skills Effective written, oral communication and presentation skills

Well-developed persuasion and negotiation skills

Great interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build rapport with prospective and existing customers

Effective time management and organizational skills Knowledge Ability to learn insurance coverage and underwriting guidelines

Familiarity with finding, building and growing leads and customer base At Liberty Mutual, our purpose is to help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. Thats why we provide an environment focused on openness, inclusion, trust and respect. Here, youll discover our expansive range of roles, and a workplace where we aim to help turn your passion into a rewarding profession. We value your hard work, integrity and commitment to make things better, and we put people first by offering you benefits that support your life and well-being. To learn more, please visit https://www.libertymutualgroup.com/about-lm/careers/benefits Liberty Mutual has proudly been recognized as a Great Place to Work by Great Place to Work US for the past several years. We were also selected as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT on IDGs Insider Pro and Computerworlds 2020 list.



We have been named by Forbes as one of Americas Best Employers for Women and one of Americas Best Employers for New Graduatesas well as one of Americas Best Employers for Diversity. To learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion please visit: https://jobs.libertymutualgroup.com/diversity-inclusion Liberty Mutual is an equal opportunity employer. We will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, veterans status, pregnancy, genetic information or on any basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.



Requirements

See job description.




You are a strategic, innovative Facilities Director ready to help clients optimize their business!

Our Director, Quality of Life Services will support the Sodexo operational and client teams at a large global Healthcare organization in Cambridge, MA. This person will focus on optimizing the workplace service experience for our customers onsite. The role will serve as a liaison, supporting the clients service partnership in the implementation and oversight of onsite programs and services, including meeting and conference services, customer engagement, program development, service improvement and standardization, and project management (including special projects related to business development, new programs, client requests, upgrades, etc.)

The Director will serve as the primary client engagement lead/liaison. The role is responsible for ensuring a positive relationships with leadership and stakeholders and customers onsite, developing and implementing standards and strategies to deliver high quality service experiences for onsite occupants, customer, and stakeholders.

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:

Develop and implement successful strategies and tactics to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency of our onsite services

Build strong, effective relationships with both our external partners and internal stakeholders

Promote the business through communication channels: stakeholder outreach, networking, listening sessions, etc

Serve as primary escalation point to resolve client satisfaction complaints, as well as complaints from customer groups and stakeholders

Manage oversight of the Meetings & Conference (The Exchange) service line (including all sites: MA, NJ, and offsite/virtual planning services)

Management of site ambassadors during the new site opening

Project Management related to the development and implementation of programs and services to support the new site

Facilitate training and development of front-of-house personnel to deliver positive customer experiences

Is this opportunity right for you? We are looking for candidates who have:

A Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Minimum 5 years of experience in Business or Hospitality field with a strong client focus

Excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional demeanor

Ability to demonstrate executive presence, and comfortable interfacing C-Suite and Senior Leaders

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.

Sodexo is committed to providing working conditions and client services that are safe and healthy and will follow all applicable COVID-19 prevention measures, including state/local or client-mandated mask, testing and/or vaccine requirements.

You will be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to work at this location.
Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 42F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
This week, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) got underway in Glasgow, turning the worlds attention to the global climate crisis and the solutions needed to address this. But many solutions already exist in Africa.

Whilst we are delighted that nearly 500 global financial firms have agreed to align $130 trillion  40% of the worlds financial assets  to climate change and to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, now, more than ever, funding needs to be mobilised to scale innovations so they can have maximum impact. For this reason, the GIIG Africa Fund is seeking $100m in capital commitments to invest in tech and innovation in Africa over the next three years, says GIIG Founding Partner, Mahyar Makhzani, a company set up to find, fund and grow Sustainable Development Goal-aligned tech innovation startups across Africa.

As the exclusive rights holder of the Global Startup Awards (GSA) Africa, GIIG has an active pipeline of sustainable businesses throughout the African continent addressing the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals and megatrends of the 2020s.

Additionally, the private sector needs to recognise the role that vehicles like the Global Startup Awards Africa play in the finding and growing of startups to provide an always-on sustainable pipeline of talent, adds Makhzani.

Caitlin Nash, Founding Partner of GIIG shares that the ability to pioneer affordable and sustainable solutions more cheaply, more flexibly and more inclusively is exactly what the world needs right now to tackle the huge problems of energy transition and climate change. And this is what we have in Africa.

This is the first year that all 55 African nations have participated in the GSA competition. The 2021 competition has now closed for entries, with 7,589 startups entering from 54 of the 55 African countries.

Jo Griffiths, GIIG Founding Partner, shares that these startups are well-positioned to respond to the climate crisis. As Sir David Attenborough said, we need to rewrite our story, to turn this tragedy into a triumphA new industrial revolution, powered by millions of sustainable innovations, is essential, and is indeed already beginning. We will all share in the benefits. Affordable, clean energy, healthy air and enough food to sustain us all. However, funding is needed to nurture and grow these innovations and forge the revolution ahead.

In analysing the data gleaned from the GSA Africa entries, 61% are at Seed level, a further 17% at Series A and 4% at Series B. In many cases, these startups are looking for minimal investment, but their combined contribution to the climate effort will make a significant difference, notes GIIG Founding Partner, Philip Baldwin. Our competition entrants have proven that there are solutions available which could make an immeasurable difference to the lives of Africans and those beyond, but without private and public sector commitment and funding, it simply will not work. Whats more, its a bankable investment, with past GSA competition winners including five unicorns.

GSA Africa is currently undergoing a jury process to identify regional finalists, following which the continental winners will be announced in February 2022. All continental winners (along with some runners-up) will be offered funding and have the opportunity to increase their access to networks, new markets and supply chains via GIIGs global partners.

Baldwin concludes by saying, Its now or never. Working together we are powerful enough to save our planet!

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn
What is different this year is the state received $7.3 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan. According to the office of Treasurer Stacy Garrity, $1 billion was used in the current years state budget and about $3.7 billion is in the General Fund but not specifically appropriated.
He doesnt know that many tell us that they wanted to work but they wanted to get paid cash because they were collecting. Others just worked for one week to get some money and then disappear. Also, the governor doesnt know that we are paying high salaries to workers who come to work when they want and they dont know how to do the job but we cant say anything or they will get offended and leave, etc.
National

Farmers confine ex-Haryana minister, BJP leaders inside temple in Rohtak

CHANDIGARH, NOV 5 (PTI) | Publish Date: 11/5/2021 1:39:38 PM IST

Some BJP leaders, including former Haryana minister Manish Grover, were held up inside a temple complex in Rohtak districts Kiloi for hours on Friday as several villagers and farmers staged a protest outside.

According to a police official, the incident occurred when Grover along with the local BJP leaders reached the temple complex as part of their plan to watch from there the live telecast of PM Modi unveiling a statue of Adi Shankaracharya at the seers rebuilt samadhi in Kedarnath. The demonstrators allowed the leaders to leave the temple complex only in the evening after the district administration and police officials pacified them. The protest has ended and the BJP leaders have left the temple complex, Rohtaks Deputy Superintendent of Police Sajjan Singh said.

Earlier in the day, when the villagers and farmers came to know that the BJP leaders were at the temple complex, they cordoned the site preventing the BJP leaders from coming out. Some reports had claimed that the protesters were demanding that Grover should apologise to the farmers over some issue. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sajjan Singh said the opposition of demonstrators was to the presence of BJP leaders in Kiloi. Senior officials of the district administration and police of Rohtak and some from neighbouring districts were at the site throughout the day to prevent escalation of the situation.

Farmers protesting the Centres three farm laws enacted last year have been opposing programmes of leaders of Haryanas ruling BJP and Jannayak Janta Party. They claim that these laws will leave them at the mercy of corporates. They are also demanding a new law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. The Centre, which has held 11 rounds of talks with farmers to break the deadlock, has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 02:06:18|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A woman wearing a face mask is seen in a shoe store in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Nov. 4, 2021. Slovenia recorded 4,511 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, up from 3,456 cases a day earlier, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) said on Thursday. This was the highest single-day count in the country for the second day in a row. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

LJUBLJANA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia recorded 4,511 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, up from 3,456 cases a day earlier, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) said on Thursday.

This was the highest single-day count in the country for the second day in a row.

The institute said that 44.4 percent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests came back positive, down from 44.8 percent a day earlier. Nine people died from COVID-19, taking the cumulative death toll in the country of some 2.1 million citizens to 5,111.

The government is expected to discuss further measures against the spread of coronavirus on Friday.

Currently, only those who have been fully vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from the virus are allowed to enter most public institutions. In the past few days, several hospitals cut their non-urgent programs to enable them to serve COVID-19 patients, whose number increased by 65 to 735 on Wednesday.

To date, 53.2 percent of Slovenia's population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 09:53:10|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- After its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China has been playing a constructive role over the years, Sean Doherty, head of International Trade and Investment at the World Economic Forum (WEF), told Xinhua.

On Dec. 11, 2001, China officially joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and became its 143rd member.

Doherty, also a member of the executive committee at the WEF, said in a recent interview that over the last two decades, China has clearly become a major player in global trade, particularly for goods, and contributed significantly to global growth.

According to him, China's accession to the WTO helps promote domestic reform, accelerate the pace of China's opening up and enhance its competitiveness.

In China's case, the WTO membership was valuable in giving confidence for investors to invest, Doherty said, adding that this has also helped technology diffusion, the raising of product quality, and environmental controls.

Doherty said that China has complied with rulings of WTO's dispute settlement mechanism, and it recently has shown leadership on topics like investment facilitation.

"China is working hard to have a balanced trade, importing as well as exporting," Doherty said, taking the ongoing fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) as a good example.

CIIE has become a very well known and well attended expo, which offers an excellent opportunity for those outside China to learn more about the possibilities of business within China and develop stronger relationships with Chinese enterprises, he said.

Doherty said that China, as both a large consumer and producer, will play a critical role in the WTO on environmental protection and social development issues in the future.

Facing the challenge of anti-globalization, he believes that WTO members need to reach consensuses through the WTO and implement them. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 11:28:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2021 shows a flock of migratory birds flying over Momoge Wetland in Zhenlai County, Baicheng City, northeast China's Jilin Province. As the temperature gradually decreases, migratory birds in Momoge National Nature Reserve are moving south. In recent years, Baicheng City has implemented ecological projects such as connecting rivers and lakes and the ecological environment has been improving, attracting hundreds of thousands of migratory birds including white cranes, wild geese and wild ducks. The birds fly to Momoge Wetland in spring when it's getting warm and fly to the south in autumn when it's getting cold. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)
Photo taken on Nov. 4, 2021 shows villagers pick chrysanthemum at the Xuande chrysanthemum base in Fushan Township, Qingtian County, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

In early November, visitors to the hills of Fushan Township, Qingtian County, east China's Zhejiang Province, will be greeted with a sea of yellow flowers as chrysanthemums come into full bloom for harvest season.

In recent years, Fushan Township has planted 1,200 acres of chrysanthemums using basins and terraces as planting methods, with an annual output worth of more than 30 million yuan, which creates jobs for more than 100 villagers.

Villagers not only benefit from employment on their doorstep, but can also receive a dividend from rented land. Annual payment for villagers labor expenses exceeds 2 million yuan.

The bright chrysanthemum fields have become a hit with tourists, characterizing the integrated development of agriculture and tourism in the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 14:24:13|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Visitors buy African merchandise during the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Over the last two decades, China has clearly become a major player in global trade, particularly for goods, and contributed significantly to global growth, says WEF official.

GENEVA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- After its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China has been playing a constructive role over the years, Sean Doherty, head of International Trade and Investment at the World Economic Forum (WEF), told Xinhua.

On Dec. 11, 2001, China officially joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and became its 143rd member.

Doherty, also a member of the executive committee at the WEF, said in a recent interview that over the last two decades, China has clearly become a major player in global trade, particularly for goods, and contributed significantly to global growth.

According to him, China's accession to the WTO helps promote domestic reform, accelerate the pace of China's opening up and enhance its competitiveness.

In China's case, the WTO membership was valuable in giving confidence for investors to invest, Doherty said, adding that this has also helped technology diffusion, the raising of product quality, and environmental controls.

Photo taken on Oct. 22, 2021 shows decorative installations near the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), a main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Doherty said that China has complied with rulings of WTO's dispute settlement mechanism, and it recently has shown leadership on topics like investment facilitation.

"China is working hard to have a balanced trade, importing as well as exporting," Doherty said, taking the ongoing fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) as a good example.

CIIE has become a very well-known and well-attended expo, which offers an excellent opportunity for those outside China to learn more about the possibilities of business within China and develop stronger relationships with Chinese enterprises, he said.

Doherty said that China, as both a large consumer and producer, will play a critical role in the WTO on environmental protection and social development issues in the future.

Facing the challenge of anti-globalization, he believes that WTO members need to reach consensuses through the WTO and implement them. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 16:39:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2021 shows a view of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo by Suo Xianglu/Xinhua)

China "steps on a boom in the middle of it instead of waiting for the big bust," said billionaire Charlie Munger, the vice chairman of the U.S. multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway. "Of course, I admire that. In that one respect, they are wiser than we are."

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China is smarter than the United States as China began to cope with its economic booms earlier than the latter did in the same situation, billionaire Charlie Munger, the vice chairman of the U.S. multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, has said.

Munger told CNN in an interview that China "steps on a boom in the middle of it instead of waiting for the big bust," the CNN website reported on Wednesday. "Of course, I admire that. In that one respect, they are wiser than we are."

"Considering the problems China had I would argue their system has worked better for them than ours is for us," he said.

Poverty relief assistants Liu Ying (1st L) and He Changle (2nd L), and village officials help carry melons planted by villagers in Dongqin Village, Congjiang County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Nov. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

"I don't think we should assume that every other nation in the world, no matter what the problems are, should have our type of government," Munger said. "I think that's pompous and self-centered. Ours is right for us but maybe theirs is right for them."

Munger also spoke highly of the rapid growth in China that has lifted millions of people out of poverty.

"It is one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of the human race, what the Chinese have accomplished in the last 30 years," Munger said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 17:45:17|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 3, 2021 shows a container dock of Yangshan Port in east China's Shanghai. The 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is scheduled for Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

As the world's second largest importer for 12 consecutive years and a major export destination for many countries and regions, China has been adding impetus to the global economy and providing opportunities for global development.

From 2018 to 2020, the total intended transaction volume of the previous three editions of the CIIE was about 201.6 billion U.S. dollars, making a positive contribution to international trade.

SHANGHAI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Against the grim international background featuring a still raging pandemic, uneven economic recovery, energy shortage and supply chain obstacles, the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) got going in Shanghai as planned, further opening up China's huge domestic market.

As the world's second largest importer for 12 consecutive years and a major export destination for many countries and regions, China has been adding impetus to the global economy and providing opportunities for global development.

From 2018 to 2020, the total intended transaction volume of the previous three editions of the CIIE was about 201.6 billion U.S. dollars, making a positive contribution to international trade.

Journalists work outside the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

From January to September this year, China's imports reached nearly 2 trillion dollars, up 32.6 percent year on year and hitting a record high. According to the latest data from the World Trade Organization (WTO), China's imports in the first half of this year contributed to 15 percent of the global import growth.

At the fourth CIIE, scientific measures of pandemic prevention, meticulous exhibition plans, expanding customer groups and attentive business support services are highly appreciated by foreign exhibitors on the site.

The exhibitors also brought products specially tailored to the needs of Chinese customers. Slogans like "In China, For China, Co-create with China" and "50 years helping China thrive" are commonly seen on the booths or pavilions, a striking demonstration of high confidence in and a deep-rooted bond with the Chinese market.

The logic behind China's drive for opening up and sharing development opportunities is simple -- win-win, and noble -- to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

China will unswervingly uphold true multilateralism, share market opportunities with the world, advance high-level opening-up and safeguard the common interests of all countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said while addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth CIIE via video on Thursday night.

Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2021 shows a view of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo by Suo Xianglu/Xinhua)

China has been consistent in fulfilling its commitments.

Over the past 40-plus years of reform and opening-up, China has steadily advanced opening-up and provided considerate support to foreign companies investing in the country for mutual benefits.

Twenty years after joining the WTO, China has honored its commitments with concrete actions, significantly lowering its overall tariff level to 2.4 percentage points below the 9.8 percent it promised at WTO entry, contributing nearly 30 percent on average to world economic growth, and now nourishing the world economy with the largest middle-income population in the world.

Promoting the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and facilitating the world's largest trade deal Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, China has been making unremitting efforts to provide more public goods, boost economic growth of developing countries and promote regional economic cooperation.

The International Monetary Fund has projected that China's economy is expected to grow at 8.0 percent this year.

Striving to be an increasingly mature contributor to global development, China, as Xi put it, will remain resolute in making economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 22:58:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with national ethical role models and nomination awards winners at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 5, 2021. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with national ethical role models and nomination awards winners in Beijing.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed his greetings and congratulations.

He spoke with them and participated in a group photo.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech at a symposium with the role models.

Wang stressed that Xi's deliberations on promoting ethical progress must be implemented through the whole process and in all aspects, saying that full play should be given to the exemplary role played by ethical role models.

Wang also stressed attaching importance to raising the intellectual and moral standards of the youth.

A total of 68 candidates were honored as national ethical role models, and 254 received nomination awards. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-06 00:42:40|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

-- Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country's economic size has grown from the 6th to the second-largest in the world. Its trade in goods grew from the 6th to the first, and trade in services from the 11th to the second place worldwide.

-- The latest moves to expand opening-up came at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) that started on Thursday. At the expo, the country announced that it would set up more demonstration zones for the creative promotion of import trade.

-- Over the years, China has unveiled multiple measures to lower market access thresholds to share market opportunities with the rest of the world.

SHANGHAI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China has emerged as a significant player, advancing economic globalization with openness as a hallmark and shared prosperity as a vision of the world's second-largest economy.

Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country's economic size has grown from the 6th to the second-largest in the world. Its trade in goods grew from the 6th to the first, and trade in services from the 11th to the second place worldwide.

It has led developing countries in utilized foreign investment, while outbound direct investment has risen from the 26th to the first position.

The changes mirrored China's consistent efforts in embracing the global economy by facilitating global trade and investment and upholding multilateralism.

DEEPER INTEGRATION

The latest moves to expand opening-up came at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) that started on Thursday. At the expo, the country announced that it would set up more demonstration zones for the creative promotion of import trade. It will also promote Silk Road e-commerce.

China has previously designated several cities for developing international consumption centers, and it vowed at the CIIE that the building of such centers would accelerate. It would also establish a modern logistics system and boost its cross-border logistics capabilities to share the opening-up fruits with the world.

The opening-up determination has remained steadfast over time. Earlier in September, China announced new measures to open up its services sector. The measures include implementing a negative list for cross-border services trade and exploring the development of national demonstration zones for the innovative development of trade in services, among others.

Aerial photo taken on April 19, 2017 shows the pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

Since 2013, China has built 21 pilot free trade zones, representing the new high ground for opening-up. Recent years have also seen opening-up measures, including enacting the foreign investment law, implementing pre-establishment national treatment, and shortening the negative list for foreign businesses.

The country has always supported multilateral and regional mechanisms to play a bigger role and developing countries to gain more representation.

Last month, China officially applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and vowed more efforts to expand market access than its practices in any existing trade pact.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022, is the world's largest free trade agreement, covering about 30 percent of the world's population.

China, a member of the RCEP, has stated its readiness to further boost economic integration and recovery in the region through mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN on many occasions.

The signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is held via video conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, Nov. 15, 2020. (VNA via Xinhua)

The enactment of the agreement is significant for further promoting intra-regional free trade, stabilizing industrial and supply chains, and promoting China's high-level opening-up, said China's Ministry of Commerce.

George Ye, vice president and general manager of Edwards Lifesciences Greater China, said China has made vital contributions to the world economy since its accession to the WTO.

The company is honored to witness China living up to its commitments when joining the WTO, continuing to open up to the outside world, accelerating the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and improving its business environment, said Ye.

SHARED OPPORTUNITIES

As an old Chinese saying goes, "A single flower does not make spring." China's opening-up endeavors never lead to development behind closed doors, but mutual benefits enjoyed by all.

Over the years, China has unveiled multiple measures to lower market access thresholds to share market opportunities with the rest of the world.

It fulfilled its pledge of lowering the import tariff for goods to 9.8 percent from 15.3 percent when it joined the WTO 20 years ago. At present, its overall import tax stands at 7.4 percent, lower than the average level of developing members of the WTO, and is approaching the level of developed members of the organization.

Non-tariff barriers for international trade have also been significantly reduced, with non-tariff measures covering 424 tariff categories scrapped by January 2005.

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 11, 2021 shows a view of the Pacific international container terminal at Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Just as China benefited from increased exports, its trading partners similarly benefited from China's increased purchasing power and rising imports, said Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan.

The country has also endeavored to provide public goods to facilitate global and regional economic and social development.

The CIIE, the world's first import-themed national-level expo, is one of such platforms for international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchanges, and open cooperation.

The ongoing fourth edition of the expo has drawn nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions. Over 80 percent of the world's top 500 companies and industry leaders who participated in the previous expos are here this year. The total exhibition area for businesses has expanded to 366,000 square meters.

Enjoying a larger venue, a record number of U.S. companies are attending this year's event. It is also seeing the participation of 90 companies from 33 least developed countries.

Visitors talk with each other at the Caterpillar booth during the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Liang)

In the past 20 years, China has become the largest trading partner of most developing countries. Significantly, the country absorbs 20 percent of the least developed countries' exports, thanks to its duty-free and quota-free market-accessing initiative in favor of these countries, said Grynspan.

Eyeing more business opportunities from the world's largest market, participants from all over the world have hailed the CIIE as a platform for sharing China's development dividends.

Jose Vinals, chairman of Standard Chartered Group, said the expo is exciting and provides a powerful platform for exporters, suppliers, and service providers globally to connect with the opportunities in China.

When commenting on China's transformation in the past two decades, Fabrice Megarbane, President of L'Oreal North Asia Zone and Chief Executive Officer of L'Oreal China, said the country is committed to making the market more stable, transparent, predictable, and fair.

"It has also injected prosperity and stability into the whole world - from streamlining administration and delegating power, to reducing taxes and fees, international exchange to local innovation," said Megarbane.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), another global public good, has grown into the world's largest international cooperation platform over the past eight years, with over 200 cooperation agreements inked between China and over 170 countries and international organizations.

Through the BRI, China, in combination with different countries' competitive advantages, offered investments to accelerate economic development, and promote social welfare, said Sergei Glazyev, member of the board (minister) of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

China is leading the world's socio-economic development, and its proposal of building a community with a shared future for humanity inspires many Eurasian countries, Glazyev said.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said China has successfully positioned itself at the core of many global value chains. These production and trade networks have not only provided a lifeline for many countries during the pandemic, but also increased the quantity, quality, and variety of goods available worldwide.

Looking back over the past two decades, China's WTO accession is nothing less than the completion of the largest trading bridge between China and the West since Marco Polo's expedition in the 13th century, Okonjo-Iweala said.

"The WTO would not be the World Trade Organization without China," she said when addressing a high-level session held Friday on the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO via video.

(Video reporters: Yang Yi, Yang Shilong, Hu Yousong, Tan Yixiao, Wang Huan, Jiang Chao, Ali Jaswal, Tariq Hameed; Video editor: Yang Zhixiang, Yin Le) 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 10:28:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday called for the support for the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya.

"The Mission, on behalf of the UN, calls on the member states to support the JMC (Joint Military Committee) and Libyan authorities, as well as the neighboring countries in implementing the departure of all mercenaries and foreign fighters in a manner that ensures the stability of Libya and all neighboring countries," the UN mission said in a statement on the recent JMC meeting in Egypt's Cairo.

"The United Nations applauds the patriotism and commitment of the JMC working as one, encourages the JMC to seize this opportunity to further the full implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement, assisted by the UN through the deployment of the first group of UN ceasefire monitors, which took place on 21 October," the statement said.

According to the UNSMIL, the JMC concluded Monday a three-day meeting in Cairo, where they agreed with representatives of Chad, Niger, and Sudan on establishing an effective communication and coordination mechanism to support the departure of mercenaries, foreign fighters, and foreign forces from Libya as a gradual, balanced, synchronized, and sequenced process.

Jan Kubis, special envoy of the UN secretary-general and UNSMIL head, hailed the outcomes of the meeting as "an important achievement enabling to take practical steps for the departure," calling it a first step towards the full and timely implementation of Ceasefire Agreement reached on Oct. 23, 2020.

He said this withdrawal responds to the demand of the Libyan people and further creates a positive momentum for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections on Dec. 24. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 13:45:39|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Navy on Thursday announced 81 illegal migrants have been rescued off the country's western coast.

The migrants, who are of different African nationalities, were taken to the Tripoli naval base after being rescued and handed over to the anti-illegal immigration department, the Libyan Navy said in a statement.

The anti-illegal immigration department will follow up the procedures for their safe departure back to their countries of origin, the statement said.

Many illegal migrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya, given the state of chaos and insecurity that has plagued the country since 2011.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 28,000 illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya so far this year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 21:44:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ABUJA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Six people abducted earlier this week by unidentified gunmen who attacked the University of Abuja in Nigeria's capital have regained their freedom early Friday, the university authorities and police said.

The kidnap victims, including four staff and two children of one of the staff, were taken away after a group of gunmen attacked the staff quarters of the university on the outskirts of Abuja in the early hours of Tuesday.

In a terse statement, local police in Abuja said the victims were rescued on Friday through a joint operation with other security agencies.

The university's vice-chancellor Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah also confirmed in a separate statement to Xinhua that the victims were about to "get immediate medical attention to ensure they are sound and strong" before being reunited with their respective families.

There have been a series of gunmen attacks in Nigeria in recent months, leading to deaths and kidnappings. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 22:30:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JUBA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations relief agency said on Friday it is seeking additional funding to ramp up humanitarian response in South Sudan where flooding continues to impact people across the country.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said the UN relief agency has allocated 20 million U.S. dollars from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund, with part of the allocation supporting flood response efforts, complementing bilateral funding sources.

"Some 760,000 people have been affected by flooding in areas along the Nile and Lol rivers and Sudd marshlands since May," the UNOCHA said in its latest Update on floods.

It said humanitarian organizations are responding to the immediate needs of flood-affected people with emergency response relief and community-based support.

According to the UN agency, some 294,000 people were reached with food assistance in September and October while some 174,000 people have been reached with shelter and non-food items support as of Oct. 31.

The UNOCHA said between May and Oct. 31, some 2,355 metric tons of assorted humanitarian cargo was transported by air, road and river.

"However, additional funding is urgently needed. Insecurity and access constraints also continue to hamper the overall flood response," it said.

The UN agency said close to 800,000 people have been affected to date by rising waters across the country since May. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 22:33:40|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

KINSHASA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) had killed six members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group, during offensives in the country's northeastern Beni area since Friday morning, a military source said.

Captain Anthony Mualushayi, military spokesman for Operations Sokola 1 Grand-Nord, made the announcement to the press, saying that the armed forces recovered three AK-47 fire arms and a RPG-7 support weapon in its offensives in the northeastern North Kivu province.

"The FARDC has been on offensive against terrorists since 5 a.m. in the region between the Mahiya and Taliha rivers. Provisional assessment shows that the army has already killed six terrorists," he said.

Since the beginning of this year, members of the ADF, originated in Uganda, have increased their attacks in North Kivu and Ituri. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-06 00:59:58|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ABUJA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 villagers were killed on Friday in separate attacks by gunmen on two villages in Nigeria's northwestern state of Kaduna, said the state government.

In an official statement, the government of Kaduna said an unknown number of people were injured and houses were also razed in the two locations by the gunmen who attacked the Yagbak and Ungwan Ruhugo villages in the Zango-Kataf local government area of the state early Friday.

The state government said it was informed of the incident by military and police authorities, calling for calm among the citizens.

The gunmen, suspected to be bandits, in their numbers rode on motorcycles into the villages and began to shoot at residents while also torching the houses, said a witness.

The state government said it has ordered an investigation into the attacks and the provision of relief items to victims.

There have been a series of gunmen attacks in Nigeria in recent months, leading to deaths and kidnappings in the northern part of the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 12:39:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a great example of how regional cooperation can deliver huge economic benefits while boosting world economic recovery amid the pandemic, New Zealand experts said.

Chris Lipscombe, international business strategist and the president of the New Zealand China Cross-border Electronic Commerce Foundation, welcomed the ratification of the RCEP agreement by China, New Zealand and other countries, noting it would boost the recovery of the Asia-Pacific and world economy amid COVID-19.

"The RCEP is a great example of how regional cooperation can deliver huge economic benefits. I'm very excited to see this agreement come into force," Lipscombe said.

RCEP, the world's largest free trade agreement, was signed between 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and its FTA partners of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the mega trade deal will enter into force on Jan. 1 next year.

"New Zealand's ratification of the RCEP earlier this week paves the way for our participation in what will be the world's largest free trade agreement," Lipscombe said.

"With China as a signatory, the RCEP will cover almost a third of the world's population, nearly a third of the world's GDP, and over half of New Zealand's total exports," said the president.

China, New Zealand's largest trading partner and export market, upgraded its free trade agreement with New Zealand in January this year.

According to the trade figures from Statistics NZ, from Jan. 1 to Oct. 20 this year, New Zealand exported 15.36 billion New Zealand dollars' worth of products to China, an increase of 26 percent from the 12.19 billion New Zealand dollars last year.

He Zhiyun, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said the RCEP would collectively take over half of New Zealand's exports while bringing huge benefits.

Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years.

Independent analysis by ImpactECON has shown that over a period of 20 years, New Zealand's annual GDP will be between 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent larger as a result of the agreement, amounting to an increase of between 1.5 billion Zealand dollars to 3.2 billion Zealand dollars.

Lipscombe said "Benefits of the RCEP are also derived from improved market access, reduced processing times for clearing customs and a dispute process."

"As the world looks forward to a post-COVID recovery, the RCEP offers a tremendous boost for our region. Speeding up the clearance of goods at the border, streamlining of trade, and the removal of red tape across the ASEAN region will help our existing exporters. More market access, especially for services and investment into China and other ASEAN member states, will create even more business opportunities," Lipscombe said.

He symbolized the signing of the agreement as "a new milestone in APEC regional economic integration."

"The signing of the agreement showed that all members are committed to reducing tariffs, opening markets, and reducing standard barriers. It sends a strong signal against unilateralism and protectionism, strongly supports free trade and the multilateral trading system, and contributes to the global economic growth against the epidemic. It will support the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and boost global economic confidence," he added.

Stephen Jacobi, executive director of the APEC Business Advisory Council, noted that both RCEP and the expansion of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will further accelerate the post COVID-19 economic recovery of the APEC region.

"We wish to see more countries ratifying the RCEP and expanding CPTPP, which China has expressed interest in and which are the building blocks for achieving a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region," said Jacobi.

Jacobi, also the executive director of the New Zealand International Business Forum, is very optimistic about the economic and trade cooperation between China and New Zealand and the economic recovery in the APEC region.

Talking about China's economic recovery, Jacobi saw broader opportunities for regional economic growth.

"China's economy is recovering strongly, and China continues to be an engine for growth in the region despite the ongoing effects of the pandemic. The continuing process of economic reform and opening-up should continue to boost China's economic prospects. Once the country can open again to visitors, we should see new opportunities develop for trade and investment," said Jacobi. (1 New Zealand dollar equals 0.72 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 19:30:11|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-five members of the Islamic State (IS) terror group surrendered to Taliban rulers in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, a Taliban provincial official said on Friday.

"Following efforts by local elders, a total of 55 members of Daesh (the IS) group gave up fighting and surrendered to the provincial department of General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in Nangarhar Friday," Mohammad Bashir from the provincial intelligence office told reporters.

The surrendered militants were active in Batil Kot, Achin and Spin Ghar districts of Nangarhar, a known IS militants' stronghold, according to the source.

The incident occurred amid military pressure mounted by Taliban security forces on militants in the country's eastern mountainous region.

The IS militants have not responded to the report so far. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 22:35:45|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

VALLETTA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Maltese Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Friday that the country will offer booster jabs to the entire population, including children aged over 12.

Addressing a press conference, Fearne said that given the steep increase in the number of daily cases, Malta had brought forward its plan by a week to vaccinate people working in schools, healthcare workers, carers and pharmacists.

Malta on Friday registered 40 new cases, the highest daily tally in six weeks, up from the eight cases registered a week ago.

On the booster rollout, Fearne said those over 60 will be offered the jab from Dec. 6 while those over 45 will be invited to take the top-up jab from the first week of January next year before the jab is rolled out to the rest of the population.

Fearne urged the public to remain vigilant. However, he stressed that the health authorities saw no need for more measures to be introduced.

The country currently has 298 active cases of COVID-19. There are nine people in hospital, three of whom were in intensive care. A total of 56,585 doses of the booster shoots have been administered so far. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-05 15:37:36|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A migrant caravan traveling on foot through southern Mexico to the U.S. border on Thursday overwhelmed the Mexican National Guard trying to contain its advance and resumed its march toward Mexico City.

The migrants and guard members clashed on the highway linking the towns of Pijijiapan and Tonala in Chiapas state, leaving at least two guard members injured and many people arrested, according to local media reports and images posted on social media.

After the altercation, the caravan, composed of some 4,000 migrants, mostly from Central America and Haiti, has departed from Pijijiapan on its trek north toward Tuxtla Gutierrez, capital of Chiapas.

Luis Rey Garcia Villagran, an activist with the Center for Human Dignification and one of the organizers of the caravan, told local press they were asking for sympathizers to provide buses, so exhausted migrants could continue their journey.

The caravan first departed on Oct. 23 from the city of Tapachula, which borders Guatemala, with the stated objective of reaching Mexico City to regularize migrants' immigration status before setting off again for the U.S. border.

The Central American region is seeing an unprecedented exodus this year. Between January and August, Mexico had reported the entry of more than 147,000 undocumented migrants, tripling the number in 2020, according to figures from the Mexican government. Enditem
Workers at Zhong Zhian Investments, a Chinese contractor hired by Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) to mine coal have reportedly gone on strike citing poor salaries.

The workers staged a sit-in starting yesterday and continued with the protest at Chaba mine offices demanding a salary increase. The Chinese company was contracted by Colliery to mine at its open cast pit two years ago following the unceremonious departure of Mota Engil.

The relationship between HCCL and the Portuguese conglomerate went sour after the former delayed settling its contractual obligations.

This saw the company engaging Zhong Zhian Investments as part of its efforts to turn around its fortunes after most of its equipment was grounded.

Under the agreement, the Chinese company is supposed to produce 100 000 tones of coal per month.

Sources told CITE that the workers were complaining over the low wages and demanding an increment citing a high cost of living.

A low income-earning urban family of six now requires approximately $41 235,93 to sustain its monetary needs per month, according to the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe. This translates to US$490 per month.

The workers staged a sit-in at Chaba yesterday complaining about low salaries. The high cost of living versus the salaries was no longer sustainable hence this action.

A worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were demanding the lowest-paid wage of US150 or ZWL44000. The lowest-paid worker is currently earning ZWL20000.

What we want is a standard living we are now wallowing in abject poverty. We demand decent salaries where we are saying the current earnings of ZWL20000 amount to a slave wage. We want the lowest worker to get US150 or ZWL44000. Its now hand to mouth as we are earning far below the Poverty Datum Line. We have since registered our grievances with our employer but their continued lack of action has caused us to protest.

It is understood that the company invited representatives from the National Employment Council (NEC) today to negotiate with the workers, however, details of the outcome of the meeting are still sketchy.

The development comes in the wake of similar unrest at another Chinese contractor working on Stage 7 and 8 expansion project at Hwange Thermal Power Station.

Workers at Sinohydro Corporation yesterday also downed tools accusing the company of going back on its pledge to pay them in United States dollars.

The industrial action by workers at both companies is seen as having the potential to affect the completion of the power project as well as affect the production of coal. Cite,org.zw
A 54-YEAR-OLD handyman from Norfolk, UK bought a house, using his savings, after money was mistakenly credited into his account and he was i...
In this video, His Excellency President @edmnangagwa gives feedback on the Developing Countries position regarding the use of coal. Zimbabwes main coal resource is mined in Hwange which is in Mat North where he is today. pic.twitter.com/kwKjNXDEc6


Retired Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Colonel Mutero Johane Masanganise whose Bushmead mansion was recently gutted by fire is appealing for financial support to refurbish his property.

The mansion that caught fire at around 2pm on October 12 was extensively damaged while properties worth millions of dollars were burnt to ashes.

A veld fire is alleged to have originated from a residential stand which is under construction next to Rtd Col Masanganise his home.

The Retired service chief said he has been receiving heart-warming support from the community and appealed for financial support for him to be able to reconstruct the mansion.

My community stood by me since tragedy struck. I was given clothes, a stove, pots, a fridge and all kinds of utensils and above all emotional support.

The people of Bushmead really showed me what love is and I am very grateful for that. I appeal to anyone who feels in their heart to help me and my family to rebuild our home to come forward, said Masanganise.





Masanganise added that efforts to stop the fire did not reap the desired results as it had destroyed property worth over ZW$9 million.

The neighbours called the Fire Department which arrived at the scene within half an hour but damage had already been done. I lost a lot because the value of the damaged structures is over ZW$9.7million, added Masanganise.

Sources however allege that contract workers who were working on the next house that is owned by an unnamed United Kingdom based person started the fire and failed to control it. TellZimNews
The New York-based drugmaker announced it would no longer be taking on new patients for a clinical trial of the antiviral treatment due to the overwhelming efficacy, and that it planned to submit its findings to the Food and Drug Administration as well as international health regulators as soon as possible.
He left me with the greatest gift of all, sweet baby Avalee. She will grow up hearing amazing stories of her Dad, and I have no doubt she will know how much he loved her. Kevin, I will love you forever and always, she continued. You will be so missed!
Victor Dempsey, the brother of Delrawn Small, who was fatally shot while unarmed by an off-duty officer in 2016, is also among the list of 160 advisors Bragg will call upon as he prepares for the role of New York Citys top prosecutor.
We knew it was in the works and it was a matter of time, Chan said. I was closely monitoring this for sure. Weve just held back on so many things being extra cautious. This is definitely extra protection. We feel so much better. Shes been in school and no one there has been vaccinated and with the delta variant weve been concerned about transmission. This is a huge relief for us.
As of Thursday, police had investigated 1,329 shootings across the five boroughs, a 1% increase over the 1,311 reported this time last year. Homicides in the city were down by 10 killings, from 414 to 404, cops said.
The war veteran was targeted because he was known to carry large sums of cash while strolling through the neighborhood, authorities said. The octogenarian victim was killed after walking into Mottas business, named Haircutters, and sources told the News that Seitz was apparently stabbed to death and then chopped into pieces by his killer.
A woman living nearby said she saw the helicopter take off and land twice  and the second time, she saw someone get out briefly.
We didnt know he was going to come back for that  with a gun, Modou said. He came through the car wash, looking for the guy that rejected him and started shooting.
No member of the New York City Police Department, regardless of any other status, may violate the rules of the department and engage in conduct unbecoming a police officer, Shea said in a statement. Regardless of ones position as a union leader, as long as they are still a police officer, they will be held to the laws, regulations, and standards of conduct required of all members of the service. Simply speaking: this behavior was unacceptable.
Thats the next level, he said on CNN. Those are being poured over by our office of employment discrimination and our attorneys. Theyre reviewing each case individually and then they will be pushed into the Yes, the accommodation stands (category), or its denied.
I simply cannot ignore the specter of the unholy alliance of the legal process that seems now to be intertwined in the stench of both state and county politics in this case; from the apparent political grandstanding by the attorney generals office to the judges decision, Mungeer said.
Police said the gunman, who is still being sought, got into an argument about 5:55 p.m. Thursday with a 22-year-old man at W. 225th St. and Broadway in Marble Hill, the Manhattan neighborhood separated from Inwood by the Harlem River.
Ryan was boastful after participating in the mayhem, speaking to several media outlets and referring to herself as a martyr. After her sentencing, Ryan both spoke to  and blamed  the media for her jail time. She claimed she was being persecuted for being a public person and tweeting.
CPDs commitment to our community is to conduct professional and impartial investigations recognizing the communitys concern for safety and justice. We extend our thanks to the members of the community who stood up to hate and assisted us in identifying the individuals involved in this case, he added.
Back in April, the space agency selected Musks company to build the aircraft that will ferry the next astronauts to the moon, rejecting a bid from Bezos Blue Origin, which partnered with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper. NASA initially intended to have at least two private-sector companies compete to build a spacecraft for the first moon landing since 1972  an initiative dubbed the Human Landing System or HLS.
In addition to the harassment claims, investigators determined the Cuomo administration was a hostile work environment that was rife with fear and intimidation. The former governors legal team has raised several issues with the report and repeatedly accused James of using the probe to boost her political ambitions. James announced last week she is running for governor.
Powell died Oct. 18 of complications from COVID, one of more than 750,000 Americans who have died of the virus. He was vaccinated against the virus, but his family said his immune system was compromised by multiple myeloma, a blood cancer for which he had been undergoing treatment.
Hopes of pushing both bills through Friday disappeared when hours of talks ended with a half-dozen moderates said they would not vote on the social and climate initiative without a cost estimate from the independent Congressional Budget Office. Democratic leaders said it would take several days to come up with that figure.
We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country, read the statement. We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.
The use of ranked-choice voting did have a resounding impact in deciding the election results. To recap: it took eight rounds and the reallocation of votes from 11 candidates for Eric Adams to narrowly emerge from the Democratic primary election for mayor with his partys nomination. The introduction of RCV required Adams to build a diverse coalition of voters that would grow his initial base of support from 30% in the first round into a winning majority. Participating voters were afforded significantly more flexibility and choice in their candidate selection, avoiding what would have been a two-candidate run-off election under the old rules between Adams and Maya Wiley, who finished second in first-place votes.
At a July rally in support of Jan. 6 insurrectionists, we saw SRG officers show up and arrest a counter-protester for no apparent reason. When one of us asked an officer  who was looking through a protesters phone  for his badge number, he just laughed and mocked us. Meanwhile, people with Proud Boy fatigues were fist-bumped, high-fived and given escorts in and out of the event by officers. This is just one example of the SRGs biased policing of protest.
Fighting back also means re-creating a functioning democracy in state after state, along with the accountability that goes with it. Its time to go on offense, for democracy, at the state level. Its a huge task, and there is a role for every American who cares about democracy to play. And its a cause thats far larger than one party. This involves far more people running for office at all levels, far more people registering to vote, and far more people committing to fight a long battle for democracy beyond a single campaign cycle and more broadly than on the narrow map of swing states for federal elections. Thats exactly how those attacking democracy have thought of it, and theyre winning as a result.
I think Andy and I were really close for a really, really long time and I love [his baby son] Benny Boo, and I helped pay for his baby shower and all those things, she shared. I think that Andy and I need to have a sit-down and talk and then were off to the races.
Planning a big party for New Years Eve? Dont do it at an Airbnb. The online home-sharing portal says it will be blocking certain reservations around the holiday to prevent people from getting wild in rentals.
Clinical trial data indicate these vaccines are safe and highly effective. Out of 1,450 children who got both doses, three got COVID-19. Out of about 740 who got a placebo, 16 got COVID-19 in a clinical trial submitted by Pfizer to the Food and Drug Administration for approval. Vaccine efficacy, which compares the percent reduction of disease in a vaccinated versus an unvaccinated group in a clinical trial, was 90%.
There are some places in America that so capture the spirit and culture of a state that they become truly iconic. Some serve as memorials, some are natural wonders and some are man-made marvels, and each has its own story. Here are the most outstanding landmark in each state across the country.

(Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, The Daily Meal)
If you feel as though one of your parents is living in fear, or you yourself are living in fear, or you and your siblings are living in fear, I want you to reach out to either someone in your school  a teacher, a dean, a principal, a counselor  or maybe even the parent of a friend of yours, she said.
When Baker was arrested in May on unrelated charges, detectives found him with a different French bulldog puppy that had fresh wounds on its back, Peers said. Investigators determined the injury was from a botched removal of the dogs microchip and an attempt to insert a new one.
Alethia Jones, now 57, is currently serving a life sentence after she was convicted of selling cocaine in 2004. Her sentence was enhanced as a felony habitual offender, due to a lengthy prior record, and because the incident occurred within a certain distance from a church. Jones says she was not involved in the transaction that led to her arrest but was battling addiction and had drugs on her that day.
In September, the department of health replaced that rule with another that reiterated that parents could opt out their children from a mandate and said they had sole discretion to decide if their kids wore face coverings at school. That was an effort to strengthen the states position and put an end to school districts erroneous interpretation that the rule allowed district-imposed mandates, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said at the time.
Carlos Hallowell, who killed his mother with an axe while she slept, wasnt eligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the murder.
This morning my heart aches, she added, because weve lost a friend and our nation one of its finest and most loyal soldiers. Yet even as we contemplate the magnitude of our loss, we can almost hear a familiar voice asking us  no, commanding us  to stop feeling sad, to turn our gaze once again from the past to the future and to get on with the nations business while making the most of our own days on Earth, one step at a time.
Have you ever wondered what really happened that night? the events website read, according to the Statesman. The only person that knows the absolute truth of what really happened is George Zimmerman, himself. George will join us at our November Gun Law Conference in Boise, Idaho and describe the events of that night in a chronological, step-by-step narrative. You will hear exactly what happened, directly from George.
One problem is her argument that the present law on DNA testing was meant for cases where identity is in dispute, not cases where a defendant admitted to the crime to his family and friends, according to her press spokesperson. Nothing in the law says any such foolish thing; one statute even allows DNA testing, in limited circumstances, for inmates who pleaded guilty. The better question is whether the law allows it only when it might conclusively prove innocence, but Sirecis lawyers say that shouldnt matter when a prosecutor consents. They are quite right.
Other news articles have described a web of shadowy organizations and people who move money around in an attempt to manipulate election outcomes without any of the transparency that allows voters to figure out who and what special interests are behind it all. The articles have reported forged signatures, undisclosed payments and a dupe who was paid so her name would appear as on political committee paperwork.
But he never said that one of the largest recipients of outside money was DeSantis own Department of State, which received $553,000 from the Center for Election Innovation and Research (half the money was returned unspent). Its a respected group, but its outside money. (The agency confirmed the grant).
In 2019, Orange County collected nearly $300 million in tourist development tax revenue. This money is collected through taxes on visitors who stay at hotels, motels, and other lodging in Orange County. There are very strict rules about how this money can be spent, which are set by state law. As our tourism industry recovers to 2019 levels of visitation (and beyond), its time to think hard about how this money should be used.
Theres no doubt care is expensive, as much as $20,000 or $30,000 annually per family to provide everything from therapy to in-home assistance. But Perkins, the USF program leader, notes the program, granted through Medicaid waivers, was designed as a cheaper alternative to group homes  a way to let people with profound disabilities to remain in their own homes for far less money than it would cost to reside in state-run facilities.
In another case, Scott argued to approve a ballot in which the signature looked different from the one the Elections Office had on file. Scott said the signature on file was from 1995, and the signature has changed. The signature was neat in 1995. It is sloppy now, Scott said. I think it is reasonable that this signature became sloppy over the last 26 years.
Plaintiffs attorneys last month also sought to depose a representative of the governors office about efforts by the University of Florida to prevent professors Dan Smith, Michael McDonald and Sharon Austin from serving as expert witnesses for the laws opponents. The plaintiffs sought information about communications between the governors office and people in the university system about the law or expert witnesses.Plaintiffs are legitimately concerned that prosecution of this litigation may be impeded by the efforts of the executive branch of the State of Florida to prevent testimony from or intimidate plaintiffs experts on key issues  including racially discriminatory intent and racially disparate impact  and are clearly entitled to explore these issues in discovery.
The bobbleheads base features DeSantis name, with him standing at the podium dressed in a blue suit and red tie, making an announcement into a microphone during a press briefing. Since taking office in 2019, DeSantis has often gone through periods during which he held near daily press briefings, sometimes multiple times a day.
The nine-member ethics panel found Rodriguez had filed inaccurate financial disclosure forms and accepted money with the understanding that he would change his party affiliation from Republican to independent and qualify to run in the hotly contested Miami-area race. In addition to the financial penalty, which Rodriguez has already agreed to pay, the panel recommended DeSantis impose a public censure and reprimand.
The Rotterdam arrived this week and will begin sailing Friday marking a busy week at the port, which also saw the arrivals of new vessels from Celebrity Cruise and Princess Cruises. If the name sounds familiar, its because the line just sold off its older ship with the same name in 2020. That smaller vessel, which came in at just under 62,000 gross tons, debuted in 1997 was sold to the Fred Olsen Cruise Line last year during the COVID-19 shutdown, and now goes by the name Borealis.
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Algeria is moving on a dangerously slippery slope in its relations with Morocco that could plunge the already unstable region into more anarchy, observers of the Maghreb political scene said Thursday
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - All Libyans unanimously agree to holding elections on 24 December in accordance with the roadmap drawn up by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum as the only solution to get the country out of its crisis
Washington DC, US (PANA) - The US on Thursday urged all parties in the Ethiopian war to open ceasefire negotiations without preconditions to find a sustainable path towards peace
New York, (US) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) to spare no effort in investigating the unacceptable attack earlier this week by the presidential guard against a vehicle from the UN mission in the country, MINUSCA
The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With November being Native American Heritage Month, do you think East Carolina University has increased its efforts to recognize and honor Native and Indigenous cultures and students, faculty and staff on campus.

Survey
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Posted by Liam on at 08:11 AM CST

Greetings,fans! Join us this week as we venture into thecomic book storyline from Dark Horse. Make sure to read our  Expand Your Mind  article detailing the seriess history and development first, and our Timeline Breakdown recommendations on other media to check out, but theres more content coming soon. Bobby will be adding additional videos, and be on the lookout for our Force Facts trivia.Despite its limited run,made time to introduce an instantly iconic new hero who could hold her own against Luke Skywalker and the other heroes. Deena Shan had first begun appearing in the Empire comics, which tackled the similar critical era betweenand. However,focused more on antagonists like Darth Vader and Boba Fett, whereasput the Galaxys Mightiest Heroes under the spotlight.Deena joined Luke in the last major storyline ins run,In the story, Luke and Deena team up to destroy a critical Imperial station that could threaten to expose the location of the Rebel Alliance ships. It spotlighted Deena while Luke and Leia were under fire;understood that in addition to legacy characters, fans wanted to see new voices as well.Deena has a fascinating history throughout the run of bothand. Shes one of the many new members of the Rebel Alliance who enlists after the Battle of Yavin. Initially working for the Alliance to Restore the Republic movement, Deena becomes convinced that the rebels could actually succeed after a daring mission pairs her with Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie.Sparks quickly flew between Luke and Leia. Although Lukes romance with Mara Jade is among the most famous storylines in all ofLegends, the many books and comics produced since 1977 have introduced many potential romantic partners for the young Skywalker. Both Luke and Deena are earnest, yet somewhat inexperienced. Like the young Jedi, Deena would rather be in the thick of action fighting for her beliefs than stuck in bureaucratic meetings. It occasionally causes playful contact with Leia, adding a sense of humor toHowever, Deenas romantic pursuits are just as complicated as Lukes. When she goes undercover as an Imperial officer on the Kalist IV mission, Deena forms a doomed relationship with the Imperial Captain Kale Roshuir. Their quick, yet brief flirtations end with Deena doing her duty, and leading the lovesick Imperials troops into a trap so that the rebels can free a group of prisoners and slaves from captivity. The situation grows more complex when Roshuir appears again later on, and at that point Deena and Luke are essentially an item.Deena became a fan favorite over the course of the two series run, but unfortunately she hasnt appeared in the Legends or canon timelines since. Hopefully Disney will find a way to integrate this great character. She was immortalized alongside Luke in a comic book two pack of anissue, where theyre both undercover in black Imperial uniforms. She also appeared disguised alongside Luke in a separate comic pack with anissue.What do you think,fans? Are you a Deena Shan fan? Who would you cast in a live-action project for Disney+? Let us know in the forums , and as always, may the Force be with you!
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Espanola, NM (87532)

Today

Sunny. High around 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 25F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
As directed by the Bombay High Court, Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant on Friday visited the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to mark their weekly 3-hour attendance with the probe agency.

The trio arrived separately and were whisked off inside the NCB office where top officials were also present.

This was Aryan Khan's first foray into public view, a week since he got bail on October 29, but could manage to walk out of Arthur Road Central Jail only on October 30 -- after spending 29 nights away from his home.

While granting conditional bail to the trio, the Bombay High Court had stipulated, among several other things, that they must visit the NCB office every Friday between 11 a.m.- 2 p.m., deposit their passports and not leave Mumbai or India without prior permission.

The young trio was among the earliest detained with five other accused after the NCB's sensational raid on the luxury ship Cordelia Cruise on October 2, and all eight were arrested on October 3.

In the subsequent investigations into the alleged cruise rave party, the NCB arrested 12 more, including a couple of foreign nationals, and a majority are now out on bail.
Two persons have been killed and one injured in an explosion in an idol-making unit in the old city of Hyderabad.

The incident occurred late on Thursday night at Kandikal Gate area under the limits of Chatrinaka police station when the workers were bursting firecrackers during Diwali celebrations.

The deceased were identified as Vishnu (25) and Jagannath (30). Virender, who was injured, was admitted to the government-run Osmania General Hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical.

The deceased were from West Bengal while the injured person was from Uttar Pradesh. The bodies were shifted to Osmania Hospital for autopsy.

Senior police officials rushed to the unit, where Plaster of Paris idols are made. Forensic experts also visited the scene and collected samples.

Police suspect that the explosion occurred when firecrackers apparently fell in the chemicals stored there. A police officer said they were conducting investigations.
Hrishikesh Deshmukh, the son of former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh, on Friday skipped summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and is likely to move court seeking anticipatory bail, his lawyer said here.

Advocate Inderpal Singh said Hrishikesh Deshmukh was called for questioning by the ED, but he did not appear as he is likely to move the sessions court or the Bombay High Court for bail.

Singh added that he has sought a week's time to appear before the ED and he also may approach the courts for anticipatory bail.

Earlier, Hrishikesh Deshmukh had also avoided several ED summons and was called again after his father Anil Deshmukh was arrested early on November 2 after 13 hours questioning on Monday, and was later sent to ED custody till November 6.

The father-son duo is being probed for the alleged money-laundering case filed against them arising out of the letter alleging corruption written by ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in March.

The ED followed up by attaching properties worth around Rs 4.2 crore linked with the Deshmukh family and also arrested several of his aides for involvement in the alleged money-laundering racket.

However, on October 13, in a surprise move, the former Mumbai top cop - "missing" since several months - filed an affidavit before the Justice (retired) K.J. Chandiwal Commission saying that he had no further evidence to provide in the matter.

Anil Deshmukh, whose ED custody ends on Saturday, will be produced before the Special Court.

Meanwhile, a large number of supporters of Anil Deshmukh staged a demonstration in Katol assembly constituency flaying his arrest by the ED and demanded his release.
The Karnataka government on Friday lifted the night curfew between 10 p.m and 5 a.m. as the state is seeing a dip in Covid-19 cases.

The government has also allowed horse racing in the state.

With the lifting of these curbs, the state is now free from Covid-19 restrictions. However, strict vigilance will continue in the border districts on the movement of people especially from Kerala.

The government has ordered the reopening of Anganawadis and UKG, LKG classes from November 8.

Taking a serious view of the gathering of people in large numbers in Bengaluru recently following the death of Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, it has decided to ramp up Covid testing.

Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar has issued orders for lifting night curfew and allowing horse racing. The order calls for stricter implementation of Covid guidelines and entry only to persons who have taken both doses of Covid vaccination.

The decision has been welcomed by the youth who missed night life in Bengaluru and other big cities for over 19 months.
Colorado Springs, CO -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/05/2021 -- Colorado Springs outdoor patio furniture is designed to be tolerant of temperature changes and the many fluctuations and unpredictable conditions Colorado can see. Even in the middle of winter, Colorado can see days where sunscreen is recommended and the temperatures feel more like spring. Snow can remain on the ground in a shady area of a patio while the other side is melted, dried, and perfect conditions for entertaining family and friends outside. Some types of patio furniture suit being outside year-round more than others, so if the homeowner knows that they will be wanting the outdoor furniture to remain outdoors, that can help influence the type of furniture purchased. Without a convenient indoor space to relocate patio furniture to over the winter months, keeping the furniture on the patio offers the opportunity to enjoy it on the nicer days and also negates the need to worry about the logistics of moving the furniture indoors and then relocating it again following the winter. Aluminum Colorado outdoor furniture is a good choice for year-round patio furniture as it will never rust. Western Outdoor Living, a premier provider of patio products based in Colorado Springs, offers aluminum patio furniture sets from respected manufacturers like Woodard, OW Lee, Meadowcraft, Homecrest, and Gloster.



A powder-coated paint finish protects the furniture from Colorado's elements. Aluminum patio furniture can be solid, cast aluminum, which is heavier and ideally suited to exposed patios which could have gusts of winds, extruded aluminum which is essentially a hollow aluminum design with inner walls reinforcing the design or a mixture of both. The extruded aluminum patio furniture is typically lighter in weight than the cast aluminum, with the blend of materials weighing in between the two extremes. The patio furniture designs which combine cast and extruded aluminum offer weight advantages over the extruded-only designs, whilst being typically cheaper than the fully cast patio sets. Extruded aluminum can be cut and bent to construct the patio furniture designs, whereas cast aluminum requires melting, pouring into shaped molds, cooling, and welding to join the frame. Cast aluminum may be reminiscent of the traditional wrought iron furniture designs, but it is lighter, by comparison, making it easier to move. The durability of aluminum patio furniture translates into longevity which sees homeowners spread their investment across several years. One last point to consider is the ease of maintenance of aluminum patio furniture, as a hosing down or a wipe with a rag and warm soap is enough to keep the furniture in tip-top form.



Other popular additions to the patio include fire pits in Colorado Springs, they add an exciting focal point to the backyard, a modern twist on the familiar campfire setting.



To find solutions for all the patio upgrades in one place, patio furniture, fire pits, and barbecue grills can be browsed online or at the Colorado Springs showroom.



Colorado Patio furniture is showcased alongside a wide selection of built-in grills, Colorado Springs barbecue grills, and fire pits, bringing together multiple elements of the patio and patio accessories together in one place. From a wrought iron patio set of a table and chairs to the latest in Fire Magic built-in outdoor grill technology including wood chip smokers and halogen lights inside the barbecue hood, Western Outdoor Living inspires new patio projects for the Colorado family that enjoys spending time in the great outdoors.



As one of the premier providers of patio accessories and patio furniture in Colorado Springs, Western Outdoor Living has experienced staff who can help find the products best suited to each home or business. The latest and finest patio products are stocked in their extensive showroom.



About Western Outdoor Living

Western Outdoor Living believes in outstanding service, durability, and comfort. Colorado outdoor patio furniture is showcased alongside outdoor fire pits, premium built-in outdoor grills, and custom outdoor kitchens for Coloradans embracing the outdoor lifestyle. They offer a wide selection of styles in different materials so from a rustic wood patio furniture set to a sleek and colorful sling patio design, patio furniture and the perfect accompanying fine patio accessories are always in stock. The Western Outdoor Living website is also a useful resource for homeowners with a link to maintenance tips, helping keep high-quality Colorado Springs patio furniture products as impressive as the day they were bought. To find out more and explore the website, please visit: http://www.westernoutdoorlivingcolorado.com/



Contact Details:

Colorado Springs outdoor furniture and Colorado Springs built in outdoor grill showroom: 1685 Paonia Street Colorado Springs, CO 80915

Telephone: 719-591-1690

Email: info@westernoutdoorlivingcolorado.com,/a>
Briscoe Group Limited (NZX/ASX code: BGP)

Highlights year-to-date to 31 October 2021 (39 weeks):

 Total Group sales $496.9 million, +9.52%

 Homeware sales growth, +9.53%

 Sporting goods sales growth, +9.50%

 Online sales as mix of total Group sales, 22.14%

 Solid trading performance for 3rd quarter despite lockdown constraints

Year-to-date: 1 February 2021  31 October 2021:

The directors of Briscoe Group Limited announce unaudited sales for the 39-week period to 31 October 2021 of $496.9 million, an increase of 9.52% on the $453.7 million reported for the first three quarters of last year. The Groups homeware segment increased sales by 9.53% during this period and the sporting goods segment by 9.50%.

Third quarter: 2 August 2021  31 October 2021:

It is worth noting that last years 3rd quarter was a particularly strong quarter on the back of the post-lockdown retail recovery with Group sales growing at 14.97%. However, even with the constraints from the lockdowns experienced for this 3rd quarter just completed, the Group was only 1.29% below the 3rd quarter sales recorded for the same quarter 2 years ago.

Unaudited sales for the 3rd quarter, 13-week period ended 31 October 2021 were $138.5 million, 14.14% below the $161.3 million for the same quarter last year. For the quarter, homeware sales decreased by 11.44% to $87.4 million, while sporting goods sales were $51.1 million, 18.41% below the $62.6 million achieved for the equivalent quarter last year.

After a very strong start to this 3rd quarter, New Zealands extended period of near-normality came to a sudden conclusion with the announcement of a return to national Level 4 lockdown from 18 August 2021.

The impact on trading days across the store network is summarised below:

 All the Groups stores were closed for 21 days from 18 August

 Auckland stores remained shut for the remainder of the third quarter - 75 days in total during the 91-day quarter

Typically these Auckland stores contribute around 25% of the Groups total sales.

 The Groups 5 Waikato stores were closed for a total of 49 days of the quarter

 The Groups 4 Northland stores were closed for a total of 33 days of the quarter

Having all stores except Auckland at Level 3 from 1 September allowed the Group to resume its Click and Collect service. The move to Level 2 enabled stores to reopen to the public albeit for shorter periods of time in relation to the Groups Waikato and Northland stores.

Please see the link below for details

BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 31 October 2021

Source: Briscoe Group Limited

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

19th November 2021 Morning Report

Ryman Healthcare Limited (NZX: RYM) unaudited first half underlying profit of $95.9m

Steel & Tube Holdings Limited (NZX: STU) Earnings Guidance 1H FY22

My Food Bag Group Limited (NZX: MFB) achieves record earnings; confirms dividend

Turners Automotive Group Limited (NZX: TRA) delivers 24% increase in HY22 earnings

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) reaffirms guidance and progresses growth plan

18th November 2021 Morning Report

Blis Technologies Limited (NZX: BLT) Challenging market conditions in US impact half year result

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) NZ Commerce Commission Clears Coretex Acquisition

NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Digital acceleration delivering on NZME's 2023 strategy


China-India trade likely to exceed $100 billion in 2021, so what does it tell?

Among India's 10 top importing categories of goods in 2019, China is the largest import source for four categories. Telecommunications equipment imported from China accounted for 41.39 percent of India's total imports, electronic components and devices imported from China account for 36.9 percent, organic chemicals, 25.2 percent, and, machinery and equipment, 30.7 percent.

by Liu Xiaoxue

The political relationship between China and India has been at a very low point since last year's border clash, and, the economies of the two Asian countries have also been through a roller coaster ride under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this context, the trade between the two countries reversed a sharp decline from the same period in 2020 in the first half of this year, growing by nearly 30 percent compared with 2019. It is expected that the annual trade volume will exceed the $100 billion mark for the first time. This was a goal jointly proposed by the two countries 11 years ago.

Following the border clash in 2020, the Indian media sparked a wild wave of opinion uproar calling for the "boycott Chinese goods". While there has been continuous so-called "decoupling" move from the Indian government and the "boycott" campaign by Indian activists, how can the bilateral trade volume keep surging? The reason is simple - it is not that easy as some people think for India to decouple from the Chinese economy.

For starters, if India wants to decouple from the Chinese economy, India must boost its own production capacity in a short period of time and guarantee to provide competitive prices, or find alternatives to replace Chinese suppliers in other parts of the world. But, India find it difficult to realize them.

Among India's 10 top importing categories of goods in 2019, China is the largest import source for four categories. Telecommunications equipment imported from China accounted for 41.39 percent of India's total imports, electronic components and devices imported from China account for 36.9 percent, organic chemicals, 25.2 percent, and, machinery and equipment, 30.7 percent.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been promoting his "Make in India" agenda since he came to power in 2014. Many years have vanished, but the proportion of Indian manufacturing has not achieved meaningful progress today.

India's manufacturing industry accounts for only 13 percent of its GDP in 2020. Although the proportion of China's manufacturing industry has dropped by nearly 10 percentage points from its peak, it remains as high as 26 percent. China still has absolute advantages worldwide in the production of many manufactured goods, such as photovoltaic modules, raw materials, electronic components, power equipment, and a broad range of household appliances.

India knows that if it uses trade measures to sanction China, it will suffer more than China. Therefore, although New Delhi has increased additional scrutiny of Chinese investment since 2020, by banning Chinese-invested apps in the Indian market, it did not impose higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers on goods from China.

Secondly, India is deeply embedded in the international supply chain with China at its core. In three out of the past five years, India's exports to China were higher than imports. Even as China-India trade fell 5.6 percent due to the impact of the COVID-19 in 2020, India's exports to China still increased by 16 percent. The growth is mainly from the second half of 2020 and continues to the first half of 2021.

The reason is that with the large-scale recovery of China's production activities, a large number of manufacturing orders have flowed to China, driving China's raw material imports, including India demand for intermediate materials and raw materials such as iron ore, bituminous coal and cotton.

In addition, the pandemic has provided an opportunity for some Indian products to enter Chinese market. For instance, India has been pushing China to import more rice from its domestic producers, and China has over time granted more Indian rice manufacturers export qualifications to China, but the rice transactions between the two countries have not improved significantly.

Last year, because China's traditional rice importing source country was unable to guarantee the supply due to the pandemic, China increased its imports from India. The import volume increased from less than 800 tons in 2019 to 330,000 tons in 2020, and it is expected to exceed 1 million tons in 2021.

In addition, Indian pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy's Laboratories, has recently been approved to launch one of its oncological treatments in the Chinese market. This also shows that China has not delayed its commitment to open its market to India over the border conflict.

In the practice of international relations, it is common for politics and economics to be kept separate. For political issues related to homeland security and sovereignty, no politician will measure economic gains or losses, but when they face decisions about investment and consumption, they often make practical decisions. Although it has become more and more difficult to keep business as usual, economic laws are still showing their fundamental role in economic activities.

The author is an associate research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The Government's attempt to legitimise a spurious constitution must be defeated, and at the same time, an attempt must be made to achieve a participatory constitution which includes the reforms needed to overcome the overall crisis.

by Victor Ivan

The issue of fielding a suitable candidate for the next Presidential Election in 2025 to defeat Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the incumbent President, can be said to be the most popular topic of discussion among the top circles in the political arena, today.

This possibly reflects the superficial character of the political thinking in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka does not require a recurrence of 2015. Though it was possible to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa temporarily, by fielding a surrogate leader on ad-hoc and unconventional basis, in the final analysis the devastation caused to the country was immense. It also shoved the UNP out into the ruins almost out of existence.

It is not prudent to believe that the prevailing political system of the country could be changed by winning a Presidential Election. The atmosphere of the Presidential Election has been set up in such a way that it can only be won by corrupt ways. Winning a Presidential Election involves a lot of money. It cost approximately Rs. 3 billion in 2015. At present, it may amount to Rs. 4 to 5 billion. Invariably, the candidate will be compelled to become a prisoner in the custody of several black money launderers to procure such a large amount of money. On the other hand, what will happen if the successful candidate gets tempted to savour the power of presidency after the victory?

The socio political system of Sri Lanka is no longer in a healthy state, but in a state of decay and disintegration. It is unlikely that the country will remain calm without major events until the next Presidential Election. Probably many unfavourable things might happen in the interim and the system might collapse even before the next Presidential Election. If so, the dream of seizing the presidency and changing the system thereafter will turn out to be a phenomenon of mental aberration.

Do not attempt things that will reinforce the present political system which is destined to collapse. Instead, what needs to be done would be to stalemate the corrupt political system that has decayed and degenerated to the maximum, and launch a program to win a reasonable space for reform and recreate a modern, better and more efficient political system that would eventually pave the way for the beneficiary change of the country.

According to the Constitution, sovereignty rests on the people. The Constitution clearly states that it is an inalienable power. The State derives its sovereignty from the people which means the people are the fountain of power of the State.

According to the Constitution of Sri Lanka and International Law, the people possess the primary right to legislate the Constitution of the country.

The interpretation given by the textual authority of the Human Rights Commission on Article 25 of the International Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations which reads as the right of the people to participate in public affairs" establishes the right of the people to take part in the running of the public affairs of his/her country, which implies that whenever the citizens feel that their constitution should be changed, they can directly involve in it under the definition  the running of the public affairs.

At present adopting a new constitution for Sri Lanka is indispensable as the present Constitution has lost its legitimacy and efficacy due to its persistent corruption by successive rulers.

The President had appointed a committee headed by Romesh de Silva to draft a new constitution. It is reported that the committee has drafted the constitution and submitted it to the President and the Cabinet. A few days ago, G.L .Peiris, Minister of External Affairs announced that it would be presented to Parliament in January next year. This reflects the repulsive and anti-democratic approach adopted in formulating a new constitution for the country

Attorney-at-Law Basil Fernando, the founder of the Asian Human Rights, Commission has described this as a spurious constitution designed to be adopted without sincerity. This program of making a new constitution is contrary to the vision of the existing Constitution as well as International Law.

The potential damage to the country would be enormous if a policy of standing aloof is adopted in the face of the enactment of this spurious constitution.

Neither the Government nor the Parliament in general can have the legal or moral right to draft a new constitution without the active involvement of the people in its process. The country needs a new constitution not only because the content of the old Constitution is undemocratic but also because the ruling parties that have come to power from time to time have, with the connivance of parliamentarians, corrupted the Constitution to the point of debility and incapacity. The breakdown, degeneration, failure and bankruptcy of the socio-political system and economy of Sri Lanka can be seen as the ultimate result of the combined effects of irresponsible, corrupt, predatory and arbitrary actions of everyone.

What right do they have to assume the role of the saviours of Sri Lanka, if it was they who had plunged the country into a deep abyss? The incumbent government has earned a profound public displeasure by now despite it being brought to power with a huge mandate. The oppressive and destructive rule of the Government can be said to have caused this situation. The Government has reached the point of indecency of withdrawing the criminal cases which had been filed against some leaders of their party. How could a Government which has repealed the 19th Amendment and enacted the 20th Amendment granting the president arbitrary powers, contrary to the promises made, be trusted that it will bequeath a better democratic constitution for the people?

This spurious program of constitution making planned by the Government must be defeated. At the same time, there is an urgent need to win a people-centred program to make a new constitution which will help build the nation and recreate the State so that the country and its people could be rescued from the depths of misery.

If this "spurious constitution" is allowed to be adopted it will certainly make the degradation, failure and misery befallen on Sri Lanka a serious matter impossible to be changed or rectified.

What Sri Lanka needs is not a constitution made by a dictatorial regime or a dictator, but one that ensures democracy and the rule of law.

Integration of the divided nation and building of the Sri Lankan nation within a framework that guarantees the identity, human dignity and rights of all racial, religious, gender and cultural groups should be a prime objective of the proposed new constitution. At the same time, it should aim at ridding Sri Lanka which is in a state of decay, failure and bankruptcy- of corruption, inefficiency, authoritarianism and sadism that is prevalent in the state administration and recreating a democratic state functioning on the rule of law which is conducive to promoting respect and dignity of all citizens.

The Government's attempt to legitimise a spurious constitution must be defeated, and at the same time, an attempt must be made to achieve a participatory constitution which includes the reforms needed to overcome the overall crisis.

In the legal and moral sense, the Governments stance on the subject of making a new constitution is rather weak and not strong. The Governments approach to the program of making a new constitution is contrary to the concept of the sovereignty of people enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also the international law. If this position is utilised prudently and vehemently, perhaps it might be possible to exert pressure on the Government and win a suitable legal framework conducive to adopting a participatory constitution.

In addition to a campaign of public protest against the Government's move for adopting a spurious constitution, a strong case of public litigation too could be staged to give greater impetus to the former. Since this is an issue of the Constitution, the fundamental law of the country, it would be possible to set up a suitable framework that allows individuals and groups that are encountered with major problems or having grievances, to join the public litigation process as individual petitioners or a member of a group. For example, those who are faced with environmental issues could point out the devastation caused to the environment and appear for the need of formulating a constitution having a far-reaching vision and adequate provisions for the protection of the environment. Also those who are having grievances in the sense of ethnicity, religion or culture could point out the damages they have suffered and appear for the need of a constitution that will ensure justice for them. The farmers afflicted with the fertiliser problem and other issues can also appear for the need for a new constitution which will provide for the adoption of a national policy on agriculture that will enable the solution of their problems. The fisher folk too could do the same. The teachers can present their grievances and become partners in the case. Tamils and Muslims can appear for a visionary and disciplined system of governance to ensure dignity, security and justice for them. The victims of the Easter tragedy can also join the process and present their grievances. The Sinhala Buddhists can also highlight their grievances, and demand for a new constitution acceptable to them. Those who are interested in a system of good governance can indicate the flaws of the existing system, and demand for a new constitution pointing out the fundamental elements to be incorporated in it.

The proposed case of public litigation can be turned into a forceful and people-centred legal struggle calculated to win a reform program to bring about a positive and complete change in the system including the adoption of a participatory constitution aimed at overcoming the crisis facing Sri Lanka. If the local Judiciary denies justice in this case, an appeal should be made to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations. International Law strongly recognises the right of the people of a failed state such as this to have a participatory constitution. Therefore, in the final analysis, public litigation of this nature would prove to be to the advantage of the people rather than the Government.
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(0x7f3fdeafea20)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde9f63f8)', '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(0x7f3fdeafea20)') 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(0x7f3fde9f63f8)') 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(0x7f3fde9895b0)') 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(0x7f3fde9f63f8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde9f63f8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b3f40)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdeb58220)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdeb58220)') 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(0x7f3fdead14f8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde9a3820)', '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(0x7f3fdead14f8)') 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(0x7f3fde9a3820)') 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(0x7f3fde996d98)') 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(0x7f3fde9a3820)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde9a3820)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b4d78)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdebb94e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdebb94e0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Homestead, FL (33030)

Today

Mostly cloudy early then periods of showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High near 80F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.
Hassayampa Amateur Radio Klub hosting November events

The Hassayampa Amateur Radio Klub is hosting multiple events in November. After a years suspension, the annual 'HARKfest' Tailgate Hamfest, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 8 a.m. until noon at the North Ranch Escapees RV Park, 30625 S. Hwy 89, in Congress. Admission is free.

After the Hamfest, the club will be conducting free ham radio license testing, however pre-registration is required. Register by email at cecarter39@yahoo.com.

Also at the Hamfest and throughout the weekend the club will be hosting a special event in commemoration of the Wickenburg Massacres 150th Anniversary using the special amateur radio call sign N7C. The massacre occurred Nov. 5, 1871. Club members will be making radio contacts throughout the United States and the world. A portable solar-powered station will be operational during the hamfest.

The community is invited to meet club members, learn about amateur radio at the hamfest and see items for sale.

The club will also be having its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. at the North Ranch Escapees RV Park Activity Room.

Each week the club conducts two nets on the Yarnell Hill Repeater which is on 146.620, with a PL of 162.2 on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm and also on Thursday at noon. Weekly lunches are held on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 pm at the Wickenburg Country Clubs Hitching Post Restaurant.

The club was organized in 2004 and is an American Radio Relay League (ARRL) affiliated club and a member of the Amateur Radio Council of Arizona. Information about the club can be found at its website: harkaz.org.

Source: Wickenburg Sun

https://wickenburgsun.com/news/38380/hassayampa-amateur-radio-klub-hosting-november-events/
Man reunited with mother with help of Nepal ham Yesterday, Consulate General of Nepal Mr. 'Iswar Raj Powdel' felicitated our team West Bengal Radio Club at Embassy of Nepal for our Humanity service to release Mr. Dipak Joshi of Nepal who was in Dumdum Correctional Home, Kolkata more than 40 years and also reunited with his mother with the help of Nepal ham.



West Bengal Radio Club has played a Key Role in this great Job GREAT THANKS TO VU2JFA , AMBARISH NAG BISWAS.



Also West Bengal Radio Club is India's First Radio Club to Officially participating POTA Parks On The Air.



VU3XRY (ARUNAVA DEY ) & VU3YDA ( ABHRAJIT DAS) Have also visited West Bengal Radio Club for Future Endeavours.



Regards

Arunava Dey VU3XRY
In my humble opinion, the appointment of this task force will prove a suicidal move both for the Gotabaya presidency and the SLPP government.

by Rohana R. Wasala

A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 - 43 BCE)

According to a popular online Sinhala language news portal (October 31), President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that he appointed (Bodu Bala Sena leader) Ven. Galagoda-atthe Gnanasara Thera as chairman of the (recently established) One Country One Law Presidential Task Force to advise him, but not to make laws. The President made this remark when asked about the PTF at a government party leaders meeting. He pointed out that he had the ability to appoint any person to the PTF according to his personal preference. He was also reported to have said that if he tried to consult party leaders about everything, he would have to get their permission about associating with friends! (Aside: As President, he ought to seek advice from sincere, non-politicking people about that, too. RRW)

The President further said that the same sort of objections were raised when he appointed Ali Sabry as Minister of Justice; but now he is performing his duties to the satisfaction of everyone, the President added.

Talking about advice, I think President Gotabaya should take MK Sivajilingams demand as helpful advice and immediately disband the farce (as the latter correctly describes it) of this one-country, one-law Task Force headed by Ven. Galagoda-atthe Gnanasara Thera. The value of Sivajilingams request lies in the fact that he cannot have any intention of betraying the president; only close friends can betray a person, but not an enemy or a stranger. Sivajilingam is an enemy at the gate (Pl. see the epigraph above), but an enemy that we know as one of our fellow Sri Lankans (who doesnt show false friendship), with whom we can easily restore our traditional bonds of brotherhood by sorting out our domestic problems through talks among ourselves without disgracefully allowing outsiders to exploit them for their own advantage and to our common detriment.

The reference in this case is to The Island correspondent Dinasena Ratugamages dispatch Sivajilingam tells President to disband one-country, one-law Task Force and solve the countrys problems (Saturday, October 30) about MK Sivajilingam, former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Northern Provincial Councillor and close relative of Velupillai Prabhakaran, speaking to the media in Jaffna the previous day (Friday 29). He was reported to have claimed that the Task Force was an attempt to boost President Rajapaksas flagging popularity. Sivajilingam recalled the Presidents earlier promise of a new constitution to safeguard the rights of every citizen. Everyone wants the President to come up with a new Constitution. There is pressure to address the issues faced by the Tamil people. However, the President has suddenly appointed a Task Force on One Country One Law. The task force is a joke. Appointing Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera as the head of the task force makes it a farce, he was reported as saying. (Hed have been closer to the truth if he said Theres pressure on the President to address the issues faced by all Sri Lankans, not just by the Tamil people. But he cant be blamed for focusing on the community that he represents, in this instance.)

The task force was not appointed after consulting people. We urge the government to stop distracting people and address the real issues. What we need is a task force to get the country out of the economic, social and political disasters it is facing. The leaders must be smart enough to get the support of everyone. If the government doesnt show it cares about Tamils, they will keep on opposing the government. A divided country cant face the challenges we are facing now, he said. I, for one, agree with him. That bit about caring about Tamils, though justified from his point of view, is a different matter, but the same is applicable to every community, and is not an insurmountable obstacle to the restoration of unity among the communities.

Of course, Sivajilingam may be making this demand or offering this advice, tongue in cheek; he may be calling the presidents bluff. Sivajilingam is a politician and, since all politicians are typically vily, must be handled with care. Having said that, I think his comments should be taken as a piece of constructive criticism that offers an opportunity for opening a people-to-people dialogue involving the north and the south with a view to bringing about an end to the reluctant mutual estrangement between the two communities that has been deliberately created by opportunistic politicians of both sides. Let me try to put Sivajilingams remarks in perspective according to my own lights as a Sri Lankan citizen with a certain degree of hindsight (due to my age), insight (gained through formal and informal education and life experience) and a modest amount of foresight (sharpened by both).

The responsible citizens of Sri Lanka pulled the country back from the brink of national disintegration and general disaster by electing Gotabaya Rajapaksa (his chief attraction was his no-politian image) as president and the SLPP to parliament less than two years ago. In both cases the election was fought on the major platform of One Country, One Law, in which for completely apolitical reasons, Buddhist monks take an intrinsic interest. But now it looks like Gotabaya has been betrayed and, into the bargain, converted into something even more malleable than his predecessor to the wishes of another. The circumstances (i.e., issues and the governments authoritarian responses to them) are again pushing the country to the edge of a precipice.

An Extraordinary Gazette notification was issued on October 27, 2021 to the effect that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had appointed a 13-member Presidential Task Force (PTF), using powers vested in him as president by Article 33 of the Constitution, 1. To make a study of the implementation of the concept: One Country, One Law within Sri Lanka and prepare a draft Act for the said purpose and 2. To study the draft Acts and amendments that have already been prepared by the Ministry of Justice in relation to this subject and their appropriateness, and if there are suitable amendments to submit proposal (sic) for the purpose and include them in such relevant draft as is deemed appropriate.

I was deeply dismayed and disappointed when my eyes fell on the relevant gazette notification online within a few hours of its issuance on October 27. My immediate mental reaction was: What a harebrained initiative! To be frank, I never expected this sort of frivolous exercise from Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in whom I have had implicit faith. But then, we can only guess that he has done this under constraint.

The PTF was ostensibly established to study how to put into effect the One Country, One Law concept and how to bring the Acts and amendments already drawn up by the ministry of justice into line with that concept. The committee comprises the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) leader Ven. Galagoda-aththe (not Galaboda-aththe?) Gnanasara Thera (Chairman) and twelve others including academics, lawyers, and eminent persons (the last category has a maulavi from the Galle Ulama Council and three other Muslims. The Galle Ulama Council is supposed to be anti-Wahhabi, as allegedly claimed elsewhere. The PTF originally had no Tamils or explicit representatives of any Christian or Hindu religious organization. In view of the objectives stated, this was a glaring shortcoming, that would not have been allowed to happen if the President had any sincere adviser.

This totally erroneous exclusion of Tamils provided a genuine reason for Sivajilingam to complain. However, at a meeting chaired by the President at Temple Trees the next day (October 28), Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda and Deputy Chairman of Ceylon Workers Congress Senthil Thondaman and several others raised this issue of non-representation of Tamils in the PTF and the President agreed to correct the anomaly. Please treat these Hindu Tamil leaders as well as you treat Muslim and Christian leaders. We need every communitys cooperation to neutralize the looming fundamentalist threat.

In my humble opinion, the appointment of this task force will prove a suicidal move both for the Gotabaya presidency and the SLPP government. The negative image of the monk who heads it, whether justified or not, the apparent mediocrity of the rest of the members, and the suspicion of an anti-Tamil bias generated by the initial imbalance of its communal composition (though set right later) will be major setbacks for its success. The PTF appears to me to be a hastily but cunningly devised contraption designed by a saboteur so as to be dysfunctional from the beginning, and to ultimately kill the project it was purportedly set up to bring to fruition (i.e., the one country, one law project). It seems to be the sinister proposition of an evil genius within the presidents inner circle.

To be continued
We need to preserve the old buildings so you know youre not just in Anywhere USA, Taylor said. The buildings tell our story, give us our character. If you take those out, youve lost our history and the story that goes with it.
Delray Beachs decision to terminate the lease came in controversial fashion during a City Commission meeting on Aug. 10. Despite the topic not being on the agenda, the commission voted 3-2 to move forward with new management without giving Old School Square or residents a chance to comment on the issue during the meeting.
Latson, who had said in a 2018 email to a parent that he cant say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee, was fired in 2019, then rehired the following year after an administrative law judge found his dismissal was improper. He was fired again last November, despite his efforts to assure the public that he is not a Holocaust denier.
After the move in multiple school districts to change COVID-19 policies, our firm commissioned a public opinion poll of Broward voters about related topics, said Andrew Dolberg, director of strategic initiatives at the firm. Our hypothesis was that the vocal minority demanding changes to masking and quarantining policies were not representative of the general population, and I can tell you from our initial results thats completely true.
To be clear, this court is not saying there is no issue here, only that any potential issue raised by the universitys actions are not before this court at this time, the footnote said. For example, this court might get involved if plaintiffs allegations lead to the initiation of other civil claims or cases, or if a witness is prevented from appearing pursuant to a valid subpoena.  This issue could also come before this court if the United States Attorneys Office decides to pursue its own investigation and initiate criminal proceedings. 
Catherine Cat Uden is the most high-profile opponent of the deal, under which Related Group would build a 30-story condo on a four-acre parcel of city land. In return for a 99-year lease, Related would build a new park and a larger community center. The city estimates that the project would generate roughly $3 million per year for Hollywood from rent, property taxes and a cut of sales. Related also would pay $5 million in rent upfront.
Ellianna Cierpiot

cierpiot@grinnell.edu

The intense color and blocked shapes characteristic to American painter Jacob Lawrences style are visible in a series of serigraphs based on his original 41-painting series cataloging the life of Haitian general and revolutionary leader Toussaint LOuverture. The Grinnell College Museum of Art (GCMOA) has purchased 14 of the 15 screen-prints in the series, 11 of which are currently on display in the basement of Burling Library.

The first 12 prints that the GCMOA acquired were purchased in 2020, according to GCMOA Associate Director and Curator Daniel Strong.

Kay Wilson, who was the curator of our collection up until her retirement  she actually began the process of acquiring 12 of these prints, Strong said.

Williams worked with Professor Fredo Rivera, art history, who specializes in Caribbean art, to find and acquire the prints.

This made perfect sense, for us to try and acquire these, said Strong. We were able to acquire 12 of them all at once, just as the pandemic began, from a gallery in Seattle which represents his [Lawrences] estate.

Of these 12 prints, only 10 were able to be displayed, because two of them were not framed. After the initial purchase, a 13th print became available in an auction in Texas, General Toussaint LOuverture, designed from Lawrences portrait of LOuverture.

Its kind of the prize of the whole series, because its his portrait as Jacob Lawrence envisioned it, Strong said. There dont seem to be any actual portraits from the life of Toussaint LOuverture  but there were images at the time in biographies of him that Jacob Lawrence used as a kind of inspiration.

Another print, titled Contemplation, was acquired by the GCMOA this year. When it arrives, it will be the 14th of 15 total in the collection.

It [Contemplation] shows the literary side of Toussaint LOuverture, Strong said. I mean, when you hear that he was a Haitian general, all you think of is the military side.  He was in fact a scholar general, essentially. And I think this piece shows  the artistic innovation of Jacob Lawrence himself.

Collections Manager Jocelyn Krueger wrote in an email to the S&B that Contemplation also reflects on Lawrences own process connecting to Black history through art.

Contemplation  depicts Toussaint LOuverture in study, showing that the struggle for freedom was not just a physical battle, but a struggle of ideas and of the mind, Krueger wrote. This brings to mind Jacob Lawrences own study on the subject, for which he couldnt rely on the traditional or dominant locations of history access, like public libraries or school classrooms, as these places excluded Toussaint LOuverture from the narratives of history. Instead, the history of this important event and person were available to Lawrence through more informal or community-run libraries and books created by and for the Black communities in which Lawrence worked.

These prints, according to a video made by Rivera for the GCMoA, are explicit in narrating Black modernity, and tell a rich history with the intent of educating the viewer, while telling the struggle for Black liberation with emotional and visual fervor.

The series, much like the rest of Lawrences work, uses strong color and shapes to depict these narratives. The style, which Lawrence called dynamic cubism, translates well to serigraphy, according to Strong.

They [serigraphs] are not hard to find but theyre hard to find in good condition  any light, theyll fade. What we want, obviously, is the rich color that is original to them.  Dan Strong, GCMOA Associate Director and Curator

Serigraphs are made using a process called screen-printing, which uses a mesh or silkscreen to transfer ink onto the paper. This technique also uses stencils to create blocks of color, a process strongly reminiscent of Lawrences painting style. Since each print is created with this stenciling technique, no two are perfectly alike.

Although there are 15 paintings represented in the print collection, each print was copied and produced in multiple editions. For some of the paintings, only around 15 prints were made, while for others, the artist serigraphed over 100.

Even though multiple editions were created of each print, it was still difficult to find the prints to display because the nature of serigraphy leads to art pieces that fade and can be damaged easily.

They [serigraphs] are not hard to find but theyre hard to find in good condition  any light, theyll fade, Strong said. What we want, obviously, is the rich color that is original to them.

Due to this, the prints will soon go back into the GCMOAs storage, once they are no longer needed for class use this semester, in order to preserve the collection.

While the prints are currently on display in Burling because they are being used for a French class taught by Professor David Harrison, any student can come view them, and, according to Krueger, they should.

This is a dynamic and colorful print series that depicts an important person, Toussaint LOuverture, wrote Krueger. And  the largest successful slave revolt ending in the creation of the independent modern state of Haiti, an important event that is generally left out of the teaching of history, made all the more broadly important through the artistic language of the Black American artist, Jacob Lawrence.
Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year  those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX.
King Salman Energy Park (Spark) has signed up a Saudi Aramco Power Company (Sapco) to manage the power infrastructure and services at the integrated global energy and industrial hub located in Dammam.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, Sapco was established in 2016 to oversee all activities in the power and utilities sector of state oil giants operations.

As per the deal awarded by Spark Utilities, a subsidiary company of the energy park, Sapco will provide the operation and maintenance services for Spark and deliver power services to investors, , said the company in a statement.

Spark Utilities was mainly set up for distribution of power, water and gas within the city and management of the utilities infrastructure as per international standards.

Spark President and CEO Saif S. Al Qahtani, underlining the significance of the moment, said: "In taking a step closer to the energisation of the city, we give further proof that we can satisfy our investors requirements and work together with them to fulfil Saudi Arabias 2030 Vision of enabling a thriving economy and a robust energy cluster in the kingdom." "Our plug-and-play concept reassures investors that Sparks ecosystem gives them all they need to do business here," he noted. Sparks value proposition targets investors and partners of all sizes, said the statement. During the past two years, it has signed investment agreements with over 30 major energy and technology companies to invest in the energy park, with an additional 15 companies in the pipeline. It is expected that foreign direct investment in the park will exceed $2.4 billion in the years ahead once investors complete construction of their facilities, it added.

Spark Utilities Company CEO Einas Al Ashgar said: "Our partnership with Sapco is a key milestone in the progress we are making to provide a sustainable platform with a world-class infrastructure and services for our investors."

"Convenient and reliable access to power is an essential factor for investors seeking to base themselves at the heart of the regional energy sector and allows them to benefit from the all-inclusive, full-service environment available at Spark," he added.

Sapco CEO Abdulaziz Al Naim lauded Spark Utilities for its expert supervision of the power infrastructure and services at the top industrial city.

"The Smart Grid System introduced as part of the Spark energy hub allows investors to confidently expect full and reliable power access right from the very first moment they start operations. The smart grid system provides increased access to real-time data on power consumption and usage and ensures business continuity and smart power usage," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Cheyenne Boy Who Saved Sister To Be Honored With Reception at UW Geological Museum Nov. 12

A boy from Cheyenne who saved his little sisters life from a charging dog in summer 2020 will be honored with a reception at the University of Wyoming Geological Museum from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12. The event is free and open to the public.

Bridger Walker, who was 6 years old at the time, stood between his sister and the dog. Walker was bitten by the dog multiple times on the face and head, injuries that required roughly 90 stitches, according to an article in The Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

In 2020, Bridger saved his younger sister from an attacking dog, and news of his heroic act went global. As a result, thousands of fans sent Bridger rocks, paintings and even videos from celebrities recognizing his bravery, says Laura Vietti, collections manager for the UW Geological Museum. Here, for the first time, Bridger and his family are sharing some of his favorite rocks and art pieces as a temporary exhibition at the UW Geological Museum.

Walker and his family will be at the museum reception to celebrate Bridgers honorary exhibit, Vietti says. The event also will include an interactive activity table by the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium at UW.

When the story went viral July 12, 2020 on an Instagram post made by Walkers aunt, the boys heroics were noted by many actors who play superheroes in the Avengers movies. These included Robert Downey Jr., who stars as Iron Man; Chris Evans, who plays Captain America; Chris Hemsworth, Thor; Tom Holland, Spider-Man; and Mark Ruffalo, the Incredible Hulk. Other actors who sent encouraging messages were Hugh Jackman, who starred as Wolverine in the X-Men films; and Anne Hathaway, who played Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Walkers honorary exhibition will be on display through June 2022.

For more information, email geolmus@uwyo.edu.
New $2.5 Million Grant to Help Wyoming Entrepreneurs Access Critical Resources

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network a $2.5 million grant to implement the SBAs Community Navigator Pilot Program in Wyoming.

The goal of the Community Navigator Pilot Program is to reduce barriers that all small businesses, including those owned by disadvantaged groups such as veterans, women and those from rural communities and communities of color, often face in accessing critical support.

Supporting entrepreneurs is part of the University of Wyomings land-grant mission and a key aspect of our strategic plan, says Steve Farkas, associate vice president for economic development in UWs Office of Research and Economic Development, which oversees the Wyoming SBDC Network. The Community Navigator Pilot Program will bring much-needed assistance and resources to all small-business owners throughout the state, aligning perfectly with the efforts of the universitys Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The Community Navigator Pilot Program uses a hub and spoke model from public health care federal programming. Grantee hubs -- such as the Wyoming SBDC Network -- will serve as centralized, lead organizations and will incorporate spokes to leverage partnerships with deeply trusted, community-based organizations to help small businesses navigate government resources and tap into critical resources.

Wyomings spokes include:

-- UW Extension.

-- Wyoming Womens Business Center.

-- Wind River Development Fund.

-- Wyoming Smart Capital Network.

-- The Local Crowd.

-- The Laramie County Library System (Library to Business).

The Wyoming SBDC Network and 50 other organizations were selected to operate this program from more than 700 nationwide applicants. The SBAs review process ensures compliance, objectivity and integrity that allowed all applicants an opportunity to demonstrate the impact the SBAs support of their organizations could have on their communities. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 created the Community Navigator Pilot Program, and the funding will be used over two years.

Being selected through such a competitive process is a reflection of the Wyoming SBDC Networks successful track record of assisting, educating and training small businesses and our ongoing efforts to support the diversification of the states economy, says Jill Kline, state director of the Wyoming SBDC Network. While these funds will not be disbursed directly to small businesses, the grant will allow the Wyoming SBDC Network -- the hub -- and the spokes to expand services and outreach to help entrepreneurs successfully have a greater impact on the states economy.

For more information on the SBAs Community Navigator Pilot Program, visit www.sba.gov/navigators.

About the Wyoming SBDC Network

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their businesses. In 2020, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 95 new businesses, support 6,964 jobs and bring a capital impact of $18 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the SBA.

To learn more, visit www.wyomingsbdc.org.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The SBA helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small-business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from declared disasters. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.

To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
UW Finalizes Academic Restructuring Proposal to Present to Trustees

A major reorganization of the University of Wyomings academic programs would proceed, although implementation of some significant components would be delayed by a year, under a proposal scheduled to be presented to the UW Board of Trustees Nov. 17-19.

The proposal, which follows months of development informed by thorough review and feedback from internal and external stakeholders, aims to position the university for a vibrant future at a time of uncertain state revenues, economic shifts and a changing higher-education landscape.

We must consider where we are headed at the same time we make changes to budgets of our various units in response to reductions in recent years, UW President Ed Seidel says. The academic reorganization plan, combined with new initiatives to improve the student experience and higher educations role in Wyomings economy, sets the stage for new synergies, scholarly coherence and efficiencies that arent possible under the universitys current structure. Overall, the plan aims to better serve our students and better position us for increased revenue streams from research agencies and corporate partnerships as we strive to become a Carnegie R1 research-intensive institution.

Specifically, the proposal going before the trustees would, effective July 1, 2022, reorganize the College of Education; move and/or consolidate several academic departments; and eliminate four low-enrollment graduate degree programs.

Additional academic reconfigurations -- including movement of several academic departments from the current College of Arts and Sciences, and restructuring and renaming of the current College of Engineering and Applied Science and College of Agriculture and Natural Resources -- wouldnt be implemented until July 1, 2023, pending further refinement.

After careful consideration of the feedback that we have received from faculty, students, staff and stakeholders, I believe additional time is needed for consideration of how best to implement the major reorganization of the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Engineering and Applied Science, Provost and Executive Vice President Kevin Carman says. I plan to engage in a robust discussion over the next year to carefully consider optimal alignments while minimizing unintended negative consequences of restructuring. This year, UW will be updating its institutional strategic plan, which will be an ideal opportunity to consider how reorganization could position the university for a prosperous future.

While the proposed reorganizations were driven, in part, by budget considerations, they would not achieve the reductions necessary to respond to the drop in state funding and reallocate resources for the new initiatives -- establishment of a School of Computing, a Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), and the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative, which are integral to the new Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP) involving UW and the states community colleges.

As a result, working with UW college deans, the Office of Academic Affairs has separately developed a budget reduction plan that achieves a $5.3 million reduction to academic programs -- with work continuing for a total $13.6 million budget reduction. Final details on the reductions will come later, but the plan does include eliminating 20-25 faculty positions that have been vacated by resignations and retirements.

We worked extremely hard with the deans to find ways to achieve our budget targets, continue to be strategic and not harm faculty who dedicate their careers to serving our students, Seidel says. We have succeeded in not eliminating faculty positions that are currently filled. And, by folding in final implementation of the reorganization with strategic planning, we will ensure strategic outcomes with faculty, staff and student input throughout the process.

A proposal to launch the School of Computing -- which will go through the regular review process involving the Faculty Senate -- is expected to go before the Board of Trustees in January.

Under UW Regulation 2-13, the proposal going to the Board of Trustees this month would:

-- Reorganize the College of Education effective July 1, 2022. The plan is for the college to have three divisions: one focused on educator preparation; one for graduate education; and one for innovation and engagement. A review committee would examine a proposal to discontinue two graduate degree programs, the Ph.D. in counseling and the Ph.D. in learning, design and technology.

-- Reorganize the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Engineering and Applied Science to better align the life and physical sciences, and the humanities, social sciences and arts, with full implementation by July 1, 2023.

-- Give authority to the provost and executive vice president to implement some components of the restructuring plan by July 1, 2022, while pausing to engage in thoughtful discussion over the larger, structural changes before implementing changes no later than July 1, 2023.

-- Suspend the required review period specified in Regulation 2-13 to allow for discussion over the next year regarding the move of the Human Development and Family Sciences, and Design, Merchandising and Textiles programs, with a final recommendation to the board in January 2023.

-- Discontinue these degree programs: the Master of Arts in philosophy, the MBA in finance, the MBA in energy and the Ph.D. in statistics.

Among the changes that would take place by July 1, 2022:

-- Consolidation of the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

-- Movement of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from the College of Arts and Sciences to the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and consolidation of that department with the Department of Atmospheric Science.

-- Consolidation of the agricultural communications degree program with the Department of Communication and Journalism.

-- Movement of the American Studies Program into the School of Culture, Gender and Social Justice.

Among the changes that would take place by July 1, 2023, pending further refinement:

-- Movement of other physical sciences departments -- Chemistry, Geology and Geophysics, and Mathematics and Statistics -- from the College of Arts and Sciences to the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

-- Renaming of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, possibly to the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

-- Movement of the Department of Zoology and Physiology, the Department of Botany and the Life Sciences Program from the College of Arts and Sciences to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. With the additional time, work will be done to determine the optimal structure for the consolidated program and to consider alternative placement of life sciences faculty with discipline-specific expertise that aligns better with other academic units, such as those in the College of Health Sciences.

-- Renaming of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, possibly to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

-- Restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences to emphasize and elevate humanities, social sciences and arts. With the additional time, work will be done to, among other things: possibly launch a Ph.D. program in English; explore opportunities for other Ph.D. programs; and explore partnerships with the planned School of Computing.

-- Movement of the Nutrition Program to the Division of Kinesiology and Health in the College of Health Sciences.

-- Movement of the Human Development and Family Sciences Program, and the Early Care and Education Center to the College of Education. With the additional time, work will be done to consider alternative placement of the Human Development and Family Sciences Program and faculty with discipline-specific expertise that aligns better with other academic units; consider the appropriate academic home for the Design, Merchandising and Textiles Program; and consider discontinuation of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

The additional year also would allow careful review of the potential implications of the proposed reorganizations of the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and College of Engineering and Applied Science. Those considerations include reallocation of staff support and academic advising; redistribution of operating budgets; assignment and stewardship of endowments; and administrative structure.

A number of degree programs initially targeted for elimination would be maintained under the provosts recommendations: bachelors degrees in German and French, as well as in Spanish, German and French secondary education; masters degrees in political science, international studies, sociology and architectural engineering; graduate degrees in entomology; and the masters degree in family and consumer sciences, pending potential reorganization of that department.

The full proposal to the Board of Trustees, along with other information, will be available at www.uwyo.edu/acadaffairs/program-review/current/program-documents.html. Comments will continue to be accepted until the Nov. 17-19 board meeting.
UW to Host Symposium in Cody Noting Yellowstone National Parks 150th Anniversary

Bison roam during a recent fall day in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. The University of Wyoming College of Law and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources will host a symposium marking Yellowstone National Parks 150th anniversary at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody May 19-20. (UW Photo)

The University of Wyoming College of Law and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources will host a symposium marking Yellowstone National Parks 150th anniversary at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody May 19-20.

The two-day event is open to the public and will feature keynote talks and panel discussions to celebrate the history of the park and look to the future of the worlds first national park.

In this special 150th anniversary year, the College of Law is pleased to be a part of this historic event led by the Wyoming Law Review and to collaborate with the Haub School and Yellowstone National Park to celebrate the importance of Americas first national park, says Klint Alexander, the dean of the UW College of Law.

Presenters will examine how the park has met its original goals of preserving natural wonders and making those treasures accessible to visitors from around the world. Discussions also will focus on how Yellowstone National Park can adapt to modern and future values, knowledge and needs. Cam Sholly, superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, is among the keynote speakers.

Partnership is how great things are achieved and, so, the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources is excited by this collaborative effort to recognize the sesquicentennial of Yellowstone National Park, says John Koprowski, dean of the Haub School. This celebratory event will enable us to learn from the past, appreciate the present and envision the future of our iconic and foundational park.

Some of the presentation topics have emerged from articles in a forthcoming special issue of the Wyoming Law Review. The articles, which examine Yellowstone National Parks past and future, were the impetus for creating the symposium.

Jake Vogt, a third-year UW law student from Cody, is editor-in-chief of the Wyoming Law Review and a lead organizer of the symposium. He says authors for the Wyoming Law Review are writing about such topics as natural resource and ecosystem conservation, policy within the national park and the historical and potential future relationships between Native Americans and Yellowstone National Park.

For more information, email Vogt at jvogt2@uwyo.edu or Madi Barber, a UW law student from Cheyenne, at mbarber9@uwyo.edu.
Valparaiso, IN (46383)

Today

Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 52F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 21F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
From 3 to 5 November 2021, at the invitation of the State Customs Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and with the support of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Brussels, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, visited Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to launch a Regional Dog Training Centre (RDTC) and meet with the President of Kyrgyzstan, H.E. Mr. Sadyr Japarov and other political leaders. Dr. Mikuriya also intervened during the EU-Central Asia Economic Forum held in Bishkek as well as an international conference on trade facilitation.

The signing of an MoU between the Chairman of the State Customs Service, Mr. Adilet Kubanychbekov and the WCO Secretary General marked the official launch of the RDTC. Secretary General Mikuriya stated that the establishment of this RDTC demonstrates the Kyrgyz Customs commitment to modernization through enhanced regional networking and sharing of best practices.

During the meeting between President Japarov and Secretary General Mikuriya, both leaders emphasized the need for enhanced training of Customs officers and welcomed the establishment of the RDTC in Bishkek. Dr. Mikuriya appreciated Kyrgyzstans decision to host a WCO regional structure which is devoted to the strengthening of regional cooperation by providing Customs officers of the region an opportunity to share their experiences and work together to find common solutions to overarching problems. He added that the WCO supports the ambition of Central Asia to become the centre of connectivity for the surrounding regions.

The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic (Prime Minister) H.E Mr. Akylbek Japarov, welcomed Dr. Mikuriyas support and presented him with a copy of Kyrgyzstans instrument of accession to the Revised Kyoto Convention. Secretary General Mikuriya appreciated the willingness of Kyrgyzstan to base its customs procedures on the international standards.

In the margins of his visit in Kyrgyzstan, WCO Secretary General spoke at the International Conference on Trade Facilitation measures during Covid-19 Pandemic in Central Asia, held in Bishkek and organized with the support of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Programme Office in Bishkek in the presence of Central Asian Customs and other development partners. The First Vice-Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E Mr. Arzybek Kojoshev, made the opening remarks and declared the conference officially opened. In his keynote address, Secretary General Mikuriya explained the WCOs approach on Trade Facilitation, especially in the context of landlocked countries. The Conference provided a platform for participants to exchange experiences and practices as well as allowed Customs Administrations and International organizations to elaborate new plans and improve existing ones on trade facilitation programmes.

Secretary General Mikuriya also spoke at the EU-Central Asia Economic Forum held in Bishkek. Dr. Mikuriya highlighted the Customs contribution to the business environment in Central Asia. He reiterated the WCOs commitment to reinforce cooperation with the EU and other development partners to work together for the improvement of connectivity at borders.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. High 74F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Thunder is possible early. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Franklin, TN (37064)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Thunder is possible early. Low 33F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Standard Bank Group, Citi, Norfund and CDC Group fund Greenlight Planet Kenya, leading solar energy business in Africa

The transaction is one of the first sustainability-linked deals in Kenya and strengthens the growing trend of syndicated sustainable finance deals in the region

ESG criteria incorporated into the facility to maximise Greenlight Planets impact across Africa and will contribute towards the United Nations SDG 7, on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Johannesburg 

Standard Bank Group, Citi, CDC Group and Norfund have partnered to provide a USD75M equivalent KES denominated Sustainable Finance Facility for Greenlight Planet Kenya, Africas leader in off-grid solar home solutions.

The landmark facility is one of the first sustainability-linked deals in Kenya, and one of the largest syndicated sustainable finance deals in the region to be provided in local currency. The transaction will allow Greenlight Planet to expand access to off-grid solar solutions to off-grid communities throughout Kenya and support its ambitions to reach an additional 10 million households globally in the next 5 years by enabling households to afford pay-as-you-go solar home systems through digital financing.

The deal involved a high level of collaboration and important contributions from all parties. Citi served as the Sole Coordinator on the transaction, while Standard Bank acted as Sustainability Coordinator and executed the FX conversion to facilitate the repayment of the parent loan, in turn aiding local currency funding. The KES denominated loan will minimize Greenlight Planets exposure to currency exchange fluctuations, allowing the business to focus on growth, employment, and innovation. The deal also includes integrating three sustainability linked KPIs to the funding which covered both social and environmental metrics as follows:

The number of people benefiting from reliable energy financing

Cumulative avoidance of CO2 emissions

Ensuring a gender balanced management team

As existing investors in Greenlight Planet, CDC Group and Norfunds new round of investments aims to incorporate additional private sector capital and demonstrate the long-term viability of the off-grid solar sector, as well as enable the business to scale its operations in Kenya. Dentons acted as lenders legal counsel on the deal and Power Africa provided legal support and advice to Greenlight Planet for this transaction, assisting with negotiation and review of financing and guarantee documents.

Greenlight Planet Kenya is a Group Company of Greenlight Planet Inc, a leading designer, distributor and financier of rooftop solar home systems for off-grid and weak-grid homes. Through its network of 200 branches and 8,000 field agents, Greenlight sells its Sun King-branded solar energy systems directly to its off-grid residential clients and provides 'pay-as-you-go' financing to facilitate their purchase. To date, the companys Sun King products have saved customers more than $4 billion cumulatively, which would otherwise be used to purchase CO2-emitting kerosene lanterns and to charge mobile phones.

The transaction aligns Greenlight Planets funding with its environmental and social impact goals linked to financial inclusion, clean energy and gender equality by incorporating Sustainability Performance Targets into the facility.

Anneke Lund, Executive, Sustainable Finance at Standard Bank Group, said: We at Standard Bank Group are very happy to announce this first to market transaction for Greenlight Planet Kenya. The businesss ESG strategy sits at the core of its business model, and we are proud to have structured a sustainability linked facility that further highlights these commitments. Driving positive environmental and social impact sits at the heart of our Social, Economic and Environmental impact strategy."

Birgit Edlefsen, Senior Investment Manager in Norfund, said: As an active investor since 2019, Norfund has been impressed by how Greenlight Planet contributes to improving lives through increasing access to affordable and clean energy across several key regions. We are delighted to be able to continue to support the company through this investment in Kenya, and provide local currency that can enable the company to reach an even larger number of people and local communities.

Michael Mutiga, Managing Director, Head of Corporate Finance, SSA, Citi said Off-grid solar home systems are a vital way to expand access to clean energy and to supplement national grids that may not have the reach to help transform the lives of people who are still without electricity. By expanding access to affordable and reliable energy for millions of households in underserved communities, Citis financing of Greenlight Planet helps address social, economic and environmental challenges of low-income households in Kenya and beyond as part of our commitment to support social-focused developments in emerging markets.

Anish Thakkar, Co-founder, Greenlight Planet Kenya, said: 600 million off-grid homes will spend over a thousand dollars each on smoky, carbon-emitting kerosene lamps for household light in the next decade. Many of them simply need short-term purchase financing to be able to afford one of our clean, rooftop Sun King solar systems to light their home and power appliances like their phone or a TV. This facility led by Standard Bank, Citi, Norfund and CDC will allow hundreds of thousands of off-grid families to make the switch from kerosene to clean, safe and abundant rooftop solar.

Geoffrey Manley, Head of Energy Access and Efficiency, CDC Group, said: Were excited to be deepening our commitment to Greenlight Planet through this partnership alongside other investors, with a joint objective of improving energy access for an estimated 3.2 million people in Kenya, particularly low-income households. Off-grid solar (OGS) systems play a vital role is supporting inclusive economic growth, by providing cleaner energy and improving quality of life, health and safety. Greenlight Planet is a market leader. Their ability to attract lending from world-class commercial banks is a testament to this and a positive signal for the OGS market.

For further information, please contact:

Standard Bank Group

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

standardinternational@hkstrategies.com

+44 20 7413 3764

Greenlight Planet

Cassandra Barua

media@greenlightplanet.com

+919769087737

Citi

Megs Naidu

megs.naidu@citi.com

+27 (0)11 944 0069

Norfund

Per Kristian Sbertoli

per.kristian@norfund.no

+47 930 89 103

CDC Group

Toyosi Adebayo

press@cdcgroup.com

+ 44 (0) 788 037 2305

About Standard Bank Group

Standard Bank Group is the largest African bank by assets, operating in 20 African countries and 5 global financial centres. Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, we are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with share code SBK, and the Namibian Stock Exchange, share code SNB.

Standard Bank has a 158-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. Our strategic position, which enables us to connect Africa to other select emerging markets as well as pools of capital in developed markets, and our balanced portfolio of businesses, provide significant opportunities for growth.

The group has over 50 000 employees, more than 1100 branches and over 6500 ATMs on the African continent, which enable it to deliver a complete range of services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking and wealth management. The groups largest shareholder is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the worlds largest bank, with a 20.1% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets. For further information, go to http://www.standardbank.com

Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya and provides the full spectrum of financial and banking services for Corporates, SMEs, and Individuals. Stanbic Bank Kenya delivers a comprehensive range of products and services relating to investment banking; global markets; and global transactional products and services.

About Greenlight Planet

Greenlight Planet is a multinational, for-profit business that designs, distributes and finances solar home energy solutions with an underserved population in mind: the 800 million population for whom the traditional electrical grid is either inaccessible or too expensive. Greenlight Planet has sold over 15 million Sun King solar home energy products to off-grid households around the world. Greenlight Planet reaches remote, off-grid customers through a vast network of micro-entrepreneurs, more than 300 global strategic distribution partners, and its proprietary Sun King EasyBuy (pay-as-you-go) instalment payment technology that makes safe, high-quality solar energy products affordable for all. Greenlight Planets Sun King products are currently installed in 65+ countries and serve more than 70 million beneficiaries.

To know more, please visit www.greenlightplanet.com | Linkedin: https://in.linkedin.com/company/greenlightplanet | Twitter: @SunKingGlobal | YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SunKingGreenlightPlanet

About Citi

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi| LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.

About Norfund

Norfund is the Norwegian Investment Fund for developing countries. Our mission is to create jobs and to improve lives by investing in businesses that drive sustainable development. Norfund is owned and funded by the Norwegian Government and is the Governments most important tool for strengthening the private sector in developing countries, and for reducing poverty. Norfunds committed portfolio totals 3.3 billion USD in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, and Central America. Norfund has four investment areas: Clean Energy, Financial Institutions, Scalable Enterprises and Green Infrastructure. Investments in Clean Energy account for about 50% of the portfolio and 50% of the portfolio is in Sub-Saharan Africa. For more information, please visit: www.norfund.no

About CDC Group

CDC Group is the UKs impact investor with over 70 years of experience of successfully supporting the sustainable, long-term growth of businesses in South Asia and Africa. The company is a leading player in the fight against climate change and has committed more than $1bn of climate finance over the last four years.

CDC is also a founding member of the 2X challenge which has raised $10bn to empower womens economic development. The company has investments in over 1000 businesses in emerging economies and total assets of $9.3bn. In 2020, CDC committed over of $1.5bn to businesses in Africa and Asia, and aims to invest up to $1.75bn in 2021  with a focus on driving inclusive growth, job creation and supporting economic recovery from COVID-19.

CDC is funded by the UK government and is a champion of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. All proceeds from CDCs investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa and South Asia. CDCs expertise makes it an ideal partner for private investors looking to devote capital to making a measurable environmental and social impact in countries most in need of investment.
31 March 2020, Kipsing, near Oldonyiro, Isiolo county - A desert locusts swarm flies in the region. The current situation in East Africa remains extremely alarming as hopper bands and an increasing number of new swarms are forming in Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia. This represents an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods because it coincides with the beginning of the long rains and the planting season. FAO scales up its emergency response with a massive, border-spanning campaign needed to combat the locust upsurge.

Rome  $11.2 million partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to aid control and recovery efforts

While the Desert Locust upsurge that swept through the Horn of Africa and Yemen may be declining, it is critical to continue implementing control efforts against any new swarms and monitoring subsequent breeding in the region until at least the end of the year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

A new $11.2 million partnership with the Mastercard Foundation means that locust surveillance and control efforts are now fully supported to the end of the year.

"Depending on weather conditions and our ability to reach breeding and migration areas, the upsurge could be over by the end of 2021 or in early 2022," said Rein Paulsen, the Director of FAO's Office of Emergencies and Resilience.

"Until then, we must not drop our guard. Thanks to the generous contributions of various partners, national teams guided by FAO experts are continuing to undertake the necessary survey and control operations in the affected countries."

The campaign against Desert Locusts in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen has been underway since January 2020. FAO and the affected countries have gained major successes in containing the worst recorded locust upsurge in Ethiopia and Somalia in 25 years and the worst infestations seen in Kenya in70 years.

FAO | Isak Amin. The Minister for Agriculture of Somaliland sits in a meeting with FAO delegates in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Wednesday 4th March, 2020. The Minister for Agriculture, Ahmed Mumin Seed, said that they fear a nation-wide disaster brought on by the nymphs left behind by the locusts swarms that stripped fields and damaged crops last year. He added that some of the nymphs have already been spotted in the coastal areas of Somaliland such a Zeylac. "We are informing our partners that these nymphs are waiting for the first drops of rain to hatch and that if it does so, it will bring on us a great deal of damage".

With the support of 29 partners and FAO's own resources, more than $230 million was mobilized for the locust campaign. The Mastercard Foundation previously partnered with FAO in April 2020 contributing $10 million to the early detection of locust swarms, ground and aerial spraying operations, and impact assessments on the ground.

"The Desert Locust swarms weren't just eating away at crops; they were eating away livelihoods, productivity, and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. As a foundation committed to enabling access to opportunity in Africa, we felt compelled to step up and address the crisis. The progress FAO has made is deeply encouragingand holding on to the ground gained is critical to a process of reclaiming hope for farmers and communities in the region," said Daniel Hailu, Mastercard Foundation's Regional Director, East and Southern Africa.

Control operations undertaken by FAO and its partners protected the livelihoods of more than 40 million people in rural areas, saving crops and pasture and thereby securing households' cereal and milk supplies. FAO estimates that around 4.4 million tonnes of cereal crops and some 878 million litres of milk were saved and the value of saved production exceeded $1.7 billion.

FAO | Sven Torfinn 31 March 2020 Lewa Wildlife Conservancy airstrip, close to Isiolo, Isiolo county, Kenya. Pilot from Orsmond Aviation, South Africa based company, ready for take off on mission to do aerial spraying. Spray airplanes on the airstrip, ground crew are fueling the plane and loading it with chemicals in preparation for aerial spraying to fight locusts swarms in the area.

"It was an extraordinary effort in a short space of time. Together, we not only controlled the onslaught of this insidious pest but FAO managed to strengthen locust fighting capacity in East Africa from near zero in some places to a high level of readiness," said Paulsen.

The Desert Locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world and a small swarm covering one square kilometre can eat the same amount of food in one day as 35 000 people.

Swarms the size of cities were vanquished and now a very small number of remnant swarms remain in Ethiopia and Somalia. Kenya is locust free and Djibouti and Eritrea are relatively calm and under control.

Lingering risks

Despite progress, there is continuing concern about northern Ethiopia where new swarms have formed in the past month as local conflict has limited control operations. The swarms may pose a risk to the critical Meher season harvest, already anticipated to be 40 percent below normal.

FAO forecasts suggest these swarms will migrate north out of Ethiopia or into eastern regions of the country where control operations are possible. However, there is concern about how many might remain and whether they threaten crops in a highly food insecure region.

New swarms from Yemen where controls remain a challenge could also pose a threat if they move south across the Gulf of Aden and reinvade the Horn of Africa.

FAO | Luis Tato 2 June 2020, Loima, Kenya - A Turkana man stands at a severely damaged sorghum crop part of his community farm providing food for 100 households in Loima, Turkana County, Kenya. An increasing number of second-generation immature swarms continue to form in northwest Kenya.

Livelihoods support for farmers and their families

Despite the success of the locust control operations, up to 2.5 million people were affected by the upsurge in 2020 in addition to at least another 1 million in early 2021.

FAO has been helping farmers who suffered locust damage with agricultural support packages, providing veterinary care for vegetation-starved livestock, and making cash transfers to families who have lost their crops so that they can purchase food.

To mitigate the devastating impact on livelihoods, FAO provided diverse support to over 300 000 farming, agro-pastoral and pastoral households, while an additional 347 000 families were assisted by partner nongovernmental organizations under the Regional Desert Locust Alliance (RDLA). Together, these activities assisted over 4 million people.

While regional and local preparedness and field operations are much improved, they can only be supported with effective forecasting and early warning, which FAO's Desert Locust Information Service has been providing for more than 50 years.
LAGOS  Today, My World of Bags, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation announced the launch of Kafawa, a training initiative designed to bridge the skills gap in the leather and non-leather manufacturing industry.

My World of Bags, the parent company of FemiHandbags, one of Africa's leading luxury accessory brands, is partnering with the Mastercard Foundation's Young Africa Works to upskill hundreds of Nigerian youths and connect them to work opportunities in the creative sector.

Kafawa , which means 'establishment' in Hausa, will kick -off its pilot phase in Oyo state, and will launch a series of intensive courses in hard and soft skills. The goal is to empower and establish a highly skilled generation of youth to enhance the quality of workmanship in Nigeria - and Africa's leather and non -leather industries.

In a statement by the Program Director and Founder of My World of Bags/FemiHandbags, Mrs. Femi Olayebi , she said, "There is a breadth of potential in the leather and non -leather manufacturing industries in Nigeria, and yet, there is a lack of skilled hands to bring that potential to life. This partnership with the Mastercard Foundation is the perfect opportunity to achieve this, not only by equipping young Nigerians with the necessary skill sets to grow and expand the sector, but also to enhance their own economic outcomes. We are honoured to be driving this change, and we are committed to creating access for as many young people at the bottom-of-the-pyramid as possible ."

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony , Chioma Nwagboso, Program Lead, MSME Finance at the Mastercard Foundation said, "the Mastercard Foundation is excited at the potential for Kafawa to create a new generation of young people with a changed mindset and new- found belief that production, tailoring and manufacturing can provide dignified and fulfilling work opportunities."

Over the past five years, My World of Bags has been an active advocate for skills-building, through its annual training program for leather designers, in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC); and for expanding access and creating a platform for visibility, through its annual Lagos Leather Fair.

This partnership with the Mastercard Foundation enables the company to further expand its reach, intensify and broaden the training curricula and offer placement opportunities within the leather and non-leather manufacturing industry.

Mastercard Foundation Kafawa , which means 'establishment' in Hausa, will kick -off its pilot phase in Oyo state, Nigeria, and will launch a series of intensive courses in hard and soft skills. The goal is to empower and establish a highly skilled generation of youth to enhance the quality of workmanship in Nigeria - and Africa's leather and non -leather industries.

The first cohort of trainees, selected based on their passion, availability, and readiness to strive for better, have officially been on-boarded into the Kafawa Training Program and are very eager to begin a journey that will involve intensive training over a three to four month period. Applications for the next cohort will be open in March 2022 after the pilot batch graduate.

About My World of Bags

My World of Bags (MWOB) is a bag design and corporate accessories manufacturing company, and the parent company of Femi Handbags  a bespoke line of leather handbags and accessories. Founded in 1992 by Femi Olayebi, the company designs and produces a dynamic array of products for businesses and individuals alike.

About the Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organisation with its Board of Directors and management.

For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org

About Young Africa Works

Young Africa Works is the Mastercard Foundation's strategy to enable 30 million young people, particularly young women, across Africa to access dignified work. Africa will be home to the world's largest workforce, with 375 million young people entering the job market by 2030. With the right skills, these young people will contribute to Africa's global competitiveness and improve their lives and those of their communities.

Media Enquiries

Oluyemi Olukanni

Communications Lead, My World of Bags/FemiHandbags

0701 129 9922

0708 928 7992

programs@myworldofbags.com http://www.myworldofbags.com/

Mastercard Foundation

Nonye Mpho Omotola

Country Lead, Program Communications, Nigeria

nomotola@mastercardfdn.org
Rome, Italy  The second edition of ECAM  The European Corporate Council on Africa and Middle East closed in Rome having successfully brought together thought leaders, policy makers, presidents and government ministers who shared their diverse perspectives and profound expertise to inspire and challenge us to find a more huma face to caring.

The Forum opened with a live feed from La Rabta hospital in Tunis, of cardiac surgeons carrying out an operation at the first paediatric cardiac surgery CATLAB in Tunisia that was donated by GSD.

The summit began in earnest thereafter and offered delegates the opportunity to focus on health developments in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The theme of this year's summit was Finding New Ways to Care with particular focus on the urgency of supporting and encouraging public-private approaches to healthcare provision and investment.

Other themes up for debate and conversation drew on the G20 Agenda such as fairer vaccine distribution and the importance of access to universal healthcare around the globe. Many speeches centered on the challenges faced by African and Middle Eastern nations in securing an adequate vaccine supply, as well as the question of how healthcare systems can be changed and improved post pandemic and in preparation for future pandemics. Multilateral cooperation was also an important theme and debate focused on the financial burden and debt incurred by poorer nations as a result of the pandemic.

Kamel Ghribi, Chairman and founder of ECAM Council, stated Ecam Council is the fruit of our desire to bring humanism to healthcare.

Notable keynote guest speakers were Tony Blair, Executive Chairman, INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE and Saudi Arabia HRH Turki bin Al Faisal Al Saud, Chair of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf the Secretary General, COOPERATION COUNCIL FOR THE ARAB STATES OF THE GULF; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO; President Ilir Meta, REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA; Letizia Moratti President, E4IMPACT; Vice President and Regional Minister of Welfare, LOMBARDY; Dr. Maryam Matar Founder AND Chairperson, United Arab Emirates GENETIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION; Luigi di Maio ITALIAN Foreign Minister, Roberto Speranza ITALIAN Health Minister, President Felix Tshisekedi, of the Democratic Republic OF CONGO, Jose Barroso Chairman OF GAVI, Cardinal Peter Turkson the Vatican City PREFECT OF THE DICASTERY OF INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT among other distinguished guests.

Media Contact:

media@gksdholding.com

info@Ecamcouncil.com

https://www.EcamCouncil.com
press release

Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has affirmed the African Development Bank's Aaa long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings. The outlook remains stable.

In a rating action note dated 28 October 2021, Moody's said the key factors underpinning the affirmation include robust capital buffers, combined with superior risk management which contain the challenges associated with low development asset credit quality amid a difficult operating environment; very strong access to funding which supports the bank's ample liquidity buffer; and very high support from regional and non-regional shareholders to support the African Development Bank's development mandate.

"The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectations that African Development Bank's capital and liquidity buffers will remain in line with Aaa peers and that prudent risk management practices will maintain nonperforming assets at low levels despite a challenging operating environment," the note further said.

The outlook is also based on expectations that the Bank's shareholders will continue to provide substantial support, through regular capital increases, and when necessary, the provision of support beyond contractual obligations.

The note also commented on the Bank's solid capital position. "After several years of rising leverage, AfDB's leverage ratio improved slightly to 295% in 2020, compared with 298% in 2019. This reflected a combination of a slower pace of lending growth and the first contributions made under the latest general capital increase, GCI VII, which was approved by AfDB's board in 2019." Moody's expects further paid-in capital contributions from shareholders to prevent a deterioration in leverage over the next several years.

The bank's liquidity buffer is among the strongest within the Aaa-rated peer group, with liquid assets covering 101% of net cash outflows over an 18-month horizon.

"As one of the main conduits for private investment and development goals on the African continent, Moody's views the ability and willingness of AfDB's shareholders to provide support to be very high, which provides uplift to the bank's intrinsic financial strength."

Non-regional member countries account for 40% of the Bank's capital subscription, including a number of highly rated sovereigns like the United States (Aaa, stable), Japan (A1, stable), Germany (Aaa, stable), Canada (Aaa, stable) and France (Aa2, stable), highlighting the ability and willingness of shareholders to support the African Development Bank's development objectives.

Additionally, the African Development Bank's non-regional shareholders have a track record of demonstrated support to the institution beyond their ongoing contractual involvement, including a history of temporary callable capital solutions to support the institution during particular periods.

Commenting on the rating newly appointed Senior Vice President of the African Development Bank Group, Bajabulile "Swazi" Tshabalala said: "Moody's assessment reflects the financial strength of the African Development Bank, an institution resolutely geared towards putting Africa on a path to inclusive and sustainable growth."

Contact:

Amba Mpoke-Bigg, Communication and External Relations Department, African Development Bank, email: a.mpoke-bigg@afdb.org
Moi University, which has accumulated a debt of Sh4.5 billion, is unable to meet some financial obligations and will resort to fee increments.

The Auditor-General's report of 2020 indicates that the university's revenue for the year ended June 2020 was Sh7.8 billion against an expenditure of Sh8.3 billion, therefore recording a deficit of Sh504 million.

"This is due to reduction in income from privately sponsored students and reduction in students qualifying to join universities. It has led to the deficits in the university's financial operations," reads the report.

The report also shows that employment of staff at the university is skewed in contravention of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission Act (2008).

It shows that out of 2,739 employees, 1,696 are from one community. This translates to 62 per cent of the total staff, contravening the NCIC Act, 2008, which states that not more than one third of staff should be from the same ethnic community.

Main campus closed

The university had its main campus closed indefinitely last Wednesday following a strike by academic and non-academic staff over delayed implementation of national and internal collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), staff promotions and non-remittance of statutory deductions to financial institutions. The workers disrupted teaching and learning activities for three days, forcing the closure.

Last week, Dr Humphrey Njuguna, the university council chairman, acknowledged that due to the financial challenges, the university was unable to meet some of its obligations.

He blamed the situation on a decline in student enrolment that had slumped from 60,000 in 2015 to the current 27,000 following the collapse of the self-sponsored programme.

He observed that the programme generated between Sh4 billion and Sh5 billion annually but since 2015, like most universities, it was unable to raise adequate funds to sustain its operations.

Last week, Moi University indicated plans to raise tuition fees and implement retrenchment to cut the number of workers so as to reduce the wage bill.

The university management disclosed that they will engage the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders on the proposal to raise fees.

The ballooning debt has been attributed to the establishment of constituent colleges, unchecked expansion of the satellite campuses and alleged mismanagement in the last close to three decades.

Some of the former constituent colleges have since been elevated to fully-fledged universities. These include Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, University of Eldoret, Karatina University, Rongo University and Maasai Mara University.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Education By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The university has in the past been on the spotlight over the controversial appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

In 2016, leaders from the North Rift led by governors Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo-Marakwet) and host of local legislators stormed the institution to protest failure by the council to appoint their preferred candidate, Prof Isaac Kosgei, as the Vice-Chancellor. Prof Laban Ayiro, now the Daystar University VC, was at the time the acting VC.

Prof Kosgei was eventually appointed and is currently in charge of the university.

Last week, the union officials met to discuss their next course of action. They claimed that some of them had been threatened with sacking letters for organising the picketing that led to the closure of the main campus.

"In the past eight months, we have engaged the management but they have not been able to solve our issues. We have a reason to believe that the management is incapable of addressing our concerns and we are demanding our grievances be addressed before we go back to teaching," said Busolo Wegesa, Moi University UASU chapter secretary.

"We are also concerned that 95 per cent of those in management are holding acting positions, including one of the deputy vice-chancellors who has been acting for the last seven years," said Wegesa.
press release

What: DRC Africa Business Forum

Who: President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratifc Republic of Congo, UN Economic Commission for Africa, Afreximbank, African Development Bank (AfDB), African Legal Support Facility, Africa Finance Corporation, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and UN Global Compact.

When: 24 to 25 November 2021 at 9:00 am Kinshasa time

President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will, from 24 to 25 November 2021, host and officiate a multi-stakeholder Business Forum to foster the development of a robust battery, electric vehicle (BEV) and renewable energy value chain and market in Africa.

Developing such a value chain would enable Africa to capture a larger share of this expanding BEV market projected to be worth US$8.8 trillion by 2025 and US$ 46 trillion by 2050

The DRC-Africa Business Forum to be held in a hybrid format, in Kinshasa and online, is convened by the Government of the DRC through the Ministry of industry together with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Afreximbank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), and the UN Global Compact.

A prime objective of the event is to help change the fortunes of the Congolese people and those of other African countries by adding more value to their endowments in battery minerals including cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, nickel and graphite, to profit from the global transition towards green energy, electrification of transport systems and rapid decarbonization. The net zero ambitions by 2050 makes this an urgent task.

The DRC supplies about 70% of the world's cobalt used in the production of batteries, an essential component to power electric vehicles (EVs) and to store energy in solar and wind energy systems. The country is locked in the lower end (mining and mineral processing) of the value chain, capturing only 3% of the global battery and EV value chain.

Governments, development banks, private financial institutions, industrial outfits and business networks, key African automotive companies, global battery and electric vehicle firms and subject-matter experts will participate in the DRC Business Forum.

It will be a practical and charged encounter comprising plenary sessions, business to business roundtables, formal presentations from Africa's leading companies and investors, and networking sessions, with a view to creating a clear road map for Africa's leap into the Global electric battery and vehicle value chain.

The deliberations during the Forum will be underpinned on a study commissioned to BloombergNEF which demonstrates that DRC is a globally competitive destination for the production of battery precursors, on the strength of its costs and emissions profile.

Registration to start soon

Program

Concept Note

Contacts

Solange Kamuanga-Tossou -African Development Bank, s.kamuanga-tossou@afdb.org

Abel Akara Ticha - UN Economic Commission for Africa, akara@un.org

Amadou Labba Sall - Afreximbank, asall@afreximbank.com

Eve Ehoura - African Legal Support Facility, e.ehoura@afdb.org

Kambale Auhinga Obed - Ministry of Industry, DRC, alainobed174@gmail.com

Mohammed Zaki - Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, medzaki@badea.org

Yewande Thorpe - Africa Finance Corporation, Yewande.Thorpe@africafc.org
press release

The new Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) will be launched today at COP26 to accelerate investment in green energy transitions and renewable power solutions in developing and emerging economies worldwide.

Over the next decade, the Alliance aims to unlock USD100 billion in public and private capital and tackle three profound human problems simultaneously: (1) POWER - reaching one billion people with reliable, renewable energy; (2) CLIMATE - avoiding and averting four billion tons of carbon emissions; and (3) JOBS - building an on-ramp to opportunity by creating, enabling, or improving 150 million jobs. It also opened a Global Call for Transformational Country Partnerships, inviting developing and emerging economies to apply for technical support and funding to advance ecosystems of clean energy projects.

President Joko Widodo of the Republic of Indonesia commented: "Indonesia is proud to endorse the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, which is holding the G20 Presidency in 2022. The initiative brings together the critical stakeholders that must align and co-create a sustainable path for our nations and for our grandchildren. It is our task to restore the triple happiness envisaged by the Balinese Tri Hita Karana three balances - people with people, people with nature, and people with spiritual harmony."

While energy-poor countries are currently responsible for 25% of global CO2 emissions, their share of global emissions could grow to 75% by 2050, according to analysis published today by the Alliance. Yet these countries currently only receive 13% of clean energy financing, despite representing nearly half of the world's population. There are also 243 GW of coal plants being planned, permitted, or under construction in developing countries. If constructed, they would emit 38 billion tons of CO2 over the coming decades, which is nearly the same as total global emissions last year. To change this trajectory and maximize its impact on jobs and livelihoods, the Alliance announced they are providing more than USD10 billion to focus on fossil fuel transitioning, grid-based renewables, and distributed renewables. Alliance partners include:

"The world is undergoing an economic upheaval, in which the poorest are falling farther behind and being battered by climate change's effects. Green energy transitions with renewable electrification are the only way to restart economic progress for all while at the same time stopping the climate crisis," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Providing people with an on-ramp to the modern economy while making real, measurable progress against the existential threat of climate change, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet is one of the boldest, most transformative initiatives in our history."

Changing Energy for Good

Over the last decade, significant breakthroughs in technology have made renewables the cheapest option for new power in more than two-thirds of the world. For the first time in history, the technology exists to reliably and affordably empower those who lack access to electricity. This in turn boosts human development by creating jobs at a massive scale and advances gender equity through increased accessibility, all the while cutting emissions to avert the climate crisis.

"By replacing diesel generators and coal-fired power plants with renewable alternatives we can reduce carbon emissions quickly. The alliance will work closely with emerging and developing countries who are keen to embrace an inclusive and just energy transition, to bring carbon emissions down and incomes up," said Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation. "We're proud to continue to bring together governments, philanthropies, development finance institutions, and the private sector to join us in our collective ambition."

Through the Global Call for Transformational Country Partnerships, the Alliance is focused on meeting growing demand for power with renewables in place of coal and extending productive-use power to people and communities that either lack access to electricity or have unreliable access. Before the Alliance's launch, partner members have established relationships in several countries, providing an opportunity to fast-track efforts to pilot breakthrough business models. By working with governments to design and implement their de-carbonization plans and enhance their domestic policy, planning, and regulatory frameworks, the Alliance will help create more favorable investment environments and enable the end-to-end delivery of national transformational programs.

This includes the identification, development, execution, monitoring, and scaling of programs, which will unlock greater levels of investment in clean power sector assets, accelerate equitable energy transitions, and achieve near-term carbon reductions. The Alliance will also de-risk expensive early stages of project development by helping countries test strategies and innovative technologies that may have a higher initial risk profile, and then scale solutions that work.

Partnering for Impact

Earlier this year, IKEA Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation joined forces to commit a combined USD1 billion to fight climate change and energy poverty. With the addition of Bezos Earth Fund, the catalytic grant capital provided by these anchor partners will unlock billions of dollars in investment capital from multilateral and development finance institutions. The Alliance will use its collective efforts for collaborative action and provide grant funding, technical assistance, and a range of financing options.

"The climate and energy access crises underscore the need for a better way. We must urgently transform our energy system. By bringing the leading technical providers and financing agents together, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet is well placed to become the most significant initiative to extend clean, reliable energy to those who don't have it, while eliminating carbon pollution. In turn, it will create millions of jobs, benefit health, and provide essential development and climate gains," said Andrew Steer, CEO of Bezos Earth Fund.

In order to increase investment and impact in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the Alliance is actively recruiting a diverse set of new partners. RF Catalytic Capital, Inc. (RFCC), the public charity that The Rockefeller Foundation launched in 2020 to enable like-minded funders to pool resources and bring about transformational change, will facilitate the Alliance's multi-partner investment.

The Alliance will also fund and coordinate with "delivery partners" that will provide significant policy, technical, and project development capacity. In addition to identifying local partners in each market, delivery partners include AtlasAI, COP26 Energy Transition Council (ETC), Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), International Solar Alliance, Odyssey, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), and the U.S. government's Power Africa program.

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All commented: "For 759 million people without electricity, and 2.6 billion people without access to clean cooking solutions, energy poverty is a daily reality that impacts every aspect of their lives. With less than nine years to achieve SDG7, the launch of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet could not come at a better time. As a partner, we at Sustainable Energy for All recognize the catalytic role that galvanizing partners and resources can play towards unlocking a just, equitable, and prosperous future for all."

The Alliance also launched a global mobilization campaign with non-governmental organizations and youth activists to advocate for the long-term changes needed to "Change Energy for Good," asking people to use #LetsChangeEnergy and add the reason why they want energy changed.

For more information and to access the Global Call for Partnerships, please visit www.globalenergyalliance.org.

Statements of Support from World Leaders:

"Homo Sapiens are facing the greatest challenge ever: to change its development model in the attempt to deliver a livable future to the next generations. By no means this can be done if we continue to treat separately climate change and global inequalities. The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet is a world class initiative, joining public and private efforts to help one billion people to improve their life standard meanwhile all together reducing the global CO2 emission by 4 billion tons. This is a great promise to our children, and a strong commitment by states, investors, and philanthropic institutions to act synergistically. I believe the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet will become the engine of a profound change."-- Roberto Cingolani, Minister for Ecological Transition for the Republic of Italy

"Every nation and institution around the world must do more to alter the course of climate change. Denmark looks forward to partner with this new green initiative the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. It will accelerate climate transitions in developing and emerging economies that will reduce global emissions and spread green energy to millions of citizens across the globe."  Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jrgensen

"I am delighted that the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet is launching at COP26, including a new partnership with the Energy Transition Council as part of the Breakthrough Agenda. By bringing philanthropy, government, investors, and civil society together, the Alliance embodies how international cooperation can drive ambitious climate action and share the benefits of clean growth for all. In this decisive decade, the partnership between the Alliance and the Energy Transition Council will support developing countries and emerging economies transition away from coal power and rapidly scale up clean, affordable and reliable energy that will power new jobs, resilient economic growth and close energy access gaps."-- Alok Sharma, UK's President for COP 26 and Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy

"To confront the climate crisis head-on, countries need to transition to clean energy as quickly as possible. This will not only prepare them for the future, but also make them healthier places to live right now, and help grow their economies. This is especially true of developing countries that have been reliant on fossil fuels, and it's why the Global Energy Alliance People and Planet initiative's goal of reaching one billion people with clean energy is so critical. It will help to make progress where it's needed most."-- Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition Solutions; Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P.

Alliance Investment Partners:

"The Global Energy Alliance is a game changing initiative which will help to accelerate access to electricity in our drive to end global energy poverty. The African Development Bank is excited to partner with The Rockefeller Foundation and its alliance partners, to help light up and power Africa."  Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group

"The urgency and scale of the climate crisis calls for stronger collaboration and a higher level of ambition. As Asia and the Pacific's climate bank, ADB is pleased to partner with The Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet on achieving transformative action to combat climate change, accelerating the transition to clean energy, and addressing energy poverty in the region. This aligns with our commitment to achieve a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific."-- Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank

"Protecting the climate, promoting clean energy access, and supporting energy transition are key pillars of our work and Vision 2025: Reinvest in the Americas, the blueprint for accelerating post pandemic recovery of the Latin America and the Caribbean region. We are proud to be a leading partner for the historic Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet on its work in the region, and to be an ally of The Rockefeller Foundation in its efforts to empower communities, avert carbon emissions, and create good jobs," -- Mauricio Claver-Carone, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

"IFC is proud to be a founding member of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and team up with The Rockefeller Foundation to bring the private sector into the climate fight. The climate challenge at its core is an energy challenge, which is why achieving a green energy future will take the public and private sectors pulling together in common cause. The private sector must be part of the solution if the scale of our results is to meet our ambitions." Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation

"To reach the Paris climate goals, we must triple energy investments by 2030 and deliver universal access to clean and affordable energy worldwide. The European Investment Bank, as the EU climate bank, is increasing its support for climate action in developing and emerging economies. We are delighted to join the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. We will work closely with our partners to help develop and finance renewable energy systems with a special focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. We are grateful to The Rockefeller Foundation and the IKEA Foundation for the leadership in spearheading this important alliance."-- Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank

"We are proud to be part of the Alliance so we can mobilise our capital to close funding gaps, help countries manage the most devastating impacts of the climate emergency and create opportunities for mainstream investors to participate in climate finance. There is no doubt that the scale of this ground-breaking platform is necessary if we are to accelerate the end of fossil fuels and drive investment into sustainable, clean energy."  Nick O'Donohoe, Chief Executive of the CDC Group

Additional Endorsements of the Alliance:

"The Alliance's strategic partnership with the Energy Transition Council, established by the COP26 Presidency, will connect the ETC's political dialogue between governments and development partners with the international expertise and finance available via the Alliance, in order to ensure that these are fully responsive to the priorities of developing countries and emerging economies. The Alliance's strategic partnership with the Energy Transition Council will support the achievement of the new Glasgow Power Breakthrough goal, launched at COP26, to make clean power the most affordable and reliable option for all countries to meet their power needs efficiently by 2030."  COP26 Energy Transition Council

"The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet has been endorsed as a Catalytic Initiative by the CEO Principals of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), the global coalition of leading financial institutions committed to accelerating the decarbonisation of the economy, chaired by Mark Carney, the UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, and anchored in the UN's Race to Zero campaign."  Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)

"EDFI is proud to support the new Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet. European DFIs have a strong focus on climate finance and increasing access to clean energy in developing countries, including through the EDFI-ElectriFI joint financing facility. This aligns us closely with the aims of the Alliance, and we believe that there are significant opportunities to deepen our partnership in ways that will reduce global emissions and deliver inclusive economic development."  SrenPeter Andreasen, General Manager (CEO) of the Association of European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI) and the Chairman of the EDFI Management Company

"For Power Africa, as the U.S. government's clean energy access platform for sub Saharan Africa and as its largest private-public partnership, joining this Alliance forms a decisive cross-sector force to end energy poverty and achieve the pledged climate ambitions of African leaders on the Continent."  Mark Carrato, Coordinator of the U.S. Government's Power Africaprogram

"A resilient and just energy transition starts at the community level. The Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet will drive real impact by making sure that all communities have the skills to shape their energy futures. RMI has long advocated for resilient, cost-effective clean energy solutions as the way to provide reliable electricity. We are committed to deploying energy resilience projects in developing and emerging economies to lift millions out of poverty through a more equitable and sustainable energy future for generations to come."  Jules Kortenhorst, CEO of RMI

"IRENA's World Energy Transitions Outlook confirms that an energy transition grounded in renewable sources and technologies is the only way to give us a fighting chance of limiting global warming by 2050 to 1.5C. Accelerating investment in renewable energy pays off and brings energy security, sustainable economic growth, and new jobs to people in developing and emerging economies worldwide."  Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency

"We're excited to be partnering with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet as accelerate our mission to solarize the world by 2030. With the right investment and regulatory conditions, solar power has the potential to mobilize billions of dollars in green investments, empower billions of people while averting billions of tons of emissions. Working with the GEAPP, the ISA will create an enabling policy and regulatory environment by building capacity of government, convening and research, and provide best-in-class project development support to build a strong pipeline of investable solar projects. Together, we can bring clean, renewable energy to underserved communities around the world."  Ajay Mathur, Director General of the International Solar Alliance

"At IDB Invest, we are committed to achieving a green and inclusive recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean. We are proud to be a strategic partner of The Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet in the area of energy transition and distributed renewable energy. Together, we will join forces to close last-mile gaps in energy access and support the transition towards a net-zero emissions system. This is an important step in our goal to foster innovation in the Latin America and the Caribbean energy sector, by utilizing all instruments at our disposal and supporting successful cases of climate investments, from the upstream to the facilitating of the financing to the private sector." -- James Scriven, CEO of IDB Invest

About Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet:

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) launched on November 2, 2021 at COP26 with USD10 billion of committed capital to accelerate investment in green energy transitions and renewable energy solutions in developing and emerging economies. This historic partnership leverages catalytic grant funding to unlock investment capital with the aim of mobilizing USD100 billion in public and private capital in order to reach one billion people with reliable, renewable power, avoid and avert four billion tons of carbon emissions, and create, enable, or support more than 150 million jobs and drive economic growth over the next decade. The Alliance serves as a platform for collaborative action and provides grant funding, technical assistance, and a range of financing options. For more information and to access the Global Call for Transformative Country Partnerships, please visit www.globalenergyalliance.org.

Media contacts:

Ashley Chang: +1 212 852 0000, press@rockfound.org

Lotika Mehta, +31 621650748, lotika.mehta@ikeafoundation.org

Julian Teixeira (GMMB): +1 202 365 2273, julian.teixeira@gmmb.com
press release

East Africa's economic growth is expected to recover to an average of 4.1% in 2021, up from 0.4% posted in 2020, according to the African Development Bank's latest economic outlook report for the region. In 2022, average growth is projected to hit 4.9%.

The flagship report, launched on 28 October, reviews the socio-economic performance of 13 countries: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

According to the report's findings, Covid-19 containment measures and global supply and demand disruptions hit businesses and livelihoods hard and increased poverty, while political fragility in some countries and limited economic diversification in others were significant impediments to growth.

The report, themed Debt Dynamics in East Africa: The Path to Post-Covid Recovery, notes that the rapid recovery of the region is being driven by sustained public spending on infrastructure, improved performance of the agricultural sector, and deepening regional economic integration.

According to the report, while East Africa is undergoing a shift toward a more service-oriented economy, some countries are experiencing deindustrialization.

To accelerate recovery and build post-Covid-19 resilience, the report recommends that countries accelerate structural transformation through digitalization, industrialization, economic diversification and consolidation of peace, security, and stability.

In his keynote address at the launch, Somali Finance Minister Abdirahman Dualeh Beileh warned the pandemic could continue to impede progress toward inclusive growth.

"The contraction of economic activities, increase in fiscal deficits due to high public spending to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic amidst reduced public revenues, and exchange rate depreciation following reduced income from commodity exports, created fiscal and debt distress risks in the region in 2020," Minister Beileh said.

The outlook report projects a full recovery from 2023, due to the increased roll-out of vaccines, recovery in the global economy, rising commodity prices, and growing economic diversification in the region.

"A mix of policy interventions is needed to accelerate East Africa's economic recovery and build post-Covid-19 resilience. These include scaling up vaccinations, designing and implementing economic stimulus packages and stabilizing public debt by dealing with debt related to state enterprises, among others," said Nnenna Nwabufo, the African Development Bank's Director General for East Africa.

She noted that the region's resilience in 2020 was due to relatively higher economic diversification and governments' swift policy responses to counter the pandemic's impacts.

Still, Marcellin Ndong Ntah, a lead economist at the African Development Bank, warned that the risks to the region's positive outlook remain substantial due to the uncertainties surrounding the longevity and severity of the pandemic, the slow uptake of vaccines, rising global oil prices for the non-oil exporting countries in the region, the slow pace of structural transformation, conflicts and civil unrest, and weather-related shocks and locust invasions in the region.

Emmanuel Pinto Moreira, Director of the Bank's Country Economics Department, said many East African economies continue to need short-term debt relief and emergency external financing from multilateral lenders. He added that many had received budget support under the Bank's Covid-19 Response Facility, and emergency financing from the International Monetary Fund.

Economic experts attending the launch called for better economic governance, notably clearing domestic arrears, improving debt management and transparency, and dealing with debt related to state-owned enterprises.

"For countries with substantial external financing risks, innovative financing instruments like non-debt equity, risk-sharing with the private sector, including through collateralization and increasing foreign investor participation in local-currency debt markets, should be explored to diversify the sources of development finance," said Edward Sennoga, lead economist at the Bank. This, he added, will insulate the region's economies from global volatility shocks.

Louis Kasekende, Executive Director of the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa, pointed out that policies to diversify public financing sources, improve public revenue mobilization and prioritize infrastructure investments will be critical to ensure debt sustainability. "Public debt, if used correctly, can help boost essential services, leading to improved economic growth," he said.

Read the report here.

Contact:

Amba Mpoke-Bigg, Communication and External Relations Department, African Development Bank, email: a.mpoke-bigg@afdb.org
press release

Ahead of crucial climate talks at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, experts gathered to put forward solutions for building resilience in Africa.

This issue took center stage at a virtual briefing dubbed Africa-Europe Dialogue on African Climate Finance Priorities for COP26, organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. The October 25 event sought to gather views from African and European climate stakeholders on opportunities for achieving climate resilience.

These discussions will inform African Development Bank activities at COP26, in particular a session on East Africa, a region that has been hit hard by the impact of climate change.

Olivia Rumble, Director of the South Africa-based Climate Legal, said the Covid-19 pandemic drastically impacted climate financing.

"Most of the climate financing in adaptation is happening from national budgets and that jeopardizes the already dwindling resources that African countries have to deal with adaptation because very little financing goes to addressing the issue," she said.

Olufunso Somorin, the African Development Bank's expert for Climate Change and Green Growth, noted that there was a huge disparity between mitigation and adaptation finance, even though the latter should be a priority for Africa because of its vulnerability to climate change. He attributed the financing gap to the fact that there was no specific adaptation financing framework.

Somorin said between 2014 and 2018, 57% of adaptation finance in sub-Saharan Africa was through loans while 42% was through grants, mainly to support just two sectors: agriculture, and water supply and sanitation.

"We haven't explored opportunities in equities, guarantees and other innovative financial instruments. This is very limited," he said, adding that the adaptation financing framework should also include different sources of financing as most grants and loans were external, yet there was room for tapping into domestic resources.

"There is an opportunity to expand our thinking beyond traditional multilateral development banks' support and bilateral climate funds to look into new areas such as private capital flows and domestic resources within countries," he urged.

Most Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by African countries list their adaptation projects. However, the business case for private investment falls short, Somorin said.

Other innovative products that offer opportunities to the continent include climate resilience bonds, debts for climate swaps, guarantees, risk-sharing facilities and equities.

The African Development Bank has committed to dedicating half of its climate finance to adaptation, and novel instruments such as green and resilience bonds have the potential to improve private finance flows.

According to Jonathan First, Managing Director of Cape Town-based climate consultancy GFA Climate and Infrastructure, there are several reasons why climate finance flow is limited in Africa, but one factor was key. "We are not creating a bankable pipeline of infrastructure for both concessional funders and the private sector to invest in," he said.

Stefano Signore, Head of Unit at European Commission agreed. He noted that there was a demand for supporting adaptation, but the lack of bankable projects poses a big challenge. "Everybody recognizes and understands that adaptation is a priority; what is missing is the sufficient number of bankable projects," he said, adding: "There is the capacity to support financially those kinds of projects, but they are not enough."

African Development Bank climate change specialists will gather on the sidelines of COP26 to champion climate adaptation in East Africa and discuss opportunities for mobilizing resources to support the cause.

The November 8 event, hosted by the Bank and partners, will make a case for a comprehensive adaptation financing framework that responds to the multiple climate risks directly impacting the economic and social systems of the highly vulnerable region.

Find out more here about the Bank's activities at COP26.
The Ethiopian government says Facebook "that has been used to spread violence now has shown its true colors by deleting our Prime Ministers message. The statement also accused Reuters of "spreading misinformation by falsely reporting some cities have fallen to the enemy when they have not."

Addis Abeba  In a statement released titled: "This is not a Country that Crumbles under Foreign Propaganda." We are fighting an existential war!", the Federal Government Communication Service said "the government wants to warn ... parties, that are busy with activities that are aimed at destroying the nation, to cease and desist from their destructive behavior."

The statement said that "those that were busy working hand in hand with the enemy in propagating its false narrative are doubling down their efforts in spreading rumors and lies in their effort to save the enemy from the popular wave that is speeding up its demise. Their goal is to spread misinformation and fear in order to erode the trust between the people and the leadership."

In response to Facebook's decision to delete one of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's posts calling for Ethiopians "to prevent, reverse and bury the terrorist TPLF", Government Communication Service said "organizations like Facebook that has been used to spread violence now has shown its true colors by deleting our Prime Minister's message."

It also accused Reuters news agency of "spreading misinformation by falsely reporting some cities have fallen to the enemy when they have not."

The statement further accused TPLF supporters in the NGO community of "campaigning to have their schools closed by fabricating a non-existing security risk. They spread unfounded rumors that leaders in the government are applying for visas. Breaking all diplomatic norm, they are agitating for their diplomats to be called home under the false claim that Addis Abeba is surrounded by the enemy. All this is coordinated with the aim of creating suspicion and doubt with in the public and the defense forces."

The statement asked "all Ethiopians, friends of Ethiopia and media in friendly countries to report accurate information at the appropriate time to our people."

Full Statement

This is not a Country that Crumbles under Foreign Propaganda! We are fighting an existential war!

The popular movement that is building strong waves responding to the call to save Ethiopia is proof positive that Ethiopia is on the verge of burying the evil forces once and for all through the gallant struggle of its citizens.

The response of the people, especially our young people, to the recent call from the Federal and Regional Executives forum is truly amazing.

Ethiopians from all corners of the country are heading to the war front. Ethiopians who love their country are joining the struggle in droves with a winning mentality, heroism and determination. The desert lions - young Afar warriors and special forces- in coordination with the National Defence Forces have been meting out heavy punishment on the enemy that has tried to invade their region. The people are united behind and supporting the efforts of the National Defence Forces to defeat the enemy in all fronts.

TPLF and its puppets are being encircled by our forces. As the saying goes; "a rat that strays far from its hole is nearer to its death". The state of emergency declaration have galvanized the people and all state organs to make sure that will be the fate of TPLF.

The false propaganda, the Ethiopian government has used famine as an instrument of war, that the TPLF has been using to deceive the international community has been proven false by an independent and international investigation.

But those that were busy working hand in hand with the enemy in propagating its false narrative are doubling down their efforts in spreading rumors and lies in their effort to save the enemy from the popular wave that is speeding up its demise. Their goal is to spread misinformation and fear in order to erode the trust between the people and the leadership. Organizations like Facebook that has been used to spread violence now has shown its true colours by deleting our Prime Minister's message. Organizations like Reuters have been spreading misinformation by falsely reporting some cities have fallen to the enemy when they have not.

Their supporters in the NGO community are campaigning to have their schools closed by fabricating a non-existing security risk. They spread unfounded rumors that leaders in the government are applying for visas. Breaking all diplomatic norm, they are agitating for their diplomats to be called home under the false claim that Addis Abba is surrounded by the enemy. All this is coordinated with the aim of creating suspicion and doubt with in the public and the defense forces.

The government wants to warn these parties, that are busy with activities that are aimed at destroying the nation, to cease and desist from their destructive behavior. This cannot be taken lightly since it is an existential national security threat. The government will not hesitate to take appropriate action on those who refuse to refrain from these actions immediately.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Conflict U.S., Canada and Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Our people, realizing that we are in the final chapter of saving Ethiopia, should continue their heroic struggle. Our unity is the only guarantee for our survival. Therefore, we should ignore these falsehoods and evil narratives of our enemies and continue to work together for the salvation of our beloved country.

The government asks all Ethiopians, friends of Ethiopia and media in friendly countries to report accurate information at the appropriate time to our people. We all need to stand together and write an eternal golden history to silence our enemies that are drunk with temporary victories. Standing together, we will repel the designs of our historical enemies. For us, Ethiopians, dying for our sovereignty, unity and identity, is an honor. There is no Ethiopianness without sacrifice.

Ethiopia shall triumph!

Government Communication Service.
press release

Washington, DC  Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) were joined today by State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) in marking one year since the beginning of the conflict in Ethiopia with the introduction of their Ethiopia Peace and Democracy Promotion Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation to bolster the United States' diplomatic, development, and legal response to support democracy, human rights, peace, and stability in Ethiopia.

In addition to suspending American security assistance to the government of Ethiopia and authorizing American support for conflict resolution and civil society peacebuilding efforts, the bipartisan legislation mandates the imposition of targeted sanctions against individual actors who are found to undermine attempts to resolve, who profit from, or who provide material support to any entity that is party to the civil war.

"This legislation sends a strong bipartisan message that Congress will not stand by as the war in northern Ethiopia continues without action from all sides to stop the fighting and engage in dialogue," said Ranking Member Risch. "This is a regional crisis that requires a coordinated and intensive international response, to include holding accountable those responsible for the ongoing fighting, humanitarian crisis, and mass disinformation campaign being waged inside and outside Ethiopia. We must look at this legislation and other options to directly address disinformation  funding and stoking conflict, no matter where you are, should carry consequences."

"I am proud to be joined by my colleagues in introducing the Ethiopia Peace and Democracy Promotion Act of 2021 to enhance our nation's efforts to pursue meaningful accountability for the bloodshed and tragedy in Tigray," said Chairman Menendez. "The United States and broader international community cannot turn away from the people of Ethiopia as staggering reports of extrajudicial killings, murdered aid workers, and use of mass rape and sexual violence as weapons of war continue to pour out of the region. I am committed to continue working with my colleagues to secure this legislation's passage and demonstrate that the United States will match our words of support with unflinching, definitive and robust action. A year in, we must confront this raging conflict head-on and hold perpetrators of heinous abuses responsible."

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Conflict U.S., Canada and Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"Last November, I called Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to urge him to reconsider his military campaign in Tigray and to choose dialogue and reconciliation. In March, I traveled to Ethiopia on behalf of President Biden to deliver the same message. One year into this brutal and tragic conflict, Ethiopia is facing a full blown humanitarian catastrophe and spreading civil war," said Senator Coons. "I am joining my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan legislation to punish actors that continue to fuel violence, violate human rights, and undermine a democratic, peaceful, and unified Ethiopia."

The legislation builds upon the Biden Administration's recent Executive Order and newly announced plans to end Ethiopia's eligibility for trade preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act in January of 2022 absent the Ethiopian government's urgent action to stop parties' direct or complicit involvement in the perpetration of human rights violations and other unconscionable abuses.

A copy of the legislation can be found here.
Internally displaced people continue to arrive in Dessie by the thousands.

Washington  The Ethiopian government marked the one-year anniversary of fighting between its forces and rebels in the northern Tigray region by suggesting its military is nearing victory.

Amid urgent global appeals for a cease-fire to the escalating violence, the government said in a statement on Facebook that the Tigray People's Liberation Front "and its puppets are being encircled by our forces" and that "a rat that strays far from its hole is nearer to death."

"This is not a country that crumbles under foreign propaganda!" the statement added. "We are fighting an existential war!"

Tigrayan forces, however, say they are advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa, and that it could fall within months or even weeks.

In recent weeks, Oromo regional forces have joined the Tigrayan forces in their fight against the central government, leading to what the two groups claim are significant advances.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed that his government would prevail.

Abiy's spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, did not respond when asked if Abiy would meet with U.S. Horn of Africa special envoy Jeffrey Feltman, who arrived in Ethiopia Thursday for a two-day visit amid growing concern over the violence.

"Ethiopia will not collapse. Ethiopia will prosper," Abiy said, speaking in Addis Ababa on Wednesday. "Ethiopia will forever exist with her honor by defeating all who test her through the blood and bones of her children."

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Wednesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrive in the capital.

"Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty and unity. And we can't dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures," Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos said during a state media briefing.

Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray region, blamed the Ethiopian government and its allies for causing the suffering in the past year.

"The warmongers decided to continue with the war, and we entered into this war because the only option we had is to destroy our enemies by force."

State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday urged "all parties to end hostilities immediately -- that includes the TPLF, that includes the Ethiopian government," he said.

"We remain gravely concerned by the expanding conflict, by the violence, the expansion of the fighting throughout the country and the growing risk that it poses to the unity, to the integrity, of the Ethiopian state," he said, calling on all sides to "enter negotiations with preconditions towards a sustainable cease-fire.

After arriving in Addas Ababa Thursday, Feltman met with the government's defense minister, finance minister, deputy prime minister and African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. He is to hold talks with more Ethiopian officials on Friday, the State Department said.

Feltman "had a productive set of discussions" with the Ethiopian officials, Price said Thursday, and "appreciated the opportunity to do so. He'll have an opportunity to continue discussions tomorrow."

On Wednesday, the State Department updated its travel advisory for Ethiopia to Level 4.

"What that means is we are advising U.S. citizens: Do not to travel to Ethiopia," Price said. "We are recommending that U.S. citizens in Ethiopia consider departing now using commercial options that remain available."

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the yearlong conflict was marked by "extreme brutality."

"We have reasonable grounds to believe that during this period, all parties to the Tigray conflict have committed violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law," the U.N. human rights chief said during a press briefing on Wednesday. "Some of this may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Civilians in Tigray have been subjected to brutal violence and suffering."

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Conflict Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

A joint report by the U.N. human rights office and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission found that sexual violence has been rampant in the conflict, detailing reports of gang rapes by various parties against women and girls, but also against men and boys.

Price, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, said Thursday the U.S. is "carefully reviewing" the report.

The yearlong conflict has plunged about 400,000 people in the Tigray region into famine, killed thousands of civilians and forced more than 2.5 million people in the north to flee their homes, according to the U.N.

Some information in this report came from Reuters.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, addressing the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, issued an urgent appeal for a ceasefire in Ethiopia.(screen shot)

Cape Town  With Tigray forces advancing towards Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and the humanitarian crises escalating, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a Tweet on Wednesday (November 3, 2021) voiced concern "about the evolution of the situation in Ethiopia" and said he offered to assist in opening a "dialogue" in a phone call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who earlier in the week declared a state of emergency.

U.S. Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman travelled to Addis on Thursday in response to "continued escalation of armed conflict and civil unrest in Amhara, Afar and Tigray", the State Department said.

Voice of America reports that Abiy's spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, did not respond when asked if Abiy would meet with Feltman.

Both the African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have urged the parties to find a peaceful solution. The executive secretary of the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, a former high-raking Ethiopian official, joined in with a statement calling on all parties "to show restraint, work on de-escalating the tensions and resolve their differences through an all-inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation in the best interest of the country and the region."

Reuters reports that the United Nations Security Council will meet publicly on Ethiopia on Friday (November 5, 2021) at the request of Ireland, Kenya, Niger, Tunisia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

United States Ambassador to the UN Linda-Thomas-Greenfield told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday night that the first thing that had to happen is a cease-fire. "Having humanitarian assistance restricted is unacceptable," she said.

Outlining U.S. policy in a speech on Tuesday, Feltman said: "We urge Ethiopian leaders - from all parties - to take the steps necessary to arrest the current trajectory and permit its peoples and its partners to restore the promise that Prime Minister Abiy so compellingly outlined at the start of his premiership."

The Biden administration has announced sanctions that could take effect if the Ethiopian government refuses to negotiate. Late on Thursday, ranking Democratic and Republican Senators introduced legistaltion suspending American security assistance to Ethiopia and authorizing American support for conflict resolution.

The government has shown no signs of a willingness to negotiate and, in a statement on Thursday, accused Facebook and Reuters of spreading false information. For their part, Tigrayan forces say they are advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa, and that it could fall within months or even weeks. VOA reports that in recent weeks, Oromo regional forces have joined the Tigrayan forces in their fight against the central government, leading to what the two groups claim are significant advances.
With the full participation of the Nigerian military, Borno Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday, reopened the 65km Bama-Banki border road which links to Cameroon and parts of Central Africa.

The road had been shut since around 2012 arising from activities of Boko Haram.

Zulum, alongside the Theatre Commander, 'Operation Hadin Kai', Major General Musa Christopher, travelled to the border town from Maiduguri.

Unveiling the road at Banki Junction on the outskirts of Bama town, Zulum appreciated the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian military for gains being steadily recorded in peace-building and stability of the North East region.

"I am very much impressed to witness the official reopening of this very important international road. This road has remained inaccessible to people since 2012 due to activities of Boko Haram, but with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, our gallant security agencies have worked towards today's reopening of this road", Zulum said.

... Gives Army 10 Operational Vehicles

The Governor released 10 surveillance vehicles to the Nigerian Army to enhance their security operations along the reopened road.

The vehicles were received by the Theatre Commander, 'Operation Hadin Kai".

... Warns Against Extortion of Motorists, Smuggling

Governor Zulum during the unveiling strongly warned security officials to desist from extorting motorists and passengers while plying the road:

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Cameroon Transport By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"As we were coming here today, I sighted some immigration personnel busy extorting our motorists along the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki junction which is unacceptable. I want to strongly sound a warning, especially to Immigration personnel and other sister agencies to desist from extorting motorists and passengers", the Governor said.

Zulum gave a matching order for the arrest of anyone engaged in the smuggling of goods across the road, especially those who may want to smuggle food items through the bush to convey to criminals.

"I have given a matching order to the military to arrest anybody engaged in smuggling of goods, especially diverting the main road to the bush with food items", Governor Zulum stated.

He also pledged his total support to the Theatre Commander of 'Operation Hadin Kai', troops of 151 and 152 Battalion on the provision of security to the road.

Earlier, the Theatre Commander, Major General Musa Christopher, thanked Governor Zulum for supporting the army in the fight against insurgents and promised to do their best to end terrorism in the region.

General Christopher said reopening of roads and resettlement of IDPs by the present administration signifies the end of Boko Haram which would be some of the achievements to be measured during his stay in the theatre.

After reopening the road, Zulum paid an unscheduled visit to Umar Ibn Ibrahim College of Education (UICEST) Bama, where he directed the state's Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), Engr. Mustapha Gubio, to immediately provide buses for students and ceiling fans to all classrooms/lecture theatres.
Nigeria's diversity is one of the country's greatest untapped assets and strengths for national development, peace and progress, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel has declared.

The Governor who stated this on Thursday while delivering a lecture at the Arewa Media Interactive and Development Forum held at Arewa House Kaduna said, the country must rise to this reality and fortify those foundations with the bricks of faith, patriotism and love as Nigeria needs new foundations to confront the challenges of today since Nigerians are inherently united.

According to Governor Emmanuel, "for decades, the drumbeats of our Nation have filled and seared the ears about the fragility of our unity and the elasticity of the tolerance of our diversity. Some have prophesied the imminent demise of our Nation, so many scenarios depicting the coming Armageddon have been pushed, prognosticated and predicted. But in all of these, our Nation still remains intact. Though the contours of our unity may not be straight, though the lines of development may be zigzag, the tone and tenor of our discourse discordant and divergent, but the soul, the spirit and the identity of our Nation remain sacrosanct. And on this, all Nigerians of goodwill have come to a solid agreement".

He noted with admiration that Nigeria is a nation that is diverse, and beautiful as a coat of many colours as what tends to divide us should bring us together.

Hear him, "Is it tribe, is it language, or is it food, or is it dance or is it religion? Take, for instance, the consumption of kola nuts. Few know that it is grown in the Southwest, used for prayers in the East, and consumed for recreation in the North. It comes to life among the Yoruba, gives life in Igboland and is lively in the jaws of the Hausa man. In the same way, a lot of our onions come from the far North; it enriches Ofe Nsalla in the East, Ewedu in the Southwest and Afang soup in my house in Uyo".

Continuing, he said, "We quarrel over religion yet when a big business deal is hatched, no one asks why Ahmed praises Allah and Adewale shouts Hallelujah. Both of them are smiling at the same bank.

It was the same country that built a marvel of a pyramid from groundnut in Kano. Experts came from Malaysia to learn about palm produce in the South-South and South-East regions, respectively.

And cocoa underwrote the prosperity of the Western Region. Oil was in the backdrop then. It is same Nigeria, the same tribes, the same faiths, the same language, the same historical backgrounds, the same geography. So if I may ask, what changed?"

He noted that Nigerians were glad when the late Maitama Sule orated on the floor of the United Nations and rejoiced when Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature, advocating for more unity despite our diversity.

"In the rougher days of Boko Haram, the militants burned Churches and Mosques, and they slaughtered Muslims and Christians. Who were the soldiers fighting to save the whole of the country? We did not say it is a Northern fight, so no Southern soldier should go there. It was not a Fulani soldier or an Ibibio infantryman.

It was the Nigerian soldier. When bullets are fired it does not bear a message on what tribesman it should fall. It hits a human, a Nigerian whatever the name of his God or the tribe or language he confesses", he declared.

He noted that the country still has more diversity than unity, questioning what happened to Nigeria where a Southerner can win an election in Kaduna, or a Fulani man could win an election in Lagos?

In his words, "We have had it in the past. We can have it again. I am sure that a good number of those listening to me now must have heard of Umaru Altine, a Fulani man from Sokoto, who was popularly elected as the first Mayor of Enugu in 1952 and he stayed in office till 1958.

The Western Region House of Assembly also had an Igbo man, Emmanuel Ebubedike, from Ozobulu in present-day Anambra State, as the Representative of Ajeromi/Ifelodun/ Badagry Constituency. We can point to several other examples".

He regretted that efforts of some founding fathers at laying a solid foundation for national unity and cohesion have been destroyed as what we see nowadays is a country where ethnic champions drive the narrative, and the cacophony of discordant voices makes it difficult for us to hear ourselves. "This has been given expression in the numerous calls for restructuring, resource control and even an outright division of the country along ethnic and tribal lines", he stated.

Governor Emmanuel explained that several reasons have been adduced for this state of affairs as many individuals and groups have taken umbrage at the over-centralization of power at the centre, perceived marginalization of some parts of the country as these are sore points that give a fillip to the agitations for balance and equity in the country, warning that we cannot afford to run a country where some parts of our country feel marginalised or left out of the scheme of things as this is a potent threat to the unity of the country. "We must ensure that there is equity and justice and that no part of the country is made to feel less of itself as this will definitely not augur well for our union", he admonished.

He blames most part of the nation's current problems on the elite, stating that the Nigerian elite stokes the hate between one part and another. "And we are seeing them in the debate over VAT, restructuring, zoning, herdsmen and these are not too difficult issues to resolve. VAT calls for fairness between us. To restructure is for all to feel like the brother's keeper. It ensures we all eat from the same pot and no one goes home hungry or deprived. Zoning means abiding by a formula that works for all", he x-rayed.

He noted that it only takes the people to sit at a table and cross-fertilize ideas, with patriotic give-and takes. "There will be no zero-sum game. The part will become the sum and the sum will be like the part. The equation will be complete. As former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said,? It is better to jaw than to war-war. But if one set must take everything, we will always remember our languages, our tribes, the aroma of our mother's soup. Hate then replaces love, and handshakes will move beyond elbows", he stressed.

According to Governor Emmanuel, as a way forward, Nigerians must sit down and talk to themselves, rather than talk at themselves.

"We must listen to understand, rather than listen to respond. We must build bridges of unity rather than walls of division. We must realise that every part of our country is an equal stakeholder in the Nigerian project and work actively to harness the best of our diversity for the good of our country.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

There must be a level playing field and equal opportunities for all Nigerians, irrespective of where they come from or what language they speak."

"Development plans and projects of the government must also be spread evenly across the country so that a sense of fairness and justice will permeate the land. We must take deliberate steps to integrate ourselves and unify the country. One quick step we can take in this direction is a little tweaking of the format of the National Youth Service Corps. This was one of the instruments designed to unify our nation but which hasn't quite achieved this purpose. I suggest that we make it mandatory for States to retain a certain percentage of youth corpers in their public service every year. This way, we would create employment and state civil services would be more multi-ethnic as unity is a creative process", he advocated.

He advised that the situation where any part of the country is denied commensurate benefits from resources harnessed from that part will only further alienate the people there and weaken our bond as a country, noting that the leaders must work to restore hope and confidence by actively ensuring that there is a sense of belonging and inclusion imbued in our citizens.

"Far too many of our compatriots identify more with their tribe and ethnic group than with our nation. We don?t need more Ibibios, or Fulanis, or Igbos, or Yorubas, or Ijaws, or Hausas. What we need is more Nigerians!", he admonished.
"Let's understand what the chain of command is. This is a Lagos state site, so the chain of command and control lies with the ministry of health, they are the ones that have taken corpses to the morgue, so they are accountable."

The Lagos State emergency responders and their federal counterparts clashed at the site of the building collapse in Ikoyi Thursday when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu opposed the casualty figures provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

A 21-storey building, still under construction, crumbled on Monday afternoon, burying dozens of people under its rubble.

Mr Sanwo-Olu, often described as 'the incident commander' of the state, told journalists that 32 bodies have been recovered from the rubble and taken to the morgue. He said nine persons have been rescued and taken to hospitals.

The governor's figures failed to tally with that of NEMA, with the latter stating the number of recovered bodies as 38 - 35 males and three females. The agency, however, said nine people, comprising eight males and one female, have been rescued.

"Let's understand what the chain of command is. This is a Lagos state site, so the chain of command and control lies with the ministry of health, they are the ones that have taken corpses to the morgue, so they are accountable. And the people who are moving morgue are staff of the Lagos State," Mr Sanwo-Olu said.

"We understand and appreciate that there are other agencies... government agencies that are collaborating with us. We said that we have only one official channel of communication."

Clashes between federal and state government officials at incident sites are common in the state, especially in the past when both governments were controlled by different political parties.

For instance, in 2013, Lagos government officials 'chased' Mr Farinloye and other NEMA officials out of a collapsed building site in Surulere for granting interviews to journalists.

On Thursday, Mr Sanwo-Olu inaugurated a six-man panel to investigate the cause of the building collapse.

He also said they would conduct an integrity test on the two 15-storey buildings in the premises of the incident.

He said that 17 families have approached the "help desk" so far to fill the missing person's form.
The Nigerian Navy says three foreign navies would also participate in the exercise in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday deployed 13 warships, two helicopters and 1,500 troops in a special military exercise against pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Awwal Gambo, announced the deployment at the flag-off of Exercise Grand African NEMO 2021 in Onne, Rivers.

Represented by Obi Egbuchulam, the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Mr Gambo said that three foreign navies would also participate in the exercise.

He said the six-day exercise also sought to contain spates of attacks by oil thieves on critical oil and gas installations as well as other criminalities in Nigeria's territorial waters.

The CNS said: "Exercise Grand African NEMO 2021 is an initiative of the French Navy in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and allied partners, to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

"The exercise involves a multifaceted deployment at sea and ashore of naval assets drawn from the three operations commands of the Nigerian Navy.

"The exercise aims at ensuring the freedom of navigation in the nation's maritime environment and the Gulf of Guinea by strengthening coordination in the fight against maritime insecurity."

According to Mr Gambo, the criminalities include piracy, sea robbery, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as illegal oil bunkering and illicit trafficking in persons, weapons and narcotics.

He said the exercise would enhance the policing of the nation's Exclusive Economic Zone and the navy's capabilities and capacity to secure the nation's waterways.

"To this end, the exercise will involve a total of 13 ships, about 1,500 personnel, two helicopters and three foreign naval ships, including the French Navy and the Royal Navy.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Arms and Armies By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"The Nigerian Navy Maritime Awareness Domain facilities and elements of Special Boat Service (navy special forces) will also participate in the exercise.

"The exercise will also cover anti-piracy, protection of oil facilities as well as conducting search-and-rescue operations, among others," he said.

Threats

The navy chief said the nation's economic zone had witnessed recent threats by criminal gangs, hence current re-strategising by the navy to deny criminals freedom of action.

He said that the morale of troops had been boosted with the recent signing of the Anti-Piracy Law.

According to him, the special military exercise will be used to consolidate on the gains of 'Exercise Beni Kekere', conducted three months ago, and the ongoing 'Operation Calm Waters II'. (NAN)
MTN Nigeria has informed the market that MTN Group Limited has announced its intention to proceed with a public offer for sale of up to 575 million shares in MTN Nigeria by way of a bookbuild to institutional investors and fixed price to retail investors.

The Offer is anticipated to open in November 2021 with a bookbuild to institutional investors, after which a fixed price is expected to be announced for retail investors also in November 2021. The Offer is expected to close in December 2021.

According a statement signed by the Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, this would be the first step in MTN Group's previously communicated statement of intent to sell down approximately 14 per cent of its current shareholding in MTN Nigeria.

He said further information about the offer and ways to subscribe would be provided later.
The army asks the National Assembly to increase its budgetary allocation for training in the 2022 budget.

The commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army, Stephen Olabanji, a major general, says the force is expected to commission about 3,885 cadets into the officer's cadre in 2022.

He also said the army would enlist about 18,000 other ranks and a further special forces training of about 4,800 among those commissioned and other ranks cadre.

Mr Olabanji disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Army to defend its 2022 budget proposal.

He said the essence of the special training is to further give the personnel some specialised training in the aspect of watermanship, deep-diver, airborne and leaving off the land.

He stated that other aspects of the training would be in the areas of target acquisition, tracker, assailing and rappelling, counter terrorism and counter insurgency training, among others.

"These are all geared towards beefing up the personnel strength of the Nigerian Army and further increase her fighting capabilities in order to bring a lasting solution to the insecurity challenges in our country," Mr Olabanji said.

He said the training command is requesting the sum of N43.3 billion for the year 2022 budget appropriation.

Mr Olabanji, however, said the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning had proposed N26.2 billion for the training command.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Arms and Armies By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

He said his prayer was that the sum of N30.8 billion should be approved for the training as against the N25.5 billion in the appropriation bill.

Mr Olabanji also said that N4.9 billion should be approved for the training command for the year 2022 overhead as against N200 million in the appropriation bill.

According to him, the sum of N7.4 billion should be approved for the training command for the 2022 capital projects as against N544 million in the appropriation bill

."I therefore, humbly request this honourable committee to kindly approve the total sum of N43.3 billion, which covers the personnel emolument, trainees/instructors allowances, capital and overhead," he said.

He said the training command was committed to training very mobile, dynamic, fierce, gallant and ever ready Nigerian youths into the Nigerian Army who wish to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

Chairman of the Committee, Abdularzaq Namdas, urged the training command to focus on training of officers in counter terrorism considering the security challenge of the country.

Mr Namdas said the National Assembly had passed a resolution, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to designate bandits as terrorists.

He urged the training command to continue to do all the assignment given to it, assuring that the committee will continue to support their quest.

(NAN)
House of Representatives, Thursday, revealed that its resolution to designate bandits as terrorists was essentially informed by the disturbing wave of terrorism and banditry across the country.

The Chairman, House Committee on Army, Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas gave the explanation at the 2022 budget defence session of the Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC of the Nigerian Army.

It will be recalled that TRADOC was established in 1981 to formulate training policies, monitoring of training exercises, operations of Nigerian Army and conducting promotion examinations for officers amongst others.

The command was funded directly by the army headquarters until 2021 when President Muhammadu Buhari approved its status to the budget centre which prompted the National Assembly to appropriate funds for it.

Namdas who said that the appropriation of funds to the command by National Assembly necessitated their oversight function charged the army formation to train more personnel against terrorism and banditry.

He promised the continued support of the Committee to enable the command achieve its goals.

He said: "It was the main reason we here in the House of Representatives particularly, the Committee on Army started our oversight functions by visiting TRADOC, first before any other army formation. Our visit gave us more confidence that TRADOC is doing exactly what it was established to do. This is because our visit coincided with the ongoing training which we decided to observe and what we saw actually shows that TRADOC is doing its own doctrine and then training officers and men in the Nigeria Army.

"With the current security challenges bedeviling the country, we urge TRADOC to pay attention in training our army officers and men in counter terrorism and banditry. We are worried with the spate of banditry across the country. That's why we feel that attention should be paid to banditry and also terrorism. That was also why the national assembly decided to pass a resolution urging the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to designate bandits as terrorists so that the security forces can have more power to deal with the situation.

"Yesterday, we went on oversight visit to the Nigerian Army Women Corps. We were impressed by the high level of professionalism displayed by the Corps. However, we urged you to train them more so that the Corps can do all the assignments given to them.

"Qe are aware that the Corps has done so much in covering the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

"As a Committee, we will continue to support the army to achieve their goals but we shall insist that funds provided must be judiciously utilized in order to earn the trust of Nigerians and boost moral of soldiers and officers in the army".

In his presentation, the commander of the formation, Major General Stevenson Olabanji the Nigerian Army is expected to commission new officers.

He said: "In preparing the Year 2022 Budget, Training and Doctrine Command, the Nigerian Army is expected to commission about 3,885 cadets into the officer's cadre, enlist about 18,000 recruits as other rank and a further Special Forces Training of

about 4,800 amongst those commissioned and other rank cadres. The essence of the Special Forces Training is to further give these personnel some specialized training in the aspect of watermanship, deep-diver, airborne and leaving off the land.

"Other aspect of this training would be in the areas of target acquisition, tracker, assailing and rappelling, counter terrorism and counter insurgency training amongst others. These are all geared towards beefing up the personnel strength of the Nigerian Army and further increase her fighting capabilities in order to bring a lasting solution to the insecurity challenge in our country".

He said that TRADOC's 2022 budget was N43.3 billion.

"Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army is requesting for the sum of N43.3b only for Year 2022 Budget appropriation. However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Penning proposed a total sum of N26.2b only.

"Accordingly, the followings are my humble Prayers: The sum of N30.8b only should be approved for Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army Personnel Emolument for Year 2022 Budget as against N25.5 billion in the Appropriation Bill.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance Conflict By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"The sum of N44.96 billion should be approved for TRADOC for Year 2022 overhead as against N200m in the Appropriation Bill.

"The sum of N7.4b should be approved for Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army for Year 2022 Capital as against N544m in the Appropriation Bill.

"I therefore humbly request this Honourable Committee kindly approve the total sum of N43.3b which covers the Personnel Emolument (Trainees/instructors' Allowances), Capital and overhead budget components of Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army

"Th Doctrine Command Nigerian Army is committed to training very mobile, dynamic, fierce, gallant and ever ready Nigerian Youths into the Nigerian Army who wish to defend the territorial integrity of their fatherland from any external violation and internal disturbances as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria", he said.
It is the first time the local unit of Johannesburg-based MTN Group will welcome subscription from the public roughly two and a half years after it debuted on the NGX.

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc will open a public offering for its shares and a bid from institutional investors in a transaction totalling 575 million units, the telecom heavyweight said Thursday.

The corporate action marks the first time the local unit of Johannesburg-based MTN Group will welcome subscription from the public roughly two and a half years after it debuted on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) by way of introduction.

The offer window closes in December.

"This is the first step in MTN Group's previously communicated statement of intent to sell down approximately 14 per cent of its shareholding in MTN Nigeria," the wireless carrier told the NGX in a note seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

MTN Nigeria's shares, listed in Lagos, have returned 19.46 per cent in the last one year as of 09:54 WAT on Thursday.

Institutional investors get a chance to purchase the stock through book build, which allows bidders to apply for shares in large quantities in order to arrive at a price fairer than a pre-determined one.

But those wanting to go the way of the public offer option will obtain theirs at a fixed price.

The move is part of a broader arrangement by the group to fully divest sell down parts of its stakes in markets within Africa including Zambia and Uganda.

MTN Nigeria, the flagship operation of the MTN Group, contributes around one-third of its turnover, and is currently the country's biggest company by revenue.
Khartoum / New York  The military coup led by Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan that seized power in Sudan on October 25, and dissolved the civilian-led transitional government of Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, that was established following the April 2019 ouster of the Omar Al Bashir regime, ended a military-civilian power-sharing partnership that was meant to transition Sudan to democracy, with elections slated for 2023.

A new report by Suliman Baldo and JR Mailey published in The Sentry, entitled A Strategy for Revitalizing Sudan's Democratic Transition, suggests that while destabilising for Sudan's politics and economy, the coup does not represent a fundamental shift in the power dynamics in Khartoum. "Instead, it brings the security services' warped incentive structures into public view."

In the report, Baldo and Mailey assert: "Confronting these dynamics head-on is essential for addressing Sudan's political crisis and revitalising the transition to civilian rule."

'By seizing power, Sudan's security services are hijacking the state and preserving the violent kleptocratic system of the Bashir era... '

The coup is the result of warped incentive structures that trace back to the Bashir era. The security services power grab followed escalating tensions. Throughout the transition, the security services resisted the imposition of civilian oversight or constraints, balked at discussions of accountability for past atrocities, and maintained a range of commercial interests and relationships with foreign patrons. By seizing power, Sudan's security services are hijacking the state and preserving the violent kleptocratic system of the Bashir era. Ultimately, control over the state affords the security services continued opportunities to accrue wealth while shielding themselves from accountability for past and future abuses.

'Financial pressure is essential for building the leverage needed to get the transition back on track... '

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Sudan Governance Conflict By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The authors stress: "Financial pressure is essential for building the leverage needed to get the transition back on track. The international community's response to the coup must confront the warped incentive structures of the security services head-on, targeting the military's wealth and impunity. Crucially, public diplomacy surrounding financial pressure requires specificity and acknowledgement of sanctions' challenging legacy in Sudan and should involve focused efforts to counter disinformation. Governments and international agencies should impose targeted network sanctions on the Sudanese officials involved in the coup, as well as those responsible for subsequent abuses perpetrated by the security forces. Sanctions should target the networks of companies controlled by Sudanese military and security agencies. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) should issue an advisory on the money laundering risks associated with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and companies under their control. Finally, financial institutions and the private sector more broadly should not wait for governments to act. Foreign companies, including banks, should assess their commercial ties to Sudan to ensure they are not inadvertently funding Sudan's security services.

"The objectives of negotiators must reflect the stated goals of Sudan's population. The foundation of any agreement must be the formation of a civilian-led transitional government endowed with full executive powers. The security services-and especially their finances-must be brought under civilian oversight and control. Although some concessions to the security services may be necessary and inevitable, continued free rein over the country's lucrative economic sectors and amnesty for the perpetrators of atrocities and war crimes should be off the table."
AllAfrica publishes around 700 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
Public and government-aided schools have expressed their difficulties in implementing the school feeding programme to all students.

The school feeding programme was extended to pre-primary, primary, and secondary school children at the beginning of this academic year. Under the arrangement, the government allocated over Rwf27 billion to support the programme in the current fiscal year.

Currently, government spends Rwf56 every day in addition to the Rwf150 compulsory contribution of the parent as support to each student's feeding while at school.

However, public schools and government-aided schools say that they are increasingly finding it hard to raise enough funds to sustain the programme.

Liberate Nyirawera, the Headmistress of Buremera Primary School in Huye District, said that the current stock of food they have will not be able to feed the children for the entire term because they only received half of the funding.

She added that if they do not receive extra funding they will not be able to feed the schoolchildren in two weeks.

Jean Damascene Niyitegeka, Headteacher at Groupe Scolaire Kigarama in Ngoma District, said that the challenge they face is that they receive little money for the school programme.

"The money we received from the government was for pre-primary and lower primary, yet we have to feed the whole school of more than a thousand students because we cannot feed some and leave others hungry,

"And parents struggle to make their contributions... they are the biggest contributors and this slows down the whole programme implementation," he said.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda Education Food and Agriculture By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Eugene Twambazimana, a father of three children, attributes the lack of support from parents to their financial constraints.

"I have to contribute Rwf12,000 per term for each of my children, and as a parent, I cannot raise Rwf36,000 every term for my children to be able to eat at school, in addition to paying school fees and other scholastic materials which constraints me financially," he said.

Verediane Uwinana, a Teacher at Ruhunga Primary School, said that her school had stopped feeding due to insufficient funding from both parents and government and they even had to get some loans in order to be able to keep feeding the children longer.

"The government money we get is to buy food only, but we have to buy firewood, pay the workers and we had to buy utensils which were actually not enough...we have no option but to wait for the next funding from the government to resume the programme,"

"Another issue is the prices of food hiking and you find that the money we budgeted for is not enough by the time we go to purchase the food," she said.

The Ministry of Education was not able to comment on the issue.
At least 69 people, including a mayor, have been killed in an attack by gunmen in southwestern Niger, the country's government has confirmed.

Al Jazeera reports that the assault was the latest in Niger's "tri-border" zone with Burkina Faso and Mali, a volatile area that has been the epicentre of conflict between state forces and armed groups linked to ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda.

AFP reports that the assault took place on Tuesday at Adab-Dab, a village about 55km from Banibangou in the western region of Tillaberi, a source said.

Al Jazeera says says that Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said on state television that 15 people had survived and a search operation was under way,
A combination of cultural practices, ignorance and corruption is leaving landowners in Murang'a County dispossessed of their property.

For the past 20 years, Murang'a economy has been losing billions in fraudulent property deals -- the worst-hit being widows, illiterate residents and greedy property sellers out to pocket a quick buck.

The cartel behind the losses comprises government officers and crooks, who include politicians, lawyers and brokers.

In his Mashujaa Day speech in Kirinyaga County, President Kenyatta said "most of the fraudulent land deals that we have been experiencing in this country have been deliberate acts to safeguard corruption".

As a result, many families have been dispossessed of their property, vulnerable property owners murdered so that ownership can be altered and others going through the tedious and costly court cases.

These revelations came out of the ongoing multi-agency brainstorming on how to reverse the mess and tame cartels so as to give the property market in the county some sanity.

The meetings are being held in Kandara, Kangema and Murang'a East, three of Murang'a's nine sub-counties.

Land grabbing

Governor Mwangi wa Iria said the loss in billions occurs when families spend resources in court cases, lost credit opportunities, unused properties and outright direct loss when the criminals dispossess residents.

The stakeholders' forum brought together the Office of the President, the county government and the Law Society of Kenya, with Mt Kenya University offering logistical support.

In Kandara, area residents poured their hearts out on the hell they went through battling schemes to dispossess them.

"I sold 20 acres to a Murang'a female politician in Samar, Maragua. She paid a 50 per cent down payment but for the next two years, she would not pay the rest. The total she was supposed to pay me was Sh33 million. She paid Sh17 million," Mr James Irungu, 65, said.

The politician only responded when he threatened to call a press conference and declare her a thief and give details of the failed deal.

Another landowner from Kiria-ini in Mathioya sub-county submitted that a senior politician, in an attempt to grab his prime land to build a hotel, raided it with government tractors.

"The politician was taking over my land by force...He just raided my farm and started developing it," the landowner said.

Criminal network

"I brought in my tractors and destroyed the trenches he had established as demarcation beacons. We are in court today and he has threatened to show me who calls the shots in the area."

It emerged that the area land registry is full of cartels that make a killing from taking advantage of the robust property market.

"Law firms that deal with land matters should have their staff clearly identified to distinguish them from freelancers. We should not have idlers around the registry," said Mr James Waruinu, an investor.

"The allegations that officers from Nairobi have been dispatched to come and give the criminal network some officialdom should also be investigated."

Many residents submitted to the forum that they went to land boards that have the Office of the President as the superintending authority.

"After we register the deals and have them approved by the boards, some assistant county commissioners and deputy county commissioners refuse to sign and submit the consents to the new owners. They use the consents as cash cows, where they demand 20 per cent of the total worth of the transactions," Mr Eliud Mbugua said.

Mr John Irungu from Kamuiru village in Murang'a South told the forum that the Kenya Rural Roads Authority, on the orders of the area MP and administrators, cut a road through their public land and only got a reprieve when the Nation highlighted the case that caught the attention of the President, who ordered the injustice reversed.

Many residents complained that they had visited the Murang'a and Nairobi registries so as to get information about their land but encountered hurdles strategically placed by cartels.

Corrupt the process

Mr Stephen Mwaniki from Kihiu Mwiri in Gatanga disclosed that government officials and crooks had teamed up with senior politicians in the county to steal land.

Murang'a Deputy County Commissioner Mawira Mungania said land issues are emotive. "Yes, we have been accused of withholding consent forms... Sometimes we do this as we investigate the authenticity of the deals," he said.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Corruption Land and Rural Issues By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Governor Wa Iria said he will establish an alternative dispute resolution programme in the property sector to respond to the needs of the vulnerable.

"With the help of the legal fraternity and the Judiciary, we can be up and running by December," he said.

Murang'a County Commissioner Fred Ndunga said ignorance has subjected many families to years of agony in land deals. He blamed chiefs for complicity.

"Chiefs are employed in their home areas to help them solve issues facing families that they have grown up with and are familiar with. When a chief deliberately alters succession authorities to corrupt the process of inheritance, it is not only criminal but also immoral," he said.

"I've told them to ensure they right the mess they have ignited in their areas of jurisdiction," the administrator said.
Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has withdrawn a surety that he stood for a terror suspect arrested in Kwale County in 2016.

A Kwale Court had issued a warrant of arrest against him on October 5 after the suspect, Noordin Abdalla Hassan, failed to appear in court more than 18 times and Mr Ali could not explain Mr Hassan's whereabouts.

But Senior Principal Magistrate Joe Omido has now lifted the warrant of arrest after Mr Ali appeared in court in Kwale on Wednesday.

Mr Hassan was arrested on Tuesday in Majengo, Mombasa County, and was presented in a Kwale court.

"The warrant of arrest issued against the surety, Mohammed Ali, is hereby lifted as the accused person has now been apprehended and brought before court," the magistrate said.

"As the cash bail had not been forfeited, the same be refunded to the surety upon his discharge. The surety is allowed to withdraw and is discharged."

In a letter to the Kwale court, Mr Ali, through his lawyer Titus Kirui, said he had only learnt about the court summons through the media and requested a mention of the case in the court, which was accepted.

Pleading for the warrant of arrest against Mr Ali to be lifted, Mr Kirui also said that the MP had played a key role in ensuring that the suspect was arrested.

"The surety was instrumental in tracing and having him arrested. He is present in court and wishes to withdraw his surety," Mr Kirui said.

Meanwhile, Mr Hassan, who was charged with 12 counts of terror-related charges, is remanded at Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison until November 18, when he returns to court.

Mr Ali had previously requested to be given time to attend court and explain the whereabouts of Mr Hassan.

Among the charges facing Mr Hassan are being a member of a terror group and being in possession of terror-related materials.
That City Hall went without electricity for more than one week late last month is no longer news. Reason? It has become normal for the county government.

This is thanks to a never-ending tussle between Nairobi County and Kenya Power over a multimillion-shilling electricity pending bill.

Different county government installations and institutions have suffered power blackouts due to disputes arising from City Hall's failure to pay the debt, now about Sh1.5 billion.

However, the latest power cut, which hit City Hall and City Hall Annex for over a week between October 21 and 28 was the most significant.

The result was no water in toilets and taps, grounded lifts and shut computers, security and electrical systems.

Kenya County Government Workers Union Nairobi branch secretary Festus Ngari detailed how the county government was paralysed because of the power cut.

He said the county's backup generator only serves the county assembly and the governor's wing.

"When lifts are not working, the physically challenged have a problem. Systems like computers and laptops go off. Whoever is using Wi-Fi to make or receive payments is also incapacitated," Mr Ngari said.

"We had to close all the toilets because any toilets that rely on water pumps could not be used. The county told us the problem was due to disputed power bills."

Kenya Power, for its part, said the county government has an old electricity debt that has ballooned to Sh1.5 billion.

Kenya Power restored the supply after the company and county officials drew up a payment plan.

"Following a series of meetings between Kenya Power and the county government of Nairobi, and thanks to government intervention, we have entered into a payment plan that will result in the debt being paid in full. In the interim, City Hall is back on supply," Kenya Power corporate communications manager Ann Nderi told Nation.Africa.

She added that the utility provider has stepped up revenue collection so it can meet its network and service obligations.

"In the case of Nairobi City County, the debt owed to the company currently stands at Sh1.55 billion," she said.

The two entities have been at loggerheads over debt arrears since 2014, with the county government claiming Kenya Power also owes it millions in wayleave and rent arrears.

Disconnecting electricity

The first outage played out in January 2015, when City Hall was plunged into darkness for three days.

In 2016, the utility firm threatened to cut off power to City Hall Annex, Mama Lucy Hospital, Pumwani Hospital, public primary and nursery schools and county depots, as well as supply to streetlights.

But City Hall went to court and obtained an order barring the State agency from proceeding with the plan as its case was heard.

The court order bought City Hall some time, but in June 2018, Kenya Power struck again, disconnecting power to City Hall and City Hall Annex for two days, after county officials lost the court battle to stop the agency from disconnecting electricity.

At the time, the accrued power bill was Sh990 million, which had accumulated since September 2016.

County officials, however, disputed the amount, saying they were only aware of Sh447 million. Kenya Power said the Sh447 million debt represented only debt accrued between September 1, 2016 and April 31, 2018.

The county secretary at the time, Peter Kariuki, nonetheless, termed the disconnection "an act of bad faith", saying that the county and the electricity supplier had formed a joint task force to look into the exact debt owed on either side.

"We have responded by reminding them of the over Sh800 million they owe us in rates and wayleave charges for the company's distribution network, with some of the debts outstanding since 1990, but as a gesture of good faith, we have offered to pay Sh15 million now and the balance in realistic instalments until the figure finally agreed upon is settled," he said.

Back-and-forth

The Sh15 million payment bought City Hall some time.

But in November 2020, Kenya Power struck again, leaving City Hall in darkness for three days.

This disrupted operations in most county offices, with some being closed while staff and customers had to use the stairs to reach upper offices.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Energy By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The two entities would try to negotiate a debt swap between the electricity bills and money owed in wayleave charges but nothing came of the negotiations.

In May this year, City Hall set aside Sh691 million to clear the electricity debt in a bid to end perennial power cuts.

The county argued that it owes the utility firm Sh691.58 million in electricity bills, according to the Nairobi County Debt Management Strategy Paper for the financial year ending on June 30, 2022.

The county said the allocation was intended to end the back-and-forth between City Hall and Kenya Power over debts owed to each other, with City Hall claiming the utility provider owes it Sh856 million in wayleave charges.

In June, Kenya Power struck again, cutting off electricity to City Hall and City Hall Annex after the county delayed releasing the allocated money.

The county government will now spend Sh13 million on another generator to light up City Hall and City Hall Annex when outages occur.
Somalia has expelled Ugandan diplomat Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Head of the African Mission in Somalia (Amisom), for allegedly engaging in "incompatible" behaviour.

The Horn country's Ministry for Foreign Affairs, in a letter copied to Amisom and the African Union Commission (AUC), declared the envoy persona non grata.

Somalia has now ordered Mulongo to leave the country within a week.

"(He is) ordered to leave the country within seven days for engaging in activities incompatible with Amisom's mandate and Somalia's security strategy," the letter says.

The Ministry did not elaborate the reasons behind the decision to expel Mulongo, but Somalia's Foreign Minister, Mohamed Abdirizak, on Twitter said the country will hold Amisom staff to account, saying they are expected to be beyond reproach.

The FGS will hold accountable AMISOM personel, particularly those at the leadership level, who are expected to be beyond reproach in their integrity as they discharge their duty under the UN/AU mandate.

- Mohamed Abdirizak (@MAbdirizak) November 4, 2021
Almost 90 per cent of severely ill Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the country share one thing -- they are unvaccinated.

The Ministry of Health states that out of the more than 500 cases that were admitted, more than 400 were unvaccinated. As for the critically ill patients, almost all of them have not been vaccinated against the virus.

All the hospitals have now been advised to keep a vaccination record of patients they admit so that the government can keep tabs on the virus.

The ministry has set up a monitoring and evaluation team, working with epidemiologists from the University of Nairobi, who will come up with a national database of Covid-19 hospital admissions of the vaccinated, and those who are yet to receive the jab.

"When we get to know the status of the patients being admitted, whether they are vaccinated or not, you will be able to tell the trend of the virus," says Dr Willis Akhwale, the chairman of the National Covid-19 vaccine deployment task force.

If more vaccinated people were being admitted, then the government would get worried, since it would mean there was a new variant.

"It pains me that some Kenyans have just decided not to have the vaccine, they are taking chances and when trouble hits, they rush to the hospital. This virus is not a joke, look at the matter as life and death," Dr Akhwale said.

In one of the hospitals in Nairobi, four people were yesterday admitted to the ICU and all of them were unvaccinated.

"Most of the patients that we are currently admitting in our ICU are unvaccinated. A good number have either not taken the jab at all or have only taken one dose," said the nurse in charge.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study showing that unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalised with severe Covid-19 disease. The study conducted between May 1 and July 25 in Los Angeles, California, showed that only about five per cent of the fully vaccinated contracted the disease amid the Delta variant surge.

"These data indicate that authorised vaccines protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe Covid-19, even with increased community transmission of the newly predominant Delta variant," the CDC study concluded.

The CDC advised that there should be efforts to ramp up Covid-19 vaccination coverage, syncing it with other prevention strategies such as masking, social distancing and hand washing.

Prof Omu Anzala, a virologist and immunologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, said vaccine hesitancy is becoming a big issue, and Kenya has to go the promotive and preventive way to have people vaccinated.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Coronavirus By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"In as much as we are asking people to take the jab, we must not forget other measures, including masking and social distancing, they go together. The trick is avoiding transmission since vaccinated people can still transmit the virus," he said

Prof Matilu Mwau, an infectious disease researcher at the Kenya Medical Research Institute said: "We should work towards ensuring that even if we have a surge, very few people, if not none, are knocked. This can only happen if we get vaccinated. We are going to have as many waves as possible provided the virus is still here. We can only defeat this once we are fully protected."

Kenya has received about nine million doses of various vaccines, which have been distributed across the country. Out of these, 5.3 million doses have been administered, with 3.7 million Kenyans partially vaccinated, and 1.6 million fully vaccinated.

The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose stands at 43 per cent, with 5.7 per cent proportion of adults fully vaccinated.

The government is targeting to vaccinate 10 million Kenyans by December, however, with the pace at which Kenyans are taking the process regardless of the availability of the vaccines, the target will still be unreachable.
When the government launched numerous irrigation schemes in semi-arid counties in the North Rift region, pastoral communities hoped the projects would enhance food security, but several years later they have either failed to kick off or stalled.

The delays have dashed the hopes of residents of West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties who hoped to benefit economically and socially and improve their livelihoods.

The government had allocated additional funds to support agri-pastoralism among more than 4,500 families who depended on the schemes for food security.

Some Sh1.5 billion was set aside this financial year for small-scale irrigation and value addition projects, up from Sh1.3 billion.

Another Sh620 million was earmarked for the food security and crop diversification project.

The National Irrigation Authority (NIA) says the country's irrigation potential is estimated at 1.3 million hectares, but only 162,000 hectares (12 percent) has been developed to help boost food security.

In West-Pokot, the government in collaboration with an Italian firm launched Phase III of the Sigor Wei Wei Integrated Development Project to motivate more pastoralists to invest in irrigated agriculture and reduce over-reliance on relief food in the arid region.

But the Sh1.2 billion irrigation scheme, which was commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016, is still in its initial stages.

The project was to be undertaken by the Italian Development Cooperation and the Kenyan government through the Kerio Development Authority (KVDA) and would have seen more than 325 acres put under irrigation.

Apart from fencing off the area and supplying piped water, no other activity is taking place at the scheme.

"On completion, the project will not only boost food security in Pokot but will also benefit other parts of Kenya. This region should not always be associated with relief food," Mr Kenyatta said when the project was launched.

He said that the Jubilee administration had put 600,000 acres under irrigation and that figure was to hit over one million acres by the end of 2016.

But six years later, the implementation of the Sigor Wei Wei Phase III project is yet to kick off, shattering the hopes of residents who were to benefit from the scheme by becoming food-secure.

"The contractor left after fencing and levelling it before laying underground piped water," said Margaret Cherop Lokari, one of the residents who expected to benefit from the project.

Fruits and vegetables

Residents said that despite the heavy investments by the government and development partners, the returns from the schemes are yet to be felt as they continue to experience recurrent food shortages.

"The government needs to hasten the process of implementing this project to enable us to benefit in terms of food security and sustainable income generation to improve our livelihoods," said Elkana Kiptum.

Most farmers, as in the neighbouring Wei Wei phases I and II, cultivate such crops as maize, sorghum, bananas, fruits and vegetables on the 225 acres.

The farmers source their farm inputs from Kenya Seed Company on loans, which are repaid after the produce is harvested and sold.

More than 600 pastoralist families invest in subsistence and cash crop farming, earning more than Sh42 million from last season's harvest. They expect the project to bring in over Sh70 million this season.

"Although the soil in most parts of West Pokot County is highly fertile, dependence on rain-feed farming has precluded agriculture as an alternative food source," said David Chepkisha, vice-chairman of the Wei Wei Farmers Association.

The government three years ago allocated more than Sh60 million for irrigation projects in Turkana County.

Among the projects that benefited from the funds is the Katilu irrigation scheme, which was allocated Sh45 million and where 650 hectares would be placed under agricultural production to boost food security among locals.

The project was started in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) but stalled due to alleged mismanagement and recurrent cattle-rusting raids involving two communities.

Another Sh20 million was allocated to establish the Lotubae irrigation scheme in Turkana East, a project that serves residents of East Baringo sub-county.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

An additional Sh38 million was allocated to the Nakwomoru irrigation scheme, downstream of the Turkwel gorge.

The irrigation scheme acts as a buffer zone between the Pokot and Turkana communities but stalled due to recurrent cattle rustling and banditry.

KVDA is implementing multimillion-shilling irrigation schemes in Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Baringo counties to promote irrigated agriculture so residents can improve crop production and attain food security.

KVDA Managing Director Sammy Naporos said Sh59 million will be pumped into the Lomut irrigation project in West Pokot to place 800 acres under irrigated agriculture to boost food production and reduce over-reliance on relief food in the arid region.

"More than 1,200 families will benefit from the project by providing food security and sustainable income generation to communities that have experienced recurrent food shortages," Mr Naporos said.
The High Court in Eldoret has lifted an order extending IEBC's new-voter registration exercise by a week.

Justice Erick Ogola has quashed an earlier order he had issued for the enhanced voter registration to be extended until November 9 after Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) argued it lacks funds to cater for the extension.

Kenyans now have until 5.30pm on Friday November 5 to register as voters.

Initially, the new-voter registration drive expired on November 2, before the court issued an extension order.

When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, IEBC cited lack of funds as the major hindrance to executing extension of the 30-day voter registration exercise that came to close on Monday.

The Commission, which was represented by lawyers Moses Kipkogei and Mwangi Kangu, disclosed it spends Sh40 million daily on the exercise.

They argued that IEBC had been allocated Sh1.27 billion by the National Assembly for the exercise which has since been exhausted, thus extension could expose them to further financial hitches.

The commission spends Sh40 million daily on this exercise. For the last three days, the commission spent Sh120 million alone, money which the commission had not been allocated. However, with adequate resources, the commission is more than ready to continue with the enhanced registration exercise even tomorrow, argued Mr Kipkogei.

The polls agency also argued that it was not been consulted before court order on extension was issued.

The case was filed on Monday by Patrick Toroitich Cherono, a voter from Eldoret. He had moved to court to stop IEBC from ending the enhanced voter registration exercise, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

He argued that since IEBC started the exercise targeting at least 4.5 million new registered voters, only 760,000 had been registered across the country.

Justice Ogola directed that the case be heard on November 9 and ruling of the case is set for November 25.
Eldoro Girls Secondary School in Taveta sub-county, Taita Taveta County, has been closed indefinitely after a fire that razed a dormitory on Wednesday.

Students lost personal items in the blaze that nearly reduced the 500-bed dorm to ash.

County Director of Education Simon Wanjohi said stakeholders decided to close the school after a meeting on Wednesday.

The school board will meet today to discuss how to set up alternative accommodation for the girls.

"We had a meeting with stakeholders where we decided to close the school to look for the way forward in terms of alternative accommodation and also for investigations to commence to know the cause of the fire," he said.

Taveta sub-county Police Commander Charles Barasa said the cause of the fire was being investigated.

No injuries were reported.

Mr Barasa, however, speculated that the death of a Form One student that occurred on Monday could have triggered the student unrest.

"The student had been sick with kidney problems. Her death could have triggered the students to burn the dormitory but that is still under investigation," he said.

The Eldoro fire comes as cases of arson attacks in secondary schools are rising across the country. But it was the first incident to be reported in Taita Taveta.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education directed that schools go on a five-day mid-term break on November 19 to ease tensions.
The battle for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) presidential ticket has taken a twist following a petition against tycoon Jimi Wanjigi's membership and campaigns lodged yesterday.

An ODM member has gone to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, seeking to compel ODM to take action against Mr Wanjigi for declaring his presidential bid without following internal procedures.

Ms Catherine Wanjiku Irungu, a Nyeri politician and an ODM life member, also wants the party to discipline the businessman for using his campaign platforms to attack and criticise party leader Raila Odinga.

In the complaint filed yesterday, Ms Irungu also questions the authenticity of Mr Wanjigi's ODM membership.

She says the billionaire's life membership application was neither presented to nor approved by a properly convened National Executive Meeting as required by the ODM constitution.

"ODM has not ensured that Wanjigi completed the constitutionally entrenched temporal requirements for membership before announcing candidature and embarking on campaigns," says Ms Irungu, who contested the Mathira parliamentary seat as an independent in 2017.

She wants the tribunal to order ODM to produce the minutes leading to the decision of the National Executive Council to award Mr Wanjigi party membership and his ethics and integrity report.

Caused confusion

Ms Irungu says she is aggrieved that ODM has not enforced its constitution and rules by failing to discipline the businessman for "undermining the authority of the party as he keeps opening parallel offices even when ordered to stop".

She says ODM has allowed strangers to form opinions and abuse party structures.

Through such actions, ODM has sabotaged its integrity and caused confusion among members, Ms Irungu says.

She wants the tribunal to certify her application urgent and issue temporary orders stopping Mr Wanjigi's campaigns.

Mr Wanjigi has been criss-crossing the country, telling ODM supporters that Mr Odinga's time is up.

The businessman said he would respond to the petition once he is served with documents by the tribunal.

Disastrous scorecard

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kakamega colleague Wycliffe Oparanya, both Mr Odinga's deputies, had also expressed interest in the top seat, but have since backed down.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Mr Odinga is expected to declare his candidacy during the final Azimio la Umoja (Declaration of Unity) convention at Bomas of Kenya on December 9.

Meanwhile, Mr Wanjigi has urged young people not to re-elect "people who have messed p the country's economy".

The tycoon, who was addressing university students in Nairobi, said the Jubilee government "accumulated a debt that now stands at more than Sh11 trillion but has nothing to show for it".

"Your lives have been stolen by people who do not care. Let them not say they have a legacy like previous leaders. Their scorecard is disastrous," the businessman said as he urged young people to register as voters.

The registration officer in Kasarani, Benard Msee, said more than 800 people enlisted as voters yesterday.

"Do not peg your future on political slogans. No longer should you accept money from politicians," he said.

Reported by Justus Ochieng, Joseph Wangui, Brian Wasuna and Mercy Simiyu
At least 14 people were killed on Wednesday night and five others seriously injured following a cattle raid in Samburu County.

According to police, the incident occurred at Suyian area in Samburu North, where cattle rustlers raided a village and made away with 1,000 heads of cattle.

The cattle rustlers are said to have had a confrontation with residents that lasted for more than 12 hours leading to the killing of the ten people, with casualties from both sides.

According to Sub County Police Commandant Alex Rotich, who confirmed the incident, the deadly cattle raid lasted more than 12 hours.

The raid began at about 6pm Wednesday and went on until 1pm on Thursday.

"Armed bandits raided a village in Suyian area last night and drove away over 1,000 heads of cattle. Fourteen people were killed in the incident. The fourteen died on the spot and police are trying to collect the bodies," said Rotich.

Among those killed during the confrontation were five herders.

Nine armed criminals also died in the shootout.

The police boss said bodies are still on the ground and that tension is high in the area.

A contingent of police officers from the National Police Service and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit are already on the ground.

Police said security has been intensified in the area, but noted that no arrests have been made.

"Security officers are pursuing the armed criminals who fled with the livestock. Security personnel have already taken over the village and are patrolling the bandit-prone area to tame any possible retaliation attacks," said Mr Rotich.

Five people who were injured are being treated at Barsaloi health centre in Samburu North. Serious cases have been transferred to the Samburu County Referral Hospital in Samburu Central.

Police have recovered half of the stolen livestock.
All secondary schools in Homa Bay County are now required to work closely with security organs amid a wave of student unrest that has led to several school fires.

County Commissioner Moses Lilan has proposed the formation of WhatsApp groups where schools' management can link with security officers in cases of emergencies.

The move is meant to enable security officers quickly respond to distress calls made by schools.

"We have taken note of the current situation in schools and decided to call for a meeting to discuss how we can deal with unrest. I propose the formation of a WhatsApp group where information can be shared between police and school administrations," he said when he met school principals and top security officers in Homa Bay on Thursday.

"School managers will be expected to share any suspicious cases which may culminate in violence so that they are handled at the right time," he said.

The social media platform will bring together school managers, education officials and security officials who will share intelligence from learning institutions.

In Homa Bay, two schools - Ringa Boys High and Gendia Boys High - are most affected by student unrest.

The has also been witnessed across the country as cases of schools fires spike.

In some instances, students have been accused of arson while other cases have been accidents.

The collaboration between schools and security officers is expected to enhance quick response in emergencies including student riots and fires.

"Police have been instructed to undertake patrols in schools as a preventive measure," the county commissioner said, while also advising school principals to install CCTV cameras.
Marsabit County leaders have made fresh demands as they celebrated a court verdict that found the State had illegally seized community land to facilitate the Lake Turkana Wind Power project.

They want locals guaranteed jobs, social responsibility investments to support communities, connection to the power grid and for the County Government to earn revenue from the project.

In a landmark judgment, the High Court in Meru nullified the title deed for 150,000 acres on which the Sh70 billion project is to be implemented.

The residents of Laisamis Constituency had accused Lake Turkana Wind Power Limited of acquiring their ancestral land for the project without following due process.

The court agreed there was no public participation as required by the Constitution before the project was initiated in 2005.

Marsabit leaders, led by the Governor Mohamud Ali, praised the judgment as upholding the rule of law and asked authorities to consult local communities to safeguard their rights as the project is implemented.

They now want inclusive implementation of the international definitions of indigeneity of the communities living in the region.

"If it were not for the bold stand of the Judiciary against external influences, we'd have lost this land and we'd be gnashing our teeth. This is evidence that the Judiciary is independent and fair in their rulings," Governor Ali said on Saturday.

The governor wants the implementation process of Free Prior and Informed Consent rule to be all-inclusive and to safeguard the economic, social and cultural rights of the communities that were displaced during the project development.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Energy By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The leaders also want all the communities living in Laisamis Sub-County such as Samburu,Turkana, El Molo and Rendile communities to be listed as bona fide beneficiaries as they are all custodians of the land.

The exclusion of the Rendille community was the genesis of the land tussle that ended up in the lawsuit.

Mohamud Itarakwa Kochale, Kochale Jomo Jale, Issa Jitegwe Gambare, David Tamasot Arakhole, William Lengoyiap and Sekotey Seye had filed the suit on behalf of the residents citing lack of community participation in the land allocation process as required by the Community Land Act.

Governor Ali also wants the county government to be included in the list of beneficiaries so that it can generate revenue from the green energy project.

He also demanded the entire county be connected to the national grid and local residents get jobs at the firm.

Marsabit Senator Godana Hargura asked residents to utilise the 12-month window granted by the court for regularisation of land acquisition for their own benefit.

He said all the four communities living in the region should be guaranteed employment opportunities and goodwill investments from the consortium.

The residents complained they were unable to access the expansive land for grazing, and wanted the nullification of the title deed issued to the wind power company which was projected to inject 310mw into the national grid.
Police officers with disabilities and those suffering from other illnesses acquired in the line of duty can now seek transfers to their home counties to serve near their families as they continue with treatment.

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) is conducting medical assessments of officers in the Coast region.

Apart from the Eastern and Western regions, NPSC has conducted similar assessments in the Rift Valley, Nairobi, Nyanza, North Eastern, Central and the Coast

NPSC has established that 800 officers in these regions are suffering from different diseases, including injuries from road accidents and bombs in terror attacks. Some have lost their eyes, ears and limbs.

"But for those living with disabilities, the Inspector-General of police has made arrangements that many of them are now in places where they can access hospitals," said NPSC vice-chairperson Dr Alice Otwala.

NPSC, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the National Police Service, has established a special medical board to assess sick officers and those injured in the line of duty.

"NPSC is looking at how best we can assist the officers who suffer the unfortunate situations. The medical board consists of professional doctors of various categories who are now treating them throughout the country," Dr Otwala said.

"The numbers are growing. Some were killed and others maimed. Every day is a new day for police officers."

Some of the diseases, she said, have left them incapable of performing their normal duties. Other common diseases include diabetes, stroke, neurological disorders.

"One of the conditions of employment in the service is that they must be whole and fit in their medical tests, but over some time, due to the nature of their work, they acquire illnesses and disabilities from accidents and attacks while defending us," Dr Otwala explained.

Speaking during an assessment of officers at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa, NPSC said police work subjects them to a lot of stress and danger.

NPSC has also recruited counsellors and social workers to work alongside police officers grappling with different conditions.

"Police officers will have access to the counsellors at our cost. We are giving them opportunities to discuss with the IG's office and the commission on areas of concern to offer support and be able to deduce areas of policy direction," she said.

Dr Otwala said that in a group of 105,000 police officers, less than one percent are unwell.

"These are not normal sicknesses like malaria. We are talking about diseases that disable them from their normal work. These are the ones we are targeting. There are a few but we needed to have a doctor to establish that," she said.

A good medical insurance cover, she said, is crucial and that had been addressed by the IG's office.

NPSC has hired 59 counsellors, with at least one in every county.

Officers dealing with mental illnesses will be assessed and given treatment and psychosocial support.

"The Coast region contributes a lot to the disease burden that police officers carry," said Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata.

"You know that we have fought terror and wildlife attacks. I am sure several police officers have been bitten by snakes. We also have the sea and we have our challenges there."

The National Police Service chief medical officer, Dr John Kibosia, said their primary responsibility is to assess officers with challenges and recommend appropriate measures.

"Where we also feel they can benefit from retiring early we recommend (it). We have many consultants. Some are looking after police officers' physical illnesses or disabilities and three consultant psychiatrists from Moi University," Dr Kibosia said.

Dr Edith Kwobah, a consultant psychiatrist and head of mental health at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, decried mental illnesses in the police service.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"Police officers and those in the military are twice at risk because of the nature of their work. The problem is sometimes you are not aware you are sick. As colleagues, are you able to notice if one of you is mentally ill? As a society, we judge harshly," Dr Kwobah said.

She called for self-awareness and the creation of social support systems to help officers deal with the challenges.

"Sometimes you see very senior people kill themselves and then you wonder why. It's because they are human. They can get so distressed and can't get away from dealing with their problems. Mental health challenges are common even in the police service but help is available," she added.

She warned men in service against tackling their challenges with alcohol and being aggressive, urging them instead to develop problem-solving skills and seeking treatment.
Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has downplayed reports of mass defections from the party to ODM in Kisii County.

UDA National Treasurer Omingo Magara says the party is yet to conduct grassroots elections and as such has no officials at the local level to be assumed to have left to join ODM.

"UDA has not held grassroots elections to fill party position. Therefore those who are masquerading to be officials from the sub-counties and defecting were defections from positions they never held," Mr Magara said at the Hustlers Centre, the party's headquarters on Thursday.

He said the "purported defections" were meant to hoodwink Kenyans that UDA was fizzling out in Gusii region.

"To the contrary, the movement is fine. We are focused, determined and have a direction to follow and have no laxity of turning back and our eyes are facing the ball to deliver our country and community to prosperity using the bottoms up approach," said Mr Magara.

On Wednesday, ODM received more than 1,000 new members in Kisii who were said to have left UDA.

The group, which met at Alexandria Hotel in Kisii town, also pledged support for Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, who they said is their son and had done a lot to improve Gusii people's welfare through development projects.

Some of the defectors said they were UDA youth leaders and grassroots mobilisers from Kisii County.

Ms Mogire Nyatichi, a key supporter of the Deputy President, is one of the defectors. She was among dozens of Ruto supporters arraigned in court recently after they were arrested at the home of Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi for holding an illegal gathering.

She was also the chairlady for 'Wasupa Na Ruto' in Kisii County and was arrested in Menyinkwa during a UDA registration drive.

Another defector is Mr Rogers Onyancha, who said he had thrown his weight behind former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and will henceforth campaign for him.

But Mr Magara dismissed the team, arguing the party was yet to name grassroots officials.

"We are yet to fill those slots. What we have done is mass registration of UDA members," added Mr Magara.
The government has pledged it will not shut down the internet during the General Election next year, despite noting a worrying trend of abuse and misuse of social media.

While promising to deal sternly with abusers of social media platforms during campaigns and elections, Interior Cabinet Fred Matiang'i said Kenya is a mature and "strong democracy" and a pacesetter in the region and cannot stoop that low.

CS Matiang'i was speaking at the launch of the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NCCCC) in Nairobi yesterday.

"We're facing an election that is going to demonstrate even our greater maturity. We're going to be fine. We're not going to resort to other tactics such as (shutting down) the internet. That one we left a long time ago. Our reputation the world over is that we're a strong democracy," CS Matiang'i said.

He warned about the danger of misusing social media to peddle unfounded claims as the country heads to the polls, calling for a responsible use of the platforms and promising to bring the "digital terrorists" to book.

"Our number one challenge in Kenya is the misuse and abuse of social media. That's what we're going to deal with," CS Matiang'i said.

"I mean, you have seen the madness around. Governments, because they are not as strong, confident and democratic as ours, resort to shutting down the internet...Kenya is not going to do that."

The launch of NCCCC, the CS said, fills a gap that had for long impeded the process of cleansing the digital sphere.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Governance ICT By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The committee will provide the strategic direction, coordination and management in the crackdown on cybercrimes in Kenya by implementing and enforcing the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

The Act provides for offences relating to computer systems such as unauthorised access, cyber espionage, cyber harassment, cybersquatting, false publication of data, identity theft and impersonation, child pornography, phishing, computer fraud, computer forgery, unauthorised disclosure of passcodes, fraudulent use of electronic data, issuance of false e-instructions and cyber terrorism.

"The complexities of cybercrime begin from the very basic ones of someone forging a document and declaring tomorrow is a holiday to the complex ones of breaking into systems and coded frameworks and so on and so forth," he said.

"While I make these assurances, it is important for us to understand that a time has now come that we're going to do our work the way it should be done."

Kenya's journey to policy debate on protecting computer and information systems dates back to 2009. And with cyberspace and security gaining prominence over time, the government is in a race to cleanse the space that could be the source of political turmoil next year.
analysis

Voters, particularly in urban areas, have delivered a snotklap of historic proportions for the ANC. By Thursday, the ANC is out in the cold in its largest region, eThekwini, with 42% support, and it just managed to hold on to Mangaung, its 1912 birthplace, with 50.5%.

The 2021 local government elections was historic for the ANC in all the wrong ways - a national polling support of 45.6%, a further haemorrhaging of support in key metros like Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, and further decline even in the towns and dorpies across South Africa where it retained control.

As the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) late on Thursday morning started releasing final seat allocations with 99.9% of ballots captured, the breakdown for eThekwini showed the ANC's 42% support got it 96 seats. That's down from the 126 in the 219-strong council after the 2016 municipal poll, with the DA securing 58 seats, the EFF 24, IFP 16 and ActionSA four.

Losing control in eThekwini would be a sore point for the ANC, and sharply reflects its changing character away from cities. As the largest ANC region...
document

Programme Director,

Chairperson of the IEC, Commissioner Glen Mashinini, Commissioners,

Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Sy Mamabolo,

Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Deputy Speaker, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli,

Justices,

Leaders of Chapter 9 institutions, Leaders of political parties, Members of the diplomatic corps, Fellow South Africans,

In a month's time we will mark 25 years since the signing into law of our democratic Constitution.

Its founding values - of democracy, human dignity, the advancement of human rights and the achievement of equality - have been our guide for a quarter of a century.

Tonight we mark another milestone in the advance of our democracy.

This local government election was contested by a record 325 political parties and nearly 95,000 candidates, of whom over 1,500 were independent candidates.

In the run-up to election day we have seen images of parties and candidates everywhere, on billboards, on street posters and on social media, all making a case for why they should get our vote.

This is a sign that multiparty politics is flourishing in South Africa, and that everyone has an equal chance and opportunity to run for public office.

This enriches us in many ways.

It advances openness and transparency.

It affirms that we are a diverse and tolerant society.

It affirms the principle that leaders must be chosen by the people and be accountable to the people. I want to thank the 12 million South Africans who cast their ballots in this election.

By performing this important civic duty you have contributed to strengthening and consolidating democracy.

I want to congratulate all South Africans for holding an election that was peaceful, free and fair. The people have spoken.

Those in whom they have placed their trust - the elected councillors - now need to get down to work.

Over the past few weeks we have all spent time with South Africans from all walks of life, meeting them in the streets and being invited into their homes.

They told us about leaking houses, of frustration at electricity cuts, of feeling unsafe because of crime, and of being despondent after years of not working.

At the same time many have told us about the good work that municipalities - supported by dedicated councillors - are doing in their communitie

They have told us of infrastructure that has been built in the poorest areas and of essential services that are being delivered.

They also gave us advice on how we can do things better.

Listening to them I was reminded how important it is that those in positions of responsibility enjoy the confidence of the South African people.

They want their lives improved. They want better services.

They want their representatives to be responsive and accountable.

They want to live in a better South Africa with equal opportunity, where their rights are realised, and where they are treated with dignity and respect.

Local government must be a force for good, for development and for progress.

If we are to make this a new and better era, we, as leaders, must put aside our differences and work together in a spirit of partnership and common purpose.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to better the lives of the South African people.

We need to strengthen the trust between citizens and elected representatives through competence, integrity, performance and delivery.

Public representatives need to be more visible and active in our communities.

They need to focus on implementation and make the people partners in development.

Above all, they need to listen to the communities they serve.

I want to thank all those people who have contributed to the success of the 2021 local government election.

I want to thank the commissioners, leadership and staff of the Independent Electoral Commission, who have once again conducted themselves with professionalism and impartiality.

I want to thank the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force for ensuring the safety of voters and the integrity of the election process.

I want to thank the staff of the Department of Home Affairs for processing voters and enabling them to have the correct documentation on voting day.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

I want to thank all the political parties and candidates who stood in this election for their conduct, their discipline and their commitment to the people.

Through their efforts, they have proven that our democracy is enduring and strong. Last week in Cape Town I received a letter from a young women called Rubi.

"I have faith in the leaders of South Africa," she wrote to me.

"I believe that South Africa can take her rightful place in the world, and that the dreams of our great leaders can be realised."

In these difficult times, these words from a young South African encouraged me. They should encourage us all.

We owe it to Rubi and to the millions of young South Africans who dream of a better South Africa, to do no less than our very best.

We owe it to the millions of South Africans who voted in this election to bring about the change they are asking for.

Let us turn the promises that we made on the campaign trail into reality. Let us unite for the common purpose of recovery and rebuilding.

Let us work as one for a South Africa of equality, freedom and shared prosperity. Let us keep moving forward.

I thank you.
South Africans casting their votes in the 2021 local government elections at Birch Acres Primary in Kempton Park.

The 2021 Local Government Elections have proved that multi-party politics is flourishing in South Africa and that everyone has an equal chance and opportunity to run for public office, President Cyril Ramaphosa says.

The sixth Local Government Election was contested by a record 325 political parties and nearly 95 000 candidates, of whom over 1 500 were independent candidates.

The President said that this enriches the country in many ways, advances openness and transparency and affirms the principle that leaders must be chosen by the people and be accountable to the people.

The statesman was speaking at the National Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Pretoria on Thursday, during the release of the 2021 Local Government Election results.

"Tonight we mark another milestone in the advancement of our democracy. In the run-up to Election Day we have seen images of parties and candidates everywhere, on billboards, on street posters and on social media, all making a case for why they should get our vote. This affirms that we are a diverse and tolerant society," the President said.

President Ramaphosa went on to thank the 12 million South Africans who cast their ballots in this election.

"By performing this important civic duty you have contributed to strengthening and consolidating democracy. I want to congratulate all South Africans for holding an election that was peaceful, free and fair," he said.

He said the people have spoken and the elected councillors now need to get down to work.

The President said that over the past few weeks, officials have all spent time with South Africans from all walks of life and they expressed their frustration with service delivery while others spoke about the good work that municipalities, supported by dedicated councillors are doing in their communities.

"Listening to them I was reminded how important it is that those in positions of responsibility enjoy the confidence of the South African people. They want their lives improved. They want better services.

"They want their representatives to be responsive and accountable. They want to live in a better South Africa with equal opportunity, where their rights are realised, and where they are treated with dignity and respect," the President said.

While calling on leaders to put their differences aside and work together, the President said that local government must be a force for good, for development and for progress.

"If we are to make this a new and better era, we, as leaders, must put aside our differences and work together in a spirit of partnership and common purpose.

"We need to strengthen the trust between citizens and elected representatives through competence, integrity, performance and delivery. Public representatives need to be more visible and active in our communities," he said.

The President called on elected leaders to listen to the communities they serve and focus on implementation and make the people partners in development.

Thank you for a successful election

President Ramaphosa extended his gratitude to all those people who have contributed to the success of the 2021 Local Government Elections.

"I want to thank the commissioners, leadership and staff of the Independent Electoral Commission, who have once again conducted themselves with professionalism and impartiality. I want to thank the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force for ensuring the safety of voters and the integrity of the election process. I want to thank the staff of the Department of Home Affairs for processing voters and enabling them to have the correct documentation on voting day," he said.

Extending his gratitude to the media, the President said the media did a great job by keeping South Africans informed throughout the duration of these elections.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

He further thanked all the political parties and candidates who stood in this election for their conduct, their discipline and their commitment to the people.

Through their efforts, he said they have proven that our democracy is enduring and strong.

"We owe it to the millions of young South Africans who dream of a better South Africa, to do no less than our very best. We owe it to the millions of South Africans who voted in this election to bring about the change they are asking for.

President Ramaphosa encouraged all leaders to turn the promises that were made on the campaign trail into reality.

"Let us unite for the common purpose of recovery and rebuilding. Let us work as one for a South Africa of equality, freedom and shared prosperity. Let us keep moving forward," he said.
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairperson Glen Mashinini has officially declared the 2021 Local Government Elections concluded as free and fair.

This as the IEC announced the final results of the elections at the National Results Operations Centre in Pretoria on Thursday.

More than 12 million South Africans cast their ballots over the past weekend and on Monday, to vote for candidates who they prefer to represent them in the country's 257 municipal councils.

"We are satisfied that, bar a few incidents, for which we apologise, that we have delivered quality elections. We are proud to proclaim to the world that we are still flying high the banner of electoral integrity, excellence and free and fair elections.

"Through these elections, we have sent a resounding message to the world at large that we South Africans remain a beacon of pre-eminence in the conduct of electoral democracy. It is then my singular honour to hereby declare the 2021 Municipal Elections concluded as free and fair," he said.

Mashinini announced that throughout the country, the African National Congress (ANC) clinched the majority seats in 161 municipal councils, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 13 municipalities which is closely followed by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) which now holds majority seats in 10 municipal councils.

Mashinini added that at least 66 municipal councils are hung - meaning that no party gained an outright majority in those councils.

He announced the following results for the country's tightly contested eight metropolitan municipalities:

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Buffalo City: the ANC is in the majority with 59%, followed by the DA with 19.52% and the EFF with 12.06%.

City of Cape Town: the DA won that council with 58.22%, the ANC won 18.63% of the vote and the EFF won 4.13%.

Ekurhuleni was won by the ANC with 38.19%, in second was the DA with 28.72% and the EFF with 13.57% of the vote.

In Ethekwini in KwaZulu Natal, the ANC won 42.2%, followed by the Democratic Alliance with 25.6% and the EFF with 10.49%.

In the City of Johannesburg, the ANC won 33.60%, the DA won 26.47% and Action SA won 16.05% of the votes.

In Mangaung, the ANC won the majority of seats after receiving 50.63% of the votes, followed by the DA with 25.73% and the EFF with 11.31%.

The ANC and the DA won exactly the same amount of council seats in the Nelson Mandela Bay council after receiving about 39% of the vote each, the EFF came in third with 6.4% of the support.

The City of Tshwane has shown that the ANC won 34.31% of the votes, closely followed by the DA with 32.34% and the EFF came in third with 10.62% of the vote.

The IEC Chairperson implored the newly chosen councillors-elect to improve the lives of those communities they now serve.

"We congratulate the 10 461 councillors who have won the right to serve our people. We urge them to go out and make the lives of our people better. Go out and ensure that our communities develop and live in peace. Go out and, through your honest and ethical work, guarantee the future of our children," Mashinini said.
Previous orders of the #EndSARS panel for the three police officers to appear were not honoured.

The Independent Investigative Panel on human rights violations perpetrated by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian police, on Thursday, ordered three police officers linked to an extra-judicial killing case to appear.

The panel directed that the Nigerian police must produce the officers to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Ovoke Onomrerhino in the Abraka area of Delta State in 2019.

The deceased's father, Godwin Onomrerhino, had accused the police of killing his son extra-judicially.

But the police had said the deceased person, who was allegedly arrested for armed robbery, jumped off a moving police vehicle in a bid to escape. The police said he died of the injuries sustained from the jump.

Chaired by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Suleiman Galadima, the panel, commonly referred to as #EndSARS panel, said three police sergeants, namely, Musa, Lucky Kehinde, and Lucky Okuku, named in the case had to appear to clarify some issues in respect of the victim's death.

Previous orders of the panel for the three police officers to appear were not honoured.

On March 15, the panel went to the extent of ordering the Inspector-General of Police to arrest the three officers and produce them before it.

Mr Galadima, in addition to asking the police authorities to produce the three respondents, directed on Thursday that the 1st respondent, Isah Hassan, a chief superintendent of police, who previously testified in the case, had to re-appear to produce documents showing how Mr Onomrerhino died in the hospital and how his body was subsequently taken to the mortuary.

The complainant's counsel, Onome Okoroze, told the panel that Mr Hassan, had in his testimony stated that the three sergeants were in the police vehicle when the deceased jumped off and sustained serious injuries, which led to his death in the hospital.

She added that the panel was right to order Mr Hassan to re-appear before the panel with the necessary documents to prove the deceased received treatment in the hospital courtesy of the police before he died and that the body was deposited in the mortuary.

Defence

Defending the respondents, the police legal team led by James Idachaba informed the panel that some of the police officers needed at the panel were around shortly before the panel went on a six-month break.

He told the panel that the police had been cooperating with the panel, recalling that Mr Hassan had left Abraka Police Division in Delta State when he was traced and brought to testify before the panel.

He added that an assistant commissioner of police named Mantu, who is another respondent in the case, had been transferred from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command to Rivers State.

According to him, Mr Mantu is currently on a national assignment in Anambra State. But he promised to make efforts to reach him.

The panel then directed the police legal team to ensure that the affected officers were brought for the defence hearing scheduled for November 24.

Petition

The petitioner, Godwin Onomrerhino, the father of the deceased, had told the panel that his son (Ovoke Onomrerhino) was extra-judicially killed by the police.

He said he wrote a petition to Nigeria Police Force Zone 5 in Delta State, demanding an investigation.

He told the panel that the police had yet to release the remains of his son for burial because they were still investigating the matter.

But the police authorities had given different account about how the deceased died.

Isah Hassan, a chief superintendent of police and former Division Police Officer (DPO), Abraka, Delta State, and Tambari Kambari, an inspector and investigative police officer, both testified on December 3, 2020, describing Mr Onomrerhino, the deceased, as an armed robbery suspect.

Mr Hassan said the deceased was arrested on June 29, 2019, by the Igun Vigilante Group for an armed robbery incident on the Eku-Igun Highway in Delta State the previous day.

He said the victim had taken policemen to where his gang kept their weapons, adding that as they were returning to the police station, the suspect jumped off a police vehicle while in motion and sustained injuries.

They claimed that the suspect was taken to Abraka General Hospital where he was said to have died afterwards.

The panel had then ordered the police to produce documents relating to the treatment of the deceased and the movement of his corpse to the mortuary.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Independent Investigative Panel on allegations of human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti - Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian Police, retired Justice Suleiman Galadima on Thursday reminded the police of their duty to account fo individuals arrested and detained.

He made this statement at the hearing of the alleged violation of the right to personal liberty and enforced disappearance of one Eric Ezeala who was arrested in 2017 by members of the SARS and has yet to be accounted for to his family.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Legal Affairs Nigeria By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Expressing his frustrations on the continued absence of police officers at the sittings, he told the respondents counsel led by James Idachaba that the police cannot run away from answering questions on the enforced disappearance of Eric Ezeala and others.

"We must get to the bottom of this case as quickly as possible," he added.

The leader of the defence team, Mr Idachaba assured the panel that "he will get involved personally to find out the whereabouts of Eric Ezeala."

He disclosed to the panel that from a preliminary investigation carried out personally, he found out that Eric Ezeala was arrested by the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and not SARS as alleged by his family.

According to the testimonies of the petitioner, Hilda Ezeala, mother to the victim, Eric was arrested in July 2017 by some policemen. She said she was informed to come with her lawyer to Owerri Special Anti-Robbery Squad Office where she was later informed that her son, Eric has been transferred to Abuja.

The case was adjourned to the 23rd of November, 2021 for the defence's report on Eric's whereabouts.
I will like to begin this Keynote Address by congratulating the mass media across the world, especially the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) for the Pandora Papers. They leaked 11.9 million documents and 2.9 terabytes of data exposing corrupt dealings by the powerful and the global rich. The Pandora Papers which were released on October 3 exposed the secret dealings of 35 world leaders and over 100 billionaires and powerful people.

In 600 journalists from 150 media organisations, across 117 countries working together, shows not just the power of organisation, professionalism and commitment to make the world a better place, but also, the unstoppable power of the press.

I am proud that amongst the media organisations that worked on the Pandora Papers is the Premium Times of Nigeria whose courageous publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi is slated as one of the panellists on this platform. Let me thank Ghana for providing refuge for Nigerian journalists fleeing persecution. When the Abacha regime in Nigeria decided to physically eliminate Mr Olorunyomi in 1995, it was to Ghana he fled for refuge. When his wife, Ladi who had been held hostage was released on bail, it was Ghana that welcomed her and the children.

Also as you might know, when Nigerian employers were unwilling to hire Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of the greatest journalists that ever practiced in West Africa, it was Ghanaian employer, Mr A.J. Ocansey who in 1934 gave him a job to establish and run a fearless, Pan Africanist newspaper, the African Morning Post in this city. Azikiwe later moved back to Nigeria setting up one of the best and most fearless newspaper chain, the WEST African Pilot.

Press Freedom and Its Enemies

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Tragically, the high professionalism, exposure of sleaze and holding the powerful accountable as was done by the Pandora Papers, come at a very high prize. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) says that between 1992 and 2021, a total of 1,418 journalists were killed in the line of duty. That is some 50 journalists killed annually! This is a very high prize to pay and humanity owes journalists eternal gratitude for being watch dogs for the society, checking corruption, criminality and power abuse.

In West Africa, journalists have faced repression and death. This includes the October 19, 1986 mutilation of Mr Dele Giwa, the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian NEWSWATCH Magazine through a parcel bomb, and, the 1995 sentencing of four Nigerian journalists, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, Kunle Ajibade, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi to life imprisonment for reporting an attempted coup. There was the December 13, 1998 mafia-style execution and incineration of investigative Burkinabe journalist, Norbet Zongo, his brother, chauffeur and a friend.

The trend in the region as manifested in the countries mentioned and those like Ghana, show that perhaps the greatest enemies of press freedom is military rule.

Generally, development was not arrested in Togo until the January 13, 1963 military coup against Sylvanus Olympio. Degeneracy did not set in Ghana until the February 24, 1966 military coup against Kwame Nkrumah. Nigeria did not become a degenerate state until January 15, 1966 when the military overthrew the elected government of Tafawa-Balewa. The cumulative 29 years the military ruled Nigeria is mainly responsible for the quagmire the country is in currently. Today, the Nigerian coup-generals and their beneficiaries continue to recycle themselves in power. In the last 22 years of post-military rule, former military rulers, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari have been President for fourteen years during which they have continued the military culture of repression.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the African military, being a colonial creation for the oppression of the people, has been one of the greatest setbacks for development in West Africa. Fifteen of the sixteen countries in Wes Africa, experienced coups and military rule. The only exception is Senegal.

Although, we have tried to steer our countries back to civil rule - democracy is still unattained - military misrule is burrowing itself back to power. There was a military coup in Mali on August 18, 2020.

This year, there have been three military coups within five months; one in Chad on April 19, 2021, another in Mali on May 24, 2021 and a third in Guinea Conakry on September 5, 2021. If will add these to other contemporary coups on the continent like the March 22-24, 2013 coup in the Central African Republic, the General el-Sisi coup in Egypt in July 2013 and the long drawn November 14-21, 2017 coup in Zimbabwe against President Robert Mugabe, we will realise that there is the danger of other military takeovers. These would constitute threats to constitutional governance and press freedom.

So the media, especially in West Africa, must rise up to help galvanise the struggle not just against military rule, but also misrule by leaders like Alassane Ouattara in Cote d'Ivoire who unconstitutionally elongate their tenure in office, Fuare Gnassingbe of Togo who has transformed governance into a monarchy and leaders who implement economic programmes designed and imposed on Africa by imperialism.

The West African peoples and their organisations have a duty to join the mass media in fighting for press freedom. I do not mean press freedom to defend the selfish interests of the ruling class but the interests of the oppressed people who constitute the majority of people in each of the countries in Africa.

One of the immediate tasks is the decriminalization of press freedom. Permit me to salute the government of Ghana which has decriminalized freedom of expression, and the Liberian government which on February 28, 2019 did the same. I want to commend the Media Foundation for West Africa for its contribution to the campaign for decriminalization in the region. The MFWA has, successfully challenged the illegal arrest and detention of journalists in the Ecowas Court of Justice.

But we have a huge battle in our hands especially in countries like Nigeria which are speeding towards increasing repression and criminalization of freedom of speech. In recent years, we in Nigeria have battled against attempts and bills on 'Hate Speech' attempts to chain the social media and closure of media organisations. But while it used to be easy shutting down media houses, today, with ICT, journalism has become like the rainbow; how do you pin down the rainbow? How do you shoot it down? Gradually, the power of states like those in West Africa to shut down the media is slipping out of their hands. Let me cite a case. On June 5, 2021, the Nigerian government placed an indefinite ban on Twitter for deleting tweets by President Buhari in which he threatened a major nationality in the country. However, Nigerians ignored the ban by switching to the encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel over which the government has no power. In a case filed against the suspension by the Socio Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) at the Ecowas Court of Justice the Judges have restrained the Government from carrying out the threat to prosecute twitter users pending the determination of the case.

Before then, the same Court had declared illegal, null and void the ban on the use of Internet in the Republic of Togo.

The Highway To Misinformation and Digital Media Regulation

Facts, for the media, are sacred. They are like a religious obligation and their violation, side stepping, mutilation and misrepresentation are like the cardinal sin. So disinformation, misinformation, falsehood, deception and fabrication are antithetical to journalism. Yet, these ancient practices thrive because these are ways the state and power manipulate society and try to keep it in chains. It is also a way for the exploiter to exploit the exploited. The digital age with its instantaneous dissemination of information has strengthened these.

No other world leader in contemporary times has abused this more than former America President Donald Trump who in holding misinformation in a vile grip, told 30,573 verifiable lies in his four years at the White House; an average of 21 lies or inaccurate statements for every day he was in office.

Let me state that this is not uniquely American. War time British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill propagated that: "In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies." In other words, in times of conflict or assumed conflict, one of the first casualties is the truth or facts on which journalism built its practice.

State actors, non-state actors and all specie of human beings for various reasons disseminate fake news or what is elegantly clothed as alternative news. These are fed the citizenry, the innocent or the gullible.

Misinformation or fake news is a danger to journalism, but there can be no let-up in the struggle against the purveyors who in many cases, is the state. In fact, many countries establish fake news sites or farms where they plant, culture and harvest fake news which they disseminate.

Yet the same state turns round to try regulating and censoring the social media in the name of checking fake news. Indonesia has a whole agency to regulate online media while the German state is empowered to force the online media to delete what is considered hate speech or fake news.

There is no single solution to ensuring that this does not result in outright press censorship and the circumscription of the fundamental right to freedom of speech. My suggestions include that:

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Nigeria Media By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

i. Journalism must remain true to its professional ethics of facts being sacred.

ii. The media should engage in self-regulation and expose unprofessionalism.

iii. Gate keepers especially News Editors, Rewriters and Editors in the media need to be alert and critical so that unverified information do not get past, and if they do, retraction is made in accordance with the ethics of the profession.

iv. The media should expose fake news sites and call out purveyors of such news.

v. Media houses should invest in technology that can fact check news or information.

vi. Media organisations should not repost or rebroadcast materials they cannot verify.

vii. Journalists should strive for a system that ensures social platforms use their real names so they can be called to order if they engage in misinformation.

viii. The mass media especially in Africa should not assume that news or materials from foreign news agencies or sources are true, or value free. So they should cross check such news or materials and rewrite, rather than just regurgitate them.

ix. There is need for an education system that challenges the student to think so that conscientious citizens would be produced who can question what they read, watch or experience.

Conclusion

Press freedom is the freedom of society; press development, is the development of society. Therefore, the society must fight to protect press freedom, expand its boundaries, ensure the wellbeing of the mass media and protect the journalist.

In conclusion is that as human beings, we owe it a duty not just to protect and defend journalists but to also ensure that the mass media in the face of digital development, changing technology and dwindling resources, remain on course. This is in the interest of basic freedom, human rights, democracy and the development of humanity.

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), writes from Lagos.

This is the text of the keynote address delivered at the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) that held on Friday, October 22 at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
There is no official confirmation yet on Mr Osibona, but a close friend of his, Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, mourned him on his Instagram page.

Thedead body of the developer of the collapsed 21-storey building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Femi Osibona, was retrieved from the rubble on Wednesday.

A source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Mr Osibona's body was among dead bodies exhumed from the collapsed building on Wednesday and taken to public mortuary at Yaba.

There is no official confirmation yet on Mr Osibona, but a close friend of his, Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, mourned him on his Instagram page on Thursday night.

Mr Momodu posted: "Good night, my very dear friend and brother, Femi Fourscore Osibona... RIP."

On Tuesday, Mr Momodu shared a video of his wife, Mobolaji, in the company of the deceased and three Italians at the top floor of the collapsed building.

"MOBOLAJI and I have been inundated with calls from families, friends and others asking if we were fine... We thank everyone for their concerns but we can't be exactly fine when we have friends and staff who are still being rescued from the site of the building collapse," Mr Momodu captioned the video.

NAN gathered that more than 39 dead bodies had so far been retrieved from the rubble as of Wednesday evening.

Many people are still believed to be trapped in the rubble, including a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Ola Ogunfuwa.

The RCCG pastor in-charge of Living Water Parish in Ibafo, Ogun State, was working as a contractor on the project, but had been missing four days after the building collapse.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Construction Nigeria By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The South-west Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, earlier confirmed that 32 dead bodies had been recovered, and nine others rescued with injuries.

'Who is 'Femi Fourscore'

In an interview with THISDAY in 2019, Mr Osibona said he sold shoes before venturing into real estate development.

"I started selling shoes in July, 1991 after I finished my HND in the UK, and later sold suits but I stopped in 1998 and I started real estate development and purchase of property in 1997. I also noticed that many Nigerians at that time were reluctant to go into construction but I believed anything was possible with God on my side," Mr Osibona said.

"I built over 50 projects in London and Manchester and from there, went to South Africa where I built several estates.

"In all the projects abroad, we buy land and develop and I am the builder, I don't engage any builder. I was in Atlanta for only four months before I decided to buy land. It is the same procedure in housing development and if you have done it in one country, then you can do it in another because it is the same principle."

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared three days of mourning over the Ikoyi building collapse.

At least 32 persons died when the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, crumbled on Monday afternoon. Emergency responders have, so far, rescued nine people from the rubble.
"She is still with the state CID and the bodies of her daughters (aged five and eight) were recovered yesterday (Wednesday), with the help of fire service..."

Osun Police Command has said that the woman, who was arrested for drowning her two daughters in a well in Osogbo, will be evaluated by psychiatrists to know her mental state.

The command's spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, made this known while briefing reporters on the incident at the state police headquarters in Osogbo on Thursday.

She said that the woman was currently being held at the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), adding that she had confessed to drowning her daughters.

"It is pathetic that no one saw the culprit when she perpetrated the act on Monday night.

"The culprit, who lives around Oke Baale area, Osogbo, was said to be having some kind of mental problem.

"She was said to have been deported and it is assumed that, maybe the deportation affected her mentally.

"When interrogated, she said she did it; that she drowned her daughters and her owning to the crime without remorse gives suspicion to the speculations that she might be having some mental problem," Ms Opalola said.

She added that a psychiatric hospital had been contacted to evaluate her, as the police would not work on assumption.

"She is still with the state CID and the bodies of her daughters (aged five and eight) were recovered yesterday (Wednesday), with the help of fire service.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"It took serious efforts from Tuesday to retrieve the dead bodies from the well because the well was filled with water, but the bodies of the girls have been deposited at the mortuary," she said.

The police spokesperson, however, said the family of the culprit should have rallied round her and taken her for treatment.

She added that when the family noticed that she was mentally unstable, they should have also taken her children into their custody.

Ms Opalola said that if the family of the culprit had taken charge of her situation, the death of the children would have been averted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspect's act was discovered on Tuesday by her neighbours when they asked about the whereabouts of her children.

She was said to have answered that she had drowned them "because their glory had been stolen".
The house arrest of Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the detention of cabinet members constitutes illegal abduction and is against both Sudanese and international law, says Donald Deya, the head of the Pan-African Lawyers Union (PALU) in Arusha, Tanzania.

"It's a gross violation of the law...This is an illegal abduction [and] arbitrary detention," Deya tells RFI, adding that the police would have arrested them, not the military, if they had committed crimes.

"It completely violates the constitution and laws of Sudan, as well as the African Union laws, especially the standards set up by the African Charter of Human and People's Rights, to which Sudan is a state party," he says.

If they were being detained for crimes, they would have been arrested by the police, not the military and brought to a court of law within a reasonable period, he adds.

PALU, an umbrella association of, and for, lawyers on the African continent, added its voice to international calls for the release of Hamdok and his cabinet, and to reinstate him as prime minister.

Sudanese human rights activist and lawyer Kamal El Gizouli said he and other members of the legal profession who have been attempting to defend the detainees have been unable to determine where their clients are being held, or even what charges have been levied against them.

Sudan coup leaders release Islamists as detained premier refuses to stand down

Sudan coup protests ramp up as World Bank freezes aid

The civilian government has been detained - some held incommunicado - or under house arrest since the 25th of October military coup instigated by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Saudi, UAE on board

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Britain put additional pressure on Burhan and coup plotters to stand down in a joint statement.

The statement was unusual in the sense that a number of analysts regarded both The Kingdom and the UAE as backers of the military coup.

It called for the return of the civilian-led transitional government, the release of political prisoners and the end of the state of emergency.

Although Burhan denied that the military's actions were a coup but rather a reaction to poor economic policies, the US swiftly put a freeze on aid going to Sudan.

"This will help ensure Sudan reaches political stability and economic recovery so that it is able to continue the transitional period with the support of Sudan's friends and international partners," according to the four-country statement, noting the importance of tackling the economic challenges.

US Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman met with AU head Moussa Faki Mahamat on Thursday to speak about Sudan and Ethiopia.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Sudan Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

I received Amb Jeffrey Feltman, US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, to exchange views regarding developments in #Ethiopia & #Sudan, including our respective efforts with national & regional actors working towards dialogue and political solutions. pic.twitter.com/GwbU8aSEu6 - Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) November 4, 2021

PALU's Deya says that the peace and security apparatus within the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), all of which Sudan is a member of, should use its own measures to force Sudan to comply.

While suspending their membership within the AU was a positive step, other measures need to be taken, Deya adds.

"They can implement sanctions, blockades, blocking international borders and refusing them international flights and so on," he says.

"There's a whole range of incentives as well as sanctions, carrots as well as sticks, that this regional bodies can apply to force the military generals to do what they want," he adds.

Meanwhile, protests continue throughout Sudan on Thursday.

(with Reuters)
A member of parliament in the West African island nation of Cape Verde was sentenced to two years in prison this week for domestic violence against his wife. The assault occurred four years ago, but only went to trial last month.

Damiao Medina, ruling party MP for the island of Santo Antao, was sentenced by the Porto Novo district court to two years in prison. The sentence was converted into three years suspended sentence. He must attend a social reintegration program for gender-based violence.

The Cape Verdean Institute for Gender Equality (ICIEG) had pushed the National Assembly to lift the MP's parliamentary immunity, which was lifted in August after two requests from the group.

"No one is above the law, and nothing justifies violence. The fact that he is a deputy, the deputy is also a citizen. We only have to say that we respect the court's decision and we take good note of the fact that this case had an outcome like all the others did," said Rosana Almeida, the ICIEG president, who spoke on Cape Verdean public television.
THE Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) has been urged to expand science outreach and mentoring programmes in secondary schools at district level to promote knowledge and innovation among students.

The call was made recently by Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Joyce Ndalichako during the YST virtual award ceremony.

She said YST project is important for young scientists as it enables them carry out researches to solve various problems in various spheres of life such as energy, health and communication infrastructures like the ongoing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

Students from Dr Said Amour Secondary School located in Singida Region - Fadhil Shabani and Shufaa Omari - emerged overall winners of YST 2021, after undertaking a project titled 'The Effect of Flooding Water From Kindai Lake and the Climate Change Under Environmental Science category.

The YST virtual award ceremony is an annual event that seeks to showcase skills and science innovation from secondary students.

The students were awarded a trophy and 1.35m/- in cash while Karimjee Jivanje Foundation (KJF) offered them scholarships for studying science courses at the university.

On his part, Director General for the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Prof Yunus Mgaya said the YST exhibitions brings science and technology alive outside the classroom.

He was delighted that students in field of science have been increasing year after year to showcase their talents.

YST Co-founder Dr Gozibert Kamugisha said science outreach and mentoring programme in secondary schools and exhibitions give the students much needed platform to showcase their research works.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Tanzania Science By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

He stated that about 160 science works were showcased to get best projects, Students presented their projects and interacted with judges virtually.

The ceremony brought together best students who emerged winners in the regional exhibition that took place in school across the country.

Dr Kamugisha thanked the Ministry of Education Science and Technology and Ministry of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments)) and all the sponsors who supported and partnered with YST since 2011.

KJF Chairman, Yusuph Karimjee said since 2012 to 2018 the Foundation has supported students by offering them university scholarship. He said KJF was supporting YST programme as part of the government efforts in nurturing young scientists.

This year exhibitions were organised at regional level, involving 12 innovation works in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Technology, Agricultural Science, Biology, Social Sciences and Climate sciences.
WAKULIMA wa Mara Cooperative Union (WAMACU) has deleted a debt amounting to 275m/-, citing lack of authentic documents from the creditors.

WAMACU General meeting reached their decision during its latest meeting held in Tarime recently.

"The issue here, there are no documents for creditors to justify any payment and we are happy the WAMACU general meeting which sat last week has acted on this issue for the interest of the cooperative," WAMACU General Secretary, Mr Samweli Gisiboye said.

The account books with the debt will now be forwarded to the Registrar of Cooperatives for final decision, which will be deleting questionable debt, according to Mr Gisiboye.

The general meeting also approved an ambitious plan by the union (WAMACU) to start investing in National Cooperative Bank at the same time.

"To begin with 50m/- was approved to buy one million shares from National Cooperative Bank and it is part of implementing directives given by the registrar that all cooperatives should invest in the bank," Mr Gisiboye explained.

Meanwhile, Tarime District Commissioner (DC) Colonel Michael Mntenjele who was the guest of honour during the meeting, urged coffee buyers to strictly adhere to cooperative guidelines.

The DC also called for involvement of young men and women on coffee farming activities in a bid to make coffee farming sustainable in the area.

Tarime remains the leading producer of Arabica coffee in Mara region. The Arabica coffee grown in Tarime is reportedly having high demand in the world market with players in the sector citing its super natural taste.

Buyers from the US and UK are now directly placing order to buy Arabica from Tarime.

"Last year, we sold coffee to a UK company called Continental Trade Commodity Services (CTCS) and this year we have sold to an American company called Volcafe through Tylor Winch," Mr Gisiboye told 'Daily News' in an exclusive interview last month.

WAMACU's main task at this time is to collect coffee from farmers through Primary Cooperative Societies (AMCOS).

A few months ago the union made a second payment amounting to 113m/- to coffee farmers in the previous season.
THE German Development Agency (GIZ) has handed over a donation of medical equipment worth 747m/- to Tanga Region for improving Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU), maternity operating rooms and family planning services.

Handing over the aid to Tanga Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) Pili Mnyema, GIZ Health Project Manager Erick Msoffe said the support was aimed at supporting the government in strengthening maternal and child health services in the country.

Statistics show that out of 1000 live births, 25 babies died due to various challenges, including being underweight, respiratory problems as well as infectious diseases in children.

Msofe said as a result of the challenge, the German government through GIZ has decided to support the health sector by strengthening maternal and child health services by improving health services, including the provision of medical equipment and capacity building training for health workers at various levels.

"The equipment is going to address the challenge and help the facilities improve the quality of care for expectant mothers who would now be treated near their areas instead of going to Bombo Referral Hospital," said Msoffe.

On her part, RAS Mnyema said the support was a continuation of good relationship between the two countries where the organisation is focused on improving services in the health sector.

She said the availability of those facilities is expected to solve the challenge of travelling in long distance in searching the service.

"Now our district hospitals and health centres that already had maternal and child care facilities are going to start providing the service with skilled professionals to provide quality services in line with the understanding of the use of such equipment" said Mnyema.

Tanga Regional Chief Physician, Dr Jonathan Budenu said the equipment will be distributed in eight centres located in the districts of the region.
DEVELOPERS of rural energy generation projects have been advised to look for new sources of electricity production and align their projects with the government's programmes to ensure availability of reliable power in remote and rural areas.

The advice was given by the Rural Energy Agency (REA) Director General, Eng Saidy Hassan, during the agency's management visit at River Ijangala power project in Masisiwe village in Njombe Region to see the implementation and efficiency of the power production.

"It is the government's commitment to engage the private sector in power generation projects, Ijangala is among the strategic projects, and we need more such projects because they fast track access of electricity in rural areas," said the Director General.He paid special tribute to Nishati Lutheran Associate Company owned by the Evangelical Lutheran church for coming up with the Ijangala project despite several challenges, including financial constraints.

Speaking about the project, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, southern-central Diocese, Bishop Wilson Sanga said they lack funds to complete the project on time.

He asked the government to support them with 400m/- so that they can complete construction of power transmission infrastructures.

The government through REA granted the request by the bishop to support the project.

Bishop Sanga thanked the government through REA for the subsidy, promising effective use of the facility for the intended purpose of poverty reduction and environmental protection.

During the visit, REA management also toured the Ikondo water falls power project run by Matembwe Village Company, which upon completion, new 120 customers will be connected with electricity as the government strategy for rural energy.

On his part, REA Acting Director of Market Development and Technologies, Eng Advera Mwijage said the government has contributed 700m/- to support the project which has so far connected electricity to more than 586 customers in eight villages, adding that the agency has given them additional subsidy to connect another 120 customers.

Commenting, Matembwe Village Company Director, Johhanes Kamonga said availability of electricity to rural communities has opened up a number of business opportunities, citing 50-grinding machines, commercial poultry keeping, welding, and water projects among others.
LOCAL contractors have been urged to scrutinise civil engineering contracts thoroughly before signing to alter inconveniences during project implementations.

The Contractors Registration Board (CRB), Chairperson, Eng Consolatha Ngimbwa, said when opening the three days training on business management skills for local contractors in southern zone that they should read the agreement between the lines before putting pen to paper.

"Don't rush. Read your document carefully before starting to apply a tender and make sure that you have a capability to execute that particular project prior to submiting your documents," Eng Consolatha said.

Also the Chairperson told civil contractors that they should abide by each of the tender items to avoid being disqualified at an earlier stage.

On top of that she advised them that form a single strong association instead of forming weak ones, which presenting them poorly.

CRB Deputy Registrar Research and Development, Eng David Jere told contractors to pay their annual fees to retain their membership with the board.

He also urged them to register with Contractors Assistance Fund (CAF) to benefit from the fund. The fund was introduced to assist local contractors to pay for bill security and advance payment guarantee.

"The fund today can provide loans up to 100m/- compared to 50m/- at the beginning," Eng Jere said.
THE government on Thursday signed with the Belgium Kingdom a bilateral air services agreement that opened up a new horizon for the aviation industry.

The agreement was signed by the Minister for Works and Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa and Belgium Ambassador Peter Van Acker who expressed hope that the agreement would enhance connectivity between the two countries and stimulate trade and tourism.

Speaking after signing the agreement, Mbarawa said the air services deal will be the first formal agreement between the two contracting parties.

He said the agreement provides a legal framework for the establishment of links between the two countries.

"The air service agreements we are signing today makes a total of 76 air services agreements with our aviation partners" said Prof Mbarawa.

He said the agreement gives comfort as it has embodied the principal place of business and effective regulatory control for airlines designation from both contracting parties.

"It involves authorisation for non-discriminatory airline self-handling, open consultations between contracting parties and unlimited frequencies between Julius Nyerere International Airport, Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and the Kilimanjaro International Airport and international airports in the Kingdom of Belgium" said Prof Mbarawa.

He said the terms provide for flexibility in business operations which in turn will result in the expansion of market segmentation and increase traffic movements.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Tanzania Governance Europe and Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Prof Mbarawa said air transport and tourism are two sides of the same coin, with the vast tourism potential in the country.

The Minister said they expect a boom in tourists from Belgium, Europe and the rest of the world through the airline's networks and connections.

"While we are vesting our commitment to Air Tanzania Company Limited for starting direct flights to Belgium, we are also looking forth to receive direct flights from Belgium airlines as reciprocal designation" he insisted.

He said the agreement will facilitate travel between the two countries and boost the existing economic activities and the increase in flights will also stimulate the aeronautical and ancillary revenues, thus improving the aviation business between the two countries.

On his part, Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), Mr Hamza Johari said the agreement will lead to closer ties between the economies of the two countries.

He said it is another milestone for the aviation industry as it has widened the connectivity, whereas Air Tanzania can now fly directly to Brussels and vice versa, hoping for new horizons.
TANZANIANAS will be one of the thousands of communities around the globe that will receive a message of hope this November as Jehovah's Witnesses embark on a unique campaign highlighting the Bible's optimism for a better future.

A special edition of The Watchtower magazine with the cover series "A Better World is Near" will be distributed as part of the campaign.

More than 36 million printed copies of the magazine will be delivered in 230 languages to communities in 240 countries, according to Zadok Mwaipwisi, Tanzania Spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses.

In addition, the digital publication is available in approximately 400 languages across multiple platforms.

"People have been waiting for a positive message, and this is the finest news we could give them," Mr Mwaipwisi added. "A better world isn't simply a dream; it's a given. It is, in fact, a major theme in Jesus' gospel."

He claims the publication tackles the age-old doomsday topic, "Is this the end of the world?" Many readers may be surprised by the Bible's reassuring response.

Mr Mwaipisi said while some faiths foresee the "end of the world," the magazine unveils the Bible's unambiguous message: the earth will never end! However, the journal explains that the Bible promises an end to injustice by citing Psalm 37:10, which indicates that evil people will someday no longer infect the land.

According to him, the message has given hope to millions of people around the world who have prayed for the arrival of God's Kingdom.

Mussa Mwasile is one of the people who has profited from this promise. "The hope for a new world has enabled me to have a better attitude on life since I know that all misery will be over soon," he says.

The Watchtower has been preaching about God's Kingdom for over a century and is still the world's most extensively translated and circulated magazine.

The Watchtower can be downloaded for free from jw.org. Alternatively, you can get a free printed copy from a Jehovah's Witness by going to jw.org and selecting "Request a Visit."
press release

It's a wet Monday morning in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region. Many commercial drivers have already taken advantage of the early hours' rain to cash in on the numerous requests for cab services. Daniel Jordan, an Uber driver, has just dropped off a passenger when he receives another request to pick a passenger nearby.

Fully aware and well informed of the COVID-19 pandemic, its associated and sometimes devastating effects, Daniel is fully armed with a facemask and extra to spare, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a pack of sanitizing wipes at the reach of passengers. Another impressive feature in Daniel's Toyota Vitz vehicle is a laminated card with WHO recommended guidelines for use of public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic hanging around his driving mirror, in the full glare of all passengers to educate them on safety.

I've observed that most commercial vehicle drivers do not observe COVID-19 safety protocols. Why have you chosen to be different?

Every day, we hear of people dying of COVID-19, so I decided to listen to the advice from the media and make sure that nobody contracts or transmit COVID by using my car. So I make sure all my passengers are wearing their nose masks and have sanitized before entering.

Have you been vaccinated?

Yes. I have taken all two doses. I also make sure that I encourage passengers who join my car to get vaccinated.

Have you or a close relative been infected with COVID-19?

I have never been infected but, a friend of mine's father got infected and even though he survived, he went through so much pain and struggle because he was very sick. That's when I realized COVID is real.

Although ride sharing companies make the effort to enforce COVID-19 public health measures even from the point of request in the app, most drivers do little on their own to adhere to them after pick up.

On its website, Uber Technologies Inc. says the company encourages riders and drivers to take steps to protect themselves. Adding that, they have compiled safety tips and recommendations specifically geared toward ridesharing and food delivery, in close partnership with the US Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Coronavirus Ghana By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

What message do you have for your colleague drivers?

I just don't understand when some of my friends say we make too much noise about COVID or we are disturbing them. To me, they are rather disturbing themselves, because, as drivers, we are also very vulnerable and if we keep ignoring advice, we could be in serious danger.

What are your final words to the general public?

COVID is real. I don't want to die; neither do I want anyone to die or even have the symptoms so I urge all Ghanaians to take the vaccines when they get the opportunity and also continue to observe the safety protocols. I will do my part so everyone should do theirs.

In a region where adherence to COVID-19 safety protocol seems to be on the decline, public health officials and other stakeholders have gone back to the drawing table to re-strategize and find other effective ways to combat the fatigue that has characterized the adherence to safety protocols.

In the meantime, Daniel Jordan is determined to brighten his corner in support of the effort been made by health officials.
Dar es Salaam  Tanzania is expected to host a symposium that will bring together stakeholders from the oil and gas sectors to discuss opportunities in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.

The symposium that is expected to be held on November 25 this year is organized by Tanzania and Uganda private sector bodies.

Speaking in Dar es Salam today, the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) Executive Director, Mr Francis Nanai said the symposium is aimed at bringing together the private sector of the two countries to look at their participation in the oil pipeline project.

He also said the symposium will be used to prepare companies that will participate in the project, urging the two countries' citizens to grab opportunities found in the EACOP.

"This symposium will bring together the private sector of Tanzania and Uganda and we will be able to analyze the opportunities and challenges and the areas of cooperation," said Mr Nanai during press briefing.

The stakeholders will also discuss legal issues in the oil and gas sector for both countries.
DP World Maputo, the supply chain logistics company, has opened new trade opportunities for South African commodity importers.

It has developed and implemented a new and unique supply chain solution that provides importers of fertiliser, and other similar commodities, an effective and reliable option using the Maputo Corridor.

The Maputo Corridor is a major trade corridor which connects the Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa with Maputo in Mozambique.

Together with the Maputo Intermodal Container Depot (MICD), DP World Maputo has implemented a solution where transit import containers are unloaded at DP World Maputo's container terminal, the cargo de-stuffed and cross docked into waiting tipper trucks at MICD.

It is then moved in bond to South Africa, with final clearance done enroute at Lebombo/Komatipoort, and moved directly to the customer's door for final delivery.

The successful implementation of this new transit import product highlights DP World's commitment to providing the South African hinterland an efficient and reliable logistics gateway.

Through the ongoing investments in the Maputo Container Terminal, Komatipoort Dry Port and MICD, DP World is actively promoting trade with its ability to provide dynamic end-to-end logistics solutions.

The Port of Maputo is already established as an important export gateway for various bulk mineral commodities, which are currently delivered from South Africa.

This presents a unique opportunity for South African fertilizer importers, to taking advantage of the high trucking capacity returning empty to South Africa.
British Airways (BA) has resumed flights from Cape Town to London Heathrow, United Kingdom.

Operations between the South African and English cities, respectively, commenced on Wednesday with three flights per week.

Plans are underway to increase to a daily flight operation from November 13.

British Airways will again operate its expanded Cape Town double daily schedule from December 10.

"It is wonderful to see connections between Cape Town and London being restored after months of uncertainty caused by the global pandemic (COVID-19)," said Moran Birger, British Airways' Head of Sales for South Asia, Middle East and Africa.

"This route restart will allow our customers, who have waited so patiently, to reunite with their loved ones and provide convenient options for holiday makers. We intend on being the only carrier to offer year-round direct flights between Cape Town and London once again."

British Airways has assured customers it has introduced a number of measures at the airport and on board to look after the safety and wellbeing of its customers and colleagues.

These include social distancing measures, the wearing of face masks and hand sanitiser stations.

Prior to travel customers will also receive details of how they can prepare for their journey, including information on discounted testing providers.

A digital health app is in place allowing customers to combine their travel verification documents and COVID-19 test results in one place.
press release

Joint Report Calls for Further Accountability in Widening Tigray Conflict

On Wednesday, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission released a much-anticipated joint report into abuses committed in the first nine months of the conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. It finds evidence of serious abuses, some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

These abuses include extrajudicial killings and executions, widespread sexual violence, torture, forced displacement, arbitrary detentions, violations of economic, social, and cultural rights, and denial of access to aid.

As the UN high commissioner and the Ethiopian human rights commissioner pointed out, the report is far from a full rendering of the devastation experienced by civilians in Tigray. The report does not give well-documented trends the attention they deserve. It makes scant mention of the abuses committed by Amhara regional forces and militia against Tigrayans in western Tigray. It documents brutal sexual violence by all warring parties, but fails to acknowledge the scale of abuses, including sexual slavery, by Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces targeting Tigrayan women and girls. And it glosses over the deliberate and extensive destruction and pillaging of health infrastructure, and the intimidation and killing of humanitarian workers.

An international investigation that identifies the pattern and scale of abuses, and those responsible for the worst crimes up to the present, will be key for future reparations and accountability.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Human Rights NGO By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Since June, the Ethiopian authorities have blocked access to lifesaving assistance and services for Tigray's population. Continuing abuses in the region and the expansion of the conflict into Amhara and Afar regions triggered large-scale displacement of people and further strained the humanitarian response. Increasing reports of serious abuses by Tigrayan forces against Amharas in these areas, as well as reported government arrests and enforced disappearances of Tigrayans elsewhere in Ethiopia, further underscore the need for robust international scrutiny to deter further abuses.

The joint report points to the need for further investigations and accountability. Concerned governments should urgently establish and support an independent, international investigative mechanism that can ensure credible scrutiny, preserve evidence for future trials, and facilitate genuine accountability. Victims of abuses and affected communities deserve nothing less.
Luanda  The General State Budget Proposal (OGE) for the 2022 fiscal year will be discussed and voted on, in its general terms, next Tuesday (9), in Parliament.

The decision was made this Tuesday by the Conference of Parliamentary Whips, in a meeting chaired by the National Assembly Speaker, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos.

The State Budget Proposal for 2022 sets revenues and expenditures estimated at 18.78 billion kwanzas.

The Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Nunes Junior, who recently handed over the budget document to the National Assembly, said that it was drafted a balanced budget, without deficit, and with zero balance.

State Budget with significant weight in the social sector

For 2022 General State Budget, the social sector had a growth in terms of expenditure of 24.7, compared to the 2021 General State Budget.

In the same sector, the lump sum for education also increased 24.7 percent.

After discussion and general approval, the 2022 State Budget Proposal will be sent to the specialized commissions of the National Assembly.
Traditional Authorities (TA) Mwankhunikira and Mwalweni of Rumphi District have applauded the peace and unity bill set to be presented in parliament saying it will play a vital role in settling disputes in communities.

The chiefs made the remarks in Mzuzu on Wednesday during the bills orientation meeting for traditional and religious leaders as well as the civil society.

TA Mwankhunikira said recently chiefs' command in enforcement of peace among communities has remained a challenge unlike in the past when the local leaders were more respected.

"I call upon members of parliament to ensure the bill is passed because we all need peace," he said.

Chief Mwalweni from Ntchenachena in Rumphi District said conflict is an enemy of development and failure to contain it contributes to poverty.

Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Mtambo said when turned into law the bill will lead to the establishment of a peace commission that would foster peace and unity among Malawians.

He mentioned mob justice, murder cases, witchcraft accusations and many other conflicts as burdens Malawians are facing that needs the commission's attention.

He said the consultation meetings were vital because the country belongs to all Malawians.

"The commission will be composed of the youth, women, the physically challenged, faith leaders and more sectors because this thing belongs to all Malawians," he said.
?? "China se ha convertido en el primer socio comercial del Peru y uno de nuestros principales inversionistas", presidente @PedroCastilloTe durante su mensaje por el 50. aniversario del establecimiento de relaciones diplomaticas entre ambos paises.

???????? #CooperacionPeruChina pic.twitter.com/9PKleqcNQH
" " The Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), or boto, acquires its pink hue from repeated abrasion of the skin surface. Males are typically pinker than females because of more frequent trauma due to aggression. SYLVAIN CORDIER/GETTY IMAGES

Imagine boating down the Amazon River, minding your own business  calmly keeping an eye out for alarmingly large anacondas  and a curious pink dolphin appears to swim alongside. While this may seem like a mythical creature, pink dolphins do exist in the Amazon region.

The Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), also known as a boto, is a giant among its genus. It can measure up to 8 feet (2 meters) long and weigh around 450 pounds (204 kilograms)  as much as three full kegs of beer! Size isn't the only thing that sets the Amazon river dolphin apart; this freshwater dolphin, which thrives in South American rivers and temporary lakes caused by seasonal flooding, is sometimes ... shockingly pink.

Advertisement

Although born gray, males of the species are easily identified as they enter adulthood by a decisive pink hue. Their unusual coloring, which is sometimes wholly pink and sometimes mottled with gray undertones, is believed to be the result of scar tissue from dolphin rumbles  whether playfighting or a serious bid for a mate. The richer the rose, the more attractive the males are believed to be, and the older the male, the more the pink he will have.

There's also a theory that salmon-colored dolphins more readily blend in with their surroundings. During heavy rains, rivers along the Amazon rainforest turn a murky red/pink hue, and with their pink coloring, male dolphins are more easily camouflaged.

" " Since 2018, the Amazon river dolphin has been granted internationally protected status. Increasing pollution and gradual destruction of the Amazon rainforest has increased its vulnerability. Sylvain CORDIER/Getty Images

The Amazon's pink river dolphins are one of five dolphin species that live in freshwater rivers; they are distantly related to saltwater-adapted ocean dolphins. In addition to their distinctive pink color, the Amazon's pink river dolphins have another feature that sets them apart from their saltwater cousins. Unlike oceanic dolphins, which have a dorsal fin that protrudes from their backs, pink river dolphins have a hump instead.

The Amazonian wetland system, fed by the Amazon River, is a crucial place for pink dolphins to breed, and since 2018 has been granted internationally protected status. The area is home to an astounding variety of rare species. It includes hundreds of plant, bird, reptile, mammal and amphibian species that have thus far been cataloged.

Now That's Cool The Ticuna people, Indigenous to the Brazilian Amazon region, tell of a pink dolphin that attended their festivities guised as a human man. The shape-shifting dolphin enchanted a woman and took her to the Amazon River, where she was transformed into a dolphin.
WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. U.S. President Joe Biden did not invite either Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to his upcoming Summit for Democracy.

The list of invited governments has not been made public, although POLITICO managed to obtain it.

Armenia is among the invitees.

The Armenian National Committee of America called Bidens decision not to invite Erdogan and Aliyev a sharp but unsurprising rebuke to Azerbaijan's petro-monarchy and Turkey's neo-Ottoman dictatorship.

On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden will host the first of two Summits for Democracy, which will bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action, the U.S. State Department said.

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. On November 3, a reception was organized in honor of the State Minister of the Artsakh Republic Artak Beglaryan at the Embassy of Armenia in the USA. A meeting was held with Ambassador Lilit Makunts.

The State Minister and his Chief Adviser Davit Hakobyan presented the current situation in Artsakh, the current problems, the vision of the future on the development of Artsakh and the involvement of the Diaspora in it. Artak Beglaryan stressed that the expectation from the Diaspora is not so much material, supporting the development of long-term capacities in Artsakh with the huge human resources of the Diaspora is more valuable.

During the meeting with Ambassador Lilit Makunts, a number of issues related to the visit of the State Minister and the protection of the rights and interests of the people of Artsakh in the USA were discussed.

Artak Beglaryan also met with the heads of the Armenian National Committee of America, the Armenian Assembly of America, and its offices in Washington, presented a vision for the future of Artsakh, and discussed the prospects for effective cooperation.

The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the United States Robert Avetisyan also took part in all the meetings.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation of Georgia led by President of the Constitutional Court Merab Turava, the PMs Office reports.

I am glad to record that a new dynamics is being observed in the relations between Armenia and Georgia, Pashinyan said in his welcoming remarks. The active mutual visits, close contacts of delegations representing different sectors, this time already in the constitutional justice field, between the two countries are the evidence of this.

Pashinyan highlighted the development of cooperation and the exchange of experience between the Constitutional Courts of the two countries, taking into account the commonalities of the governance systems.

In his turn Merab Turava thanked the Armenian PM for the warm welcome and stated that this is his first foreign trip after assuming office, which, he said, shows how much importance Georgia pays to the development of multisectoral ties with Armenia. The Georgian Constitutional Court President assessed the discussions and firm partnership with the Armenian colleagues as effective and said that the recent dynamics of the Armenian-Georgian ties is a good base for strengthening the legal relations between the Constitutional Courts.

The meeting covered issues relating to parliamentary governance and its democratic significance. The sides exchanged views also on the process and peculiarities of the establishment of parliamentary governance system in Armenia and Georgia.

Merab Turava said Georgia highly values and considers inspiring Nikol Pashinyans contribution to Armenias democratic development.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 5 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 5 November, USD exchange rate down by 0.31 drams to 475.91 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.83 drams to 549.25 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 6.64 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 9.75 drams to 639.29 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 482.76 drams to 27482.64 drams. Silver price up by 2.06 drams to 363.09 drams. Platinum price up by 311.15 drams to 15943.5 drams.
At FEINDEF 2021, Defense Exhibition in Spain, the Spanish company EINSA presents the Neton, a new 4x4 light vehicle that is now in service with Special Forces Units of Spanish armed forces. EINSA is a Spanish engineering company based in Madrid that develops, manufacture, and markets ground support equipment for civil and military aviation.



The Neton is a new 4x4 Special Forces vehicle designed and manufactured by the Spanish company EINSA. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Last year the Army Support Command (MALE) and the Spanish engineering company EINSA signed the first agreement for the supply of 24 special operations light vehicles Neton for 4.8 million of Euros.

The NETON is based on a civilian chassis of Toyota Hilux using an open-top architecture. However, the vehicle has new engine, transmission and parts of the chassis has been modified to offer a new vehicle that meets the needs of Special Forces missions in terms of mobility and firepower.

The design of the vehicle is standard with the engine at the front, crew and troops in the middle and cargo area at the rear. The vehicle is fitted with an anti-roll-bar superstructure including a weapon ring armed with one 7.62mm machine. A swivel station is mounted on the right side of the vehicle which is armed with one 5.56mm machine gun. The driver is equipped with one folding windshield.

The NETON can carry four soldiers and their equipment. It has a weight of 2,300 kg with a maximum payload of 1.078 kg. The vehicle can easily be transported by military transport aircraft or by CH-47 helicopter. The front of the vehicle is fitted with a self-recovery winch.
The Hurry to Good" Charitable Foundation supported many Artsakh families during the 44-day Artsakh war and continues its activities in a number of communities of the Republic.

November 5, 2021, 11:27 The Hurry to Good" Charitable Foundation continues activities in Artsakh

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 5, ARTSAKHPRESS: Ani Martirosyan, member of the board of the foundation, presented Artsakhpress the activities to be carried out by the foundation in Artsakh.

Ani Martirosyan said that the foundation was established in 2011. Initially it consisted of volunteers, and then it was transformed into a legal structure. And it has been operating as a stable organization for many years.

"On the very first day of the war, the head of our organization, Yelena Hakobyan, was in Armenia and immediately, on a voluntary basis, opened a headquarters to provide assistance to the people of Artsakh. We distributed food, hygiene, medical supplies, heaters, blankets, only 120 tons of clothes, 400 beds, as well as multifunctional beds that our wounded servicemen needed. We supported about 40,000 people from September 27 to mid-December. Afterwards, in March, 2021, we carried out an action and brought about 20 tons of assistance. In August, we brought stationery for schoolchildren of the Machkalashen community in the regionof Martuni of the Artsakh Republi," she said.

She noted that they had a meeting with the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Artsakh Republic, Lusine Gharakhanyan, who presented the list of kindergartens operating in the country, which need assistance.

"In the near future we are going to provide furniture, washing machines, toys - everything that kindergartens need to Stepanakert 1, Askeran, Martuni and a number of kindergartens in the Martakert region. We buy all this from Armenia to contribute to the economy," said Martirosyan.

Ani Martirosyan thanked the people who contributed to the implementation of their activities.

"During all this time, Artsakh's representative in Armenia Sergey Ghazaryan helps and guides us; we are still cooperating with him.

"Lusine Gharakhanyan, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Artsakh Republic, guides us in the sphere of education, starting from kindergartens to higher levels," she concluded.
Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami said Thursday that the United States is the worlds dictator-making factory, Tasnim News Agency reported.

November 5, 2021, 15:15 Senior Iranian commander calls US worlds dictator-making factory

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 5, ARTSAKHPRESS: Addressing the Iranian people in the capital city of Tehran during a rally on the National Day of Fighting against Global Arrogance, the senior commander said, The United States has been a factory for (creating) dictators in the world. From the Philippines to Sudan, Chile and the Shah of Iran, the ruling sultans of many Arab countries, in Latin America, they are all over the world.

The country that has the Statue of Liberty does the most work of oppressing, suppressing and hanging of the freedom-seekers in the world and produces most of torture devices in the world and sends them to all dictators around the world and teaches torture techniques to them in order to imprison the seekers of truth, justice and freedom, Major General Salami said, stressing that the world is full of dictators who have emerged from the womb of the so-called American democracy.
The parents of Cleo Smith, who was dubbed Australias Madeleine McCannafter she was allegedly snatched from her parents tent on a camping trip, have hailed rescuers for saving her.

In a short statement issued by police, Cleos parents Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon said they wanted to take the opportunity to thank all those involved in her rescue from a Carnarvon house in the early hours of Wednesday.

Cleo was found alive 18 days after she went missing while they were camping at the Blowholes campsite.

In particular, we would like to thank WA Police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends, the statement said.

Watch: First Glimpse of Missing Australian Girl Cleo Smith

We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.

We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again. As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.

Cleo Smith was back to her laughing, bubbly self as she played in the backyard of her Australian west coast family home on Thursday, hours before Terry Kelly was charged with abducting her.

Police charged 36-year-old Mr Kelly, a local resident, with forcibly taking a child among other offenses.

Kelly, referred to in his charge sheet as Terence Darrell Kelly, appeared briefly in court in the town of Carnarvon where a magistrate refused to release him on bail.

Terence Darrell Kelly boards a plane after being taken into custody by members of the Special Operations Group (Getty Images)

Police visited Cleos family in Carnarvon as they prepared to gather crucial eyewitness evidence involving Kelly, who is suspected of snatching Cleo from a campground north of the town of 5,000 people.

Det Sgt Cameron Blaine was part of a four-member police team that used a battering ram to smash into a locked house early Wednesday and rescue Cleo. The lights were on and she was alone playing with toys in a house less than a 10-minute drive from her own, police said.

Story continues

My name is Cleo, the smiling girl told the police officers who rescued her and asked her name.

Kelly was arrested in a nearby street at about the same time, police said.

Police would not comment on whether Cleo was interviewed before Kelly was charged.

Media have reported Kelly raised suspicion among other residents when he was seen buying diapers and was known to have no children, but police have disclosed little information about what made the man a suspect.

Watch: Australian man charged with abduction flown to jail

Read More

Australian man Terence Darrell Kelly charged with kidnapping 4-year-old Cleo Smith

Cleo Smith: Audio clip reveals rescued girls first words to police

Cleo Smith: Timeline of events leading to rescue of missing girl
The Queensland premier is considering restrictions on unvaccinated people among other options as the state prepares to ease rules for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Annastacia Palaszczuk says those decisions are currently up to individual businesses, but public health orders restricting unvaccinated people, such as those in NSW and Victoria, could be issued in future.

"What we will see in the future across Australia may be, until the vaccination levels are consistent across the nation, you will see some measures we'll put in that only vaccinated people will be able to go to certain venues," she told reporters on Friday.

"You're seeing that in New South Wales and Victoria at the moment.

"I don't want to pre-empt what's happening in Queensland but you could see businesses do that, you could see large festivals for example saying to young people: 'You can only come here if you are vaccinated'.

"So it's in everyone's interest to get vaccinated."

Ms Palaszczuk said the government could consider public health orders restricting unvaccinated people from certain venues and premises in coming months.

Her comments came as the state recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 on Friday, a day after two women and a teenager, only one of whom had had one jab, were recorded as cases.

They had recently visited the northern NSW town of Moree, where an outbreak has grown to at least 33 cases.

Queensland cut the Moree Plains Shire from its border bubble and will further restrict cross-border travel exemptions to only certain "essential purposes" for the next seven days.

"We will try and get supplies to those communities in NSW rather than having to cross to get supplies into Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said.

The premier said hospital and aged care visitors would be banned from those facilities in Goondiwindi this weekend as well, as a precaution.

The town is unlikely to be locked down due to high vaccination rates, with 90.9 per cent of eligible Goondiwindi residents having had one jab and 81.5 per cent fully vaccinated.

Story continues

Overall, 66.3 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, and 79.1 per cent have had one dose.

Meanwhile, the Queensland government has declared the Katherine region a hotspot from 12:01am Saturday following advice from their Northern Territory counterparts.

A three-day lockdown in Katherine and a lockout in Greater Darwin are scheduled until midnight on Sunday after a second case was diagnosed in the Top End.

Anyone arriving in Queensland who has been in the Katherine region since Thursday will have to isolate.

People who enter from the region before 6pm on Saturday will need to home quarantine until they receive a negative COVID-19 test.

Those who arrive in Queensland from Katherine after 6pm Saturday will need to isolate in a hotel until the hotspot status is lifted or 14 day quarantine is completed.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken says anyone who enters the state who has been in Katherine since Thursday can't enter "vulnerable facilities" in Queensland including prisons, aged care facilities disability accommodation services or hospitals until further notice.

Meanwhile, Indigenous vaccination rates are lagging in the state with 52 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people aged over 16 having had one jab and 38.9 per cent being fully vaccinated.

The government has put low Indigenous vaccination rates down to misinformation on social media, but Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli said more needed to be done.

He called for the government to improve access to vaccines and to go into Indigenous communities to spruik the jab.
NEW YORK (AP)  For decades, it's been one of Hollywood's darkest rumors: A teen-age Natalie Wood was sexually assaulted by a top movie star more than twice her age when she met with him at a hotel in Los Angeles.

In a memoir coming out next week, Wood's younger sister identifies the long-suspected assailant: Kirk Douglas.

"I remember that Natalie looked especially beautiful when Mom and I dropped her off that night at the Chateau Marmont entrance," Lana Wood writes in "Little Sister," alleging that the incident happened in the summer of 1955, around the time Natalie Wood was filming "The Searchers." The meeting had been arranged by their mother, Maria Zakharenko, who thought that "many doors might be thrown open for her, with just a nod of his famous, handsome head on her behalf," according to Lana Wood.

"It seemed like a long time passed before Natalie got back into the car and woke me up when she slammed the door shut," she writes. "She looked awful. She was very disheveled and very upset, and she and Mom started urgently whispering to each other. I couldn't really hear them or make out what they were saying. Something bad had apparently happened to my sister, but whatever it was, I was apparently too young to be told about it."

According to Lana Wood, Natalie Wood did not discuss with her what happened until both were adults and Natalie, after describing being brought into Douglas' suite, told her sister, "And, uh ... he hurt me Lana."

"It was like an out-of-body experience. I was terrified, I was confused," Lana Wood remembers her saying. Lana, now 75 and around 8 when the alleged incident occurred, remembered her sister and their mother agreeing it would ruin Natalie's career to publicly accuse him.

"Suck it up" was Maria's advice, according to "Little Sister," much of which focuses on Natalie Wood's death in 1981, when her body was found off Catalina Island in California. Authorities initially ruled the death an accidental drowning, but that has changed after years of scrutiny and more witnesses emerging. Wood's husband at the time, Robert Wagner, has been called a person of interest and Lana Wood is among those who hold him responsible for her death.

In her book, Lana Wood recalls promising her sister not to discuss her being assaulted by Douglas, but rumors were so prevalent that when he died in 2020, at age 103, Natalie Wood's name trended along with his on Twitter. Lana Wood, whose own acting credits include "The Searchers" and the TV series "Peyton Place," believes enough has changed since her conversation with Natalie that she can now tell the whole story.

"With no one still around to protect, I'm sure she'll forgive me for finally breaking that promise," she wrote.

Douglas' son, actor Michael Douglas, said in a statement issued through his publicist: "May they both rest in peace."

Kirk Douglas, in his late 30s at the time of the alleged assault, was known for such films as "Spartacus," "The Bad and the Beautiful" and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral." He also was one of the first major actors to form his own production company and a prominent liberal activist who has been widely credited with helping to break the Cold War blacklist against suspected Communists when he hired Dalton Trumbo to write "Spartacus" and listed him by name for the 1960 release. Douglas and his second wife, Anne, donated millions of dollars through the Douglas Foundation they co-founded in 1964 with a mission to "helping those who might not otherwise be able to help themselves."

Douglas received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 and the Legion of Honor from France in 1985. He was given an honorary Oscar in 1996, when the film academy praised him as "a creative and moral force."

Douglas himself acknowledged that he was a womanizer and an unfaithful husband. Speaking to The Associated Press about Douglas in December 2016, less than a year before the #MeToo movement caught on, the actress and dancer Neile Adams lightheartedly said of her friend, "You could not sit beside him without his hand crawling up your leg."

In his memoir "The Ragman's Son," published in 1988, Douglas writes briefly about Natalie Wood. He remembers driving home one night and stopping at a red light. The door of the car in front of him opened and "a pretty little girl wearing a suede jacket hopped out" and ran up to him.

"'Oh, Mr. Douglas, would you please sign my jacket?'" he remembers her saying. "As I obliged, the woman who was driving got out and introduced her. 'This is my daughter. She's in movies, too. Her name is Natalie Wood.' That was the first time I met Natalie. I saw her many times afterward, before she died in that cruel accident."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Throop man faces 10 years in prison for selling a mixture of drugs that caused an overdose death.

Cayuga County District Attorney Budelmann on Friday said that Michael Chapman, 31, of 2539 Sittser Road, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter for selling a bundle of heroin laced with a fentanyl compound that resulted in a fatal overdose.

During his guilty plea, Chapman admitted that he consciously disregarded the known risk of a fatal overdose when he sold a bundle of heroin laced with a fentanyl compound, Budelmann said, which caused the victim to suffer a fatal overdose, thereby recklessly causing the victims death.

In a news release, Budelmann said that Chapman confessed to selling the drugs to the victim despite knowing that the heroin contained fentanyl. At the time he sold the lethal combination of drugs to the victim, Chapman was already facing pending felony charges for sale/possession of heroin-laced fentanyl. He was not being held in jail, Budelmann said, "due to the NYS bail reform."

Chapman additionally pleaded guilty to five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance involving unrelated sales of heroin laced with fentanyl compound to undercover members of the New York State Police between May and August of 2020.

Budelmann said that Chapman faces 10 years imprisonment, followed by two years post-release supervision. The court promised to impose a concurrent sentence not to exceed 4 to 12 years on the manslaughter charge. The maximum sentence for second-degree manslaughter is 5 to 15 years.

Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci prosecuted the case. The district attorneys office will make a sentencing recommendation following a pre-sentence investigation report, and sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 21.

We need to hold drug dealers accountable for the death and destruction they are causing, and that is precisely what this guilty plea does," Antonacci said in a statement. "This defendant was on notice that the drugs he possessed and sold contained both heroin and fentanyl. Despite this knowledge, he did not stop selling that product, which is the epitome of recklessness."

The district attorney's office said that Detective Sean DeRosa of the Auburn Police Department conducted a nine-month long investigation into the fatal overdose of the victim that occurred on Jan. 18. That investigation included analysis of cell phones, which revealed evidence that Chapman sold the lethal combination of heroin and fentanyl that caused the victims overdose death. The victim left behind two small children.

New York States needs to step up as a leader in the fight against the heroin epidemic and pass a statute which allows for the prosecution of those individuals who sell drugs that cause the death of another person. Antonacci said. "District Attorneys Offices around the State have been innovative in how these cases are being investigated and prosecuted. However, prosecution should not depend on cell phone messages or a confession in order to hold a drug dealer accountable for killing someone. We are thankful for the thorough investigation conducted by the Auburn Police Department, as well as the investigation into the narcotic sales by members of the New York State Police. This case sends a message to the People of Cayuga County: If you sell drugs and kill someone, we will do everything in our power to hold you accountable.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4
City

 Jenna L. Albanese, 36, 68 Clark St., Apt. 4, Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Nov. 1.

 Tony O. Frazier Jr., 30, 2222 Country Loop South, Lakeland, Florida, was picked up on a bench warrant Nov. 1 and charged with second-degree criminal contempt and first-degree criminal contempt.

 Courtney F. Donovan, 24, 111 Mill St., Liberty, was picked up on a bench warrant and an arrest warrant Nov. 2, and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a narcotic drug, possession of a mislabeled dangerous drug and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle

 Joshua L. Jones, 40, 118 Wall St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Nov. 2.

 Mitchell L. Bizzari, 65, 120 Melrose Road, Owasco, was charged Nov. 3 with petit larceny.

 Weldon R. Malone, 55, 2144 W. Genesee St. Road, Aurelius, was charged Nov. 3 with petit larceny.

 Darlene A. Sylvester, 22 N. Hunter Ave., Sennett, was charged Nov. 3 with petit larceny.

 Jessica L. Walls, 30, 7 Grover St., Auburn, was picked up on two arrest warrants Nov. 4.

 Robert A. Williams, 44, 49 Pulaski St., Auburn, was picked up on an arrest warrant Nov. 4.

 Sarah A. Flora, 33, 13373 Craine Road, Sterling, was picked up on a bench warrant Nov. 4.

 Ramaine R. Williams, 37, 5 Washington St., upper, Auburn, was charged Nov. 5 with third-degree assault.

County

 Andrea N. Jordan, 38, 12 Park St., Union Springs, was charged Nov. 2 with fourth-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree arson.

 Tara T. Waite, 30, 41 Morris St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Nov. 3.

 Jamie L. Harrington, 50, 2 S. Chapel St., Jordan, was charged Nov. 4 with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device.

State

 Robert A. Hawkey, 19, Weedsport, was charged Nov. 1 with second-degree assault and first-degree criminal contempt and second-degree criminal contempt.

 Ashley D. Montgomery, 34, Sennett, was charged Nov. 2 with petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

 Sally A. Smith, 77, Weedsport, was charged Nov. 2 with prohibited sale of a alcoholic beverage and first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.

 Achilles F. Reinhardt, 24, Elbridge, was charged Nov. 2 with first-degree criminal contempt.

 David A. Peters, 54, Groton, was charged Nov. 3 with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction in 10 years and circumventing an interlock device.

 Lisa M. DeSantis, 55, Seneca Falls, was charged Nov. 3 with prohibited sale of an alcoholic beverage and first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed legislation that prohibits double-bunking in New York state prisons.

The new law, which takes effect in 90 days, codifies a policy already implemented by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Acting DOCCS Commissioner Anthony Annucci said in September 2020 that his department is no longer using double-bunking due to the decreased incarcerated population.

Since 1999, the statewide prison population has fallen from 72,649 to 31,555 as of Nov. 1.

When there were more incarcerated individuals in prisons, especially medium-security facilities, double-bunking was used to add beds in dormitory settings. In a unit that could hold 50 incarcerated individuals, bunks were added to some beds to expand capacity.

While DOCCS removed the bunks, Annucci told state legislators that the additional beds would be available "if we ever need them in an emergency." However, the new law will prevent double-bunking from being used in dormitory settings.

The measure received bipartisan support in the state Legislature  the Assembly approved it by a 148-1 vote and the Senate passed it by a 63-0 margin.

Assemblyman Billy Jones, a former corrections officer who sponsored the legislation, called double-bunking an "outdated and dangerous practice."

"For 20 years, I worked as a corrections officer and experienced firsthand the stress and painstaking hard work this job entails," Jones said. "Since I was elected, I have been working to end double-bunking in medium-secured dormitories at correctional facilities and I am pleased that Governor Hochul has signed this bill into law."

The new law is a victory for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, a union representing state corrections officers. NYSCOPBA has long advocated for the passage of legislation to end double-bunking in prisons.

Michael Powers, NYSCOPBA's president, told The Citizen on Thursday that the law will make prisons safer.

"It's a pretty big win for us," he said. "We've been pushing for this for some time. "Granted, the bunks have come down. But statutorily now, they can never bring them back."

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
To defeat three election-related ballot questions in New York, Gerard Kassar knew the state Conservative Party had to launch its offensive at the right moment.

Start too early and you risk a long fight with deep-pocketed Democratic Party interests over the proposed amendments. Start too late and the message wouldn't be as effective.

Kassar, the chairman of the state Conservative Party, told The Citizen on Thursday that he began having conversations with people, including Republican Party officials and the GOP legislative conference leaders, in August. Those conversations, he said, focused on the need to target the proposals that would make changes to the independent redistricting commission and allow no-excuse absentee voting and same-day voter registration.

Kassar was concerned that two of the proposals  ending the 10-day advance voter registration requirement to allow for same-day registration and no-excuse absentee voting  could lead to voter fraud. (According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 34 states and the District of Columbia allow no-excuse absentee voting, while 20 states and D.C. have same-day registration.) He also criticized the first question, which would alter the independent redistricting commission, as a "reversal of reform."

"We felt that we would have a strong opportunity to make an argument and then we began to develop strategies," Kassar said. "We always felt that we had to come out late. We had to come out late because of the simple fact that we could never go toe-to-toe with the Democratic Party if they wanted to spend money. We could never put that kind of money together. But we began to raise money."

The money would be used to fund a two-week campaign urging voters to reject ballot questions 1 (redistricting), 3 (same-day voter registration) and 4 (no-excuse absentee voting). Kassar and the Conservative Party worked with Nelson Warfield, a longtime Republican operative, and John McLaughlin, a GOP pollster, to develop the messaging. Warfield created a television ad that would run in markets across the state. There were also digital ads to target voters online.

The final cost of the campaign won't be known until the Conservative Party's financial filing in January, but Kassar said they spent "north of $3 million" on radio and TV ads in opposition to three ballot questions.

An important date was Oct. 21. That's when the ads went live and the Conservative Party, in partnership with local GOP leaders, began deploying nearly 15,000 yard signs. All but 800 of the yard signs were used, Kassar said. For candidates and volunteers knocking on doors, the party also printed literature that could be given to voters.

Kassar said he "came up with a little more money"  the source wasn't disclosed  to spend on the anti-ballot question campaign in the final days before the election.

As the Conservative Party launched its ad campaign urging voters to reject proposals 1, 3, and 4, state Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy traveled across the state. He went to every media market in New York and visited 40 counties in 10 days. While the trips allowed him to highlight the GOP tickets in communities across the state, it also served another purpose: To ask voters to "just say no" to the three election-related proposals.

"I felt that this was our chance," Langworthy said in a phone interview Thursday. "We couldn't defeat it legislatively because they clearly had the votes. (Democrats approved the proposed amendments in two consecutive legislatures, which is why it went before voters this year.) We had to defeat it at the ballot box."

Noting the "great partnership" with the Conservative Party, Langworthy said he decided to crisscross the state because he felt no one was talking about the ballot questions. He recalled conversations within the GOP over the summer that they wanted to ensure the ballot questions were "on the front page" and not overlooked. He also believed that it was necessary to counter what he considers the Democrats' attempt to "legalize rigged elections."

On election night, as the votes were being counted, Kassar knew his party's campaign was successful when he saw the results in New York City. While a plurality of voters in the five boroughs voted "yes" on the proposals, roughly 30% voted no on the three questions.

According to the unofficial tally, proposal 1 was defeated by more than 300,000 votes, 1,518,442 to 1,202,106. There were 406,974 voters who left it blank. There were 428,503 more no votes on proposal 3 (1,608,177 to 1,179,674) with 342,222 voters who left it blank. On proposal 4, 1,568,895 voted no and 1,208,664 voted yes. It was left blank on 352,129 ballots.

Supporters of the proposed amendments were disappointed with the outcome. The Yes on 1, 3, 4 Coalition, which was led by Common Cause/NY and other interest groups, called the rejection of the three proposals "a black eye for democracy."

"These results are a cautionary tale showing that even in deep-blue New York, we can't take pro-democracy outcomes for granted," said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY. "Anti-democracy forces are drowning out common-sense reforms with fear-mongering scare tactics, and voters are listening."

The rejection of two proposed amendments goes against a Siena College poll in June that found 55% of voters support no-excuse absentee voting and 52% support same-day registration. But that poll was conducted before Conservatives and Republicans launched their campaign to defeat the proposals.

Kassar and Langworthy are proud of their efforts, but they also acknowledge that there wasn't any real challenge to their message.

"We were surprised that we weren't seeing a reaction from the Democratic Party," Kassar told The Citizen. "It wasn't as though we waited until the Sunday before. We were out there 13 days before."

Langworthy added, "We didn't hide what I was doing from Democrats. We told everybody. It's not like I'm hiding in plain sight here. We were going and traveling the state for two-and-a-half weeks."

State Senate Democrats spent more than $300,000 in support of the ballot proposals, according to a New York Times report. Jay Jacobs, the chair of the state Democratic Party, told the Times Union in Albany that the party wasn't asked for money to support the passage of the three election-related amendments.

While it didn't seem to be a priority for Democrats, Conservatives and Republicans seized the opportunity. As Kassar and the Conservative Party ran TV ads, Langworthy and Republicans incorporated its ballot question messaging into get-out-the-vote efforts.

"It really was a great, collaborative effort," Langworthy said.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Students in Auburn's Herman Avenue and Owasco elementary schools were able to get COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday as Cayuga County started the fi
HIT: A new festival gave filmmakers an audience for their work and an opportunity to get some feedback. The Cayuga Film Festival, organized by Auburn Public Theater and Cayuga Community College, was held at the theater Saturday, showcasing 19 short narrative and documentaries from filmmakers living or attending school in New York state. A panel of judges had previewed the films, rated them and provided feedback.

Steve Keeler, chair for CCC's humanities/communication division, said the festival will become an annual event and may expand to two or three days.

"I think it's especially important in Auburn to encourage that creative class, because this is a city that has always encouraged the arts and has always encouraged people to be creative," he said. "The college is a part of that, the APT is a part of that and I think the festival is a part of that, and we'll grow," he said.

MISS: A Syracuse man kept the Auburn Fire Department and several law enforcement agencies busy as a string of incidents unfolded Sunday afternoon into Monday morning.

Police said that a man who had been arrested by state police in Elbridge Sunday later burglarized a hotel in Auburn, stole a car in Sennett and crashed into the front of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Auburn. The Auburn Police Department and Cayuga County Sheriff's Office both became involved and the Auburn Fire Department was required to deal with a gas leak at the scene of the crash at KFC. The suspect was found hiding behind the Grant Motel in Auburn and charged with a long list of offenses.

HIT: The chief of emergency medicine at Auburn Community Hospital is being recognized by the emergency medical services community as one of the best in the business. Dr. Patsy M. Iannolo was honored this week as the 2021 EMS Physician of Excellence by the Central New York Regional Emergency Management Services Council, the agency that coordinates EMS programs in Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego and Tompkins counties. Iannolo was nominated for the award by TLC Emergency Medical Services for contributions to the EMS community.

The Citizen editorial board includes publisher Michelle Bowers, executive editor Jeremy Boyer and managing editor Mike Dowd.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Avatr Technology (Chongqing) Co., LTD, plans to increase investment with 6 new investors, including Chinas battery giant CATL, Chongqing Changan Auto Company, Avatrs parent company, said in a statement.

Photo credit: Changan Auto

Avatr was established as Changan NIO, a joint venture between Changan and NIO, in 2018. In May this year, its name was changed to Avatr and started its independent operation. Its business scope covers development of automotive parts, sales of vehicles, including new energy vehicles.

Specifically, Changan will add RMB500 million investment in the company while CATL will invest RMB769.6 million. All investment will be in cash. After the investment increase, the registered capital of Avatr will be raised from RMB288 million to RMB1.17 billion.

When the deal completed, Changans stake in Avatr will be reduced from 95.38% to 39.02% while NIOs will be diluted to 1.13%. CATL will have a 23.99% stake in the company and Chongqing Chengan, a private equity investment fund, has 19.01% stake. The rest 16.85% stake was held by the other four new investors. The deal is subject to the approval of Chinas Anti-Monopoly Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

In the statement, Changan said that it does not increase corresponding investment to maintain its stake, because it will become much more difficult to develop new energy vehicle business by itself as the segments competition gets increasingly fierce. Outside investment will help to improve the management efficiency and integrate resources across the value chain.
 How to Clip

Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue.
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:

GLASGOW, Scotland  Greta Thunberg branded the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow so far a failure, accusing leaders of actively creating loopholes in the rules and greenwashing their countries emissions.

Speaking at a rally outside the conference venue, Thunberg called for tougher rules to clamp down on polluters instead of what she termed distant, non-binding pledges.

World leaders are obviously scared of the truth, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot escape it, she said. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus, and above all they cannot ignore us - the people, including their own children.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Developed nations will start making good on their joint pledge of $100 billion in annual climate aid to developing nations next year, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Friday.

Thats at least a year earlier than some estimates. So there is genuine progress, Kerry told reporters at a press conference, listing advancements that have moved climate efforts forward over the past year.

The United States and other developed nations committed to the financing pledge under the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord.

Less wealthy countries say they cannot switch their economies to cleaner fuel, and protect their people from increasing natural disasters as the Earth warms, without substantial foreign aid.

And they say established economies, like the United States, should pay, since they historically have been responsible for most of the climate damage from burning coal and petroleum.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has compared the worlds complacency on climate change to the way it failed to take seriously the threat of fascism during the 1930s.

Invoking Winston Churchills famous warning that the era of procrastination (...) is coming to its close, Gore told the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow that the impacts of global warming would soon spur momentum for action.

We are now experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis in every part of our world, he said Friday, echoing Churchill. The scientists warned us that these consequences were coming.

Gore starred in An Inconvenient Truth, an Oscar-winning 2006 documentary about the threat of climate change.

In Glasgow, he praised countries and companies that recently made new pledges to curb emissions but added that the fulfillment of those commitments must be closely watched.

Gore advocated for radical transparency that includes monitoring emissions from the ground, the sea, by air and by satellite to identify those responsible for releasing greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

He also warned that the rising number of climate refugees expected over the coming decades risked triggering xenophobia and anger which in turn could fuel authoritarian populism around the world.



ANKARA, Turkey  The leader of Turkeys main opposition party is appealing to foreign investors to steer clear of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans project to construct a shipping canal skirting Istanbul, saying it would exacerbate the climate change crisis.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on Twitter Friday that he sent letters to all the foreign embassies in Turkey, urging them to tell investors in their countries that the Canal Istanbul project is against the worlds climate.

The Canal Istanbul will play havoc with the ecological system and will harm not just Turkey, but the whole world, Kilicdaroglu wrote in the letter.

Erdogan first suggested in 2011 the idea of constructing a canal linking the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, which he dubbed his crazy project. His government took steps toward its construction this year.

The government says the 45-kilometer (28-mile) canal would relieve pressure on the Bosporus Strait, one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, and reduce the risk of accidents.

Opponents claim it will cause widespread ecological damage to the region, increase the dangers posed by earthquakes and saddle Turkey with further debt.



GLASGOW, Scotland  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says American climate negotiators are having meaningful talks with their Russian and Chinese counterparts at the U.N. summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Thats despite Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping skipping world leaders current rounds of climate talks, a decision that sparked complaints from U.S. President Joe Biden when he attended a few days ago.

Kerry told reporters he came late to a Friday press conference because Americans had been talking with Russian officials at the summit on efforts to reduce pollution from methane, a potent climate-damaging gas.

We were talking about how we might deal with methane, possibly work together, Kerry said of Russians.

And were meeting with China here, and weve been talking for several days trying to figure out, is there common ground, as a way to try to move forward, Kerry said. Theres a sense of urgency.

Biden last weekend blamed Xis and Putins not showing up for lack of more progress at Group of 20 climate discussions on the eve of the summit. China is the worlds largest current emitter of climate-wrecking fossil fuel emitters, the United States the second, and Russia in the top five.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Hundreds of environmental activists have gathered in a Glasgow park to call on governments at the nearby U.N. climate talks to step up their action against global warming.

The activists, most of them young, carried banners at Friday's rally with slogans such as I have to clear up my mess, why dont you clear up yours? and Stop climate crimes.

The protest was part of a series of demonstrations being staged around the world Friday and Saturday to coincide with the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 U.N. climate change conference in Scotland.

Some at the Glasgow demonstration accused negotiators at the COP26 conference of greenwashing failures to curb greenhouse gas emissions and promoting policies that wont do enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises in the coming decades.

We are here as civil society to send them a message that enough is enough, Valentina Ruiz, an 18-year-old student from Brazil, said.

Brianna Fruean, a 23-year-old activist from Samoa, said, My biggest fear is losing my country. Samao, a low-lying Pacific island nation, is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and cyclones,

Fruean was given the stage at the beginning of the conference, known as COP26, where she told leaders about the effects of climate change already being felt in her country.

I will know if Ive been heard by the end of COP, she said.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Major shipping companies called Friday for governments to put more money into researching and developing cleaner technologies to help the industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

The International Chamber of Shipping said the industry isnt on track to meet its goal of cutting carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 with current policies.

The trade group represents shipping companies that include MSC and Hapag Lloyd. Industry representatives and government ministers are meeting at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow.

The group said it is asking governments to increase R&D spending, including by backing a proposal at the International Maritime Organization that would see ship owners set up a $5 billion fund to boost clean shipping technology.

Shipping currently accounts for about 3% of global emissions.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Anti-poverty charitable confederation Oxfam says the worlds richest people continue to produce the lions share of greenhouse gas emissions.

A study released Friday on the sidelines of the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow concluded that the richest 1% of the planets population is expected to account for 16% of total global emissions by 2030.

The study, commissioned by Oxfam, calculated that each member of the richest 1% will emit 30 times more than the 2.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide deemed compatible with the goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit).

The poorest 50% on the planet, meanwhile, will continue to emit less than that amount per person by 2030.

Oxfam said the study indicates that a tiny elite of ultra-rich people appear to have a free pass to pollute.

The emissions from a single billionaire space flight would exceed the lifetime emissions of someone in the poorest billion people on Earth, said Nafkote Dabi, head of climate policy at Oxfam.

Emissions caused by the wealthiest 10% alone could put the 1.5 C-goal out of reach by the end of the decade, Dabi added.

Tim Gore of the non-profit Institute for European Environmental Policy, wrote the study. He suggested that measures are needed to limit carbon emissions from luxury consumption such as mega-yachts, private jets and space travel.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Environmental campaigners have awarded their Fossil of the Day award to the Polish government for giving  and then apparently backtracking on  a pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.

Climate Action Network, an umbrella group representing hundreds of non-governmental organizations, blasted Poland on Thursday for committing at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow to end coal use, but then declaring itself a poor country and sticking to its previous deadline of 2049.

The little-coveted award went to the United States on Wednesday, for what climate activists say was a new measure that benefits mainly industrial agriculture companies rather than ordinary farmers.

The U.S. shared the prize with France for its efforts to get natural gas and nuclear power plants classified as sustainable forms of energy by the European Union, and with the International Emissions Trading Association for representing oil majors such as Chevron and Shell at the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 talks.



Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
PHOENIX  Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Thursday he plans to sue to block the Biden administrations new mandate that large employers require their workers to either be vaccinated for COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing starting in January.

The Republican said the suit challenging the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations targeting employers with 100 or more workers would be filed Friday.

When faceless government bureaucrats dictate what you must inject into your body, thats the furthest thing in the world from a safe workplace, Brnovich said in a statement. The government doesnt get to be your nanny, and its certainly not your doctor.

In a background briefing on the new rules Wednesday evening, a senior Biden administration official said they were needed to ensure worker safety.

A virus that has killed more than 745,000 Americans, with more than 70,000 new cases per day currently, is clearly a health hazard that poses a grave danger to workers, the official said.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, a Democrat who represents parts of southern Arizona, called the regulations welcome news" that will save lives and prevent losses by businesses that experience COVID-19 outbreaks among their workforces,

With COVID-19 as the new leading cause of death in Arizona, I applaud this effort to mitigate transmission of the virus in the workplace, Grijalva said in a statement. Right now, people are uncomfortable risking themselves or their families to be in unsafe working conditions  and that must change.

The lawsuit is the second filed by Brnovich, who is seeking his partys 2022 U.S. Senate nomination, over federal vaccine or testing mandates. A suit he filed in September alleged the government was violating the Constitutions equal protection clause because it is treating citizens differently than people caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Those people are offered vaccines but not required to be inoculated.

A hearing on Brnovichs request for a preliminary injunction in that case is set for next week.

In other developments:

 The Arizona Department of Health Services on Thursday reported an additional 3,352 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 17 more deaths, increasing the states totals to 1,179,072 cases and 21,290 deaths since the pandemic began.

Coconino County added 44 cases and zero deaths, bringing its totals to 23,533 cases and 365 deaths.

COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly, with 1,828 virus patients occupying hospital inpatient beds as of Wednesday, the departments coronavirus dashboard reported.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizona's seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has risen over the past two weeks from 2,131 per day on Oct. 19 to 2,684 new cases on Nov. 2.

The rolling average of daily deaths has risen over the past two weeks from 39 per day on Oct. 19 to 40 per day on Nov. 2.

 The Pinal County Board of Supervisors reversed itself and narrowly voted to accept a $3.3 million federal grant to help provide COVID-19 vaccines to underserved populations in the semi-rural county in south-central Arizona, the Casa Grande Dispatch reported.

The board voted 3-2 on Wednesday to accept the grant, with Supervisor Jeffrey McClure reversing his earlier vote on Sept. 1 against accepting the grant. A request by McClure for reconsideration prompted the re-vote on Wednesday.

Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh again voted against accepting the grant, saying its a waste of money to hire a vaccine equity coordinator  when we could do this much better on a local level.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
PHOENIX (AP)  Two prominent Democrats announced Thursday they're stepping down from the Arizona House, further shaking up a Legislature that has seen a flurry of resignations ahead of the 2022 session.

Rep. Charlene Fernandez of Yuma, the former House minority leader, accepted a job with President Joe Biden's administration. Rep. Randall Friese of Tucson, formerly the assistant minority leader and a trauma surgeon, said he's leaving to refocus my time and attention on my medical career and service.

Biden appointed Fernandez to be the U.S. Agriculture Department's state director for rural development in Arizona. Fernandez has represented the 4th Legislative District stretching from southwestern Arizona to the outer reaches of the Phoenix metro area since 2015. The district is home to farms producing most of the nation's lettuce during winter months.

I have had the opportunity to represent working families, teachers, farmers and so many more who have taught me the great need for continued action across our state, Fernandez wrote in her resignation letter addressed to Reps. Rusty Bowers, the Republican House speaker, and Reginald Bolding, the minority leader. I will continue serving those communities, with the same Democratic values, in a new capacity as I move on to a new chapter.

Fernandez has deep ties to Arizona Democratic politics, having previously worked for U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, former Rep. Ed Pastor and former Gov. Janet Napolitano. In the Legislature, Fernandez was a prominent progressive lawmaker and rose to be House minority leader steering the Democrats' strategy and messaging.

She gave up the minority leader job after a disappointing showing for House Democrats in the 2020 election, which included the unexpected loss by Democratic Rep. Gerae Peten to a Republican in the same district as Fernandez.

Friese in September abruptly dropped out of the campaign for an open congressional seat in Southern Arizona despite his fundraising lead among Democratic candidates. He cited his desire to focus on his medical career for that decision as well.

Friese treated then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was critically wounded in the Jan. 8, 2011, mass shooting in Tucson. He is a trauma surgeon who has served in the Arizona House since 2015.

I am extremely proud of my service to my community and the state during the seven years I represented Legislative District 9, Friese wrote in his resignation letter.

The departures of Fernandez and Friese further shake up the Legislature, which has seen an unusually high level of turnover this year with several lawmakers quitting for a variety of reasons or moving from the House to the Senate.

Fernandez is the second House Democrat to leave for a Biden administration job, following Arlando Teller's appointment earlier this year as deputy assistant secretary for tribal affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Both Fernandez and Friese said their resignations are effective Nov. 15. Democratic precinct committee leaders in each district will nominate a list of potential replacements, with the final decision made by the elected supervisors in their home counties. State law requires their successors to be from the same political party.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
MEXICO CITY (AP)  A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the resort of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun.

The two suspected drug dealers killed Thursday had apparently arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day, claiming it was now their territory.

About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Radio Formula station.

Montes de Ocas office said earlier in a statement that there was a clash between rival groups of drug dealers on a beach near the hotels. Several cartels are fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade, including the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. He also said one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment.

Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the commando wore ski masks and arrived by boat at the beach. Montes de Oca said they fled in a boat after the attack.

Joaquin called the attack a serious blow to the development and security of the state ... putting the image of the state at grave risk.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis.

Guests at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun posted videos and photos of tourists hiding or nervously milling in the lobby and hallways of hotels during the incident.

Guests at the nearby Azul Beach Resort also posted videos of people taking shelter or gathering in the lobby. An employee who answered the phone at the hotel said the shooting occurred on the beach near the facility.

Mike Sington, a guest at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, wrote in his Twitter account that Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun. Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens."

Sington tweeted Ive never been so scared, literally shaking," before adding Im fine now, barricaded in my hotel room for the night, just trying to decompress.

Rival cartels often kill another gang's street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout in the beach town of Tulum.

A San Jose, California woman born in India, Anjali Ryot, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were apparently hit by crossfire from the Oct. 20 drug dealers' shootout in Tulum, south of Puerto Morelos.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

The Tulum gunfight also apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.

There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid in October on the beach towns restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects  most apparently for drug sales  after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans, the prosecutors office said about the raid.

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pinned its hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
The Northern Plains Resource Council has hosted an annual gathering of members and guests every autumn since 1972. The conservation and family agriculture organization will convene its landmark 50th event on Nov. 19-20. The online event, titled Cheers to 50 Years, will celebrate a half-century of Northern Plains work in communities across Montana with a wide range of speakers and panel discussions.

Congregating with our friends and neighbors is always a highlight of the year, but celebrating our 50th gathering is especially meaningful, said Birney rancher Jeanie Alderson in a press release, whose parents were founding members of Northern Plains in the early 1970s. Alderson is now chair of the organization.

The first of two keynote speakers is Katharine Hayhoe, described by The New York Times as one of the nations most effective communicators on climate change. Hayhoes keynote address is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 19.

Saturdays keynote speech will be delivered by Marshall Ganz, a teacher, researcher, and writer who studies leadership and social movements. Ganz, who worked with Cesar Chavez to organize farm workers in the 1960s, is one of the nations premier experts on grassroots leadership through his research at Harvards Kennedy School of Government.
Public defenders arguing on behalf of Bird asked the judge to reduce the bond to $100,000 believing a $1 million bond to be quite excessive. They did agree to GPS monitoring and the other conditions of release.

I actually dont think a million dollars is excessive, said Harada. I think a million dollars is necessary to keep this community safe.

In the end, Harada agreed with the states request and set bond at the $1 million mark with the conditions barring contact with the victims and from going near the restaurant.

Bird had been fired from his job at the restaurant earlier in the day after getting in an altercation with another employee the night before. Bird worked as a dishwasher. At about 5:43 p.m. he allegedly came into the restaurant near the bar, grabbed two steak knives and yelled, Give me all your money.

Bird allegedly came after employees with the knives following them into the kitchen. The employees tried to fend off the attacks. One of the victims threw dishes at Bird to get him to stop attacking another employee.
Please register or log in to keep reading

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.
Even so, more than 750,000 Americans have died from the virus, and tens of thousands of new cases arise daily. OSHA estimates that the new requirements will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations in the six months after the rules take effect.

Workplace exposures have played a central role in driving the pandemic, said David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a professor of public health at George Washington University. Exposed at work, workers bring home the virus. They infect their children, they infect their parents, they infect their community.

Michaels called the rules an important step toward stopping virus transmission and gradually suppressing COVID.



HOW WILL THE RULES BE ENFORCED?

OSHA says it will enforce the new rules just as it does other workplace safety regulations  by relying largely on whistleblower complaints and some limited spot checks. But OSHA and its state partners that enforce its regulations have only 1,850 inspectors for 8 million workplaces nationwide.
Twitter showed Friday that Durr's account had been deactivated by the user.

In a screenshot of a 2019 Twitter post captured by a WNYC reporter, Durr wrote, Mohammed was a pedophile! Islam is a false religion! Only fools follow Muslim teachings! It is a cult of hate!

I support everybodys right to worship in any manner they choose and to worship the God of their choice, Durr said in his statement to the media outlets. "I support all people and I support everybodys rights. Thats what I am here to do, work for the people and support their rights.

Durr did not respond to phone and email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday. A spokesperson for New Jersey Senate Republicans declined comment Friday, referring a reporter to Durr's statement.

Also on Friday, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations called on Durr to meet with Muslim leaders and renounce hate.

In other posts, Durr seemed to equate not opposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates to remaining silent during the Holocaust, including with the post a photo of a yellow star that the National Socialist party forced Jewish people to wear.
When Margaret Cheney was first came to Casper, the nearest House of the Lord was more than 400 miles away.

Fellow worshipers would pile into a charter bus in the middle of the night, Cheney recalled, and head for Salt Lake City. After seven, eight, nine hours, theyd arrive before a towering fortress of white stone and spires.

Theyd spend a few hours inside while a napping bus driver awaited their return, she said. Then, theyd all ride back home.

Thats just what you had to do back then, to get to a temple.

For the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormonism, temples are especially sacred ground. To go through the temple, as its sometimes called, is to visit somewhere closer to God.

We did it as often as we could, said Cheney, who heads a local LDS Sunday school.

The temples are reserved for special ceremonies and rituals  distinct from chapels, where more typical religious services take place.

But there are only so many LDS temples out there, and local congregations cant just start their own.
The Casper police employee involved in a fight in north Casper on Oct. 1 is a sworn officer, the department confirmed Tuesday.

The officer was off-duty at the time of the fight, police said in a statement.

When asked about the fight in October, police said an employee of the department was involved, but declined to specify whether that person was an officer or a civilian. However, police confirmed to the Star-Tribune on Tuesday that an officer was involved after the newspaper requested documents pertaining to him. The Star-Tribunes request was denied, the newspaper was told, because the documents were part of the investigation. A spokeswoman, when asked afterward, confirmed the employee was an officer.

According to police, another officer responded to a report of a fight near Seton House on North Durbin Street around 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. The responding officer reported seeing the other officer apparently involved in a fight with a citizen.

The altercation was unrelated to the involved employees employment at the Casper Police Department, CPD spokesperson Rebekah Ladd told the Star-Tribune in October.
If an evacuee engages in criminal behavior while in the U.S., removal proceedings might be initiated. These cases are extremely rare, Blinken and Mayorkas said. Through the screening and resettlement process, evacuees are providing with information about expectations for compliance with U.S. laws.

Sen. Daines said Friday that the Department of Homeland Security is providing vague answers about Mohmands case, and he is concerned the vetting process is posing safety risks to Montanans.

When the senator spoke with Secretary Mayorkas and White House officials on Friday, he asked if Mohmand had completed an application for employment authorization, which would include a further layer of vetting. The secretary was unable to confirm whether Mohmand filed an application, a statement from Daines office said.

Randall Caudle, an immigration attorney based in Missoula, said while he understands the politicians' concerns and agrees Afghans should be fully vetted, he doesnt think this individuals actions represent all Afghan people seeking refuge in Montana.

One person is not reflective of all the nationals of a country, Caudle said.

The International Rescue Committee, which handles the resettlement process for evacuees, echoed Caudle's statement.

"We remain steadfast that the circumstances and alleged actions of one individual are not reflective of refugee or immigrant communities. For decades we have welcomed immigrant families and have watched them thrive and contribute to their communities and the nation," the resettlement agency said in an email to the Missoulian in October.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3
President Bidens illegal mandate is an egregious overreach and sets the country down a dangerous path. Forcing these injections on Montanans at the threat of losing their jobs infringes on the rights of our state, individuals, and businesses, Knudsen stated in a press release. Weve been preparing for this. Ill be filing a lawsuit tomorrow to stop this lawless order in its tracks.

There is concern within the business community that vaccine mandates could prompt a wave of workers to quit in search of jobs that don't require the COVID-19 shot. McDermott, with Billings Clinic, said he hasn't heard much pushback from hospital workers in the two months since the federal mandates were announced, but also indicated that could be due to assumptions that the state's vaccine law would prevent them from being effective in Montana.

"Our employees really do have a mission, and their mission is to care for patients," he said, adding he hopes "to see a much lower impact than maybe other places."
So, there's a limit to how much we can learn from just looking and assuming that all candidates are created equal, Essmann said. Because we know they're not. Good candidates with good campaigns win. Even good candidates with bad campaigns lose. There's a human factor here that we can't and shouldn't ignore. So the question is, are we, is it looking at the past when we've had good races with good candidates? Do we think it looks fair? We do.

Smith had indicated hours earlier that her preference was that the commission's two Republicans and two Democrats reach consensus on a final map, though it had been clear for weeks the two factions werent coming to an agreement.

Among the concerns raised by Democrats in the final hours was that the partisan advantage in CP 12 favored Republicans by more than 5%, a competition threshold for the national organizations like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee deciding whether to invest in a House race. Commissioner Kendra Miller said CP 12 favored Republicans by 7%.
A Victor man was arrested Wednesday after a Ravalli County detective found nearly three pounds of methamphetamine in the recreational vehicle where he was living.

Terrill Dwayne Martin, 52, appeared Thursday in Ravalli County Justice Court on three felony drug charges and a misdemeanor count of possessing a sawed-off shotgun.

The charging affidavit said a sheriffs detective executed a search warrant Wednesday on the recreational vehicle located on property on Highway 93 North in Victor where Martin was living.

After being read a Miranda warning, the affidavit said Martin admitted that he had about three pounds of methamphetamine in his possession, most of which was stored in a safe inside the RV.

In addition, Martin allegedly told the detective he had distributed some of the drugs he had recently purchased and that he restocked his supply every few months. In addition, Martin told the detective he had learned a long time ago to buy wholesale.

Martin also admitted he had a 9mm handgun in the safe and a sawed-off shotgun in the kitchen.

Detectives found about 2.56 pounds of methamphetamine inside the RV, with most of it being in the safe. In addition to the pistol and shotgun, a .22 caliber rifle was found in the bedroom.
1. Years ago, the citizens of Montana passed I-161 and trounced the notion of guaranteeing tags for out-of-state guided hunters. However, this year our Republican-led legislature ignored that clear message. First, they tried passing a bill for these guaranteed licenses, which was defeated early in the legislative session because so many of us voiced our objection again. But in the closing days of the session the Republicans snuck an amendment into another bill without any notice or opportunity to comment. This amendment did exactly what we had voted against years ago and had again voiced our objection to early in the session. This amendment guaranteed a license to every non-resident hunter who simply hires a guide. Our Republican Governor then signed it into law.

2. Following the legislative session, the Fish and Wildlife Commission (all but one appointed by our Republican governor) adopted a rule giving large landowners bull elk licenses to use as they see fit in exchange for allowing hunters, whom the landowners essentially select, to control the cow elk populations on their land. Make no mistake, the Republican Party, the Montana Outfitters and Guide Association, the Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Director and Deputy Director, and the Governor are moving rapidly toward Transferable Tags, which means ranching for wildlife. Lack of transparency is rampant!
Bismarck and Mandan area law enforcement agencies searched the Missouri River on Tuesday after receiving a report that someone jumped from the Memorial Bridge.

A woman riding in a car on the bridge told authorities she saw a man standing on the rail and witnessed him jump, Burleigh County Sheriff's Maj. Jim Hulm said.

The department's water rescue team while using sonar equipment at one point thought they had located a body. More precise equipment ruled that out, Hulm said.

The water in the area is shallow and clear, the major said. Morton County and Burleigh County dive teams were still searching at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The Morton County Sheriff's Office had checked the shoreline before noon and was making an aerial search with a drone, spokeswoman Maxine Herr said. A Burleigh County drone was deployed just after midday.

A patrol vehicle from the Mandan Police Department was involved in a crash on the Expressway Bridge while responding to the call, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The westbound lane of the bridge was closed for 30 minutes. Nobody was injured in the crash.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Departures at the State Crime Lab in Bismarck have limited what evidence the lab can process for law enforcement agencies, potentially delaying cases.

Eight of 23 lab employees have left in the last two years, including five in 2021, because they've been offered far higher salaries elsewhere, according to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.

"The salary disparity is something that makes it much more difficult to attract and retain our forensic scientists," he told the Tribune.

One worker left for a position in Georgia where the salary was $30,000 more. Two toxicology scientist finalists both declined job offers due to the pay.

"It's become a situation where it's just not sustainable," the attorney general told the Senate Appropriations Committee in early October.

The State Crime Lab forensic scientist annual salaries range from $48,000 to $85,704.

"Part of the problem is that these are national searches," Stenehjem said. "You have to find people from all over the country, and we're competing with an increasing demand in an area that has a lot of demand for more workforce."

The lab has an ever-increasing workload "for good reasons," he said.

"They're a critical part of our prosecution system, and it helps us to solve crimes or even to exonerate the innocent," he said, also noting "the science is just getting better and better, but it's just not as easy as it looks on TV."

Crimes such as murder, rape, assault, and drug and weapon violations generally increased from 2015-20 in North Dakota, which saw a record 32 homicides last year.

Stenehjem has asked the Legislature this fall to use $537,000 of leftover Consumer Protection Refund Fund money to increase lab salaries. A similar move by the Legislature helped recruit and retain state crime bureau agents, Stenehjem said. It's up to future legislatures how to fund the salaries going forward.

The attorney general also is working with two area universities that have science programs similar to the lab's qualifications. He recently visited with the University of North Dakota about working together.

"That helps us in getting a pool of people from the region who are more likely to want to continue to live here, and it helps the university because this is a growing field of work," Stenehjem said.

The lab eliminated its firearms and latent fingerprint divisions due to the staffing situation. South Dakota was doing firearms analyses for the lab, but now North Dakota's neighbor is overwhelmed and unable to help anymore, Stenehjem said.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives won't take a case that isn't its own, he said. North Dakota's Crime Lab doesn't get many firearms, but it's "scrambling to find somebody" to do firearms testing, he said.

The lab needs two analysts each for fingerprint and firearms analysis: someone to do the initial work, and then a reviewer of every case, to meet national accreditation standards.

"When somebody leaves, it leaves that whole discipline in the lurch," Stenehjem said.

The situation has affected the overall work done at the lab, including drug and DNA analyses and toxicology reports, he said.

The attorney general acknowledged the situation can delay prosecution, and he met with law enforcement leaders in mid-October to discuss the lab situation.

For fingerprint analyses, Bismarck police would have to send the evidence to private labs, which Deputy Chief Jason Stugelmeyer said costs $500 per analysis, as opposed to no cost at the state lab.

They have not done so yet; Stugelmeyer wasn't sure how many fingerprint items Bismarck police are sitting on.

"We're still discussing who's responsible for those costs: Is it the crime lab or is it the local agency?" he said. Firearms examinations also would have to be contracted, he said.

A further hindrance is bringing in those contracted analysts to testify at trial, "so it's now no longer anyone local here in the area, so usually the state's attorney, counties have to bear that cost to bring these experts back to testify on the case for what work they did," Stugelmeyer said.

The police also have more difficulty getting items to the lab. Stugelmeyer said the lab will accept evidence only for a half-hour duration.

"We're lucky because a lot of agencies have to mail stuff. We don't have to have that cost associated with that," he said. "We hand-deliver it, and the problem is, we'll have a bunch of evidence and then we only get a half-hour, and whatever they can't log in in a half-hour we have to take back with us and try to do it a different time. It just continues to backlog everything."

The issue is minor but continues to compound "to the point where eventually when you do that for long enough, it's just going to take longer," he said.

Evidence includes sexual assault examination kits, DNA swabs, clothing, tool marks, fibers and footprint impressions.

Officers collect evidence from a suspect or a crime scene, log the items into a secure database to track it, then determine with prosecutors what evidence will go to the lab, Stugelmeyer said.

"If somebody has 10 pot pipes on them, let's say, we don't send all 10 pot pipes to get tested, so we've got to determine, 'OK, one for prosecution would be sufficient,'" the deputy police chief said.

Closer to trial, attorneys might want some evidence further or additionally tested, he said. Evidence is held at the police station, and tested items are packaged, sealed and returned to police, who secure and later deliver them to court for trial.

Overall, the lab situation "slows things down when you have limited resources and staffing," Stugelmeyer said.

Communication both ways is key, and if police are to bear certain costs, "we don't have budgets for that," he said.

Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben said "the biggest thing for us" has been a delay in processing some evidence due to the firearms and fingerprints situation.

"Fortunately, we've been able to keep working with them on certain issues, but definitely, we've seen a backlog of some of the evidence not being processed in a timely manner," Leben said.

He's emphasized communication between the lab and his office to get evidence timely analyzed. He also acknowledged the lab is addressing priority cases.

He's not aware of any specific instances of delayed prosecution, but the pace of some investigations has been slowed while investigators awaited lab results to guide their work, he said.

Firearm and fingerprint analyses are "low-frequency issues, but definitely a high priority when they do surface," the sheriff said.

Cass County Assistant State's Attorney Joshua Traiser pointed out the lab has a process for expedited testing for serious cases, such as murder or aggravated assault, and drug cases set for trial.

"My experience with the lab is that they're doing all they can to make it work, and thus far, they've done a very good job making sure we have results ready for trial when we use that process," said Traiser, whose caseload includes crimes of violence.

Proving cases without lab analysts is "sometimes not feasible," he said.

"That's something that we care about because those are highly trained and experienced individuals ... so integral to our job," Traiser said.

Generally, evidence can range from drugs and drug paraphernalia, to items such as weapons, sheets and clothing containing blood or other bodily fluids.

"I can tell you that we're all aware of the burden that this testing imposes on the lab, so we're not going to send things that we don't believe could have evidentiary value, so it's very case-specific," Traiser said.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers on Sunday shot and killed a cow that was headed for the Grant Marsh Bridge.

The Mandan Police Department requested assistance about 5 p.m. when the cow escaped from Kist Livestock, the patrol said. Troopers made an unsuccessful attempt to tranquilize the cow and had to put it down before it created safety issues on the bridge.
State lawmakers on Monday laid the groundwork for their special session beginning next week, while eyeing a raft of potential flashpoint issues proposed outside of the session's main scope.

Many of those bills would ban or restrict vaccination requirements and so-called critical race theory and address election integrity. They await an introduction decision process. Key lawmakers expect at least some of them to advance.

Gov. Doug Burgum on Oct. 29 called a special session to begin Nov. 8 for the Republican-controlled Legislature to reapportion its districts and to divvy up North Dakota's $1 billion of federal American Rescue Plan Act aid. The Legislative Management panel on Monday advanced bills for both topics, which will each go through a committee hearing process.

The special session gives the Legislature all the time it needs for its business, not subject to the state constitution's 80-day limit. Otherwise, the Legislature would have just four days remaining from its 76-day regular session, which adjourned in April.

House and Senate budget writers worked throughout October to cull more than $9 billion in requests for the Rescue Plan money, emphasizing one-time projects such as infrastructure. Omitted proposals could resurface in the 2023 Legislature.

The Rescue Plan money must be allocated by the end of 2024 and be spent by the end of 2026.

The Legislature's Redistricting Committee held a rapid-fire series of meetings in September to redraw legislative districts using 2020 census data. The draft map maintains 47 districts, and includes House subdistricts for the Fort Berthold and Turtle Mountain Indian reservations.

Lawmakers also submitted 26 other bills for the special session that deal with wide-ranging topics, notably divisive issues such as critical race theory and restrictions on vaccination requirements.

Those bills -- 21 in the House and five in the Senate -- must go through delayed bills committees to be introduced. Approved bills would then go to the Joint Technical Corrections Committee, similar to a House-Senate conference committee.

Chief sponsors "will give their reasons for the bill and why it's the best thing since apple pie and hot dogs," said House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, who chairs the House Delayed Bills Committee. There will be no other supporting testimony or any opposing testimony for the introduction of bills.

"It would be my plan that these things are going to be moving pretty efficiently," Pollert said. "What makes it, makes it, goes on to Joint Technical Corrections Committee, and what doesn't is done, unless there's debate on the floor, which they have that right."

A bill by Rep. Jeff Hoverson, R-Minot, would require pharmacists to dispense the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin if presented with a prescription for treating COVID-19, even if it's against their professional judgment. The federal Food and Drug Administration has not authorized or approved ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment.

Several bills ban or restrict vaccination requirements; one is 24 pages long.

One bill by Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, bans the teaching of critical race theory, which centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society, according to The Associated Press.

A bill by Senate Education Committee Chairman Donald Schaible, R-Mott, also would restrict teaching of race, gender, sexuality and equality.

Some bills relate to the major issues at hand, such as district party reorganization and the staggering of legislative terms after redistricting.

Sen. Jerry Klein, R-Fessenden, who chairs the Senate Delayed Bills Committee, said he expects vaccination and critical race theory bills to come out of the special session, citing a "political environment currently that is screaming for action as it relates to those two issues."

He wants to ensure every bill is thoroughly vetted, and to see what could wait until the 2023 Legislature.

After some unsuccessful iterations, the 2021 Legislature passed a law banning so-called "vaccine passports," which verify a person's immunizations. The law prohibits government entities and businesses from requiring documents for certain vaccinations.

Pollert expressed openness about "taking a look at" restricting vaccination requirements and the teaching of critical race theory.

"I will not support eight different vaccine mandate bills, whatever you want to call it. I will not support that many," he said.

The governor declined to comment on the batch of proposed bills "because we haven't seen the bills."

"We'll just have to evaluate them when they, if they, reach our desk," Burgum said .Oct. 29

Sen. Erin Oban, D-Bismarck, opposes advancing legislation outside the scope of redistricting and the Rescue Plan money "because that's what the special session is intended to be dealing with."

"If somebody doesn't put the hammer down, this is going to be a longer session than it needs to be," she said.

She sees the regular session as most appropriate for policy changes, and agreed with Pollert's stated preference that the special session wrap up late Friday, Nov. 12.

Legislative Management on Monday also advanced other bills from interim committees, including ones to:

Temporarily amend spending approval limits of the Emergency Commission on special funds

Transfer Judicial Wing space to the Legislature for meeting rooms

Exclude the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from the state's behavioral health bed management system

Phase in cybersecurity K-12 education requirements

The Legislature has met in special sessions 15 times in state history, most recently in 2016 to address a $1 billion state revenue shortfall.

Legislative Management also approved an agenda for the first day of the special session, set to begin at 8 a.m., including a joint session and committee meetings expected to last into the night. The governor also will give an address. Agendas will be set on a daily basis.

"We've been working like busy beavers to get ready for this session," said Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A Minot woman accused of crashing into a motorcyclist at more than 100 mph and sending him under the wheels of a semitrailer on U.S. Highway 83 two years ago has been charged with attempted murder, court documents show.

Dazechnae Willis, 28, was arrested in Colorado and extradited to North Dakota. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for her on Oct. 13. She also is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. Her two young children were passengers in the vehicle she was driving.

The amount of time that elapsed between the Aug. 28, 2019, incident and the warrant "was due to the complex nature of the investigation and getting records to determine appropriate charges," Burleigh County State's Attorney Julie Lawyer told the Tribune on Friday.

Willis was southbound on the highway about 4 miles north of Baldwin -- between Bismarck and Wilton -- when her SUV struck Kelsey Schaefer, who was riding a 1996 Harley Davidson, from the rear. Investigators say she was going 107 mph and there was no braking input on Willis part before her SUV hit the motorcycle, according to a Highway Patrol affidavit.

The impact sent Schaefer and the motorcycle under the wheels of an adjacent semitrailer. He suffered a serious brain injury and multiple other injuries that required months of hospitalization and physical therapy, the patrol said. Willis and her children were not injured.

Both the patrol and Lawyer said there is no indication that Willis and Schaefer knew one another. Authorities haven't elaborated on what might have led up to the alleged incident.

Willis made her initial court appearance Friday. Court documents don't list an attorney for her. Attempted murder carries a possible 20-year prison sentence.

Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The process to nominate part of Bismarck's Highland Acres neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places is moving forward after survey results found many homes in the area to be historically significant.

Many residents at a meeting Thursday had questions about what being on the historic register would mean for any home remodels, how the potential historic district's boundaries came to be and what the status is of a plan to install sidewalks in the neighborhood. The sidewalk dispute has become embroiled in the debate over the historic nature of the neighborhood.

The city hired Denver-based Metcalf Archaeological Consultants in 2020 to assist with a study on whether the neighborhood should be Bismarck's third historic district. The group, along with the State Historic Preservation Office, conducted a survey last summer and found that 83% of homes contributed to the proposed district.

Highland Acres was developed after World War II as a housing cooperative for returning veterans. Many influential Bismarck residents have lived there. The study was to help determine whether the city nominates the neighborhood for listing in the National Register, the federal government's list of properties it deems worthy of recognition and preservation.

The next step in the nomination process is for the draft nomination to be presented to the city's Historic Preservation Commission in January. A public hearing on the final nomination is planned for February. The city will notify residents of the public hearing, according to Senior Planner Will Hutchings.

Hutchings said during Thursday's public meeting that if the neighborhood is listed on the historic register, it would not restrict how owners could use their properties and would not require federal or state review of any alterations.

The potential historic district's boundaries include the original plat and the second addition. Budget was one factor that limited the potential historic district's boundaries, according to State Historic Preservation Office Historian Lorna Meidinger. She added that some homes in the neighborhood are not yet 50 years old, which is a requirement for the historic register, so they were left out.

The neighborhood is the site of a dispute over whether there should be sidewalks in private cul-de-sac areas. Sidewalk advocates say it's a safety issue. Opponents are pushing for a designation in the National Register. The city commission has delayed its sidewalk installation project three times since 2017 to allow more time for historical research.

Hutchings on Thursday said that questions about sidewalks should be directed to the city engineering department, as the community development department does not oversee them. No one from the engineering department spoke Thursday.

Highland Acres resident Mike Fladeland said that while he has no problem with the neighborhood being considered historic, he thinks the issue is being used as a delay tactic for sidewalks.

"We just want sidewalks so we don't have to walk in the street," he said.

Bruce Whittey, who has helped lead the effort to nominate Highland Acres, said the process is not a delay tactic, but that "these things take time" and he thinks the nomination process has been going well.

Whittey in 2017 asked the City Commission to delay installing sidewalks in neighborhood cul-de-sacs, saying the neighborhood was historically significant. He said Thursday that a decision on sidewalks would be left to the commission, but that there aren't many safety issues in the neighborhood.

Residents may object to their neighborhood being placed on the historic register. If more than 50% of owners object to creating the historic district, the nomination would not be forwarded. Residents who object must submit a notarized letter to Meidinger at the State Historic Preservation Office by April 2022, which is when the state plans to review the Highland Acres nomination for submission to federal officials.

Bismarck has two historic districts: The Downtown Bismarck Historic District and the Cathedral Area Historic District. St. George's Episcopal Memorial Church was recently listed in the National Register.

Reach Sam Nelson at 701-250-8264 or sam.nelson@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  More than two dozen Republican-led states including North Dakota filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administration's effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 26 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

North Dakota is part of the Missouri lawsuit.

This lawsuit is not about whether people should get vaccinated, it is about opposing yet another federal overreach, this time an attempt by the federal government to commandeer private employers to require their employees to get vaccinated, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said.

Gov. Doug Burgum said he supports North Dakota's involvement because "Its not the role of the federal government -- or the states -- to force a vaccine mandate on private businesses.

The North Dakota-based Christian Employers Alliance also is a part of the suit.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules preempt state laws.

The administration clearly has the authority to protect workers, and actions announced by the president are designed to save lives and stop spread of COVID, Karine Jean-Pierre, a spokeswoman for the White House, said during a briefing Thursday.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organization's center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agency's regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

Missouri's lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor."

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit.

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It's unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal government's requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach,' Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.

The Bismarck Tribune contributed to this story.
North Dakota's congressional delegation is introducing legislation to make it easier for the state and the U.S. Department of Interior to exchange land and minerals.

The proposal could have implications for the Little Missouri National Grasslands, American Indian reservations and the oil industry. It has the backing of state officials and several tribal leaders.

The legislation known as the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act would enable easier land and mineral exchanges, in effect allowing the state or a tribe to acquire small fragments of land, according to proponents. Land ownership in North Dakota is like a patchwork quilt, particularly in the western part of the state where the federal government owns more land, and oil development is robust.

U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, as well as Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all R-N.D., introduced the legislation in Congress this week.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The $1 trillion infrastructure plan that now goes to President Joe Biden to sign into law has money for roads, bridges, ports, rail transit, safe water, the power grid, broadband internet and more.
A man returned to England from a business trip in Wales to find his house key didn't work. Things got weirder when a stranger opened the door. And weirder yet when another stranger  the father of the so-called "new owner" of the house  arrived and told the man, "You are trespassing. Get out."

On November 1, the BBC reported that while Reverend Mike Hall, from southeast England, was out of town, someone had stolen his identity and sold his house, which he had owned for 30 years.

Mr Hall, who was away from the property and working in north Wales, said he received a call from his neighbours on 20 August, saying that someone was in the house and all the lights were on. The following morning, he drove there. "I went to the front door, tried my key in the front door, it didn't work and a man opened the front door to me," he told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours. "I pushed him to one side and got in the property. I really didn't know what he was doing there. "The shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture; all furnishings, carpet, curtains  everything  was out of the property." The man said he was doing building work, to which Mr Hall replied: "I haven't sold the house. This is still my property." Mr Hall phoned the police, but the builder left and returned with the new owner's father, who said he had bought the terraced house in July, adding: "It is now my property. You are now trespassing. Get out."

At first, police said there was nothing they could do about it  it was a "civil matter."

"I was shocked  having seen the house in the state it was, I was in a bit of a state of shock anyway  but then to be told by the police they didn't believe a criminal offense had been committed here was just unbelievable," he told the BBC, who helped connect him with investigators.

And just a few days later, on Thursday, a suspect was arrested.

From Vice:

A man from Bedford was arrested on Thursday in connection to the alleged fraudulent sale, said Bedfordshire Police. Detective Inspector James Day, head of the serious fraud investigation unit, said: "I can only imagine the anxiety and stress the victim has had to endure in this unusual and sophisticated case. My team of specialist officers is determined to get justice for him." Although the crime of stealing someone else's house is uncommon, it is not unheard of. Over the last five years, 196 fraudulent applications to the Land Registry  worth over 100 million  have been stopped. Over the same period, the Land Registry has paid out 12,500,000 to victims of property fraud in cases where the registry has changed the name of the owner on the register or added a mortgage incorrectly.
Executives at Moog Inc. probably couldn't be happier with their purchase last year of a Texas maker of electronic flight instrument and autopilot controls. And it showed for its most recent quarter.

The acquisition of Genesys Aerosystems Group in December  combined with strong sales for the European Airbus A350 jetliner  drove a modest increase in overall sales for the East Aurora-based company, offsetting lower revenues from Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

And given the global Covid-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc on international travel and the airline industry, the company did much better than even its own projections from a year ago, as its other businesses were either flat or only slightly lower. Half of fiscal 2020 was hurt by the impact of Covid, and officials had expected those trends to continue throughout fiscal 2021.

"As we came into this fiscal year, the best we could estimate would be that fiscal 2021 would be similar to fiscal '20," said Chairman and CEO John Scannell. "In the end, we did much, much better."

Specifically, the company had been prepared for full-year earnings of $3.50 per share. Instead, it yielded $4.87 per share. "Covid was with us throughout the year, but despite this, each of our four markets was a little better than forecast," Scannell said.
In Western New York, state data shows the percentage of fully vaccinated hospital workers went from 88% on Oct. 12 to 92% on Tuesday. When including those partially vaccinated, that percentage rises to 96%.

With those 30-day leave periods now over, the regions hospitals reported terminating only a slim percentage of its workforce, less than 1% in most instances. But more terminations are possible, especially if those health systems begin cutting unvaccinated employees with religious exemptions, something that is the subject of court cases all over the country.

The federal vaccine mandate for private employers with 100 or more workers arrives at a busy time of year. It's the enrollment period for health care benefits, and the end of the year is looming  which can mean a seasonal shutdown at some businesses, and a surge of activity at retailers, fueled by holiday shopping.

"Unfortunately for employers, this will be a pretty rushed process, and this is not the best timing," Wright said.

The new rules also create ongoing obligations for the covered employers. They will need to verify unvaccinated workers who work on-site are getting tested weekly, and maintain records of employees' vaccination status.
FICTION

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen; Henry Holt, 500 pages ($18.99). Ages 12 and up.

...

Margaret Owen knows how to spin an entertaining yarn ("The Merciful Crow," "The Faithless Hawk"), and she works her magic yet again in this dazzling reworking of "The Goose Girl."

In the traditional fairy tale, a wicked maid steals the kind princess' face and her life (including her betrothed), but the maid is exposed and dies horribly for her crimes. Here, Vanja Schmidt, the "wicked maid," is the star, getting a chance to tell her own story in an intricately plotted tale of gods, curses, detectives, spirits and scheming nobles. And as always, Owen's sympathies lie with the underdog. (Vanja muses: "I wanted her to know what it was like sleeping in moldering straw, having only one tatty, smelly frock to her name, living at the mercy of a world that didn't give a damn.")
For the young patients, the department is planning to have three nurses who are all veterans in vaccinating young ones, including one who has 35 years experience giving shots to children.

"It takes a certain type of person," Stapleton said. "What you don't want is to show any fear or trepidation."

Monday's clinic in the Falls won't be limited to just children. First and second doses for adults, along with boosters, will also be offered. More clinics are planned for the weeks ahead in both urban and rural parts of Niagara County.

"We're trying to get a mixture," he said.

As Covid-19 cases rise, health departments set up vaccination clinics for young children "We are busy organizing clinics to make sure that we have access to everybody in the community who decides not to go to their pediatrician to get that vaccine. We just want to make it easy for people," Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein said.

Erie County has more kid clinics planned for Nov. 13 at the Harlem Road Community Center in Amherst, West Seneca Middle School and the Claude and Ouida School 74 (Hamlin Park School) in Buffalo.

But Dr. Burstein urged parents to first reach out to their pediatricians to see if they are offering the kids' dose vaccines at their offices. She's aware that some offices are struggling with staff shortages and may not be able to accommodate a rush of patients wanting the shots, and that's why the clinics are being held as well.

She advised parents to prepare their kids ahead of time to ease any worries.
I sat down with seven employees that were new to the bank in the last couple months  whether it be credit or the branches or whatnot, you get to see the whole scope  and just have a conversation with them.

I think the amazing part about that was just seeing that we've brought some folks in that weren't 10- or 20-year banking veterans.  If you see the right person and the right attitude, we'll take that and help them with the banking side of things. You can learn the banking side, but it's tough to teach the right attitude, the work ethic.

Q: The employees who are new to banking  where are they coming from?

A: A lot of it is retail. You'll find folks that may have worked at The Gap or at the mall or something like that, that can talk to people and understand people. It really comes back to customer service.

Q: Bank on Buffalo has opened a lot of branches. Will that continue, or do you feel like you've got a network that covers the region now?

A: We're not there yet. We're certainly continuing to grow because we've got to feed the machine.
Mohr confirmed that the elections inspector admitted to stamping the ballot with the mayor's name.

One of the inspectors who also serves as an interpreter admitted stamping the ballot of at least one voter  we dont know how many  at the check-in table," Mohr said.

Allison, who is a Walton supporter, said it appeared the election inspector might have made a mistake. She said she perceived no ill-intent from the woman.

It didnt strike me as anything covert or malicious," she said. "She was very open about it. I got the sense that she did what she thought she was supposed to do.

Byron Brown claims victory in Buffalo mayor's race; write-in ballots swamp India Walton "The people chose four more years of the Brown administration," Brown said in his speech. "The people chose one of the greatest comeback stories in our history."

The total number of prestamped ballots given to voters could not be higher than 50, Mohr said. That's how many ballots had been cast at that polling site when the Board of Elections was alerted to the problem.

Still, Mohr said elections inspectors at the Belle Center on Maryland Street erred in allowing stamps created for Brown's write-in campaign to be placed at the check-in tables of the polling place.
Move over, groundhogs  we have a seal to follow

With an extended Indian summer finally giving way to cold and snow in Western New York, we're all left to speculate about how harsh the winter will be.

Try as you might to avoid it, everyone in town will encounter at least one person at a holiday party with this hot take on the weather: "With the lake this warm it's never gonna freeze over, and you know what that means ... "

Don't be that person. And definitely don't listen to that person. Listen to a real winter weather expert. Like a harbor seal.

Move over, Dunkirk Dave. There's a new animal forecaster: Stryker, one of the harbor seals that calls the winter outdoor habitat at the Aquarium of Niagara home.

In an event that was part childhood education and part publicity stunt on behalf of energy supplier NOCO, the Falls aquarium asked Stryker to predict whether this winter will be mild or harsh.

Before a crowd of eager third graders from Harry F. Abate Elementary School in the Falls, Stryker did his thing. A trainer presented him with two rubber balls, one marked "cold" and one marked "frigid." Doing his part, Stryker plucked one of them and began swimming with it.
Thats why Lucas parents were so eager to see vaccines approved for children his age. If Lucas and the children around him can be immunized, it will help keep him  and all of them  safe.

Finally, thats possible. Kids ages 5 to 11  essentially, every child who attends elementary school  can now receive Pfizer shots, which were authorized this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this Pandemic Lessons, we explore the safety and implications of those vaccinations.

Why vaccinate a younger child?

Safety.

If a child is immunocompromised, vaccines can be life-saving. Although doctors arent certain how effective or durable the vaccines will be in children who have weakened immune systems, every bit of protection helps, and maybe just as vitally, surrounding those kids with other children and adults who are vaccinated can create a shield of sorts that minimizes the chance of infection. Even if children are healthy and likely to push through Covid without complication, boosting their immunity with vaccination can help protect vulnerable kids like Lucas, who may be sitting in the same classroom or riding on the bus.
Some Democrats said the GOP proposal would create a wide-open portal for people to fraudulently claim an exemption to the vaccination mandate without truly having a valid reason.

You know and I know, everybody, even atheists, is going to come up and say its because of their religious beliefs, Democratic Rep. Pebblin Warren of Tuskegee said.

Under the legislation, employees would check a box in a new form for the reason they couldnt get vaccinated  such as a religious reason, certain qualifying medical conditions, or a health providers signed recommendation that the person shouldn't be vaccinated. There would be no requirement to provide proof of the reason. An employee denied an exemption could appeal to the state Department of Labor.

The proposal is a carve-out from existing law which allows companies to fire workers at will. The bill specifies that it wouldnt alter the ability of an employer to terminate an employee for reasons other than the employees COVID-19 vaccination status.

The new process and job protections would automatically end on May 1, 2023, unless extended by lawmakers.
We see that happening elsewhere, most infamously in last years presidential election. Then-President Trump had made clear that he would claim fraud if he lost the election, then did it  and continues to do it, even though not a shred of evidence supports the lie.

State Republican officials professionally and bravely defended the election results. They knew who won and who lost in their states. Even a preposterous audit in Arizona confirmed that Joe Biden won the state, to the point of expanding his margin of victory.

Yet, Trump still shouts the lie, which has become an article of faith among many Republicans. His reckless slanders and incessant self-regard are shaking the confidence of many Americans in the fairness not just of that election, but any election.

Its happening again in New Jersey. There, the Republican loser of a close gubernatorial election not only refused to concede, but implied  without evidence, of course  that fraud may have occurred.

You can report any perceived or real irregularity to the voter integrity hotline set up by the NJGOP, Jack Ciattarelli said in a desperate video appeal. Preliminary results show that Ciattarelli won 48.5% of the vote to the 50.8% won by incumbent Democrat Phil Murphy.

The performance was pathetic.
VALLETTA (Reuters) - Malta will offer COVID-19 booster shots to all of its population after a recent increase in cases, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Friday.

Malta has the highest number of vaccinated people in the European Union, with 94% of the people having been fully vaccinated.

However, minister Fearne told a press conference that it was clear that the effectiveness of the vaccines was waning after health authorities said the country recorded 40 new cases of the virus on Friday, the highest in six weeks.

"A booster shot will be offered to everyone aged over 12," he said.

Boosters have already been given to people aged over 70 and others having health conditions which make them vulnerable, with take-up exceeding 75% so far.

Healthcare workers and teachers will get their boosters from next week. The shots will then be offered to other categories of people according to their age in a programme which will continue well into 2022 for the youngest.

He said it was clear that vaccination had made a huge difference in the fight again the virus. While cases had gone up the hospital situation was stable with most patients suffering only mild symptoms, he said.

He ruled out any imminent increase in restrictions to help prevent the spread but said the situation will be closely monitored.

Current restrictions are limited to mask-wearing in closed public spaces and a limit of eight people around restaurant tables.

(Reporting by Christopher Scicluna, Editing by Louise Heavens)
By Timour Azhari

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At Oriental Paper Products, a stationery factory outside Beirut, machinery sits idle and shifts have been reduced. The firm was already struggling amid Lebanon's financial crisis; a full-blown diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia has made matters worse.

Last week Riyadh extended a blockade on some goods from Lebanon to a blanket ban, in response to criticism by a Lebanese minister of Saudi Arabia's role in the civil war in Yemen.

The comments exacerbated deteriorating relations between the former allies, with Riyadh increasingly critical of what it says is arch-enemy Iran's growing influence over Lebanon through the powerful armed Hezbollah movement - which Tehran backs.

At Oriental Paper Products and businesses across Lebanon, the impact is already being felt.

The company had been producing $500,000 worth of books and office supplies destined for Saudi Arabia when the ban came into force.

"We already had our problems and now they (Lebanese politicians) increased them. God help the Lebanese," Chief Executive Officer Ziad Bekdache told Reuters.

The row comes at a particularly bad time for the Lebanese economy.

Industries had sought to leverage increased competitiveness due to the currency's collapse to boost exports to Saudi Arabia from $240 million in 2020 to $600 million, said Bekdache, also the deputy head of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists.

"Now, it's zero," he said, noting several Lebanese companies had begun moving factories to countries including Oman, Turkey and Cyprus to evade the Saudi ban.

Non-food Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia include aluminium, gold and jewellery, machinery, soaps and paints.

"It's as if there is a plan to break the economic and industrial sectors in Lebanon, in addition to cutting the ties and connections between Lebanon and the world and especially the Gulf and Saudi Arabia," Bekdache said.

Lebanon's economy and industry ministers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the impact of the Saudi ban on exports. The Center for Internatonal Communication, the Saudi government media office, also did not immediately respond.

Story continues

'WHY ARE WE PAYING THE PRICE?'

Lebanese businesses have been battered by one of the worst economic crises in the country's history. That was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and a massive explosion at Beirut's port last year that wrecked parts of the capital.

The Lebanese pound, tethered to the U.S. dollar for more than two decades, has depreciated by more than 90% since 2019, slashing the purchasing power of locals while the global shutdown drastically reduced exports.

Then in April, Saudi Arabia blocked imports of Lebanese agricultural products and food after a spike in drug smuggling that Saudi authorities said Lebanon had failed to address.

Lebanon says it has taken measures to address the problem since then, including several major drug busts.

Last week, Saudi Arabia and four other Gulf nations recalled their envoys to Lebanon and the Saudi foreign minister said the kingdom saw no point in re-engaging so long as Lebanon was dominated by Hezbollah.

Hezbollah have publicly backed Information Minister George Kordahi, whose comments sparked the latest row and who is under pressure from some politicians at home to step down.

This week, Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib called the Saudi demands impossible https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-says-it-wants-dialogue-with-riyadh-not-demands-about-hezbollah-2021-11-02 to meet, and urged Riyadh to resume talks with the government to resolve differences.

Lebanese business leaders have voiced growing frustration.

"Did we create Hezbollah? Do we have an arsenal of rockets? Why do we have to pay the price?" the head of a Lebanese company with over $1 million in exports to Saudi Arabia said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Some firms had been working to mend ties with Saudi Arabia when the new crisis erupted.

Lebanese businessman Joe Rizk, supply chain manager at Second House Products that makes spice blends and a variety of dry foods, met with the Saudi consul in Beirut the day before Kordahi's comments.

"We were trying to solve it any way possible, but things got complicated again," Rizk said from a factory on the outskirts of Beirut.

Before the ban, 20% of his products went to 700 restaurants in Saudi Arabia, Rizk said, and the company has been unable to find alternative buyers ahead of the Islamic holy month of fasting Ramadan next spring, usually peak season for them.

Now he says he is considering moving part of his production abroad, and worries about potential lay-offs.

"We end up paying the price for these very big issues. They're tired of it and we're tired of it," Rizk said, referring to Saudi and Lebanese people. "It's a loss for both, not just for us."

(Reporting by Timour Azhari; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Carey Price will be back with the Habs next week. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Montreal Canadiens star goaltender Carey Price is expected to rejoin the team on Monday following a 30-day stint in the NHLs player assistance program, the club announced Friday.

Dominique Ducharme indique que Carey Price sera de retour lundi pour rencontrer les therapeutes du club et developper un plan a suivre.



Dominique Ducharme confirms that Carey Price will rejoin the team on Monday to meet with athletic therapists and develop a plan moving forward. pic.twitter.com/7gPAxoVJl0  Canadiens Montreal (@CanadiensMTL) November 5, 2021

Price voluntarily entered the program in early October, right before the Habs were slated to start their season. No reason was given for his entry into the program.

"No matter what is on the line, we hope we can communicate the importance of putting your mental health first not just by saying it, but by showing up and doing the work to get better," Price's wife, Angela, wrote on Instagram at the time.

While the struggling Canadiens will welcome their superstar netminder back with open arms, the 34-year-old will take some time to get back into game shape before he's ready to hit the ice. Some work with Montreal's AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, is also possible.

Following a timid regular season last year, Price returned to Vezina Trophy-level goaltending in the 2021 playoffs, carrying the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. He sported a 2.28 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage during the improbable playoff run.

Story continues

Montreal has struggled immensely out of the gate in 2021-22, finding itself at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with six points and a 3-9-0 record. Jake Allen has seen the bulk of the work between the pipes so far this season, with Sam Montembeault also mixing in occasionally.

More from Yahoo Sports
The newest issue of local literary journal Barstow & Grand seeks to reinvent what it means to be a writer in northwestern Wisconsin.

With every new issue, if we can uncover some new pocket or perspective of experience that isnt what some people think of when they think upper Midwest, said founder and editor Eric Rasmussen, then I think we can continue to be a worthwhile reflection of the Chippewa Valley itself: a place rooted in tradition that is working to embrace the sorts of change so many of us in the literary world are working toward.

Barstow & Grand, an annual print journal founded and based in Eau Claire, was started in 2016 through the suggestion of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, which sought to expand their mission of supporting regional writers through craft talks, writing residencies, readings, and other high-impact initiatives.

In 2020, the publication expanded its scope to welcome submissions from all writers from the Upper Midwest  not exclusively those from the Chippewa Valley  to include more diverse perspectives and to reach out to more writers in the Midwest.

While the new issue  which makes its debut on Nov. 17  walks the ambiguous line between tradition and revolution, it explores countless themes and experiences  some playful, yet some haunting, as many around the community reflected on the remnants of a year spent in turmoil as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We like to joke about how important the weather becomes in our poetry, said Poetry Editor Kate Hinnant, but then you see that for one poet, the ice is exquisite, and for another, an absolute horror. We hope our journal becomes a place where these varied experiences can help us see more of the Chippewa Valley than meets the eye.

The latest issue also incorporates the Chippewa Valley Writers Guilds latest writing endeavor, the Hope Is the Thing project, which asked writers and non-writers throughout Wisconsin to offer their perspectives on what gives them hope amid dark times. The style of writing is based on world-renowned poet Emily Dickensons poem Hope is the thing with feathers.

Writing from the project also appears in the Wisconsin Historical Society Presss latest book, Hope is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic, which includes over 100 essays and poems.

The fifth issue of Barstow & Grand notably features more work from undergraduate students than ever before, in addition to showcasing the broadest and most diverse selection of subgenres yet, according to Chippewa Valley Writers Guild Founder and Director B.J. Hollars, including literary fiction, horror, fantasy, and a range of poetic forms.

I think the message were trying to send is simply: Theres a place for you here, Hollars said. Were trying hard not to pigeonhole the publication into a magazine that only publishes a particular type of voice or style.

And expanding their voice and style is integral to their growth as a literary journal.

I like to think Barstow & Grand is proof of the strength of our community, Rasmussen said. We include students next to professors next to lifelong local writers and folks whose connections to the area are a little more fleeting. We strive to serve as the metaphorical town square of our little literary settlement.

In response to the increased racial awareness and search for equity, Barstow & Grand recommitted itself to seeking out diverse stories  which can be an immense challenge when every submission is read blind, or without knowing the authors identification.

What makes this issue extraordinary, said Prose Editor Katy Hackworthy, and any issue, really, is seeing emerging voices trust us with their work. Art is a practice in vulnerability, and often an extension of ourselves, so I relish in providing a brave space for writers to take chances and express the deepest parts of themselves.

Snag a copy of the latest issue of Barstow & Grand at their release party at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at The Lazy Monk Brewing (97 W Madison St, Eau Claire). For more information about Barstow & Grand, visit barstowandgrand.com, check out their Facebook at facebook.com/barstowandgrand, or on Instagram at @barstow_and_grand.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Madison original American Girl Dolls was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday in recognition of its influence on the toy industry.

The strategy board game Risk and sand, which the group called perhaps the most universal and oldest toy in the world, were also inducted.

All three were honored during a ceremony at the hall after winning over a panel of experts who voted for them from a group of 12 finalists.

American Girls induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong (Museum of Play in Rochester, New York) is an incredible honor and further proof of the brands commitment to do good things for girls, Pleasant Rowland, founder of the doll company, said in a statement to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Im so proud of the American Girl family  past and present  who have been faithful stewards of this brand for more than three decades, helping to capture the hearts of an entire generation of girls, Rowland said. I cant think of anything more important.

Also in the running this year were four other competitive games: Battleship, The Settlers of Catan, Mahjong and billiards, as well as Cabbage Patch Kids, Masters of the Universe, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, the toy fire engine and the pinata.

Anyone can nominate a toy but to be considered, they must have withstood tests of time and memory, changed play or toy design and fostered learning, creativity or discovery.

Educator and local philanthropist Rowland founded what is now American Girl in 1986 in Downtown Madison before moving the company to Middleton. She retired in 2000, two years after selling the company for $700 million to toy giant Mattel. In 2012, American Girl sales hit a record $567.5 million.

According to the Toy Hall of Fame, American Girl Dolls were recognized for their exploration of the countrys social and cultural history. The 18-inch historical dolls and accompanying books each offer insights into an era. For example, Molly McIntire is waiting for her father to return home from World War II.

The Truly Me contemporary doll line, with its diversity of skin tones, hair and gender, followed in 1995, letting children choose a doll that looks like them.

Rowlands formula for combining doll play with history lessons worked, in her words, like chocolate cake with vitamins, Strong curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer said. In an era when some education experts claimed that school curriculums paid little attention to history, this toy may well have filled a void.

A year ago, Rowland was elected to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees are nominated and voted on by members of The Toy Association in recognition of their significant contributions to the industry and the impact they have had on the lives of children through a lifelong commitment to toys and play.

Community imprint

The American Girl creator also has forged a local legacy. As a philanthropist, Rowland has contributed enormous sums to support the arts, education and youth programs in Madison.

Within the past year alone, Rowlands gifts have included $5 million toward the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane Countys new regional workforce center, $14 million to One City Schools to build what will be called the Pleasant T. Rowland Leadership Campus on the citys South Side, and $10 million for a new transplant clinic at UW Hospital.

With her husband, fellow Madison philanthropist Jerome Frautschi, Rowland recently pledged $18 million to build a permanent home for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras on Madisons Near East Side. Rowland, a critical financial supporter of Downtown Madisons Overture Center for the Arts and its resident companies, also donated a lead gift of $20 million to build the newly opened MYArts youth arts center at 1055 E. Mifflin St.

The American Girl Benefit Sale  Rowlands brainchild  has raised tens of millions of dollars to support the Madison Childrens Museum and other organizations serving children in Dane County, and has become an annual pilgrimage for American Girl doll fans.

Other inductees

Risk, based on the French game Le Conquete du Monde, was first published in the United States in 1959 and continues to influence other board games, hall officials said. It challenges players to control armies and conquer the world on a game board that is a map of continents.

Risk became one of the most popular board games of all time, inspiring a new corps of passionate gamers, and influencing other games which began the war-gaming hobby  and by extension the Euro-games like The Settlers of Catan that many enjoy today, curator Nicolas Ricketts said.

Sand was honored for its opportunities for tactical, physical, cooperative, creative, and independent free play, according to the hall of fame.

Children recognize sand as a creative material suitable for pouring, scooping, sieving, raking, and measuring, it said. Wet sand is even better, ready for kids to construct, shape, and sculpt.

Although some playthings can only be found online or in certain stores, sand has a global reach that most toy manufacturers would envy, chief curator Christopher Bensch said. Its been a vehicle for play since prehistory, and anyone who has spent the day at the beach can understand the allure of this toy.

The class of 2021 joins 74 previous honorees.

State Journal reporter Gayle Worland contributed to this report.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The head of the Wisconsin Republican Party said he believes the state's 2022 ticket will include U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, who has yet to formally announce if he plans to seek another term next year.

Speaking with reporters Friday, state Republican Party chair Paul Farrow said he's confident other potential GOP candidates waiting in the wings would be able to ensure Republicans hold onto the U.S. Senate seat if Johnson, R-Oshkosh, does not run for reelection.

"I think they would be formidable opponents if Sen. Johnson decides not to run, but I am hanging my hat that I think he is going to run for reelection and will be able to be a strong voice for us in the U.S. Senate moving forward," Farrow said.

Johnson's office had not responded to a request for comment Friday. A late entry into the 2022 race wouldn't be unusual for Johnson, who waited until late April 2010 before announcing his bid for that year's November general election.

If Johnson  who reported raising about $906,000 between July and September of this year  does run again, he may face a challenging midterm election that does not bode well for incumbents, according to a Marquette Law School Poll released earlier this week.

The poll found that 38% said they would definitely or probably vote for Johnson if those elections were held today. Fifty-two percent said they would vote for someone other than Johnson, and 10% said they don't know or declined to answer.

Republican National Committee regional communications director Chris Walker downplayed incumbent-related concerns raised in the poll, adding that recent polling in Virginia and New Jersey drastically downplayed what ultimately ended up showing big Republican gains in both states earlier this week, with Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Younkin's win in Virginia and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's narrow victory in New Jersey. President Joe Biden carried both states by considerable margins in 2020 and, in Wisconsin, he won last year by less than 1 percentage point.

"I feel confident that a Republican would be able to mount a very strong and serious and winning campaign given the environment that were seeing both in Wisconsin and nationally," Walker said.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said it's well understood that next year's midterms will be "a tough fight." But he added that Democrats are energized heading into what will be a pivotal election for the party as they try to secure a second term for Gov. Tony Evers and prevent Republicans, who hold the state Senate and Assembly and have supported a majority of Supreme Court justices, from controlling all levels of state government.

Currently, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is the most prominent Republican seeking to oust Evers.

Small-business owner and entrepreneur Jonathan Wichmann also is running, while Republicans Adam Fischer, James Kellen and Leonard Larson Jr. also have filed paperwork to run.

Former President Donald Trump last month called on retired U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy to enter Wisconsin's 2022 gubernatorial race. Duffy lists New Jersey as his state of residence and has not indicated any plans to run in Wisconsin.

Other Republicans considering a gubernatorial run include former businessman and four-term state Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview, and former U.S. Marine Kevin Nicholson, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2018.

Nicholson has said he is planning to run for either governor or U.S. Senate but is awaiting a decision from Johnson on his 2022 plans.

Democratic candidates seeking to unseat Johnson include Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry. Other Democrats in the race include Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, Millennial Action Project founder Steven Olikara, Wausau physician Gillian Battino, Milwaukee Ald. Chantia Lewis and state emergency management administrator Darrell Williams.

The deadline to register as a candidate for the 2022 general election is June 1, leaving plenty of time for more names to be added to the ballot.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Friday felt historic to UW-Madison senior Paige Skenandore. It also felt long overdue.

A little after 10:30 a.m., UW-Madison raised the Ho-Chunk Nation flag above Bascom Hall, marking the first time that the university flew another nations flag with the U.S. flag and state flag.

I think this is a great first step, said Skenandore, who grew up on a reservation in northern Wisconsin and is one of roughly 100 Native American students on campus. Its been a long time coming. Its kind of shocking that it hasnt happened before.

Brenda Neff, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation who attended the flag-raising, never imagined such a welcoming event from the university whose land is the ancestral home of her tribe. She said shed like to see the flag flying atop Bascom every day.

Ho-Chunk Nation Chief Clayton Winneshiek told attendees the flag-raising was a start.

UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said the flag-raising is more than a symbolic gesture but part of an ongoing commitment to educate and acknowledge the states tribes and their sovereignty.

For many years, UWMadison was not mindful of this history, and we paid little attention to our relationship with the descendants of those who were here long before us, she told a crowd of at least a couple hundred. But we are working to change that.

Ignorance to awareness

Almost 190 years ago, the U.S. government and Ho-Chunk Nation signed the Treaty of 1832, which forced the tribe to cede, or give up, territory that includes the UW-Madison campus. The Ho-Chunk had lived in this area for some 12,000 years.

The treaty arose after the Black Hawk War, a conflict that came about when the Sauk, another tribe, attempted to reoccupy their homelands that were near Ho-Chunk land. The U.S. won the war, which had spilled over into Ho-Chunk territory and even though the Ho-Chunk were largely decentralized and did not take part in the conflict, the government forced the tribe to cede some of its land, according to UW-Madison history Professor Stephen Kantrowitz.

If there is significant bloodshed on (the Ho-Chunks) territory, the U.S. will use that to extract concessions in the form of land, and thats exactly what happens, said Kantrowitz, who teaches in the Afro-American Studies and American Indian Studies departments. They terrorized that treaty out of the delegation.

The 1832 treaty was supposed to provide the Ho-Chunk with $10,000 a year for 27 years, but Kantrowitz said the government used the threat of withholding yearly payments to coerce the tribe into signing more treaties, including the Treaty of 1837, which ceded all remaining Ho-Chunk land.

In 2019, UW-Madison dedicated a new sign on Bascom Hill that recognizes the campus as the ancestral home of the Ho-Chunk tribe. Blank said the marker would begin to move the campus from ignorance to awareness.

Land-grab university

UW-Madisons ties to Native American land go beyond the Ho-Chunk nation.

President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 signed the Morrill Act, which gave states public land on the condition that the land be sold or used for profit and the proceeds be used to establish at least one agricultural college.

High Country News, a media outlet that covers the American West, drew attention to this arrangement and specifically to how land taken from tribal nations was turned into a source of funding for 52 land-grant universities, including UW-Madison.

Titled Land-grab universities, the story that was published last year traced more than 99% of the Morrill Act acres to its original Indigenous inhabitants and found the U.S. took almost 11 million acres of land from nearly 250 tribes, bands and communities, often through coercion or violence, and turned it into endowments for universities that continue to generate profits.

Chances are you have heard land acknowledgements recited at many of these universities, formal statements that recognize the Indigenous peoples who formerly possessed the lands those colleges now stand on, the story said. What many of these statements miss is that land-grant universities were built not just on Indigenous land, but with Indigenous land.

Wisconsin received 235,530 acres from the Morrill Act, all of which was located in the northern half of the state and obtained through treaties with the Menominee and the Ojibwe, according to the reports findings. The U.S. government paid a total of $12,449 for the land and Wisconsin was able to sell all but 40 acres for $303,439 by 1912.

Documents from the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, the state agency responsible for managing revenue from the Morrill Act lands, largely confirm the numbers cited in the report. The boards executive secretary, Tom German, said money from the land sales was put into a fund to benefit the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. Over the past five years, the fund has paid out an average of $10,811 annually, documents show.

After the Wisconsin State Journal this summer began asking UW-Madison questions about how the college spends this money, university officials did their own research and found the money has been held in a University of Wisconsin System fund for more than two decades, UW-Madison spokesperson Meredith McGlone said. Staff were unable to determine why that change occurred.

UW-Madison invests far more than $10,811 annually in supporting Native students, McGlone said, but the university recognizes the symbolic and practical value of the money and is open to ideas on how it could be allocated.

Unheard, unwelcome

For decades, thousands of UW-Madison students navigated the campus with little awareness of the states Indigenous history  an omission UW-Madison tribal relations director Aaron Bird Bear said was intentional.

The organizing principle and goal of all settler colonial societies is replacement, he said. The settler colonial education model is one that does its best to obscure the Indigeneity of any place.

On a campus as large as UW-Madison, where Native students number in the dozens, they can often feel unsafe, unheard and unwelcome.

A lot of Native students have a lot of trauma both from home and from campus and it makes navigating classroom spaces 1,000 times more difficult, said fifth-year senior Giselle Monette, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa from North Dakota.

A freshman orientation exercise, for example, was deeply unsettling for Monette when the question of whether it was appropriate to dress as a Native American for Halloween came up. Most students said they had no issue with it. She tried explaining to the group why it was problematic but said a staff member shut down the discussion instead of helping her educate students about cultural competency.

A lot of time its me alone or me with a few other Native students advocating and defending to a much larger group of people, she said. Its never an equal fight.

Skenandore has felt the same way, remembering a class exercise one day when someone in her group asked when she had become a U.S. citizen. Congress extended U.S. citizenship to all Native people including those born on reservations almost a century ago.

That was a hard one, she said. That will live with me forever.

Education efforts

UW-Madison is attempting to engage in a course correction, trying to educate students about the uncomfortable truths behind the state and universitys history.

James Flores, an Oneida tribal nation member who works as a UW-Madison admissions counselor, appreciates the push to promote awareness.

When it comes to the Indigenous presence in this country, I think the United States is in a perpetual state of historical amnesia, he said. We have to continuously reassert ourselves into the historical narrative. If we are acknowledging this historical narrative, there has to be a commitment to action.

Recent efforts to educate the campus about its past include the formation of an Indigenous language revitalization group, the creation of a series of classes for incoming freshmen that focus on Native land use and food systems and the launch of a working group called Native Nations UW that has held listening sessions with tribes across Wisconsin. The university hired a full-time tribal relations director, a part-time Indigenous education coordinator and two positions directly serving Indigenous students.

More initiatives are underway, such as an Indigenous research center and a public history project.

I do think the university is taking good first steps, whether it may be a few decades or century late, Skenandore, a member of the Oneida Nation, said. These are all small baby steps. Its good but considering the history and everything Indigenous people have experienced, its hard to close that gap.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison executive director Dan Brown struck a slightly more optimistic note. He saw the flag-raising as a fantastic step for the community to understand Ho-Chunk people as the original inhabitants of the region.

Its been a long time with us being invisible, he said.

Some colleges waive tuition One way other colleges have supported Native American students is by covering the cost of their tuition. The University of Michigan has offered waivers to all Michigan tribal residents since 1976. The University of Minnesota earlier this month announced that it would offer state tribal members free or reduced tuition beginning next fall. In Wisconsin, a tuition waiver policy for tribal members would require both legislative and UW System approval. Gov. Tony Evers included a provision allowing students from federally recognized tribes to receive in-state tuition in his 2021-23 state budget proposal, but it did not make it through the legislative process. A similar bipartisan bill in the 2019 session failed to gain traction. Spokespeople for Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, didn't respond to a question asking if they support tuition waivers for the state's Native students. Some Wisconsin tribal members may already receive support through Buckys Tuition Promise, a UW-Madison scholarship that covers tuition and fees for all Wisconsin families with incomes below $60,000. UW-Madison student Giselle Monette, who is a member of a tribe in North Dakota, supports tuition waivers as a way to "repair some of the systemic damage that our families have experienced for a long time."  Kelly Meyerhofer

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Lee Enterprises will be carrying a live blog of events in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, which began with jury selection Monday and opening statements Tuesday.

Rittenhouse, 18, shot two people and wounded a third during a night of unrest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020. His attorneys contend he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors have portrayed him as an instigator.

Lee Enterprises/Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith is reporting from inside the Kenosha County Courthouse, with reporting on this page augmented by remote staff.

More coverage:

4:29 p.m.: Moretti testimony concludes. Trial over for the week.

4:17 p.m.: Moretti, like many others, described the area as "like a warzone," as cross-examination begins.

3:57 p.m.: Officer Van Wie steps down from the witness stand. Now up is Officer Pep Moretti, who was on patrol night of shootings.

Moretti said in responding to shootings, he and his partner only had handguns and "were not equipped" to go into what they believed to be an "active shooter" situation. So, Moretti pulled the squad car to the side, allowing armored vehicles to move closer to the scenes of the shootings.

Moretti said he saw Rittenhouse running toward the officers' vehicles. "He was approaching us." Moretti and partner "gave him multiple commands to get out of the roadway" by yelling out through the window. Moretti said it didn't occur to him at the time that Rittenhouse was trying to surrender. "I've never in my career had somebody put their hands up but continue to advance and not obey orders and continue to advance on us."

Moretti's partner "deployed pepper spray" at Rittenhouse when he continued to not follow orders and walk up to the vehicle; Moretti says he may have pointed his firearm at Rittenhouse but can't recall exactly, other than remembering he did pull his firearm.

Moretti believes there were "more people armed than not" throughout the civil unrest. "I probably talked to more people that had pistols and weapons and baseball bats and whatnot." Moretti said he and his partner told everyone they encountered and talked to "to go home."

Moretti says that an officer down call went out after the shootings, but it ended up being false. The hospital was going into lockdown soon after shootings.

Moretti said he was one of the ones who put Rosenbaum into a body bag and brought his body to the hospital morgue.

The body armor Moretti was wearing, he says, would not have been able to sustain a rifle round. Moretti said a full-metal jacket round would go through his body armor "like he was wearing nothing."

Moretti testifies he was unable to hear people yelling that Rittenhouse had "just shot them." Moretti adds that he saw Rittenhouse "manipulate" his rifle twice as he walked up, increasing their fear he may mean them harm. A voice is heard in video yelling "Get out of the road!" to Rittenhouse, whose hands are up; Moretti said the person yelling is either himself or his partner  they both were yelling, so Moretti can't tell who is yelling at which moment.

3:53 p.m.: Cross-examination begins on Van Wie. Officer confirms he "didn't know much" about the case when he swabbed it for DNA, and that Van Wie is the one who decided where to swab. Van Wie says he was never told to swab more parts of the gun, such as the barrel of the gun that the defense has implied Rosenbaum may have grabbed hold of.

The swabbing was done on Aug. 26, the day after the shootings, Van Wie said.

3:41 p.m.: Weidner testimony concludes. Kenosha Officer Jeffrey Van Wie now on the stand. He's been with the KPD for 18 years.

He processed and secured evidence from Rittenhouse shootings.

Van Wie says the caliber of the 22 unfired bullets inside Rittenhouse's gun were .223 and were of multiple different brands.

3:22 p.m.: Called to the stand is Erich Weidner. He is a Kenosha Police officer, testifying in his police uniform. He's been a cop for more than 20 years. He was working the night of the shootings.

3:21 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri's testimony ends.

2:54 p.m.: Cross-examination begins.

Sam testifies Car Source was insured. Sam says he didn't give anyone permission to be on property; Dominick Black said the opposite when he testified Tuesday.

As Car Source was burning the night before the Rittenhouse shootings, Sam says he didn't ask anyone to help put out fires other than calling 911.

Defense brings up statement Sam reportedly made to police on Sept. 11. Sam said Rittenhouse had "offered to help and fundraise" for your business.

Sam testifies he never gave a ladder to anyone to get on the roof of Car Source.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi is clearly frustrated with the witness. The defense has been arguing that Rittenhouse and others were explicitly asked to defend Car Source property, which the Khindris are denying.

When Chirafisi asks if the family that runs Car Source was "resigned" to let destruction happen for another night the night of Aug. 25, Sam replies "After seeing the destruction, there's nothing I could do."

Sam says he can't answer many of the questions, that he doesn't remember how many cars were burned, how much was lost in terms of money, that he doesn't remember interviews he gave to news outlets. "I'm sorry, it's been over a year," he says.

Sam's father, the owner of Car Source, "does not speak much English."

2:30 p.m.: Break.

2:07 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri called to the stand. He is Car Source's inventory manager. Car Source, and the associated Car Doctor, are owned by his dad.

Sam says he didn't talk to anyone asking them to protect Car Source, including Kyle Rittenhouse. After that is confirmed, the text message shown earlier is shown again. Prosecutor asks Sam if he'd seen the message before, to which Sam replies "it was the day after the shooting." Sam says he never replied to the message.

The timestamp on the message was 3:02 p.m. and appears to have been sent on the day of the shootings.

Sam identifies one of the men in the photo that includes his brother and Car Source's ex-detailer, identified as "Nick Smith," who had not worked for the business for some time.

Sam says he talked to Rittenhouse at the burned up Car Source lot earlier in the day. Sam says he recalls Rittenhouse talking about potential fundraising opportunities. Sam says he gave his phone number to Rittenhouse, as he did to many others the day of.

Sam says he doesn't recall asking anybody to protect Car Source locations, including Rittenhouse. Sam says he didn't give keys to anyone so they could get into the buildings. Sam says he didn't give permission to anyone to go inside any of the Car Source buildings or give permission to protect them.

Prosecutor asks if Sam was aware that armed men "took it on themselves" to guard Car Source, and Sam says he wasn't. He says he didn't know about it until he saw it on the news the next day.

1:59 p.m.: A text message is shown from someone identifying themself as "Kyle" to Khindri's brother offering to protect business. Kyle offered to be there armed with his brother; Kyle Rittenhouse considers Dominick Black, who admitted to having bought the AR-15 for Rittenhouse, his brother.

Khindri is asked why he was in the photo with the armed people, Khindri said he was the one who requested the photo. He said he'd never seen anything like it, other than "on TV."

Khindri said the armed people said they were there to "protect Kenosha" but doesn't recall them saying they were there to protect Car Source specifically.

1:43 p.m.: Former Car Source employee Sahil "Sal" Khindri, who owns the Car Planet dealership in Milwaukee and whose families runs Car Source, called to testify.

He testifies that he never has spoken with Rittenhouse or met him. He said he never personally asked for Rittenhouse to protect the family's businesses. But he did posed with armed men outside Car Source, including Rittenhouse and Ryan Balch.

On cross-examination, defense asks Khindri if he asked them to leave. Khindri responds by noting the guns the group had. Khindri said that Balch "got dressed" in front of me, "putting on the fancy shoes." Defense asks "You didn't think they were there to harm you?" and Khindri confirmed he didn't feel threatened. One of the people there, Khindri said, is or was an employee of his brother who helps run Car Source.

Khindri confirms that the armed people wouldn't have been able to get into the buildings unless a current employee allowed them in.

Khindri said he recalls there was no conversation between him and the armed people asking them to protect the businesses, but that Khindri's brother might have had such a conversation.

1:39 p.m.: Swart is dismissed.

1:28 p.m.: Swart to be questioned regarding the medications her fiance was taking and prescribed prior to his death. "I only know some of them. I don't know all of them," Swart says of Rosenbaum's medications. She says they were for "bipolar disorder" and that he was on an "anti-depressant" and "something for sleep." She confirms Rosenbaum was taking gabapentin for bipolar disorder, per her recollection. She recalls Rosenbaum also taking Effexor and Seroquel.

Judge Schroeder says prosecution "did open the door" to questioning on Rosenbaum's medications.

Swart says Rosenbaum was on the same medications for "the whole year I was with him."

1:22 p.m.: Cross-examination of Swart paused before it begins. Jury being taken out of the room so lawyers can openly discuss something related to a line of inquiry the defense wants to pursue.

1:03 p.m.: Now on the witness stand is Kariann Swart, who said that Joseph Rosenbaum is her fiance. She's an Illinois native.

They got to know one another while homeless and started a romantic relationship within a few days of meeting. "He was a very animated person," she says of him.

Swart says Rosenbaum is from Waco, Texas, but moved up to Kenosha to be with his then-girlfriend and child.

Swart says when she got the call from the Medical Examiner at around 4 a.m. that Rosenbaum was dead "I fell to my knees and cried." She then opened up Facebook on her phone and saw the video of her fiance being killed. "I can't get that image out of my head."

12:58 p.m.: Jury called back into room.

A couple questions of Huber's aunt, then she steps down at 1:02 p.m.

12:45 p.m.: After lunch break, trial resumes.

Discussion for about 13 minutes over bringing in history on Anthony Huber's character.

11:04 a.m.: Amber Rasmussen with the State Crime Lab testifying.

She testifies that Huber's DNA was not found on Rittenhouse's gun, but that doesn't mean he didn't touch it.

11 a.m.: Lackowski testified he encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the night, described him as shouting "shoot me, shoot me" and making aggressive moves toward people, but said he did not find him threatening.

"And if I threaten to kill you that night and Im running at you and try to take your gun?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked Lackowski, describing what the defense says was Rosenbaum's behavior before Rittenhouse shot him. "A threat to my life, yes," he answered

After a state crime lab DNA analyst, next witness up will be Susan Hughes, Anthony Huber's aunt.

She testifies that she was close with Anthony Huber and saw him frequently, including on the day of his death. When prosecutor James Kraus asks her if she was surprised that Huber would "run toward danger" defense objects, setting off a legal argument. State argues for their ability to provide evidence to rebut the idea that Huber was the first aggressor. In his opening statement, defense attorney Richard accused Huber of trying to decapitate Rittenhouse with his skateboard. The state's view is that Huber, Grosskreutz and others believed Rittenhouse, who had just killed Rosenbaum, was an active shooter when they tried to stop him. "The state frankly believes that Mr. Huber is a hero," Kraus said.

Judge Schroeder appears to take the defense's view that the aunt should not be allowed to testify on the issue, but said he will make a decision after the lunch break.

10:26 a.m.: Break

9:30 a.m.: Before testimony begins for the day, another juror is dismissed at her request. The juror requested the dismissal for medical reasons, and attorneys for both sides did not object.

Prosecutor Thomas Binger also lets Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder know that he was captured on a live mic during one of the breaks in proceedings the day before. Schroeder acknowledges that he had remarked on the length of the proceedings, and there has been communication with video pool provider CourtTV about avoiding this in the future.

Binger then begins questioning of Jason Lackowski of Green Bay, who is identified as a Marine, who was one of the armed individuals with Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020.

Lackowski says he came to the city to protect property. Asked by Binger how he planned to do that, he says he was trained to "shout, shove, show (a firearm) and shoot."

Seconds after the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, video shows Lackowski encountered Rittenhouse; he said Rittenhouse looked "frazzled, shocked," and said he did not shoot anybody. Lackowski told Rittenhouse to run to the police.

Lackowski testified he was the one who provided the tourniquet that was applied to Gaige Grosskreutz.

Lackowski said that people at the scene after the shootings suspected he had been the person who shot others because he was holding an AR-15 and was wearing a shirt of similar color to the one Rittenhouse was wearing.

Lackowski said he gave some medical supplies to Rittenhouse earlier in the night, including "quick clot"  medical gauze used to stop severe bleeding.

Lackowski said soon after the first shooting, he "blacked out" due to the stress of the situation. "The lights on, nobody's home."

Lackowski testifies that he emptied the magazine and chamber of the handgun Gaige Grosskreutz had been holding when he was shot by Rittenhouse. As such, the gun was ready to fire when Grosskreutz was shot, according to Lackowski.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi confirms that Lackowski was never directly threatened or "ambushed" by anyone that night, a point the defense is making in its argument that Rittenhouse had reason to shoot others.

Lackowski said that he drove his car to Kenosha that night. When he went to drive home, he said he found his windshield and rear window were smashed in.

9 a.m. Witness testimony is set to continue this morning in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.

Jurors on Thursday heard from witnesses who testified that rapid sequence in which Rittenhouse shot three men was set off by the confrontational behavior of the first man, who threatened to kill Rittenhouse and others in his group and later grabbed for the 17-year-old's weapon right before he was shot.

The testimony came from two witnesses who were called to the stand by the prosecution but gave accounts often more favorable to the defense in the politically polarizing case.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The onetime youth police cadet from Antioch, Illinois, had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of a Black man.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording events on a cellphone that night for the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man shot that night, was killed after chasing down Rittenhouse and making a lunge for the gun.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.

The shooting of Rosenbaum set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later. Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard.

Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, a protester from West Allis, Wisconsin, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward Rittenhouse.

Prosecutors replayed widely seen video of the interview that The Daily Caller did with Rittenhouse before the shooting.

It began with Rittenhouse in front of a boarded-up building, where he said he and other men were there to protect this business, and part of my job is theres somebody hurt, Im running into harms way. He also said he was there to provide medical aid.

Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted.  Associated Press

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Listed energy giant Aboitiz Power Corporation would have its net-zero vision blueprint ready in the next six months as it pushes the envelope for the country to wean off fossil fuel reliance, the companys top official said on Thursday.

Aboitiz Power joins the growing global list of companies that have set a target of net-zero carbon emissions  a goal that may be challenging for many given that crude oil, coal and natural gas supply most of the energy used in the world.

The Manila-listed energy giant earlier sold a 27% stake to Japans JERA Co., Inc. in a $1.58-billion deal that allows Aboitiz to tap Japanese expertise in alternative energy sources.

Aboitiz wants to increase its clean energy portfolio to 4,600 megawatts by 2030 without new coal plants, so that its portfolio mix will be an equal balance between renewable and thermal capacities.

We have a path. We have a roadmap. And the first milestone is the 2030 declaration of Aboitiz Power that we have 50:50 balance between renewables and thermal. And beyond that, were evaluating what are the technologies available, Aboitiz Power president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Rubio said in a virtual briefing Thursday night.

We will be ready to come up with our net-zero vision within the next six months, he added.

Rubio also said the Philippines can learn from the experience of Europe, which transitioned far too quickly from traditional energy sources to renewables and shut down thermal plants but recommissioned these plants in the United Kingdom and Germany amid a global energy crunch.

What the situation in Europe is telling us is that we really need to make sure that we come up and develop a transition policy that will actually allow us to manage the consequences of a fast-paced conversion to renewables, the Aboitiz Power executive said.

For the Philippines, important really is to be realistic, be pragmatic about the situation. We believe that the future needs decarbonized. But lets understand how were going to transition towards that. And really have a manageable plan, a realistic plan  something that will allow us, the country, to continue to deliver needed energy to feed economic growth. And not just realize one day we wake up all of a sudden [to] the shortage of electricity, he pointed out.

Aboitizs net-zero vision will be consistent with its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals.

Whats important for us, for Aboitiz and Aboitiz Power, is to understand what net zero really looks like. We do can say we will shut down our coal plants in 2040, 2045 because most of our coal plants, if not all, have useful life up to 2040, 2045. Fully depreciated by that time. The problem is after that, what then? Rubio said.

So we want to present a plan something that we really understand and not just come up with a declaration that we may not be able to achieve, he added.
(CNN) -- As a lawyer whose job involves lots of talking and being the center of attention, Jeena Cho's fear of socializing was debilitating.

"I would constantly mentally critique my own performance," said Cho, who is also a mindfulness instructor and coauthor of "The Anxious Lawyer: An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation."

"If I had to go into a hearing and I can feel my face was getting red, my palms are sweaty ... I would think, 'Oh, my gosh, everyone in the courtroom is going to know that you're super anxious. And you're going to freeze and you're going to forget what you're going to say,'" Cho said. "Of course, all of those thoughts would then retrigger all the physiological reactions, then my heart would race even faster."

After being diagnosed with social anxiety in 2011, Cho learned that researchers had been studying the potential for mindfulness practices, such as meditation, to help reduce fear responses like hers. According to studies from 2015 and 2020, some students have successfully used mindfulness-based stress reduction programs to lessen their fears of academic evaluation, which interfered with their abilities to study. People who struggled with social phobias or fears related to post-traumatic stress also benefited from mindfulness training, according to research published in 2010 and 2017, respectively.

Feeling her fears had kept her world very small, Cho signed up for an eight-week mindfulness-based stress-reduction program at Stanford University to try to change her life.

A new outlook on fear

With the help of two hours' worth of mindfulness classes weekly, daily 45-minute meditations and homework that challenged rigid beliefs, Cho learned how to distance herself from fearful thoughts and to be kinder to herself.

"My mind says, 'You have a hearing tomorrow, and you're going to be terrible at the hearing and you're going to lose, and if you lose, your clients are going to sue you for malpractice. And then you're going to become disbarred, and you're going to become homeless,'" Cho said. "I was able to look at that thought and be like, 'Oh, you know what, that's just mental conditioning. That's just some thoughts that my mind made up somewhere along the line, but there's no evidence for it.'"

It's not that she doesn't experience fear or anxiety anymore, but her response to them has changed.

"I can recognize those thoughts as just random thoughts that my mind was making up," Cho added. "I would go, 'Oh, yeah, my mind is doing that catastrophic thinking again. What's the more helpful thought that I can have?'"

Adults who did four weeks of guided mindfulness meditation training using the smartphone app Headspace saw similar results. They had an easier time overcoming their fear reactions in comparison to a control group that didn't go through mindfulness training, according to a small 2019 study.

Headspace let the participants use the app's 10- to 20-minute daily guided meditations for free and provided adherence data to the researchers, but otherwise didn't have any further involvement in the study, according to the study's authors.

The findings suggested that "mindfulness training appears to improve the retention of fear extinction memories," said the study's first author Johannes Bjorkstrand, a researcher in psychology at Lund University in Sweden. In other words, fear extinction is the brain's ability to form and save memories that tell it a once-feared situation is now safe.

How mindfulness changes minds

Cho's experience, backed up by all these studies, was that practicing mindfulness helped her to restructure a negative mindset or to stop expecting the worst possible outcome in every situation.

Most find the practice of intentionally focusing one's awareness on their breathing, bodily sensations and emotions helpful for regulating overthinking, fear and shame, according to the 2015 study on college students with fears of academic evaluation.

The eight-week mindfulness course the students took gave them calm "and made them feel more accepting towards themselves and their anxiety problems," said Aslak Hjeltnes, the study's first author, via email. "The participants started using mindfulness when they were distracted by anxious feelings in academic performance situations. Some participants described a gradual shift in their everyday life, where they experienced less fear and more curiosity in their own academic studies."

"I have a way to bring myself back down to earth and just tell myself that 'It's no big deal, now I can just go and do the exercises, and then it will be fine afterwards,'" one study participant told the researchers.

For people who still feel fear in response to certain situations, mindfulness can help them stay or sit with these experiences and learn they can cope through them, said Auretta Sonia Kummar, a clinical psychology doctoral student at Murdoch University in Australia, via email. "It is the regulation of emotions, and hence, also the regulation of behaviour (i.e., how I intentionally respond to the fear stimulus as opposed to automatically react to it)."

And the effects of this type of training can be long-lasting. "Neuroscientific studies indicate that eight weeks of (mindfulness-based stress reduction) training can lead to changes in the brain, for example in reduced activity in the amygdala, one of the neural systems that processes fear," Hjeltnes, an associate professor in clinical psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway, said.

Consistently confronting fears with mindfulness on a regular basis is important for the practice to work, Hjeltnes said.

Several years after Cho's first experience with mindfulness training, the practice is still critical for her. "I realized that these tools and techniques are really things that I think everyone can benefit from," Cho said. "I started teaching it to other lawyers, and then I wrote the book 'The Anxious Lawyer.'

"Every time I have to give a talk, I definitely still feel anxious. I still notice the little butterflies in my stomach, my heart races a little bit faster," she added. "But I'm able to recognize those physiological reactions as my body's way of letting me know that I'm about to do something important."

Now that intense anxiety is in her rearview mirror, Cho said she experiences the world differently. "I will definitely stop and smell the roses when I see them, look up at the sky, look at the clouds go by," she said. "I'm able to just enjoy the day-to-day, momentary experiences of joy."

This story was first published on CNN.com "One habit could reduce your fears of public speaking, criticism, failure and more".
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Minors in the National Capital Region may now go outside their homes and travel, Malacanang announced on Friday.

"Pinapayagan na po lumabas ang mga bata sa Metro Manila under Alert Level 2. Pwede na ang intrazonal at interzonal movement," Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual briefing.

[Translation: Children are now allowed to go out in Metro Manila under Alert Level 2. Intrazonal and interzonal movement is now allowed.]

Roque, however, clarified that local governments may still impose "reasonable restrictions" that must not be tighter than the guidelines under Alert Level 2.

Under this alert level, minors are also allowed in indoor establishments along with fully vaccinated individuals, regardless of their own inoculation status.

Peryas (funfairs) and kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playrooms, and kiddie rides may now open their doors as well under Alert Level 2.

Previously, minors and those belonging to vulnerable sectors were only allowed outdoors for essential activities. Intrazonal and interzonal travel were also only allowed "subject to reasonable restrictions based on age and comorbidities" as determined by local government units under Alert Level 3.

The Palace announced late Thursday that NCR will ease to Alert Level 2 from Nov. 5 to 21 as COVID-19 cases have significantly gone down.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, explained why Metro Manila's alert level assessment period did not fall within the 15th or 30th of the month as assigned by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for escalation or de-escalation.

"Nung atin pong napagdesisyunan ngayon, naka-dalawang linggo na po sila [NCR] sa Alert Level 3 . That's why it was already decided by IATF that they can already be deescalated," she said.

[Translation: By the time we decided on the matter, NCR was already under Alert Level 3 for two weeks.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5) If he gets elected as president in next year's polls, Senator Ping Lacson said Friday he would push for a change in the national government's conditional cash transfer program to bring back the 'dignity' of beneficiaries.

Lacson's proposal looks like this: Instead of just receiving grants, beneficiaries will have to earn the money they will get under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). They will also get a bigger amount than what they are currently receiving. The 4Ps now offers eligible poor households the following grants:

-500 monthly per household for health and nutrition expenses

-3000 for one school year or 10 months or P300 monthly per child for educational expenses

-1,400 monthly subsidy for each household with three qualified children

"Hindi ko sinasabing masama ang 4Ps. Ang sinasabi ko lang, kailangan ireinvent natin in such a way 'pag namigay tayo, kailangan mayroong purpose. Hindi 'yung talagang forever na ayuda," the presidential aspirant said during his visit to his home province Cavite.

[Translation: I am not saying 4Ps is bad. What I am saying is we need to reinvent it in such a way that there has to be a purpose when we give away money. We cannot provide cash aid forever.]

"Bakit hindi natin ilatag na 'yung 4Ps dagdagan natin pero pagtrabahuhan nila bilang mga say, even barangay tanod, barangay health workers o ibang makakatulong sa program ng gobyerno nang sa ganon, mayroon silang dignidad," he added.

[Translation: Why don't we lay the 4Ps down in such a way that we will give them more money, but they have to work for it as village safety officers, village health workers, or provide other services helpful to government programs, so they will have dignity.]

He said the problem with the current setup is, sometimes, the cash assistance from 4Ps is spent on gambling.

Lacson said if the amount is raised  say from 2,000 to 5,000  and they have to work for it, beneficiaries would think they earned the money so they will spend it wisely and not waste it.

Other proposals

The presidential hopeful also vowed to address "wastages" and "leakages" in the national budget so that the government debt will not climb further.

The country's total debt pile reached a record high of 11.91 trillion in September.

He also vowed to go after corrupt government officials.

PH generated 30B in savings

Aside from election promises, Lacson also highlighted what he said was one of his achievements as senator for almost two decades.

"Umabot hanggang 30 bilyon sa loob ng 17 taon, ang natipid ng ating gobyerno, ng ating bansa dahil sa kabubusisi namin ng budget, katulong ko ang aking mga staff," Lacson claimed.

[Translation: Our government, our country saved up to P30 billion in 17 years because of my continued scrutiny of the budget, with the help of my staff.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 4)  President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered the acquisition of three more aircraft for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), citing the need to fortify maritime security and improve search and rescue operations.

He gave the directive to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during the inauguration of the PCG Kalayaan Station and the seaport expansion project in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

"What is very urgent for you, 'yung eroplano mo na 'yung Cessna, kulang 'yun, 'yung isa," Duterte said, addressing the PCG. "I'm ordering Secretary Tugade to buy mga tatlong eroplano pa, so apat, okay na 'yan."

[Translation: What is very urgent for you, your one Cessna aircraft, that's not enough. I'm ordering Secretary Tugade to buy three more airplanes, for a total of four, which would be enough.]

In his speech, the President noted that the coast guard has been expanding its presence in the West Philippine Sea "to safeguard" Filipino fishermen's livelihood amid the long-standing maritime dispute with China.

"As President, I assure you that we will uphold our territorial integrity no matter what the circumstance is," added Duterte, who has been criticized for his apparent soft stance on Chinese incursions in Philippine waters.

Duterte also pointed out that buying more aircraft would enhance the uniformed service's capability to respond to emergency situations, such as marine incidents.

The PCG earlier said it is recruiting additional personnel and preparing more assets to strengthen its functions.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The country's total number of COVID-19 deaths surpassed 44,000 on Friday after 260 more people lost their lives, the Department of Health reported.

The DOH said in its latest case bulletin that 44,085 people have died due to COVID-19, which comprises 1.58% of the total number of cases.

The nationwide case tally is at 2,797,986 with 2,376 new infections. Of this number, 1.3% or 37,377 are active or currently sick patients, with at least 69% experiencing mild symptoms, 13.94% in moderate condition, 8.2% with severe symptoms, 5.4% asymptomatic and 3.5% in critical condition.

Meanwhile, 2,109 more patients have recovered, bringing the survivor count to 2,716,524 or 97.1% of the case tally.

The DOH said it reclassified 219 survivors into deaths after validation, and deleted 32 duplicate cases, including 24 recoveries.

Four laboratories did not submit their data and were excluded from the total. These laboratories contributed an average of 1.4% of tested samples and 0.9% of positive individuals in the last 14 days, the agency added.

The positivity rate - or percentage of tested people with positive results - dropped slightly to 6.5% based on 44,182 tests reported on Nov. 3. On Thursday, the rate was at 6.6% based on 34,870 tests reported on Nov. 2.

The OCTA research team also projected that the daily cases would go down to triple-digit numbers before Christmas. OCTA fellow Guido David told CNN Philippines that this is due to the improving hospitalization utility rate and daily attack rate in the National Capital Region alone.

David also shared that the seven-day average of new cases in the country decreased to 2,816, the lowest since March 2 to 8.

However, deaths are at a "high" rate with a seven-day average of 209, he added.

Metro Manila's case average is at 493. The last time the number had been below 500 was on Feb. 18, David pointed out.

Metro Manila eased to Alert Level 2, on Friday until Nov. 21, increasing capacities of more industries.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Filipinos can expect a happier Christmas with the daily average of COVID-19 cases projected to go down to a triple-digit number by the end of November, COVID-19 watchdog OCTA Research said Friday.

Citing an improving hospitalization utility rate and daily attack rate in Metro Manila alone, OCTA Research Fellow Guido David is optimistic about the projected downtrend.

"The positivity rate is now down to 4%, which is good, hospitalization rate is still low. Daily attack rate is now down to 3.5% in Metro Manila. We are getting close to a really low risk level," David told CNN Philippines' The Source.

"We previously made a projection that we would be at possibly less than 2,000 (daily) cases in the whole country by end of November, but it's just the first week of November and we are already seeing around 1,500 cases...we might even improve on those projections and maybe even see triple digit numbers per day by end of November," he added.

David also said that the capital region had an average of 493 cases daily with a reproduction number of 0.40 the past seven days. This is the first time since February that Metro Manila went below 500 average cases.

"We [did not] just reverse the Delta surge, we are now actually on the way to seeing the numbers we are seeing last year around December which is around 400 cases a day," he said.

The Department of Health earlier said that infections in Metro Manila peaked on Sept. 5 to 11, with a daily average of 5,714 infections recorded.

In a tweet later in the day, David noted that the country's seven-day average in cases is now at 2,816, the lowest since March 2 to 8 this year.

"Based on current trends, there is a possibility that the seven-day average of new cases could decrease to less than 1,000 by end of November," he said.

COVID-19 cases nationwide also went down to 1,766 on Thursday, the second straight day that the country has recorded less than 2,000 new infections.

OCTA is also not seeing any areas of concern at the moment due to the downtrend in infections in Zamboanga City, Occidental Mindoro, parts of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera region.

Meanwhile, David supported the move of the government to further ease Metro Manila's quarantine scheme to Alert Level 2 to allow more businesses to recover. He also said that the effects of Alert Level 3 are now seen in the current COVID-19 figures, as cases continue to decrease at a faster rate. However, the public is urged to continue observing the minimum health protocols to prevent a resurgence in infections.

"If this continues, we would be having a really good Christmas," David said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Department of Health confirmed talks are ongoing to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for specific sectors, but it is only the government's last option to reach herd immunity.

Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said the agency is in favor of making it mandatory for vulnerable sectors and people-centric jobs.

"Definitely if we are going to have this as mandated, it's for specific sectors only. DOH will also support this so we can achieve the population protection," she said in a media briefing.

The official acknowledged it will be an uphill battle because a law needs to be passed before it can be mandated. She assured other sectors will be consulted to ensure it will be an inclusive policy.

"Kailangan talaga magkaroon ng batas. Kailangan mapagusapan, kailangan makapagkonsulta tayo sa mas marami para mas maging inclusive itong policy na gagawin natin. Last resort ito ng government dahil gusto naman talagang maachieve ang proteksyon ng populasyon."

[Translation: A law needs to be passed. We need to discuss it and we need to consult with many groups to make sure the policy we will craft is inclusive. It will be the government's last resort because we want to achieve population protection.]

Despite saying that vaccine confidence has "improved tremendously" in the country, DOH admitted that the government's efforts to give incentives to those who are vaccinated and make it easier to get COVID-19 shots has not been enough to rid some Filipinos of hesitancy to have themselves inoculated. In order to reach herd immunity, the country needs to vaccinate 90% of its target population.

"Vaccines work individually but this time, because of this disease, kailangan we need to reach a certain protection across the population. Para magawa natin yan, kailangan mahikayat pa natin lalo ang tao. Dito pumasok ang pag-uusap ukol sa mandatory vaccination," Vergeire said.

[Translation: Vaccines work individually. But with COVID-19, we need to reach a certain level of protection across the population. In order to do that, we need to convince more people. This is where talks of mandatory vaccination comes in.]

Up to 28.71 million individuals in the country are now fully vaccinated while 33.75 million already received their first dose. Only 57% of senior citizens and 33% of economic frontliner have completed their shots as of Nov. 2.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday he is considering a Senate bid, and the reason is clear: the need to clear his name.

"Malinaw po ang dahilan ko: kinakailangan ko pong malinis ang pangalan ko matapos nila batuhin ako at tawaging war criminal," said Roque on Friday, referring to the protest against him in New York City staged by Bayan USA on Saturday.

[Translation: I need to clear my name after getting called a war criminal.]

The protesters rallied against his nomination to the International Law Commission, crashing an upscale restaurant he was in to call for an end to killings in the Philippines. A video showed security blocking the activists entry into the dining area, and protesters shouting How dare you protect a war criminal, chanting shame, shame!

Roque said the solution is to obtain a mandate from the people to see if they believe that he is a war criminal or if they support what he has done in the past.

He cited his experience as a lawyer spanning over three decades protecting the human rights of many, stressing he has never claimed the life of a fellow Filipino.

"Hindi po tayo naniniwala sa rebolusyon, hindi gaya nung mga nagparatang sa akin na war criminal po. Kayo po ang pupwedeng maging war criminal dahil hanggang ngayon, napakarami niyo nang tao sa Kongreso, di niyo pa rin tinitigil ang paggamit ng dahas," he added.

[Translation: We do not believe in revolution, unlike those who have accused me of being a war criminal. You are the ones that could be war criminals because up to now, you already have many people in Congress yet you still haven't stopped using violence.]

A few weeks ago, Roque revealed he could run for senator in the 2022 elections as a substitute candidate under the People's Reform Party.

This is not the first time the Cabinet official has set his eyes on the Senate. The former Kabayan representative ran during the 2019 senatorial elections and was among bets endorsed by regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, but he eventually withdrew, citing health reasons.

Substitution of candidates is allowed until Nov. 15.
(CNN)  The International Criminal Court (ICC) will formally investigate allegations of crimes against humanity in Venezuela, the court announced Wednesday.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro signed a "'Letter of Understanding' to facilitate cooperation and mutual assistance to advance accountability for atrocity crimes," the court said.

The Maduro government has been under preliminary examination at the ICC since February 2018. The court is determining whether Venezuela merits a trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

The United Nations has accused Venezuelan security forces of using excessive force and arbitrarily detaining thousands of people over the course of several months during protests against Maduro's government.

More than 120 people died in protest-related incidents, according to the UN Human Rights Office, which based its estimates on interviews with demonstrators and witnesses.

CNN has not been able to independently confirm those claims.

"The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has concluded the preliminary examination of the situation in Venezuela," the letter reads, "and has determined that it is appropriate to open an investigation to determine the truth in accordance with the Rome Statue."

Venezuela "considers that the allegations should be investigated in the country by existing national institutions created for this purpose" but "despite the differences of views on this issue, the parties remain committed to actively engaged with each other and support efforts further to the principle of complementarity," it also says.

"I am fully aware of the fault lines that exist in Venezuela, the geopolitical divisions that exist, we are not political, we are guided by the principals of legality and the rule of law," said Khan after signing the letter of understanding.

Maduro, also after signing the letter on Wednesday, said: "the doors of Venezuela are open because we want truth, because we want justice, because we want to improve, because Venezuela guarantees justice."

Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been backed by dozens of countries as Venezuela's legitimate president, welcomed the move by the court.

"The formal opening of the investigation for crimes against humanity, by the International Criminal Court, vindicates the right to obtain justice that has been denied in Venezuela for the victims and their families," Guaido said Wednesday on his official Twitter account.

Despite broad international support for Guaido, Maduro has managed to retain power amid a collapsing economy and US-backed efforts to remove him from power through coordinated Western sanctions.

"This decision -- the first in Latin American history -- gives hope of justice to the hundreds of victims of brutal repression by the Maduro regime," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, on his official Twitter account Wednesday.
The state Department of Health reported 88 new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths for Cumberland County Friday.

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 decreased to 80 in Friday's report, down one from Thursday. The last time the county sat at 80 hospitalizations or lower was Sept. 25.

There are 15 adults in intensive care (down two from Thursday) and 16 on ventilators (down two from Thursday). Six adult ICU beds remain open of the 115 currently staffed across the county, and 34 of 95 ventilators in the county are in use.

Friday's report included 225 test results, with 23 probable cases. Comparing just the number of negative tests (137) and confirmed positive tests (65), the county saw 32.2% of its tests come back positive.

The southcentral region reported 841 cases and 16 deaths Friday, with 260 cases and five deaths in York County, 133 cases and two deaths in Blair County and 88 cases and two deaths in Dauphin County.

Franklin County reported 57 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Friday (the same as Thursday), with four of 24 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 12 of 35 available ventilators in use. There are nine adults in intensive care and seven on ventilators.

Dauphin County reported 99 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Friday (down eight from Thursday), with 27 of 198 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 71 of 177 available ventilators in use. There are 31 adults in intensive care and 18 on ventilators.

School-age children

In its weekly update for the 10th week of the school year, the department reported 84 cases among children aged 5-18 in Cumberland County during the week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2, an increase of 12 from the 72 cases reported last week. That brings the total number of cases in Cumberland County for this school year to 1,346.

Statewide, the number of cases among 5- to 18-year-olds decreased for the sixth week in a row with 4,918 cases reported. The state said the total number of cases in that age group for the school year is 64,674.

Early Warning Dashboard

Cumberland County saw an increase in its in percent positivity and a decrease in its incidence rate per 100,000 people in the Health Department's weekly update to its Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard Friday. Its percent positivity increased to 9.5% for the week of Oct. 29-Nov. 4, up from 8.4% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people decreased to 115.6, down from 128.3 the previous week.

Philadelphia County, which includes the city of Philadelphia, had the lowest percent positivity in the state for the week of Oct. 29-Nov. 4 at 3.4% and the lowest incidence rate per 100,000 people at 62.5.

Penn State Health update (Nov. 3)

Penn State Health lists a COVID-19 dashboard on its website tracking cases at each of its acute care hospitals  Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. The dashboard will be updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Wednesday's update shows 86 total cases (81 adults, 5 pediatrics) in the health system's four hospitals  12 are fully vaccinated (14.8%) with five in an ICU and two on a ventilator, 64 are nonvaccinated (74%) with 19 adults in an ICU and 9 adults on a ventilator, and 10 are unknown status patients. Three of five children hospitalized are unvaccinated (two are unknown status), with no one in an ICU and no one on a ventilator.

Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 15 COVID patients. Four are fully vaccinated adults (one in ICU and one on a ventilator) and 11 unvaccinated adults (one in an ICU and one on a ventilator).

Hampden Medical Center has six COVID patients. Five are not fully vaccinated (one in an ICU, no one on a ventilator) and one is fully vaccinated (one in an ICU).

Vaccinations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labels Cumberland County as having "high" transmission of the virus  the highest level, which is the transmission level for every county in the state except Philadelphia County which has dropped to "substantial," the next highest level. Community transmission is determined by the number of new cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days and the positivity rate over the last seven days, so the classification could vary from day to day based on those numbers.

In data updated Thursday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has seen 63.1% of its total population of 253,370 become fully vaccinated. For the county's vaccine eligible population of people ages 12 and older, 72.8% have been fully vaccinated.

County numbers in the southcentral region (for Nov. 5):

Adams County (pop. 103,009): 54 new cases; 13,580 total cases (11,086 confirmed, 2,494 probable); 44,256 negatives; 230 deaths; 50.3% of county population vaccinated

54 new cases; 13,580 total cases (11,086 confirmed, 2,494 probable); 44,256 negatives; 230 deaths; 50.3% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 38 new cases; 6,989 total cases (4,759 confirmed, 2,230 probable); 12,526 negatives; 175 deaths; 34.9% of county population vaccinated

38 new cases; 6,989 total cases (4,759 confirmed, 2,230 probable); 12,526 negatives; 175 deaths; 34.9% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 133 new cases; 18,070 total cases (14,252 confirmed, 3,818 probable); 47,325 negatives; 398 deaths (+2); 46.4% of county population vaccinated

133 new cases; 18,070 total cases (14,252 confirmed, 3,818 probable); 47,325 negatives; 398 deaths (+2); 46.4% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 88 new cases; 28,636 total cases (22,355 confirmed, 6,281 probable); 102,456 negatives; 634 deaths; 63.1% of county population vaccinated

88 new cases; 28,636 total cases (22,355 confirmed, 6,281 probable); 102,456 negatives; 634 deaths; 63.1% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 88 new cases; 35,342 total cases (30,303 confirmed, 5,039 probable); 128,808 negatives; 659 deaths (+3); 59% of county population vaccinated

88 new cases; 35,342 total cases (30,303 confirmed, 5,039 probable); 128,808 negatives; 659 deaths (+3); 59% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 53 new cases; 22,170 total cases (18,012 confirmed, 4,158 probable); 64,555 negatives; 467 deaths (+2); 45.9% of county population vaccinated

53 new cases; 22,170 total cases (18,012 confirmed, 4,158 probable); 64,555 negatives; 467 deaths (+2); 45.9% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 7 new cases; 2,312 total cases (1,140 confirmed, 1,172 probable); 5,034 negatives; 32 deaths; 31.6% of county population vaccinated

7 new cases; 2,312 total cases (1,140 confirmed, 1,172 probable); 5,034 negatives; 32 deaths; 31.6% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 23 new cases; 6,959 total cases (5,716 confirmed, 1,243 probable); 20,931 negatives; 164 deaths; 47.2% of county population vaccinated

23 new cases; 6,959 total cases (5,716 confirmed, 1,243 probable); 20,931 negatives; 164 deaths; 47.2% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 6 new cases; 2,966 total cases (2,704 confirmed, 262 probable); 6,697 negatives; 116 deaths; 40.4% of county population vaccinated

6 new cases; 2,966 total cases (2,704 confirmed, 262 probable); 6,697 negatives; 116 deaths; 40.4% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 64 new cases; 20,963 total cases (17,929 confirmed, 3,034 probable); 63,362 negatives; 340 deaths (+1); 51.1% of county population vaccinated

64 new cases; 20,963 total cases (17,929 confirmed, 3,034 probable); 63,362 negatives; 340 deaths (+1); 51.1% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 21 new cases; 7,423 total cases (7,022 confirmed, 401 probable); 17,652 negatives; 204 deaths (+2); 49.2% of county population vaccinated

21 new cases; 7,423 total cases (7,022 confirmed, 401 probable); 17,652 negatives; 204 deaths (+2); 49.2% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 6 new cases; 5,387 total cases (4,148 confirmed, 1,239 probable); 13,371 negatives; 127 deaths (+1); 47.4% of county population vaccinated

6 new cases; 5,387 total cases (4,148 confirmed, 1,239 probable); 13,371 negatives; 127 deaths (+1); 47.4% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 260 new cases; 63,889 total cases (51,965 confirmed; 11,924 probable); 194,890 negatives; 998 deaths (+5); 55.6% of county population vaccinated

ZIP code-level counts (updated Nov. 5):

17013: 3,434 positives, 15,886 negatives - +58 since Oct. 29

17015: 2,047 positives, 7,746 negatives - +25 since Oct. 29

17050: 3,252 positives, 16,200 negatives - +46 since Oct. 29

17055: 3,662 positives, 18,367 negatives - +56 since Oct. 29

17011: 3,372 positives, 15,390 negatives - +42 since Oct. 29

17007: 489 positives, 1,976 negatives - +8 since Oct. 29

17065: 349 positives, 1,373 negatives - +2 since Oct. 29

17324: 400 positives, 1,415 negatives - +11 since Oct. 29

17241: 918 positives, 3,455 negatives - +11 since Oct. 29

17257: 2,358 positives, 7,802 negatives - +32 since Oct. 29

17240: 228 positives, 701 negatives - +7 since Oct. 29

17025: 1,562 positives, 6,258 negatives - +20 since Oct. 29

17070: 1,464 positives, 5,931 negatives - +30 since Oct. 29

17043: 495 positives, 2,250 negatives - +3 since Oct. 29

17019: 1,727 positives, 6,045 negatives - +34 since Oct. 29

17266: 28 positives, 136 negatives - +0 since Oct. 29

School district and college case counts (updated Oct. 29)

The Sentinel's case counts for Cumberland County school districts and colleges or universities are updated Fridays. The policy for each school districts reporting is noted in the list below.

Big Spring School District (reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 3 staff cases being monitored as of the sites last update on Nov. 5.

(reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 3 staff cases being monitored as of the sites last update on Nov. 5. Camp Hill School District (posts chart that includes total case count): 12 new student cases and no new staff case since Oct. 29; 74 student cases and 8 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.)

(posts chart that includes total case count): 12 new student cases and no new staff case since Oct. 29; 74 student cases and 8 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Carlisle Area School District (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 4 new cases since Oct. 29; 168 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Nov. 4.

(reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 4 new cases since Oct. 29; 168 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Nov. 4. Cumberland Valley School District (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 25 cases since Oct. 29; 219 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.)

(reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 25 cases since Oct. 29; 219 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.) Mechanicsburg Area School District (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 14 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Nov. 5.

(chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 14 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Nov. 5. Shippensburg Area School District (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 9 new cases since Oct. 29; 156 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of the charts last update on Nov. 3.

(reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 9 new cases since Oct. 29; 156 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of the charts last update on Nov. 3. South Middleton School District (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 1 new case since Oct. 22; 73 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Oct. 29.

(posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 1 new case since Oct. 22; 73 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Oct. 29. West Shore School District (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 63 student cases and 9 staff cases being monitored as of Nov. 5.

(reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 63 student cases and 9 staff cases being monitored as of Nov. 5. Dickinson College : no new student cases and 3 employee cases since Oct. 29; 34 student cases and 27 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.)

: no new student cases and 3 employee cases since Oct. 29; 34 student cases and 27 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.) Messiah University : 8 new student cases and 5 new staff cases since Oct. 29; 66 student cases and 29 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.)

: 8 new student cases and 5 new staff cases since Oct. 29; 66 student cases and 29 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.) Shippensburg University: 1 new student case and no new staff cases since Oct. 29; 164 student cases and 21 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 1) as of the last update on Nov. 1.

(Counties with a percent positivity above 5% in a week go on the Department of Health's watch list)

Pennsylvania: Percent Positivity - 9.3% last 7 days (8.7% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 165.3 (165 previous 7 days)

Adams County: Percent Positivity - 14.2% last 7 days (15.2% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 192.2 (194.2 previous 7 days)

Cumberland County: Percent Positivity - 9.5% last 7 days (8.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 115.6 (128.3 previous 7 days)

Dauphin County: Percent Positivity - 10.6% last 7 days (11.8% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 140.1 (179.3 previous 7 days)

Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 11.1% last 7 days (11.7% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 138.7 (152.2 previous 7 days)

Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 14% last 7 days (11.7% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 201 (186.9 previous 7 days)

Perry County: Percent Positivity - 9.1% last 7 days (14.7% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 97.3 (179.4 previous 7 days)

York County:

Percent Positivity - 15.9% last 7 days (15.3% previous 7 days)

last 7 days (15.3% previous 7 days)

Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 228.3 (249.2 previous 7 days)

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
HARRISBURG  Jake Corman, the ranking Republican in Pennsylvanias state Senate who is widely expected to run for governor in next years election, has begun inviting donors and others to an announcement next Thursday night.

The event is billed as a special announcement in Cormans hometown of Bellefonte.

Cormans entry into the race would swell an already big field of Republicans running for governor thats double-digits deep and growing, as the party searches for a nominee to potentially succeed outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

Corman, 57, who represents a swath of central Pennsylvania surrounding Penn States main campus, is the Senates president pro tempore and has served in the chamber since 1999 after taking over the seat his father held.

For weeks, Corman has been expected to enter the race, meeting with donors and the congressional delegation. Corman has said he would discuss his political plans after Tuesdays election, but neither he nor a political adviser have returned messages about it.

He has served in GOP leadership since 2009 and is well known to party donors as part of his fundraising for himself and the Senates majority party.

But his impending candidacy is not clearing the field of Republican rivals.

On Friday, Charlie Gerow announced he was launching a new cable TV ad campaign and state Sen. Doug Mastriano said he would begin fundraising for a gubernatorial campaign.

On Saturday, Gerow, a Harrisburg-area marketing consultant, and six other gubernatorial hopefuls were expected at a Tioga County Republican Party dinner, while in Delaware County, Dave White, who runs a plumbing and HVAC firm, is formally announcing his candidacy.

The Republican field includes Lou Barletta, a former four-term member of Congress who was the Republican nominee in his 2018 loss to Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and has been a prominent loyalist of former President Donald Trump.

Cormans standing with Trump loyalists is mixed, at best.

Over the summer, Trump and his allies in the baseless quest to prove that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election had held up Corman as an obstacle, before Corman abruptly embraced it.

Im a hundred percent on board with this, Corman declared in late August, speaking on former Trump adviser Steve Bannons War Room online broadcast.

Corman also has a long voting record that could be picked apart, including bipartisan measures that aged poorly and have become grist for primary attacks from the right against Republican lawmakers.

For instance, he voted in 2005 for a broad government pay raise  rammed through without public hearings in the middle of the night  that stirred such a backlash that lawmakers three months later voted to rescind it.

In 2013, he voted along with Republican leaders for an increase in the gas tax and motorist fees to fund highway construction projects, a measure backed by business groups and labor unions. The law made Pennsylvanias gas tax the second-highest in the nation.

Then in 2019, he and nearly every other Republican lawmaker voted for election legislation that, among other things, authorized no-excuse mail-in voting, mere months before the pandemic and before Trump mounted a campaign to tar mail-in voting as rife with fraud.

Many Republicans have since soured on mail-in voting, with candidates on the gubernatorial campaign trail calling for its repeal.

Corman, meanwhile, is a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the authority of the Wolf administration to order a school mask mandate.

On the Democratic side, two-term state Attorney General Josh Shapiro has announced that he will seek the partys nomination and his candidacy has thus far cleared the field of rivals.

Wolf is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
Fifteen Army recruits will be sworn in Thursday during a Veterans Day recognition and remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center outside Carlisle.

The public is invited to attend the 40-minute ceremony that is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Soldiers Walk patio in front of the AHEC building at 950 Soldiers Drive in Middlesex Township.

Called Generations of Soldier Heritage: Veterans Day Enlistment Ceremony, the event is a new concept that incorporates presentations by Army veterans with the Oath of Enlistment.

Were trying to tie our future soldiers to the history and heritage of the Army, said Jack Giblin, AHEC director of education and engagement. Were trying to instill in our public the importance of service.

The event will follow the COVID-19 mitigation plan developed in consultation with the Army War College. Masks will be optional during the outdoor ceremony. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors where masks will be required. Seating at both venues will be spaced at least three feet apart.

The ceremony will begin with the national anthem followed by a speech on what it means to be a veteran by retired Army Maj. Ed Miller. He served as a noncommissioned officer in Vietnam before returning to military service to attend Officer Candidate School. Miller later served with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

War College student Army Lt. Col. J. Brad Fausnaugh will deliver the keynote address on what it means today to be a soldier. The Oath of Enlistment will then be administered to 15 recruits, including 10 from the Carlisle recruitment office, Giblin said. AHEC is coordinating the event with the Army Recruiting Command Harrisburg Battalion based in New Cumberland, which draws recruits from much of south-central Pennsylvania.

Generations of Soldier Heritage is the brainchild of educator Karl Warner and his work group of AHEC staff members drawn from across its departments.

We do a lot of programming now through work groups, Giblin said. The ceremony will be unique. The families of future soldiers are going to get the opportunity to hear from veterans who have given decades of service. We are trying to make this not only a remembrance event, but a recognition event.

AHEC staff work routinely with the Harrisburg Battalion by providing recruiters with educational resources to promote enlistment among regional high school students.

Below is a list of other Veterans Day events and ceremonies planned for the Cumberland County area:

Sunday, Nov. 7

Shippensburg: The Joint Veterans Council of Shippensburg will host its annual parade starting at 2 p.m. The parade will form at Queen and King streets at 1:30 p.m. The council consists of the American Legion Post 223 and VFW Post 6188.

Wednesday, Nov. 10

Carlisle: The Carlisle Vietnam Veterans, Edward J. Rykoskey Post #1, will conduct its annual all-night vigil on the steps of the Old Courthouse to honor and remember all POWs and MIAs. The vigil starts at 11 p.m. Wednesday and ends at 11 a.m. Thursday. This is the 38th year for the observance.

Thursday, Nov. 11

Carlisle: The Joint Veterans Council of Carlisle will conduct the annual Veterans Day ceremony in the second floor courtroom of the Old Courthouse on the Square at 10:30 a.m. The Cumberland County Honor Guard is providing the firing squad and bugler.

Mechanicsburg: The Mechanicsburg Area Veterans Council will hold a ceremony at the Mechanicsburg Cemetery GAR monument on Marble Street at 11 a.m. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. inside VFW Post 6704 in Mechanicsburg. The guest speaker will be Lt. Col. Larry Workman, an Army War College student.

Newville: The Newville Joint Veterans Council in cooperation with Newville Borough will host a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Fountain Square in the center of town. The event will feature traditional Veterans Day salutes including honor guard services, a rifle salute, the playing of taps and a keynote speaker from the Army War College. The service will honor all veterans with the placement of flowers and a wreath at the memorial. The Hometown Hero Banners that have adorned Big Spring Avenue all summer will be presented to family members in attendance.

Saint Patrick School: The school will host A Salute, Thank You & Remembrance Honoring Those Who Serve ceremony at 9 a.m. in the Parish Activity Center at 87 Marsh Drive. The students of Saint Patrick School invite their families to thank and honor Americas veterans for their sacrifices and service. Veterans are invited to wear their military uniforms. Masks are required.

Sunday, Nov. 14

Silver Spring Township: The Silver Spring Veterans Memorial Committee will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at Willow Mill Park, 80 Willow Mill Park Road, starting at 1 p.m.

Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Olivia is Connecticut's resident expert on evergreens. Days before Christmas she gets a plea for help from Jack, a Christmas tree farmer in need of her skills to figure out what mystery illness is causing their trees to die out and ruining their business, which has been his family's legacy for 100 years. After calling off her Christmas wedding six months earlier, Olivia isn't eager to head home for the holidays so she agrees to make a detour and stop at Jack's farm in Avon to examine the trees. Unable to immediately discover the cause, Olivia is determined to get to the root of the problem and extends her stay to run advanced tests. With time to kill while she waits for test results for the trees, Olivia joins Jack and his friends at the holiday festivities around town and finds their traditions a welcome change to the reserved holidays she grew up with. As they spend more time together, they begin to fall for each other and Jack helps Olivia reconnect to Christmas, her parents and herself. In the end, her tenacity pays off and Olivia not only devises a way to preserve Jack's trees but she discovers the shocking truth about why his firs were fizzling  much to the dismay of Dwayne, a rival local tree farmer
Health officials are investigating the state mental health facility in Farmington after a confirmed case of Legionnaires disease.

Angeline Stanislaus, chief medical director of adult services for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, said the case was confirmed Wednesday and health officials were on site Thursday to check the water supply.

Thats our challenge today, Stanislaus told officials Thursday at a Missouri Health Commission meeting.

Asked for more details, Debra Walker, spokeswoman for the Department of Mental Health, said the case stems from a patient at Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington. She said the facility was informed Wednesday that Legionnaires disease was found in a patient who had been transported to the hospital.

At this time, the individual is still in the hospital, Walker said by email, adding that the 66-year-old man was in stable condition.

Walker said the Department of Health and Senior Services was at the Farmington facility, conducting extensive testing of the water systems. She said the same agency is providing guidance to the facility to implement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

According to the CDC, health departments nationwide reported 10,000 cases of Legionnaires disease in 2018, likely an underreported number. The federal agency says about one in 10 people who get sick from the disease die. Its not typically spread person to person.

In recent years, Missouri health officials tightened reporting requirements for Legionnaires' disease, a lung infection or pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The bacteria are found naturally in soil and freshwater environments. It typically becomes a health concern when it gets trapped in human-made water systems, like it did at the Quincy Veterans Home in Illinois, where a deadly outbreak began in 2015.

Other outbreaks have occurred in pools, hotels, hospitals and prisons.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 1
A sad milestone was observed Wednesday evening by a woman raising her late sons grandchildren, after their parents and their infant brother were killed in an alleged drunk-driving accident last April. Her effort to get a law passed to hold drunk drivers more accountable is gaining traction, she said.

Cecilia Williams of Bonne Terre lost her future daughter-in-law Lacey K. Newton, her son Cordell S. Williams, and the couple's 4-month-old boy Cordell Williams II when their car was struck from behind on Highway 30 in Jefferson County last spring by a 26-year-old Fenton man. Both cars veered off the highway, hitting multiple trees, according to MSHP reports. Williams car caught fire.

David Thurby of Fenton was charged with three Class B felonies of DWI, resulting in death. If convicted, each sentence could carry anywhere from 3 to 15 years in prison. In addition to DWI, the prosecutor charged Thurby with three misdemeanors, including possession of marijuana and driving in a reckless manner.

Wednesday would have been Laceys 26th birthday. Williams was joined by first responders who addressed last springs wreck, as well as family members and friends, as they released 26 balloons into the air to remember the mother of Mason, 3, and Bentley, 5, at the crash site on Highway 30.

Williams said she has lost none of her drive to see Bentleys Law through here in Missouri. In fact, shed like to make the law national, and shes already attracted attention from another state. With the help of a relative in Tennessee, a few legislators there have taken an interest in Bentleys Law, she said.

My cousin from Tennessee is amazing. When she found out about the (idea for the) law, she immediately sent a letter to her legislators and they are so on board with what I proposed, they're not going to change anything, she said. As I understand it, they are actually currently writing up the bill for Senate in January in Tennessee.

In Missouri, Williams said State Rep. Mike Henderson, R-Desloge, has been a massive help to her efforts. Henderson confirmed, he is working with Williams and others on a bill he would like to present next year, making penalties for and restitution from drunk drivers even stiffer. They hope to meet Nov. 17 to review a draft.

His words to me were, if youre gonna do this, youve gotta be in it all the way, Williams said. He said, Are you in it all the way? Cause youll may have to go to Senate as early as January and tell them why this law is important. I said I meant to see it through, all the way.

Williams said she thinks its wrong that negligent drivers involved in fatal accidents walk away without their sentences including something about making restitution to the victims families. She said if she had hired a lawyer to sue the man responsible for her family members deaths, the legal costs would probably have gobbled up any settlement or wage garnishment that might have been determined.

A lot of people find themselves in the position where the person who killed or injured their family, they dont have insurance, they dont have assets, they have nothing, she said. And yet, they somehow have enough to buy other things  In Bentleys Law, it would be a part of victim services and will prevent people from having to go through an attorney to get restitution.

In the meantime, shes also caring for her grandkids, Mason and Bentley, as well as two granddaughters from another child. She said Bentley is now seeing a psychiatrist and not doing too well with it, although he has better days.

He writes. He makes pictures. And since he cant really spell words, hell make scribbly lines like hes making a sentence, and the teacher will ask what it says, Williams said. And he says things like, My mom and dad crashed. My mom and dads in heaven. I miss my mom and dad and baby.

Williams said Bentley had been asking questions.

We actually finally took them to the crash site, she said. We were invited to a community event and passed the crash site, and we finally took them because they need to know. That way they can, when theyre older, theyll know where they can go and sit with their mom and dad and brother. We did take pictures of them at the cross. I think it kind of helped Bentley a little bit to understand.

Williams said they havent given Bentley all the details. Theyve only explained that it wasnt his parents fault they were gone, a man was doing something he wasnt supposed to be doing.

He does make pictures of that site and I think thats a part of a good healing process with him, she said of the September visit.

As for how Williams is doing, she said its not hard to stay busy with two active grandsons and two active granddaughters.

I mean, Im OK. Im not OK, but Im OK, she said. I have to be OK for them. Its not an option here, I keep myself busy during the day and give everything I can. It gets difficult at times because I have to walk away and have my breakdown without them seeing.

More information about the effort to get Bentleys Law passed can be found at the Facebook group, Bentleyslaw, https://www.facebook.com/groups/570861290607136.

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Missouri is set to get a new health care provider for its prison inmate population, following a two-day trial pitting the state against the company that provided the service for nearly 30 years.

Cole County Judge Daniel Green issued an oral decision Thursday saying he would file a written ruling next week siding with the state in rejecting a challenge by Corizon Health, the longtime health care vendor.

Centurion Health, a subsidiary of Clayton-based Centene, won the bidding process for the contract, which could be worth over $1.4 billion if the state exercises all of its options over a 10-year period.

Corizon, which has held the contract since 1992, sued the state, alleging Centurion employed unfair practices during the bidding process.

After a two-day trial, Green sided with the state, paving the way for Centurion to take over later this month.

The judgment acknowledges that Missouris process for awarding this contract was fair and treated all bidders the same. Thats what the law requires, said attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represented Centurion in the bench trial.

During the trial, Corizon attorney Jennifer Griffin argued that the states decision to award the contract to Centurion was based on false and misleading information.

Corizon, in its lawsuit, said Centurion made prohibited communications with the administration to gain an upper hand in winning the contract.

Corizon also said Centurion failed to report that personnel involved in its Missouri bid were fired over their involvement in a Tennessee bidding controversy.

The lawsuit focused largely on the alleged violations of Tennessee purchasing laws by Centurion, saying the disclosure of the developments in the case could have affected the scoring and evaluation of the Missouri bids.

Assistant Attorney General Craig Jacobs, who is representing the state, said the states bidding process followed the law. He also told Green that Corizon does not have the legal right to bring the lawsuit.

Love 1 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1
Marshall said Dominion Energy had initiated talks with Orange County Public Schools to respond to any concerns over the proximity of the project to the school. She said an effort is underway to make sure work and materials delivery to the site is coordinated with school buses and other school traffic along Route 20 to minimize potential problems.

Dominion Energy has estimated that the project will generate about $200,000 per year in direct benefit to Orange County through taxes. This figure does not include indirect benefits such as increased revenue for gas stations, restaurants and other local businesses, she said.

When in operation, the Madison Solar plant is designed to supply 62.5 megawatts of electricity, which will be used by Northrop Grumman Corp., of Falls Church, a defense technology contractor, to meet its renewable energy goals.

Marshall said the company has received very little input from citizens since it purchased the property in August 2020. Thats why we feel its important to have meetings such as this, so that we give people multiple opportunities to voice their concerns. She encouraged residents, particularly those who live or work near the project, to communicate with the company through its website at DominionEnergy.com/MadisonSolar or by phone at (804) 461-8642.

District 5 Supervisor Lee Frame attended the 90-minute meeting at the Wilderness Branch Library in Locust Grove, saying, Im here just to hear what people have to say. Frame was on the board that unanimously approved a special use permit for the project in December 2017. No citizens spoke against the project at a public hearing held prior to that vote.
[Smith] had shown some remorse previously, and I wanted to give him the opportunity to take responsibility for his actions, May said. This case has been dragging on for over three years already, so its time to move forward.

The plea agreement would see the two misdemeanor charges of underage possession of alcohol (Smith was under 21 at the time of the offense) and DWI dropped. He would plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter DWI and maiming DWI, which are class 5 and class 6 felonies, respectively.

The judge has the ultimate say in the sentencing, but should the agreement be accepted by the court, Smith would receive a sentence of 15 years, with 12 years suspended, and he would serve three of them.

Our plea agreement is actually on the higher side of the sentencing guidelines, May said. Smith doesnt have a criminal background, and this is his first offense of any kind.

In the State of Virginia, when a plea agreement is sought between the Commonwealth of Virginia and a defendant, the prosecutors are required to make the victims and their families aware of the terms of the agreement. May said that the family of De Jesus and Santiago were not happy with the terms, and that he understands why.
Bloch quoted prior deposition testimony from Spencer in which he said, at some point, the alt-right decided to surround the protesters. Spencer claimed this was a similar sentiment to what he just said, a claim he made often Thursday when presented with prior comments that appeared to conflict with his trial testimony.

The jury and Spencer were also presented with a video from that night that depicted Spencer standing near the statue as someone nearby said, We need some more people to fill in this way to block these guys off.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. Spencer, you surrounded them at the statue and you wouldnt let them out, isnt that true? Bloch said before presenting the defendant with one of his tweets.

The Aug. 11, 2017, tweet said: They surrounded the statue. They wouldnt let us out. Spencer quote-tweeted that post the same day, with the defendant adding Fact check: true.

Earlier in the proceeding, Spencer was asked about his use of slurs, which the defendant said he does not believe in using publicly.

I dont believe in demeaning anyone to their face, Spencer said. In any circumstance, thats nasty.
Real  useful  repudiation of Donald Trump would involve supporting the victims of the attackers whom you mimic, through support for groups such as the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation that have helped those still dealing with unpaid expenses caused by the terrorist attack of August 11 and 12. Real  useful  opposition would also mean using your resources and platform to support the work being done in the Charlottesville community to create authentic change and confront our local history, the statement says.

The statement concludes by telling the Lincoln Project they are not welcome back.

Please do not bring your cosplaying operatives back to Charlottesville. We do not wish to be the backdrop for your next exercise in political theater, it says.

On Monday, Walker said she didnt have any comments about the Lincoln Project stunt but said the city needs to address trauma that affected the community long before the Unite the Right rally in 2017.

Understand that there are people in this community who had pain and trauma and suffering long before 2017  the trauma that some people have had for centuries that has been passed down and if you understand that process of the stories being passed down through generations and the heart and heartache and pain being passed down at a cellular level, that is the main problem that we need to focus on in this community, Walker said.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Warner said that starting 6 a.m. Saturday, 21 postal employees  who may also be working part-time at other post offices  will come from all around Virginia and will be here through the whole surge of the holidays to deliver packages.

Eleven retirees are also coming back for the holiday surge, he said.

Leadership reported to Warner that the U.S. 29 post office has also seen a 90% decline in complaints at the window.

Im anxious to hear from the community whether they think that is accurate, Warner said.

Recently, the post office put up signs on the doors that say, Customers will not be able to pick up their mail due to non-receipt mail/deliveries.

There have been management issues at the Charlottesville Post Office for a number of years, and the last time it had a full-time postmaster was 2018. Cloteal Farmer, who became the Charlottesville postmaster in 2017, is still listed as the Charlottesville postmaster on the USPS postmaster finder webpage. But when Farmer is looked up by her name, it says she went to the Glen Allen Post Office in late 2018.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Republican Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin met with outgoing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday for a lunch with their wives at the executive mansion in Richmond, and in cordial remarks afterward both pledged a smooth transition of power.

Today was the beginning of a friendship, said Youngkin, who defeated Democratic nominee and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe this week in an election that also saw a wave of Republican victories in down-ballot races.

Youngkin, a native Virginian, said he was humbled to stand in front of the historic governor's mansion. In brief remarks to the news media, he thanked Northam for hosting what he called a lovely lunch."

I just want to thank you for the incredibly cooperative way that you've, of course, expressed youre going to help us, Youngkin said. Its important. We have a lot of work to do.

Youngkin, who selectively engaged with reporters while campaigning, pledged to be incredibly open and accessible" while in office.
Yoons opponents have attacked him over a lack of expertise on security and other major issues. Yoon said Friday he would select competent experts regardless of their political lines and let them handle key affairs.

Yoon himself does not have a foreign policy record, but he has a deep pool of experienced advisers. The question is whether he will listen to and adjudicate different opinions among them, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

In his Friday speech, Yoon said he would push for North Koreas denuclearization more effectively though coordination with the international community, but didn't elaborate.

But in September, Yoon said if elected he would talk with Washington to formulate procedures on the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in case of emergency and conduct related joint training to boost the reliability of the U.S. nuclear umbrella security commitment offered to allies.
The Colorado Judicial Department on Wednesday announced it had signed a pair of contracts for independent investigations into allegations of widespread misconduct across the branch that included a quid-pro-quo deal to a former high-ranking official who threatened a sex-discrimination lawsuit that would reveal it all.
Morocco has one of the more advanced telecommunications sectors in Africa. It has been supported by the governments Maroc Digital 2020 strategy (which encourages the development of a digital economy) and the National Broadband Plan (which aims to provide the entire population with fixed or mobile broadband by the end of 2022).

The extension of mobile broadband services has gone far to improving internet access, and it accounts for 93% of all internet connections in the country. It is to be expected that if the government succeeds in achieving its universal broadband goal by 2022, it will be largely thanks to the widespread coverage of LTE networks.

Most fixed broadband connections in Morocco are via DSL, a segment of the market that has long been dominated by the incumbent Maroc Telecom but which, at the same time, has been held back from reaching its full potential due to the national copper-based network only reaching about 20% of the population. Fibre broadband grew by almost 80% in 2020, but the technology is at a relatively nascent stage in Morocco, accounting for less than one percent of all connections.

Other companies have attempted to break into the fixed broadband market but have been repeatedly thwarted by a lack of access to Maroc Telecoms DSL infrastructure. This situation culminated in Maroc Telecom being fined over MAD3 billion in 2020 for unfair competition practices by restricting local-loop unbundling. The fine was included in the MAD10 billion Covid-19 emergency fund which the government had established to upgrade its health infrastructure and assist the worst-affected segments of the economy during the pandemic. Following a profitable first quarter in 2020, Maroc Telecom donated a further MAD1.5 billion to the fund. This contribution was welcome, given that the State of Emergency has continued through to October 2021.

This report includes the regulator's market data to March 2021, telcos' financial and operating data updates to June 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.

Key developments:

World Banks Digital Inclusion Development Policy Financing (DPF) program providing a $500 million loan to help Morocco develop its digital transformation and improve economic and social inclusion.

Maroc Telecom launches a new m-payment solution through its subsidiary MT Cash.

Telecom regulator approves the use of the Wi-Fi 6E standard in the 6MHz range.

Etisalat gains a majority stake in Maroc Telecom after acquiring the Abu Dhabi Fund for Developments shares, paying $505 million.

Orange Morocco acquires data centre provider EtixEverywheres Moroccan business, including a Tier III data centre in Casablanca.

Get a Full Copy of this Report

Developing Telecoms market report summaries are produced in partnership with BuddeComm, the worlds largest continually updated online telecommunications research service.

The above article is a summary of the following BuddeComm report:

Report title: Morocco - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Edition: October 2021

Lead Analyst: Stephen Marshall

Number of pages: 179

Companies mentioned in this report: Maroc Telecom / Itissalatt Al-Maghrib (IAM), Orange Morocco, Inwi

Single User PDF Licence Price: US$1390

For more information or to purchase a copy of the full report please use the following link: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Morocco-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?r=83
The General Superintendence (SG) of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) recommended the approval, with restrictions, of the sale of Oi Movel to TIM, Claro, and Vivo.

"The technical area of the antitrust agency recommended the approval of the sale but established some conditions to mitigate possible risks, said local media reports.

According to the reports, the transaction could receive regulatory clearance if the companies adopt some restrictions to mitigate the competition effects from the decrease in the number of mobile operators on the market. The case will now be evaluated by the Court of Cade, responsible for the final decision.

The technical area report recognizes that the purchase will cause market concentration. In the document, the agency clarifies that Claro, TIM, and Vivo now hold 98.35% of the national market for mobile voice and data services nationally and that they will have practically all (100%) of the ERBs (mobile telephony antennas) both nationally and by area code.

SG says it has negotiated an Agreement on Control of Concentrations (Acordo em Controle de Concentracoes, ACC) with the acquisitive parties. The decision has now been passed to the Administrative Council for Economic Defence (Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Economica, CADE) for review.

According to the opinion of SG/Cade, the operation entails a reduction from four to three in the number of players operating in the wholesale mobile network access and mobile voice and data services markets, with the first segment being an essential element for the second offer.

In addition to the concentration of the market and antennas, Cade also highlights that something similar happens with radiofrequency licenses. With the deal approved, the trio of operators will have 98% of all available capacity between 1 GHz and 3 GHz, in addition to 95% in bands lower than 1 GHz.
The first day of Brazils long-anticipated 5G spectrum auction did not disappoint, bringing in bids totalling BRL7.089 billion (USD1.3 billion).

Local outlet TeleTime placed Claro as the highest bidder, pledging BRL1.632 billion for holdings in the 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz bands. Second place went to a more surprising participant  regional ISP Brisanet, which has lodged bids worth BRL1.466 billion for spectrum in the same frequencies as Claro. These bands also drew bids from TIM Brasil and Telefonicas Vivo, which respectively bid BRL975.8 million and BRL966.7 million.

Brisanet was not the only regional operator to lodge a bid, with Algar Telecom and Sercomtel both winning holdings, while Winity Telecom  a holding firm with support from Blackstone and Patria Investments  bagging a nationwide 700MHz licence for BRL1.428 billion.

The auction results were published by regulator Anatel, which last month confirmed that 15 companies had applied to bid. Thus far, every block of spectrum sold in the auction has gone for significantly more than the reserve price. Anatel has estimated the economic value of the available spectrum as BRL50 billion, of which the government will retain BRL9 billion. The rest of the funds will go towards nationwide initiatives focused on improving coverage and digital services.

Brazils Minister of Communications Fabio Faria claimed that the country would offer the first 5G in Latin America We are going to show the world that Brazil is in the digital economy, taking care of the digital transformation.

CommsUpdate notes that more frequencies will be made available today, including 26GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum.
Saudi Telecom Company (STC), a Saudi Arabia-based digital company that offers telecommunications services, has selected Motorola Solutions to deliver a next-generation mission-critical Push-to-Talk (PTT) service to provide its customers with instant communication and collaboration capabilities.

Motorola Solutions will deliver a scalable, highly resilient, network-integrated 3GPP standards-compliant mission-critical system that provides secure connectivity over Specialized by STC's LTE network, claimed a press release.

"The new service will offer enhanced multimedia capabilities including push-to-video and text, file transfer, location, and geofencing services, with seamless connection for users regardless of the type of device they carry. The operator can also expand the service with new mission-critical solutions and applications in the future," it said.

Our investment will immediately enhance communication for our customers, whilst future-proofing the network for new services in coming years'', said Hesham Almomen, chief technology officer at Specialized by STC. As the leading telecommunications operator in Saudi Arabia, our network must be secure, reliable, and optimized for safety to support our wide range of customers spanning government agencies, public safety, and enterprise organizations.

We look forward to building on our successful partnership with Specialized by STC to offer secure and dynamic communication capabilities that support customers operational and security priorities, said Patrick Fitting, regional vice president of the Middle East and Africa at Motorola Solutions.
Azerbaijani mobile telecommunications company Azerfon (Nar trademark) has revealed its 4G LTE user base grew by 23% in the first nine months of 2021.

"The launch of desired and beneficial offers for each subscriber group, the installation of new base stations in Baku and the regions, as well as continuous optimization of the network lie at the bottom of this increase," said a statement from the mobile carrier.

It said that 62% of 4G users are in the capital, whereas 38% in the regions.

Nar network covers 99.9% of the country's population and 90% of the country's territory with more than 8,780 base stations.

Meanwhile, Nar organizes Fundamentals of Mobile Communication training for students majoring in technical specialties to train local staff in the mobile market and turn young people into professionals in a short time after graduation. The training is conducted free with the organizational support of the university administration.

Focused primarily on the operating principle of the mobile network and communication technologies, the Fundamentals of Mobile Communication informs students about the practical aspects of mobile communication as a useful addition to the curriculum of universities.
In the past week Facebook has removed a post violating its policies against inciting violence. Nothing too surprising about that, you might argue. However, this post was from Ethiopia's prime minister.

Last Sunday Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on citizens take up arms to block the advance of the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), urging citizens to "organise and march through [any] legal manner with every weapon and power... to prevent, reverse and bury the terrorist TPLF".

A spokesperson for Facebook, whose parent company recently rebranded to Meta, told the BBC: "At Meta, we remove content from individuals or organizations that violate our Community Standards, no matter who they are."

The BBC website points out that last month leaked documents suggested that Facebook had been warned that its platform was being used by armed groups in Ethiopia to incite violence against ethnic minorities.

Now, however, the company is facing a backlash within Ethiopia where, according to the Technext website, some citizens have called for the government to shut down Facebook, referring in some cases to Nigerias suspension of Twitter after that countrys president posted a tweet that was deleted.

This isnt a completely new issue as far as Ethiopia is concerned. We reported in August that the Ethiopian government was planning to build a local rival to Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp.

At the time the Director General of the countrys Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Shumete Gizaw, accused Facebook of deleting posts and user accounts which he said were disseminating the true reality about Ethiopia.

He may have been referring to actions in June around the time of national elections when Facebook said it had removed a network of fake accounts in Ethiopia targeting domestic users. These were linked to individuals associated with INSA.

Plans to develop one or more local versions of Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp do not, so far, seem to have been developed.
Moscow, ID (83843)

Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 42F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 31F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
TALLAHASSEE (AP)  Citing unspecified examples of election fraud, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday pledged to create a law enforcement agency to investigate election crimes as part of a new package of voting laws.

Speaking at an event in West Palm Beach, the Republican governor announced a series of election law proposals for lawmakers to take up during next years legislative session, including new restrictions on ballot drop boxes and strengthened penalties for ballot harvesting.

DeSantis, who is up for reelection and is eyeing a 2024 presidential run, echoed many talking points on voting problems that have gained traction in the GOP following former President Donald Trumps false claims that his reelection was stolen from him.

The governor has previously praised the 2020 election in Florida as smooth, and there is widespread consensus among election officials and experts that there was no fraud that could have impacted results in the last presidential election.

Still, without evidence, DeSantis suggested issues at the ballot box.
As Ajak, whose superpower is healing, Hayek's is the only character who has a direct connection to the Celestials, an ancient race of beings that possess vast abilities to manipulate matter and energy, and who sent the Eternals on a mission to Earth.

The actor, who had experience with CGI from Robert Rodriguezs Spy Kids movies, said she was surprised by how little the technology was used in Zhaos film. The Nomadland director is known for her rather naturalistic style.

Normally they dont use locations (for superhero movies), all the scenery is done later with computers. We filmed in the Canary Islands and here in the UK and I loved it, it all felt very organic," she said, noting that her only CGI scenes are those in which she speaks to a Celestial.

You are seeing a cross on a green wall while you have thousands of extensions that weigh a lot and this thing that I have on my head that also weighs, so I ended with some neck pain ... but I just did that a couple of times.

One of her biggest challenges, in fact, was related to the costumes. In addition to the headdress and extensions, some of the suits were so tight that gaining just a few pounds could be a problem.
The man who killed Ahmaud Arbery testified that Arbery did not speak, show a weapon or threaten him in any way before he pointed his shotgun at him. The latest.
In 2020, the Indonesia government set an ambitious target of planting mangroves on 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of degrading coastline by 2024. Key ministries are involved in restoration efforts that include community outreach and education.

Yet there have been some setbacks. Precise mapping and data on mangroves is hard to come by, making it difficult for agencies to know where to concentrate. Newly planted mangroves have been swept out to sea by strong tides and waves. Community outreach and education have been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Mexico, successes exist, even if they are slow in coming.

Manuel Gonzalez, a 57-year-old fisherman known as Becha, proudly shows off recovering mangroves in the seaside community of Dzilam de Bravo, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Progreso. He walks through mud, avoiding the interlaced mangrove roots that burrow into it. Some trees are already 30 feet (9 meters) tall.

In 2002, Hurricane Isidoro devastated this area, but after a decade of work, 120 hectares (297 acres) have been restored. The fisherman says that now storms dont hit the community as hard. And the fish, migratory birds, deer, crocodiles and even jaguars have returned.

But the mangroves face a new risk, as stumps scattered among the trees attest.
Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

With the launch of the mobile unit, Flowers Hospital will be able to more than double the number of patients it can treat with mAbs from 150 per week to more than 300. Patients can receive the mAb treatment Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Patients should talk to their physician to confirm eligibility for the treatment and to schedule an appointment.

A healthy immune system naturally produces antibodies to fight antigens such as a virus or bacteria. Monoclonal antibodies, engineered to fight specific antigens, speed up this process and have been used in medicine for more than 30 years as treatments for certain cancers and conditions like plaque psoriasis.

Monoclonal antibodies for treating COVID-19 attach to the coronavirus spike proteins, preventing the virus from attaching to cells and invading the body. The infusions have shown to slow the progression of the virus, preventing symptoms from worsening and keeping people out of the hospital. But the treatment has to be done within 10 days of the onset of symptoms.

Flowers Hospital recommends patients get the mAb treatment within seven days of a positive test result. The treatment is administered through infusion therapy.
Local sheriff departments such as Pike and Coffee counties  where the sheriffs are paid $105,000 and $86,000, respectively  are smaller than Houston Countys department, but Culver said the county did look at the pay of Dothans police chief, who is currently paid $130,000. But Culver said the citys police chief is a difficult comparison because the position is on a pay scale of $107,000 up to $172,000.

Valenza said during his time in office, the department has grown from 168 to 194 employees and 65 sworn deputies up to 91 deputies. The department also now has 11 school resource officers when there was only one. Valenza said a pay scale adjustment is needed through the department since the last one was done in 2015. Some senior staff members earn close to what the sheriff makes and others dont make much more than personnel in lower ranks.

Yall have been very supportive of us, and Ive learned to manage the budget that yall give us and weve always come out good at the end of the year, Valenza said.

In other business on Monday:
Moore also has focused on city services, saying the city needs to reinvest in its people and facilities to make sure taxpayers get what they pay for, amid complaints about faltering services such as yard debris pickup.

Dickens, who was elected to City Council in 2013, promises to increase the number of officers, arrest gang leaders and implement community policing. He also aims to increase affordable housing, improve infrastructure and ensure current residents qualify for high-paying jobs.

Moore is still in an advantageous position" heading into the runoff, Gillespie said.

As for Reed, failing to realize his goal of a third term as mayor leaves him at an inflection point in his career, Gillespie said. He's well-resourced and will be able to figure out something else to do, but it remains to be seen whether politics still has a hold on him, she said.

If he has further political aspirations, he's going to have to give himself some distance from the investigation of his administration, and he's probably going to have to undertake a serious effort to rebrand himself, Gillespie said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
No other maps have been introduced other than the minority leaders map and its not in a fashion or a state that she wants to take action on, Kennedy said. We have one bill on which we can take action.

Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, a Stone Mountain Democrat, presented a proposal Friday that was projected to trim the GOP's majority to 31-25 from its current 34-22, but did not seek a vote on it, saying citizens deserved more time.

The Democratic caucus wants to engage the majority, but it cannot do so if the committee effectively ends debate on Senate redistricting today," Butler said.

Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican, criticized Butler's map as inferior in part because it split more counties than the 29 proposed by Kennedy.

Its hypocritical to attack the chairmans plan that only splits 29 counties with one that splits significantly more for partisan advantage," Cowsert said.

Sen Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat who helped draw Butler's proposal, said it was superior because it was better on partisan fairness coming closer to the 50-50 partisan split seen in recent Georgia elections.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  Prosecutors and defense attorneys on Friday presented dueling portraits of Ahmaud Arbery, who was either an innocent Black runner fatally shot by three white strangers or a scary mystery who had been seen prowling around a Georgia neighborhood.

In her opening statement, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said the short cellphone video that stirred national outrage over Arbery's slaying offered only a glimpse of the attack on the 25-year-old, who gave his pursuers no reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing.

They assumed that he must have committed some crime that day," Dunikoski said. He tried to run around their truck and get way from these strangers, total strangers, who had already told him that they would kill him. And then they killed him.

An attorney for Travis McMichael, the man who shot Arbery three times, put the shooting in a much different light. Attorney Robert Rubin described Arbery to the overwhelmingly white jury as an intruder who had four times been recorded on video plundering around a neighboring house under construction.

McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, gave chase, hoping to detain Arbery until police arrived, Rubin said, but Arbery refused to stop and lunged toward McMichael and his gun.
Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Long said her concerns were ignored by superiors and the Army didnt even pause vaccinations to look into the issue.

I made numerous efforts to get senior medical leaders to at the very least inform soldiers of this risk; my concerns were ignored, Long said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the 1st Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker told The Washington Times Long appeared at the roundtable in her own individual capacity.

The appearance wasnt the first time Long has spoken out against COVID vaccines and the militarys requirements.

In September, The Hill reported Long was among the doctors providing affidavits in support of Americas Frontline Doctors, a group that is suing the Pentagon to stop its vaccine mandate. In her affidavit, Long wrote I cannot discern what form of alchemy (vaccine maker) Pfizer and the FDA have discovered that would make antifreeze into a healthful cure to the human body.

The vaccines do not contain antifreeze, a claim that has circulated on social media. Vaccine skeptics claim the shots contain polyethylene glycol, an active ingredient in antifreeze. However, as The Hill reports, Ethylene glycol is the active ingredient in antifreeze; Polyethylene glycol is the substance found in COVID vaccines, as well as other commonly used products such as laxatives and cosmetics.
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to reinforce the two nations strategic partnership as they met in France.

President Macron said he expects to further deepen the Vietnam-France strategic partnership when receiving PM Chinh, on his official three-day visit to France from Nov. 3-5, on Thursday.

Chinh and Macron emphasized the need to further strengthen economic, trade, and investment cooperation.

The two leaders agreed on directions and measures for cooperation in the coming time in order to create more favorable conditions for bilateral trade exchanges.

They are also on the same page on boosting cooperation in major fields like transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, the environment, energy and aeronautics, and aviation; and working towards building long-term industrial partnerships on the basis of high technology transfer, especially in sectors like clean energy, organic agriculture, and digital technology.

Macron praised the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and affirmed the importance of maintaining security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation, advocating the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), especially in the South China Sea issue. Vietnam calls the waters the East Sea.

Chinh highly praised Frances collaboration with Vietnam at multilateral forums, particularly when Vietnam held the role of non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council earlier this year.

He hoped France would continue working as a bridge to boost Vietnam-EU relations, as well as ASEAN-EU relations, especially when France assumes the EU presidency next January.

The Vietnamese PM added he wished France would continue to provide medical equipment and transfer technology for Covid-19 drug production and help Vietnam improve its medical capacity.

Macron thanked Vietnam for its mask support in the context of the Covid-19 outbreak last year and announced France would further support Vietnam with 400,000 vaccine doses through bilateral channels and 970,000 doses of vaccines through the Covax facility, bringing the total number of vaccines France has provided Vietnam to more than two million doses.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed resumption of commercial international flights to 15 countries and territories, with the U.K., Laos and Cambodia added to the list.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on Friday submitted the latest draft plan of resuming commercial flights in four phases to the Ministry of Transport for consideration.

In the first phase scheduled to start this quarter, airlines would resume flights to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Germany, Russia and Australia to repatriate Vietnamese citizens and carry foreign tourists who book tours to some designated tourist destinations.

Repatriated Vietnamese would have to pay for a combo package that covers all expenses including airfares, quarantine fees at hotels and Covid testing. They need to furnish a negative Covid certificate before departure. Those having been fully vaccinated would only be quarantined for seven days and the unvaccinated 14 days as per health ministry protocol.

From November, foreign tourists can visit Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam and Da Nang, home to popular tourism hotpots and UNESCO heritages sites, without mandatory quarantine.

Visitors need to furnish a certificate showing they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival or recovered from Covid. All tourists must show a negative Covid certificate obtained via the PCR method within 72 hours before departure and are required to book a tour package with designated travel agencies.

In the second phase from January 2022, aviation authorities want to resume regular flights to carry Vietnamese and foreigners from 15 countries and territories: 10 in the first phase and Cambodia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Laos, and the U.K. Each side would operate four flights a week.

Passengers need to furnish a certificate showing they have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival or recovered from Covid and must undergo seven-day quarantine at paid isolation facilities or 14 days for the unvaccinated.

Based on vaccine coverage and herd immunization after mass vaccination, aviation authorities would consider launching regular commercial flights in the third phase from next April that would allow passengers with vaccine passports approved by Vietnam to be exempt from quarantine on arrival.

Passengers would only monitor their health at their place of accommodation from three to seven days while unvaccinated travelers undergo 14-day quarantine.

Vietnam currently accepts Covid-19 vaccine passports from 72 countries and territories, and is discussing the issue with 80 others, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding the U.S., the U.K., Japan and Belarus have officially accepted Vietnam's vaccine passport.

In the fourth phase from next July, aviation authorities would operate regular international flights based on travel demand at the time with unlimited flight frequency.

The plan still stipulates that fully-vaccinated passengers flying into Vietnam on regular commercial flights during the second phase are subject to seven-day quarantine though aviation and tourism firms warned it would be unfeasible if the quarantine rule remains unchanged.

Philip Goh, regional vice president of International Air Transport Association (IATA) for Asia-Pacific, said the roadmap to resume international flights by CAAV was in the right direction.

However, the quarantine requirement would delay the aviation recovery process as well as become a major obstacle for businesses that depend on airlines and international visitors.

In the Asia-Pacific region, many countries like Singapore, Australia and Thailand have welcomed international tourists while Europe and the U.S. reopened their doors quarantine-free to vaccinated passengers.

Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and canceled all international flights in March last year to contain Covid, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts and highly-skilled workers entry.

Vietnam recorded a 79 percent decline year-on-year in the number of foreign visitors in 2020 due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic.

The nation welcomed just 3.83 million foreign visitors against a record 18 million in 2019, according to official data.
The Tri An Hydropower Plant in the southern province closed its floodgates Wednesday after opening it for five days to release water. It was the second time this year that the plant had done this.

Both times, hundreds of locals come to the plant, armed with nets and spears to hunt fish.
St. Josephs hosts bazaar

ELKO -- The Women of St. Josephs annual bazaar is being held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Nov. 20, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. At the bazaar you will find unique handmade crafts (many under $10), fresh baked goods, a cookie cafe (build your own cookie tray), quarts of homemade chili, tamales and personalized pet kerchiefs. The bazaar is held at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Mater Dei Hall located at 340 Fir Street in Elko. Saturday hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free coffee and breakfast breads will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Homemade soup, chili, tamales and pie will be sold from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thank you for supporting our community. For more information call 934-0729.

COVID-19 booster clinic at Senior Center

ELKO -- The Terrace at Ruby View, Elko's Senior and Active Lifestyle Center, in coordination with Immunize Nevada, is holding a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Clinic from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Call The Terrace at 738-3030 for more information.

Moonlight hike and Smores

ELKO -- Join the Friends of the Ruby Mountains for a social evening of hiking, hot chocolate and Smores. Meet on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m. at the South Meadows trailhead, in the South Fork State Recreation Area. Watch for the Nevada Outdoor School signs.

The group will hike the South Meadows Loop Trail under a full moon. Some may hike the entire three-mile loop, others will hike shorter distances. Dress warm and bring head lamps or flashlights. As participants return to the trailhead, they will be met with a campfire, hot chocolate and the makings for Smores.

This fun event is free and open to all ages. It is brought to you by Nevada Outdoor School, Friends of the Ruby Mountains, South Fork State Recreation Area, and AmeriCorps. For more information, call 775-777-0814.

Healthy for the Holidays

ELKO -- Elko Community Health Foundation is offering a healthy eating class for the community. Learn heart healthy skills and strategies to prepare delicious, healthy holiday meals for you and your loved ones. There will be two free two hour classes from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 and 19 at the Elko Senior center, 1795 Ruby View Drive. Watch a live cooking demonstration, get hands-on practice making healthy recipes and enjoy tips for health and well- being. This is a preview to the Healthy for Life program which begins January 2022. To register contact Brittney Plaisted at Brittany.plaisted@elkochc.com or call 388-2852.

Horizon offers bereavement support group

ELKO  If you or a loved one is grieving the loss of a loved one, please join the Horizon Hospice support group. Participants meet at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 1250 Lamoille Highway, Suite 413.

There is no cost to community members. Call 778-0612 for more information.

Al-Anon meets Wednesdays in Spring Creek

SPRING CREEK --The Al-Anon Spring Creek Step Study Group meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the Spring Creek Baptist Church, 360 Spring Creek Parkway. The program is in person or virtual.

If you or someone you know is worried about a family member or friends drinking problem, Al-Anon is a mutual support group that shares their experiences, strengths and hope. Zoom meeting ID 890 588 5311 Password F8KmfZOn.

Celebrate recovery and find freedom

ELKO  Find freedom for your hurts, habits and hang-ups with The Nazarene Church Christ-centered recovery program every Friday evening.

A large group meets at 6 p.m. and a smaller group gathers at 7 p.m. The church is located at 740 Sage St.

Call 738-6714 for more information.

Medicare providers in Elko

ELKO -- The Medicare in Elko Workgroup has updated their list of Elko medical providers. Listed are those clinics that will accept a new patient using Medicare or Medicaid.

It specifically lists clinics where patients can set up appointments with specific providers. The tri-fold brochure also lists providers found outside of Elko, along with two state agencies that help people with their Medicare needs. Senior Services and other medical services are listed.

The updated list is available on the groups website, medicarinelko.org. They also have a Facebook page medicare in elko, with a link to the brochure.

FRC hosts free teen programs

ELKO -- Family Resource Center is hosting free online and in-person teen health programs each month for youth in Grades 5 to 7 and Grades 10 to 12.

These fun, evidence-based age-appropriate programs teach youth about making healthy life decisions. They incorporate medically accurate information along with crucial knowledge about identifying and handling social pressures, communicating effectively and dealing with peer pressure. Youth learn about reproductive health, puberty, hygiene, personal responsibility, avoiding risky behaviors and respect for self and others, while building knowledge, skills and confidence.

Youth receive their choice of a free backpack full of school supplies or a $25 store gift card after completing the program. There is a limit of one free incentive per participant per year. A parent or guardian must pre-register the participant by completing a permission slip before class.

The online programs are presented using Zoom in four day blocks for an hour and 45 minutes each day after school. The in-person classes vary, but are usually one day, scheduled on a Saturday or during holiday breaks. For more information call 753-7352, text 775-397-1874 or email teenhealth@elkofrc.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Barrick Gold Corp.s president and chief executive officer, Mark Bristow, highlighted exploration potential for the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture in his presentation on the third quarter that showed that Barricks earnings were down from the 2020 quarter.

Toronto-based Barrick posted adjusted net earnings of $419 million in the third quarter, or 24 cents per share, down from $726 million, or 41 cents per share, in the 2020 quarter. Net earnings totaled $347 million, compared with $882 million in the third quarter of last year.

Zacks Consensus Estimate for Barrick earnings was 24 cents per share, on the nose for Barricks adjusted net earnings.

In its Nov. 4 report on Barrick finances, the company attributed lower earnings to lower gold prices and lower sales volume because of the mill failure earlier this year at the Goldstrike roaster in Nevada that was repaired in September.

Were set for a strong finish this year, Bristow said of Nevada Gold Mines, with Barrick as operator and 61.5% owner and Newmont Corp. as 38.5% owner.

The average realized gold price in the third quarter was $1,771 per ounce, compared with $1,926 per ounce in the 2020 quarter. The spot gold price on Nov. 4 in early afternoon trading was $1,792.90 per ounce.

Barricks share price was up 10 cents to $18.73 in early afternoon trading on Nov. 4, and Barrick announced a quarterly dividend of 9 cents per share.

On NGM exploration, Bristow said the best intercept to date at Carlin was at North Leeville, where follow-up drilling is under way. Barricks slide on North Leeville shows a drilling result of 139.1 feet at 1.15 ounces of gold per ton (42.4m at 32.62g/t Au).

Also at Carlin, underground drilling at the Ren deposit near infrastructure is showing potential, and Bristow said he is super excited about Ren.

Also on the Carlin Trend, South Arturo, now 100% NGM after an asset swap with i-80 Gold, has new ore potential to extend the mine life, he said in the earnings presentation.

At Cortez, there is new potential at the Cortez Hills underground mine, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is preparing the draft environmental impact statement for Goldrush. Test ore from the Goldrush underground project has been through the Goldstrike roaster with good results, Bristow said.

He said exploration between Turquoise Ridge and Twin Creeks in Humboldt County has identified two high priority targets, and the third shaft now under construction at the underground Turquoise Ridge will be a game changer when completed in 2022.

Meanwhile, NGM is testing four electric haul trucks underground at Turquoise Ridge for Sandvik, and the trucks are always great, when they work, Bristow said. Sandvik supplied more conventional trucks so that the test project can continue, he said.

Companywide, gold production totaled 1.09 million ounces in the third quarter, compared with nearly 1.16 million ounces in the 2020 quarter, and copper production was at 100 million pounds, down slightly from 103 million pounds in the third quarter of last year.

In Nevada, gold production of 495,000 ounces was for Barricks share of NGM production. Barrick also reported that NGMs total gold production for both partners was 805,000 ounces in the third quarter.

Barricks report shows that on a 100% basis, Carlin operations produced 340,000 ounces and Cortez Mine produced 212,000 ounces in the third quarter. Turquoise Ridges 100% production totaled 134,000 ounces, and the Phoenix Mines 100% production was 50,000 gold equivalent ounces. Long Canyon between Wells and West Wendover produced 69,000 ounces for both owners.

Bristow said a decision on Long Canyons future would be made in early 2022, but the graphics included with his presentation show Long Canyon as going into residual leaching next year.

All-in sustaining costs for all Barrick operations for gold production was $1,034 per ounce, compared with $966 per ounce in the 2020 quarter.

Looking at COVID-19 impacts, Bristow said the pandemic continues to impact our lives and our business, and most recently that has been with the supply chain crisis, and Barrick continues to push the COVID-19 vaccines companywide.

The vaccine rate for Barrick workers in Latin America is 67% and for all of Barrick, 35%, but Nevada lags with only 32% of workers partially or fully vaccinated, due to political and social issues, Bristow said. In Nevada, people dont want to be treated like children.

Bristow, who visited Elko last month to update the community, said on Nov. 4 that NGM has had mobile vaccine clinics and we keep banging away with the vaccine message.

NGMs gold production, however, continued during the pandemic. Bristow said all the COVID-19 protocols were put in place at Nevada operations early in the pandemic so production didnt miss a beat.

Greg Walker, who heads NGM, said in the Nov. 4 earnings webinar that last week there were 20 positive COVID-19 cases at the Nevada operations, and 60 people were off from work. The impact to operations comes when there is a cluster of cases, such as with a whole drilling crew, he said.

Barrick also reported that NGM has started construction of a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Nevada and has permitting to double that amount. The project, which is part of Barricks greenhouse gas reduction strategy, is at the site of the TS Power Plant near Dunphy.

Additionally, Barrick reported that the third tranche  $250 million  of a return of capital distribution totaling $750 million was completed and will be paid to shareholders.

Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Department 1  Judge Kriston Hill

Oct. 13

Ludwing Xavier Campos-Sanchez, 35, of Northridge, California, pleaded no contest to one count of conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance and one count of battery of an officer or protected person and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

-

Thomas Ryan Morrison, of Salt Lake City, Utah, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to two days in jail and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

-

Dustin Peer, 38, of Salt Lake City, Utah, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to commit uttering of a forged instrument and was sentenced to 180 days in jail.

-

William Randall White, 61, of Moab, Utah, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, was given a suspended sentence of 12 months in jail of 180 days in jail and was placed on probation for one year.

Oct. 15

Dean John Pilkington, 53, of Taunton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of aiming a firearm at a human being and one count of disturbing the peace and was given a suspended sentence of 180 days in jail and pay a $1,000 fine.

Department 2  Judge Al Kacin

Sept. 1

Javier Hernandez-Perez Jr., 21, of Salt Lake City, Utah, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of to conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance, was given a suspended sentence of one year in jail and was placed on probation for one year and required to complete the Adult Drug Court Program. In a separate matter, he pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance and was sentenced to 137 days in jail.

-

Jordan Dale Stills, 26, of Elko pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit contributory neglect of a child and was given a suspended sentence of 120 days in jail, was ordered to pay $2,000 restitution to the victim and was placed on probation for one year.

-

Phoenix Aaron Valadez, 19, of Salt Lake City, Utah, pleaded no contest to assault upon an officer who was in the performance of his/her duties at the time and known by the defendant to be in the performance of such duties and was given a suspended sentence of 120 days in jail and was placed on probation for one year.

Sept. 30

Victor Jesus Caraves, 24, of Baja, Mexico, pleaded no contest to three counts of conspiracy to commit uttering a forged instrument, was given a suspended sentence of one year in jail, was ordered to serve 90 days in jail, pay $700 restitution to the victim and was placed on probation for one year.

-

Mark Anthony Lupercio, 59, of Exeter, California, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, was given a suspended sentence of 16 to 40 months in prison and was placed on probation for 18 months.

-

Elaine Allison Taylor, 49, of Willoughby, Ohio, pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was given a suspended sentence of 16 to 40 months in prison, was ordered to serve 120 days in jail and pay $63,142 restitution to the victim and was placed on probation for 36 months.

Department 3  Judge Mason Simons

Oct. 5

Stacy Westfahl, 51, of Bountiful Utah pleaded guilty to uttering or possessing with intent to utter a fictitious bill, note or check, was given a suspended sentence of 19 to 48 months in prison and was placed on probation for two years.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ELKO  Elko County Commissioners want their congressional delegation to know they oppose spending bills weaving through Congress that would increase the nations debt, and they voted to send a letter to the delegation outlining their concerns.

Elko County Board of Commissioners is imploring you to oppose the various spending bills making their way through Congress. The future of our nation depends on you in Congress ending this insane deficit spending, the letter states.

Even without the new bills you are currently considering, our national debt is inching toward $29 trillion. Before supporting any bill that adds to that deficit, stop and think what that number means, the commissioners chose to tell the delegation.

The national debt is getting crazy, said Chairman Jon Karr, and Commissioner Cliff Eklund said at the commissioners Nov. 3 meeting, I dont know how we can pay it off.

According to news reports, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was working to pass the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better legislation and separately send the $550 billion Senate-passed infrastructure bill to President Joe Bidens desk yet this week.

Commissioner Rex Steninger wrote the draft letter on debt for the board, which tweaked it slightly before approving it. They took out a reference to the Nov. 2 elections at the end, so the final paragraph will be: Please help correct our course by rejecting any bill that adds to our frightening national debt.

Steninger wrote that looking back, 29 trillion seconds ago was 918,952 years ago, and the letter states that looking to the future, it would take us nearly a century to pay off this debt if we began paying it off at a rate of $10,000 for every second. That would be our great-great grandchildren that would finally see the debt retired. How can you in Congress do that to our future generations?

Commissioners on occasion choose to weigh in on national and state issues by sending letters to national or state officials.

They had planned at an October meeting to approve sending a letter to the congressional delegation on efforts to change the 1872 mining law to raise royalties on hard-rock minerals mined on public lands, but they decided not to write the letter after learning about successful efforts by U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., to keep the measure out of the Senate reconciliation bill.

They were concerned because gold mining is a big part of the countys economy.

The proposal was for an 8% gross royalty on new mines, a 4% gross royalty on existing operations and a 7-cent-per-ton tax on dirt and rock moved during the extraction process.

Elko Countys commissioners also fired off letters earlier this year to Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak with their concerns about his COVID-19 mandates.

Love 2 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
ELKO  Local public officials criticized the Biden administrations plan to roll out a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on Jan. 4, while some large employers are still uncertain what the impact will be during a tight labor market.

The regions large gold mines may not be included in the federal vaccine mandate because they are regulated by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, which doesnt fall under OSHA. But the many vendors serving the mining industry are regulated by OSHA.

Cashman Equipment is just going to wait until all the facts are in on how the vaccine mandate affects the company before taking any action, said its president and chief operating officer Mike Pack on Thursday.

People are building a plane as its flying, he said.

Cashman, which is based in Las Vegas but has branches in Elko and in other parts of the state, has nearly 1,000 employees amongst its separate Cashman companies, ranging from five to 150, Pack said.

Much of Cashmans business is selling and maintaining mining equipment.

Barrick Gold Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow said Thursday the company is pushing vaccines at its operations worldwide.

The vaccine rate for Barrick workers in Latin America is 67% and for all of Barrick, 35%, but Nevada lags with only 32% of workers partially or fully vaccinated, due to political and social issues, Bristow said in the companys third-quarter earnings presentation.

In Nevada, people dont want to be treated like children, he said.

Bristow said Nevada Gold Mines has had mobile vaccine clinics and we keep banging away with the vaccine message.

Another large employer is the Elko County School District. Unlike staff at Great Basin College and other higher education institutions, public school teachers have not been mandated by the state to get vaccinated.

Interim Elko Schools Superintendent Jeff Zander said the mandate would have an impact on the district but he was waiting for word from the state.

We are awaiting guidance from the Nevada Department of Education, Zander said, and more information will be provided after that and meeting with employees.

Casinos also are among the regions largest employers.

David Zornes of Northern Star Casinos, owner of the Stockmens in Elko and Scoreboard in Spring Creek, said his company started preparing to comply with the mandate when it was announced two months ago.

Test kits have been purchased and the company might offer their employees some incentives to take the vaccine, Zornes explained, but were not going to force them. We dont feel like we should be forcing them.

We would prefer each person gets to make their own decision, Zornes said.

Another large employer is Elkos hospital.

Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital is aware of the latest news regarding the federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements, the hospital stated Thursday in response to a request from the Elko Daily Free Press. We agree that the vaccine is our best defense against this virus and have been strongly encouraging our staff to get vaccinated. Right now, we are working to fully understand the details of this development and the impact it will have for employees and providers at our facility. We are committed to fulfilling all of our regulatory and compliance obligations.

Roughly one out of three Elko County residents is vaccinated, and the hospital has been encouraging more people to get their shots.

The mandate will apply to all companies with 100 or more employees, regardless of whether they operate in different locations. Employees who do not get vaccinated will need to be tested for COVID-19 weekly, unless they work remotely.

Several public officials in Elko said they strongly oppose the mandate.

As a believer in the vaccine and its benefits I am admittedly opposed to mandatory vaccine requirements, especially for private employers, said Elko County Commission Chairman Jon Karr. Nationally and locally, companies are struggling to hire and forcing mandates on them will make the hiring process even more difficult.

I also believe there could be legal consequences for a company to fire an employee for not getting vaccinated but then sued for wrongful termination, he added. January is still a ways away and I believe this mandate will be rescinded because of fear of its unpopularity coming into an election cycle.

Former U.S. senator Dean Heller had a similar viewpoint.

Im all for vaccines  Ive been vaccinated myself, but this is egregious government overreach and further proof that Joe Biden and Steve Sisolak think they get to tell people what to do with their personal healthcare, Heller said. These mandates will keep many workers home and crush Nevadas economy. Im running for governor of Nevada in part to fight against this type of government intrusion because I believe that these types of decisions should be left to the people.

Elko Mayor Reece Keener is concerned about the potential impact on first responders.

Our public safety is highly vulnerable due to the high number of unvaccinated personnel that will walk, or opt to retire early, he said. This includes tens of thousands of law enforcement, firefighters, first responders and sanitation workers. Our national security is also affected as thousands of our Armed Forces members are objecting.

Keener highlighted the risk at a critical point in the nations economic recovery.

These mandates mark a very sad day for freedom in the United States, he said. American workers are now faced with having to make the unconscionable choice between submitting to a controversial vaccination, or unemployment and the ensuing financial disaster. Our economy is at a tipping point with an acute labor shortage in all sectors thats sowing chaos with the supply chain that delivers every product that we use. The mandates will only exacerbate the labor shortage as unvaxxed workers get squeezed out.

He believes the mandate may not go into effect as planned.

This mandate will likely be deemed unconstitutional, but until it is so determined, it is the law of the land, Keener said. Despite the electoral defeats in Virginia and New Jersey that were wrought from government overreach, this Administration continues its headlong rush to implement progressive policies that are damaging and weakening our society in profound ways.

Elko County Republican Party Chairman Lee Hoffman was critical not only of the mandate but the vaccine itself.

The vaccine mandate on employers is a huge governmental intrusion into the lives and freedoms of Americans, he said. It is an obvious ploy to get around protections built into our laws and Constitution. It is immoral for the government to force experimental pharmaceuticals on its citizens. When you look at the testing process and hurried approval, it is inescapable that these vaccines are, at best, experimental, and, at worst, have severe and even deadly adverse reactions in many people.

Hoffman believes the mandate is unnecessary.

Not only is the safety questionable and the value unproven, since it does not prevent acquisition or spread of COVID, but the mandate is unnecessary as we are not in a crisis, he said. This virus is in the population and will be there in perpetuity, like influenza. It should be left to the individual and family to decide the risk/benefit value of the vaccination. Whatever happened to the philosophy of my body, my choice?

Hoffman said he believes personal freedom and health are the most important issues, but the mandate will also have a negative effect on the nations already struggling economy.

Employers are having a difficult time hiring workers; the supply chain is in tatters; shortages are looming; and the President uses an unelected bureaucracy to throw another obstacle in the way, he said. I urge everyone, and especially our elected representatives at all levels, to oppose implementation of this mandate.

Elko County Democratic Party officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 6
TWIN FALLS, Idaho  Residents in eastern Twin Falls and Kimberly have reported an increasing number of mountain lion sightings in the last two weeks, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

As of Thursday, four goats have died as confirmed lion kills. A llama was also killed recently, but Fish and Game spokesperson Terry Thompson said the kill was listed as suspected and could not be confirmed because the animal was buried.

Residents near the Falls Avenue and Hankins Road intersection captured a lion on a doorbell camera. Another sighting occurred when a lion ran out in front of a car. A third sighting was reported in Kimberly. Some of the reports include daylight activity, which is not typical behavior.

Fish and Game is not sure if this is all one animal or multiple.

Understandably, local residents are concerned, Thompson wrote in a website post. Fish and Game managers share this concern and are actively working to provide safety tips and suggestions to those who live in areas where mountain lions frequent.

Residents who spot a mountain lion should call the the Fish and Games Magic Valley Regional Office at 208-324-4359. Residents can also report sightings to the Twin Falls County Sheriff at 208-736-4040.

Fish and Game placed a trap on Monday but hasnt caught anything yet. When the agency notices repeated livestock kills, they will try to take action to remove the animal, Thompson said.

Its not uncommon, but its uncommon enough that people arent reminded very often that we do have lions that are very close to town, he said.

In April 2020, a Kimberly resident captured a video recording of a mountain lion moving through an alley. The police searched the town and never found the animal.

If you see a mountain lion, never run away or turn your back, Thompson said. Face the animal while making yourself look bigger by reaching your arms above your head. It is OK to yell, but do not scream. Slowly back away while maintaining eye contact with the animal.

Lions are not going to typically prey on people, Thompson said.

To keep pets safe, Fish and Game recommends owners take the following actions:

Keep your pets on a leash.

Do not feed pets outside or leave food dishes outside. Although mountain lions will not typically be attracted to the food, it could attract other wildlife that are considered prey by a lion.

Before letting pets outside, turn on lights and make loud noises. A privacy fence will not stop a mountain lion from entering a yard.

If possible, stay outside with your pet.

Homeowner safety tips also include using lights to discourage wildlife from entering properties and making sure household garbage is secured.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
Its been nearly three months since the start of the school year, and the holidays are around the corner. The Communities In Schools of Northeastern Nevada staff, along with our wonderful community partners and dedicated community members consistently provide us the support that allows us to meet our mission of serving our students, no matter what it takes.

After taking a one-year hiatus last year due to the pandemic, we resumed our eighth annual A Nite at The Races on August 20, and it was definitely a night for the books! More than 100 guests gathered in their best derby attire and enjoyed an evening of video horse racing, dinner, great prizes and a silent auction, all for a great cause. We are proud to say that the evening raised more than $21,000, all of which is staying in northeastern Nevada to help support current CIS school-based programming to reduce the barriers to learning faced by our children. We could not have done it without the generosity of our community, our partners and sponsors for supporting this event.

On October 22 and 23, we teamed up with the Elko County Fair Grounds to present Safe Grounds, safe and fun Halloween experience for Elko kids. We gathered inside the Fairgrounds and enjoyed an evening of hayrides, games, pumpkin patch, selfie stations and of course, the long-standing Trick-or-Treat Street. We look forward to growing this event, year after year!

This month, we are excited for the return of Thanksgiving Dinner for Kids. This will be our sixth year working together with community partners to support families who may be in need of holiday assistance. Now through November 15th, we are asking the community to help make a difference by donating a grocery store gift card or making a monetary donation to help feed approximately 150 families at Thanksgiving. More information on how you can help is on our Facebook page.

I have had the pleasure of working with CIS for over a decade, and I could not imagine dedicating my career to a better organization and a more worthwhile cause. The past few of years have brought on unique challenges, but they have also allowed us to demonstrate all the amazing things that can be done when we are driven by the All In For Kids mentality. I am surrounded by a remarkable team at CIS and work with an amazing network of school staff, teachers and community partners.

Sarah Goicoechea is executive director of Communities In Schools of Northeastern Nevada. For more information call 775-738-2783.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Further evidence that President Biden is a weak follower of the far-left in his party rather than a strong mainstream leader is his intent to nominate radical Saule Omarova as Comptroller of the Currency.

The Comptroller of the Currency is an important agency. It has the power to regulate all national banks and federal savings institutions.

Born in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, and educated at Moscow State University on the V.I. Lenin Personal Academic Scholarship, Ms. Omarova is a Cornell University law professor. She has praised the Soviet-era economic system.

Omarova is celebrated on the far-left for promoting ideas she herself describes as radical.

U.S. Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) told the Senate I dont think Ive ever seen a more radical choice for any regulatory spot in our federal government.

Omarova doesnt want to just tighten regulation on banks. In her words , she wants to effectively end banking as we know it by the complete migration of demand deposit accounts to the Federal Reserve.

Demand deposits are the standard checking and savings accounts most Americans have with private banks.

She wants to transfer all private banking functions to the Federal Reserve, where accounts would fully replace private bank deposits.

The Fed would set prices in large sectors of the U.S. economy that she deems to be systemically important for fuel, food, raw materials, metals, natural resources, home prices and wages.

Omarova says the Fed should be remade into what she calls The Peoples Ledger. She would effectively nationalize the U.S. Banking system. This is textbook socialism.

She calls for reimagining the role of central banks as the ultimate public platform for generating, modulating, and allocating financial resources in a modern economy.

This nominee showed her hostility and bias against the very banking industry she would oversee, calling financial services a quintessential asshole industry. She aspires to be a banking regulator who hates banks.

To fully assess her nomination, Senator Toomey asked Omerova to turn over to the Senate Banking Committee her thesis, Karl Marxs Economic Analysis and the Theory of Revolution in the Capital, authored while she studied at Moscow State University. She has declined and reference to her thesis recently disappeared from her resume.

U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) accuses Toomey of red scare McCarthyism for drawing attention to Omarovas academic papers and statements.

Joining Senator Brown in defending Omarova is Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), also a Banking Committee member. Senator Warren says Republicans dont want to talk about her impressive qualifications and expertise in banking so instead resort to desperate scare tactics.

But while Senate progressive-wing Democrats like Brown and Warren are defenders, other more mainstream Senate Democrats on the committee are not necessarily supportive. Her nomination has not yet officially been transmitted to the Senate by the White House.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont) has expressed concerns about Omerova and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is noncommittal.

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga) are also Banking Committee members whose votes may be in doubt. Sinema is widely viewed as a moderate, while Masto and Warnock anticipate tough reelection campaigns in competitive states.

If the nomination advances out of the Banking Committee it is nearly certain to meet united opposition from all 50 Senate Republicans.

Its not every day that were presented with a nomination for a Lenin scholarship recipient who attended Moscow State University and wants to end banking as we know it in the United States, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said.

The banking industry, including the American Bankers Association, will also battle Omerovas nomination.

Ultimately, Biden may decide not to send her nomination to the Senate, or it may stall in committee. In any event, anti-bank zealot Omarovas confirmation appears doubtful.

Jim Hartman is an attorney residing in Genoa, Nevada. Email him at lawdocman1@aol.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
On Thursday, West Australian Police charged Terence Darrell Kelly in relation to the disappearance of Cleo Smith, the four-year-old who was discovered alive and well 18 days after allegedly being abducted.

In a statement, WA Police confirmed that the 36-year-old man had been charged with one count of forcibly taking a child under 16, among other offences. Kelly appeared before a magistrate in Carnarvon on Thursday afternoon, but did not apply for bail.

The case is expected to be heard in early December. Kelly has not yet been required to enter a plea.

Kelly hospitalised after incident in custody

The Carnarvon local was arrested by police on Wednesday and was immediately detained in custody in relation to the alleged kidnapping. However the suspect was subsequently taken to hospital after self-harming while in custody, according to WA Police.

After appearing in court Kelly returned to a Carnarvon police station and Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde told Perth radio station 6PR that the suspect's injuries were "not life threatening."

Police have not yet confirmed the exact charges against Kelly, but they have stated that it is currently their belief that he acted spontaneously and had not acted with any accomplices.

Cleo Smith found in locked house near campsite

The disappearance of Cleo Smith had gripped Australia in the weeks since she went missing on 16 October, while on a camping trip with her parents. Cleos family had just embarked on their holiday at the Quobba Blowholes campsite when she went missing during the night.

A massive search effort was initiated with a task force of more than 100 officers scrambled to scour a vast stretch of Western Australia, spanning close to 400 miles. Wilde outlined the scale of the search, saying officers had sorted through "hundreds of thousands" of pieces of evidence in search of a lead.

He said: "We had to sift through a lot of information. The statements of the 100 people who were at the campsite, CCTV footage, data from phones..."

After being missing for 18 days, new information led police to Kellys home in Carnarvon, roughly 30 miles from the campsite where Cleos family had been staying. Kelly was not in the house when police arrived, but officers found the missing four-year-old in the locked house, playing with toys.

Local media are reporting that Kelly was identified and arrested hours before the police attended his property in search of Cleo. The investigation with continue in the coming days and weeks as police look to piece together exactly what happened.
The second round of the Golden State Stimulus is in full swing, with payments being sent out in batches since September. The checks are available to all Californians who earn under $75,000 a year, unless they received checks in the first Golden State Stimulus at the start of 2021. Even then, if these people have dependents, then they could still be eligible to receive a payment.

Around nine million people became eligible to receive the $600 direct payment after the requirements were expanded in July. More than 1.15 million payments are include in the latest batch, which will cost the state $857 million. This follows the 4.5 million stimulus checks previously distributed by the California Franchise Tax Board (CFTB), at a total cost of $3.2 billion.

How to know if I'm eligible? File your taxes before October 15



Have a 2020 California AGI and wages of <$75,000

Have been a resident in California for at least 50 percent of the 2020 year

Be a resident of California currently

Cannot be claimed as a dependant by any other taxpayer

To date, around half of those eligible have received their check. Andrew LePage, spokesman for the CFTB, told an ABC affiliate that over 750,000 checks were mailed on November 1. This follows a previous batch sent on 29 October, which reached more than 400,000 tax filers through direct deposit. The last batch sent consisted of physical checks sent to eligible residents living in zip codes ending 221-375.

How many payments are left in 2021?

Payments are due to be sent every week until the end of the year, to ensure everyone who has applied for the payments gets them. Most of who has received checks so far has received them in the form of a direct deposit, as the process for mailing is longer and more complicated. The last batch sent consisted of physical checks sent to eligible residents living in zip codes ending 221-375.

Zip Code Distribution Schedule Last 3 digits of ZIP code Mailing timeframes 001-065 10/04/2021 through 10/22/2021 066-221 10/18/2021 through 11/05/2021 222-302 11/1/2021 through 11/19/2021 303-543 11/15/2021 through 12/03/2021 544-709 11/29/2021 through 12/17/2021 710-998 12/13/2021 through 12/31/2021 Source: California Tax Franchise Board, 2021

For those who submitted their return and provided direct deposit information after 1 September, a forty-five-day waiting period should be expected. If no direct deposit information was given at the point of filing, a physical check will be mailed, by the CFTB will need between sixty days to review the information and send the check.

What about 2022?

There is yet to be an announcement on what will happen with the Golden State Stimulus in 2022.

People who are eligible in 2021 but applied for a physical check could receive their payment as late as January 2022, due to the time it takes to post such things, but so far these are the only payments announced for 2022.
Earthquakes continue on La Palma

There have been 27 earthquakes detected by the National Geographic Institute (IGN) during the early hours of Monday in La Palma and they have occurred at depths of between 9 and 37 kilometres.

The highest magnitude earthquake reached 3.4 at 1:00 a.m. in the municipality of Fuencaliente and at a depth of 13 kilometres.
The imminent implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, scheduled to take effect from Jan 1, will effectively boost economic recovery and consolidate the supply chain network in the Asia-Pacific region, economists and business leaders said on Thursday.

The Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has confirmed that six member countries of the bloc and four non-ASEAN countriesChina, Japan, New Zealand and Australiahad formally submitted their RCEP ratifications, meeting the conditions for the deal to come into force in those 10 countries at the start of next year, China's Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement on Wednesday.

Apart from showing their willingness to further expand trade flows during the post COVID-19 era, the RCEPthe world's biggest trade pact by GDPwill help these signatory countries ensure the opening of their markets as well as uninterrupted supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region, said Zhang Jianping, director-general of the China Center for Regional Economic Cooperation in Beijing.

The six ASEAN countries that have approved the RCEP are Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The deal comes into force 60 days after ratification by at least six ASEAN countries and at least three non-ASEAN countries, according to the agreement signed in November last year.

As of Wednesday, four ASEAN members and the Republic of Korea haven't ratified the dealt.

Once the RCEP takes effect, local and global companies will enjoy a regional business environment with fewer investment barriers and low tariffs. The implementation of the agreement will help the regional supply chain better respond to external impacts, said Jiang Feng, director of the General Administration of Customs' Department of Duty Collection.

China's foreign trade soared by 22.7 percent on a yearly basis to 28.33 trillion yuan ($4.4 trillion) in the first three quarters of this year, and the volume of its exports and imports with other RCEP participants surged 19.3 percent year-on-year, data from the administration showed.

China, one of the main drivers of the deal, completed the ratification process for the agreement on April 15 and applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, another trade agreement among 11 economies, including Australia, Canada and Japan, in September.

"In the next growth stage, innovations in trade policies, products and practices will be the cornerstones of progress for China and its partners to persevere on the path of development," said Lawrence Loh, director of the Center for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore's Business School.

Despite the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region's economic growth, the RCEP will pave the way for global companies to invest and export more products to various markets within the region, said Donny Yu, president and CEO for China at Nexans SA, a French cable manufacturer for power and data transmission.
China has participated in all aspects of global governance within the framework of the United Nations, demonstrating its responsibility as a major country. At a time when the trend of counter-globalization, terrorism and climate change are becoming increasingly serious, China upholds the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, adheres to the concept of global governance based on the principle of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits", and promotes the reform and improvement of the global governance system.

After the outbreak of the international financial crisis in 2008, China was pushed to the forefront of global economic governance. The first G20 summit was held, marking China's first participation in the global economic governance mechanism as a founding member and core member. In November 2016, the "Belt and Road" initiative was included in the UN General Assembly resolution for the first time. In September 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to include the principle of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits" in the resolution on "The United Nations and Global Economic Governance".

China supports the leading role of the UN and the Security Council in the international fight against terrorism. It has actively contributed to the adoption of a series of counter-terrorism resolutions by the UN General Assembly and Security Council, participated in the work of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, and provided financial support for international counter-terrorism through the China-UN Peace and Development Fund. It has fully implemented the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, opposed attempts to politicize counter-terrorism, and helped developing countries enhance their capacity to fight terrorism and extremism.

China has joined hands with the international community to address climate and environmental challenges. Since the 1990s, China has contributed to the international consensus on addressing global warming within the framework of the UN, and has established a global climate governance mechanism based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has put forward the idea of building a community of shared future for mankind and building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness and beauty from the perspective of the development of all mankind, which has received wide resonance worldwide. In October 2021, China hosted the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Kunming, issuing an initiative to the world to protect biodiversity and build a global ecological civilization, presenting a precious gift to the UN on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its return to the UN.

Under the background of novel coronavirus that has triggered a global crisis, China is urging the international community to turn crisis into opportunity and build a community of human health. China supports the central role of the UN and the World Health Organization in improving global public health governance, and has responded positively to the global humanitarian response plan launched by the UN, launching the largest global humanitarian operation since the founding of new China. At the opening ceremony of the 73rd World Health Assembly, China announced $2 billion in international aid over two years. To date, China has provided $50 million in cash assistance to the WHO, provided anti-pandemic assistance to 151 countries and 14 international organizations, and dispatched 37 teams of medical experts to 34 countries.

Contributed by Liu Qing, Invited expert of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy research center, vice- director of China Institute of International Studies

Translated by Wang Ruoxin

Editor: WRX
Photo taken on Dec. 1, 2020 shows a portrait of Gu Songfen. Gu Songfen, winner of China's top science award, is an aircraft designer at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd. (AVIC), the nation's leading aircraft maker. Born in 1930, Gu is an academician at both the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Leading the development of China's J-8 and J-8 II fighter jets, Gu has made contributions to the country's advancement in aviation weaponry and equipment. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese scientists, aircraft designer Gu Songfen and nuclear expert Wang Dazhong, won China's top science award Wednesday for their outstanding contributions to scientific and technological innovation.

Gu is a leading scientist at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd., the nation's leading aircraft maker. Born in 1930, Gu is an academician at both the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Leading the development of China's J-8 and J-8 II fighter jets, Gu has made contributions to the country's advancement in aviation weaponry and equipment.

Wang Dazhong, born in 1935, is an internationally reputed nuclear scientist.

A CAS academician and former president of Tsinghua University, he has dedicated himself to the research and development of advanced nuclear energy technologies.
CANBERRA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Northern Territory (NT) has introduced coronavirus restrictions after reporting its first locally-acquired case.

Michael Gunner, chief minister of the NT, on Thursday night announced that an unvaccinated man in his 20s was diagnosed with the virus in Katherine, about 300 km south of the capital Darwin.

He said the man has not traveled outside the NT recently. "We don't know where and we don't know when but this is community transmission," Gunner told reporters.

"He has caught it from someone in the territory but we don't know who."

It is the first confirmed case of community transmission in the NT since the start of the pandemic.

Gunner said the man was likely infectious in the Katherine and Darwin communities from Sunday until Tuesday.

As a result, Katherine has been plunged into a 72-hour lockdown that started at midnight Friday.

Under the lockdown, Katherine residents are only allowed to leave home for medical treatment, shopping for essential goods, performing essential work, exercising or providing care.

Darwin residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to wear masks outdoors but can otherwise go about life as normal, while those who are not inoculated are subject to full lockdown restrictions.

Anyone caught breaching the restrictions will receive a 5,000-Australian dollar (about 3,700 U.S. dollars) fine.

As of Wednesday, 77.8 percent of people in the territory aged 16 and over had received one vaccine dose and 64.7 percent were fully inoculated.

"This is another reminder that the territory is absolutely vulnerable to COVID-19," Gunner said.

"But you are more likely to catch COVID if you are unvaccinated, and you are way, way more likely to get seriously ill from COVID if you are unvaccinated."

Victoria, New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory on Friday reported a total of 1,598 new locally-acquired coronavirus infections and 14 deaths.

Meanwhile, Australia's most populated states, NSW and Victoria, reopened their shared border on Friday in recognition of their high COVID-19 vaccination rates.

It means that for the first time in months, NSW travelers, including those who are unvaccinated, can cross the southern border into Victoria without quarantining or testing. They do, however, need to have an entry permit and prove they have not tested positive for the coronavirus.

Fully vaccinated Victorians can now travel freely into NSW unless they have been to a region of the state with a high risk for virus transmission.

Unvaccinated Victorians aged 16 and over still, however, are not allowed to cross the border.

Editor: WPY
BANJUL, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Gambian President Adama Barrow on Thursday promised to peacefully hand over power if he loses the upcoming presidential election in December.

"I am a democrat. It is the Gambian people who make the decision. And Gambian people, whatever they decide I will respect that," the president said to journalists after submitting his credentials at the country's Independent Electoral Commission in Kanifing.

Barrow also advised the electoral body to remain independent in its functions to ensure a level playing field so that all parties will be able to accept the results, the final decision of the Gambian people.

Barrow's reelection will be challenged by a list of other nominees, including Ousainou Darboe, veteran lawyer and leader of the biggest opposition party United Democratic Party.

Editor: WPY
Ukraine has reserves of fuel at nuclear power plants, designed for 1.5 years of operation, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko has said.

"As of the moment, the reserve of nuclear fuel purchased in advance makes it possible to pass the heating season absolutely calmly. Today there is 146% of the annual demand for VVER-1000 units and 150% for VVER-440 units," he said during an hour of questions to the government in the Verkhovna Rada.

According to the minister, by creating barriers to the supply of fuel resources, the Russian Federation has the opportunity to influence the limitation of nuclear fuel supplies, since half of the nuclear power plants operate on Russian fuel.

At the same time, given the available reserves, the official assured that such restrictions, if any, would not affect the operation of the nuclear power plants.

"In this regard, we feel absolutely calm," he stressed.
Ukrainian electricity producers already have contracted coal supplies from Poland, the United States and South Africa, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said.

"In November, 1.5 million tonnes of domestic coal is expected, and at the same time, the share of imports will increase due to the diversification of supply sources. Ukrainian companies have already signed contracts for the supply of coal from Poland, the United States, South Africa," the minister said during an hour of questions to the government in the Verkhovna Rada.

According to him, the cost of imported coal reaches $300 per tonne, especially coal supplied by sea.

The minister noted that in October thermal power plants received 1.3 million tonnes of own-produced coal, or 85% of the total supply. Imports amounted to 260,000 tonnes, of which 36,000 tonnes account for state generation.

At the same time, the minister pointed out that the Russian Federation had limited the transit of coal from Kazakhstan.

Considering these factors, the minister stressed the need to develop domestic coal mining.

"It is important that we look at the possibilities of rapidly increasing domestic production. And if there are such opportunities and there is an opportunity to invest in domestic coal, this is the key priority," he stressed.

As reported, in November Ukraine plans to import 562,000 tonnes of coal, of which about 200,000 tonnes will be supplied to PJSC Centrenergo.
Squares dedicated to Ukrainians - Righteous Among the Nations and Victims of the Holodomor - may appear in Jerusalem

Prospects for deepening Ukrainian-Israeli cooperation in culture and education, celebrations of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and development of cooperation between Kyiv and Jerusalem were discussed during the meeting of Ukrainian Ambassador Yevhen Korniychuk with Director General of the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage Nathaniel Yitzhak. The Embassy reported this at Facebook.

The parties discussed prospects for deepening Ukrainian-Israeli cooperation in the field of culture and education, as well as prospects for the development of cooperation between the cities of Kyiv and Jerusalem at the municipal level. It was agreed to hold in December this year a joint solemn event of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the State of Israel, - the statement reads.

The Ambassador informed the Israeli side about the intention of the Ukrainian side to clean up several parks in Jerusalem at its own expense.

And dedicate one of them to Ukrainians who received the title of Righteous Among the Nations, and the other - the tragedy of the Ukrainian people - the Holodomor. N.Yitzhak welcomed the initiative of the Ukrainian side and assured of its full support, - the Embassy emphasizes.

During the meeting, the interlocutors also discussed the possibility of sending groups of Israeli pupils and students to Ukraine in order to get acquainted with the places of Jewish heritage and the history of good neighborliness of the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples.
U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission to become opportunity to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty  US State Dept Spokesperson

U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission to become opportunity to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty  US State Dept Spokesperson

KYIV. Nov 5 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The United States sees the upcoming meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission as an opportunity to reaffirm support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, U.S. State Department's Spokesperson Ned Price has said.

"State Dept's Spokesperson addresses how the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission meeting with Dmytro Kuleba next week will be an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine's independence and sovereignty, including in the face of ongoing Russian aggression," Price said, the press service of the U.S. Department of State reported on Twitter.

As reported, the meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission will be held in Washington on November 10. Among other things, it is planned to sign a new Strategic Partnership Charter at the meeting.
Programs to promote the employment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) should be aimed at improving the qualifications of people, and not at establishing quotas, Inna Drahanchuk, Deputy Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, has said.

"Not only internally displaced persons have a problem with employment, but displaced persons differ from other community members in the fact that they rent housing and that they have lost part of their professional achievements in the uncontrolled territory. I'm not saying that there should be a quota for the employment of internally displaced persons, because first of all we have to put professionalism on the first place. But the dialogue that we laid down in the Strategy is important for me regarding socially responsible business and business support for internally displaced persons ... The Strategy contains this mechanism, and not about the fact that internally displaced persons should take away the jobs of other community members in bad faith," Drahanchuk said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Answering a clarifying question, whether it will be an issue of quotas for employment of IDPs or stimulating the employer to hire just IDPs, the Deputy Minister answered in the negative.

"There should be no quotas. First of all, this should concern the internally displaced persons themselves and help them find a place in the labor market faster. Here we are talking about re-profiling businesses and retraining people themselves," she said.

According to Drahanchuk, the task of the ministry is to create conditions for displaced persons so that they receive a sufficient level of qualifications.

"And when there will be a choice between an internally displaced person and another representative, so that preference is given to the displaced person, and not because he is internally displaced, but because he is a high-level specialist," she explained.

As reported, on October 28, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the Strategy for the Integration of Internally Displaced Persons and a plan for the implementation of medium-term solutions on internal displacement for the period until 2024. Among other things, the Strategy envisages the creation of programs to promote the employment of displaced persons.
Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has presented the OPEN Digest newsletter, which will become a new channel for delivering information about the activities of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian authorities, the press service of the head of state has said.

"This is a new platform, a new channel of communication. As Socrates said, speak so that I may see you. This expression is very relevant, because we feel that today the world is not sufficiently informed about what is happening in Ukraine, how the president's team works," Yermak noted during the online presentation of the digest.

According to him, unprecedented reforms are being carried out in Ukraine, despite the ongoing opposition to Russian mercenaries for the return of our territories for the eighth year.

Yermak noted that OPEN Digest is aimed primarily at informing employees of diplomatic missions, the Ukrainian community in other countries, journalists, and international partners. At the same time, everyone can subscribe to the newsletter.

As noted, the bulletin will contain information on major events, report on important reforms, visits and meetings of the state leadership with international partners.

"We would like to start this project today and to get right to the point so that the truth can be heard both in Ukraine and abroad," the head of the President's Office said.

Yermak urged Ukrainian diplomats to carefully review OPEN Digest and submit their proposals to improve communication both inside Ukraine and outside.

"We must not be silent. It depends on each representative of our country abroad what impression one gets about Ukraine and what is happening," he stressed.

Also, deputy head of the President's Office Andriy Sybiha noted that obtaining objective operational and professional data during the information society is of exceptional importance.

"In such conditions, OPEN Digest can act as a primary source of useful and objective information, as well as an important additional information channel," he is convinced.

In turn, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba noted that the digest is a communication tool in the activities of representatives of foreign diplomatic institutions of Ukraine.

"It is necessary that every foreign diplomat, representative of the state service of the country of accreditation or an international organization dealing with Ukraine, every expert of the country of your accreditation who is interested in Ukraine, has this digest," the presidential press service quoted Kuleba as saying.

The Foreign Minister stressed that representatives of diplomatic institutions should also actively promote this communication product in the country of accreditation.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will help develop versions of the digest in other languages so that we can work more with regional audiences, and we will be able to jointly establish this work," the minister said.
On November 5, the ambassadors of the EU member states prepared the decision of the EU Council to exclude Ukraine from the list of third countries whose citizens can make non-essential (tourist) travel to the EU, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) has said.

"It is important to understand that the EU temporary restrictions do not mean the abolition of visa-free travel and only apply to travel. The issue of open ('green') borders with the EU is regulated by the EU Council Recommendation on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU. The EU regularly updates the 'Green list' and, if improved epidemic situation, decides to return a country to such a list," the MFA said on the website on Friday.

This decision was made taking into account the current epidemic situation in Ukraine and the general deterioration of the situation in Europe.

The EU Council is expected to make a formal recommendation next week. However, the final decision on the conditions for the implementation of non-essential (tourist) travel of citizens of Ukraine is made by the EU member states at the national level, the MFA said.

"Given the progress in vaccination campaigns around the world, the EU recently changed its approach to travel time limits and recommended that EU member states open borders to fully vaccinated travelers when passing border crossing tests," the ministry said.

When deciding to keep the country on the green list, the EU Council is guided by such criteria as no more than 75 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population over the past 14 days, a stable situation or a tendency towards a decrease in the number of new cases; at least 300 tests per 100,000 population, carried out in the past seven days; no more than 4% of positive results among all tests performed in the past seven days. The progress in vaccination of the population and the presence of especially dangerous strains of the virus are also taken into account.

The Foreign Ministry said that according to the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new cases in the EU countries over the past week increased by 6% (about 1.8 million new cases), and the death rate by 12%.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on Ukrainian citizens to be actively vaccinated and continue to conscientiously comply with anti-epidemic requirements in order to prevent further deterioration of the epidemic situation, which also affects freedom of movement," the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry also recommended checking the current regime of entry and transit abroad on the interactive online map of the MFA: http://tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua.
Russia continues to blackmail and use gas as a weapon in international relations to undermine the unity in Europe, and also restricts exports to further raise gas prices, create an energy crisis and justify the launch of Nord Stream 2, Foreign Minister Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"I want to draw special attention to the energy security that is now at stake in Central Europe. Russia continues to blackmail and use gas as a weapon in international relations. The goal is to undermine the unity in Europe," Kuleba said at the Re: Open Zakarpattia forum in Friday.

He said that it is obvious that Ukraine is able to make an effective contribution to the creation of a more competitive gas market in Central Europe, thereby strengthening its energy security.

"Let me remind you of a simple fact. The gas transportation system of Ukraine has approximately twice as much free transit capacity as Nord Stream 2. There has never been a real market need for additional gas transportation routes in Europe. The only reason Moscow has always pursued them is purely political. In addition, the current gas shortage in the European market indicates that additional routes do not guarantee additional supplies. Let us call a spade. Russia is restricting exports to further raise gas prices, create an energy crisis and justify the launch of Nord Stream 2," the minister said.

Kuleba said that applying the Third Energy Package to all gas supply routes and maintaining existing routes is the best solution for European gas consumers, based on the principles of transparency and a free market.

"Solidarity is a key driving force that should unite us and make us stronger, including in terms of energy security. Ukraine has established itself as a reliable partner and good friend. When Moldova recently faced the gas crisis, Ukraine extended a helping hand. Last week Hungary faced disruptions in gas supplies through Bulgaria and Serbia, the Ukrainian operator of the GTS offered assistance and support to our Hungarian partners," he said.

The Foreign Minister drew attention to the fact that even at the height of hostilities in eastern Ukraine, during the hottest phases of Russian aggression, the Ukrainian transport system provided unhindered gas supplies to European partners and friends.

"Ukraine is striving to understand its full potential for generating green hydrogen from solar and wind energy. Ukraine is well positioned to contribute to a green transition in Europe and is currently undertaking its own green transition. Green hydrogen is a historic European chance for Ukraine. This is not about today or even tomorrow, it is about the day after tomorrow. But to succeed the day after tomorrow, we must work now. In the future, we will benefit from Ukraine's new role as one of the key energy suppliers to Europe," Kuleba said.
Russian-occupation forces in Donbas have violated the ceasefire five times since the beginning of the day, one Ukrainian soldier was wounded, according to the press center of the Joint Force Operation (JFO) headquarters.

"Since the beginning of the day, five violations of the ceasefire have been recorded by Russian-occupation forces, four of which with the use of weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements. Near Prychepylivka the enemy opened fire from 120 mm mortars. In the direction of the Bolotiane, Krymske and Luhanske settlements, the enemy fired from mortars of 82 mm caliber," the JFO said on Facebook.

Near Lebedynske, Ukrainian positions came under fire from grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and other small arms.

"As a result of hostile actions, one soldier of the Joint Forces was wounded. The soldier was provided with pre-medical assistance, and he was evacuated to a hospital," the headquarters said.

The soldier's health is satisfactory.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law on ratification of the protocol between the government of Ukraine and the government of the Republic of Belarus on amendments to the agreement between the government of Ukraine and the government of the Republic of Belarus on international road traffic of December 17, 1992 (No. 0060).

The relevant document was supported by 281 MPs.

The Ministry of Infrastructure noted that this law will liberalize the conditions for carrying out freight traffic between Ukraine and Belarus, free irregular passenger road transport from the licensing system, and also unblock the work of Ukrainian road carriers in the Baltic and Scandinavian directions.

"The lack of the required number of permits from Poland and Belarus, additional conditions for transit through Russia led to a situation in which Ukrainian exporters were virtually cut off from the markets of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Only due to the lack of Belarusian permits, the loss of income of carriers in November-December this year should amount to UAH 1 billion. If we also take into account the needs of producers, then the actual losses for the country would be even greater. Today, the parliament defended Ukraine's national interests in the international freight market and protected Ukrainian exports," Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mustafa Nayyem is cited on the ministry's Facebook page.
KYIV. Nov 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) - "Boom" in the retail real estate market in the regions of Ukraine can be expected in the next couple of years, projects of reconception and redevelopment of obsolete objects are already under development, Yevhenia Loktionova, the director of UTG, said.

"Retail real estate in the regions is now developing more actively than in Kyiv and other cities with a population of one million. This is due to the fact that in regional cities with a population of less than a million there is no question of market saturation, there are cities in which there are no shopping centers at all. I think that in the next couple of years we will have a certain 'boom'," she said at a press conference "20 Years of Commercial and Residential Real Estate. Retrospective and Trends" at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

According to Loktionova, a surge in activity in the regional retail real estate market was expected two years ago, but it was hampered by the presidential elections and the coronavirus pandemic.

According to her, currently there is an active development of projects for reconception and redevelopment of outdated projects in the regions, the implementation of which is expected within six months.

"Our company currently has about seven projects - Khmelnytsky, Vinnytsia, Kamyanets-Podilsky, two projects in Izmail and other cities," the expert said.

The head of the UTG strategic consulting department, Kostiantyn Oliynyk, said the need to reconcept and renovate obsolete objects will become a matter of competition and survival.

"Consumer behavior is changing, people are more likely to order goods online, do not want to go to shopping galleries. All this will lead to the fact that in obsolete, non-conceptual objects without modern changes, attendance will tend to zero. More or less it will keep in high-quality, modern facilities," he explained.

According to Oliynyk, active cottage construction is an additional incentive for the development of retail real estate in the regions and outside large cities.

"The coronavirus has returned the consumer to the cottage segment. Cottage townships usually occupy large areas, there is a very low population density - it is difficult to saturate them with internal infrastructure. Therefore, they tend towards district shopping centers that serve these territories," he added.

The format of regional shopping centers will remain popular in the market for the next few years, Loktionova believes.
Moving Out Was the Best Thing Harry and Meghan Did for the Royals

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive to attend the WellChild Awards Ceremony (Photo : REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool)

So with Harry and Meghan having taken off to California and began new lives down from the regal spotlight, creator Andrew Morton accepts they have accidentally helped Charles and William's arrangements.



Advertisement

Morton has smoothed out his profile "Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy", which takes a gander at the way taken by the Duchess of Sussex to where she's a second as a Californian mum of two.



He said that he requested to get away from the media carnival bracing the royals and split the cycle by raising his family in an unexpected way.



Morton has said that while Harry presently attempts to extend a farther unassuming picture in the US, it's smoothly not the situation, however he feels that the Sussexes have made it simple for plans to thin down the government by moving far removed.



"I guess actually they've been arranging this transition to Hollywood for quite a while, not unavoidably where they were going to reside."



He applied to his case in his book that Harry was quick to move to Hollywood and had begun addressing Oprah Winfrey as far back as 2018 about doing a tell-all meeting which became exposed before this time.



On the thinned down government, he said that Harry and Meghan's impact was lessening.



Morton proceeded, "I guess the incongruity is that Prince Charles and Prince William considered themselves to be being the heads of the thinned down government.



"As it were, Harry and Meghan have helped them out by bouncing boat, instead of being approached to walk the gangplank."



The creator accepts Meghan and Harry would have had a strong impact under Charles and William. Notwithstanding, they would have been further down the" hierarchy", particularly as William and Kate Middleton's youngsters become more established.



Morton feels that the Sussexes youngsters in the US will keep on catching the consideration, particularly Lilibet as an "American sovereign".



He coordinated to the way that Archie was brought into the world in the UK, however Lilibet is "going to be the very first American sovereign", and he added, "I guess America will accept her as an American sovereign."


In the last decade, the Philippines has established itself as a world leader in BPO services. The industry, known for attractive labor costs and a highly skilled workforce, is expected to reach US$29 billion in revenue by 2022 - up from US$26 billion in 2019. While worldwide demand has increased for outsourcing services and the Philippines government has played a role in supporting the industry, the success of BPO vendors has as much to do with the country's education system as anything else. Curriculums beginning at an early age provide an excellent training ground for young Filipinos to hone their English-language skills and knowledge of advanced technology, making them ideal candidates for work in this booming industry.



Advertisement

"The Philippine higher education system is one of the best in Southeast Asia. The country has the highest literacy rate in all of Southeast Asia, with 96% of its population qualified to read and write. And the training for the in-demand jobs of the BPO industry begins early. In the Philippines, the educational curriculum is closely modeled after the US system, with special attention given to English proficiency skills," says Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, a leading mid-sized contact center in the Philippines.



The country has 730 universities and colleges - more than any other nation in the world - and these institutions are actively involved in the country's efforts to boost BPO. The University of the Philippines is considered as one of the best higher education institutions in Southeast Asia and is ranked as one of the top three universities in Asia. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education is also a priority at the state-run university students enroll for degree programs on information technology every year.



Graduates from these educational programs are equipped with excellent English skills and technological knowledge, as well as a great work ethic, which is why they're sought after by premium BPO companies in the Philippines.



The Philippines spends US$339.2 million annually to train students in technical skills that are sought-after by BPO companies, such as accounting and finance, medical transcription, IT programming, and web design.



This is in addition to the US$324 million spent on the government's English Pre-Employment Training (EPET) program, which was introduced by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. This program helps students further hone their communication skills in an English-speaking environment, so upon graduation, they're able to go directly into the BPO industry. It's working; call centers in the Philippines are now the global leaders in voice-based customer service.



The government's financial assistance is only part of the story. Universities also encourage students to take part in apprenticeship programs that prepare them for BPO work. This allows students to get practical experience in real-world situations while still studying. Many of these apprenticeship programs last between three and six months.



The rapidly expanding offshore outsourcing industry actively recruits fresh graduates from universities in Metro Manila. And all this effort at training and education has paid off, as the Philippines has grown into the outsourcing capital of the world. "Dozens of industry-leading BPOs are in the Philippines and some of the biggest companies in the world, such as Amazon and PayPal, have captive operations in country, specifically to capitalize on the tremendous skill and value of the labor force located here," says Ellspermann.



With BPO jobs being one of the most sought-after white-collar jobs in the Philippines, universities have been instrumental in preparing students for this job market, confirming the commitment of the Philippines to continue investing in the long-term growth of the industry. For SME's looking to reduce costs and provide world-class services, this is one more reason migrating BPO requirements to the Philippines is an astute move.


Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has arrived on Sunday afternoon at the presidential palace in Khartoum to sign a deal with General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan to end the month-old political crisis in the country.
Urgent new efforts to calm Ethiopia's escalating war unfolded Thursday as a US special envoy arrived and the president of neighboring Kenya called for an immediate cease-fire while the country marks a year of conflict.

The lack of dialogue `has been particularly disturbing,'' Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement, as the war that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions since November 2020 threatens to engulf the capital, Addis Ababa. Rival Tigray forces seized key cities in recent days and linked up with another armed group, leading the government of Africa's second most populous country to declare a national state of emergency.

The spokesperson for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Billene Seyoum, did not respond Thursday when asked whether he would meet with U.S. special envoy Jeffrey Feltman, who this week insisted that ``there are many, many ways to initiate discreet talks.''

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said he had spoken with Abiy ``to offer my good offices to create the conditions for a dialogue so the fighting stops.'' Uganda's president called for a meeting of East African leaders, and the European Union warned of ``fragmentation and widespread armed conflict.''

But so far, efforts for discussions have failed. Last week a congressional aide told The Associated Press that ``there have been talks of talks with officials, but when it gets to the Abiy level and the senior (Tigray forces) level, the demands are wide, and Abiy doesn't want to talk.''

Instead, the prime minister has again called citizens to rise up and ``bury'' the Tigray forces who long dominated the national government before he came to power. On Wednesday, Facebook said it had removed a post by Abiy with that language, saying it violated policies against inciting violence. It was a rare action against a head of state or government.

The U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, told an online event Thursday that dehumanizing speech in Ethiopia is ``of extreme concern,'' and she warned that the risk exists of the war spilling across borders and ``becoming something completely unmanageable.'' She warned of ethnic-based militias as ``so dangerous in this context.''

Kenya increased security along its borders amid fears of a wave of Ethiopians fleeing as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises spreads, while its foreign ministry said statements inciting ordinary citizens into the conflict ``must be shunned.''

Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda in a tweet late Wednesday claimed they had ``joined hands'' with another armed group, the Oromo Liberation Army, to seize the city of Kemisse even closer to the capital.

``Joint operations will continue in the days and weeks ahead,'' he said.

A security source confirmed that the two armed groups had linked up to control Kemisse and said Tigray forces were pushing east as well as south toward the capital. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists.

All sides in the war have committed abuses, a joint U.N. human rights investigation said Wednesday, while millions of people in the government-blockaded Tigray region are no longer able to receive humanitarian aid. The U.N. says no aid has entered Tigray since Ethiopian military airstrikes resumed there on Oct. 18.

Meanwhile, insecurity as the Tigray forces push south through the neighboring Amhara region has hampered aid delivery to hundreds of thousands of hungry people.

A university staffer who fled the Amhara town of Woldiya before Tigray forces arrived weeks ago said friends who stayed had to climb nearby hillsides to call the outside world with reports of low food supplies and people drinking from rivers, while electricity is cut. There is no aid in the occupied areas, Alemayehu said, like others giving only his first name for his security.

``I wish the war ends before it moves to the capital, that's my prayer to God,`` he said, adding that he opposes the Tigray fighters.

With the state of emergency's sweeping powers of detention, ethnic Tigrayans in the capital told the AP they were hiding in their homes as authorities carried out house-to-house searches and stopped people on the streets to check identity cards, which everyone must now carry.

One lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, estimated that thousands had been detained this week, citing conversations with ``many people from the four corners of the city.'' He said Tigrayan lawyers like him were powerless to help because of their ethnicity.

``Our only hope now is the (Tigray forces),'' said one young woman, Rahel, whose husband was detained on Tuesday while going to work as a merchant but has not been charged. ``They might not save us, to be honest. I've already given up on my life, but if our families can be saved, I think that's enough.''

Another Tigrayan, Yared, said his brother, a businessman, was detained on Monday, and when he went to the police station he saw dozens of other Tigrayans.

``It's crazy, my friends in Addis, non-Tigrayans, are calling me and telling me not to leave the house,'' Yared said, adding that police came to his house on Wednesday, the latest of several such visits since the war began.

``They go through your phone and if you have some material about the Tigray war that would be suggesting supporting the war, they would just detain you,'' he said. ``The past four days have been the worst by far, the scope at which they're detaining people, it's just terrorizing. We don't feel safe in our homes anymore.''

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts Prosecutor-General Hamada El-Sawi ordered on Thursday the referral of a young man accused of brutally murdering his neighbour and attempting to kill two others to urgent criminal trial.

Earlier this month, social media users were horrified when videos and photos appeared to show a young man brutally attacking and beheading an older neighbour with a cleaver in northern Ismailiya city in broad daylight on a public street.

Police arrested the young man shortly afterwards, after he had been seized by bystanders.

According to a statement by the prosecution on Thursday, the young man faces charges of deliberate murder, abusing drugs, and possession of a non-firearm weapon with the aim of disturbing public order.

In a statement earlier this week, the prosecution said the accused admitted to the crime when faced with the premeditated murder charge.

The crime of premeditated murder is punishable by the death penalty in Egypt.

However, according to Article 62 of the Egyptian Penal Code, no penalty shall be imposed on those who suffer from psychological or mental disability that caused them to lose consciousness and free choice during the crime.

The law also exempts those who committed their crime due to unconsciousness that results from taking drugs under duress or unknowlingly.

A report by the Regional Mental Health Councils Department of Psychiatry has proven that the accused is free from any symptoms indicating psychological or mental disability that may cause him to lose or lack consciousness, the faculty of choice, will integrity, differentiation, and knowledge of the right and the wrong either during the present time or the time when the incident took place, the prosecution said in Thursdays statement.

This makes him (the accused) responsible for the charges that he faces, the statement added.

In its earlier statement on Wednesday, the prosecution said the defendant admitted to willingly abusing different types of drugs on the same day of the crime.

The prosecution also affirmed that the accused man has shown balanced psychological and mental stability during the investigations and crime reenactment.

Interrogating the two people who the young man wounded and five other witnesses, the prosecution says that the crime took place after the accused and the victim talked to each other for several minutes.

While assaulting the victim, he told the passerby about previous disagreements between them so that they would back off and refrain from defending him (the victim), the Wednesday statement said.

The statement urged people to refrain from publicly discussing claims about the alleged murderers psychological health and motives as they could harm integrity of the investigations.

The statement said such heinous crime and other similar deeds cannot be justified by any motive whatever it is.

The prosecution said it will not hesitate to take measures to achieve perfect justice.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Cairo received on Friday morning 3,575,040 Moderna coronavirus vaccine doses, the countrys second and largest shipment of the American vaccine within a week.

The shipment was carried by an aircraft that belongs to the UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways, according to pictures published by the Egyptian health ministry.

Related Egypt receives its first shipment of Moderna coronavirus vaccine

In a statement, the health ministry said the shipment was delivered through COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), an international initiative that seeks to ensure equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccine in cooperation with the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).

The COVAX initiative seeks to provide low- and middle-income countries with their vaccine requirements.

The first Moderna shipment arrived in Cairo from Canada on 31 October, comprising 784,280 doses.

With the Moderna shipment, Egypt has secured all types of coronavirus vaccines available worldwide, Minister of Higher Education and Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Sunday.

This second delivery raises the total number of doses received by Egypt to over 77 million, including the Sinopharm, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna vaccines.

Thus far, vaccination centres nationwide have administered around 38 million doses to 25 million citizens since the start of the vaccination campaign in January, according to health officials.

The government has set a goal of vaccinating 40 million citizens by the end of 2021. The country has thus far allocated 1,079 vaccination centres nationwide and is planning to establish more in the near future.

In October, Moderna said it would make up to 110 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine available to African countries, AP reported. This is in addition to a Moderna deal with COVAX to supply up to 500 million doses from late this year through 2022.

Africa, with about 1.3 billion people, remains the least-vaccinated region of the world against COVID-19, with just over 5% fully vaccinated.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Hundreds of supporters of pro-Iran groups clashed with security forces in Iraq's capital on Friday, expressing their fury over last month's election result, AFP journalists and a security source said.

The political arm of the pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network saw its share of legislative seats decline substantially in October's election, which the group's supporters have denounced as "fraud."

Demonstrators from groups loyal to the Hashed threw projectiles and "blocked... access to the Green Zone" on three sides, before they were pushed back by police who fired in the air, a security source said, requesting anonymity.

The Green Zone is a high security area housing the US embassy and Iraq's election commission.

The Conquest (Fatah) Alliance, the political arm of the multi-party Hashed, won around 15 of 329 seats contested in the October 10 vote, according to preliminary results.

In the last parliament it held 48, making it the second-largest bloc.

The big winner this time, with more than 70 seats according to the initial count, was the movement of Moqtada Sadr, a Shia Muslim preacher who campaigned as a nationalist and critic of Iran.

"The protesters support Assaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hezbollah brigades," the security source added.

Both these groups operate under the Hashed umbrella.

The Hezbollah Brigades dubbed last month's election as the "worst" since 2003, when dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in a US-led invasion.

Hundreds of pro-Hashed supporters also rallied against the results on October 19.

"No to fraud, no to America," they chanted at that protest.

The Hashed demands the withdrawal of US forces from the country.

US troops remain in Iraq as part of the coalition that helped Baghdad in the fight against the Islamic State group, which the government declared defeated in late 2017.

But the Hashed, known in English as the Popular Mobilisation Forces, were themselves central in turning the military tide against IS, after Iraq's army crumbled against the jihadists' advance in 2014.

The Hashed were integrated into state security forces and the political arm rode a wave of popularity to perform strongly in the 2018 national election.

An unprecedented protest movement broke out two years ago and railed against the political class running the oil-rich but poverty-stricken country where youth unemployment is soaring.

National elections were brought forward as a concession to those protesters, who had also complained that Iraq was beholden to Iran.

Factions of the Hashed have faced accusations of targeting activists.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and United Nations Resident Coordinator Elena Panova launched in Cairo on Thursday a joint platform offering resources to migrants and refugees in Egypt, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

The joint platform is an initiative from the Egyptian government and UN in Egypt to support cooperation between the government, UN, development partners and donors as well as boost coordination and provide sustainable development resources to migrants and refugees.

Egypt provided generously basic services like health and education to most migrants, refugees and refuge seekers and takes additional measures to help those groups to face COVID-19 pandemic, UN Resident Coordinator Elena Panova said during the launch ceremony, which was held at Egypts foreign ministry headquarters.

From his side, FM Sameh Shoukry stated that Egypt has hosted for decades those who needed protection and has adopted an approach based on respect for the human rights of migrants and refugees, integrating them into the Egyptian society while eliminating all forms of discrimination and ensuring that no one was left behind in sharing the benefits of social and economic developments.

According to the UNCHRs latest numbers, Egypt hosts more than 265,000 registered asylum-seekers and refugees from 65 countries.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt plans to convert 3.7 million feddans from immersion irrigation to modern systems within three years, Egypts Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Ati said on Friday

In a statement, Abdel-Ati noted the irrigation ministry aims to rationalise the use of water by rehabilitating the canals and using smart and modern irrigation systems.

A cooperation protocol had been signed among the ministries of irrigation, agriculture, and finance, the National Bank of Egypt, and the Agricultural Bank to implement a plan for achieving sustainable development for agricultural projects, the minister added.

Egypt is one of the countries most affected by climate change, Abdel-Ati said earlier this year.

Abdel-Ati has warned on more than one occasion against the negative effects of global warming on Egypt's water resources, people's access to water and the country's efforts to achieve sustainable development.

Egypt, a dry country that imports 54 percent of its virtual water, has developed a four-pronged National Water Resources Plan that will run through 2037.

The plan is based on rationalising water usage, improving water quality, providing additional water resources, and creating a climate suitable for optimal water management, the minister added.

Egypt has also drawn up a strategy for its water resources until 2050 at a cost of EGP 900 billion.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A Tunisian judge on Thursday issued an international warrant to summon Paris-based former president Moncef Marzouki for questioning, state TV reported.

President Kais Saied in October ordered the justice ministry to open an inquiry into 76-year-old Marzouki, days after the ex-leader urged France not to support Saied's "dictatorial regime".

State television did not give any reasons for Thursday's warrant, and the prosecution was not immediately available for comment.

Marzouki has emerged as a vocal critic of Saied, who on July 25 sacked the government, suspended the legislature and seized control of the judiciary, later moving to rule by decree in the North African nation.

Marzouki, Tunisian leader from 2011-2014, told anti-Saied demonstrators in Paris in October that Saied had "plotted against the revolution and abolished the constitution".

Days later, Saied accused "traitors that seek refuge overseas" of threatening Tunisia's sovereignty, ordered the enquiry against him and revoked his diplomatic passport.

"He is the greatest enemy of Tunisia," Saied said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A Russian diplomat was found dead in October outside the country's embassy in Berlin, it emerged Friday.

The man, whose lifeless body was recovered on October 19 on the pavement by police, had apparently fallen to his death from the embassy complex, according to the Spiegel weekly which first reported on the case.

A German foreign ministry spokesman said the case was "known to the ministry" but would not provide further details.

Spiegel quoted the Russian embassy calling the death a "tragic accident", and that it would not comment on the case "for ethical reasons".

The diplomat was identified as a 35-year-old second secretary at the embassy by Spiegel.

But the magazine said German authorities believe he was also an agent of the Russian secret service FSB.

He is also reportedly related to a high-ranking official of the FSB's second directorate -- a unit that Western secret services say was involved in the killing of a Georgian national in central Berlin in 2019.

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, the 40-year-old Georgian, was shot twice in the head at close range in Kleiner Tiergarten park on August 23, 2019, allegedly by a Russian man who was arrested shortly afterwards.

The Russian suspect, 55-year-old Vadim Krasikov, alias Vadim Sokolov, is on trial over the murder, which German prosecutors say was ordered by Moscow.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Lawmakers were set to take key votes Friday on giant twin bills at the center of Joe Biden's $3 trillion blueprint to transform America's crumbling transport network and expand the welfare safety net on the biggest day so far of his presidency.

Success on both fronts would be a huge boon to Biden, 10 months after he swept to the White House on the rallying cry of "build back better" before seeing his popularity plunge. His low approval ratings were blamed in part for a humiliating upset defeat this week in Virginia's gubernatorial election.

The House of Representatives was expected to pass a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package for Biden to sign into law after taking a procedural vote to advance a social welfare bill, worth up to $1.85 trillion, to the Senate.

"Poll after poll shows us that the components of the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the Build Back Better framework are very popular," Biden spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters amid a flurry of 11th-hour negotiations in Congress Thursday.

"American families want historic investments in infrastructure... in competitiveness, and addressing the climate crisis. This is something that they want to see happen."

The social spending bill -- named Build Back Better -- does not have the Senate's blessing and is likely to be downsized in the upper chamber and put through further arduous votes before the end of the month.

But the infrastructure deal's final approval would mark a resounding immediate victory for Biden, a former senator who touts his ability to reach across the aisle.

By funding work on roads, bridges and ports and high-speed internet, the White House says it would create thousands of high-paying jobs for people without college degrees.

Divisions

The votes cap months of tense negotiations on Capitol Hill since the Senate approved the infrastructure package in August, giving it rare bipartisan support in Washington's highly-polarized political atmosphere.

Congressional Democratic leaders initially indicated they wanted the House to sync with the Senate in the summer but it was held up by wrangling over the size and scope of Build Back Better, which progressives wanted to pass at the same time.

The plan provides for $550 billion in new federal spending on transport infrastructure, but also for broadband expansion, clean water measures, electric charging stations and other measures to fight climate change.

Its top line -- the equivalent of Spain's 2020 gross domestic product -- relies on other public funds that have already been appropriated.

Needing just a simple majority, it passed the Senate by 69 votes to 30 with backing from a third of Republican Senators.

But most House Republicans are expected to withhold their support after former president Donald Trump threatened reprisals for helping to hand Biden a political win.

Major investments

The bill is a key element of Biden's sweeping domestic agenda aimed at structuring a greener, more equitable economy.

Democrats in both chambers are still haggling over the Build Back Better package that includes major investments in health, education, tackling climate change and expanding social welfare programs.

Lawmakers spent Thursday making progress on multiple sticking points from the absence of a full score from the Congressional Budget Office, to the omission of prescription drug pricing curbs and pro-immigration provisions.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prides herself on never bringing a vote to the floor for which she has not already garnered sufficient backing, however -- suggesting she was able to twist enough arms to get consensus.

Success on Build Back Better would be something of a Pyrrhic victory, however, for lawmakers who fear it will be changed beyond recognition in the Senate by moderates including West Virginia's Joe Manchin, who continues to stiff-arm a deal.

"It's always a concern. I'm of the school that every day we delay over here and have a false start, it just empowers (Manchin) more," House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth told political newspaper The Hill.

"So we need to get this over to them."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The trial hasnt even started and yet issues of race are dominating the case in which three white men are charged with murder for chasing and killing Ahmaud Arbery.

The 25-year-old Black man's slaying has become part of the broader reckoning on racial injustice in the U.S. legal system. Greg and Travis McMichael, a father and son, and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan werent charged for more than two months until a cellphone video of the shooting leaked online.

In this May 17, 2020, photo, a recently painted mural of Ahmaud Arbery is on display in Brunswick, Ga., where the 25-year-old man was shot and killed in February. It was painted by Miami artist Marvin Weeks. [File Photo: AP]

And Arberys family and their supporters had their faith rattled after 2 1/2 weeks of jury selection ended Wednesday with the judge agreeing to seat a panel of 11 whites and one Black man.

Its probably clearer than before that race is going to be at the forefront of this case and will probably even play a big role in jury deliberations at the end of the trial, said Page Pate, a Georgia criminal defense attorney who isnt involved in the case.

Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley plans to have the jury sworn in Friday to hear opening statements from lawyers on both sides. He intends to seat 15 total panelists: a main jury of 12 plus three alternates.

The total number shrank by one Thursday when the judge dismissed a juror from the main panel, a white woman, citing medical reasons. The race of the alternate juror who replaced her was not known. The judge has not given the races of the alternate jurors, and they werent asked their race in court during jury selection.

The judge had said that he agreed with prosecutors that the exclusion of other Black potential jurors appeared to be intentional discrimination. He also said Georgia law limited his authority to intervene after defense attorneys stated nonracial reasons for cutting those jurors.

The judge said the group of 48 used to narrow down the final jury had included 12 potential jurors who were Black. Prosecutors were allowed to strike a dozen people from the jury pool and defense lawyers got to cut 24, for virtually any reason save for one exception. The U.S. Supreme Court has held its unconstitutional to exclude potential jurors based solely on race or ethnicity.

Its outrageous that Black jurors were intentionally excluded to create such an imbalanced jury, Ben Crump, an attorney for Arberys father, Marcus Arbery Sr., said in a statement Thursday.

Black potential jurors seemed to face greater scrutiny than whites as they were questioned by lawyers during jury selection, and the resulting jury likely favors the defense, said Pate, who practices in Atlanta and Brunswick.

Im not saying its intentionally discriminatory, or if it was just the dynamic of this case, but it was a lot harder to get on this jury if you were Black than if you were white, Pate said.

Many expressed strong opinions about Arberys killing and their beliefs that race played a role. Some knew Arbery or other members of his family. Defense attorneys cited those reasons for striking Black people from the jury pool.

The McMichaels armed themselves and pursued Arbery after spotting him running in their neighborhood. Bryan joined the chase and took cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery three times with a shotgun.

Defense attorneys say the men committed no crimes. They say Arbery had been recorded by security cameras inside a nearby house under construction and they suspected him of stealing. Greg McMichael told police his son opened fire in self-defense after Arbery attacked with his fists and grappled for Travis McMichaels shotgun.

Most of the jurors among the final 16 had previously told attorneys that they had seen the video, and many had read news stories about the case. All said they could keep an open mind during the trial.

I dont think the video is the whole story, said one juror, a woman who works in retail and said she didnt know enough to form an opinion about the case.

Another juror, a retired government employee, described a conversation about the shooting with her husband as being probably something that was like, Thats too bad that happened.

Other jurors expressed stronger reactions to Arberys death. One young woman called the cellphone video of the shooting obscene, saying: theres no reason someone should ever have to see someone else die.

An Air Force veteran who made the final jury panel said it was his impression that Greg McMichael was stalking Arbery. Another juror, a woman who works with volunteers, told lawyers she was somewhat fearful of the defendants, adding: Theyre driving around with a gun!

A railroad worker on the jury said he could fairly consider whether Travis McMichael shot Arbery in self-defense, though he also noted Arbery was unarmed.

He didnt have no gun or nothing and he was by himself, the juror said of Arbery. It was three persons who attacked one and no gun.
The first man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was hyperaggressive that night, threatened to kill Rittenhouse and later lunged for his rifle just before the 17-year-old fired, witnesses testified Thursday.

Kyle Rittenhouse carries a weapon as he walks along Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wis., during a night of unrest following the weekend police shooting of Jacob Blake, Aug. 25, 2020. [File Photo: The Journal Times via AP]

The testimony at Rittenhouse's murder trial came from two witnesses who had been called to the stand by the prosecution but gave accounts often more favorable to the defense in the politically polarizing case.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The aspiring police officer had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of a Black man.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording events on a cellphone that night for the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man shot that night, was killed after chasing down Rittenhouse and making a lunge for the gun.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.

In an attempt to undo some of the damage done by his own witness, prosecutor Thomas Binger said McGinniss' testimony about what Rosenbaum was intending to do was complete guesswork.

Isn't it? he asked.

Well, McGinniss replied, he said, `F- you.' And then he reached for the weapon.

But McGinniss also appeared to boost the prosecutions case when he said he had a sense that something bad could happen that night because of all the guns in the area. The prosecutor also elicited testimony from McGinniss and Balch that affirmed Rosenbaum was not armed that night and did not actually hurt anyone.

In his testimony, McGinniss said that as Rosenbaum lunged, Rittenhouse kind of dodged around with his weapon and then leveled the gun and fired.

Binger repeatedly tried to get McGinniss to say Rosenbaum was not lunging but falling when he was shot, as McGinniss said in a media interview days after the shooting.

But McGinniss said: He was lunging, falling. I would use those as synonymous terms in this situation because basically, you know, he threw his momentum towards the weapon.

As prosecutors played footage of Rosenbaum lying fatally wounded in a car lot, McGinniss struggled to keep his composure on the stand, rapidly inhaling and exhaling, then averting his eyes from a video monitor. The prosecutor apologized for playing it, saying he had to do it.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 5, 2021 - 21:51 | All, World

China said Friday it will impose sanctions such as entry bans on Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, labeling them as "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

The move comes as tensions between the mainland and the self-ruled democratic island have been escalating, becoming a regular source of Sino-U.S. friction.

Taiwan has been also trying to bolster cooperation with Europe recently to challenge China's growing assertiveness on the island, which apparently prompted the leadership of President Xi Jinping to levy sanctions on the three Taiwan politicians.

China said it will prohibit the three and their families from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

On Thursday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen held talks with a European Parliament delegation making a historic first visit to the island, much to the consternation of China that claims it as part of its territory.

Taiwanese officials and the European parliamentarians said on Friday that they do not fear a sanctions-wielding Beijing.

Su said on the legislative floor that while China's plan is "an affair of another country," it is his duty to fight for what is in Taiwan's best interests. "I am not afraid," the premier added.

Meanwhile, Raphael Glucksmann of France, who led the European Parliament delegation, told a press conference before departing Taiwan that he and his family members are already prohibited from visiting mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

"I don't think that anybody of this delegation is afraid of any form of sanction (imposed by China)," he said.

Glucksmann emphasized that its visit was not a "provocation" to Beijing but for "normal" talks with another democracy on how to deepen their democratic systems.

He added that the European Union has every right to make its own decisions and policies based on the interests of European citizens and the founding principles of democracy, freedom and human dignity.

Relations between China and the United States have also become more fragile, especially after U.S. President Joe Biden said late last month that the United States is committed to defending Taiwan if China mounts an attack on the island.

Communist-led China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 as the result of a civil war. The mainland considers the island a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim it, by force if necessary.

Related coverage:

China likely to own at least 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030: Pentagon

China's Xi vows to uphold global justice amid tensions with Taiwan

FOCUS: Democracies draw closer to Taiwan as China more belligerent
KYODO NEWS - Nov 5, 2021 - 22:53 | All, Japan

ANA Holdings Inc. and U.S. space company Virgin Orbit said Friday they have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the business of launching satellites from airplanes in Japan.

The two companies will aim for 20 launches in 10 years from 2022 by flying Virgin Orbit's jet from an airport in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Oita, they said.

ANA Holdings, a parent company of All Nippon Airways Co., will fund the construction of mobile ground support equipment to prepare Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket system. ANA will also be responsible for gaining regulatory approval in Japan and marketing.

Virgin Orbit's modified Boeing 747 jet will launch the rocket from an altitude of around 10 kilometers, making satellite launches weather-resilient and reducing the use of rocket fuel, the companies said.

ANA said it expects the new service with Virgin Orbit to serve growing demand from space business startups in Japan and other parts of Asia.

The Japanese airline group has been seeking to gain a footing in the space industry, investing in Japan's spaceship developer PD Aerospace Ltd. in 2016 and launching a project team in 2018 to explore new space businesses.

ANA and Virgin Orbit agreed in 2019 to work together for starting a satellite launch business in Asia including Japan.

Related coverage:

Japan puts successor to aging GPS-improving satellite into orbit

Honda unveils new small business plane for nonstop long haul flights

ANA logs net loss amid COVID, but strong cargo demand limits damage
KYODO NEWS - Nov 5, 2021 - 23:39 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan's government and ruling parties are considering providing 100,000 yen ($880) each for children aged 18 or younger in an attempt to ease the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Friday.

If all goes smoothly, the cash handout program will be included in a fresh economic stimulus worth "tens of trillions of yen" that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to craft by mid-November. But some are cautious about giving that amount of money in cash regardless of income levels.

Without any conditions, up to 20 million children will be eligible for the benefit, which would require around 2 trillion yen at a time when Japan is already saddled with the most debt of any country, more than twice the size of its economy.

In addition, the government and the country's ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party are planning to give 30,000 yen each in effect to holders of "My Number" national identification cards in an attempt to spur consumption in the pandemic-hit economy, the sources said.

The measure is also aimed at promoting use of the unpopular ID card system. Komeito, the junior ruling coalition partner of the LDP, has sought for the government to provide 100,000 yen for all children aged 18 or younger under the economic package.

The two measures were included in Komeito's campaign promises for last Sunday's general election, in which the ruling coalition retained a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives.

As for the cash handout, options such as setting an income cap and giving part of the benefit in the form of coupons to cover child-rearing costs are on the table, given that most of the government's blanket cash handout of 100,000 yen last year is believed to have ended up in savings rather than spending.

The secretaries general of the LDP and Komeito are due to hold talks on Monday to speed up the process of designing such economic measures, according to the sources.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told a press conference on Friday that "between the ruling parties there are both overlapping and non-overlapping parts."

During campaigning for the general election, the LDP, headed by Kishida, vowed to help "people in need" such as non-regular workers and families with small children, but not many details were known.

For the program of My Number card holders, some 3 trillion yen will be needed to provide shopping points worth 30,000 yen per person for about 100 million people in Japan. At present, only about 40 percent of all the eligible 126.7 million of Japan's population, including foreign residents, have the cards.

The ID card system that started to be used in 2016 issues a 12-digit number to each citizen and foreign resident in the country to incorporate various personal data such as those related to taxes and social security.

The government has said the system will make a range of public services more convenient to use, but many people remain concerned about leakages of personal information.

As part of efforts to popularize the ID system, another government campaign to provide shopping points equivalent to 5,000 yen to each card holder has been under way, but it is scheduled to end in late December.

Other potential measures include a cash handout of 50,000 yen to deprived households being hit by the pandemic and support for the farming and fishing industries, as well as smaller businesses, which have been suffering from rising crude oil prices, according to the sources.

To finance the economic package, the government will draw up a supplementary budget for fiscal 2021 and seek to secure its parliamentary passage by the end of the year, with new government bonds likely to be issued to make up tax revenue shortfalls.

Related coverage:

FOCUS: Voters to keep eye on Kishida's course correction from Abe-Suga era

FOCUS: Japan parties vow increased child aid, but more than money needed

Japan PM Kishida vows economic growth, redistribution in 1st policy speech
By Reito Kaneko, KYODO NEWS - Nov 5, 2021 - 22:28 | All, World, Japan

Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi on Friday inspected the German navy frigate Bayern, the European country's first military vessel to make a port call in Japan in about 20 years.

Kishi's visit to the frigate at a Tokyo cruise terminal was to demonstrate robust bilateral ties, according to the Defense Ministry. Japan and Germany have been deepening their defense cooperation in response to China's military buildup and assertive territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific.

The minister hailed the port call in Japan, saying at a press conference following the inspection, "It is of great significance in showing Germany's commitment to contributing to peace and stability in this region actively."

Since Thursday, the Bayern has been conducting joint exercises with Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo, the ministry said. The frigate also conducted training with the MSDF in the Gulf of Aden in August.

According to the German navy, the frigate is set to visit South Korea after Japan and sail through the South China Sea, where China is building military outposts.

German Ambassador to Japan Clemens von Goetze said at the news conference the Bayern's passage through the South China Sea will "demonstrate that Germany and Japan are both committed to international law and freedom of navigation."

The envoy added the Bayern will conduct a mission for the first time later this month to monitor whether there are ship-to-ship transfers of goods by North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile development.

Germany has been stepping up its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, partly propelled by Beijing's action deemed as undermining the rule of law, human rights and democracy. Berlin released its comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy in September last year, signaling the country's shift away from a China-centered Asia policy.

Prior to the inspection, Kishi held talks with Gen. Eberhard Zorn, the German chief of Defense, who said at the outset of the meeting the Bayern deployment is "part of demonstration of our Indo-Pacific guidelines."

Kishi underscored the importance of Japan-Germany cooperation, saying, "In the East China Sea and the South China Sea, we see unilateral attempts to change the status quo based on force, and these problems are a common concern not only in Asia but also in the rest of the world, including Europe."

During its seven-month voyage through February, the Bayern will also visit such countries as Vietnam and Singapore. Germany plans to reinforce ties with Japan and other regional partners by upholding the freedom of navigation in international waters.

France and Britain have also sent naval vessels to the Indo-Pacific, with the three European powers eyeing closer coordination with U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, which has been stepping up pressure on an increasingly assertive China.

Although Berlin asked for a port call by the Bayern in Shanghai, Beijing rejected the request, according to German officials.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in September the warship deployment to the South China Sea is intended to "flex muscles and stir up trouble, deliberately creating disputes on maritime issues."

Related coverage:

Japan welcomes German, French commitment to Indo-Pacific

Japan, Germany affirm security cooperation amid China's assertiveness
New Delhi:

As the political storm rages over Prime Minister Narendra Modias apersonal taxia allegation against late Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress reminded him about 2016 International Fleet Review, where Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, his wife Twinkle Khanna and their son Aarav Kumar were present. The Grand Old Partyas social media strategist Divya Spandana took to Twitter and released the photos of the event. Attacking PM Modi, Divya Spandana said: "Yeh teek tha? @narendramodi you took a Canadian citizen @akshaykumar with you on-board INS Sumitra," Spandana tweeted with the hashtag 'sabse bada jhoota Modi (biggest liar Modi)'. Along with the photos, she also posted an old article that had raised the issue of presence of Bollywood star during such a mega military event.

It should be noted that on May 3, putting all speculations to rest, the Bollywood start had opened up about his citizenship and said, aI have never hidden or denied that I hold a Canadian passport.a In light of this revelation, his presence on an Indian warship will definitely stoke a controversy. After all, this was the afleet reviewa that saw 48 navies (including India) participating in IFR-16 and were represented by 23 Chiefs of Navies, 24 foreign warships and 25 Heads of Delegations.

While this twist in the tale is yet to be answered by the government or the BJP or Kumar himself, it is also true that the photos of the event went viral. One particular photo showed PM Modi pinching ear of Kumaras son. aKhiladia Kumar had also tweeted that photo. aProud moment in a father's life, when the Prime Minister pulls your son's ear in jest & calls him a good boy ;) (sic).aA

The aMinta report, which Spandana posted had said that, a The next day Kumar even sailed in the presidential yacht INS Sumitra along with naval chiefs and other VVIPs. In the midst of this, Modi pinched his sonas ears and complimented him on being a good boy and Kumar did what everyone should do at a military eventahe took a selfie with Army chief general Dalbir Singh and then tweeted it out.a

A

Proud moment in a father's life, when the Prime Minister pulls your son's ear in jest & calls him a good boy ;) pic.twitter.com/0NWRyDtWh6 a Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) February 6, 2016

Apart from Kumar, Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut was also present at the event. Their presence had created quite a stir at that time also. So much so that the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had to issue a clarification. "Brand ambassadors have to sell a brand. I don't think they sold anything. There was no contract with them (Akshay and Kangana) and there was no payment. They were invited as guests" Parrikar had said.
New Delhi:

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries on Thursday announced it will acquire iconic British toy-maker Hamleys for 67.96 million pounds (around Rs 620 crore) in an all-cash deal.

Hamleys, a 259-year-old toy-maker, has struggled to generate profits in recent times. It reported a profit after tax of 2.44 million pounds in 2018 after suffering a loss of 11.24 million pounds in 2017.

It is currently owned by Chinese fashion conglomerate C Banner International, which had acquired it for 100 million pounds in 2015. C Banner also owns the Chinese units of marquee consumer retail brands such as Steve Madden and Sundance.

Reliance Brands Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, and C Banner International Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed company, today signed a definitive agreement for Reliance Brands to acquire 100 per cent shares of Hamleys Global Holdings Ltd, the owner of Hamleys brand, from C Banner International, the company said in a statement.

Reliance Brands would acquire 100 per cent equity shares of Hamleys Global Holdings Limited (HGHL) for a cash consideration of GBP 67.96 million, RIL said in a BSE filing.

Hamleys started with a single-store shop, Noahs Ark, in 1760. It now has 167 stores across 18 countries. Besides the UK, it has stores in China, Germany, Russia, India, South Africa and West Asia.

Reliance Retail, Ambanis flagship retailer, already has a pan-India franchise agreement with Hamleys to merchandise its famous toys.

This acquisition will catapult Reliance Brands to be a dominant player in the global toy retail industry, the company said in a statement.

In India, Reliance has the master franchise for Hamleys and presently operates 88 stores across 29 cities.

Reliance Brands President and CEO Darshan Mehta said the worldwide acquisition of the iconic Hamleys brand and business places Reliance on the front-line of global retail.

Personally, it is a dream come true, he added.

Over the last few years, we have built a very significant and profitable business in toy retailing under the Hamleys brand in India. This 250-year-old English toy retailer pioneered the concept of experiential retailing, decades before the concept of creating unique experiences in brick and mortar retailing became the new global norm, Mehta said.

Hamleys was delisted from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 2003 when it was taken over by Icelandic investment firm Baugur Group for USD 68.8 million. In 2012, it was sold for USD 78.4 million to Groupe Ludendo of France.?

Hamleys opened it flagship Regent Street London store in 1881. This flagship store is set over seven floors covering 54,000 sq ft, with over 50,000 lines of toys on sale. It is considered one of Londons prominent tourist attractions, receiving over 5 million visitors each year.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Amid uproar, the Congress party on Friday distanced itself from senior party leader Sam Pitroda's remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "We continue to support the quest for justice for 1984 riot victims. Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of Congress party," the grand old party said in a statement.A

"We believe that justice should be done to 1984 riots victims as also to 2002 Gujarat riots victims," the statement reads.A

Congress party issues statement over Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. States, '...We continue to support the quest for justice for 1984 riot victims. Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of Congress party' pic.twitter.com/Yd1rxfYCYe a ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

Advising all leaders to be careful and sensitive, the Congress said that it abhor violence of any kind, against any person or a group of people based on their caste, colour, region or religion.A

In an apparent dig to Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat Sadhvi Pragya Thakur Singh, the Congress said the BJP has fielded a candidate charged with terror crimes.

"Lastly, unlike the BJP, which has decided to field a candidate charged with terror crimes and is being lauded as its face by none less than Shri Narendra Modi himself, Congress party has shown the moral and political courage to punish people and leaders accused of violence/role in 1984. This is the yardstick of self-imposed accountability and sense of justice to people followed by the Congress party, unlike the BJP," the grand old party said in the statement.

The clarification comes amid mounting pressure from the BJP which is demanding Congress president Rahul Gandhi to "oust his Guru" for the remark.A

In a series of tweets, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said it was a "matter of disgrace" that the Congress party has "no remorse" over the Sikh killings of 1984.A A

"Sam Pitroda's 'Hua to Hua' reaction to the 1984 Sikh killings is reflective of the lack of remorse on the part of Congress Party with respect to the 1984 genocide. Will the Congress President oust his 'Guru', who rubbishes the genocide of India's most patriotic community in 1984?" Jaitley said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress for its leader Sam Pitroda's reported remark , saying it showed the "character and mentality" of the party.A A A A The remarks reflect the "arrogance" of the Congress, he said addressing a poll rally on the last day of campaigning for the sixth phase here.A A A PM Modi said, "Congress, which ruled for a maximum period, has been insensitive and that is reflected by the three words spoken yesterday...these words have not been spoken just like that, these words are character and mentality and intentions of the Congress."
New York:

One of the co-founders of Facebook called on Thursday for the social media behemoth to be broken up, warning that the company's head, Mark Zuckerberg, had become far too powerful.

"It's time to break up Facebook," said Chris Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded the online network in their dorm room while both were students at Harvard University in 2004.

In an editorial published in The New York Times, Hughes said that Zuckerberg's "focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," and warned that his global influence had become "staggering."

Zuckerberg not only controls Facebook but also the widely used Instagram and WhatsApp platforms, and Hughes said that "Facebook's board works more like an advisory committee than an overseer."

Hughes, who quit Facebook more than a decade ago, was pictured in the newspaper together with Zuckerberg when both were fresh-faced students launching Facebook as a campus networking tool.

He accused Facebook of acquiring or copying all of its competitors to achieve dominance in the social media field, meaning that investors were reluctant to back any rivals because they know they cannot compete for long.

Zuckerberg "has created a leviathan that crowds out entrepreneurship and restricts consumer choice," wrote Hughes, who is now a member of the Economic Security Project, which is pushing for a universal basic income in the United States.

After buying up its main competitors Instagram, where people can publish photos, and WhatsApp, a secure messaging service, Facebook now has 2.7 billion monthly users across its platforms and made a first quarter profit of USD 2.43 billion this year.

"The most problematic aspect of Facebook's power is Mark's unilateral control over speech. There is no precedent for his ability to monitor, organise and even censor the conversations of two billion people," said Hughes.

The company has been rocked by a series of scandals recently, including allowing its users' data to be harvested by research companies and its slow response to Russia using Facebook as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 US election campaign.

The company is reportedly expecting to face a fine of USD 5 billion.

"The American government needs to do two things: break up Facebook's monopoly and regulate the company to make it more accountable to the American people," Hughes said, urging the government to break away Instagram and WhatsApp and prevent new acquisitions for several years.

"Even after a breakup, Facebook would be a hugely profitable business with billions to invest in new technologies - and a more competitive market would only encourage those investments," he said.

Hughes said the break-up, under existing anti-trust laws, would allow better privacy protections for social media users and would cost US authorities almost nothing.

Hughes said that he remained friends with Zuckerberg, noting that "he's human. But it's his very humanity that makes his unchecked power so problematic."
New Delhi:

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has announced the SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Exam 2017 (Tier III) result. The candidates who have appeared for the examination can check the results on the official website of the commission i.e. ssc.nic.in. Earlier, the Supreme Court asked the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to declare 2017 result for recruitment in Central government jobs.

For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the process through which the candidates can download the results:

Step 1  Visit the official website  https://ssc.nic.in/

Step 2  Click on the Results tab from the top menu bar

Step 3  Click on CGL tab, and then click on the pdf icon given in front of the list you wish to check viz:

COMBINED GRADUATE LEVEL EXAMINATION, 2017 (TIER-III), LIST OF CANDIDATES QUALIFIED FOR APPEARING IN DOCUMENT VERIFICATION FOR THE POST OF A.A.O. (LIST-1)

COMBINED GRADUATE LEVEL EXAMINATION, 2017 (TIER-III), LIST OF CANDIDATES QUALIFIED FOR APPEARING IN DOCUMENT VERIFICATION FOR THE POST OF J.S.O. (LIST-2)

COMBINED GRADUATE LEVEL EXAMINATION, 2017 (TIER-III), LIST OF CANDIDATES QUALIFIED FOR APPEARING IN DOCUMENT VERIFICATION AND C.P.T. (LIST-3)

COMBINED GRADUATE LEVEL EXAMINATION, 2017 (TIER-III), LIST OF CANDIDATES QUALIFIED FOR APPEARING IN DOCUMENT VERIFICATION AND D.E.S.T. (LIST-4)

Step 4  a pdf will open, CTRL+F with your Roll Number

Step 5  Download the pdf and save it for future reference

The top court also appointed a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge to suggest measures to make conduct of entrance exams for jobs and admission in educational institutions fool-proof. The Supreme Court said that the 7-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge GS Singhvi will also comprise of former Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani and scientist Vijay Bhatkar.

A bench comprising Justices SA Bobde and N V Ramana had earlier on Tuesday adjourned the hearing in the SSC paper leak 2017 case as Prashant Bhushan, the lawyer for the petitioner, was absent during the hearing. The examination papers of the SSC CGL 2017 were allegedly leaked, leading to huge protests. Amid the protests, the SSC had recommended a CBI probe into the allegations of paper leak.

On August 31 last year, the SC stayed the declaration of result of the SSC CGL and CHSL Examination, in which lakhs of students had appeared, saying it seemed that the entire test and the system was tainted.

The court then favoured cancelling the 2017 SSC examination, and holding it afresh by the National Testing Agency or the CBSE.

However, the Centre said that there was no need for re-examination of entire paper as the leak was extremely localised and those behind the leaks were identified and action was being taken.
Guadalajara:

Local authorities have discovered the remains of 35 people in mass graves in violent Jalisco state, on Mexico's central Pacific coast, officials said on Saturday.

Prosecutor Gerardo Octavio Solis said most of the bodies were located at a ranch in the town of Zapopan.

Among the dead, "27 of the bodies had been tied up when killed. And we have two people identified at this time," Solis told a news conference.

The number of dead could still rise as the forensics team wraps up processing of the site, he warned.

"We are digging more than three meters deep. We are also using heavy machinery, with engineers to do structural calculations as we don't want to weaken some of the perimeter walls," he added.

Solis said the skulls of seven other people and other human remains were discovered on the premises of a house located in Guadalajara, Mexico's second most populous city.

Families with missing kin have rushed to authorities in Jalisco asking for details on the exhumations.

More than 40,000 people have gone missing and are presumed dead since Mexico's war on drugs was militarized with federal troops in late 2006.

It is to be noted that Mexico registered a record 28,711 murders last year, in violence driven mainly by its powerful drug cartels. However, the data does not say how many cases were linked to organized crime.

Last year in Jalisco state alone there were 2,418 homicides. From January to March this year there were 720 murders in the state, official data show.

Since 2006, when the government deployed the army to fight drug trafficking, more than 200,000 people have been murdered. Another 30,000 are missing.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modis allegation of Rajiv Gandhi using INS Viraat as a "personal taxi" breaking out a full-blown controversy, the journalist who broke out the story way back in 1988 said that the revelation did not create much controversy back then as media soon moved to other stories, particularly the Bofors scam, reported India Today.

This was a matter of a sitting prime minister, so the Navy was tight lipped. The Navy is tight-lipped on controversies, not just in India, but other countries as well. News about Bofors scam had broken and that was obviously the focus then, than Rajiv Gandhi vacationing in Lakshadweep, journalist Anitha Pratap was quoted by India Today as saying.

She added that the story was about the misuse of the warship and was a matter of concern even at that time. I have also mentioned about honourable men and women in the story. One can follow up with them on it as they will definitely not lie. They will tell the truth or not, thats a different story altogether, said.

While addressing an election rally here on Wednesday, PM Modi cited an old India Today report to allege that Gandhi used the INS Viraat to go on a holiday with his friends and in-laws as if it was his "personal taxi".

The report report cited by PM Modi, which was originally published on January 31, 1988, states that Rajiv and his family were accompanied by Amitabh Bachchan and his family as well. Apart from Gandhis and Bachchans, guests at the warship included two other Indians  wife and daughter of Bijendra Singh, brother of former Union minister Arun Singh, and two other foreigners.

Questionable actions were, however, in evidence. India's premier warship, INS Viraat, was used to transport the Gandhis and moved in the Arabian Sea for 10 days. Its daily expenditure at sea is astronomical as the Viraat travels with an entire retinue of escort ships. A submarine was also reported to be in attendance and some defence experts questioned the justification of depriving the navy of its most effective fighting component merely to suit Rajiv's holiday plans. Considerable expense was also incurred in setting up a special satellite link up at Agatti for the duration of the holiday, the India Today report said.

However, on Thursday, contradicting PM Modis claim, Wajahat Habibullah, who was the then administrator of Lakshwadeep, said the late prime minister and his wife had come to attend a meeting of the Island Development Authority in Kavaratti which lasted for two days and after the official work got over, they left for Bangaram island to join the family and other guests.

"His (Gandhi's) holidays had nothing to do with the official function. The Prime Minister (Modi) should check facts before making such statements," he said.

Vice Admiral (Retd) Vinod Pasricha, who was commanding the ship during the then prime minister's visit, trashed reports that Gandhi's friends and as well as his wife Sonia's relatives were onboard the warship when he was enroute to Lakshadweep from Trivandrum.

"All protocols were followed during Gandhi's official visit in 1987. No foreigners or other guests were present onboard the ship. The claim was totally wrong," Vice Admiral (Retd) Pasricha said when asked about Gandhi's visit in later part of 1987.

He said Gandhi visited Lakshadweep to attend a meeting of the Island Development Authority, and his wife Sonia and his son Rahul were onboard the warship during the trip, adding the then PM also visited Bangaram during the two-day trip.

Former Navy chief Admiral (retd) L Ramdas, who was the Southern Navy Commander then and was also onboard the INS Viraat, in a statement, said "no foreigners visited INS Viraat and that the prime minister and his wife were onboard the aircraft carrier" following all official protocol.

"I would like to state unequivocally, that this was not the case," he said referring to the media report which was cited by Modi.

Ramdas said he issued the statement after getting written responses on the issue from Vice Admiral Pasricha, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash, who was commanding INS Vindhyagiri and Vice Admiral (retd) Madanjit Singh, who was the commanding officer of INS Ganga.

Ramdas also asserted that, "no ships were specifically diverted for personal use of the Gandhi family. Only one small helicopter was left at Kavratti to meet any emergency medical requirements of the PM and his wife."

However, another former Navy Commander (retd) V K Jaitly, in a tweet, said "Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi used INS Viraat for travel to celebrate their holidays at Bangaram island. Indian Navy resources were used extensively. I am a witness. I was posted on INS Viraat at that time."

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Suresh, the person who slapped Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a roadshow on Saturday evening in Delhi's Moti Nagar said that he regretted the act and he doesnat really know why he slapped him. He also said that he wasnat affiliated to any political party as against his earlier statement to the police that he was an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter.

"Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the person Suresh, 33, who is a scrap dealer in the area, has been a supporter of AAP and used to work as organiser of the party's rallies and meetings. As per his version, over a period of time he got disenchanted due to behaviour of its leaders. He got further angry due to distrust of the party in the armed forces," the Delhi Police said in a statement.

Suresh said, aI don't know why I slapped him, I regret it. I'm not affiliated to any political party, nobody asked me to do this. Police did not misbehave with me, they only said what I did was wrong,a as reported by news agency ANI.

The chief minister was slapped by the man prompting a strong reaction from the AAP which alleged BJP was behind the "cowardly act". After the statement, the AAP hit back at the Delhi Police, saying "this is the same Delhi Police who had planted earlier that NO MIRCHI attack happened on the CM".A

"Today, he was wearing a cap (which he later took off) and scarf of AAP, and was in the reception group of the CM. No one objected to him being there as he had been an organiser for the party. He was standing near the front right tyre of the Gypsy. He took off the scarf, climbed the bonnet and attempted to assault the Hon'ble CM. Further interrogation of the person is on," the police had then said.
Seoul:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a "long-range strike" drill, the state news agency reported on Friday, a day after South Korea said the weapons fired were short-range missiles. "At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Thursdays launch was the Norths second weapons test in less than a week, amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons.

The North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seouls Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The new KCNA statement did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile.

The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defense units... fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat, KCNA said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Assam Science and Technology University (ASTU) has declared the Assam Common Entrance Exam (CEE) 2019 results today. The candidates who have appeared for the examination are asked to keep all the details ready for the fast and easy access to the results. The scorecards are now available on the official website of the board i.e. astu.ac.in.

The CEE exam which was conducted on April 28, 2019 is a state level entrance test conducted by ASTU for admission to B.Tech programmes in Assam. For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which the candidates can check the results:

1. To access the result, the candidate can visit the official website at astu.ac.in

2. On the official website, the candidate needs to submit their application number/username and password.

3. After clicking on the submit tab, the candidates individual score will reflect on the screen along with the total score secured.

4. The candidate can also view the merit list.

5. Candidates can download and print out Assam CEE 2019 result for future use.

The candidates must note that while preparing the merit list, the Assam CEE authorities will consider the marks secured by the candidates in three subjects  Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics

The elected candidates will have to report at the venue according to their ranks for the counselling of Assam CEE 2019. The three forms  Form A, Form B and Form C will have to be filled and submitted by the candidates.

Allotment of seats will be done on the basis of the choices filled by the candidates as well as the rank that they have secured. During the counselling process, the candidates will be allotted according to their rank in the merit list.
New Delhi:

In a horrendous incident, a woman in Rajasthan's Alwar district was allegedly gangraped for nearly three hours by five people in front of her husband. While the accused took their turn to outrage the modesty of the woman, one of them shot the incident in his mobile phone. The incident, that took place on April 26, could only come to light after the end of May 6 elections in Rajasthan.

Days after the grusome incident, the husband of the victim has revealed the shocking apathy of Rajasthan police post their traumatic experience. He claimed that they were in a state of shock due to the incident and decided to kept quit. But, when one of the accused called him and demanded money or else threatened to distribute the video on social media, they decided to file a police complaint.

However, when he reached the Alwar Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajiv Pachar, his response was more shocking and gave a glimpse of the rotten police system. The SP took a complaint on a paper and send the victim's husband to Thanagaji police station where the incident took place. What happened there was even disappointing as the SHO of Thanagaji police state didn't register his FIR.

"The incident occurred on April 26. This all happened for nearly three hours. Initially, we kept quiet, but when the accused called me demanding money for not circulating the video, I went to the SP office and gave him a complaint. He sent me to the SHO of Thanagaji police station where the SHO received the complaint but the FIR was not lodged," the victim's husband told PTI while narrating his ordeal.

He claimed that the SHO took him to the scene of the crime on the same day and later asked him to go. But when he recieved no communication from the police, he called the SHO and what he told him was beyond criticism. We are busy in elections, the SHO allegedly told him. When he tried to reach the SP, he too repeated the same words and asked him to wait till the elections are over.

"Next day, I called the SHO but he said that policemen were busy in election. When I called the SP, he also gave the same response. I was asked to wait till elections are over. The FIR was lodged on May 2," he said.

Narrating their ordeal, he said, "One of the accused called me and demanded money on April 30. He said that the video will be circulated on WhatsApp if I did not give them money. My younger brother told about this to the SP but nothing happened and on May 4, the video was circulated".

"We suffered unexplainable nightmare on April 26. When the video was circulated among locals, our dignity was completely lost and when I told this to the police, their reaction was also disappointing," he said. The victim has also claimed that he had given the phone numbers of the accused to the police but they delayed taking action.

When the matter was highlighted on Tuesday, the Congress-led Rajasthan government woke up and took action against the SP and the Thanagaji SHO in a hustle. Both were suspended.

The incident triggered massive protests across the state with locals in Thanagaji. The BJP is also scheduled to hold dharnas across the state today. The husband of the victim claimed that he had approached the Thanagazi police station SHO and the SP with his complaint, but he was asked to wait as they were busy with the elections. He alleged that an FIR was lodged only on May 2.

Meanwhile, prime accused Hansraj Gurjar was arrested from Uttar Pradeshs Mathura on Thursday. With this arrest, all the five suspects of the brutal incident are in police custody. Alwar gangrape has sparked massive protests across Rajasthan. The BJP is also scheduled to hold dharnas across the state today.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Kerala SSLC Result 2019: The candidates who have appeared for Kerala SSLC examinations 2019, we have some very important news for you. The Department of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE) Kerala has announced the Kerala SSLC 2019 (Class 10) results soon. According to the latest reports, the Kerala Board SSLC Results has announced at 2 pm. Soon after the formal declaration of the results, the scorecards will be available on the official website of the board i.e. keralaresults.nic.in and dhsekerala.gov.in. The candidates can also check their results by clicking on the link given below.

CLICK HERE FOR KERALA SSLC RESULTS 2019

We here at News Nation are in close contact with our sources and will be updating all the latest updates here. Hence, we request the candidates to bookmark this page and check it regularly for all the updates.

LIVE UPDATES:

14.57 pm: Malappuram district tops with 99.33%

14.56 pm: A total of 87.96 per cent students passed the Kerala SSLC Class 10 examination successfully from Lakshadweep.

14.55 pm:

This year statistics of Kerala SSLC exam

Pass Percentage 98.11% Total students 4,34,729 Top district Malapuram



14.55 pm: A total of 37,334 students scored A+ in the 2019 SSLC exam, the results of which were declared on Monday, (6 May).

14.14 pm: Kerala SSLC Result 2019 Statistics:

Total students - 4,34.729

Total Pass Percentage - 98.11%

37334 scored A+

Top District - Malapuram: 99.33%

14.00 pm: Kerala Board SSLC Results announced.

13.41 pm: The overall pass percentage was 97.84% last year. This year the pass percentage is expected to increase. Last year, 100 percent students have cleared Kerala SSLC Results in 1565 schools out of which 517 are government schools.

13.37 pm: Press conference to start at 2 pm: Sources.

13.28 pm: Kerala SSLC Results to be announced soon.

13.21 pm: The Kerala education minister, Prof. C Raveenndranath wished all the students best for the upcoming Kerala SSLC results.

13.20 pm: The Kerala SSLC Results to be announced in next one hour.

13.19 pm: The Kerala SSLC result or Kerala Class 10 results will be released from department officials from the Public Relations Department (PRD) Chambers of the Kerala government in one hour.

12.35 pm: Kerala SSLC result is expected to be released at 2 pm today. Kerala Education Minister Prof. C. Raveendranath will announce the SSLC result in a press conference and then the results will be released online.

12.25 pm: The overall pass percentage last year was 97.84 percent and around 4.41 lakh students had appeared for the exam. Around 4.31 lakh candidates have cleared the exam last year.

12.23 pm: In 2018, Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan declared Kerala SSLC Result on May 3, 3019. The result was declared by Education Minister, Professor C Raveendranath.

12.21 pm: The candidates can check their results by clicking on the link given above.

11.46 am: The declaration of the Kerala SSLC Results 2019 will seal the fate of lakhs of students.

10.10 am: Last year, Kerala SSLC Result was announced in the month of May.

9.57 am: The results will be announced on the official website of the board.

9.33 am: The Kerala Board students who have appeared for SSLC examination are asked to keep all the details ready for the fast and easy access to the results.

9.28 am: Kerala Board to announce SSLC results at 2.30 pm.

For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which the candidates can download the results:

Step 1: Visit english.newsnationtv.com/board-result

Step 2: Click on the Kerala Board class SSLC result page

Step 3: Enter your roll number/roll code

Step 4: Click on the submit button

Step 5: Check your scores

Last year, the results of Kerala SSLC were declared on 3 May, 2018 and the pass percentage stood at 97.84 percent.

About Kerala State Education Board

The Kerala State Education Board is also known as the Kerala Board of Higher Secondary Education. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The state Education Board was established in the year 1990 to restructure the operations of Secondary and Collegiate Education in Kerala. There are quite a few private and government schools associated and affiliated with the Kerala Board. The SSLC and the HSC Board exams are conducted by the Kerala Board every year and the results are declared by the board as well. The certificates are provided to the qualified students by the Kerala Board. The official website of the board is www.keralaresults.nic.in.

Apart from the SSLC examination, Pareeksha Bhavan also conducts other examinations, for certification of qualified teaching faculty through KTET and other similar examinations. The Kerala SSLC Result 2019 will be accessible through the official website of Pareeksha Bhavan.
Goa:

With the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle at the centre, France and India on Friday stepped up their biggest naval exercises as the Indian Ocean's strategic shipping lanes draw ever more envious eyes.

Without naming the Asian giant, India and France worry about China's growing economic clout and its territorial claims that have caused tensions in the South China Sea.

"We think we can bring more stability to a region that is strategic, that has huge stakes, notably for international trade," said Rear Admiral Olivier Lebas, who commands the French fleet that includes its only aircraft carrier.

The vast majority of trade between Asia and Europe and the Middle East - particularly oil - is carried across the ocean, while internet-communications cables straddle the seabed that is rich with its own oil and gas fields.

The 42,000 tonne Charles de Gaulle is one of 12 warships and submarines - six from each country - taking part in the 17th annual exercises off the coast of the Indian resort state of Goa.

French authorities say they are the biggest ever since the exercises started in 2001. And the presence of the aircraft carrier, which has just undergone an 18-month refit, is no accident.

Row after row of Rafale fighter jets were launched to deafening roars off the carrier's 261 metre (860 feet) runway.

India's traditional dominance in the Indian Ocean faces a growing Chinese shadow with the deployment of warships and submarines along shipping lanes and the construction of a giant network of commercial infrastructure through its Belt and Road initiative, which India strongly opposes.

"China is not an aggressive country" in the Indian Ocean, said Rear Admiral Didier Maleterre, the head of French maritime forces in the region.

"What you see in the sea around China, the reclamation of land on islands in the Spratleys or Paracels, you do not see that in the Indian Ocean," he said.

The top officer said President Xi Xinping's building of new Silk Road trade routes, which includes the Indian Ocean, "is a strategy being put in place that is mainly economic, with perhaps a dual purpose." Malterre did not specify what other purpose, but added that there are "scenarios" in the next 10 to 15 years, "certainly not as big as in the sea off China, but that clearly could lead to tensions."

France annoyed China last month by sending a warship into the Taiwan Straits. The ship was intercepted by the Chinese navy and Beijing made an official protest, while France insisted it was exercising "freedom of navigation".

French diplomats insist there is no link between that incident and the Indian Ocean exercises.

The links between India and France "are certainly not a partnership aimed against any country in the region or any power in the world," said Alexandre Ziegler, French ambassador to India.

The Charles de Gaulle is being used again as a projection of French power however. In March, it took part in international operations in the Mediterranean against the Islamic State group. From these exercises, the carrier is to go on to Singapore.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

As the Lok Sabha polls, the biggest elections on Earth, enter the final phase, a cover story by prominent American magazine is likely to stoke massive controversy in the politically-charged environment in India. TIME magazine has put Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its cover with a seemingly contentious headline. India's Divider In Chief says the TIME cover story written by novelist Aatish Taseer. The writeup that stiches together Indias political history of last 70 years question PM Modis brand of populism. The cover story talks about how various nations around the globe have elected populist governments.

The high ideals of the past have come under his reign to seem like nothing but the hollow affectations of an entrenched power elite, the reads the cover story. PM Modi and the BJP have routinely attacked Indias first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for present day issues.

It is this environment of distrust and poisonous religious nationalism that is fuelling the saffron surge, the Taseer opines in the TIME story.

Modi of 2014 is vastly different from Modi of 2019. Then he was a messiah, ushering in a future too bright to behold, one part Hindu renaissance, one part South Koreas economic program. Now he is merely a politician who has failed to deliver, seeking re-election, the article reads.

In 2015, Modi had appeared on TIME cover when the magazine had done an exclusive interview with him after he became the Prime Minister. He also featured on the magazine cover in 2012, when he was the Gujarat chief minister.

After the 2015 interview, Peter Hapak, who shot the cover of magazine at that time, said that I had a very fortunate session with him. I had a full hour with him, which is very unusual because most of the time I only have 10 minutes for a portrait session. For portraiture its very important to make your subject forget that youre here, that somebodys watching him. It was enough time for him to get comfortable.
New Delhi:

An Indian travelling to the UK on a tourist visa has been jailed for 12 months for carrying out a "prolonged" sexual assault on a young woman during a long-haul flight from Mumbai to Manchester earlier this year. Hardeep Singh, 36, will be deported back to India at the end of his sentence. Singh, who pinned the woman passenger down on her seat during the flight, was sentenced to 12 months in jail at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester on Thursday.

"From the outset of the flight, Singh's behaviour was despicable. After checking the woman was unaccompanied, he began to invade her personal space, pestering her and making unwanted physical contact, despite the passenger making it clear she did not want to engage him in conversation," said Detective Constable Catherine Evans of Greater Manchester Police's Airport Team.

"Waiting until the woman and surrounding passengers were asleep, Singh subjected the woman to a prolonged sexual assault, forcibly restraining her when she tried to move away. Numbed with fear, it was only after she summoned the strength to overpower him that she was able to run away and raise the alarm," she said.

The court heard that on February 23, the woman in her 20s was aboard the flight from Mumbai and Singh was in the seat to one side of her, the officer said.

He was visiting Britain on a six-month tourist visa. Upon boarding the aircraft in Mumbai, Singh tried to engage the woman in conversation. She tried to be polite but began to feel uncomfortable and could not understand him as he did not speak English clearly, she said.

While attempting to engage her in conversation during the course of the flight, Singh asked her whether the woman sat on the other side of her was her mother and while she was watching a film - removed her headphones and tried to talk to her again, the court was told.

When she got up to use the facilities, Singh refused to move aside so she could get to the aisle comfortably, forcing her to squeeze past him. After the lights on the aircraft were turned down, due to the time of the flight, the woman and the other passengers around her went to sleep under their blankets, the officer said.

The woman woke to find Singh sexually assaulting her. She tried to push him away but he persisted, forcing his hands underneath her clothing and underwear, rubbing his hands on her body, as well as trying to kiss her, the court hearing was told.

Everyone else around her on the aircraft was asleep. She repeatedly told him to stop and tried to remove his hands. She attempted to move away but Singh hooked her legs off the ground so she couldn't get up. She felt isolated and vulnerable as everyone else was asleep and she couldn't see any cabin crew around to help, the officer said.

The assault lasted for around 15 minutes before she was able to struggle free and move to the back of the plane where she reported Singh to a member of the cabin crew, the court was told.

He was moved away from the woman for the remainder of the flight and cabin crew contacted local Manchester police, whose officers were waiting at the Manchester Airport when the plane landed. Singh was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and initially denied the offences.

"We're pleased with today's (Thursday's) sentence and hope the woman can move forward knowing that he's behind bars. We hope the courage of this woman and this positive court result encourages other victims to come forward and report incidents of sexual assault to police," the Detective Constable added.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Pakistan: The Punjab government has transferred 30 officers in a clean sweep of Lahore police commanders following violent protests by the proscribed group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), local media reported on Friday.

According to The News International, there were rumours of yet another major reshuffle in the Punjab Police Force due to the TLP's poor handling of violent protests and a long march, and the Punjab chief minister interviewed three officers for the position of CCPO on Wednesday.

Senior police officers in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Sheikhupura have been chastised following the TLP's long march and riots, which resulted in the deaths of three cops and the injuries of over 70 others. According to The News International, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and the Law Minister met with the IGP several times and finalised the names of officers who would be removed immediately. Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Minister gave his initial approval to the summary for the revocation of the TLP's proscribed status that was sent to him on Thursday.

'Our first target is to destroy Pakistan...', this terror outfit adds to Imran's woes

Pak stunned when direct flight from Srinagar to Sharjah started, did this

Pakistan denies Srinagar-Sharjah flights access to its airspace.
Sri Nagar: In the interests of those who purchased tickets, India has asked Pakistan to restore the permission granted earlier to the Srinagar-Sharjah flight to use its airspace. GoFirst was granted overflight permission by Pakistani authorities to operate its Srinagar-Sharjah flight on October 23, 24, 26, and 28. The permission was, however, put on hold from October 31 to November 30, 2021.

Pakistan has refused to allow the international flight, which was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 23, to use its airspace.

Up until October 30, Srinagar-Sharjah flights were allowed to fly over Pakistani airspace, but after that, the flight had to turn west over the Arabian Sea, adding over an hour to the flight time. Go First said it would keep providing the service, but warned that the increased time and distance would raise fuel costs and, as a result, ticket prices.

Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, expressed disappointment over the issue, recalling a similar initiative in 2009, when a once-weekly flight was launched between Srinagar and Dubai but was cancelled after only a few months.

IndiGo launches a new flight between Bhubaneshwar and Jaipur

Eight more airports in Canada will be able to accept international passenger flights

Pak stunned when direct flight from Srinagar to Sharjah started, did this
Kabul: Kabul's security needs to be beefed up, according to the Afghan interior ministry. Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior has urged law enforcement agencies to improve security and public order in the capital city of Kabul, as per a statement released by the ministry on Thursday.

A decision was made to improve public order and deal with those breaking the law and order elsewhere in the country during a meeting between a deputy interior minister and Kabul police district chiefs, according to the statement.

According to the statement, the people of Kabul can help law enforcement agencies win victories in ensuring security and maintaining law and order.The meeting took place just days after a terrorist attack on a military hospital in Kabul, which claimed the lives of at least 15 people and injured several others.

Pedestrians, vehicles can now cross the Pakistan-Afghan border

Taliban gave open threat to the world said, ''If you do not want any threat from...''

Afghanistan: 500,000 people receive health assistance this year: Report
Pham Minh Chinh, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday and attended a banquet hosted by the French President.

President Macron welcomed PM Chinh's official visit to France during his first trip to Europe as Vietnam's Prime Minister during the meeting. He praised Vietnam's role and position in the region and expressed his desire to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The two leaders praised their countries' effective cooperation in areas such as politics, diplomacy, economics, security and defence, culture, health, science, education and training, law and justice, and cooperation between their localities. Macron stated that France is ready to work with Vietnam to prepare for the 12th decentralised cooperation conference between the two countries, which will be held in Hanoi in 2022.

The two sides emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral economic, trade, and investment cooperation in the strategic partnership between Vietnam and France. They agreed on strategies and actions to improve trade facilitation and accelerate cooperation projects in key areas such as transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, the environment, energy, and aerospace. Vietnam and France will work to establish long-term industrial partnerships based on high-tech transfer and mutual benefit, particularly in areas where France excels.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida may visit US soon this month

North Korean Ambassador calls for dismantlement of UNC

Islamabad: To prevent the TLP from marching through, the city has been sealed
Paris: David Frost, the UK's Brexit Minister, and Clement Beaune, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, met in Paris to try to defuse tensions over a fishing dispute between the two countries. However, Beaune later stated that there is still a lot of work to be done because, according to media reports, significant differences exist.

The main point of contention during Thursday's talks, according to French media, was the interpretation of the post-Brexit fishing agreement. France has accused the United Kingdom of making fishing licences more difficult to obtain.

The French Ministry of the Sea retaliated last week by announcing that British fishing vessels will be prohibited from docking in six French ports in Hauts-de-France, Normandy, and Brittany beginning on Tuesday. France would also beef up sanitary, customs, and safety checks on British ships and lorries, according to the statement. However, French President Emmanuel Macron later ruled out such retaliatory measures, saying, "We will not impose sanctions while we are negotiating." The French had agreed not to "proceed with these threats," according to a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "Both sides are eager to continue talking," he added.

Macron wants to strengthen France's strategic partnership with Vietnam.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida may visit US soon this month

North Korean Ambassador calls for dismantlement of UNC
Chandigarh: Police have foiled a terror plot near the Indo-Pakistan border last Diwali night in Punjab. Punjab Police reportedly recovered a tiffin bomb from fields near the Indo-Pak border and foiled another major conspiracy to attack Diwali. Police have reportedly arrested three persons in this connection. On the other hand, State Director General of Police (DGP) Iqbal Preet Sahota said, "Tiffin bomb was hidden in Ali's village fields.''

On the other hand, the DGP also said, "Ludhiana Rural Police had arrested two persons last Monday in connection with the shelter and providing equipment to Jalalabad bomb blast accused Ranjit Singh alias Gora. The matter is being investigated by the State Investigation Agency (NIA).'' The arrested persons are said to have been identified as Jaswant Singh alias Shinda Baba of Jhugge Nihanga village in Ferozepur district and Balwant Singh of Walipur Khurd village in Ludhiana district. Police have recovered one tiffin bomb, two pen drives and cash worth Rs 1.15 lakh from all.

Talking about the case, the DGP said, "During the investigation of the case, it came to light that the accused had a tiffin bomb which they had hidden in Ali's village farm. Following the revelations, the counterintelligence team of Ferozepur and Ludhiana police and Jagrao CIA launched a search operation in the field on Wednesday and recovered tiffin bombs.'' Further investigation is now underway in the case and more arrests are likely to be made soon.

Covid Roundup: India logs fresh 12,729 cases, over 12K recoveries in 24 hours

Deepika Padukone's stunning look on Diwali

Bollywood's Henna divorces 4 marriages from Javed Jafri to Adnan Sami
Mha Puja, essentially, is a unique festival. Here, we explain why.

Every New Year, we never run out of some cliched resolutions about improving ourselves. Even though this may appear overrated to many people, many cultures around the world celebrate the idea of self-improvement. In Nepal too, the Newa community welcome their new year called Nepal Sambat by worshipping themselves. If you have been to Basantapur during the celebration of the Nhu Dan (New Year), you know for sure that it is nothing but grand and ostentatious like all other culturally rich Newa festivals. Newa women clad in traditional black and red haku patasi flood the squares of Basantapur and somewhere men play dhime, producing sounds that fill the entire place with clamour.

However, the pivot of the Nhu Dan is Mha Puja, an annual ritual of worshipping oneself literally as mha means self. As strange as it may sound, it stems from the belief that God resides everywhere even inside us. But the purpose of celebrating the festival in the New Year is mainly to purify oneself from the transgressions of the past year and to welcome the new year with optimism, and hope for prosperity and good health. It coincides with the 4th day of Tihar, a day before Bhaitika.

The ritual that is performed in the twilight with glittering diyos in the background is nothing but ethereal. Some families determine the auspicious time for worship after consulting astrologers and priests.

File: A panas light for Mha Puja

Few communities among the Newa community perform it in the mornings often accompanied by a rigorous fast.

The stage of Mha Puja is carefully depicted and metaphorical. The mandal, often handmade, depicts three, seven or nine elements. Ideally, the Mandal must have nine pictorial depictions; Nags reflection, lotus, silk flag, Amrit (elixir), a pair of fish, an umbrella and a left-sided shankha (conch). Although we might not glance twice to inquire what these symbols used from ancient time mean, they do carry great significance.

This pursuit led me to question the priest of Golden Temple, Deepak Gurju, who unlocked the hidden meaning of these symbols. For instance, Nags reflection is believed to be more precious than a diamond and it is important for people to ward off diseases. Just like a lotus blooms away from dirt, the depiction of flowers in the Mandal is meant to make people grow away from ills. It is believed that just looking at it invites good luck.

The mandal for Mha Puja

Even the Sagun given at the end of the puja is profoundly symbolic. Usually, people are handed a basket containing boiled fried eggs and fish. Symbolically they are opposites. Fish are the dominant creatures of water whereas eggs are the origins of birds which are creatures of the sky. By giving these as Sagun, the eldest woman of the family means to hope for the ultimate acquisition of wisdom.

The priest also expresses concerns over the manner in which Mha Puja has been celebrated, often derailing from its originality. Even in small instances such as using the red mud instead of cow dung in the Mandal, it goes on to show that people in the cities rarely have the means, nor the time to capture the true authenticity of these traditions. In the time of his grandparents, people used to follow all the nine symbols and seven elements in the Mandal, but nowadays people hardly put three elements in their Mandal; namely brown rice, paddy and lavah (fried paddy) signifying an appeal for prolonged life, satisfaction in everyday life and knowledge.

The mandal for Mha Puja

He goes on to add humour to the situation by saying that people have already started replacing the iconic aflame panas (that signifies the lifeline of an individual) during the Mha Puja with more artificial wax candles.

Even though changes may have marred its originality, the spirit of the tradition has not been diminished. Often celebrated the next evening after Laxmi Puja, the result is a beautiful cultural fusion wherein Mha Puja respects the lingering presence of Laxmi from the previous day. It is evident in the way people worship a broom, a jar filled with water and a Nanglo, regarded as the symbols of Laxmi.

File: Mha Puja

People from the Newa community eagerly wait for this festival and celebrate it with grandeur. Nhu Dan is that time of the year when people reflect on their life including its achievements and shortcomings, yet grow hopeful for a better one.

From the archive.
" " Stephen Wiltshire Stephen Wiltshire at work on his Empire State project.

Like a lot of young kids, Stephen Wiltshire found comfort in the pages of a sketchpad. Born in 1974 to West Indian parents, the London native faced some unique challenges early on. While most kids start uttering words within their first two years, Wiltshire was mute. At age 3 he was diagnosed with autism. Unable to communicate his thoughts and feelings, Wiltshire channeled his energy onto blank pages. "When I was a young boy, I couldn't speak and drawing was my way of expressing myself," he says via email. "I drew animals, London buses, and sometimes demolitions of large buildings as well. It helped me to say what I couldn't with words."

Fast-forward 45 years, and not only has Wiltshire continued the practice of self-expression through art, but he's become one of the most successful and renowned artists in Britain and beyond. His commissions have four- to eight-month waiting lists, and he's routinely swarmed by flashbulb pops and fans clamoring for autographs, as is evident in the trailer for his upcoming feature length documentary, "Billions of Windows." And while the journey to his present-day triumph wasn't exactly simple or straightforward, Wiltshire's unique story has kept the world captivated for decades.

Advertisement

Using Visual Art Instead of Words

At age 5, Wiltshire was sent to London's Queensmill School, which specializes in the education of children and young people with autism. The faculty quickly realized Wiltshire was entirely capable of communication  he just chose pencil strokes over sentences. Once they picked up on his attachment to art, they began experimenting, temporarily taking away his materials to see if and how he'd react. The tactic worked: Wiltshire spoke. "Paper," he said to the staff, attempting to reclaim his artistic tools. He slowly developed his vocabulary, speaking in full sentences by age 9. But before he mastered verbal language, he demonstrated an aptitude for art that floored those around him, producing unfathomably detailed sketches of animals, London landmarks, and architectural structures by age 7.

"I enjoy drawing the chaos and order at the same time  the rush hour traffic versus square avenues and skyscrapers and the people who make these cities work," Wiltshire says. "Also, I like that some parts of the scenery will never change and others constantly develop."

" " Wiltshire works to an astonished crowd on a panorama of Mexico City. Stephen Wiltshire

That distinct perspective on the surrounding urban landscape and his ability to convey it on paper started to pique the interest of Wiltshire's teachers. One instructor in particular accompanied the young student on drawing excursions and entered his work in children's art competitions. Wiltshire began winning awards, and soon the local press started questioning how such a young artist could produce such impressive work.

But others  like Prime Minister Edward Heath  didn't need convincing; when Wiltshire was just 8, Heath became one of his first paying clients, purchasing one of his drawings of Salisbury Cathedral. In 1987, 13-year-old Wiltshire appeared in a BBC program called "The Foolish Wise Ones," in which Hugh Casson, a former president of London's Royal Academy of Arts, referred to him as "possibly the best child artist in Britain."

It was Casson who introduced the teen to literary agent Margaret Hewson, and helped him publish his first book, "Drawings," consisting of his early sketches. Two years later, after his first trip abroad with Hewson to see and sketch New York City's legendary skyscrapers, Wiltshire released his second book, titled "Cities."

"I like the details of the windows, shades, sharp edges, and foliage," Wiltshire says of his fondness for urban landscapes. "I often add mood and atmosphere to these views and sometimes change bits and pieces to make them look better."

Advertisement

Drawing the Cities of the World

After the release of his second book, Wiltshire embarked on a drawing tour of Venice, Amsterdam, Leningrad, and Moscow, compiling original drawings for his third book, "Floating Cities." In 1992, a Tokyo-based television company invited the young artist to tour Japan and create drawings of landmark structures like Shinjuku's metropolitan government building, and a year later, Wiltshire released yet another book titled "American Dream," including cityscapes of Chicago, San Francisco, and New York, and desert landscapes of Arizona.

" " Wiltshire sketches the Singapore skyline. Stephen Wiltshire

Wiltshire's extraordinary skill and prolific production captivated audiences, but his creative methods invited even more fascination: Many of his painstakingly detailed drawings were produced entirely from memory, including a panoramic piece depicting the city of Rome, including iconic structures like the Vatican and St. Peter's Cathedral.

Dozens of international trips, accolades and career highlights later, Wiltshire now owns his own permanent art gallery in London's Royal Opera Arcade, and has been named by Queen Elizabeth II as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. And while architecture and cityscapes are the subjects of some of his most popular works, he finds joy in creatively capturing everything from celebrity portraits to classic American cars. "I love movies from the '70s where these huge, comfortable, and powerful cars were travelling on the wide roads like boats," Wiltshire says. "I also like the culture of the '70s, just like disco as well as the earlier times like the '60s with motown music."

Music continues to play a major role in his creative process to this day. "I listen to music when I draw," he says. "Sixties motown, R&B, '70s disco, and the latest charts. It helps me focus better. I also play the piano and sing, but it's just a hobby."

Despite the astronomical success Wiltshire has already achieved, he continues to draw every single day, continuously seeking out new ways to capture the world and abiding by his own personal motto, "do the best you can, and never stop."

NOW THAT'S FASCINATING Wiltshire's lightning-fast talent is no joke: He completed a 33-foot (10-meter) panoramic drawing of Tokyo in eight days, entirely in pen, and he's been known to produce sketches in as little as two minutes.
" " The first Godzilla movie, titled "Godzilla" was produced and distributed by Toho in Japan in 1954. Public Domain

Godzilla has remarkable staying power. Movies about giant monsters were a dime a dozen back in the 1950s. Yet while Atomic Age classics like "The Giant Claw" or "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" never garnered any sequels, Godzilla forged on. The kaiju made his cinematic debut in 1954.

Since then, he's starred in more than 30 films spanning six-and-a-half decades. His newest movie, "Godzilla vs. Kong" debuted in theaters and on HBO Max March 31. The character's origin story keeps getting re-written: He's usually said to be an irradiated beast of prehistoric origins, but the specifics vary from movie to movie. One thing that's remained consistent, however, is Godzilla's physical toughness. On-screen, the nuclear behemoth is practically invincible. But have you ever wondered how  or "if"  a beast with Godzilla's dimensions would function in real life? And what kind of animal is Godzilla, anyway?"

Advertisement

Godzilla as a Dinosaur

Kenneth Carpenter, a retired paleontologist who was director of Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum when we spoke to him in 2019, took a stab at that second question in a 1998 essay he wrote for The Official Godzilla Compendium. Traditionally, the monster has been identified as a theropod dinosaur. All known carnivorous dinos (like T. rex) are classified as theropods. So are birds.

Now, Godzilla's skull looks short and blunt for a theropod. He also tends to be depicted with four fingers per hand, and the beast's got multiple rows of bony, vertically oriented plates running down his back and tail.

Using these features, Carpenter tentatively assigned Godzilla to the ceratosauria, a primitive theropod subgroup. Like our radioactive pal, a few ceratosaurians had backsides that were littered with osteoderms: bony deposits embedded in the skin. Certain species, such as the bull-horned Carnotaurus sastrei, had shortened skulls to boot.

And there was another key feature that helped the ceratosaurians stand out. In an email, Carpenter told us that while some theropods had three, two or even one-fingered forelimbs, the more primitive varieties  like the ceratosaurians  "have four or more digits" per hand.

" " Here Godzilla is battling his arch nemesis, King Ghidorah, a golden dragon with three heads, no arms, and giant wings, in 1964's "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster." Public domain

Advertisement

Maybe He's a Croc?

OK, so Godzilla must be a ceratosaurian theropod, right? Not necessarily, Victoria Arbour told us in 2019. An armored dinosaur expert, Arbour is the Curator of Paleontology at the Royal British Columbia Museum. In a 2014 blog post, Arbour made the case that the King of the Monsters might not be a dinosaur at all. Maybe he's got more in common with crocodiles.

Crocs, alligators and their prehistoric kin form a reptilian clade called the pseudosuchia. As Arbour notes, osteoderms and four-fingered hands are more commonly seen in pseudosuchians than they are in theropods. So perhaps Godzilla belongs to the former group.

Speaking of digits, let's check out Godzilla's feet. In most of the original Japanese movies, the big guy has a plantigrade stance. That means he walks flat on his feet like humans. Conversely, digitigrade animals  such as dogs  walk on their toes while keeping their heels off the ground.

"Living crocodylomorphs are plantigrade, but the jury is still out on whether or not all pseudosuchians were plantigrade, especially those that were bipedal," Arbour said via email. No known dinosaur, theropod or otherwise, was similarly flat-footed.

Advertisement

Do His Feet Hold the Answer?

However, for the 2014 American-made movie, Godzilla's feet underwent a dramatic re-design. "I think you could ... make the argument that Godzilla 2014 has tortoise-like feet, and many tortoises are also digitigrade in a manner similar to elephants, with a large heel pad supporting upright toes," Arbour said. She also pointed out that while "almost all bipedal dinosaurs" only had three weight-bearing digits per foot, this version of Godzilla keeps "at least four toes on the ground."

Truly huge land animals such as the long-necked dinosaurs have column-shaped, digitigrade feet. Those limbs are really efficient at supporting massive body weights. So if Godzilla was a real creature we'd probably expect him to have digitigrade hindlimbs  even though a 2017 study claimed plantigrade animals can swing their arms more forcefully in combat. (And Godzilla sure loves combat.)

But of course, it's doubtful that Godzilla could physically walk on dry land, no matter what his feet looked like. "[Getting] Godzilla to stand upright and still would be a complete non-starter," paleontologist Donald Henderson said in a 2019 email. "Its bones would not be able to support its body weight, and its heart would be unable to pump blood to the head."

This is mostly due to the square-cube law: When you scale up an object, its mass increases more sharply than its surface area. Double the height, weight and length of a wooden cube and you'll have also made the thing eight times heavier than it was before.

" " Who will be crowned King of the Monsters? Godzilla or King Kong? Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures

Advertisement

Godzilla as a Marine Animal

So how would Godzilla fare underwater? Henderson works at Canada's Royal Tyrell Museum and tackles physics-related questions about extinct animals. In 2018, he used computer modeling to test the hypothesis that Spinosaurus  a theropod with a large sail on its back  was built for swimming. He found that the deep overall body shape of this fin-backed animal would have made the dinosaur prone to tipping over as it swam.

Would Godzilla's osteoderms put him at the same risk? Henderson doesn't think so. By his calculations, the back plates on Stegosaurus  a Jurassic herbivore who influenced Godzilla's design  only represented 17 percent of that dinosaur's overall body mass.

Meanwhile, Godzilla's plates appear to make up an even smaller fraction of the kaiju's total mass. He'd need to build a new digital model to prove it, but for now Henderson suspects that "the plates of Godzilla would not cause it to tip" during swim sessions.

Still, as a marine animal, Godzilla would face plenty of other problems. Seagoing creatures tend to be streamlined. With his jagged osteoderms and chunky legs, Godzilla is anything but. Therefore, he'd need to expend lots of extra energy in order to propel himself through the water.

"The best option for Godzilla to swim would be to undulate its body and tail to produce waves that travel down the body," Henderson explained. "Think of how crocodiles and salamanders swim when they want to move quickly. They fold their arms and legs close to the body, and use sideways motions ... to push back against the water and get a forward thrust."

By the way, semiaquatic behavior was  and still is  widespread among the pseudosuchians. On the other hand, there's no proof that any non-bird theropod was habitually amphibious. Yet some of them did take the occasional dip. In Utah, there's a series of 190-million-year-old dino tracks made by theropods whose toes barely scraped the ground as they paddled along.

For his part, Carpenter disagrees with the pseudosuchian identity argument. Since theropods could clearly swim, he thinks Godzilla's seagoing ways don't preclude the monster from being a bona fide dinosaur. Furthermore, as we've seen, the kaiju does share a lot of traits with the ceratosaurians. If he's not a member of that group, then his ancestors probably evolved all of those features independently. This scenario is certainly plausible (it's a phenomenon called "convergent evolution"). But Carpenter thinks the similarities between Godzilla and theropod dinos are probably too numerous to be coincidental.

"We already know that Dr. Yamane [a character from the 1954 movie] declared the original Godzilla a dinosaur," Carpenter says, "and since he was on site, I'll take his word."

" " Godzilla unleashes his atomic breath to claim his crown in the 2021 release, "Godzilla vs. Kong." Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures

NOW THAT'S A SHAME In 1965, a writer at Japan's Toho Studios pitched the idea of a "Godzilla vs. Batman" crossover movie. Sadly, that never happened.

Advertisement

Originally Published: May 14, 2019
Digital transformation will give a clear visibility to CXO level or senior management on the actual happenings on the shop floor

Industry 4.0 or IIoT is transforming manufacturing industries to involve more with physical cyber systems to achieve better results in Production, Maintenance & Quality. In India, there is drive & a need to ensure to adhere to the norms of BSVI in Automobile sector which can be achieved only through Industry 4.0.This is going to be a big revolution, as we have seen in 1980-90s during Banks & Financial institutions adapting Computers & IT, and this had help the entire industry to transform to the new banking system. Gone are those days where we had to physically go to bank, stand in queue with withdrawal slips or depositing money. Moreover, mobiles have taken this further more convenience of banking anytime & anywhere.Industry 4.0 has evolved from Industry 1.0 which was introduced in 18th century where automobiles were driven by steam and water.Industry 2.0 was in early 19th century where we had seen mass production of Automobiles powered by Electricity.Industry 3.0 was seen during end of 19th century where Electronics & Software were introduced into Automobile to have better comfort, convenience & luxury.We are heading towards the next Digital Era which is Industry 4.0, which involves bringing in all machines on digital platform with cyber physical systems, make a network layer, build data layer, application layer with analytics.There is need for teams who have expertise in Engineering Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Automobile and Computer Science with application knowledge of PLCs CNCs who would be able to build appropriate solutions.Mere implementation of readily available data analytical tools or building-up PCs to fetch data will not provide any useful results. Few manufacturing industries who tried to build such solutions inhouse were unsuccessful to great extent due to limitations on the entire knowledge.As per the Forbes, Accenture source on market analysis. We will see about $28 billion amount of expected cost reduction in automotive sector from 2016-2010. There will be overall of 2.6 percent annual reduction in Inventory levels Expected fromadopting Industry 4.0. It is expected to have at least 30 percent increases in Productivity that would be achieved with IIOT adopters. ROI will be seen over a period of 2 years and companies who have invested in early 2016 have seen these benefits. By 2020, it is expected that there will be 100 percent of Automobile & manufacturing sectors highly digitized.It has been proven that there will be about 5-30 percent of reduction on Repair, rework, scrap, service calls, warranty claims, write off from obsolete finished goods.Timely unavailability of data for fault diagnosisMost of the data are in non-digital format & analysis is user dependent with expertiseCNC machines have capability to display data, but it is humanly impossible to analyze data manually at each machine.PLCs have not been used to provide data and few legacy systems with serial ports have limitationsOther non-conventional machines like Cranes, compressors, induction motors, Generators, pumps etc. are incapable of providing data.Digital transformation will give a clear visibility to CXO level or senior management on the actual happenings on the shop floor. There will systems introduced like Sensors, HMI, PLC, SCADA, Device control systems and other engineering systems which will fetch the data. This will be processed from the huge data accumulated, later analyzed & appropriate data will be integrated with ERP, MIS systems. Decisions can be taken depending on patterns or signatures of data which can be automated called as Artificial intelligence (AI). Systems or machines can correct themselves when there is any kind of failure expected or alert prior to any major failures.Further, this has enable introduction of AR/VR devices whichcan showcase current servo temperature, load on bearings, battery condition and Absolute position & vibration of spindle or any such parameters. Just looking at a machine with goggles one would be able to know health of the machine &its characteristics. Next vision would be Digital twin where one would be able to operate the machine or experience the machines using AR/VR and tweak system virtually to find out improved end results.Reduce inspection and maintenance costsReduce failure related repair or replacement costsReduced revenue losses due to lost in plant productionEnables the condition based monitoringDeferred capital costs due to load growth or equipment age and conditionImproved confidence and security for dynamic over loading performanceDetects incipient faults and assist in preventing failures and unplanned outagesProvides monitoring and diagnostic for all vital parts by integrating.
NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The facility management services market in India is expected to grow by USD 13.43 bn at a CAGR of 13.76% from 2020 to 2025, according to the latest research report from Technavio. This report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. The facility management services market in India is segmented by end-user (IIBB, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and others) and service (soft services and hard services).

Attractive Opportunities in Facility Management Services Market in India

Request a Free Sample Report to explore growth opportunities in the facility management services market in India.

The facility management services market in India report offers a comprehensive analysis of the strategies adopted by vendors and the trends, drivers, and challenges affecting the market size. The impact of technology in managing building facilities is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the facility management services market in India during the forecast period.

The facility management services market in India covers the following areas:

Facility Management Services Market In India Sizing

Facility Management Services Market In India Forecast

Facility Management Services Market In India Analysis

Market Challenges

The facility management services market in India faces the following challenges:

Employee attrition and training: Facility management services require skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled manpower. However, there is a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled manpower with technical knowledge, which is hindering the growth of the market. As a result, vendors have to provide training to their employees, which is a major challenge. Moreover, the reluctance of vendors to invest in retaining their existing workforce is leading to high attrition.

Highly fragmented market: As there are several local vendors present in the facility management services market in India, the market is highly fragmented. Unorganized vendors that provide a limited number of services have dominated the market. This poses a challenge to organized vendors.

Slow adoption of new technologies: The adoption of new technologies in the facility management services market in India is slow due to the dominance of unorganized vendors. These vendors rely on inexpensive manpower and lack support from end-users.

Some Companies Mentioned

Story continues

CBRE Group Inc.

Cushman & Wakefield Plc

Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

OCS Group Ltd.

Quess Corp. Ltd.

SILA Group

SMS Integrated Facility Services Pvt. Ltd.

Sodexo Group

Tenon Facility Management India Pvt Ltd

Updater Services Pvt. Ltd.

Subscribe to our "Lite Plan" billed annually at USD 3000 to view 3 reports monthly and download 3 reports annually.

Related Reports:

Facility Management Services Market in Middle East: The facility management services market in Middle East has been segmented by service (soft service and hard service) and geography (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and the rest of Middle East ). Download Free Sample Report

Ballast Water Management Market: The ballast water management market has been segmented by technology (physical disinfection, chemical method, and mechanical method) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America). Download Free Sample Report

Facility Management Services Market Scope in India Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 13.76% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 13.43 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 11.14 Regional analysis India Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled CBRE Group Inc., Cushman & Wakefield Plc, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., OCS Group Ltd., Quess Corp. Ltd., SILA Group, SMS Integrated Facility Services Pvt. Ltd., Sodexo Group, Tenon Facility Management India Pvt Ltd, and Updater Services Pvt. Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, market growth inducers and obstacles, fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.



Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/

Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/13-76-cagr-in-facility-management-services-market-in-indiatechnavio-301411813.html

SOURCE Technavio
Many of us got our first exposure to railroad stocks by playing Monopoly. The $200 cost to purchase each of the four proved to be one of the boards fairly lucrative investments. Rent started at $25, then doubled for every other railroad owned on the board.

The game board aside, railroads arent flashy or exciting. Many investors refer to railways as old economy companies and claim they are outdated in todays internet-driven economy. But railroads are still a key transportation artery in North America and Europe, and stocks of railway companies remain a solid and dependable if unspectacular investment.

Most railroad stocks also pay healthy dividends to shareholders and several companies in the sector are engaged in share buyback programs that help to elevate the share price and are beneficial to investors.

InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

While most railroad stocks declined during the pandemic as demand for their services waned, they look ready for a rebound now as the economic reopening goes into full force and shipping over land accelerates.

While theres no Reading Railroad or Short Line on our list, here are three railroad stocks to board before a breakout.

Canadian Pacific Railway (NYSE: CP )

Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC )

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP)

Railroad Stocks to Board Before a Breakout: Canadian Pacific Railway (CP)

Source: Shutterstock

Few railroad stocks are as well-positioned for growth and a coming breakout as Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail). The Calgary, Alberta-based company won in September a protracted battle to acquire Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU) and create a rail network that, for the first time ever, will span all of North America  the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

CP Rail secured the victory to acquire Kansas City Southern after rival railway operator Canadian National Railway (CN Rail) gave up its rival takeover offer. CP Rail is buying Kansas City Southern for $90 a share and 2.884 shares of CP stock. The deal is expected to close in the the second half of 2022.

Story continues

Once shareholder and regulatory approvals are secured and the acquisition finalized, the combined railways will be renamed Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and will retain its global headquarters in Calgary, Canada.

The purchase of Kansas City Southern fulfills a long held desire of CP Rails management to create a trans-continental rail network that covers all three North American countries. The merged rail companies will operate 20,000 miles of track, employ nearly 20,000 people, and generate annual revenues of about $9 billion.

CP Rail appears ready for a breakout. In the last six months, CP stock has risen only 3% to its current price of $77.27 a share.

Norfolk Southern (NSC)

Source: Shutterstock

Norfolk Southern is another rail stock that could use a lift. In the last six months, the NSC stock price has only gained 2% and continues to hover around $288 a share.

While the stock is up 23% year-to-date, most of that gain came in the first quarter. Since then, the stock has been moving in fits and starts, but largely trading sideways.

The Norfolk, Virginia-based company just reported strong third-quarter results that showed its revenue grew 14% to $2.85 billion compared with the third quarter of 2020. Income from railway operations in the Q3 reached a record $1.1 billion, a 35% increase year-over-year.

While the financial results were solid, they failed to move the needle on NSC stock in a significant way. This is largely due to ongoing concerns about rising costs that could hit Norfolk Southern and other railways. These costs include higher prices for the two biggest inputs that railways face: fuel and employee wages.

However, demand for railroads and shipping items by rail is expected to rise as the economic recovery gathers steam, which should put Norfolk Southern and its stock in a good position for future growth.

NSC stock reached its all-time high of $296.06 a share in May before the recent sell-off. However, it might not be long before this railroads stock breaks out again.

Railroad Stocks to Board Before a Breakout: Union Pacific (UNP)

United Pacific (UNP) switch on tracks near Kansas City.

Source: Michael Rosebrock / Shutterstock.com

Shares of Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific has fared a little better than the other railways on this list having risen 7% to $239.29 in the last six months.

However, like other railroad companies, UNP stocks gains have trailed those of the S&P 500 index, which is up 10% over the same time frame.

Union Pacific has recently received some good news in the form of two analyst upgrades to its stock. Both JPMorgan Chase and Barclays each raised their ratings on the railway and urged investors to buy the stock, saying they expect the railroad industry to rebound in 2022 as supply chain issues are resolved and demand for shipping over land rises.

Union Pacific recently reported solid Q3 results that showed its operating revenue amounted to $5.6 billion, up 13% from a year earlier. The companys net profit jumped 23% to $1.67 billion. Plus, Union Pacific announced a commitment to pay 45% of its future earnings as a dividend to shareholders. That dividend commitment alone should be enough to entice investors to this railway, which has 30,000 employees and annual revenues of $20 billion.

Unfortunately, the company cuts its full-year volume growth target to 5% from 7% in July and reduced targets for productivity gains and its operating margin going forward.

While that lower guidance might hurt UNP stock in the near term, the long-term story remains very compelling.

On the date of publication, Joel Baglole did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Joel Baglole has been a business journalist for 20 years. He spent five years as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, and has also written for The Washington Post and Toronto Star newspapers, as well as financial websites such as The Motley Fool and Investopedia.

More From InvestorPlace

The post 3 Railroad Stocks to Board Before a Breakout appeared first on InvestorPlace.
FILE PHOTO: Jean Pierson receives the insignia of Commander of the Orderof the British Empire

By Tim Hepher

PARIS (Reuters) - Jean Pierson, the "Bear of the Pyrenees" who propelled planemaker Airbus onto the global stage and began its transformation from a loose consortium into a European giant, has died, former colleagues said on Thursday.

Pierson died on Wednesday aged 80 in France, they said.

The Frenchman was Airbus' longest-serving chief executive, between 1985 and 1998, and was credited with breaking into Boeing's home market in the United States, kickstarting one of the world's greatest business rivalries.

"He was a great personality and leader. He brought Airbus from a startup to compete head-to-head with Boeing," said former spokeswoman Barbara Kracht, whose father co-founded Airbus.

A burly and voracious dealmaker who grew up outside the narrow Parisian-educated circle that dominated French industry, Pierson strode factory floors and exhorted sales teams to take on Boeing on its home turf despite executives' initial wariness.

In 1997, he landed a breakthrough order for 400 jets from U.S. Airways for which he dropped his trousers in protest against a last-minute discount demand, a tactic first recounted in a 2007 book "Boeing vs Airbus", which he later confirmed.

On another occasion, Pierson told Reuters, he ripped off his shirt, telling a tenacious airline boss that the garment might as well be thrown into the aggressively priced deal.

"He was an inspirational leader. He didn't care about his salary and all he cared about was the people and the success of Airbus," said Mohamed El Borai, president of Reliance Aerospace and a former Pierson employee.

Nicknamed the "Bear of the Pyrenees," the gruff steak-loving businessman and bon vivant took gambles that still shape an industry where success or failure is measured in decades.

He strongly backed the A380 superjumbo, which flopped in the market and is about to see its last delivery after just 14 years. But he accurately predicted https://www.reuters.com/article/us-air-a400m-idUSTRE6570NK20100608 that the A400M military plane would cause trouble for the then civil manufacturer. It has just won its second export order in 16 years and blown huge losses.

Story continues

'LIAR'S CLUB'

"He knew how to build airplanes and knew that to succeed in a duopoly you can't be a small player," said John Leahy, the uncompromising American promoted over Europeans by Pierson to fill the job of sales chief, which he held for over https://www.reuters.com/article/us-airbus-leahy-idUSKBN1CG1QE two decades.

Pierson fought for the future A320 cash cow and threw aides who proposed a different cockpit for the sister A321 out of his office, Leahy said. The one-cockpit strategy set the stage for A321 sales that underpin profits of a new management today.

Pierson was "a great humanist behind the bear facade," said current Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer.

Airbus was founded in 1969 as a venture between industrial groups in France, Germany, Spain and Britain and went on to snatch Boeing's crown as the world's largest planemaker.

Crucially, former aides say, Pierson began a long process of integration by declaring the original consortium outdated.

A veteran of shareholder meetings known internally as the "Liar's Club" after the propensity of partners to disguise costs, Pierson campaigned for Airbus to become a single company.

Rather than buying jets from shareholders and selling and supporting them abroad, Airbus would need more control.

After retiring to his fishing boat, Pierson made few appearances as the company plunged into more than a decade of in-fighting under new partners, but he broke silence in 2007 to warn Franco-German power-sharing would fail.

The idea was abandoned in 2013, though the countries remain as shareholders.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Susan Fenton and Alexander Smith)
(Bloomberg) -- For U.S. President Joe Biden, the easy part was threatening a response. Now comes the tougher challenge of delivering one.

Most Read from Bloomberg

When last week Biden pressed OPEC+ to bring oil prices down with a large output hike, he warned of consequences if the cartel rejected his appeal: What were considering doing on that, Im reluctant to say before I have to do it.

Now, Biden has to match words with action or risk looking impotent in his struggle with oil cartel. On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ allies not only refused to boost output by more than the 400,000 barrels a day they had already planned, but also declined to make even a token gesture to placate Washington. It was nothing but a flat-out no.

The ball is back in Bidens court, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consultant Energy Aspects Ltd. in London.

Within minutes of the OPEC+ announcement, the White House accused the oil alliance of putting the global recovery for countries around the world in jeopardy. We will consider the full range of tools at our disposal to bolster resilience and public confidence, a spokesperson said.

Biden certainly has tools a his disposal. Perhaps the strongest is the countrys strategic petroleum reserve, a huge crude stockpile of more than 600 million barrels kept underground in Louisiana and Texas for major emergencies. The SPR has enough crude to replace all the oil the U.S. imports from OPEC+ for more than a year.

There are more radical options. He could ban American oil exports, keeping more crude at home, or encourage American lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow the U.S. federal government to sue OPEC for acting as a cartel.

Story continues

But all of those measures bring big political, diplomatic and market risks, according to traders, consultants and diplomats.

Biden is in a tough spot, said Bob McNally, president of consultant Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official. Hes both raised expectations of doing something while simultaneously, and correctly, noting nothing he does can really lower gasoline prices near term.

The oil market is now abuzz with talk of a SPR release, either in coordination with allies inside the International Energy Agency, which includes the likes of Germany, the U.K., Japan and South Korea, or even alone. The U.S. could also seek to release the reserves in alliance with non-IEA countries like China and India.

The SPR is certainly on the table as an option. The president will have more to say about that, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told Bloomberg TV on Friday. The Biden administration is very concerned about the price at the pump, she added.

But many in the oil market question whether the current situation justifies a stockpile release. Beyond ad hoc responses to localized oil disruptions, the U.S. has only tapped its oil reserve a handful of times, notably in response to hurricanes in 2005 and armed conflict: the Gulf War in 1991 and in 2011 during the Libyan civil war.

The closest use of the SPR to todays situation nearly came in 2000, during the tight presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush. With oil prices rising, President Clinton ordered a 30 million barrels release in what one of his senior energy officials said was needed to make sure American families keep warm this winter. The release was technically a swap, with companies having to return the oil within a year. Oil prices initially fell in response to the release, but within weeks they set new highs.

Oil prices fell on Thursday on speculation that Biden would tap the reserve. In particular, traders unwound bets that oil inventories in Cushing, a key storage hub in Oklahoma, would fall further. The belief is that a SPR release would halt the drain on Cushings tanks, which has helped spur the rally in U.S. benchmark oil prices.

To tap the reserve, Biden will need to invoke special powers to deal with supply disruptions. Outside an emergency, an SPR release is limited to 30 million barrels. The impact of such a small amount is likely to be modest and temporary, according to Damien Courvalin, oil analyst at Goldman Sachs Inc. He estimates that even an emergency-scale 60 million barrels release would knock down oil prices by less than 5%.

Even if Biden were to achieve a big price drop, it could also backfire. Any larger negative price impact that further slows the U.S. shale oil activity rebound would in turn lead to much higher prices next year, Courvalin said.

The White House can also release oil from the reserve through a back door. Since 2015, America has sold crude from its stockpile to pay for budget deals. These mandated sales have committed nearly 275 million barrels of oil for sale until the end of the decade. Although most of the sales are prescribed for specific fiscal years, the White House has some flexibility to front load them. For example, a 2015 deal mandates sales of oil of about 18 million barrels in 2022 and 2023, but the White House could sell that crude immediately.

But such a back-door SPR release is unlikely to impact prices much.

The SPR can only fill the gap during temporary production disruptions and not fix structural issues of underinvestment and rising demand, said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodities strategist at UBS Group AG, a bank.

The second most powerful tool is banning U.S. crude exports, keeping oil at home. The problem is that American refiners can only handle so much of the kind of crude pumped in the Permian and other shale basins. Trapping domestic supplies inside the U.S. would result in a price collapse for a few types of crude, while gasoline prices would remain elevated.

Politically, the most expedient tool is to encourage lawmakers to pass the so-called No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, or NOPEC, which proposes making the cartel subject to the Sherman Act antitrust law, used more than a century ago to break up the oil empire of John Rockefeller.

U.S. politicians have tried several times since 2000 to pass the NOPEC bill, but the White House opposed it -- both George W. Bush and Barack Obama threatened to use their veto. And Even Donald Trump, who spoke publicly in favor of it, ultimately didnt support it.

The problem with NOPEC is that it wouldnt lower prices in the short-term. And its passage would open a huge diplomatic conflict with Middle Eastern countries that the U.S. has long considered allies, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

For Biden, the biggest problem, perhaps, is that his administrations public diplomacy failed to move OPEC+, underlining the limits of its personal influence with a group that once used to pay close attention to what Washington had to say.

The White House said the battle wasnt over. Were going to continue to, you know, continue to work on this, this is not the end, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday.

(Updates with comment from Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON/SEATTLE (Reuters) -Boeing Co current and former company directors have reached a $237.5 million proposed settlement with shareholders to settle a lawsuit over the board's safety oversight of the 737 MAX aircraft, documents released on Friday show.

Following two fatal 737 MAX crashes in the space of five months in 2018-19 that killed 346 people, Boeing's best selling plane was grounded for 20 months and returned to service after the company made significant software and training improvements.

The proposed agreement, which is being filed in Delaware Chancery Court late on Friday and was confirmed by Boeing, will require the election of an additional board director with aviation/aerospace, engineering, or product safety oversight expertise within one year.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado, the lead plaintiffs, said the settlement if approved will be the largest monetary recovery in a lawsuit filed in the Delaware Courts over allegations that directors failed to protect against the risk of harm.

Boeings board "failed in their fiduciary responsibility to monitor safety and protect the company, its shareholders and its customers from unsafe business practices and admitted illegal conduct," DiNapoli said. "It is our hope, moving forward, that the reforms agreed to in this settlement will help safeguard Boeing and the flying public against future tragedy and begin to restore the companys reputation."

The agreement calls for Boeing's board to always be required to have at least three directors with safety-related experience, according to the proposal, which must be approved by a judge to become final.

Under the settlement, Boeing would amend its bylaws to require the separation of the CEO and Board chair positions, create for at least five years an ombudsperson program to provide Boeing employees conducting airplane certification work for the Federal Aviation Administration with a way to raise work-related concerns.

Story continues

The settlement would also require Boeing to provide annual public reports on safety related enhancements implemented by the planemaker since the MAX air disasters.

The financial penalty is to be paid by insurers to Boeing, the documents show, minus up to $29.7 million in legal fees and expenses to the shareholder attorneys.

Boeing's current and former directors do not admit wrongdoing and assert they were acting in the best interests of Boeing and its stockholders, according to the settlement.

The Delaware court in September ruled Boeing stockholders could pursue some claims against the board, saying the first 737 MAX crash was a "red flag" about a safety system known as MCAS "that the board should have heeded but instead ignored."

The crashes have cost Boeing some $20 billion. Boeing agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in January including $2.5 billion in fines and compensation stemming from the 737 MAX crashes.

Boeing confirmed the settlement and said "Boeing has taken significant actions to reinforce and strengthen our commitment to aviation safety" since the crashes.

The settlement, it added "builds on those actions with additional oversight and governance reforms that will further advance safety and quality in the work that we do."

Boeing's board includes the recent additions of Retired Lieutenant General Stayce Harris, who has over 10,000 hours experience as a pilot of Boeing aircraft; and David Joyce, who led GE Aviation from 2009 to 2020.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Eric M. Johnson; editing by Grant McCool)
By Gabriel Araujo and Alberto Alerigi

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Local units of America Movil, Telefonica, Telecom Italia and a number of local firms spent well over a billion dollars on Thursday in order to scoop up valuable spectrum dedicated to fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology in Brazil.

The auction, the largest ever in Latin America's top economy, will require some 40 billion reais ($7.14 billion) of investments by the winners, the government has predicted.

On the first day of the auction alone, seven companies spent a total of 7.09 billion reais ($1.27 billion) for spectrum rights throughout Brazil.

Claro, owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's America Movil SAB de CV, was the biggest spender, paying 1.63 billion reais for several batches, including the B1 batch of 3.5 GHz spectrum, for which it paid 338 million reais, and the 2.3 GHz E3 batch, which it won with a bid of 750 million reais.

Spain's Telefonica SA, which runs Brazil's largest wireless carrier under the Vivo brand, spent roughly 967 million reais, winning the B2 batch of 3.5 GHz spectrum with a 420 million reais bid, among several other batches.

TIM SA, a unit of Telecom Italia SpA, scooped up the B3 batch of 3.5 GHz for 351 million reais, along with several other batches, which brought its total payout so far to roughly 976 million reais.

Winity II, owned by Brazilian asset manager Patria Investimentos, won a batch in the 700 MHz bandwidth with a 1.4 billion reais bid.

Brazilian internet service provider Brisanet Participacoes SA, which went public in July, won the C4 batch in the 3.5 GHz regional coverage band with a bid of 1.25 billion reais, making it the second biggest spender on Thursday.

The long-awaited auction was delayed by differences over the involvement of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd as a supplier of 5G telecom equipment, which the United States had pressed Brazil's far-right government to ban on security grounds.

Story continues

After a compromise aimed at shielding government communications, Brazil moved ahead with the tender of four broadcast bands: 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz.

Industry groups have long anticipated the chance for Brazil to catch up on 5G technology, allowing greater efficiency and automation in fields from healthcare to agribusiness. However, slow local licensing for new antennas across the country may drag on the rollout of the new wireless coverage.

The telecom infrastructure sector expects Brazil's 5G network to generate new business opportunities worth over $1 trillion over 15 years and create 1.5 million jobs in four years, said Vivien Suruagy, head of a federation of 137,000 companies.

Brazil's main wireless firms already use Huawei for more than half of their networks and argued that banning Huawei would add billions of dollars in additional costs that would be passed on to consumers.

Instead, President Jair Bolsonaro's government decided to build a separate network for itself and all federal agencies, from which Huawei will effectively be excluded. The government stipulated that bidders must comply with the governance rules of publicly listed companies, which Huawei does not.

Brazilian telecom regulator Anatel expects to resume the auction on Friday, when it should offer the 26 GHz bands.

($1 = 5.58 reais)

(Reporting by Alberto Alerigi and Gabriel AraujoWriting by Anthony Boadle and Gram Slattery Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Potter and Richard Pullin)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Poladrone, an end-to-end drone solutions provider headquartered in Malaysia, has raised US$4.29 million (RM18 million) in a Seed round led by Wavemaker Partners, one of Southeast Asia's leading venture capital firms.

Poladrone's Founder and CEO, Jin Xi Cheong (JX) with Oryctes Drone - the worlds first precision spot spraying drone for oil palms

Other investors that participated in the round include the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), a strategic investment fund wholly owned by the Khazanah Nasional Berhad, ZB Capital Limited (a Hong Kong-based principal investment firm), and angel investors.

With support from the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Poladrone launched Oryctes in August 2020 as the world's first precision spot spraying drone to introduce an efficient and automated solution to the oil palm industry.

In oil palm plantations, rhinoceros beetles are known as a serious pest to immature palms, affecting their photosynthetic ability and considerably reducing fruit yield. Frequent pesticide spraying exercises are required to maintain plant health. In Malaysia, spraying activities using knapsack sprayers and tractors are both labour-intensive and detrimental to workers' health. The labour shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption of the technology and Poladrone has quadrupled their team from 20 to over 80 in less than a year to cope with the demand.

Cheong Jin Xi (JX), Poladrone's Founder and CEO, stated that: "The funding round will allow us to scale up operations to better serve customers across the region, and to attract top talents to further improve our products."

Poladrone is setting up Service Centres in agricultural towns to offer "Sales, Service, and Spare Parts" in Malaysia and Thailand, and is looking to expand to other markets in the region, specifically Indonesia. The Service Centres will also act as Centres of Excellence, where industrial training and knowledge sharing will be conducted to boost the adoption of drone technology.

Story continues

Poladrone has also recently launched Mist Drone  a blanket spraying agriculture drone that is better suited for open field crops, such as paddy, corn, and banana.

"Many of our customers rely on drones to earn a living, and downtime is detrimental to their livelihood. As most operations happen away from metropolitan areas, our Service Centres will provide better accessibility to customers to quickly maintain or repair their equipment. We are extremely excited to partner with the team at Wavemaker and MTDC who share the same vision, putting our customers' needs at the heart of our growth strategy," said Cheong.

"Having been brought up in a household of agricultural operators all the while spending over a decade working on his passion for drones, Jin Xi knows precisely what problems plantation owners face and how automation can help. It has been amazing to see him and the Poladrone team's approach to building localized solutions that are highly efficient, cost-effective, and tailored to plantations of all sizes. Poladrone now works with eight out of 10 of the biggest palm oil plantations in Malaysia - an impressive feat that gives us confidence to back the team and their vision of propelling Southeast Asia's agriculture industry," said Gavin Lee, General Partner at Wavemaker Partners.

"Our investment in Poladrone will spur the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in the agriculture sector in line with the National 4IR Policy and the recently launched 12th Malaysian Plan. The technology offered by Poladrone would be able to reduce the reliance on foreign workers especially in the palm oil industry while at the same time helps increase the number of knowledge workers in the drone industry," said MTDC.

"The DroneTech ecosystem is largely fragmented in the region. With the right team, funding, and support, we aim to be the leading player for all industrial drone related solutions," Cheong added.

For more information, see the Poladrone Media Kit .

SOURCE Poladrone
SAO PAULO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EMBRAER S.A. (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMBR3) releases its Third Quarter 2021 Earnings Results.

HIGHLIGHTS

Embraer delivered 9 commercial jets and 21 executive jets (14 light / 7 large) in 3Q21, bringing the year-to-date deliveries to 32 commercial jets and 54 executive jets (36 light /18 large). Following solid sales activity in the period across businesses, total company firm order backlog at the end of 3Q21 was US$ 16.8 billion;

Revenues in 3Q21 reached US$ 958.1 million, representing year-over-year growth of 26.3% compared to 3Q20, with double digit growth in all segments;

Excluding special items, adjusted EBIT and EBITDA were US$ 35.7 million and US$ 79.2 million, respectively, yielding adjusted EBIT margin of 3.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.3%. In the first nine months of 2021, adjusted EBIT margin was 3.8% and adjusted EBITDA margin was 8.9%;

Adjusted net loss (excluding special items and deferred income tax and social contribution) in 3Q21 was US$ (33.9) million, with adjusted loss per ADS of US$ (0.18);

Embraer generated free cash flow in 3Q21 of US$ 21.3 million, and in the first nine months of 2021 free cash usage was US$ (160.2) million. The positive free cash flow in 3Q21 represented the first time in more than 10 years the Company generated cash in the usually seasonally weak third quarter. The free cash flow in both periods represented a significant improvement compared to the prior year periods on better profitability and working capital efficiencies, particularly with respect to inventory management;

The Company finished the quarter with total cash of US$ 2.5 billion and net debt of US$ 1.8 billion;
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BizVibe has made available 1,000+ company profiles for the healthcare marketing category on its B2B platform. Companies listed in this category are primarily engaged in providing various types of healthcare marketing services (such as healthcare PR, healthcare marketing analytics, etc.).

Snapshot of BizVibe's healthcare marketing company profiles and categories.

Get Free Access to These 1,000+ Profiles

Each profile is free to view and packed with high-quality insights, providing businesses with detailed company information. Users can take advantage of these insights to identify, target, and connect with the right companies who provide healthcare marketing services. This company information includes employee insights, company competitors, the impact of emerging trends and challenges, the latest news, and more.

Free Insights Included for all Healthcare Marketing Company Profiles:

List of product and service category offerings and primary operating industries

Risk of doing business score across four different metrics

List of key executives and their roles within the company

Company financials and general organizational information

Global, national, and regional competitors

List of key clients

Top trends and challenges within operating industry and expected influence on business impact

Latest company news with the ability to sign up for timely news alerts

Get Started to View Free Company Insights

Healthcare Marketing Companies on BizVibe

BizVibe's platform contains 30M+ company profiles, spanning across 200+ countries, categorized into 40,000+ products and services. There are 1,000+ company profiles related to healthcare marketing services on BizVibe, covering 5+ related categories. Each company profile contains detailed insights dedicated to helping procurement and sales teams find trusted suppliers and target sales prospects.

Examples of healthcare marketing profiles that can be discovered on BizVibe include companies that specialize in:

Healthcare PR

Healthcare marketing analytics

Healthcare market research

Healthcare marketing services

Get Free Company Profile Access for all Categories

Story continues

Company Profiles for Buyers and Sellers

BizVibe's modern B2B platform is designed to help both global buyers and sellers. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe provides outstanding product features for both category managers and sales professionals.

Features for Buyers:

Quickly discover the right suppliers

Create short lists and custom alerts

Mitigate supplier risk and evaluate suppliers

Send RFIs/RFPs

Learn how BizVibe helps buyers: https://www.bizvibe.com/find-suppliers

Features for Sellers:

Target the right sales prospects

Qualify leads

Analyze buyer potential

API integration and data enrichment

Learn how BizVibe helps sellers: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers

About BizVibe

BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and help sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today.

Contact

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

Email: jesse@bizvibe.com

+1 855-897-5880

Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/



BizVibe (PRNewsfoto/BizVibe)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evaluate-and-track-healthcare-marketing-companies--view-company-insights-for-1-000-healthcare-marketing-service-providers--bizvibe-301414304.html

SOURCE BizVibe
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Man rides a bicycle next to a construction site near residential buildings in Beijing

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's property sector woes have shed light on a unique off-balance-sheet funding source used by the industry called wealth management products (WMPs) and often sold to retail investors.

This week, property developer Kaisa Group Holdings said its finance unit had missed a payment on a WMP. Missed WMP payments by cash-strapped developer China Evergrande Group have spurred investor protests.

Here's what you need to know about China's wealth management products:

WHAT ARE THEY?

WMPs are investment vehicles marketed by issuers including banks and property developers to retail and corporate investors, often paying yields that are far higher than deposits.

Those issued by banks are usually categorised as fixed-income products, with investment portfolios that include bonds, equities, futures and other sectors.

WHAT ARE THE YIELDS?

They vary. China Merchants Bank, one of the country's biggest lenders, offers wealth management products with an estimated yield ranging from 2.95% to 6%, according to its app. Regional lender Ningbo Bank offers WMPs with estimated yields as high as 9.5%.

Evergrande, by comparison, sold products promising annual returns of nearly 12%. Those products were issued in the name of Evergrande suppliers but guaranteed by Evergrande if the issuers failed to repay.

While the annualized returns of such products are usually higher than deposit rates, regulators have been moving to ban banks from luring investors with guaranteed yields.

HOW ARE THEY REGULATED?

The banking regulator started to order banks to fully disclose all information related to their wealth management products from 2013, a decade after China Everbright Bank issued the country's first bank wealth management product.

Regulators also published sweeping new rules on asset management in 2018 to further rein in bank wealth management products, with bans on yield guarantees and a requirement that banks set up standalone wealth management units.

Story continues

The WMPs sold by companies such as Evergrande, however, are off the radar of banking and insurance regulators, and are registered in loosely regulated local financial asset exchanges.

In September, the Shenzhen city government said it launched a thorough investigation into "issues related" to Evergrande Wealth.

WHO ARE THE ISSUERS?

Wealth management units set up by Chinese banks are the major issuers of WMPs, typically raising funds from banking customers.

By the end of September, there was an outstanding 27.95 trillion yuan ($4.37 trillion) in China's bank wealth management market, with nearly 71 million individual investors holding such products, according to Chinawealth.com.cn, an official website tracking the industry.

However, China's years-long effort to deleverage its economy has also pushed companies, including property firms, to resort to off-balance sheet vehicles in search of funding, which are sometimes packaged as wealth management products to lure retail investors.

HOW BIG IS THE MARKET FOR CORPORATE WMPS?

There is no official data on the size of the market.

Evergrande Wealth, a unit launched by Evergrande in 2016 as a peer-to-peer online lending platform that originally was used to fund its property projects, sold WMPs products to more than 80,000 people  including employees, their families and friends as well as owners of Evergrande properties - and raised more than 100 billion yuan in the past five years, a sales manager there told Reuters. [L4N2QM1U0]

WHY ARE THEY POPULAR?

China's economic growth has created a large investor class. Some 96% of urban Chinese households own property and more than 2 million people have at least $1.5 million to invest, according to HSBC.

However, capital controls, limited onshore investment options and low deposit yields have long sent Chinese seeking higher returns in WMPs.

($1 = 6.4000 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Zhang Yan and Tony Munroe; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Fosterville South Exploration Ltd. ("Fosterville South") or (the "Company") (TSXV: FSX) (OTCQX: FSXLF) (Germany: 4TU) is pleased to report that a second drill rig has commenced drilling the Homeward Bound prospect on the Beechworth Gold Project in Victoria, Australia. This second rig at Homeward Bound, is a multipurpose rig capable of both reverse circulation percussion and diamond drilling.

Highlights:

two drill rigs now turning at the Beechworth Project

diamond drilling also continues at Reedy Creek, Providence Project and at Enochs Point, Walhalla Gold Belt Project

in total, four drill rigs are now turning with assays pending from multiple ongoing drill campaigns

Fosterville South's initial diamond drill hole, HBDH001, on the Homeward Bound prospect interested 8.6m at 5.22 g/t Gold from, including 3.6m at 10.72 g/t Gold (see news release October 15, 2021). Initial assay results at Reedy Creek include 11m at 31.34 g/t Gold including 4m at 80.05 g/t Gold (hole RWRI3) and 0.70m at 238.1 g/t Gold (hole RWD01) (see news releases dated August 9, 2021, and October 14, 2021).

To date, 40 drill holes have been completed within the Beechworth Gold Project for a total of 3598 meters, most of which (22) have been scout drilling at various targets for which assays remain pending. The planned drill program for the two drill rigs amounts to a two phase 16 hole program for 3110 meters at the Homeward Bound prospect plus the ongoing scout drilling of a further 39 holes for 3510 meters, for a total of 6620 meters.

Reverse circulation drilling at Homeward Bound will initially target shallower zones to 150m depth of potential gold mineralization along strike, including the hanging wall and footwall mineralization associated with the old gold workings. The program aims toward deeper drilling with both diamond and reverse circulation techniques based upon the mineralization vectors achieved in the shallower drilling.

Story continues

A reinterpretation of the previous drilling and the drilling carried out by Fosterville South indicates that wider zones of mineralization exist that were not previously mined. The previous diamond drilling from 1992 was highly selective in its assaying and has overlooked this broader scale mineralisation as evidenced by the initial results in HBDH01 which was terminated in old workings immediately adjacent to 8.6m @ 5.22 g/t gold from 192.6m downhole depth. The second diamond drill hole at Homeward Bound intersected significant widths of quartz and sulphide mineralization, with multiple assays pending.

Reconnaissance percussion drilling continues at various prospects found throughout the Beechworth Project targeting old workings and geochemical anomalous zones. This drilling campaign has also intersected various zones of quartz and sulphide mineralization, with further multiple assays pending.

The Homeward Bound prospect is in the Hillsborough goldfield, which forms part of the Beechworth Gold Project, occurring in the Tabberabbera Zone on the eastern margin with the Omeo Zones of the Lachlan Fold Belt in Victoria. Several key gold prospects and associated fault structures have been identified within the Beechworth Gold Project based upon extensive geochemical sampling, geological & LIDAR mapping and limited previous drilling. These gold mineralized zones are largely parallel striking NNW and include (from west to east) the Perseverance, Bon Accord and Homeward Bound faults. These include various historical producing mines located within the Hurdle Flat goldfield (21,715 ounces of production at 15.32 g/t Au) and Hillsborough goldfield (47,492 ounces of production at 17.48 g/t Au). Mineralisation is typical of mesozonal orogenic gold deposits, although the Hillsborough area occurs within a contact metamorphic aureole of a nearby granitic intrusion. Intrusion related gold mineralization has been found as rich float rock specimen samples nearby and will form part of a new drilling program in the coming year when permits are received.

Drilling Activities on Three Gold Projects

Fosterville South continues to actively drill on three (3) gold projects: Reedy Creek (Providence Project), Enoch's Point (Walhalla Gold Belt Project) and Homeward Bound (Beechworth Gold Project). The Providence Project and the Walhalla Gold Belt both occur within the epizonal district of the Melbourne Zone.

At Reedy Creek (Providence Project), Fosterville South is carrying out diamond drilling at the Prince of Wales Reef. These prospects contain significant old gold workings within extensive anomalous Au-Sb-As geochemical soil trends. After the initial drilling is completed at Prince of Wales Reef, Fosterville South will continue to focus on the discovery hole RWR13 (11m at 31.34 g/t Gold including 4m at 80.05 g/t Gold from 68m) and the recently announced high-grade intercept from diamond drill hole RWD01 (0.7m at 238.1 g/t Gold from 68.70m and 0.80m at 22.5 g/t Gold from 40.80m). Detailed geological mapping and sampling is continuing in support of the drilling program.

Fosterville South is currently diamond drilling at the Big River Au-Sb prospect in the Enoch's Point area. The Big River Au-Sb Prospect is hosted by Siluro-Devonian folded and faulted sediments and occurs in close proximity to the Jerusalem Inlet Fault, which is part of the Enoch's Point Thrust Fault Zone. This fault zone extends for approximately 85km through much of the Fosterville South (45km) tenure and beyond. The Big River prospect was worked in the 1960s for high grade stibnite concentrate from a single adit of 58m in length working epizonal quartz veins. A soil geochemical program was conducted at the Big River Antimony Mine, which outlined an area of As-Sb pXRF soil anomalism covering strike length of 3.2km and up to 600m wide. Follow up gold assaying of the soil samples confirmed that the Big River prospect is Au-As-Sb anomalous especially within an 850m by 450m central anomaly, including the old workings, epizonal quartz veins and zones of sulphide mineralised felspar porphyry dykes. Initially two diamond drill holes across the anomalous zone are being conducted.

As noted above, diamond and reverse circulation drilling is ongoing at the Beechworth Gold Project, which has been initially focused on the Hillsborough Goldfield.

Figure 1  Fosterville South Overview Map (CNW Group/Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.)

About Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.

Fosterville South began with two, 100% owned, high-grade gold projects called the Lauriston and Golden Mountain Projects, and has since acquired a large area of granted and application tenements containing further epizonal (low-temperature) high-grade gold mineralisation called the Providence Project and a large group of recently consolidated license tenement applications called the Walhalla Belt Project, which contain a variety of epizonal and intrusion related style gold mineralisation, all in the state of Victoria, Australia. The Fosterville South land package, assembled over a multi-year period, notably includes a 600 sq. km property immediately to the south of and within the same geological framework that hosts Kirkland Lake Gold's Fosterville epizonal gold tenements. Additionally, Fosterville South has gold-focused projects called the Moormbool and Beechworth, which are also located in the state of Victoria, Australia. Moormbool project has epizonal style gold mineralisation and Beechworth has mesozonal and intrusion relation gold mineralisation.

All of Fosterville South's properties, with the possible exception of Moormbool, have had historical gold production from hard rock sources despite limited modern exploration and drilling.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rex Motton, AusIMM (CP), COO and Director of Fosterville South, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Historical records were verified by reviewing annual and quarterly reports from government records by the Qualified Person.

On behalf of the Company

Rex Motton

Chief Operating Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Fosterville South cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Fosterville South's limited operating history, its exploration and development activities on the Lauriston, Golden Mountain, Providence and Beechworth Properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fosterville South does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Fosterville South Exploration (CNW Group/Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fosterville-south-adds-second-drill-rig-at-beechworth-gold-project-and-now-has-a-total-of-four-rigs-turning-301417409.html

SOURCE Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.
EAST WINDSOR, N.J., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: GTEC) ("Greenland"), a technology developer and manufacturer of electric industrial vehicles and drivetrain systems for material handling machineries and vehicles, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021 on Thursday, November 11, 2021, before the U.S. market opens.

(PRNewsfoto/GREENLAND Technologies Holdings)

Greenland's management team will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM on Thursday, November 11, 2021, U.S. Eastern Time (9:00 PM on November 11, 2021, Beijing/Hong Kong Time).

Please register in advance of the conference using the link provided below. Conference access information will be provided upon registration.

Participant Online Registration: http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/9156685

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until November 19, 2021. To access the replay, please reference the conference ID 9156685.



Phone Number International +61 2 8199-0299 United States +1 (855) 452-5696 Hong Kong +852 800963117 Mainland China +86 4006322162 +86 8008700205

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the company's investors relations website at https://ir.gtec-tech.com/.

About Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation

Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: GTEC) is a developer and a manufacturer of drivetrain systems for material handling machineries and electric vehicles, as well as electric industrial vehicles. For more information visit https://ir.gtec-tech.com/.

For more information, please contact:

In China:

The Blueshirt Group

Ms. Feifei Shen

Phone: +86 134-6656-6136

Email: feifei@blueshirtgroup.com

Ms. Miranda Tian

Phone: +86 135-2551-1189

Email: miranda@blueshirtgroup.com

In the United States:

The Blueshirt Group

Ms. Julia Qian

Phone: +1 973-619-3227

Email: Julia@blueshirtgroup.com

Story continues

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenland-technologies-to-report-third-quarter-2021-unaudited-financial-results-on-thursday-november-11-2021-301417415.html

SOURCE Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation
DUBLIN, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Contrast Media Injectors Market Research Report by Product, Application, End-user, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

The Global Contrast Media Injectors Market size was estimated at USD 1,388.19 million in 2020, is expected to reach USD 1,500.27 million in 2021, and projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.41% reaching USD 2,253.81 million by 2026.



Market Statistics

The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR GBP, JPY, and AUD. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2019 are considered historical years, 2020 as the base year, 2021 as the estimated year, and years from 2022 to 2026 are considered the forecast period.

Competitive Strategic Window

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.



FPNV Positioning Matrix

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Contrast Media Injectors Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Market Share Analysis

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.

Story continues

Competitive Scenario

The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitor's strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service.



Company Usability Profiles

The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market, including Acist Medical Systems, Anaecon India Health Care Private Limited, Apollo Rt Co. Ltd., Bayer AG, Bracco Imaging S.P.A, Debiotech S.A., GE Healthcare, Guerbet Group, Magnus Health, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Medtron AG, MedWrench, LLC, Nemoto Kyorindo Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Anke High-Tech Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Seacrown Electromechanical Co. Ltd., Sino Medical Device Technology Co. Ltd., Ulrich GmbH & Co. KG, and VIVID IMAGING.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Contrast Media Injectors Market?



Key Topics Covered:



1. Preface

2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Overview

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19



5. Market Dynamics

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Drivers

5.2.1. Increasing occurrence of cancer and CVD

5.2.2. Regulatory approval of increasing number of contrast agents

5.2.3. Attractive rise in investments, funds, and grants by government organizations

5.3. Restraints

5.3.1. Relative high cost of contrast media injectors, consumables, and accessories

5.4. Opportunities

5.4.1. IT-enabled solutions for contrast media injectors

5.4.2. Technology adavncements such as syringeless injectors and automated injectors

5.5. Challenges

5.5.1. Hospital budget reductions

5.5.2. Lack of trained professional



6. Contrast Media Injectors Market, by Product

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Consumables

6.3. Injector Systems

6.3.1. Angiography Injectors

6.3.2. MRI Injectors



7. Contrast Media Injectors Market, by Application

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Interventional Cardiology

7.3. Interventional Radiology

7.4. Radiology



8. Contrast Media Injectors Market, by End-user

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Diagnostic Imaging Centers

8.3. Hospitals



9. Americas Contrast Media Injectors Market

9.1. Introduction

9.2. Argentina

9.3. Brazil

9.4. Canada

9.5. Mexico

9.6. United States



10. Asia-Pacific Contrast Media Injectors Market

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Australia

10.3. China

10.4. India

10.5. Indonesia

10.6. Japan

10.7. Malaysia

10.8. Philippines

10.9. Singapore

10.10. South Korea

10.11. Taiwan

10.12. Thailand



11. Europe, Middle East & Africa Contrast Media Injectors Market

11.1. Introduction

11.2. France

11.3. Germany

11.4. Italy

11.5. Netherlands

11.6. Qatar

11.7. Russia

11.8. Saudi Arabia

11.9. South Africa

11.10. Spain

11.11. United Arab Emirates

11.12. United Kingdom



12. Competitive Landscape

12.1. FPNV Positioning Matrix

12.1.1. Quadrants

12.1.2. Business Strategy

12.1.3. Product Satisfaction

12.2. Market Ranking Analysis

12.3. Market Share Analysis, by Key Player

12.4. Competitive Scenario

12.4.1. Merger & Acquisition

12.4.2. Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership

12.4.3. New Product Launch & Enhancement

12.4.4. Investment & Funding

12.4.5. Award, Recognition, & Expansion



13. Company Usability Profiles

13.1. Acist Medical Systems

13.2. Anaecon India Health Care Private Limited

13.3. Apollo Rt Co. Ltd.

13.4. Bayer AG

13.5. Bracco Imaging S.P.A

13.6. Debiotech S.A.

13.7. GE Healthcare

13.8. Guerbet Group

13.9. Magnus Health

13.10. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

13.11. Medtron AG

13.12. MedWrench, LLC

13.13. Nemoto Kyorindo Co. Ltd.

13.14. Shenzhen Anke High-Tech Co. Ltd.

13.15. Shenzhen Seacrown Electromechanical Co. Ltd.

13.16. Sino Medical Device Technology Co. Ltd.

13.17. Ulrich GmbH & Co. KG

13.18. VIVID IMAGING



14. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/176h2x

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insights-on-the-contrast-media-injectors-global-market-to-2026---featuring-bayer-ge-healthcare-and-medtron-among-others-301417703.html

SOURCE Research and Markets
The leading DeFi projects partners up with Likvidi to help fight climate change

Singapore, Singapore, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IX Swap, a decentralized exchange for security tokens and tokenized stocks, has announced a partnership agreement with blockchain-based green finance platform Likvidi. The deal will allow the two companies to launch a next-generation, transparent secondary market for sustainable investments. More specifically, the Likvidi platform is opening up opportunities to invest in digital assets in the sustainability sector, starting with high-yield green bonds that can yield between 5-12% annually.



The joint project is a result of IX Swap and Likvidi teams commitment to impact investing and blockchain-based digital securities that offer better transparency for investors and are more efficient. Both companies are acting in accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement and the ongoing Cop26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.



Our existing DeFi ecosystem largely revolves around the ability for cryptocurrencies and NFTs to be staked, borrowed, and lent. The current DeFi applications for STOs are limited to none despite the exponential growth of the STO market. IX Swaps seeks to provide the necessary infrastructure to provide secondary liquidity to all STOs globally and seeks to accelerate the adoption of STOs through valuable partnerships like Likvidi who bring real assets onto the blockchain, said Aaron Ong, Co-Founder of IX Swap.

Our tokenized green bonds together with IX Swaps automated market making and liquidity pools will bring new investors and projects to DeFi. Our mission is to enable more investments towards renewable energy projects using green bonds for funding. The idea of global liquidity will certainly help us finance more solar parks and wind farms around the world, said Ransu Salovaara, CEO of Likvidi.

Green bonds represent the largest growing sector of sustainable finance totalling one trillion dollars. Through the new, blockchain-based offering, investments can have much better transparency to green investments. Additionally, by turning smaller $10-100 million green bonds into digital assets, these relatively illiquid securities will have more liquidity and allow the partnership to improve this fast-growing fixed-income market.





Story continues

About IX Swap

IX Swap is the first decentralized exchange for security tokens and tokenized stocks providing liquidity pools and automated market makers for these assets. The platform will facilitate the trading of security tokens through licensed custodians and security brokers who will provide actual ownership and claim over these real-world assets.

Website | Telegram ann| Telegram | Twitter | Linkedin | Medium

About Likvidi

Likvidi, Finnish for liquidity, is the worlds first sustainable Decentralized Finance platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. It brings together pioneering companies that want to solve climate change with profit-driven investors to maximise and create positive climate impact.

Website | Telegram | Twitter | Linkedin | Medium







Media Contact:

Robert Penington

Robert@thronepr.com





There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation.




Water rights activists threatened with false legal accusations for protesting U.S. based multinational Alcohol Corporation, Constellation Brands

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice is reporting that Mexicali Resiste, and organization in solidarity with the Water Rights Activists, will participate in a global action at the Constellation Brands Headquarters in San Francisco, CA demanding an end to the criminalization of the activists for charges of "deprivation of liberty" of police and "dispossession" of the state building in connection with their involvement in protests against the beer corporation.

Mexicali Resiste

In 2017 the office of the State Attorney of Baja California determined that the current accusations did not deem criminal proceedings. However, in 2021 the congress of the state of Baja California suddenly decided to reopen the case file and has scheduled and rescheduled hearings since July, to attempt to rescinding previous resolutions and again present accusations against the water rights activists for protesting against corporate corruption and injustice.

This comes as no surprise after Leon Fierro, one of the activists was wrongfully accused in 2018 of "attempted murder" against police, for participating in a protest. 20 days later he was freed after it was determined there was no proof. The activists are scheduled once again for a hearing on November 16th in Baja California, Mexico.

Constellation Brands continues to threaten with water privatization in Baja California, Mexico, while Mexicali Resiste fights back!

What: Global Action  Re: November 16th Court Hearing

When: Monday, November 8th, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.  1:30 p.m. (PST)

Where: 101 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Who:

Mexicali Resiste

Alcohol Justice

Red Binacional de Mujeres Que Luchan

La Resistencia Los Angeles

Chiapas Support Committee

Guatemaya Los Angeles

Abolition Yuma County

Pueblo y Salud

California Alcohol Policy Alliance

Story continues

Why:

Since January 2017, Mexicali Resiste has opposed the plans by Constellation Brands, a U.S. based alcohol corporation, to build a billion-dollar brewery using local water to import beer for American consumers in a region experiencing severe water scarcity.

Constellation Brands is expected to consume 20 million cubic meters of water annually from the Valley of Mexicali. This desert region has an over-exploited aquifer that is fed by the Colorado River with serious water shortages and serious drought issues in Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito and Ensenada. In 2017 Mexicali Resiste's advocacy efforts halted legislative efforts to privatize water in Baja California.

Then, in February 2020 the National Human Rights Commission released a report that determined that the process of approval and installation of the Constellation Brands Brewery violates the human right to water, which would lead to the detriment of the population and farmers of the Valley of Mexicali.

In 2020 the Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called for a Consultation for the people of Mexicali to vote to determine the future of Constellation Brands which resulted in a NO vote, halting the operation of Constellation Brands, however the company still has not left Mexicali. The current Governor, Jaime Bonilla, former President of the Otay Water Board in San Diego, CA, has continued to support efforts to allow Constellation Brands to continue operating in Mexicali.

#QueremosAguayLibertad

#MexicaliResiste

#TodosSomosMexicali

#AlcoholJustice

CONTACT:

Mayra Jimenez 323-683-4687

Michael Scippa 415-548-0492

Christina Mira 510-829-8982

Alcohol Justice logo. (PRNewsFoto/Alcohol Justice)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mexicali-resiste-activist-vs-constellation-brands-activists-continue-to-demand-water-rights-and-freedom-301417829.html

SOURCE Alcohol Justice
MONTERREY, Mexico, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Today, Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, met with Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, in Monterrey, Mexico, as part of his visit to the United States and Mexico.

The Minister and the Secretary discussed ways to work together on a green economic recovery, to build a circular economy and to boost Mexican investments in Canada. They also emphasized the continued need for a North Americawide approach to planning for future emergencies, including pandemics, and maintaining reliable supply chains.

The two sides recognized the importance of building new biomanufacturing capacity, including vaccine production, and the importance of building open and integrated North American supply chains to support this.

The Minister and the Secretary discussed their respective efforts to promote and enhance Indigenous-led businesses. They highlighted the importance of these measures and considered how Canada and Mexico could work together to build on them.

Minister Champagne raised Canada's concerns about Mexico's investment climate, particularly in the energy sector. He stressed the two countries' shared need to find solutions that will provide certainty to Canadian investors operating in Mexico, as well as ensure that our supply chains remain vibrant.

The Minister and the Secretary also discussed the implementation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) with respect to the rules of origin for vehicles and the way forward.

The Minister and the Secretary agreed to remain in close communication moving forward to advance their shared priorities.

Associated link

Stay connected

Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

Story continues

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/05/c9170.html
FILE PHOTO: Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub

By Arpan Varghese

BENGALURU (Reuters) -Crude prices settled higher on Friday fuelled by renewed supply concerns after OPEC+ producers rebuffed a U.S. call to accelerate output increases even as demand nears pre-pandemic levels.

Brent crude rose $2.20 to settle at $82.74 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) gained $2.46 to $81.27.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day from December. U.S. President Joe Biden had called for extra output to cool rising prices.

OPEC's decision to stay the course and the Biden administration's lack of a substantial response has the oil rally continuing, said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

Only a coordinated effort, with China and others involved, would address the lack of barrels in the market, Yawger added.

The White House said it would consider all tools at its disposal to guarantee affordable energy, including the possibility of releasing oil from strategic petroleum reserves (SPR).

Sentiment also gained from data showing U.S. employment rising more than expected in October.

"Markets know that the release of strategic reserves can only have a temporary bearish effect on prompt prices and is not a lasting solution for an imbalance between supply and demand," Rystad Energy head of oil markets Bjornar Tonhaugen said in a note.

Brent fell for a second straight week, slipping about 2%, while WTI shed 2.7%.

"While factors such as a very cold winter - which may drive the use of more oil for heating - could be supportive for prices, it will be tough for Brent to break above the $87 mark," said Ann-Louise Hittle, vice president, oils research at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, noting a limited capacity for gas-to-oil switching despite the high price of the former.

(Reporting by Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru, Ron Bousso in London; additional reporting by Aaron Sheldrick and Bharat Govind Gautam; Editing by Marguerita Choy, Kirsten Donovan)
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will celebrate National Nurse Practitioner Week from November 7 to 13.

Ontario Nurses' Association Logo (CNW Group/Ontario Nurses' Association) (CNW Group/Ontario Nurses' Association)

ONA President Vicki McKenna, RN, says the union is recognizing and honouring "the vital role that Nurse Practitioners (NPs) play in Ontario's health-care system," and the specialized care they provide.

"Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses with additional years of education. Their scope of practice includes providing exceptional primary care to thousands of Ontarians," says McKenna. "For these patients, NPs are their lifeline to care. That's why ONA is continuing to educate policy-makers on the need to ensure NPs are able to use their full potential to improve access to healthcare. Through our work with the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, we continue to urge that working conditions be improved for NPs. We can recruit and retain more of these invaluable NPs if we simply give them the respect they so deserve."

McKenna notes that NPs also work in stand-alone clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities and the community. "Their extended-class education enables them to order diagnostic tests and prescribe many medications. The work of NPs is helping to transform health care through the safe, collaborative and effective care they provide to Ontarians. NPs are trusted and valued by their patients."

ONA continues to advocate for fair and equitable wages, benefits and pensions for Nurse Practitioners across Ontario, and recognizes them for their high level of skills and dedication to quality patient care. More information about Nurse Practitioner Week is available here: https://www.ona.org/news-posts/np-week/.

ONA is the union representing 68,000 front-line registered nurses and health-care professionals as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, industry and clinics.

Story continues

Visit us at: www.ona.org; www.Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; www.Twitter.com/OntarioNurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/05/c8012.html
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh has invited the UK's private sector and capital markets to partner in long term sustainable development and green investment opportunities at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership

LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the appearance of Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, at the COP26 conference on Monday 1st November, Her Excellency yesterday discussed the remit of Bangladesh's first green bond and invited UK investment into green and sustainable projects in South Asia's fastest growing economy.

Bangladesh Prime Minister and Senior Government Delegation Address Bangladesh UK Investment Summit 2021

The Prime Minister's speech was delivered at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership, held in London at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre on Thursday 4th November 2021. UK investors were called upon to invest in a wide range of sectors including renewable energy, shipbuilding, automotive, light engineering, agro-processing, blue economy, tourism, knowledge based hi-tech industries, and ICT.

The London Investment Summit is regarded as a key step in strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and the UK. It was hosted by a high-level government delegation from Bangladesh alongside the Honourable Prime Minister, including the Chairmen of both the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, as well as the UK High Commissioner for Bangladesh. It was also attended by a range of senior representatives from the UK government  including Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister of State for Trade  as well as major corporates, banks and investment organisations.

The event featured a presentation on the potential of trade and investment in Bangladesh, a panel discussion on investment for sustainable growth, as well as speeches by high-profile business leaders and parallel sessions.

Following the summit, Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Securities Exchange Commission, said: "Bangladesh has experienced extraordinary growth to become a Middle-Income nation, and is now South Asia's fastest growing economy. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is on target to achieve a GDP of USD 500bn by 2026, likely overtaking powerhouses including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. We're thrilled that we have been able to demonstrate at the summit the promising opportunities and lucrative returns available for foreign investors in Bangladesh."

Story continues

Mohammad Sirazul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), said: "We're delighted with the response we've had from investors at this Bangladesh Investment Summit in London and we're looking forward to hosting our next roadshow in Manchester. We seek diversification in our trade and investment, with a focus on green infrastructure and the blue economy. The UK is the perfect partner in this, with extensive experience in this area."

Saida Muna Tasneem, UK High Commissioner, said: "We're very proud to be a partner for the Bangladesh Investment Summit. The UK and Bangladesh have a long history and operate in close partnership, with the UK currently Bangladesh's third largest trading partner. This summit has enabled UK investors to see even more potential in Bangladesh, and we look forward to continuing to grow the partnership between our two nations."

Bangladesh is making leaps and bounds in addressing the challenge of being a climate-vulnerable country. In her COP26 address, the Prime Minister outlined the steps being taken including doubling climate-related expenses over the last seven years, investing in significant renewable energy programs, and cancelling plans for extensive coal-based power plants. The Prime Minister is one of the most vocal leaders internationally on tackling climate change and has been conferred the 'SDG Progress Award' by the UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network for Bangladesh's steady progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Notes to Editor

The next Investment Summit will be held in Manchester on Monday 8th November at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, where further UK-based investors will be able to learn about the green investment opportunities in Bangladesh. The UK events are the latest in a series of roadshows showcasing the investment potential of Bangladesh, held in the UAE, the USA and Switzerland.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) - https://www.sec.gov.bd/

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) - http://bida.gov.bd/

Bangladesh High Commission London - https://bhclondon.org.uk/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679549/Bangladesh.jpg
A new app called Push it is sitting at the top of the App Store promising little more than the ability to send "push notifications to your friends." The app features only two screenshots -- one of a big red button and another basic, black-and-red screen with text that says "sending." So what is going on here? And how is this app No. 1 in five countries when many people who install it can't even use it yet?

As it turns out, Push it is the latest creation from the makers of the Snapchat platform app, Sendit, which features AR games and anonymous Q&As.

Image Credits: fullsenders

To understand what Push it is all about, you have to first understand the company's original app, Sendit.

Popular with a younger demographic, Sendit has been steadily gaining traction with Snapchat users who use the app to play games and have conversations with their Snapchat friends. To date, Sendit has been downloaded nearly 9 million times worldwide and has generated nearly $3 million in consumer spending, according to Sensor Tower data.

The app recently gained millions of new installs following Snap's suspensions of Sendit's top rivals, YOLO and LMK, which were the focus of a lawsuit from a mother whose son died by suicide after being anonymously bullied by users of those apps. Sendit has, so far, escaped a similar fate despite offering anonymous features of its own -- like its "ask me anything" game, which prompts a Snapchat user's friends to ask questions without revealing who they are.

Some of Sendit's negative reviews also make mention of bullying, but Snap has yet to take action. When we asked Snap to detail its policy around anonymous apps aimed at minors, we were told the company is in the process of reviewing its app ecosystem and policies, following the hire of its first global head of platform safety.

In addition, some of Sendit's users believe the app is using bots to post questions that their friends would have never asked.

Story continues

Writes one user in an App Store review: "This app randomly sends you fake/automated questions. For example, me and all of my friends are mid-20s and older and weve all gotten the same question about 'do u have trust issues,' 'whos the best person to copy homework from?'

Another reviewer complains: "Ok so I can tell that the questions are 100% not from anyone I know, in fact Im pretty sure this is fake. Im convinced that the questions are from AI. They are just random cheap questions that nobody would ask like who would you choose to be on your team in a zombie apocalypse? Like thats stupid. Nobody just asks that. Make a real app."

Sendit's founder Hunter Rice denies that bots are involved. He also pushed back at the idea that Sendit's adoption by teenagers is being driven by anonymity.

"Our users gravitate towards Sendit because of its awesome AR experiences," Rice explains. "Our mission, and what we're looking to do, is to find new ways to reduce the friction of sparking conversations with friends. We discovered this really engaging format through these AR games. That's really the magic behind Sendit and why it's been so successful," he says.

Today, Sendit offers games like "Never Have I Ever," "Truth or Dare" and others that appeal to a young crowd. It also lets users ask questions like "Who do you ship me with?" or "Confessions -- say who you have a crush on," and "Compatibility test," which reflect the kinds of things that a teenager would want to chat about among friends.

Similarly, Rice says his team's new app Push it is also about coming up with new ways to encourage conversations.

Except, in this case, it's not promising AR Lens games and Q&As for Snapchat, but a basic tool for pushing notifications directly to friends' iPhones.

Image Credits: fullsenders

"With Sendit, we found this great format within these AR interactions and that's been going great. So, we wanted to replicate that same mechanic using a different format," Rice says.

In case it's not clear by its minimalist App Store listing, the new app offers a basic follower/following model and lets users send out a push notification to everyone who subscribes to you on the app. Those followers can then respond to that notification to spark a one-on-one conversation, similar to Sendit.

This could be something adopted by a group of friends or even used by creators or brands, the company believes.

To work, Push it requires full access to your Contacts database on your iPhone. It also offers tools to invite friends via text messages. It puts an "OK" button next to a friend's name who's supposedly in need of an invite which, when pushed, will create a text you can send them to join. (It's not clear that the app's not just randomly selecting names of people from your address book to text, however.)

Amid today's push for increased privacy, SMS-based growth mechanics are generally looked down upon after years of over-zealous app invite spamming became the norm. Fortunately, however, Push it doesn't auto-text your friends, it just pushes you to. (However, the app's privacy policy doesn't do much to assuage fears about what it's doing with your personal data. It's clear that data will be used for marketing purposes and shared with Push it's vendors and business partners, the policy says.)

The app also brazenly solicits 5-star reviews. When you tap the star icon, a pop-up window appears that promises you a "special message" if you rate the app 5 stars on the App Store.

Image Credits: fullsenders

The Push it iOS app was published to the App Store in late October, previously under the name "Project Red," according to Sensor Tower data. It only become available to select markets as of last night, including Australia and California. To see it already at No. 1 makes for a suspicious launch -- one that typically indicates having relied heavily on pre-launch marketing or growth hacks, as is now common. (See also: springtime chart-topper Poparrazzi, which growth hacked its way to No. 1).

But Rice claims that's not the case.

"All the excitement around Push it has been entirely organic," he claims, though admitting the company used social media to hype the app's launch. Currently, the Push it Instagram account has roughly 32,000 followers, for example.

But Sensor Tower data indicates the app has already gone viral in five countries as of today. It's No. 1 in the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Ireland and Norway, the firm says. It's also in the top 10 in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, Finland and New Zealand. (Many of these countries aren't listed as launch markets per Push it's Instagram, we should note).

Image Credits: fullsenders

What's odd about the app's No. 1 status is that the app is basically non-functional in the markets where it's not yet live, which today includes most U.S. states. You can use the app to claim your username and...well, that's about it. Then you have to wait for your market to be flipped on.

Rice says the staggered rollout strategy was meant to ensure Push it could handle the traffic, but it seems to have confused a number of users, who are commenting things on Instagram like "Bruh when is it gonna work" or "what's the point of this" or "I'm so confused lmao."

"We're just making sure that we can roll it out in a smooth way where our users can get the best experience possible. We want to make sure that everyone has access to it, and that's coming very soon. But yeah, we also want to make sure that our servers stay alive," Rice says.

Push it and Sendit are built by a small team of 10 at fullsenders, based mostly in Santa Monica. The company has an undisclosed amount of funding. But we guessed at least one of its angels correctly:

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The test for Push it now is whether or not it can sustain such a high ranking in the App Store -- organic or otherwise -- something that's proven difficult for other newcomer social apps. It may also have to contend with the coming regulatory crackdown on social experiences designed for minors and younger teens. If Push it gains traction, it may have to rethink its privacy policy and forthcoming revenue models.

For the time being, however, Push it is not making money.

"Right now, we're really just focused on building an amazing community and creating great features that users want to engage with," Rice says. "And if we can provide value in the product itself, we'll be able to come up with a business model that works best for the company."

Push it is only available on iOS.
Red Apple Stores and The Bargain! Shop Commemorate Canada's Veterans on Remembrance Day.

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - November 11th, 2021, marks Remembrance Day and the staff of Red Apple Stores and The Bargain! Shop will join communities across Canada honouring our veteranspast and present.

Red Apples Stores ULC Logo (CNW Group/Red Apples Stores ULC)

Red Apple Stores and The Bargain! Shop will remain closed until twelve o'clock on November 11th, 2021 (where local bylaws permit), to honour the tireless efforts and sacrifices our veterans have made for our country.

"Canada's veterans play a vital role in communities across the country and around the world. The support of our local communities means everything to us at Red Apple Stores. On November 11th, we encourage our staff to reflect upon the many who have fallen in service and to thank those who still work to protect our communities and our country," says Clinton Wolff, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

As a further means to honour the service of Canada's veterans, both chains will hold off on holiday marketing efforts until November 12th, when Red Apple Stores and The Bargain! Shop will return to regular shopping hours. Customers can view store hours on our website.

About Red Apple Stores

Red Apple Stores ULC is Canada's favourite chain of over 140 small-town general merchandise retail stores.

For the past 20 years, our storesbranded as The Bargain! Shop or Red Apple Storeshave been your reputable neighbourhood retailer, bringing you big brands, quality products, and big savings at convenient locations in your small towns. We offer some of the best deals and unexpected finds on your everyday needs, and we continually strive to excite and delight our Customers with all the brand name toys, home product, food, and fashion at affordable prices! We are known in our communities for our super-friendly customer service, creating a welcoming environment for shoppers, and treating Customers with dignity and respect.

Story continues

One of our core values is serving our communities. From holiday food and toy drives to other charitable events throughout the year, we love giving back to the neighbourhoods that we do business in.

Learn more about our stores at redapplestores.com or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/redapplestores.

SOURCE Red Apples Stores ULC

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/05/c8192.html
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- USR Parent, Inc. ("Staples") today reaffirmed its June 4, 2021 proposal to The ODP Corporation (together with its subsidiaries, the "Company") to acquire the Company's consumer business for a cash purchase price of $1.0 billion. This proposal was formally delivered to the Company on June 4, 2021 and remains unchanged.

In November 2020, Staples filed the necessary governmental approvals with the Federal Trade Commission to acquire the Company, and has made substantial progress responding to the government's data requests and inquiries in connection therewith. With the Company's full cooperation, Staples is confident that the parties will be able to expeditiously obtain the necessary antitrust approvals for the proposed acquisition of the Company's consumer business.

While Staples has decided to abandon its previously announced intent to commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of the Company, Staples continues to evaluate all options in connection with its investment in the Company, including, but not limited to, the sale of all or a portion of the shares of Company common stock beneficially owned by affiliates of Staples, and reserves all rights in connection therewith.

About USR Parent, Inc.

USR Parent, Inc. supports lifelong achievement for businesses and consumers however and wherever they work and learn today. With more than 1,000 retail locations, innovative brands and a product assortment for businesses, entrepreneurs, educators and students, USR Parent, Inc. provides customized solutions for continued professional and personal growth. The company is headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts.

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. This communication relates to a proposal that Staples has made for a business combination transaction with The ODP Corporation. In furtherance of this proposal and subject to future developments, Staples may file one or more proxy statements, tender offer statements or other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Story continues

This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement, tender offer statement or other document Staples may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. This document shall not constitute the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of ODP.

Contacts

Steven Lipin/Patricia Figueroa, Gladstone Place Partners

212-230-5930

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/staples-usr-parent-reaffirms-its-proposal-to-acquire-the-odp-corporations-consumer-business-for-1-0-billion-staples-usr-parent-will-continue-to-evaluate-all-options-for-its-odp-investment-301417847.html

SOURCE Staples, Inc.
Alachua County Public Schools has received notice from the U.S. Department of Education that it has been in contact with the state regarding the COVID-19 relief funding, stating that the Florida commissioner of education cannot place additional requirements on a school district receiving the federal money.

Alachua County Public Schools is expected to receive $61 million in federal emergency funds, $2 million of which will go toward charter schools. The money will help the school district address the learning loss that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More: Infusion of federal funding provides opportunity for meaningful school improvements

Federal mandates: Gainesville and Alachua County companies hesitant to discuss COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Alachua County Public Schools is supposed to be reimbursed by the state as it spends the federal funds.

ACPS spokeswoman Jackie Johnson wrote in an email that Florida was one of the last states to apply for the ESSER funding.

Prescott Cowles, COVID-19 projects manager, said in a phone call with The Sun that the FLDOE put extra requirements on receiving the funding, such as following the Florida Department of Health's Emergency rules regarding COVID-19 in schools.

"They pretty much said we want all the districts to tell us how they're going to use their money and in order to use your money you've got to agree to these different assurances. One of those assurances was you're going to follow this health department rule," Cowles said.

In the USDOE letter from Ian Rosenblum, deputy assistant secretary for Policy and Programs, Florida Commissioner Richard Corcoran was notified that imposing any extra eligibility requirements on the district can be considered unlawful.

However, if the FLDOE does deny the school district's eligibility, then Alachua County Public Schools would have 30 days to request a hearing on the state's action and appeal the "adverse determination."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Feds say Florida cannot withhold Alachua County COVID relief funds
Airline Swoops into St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (Tampa Bay)

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, Swoop celebrated its inaugural flight to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) with a warm welcome reception to the Tampa Bay area.

Swoop Logo | FlySwoop.com (CNW Group/Swoop)

"We are thrilled to be expanding our U.S. network with the launch of today's inaugural flight to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport," said Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial and Finance, Swoop. "We know Canadians are eager to travel south to sunny Florida this winter and are pleased to be offering yet another convenient, affordable option to our travellers."

As the airline continues to add capacity and increase service to the U.S., St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport's accessibility to Florida's Gulf Coast make it the perfect destination for Canadians to travel to all at swoop's always available ultra-low fares.

"We are excited to welcome Canada based Swoop to our family of airlines", said St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) Airport Director, Tom Jewsbury. "Canadians will have a convenient, non-stop option to fly to our award-winning destination from Toronto and Hamilton, Canada, and we are so excited to welcome our Canadian friends with borders open! We want to thank our partners at Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and Volaire Aviation for helping us make this possible."

Details of Swoop's service currently for sale:

Service Between Services Start Date Peak Weekly Frequency Toronto  St. Pete-Clearwater Nov 5, 2021 3x (Mon, Fri, Sat) Hamilton  St. Pete-Clearwater Nov 9, 2021 2x (Tue, Sat)

To celebrate this new route, Swoop's Head of Commercial and Finance, Bert van der Stege and Head of Flight Operations, Shane Workman were joined by St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) Airport Director, Tom Jewsbury and several key stakeholders for an inaugural ceremony upon arrival at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Travellers were also treated to inflight refreshments and giveaways.

Story continues

To learn more about Swoop visit FlySwoop.com and for information on how Swoop is ensuring a safe and healthy travel experience visit FlySwoop.com/traveller-safety.

About Swoop: Swoop is on a mission to make travel more affordable and accessible for all Canadians. Established in 2018 as an independent subsidiary of the WestJet Group of Companies, Swoop is Canada's ultra-not-expensive airline. Offering scheduled service to destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, Swoop's unbundled fares put travellers in control of purchasing only the products and services they desire.

Swoop's modern fleet of ten Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, equipped with in-seat power and Wi-Fi connectivity has safely carried more than 3 million travellers in three years of operation.

SOURCE Swoop

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/05/c5194.html
KYIV, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The volume of Russian gas transported via Ukraine fell in October and is down 21.6% so far this year from the same period in 2020, according to Ukrainian data, at a time when European gas prices have surged due to a shortage of supplies.

Ukraine accuses Moscow of using energy as a weapon against Europe. Moscow denies this and has repeatedly said it is fulfilling its gas contract obligations.

Gas volumes passing through Ukraine fell to 2.634 billion cubic meters (bcm) in October from around 3 bcm in September, Ukraine's state-run gas transit operator said on Friday.

Volumes total 35.3 bcm for the first 10 months of 2021, down from 45 bcm in the same period of 2020.

"We are concerned about the reduction of Russian gas transit through the Ukrainian route: as of October 1, pumping volumes were below the booked capacity," Sergiy Makogon, the head of the operator of the Ukrainian gas transmission system said.

Earlier this week, Makogon said Russia's Gazprom had cut its daily volume of gas transit via Ukraine for the fourth time this year, to 60 million cubic metres (mcm).

That is much lower than the 109 mcm stipulated in Ukraine's five-year gas transit contract with Russia and about half of what Gazprom sent in the previous heating season.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia plummeted after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the outbreak of war in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has also been developing other routes for transporting gas to Europe. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk Editing by Mark Potter)
The Hooper American Legion Auxiliary will be hosting its annual Christmas Revisited sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Hooper American Legion Post, 115 N. Main St., in Hooper.

Christmas and other holiday and miscellaneous decorator items are available for a freewill donation. Due to the generosity of donors, a wide selection of new, used, vintage, collectible quality items will be available for shoppers.

Proceeds benefit veterans programs, including veteran-related scholarships, support for Nebraskas four veterans homes, two medical centers and associated clinics, and homeless veterans, as well as assistance to the local American Legion Post.

Patrons can enhance their Hooper shopping experience at the Chain of Friends annual craft boutique and the senior center garage sale.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The focus was on the possibility of financial federal assistance during the Dodge County Board of Supervisors Wednesday.

Because of the effects of the pandemic, the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act (S. 3011 and H.R. 5735) was established and allocates more than $65 billion in aid to counties all over the country.

The aid is to be used for infrastructure, transportation and government needs in response to the pandemics effect on the economy and communities.

It is projected that Dodge County would receive $7 million in funds under the bill. The board voted to pass a consideration to send a letter to Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, asking him to vote yes on the bill citing its usefulness for the county and its citizens.

I dont think anyone in this room can deny the positive impact this would have on our county and our state as a whole, said Chairman of the Board Bob Missel.

This bill has seen bipartisan support from both democrats and republicans but has yet to be passed.

In other action, the board passed a resolution establishing supervisor districts following the 2020 census. The census, which takes place every 10 years, takes into account population changes to reshape districts. Minor changes were made to all Dodge County districts in terms of inclusion, exclusion, or population amount.

It also passed a consideration for an interlocal agreement between Douglas and Dodge counties concerning the replacement of a broadcast tower in Omaha for the purpose of using the tower to increase radio coverage for the Dodge County Sheriffs Judicial Center and County Courthouse.

The board tabled a consideration concerning an area of land that is being considered a wetland reserve in collaboration with a neighboring county. The board decided this based on a lack of any information about the plan. It was also tabled on the basis that the motion is passed anyway if ignored for 60 days. Some members of the board even joked about the motion.

Nobody wants the county dumping water on them, now these guys want two counties to dump on them, said Bob Bendig of District 1.

The meeting was also joined by students from Bergan High School, who were touring the county courthouse and learning more about governmental processes as part of County Government Day.

The meeting was adjourned following a closed session involving pending litigation against the county.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Hundreds of school-aged girls in Afghanistan are getting around the Taliban's efforts to stymie their education by going online, giving them the opportunity to continue to learn everything from computer programming to sculpting to yoga psychotherapy.



"It sends a clear message to the Taliban," said Maryam, who sees continuing her education under Afghanistan's new hard-line rulers as a challenge. "Bring it on; we can promote our classes online. We will never stop the progress of our country."



Maryam, who provided only her first name to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, is one of about 1,000 girls who have signed up to take classes with the Herat Online School since it was launched just weeks after the Taliban seized power in mid-August.



The school is the brainchild of Angela Ghayour, an Afghan-born educator who lives today in Brighton, Britain. Ghayour left the western city of Herat as a child in the early 1990s to escape the devastating civil war in Afghanistan and realized while living as a refugee in Iran that she had a knack for education.

The school's name is a nod to her native city of Herat, but the courses are available free of charge to girls anywhere in Afghanistan or elsewhere with access to the Internet, including Afghan refugees in Iran who have been denied an education.

"The goal is to prevent discrimination in education," Ghayour said in written comments to RFE/RL. "In Afghanistan, gender discrimination has deprived girls and women of their right to education. In Iran, Afghan families are discriminated against in education because they do not have residence permits."

Ghayour lists potential students' and teachers' lack of access to mobile phones and the Internet as the school's biggest hurdle.

"I see girls studying at night because their father works outside the home during the day and the smartphone is not at home," Ghayour said. "So, the girls wait for their father to come home, and then use his smartphone to go online and learn."

While Ghayour, teachers, and managers volunteer their services, the school collects donations to help students get connected.

"The Herat Online School started the day after the Taliban entered Herat with the motto the pen instead of the gun," Ghayour said of the Taliban's capture of the city just days before it took the capital, Kabul, on August 15.

"Even before they closed the doors of universities and schools to girls, there were fears that the same story would repeat itself and women would be deprived of education and jobs for years by the Taliban," Ghayour said.

"Because of my years of experience teaching Persian literature to bilingual children from afar, which also yielded good results, I decided to teach Afghan girls with the help of volunteer teachers from around the world."

Students say that the school provides a lifeline to their future education.

"Through the online school in Herat, we wanted to continue our lessons with the arrival of the Taliban and take advantage of the opportunity that has been created for us," a student named Fatemeh told Radio Azadi.



"The online school in Herat became a window of hope for all the girls who were concerned," she said. "They can no longer afford not to be able to study."



The fears that their education would end are not unfounded. When the Taliban was last in power, from 1996 to 2001, its strict interpretation of Islam barred girls from going to school and women were banned from both work and education.



The Taliban has attempted to assuage concerns that it will return to its brutal style of rule, saying just days after taking control that it was "preparing for the education of high-school girls as soon as possible." But the extremist group then issued a blanket ban on the education of girls over the age of 7 -- grades six to 12.

And while the ban is not being enforced in some areas -- girls have since been allowed to return to both private and state-run secondary schools in five northern provinces, and the Taliban authorities recently announced that a women's-only institute, the Moraa Education Complex in Kabul, will provide education for orphaned girls -- obvious concerns remain.



Even under the previous government's comparatively liberal view on girls' education, more than one-third of girls over the age of 15 were illiterate as of 2019, according to government statistics.



In September, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called on the international community to support Afghan women and prevent a reversal of the two decades of gains in girls' education that followed the Taliban's ouster in 2001, after which millions of girls enrolled in school.



You can be assured that we will continue to amplify your voices and make it a zero condition that girls must have an education before the recognition of any government that comes in, Mohammed said during a panel discussion on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.



The Taliban government has yet to be recognized by any country, in part because of the previous regime's legacy of terrorism, brutality, and its stance on girls' and women's rights.



The course offerings at the Herat Online School include several classes that could potentially be at odds with the Taliban's belief system.



Music, for example, has been banned by the Taliban, although the militant groups position has been inconsistent. The arts have also suffered previously under the Taliban.

Yet art classes, sculpting, calligraphy, music, and even yoga psychotherapy are on offer by the Herat Online School.

Already about 200 teachers are working with the school, and another 300 volunteers are at the ready. The school works just like any other, with tests and student evaluations.



"The establishment of the Herat Online School proves one thing," Ghayour told RFE/RL. "The Afghan people have reacted negatively to the Taliban and will resist."

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Michael Scollon, based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.
Thousands of people who fled violence across Afghanistan are living in makeshift tent cities in Kabul. Authorities in the capital have sent some of the displaced home, but a lot of them say they can't return to houses and communities destroyed by conflict. With winter approaching, many are desperate for proper shelter, food, and medicine.
An international media-rights watchdog is calling for an independent investigation into the killing of an amateur video reporter who drew attention to hunting trips for Arab dignitaries from the Persian Gulf.

The body of Nazim Sajawal Jokhiyo was found near the northwestern Pakistani city of Karachi on November 3, hours after he said in a video posted online that he was being threatened over a previous video he shot that showed poachers organizing a hunting party for "foreign guests."

Police said they arrested two men suspected of beating Jokhiyo to death, but Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in a statement on November 5 that officials must go further and also go after those who gave the orders for the killing.

Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2021 World Press Freedom Index.

The International Federation of Journalists says Pakistan is among the "most dangerous countries to practice journalism," with 138 journalists killed in the country between 1990 and 2020.

A Pakistani media-rights watchdog, Freedom Network, says of the 33 journalists killed in Pakistan between 2013 and 2019, no one has been punished.

RSF said Jokhiyo went to Jangshahi to cover the arrival of several foreign hunters who had been invited by a member of the Sindh Province assembly to hunt the Asian houbara bustard, a threatened bird species.

Hunting this animal is banned in Pakistan, except for wealthy dignitaries from the Persian Gulf monarchies, according to the Paris-based group.

Jokhiyo's video ends when a man is seen approaching the camera and threatening him as he grabs at the device.

Following several threats, the provincial lawmaker of the Pakistan People's Party, Jam Owais Gohram Jokhiyo, invited the amateur video reporter to his country house to "patch up" the dispute, according to RSF.

It said Jokhiyo went there on November 2, the last time witnesses saw him alive.

"The brutality with which Nazim Jokhiyo was eliminated is all the more shocking because his murder was premeditated by a parliamentarian who is well-known in the region," said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF's Asia-Pacific desk.

"We call on Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah to order an independent investigation to identify the perpetrators and instigators of the murder of Nazim Jokhiyo, who paid with his life for trying to inform his fellow citizens about a local despot's abuses," Bastard added.
Dear Reader,

Welcome to Gandhara's weekly newsletter. This briefing brings you the best of our reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

If youre new to the newsletter or havent subscribed yet, you can do so here.

Suicide bombers still central to Taliban strategy

I write about suicide bombers remaining a key part of the Talibans political and military strategy even as it seeks to transform from an insurgency into a government.

The Taliban has publicly paraded its arsenal of explosive-laden suicide vests and has created an elite military unit from its contingents of trained bombers.

The current Taliban leadership seeks to retroactively take ownership of suicide bombing in all its forms and to give it a new meaning that will help it transform a decentralized insurgency into a unified government, said David Edwards, a professor of anthropology at Williams College.

But veteran Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai says not all Taliban leaders agree on the strategy. Glorifying suicide bombings is something even sane voices within the Taliban were keen to avoid because it is preventing them from gaining support at home and legitimacy abroad, he said.

Pakistan again appeases Islamist extremists

Radio Mashaal broke the story this week of Pakistans secret talks with the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) extremist group over a cease-fire. The negotiations are being mediated by the Afghan Taliban, which has links with both Islamabad and the TTP.

They have been engaged in talks for two weeks, a source said of the hectic negotiations mediated by the Talibans interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, a U.S.-designated global terrorist who is believed to have ties to Pakistans powerful military.

Islamabads talks with the TTP came as it reached a controversial agreement with Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP), a far-right Islamist organization that is banned in Pakistan. The details of the deal were not immediately clear.

The TLP had staged 10 days of violent protests in major cities, demanding the release of its jailed leader and the expulsion of the French ambassador over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in France.

Critics have called the governments agreement with the TLP another example of Islamabad caving to the demands of Islamic hard-liners in the country.

Mental toll on Afghan women

Since the Taliban takeover in August, many Afghan girls have been banned from going to school and most women have been ordered not to return to work.

Psychiatrists in Afghanistan say the Talibans repressive policies have fueled a noticeable rise in cases of extreme depression and suicidal thoughts among women.

It makes me lose my temper. I feel like an empty shell of a human being. I am in captivity and I am just waiting for my death," said Maryam Rezaei, a 22-year-old university student in Herat, who has seen her freedom, security, and rights vanish.

Even before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan was the only country in the world where the suicide rate was higher for women than for men.

While the Taliban is attempting to turn back the clock on girls' education, the group has failed to study up on modern technology, writes Michael Scollon.

Hundreds of school-age Afghan girls are circumventing the Taliban's ban on them attending school by going online, learning everything from computer programming to sculpting. RFE/RL's Radio Azadi speaks with students and the founder of the recently launched Herat Online School.

Economic collapse, health care in free fall

For nearly 20 years, Afghanistans health-care system was heavily dependent on international funding. Since the Taliban seized power, foreign donors have halted funds, leaving the health-care system on the brink of total collapse.

More than 2,300 clinics and hospitals are already shuttered. Thousands of health workers have not been paid for months. Meanwhile, there is an acute shortage of medicines.

"To ensure delivery of essential medical aid, we urgently need the health system operational, health workers paid, and facilities open and well stocked," said Sam Mort, chief of communications for UNICEF Afghanistan.

The health-care crisis comes amid an economic and humanitarian emergency.

In a video report, we take you to Farah Province, where the impact of Afghanistans economic collapse is visible with disappearing employment and businesses closing up shop.

We have nothing for winter. We are relying on God, said Abdur Rahman, who fled to Farah from neighboring Helmand six months ago. He is now struggling to feed his family of seven. We dont have proper shoes or [clothes] to wear. We dont have enough food.

In another video, displaced Afghans who live in a public park in Kabul express their fears as a punishing winter approaches.

We dont have money to pay for transportation [to go home], said Baz Mohammad, a representative for displaced people from Kunduz. Winter is almost here. We dont even have blankets.

Turkmenistans pipe dream

Bruce Pannier writes about how the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline remains a pipe dream for Ashgabat, which has long sought to connect its vast natural gas resources to markets in South Asia.

TAPI seems no closer to being realized than it was 25 years ago," Pannier writes, even as Turkmen officials appeared to rejoice after the Taliban offered its backing to the 1,800-kilometer-long pipeline this week.

Observers say the Talibans lack of international recognition is a major hurdle toward securing funds for the multibillion-dollar project.

I hope you found this weeks newsletter useful, and I encourage you to forward it to your colleagues.

If you havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. I encourage you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Yours,

Abubakar Siddique

Twitter: @sid_abu

P.S.: You can always reach us at gandhara@rferl.org.
Unidentified persons have destroyed a telecommunications tower in a northwestern tribal district of Pakistan, soon after it started providing Internet service, officials say.

Police told RFE/RL on November 5 that the tower in the restive North Waziristan district was destroyed by explosives.

The tower belonged to China Mobile Pakistan, a 100-percent owned subsidiary of China Mobile Communications Corporation. The Pakistan-based mobile data network operator does business under the name Zong.

No group so far claimed responsibility for the blast.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, and other militant groups are known to operate in the area.

A local police officer said the tower had been providing mobile phone signals since 2019.

But according to RFE/RL correspondent Umar Daraz Wazir, the blast occurred two days after the tower started providing Internet service to the area.

Local residents have staged protests in the past demanding high-speed Internet connections.

Pakistani security forces carried out a massive military operation in North Waziristan in June 2014 claiming that the TTP had been eradicated.

However, continued attacks by the militants suggest the group has returned and poses a threat to peace and security in the area once again.

Pakistani authorities are said to be holding secret talks with the TTP over a potential cease-fire and peace agreement to put an end to nearly 15 years of violence in the region.

The TTP is a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban, although Pakistans militant groups are often interlinked with those across the border in Afghanistan.
All female members of the U.S. Senate have called on President Joe Biden to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls in the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In a bipartisan letter, the 24 U.S. lawmakers, led by Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Republican Joni Ernst, urged the Biden administration to come up with an interagency plan that preserves the political, social, economic, and basic human rights of Afghan women and girls.



After overthrowing the internationally recognized government in Kabul in mid-August, the Taliban claimed it would show more moderation than during its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001, when girls were not allowed to attend school and women were banned from work, education, and sports.

However, the United Nations and rights groups have slammed the Taliban's "broken" promises to allow women to work and girls to have access to all levels of education, and blamed Afghanistans new rulers for imposing wide-ranging restrictions on media and free speech.

"American disengagement from Afghanistan puts at risk hard-won gains for Afghan women and girls," the lawmakers' letter said, noting that some 3.5 million Afghan girls were enrolled in school and 100,000 women were attending higher education institutions last year.

"However, lacking a legitimate Afghan government and military forces to protect them, women and girls are now suffering the predations of a Taliban regime with a track record of brutalizing, isolating, and denying them life and liberty," the letter said.



"Women have been the victims of targeted beatings and killings and are banned from leaving home without a male guardian," it said.

The 24 female senators said the Biden administration's plan should address how the United States will work with international organizations -- such as the United Nations -- to hold the Taliban accountable.

"Afghan women and girls need our action now. We request and look forward to a briefing from the Administration on your plan," the letter concluded.
Two Ward Lockwood murals at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College will be removed due to racist content and damage, said administration and staff members. The removal has sparked some controversy. Jim Raughton, former Chair of the Trustees of FAC, disagrees with the removal and claims of damage, and believes the murals should stay in place with information that provides historical background.
A law passed by the Democrat-controlled Colorado legislature threatening public schools with a $25,000 fine for using any American Indian name as a mascot is being challenged in federal court by Native Americans who believe it violates their civil rights.

Five plaintiffs filed a lawsuit this week against Gov. Jared Polis and a number of other state officials saying that Senate Bill 21-116, titled Prohibition on use of American Indian Mascots, violates their constitutional rights. The plaintiffs include two minors attending Colorado public schools, two adults and the Native American Guardians Association.

The statute, says attorney Will Trachman of the Mountain States Legal Foundation, which represents the plaintiffs, prevents them from petitioning schools to name themselves in honor of Native Americans. The $25,000 fine chills their speech and the statute is so vague that persons of common intelligence must necessarily guess at the meaning, scope, and application of SB 21-116, says the complaint.

The complaint also alleges violation of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which provides that no person shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

The plaintiffs believe in the idea of reappropriation, in which they petition school districts to use Native American names, iconography and imagery in positive, honorific ways, rather than as derogations of their heritage. This statute, they say, violates their rights by prohibiting schools from portraying Native Americans in a positive light.

"Reappropriation allows Native Americans to self-identify, and non-Native American allies to associate their identities with the messages that Plaintiffs seek to convey, in order to persuade others to join the cause of Plaintiffs," says the complaint.

Trachman told The Denver Gazette, The law is very poorly drafted. Not only have they swept in all the things they meant to sweep in, like Indians and warriors, but theyve swept in things like the Cherokee Trail Cougars or Pagosa Springs teams because theyve got the words Pagosa and Cherokee in them. And theyve also swept in honorific names. So, if you wanted to name a school Sitting Bull High School in honor of Sitting Bull, well, they would have to pay a $25,000 per month fine.

Trachman says the law is patronistic and that the state has deemed certain things offensive on behalf of Native Americans and banned those expressions.

For example, the word queer, a term long used as an insult, has been successfully reappropriated. Trachman says the ability of his clients to persuade public schools to use Native American symbols in a respectful, positive way is destroyed by the law and prevents them from righting the wrongs of the past.

My clients are Native Americans who appreciate tasteful and respectful images related to Native Americans, said Trachman. Even if something is a little bit edgy like savages, they believe in reappropriation. Weve seen this with a number of other racial demographics.

There's an Asian American band called the Slants that went all the way to the Supreme Court litigating for their right to call their band the Slants even though it's typically an offensive name for Asian Americans, Trachman continued. They said, Look, our theory is reappropriation. We intentionally use an offensive name as part of what we're doing here.

Spokespeople for Polis and state Attorney General Phil Weiser said they would not comment because the lawsuit is ongoing.

An email sent Thursday to the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs for comment on the lawsuit was not immediately returned.

The suit asks for a temporary restraining order, a preliminary and permanent injunction to prevent enforcement of the law, a declaratory judgment that the law is unconstitutional, attorneys fees and nominal damages of $1.00.

The case has not yet been set for trial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Police arrested two men suspected of robbing six businesses in Colorado Springs last month, law enforcement said.

Officers arrested 21-year-old Damion Daniels and 20-year-old Tani Hurt in the 3800 block of Radiant Drive two weeks ago on Oct. 21, police said.

Throughout October, the pair robbed multiple Circle Ks on Maizeland Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway as well as G&R Liquors on Maizeland Road, Dutch Bros. Coffee on Source Center Point, and a Diamond Shamrock on North Academy Boulevard, police said. Officers allege that the suspects would display a weapon and often lead victims around the store while making demands.

Police arrested Daniels on suspicion of three counts of kidnapping and six counts of aggravated robbery, while Hurt was arrested on suspicion of one count of kidnapping and two counts of aggravated robbery.

Police booked both men into the El Paso County jail.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is roundly denouncing a published report that she was among House Republicans who participated in meetings and conversations with organizers behind the Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C., that took a violent turn as supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol.
WOODLAND PARK  A Friday morning fire in the kitchen of the Woodland Park Middle School caused an evacuation of students and staff. No injurie
A man found guilty of pistol-whipping several Colorado Springs hotel employees dodged prison time and was sentenced to a youth offender program Thursday afternoon.

Quinn Scaggs was sentenced to six years in a youthful offender program for back-to-back 2019 Colorado Springs robberies during which he pistol-whipped multiple Colorado Springs hotel employees and held two at gunpoint.

Scaggs, 20, was found guilty in August of several second-degree kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated robbery charges.

When he sat down to deliver Scaggs sentences, district judge Gregory Werner trotted out several decades-long prison terms for the nearly 30 charges Scaggs was convicted of. In all, Werner said, Scaggs sentences totaled up to 81 years in prison.

75% of that time, Werner told him, would have to be served before hed be eligible to parole out.

Then, Werner suspended the prison terms he gave Scaggs, implementing instead a six-year Youthful Offenders System sentence for the 20-year-old to be completed in lieu of being incarcerated with a general state prison population.

If he fails the program, Werner said, hell have to come back to the courtroom, and that time hell be on the hook for the prison sentence.

The Youthful Offenders System, still a Colorado Department of Corrections facility, is a program that focuses on rehabilitation for young adults convicted of violent felonies. People convicted of crimes between 14 and 17, as well as those sentenced before their 21st birthday, are eligible for the program.

Werner said hed made his decision based on the change hed seen in Scaggs since the beginning of the case. Earlier in the hearing, Scaggs had addressed the court, acknowledging hed made poor choices that were selfish and caused harm to many people, and telling the court hed renounced his past lifestyle, rekindled his faith in religion, and wanted to use the program to educate himself.

Werner added he saw sending people as young as Scaggs to prison as a waste, and told Scaggs it was his fervent hope that he continued to change for the better.

It is my hope that you take advantage of what the Division of Youth Services will offer you, Werner told Scaggs. I know you want to do it for your mother, I know you want to do it for your family  but I want you to do it for you.

Scaggs said that he would.
When patients find a medication that works, they shouldnt be forced off of it by insurance companies focused on profits instead of health out
The pandemic fostered more than a few panicked, confused and wasteful responses by the feds and the states on the dubious premise it was better to act rashly than be sorry later.
Iowa cattle producers have an opportunity to weigh in on cattle industry topics of concern at the Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit and Annual Meeting.

To register for the Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit, visit www.iacattlemen.org. Registration is highly encouraged, and early bird rates will be offered through Dec. 3.

Hotel accommodations can be made online at the Iowa Cattlemens Association, by clicking on Media Center and then News Releases. To receive the group rate, reservations must be made prior to Sunday, Nov. 14.

This years event will be held Dec. 15 through Dec. 16 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

According to the press release, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Shinn will kick off the event with his presentation, Agriculture and National Defense: Funding and Conflict Management, which stems from an extensive career in the U.S. Air Force and agriculture industry.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to sit in on educational sessions, covering time sensitive topics such as carbon and tax reform. A full trade show and opportunities for networking will feature new products and solutions for cow-calf and feedlot producers. The program will conclude on Dec. 16 with a closing session, and the Iowa Cattlemens Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council annual meetings.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
FLOYD  The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the family of a Charles City man who was struck and killed by a semi at an intersection outside Floyd in 2016.

The estate of Thomas T.J. Houdek took the state of Iowa to court in 2019, claiming the U.S. Highway 18/218 and Quarry Road/Monroe Street interchange was a death trap that needed warning signs and lights.

Houdek, 23, was riding a motorcycle north on Quarry on July 18, 2016, and stopped for eastbound traffic on Highway 218 and then for westbound traffic at the median before he pulled out and was hit by a semi. He died at the scene, and the semi rolled, injuring the trucker.

The intersection includes left-turn lanes for Highway 218 that are routed through the median, and the estate argued that the state was grossly negligent in designing an intersection with defects and failing to post proper signage.

The signage gave the false impression that the intersection was normal, the estate argued.

The suit was filed in 2018 with the estate claiming the state knew the intersection was dangerous and did nothing about it. A district court judge threw out the case in a summary judgment on immunity grounds. The estate appealed the ruling.

In an opinion issued Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals sided with the state. The court noted that a semi that wasnt owned by the state caused the fatal injury, and found that the suit amounted to holding the state responsible for failing to protect the public from another partys actions.

Following Houdeks death, local residents petitioned the Iowa Department of Transportation to change the intersection. The department plans to install an overpass with a construction start date of 2022.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Hampton-Dumont School Board is beginning its search for a new superintendent, and is reaching out to the community for feedback about the qualifications they'd like to see in a new hire.

In July, Superintendent Todd Lettow announced he would be retiring after this school year, and the search for a Lettows replacement began shortly after. To aid in the search, the district employed recruiting firm Grundmeyer Leader Services, which put together an online public survey to gather input from the public.

The survey, which closes Nov. 7, can be found on the districts Facebook page, and provides the opportunity for district residents to weigh in on the candidate search. A report will be made available to the district after the survey closes, outlining the feedback compiled.

"We just wanted feedback from the community and staff to see what they would want," said board president Chad Hanson.

According to the information posted within the survey, the application time table is Nov. 19-Jan. 2, with formal interviews expected to begin in early February.

Lettow said his replacement would be specifically for the Hampton-Dumont School District, but not for adjacent district Coulter-Alexander-Latimer, or CAL, until the new hire has had the chance to properly acquaint themselves with one district at a time. Hanson said CAL will acquire an interim superintendent, though no decisions about that role have been made.

Lettow has spent 32 years in education, 15 of those have been with the district.

Hanson said of Lettows decision to retire, "I definitely want to thank Todd for everything that he has done for the district. He really has been spectacular."

This story was updated to reflect the correct name a community which is a part of the CAL school district. The district is Coulter-Alexander-Latimer.

Abby covers education and public safety for the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @MkayAbby. Email her at Abby.Koch@GlobeGazette.com

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
With decreases in certified enrollment an issue, staff reductions could be in store for the Mason City Community School District.

At Monday night's meeting, Superintendent Dave Versteeg shared with the school board a rough draft of an enrollment and staffing report of the entire district. The report detailed the decline in certified enrollment, where those students went, and what the outlook of the district might be.

Versteeg explained to the board that a majority of students were leaving for out of state schools or out of the North Iowa area.

(In 2011), we had 3,918 certified enrollment students and this year were at 3,469. Its been a consistent downward trend for enrollment at Mason City schools, Versteeg told the Globe Gazette on Wednesday. So it is what North Iowa is; declining population equals declining enrollment.

The certified enrollment report is created each year, analyzing how many students the district will have in each grade, according to Human Resources Director Tom Drzycimski. From that report, the district can generate models of what the future will look like.

Certified enrollment reports are used by school districts to determine the positive financial impact every student has on the district. Determining the weight of that impact is based on the number of students sitting in a classroom, in addition to any specific needs each student may have. A typical student brings in around $7,000 of funding to the district.

Declining enrollment means less money being received by the district. With the drop in numbers from grade to grade, Versteeg said the district has to either make up for the lost funds through reducing the expenses of each school building, which includes payroll.

Versteeg said the largest group of employees affected by job cuts and discontinued contracts would be those who hold roles with the district, such as teachers, nurses, counselors, and social workers.

School board director Alan Steckman said the board has little control over the situation, but that the district's plan for tackling enrollment issues can be passed along to the school board, which will decide whether it will endorse the approach.

Because of the districts open-enrollment policy, the struggle is knowing what the student population will be like from year to year. Like Dave (Versteeg) indicated on Monday, there is a certain number of students that turnover throughout the year and thats hard to predict, said Drzycimski.

Thats the challenge and thats why weve got to put this information out for people to think about and to strategize about, said Versteeg. We could cut every administrator, supervisor and superintendent and (still) not come up with enough money to cover the loss of the 280 kids over the last two years. This is the business side of running a school.

The district evaluates each building to determine what is absolutely needed in terms of staffing.

The teacher part always boils down to that ratio of whats an appropriate sized classroom for a teacher to be able to efficiently operate. Theres no standard number across the state or across the country, said Versteeg.

(Other districts) have consistently had numbers in the upper twenties. We are in the low twenties. Everybodys got a different feeling on that. But my point is that you think about 280 kids over the last year and that $7,000 number, Versteeg said. Thats almost $2 million [of] income that we need to account for.

Versteeg also noted that due to state law, the tax dollars being used for the construction of the districts new fieldhouse cannot be diverted to cover other expenses. We cant use those dollars for wages. We cant use those dollars to hire staff. We can only use those dollars to fix our buildings and to build buildings, said Versteeg.

He said one way the district might avoid letting teachers go is by using early retirement as a strategic tool. Versteeg told the board there are over 100 employees currently eligible for early retirement.

I think it is a better advantage for us to offer early retirement and absorb some of those jobs to lessen the blow for possible nonrenewal of people when we get to that point because we just need to be leaner next year than we are this year, said Versteeg.

Drzycimski says with the rough draft to keep in mind to not come to conclusions at this point in the year. Its hard to draw, at this point in the year, any conclusions or any definitive direction from it. What we have right now are what ifs and not a firm direction in which were headed until we have more data later in the year.

Its a conversation that will get more serious as the year progresses, Drzycimski said.

We are very confident, even with declining enrollment, that we continue to offer the students of Mason City schools the most well-rounded and best education they can get compared to anyone else, said Versteeg.

A review of the districts financial situation will be completed by March, with any affected employees notified no later than April 30.

Abby covers education and public safety for the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @MkayAbby. Email her at Abby.Koch@GlobeGazette.com

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 1

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
DES MOINES  As Gov. Kim Reynolds promised, Iowa joined 10 other states Friday in filing suit against the Biden administration to challenge a new vaccine requirement for workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful and unwise, according to the 14-page lawsuit filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit based in St. Louis, Mo., in which the challenging parties assert the authority to compel vaccinations lies with states, not the federal government.

Key takeaways as US sets Jan. 4 vaccine mandate deadline Millions of U.S. workers now have a Jan 4. deadline to get a COVID vaccine.

The suit filed by attorney general offices in 11 states asks the court to set side the new federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule on vaccines for employees of companies employing 100 or more pending judicial review. The petition was brought by Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, joined in the suit, along with several private, nonprofit and religious employers.

I believe the vaccine is the best defense against COVID-19, but I also firmly believe in Iowans right to make healthcare decisions based on whats best for themselves and their families, and I remain committed to protecting those freedoms. President Biden should do the same, Reynolds said in a statement.

US mandates vaccines or tests for big companies by Jan. 4 Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

Under the OSHA directive, workers at larger businesses will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face regular testing. According to U.S. Labor Department guidance, workers who choose the testing option may have to bear the cost, as well as beginning Dec. 5 being required to wear a face mask on the job.

Officials within Democratic President Joe Bidens administration have been encouraging widespread vaccinations as a way to halt the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic.

Last week Reynolds signed legislation that allows employees in private Iowa businesses to claim they are medically vulnerable or have a religious objection to a mandated vaccine based solely on their statements, rather than with the backing by a professional. Under the bill that took effect upon enactment, Iowans who lose their jobs for refusing to comply with an employer's COVID-19 vaccination requirement will still be eligible for unemployment benefits if they are terminated.

On the same day, Reynolds announced that Iowa had joined nine other states in a lawsuit challenging Bidens vaccine mandate for all workers employed by a federal contractor, which is one-fifth of the nations workforce.

Ross Wilburn, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, noted that vaccination requirements are not new and have been implemented in schools, the military and other places as an effective way to control disease outbreaks.

The governor is giving Iowans a false choice between the common good and personal freedom, said Wilburn, advising Iowans to get vaccinated, wear masks and stay home when sick.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
Health experts believe the flu will be widespread this winter, Spillmann said. The CDC suggests it could be more robust, meaning it may cause more intense infections.

Last years influenza season was nearly non-existent, thanks in large part to widespread mask wearing and social distancing for COVID-19, officials have said. With those same precautions drastically reduced this year, that leaves open the possibility of a more intense flu season.

The timing and duration of flu seasons vary  they can occur from early fall to late spring  so you should get the vaccine as soon as its available, Julia Gwaltney, a nurse manager for the local health district, said. It takes up to two weeks to develop the vaccines full protection, and the benefits last for up to a year.

Its possible for a person to contract both COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, health department spokesperson Brookie Crawford previously told the Register & Bee. A severe flu season could push hospitals to capacity, especially of COVID-19 roars back in the winter months, experts with the University of Virginias Biocomplexity Institute have previously said.
Demands that Liberty University open a truly independent investigation into accusations of systemic mishandling of sexual assault complaints hit a peak Thursday amid a flurry of press statements, an on-campus rally and a promise from President Jerry Prevo that the school's board would sign off on such a move immediately.

It will be put into motion, at a board meeting Friday, Prevo told a group of about 200 gathered Thursday evening at the rally outside Williams Stadium.

Our vision is to see where we need to make improvements. There will be a release of that investigation and Im looking for help in this area because Im new here, I dont have the background of it, and this investigative committee can help me get a good view of whats happened, what we need to do for the future and make Liberty University a safer place for all.

Fridays meeting, he said, will likely take up most of the day.

Through social media, private channels and a spate of recent lawsuits, dozens of people have come forward about their experiences, claiming their reports of sexual assault led to their own punishment under the school's code of conduct, were minimized by some authority they reported to or that they were too afraid of those potential consequences to speak up.
Last month, the district launched learning hubs in all 15 of its traditional high schools. The hubs provide an opportunity for students to catch up on work and get help from tutors and teachers.
Which is why some of us fear to walk that path. And one can make a case that fear is the great unspoken engine of American history.

As Glaze pointed out, one of the arguments against ending slavery was, If we give them their freedom, whats going to happen to us? Theres the whole idea ... Black people are going to go around and drag white people out of their houses and murder them. That notion repeats throughout history: If we let them hold office, if we give them the vote, if we allow them to be educated, if we stop terrorizing them on a daily basis, what will they do to us?

And the answer has always proven to be: nothing. But still that fear recurs, even now, in the debate over education. As Glaze frames it, If we admit to all these falsehoods and wrongs, if we try to actually make good on this stuff, whats going to happen to us?

To understand the hardiness of that fear is to understand why so many of us feel the need to be packing heat in order to go out and get the mail.
This editorial is updated with a corrected reference to a court order for school funding in North Carolina.

State Senate leader Phil Berger, a longtime opponent of much-needed Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, says hes now willing to consider enacting expansion as part of his negotiations with Gov. Roy Cooper over the current state budget.

Its not much, but its something.

In the context of getting a budget this year, particularly ... the budgets that were passed by the House and the Senate, that crafting Medicaid expansion on top of that was, in my view, a trade that was worth considering, Berger told reporters Tuesday. He says he still believes expansion is a bad policy, but hes indicated that I thought that was something that would be appropriate for us to move forward with.

Its a little disappointing, frankly, that Berger would consider allowing Medicaid expansion as part of a horse trade. A program that benefits the health and well-being of North Carolina citizens at bargain-basement prices should pass on its own merits  and does, with a majority of North Carolinians, including many business leaders and medical authorities, as well as many who care about the rural areas of the state that could use a helping hand.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
The Casper Star-Tribunes headline on Wednesday, Oct. 20, proclaimed: Montana hospital says doctors threatened' by public officials over ivermectin request. Tuesdays (Oct. 19) Helena IR had the same headline. Because this story is newsworthy, many other cities/states are covering this story as well. We can only hope that it is very unusual in our country for three different public officials to threaten anybody, let alone medical doctors, when they are working.

Obviously, someone is lying regarding whether or not doctors were harassed and threatened. The hospital says it happened. AG Knudsen says it aint so.

Thursdays (Oct. 21) IR headline read: Sheriff disputes jurisdiction claim. This article also revealed that AG Knudsen had dispatched a HP trooper to the hospital. Apparently, this is outside Knudsens authority per jurisdictional rules. Knudsens story remains rather vague regarding much of what happened.

What we know: 1. Things blew up on Oct. 12. Both parties agree.

2. Politics was involved: Board members, three public officials, 80-plus-year-old patient active in Republican politics, ivermectin, Montana Federation of Republican Women (MFRW) are all in-the-loop.

3. The MHP trooper who did the investigation relayed findings to Lewis and Clark County Attorney Gallagher who concluded that the hospital was not guilty of any criminal offenses that needed investigating.

4.The AGs DOJ, apparently through its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, is still investigating St. Peters for committing fraud and/or patient abuse/neglect.

5. Some say the MHP and the Medicaid Fraud Unit are literally the same agency.

6. St. Peters Hospital maintains that public officials tried to direct their patients treatment. AG Knudsen says that didnt happen. Again -- somebody is lying.

7. A patient and/or the patients family cannot direct a hospital or doctor to prescribe ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. Its illegal for them to do that.

8. Confusion exists over the 2015 law: Right-To-Try. It does not require a doctor to prescribe medication or any type of treatment. Instead, a manufacturer of an experimental drug may make a medication available to a terminally ill patient. Its a complicated process.

The description of what the AG does for us here in Montana, per its website, is as follows: Under Montana law, the attorney general is the states chief legal officer, chief law enforcement officer, and director of the Montana Department of Justice. As the states chief legal officer, the attorney general is responsible for representing and defending Montanas legal positions and Montanas laws with other sovereign governments such as the federal government and other states.

Here are questions we (the regular Joes who arent able to call a board member to ask them to call a top public official) deserve answers to:

1. Who are the other two Montana Public officials involved?

2. Did they actually attempt to demand what care the medical doctors provided?

3. Did these public officials threaten doctors?

4. What were the findings of the MHP, the DOJ, and their Medicaid Fraud Unit regarding the very serious allegations that: The hospital mistreated a patient and violated her rights and her familys rights? I or someone in my family may need to go there and if thats how St. Peters Hospital operates, especially when it involves a prominent, high profile customer, its only fair that this community knows the truth!

5. Are the Montana Highway Patrol and the Medicaid Fraud Unit really -- literally the same agency?

This smells like a massive cover-up that has spilled into the public domain. Its totally reasonable that not only Helena residents but our entire state (maybe Wyoming too!) gets honest answers.

Jim Edwards

Helena

Love 10 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Williams joins Main Place as broker

DECATUR  Main Place Real Estate, in conjunction with Main Place Properties, is pleased to announce Jill Williams as one of the newest brokers on its team.

Growing up in the West End, Williams has always had an appreciation for original charm. After graduating from MacArthur High School, she earned her bachelor's degree in communications from SIU Edwardsville. Now Williams is ready to showcase what the Decatur market has to offer.

Williams can be contacted at Jill@mainplace.us or 217-972-8890.

Main Place Real Estate provides full-service brokerage and management services for both commercial and residential real estate. For more information visit www.MainPlace.us.

Unruh named Mueller Museum director

DECATUR  Katherine Unruh has been hired as the new director for the Hieronymus Mueller Museum.

Located at 420 W. Eldorado St. in Decatur, the Hieronymus Mueller Museum explains the story of the Mueller family and the company.

In addition to Unruh's appointment, Assistant Director Lauren Taylor was hired full-time for the museum.

Recommended for you

Unruh moved to the Decatur area eight years ago. She has a masters degree in historical administration from Eastern Illinois University and employed as a marketing specialist at the Macon County Conservation District.

Laura Jahr and Mike Deatherage previously served as the museum's directors.

For more information on the Hieronymus Mueller Museum, visit MuellerMuseum.org.

Tiarks rejoins LLCU as loan officer

DECATUR  Land of Lincoln Credit Union is pleased to announce that Jonan Tiarks has been hired as a commercial loan officer.

Tiarks was previously a commercial loan officer for LLCU for over five years and has re-joined the team after briefly holding the position as business lender for Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

We are delighted to have Jonan back on the Commercial Lending team at LLCU, states Howard Martin, LLCU chief lending officer and senior VP of Commercial Lending. Jonan has so many strong relationships with area businesses already and he has a proven track record of helping small businesses achieve success through LLCU financing.

Tiarks is a graduate of MacMurray College and is also a U.S. Army veteran. Tiarks will work both remotely and out of the Prosperity Place branch in Decatur covering LLCUs 27-county central Illinois service area.

For more information about Land of Lincoln Credit Union go to llcu.org or call 1-844-222-7788.

DMH earns stroke treatment honors

DECATUR  Decatur Memorial Hospital has been recognized with an American Heart Association Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for the hospitals commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to research-based guidelines.

Decatur Memorial also received the AHAs Target: Stroke Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between a patients arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

At Decatur Memorial Hospital, we know seconds matter for stroke patients, said Drew Early, president and CEO of the nonprofit hospital. This award confirms our commitment to providing comprehensive, expert stroke care for all patients as we continue in our mission to improve lives and build stronger communities through better health.

First Mid Insurance named top broker

MATTOON  First Mid Insurance Group has been named the 2021 top broker for Medicare products in Illinois by Health Alliance.

First Mid Insurance Group was also recognized as part of Health Alliances individual top 5 selling agencies. In addition, First Mid Insurance agents Matthew Barnes and James Schuett were named in the Top 5 selling agents for Medicare products in Illinois by Health Alliance.

We are honored to work with many fine agencies who do a great job serving their clients, said Andrew Weintraub, vice president, sales and retention, Health Alliance. Being ranked no. 1 from among these agencies is not only an achievement, it is a testament to First Mids strong commitment to servicing their clients.

First Mid Insurance Group CEO Clay Dean said We have a long-standing relationship with Health Alliance, and they have been a strong Medicare partner for us. This recognition is a demonstration of our teams hard work, collaboration with key partners like Health Alliance, and commitment to our mutual customers. Health Alliance continues to be extremely helpful to our Medicare-eligible bank customers, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.

Business Achievements celebrate new hires, promotions and business and employee honors. Send information to scott.perry@lee.net. Read more about these companies and individuals at herald-review.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
DECATUR  Teacher licensure requirements in Illinois are second only to California's in difficulty but in one way, at least, that's a good thing for aspiring teachers.

Ashley Davis, coordinator for Undergraduate Recruitment and Career Services for the College of Education at the University of Illinois, told students in MacArthur High School's teacher prep program that with an Illinois license, if they should move to another state, it's a simple matter in most cases to get a license for that state.

The need for teachers is great nationwide, Davis told the students at MacArthur, with 200 openings in Champaign, where she lives, that include not only teachers, but teaching assistants, bus drivers, school nurses and social workers, and secretaries.

Recommended for you

And it's a good profession if you want a family, she said, because you will likely have working hours similar to your children's school schedule.

It's a foundational profession, Davis said. You're in a situation where you're on your feet and you never get stagnant.

Decatur's high schools offer classes and after-school clubs for students who want to explore teaching as a career, a kind of grow-your-own way to encourage the students to find out if teaching could be the path they want to take.

We do a lot of reading about overviews and studies on what is the best teaching method, said Bayleigh Foster, a junior at MacArthur, who would like to teach either English or history at the high school level. We talked about understanding the classroom, things like gender inequality, race inequality, income inequality, all that interesting stuff. Right now we're talking about more technical stuff, how public schools are funded, how private schools fund themselves, what benefits you get teaching in different areas of the country. It's really intriguing for me.

One thing Davis pointed out is that if the students do pursue teaching, they won't be allowed to student-teach in a building they attended themselves. A couple of the students were disappointed to hear that.

Illinois licenses are issued for early childhood, which is preschool through second grade; elementary, which is first through sixth grade, middle school, fifth through eighth grade, and secondary, ninth through 12th grade. For future secondary-level teachers, Davis said, students will major in their content area such as math or history, and minor in education.

Josie Bethard, a senior, said she wants to teach at the early childhood level.

It's such a fundamental time in a child's life, she said. That's when they're setting the standards and it's the basis of the rest of their lives. It's such an important age. That's the age I've gravitated toward because I've gone in and observed some classrooms in preschools and it's the age I just like the most. They're so young and full of life and it's so refreshing.

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Pantagraph journalists spent last week in Danville speaking to those who knew Day, and they described him as big-hearted, hard-working and on a path to success.
CHICAGO  Less than a week after announcing he would not seek reelection to Congress under a Democratic redistricting map, Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger told CNN Thursday he is weighing possible statewide bids for Illinois governor or U.S. senator in next years election.

Kinzinger also said he would not rule out a potential White House bid in 2024.

The key is, how do we restore the honor of the party in the country? Kinzinger told CNN. He said he definitely wouldnt rule out a White House run in 2024.

A statewide bid by Kinzinger would run counter to what he told reporters in February after becoming one of 10 House Republicans voting to impeach former President Donald Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Recommended for you

Kinzinger said in February that his stance against Trump was not an effort to position himself for statewide office and even questioned if he could win a GOP primary in Illinois.

Its not my intention to run for anything statewide. I think theres probably less of that chatter. At the beginning, I heard people speculate that I was taking the positions I was taking to set myself up to run statewide. And Ill tell you, people who speculate that dont know me. And, I would even argue that they probably dont know something about politics if you think I can get through a primary pretty easily, Kinzinger said then.

Kinzinger has been an outspoken critic of Trumps continued leadership of the GOP as well as House Republican leadership for catering to the former president.

Kinzinger announced he wouldnt seek reelection to the House after Illinois Democrats approved a new congressional map for the next decade that would put him in the same district as four-term Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria. LaHood has been a staunch Trump supporter and the new district leans rural Republican. He is seeking reelection.

Trump, who has been seeking political revenge against Republicans who voted for his impeachment, issued a statement from his leadership political action committee, 2 down, 8 to go! following Kinzingers announcement that he would not seek reelection.

He was the second Republican to announce his retirement after voting to impeach Trump, following U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio.

In making his retirement announcement via video, Kinzinger said, This isnt the end of my political future, but the beginning. But he also said he was seeking a larger political stage than Congress in his effort to recapture Republicanism from Trump and the former presidents supporters.

Kinzinger earlier this year launched his own Country First PAC to support anti-Trump Republican candidates.

Despite his fervent opposition to Trump, Kinzinger is a conservative Republican and supported the former presidents positions in Congress 90% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.com. That would present him with difficult odds running statewide in a heavily Democratic state.

Bruce Rauner was the states last Republican governor, serving one term before being defeated in 2018 by current Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is seeking reelection next year. Mark Kirk was the states last GOP U.S. senator, serving one term before being defeated by Democrat Tammy Duckworth in 2016.

Duckworth is seeking reelection next year, and no major Republican opposition has surfaced to challenge her. Four Republicans have announced they are seeking the partys nomination to challenge Pritzker: Gary Rabine of Bull Valley, state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo and Jessie Sullivan of Petersburg.

In the CNN interview, Kinzinger said one of those paths  U.S. senator or governor  appeals to him more, but would not say which one.

A Kinzinger spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on the CNN interview.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Lee Enterprises will be carrying a live blog of events in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, which began with jury selection Monday and opening statements Tuesday.

Rittenhouse, 18, shot two people and wounded a third during a night of unrest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020. His attorneys contend he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors have portrayed him as an instigator.

Lee Enterprises/Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith is reporting from inside the Kenosha County Courthouse, with reporting on this page augmented by remote staff.

More coverage:

Recommended for you

4:29 p.m.: Moretti testimony concludes. Trial over for the week.

4:17 p.m.: Moretti, like many others, described the area as "like a warzone," as cross-examination begins.

3:57 p.m.: Officer Van Wie steps down from the witness stand. Now up is Officer Pep Moretti, who was on patrol night of shootings.

Moretti said in responding to shootings, he and his partner only had handguns and "were not equipped" to go into what they believed to be an "active shooter" situation. So, Moretti pulled the squad car to the side, allowing armored vehicles to move closer to the scenes of the shootings.

Moretti said he saw Rittenhouse running toward the officers' vehicles. "He was approaching us." Moretti and partner "gave him multiple commands to get out of the roadway" by yelling out through the window. Moretti said it didn't occur to him at the time that Rittenhouse was trying to surrender. "I've never in my career had somebody put their hands up but continue to advance and not obey orders and continue to advance on us."

Moretti's partner "deployed pepper spray" at Rittenhouse when he continued to not follow orders and walk up to the vehicle; Moretti says he may have pointed his firearm at Rittenhouse but can't recall exactly, other than remembering he did pull his firearm.

Moretti believes there were "more people armed than not" throughout the civil unrest. "I probably talked to more people that had pistols and weapons and baseball bats and whatnot." Moretti said he and his partner told everyone they encountered and talked to "to go home."

Moretti says that an officer down call went out after the shootings, but it ended up being false. The hospital was going into lockdown soon after shootings.

Moretti said he was one of the ones who put Rosenbaum into a body bag and brought his body to the hospital morgue.

The body armor Moretti was wearing, he says, would not have been able to sustain a rifle round. Moretti said a full-metal jacket round would go through his body armor "like he was wearing nothing."

Moretti testifies he was unable to hear people yelling that Rittenhouse had "just shot them." Moretti adds that he saw Rittenhouse "manipulate" his rifle twice as he walked up, increasing their fear he may mean them harm. A voice is heard in video yelling "Get out of the road!" to Rittenhouse, whose hands are up; Moretti said the person yelling is either himself or his partner  they both were yelling, so Moretti can't tell who is yelling at which moment.

3:53 p.m.: Cross-examination begins on Van Wie. Officer confirms he "didn't know much" about the case when he swabbed it for DNA, and that Van Wie is the one who decided where to swab. Van Wie says he was never told to swab more parts of the gun, such as the barrel of the gun that the defense has implied Rosenbaum may have grabbed hold of.

The swabbing was done on Aug. 26, the day after the shootings, Van Wie said.

3:41 p.m.: Weidner testimony concludes. Kenosha Officer Jeffrey Van Wie now on the stand. He's been with the KPD for 18 years.

He processed and secured evidence from Rittenhouse shootings.

Van Wie says the caliber of the 22 unfired bullets inside Rittenhouse's gun were .223 and were of multiple different brands.

3:22 p.m.: Called to the stand is Erich Weidner. He is a Kenosha Police officer, testifying in his police uniform. He's been a cop for more than 20 years. He was working the night of the shootings.

3:21 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri's testimony ends.

2:54 p.m.: Cross-examination begins.

Sam testifies Car Source was insured. Sam says he didn't give anyone permission to be on property; Dominick Black said the opposite when he testified Tuesday.

As Car Source was burning the night before the Rittenhouse shootings, Sam says he didn't ask anyone to help put out fires other than calling 911.

Defense brings up statement Sam reportedly made to police on Sept. 11. Sam said Rittenhouse had "offered to help and fundraise" for your business.

Sam testifies he never gave a ladder to anyone to get on the roof of Car Source.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi is clearly frustrated with the witness. The defense has been arguing that Rittenhouse and others were explicitly asked to defend Car Source property, which the Khindris are denying.

When Chirafisi asks if the family that runs Car Source was "resigned" to let destruction happen for another night the night of Aug. 25, Sam replies "After seeing the destruction, there's nothing I could do."

Sam says he can't answer many of the questions, that he doesn't remember how many cars were burned, how much was lost in terms of money, that he doesn't remember interviews he gave to news outlets. "I'm sorry, it's been over a year," he says.

Sam's father, the owner of Car Source, "does not speak much English."

2:30 p.m.: Break.

2:07 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri called to the stand. He is Car Source's inventory manager. Car Source, and the associated Car Doctor, are owned by his dad.

Sam says he didn't talk to anyone asking them to protect Car Source, including Kyle Rittenhouse. After that is confirmed, the text message shown earlier is shown again. Prosecutor asks Sam if he'd seen the message before, to which Sam replies "it was the day after the shooting." Sam says he never replied to the message.

The timestamp on the message was 3:02 p.m. and appears to have been sent on the day of the shootings.

Sam identifies one of the men in the photo that includes his brother and Car Source's ex-detailer, identified as "Nick Smith," who had not worked for the business for some time.

Sam says he talked to Rittenhouse at the burned up Car Source lot earlier in the day. Sam says he recalls Rittenhouse talking about potential fundraising opportunities. Sam says he gave his phone number to Rittenhouse, as he did to many others the day of.

Sam says he doesn't recall asking anybody to protect Car Source locations, including Rittenhouse. Sam says he didn't give keys to anyone so they could get into the buildings. Sam says he didn't give permission to anyone to go inside any of the Car Source buildings or give permission to protect them.

Prosecutor asks if Sam was aware that armed men "took it on themselves" to guard Car Source, and Sam says he wasn't. He says he didn't know about it until he saw it on the news the next day.

1:59 p.m.: A text message is shown from someone identifying themself as "Kyle" to Khindri's brother offering to protect business. Kyle offered to be there armed with his brother; Kyle Rittenhouse considers Dominick Black, who admitted to having bought the AR-15 for Rittenhouse, his brother.

Khindri is asked why he was in the photo with the armed people, Khindri said he was the one who requested the photo. He said he'd never seen anything like it, other than "on TV."

Khindri said the armed people said they were there to "protect Kenosha" but doesn't recall them saying they were there to protect Car Source specifically.

1:43 p.m.: Former Car Source employee Sahil "Sal" Khindri, who owns the Car Planet dealership in Milwaukee and whose families runs Car Source, called to testify.

He testifies that he never has spoken with Rittenhouse or met him. He said he never personally asked for Rittenhouse to protect the family's businesses. But he did posed with armed men outside Car Source, including Rittenhouse and Ryan Balch.

On cross-examination, defense asks Khindri if he asked them to leave. Khindri responds by noting the guns the group had. Khindri said that Balch "got dressed" in front of me, "putting on the fancy shoes." Defense asks "You didn't think they were there to harm you?" and Khindri confirmed he didn't feel threatened. One of the people there, Khindri said, is or was an employee of his brother who helps run Car Source.

Khindri confirms that the armed people wouldn't have been able to get into the buildings unless a current employee allowed them in.

Khindri said he recalls there was no conversation between him and the armed people asking them to protect the businesses, but that Khindri's brother might have had such a conversation.

1:39 p.m.: Swart is dismissed.

1:28 p.m.: Swart to be questioned regarding the medications her fiance was taking and prescribed prior to his death. "I only know some of them. I don't know all of them," Swart says of Rosenbaum's medications. She says they were for "bipolar disorder" and that he was on an "anti-depressant" and "something for sleep." She confirms Rosenbaum was taking gabapentin for bipolar disorder, per her recollection. She recalls Rosenbaum also taking Effexor and Seroquel.

Judge Schroeder says prosecution "did open the door" to questioning on Rosenbaum's medications.

Swart says Rosenbaum was on the same medications for "the whole year I was with him."

1:22 p.m.: Cross-examination of Swart paused before it begins. Jury being taken out of the room so lawyers can openly discuss something related to a line of inquiry the defense wants to pursue.

1:03 p.m.: Now on the witness stand is Kariann Swart, who said that Joseph Rosenbaum is her fiance. She's an Illinois native.

They got to know one another while homeless and started a romantic relationship within a few days of meeting. "He was a very animated person," she says of him.

Swart says Rosenbaum is from Waco, Texas, but moved up to Kenosha to be with his then-girlfriend and child.

Swart says when she got the call from the Medical Examiner at around 4 a.m. that Rosenbaum was dead "I fell to my knees and cried." She then opened up Facebook on her phone and saw the video of her fiance being killed. "I can't get that image out of my head."

12:58 p.m.: Jury called back into room.

A couple questions of Huber's aunt, then she steps down at 1:02 p.m.

12:45 p.m.: After lunch break, trial resumes.

Discussion for about 13 minutes over bringing in history on Anthony Huber's character.

11:04 a.m.: Amber Rasmussen with the State Crime Lab testifying.

She testifies that Huber's DNA was not found on Rittenhouse's gun, but that doesn't mean he didn't touch it.

11 a.m.: Lackowski testified he encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the night, described him as shouting "shoot me, shoot me" and making aggressive moves toward people, but said he did not find him threatening.

"And if I threaten to kill you that night and Im running at you and try to take your gun?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked Lackowski, describing what the defense says was Rosenbaum's behavior before Rittenhouse shot him. "A threat to my life, yes," he answered

After a state crime lab DNA analyst, next witness up will be Susan Hughes, Anthony Huber's aunt.

She testifies that she was close with Anthony Huber and saw him frequently, including on the day of his death. When prosecutor James Kraus asks her if she was surprised that Huber would "run toward danger" defense objects, setting off a legal argument. State argues for their ability to provide evidence to rebut the idea that Huber was the first aggressor. In his opening statement, defense attorney Richard accused Huber of trying to decapitate Rittenhouse with his skateboard. The state's view is that Huber, Grosskreutz and others believed Rittenhouse, who had just killed Rosenbaum, was an active shooter when they tried to stop him. "The state frankly believes that Mr. Huber is a hero," Kraus said.

Judge Schroeder appears to take the defense's view that the aunt should not be allowed to testify on the issue, but said he will make a decision after the lunch break.

10:26 a.m.: Break

9:30 a.m.: Before testimony begins for the day, another juror is dismissed at her request. The juror requested the dismissal for medical reasons, and attorneys for both sides did not object.

Prosecutor Thomas Binger also lets Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder know that he was captured on a live mic during one of the breaks in proceedings the day before. Schroeder acknowledges that he had remarked on the length of the proceedings, and there has been communication with video pool provider CourtTV about avoiding this in the future.

Binger then begins questioning of Jason Lackowski of Green Bay, who is identified as a Marine, who was one of the armed individuals with Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020.

Lackowski says he came to the city to protect property. Asked by Binger how he planned to do that, he says he was trained to "shout, shove, show (a firearm) and shoot."

Seconds after the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, video shows Lackowski encountered Rittenhouse; he said Rittenhouse looked "frazzled, shocked," and said he did not shoot anybody. Lackowski told Rittenhouse to run to the police.

Lackowski testified he was the one who provided the tourniquet that was applied to Gaige Grosskreutz.

Lackowski said that people at the scene after the shootings suspected he had been the person who shot others because he was holding an AR-15 and was wearing a shirt of similar color to the one Rittenhouse was wearing.

Lackowski said he gave some medical supplies to Rittenhouse earlier in the night, including "quick clot"  medical gauze used to stop severe bleeding.

Lackowski said soon after the first shooting, he "blacked out" due to the stress of the situation. "The lights on, nobody's home."

Lackowski testifies that he emptied the magazine and chamber of the handgun Gaige Grosskreutz had been holding when he was shot by Rittenhouse. As such, the gun was ready to fire when Grosskreutz was shot, according to Lackowski.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi confirms that Lackowski was never directly threatened or "ambushed" by anyone that night, a point the defense is making in its argument that Rittenhouse had reason to shoot others.

Lackowski said that he drove his car to Kenosha that night. When he went to drive home, he said he found his windshield and rear window were smashed in.

9 a.m. Witness testimony is set to continue this morning in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.

Jurors on Thursday heard from witnesses who testified that rapid sequence in which Rittenhouse shot three men was set off by the confrontational behavior of the first man, who threatened to kill Rittenhouse and others in his group and later grabbed for the 17-year-old's weapon right before he was shot.

The testimony came from two witnesses who were called to the stand by the prosecution but gave accounts often more favorable to the defense in the politically polarizing case.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The onetime youth police cadet from Antioch, Illinois, had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of a Black man.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording events on a cellphone that night for the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man shot that night, was killed after chasing down Rittenhouse and making a lunge for the gun.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.

The shooting of Rosenbaum set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later. Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard.

Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, a protester from West Allis, Wisconsin, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward Rittenhouse.

Prosecutors replayed widely seen video of the interview that The Daily Caller did with Rittenhouse before the shooting.

It began with Rittenhouse in front of a boarded-up building, where he said he and other men were there to protect this business, and part of my job is theres somebody hurt, Im running into harms way. He also said he was there to provide medical aid.

Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted.  Associated Press

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
And that might be all the more important this year as many people's routines have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Sleep affects the immune system as well as people's response to vaccines, Das said.

Here are some tips she offers to combat sleep issues when clocks change for daylight saving:

Take a look at light exposure

Das said people's internal clocks reset every day through sunlight, so she recommends increasing exposure to natural light. On the flip side, it's best to limit artificial light, such as from a cellphone, in the dark hours leading up to bedtime.

Practice for daylight saving time changes early

"Staying awake a whole hour early and then sleeping in can be difficult, especially for children," she said. She recommends that people try going to bed 20 minutes later (or earlier, depending on the time of year) a few days ahead of the change and then add 20 minutes every day until the clocks change for a more gradual transition.

Get regular exercise
WASHINGTON (AP)  A person traveling with President Joe Biden to Europe this past week received a positive test result for the coronavirus, the administration confirmed Thursday, saying the individual did not have close contact with the president.

The fully-vaccinated person is asymptomatic and is remaining in Scotland to quarantine while undergoing additional tests after testing positive on a lateral flow rapid test issued by the UK government required for all attendees at the UN climate summit underway in Scotland. Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, the White House said.

Breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people are rare, but have occurred somewhat more frequently as the more transmissible delta variant of the virus has become the dominant strain in most of the world. The vaccines still dramatically reduce instances of serious illness and death.

The White House says out of an abundance of caution  and in a move above and beyond Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance  a few staff members who were in close contact with the individual did not return to the U.S. aboard Air Force One, and instead flew home on a different government plane.
'Looping in' AG

Miyares said Thursday that former attorneys general told him that because of the sensitive nature of a parole board decision, the attorney general's office should have always been looped in on releases. He said he wants to find out internally if the attorney general's office was properly looped in when the misconduct happened, and also look at why the parole board itself didn't follow the rules.

"There's so much we do not know," he said. "I dont want future members of the parole board to make these mistakes again, because it led to such tragic consequences."

The five members of the parole board are appointed by the governor. Virginia abolished parole in 1995 but among the board's duties is considering parole for people convicted before that.

"We will replace the entire parole board on day one," Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin said in his victory speech Tuesday. Miyares said he would concur with such a move by the new governor.

Transition team

Miyares also announced his initial transition team, which is headed by former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, who is now an attorney and lobbyist with the firm Cozen O'Connor.
"That opened up the school choice issue for us in a way we could have never been able to do in our messaging, with all the money in the world," he said.

Republicans also are likely to revisit some laws pushed through by the Democratic-controlled legislature in the past two years - in efforts to adjust the regulatory framework for legalizing marijuana, restore a photo-ID requirement for voting and address the accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels under the Virginia Clean Economy Act.

Control of House

But first, Gilbert said, they have to secure their apparent 52-48 advantage against vote shifts in close House contests as mailed absentee ballots are counted through Friday.

House Republicans also have to choose between Gilbert, who led them back to power, and Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, who chaired the victorious House campaign effort, as the next speaker.

"That is a different election with a very small constituency," Gilbert said of the caucus vote for speaker.
The clamor to commute the penalty is giving Nagaenthrans family a sliver of hope.

His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, said the family cried and wailed when they were informed of the execution on Oct. 26. Initially she kept it a secret from her mother, who at 59 still works as a cleaner and has health problems.

On Tuesday, two days before the Hindu festival of Diwali, 10 family members finally surrounded her to explain about her sons imminent execution. She is set to fly to Singapore on Friday and is to meet her son for the first time in nearly three years.

Instead of celebrating (Diwali), we are crying and thinking about my brother and counting the days, Sarmila, 35, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday from northern Ipoh town. He has been on death row for more than 10 years. Please give him a second chance and stop his execution.

Sarmila said Nagaenthran, the second of four siblings, is a loving person who took odd jobs during high school to help out the family. The family still finds it hard to accept the court outcome and is praying daily for a miracle, she said.

In 2019, she said Nagaenthran suddenly refused to meet or talk to the family. Lawyer Ravi also wrote on Facebook that Nagaenthran refused to meet him since 2019.
Rosenbaums fiancee testified that hours before he was killed, she told him not to go downtown because of the unrest.

When he left, he said that he would see me in the morning and he was all excited and I love you. It was a pleasant visit, Swart said.

After getting a call from the medical examiner that Rosenbaum was dead, Swart said, she fell to her knees and cried and then found a video online showing him dying: I broke down and I cant get that image out of my head.

In the morning, Swart said, she went to the spot at a car dealership where Rosenbaum lay on the ground after being shot. And I put my hand in it and my hand was wet with his blood," she said. "And thats again when I collapsed on the ground.

Rosenbaum's killing has emerged as one of the most crucial moments that night because it set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later.

Rittenhouse shot and killed Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward the young man.
" " A vendor hawks Guy Fawkes' masks in the streets of Rio in July 2013, as Brazilian workers marched for better work conditions. Fawkes' likeness has been appropriated by all sorts of groups, including Anonymous. ChristopheSimon/AFP/GettyImages

It's difficult to remember, remember the fifth of November when you're uncertain what makes it so memorable. Guy Fawkes Day? Guy Fawkes Night? That guy with the beard from V for Vendetta? You need a primer on the Gunpowder Plot and a crash course in Catholic-Protestant history. Then all the bonfires and effigies will make sense.

Before we get into Guy  make that Guido  Fawkes, let's set the stage.

When Henry VIII, possessor of rotund belly and six wives, ruled England, the country was Catholic. At first. Henry's then-wife, Catherine of Aragon, could not bear him a male heir to the throne, and Henry could not bear to stay in an unfruitful union. Because the Catholic Church wouldn't grant him a divorce, he left the church. Then he got that divorce he needed.

Advertisement

Following (and Not Following) in Their Father's Footsteps

All of this was incredibly confusing for Henry's three children, who retained some Catholic religious beliefs but became politically opposed to the church's doctrine and did not look kindly upon Catholics in their kingdom.

After Henry's death, his son Edward took the throne, followed by Mary, who led a Catholic reign. But when Elizabeth became queen in 1558, England identified once again as a Protestant nation, and Catholics were forbidden from holding Mass, having Catholic marriage ceremonies and observing other religious rites.

Catholics living in England were hopeful when James of Scotland became king. His mother, Mary, was Catholic. Wouldn't he be sympathetic to members of her faith? This line of thought helped him garner support from the people of England, but ultimately, he also identified as Protestant  and was even less tolerant of Catholics than Elizabeth had been.

Frustrated and moved to action, many Catholics plotted to rid their country of the king. Of all the plots conceived to eliminate James, the Gunpowder Plot was the most notorious.

Advertisement

The Plot Begins

If you can imagine the cast of the "Ocean's Eleven" trilogy in breeches and broad collars, you've got an inkling of the crew Robert Catesby assembled to take down James and leaders of Parliament. They reasoned: kill James, and when his daughter takes the throne, she could be married off to a Catholic and redefine England's religious identity. To pull off his plot, Catesby initially recruited John Wright, Thomas Winter, Thomas Percy and, the most recognizable name among them, Guy Fawkes.

Fawkes was born in 1570 to Protestant parents but later became Catholic when his widowed mother remarried. He fought for Catholic Spain against the Protestant Dutch Republic in the Eighty Years' War. He'd long carried a grudge against James and asked Spain's King Philip III to aid him in a rebellion against the Protestant king. Philip said no.

So when Catesby and his crew came knocking, Fawkes, now going by Guido (that's Italian for Guy) was eager to get involved. An accomplished military captain, Fawkes had experience using  and more importantly  acquiring gunpowder.

The plotters spent nearly 18 months organizing their death sentence for the king. They sourced 36 barrels of gunpowder and rented a building close to Parliament so they could tunnel underground and transfer the supply to Parliament's cellars. Unfortunately for them, the River Thames reliably flooded and thwarted their efforts.

Advertisement

On to Plan B

While they cobbled together an alternative plan, Thomas Winter's employer, Lord Monteagle  a Catholic who'd earned his title by spying on Catholics for the government  tipped off Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, that these men were plotting against James. No one loved plots quite as much as Cecil. As we mentioned, there were plenty of plots brewing during this time, and he took full advantage of them.

Cecil was a marketing genius. He'd allow plotters to plot until the last minute, then foil their plans and show the people of England how close they'd been to losing their leader. He thought James' near-assassinations endeared them to the king and repeatedly proved just how fanatical Catholics could be. When Cecil got word that the Gunpowder Plotters were having trouble with their tunnels, he brazenly opened up a rental space below Parliament, knowing they'd snap it up. And they did.

Fawkes oversaw the transfer of gunpowder to the space beneath Parliament, and he would be personally responsible for igniting the explosion.

But at midnight on Nov. 4, 1605, Cecil sprang into action. Fawkes was apprehended and arrested.

Advertisement

Fawkes' Final Days

Torture wasn't legal in England, but James made a special exception for Fawkes' questioning. Fawkes held up for two days, submitting himself to excruciating pain, before confessing and naming his co-plotters. When he signed the confession, his signature was crudely formed, suggesting that the torture had left him little control over his limbs and digits.

Fawkes was sentenced to a traitor's death, meaning that he'd be hanged, drawn and quartered (dragged by a horse to the gallows, hanged almost to the point of death, then taken down to have his testicles, bowels and head removed, his body effectively being cut into four quarters). Fawkes wasn't having it. At the gallows, he leaped to the ground and broke his neck. As for the rest of the crew, they were also executed on Jan. 30 and 31, 1606.

Nothing really changed for the Catholics. They kept carrying on quietly, and some historians suspect they'd have been worse off if the Gunpowder Plotters had succeeded. Catholic extremists only made their fellow countrymen more suspicious of the religion and its adherents.

As for those fellow countrymen, they're still celebrating the king's spared life. Every year on Nov. 5, the date when the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, the British light bonfires and raucously cheer on the health of the nation. The celebration, interchangeably called Guy Fawkes Day, Guy Fawkes Night and Bonfire Night is no longer anti-Catholic. While people used to burn effigies of Fawkes and the pope, it's more common now to burn effigies of celebrities and politicians. Fawkes lives on as a near-mythic figure. He's come to symbolize anti-authority movements and indubitably takes top billing in the Gunpowder Plot story, despite his role as a supporting cast member.

Now Thats Interesting While Guy Fawkes didnt spearhead the Gunpowder Plot, hes the most notorious of the crew behind it. Despite a year-and-a-half of careful gunpowder sourcing and strategy, Fawkes was ultimately given up by a member of the faith he was working to restore to power.
Idaho dairy farmer John Brubaker said hed never felt so popular as when he explained his farming practices to a group of food importers during a U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) trade mission to Singapore.

You almost felt like a rockstar, Brubaker said on the October 27 Hoards Dairyman DairyLivestream sponsored by Cargill. We were just swarmed with the traders and the buyers and the importers there wanting to know if they could just buy product from our dairy  because they had no idea the way we farmed in America.

The potential customer relationships illustrated by that example is what most excites Brubaker about dairy exports, a section of the industry that he describes as near and dear to his heart. The Idaho and Utah region he represents on the board of the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) sends close to 80% of its vast milk volume overseas through ingredients, cheese, or butter.

We dont have a great base of consumers because we dont have that population base, Brubaker said. We are very much an export state because it has to leave our boundaries.

To meet that need, he also pointed out that the area is home to some sophisticated dairy processing plants that can make quality ingredients such as whey protein and those for infant formula, which are in high demand in various countries.

Protein wanted

Brubaker values the chance he had to see that demand in action with the USDEC trade mission a few years ago because it helped put the work he does on the farm into perspective.

I really wish more dairymen could have that opportunity because it really opens up your eyes to the other part of the world that needs nutrition and has to buy it all in, he shared. We take so much for granted here in America.

U.S. dairy trade efforts have been specifically focusing on Singapore and the greater Southeast Asia region recently because the growing, fairly young population puts great value on protein. Brubaker recalled that on store shelves, he saw formula marketed for every age range from infants to 55 and older.

He also experienced the hot and humid conditions in the region that make efficiently raising dairy cattle difficult. Without that widespread domestic production, imports are critical to feeding a growing population. All of these factors make the region a ripe opportunity for U.S. dairy.

As those economies develop, I just see so much potential to continue to increase our volume going into Southeast Asia, Brubaker said. I think theres no better time to be involved in exports than right now.

To watch the recording of the October 27 DairyLivestream, go to the link above. The program recording is also available as an audio-only podcast on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and downloadable from the Hoards Dairyman website.

An ongoing series of events

The next broadcast of DairyLivestream will be on Wednesday, November 17 at 11 a.m. CST. Each episode is designed for panelists to answer over 30 minutes of audience questions. If you havent joined a DairyLivestream broadcast yet, register here for free. Registering once registers you for all future events.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021

November 4, 2021
"Personally, the things that get me excited are being able to see that influence. Test scores are great, but they are not what we are here for. I am not going to see a kid in 20 years and say, 'Remember when you had a really good grade on that state test?' It is not going to happen," said Principal of the year Dr. Adam Auerbach.
The Old Courthouse Theatre is participating in MTIs All Together Now! a brand-new musical revue featuring 15 beloved songs from MTIs shows with a show at 2:30 p.m. The event opens with Be Our Guest and closes with Seasons of Love. There also are songs from Mamma Mia!, Frozen, Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell and others in this family friendly event. This is a fundraiser for OCT. Masks are required. Tickets are available at octconcord.com .

The annual HOLIDAY FUN EXPRESS hosted by the Cabarrus County Extension and Community Association (ECA) and the Family and Consumer Sciences Program will be in the Cabarrus Rooms at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center in Concord. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. with coffee and hot tea available. The program begins at 10 a.m. ECA members and friends will be sharing quick and easy holiday decorating ideas, gifts and recipes. ECA members will host a Win-Me event for holiday shopping that will benefit Cabarrus County ECA nonprofit community programs. Win-Me tickets will be available for purchase at the event. Attendance will be limited, and masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Cost is $5 per person. Preregistration is required. Register online at www.cabarruscounty.us/register, in person at the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Cabarrus Center, 715 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord, on workdays, or by mail. Make checks payable to Cabarrus County. For more information, call 704-920-3310 weekdays.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  After nearly a century on its lofty perch, the northern mockingbird may be singing its last melodies as the state bird of Florida.

An effort is taking flight to replace the far-ranging musical mockingbird with a bird that is more identifiable as distinctly Floridian.

Part of what were working to do is highlight that Florida has these incredible species and we should recognize the bird that most represents Florida, said state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican whose legislation would strip the mockingbird of its title. To me, it's a fun conversation to have."

Suggestions for a new state bird are all over the map, but four main contenders have emerged: the Florida scrub jay, flamingo, osprey and roseate spoonbill. The white ibis, swallow-tailed kite and wood stork also get mentioned. Some joke it should be the construction crane.

The gray-and-white mockingbird, celebrated in literature and music, has been Florida's state bird since 1927, when the state was much more agricultural and less populated on the coasts. It may not be quite as representative of today's bustling, modern Florida  and four other states also call it the state bird.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan initially expressed support in a private message to his former chief of staff when a severance payment to him now at the center of a federal indictment first became public, but Hogans spokesman said Thursday the message was sent before the governor learned how the payment was obtained.

The Washington Post first reported on the message sent by the governor, after Roy McGrath provided the undated message to the newspaper.

I know you did nothing wrong. I think it is unfair. I will stand with you, Hogan wrote to McGrath after it became public in the middle of August 2020 that McGrath received a $233,647 severance package from Maryland Environmental Services.

Michael Ricci, Hogan's spokesman, confirmed to The Associated Press that the message was authentic. Hogan has repeatedly told reporters that he was unaware of the details about the severance before he hired McGrath on June 1, 2020, and Ricci said Thursday that the private message doesn't contradict that.

This is consistent with what the governor has previously said: that he was told this severance package was customary, Ricci said in an interview.

McGrath has said the Republican governor approved the payment.
Hundreds of lawsuits similar to those filed Thursday in North Carolina have been combined into multi-district litigation in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina.

Stein said manufacturers should have taken steps like telling purchasers about the risks posed by the foam, telling firefighters how they could limit the spread of the foam, including creating barriers that would block the foam's spread once it is mixed with water.

"They were willing to put the health and well being of the people of North Carolina at risk in order to make more money. That's absolutely unconscionable," Stein said, "and because of the damage they've done to our natural resources, the burden to cleaning that up should be on them."

North Carolina residents who drink water from municipal systems have the benefit of their cities testing their water regularly, but Stein said "folks with well water don't have that assurance."

"We encourage anybody who lives on well water to get that water tested," he said. "You don't want anyone in your family to get sick."
Minister Brophy opens Mies Van der Rohe EU awards architecture exhibit at Irish pavilion

Global & Diaspora

On 2 November, Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D. opened the Mies van der Rohe architecture exhibition at the Irish pavilion, in partnership with the EU Commission.

This temporary exhibition entitled European Architecture as a Caregiver demonstrates Irelands engagement at Expo as a member of the European Union and addresses key issues within Urban and Rural Development theme week, which runs from 31 October to 6 November.

The launch at the Irish pavilion on 1 November was attended by Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations. The exhibition will be on display at the Irish pavilion during the months of November and December and full information is available on the Expo 2020 website.

Also during his visit to Expo, Minister Brophy visited the Dubai Cares pavilion and met with CEO Tariq al Gurg. Dubai Cares supports young peoples access to education in the developing world.
Opening Night of Riverdance at Expo

Global & Diaspora

Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D. represented the Government at the opening night of Riverdance at Expo 2020 Dubai, welcoming Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Managing Director for the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and Minister of State for International Cooperation as guest of honour.

Riverdance at Expo marks a unique co-production between Ireland and the UAE, bringing Irish music, dance and creativity to the world. The cultural phenomenon of Riverdance is inspired by Irish traditions and heritage. T

his specially curated, Middle-Eastern influenced reinterpretation of their 25th Anniversary Show will delight Expos international audience throughout the month of November. The show will feature middle-eastern musicians and instruments, including the oud and ney.

Riverdance at Expo will feature a cast of 80 of musicians and dancers from all around the world. Please see the press release for more information.
The accelerated roll-out of 5G connectivity across Europe and the UK will have an immediate and catalysing impact in reducing CO2e emissions, according to a new study commissioned by Ericsson.

As European nations ramp up efforts to address climate targets, a new Europe-wide analysis finds that implementing 5G technology across four high-emitting sectors - power, transport, manufacturing, and buildings - could create 55-170MtCO2e of emissions savings per year, the same saving that would be achieved by removing 35 million cars. Thats one in seven cars on Europes roads, Ericsson says.

The study reports that at least 40% of the EUs carbon reduction solutions, up until 2030, will rely on fixed-line and mobile connectivity.

These solutions, such as the development of renewable energy generators, could reduce EU emissions by 550 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (550MtCO2e), which is nearly half of the emissions created by the entire EU energy supply sector in 2017, and 15% of the EUs total annual emissions in 2017, the year chosen as a benchmark for the analysis.

Adding in the savings from applying 5G to the four high-emitting sectors would bring the total emissions reduction to nearly 20% of the EUs total annual emissions in 2017. The equivalent of the total annual emissions of Spain and Italy combined, the report says.

Ericsson says that despite the potential at stake, new forecasting of 5G roll-out from the annual Ericsson Mobility Report paints a concerning picture for Europe.

At the end of 2020, 5G covered around 15% of the worlds population. In 2027, just three years before global emissions will need to have halved to stay on track to limit global warming to 1.5C, new forecasts predict that global roll-out will still only be at around 75%.

North America and North East Asia are estimated to enjoy more than 95% population coverage by 2027. In contrast, Europe is estimated to be significantly behind its economic competitors with more than 80% population coverage.

Ericsson says it has invested heavily in energy-efficiency-led R&D - and product and solution development - across all technology portfolios to offer customers the most sustainable alternatives for their network modernisation strategies.

The study is a catalyst to drive more 5G coverage in Europe. However, many of the applications and industry transformations can be supported by fixed networks and even 4G wireless.

Ericsson reported that its 5G Smart Factory manufacturing complex in Lewisville, Texas, USA, was built with end-to-end environmental sustainability best practice as a top priority. Ericssons own energy-efficiency 5G solutions are operational at the site. The factory was designed to utilise 24% less energy and 75% less indoor water usage, avoiding 97% operational carbon emission, than comparable buildings.

The 5G Smart Factory has been awarded twice in 2021 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for its global leadership in next-generation Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) manufacturing and sustainability achievements, Ericsson said.

Ericsson president and CEO Borje Ekholm says: The EU and UK have set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions that will require transformational shifts across society. This new analysis demonstrates that connectivity, and specifically 5G, is vital to achieving these decarbonisation targets. It is difficult to see how these targets will be met unless the roll-out of digital infrastructure across Europe accelerates to match that of other leading countries and regions in the developed world.

At Ericsson we view sustainability as a vital responsibility, not an optional extra. This is why the role that limitless connectivity has to play in driving a sustainable future is a fundamental part of Ericssons company vision. We will continue to invest heavily, not just for our customers through energy-efficiency products and solutions, but in our own operations, just as we have done at our 5G Smart Factory in the US. It is a great example of the emission saving results that can be achieved through implementing 5G manufacturing.

Ekholm adds: At present, with 5G roll-out, Europe is strolling towards a more digital, low-carbon future, while other regions are sprinting in the same direction. Policymakers and regulators have a major role to play here by realising the competitive economic, social and sustainable potential of 5G and working speedily together to clear practical, regulatory and financial obstacles so that people, businesses, industries and societies right across Europe can enjoy the benefits.

Let's all hope that Australia and our federal leaders can be finally dragged into the 21st century and do more to proactively support CO2 reductions with aggressive plans to transition industry to a greener future. Australia has always led in the release of new communications technologies like 5G and the NBN, these assets now need to be leveraged to create a brighter greener future for our children and their children.

The report can be downloaded here.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 1 November 2021.
Remi Galasso: " Hawaiki Nui has been designed to deliver direct connectivity through new subsea paths and provide optimal diversity."

New Zealand cable operator Hawaiki Submarine Cable has announced a new trans-Pacific cable system Hawaiki Nui, the first spatial division multiplexing cable linking south-east Asia, Australasia and North America.

In a statement, the company, which was acquired by the global maritime firm BW Group in July, said it has selected PT Mora Telematika Indonesia (Moratelindo) as its strategic partner for Indonesia.

Hawaiki owns and operates the Hawaiki Transpacific Cable which went into operation in July 2018, and spans 15,000km. It is claimed to be the fastest and largest capacity link between New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and mainland US, with a design capacity of 67Tbps.

Construction of the Hawaiki Nui cable system, which will span 22,000 km, is expected to begin next year and be completed in 2025.

The company said Hawaiki Nui would have a design capacity of 240 Tbps and connect Singapore, Sydney and Los Angeles. Landings are planned in Jakarta and Batam making the Nui the first cable to offer Indonesia triple connectivity to Singapore, Australia and the US.

Hawaiki Nui will link Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin, while offering these cities direct access to Singapore and LA.

The new Hawaiki Nui submarine cable is in green, and the existing Hawaiki submarine cable is in white. Supplied

Coupled with the existing Hawaiki cable, Hawaiki Nui will significantly expand our subsea network and offer unparalleled connectivity and redundancy to customers operating in the Asia-Pacific region, said Hawaiki founder and executive chairman Remi Galasso.

An all-in-one submarine cable infrastructure with multiple international and domestic routes embedded in the same system, Hawaiki Nui has been designed to deliver direct connectivity through new subsea paths and provide optimal diversity.

Indonesia has become a strategic market in south-east Asia and we look forward to working closely with Moratelindo, which has demonstrated its unique ability to implement and operate subsea and terrestrial fibre networks in Indonesia over recent years.

Moratelindo president director Galumbang Menak said: We are pleased to co-operate with Hawaiki and participate in the development of the Hawaiki Nui cable project.

"This new submarine cable system will provide an alternative low latency route for international connectivity to and from Indonesia, and reduce the countrys dependence on existing connections going through Singapore.

Dr Ir. Ismail, director-general of Frequency Spectrum Management and IT Equipment Standard, Ministry of ICT Indonesia, said: Development of the Hawaiki Nui submarine cable project represents a welcomed initiative for Indonesias telecommunications as it will enable us to greatly improve our international connectivity.
MATTOON  Work is nearing completion on a mural at the west end of the Cross County Mall that celebrates the history of this shopping center and its property owner, Rural King.

Lauren Norris, real estate coordinator for Rural King Realty, said the company wanted to mark this year's 50th anniversary of the Cross County Mall Merchants Association and decided that a mural on the west wall would be a great way to show how the mall has developed over the years.

Norris said Rural King Realty commissioned artist Jamie Stang, owner of Stang Arts in Effingham, to create this mural because they were familiar with her work in other area communities. Norris said she has enjoyed seeing the mural take shape since late summer as the backdrop for a former parking area where the mall has added sod, trees and picnic tables in recent years.

"It's looking really great and I think it's going to be a destination for people to come and see it," Stang said of the mural and the new greenspace. "I think it's going to pull everything together."

Stang said she met with representatives from Rural King and the Merchants Association to get their vision for the mural. She then created a design for this original customized artwork that stretches along the entire west wall of the shopping center. The artist noted that this is the largest mural created in Illinois by Stang Arts, which has worked throughout much of the United States and in Switzerland.

The introductory area to the mural starts on a loading dock wall at the northwest corner of the mall, where Stang and her crew this week are painting a welcome message for the Cross County Mall. The north end of the mural is filled by the image of a gigantic U.S. flag that stretches to the south and drapes into the tops of the other sections of this artwork.

"We all go outside the lines in life and sometimes it makes beautiful art," Stang said of one of her guiding artistic philosophies.

After beginning with the colorful U.S. flag, the mural switches to black and white and to sepia tones to show the Cross County Mall as it was 50 years ago, and then a farmer on a tractor from that era. Stang said the adjacent focal point of the mural is an image of the state boundaries that will have one of Rural King's signature windmill logos to mark Mattoon, where this farm and home store company was founded in 1960.

"Here is where Rural King got started. Its store was right here in Mattoon," Stang said.

The east half of the mural switches back to color to reflect contemporary times. The farm scene there includes black and white cows, a red barn, and a tractor that Stang said will be painted Rural King red and carry a Merchants Association flag. She noted that an image of the current mall will be in the background of this scene. Rural King moved its Mattoon store to the mall in January 2019 after purchasing this property.

Stang said she is nearing completion on the mural with the help of a crew that includes her husband, Tim Ellis; her mother, Wendy Stang; and assistants Laquita Campbell, Dang Stang and Amber Wehrle. She encouraged community members to watch their progress on this mural and future projects at https://www.facebook.com/stangarts.

"We have had lots of people stop by already," Stang said of the mall mural. "We have murals all over the place. We have people out of town and out of state who follow us."

Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SPRINGFIELD  State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, announced Thursday that he will seek reelection next year in the redrawn 54th District.

I am committed, now more than ever, to standing up for our communities against the radical liberal agenda that is driving the chaos across Illinois," McClure said in a news release.

McClure, 37, who lives on the far west side of Springfield and was first elected in 2018, is running in a district that covers significantly different ground than the one he currently represents, which stretches across west-central Illinois from Sangamon County to the Mississippi River.

The new district, drawn as part of the legislative redistricting map proposed by legislative Democrats and signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker earlier this year, covers all or parts of 14 mostly-rural Central Illinois counties. It stretches from Petersburg in the northwest to Staunton in the southwest to Effingham in the southeast to Moultrie County in the northeast.

The district includes most of the southern portion of Macon County, including Macon and Mount Zion. It also takes in a small slice of southwest Decatur near the South Side Country Club.

McClure, a Springfield native, initially ran for the Illinois Senate as a primary challenger to incumbent state Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview.

But when McCann opted to run for governor as a third party candidate, McClure was unopposed in the primary. He then won the general election unopposed in the heavily Republican district.

McClure is is a graduate of Arizona State University, the University of Illinois Springfield and Valparaiso University. He received a law degree from the latter.

Prior to serving in the legislature, McClure was a Sangamon County assistant state's attorney for six years.

McClure was appointed assistant minority leader of the Illinois Senate GOP caucus earlier this year.

McClure is a conservative, especially on issues of public safety and law enforcement, though has broken from his party on occasion, most notably when he voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2019.

Given the significant new territory McClure's district covers, he may face a competitive primary challenge.

Former state Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Morrisonville, has expressed an interest in running for the seat, according to news reports.

Rosenthal served in the Illinois House from 2011 to 2015 and was later appointed director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by former Gov. Bruce Rauner. He currently serves on the Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees.

McClure had about $68,000 on hand as of Oct. 1, according to campaign finance reports. Rosenthal has not yet started campaign committee.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
MATTOON  Interim Champaign Police Chief Matt Henson, who is a past officer in Arcola and Charleston, has been appointed as the new director of the emergency communications system for Coles and Moultrie counties.

The system's Emergency Telephone System Board voted 6-1 to appoint Henson, an Arcola native, during its regular meeting in the Coles County Emergency Communications Center. Henson will fill the director position previously held by James Calvert, who stepped down from this post in mid-September.

"Matt's interview was fantastic. He met all the requirements we were looking for," said board Chair Dan Ensign, who served on an applicant screening committee with fellow board members John Hedges, Sr. and Chris Wright. They recommended hiring Henson.

Hedges said Henson is familiar with the Tyler Tech Public Safety Suite that the Coles-Moultrie 911 system will be adopting because the Champaign Police Department is in the middle of adopting this technology. Wright added that Henson has good administrative experience that will help the 911 system succeed.

Ensign said Henson's wife, Christy, is a senior dispatcher for the 911 system. He said the 911 board's attorney and the Coles County State's Attorney's Office have both advised that there are no nepotism rules that would prohibit the couple from working in the same department. He said Henson has indicated that he will excuse himself from advising the board on personnel matters involving his wife.

The board's other two finalists were Gabe Boedecker, who served as a Coles County 911 dispatcher for 13 years and now works for Horizon Health in Paris, and Jeremy Clark, a captain with the Mattoon Police Department. Wright, who is a captain with the Sullivan Fire Department, voted for Henson, but said Boedecker was a strong candidate because of his past experience with the Coles County 911 center.

"(Boedecker) knows this building probably better than most of us here," Wright said.

Henson is slated to serve as 911 director on a probationary period for year with an annual wage of $72,500, the same rate as Calvert, with the option of having his contract extended for a second year at $75,000. Board member Rick Shook, who is a representative for the Coles County Board, said he voted "no" to hiring Henson at this wage because he believes Calvert made too much.

Coles-Moultrie 911 Assistant Director Amanda Williamson, who has been working remotely from her family's new home in Florida since late summer, has been handling the director's responsibilities remotely since Calvert stepped down. Williamson, speaking via a live video link, told the board that she has accepted a new job in Florida starting Jan. 1 and would not be available to have her assistant director contract temporarily extended beyond its Dec. 31 expiration.

The board voted 6-1 to let Williamson's contract expire after Dec. 31. Charleston Fire Chief Steve Bennett and Mattoon Police Chief Sam Gaines both said they believe it's essential for an assistant director to live in the area they are serving. Wright said he voted "yes" to not rule out any options.

The board tabled proposals to have Williamson serve as a consultant to help Henson after Dec. 31 and to give her a stipend for performing the director's duties since Sept. 15. The board plans to schedule a special meeting to vote on these proposals.

Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
MATTOON  The Coles-Moultrie Emergency Communication Center is seeking a new director.

Current Director James Calvert, who was appointed in December, said he notified the board Aug. 13 that he plans to resign.

Calvert said he is still serving in this administration post in the meantime and has offered to remain on duty to help train the new director, but the training decision is up to the board. He said he cannot comment further at this time due to pending negotiations with the board over his severance package.

The Emergency Telephone System Board has set an Oct. 7 deadline for applicants. Board Chair Dan Ensign said their hiring committee will narrow down the candidates to three finalists, interview them, and then present a proposed new director to the board for a vote. He said they hope to have a new director before Jan. 1.

"We are not going to rush into it. We are going to take our diligent time to get the right candidate," Ensign said. He referred questions to the current director about his resignation.

Applicants are asked to send their resume and cover letter to Sam Gaines, vice chair of the 911 board.

Coles-Moultrie 911 Assistant Director Amanda Williams, who has served in this post since 2002, has been working remotely since July from Florida, where her husband accepted a job. Gaines said Williams' remote work has been going fine so far.

The board discussed the remote work agreement that the director authorized at its Aug. 10 meeting and gave notice that it does not want this contract extended past its Dec. 31 expiration.

Ensign said he is not sure yet how the assistant director position will be filled after Dec. 31, but the board could advertise for candidates if needed.

Seven 911 dispatchers recently sent a letter to the newspaper expressing their support for Calvert and Williamson, saying they are both capable and supportive managers. The dispatchers said remote administration work has been done flawlessly in the past and has enabled Williams to continue assisting Calvert in his first year as director.

"There is still a lot of work and tasks that go into being director that don't come up in everyday work, and Amanda has the knowledge to help him through that with her 19.5 years of experience," the dispatchers wrote. "There also lies the want and need for her to still be working to assure we are provided the best management possible and by taking that one straw (Williamson) away, you are weakening the entire structure."

Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Cook County commissioners voted Thursday to amend a guns and ammunition tax that was found unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court, aiming to give the measure another lifeline by designating that money for violence prevention.

In a 12-2 vote, with three commissioners absent, the county board approved the amendment, which states all revenue from the firearm and ammunition tax must go toward programs or operations geared toward gun violence prevention. The passage follows an Oct. 21 ruling from the states highest court that found the levy was unconstitutional.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who proposed the legislation, said she believes the tweaks will align the ordinance with the Illinois Supreme Courts opinion that taxes impeding a fundamental right such as the Second Amendment must be used for a substantially related cause.

Previously, the $1.6 million annual revenue from the guns and ammunition tax was used for the countys public safety fund, which includes the criminal justice system.

When asked by a reporter why she strove so hard to save the tax, Preckwinkle began reading off statistics on gun violence in Chicago, including the fact that shootings in 2021 are up 10% compared with this time last year.

The cost of a bullet should reflect, even if just a little bit, the cost of the violence that ultimately is not possible without the bullet, Preckwinkle said.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

In 2012, the county board passed a $25 tax on gun purchases in Cook County; it was amended in 2015 to add a 1- to 5-cent-per-cartridge tax for ammunition. A gun rights organization sued later that year in Cook County Circuit Court, and the case made its way to the Illinois Supreme Court.

The boards two Republican commissioners, Sean Morrison and Peter Silvestri, opposed the amendment. Before the vote, Morrison read a separate opinion from Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke that said, The majoritys analysis wrongly leaves the door open for a municipality to enact a future tax on firearms or ammunition that is more narrowly tailored to the purpose of ameliorating the cost of gun violence.

Burke also wrote, The only problem with that approach is that it would still violate the Illinois Constitution.

Morrison said the revised amendment still is glaringly in violation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He added he was concerned the board approved this change when the Illinois Supreme Courts order has not been finalized.

That issue stems from the state Supreme Court sending the matter back to the circuit court to grant final judgment, which likely will not happen until Nov. 23, according to a Laura Lechowicz Felicione, legal counsel for Preckwinkles office. The unconstitutionality ruling wont come into play until that happens, she said.

Clearly, what were stating here is that were going to try and play beat the clock on getting around a state constitution, Morrison said. Why were rushing this through given the fact that our state Supreme Court ruled against it is to me, just, I dont understand it.

Commissioner Larry Suffredin, a Democrat and vocal gun control advocate, brushed off Morrisons warnings. He noted that Burke was acting as a lone justice when he issued his opinion against future taxes with a narrower focus.

Commissioner Morrison tries to literally read a Supreme Court decision without understanding the interaction of the constitution, Suffredin said. We are well within the time frame that is allowed under the law. We are acting in good faith here.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
SPRINGFIELD  The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant drops in enrollment, academic performance and the likelihood of graduating high school on time, according to the latest school report card released recently by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The report card is an annual report that tracks how the state, and each school and district, are progressing on a wide range of educational goals.

But the report also showed that more Illinois students than ever are preparing for college and careers by taking dual credit, Advanced Placement and career and technical education, or CTE courses, while schools themselves are doing a better job of retaining veteran teachers.

We have witnessed both tragedy and heroism in our schools over the past year, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala said in a statement. Students and educators have lost so much and lived and learned through unthinkable obstacles, but loss is not the whole story. Illinois schools also stepped up the rigor of high school course work, ensured students still graduated and earned early college credit along the way.

According to the report, which covers the 2020-21 academic year, total enrollment in Pre-K-12 schools fell 3.6% from the prior year, or by about 70,000 students, to just under 1.89 million. State officials said recent trends would have predicted a 1.1% decline, meaning the additional 2.5% can be attributed to the pandemic.

The biggest enrollment declines were in Pre-K and kindergarten, with pre-K enrollment dropping 17% and kindergarten enrollment dropping 8%.

The report also shows a disturbing increase in chronic absenteeism since the pandemic began. More than one in five students, or 22.8%, missed 10% or more of all school days in the year. Thats up from 13.4% in 2019, the most recent full pre-pandemic year.

The increase in absenteeism was especially notable among English learners, Black and Hispanic students.

Officials cautioned, however, that the 2021 figures might not be reliable because of the number of students who were engaged in remote learning, where taking accurate attendance counts can be more challenging.

We know from national studies from the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that school districts serving primarily Black and Hispanic students provided the least access to in-person learning last year, Brenda Dixon, ISBEs research and evaluation officer, said during a briefing on the report. We suspect that less access to in-person learning contributed to lower engagement among Black and Hispanic students.

The report card also showed declines in student performance on standardized tests, although those numbers are still preliminary because schools were given the option of administering those tests this fall due to the number of buildings that were still not fully open in the spring. Full results will be published next spring.

All students in grades 3-8 take whats called the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, or IAR, which covers English language arts and math proficiency. High school students are tested in 11th grade by taking the SAT exam.

The preliminary results showed fewer students meeting grade-level standards compared to 2019, especially among younger students who may have struggled more to engage in remote learning, Dixon said.

The number of students meeting grade-level standards dropped 17.8% in math and 16.6% in English language arts, with the biggest declines seen among English language learners and low-income students.

The rate of ninth-grade students who were on track to graduate dropped 5.1% from 2019, reflecting an increase in students receiving failing grades, ISBE said. Students are identified as on track if they have earned at least five full-year course credits and have received no more than one semester of an F grade in a core subject.

Agency officials said ninth-grade students who are on track are almost four times more likely to graduate than those who are not on track, and one of the most effective ways to increase graduation rates is through active, early intervention by identifying ninth-graders who are at risk and providing them with tutoring, additional instruction and other individualized services.

The Illinois State Board of Education is encouraging schools to watch this cohort closely and to utilize federal pandemic relief funds for research-based interventions, especially for current ninth- and 10th-graders who are not on track for graduation, Ayala said during the briefing. We are also launching a $25 million high-impact tutoring program early this coming year to provide these types of individualized services to students across the education continuum.

Ayala also noted that Illinois has received nearly $8 billion in federal pandemic relief funding to address the gaps that resulted from remote learning. Ninety percent of that money was paid directly to school districts that will decide locally how to spend it, but ISBE has earmarked the remaining 10% for things like bolstering special education services, closing the digital divide, and mental health services for students and educators.

One area of academic performance that did improve was in college and career preparation. The report card showed the number of students taking courses for both high school and college credit grew 12% from the prior year, to 72,490. Advanced Placement enrollment grew 1.6%, to 129,574, and CTE enrollment inched up a fraction of a percentage point to 287,191.

Officials attributed that to increased funding in recent years for programs that cover the cost of taking AP exams for low-income students as well as for CTE education overall.

The states overall teacher retention rate  the three-year average of the percentage of full-time teachers returning to the same school from the previous year  also rose more than a percentage point, to 87.1%, although retention rate was lower among Black teachers.
In addition to teaching courses on feminism, religion and science, and liberation theology, Bryan advocated for civil rights, pursued social reform, and helped to integrate Wake Forest College in the 1960s.

The series brings to Wake Forest preachers and speakers to inspire students to live and serve at the intersection of Christianity and social justice, WFU has said.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

West, 68, a popular professor of African American studies and a social justice activist, has worked as a professor at Harvard and Princeton universities.

In early March, West abandoned his quest for tenure at Harvard and returned to Union Theological Seminary, where he first taught 44 years ago.

In the previous weeks, West had threatened to leave Harvard because, he said, the university had balked at a recommendation by a faculty committee that his untenured position be converted to a tenured one.

During the question and answer session following his lecture, West said that proponents of critical race theory need to show that they care about the situation of the people who oppose that theory and push them to show how their views about that theory are valid, West said.
Parents and their children can take a look at different educational programs offered at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools at the districts Magnet and Choice Showcase on Saturday.

The showcase will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Education Building at the Carolina Classic Fairgrounds. It will include some student performances from the various magnet schools as well as demonstrations from robotics teams and dual-language immersion programs.

Students from schools will also be on hand to talk about their experiences.

The application period for choice and magnet schools will be from Nov. 29 to Dec. 21. Students who are already in a magnet program do not have to reapply.

This is meant to showcase what each school has to offer all in one place, said school district spokesman Brent Campbell.

Magnet schools are those that accept students from anywhere in the district, regardless of residential zone. The schools often have a particular theme or focus that sets them apart from more their traditional counterparts. They offer programs in the performing arts, sciences, college prep, international baccalaureate programs and others.

The school district has magnet programs at its elementary, middle and high schools.
Christina Howell, spokeswoman for the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office, has said there is no criminal investigation and no charges have been filed.

On Tuesday, Terry Bennett and Eddie Horn, who had been appointed to fill the remaining terms of Plunkett and Stigall, officially won the seats in the towns municipal election. Plunkett and Stigall did not actively campaign after they resigned, though their names remained on the ballot. The seat held by McDermon, which is up for election in 2023, remains unfilled.

Randolph James, the interim town attorney, filed a document in Forsyth Superior Court on Oct. 26, alleging that McDermon, Plunkett and Stigall violated state law in approving the settlement for Garner. McDermon, Plunkett and Stigall denied those allegations in a letter to the editor published in the Journal on Tuesday.

Frank James and Randolph James are not related.

Among the allegations, Randolph James said that McDermon, Plunkett and Stigall held illegal meetings in violation of the states open meetings law about the agreement. James also alleged that the towns finance director never got a chance to pre-audit the agreement to make sure there was enough money in the budget to pay for it. And, Randolph James said, the town was not obligated to provide Garner with any severance since she took another job.

Randolph James said in the document that he intends to file a lawsuit by Nov. 15, the same day Garner is scheduled to start her job in Graham. The lawsuit would seek at least $25,000 in damages for breaches of fiduciary duty.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
However, the federal government should not have the power to make that decision for employers and employees.

In response to the vaccine mandate, more unvaccinated individuals are requesting an exemption from the mandate to avoid losing their job.

Americans have been able to request exemptions for certain educational, employment and other societal functions since Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The N.C. Division of Employment Security said it will review whether the person filing for unemployment benefits was compliant with their employers policy.

Under federal rules, N.C. Labor officials must respond to federal OSHA within 15 days regarding the agencys decision on adoption of the standard.

At this point, we are reviewing the text of the rule and its potential impact on our states employers and will ultimately issue a response by the required date, Dobson said.

We anticipate legal action at the state and federal level, which may impact NCDOLs next steps.

Commissioners response

Dobson said in his statement that he is fully vaccinated.
We are using all investigative means and resources necessary to identify the person that was found on U.S Highway 52, said Kira Boyd, a police spokeswoman.

The southbound lanes of U.S. 52 were closed for hours between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Salem Parkway as police conducted their investigation.

Police Chief Catrina Thompson said the person who died was a pedestrian, and officers are investigating what exactly happened to result in the persons death.

Police received the report of a body on the highway at 6:48 a.m. Thursday before sunrise.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The body was found on U.S. 52 near the exit ramp that takes southbound traffic onto Salem Parkway West. Police put up a screen around the body, which lay mostly in the right lane and partly on the shoulder near the ramp.

A man who was driving through the area Thursday morning told WGHP/Fox 8 News that it appeared the dead person had been struck by multiple vehicles.

The television station is the news-gathering partner of the Winston-Salem Journal.

It was unknown Friday whether the dead person was a man or a woman, Thompson said.

The affected section of the highway was closed until about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Journal reporter John Hinton contributed to this story.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
LeGrand challenged incumbent Joyce Krawiec in Senate District 31, winning the Forsyth County part of the district but losing Davie County and holding Krawiec to 53% of the total vote.

If Krawiec had run in 2020 in her new district lines, she would have most likely walked away with a large victory, according to an analysis by a Journal reporter.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

I think that district was definitely drawn to keep Joyce Krawiec safe, LeGrand said. It has all of Stokes and that doughnut around Winston-Salem. LeGrand said that Krawiec, as a member of the Senate redistricting committee, had friends who wanted to make sure she had a seat she could win easily.

Krawiec said shes happy with her new district but that she didnt go near the maps during their preparation. She had no comment on LeGrands accusations, but added that her own district has been different in almost every election cycle.

Besse, a former member of the Winston-Salem City Council, came within 1,300 votes of winning the GOP-leaning 74th N.C. House District in 2020, a contest won by Jeff Zenger with 51% of the vote.

The new 74th is mostly the same as in 2020, but loses several precincts that Besse carried in 2020, and picks up one that votes heavily Republican.
State Senate leader Phil Berger, a longtime opponent of much-needed Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, says hes now willing to consider enacting expansion as part of his negotiations with Gov. Roy Cooper over the current state budget.

Its not much, but its something.

In the context of getting a budget this year, particularly ... the budgets that were passed by the House and the Senate, that crafting Medicaid expansion on top of that was, in my view, a trade that was worth considering, Berger told reporters Tuesday. He says he still believes expansion is a bad policy, but hes indicated that I thought that was something that would be appropriate for us to move forward with.

Its a little disappointing, frankly, that Berger would consider allowing Medicaid expansion as part of a horse trade. A program that benefits the health and well-being of North Carolina citizens at bargain-basement prices should pass on its own merits  and does, with a majority of North Carolinians, including many business leaders and medical authorities, as well as many who care about the rural areas of the state that could use a helping hand.
Irrelevant issues

As a political entity becomes more decadent, it obsesses on more irrelevant issues to motivate the base. If the issues are emotional enough, they dont have to make any sense. Abortion is not going to save or destroy the union. A minority of women might need an abortion once or twice in a lifetime.

Critical race theory is not taught in any public school in the U.S., as far as I can tell, but I confidently expect Virginia schools to be gutted.

There was very little voter fraud, but now all elections will be disputed.

As far as gun laws go, lets just say that banning a manufactured object of desire is as futile as banning drugs, sex or rock and roll.

Immigrants are the lifeblood of any nation. The ones like Russia or Japan that discourage immigrants are aging fast; Russia especially is withering on the vine.

Enough pontificating. Thats futile, too.

Stephen Wishnevsky

Walkertown

Equal uproar
We get the smell from feedlots more than we get the smell from the rendering plant, said Lisa Miller, who has lived in the subdivision for six years.

A resident half a mile southeast from the beef plant, however, said the plant had changed how she and her family live.

We smell it every freakin day, Cherie Bochnak said.

However, Kuna city administrators were unsure whether CS Beef Packers was the source, insisting that the smell came from Darling Ingredients.

Any smell you get out there is going to be from mostly (Darling Ingredients), said Kuna Mayor Joe Stear, complicating the fact-finding mission.

As the North Platte group left Idaho earlier this week, they discussed their findings.

I had every expectation of us smelling the plant  no matter what anyone had said before, I knew we were going to smell the plant. But compared to the other ones Ive been around, the smell seemed lower and seemed to dissipate quicker, Lucas said. But its hard to tell based off just one visit on one day.

Whatever the source of the smell, it was far less pungent in the Treasure Valley  even on an unusually humid day, which causes smells to linger longer.
OMAHA  The Dale Nichols painting hung on the living room wall of the Omaha home, a backdrop to the familys lives for three generations.

Until they decided to sell its contents, two siblings who grew up in the house  who want to remain anonymous  had no idea the work in oils hadnt been seen since an exhibition in New York in 1938. Or that Dan Sanley had been searching for it for years.

Its a painting from his Uncle Dave and Aunt Lilas farm near Surprise, Nebraska. Lilas told Sanley the story of how her brother Dale Nichols had created The Sanley Farm while sitting in a cornfield in 1933, unfazed by the winter days freezing temperatures. Hes best known for his rural landscapes.

This was his first oil painting and red barn. He was famous for subsequent red barns in his rural paintings, Sanley said. Its the only rural painting he did from reality. All the rest of his paintings were his own concepts.

The painting sold for $350 in New York in 1938. A photograph of it was featured in the World-Heralds farm report in 1940, but then it seemed to vanish.
BeauSoleil Cajunized the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Thursday, transporting the Lincoln crowd to southwest Louisiana through the fiddle and accordion music thats been played there for more than a century.

Led by fiddler Michael Doucet, the six-man band rambled through the up-tempo dance numbers most associated with Cajun music and threw in some accordion-rooted waltzes that, in the best circumstances, would have had the crowd up and moving.

That, however, wasnt likely in the staid Lied. But it would be fun if BeauSoleil would return for an outdoor street dance/show, like the one it played for the Lieds 10th anniversary.

That said, Thursdays concert was highly enjoyable and, to perhaps overstate the case, educational, as BeauSoleil visited other strains of Louisiana music via a song originally done by Creole fiddler Canray Fontenot and Zydeco Gris Gris, a zydeco/Cajun number that Doucet wrote thats featured in the movie The Big Easy.

There was a classic murder ballad as well, with the story of the accidental stabbing of a young wife by her jealous husband explained by Doucet before the song began.
Right now, we are held to what the requirements are, he said, adding the college planned to bring amended language to the board to address the concerns raised by opponents.

Thursday evening, the state college system issued new policy language that identifies gender identity discrimination as involving "unfavorable treatment because of a person's gender identity, appearance, mannerisms, or other gender-related characteristics."

The Nebraska Family Alliance and the Nebraska Catholic Conference also said they oppose policy language allowing employees to designate the name and gender identity they go by in certain state college information and communication systems.

The proposed policy says an employees chosen name and gender identity can and should be used whenever possible in the workplace, but isnt absolute nor is it mandatory.

Employees are still required to provide their full legal name when they apply for a job or benefits and may be required to use their biological sex at birth in certain information systems.

Turman said the policy change for employees follows the approval of an identical policy for students adopted by the Board of Trustees in July.
Victim #1 wrote a letter to Bishop Bruskewitz in 2001 or 2002, describing the circumstances of his abuse at the hands of Crowley. The letter was returned with no response from the diocese. In 2018, Victim #1s family resubmitted the letter to Bishop (James) Conley. Conley sent the family a formal apology letter a few weeks later.

Murray, who died in 2016, is accused of abusing numerous boys in the York area during the 1960s and 1970s, the report said.

The file contains a summary of the sexual abuse of Victim #4. He was a student and in a Boy Scout troop led by Murray. He said Murray would undress completely in the presence of groups of boys. He recounted Murray would masturbate publicly and ask the boys to feel his penis.

Another victim told investigators Murray told him not to tell anyone about what they did, because it was between you, me, and God.

State investigators concluded the Lincoln Diocese had received complaints about at least six of the 14 named priests but took no action to remove them from ministry, with some of them continuing to serve for years.

And in at least two cases, there were allegations church leaders tried to keep victims from reporting their abuse to law enforcement, according to the report.
Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon said the governor will appear virtually at the U.N. conference next week.

The Governor will participate in a couple events next week focused on global efforts to advance zero emission vehicles and to move beyond oil, she said Thursday.

Newsom submitted some prerecorded remarks to a transit conference earlier this week and his office announced some appointments to state agencies and boards. He also posted a photo on his Instagram account with his wife and four children, aged 5 to 12, dressed as pirates on Halloween.

His Twitter account went dark from Oct. 28 until Tuesday, when he tweeted Election Day support to fellow Democratic Govs. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Terry McAuliffe of Virginia, who were seeking reelection. As the week went on, Newson's Twitter account was more active.

It's rare, but not unprecedented, for Newsom to go a whole week without some type of appearance. Such absences are usually explained, including when Newsom leaves the state for vacation.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Colin L. Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first Black secretary of state, was remembered by family and friends Friday as a principled man of humility and grace whose decorated record of leadership can serve as a model for generations to come.
One teen drove another around a North Omaha neighborhood on Oct. 18, headlights off, looking for rival gang members, a prosecutor said Friday.

Authorities say Justyn Wagner, 19, jumped out of the car that evening and fired 10 shots at 18-year-old KorVanta Hill, killing him. Elijah Robinson, 18, drove Wagner away from the shooting and to Cabela's to get more bullets, said Lindsey Grove, a deputy Douglas County attorney.

Robinson appeared in court Friday, charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony. The judge ordered that he be held without bail.

Grove said Robinson admitted that he was driving the car that night.

The teens drove up and down the neighborhood near 39th and Pratt streets, looking for rival gang members, Grove said. When they spotted someone walking down the street, Wagner got out and fired, then returned to the car. Robinson drove away.

Authorities found that Robinson had turned off his cellphone before the shooting occurred about 8:10 p.m.

Hill had been walking with his stepfather. He was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  Attorneys general in 11 states, including Nebraska, filed suit Friday against President Joe Bidens administration, challenging a new vaccine requirement for workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

The lawsuit filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the authority to compel vaccinations rests with the states, not the federal government.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful and unwise, said the court filing by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, one of several Republicans vying for the state's open U.S. Senate seat next year.

New regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate that companies with more than 100 employees require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. The requirement is to kick in Jan. 4. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

Schmitt said Missouri has 3,443 private employers who could be covered by the vaccine requirement, with nearly 1.3 million employees.

He said he sued "to protect personal freedoms, preserve Missouri businesses, and push back on bureaucratic tyrants who simply want power and control.
Members of the Legislature's Revenue Committee turned the spotlight once again Friday on property taxes, with most of them expressing frustration that increased local government spending has blunted the impact of almost $1 billion of property tax relief provided by state government.

"We're pricing people out of their homes," Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, chairwoman of the committee, said during a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda.

"If we don't do something significant (to counter rising property taxes), a ballot initiative that will pass" may take the issue out of the hands of the Legislature, she said.

An initiative proposal to limit, or even prohibit, collection of property taxes has often been considered; voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1966 that prohibited collection of property taxes to support state government.

"We need help at the local level," said Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha, who is seeking the 2022 Republican gubernatorial nomination.

That means "we may need to take extra steps to assure significant property tax relief," he said.

Sen. Tom Briese of Albion said the Legislature may need to "attempt to limit the amount of spending increases" that local government subdivisions can enact.
Christian Mysliwiec, commentary editor for The Daily Signal, a publication of the conservative Heritage Foundation, has written an analysis of the $1.75 trillion bill. Here are three of his lowlights:

Childcare and Pre-K: Actual 10-year cost is likely more than twice the reported cost of $400 billion.

Obamacare Tax Credit: Actual 10-year cost is likely much more than three times the reported cost of $130 billion.

Child and Earned Income Tax Credits: Actual 10-year cost is likely more than 10 times the reported cost of $200 billion.

In total, these programs would likely cost well over $2.3 trillion above the estimate in this framework over 10 years. This excess would be more than $18,700 of new spending per American household.

This is, to recall a phrase, voodoo economics.

Aside from the monetary cost, there would also be a sociological price to pay. Children will be raised with the values of paid daycare workers and without parental love. The measure would discourage work, as we have seen with checks going to people during the pandemic, who have been reluctant to return to their jobs.
A couple of recent studies by experts who examine what makes us Americans tick politically have found that conservatives are happier than liberals. My response, why shouldnt they be?

More than a century ago, Ambrose Bierce was moved in his classic Devils Dictionary to define the conservative as, A statesman who is enamored of existing evils as distinguished from the liberal who wishes to replace them with others.

That well describes the Democrats current fix as polls show President Joe Biden slipping badly.

Even among Black voters, polls from the Pew Research Center, Quinnipiac University and Morning Consult all found Bidens approval rating slipping into the low 70s or 60s, which is weak for any Democrat in these times.

It is not obvious why his ratings among Black voters have fallen so far, although some researchers say it could be part of a backlash against vaccine mandates and a steeper decline in Bidens ratings among unvaccinated Black voters.

Fortunately for our public health, at least, a late-September survey by Kaiser Family Foundation found the racial-ethnic vaccination gap to be closing, with 70% of black adults, 73% of Hispanic adults and 71% of white adults having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
BURLINGTON  The anti-racism group Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racism has a new president: Laura Bielefeldt.

The founder of the organization, Darnisha Garbade, has stepped down from the position, the group announced Tuesday. Garbade said that she and her family repeatedly faced threats in the community as she tried to call attention to racism in schools and in Burlington.

The racism led to us losing our home, losing our church, Garbade said in a phone interview Wednesday.

In November 2020, Garbade said that she, her husband and children had effectively gone into hiding, leaving behind the home they owned in Burlington. When asked why she felt the need to leave Burlington, Garbade said: Its the whole climate (in Burlington). My children arent safe there. I dont feel safe there  Racism is still hurting us.

Garbade said that a stack of firewood next to her familys Burlington home was set on fire while her family was attending a protest in support of Jacob Blake, the man who was shot by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23, 2020, sparking days of protests and rioting. The firewood blaze didnt spread to the home itself, Garbade said.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer Just $5 gives you full access for 5 months to exclusive content from The Journal Times. The incredible deal won't last long, so support local 

Another day, Garbade said, the outer screens on her homes windows were removed and left against the front door. It felt like a threat, that her family was being watched, confirming the fears she had after being told of rumors that extremist groups like the Proud Boys were watching her.

Regarding her church, Garbade said that members of the congregation said racist and racially oppressive things that made her and her family feel unwelcome there.

The Garbade family has since moved out of Burlington.

Despite all that, Garbade said that progress has been made.

Burlington is definitely having the conversation about race and racism, which wasnt happening before, she said. Whats changed is that more people in Burlington are more aware of the culture of the racism  with me being so vocal about it and getting community members on board, it gave other families courage to come forward.

Looking back, looking forward

Along with Cooper Elementary Teacher Melissa Statz, who remains a member of the core BCDR group, Garbade played a key role in bringing a national racial justice spotlight to Burlington.

Garbades complaint about racial discrimination against her daughter led to a state Department of Public Instruction finding of a severe, pervasive and persistent ... racially hostile environment within the Burlington Area School District  a conclusion the school district has not contested. Garbade filed the complaint first with BASD, then appealed to the state after the district said it found no evidence of widespread racism.

Asked to comment on Garbades impact on Burlington in the last two years, School Board Member Rosanne Hahn said: Ill just say she had an impact, and leave my comment at that.

Garbade said BCDRs leadership positions are held for two years. After she founded the coalition two years ago, it was time for a new face to lead, she said.

Bielefeldt, who has been active with BCDR almost since its inception and whose children have publicly shared their experiences with racism in Burlington schools, said she wants to build on the foundation Garbade built.

The main thing for the next year is going to be continuing to follow up on everything going on with the school district, but also letting other members of our community who feel they have been wronged in the community and school district  LGBT, special needs students  that were not advocating just for students of color. We are standing alongside them as well, Bielefeldt said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Gathering information

She pointed out that BCDR has a new Report an Incident webpage through which people can share information confidentially, complaints that would not necessarily need to be made public.

Our focus is always the individual coming to us who needs our help, Bielefeldt said.

Tables

Of Burlington schools, where BCDR has been focused almost since its inception, BCDR isnt here to be throwing them under the bus, Bielefeldt said. Im hoping we can find a way to work together.

State officials ruled over the summer that BCDR must be involved in the school districts racism response.

While public officials from the city and from the schools, as well as anti-racism organizers, have said they want to work together, actual collaboration has been rare.

BCDR nearly had a seat at the table when the city formed a task force to combat racism in Burlington, but the group backed out after concerns about the consulting firm selected to lead the effort were raised and the city didnt drop the firm.

They have not included us at their table  so weve built our own tables, Bielefeldt said.

Of the incidents Garbade said pushed her to leave Burlington, Bielefeldt said she knows she could become a target. Im very aware of the situation Im putting myself into, she said, noting that her safety  and the safety of her son who still lives in Burlington  will be paramount.

Garbade said she hopes that BCDR can become a 501(3) nonprofit and perhaps get a brick-and-mortar home base in the coming years.

Even as conversations about race and racism have arose in and around Burlington, Garbade said she hopes for more.

Id like to see the culture of Burlington shift. Id like to see the Burlington school district take racism more seriously, she said. Id like to see the mayor and City Council diversify. Id like to see the school board diversify. (A black man, Marlo Brown, was elected to the Burlington Area school board in April.)

Id like to see the school administration diversify, Bielefeldt said. Those are positive steps I think could happen in the next couple years.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
All Beloit public schools were closed Friday due to safety concerns about a potential protest by an "outside group" over allegations a teacher taped a face mask to a student's face.

The decision to close schools was made jointly by the school district and the Beloit Police Department.

"This was solely done for the safety of the students and staff," Sarah Lock, a spokesperson for the city of Beloit, said in a statement issued on behalf of the Police Department.

Last week, a student and his parents alleged a Beloit McNeel Intermediate School special-education teacher taped a mask to the student's head after he refused to wear it properly, according to a police report on the incident.

After interviewing the student, teacher, another staff member present at the time and several classmates about the Oct. 26 incident, the school resource officer, who investigated the allegations, determined there was no probable cause for an arrest.

Lock said the investigation is closed with no evidence of a crime being found. She said a separate investigation is open regarding threats against school staff.

According to the police report:

The teacher told police she did tape the front of the student's mask to his face, but only as a joke after she said the student challenged her to do so and then he laughed about it. The teacher said she removed the tape, after which the student wore his mask properly.

The student told police he had pulled his mask under his nose because he was having trouble breathing. The teacher told him to pull it up before, the student said, she wrapped tape around his head about five times.

The police report notes that, during the interview with the student, his parents "would begin to speak into the conversation without being asked questions," including comments by the student's father about contacting news outlets and attorneys, hiring a private investigator, mentioning a hashtag on social media and wanting to start a protest at the school.

The student also reported he was sent to an assistant principal's office, according to the report, but security camera footage didn't show the student in the office, and school administrators reported he wasn't there.

Interviews with several students in the classroom at the time provided varying accounts of what happened. Some said the tape was applied in a joking manner; others reported seeing tape put on different areas of the student's head. Students also disagreed over the amount of tape used.

On its website, the district said Friday's cancellation was done after considering "the behaviors, actions, and language of certain groups who do not consider the safety and well-being of others."

"We have zero-tolerance for hate speech, violence, or threats made against our staff and District," the district said. "We stand together as a District and community against all forms of hate and racism.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
EAU CLAIRE  The Wisconsin Department of Justice said it is investigating Eau Claire police shooting to death a man who stabbed and seriously injured a woman.

The DOJ said officers responded to a 911 call of a person breaking into a residence in Eau Claire about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday. The caller said someone had broken in and was armed with a knife.

The man stabbed a woman in the home, leaving her with serious injuries, state officials said. Two Eau Claire police officers entered the residence and encountered the intruder. Authorities say one officer shot the man, who died at the scene.

Police say the woman was transported to a local hospital, then airlifted to a regional medical facility. Her condition was not available. No officers were injured during the intrusion, the Leader-Telegram reported. Police say the man who was fatally shot was 30 years old and has not been identified.

The two veteran Eau Claire officers involved are on administrative leave per protocol as DOJ investigates and turns its findings over to the Eau Claire County District Attorney's Office.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Thursday said the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureaus decision to publish its recent report on the 2020 election without giving the agency a chance to respond doesnt feel right.

Wolfe also declined to say whether the commissions decision to waive special voting deputies in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic compromised the 2020 election. The Racine County sheriff called for two Republican and three Democratic commissioners to be charged with crimes after he found eight families at one nursing home who said they were surprised their loved ones cast a ballot.

I think that the only instance weve heard about is in this case in Racine, Wolfe said. Im not aware that weve had anyone else bring any sworn complaints or substantiated evidence to our attention.

Wolfes comments, made Thursday during a meeting with the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board, came the same day that Ann Jacobs, the chair of the states bipartisan elections commission, notified the GOP heads of the Legislatures audit committee that neither Wolfe, nor members of the commission, would be able to testify on the audit report at a legislative committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The letter, sent to Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, and Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem, co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, follows a request earlier this week from the two Republicans that Wolfe or a commission representative attend a committee meeting to discuss the Audit Bureaus report released last month. The report did not find any widespread fraud or abuse that would have affected the outcome of the election, but made 48 recommendations for improvements to how elections are run.

In the letter, Jacobs said the issue stems from the Audit Bureaus unusual decision to not provide the commission or its staff an opportunity to see or respond to the report before it was published in late October. Jacobs said the six-member bipartisan commission is willing to discuss the audit after it holds its next scheduled meeting on Dec. 1, which she said is the soonest the commission can meet.

I recognize the public interest in this matter, and I certainly appreciate that the Committee wants to discuss the LABs audit, Jacobs wrote. However, the WEC simply is unable to provide the information you are seeking at this time. Had the regular audit process been followed  the process which has governed every other audit  this would not be the case. Unfortunately, that decision by the LAB has resulted in this situation.

10-minute warning

Speaking with the State Journal editorial board Thursday, Wolfe said she met with Audit Bureau officials early in the auditing process and was informed of the traditional process, which includes an exit conference and chance for response from the audited party.

At no point was it brought to our attention that they planned to deviate from the process, Wolfe said. I was alerted 10 minutes before the report was released publicly.

In the report, the Audit Bureau said that decision was made because WEC can only convene in closed session for specified purposes, none of which pertain to reviewing draft audit reports. The Audit Bureau also did not provide a copy of the report to the 179 clerks contacted during the auditing process, as doing so would compromise the reports confidentiality.

State Auditor Joe Chrisman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. The offices of Cowles and Kerkman also did not respond to requests for comment.

Wolfe said the Audit Bureaus decision to release the report without providing the agency a chance to respond only ensured the report would contain mistakes. She also questioned why the nonpartisan agency, which she said had provided the previous Government Accountability Board similar concessions in the past, chose not to give the Wisconsin Elections Commission or its staff advance notice on the report.

It doesnt feel right, Ill tell you that much, Wolfe said, when asked whether the decision compromises the Audit Bureaus nonpartisan standing.

A scramble

In the letter, Jacobs noted that with the most recent audit, the Audit Bureau departed from its entire historic practice by not providing the commission or its staff an opportunity to review the report before it was published.

In fact, it was released to the legislature before being released to us, Jacobs said. The purported reason for this departure was a baseless concern regarding open meetings laws. The WEC is well aware of such laws, complies with them, and like all other agencies would have been able to review the report and provide input. The LABs supposed concern was bizarre and not founded in law or practice.

Jacobs said the situation has forced the commission to play catch up on the 155-page report.

Elections Commission attorney James Witecha addressed similar concerns regarding the audit report in a separate letter sent Thursday to Chrisman.

In the letter, Witecha reiterated previous comments from the commission that it was pleased that the audits overall findings affirmed that the 2020 election was accurate, safe, and secure, but again pointed to concerns with the Audit Bureaus decision to not provide the commission a chance to respond before the final report was published, which he said allows inaccuracies and inconsistencies to become part of the public record.

Witecha said the report must have been selectively distributed before the Oct. 22 release date because the commission began receiving inquiries regarding the report the night before officials were notified about its release.

Questions regarding the veracity of the report and the legitimacy of the recommendations contained within it will remain until the WEC has a chance to formally respond and correct the record, Witecha said.

Witecha also requested from Chrisman records related to the Audit Bureaus policies and procedures related to audits.

Election probes

Jacobs letter comes as the commission deals with a growing list of GOP-fueled criticisms over how elections were handled in 2020 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, a Republican, recommended that five members of the Elections Commission be criminally charged for voting last year to not send special voting deputies, or SVDs, to nursing homes after it became clear that poll workers would not be allowed in many of the facilities to help voters cast their ballots due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Close to a dozen Republican lawmakers reacted to Schmalings allegations with a condemnation of the Elections Commission and Wolfe  with some, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, calling on Wolfe to resign from her post.

Wolfe on Thursday said all decisions relating to SVDs were made by the bipartisan commission in public meetings dating as far back as March 2020, before the spring election. The first vote was 6-0 and two subsequent votes were 5-1.

Wolfe said not all nursing homes are eligible for voting deputies. The law allows ballots to be sent if deputies arent able to enter a facility on two separate attempts. The commission waived the requirement for two in-person attempts after clerks around the state informed the commission that nursing homes werent allowing SPVs in because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Asked if she was confident the commissions decision to allow more flexibility with SVDs didnt compromise the 2020 election, Wolfe said, I dont think that I can answer that.

Wolfe added that she has not seen evidence of nursing home residents being coerced into voting a certain way or people who are not competent casting ballots, as Schmaling has alleged.

State law does not bar those with cognitive delays or disabilities from voting unless they have been deemed incompetent by a court.

Senate Republicans announced in late October plans to launch an investigation into issues raised by the Audit Bureaus report. The review could begin sometime later this month.

Wisconsin also has an ongoing Republican-ordered investigation into the election being led by former conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.

A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes last November. Four voters out of roughly 3 million who cast ballots have been charged with fraud.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
More coverage:

The juror dismissed from Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial apparently was trying to be funny when he cracked to a court security officer about a police officer's shooting of Jacob Blake, the event that set off the protests where Rittenhouse shot three people, two fatally.

Blake, who is Black, was shot by a white officer three months after the murder of George Floyd by a white officer in Minneapolis prompted protests over racial injustice nationwide. When Judge Bruce Schroeder said Thursday that the joke  which the juror didn't want to repeat in open court  showed bias that "would seriously undermine the outcome" of the Rittenhouse trial, the man objected.

"It wasn't anything to do with the case," the juror told Schroeder Thursday. "It wasn't anything to do with Kyle."

The moment captured the bias  sometimes explicit, but often implicit or unconscious  that experts say is especially damaging in criminal proceedings. Jurors who may not see their biases as problematic or even realize they exist are asked to weigh witness testimony and ultimately decide a defendant's fate. And while the juror in Kenosha may have vocalized his beliefs, sharing the joke while being escorted to his car after jury duty, in most cases these biases are difficult or impossible to detect.

"It's one of the most significant problems facing the criminal justice system in both state and federal courts," said Mark Bennett, a retired federal and state judge who directs the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation at Drake University Law School in Iowa.

In some places, courts and judges have taken steps to educate jurors, attorneys and others about implicit bias. Questions to potential jurors go well beyond asking if they can be impartial, instead asking about stereotypes they may hold or their interactions with others.

In part of Washington state, potential jurors are shown a video about implicit bias, and attorneys are encouraged to ask questions during jury selection such as what they thought about the video. It's not clear whether that happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where 20 people were seated for the Rittenhouse jury in one day. The 12 who decide the case will be announced later, the judge said.

Bennett, who wrote a jury instruction on implicit bias and has studied bias in judges, said Schroeder did the right thing in dismissing the juror. Any person who would joke about Blake while at the courthouse during jury duty doesn't have "the kind of mindset a judge would want" on the case, he said.

But Bennett also said a one-day jury selection isn't enough time to root out people with explicit or implicit biases, particularly in racially polarizing cases. In one major federal trial, Bennett took 14 days to select a jury. He also has had potential jurors fill out a questionnaire  one as long as 99 questions  at home, where they're more likely to answer candidly, before coming to the jury selection.

"You cannot do it in one day," he said. "I'm sorry, you just cannot."

Margaret Russell, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law and co-founder of the Equal Justice Society, agreed, saying the jury selection "seems astonishingly quick" for a case that involves some of the most "contentious, inflammatory issues of our day."

Rittenhouse is white, as are the three men he shot in August 2020. But the case has raised questions about racial justice, policing, firearms and white privilege that have polarized people far outside Kenosha.

Blake, who was shot by the officer two days before Rittenhouse shot the three men, was partially paralyzed in the shooting. Police say it occurred while they responded to a domestic disturbance call and that Blake was holding a knife. The county prosecutor later declined to charge the officer.

Protests following the Blake shooting at times turned violent and destructive, with rioters setting fires and ransacking businesses. Rittenhouse, then 17, traveled to Kenosha from his home in Illinois, just across the Wisconsin state line. The former police youth cadet said he went to Kenosha to protect property. As he walked the streets he carried an AR-style rifle.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the three shootings, while his lawyer says Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

After his arrest, conservatives called Rittenhouse an American patriot, with people contributing millions of dollars to a legal defense fund and helping the now 18-year-old post a $2 million bail to leave jail.

Russell said she also believed Schroeder was correct to dismiss the juror Thursday, saying his actions show "a shockingly ignorant sense of the case and the issues involved." The fact that the man didn't want to repeat his joke in open court suggests he knew it was inappropriate, she said.

Russell also was troubled by the juror's use of Rittenhouse's first name as he referred to the defendant. Calling him "Kyle," she said, showed a sense of familiarity that "perhaps means he's not viewing the case through an unbiased lens."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The University of Wisconsin Systems small branch campuses continue to hemorrhage students with enrollment declining 42% since a restructuring four years ago that was designed to keep them afloat by merging with nearby four-year schools.

Altogether, the System had 1,786 fewer students enroll this fall compared with 2020, or about a 1% decrease, according to preliminary figures released Thursday. Thats a smaller drop than the 2.3% decline reported nationally. And freshman enrollment was up nearly 4%, compared with a 3% decline nationally.

Clearly, were doing something right, interim System President Tommy Thompson told the UW Board of Regents at a meeting on the UW-Madison campus Thursday.

But the data present a dire picture at some of the small branch campuses, most of which are located in smaller towns with declining populations that draw students from the area.

At UW-Platteville Richland, enrollment has dropped to 75 students this fall, down from 366 students when the restructuring took effect in 2018. Its parent campus, UW-Platteville, reported a 10% decline, the biggest drop among four-year schools.

University spokesperson Paul Erickson said the numbers were largely anticipated, noting the declining number of high school students in southwest Wisconsin.

In 1980, the UW Board of Regents discussed closing the Richland Center campus when enrollment was almost 250 students but ultimately decided against the idea. Erickson said Thursday that closure is not being discussed.

We have to look at some creative solutions for that campus, he said.

Administrators are aligning academic programs to match student interests with business needs, increasing marketing efforts and partnering more closely with local high schools, Erickson said.

The much less lively and far fewer campus tours that were offered last school year also played a role in this years data, he said. Faculty normally chat with prospective students and ask them about their interests. But with most classes online, there were fewer opportunities for high schoolers to get a feel for what UW-Platteville is like.

Streamlining the number of UW campuses within the System has come up time and again.

But as the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum pointed out in a report published last winter, closing the small campuses would provide limited financial relief to the Systems budget. The 13 branch campuses in 2019 received 2.1% of the $2.6 billion the System pulled in from tuition and state taxpayer money.

Thompson has called for a commission to study how the state delivers higher education. He has also floated the idea of merging some branch campuses that are located near a technical college, which hasnt been embraced by the state Technical College System.

Enrollment increased at just three of the 13 branch campuses, all affiliated with UW-Green Bay.

One way in which UW-Green Bay has grown its branch campus enrollment is through the Rising Phoenix program, which allows students to pursue an associate degree while still in high school, Provost Kate Burns said. Depending on the high school, the dual enrollment program is funded either through the local school district or with a grant.

Because Rising Phoenix is only in its second year this fall, Burns said its too early to tell where the roughly 500 students participating in the two-year program go on to college. The hope is they will continue their education at Green Bay, Manitowoc, Marinette or Sheboygan.

UW-Green Bay also has created bachelors degree programs at its branch campuses, which was not an option before the merger. The additional programs really seem to have resonated in the area, she said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
1. Yes. Nonprofit youth organizations are underfunded in the city. Its a good decision.

2. Yes. In conjunction with city-run programs, it will provide needed opportunities.

3. No. The money should be used to benefit all residents, not just the citys youth.

4. No. The funds should be invested in the area where the project is being developed..

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether its an appropriate use of the money.

Vote

View Results
KEARNEY  Learn what its like to live in poverty at a Compass-planned simulation set for 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 15 at First Baptist Church, 3610 Sixth Ave.

The Cost of Poverty in Kearney will offer a glimpse into how low-income individuals and families live in this area. Three facilitators from Compass will lead the event and direct discussions afterward.

Compass serves 150 children and families each day, helping them grow and succeed. It also has a foster care program.

By role-playing as low-income persons, participants will come away with a deepened understanding of the realities of poverty. They will learn how to effectively engage with low-income people, and build partnerships to improve outcomes for them.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Our goal is to provoke feelings and thoughts through the experience. We hope to spur people to action, said Ryan Williams, CEO of Compass.

Compass hopes to attract 80 participants.

He said 51,085 Nebraska children currently live in poverty. Nebraska has 2,536 homeless families. The poverty rate in Kearney alone is 16.7%.
KEARNEY  The Buffalo County Sheriffs Office Thursday posted an alert on the offices Facebook page and Twitter that a group of concerned citizens is canvassing residents about their participation in the 2020 general election.

Buffalo County Election Commissioner Lisa Poff said the canvassing group is not affiliated or connected to her office. In addition, Poff said anyone who might be nervous about being contacted by the group can politely decline to answer questions.

Janet Steffen of Kearney, a co-leader of the concerned citizens group, said her volunteers only want to verify voter information. During the past six or eight weeks, Steffen said the group has canvassed four of Buffalo Countys 27 precincts. She said, weve had maybe 10 irregularities in which voters did not update their addresses with the election commissioner.

There have been no red flags, Steffen said. She said her group has received a 95% positive response as it approaches voters about their participation in the 2020 election. The volunteers acquired a list of Buffalo County voters from the Nebraska Secretary of State and are comparing information from the election commissioner with the secretary of states list.
For example, in one of the cases, a man in his early 20s hired as a lay religious educator was alleged to have engaged in a sexual relationship with a high school girl. The abuse reports were from the 1990s, based on the attorney generals report. The file contained second-hand reports of the sexual abuse, but there were no interviews of the alleged victim nor of the lay educator. The diocese informed law enforcement of the situation, but the file contained no police reports or any information about the results of the investigation. If true, the actions of the lay educator would have constituted sexual abuse. There was simply no way of corroborating the allegations.

In another case, a woman contacted the diocese claiming she had been sexually abused by a seminarian sometime in the early 1980s when she was 12 years old, according to the attorney generals report. The woman told the victim assistance coordinator the abuse had impacted her entire life. She informed the diocese she was planning on calling the Nebraska State Patrol to report the abuse. There was no indication the alleged victim ever followed through by contacting the State Patrol. There were no records of any further communication between the alleged victim and the diocese. Without this information, there was no way to substantiate the victims claims.
The annual Great American Smokeout is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18. The event, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, encourages people who currently smoke to quit  even if its just for one day. This year, members of the 7 Cs Health Initiative say there are more tools than ever before to help people quit.

If people who smoke are ready to quit, there are a lot of places they can go for help, said Betty Nigh of the Vernon County Health Department. Were all different, so its important that the state offer a number of support options to help people quit  especially when youre dealing with an addiction as powerful as nicotine and commercial tobacco products.

Nigh laid out a number of options that are available in Wisconsin, including:

The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line, which provides free help and medications to those who call the line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669). Individuals can also access the Quit Line by texting READY to 200-400.

The Medicaid program provides free quit smoking services and medications through its cessation benefit. People enrolled in Medicaid are encouraged to talk to their doctor about the resources available through the program.

Pregnant, postpartum, and caregiving people who smoke, as well as their family members, can get help to quit from the Wisconsin Womens Health Foundations First Breath program. Since 2000, the program has helped 20,000 women across the state. Learn more at www.joinfirstbreath.org.

Finally, teens who are addicted to e-cigarettes can receive free help through the Live Vape Free program by texting VAPEFREE to 273373. The program provides teens with interactive resources to help them determine their motivation for quitting and set a quit date. Additionally, adults who want to support a young person trying to quit e-cigarettes can take part in a free online course from Live Vape Free by visiting www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/vapefree.

There are many benefits to quitting smoking, including some that start almost immediately. When you quit, in the first 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop; in two weeks to three months your risk of heart attack drops and lung function improves. In 10 years, you are half as likely to die from lung cancer; risk of kidney and pancreatic cancer decreases. https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/reasons-to-quit).

For more on tobacco prevention and control efforts in Vernon County Health Department, community members are encouraged to visit the 7 Cs Health Initiative on Facebook or Instagram.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
BELIZE  Copal Tree Distillery, the makers of award-winning, single estate Copalli Rum have expanded the release of the unique Copalli Cacao in the United States.

Copalli Cacao is sustainably produced at the Copal Tree Distillery, situated in the heart of the tropical rainforest in Southern Belize. It uses only four ingredients organic, heirloom sugar cane, yeast, cacao nibs grown, dried & roasted at the distillery, and pure water collected from the canopy of the Belizean Rainforest.

We take our delicious Copalli white rum, place it into a tank to rest with 100% organic, freshly harvested cacao nibs, said Ed Tiedge, Master Distiller. Over several weeks, the cacao nibs infuse a rich chocolate flavor and aroma into the rum, which is then redistilled to create a smooth, finished product  unlike anything on the market.

Copalli Cacao is not a traditional chocolate-flavored liquor. Belizean chocolate has distinctive berry notes, notes Julie Reiner, Global Brand Ambassador and renowned mixologist. For that reason, while Copalli Cacao will blend beautifully with traditional chocolate pairings such as coffee, nuts and caramel, it is also delicious with fruit forward-flavors such as Meyer lemon, fig and blackberry.

Copalli Cacao Facts

80 Proof/ 40% ABV

Nose: Distinctive cacao

Taste: Like Belizean chocolate, the taste is of berries and a rich, balanced coco flavor. It has a long and creamy finish.

SRP: $30.99

Copalli Cacao joins the rest of the Copalli Rum portfolio, which was introduced into the US in 2018.

Copalli White Rum (84 Proof/42% ABV) SRP: $28.99

A double distillation of fresh sugarcane juicecrushed within one hour of being cutthe white rum is made with a blend of pot and column distillation with a long resting of the finished product in stainless steel. The smooth end product displays vanilla, coffee bean, and grass on the nose with fresh berries, citrus zest, and cactus notes to finish.

Copalli Barrel Rested Rum (88 Proof/44% ABV) SRP: $34.99

The Barrel Rested Rum is made using double distillation of sugarcane juice, use of exclusively full-bodied copper pot still distillation with French technique. It is rested in American Oak bourbon barrels to create a rich sweet rum displaying cola and leather on the nose with tasting notes including cinnamon, nutmeg, and tobacco.

Copalli Cacao is best enjoyed straight, on the rocks or in cocktails created by Reiner such as a Cacao Manhattan or An Italian in Belize (recipes below).

CACAO MANHATTAN

2 oz Copalli Cacao

1 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and stir. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

AN ITALIAN IN BELIZE

2 oz Copalli Cacao

 oz Averna Amaro

1 tsp simple syrup (1:1)

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and stir. Strain over one large cube in a double rocks glass. Garnish: orange twist

About the Copal Tree Distillery

The Copal Tree Distillery was designed to be zero-impact and is powered by sustainable, regenerative biomass. The sugarcane used to produce the rum is grown on Copal Tree Farms, so all levels of products can be overseen from start to finish.

Even before there was a distillery, there was a commitment to sustainability and preserving the Belizean Rainforest, said Mark Breene, CEO, Copalli Rums. The founders have spearheaded the philanthropic support of the local community in Southern Belize for more than 20 years, through a legacy of rainforest preservation, marine conservation, and support of local education. Copal Tree Distillery supports the local community as the largest employer in Southern Belize, providing more than 100 jobs to local residents in a clean and safe working environment. Additionally, the group provides education grants for local girls and boys to continue their education into high school.

For more information, visit www.copallirum.com

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A man let go from his job was arrested for verbally threatening and harassing staff at his former place of employment.

Travis Householder, 38, of La Crosse was charged Thursday with stalking and telephone harassment, both as a repeater.

The West Salem Police Department on Nov. 2 responded to a report that Householder, who was recently fired from his job, was sending messages a staff member at the company, threatening to murder the victims family and make him watch. According to the criminal complaint Householder made multiple expletive filled and detailed threats.

In addition to the victim, Householder was accused of threatening two other employees with the company over the phone. The first victim told police he hoped Householder would be able to get treatment and realize he behaved wrongly rather than being charged with a felony, per the police report.

Householder has a lengthy criminal record going back a decade, with offenses including disorderly conduct, OWI, fourth-degree sexual assault and criminal damage to property.

According to a Facebook post from the West Salem Police Department, during attempts to apprehend Householder on Nov. 3 Wisconsin State Patrol deployed a taser and the La Crosse Police Department deployed one less-lethal bean bag round. Householder was treated and released from a hospital with minor injuries before being transported to jail.

Householder was given a $1,000 signature bond and no contact.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Private First Class Ivy Marciano, PFC Noor Jawadi and Specialist Lie Ye come from three different countries with three different cultures, but they now have one thing in common: They are American citizens.

The three took their oath of citizenship Thursday during a naturalization ceremony held at Fort McCoy. They became Americans while temporarily stationed at Fort McCoy as part of Operation Allies Welcome, which is assisting Afghan immigrants who journeyed to the United States after it ended its 20-year military operation in Afghanistan.

You are as American as someone whose family has been here for hundreds of years, said Mick Dedvukaj, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services district director. We dont care where youre from; we care who you are. Welcome to the American family.

Jawadi was born in Afghanistan. He left for Iran at a young age before being returned to Afghanistan. From there, he fled to Malaysia and Singapore, where he lived in orphanages before coming to the United States in 2015.

He joined the Army 15 months ago and is assigned to the 44th Chemical Company as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist. He has also served as a translator.

The U.S. saved my life, Jawadi said. I feel appreciated.

As an immigrant, Jawadi takes a great deal of satisfaction in his assignment.

Im happy because I see a lot of children who remind me of myself, and now I know theyre going to have a brighter future, he said.

Marciano is from the Philippines. Shes part of the detail that handles the day-to-day needs of the newly arrived immigrants, including immigration processing and accompanying immigrants on hospital visits.

She came to America in 2014 and looks forward to her potential as an American citizen.

There are so much opportunities and freedom, and you meet awesome people, she said.

Ye is from China. He is a supply clerk who assists daily with ordering and picking up consumer products. He makes sure over 1,700 Afghan immigrants receive daily necessities such as shampoo, soap, razors, baby formula, diapers, feminine hygiene products and lotion.

Dedvukaj said it takes courage to get up and leave everything you have behind and come to a country you dont know much of in the hopes for a better life for you and your family.

He said joining the military takes that commitment one step further.

As members of the military, you go beyond that, Dedvukaj said. You are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of a nation that until this moment wasnt fully yours.

The ceremony was attended by roughly 300 soldiers. After the ceremony, every one left their seats to shake hands with their newly minted American comrades. Marciano was moved by the response of her fellow soldiers.

It was fantastic, she said. I didnt expect that. Having all those people come down was really awesome.

La Crosse Tribune reporter Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BURLINGTON  A man wanted in the fatal stabbing of his mother in northern Wisconsin has been captured in Burlington, police said Thursday.

Police in Antigo in Langlade County had been searching for Derek Goplin, 38, since his mother was found dead Monday morning.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer Just $5 gives you full access for 5 months to exclusive content from The Journal Times. The incredible deal won't last long, so support local 

According to the Burlington Police Department, Goplin was taken into custody after police learned that he was in the city at 7:14 p.m. Wednesday. He was arrested near the Aurora Medical Center Burlington, 252 McHenry St.

Officers located Derek, established his identity, and confirmed he had a warrant for his arrest, Burlington Police Sgt. Robert Jones said in a release.

Police did not specify the exact location where Goplin was taken into custody, saying only that he had been dropped off in the area of the medical center.

The Waterford Police Department reported that Waterford officers responded to a call about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday that led them to the Tichigan Boat Launch on Bridge Drive in the Town of Waterford.

A caller had told Racine County dispatchers that he was transporting an unknown subject to Aurora Medical Center Burlington and that the subjects vehicle would be left at the boat launch.

When officers arrived on the scene, they recognized the red vehicle as the vehicle associated with Antigos homicide suspect.

Waterford Police Sgt. William Jeschke stated that Goplin was taken into custody after being released from the medical center in Burlington.

This is another great example of law enforcement throughout the state cooperating with each other and the community, to bring a violent criminal to justice, Jeschke said.

Antigo police had alerted law enforcement agencies statewide that Goplin was being sought in connection with the homicide case. Court records show that he has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

Goplin was being held Thursday in the Racine County Jail pending his return to Langlade County.

Police in Antigo say that Goplins mother, Susan Reese, 63, was found stabbed to death about 9:20 a.m. Monday at a residence in Antigo.

Starting Monday, police broadcast that Goplin was wanted, and they also announced the type of vehicle he was believed to have been driving, along with a license plate number.

Antigo Police Capt. Dan Duley said his department received assistance from Burlington and elsewhere in getting Goplin into police custody.

Everybodys been a wonderful help, Duley said. Its a big relief for our department and the whole community.
Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Thursday said the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureaus decision to publish its recent report on the 2020 election without giving the agency a chance to respond doesnt feel right.

Wolfe also declined to say whether the commissions decision to waive special voting deputies in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic compromised the 2020 election. The Racine County sheriff called for two Republican and three Democratic commissioners to be charged with crimes after he found eight families at one nursing home who said they were surprised their loved ones cast a ballot.

I think that the only instance weve heard about is in this case in Racine, Wolfe said. Im not aware that weve had anyone else bring any sworn complaints or substantiated evidence to our attention.

Wolfes comments, made Thursday during a meeting with the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board, came the same day that Ann Jacobs, the chair of the states bipartisan elections commission, notified the GOP heads of the Legislatures audit committee that neither Wolfe, nor members of the commission, would be able to testify on the audit report at a legislative committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The letter, sent to Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, and Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem, co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, follows a request earlier this week from the two Republicans that Wolfe or a commission representative attend a committee meeting to discuss the Audit Bureaus report released last month. The report did not find any widespread fraud or abuse that would have affected the outcome of the election, but made 48 recommendations for improvements to how elections are run.

In the letter, Jacobs said the issue stems from the Audit Bureaus unusual decision to not provide the commission or its staff an opportunity to see or respond to the report before it was published in late October. Jacobs said the six-member bipartisan commission is willing to discuss the audit after it holds its next scheduled meeting on Dec. 1, which she said is the soonest the commission can meet.

I recognize the public interest in this matter, and I certainly appreciate that the Committee wants to discuss the LABs audit, Jacobs wrote. However, the WEC simply is unable to provide the information you are seeking at this time. Had the regular audit process been followed  the process which has governed every other audit  this would not be the case. Unfortunately, that decision by the LAB has resulted in this situation.

10-minute warning

Speaking with the State Journal editorial board Thursday, Wolfe said she met with Audit Bureau officials early in the auditing process and was informed of the traditional process, which includes an exit conference and chance for response from the audited party.

At no point was it brought to our attention that they planned to deviate from the process, Wolfe said. I was alerted 10 minutes before the report was released publicly.

In the report, the Audit Bureau said that decision was made because WEC can only convene in closed session for specified purposes, none of which pertain to reviewing draft audit reports. The Audit Bureau also did not provide a copy of the report to the 179 clerks contacted during the auditing process, as doing so would compromise the reports confidentiality.

State Auditor Joe Chrisman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. The offices of Cowles and Kerkman also did not respond to requests for comment.

Wolfe said the Audit Bureaus decision to release the report without providing the agency a chance to respond only ensured the report would contain mistakes. She also questioned why the nonpartisan agency, which she said had provided the previous Government Accountability Board similar concessions in the past, chose not to give the Wisconsin Elections Commission or its staff advance notice on the report.

It doesnt feel right, Ill tell you that much, Wolfe said, when asked whether the decision compromises the Audit Bureaus nonpartisan standing.

A scramble

In the letter, Jacobs noted that with the most recent audit, the Audit Bureau departed from its entire historic practice by not providing the commission or its staff an opportunity to review the report before it was published.

In fact, it was released to the legislature before being released to us, Jacobs said. The purported reason for this departure was a baseless concern regarding open meetings laws. The WEC is well aware of such laws, complies with them, and like all other agencies would have been able to review the report and provide input. The LABs supposed concern was bizarre and not founded in law or practice.

Jacobs said the situation has forced the commission to play catch up on the 155-page report.

Elections Commission attorney James Witecha addressed similar concerns regarding the audit report in a separate letter sent Thursday to Chrisman.

In the letter, Witecha reiterated previous comments from the commission that it was pleased that the audits overall findings affirmed that the 2020 election was accurate, safe, and secure, but again pointed to concerns with the Audit Bureaus decision to not provide the commission a chance to respond before the final report was published, which he said allows inaccuracies and inconsistencies to become part of the public record.

Witecha said the report must have been selectively distributed before the Oct. 22 release date because the commission began receiving inquiries regarding the report the night before officials were notified about its release.

Questions regarding the veracity of the report and the legitimacy of the recommendations contained within it will remain until the WEC has a chance to formally respond and correct the record, Witecha said.

Witecha also requested from Chrisman records related to the Audit Bureaus policies and procedures related to audits.

Election probes

Jacobs letter comes as the commission deals with a growing list of GOP-fueled criticisms over how elections were handled in 2020 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, a Republican, recommended that five members of the Elections Commission be criminally charged for voting last year to not send special voting deputies, or SVDs, to nursing homes after it became clear that poll workers would not be allowed in many of the facilities to help voters cast their ballots due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Close to a dozen Republican lawmakers reacted to Schmalings allegations with a condemnation of the Elections Commission and Wolfe  with some, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, calling on Wolfe to resign from her post.

Wolfe on Thursday said all decisions relating to SVDs were made by the bipartisan commission in public meetings dating as far back as March 2020, before the spring election. The first vote was 6-0 and two subsequent votes were 5-1.

Wolfe said not all nursing homes are eligible for voting deputies. The law allows ballots to be sent if deputies arent able to enter a facility on two separate attempts. The commission waived the requirement for two in-person attempts after clerks around the state informed the commission that nursing homes werent allowing SPVs in because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Asked if she was confident the commissions decision to allow more flexibility with SVDs didnt compromise the 2020 election, Wolfe said, I dont think that I can answer that.

Wolfe added that she has not seen evidence of nursing home residents being coerced into voting a certain way or people who are not competent casting ballots, as Schmaling has alleged.

State law does not bar those with cognitive delays or disabilities from voting unless they have been deemed incompetent by a court.

Senate Republicans announced in late October plans to launch an investigation into issues raised by the Audit Bureaus report. The review could begin sometime later this month.

Wisconsin also has an ongoing Republican-ordered investigation into the election being led by former conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.

A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes last November. Four voters out of roughly 3 million who cast ballots have been charged with fraud.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0
BURLINGTON  The anti-racism group Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racism has a new president: Laura Bielefeldt.

The founder of the organization, Darnisha Garbade, has stepped down from the position, the group announced Tuesday. Garbade said that she and her family repeatedly faced threats in the community as she tried to call attention to racism in schools and in Burlington.

The racism led to us losing our home, losing our church, Garbade said in a phone interview Wednesday.

In November 2020, Garbade said that she, her husband and children had effectively gone into hiding, leaving behind the home they owned in Burlington. When asked why she felt the need to leave Burlington, Garbade said: Its the whole climate (in Burlington). My children arent safe there. I dont feel safe there  Racism is still hurting us.

Garbade said that a stack of firewood next to her familys Burlington home was set on fire while her family was attending a protest in support of Jacob Blake, the man who was shot by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23, 2020, sparking days of protests and rioting. The firewood blaze didnt spread to the home itself, Garbade said.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer Just $5 gives you full access for 5 months to exclusive content from The Journal Times. The incredible deal won't last long, so support local 

Another day, Garbade said, the outer screens on her homes windows were removed and left against the front door. It felt like a threat, that her family was being watched, confirming the fears she had after being told of rumors that extremist groups like the Proud Boys were watching her.

Regarding her church, Garbade said that members of the congregation said racist and racially oppressive things that made her and her family feel unwelcome there.

The Garbade family has since moved out of Burlington.

Despite all that, Garbade said that progress has been made.

Burlington is definitely having the conversation about race and racism, which wasnt happening before, she said. Whats changed is that more people in Burlington are more aware of the culture of the racism  with me being so vocal about it and getting community members on board, it gave other families courage to come forward.

Looking back, looking forward

Along with Cooper Elementary Teacher Melissa Statz, who remains a member of the core BCDR group, Garbade played a key role in bringing a national racial justice spotlight to Burlington.

Garbades complaint about racial discrimination against her daughter led to a state Department of Public Instruction finding of a severe, pervasive and persistent ... racially hostile environment within the Burlington Area School District  a conclusion the school district has not contested. Garbade filed the complaint first with BASD, then appealed to the state after the district said it found no evidence of widespread racism.

Asked to comment on Garbades impact on Burlington in the last two years, School Board Member Rosanne Hahn said: Ill just say she had an impact, and leave my comment at that.

Garbade said BCDRs leadership positions are held for two years. After she founded the coalition two years ago, it was time for a new face to lead, she said.

Bielefeldt, who has been active with BCDR almost since its inception and whose children have publicly shared their experiences with racism in Burlington schools, said she wants to build on the foundation Garbade built.

The main thing for the next year is going to be continuing to follow up on everything going on with the school district, but also letting other members of our community who feel they have been wronged in the community and school district  LGBT, special needs students  that were not advocating just for students of color. We are standing alongside them as well, Bielefeldt said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Gathering information

She pointed out that BCDR has a new Report an Incident webpage through which people can share information confidentially, complaints that would not necessarily need to be made public.

Our focus is always the individual coming to us who needs our help, Bielefeldt said.

Tables

Of Burlington schools, where BCDR has been focused almost since its inception, BCDR isnt here to be throwing them under the bus, Bielefeldt said. Im hoping we can find a way to work together.

State officials ruled over the summer that BCDR must be involved in the school districts racism response.

While public officials from the city and from the schools, as well as anti-racism organizers, have said they want to work together, actual collaboration has been rare.

BCDR nearly had a seat at the table when the city formed a task force to combat racism in Burlington, but the group backed out after concerns about the consulting firm selected to lead the effort were raised and the city didnt drop the firm.

They have not included us at their table  so weve built our own tables, Bielefeldt said.

Of the incidents Garbade said pushed her to leave Burlington, Bielefeldt said she knows she could become a target. Im very aware of the situation Im putting myself into, she said, noting that her safety  and the safety of her son who still lives in Burlington  will be paramount.

Garbade said she hopes that BCDR can become a 501(3) nonprofit and perhaps get a brick-and-mortar home base in the coming years.

Even as conversations about race and racism have arose in and around Burlington, Garbade said she hopes for more.

Id like to see the culture of Burlington shift. Id like to see the Burlington school district take racism more seriously, she said. Id like to see the mayor and City Council diversify. Id like to see the school board diversify. (A black man, Marlo Brown, was elected to the Burlington Area school board in April.)

Id like to see the school administration diversify, Bielefeldt said. Those are positive steps I think could happen in the next couple years.
Rejecting concerns about continued investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, Wisconsin utility regulators have approved plans for a $370 million natural gas storage project in southeastern Wisconsin designed to provide fuel when demand spikes.

We Energies and Wisconsin Gas say the dual facilities in Jefferson and Walworth counties are needed to improve reliability and resilience in light of anticipated growth in demand. They estimate the cost will be at least $224 million less than the alternatives.

The Public Service Commission approved the projects despite opposition from some local residents and the Sierra Club, which argued the utilities growth projections are overblown and irreconcilable with state and national carbon reduction commitments. The group argued it would be more cost-effective to reduce demand.

Compliance with the Paris climate agreement  an effort to stave off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change  will require a reduction in gas use, and the groups note that Gov. Tony Evers climate task force recommended against building any new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Commissioners largely rejected those arguments, taking a narrower view of their mandate of ensuring safe, reliable and affordable energy service.

Chair Rebecca Valcq, an Evers appointee, said theres no evidence that demand reduction is a viable alternative and that fossil fuels will continue to be part of the states energy mix  at least for now.

I dont see natural gas going away, Valcq said. Our obligation is to the residents of this state to ensure they have reliable power. It is not appropriate for us to sit back and wait and see if something materializes.

Commissioner Ellen Nowak, appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker, accused the Sierra Club of presenting false choices.

We need to have all available types of energy generation at our hands, Nowak said. I do not believe we should ever be eliminating any type of resources.

The project consists of two storage facilities in Ixonia and Bluff Creek where natural gas would be chilled to minus-260 degrees to reduce its volume. Each system would hold a billion cubic feet of gas for times of high demand, when it would be heated and vaporized.

The utilities say the facility will eliminate the need to contract additional pipeline capacity that would only be needed a few days a year or to pay a premium when demand is high, as it was during a cold snap last winter that caused spot prices to jump by up to 10,000%.

Wisconsins geology does not allow for underground storage, and the utilities underground storage site in Michigan is dependent on pipeline capacity for delivery.

The project is expected to raise revenue requirements by 4.4% to 4.5% once the facilities are completed by 2024, but the utilities said rate increases will be offset by the savings they produce.

Commissioner Tyler Huebner supported the Ixonia facility, which would serve Wisconsin Gas customers in Milwaukee, but said the value of the We Energies project was questionable.

Huebner, another Evers appointee, said he wants to see more data from utilities, such as how many electric heat pumps would need to be installed to reduce demand.

Is there some other solution? I want to see that from our applicants going forward  a portfolio of options ... as opposed to a facility thats one size, Huebner said. Once its there, its there. Its in the rate base.

WEC spokesperson Brendan Conway said the decision will allow us to keep our customers warm on the coldest days of the year with a safe, affordable and reliable heating supply while saving ratepayers money in the long run.

Opponents panned the decision, saying any new investments should reduce carbon emissions.

Investing hundreds of millions of dollars into fossil fuels will only harm our planet and worsen conditions for those on the front lines of the climate crisis here in Wisconsin, said Marco Marquez, state program manager with Action for the Climate Emergency.

The approval comes days after the utilities parent company, WEC Energy Group, announced it would stop burning coal by 2035, converting the states largest coal-fired power plant to burn natural gas, a move that drew mixed reviews from environmental and consumer advocates.

Today is again another recognition that natural gas is here to stay, Nowak said. We need it.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The state Republican Party chairman is not backing Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling's recommendation that five of the state's six elections commissioners be charged with election fraud and related criminal offenses.

Schmaling said Wednesday that he referred charges to the Racine County District Attorney's Office following his office's investigation of allegations of election fraud at Ridgewood Care Center, a Mount Pleasant nursing home.

During a call with reporters Friday, Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Paul Farrow said Im not going to say I want to see them charged," regarding Schmaling's referral for charges for all of the commissioners except one, Republican-appointed Robert Spindell. "I want to see a clean system moving forward that adheres with state law.

At Ridgewood, investigators allege, eight elderly people with diminished mental capacity were "taken advantage of" when staff at the nursing home executed the vote. One of the eight, Shirley Westphal, died before Election Day but her ballot was still counted.

Only courts can remove someone's right to vote, and that may have only happened with one of the eight, according to the Sheriff's Office. However, investigators allege that the nursing home staff members, who typically are not allowed to assist residents in filling out ballots (an exception was made for the pandemic), pressed residents who did not want to vote into voting and also used dubious reasoning in determining for whom the residents wanted to vote.

"So if she could only recall JFK as president, Democrat would be the choice?" Sgt. Michael Luell reported asking the director of Ridgewood, and the director replied in the affirmative.

The Sheriff's Office alleges that fraud occurred because the appointed commissioners of the Wisconsin Elections Commission voted  initially by a 6-0 vote, then later 5-1, with Spindell dissenting  to waive a law that requires Special Voting Deputies to "execute the vote" twice at nursing homes before mail-in ballots are allowed to be used at the care facilities. Schmaling, a Republican, recommended charges for three commissioners appointed by Democrats and two appointed by Republicans.

The WEC says that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was appropriate to skip over the two required visits since SVDs would likely have been not allowed to enter the homes anyway.

The Legislature is actively considering changes to state election law, particularly regarding things such as drop boxes, mail-in voting, and solidifying statewide rules on "ballot curing"  i.e., the process through which poll workers identify problems with mailed-in ballots, such as missing signatures, and have them corrected.

During a meeting with the Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Board Thursday, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe said the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureaus decision to publish its recent report on the 2020 election without giving the agency a chance to respond doesnt feel right. Wolfe also declined to say whether the commissions decision to waive special voting deputies in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic compromised the 2020 election.

Wolfes comments were made the same day that Ann Jacobs, the chair of the states bipartisan elections commission, notified the GOP heads of the Legislatures audit committee in a letter that neither Wolfe nor members of the commission would be able to testify on the audit report at a legislative committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The letter, sent to Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, and Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem Lakes, co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, follows a request earlier this week from the two Republicans that Wolfe or a commission representative attend a committee meeting to discuss the Audit Bureaus report released last month. The report did not find any widespread fraud or abuse that would have affected the outcome of the election, but made 48 recommendations for improvements to how elections are run.

Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson has yet to publicly comment on the case. With Schmaling having forwarded charging recommendations to her office, the next move is hers.

Reporting from Mitchell Schmidt of Lee Newspapers contributed to this article.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Sleigh bells ring; are you listening?

If you frequently listen to the radio, you probably know that Christmas music is coming soon.

WARM 103.3 will temporarily convert to a Christmas-themed radio station beginning today, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., the station announced in a Facebook post.

For the most part, Facebook commenters responded positively to the early Christmas switch.

"thank you! for many of us, this year has been harder than last year, we need the positive vibes that christmas songs bring!" said Brian Fauth on the station's Facebook post.

Some people think it's too early.

For those who like WARM 103.3, but don't like Christmas music, the station will have a livestream on its website dedicated to playing music within their usual catalog, called the "Scrooge Station."

"Good to know I'm a "Scrooge" because I happen to like celebrating one holiday at a time. I am the BIGGEST Christmas fan, just not until after Thanksgiving," wrote listener Beth Gable in a Facebook comment.

Another local station known for its switch to Christmas music, WROZ 101.3, also known as Fun 101.3, recently was sold to the Educational Media Foundation, a Christian-based faith radio station. As of now, the station plays contemporary Christian music, an aggregate of Air1.

For those with Sirius XM satellite radio, there are already 17 Christmas-themed channels available for listening, from acoustic Christmas songs to Latin holiday music.
Lancaster County investigators are looking into a bomb threat at the Lancaster County Courthouse, the county district attorney's office announced Thursday evening.

The threat was received in an email by a court office around 7:35 a.m. Thursday, the district attorney's office said.

Deputies with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department, assisted by an explosive detection K9 unit, searched the courthouse floor-by-floor, the district attorney's office said.

All elected officials and employees were notified of the threat and were advised to report any suspicious people or items to the sheriff's office. No evidence of a threat was found, and courthouse services went uninterrupted, the district attorney's office said.

Anyone with information related to the threat is encouraged to call 717-299-8100 or submit a tip through the county CrimeWatch page.
A Lancaster County jury convicted a New Holland man of raping and sexually assaulting five children over a seven-year span.

Gustavo A. Rendon, 52, was found guilty of 30 offenses, including multiple counts of rape and indecent assault following a three-day trial that ended Wednesday. Sentencing has not been scheduled.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick told the jury in his closing argument that Rendon concealed the abuse through "Fear. Isolation. Control. Shame."

The victims were 14 or younger at the time of the abuse, which happened between 2003 and 2010 and took place in Texas and Arkansas before Pennsylvania. One girl was 2 when the abuse started and she testified that Rendon repeatedly allowed other men to sexually abuse her.

That girl reported the assaults in March 2020 and Rendon was charged in April 2020. Rendon had no contact with the girls since March 2010, when another adult became suspicious of his interactions with the children, according to police.

Multiple girls said Rendon made them strip in front of groups of people, and some said he took photographs of them while they were nude, according to prosecutors. The girls reported being assaulted in bathrooms, bedrooms and even inside a nursery at a church where they attended services.

Rendon had initially been charged with assaulting six children, but rape and two related charges pertaining to one of them were dismissed.

A message left Friday for Rendon's attorney was not immediately returned.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect charges filed against 30-year-old Daijour Lamark Stennett.

A Lancaster man has been charged and arrested for shooting another city resident following a argument in the 100 block of Hershey Avenue in Lancaster Thursday morning, city police said Thursday afternoon.

Daijour Lamark Stennett, 30, of the 700 block of West Vine Street, pulled a handgun on a 32-year-old victim, whose name has not been released, and shot him multiple times, police said. The victim suffered injuries to the head, torso and arm and is undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.

Stennett has been charged with one count each of criminal attempt at criminal homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and firearms not to be carried without a license. He is currently being held at Lancaster City Police Station for processing, and he was denied bail at arraignment, police said.

An on-duty East Hempfield Township police officer traveling through the area heard the gunshots and observed Stennett standing along the roadway holding a gun, Lancaster police said. When backup arrived, they detained Stennett and helped locate and stabilize the victim.

Lancaster police responded to the call then took over the scene and initiated its investigation.

East Hempfield Township police declined to comment.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Lancaster Detective Ryan Burgett at 717-735-3412.

Resident reacts

Daltyn Mekan, who lives on Hershey Avenue, said he woke up and heard arguing but didn't think much of it.

Soon after the arguing quieted down, he heard gunshots.

He had recently moved to Lancaster from Reading and said as soon as he heard shots, he "knew the drill" and ran to the back of the house.

Second later, he heard police yelling at the shooter.

"Within 30 seconds, a cop was already yelling at [the shooter]," Mekan said.

The other man was lying on the ground near a tree, he added.

While talking with neighbors after the shooting, Mekan said many of them were surprised there was a shooting on their street, which he said is usually pretty quiet.
Airbnb said Thursday that it earned $834 million on record revenue in the third quarter as more people got vaccinated and went back to traveling.

When companies closed offices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that freed some employees to work remotely using video technology, and Airbnb said the result was a huge jump in rentals.

The San Francisco-based home-sharing company said in a letter to shareholders that it believes the trend of work flexibility will accelerate. Airbnb noted that major companies including Ford and Amazon have announced policies that will allow for more remote work, and it predicted others will do the same.

Those changes in work habits, aided by videoconferencing technology, have helped generate more long stays on Airbnb. The company said stays of 28 days or longer were growing even before the pandemic but have picked up more rapidly in the past year. Long stays now account for 20% of Airbnb nights booked in the most recent quarter, up from 14% two years ago.

Airbnb said its net income was nearly four times the $219 million that it earned a year earlier and nearly triple the $267 million it reported in the third quarter of 2019.

Revenue rose 67% from a year ago and 36% from the same quarter in 2019, to $2.24 billion. Analysts expected $2.06 billion, according to FactSet.

However, cancellations remained higher than they were before the pandemic.

The third quarter is usually Airbnbs best. It often loses money in the other quarters  the company lost $407 million in the first nine months of this year.

Airbnb said bookings in North America grew 10% and Latin America was up 20% over the same period two years ago. Bookings in the wide swath of Europe, the Middle East and Asia have not yet recovered to 2019 levels, and business in the Asia-Pacific region remained depressed because of the slower recovery of international travel, however.

On the cost side, Airbnb's sales and marketing spending more than doubled, and product-development expenses also rose sharply. The company is investing in a feature that helps customers book travel when they don't have a specific destination or time in mind.

Shares of Airbnb Inc. gained about 1% in after-hours trading after rising 3% to $178.45 in the regular session. They have gained 22% this year.
Lancaster City Council President Ismail Smith-Wade-El will challenge state Rep. Mike Sturla in the 2022 primary election to represent the 96th House District in Harrisburg.

Smith-Wade-El, 31, who was elected to serve a second term on city council this week, confirmed he will officially announce his campaign on Tuesday. Sturla is a 16-term legislator and the countys lone elected Democrat in the General Assembly.

Sturla, 65, was first elected in 1990, and hasnt had a primary challenger on the ballot since then. A Democratic Socialists of America candidate attempted to challenge Sturla in the 2020 primary, but bowed out shortly after the Lancaster County Democratic Committee endorsed Sturla for a 16th term.

Smith-Wade-El, the vice chair of the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, is a specialist for the Lancaster County Homeless Coalition. He said he has wanted to run for the seat for at least two years, noting that Sturla has been his representative since he was a year old. It was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nations racial reckoning in response to several police killings of Black people that he decided he would challenge Sturla.

We showed up for one another, and frankly, we did not see the kind of representation, advocacy and fight from our state representative during that time, Smith-Wade-El said. Thats what sort of turned the switch for me.

People are getting sick now, people are homeless now. We have to deliver as soon as possible, he added. This city deserves a representative who shows up like its citizens do and works as hard as families do.

Sturla got booted from House Democrats leadership last year, after Democrats did poorly down ballot in the 2020 election. Sturla lost his chairmanship of the Democratic Policy Committee, which he led for 12 years, to Erie County Rep. Ryan Bizzarro. Bizzarro said he was chosen to take over the committee, as it moved in a younger, new direction. He is now the minority chair on the House urban affairs committee.

Like Smith-Wade-El, Sturla had his start in politics in 1987 as a member of Lancasters city council. A small business owner at the time, he won his first term in the state House in 1990 and has represented the district ever since. The heavily Democratic district includes Lancaster city and several nearby neighborhoods in Manheim and Lancaster townships. Hes spent much of his career on school funding inequities, and championed the fair funding formula the state uses today to allocate new money equitably.

Sturla did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, but told LNP | LancasterOnline last month he did not plan to retire. He said he still has more policy ideas he wants to advocate for, including one that would allow counties to collect a one-cent sales tax and divide the revenue among municipalities based on the number of tax-exempt properties each has.

I wont stay there 10 more years, but there are some things I can at least get in place, Sturla said last month.

Im not ready to just say, Im ready to retire because theres a rumor that people want me to retire, he added. I think people think I should retire because they could have a free pass at running for my office. If you think you could do a better job than me, then go ahead.

Smith-Wade-El said he spoke with Sturla about his plan to challenge him, and said Sturla offered his acknowledgement.

The 96th District has an overwhelming Democratic voter-registration advantage, and the winner of the Democratic primary would be heavily favored if he faced a challenger in the general election.

In Smith-Wade-Els first term on city council, he focused on attaining historic affordable housing investments for city residents. But he wants to step into a higher office to be able to make state-level policy changes to allow the city to govern itself.

Weve been able to make real material changes, and city council is an avenue for me to do that, he said. If by running for state representative I can deliver more, I want to try Were going to take every avenue that we can to deliver for the families that live here.
When: Ephrata Borough Council meeting, Nov. 1

What happened: During the meeting, residents and council members alike had a chance to greet Michael McKenna, Ephratas soon-to-be borough manager. McKenna, 38, began his familiarization period Nov. 1 before taking over the reins from manager Bob Thompson, who retires Jan. 15. Several council members welcomed McKenna during the meeting.

First impressions: The former borough manager for Myerstown, Lebanon County, McKenna was asked if he had the opportunity to check out his new community. He mentioned that he and his family had been to the Ephrata Fair in September. It was their first exposure to Ephratas 102-year-old extravaganza but not their last. I had no idea it was as large as it was, McKenna said. We had a good time. My kids loved it and were looking forward to going back again next year.

Other business: Council discussed placing security cameras and boarding up windows at the historic Hallers Homestead and Mill because of vandalism. The cost is expected to be $8,471. There was also discussion of a request by the board of the Eicher Arts Center to install cameras there as well.

Quotable: (Hallers) mill was built by the members of the Ephrata Cloister in the late 1700s so I really think its important for that property, which is roughly 300 years old, to be maintained, council member Thomas Reinhold said. Its a shame to have to install security cameras at this historic site, he added.

Also: Council discussed spending $39,000 to upgrade traffic signals at four intersections including Route 272 and Parkview Heights, Route 272 and South State Street, and North State Street at Locust Street.
When: Pequea Valley school board meeting, in person and via Zoom, Nov. 2.

What happened: School board member Ben Ingles asked for a resolution to be placed on the agenda in opposition to mandated vaccinations now that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 has been approved.

Background: Masking has been a hot topic throughout the district, and now a fear of a vaccination mandate is sparking strong reactions from parents.

Why its important: Ingles and other board members fear new mandates could be imposed by the governor, and would rather let their position be known in advance of any state action.

What happens next: The resolution will be on the agenda for the Nov. 11 board meeting. The board advises parents to contact their state legislators to let their position on this issue be heard.

Other happenings: Starting Nov. 4, the district will provide drive-up COVID-19 testing by appointment during school hours. Testing is free and voluntary, and it will only be done with parent permission.

n When: School board meeting, in person and via Zoom, Nov. 2.

n What happened: School board member Ben Ingles asked for a resolution to be placed on the agenda in opposition to mandated vaccinations now that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 has been approved.

n Background: Masking has been a hot topic throughout the district, and now a fear of a vaccination mandate is sparking strong reactions from parents.

n Why its important: Ingles and other board members fear new mandates could be imposed by the governor, and would rather let their position be known in advance of any state action.

n What happens next: The resolution will be on the agenda for the Nov. 11 board meeting. The board advises parents to contact their state legislators to let their position on this issue be heard.

n Other happenings: Starting Nov. 4, the district will provide drive-up COVID-19 testing by appointment during school hours. Testing is free and voluntary, and it will only be done with parent permission.
For too long, Pennsylvania families have been subjected to a school funding system in which the students who need the most get the least.

This is not just a few schools falling through the cracks: 86% of students in the state attend schools that are ill-equipped to offer them a 21st-century education, according to a benchmark that is written into state law.

A trial will begin this month in Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg to determine whether Pennsylvanias funding system meets state constitutional standards. The petitioners include six school districts (including School District of Lancaster), two statewide organizations and several parents.

The extent of the states underfunding was revealed in a study by Penn State professor Matthew Kelly, prepared as an expert report for the forthcoming case in Commonwealth Court.

Why is a lawsuit necessary to fix the funding system?

Clearly, the state Legislature has failed to fulfill its duties under the education and equal protection provisions of Pennsylvanias constitution. The current system is not thorough or efficient and does not provide a quality education for children in low-wealth districts.

The gross disparities between districts are irrational and unjustifiable.

The General Assembly has at times acknowledged that Pennsylvania has a school funding problem. In 2016, legislators adopted a funding formula that distributes new funding to school districts based on objective factors, such as student enrollment, poverty levels, school district wealth and capacity to raise local revenues. This year, state lawmakers funded a modest Level Up supplement for the states 100 most under-resourced districts.

But total state aid is still woefully insufficient. And because of a hold harmless provision in the states funding system, ensuring that no district can get less state aid than in 2014-15, 86% of total funding is distributed without regard to current enrollment or need.

The profoundly inadequate level of state funding and the flaws in the system for distributing it have created inequities between school districts that are too extreme to ignore.

According to the analysis by Kelly, 428 of the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania have an adequacy gap  the yawning gulf between the funds they can raise and the states own benchmark for what they need to educate students to state standards.

The total funding shortfall is at least $4.6 billion statewide. Two dozen districts, including Columbia Borough, have shortfalls exceeding $5,000 per student. Lancaster is not far behind at $4,510. Reading has the largest gap: $8,592 per student.

Pennsylvania contributes just 38% of the costs of K-12 education. Only five states cover a smaller share. The national average is 47%.

This means local wealth determines essential services  from the quality, training and experience level of teachers; to the number of counselors, nurses, librarians and reading specialists; to computers and STEM labs, art and music, smaller class sizes and extra help for students who need it.

These blatant disparities compound the effects of systemic racism: Half the states Black students and 40% of Latino students attend school in districts that are in the bottom quintile for local wealth. Without adequate state funding, these districts lack basic resources to meet student needs.

This reality is a far cry from a system in which all children have access to a quality education regardless of their race, ZIP code or the wealth of their community.

Successful school funding lawsuits in other states have moved the needle toward fairness, spurring more state revenue for schools and resulting in better academic and life outcomes for children.

A 2015 study of 28 states that implemented court-mandated school funding reforms confirms this view. Researchers found that for children from low-income families, increasing per-pupil spending yields large improvements in educational attainment, wages and family income. They saw reductions in the annual incidence of poverty when those students reached adulthood.

Courts elsewhere have fleshed out the meaning of states constitutional obligations. In New Mexico, the court in 2018 ordered state legislators to take immediate steps to ensure that New Mexico schools have the resources necessary to give at-risk students the opportunity to obtain a uniform and sufficient education that prepares them for college and career.

Our neighbor New Jersey  now with a majority of students of color  ranks No. 2 in the nation in achievement and graduation rates after court orders triggered school finance reform. Districts in which at least 30% of students live in poverty are allocated about 20% more per pupil. Among other reforms is funding of high-quality preschool in low-wealth districts.

When students receive the kind of support that strong, consistent funding can buy, society reaps the rewards. More investment in schools spurs student achievement, which spurs state economic growth.

Simply put, money matters in education. With this lawsuit, we now have an opportunity to positively impact generations of students in Pennsylvania.

Deborah Gordon Klehr is executive director of the Education Law Center. It, along with the Public Interest Law Center and the law firm OMelveny & Myers, represents petitioners in Pennsylvanias funding lawsuit. For more information, go to FundOurSchoolsPA.org. This piece first appeared in The (Allentown) Morning Call.
THE ISSUE: World leaders including President Joe Biden have been meeting this week at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. This years global climate summit is a critical one, for measuring how much progress has been made in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and for getting countries to sign up for aggressive new commitments, The Washington Post explained. Scientists warn that rapid, large-scale cuts are the only way to avoid ever-worsening climate disasters. Thursdays COP26 sessions focused on how countries that rely heavily on fossil fuels can transition more rapidly to cleaner energy sources. China (whose leaders did not attend the climate summit) and the United States are the worlds top two emitters of carbon dioxide.

Too many important discussions have been shelved or minimized because of the understandable need to focus on the response to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic over the past 20 months.

Human-caused climate change is one of those issues.

Its a whopper of an issue, tied up in the interwoven complexities of economies, the energy grid, employment, transportation, vulnerability to weather disasters, food and water supplies and the very lifestyles were comfortable with. As our planet slowly boils, the needed response to climate change cant itself be boiled down to a few easy changes that would make everything better overnight. If that were the case, wed surely have bipartisan and global agreements on unified action.

Yet we cannot ignore addressing this crisis because its difficult or because we have other legitimate worries on our plate.

Important discussions are taking place at COP26 in Glasgow, and we hope the urgent voices of the young protesters outside those meeting halls also are heard and heeded. They are the ones who will inherit the planet that we and generations before us have damaged.

Important provisions to mitigate the climate crisis are included in both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the budget reconciliation bill that continue to languish in Congress. Inaction on those bills has led to growing frustration among Americans who want to see their representatives in Washington, D.C., pass meaningful measures  not just related to climate change  that have broad support across the electorate.

Important steps toward building a cleaner energy grid and creating jobs in the renewable energy sector have long been discussed in Harrisburg. Some of that momentum was stalled by the pandemic. But it also has been stalled by disagreements over the ways in which Pennsylvania, one of the nations biggest polluters, should attempt to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

In the face of those political obstacles, we are encouraged by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs push to make Pennsylvania, as The Associated Press explained, the first major fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy by imposing a price on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

Wolfs proposal involves Pennsylvania joining a multistate consortium, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, next year. It still faces opposition from the Republican-controlled General Assembly and even from state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who, as a Democratic candidate for governor in 2022, has expressed doubts about whether the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is the right step for Pennsylvania.

In Lancaster County, aggressive proposals to address the climate crisis have received steady support from LNP | LancasterOnline letter writers. Even as weve dealt with other life-and-death matters since March 2020, their voices have kept up an urgent drumbeat on this topic:

 The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a great opportunity for us to clean the air, tackle climate change, boost the economy and position Pennsylvania as a leader in the next generation of energy production, Deborah Fast, of Akron, wrote in a letter published last month.

 Evidence from respected scientists demonstrates beyond any possible doubt that climate change is growing worse and represents a direct threat to our communities, our economy and the future of our children, Dr. Peter A. Keller, of West Lampeter Township, wrote in September.

 The sooner fossil fuels are phased out, the less well all have to pay for climate change later and the more our economy and health would thrive, Dr. Alan Peterson, of Pequea Township, wrote in July.

Thats just a small sampling. We receive letters from Lancaster County residents nearly every week about climate change.

But do we see meaningful action? Not so much. Not nearly enough.

It frustrates letter writers like Erik Anderson, of Lancaster, who wrote in September that its hard not to feel betrayed by those, Democratic and Republican, whom we have elected to represent our best interests, and its hard not to feel betrayed by the corporate leaders who have ignored the consequences of their industries for the sake of profit.

Anderson challenged this newspaper and "every elected leader in Lancaster County" to keep up the conversation about dealing with the climate crisis. To work together, brainstorm ideas, make the necessary tough decisions and  most of all  take action so that our children and grandchildren have a sustainable, safer environment to look forward to.

Its incredibly discouraging that we havent been able to put up a fully united front against COVID-19, which has now killed three-quarters of a million Americans. We cannot afford to similarly fail on collectively addressing the climate. Too much is at stake.

In March 2019, young people from across the county gathered in Lancaster city's Penn Square. Some of their handmade signs said "Make Earth Cool Again," "There is no Planet B" and "What Will I Be Telling My Kids?"

We must continue to convey these points and ask pointed questions of elected officials at all levels who have the power to effect meaningful change amid the climate crisis.


Adbus Satter lives in Bonnotola in southwestern Bangladesh. The small seaside village was once home to 2,000 people. Most of them were farmers, like Satter.

But rising seas poisoned the soil with salt water. Two major storms in the last two years destroyed the mud barriers that protected the village from the sea.

Today, only 480 people remain.

The effects of global warming are destroying parts of Bangladesh, said Mohammad Shamsuddoha. He is the head of the non-profit Center for Participatory Research Development.

Its a grave concern for a country like Bangladesh, he said. He added that studies show some 30 million people may be forced to leave the countrys coastal communities.

This week, world leaders are gathered in Glasgow Scotland, for a United Nations climate conference. Countries like Bangladesh are pressing for more financial support to deal with the effects of climate change.



A long-held promise for rich countries to give poor countries $100 billion each year to move to clean energy and deal with climate change has not been kept. Even the $80 billion that has been given is not enough to make much of a difference.

Salt in soil has increased by 26 percent over the past 35 years. In 1973, 833,000 hectares of land were poisoned by sea water. Areas of fresh water were also poisoned. This grew to 1.02 million hectares in 2000, and 1.056 million hectares in 2009, reports Bangladeshs Soil Resources Development Institute.

At Bonbibi Tola village, women gather daily at a well to collect water for cooking and drinking. The women walk up to 4 kilometers to get the water.

But that will soon end. Wells in the area only have fresh water in the months after yearly heavy rains. In the summer, fresh water is difficult to find, said one of the women, Maheswari Halder.

This is the fate we all surrender to, she said.

The villages lie in Bangladeshs southwestern Shyamnagar area. The area is home to 400,000 people. Officials say the government does not have the money to build desalination factories.

The area needs maybe 500 desalination plants. But weve only got 50 or so, said Alamgir Kabir, head of a local organization.



Between 2000 and 2009, only six countries in the world were more affected by climate change than Bangladesh. That information comes from the 2021 Climate Change Performance Index, by the nonprofit group Germanwatch.

Bangladesh cannot pay for the costs of climate change on its own.

And it should not have to, says Abdul Kalam Azad. He is the countrys special representative to the Climate Vulnerable Forum. The group is made up of countries most at risk from the effects of climate change.

Bangladesh has done far less to damage the Earths atmosphere than larger industrialized countries. Yet Bangladesh is being badly hurt, Azad said.

In a speech Monday at the U.N. climate meeting, Bangladeshs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the large industrial countries that have caused most climate change should pay for the damage. The 2015 Paris climate agreement said that countries should address loss and damage due to climate change.

But countries such as the United States are concerned that they might be held legally responsible for the effects of a century of carbon emissions.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

global warming - n. the recent increase in the world's temperature that is believed to be caused by the increase of certain gases (such as carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere

grave - adj. very serious

adapt - v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

fate - n. the future that someone or something will have

desalination - adj. the removal of salt from sea water

emissions - n. something sent out or given off

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.


African and Western nations on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ethiopia. Tigrayan forces from the country's north have been nearing the capital this week.



The U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, arrived in the capital, Addis Ababa. He asked for a halt to military operations and a start to ceasefire talks. African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said he met Feltman to discuss efforts toward talks and political solutions.

The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa approved requests by some employees and family members to leave the country because of the worsening hostilities.



The European Union and the East African partnership of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) joined those calling for a ceasefire. IGAD urged both sides to show restraint, cool tensions and work out their differences through discussion. The two sides are the central government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies.



Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni called for an IGAD meeting on November 16 to discuss the conflict.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a statement on Wednesday saying, "The fighting must stop!" He called on the two sides "to put down their arms and to cease the fighting, to talk, and to find a path to sustainable peace."

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he spoke to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday "to offer my good offices to create the conditions for a dialogue so the fighting stops".

Addis Ababa police spokesperson Fasika Fanta said on Thursday that police had arrested "many people" since the government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Locals told Reuters on Wednesday that many Tigrayans had been arrested.

But Fasika said arrests were not based on ethnicity. "We are only arresting those who are directly or indirectly supporting the illegal terrorist group," he said. "This includes moral, financial and propaganda support."



Preparing to defend



Fasika also said many people were registering weapons at police stations around the city. The government asked people on Tuesday to prepare to defend their areas. "Some are even coming with bombs and heavy weapons. We are registering those too," he said.

Streets and stores in Addis Ababa were busy as usual on Thursday morning, though some locals said there was a feeling of uneasy calm.

"There are rumors about the approach of the rebels. People debate about the conflict, most of the people accuse the government for what happened," one man in the capital said.

Abiy's government declared the state of emergency on Tuesday as the Tigrayan forces threatened to push forward to Addis Ababa. TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said on Wednesday that the Tigrayan troops were in the town of Kemise in Amhara state, 325 kilometers from the capital.

Im Jill Robbins.

Maggie Fick, George Obulutsa and Ayenat Mersie reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

sustainable  adj. able to last or continue for a long time

dialogue  n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement

rumor  n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true

What do you think of the conflict in Ethiopia? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.


Imagine you are learning about a science. Perhaps you want to read a science book, science news, or scientific research in English.

There are certain structures that are common to all of these kinds of writing.

In todays Everyday Grammar, we will explore the connection between science writing and modifiers - a word or group of words that describes another word or group of words.

Lets start with a few important terms and ideas.

What are modifiers?

In grammar, the word modifier includes several groups of terms  adjectives, participles, prepositional phrases, appositives, and more.

Modifiers can appear before or after a noun.

A noun and its modifiers can create a noun phrase  a group of words that acts like a noun in a sentence.

Lets consider an example.

You might read about an interesting study. The words an interesting study make up a noun phrase. The word an shows the beginning of the noun phrase. The modifier is interesting. It is an adjective that comes before the noun study.

Modifiers can also come after a noun. Imagine you read a science story that says something like this:

Scientists found evidence of a large black hole.

In the example, the noun evidence is followed by a kind of modifier known as a prepositional phrase  the words of a large black hole.

In speaking, noun phrases commonly only have a noun, pronoun, or noun and determiner  a word such as the, this, a, and so on. So, you might hear someone say:

I called my friend.

In the example, the noun phrase is my friend. It has the noun, friend, and the determiner, my.

In writing, noun phrases are more likely to have modifiers that come before and after the noun. These modifiers are often more complex than what you hear in everyday speaking.

Writing and modifiers in science news

Lets explore some science stories that have appeared recently on VOA Learning Englishs website. You will see that modifiers play an important part in giving information about scientific studies.

For example, here is one story that reports findings from a study. The study used a high-tech sensing device known as lidar.

A careful study of a large area in Mexico has found hundreds of ancient ceremonial centers.

The important noun is the word study. It forms the base of the sentence's subject. If the modifiers were taken out of the first part of the sentence, it would be this:

A study has found hundreds of ancient ceremonial centers.

Note that the sentence is still complete. Some of the details have been removed, but the sentence still has the elements of a complete sentence  subject, verb, object.

Note that the modifiers in the original report come both before and after nouns.

A careful study of a large area in Mexico ...

The adjective careful comes before the noun study. The phrase of a large area comes after study, and the phrase in Mexico comes after the noun area.

Lets see how modifiers play an important part in another science story.

Astronomers say they have found evidence for the first time of a planet orbiting a star outside our Milky Way galaxy.

Notice here that the subject of the sentence is very short  astronomers. But modifiers play an important part in the sentences predicate.

The noun evidence is followed by the modifier for the first time, which is in turn followed by more modifiers - of a planet... and so on.

Closing thoughts

One way to think about the central idea of todays report is to imagine a skeleton  the bones that make up the basic structure of a person or animal.

On top of the basic structure there are increasing levels of complexity that create a living being  fat, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and so on.

In grammar, we have a basic structure that makes up the central meaning of a sentence - subject and predicate, noun or noun phrase and verb. Modifiers add weight or detail to the basic structure. The modifiers bring sentences to life.

The next time you are reading science news, scientific research, or really any kind of writing in English, pay careful attention to how the writer uses modifiers. Identify the basic structure of a sentence and then make note of how modifiers play a part in it.

Im Jonathan Evans.

John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

participle  n. grammar : a form of a verb that is used to indicate a past or present action and that can also be used like an adjective

prepositional phrase  n. grammar : a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase

appositive  n. grammar standing in grammatical apposition - an arrangement of words in which a noun or noun phrase is followed by another noun or noun phrase that refers to the same thing

determiner  n. grammar: a word (such as a, the, some, any, my, or your) that comes before a noun and is used to show which thing is being referred to

predicate  n. grammar: the part of a sentence that expresses what is said about the subject
Pfizer said Friday that its experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut hospitalization and death rates by nearly 90 percent in high-risk adults.

The American drug-maker said a group of independent scientists observing the study advised halting it early based on the strength of its results.

Pfizers study was stopped when 774 adults had been treated for 28 days. Among those who received the Pfizer pill and older antiviral drug ritonavir, three were hospitalized and no one died. Among those who took an inactive substance, or placebo, there were 27 hospitalizations with seven deaths.

Pfizer said adults in the study were considered high risk for hospitalization. They were unvaccinated and showed signs, or symptoms, of mild to moderate COVID-19. The study shows an 89 percent reduction among patients treated within three days of showing symptoms.

A larger study of 1219 people also shows an 85 percent reduction among those treated within five days. In that study, six people who received the Pfizer medication were hospitalized. No one in that group died. There were 41 hospitalizations and 10 deaths in the placebo group.

Pfizers chief scientific officer, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, told the Associated Press, We were hoping that we had something extraordinary, but its rare that you see great drugs come through with almost 90 percent efficacy and 100 percent protection for death.

Pfizer said it will present the results to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. The company said it will ask the FDA and international health officials to approve the pill as soon as possible. The treatment, called Paxlovid, consists of three pills given twice a day for five days.

Last month, drugmaker Merck announced study results of an antiviral pill it produced. It cut rates of hospitalization and death by 50 percent. This week, Britain approved that pill for emergency use. The FDA is currently considering whether to approve it for emergency use in the U.S.

Although Mercks pill, called molnupiravir, is further along in the emergency approval process, Pfizers drug is more familiar to health officials.

Pfizers pill comes from a family of antiviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV and hepatitis. The drug was first identified during the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2003. Last year, Pfizer researchers started studying it for COVID-19.

The FDA has already approved several treatments for COVID-19. But all of them must be injected by healthcare workers. Pills can be taken at home and are easier to send around the world.

Pfizer said it could produce more than 180,000 treatments by the end of 2021 and at least 50 million by the end of 2022.

Im Caty Weaver.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pill - n. a small object that you swallow that contains medicine, drug, etc..

placebo - n. a pill that is given to a patient like a drug but that has no effect on the patient


American officials say they are concerned at how quickly China is strengthening its military power in a wide range of areas.

The officials say China is continuing to build up its nuclear weapons program, along with its space, cyber and missile technologies.

Air Force General John Hyten is the number two ranking U.S. military official. He told The Associated Press that he finds the rate at which China is moving stunning.

The growth comes as Chinas government has increased its military activities around Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rebel territory. China has said it plans to one day reclaim the territory and would use force if necessary.

Chinas military expansion is seen as an effort to change a world balance of power that has long favored the United States. If China becomes more powerful, that may not be a direct threat to the U.S. But it could change American alliances in Asia. New signs of how Washington deals with China may come out in the coming weeks as Joe Bidens administration reviews its defense policy.



The latest example of Chinas fast growth was the countrys recent test of a hypersonic weapon. The weapon is able to partly orbit Earth before reentering the atmosphere and heading toward a target.

General Mark Milley is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking U.S. military official. He called the test very concerning for the United States.

Milley said the hypersonic weapon test was very close to being what he called a Sputnik moment. He was speaking about an event in 1957 in which the Soviet Union surprised the world by launching the worlds first space satellite. The event led to a nuclear arms and space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

But Milley added that the problems presented by China's military modernization go much further. Thats just one weapon system, he recently told Bloomberg Television. "The Chinese military capabilities are much greater than that.

Satellite images in recent months have also shown that China has built more launch silos for its nuclear missiles.



An important driver of Chinas growth in nuclear weapons is its concerns about possible U.S. actions, says Fiona Cunningham. She is a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania. She told the AP she thinks Chinas nuclear growth could limit the effectiveness of a possible first U.S. strike against Chinese weapons.

Some defense experts are concerned that the U.S. will enter into an arms race with Beijing, as it has been unable to bring the Chinese government into security talks. Congress is also increasingly centered on China and supports more financing for space and cyber operations and hypersonic technologies.

For now, Russia is seen as a larger threat to the U.S. than China because it has many more nuclear weapons. But Milley and others say China is a bigger long-term worry because it is much stronger economically than Russia.

General Hyten noted that China will overtake both Russia and the U.S. in overall military power in the coming years if we dont do something to change it.

Senior U.S. military officials have also been warning this year that China is working to capture Taiwan. Foreign policy experts see the independent island as a possible trigger for a U.S.-China War.

While the United States has long promised to help Taiwan defend itself, it is unclear how far it would go to answer a Chinese attack. Last month, President Joe Biden said America would come to Taiwan's defense if it were attacked by China.

We have a commitment to do that," Biden said.

The White House later said this does not represent a change in U.S. policy. The current policy is that the U.S. does not support Taiwanese independence, but will provide defensive arms.

Im Dan Novak.

Robert Burns reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

_______________________________________

Words in This Story

stunning  adj. very surprising or shocking

hypersonic  adj. relating to speeds of more than five times the speed of sound

capability  n. the ability to do something

silo  n. an underground structure that is used for storing and firing a missile

trigger  v. to cause (something) to start or happen

commitment n. a promise to do or give something


Workers around the United States who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 may lose their jobs. Some say they do not want the vaccine because of religious concerns. Others say the government should not control what goes into their bodies.

They are objecting to a federal mandate that requires workers from businesses with at least 100 employees to vaccinate or be tested every week. The mandate also extends to all federal employees and those working with the federal government or government-supported programs.

This week, the Biden administration said the mandate will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees who test positive must be removed from the workplace.

The federal government says its vaccination requirements will apply to about 100 million Americans or two-thirds of all U.S. workers. Business and labor leaders, however, worry that it will hurt the nations economic recovery if thousands of workers suddenly lose their jobs.

Unvaccinated in Wichita, Kansas

In Wichita, Kansas, nearly half of the roughly 10,000 employees at aircraft companies Textron and Spirit AeroSystems remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Two Textron workers who requested religious exemptions to vaccine requirements said the company asked questions about their religious beliefs and church leaders.

Textron told the Reuters news agency that it has to follow the federal mandate. The company added that workers who are unable to receive the vaccine because of medical or religious reasons were given a chance to request an accommodation from this requirement.

Cornell Beard is a local labor leader. He said, "We're going to lose a lot of employees over this. Beard said the workers did not object to the vaccine itself. But they are opposed to what they see as government control over personal health decisions.

Beard said the labor group is now hiring lawyers to help the employees. They will prepare possible legal actions if requests for medical or religious exemptions to vaccination are denied.

Is mandate legal?

Health officials said vaccines remain the most effective way to prevent COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, especially with the spread of the Delta variant.

Many legal experts have said vaccine mandates in the interest of public health are legal. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected several challenges to mandates. Last week, the high court turned away a healthcare worker who sought a religious exemption to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Still, at a recent protest near Seattle, an employee of plane-maker Boeing called it illegal, immoral and impractical. The worker said, "We are standing together against a company and government trampling on our rights." Some said they would retire early if they have to get the vaccine.

Massachusetts-based Raytheon makes weapons, communications systems and air security devices for the U.S. government. Its leader warned that it will lose several thousand employees because of the mandate. Other large companies, including FedEx and UPS, say many of their employees will not be vaccinated in time.

Mercedes-Benz, which also makes cars in the U.S., said it gave employees 90 days to get the vaccine. So far, over half of them have. The company said it expects most of its employees will meet the requirement.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.

What should happen to the employees who are not vaccinated in time? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

mandate  n. an official order to do something

dose  n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time

positive  n. the result from a test that shows that a particular germ, condition, or substance is present

apply v. to have an effect on someone or something

exemption n. freedom from being required to do something that others are required to do  usually + from

accommodation  n. the act of providing an opportunity for something to happen

challenge n. an action, statement, etc., that is against something : a refusal to accept something as true, correct, or legal  often + to

impractical  adj. not easy to do or use : not suitable for the situation

trample v. to treat other people's rights, wishes, or feelings as if they are worthless or not important
An overzealous cleanup at a Lebanon cemetery has given the community a bit of a black eye, and thats a shame.

The city of Lebanon is undeniably a success story for the mid-Willamette Valley, as it has bounced back from the downturn of the timber economy much better than many other areas.

Locals and former residents returning for a visit can proudly look over the positive changes here. Just in the last decade or so, the town has seen the addition of a school that produces outstanding doctors (the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest), the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home, new Linn-Benton Community College facilities, a swanky new hotel, new walking trails at Cheadle Lake and elsewhere, a downtown revitalization and more.

Problems remain to be solved, to be sure  poverty, homelessness, high housing prices and substance abuse are issues facing nearly every community in the mid-valley  but Lebanon seems on the right path and headed toward a promising future. Even brighter days are ahead.

So it was troubling to hear about a local cemetery thats so poorly managed it cant properly honor the past.

For those who missed the news, Lebanons Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery recently tried to spruce things up by removing tokens of remembrance left on graves. The reasoning was that mementos left around tombstones make maintenance such as lawn-mowing and leaf collections difficult.

So without much outreach, the cemetery trashed decorations including angel statues, religious crosses, inscribed stones, poems, military memorabilia, American flags and more.

Naturally, residents whose loved ones are buried in the cemetery were furious when they stumbled across the development and a massive burn pile of keepsakes. Reporter Cody Mann detailed their frustrations.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

It was like reliving my daddys death all over again, said Candi Elliott, whose father Roy Burnsides, a Vietnam veteran, is buried in the cemetery. Medals and challenge coins, including one from her son on active military duty, disappeared during the cleanup.

Robbin Davis husband, Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Davis, was killed in action in 2005 in Iraq, and his final resting place is the IOOF cemetery. People have lost things that theyll never get back, Davis said.

The IOOF in Lebanon acknowledged that it made mistakes with the cleanup, and that there had been an ongoing but overlooked issue with keepsakes at gravesites.

Other cemeteries typically dont have these sorts of problems because community members understand what rules are in place at the properties. Stuffed animals cant be left at gravesites for months on end in the finicky Pacific Northwest weather. And at other cemeteries, residents know to gather mementos before regular cleanups, then return them after the work is done.

The Odd Fellows have rolled out a new website and there is a Facebook group to help keep the public informed about cemetery cleanups and other related events, including opportunities to volunteer. And thats a nice start to healing the hurt feelings here.

We hope Lebanon residents volunteer  just as theyve been doing. Its no secret that Pioneer School, Lebanon Union High Schools class of 1968 and others have been helping with the upkeep of the IOOF cemetery for years.

We dont want to draw too many conclusions about the state of the local Odd Fellows Lodge from this episode. In general, however, nonprofit fraternal and service organizations have seen their aging membership decline over the decades, and thats resulted in less volunteer work and philanthropy for communities large and small throughout the United States.

Lebanons population has surged in the last few decades, but its important for residents to continue to step up.

Communities can do great things with a little bit of work from a lot of people, and Lebanon should be a town that cares about its history, even as it moves forward.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3
SPOKANE  Miranda Newell, 36, was in the darkest moment of her life when she sought help from Union Gospel Mission.
Wildfires, floods and debris flows were among the top hazards facing Santa Barbara County listed by participants in a virtual workshop present
Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It" is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net
Local

featured

Man sentenced to 40 years for drug crimes

JESS HUFF/The Lufkin Daily News James Malone walks from state District Judge Bob Inselmanns courtroom after being sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday.

James Malone, 64, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by state District Judge Bob Inselmann Thursday morning for five drug felony charges.

The Angelina County Sheriffs Office arrested Malone and his son, James Micah Malone, after a lengthy investigation by the Narcotics and Special Response team on Sept. 5, 2019. A search warrant yielded methamphetamine, marijuana, scales and packaging materials used in drug sales.

Malone was charged with four counts of the manufacture or delivery of between one and four grams of a penalty group 1 controlled substance  all second-degree felonies  and the manufacture or delivery of less than one gram of a penalty group 1 controlled substance, a first-degree felony, according to Angelina County court records.

These charges came with enhanced charges because Malone has been convicted and served time for crimes when he was in his 20s and 30s. The soon to be 65-year-old pleaded guilty to all charges on Sept. 7.

Im ashamed of myself and embarrassed of everything Ive done, he said.

He faced a sentence of 25 years to life on several of the charges because of those enhancements.

Id like to get probation, he told the court.

Dressed in a slightly crumpled, white button down shirt, tie and slacks Malone took the stand and swore to tell the truth. His family sat together on the benches closer to the door.

His attorney, Al Charanza, questioned him about his life leading to the arrest and efforts he has made since his arrest two years ago to improve his life and behavior.

Malones addiction started in 2016, he said. This was around the same time his daughter, Amie Malone, was killed by Jerry Wayne Pixley who is now serving a life sentence for the crime. Amie Malone, a former confidential informant, suffered an overdose of heroin in Pixleys presence. He was initially charged with retaliation but the charge was ultimately changed to manslaughter.

Inselmann was the presiding judge in Pixleys 2018 case.

Malone had served as a guardian for his grandson since the child was 2, he said.

Child Protective Services took custody of his grandson after his arrest. Malone went through treatment programs with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council and took counseling as mandated by CPS, he said.

He hass been clean for two years, he said, adding he was able to resume responsibility for his grandson in June 2020 with some supervision and that the CPS case was dismissed in November 2020.

Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Stroud asked Malone about the business of selling drugs, how often, to how many people and just how much he would sell per person.

Malone told her he was selling regularly to a handful of people, which he clarified by saying it was about five people. He told her he was trying to get out of that life, but that hed sold drugs to more people than that earlier.

So in 2019 youre selling to five regular customers, and youre selling eight-balls (1/8 ounce)? she asked.

Malone denied selling drugs in that quantity, but Stroud pointed to the five incidents that led to his arrest. Among those included an incident where he told a buyer through text that he would have to re-up before selling anymore.

How much methamphetamine do you think you were selling a month at a time? she asked. A half an ounce, he answered. She also asked if he thought he would have stopped selling drugs if he hadnt been arrested. Malone said he didnt know for sure, but he hoped he would have.

Id like to think that a guy whos been to the pen twice might have figured out that theres consequences for behavior like this, you didnt, she said. Right?

She said she thought hed have figured it out after the death of his child, she said.

Charanza asked the court to consider Malones request for probation so Malone could see his grandson graduate high school and continue on the path he has started. This would come with the understanding that if he messed up he would serve at least a 25-year sentence.

Inselmann asked Malone himself about his grandsons situation, but Malone didnt have answers for the questions the judge was asking.

Its sort of funny because when I sat through (Pixleys) trial and I looked at it and I thought about a lot of women who are in Amies position and other women Ive worked with, and it inspired me to open a womens sober living house, Inselmann said.

I guess your inspiration from her death was to go out and sell meth. It is an absolute tragedy.
Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.
Funeral attendees Friday were required to wear masks. Not all did.

As guests gathered in the cavernous cathedral that has hosted the funerals of several past presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet played a range of tunes, including Dancing Queen by Abba, a favorite of Powell's.

Richard Armitage, who served as the State Department's No.-2-ranking official while Powell was secretary of state during the Bush administration, recalled the day Sweden's foreign minister, Ann Linde, came to call and  knowing of Powell's affection for Abba  presented him with a full CD set of group's music.

Colin immediately went down on one knee and sang the entire Mamma Mia to a very amused foreign minister of Sweden and to a gob-smacked U.S. delegation. They'd never seen anything like it, said Armitage, who described a 40-year friendship with Powell that began while both served in the Pentagon.

Madeleine Albright, who was Powell's immediate predecessor as secretary of state, called him a figure who almost transcended time, and one of the gentlest and most decent people any of us will ever meet.

He relished the opportunity to connect with other generations, she said.
Moretti believes there were "more people armed than not" throughout the civil unrest. "I probably talked to more people that had pistols and weapons and baseball bats and whatnot." Moretti said he and his partner told everyone they encountered and talked to "to go home."

Moretti says that an officer down call went out after the shootings, but it ended up being false. The hospital was going into lockdown soon after shootings.

Moretti said he was one of the ones who put Rosenbaum into a body bag and brought his body to the hospital morgue.

The body armor Moretti was wearing, he says, would not have been able to sustain a rifle round. Moretti said a full-metal jacket round would go through his body armor "like he was wearing nothing."

Moretti testifies he was unable to hear people yelling that Rittenhouse had "just shot them." Moretti adds that he saw Rittenhouse "manipulate" his rifle twice as he walked up, increasing their fear he may mean them harm. A voice is heard in video yelling "Get out of the road!" to Rittenhouse, whose hands are up; Moretti said the person yelling is either himself or his partner  they both were yelling, so Moretti can't tell who is yelling at which moment.
Like most businesses, there was major disruption in 2020 due to COVID-19. However, Springs began rebounding in the second half of that year and in 2021 is on pace for growth "well into the double digits" over 2019 on a percentage basis, Jungbluth said. The drivers include increases in home remodeling, continued demand for new home construction and the rise in motorized window covering products for commercial customers and increasing orders from residential customers.

Springs, the second-largest provider of custom window covering products in the world, has 8,500 employees globally, 20 facilities in the U.S. and Mexico, but its corporate headquarters and a component manufacturing facility cover 423,000 square feet and are located just north of Airport Road. The Middleton operation includes about 210 employees on the manufacturing side and 350 in the corporate offices.

Brands for the company include Bali and Graber, but also Mecho, Mariak, Horizons and SunSetter, brands acquired by Springs over the last six years.

We are very pleased with the growth of Springs, whose success has surpassed the expectations set forth when first partnering with management three years ago," said Brian Hoesterey, CEO of AEA Investors. "We are confident that the company is well positioned for a very bright future ahead.
The student told police he had pulled his mask under his nose because he was having trouble breathing. The teacher told him to pull it up before, the student said, she wrapped tape around his head about five times.

The police report notes that, during the interview with the student, his parents "would begin to speak into the conversation without being asked questions," including comments by the student's father about contacting news outlets and attorneys, hiring a private investigator, mentioning a hashtag on social media and wanting to start a protest at the school.

The student also reported he was sent to an assistant principal's office, according to the report, but security camera footage didn't show the student in the office, and school administrators reported he wasn't there.

Interviews with several students in the classroom at the time provided varying accounts of what happened. Some said the tape was applied in a joking manner; others reported seeing tape put on different areas of the student's head. Students also disagreed over the amount of tape used.

On its website, the district said Friday's cancellation was done after considering "the behaviors, actions, and language of certain groups who do not consider the safety and well-being of others."
Some colleges waive tuition

One way other colleges have supported Native American students is by covering the cost of their tuition.

The University of Michigan has offered waivers to all Michigan tribal residents since 1976.

The University of Minnesota earlier this month announced that it would offer state tribal members free or reduced tuition beginning next fall.

In Wisconsin, a tuition waiver policy for tribal members would require both legislative and UW System approval.

Gov. Tony Evers included a provision allowing students from federally recognized tribes to receive in-state tuition in his 2021-23 state budget proposal, but it did not make it through the legislative process. A similar bipartisan bill in the 2019 session failed to gain traction.

Spokespeople for Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, didn't respond to a question asking if they support tuition waivers for the state's Native students.

Some Wisconsin tribal members may already receive support through Buckys Tuition Promise, a UW-Madison scholarship that covers tuition and fees for all Wisconsin families with incomes below $60,000.

UW-Madison student Giselle Monette, who is a member of a tribe in North Dakota, supports tuition waivers as a way to "repair some of the systemic damage that our families have experienced for a long time."

 Kelly Meyerhofer
In the letter, Jacobs said the issue stems from the Audit Bureaus unusual decision to not provide the commission or its staff an opportunity to see or respond to the report before it was published in late October. Jacobs said the six-member bipartisan commission is willing to discuss the audit after it holds its next scheduled meeting on Dec. 1, which she said is the soonest the commission can meet.

I recognize the public interest in this matter, and I certainly appreciate that the Committee wants to discuss the LABs audit, Jacobs wrote. However, the WEC simply is unable to provide the information you are seeking at this time. Had the regular audit process been followed  the process which has governed every other audit  this would not be the case. Unfortunately, that decision by the LAB has resulted in this situation.

10-minute warning

Speaking with the State Journal editorial board Thursday, Wolfe said she met with Audit Bureau officials early in the auditing process and was informed of the traditional process, which includes an exit conference and chance for response from the audited party.

At no point was it brought to our attention that they planned to deviate from the process, Wolfe said. I was alerted 10 minutes before the report was released publicly.
Those and other reforms should be enacted  as the Star Tribune Editorial Board has argued for years. We will not stop pressing for real rather than cosmetic changes that will translate into better, more effective policing and a safer community for all.

As of the deadline for this editorial, it was unclear if Mayor Jacob Frey would be re-elected  and several council races were too close to call. Whoever leads the city going forward must make public safety and police reform equal priorities.

And that governance structure, as the Editorial Board recommended, is set to dramatically change. In one of Tuesdays surprises, a ballot proposal to strengthen mayoral oversight won handily, ending decades of a dysfunctional system that saw individual council members attempt to exert power over departments, undercutting mayors ability to control their own administrations.

Under this new system, the mayor will function as a chief executive, with full oversight on day-to-day operations of city departments. The council will be charged with developing policy, passing budgets and responding to constituents in their wards. That will be a welcome change that brings Minneapolis in line with other big cities.
Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The new requirements are the Biden administrations boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine that has been widely available for months  or face financial consequences. If successful, administration officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

First previewed by President Joe Biden in September, the requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require that unvaccinated workers test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. It asked for public comment on whether employers with fewer than 100 employees could handle vaccination or testing programs.

Tougher rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing  they will need to be vaccinated.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, he said Thursday in a statement.

Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million now.

Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases.

OSHA said companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

The agency will face enforcement challenges. Even counting help from states, OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to oversee 130 million workers at 8 million workplaces. An administration official said the agency will respond to whistleblower complaints and make limited spot checks.

The release of the rules followed weeks of regulatory review and meetings with business groups, labor unions and others.

OSHA drafted the rules under emergency authority meant to protect workers from an imminent health hazard. The agency estimated that the vaccine mandate will save more than 6,500 worker lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations over the next six months.

The rules set up potential legal battles along partisan lines between states and the federal government. Several states and Republican governors threatened to sue, contending that the administration lacks the power to make such sweeping mandates under emergency authority.

OSHA's parent agency, the Labor Department, says it is on sound legal footing. The department's top legal official, Seema Nanda, said OSHA rules preempt conflicting state laws or orders, including those that bar employers from requiring vaccinations, testing or face masks.

Senate Republicans immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate, but with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail.

The rules will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees testing positive must be removed from the workplace.

Companies won't be required to provide or pay for tests for unvaccinated workers, but they must give paid time off for employees to get the shots and sick leave to recover from side effects that prevent them from working. Requirements for masks and paid time off for shots take effect Dec. 5.

Employers covered by the requirements must verify their workers vaccination status by checking documents such as CDC vaccination cards, records from doctors or pharmacies, or even an employee's own signed declaration.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a separate rule requiring vaccination for workers in 76,000 health facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. A senior administration official said several large private health care organizations imposed their own mandates and achieved high vaccination rates  96% or higher  without widespread resignations.

A previously announced requirement for federal contractors to make sure workers are vaccinated was scheduled to take effect Dec. 8, but the administration delayed that measure until Jan. 4 to match the requirements on other large employers and health care providers. Already, more than a dozen states have sued to block the mandate on contractors.

For weeks, Biden has encouraged businesses not to wait for OSHA to act. He has touted businesses that announced their own vaccine requirements and urged others to follow their lead.

Administration officials say those efforts are paying off, with about 70% of adults fully vaccinated.

Workplace vaccine mandates have become more common recently, with hospitals, state and local governments and some major corporations requiring COVID-19 shots for employees. The mandates have led to overwhelming compliance  in some cases 99% of workers  although a small but vocal number have faced dismissal, filed lawsuits or sought exemptions.

United Airlines required 67,000 U.S. employees to get vaccinated or face termination. Only a couple hundred refused to do so, although about 2,000 are seeking exemptions.

In August, Tyson Foods told its 120,000 U.S. workers that they must be vaccinated by Nov. 1. On Thursday, the company said more than 96% of its workforce was vaccinated, including 60,500 people who got their shots after the August announcement.

Walmart, the nations largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and managers who travel within the United States to be vaccinated by Oct. 4. The retailer stopped short of requiring shots for front-line workers, however.

However, some companies have expressed fear that some vaccine-hesitant workers might quit, leaving their workforces even thinner in an already-tight labor market.

Several corporate groups, including the Business Roundtable, endorsed the mandate. However, retail groups worried that the requirement could disrupt their operations during the critical Christmas shopping period. Retailers and others also said it could worsen supply chain disruptions.

The National Retail Federation suggested the new rules are not needed because the rolling average number of new daily cases in the U.S. has fallen by more than half since September.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration has chosen to declare an emergency and impose burdensome new requirements on retailers during the crucial holiday shopping season, said David French, a senior vice president for the trade group.

The number of new infections in the U.S. is still falling from a summer surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant, but the rate of decline has slowed in recent weeks. The 7-day moving average is down 6% from two weeks ago, at more than 76,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths per day.

Cole Stevenson, a 34-year-old autoworker at the Ford Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, said he remains uncomfortable with a vaccine that was developed just a year ago.

He intends to get weekly COVID-19 tests and says he wont reconsider getting the vaccine even if the tests are a financial or logistical burden.

Its getting pretty disgusting how much the government thinks they can be involved in peoples lives, he said. If the whole thing is sort of cooling down and cases are lowering, then buzz off  dont force it on people.



Associated Press writers Paul Wiseman and Hope Yen in Washington, Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stacey Plaisance-Jenkins in Picayune, Mississippi, and Matt OBrien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
BURLEY  A cattle truck crashed near Interstate 84, blocking a ramp and Idaho Highway 25 for more than five hours Wednesday.

Idaho State Police investigated the single-vehicle crash on at the 201 off-ramp just west of Burley at 3:15 p.m.

A 25-year-old male from Williston, North Dakota, was driving westbound on Idaho 25 in a 2013 Peterbilt semi pulling a cattle hauler. When taking a corner, the cattle hauler failed to negotiate the curve, then came to rest on the 201 on-ramp of I-84.

The driver of the Peterbilt was wearing a seat belt.

The westbound I-84 201 on -amp and Idaho 25 between the frontage roads were blocked for five and a half hours.

Idaho State Police was assisted by West End Fire and Idaho Transportation Department.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2
LEWISTON (AP)  A northern Idaho state senator who won the election to become mayor of Lewiston says hell do both jobs this year with help from his friends.

Republican Sen. Dan Johnson said that hell use substitutes to fill in for him at the Legislature while hes in his role as mayor, The Lewiston Tribune reported Thursday.

Every legislator designates three substitutes, so its very common for legislators to have assistants sit in for them, Johnson said. Every legislator does it, so I plan to use that to help me transition.

Johnson is in his sixth term in the Senate and said he wont seek reelection. He won a three-way race in Tuesdays election for mayor with 52% of the vote.

Johnsons salary as mayor is $80,000. He gets paid $20,000 as a senator. The part-time Legislature typically meets for about three months starting in January.

Lewiston voters also on Tuesday changed the structure of its city government, going from a city council-city manager form of government to a strong-mayor structure that the city hasnt had in decades. Most Idaho cities use the strong-mayor form.

The change means that City Manager Alan Nygaard, whose salary with benefits are about $220,000, will see his job eliminated.

Eliminating the city manager position leaves room in the budget for a city administrator, who will assist Johnson. Johnson said hes looking to the council to decide who hires the assistant.

Meanwhile, he also plans on being at the Statehouse in Boise when the Legislature convenes for its regular session on Jan. 10.

The Idaho Legislatures website lists the House and Senate reconvening on Nov. 15 in a continuation of the 2021 session. The House never officially adjourned earlier this year, though the Senate did. Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke has said the House will meet Nov. 15.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder has indicated the Senate will likely meet as well to consider legislation banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates by the federal government and private employers. The legalities of the Senate returning after officially adjourning are unclear.

The House indicated it will go back, but the Senate hasnt made the decision, Johnson said. There is a good possibility we will be joining them down there yet. But we have immediate things to cover, and I anticipate I will have a lot of discussions with city council members in the next months.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Cranley said Thursday he will fire Ohio's entire utility regulatory board if elected, part of changes he proposes to curb future abuses amid a sweeping, unresolved bribery scandal.

The Cincinnati mayor called for sitting members of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to be replaced by those with three years experience in a relevant field and proof that they have no financial ties to the electric, gas and other utility companies they regulate.

The people of Ohio lost faith in their elected leaders," he said. "Job one of Ohios next governor is to restore public trust. I will do that by cleaning house at the PUCO to restore faith in Ohios leaders.

The announcement came two days after the election of Cranley's successor as mayor, Aftab Pureval. It was the first major policy proposal in his run to replace Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, which he announced in August. Cranley faces Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley in next years Democratic primary.

Whaley unveiled her own anti-corruption platform in June, pledging to create a bipartisan Public Accountability Commission to investigate questionable ethics, bolster funding to existing state ethics agencies and set new ethical standards for the governor and their appointees. She said she would also work with the Legislature to close dark money loopholes.

Both proposals come as the actions of DeWine's appointee as commission chair, Sam Randazzo, have been under scrutiny in a federal probe that alleges former Republican House Speaker Larry Householder orchestrated a $60 million bribery scheme that included the passage of a nuclear plant bailout bill that benefited Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp.

As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, FirstEnergy said it paid Randazzo $22 million over the years, including the $4.3 million for future work on FirstEnergys behalf that rolled in just before DeWine made him head of the commission.

Householder has denied wrongdoing, and Randazzo has said he executed his duties as commission chair conscientiously, lawfully, and mindful of striking the right balance between competing interests. DeWine, who was warned Randazzo had FirstEnergy ties, has stood by the appointment.

I guess the political season is starting, DeWine told reporters at an afternoon news briefing. I'm not going to fire them. These comments are political comments.

Cranley's proposal would require utility commissioners to have at least three years of experience in one or more relevant fields: economics, law, finance, accounting, engineering, physical or natural sciences, natural resources, or environmental studies.

Under his plan, commission appointees would be precluded from holding stocks or bonds in a regulated utility or receiving any compensation, direct or indirect, from a regulated utility for at least a year. Those people would also have to pass a background check.



Associated Press writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department is stepping up actions to combat ransomware and cybercrime through arrests and other actions, its No. 2 official told The Associated Press, as the Biden administration escalates its response to what it regards as an urgent economic and national security threat.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said that in the days and weeks to come, youre going to see more arrests," more seizures of ransom payments to hackers and additional law enforcement operations.

If you come for us, were going to come for you, Monaco said in an interview with the AP this week. She declined to offer specifics about who in particular might face prosecution.

The actions are intended to build off steps taken in recent months, including the recent extradition to the U.S. of a suspected Russian cybercriminal and the seizure in June of $2.3 million in cryptocurrency paid to hackers. They come as the U.S. continues to endure what Monaco called a steady drumbeat of attacks despite President Joe Biden's admonitions last summer to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after a spate of lucrative attacks linked to Russia-based hacking gangs.

We have not seen a material change in the landscape. Only time will tell as to what Russia may do on this front, Monaco said.

But Monaco added: We are not going to stop. Were going to continue to press forward to hold accountable those who seek to go after our industries, to hold our data hostage and threaten national security, economic security and personal security.

Another official, National Cyber Director Chris Inglis, painted a rosier picture, telling lawmakers Wednesday that the U.S. had seen a discernible decrease in attacks emanating from Russia but that it was too soon to say why.

Monaco is a longtime fixture in Washington law enforcement, having served as chief of staff at the FBI to then-Director Robert Mueller and as head of the Justice Department's national security division. She was a White House official in 2014 when the Justice Department brought a first-of-its-kind indictment against Chinese government hackers.

Monaco's current position, with oversight of the FBI and other Justice Department components, has made her a key player in U.S. government efforts against ransomware. That fight has defied easy solutions given the sheer volume of high-dollar attacks and the ease with which hackers have penetrated private companies and government agencies alike. How much lasting impact the latest government response will have is also unclear.

Though not a new phenomenon, ransomware attacks  in which hackers lock up and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims  have exploded in the last year with breaches affecting vital infrastructure and global corporations.

Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, paid more than $4 million after a May attack that led it to halt operations, though the Justice Department clawed the majority of it back after identifying the virtual currency wallet of the culprits, known as DarkSide. The public should expect to see more such seizures, Monaco said.

JBS, the world's largest meat processor, said in June that it had paid $11 million following a hack by a Russian group known as REvil, which weeks later carried out a massive ransomware attack that snarled businesses around the world.

The splashy attacks elevated ransomware as an urgent national security priority while the administration scrambled to stem the onslaught.

Inside the Justice Department, officials in April formed a ransomware task force of prosecutors and agents, and they've directed U.S. attorney offices to report ransomware cases to Washington just as they would terrorism attacks.

It has also tried prosecutions, extraditing from South Korea last month an accused Russian hacker, Vladimir Dunaev, who prosecutors say participated in a cyber gang whose malicious software  known as Trickbot  infected millions of computers.

You're going to see more actions like you saw last week in the days and weeks to come," Monaco said.

Still, holding foreign hackers accountable in the U.S. is notoriously difficult, and ransomware gangs are abundant. Even if recent attacks haven't generated the same publicity as the ones last spring, Monaco said there's been no discernible change in behavior by opportunistic hackers still targeting a range of industries with attacks that threaten to paralyze crucial business operations  or force multimillion-dollar payouts.

Monaco said she's sympathetic to the hard decisions companies must make, in part because she's had experience confronting criminals' monetary demands.

As homeland security and counterterrorism adviser in the Obama administration, she helped craft new policy on Americans held hostage overseas. The policy reiterated that ransom payments for hostages were discouraged and illegal, but also made clear that prosecutors didn't plan to criminally charge families who made such payments.

What it reflects, and frankly what the whole endeavor reflected, was a sense on Lisas part that this was an area where you needed an extraordinary balance between policy and humanity, said Joshua Geltzer, the Biden administrator's deputy homeland security adviser who worked with Monaco in the Obama White House.

The U.S. government has publicly discouraged ransomware payments but Monaco  who during the Obama administration faced criticism from hostage families about the government's response to their plight  says the administration is trying to listen to and work with victimized companies.

Officials have shown no interest in prosecuting companies that pay ransom to hackers, though Monaco did announce last month that the department was prepared to sue federal contractors who fail to disclose that they've been hacked or who fail to meet cybersecurity standards.

We have experienced where companies do not pay the attention they need to on this front," Monaco said.

Ransomware attacks have flourished even as the federal government grapples with more old-fashioned, albeit sophisticated, cyber espionage. The Justice Department was among the agencies hit hard by the SolarWinds breach, in which Russian government hackers exploited a supply chain vulnerability to gain access to the networks of federal departments and private companies.

The Justice Department has said more than two dozen U.S. attorneys' offices had at least one employee whose email account was compromised during the hacking campaign.

It was a reminder, she said, that no one is immune from a sophisticated breach.

We need to practice what we preach and be doing the same type of vigilance on our cybersecurity that we are asking companies to do, she said.



Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:

GLASGOW, Scotland  Environmental campaigners have awarded their Fossil of the Day award to the Polish government for giving  and then apparently backtracking on  a pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.

Climate Action Network, an umbrella group representing hundreds of non-governmental organizations, blasted Poland Thursday for committing at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow to end coal use, but then declaring itself a poor country and sticking to its previous deadline of 2049.

The little-coveted award went to the United States on Wednesday, for what climate activists say was a new measure that benefits mainly industrial agriculture companies rather than ordinary farmers.

The U.S. shared the prize with France for its efforts to get natural gas and nuclear power plants classified as sustainable forms of energy by the European Union, and with the International Emissions Trading Association for representing oil majors such as Chevron and Shell at the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 talks.



GENEVA  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says a new project trumpeted by U.S. President Joe Biden, in which companies underpin development of low-carbon technologies through their buying power, amounts to a big transformation.

The First Movers Coalition, spearheaded by the U.S. government and the World Economic Forum, aims to help meet an increasingly difficult target laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. So far, almost three dozen global companies in many sectors have committed to changing their purchasing practices to favor development of zero-emission technologies by 2030.

Designers of the project say half of the emissions reduction projected between now and 2030 will stem from innovations  like capturing carbon out of the air  that arent operating at a large scale.

Its a big deal, Kerry told many corporate leaders behind the project in Glasgow on Thursday.



GLASGOW, Scotland  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has joined the tens of thousands of attendees whove been humbled by tough entry procedures at the U.N. climate summit.

Kerry apologized Thursday for appearing about 20 minutes late for a renewable energy event at the United States pavilion inside the summit site.

Kerry said he had been off-campus visiting a venue outside the summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

As you all know, getting back in is not easy, he told the crowd. Even for those of us who thought it might be.

The summits organizers have imposed firm rules for accreditation badges, masks and proof of daily negative results on tests for COVID-19. Lines to get in lasted well beyond an hour early this week, but have shrunk noticeably since.



GLASGOW, Scotland  The British government says pledges of new or earlier deadlines for ending coal use have come from more than 20 countries including Ukraine, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia and Chile.

Meanwhile, Poland, the second-biggest user of coal in Europe after Germany, appeared to backtrack on any ambitious new commitments within hours of the announcement at the ongoing U.N. climate conference.

Energy security and the assurances of jobs is a priority for us, Anna Moskwa, Polands minister for climate and environment, said in a tweet, citing the governments existing plan which provides for a departure from hard coal by 2049.

Earlier in the day, it had seemed that Poland might bring that deadline forward by at least a decade.

Campaigners reacted angrily to the apparent U-turn.

Moskwa has underscored that her government cannot be trusted to sign a postcard, let alone a responsible climate pledge, said Kathrin Gutmann, campaign director of the group Europe Beyond Coal.

Meanwhile, the United States, Canada, Denmark and several other nations signed a different pledge to prioritize funding clean energy over fossil fuel projects abroad.



HELSINKI  Finland's capital city says it will no longer serve meat dishes at seminars, staff meetings, receptions and other events to reduce Helsinki's carbon footprint.

Instead, the city government plans to offer vegetarian food and sustainable local fish.

Liisa Kivela, Helsinki's communications director, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the change takes effect in January and excludes school and workplace cafeterias run by the city of about 650,000 residents.

Kivela said the the policy adopted by the City Council also allows deviations for certain high-level visits or similar events organized by Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen or the citys senior managers.

The policy also stipulates that coffee, tea and items like bananas offered at events will have to be sourced from fair trade producers. In addition, oat milk will replace regular milk, and snacks and refreshments no longer can be served in single-use containers.

The local government said in a statement that the measure is part of a broader effort which aims to reduce the climate impact of food and reduce the amount of natural resources used by the city.

The mayor, who assumed Helsinkis top post in August, said he was glad the city retains the option of serving meat on some occasions.

For example, should the king of Sweden arrive for a visit, then domestic game can be offered. Or some group for whom it would be natural to offer meat, then there must be discretion and common sense, Vartiainen told the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.



PARIS  French astronaut Thomas Pesquet used a video call from space to describe the view from the International Space Station of global warming's repercussions.

Pesquet told French President Emmanuel Macron during the call on Thursday that the space station's portholes revealed the haunting fragility of humanitys only home.

We see the pollution of rivers, atmospheric pollution, things like that," the astronaut said. "What really shocked me on this mission were extreme weather or climate phenomena.

We saw entire regions burning from the space station, in Canada, in California, he continued. We saw all of California covered by a cloud of smoke and flames with the naked eye from 400 kilometers (250 miles) up.

This is Pesquets second mission to the space station. He also spent 197 days in orbit in 2016-2017. The destructive effects of human activity have become increasingly visible in the interim, he said.

Macron said the goal for negotiators at the U.N. climate conference in Scotland must be to speed up humanitys response.

There is still a huge job ahead of us, and I think we are all aware of that, the French leader said.



GLASGOW, Scotland Several major coal-using nations announced steps to wean themselves off of the heavily polluting fossil fuel, although for some the weaning will happen slowly.

The pledges on Thursday to phase out coal come on top of other promises made at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. The head of an international energy organization said the earlier commitments trimmed a few tenths of a degree from projections of future warming.

But outside experts termed that comment  only in a tweet, not a rigorous report  optimistic.

Optimism also abounded in relation to the promises on coal, which has the dirtiest carbon footprint of the major fuels and is a significant source of planet-warming emissions.

Today, I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight, said Alok Sharma, who is chairing the conference of nearly 200 nations, known as COP26.

Forecasters with a more skeptical view noted that several major economies still have not set a date for ending their dependence on the fuel, including the United States, China, India and Japan.

Outside the COP26 venue, protestors clad as animated characters blasted Japans continued coal use.



COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The Danish government said Thursday it will donate 100 million kroner ($15.6 million) to efforts to purchase and decommission coal power plants and invest in new energy sources.

As part of our comprehensive climate efforts, the Danish government is working to phase out coal while also investing massively in new green energy sources, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a statement.

Minister for Climate and Energy Dan Joergensen said the money will help coal-intensive countries reduce their coal consumption and create new income opportunities in local communities, which is absolutely vital to accelerating the energy transition.

Denmark's money will go to the Climate Investment Funds new Accelerating Coal Transition program, and the primary focus will initially be on South Africa, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Danish government said the program includes efforts supporting alternative employment of the local population in impacted areas.



SOULAINES-DHUYS, France  Nuclear power is a central sticking point as negotiators plot out the worlds future energy strategy at the climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland.

Critics decry its mammoth price tag, the disproportionate damage caused by nuclear accidents, and the radioactive waste left behind.

But a growing camp of vocal and powerful proponents - some climate scientists and environmental experts among them  argue that nuclear power is the worlds best hope of keeping climate change under contro.

They note that it emits few planet-damaging emissions and is safer on average than nearly any other energy source. They argue that nuclear accidents are scary but exceedingly rare, while pollution from coal and other fossil fuels causes death and illness every day.

Many governments are pushing to enshrine nuclear energy in climate plans being hashed out at the conference in Glasgow, known as COP26.

The European Union, meanwhile, is debating whether to label nuclear energy as officially green  a decision that will steer billions of euros of investment for years to come. That has implications worldwide, as the EU policy could set a standard that other economies follow.

But nuclear waste remains a major problem, with the most radioactive material still toxic for tens of thousands of years.

 GLASGOW, Scotland  Britains government has claimed that the end of coal is in sight after 18 countries including Poland, Vietnam and Chile committed for the first time to phase out and not build or invest in new coal power.

The statement, issued late Wednesday during the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, said more than 40 nations are committing to end all investment in new coal power generation domestically and internationally, as well as rapidly scale up clean power generation. Participating nations also commit to phasing out coal power in the 2030s for major economies, and the 2040s for smaller economies.

Separately, the statement also said that Chile and Singapore have joined a U.K.-led alliance on phasing out coal that includes over 150 countries and businesses such as HSBC and NatWest bank.

U.K. business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said it was a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change.

But Ed Miliband, the opposition Labour Partys business spokesman, said there were glaring gaps such as a lack of commitment from China and other large emitters to stop increasing coal at home. There was also nothing on the phasing out of oil and gas, he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP)  Costs to clean up a massive nuclear weapons complex in Washington state are usually expressed in the hundreds of billions of dollars and involve decades of work.

But one project on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is progressing at a much lower price.

The federal government is moving forward with the cocooning of eight plutonium production reactors at Hanford that will place them in a state of long-term storage to allow radiation inside to dissipate over a period of decades, until they can be dismantled and buried.

Its relatively non-expensive, Mark French, a manager for the U.S. Department of Energy, said of cocooning. The cost of trying to dismantle the reactor and demolish the reactor core would be extremely expensive and put workers at risk.

The federal government built nine nuclear reactors at Hanford to make plutonium for atomic bombs during World War II and the Cold War. The site along the Columbia River contains America's largest quantity of radioactive waste.

The reactors are now shut down and sit like cement fortresses near the southeastern Washington city of Richland. Six have already been cocooned for long-term storage, and two more are headed in that direction. The ninth reactor was turned into a museum as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

While World War II ended in 1945 and the Cold War ended in 1989, the United States is still paying billions of dollars per year for the disposal of the nuclear waste produced by the atomic weapons that played a big role in ending those conflicts. The biggest expense is dealing with a massive volume of liquid wastes left over from the production of plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

While the liquid wastes stored in 177 underground tanks will take decades of work and hundreds of billions of dollars to clean, efforts to secure the nine plutonium reactors are much closer to completion.

The last two reactors, shut down in 1970 and 1971, are about to enter the cocooning stage, when they are covered with steel and cement to prevent radioactivity from escaping into the environment, French said.

The cocoons are expected to last about 75 years, by which time the radioactivity inside will have dramatically decreased and there presumably will be a plan for final disposition of the remaining parts, French said.

Every five years, workers enter the reactor building to make sure there are no leaks or rodent or bird infestations, he said.

Cleanup of Hanford, which has about 11,000 employees and is half the size of Rhode Island, started in the late 1980s, and now costs about $2.5 billion per year. The work has been slowed by technical issues, lack of funding, lawsuits from state regulators, worker exposure to radiation and turnover of contractors on the complex job.

But the handling of the old reactors is a bright spot.

The nine reactors  called B Reactor, C Reactor, D Reactor, DR Reactor, F Reactor, H Reactor, K-East Reactor, K-West Reactor, and N Reactor  were built from 1943 through 1965.

They were constructed next to the Columbia River because of the abundance of hydropower and cooling water needed by the reactors during operation.

All have been cocooned except K-East and K-West. Work on cocooning the K-East reactor has already started and should be finished by 2023, French said. Work on the K-West reactor is scheduled for completion in 2026.

The cocoon plan for K-East and K-West is to basically construct steel buildings around them. Each building is 158 feet (48.2 meters) long, 151 feet (46 meters) wide and 123 feet (37.5 meters) tall, French said. The two steel buildings will cost less than $10 million each.

The government also operated five plutonium production reactors at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina during the Cold War. All of those are also shut down, although three of the reactor buildings are being used to store radioactive materials Two of the reactors at Savannah River are closed but under a different procedure than the Hanford reactors, said Amy Boyette, a spokeswoman for Savannah River.

Future generations will decide the final disposition of the eight Hanford reactors, French said. They will likely be dismantled and buried in the central area of the Hanford site, away from the river.

Robots may be deployed in the future for that work, French said.

Hanford watchdogs generally agree with this process, said Tom Carpenter, director of the Seattle-based watchdog group Hanford Challenge.

Nobody is raising any concerns about cocooning, Carpenter said. Were all worried about the tank waste that needs immediate and urgent attention.

The bigger question is whether future generations will be willing to pay the massive costs of Hanford cleanup, he said.

Carpenter said the estimated cost to completely clean up just the tank wastes at the Hanford site is around $660 billion.

Its rather grim. Its multigenerational, he said.

This will cost more than anyone thought possible, Carpenter said of the tank wastes and other wastes that were dumped into the ground at Hanford. It's a hidden cost of the (nuclear) buildup.

By then, there might be bigger budget concerns such as dealing with the effects of climate change, Carpenter said.

The most intriguing of the old reactors is the B Reactor, the first one built during World War II. It will not be cocooned, and can be visited by tourists at the national historical park. B Reactor, which shut down in 1968, was cleaned up enough to allow some 10,000 tourists to visit each year and learn the history of Hanford. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

Plutonium from Hanfords B Reactor was used in the testing of the worlds first atomic bomb in July 1945. Called the Trinity Test, the bomb was blown up in the New Mexico desert. Hanford plutonium was also used for the bomb that was dropped over Nagasaki, Japan, on Aug. 9, 1945.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Donald Trump has been obsessed with the idea that fraud, perpetrated before,during and after the 2020 election, affected the outcome. The mainstream media has repeatedly debunked these claims, but Trump and many of his supporters persist in claiming that there was massive election fraud last year.

Now that a year has passed since the election, lets examine the evidence that has been produced to establish fraudulent activity by or on behalf of the presidential candidates. The evidence from the two-month period immediately following the election produced zero evidence of election misconduct.

Ten days after the election, Trumps Homeland Security officials declared: The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. Trumps supporters filed and lost at least 63 lawsuits challenging various aspects of the election. They were unable to furnish an iota of competent evidence of election impropriety. The Trump-stacked U.S. Supreme Court tossed or ignored several cases, including a completely meritless case brought by the Texas Attorney General.

The prospects of finding significant election fraud appeared sparse until far-right media, including Fox News host Tucker Carlson, touted a clearcut case of fraud in Nevada. A Las Vegas man claimed someone had fraudulently voted an absentee ballot that had been mailed to his deceased wife. The only problem is that criminal charges have just been brought against the Trump-supporting Republican husband for casting the illicit vote.

Another embarrassing misfire recently occurred when Texas GOP Lt. Governor Dan Patrick had to pay a $25,000 bounty to a Pennsylvania poll worker who reported a Trump supporter who voted twice in that state. Patrick had announced last year that he would pay up to a million dollars to anyone who could provide solid proof of voter fraud in the U.S. The Democrat poll worker has been the only person to get a payment.

However, Trump may be vindicated for his claims of massive election fraud because frightening supportive evidence of fraud has been coming to light in recent days. What appeared at first glance to be a somewhat spontaneous attack on the seat of our government on January 6 by ragtag groups, now appears to have been part of a Trump-orchestrated attack on our governmental structure. The fact that Trump and his co-conspirators failed is of little comfort because they are laying the groundwork to succeed next timeand there will be a next time.

There is documentary evidence that the attack on the Capitol was part of a plan to nullify the election of Joe Biden and give Trump an additional four years in office, despite the fact that he lost the election. It appears the Trump forces were following a plan laid out in writing by attorney John Eastman, a Trump loyalist. The Eastman Memorandum specified the steps Trump forces should take in order to deprive Biden of his convincing election victory and give Trump another four years.

The linchpin of Eastmans plan was for Vice President Pence to announce during the tally of the electoral votes that there were competing slates of electors for 7 states (which there were not) and rule that the winner of the election would have to be decided by the House of Representatives where the Republicans controlled 26 of the 50 state delegations. It was pure legal fantasy, but it was the plan adopted by the Trump forces. The rioters were riled up the morning of January 6 and pointed toward the Capitol as a means of intimidating VP Pence, who was reluctant to carry out his part of the plan.

So, yes, there has been a concerted effort to perpetrate election fraud on the American people, just as Trump has been proclaiming. The problem is that the fraudsters are not the Democrats but, rather, Trump and his co-conspirators.

Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served 8 years as Idaho Attorney General (1983-1991) and 12 years as Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater.

Love 22 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1
On November 11, 1918, Ralph Lindsey wrote from his hospital bed in France Armistice signed at 11 oclock. Grand celebration all over France. War is at last over and I am still alive! Later in life if you asked him about the scars on his chest he would simply respond with a shrug and say, I zigged when I should have zagged. Ralph was my Great Grandfather, and now, nearly 103 years after he wrote those words our nation once again finds ourselves celebrating the contributions of our Veterans during a period where their sacrifices may be less visible than they have during the past 20 years of war.

After returning from WW1, like many others from his unit, he found tremendous success, he took over the family business, and raised a family. His friends H.A. Durkee and Fred Mower, both former Infantrymen, started a small company based on a unique marshmallow confection. Another from his unit, Walter Brennan, is one of only three men to win three academy awards, his distinct voice the result of the same gas attack that wounded my Great Grandfather. Take a moment to look at Brennans accomplishments  IMDb lists nearly 250 film credits and called him In many ways the most successful and familiar character actor of American sound films.

To be clear, the end of the United States involvement in the Afghan war doesnt mean our Service Members are serving without risk. Our military will continue to execute missions across the globe in support of our national security, some of those more sensitive missions, may never be known to us. That aside, superficially this Veterans Day will be much like years past with parades, speeches, and free meal deals in honor of the nearly 19 million Veterans living in our communities. Unfortunately, for many Veterans  especially those who served in combat  may see this acknowledgement as at best, shallow and at worst, patronizing. Even before the fall of Kabul, many Veterans complained that while they believed Americans were genuinely grateful for their service, few cared enough to actually learn about the sacrifices our all-volunteer military makes on their behalf. This civil-military divide is not only impacting the militarys ability to recruit new troops, but also our Veterans ability to find meaningful post-service careers.

A few years ago, I was traveling from a conference in D.C. in uniform, I was seated next to a young man who was wearing a sweatshirt from a very prestigious college in the D.C. area. He was clearly bright, affable, and I was enjoying our pre-flight conversation when he turned to me and said, so youre in the military, did you not get a chance to graduate high school? This is just one of the many, many cringeworthy stories demonstrating the real-life challenges of this civil-military divide. This divide is even more pronounced in Congress where in the 1970s, nearly 80% of the members of Congress had served in the U.S. Military; today, less than 20% of the 117th Congress have ever worn a uniform. When my Great Grandfather, and Grandfather returned from WW1 and WW2, respectively, they entered a job market that was saturated with fellow Veterans, who understood them and the value they bring to our communities as did our elected representatives. A congressional study in the late 80s looked at the return on investment on Veterans programs (e.g., the GI Bill) found that for every dollar spent on Veterans benefits, nearly $7 came back to the community through some form of economic output. Having worked with numerous Veterans groups since leaving active duty I can tell you, this figure is an understatement.

The truth about our Veterans since the end of the draft in the 70s has become increasingly diverse as individuals saw (and continue to see) the military as a way to achieve economic mobility. They are smart, driven, resilient, and entrepreneurial  words that most Americans like my seat mate  dont always associate with a Veteran. After WW2 nearly 50% of Veterans owned their own business, like my Great Grandfather; and most Veterans outperform their non-military peers in the long run.

There is still work to do, while many Veterans thrive in their post-service years others struggle. Veterans continue to be over-represented in the homeless population, court system, substance mis-use disorders, and suicide deaths. These are hard problems, but they are solvable ones. For the past 20 years Americans have claimed we support our troops, but how we choose to treat our Veterans over the next few years will be the measure of whether we meant it or not. As a nation we put an impossible burden on a small group of men and women who volunteered to serve  fully knowing the hazards of their chosen profession. If we are truly a grateful their service, we will invest in those individuals who have invested so much in our freedoms. Each generation of Veterans have shown time and time again, that when they thrive, our communities, and our nation thrives as well.

About Wreaths Across AmericaWreaths Across America is a 501(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organizations mission  Remember, Honor, Teach  is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for national nonprofit Wreaths Across America. He has over 10 years experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Two Henry County natives from the Carver community have joined US Wind, a Maryland offshore wind development company.

Maynard Smith and Michael Hill, along with Renee Cooper, will lead outreach to and development of minority, women-owned and small businesses in the state, according to a press release.

Smith is the son of the late Thomas and Una Mae Smith. He is a 1976 graduate of Carver High School and has a bachelors degree in business administration from Fayetteville State University and a masters degree in business administration in management from Golden Gate University.

Smith the companys Maryland Business Engagement Manager. He worked with the MGM National Harbour Hotel & Casino to meet MBE requirements and has worked on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project and the 2020 Black Farmers Cooperative, according to a press release. He volunteers on several boards, including the Family Justice Center and Progressive Life Center and Visit Baltimore.

Hill is the son of Lucille Hill and the late James Hill. He is a 1973 graduate of George Washington Carver High School and is a graduate of the Naval Academy.
Martinsville City Council pushed the reversion process another step Thursday night with the adoption of an ordinance on first reading, approving the voluntary settlement agreement (VSA) with Henry County and authorizing the filing of a petition to have the the city become a town within Henry County.

The vote was 4-1 with newest council member, Tammy Pearson, casting the only dissenting vote.

As Ive said before, I am not against the consolidation of some services with the county which could take place without reversion and again, I do not believe we should vote on the VSA at this time, said Pearson at the meeting.

We have 180 days from the time the Commission on Local Government (COLG) report was issued last month on Oct. 15, she said. Lets use these days to gain citizen and subject matter expertise input into reversion as well as the memorandum of understanding and VSA. Weve already heard form some citizens during the public hearings. Did we really listen? Did the council do anything differently based upon the citizens feedback and concerns? Not that I have seen.

Pearson continued her argument during the discussion period just prior to the vote on first reading.
Honoring our veterans

On Sunday, the Martinsville Bulletin will publish a special section honoring veterans. It includes a focus on a local veterans organization; a veteran who has jumped out of an airplane 37 times; a Mountain Valley man who is one of the forces behind local events and services that honor veterans; and a Axton woman who sends hundreds of cards to veterans each year. It even has a reprint of a 1921 article about a most interesting and patriotic Armistice Day (the forerunner of Veterans Day) parade in Martinsville -- "One feature of the parade which we wish to make notable is the automobile section. All owners of cars are invited to participate." Can you imagine if they did that today? It wouldn't be possible, but it sure would have been exciting back in those days when cars were new.
Texas officials essentially and unconstitutionally banned abortion by way of a bizarre state law, and it sounds like the Supreme Court isnt buying into the states scheme.

On Monday, justices heard nearly three hours of oral arguments in two cases brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and by a group of abortion providers challenging the Texas law. The state has banned abortion at six weeks of gestation  but the law is enforced only by private citizen lawsuits. This diabolical tactic is designed to render federal courts powerless to block the law.

Of course its a bad idea  and possibly bad karma  to predict what the Supreme Court will decide in any case. But even as justices intently questioned lawyers about whether a state law enforced only through private citizens suing in Texas state courts can be stopped by a federal court or the U.S. Department of Justice, a majority of the justices seemed troubled by the chilling effect that the law has on abortion providers even going to court to defend themselves. And, in turn, that has terrified abortion providers so much that, for the most part, no abortions are taking place in Texas.
He knows what he is doing, said Boyette about Roderick.

The mayor added the long-awaited renovation of this historic and large structure in the middle of downtown Marion could help other downtown buildings get new life.

It should encourage other downtown building owners to move forward on creating living space in the upper levels, for which there can be significant tax advantages, said Little to The McDowell News.

Located at 14 N. Main St., the old Hotel James or Marianna Hotel was one of the finest places to stay and eat in McDowell County, if not all of western North Carolina, during the early 20th century. But in recent decades, this four-level building has stood mostly empty at the corner of North Main and East Court streets and has gone through one owner after another.

Built in 1910 as the Marianna Hotel, this brick structure offered lots of rooms and a top-quality restaurant typical of the finer inns of the era. The famous author Sinclair Lewis stayed there when he came to Marion to write about the bloody strike at Marion Manufacturing. The hotel, with its bay windows and graceful front porch, quickly became a Marion landmark.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian authorities on Friday seized four plots of land owned by the youngest son of former dictator Suharto as part of efforts to recover money owed the government since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

The confiscation was part of government attempts to recover the outstanding debt of PT Timor Putra Nasional, a carmaker owned by Hutomo Mandala Putra, also known as Tommy Suharto, after it defaulted on loans from state banks worth 2.6 trillion ($180.8 million) made during the financial crisis, Finance Ministry official Rionald Silaban said.

The four plots of land in West Javas Karawang district total 124 hectares (306 acres), he said in a statement.

A government task force established in April has began confiscating assets from people who were bailed out with central bank funds during the financial crisis. It has so far seized 49 plots of land totaling 520 hectares (1,285 acres) from debtors of a Bank Indonesia liquidity support fund known as BLBI.

The task force is mandated to recover around 110 trillion rupiah ($7.7 billion) in unrepaid loans through civil litigation by the end of 2023. Silaban said the seized land would be sold in open auctions.
Credit: DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1851

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the second most common leukemia diagnosed in children. It is hard to treat and can be fatal in some cases. While there have been some recent successes with genetically targeted therapies for adults, AML has different genetic features in children, and care has been slow to advance.

"The state of care for children with AML is very similar to what it's been over the last many decades," says Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, co-director of the Hematologic Malignancy Program at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. "For newly diagnosed children, the standard is cytotoxic chemotherapy, using combinations of old drugs, and, for some children, a stem cell transplant."

Researchers are starting to test a few targeted therapies in children, such as venetoclax, used in adults with AML, and SNDX-5613, a drug now in clinical trials for children with rearrangements of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene. But not all children with AML are alike, and more treatment options are needed.

Prioritizing AML 'dependencies'

Stegmaier and her collaborators at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT have devised a systematic screening system to hunt for potential new disease targets in AML. Using CRISPR gene editing, it deletes genes in cancer cells one by one, looking for genes the cancer needs for everyday survival. If the cells die or stop growing, that's a sign the gene could be one to target to curb the cancer.

Using this method, the team recently compiled a Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map for a variety of solid tumors and brain tumors. Stegmaier now hopes to expand the map with AML and other blood cancers.

"We have a growing data set for AML based on work in cell lines in the lab," she says. "But the question has been, how well does that correlate with in vivo data (from animal models of AML) and models using AML cells that come more directly from patients?"

Shan Lin, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Stegmaier's lab, has tackled that question with a new screening model that's closer to what happens in real life. Instead of cells in a dish, it uses live mice engrafted with cancer cells derived from patients with AML. In a study recently published in Cancer Discovery, Lin, Stegmaier, and their colleagues confirmed many of the targets previously identified in cell linesand prioritized two targets that are especially promising.

"The data hold up in many different AML models, and that's really exciting," says Stegmaier.

Two new targets to pursue in AML

One especially strong hit was MARCH5, a gene that prevents the process of cell death known as apoptosis. Stegmaier and Lin think that if a drug could be found to block MARCH5, it would make a good companion to venetoclax in curbing AML.

"When we deleted MARCH5 in our mouse model, leukemia cells were less likely to survive, and they became way more sensitive to venetoclax treatment," says Lin.

Because the MARCH5 protein plays a general role, maintaining cell survival, targeting it could benefit a relatively broad group of children with AML, regardless of what mutation initiated the cancer, Stegmaier adds.

The second strong hit was SLC5A3. AML cells depend on it to take in inositol, which plays a critical role in cell metabolism.

"The SCL5A3 protein is a transporter, like a gate," elaborates Lin. "In a subset of AML, cells can't synthesize inositol themselves, and completely rely on the transporter to get it. When the transporter is blocked, AML cells can't take in inositol and cannot grow."

Stegmaier thinks that it will be possible to develop drugs against SLC5A3 because drugs targeting similar transporters have been developed. She is working with chemists at the Broad Institute to identify potential drugs targeting MARCH5 and hopes to expand to SLC5A3.

"Our in vivo data in patient-derived AML models suggest that the years of effort that went into the cell-line-based screens were worthwhile," says Stegmaier. "People in the cancer community are excited about exploring these new targets."

Explore further Pediatric cancers have unique genetic vulnerabilities

More information: Shan Lin et al, An in vivo CRISPR screening platform for prioritizing therapeutic targets in AML, Cancer Discovery (2021). Journal information: Cancer Discovery Shan Lin et al, An in vivo CRISPR screening platform for prioritizing therapeutic targets in AML,(2021). DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1851
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Patients with advanced breast cancer should receive COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible and the second dose should be delivered early, no later than three to four weeks after the first, the virtual meeting of the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International Consensus Conference (ABC 6) heard today (Friday).

Dr. Alexandru Eniu (MD, Ph.D.), medical oncologist and chief physician at the Hopital Riviera-Chablais, Rennaz, Switzerland, told the meeting that evidence to date showed that vaccines were safe for cancer patients, with no notable differences between different brands. However, vaccines based on inactivated viruses should not be used in cancer patients. In addition, he said vaccination should not be delayed for patients who are taking part in clinical trials for cancer treatments, and nor should vaccination preclude patients from being included in these trials.

For patients with solid tumors such as breast cancer, research shows that 80% had immune responses after the second dose.

"Although the magnitude of the vaccine-induced immune response is somewhat reduced in patients with cancer, it is still better than nothing and may protect them against COVID-19. Antibody responses should be interpreted with caution as they are only an indicator of the possible protection provided by the vaccine; however, the evidence indicates that vaccinations should be prioritized in all cancer patients and the benefits outweigh any risks," said Dr. Eniu, who is also deputy scientific director and chair of the European School of Oncology.

"Several studies so far show that COVID-19 vaccinations are safe for cancer patients, with no or only mild side effects. Importantly, for patients who are being treated with immunotherapies, as is the case for many patients with advanced breast cancer, the vaccine does not exacerbate immune-related side effects. Even in patients who had experienced previous side effects related to their immunotherapy, the vaccine-related side effects are mild. The same is also true for those being treated with chemotherapy."

Highlighting a recent study of the Moderna vaccine, he said that a significant minority of cancer patients with solid tumors do not develop an adequate antibody response to the coronavirus: 7% in patients receiving immunotherapy, 16% in patients receiving chemotherapy and 11% of patients receiving both. "In addition, only a third of the patients have an adequate antibody response after one vaccination, which is why the second dose is so important," he said.

At the start of the pandemic, cancer doctors faced uncertainty over the best ways to care for their patients. "We had to learn as we went along," he said. "We now have answers to many questions. However, we are still unsure which level of antibodies is high enough to be an effective protection against COVID-19 and how long the protection lasts. There is not enough evidence yet about the effectiveness of additional, booster vaccinations, or whether alternative measures are required. One study showed that in a small group of just 20 patients who received a third dose of vaccine, there was a modest but consistent, statistically significant increase in antibodies. Current guidelines recommend a third dose for moderately to severely immunocompromised patients within a year from the first dose and at least four weeks after the second dose."

He called for global efforts to improve the current inequality in planning, funding, procuring and rolling out of effective vaccination programs.

"Global access has not been equitable. High income countries dominate access to vaccine supplies and COVAX only covers 20% of the populations of recipient countries. Some populations have no access to vaccines of any type. There is an urgent need for vaccination programs to be rolled out. It is very important that they should include cancer patients, their caregivers and healthcare workers," Dr. Eniu concluded.

In a second presentation, Dr. Laura Biganzoli (MD), acting director of the Division of Medical Oncology and director of the Breast Centre at Santo Stefano Hospital, Prato, Italy, said: "The COVID-19 pandemic has created many and unexpected challenges. We found ourselves facing an emergency without knowing exactly how to act. But it has also revealed opportunities to improve patient care."

She and colleagues around the world quickly put in place measures to try to deliver the best possible care to patients, often remotely, while reducing the risk of vulnerable patients being exposed to infection with COVID-19. These included meetings between different health professionals involved in a patient's care taking place via videoconferencing, relying more on their own clinical judgment and depending less on the results of imaging and radiological investigation of the tumor's response to treatment, patient consultations held remotely via telephone or online, enabling medicines to be collected from places outside the hospital, and the ability to administer medications at home. Doctors also considered more carefully the likelihood of real benefit of treatments offered to patients after previous ones had failed, and whether patients might benefit from "holidays" from treatment.

However, Dr. Biganzoli said that although these measures had the potential to make cancer services more accessible in the longer term, they came at a cost.

"In my experience, patients and their family members found it difficult to accept measures that introduced a physical distance between them and clinicians. This was particularly the case for frail and older patients. Empathy and sometimes physical contact are essential components in the management of metastatic breast cancer patients. COVID deprived us of this and it's not easy to transmit it virtually. This has reinforced our determination not to let our patients feel alone, and the importance of collaboration with the caregiver."

Chair of the ABC 6 conference, Dr. Fatima Cardoso, Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, who was not involved with the research, said: "These two presentations provide some answers and reassurance to our patients with advanced breast cancer in relation to the COVID-19. They show how we are adapting to the challenges presented by the pandemic so that we can continue to provide the best possible care for our patients. They also highlight the emotional and psychological impact of the pandemic on cancer patients and their caregivers. Telemedicine has advantages but also several drawbacks, especially for advanced cancer patients.

"Professor Eniu's presentation underlines the importance for everyone, especially breast cancer patients, to be protected from COVID-19 infection by being vaccinated as soon as possible if you have not been already. For cancer patients who have received vaccination while on immunosuppressive treatments, a third dose needs to be considered. This will save lives."

Explore further Type of cancer treatment influences coronavirus vaccine response

Provided by Associacao Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance
Some 260,000 children under five die from malaria each year in Africa.

A ground-breaking vaccine against malaria has stoked hopes in Africa of rolling back a disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them youngsters.

Since 2019, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have immunised more than 800,000 children under a pilot programme using the RTS,S vaccine.

It is the first to show significant protection against the parasite-borne disease, cutting the risk of severe malaria by 30 percent, trials have shown.

On October 9, the World Health Organization (WHO), after sifting through the results of the pilot scheme, recommended the vaccine for children aged above five months in locations with malaria risk.

Some 260,000 children under five die from malaria each year in Africa, which accounts for about 90 percent of the global caseload.

"From a scientific perspective this is a massive breakthrough," said Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Djermakoye Hadiza Jackou, coordinator of Niger's National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP), said the WHO announcement was "welcomed with great joy."

"This is something that was eagerly awaited."

'Super excited'

Pointing to a major issue in vaccine rollouts, the WHO said it found "strong" public demand for the jab. The vaccine is made by the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), with the commercial name of Mosquirix.

Many parents who spoke to AFP also warmly supported the vaccine, although some were hesitant about possible side effects.

Factfile: of the malaria parasite.

"I'm super excited about it," said Hajia Aminu Bawa in southern Ghana's Gomoa region, the mother of an 11-month-old girl.

"My child took the vaccine and nothing happened... I want to encourage every family with children below age two to go for the vaccine because it will go a long way to save lives."

The vaccine aims to trigger the immune system to defend against the first stages of malaria.

The WHO says that the main side effects can include soreness at the injection site and fever, a similar reaction seen in other vaccines given to children.

Prince Gyamfi, the mother of a six-month-old boy in Gomoa, said she didn't hesitate to get her child vaccinated.

"I have read about vaccines and how they work. I voluntarily came to vaccinate my child and so far nothing has happened," she said.

"Some people discouraged me from giving him the vaccine because they said it's new and can kill him but I think they said it out of ignorance."

In Niger, which was not included in the pilot programme, AFP spoke to a mother named Fati, who was waiting outside a private clinic in Niamey, where her child was hospitalised with a new bout of malaria.

"When the vaccine arrives, it will be a great relief," she said.

"Malaria kills our children and it doesn't spare their parents, either."

Insecticide-treated bednets remain a key prevention tool.

Unhealthy conditions

In neighbouring Burkina Faso, another vaccine developed by Britain's University of Oxford in cooperation with the US firm Novavax has also shown promising effectiveness after a clinical trial in 2019.

But Niger's Jackou and others cautioned against reliance on just a partial vaccine shield.

It is crucial to maintain time-honoured prevention techniques such as distributing insecticide-treated bed nets and early use of drugs to treat infection, they said.

In Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, these methods have been widely introduced since 2014, "reducing malaria-linked deaths by 25 to 30 percent," said Wilfried Sawadogo, a local doctor.

Another enduring problem in malarial regions in sub-Saharan Africa is drainagefighting the conditions that enable the Anopheles mosquito to breed and spread the parasite when it bites a human for a meal.

"If we die of malaria in Africa, it is because we live in totally unhealthy conditions, which means mosquitoes," said Ousmane Danbadji, a sanitation specialist in Niger.

Who will pay?

The WHO announcement has raised the big issues of access to money and technology.

"Who is going to finance (a rollout)? Is the international community willing? That's the first question. And will there be sufficient quantities?" asked Serge Assi, a researcher at the Pierre Richet Institute in Bouake in central Ivory Coast.

Christian Happi, director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Ede, southwest Nigeria, said it was time for Africa to manufacture the vaccine and not just buy it.

"It is now up to Africa to grasp this technology, this knowledge, and produce vaccines rather than import them," he said.

"This is a major challenge."

Explore further WHO recommends use of first malaria vaccine for children

 2021 AFP
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Poor, undemocratic nations are slow to instate policies on tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods, say researchers.

The world's poorest countries are failing to implement public health policies on tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods, in part as a result of commercial influence, according to research published in The Lancet Global Health.

Globally, tobacco leads to more than 7.2 million deaths each year, WHO figures show. More than half of the 3.3 million deaths that occur each year as a result of alcohol use are from diseases such as cancer, while excess salt or sodium intake leads to the death of 4.1 million people annually, according to the health body.

These so-called non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people annually across the world, according to the WHO, and disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries where more than three quarters of global NCD deaths (31.4 million) occur.

Policy implementation is inadequate particularly in countries that are poor and less democratic and those that face strong corporate influences as a result of corruption or political favoritism, according to researchers.

The researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, and Turkey's Bilkent University assessed the implementation of 19 NCD policies recommended by the WHO in 194 countries in reports published in 2015, 2017 and 2020.

They found that, in 2020, countries across the globe could fully implement only a third of the policies, which include raising tobacco taxes, limiting advertising on alcohol, reformulating food products with reduced salt, fat and sugar, and providing treatment for diabetes and hypertension.

Luke Allen, a researcher at the LSHTM, said: "Our study shows that implementation of these life-saving policies tends to be lowest in the world's poorest countries."

According to Allen, developing countries also tend to have weaker democracies and greater exposure to "corporate permeation," or influence. "We know these factors are associated with weaker policymaking for chronic diseases," he added.

Implementation was lowest for policies relating to alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy foods, the study said. Low-income and less democratic countries had the lowest policy implementation.

The researchers found that, in 2020, NCD policy implementation was substantially low in countries including Equatorial Guinea, where only one policy was partially implemented, Guinea Bissau (two policies partially implemented) and Sierra Leone (two policies partially implemented).

Suvadip Chakrabarti, consultant surgical oncologist at the Apollo Cancer Centre in Kolkata, India, told Scidev.Net that in developing countries, especially India, laws on alcohol and tobacco advertising are weak.

"India is the third largest producer and second largest consumer of tobacco products," Chakrabarti said. "At the same time we have attained the number one position [in terms of] tobacco-related cancersworldwide."

The study highlights the effect of corporate influence on the implementation of NCD policies in various countries. According to the researchers, "[corporations] influence policymaking processes in countries where they are deeply embedded within the fabric of society, irrespective of whether they actually wield their power."

"Beneficial effects of democracy on NCD policymaking only hold in countries where corporate influence is held in check," they said.

SciDev.Net approached the UK-based tobacco company Imperial Brands and the Belgium-based organization Tobacco Europe, via email, for comment but no response on the findings of the study was received from them at the time of publishing this article.

Allen believes thatgiven that low- and middle-income countries are experiencing the steepest rises in conditions such as obesity, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, chronic lung diseases, and diabetesthere is an urgent need to counter the commercial and political vested interests that he says are vying to undermine healthy policymaking.

Christian Kraef, a physician at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health in Germany, told SciDev.Net: "One important, and underexploited approach to tackling these issues in poorer and less democratic countries is to invest in, support and foster civil society engagement."

He added that a number of regional and national civil society organizations were working on and advocating for better NCD policies, such as the East Africa NCD Alliance and its member organizations.

According to Chakrabarti, there is a general apathy towards corrective measures around the consumption of tobacco products and alcohol. "We should ban the sale of tobacco-related products in the country [India], but at the same time tobacco industry workers should be rehabilitated," he added.

Explore further Corporate influence linked to slow implementation of public health policies globally

More information: Luke N Allen et al, Implementation of non-communicable disease policies from 2015 to 2020: a geopolitical analysis of 194 countries, The Lancet Global Health (2021). Journal information: The Lancet Global Health Luke N Allen et al, Implementation of non-communicable disease policies from 2015 to 2020: a geopolitical analysis of 194 countries,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00359-4

Provided by SciDev.Net
Medical staff helps a patient move to another bed in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a new wave of the coronavirus in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous months of the pandemic. In the northwestern town of Banja Luka, the COVID ward of the main hospital has been slowly filling up as numbers of infections rise daily. Credit: AP Photo

Watching with fear as the coronavirus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a new wave in the Balkan nation, which has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe earlier in the pandemic.

In the northwestern town of Banja Luka, staff in the COVID-19 ward of the city's main hospital warn that hospitalizations have been increasing in the past days and could explode soon.

Other low-vaccination countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe already have been grappling with a surge in infections that has lasted for weeks now, including Bosnia's neighbors Serbia and Croatia. Some countries have seen the highest numbers since the start of the pandemic, forcing the authorities to reluctantly contemplate tightening of anti-virus rules.

"What we have noticed in past days is that the epidemic situation is getting worse, we can surely say that," said Danijel Djokic, head of the COVID-19 ward at Banja Luka's University Clinical Center.

"Looking at the situation in neighboring countries we can say that our numbers will increase too," he told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The hospital has a basic 300-bed capacity for COVID patients, and 223 have been filled already, including 32 in intensive care. During previous surges, the hospital has managed to gradually expand its capacity to some 700 beds when needed.

A patient breathes through an oxygen mask in the COVID-19 ICU section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic.Credit: AP Photo

An increase in new infections has been reported in other parts of Bosnia too, with around 1,000 new daily infections confirmed on Thursday.

In response, authorities in the capital Sarajevo have expanded vaccination possibilities, instructed schools to organize vaccination courses and announced that they are monitoring the situation for possible new restrictions if infections spin out of control.

In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID-19 passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Bosnia's vaccination rate stands at around 20% of the population of 3.2 million, which is among the lowest in Europe.

Doctors in Banja Luka said that most of their current patients have not been vaccinated at all or have received only one dose. Vaccinated people who end up in the hospital are usually older and still have a better clinical situation that generally does not end fatally, said doctor Djokic.

Patients breathe through oxygen masks in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Credit: AP Photo

"I would like to use the opportunity to stress again that vaccination, with any vaccine really, is the only and safest way to battle the COVID-19 infection and this pandemic," he said.

Still struggling after it was devastated in a 1992-95 war which killed more than 100,000 people, Bosnia has struggled during the pandemic. An already poor health system has been further plagued with reports of corruption in procurement of equipment for COVID-19 wards, triggering a probe by the state prosecutor's office.

So far, Bosnia has had more than 250,000 confirmed infections and more than 11,000 deaths, which is among the highest death rates in Europe per capita.

"If I was not vaccinated I would probably have a hard time pulling through," Marinko Ucur, a patient told the AP from his hospital bed, speaking with an oxygen mask. "The effects of the disease would have been much harder on me."

A patient breathes through an oxygen mask in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Credit: AP Photo

A patient is intubated in the COVID-19 ICU section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic. Credit: AP Photo

Patients breathe through oxygen masks in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a new wave of the coronavirus in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous months of the pandemic. In the northwestern town of Banja Luka, the COVID ward of the main hospital has been slowly filling up as numbers of infections rise daily. Credit: AP Photo

A patient is intubated in the COVID-19 ICU section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic.Credit: AP Photo

A member of the medical staff examines an image of a patients lungs in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Credit: AP Photo

Medical staff attend to a patient in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic.Credit: AP Photo

A patient has a blood oxygen metering device to a finger in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Credit: AP Photo

A member of the medical staff attends to a patient in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Bosnia's vaccination rate stands at around 20% of the population of 3.2 million, which is among the lowest in Europe. Credit: AP Photo

A patient breathes through an oxygen mask in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Bosnia's vaccination rate stands at around 20% of the population of 3.2 million, which is among the lowest in Europe. Credit: AP Photo

Patients breathe through oxygen masks in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Bosnia's vaccination rate stands at around 20% of the population of 3.2 million, which is among the lowest in Europe. Credit: AP Photo

Medical staff attend to a patient in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic.Credit: AP Photo

Patients lie on beds in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Credit: AP Photo

A patient breathes through an oxygen mask in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. In most Central and Eastern European countries, governments have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns, hoping instead to boost vaccination with COVID passes and pro-vaccination appeals. Bosnia's vaccination rate stands at around 20% of the population of 3.2 million, which is among the lowest in Europe. Credit: AP Photo

Medical staff attend to a patient in the COVID-19 section of the University Clinical Centre hospital in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Watching with fear as virus rages in neighboring countries, doctors in Bosnia are bracing for a looming new wave in the Balkan nation that has a low vaccination rate and has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe in previous periods of the pandemic. Credit: AP Photo

Ucur said that he had been paying attention to measures and protection from the virus and still got infected.

"I have no idea how I got it," he said. "I only know that this delta variant is very infectious and that people are contracting it very fast."

Apart from low vaccination rates, experts have blamed the latest soaring infections in the region on the highly contagious delta variant amid widespread disrespect of common anti-virus recommendations to people to wear face masks indoors, distance and avoid crowds.

Another COVID-19 patient in Banja Luka, Rajko Milunovic, 43, said he has not been vaccinated but will do so immediately after getting out of the hospital. Many in Bosnia are vaccine sceptics out of general mistrust in the authorities and floating conspiracy theories against vaccination.

"Only when you feel this disease on your skin, on yourself, then you realize how dangerous it is," he said. "I see it all clearly now. As soon as I get out of here I will get vaccinated. I think that the vaccine is a good thing."

Explore further Slovenia eyes possible lockdown as COVID-19 infections surge

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

With the pharmaceutical company Merck applying in October for emergency authorization of its antiviral pill treatment against COVID-19, North Carolina and the rest of the country soon may see its first widely accessible treatment against the disease.

And Merck's drug, known as molnupiravir, is promising. It can cut someone's chance of hospitalization in half, the company says, just by taking pills from a local pharmacy for a few days.

But health experts told The News & Observer that treatments are no replacement for the safe, effective prevention we already have against the coronavirus: the COVID-19 vaccines.

"I'd rather prevent a fire than put out a fire," said Dr. David Wohl, infectious disease expert at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Here's why you should get vaccinated, if you haven't done so already, instead of waiting for treatments.

Vaccines keep people out of the hospital

Molnupiravir, as an oral pill, is an accessible and easy way to treat COVID-positive patients.

And it could keep people out of the hospital. Preliminary data suggests Merck's pill could reduce the chance of hospitalization by 50%.

But it's not nearly as good as the vaccines.

A September study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson were, respectively, 93%, 88% and 71% effective in preventing hospitalization.

Dr. Cameron Wolfe, infectious disease specialist at Duke University, said he would always recommend the vaccine over treatment, if he had to choose.

"If you're using this or using any oral treatment, for that matter  and assume that's a way to get away from getting vaccinated, you are fundamentally misunderstanding the degree to which it protects you from hospitalization," Wolfe said. "They are not that effective. If I could give a person one vaccine or give them a course of molnupiravir, I would give them the vaccine in a heartbeat."

Vaccines prevent infection

With 55% of North Carolina fully vaccinatedover 5.8 million peoplethe sample size is large enough to know it saves lives.

A study in August from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services found that those people who are unvaccinated are more than four times as likely to catch COVID-19 and 15 times more likely to die from the disease, The N&O previously reported.

"The vaccines definitely protect against infection," Wohl said. "You don't get long COVID unless you get COVID ... and, of course, everything in between, which could be severe infection, progression to getting intubated, requiring a ventilator and dying."

Wohl said molnupiravir could potentially be used to prevent infection, much as Tamiflu is used against influenza, but that there isn't enough data to make that determination.

Right now, vaccines are the best prevention.

'They work best together'

Health experts told The N&O that treatment and vaccines should be thought about how they work in tandem, not separately.

"This is a layered approach. Masks work. Distancing works. Vaccination works, and therapeutics work. But they work best together," said Wohl, who also helped research molnupiravir during clinical trials.

Dr. William Fischer, director of emerging pathogens at the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, said the drug will help treat those in countries without access to vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, another treatment that must be given through IV or a shot at a clinic or physician's office.

That can be difficult to arrange in countries such as the U.S. and impossible in less developed ones.

"You could argue that we have the tools right now to be able to manage this infection. The problem becomes with getting access to these therapies and then globally getting access to the vaccines," said Fischer, who also led clinical trials of Merck's drug. "This is really where an oral drug serves as a complement to our current strategies, because it's able to overcome the logistical barriers."

Explore further What you should know about the COVID-19 pill

2021 The News & Observer.

Distributed at Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(HealthDay)The number of new COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States rose for eight straight days in late October, the longest period of increases since early August, government data shows.

The latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the nationwide seven-day moving average of first doses rose to 264,549 a day on Oct. 29, and that all but two statesUtah and West Virginiaaveraged a faster rate of first shots than in the previous week, CBS News reported.

The White House recently announced that nearly 7 in 10 adults are fully vaccinated, and highlighted two other important vaccination achievements.

"A year ago, we had no vaccines. Just this week, we hit an important milestone: 80% of adults have at least one shot. That's four out of every five adults. And for our seniors, over 95% have gotten at least one shot," President Joe Biden said Wednesday, CBS News reported.

But at least some of the recent surge in first doses could also be from incorrectly reported booster shots, CBS News reported.

In New Hampshire, which on Wednesday became the ninth state in the CDC's tally to reach 90% of their adult residents with at least one dose, the state's top health official told a local radio station that she suspected boosters might be inflating the figures.

"Because of the inability to link across multiple sources of de-identified data, some booster doses may be counted as primary doses," CDC spokesman Scott Pauley told CBS News.

Nationwide, the average daily pace of boosters has climbed to 775,513, nearly triple the daily number of first shots, CBS News reported. More than a quarter of vaccinated seniors now have an additional dose.

Health experts have warned that the booster and first-dose campaigns need to speed up as the cold months of winter approach.

Explore further U.S. sees big spike in COVID vaccinations

More information: Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more on Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more on COVID vaccines

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

About 9% of cancer patients experience complications while hospitalized that lead to a deterioration in their condition, a transfer to the intensive care unit or even death. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at Washington University in St. Louis is developing a machine-learning-based early warning system model to predict this deterioration and improve patient outcomes.

Chenyang Lu, the Fullgraf Professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering, with collaborators including Marin Kollef, MD, the Golman Professor of Medicine and director of the medical intensive care unit and respiratory care services at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Patrick Lyons, MD, instructor in medicine in the School of Medicine, recently developed a new predictive model for hospitalized cancer patients that integrates heterogeneous data available in electronic health records (EHR). Results of their work were presented at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM) Nov. 3, 2021.

Using historical, de-identified data from more than 20,000 hospitalizations of patients with cancer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Lu and Dingwen Li, a doctoral student his lab and first author of the paper, found a way to integrate two types of valuable data in deep learning models that might offer clues about a patient's condition: static data, or data collected at the time of admission, such as demographics, other medical diagnoses or information from previous hospitalizations; and time-series data, which is collected repeatedly during a hospital stay and includes body temperature, blood pressure, medication and test results. As static and time-series data contain complementary information related to clinical deterioration, it is important for a predictive model to exploit both types of variables to maximize its accuracy, Lu said.

"There are early signs hidden in the data that suggest that a person will develop clinical deterioration in a few hours or a few days," said Lu, an expert in the Internet of Things, cyber-physical systems and clinical artificial intelligence. "Humans cannot see these hidden patterns or trends in the data, so this is where machine learning is very good at picking up these patterns."

Lu and his team used a recurrent neural network (RNN) model that originally was designed for the time-series data and enhanced it to incorporate the static data using a multi-modal fusion approach. Their end-to-end model, called CrossNet, learns how to predict deterioration events while accurately imputing any missing static or time-series data. This novel approach to in- corporate both static and time-series data combines the power of deep recurrent models and the benefits of heterogeneous data in EHR.

Ideally, an early warning system would learn from a patient's data the signs that the patient is deteriorating, which would activate an alarm calling health care providers to the bedside. However, one of the risks with such a system is that an alarm would sound so frequently, possibly triggered by false alarms, that the health care providers would develop alarm fatigue and eventually stop responding. In a case study under realistic inpatient care settings Lu and the team set a threshold of 48 notifications in a 24-hour period, or one every 30 minutes. The team then implemented a more proactive early warning system where the alarm rate can be high but the number of false alarms is limited to avoid alarm fatigue. With the same false alarm rate, the team's CrossNet model captured 39.52% of clinical deterioration events, while an existing model used by many hospitals called the Modified Early Warning Scores (MEWS) captured only 3.92% of the same events.

While the model has potential, Lu is working with the physicians on the team to determine the best way to implement it in a hospital setting.

Kollef said Barnes-Jewish Hospital has been using a simpler early warning system for about 15 years. After some evaluation, alarms from that system are sent to an early response team that can assess and triage patients.

"An alert is meaningless unless it's tied to intervention," Kollef said. "It's easy for someone to pull data from a machine and analyze it, but what do you do with it? That's the challenge."

Kollef, who has worked in the intensive care unit for 35 years, said an early warning system is a step in the right direction, and collaborators such as Lyons are key to implementing such a system.

"Patients with cancer are often very sick and fragile and are already monitored intensely," said Lyons, an informatics-based clinician. "With chemotherapy and other treatments, they generate a lot of data that is hard to sort through in a meaningful way. We would like to use this model to distill what data is going to point health care providers toward a clear direction."

Lyons said the team is seeking funding to build an infrastructure around their model and test it to see if it improves the processes of care. In the meantime, he is doing focus groups with patients and nurses to determine their priorities.

Explore further New machine learning system developed to identify deteriorating patients in hospital
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are a class of fire-retardant chemicals that are ubiquitous. They are found on upholstery, carpets, curtains, electronics, and even infant products. Flame retardants migrate out of products into dust that humans contact and can ingest. Considered to be global environmental pollutants, they have been detected in water, soil, air, food products, animals, and human tissues. They are found, too, in breast milk of women all over the world.

A research team led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that when female mice exposed to PBDEs pass on these neuroendocrine-disrupting chemicals to their developing offspring, the female offspring show traits relevant to autism spectrum disorders, or ASD. Their short-term social-recognition ability and long-term social memory is reduced significantly and the offspring show exaggerated "marble burying" behaviorrepetitive behavior reminiscent of human compulsive behavior, a core symptom of ASD.

"Our data support a link between maternal toxicant exposures and abnormal social and repetitive behavior in mice offspring that is relevant to ASD," said Margarita Curras-Collazo, a professor of neuroscience, who led the study published in the journal Archives of Toxicology.

The research team also found that the female offspring's olfactoryor smelldiscrimination of social odors is significantly compromised.

"Humans mostly rely on faces to recognize people and most autistics show deficits in face-identity processing," Curras-Collazo explained. "Mice, on the other hand, rely on smell for social recognition. The female offspring of mother mice exposed to PBDEs showed olfactory deficits that dampened their ability to recognize other mice. In effect, these offspring do not distinguish new mice from familiar ones. Humans with ASD also show abnormal olfactory ability."

In their experiments, the researchers exposed the mother mice orally to flame retardants; their offspring acquired PBDEs in their brains through blood during gestation and mother's milk during lactation. They then measured social and repetitive behavior and olfactory discrimination in female offspring in adulthood.

Next, the researchers examined the brains of the offspring, specifically, gene expression for oxytocin, a neuropeptide involved in social recognition memory. They found that oxytocin and other pro-social genes had undergone changes, suggesting that PBDEs target distinct brain systems to promote neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

"This shows that developmental PBDE exposure produces ASD-relevant neurochemical, olfactory, and social behavioral traits in adult female offspring that may result from early neurodevelopmental reprogramming within central social and memory neural networks," said Elena Kozlova, a student in the UCR Neuroscience Graduate Program working in Curras-Collazo's lab and the first author of the research paper.

To the authors' knowledge, their study is the first to show autistic-relevant behavior and brain changes in female offspring from maternal transfer of environmental pollutants. The behaviors were also tested in exposed mothers, but they were largely unaffected.

"This indicates that PBDEs are particularly detrimental if exposure occurs during development and effects are long-lasting, which is concerning given that children are disproportionately exposed to PBDEs," Kozlova said.

While most biomedical research is done using rodents, these studies have implications for humans. Like humans, mice live in social groups and communicate dominance and subordinate behavior while competing for access to resources. A mouse's ability to recognize others is a key behavior with translational relevance to human social cognition.

"Consumers need to be aware they are being exposed to chemicals like PBDEs," Curras-Collazo said. "You cannot avoid these chemicals since they are added to many indoor products in the home, school, car and airplane. To avoid them you can buy PBDE-free furniture or cover the foam in your furniture, choose less contaminated foods, and vacuum and mop frequently to remove PBDE-contaminated dust. It's crucial that we understand that these chemicals are present in our bodies and what they are doing."

Curras-Collazo believes legislators need to be aware that safe alternatives to toxic chemicals in production are possible, such as non-synthetic materials that serve as flame retardants.

"Further, funding agencies need to support basic science toxicology studies so that flame retardant chemicals like PBDEs can be examined in further detail before they are released for commercialization," she said. "Funding is needed, too, for longitudinal human studies to allow the developmental effects of these chemicals to be studied over a lifetime."

Curras-Collazo and Kozlova were joined in the study by colleagues at UC Riverside, Duke University in North Carolina, Loma Linda University in California, Pontifical Catholic University in Puerto Rico, German National Research Center for Environmental Health, Technical University of Munich in Germany, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in North Carolina.

The research paper is titled "Persistent autismrelevant behavioral phenotype and social neuropeptide alterations in female mice offspring induced by maternal transfer of PBDE congeners in the commercial mixture DE71."

Explore further Chemicals in your living room cause diabetes

More information: Elena V. Kozlova et al, Persistent autism-relevant behavioral phenotype and social neuropeptide alterations in female mice offspring induced by maternal transfer of PBDE congeners in the commercial mixture DE-71, Archives of Toxicology (2021). Elena V. Kozlova et al, Persistent autism-relevant behavioral phenotype and social neuropeptide alterations in female mice offspring induced by maternal transfer of PBDE congeners in the commercial mixture DE-71,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00204-021-03163-4
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Trendy-looking websites promise convenience and freedom from networks, at far less than the cost of traditional health insurance.

"Welcome to insurance that's finally fair," says one, in bold lettering. "Take care of your health with one easy app," says another.

It's all part of shopping for health coverage in 2021.

While they're still niche products, these nontraditional options say they aim to soothe consumer frustration with high premiums and deductibles by harnessing the growing availability of price information or patients' newfound comfort with online health services.

One such offering, from insurer Sidecar Health, pays consumers its estimated cash price for each medical visit and lets them shop for the best deal. Another, from Antidote Health, isn't insurance, but offers access to online-only primary care for a small monthly fee.

Still, these plans come with a dose of "buyer beware."

While the image the plans present is one of consumers taking control of their health care costs, the "reality is likely the opposite," said Dania Palanker, assistant research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.

That's because they are not Affordable Care Act plans. They are not comprehensive medical insurance, and could leave patients responsible for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, either because benefits cover only part of a medical bill or because of other plan limitations.

What's offered by California-based Sidecar Health and Antidote in New York may appeal to shoppers who are younger or more tech-savvy, the uninsured, or those who don't get subsidies to help them purchase Affordable Care Act plans.

Consumers say ACA plans are "too expensive, or the out-of-pocket costs are too high," or doctors don't accept them, said Mike Smith, president of The Brokerage, a marketing organization in Texas that recruits insurance agents and also sells insurance.

But these plans' lower premiums are possible, in part, because the plans cover less than ACA plans.

Standard benefits do not include maternity care, there's no annual limit on how much patients can pay out-of-pocket, and some decline to enroll people with health conditions, none of which is allowed in an ACA plan. Sidecar customers may find the amounts they receive to pay for care are less than they are charged, while Antidote doesn't cover lab work, X-rays, hospital care or expensive drugs.

Sidecar's Access Plan, licensed for sale in 17 states, adds a layer of pricing information to what's known as fixed-indemnity plans. Such plans pay the policyholder a flat rate, usually a dollar amount, based on the type of care they receive, such as a doctor visit or a day in the hospital.

Unlike typical indemnity plans, Sidecar provides more information, including individual payment calculations for 170,000 services based on its estimates of the average cash price in the patient's area for each service. That encompasses most services associated with regular doctor visits and lab work as well as the line-item charges included in surgeon's fees and hospital care.

But the medical provider might not accept that amount as full payment.

Patients can learn upfront from Sidecar the amount it will pay toward a medical visitif they know what they needand then shop around. Patients pay any difference between the Sidecar allowance and the actual charge. Conversely, if the patient can get it for less than Sidecar's rate, the enrollee pockets the difference.

CEO Patrick Quigley sees his company as part of a nascent effort to harness the growing availability of price information, one that may prompt reluctant Americans to comparison shop.

"We're building a product around transparency and control, turning patients into purchasers," he said.

Some policy experts caution that the plan falls far short of comprehensive coverage.

Indemnity insurance can be useful in filling coverage gaps, but "it isn't major medical health insurance," Palanker said.

Consumers must choose a coverage amount for the year, from as little as $5,000 to $2 million. If a person selects, say, $50,000 but faces a $100,000 hospital bill after a car accident or a bad case of covid-19, they are responsible for the difference.

Because they're based partly on the total annual amount of coverage, premiums vary, but most are $200 to $300 a month, according to Sidecar.

Candidates must answer a series of health questions when applying, and those who weigh more than 300 pounds or have any of 13 specific health conditions are declined.

Quigley says the structureno network, upfront price informationfrees people to go to any doctor, hospital or clinic.

But it also means all services are out of network and there's no guarantee a provider or facility will accept the Sidecar benchmark price as payment in full.

"If the providers you need to see do not fall in line with the median amount paid in your area, you are on the hook," said Joshua Brooker, a principal at PA Health Advocates, an independent brokerage that operates in 11 states. It does not sell Sidecar.

For complex treatments, like surgery, Sidecar directs members to request ahead of time a detailed estimate with all the expected charges, then send it to Sidecar for a calculation of what it would pay.

"Consumers are not used to saying, 'I need every code you are going to bill,'" said Stacey Pogue, senior policy analyst with Every Texan, a policy and research group in Austin. "For a really sophisticated consumer who understands indemnity insurance and cash prices and negotiating, this could be a good product, but I just don't think there are that many such consumers."

There's also no way to shop around in an emergency.

In those cases, Sidecar says, it steps in after the fact and negotiates directly with the hospital, aiming for "a reasonable charge," Quigley said.

Even proponents, including The Brokerage's Smith, said Sidecar may not be the best choice for everyone. Clients who choose it must educate themselves on how it works, especially its limitations, he said.

Consumers buy Sidecar's Access Plan online from the company or through participating brokers like Smith, not through federal or state marketplaces offering ACA insurance, because it isn't major medical coverage.

That may soon change, at least in Ohio.

Sidecar Health said it has state approval to sell an ACA plan there, starting in November for coverage next year.

Because this version must meet all the law's requirementsincluding accepting applicants with preexisting health conditions, posing no dollar limits on how much care it will cover and capping enrollees' out-of-pocket costsits premiums in some cases may be higher than the Access Plan's.

Unlike ACA offerings from other carriers, it will have no set network of doctors and hospitals. Consumers will shop around, armed with plan price information.

Antidote, meanwhile, is sold in eight states. Monthly membership fees start at $35 for an individual or $59 for a family.

Co-founder Ben Enosh initially described Antidote's fees as premiums but later corrected himself to say the program has "one monthly fee at a significantly lower price point than insurance, which requires a premium plus deductibles and copays."

And it describes itself as a "digital healthcare company," not insurance, providing technical and administrative support to physicians. That's why, he said, it is not licensed by insurance regulators in several states where it is sold.

The plan resembles "direct primary care," for which patients pay a monthly fee to their local doctor, who then provides all their primary care. Unlike most of these programs, which include in-person office visits, Antidote is all online, the patient may not see the same doctor every time, and the physician may well be in another state.

Antidote has a network of 50 online doctors, some of whom are investors, Enosh said. Before an online visit, patients answer a health questionnaire, which takes about 10 minutes, he added. Analyzed by an algorithm, that data then helps physicians decide what might be going on. The technology has helped shorten online visit time to an average of six minutes, he said.

There are definite coverage limits.

Antidote's service provides primary care visits only, although Enosh said it informs enrollees of cash prices available at nearby labs. The plan's terms of use online show doctor visits are limited to 12 a year for individuals and 20 for families, after which a fee of $15 per visit applies.

Hospitalization, imaging tests and surgery are not covered.

Additionally, its "no extra fee" drug coverage includes only 80 types of medications, which may well take care of run-of-the-mill concerns but not cancer or other major conditions. Patients would need to pay for those themselves.

Explore further How to determine your health insurance's true costs

2021 Kaiser Health News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Levels of TTV, an apparently inoffensive virus considered an indicator of immunodepression, tend to be higher in people infected by SARS-CoV-2. Credit: IMT-USP

Torquetenovirus (TTV) is one of the viruses most frequently found in the human organism. It is also common in monkeys and domestic animals. Its presence has not been associated with any known disease, but its excessive replication is a sign that something is wrong with the immune system.

The correlation between high TTV load and immunosuppression has been used in medicine in certain contexts, such as monitoring transplant patients who take medication to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. A study by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil suggests that TTV load in people infected by SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a marker of COVID-19 severity and recovery. The findings are reported in an article in PLOS ONE.

"We used analyzed samples from 91 patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and from 126 people with flu symptoms who tested negative. We found TTV titer to be higher in subjects infected by the novel coronavirus. The higher the titer, the longer they remained sick. Symptoms disappeared as viral load decreased. In uninfected subjects, TTV titer remained stable throughout the symptomatic period," said Maria Cassia Mendes-Correa, a professor at the Medical School (FM-USP) and first author of the article.

Mendes-Correa heads the Virology Laboratory (LIM52) at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT-USP), where TTV has been analyzed for several years in a variety of contexts. The research line is led by Tania Regina Tozetto-Mendoza, a biologist and second author of the study just published.

"We're studying TTV as a potential biomarker for certain clinical outcomes measured in different biological fluids," Tozetto-Mendoza said.

The study was conducted under the aegis of the Sao Caetano Corona Program, an online platform established to organize remote monitoring of inhabitants of Sao Caetano do Sul (a city in metropolitan Sao Paulo) with symptoms of COVID-19 by healthcare workers, and home collection of samples for diagnosis. The program is an initiative of the Municipal University of Sao Caetano do Sul (USCS) in partnership with IMT-USP, the city government, and a startup called Modular Research System (MRS).

Analyzing samples from patients treated via this program, the IMT-USP researchers have investigated how elimination of SARS-CoV-2 varies over time in different body fluids, such as blood, urine and saliva. The research is supported by FAPESP.

"We then had the idea of analyzing TTV load in these samples in order to find out whether it correlated with COVID-19 severity. The results showed that TTV can indeed serve as a marker of the progression and outcome of this disease. The more symptomatic the patient, the higher the TTV load in the sample," Mendes-Correa said.

All patients included in the study had mild or moderate COVID-19, she explained. TTV and SARS-CoV-2 viral loads were measured in saliva samples. According to the answers to a questionnaire, none of the participants had diseases that cause immunosuppression, such as cancer or HIV/AIDS.

"COVID-19 appears to lead to a degree of immunodepression by causing an immune system imbalance, and this favors replication of TTV," Mendes-Correa said.

Support for diagnosis

The discovery has no direct clinical applications, but may in future contribute to improved COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis. "We're all looking for ways to obtain rapid and accurate diagnosis," Mendes-Correa said. "One of the possibilities is to develop a kit that doses several biomarkers of the disease at the same time and then assess the results with the aid of algorithms. Measuring TTV titer is one of several tests that could be included in these algorithms to support diagnosis. This is the direction medicine is going in."

Explore further Study finds genetic markers may predict severity of COVID-19 infection

More information: Maria C. Mendes-Correa et al, Torquetenovirus in saliva: A potential biomarker for SARS-CoV-2 infection?, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE Maria C. Mendes-Correa et al, Torquetenovirus in saliva: A potential biomarker for SARS-CoV-2 infection?,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256357
The HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer. Credit: KT Stock photos/ Shutterstock

A vaccine to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to cut cases of cervical cancer by nearly 90%, according to a recent study published in The Lancet.

Cervical cancer, which can be caused by HPV, is one of the few cancers that can be prevented by a vaccine. This is why the HPV vaccination program was introduced in UK schools in 2008, offered to girls aged 1213. The program has been extremely successful in the UK, with over 80% of eligible girls having received it to date. But our research has shown that there are still gaps in the vaccination program.

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the world. While, in most cases, people can get over an HPV infection without treatment, it can sometimes turn into genital warts or even cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccination program was introduced to vaccinate girls against HPV before they're likely to become infected by it. But our research found that around one in ten girls in the UK hadn't received the vaccination. We wanted to find out why these gaps exist.

To conduct our study, we used information from the Millennium Cohort Studya UK-wide research study that contains detailed data on the health, social, economic and educational circumstances of children born in 2000-2002. As part of this study, at age 14 the parents of nearly 6,000 girls were interviewed and asked whether their daughters had had the HPV vaccineand if notthe reasons they hadn't.

From these interviews, we found that girls who hadn't been vaccinated against HPV were more likely to live in the most disadvantaged areas of the UK, be home-schooled, temporarily or permanently excluded from attending schoolfor example, because of behavioral issuesor to be from a black or other minority ethnic background.

There were many reasons girls weren't vaccinated, according to their parents. About half said either they or their daughter didn't want the vaccine or they were scared of the vaccination procedure. Others said their daughter had not been offered the vaccine in school, or had not been at school on vaccination day. We also found that girls living in the most disadvantaged areas were 56% less likely to have received the HPV vaccine than those in the most advantaged areas.

Preventing cancer

The UK's school HPV vaccination program has been very successful in reducing the number of young women who are infected with the virus. The vaccination program in the UK has also been shown to reduce the number of cases of cervical cancer by nearly 90%.

The HPV vaccine currently offered protects against two strains of HPV that cause cancer, and two strains that cause genital warts. This year, a newer vaccine will be introduced that will provide young people with protection against a further five cancer-causing HPV strains.

Though this is great news, our research shows that there are still gaps in the vaccination program that need to be addressed to ensure as many young women are being protected against HPV and cervical cancer as possible and that all benefit equally. While school immunization teams already work hard to ensure all girls and their parents know about the vaccineand sometimes even offer it outside of school settingsmore needs to be done to improve vaccine uptake.

One way of improving uptake may be to involve family doctors in offering the vaccine to children who have missed out. This would allow families to discuss the vaccine with their GP and ask them any questions they may have. Some people may also feel more comfortable having the vaccine administered at their GP surgery. This may help reduce inequalities in vaccine uptake.

Since 2019, boys have also been included in the UK HPV vaccination program. This is because boys can pass HPV infections on and can also develop cancers from HPV. The pandemic has had a major impact on the HPV vaccination program and we now need a concerted effort across schools and with GPs to ensure all young people are protected against HPV.

Explore further Boys should be given HPV jab, says vaccine committee

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The University of Toronto is encouraging students, staff, faculty and librarians on its three campuses to get their annual flu shot to further protect their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year's flu season was unusually mild due to COVID-19 lockdowns and other public health measures that reduced transmission. But with fewer public health measures in place this year, infectious disease experts say more people could get the flu, increasing their risk of severe illness should they contract both viruses.

A high number of flu cases could also place an added strain on a health-care system that's already under significant pressure, says Susy Hota, the medical director of infection prevention and control at the University Health Network and an associate professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's department of medicine.

The province makes the flu vaccine available for free to people six months of age and older who live, work or attend school in Ontario. U of T community members can obtain a flu shot at their local pharmacy or visit a Toronto Public Health clinic, where appointments can be booked in advance. There also are plans to offer flu shots at the Discovery Pharmacy on the St. George campus, while those with OHIP cards may be able to get the flu vaccine at their doctor's office. U of T Mississauga's Health & Counselling Centre also has information about flu shots.

U of T News recently spoke with Hota about the flu shot and why it's especially important this year.

Why is so important to get the flu shot while we're still dealing with COVID-19?

We don't yet know how COVID-19 and influenza will interact. Will people get sicker if they are co-infected with the two? The good news is that a small amount of data out of England showed that co-infections are uncommon. The bad news is that the risk of death with co-infections was higher than if you had a single infection.

During the last flu season, public health measures such as social distancing and masking resulted in little influenza transmission in many parts of the world. A big concern this year is what will happen with a more open society, and with fewer non-pharmacologic interventions in place. Will we see a more severe flu season?

The other important point is the health-care system. We're still dealing with the pandemic, and health-care capacity is strained. If we also have to deal with a deluge of influenza infections, then this will strain the health-care system even further and make it hard for us to provide care for everyone who needs it.

How serious is the flu on its own?

Although most people don't get severely ill or require hospitalization, complications from influenza infection can range from mild to serious. In older people, influenza infection can precipitate a heart attack or congestive heart failure. We also see secondary bacterial pneumonia that requires hospitalization. Bronchitis can be exacerbated. The influenza vaccine provides 40 to 60 percent protection against the virus, so it's a moderately effective vaccine. Our goal with vaccinations is to reduce these potential harms.

What about younger people?

There are age-related risk factors if you're over the age of 65, but also if you're under the age of two. However, younger people between those ages can also be at riskif you're pregnant, for example, or if you have health conditions such as chronic lung disease or asthma, heart disease, neurological problems or a compromised immune system. People who are obese, and people from certain backgrounds such as Indigenous Peoples can also suffer from poor outcomes due to influenza. The bottom line is we have readily available, fully funded vaccines in Ontario. This is why we recommend that everyone get a flu shot every year.

When should people get their flu shots?

Now. Influenza vaccination campaigns are rolled out in advance of the flu season, which runs from November to March or April. It also makes sense to protect yourself now because it's getting colder and we're spending more time inside.

What are the most common side effects of the flu shot?

Side effects are common to many vaccines. You can get local side effects or systemic side effects. The local ones are usually more commonup to 10 percent of people will get swelling, pain, tenderness and maybe some redness at the injection site. The systemic ones are fever, chills, muscle aches and tiredness, which are signs that your immune cells are doing what they need to do.

What should someone do if they develop symptoms, but can't tell if it's COVID-19 or the flu?

Fever, cough and shortness of breath can be present in either a COVID-19 infection or influenza. Sore throat is less common with COVID-19, but we do see it. Runny nose, headache and muscle aches can be present in either. A loss ofor change inyour sense of smell or taste is more specific to COVID-19. Influenza tends to come on quite suddenly. COVID-19 can be more insidious.

Bottom line: COVID-19 is the one with the major public health implications. If you develop any of these symptoms, you need to stay home, and you should get tested for COVID-19. (We don't typically test people for influenza or other viruses unless they are hospitalized.) If you're not working from home, check with your organization's occupational health office, or with management, about clearance for when you can come back.

Do we have a sense yet of how severe this year's flu strain may be?

Severity is not necessarily specific to a strain. There are subtypes of influenza. Influenza A and B are the types that most commonly cause infections in humans leading to symptoms and hospitalizations. The H3N2 subtype of influenza A more often affects older people and can more often lead to complications and hospitalizations. H1N1, which caused the 200910 pandemic, more often affects younger adults and, for that reason, causes fewer hospitalizations. Influenza B more often affects children and older adults. Globally, what we're seeing now is influenza B in Mexico and the Caribbean, but also some H3N2 in South Asia. So, it's a little unclear what will happen here in North America.

Any last words of advice as we head into flu season?

Be vigilant about your health. Don't say "Oh, it's just a cold." Stay home, except to get tested for COVID-19.
Fig. 1: Mapping the reporting topography in breast cancer spheroid research. Binary heatmap showing the experimental parameters (rows, 51 of 98 parameters, selected for relevance) of each spheroid experiment (columns, n = 1,628). The heatmap is divided vertically into three sections of parameters (setup, characterization both microscopic and non-microscopic and application; indicated in blue, light and dark green, and red; and including 18, 21 + 7, and 5 parameters, respectively) and horizontally according to the year of publication. For each section, rows are sorted in descending order according to total number of reported experimental parameters. Parameters that were not reported in an experiment appear as a white space in its corresponding column. The reporting efficiency of each parameter is indicated as a percentage in the right column. EM, electron microscopy; ECM, extracellular matrix. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41592-021-01291-4

The increased predictive power of 3D cell culture-based drug development may contribute to a decrease in animal use and a higher success rate of drugs in clinical trials. This is what makes these 3D cell cultures so attractive from ethical and economic perspectives.

Ghent University has developed a method to better compare these 3D cell cultures between labs. Interpretation of data between labs sometimes goes wrong because certain essential data is missing. Ghent University solves this by giving the 3D cell cultures a unique identity card that contains the essential information of such a cell culture. That unique identity card can now be exchanged between different researchers.

The results of this groundbreaking research have been published in the leading journal Nature Methods.

Explore further Better reporting, measurement and control of the environmental conditions of cell cultures is needed

More information: Arne Peirsman et al, MISpheroID: a knowledgebase and transparency tool for minimum information in spheroid identity, Nature Methods (2021). Journal information: Nature Methods Arne Peirsman et al, MISpheroID: a knowledgebase and transparency tool for minimum information in spheroid identity,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41592-021-01291-4
Fig. 1: Whole genome sequencing of 11 primary tumors and metastases from a single SI-NET patient supports independent clonal evolution. a Section of the small intestine from a patient (Patient 1) harboring six primary tumors (AF), three lymph node metastases (GI), and two peritoneal metastases (JK). b Pairwise analysis of shared somatic SNVs based on whole genome sequencing. Primary tumor C and the five metastases shared a common set of 667 mutations. A maximum parsimony phylogenetic tree is shown, with the number of SNVs in each branch given by the scale marker. An indel in CDKN1B, a known driver event, is indicated. Bootstrap support was > = 98% for all major branches. c Proposed model, where all metastases originate from a single primary tumor, and where all primaries are unrelated in terms of somatic evolution. Met, metastasis; SNV, single nucleotide variant. Source data are provided as a Source data file. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26581-5

Neuroendocrine cancer can manifest itself as many small tumors in a cluster in the small intestine. New research shows that, surprisingly, these tumors originate from different cells that have mutated independently. The finding that the tumors are not related, which has been published in Nature Communications, came about through a close collaboration among clinical and basic science researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Neuroendocrine cancer of the small intestine is a relatively rare cancer, affecting a few hundred people in Sweden every year. At the same time, it is the most common form of cancer of the small intestine. The disease is also called SI-NET (Small Intestine Neuroendocrine Tumor). Because the cancer grows slowly, patients can live with the disease for a long time.

"When we remove neuroendocrine tumors in the small intestine, we often find many tumors in the same place, which is unusual. No other cancer really looks like this," says Erik Elias, an endocrine surgeon at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Gothenburg. "The cancer is also unusual because known driver mutations are largely absent."

Elias asked Erik Larsson Lekholm, a professor of bioinformatics at the University of Gothenburg, to join him in searching for answers to the question of how the tumor clusters form. They emphasize that their collaboration is largely translational in nature, where bioinformatic analyses in state-of-the-art research have been applied to a concrete question from everyday life in the clinic.

The researchers began by mapping complete genome sequences from 11 tumors and metastases found in a single patient. By comparing non-driver mutations (known as passenger mutations) in the different tumors, they could map their family trees.

Surprising answer

The result was both unambiguous and surprising. The intestinal tumors had developed independently. Yet the metastases were clearly related and could be traced back to a specific bowel tumor.

"Usually we think that cancer emanates from a single cell, where the balance in cell division has been disrupted due to genetic changes," says Erik Larsson Lekholm, who believes the finding opens the door to a new field of research. "Tumor development then occurs in stages. In the worst case, it can eventually lead to metastatic cancer, which can spread both locally and to other places in the body. In this case, the process has been started not just once, but several times in the same tissue.

"What can actually account for this? How can several different cells in roughly the same place in the body simultaneously develop similar cancer properties, and without obvious driving mutations? Our hypothesis is that there may have been a change in the environment in which the cells are located, and we have begun to investigate this further."

After the first surprising result, the whole genome sequencing of tumors, metastases, and blood from another ten patients was repeated, partly using material from a local biobank that has been built up over many years through a collaboration between endocrine surgery and pathology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Arman Ardalan, a post-doctoral researcher in bioinformatics in Larsson Lekholm's team, has done an important job with the data analysis.

All tumors need to be removed

In addition to the finding that the tumors evolved independently, the study provides another surprising insight: often not just one, but several of these tumors give rise to metastases. For surgeon Erik Elias, the discovery has great clinical relevance:

"This study underscores the importance of removing all tumors in the intestine. In surgical care, we need to discuss whether we should use greater margins when operating, removing more bowel so that we can be more confident we have removed all bowel tumors. It is quite possible that the late relapses in the disease that we unfortunately sometimes see can be prevented by such a measure. Obviously, this would be of great importance for the individual patient."

Explore further Metastases use divided blood vessels to grow

More information: Erik Elias et al, Independent somatic evolution underlies clustered neuroendocrine tumors in the human small intestine, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Erik Elias et al, Independent somatic evolution underlies clustered neuroendocrine tumors in the human small intestine,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26581-5
Fiona Miller, director of U of T's Centre for Sustainable Health Systems, says the global health-care sector, if it were a nation, would be the world's fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Credit: Johnny Guatto

As the world grapples with the negative health effects posed by climate change, Fiona Miller says the health-care sector must not only treat the resulting medical conditionsbut take steps to ensure it's not contributing to them.

"In Canada and in most other countries, the health-care sector accounts for about five percent of greenhouse gas emissions," says Miller, professor of health policy at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

"Globally, if health care were a nation, it would be the fifth largest emitter."

Miller is director of IHPME's Centre for Sustainable Health Systems and chair in Health Management Strategies.

When she speaks of health care and its impact on environmental degradation, Miller is referring to everything involved in caring for the health of society. That includes massive hospitals that require heating and coolingand may be generating power from coalto the overuse of single-use medical items such as hypodermic needles and syringes, as well as the packaging that becomes garbage. It includes individuals driving to see a doctor for an in-person physical that may not be medically necessaryand the use of certain kinds of inhalers and anesthetic gases that are not environmentally-friendly.

"The health-care sector is buying an enormous quantity of products," Miller says. "They own lots of capital and infrastructure. They are very much part of urban environments. And with everything that goes with that, they have negative environmental impacts."

The paradox, she says, is the health-care sector is inadvertently helping to create new health problemslinked to pollution and climate changein its effort to treat others.

"We often don't recognize that these very significant social institutions are part and parcel of climate change."

But Miller, who recently received a Connaught Global Challenge Award for her work, notes that there are signs the sector is changing its ways.

"Organizations around the world are waking up to their responsibility to manage sustainability," she says. "Health care is no different in terms of needing to get its house in order and mitigate the environmental harms it is responsible for. In fact, there is a greater obligation in health care because its mission is health."

Miller points to the precedent-setting work of the National Health Service in England, which has committed to a net-zero health system for the full scope of its direct and indirect emissions by 2045. She also notes Choosing Wisely Canada (which sprung from a U.S. initiative that launched in 2012) that is encouraging health professionals and patients to take a hard look at identifying unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures.

And the push for sustainable health care got a big boost earlier this year when Environment and Climate Change Canada awarded $6 million to launch CASCADES (Creating a Sustainable Canadian Health System in a Climate Crisis).

The project is being led by Miller, who is partnering with Sean Christie and Gillian Ritcey of Dalhousie University, Andrea MacNeill of the University of British Columbia, and Linda Varangu of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care.

The mandate of CASCADES, says Miller, is to "build and leverage capacity on the front lines, among management and leadership levels, through continuing professional development, knowledge mobilization and networking, supporting the testing, spreading and scaling of innovations in sustainable care, using improvement methods."

She adds that CASCADES will focus on encouraging health systems in Canada to work in a co-ordinated way to achieving net-zero emissions. While there have been "pockets of extraordinary excellence and effort," it has often been too piecemeal, she says.

Andrea MacNeill believes CASCADES is the right initiative to manage these limitations.

"We possess sustainability and health-care expertise, with deep connections with both sectors," she says. "We understand how to engage diverse members of the health-care community on their own terms and pursue national co-ordination while respecting local priorities, provincial and territorial jurisdiction and differences across professions, practices and context."

And Miller is pleased to report that there is "actually tremendous energy in the health-care sector around this. I think the appetite is really there. The timing of launching CASCADES is very good, given the urgency. People want to know how to bring this into their professional lives and how to be on the right side of history on this issue."
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Anemia is a common and sometimes debilitating problem among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Anemia can occur when the kidneys become damaged, limiting the production of erythropoietin (EPO)a hormone that signals to the body to make red blood cells. Currently, patients with CKD and anemia are treated with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), which must be given via subcutaneous injection or as part of dialysis. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital examined hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF PH inhibitors), a new class of drug that can be given orally to treat anemia. The ASCEND trials, sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), tested one of these compounds, daprodustat, in patients with CKD on dialysis and in patients with CKD not on dialysis, and compared the oral medication's safety and efficacy to conventional treatment. In two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine and in a simultaneous presentation at the American Society for Nephrology Kidney Week, they offered data indicating that daprodustat was as safe and efficacious as ESAs.

"Anemia is a problem for so many patients with CKD, and having to come to the hospital or give oneself a subcutaneous injection can become a bottleneck for treatment," said Ajay Singh, MBBS, of the Brigham's Division of Renal Medicine and lead investigator of the trials. "Oral treatment has the power to be transformative for patient care."

The development of prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors is based on discoveries on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability made by William G. Kaelin Jr., MD, of the Brigham and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and collaborators. These discoveries were recognized with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2019. While ESAs act as stand-ins for EPO to directly stimulate the production of red blood cells, HIF PH inhibitors act to stabilize proteins known as hypoxia inducible factors, coaxing the body to produce its own EPO and improving iron mobilization to the bone marrow.

Many safety concerns about ESAs have arisen over the years, including possible increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular access thrombosis, tumor progression, and death. The phase 3 ASCEND trials evaluated cardiovascular safety as well as how effectively the HIF PH inhibitor increased hemoglobin. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were adjudicated by an independent committee throughout the trials.

Among 2,964 patients on dialysis who were randomly assigned to receive daprodustat or an ESA, hemoglobin levels rose 0.280.02 g per deciliter with daprodustat and 0.100.02 g per deciliter with ESA, meeting the trial's prespecified endpoint. MACE occurred in 374 of 1,487 (25.2 percent) and 394 of 1,477 (26.7 percent) participants in the daprodustat and ESA groups, respectively, meeting the trial's prespecified endpoint.

The team also reported on results among 3,872 patients not on dialysis. For those patients, hemoglobin levels also rose0.740.02 g per deciliter with daprodustat and 0.660.02 g per deciliter with an ESA, meeting the trial's prespecified endpoint. MACE occurred in 378 of 1,937 (19.5 percent) participants in the daprodustat group and in 371 of 1,935 (19.2 percent) participants in the ESA group, respectively, again meeting the trial's prespecified endpoint.

The authors note that the trial had several limitations, including its open-label design, which allowed participants to know the treatment they had been assigned and potentially biasing reporting of adverse events. In addition, while the trial was several years long, HIF-PH inhibitors could have oncogenic or other potential long-term adverse effects, which would need longer term follow-up to detect. The studies focused on the ESAs darbepoetin alfa and epoetin alfa, and findings may not be applicable to other ESAs. But one of the strengths of the trials were their size, which were larger than previous clinical trials of HIF-PH inhibitors with more robust results.

"We found that oral delivery of daprodustat worked just as well as conventional therapyincreasing and maintaining hemoglobin levels among non-dialysis patients and maintaining levels among patients on dialysisand was just as safe," said Singh. "This could usher in a new way of treating people with kidney disease, avoiding injections while stimulating the body to produce red blood cells."

Explore further Safety, efficacy of vadadustat explored for CKD

More information: Singh AK et al. "Daprodustat for the Treatment of Anemia in Patients Undergoing Dialysis" New England Journal of Medicine (2021). DOI: : 10.1056/NEJMoa2113379 Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Singh AK et al. "Daprodustat for the Treatment of Anemia in Patients Undergoing Dialysis"(2021). DOI: : 10.1056/NEJMoa2113379
HIV patients with and without chronic neuropathic pain received short or long heat stimuli on their hands (control site) or feet (neuropathic site). Credit: University of California - San Diego

As medical advances help individuals with HIV survive longer, there is an increasing need to treat their chronic symptoms. One of the most common is neuropathic pain, or pain caused by damage to the nervous system.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most prevalent neurological problem in HIV infection, affecting 50 percent of all HIV patients. Most persons with DSP describe sensations of numbness, tingling, burning and stinging in their hands or feet, which impair daily functioning and can lead to unemployment and depression.

Previous research on DSP has mostly focused on the peripheral nervous system, but nerve injury cannot fully explain the wide variability in DSP symptoms. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of California San Francisco instead looked at the brain to see how it may be contributing to patients' pain.

In a new study, published online October 29, 2021 in Brain Communications , the team observed unique patterns of brain activity in HIV-DSP patients when they experienced a painful stimulus. Compared to other patients with HIV, those with DSP showed increased activity in the anterior insula, a brain area involved in predicting and emotionally processing pain.

"The anterior insula is trying to predict the future for you," said senior author Alan Simmons, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and research scientist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. "It's forming expectations about what is about to happen to you and how you're going to feel. These expectations of pain play an important role in determining how much pain you then actually experience."

Participants in the study received painful thermal stimuli on their feet or hands while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A visual cue let them know when a painful stimulus was coming, and once it began, a numerical countdown displayed how much longer the stimulus would last. Heat was delivered for either six or 16 seconds at a temperature that participants deemed to be similarly painful in prior tests.

First author Irina Strigo, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at UC San Francisco and research biologist at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, compared the patients' brain activity at the start of the short and long pain trials. The stimulus intensity was no different in either case, but when patients knew it was going to last longer, the anterior insula became more active. This enhanced insular activity and reduced pain relief was also specific to the trials when pain was delivered to the neuropathic limb.

"This lets you know that a key aspect of pain in neuropathy is your reaction to the idea that the pain is going to last," said Simmons. "If you know the pain will be short, you brace and absorb it but it doesn't dramatically burden you. On the other hand, if you learn the pain will be ongoing and inescapable, your brain will react to that and perceive the pain as overwhelming."

Simmons suggests that these patients' brains have been conditioned by their repeated pain to become increasingly emotionally distressed by it, and these differences in how they perceive their pain and expect it to manifest contribute to why it becomes a chronic experience.

What does this mean for HIV-DSP patients? Another finding in the study may hint at a solution. The researchers found a different pattern in the patients' anterior cingulate cortex, a brain area involved in regulating subjective feelings of pain unpleasantness. The higher their cingulate activity was, the less they said their pain interfered with their daily lives. Reducing anterior insula activity or increasing cingulate activity may thus improve pain outcomes for HIV-DSP patients.

"Once the pain signal reaches the brain, the insula starts telling you, "This is going to be long and overwhelming," but the cingulate can turn down the dial on that," said Simmons. Physicians may eventually use advanced tools to modulate brain activity in these areas, but in the meantime, Simmons says simple breathing and mindfulness practices may help.

"Perhaps even just being more aware that your emotions and expectations affect your experience of pain will help people engage these regulators in their brain."

Explore further Brainstem pathway modulates pain in placebo effect

More information: Irina A Strigo et al, Association of painful human immunodeficiency virus distal sensory polyneuropathy with aberrant expectation of pain relief: functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence, Brain Communications (2021). Journal information: Brain Communications Irina A Strigo et al, Association of painful human immunodeficiency virus distal sensory polyneuropathy with aberrant expectation of pain relief: functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab260
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Most of us probably knowmore or lesshow to resuscitate one of our fellow human beings. Even if you haven't taken a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), you've probably seen the technique many times on television or in the movies.

The early history of resuscitation was in many ways also the stuff of drama. On June 1, 1782, for example, a Philadelphia newspaper carried news of the latest resuscitative miracle: a five-year-old child had been restored to life after drowning in the Delaware River.

Little Rowland Oliver was playing on one of the busy wharves that industrialisation had brought to the Delaware's banks when he tumbled into the water. He struggled for ten minutes, then went limp. Finally, a worker fished him out and carried him home.

Although Rowland was delivered lifeless to his family, the paper reported that his parents recognized he was only "apparently dead." This energized them into action. They "stripped off all his clothes immediately, slapped him with their hands" and "rubbed him with woolen cloths dipped in spirits."

The doctor who arrived shortly afterwards did more of the same. They also immersed Rowland's feet in hot water and thrust an emetic agent down his throat. After about 20 minutes, life returned to the little boy. A little blood-letting eased any after-effects, and Rowland was soon his usual playful self.

Humane societies

This account was but one of many stories of resuscitative success seeded into the newspapers by the period's newly minted humane societies. These societies had originated in mid-18th century Amsterdam, where an increasing number of people were drowning in the city's canals. The societies sought to educate the public that deathat least by drowningwas not absolute, and that passers-by had the power to keep the apparently dead from joining the actually dead.

In Philadelphia, Rowland's resurrection gave credence to these ideas, inspiring the local humane society to install along the city's rivers kits containing medicines, tools and instructions to revive the drowned.

Methods changed over time, but well into the 19th century, resuscitative efforts were understood to require the stimulation of the body back into mechanical action. Humane societies often recommended warming up the drowning victim and attempting artificial breathing. Whatever the method, most important was jumpstarting the body-machine back to function.

External stimulationthe rubbing and massaging practiced by little Rowland's parentswas essential. So was internal stimulation, typically via the introduction of rum or some rousing concoction into the stomach. Probably most excitingfor the body's interiorwas the "fumigation with tobacco smoke" of a drowning victim's colon that humane societies also proposed. Yes: good resuscitative efforts demanded the blowing of smoke up an apparently dead person's ass.

The 20th century brought its own potentially fatal hazards. Just as drownings multiplied in the 18th century because of the increased industrial use of waterways, the advent of widespread electricityand power linesand personal-use machinery, such as automobiles, added electrocution and gas poisoning to the causes of apparent death.

A new locus of stimulation

Methods also changed. Resuscitative efforts now focused increasingly on stimulating the heart. This might involve manipulating an apparently dead body into a variety of positions. Chest compressions and artificial respiration techniques became increasingly common, too.

But even as techniques shifted, resuscitation retained its democratic bentalmost anyone could undertake it. Its applications, however, remained specific to certain circumstances. After all, only a limited number of situations could render someone apparently dead.

In the mid-20th century, these two consistent themes began to give way. Resuscitation increasingly gained a reputation as a miraculous and widespread treatment for all kinds of death. And the people who could perform these treatments narrowed to medical or emergency practitioners only. There were many reasons for this shift, but a critical precipitating event was the recognition of a new set of causes of apparent death: accidents of surgery.

In his explanation of his own attempts to remake resuscitation over the mid-20th century, American surgeon Claude Beck frequently invoked a story from his training in the late 1910s. Back then, he recalled, if a patient's heart stopped on the operating table, surgeons could do nothing but call the fire brigade and wait for them to deliver a "pulmotor," the precursor to the artificial respirators familiar today. Suddenly, it seemed that everyone except medical practitioners could perform resuscitation. Finding this unacceptable, Beck joined the hunt to find a resuscitative method suitable for the particular hazards of surgery.

The new techniques that Beck and other surgeons experimented with still rested on stimulation. But they relied on access to the body's interior, which the surgeon more or less exclusively enjoyed. Applying electricity directly to the heart (defibrillation) was one method. Reaching into the chest and massaging the heart manually was another.

Beck viewed his early successes in the operating theater as an indication of the more widespread promise of his techniques. Accordingly, he expanded his definition of who could be resuscitated. He added to the relatively limited category of the "apparently dead," all who were not "absolutely and unquestionably dead."

Beck made films that testified to his successes. One, the Choir of the Dead, featured the first 11 people he had resuscitated standing awkwardly together, while a jarringly jovial Beck asked each in turn: "What did you die of?"

Amazing footage of the cardiac surgeon Claude Beck talking to "the choir of the dead," ten survivors of cardiac arrestincluding Dick Heyard, who in 1947 was the first person in history to be saved by a defibrillator! pic.twitter.com/59CLF8AbZO  Thomas Morris (@thomasngmorris) March 25, 2021

Though initially contextualized as merely the extension of resuscitation into medical spaces, it soon became clear that methods that privileged access to the body's interior were not easily democratized. That's not to say that Beck didn't try. He imagined a world where those trained in his methods would carry the surgeon's toolthe scalpelwith them, always ready to whip open a chest to massage a heart back into action.

Concerned by the specter of civilian-surgeons and keen to maintain their professional monopoly over the body's interior, the medical community revolted. It was only with the advent of the less unseemly closed chest compression method several years later that resuscitation's democratic imprimatur was restored.

But Beck's view of death as generally reversible stuck, reaching its zenith in 1960, when a landmark medical study declared resuscitation's "over-all permanent survival rate" as 70%. Subsequent studies corrected this overly optimistic finding, but resuscitation's reputation as both widely applicable and wildly successful had already been secured. Recent reports suggest that this is a reputation it retains to this day.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Students who participated in universal school-based depression screening were twice as likely to begin treatment compared to their peers who did not receive this screening, according to a new study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

Dr. Deepa Sekhar, associate professor of pediatrics, who served as principal investigator, said the study provides important insights on how to tackle depression in youth. The next step will be to look for ways to break down barriers so that school districts interested in implementing depression screening can effectively do so.

"Our study is publishing at a time when more adolescents are reporting symptoms of depression," said Sekhar, a pediatrician at Penn State Health Children's Hospital and executive director of Penn State PRO Wellness. "From 2008 to 2018, the numbers increased by over 70% from 8.3% to 14.4%. During the pandemic, concerns about increasing student depression have been widespread. Suicides, which are often associated with mental health conditions, are now the second-leading cause of adolescent death."

Penn State PRO Wellness, which led the research effort, conducts a variety of community-engaged educational programs and research studies. Sekhar emphasized the high need for screening given the growing incidence of unmet mental health needs among school students.

"This research shows we do have better ways to reach students," she said.

Because most children and teenagers are enrolled in public education, screening in schools can be a more effective approach to identifying symptoms and treating depression, Sekhar added. Depending solely on doctors and other medical professionals to spot depression isn't sufficient. While the United States Preventative Services Task Force recommends universal depression screening for 12- to 18-year-olds in primary care, less than half of U.S. adolescents have regular physician checkups and even fewer get screened. Schools currently conduct vision and hearing screening to identify barriers to student academic success, but Sekhar notes that depression can also affect academic success.

The three-year study was unique from previous ones on student depression because of its large size. More than 12,000 students in 9th through 12th grade, from 14 Pennsylvania public high schools, were involved, Sekhar said. Another distinctive element was that students were predominantly minority, from urban and rural districts, and many were from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

In each of the schools, students in two of the four high school grade levels were randomly assigned to be screened for depressive symptoms through an established questionnaire. Students in the other grades went through the school year as usual, receiving screening and support through Pennsylvania's state-mandated Student Assistance Program only if they were flagged based on concerning behavior.

Researchers discovered that universal school-based screening for depressive symptoms increased both identification and treatment initiation for adolescent depression. The study also found greater identification of depressive symptoms among females and minority students, though these groups did not have significantly greater treatment initiation. Overall, students who received universal screening were twice as likely to initiate treatment. The researchers published their findings in JAMA Network Open.

"Looking at the results," Sekhar said, "we want to focus next on what school districts, nationally, need to implement a universal screening program. We know support from administrators will be key, along with clear policies and procedures for screening and follow-up. It is also important to emphasize to schools and families that screening simply identifies symptoms, and does not diagnose depression or any other mental health conditions."

The researchers worked with stakeholders that included parents, students, school staff and the Student Assistance Program. Sekhar said school districts were excited and extremely helpful during the research. School participation was staggered across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years.

"Staff at our participating schools were pretty amazing; they were willing to take the leap with us," she said. "There are a lot of great educators out there who are incredibly dedicated to their students."

Explore further Depression screening rates remain low among adolescents
Kaplan-Meier estimates of the cumulative incidence of blood culture confirmed typhoid fever, according to trial group Blood culture-positive typhoid fever was the primary outcome. TCV=Typhoid conjugate vaccine. MenA=group A meningococcal vaccine (control). Credit: DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00346-6

A typhoid vaccine shown in trials to be 79 percent effective, even after two years, is being recommended for use across South Asia, where the food and waterborne disease is widespread.

Typhoid fever is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi and affects up to 20 million people annually with symptoms including fever, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and constipation or diarrhea. Around 161,000 people die from it every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The two existing typhoid vaccines do not provide long-lasting immunity and are not approved for children younger than two years old, whereas the new typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) is approved by WHO for use in children from the age of six months.

Results of the study, published November in The Lancet Global Health, showed that following immunization with TCV the incidence of typhoid fever dropped to 72 cases per 100,000 person-years (a statistical way to express incidence rate which take into account the number of people in the study and the amount of time each spent in the study) among participants of the study conducted in Lalitpur, Nepal.

In comparison, the incidence of typhoid fever was 342 per 100,000 person-years for participants given a vaccine against bacterial meningitis (MenA vaccine), instead of TCV. Conjugate vaccines combine weak and strong antigenssubstances which cause the body to create an immune responseto increase immunity.

Trials conducted between November 2017 and April 2018 involved researchers administering a single dose of typhoid conjugate vaccine to 10,005 participants and a single dose of MenA to another 10,005 participants (aged nine months to 16 years). Against 13 confirmed cases of typhoid fever in those given TCV there were 62 confirmed cases of typhoid fever in those given MenA by April 2020.

"The protective efficacy of TCV was 83.4 [percent] in the first 12 months of follow-up compared with 73.0 [percent] after the first year," the researchers reported in their research paper. "There were eight deaths, three in the TCV group and five in the MenA group over the study period."

They said those who developed typhoid fever despite immunization had fever for a shorter duration, suggesting that the vaccine reduces the severity of the disease, adding: "TCV will not only prevent typhoid fever, as suggested by our study, but might help control of antimicrobial resistance."

Although typhoid can be treated with antibiotics, increasing resistance to various antibiotics is making treatment more complicated, says the WHO.

Buddha Basnyat, an author of the study and director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal, tells SciDev.Net that "there is now firm evidence to use an effective vaccine against a biblical scourge, typhoid fever."

"Having a vaccine that is highly efficacious in children will significantly reduce the burden of typhoid," says Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the US. "These results are promising and show a path forward to better control of typhoid."

According to the researchers, South Asia is a flashpoint for typhoid fever with an incidence of more than 500 per 100,000 person-years. "Nepal is starting a typhoid vaccination campaign for children in the first quarter of 2022India, Bangladesh and others should also strongly consider doing likewise to help their citizens," says Basnyat.

Asma Binte Aziz, a research scientist at the Epidemiology, Public Health, Impact unit of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, tells SciDev.Net that the trial results suggest that the vaccine (TCV) should be included in routine immunization in Nepal "as TCV offers proven advantages over earlier typhoid vaccinessmaller dose and longer protection."

Explore further Typhoid: Study confirms typhoid conjugate vaccine is safe and immunogenic in children under age 2

More information: Mila Shakya et al, Efficacy of typhoid conjugate vaccine in Nepal: final results of a phase 3, randomised, controlled trial, The Lancet Global Health (2021). Journal information: The Lancet Global Health Mila Shakya et al, Efficacy of typhoid conjugate vaccine in Nepal: final results of a phase 3, randomised, controlled trial,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00346-6

Provided by SciDev.Net
A Missoula County District Court lawsuit says a Clinton pastor was wrongfully accused of hate speech after he opted not to partner with the Missoula Food Bank over their use of LGBTQ+ pride inserts during a lunch program.

Brandon Huber, a Missoula County resident, serves as the lead pastor for the Clinton Community Church. He has been a member of the Missoula Organization of Realtors since August 2020 and works as a part-time agent for Windermere Real Estate in Missoula.

The complaint, filed Wednesday, says the Realtors organization found that Huber's actions violated their hate speech policy.

Hubers church had partnered with the Missoula Food Bank for the lunch event, known as Kids Eat Free, for several years, the lawsuit said. The church found out about the pride inserts in June of this year, determined they were contrary to the Churchs teachings and opted to start its own community lunch program.

The inserts had Pride written on the front, along with love always wins and love is love messages.

Huber argues that his actions were not hate speech, saying the Realtors hate-speech prohibition violated the Montana Constitution and is too vague under Montana contract law to be enforced.

The church announced in a letter and a Facebook post on July 2 its reasoning for not partnering with the food bank, citing that the handouts went "against their biblical doctrine. A few weeks later, on July 29, a Clinton resident filed an ethics complaint with the Grievance Committee of the Missoula Organization of Realtors.

The complaint says Huber "cannot separate his religious bias from his entire person and will continue to be inherently biased against the LGBTQIAS+ community in any and all circumstances," the lawsuit reads.

After reviewing the complaint on Aug. 10, the MOR grievance committee said if it's accurate it constitutes "potentially unethical conduct." The hate speech prohibition was inserted into the National Association of Realtors ethics code in November 2020. The Missoula Organization of Realtors enforces the ethics code.

The organization has ordered Huber to attend an ethics hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 2, the lawsuit said. He could be assessed a $5,000 fine and have his membership terminated.

Huber alleges he is being discriminated against for exercising his civil rights on account of his religious ideas, and argues the prohibitions are ambiguous, vague and without merit. He is represented by Bozeman-based attorney Matthew Monforton.

Jim Bachand, chief executive officer at the Missoula Organization of Realtors, said they were just recently made aware of the lawsuit and hadnt had time to review it yet.

Were not going to comment at this time, Bachand said.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 5 Sad 2 Angry 5

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The U.S. Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security say an Afghan refugee charged with a Missoula rape was rigorously vetted and had no criminal history prior to entering the country.

Zabihullah Mohmand, 19, was accused of raping a woman in a downtown hotel in Missoula in October. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday and remains in custody at the Missoula County Detention Facility.

A letter from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to U.S. Sen. Jon Testers office said that prior to entering the U.S., Mohmand completed a rigorous and multi-layered screening and vetting process, and there was no derogatory information or criminal record identified for him.

Mohmand is a humanitarian parolee from Afghanistan  he is part of the federal Afghan Placement and Assistance Program and is one of 20 Afghan evacuees currently in Montana.

If Mohmand is convicted or pleads guilty to the sexual intercourse without consent charge, removal proceedings will begin, the letter said. This is also true if he is otherwise determined to have violated a condition or parole or be a threat to public safety.

In October, Montana lawmakers called on President Biden to halt the resettlement of Afghan refugees and evacuees after they found out about Mohmand's case. Both U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Gov. Greg Gianforte called on the Biden administration to give answers about the vetting process being used for Afghan refugees resettling in Montana.

Gianfortes office has not received a response from the president, spokeswoman Brooke Stroyke said on Friday.

The letter from Blinken and Mayorkas heavily focuses on outlining the vetting process Afghan evacuees go through. Upon evacuation from Afghanistan, evacuees are brought to international transit points where biometric and biographical data is collected. From there, biographic information is checked by the FBI  evacuees who clear these checks are then permitted to travel to the U.S.

Further inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protections are done at points of entry into the country. Evacuees determined to need more review are sent to secondary inspection. Only evacuees who clear port of entry processing are permitted to enter the country, Blinken and Mayorkas said. Evacuees are also screened for COVID-19.

Afghan evacuees, including those who have applied for special immigrant status but have not yet received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) prior to arriving in the United States, are granted humanitarian parole on a case-by-case basis, the letter said. They are then transported to one of eight military facilities known as safe havens.

If an evacuee engages in criminal behavior while in the U.S., removal proceedings might be initiated. These cases are extremely rare, Blinken and Mayorkas said. Through the screening and resettlement process, evacuees are providing with information about expectations for compliance with U.S. laws.

Sen. Daines said Friday that the Department of Homeland Security is providing vague answers about Mohmands case, and he is concerned the vetting process is posing safety risks to Montanans.

When the senator spoke with Secretary Mayorkas and White House officials on Friday, he asked if Mohmand had completed an application for employment authorization, which would include a further layer of vetting. The secretary was unable to confirm whether Mohmand filed an application, a statement from Daines office said.

Randall Caudle, an immigration attorney based in Missoula, said while he understands the politicians' concerns and agrees Afghans should be fully vetted, he doesnt think this individuals actions represent all Afghan people seeking refuge in Montana.

One person is not reflective of all the nationals of a country, Caudle said.

The International Rescue Committee, which handles the resettlement process for evacuees, echoed Caudle's statement.

"We remain steadfast that the circumstances and alleged actions of one individual are not reflective of refugee or immigrant communities. For decades we have welcomed immigrant families and have watched them thrive and contribute to their communities and the nation," the resettlement agency said in an email to the Missoulian in October.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 10

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Missoula City-County Health Department, as well as the city of Missoula, healthcare providers, and school districts is gearing up to vaccinate those aged 5 to 11 against COVID.

In a Thursday news release, the health department said several health care providers in Missoula County are planning to administer shots in that age group starting on Monday.

Kids are definitely at risk for COVID-19, said Shaina Rogers, a pediatrician with Providence Montana, in the release. I feel like its been a really rough year, especially for our children. I think we all want to move forward and put this chapter behind us. The best way to do that is to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The health department and Community Medical Center will begin offering clinics for kids next week, and Missoula County Public Schools is also planning to offer the shots in partnership with Granite Pharmacy and Western Montana Clinic. The University of Montana is providing childhood vaccinations through Curry Health Center.

Information for parents about childhood vaccination, as well as other general COVID information, can be found at covid19.missoula.co.

For those wishing to get the vaccine for their children through the health department, appointments can be made online at missoulainfo.com starting in the afternoon on Saturday, Nov. 6. Appointments are required. Clinic hours are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.

Community Medical Center is offering its children's clinic at Community FirstCare at 2230 N. Reserve Street from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 9-12. Appointments are required and are only available online at CommunityFirstCare.com.

Missoula County Public Schools parents should be receiving an email from Granite Pharmacy on how to make an appoint for a clinic that will run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13. That clinic will take place at the district's administration building at 909 South Ave. W.

Curry Health Center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and walk-ins are welcome, with no appointment required. It is open to everyone  an affiliation with the University of Montana is not needed.

The health department said several other local providers are working to plan vaccination clinics for the 5 to 11 age group.

Those wishing to consult a physician about getting their child vaccinated are encouraged to do so, the release said. People who do not have access to a primary care physician can call Partnership Health Center at 406-258-4789 to learn more about those services, regardless of the ability to pay.

These decisions can be challenging, Dr. Emma Wright, a family physician with PHC, said in the release. I really want to encourage patients and parents to talk to their physicians and other health care providers about their concerns. Were here to help and to be open and supportive.

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Missoula County Sheriff's office has issued a Missing Endangered Persons Advisory for a young woman.

Elisabeth Bryanna Salazar, 19, was last seen on Tuesday. She is 5-feet-1 inch tall with brown eyes and black hair. She weighs 110 pounds.

She left a residence in Lolo on Tuesday with only her laptop. She was last heard from at 2 p.m. via Facebook Messenger. There is concern for her safety and well-being, a Montana Department of Justice alert said.

If you have information, contact the Missoula County Sheriff's Office at 406-258-4810 or the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse, 406-444-2800.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Biden administration's sweeping new COVID-19 mandate will apply to 84 million workers at mid-size and large companies.

President Joe Biden described the rules issued Thursday as urgently needed to get more Americans inoculated. Though confirmed viral cases and deaths have fallen sharply since the start of the year, they remain dangerously high, especially in some areas and industries. Average case numbers have leveled off at about 70,000 new infections a day and confirmed viral deaths at more than 1,200 a day.

Too many people," Biden said, remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good.

Yet several states with Republican governors have vowed to challenge the Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations in court, calling them an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.

Here is a closer look at the new COVID rules and what they mean for companies and their employees:



WHAT DO THE NEW RULES DO?

Private-sector companies with 100 or more workers must require their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. These requirements will take effect Jan. 4 under an emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A separate rule requires workers at health care facilities that receive federal Medicare and Medicaid payments to be vaccinated. This rule, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will apply to 17 million workers at 76,000 health care facilities, including hospitals and long-term care facilities. But doctors offices with fewer than 100 employees will be exempt because they dont fall under the center's health and safety regulations.

Employers must give workers paid time off to be vaccinated and to recover from any side effects. Vaccinations will be paid for by the federal government, though employees may have to pay for testing. The federal government says the rules supersede state laws that conflict with the standards. Still, some states have threatened to sue.



WHY DID THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IMPOSE THE MANDATE?

About 70% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated. Yet that rate of vaccination hasn't been nearly enough to stop the spread of the virus, especially the highly contagious and now dominant delta variant.

Biden noted that businesses that have already imposed mandates on their employees, along with requirements for the military and federal contractors, have cut the number of unvaccinated Americans over age 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million.

Even so, more than 750,000 Americans have died from the virus, and tens of thousands of new cases arise daily. OSHA estimates that the new requirements will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations in the six months after the rules take effect.

Workplace exposures have played a central role in driving the pandemic, said David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a professor of public health at George Washington University. Exposed at work, workers bring home the virus. They infect their children, they infect their parents, they infect their community.

Michaels called the rules an important step toward stopping virus transmission and gradually suppressing COVID.



HOW WILL THE RULES BE ENFORCED?

OSHA says it will enforce the new rules just as it does other workplace safety regulations  by relying largely on whistleblower complaints and some limited spot checks. But OSHA and its state partners that enforce its regulations have only 1,850 inspectors for 8 million workplaces nationwide.

The agency said it will work with companies to have employees vaccinated but would fine them up to $13,653 for each violation. Companies must collect proof of employee vaccinations and keep records. And employers must prove that unvaccinated employees have taken tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and that the tests are properly administered, said Allison Kahn, an employment attorney with Carlton Fields in West Palm Beach, Florida.

You cant just take an at-home test and tell your employer youre negative," Kahn said. It has to be somehow proctored.



ARE THERE EXEMPTIONS?

The rules do not apply to employees who work alone, at home or outdoors. In addition, workers may apply for religious or medical exemptions. Nicholas Hulse, an employment lawyer at Fisher & Phillips LLC, noted that companies that have issued their own vaccine mandates are already being deluged with requests to be excused from vaccine requirements.

Normally, Hulse said, religious exemption requests are straightforward: Someone, say, requests Sundays off to attend church or observe a day of rest. Now, he said, it will be difficult to tell if (anti-vaccine) beliefs are sincerely held, or are they just trying to use religion to get an accommodation?"

The Biden administration plan is sure to generate more such requests for exemptions.



DOES THIS AFFECT ONLY PRIVATE EMPLOYERS?

It's complicated. In 28 states and U.S. territories that enforce OSHA regulations, the new rule will cover both public and private employers.

These states and territories are:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

In the remaining states and territories, public employees are not covered by the new mandate.



WHAT DO BUSINESSES SAY ABOUT THE NEW RULES?

Some are relieved. They may have wanted to require inoculations but worried about alienating vaccine-wary employees and perhaps losing them to rival employers that didnt impose mandates.

This rule, at least to a certain degree, equalizes the workforce that way, says Amanda Sonneborn, an employment lawyer at King & Spalding.

Richard Wahlquist, CEO of the American Staffing Association, which represents temporary-help agencies and recruiting firms, said that some large companies see the mandate as relieving them of having to make an unpopular decision on whether to require the shots.

They say: Look, as a condition of our continuing to do business, weve just got to go with the mandate, guys,' " Walhquist said.

That said, companies covered by the new mandates still risk losing workers to smaller companies that are exempt from them, especially at a time when many businesses are struggling to fill job openings and workers are quitting in record numbers.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey last month found that 37% of unvaccinated workers say they would leave their job if they were required to get jabbed or submit to weekly tests  a figure that rises to 70% if testing isnt an option.



IS THE VACCINE-OR-TEST MANDATE LIKELY TO SURVIVE LEGAL CHALLENGES?

Across the country, Republican governors are lining up to challenge the rules in court.

This rule is garbage, Alan Wilson, South Carolina's Republican attorney general, said Thursday through a spokesman. Its unconstitutional, and we will fight it.

It was unclear when South Carolina or other states in opposition would make legal filings challenging it. But Wilson's spokesman, Robert Kittle, said the attorney general's objection was not over the vaccine itself but rather over OSHAs legal authority to impose such a rule.

Only 10 times has OSHA issued an emergency rule, which allows it to bypass normal administrative procedures, including the need to seek public comment. Until it issued an emergency rule in June covering COVID risks in the health care industry, it hadnt done so in 38 years.

And no wonder: The courts have overturned four emergency rules and partially blocked a fifth, according to a review by the Congressional Research Service. To fast-track its rules, the agency must show that it's acting to protect workers from a grave danger.

The Biden administration is betting that fighting a pandemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives clearly meets that standard.



AP Writers Christopher Rugaber in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
DETROIT (AP)  The state of Michigan said Friday it agreed pay $300,000 to settle wrongful discharge claims by the only employee who was fired as a result of lead-contaminated water in Flint.

The deal with Liane Shekter Smith, who was head of the states drinking water division, came weeks after an arbitrator said she was wrongly fired in 2016 by officials who were likely looking for a public scapegoat in one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.

The state this week faced a deadline to appeal the order through the civil service system as well as an award of $191,880 in back pay and other compensation. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration instead paid 56% more to Shekter Smith to close the case.

"The department has decided to agree to the settlement amount of $300,000, which resolves the dispute and allows both the agency and Ms. Shekter Smith to move forward, said Hugh McDiarmid Jr., spokesman for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Asked why the state is paying more, McDiarmid said there was no guarantee that the arbitrator's figure would hold during an appeal.

A condition of the settlement is that she will not seek her job back. And her involuntary resignation will be changed to a voluntary one, he told The Associated Press.

McDiarmid declined further comment. A message seeking comment was left for Shekter Smith's lawyer.

In 2014-15, Flints water was drawn from the Flint River, a money-saving decision that was made by state-appointed managers who were running the ailing city. The highly corrosive water wasnt properly treated before it flowed to roughly 100,000 residents, eroding protective coatings inside the aging pipes. As a result, lead was released from those pipes.

By fall 2015, a local doctor and other experts rang the alarm about rising lead levels, especially in children, and then-Gov. Rick Snyder's administration finally acknowledged a crisis in Flint.

The Department of Environmental Quality was sharply criticized for not requiring corrosion control additives when Flint switched water sources. Specialists inside the agency insisted that results from 12 months of water sampling were necessary first, despite early troublesome lead readings and protests from angry residents who told stories of health woes and held up containers of foul water.

Some critics said the disaster in majority-Black Flint was an example of environmental racism.

There was a failure of leadership, Keith Creagh, who fired Shekter Smith, testified during the arbitration hearing last spring.

He dismissed her in 2016 shortly after taking control of the department at Snyder's request.

I found no record of Ms. Shekter-Smith, as they would say, throwing the flag. Saying that this is significant. The people of Flint have lead in their water. We need additional help, Creagh said, according to a transcript.

Shekter Smith told the arbitrator that she relied on her field staff to make critical decisions about Flint's water system.

Its a community water system that was obviously having some issues, she said, referring to 2014, the first year of using the Flint River. Im keeping an eye on being kept informed, keeping my management informed, but there were a lot of other things going on in the office at the time.

After her firing, Shekter Smith was charged with misconduct in office and neglect of duty. She was also put on notice that an involuntary manslaughter case would be pursued because bacteria in the water were linked to a fatal outbreak of Legionnaires disease.

But charges were dropped in 2019 in exchange for a no-contest plea to an obscure misdemeanor. The case was erased after a year, under a deal with special prosecutor Todd Flood.



Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Earlier this month, Idaho placed bounties on the heads of its wolves. After adopting legislation that allows hunters to slaughter 90% of the states wolves in this falls hunt, the Idaho Fish and Game Department announced that it will pay hunters up to $2,500 for each wolf they kill. Its clear that our neighbors in Idaho are taking ever more extreme steps to drive the species to extinction.

I worry that Montana will follow in Idahos footsteps. This years Montana hunt can kill up to 85% of our wolves, and allows hunters to put out bait to lure wolves, even though that practice is illegal when hunting any other animal in the state. For just $13.80 per head, a Montana hunter can shoot up to 10 wolves. Like Idaho, were on the path towards decimating our wolf population. The federal government must step in to protect our wolves before Montana places bounties on wolf carcasses, too.

Ever since wolves were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2020, state governments across the Mountain West have authorized devastating hunts. As fears and misconceptions about wolves cloud our judgement, Idaho and Montana are enabling and encouraging the decimation of the species. The federal government has the power to reverse these devastating state-level wolf management decisions in the Mountain West by relisting wolves to the Endangered Species List.

In Montana, our state has allowed its fear of wolves to influence our hunting laws. Whether its because of popular fairy tales that villainize wolves, or an ingrained aversion to top predators, we dont treat wolves the same way we would treat other creatures. I saw this firsthand when our zoos wolf pup Simpson, who was rescued and brought to us when only a few weeks old, needed a lifesaving surgery. Many balked at the thought of spending resources to help a baby wolf and raged against our decision to proceed with the surgery (including a death threat); however, had this been for a red panda, no one would have batted an eye.

But at the zoo, weve made a concerted effort to educate the public about the benefits wolves offer. When visitors see wolves up close, look the animals in the eye, and laugh at their playful antics, they don't see the politics or the fear, but instead the beautiful creatures in front of them. Our educators highlight all that wolves do to protect our environment and support our economy. Whether we like it or not, Montanans depend on these creatures. Our states extreme wolf hunts, authorized out of fear rather than science, are reckless.

We rely on wolves to keep the environment safe and healthy across the Mountain West. As a keystone species, wolves control the populations of large grazing animals, and in turn, protect the diversity of vegetation and integrity of the land  ensuring that all of us can enjoy and benefit from it. When wolves vanished from Yellowstone National Park, the landscape was quickly devastated. When wolves were reintroduced, the environment bounced back, improving the health and quantity of the land, animals, and vegetation.

Wolves support our economy by keeping our environment strong and controlling the numbers of elk and deer. Though it is believed that these creatures jeopardize livestock, theyre responsible for less than 1% of livestock losses, and studies demonstrate that economic benefits wolves offer  by maintaining our biodiversity, encouraging tourism, and even preventing car crashes  outweighs the cost of these handful of livestock losses.

If Montana follows in Idahos footsteps, our communities, our environment, and our economy will all suffer the consequences. I urge the federal government to do its part to protect the species by relisting wolves.

Jeff Ewelt is executive director of ZooMontana.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4
I am grateful that BUCM is helping to lead the way to a new and better understanding of homelessness and a renewed compassion and love for each one of them in the name of Christ, Bland said. It is so easy to dismiss them and the problems that trouble them. Part of being a serious follower of Jesus Christ is asking him every day to open our eyes to see each of these persons in a whole new light.

This November, BUCM continues to lead the way forward by promoting awareness, raising funds and collecting supplies to combat homelessness and food insecurity in Morganton and Burke County.

Holiday meal

and coat drivesDuring the entire month of November, the ministry will hold a holiday meal drive. The ministry encourages everyone to participate by bringing holiday-style foods such as green beans, potatoes, gravy, turkeys and hams to the mission center at 305B W. Union St. in Morganton. Anyone who cannot buy the food themselves is encouraged to donate $30 to BUCM to sponsor a family.

BUCM is also sponsoring a winter coat drive hosted by First Presbyterian Church of Morganton. Throughout the month of November, First Presbyterian will accept donations of new winter coats. BUCM will provide collection boxes for coats at its facility as well.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  Manuelito Wheeler isn't sure exactly why Navajo elders admire Western films.

It could be that many of them were treated to the films in boarding schools off the reservation decades ago. Or, like his father, they told stories of gathering around a television growing up to watch gunslingers in a battle against good and evil on familiar-looking landscapes.

Whatever the reason, Navajo elders have been asking Wheeler to dub a Western in the Navajo language ever since Star Wars IV: A New Hope was translated into Navajo and released in 2013.

The result? Beeso Dah Yinijaa or A Fistful of Dollars, an iconic Western starring Clint Eastwood who plays a stranger  known as The Man With No Name  entering a Mexican village among a power struggle between families. The 1964 flick is the first in a trilogy of spaghetti Westerns produced and directed by Italians.

Unlike many other Westerns produced in the U.S., it has no Native Americans in it. That appealed to Wheeler, the director of the Navajo Nation Museum.

"Usually in Westerns, there are inaccurate if not offensive depictions of Native people, so this one had no Natives, period, Wheeler said. That just eliminated that aspect for me.
The U.S. Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security say an Afghan refugee charged with a Missoula rape was rigorously vetted and had no criminal history prior to entering the country.

Zabihullah Mohmand, 19, was accused of raping a woman in a downtown hotel in Missoula in October. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday and remains in custody at the Missoula County Detention Facility.

A letter from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to U.S. Sen. Jon Testers office said that prior to entering the U.S., Mohmand completed a rigorous and multi-layered screening and vetting process, and there was no derogatory information or criminal record identified for him.

Mohmand is a humanitarian parolee from Afghanistan  he is part of the federal Afghan Placement and Assistance Program and is one of 20 Afghan evacuees currently in Montana.

If Mohmand is convicted or pleads guilty to the sexual intercourse without consent charge, removal proceedings will begin, the letter said. This is also true if he is otherwise determined to have violated a condition or parole or be a threat to public safety.

In October, Montana lawmakers called on President Biden to halt the resettlement of Afghan refugees and evacuees after they found out about Mohmand's case. Both U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Gov. Greg Gianforte called on the Biden administration to give answers about the vetting process being used for Afghan refugees resettling in Montana.

Gianfortes office has not received a response from the president, spokeswoman Brooke Stroyke said on Friday.

The letter from Blinken and Mayorkas heavily focuses on outlining the vetting process Afghan evacuees go through. Upon evacuation from Afghanistan, evacuees are brought to international transit points where biometric and biographical data is collected. From there, biographic information is checked by the FBI  evacuees who clear these checks are then permitted to travel to the U.S.

Further inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protections are done at points of entry into the country. Evacuees determined to need more review are sent to secondary inspection. Only evacuees who clear port of entry processing are permitted to enter the country, Blinken and Mayorkas said. Evacuees are also screened for COVID-19.

Afghan evacuees, including those who have applied for special immigrant status but have not yet received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) prior to arriving in the United States, are granted humanitarian parole on a case-by-case basis, the letter said. They are then transported to one of eight military facilities known as safe havens.

If an evacuee engages in criminal behavior while in the U.S., removal proceedings might be initiated. These cases are extremely rare, Blinken and Mayorkas said. Through the screening and resettlement process, evacuees are providing with information about expectations for compliance with U.S. laws.

Sen. Daines said Friday that the Department of Homeland Security is providing vague answers about Mohmands case, and he is concerned the vetting process is posing safety risks to Montanans.

When the senator spoke with Secretary Mayorkas and White House officials on Friday, he asked if Mohmand had completed an application for employment authorization, which would include a further layer of vetting. The secretary was unable to confirm whether Mohmand filed an application, a statement from Daines office said.

Randall Caudle, an immigration attorney based in Missoula, said while he understands the politicians' concerns and agrees Afghans should be fully vetted, he doesnt think this individuals actions represent all Afghan people seeking refuge in Montana.

One person is not reflective of all the nationals of a country, Caudle said.

The International Rescue Committee, which handles the resettlement process for evacuees, echoed Caudle's statement.

"We remain steadfast that the circumstances and alleged actions of one individual are not reflective of refugee or immigrant communities. For decades we have welcomed immigrant families and have watched them thrive and contribute to their communities and the nation," the resettlement agency said in an email to the Missoulian in October.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
Montanas ban on workplace vaccine mandates notwithstanding, a pair of new federal regulations released Thursday will force large employers throughout the state to get their workers immunized against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, although most employees who refuse can opt for weekly testing instead.

President Joe Bidens administration had announced the regulations in September.

One issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires vaccinations or regular testing for employees at all businesses with 100 or more employees. It counts businesses as having 100 employees even if those workers are spread out at multiple company locations.

In the rule, OSHA said it is focusing on employers with more than 100 employees because it is "confident" those companies have the administrative capacity to follow the new rule, but is less confident that smaller employers could. The rule does not require employers pay for testing, though that could be required by other laws, regulations or collective bargaining agreements.

The other, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), states that all health care facilities must require vaccinations for all their staff in order to continue receiving payments through the two federal programs. For many large health care providers, that represents a majority of their revenue.

Billings Clinic is the states biggest hospital and fourth-largest employer, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. While noting that its management was still digesting the more than 200-page CMS regulation on Thursday, Chief Human Resources Officer Jonathan McDermott said the hospital plans to begin implementing the vaccination requirements for its roughly 4,750 employees soon.

The CMS rule gives health care facilities until Dec. 5 to get at least the first COVID-19 shot in employees arms, while also requiring that affected organizations have a plan in place by then to meet the ultimate Jan. 4 deadline. Existing vaccination exemptions for medical or religious reasons are still recognized under the new rule.

Billings Clinic believes that being vaccinated is the most helpful way to help us get through this pandemic as quickly as possible, but we would also comply with the law, McDermott said Thursday.

One of the three approved COVID vaccines has received full federal approval, while the other two have been approved under emergency use authorizations.

Benefis Health, the states second-largest hospital, also plans to move forward with staff vaccine requirements under the new CMS rule. A spokeswoman for the Great Falls hospital told the Montana State News Bureau last month that regardless of Montanas law prohibiting most vaccine mandates, hospital management recognized the federal requirements as trumping those at the state level.

Montana prohibits most private businesses from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations among their staff. The state law, signed earlier this year by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, bars such mandates for public, non-profit and private workplaces alike. It exempts nursing homes in the event that CMS requires it  which the agency has done under a separate rule  but not hospitals or other health care providers. It also applies to all vaccines, not just those for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The law is already facing legal challenges.

Conflicting state laws are addressed in an FAQ also published by CMS on Thursday: Under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, this regulation pre-empts any state law to the contrary. The OSHA rule was published with similar guidance.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen on Thursday reiterated his intention to challenge the new OSHA requirement in court. In a press release, Knudsen, a Republican, said the regulation would apply to 142,000 workers in Montana, citing the state Department of Labor and Industry.

President Bidens illegal mandate is an egregious overreach and sets the country down a dangerous path. Forcing these injections on Montanans at the threat of losing their jobs infringes on the rights of our state, individuals, and businesses, Knudsen stated in a press release. Weve been preparing for this. Ill be filing a lawsuit tomorrow to stop this lawless order in its tracks.

There is concern within the business community that vaccine mandates could prompt a wave of workers to quit in search of jobs that don't require the COVID-19 shot. McDermott, with Billings Clinic, said he hasn't heard much pushback from hospital workers in the two months since the federal mandates were announced, but also indicated that could be due to assumptions that the state's vaccine law would prevent them from being effective in Montana.

"Our employees really do have a mission, and their mission is to care for patients," he said, adding he hopes "to see a much lower impact than maybe other places."

Knudsen last week also joined several other states in a lawsuit challenging a separate rule from the Biden administration, which will require COVID vaccinations for workers employed by federal contractors. But he has stayed silent on whether the federal vaccine mandates going forward would trump the state's vaccine law. A spokesman for his office did not immediately respond Thursday to a message asking whether the attorney general would also challenge the CMS rule.

Montanas junior U.S. senator, Republican Steve Daines, said Thursday hed join other members of his caucus in an attempt to overturn the OSHA regulation through a vote under the Procedural Review Act. Majority Democrats in the Senate wouldnt be able to block the vote, but the resolution would likely be vetoed by Biden if it receives the simple majorities needed to pass in the House and Senate. Overriding the veto would then require a two-thirds vote in both chambers, The Hill previously reported.

Roy Loewenstein, a spokesman for Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, declined to say Thursday whether Tester would support such a resolution.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
With time running out to produce two Montana congressional districts, witnesses remain sharply divided over where the single line dividing the state west from east should be drawn.

The entire debate Thursday centered on what cities and counties should be in the Western districts, with plenty of finger-pointing about which maps benefited which political party the most.

I've sat here and seen folks wave pumpkins of ridicule and Montanafornia maps, and make statements that God favors one party over another, Linda Beischel told the Districting and Apportionment Commission on Thursday.

Some commenters fear and despise the views of their fellow Montanans so much that they demand maps that assure victory for their party's candidates in both districts," she added. "Sadly, many even questioned the legitimacy of this independent commission's districting criteria.

Beischel, of Helena, echoed the frustration of many Democrats living in western Montana, who feel unrepresented by the string of Republicans elected to the states at-large U.S. House district office without interruption since 1996.

Testimony at Thursdays meeting lasted five hours. At press time, the commission hadnt yet started the debate over which one of the four semifinalist congressional maps would advance. A final map must be decided by Nov. 14. There is a meeting scheduled for Nov. 9 at which the public will get to testify on the single finalist.

Montana had two U.S. House districts until the state turned in a poor showing for the 1990 Census. The old Western district had all the ingredients of blue-collar Democratic turf, with union miners in Butte and organized workers in the lumber mills of the northwest. Voters in their industries, coupled with two flagship university towns and two state college communities, favored Democrats.

The politics of western Montana have changed dramatically, and the region is no longer a blue shoo-in for Democrats. Theres been strong growth in areas like Flathead and Ravalli counties that favor Republicans. The focus by Democrats on the Districting Commission has been to create a Western district thats competitive.

Republicans have largely dismissed the notion of creating a competitive Western district, with many witnesses insisting that competition is illegal.

However, Republican commissioners have produced maps more like ones drawn by Democrats as the debate continues. Their most recent map, Congressional Proposal 12, shows a district that, had it been in play since 2016, Democrats running for U.S. House would have won in 2017 and 2018, with Republicans winning in 2016 and 2020.

Those hypothetical wins in back-to-back years in CP 10 werent evidence enough for the commissions Democrats, Joe Lamson of Helena, and Kendra Miller of Bozeman. They point out that if the 2014 election was included, Democrats would be in the win column two out of five elections. In 20 statewide office races since 2016, Democratic candidates took CP 10 counties 5 times, Republicans 15.

Democrats have produced maps that past election results show were still favorable to Republican candidates in most races, although by more narrow margins. The map supporters were rallying around Thursday was Congressional Proposal 11, which creates a Western district in which Republican presidential candidates did 4.75% better than they did in the nation as a whole in the past two presidential elections. The Eastern district gave Republicans an 18.6% advantage.

But few maps triggered objections by conservative witnesses like Congressional Proposal 11, which divided Flathead County, sending Whitefish and the northern portion of the county to the West and Kalispell and the remainder of the county to the east.

The Flathead has never been in the Eastern District, never in the 80 years. said Republican Derek Skees of Kalispell, a former state legislator. The Flathead is west of Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Park counties. And every city within it is also west of the continental divide. Those three counties can't say the same. It's amazing that folks will testify that we shouldn't split communities of interest or historical boundaries or even counties to support not splitting Gallatin Park and Jefferson, while at the same time advocating the very partisan split of the Flathead.

It was Skees who hoisted the pumpkin of ridicule referenced by witness Linda Beischel at the start of Thursdays meeting. The pumpkin was a pre-Halloween prop with a district carved into its side. Skees said the district was a bad Halloween trick.

Former Montana Republican Gov. Marc Racicot also testified Thursday. He had last week teamed up with former Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Baucus to pen a letter advising against splitting any county in crafting new congressional districts. The two former politicians didnt endorse a particular map, but the whole-county description most resembled Congressional Proposal 12, submitted by Republican Commissioners Dank Stusek and Jeff Essmann.

Tracing history back, it might appear somewhat unique that Senator Baucus and myself would be submitting comments that joined together and seeing CP 12 provide the most elegant and the most constitutionally sound approach to drawing the districts that are so critically important out of the state of Montana, Racicot said. Senator Baucus and I were involved when we gave up a seat 30 years ago, I argued that case before the United States Supreme Court, and unfortunately, we were not successful in maintaining that second district.

Racicot had made the court argument in 1991 as state attorney general.

But Commissioner Lamson pinned the governor down on whether Baucus had actually endorsed Congressional Proposal 12, a map drawn by Republicans.

That might reflect some license on my part, Racicot said. If I did that, it was unconscious, but the notion that we wanted to share with the commission was that these were the parameters and I think that's the word that was utilized in the written testimony. And that's as far as we went because we didn't try to apply it to an individual proposal. You're absolutely correct about that.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A Yellowstone National Park treasure hunter will have to pay for his helicopter rescue, a Colorado appeals court has ruled.

On Aug. 2, 2018, Mark Lantis set off on a hike to 10,336-foot tall Mount Holmes in the northwest corner of the park in search of the Forrest Fenn treasure. Before reaching his destination Lantis decided to turn back, but left the trail after seeing bear scat.

When he ran out of daylight Lantis phoned to let his sister know he would be spending the night wet, cold [and] scared, according to court documents.

The next day Lantis mother phoned park officials concerned about her son. A park ranger contacted the overdue hiker and had him call 911 so they could locate him in the rugged, high elevation terrain. The ranger gave Lantis directions, but he was unable to hike out on his own and said he needed help.

Due to the late hour, a helicopter rescue was launched. Upon retrieval, Lantis was cited for disorderly conduct for recklessly creating a risk. At trial in the Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, court, Lantis was found guilty, sentenced to five years of unsupervised probation, banned from the park for five years and was ordered to pay $2,880 for the helicopter rescue.

Lantis appealed the sentence to district court and lost before taking his case to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. On Nov. 2, three of the judges upheld the lower court rulings.

Lantis had argued that the lower court had erred by applying the incorrect legal standard for recklessness, according to court documents.

The Wyoming judge had noted Lantis had started late in the day on one of Yellowstones most formidable day hikes and later went off trail traveling into remote mountainous terrain  ensuring he would be lost in the dark in an area of the park with a substantial grizzly bear population without adequate clothing, food, or water in wet and cold conditions.

Based on the situation, the judge called Lantis decision to leave the trail recklessness of the highest magnitude.

Lantis argued that the judges listing of such objective facts failed to apply the subjective portion of the recklessness standard. The appeals court disagreed.

The Forrest Fenn treasure, hidden in 2010, was discovered in southwestern Wyoming in 2020. In that decade, numerous hunters of the chest  which was said to contain an estimated $2 million in gold coins, jewels and historic artifacts  were charged for illegal searches inside Yellowstone National Park. These included a man who dug in a historic cemetery and another who illegally rappelled into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in winter. In 2017 an Illinois man fell to his death while searching for the treasure in the park.

In Wyoming south of the park, a Virginia man was rescued three times in three years while searching for the Fenn treasure.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ARCHIVED - Spain enters medium risk range: Covid update November 4



Hospital and ICU occupancy in Spain remains at low risk

As the first working week of November comes to a close, Spain has unfortunately moved back into the medium-risk category for coronavirus , according to the parameters set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Covid infections

The latest data released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday November 4 show that Spain has registered 3,291 cases of coronavirus, 1,786 of which were diagnosed in the last 24 hours. This is an increase on the 1,515 infections registered on Wednesday and brings the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,022,546.

Cumulative incidence rate

On October 7, as much of the country began to relax restrictions in anticipation of a new normal, Spain entered the low-risk category (between 25 and 50 infections per 100,000 inhabitants). This level hadnt been reached in this country since July 28, 2020, when the curve of the first wave began to fall.

The 14-day incidence rate rebounded at the end of October, reaching 52.41 cases but dropped once again until this Thursday, with a rise of 2.3 points in just 24 hours.

The cumulative incidence rate not stands at 51.61 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Hospitalisations and fatalities

There are currently 1,799 patients admitted to hospitals across Spain with Covid, 400 of which are in the ICU. In the last 24 hours, there have been 225 new admissions although 210 people have been discharged.

Despite a rise in cases, hospital pressure remains stable overall, with 1.52% of general beds available in hospital occupied by coronavirus patients and 4.37% in ICUs. These figures keep hospital occupancy firmly in the low-risk category.

Fifteen additional Covid-related deaths have been registered by the Ministry, bringing the weekly total to 52. These figures bring the overall death toll since the beginning of the pandemic to 87,477.

Vaccination data

As of Thursday, a total of 37,360,864 people had been fully vaccinated, representing 88.7% of the population, bringing Spain ever closer to the elusive herd immunity . In addition, some 38,071,080 people, or 90.4%, have received at least one jab.

Image: Archive
MUSCATINE  Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. As people set their clocks back an hour, the Muscatine Fire Department recommends it is also a good time to change the batteries in smoke detectors.

According to the American Red Cross, house fires are the countrys most frequent disaster and an average of seven lives are lost a day nationwide to fires. The Red Cross also endorses the practice of checking smoke detectors as clocks are changed for Daylight Savings Time.

Its always recommended that you change your clocks, you change your smoke detector batteries, Muscatine Fire Department Capt. Andy Summitt said. It insures that you have a brand new set of batteries in there. There is always power going to them, unless they are hard wired. Even then the battery provides backup power to it."

He said that every day there are fires that happen in houses where there are no working smoke detectors, which he said can be catastrophic. He said a house can fill up with smoke when an occupant is asleep, they may not wake up without a warning and die of smoke inhalation. He also recommended putting new batteries in carbon monoxide detectors, as this is the time of year when people are turning the heat on to their homes.
From her home in Illinois, Asma Yawari has built a relationship with her younger cousin in Afghanistan thats made the geographic distance between the two teenagers' worlds seem, well, not quite so distant.

They never met but have bonded over phone calls and messages -- swapping family photos and language lessons, sharing hair routines and future dreams. But after the Talibans return to power, the cousins worry that the space between their worlds may grow in new ways. Already, some shared experiences, like going to school or dressing up, are fading, replaced by the fear that the cousin, and others like her in Afghanistan, may be left behind.

We have similar goals and aspirations, the 17-year-old Asma says. The only difference is that Im able to achieve those goals and aspirations.

As a wary world watches to see the Talibans policies for women, many older girls in Afghanistan already face disrupted dreams, worried for their future, afraid of missing out on big career goals as well as little freedoms and hobbies that helped connect them to far-flung families. And perhaps none are more worried for them than the faraway women who could have been them - the sisters, the cousins, the friends.
The U.S. must believe there is some substantial federal interest that was not vindicated by the prior case, McQuade said. I dont know what all the reasons are. But this appears to be a very premeditated plot. This could be the kind of thing where they say: Seven years? That is just not enough.

The 2017 grand jury indictment publicly revealed this week in Chicago was sealed while Mack and Tommy Schaefer were imprisoned overseas. The U.S. Justice Department has always had discretion to dismiss the case or stick with it.

If the new administration had wanted to put the brakes on it, they certainly could have done that, McQuade said Thursday.

Mack and Schaefer plotted to kill Von Wiese-Mack before they traveled to Indonesia in August 2014, according to the indictment.

In 2017, a cousin of Schaefer was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for advising the couple on how to kill Mack's mother. Their motive apparently was to inherit money from Von Wiese-Mack, who was the widow of jazz and classical composer James L. Mack.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP)  Jonathan Johnson spent weeks on a ventilator battling COVID-19, then decided to get married  in the hospital.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the 28-year-old man surprised his fiancee with the help of hospital staff and arranged a wedding last month in the intensive care unit of the hospital in Council Bluffs, tying the knot with 28-year-old Mariah Copeland from his bed.

I didnt want any regrets, Johnson said Tuesday. After coming off the ventilator, you view a lot of things differently in life.

Johnson was diagnosed with COVID-19 in September. He quarantined in the couple's bedroom away from Copeland and their 2-year-old son.

Copeland also tested positive, but it was Johnson whose condition worsened. He landed in Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and was on a ventilator for more than three weeks.

As soon as Johnson got off the ventilator, he decided the time was right for the wedding.
Documents also said Miller admitted to being at the park when Graber was killed and helped to conceal her death.

Fairfield has a population of about 9,400 people and a sizable foreign-born population compared to Iowa, generally due to the presence of Maharishi International University. The private college, established by the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1971, centers its educational program around the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Census data shows 12.6% of the population is foreign-born, more than double the 5.3% of the general Iowa population. More than half the foreign-born population is from Asia, 21% from Africa and 17% from Latin America.

Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Patrick J. McAvan said Friday that many people are asking if this is a racially motivated crime. We do not have any evidence at this point that suggests that, he said.

Graber taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012 and she previously taught in the Ottumwa Community School District.

Miller and Goodale appear to not yet have attorneys. A judge on Thursday ordered a state public defender to be appointed to represent Goodale. Documents said Miller declined to request a court-appointed attorney and it wasnt immediately clear who would represent him.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Civil rights organisation Afriforum has launched a petition against the Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund, labelling it as discriminatory and having no regard for the background of its beneficiaries.

Netflix announced the $400,000 (R6.1 million) fund in mid-September.

It includes $300,000 (R4.6 million) for postgraduate scholarships and cancelling debt at higher education institutions in South Africa to support formal qualification and training of aspiring black creatives in the film and TV disciplines.

The remaining $100,000 (R1.5 million) will be donated to the Independent Black Filmmakers Collective (IBFC), a business network of black filmmakers, TV producers, directors, and others working in the film and TV industry.

Afriforum campaign officer for strategy and content, Ernst van Zyl, has slammed the programme as blatant discrimination and said it was unacceptable.

With this scholarship, an ambitious white student that wants to apply will be immediately rejected based solely on the colour of their skin, regardless of their financial background, said Van Zyl.

To demonstrate how cruelly discriminatory this scholarship is, its criteria favours the black child of a rich politician or billionaire over a white child of an impoverished household.

Afriforum plans to send the petition to Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings.

The letters wording is as follows:

I would like to voice my disgruntlement with Netflixs discriminatory postgraduate scholarship programme, of which one of the main criteria for qualifying is that the applicant must be black. This is tantamount to blatant racial discrimination and is an insult to the South African constitutional value of non-racialism.

Netflix told MyBroadband it would not comment on Afriforums petition, letter, or claims.

The Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund is not the companys first or largest investment in the South African film industry.

In July and September 2020, the streaming giant provided two rounds of funding totalling $1 million (R15.3 million) to help below-the-line workers in the film industry struggling to make ends meet during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has also partnered with local training institutes on skills development and scholarship programmes for animation and writing and teamed up with the National Film and Video Foundation to produce six micro-budget films with R28 million in funding.

Recently it also partnered with Unesco on the African Folktales, Reimagined short film competition.

All of these programmes and initiatives were available to all races.

In its original statement on the Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund, Netflix said it had a responsibility that came with being part of the local creative community.

We recognise that being part of the local creative community in South Africa also comes with responsibilities, in particular the need to develop the talent pipeline and give new voices the chance to be heard, said Ben Amadasun, director of content for Netflix in Africa.

Talent development is extremely important to us, and we will continue to work with the industry in South Africa to support and develop new opportunities to grow the creative community.

Interested students have been able to apply for the scholarships via the funds administrator, Tshikulu Social Investments, since 17 September.

According to the criteria on its website, applicants for the scholarship must be black as defined by South Africas B-BBEE Code of Conduct. That means they can be black, coloured, or Indian.

In addition, they must have a minimum undergraduate academic average of 60% and are not allowed to enrol if they already have another bursary or receive NSFAS funding.

Now read: DStv Premium streaming price slashed
Apple Inc. accused French regulators of bending antitrust rules for political objectives when they doled out a record-breaking 1.1 billion-euro ($1.3 billion, R19.4 billion) fine as part of a campaign to crack down on Silicon Valley firms.

Melanie Thill-Tayara, a lawyer for Apple, told judges at the Paris court of appeals that Frances Autorite de la Concurrence never made a secret of its goal to grab a GAFA  a reference to tech giants Google, Apple and Facebook and Amazon.com Inc. She said officials seized upon a poorly crafted complaint from a premium reseller to build a case against Apple.

The French Competition Authority clearly wanted to make a mark by hitting hard against Apple, Thill-Tayara said at a hearing on Thursday. She said the allegations  suggesting that Apple squeezed out resellers of iPads and Mac computers  dont stand up and asked that the fine be purely and simply overturned.

Big tech has been facing intense French scrutiny in recent years. Google has been fined several times, including a 500 million-euro penalty in 2021 in a case over its use of publishers news content. Facebook, recently rebranded as Meta Platforms Inc., made commitments to placate regulators in a bid to avoid a fine for its advertising-market practices. Tech firms incursion into the payments sector is also under review.

Thill-Tayara said that watchdogs relied on a false theory that the U.S. giant entered into anti-competitive agreements with two wholesalers, hurting premium resellers of non-iPhone products and unfairly favoring its own stores and website.

None of the measures set up by Apple sought to disadvantage premium resellers, Thill-Tayara said. She said the penalty was artificially inflated by a multiplier factor and disproportionate given the allegations and their potential impact, which was at best limited. At the very least, it should be significantly decreased, the lawyer said.

In Thursdays case, wholesalers Tech Data and Ingram Micro were fined 76.1 million euros and 63 million euros by the French authority last year for allegedly conspiring with Apple. They are also trying to reverse their penalty.

Free to Sell

Ingram Micro has always been free to sell to whoever it wanted, Adrien Giraud, a lawyer for the company, said. There isnt one piece of evidence in the case file that proves the contrary.

Antitrust officials said in their 2020 decision that Apples actions froze market shares and prevented competition between different distribution channels for the brand.

Apple also allegedly took measures to force premium resellers to provide the same prices as it did in Apple Stores and on its website. Finally, the tech company allegedly created an economic dependency for premium resellers who wouldnt get supplied with new products even when they were available on Apples website or in its stores.

The Apple case was prompted by a complaint lodged by eBizcuss, an Apple premium reseller, in 2012. The appeal ruling is expected to be released in about a year  on Nov. 3, 2022.

Now Read: MTN to sell shares in Nigeria unit
The city of Napa is pouring funds back into local park improvements, sidewalks, equipment replacements and other areas previously cut back early in the pandemic after receiving more revenue than expected during the past financial year.

The Napa City Council voted unanimously this week to allocate a projected $5.44 million revenue surplus from the 2020-2021 fiscal year  which ended as July started  back into several areas that received cuts because of an anticipated financial downturn because of the pandemic.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $5 for your first 5 months!

As a result of the vote, about $1.5 million will be returned to defunded parks improvement projects; $913,000 is going back to the citys sidewalks program; and $1.16 million will go to the citys Capital Improvement Program facilities reserve.

Additionally, $406,000 will be returned to the citys fire apparatus replacement reserve; $150,000 will go to the equipment replacement reserve; and $186,000 will be going back to the citys parking security fund.

The City is relieved to be able to direct these dollars back into Napas community sidewalks, public facilities, and our fire apparatus replacement funds  all of which saw drastic funding cuts in the original budget, city manager Steve Potter wrote in an open letter. "Additionally, we refunded needed playground equipment retrofits, park infrastructure replacements, and parking lot repairs so residents can safely and comfortably enjoy the outdoors at our parks.

The council also allocated $150,000 into hiring incentives and recruitment, which has remained a challenge for the city  and employers throughout the country  during an economic rebound this year. And the passing motion included that $1 million be placed into the citys Section 115 trust, which was created to help mitigate increases in future pension costs and didnt receive a contribution in FY 2020-21.

City revenues did take a substantial hit during the past financial year, Potter said, and the surplus is the result of the city budgeting around a projected $20 million drop in revenues.

I think its important to remember, and keep in mind, that we did not experience an increase in general fund operating revenue this year, Potter said. Our current financial situation is a result of the actions we took.

A General Fund budget approved in June 2019 expected the city would receive $104.75 million in revenue and would spend $103.3 million in the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The city ultimately generated about $88.3 million in revenue  and added on about $6 million in one-time revenue by defunding various city projects  and spent roughly $88.6 million during the past fiscal year, said city budget officer Jessie Gooch. The city managed to spend only $88.6 million by making cuts and freezing staff vacancies.

That revenue amount doesnt include the $7.4 million the city received from the federal American Rescue Plan in May because guidance on how the funds should be used is still evolving, said finance manager Elizabeth Cabell. (The city will receive a second $7.4 million allotment of American Rescue Act funds during the current fiscal year, according to past Register reporting.)

When that money was first made available and sent, it was sent as, heres money, spend it, spend it on whatever you need to spend it on, Potter said at the meeting. We have since found out there are restrictions and limitation to that money. The last thing we want to do is have to pay back $14 million because we made unauthorized expenditures, so were trying to be very careful.

Though the citys property tax revenues continued to steadily grow, revenue generated from business license tax, sales tax, and hotel-room tax, as well as revenue generated by city services, all declined during the pandemic, Gooch said.

The greatest drop in FY 2020-21 was in the hotel-room tax  known as the transient occupancy tax, or TOT  which generated just under $12 million in revenue compared to $23 million in fiscal year 2018-19, Gooch added. But revenues from that tax were on the rebound when the fiscal year closed at the end of June, she said.

The Napa council members said they were glad to see the citys budgeting process pay off.

Were not out of the woods yet, but the work here and the sacrifice by everybody really shows that we put ourselves in a better position than where we thought wed be in, said council member Bernie Narvaez.

Council member Liz Alessio said shes fine with the hiring incentive allotment for now, but shes concerned it wont be enough for the city to be competitive in hiring for some positions, such as police officers  who are generally receiving about $15,000 in hiring bonuses, she said.

Council member Mary Luros said the hiring allotment is initial funding and the City Council will be able to fund the hiring incentives more, if needed, down the road.

Several council members also said theyre looking forward to finding out what the American Rescue Act funds can be used for.

Weve been pretty conservative in how we approached our finances during COVID, and Im so grateful that were able to bring back some of these projects that were really very hard to cut, Luros said. I think were still stretched a bit thin and the future is still unknown  we dont know how long this is going to continue  but I appreciate staffs balanced approach to spreading out these funds and bringing back some of those really difficult cuts.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A cat owner says the two pets that he found, bottle-fed and raised from kittenhood have been missing for more than a year  and now is suing a Napa pet adoption agency he claims gave away one of the felines without his permission.

The nonprofit Whiskers, Tails & Ferals is the target of a fraud suit by Terry Francis, a Vacaville man who alleges its president Margo Cassidy misled him about the whereabouts of his 5-year-old cats, the tan-coated Fred and gray-furred Kinky, after they disappeared from his home in October 2020. Furthermore, Whiskers, Tails & Ferals listed Fred for adoption on its website and gave the cat to a new owner despite photographs showing the pet belonged to Francis, according to his complaint, which he filed May 28 in Napa County Superior Court.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $5 for your first 5 months!

Francis is seeking $25,000 and the return of the missing cats, along with court costs and monetary and punitive damages, according to the complaint, which describes Kinky and Fred as emotional support animals whose disappearances contributed to Francis losing his job as a chef.

After the cats went missing, my stress was at a point where I could no longer function at my job," Francis, who worked for three years at an Alameda steakhouse, said in a telephone interview Friday morning.

The last six months I just started to fall apart; my mental state deteriorated, said the 53-year-old Francis, who described himself as living with obsessive-compulsive and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders.

In a July court response, attorneys for Whiskers, Tails & Ferals and its founder Margo Cassidy denied the accusations about the missing cats, asserting that Francis did mention lost pets in early November 2020  just over a week after his cats reportedly vanished  but did not specify to her that he was looking for Fred or Kinky.

An email and voicemails to John R. Powell, the Redding-based lawyer for Cassidy and Whiskers, Tails & Ferals, had not been returned as of Friday afternoon.

Powell further argued that Francis own carelessness and negligence were responsible for his loss, though neither his filing nor Francis speculate on how the cats may have disappeared from the home.

The complaint states Fred and Kinky disappeared from Francis backyard on or about Oct. 24, 2020. On Friday, Francis described the cats as indoor-outdoor animals that spent time both in his familys apartment and in a nearby field.

Just over a week later, on Nov. 3, he texted Cassidy of Whiskers, Tails & Ferals to inform her the felines were missing and he was looking for them. Cassidy, in follow-up calls and texts, replied that she hadnt taken his pets, that her group accepted cats only from local animal shelters, and that she would inform Francis if she saw the felines, according to Francis filing.

A key point of the dispute revolves around the microchips Francis said the nonprofit implanted in both felines when they received their first round of vaccinations. While Francis described himself as the sole owner and guardian of the pets, the implants were registered not in his name but in the name of Whiskers, Tails & Ferals, the complaint states.

On Friday, Francis said he inadvertently failed to pay Whiskers, Tails & Ferals a $110 fee that would have transferred registration of Fred and Kinky to himself rather than the nonprofit, after the cats had been unsuccessfully offered for several months at the groups weekly adoption events at the Napa Petco store on Jefferson Street.

While I made a mistake by not transferring, I apologized to Margo, offered to pay the fees plus a $500 donation, he said, adding that he spoke to Cassidy specifically about Freds disappearance.

Plaintiff believes that Whiskers, Tails & Ferals received word from whomever found Fred and Kinky because of the chips being registered to the nonprofit without his knowledge, wrote Francis attorney Christine Kelly, who said Fred soon appeared as an adoption candidate on the groups website whiskerstailsandferals.org. Photos of Fred on the site included a purple dog collar the cat also was wearing in pictures Francis had at his home, Kelly added.

Nonetheless, the complaint alleges, Cassidy ignored Francis further calls, texts and emails asking her to return the feline, and calls by animal control officers in Napa County and Vacaville similarly went unanswered. An agent of Cassidys who returned an email from Francis denied receiving Fred or Kinky before saying they would talk to Francis again, according to the filing.

The Whiskers website eventually posted an update confirming Freds adoption by a new owner, and Francis filed a theft report with Vacaville Police in January, his lawyers said in the complaint, which was filed in Napa Superior Court 4  months later.

The whereabouts of Kinky, the other cat that vanished in 2020, remain unclear, but the felines were taken together (and) were getting that one (Fred) definitely hit the system, Kelly, who works for The Animal Law Office in San Rafael, said Tuesday. So maybe the other cat is such a sweetheart, the suspicion is that somebody fell in love with this cat and said, I dont even need to post him.

More than a year on, the loss of the felines remains a source of stress for Francis, who said his adult son lives with him and also has been diagnosed with OCD.

I know some people say theyre just cats, but in my condition, theyre more like therapy animals for my son and I, he said.  It would establish some sense of normalcy if we could get our cats back.

Storage lockers removed from Napa home after long dispute with city A pet adoption group has removed a set of storage containers from outside a Napa house, ending a dispute with the city that lasted more than a

An earlier controversy ensnared Whiskers, Tails & Ferals in a long dispute with the city of Napa over a set of four large metal cargo containers the pet group kept outside a house on West Park Avenue for more than a decade, despite city codes banning such totes outside single-family homes except during construction projects.

The group first began storing supplies in the containers in the early 2000s, a few years after its 1999 founding, Cassidy previously told the Napa Valley Register. After years when the totes drew little notice, code enforcement officers began issuing citations against the group in 2015, eventually imposing more than $3,500 in fines over 15 months.

The storage lockers were finally taken away in January 2017, although heaps of pet supplies remained in the yard for several more weeks before finally being moved, according to city code enforcement officers.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Biden's son helps Chinese company buy mine in Africa

China lowers level of diplomatic relations with Lithuania

Russia and US confirm their intentions to send joint mission to Venus

Putin and Pashinyan discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and measures to stabilize it

Honored Art Worker of Armenia, composer Ruben Altunyan passes away

492 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Armenia

Armenian Foreign Minister and Otto Luchterhandt discuss Nagorno-Karabakh settlement

Armenian contract soldier dies amid violation of rules for handling weapons

Man, 29, jumps from Yerevan bridge

Armenia MFA confirms PM Pashinyan's readiness to meet with Azerbaijans Aliyev on December 15

Quake shakes coast of Vanuatu

State minister: Nationwide quarantine, specific restrictions planned to be imposed in Karabakh

Artsakh President convenes National Security Service consultation

Opposition MP: Armenia FM stated that Turkey has proposed new precondition: corridor

Armenia military expert: US Embassy warns its citizens to avoid Karahunj-Davit Bek, Kapan-Chakaten road sections

Armenia opposition MP: Air carrier operating flights from Syunik Province cannot have any security guarantees

Singapore is good example for Armenia, says President Sarkissian

Iran seizes foreign ship in Persian Gulf

2 Azerbaijanis injured in anti-tank mine explosion at Karabakh conflict zone

US, Turkey presidential advisors discuss situation in South Caucasus

Synopsys boss pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims

Russia peacekeepers escort 15 convoys to, from Artsakh in one week

Catholicos Karekin II to Patriarch Kirill: We appreciate your warm attitude towards Armenian Church, people

China fines Alibaba for violating antitrust law

36 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh

UK Premier Johnson considering boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

Artsakh President visits Askeran city, meets with regional capitals youth

President to Russia Patriarch: Armenian people highly value your efforts aimed at achieving peace in our region

870 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

8 injured in tragic accident on Yerevan-Gyumri motorway are discharged from hospital

China, Russia, US agree to promote political dialogue on Iran

Azerbaijan mother, son commit suicide on same day

One pedestrian dies on the spot, other hospitalized after hit by car in Armenia village area

US beauty consultant is accused of killing woman by injecting silicone into her butt

Brazil Amazon deforestation reaches highest level in 15 years

Newspaper: Armenia soldiers are prohibited from filming episodes from their service, posting them on internet

Newspaper: Armenia opposition is forming large-scale resistance network

Armenia President visits National University of Singapore

Gia, wanted by French law-enforcement authorities, found at Armenia's Bagratashen checkpoint

Leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia agree to meet in Brussels

European Council: Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to establish direct communication line at level of defense ministers

Armenia's Representative to OSCE speaks about Azerbaijan's recent attack at Permanent Council's session

Armenia serviceman Meruzhan Harutyunyan, killed in Syunik Province, was buried at Yerablur Military Pantheon

Armenian News-NEWS.am's special report: Drive from Kapan to Tchakatashen is 150 km instead of previous 8 km

3 Armenian servicemen killed during Nov. 16 Azerbaijani attack posthumously awarded presidential medals

Left-wing trade unions hold protest against Turkey's Erdogan in Izmir

Armenia FM presents situation following Azerbaijani attack during meeting with Lithuanian Seimas Vice-President

Armenia delegation covers Azerbaijan's Nov. 16 attack during online meeting of CSTO PA Permanent Commissions

Armenia PM receives delegation led by Vice President of Lithuanian Seimas

Lavrov, Cavusoglu discuss bilateral ties and regional issues

Karabakh: Azerbaijani side, in Shushi, transfers bodies of 3 Armenian soldiers killed on Nov. 16

NEWS.am daily digest: 19.11.21

Armenian Embassy in Russia: Armenia citizens - mother and child - evacuated from Afghanistan

Georgia refuses to be a part of '3+3' format with regard to South Caucasus

The occupied Hadrut of our days (PHOTOS)

Arabologist: Photo of map of Turkic world shown by Erdogan and Bahceli is simply a gift for Armenian diplomacy

Situation is tense in Armenia's Kasakh, residents protesting against acting village head (LIVE)

Opposition With Honor legislature faction MP: No one knows if Armenia petitioned to Russia for military assistance

Armenia opposition MP: There is a threat that Baku will always get what it wants through use of force

Lavrov is certain that the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan summit will take place

Ann Linde: OSCE working very closely with Russia to resolve Karabakh conflict

Karabakh FM congratulates newly appointed Abkhazia counterpart

Dollar relatively stable in Armenia

Armenia parliament majority members do not deny possibility of exchange of territories with Azerbaijan

Armenia ruling party MP: Public and competent authorities need to know circumstances behind captures of soldiers

Armenia ruling party MP assures that situation on the border is currently stable

Armenia ruling party MP: Confidentiality of process of preparing for demarcation is strictly necessary

Armenia PM: Citizens of EEU countries will be able to receive loans in all territories of member states

Armenian serviceman, 19, dies in Georgia's Akhalkalaki

Armenia legislature majority faction lawmaker: Russia military intervention is not end in itself

High commissioner: Diaspora is considering ways to help hundreds of Ethiopia Armenians

Opposition With Honor parliament faction: Armenia authorities trying to push territorial losses issue to backburner

Legislature majority faction MP: Armenia authorities do not make any demands on Russia

Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament: Authorities are unable to distinguish between priority and secondary issues

3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh

Bruno Retailleau: France must support Armenia more firmly against aggressions by Azerbaijan

Armenia parliament majority faction: Border delimitation preparation process will start from point zero

PM: Armenia exports to other EEU countries increased by 27.8%

Armenias Pashinyan: Azerbaijan provocations are aimed at disrupting arrangements reached by trilateral statements

California Armenian couple accused of fraud flee leaving their 3 children behind

799 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Katherine Clark: Azerbaijan must acknowledge and respect Armenian sovereignty

Eurasian Intergovernmental Council enlarged meeting underway in Yerevan

Russia peacekeepers patrol along Karabakh border delimitation line

MOD: According to current data Armenia has 6 military casualties as result of Tuesdays attack by Azerbaijan

Turkish Islamic preachers organization denies reports of his death

Newspaper: What happened to missing Armenia soldiers during recent hostilities?

Armenia MOD dismisses reports about not allowing officers with higher rank than major to go up to combat positions

US virtually completes development of new tactical nuclear gravity bomb B61-12

Newspaper: Officers with higher rank than major not allowed to combat positions during recent hostilities in Syunik

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
Republican senators have introduced a bill to provide $ 2 billion a year and other aid to bolster Taiwan's defenses, Reuters reported.

The bill calls for $ 2 billion a year in foreign military funding - US grants and loans that allow countries to buy weapons and defense equipment manufactured in the United States - until 2032.

While the bill is submitted only by Republicans, the minority party in the Senate, it increases congressional pressure on Democratic President Joe Biden to take bolder action to strengthen ties with Taiwan.

Funding will be subject to certain conditions, including Taiwan's commitment to meet US spending and the agreement of Taipei and Washington for joint long-term capacity development planning.

The United States has called on Taiwan to undertake defense reforms to focus on opportunities that will make its military more mobile and more difficult to attack, and to ensure it has a strong reserve force.

Defending Taiwan is critical to preserving the United Statess credibility as the defender of democratic values and free market principles as embodied by the people and government of Taiwan, the text of the bill said.
Continuing its policy of turning everything upside down, Azerbaijan promotes the idea of its being the "victim" by presenting Armenia as the "aggressor."

Azerbaijan's proposals are known to Armenia. The Armenian society must also change politically, psychologically, and accept peaceful coexistence with its neighbors. Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to Azerbaijani president, stated this at a press conference, APA reports.

"If such a peace treaty was signed between France and Germany after the Second World War, why shouldn't it be signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia? We call on the international community to mobilize efforts in this regard," Hajiyev added, obviously comparing Armenia with Germany.

According to him, before the 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) war last fall, it was very difficult for him to speak at foreign events as a representative of a losing country."

The assistant to the president of Azerbaijan noted that there is a problem in the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and these relations must be changed.

"It is necessary to sign a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the [two] countries must recognize each other's territorial integrity, sovereignty," Hajiyev stressed.

According to him, Armenia's lawsuits against Azerbaijan show that Armenia does not recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

"This must end. Armenia must renounce its territorial ambitions towards Azerbaijan," he added.

At the same time, Hajiyev stressed that Armenia's intention to create another Armenian state in the South Caucasus has failed.

Thus, distorting history and reality, Azerbaijan is attemptingthrough blackmail and threatsto force the Armenian side to recognize its territorial integrity, but forgetting that Nagorno-Karabakh was not part of Azerbaijan at the time of the collapse of the ex-USSR and the declaration of independence of Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.

Also, Hikmet Hajiyev did not mention the Armenian captives whom Azerbaijan has refused to release for more than a year now, its war crimes, the captured Armeniansincluding the elderly and women, the destruction of Armenian cultural monuments, the actual causes of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the military aggression Azerbaijan had unleashed against Artsakh.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs on Armenia Kimmo Kiljunen and Boriana Aberg.

Greeting the PACE co-rapporteurs, the Prime Minister said,

Dear Colleagues,

For 20 years we have always valued our membership to the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and to the Council of Europe and viewed it as a key contribution to supporting democratic reform in our country. When we joined the Council of Europe, there were two main directions in our membership documents that were important at that time: one was democracy and the other was peace.

I must state that we have tangible success in the field of democracy; we can finally state that our success in the field of democracy is so much that the international community also sees and records it. I am also glad that the Council of Europe sees and records this. I think that especially the recent events make obvious the irreversibility of democratic processes in the Republic of Armenia. We still have the issue of adjusting the speed, it is very important that we will adopt the right speed in the context of these changes. One thing is clear: the fundamental problem that has existed in Armenia for many years has been solved just as fundamentally. I am talking about the reliability of the election results. In this regard, of course, we appreciate the contribution that the Council of Europe has made in supporting Armenia in the issue of democracy during the 20 years.

But we have problems in the other direction. Unfortunately, stability and peace in our region are greatly jeopardized, and the fact that we still have prisoners in Azerbaijan, in spite of the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, is the brightest expression of this. I highly appreciate that this issue was voiced and recorded in the PACE. That's really important. It is also important that the European Court of Human Rights expresses very firm position on a number of issues. This furthermore underscores the importance of our membership in the Council of Europe.

Nevertheless, despite all the challenges and difficulties, the Armenian Government has adopted a policy of opening an era of peaceful development for Armenia and the region. The bad news is that it does not depend only on us, or rather the bad news is that not everyone shares this agenda or, at least, the understanding of the parameters of peace are not the same. But we must continue to work consistently in that direction. Anyway, we also need the support of our international partners in this matter. I want to welcome you once again and I am happy for this opportunity to discuss the progress of our affairs."

PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur on Armenia Boriana Aberg said, Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to express my and my colleagues gratitude for inviting us here. I would like to also congratulate you on your decision to hold early parliamentary elections in the summer of 2021 and on your convincing victory in those elections. It was a victory not only for you, but a victory for democracy in Armenia. As you have already mentioned, Armenia has made many achievements in the field of democracy. During the last 3 days we had the opportunity to meet many people, visit a number of institutions, such as the Anti-Corruption Commission and other bodies. And it is really gratifying to see that your country is a shining star of democracy in the region.

In his turn, Kimmo Kiljunen said, Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. First of all, as the Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on behalf of the PACE, I would like to congratulate you on the propper organization of the elections. We were observers and we recorded that the elections met international standards and commitments. I personally want to congratulate you on your victory in the elections. These elections were much more important for you and your party than the elections following the Velvet Revolution, because now the situation is more consolidated and you can implement your program. Your Government's Action Plan has received a strong mandate from the people, and its credibility is guaranteed by the election results."

The PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs on Armenia highlighted the efforts of all participating countries for peace and stability in the region, noting that they will continue to voice the need for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees kept in Azerbaijan.

The parties exchanged views on issues referring to the post-war situation, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the accomplishment of democratic institutions in our country, the protection of human rights, and a number of sectoral reforms.

The Prime Minister referred to judicial, anti-corruption, constitutional, institutional, electoral reforms, and stressed the progress in the field of freedom of speech, noting that freedom of press and speech in Armenia has never been at such a high level as after 2018 and now. Nikol Pashinyan stressed that Armenia is committed to the agenda of strengthening democracy and will continue to move forward in that path.

Issues related to the efficiency of the parliamentary system of governance were also raised.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexei Overchuk.

The Prime Minister welcomed Mr. Overchuk's visit to Armenia, noting that it is a good opportunity to discuss the current agenda. "I would like to note that I highly appreciate the works of the trilateral working commission chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. I hope that we will finally be able to reach concrete solutions.

I would like to say the following in this regard. Armenia is committed to the statements of November 9 and January 11, which refer to the unblocking of all transport and economic ties in the region. But I would like to emphasize that the statements made by Azerbaijan regarding the corridors have a negative impact on the efficiency of our work and atmosphere, especially considering that in our trilateral statements there are no remarks about corridors.

My impression is that Azerbaijan is trying to impose its perceptions on the commission, which, of course, is unacceptable for us. I would like to reaffirm that Armenia is interested in opening and unblocking regional transport and economic infrastructure. I have repeatedly stated publicly that we are ready to go to concrete solutions, the essence of which should be the following. Armenia should get road and railway communication routes through Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan should receive railway and road communication routes through Armenia, including one connecting Azerbaijan to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.

Our documents are about the unblocking of economic and transport infrastructures, our position is the following. What do we offer? The railways that existed during the Soviet era must be restored; the highways that existed during the Soviet era, including those connecting the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic with Azerbaijan, must also be restored.

We are ready for such solutions. We have concrete proposals, it should be emphasized that according to the January 11 statement, about which we have talked many times, we should also negotiate on customs control, phytosanitary control, border control and other possible types of control. This is what is stated in our statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021. I want to confirm once again that Armenia is interested, ready, and we hope that in the near future we will be able to reach concrete solutions to these issues. We are constructive," Prime Minister Pashinyan said.

Alexei Overchuk thanked the Prime Minister for the meeting and for highly appreciating the activities of the working group comprised of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.

We are really working within the mandate that you, together with the leaders of the other countries, granted us in the framework of the statements of November 9-10, 2020 and January 11, 2021. I would like to note that we are in constant touch with our partners and deputy prime ministers. We have held 8 meetings, 4 of which were in-person, the other four were held remotely.

At the same time, we talk on the phone almost every day, discussing various options to find more optimal, more acceptable solutions for all parties. You know that road construction experts also worked, who examined the roads. Today we have a very good understanding of what those roads really look like. Based on these data, after the 8th session of the joint working group held on October 22, it seems to us that we will reach concrete solutions. They are based primarily on that the roads remain under the jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass.

You also mentioned and it is enshriend in the statements that all kinds of controls should be carried out. We agreed that such control should be exercised based on the parity priciple, and we also discussed it, including how and from where to start unblocking automotive infrastructure. We want to discuss it with you today and think about how to move forward," Alexei Overchuk said.
Several residents of Goris are demanding the release of re-elected mayor Arush Arushanyan. They spent the whole day in front of the general jurisdiction court of Syunik Province in Goris where the hearing over the case of Arushanyan was being held, after which the court ruled to grant the motion of the court and transfer to the state budget the AMD 2,000,000 that Arushanyan had paid for his pre-trial measure.

It is the love for Arush Arushanyan that has brought people here. The courts verdict is unfair since 6,400 voters voted for Arushanyan to be the mayor of Goris. Even the bad weather didnt stop us from speaking out about our just demand. There are sham cases launched against our mayor. We dont want to pose threats to the authorities. We want to protest. We can wait for one day or two days, but if the issue remains unsolved, we will stand up for our votes. We want to see the court render a fair decision to release our newly elected mayor. If it doesnt, the people will come together the day after tomorrow and start leading the struggle for his release. Arushanyan needs to be released as soon as possible. If he is not released, we will shut down roads and will close all roads entering and exiting from Goris starting from Monday, the residents stated.
Russia isnt inclined to have exclusive rights with respect to contact with Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is stated in the statement that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation issued on the occasion of the anniversary of the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020.

The Russian side is not inclined to have a monopoly of the contacts with Armenia and Azerbaijan, even though Russia is linked to those countries and peoples by the longstanding and close friendship and scaled partnership. We support effective use of the potential of the international community, by adequately taking into consideration the changed realities in the region, the statement reads.

The Russian MFA also states that a year after the signing of the trilateral statement, it is safe to refute the news that is being spread on social networks and on the Internet that the peacekeeping efforts of Russia were aimed at separating Nagorno-Karabakh, transferring it to Azerbaijan and turning Armenia into a protectorate.

The statement also reads that all the trilateral documents and mechanisms of the Russian side werent imposed on the parties, were based on the balance of interests, as well as on the sovereignty and interests of Baku and Yerevan.
College honors Lou Watkins with a Hall of Fame induction

Media Contact: Christy Lang | Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-8320 | christy.lang@okstate.edu

Lou Watkins connections to Oklahoma State University run deep.

She is a two-time graduate of the university, past member and chair of the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents and even met her husband of 57 years, former state senator and U.S. Rep. Wes Watkins, at the OSU library. Most recently, Watkins was inducted into the 2021 OSU College of Education and Human Sciences Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed by the college.

The recognition celebrates her lifelong commitment to empowering others through education and public service and honors her significant contributions to the college and the university.

As a student, alumna, donor and Regent, Lou Watkins has touched Oklahoma State University in a variety of ways and made an incredible impact, said former OSU President Burns Hargis. I particularly appreciate her vision and support as a member of the OSU Board of Regents during my time as president. There is no finer example of loyal and true than Lou and her husband, Wes.

Raised in Cushing, Oklahoma, her first passion was political science, which took her to Washington, D.C., to enroll at American University. However, she soon returned to her roots, transferring to OSU for her bachelors degree in political science. With her husbands encouragement, Watkins went on to pursue a masters degree in secondary education so she could share her passion and shape young minds as a classroom teacher.

Learn more about Lou Watkins in this video.

Her first teaching position at Wilburton (Oklahoma) High School brought both challenges and triumphs as she taught government, history and economics to students facing real learning barriers.

I found there were many ways that I could help those students in overcoming those obstacles to learning, Watkins said. In some cases, it was an obstacle to even functioning very well in school or in society.

One such student, a 15-year-old named Don, confided in Watkins that he couldnt read. She took it upon herself to enroll him in OSUs reading lab, where instructors spent hours with him, analyzing why he was unable to read and developing a strategy to help him learn. Over the next two years, Watkins and a fellow teacher diligently worked with Don to advance his reading level.

When Lou sees a need in our community and state, she doesnt just wait for someone else to do it. She takes the initiative, garners support and makes it happen! Toni Stone, Hall of Fame Nominator

This was not an isolated event. Over the course of her career, Watkins personally invested in her students and made her decisions with their best interests in mind.

Lou has such a giving and caring attitude toward students as an educator, said Calvin Anthony, an OSU/A&M Board of Regents member. She went above and beyond when students needed individual help.

In 1971, Watkins was recruited by the academic vice president at East Central University, where she enjoyed a 14-year career teaching political science. She chaired the department for five years, and the university established the Lou Watkins Endowed Lectureship in her honor when she left.

Watkins has also remained passionate about supporting and advocating for rural Oklahomans. As a member of the board for Leadership Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, she pushed for statewide representation to ensure rural Oklahomans were provided the same opportunities as ones in the larger metropolitan areas.

When Lou sees a need in our community and state, she doesnt just wait for someone else to do it, said Toni Stone, who nominated Watkins for the colleges Hall of Fame. She takes the initiative, garners support and makes it happen!

Perhaps her most impactful and rewarding work was the 23 years she served on the Board of Regents for the OSU system and the Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges of Oklahoma. Student-centered most appropriately describes her appointment. From advocating for additional need-based student scholarships to supporting the construction of state-of-the-art facilities such as Boone Pickens Stadium, the Spears School of Business building and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Watkins prioritized providing a life-changing experience for Oklahoma State students.

After retiring from the board in 2019, her legacy lives on through an endowed student fund established in her name by fellow board members. The fund helps meet students emergency needs such as a doctors visit or a vehicle failure that might have otherwise caused them to leave school.

Together, Lous and Wes impact can be seen across the OSU campus. They have endowed a chair within the School of Global Studies and Partnerships; they were inducted into the Proud and Immortal Society of million-dollar donors with the OSU Foundation; and they have endowed 17 individual student scholarships. Many of those scholarships support students seeking to improve communities in the U.S. and throughout the world through hands-on service, such as building homes, developing hydroponic food or bringing potable water to remote communities.

Whether supporting students educational endeavors in and outside the classroom, improving society through volunteer work or investing in the lives of those around her, this loyal and true Cowgirl has certainly secured her legacy at OSU and beyond.

Each and every endeavor improves the lives of those her efforts touch, said Oklahoma Sen. Tom Dugger. We have enriched lives because of Lou.

Story By: Diana Haslett | College of Education and Human Sciences
Diehard Taiwan separatists banned from HK, mainland

Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian says those who betray their motherland and seek to split the country are destined to have a bad end. Photo: Xinhua

The central government on Friday sent out a stern warning to "Taiwan independence" diehards saying such separatist elements are on the mainland's list and will be punished in accordance with the law.



Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to a media query regarding the punitive measures against stubborn secessionists, Xinhua News Agency reported.



Those on the list, together with their relatives, shall not enter the mainland and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and their affiliated institutions shall be restricted from forging any cooperation with organisations and individuals on the mainland, Zhu said.



She added that their sponsors and related enterprises shall be banned from engaging in profit-making activities on the mainland, among other necessary punishments.



"Those who betray their motherland and seek to split the country are destined to have a bad end, and are bound to be spurned by the people and judged by history," Zhu said.



Those on the list will be held to lifelong accountability and will be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with the law, Zhu added.
A second grand jury has been empaneled in New York in an investigation about former President Donald Trump and his business, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

A first grand jury served its six-month term, and now a new group of grand jurors will sit, the sources said, stressing that the development is a procedural action.

Trump has not been charged with any crime.

The investigation is being led by the Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The new grand jury could hear testimony about the valuation of Trumps properties and accounting and taxes tied to them, one of the sources familiar with the matter said.

The first grand jury heard evidence that led to the indictment of Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg on a separate alleged tax scheme in July.

The sources said that a second grand jury being empaneled was a procedural action and there has been no change to any on any potential subjects of the investigation or other aspects of it.

Grand juries have a time limit, and there was always going to be a second grand jury empaneled once the first's time had expired, the sources said.

In July, the Trump Organization and Weisselberg were charged in what prosecutors said was a 15-year scheme to compensate top executives "off the books" and help them avoid paying taxes.

Weisselberg and the Trump Organization have pleaded not guilty. Former President Trump reacted to the charges by calling it a "political witch hunt."

James, the New York attorney general, said at the time the charges were announced that the investigation would continue.
Scotland will field 14 of the 15 players who won in Paris in March (PA) (PA Archive)

Scotland host in-form Australia in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the talking points ahead of the game at Murrayfield.

Rust could be a factor

The cancellation of the summer Tests due to coronavirus means Scotland have played only one match since defeating France in the Six Nations in March. As emphatic as their 60-14 win over Tonga last weekend was, Gregor Townsends team were not overly tested by limited opponents. Australia, by contrast, have played 11 matches since July. The Wallabies who have won their last five in a row, look well equipped to capitalise on any rustiness in the Scottish ranks.

Harnessing spirit of Paris

Scotland celebrate their historic win in Paris (PA via ABACA) (PA Archive)

Townsend has named 14 of the 15 players who started the game against France. Although more than seven months have elapsed since that historic victory in Paris, the head coach is clearly keen to give the same players a chance to build some momentum together. It would be quite a feat  and would do wonders for morale  if largely the same team was able to follow up the triumph in France with victory over another heavyweight of world rugby.

Steyn edged out

Kyle Steyn scored four tries against Tonga (Steve Welsh/PA) (PA Wire)

While Townsends decision to restore his big-hitters to the mix is understandable, it is also hard not to feel some sympathy for the six players who have been edged out of the team that took Tonga apart last weekend. Kyle Steyn in particular is entitled to feel a degree of disappointment at not getting the chance to build on his historic four-try haul from that match, although he can at least console himself with the likelihood that he should see some game time from the bench.

Story continues

Huge occasion

Murrayfield will be full on Sunday (Steve Welsh/PA) (PA Wire)

A long-awaited box-office afternoon beckons for Scottish rugby as Murrayfield prepares to host its first sell-out crowd in 20 months. Although Scotland enjoyed some big wins over England and France in the last Six Nations, the absence of supporters due to Covid restrictions undoubtedly detracted from the sense of occasion. While the 32,000 people at the Tonga game last weekend enjoyed themselves, the prospect of more than double that number in attendance to see Scotland hosting a team ranked third in the world is a exciting prospect.

Schoemans big chance

Pierre Schoeman scores a try against Tonga (Steve Welsh/PA) (PA Wire)

Of the debutants from last weekends match, Pierre Schoeman is the only one to keep his place. Although this is in part down to an injury to Rory Sutherland, it represents a big opportunity for the South Africa-born Edinburgh prop to show he can hold his own in Scotlands strongest XV. Schoeman has been in good form at club level recently and after scoring a try on his Scotland debut, the 27-year-old goes into Sundays match in the best possible fettle.

Read More

What is Plan B for tackling Covid in the UK this winter?

Bring back mandatory masks to defend against a winter Covid outbreak

Holidaymakers may need three jabs to travel abroad next summer

Norwich boss Daniel Farke to ignore rotten tomatoes in survival fight

Michael Vaughan stood down from BBC radio show amid allegations of racism

Scotland defender Grant Hanley ruled out of final two World Cup qualifiers
H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, passed the House in August. It has been blocked by Republicans in the Senate.

H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, passed the House in August. It has been blocked by Republicans in the Senate. Credit - Anna MoneymakerGetty Images

This week, Senate Republicans fourth voting-rights legislation for a third time since Democrats took control of the Senate in January. Although earlier defeats failed to galvanize sufficient support for filibuster reform, there are signs that the dynamic may be shifting.

President Biden, a longtime defender of the filibuster, suggested in a town hall last month that it might be time to fundamentally alter the filibuster. Previous filibuster defenders Senators Angus King and Jon Tester have come around to the necessity of filibuster reform. And, although weve heard nothing from pivotal Senator Joe Manchin this week, the logic of his public position on voting-rights legislationboth that it is badly needed, and that it should be achieved through bipartisan legislationis rapidly eroding, as virtually all Senate Republicans increasingly show themselves opposed to any legislation that would remove barriers to voting. This latest filibuster, of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore important protections against racial discrimination in voting that have been gutted by the Supreme Court over the past decade, should come as a wake-up call.

For those who want to see meaningful legislation to protect voting, but who are not ready to support outright abolition of the filibuster, a reframing might be useful. Passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act or other democracy-enhancing legislation doesnt require a wholesale elimination of the filibuster, or any fundamental change to the Senates rules or its character. It just requires understanding that Senate voting procedure is already an uneven patchwork.

Budget bills passed through reconciliation require only 51 votes. Confirmationsof executive-branch officials up to and including the Cabinet, and of federal judges up to and including justices of the Supreme Courtrequire only 51 votes. These are extraordinarily consequential aspects of the Senates work, and their existence and acceptance are fatal to the claim that todays Senate is fundamentally a supermajority body. All the Senate needs to do is to create one additional exceptionfor democracy-enhancing legislation designed to protect and facilitate voting.

Story continues

Read More: Poll Watchers Flood Virginia as GOP Raises Doubts About Election Integrity

The rule changes that allowed for simple-majority passage of budget reconciliation bills, on the one hand, and the confirmation of nominees, on the other, came about in very different ways, and under very different circumstances. Todays reconciliation process is a creature of statute, the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, which was passed to create an orderly budget process, and in response to some of President Nixons abuses. The change to the voting rules for nominees came about through simple Senate voting procedures, first under Democrat Harry Reid, then Republican Mitch McConnell, after years of increasingly partisan responses to presidential nominees.

These two exceptions, though critical, are by no means the only exceptions to the Senates general supermajority voting rules. Trade deals since the 1970s have often been exempt from ordinary amendment and filibuster practice. The Congressional Review Act allows for congressional disapproval of major regulations without any opportunity for filibuster. Again, each of these is unique. But each represents a normative judgment that the Senates supermajority voting rules are the default position, not an inviolable requirement, and that some circumstances warrant deviating from that default.

In normal times, there would be far more than 60 votes for what should be a nonpartisan and thoroughly uncontroversial set of propositions encompassed within the most recent two voting rights bills: that all eligible voters should have a meaningful opportunity to cast a ballot; that voting restrictions should not fall disproportionately on voters of color. Indeed, when the Voting Rights Act was last reauthorized, in 2006, it was approved unanimously in the Senate and then signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Read More: Letting the Filibuster Stand Will Break American Democracy

Justice Elena Kagans dissent in Julys Brnovich v. DNC, in which the Court dramatically limited the force of the Voting Rights Act, described the Act as a statute that stands as a monument to Americas greatness, and protects against its basest impulses. If the Senate cannot pass bipartisan legislation to advance these principles under its current default voting rules, the majority of Senators who do support these basic precepts of democracy should change the rules to allow voting reform to be passed through majority vote.

This could be done by a simple majority vote that would allow an exception to the Senates current default 60-vote requirement in a narrow set of circumstances: where Congress acts to facilitate participation by eligible voters, and to eliminate barriers to voting. Congress has the clear power to protect voting rights under the 15th Amendment, which explicitly empowers Congress to enforce its prohibition on denying or abridging the vote on account of race; it is also empowered under the 14th Amendment, which prohibits denying to any person the equal protection of the laws, as well as the Elections Clause, which gives Congress broad power to regulate federal elections.

Read More: We Must Reclaim Voting Rights as a Moral Issue

Of course, any voting-rights legislation could well end up in front of a Supreme Court that has already shown its hostility to democracy, with results that are hard to predict. But at worst, a Supreme Court decision invalidating any federal voting-rights legislation would merely restore the status quo. A rule change of this sort might also be used by a future GOP-controlled Senate to justify creating additional Senate rule changes, and perhaps abolishing the filibuster altogether. But that could happen anyway, even without the Senate acting to allow a majority to pass democracy reform.

As a matter of timing, it may well make sense to table additional efforts at voting legislation until President Bidens infrastructure package finally passes. But when the Senate turns back to democracy reform, decision-makers should be clear-eyed about the framework in which theyre operating. The Senates voting procedures already contain many exceptions; this proposal wouldnt change the fundamental character of the Senate any more than previous rule changes. But this is a perilous moment for our nation, and a majority of Senators can meet that moment with a narrow fix thats our best shot at preserving a meaningful democracy.
(Reuters) - More than 500 civil rights groups have called for a United Nations Security Council meeting to stop escalating violence in Myanmar's Chin state, a volatile border region that has become a forefront of resistance against military rule.

Local media, witnesses and the U.N. have reported a buildup of heavy weapons and troops in Chin, suggesting an imminent army attack to flush out militia groups formed after a Feb. 1 coup.

Human Rights Watch released a statement on behalf of 521 international and domestic organisations that called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution and act before the offensive expands in Chin, which borders India.

"It must convene an urgent meeting on the escalating attacks in Chin State and the overall deepening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis as a result of the Myanmar military leaders' search for power and greed that has caused immense suffering," it said.

Myanmar has been paralysed by protests and violence since the coup, with the junta struggling to govern and facing armed resistance from militias and ethnic minority rebels allied with a shadow government that it calls "terrorists".

Witnesses, aid groups and local media said houses and churches have been burnt in Thantlang town. Save the Children, one of the signatories, said its office was destroyed.

The junta has made no comment on the situation in Chin. Reuters has been unable to independently verify reports of an offensive in the region, where internet and other communications have been disrupted.

Salai, 28, who fled Thantlang earlier, said there was no information coming from the town.

"We haven't got any update from Thantlang yet. The internet was shut down yesterday morning. There is no connection until now."

The U.N. humanitarian agency in a situation report on Wednesday said clashes between security forces and people's defence forces had intensified in Chin as well as in neighbouring Magway and Sagaing regions.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Martin Petty)
Jeff Cockerill presented the recommended changes to Monroe County's precinct lines to the Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday. The changes must be reviewed by state officials before being formally adopted by the county.

The Monroe County Precinct and District Advisory Committee presented some potential election precinct changes at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, but their work is still far from finished.

Many of the changes were described as minor, necessary revisions, but committee members indicated they would be open to taking a closer, deeper dive into the county's precincts again in the near future when they are not restricted by the current compressed timeline.

The advisory committee, made up of citizens with no more than two members associated with any political party, was formed last month to review and recommend any changes to Monroe County's voting precinct and district lines.

Earlier: Redistricting committee appointed by commissioners

Because of residential construction over the past decade, boundaries may need to be moved to rebalance the population among precincts and voting districts, such as for seats on the Bloomington City Council and Monroe County Council. Monroe County must incorporate data from the 2020 U.S. census in any redrawing of precinct and district boundaries. They were last adjusted after the 2010 census.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 census data arrived too late for county officials to do the typical months-long process of review. The newly formed committee has been meeting twice a week to look over data and draft recommendations, which then must be approved by state officials and the county commissioners.

"We knew this was a compressed schedule," county attorney Jeff Cockerill said. "It was a six-month project that essentially narrowed down to six weeks, at best."

According to the resolution, the committee was instructed to ensure the election precinct and district boundaries comply with legal requirements and make geographic sense, such as keeping core neighborhoods together.

The committee used census blocks, such as moving one block from one precinct to another, to illustrate the recommended changes.

Story continues

In a presentation to the commissioners on Wednesday, seven changes to the election precincts were previewed.

Two changes were recommended to keep residential structures in the same precinct. For example, one precinct line currently splits a housing space near West Gourley Pike and Cascade Avenue. In another area, one building is split between two precincts. By moving some census blocks from one precinct to another, it mostly eliminates those divisions.

Three changes addressed properties Ellettsville has annexed since 2010 that needed to be absorbed by the town's precincts. One of those changes include creating a new precinct in Bean Blossom Township to encompass the incorporated areas of Ellettsville. There are not many current voters in the area, but that could change over the years, Cockerill said.

More: Monroe election officials claim 'pattern of disrespect' by commissioners after Zoom gaffe

According to Cockerill, the committee wanted to present these election precinct recommendations now for any feedback before they submit them to the Indiana Election Division for a state review of compliance, which is due by next Friday. After receiving approval from the state, the changes will then be considered at a commissioners meeting again for a formal order.

Citizens are encouraged to direct any questions to the committee. The advisory committee meets via Zoom every Monday at 11 a.m. and Thursday at 2 p.m.

Because of the unresolved topics, the committee members recommended this advisory committee to be re-established sometime in the future to review precincts and recommend changes ahead of the general election in 2024.

According to Cockerill, the committee members only "scratched the surface" of several issues related to election precincts.

Some of the discussions at these advisory meetings included looking at the amount of active voters in each precinct and deciding whether some precincts should be combined or allow more voting sites to be established. These conversations could not come into full fruition due to the current time constraint.

Cockerill mentioned the county can redraw election precincts every year, but it is not the ideal practice because it would lead to voter confusion. However, there are some unresolved issues that could be looked at again in the near future.

One issue was the current annexation debate in Bloomington, which Cockerill briefly touched upon.

"My thought, and this is purely mine and not of any of the committee members, we should have a better feel for the annexation issue at early January and maybe that would be a time to determine, 'Hey, do we want to do it next year or the year after, depending on that?'" Cockerill said.

The commissioners did not discuss whether the advisory committee will be renewed following their work this year.

Now, committee members will focus on the latter part of their advisory duties: reviewing the district boundaries of Monroe County. Cockerill said he expects recommendations for redistricting will be completed for review by end of this month or early December.

More: Monroe County, Bloomington redistricting to be done by independent panels

Planner Anne Crecelius presented a proposal to rezone a site in Washington Township to allow a rural fire station to be established.

Rezoning for rural fire station, potential subdivision

At Wednesday's meeting, the commissioners also approved two rezoning proposals.

A new subdivision in Ellettsville could be coming soon following the commissioners' approval of a 2.61-acre site near West Carmola Drive to be rezoned as medium-density residential. The site was previously zoned as agriculture/rural reserve, a noticeable difference from the surrounding area of the Glen Meadow Subdivision.

Blackwell Contractors was the petitioner of the rezoning but a specific plan for the subdivision was not presented. That is anticipated to come at a later date.

The rezoning for a rural fire station was also approved by the commissioners. The 5.5 acres of land at 478 E. Chambers Pike in Washington Township has now been rezoned as institutional/public.

The site is currently owned by Washington Township.

In an email to the Monroe County Planning Commission, petitioner Barbara Ooley, Washington Township trustee, described a fire station as being "so greatly needed within our township."

The rural fire station is projected to be 3,600 square feet with seven parking lot spaces.

At a previous commissioners work session, it was estimated that 89% of calls that the township receives are related to emergency medical services. The facility would be geared toward EMS response and it will provide fire response as well, planner Anne Crecelius said.

Both rezones were approved unanimously.

Contact Rachel Smith at rksmith@heraldt.com or @RachelSmithNews on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Monroe County officials discuss election precinct changes
By Jake Spring and William James

GLASGOW (Reuters) - Cautious optimism has emerged that COP26 in Glasgow can clinch a global carbon market deal unlocking trillions of dollars of green investment, with even hold-out nation Brazil signalling a desire for compromise.

With world leaders having left the UN climate summit after a flurry of speeches and announcements early this week, diplomats at COP26 are in the midst of two weeks of negotiations on how exactly to implement key parts of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Among the many details left open by the Paris deal six years ago, one of the most important and trickiest items still to be settled is how to fix rules on carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Article 6 aims to set the byzantine rules needed to govern global carbon markets and creates a new mechanism for offsetting carbon emissions. Settling the rules could help unleash trillions of dollars in investment.

Many fear that if bad rules are agreed, carbon trading could amount to "greenwashing" - the appearance of action without actually reducing global emissions.

Article 6 envisages linking the emissions trading schemes globally, allows for the international transfer of carbon credits and aims to establish a new mechanism to trade carbon credits from emissions reductions generated from low-carbon projects.

Brazil is seen by some carbon market experts as the most outspoken hold-out on certain issues under Article 6 viewed by many nations as an impediment to a deal, notably on a specific rule for accounting for trades and honouring credits from an older emissions trading scheme.

But Brazil's top negotiator Leonardo Cleaver de Athayde told Reuters the country had come to COP with a desire to compromise.

"We're willing to make significant concessions, as long as, of course, our flexibility is also reciprocated by other delegations," Athayde said, adding it would be a bad negotiating tactic to reveal what those concessions could be.

Story continues

"We can allow ourselves to be more optimistic this time around in respect of the Article 6 negotiations," he said.

OLD CREDITS

Brazil disagrees with most of the world on how to account for trades between two countries, said Pedro Martins Barata, a carbon markets expert at Environmental Defense Fund and former negotiator from Portugal.

The EU and other countries want to ensure there is no double counting, whereby the emission reduction is counted both by the country that has bought the credit and the selling country where the emission reduction took place.

But Brazil argues that not allowing the credit to be counted by the selling country unfairly penalizes it.

Brazil also argues that old credits under the Kyoto Protocol, which preceded the Paris Agreement, should be carried forward and honoured under the new system.

While India and China have made the same argument in the past, most countries say the huge number of Kyoto credits would flood the new market. Countries could then buy cheap credits rather than taking action to limit their emissions.

"We're willing to consider a partial carryover," Athayde said.

Brazil's offer to possibly compromise on these issues means a deal could be reached if other countries meet it in the middle, said Yamide Dagnet, a former EU negotiator.

"If Brazil truly comes with a view to compromise to get the deal, then there is hope," Dagnet said.

LUKEWARM

To be sure, Brazil's issues are only a few of a laundry list of concerns held by all of the countries involved, with every word and turn of phrase in the agreement under intense scrutiny.

Overall reaction to a first draft of the Article 6 rules issued on Monday was "overwhelmingly lukewarm," Barata said, who observed some of the open proceedings.

"But they were willing to work on the basis of that. At this stage of the negotiations that's the best you can hope for," he said.

A second draft of the deal text, taking into account initial feedback from countries, was issued on Friday for delegations to pore over.

Another disputed item is that the Paris Agreement stipulates that a share of the proceeds from the carbon market should be diverted to a fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change, the former negotiators said.

The question about what percentage should be taken is more political than scientific, however, so progress can only be made next week when environment ministers arrive with the aim of closing a deal.

"The progress we'll see this week is narrowing and clarifying the options a bit further and making sure that those options are expressed as clearly as possible, and negotiating text so that the work of the ministers is easy," said Jacob Werksman, a top EU negotiator.

Negotiators also must settle how to deal with a demand from countries like New Zealand and Canada to address human rights issues in Article 6, according to carbon markets expert Brad Schallert with non-profit World Wildlife Fund.

That could draw objections from countries including Iran, China and Egypt, Schallert said.

All countries will have to make concessions for a deal to be possible, Athayde said.

"The best compromise solution or solutions, in my opinion, would be those that would leave the largest number of delegations possible dissatisfied," he said. "You need to make sure everyone is walking away somewhat unhappy."

(Reporting by Jake Spring and William James; Editing by Mark John and Susan Fenton)
Angelina Jolie is speaking up following reports that Marvel Studios's latest blockbuster, Eternals, won't screen in several Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, after local censors reportedly objected to its depiction of a same-sex relationship.

"Im sad for [those audiences]" the Oscar-winning actress told the Australian outlet news.com.au during a roundtable interview on the movie's global press tour. Jolie  who plays the immortal hero, Thena, in the Chloe Zhao-directed film  went on to describe the decision to pull the movie from release as "ignorant."

"Im proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out," Jolie added, echoing sources that told The Hollywood Reporter that Marvel and Disney declined to eliminate the storyline from the film. In Eternals, Bryan Tyree Henry's tech-savvy hero, Phastos, is happily married to a mortal man named Ben, played by Dubai-born actor Haaz Sleiman. At one point, the two characters share Marvel's first same-sex kiss, a moment that Sleiman called "life-saving" in a recent interview with Variety. (Homosexual conduct is still illegal in many Gulf countries.)

The cast of the latest Marvel Studios blockbuster, Eternals (Photo: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /  Marvel Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection)

Commenting on the news, Jolie expressed frustration with the countries' refusal to show the film. "I still dont understand how we live in a world today where there's still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love," she said. "How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn't approve or appreciate it is ignorant."

According to Deadline, Eternals will still play to audiences in other Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates  Sleiman's native country  as well as Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt. But audiences in those countries will reportedly see an altered version that removes scenes featuring both heterosexual and homosexual intimacy. Last year, the Disney/Pixar animated film Onward was banned in multiple Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, for featuring the studio's first LGBTQ character, voiced by Lena Waithe.

Eternals is currently playing in theaters
After finishing a meal at the Ghost Supper, Mary Lee and her grand daughter Mellina Mejia, 8, talk and bring up some photos of dream catchers Mary has recently made for friends and family Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.

Across Michigan this time of year, Anishinaabe people are gathering over dinner to remember the dead.

These drop-in harvest feasts, called ghost suppers, occur around the first week of November among the Anishinaabe, a group of culturally related Great Lakes tribes including the Ojibwe/Chippewa, Odawa and Potawatomi. The attendees typically bring dishes beloved by their ancestors as a way of honoring the past.

On reservations and in highly populated Anishinaabe areas, multiple ghost suppers occur over the course of weeks. Some hosts leave the front door open as an invitation to guests and spirits who've passed.

"The tradition of the ghost supper is for those that have moved on to the spirit world, meaning they had passed on earth," said Aarin Dokum, president of the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center in Okemos. "We honor them every year."

Viewpoint:Ghost supper is a different form of Thanksgiving for native peoples

Similar in concept to All Souls' Day and Dia de los Muertos, ghost suppers begin with a fire lit by a designated fire keeper, Dokum said. It's that person's duty to keep tabs on what's happening around the fire and ensure nobody brings "bad juju towards our people or their spirits," Dokum said.

Once the fire is burning, guests are smudged with sage  a process of burning sacred herbs  from oldest to youngest. A building is also often smudged to cleanse it, Dokum said.

Jewell Chingman, a tribal citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, attended a ghost supper at the Fenner Nature Center in Lansing Wednesday evening.

About a dozen attendees joined Chingman at the center, where they lit a fire outside. Some moved inside to eat  the spread included fry bread, baked beans, fried spaghetti, strawberry shortcake, tortillas, salad and chips  while others ate by the fire.

Jewell Chingman talks about the customs and origins of the Odawa tribe ghost supper ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021 at Fenner Nature Center in Lansing.

Chingman has been to ghost suppers all over Michigan throughout her life  in Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Cross Village. At some, she recalled 15 to 20 families in one home.

Story continues

The purpose, she said, is "to pass on the meal to the people on the other side that we care about. You're bringing what one of their favorite foods are, and that will be the dish you put in."

Suppers tend to be staggered throughout the week to make room for different families hosting them.

"If you see the ones up north advertising where there's a family having one and you've got somebody that you want to honor, there's absolutely nothing wrong with bringing over the food that is for whomever," she said. "You bring it over, you add it to the table and you put a little bit of it to the fire."

Dokum will host another ghost supper at 6 p.m. Friday at the Nokomis center (5153 Marsh Road in Okemos) paired with some education on the custom. Guests are not required to bring a dish, but the center won't turn them away, he said.

Dishes at ghost suppers range from complex once-per-year favorites to an ancestor's favorite tailgate food to elephant ears from a state fair.

Keeping the Language Alive: Anishinaabemowin class aims to save Michigan's first language

The only items prohibited at ghost suppers are mind-altering substances like alcohol, marijuana and psychedelics, said Mary Lee, a citizen of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians tribe who attended Wednesday night.

Customarily, attendees will pile a portion of each dish on a paper plate and place it in the fire with tobacco, sage, cedar and sweetgrass, Dokum said. That moment signifies a shift in the evening from ceremonial to social.

Those four elements are symbolic: The sage cleanses and wards off negativity, the tobacco gives thanks and serves as a talking tool, the sweetgrass invites good spirits to linger and cedar brings healing.

"These items are considered spiritual beings as well," Dokum said.

Chingman said it's customary for attendees to hold wrapped tobacco in their left hand while eating  the nearest line to the heart.

Non-natives invited to ghost suppers like the one Dokum will host Friday are required to keep a distance from others until they're smudged, Chingman said. It's also customary for visitors to place a bit of each dish on their plates to honor the deceased.

After finishing a meal at the Ghost Supper, Mary Lee talks about how she enjoys making dream catchers for friends and family Wenesday, Nov. 3, 2021 at Fenner Nature Center.

Dokum added that non-natives are welcome to bring bundles of tobacco to a ghost supper. And Chingman emphasized that the events are not buffets: Attendees are expected to take only what they can finish on their plates, then go back for more as they get hungry.

Unfinished food on a person's plate is tossed into the fire.

At the end of each ghost supper, the tobacco is unwrapped and the holder says a prayer to the loved ones being remembered. Then, the tobacco is gently dropped into the fire.

"You tell it 'thank you' and you tell it what you're seeking, and then you talk to the creator," Dokum said. "You're telling him what your intentions are and what you want, then you offer that to the earth."

Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at (517) 267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Anishinaabe honor the dead at annual ghost suppers
Oxygen

The brutal murder of a nine-year-old girl in 1959 has finally been solved, marking an end to one of Washington states oldest cold cases. Candice Candy Rogers disappeared while selling Camp Fire Mints  a fundraiser for the Camp Fire Girls, a Girl Scout-like organization  in her Spokane neighborhood on March 6, 1959, according to a press release issued by the Spokane City Police Department. Searchers found boxes of mints strewn along the street; it was the only indication of which direction s
U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington holds a press conference on the steps of the Taylor County Courthouse on Aug. 12, when the District 19 Republican addressed reports of immigrant detainees being released in Abilene.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington on Thursday introduced the Protect Communities from a Porous Border Act, with 25 member of the U.S. House supporting the legislation.

According to a press release from his office, the bill "keeps Americans safe by preventing dangerous criminals from being released into the U.S. by requiring the cross-referencing of domestic and international databases, requiring the federal government to notify the governor of a state before releasing illegal immigrants into their communities, empowering local leaders to consult with the governor on whether to accept or reject illegal immigrants, and giving governors the ultimate authority to reject illegal immigrants from being released into their states."

The release included a statement by Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams, who said: Local jurisdictions should receive fair notice of pending immigrant arrivals from federal programs and agencies in order to ensure the best possible preparation and outcome for these individuals and the receiving community.

"Local jurisdictions know their communities best, and clear communication with officials on the state and local level can only help improve our nations immigration system.

News broke in August that 200 immigrants had deplaned in Abilene in June and July. Local officials became aware of the release of 65 people into the community.

"From Gov. (Greg) Abbott's office to the county to the city, we were unaware," Williams said at the time.

More: Mayor: Immigrants arriving at Abilene airport, some released into community

Arrington addressed the issue outside the Taylor County Courthouse, blasting the Biden administration for creating a porous border.

"The previous administration reduced illegal border crossings by 70%. But, just about every effective border security measure has been repealed," Arrington said in August.

More: Abilene officials work to deal with immigrant releases; Arrington attacks Biden policy

Story continues

Arrington on Friday told the Reporter-News that his impetus for the legislation came after learning the release of immigrants was occurring in his Congressional District 19, often without contacting state and local officials.

Jodey Arrington

He set about pushing the act "when I learned what was happening in Abilene and the broader Big Country area with the release of those detained illegal immigrants coming in by the plane loads" to Abilene Regional Airport, he said.

"This was a way to give Abilene and every other community that feels this way some control over the way they want to protect their citizens and prevent anything from happening on account of folks they know nothing about," Arrington said. "I did this as a response to what I learned was happening in Abilene."

Nine of the other 25 House members are from Texas, meaning the majority are not.

Responded Garrett Bass of Heritage Action: No state or local municipality should be forced to suffer the consequences of President Bidens self-made border crisis. However, even while forcing unlawful vaccine mandates on Americans as part of his plan to prevent the spread of COVID in the U.S., the president has deemed it appropriate for his administration to continually relocate illegal immigrants, many of whom are COVID positive, to non-border states  oftentimes without the consent or knowledge of those state governments."

House supporters of the legislation include representatives from Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, New York, North and South Carolina, New York, Montana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. All are Republicans.

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Arrington responds to immigrant release with Protect Communities bill
Michael Hayes posed for a portrait at Umoja Health, Wellness and Justice Collective in Asheville, NC on June 4, 2020.

ASHEVILLE - A leading social justice activist who organized the city's biggest day of police violence protests announced he is running for mayor.

Michael Hayes, executive director of the nonprofit Umoja Health, Wellness and Justice Collective, said he would make a 2022 bid for Asheville's top elected position, though his announcement came with an unusual caveat.

A leading local voice on social justice, race and children's issues, Hayes, 54, made a short statement on Facebook Oct. 26, saying "Dear Asheville, I'm running for mayor!!! Stay tuned..."

He ended the post, though, saying he would leave the race if former City Council member Keith Young decided to run. Young led multiple racial justice initiatives while on council including a historic initiative to give Black residents reparations but lost his 2020 reelection bid.

"If Keith Young runs for mayor then I'll drop out so my supporters will support him!" Hayes said.

Michael Hayes, left, founder of Umoja Health, Wellness and Justice Collective, laughs with Tony Walker as they recall crossing paths in the criminal justice system while catching up July 31, 2020. Walker recently became a life coach at the facility.

Both Hayes and Young are Black. The current council is historic in its demographics: All members are women and three of seven members are Black, that despite a shrinking African American population that now makes up 11% of residents.

It is not clear if Mayor Esther Manheimer plans to seek a third term. Asked Nov. 4 about plans, Manheimer, a land use attorney, said she could not immediately respond. Council races are nonpartisan and involve four-year terms. Council elections happened on odd years until 2020.

Hayes helped organize the largest day of protests following the police murder of Black Minneapolis resident George Floyd, drawing more than 1,000 into Asheville streets June 6. The event was meant to focus on young people's role in ending police brutality and racism because, "they are the voice of this whole protest," he said.

In 2018 he spoke before the council in favor of a proposal by Young to require police to get written consent for voluntary searches of motorists. That came after statistics showed Asheville police were disproportionately stopping and searching Black drivers and passengers despite finding contraband more often on white motorists.

Story continues

Hayes said he trusted officer Craig Loveland who spoke against the measure and considered him his brother, but said the issue was about "about everyone being held accountable."

More: Asheville council shifts on police search limits after contentious meeting

In 2019 he pushed back against a release of gang data by Asheville police that said there were 65 gangs in and around Asheville and 1,100 gang members.

Hayes, who had founded Urban Arts Institute of WNC and brought programs to some of Asheville's poorest communities, said he feared increase talk of gangs would lead to "zero-tolerance" approaches in which officers would feel they had "the right to shoot first and ask questions later."

He could not be reached for comment Nov. 4. On Nov. 1 Hayes posted a picture of him and his late father, local NAACP president John Hayes who for years was known for his vocal insistence on equity and fairness for Asheville's Black residents.

"Some days are harder than others," Hayes said. "Today is one. I'm writing the vision for my campaign and I'm remembering so many of our conversations."

Keith Young

Young, 41, commenting Nov. 4 to the Citizen Times, said he knew Hayes and his father and was "always happy to see folks with the courage to serve make such a life changing commitment. It takes a special kind of person to run. I applaud the bravery."

There was a "strong insistence from old supporters and new that I run," Young said, adding, "this city wasn't ready for my first act. I'm not too sure how they'd feel about a second."

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville protest leader & social justice activist plans run for mayor
Early in Aftab Pureval's political career, a peer gave him a word of warning.

Brown guy named Aftab, thats gonna be tough, recalled Pureval, now the mayor-elect of Cincinnati.

In the Midwest, Asian faces are scarcer than on the coasts, and South Asian mayors are almost unheard of. But Pureval, who is of Indian and Tibetan descent, doesnt take issue with what he was told  in fact, he recognized the truth in it.

The conventional wisdom was that you had to have an Irish name or a well-known name to run, he told NBC Asian America.

Cincinnati was one of three cities that elected their first mayors of Asian descent on Tuesday: Boston elected Michelle Wu, and Seattle chose Bruce Harrell. Experts say the wave reflects the emergence of a generation of Asian Americans, who are largely children of immigrants, better poised than their predecessors to become agents in the political process, as well as proof that the stereotype of Asian Americans as lacking the necessary leadership qualities has begun to dissolve.

Aftab Pureval (Aaron Doster / AP file)

Generational shifts

What youre seeing now is the aging of the second generation, those who are the children of immigrants, and they form the backbone of most of these mayoral candidates, Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and director of the policy research nonprofit group AAPI Data, told NBC Asian America. Youre also seeing the graduation, if you will, of Asian American candidates who run for various local offices  and then proceeding on the foundations that theyve built.

The racial group hasnt historically found much success in mayoral races, with just six Asian Americans currently leading the 100 largest cities. Most of them are concentrated in California and Texas. But for Asian Americans, a group overwhelmingly made up of immigrants and their children, political participation has historically come with significant hurdles, said Pawan Dhingra, professor of American studies at Amherst College.

For members of the immigrant generation, navigating their new environments took precedence over politics, experts said. Those who actually did run in years past were often from the 1.5 generation, those who came to the U.S. before or during their early teens, Ramakrishnan added. Politically active immigrants were more likely to be those who did well in their new country, and were able to more quickly adapt to the local context of American society and understand the political system.

Story continues

Though they face unique challenges of their own, those from the second generation, like Wu and Pureval, often do not carry the same burdens as their parents and are more likely to feel a sense of a natural claim on the country, Dhingra said.

If their parents have established a home and jobs and some economic grounding, then they have the ability to be thinking outside of their own immediate needs, and how to serve the community through politics, he explained.

Experts also say the new wave could be evidence of a decline in Asian American stereotypes, in part abetted by the advocacy and strength many demonstrated amid the anti-Asian attacks during the pandemic. For decades, Asian Americans have been typecast as workers who put their heads down but who lacked the proper traits to lead. But Dhingra said its an incorrect perception thats been proven wrong.

I think the anti-Asian racism motivated some Asian Americans to run for office but it also gave more of a platform for Asian American voices to be heard, Dhingra said. That is partly why people can see us as possible leaders.  We were the ones in the media telling our stories and pushing back. We werent being spoken for. We were speaking for ourselves.

Image: Bruce Harrell (Ted S. Warren / AP)

Demographic shifts

A more engaged Asian American population came to the polls in these cities, experts said, and candidates catered toward the growing pockets of underrepresented minorities in their constituency.

In Boston, Asians increased from 55,235 in 2010 to around 67,182, or 9.7 percent of the population, in 2020. They number over 115,000 in Seattle, making up 15.4 percent of the population.

Despite a historical presence and dramatic growth in recent years, not much has been done in the past to engage AAPI voters specifically, said Madalene Mielke, president and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

People would always say, Youre too small for us to count, she said. We dont poll you, we just dont know how to talk to you. Weve always had political influence, its just that no one bothered to actually talk to us and care.

Wu brought the conversations to Asians in Boston, offering campaign materials in languages other than English and mobilizing community activists, experts said. And for Harrell, his focus on kitchen table issues drew Seattle communities to him.

Even in Cincinnati, where the Asian population sits around 2.2 percent, an Indian-Tibetan candidate managed to prevail. Purevals win was a result of his track record in local government, said Varun Nikore, president of AAPI Victory Alliance.

If we can get engaged at the very local level, thats how you can continue the momentum, he said.

While theres no concrete answer to what has pushed Asian Americans into a new era of political activity, Nikore says nearly two years of anti-Asian hate and harmful rhetoric from former President Donald Trump played a part. But beyond that, theres a desire to get back to normal after Covids disproportionate toll on Asian-owned businesses and multigenerational families.

This is a really monumental moment for the constituency, Mielke said.

Wu, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, ushered in a new era, putting an end to Bostons 200-year streak of electing only white men. The progressive favorite performed better across all racial groups, including with Asians, compared to her opponent, Annissa Essaibi-George. About 63 percent of Asian Americans said they supported Wu in contrast to the 11 percent for Essaibi-George, according to a WBUR poll released weeks before the election. But Wus win holds particular significance for Asian American women, a group severely underrepresented in the political sphere.

Diana Hwang, Founder and Executive of the Asian American Womens Political Initiative (AAWPI), said Wu, whos been outspoken about her upbringing and leadership style, is shifting the lens through which people see leadership.

She has also shown us that you can do it differently ... what we understand to be political leaders, theyre often white, theyre male, theyre loud, Hwang said. She will even say I was none of those things.

Only a handful of Asian American women have ever served as mayors and, when looking at statewide elected executive offices, just three of the 95 women are Asian American. To earn the support of those in Boston, Wu had to embed herself in the community for years, Hwang said. She has served as a city councilor since 2014, making history two years later as the first Asian American to serve as its president.

Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum, said that such efforts arent always expected of men, however. While women in general confront double standards, theres an added layer of expectation when it comes to women of color.

Not only do we have to prove qualification in a way that white men dont, but we have to work to bust stereotypes about Asian American women, which often assumes that we dont make good leaders because were quiet, docile and more of followers than leaders. Or the opposite where our assertiveness is seen purely as aggression, she said.

Now that Wu is at the helm, Hwang said shes optimistic that her leadership could help change the face of American politics and inspire more Asian American women and girls to get involved.

The role of identity

Purevals win in a city with such a small Asian population signifies a different kind of shift, experts say. Asian candidates are able to win over largely non-Asian populations.

I think this is where Asian Americans have the ability to say I am a leader, regardless of who I lead, Mielke said. Thats part of educating America that leadership doesnt come in a white, male package all the time.

Identity for Pureval is what brought him into politics in the first place. His mother was a refugee from Tibet in India, where she met his father. Growing up in a small, conservative Ohio town, his political awareness began with his mom.

At an early age, I understood the importance of government stability and government effectiveness almost implicitly because of her story, he said.

His entrance into politics came with some skepticism from his community, he said, and he felt at times that he had to assuage peoples fears about his identity. In a political ad, he even had a cartoon duck quack his name, which he said was meant to be reminiscent of the Aflac commercial.

Slowly but surely, hes seen change in the way his identity and his name are viewed. Its gone from liability to strength, he said. He hopes the next generation of Asian American leaders dont have to work as hard to bridge that divide.

Because of Michelle Wus success, because of the success of so many other APIs around the country, not just this cycle, but in previous cycles, the people who have blazed the path for me, Im hoping that a future generation of APIs wont have to deal with that, he said.

But while Wu and Pureval earned overwhelming support from the Asian communities, Harrell, whos mixed race and is the first Asian and second Black American to be elected mayor of Seattle, has received mixed responses from his own community.

The community, I would say, is pretty divided, Alisa Lee, program manager of Washington-based nonprofit Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment C4, or APACE C4, said. He certainly has a base here. But there have been a lot of things that have come up where we questioned if hed really be the kind of person that we want to represent us.

Harrell, who was favored by moderates, ran a campaign focused on bolstering law enforcement and keeping parks clear of homeless tent encampments, instead opting to increase shelter space. Rick Polintan, president of APACE C4, said that as attacks on Asian Americans rose during the pandemic, differing opinions on how to ensure safety, among other issues, also emerged. He said that the community has not benefited from law enforcement while confronting pandemic-related violence, nor have police forces been held accountable.

If were going to be relying on the same systems to protect us that havent been protecting us, and thats Mr. Harrells position, it just sort of makes us think hes not necessarily listening, Lee said.

The Seattle race, Ramakrishnan said, proves that common identity isnt a guarantee for community support. But the rift could also signal a maturation of our politics where you can have disagreements that are sometimes intense disagreements within Asian American community, he said.

While Asian American candidates often must demonstrate their Americanness in a way others do not, a diversity of opinions and different political playbooks can be a meaningful sign, Dhingra said. Heterogeneity shows candidates are being taken seriously for their platforms and their values, not just their identity.

It allows us to be seen as the political candidates that we're trying to be seen as, whether it be centrist or progressive, Dhingra said.
Question: Will Bank of America replace the ATM that was removed several months ago at the junction of State 153 and 81 in Powdersville for a new construction project?

Answer: The answer is not clear.

The Powdersville ATM, formerly at 11201 Anderson Road (State 81) and State 153, was removed in August 2020, said Eliza Murphy, a Bank of America spokesperson.

It was a "forced closure" due to plans to redevelop the site, and Murphy said her team had been told that the landlord did not want to renew the bank's lease.

The ATM had been at a gas station anchoring a corner of that intersection across from the Powdersville Walmart Supercenter.

A Take 5 Oil Change replaced that gas station. It opened in March, according to Stephen Henderson, Take 5 district manager.

Stephen Henderson, district manager for Take 5 Oil Change, said an island was built for a remote Bank of America ATM.

Yes, the ATM had to be moved for construction, but plans were made for its return, Henderson said. An island for the ATM, beside the Take 5 parking lot, was created as part of the redevelopment, he said.

"We're just waiting for Bank of America to come back in," Henderson said. "I've had several customers ask me when it was coming back."

That news was a surprise to Murphy, just as learning that it's uncertain that the ATM would be returned was a surprise to Henderson.

"The latest we'd heard is they were not renewing our lease," Murphy said. "Now it sounds like we're going to be back in discussions with the landlord about if and when the ATM can indeed be returned to the site."

Bank of America customers can use the institution's online locator tool to find alternative ATM locations.

Do you have a question you want answered? Send it to me at davisal@gannett.com or via mail to Angelia Davis, 32 E. Broad St., Greenville, SC 29601.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Will Bank of America replace Powdersville ATM removed from State 153?
Athens-Clarke voters approved the ESPLOST in Tuesday's election, renewing the sales tax for another five years.

The ESPLOST, or Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, is a 1-percent sales tax that goes to the Clarke County School District. It passed with 80% of the vote.

Just more than 6,000 voters cast ballots in the ESPLOST election, out of the nearly 75,000 eligible Clarke voters.

More: Incumbent Brodrick cruises in Watkinsville mayor race, but Oconee voters reject sales tax

It was the fifth time voters have renewed the penny tax, which will run for five years after the current ESPLOST ends. Over those five years, school officials estimate that it will generate $120 million.

Georgia law outlines specific uses for those funds, including capital improvement, construction or debt repayment. The school district can't use the money for items such as teachers salaries.

Background: Clarke school district asking voters to renew ESPLOST to fund list of projects

Early voting: More than 1,600 advance ballots cast in Clarke County ESPLOST voting

In passing the tax, voters approved a list of projects school officials are hoping to complete. Big-ticket projects include a complete tear-down and rebuild of Clarke Middle School and a field house for Cedar Shoals High School.

The ESPLOST was the only item on the ballot for most in Clarke County, though Winterville residents also voted to fill three seats on the city council. Gary Snow, Bruce Johnson and Melissa Metzger were all elected, according to the unofficial tally.

Correction: A previous version of this story had that Gary Snow was elected over Bruce Johnson. Both candidates were elected as there were two open seats on their ballot item.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens-Clarke voters approve ESPLOST, extending sales tax for schools
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Victoria state removed entry restrictions to citizens of neighbouring New South Wales on Friday, allowing almost blanket reciprocal travel between the country's two biggest states ahead of the busy Christmas period.

Travel between the pair, home to more than half Australia's 25 million population, has been severely disrupted for months because of an outbreak of Delta variant-fuelled COVID-19 cases.

"Victoria and NSW have been through so much over the last few months, and we're pleased that more families will now be able to reunite just in time for Christmas and the holiday season," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement late on Thursday.

Travel company Flight Centre said "open borders between Australia's economic powerhouses" will be a major boost for hotels, airlines and other tourism businesses as flights resume between Sydney and Melbourne, one of the busiest domestic routes in the world before the pandemic.

Victoria on Friday downgraded all virus hotspots in its neighbour to safe for the first time in months, and also permitted unvaccinated NSW citizens to enter without quarantine. Victoria had already opened up entry for fully vaccinated New South Wales residents without quarantine last month, after closing its border in July.

New South Wales, which had allowed entry throughout the crisis to vaccinated Victorians provided they complete a two-week quarantine, earlier this week dropped the quarantine requirement. However, it remains closed to any unvaccinated travellers aged above 16 from its neighbour.

Adult double-dose vaccination rates have neared 90% in New South Wales and 83% in Victoria.

Both states continue to report cases as they shift to a strategy of living with the virus on the back of the high vaccination rates.

Victoria reported 1,343 cases on Friday, while New South Wales reported 249. Australia has reported a total of about 177,000 cases and 1,794 deaths, far lower than many other comparable countries.

(Reporting by Renju Jose; editing by Jane Wardell)
Barbara-Rose Collins,

A lifelong Detroiter who rose from being a single mother to serving as Michigan's first Black woman in the U.S. Congress, Barbara-Rose Collins has died.

Collins' family said she died early Thursday. She was 82.

She had been vaccinated against COVID-19 but, because of advanced age and underlying health problems, she contracted the virus and died of complications of COVID-19 after spending several weeks in a Detroit hospital, said her grandson Bruce Simpson.

My grandmother was not only an inspiration to many, but a guiding light in my path to be of service to citizens in my community," said Simpson, who was appointed last year by the Detroit City Council to be the City of Detroit Ombudsman.

Mentored early on by then-Mayor Coleman Young, Collins began her political career in 1971 when she was elected to the Detroit Board of Education. In 1974, she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, serving three terms, and then was elected to the Detroit City Council in 1981.

In 1990, after years of grooming under Young's guidance, and a primary loss in 1988 to incumbent Congressman George Crockett III, Collins made history when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after Crockett's retirement.

Alisha Bell, chair of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, said Collins had been a role model for her, other Black women and for women in general in metro Detroit.

Bell said she was proud that a few years back I was able to sit with her and learn from her. Her legacy is that she led boldly.

A graduate of Detroits Cass Technical High School, Collins began her career after attending Wayne State University. During that time, she met and married a classmate, Virgil Collins, and the couple had two children, Cynthia and Christopher. The marriage ended in divorce.

After graduation and a succession of jobs at WSU, Collins was inspired "after attending a historic speech at the Shrine of the Black Madonna Church, where a torchlight was ignited by Stokely Carmichaels oratory, leading her to not only join the Shrine, but to dedicate herself to the grassroots movement and the liberation of Black people," family members said in a statement.

Story continues

More: Michigan kids ages 5-11 are already getting COVID-19 vaccines: How to find appointment

More: Which is better: COVID-19 protection after vaccination or infection?

During her tenure in Congress, where she served from 1991 to 1995 and was appointed minority whip at-large in 1993, Collins urged farmers to address deficiencies in food with donations to urban food banks; opposed President Bill Clintons crime bill, which she viewed as an attack on Black men, and was arrested in 1994 while protesting with five Congressional colleagues for the rights of Haitian refugees in front of the White House. In 1995, she was a speaker at the Million Man March.

Collins was the subject of a Congressional Ethics Committee inquiry in 1995, under suspicion of 11 instances of misuse of funds. In 1996, after she lost the Democratic primary for re-election to Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, the inquiry was dropped.

Collins returned to Detroit and to the Detroit City Council, where she served a second stint, from 2005-09.

Family members said funeral arrangements would be announced soon.

Contact: blaitner@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Barbara Rose-Collins, Michigan's first Black woman in Congress, dies
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Joe Biden is looking at a potential release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to bring down gasoline prices after OPEC+ rejected his request to increase crude production faster, said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Biden administration is very concerned about the price at the pump and also for natural gas, propane and heating oil, Granholm said in a Bloomberg TV interview on Friday. The SPR is certainly on the table as an option. The president will have more to say about that.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies ignored the pleas of its customers and stuck to its plan for gradual monthly oil-output increases of 400,000 barrels a day. Major consumers say thats not enough to sustain the post-Covid economic recovery, with the U.S. asking for as much as double that amount.

Markets were waiting to hear what Biden would say when he addressed the nation about jobs numbers Friday. Oil jumped after he failed to mention a potential SPR release, dashing expectations for quick supply relief.

By Friday afternoon, the White House still hadnt announced any specific action to stem the oil-price rise.

As you can imagine, were trying to, were going to use every tool in our tool belts to get to do what we can, assessing and monitoring the situation on the oil process very, very closely every day, Karine Jean-Pierre, White House deputy press secretary, told reporters at a briefing.

Crude rose 2.57% to $81.38 at 4:16 p.m. in New York, setting up the prospect of an advance after three straight daily declines.

The ball is back in Bidens court; is he going to do the SPR release? Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consultant Energy Aspects Ltd. said in a Bloomberg Television interview. Prices have come off at least $5. We dont think at these prices theyre going to do it.

Story continues

One of the most powerful tools at Bidens disposal to is the SPR, a huge crude stockpile of more than 600 million barrels kept underground in Louisiana and Texas for emergencies. It has enough crude to replace all the oil the U.S. imports from OPEC+ for more than a year.

Granholm rejected the argument, put forward by some U.S. oil drillers, that Bidens restrictions on the industry are to blame for high prices.

It is not the presidents doing that is causing the oil and gas companies right now to decide to slow down. They were slowed down because of Covid, Granholm said. Oil and gas companies have thousands of leases on federal lands that they arent currently using, she said.

The U.S. is pumping about 11.5 million barrels of oil a day, down from above 13 million a day in early 2020. All of the production losses occurred in the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, when crude collapsed. But output has recovered only modestly since then, despite a surge in prices to back above $80 a barrel.

Were seeing some movement of oil rigs getting back online, Granholm said. It is curious why they are not incentivized more at $80 a barrel.

Granholm, who spoke from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, denied any contradiction between pushing for greater oil supplies while seeking ways to reduce carbon emissions.

Right now, we are not at the point where the build-out of clean energy is enough to supersede the need for fuels -- fossil fuels, Granholm said. And so making sure that this winter that people dont have to pay through the roof for gas, gasoline and natural gas is an important agenda item for the president.

(Updates with White House briefer in sixth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
The Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools governing board has filed a federal lawsuit against the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to an email sent to O'Gorman families Friday morning.

Bishop O'Gorman is challenging the constitutional and statutory validity of the mandate, which requires private employers with 100 or more employees to either get the COVID-19 vaccination or submit to weekly testing, according to the email.

OSHA issued the vaccine mandate on Friday morning, deeming it necessary to protect workers at risk of contracting COVID-19 at work.

"The Bishop O'Gorman seeks the same protections for religious freedom that are provided for in our federal constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act," Kyle Groos, president of Bishop O'Gorman, wrote in the email.

The school faces serious fines if their employees do not submit to vaccination or weekly testing.

O'Gorman officials stressed the lawsuit was not filed on the basis of vaccines, but rather because of government overreach.

"Advocating for principles rooted in free will and faith"

Bishop O'Gorman officials explained their reasoning for the lawsuit in a three-page FAQ linked in the email sent to parents.

In one section, the school system states that while they did not seek out weighing in on the complicated issue of vaccines, the federal government chose to "exercise its authority in an effort to compel behaviors of employers, including religious nonprofit employers."

With the lawsuit, O'Gorman officials feels that they are affirming two truths: It is permissible to get the vaccine under certain circumstances and it is permissible for people of good faith to object in obedience of their well-formed conscience.

While O'Gorman officials state they are not anti-vaccine, they argue the government overstepped its authority.

Story continues

Who's representing O'Gorman?

The Alliance Defending Freedom filed several lawsuits across multiple circuit courts Friday morning representing religious organizations like the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Asbury Theological Seminary, the Christian Employers Alliance as well as several religious schools in the nation, David Cortman, the senior council for ADF, said in a press conference about the litigation Friday.

"Religious organizations should be free to operate consistent with their beliefs and their faith without the government interfering in those decisions," he said.

ADF hopes the outcome of the lawsuit is a stay on the mandate: that religious employers won't have to force their employees to take the vaccine.

"My encouragement to people based on my personal advisement is to be vaccinated but placing a religious institution in the position of intruding into the lives its employees on matters that are religiously debated, even within the institution and on which the Church body takes no official stand, that is an enormous step too far," said Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

What does the Pope have to say about vaccines?

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church, has questioned why people haven't received the COVID-19 vaccine, saying getting the vaccine is "an act of love."

O'Gorman, in step with the Vatican, can encourage vaccines but will not require them. The private school system says the vaccine mandate has less to do with the Vatican and more to do with the U.S. government stepping in to tell who religious organizations can and cannot employ.

Who else is joining the lawsuit?

O'Gorman joins 13 other petitioners in the lawsuit, according to court documents.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem also joined a multi-state lawsuit last week against the Biden Administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contract workers and joined 10 other states in a lawsuit Friday morning challenging the mandate involving OSHA.

More: Gov. Kristi Noem, South Dakota join multi-state lawsuit against Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The news comes days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.

More: Children ages 5-11 can get Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Sioux Falls at Sanford and Avera by Thursday

Follow Annie Todd on Twitter @AnnieTodd96. Reach out to her with tips, questions and other community news at atodd@argusleader.com or give her a call at 605-215-3757.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: O'Gorman sues OSHA over federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate
BLISSFIELD  The Blissfield Model Railroad Club will be getting into the spirit of the holiday season in the coming weeks by offering several weekends of open houses and layout tours of its club location, 109 E. Adrian St. (U.S. 223) near downtown Blissfield.

The first offering of open houses and layout tours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, which will be a reservation-only tour. To register, contact the Blissfield Model Railroad Club by calling 517-486-0404. Reservations can also be made on the clubs website, bmrr.org, by clicking on the reservations link on the homepage of the website.

Chesapeake and Ohio model trains at the Blissfield Model Railroad Club, 109 E. Adrian St. (U.S. 223) near downtown Blissfield, can be viewed this weekend during an open house and layout tours Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6-7. The railroad club will also open its doors to the public Nov. 13-14, during Blissfield's annual Yuletide Festival weekend.

The model railroad club will offer a traditional open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, that does not require preregistration.

Several trains of various railroads will be operating, including the clubs model of the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, which will be completely decorated with Christmas lights, a news release from the club said.

The BMRC also will have regular open house times Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 13-14, during Blissfields Yuletide Festival. Open house hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 14.

Admission to all events at the Blissfield Model Railroad Club is free. Donations to the clubs layout maintenance fund are accepted.

The BMRCs layout is all on one story and is handicap accessible. Parking is directly in front of the building. The layouts location is easily noticeable, thanks to the big steam engine sign facing the north side of U.S. 223.

The Blissfield Model Railroad Clubs HO-scale layout is based on the Chesapeake and Ohio and Clinchfield railroads in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. It is 2,300 square feet in total and spans multiple levels.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Blissfield Model Railroad Club offering layout tours this weekend
(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc is in talks to buy JX Nippon Exploration and Production Ltd.s stake in the North Sea Andrew Area oil and gas fields, according to people with knowledge of the matter, reversing an earlier plan to sell its own holding.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The energy major had previously attempted to sell its share in the project to Premier Oil Plc, but the deal was scrapped following a reverse takeover of Premier by Chrysaor Holdings Ltd. While theres no certainty BP will end up buying the stake, an acquisition would run counter to its approach to the aging North Sea, where the company has been offloading assets over the past decade.

JX Nippon, which said in May that it was considering selling all its U.K. North Sea assets, has also received bids for the other assets, one of the people familiar with the matter said. These include stakes in Mariner and Culzean -- among the newest large oil and gas fields in the area, the person said.

A representative for the Japanese firm said that it had yet to make a decision on whether it would sell its U.K. fields amid a review of its global portfolio. BP declined to comment on Thursday.

BP has been shrinking its presence in the North Sea. Earlier this year, it sold its interest in the Shearwater field to Royal Dutch Shell Plc. In 2017, it offloaded a key piece of energy infrastructure -- the Forties Pipeline System -- to Ineos AG, while in 2012 it sold a package of assets to Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. for $1.1 billion.

(Updates with JX Nippon comment in fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Happy b-day, OBJ.

The Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. are predictably breaking up.

Beckham received official word from the Browns on his 29th birthday he'll get the gift of freedom he sought from them.

After careful consideration, internal discussions and conversations with Odell and his representation, weve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns," General Manager Andrew Berry said in a prepared statement released Friday morning. "We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but weve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.

The release is expected to become official Monday, a league source confirmed.

Hall of Famer on Cleveland Browns drama: Odell Beckham Jr. fallout won't derail Kevin Stefanski's long-term vision

Odell Beckham Jr. didn't find trouble once on Wednesday but twice with his comment about COVID-19 and being banned from LSU for two years.

How did the Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. get here?

Drama surrounding the wide receiver emerged earlier this week in the buildup to the NFL trade deadline, prompting the Browns to excuse Beckham from Wednesday and Thursday's practices as Berry discussed options with OBJ's representatives.

The two sides couldn't put the pieces of a fractured relationship together again, so the Browns decided to release Beckham.

He wanted to leave, and he got his way.

On Tuesday morning, a video was shared on the Instagram account of Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., highlighting plays on which Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield missed opportunities to connect with a wide-open OBJ from Weeks 3-6 this season.

Shortly before noon Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James showed support for Beckham by tweeting, "OBJ will show again why hes special. WR1 #FreeOBJ.

Browns GM Andrew Berry moving on from OBJ: Releasing Odell Beckham Jr. 'really isnt about the video,' but frustration over time

Story continues

Why the Browns weren't able to trade Odell Beckham before the NFL trade deadline?

Despite the social-media circus, the NFL trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. Tuesday with Beckham remaining a member of the Browns (4-4), who will visit the Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) on Sunday.

Berry was unable to find a trade partner willing to pay the $8 million guaranteed Beckham would have been due for the remainder of this season.

Now Beckham will go on waivers. If he's not claimed, he'll become a free agent.

Odell Beckham Jr's exit: Kevin Stefanski says it's 'unfortunate how it all went down'

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) can't hang onto a pass against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]

Why two Cleveland Browns coaching staffs couldn't maximize Odell Beckham Jr.'s talents

Among the most maddening aspects of this for the Browns is two Cleveland coaching staffs couldn't maximize the talents of Beckham.

Coming off a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered on Oct. 25, 2020, Beckham didn't play this season until Week 3, even though the Browns expected him to be ready for the Sept. 12 opener versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

In six games with the Browns this season, Beckham tallied 17 catches on 34 targets for 232 yards and two carries for 14 yards without scoring a touchdown.

The low point came in Sunday's 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, when Beckham caught just one pass on one official target for 6 yards.

I'd like to see more points any which way we can do it, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said in his postgame news conference when asked if he would like Beckham to be targeted more. Obviously, he's a player that we're counting on. A couple of opportunities. [The defense] just took it away.

Odell Beckham Jr. will be missed by teammates: Majority of Browns locker room wants OBJ back, safety John Johnson III says

Berry and Stefanski inherited Beckham. OBJ joined the Browns in March 2019, when former GM John Dorsey acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the New York Giants, who had signed the mega-celebrity player to a five-year contract extension worth $90 million, including $65 million guaranteed, in August 2018.

Beckham had been under contract with the Browns through the 2023 season and scheduled to make $15.75 million this year. There was no guaranteed money on his deal in the next two seasons, so the writing had long been on the wall for a departure in March 2022 before the timeline changed.

Dorsey traded safety Jabrill Peppers and 2019 draft picks in the first (No. 17 overall) and third rounds to the Giants in exchange for Beckham.

Cleveland Brows wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) runs a route during NFL football practice in Berea, Ohio, Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Why expectations didn't meet reality for the Browns, Beckham

Expectations for the Browns soared with the move, but Beckham and Mayfield never established the strong connection they hoped to find.

In 29 games with the Browns, Beckham made 28 starts and compiled 114 catches on 210 targets for 1,586 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with eight carries for 96 yards and a TD.

It isn't anywhere close to the elite production Beckham or the Browns envisioned. After all, Beckham had been one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL early in his tenure with the Giants, who drafted him 12th overall out of Louisiana State University in 2014.

In 59 games with the Giants, Beckham made 56 starts and racked up 390 catches on 622 targets for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns to go along with 15 carries for 74 yards.

Beckham had more than 1,300 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons, but his production dipped as injuries interfered toward the end of his Giants days.

Cleveland Browns' Odell Beckham Jr. (13) leaves the field after being injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Cincinnati. Browns star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will miss the rest of the season after tearing a knee ligament during Sunday's 37-34 win at Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

In September 2019, Beckham said he blamed former Browns defensive coordinator and interim head coach Gregg Williams for a string of injuries he's suffered because Williams teaches cheap shots and dirty hits.

Beckham had a high ankle sprain as a result of former Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun hitting him low during a preseason game on Aug. 21, 2017, at FirstEnergy Stadium. At the time, Williams was in his first of two years with the Browns.

Beckham said he believes the injury led to a broken left ankle later in 2017 and a torn left quadriceps in 2018. Those injuries cost him 16 games in his final two Giants seasons.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury issues with the Browns

Beckham couldn't stay healthy with the Browns, either.

He played through a core muscle injury for the entire 2019 season and underwent surgery afterward.

He suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee a little more than a year ago against the Bengals.

He suffered a right shoulder injury  USA Today's Josina Anderson reported it's a grade three sprained AC joint  on Oct. 17 against the Arizona Cardinals.

The sprain occurred just 10 days after Beckham revealed he has had a torn labrum in his left shoulder for 10 years dating to his LSU career.

Cleveland Browns wide receivers Jarvis Landry (80) and Odell Beckham Jr. (13) stand on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Cleveland.

How Beckham performed for the Browns

Beckham's history with the Browns cannot be written without chronicling the injuries, but his time in Cleveland will be remembered most for disappointing production, a lack of opportunities, drama and a controversial ending.

Beckham repeatedly expressed his desire to win a Super Bowl with the Browns and five-time Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry, his close friend and former LSU teammate. Beckham believed his talent could lift the franchise to unprecedented heights.

But Beckham never became the focal point of the Browns' passing attack. Last month, he compared himself with NBA star James Harden while discussing his lack of targets this season, but insisted winning a championship remained his top priority.

I can't sit here and lie like I don't want the ball, Beckham said on Oct. 14, the last time he spoke to Browns beat writers. Like I tell you every time I get up here, they don't pay James Harden for defense. He's a shooter. I feel like I'm a shooter.

The son of a longtime NBA executive, Stefanski became the head coach of the Browns in January 2020, but he never got to coach Beckham for a full season.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) catches a touchdown pass against Dallas Cowboys strong safety Darian Thompson (23) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium.

In seven games last season before Beckham suffered the torn ACL, he caught 23 passes on 43 targets for 319 yards and three touchdowns and rushed three times for 72 yards and a TD.

His best game as a member of the Browns came in a 48-39 road win over the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 4, 2020, when he caught five passes on eight targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns (one from Mayfield and one from Landry) and rushed twice for 73 yards and a touchdown. His 50-yard rushing TD on an end around sealed the Browns' victory, and they wound up needing all 11 of their regular-season wins to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Pittsburgh player shows no pity: During rough week for Browns, Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool goes back to trolling Cleveland

Beckham's best statistical season as a Browns player unfolded amid dysfunction during Freddie Kitchens' lone year as head coach in 2019. Playing through the core muscle injury, Beckham appeared in all 16 games and caught 74 of 133 targets for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns and rushed three times for 10 yards.

Late in the same season, Beckham laughed off but didn't deny reports by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports and Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports that stated he had told some opponents come get me out of Cleveland.

Well, it'll soon be time for other teams to come get Beckham because his days with the Browns have ended.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns will release wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., a Brownsville Democrat known for his conservative voting record on abortion and other social issues, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection after 30 years in the Senate.

Lucio, 75, who previously announced that he was running again in 2022, gave no reasons for his change of heart during a Harlingen news conference to discuss his decision.

"I'm retiring, for good reasons  family and to do some of the things that I've been wanting to do, like my own personal ministry to help the less fortunate in our community," he said.

More: Texas Democrats allege discrimination, challenge redistricting measures in 3 new lawsuits

Lucio's Senate District 27 presently includes Cameron, Hildago, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy counties. During the recent legislative session on redistricting, it was redrawn to take in the southern have of Nueces County, but only about 20% of the country's population.

Lucio frequently exasperated his fellow Democrats by supporting abortion regulations  he was a co-author on Senate Bill 8, the six-week abortion ban that is before the U.S. Supreme Court  as well as bills targeting transgender-friendly bathroom policies and transgender student athletes.

But he also stood with his party in recently opposing GOP-drawn redistricting maps for Congress and sweeping changes in voting laws, citing in part their impact on communities of color.

For subscribers: How GOP mapmakers created safe havens for Central Texas Republicans

Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston and head of the Senate Democratic Caucus, praised Lucio for his focus on improving access to education, health, housing and nutrition.

"He worked hard to improve the daily lives of South Texas families in myriad of ways," Alvarado said, pointing to Lucio's efforts to bring interstate highways, colleges, universities and a medical school to the Rio Grande Valley.

Texas Senator Eddie Lucio Jr. sits at his desk in the4 Senate chamber.. The Texas Senate met for the start of a new special session on Sept. 20, 2021.

Lucio, who was third in seniority in the 31-member Senate, approached political issues with a strong reliance on his Catholic faith and spoke frequently about seeking counsel from church leaders.

Story continues

That focus, and his staunch opposition to abortion, made Lucio the favorite Democrat of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a conservative Republican who presides over the Senate and who named Lucio as one of only two Democrats to lead a Senate committee during the 2019 legislative session.

Many Democrats were less enamored, and Lucio faced spirited if unsuccessful challenges from progressive candidates in the 2020 Democratic primaries, with similar challenges awaiting him in 2022.

Caroline Duble, political director of the abortion rights group Avow, greeted Lucio's departure with enthusiasm.

"Lucio has always been the extremist rights trusted vote when it comes to attacking abortion access, reproductive health care and LGBTQ+ rights," Duble said. "Were thrilled at the possibility of new leadership in the Rio Grande Valley."

Lucio, who also served four years in the Texas House before arriving at the Senate in 1991, said his "pro-life convictions" led him to oppose abortion, provide food to low-income students and help children with autism.

"I had always reached out across the aisle to do my best to form these partnerships that would bring back good things, successful endeavors, here to the Valley," Lucio said Thursday. "I urge those in public service today to be bipartisan, to work together as brothers and sisters in Christ."

Lucio joins two other longtime senators in announcing their retirement  Sens. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, who is fourth in seniority, and Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, who is seventh in seniority and whose district was recently redrawn to facilitate a primary challenger after he had opposed some of Patrick's priorities, including a bill allowing audits of the 2020 election.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Eddie Lucio Jr. to leave Texas Senate after 30 years
Jo Boaler, a Stanford University math professor, at home in Stanford, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021. (Jim Wilson/The New York Times)

If everything had gone according to plan, California would have approved new guidelines this month for math education in public schools.

But ever since a draft was opened for public comment in February, the recommendations have set off a fierce debate over not only how to teach math, but also how to solve a problem more intractable than Fermats last theorem: closing the racial and socioeconomic disparities in achievement that persist at every level of math education.

The California guidelines, which are not binding, could overhaul the way many school districts approach math instruction. The draft rejected the idea of naturally gifted children, recommended against shifting certain students into accelerated courses in middle school and tried to promote high-level math courses that could serve as alternatives to calculus, such as data science or statistics.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

The draft also suggested that math should not be colorblind and that teachers could use lessons to explore social justice  for example, by looking out for gender stereotypes in word problems, or applying math concepts to topics such as immigration or inequality.

The battle over math comes at a time when education policy, on issues including masks, testing and teaching about racism, has become entangled in bitter partisan debates. The Republican candidate for governor in Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, seized on those issues to help propel him to victory Tuesday. Now, Republicans are discussing how these education issues can help them in the midterm elections next year.

Even in heavily Democratic California  a state with 6 million public school students and an outsize influence on textbook publishing nationwide  the draft guidelines encountered scathing criticism, with charges that the framework would inject woke politics into a subject that is supposed to be practical and precise.

People will really go to battle for maths to stay the same, said Jo Boaler, a professor of education at Stanford University who is working on the revision. Even parents who hated maths in school will argue to keep it the same for their kids.

Story continues

The battle over math pedagogy is a tale as old as multiplication tables. An idea called new math, pitched as a more conceptual approach to the subject, had its heyday in the 1960s. About a decade ago, amid debates over the national Common Core standards, many parents bemoaned math exercises that they said seemed to dump line-by-line computation in favor of veritable hieroglyphs.

Today, the battles over the California guidelines are circling around a fundamental question: What, or whom, is math for?

Testing results regularly show that math students in the United States are lagging behind those in other industrialized nations. And within the country, there is a persistent racial gap in achievement. According to data from the civil rights office of the Education Department, Black students represented about 16% of high school students but 8% of those enrolled in calculus during the 2015-16 school year. White and Asian students were overrepresented in high-level courses.

We have a state and nation that hates math and is not doing well with it, Boaler said.

Critics of the draft said the authors would punish high achievers by limiting options for gifted programs. An open letter signed by hundreds of Californians working in science and technology described the draft as an endless river of new pedagogical fads that effectively distort and displace actual math.

Williamson M. Evers, a senior fellow at the Independent Institute and a former official with the Education Department during the administration of George W. Bush, was one of the authors of the letter and objected to the idea that math could be a tool for social activism.

I think thats really not right, he said in an interview. Math is math. Two plus two equals four.

Distress over the draft made it to Fox News. In May, Boalers name and photograph were featured on an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight, an appearance she did not know about until she began receiving nasty letters from strangers.

Like some of the attempted reforms of decades past, the draft of the California guidelines favored a more conceptual approach to learning: more collaborating and problem-solving, less memorizing formulas.

It also promoted something called de-tracking, which keeps students together longer instead of separating high achievers into advanced classes before high school.

The San Francisco Unified School District already does something similar. There, middle school math students are not split up but rather take integrated courses meant to build their understanding year by year, although older high school students can still opt into high-level classes such as calculus.

Sophia Alemayehu, 16, a high school junior in San Francisco, advanced along that integrated track even though she did not always consider herself a gifted math student. She is now taking advanced calculus.

In eighth and ninth grade, I had teachers tell me, Oh, youre actually really good at the material, she said. So it made me think, maybe Im good at math.

The model has been in place since 2014, yielding a few years of data on retention and diversity that has been picked over by experts on both sides of the de-tracking debate. And while the data is complicated by numerous variables  a pandemic now among them  those who support San Franciscos model say it has led to more students, and a more diverse set of students, taking advanced courses, without bringing down high achievers.

Youll hear people say that its the least common denominator that discourages gifted kids from advancing, said Elizabeth Hull Barnes, the math supervisor for the district. And then its like, nope, our data refutes that.

But Evers, the former Education Department official, pointed to research suggesting that the data on math achievement in places such as San Francisco was more cherry-picked than conclusive. He added that Californias proposed framework could take a more nuanced approach to de-tracking, which he saw as a blunt tool that did not take the needs of individual districts into account.

Other critics of de-tracking say that it amounts to a drag on children who would benefit from challenging material and that it can hurt struggling students who might need more targeted instruction.

Divya Chhabra, a middle school math teacher in Dublin, California, said the state should focus more on the quality of instruction by finding or training more certified, experienced teachers.

Without that, she said, students with potential would quickly fall behind, and it would only hurt them further to take away options for advanced learning. I feel so bad for these students, Chhabra said. We are cutting the legs of the students to make them equal to those who are not doing well in math.

Tracking is part of a larger debate about access to college. Under the current system, students who are not placed in accelerated courses by middle school may never get the opportunity to take calculus, which has long been an informal gatekeeper for acceptance to selective schools.

According to data from the Education Department, calculus is not even offered in most schools that serve a large number of Black and Latino students.

The role of calculus has been a talking point among math educators for years, said Trena Wilkerson, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. If calculus is not the be-all, end-all thing, then we need everyone to understand what the different pathways can be and how to prepare students for the future, she said.

Californias recommendations aim to expand the options for high-level math, so that students could take courses in, say, data science or statistics without losing their edge on college applications. (The move requires buy-in from colleges; in recent years, the University of California system has deemphasized the importance of calculus credits.)

For now, the revision process has reached a sort of interlude: The draft is being revised before another round of public comment, and it will not be until late spring, or maybe summer, that the states education board will decide whether to give its stamp of approval.

But even after that, districts will be free to opt out of the states recommendations. And in places that opt in, academic outcomes  in the form of test scores, retention rates and college readiness  will add to the stormy sea of data about what kinds of math instruction work best.

In other words, the conversation is far from over.

Weve had a really hard time overhauling math instruction in this country, said Linda Darling-Hammond, president of Californias board of education. We cannot ration well-taught, thoughtful mathematics to only a few people. We have to make it widely available. In that sense, I dont disagree that its a social justice issue.

 2021 The New York Times Company
(Bloomberg) -- Canopy Growth Corp. reported a negative gross margin for its most recent quarter, showing just how far the cannabis company has to go to reach profitability.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The hit comes as consumer preferences shift to higher-end products, including high-THC items and marijuana that comes from a single strain of plant, Chief Executive Officer David Klein said in a phone interview. The evolution in tastes is due in part to customers spending more time at dispensaries as Covid-19 lockdowns relax, he said.

Weve now focused our cultivation to be more premium and more agile so we dont have those issues going forward, Klein said. A prior trend toward value-priced offerings has continued, but price competition in that space has become tougher, prompting Canopy to pivot to mid-priced and premium offerings.

The big hit this quarter came from writing down C$87 million ($69.8 million) worth of cannabis inventory after demand was less than expected in Canada, Canopys biggest market. That resulted in gross margin of negative 54% for its fiscal second quarter, which ended Sept. 30, the company reported Friday.

The company recorded a loss of C$163 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Analysts expected a loss of C$50.2 million, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Canadas marijuana market has been disrupted by delays in distributing Covid-19 vaccines, which has slowed the reopening of the economy. Now that consumers are back in stores, Klein said theyve become more sophisticated in their preferences.

As consumers experiment, rather than be more generic around sativa or indica types of plants, they want specifics strains with a lineage, he said. The company is becoming more nimble so that it can quickly scale up its cultivation based on its vast genetic library and is also scouring the market for strains that might interest its consumers, and working with craft growers, Klein added.

Story continues

Canopy also pushed out its goal to hit positive adjusted Ebitda, without giving an exact timeline. Klein said its been taking longer than expected to get the companys CBD products onto U.S. store shelves.

On a positive note, the brands it does have in the U.S. are doing well: Canopys Martha Stewart CBD line in the U.S. remains one of the fastest growing brands in the industry, the company said. The company also has several options on the U.S. market.

Read more about its latest deal to buy pot-gummy maker if the U.S. legalizes

The shares tumbled 8.8% at 10:44 a.m. in New York. The stock had declined 46% this year through Thursday.

(Updates with CEO comments. An earlier version corrected a reference to Ebitda.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
An off-duty Chicago police officer has been charged in the fatal shooting of another off-duty officer, according to police reports.

Jacqueline Villasenor, 39, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after shooting a male officer Tuesday night at a residence in the 8500 block of West Winona Street on the Far Northwest Side near OHare International Airport, police said.

The couple lived together, according to a source.

The man, 44, was shot and transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The shooting is being investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Villasenor has been placed on 30-day administrative leave and will appear in Central Bond Court Friday.

------
Many entrepreneurs running early childhood facilities  most of them women  gathered for a discussion at the Greater Gainesville Chamber City of Commerce to talk about two things: what it takes to run an early childhood facility and how to pay the bills.

The discussion was organized by the Children's Trust of Alachua County, the Business and Leadership Institute for Early Learning and the chamber, who wanted to hear what preschool business leaders need.

Robyn Perlman, president of the Business Leadership Institute, began the conversation with asking early if they felt valued. Some answered that they are valued by the children but sometimes looked on by parents as babysitters.

Perlman pointed that in low income communities, women who take up the mantle and jump into preschool work because they have a passion for the education field.

Robyn Perlman leads discussion Friday at the Greater Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce.

"They're willing to take the risk and they're willing to place themselves in a very vulnerable situation because not only are they being vulnerable for each of the children they serve because they don't have the financial resources. They're being vulnerable for themselves and their own families because they're living off of marginalized income," Perlman said.

Perlman made it clear to the business owners that resources such as the chamber and Children's Trust are a resource, but it is critical that they knew how much money they needed to operate successfully.

"When they ask for help, we want them to know exactly what they're asking for, because when we translate that to our legislators, if they're going to make that change in the funding either on the state level or federal with those vouchers then we need to know the funding... it's really important to know your numbers just like any other business," said Eric Godet, chamber president and CEO.

Another big challenge for the preschool leaders is the workforce. Most educators teaching at an early childhood center begin at $12 an hour, however it can be hard for to recruit staff when other businesses in the area are paying upwards of $15 an hour.

Story continues

"The reality is you have to have those wages to be competitive," Perlman said.

In order to compete with those other businesses, it's essential that early childcare facilities run the numbers so they can identity those shortfalls.

"And distinguish over a long period of time how am I going to incrementally going to get to were I need to be, and it is, I'm going to have to raise tuition, I'm going to have to perhaps put new programming in that brings in additional revenue, I'm going to have to really explain to my parents the value that our educators are bringing into the classroom for their children," Perlman said.

In the early childcare industry there is a hesitation to raise tuition rates for fear of losing parents.

Misty Smith, owner of Little Preparatory Preschool, a privately owned early learning center in Alachua County, began her journey in education after she found herself pregnant at 16 and began looking for ways to educate her son.

She opened up her center when she was 25 and the business has been running for three years.

The Little Preparatory School educates children starting shortly after birth to age 5. Smith said the school currently has 48 children enrolled and there are six educators in the building. Her starting range for teachers is $12 an hour.

Parents have the option to pay weekly for the preschool services, which she said can vary from $150 to $255.

However she said what her preschool needs right now is stable funding.

Godet said it's thrilling that he got to hear from the early education centers in Alachua County because there aren't that many and they're essential to the community.

He said the next step is to go in front of legislators with some of the educators so they can speak directly to the officials about what it exactly they need.

" And that's why it's important for us to get those numbers so that they know exactly what they need to do to help them," Godet said.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Early childhood center owners say stable funding is biggest challenge
By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) -China will hold those who support "Taiwan independence" criminally liable for life, it said on Friday, provoking anger and ridicule from the democratic island at a time of heightened tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

For the first time China was spelling out the punishment that awaits people deemed to back independence for Taiwan, top officials of the self-ruled island among them, as tension rises over what China regards as a province of its own.

China has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control, despite the island's claim that it is an independent country that will defend its freedom and democracy.

The Taiwan Affairs Office named Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang, Parliament Speaker You Si-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu as being "stubbornly pro-Taiwan independence", as it made public for the first time that it had drawn up a list of those falling into the category.

China will enforce punishment for those on the list by not letting them enter the mainland and its Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said in a statement on Friday.

Such blacklisted individuals will not be allowed to cooperate with entities or people from the mainland, nor will their companies, or entities which fund them, be allowed to profit from the mainland, she added.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council admonished China, saying Taiwan was a democratic society with rule of law and not ruled by Beijing.

"We do not accept intimidation and threats from an autocratic and authoritarian region," the council said, adding that it would take the "necessary countermeasures to safeguard the safety and well-being of the people".

Zhu said the message China wanted to send to supporters of Taiwan independence was: "Those who forget their ancestors, betray the motherland and split the country, will never end up well, and will be spurned by the people and judged by history."

Story continues

In a Twitter post on Saturday, Taiwan's foreign minister, Joseph Wu, wrote, "I've received countless notes of congratulations after being blacklisted and sanctioned, for life, by the #CCP," referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

"Many are jealous for not being recognized; some ask where they can apply for it. To deserve the rare honor, I'll keep fighting for #Taiwan's freedom and democracy."

China believes Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is a separatist bent on declaring formal independence. She says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian and Yimou Lee; Editing by Nick Macfie and Clarence Fernandez)
A citizen journalist jailed for her coverage of China's initial response to Covid in Wuhan is close to death after going on hunger strike, her family said, prompting renewed calls from rights groups for her immediate release.

Zhang Zhan, 38, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 to report on the chaos at the pandemic's epicentre, questioning authorities' handling of the outbreak in her smartphone videos.

She was detained in May 2020 and sentenced in December to four years in jail for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" -- a charge routinely used to suppress dissent.

She is now severely underweight and "may not live for much longer", her brother Zhang Ju wrote last week on a Twitter account verified by people close to the matter.

Zhang has been on a hunger strike and was force-fed through nasal tubes, her legal team, which did not have information on her current condition, told AFP earlier this year.

"She may not survive the coming cold winter," Zhang Ju wrote, adding that he had urged his sister in letters to "take care of herself".

"In her heart, it seems there is only God and her beliefs, with no care for anything else."

Zhang Ju's posts sparked fresh calls for his sister's release, with Amnesty International urging the Chinese government Thursday to "release her immediately so that she can end her hunger strike and receive the appropriate medical treatment she desperately needs".

Amnesty campaigner Gwen Lee said in a statement that Zhang's detention was a "shameful attack on human rights".

Someone close to the citizen journalist, who declined to be named, told AFP the family had asked to meet Zhang more than three weeks ago at the Shanghai women's prison where she is being held but had not received a response.

AFP was unable to reach Zhang Ju while Zhang's mother declined to comment.

The Shanghai prison also offered no response when approached by AFP.

Story continues

- 'Apply pressure' -

China's foreign ministry on Friday did not comment on Zhang's condition, but dismissed calls from rights groups for her release as "anti-China political manipulation."

"China is a country with rule of law," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference. "Anyone who breaks the law must be punished in accordance with the law."

Zhang now cannot walk or even raise her head without help, according to Reporters without Borders (RSF).

RSF East Asia Bureau head, Cedric Alviani, said the "international community (must) apply pressure to the Chinese regime and secure Zhang Zhan's immediate release before it is too late."

"She was only performing her duty as a reporter and should never have been detained, not to mention receive a four-year prison sentence."

China has revelled in its success in keeping domestic infections down to a trickle of sporadic outbreaks.

The government has put forward a narrative crediting the Communist Party with returning life almost to normal even as death tolls and infections continue to explode in the rest of the world.

But those who threaten the official version by raising questions about the government's early cover-up and handling of the Wuhan outbreak face the party's wrath.

Zhang is among a group of four citizen journalists -- including Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua -- detained after reporting from Wuhan.

bys-tjx/rox/jfx
A rendering of the Bloomington Trades District Technology Center.

City leaders hope a new $5 million, 22,000-square-foot building in Bloomington will spur tens of millions of dollars in private investment, bolster the regions technology sector and diversify the local economy.

Local officials said the Trades District Technology Center, at Maker Way and North Madison Street, will provide resources and expertise to early-stage companies to help them reach their next level of development and to set them up for growth.

Recognition: Bloomington lauded as 'Rising Tech City'

In a sense, the tech center would serve as a next step for businesses in The Mill, the citys coworking space and business accelerator, which provides services for remote workers, freelancers and startups.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration recently awarded the city a $3.5 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to support the tech centers construction. The citys redevelopment commission has pledged $1.6 million toward the project. The EDA projects its grant will create 530 jobs and spur private investment of $51 million.

This is actually a pretty big deal, said Alex Crowley, director of the citys Economic and Sustainable Development department.

The center will enable the city to take the next step in creating the infrastructure thats required to spur private investments in the tech sector, and the federal grant validates the citys efforts, he said.

Crowley said the center will provide a space primarily for companies that outgrow The Mill. While the business incubator provides inexpensive space and wraparound services for startups, the tech center will offer services for a companys next stages of development, including how to raise capital, how to commercialize a product and how to identify and move into a market.

Crowley said city leaders hope the new center also will generate regional, national and global interest in Bloomington's startup scene, which will increase the city's success in recruiting new enterprises from other cities. However, the center will focus primarily on companies cultivated in The Mill.

Story continues

'Big step' for Bloomington

Brad Wisler.

Brad Wisler, a Bloomington entrepreneur whose company is based at The Mill, said the new center will bring a vibrancy to the neighborhood.

I think its a big step for the trades district as a whole, he said.

Wisler is founder and CEO of Periodic, an online platform that makes it easy to schedule and book appointments. Founded in 2016, the companys platform enables bookings as simple as one-on-one appointments for a phone call or meeting or as complex as time-based commerce, in which someone can schedule a delivery or service that has to be paid upon booking, with prices being calculated on the fly based on feedback.

Periodic moved into The Mill a couple of years ago and since then has about quadrupled its employment to more than 20.

The Mill provided the company a private office and enough space for additional employees without any long-term obligation.

In the very early phase of a company, when it has a small team, Wisler said it cannot afford to pay for more office space than it needs and it cannot risk getting locked into a long-term lease.

In the early days of a startup, you just dont know whats going to happen, he said.

However, he said, once a company reaches a certain size, the importance of flexibility gives way to the need for stability.

Weve really already outgrown The Mill, Wisler said.

He said the companys size has made it difficult to stay at the business incubator, even though proximity to other entrepreneurs and startup employees remains critical to addressing business challenges.

Wisler said Periodic now needs a place where it can stay for the long-term that it can customize and which offers a little more privacy.

A company the size of Periodic would fit well into the tech center, he said, especially because its tenants will remain near The Mill. The new structure will be diagonally across the street from The Mill.

More: New apartment complex planned north of Johnson Creamery building

Having other founders and entrepreneurs nearby provides tremendous value, Wisler said, because it enables everyone to learn from others knowledge and experience.

For example, Wisler said some of Periodics developers meet with employees of other startups at The Mill to talk about JavaScript, a programming language, which enables everyone to get a fresh perspective on how other companies deal with the same or similar problems.

Thats really beneficial to us, he said.

Impromptu meetings and conversations at The Mill also often enable founders to learn from one another, Wisler said. Someone may talk about a challenge, then hear about possible ways to address it from a peer who has dealt with a similar problem.

Collaborative energy

Ravi Bhatt.

Ravi Bhatt, founder and CEO of Folia, agreed.

The tech center will provide space for companies that outgrow The Mill, but the structure will maintain many of the things that make The Mill concept work, especially a layout to encourage chance encounters and an atmosphere of collaboration.

While companies in The Mill may be difficult to discern, as the open space often reveals energetic people doing work, Bhatt said the new structure will feature a lobby with distinct offices.

Well see  an actual place of business, he said.

Bhatt, who did his undergraduate work at IU in Bloomington, said when he launched his previous startup about a decade ago, the citys ecosystem for developing businesses was fragmented. But now, with The Mill, more entrepreneurs and engaged city leaders, the situation looks vastly different.

Bhatt and his family moved to Bloomington this year from Chicago. His new company, Folia, which went live a few weeks ago, enables customers to digitally mark up all kinds of documents, collaborate on them in real time and to share them securely.

Bhatt said that clients, such as attorneys, may have to review and annotate all kinds of documents, such as financial data, memoranda, emails, case law, contracts and licensing agreements. Usually, all the documents are printed to enable people to highlight some sections and make notes on others, and then the stacks have to get copied again to be shared with other people.

A horribly manual process, Bhatt said.

Folia enables clients to complete all of the highlighting and annotations digitally and to share the documents easily and securely.

The company has five employees in Bloomington and 20 across the globe. Bhatt said he hopes to triple the companys employment in the next few years.

It's Your Business: Powering Indiana innovation with the Flywheel Fund

Wisler said structures like The Mill or the tech center also provide much needed emotional support for founders.

He said getting a company off the ground requires hard work, dedication and tenacity  but it also can be lonely because early on, the company has only one employee, the founder, whose shoulders bear all of the responsibilities.

Especially in difficult times, its valuable to get support or encouragement from others who have been in a similar situation, he said.

Jennifer Pearl

Jennifer Pearl, president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corp., said the new center will help diversify local job offerings beyond manufacturing and life sciences.

The BEDC and the citys redevelopment commission were co-applicants for the federal grant.

Pearl said by focusing on the tech sector, the community is building on already available assets from educational institutions such as Indiana University and Ivy Tech, as well as private sector companies or the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.

Were really excited about what this can do for the region, she said.

Crowley said he expects crews to break ground on the tech center in 2022, with completion projected 18 months later.

Boris Ladwig is the city government reporter for The Herald-Times. Contact him at bladwig@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington Trades District Technology Center construction starts 2022
The parents of 4-year-old Cleo Smith said Friday that their family was "whole again" and thanked everyone involved her rescue, shortly after the prime suspect in her alleged abduction was taken to a maximum security prison in Western Australia.

"We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country," Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon said in a statement. "We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again."

Their statement was released by police, hours after Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, the prime suspect in their daughter's alleged abduction, made brief appearance in court in the coastal town of Carnarvon. A magistrate refused to release him on bail and he will return to court next month.

Cleo Smith waves from a hospital after being found safely in Carnarvon, Australia, on Nov. 3, 2021. (Western Australia Police via Facebook)

Police said Thursday he had been charged with various offences including one count of forcibly taking a child under 16.

After his court appearance, officers escorted the prisoner from Carnarvon to the state capital Perth, the Department of Justice in Western Australia said in a statement.

"The prisoner will be held at a maximum security facility," it added.

Cleo was taken from a campsite in Carnarvon on Oct. 16.

Her disappearance both horrified and rivetted Australia as extensive police search initially covered the area around the campsite, before extending nationwide and Cleo's parents made desperate pleas for her safe return.

Investigators eventually found Cleo on Wednesday in a locked house in Carnarvon, a short drive from the Smith family home.

Officers, forced entry to the house and found Cleo alone in a room, physically unharmed. Police released an audio recording of the emotional moment they found the child on Thursday.

"We've got her, we've got her, one officer can be heard saying, before asking her name.

My name is Cleo, she replied, after briefly hesitating.

Story continues

Kelly is alleged to have acted alone and has no relation to Cleos family, police said. He was taken to hospital while in custody to treat self-inflicted injuries Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde, who is heading the police investigation told reporters on Thursday.

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics

He added that specialist child interviewers had traveled from Perth to Carnarvon to interview Cleo about the case.

The main concern around that is Cleos welfare, Wilde said. We have experienced people that will undertake that and itll take as long as it takes. Well sit down with the family and work out the appropriate time.

Western Australias state Premier Mark McGowan visited Cleo at her family home on Thursday.

Cleo was a delightful little girl who was playing in the backyard, he told reporters afterwards. She was, I felt very well adjusted, considering.
On a recent chilly autumn morning, three yellow school buses unloaded a group of sixth grade students on the grassy fields of the Howard County Conservancy in Woodstock, Maryland.

Sporting multicolored face masks, the students gathered in small groups near their assigned volunteer who would guide them throughout the conservancy, a nonprofit environmental education center that was founded in 1990.

Visiting from Murray Hill Middle School in Laurel, the students were among the first in the county to participate in the Howard County Public School Systems new climate change curriculum, Climate Xpedition.

The curriculum, which features classroom and field instruction, teaches students the impacts of climate change and how to take positive action to avoid and solve negative effects, how and why some communities bear a greater brunt from severe weather, how tree canopies help mitigate flooding, and the impacts of different land surfaces and urban heat islands, according to a news release from the school system.

Funded by a nearly $400,000 grant to the conservancy from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the curriculum is the first of its kind in the region and will be piloted in three county public middle schools during the 2021-22 school year  Murray Hill, Patuxent Valley Middle School in Jessup and Folly Quarter Middle School in Ellicott City  and incorporated in all county public middle schools over the next three years.

At the end of the three years, we will be reaching every sixth grader within the Howard County Public School System, conservancy Executive Director Meg Boyd said. Because its a systemic program, every student will be learning about climate change; its not a matter of whether you can afford to take a field trip.

The conservancy and the school system have collaborated to provide environmental education for students since 2003, according to the release. Other initiatives include a biodiversity program for county fifth graders and a Watershed Report Card project for all ninth and 10th grade biology students.

Story continues

Our school system deeply appreciates our close partnership with the Howard County Conservancy, which has been invaluable in providing all students with relevant, hands-on environmental learning experiences, schools Superintendent Michael Martirano said in a statement.

During the Oct. 27 expedition, students took part in hands-on activities highlighting different aspects of climate change, including climate solutions, environmental justice and tree canopies.

After a short hike through the woods, one group of students arrived at their first rotation station, Carbon Cafe.

Weighing plastic food items on a small scale, they discussed strategies to best reduce their carbon footprint.

Bonnie Hodder, a sixth and seventh grade science teacher at Murray Hill, stood nearby supervising the students as they participated in the activity.

Having collaborated with the conservancy to bring the curriculum to the school system, she said she felt that all students should be able to learn about climate change.

Ive been doing a climate change project with my students for years now, but this is an opportunity for every one of the kids to do that and that wasnt an opportunity before, Hodder said.

Being able to take something that is so important to their future and being able to engage them more is something that is really important to me.

Sixth grader Roselyn Bartlomeo, 11, said it is important for students to learn about climate change.

Maybe one of my friends or classmates might find something and maybe change a little bit and it will change how the climate is, Roselyn said.
Climate change activists confront Sen. Joe Manchin, who has been one of two key holdouts on the reconciliation bill, which, in part, contains climate change solutions. Courtesy Rachael Warriner

A group of protesters met Sen. Joe Manchin outside of the Capitol Yacht Club "we want to live."

The protesters demanded that lawmakers pass the reconciliation bill in full.

Manchin is one of two key holdouts on the bill, which contains climate change solutions.

The day after young climate change protesters from the left-leaning Sunrise Movement ended a two-week hunger strike the group switched tactics.

With a banner that said, "Joe Manchin is burning our future for profit," over 100 protesters gathered at 6 a.m. ET outside of the Capitol Yacht Club where his houseboat (where he lives while in DC) is docked.

The protester's demand during the hunger strike and the confrontation with Manchin? Pass the reconciliation bill - particularly without cuts to measures aimed at addressing the climate crisis.

They also demanded that Manchin be ousted as chairman of the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The protesters confronted him near a parking structure, swarming his Maserati, and some even tried to get to the dock by canoeing through the Potomac but were stopped by security.

-Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice (@HungerStr1ke) November 4, 2021

Protestors captured footage of them shouting at Manchin inside of his Maserati, "We want to live!"

-Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice (@HungerStr1ke) November 4, 2021

Shortly after the confrontation, Manchin appeared on CNN where he called the Senate "a hostile working environment."

Kidus Girma, a 26-year-old organizer with the Sunrise Movement who came from Dallas to participate in the two-week hunger strike, described Manchin as "someone who's made millions of dollars off of coal money."

Manchin accrued $500,000 in 2020 in stock dividends from his son's coal company, Enersystems, which Manchin himself founded in 1998, Insider previously reported, and in which he holds an estimated $5 million stake, according to the Guardian and Center for Media and Democracy.

Story continues

One of the hunger strikers and climate change activists, Kidus Garma, "bird-dogging" Sen. Joe Manchin. Rachael Warriner

In phone calls with Insider, Girma said that he is "continuously and consistently delaying the legislation that everybody on this planet needs."

The bill started at $3.5 trillion over 10 years ($350 billion per year) and - after pruning provisions like, but not limited to, free community college and cutting paid family leave from 12 weeks to four - it is now resting at $1.75 trillion over 10 years ($175 billion per year).

Manchin has explained his position by saying he wants to avoid giving Americans "an entitlement mentality."

"I will not support a bill that is this consequential without thoroughly understanding the impact it will have on our national debt, our economy, and the American people," said Manchin on Monday.

In addition to opposition to the price tag for what Biden has called investments in "human infrastructure," Manchin opposed some climate change provisions in the bill.

The reconciliation bill in Biden's Build Back Better plan would reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% by 2030.

"I think Manchin must believe that he has enough money to not have to experience the worst effects of climate change, but even if he doesn't experience the worst effects, he will experience effects," Girma said.

One of the hunger strikers and climate change activists, Kidus Garma, "bird-dogging" Sen. Joe Manchin. Rachael Warriner

The group of activists, ages 18-26, flew out to DC compelled to take a stand against cuts made to the reconciliation bill, during ongoing deliberations and compromises with Manchin and Sinema of Arizona. Every Democrat, including Manchin and Sinema, must vote in favor of the spending package for it to pass.

Alongside Girma, 24-year-old Julia Paramo from Dallas, 24-year-old Paul Campion from Chicago, 20-year-old Abby Leedy from Philadelphia, and 18-year-old Ema Govea from Santa Ana, California committed to going without food, relying solely on water, to demand that Congress pass the reconciliation bill. The hunger strike lasted a little more than 14 days.

Allyson Woodard

This is not the Sunrise Movement's first radical action. They have previously occupied government offices in protest and are vocal proponents of the Green New Deal.

Their mission is to relay the urgency of climate change. According to the United Nations Environment Programme website, global greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by approximately 50% by 2030 "to prevent extreme climate change, biodiversity loss and to curb pollution and waste."

"Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem," Executive Director of UNEP, Inger Andersen, said in a press release. "To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5C, we have eight years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: eight years to make the plans, put in place the policies, implement them and ultimately deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly."

The Office of Senator Joe Manchin did not respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Letecia Stauch entered a plea of not guilty Thursday against the accusation that she murdered her stepson, Gannon Stauch, in January 2020.
Pandemic numbers show the fourth surge of the coronavirus has peaked in Ohio, with rising vaccinations and other measures capping the delta variant. But public health officials caution that the going still is difficult, and they are worried about the winter as people spend more time indoors.

Vaccinating younger children, thanks to federal action this week, will close an access gate for the virus to spread, offering hope of further flattening the pandemic, the officials say.

"We're not out of the woods," Ohios health director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff declared. "Despite a downward trend, Ohios COVID cases remain very high.

For the last two weeks in September, Ohio counted nearly 617 cases of COVID-19 for every 100,000 people. For the second half of October, the case rate slid to 359 for every 100,000 Ohioans, a spread the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still rates as severe. Thats the reason public health officials still recommend masking, even for vaccinated people, to enhance the effort to contain the contagion.

To drop to what the CDC considers moderate spread, the case rate needs to hit 50 for every 100,000 people.

As of this week, the Ohio Department of Health reported more than 24,760 Ohioans have died in the coronavirus pandemic, nearly three-fourths of them older than 70.

Vanderhoff offered his assessment Wednesday in discussing the expanding inoculation campaign for the 997,000 Ohio children ages 5 to 11, which the federal government authorized Tuesday.

COVID-19 Pfizer BioNTech vaccine doses for children ages 5 to 11 arrive Tuesday at Hamilton County Public Health department. There were 1,200 doses in this package, officials said.

Last December, vaccines boosted by an unprecedented effort in the Trump administration became available for adults. By June, Ohio and the nation saw falling death numbers, hospitalizations and cases.

In Hamilton County, for example, the peak of the pandemic daily count was 938 cases on Nov. 13, 2020. By June 26, there were eight. Public health officials across the nation set goals of getting 70% of Americans vaccinated by July 4.

Then the delta surge spread across the world in spring and by Independence Day started gaining on the U.S. vaccination campaign. People resisting the call to get vaccinated contributed to the steep rise in case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths, although not to the winters peak.

Story continues

ODH says that in Franklin County on July 1, nine people were hospitalized with COVID-19. By Sept. 20, 266 were in hospitals. By Oct. 31, the census was 84.

In Summit County on July 1, one person was hospitalized. The peak was Sept. 9 at 27. On Oct. 31, the number was nine.

Public health officials across the state said the surge clearly drew the bulk of its fuel from people who did not get vaccinated. The state's hospitals went into the black zone of occupancy, have come down from their stressed

More than 90% of COVID-19 patients in Ohio in 2021 have been unvaccinated.

The ambitious vaccination goals from the summer have yet to be reached. As of Thursday, the state reported almost 65% of Ohioans 12 and older had gotten at least one shot of vaccine. More than 1.5 million Ohioans, about 13%, have gotten the coronavirus and have some level of immunity from the exposure.

More: Northeast Ohio doctors warn of winter surge, laud progress in new therapy, more vaccines

Wednesday, Vanderhoff and other public health officials urged parents to get eligible children vaccinated to protect them and older family members. Vaccinations also protect cancer patients and others living with compromised immune systems that make them vulnerable to a virus.

The pandemic came on suddenly in March 2020, but its ending will be harder to pin down. The 1918 flu pandemic took about two years to subside, without a vaccine to assist, and eventually, flu became seasonal, with pockets of breakouts. The same endemic outlook could hold true for the coronavirus.

The winter will be another key test. So far, flu in Ohio appears to be even less than in 2020, a record low season thanks to precautions against the coronavirus. But holiday gatherings usually give flu a prime opportunity to spread, especially among those who forego the flu shot.

Donna Skoda, Summit County public health commissioner, is optimistic but worries about a "twindemic" of COVID-19 and flu.

"Were in that odd phase right now where it appears from all indications that were getting it behind us. However, were coming up on the holidays, when people move indoors and we just had a big trick or treat, Skoda said. "We have seen some upticks in the past. Were hopeful were going to continue to drop.

Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika W. Roberts

Its also possible and in fact likely that the coronavirus could mutate further to a strain that spreads even more quickly than the delta variant or defeats the vaccination. Those concerns trouble public health officials such as Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts.

"I'm feeling good about where we stand today, she said, but I think it's too early to say how long we're going to maintain that level.

"I want to manage people's expectations," Roberts said. "I don't want our community to think: 'well, they told us this was over and now look.'"

One sign that the pandemic is passing turned up this week. In Hamilton County, the state of emergency order issued in the earliest days of the crisis, March 12, 2020, quietly expired on Halloween.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: COVID-19: After fourth surge peak, worries about winter in Ohio
Happy Friday! If you are new to this newsletter, welcome!

I hope today's edition of the Coronavirus Watch newsletter finds you happy, healthy and ready for the weekend.

This Sunday is daylight savings, so please make sure you "fall back" one hour. We are in the last few months of the year and I can't believe it will be Turkey Day, then Christmas shopping. The year is moving fast.

The Sunday Asbury Park Press is now loaded with more sports, local news and puzzles. It is such a great deal that is worth picking up a copy! All the additional pages are marked in the corners with Sunday Plus. And, of course, our great digital-only sale is ongoing we have attractive pricing that deserves a once over. Time is ticking on this great offer, so subscribe today!

And as always, a friendly reminder: We will no longer be sending you the Coronavirus Watch newsletter unless you have signed up for it. If you like hearing from us, please check your newsletter settings here. As always, thank you for reading.

Now, let's get into it:

Vaccination appointments for young children in New Jersey, 5 to 11 years old, are now available for their first COVID vaccine shots. The federal regulators approved a two-shot regimen in an effort health officials hope will continue to drive down infection cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The vaccine made by Pfizer is one-third the dose of the adult vaccine. It will be delivered in two shots at least three weeks apart. Shots are free. Some providers of the vaccine began taking online appointments after the approval on Tuesday which include:

Jersey Shore University Medical Center

CVS

Walgreens

RiteAid

The state Health Department's vaccine finder webpage now includes a tab for "Pfizer 5+" and lists dozens of providers.

More than 17 million health care workers must be vaccinated by Jan. 4 under President Biden's COVID-19 mandate. On Thursday, the Biden Administration released a new rule that would require health care workers across 76,000 hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities to be fully immunized. The vaccine mandate for health workers aims to:

Story continues

reduce the ranks of the unvaccinated

prevent workers from getting sick

prevent customers from getting sick

encouraging millions of Americans to return to work

Health care workers who refuse vaccination do not have the option of weekly testing. Since health facilities possess a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of patients, Biden's plan will allow only health care workers who qualify for a medical or religious exemption to skip the immunization.

NJ COVID VACCINE SITES

Here's the updated list of sites in Monmouth and Ocean counties offering COVID-19 vaccines, according to the state Department of Health.

VaccineFinder.gov is a free online website that will help you find and secure a local appointment with simple instructions.

Monmouth County

Bayshore Medical Center , Holmdel: Registrations online only at hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township: Registrations online only at www.centrastate.com/vaccine

Community Health Center of Asbury Park : 1301 Main St.; 732-774-6333; vnachc.org/

CVS Pharmacy: 3391 Route 35, Hazlet, 470 Route 36, Highlands, 71 South Broadway, Long Branch; 800-746-7287; cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine.

Freehold Family Health Center : 579 Park Ave.; 732-294-2540; vnachc.org/

Jersey Shore University Medical Center , Neptune: Registrations online only at hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

Keyport Community Health Center : 35 Broad St.; 732-888-4149; https://vnachc.org/

Monmouth County Health Department: 50 East Main St.; 732-431-7456; visitmonmouth.com/health

Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

Ocean Health Initiatives: 3600 Route 66; Neptune; 732-363-6655; ohinj.org

Red Bank Primary Care Center: 188 East Bergen Pl.; 732-219-6620; vnachc.org/

Rite Aid: 1360 Route 36, Hazlet; 596 Shrewsbury Ave., Tinton Falls; 4057 Asbury Ave., Suite 8, Tinton Falls; 75 South Main St., Neptune; 200 Wilson Ave., Middletown; 149 Main St., Manasquan; riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier

Riverview Medical Center: 1 Riverview Plaza, Red Bank; 732-741-2700.

Sam's Club: 320 W. Main St., Freehold, 732-780-0734

ShopRite: 280 Route 9; Marlboro; or 3120 Route 35; Hazlet; vaccines.shoprite.com

Walmart: 4900 Route 9, Howell, 732-886-9111; 326 W. Main, Freehold, 732-780-3484; 3575 Route 66, Neptune, 732-918-0441.

Ocean County

CHEMED: 1771 Madison Ave., Lakewood; 732-364-6666; chemedhealth.org

Community Medical Center, Toms River: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

CVS Pharmacy: 1600 Route 35, Seaside Heights; 421 Lacey Rd., Manchester; 800-746-7287; cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine

Long Beach Island Health Department: 609-492-1212; lbihealth.com

Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, Lakewood: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

Ocean County Health Department: Multiple locations: 800-342 9738; www.ochd.org/covid19-vaccine-update/

Ocean Health Initiatives: 10 Stockton Drive, Toms River; 101 2nd St., Lakewood; 798 Route 539, Little Egg Harbor; 732-363-6655; ohinj.org.

Ocean Medical Center, Brick: 732-836-4144; hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

Rite Aid: 3258 Bridge Ave., Point Pleasant; 159 East Kennedy Blvd., Lakewood; 1041 Burnt Tavern Rd., Brick; 1 North New Prospect Rd., Jackson; riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier

Southern Ocean Medical Center: 1173 Beacon Ave., Stafford; 609-597-6011; hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

ShopRite: 297 Route 72, Stafford; and 860 Fischer Blvd., Toms River; vaccines.shoprite.com

Local case numbers

We have the town-by-town breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Please have a safe enjoyable weekend. I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Best,

~Tamara Walker, Lead News Assistant ~

I can be reached at twalker@gannettnj.com or Twitter @twilderapp

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: COVID-19 vaccine providers for kids, healthcare workers mandate update
By James Davey and Victor Jack

LONDON (Reuters) - In Britain, there is even a shortage of crunch.

After enduring panic buying at the fuel pumps and soaring heating prices, the British must now brave a new shortage: crisps, or potato chips, one of the country's favourite snacks.

Crisp shelves in supermarkets and shops across the land have been left bare after an IT system upgrade at Walkers, Britain's biggest producer. The deficit could last weeks.

Walkers, owned by PepsiCo, said although issues around the system upgrade had been fixed, factories will not ramp up to close to full production until towards the end of November, meaning reduced volume and range at retailers.

"A recent IT system upgrade has disrupted the supply of some of our products. Our sites are still making crisps and snacks but at a reduced scale," said a spokesperson for Walkers, which is based in Leicester, central England.

"Were doing everything we can to increase production and get peoples favourites back on shelves. Were very sorry for the inconvenience caused."

Walkers is prioritising production of its most popular crisps flavours, including Cheese & Onion, Ready Salted and Salt & Vinegar, as well as Quavers and Wotsits from its snacks range.

But shortages of Walkers crisps have pushed consumers to buy other brands, thus emptying shelves in a year that has seen supply chains strained by a post-Brexit shortage of truck drivers and the global supply hiccups caused by COVID.

In August, McDonald's pulled milkshakes and bottled drinks from its menu, and fellow fast food chain Nando's shut around 50 sites due to staffing shortages in its chicken supply chain.

THE CRISP

Crisps are one of Britain's favourite snacks, popped into packed lunches for children, gobbled alongside pints in pubs, or eaten semi-secretly on sofas as a condiment to television drama.

The British gorged on such quantities of snacks during COVID-19 lockdowns that the government sponsored advertisements beseeching people to eat more healthily.

Story continues

On average people in Britain eat around two 25-gram bags of potato crisps per week, and 141,000 metric tonnes of crisps are sold each year in the country, according to data from market researcher Kantar.

"I'm upset: now I have to go out shopping again," said Carole Moore, a 69-year old pensioner from Plaistow, east London, who was searching for crisps on an empty aisle at Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket group.

Moore, shopping for a bonfire night party of 22 people, was unable to find any multipacks of her favourite Prawn Cocktail and Salt & Vinegar crisps at the Tesco superstore in Beckton.

The invention of crisps in the early 19th century is a subject of historical dispute, with various legends and claimants on both sides of the Atlantic.

By the 20th century, crisps had become big business. Walkers was founded in 1948 in Leicester by a local butcher who switched to crisps from meat due to post-World War Two rationing.

The UK market value of crisps, popcorn, nuts and other savoury snacks rose 13.1% to 3.8 billion pounds ($5.1 billion) in the year to Dec. 27, 2020, says Kantar.

($1 = 0.7443 pounds)

(Writing by James Davey, Paul Sandle and Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Jan Harvey)
Nov. 4While the Mitchell City Council acknowledges the work that Dakota Counseling provides to the community, concern with the city's funding for the organization has arisen at recent meetings.

During Monday's meeting, council member Steve Rice said city taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the large amount of annual subsidy funds to the mental health group. Considering a South Dakota statute stipulates it's a county requirement to have mental health counseling services available for people in their respective area, Rice questioned why the city is being asked to provide the most funding to subsidize the group.

"The statutory requirement for running these programs is a county requirement. As far as I know everyone in the city of Mitchell is in Davison County, and everyone in the city pays taxes to the county," Rice said during Monday's council meeting. "The mechanism of asking for money from the city is a broken mechanism. It's a county requirement."

According to the financial information Dakota Counseling provided to the council, it showed the city has doled out the most annual subsidy funds to the local nonprofit organization than all of the counties and municipalities that Dakota Counseling serves.

For example, the city provided Dakota Counseling with $26,250 in subsidy funds for 2021, while Davison County gave the organization $13,000, which was the second largest amount that a local government provided. However, Council President Kevin McCardle noted the county's subsidy is less than half of the city's, which he said shouldn't be the case.

"I pay county taxes, and therefore I'm paying for services at this institution to the county. I shouldn't be paying them to the city as well," Rice said. "I just struggle with the fact that the request is coming to the city, and it's a general fund request. I don't get the comment that these services are provided to the city. ... No, they are provided to the county residents. It doesn't matter where they live in the county. Everyone who lives in the county doesn't live in the city."

Story continues

With the council's discussion about the county's role for mental health services, Davison County Commission Chairperson Brenda Bode emphasized the county supports mental health services in more ways than the annual subsidy approved for Dakota Counseling.

Bode said the "large amount" of funding the county provides to the Davison County Jail also includes mental health work, pointing to it as another way the commission supports mental health counseling in the area.

"We pay for all the services involved with the jail, and that $13,000 is an additional bonus to Dakota Counseling. The $13,000 is far from the only funds we give for mental health services," she said.

Keeping up with mental health

Michelle Carpenter, executive director of Dakota Counseling, emphasized that mental health needs have grown in Mitchell. To meet the growing demand of mental health issues people are struggling with in the area, Carpenter said the subsidy funds are critical to facilitate those services.

"The city of Mitchell has grown, and the crisis has grown as well," she said.

Carpenter said the subsidy funds are utilized for "crisis consults," which she explained are scenarios in which individuals are suicidal and in crisis.

"Whether someone calls us at 2 a.m. and is threatening themselves or their family, we have someone available to handle that," Carpenter said, noting those types of crisis calls can take from 30 minutes to eight hours.

The organization serves six counties surrounding Mitchell, but Carpenter said roughly 80% of the crisis consults take place in Mitchell.

Dakota Counseling also runs Stepping Stones, a treatment facility made up of counselors and mental health professionals who help rehabilitate clients, including inmates awaiting sentencing. But Carpenter said providing those services has been tough on her staff amid the pandemic, which has caused a nationwide spike in mental health woes.

"We're struggling. The equipment to provide services and emergency services and the weekends and after hours is so taxing," Carpenter said at the Oct. 18 council meeting. "Last year, our nurses helped deal just short of $1 million in medications for our clients. We were struggling before, and COVID-19 has made it more difficult for us."

Council trims subsidy funds

Each year, the city reviews requests from local nonprofit organizations seeking subsidy funds. The council ultimately decides the amount of subsidy funds each organization receives. Like most of the nonprofits, the subsidy funds come out of the general fund, which is backed by sales tax revenue that the city collects, hence Rice's claim that city taxpayers are funding a large portion of Dakota Counseling's annual subsidy requests.

Over the past five years, the council has trimmed the amount of subsidy funds that organization has requested on an annual basis. Mayor Bob Everson said the cuts were due to the concerns that Rice raised involving the statute for mental health services being a county requirement, not a city requirement.

Although Dakota Counseling initially requested $62,000 for 2022, the council is proposing to trim that to $26,250. From 2010 to 2016, the city funded $62,000 in subsidies each year to Dakota Counseling. In 2017, the council began cutting the subsidy funds, which was reduced to $50,000 and has continued since.

"In 2017, when council started reducing the subsidies, it was because the increases were only being passed on as the city was giving at a higher level than other entities. At that time, the council said they wanted the group to go and seek out other governmental subsidies," City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein said at Monday's meeting.
The Dallas Zoo has been upfront about the recent spate of mysterious giraffe deaths and the ongoing investigation into whats happening  but that has also resulted in a deluge of public criticism.

Why it matters: Zoo officials still arent sure what led to the deaths of 19-year-old Auggie or 14-year-old Jesse, noting that the giraffes may have been exposed to a toxin in their habitat, food or possibly a foreign object.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

A 3-month-old giraffe named Marekani was also euthanized at the zoo last month after suffering a catastrophic knee injury inside the habitat.

The latest: Necropsies indicated that both adult giraffes died from liver complications, but the zoo is still waiting on a variety of other lab tests. Zoo officials have asked for help from experts around the country.

The rest of the giraffes have been isolated and are not showing any symptoms. "We're hopeful this is contained," Dallas Zoos vice president of marketing and communication Kari Streiber told Axios.

What theyre saying: Zoo employees have noted some harsh comments, especially on social media.

"People forget there are humans on the other side of the keyboard and the screen," Streiber said. "The toughest part is when you have an animal team or a veterinary team working their butts off, those people are also dealing with those comments."

Of note: The Dallas Zoo has had several young giraffes grow up to be healthy adults. Baby giraffes in the wild have a survival rate of around 50%.

Between the lines: After animal rights advocates successfully lobbied for changes at institutions like SeaWorld and prominent traveling circuses, the ethics of zoos is the next moral debate on the table.

The Dallas Zoo has been on the frontline of the national discussion.

Its YouTube page has a series of videos exploring "Why Zoos Matter."

Our thought bubble: Transparency is almost always the right way to go, even when theres blowback.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
damon-galgut-booker

Damon Galgut, South African author, attends the shortlist photocall for the 2021 Booker Prize for Fiction on October 31, 2021 in London, England. Credit - David Levenson/Getty Images

The South African writer Damon Galgut was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize this week for his novel The Promise, which confronts the racist history of his native country through the story of a troubled Afrikaner family and its broken promise to a Black domestic employee.

In naming Galgut the winner, the Booker judges called The Promise a spectacular demonstration of how the novel can make us see and think afresh. Structured around four funerals spanning a 40-year time frameincluding the period of apartheid, the election of Nelson Mandela, and years of post-segregation corruptionThe Promise follows The Swarts, a privileged white family who live on a farm near Pretoria. The Swarts agree to give their Black maid, Salome, ownership of her home on their land to repay her for devoted service. That promise takes the family four decades to honor.

One by one, members of the family who fail to keep the promise die, leaving alive the only character prepared to repay Salome. Speaking with TIME following his win, Galgut says he wanted to approach the story from an unconventional angle.

Not establishing who your central characters are, or what the central situation is right at the beginning, but letting that show slowly, like a photograph developing, he says.

The four acts of a play, as Galgut refers to the novels structure, are interspersed with historical details which haunt the characters. The result is a vivid picture of a country plagued by racism, settler-colonial identities and poverty. Although Galgut wasnt trying to make a political statement, he recognizes the novel is a portrait of decline, rather than progress, a characterization of South Africa he believes to be true. Almost three decades since the end of apartheid, the country is not much better off, he says.

Story continues

The sort of ironic, second meaning of The Promise is implied, he says. Its the promise of South Africa in 1994, something we all felt and attached a lot of hope to. There was a real opportunity to transform the country, but it was squandered. And where we are now, economically, morally, is not where most of us hoped we would be.

According to Transparency Internationals Global Corruption Barometer, 64% of 1,840 citizens surveyed in 2018 thought corruption had increased in the previous 12 months. The overall bribery rate reported by people using public services was 18% in 2019, up from 7% in 2015.

Despite the rampant corruption and a sense of exhaustion, Galgut sees glimmers of hope. You cannot transform the economic situation that apartheid bequeathed to us overnight, he says. But it was always heartening to me that people knew this was going to be a process, not just a flip of the switch.

Per Galgut, the central focus of The Promise is the white South African psyche, or the mentality used to justify the subjugation of Black South Africans for more than three centuries, which can be seen in the dynamic between the Swarts family and Salome.

The white South African psyche is not very perceptive about Black citizens that are really, really close to hand. I mean, so close that sometimes these are people whove worked for your family for years, he says. A lot of white South Africans just dont care to ask, or arent interested enough to ask.

This purposeful ignorance underpins Galguts narrative choices in the novel. Although Salome, and her rightful inheritance, are the principal focus of the story, the jumping narrative voice always seems to skip her over.

People are wondering if I refrained from voicing Salomes sensibility out of fear of identity politics or something like that, he says. Thats really not the case.

Instead, Galgut wants to confront the reader with Salomes silence and make that bothersome. At one point the narrator turns on the reader, questioning their lack of interest in a character whose fate is decided by her fairly deplorable white employers.

While The Promise is distinctly South African in scope and setting, the universal themes arguably carried the novel to its Booker Prize win. If theres any release of emotion in the usual cathartic way, it probably only comes at the end, Galgut says. Whether the relief is Salomes, the Swarts or the readers, is for each reader to decide.
Detroit Inspector General Ellen Ha answers questions about preferential treatment by the mayor's office by Detroit City Council members Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019.

A simmering dispute between Detroits official government watchdog and the citys top lawyer became public this week with accusations that city attorneys are impeding investigations that could hurt Mayor Mike Duggan politically.

The debate exposed an increasingly acrimonious relationship between Duggan and his allies, and the city's inspector general, who said her mission is to freely investigate claims of fraud and government abuse.

Inspector General Ellen Ha said at a city council meeting Wednesday that the disagreement  which began in 2019 during her investigation into Duggan and the Make Your Date program  has escalated to the point she had no choice but file a complaint with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. Specifically, she lodged the complaint against Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia for allegedly interfering with her investigations involving high-ranking city officials.

Duggan addressed the controversy for the first time publicly on Friday, defending Garcia and saying that the corporation counsel is providing appropriate legal representation to city workers who are under threat of perjury and possible prosecution during inspector general interviews.

"I have no idea why the Detroit inspector general is trying to deny people their statutory right to counsel," Duggan said. "I think Mr. Garcia is right."

Detroit's Office of Inspector General was established in 2012 as a safeguard against corruption in the wake of corrupt conduct during the Kwame Kilpatrick administration. As the city endures another federal public corruption investigation, Ha said it is imperative for her office to operate with independence and integrity.

"What is at stake here is what kind of an inspector general should the city have?" Ha said at the City Council meeting on Wednesday. "The one who operates in accordance with the charter to act as an independent check on elected or appointed officials, city employees and contractors? Or the one who happily defers her responsibility and powers in the shadows of the biding time, afraid to do her job as required?"

Story continues

Ha argued that Garcia is supposed to represent the city government as a whole, but he is picking sides and creating a conflict of interest by representing certain officials to protect them from inspector general investigations. By shielding city officials accused of fraud or government abuse, Garcia is abandoning his greater responsibility to the city, according to Ha said.

Ha did not name the officials involved in her investigations but said the interference threatens the future effectiveness of her office.

Ha has been critical of Duggan and his administration in the past. Her report on Make Your Date, a prenatal health program run by Duggans now-wife, Sonia Hassan, concluded the mayor gave the organization preferential treatment. The report also said officials in Duggans administration ordered city emails about Make Your Date to be deleted as media scrutiny of Make Your Date intensified.

More: Report: Duggan gave program preferential treatment, chief of staff ordered emails deleted

More: Detroit inspector general reacts after Mike Duggan declines to punish staff

Garcia, who is in charge of the citys law department, said he is simply fulfilling his duty to represent city employees in legal matters. He accused Ha of "an escalating campaign of intimidation and overreach," unfair interrogation sessions and racial bias.

"It has not escaped my notice that all six of the persons maligned by the OIGs recent reports are minorities  either African American or of Middle Eastern descent," Garcia wrote in a letter to Has attorney on Oct. 24. "There is something very disturbing about the position you and your client are taking, and your threat to accuse me of professional misconduct will not deter me from objecting to it."

Garcias letter was among documents released by Has office after Wednesdays council meeting. Her office denounced Garcia's accusation of racial bias on Thursday as "patently ridiculous."

"The process for all cases is the same, irrespective of a subject's race, gender, national origin, or any other protected category," Ha's deputy, Kamau Marable, said in a statement. "The OIG staff, which happens to be 80% African American, is professional and experienced, and corporation counsel's irresponsible and ignorant suggestion of bias is unwarranted. Its also extremely dangerous and to make such a baseless claim on one of the few Asian American leaders in city government when we are all aware Asian Americans are being targeted with violence for simply being Asian American."

Ha, who was born in South Korea and immigrated to Detroit in 1975, said filing an official complaint with the state Attorney Grievance Commission was a necessary step for her office to carry out its duties as an independent watchdog charged with investigating waste, fraud and abuse in city government. Ha became inspector general in 2018.

Her office has hired an outside law firm, Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter, for representation in its dispute with Garcia.

The Attorney Grievance Commission cannot comment on complaints filed, commission administrator Michael Goetz said.

Ha said she brought her concerns to City Council in the interest of transparency so the public is aware of the challenges her office is facing.

But some City Council members said they did not appreciate how the dispute broke into public view.

Earlier in the meeting, before Garcia was able to join the discussion to respond to Ha's concerns, Councilwoman Janee Ayers said she was ashamed of how the meeting was unfolding.

"This whole thing is messy. Y'all just came here this Wednesday morning with a whole bunch of mess, and it's ridiculous," said Ayers, who on Tuesday lost her re-election bid for an at-large seat on the council. "I just don't want to sit through a Wednesday beat-up-on-attorney-Garcia day, because I know that's what we're about to get into."

Garcia's deputy, Charles Raimi, also criticized Ha's investigative tactics at the council meeting. Raimi said he was sickened at how Ha went after one city worker who was just doing her job.

"Ms. Ha apparently has been reading her newspaper clippings and is not content to confine herself to true fraud and abuse," Raimi said. "So shes gone after roughly seven mid- to high-level city employees who didnt commit any crime or corruption or anything else, but Ms. Ha thinks that she knows better than them how the city should be run."

In contrast, Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez said the discussion was important because it's council's role to shed light on such issues. She cautioned against personally attacking Ha.

"This has happened multiple times, that I feel like corp(oration) counsel or others have undermined your role as a woman of color in leadership and I think thats incredibly disrespectful, and I think its dangerous," she said. "Making this personal undermines the fact that this is about a structure issue, an issue of how our charter is made out. I just caution folks to diminish it and dismiss it in a way that says, 'This is just about dirty laundry, this is just about personality issues,' because that is a form of gaslighting and it undermines the main issue thats being presented."

Ha and Garcia have not always been at odds.

Ha had a cooperative relationship with Garcia early in her term and he respected her independence, according to a letter the inspector generals law firm sent Garcia on Oct. 4.

But that changed when she initiated an investigation into Make Your Date in April 2019, following a Free Press investigation into the organization.

According to Ha's lawyer, Garcia began treating the inspector general differently after she issued her Make Your Date report, which was critical of the mayor and his staff. Since then, Garcia has insisted on representing subjects and witnesses in inspector general investigations and questioned her jurisdiction.

"Corporation counsel has no legitimate role in assessing what reports OIG can or cannot issue, or what type of observations OIG can or cannot make," Julie Porter, an attorney for Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter, wrote to Garcia. "Corporation counsels decision to do so now  in the wake of the MYD investigation, and other investigations that appear adverse to the mayor or his allies  appears to be nakedly political."

Garcia did not budge from his stance. He said the city charter gives him a responsibility to assist city workers in legal matters relating to their work for the city. He said the practice can save city workers thousands of dollars they would otherwise spend on private attorneys. Garcia also cited a state law that allows government agencies to represent its workers in an investigation or proceeding.

Ha countered that the charter language Garcia referenced only refers to civil litigation, not internal administrative proceedings such as inspector general investigations.

I look forward to any debate or any process that will resolve the dispute, the debate that Inspector General Ha and I had, Garcia said at Wednesdays City Council meeting. I will stand firm on that policy till the bitter end.

Contact Joe Guillen: jguillen@freepress.com or 313-222-6678. You can follow him on Twitter @joeguillen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit inspector general files complaint against corporation counsel
The prosecution stood by its request that Dongwook Ko go to prison for attacking a 13-year-old girl at an Indiana University music school violin camp in the summer of 2019.

The defense argued their 19-year-old client needs mental health treatment he wouldn't receive behind bars and should be spared incarceration.

Judge Darcie Fawcett sided with the lawyers representing Ko, who pleaded guilty to criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon. She sentenced him this week not to prison but to eight years on house arrest, then two years on probation.

Plea entered: Teen pleads guilty in 2019 knife attack at IU music school

Terms of his sentence prohibit any contact with the victim. Ko is to receive psychological treatment.

The girl's father said Judge Fawcett's concern for Ko's anxiety issues and his welfare if he went to prison, and whether he would get counseling there, don't lessen the damage to his daughter.

Nina Barringer, the victim's mother, is disappointed and said her daughter has been denied justice. The sentence range for the crime is three to 16 years.

"The divide between the prosecutor asking for a 12-year prison sentence and Judge Fawcett ordering house arrest speaks to how inappropriate this outcome is," Barringer wrote in a statement.

"The freedom to watch Netflix in a fancy south Bloomington house is not part of a punishment that parents expect when their 13-year-old daughter is strangled, beaten, and stabbed and slashed more than a dozen times in a premeditated crime."

Previously: Stabbing attack victim feared for her life

Testimony during a three-hour presentencing hearing in August and court documents filed in the case indicate Ko has struggled with depression and PTSD, and has attempted suicide since the attack, which he described as a prank that went too far.

Fawcett also heard during that hearing from the girl's family members how the attack has affected her over time, changing her life and making her afraid to be alone and also fearful in crowds.

Story continues

"This sentence is even more appalling coming from Judge Fawcett because she is a former sex crimes prosecutor and knows how detrimental light sentences are to victims of violent crime," Barringer said.

Ko was just 17 and charged as an adult in July 2019 with attempted murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping and strangulation. The kidnapping charge was amended to criminal confinement, and the other charges were dismissed through a plea agreement.

In 2011, Ko and his mother moved to Bloomington, where she enrolled in graduate school. They are South Korean citizens; Ko's file contains a letter from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea indicating Ko claimed he was being unfairly treated by the American judicial process.

"The Korean Consulate asks that Mr. Ko's case is handled fairly, swiftly and in a manner that accounts for his age," the letter states, citing the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

Out on bond: Teen charged in stabbing released on bond

The girl was playing her violin alone in a Merrill Hall practice room during IU's Summer String Academy when Ko, whom she knew from the previous summer's camp, lured her out by saying the academy director wanted to see her.

She said Ko forced her into an upstairs locker room where she screamed and kicked him, fearing for her life as he held a pocketknife blade to her throat.

The girl suffered cuts to her hands, arms and legs. She knocked Ko to the ground, an IU employee who heard her scream stopped Ko, and she ran away.

Ko left his home that morning and returned with blood on his hands and clothes. He told his mother he had pulled a prank on a girl. I dont know what I did. I may have hurt her, he reportedly said.

Police went to Ko's house soon after the incident and found his pocketknife soaking in a bowl of water in the kitchen.

Contact reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com, 812-331-4362 or 812-318-5967.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Teen who attacked girl at IU strings camp sentenced to house arrest
Atlantic Broadband donated time Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover chamber in hanging holiday lights downtown.

DOVER  The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce City Lights Committee, along with local businesses and community volunteers, spent several hours on Friday, Nov. 5, decorating downtown with lights in preparation for the upcoming holiday season.

The city of Dover, Leavitt Electrical Contractors, Martineau Electric, Atlantic Broadband, and Eversource all donated time and resources to help with the project. The lights were donated from The Home Depot. Ladders were donated by Southers Construction.

Martineau Electric donated time Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover chamber in hanging holiday lights downtown.

Harvey's Bakery & Coffee Shop donated time Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover chamber in hanging holiday lights downtown.

The chamber thanked Harveys Bakery & Coffee Shop, which has been volunteering to hang lights in Dover for 13 years, along with committee volunteers.

Several downtown businesses and property owners allow the committee to plug lights into their building to illuminate these lights. These businesses include Harveys Bakery & Coffee Shop, Hopkins Enterprises, Summit Land Development, Kostis Enterprises, Flawless Faces Lash & Skin Studio, and Thompson Tavern.

Leavitt Electrical Contractors generously donated their time on Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover Chamber in hanging holiday lights in Dover's downtown.

The Dover City Lights Committee is funded by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerces annual Festival of Trees. This event features over 35 trees elaborately decorated by local businesses and organizations. The trees are then auction and raffled off. This event is free and open to the public. The 2021 Festival of Trees is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Rivermill at Dover Landing.

Visit dovernh.org/fot for information.

The city of Dover donated time Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover chamber in hanging holiday lights downtown.

In addition to hanging lights during the holiday season, the Dover City Lights Committee also hangs American flags on Central Avenue during the summer months. For more information on the Dover City Lights Committee or Festival of Trees contact the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce at 603-742-2218 or visit dovernh.org.

Eversource donated time Friday, Nov. 5 to assist the Dover chamber in hanging holiday lights downtown.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover NH chamber volunteers, local businesses illuminate downtown
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona participates in a chemistry experiment with Plymouth High School teacher Scott Milam.

A federal free community college program may be dead for now, but that doesn't mean the push is over, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told the Free Press in a recent conversation.

He plans to continue to push for it "as long as I'm secretary."

A campaign promise of Joe Biden in 2020, a plan to make community college free across the nation was recently stripped out of the president's Build Back Better budget bill as part of a compromise between Biden and legislators to pare back the bill's cost.

Those who are pushing for the free community college plan say it is key to helping more people get training needed to improve the nation's workforce. Cardona said it would be another tool to help improve access.

In his comments, Cardona echoed Biden, who said at a CNN town hall meeting he remains committed to it.

"I'm going to get it done," Biden said. "If I don't I'll be sleeping alone for a long time," he added, referencing his wife, Jill Biden, who is a community college professor and has made free community college one of her priorities. Jill Biden was at Oakland Community College in Royal Oak in September stumping for the idea.

Michigan currently has several versions of free community college, including programs for frontline workers and for students who are returning to college.

Cardona said the education department is a supporter of those plans and of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whom he called a great partner in efforts to increase access and completion. Cardona has made several trips in recent months to Michigan to spotlight various education programs.

Michigan has also set a goal of 60% of Michigan residents having completed a postsecondary certificate or degree by the year 2030.

Even though free community college didn't make the cut in the Biden administration's proposal, Cardona said there remain a number of policies designed to broaden access to college.

Story continues

He highlighted a $550 increase to the maximum Pell Grant, which would raise the total students are eligible for to over $7,000 per year. That would allow the grant to cover the cost of a year's tuition at most community colleges. Pell Grants are awarded based on income and don't have to be repaid, unlike federal student loans. There are more than 140,000 students in Michigan who use Pell Grants, according to a fact sheet from the education department.

The bill also contains other grants for community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities to help improve training.

The proposal's focus on improving education and work opportunities isn't just limited to spending on college. There are also key provisions to help with childcare costs, Cardona said.

"We want to help develop opportunities for families," he said.

Separate from the bill, the department is also making sure students aren't taken advantage of by for-profit schools.

"We want to make sure we hold bad actors accountable," he said. "We got into the mess we are in terms of loan forgiveness" in part because there wasn't enforcement.

Current provisions in federal law called "borrower defense to repayment" or "borrower defense" allow federal borrowers to seek cancelation of federal student loans if their college committed various forms of misconduct.

He's launched a task force to look at issues like investigating borrower's defense claims, where students can file complaints with the department over false education or outcome promises made by colleges.

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj. Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Education Secretary Cardona: Free community college plans aren't dead
A Gulfstream jet similar to the ones reportedly sold by Evergrande. Power Sport Images/Getty Images

Evergrande sold two of its private Gulfstream jets in October, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

One jet was sold for under $40 million and the second was sold for around $15 million, per the WSJ.

The reported sales happened the same month Evergrande made two bond-interest payments.

Struggling Chinese property developer Evergrande sold two of its private jets for more than $50 million in October amid its struggles to control its huge debts, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The two Gulfstream jets were bought by American aircraft investors, The Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter and a business aviation database.

Evergrande's debt pile is $300 billion and the company faces a series of imminent bond payments, Insider's Lina Batarags reported Monday. Analysts have warned that a collapse of Evergrande would harm the global economy.

Sales of the two jets closed in October, around the time Evergrande made two last-minute bond-interest payments of $83.5 million and $45.2 million, The Journal reported.

One of the jets was sold to Earth Air, an aviation investor, for close to $40 million, and the second was purchased by Aviation Sales Associates for around $15 million, The Journal reported.

Earth Air President Alex Joya told The Journal the company bought the jet but said he couldn't disclose details. A representative from Aviation Sales Associates declined to comment to The Journal.

Before the sales, Evergrande owned at least four jets, The Journal said.

Evergrande didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The claim: Italy's health department lowered the country's COVID-19 death toll from 130,000 to 3,783

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Italy has been among the hardest-hit countries in Europe. But a social media post claims officials have dramatically lowered the country's death count.

"Italy reduces covid death toll from 130K to 3,783," reads an apparent headline shared Oct. 18 on Instagram.

The text in the image goes on to say the "Italian Department of Health casually revised its 'Covid-19' official death toll down from over 130,000 to 3783."

The image is a screengrab from an article posted on NexusNewsfeed.com, which describes itself as a "vehicle for like-minded, independent thinkers to help create something new."

Fact check: Delta on track to comply with federal vaccine mandate, CEO says

But the claim is wrong. Italy's Ministry of Health hasn't decreased the official death toll, and the number in the post doesn't correspond to how many people have died from the virus.

The user who shared the image on Instagram told USA TODAY in a direct message that she posted it because she was asking "Italians to chime in and help us all understand."

USA TODAY reached out to Nexus Newsfeed for comment.

Italy's death toll exceeds 132,000

About 132,000 people have died due to COVID-19 in Italy  not 3,783, as the post claims.

In an interactive map, the Italian Department of Civil Protection monitors and updates daily data regarding COVID-19 cases and deaths. The death total was 131,585 as of Oct. 18, when this post was made.

A medical staff of the Gemelli hospital stands at the door of a room of the Pineta Palace Hotel where patients recovering from COVID-19 are undergoing quarantine under the supervision of the Gemelli hospital, in Rome, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020.

The 3,783 figure in the post appears to stem from an editorial published Oct. 21 by Italian newspaper Il Tempo, which the Nexus Newsfeed article cites as its source.

USA TODAY reached out to the Ministry of Health and the Department of Civil Protection for comment.

Claim misinterprets COVID-19 death report

The Il Tempo article says a report from the Italian National Institute of Health found only 2.9% of COVID-19 deaths registered since the beginning of the pandemic were actually due to the coronavirus. But that's not accurate.

Story continues

The report analyzed the characteristics of Italians who had died of COVID-19 as of Oct. 5. Among the characteristics were age, vaccination status and comorbidities.

Fact check: Alabama health system paused COVID-19 vaccine requirement due to federal mandate

The report found that 2.9% of patients didn't have any additional diseases or conditions, known as comorbidities, listed when they died. The Il Tempo article took that percentage and applied it to Italy's COVID-19 death tally.

"Of the 130,468 deaths registered by official statistics at the time of preparation of the new report only 3,783 would be due to the power of the virus itself," the article reads, according to Google Translate.

Il Tempo Director Franco Bechis, who authored the article, told USA TODAY in an email his decision to apply the 2.9% figure to all COVID-19 deaths was based on previous action from the Italian National Institute of Health, whose experts used "a few hundred" medical records to describe the trend and impact of the virus across Italy at the beginning of the pandemic.

But the article's conclusion that only 2.9% of deaths were caused by COVID-19 is "completely wrong," said Pier David Malloni, a spokesperson for the Italian National Institute of Health.

Graziano Onder, director of the Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging, also told La Repubblica that's not an accurate way of interpreting the report.

"It's all wrong, it's not true that only 2.9% of deaths are due to COVID," Onder told the newspaper, according to Google Translate. "Of course the vast majority of deaths are people who had pre-existing diseases but who very often were in good health, and they would have lived for many more years."

In most cases, he said, patients with pre-existing conditions like hypertension would not have died without first contracting COVID-19  meaning the virus was the primary cause of death. Onder told the newspaper that, in Italy, there were 100,000 more deaths recorded in 2020 than in 2019.

"The reason for that increase cannot be the pre-existing chronic pathologies in many victims, which were equally widespread in previous years," he said. "That number tells the impact of the coronavirus in our country."

Similar claims spread in US

The claim that COVID-19 victims with comorbidities didn't actually die because of the virus isn't new. USA TODAY debunked similar claims that have circulated on social media throughout the pandemic.

Fact check: Vaccinated people positive for COVID-19 not allowed to attend events in LA

While comorbidities can make people more susceptible to COVID-19, the primary cause of death is determined separately from any pre-existing health conditions that may have been present, USA TODAY reported in September 2020. Public health officials have told other fact-checking organizations that COVID-19 is the primary cause of death in all deaths attributed to the virus.

Why? As Maja Artandi, medical director at Stanford University's CROWN clinic for COVID-19 patients, explained to Reuters in September 2020: "If they had not gotten the infection, they would still be alive."

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that Italy's health department lowered the country's COVID-19 death toll from 130,000 to 3,783. The country's death toll remained close to 130,000 in October and was never amended, according to records from the Department of Civil Protection and Ministry of Health.

The claim is based on a misunderstanding of comorbidities in an incorrect media report. While many COVID-19 victims have additional conditions listed on their death certificates, public health officials have said the virus is their primary cause of death, as they would have lived longer if they hadn't contracted it.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Italy did not lower its COVID-19 death toll to 3,783
Teirra Black, mother of a 13-year-old boy who attempted to end his life due to racism and eventually two years later succumbed to injuries(Courtesy: WGN News) (WGN News)

The family of a child who attempted suicide due to racism and eventually died after suffering brain damage will be paid $1.25 mn by the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

Jamari Dent, a 13-year-old boy with special needs, attempted to end his life in 2019 after being a victim of racist abuse from students and teachers at two public suits.

On 18 February 2019, Jamari's younger sister found him after his attempt at self harm. He suffered permanent brain damage and was not able to walk or speak. He succumbed to his injuries in June this year.

The Chicago Board of Education met on 27 October and voted to approve the settlement amount to be paid to the boy's mother Teirra Black.

Ms Black had filed a lawsuit against the schools alleging that her son had been bullied by staff members and students at the Evers Elementary and Carter Woodson Elementary schools. She added that the officials did nothing to protect her son even after she requested them.

The boy was allegedly called "retarded", "stupid" and "dumb" by staff and students who also "joked that he would end up at a facility for students with mental disabilities".

A teacher at the Evers Elementary school allegedly called him "dirty" and asked him if his "brillo hair was the reason he couldn't read," the mother claimed in the lawsuit.

The same teacher allegedly physically assaulted Jamari in 2018 following which he was transferred to the Woodson Elementary school.

However, the abuse followed Jamari to the new school where he was called a dirty little n****r and stupid and dumb by a white teacher.

Following the boy's suicide bid, the school district in a statement claimed that "all allegations of bullying and student harm are taken seriously by the district, and we are fully committed to ensuring all students are supported and adults are held accountable".

A CPS spokesperson said they were saddened about Jamari's death but did not comment on the employment status of staff listed as defendants in the suit.

Story continues

Two principals and five of the six teachers mentioned in the lawsuit are present employees according to the CPS March 2021 employment roster, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Ms Black, after concluding the boy's funeral, sent a message to other mothers stating that if you know that your child is being bullied, please report it.

Jon Erickson, the family attorney said that the CPS failed the boy and other special needs children like him on a criminal level and they will be held to account".

This is the culmination of three years of horrific abuse, neglect and incompetence that resulted in an 11-year-old child feeling he had no option to relieve himself of the pain and cruelty he suffered at the hands of his teachers other than to take his own life, Mr Erickson was quoted by Atlanta Black Star as saying.

Earlier in 2020, the CPS paid $400,000 to settle two federal lawsuits accusing two teachers at Woodson and South Shore Fine Arts Academy of abusing special needs students.

Read More

How race is central to the trial of Ahmaud Arberys alleged killers

Youngkins victory in Virginia is revenge of the parents says Meghan McCain

Ethnic minority unemployment 70% higher than white joblessness for past 20 years

New Cross Fire: It wasnt a racist attack, survivor says

A Black influencer went undercover with White Lives Matter - this is what she learned

How Troubles-style attacks are shaping a Northern Irish racism epidemic
Military engineers spelled out Friday the next steps to clean up a World War II-era dumpsite that many fear has long been sickening the beachside residents who live above it.

More than 300 homes lie within the 52-acre area south of Patrick Space Force Base targeted for cleanup. Some fear the dangers a shovel might one day find in their yards. Nobody's been injured from an explosion yet, but other findings in backyards have kept the fear alive.

"While practice munitions and smaller (ammo) cartridges have been recovered, we have no evidence of munitions with explosives hazards." Andrew Rebman, project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said in a video presentation posted Friday.

Read more: Corps holds community meeting on old Space Coast military dump site

'A smell I could not get out of my nose': South Patrick Shores homeowner digs up old military waste

The presentation the Corps posted online walked homeowners through how the agency will probe South Patrick Shores yards for any dangerous debris or chemicals left behind before, during and after World War II. Workers will drive in mini-excavators, grab soil samples by hand, push-roll ground-penetrating radar to survey for metals, and put small canisters inside homes to test for soil gasses, if soil or groundwater samples raise suspicions those vapors are entering homes.

The Corps plans to conduct a soil-vapor-intrusion study of willing South Patrick homeowners' houses, in instances where soil or groundwater contamination is found. But not all residents are on board yet for the Corps investigation.

So far, 160 of 317 eligible homeowners (50%) have signed "right-of-entry" forms to allow the Corps on their property to sample for soil and air contamination. The Corps is seeking additional rights of entry, including at Sea Park Elementary School.

Meanwhile, many in the area say that while they welcome the long-awaiting investigation, they fear the Corps won't look long enough, hard enough or deeply enough.

Story continues

This stage of the investigation will prepare a report of risks from contamination, then the next stage would devise a plan for how to clean up the contamination and remove health risks to homeowners.

The Corps said it posted the presentation online, instead of holding a community meeting, because of health and safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They said residents can submit questions to the Corps via email at FUDS.Florida@usace.army.mil or by calling 800-710-5184.

In October 2019, Martha Bryant, of South Patrick Shores, attended a community meeting held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Satellite Beach. Bryant, born and raised in South Patrick Shores, suffers from ALS and suspects contamination in the community from an old military dumpsite contributed to her illness. The Corps had several representatives at the Pelican Beach Clubhouse in Satellite Beach for 12 hours on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. The outreach event was designed to get public input and provide information regarding the preliminary assessment of the Naval Air Station Banana River Off-Base Disposal Area.

Residents await answers

Answers from the federal government couldn't come soon enough for Martha Bryant, 57, diagnosed with ALS nine years ago. Many of her neighbors have faced a similar diagnosis, she and others have said.

"It's so rare, I don't see how it couldn't be something in the community," said Bryant, who lives on 1st Street in South Patrick Shores. She grew up in the same part of town, on Surry Lane, in the same house where her daughter, Paige, now lives. So Bryant also fears for her daughter, Paige's husband, Darryl, and their two-year-old son, Aidan, who now live in the same house Bryant grew up in.

As they wait on the Corps cleanup, Bryant and several others in South Patrick put their own air monitors in their homes, and Bryant's recently spiked as high as 23,500 parts per billion for total volatile organic compounds (VOCs), almost 80 times what's considered safe.

"I want to see something cleaned up, however they can do it so that truly cleans it up, so that it's all the way safe," Bryant said. "It's such a community here. It's like a family."

Cancer mystery: Cancer rates are higher in Brevard County, but health officials don't know why

Read more: Feds suspect how military dumpsite toxins enter Space Coast beachside homes: vapor intrusion

In May 2019, the Florida Department of Health released a more than yearlong investigation of illnesses in the South Patrick Shores area, concluding no significant public health risks. At the time, the Jacksonville oncologist who grew up in Brevard and had helped get the state to investigate cancers in the Satellite Beach and Suntree areas, said the state's investigation feel far short of what she'd asked for. The DOH investigation failed to examine all cancer types, the oncologist and other critics said, or include hundreds of local cancer cases activists and survivors reported to the health department.

Florida Department of Health officials assured at the time that the higher cancer rates in Brevard were no reason for alarm, could be explained by lifestyle, genetics or random chance and dropped investigations into the matter.

In October 2019, Randal Curtis of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers talks with Martha Bryant, who was born and raised in South Patrick Shores, and suffers from ALS. The Corps had several representatives at the Pelican Beach Clubhouse in Satellite Beach for 12 hours on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. The outreach event was designed to get public input and provide information regarding the preliminary assessment of the Naval Air Station Banana River Off-Base Disposal Area.

Poisons coming from underground vapors

Experts struggled for years to explain exactly how toxic chemicals from old military dumpsites along Space Coast beaches managed to sicken residents around South Patrick Shores. But for the first time, after decades of denial, federal officials signaled this past summer that they might have an answer: the cocktail of poisons come from underground in the form of vapors that seep into homes and can cause several health risks.

Industrial solvents and other chemicals that contaminated drinking water near military bases around the country have been associated with outbreaks of cancers and other rare diseases, sparking lawsuits and federal intervention. But what long provided a degree of plausible deniability to the military regarding South Patrick Shores was the fact that drinking water to the beachside area comes from mainland sources.

Soil vapor intrusion into homes was the theory that Bob Bowcock  who consults on water contamination issues for environmental activist Erin Brockovich  speculated about during a September 2018 community forum in Satellite Beach hosted by Brockovich.

The acknowledgement that soil vapors could be at play came in an Aug. 9 presentation by the Corps to state and local government officials. In the presentation, which recommended studying indoor air quality of homes in the South Patrick Shores area, the Corps noted that indoor air quality samples might show that homes were "potentially impacted by Navy-derived waste materials."

U.S. 192 landfill permit: Brevard County Commission OKs signing permit for U.S. 192 landfill, but keeps options open

New landfill?: Brevard commissioners to debate where to put new landfill to replace Sarno Road site

Sandra Sullivan, a South Patrick resident who's running for the Brevard County Commission Dist. 4 seat, obtained the 70-page Corps presentation via a public records request to the city of Satellite Beach.

Where soil gas problems are found, Sullivan hopes the Corps will install so-called slab depressurizations systems to vent away harmful VOCs before they can enter homes. Carbon filters in air handlers also can help reduce VOCs as well in your indoor air, she said, but do not address spikes.

Among the holdouts still to allow the Corps in to test is Brevard Public Schools. The school district has yet to sign the right-of-entry form for Sea Park Elementary, citing concerns over security and how the work would be conducted.

On Friday, Sue Hann, assistant superintendent of facilities, said the Brevard Public Schools is working with the Corps on BPS' concerns. "I expect to take a right of entry to the board in December or January," Hann said via email.

Watch the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presentation at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/BananaRiver/

Jim Waymer is environment reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Waymer at jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JWayEnviro

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jim.waymer

Support local journalism: It you would like to read more government and political news, and you are not a subscriber, please consider subscribing. For details, go to floridatoday.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Feds say what's next in military dumpsite cleanup in beachside Brevard
By Essi Lehto and Rami Ayyub

HELSINKI/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Finnish Christian missionary group has cut ties with a Palestinian children's rights NGO which Israel labelled a terrorist organisation, the charity's executive director said, citing concerns about possible banking sanctions.

Defence for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) is one of six Palestinian groups Israel accused of funnelling donor aid to militants. It rejects the charge and says it has asked the missionary society Felm to reconsider cutting funds.

Israel says the six accused groups have close ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which has carried out deadly attacks on Israelis and is on U.S. and EU terrorism blacklists.

Felm executive director Rolf Steffansson said his organisation had seen no evidence its funding had been misused.

"We have actively monitored the use of the money and it has been used for work advancing children's rights," Steffansson, whose organisation provided DCIP with 30,000 euros annually from 2015 to 2021, told Reuters.

But the Israeli designation had made it impossible to maintain ties with the group, Steffansson added.

"It could have impacted the work we do in 30 countries through banking services for example," he said.

DCIP, which relies on European aid to fund its advocacy and rights monitoring work in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, told Reuters no other donors had moved to cut off funding since the Israeli designation.

"We have been subject to escalating delegitimisation and disinformation campaigns advanced by an international network of extremist groups with the support of Israeli government ministries," DCIP Director General Khaled Quzmar said via a lawyer.

Felm operates under the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and receives part of its funding from the Finnish foreign ministry. None of that money has been channelled to DCIP, Steffansson and Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told Reuters.

Story continues

Haavisto said he understood Felm's concern that cooperation with DCIP could impact its other aid work, but added: "According to our understanding, the group has done normal peaceful civil society work."

Asked by Reuters for evidence backing its accusations that the organisations funnelled money to PFLP, an Israeli official said such documentation was classified.

Haavisto said he was worried the Israeli designation would harm Palestinian civil society and children's rights work in territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The United Nations and rights watchdogs have voiced similar concerns.

(Reporting by Essi Lehto in Helsinki and Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem)
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in the world," it happens that the first jury trial in the deluge of the opioid epidemic happened in northeast Tennessee.

Three district attorneys representing nine northeast Tennessee counties ravaged by the opioid epidemic determined to prosecute three pharmaceutical companies.

In early July 2021, the jury selection of six local Tennessean peers had begun. This was a litigation with three initial defendants, Purdue, Mallinckrodt and Endo Pharmaceuticals.

The case was about how they misrepresented the risks of opioids, relentlessly marketed their addicting products, and profited, greatly and knowingly, by exploiting the vast numbers of people and families they spun into their web.

By the time of the trial, Purdue and Mallinckrodt declared bankruptcy, leaving only Endo Pharmaceuticals to defend against its role in contributing to the ravages of the opioid epidemic in these nine, rural Appalachian.

Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.

Why this case matters

Dana Hampton, a former patient of Rinova Pain Clinics that was abandoned when her clinic in Clarksville shut down suddenly last month, holds in her hands what could be her last supply of medication at the Hampton household in Cerulean, KY., on Monday, June 3, 2019. With a dwindling supply of pain medication and no way to access her medical records, getting a new pain doctor will be challenging. "We're tired of having to start over," Hampton said about being stuck needing to get new doctors. "This isn't about opioid abusers," she said. "It's about patients abandoned by doctors." Hampton said she may need to start rationing the supply while she and her husband look for a new doctor.

There were three unique and noteworthy aspects of this litigation: first, it was a jury trial by peers, not judges, unlike its countless predecessors; second, the case was not for damages; and third, instead, the case (at its onset) for $2.4 billion to fund a public health approach to establishing and sustaining basic addiction, mental and physical health services to those impacted by the northeast Tennessee opioid epidemic, and prevent others from the same fate.

I became the principal expert witness for this case, for which I was compensated. This report is my first-hand account of the litigation as it unfolded from the summer of 2019 to its conclusion in July of 2021.

Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee.

This is the approach we took

My report to the court specifically addressed methods for remediating the opioid epidemic in five special populations of people with opioid use disorder (OUD):

Story continues

People with HIV or hepatitis C People in the criminal justice system Homeless people Children and families; and Babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and pregnant women.

These were, arguably, the most vulnerable to the epidemic, and, thus, illustrative, of the extent and duration of a public health endeavor to mitigate a deadly epidemic.

Public health approaches to epidemics are well established. Consider, the elimination of polio, measles (though no longer), tuberculosis, and smallpox. How public health methods beat back the HIV/AIDS epidemic, substantially reduced motor vehicle accidents, and illness and death from tobacco. As well as the enormous number of lives saved  or could have been saved  from COVID-19.

This trial represented an opportunity to put forth an effective, enduring public health program for the opioid epidemic in northeast Tennessee. Rather than customarily pursuing costly, ineffective, punitive, stigmatizing and criminal justice approaches, in this case, to the opioid epidemic.

That was my assignment: propose a public health plan to give these impacted counties a real chance at recovery.

Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee.

A five-element approach to recovery

My court report, and subsequent deposition, proposed an approach to the opioid epidemic in northeast Tennessee with five essential elements:

First, primary prevention, namely preventing people from developing opioid use disorder in the first place.

Second, secondary prevention, with early detection and intervention before a disease or health problem (opioids in this case) becomes more advanced, more deeply rooted, and thus more challenging to remedy.

Third, comprehensive, continuous treatment of addiction and its frequent co-occurring disorders, which means that a complex illness, like addiction, bends to no simple, singular intervention and that no one stands a good chance of recovery if treatment is repeatedly interrupted.

Fourth, the provision of social supports, particularly housing, to people suffering from opioid use disorder.

Fifth, the NE TN program must have, from its outset, clear, real-time, quantifiable performance measures, to determine what was working, or not, and thus drive continuous improvement and assure accountability.

Your state. Your stories. Support more reporting like this.

A subscription gives you unlimited access to stories across Tennessee that make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you. Click here to become a subscriber.

What brought this trial case to resolution?

Unexpectedly, as the trial date drew near, the judge issued a default judgment, declaring that Endo was culpable, to blame, for the drug-related ravages experienced by the people of these nine counties.

Lloyd Sederer

He had so ruled as a sanction on the defendant, whom he had decided had failed to properly conduct themselves in this trial.

With the judges default judgment," the defendant was defeated.

Then Endo offered to settle. We had won. The settlement was for $35 million dollars.

I came to this perspective:

The settlement would be paid immediately, not over years as in other opioid litigation cases

Immediate payment, as well, would reduce the risk of Endo declaring bankruptcy, where no money would be forthcoming.

$35 million for the approximately 590,000 people in northeast Tennessee equates to $600 million to 700 million for a state, such as New York (where I worked), with a population of 20 million people. Not enough, but a good beginning.

What lies ahead?

Will there be other jury cases? Will these, or other, DAs pursue further action against Endo, as well as Purdue and Mallinckrodt?

Who will have the mantle, locally, if not nationally, to assure that litigation awards, including this settlement, will be managed effectively and responsibly, with quantifiable and meaningful measures of success?

The road is made by walking it, as the aphorism goes. Science and clinical practice have illuminated a road that will enable so many to recover (if they dont die before that happens).

Its in our reach to beat back the epidemic of opioid and other drug disorders. Thats why I said, "Count me in," on this first opioid jury trial, not for damages but for solutions.

Lloyd I. Sederer, M.D., is adjunct professor at Columbia University School of Public Health, founder and director of Columbia Psychiatry Media, chief medical officer of Bongo Media and chair of the advisory board at Get Help.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opioid lawsuits: Essay by witness who created solutions for Tennessee
Three months after the coronavirus ravaged Florida's unvaccinated and made the state the national epicenter of the pandemic, health officials logged the lowest COVID-19 positive test rate since the pandemic started.

Just 2.6% of COVID-19 tests across Florida came back positive over the past week, the state Health Department reported Friday, the lowest level recorded since the first infections were detected in March 2020.

Walmart pharmacist Adam Carroll administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Evelyn Miguel Laparra, 17, at the Esperanza Community Center in Palm Beach Gardens this past May.

It's the latest sign of good news for Florida showing that the spread of the deadly respiratory disease has subsided since summer, when about one in five tests came back positive and the state recorded more deaths than anywhere else in the nation.

More: Push to make hospital give COVID patient ivermectin stalls; woman 'getting worse by the hour'

County mandate: Palm Beach County will lift mask mandate again if COVID-19 declines to 'moderate' levels

Schools: Palm Beach County schools to drop mask mandate in favor of opt-out Nov. 15

Florida logged 10,498 new infections among residents in the seven days leading up to Friday, the lowest since June 18. The Health Department in June stopped reporting statistics for nonresidents infected here.

The coronavirus has infected at least 3,657,775 Floridians since the start of the pandemic.

664 more people die, bringing grim toll to more than 60,000

The state's death toll increased by 664 people in the past week, standing Friday at 60,334.

A total of 13,997,374 Florida residents have gotten at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, covering 73% of people ages 12 and older, a ratio unchanged for three weeks.

That includes 10,896,619 who have gotten both of the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer regimens, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson formula. An additional 1,359,985 fully vaccinated people have gotten boosters, the state reported.

The number of residents getting their first shots has slowly increased in the past two weeks.

As of Friday, 1,740,770 people had been waiting for their second shots, up from 1,709,544 on Oct. 22. The number of people in this category had been sinking since Aug. 20.

Story continues

Palm Beach County COVID positivity at 2.9%

In Palm Beach County, 2.9% of tests came back positive, the seventh week in a row that level has remained below 8%.

The county has met half the criteria to lift the mask mandate for visitors and employees in buildings owned or operated by the county government.

The other half stipulates that the county must log fewer than about 728 cases a week for two consecutive weeks. Health officials reported 793 new infections in the past seven days.

Palm Beach County has recorded 225,725 COVID-19 cases since March 2020 and 4,261 deaths as of Wednesday. The state stopped publishing county death tolls in June but reports fatality figures to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics.

Chris Persaud is a data reporter for The Palm Beach Post.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida COVID-19 death toll surpasses 60,000; positivity rate lowest ever
A pile of evidence and witness testimony was the order of the day Thursday as the Joseph Elledge murder trial continued at the Boone County Courthouse.

The jury watched the second half of a three-hour video featuring an interview Elledge had with the Columbia Police Department, among a slew of other evidence.

Elledge is accused of killing his wife, Mengqi Ji, in October 2019 and disposing of her body in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park.

More: Audio recordings become the focus in Joseph Elledge murder trial

Some quick defense motions

After the jury was excused Wednesday evening, attorneys in the case took up some end-of-day motions.

The first, by defense attorney Matei Stroescu, was an attempt to prevent witness testimony because the defense had not yet had an opportunity to perform a deposition. Presiding Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs denied the motion on the fact a previous similar motion was denied.

The second motion, this one made by Elledges lead defense attorney, Scott Rosenblum, was to limit certain testimony of prosecution witness Alan Mitchell, former police department detective.

Assertions Mitchell put in his affidavit about certain experience he has as an officer when assessing a suspect should not be talked about or referenced, Rosenblum said. Without objection from Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight, Jacobs allowed the motion.

Before the jury returned Thursday, Jacobs also denied a motion by defense requesting prosecution share lists of witness names and evidence. While it could have made proceedings run smoother, it also could have revealed strategies for the case, Jacobs said. This would be true of both sides, he added.

Elledge pressed by police in 2019 interview

Defense attorney Matei Stroescu looks at evidence presented by the prosecution Thursday as Joseph Elledge confers with lead defense attorney Scott Rosenblum in Judge Brouck Jacobs' 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Boone County. Elledge is accused of murdering his wife, Mengqi Ji. The defense admits that Elledge killed his wife but that it was an accident.

Police investigators pressed hard on Elledges summation of events surrounding Jis alleged disappearance in an interview Oct. 15, 2019, at the department's criminal investigation division.

Whats going on here, Joe? Detective John Voss asked in the video, noting Ji is in an unfamiliar country with few friends or places she could go.

Story continues

Did you kill your wife? Do you know what happened? Voss asked.

Elledge said no to both.

Voss was surprised Elledge did not stay at home after it was apparent Ji was missing. Elledge took a drive with the couples daughter in Ji's car and took her keys, locking the apartment.

Voss wanted to know if Elledge left any sort of note in case Ji returned. He had not.

Former detective returns to stand

Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight, left, on Thursday shows a map of Columbia to former Columbia Police Det. Alan Mitchell, who points to where the remains of Joseph Elledges wife, Mengqi Ji, were found 18 months after she disappeared. Elledge is accused of murdering Ji.

Following the completion of the video, Mitchell returned to the stand to be questioned by Knight.

Evidence presented included lists of Jis friends and favorite places in Columbia; journal entries written by Elledge; an interview Elledge had with the local TV station KRCG; audio of police interviews at Elledges apartment from Oct. 17, 2019, two days after the at-station police interview; images of the Elledge apartment; Elledges laptop; and downloads of Jean Elledges laptop and cellphone data.

Jean Elledge is Joseph's mother. She was present at police interviews Oct. 17, 2019.

More: Jury members selected in Joseph Elledge murder trial

After lunch, it was the defenses turn to question Mitchell.

Stroescu reviewed audio recordings; how the Oct. 15, 2019, police interview was conducted; photos of the apartment; and evidence gathered after Elledge was arrested Oct. 25, 2019, including journal entries.

Stroescu wanted to add context to all of them.

Facts on their own are useless without context, correct? he said, directing the question to Mitchell.

Knight had another opportunity to question Mitchell in which Knight brought up that Elledge was the one to report Ji as missing and sought investigation status updates.

At no point during the police interview Oct. 15, 2019, was Elledge ever threatened, and he had freedom of movement, Knight said, countering Stroescus earlier claims that Elledge did not have a full picture of his rights during the interview.

Attorneys argued Thursday over the inclusion of messages between Ji and Zhou Chau on the Chinese-based messaging service WeChat. This was after the jury was excused for a break. Jacobs sustained a prosecution objection to their inclusion for the jury.

Stroescu had tried to touch on Ji's connection to Chau earlier when the jury was present. It was relegated to the argument without the jury present.

Voss and FBI special agent Mike Easter followed Mitchell on the stand as of press time.

Wednesday wrap-up

Following an afternoon break Wednesday, the jury resumed listening to state evidence of audio recordings made by Elledge dated June through August 2019.

Arguments in the recordings centered on Ji's art and its quality, such as the idea of selling the pieces; the care of their daughter, Anna, including Ji speaking in Chinese to her; and kitchen responsibilities.

Many of the arguments were repeated conversations from earlier recordings, including about Ji's mother, Ke Ren, staying with the couple in October 2018.

The subject of divorce and Ji going back to China was part of an argument from Aug. 20, 2019. Elledge once again called Ji abusive during this fight.

Elledge wanted a quick divorce. Something that wont cost $20,000-$30,000, he said. He asked if that is how Ji wanted to proceed  if she agreed to the terms.

Should I tell the court that youre abusive to me and youll probably get deported? Are you going to play nice? Elledge said. I wouldnt resent you not wanting to stay in America.

Police detectives met with Elledge at his apartment Oct. 14, 2019. This was four days after Elledge reported Ji missing. He handed over Ji's cellphone and iPad.

Officers asked about other belongings, such as credit and debit cards, her wallet, and vehicle information, and asked Elledge when would work best the next day for Elledge to have an at-station interview.

Mitchell was then briefly returned to the stand Wednesday.

Knight asked him about the video recording of the original police interview.

About half of the three-hour video interview then was shown to the jury. This was the last portion of Wednesdays proceedings.

Knight asked the jury in his opening statement to be on the lookout for when Elledges demeanor changed when he handed over his phone to police during the interview. It had the recorded conversations he had secretly made.

The police interview recording went through Elledge and Ji's personal history together, including history of arguments, along with a recitation of Elledges recent movements  some which included Elledge saying he got lost while driving.

Detectives asked again about Ji's belongings and vehicle, including about documents, such as passports.

They also asked if Elledge knew Ji's whereabouts. He said he did not.

There were periods Elledge was left on his own in the interview room by the detectives.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Joseph Elledge murder trial continues with evidence, witness testimony
Nov. 4A former U.S. Postal Service worker has admitted to intercepting dozens of pieces of mail that passed through Medford during last year's holiday season and pocketing gift cards and other valuables inside.

James Scott Thomas, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony charge of mail theft in U.S. District Court in Medford.

Thomas worked in Medford between December 2019 and January 2021, according to the plea agreement filed earlier this week.

Around December of last year, Thomas "intentionally deprived approximately 100 owners of mail items passing through Medford ... by removing those mail items from circulation," according to the plea agreement. He would then convert the "money, gift cards and other valuables inside ... for his own use and benefit."

State and regional spokespeople with the U.S. Postal Service referred questions to the USPS Office of Inspector General, which declined to comment because it's still working with the U.S. Attorney's Office in the pending criminal case.

What's known, according to the Monday court filing, is that Postal Service investigators first interviewed Thomas a week before Christmas about the stolen mail items.

During the Dec. 18 interview, investigators searched Thomas' backpack and found an additional "seven greeting cards, five gift cards and empty gift card wrappers."

As terms of the plea agreement negotiated between Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brassell and Assistant Federal Public Defender Devin Huseby, representing Thomas, each side will each seek a sentence of two years probation.

In exchange, Thomas will be ordered to pay full restitution for each victim. The plea agreement does not list a dollar amount, but court records show that Thomas won't be sentenced until Feb. 1 in U.S. District Court.

Jackson County Circuit Court records show that Thomas pleaded guilty in 2012 to a felony charge of tampering with drug records surrounding a false prescription for hydrocodone in 2011. The conviction was dismissed in 2013 after Thomas complied with terms of a conditional discharge program.

Reach web editor Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or nmorgan@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MTwebeditor.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's COVID-19 situation is entering a very difficult period with rising numbers of intensive care patients, health minister Jens Spahn said, as German state leaders warned the country may need a new lockdown unless it takes urgent action.

Spahn said he had agreed with regional health ministers that in future everyone should be offered a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine six months after receiving their previous injection.

"This should become the norm, not the exception," Spahn said at a news conference on Friday.

The country has already had to relocate some patients from regions with overburdened hospitals, Spahn added, urging German citizens to get vaccinated and observe social distancing measures.

"Anyone who thinks they are young and invulnerable should talk to intensive care staff," he said.

Earlier on Friday, two German state leaders said a new lockdown might be needed unless the country takes immediate action to reverse a surge in cases.

"If we take too much time now, it will end in a lockdown like last year," the leader of the eastern state of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, told Deutschlandfunk radio.

The premier of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, said it was a matter of days until the coronavirus situation would mean that there were not enough intensive care beds at hospitals.

As of Thursday, there were 2,503 free beds in German intensive care units, down from around 3,100 at the start of October, according to data from the DIVI association for intensive and emergency medicine.

Germany reported 37,120 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the second day in a row that it marked the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic last year.

(Reporting by Miranda Murray, Thomas Escritt and Zuzanna Szymanska; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Maria Sheahan)
Visitors to the Fremont Rotary Club's "2 Projects 1 Goal" presentation got to see renderings of a proposed downtown Fremont amphitheater (seen here) as well as River Cliff Lodge. Fremont Rotary Club has committed to raising $250,000 for each project.

FREMONT  Fremont Rotary Club celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2026.

The civic organization created a 10-year plan in 2016 to raise $100,000 by the anniversary for community service projects, according to Hal Hawk, chairman of Rotary's centennial committee.

"Once we got into this thing, we said, 'that's not enough'," Hawk said.

Wednesday, Fremont Rotary announced it has committed to raising $500,000 that will be evenly split between two major projects: a new downtown Fremont amphitheater and major improvements to the Sandusky County Park District's River Cliff Lodge.

PROJECT'S BEGINNINGS: Fremont, Rotary Club looking ahead with downtown amphitheater project

Hawk, Mayor Danny Sanchez, Park District Director Andrew Brown and other Fremont Rotary members spoke at the group's "2 Projects 1 Goal" presentation at Terra State Community College's Neeley Center.

Attendees also got to see architectural renderings and virtual tours of both projects.

Hawk said Fremont Rotary will serve as a fundraiser and facilitator for the projects and urged members to be generous with their donations.

"The more you give to these projects, the better you'll feel," Hawk said.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION: Price, Bloom winners in Fremont City Schools board of education race

A rendering displayed at Wednesday's Fremont Rotary Club "2 Projects 1 Goal" presentation shows an overhead view of what the Sandusky County Park District's River Cliff Lodge may look like. Fremont Rotary has committed to raising $250,000 for improvements at River Cliff Lodge, with the project's overall cost estimated to be $1.5 million.

Fremont Rotary Club announced in November 2020 it would partner with the city to raise money and form a plan for a new amphitheater at the downtown Jackson Annex site and an adjacent Birchard Street building.

Fremont Rotary Immediate Past President Cody Bischoff said at that time his group voted earlier in the month to raise funds for the city's proposed amphitheater plan and a River Cliff Park improvement project.

GORILLA NEWBORN: Male gorilla born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the first in its history

'Endless' opportunities for a downtown amphitheater

Wednesday, Mayor Danny Sanchez noted discussions about a possible downtown amphitheater had been ongoing for the past 10-15 years.

Story continues

He said the city, in less than a year, had purchased the Jackson Annex site, tore it down and made it a green space in anticipation of building an amphitheater.

"The opportunities are endless for an amphitheater downtown," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said the amphitheater project's expected overall cost was $1.8 million, with Fremont Rotary committed to raising $250,000.

The remaining balance of project funds would come from the city, grants and additional donors, Sanchez said.

He said the city would apply for state capital improvement grants and exploring possible federal grant opportunities.

The amphitheater would be administered through Fremont's recreation department.

River Cliff Lodge: A place to gather in a natural area

Brown said planned improvements at the River Cliff Lodge would provide space for residents to gather in a pristine natural area.

"We want to increase people's awareness of nature," Brown said.

Sandusky County Park District Director Andrew Brown (pictured here Wednesday at Terra State Community College's Neeley Center) said the estimated cost of the River Cliff Lodge improvements is $1.5 million, with Fremont Rotary Club committed to raising $250,000. He said the park district would raise the remaining $1.25 million through donations and grants.

Those gatherings could include weddings, anniversary celebrations, graduation parties and company meetings at the lodge, Brown said.

He said there will be a catering area included at the lodge as part of the improvements, but no full commercial kitchen so as not to put the Park District in competition with local catering businesses.

There also will be an outdoor pavilion connected to the lodge, which can seat up to 135 people, as part of the River Cliff project.

Brown said the estimated cost of the River Cliff Lodge improvements is $1.5 million, with Fremont Rotary Club committed to raising $250,000.

He said the Park District would raise the remaining $1.25 million through donations and grants.

Park District funding for operation of River Cliff Lodge is provided by a 1 mill property tax levy approved by voters in 2016, Brown said.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Fremont Rotary raising $500k for amphitheater, River Cliff Lodge
BRITAIN-ENVIRONMENT-CLIMATE-PROTEST

Young demonstrators hold placards as they attend a climate change protest organised by "Youth Strike 4 Climate", opposite the Houses of Parliament in central London on February 15, 2019. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) Credit - AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of children, teenagers and young adults marched in the streets of Glasgow on Friday, the fifth day of COP26, the U.N. climate conference. Carrying banners and chanting slogans, they sent a message to delegates inside the citys conference center about whats at stake in these complex, technical and fraught negotiations between 196 countries: their lives.

Todays young people are coming of age just as the stable climate that has allowed previous generations to thrive on our planet begins to visibly break downand just before our last chance to stop it falls out of reach.

The situation has inspired millions of them to protest in recent years, and particularly since 2018, when the school strikes started by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, now 18, began to spread across the globe. Thousands of young activists began organizing their own strikes under the umbrella Fridays for Future, including Disha Ravi in India and Xiye Bastida in the U.S.

Activists have tried to make a difference at scales large and small. Some have set up local activist groups to push environmental action in their communities, and others have used social media to coordinate action against polluting businesses. They are united by a common goal: a rapid transformation of societies and economies to protect people and nature from the worst consequences of climate change.

When you have young people who are confronted with not having a future at all, of course this is going to radicalize a whole generation, says Nyke Slawik, a 27 year-old member of the Germany Green party, who was elected to serve in Germanys parliament in September. This is a question of survival.

Read more: Were Not Going to Be Placated. Young Activists at COP26 Are Refusing to Settle

Story continues

Generation Now, a TIME documentary that premiered today at the UN summit, tells the story of that youth climate movement and how it has revolutionized the way both politicians and the media speak about climate change. The question, activists say, is has their movement been enough to change how we act?

Leaders keep praising young people for standing up and protesting, says Vanessa Nakate, the 24-year-old Ugandan climate activist who appeared on the cover of TIME in October. But saving the world needs decisions from the leaders. Decisions that prioritize the lives of the people and the planet. And that is not something that we are doing.

The proof will come not only at COP26 but also in the weeks and months after, when governments take the pledges made at the summiton cutting out coal financing, reducing methane emissions, ending deforestation and moreback to their home countries, and try to pass the policies and funding packages needed to meet them. Young people, you can rest assured, will be watching.
George Clooney wants the media to help keep his kids safe. In an open letter to "the Daily Mail and other publications," the Oscar-winning actor said that because of wife Amal Clooney's job, posting photos of their 4-year-old twins could put their safety at risk.

"Having just seen photos of Billie Lourd's 1 year-old baby in your publication, and the fact that you subsequently took those pictures down, we would request that you refrain from putting our children's faces in your publication," he begins.

"I am a public figure and accept the oftentimes intrusive photos as part of the price to pay for doing my job. Our children have made no such commitment. The nature of my wife's work has her confronting and putting on trial terrorist groups and we take as much precaution as we can to keep our family safe," he adds.

George Clooney says media outlets are endangering the lives of his and Amal Clooney's children by posting photos of their faces. (Photo: Reuters)

Amal is a barrister who specializes in international law and human rights.

"We cannot protect our children if any publication puts their faces on their cover," George continues. "We have never sold a picture of our kids, we are not on social media and never post pictures because to do so would put their lives in jeopardy. Not paranoid jeopardy but real-world issues, with real-world consequences. We hope that you would agree that the need to sell advertisement isn't greater than the need to keep innocent children from being targeted."

George and Amal welcomed twins, Ella and Alexander, in 2017.

This isn't the first time George has taken issue with the Daily Mail. In 2014, he rejected the outlet's apology for publishing a false story about Amal's mother, calling the paper "the worst kind of tabloid."
George Clooney is going on offense against those who publish photos of his 4-year-old twins. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

George Clooney doesn't believe in "sharenting" photos of his twins. Not because he's not a proud dad, but because he's actually worried about his family's physical safety.

The globally recognized star issued an urgent plea Thursday to protect 4-year-old Ella and Alexander, whom he shares with international law and human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. In the open letter obtained by The Times, the "Midnight Sky" star and director addressed the Daily Mail and other publications to request that they "refrain from putting our childrens faces" in their publications.

His directive, he wrote, comes after the Daily Mail published photos of actress Billie Lourd's 1-year-old son Kingston, the great-grandson of late Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds and the grandchild of late "Star Wars" veteran Carrie Fisher. The publication has since blurred the baby's face in several images.

"I am a public figure and accept the oftentimes intrusive photos as part of the price to pay for doing my job," Clooney, 60, wrote in the letter. "Our children have made no such commitment."

The two-time Oscar winner, whose children have repeatedly appeared in paparazzi photos run by the Daily Mail, also explained how publicizing the children could pose risks for them and the family due to Amal's line of work.

"The nature of my wifes work has her confronting and putting on trial terrorist groups and we take as much precaution as we can to keep our family safe. We cannot protect our children if any publication puts their faces on their cover," he wrote. "We have never sold a picture of our kids, we are not on social media and never post pictures because to do so would put their lives in jeopardy. Not paranoid jeopardy but real world issues, with real world consequences."

Clooney said he hoped they could agree that "the need to sell advertisement isnt greater than the need to keep innocent children from being targeted."

Story continues

The film star isn't the only celebrity making such requests. The late Michael Jackson used to have his young children wear elaborate face coverings while they were out in public. Celebrity couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard urged a boycott on celebrity-kid photos back in 2014 and have regularly concealed their kids and other children's faces in social media posts.

More recently, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have also taken such measures, with the "Gossip Girl" alum going after a paparazzi account on Instagram last month for posting, without her consent, images of them walking with their three daughters.

"This is so disturbing," Lively wrote in the comments of the since-deleted post, according to USA Today. "I've personally shared with you that these men stalk and harass my children  and you are still posting. You said you would stop; you personally promised me.

This is not casual appreciation: This is you also exploiting very young children. Please delete, please."

Read Clooney's letter in full:

An open letter to the Daily Mail from George Clooney.

An open letter to the Daily Mail and other publications.

Having just seen photos of Billie Lourds 1 year-old baby in your publication, and the fact that you subsequently took those pictures down, we would request that you refrain from putting our childrens faces in your publication. I am a public figure and accept the oftentimes intrusive photos as part of the price to pay for doing my job. Our children have made no such commitment.

The nature of my wifes work has her confronting and putting on trial terrorist groups and we take as much precaution as we can to keep our family safe. We cannot protect our children if any publication puts their faces on their cover. We have never sold a picture of our kids, we are not on social media and never post pictures because to do so would put their lives in jeopardy. Not paranoid jeopardy but real world issues, with real world consequences.

We hope that you would agree that the need to sell advertisement isnt greater than the need to keep innocent children from being targeted.

Thank you



George Clooney

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A day after celebrating his wife's birthday, George W. Bush is cherishing their 44th wedding anniversary.

The 43rd president marked the occasion on Friday by sharing a photo on Instagram of him and former first lady Laura Bush cutting the cake at their wedding back in 1977.

"November is a special month in our house. Not only did we get to celebrate my beautiful wifes birthday yesterday, but also the great gift of marriage today. Happy Anniversary @laurawbush!"

The couple got married three months after they first met at a friend's barbecue in Texas and went on a date the next day to play miniature golf.

I kind of think it was love at first sight, Laura Bush said on TODAY in 2018.

TODAY's Savannah Guthrie made sure to remind the former president on Friday that there is one other special day coming up this month.

"AND twin daughters bdays this month!! @jennabhager told me to remind you," Savannah commented on his Instagram post.

TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara, will both be turning 40 on Nov. 25. This will be Barbara's first birthday since becoming a new mom in September.

Jenna also marked Laura Bush's 75th birthday on Thursday by sharing a series of photos of the former first lady enjoying some sweet moments with her grandchildren.

"Happiest birthday to my beautiful, kind, graceful mama," Jenna wrote. "I love you so. @laurawbush." She added the hashtag #wegotitfrommymama.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  Attorneys general in 11 states, including New Hampshire, filed suit Friday against President Joe Biden's administration, challenging a new vaccine requirement for workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

The lawsuit filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the authority to compel vaccinations rests with the states, not the federal government.

New regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate that companies with more than 100 employees require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. The requirement is to kick in Jan. 4. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

COVID vaccines are the most effective tool we have to protect ourselves and our community from this virus, said Gov. Chris Sununu, seen here in a file photo. But as the head of state, I recognize the limitations of government in mandating this personal medical decision."

Opponents are characterizing it as a vaccine mandate, though employees could choose testing and wearing masks instead.

Portsmouth health officer: Answers to concerns I've heard about COVID-19 vaccine safety

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise," said the court filing by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, one of several Republicans vying for the state's open U.S. Senate seat next year.

What New Hampshire leaders say

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who is also considering a run for U.S. Senate, released the following statement:

COVID vaccines are the most effective tool we have to protect ourselves and our community from this virus, Sununu said. But as the head of state, I recognize the limitations of government in mandating this personal medical decision. President Biden has created a loophole to facilitate this overreach, which is why I fully support the attorney generals' decision to sign on to this lawsuit."

Commentary: Our public health history and mandates  a virologists perspective

John Formella, New Hampshire's attorney general, also issued a prepared statement:

Todays action continues our efforts to protect the state of New Hampshire from the federal governments attempt to impose illegal mandates," Formella said. " As I have said previously, the available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and every eligible person in New Hampshire is encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine. However, the new Emergency Temporary Standard issued by OSHA is illegal and would impose significant burdens on New Hampshire businesses and their employees.

Story continues

The national argument

Schmitt said Missouri has 3,443 private employers who could be covered by the vaccine requirement, with nearly 1.3 million employees.

He said he sued "to protect personal freedoms, preserve Missouri businesses, and push back on bureaucratic tyrants who simply want power and control."

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

More: Here's what Dr. Chan, NH's epidemiologist, is telling schools about masks, COVID safety

Missouri was joined in the lawsuit by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, also joined in the suit, along with several private, nonprofit and religious employers.

Commentary by D. Allan Kerr: Credit NH Gov. Sununu for calling out GOP crazies

The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm, as well as two Wisconsin manufacturers represented by a conservative law firm.

David A. Lieb of the Associated Press wrote this report with staff reporting added.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH among 11 states to file suit against Biden's business vaccine rules
left to right: Yvon, Bob the Drag Queen and Barbara

EVANSVILLE, Ind.  What do a Methodist pastor, a Tunisian refugee and a civil rights activist couple have in common?

They're all subjects of the upcoming episode for HBO's "We're Here," filmed in Evansville this summer. It airs Monday night at 8 p.m. CST on HBO.

"We're Here" is a television show hosted by renowned drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela Laquita Wadley and Eureka O'Hara. In each episode, the three help their "drag daughters" to step out of their comfort zone for a one-night-only drag show.

Fall back: Central or Eastern time? It gets confusing at Indiana's borders

"We really want to try to live in what people's experiences are," director Peter LoGreco said.

Unlike a set-up "reality" show, LoGreco said his production team lets the drag queens lead the process as they interact with participants.

Before filming starts, the team spends time getting to know the participants. This helps create the open dynamic between the cast and participants, LoGreco said.

The Rev. Craig Duke, a United Methodist Church pastor from Newburgh, said he believes that "God loves you for you," a main reason he agreed to take part in the show. The other, more pressing influence: his 23-year-old daughter Tiffany, who identifies as pansexual. Duke said he wanted to be an ally to his daughter.

Eureka O'Hara hugs the Rev. Craig Duke prior to his drag show performance on HBO's "We're Here." Duke agreed to take part in the show to support his daughter, who identifies as pansexual.

"There are very few people of faith saying anything truthful about how God feels about gay people, and it's all unconditional love," he said.

"I'm just really thankful they chose my dad," Tiffany said. "I don't think that (the judgment of her father being a pastor and performing on the show) could ever put a damper on how positive an experience it was for my family and those around us."

Lend a hand: How you can help Camp Atterbury's Afghan refugees prepare for winter

O'Hara, who was Craig Duke's "drag mother" on the show  a mentor, of sorts  was happy Craig displayed unconditional love.

Story continues

"I think there's a very important thing that Pastor Craig did, by just showing people that not all people that have faith or are religious, are those people that have bullied or tormented some of us. They're all not the same," O'Hara said.

Tiffany Duke screamed and cried in excitement as she watched her father perform in drag during filming at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Evansville. Around 700 people showed up to watch the action that July night.

"I've never seen her just blowing up like she did in the audience," Craig Duke said. "She's screaming, yelling, like I'm some type of David Bowie rock star, and it was wonderful."

After finishing his set, Duke only had one thing on his mind: getting to Tiffany's side.

"There's a whole moment I was concerned about telling my daughter how much I love her," he said.

Tiffany said she couldn't be more proud of her dad and the other participants of the show.

Two of the other participants in the show were Barbara and Yvon, civil rights activists who live in Boonville. They got married during filming for the "We're Here" episode. They've been together for 38 years and thought the performance was the perfect time to get married.

When people asked when they'd get married, Yvon would always say, "if someone will rent a stadium and bring in a world famous drag queen, I'll get married."

So it happened, with HBO's help and an assist from Bob the Drag Queen.

"I just love (Bob) to death," Yvon said. "I wish they were here all the time."

Barbara said she finds truth in the show  it features real people in real communities, allowing the audience to become more than just spectators.

"They're witnessing the show and this transformation of these people," she said. "But they're also hearing about the lives and internalizing the personal turmoil of the joy, success and fears that LGBTQ people and their allies live every day."

The third participant in the show was KaIs, a college student and refugee from Tunisia who is living in Evansville.

"I think that the show important is because it's sort of created a space for LGBTQ people to feel seen and heard in communities where maybe they were afraid they wouldn't be," LoGreco said.

According the LoGreco, Evansville had the largest audience turnout so far for a "We're Here" filming.

To watch the show

"We're Here"  Season 2, Episode 5 "Evansville, Indiana"  premieres Monday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. CST, on HBO Max, HBO and affiliated streaming services.

Someplace Else Nightclub, located at 930 Main St., is hosting a viewing party for Evansville's episode from 8 to 9 p.m. CST, open to the public.

Rayonna Burton-Jernigan covers diversity and culture-related topics and can be contacted at Rayonna.Burton-Jernigan@courierpress.com or (812) 454-1765.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: HBO's 'We're Here': Drag queen show, filmed in Evansville, to air
This photo provided by the Fairfield (Iowa) Police Department shows Nohema Graber. Two teenagers are being charged as adults in the death of Nohema Graber, a Fairfield High School teacher, the Jefferson County Sheriff's office said, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Fairfield (Iowa) Police Department via AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Court hearings were set for next week for two southeast Iowa high school students charged with murder in the death of a high school Spanish teacher as her family deals with the shocking ordeal and urged forgiveness.

Investigators said Nohema Graber, a 66-year-old Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, was reported missing Tuesday. Her remains were found later that day at Chautauqua Park on the east edge of Fairfield, where she was known to take daily walks.

Fairfield is located about 95 miles (152.89 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

According to court documents, Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale were charged as adults with first-degree murder as well as conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Both are 16 and were students at Fairfield High School where Graber taught.

A judge set a preliminary hearing date for Nov. 12. If prosecutors first file and a judge approves trial information  documents that contain the formal statement of charges that will lay out the evidence prosecutors have gathered to prove guilt  before Nov. 12, the preliminary hearings will not be held and the case will move forward with an arraignment on the charges.

Both teens are being held in jail on $1 million bond.

Graber was born in Xalapa, Mexico, the capital of the state of Veracruz, about 180 miles (289 kilometers) east of Mexico City. She moved to Fairfield, the hometown of her husband Paul Graber, in the 1990s. They divorced five years ago but remained close, he told The Des Moines Register.

Her son, Christian Graber, posted a Facebook message Thursday saying he forgives the people who killed his mother and that there is no point in being angry.

My mother was an angel of a woman and was one of the kindest souls," he wrote, ending his message with Te amo madre  I love you mom.

Her daughter, Nohema Marie Graber, echoed her brothers message of forgiveness.

We had the wonderful fortune of growing up in a home filled with such an abundance of warmth and love," she said.

Story continues

Court filings stated that Graber suffered inflicted trauma to the head. Her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the park.

Police received a tip that Goodale posted details about planning the killing and a possible motive on social media, according to court documents. Authorities have not yet released the motive. The court documents indicated police investigators found clothing that appeared to contain blood at the homes of the teens.

Documents also said Miller admitted to being at the park when Graber was killed and helped to conceal her death.

Fairfield has a population of about 9,400 people and a sizable foreign-born population compared to Iowa, generally due to the presence of Maharishi International University. The private college, established by the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1971, centers its educational program around the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Census data shows 12.6% of the population is foreign-born, more than double the 5.3% of the general Iowa population. More than half the foreign-born population is from Asia, 21% from Africa and 17% from Latin America.

Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Patrick J. McAvan said Friday that many people are asking if this is a racially motivated crime. We do not have any evidence at this point that suggests that, he said.

Graber taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012 and she previously taught in the Ottumwa Community School District.

Miller and Goodale appear to not yet have attorneys. A judge on Thursday ordered a state public defender to be appointed to represent Goodale. Documents said Miller declined to request a court-appointed attorney and it wasnt immediately clear who would represent him.
Great Lakes Chocolate owner Allie Lampen poses for a photo with her homemade goods.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally ran in the Nov. 15, 2020, edition of The Sentinel on page C1. This year's pop-up shops are scheduled for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 18.

HOLLAND  For Allie Lampen, chocolate is the endgame.

Eighteen months ago, Lampen opened Great Lakes Chocolate at her home in Holland.

"I was getting ready for a family get-together and I didn't know what to bring," she said. "I saw chocolate and decided to make truffles and I just fell in love with it."

More: Holland baker welcomes spring with sweet treats

More: Holland woman brings detailed sugar cookies, custom cakes to the table

More: Holland Christian administrator spends her free time baking pies

More: Holland resident becomes The Pastry Slayer

Baking wasn't always out of the realm of possibility for Lampen, who studied culinary and pastry arts in high school. But nothing clicked.

"I loved cooking," she said. "But I never really found a place that matched my passion. I didn't want to open a bakery or cook savory foods."

These days, Lampen spends her free time making bonbons, cake pops, cupcakes and giant peanut butter cups.

"It's gone really well," she said. "I've gotten quite a bit of business. I love seeing what the customer envisions coming to life."

A table filled with goods from Great Lakes Chocolate at the Otsego Creative Arts Festival. This year, owner Allie Lampen will host a holiday pop-up shop at her home in Holland.

Lampen hopes to open a storefront in the next five to 10 years. But rather than wait for that day, she'll host her first pop-up shop this holiday season.

"I have a friend who makes cookies and she does craft shows," Lampen said. "She recently did a pop-up sale and was giving me a lot of advice. I figured it would be a good way to wrap up the year, since I'll be out until March for maternity leave."

The shop will be open 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at 139 E. 37th St. in Holland.

"I'm not going to go overboard with a bunch of different products," Lampen said. "I'll focus on popular products that also make great gifts. Hot chocolate bombs are really popular right now, so I'll be selling those. I have four or five different flavors. I'll also have peppermint bark.

Story continues

Subscribe: Receive 6 months of unlimited digital access to hollandsentinel.com for $1!

A peppermint truffle. Great Lakes Chocolate owner Allie Lampen specializes in bonbons, cake pops, cupcakes and giant peanut butter cups.

"I have chocolate gingerbread houses and a chocolate tree that you can buy decorated or you can decorate yourself. I'm really excited about those."

In general, Lampen is looking forward to sharing her treats with the community.

"I'll have a sign out front to let people know we're here," she said. "I just want them to come in and have a great time and discover new chocolate."

Visit facebook.com/greatlakeschocolate to learn more.

 Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at clybrink@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland woman celebrates success with Great Lakes Chocolate
Diego Medina, a Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe member, shows photos in his family home on land his family has lived on for centuries in Las Cruces on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces City Council has formally acknowledged the Indigenous communities which originally inhabited the land Las Cruces now exists on.

A resolution, passed unanimously by the council Nov. 1, notes the Manso people as the original inhabitants of the Mesilla Valley. The Piro and Tiwa people migrated to the region from northern and central New Mexico following the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, the resolution goes on to reference, and the three groups eventually "unified their culture" and "created a community that laid the foundation for what would become the core of Las Cruces."

The Sun-News has previously reported Piro families were one group involved with the process of establishing the City of Las Cruces in 1849, according to the Piro-Manso-Tiwa Tribe's application for federal recognition.

The resolution, brought by District 4 Councilor Johana Bencomo, was passed weeks after Diego Medina, a Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe member, gave a land acknowledgement in remarks to the city council on Indigenous Peoples' Day.

"Diego approached me about doing a land acknowledgement, which we did, and that was beautiful," Bencomo said. "I feel like this is just a continuation of that."

Diego Medina, a Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe member, sits in his family home on land his family has lived on for generations in Las Cruces on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

"The City of Las Cruces resides on land that will forever belong to the Manso people and the Piro-Manso-Tiwa community," the resolution reads. "(The city) has been cared for by these tribal peoples who are the original, historical, and perpetual stewards of this land (and)  their culture plays an immeasurable role in shaping the ethos of the wonderful community of Las Cruces."

The passage of the resolution also coincided with the first day of Native American Heritage Month, which Bencomo remarked was unintentional but welcome.

Medina, an artist who said he's also involved in curatorial work for the Museum of International Folk Art and consults on culture and history with the Indian Arts Research Center in Santa Fe, called Monday's resolution "an important pivot point in our city's history."

Story continues

More: 'Names matter': Chiricahuas, Piros promote renaming Baylor Peak, other landmarks

"We live in a community where the history is largely ignored, and in particular, the tribal history is largely ignored," Medina said. "I think that's a big problem because we have some of the most important Indigenous history down in this borderlands area that does not get taught and doesn't get represented in a lot of our educational institutions and cultural institutions."

Joe Saenz, along with a group of Chiricahua Apache and people of the Piro Pueblo de Las Cruces hike up Baylor Canyon Trail into the Organ Mountains for a sunrise blessing on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021.

Medina said the tribe's application for recognition is still under consideration.

Several councilors said the resolution should be the first of myriad other actions the city could take to honor the original people of the region.

"I think it's important to look at what next steps do we do to really make sure that our actions here today filter forward,'" District 2 Councilor Tessa Abeyta Stuve said.

Diego Medina, a member of the Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe, speaks before the Las Cruces City Council on Indigenous Peoples' Day, Oct. 11, 2021.

Gabe Vasquez, the councilor from District 3, suggested a remembrance plaque at City Hall or the establishment of a Native American community center. Abeyta Stuve suggested creating a tab on the Visit Las Cruces website informing visitors of the Indigenous history of the area. Bencomo said she'd continue to push to change street names in the city which use derogatory terms.

Mayor Pro Tem Kasandra Gandara, the councilor from District 1, said her great grandmother was Native American but that a more detailed history such as her family's can be lost if efforts aren't made to recognize the history.

"I think we should come together really to honor  the first people," Gandara said. 'That's really what my hope and desire is moving forward."

More: Women set to represent all six Las Cruces city council districts

Medina said going forward it's important for the council to support the tribe's application for recognition.

"Our sovereignty is going to benefit the community as a whole because it'll lead to a greater understanding of what spiritual stewardship of land and place means," Medina said.

Michael McDevitt is a city and county government reporter for the Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-202-3205, mmcdevitt@lcsun-news.com or @MikeMcDTweets on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces council resolution acknowledges original tribes
Some ignorant, sick person decided to shoot at kids, the victims mother said.

An Indiana man was charged with murder Wednesday in the death of 13-year-old Thomas DeLaCruz Jr. who was killed while trick-or-treating on Halloween.

He was being a kid out with his aunt trick-or-treating, walking with a group of kids, DeLaCruzs mother, Jasmine Anderson, said, the Times of Northwest Indiana reported. And some ignorant, sick person decided to shoot at kids.

Thomas DeLaCruz Jr. (Credit: Facebook)

DeLaCruz was trick-or-treating with a group of teenagers in Hammond on Sunday when they encountered a man with whom the victim had a verbal altercation. According to one of the teens, the man threatened to get a gun and shoot them.

The group later saw the man with several people inside a car who appeared to be watching them.

The occupants of the car appeared to be staring at them, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The silver car then parked and the occupants got out.

When [the teen] observed one of the occupants take a shooting stance, he told everyone to run, states the affidavit.

Thats when shots rang out and DeLaCruz was struck. Another teen was shot in the leg. DeLaCruz died at the hospital. The other teen was treated and released from the hospital.

He just wanted to be a kid, Anderson said. Kids shouldnt have to worry about someone rolling upon them while theyre trying to collect candy with friends.

Police arrested Desmond Crews, 23, after the father of one of the teenagers reportedly chased him in the neighborhood.

Desmond Crews, 23, is charged with murder and attempted murder. (Credit: HAMMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT)

Crews allegedly confessed that he was handed a 9mm by someone in the car, and after he heard the others in the car shoot, he felt like he had to shoot.

Although he shot above their heads, he wasnt confident that he didnt shoot someone because he observed a kid in a blue hooded sweatshirt fall to the ground and no longer move, the affidavit states.

A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.

While we are thankful for the community support which led to the arrest of the person of interest, we are heartbroken that such an event could even occur, cops said in a statement. Our hearts go out to the families of these boys.

Story continues

Im only 30 years old. I only got 13 years with my son, Anderson said.

My son was a good kid, he didnt deserve it, said Thomas DeLaCruz Sr., the boys father. Its a senseless act of violence. He just wanted to trick-or-treat.

We want to thank the neighbors here, said Linda Castel, Thomas great-grandmother. All the neighbors that came out to open their doors for these kids while they were running for their lives. And the two men that were here who chased the shooter down.

Police said additional suspects are being investigated.

Youre a coward, Anderson said to those involved in the shooting. You contemplated that. You knew those were kids and you still shot. You let off over 40 rounds of ammunition at some teenagers. And to the rest of those out there who participated in that, I will find you. I am going to find you. I am not going to stop. I am going to do this every day of my life until I have justice for my son. I promise you I am never letting my son go. Everybody is going to know my son when Im done.

Have you subscribed to theGrios new podcast Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Indiana boy, 13, killed while trick-or-treating appeared first on TheGrio.
(Bloomberg) -- The infrastructure services unit of state-owned PT Telkom Indonesia raised about $1.3 billion in a Jakarta initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter, making 2021 the countrys biggest IPO year in more than a decade.

Most Read from Bloomberg

PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi priced its shares at 800 rupiah apiece, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information wasnt public. The unit, also known as Mitratel, increased the number of shares sold in the offering, one of the people said. The shares are expected to list on Nov. 22, they said.

The demand is very strong and we appreciate the support from investors, Mitratel Investment Director Hendra Purnama said in response to a query from Bloomberg News. The IPOs size hasnt been finalized yet, Purnama added. Telkom Indonesia didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

With a $1.3 billion share sale, Indonesias IPO market would be set for a fresh record year. The roughly $3.4 billion raised including Mitratel would surpass the previous top annual volume of $3 billion in 2010, according to calculations by Bloomberg.

Online marketplace PT Bukalapak.coms $1.5 billion debut in August remains the countrys biggest offering ever.

Mitratel manages more than 28,000 telecommunications towers throughout Indonesia, with more than half situated outside Java. Mitratel plans to use proceeds from the IPO to buy 6,000 more towers, Mitratels Purnama said in a briefing on Oct. 26. Going forward, it will focus on the 5G sector while charting out a longer-term expansion in Southeast Asia and Asia more broadly.

The unit originally planned to sell about 19.5 billion shares, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News. It had marketed shares at 775 rupiah to 975 rupiah each, the terms show.

Story continues

Indonesias wealth fund Indonesia Investment Authority has pledged $500 million to $800 million of investment in Mitratels IPO, according to a deputy minister.

HSBC Holdings Plc, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, PT BRI Danareksa Sekuritas and PT Mandiri Sekuritas are joint global coordinators for the offering.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
A construction site owned by Chinese property developer Kaisa Group in downtown Shanghai.

Fresh concerns have been raised about China's property sector as Kaisa Group has become the latest developer to miss a payment to investors.

Kaisa said it was facing unprecedented pressure on its finances due to a challenging property market.

It comes as rival developer Evergrande Group is still reeling under the weight of more than $300bn (222bn) of debt.

The crisis at Evergrande has triggered fears that its potential collapse could send shockwaves through global markets.

Meanwhile, Evergrande has sold a UK-based asset as it faces another payment deadline on Saturday.

Trading in shares of Kaisa Group and three of its units was halted in Hong Kong on Friday, after one of its businesses missed a payment on a wealth management product.

Friday's filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange did not give a reason for the trading suspension.

Before the suspension, Kaisa, which has a market value of about $1bn, saw its shares hit a record low on Thursday after falling by 15%.

The Shenzhen-based developer said on Thursday that it is facing unprecedented pressure on its finances due to a challenging property market and downgrades by rating agencies, which makes it more difficult for it to borrow money.

Analysis box by Mariko Oi, Asia business correspondent

Evergrande has been the most high profile example of China's debt crisis but there are others in the property sector with similar issues.

Their total combined debt is estimated to be more than $5tn, according to Japanese banking giant Nomura. That's almost the size of Japan's economy.

Fantasia, Sinic and China Properties Group have all defaulted on debts in recent months while Kaisa has become the latest developer to miss a payment.

Beijing has restricted how much these developers can borrow and it has proposed introducing a local property tax but the move is controversial because local governments rely on land sales for their revenues.

However, investors and economists are worried that the financial issues faced by these developers will make consumers even more reluctant to buy property in an economy where real estate has been a major driver for growth.

Story continues

On Saturday, an Evergrande unit is due to make $82.5m of interest payments to investors, while next Wednesday a 30-day grace period expires for other interest payments owed by the embattled property developer.

Evergrande's shares were suspended in Hong Kong for 17 days last month after the company requested a trading halt ahead of the announcement of a major transaction.

However, a plan to sell a large stake in its property services unit for $2.6bn fell through as it was unable to agree the terms of the deal.

On Thursday, Evergrande's vehicle manufacturing unit sold its UK-based electric motor making business Protean as it tries to raise funds to meet its obligations.

Evergrande didn't say how much it was paid for Protean, which it bought in 2019 for $58m.

You might also be interested in:
Big Newton sandwich from Chick N Max.

A Kansas-based chicken restaurant is planning to expand to Sioux Falls, with its first franchise locations, according to a news release.

Franchisees Brad and Max Reinke, father and son, plan to build three restaurants throughout Sioux Falls within the next five years.

Sioux Falls locations have not been set yet.

Chick N Max caters to the greater Wichita area with three corporate-owned restaurants, specializing in smoked chicken and wings, sandwiches and chicken tenders.

Chick N Maxs made-from-scratch menu has something for everyone, with options for those looking to indulge to guests looking for a healthier take on traditional fast-casual chicken offerings, said Max Reinke in a statement. Were thrilled to be part of one of the more exciting emerging restaurant brands in the country and cant wait to introduce Chick N Maxs legendary sandwiches, crispy tenders, smoked wings and more to the local community.

More: Sunny's Pizzeria kitchen at EightyOne Arcade in Sioux Falls is now open

The expansion announcement comes a few months after Chick N Max announced the launch of its franchise program with plans to expand across the Midwest and southeaster U.S.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Chick N Max announces plans to open three Sioux Falls locations
An Eastern Kentucky woman filed fraudulent applications for $70,000 in loans for herself or an accomplice from a federal program aimed at helping businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, a federal grand jury has charged.

The grand jury indicted Madison L. Balo, 27, on one charge of conspiracy, one charge of theft of government money and seven counts of wire fraud. The wire fraud charges allege she filed fraudulent applications for coronavirus loans online.

Kyler R. Sullivan, 21, was indicted with Balo on conspiracy and theft charges and one charge of wire fraud.

The indictment said the two lived in or around Jenkins, in Letcher County, at the time of the alleged fraud. State court records show Balo also has lived in neighboring Pike County.

Balo allegedly filed a application in May 2020 that used false information in seeking a $10,000 loan advance for Sullivan.

She also sought $60,000 in loan advances for her home business using false information such as the amount of gross revenue and business costs, the indictment charged.

And in one instance, Balo and Sullivan allegedly took part in stealing a $1,200 coronavirus aid check issued to someone else.

The two were indicted Thursday. The most serious charges have a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The indictment does not say how much money they actually received as a result of the fraudulent applications.

There have been numerous cases around the country of alleged scams related to coronavirus relief funding that Congress approved.

In March, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had publicly charged more than 450 people in with trying to fraudulently obtain more than $569 million related to COVID-19 from the government and individuals.

We will not allow American citizens or the critical benefits programs that have been created to assist them to be preyed upon by those seeking to take advantage of this national emergency, Brian M. Boynton, acting assistant attorney general, said at the time.

Story continues

Kentucky has seen a number of those cases. For instance, a Harlan County man was charged in August with filing fraudulent applications for $370,000 in coronavirus aid, and in another, a Northern Kentucky man was charged with claiming his business had 14 employees in an application for coronavirus assistance, when in fact he had no employees.

In a separate state case, Balo and Sullivan were charged in Pike County in June with trafficking in methamphetamine.

Police responded to a complaint that Sullivan and Balo were in a room at a Pikeville motel despite an earlier trespassing order against them at the place, according to a citation.

When police arrived, Sullivan told them to come in the room because we have nothing to hide, but police found items such as baggies and measuring spoons that are used in drug trafficking, as well as what appeared to be meth in a baggie on a set of scales, the citation said.
Alun Wyn Jones is absent for Wales (David Davies/PA) (PA Archive)

Wales will target a fifth successive home victory over South Africa when they host the world champions on Saturday.

Wayne Pivacs team opened their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a 54-16 defeat against New Zealand last weekend.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points heading into the Springboks Principality Stadium visit.

Can Wales cope without captain colossus?

Alun Wyn Jones has played for Wales" data-source="">

Since being selected for his Test debut against Argentina in Patagonia 15 years ago, Alun Wyn Jones has featured in 149 of Wales subsequent 194 Test matches, starting 138 of them. The 36-year-olds consistency of performance has rarely dipped, and he captained Wales at the last World Cup, in addition to leading the British and Irish Lions in South Africa this summer, while also holding the world record for most Test match appearances. Jones is now absent, though, missing the remainder of the Autumn Nations Series and probably all of the 2022 Six Nations Championship after suffering a shoulder injury against New Zealand last weekend that requires surgery. Wales must find a way of managing without him.

South Africa  a physical battle like no other

The Springboks showcased on rugby unions biggest stage  a World Cup final  power and set-piece supremacy that is a trademark of their game. On that occasion in Yokohama two years ago, England had no answer to such dominance, and duly wilted, suffering a 32-12 defeat. South Africa will start with the same pack against Wales that underpinned victory over Rugby Championship opponents New Zealand last month, and while the home side know exactly what is coming at them  a finely-tuned juggernaut  stopping it is an entirely different proposition.

Story continues

Home sweet home for Wales

Wales boast an impressive recent record at the Principality Stadium, particularly against South Africa. After the Springboks won 16 successive home and away games at Wales expense between 2000 and 2014, the balance tilted slightly, with the Springboks losing on their last four Cardiff visits and not having won in the Welsh capital for eight years. Against opponents across the board, Wales can reflect on just four defeats in the last 21 Tests played at the ground, claiming 16 victories and a draw, having toppled the likes of England, Ireland, France and Australia  in addition to South Africa  during that time.

Ellis Jenkins comeback is one to savour

Wales and Cardiff flanker Ellis Jenkins (David Davies/PA) (PA Archive)

It is three years ago this month that Cardiff flanker Jenkins played his last Test match  against South Africa in Cardiff. On that occasion, he delivered a man-of-the-match performance before cruelly suffering a major knee injury during the closing minutes that destroyed his 2019 World Cup dream. It sidelined him from all rugby for 26 months, but Jenkins has gradually worked his way back, gaining selection for Wales autumn squad and then securing a starting place as he is reunited with the Springboks. A special player who has overcome adversity.

Who is Bradley Roberts?

 WALES SQUAD UPDATE 



Ulster hooker Bradley Roberts have been called into the squad, following Ken Owens back injury.

The 25-year-old has made 10 appearances for Ulster.



FULL STORY:  https://t.co/T9cunBuyj3 pic.twitter.com/oElrZkY88w  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) October 29, 2021

Not even the most scholarly of Wales supporters would have had the 25-year-old Ulster hooker on their radar  but head coach Pivac did. Injuries to established squad hookers Ken Owens and Elliot Dee thinned Wales resources, with Cardiffs Kirby Myhill being called up, then Roberts, who was born in South Africa but qualifies for Wales through his Ceredigion-born paternal grandmother. Roberts, who is on the bench against South Africa, only made his Ulster debut a year ago, but Pivac said: We see an exciting prospect. We see him in the attacking side of the game having a lot of skill and a lot of ability. Hes got a good defensive brain on him.

Read More

Evertons Anthony Gordon selected by England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley

The Oklahoma City Thunder again rally to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers

Football rumours: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen reportedly Newcastles top target

Quarterback Mike White injured as New York Jets lose to Indianapolis Colts

Antonio Conte asks for patience as he bids to turn Tottenham around

Brendan Rodgers confident of Europa League chances despite frustrating draw
Natalie Wood at an event in 1955

The late Hollywood actress Natalie Wood was sexually assaulted as a teenager by the actor Kirk Douglas, a new book has claimed.

Ms Wood's sister, Lana, makes the allegations in her memoir "Little Sister", due for release on 9 November.

According to extracts from the book published by the Associated Press, Mr Douglas attacked Ms Wood in the summer of 1955.

The assault allegedly took place while Ms Wood was filming The Searchers.

Lana Wood says that the Hollywood stars' meeting at the famed Chateau Marmont hotel had been arranged by her mother, Maria Zakharenko, who hoped Mr Douglas could help open doors for the young actress.

Mr Douglas, who was in his 30s at the time, was one of Hollywood's most high-profile actors, starring in films such as Spartacus, The Bad and the Beautiful and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

"It seemed like a long time passed before Natalie got back into the car and woke me up when she slammed the door shut," Lana Wood writes.

"She looked awful. She was very dishevelled and very upset, and she and Mom started urgently whispering to each other. I couldn't really hear them or make out what they were saying. Something bad had apparently happened to my sister, but whatever it was, I was apparently too young to be told about it."

Lana Wood, who was eight at the time, says her sister and their mother agreed that it would ruin Natalie's career to publicly accuse Mr Douglas of attacking her.

She writes that her sister did not tell her what happened until years later, when Natalie said she was brought into Mr Douglas' suite and that "he hurt me, Lana."

Mr Douglas died in February 2020 aged 103. Rumours of the alleged assault had been so prevalent, that upon his death Ms Wood's name trended alongside his own on Twitter.

His actor son Michael Douglas, in a statement issued through his publicist, told The Associated Press: "May they both rest in peace."

Story continues

Ms Wood died under mysterious circumstances in November 1981 after drowning while on a weekend boat trip to Santa Catalina Island in California.

Initially ruled as an accident, her cause of death was changed in 2012 to "drowning and other undetermined factors".

Wood's husband at the time, Robert Wagner, was named as a person of interest by police in 2018 and Lana Wood is among those who hold him responsible for Natalie's death.
A look at the shareholders of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSE:RCI.B) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. We also tend to see lower insider ownership in companies that were previously publicly owned.

Rogers Communications has a market capitalization of CA$30b, so it's too big to fly under the radar. We'd expect to see both institutions and retail investors owning a portion of the company. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Rogers Communications.

See our latest analysis for Rogers Communications

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Rogers Communications?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Rogers Communications. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Rogers Communications' historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Rogers Communications. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Rogers Enterprises, Inc. with 20% of shares outstanding. Rogers Control Trust is the second largest shareholder owning 11% of common stock, and BMO Global Asset Management holds about 5.0% of the company stock.

Story continues

We did some more digging and found that 9 of the top shareholders account for roughly 51% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

Insider Ownership Of Rogers Communications

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our information suggests that Rogers Communications Inc. insiders own under 1% of the company. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. Being so large, we would not expect insiders to own a large proportion of the stock. Collectively, they own CA$288m of stock. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

With a 21% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over Rogers Communications. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 31%, of the Rogers Communications stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Rogers Communications better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Rogers Communications that you should be aware of.

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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.
Police located a 16-year-old girl missing from North Carolina after a driver on Interstate 75 in Southern Kentucky noticed her in another car making a distress signal and alerted authorities.

Police charged the driver who had the girl in his car, 61-year-old James Herbert Brick of Cherokee, N.C., with unlawful imprisonment and possession of material showing a sexual performance by a minor, according to a news release from Laurel Couty Sheriff John Root.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, spokesman for Roots office, said the girl and Brick were acquainted.

The girl first went with Brick willingly, but apparently got scared at some point as they traveled, Acciardo said.

I think she started fearing for her life, Acciardo said Friday.

The girls parents had reported her missing from Asheville, N.C., on Tuesday morning, according to Roots office.

Thursday at midday, a driver headed south on I-75 called 9-1-1 in Laurel County and said that while following a silver Toyota car, the driver noticed a girl in the car making hand gestures he recognized from the social media platform TikTok as a request for help, according to the news release.

The girl also appeared to be in distress.

The driver, whose name was not released, continued following the Toyota and giving dispatchers updates on where they were.

Sheriffs officers parked at the I-75 interchange with KY 80 to watch for the vehicle. The driver got off at that exit and police stopped the car.

The 16-year-old girl told police after she left with Brick, they traveled from North Carolina through Tennessee and Kentucky to Ohio where Brick had relatives.

When the relatives learned the girls age and that she was reported missing, Brick headed back south on I-75 and the girl started trying to get the attention of other motorists, according to the news release.

Officers found a cell phone in Bricks possession with images that allegedly portrayed a juvenile female in a sexual manner, the news release said.

Story continues

Lt. Chris Edwards and Robert Reed, a detective with Roots office, arrested Brick just after 12:30 p.m.

Kentucky State Police, London police, the Asheville and Cherokee police departments, the FBI and Kentucky social workers assisted in the case.

Arrangements were being made Friday to get the girl back to North Carolina, Acciardo said.

Brick was being held at the Laurel County Correctional Center Friday under a $10,000 bond.
We're into day five of the trial for Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teenager charged with killing two people and wounding a third during violent protests in Kenosha last year after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

In addition to counts of intentional, reckless and attempted homicide, and reckless endangerment, and curfew violation, Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with possessing a firearm as a minor, a misdemeanor.

Check below for updates as Journal Sentinel reporters and photographers cover the trial. You can also read about what happened on day one, two, three and four of the trial. The trial is expected to last two weeks, but could move into a third week.

A Twitter List by journalsentinel

Car lot owners deny making arrangements for protection with Rittenhouse

Two members of the family that owns three car lot properties along Sheridan Road in Kenosha denied ever making arrangements for Kyle Rittenhouse or anyone to protect their businesses during the days of unrest after the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Brothers Anmol and Sahil Khindri had both met Rittenhouse and other armed men on Aug. 25, 2020  the day Rittenhouse shot and killed two people. But both told the jury Friday afternoon they never asked or gave permission for anyone to watch over their properties that night.

Their parents, who are both involved in managing the business, have not been called to the witness stand as of Friday afternoon.

But their testimony contradicts that of Dominick Black, who accompanied him to Kenosha that night. He testified earlier this week that they made arrangements with the family to protect the business. By that day, one of the familys three business properties had already been torched by arson during civil unrest.

During questioning, Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger showed a screenshot of a text message sent to Anmol Khindri, who goes by Sam. The message said:

Hey Sam its Kyle do you need anyone to protect your business tonight im more then willing and will be armed i just need address.

Story continues

A second message read: Me and my brother would both be thwre armed.

The screenshot did not show a reply from Anmol Khindri. He told Binger he didnt see the message until Aug. 26. He said he gave his number to countless people on Aug. 25 because the business received a flood of attention after one of its properties was destroyed.

Anmol Khindri said he and staff took steps to secure cars and other equipment on their properties Aug. 25, but never arranged for armed men to watch over it.

Sahil Khindri, who said he does not work at either of the three businesses, was photographed posing with Rittenhouse, Black and other armed men on Aug. 25. But Sahil Khindri said he only did so because he was impressed with their military-style equipment.

 Elliot Hughes

Kariann Swart, fiancee of Joseph Rosenbaum, testifies

Kariann Swart, the fiancee of Joseph Rosenbaum, said on the witness stand Friday that Rosenbaum had taken medication for bipolar disorder the day he was shot and killed by Kyle Rittenhouse.

Swart, an Illinois native, said Rosenbaum was from Waco, Texas and had moved to Kenosha sometime earlier to be closer to his child, who lives in Kenosha.

She said she met him just over a year before his death. They were both homeless at the time, and quickly began a romantic relationship.

He was a very animated person, she said.

Swart said Rosenbaum had been taking a medication for bipolar disorder, another anti-depressant and a medication for sleep the entire time she knew him. She said he took the last of his bipolar medication the day he died, but was unable to refill it the same day.

The two were staying in a motel about an hours walk from the area were Rosenbaum was shot. After being released from a Milwaukee hospital that day, Swart said she told Rosenbaum not to go out in Kenosha because of all the unrest the few days prior.

Rosenbaum didnt listen and left without telling Swart where he was going, she said. He had no other place to stay in Kenosha.

He took with him a plastic bag he received from his hospital stay. Swart said she saw the contents: socks, deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, paperwork and a plastic, empty water bottle.

Swart said she had no idea what occurred in Kenosha the night of Aug. 25 until a phone call from the local medical examiners office woke her at 4 a.m. the next morning.

I broke down. I cant get that image out of my head, she said.

 Elliot Hughes

Legal experts criticize discourse on banning the word victims to describe men shot by Rittenhouse

Crime victims rights attorneys harshly criticized the public discourse around Judge Bruce Schroeders decision not to allow the three men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse to be called victims in the courtroom.

Schroeder announced the decision last week during one of the final hearings before Rittenhouses trial started Monday. Schroeder has said its his standard rule to prohibit the use of the term "victim" until someone is convicted of a crime.

At the same hearing, the judge declined the prosecutions request to ban defense lawyers from calling the men looters, rioters, arsonists or any other pejorative term. The judges decisions garnered significant media attention with many criticizing him.

For decades, Wisconsin law has stated victims have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, sensitivity and fairness. Those rights were elevated to state Constitutional rights with the passage of Marsys Law.

It is hard to imagine a situation in which these rights are more at issue than in discussions over whether the defense may refer to victims as looters, rioters, and arsonists, particularly when two of the victims are deceased and have no ability to defend against those legal characterizations, said Amanda Rabe Mayer, an attorney with Wisconsin Judicare, Inc.

In a statement released this week, attorneys with Wisconsin Judicare, Legal Action of Wisconsin and LOTUS Legal Clinic pointed out under state law, victims rights begin at the time of victimization.

Those three men became victims under the law as soon as they were shot, according to their statement.

Victims rights have to be balanced with the defendants rights and it is common in trial courts to have discussions about referring to people as victims, alleged victims, complaining witnesses or some other designation.

But it would appear to be an entirely new understanding of the right to be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, sensitivity, and fairness to allow parties to characterize legal victims as criminals  without explicitly addressing the courts obligation to balance the competing rights of victims and defendants, according to the statement.

Schroeder has told prosecutors they must refer to the two people Rittenhouse fatally shot  Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber  and one he wounded  Gaige Grosskreutz  as Mr. Rosenbaum, Mr. Huber and Mr. Grosskreutz, or the people who were shot, or as to Rosenbaum and Huber, the decedents.

In an email late Friday, Mayer clarified the attorneys comments were directed at the general public discourse, not the judges decision itself. This post has been updated to reflect that.

 Ashley Luthern

Great-aunt of Anthony Huber takes the stand, says he always had a skateboard

Susan Hughes, great-aunt of Anthony Huber, testified Friday how skateboarding was a core part of Hubers identity.

Huber encountered Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Prosecutors say Rittenhouse had killed Joseph Rosenbaum and was running away when Huber tried to stop him and Rittenhouse fatally shot him. Video and witness statements showed Huber hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard and appearing to try to take his gun.

Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in Huber's death

Huber always had a skateboard, Hughes said.

Hughes was born in Kenosha, moved away and returned in 2011 because of health problems. Huber was close to his grandmother, Hughes sister.

Even shortly before he died, when I would take him somewhere he would know I was picking him up in a car and know hes going home in a car, he would still have his skateboard in case there was a chance there was an interesting parking lot somewhere and he could go out and skate, she said.

It was his main source of transportation, sometimes skateboarding miles at a time, Hughes said.

She and Huber spoke regularly, including over the weekend when Jacob Blake was shot. After Black was shot, Huber wanted to go with Hughes to a memorial bench for her son who had died earlier, she said.

While we were there he told me he had known Jacob, I frankly dont recall how well he knew him, Hughes said. He knew that Jacob had children.

Hughes said her great-nephew had gone to some of the earlier protests to take videos.

On Aug. 25, Huber stopped at her house late in the afternoon with his girlfriend. They were on their way to do errands, and she reminded him that they needed to be back in town before the curfew, Hughes said.

Had you ever seen Anthony Huber run towards danger? Assistant District Attorney James Kraus asked.

Yes, she replied.

Rittenhouses attorneys objected to the question. Judge Bruce Schroeder appeared to agree with the defense, but then prosecutors cited legal guidelines for when evidence of a homicide victims character can be brought up.

Schroeder called a break for lunch and said he would research the issue further during that time.

After lunch, when it became clear that if prosecutors went forward with that line of questioning, the defense intended to introduce evidence of Huber's past criminal cases, the prosecution withdrew the question.

Hughes and the jury were called back into the courtroom and her testimony ended shortly after that.

 Ashley Luthern

DNA analyst details testing of Rittenhouses gun

The gun carried by Kyle Rittenhouse the night he shot three people did not have clearly detectable DNA from the two men Rittenhouse killed that night, an analyst testified Friday.

But those results do not definitively mean the men, Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, never touched the AR-15.

Prosecutors called Amber Rasmussen, DNA analyst at the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Milwaukee, to testify late Friday morning.

She explained how the crime lab received Rittenhouses gun along with DNA samples for Rittenhouse, Rosenbaum and Huber.

Only one source of DNA was found on the trigger of the gun and it strongly matched to Rittenhouse, Rasmussen said.

The barrel guard of the gun had a mixture of DNA, meaning there was DNA present from at least two people, she said.

There was strong support of exclusion of Rosenbaum and Huber, meaning their DNA was not detected, and strong support for inclusion of Rittenhouse, she said.

The guns magazine also had a mixture of DNA that included Rittenhouse and likely excluded Rosenbaum, but the results for Huber were uninformative, the analyst said.

So in terms of Mr. Huber, you cannot either exclude or include him? Assistant District Attorney James Kraus asked.

Correct, Rasmussen said, noting the amount of DNA present was relatively low and not the ideal amount for performing an analysis.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi showed a photo that appeared to show Huber grabbing Rittenhouses gun while Rittenhouse is on the ground.

The fact that DNA is not present in any of the areas of the firearm for Mr. Huber doesnt mean that he didnt actually touch it, Chirafisi said.

Correct, Rasmussen said. Whether DNA was detected from an individual or not does not mean that they did not touch that item.

The less an item is handled, the less likely there is for detectable DNA to be on it, she said.

 Ashley Luthern

Defense cross-examines witness, focuses on how his impression of Rosenbaum might have been different under other circumstances

Corey Chirafisi, one of Kyle Rittenhouses defense attorneys, pressed Jason Lackowski about his impression of Joseph Rosenbaum the night Rittenhouse fatally shot him.

Friday morning, Lackowski told a prosecutor he did not consider Rosenbaum a threat. During cross-examination, Chirafisi asked if that would have changed if Rosenbaum had approached him alone.

No, Lackowski replied.

Lackowski said Rosenbaum had not threatened to kill him and had not done more than false-stepping towards him.

Chirafisi, the defense attorney, asked if his impression would have changed if Rosenbaum ran toward him.

The situation dictates, Lackowski said.

Chirafisi then asked if he would be more concerned if someone was running full speed at him, and Lackowski said yes, he would.

If I threatened to kill you if I saw you that night, and then Im running full speed at you and Im going for your gun, are all those things you would have considered when making a decision what to do against somebody like me? Chirafisi said.

A threat to my life, yes, Lackowski said.

Chirafisi then moved on to questioning about homemade chlorine gas bombs used on the streets of Kenosha that night. He did not ask Lackowski to clarify if he specifically meant he would have considered Rosenbaum a threat to his life in that situation.

Lackowski had described Rosenbaum as asking to be shot during the prosecutor's questioning. Chirafisi asked if Rosenbaum was specifically standing on a street court yelling Shoot me! and then using the n-word.

Lackowski said that was accurate, and Chirafisi asked how the crowd reacted to Rosenbaums statements.

In a negative manner, Lackowski said, saying people physically moved away from Rosenbaum.

Lackowski said he encountered Rittenhouse running away from the shootings. He told the FBI that he thought Rittenhouse said he did not shoot anyone but needed help.

Chirafisi asked if he might have misremembered, given that Lackowski had described blacking out in the time period between seeing Rittenhouse running away and coming across Gaige Grosskreutz, the man Rittenhouse shot in the arm. Lackowski had said he helped treat Grosskreutzs injuries.

So again, Im not being critical, how certain are you that in fact he didnt say I did shoot someone and I need help versus I didnt shoot someone but I need help, Chirafisi said.

I dont honestly recall, Lackowski said.

Lackowski has been testifying since about 9 a.m. and the judge called for a break about 10:40 a.m.

 Ashley Luthern

Veteran describes meeting Rittenhouse, Rosenbaum the night of the shootings

Jason Lackowski, a Marine veteran, told jurors Friday morning he traveled from Brown Deer to Kenosha to help out.

I saw the community in trouble and I wanted to come help anyway I could, Lackowski said.

He was armed with an AR-15 and prepared to shout, shove, show, shoot, outlining steps to deter activity by shouting, then shoving individuals, showing a weapon and then shooting the weapon.

Under questioning from Thomas Binger, the prosecutor, Lackowski said he never had to go past the shouting step that night.

Lackowski described meeting Kyle Rittenhouse, who introduced himself by name and said he was an emergency medical technician.

I assumed he was 18, Lackowski said.

He said he made that assumption because of requirements to have an EMT license and to purchase a rifle. Rittenhouse was 17 at the time.

Lackowski described the situation as chaotic with certain people wreaking havoc. He saw people trying to set fires and throwing rocks and other objects.

Binger asked if Joseph Rosenbaum, the man who Rittenhouse shot and killed that night, was one of them. Lackowski said no, and that he had one encounter with Rosenbaum, whom he described as a babbling idiot.

Rosenbaum had been acting very belligerently, Lackowski said, and Rosenbaum had been very bluntly asking people to shoot him. The Washington Post has reported that Rosenbaum, 36, had been released from a hospital earlier that day following a suicide attempt.

In court Friday, Lackowski said Rosenbaum was doing something he described as false stepping, as if to entice somebody to do something. At that point, Lackowski said he turned his back and ignored Rosenbaum.

Did you consider him a threat? Binger said.

No, Lackowski said.

"Did you feel that he posed any danger to you or anyone else?" Binger asked.

"No," he replied.

Binger continued to question Lackowski Friday morning.

 Ashley Luthern

Prosecutor to call seventh witness

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger expects to call Jason Lackowski to the stand first Friday morning.

Lackowski, the states seventh witness, traveled to Kenosha with Ryan Balch, an Army veteran from Washington County.

Balch testified Thursday that he went to Kenosha with body armor, rifles and handguns to try to stop rioting and looting and what not.

As court got underway Friday, a female juror was dismissed at her request because of medical conditions surrounding her pregnancy.

In the gallery, Kevin Mathewson took a seat in the front row reserved for media members.

Mathewson, a private investigator and former Kenosha city alderman, put out a Facebook post last August calling for people to show up and protect the city. The defense has said Rittenhouse did not see the Facebook post.

Mathewson has said he is observing the trial as media because he runs Kenosha County Eye. Its unclear if he will be called to testify.

 Ashley Luthern and Bruce Vielmetti

Trial likely to extend into third week

Friday will mark day five in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and the halfway point in the states case.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger indicated Thursday that he expected to rest Tuesday. Unless the defense can present its case in two days, its looking like the trial could extend into a third week.

So far, Binger has presented only one detective witness, mostly to introduce more than a dozen videos of what was happening downtown the night of Aug. 25, 2020.

There are many dozens of law enforcement officers from several agencies on the states witness list, so expect to see some on the witness stand Friday.

Gaige Grosskreutz, the man Rittenhouse shot in the arm, is now not expected to testify until next week. Another key witness, Joshua Ziminski, who was with Joseph Rosenbaum much of the night and fired a shot in the air right before Rittenhouse killed Rosenbaum, also hasnt testified yet.

Thursday started with the dismissal of a juror for trying to tell an inappropriate joke about Jacob Blake to a sheriffs deputy.

The remaining 19 jurors then heard from two very interesting witnesses. Richie McGinnis, a videographer with The Daily Caller, a conservative news site, had interviewed Rittenhouse as he stood guard in front of a business. About 15 minutes later, he was trying to record again as ran behind Joseph Rosenbaum as he chased Rittenhouse.

When Rittenhouse stopped, turned and shot Rosenbaum four times as he lunged for Rittenhouses AR 15 style weapon, McGinnis was just 15 feet away, nearly in the line of fire.

He and others tried to render aid to Rosenbaum and carried him a hospital across the street.

Ryan Balch is an Army veteran who came from Washington County with friends, with body armor, rifles and handguns, to try to stop rioting and looting and what not.

His group joined with Rittenhouse and his friends, whom they had just met, to help protect the businesses. He described Rittenhouse as a young impressionable kid who was under equipped and under experienced.

But Rittenhouse seemed very interested in Balchs life and time in the Army, and Balch said he tried to look out for and advise Rittenhouse about how to act in the situation.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kyle Rittenhouse trial live updates: Car lot owners testify
Associated Press

One of the most wanted fugitives in the United States apparently died about four months ago in a South Carolina home nearly 16 years after he was first wanted in San Diego for sexually assaulting children, investigators said. Frederick Cecil McLean, 70, died of natural causes in July, but his body wasn't found until Nov. 6 when someone asked deputies to check on a neighbor who hadn't been seen in a while, Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis said. McLean has been on the U.S. Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted list since 2006, a year after the San Diego Sheriffs Department issued arrest warrants for sexual assaults on a child and determined he was a high risk to continue attacking girls.
Kindergarten students at Booker T. Washington Community Elementary School line up on their way to lunch on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. They put their arms out straight ahead to help keep social distance between the person in front of them.

LAS CRUCES - After several weeks of steady increases, Las Cruces Public Schools experiences a huge spike in cases, surpassing 900 cases since classes began on Aug. 9.

Las Cruces Public Schools reported 194 new COVID-19 cases the week of Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. This is almost four times what had been consistently reported weekly in August, September and early October.

Previously, weekly reports ranged between 40 to 70 new positive cases. This past week, there were 41 new cases on Monday and 43 news cases on Wednesday, both in a single day.

The week of Oct. 22 to Oct. 28, there were 125 reported cases.

The last two weeks make up more than one-third of the overall cases in the past three months.

LCPS news: Voters value teaching experience over pros in other industries

LCPS's COVID-19 system tracks cases by school and records the percentage of positive cases relative to the number of students and staff in the buildings.

In the past two weeks, the schools with the highest percentage of new COVID-19 cases are Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy (5.94 percent), Jornada Elementary (3.24 percent), Hermosa Heights Elementary (2.31 percent) and Desert Hills Elementary (2.02 percent).

As of Friday morning, there were 911 cases reported.

Cumulative district data

Overall, about 4.74 percent of students and staff at LCPS have tested positive for COVID-19 this school year.

Out of the 911 positive cases in the district, 735 are students and 176 are staff members or contractors, according to the new dashboard.

Organ Mountain High had the highest number of new cases this week with 19, Jornada Elementary had 15, Centennial High had 13 and Las Cruces High had 12.

Organ Mountain High now has the highest number of COVID-19 cases of any district location with 69 reported positive cases, 64 of which are reported as student cases.

Mayfield High, which consistently had the most cases since August, has 50. Three other schools have more than 40 cases: Highland Elementary has 46; Camino Real Middle has 42; Las Cruces High has 41. There are five schools that have more than 30 cases.

Story continues

The Las Cruces District Administration designation also has 41 reported cases.

LCPS's new COVID-19 dashboard can be found at lcps.net/returnplan/covidnews.html.

COVID-19 Rapid Response by district

According to the New Mexico Environmental Department's Rapid Response tracker, there are no current rapid responses at Hatch Valley Public Schools.

Gadsden Independent School District has 17 rapid responses: Anthony Elementary has two, Chaparral Elementary has two, Chaparral Middle has two, Chaparral High has two, Gadsden High has four, Mesquite Elementary has three, Santa Teresa Elementary has two and Santa Teresa Middle has two rapid responses.

In total, LCPS has 96.

Explore Academy charter school also has two rapid responses.

A rapid response means one or more people tested positive for COVID-19 and was infectious while on campus. All cases reported to a school on a single day, along with all cases with test dates through the following day, are grouped into a single rapid response.

COVID-19: New Mexico getting 90,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

The New Mexico Public Education Department announced on Aug. 19 that it will not be requiring schools to close upon reaching four rapid responses in 14 days, which was the previous guidance.

Instead, the department will work with schools to implement enhanced COVID-safe practices that will maintain in-person learning as much as possible. It is up to a district whether or not a school is moved to remote learning, unless the Department of Health steps in.

Twenty-six schools across the state have four or more rapid responses. There has been an increase statewide of COVID-19 cases in schools.

According to the state, about a quarter of the newly reported COVID-19 cases in the past week were found in children.

New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said Wednesday that COVID-19 spread amongst children is less common in schools, and is more likely happening outside of school where masking and socially distancing might not be enforced.

View the NMED's website to keep track of rapid responses at env.nm.gov/rapid-response-data/.

Miranda Cyr, a Report for America corps member, can be reached at mcyr@lcsun-news.com or @mirandabcyr on Twitter. Show your support for the Report for America program at https://bit.ly/LCSNRFA.

Others are reading:

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: LCPS sees huge spike in COVID-19 cases: 911 cases reported in three months
Nearly seven decades ago, polio was the most feared disease in our country because of its high infection rate among children.

Just in 1952, nearly 60,000 children were infected. Images of children in iron lungs keeping them alive terrorized parents, as did reports of the thousands who were paralyzed. More than 3,000 children died that year.

By early 1954, doctors were ready to begin a trial of Dr. Jonas Salks polio vaccine with more than 1.3 million children, who were called Polio Pioneers. My brother-in-law, Robert C. Brown, was one of them. Thats 6-year-old Bob in the photo, being vaccinated by his father, Dr. Charles Brown, at Brinkerhoff Elementary School in Mansfield, Ohio.

Dr. Charles Brown, right, father-in-law of columnist Connie Schultz, immunizes his son Bob against polio in 1954.

I only discovered the photos backstory Thursday, after I called Bob. As it turns out, his father had just inoculated him when someone asked them to do it again for a photo. Doc Brown, as he was commonly called, was eager to save childrens lives. Like so many physician parents, my father-in-law was willing to be photographed injecting the arm of his own child, who was first in line.

Agreeing to the photo request, Doc Brown held up another syringe and reassured his nervous son, Im not going to give you another shot, sonny boy. The picture ran on the front page of the Mansfield News-Journal, above the fold, on April 27, 1954.

Countering vaccine misinformation  in the 1950s and today

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Polio: An American Story," historian David M. Oshinsky describes how gossip columnist Walter Winchell attempted to derail the vaccine trials. In his dramatic staccato style, Oshinsky writes, Winchell began his popular Sunday night broadcast with, Attention everyone! In a few moments I will report on a new polio vaccine  it may be a killer! After the commercial, he claimed that in lab experiments, the Salk vaccine had killed several monkeys.

His broadcast took a heavy toll, and local health officials started to have second thoughts. Medical experts rushed to undo Winchells damage  including Salk himself, whose three children had already been vaccinated. Winchell, Salk told reporters, was a sidewalk superintendent.

Story continues

He was wrong in his statistics and wrong about the danger. If (he) had called me I would have been able to explain. But the guy was just interested in creating a bit of a sensation.

Connie Schultz: 'Devastation is unreal': When a loved one dies of COVID and some still doubt

The front page of the Mansfield (Ohio) News Journal on April 27, 1954, showed family doctors inoculating children against polio.

An estimated 150,000 children were lost to the vaccine trials because of Winchell. But as we all know, the vaccine worked. Polio was eliminated by 1979.

I share this story because 28 million children in this country, ages 5 to 11, are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and the modern-day Winchells among us will try to scare parents from protecting kids.

Fortunately, we have science on our side, and millions of parents accustomed to prioritizing their childrens well-being over their own fears. We must be louder in our advocacy.

Kids 5-11 must get the COVID vaccine.Trusted family physicians must be the ones to give it.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, our children have shown a bravery beyond their years. In school districts that have prioritized health over politics, kids have been wearing masks. Many children have endured the intrusion of COVID test swabs and quarantines. They have missed friends and family and, for months on end, witnessed their parents love manifest as anxiety and worry.

We have asked so much of these cherished children because we had to. Now, they are on the brink of the childhood they deserve.

True then, true now: 'The vaccine works. It is safe, effective, and potent.'

A year after the polio vaccine trial began  on the morning of April 12, 1954  Dave Garroway of NBCs "Today" show read aloud the long-awaited official verdict: The vaccine works. It is safe, effective, and potent.

The suspense was broken, Oshinsky writes. Schoolchildren and factory workers got the word over public address systems. Office workers heard it while huddling around radios. In department stores, courtrooms, and coffee shops, people wept openly with relief. To many, April 12 resembled another V-J Day  the end of a war.

I saw a version of this joy on my Facebook page Thursday morning. All I had to do was ask parents how they were feeling about the COVIC-19 vaccine for their young children. Nearly 400 responded in the first hour, sharing stories of relief and scheduled vaccinations, and helping other parents find vaccination sites for their children. The sense of community  and the rampant kindness among strangers  has too often been missing in this discussion.

Amy Saalfeld Delgado spoke for so many when she described her experience at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center on Wednesday, where she waited in line with her children for 90 minutes. After they were vaccinated, the line was twice as long.  Lots of families are working to get this vaccine for their kids.

I encourage health care professionals with children ages 5 to 11 to publicize their childrens vaccinations. Likewise, I urge all of you parents with social media accounts to spread the word, too. Nobody has a greater influence in your community of families than you do.

How are our kids doing with COVID?: Lean in and listen. They've been telling us all along.

In that thread on my Facebook wall, Meghan Marie Torres said she was initially hesitant about the childrens vaccine until her 6-year-old said, Mom, I am so excited for this. I can finally touch my friends again!

Our children are willing to be brave, yet again. All we have to do is match their courage and walk them through that door.

Please share your childrens vaccination stories  and photos  with Connie at Cschultz@usatoday.com

USA TODAY columnist Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize winner whose novel, The Daughters of Erietown, is a New York Times bestseller. You also can reach her on Twitter: @ConnieSchultz

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: Vaccines for kids: From polio to COVID, children have been brave
In the Oct. 27 MetroWest Daily News there was an article, "Hate is on the rise: Antisemitism surges on America's far left and far right" by Avi Mayer.

Albeit an abhorrent issue, in a similar vein in Jerusalem there is history of hateful behavior in an anti-Christian/Armenian/Greek disdain by some Jews towards its religious Christian populace expressed by spitting on them. What strange and vile behavior that appears to be tolerated by the Jewish population. Such disgraceful action against Jews would garner news attention.

It must be respected that Israel has provided humanitarian aid for dire predicaments in Armenia. But this generosity does not absolve nor should it compromise this terrible and sad state of anti-Christian behavior.

Some of such U.S. anti-Semitic hatred might be attributable to Donald Trumps demeaning and inciting rhetoric that may unwittingly have been strengthened by those Jews who voted for him.

Martin Demoorjian

Marlborough

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Letter: What strange and vile behavior that appears to be tolerated
College Football News

What will the Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY potentially look like? It's our prediction and best guess on what the latest rankings will be after Week 12.
Update: KSP shares video of Louisville officer fatally shooting man at apartment

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Louisville police shot and killed a man early Tuesday on River Bend Drive in Clifton Heights after officials said he grabbed a gun and fired at officers responding to a "domestic disturbance" at an apartment.

Fifth Division officers were sent about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday to an apartment in the 2500 block of River Bend Drive in response to a "domestic disturbance," Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Beth Ruoff said.

That address, in The Whitney apartment complex, is near the Robley Rex VA Medical Center off Zorn and Mellwood avenues.

"Officers were informed by MetroSafe that the man was armed with a gun," Ruoff said, adding a woman had called 911 to report an argument.

Magnetic Pull: JCPS keeps losing out on millions of dollars because it hasnt fixed its magnet programs

"While on scene, the man grabbed the gun and fired at officers," Ruoff said. "At least one LMPD officer fired their weapon, striking and killing the man. Body camera video captured the incident. The Kentucky State Police are leading the investigation."

LMPD said no officers were injured. The department later identified Officer Timothy Lanham as the one who fatally shot the man. The identity of the man along with more details have not been released.

The LMPD Forensic Crime Scene Unit and multiple patrol cars were on scene for much of the morning, but there was no visible police presence or police tape still up by 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Two neighbors on River Bend, who both declined to give their names, said they saw a large police presence overnight and neighbors gathered to look on.

"They were all over the place," one said.

Dawn Daunhauer, who lives a couple of buildings away from where the shooting took place in the complex, said she noticed flashing lights and sirens around the time of the shooting but assumed it was an ambulance tending to a medical emergency.

Story continues

She's new to the Louisville area and was coming home "from a 16-hour shift" at her job late Monday, she said, and was surprised when she found out Tuesday what the commotion was that had briefly woken her overnight.

"It's shocking," she said. "It's just awful."

An employee in the complex's leasing office declined to comment, referring all questions to LMPD.

Captain Paul Blanton, a Kentucky State Police spokesman, told The Courier Journal he could not share additional details at this time.

KSP's Critical Incident Response Team arrived at the scene at the request of LMPD, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to a news release from state police.

"An autopsy has been scheduled by the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner in Louisville. No officers or members of the community were injured during this incident," the KSP news release said.

"KSP is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation," the news release added. "To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case."

Last year, KSP began handling investigations into LMPD officers shooting civilians after the city reached a settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Black woman who was unarmed when police fatally shot her during a botched drug raid at her home.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said at the time that KSP initially agreed to LMPD's practice of releasing body camera footage within 24 hours but later said they would not be able to do so given "logistical challenges."

State police have since opened several investigations into LMPD personnel shooting people accused of committing crimes, the first of which came last November after an officer fatally shot a man during a traffic stop in the Portland neighborhood.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Metro Police fatally shoot armed man on River Bend Drive
Activists protesting against the impending execution of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, sentenced to death for trafficking heroin into Singapore, in Kuala Lumpur on 3 November 2021. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  A Malaysian drug trafficker on death row was "not substantially impaired" while committing the offence, and was found by the High Court and Court of Appeal to have clearly understood the nature of his acts, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday (4 November).

In addition, the High Court found that Nagaenthran K Dharmalingams defence of duress, which was fully stated in court, was fabricated. This was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal. "Nagaenthran himself resiled from his claim of duress in subsequent proceedings, and accepted that he committed the offence because he needed money, as opposed to having been labouring under any threat."

MHA added, "The Court of Appeal found that this was the working of a criminal mind...It was a deliberate, purposeful and calculated decision on Nagaenthrans part to take the chance."

Petition for pardon

The Ministry was responding to media queries on a petition for President Halimah Yacob to pardon Nagaenthran, which has garnered more than 52,000 signatures as of Friday afternoon. It stated that the 33-year-old has an intellectual disability and an IQ of 69, a level "internationally recognised as an intellectual disability". He also has impaired executive functioning and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to the petition.

"While on trial, Nagaenthran testified that he had been coerced by a man who assaulted him and threatened to murder his girlfriend," the petition said.

Now 33, Nagaenthran was arrested and charged in 2009 with importing one packet of granular substance containing not less than 42.72 grammes of diamorphine. The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine imported is more than 15 grammes.

Nagaenthran was given the death penalty in November 2010. He appealed against his conviction and sentence, and the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 27 July 2011.

Story continues

MHA stressed that he was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process. It noted that after the amendments to the death penalty regime under the Misuse of Drugs Act came into effect in January 2013, Nagaenthran filed a re-sentencing application in 24 February 2015, to set aside the death sentence imposed on him and to substitute a sentence of life imprisonment in its place.

The application sought to determine whether he was suffering from an abnormality of mind which substantially impaired his mental responsibility for the offence.

"The High Court dismissed the application on 14 September 2017, having considered all the facts of the case, expert evidence from psychiatrists, as well as further submissions to the High Court. The High Court found that Nagaenthran was not suffering from an abnormality of mind at the time of the offence," MHA said.

On 27 March 2015, Nagaenthran filed a judicial review application against the public prosecutors decision to not issue a certificate of substantive assistance under Section 33B of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The High Court dismissed the application on 4 May 2018.

The Malaysian appealed against the High Courts decisions on both applications, and the Court of Appeal dismissed both appeals on 27 May 2019. His petition to the President for clemency was unsuccessful.

Controversial case

A judicial hearing was set for Monday to hear arguments that executing a mentally disabled person would violate Singapore's Constitution. If the review fails, Nagaenthran would be the first person executed in Singapore since 2019.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Wednesday he has written to his Singapore counterpart about the case and would extend consular aid to Nagaenthran and his family.

According to a report by Vice World News, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has written to Nagaenthran's family in Malaysia, informing them that he will be executed on 10 November.

The ministry added that SPS has been in touch with the family by phone and email on a daily basis since 27 October to explain and address any of the familys queries on the required travel arrangements. SPS has also liaised closely with agencies such as the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Health and Singapore Tourism Board to smoothen their travel application and make the necessary arrangements for entry into Singapore.

"Upon their entry into Singapore, Nagaenthrans visitors will be granted extended face-to-face visits daily. SPS will continue to render assistance to the family throughout," said MHA.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
The man who filmed rats inside a Popeyes location in DC said his employer suspended him over the video. Photo By Bruce Bisping/Star Tribune via Getty Image

Ricardo Land posted a video of rats inside a Popeyes kitchen DC health officials later shut down.

Land said his employer suspended him for the video.

The GoFundMe has brought in over $19,000 as of Thursday, more than its $10,000 goal.

The man who filmed a viral video of rats in a Popeyes location in Washington, DC, said he has been suspended from his job and is launching a GoFundMe to support himself.

Ricardo Land went viral after he posted a TikTok on October 11 that showed him walking into a Popeyes restaurant at night with several rats scurrying around the kitchen. In the video, Land said he's a delivery man who delivers raw chicken to DC-area Popeyes locations.

The clip, which showed rats running across the floor and up the pipes on the wall, has garnered over 2.3 million views and 340,000 likes.

On October 28, slightly over two weeks after Land's video, the same Popeyes, which Fox News reported was near Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of DC, was shut down, according to Fox News.

The DC Health Department left a notice on the door, saying the establishment was blocked due to "a violation(s) of the district of Columbia food code regulations which presents an imminent health hazard(s) to the public," Insider reported.

Charles Allen, a councilman for DC's Ward 6 neighborhoods, tweeted on Saturday morning that the DC Health department "inspected and closed this site yesterday." The tweet was in response to a Twitter repost of the TikTok on Friday by the account "Washingtonian Problems" that has over 670,000 views.

On Tuesday, Land created a GoFundMe page for himself, writing that he had been "suspended from my job" and claiming it was because of his "exposure" of the Popeyes location. He shared screenshots of the GoFundMe on his TikTok account, @blaqazzrick01, which has over 13,000 followers. Insider could not verify who employed Land and was unable to confirm his account.

Story continues

"I have a family of 5 and due to this incident my family will be hurt by my employer," the GoFundMe's description says. "I will not be able to afford rent food [sic] or any other necessities to keep my home."

The fundraiser has already garnered over $28,000 at the time of this story, more than its original goal of $10,000. Land posted an update on the GoFundMe on Thursday in which he thanked people for their support.

@blaqazzrick01 When they demonize you for doin the right thing please help  COMMA$ - Curtis Roach

"When they demonize you for doin the right thing please help [sic]," Land wrote in one of the TikTok's descriptions.

The comments of the TikToks are flooded with sympathetic messages and people praising him for filming the Popeyes teeming with rodents.

The DC Health Department and Popeyes did not respond to requests for comment. Land was not immediately available for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
A man shot a 26-year-old car wash worker in the leg after a fight over the use of a vacuum, New York police said.

A customer was vacuuming his car around 2 p.m. Oct. 17 at the B & G Hand Car Wash on Tremont Avenue in the Bronx when a worker told him only staff can use the stations equipment, CBS New York reported.

The man left the car wash and came back 30 minutes later and shot the worker, NBC New York reported.

The 26-year-old sustained serious injuries, according to the New York Police Department.

A search is underway for the man accused of shooting the car wash employee and fleeing the scene, police said.

Anyone with information can call 800-577-TIPS or send a direct message to NYPDTips.

Police are offering a reward of up to $3,500.

17-year-old accused of murder after $570 marijuana deal went bad in Fort Worth: warrant

Mom of 3 was fatally shot in Miami months ago. Her family seeks help solving the crime

74-year-old Arlington man snapped, fatally shot daughter after family dispute: warrant
By Helen Coster and Krystal Hu

(Reuters) - Media entrepreneur Byron Allen has raised $10 billion in preferred equity and debt for his bid for U.S. regional TV station operator Tegna Inc, hoping to prevail over a rival offer from investment firms Apollo Global Management Inc and Standard General LP, people familiar with the matter said.

The financing is backed by a consortium of 14 banks and 10 investors, including Ares Management Corp, Fortress Investment Group, Oaktree Capital Management and Michael Milken's family office, one of the sources said.

Ares is leading a $2.2 billion preferred equity investment in support of Allen's financing package, another of the sources added.

Tegna could choose a winning bidder as early as this month, the sources said.

Spokespeople for Tegna, Apollo, Oaktree and Michael Milken declined to comment.

Allen, who acquired the Weather Channel TV network for $300 million in 2018, made a $23 per share offer for Tegna in September, while Apollo and Standard General offered $22 per share, according to people familiar with the matter.

Tegna wants both bidders to raise their offers, one of the sources said. It also expects assurances from both bidders that they will entertain all regulatory demands necessary to complete the acquisition, and views the Apollo/Standard General bid as most likely to raise antitrust concerns, the source added.

Apollo owns 33 TV stations in 20 markets through its portfolio company Cox Media Group, while Standard General owns four TV stations, according to their websites.

Tegna reported third-quarter earnings on Thursday and said on a call with analysts it was still evaluating acquisition proposals versus its stand-alone prospects.

The company recorded $756 million in revenue in the quarter, up 2% year-over-year. It has 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, and a market value of $7.75 billion including debt.

(Reporting by Helen Coster in New York and Krystal Hu in San Francisco; Editing by Chris Reese)
Connor, 5, sits on his dad Eric Sefton's lap while receiving his Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, now approved for 5-11 year olds, as children of staff members at Le Bonheur are some of the first to receive the vaccine on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

Like many other parents, the ones who brought their young children to get COVID-19 vaccines at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Thursday were relieved.

For the luckiest of the group of hospital system employees, Thursday marked a precious day: The first step toward becoming a fully vaccinated family.

"I learned that the COVID vaccine is good for you, even if it might hurt a little," said 6-year-old Michael Woodbury Moore, who had a good day at school before being brave for the shot, which nurses called "pokes." "It's still good for your health, and body."

He hopes other people and kids are brave and get their vaccine, too.

Dr. Nicholas Hysmith stands in the atrium of Le Bonheurs Children Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021 as children of staff members some of the first to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved for 5-11 year old kids.

The Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use in kids ages 5-11 and after final recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tennessee's state health department passed along instructions to local officials for administering the shots.

Drive-Thru vaccines: Memphis drive-thu COVID-19 vaccine locations are 12 and up. Here's how kids ages 5-11 can get a shot

Vaccines in Shelby : Shelby County officials 'gearing up' for kids 5-11 to get COVID-19 vaccine

Dr. Nick Hysmith, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the children's hospital, remembers watching the delivery tracking number of vaccine vials as they made their way to the hospital, where just a couple months ago nurses and doctors were treating, at one point, a high of 33 kids with the virus.

While severe COVID-19 is rare in children, the hospital treated more severe cases during the recent wave caused by the delta variant. The variant, which is more contagious, is still the dominant variant locally and, because of the current area vaccination rate, is likely going to be responsible for another wave this winter.

Raiya Randolph, 9, high fives Anne Elizabeth Hattier after receiving her shot as children of staff members at Le Bonheur are some of the first to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved for 5-11 year olds, at the children's hospital on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

"Right now when we're low, getting vaccinated right now is what's going to prevent us from having the next wave," he said.

Story continues

The doctor is also a father to a 6-year-old who will get her first dose soon, and an almost 4-year-old who isn't eligible  but hopefully will be soon into next year, with an approval of a vaccine for even younger children.

The hospital is in the process of planning its vaccine appointment process and events, and plans to share information about how to get a vaccine soon. Hysmith hopes all parents are as eager as the ones who brought their children for shots Thursday afternoon, and also get flu shots. Kids don't have to wait a certain amount of time between getting the COVID-19 shot and a flu shot, he said.

For Abram Wharton, 9, Thursday's experience was similar to getting a flu shot, but more exciting.

Stella Mulhern, 9, receives her immunization as children of staff members at Le Bonheur are some of the first to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved for 5-11 year olds, at the children's hospital on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

"It's not bad getting a vaccine. It's just a vaccine. It's like taking the flu shot, which isn't bad," he said. "It helps you from not getting that virus."

Like the other kids there, Abram was eager to talk about how grateful he was.

"Without God, we wouldn't have gotten through this pandemic. But the pandemic, it's nothing compared to what God has said, like the flood, where Noah was on the boat for 40 days and 40 nights. For us it's been two years," Abram said. "But guess what? We're gonna get through it."

Certified Child Life Specialist Morgan Morgan chats with Arthur Wharton, 11, as Shana Rodgers administers his Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved for 5-11 year olds, at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

He got the vaccine with his older brother, Arthur, and the two pulled up their shirt sleeves to flex their muscles and show off the band-aids covering their first doses.

Arthur, 11, was a little nervous at first but then became happy after getting his shot because now he "can go to school reassured."

When he's older and telling other 11-year-olds about the pandemic, he will explain how "it was really a time to be alive. It was very, a lot of people were lost. A lot of people got infected. A lot of families were impacted."

Getting the vaccine, Arthur said, is a way to help bring those families closer together.

And it's a way for him to be less worried about possibly getting infected when he hangs out with friends or plays sports, including the indoor sport of basketball later this winter.

Certified Child Life Specialist Morgan Morgan chats with Connor Sefton, 5, as children of staff members at Le Bonheur are some of the first to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved for 5-11 year olds, at the children's hospital on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

Connor Sefton, 5, sat in his dad's lap and pulled his arm out of his long-sleeved shirt. He cried just briefly after the shot, but was quickly told it was over. People clapped. "You did it," a nurse told him.

It was time for his dad, Eric Sefton, to take him for strawberry ice cream.

"When I found out we were gonna get the shot, I got a little teary," the father said. "I don't think I realized how much stress there was worrying about (Connor)."

Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 'A time to be alive': Memphis school-age children get COVID-19 vaccine
Associated Press

A difficult political atmosphere for President Joe Biden may have become even more treacherous with the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse. Biden was already facing sliding poll numbers with an electorate worn down by the coronavirus pandemic and increasing inflation. Now, the president finds himself caught between outraged Democrats  some of whom were already stewing over Bidens inability to land police reform and voting rights legislation  and Republicans looking to use the Rittenhouse case to exploit the national divide over matters of grievance and race.
Michigan's redistricting commission advanced new maps to a comment period required before a final vote, with some proposing minor tweaks to earlier draft maps and others making major changes such as the restoration of majority-Black districts where the group had previously eliminated them.

During a public hearing tour across the state to solicit feedback on its first set of maps, the commission was repeatedly told its proposed districts would disenfranchise Black voters, particularly those in Detroit, by lumping the city's predominantly Black neighborhoods with mostly white suburban communities.

No state legislative districts currently go past 8 Mile.

At its hearings, the commission sought input on four U.S. House, three state Senate and three state House maps, as well as those drawn by individual commissioners.

The group met this week to adjust those maps, approving three new U.S. House, three state Senate and three state House maps for the 45-day public comment period.

In order to be adopted, the majority of the commissioners must approve the final map with the support of at least two Democratic, two Republican and two independent members.

If no plan meets that criteria, individual commissioners can submit their own maps for consideration. The commission recently adopted rules for that process, though the rules are at odds with the interpretation of the Michigan Constitution presented by the group's own hired attorney, prompting concerns among commissioners and a Friday decision to revisit the matter next week.

Public commenters  including many who said they collected signatures for the 2018 ballot proposal that led to the creation of the commission  have consistently called on the commission to chip away at the GOP advantage in its earlier draft maps.

The new maps leave largely unchanged the partisan fairness scores based on election data from the past decade. Some maps drive down the GOP advantage slightly compared with the first set of maps, while other maps saw the party's advantage grow.

Story continues

But looking at individual election results, some of the commission's new maps wouldn't favor Republicans as much as the first set of maps. By one measure, the U.S. House and two of the state Senate maps would give Democratic candidates a slight edge, according to election data from the past 10 years.

Republicans, including state House Speaker Jason Wentworth, have accused the commission of breaking up communities of interest to achieve partisan fairness. They expressed concerns about districts that split up municipalities and counties, arguing those places are communities of interest.

The Michigan Constitution defines communities of interest as including but not limited to "populations that share cultural or historical characteristics or economic interests," and drawing lines that reflect them ranks above partisan fairness among the mapping criteria. Consideration of county and municipal boundaries ranks below both requirements.

Additional revisions to the proposed maps are unlikely. Further changes would kick off another public comment period, and the commission has already blown past the Nov. 1 deadline to adopt new maps following an unprecedented delay in census data.

But input could sway commissioners on which maps to pick ahead of the planned Dec. 30 deadline to adopt final maps.

Members of the metro Detroit community hold signs that say "Fair Maps Now" and "No Excuses" as The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission holds its first public hearing on Oct. 20, 2021, at the TCF Center in Detroit. The hearings are an effort to solicit input on the draft maps they've drawn.

Black majority and plurality districts added to new maps

A tense discussion about whether to make wholesale changes to the draft districts in Detroit left one commissioner in tears during the group's Nov. 1 deliberation.

Brittni Kellom, a Democratic commissioner who lives in the city, made an emotional plea to consider major revisions to the lines drawn in her hometown, accusing commissioners of ignoring the hundreds of public comments it heard to redraw Detroit.

"We spent 3 hours on Ann Arbor. And it is me, just me, dangling by myself as a Detroit commissioner, when all of you openly admit that you have no idea what to do with Detroit," she said.

More: Opinion: What these Flint residents fear in redistricting process

More: Michigan redistricting commission to weigh input from Black voters

Kellom was rebuffed in her initial attempts to revise the lines, and Black lawmakers from the city held a news conference accusing the group of silencing Kellom, and by extension, residents in the city.

The commission ultimately advanced state House maps that include Kellom's suggested changes to Detroit as well as a congressional map drawn by Anthony Eid, an independent commissioner, that proposes a Black plurality district where Black voters would outnumber white voters:

U.S. House: All three maps would still eliminate the two majority-Black districts that currently run through Detroit. But one would create a Black plurality district that includes most of the city, along with some Downriver communities.

Michigan Senate maps: One map would add a district where Black voters would outnumber white voters, creating two Black plurality districts where there was only one in the commission's first set of maps. Expanding the Black and white voting age population to include those who reported more than one race, however, would leave the number of Black plurality districts at one. There are currently two majority-Black state Senate districts.

Michigan House maps: One map adds three districts where Black voters would constitute the majority, and a fourth when considering residents who reported more than one race on the census. Two other maps would add seven majority-Black districts. In the commission's first set of maps, only one state House district had a Black voting age population above 50% when including individuals who reported more than one race. There are currently 11 majority-Black state House districts.

Commissionior Brittni Kellom listens at Fellowship Chapel in Detroit as residents provide input to Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Citizens gave input on how they want the state's new congressional and legislative districts to be drawn. This is Michigan's first-ever, citizen-led redistricting process.

U.S. House maps

The new congressional maps make only minor changes to the first set of maps.

The congressional maps would still place the current hometowns of several incumbents in the same district. Although there is no requirement that members of Congress live in their district, living outside ones district can become a political liability.

The maps make a serious dent in the GOP advantage baked into the current lines, but would still lean Republican by some measures. One measure shows the maps would slightly favor Democrats and predicts a 7-6 edge for the party in the state's congressional delegation.

Among the changes from the commission's first set of maps:

The proposed Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo district saw minor changes in Kent County. Ada and Forest Hills were added to the district and Caledonia was removed.

Two maps removed South Lyon and Lyon Charter Township from an Ann Arbor-based district, adding them to a southwestern Oakland County district. A small portion of Wayne County that includes Northville was added to the Ann Arbor district.

All the maps now pair Midland Charter Township with Midland City in a district that includes Bay City and Saginaw.

M.C. Rothhorn looks at a screen as others talk about redistricting during the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit on September 1, 2021. The commission met to work with mapping consultants on drawing lines for various voting districts in the state of Michigan.

Michigan Senate maps

The commission's maps are nearly identical to each other, but propose three different configurations of Ann Arbor and surrounding communities.

The commission's first set of maps kept the city together in a single district. While one of the new maps would leave it intact, two others split it up, resulting in a fairer map, according to measures of partisan fairness used by the commission.

The state Senate maps give Democrats their biggest chance in decades to capture the majority in a chamber controlled by Republicans since the early 1980s.

Among the other changes from the commission's first set of maps:

Adjustments in Oakland County added West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake Village in a district that includes Farmington Hills and Novi. South Lyon and Lyon Charter Township were added to a district with Milford and Waterford. Oakland Charter Township was also added to a northern Oakland County district that includes parts of Genesee, Lapeer and Macomb counties.

The commission moved Cascade into the Grand Rapids-based district.

Detroit neighborhoods previously broken up were re-stitched. And all maps now place all of the Grosse Pointes in a district with Harper Woods and St. Clair Shores.

All maps now extend a St. Clair Shores-based district farther east to include a portion of St. Clair County.

Anthony Eid looks over a map being redrawn during the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit on September 1, 2021. The commission met to work with mapping consultants on drawing lines for various voting districts in the state of Michigan.

Michigan House maps

One state House map largely keeps the configuration of Detroit in the first set of maps intact, but slight changes added a couple majority-Black districts.

The other two maps, meanwhile, propose major changes in the city and surrounding communities. One would split Ann Arbor three ways and another four ways with the additional split resulting in a map that wouldn't favor Republicans as strongly.

All three maps would put Flint in a single district, creating another majority-Black district. The commission had previously split up the city, prompting concerns that the divide could threaten the city's representation.

Among the other changes from the commission's first set of maps:

Part of Grand Rapids is now paired with Grandville, and East Grand Rapids is now with Kentwood.

The lines in Lansing and East Lansing were adjusted to create five state House districts where the draft maps had only four.

The maps sever Midland City from Bay City and place it with the rest of Midland County and a portion of Gladwin County.

In the two maps that include changes to the Detroit area, the commission moved the Poletown East and West End neighborhoods into a district that includes Hamtramck. The North End, Boston-Edison and Midtown neighborhoods are now in a district that includes Highland Park.

The two maps that make adjustments in Detroit extend the Dearborn district farther east to include Detroit's Dexter Linwood neighborhood. And a district that includes Farmington and Southfield would no longer extend south of 8 Mile to include west-side neighborhoods in Detroit. Troy and Clawson would also be paired together in a single district.

How to view the maps

The maps can be viewed at michigan.gov/micrc under "Proposed Maps." The page links to an interactive map with a public comment tool, as well as criteria data that includes information on the racial demographic makeup of the districts and their partisan fairness scores based on compiled election results from the past decade.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan redistricting commission finishes maps, vote next
Between the two of us, we have kids in pre-K, elementary, middle school and high school. And as we watched them walk through their school doors on their first day this fall, we did so with both a knot of anxiety and a swell of hope. We knew the stakes were high because we are parents. But we also knew the stakes were high because we serve as the secretary of Education and the surgeon general of the United States.

So far, weve been heartened by what we see in schools. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 98% of schools are fully open this fall, up from about 70% at the end of the 2020-21 school year.

Among children and adolescents, COVID-19 cases declined by more than 50% from late August to late October.

Thats all good news  but we cant let our guard down.

COVID exacerbated kids' mental health

Even before the pandemic, we saw concerning trends in the mental health of our nations youth. From 2009 to 2019, the share of high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students.

Of particular concern was the prevalence of suicidal thinking: 19% had seriously considered attempting suicide, and about 16% had made a suicide plan in the prior year, a 44% increase from 2009 to 2019.

COVID-19 further heightened our concern  because, to put it plainly, the pandemic has been traumatic for children, youth and families. Millions of kids have experienced the fear of virus exposure, the short- and long-term health impacts of infection, and the grief of losing family members. Estimates suggest that over 140,000 kids have lost a parent or grandparent caregiver to COVID-19.

Vaccines for kids: Doctors must be honest with parents about unknown risks of COVID-19 emergency vaccine

And all children, even those who never faced infection or death in their families, experienced a major disruption to their learning and social development. Without the ability to talk and play with their peers in person, kids lost substantial opportunities for social and emotional learning, as well as the attention, intervention and support of crucial figures like teachers and school counselors.

Story continues

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona

Were now seeing emerging data indicating that these losses have further eroded the mental health of our nations kids. A recent study of 80,000 youth globally found that depression and anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 doubled compared with before the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing symptoms of depression and 20.5% experiencing symptoms of anxiety.

And while data is limited, emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts have further increased among youth, especially girls.

As leaders in government, we know our task is not just to go back to normal  we will need to respond in new and substantial ways to the mental health challenges that our children and youth have faced for far too long. Schools can be a powerful force in providing the healing our children need.

Vaccines for kids: Kids 5-11 must get COVID vaccine. Trusted family physicians must be the ones to give it.

Fortunately, our country is filled with experienced, visionary leaders who are already pioneering programs that will support students mental health. The Ready, Set Initiative and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, for example, invite community members to tutor and mentor students, helping them recover both academic confidence and social skills as they return to school.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

Were also heartened by the funding that backs these efforts. Through the American Rescue Plan, state and local education leaders have $122 billion to meet the social, emotional and academic needs of their students.

Minnesotas Department of Education is using its ARP funds to hire more licensed school nurses, social workers, counselors and psychologists. The New York City Department of Education plans to hire 500 social workers this year.

We hope to see more of these investments across the country.

Last month, the Department of Education released its most comprehensive mental health resource to date, outlining key challenges and recommending research-based practices to respond to the mental health needs of students.

We believe that schools can be the catalysts that support their students mental health in ways we never imagined before the pandemic. But none of their efforts will be possible unless communities across the country implement the COVID-19 strategies proven to keep them in school, especially as winter approaches.

Universal masking, improved ventilation, physical distancing, regular testing, contact tracing and vaccination  we know these layers of protection reduce the spread of COVID-19, including the delta variant. Take masking: In one study of Arizonas Maricopa and Pima counties, schools that started the year without mask requirements were 3.5 times more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks than schools with early mask requirements.

Now that the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine for children, the CDC recommends that parents with children ages 5 and older take them. And for parents of children too young to be vaccinated, it is especially important to have your child wear a mask in public indoor spaces, including school.

Vaccinated adults help keep kids in school, too. Studies released by the CDC found that in August, the rate of hospitalization for children was up to four times higher in states with low vaccination rates compared with states with high vaccination rates.

At the end of the day, were fortunate not to have to choose between reducing our kids COVID risk and keeping them connected to their support systems in school. But we do need to support and implement the strategies backed by scientists, mental health professionals and more than eighteen months of experience. Our nations kids have had enough strain on their mental health and emotional well-being. And its on adults to recognize that our highest responsibility to children and youth is to lift up their needs; equip them to be physically, mentally and socially healthy; and give them a chance, at long last, to thrive.

Dr. Miguel A. Cardona currently serves as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education. Dr. Vivek H. Murthy serves as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States.

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: COVID took a toll on kids' mental health, depression, suicide thoughts
More disclaimer notices similar to the one seen here in Jan. 2021 at Missouri Joint Ventures in Christian County could be coming soon to Missouri dispensaries under new rules proposed on Nov. 4, 2021 by the state medical marijuana program.

Missouri medical marijuana officials proposed new rules this week that would let licensed dispensaries hold promotional events and publicize price discounts.

If they do so, state-licensed dispensaries would be required to include a disclaimer with any promotion that reads: Medical decisions should not be made based on advertising. Consult a physician on the benefits and risks of particular medical marijuana products.

News of the proposal comes after marijuana industry advocates spoke out against a warning to dispensaries issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services last summer.

According to a July 9 email from regulators, reported at the time by industry publication Greenway, Missouri dispensaries "are not allowed to advertise price discounts on a particular product because that would result in disbursing medical marijuana as part of a promotional event."

The July email also said any holiday-themed pricing and promotions for medical marijuana products would be a no-no. Price discounts were allowed anytime, but dispensaries weren't allowed to hype them, in a program that's supposed to be medical.

Industry advocates argued that cannabis regulators might be well-intentioned, but Missouri rules forbidding price discount promotion had several problems: They were vague; they would have a chilling effect on patient education; and they would make it harder for low-income cannabis patients  who may already have paid a total well over $100 in clinic and state license fees to obtain a patient ID card  to shop around for lawful medicinal treatments.

A spokesperson for DHSS said Thursday that the department made the July 9 warning "because we observed a fairly widespread misunderstanding of the existing rule." The department will gather feedback from the public on the proposed rules until Nov. 18, the spokesperson said.

The Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, or MoCannTrade, released a statement Thursday praising state regulators for softening their stance on price promotion, arguing that Missouri's 150,000 licensed patients "were harmed by the former rule."

Story continues

MoCannTrade's executive director, Andrew Mullins, said, "it is absolutely essential that patients have accurate, timely information and education that allows them to make good health decisions, and thats exactly what this rule rewrite will allow them to do. Robust patient education is crucial to the program's continued success and we are thankful DHSS recognized and acted on patients behalf. The program is stronger today for that responsiveness."

David Olive, a Springfield-based cannabis lawyer, told the News-Leader in an interview that "we're very pleased" that DHSS listened to industry's feedback. "These new rules are consistent with the department's stance that this is a medical industry and this is medicine for the patients."

More: Federal judge removes Missouri's residency requirement for marijuana business owners

Rules may allow dispensaries to sell marijuana plants, may ban delta-8

The new proposal also featured other key changes, including what Olive characterized as long-awaited "clear guidance" for dispensaries to install drive-through windows. Proposed rules ban dispensaries from hosting telehealth clinics on-site, where physicians provide the paperwork for patient ID cards. It also requires anyone working for a dispensary to be at least 18 years old.

The new rules would also allow Missouri dispensaries to sell marijuana seeds or plants, but only plants less than 8 inches tall (i.e., before they typically develop marijuana buds). Seeds and plants would have to be acquired from licensed cultivators only. Dispensaries would not be allowed to "alter the plant or care for it in any way other than watering."

Finally, the new rules appear to ban popular hemp-derived products like delta-8. Delta-8 is "typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD)," according to the FDA, and so is theoretically legal under federal laws allowing hemp extraction. It's considered less potent than the delta-9 THC found in marijuana.

Missouri's proposed rule states, "Dispensary facilities may not sell any product that contains cannabinoids created through chemical conversion of other compounds."

More: As Missouri marijuana sales top $100 million for the year, Kearney Street gets a dispensary

Olive, the cannabis lawyer, said, "I think we're going to be needing further guidance from the department" on the chemical conversion rule since it didn't explicitly mention delta-8 or delta-9 products.

But department spokesperson Lisa Cox said Thursday, "Yes, the intent of this draft revision is to prohibit dispensaries from selling these types of products" when the News-Leader asked about delta-8 and similar products. "We are considering whether such a prohibition is consistent with (Missouri's medical marijuana amendment to the state constitution) and welcome public feedback for consideration on this issue."

Cindy Northcutt, a Springfield-based cannabis attorney and a registered nurse, said the slate of proposed rules and clarifications were "a good thing for both patients and the industry." She said she especially liked the potential ban on chemical conversion products being sold at permitted medical dispensaries. (The products are widely available from companies not required to have a medical marijuana business permit, and which may also sell other hemp items like CBD.)

"As an RN, I'm incredibly concerned about patients being sold compounds that have not been tested for safety in people," she said in a message to the News-Leader. Delta-8 and similar products are seen as "questionably legal" by Northcutt and others, so she views DHSS's proposed ban as "encouraging" for patient safety.

Reach News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman by emailing gholman@gannett.com. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: MO marijuana dispensaries could promote sales under proposed rules
On the evening of Aug. 8, the Williams family were awakened by a homemade bomb crashing through a bedroom window in their home on May Street in the south side of Charlevoix.

A Charlevoix man has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison for throwing a Molotov cocktail through a window of a home on May Street last year, according to Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney Allen Telgenhof.

KeNen Michael-Damian Borths, 25, had pleaded guilty earlier to sending an explosive with the intent to cause property damage and lying to a peace officer during the investigation of a violent crime.

According to the plea and court records, on Aug. 8, 2020, Borths purchased a bottle of rum, placed a towel in the neck of it and set the bottle on fire. The bottle was then thrown through a window into a house in Charlevoix at approximately 11:30 p.m.

Borths told the court that he had put out the fire in the bottle before he threw it into the house. At the sentencing, Charlevoix County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mary Farrell disputed this assertion.

When Borths was later interviewed by police, he provided a false story to police, indicating he was not in the area at the time of the offense.

One of the victims spoke at sentencing and described the terror involved in the incident and how it has changed their lives. They indicated that while they did know and forgive Borths, they asked for the maximum sentence to be imposed.

In her allocution, Farrell discussed not only the impact the case had on the victims, but also on the community as a whole, saying these types of crimes dont happen up here.

She also discussed the fact that when the incident was initially reported, members of the public and media raised concerns that the crime was a hate crime because the victims were of color. In fact, Farrell noted, the police knew early on that Borths was the likely offender and that as he is of color himself, his motivation was personal and not racial.

Farrell also thanked the many police agencies involved in the investigation including the City of Charlevoix Police Department, Charlevoix County Sheriffs Office, Michigan State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Molotov Cocktail defendant sentenced to prison
The Waterfront Towers buildings was purchased by the city of Stockton to be used as the new City Hall.

Renovating the Waterfront Towers to house the new City Hall will cost an estimated $63.3 million.

"The market is only going to increase from here forward," Jodi Almassy, director of Stockton's Public Works department, told the City Council last month. "Time is of the essence. We really need to get this job on the streets."

When the city purchased the towers in 2017, the cost of updates including the construction of new council chambers was estimated at $11.3 million.

But construction costs are now estimated at $47 million, and architectural designs for the project cost the city $2.7 million. Combined with the towers' $13.6 million price tag, the total cost will likely come to $63.3 million.

For local stories that matter, subscribe today.

The more-than-a-decade effort to relocate City Hall has been costly. In 2007 the city bought the Chase Building at 400 East Main Street for $35 million, with plans to move city offices there.

But the city lost the building during bankruptcy in 2012, and was permitted to rent it from a creditor for about $950,000 per year through 2022. Plans to renovate the building to accommodate the City Council chambers never came to fruition.

Finally, the council approved the purchase of what critics have called the "third City Hall" in 2017.

One reason for the increased cost estimate is that previous estimates took a more minimalistic approach to improvements needed at the site, Almassy said.

The Waterfront Towers will require new fire hydrant water lines, elevator modernization, HVAC system replacements, exterior paint and other improvements. The city also plans to build a parking lot adjacent to the towers at a cost of about $3.5 million.

At "old historic City Hall, there's a lot of TLC needed there. I'd hate for us to be walking into the Waterfront Towers and having those same concerns," she said.

These improvements will cost taxpayers far less than constructing a brand new building, however. Construction at the new City Hall will cost about $365 per square foot, while a new building would cost between $600 and $1,000 per square foot.

Story continues

Officials plan to open bids for the project in December and to award the contract in January.

"It's easy for everyone to say  oh my gosh, it's so expensive," Almassy said. "I don't take it lightly. We want to make sure we're spending public dollars the right way."

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers business, housing, and land use. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton City Hall move to Waterfront Towers will likely cost $63.3M
Myanmar jade traders are running from junta troops and dodging rebel attacks to sell dwindling volumes of the green gemstone, as the billion-dollar industry loses its shine months on from the coup.

The Southeast Asian country has been mired in chaos since the February putsch, with the military trying to crush widespread democracy protests and the economy in crisis.

Fighting around the Hpakant jade mine in northern Kachin state -- the largest in the world -- has squeezed digging already hampered by the pandemic, cutting supplies of one of the country's most lucrative exports.

Myanmar is the world's biggest source of jade, with the industry largely driven by insatiable demand for the translucent gem from neighbouring China.

Most stones pass through the second city of Mandalay, home to the 23-metre (75-feet) high Kyauksein Pagoda, a Buddhist shrine built using thousands of kilograms of the precious stone.

Now the complex is quiet, with just a handful of worshippers praying at its gleaming turquoise and red dome.

"Business is not good at all," said one jade trader, who spent months trying to sell his stones on Mandalay's roadsides as the pandemic and unrest closed its main jade market.

"Sometimes, people panic when soldiers come patrolling, and they run ... If one person runs, others start running. Then soldiers fire warning shots to control the situation."

- 'Your lives are in danger' -

Two days later the market re-opened and authorities began collecting fees again -- one of the many levied on the gem that finance both sides of a decades-long civil war between armed ethnic groups and the military.

It is "nearly impossible" to purchase Myanmar jade without providing money to the military and its allies, according to watchdog Global Witness.

With widespread and often violent resistance against the generals -- who regularly appear in public sporting rings set with high-quality jade -- working with the stone has taken on a new danger.

Story continues

"If you continue doing your trading business... We strongly warn that your lives are in danger," read one notice posted by Generation Z Power, a local dissident group, days before the market re-opened.

A bomb exploded near the market a week after the traders returned and while there were no casualties the same group promised to set off more if people continue trading there.

Despite the threats, the market is regaining some of its former bustle.

Sitting at a small camp table examining a fist-sized rock with a flashlight, one man talks into a smartphone in Mandarin.

Beijing has shuttered its border with Myanmar because of the pandemic and sporadic fighting along the frontier, but demand is still huge -- and Chinese buyers are using the unrest to drive a hard bargain.

"Because of Covid and the political situation, they are giving very low price," said one 62-year-old dealer who did not want to give his name.

"But we have no choice. We need them for the market. If they do not buy or if we do not sell, we have no place to rely on for this business," he added.

- Fear of next blast -

"The price is going down," said Myo Min Zaw, who also spent his months outside the market traipsing around hotels frequented by Chinese buyers in search of a sale.

"A stone worth 10 lakh ($550) only sells for around 5 lakh nowadays."

Before the coup, 70 to 90 percent of all jade mined in Hpakant was smuggled to China without ever entering the formal system in Myanmar, according to Global Witness.

Since the putsch, and with fighting flaring around the mines, figures from the shadowy world are even harder to come by, says Hanna Hindstrom, senior campaigner for Myanmar at the group.

"We've heard that prices in China have risen as demand is high and supply reduced," she said -- increasing competition between the rebel groups and military-aligned militia who stock the emporiums with high-quality jade.

For Thandar, who runs a small jade bead workshop across the river from Mandalay, selling her modest wares to local customers has just got more dangerous.

"We worry if we have to go to the market," she told AFP.

"We all are afraid of when the blast will come... We cannot avoid going there because of our living."

A second blast hit the market on Thursday, killing a police officer, local media reported, and sending traders fleeing.

The same day authorities announced that any shop in the complex that failed to re-open by November 5 would be "temporarily seized".

"We are stuck in the middle," said Aung Aung, using a pseudonym.

"The market said they will take the shops if owners do not open. People's Defence Forces have asked us not to do business in the market."

bur-rma/dan
Deposits of dark silicate glass are strewn across a 75km corridor in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile (P.H. Schultz/Brown University)

Vast patches of glassy rocks found across the Chilean Atacama Desert may have been formed due to intense heat from a comet exploding in the Earths atmosphere about 12,000 years ago, a new study has found.

The research, published in the journal Geology, suggested that intense heat and winds from an ancient comet exploding in the Earths atmosphere may have burnt the sand into glassy minerals.

Scientists, including those from Brown University in the US, found that these glassy minerals closely resemble the composition of material returned to Earth by Nasas Stardust mission, which sampled the particles from a comet called Wild 2.

These mysterious glassy rocks are concentrated in patches across the Atacama Desert east of Pampa del Tamarugal, a plateau in northern Chile nestled between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west.

This is the first time we have clear evidence of glasses on Earth that were created by the thermal radiation and winds from a fireball exploding just above the surface, the studys co-author, Pete Schultz from Brown University, said in a statement.

They believe the minerals found now are likely the remains of a comet with a composition similar to that of Wild 2, which may have streamed down after the explosion that melted the deserts sandy surface.

To have such a dramatic effect on such a large area, this was a truly massive explosion. Lots of us have seen bolide fireballs streaking across the sky, but those are tiny blips compared to this, Dr Schultz added.

Previous research had speculated that the glassy minerals could have formed from ancient grass fires as the region was not always a desert.

Studies have found that this area was home to numerous oases with trees and grassy wetlands during the Pleistocene epoch, about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago. Some scientists have suggested that wildfires in the region may have burned hot enough to melt the sandy soil into large glassy slabs.

Story continues

Around 12,000 years ago, something scorched a vast swath of Chiles #AtacamaDesert with heat so intense it turned the sandy soil into glass. Now, Brown researchers have come to a conclusion about what caused the inferno.



Read more: https://t.co/CYlrBdEu8y  Brown University (@BrownUniversity) November 2, 2021

But the latest study has found that such fires may not have had enough energy to transform the soil into the amount of glass present today.

Researchers say there may have been a large incoming meteor and an airburst explosion accompanied by tornado-force winds based on the evidence available in the glass, showing they were twisted, folded, rolled and even thrown while still in molten form.

They also found exotic minerals in the rocks such as cubanite and troilite that are only found in comets and other extraterrestrial bodies, as well as evidence that minerals in the rocks called zircons had thermally decomposed to form baddeleyite  a transition that typically happens at temperatures far hotter than those generated by grass fires.

Those minerals are what tell us that this object has all the markings of a comet, the studys co-author Scott Harris said. To have the same mineralogy we saw in the Stardust samples entrained in these glasses is really powerful evidence that what were seeing is the result of a cometary airburst.

While more studies are needed to narrow in on the particular time when the cosmic event took place, researchers said it may have happened tentatively after the arrival of proto-archaic hunter-gatherers in the region  a time when large mammals also disappeared from the region.

Its too soon to say if there was a causal connection or not, but what we can say is that this event did happen around the same time as when we think the megafauna disappeared, which is intriguing, Dr Schultz said.

Theres also a chance that this was actually witnessed by early inhabitants, who had just arrived in the region. It would have been quite a show.

Read More

One of the longest meteor showers is gracing our skies

Nasa rover finds previously unknown organic molecules on Mars

Nasa prepares to deflect asteroid in first planetary defence test

Nasa rover finds previously unknown organic molecules on Mars

Nasa prepares to deflect asteroid in first planetary defence test

Finding alien life is the top priority, Nasa-sponsored report says
A Napoleonville man was indicted Wednesday after police said he sexually assaulted two young girls.

Layne M. Barras, 26, is charged with two counts of first-degree rape, the Assumption Parish Sheriffs Office said.

The Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office alerted Assumption Parish detectives last month about allegations that Barras had sexually abused a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old, both of whom he knew. The suspect also showed child pornography to one of the girls before acting the scene out with her, authorities said.

Evidence was presented Wednesday to an Assumption Parish grand jury, which handed down the indictment. An indictment does not presume guilt or innocence but indicates the grand jury found prosecutors presented enough evidence to warrant a trial on the charges.

Barras was taken into custody and remains in the Assumption Parish jail without bail. If convicted of first-degree rape, he faces a mandatory life sentence without parole, probation or early release.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Napoleonville man accused of raping two children
Design: Aly McKnight

November marks Native American Heritage Month, a time when we celebrate the rich traditions, cultures, and histories of Native people. In honor and recognition of all Native Americans, Yahoo worked with Native American artist Aly McKnight (she/her/hers) to reimagine our logo with a very special design inspired by Alys own experiences.

This month is personally meaningful to Aly:

Native American Heritage Month is especially meaningful to me because its a time when Indigenous voices are amplified and celebrated. The amount of Indigenous artists, writers, photographers, educators, water and land protectors, etc., that go unnoticed for much of the year get to be supported in the ways that they should be everyday of the year.

Her design was inspired by the power and beauty of Native Americans.

Its a moment that pays homage to our dancers and ancestors and reminds us to be proud of who we are, where we come from, and of what our future holds.

She hopes that this artwork is equally inspiring to all who see it.

I hope that through this artwork, people are inspired to seek out and support more Native creatives, climate justice fighters, wellness educators, etc. Celebrate and support me, my people, and the causes we fight for.

It is a dream of mine to someday pass on my artistic and cultural knowledge to our younger generations so that they have the tools to call attention to the importance of our histories and our ongoing journey. I encourage our Indigenous peoples to take inspiration from the world around them and use art, whatever form that may be, to express themselves and find their own stories to share with the world.

More about Aly:

Aly McKnight is a Native American female artist, whose art features vibrant colors and Indigenous styles. Aly is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and grew up in a small farming community in Northern Nevada. She is the second youngest of 8 children and is now based out of Utah with her husband Brockton, of Hawaiian/Samoan descent, their daughter, Paoakalani, and Pomeranian dog, Bella. She is inspired by her own experiences, family, friends, legends, the land, animals, and Indigenous community. Aly believes that art has a way of connecting people, illuminating Indigenous stories, and inspiring change in the world that no other form of communication can.

Follow her on Instagram @alymcknight and visit www.alymcknight.com.
The Daily Beast

Lucy Nicholson/ReutersThe vast majority of Times Ups remaining staffers were laid off Friday in what they described as a debacle that began with leaders revealing they gave the news to the Washington Post first and ended with board member Ashley Judd breaking down in tears.The embattled organization, limping since its CEO and entire board resigned this summer, announced Friday that it would lay off the vast majority of its remaining staff. Leadership informed staff of the decision in a virtual
PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico (AP)  The shooting of two suspected drug dealers at a resort on Mexicos Caribbean coast is part of a fight among about a dozen gangs to carve up the lucrative market of selling drugs to tourists and locals, an official said Friday.

The chief prosecutor of the coastal state of Quintana Roo said that two main gangs are fighting for control of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun. Thursdays shooting occurred on a beach just yards from luxury hotels.

But about 10 gangs are fighting over street-level drug sales in Tulum, a beach town further south. A California woman and a German tourist were killed in the crossfire of a gang shootout two weeks ago, and three other tourists were wounded.

In Tulum we have about 10 groups of drug dealers and here in Puerto Morelos there are two groups fighting each other, prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Imagen Radio station.

Montes de Oca said the commando of about 15 masked drug gang gunmen arrived in vehicles and stormed the beach in Puerto Morelos by entering through a hotel parking lot  not coming by boat, as Gov. Carlos Joaquin had said the evening before.

Montes de Oca said Friday that they fled in a boat they commandeered after the attack.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun.

Montes de Oca said the presence of over 20 million tourists every year in the coastal state provided a strong draw for retail drug sales. We are facing an issue of supply and demand for drugs, he said.

Cartels fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade include the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. One person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not immediately determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest.

Story continues

Joaquin called the attack a serious blow to the development and security of the state ... putting the image of the state at grave risk.

Antonio Chaves, the leader of Maya Riviera Hotel Association, told The Associated Press the shootings would impact the state's tourism industry, which is recovering the the coronavirus pandemic.

Clearly, we are going to suffer setbacks in the very short term, Chaves said, adding that, even though it causes suffering, it's unlikely to deter drug gangs.

They are criminal groups that don't care about the place, the time, the surroundings, and that affects the tourism zone," he said.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis.

Guests at both resorts posted social media images of tourists hiding or nervously milling in the lobbies.

Keith Jackson, a tourist from London, England, left the beach just before the shooting. But he said Friday, Were not sure we would come back. Were not sure we would come back after this.

The two women that were killed in Tulum, you know, in the crossfire, you know, this is what happened, Jackson said. So we all kind of worried that something will happen while were there and well get caught in the in the action.

Just before they left, Jackson and Marie Hitches, also of London, said they saw about five masked men walking down the beach before the shooting, asking questions even of a lifeguard and security staff, apparently looking for the rival drug dealers, who had masqueraded as trinket vendors.

They climbed up into the lifeguards' tower and they threatened and they were asking for information and they threatened him with a gun, asking him, you know, if Id seen the the two new guys walking up and down the beach, Jackson said.

And he (the lifeguard) radioed in, and thats when the security came out at that point, Jackson added, saying that while the security people spoke to the suspected cartel members, "nothing happened. It was about two hours later when the shooting happened.

Rival cartels often kill other gangs' street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after California travel blogger Anjali Ryot of San Jose, California, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were killed by crossfire during what prosecutors said appeared to be a clash over street-level drug sales in Tulum.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the Oct. 20 shooting at a street-side eatery right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens, If you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police staged a massive raid in October on the towns restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects  most apparently for drug sales  after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pinned tourism hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan Peninsula.

___

AP Reporter Fabiola Sanchez contributed to this report
BANGKOK (AP)  Testimony by prosecution witnesses on Friday in the case of Danny Fenster, a U.S. journalist who has been detained in Myanmar for more than five months, established that official records did not accurately reflect where he was employed, his lawyer said.

The point may be crucial because it appears that Fenster is being prosecuted for alleged offenses by a news outlet at least seven months after he stopped working for the outlet. Authorities have not clearly described what Fenster is accused of doing and his trial is closed to the media and the public.

Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport May 24 as he was about to board a flight to go to the Detroit area in the United States to see his family. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, an online news magazine based in Yangon, Myanmars biggest city.

He has been charged with incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison.

Fenster was also accused of violating the Unlawful Associations Act for contacting opposition groups that were declared illegal by Myanmars military-installed government. The offense carries a penalty of two to three years' imprisonment.

An additional charge of violating visa conditions that is punishable by six months to five years' imprisonment was added this week.

Fensters lawyer, Than Zaw Aung, said prosecution witnesses, including police officers, testified under cross-examination on Friday that a letter from the Information Ministry declared that the publishing license of Myanmar Now, another online news site, contained Fensters name in its list of editors. The license was originally valid for a period lasting from 2015 to 2025.

Both Myanmar Now and Frontier Myanmar have issued statements saying that Fenster worked as a reporter and copy editor for Myanmar Now until July 2020 and that he joined Frontier Myanmar the following month.

The witnesses said that Danny is in charge of Myanmar Now according to a letter from the Information Ministry. They testified in this way as Dannys name is included in a letter sent by the Information Ministry. I dont know why his name is on the list, Than Zaw Aung told The Associated Press.

Story continues

Last month, the judge said Fenster had been sought in connection with activities by Myanmar Now together with its chief editor, Ko Swe Win, according to Fensters lawyer.

The judge also told Fenster that after Myanmar Now's license was revoked in March of this year, the news outlet defied authorities by continuing to post stories about organizations opposed to the military takeover, Fenster's lawyer said.

Fenster is among about 100 journalists who have been detained since February, when the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. About 30 remain in jail.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price urged Myanmars government on Thursday to immediately release Fenster.

"His detention, the detention of so many others, its a sad reminder of the continuing human rights and humanitarian crisis facing the country of Burma, facing the Burmese, but also facing foreign nationals, including Americans, who happen to be in Burma. Price said, referring to Myanmar by its old name.



This version corrects that the visa violation charge was added this week, not last month.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost teamed up Friday with six other Republican attorneys general to file a lawsuit over Democratic President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The mandate, which goes into effect Jan. 4, requires weekly testing or vaccination of employees for federal contractors and employees of large businesses with 100 or more workers.

This lawsuit focuses specifically on the requirement for large businesses, and it comes a day after Yost sued separately with Kentucky and Tennessee over the mandate's portion dealing with federal contractors.

Supporters of Biden's mandate say the move will reach millions of Americans in the workplace, expanding the number of people who are vaccinated against the virus.

But in a court filing with Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia, Yost and others argue that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency dealing with workplace safety, overstepped its role.

A nationwide vaccine mandate that has nothing to do with workplace risk is a dangerous and unlawful use of executive power, Yost said in a statement. Congress has not given the president the power to make personal health-care decisions for all Americans who just so happen to work at a company with at least 100 employees.

There are multiple other lawsuits filed by other Republican-led states making similar arguments, saying the threat of COVID-19 does not meet a grave enough standard and that any risks by the virus are similar outside the workplace as it is inside.

The fight is almost certainly headed to the Supreme Court on an expedited basis. Several state officials said Friday they intend to seek a court order to temporarily block the rule from remaining in effect.

A ruling on that request, assuming it is issued, could be appealed and considered by the Supreme Court in a matter of days.

Legal experts interviewed by USA TODAY, for the most part, said that the Biden administration appears to be on solid legal footing with the requirement, which appears to fall within the Labor Department's broad authority to regulate workplace safety.

Story continues

But that view was not universally shared and many pointed to ambiguities in the law.

"If something can be considered a 'grave danger' even though it's easily avoided, then that's a massive expansion" of OSHA's power, said Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, who added that he supports vaccine mandates in general. "That doesn't mean that a court will necessarily go that way, but it does mean there will be a real case."

John Fritze of USA Today contributed.

Titus Wu is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost files lawsuit over OSHA vaccine rules
Michael A. McDaniel was not perfect.

But he and other inmates at the center of recent barbaric encounters with Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction corrections officers deserved far more than we, the state, gave them.

They deserve a prison system that is humane, and that means it needs reform.

McDaniel's sister says he was trying to get his life back together, but the Columbus resident stabbed another man, according to news stories based on a police report.

More: Prison cameras show handcuffed Columbus man tackled, pushed to the ground multiple times by corrections officers

The Navy veteran pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Franklin County Common Pleas Court and was supposed to spend 16 months in prison.

Jada McDaniel holds a portrait of her brother, Michael McDaniel, who died Feb. 6, 2021 after a violent clash with guards at the Correctional Reception Center.

Instead, the 55-year-old ended up with what amounted to a death sentence.

The prison system fired seven employees involved in McDaniel's February death at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient.

That's not enough.

His case and others point to the fact that the state prison system needs to be overhauled to ensure prisoners live long enough to be rehabilitated.

More: 'These are closed institutions': Deaths, excessive force and staff discipline problems plague major Ohio prison

Michael McDaniel served in the U.S. Navy. He struggled with a drug addiction but was starting to pull his life together, his sister Jada McDaniel said.

The state should provide body cameras to corrections officers, and they should be required to wear them, but that is only the beginning.

There must be more transparency about how cases are handled, accountability when things are not done right and work to train and recruit officers.

This won't be easy. We know that.

In a tight labor market, the state's prison system has 900 unfilled corrections officer positions. The shortage means officers are often overworked.

That's no excuse for what happened to McDaniel, and it does not mean the department cannot take corrective actions to prevent more tragedies.

Right now, prisons practically self-police and are their own judges and juries.

There is a prisons department chief inspector, but each prison has an internal process for reviewing uses of force.

Story continues

The Ohio State Highway Patrol relies on the state to notify it of deaths, rapes, assaults, and suspected criminal activity on state property or by state employees.

The prison system is not exactly forthcoming.

Initial reports about McDaniel's death indicated simply that he died after a struggle with officers.

Michael McDaniel, 55, died following a struggle with guards at the Correction Reception Center in Pickaway County, Ohio, on Feb. 6.

The Dispatch reported Feb. 7:

"Two female officers were injured while attempting to remove Michael A. McDaniel, 55, from his cell and he became combative on Saturday afternoon, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Both officers, whom officials said sustained serious injuries, were treated at a hospital, and later released.

McDaniel declined a medical evaluation at the prison infirmary and later collapsed, officials said.

He was taken to Mount Carmel Grove City, where he died late Saturday afternoon, officials said."

That's not "exactly" the way things went down.

Security footage and records obtained by The Dispatch revealed that the encounter was far more serious and that lies were told.

Corrections Officer Sarah Cline and her partner Kristi Judd removed McDaniel from his cell after he had a profanity laced exchange with Cline.

McDaniel was taken behind a stairwell out of sight of camera. A fight broke out and McDaniel and the officers toppled to the floor.

More: Records: Ohio prisoner died after 'altercation' with staff

Several members of the prison's staff arrived and took McDaniel out of the housing unit. Along the way, the handcuffed and compliant man was shoved down, tackled headfirst into a snow bank and pushed to the sidewalk.

McDaniel fell another 10 times before he and at least a half dozen officers reach the prison clinic.

A report found that instead of a standard check, nurse Vera Pokuaa, examined McDaniel less than two minutes before dismissing him.

Fellow nurse Jamie Dukes was among the seven employees fired. She was accused of falsifying a form saying McDaniel refused medical treatment.

McDaniel is one of two inmates who have died recently after vicious run-ins with officers and apparently insufficient or neglectful medical care at Ohio's Correctional Reception Center.

Dewey McVay died 18 days after a violent clash with prison staff at Correctional Reception Center in Pickaway County. He was taken to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he died Dec. 20, 2019.

Dewey McVay, Jr. died 18 days after officer Clinton Woodard-Hinton and Tory Miller, an activity therapy supervisor, told investigators they experienced "tunnel vision" while delivering hammer-fist blows to subdue McVay on Dec. 2, 2019.

Witnesses say McVay banged his own head against a wall, twice while handcuffed, but documents show that he had bruises on his legs and knees, knots above each eye and lacerations on his face.

McVay told a nurse making rounds on Dec. 15 that he thought he might have the flu. He was offered cough syrup. He was unresponsive by lunchtime and prison staff called an ambulance.

He died five days later at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center on Dec. 20. The coroner's office determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries to the head.

Andrew Potee is suing prison guards at the Corrections Reception Center for injuries he received.

Several inmates have been seriously injured, including Dakota White. The then 16-year-old was on constant suicide watch at the center when he was pepper-sprayed and left for nearly three hours without being cleaned up.

Andrew Potee has filed a federal lawsuit over a confrontation with officers he says left him knocked out and bloodied.

More: Documents show problems with medical care, supervision and violence at Ohio prison

The problem is not only at the reception center.

The state will pay 21-year-old Seth Fletcher $17.5 million after he was paralyzed by officers at the Chillicothe Correctional Institution.

Fletcher complained that he could no longer feel or move his legs after being knocked to the ground on April 2, 2020.

Instead of taking his complaints seriously, said the State Patrol, guards repeatedly dropped the 21-year-old and poured water in his nose and mouth when he couldn't take a drink.

More: Prison abuse case: Ohio pays $17.5 million to paralyzed man tackled by Chillicothe guards

One of the officers in Fletcher's case wrote in a text message after learning of the severity of Fletcher's injures.

"... the dude I broke his nose is now paralyzed with a broken neck, and they say his face looks like he had been dropped and dragged through concrete, LMAO," Garrett Osbon typed. "It feels good to know that I played a small part in paralyzing a cho (child molester), LMAO."

Fletcher's lawyer says Fletcher was 18 when he made a videotape with his younger girlfriend. A court sentenced Fletcher to two years for pandering sexually-oriented material involving minors in Fulton County.

The officer and the prison system's inadequate medical system virtually sentenced Fletcher to life in a wheelchair.

None of this is acceptable in Ohio.

"I'm really angry, pissed, upset and disappointed," Jada McDaniel, McDaniel's sister told the Dispatch in September. "I'm sad that my brother lost his life in a facility that was supposed to rehabilitate him. Instead, he got killed."

More: Staff involved in beating death of Ohio inmate won't face criminal charges, prosecutor says

Surrounded by family members, Jada McDaniel holds a portrait of her brother, Michael McDaniel, who died Feb. 6, 2021 after a violent clash with guards at the Correctional Reception Center. From right are Nicole McDaniel, Sam McDaniel, Erin McDaniel, Chris McDaniel, Jada McDaniel, Donald McDaniel, Maria Saunders, Denitra Pitts and Lawrence McDaniel.

She is right.

The state has a responsibility to make sure inmates are taken care of while in our custody, giving them every chance to be rehabilitated.

Inmates clearly are not perfect  who among us is? Mistakes will happen, but Ohio deserves a Department of Rehabilitation and Correction that is humane and far less flawed.

Editorials are The Dispatch Editorial Board's fact-based assessment of issues of importance to the communities we serve. These are not the opinions of our reporting staff members, who strive for neutrality in their reporting.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why are prisoners dying in Ohio prisons? And what is being done?
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, at a rally in 2018. (Associated Press)

When I left my house in Nicaragua in May to visit my children abroad, a fleeting thought crossed my mind: What if I was never able to return?

Although Daniel Ortegas regime had grown sharply more repressive and dangerous in response to a citizens revolt in 2018, I still didnt seriously imagine that in a few months I would find myself in exile. After all, I had been a Sandinista. I joined the clandestine urban resistance of the Sandinista National Liberation Front when I was 20 and knew Ortega and his now-wife Rosario Murillo during the years we were together in the revolutionary armed struggle that toppled the Somoza dictatorship in 1979.

Much as I disliked the man Daniel Ortega had become in the years since then, which led me to resign from the Sandinista party in 1993, I thought there were some red lines he wouldnt cross. Its true that hundreds of people were killed in 2018 when he cracked down on the mass protests  which began when the government imposed a 5% fee on peoples pensions and broadened into a nationwide revolt after snipers began shooting unarmed students. But still I hoped that after the worldwide condemnation of his bloody handling of that revolt, he would tread carefully as he faced the end of his third term and elections on Nov. 7.

That turned out to be wishful thinking. On June 2, the woman who seemed to have the best chance of beating Ortega in the election, Cristiana Chamorro, was put under house arrest, falsely accused of money laundering and other crimes. On June 5, Arturo Cruz, who had been Ortegas ambassador to the U.S. and was also a presidential hopeful, was detained in Managuas airport as he returned from the United States. One after another, seven presidential hopefuls were arrested and jailed. They have been kept to this day in abysmal conditions without proper access to their families or lawyers.

Then Ortega went after businesspeople, journalists, politicians, iconic Sandinista heroes, opposition leaders, former ambassadors, lawyers, students, peasant organization leaders. The countrys oldest newspaper, La Prensa, was occupied by the police and its manager was arrested.

Story continues

When police came after my brother, who barely avoided capture by crossing into Costa Rica on foot, I knew that if I were to return, I would end up in jail.

When the world condemned the arrests, Ortega and Murillo, who is not just his wife but also his vice president, delivered a series of incendiary speeches. No foreign power, they asserted, would sway the will of the Nicaraguan people to punish those vendepatrias  the traitors who were willing to sell the national interest for the sake of the imperialist United States.

This was a new rendition of an old discourse. They were on to another of their twisted narratives, seeking to deflect anger onto the United States by reminding people of its historical meddling in Nicaraguan affairs. They knew those lies would resonate with historical truths, even though the U.S. has changed its tune vis-a-vis Nicaragua in the last decade and even sent millions of dollars in aid to the Ortega government until the 2018 crackdown.

Ortega and Murillo denounced the 2018 rebellion as a coup, orchestrated by the U.S. But in fact the spontaneous, widespread insurrection shattered the illusion that under their rule Nicaragua had become a Panglossian best of possible worlds. The revolt was a blow to their egos. It unleashed the vengeful, sick and cruel dark side of their personalities. Even for former Sandinistas like me, who know the unscrupulous contortions and concessions they made to regain and remain in power, it has been appalling to watch the extent of their fury and revenge.

Others, especially in the Latin American and European left, have chosen to believe their lies. Ortega came to represent the romanticism of the Sandinista movement that in 1979 finally ended the more than four-decade dictatorship of the Somoza family. But romantic memories cannot wipe away the recent abuses and crimes documented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations, Amnesty International and the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights.

Ortega has now held power in Nicaragua longer than the tyrant he helped to oust. He is mimicking the behavior of the Somozas by establishing a family-run government. He and Murillo have manipulated the electoral system in their favor. Hiding behind the rhetoric of anti-imperialism, they have become, in their 70s, not so different from the people they spent their young lives fighting to oust.

Challenging times reveal peoples true personalities. Ortega, who was jailed by Somoza at 22 and freed by a Sandinista hostage-taking operation at 29, was deeply affected by the experience. It turned him into a sly loner, a man of few friends, good at intrigue and political manipulations. In 1998 his stepdaughter Zoilamerica publicly accused him of sexually abusing her from the time she was 11, only to see her mother side with her abuser.

Murillo is Ortegas vice president, his loyal No. 2  but she also keeps a tight circle around him, feeding the acute mistrust he developed in prison.

Together they are cementing a tyranny that has not been seen in Latin America for decades. No doubt they will be reelected on Nov. 7, since they are running virtually unopposed. The elections will be just another display of their will to power, as they grow ever more like the wicked dictators in the magical realism novels of the region.

Gioconda Belli is a Nicaraguan poet and novelist. She has been president of PEN Nicaragua.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The opening arguments and first presentations of evidence began Friday in the trial of the three white men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, on a coastal Georgia street.

Details: Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery, his father, Gregory McMichael, who was also pursuing Arbery with a gun, and their neighbor William Bryan, who joined in the chase and took the video of Arberys death, face nine criminal counts individually and together, including malice and felony murder charges.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

All three have pleaded not guilty.

The 12-person jury includes 11 white people and 1 Black person, a makeup that Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley said might have been intentional discrimination on the part of defense attorneys but that he could not change due to limitations under state law.

Glynn County, Georgia, where the crime took place, is 27% Black and 69% white.

Senior assistant district attorney Linda Dunikoski told jurors on Friday that the defendants assumed the worst about Ahmaud Arbery and trapped him like a rat between two pickup trucks.

The evidence the state expects to show at trial is that this was an attack on Mr. Arbery  and the only thing that Mr. Arbery did was to run away, Dunikoski said.

In this case, all three defendants did what they did based on assumptions. Not on facts, not on evidence, but assumptions."

Linda Dunikoski, senior assistant district attorney, Cobb County DA's office

The defense argued that the McMichaels' believed they had probable cause to conduct a citizens arrest of Arbery for a suspected burglary in a nearby house.

Arberys death was a result of self-defense on the part of Travis McMichael, according to his lawyer:

"This case is about duty and responsibility," the defense attorney said. "It's about Travis McMichael's duty and responsibility to himself, to his family, and to his neighborhood."

Story continues

Robert Rubin, defense attorney for Travis McMichael

A former Georgia law allowed one citizen to arrest another if a crime was committed in his presence or within his immediate knowledge.

The law was repealed in Arberys name earlier this year, but it was on the books at the time of Arberys death.

Of note: Arberys parents, Marcus Arbery and Wanda Cooper-Jones, attended Friday's proceedings. When the state showed jurors the video of their sons death, Marcus Arbery left the courtroom, saying, I dont want to see this. Cooper-Jones sobbed while remaining seated, according to pool reports.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
In Afghanistan, young babies are now starving to death. Those parents who fear this fate are selling off their children to survive themselves. More than half of Afghanistans 39 million people do not have enough to eat and are marching to starvation, in the haunting words of the World Food Program. By next year, the United Nations warns, 95 percent of the country could be plunged into poverty.

Two months after the Talibans takeover, Afghanistan is reeling from the quadruple crises of conflict, coronavirus, climate change and economic collapse. Together, they have created a humanitarian situation that threatens to become more dire by the day  all of which happened under the watch of the international community. Meanwhile, international terrorist groups, like al Qaeda and the Islamic State, are reconstituting and could pose a threat to Western targets within the next year, according to counterterrorism officials. And yet, the Biden administration still has no real Afghanistan policy.

Washington has been principally focused on the evacuations of U.S. citizens and green card holders, as well as resettling Afghan allies who fled. It has paid little attention to the fate of the millions who were left behind after the withdrawal of international forces in August. Diplomatic engagement has been downgraded, with more junior officials appointed as the State Departments special representative to Afghanistan and to head up the Afghan affairs unit in Doha, Qatar. The U.S. also stayed away from a recent meeting in Moscow, effectively ceding its space to the other members of the troika plus group on Afghanistan: Russia, China and Pakistan.

President Joe Biden may wish to forget about Afghanistan, but theres never been a more urgent need for the U.S. to stay involved. A military withdrawal should not mean diplomatic disengagement, no matter how politically embarrassing the episode was for the White House. The crises that are consuming Afghanistan threaten to exacerbate the very problems Washington intervened to deal with in the first place. Biden does not have to formally recognize the Taliban, but neither can he wish away their control of the country. Working closely with international partners, the U.S. should ensure aid gets to those who need it most  even if that means dealing with the people they battled for 20 years.

Story continues

Afghanistans problems never stay within its landlocked borders. The desperate economic and humanitarian situation could reignite conflict within the country, potentially destabilizing the wider region while creating space for international terrorist groups to plan new campaigns. Colin Kahl, the U.S. undersecretary of Defense, warned this week that the Islamic State in Khorasan Province and al Qaeda could be able to launch attacks on the West in anywhere from six months to two years.

Europes leaders could soon find themselves contending with a fresh refugee crisis and the flow of narcotics from the worlds largest source of heroin. Already, large numbers of Afghans are attempting to cross any border that is open to them, driven there by fear and hunger. They may be forced to make the journey northward, along the same route used by drug smugglers, passing through Iran and Turkey. On a continent where even centrist leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron have grown hostile to new refugees, the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Afghans on their shores could dramatically alter the political landscape.

There are clear opportunities to stave off these forbidding outcomes and create a viable future for the Afghan people with modest international assistance. There is a temptation to view Afghanistan only through the prism of the war of the past two decades and the Talibans triumph that brought it to an end. But this perspective overlooks the tremendous gains that were built and are now under threat. There has been a generational transformation that has seen basic literacy levels rise from below 20 percent two decades ago to now, when as many as two-thirds of Afghans under 25 can read or write. Infant mortality plunged, the media flourished, women became central to public life, infrastructure and public services reached the most remote parts of the country.

Tens of thousands of talented Afghans have left their country over recent weeks, but there are millions more who have no choice but to remain there. These include the brave young women who continue to protest on the streets for their rights, the journalists who defy restrictions to report on them, the educated women who want to return to work, and the young girls who are anxious to return to the classroom and follow their path. They all deserve a future, too.

For the U.S., there is a narrowing window to secure not only its interests but the welfare of the Afghan people. The Taliban are in power, but they know they need international support to hang onto it. Afghanistans neighbors have swept into the vacuum created by the Wests withdrawal but have rival concerns and lack the resources to lift the country out of its deepening crises. Daunted by the scale of the challenges, theres a sense of buyers remorse settling in among the Chinese, Iranians, Russians and Pakistanis  creating openings for greater U.S. involvement. There is a need for a robust multilateral approach on common concerns, including counterterrorism, the humanitarian situation and human rights.

Right now, there is a ruinous standoff. The Taliban have only partially let girls return to school, in about a third of Afghanistans provinces, and women face restrictions on work in the public sector. In response, the U.S. and its allies have withdrawn the crucial assistance that funded those schools and paid those teachers salaries. But if the humanitarian situation worsens, it wont be the Taliban who pay the price. It will be the Afghan people who have suffered so much, for so long. The Taliban can simply turn the human catastrophe to their advantage, cite it as proof of the Wests cold indifference and stoke anti-U.S. sentiment, as happens in Iran.

There is no alternative but to engage with the Taliban, but engagement is not the same as recognition. The U.S. and its partners still have a chance to rediscover their relevance and offer incentives with clear benchmarks to the Taliban  a path that ultimately could offer international recognition once firm guarantees on counterterrorism, womens rights, freedom of expression, and a broad-based, inclusive government are established. The key is to find a balance, where assistance to the Afghan nation continues without the Taliban being able to declare outright legitimacy through this assistance. It starts by making sure no Afghans feel forced to sell their children to feed themselves this winter.
Pregnancy resource centers offer free pregnancy tests, prenatal and parenting classes, and referrals to healthcare and social work professionals, while conveying the belief that abortion hurts women and children.

I volunteered twice a week at a pro-life pregnancy resource center on Columbus South Side for two years.

In a recent guest column for The Dispatch, Madeleine McClung accused this center and other organizations, such as Heartbeat International, of racism.

She also claimed they lie to women. These baseless  and frankly, unimaginative  accusations warrant a response.

More: Opinion: 'Fake healthcare centers' using taxpayer money to spread lies about abortion

When I began volunteering at the center here in town, our director taught me to be very clear with each client I met about two things: we are not a doctors office, but we can help you find a doctor if you need one; and we believe abortion hurts women and babies.

Maria Baer is a freelance reporter who lives in Columbus. She contributes regularly to The Gospel Coalition and other outlets, and co-hosts the Breakpoint podcast with The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

Thats because we trust the science.

In 2018, researchers at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom found that women who had undergone an abortion had an 81 percent increased risk of developing mental health problems.

Unlike Planned Parenthood  which netted $1.6 million in a pandemic year pregnancy resource centers are not obsessed with abortion. In fact, most clients I was fortunate enough to get to know during my time as a volunteer werent facing a crisis pregnancy, but were already parents of young children.

For these women as well as our pregnant clients, we offered free pregnancy tests, prenatal and parenting classes, and referrals to healthcare and social work professionals in Columbus.

We were trained in trauma-informed care and had teaching modules for women suffering domestic violence and even rape.

More: Proposed abortion ban being considered by London City Council

I taught one client how to safely bathe her daughter. One of our staff members advocated on behalf of a client whose landlord was refusing to provide needed repairs at her home. I watched as our director slowly and patiently built a close relationship with a woman struggling with an addiction, day after day, until she decided to get help.

Story continues

The busiest corner of our pregnancy resource center was our baby boutique, a room stuffed full of diapers, formula, prenatal vitamins, baby wipes, baby soap, more diapers, clothes, car seats, toys, more diapers, then for good measure, more diapers. Every woman who came through the door got to take something with her.

When pregnant women in Columbus dont go to a pregnancy resource center, where are they supposed to go for help? There is not a single Planned Parenthood in Columbus that offers prenatal care.

McClung also noted that pregnancy resource centers are often found in poor and underserved neighborhoods, but she leveled this as an accusation. Apparently, shes unaware which clinics were in these neighborhoods first.

In 2012, an organization called Protecting Black Life used U.S. Census data to show that nearly 80 percent of Planned Parenthoods abortion clinics were located within 2 miles of a majority Black or Hispanic neighborhood.

More: Opinion: Victory for children, Texas abortion law sets great pattern for other states to follow

This is unsurprising, given Planned Parenthood was founded with the explicit purpose to stop Black and poor women from procreating. Pregnancy resource centers are showing up in response to this blatant exploitation.

McClung also criticized one local center for having photos of black bodies on its website.

This begs an illuminating question: Is this center not supposed to use photos of the people who actually live in their neighborhood and they actually serve? Is McClung suggesting they should only have on their website photos of  who, exactly? White people?

The fact is that most of the pregnant women I met at our center werent considering abortion because they wanted one.

Almost every woman was being pressured by someone in her life  usually a man  to do it. Too many women, upon seeing those two blue lines appear on one of our free pregnancy tests, said something like, My (husband, boyfriend, dad, boss) is going to kill me.

Pregnancy centers are often the only place these women can go to hear these two critical truths: that they have another option and that they are strong enough to take it. Its Planned Parenthood that tells women  mostly poor women of color  that theyre just not strong enough to care for their babies.

The many pregnancy resource centers around Ohio and the country have a better message: You absolutely can do this, and we will help you.

Maria Baer is a freelance reporter who lives in Columbus. She contributes regularly to The Gospel Coalition and other outlets, and co-hosts the Breakpoint podcast with The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Maria Baer: Pregnancy resource centers offer women abortion alternative
A "Vote No on Issue 7" sign is among the many campaign signs outside the Franklin County Board of Elections offices.

The deception starts with the name of the so-called "Clean Energy" initiative.

There is nothing clean about the dirty effort to trick Columbus voters into giving $87 million to a handful of people a local man claims are part of a group backing Issue 7, which is on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther calls the issue a scam, and he's right.

More: Don't be duped: Weaselly 'green energy' group tries to con Columbus voters out of $87 million

If there is a group, there is little evidence of it. If there is expertise and staffing to manage the vague programs listed in the ballot issue, there is no evidence of them. If voters hand over $87 million to ProEnergy Ohio  a limited liability "company" with a rented postal address and no apparent office or staff  there would be no accountability for how those millions are spent. No oversight. No recourse if the money is misspent.

Environmental groups, business and faith leaders, elected officials and The Dispatch Editorial Board all have lined up against the initiative as something that, if approved, would significantly damage the city's ability to provide basic services. And Columbus voters previously approved a green-energy initiative.

A "Vote No on Issue 7" sign stands outside the Franklin County Board of Elections offices. Election Day is Tuesday.

It's vital that voters reject Issue 7 and that lawmakers in Columbus and at the Statehouse take immediate action to stop such an issue from developing again.

More: Murky 'green energy' ballot initiative would take millions from Columbus budget

State and city lawmakers can't move fast enough, because even before the outcome of Tuesday's vote on Issue 7, the secretive backers of Issue 7 are preparing to try again on a future ballot  this time submitting petitions on Oct. 20 for a ballot initiative that would lift $107 million dollars from Columbus taxpayers' wallet.

How long before they or some other organization try this in other cities? ProEnergy Ohio tried it at the state level and failed. It failed at several previous attempts in Columbus before getting on the ballot this year.

Story continues

More: Voter guide: All about Greater Columbus candidates, issues in 2021 general election

Before this group came along, there were similar efforts at self-dealing by other organizations, as pointed out by Michael F. Curtin, a former lawmaker, who before that, had been associate publisher of The Dispatch.

Curtin, a longtime Statehouse reporter and author with former Dispatch Senior Editor Joe Hallett of the book on Ohio politics, "The Ohio Politics Almanac," notes that in 2009, Ohio saw two casino companies successfully sponsor a state constitutional amendment  through the initiative process  that guaranteed that legal casino gambling could take place only on four properties owned by those companies, one each in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

"Those companies successfully inserted their business plan in the Ohio Constitution," Curtin said. "The amendment was approved 53%-47%, largely on the promise of jobs and economic activity during a recessionary period. This was a wake-up call to many good-government types."

In 2015, the owners of 10 properties in Ohio tried the same thing to guarantee that they and their investors would have the exclusive right to grow marijuana for commercial purposes only at those 10 sites. Voters rejected that proposal 36%-64%.

Curtin, a Democrat serving in the Ohio House at the time, was part of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission, and among the issues commission members were studying was the misuse of the initiative and possible remedies.

"As a result, I co-sponsored, along with Ryan Smith, R-Bidwell, a competing constitutional amendment proposal in attempt to erect a high wall against future self-dealing attempts to misuse the statewide initiative process," Curtin said.

"Our issue (Issue 2 in November 2015) proposed to prohibit the use of the initiative petition to create a commercial interest, commercial right or exclusive economic benefit not available to other similarly situated persons or nonpublic entities. Our issue was approved by voters, 52%-48%, making it exceedingly difficult for the statewide initiative to be abused in the future."

Now it's time to make sure this can't happen again at the local level. Ohio has 926 cities and villages. Many of their residents have the power of the initiative petition under the Ohio Revised Code.

Curtin's research shows that residents of some Ohio municipalities  183 cities and 51 villages  have their own charters, and some of them, including Columbus, have charters that provide their citizens with initiative powers that differ from and sometimes go beyond the Ohio Revised Code.

The Columbus charter, for example, says that if voters approve Issue 7 on Tuesday, the mayor and city council can't un-do it. They could only ask voters to repeal or amend it. By then, city coffers could be drained of $87 million.

The bottom line is that voters need to reject Issue 7, and city councils and the state General Assembly need to take swift action to make sure that scams such as Issue 7 don't end up on the ballot ever again.

Curtin offers that they should consider reforming the initiative process at the municipal level with language along these lines:

"The initiative process shall not be used to propose or enact any legislation of any type that provides any person, partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other nonpublic entity, or any combination thereof, with a financial benefit or a grant of power over a sphere of economic or commercial activity."

In Columbus, that language likely would have to be approved by City Council as a proposed charter amendment and put before the voters in the next general election.

For non-charter cities and villages  much of the rest of the Ohio  it would appear that the General Assembly could simply amend Ohio Revised Code Section 731.28 with similar language by majority votes in the House and Senate.

Alan D. Miller

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Opinion: After Issue 7, lawmakers must ensure this never happens again
Hopes fade of finding survivors of Nigeria high-rise collapse as toll rises Reuters

The owner of a Nigerian high-rise that collapsed Monday was found dead in the rubble.

Rescue crews pulled nine survivors out of the wreckage as of Tuesday, but the collapse has killed dozens.

The building in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, had been under construction for three years.

The owner of a Nigerian luxury apartment building that collapsed earlier this week was found dead in the rubble Thursday, local authorities told the Washington Post.

The tower collapsed Monday, and rescue crews pulled nine survivors out of the wreckage by Tuesday and have found at least 43 bodies, the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria told The Post.

Olufemi Osibona, the managing director of the Nigerian development firm Fourscore Homes, was inside the building at the time of the collapse, and local authorities found his body on Thursday.

The collapse took place in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city.

The building had been under construction for almost three years before its collapse, and it had temporarily stopped construction from July to November of this year, according to local media.

"Our agency came in to do a structural test and saw some anomalies and shut it down and said those things should be corrected," Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State's deputy governor, said. He did not say why construction had resumed.

Investigations into the collapse to determine the cause are underway.

Read the original article on Insider
The Guardian

Gay educators and their allies  including students and the ACLU  are fighting back They said parents pay a lot of money to go to Valor, just so their kids dont have to mentored by someone who is gay, Inoke Tonga recalls. Photograph: AP When volleyball coach Inoke Tonga was called in for a meeting with the leadership of Valor Christian high school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, this fall, he thought he was about to be offered a promotion. Instead, he was interrogated with a series of vague, l
The 74

Scotty Matthews took a seat on a small bookshelf and peered at a page of poems held by a third-grader in his southeast Alabama classroom. Matthews, a former tutoring aide who had just come to Rehobeth Elementary School, was used to working with students who needed some extra help with reading. He asked the student []
Watch: Philip Hammond on why crypto adoption is unstoppable

Former UK chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond claims institutional adoption of the cryptocurrency characteristics of tokenisation and distributed ledger technology is now unstoppable.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance UK, the Conservative life-peer said that trading characteristics that are currently associated with crypto assets will become normal patterns of business with conventional assets as they are tokenised.

"This is going to happen, we have probably got to a point where this is unstoppable, said Lord Hammond.

Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is the blockchain-based bedrock that allows cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (BTC) to bypass centralised financial authorities when conducting peer to peer transactions.

According to Hammond the progressive technologies that are the hallmarks of the cryptocurrency ecosystem will "bring many benefits and introduce significant efficiencies. He listed the advantages of distributed ledger technology, such as increased security, transparency, speed of settlement and lower execution costs for customers".

However, he warned that the consequences of onboarding these new mechanisms will be hugely disruptive to the existing financial services infrastructure. "The bulk of the disruption would be sustained by incumbents of institutional markets and that these market participants will be concerned about the disruptive effect on jobs in the sector."

The former chief financial minister emphasised the benefits of DLT and blockchain technology as "representing a huge opportunity for London and the UKs financial services sector as a whole.

He said: "Britain must seize this opportunity to remain a global financial services hub. And described how the City of London has traditionally been able to exploit disruptive technologies and adapt faster than their competitors, but suggested a current malaise exists where City firms are preoccupied with thinking about what the future looks like because of post-Brexit complications. He urged the current Conservative cabinet to create the conditions for London to lead in this burgeoning space so that regulators sit up and take note and respond appropriately.

Story continues

Read more: Ethereum falls from all-time high but Solana on track to hit $250

Hammond is now a senior adviser with Copper, a London-based provider of digital asset custody and trading infrastructure. In his exclusive interview with Yahoo Finance UK, he described a growing sentiment within financial institutions that the technologies of the cryptocurrency ecosystem "must be embraced". He described the traditional finance sector as being on the cusp of a collective decision about the new disruptive technology and an awareness that it is coming whether they like it or not.

Watch: Hammond: UK's depleted gold reserves could be replenished with 'digital assets'

"In the past the instinct to smother it may have been strong, but now pretty much all the grown-ups in this space recognise that this is coming.

Traditional financial institutions have come a long way in reaching this reversal in attitudes. The nascent blockchain-based solutions associated with cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance have gradually matured over the years. Now the margins can no longer hold them, the enemy is at the gates for traditional financial institutions. Hammond said that conventional financial services players would now have to ponder how much of the new technology should be embraced, or the extent to which they should try and slow it down and get ahead of it.

The former chancellor illustrated how a reversal in attitudes has also occurred amongst global central banks towards central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). He described the conditions when he was the UKs chancellor of the exchequer, from 2016 to 2019, as being a harsh environment for such nascent ideas, where most of the worlds central banks were trying to smother digital assets and prevent them from gaining a grip.

He added that things have now changed. "Central banks are now looking at fiat digital currencies which could emerge in significant numbers worldwide.

Read more: Bank of England holds interest rates at all-time low of 0.1%

After learning how China is charging ahead by conducting tests of its own digital yuan in major cities, the Bank of England and the UK Treasury launched a joint task force in April 2021 to explore a potential central bank digital currency (CBDC) for Britain. China now plans to launch their digital fiat currency during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Hammond said other jurisdictions must learn from Beijing's endeavours to exploit "rapid follow-up advantage" and apply this to their own CBDC projects.

When asked about the UK's depleted gold reserves being replenished with a new digital store of value, Hammond said he did not think there exists wide public approval for the Bank of England to begin accumulating current digital assets, such as bitcoin.

"We ultimately digitise conventional assets. That is the form in which these things will be held at some point in the future, he said.

Cryptocurrency aficionados use a phrase attributed to Ernest Hemingway when illustrating how the revolutionary technology will eventually become adopted by institutional finance. A character in Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises described bankruptcy as happening, "gradually, then suddenly". Advocates of the crypto-sphere have flipped Hemingway's adage to explain how acceptance of the new technology will gradually accumulate until suddenly the world adopts it, en masse.

The landscape of traditional finance is rapidly changing. Many institutions are now beginning to accept cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class. Major banking institutions are considering offering custodial accounts for cryptocurrencies, and both Ether (ETH) and bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been approved by regulators. The burgeoning technologies associated with the crypto-sphere are making major inroads as government budgets on both sides of the Atlantic declare more bowering to meet increased public spending commitments. The consequences of a growing debt burden, global supply chain woes, savings eaten away by inflation and a possible hike in interest rates have prompted a surge of retail investors to rush to the crypto-space. How much longer can major financial institutions stand by and watch from the sidelines?

Watch: Digital currencies: China will get there first, says Hammond
NY Daily News

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said what many were thinking after a jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges on Friday. This is America, Kerr said Friday before his team played the Pistons. Were treading down a dangerous path. It wasnt a shocking verdict, but one that poses great risk going forward if we continue to go down this path. ... States determining that people can just ...
President Joe Biden arrived in the Rehoboth Beach area on Saturday, a day after delaying his trip to his North Shores home.

After attending the funeral of Gen. Colin Powell at Washington National Cathedral on Friday, he was to depart for the Rehoboth area. Instead, he postponed his trip to work on his domestic agenda in the U.S. House, according to the Associated Press.

The Secret Service and the Federal Aviation Administration have issued a temporary flight restriction in the Rehoboth area until 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7.

On Saturday, the president's Marine One helicopter landed in the parking lot at Gordons Pond, at the north end of Ocean Drive. Biden's home is just around the corner on Fairview Road.

President Joe Biden arrives on Marine One at Gordons Pond in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021.

Though his plans for his time in Rehoboth are unknown, the president was seen biking on the Gordons Pond Trail and attending St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church, on King Charles Avenue, during past visits.

A few weeks ago, Rehoboth Beach contracting company Turnstone Holdings was awarded a nearly $500,000 contract by the Department of Homeland Security to install a security fence around Biden's Rehoboth home.

MORE: Delaware's first and only female governor, Ruth Ann Minner, dies at 86

How the fight over a piece of Lewes history is tearing apart the town

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: President Joe Biden makes trip to Rehoboth Beach for weekend
Scott Fairlamb outside the Capitol on January 6. The Department of Justice.

Prosecutors recommended the longest jail sentence for a Capitol riot defendant yet in a Wednesday filing.

The government suggested Scott Fairlamb be sentenced to 44 months behind bars for punching a cop.

The New Jersey gym owner was the first Capitol rioter to plead guilty to assaulting a police officer.

A New Jersey man accused of punching a police officer during the January 6 Capitol riot, could find himself behind bars for a good deal longer than others charged in relation to the insurrection.

Federal prosecutors, in a sentencing memo on Wednesday, recommended a federal judge sentence Scott Fairlamb to at least three-and-a-half years in prison for his role in the attack.

The New Jersey gym owner was the first defendant to plead guilty to assaulting a police officer during the riot. Fairlamb, 43, also pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of congressional proceedings.

But unlike several other Capitol rioters who have struck plea deals and received relatively lenient sentences, prosecutors are pushing for substantial jail time in Fairlamb's case.

The government suggested 44 months in prison due to aggravating factors in his case, including his two prior assault convictions, his assault on police officers during the riot, and his apparent lack of remorse in the aftermath. As part of the plea deal he struck, prosecutors agreed to a sentence between 41 to 51 months in prison. According to CNN, the two crimes could have carried up to 28 years.

Prosecutors' recommended three-and-a-half years for Fairlamb is the longest suggested sentencing for a Capitol rioter thus far. Nearly 700 people have been arrested in connection to the attack, and more than 100 Capitol rioters have already pleaded guilty.

The hefty sentencing recommendation comes weeks after the chief federal judge presiding over Capitol riot cases slammed the DOJ for suggesting light sentences for several rioters who took plea deals. Many have received probation or just weeks behind bars.

Story continues

The prosecutors' sentencing memo described how Fairlamb was inspired by Steve Bannon to halt the Congressional proceedings, and how Fairlamb allegedly threatened Rep. Cori Bush by tagging her in an Instagram post and writing that he "shoulda lit your ass up," seemingly while in the Capitol.

An attorney for Fairland did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Fairlamb, the son of a police officer and the brother of a Secret Service agent, heads to sentencing next week.

Read the original article on Business Insider
An assistant public defender and three court deputies were injured during a Friday morning incident in Rochester City Court, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and the state Office of Court Administration.

The deputies all suffered minor injuries and were treated, while the assistant public defender was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation of a wrist injury and discharged. Charges against the defender are pending, according to statements.

The assistant public defender's identity had not been confirmed by the Democrat and Chronicle Friday afternoon and was not identified in the official statements.

Monroe County Public Defender Tim Donaher  the assistant public defender's supervisor  expressed concern over the incident. In a statement, he said the assistant public defender suffered a serious wrist injury.

"We want to express our full support for our staff-person. We do not believe the use of force was necessary under the circumstances presented, and we remain very concerned at the level of disproportionate force used by the deputies against a member of this office, Donaher said.

On Saturday the Rochester Black Bar Association issued a statement saying that is "... shocked and dismayed by the decision to use such extraordinary force against a member of the bar. The use of force on any attorney is to be highly scrutinized. We are calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident. In addition, we are requesting a meeting with Administrative Judge Taylor and the administration of the Monroe County Sheriffs Office to review and discuss the policies and procedures relating to this use of force."

The main entrance for Rochester City Court in downtown Rochester.

What is alleged to have happened?

While court was in session in front of Judge Teresa Johnson's courtroom at 10:15 a.m., an assistant public defender allegedly tried to gain access to a restricted area of City Court, according to the sheriff's department.

A sheriff's spokesman said the public defender "was temporarily denied access due to safety concerns with a disruptive inmate in the restricted area."

Story continues

Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration, said court deputies "were dealing with an uncooperative and agitated defendant in the cells behind the courtroom." The public defender had no connection to that case, Chalfen added, but she repeatedly asked Judge Johnson for access to the secure area.

The judge heard out the public defender and then told her to return to their seat, Chalfen said.

"The public defender, an officer of the court, did not comply with directions from Deputies and a scuffle ensued," Chalfen said.

The public defender "allegedly became disruptive in court and was asked by both the judge and deputies to leave the courtroom," according to the release from the sheriff's office.

"She was restrained and taken into custody," Chalfen concluded.

Chalfen said charges are pending against the assistant public defender. The sheriff's office said a "criminal investigation" is ongoing.

It's unclear if the three deputies remain on active duty or if the sheriff's office is conducting an internal investigation into their conduct. A sheriff's spokesman didn't respond to follow-up questions Friday afternoon.

A message left in Judge Johnson's chambers was not returned. State Supreme Court Justice William Taylor, who is acting administrative judge in the Seventh Judicial District, deferred comment to the state Office of Court Administration.

Contact Will Cleveland at wcleveland@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @willcleveland13. Thanks to our subscribers for supporting quality local journalism. If you arent a subscriber, please consider a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Public defender faces charges over incident in Rochester City Court
Alan Hays, right, sits with Walter Price during the recount for a close Tavares City Council race on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Walter Price, left, ultimately lost the election by five votes.

LEESBURG  Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays this week published a strongly-worded letter on the SOE website rebutting claims by the Lake County Republican Party about voter fraud during the 2020 election in Florida and Lake County.

His demand: Give me evidence, or stop making the claims.

"Leaders of the local Republican Executive Committee have made blatantly false statements about the 2020 election in Lake County, but not one person has offered the first bit of evidence nor has anyone given me any names of alleged violators of our election laws," wrote Hays, a Republican himself. "It is time for those who are making the accusations, to either PUT UP OR SHUT UP!!"

Lake County elections: Results in Groveland, Tavares, Mount Dora, Lady Lake, Montverde

Meet the new mayor: Mount Dora Mayor-elect Crissy Stile talks the future of Mount Dora

Hayes: 'I came unglued'

In an interview with the Daily Commercial, Hays said he reached his breaking point Monday when he heard from a friend that Walter Price, the chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, was spreading false claims of fraud in the 2020 election in deep red Lake County, where Donald Trump handily won 60% to Joe Biden's 40%.

This came after the Lake County Republican party passed a resolution demanding a forensic audit of Florida's 2020 Election, despite the fact that Trump won Florida, too.

The claims? "That there were dead people that voted in Lake County and their votes were counted, that people that voted in more than one precinct and there were people that voted by mail and in person, and their votes were counted twice," Hays said.

"I called him and I said, 'Walter I need some help  give me the names of those people who allegedly did these things so I can prosecute them,'" Hays said. "Then he said, meekly, 'I don't have any names.' And I came unglued."

Hays said he asked Price to provide him with names by 5 p.m. Monday. He never got them.

Story continues

Price did not respond to a request for an interview via email or phone messages.

On Tuesday, Hays published his letter, "A Rebuttal," classifying it as a "Voter News Bulletin" on the front page of his office's website, lakevotes.com.

He took aim at the party.

"The unwillingness to accept the loss of an election that was run in Lake County and in Florida with the utmost integrity and dedication to fairness, appears to permeate local Republican party leadership," he wrote. "This obsession with lies has resulted in the development and passage, at the local level, of various resolutions whose ultimate effect is the undermining of the elections process specifically here in Lake County.

"...My office and I have a proven record of pursuing with vigor, every violation of the election law brought to our attention. I stand ready to look into any substantiated fact of voter fraud. BRING ME THE EVIDENCE!!"

About the GOP's election fraud resolutions

The local Republican Party in September passed five resolutions to send to all Florida lawmakers "demanding legislative actions to improve election integrity."

"Many voters of all parties are angry at the findings of election fraud around the states and this is the first action responding to constant Republican concerns about election integrity in Florida," a Lake County Republican Executive Committee press release said.

The resolutions demanded:

A forensic audit of the 2020 election.

That poll watchers "have sufficient access and proximity to observe all polling place processes."

That legislators pass a law securing "proper procedures in senior care facilities."

That observers be allowed in county elections supervisor vote counting facilities, other than just voting sites

That the voting dropbox law be clarified.

These "demands" don't actually require action from their recipients, but Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, is sponsoring a bill that, if passed, would require an audit of the 2020 General Election in Florida.

And when the county party passed their resolutions, Sabatini applauded them on Twitter.

BREAKING: The Lake County Republican Party just passed a Resolution DEMANDING a full forensic statewide audit of the November 3, 2020 election in Florida, and in all 50 States  #ElectionIntegrity pic.twitter.com/joBpiDcogn  Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) September 29, 2021

Tim Sullivan, the first vice chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, said he felt the resolutions were passed with "the best intentions."

"But the state of Florida elections system works extremely well and I think it was an example for other states to follow," Sullivan, a former Lake County Commissioner, said. "I believe that having sat on canvassing board and been an election official and watch the process. I don't believe that Lake County or the State of Florida has election integrity issues."

In a press release on its website, the party claims the resolutions passed unanimously. But while Sullivan attended that meeting, he didn't vote on the issue. And, he said, he was opposed to them.

As for alleged voter fraud claims from Price? Sullivan hasn't heard them.

"I don't know where that information came from or in what public forum that Walter expressed those views," Sullivan said.

The Brevard County Republican Party last month passed a similar resolution, calling for a county and statewide audit of the election. Trump won big there, too, by a 16% margin over Biden.

Brevard election audit: Brevard Republicans call for forensic audit of election results despite no fraud evidence

Arizona audit: Senate confirms Biden win, but leaders call for further review of procedures

After the election last year, Trump himself began a social media campaign challenging the results of the election, but for the former president, Florida's results weren't in question.

He tweeted that mail-in voting in Florida is "Safe and Secure, Tried and True."

'It passed with flying colors'

Hays has been a fierce defender of election results in Lake County and in Florida, recently writing a guest column that appeared in the Daily Commercial titled "Attacking the legitimacy of our elections is an assault on the foundation of freedom."

In it, Hays combats election fallacies, outlines how voting equipment works and explains how the law requires for equipment testing and audits.

Hays' guest column: Attacking the legitimacy of our elections is an assault on the foundation of freedom

Hays also joined the other 66 Florida supervisors of elections in a message to voters last week published on the organization's website.

"In this hour, public trust in our elections is being systematically undermined, to the detriment of all Americans, the letter read. "During and after the 2020 Presidential Election, the integrity of our democracy has been challenged by misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation that sows discord and undermines trust in Americas electoral process."

The letter then outlines how election laws "make it easy to vote and hard to cheat."

"Florida law requires that all voting in Florida is done using paper ballots. Those ballots can only be counted using certified machines that have been publicly tested before and after each election. And after every election, we always conduct a public audit to verify that the results are accurate."

That audit is complete, and last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state has no plans to review the 2020 election.

What we do in Florida is, theres a pre- and post-election audit that happens automatically, DeSantis said at an appearance in St. Pete Beach. So, that has happened. It passed with flying colors in terms of how thats going.

This week, however, DeSantis announced he planned to focus on election integrity during the next legislative session, teasing "another package of election integrity reform."

That includes proposing a separate office dedicated to investigating and prosecuting election fraud.

Hays says his office is following election laws as they stand today, but he will "absolutely" participate in an audit should it be required by the governor.

Hays has taken the allegations of fraud not only as an attack on election integrity but also as an attack on his office and his staff.

"They are doing an outstanding job," Hays said. "Some of these yay-hoos around here are coming up with this baloney and I'm going to straighten them out."

He's now giving Price an ultimatum: Give me the names, or apologize.

"So he's going to get me the names so I can verify who they are and I will prosecute, or he's going to write a letter of apology," Hays said. "He's dancing to my tune now if he's going to dance at all."

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Lake elections supervisor demands Republican Party back up vote fraud claims
One week ago today, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into effect a state law making it easier for people to refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if their workplaces require it.

Such mandates are permitted by the law. Further, the federal government this week issued a requirement, in the interests of public health, for those who work at employers with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated. Employers can either require employees get a vaccine or have weekly tests to prove they're not infected.

But Reynolds announced that Iowa is suing the Biden administration, saying the order "pits Americans against Americans while forcing them to choose between making a living or standing up for their personal beliefs."

That's not quite true, however, since they can get tested instead of taking the vaccine. Reynolds' communications director, Alex Murphy, didn't respond to a phone call and email seeking clarification.

Iowa's new law allows people to claim religious exemptions without specifying what the religious constraints to doing so are. The employee needs only to provide "a statement" that receiving the vaccine would conflict (with) tenets and practices of the person's religion. It also lets people claim they have medical conditions that would make getting COVID vaccines dangerous to them or someone else in their household, without providing further information on those.

More: Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law expanding exemptions from employer vaccine mandates; joins lawsuit against Biden

The law acknowledges that people may be fired for not accepting the vaccine, in which case they are now eligible for unemployment at their employer's and taxpayers' expense. The Iowa Association of Business and Industry opposed it. Workers fired for refusing to comply with company vaccine policies don't generally qualify for unemployment, the Wall Street Journal reported,

Protesters against a vaccine mandate gather in the Iowa State Capitol, on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, in Des Moines, ahead of a legislative special session to address redistricting.

As one who generally supports religious pluralism and workplace accommodations, and doesn't support employers prying into people's private lives or morals, I think this law opens up a hornet's nest. When life or death hangs in the balance for some in any worker's proximity, these mandates  with allowance for legitimate exceptions  are an appropriate attempt at protecting public safety.

Story continues

More: Iowa employers may have an especially hard time complying with Biden's vaccine mandate, given new state exemptions

More: Iowa Poll on vaccine mandates: Feds shouldn't order employers to require COVID shots, 52% say

Employers have a tough job assessing sincere beliefs

The truth is, some of those protesting vaccines or masks are doing so out of an antipathy to government telling them what to do.

Some even continue to doubt basic facts about COVID-19. And some people just don't care about the well-being of others who are medically compromised and could die after being exposed to COVID.

Employers obviously have a careful balancing act to do here and can't be too heavy handed. How do they know if employees' resistance is based on bona fide religious prohibitions or medical conditions? What if those are just excuses when the real motivation is some political agenda? Is it fair for other employees to be exposed to possible infection with a potentially life-threatening pandemic by people who refuse to take precautions? And should the state, i.e. taxpayers, be required to pay for that refusal?

Some large employers, including Walt Disney Co., Amtrak and Tyson Foods, are requiring workers who seek religious exemptions to the vaccine to answer some questions. Employees at Amtrak are asked how long they've subscribed to those beliefs and if they have tattoos or body piercings or eat foods with preservatives or chemicals.

One religious reason some abortion opponents cite for rejecting the vaccine is the belief that the COVID vaccine used fetal stem cells in its research and development, General Electric asks about that and if an employee's religious beliefs also prevent them from wearing seat belts or taking Tylenol and Motrin, among other medications that some say also used fetal stem lines. A spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson, which makes Tylenol and Motrin, told the Wall Street Journal fetal cells were not used.

According to the Institute for Vaccine Safety of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, "two cell lines currently used in vaccines are derived from selective abortions performed overseas in the 1960s; WI-38 from Germany in 1961 and MRC-5 from UK in 1966."

In the same Journal article, Tyson said 96% of its active U.S. employees are vaccinated. We dont want to lose any of our team members and are providing religious or medical accommodation based on careful consideration of the individual facts and our commitment to the safety of our employees, a spokesman said. But Kaiser Permanente has said it is denying some requests for religious exemptions that it believes were insincere. We believe that misusing the religious exemption to avoid vaccination is disrespectful to those with sincere religious beliefs, and could violate the ethical standards we expect our employees to meet, its chief medical officer said.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a lawsuit by health care workers seeking a religious exemption in Maine. In fact a number of lawsuits have been filed against government COVID vaccine mandates by nurses, firefighters and students among others, but almost all have failed.

Religious leaders endorse COVID-19 vaccines

Some religious leaders have also endorsed use of anti-COVID vaccines, including Pope Francis.

The Christian Science Church told members in a statement, For more than a century, our denomination has counseled respect for public health authorities and conscientious obedience to the laws of the land, including those requiring vaccination," but added, "Church members are free to make their own choices on all life-decisions, in obedience to the law, including whether or not to vaccinate."

For an evangelical Christian perspective, I checked in with an old friend, Pastor John Palmer. Now retired, he used to preside over the First Assembly of God Church in Des Moines. He has gotten the COVID vaccine but noted the opposition among some Christians linked to fetal stem cell use.

Palmer doesn't wear a mask, but not for religious reasons.

He cited several biblical passages that caution against condemning people for their personal choices. But when asked whether people should feel a larger sense of responsibility to protect the community, he said they should, noting there's no way to know at a particular gathering who is or isn't vaccinated.

"Every person needs to act responsibly," he said. "I would encourage them to do whatever you can to protect yourself and others by wearing a mask."

The bottom line, in my view, is that employers should be able to require the vaccine for employees except for those who have compelling reasons not to get it. That's what the federal government requires. Reynolds' law doesn't require anyone to elaborate on a reason, so it feels more like political showmanship (showwomanship?) than concern for public safety.

Rekha Basu is an opinion columnist for The Des Moines Register. Contact: rbasu@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter @RekhaBasu and at Facebook.com/rekha.basu1106. Her book, "Finding Her Voice: A collection of Des Moines Register columns about women's struggles and triumphs in the Midwest," is available at ShopDMRegister.com/FindingHerVoice.





Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/Opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/Letters.





Real perspective, brought to you by real Iowans. Subscribe today to support local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Vaccine mandate exceptions in Iowa law invite pretense
For many Maryland parents and guardians, a long, worrisome period of the pandemic is drawing to a hopeful close, as federal regulators have authorized COVID-19 vaccinations for elementary school-aged children.

Maryland localities and pharmacies are receiving about 280,000 initial doses from the federal government, enough for about half of all youngsters ages 5 to 11, and appointments have been booking up quickly across the state. Among the first to roll up her sleeves Thursday was 11-year-old Alexandra Good of Baltimore County, whose experience contracting COVID-19 in February helped convince her mother that kids need to be vaccinated.

We have been waiting and waiting, said mom Lisa Shapiro, whose elder daughter, Anne Peyton, 14, also got sick and hasnt recovered her sense of smell or taste. I felt like they needed that extra layer of protection.

While a straightforward decision for Shapiro and others, some parents remain unconvinced about the safety and effectiveness of the newly authorized coronavirus vaccine for kids, despite endorsements from state and federal officials and major institutions such as the American Academy of Pediatrics of its ability to blunt the virus impact.

The divided opinions mirror parental attitudes about COVID-19 immunizations across the country, with sentiments generally falling into three groups: those who will get their children vaccinated, those who wont get their kids vaccinated, and those who are undecided or plan to wait and see.

The shots, produced by Pfizer/BioNTech, are made with a third of the 30 microgram dose given to adults and older children, after clinical trial testing revealed that kids could develop robust immunity against the potentially deadly virus with lower amounts of vaccine. Studies found the shots to be over 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in those 5 to 11 years old using 10 micrograms, according to safety data from the trials.

That means fewer children contracting the coronavirus and spreading it to their loved ones, and fewer kids admitted to hospitals for their symptoms, said Dr. Kawsar Talaat, associate professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Story continues

Children stayed relatively safe in the initial waves of the coronavirus pandemic, Talaat said, accounting for relatively little of the virus-induced sickness and death. But as businesses reopened, travel resumed and kids returned to in-person classes, the number of youth infections jumped, she said.

Most cases are mild, but if you have millions, some of them are going to die, Talaat said last month during a virtual media briefing hosted by Hopkins. Those rates have gone up significantly. One way to protect them is getting them vaccinated.

Even if children dont develop the most severe symptoms, they can face long roads to recovery, miss classroom time and lose out on social experiences, Talaat added.

Their lives can go back to something better than being locked up at home, unable to see their friends, she said. This will keep them safe and keep our communities safe, too.

Several Baltimore-area parents said they hoped the vaccine would mitigate the school closures and quarantine periods brought on by outbreaks of infection, a particular conundrum for parents who work outside of the home and dont have ready access to child care.

Parris Webb, who plans to book an appointment soon for his 8-year-old son, Caleb, said the school year induced anxiety for the family about the third graders well-being. If enough children get inoculated, Webb said, it could prevent more students from falling behind.

But the primary reason for getting the shot is Calebs health, said Webb, who noted he waited a few months until he felt comfortable receiving his own COVID-19 vaccine.

I wish, Caleb said Wednesday, they had a vaccine for kids so that we didnt all have to wear masks and can see our actual faces.

Parents who have not been immunized are more likely to express major concerns about their children getting inoculated, according to a recent study by researchers at Harvard, Northeastern, Northwestern and Rutgers universities, as well as the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Medical School.

Immunized and nonimmunized parents alike expressed concerns about the vaccines newness, how thoroughly it has been tested, its effectiveness, and the potential for immediate and long-term side effects. But the concerns were much more pronounced among unvaccinated parents, according to the study, with long-term health effects the most pressing fear.

Thats one reason Ashley Zielezinski, 28, of Canton, said she wont get herself or her son, 7-year-old Wyatt, vaccinated against COVID-19.

I dont think we know enough about it in the first place, Zielezinski said of the COVID vaccine, adding theyre careful about masking and hand-washing. I feel like thats what our immune system is made for.

That doesnt stop Wyatt from inquiring about the immunization, though.

Hell ask me questions about this, especially like, When will this all end? his mother said.

Along with vaccination status, race and ethnicity, age, educational attainment and geography also factored into parents feelings about vaccinating their children, according to researchers from the so-called COVID States Project. They found that parents of all political leanings and demographics had similar concerns. But the feelings tended to be strongest among younger adults, parents without college degrees, people in rural areas and in communities of color.

Part of the resistance can be attributed to general feelings of distrust and skepticism about the health care system and the government, said Fermin Vasquez, who has reservations about scheduling his 6-year-old son, Leonardo, for a vaccine.

While Vasquez has been immunized, he said he isnt convinced about the vaccines safety or effectiveness. He knows friends and family members who experienced symptomatic COVID-19 even after getting vaccinated. Many told him they suffered severe side effects from the shots.

Im not going to give it to him, Vasquez told a reporter in Spanish. I dont agree with it.

In Howard County, Alana Karimi, mom to Sofia, 5, and Gabriel, 6 months, said she, too, doesnt trust that enough data has been collected.

Every person who gets the COVID-19 vaccine is a study, therefore I refuse to let my children be statistics all for monetary gain, Karimi, 32, said.

Side effects, while uncomfortable, are temporary in both kids and adults, said Dr. Jinlene Chan, deputy secretary for the Maryland Department of Health during a Wednesday news conference in Annapolis. She said young children and slightly older kids, who have received larger doses, have performed well in the clinical trials  well enough for her to recommend as a pediatrician and mother that the benefits of the shots outweigh the risks.

Chan said people who have been immunized have been better shielded from severe infection, hospitalizations and deaths, proof that the vaccines are holding up in real-world conditions. Meanwhile, she said, young children who have been ineligible for vaccinations have been getting infected at higher rates. As of mid-2021, kids younger than 10 made up 14% of all cases in Maryland, up from just 6% at the beginning of the year, Chan said.

In all, she added, 700 children 12 or younger have been hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Despite the increased cases and hospitalizations, only four children up to age 9 and eight who were ages 10 to 19 have died from the infection since the state began tallying the metrics in March 2020, according to the state health departments coronavirus dashboard. Children constitute less than 1% of the more than 700,000 U.S. COVID-19 deaths, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, which notes that not all states report numbers.

Marylanders are at an important inflection point, Chan and Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said, especially as the weather gets colder and holiday travel begins.

Weve gotten to this point by listening to the experts and following the science, and that is what we will continue to do, Hogan said.

At the same time, he said, parents and families should be the ones to make the choice to get children vaccinated, rather than it being mandated by the federal or state government.

That resonates with Westminster parent Bryan Thompson, who chairs the Concerned Parents of Carroll County group, which advocates against mask mandates, required diversity training and teaching critical race theory in schools. Thompson, who is vaccinated, said he will wait before having his children roll their sleeves up.

Our decision may change as more data is reported by the scientific community, he said. We believe ... all parents have the right to choose whether to vaccinate their children based on their own risk assessment and health care guidance. We ask for Carroll County Public Schools and the state of Maryland to respect these rights.

There will be childrens vaccine clinics in all 24 public school systems in Maryland and the state will also distribute the shots to doctors offices, retail partners and local health departments. Officials also plan to run an outreach program and advertising campaign aimed at reaching parents on the fence or opposed. Childrens doctors, recognized as some of the most trusted messengers, will be central to the states campaign, officials said Wednesday.

Andy Owen, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Health, said the department could not yet provide figures on how many childrens clinic appointments have been booked so far.

Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, encouraged all parents, even those comfortable with getting their kids vaccinated, to speak with their pediatricians beforehand. That way, he said, theyll have realistic expectations about what the vaccine does and does not do and how to make kids more comfortable if they experience side effects, such as a fever or sore arm.

The data shows this vaccine is safe and effective in kids ... and that should be real reassuring, Benjamin said. As more parents see kids getting vaccinated, the resistance will dramatically reduce.

Still, many parents said they dont need to wait to speak with professionals.

Sarah Lua of Manchester, said she signed up her 7-year-old son, Carter, as soon as appointments became available on the Carroll County Health Departments website.

Carter may have an autoimmune condition that would increase his risk of contracting severe COVID-19, she said, and she has been home schooling him this year. That comes at a cost to his social development, Lua said. On Halloween, his first time around his friends this year without a mask, he was so overcome with happiness that he didnt know how to act, she said.

She, too, has an autoimmune condition, and didnt want to risk him getting infected outside the home or spreading it to others with similarly limited immunity.

Its hard, she said. But we got to keep people safe.

Baltimore Sun reporters Meredith Cohn, Christine Condon, Alex Mann and Bryn Stole, and Baltimore Sun Media reporters Donovan Conaway, Cameron Goodnight, Kristen Griffith and Allana Haynes contributed to this article.
(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As November begins, bright red poppies will start appearing peoples clothing, in shops, in train stations, on cars, and more, as the UK observes Remembrance Day.

Throughout the month, Britain honours the lives that were lost in service of the country and thanks the Armed Forces of Britain and the Commonwealth.

Tributes are also paid to the families of the Armed Forces community and the emergency services, and the lives of innocent civilians that were lost in conflict and acts of terrorism are also acknowledged.

What date does Remembrance Day fall on this year and what do the red poppies mean?

When is Remembrance Day 2021?

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, falls on 11 November, as it does every year.

The occasion is also marked on the second Sunday of November, known as Remembrance Sunday, with a minutes silence at 11am.

This year, Remembrance Sunday falls on 14 November. The National Service of Remembrance is held each year on this day at the Cenotaph on Whitehall, London, commemorating the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

How can I watch The National Service of Remembrance?

The National Service of Remembrance, which sees a parade of veterans march through London and the Queen paying tribute alongside members of the Cabinet, opposition party leaders, former prime ministers, the Mayor of London and other ministers, is usually open to the public and televised.

But last year, the service was closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic, and people were asked to mark the day at home instead of gathering at the Cenotaph.

The Royal British Legion (RBL) is working towards business as usual this year, it has said. Typically, around 10,000 people gather at the Cenotaph.

The RBL says on its website: Should government guidelines necessitate, RBL may need to reduce the number of spaces in the Parade at late notice. Any changes to this event will be communicated via our website.

Story continues

What does the red poppy symbolise?

The red poppies are worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community and is a symbol of both Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future, says the RBL.

During World War 1, parts of the UKs countryside were destroyed amid bombing and fighting. But bright red poppies flourished in the muddy fields and inspired a poem by Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.

McCraes now-famous poem, In Flanders Fields, then inspired American academic Moina Michael to adopt the flower in memory of those who were lost in the war.

Following a campaign to have the flower adopted as an official symbol of Remembrance across the US, Michael worked with others who wanted to do the same in Canada, Australia and the UK.

Today, the red poppies are worn across the country in tribute to the Armed Forces and the RBLs Poppy Appeal raises funds to help veterans with housing and jobs. Around 40,000 volunteers now distribute 40 million poppies each year.

Where can I get a poppy?

The RBL is the official seller of poppies for Remembrance Day and you can buy a paper poppy for 2, an enamel poppy for 3, or a clip-on poppy for 3.99.

Other poppy-themed items are also available, including a wreath at 17.99 and a fabric face mask decorated with poppies, which is now on sale for 4.99.

All items can be purchased online at the RBLs Poppy Shop, or you can visit your closest RBL shop to buy them in person. Poppy Appeal sellers can also be found in most places closer to Remembrance Day.

All money spent on poppies goes to The Royal British Legion.

Read More

When do Christmas supermarket delivery slots open?

Our world is tech-led and you have to stay on top of it

The ultimate Christmas gift guide for everyone in your life

When do Christmas supermarket delivery slots open?

Our world is tech-led and you have to stay on top of it

The ultimate Christmas gift guide for everyone in your life
The Daily Beast

Chip SomodevillaA severe case of buyers remorse appears to have set in among some conservatives over electing Glenn Youngkin as the next Republican governor of Virginia.Over the past week, outrage has bubbled over among right-wingers and TrumpWorld allies alike, who are under the impression Youngkin has insufficient MAGA loyalty, citing his hiring of an LGBTQ staffer and his refusal to block COVID-related local mandates.The hits started pouring in against the fleece-clad governor-elect earlier
German media are reporting that a man was found dead in the street outside the Russian embassy in Berlin last month, who turned out to be an undercover Russian spy, and is said to have fallen from an upper floor of the building.

That's according to the Der Spiegel newspaper, citing sources in Germany's security services, and that specifically he was 35-years-old and officially listed as a diplomat and embassy secretary - but was actually a member of Moscow's FSB intelligence agency.

It's not clear what caused his death or how he'd fallen, and the Russian embassy has not agreed to an autopsy, according to Der Spiegel.

He's also said to be related, through family, to a senior officer in a counter-terrorism section at the FSB.

The embassy has reportedly called the incident a, quote, "tragic accident" but won't comment further for what it calls "ethical reasons".

Germany's foreign ministry has said it's aware of the death of a diplomat but is also declining to comment further, and prosecutors would neither confirm nor deny the report.
Medical providers and pharmacies across the Suncoast are gearing up to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 against COVID-19.

An advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccine for this age group Tuesday, and the CDC director signed off that evening.

We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said in a news release.

COVID-19: Doctors Hospital of Sarasota has no COVID patients for the first time since pandemic began

More: Florida Gov. DeSantis sues Biden over vaccine mandates for businesses

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota is still waiting to receive the vaccine for distribution, though Public Information Officer Steve Huard said he expects distribution to begin soon.

I would expect that we can see some doses being given as early as next week, said Huard. But it's a different packaging, so we're waiting on Pfizer to ship them.

Huard reiterated that the vaccine is not in stock in the county health department or surrounding areas yet.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 arrive Nov. 2, 2021 at the Oakland County Health Division.

At this time, no county health department in the West Central Florida region  including Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties  have received the vaccine, Huard said Thursday. As the vaccine becomes available, additional announcements will be made.

Retailers make vaccines available

The vaccine also is being shipped to retail pharmacies, pediatrician offices, and other providers, according to the health department.

Publix spokeswoman Maria Brous said the retailer plans on having the child COVID-19 vaccine doses available at select stores.

While we have not made a formal announcement, once the vaccine is received select Publix pharmacies, will administer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to children ages 5 to 11 as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brous told the Herald-Tribune in an email. Pfizer doses for children ages 5 to 11 will be available as select pharmacies receive the vaccine over the next few days. We'll provide more details once they're available.

Story continues

Walgreens also plans on administering children with vaccines starting Saturday at select locations.

Walgreens will begin administering Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 in thousands of stores nationwide, the retailer announced in a press release Wednesday.

CVS will start offering the vaccines Sunday.

Our pediatric immunizers will begin safely administering the PfizerBioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 in select locations, CVS announced on its website.

Before heading out, retailers advice to check beforehand or schedule an appointment to find out the nearest location administering the vaccine.

The DOH recommends those with questions contact a medical provider, local retail pharmacies, or visit vaccines.gov for additional information.

We encourage everyone in the community to get vaccinated for COVID-19, Huard said.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Vaccinate children against COVID? Florida pharmacies are ready
(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia sent another bullish jolt into the oil market a day after OPEC+ ignored President Bidens calls for more oil, raising sharply the official selling price of all the nations crudes to all buyers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Aramco increased pricing for its key Arab Light grade of crude for Asian customers in December by $1.40 to $2.70. The state producer had been expected to raise it by between 50 cents and $1 a barrel, according to a survey last week. Excluding a brief period last year when Saudi Arabia and Russia were coming out of a price war, the month-on-month price increase for Arab Light to Asia is the second largest in 20 years.

The Saudi official selling prices for December are stronger-than-expected, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consultant Energy Aspects Ltd in London.

The cartel ignored calls from U.S. President Joe Biden to speed up the pace at which its raising output following last years Covid-triggered cuts. Instead, OPEC+ stuck with its plan to hike daily crude output by 400,000 barrels next month.

Analysts expect the oil market to remain under-supplied over the rest of the year following the decision by OPEC+, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The continued supply curbs from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and partners have helped oil prices surge 60% this year to more than $80 a barrel. This month, BP Plc said global oil demand had surpassed 100 million barrels a day for the first time since the pandemic started.

Saudi Arabia sends more than 60% of its crude exports to Asia, with China, South Korea, Japan and India the biggest buyers.

Most Middle Eastern countries set monthly prices as a premium or discount to a benchmark. Aramcos OSPs serve as a bellwether for oil markets and often lead the pricing trend in the region.

Story continues

(Updates with size and scope of the price increase in the second paragraph and an analyst comment in the third paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Singapore is due to hang a Malaysian man next week for smuggling a small amount of heroin into the country, but legal and human rights groups are urging the execution be halted because the man is intellectually disabled.

Nagaenthran K.Dharmalingam, then 21, was detained in April 2009 for trying to smuggle nearly 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore, found strapped to his left thigh. He was sentenced to death by hanging in November 2010 under Singapores strict drug laws.

Death penalty opponents say Nagaenthran's IQ was disclosed during the trial as 69, a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. They say he was also found to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a drinking disorder that together could affect his judgment, decision making and impulse control.

Nagaenthran's appeal to reduce the penalty to life in prison failed and a final push for a presidential clemency was rejected last year.

A judicial hearing was set for Monday to hear arguments that executing a mentally disabled person would violate Singapore's constitution. If the review fails, Nagaenthran will be the first person executed in Singapore since 2019.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Wednesday he has written to his Singapore counterpart about the case and would extend consular aid to Nagaenthran and his family. Singapores home ministry has defended the courts decision, saying Nagaenthran clearly understood the crime and has exhausted all legal appeals.

His lawyer, M. Ravi, said Nagaenthran, now 33, could possibly have a mental age below 18 and that the disability doesnt allow him to understand or appreciate deterrence. Therefore, we contend that the execution is irrational and a capricious act of the state, he wrote on Facebook.

The Malaysian Bar and two other legal bodies this week submitted an appeal to Singapore to commute his sentence.

A group of lawyers, activists and human rights groups also rallied outside Malaysias Parliament this week, demanding government intervention. They said in their petition that it was incredibly excessive to hang Nagaenthran given his disability and that he was being punished for a non-violent crime.

Story continues

The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch echoed calls to save Nagaenthran, saying the execution of a disabled person violates international laws and won't deter crime.

ADPAN said the failure to recognize Nagaenthran's mental health indicates a systemic failure in Singapores criminal justice system." Amnesty said there are concerns of multiple violations of international human rights" and fairness of the proceedings which could render his execution unlawful.

Singapore should commute Nagaenthran Dharmalingams sentence and amend its laws to ensure that no one is subjected to the death penalty, certainly not people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities," Human Rights Watch said.

The clamor to commute the penalty is giving Nagaenthrans family a sliver of hope.

His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, said the family cried and wailed when they were informed of the execution on Oct. 26. Initially she kept it a secret from her mother, who at 59 still works as a cleaner and has health problems.

On Tuesday, two days before the Hindu festival of Diwali, 10 family members finally surrounded her to explain about her sons imminent execution. She is set to fly to Singapore on Friday and is to meet her son for the first time in nearly three years.

Instead of celebrating (Diwali), we are crying and thinking about my brother and counting the days, Sarmila, 35, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday from northern Ipoh town. He has been on death row for more than 10 years. Please give him a second chance and stop his execution.

Sarmila said Nagaenthran, the second of four siblings, is a loving person who took odd jobs during high school to help out the family. The family still finds it hard to accept the court outcome and is praying daily for a miracle, she said.

In 2019, she said Nagaenthran suddenly refused to meet or talk to the family. Lawyer Ravi also wrote on Facebook that Nagaenthran refused to meet him since 2019.

Nagaenthran finally opened up recently and reconnected with them on the day the family was informed of his execution. Sarmila said he was calm but had refused to talk about his silence in the past few years or about his imminent sentence.

She said their younger brother met Nagaenthran at a Singapore prison this week and found his behavior strange. Nagaenthran would stare at the ceiling, talk incoherently and jump from one subject to another, she said.

Sarmila said he appeared cheerful in a phone call Thursday and had asked how the family was celebrating Diwali.

Ma, dont worry. I will come back soon and we can celebrate together she quoted Nagaenthran as telling their mother in the Tamil language, before cheekily asking for his ang pow  a monetary gift that elders usually give as a token of blessings.
The Daily Beast

The View/ABCWhen Meghan McCain returned to The View from maternity leave at the beginning of 2021, her co-host openly admitted on-air: I did not miss you. Zero. Those feelings dont seem to have changed now that McCain has been off the show for several months.On Friday, The View welcomed back another former conservative co-host, Abby Huntsman, who also happens to be close friends with McCain. Almost immediately, Behar asked her: Did you miss us? And how does it feel to be back here?Huntsman,
A soldier in training at Fort Gordon has been indicted in federal court for distributing child pornography.

Joshua Gamble, 29, was indicted by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury on one count of distribution of child pornography. If convicted, he could face a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.

Anyone who would think to engage in activities that exploit children should be forewarned that our vigilant law enforcement partners are always watching, David Estes, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in a release. We will be unrelenting in pursuing those who would victimize the most vulnerable among us.

Keeping your child safe: Trying to keep your child safe from online predators? Authorities offer advice to parents

Related: Former Fort Gordon soldier sentenced to prison for child pornography

Related: Former Fort Gordon Army major receives maximum sentence for producing child pornography

Gamble was arrested in October by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents that were investigating illegal distribution of child porn via an internet chat application. Gamble was arrested on a complaint based on activity that took place on Aug. 10 and 11, 2021.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Soldier arrested in Oct indicted in federal court for child pornography
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  A trendy Zimbabwean restaurant has reopened but without an appearance by a South African gay celebrity following complaints by a group of conservative churches and ruling party members.

The cancellation of a visit by TV celebrity Somizi Mhlongo highlights the discrimination that members of the LGBTI community face on a daily basis in Zimbabwe where homophobia runs high, a rights group said Friday.

Members of the ruling ZANU-PF partys youth wing and the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe vowed to block an appearance by Mhlongo. Owners of the restaurant have remained mum on the matter.

Mhlongo, who hosts gourmet restaurant events in South Africa and is a judge on the Idols South Africa TV show, announced he would not travel to Zimbabwe.

The truth of the matter is that there are people in Zimbabwe who dont want me to come based on my sexuality, they have made it clear, he said in a post on Instagram. Instead he attended an event in neighboring Namibia on Thursday night.

Zimbabwe has a history of discriminating against and harassing LGBTI people, with former President Robert Mugabe once describing them as worse than dogs and pigs and saying they have no legal rights.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been less vocal against LGBTI people, but hostility from some sections of society remains.

The uproar involving Mhlongo is not an isolated incident, said Chester Samba, director of GALZ, an LGBTI rights group.

Discrimination plays out in a plethora of ways, he told The Associated Press on Friday.

Sometimes when LGBTI people report crimes such as theft and violence against them, the police have responded by arresting them rather than the perpetrator  often in the hope of extracting nancial gain from the victims by exploiting their fear of exposure, said Samba.

Members of Zimbabwe's LGBTI community have also faced discrimination when trying to get vaccinated against COVID-19, he said. GALZ has worked to support the vaccination drive by partnering health service providers to provide services in premises where our communities feel comfortable in accessing these without harassment, he said.

Debate over the issue has been raging on social media in Zimbabwe. Some people accused the anti-LGBTI groups of hypocrisy by openly associating with religious groups that promote child marriages.

Sex between men is a crime in Zimbabwe that carries a sentence of up to a year in prison and the country's constitution bans same-sex marriages.
A man who told Denton police that a handgun fell, fired on its own and fatally shot his girlfriend was arrested Thursday night and accused of murder in the case, Denton police said Friday.

Zeniff Rudd told Denton police he was lying in bed on March 6 when he heard a gunshot and found 26-year-old Mindy Tenerias on the floor with a gunshot wound.

But officials at the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office ruled last month that Tenerias death was a homicide, and Denton detectives later obtained an arrest warrant for Rudd.

Rudd was arrested in Dallas on Thursday night by Denton police and members of the U.S. Marshals Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force.

Rudd was booked into the Denton Jail with bond set at $50,000. He faces a murder charge.

Denton police were dispatched to the shooting call just before 1 a.m. on March 6 in the 1800 block of Teasley Lane.

Rudd called 911 and reported that a gun fell, fired and shot his girlfriend.

When they arrived, first responders found an unresponsive woman later identified as Mindy Tenerias with a gunshot wound. She was taken to a local hospital, where she later died.
GLASGOW, Scotland  The EU's top climate negotiator tells Axios he's expecting friction with China as negotiations heat up at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

What they're saying: Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua fired a shot across the bow Tuesday by warning that countries pushing to amend the Paris Accord's temperature target risked "destroying consensus" and unraveling the talks.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

"We all know China is worried because the more you focus on a more ambitious temperature goal, the more you're forced to focus on what China does next," Jacob Werksman, the EU negotiator, told Axios following a news conference on Thursday. "It's just the math in terms of where the emissions are coming from."

The big picture: Beijing is feeling the heat in Glasgow.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has publicly prodded China to shift its target for peak emissions from "before 2030" to 2025.

President Biden went several steps further, scolding President Xi Jinping for skipping the summit.

Werksman said the EU wants to keep the pressure on and is already pressing the next host, Egypt, to structure COP27 "in such a way that continues to bring pressure on China," rather than protecting its bilateral relationship with Beijing.

The other side: Xie rejected the idea  pushed by a bloc that includes the EU, U.S., U.K. and many highly vulnerable countries  of committing to keeping the rise in global temperatures below 1.5C, rather than the Paris Accord's target of "well below" 2 C and ideally 1.5C.

Xie told the BBC that if the target is changed, "many countries" would want to renegotiate other aspects of Paris, like the funding developed countries agreed to provide to help developing countries adapt.

Chinese officials feel rich countries, the U.S. in particular, keep ratcheting up promises that could ultimately prove empty while using them to pressure China, says Li Shuo, who is based in Beijing for Greenpeace. 1.5C would be another hammer to hit China with.

What you have in China is more and more implementation, but the headline targets are not up to the ambition that we need. What you have in the U.S. is completely the opposite, Li said.

Behind the scenes: Xi's absence was keenly felt, and the Chinese officials that are here have kept a very low profile, particularly in comparison with the ever-present U.S. delegation.

Story continues

Several delegates and leaders from developing countries have quietly expressed disappointment that China appears to be MIA.

What to watch: COP26 is unlikely to result in a firm commitment to 1.5C, but Werksman said the EU is pushing in the negotiations to establish "political moments of accountability" at every COP, rather than every five years.

If countries feel compelled to submit updated climate plans every year, the spotlight will inevitably continue to fall on the largest emitter: China.

Between the lines: Changing a number in a document won't remove any carbon from the atmosphere, but it's an article of faith at COP that higher ambitions and public pressure will translate to increased action.

The rallying cry of "keep 1.5 alive" has been oft-repeated in Glasgow, but current pledges fall far short and time is running out.

Nonetheless, it's a matter of survival for small island states, says Satyendra Prasad, Fiji's ambassador to the UN.

"We cannot contemplate a future beyond 1.5," he told Axios Thursday on the sidelines of the summit. "No one would want to agree to an outcome where some of our countries cease to exist."

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
A shooting involving rival gangs on a beach near Mexico's Caribbean resort of Cancun left two suspected drug dealers dead on Thursday and sparked panic among foreign tourists.

The armed clash, the second to shake Mexico's Riviera Maya in recent weeks, is another blow to a tourism industry still recovering from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

"There was a confrontation between members of opposing groups of drug dealers on a beach in Bahia Petempich, Puerto Morelos," the Quintana Roo state attorney general's office tweeted.

"Two of them lost their lives," it said.

No tourists were seriously injured or kidnapped, the Quintana Roo public security department reported.

Tourists staying in hotels next to the beach described how people ran for cover after shots were fired.

"Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun," tweeted Mike Sington, a tourist from the United States staying at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort.

"Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens."

- 'Hugging, crying' -

Videos posted on social media showed dozens of tourists, some in bathing suits, waiting in the hotel lobby along with staff.

"People are hugging each other and crying," said Sington, who describes himself as a former senior executive at NBC Universal.

Forensic service personnel, as well as members of the National Guard, arrived at the scene while a military helicopter flew overhead, an AFP reporter saw.

Looking tense and covering their faces, employees evacuated the hotel on company buses.

Mexico is plagued by cartel-related bloodshed that has seen more than 300,000 people murdered since the government deployed the military in the war on drugs in 2006.

While the Riviera Maya, home to Cancun and other leading resorts including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, is generally considered safer than much of the country, there has been an increase in violence.

Story continues

Last month, two tourists from Germany and India were killed in a shootout between suspected drug dealers in Tulum, while several others were injured.

In 2017, three foreigners were among five killed in a shooting at an electronic music festival in Playa del Carmen.

The incidents have led European countries and the United States to warn their citizens about the risks of visiting the Mexican Caribbean, among the world's top beach destinations.

Other major Mexican destinations, including the Pacific coastal city of Acapulco, have also faced serious security problems for years.

Tourism represents 8.5 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product and is the main economic activity in the southeast region, which includes the Riviera Maya.

Although Mexico has remained open to foreigners during the Covid-19 pandemic, a slump in visitor numbers has taken a heavy toll on the country's tourism industry.

str-sem-jg-dr/sw
Of all of former President Donald Trumps misdeeds, there is one whose impact on human history likely sets it apart.

For nearly half a decade, the United States abdicated its responsibility to lead on climate change  in fact, often slowing progress on the issue. With Trump at the helm, the U.S. became the only nation on earth to reject the Paris Climate Agreement.

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Unsurprisingly, these and other actions by Trump took a serious toll on Americas global standing. According to Pew Research, by the end of Trumps tenure, only 34% of citizens in ally nations viewed the United States positively a precipitous drop from the 68% who viewed the U.S. favorably in 2015. In just a few years, Trump turned America into an international punchline.

As the world assembles this week in Glasgow for COP 26  the United Nations big climate conference  the U.S. has a golden opportunity to restore its position of leadership on the world stage. Few issues are as globally significant as climate change, or require the resources and capacity that only the US can provide.

However, seizing the moment will require more than saying the right thing or signing pieces of paper. The U.S. needs to implement a robust climate strategy to actually deliver on our promises and responsibilities. We need a concrete plan that can both speed emissions reductions at home and galvanize action around the world.

On this front, there is no better plan than carbon dividends. Endorsed by thousands of leading economists, the carbon dividends solution would charge corporations a fee for their emissions to disincentivize high-carbon activities and accelerate the transition to clean energy. A fee of just pennies per pound of CO2 would help cut US emissions by more than 50% by 2030, exceeding our commitment under the Paris Agreement.

At the same time, this carbon fee would guide billions of dollars of investment into clean energy development. Americas capacity for research and innovation remains unparalleled, so this would unlock innovations that make clean energy more accessible and affordable  technologies we can spread to the rest of the world.

Story continues

The carbon dividends solution wouldnt stop there. In addition to cutting US emissions and developing much-needed clean energy technologies, this policy strategy would also ensure that other countries do their part.

To complement the domestic carbon fee, the plan would charge foreign polluters for the carbon content of goods they ship to the U.S. This would provide a strong incentive for overseas companies to clean up their acts, lest they lose access to the coveted American marketplace. This simple, but powerful, approach would instantly give US policy international reach, and provide the economic framework for other countries to step-up their game on climate change.

It is no surprise that Delaware Sen.Chris Coons, one of Congress leading thinkers on climate change, is a supporter of this idea. His FAIR Transition and Competition Act, introduced this past summer, calls for a similar fee on imported pollution as a tool for upping climate ambition worldwide.

This week, Coons will be joining a delegation of U.S. Senators to COP26 to underscore our nation's commitment to the issue. Coons knowledge of climate policy, combined with his relationships with leaders around the world, make him a strong emissary for the United States. As the international negotiations kick into full-gear, Im grateful that Coons, a supporter of the carbon dividends approach, will be in the center of the conversation.

As a student, I know how much is at stake for the future of our country and our planet. Young people across the globe care deeply about climate change and will be watching closely to see how the United States responds.

After the embarrassment of the Trump presidency, now is the moment for us to showcase how US policy and diplomacy can be a force for good.

With a strategy like carbon dividends, we can cut emissions at home while also accelerating climate progress worldwide. In doing so, we can help rekindle Americas reputation as an international leader and moral beacon to the world.

Gautam Wadhwa is a junior at Tower Hill High School in Wilmington. He is a member of the Tower Hill School Environmental Board and the Delaware Youth Leadership Network.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware climate change: It's time to restore U.S. leadership
Minor crash: The P-51 Mustang, which was in Tallahassee as part of a traveling Tuskegee Airman Exhibit, left the runway while landing at about 2:15 p.m.

The Tuskegee Airmen exhibit is still on after one of its P-51 Mustangs was involved in a minor crash at Tallahassee International Airport Thursday.

The pilot of the plane was not injured after he left the runway while landing.

While smaller planes could still come and go, all commercial air traffic in or out of Tallahassee was suspended for more than three hours while a crane was mobilized to remove the broken plane and clear the runway.

It basically went off the runway and came to rest on the side of the runway. There appears to be some damage to the landing gear, Deputy Director of Aviation Jim Durwin said. Its in one piece.

More: Rise Above traveling exhibit on Tuskegee Airmen lands in Tallahassee

More: Commercial traffic resumes at TLH airport after Tuskegee Airman P-51 crashes; pilot uninjured

He did not have an exact tally of how many flights into or out of Tallahassee were delayed but said by the time the airport closed, all had left or arrived.

At 6:58 p.m. the airport tweeted "The runway has been cleared and reopened. Normal operations at TLH have resumed. Customers are encouraged to contact their airline regarding flight status before heading to the airport."

Flights held where they were, Durwin said. One flight was diverted to Panama City.

Durwin said airport officials have been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board. He said the owners of the aircraft were working with federal officials and maintenance crews on repairing the plane as well as completing an investigation.

Durwin said he was appreciative of first responders and airport staff who quickly cleared the runway and ensured safety.

One piece of good news is, the Rise Above Traveling Exhibit, will go on. It's an opportunity to learn and experience the story of the Tuskegee Airmen while being immersed in a theatrical experience. The exhibit runs through Saturday

The Red Tails exhibit is still going on as planned, Durwin said. But that aircraft is not going to be there as part of the display.

The exhibit includes a mobile "big" screen theater with a customized 53 -inch trailer with expandable sides that houses a 160-degree panoramic curved movie screen. It showcases a short original movie, "Rise Above," focusing on what the Tuskegee Airmen had to overcome to be allowed to fly and fight for their country during World War II.

Story continues

Large groups are requested to register in advance by calling Elizabeth Hyman at 850-205-0393 or emailing ehyman@nflwc.com. The event is being held in the Flightline Group Hanger located at 3256 Capital Circle, NW, at Tallahassee International Airport.

Tallahassee is the only city in America to host this event for more than 10 years and over 20,000 people have taken advantage of this experience.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tuskegee exhibit will go on after plane crash, minor flight delays on Thursday
Proposed federal legislation would strengthen protections against oil drilling and seismic testing off Florida's coast.

On Oct. 25, Congressman John Rutherford, who represents most of St. Johns County, introduced in the House H.R. 5707, the Preserving Recreation, Oceans, Tourism, Environment, and Coastal Towns (PROTECT) in Florida Act.

The act would prevent drilling and seismic testing off the coast of Florida, by creating "a drilling moratorium in the South Atlantic and the Straits of Florida and extends until 2032 the existing drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico," according to a news release from Rutherford's office.

North Atlantic right whales: Mother of right whale calf found dead in St. Johns County spotted with injuries

Local government: Longtime St. Johns County commissioner Jeb Smith resigns to serve as Farm Bureau president

Sea birds fly off Crescent Beach, south of St. Augustine, on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.

"In 2018, nearly 70% of Florida voters supported a state constitutional amendment to ban offshore drilling in state waters off Floridas coastline," according to the release. "The PROTECT Florida Act will safeguard the federal waters outside the jurisdiction of this state amendment."

In September 2020, former President Donald Trump signed an order banning drilling activities off the coast of Florida for federal waters, including in the Gulf of Mexico, through 2032.

"But that's an executive order. It's not a law. So any president could coming along and change that," Rutherford said in an interview with The Record. "And so the idea behind the PROTECT Florida Act is to codify this ban on drilling."

Rutherford said having the measure come up for review in 10 years allows for ongoing discussion.

"Things might change. Don't know what that would be. I think it's good to have these conversations," he said.

Florida relies heavily on beaches for its tourism and GDP, Rutherford noted.

Floridians know the importance of safeguarding our many coastal communities and unique tourism industry, Rutherford said in the release. Weve already seen how an oil spill can be an environmental disaster for the ecosystem and decimate coastal economies."

Story continues

St. Johns County has about 42 miles of coastline.

Richard Goldman, president and CEO of the local tourism and convention bureau, said while people come to St. Johns County for its history, the beaches are also a big tourism draw.

"The beaches is our primary attractor across all audience types, and so we know it's important to us," Goldman said. "And the fact that we have legislators at the federal level and at the state level who have been supportive of limiting (drilling)  and that it's non-partisan is a good recognition of the importance of our beaches and tourism."

Cosponsors of the PROTECT Florida Act include Democrats and Republicans, including Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz. He represents the 6th congressional district in Florida, which includes part of southern St. Johns County, part of Lake County and Flagler and Volusia counties.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: PROTECT Florida Act would prevent drilling and seismic testing
University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs

BOCA RATON - University of Florida President Kent Fuchs said the formation of a task force to re-examine the school's policy barring employees from testifying as expert witnesses in cases against the states will be announced as soon as Thursday evening or Friday.

Speaking Thursday to The Palm Beach Post after a Board of Governors meeting at Florida Atlantic University, Fuchs said he expects to announce the formation of the taskforce as soon as Thursday evening or Friday.

"It'll definitely be appointed by (Friday)," Fuchs told The Palm Beach Post after a Board of Governors meeting at FAU's Boca Raton campus. "I've already invited people I know. I just need to have some time to write my note to the entire campus and get some others to look at it, and that will take a few hours. I've got to drive home, too."

'Something that needs to be addressed': University of Florida president responds as objections mount over academic freedom, political meddling

Downtown West Palm Beach campus: UF wants to build a first-of-its-kind campus in West Palm: Here are facts about the plan

Expansion in jeopardy? UF controversies trouble Palm Beach County commissioner over West Palm land donation

Dr. Sharon Wright Austin is professor of political science at the University of Florida, and an editor of the Cambridge University Press' American Political Science Review.

UF's practice of barring employees from serving as expert witnesses in cases against the state became controversial when three of the school's professors were told they would not be allowed to testify in a voting rights case.

The professors  Daniel Smith, Michael McDonald and Sharon Austin  have conducted research on Black political activism, elections and political institutions.

They had each been expected to testify in a case against Senate Bill 90, which imposes new ID requirements for voting by mail, restricts the use of drop boxes, limits who can return a completed ballot and allows for more partisan oversight of vote tabulation.

The League of Women Voters of Florida and other groups have sued to block implementation of the legislation, which LWV of Florida President Patricia Brigham said would have "a deliberate and disproportionate impact on elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and communities of color."

Story continues

She said the legislation is "a despicable attempt by a one-party ruled Legislature to choose who can vote in our state and who cannot."

In barring the professors from testifying against Senate Bill 90, UF said they had a conflict of interest.

That stance drew widespread criticism from some who saw it as an attempt to silence opposition to Senate Bill 90 and limit academic freedom.

"We will not back down from this attack on our academic freedoms to speak out on our own time, on matters of great public importance," CNN reported McDonald said in a statement to the network.

With the backlash building, Fuchs said UF will take another look at the practice of barring employees from serving as expert witnesses in cases against the state.

"We have a tradition here recently of not approving any employee that is an employee of the state of Florida then serving as an expert witness in litigation against the state of Florida," Fuchs said. "That's been our practice. They can do it if they don't use university resources, do it not on university time and not compensated. But we're re-thinking that practice because most of the universities in the nation indeed have a practice of letting their employees participate as expert witnesses in litigation against their employer."

Fuchs said private businesses generally do not allow their experts to testify against them.

"It's not the way it is in the business world," he told a reporter. "I doubt if you could do it at The Palm Beach Post. It is the tradition at most other universities. And that's the only issue."

Fuchs said UF respects academic freedom and noted that the professors involved in the Senate Bill 90 case have written editorials expressing their views.

"These faculty and all faculty are free to write op-eds," he said. "These faculty have. They had one a couple weeks ago in the Tampa Bay Times on another issue, voter redistricting. That's fine. This is very simply about participating in litigation against your employer."

Daniel A. Smith, Professor & Chair, Department of Political Science, University of Florida

Fuchs called College of Medicine dean to confirm Ladapo's qualifications

In addition to its stance regarding the testimony of its professors, the university's actions in the hiring of Dr. Joseph Ladapo have also come into question.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that the university "fast-tracked" Ladapo's hiring knowing that Gov. Ron DeSantis was considering him for the position of state surgeon general.

After Ladapo's hiring, DeSantis did appoint him as surgeon general. The doctor quickly found controversy and criticism after state Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said she asked him to leave her office when he refused to wear a mask to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Dr. Joseph Ladapo as the next surgeon general of Florida on Sept. 21

Polksy said she has been subject to threats in the weeks after announcing that she had asked Ladapo to leave her office. She said DeSantis has contributed to the climate of hostility by going on FOX News to criticize her.

After the controversy broke, Fuchs said he looked into Ladapo's hiring.

"I'm not involved in faculty hiring of anybody, and I wasn't involved in this decision," he said. "But I did call the dean of the College of Medicine to make sure that this was a highly qualified individual that we would hire regardless of his opinions on masking and surgeon general (issues). She said he has a distinguished resume and pedigree and that they were going through their regular process. That's all that I know, and I trust our dean of the College of Medicine. She's wise."

Fuchs said he also checked with the senior vice president for UF Health and got Ladapo's resume.

"It's really distinguished what he's done," Fuchs said. "He has active research grants that he is moving to the University of Florida from UCLA. He's got an incredible pedigree."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: University of Florida to revisit ban on testimony in voting rights case
A British coroner on Friday concluded that the 2004 sinking of a French fishing trawler in UK waters, which killed five people, was an accident, rejecting claims it had been dragged down by a submarine.

The inquest was held to re-examine the circumstances in which the Bugaled Breizh sank suddenly off Cornwall, southwest England, despite good weather.

Lawyers for the French victims' families had argued that a submarine on exercises in the area at the time could have become tangled with the boat's nets and pulled it down.

But after hearing weeks of evidence at the High Court in London, Judge Nigel Lickley ruled: "The Bugaled Breizh sank... as a result of a fishing accident.

"The probable cause was that the vessel's fishing trawl gear became buried and snagged in the seabed, which, in the relevant area, comprised of a layer of sediment and mud.

"It is likely that this soft snag led to the progressive loss of stability of the vessel, which ultimately caused the Bugaled Breizh to sink.

"There was no other vessel involved in the sinking, whether submarine or surface vessel."

Outside the court, Thierry Lemetayer, whose father Georges drowned in the tragedy, said the judge based his findings "solely on a single report drawn up by 10 French military personnel two years after the sinking".

"There are plenty of independent experts... who have produced reports that went in the opposite direction, that it wasn't a soft snag.

"There's not a single example in the world of a soft snag that led to a sinking," he added, accusing the military of backing each other up.

The bodies of two of the boat's crew members -- Yves Gloaguen and Pascal Le Floch -- were recovered off Cornwall and a third was found during French salvage operations.

The other two, including Georges Lemetayer, were lost at sea.

Lickley recorded a verdict of accidental death for both Gloaguen and Le Floch. Both were unable to put on or use lifesaving equipment and "drowned as a result of the vessel sinking", he added.

Story continues

- Military exercises -

The Ministry of Defence had insisted none of its subs were active in the exact area and that the trawler's nets most likely got caught in sediment, dragging it to the bottom.

Lickley, a high court judge sitting as coroner, was originally due to give his ruling last month but delayed it to Friday to weigh the evidence.

The inquest in London heard that three subs from the Netherlands, Germany and Britain were operating in the general area close to the site of the tragedy, as they planned for allied military exercises.

But the families' suspicions were focused on another submarine, a British Royal Navy nuclear-powered vessel HMS Turbulent.

The British navy ruled out any involvement, though, stressing that the Turbulent was docked on the day of the sinking, January 15, 2004.

MoD lawyer Edward Pleeth denied any allied sub could have been the cause of the tragedy, as both sides presented their final submissions.

Expert witnesses called during the hearing had "entirely ruled out submarine involvement", he said, adding that the evidence pointed towards a fishing accident.

"Every proposition of alternative explanations was rejected in totality by your independent counsel," he told the judge.

The French justice system, after years of investigations, said in 2016 it was unable to reach a definitive conclusion.

Coroner's inquests are held in England and Wales to try to establish the causes and circumstances of sudden or unexplained deaths on the balance of probability.

They do not determine criminal or civil liability but set out facts in the public interest.

In particularly sensitive cases, including matters of national security, a judge can be appointed to oversee proceedings.

jj-spe/am/phz/yad
Microsoft, along with Twitter, Snapchat and Tiktok must tell the UK government how much the FCA has paid them in the last three years to warn users about unauthorised advertisements. Photo: Getty Images

The UK government has asked Microsoft (MSFT), Twitter (TWTR), Snapchat (SNAP) and TikTok to provide more information on how they protect their users from falling victim to scams which can ruin peoples lives.

The chair of the Treasury Committee, Mel Stride, has asked the four companies if firms advertising investment opportunities on their platforms must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

He also wants to know about the revenue received from such advertising and what policies are in place to compensate users who fall victim to fraudulent content.

The committee has already grilled Google (GOOGL), eBay (EBAY), Facebook (FB), and Amazon (AMZN) as part of an inquiry into economic crime.

Online platforms have changed the way we live, work and socialise. However, its clear that fraud is rapidly rising and ruining peoples lives, said Stride.

Scammers seem to act with impunity online and their actions can have devastating consequences.

He added that it is imperative that the government takes further action in this area".

"We have long suggested that including fraudulent advertisements within the scope of the Online Safety Bill would be a good place to start. Without coordinated action, I fear many more people will sadly fall victim to these scammers.

Read more: Tech firms asked to clarify fraud and scam prevention controls

The committee also wants to know how much the FCA paid the tech giants in the last three years to warn users about unauthorised advertisements and user-generated content, and if their advertising policy requires firms to show that they are authorised by the FCA.

The four companies likely have until the end of the month to respond.

In its earlier response, Amazon said it invested over $700m (520m) to protect users from fraud and abuse, while eBay said it invests heavily in creating a safe marketplace for its buyers and sellers with multiple teams engaged in its trust and safety efforts, including its security and risk teams as well as its IP and legal teams.

Story continues

Google said that in order to support the FCA, it has offered to provide a $3m ads credit to them to help amplify their message to protect consumers from scams.

Watch: How do influencers make money from TikTok?
A Leawood man who ran a successful business providing private autopsy services has been found guilty of six criminal charges related to the illegal handling of bodies.

Shawn Parcells, 42, was convicted after a three-day trial in Wabaunsee County that was prosecuted by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidts office. The charges were three misdemeanor counts of criminal desecration and three felony counts of theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 10.

Parcells, a self-taught pathology assistant with no formal education, was found to have unlawfully received money from Wabaunsee County to perform coroner-ordered autopsies in three cases. He also was found to have performed autopsies on three occasions without a licensed pathologist present, which is illegal.

The alleged crimes took place between 2014 and 2015. He also faces federal criminal accusations and a civil action in state court.

In the civil matter, the Kansas attorney general filed a complaint against Parcells alleging violations of the states false claims and consumer protection acts. It contends a contract with Wabaunsee County for Parcells to perform unsupervised autopsies violated those provisions.

Over the past two years, prosecutors discovered that Parcells collected more than 1,600 biological samples, mostly human tissue. Those were placed into the custody of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment by court order in November 2019.

The state cataloged and stored the samples, and those are being released to family members upon a verified request from the state.

Parcells has been banned from conducting autopsies, forensic pathology and tissue recovery under a court order issued more than two years ago by a Shawnee County judge. That temporary ban, which remains in effect, was set pending the outcome of the cases against him.

Parcells previously worked as an assistant in the Jackson County Medical Examiners Office from 1996 to 2003 before starting his own pathology business, National Autopsy Services, LLC, which was incorporated in Kansas in 2016. That business has come under federal scrutiny in recent months.

Story continues

Last year, Parcells was indicted on 10 counts of wire fraud in the U.S. District of Kansas. Federal prosecutors alleged Parcells made more than $1.1 million charging clients for full autopsy reports despite lacking the qualifications to do the work and, in many cases, failing to ever provide the final reports.

Between 2016 and 2019, Parcells allegedly received fees from 375 clients to perform autopsies. Prosecutors said Parcells told clients their cases would be handled by a pathologist and included the name of a licensed pathologist on reports given to families.

But no licensed pathologist worked on any of the cases, according to prosecutors. The federal government is seeking a recovery of $1 million in that case.

The Stars Luke Nozicka and Katie Bernard contributed to this report.
One of the first openly gay politicians in the United States, who was assassinated four decades ago, will have a ship named after him this weekend, as the US military looks to keep step with modern-day social attitudes.

The USNS Harvey Milk honours a former navy diver who served at a time there was a ban on homosexuality in the armed forces, and who was later shot dead in San Francisco, months after winning public office.

The naming ceremony for the 227-metre (744-foot) refuelling vessel in San Diego on Saturday will be attended by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

"Leaders like Harvey Milk taught us that diversity of backgrounds and experiences help contribute to the strength and resolve of our nation," Del Toro said, according to a Navy press release.

"There is no doubt that the future sailors aboard this ship will be inspired by Milks life and legacy."

Milk, who was frank about his sexuality after his time in the military, was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors, where he was instrumental in passing laws banning discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Just months later, in 1978, Milk was shot dead along with mayor George Moscone, by a disgruntled former city supervisor.

His killer, Dan White, pleaded diminished responsibility, saying he was suffering from depression and had eaten a lot of sugary foods, in what was dubbed the "Twinkie defense".

White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to five years in jail, a verdict that sparked outrage, particularly in San Francisco's gay community.

Milk's murder helped to fix his reputation as a civil rights icon, and he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Navy announced five years ago that it would name a ship after Milk, along with vessels for civil rights leaders including abolitionist Sojourner Truth and suffragist Lucy Stone.

This is not the first official tribute to Milk by the United States: in 2014, the US Post Office issued a stamp with his image, where he appeared smiling next to a rainbow flag.

Sean Penn won a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of the activist in the 2008 film "Milk".

hg/jh
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis will travel to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus on a five-day trip next month, the Vatican confirmed Friday.

The pope will visit Larnaca, Cyprus, from Dec. 2-4, before traveling to Greece, with stops in Athens and on the island of Lesbos, from Dec. 4-6. The Vatican released no further details of the trip.

The Cyprus leg had already been confirmed by Cypriot officials, who said that the pontiff will hold talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades. Francis will be the second Roman Catholic pontiff ever to travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation.

Francis traveled previously to Lesbos in 2016 to highlight the plight of refugees. He brought with him 12 Syrian Muslims to Italy aboard his charter plane after an emotional visit. The Greek island just a few miles from the Turkish coast has received hundreds of thousands of desperate people fleeing war and poverty.
Don't see your local Veterans Day event? Send any information via email to reporter Heather Clark at hclark@lohud.com.

A wreath is laid during Veterans Day Ceremony a Mount Moor Cemetery in West Nyack on Wednesday, November 11, 2020.

Spring Valley: Purple Heart awarded to soldier in WWII lost, found

For subscribers: Homeless veterans in Rockland undercounted, not pursuing services

Outdoors: Fall foliage shines across New York state

Nov. 11

Garnerville: A ceremony, hosted by the American Legion Leo Laders Post 130, will begin at 11 a.m. at Calico Hill.

Larchmont: A ceremony hosted by the American Legion Post 347 will begin at 3 p.m. in Flint Park, off Boston Post Road.

Mamaroneck: A ceremony, hosted by American Legion Post 90, will be held at the Veterans Memorial, 189 Prospect Ave. It begins at 11 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. Coffee and doughnuts will be available following the ceremony. For more information, email ALPost90@aol.com.

New Rochelle: A ceremony hosted by the New Rochelle Veteran Advisory Committee will begin at 11 a.m. at the World War I monument in Faneuil Park, located at Huguenot and East Main streets. Visit facebook.com/CityofNewRochelle.

New York City: The New York City Veterans Day Parade will step off, rain or shine, between noon and 12:30 p.m. and will end between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Spectators can catch the parade along Fifth Avenue from 27th Street, where the parade begins, to its end, which has yet to be announced. The parade will also air live on WABC and live-streamed at nycvetsday.org whenever the parade begins. For more information, including the opening ceremony, visit parade.uwvc.org/parade-update.

Nyack: The dedication of Hezekiah Easter will take place at Veteran's Memorial Square at the corner of Main and Cedar streets at 9:30 a.m.

Orangetown: A Heroes Veterans Drive-By Lunch will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those interested must RSVP by Nov. 9.

Suffern: A ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Soldiers Monument, 61 Washington Ave. It will conclude at noon.

White Plains: A ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the steps of City Hall, 255 Main St.

Story continues

Nov. 14

New City: The Rockland County Veterans Coordinating Council Veteran of the Year Ceremony will begin at noon. The ceremony will be held at 11 New Hempstead Road, in front of the Allison-Parris Building.

Nov. 16

Nyack: A veterans' breakfast will be held at Nyack Seaport, 21 Burd St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those interested must RSVP by Nov. 5 by calling 845-623-3627 or emailing gilles@nysenate.gov.

Heather Clark covers business openings and closings throughout Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. Keep up on the latest comings and goings by joining our Facebook group at What's going there Westchester, Rockland, Putnam. Contact Clark via email, hclark@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Veterans day 2021: Ceremonies and events in the Hudson Valley
NEW PHILADELPHIA  New Philadelphia VFW Post 1445 is bringing one of the Vietnam Memorial traveling walls to New Philadelphia for Veterans Day.

The wall will arrive in New Philadelphia on Tuesday and be assembled by a crew of volunteers in the parking area behind the post beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. It will be dedicated on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

The wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day from the dedication service on Veterans Day through 3 p.m. Nov. 14.

The short dedication service will include musical tributes by the New Philadelphia High School Marching Quaker Band and the Delphian Chorale, followed by dedication speaker SFC Cody Wells of the U.S. Army.

The traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, with more than 58,300 names etched on it, is 380 feet long, 80% of the size of the actual Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

Along with the wall there will be separate panels displayed commemorating other U.S. military actions in U.S. history since World War I, including, most recently, a tribute to the 13 American service members killed in the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26.

The post is very excited about bringing the wall to the area," said post Commander Steve Chenevey. "The post was originally planning to sponsor the patriotic program 'Beyond Glory' at the Kent State University at Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center in November, when it was unfortunately cancelled due to a scheduling conflict by the shows producer.

"Shortly afterwards we were contacted by the wall producer, AVTT, stating they had an opening over Veterans Day and we jumped at the chance to bring the wall here.

"With a very limited window to plan a better place to show the wall, we opted to set it up in the most obvious place that provided the necessary space and security, right on our own property. It is a minor inconvenience given the powerful impact the wall itself provides to all who view it."

A registry will be available that will allow visitors to look up the location of any name displayed on the wall.

Story continues

The names of all Tuscarawas County service members killed in Vietnam will be marked on the wall.

There is no charge or fee to visit the wall. For those who wish to, they may bring non-perishable foods items to donate to the Veterans Food Pantry at the post.

The traveling Vietnam Wall will be in New Philadelphia for Veterans Day.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Vietnam Memorial traveling wall coming to New Philadelphia
ROME (Reuters) - France's Vivendi is open to the possibility of installing its CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine as chairman of Telecom Italia (TIM) in order to discuss with Italy's government ways to relaunch the phone group, sources said.

Reuters reported this week the French media giant, in demanding a change of course at Italy's largest telecoms company after two profit warnings in three months, wanted to act in agreement with the Italian government.

Rome is TIM's second-biggest investor through its state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).

The chairmanship role is an option under discussion in the boardroom war which sees Vivendi challenging the role of TIM's Chief Executive Luigi Gubitosi, the two sources, close to the matter, told Reuters.

Vivendi and TIM both declined to comment.

(Reporting by Elvira Pollina in Milan and Giuseppe Fonte in Rome, additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak, editing by Giulia Segreti)
Two months after leaving Kabul, dozens of families like Mohammad Jamalzada's have found a temporary home in Sacramento. Mohammad speaks Farsi and a translator helped with our interview. "With what happened to Afghanistan in August, he was able to abruptly leave Afghanistan." Mohammad had been trying to leave Afghanistan since 2008, and although his wife and seven children made the journey with him; other family members were left behind. Mohammad worked at the United States Embassy in Afghanistan, so he had the proper documentation to leave.
Waterloo Local School District sign

Waterloo Local School District will honor veterans with a breakfast on Veterans Day.

On Nov. 11, veterans will be welcomed into Waterloo High School for breakfast. An assembly will follow after, superintendent Angela Terella said. Breakfast will begin at 8:15 a.m.

The school is located at 1464 Industry Rd. All veterans are invited.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Waterloo school district invites veterans to Veterans Day breakfast
AUSTIN  Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott's sweeping initiative designed to tame the flood of illegal immigration across the Rio Grande, is straining the resources and court systems in some of the the small counties between El Paso and Laredo, and many of the migrants who are arrested end up being set free.

That's the report from witnesses who testified during a recent legislative hearing and from interviews with lawyers and immigrant-rights activists assisting hundreds of migrants who have been taken into state custody on relatively minor charges.

A large group of migrant families wait along the side of the road to be transported after turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents in Penitas, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019.

"It's a very expensive operation to charge people with very low-level misdemeanor offenses (when) many of them are released back into the United States after they go through the system," said Kristin Etter, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, which has represented hundreds of apprehended migrants since Abbott launched his operation earlier this year.

The operation, which the governor said is needed because of diminished federal enforcement un the Biden administration, centers largely on state troopers aided by National Guard troops arresting migrants for trespassing or evading law enforcement. That way, instead of handing the detained migrants over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, they are charged with violating state laws and processed for prosecution in Texas courts.

But that has proved to be cumbersome, and even counterproductive.

"I rejected the case"

Val Verde County Attorney David Martinez, who prosecutes misdemeanors in the region around Del Rio, told the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee in October that he has had to reject or dismiss a large chunk of the cases presented to him by state authorities.

Over a two-and-half-month period that ended this autumn, Martinez said, his office received 231 case reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety for arrests that were made on criminal trespass charges against migrants. But because of procedural errors and other factors, 123 of the cases had to be rejected or dismissed, Martinez told the committee.

Story continues

In one of those cases, Martinez told a CNN news crew in October, troopers' body camera footage appeared to show a migrant being directed by law enforcement officers toward a fence opening on private land, and then being arrested for trespassing by the same officers.

"I rejected the case," said Martinez, whose county is one of the illegal immigration hotspots and a focal point for Operation Lone Star.

Political rallying cry

Immigration and border security have become something of a rallying cry for Texas Republicans, including Abbott and others, after President Joe Biden rolled back many of the hardline policies put in place during Donald Trump's presidency. In early October, Abbott played host to nine other GOP governors in a photo-friendly event just yards from the Rio Grande to slam Biden's approach to immigration and to tout Texas' efforts.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, backed by other Republican state governors, Texas National Guard leaders, and law enforcement officers, speaks at a press conference on the United States' southern border in Mission, Texas on Oct. 6, 2021 to speak on the Biden Administration's lack of action on what they described as the continuing crisis at the border.

Democrats have pushed back, though usually without dramatic visuals that Abbott has brought to bear. Several Democratic members of Congress  including Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and Veronica Escobar of El Paso  have called Operation Lone Star an attempt "to militarize Texas border communities" and have asked the U.S. Justice Department to examine whether Abbott is usurping federal authority.

More: Democrats question legality of Gov. Abbott's border plan, Operation Lone Star

DPS chief Steve McCraw said the operation came in response to pleas from local officials along the border on the front line of what he said has been almost a yearlong surge in illegal crossings. In addition, he said, South Texas ranchers are seeing their property damaged and the livelihoods disrupted by migrants trampling on their land as they make their way north.

Haitian migrants use a dam to cross to and from the United States from Mexico, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. Thousands of Haitian migrants have assembled under and around a bridge in Del Rio presenting the Biden administration with a fresh and immediate challenge as it tries to manage large numbers of asylum-seekers who have been reaching U.S. soil.

"We've never had over 1.1 million illegal immigrants captured, apprehended on the border by border patrol," McCraw told the House committee. "We provide direct assistance to the U.S. Border Patrol to ensure that we can address those gaps where the cartels, cartel operatives, drug smugglers, human smugglers and criminal illegal immigrants were using and exploiting, which we know they do."

By the numbers

But almost all of the nearly 750 migrants referred to RioGrande Legal Aid are charged with trespass, the organization said. Only seven are charged with human smuggling. The cases against 128 of the clients have been rejected or dismissed by prosecutors, and 27 of the migrants have either pleaded guilty or declined to contest the charges, said Bob Elder, the organization's spokesman.

More: National Guard troops help make more than 7,700 arrests at Texas' southern border

The remaining cases are pending in the court system.

The migrants whose cases have been dismissed are typically turned over to federal immigration authorities. Depending each one's circumstance, they might be deported or allowed to remain in the United States.

"A separate criminal justice system"

The slow processing pace has proven problematic. In late September, state district Judge Roland Andrade granted the release on no-cost bonds to about 250 migrants arrested under the auspices of Operation Lone Star because they had remained in jail for more than a month without being charged.

Etter said being detained that long in a South Texas state prison unit that was modified to meet local jail standards was a clear violation of due-process rights.

"The entire operation essentially has created like the separate criminal justice system just for migrants arrested in Texas," she said.

State Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Dallas Democrat, agreed.

"The only time that I'm aware of that we send people to a prison facility is after a conviction, and a conviction on a felony," she said. "And so we're now talking about pretrial confinement where people are presumed innocent until proven guilty."

Jason Clark, a top executive with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said the Briscoe Unit in Frio County is being run more like a county jail than a state prison. The $250 million renovation included the installation of temporary air conditioning  a requirement for local jails but not for all prisons  and spaces for detainees to confer with lawyers, either in person or on a virtual meeting platform.

Convicted inmates at the unit, Clark said, are kept separated from migrant detainees.

More: Thousands of Haitian migrants are assembling under a Del Rio bridge after Rio Grande crossing

Numerous border counties, meanwhile, are in line to seek state aide to deal with deal with the increased immigration. To date, Abbott's office has awarded nearly $36.5 million in grants for local governments to purchase equipment, increase staffing levels and to take other enforcement measures. Tens of millions more are being requested.

"Typically in Val Verde County we'll see anywhere from maybe 30 to 50 criminal trespass cases in any given year," said Martinez, the misdemeanor case prosecutor. "Now we're biting on 300 cases in a period of just about two and a half months. So those numbers are significantly larger."

Etter, the legal aid lawyer, said the spending is far disproportionate to the danger posed by most of the people who cross the border without authorization.

"The majority of our clients have never been arrested before in the United States," Etter said. "A lot of our clients, this is the first time they've ever been to United States. All of them are coming here to work and to seek a better life."

John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at jmoritz@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @JohnnieMo.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Why many immigrants arrested in Operation Lone Star are being released
A Palm Coast man shot his girlfriend multiple times after an argument then committed suicide by shooting himself in the head Thursday afternoon, according to the Flagler County Sheriffs Office.

The wounded girlfriend managed to crawl out of the garage and contact her boyfriends relatives, who then called 911.

Matthew Wright, 25, a convicted felon who was not legally permitted to possess a gun, died of the self-inflicted gunshot to the head, according to a release from the Sheriffs Office.

HIs girlfriend, who was not identified, was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach where she was in critical condition, according to the release issued Friday.

Domestic violence crimes increasing

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and deputies investigate an attempted murder and suicide on Thursday in which a boyfriend reportedly shot his girlfriend and then killed himself in Palm Coast.

The shooting adds another violent number to a year which has already seen an increase in domestic violence related to stress during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Multiple children killed: Grandmother holds gathering in memory of her missing Deltona family murdered 7 years ago

Read More: Palm Coast man convicted of killing his wife while her son was in house

The violence Thursday followed an apparent domestic argument at 1B Bunker Knolls lane in Palm Coast, according to a report and press release.

The girlfriend told deputies she and Wright had been arguing in the garage. She said she was sitting on a couch when Wright shot her at least four times, the release stated. The wounded woman crawled out of the garage into a side yard.

Wrights mother and sister said they were in Bunnell when they were contacted by the girlfriend, who said Wright had locked her in the garage, a report said. Wrights sister said they were around the corner when the girlfriend texted that Wright had shot her, the report stated.

Wrights sister then contacted law enforcement. Deputies arrived and found Wrights sister in the front of the residence. She told deputies her brother was in the garage with a gunshot wound to the head.

Story continues

Deputies then found the girlfriend who said Wright had shot her several times, the release stated. She had gunshot wounds on left thigh and left side of her abdomen, the report said.

Deputies found Wright lying on the garage floor. A small-caliber handgun was on the floor about two feet away from Wrights left hand, the report stated.

Flagler County Sheriff's deputies stand by a door to a garage as they investigate an attempted murder and suicide at 1B Bunker Knolls Lane in Palm Coast on Thursday.

Detectives said that Wright was a convicted felon Wright who had unlawfully obtained a firearm a few months ago, the release stated.

'Praying' for a recovery from gunshot

Wright has a criminal history dating to 2013 and has previously served two terms in state prisons. He was previously charged in Flagler County with possession of cocaine, violation of probation, grand theft, multiple counts of burglary and attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and burglary with assault and battery, according to the Sheriff's Office. Wright was last released from a Florida prison on Dec. 11, 2020.

Unfortunately, this is another example of how a domestic situation can spiral out of control behind closed doors, Sheriff Rick Staly said in the release. A young woman is fighting for her life because in a moment of rage, her boyfriend thought violence was the answer.

"We are praying for the victim and hoping the victim can recover from her injuries. Violence is never the answer and if you are in a volatile situation, you can escape and resources are available to help you.

The Sheriffs Office formed a Domestic Violence Task Force four years ago after some domestic-related homicides, according to the release. That led to a community-driven response that significantly lowered domestic violence, Staly said in an October release.

But this year the Sheriffs Office is seeing a 4% increase in domestic violence cases and a 46% increase in offenders violating domestic violence injunctions. Arrests have increased 11%, Staly said.

We believe this increase is related to the anger and pressures of Covid19 in relationships, he stated in the release.

Getting help:

A Flagler County Sheriff's Office release listed some signs of domestic abuse: jealousy, a bad temper, cruelty to animals, extremely controlling behavior, verbal abuse, controlling what victim wears.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office release stated that if a person is in a violent relationship either physically or mentally, or knows someone who is, they can call the Sheriffs Office at 386-313-4911 or the Flagler Family Life Center at its outreach number at 386-437-7747 or the 24-hour crisis helpline at (386) 437-3505. The website is familylifecenterflagler.org

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast man shoots girlfriend ,then kills himself, Flagler deputies say
It's deer crash season in Wisconsin. Here's where and when you're most likely to hit a deer.

Even with reduced vehicle travel as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns during 2020, Wisconsin motorists still slammed into nearly 17,000 deer on the state's roads and highways, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis of Wisconsin Department of Transportation crash data. A vehicle has collided with a deer somewhere in Wisconsin every day for the past 5 years  1,825 days straight.

During 2020, the peak for deer crashes was Nov. 3, when 201 crashes occurred. That was slightly more than 8 crashes per hour or about one crash every 7 minutes across the state that day.

Here are the top 10 counties for deer crashes: Waukesha - 857, Dane - 796, Washington - 778, Sheboygan - 713, St. Croix - 675, Shawano - 644, Manitowoc - 598, Fond du Lac - 587, Outagamie - 540, Grant - 475. There's much, much more in the full story. Read it here.

Workers face a Jan. 4 deadline as Biden rolls out COVID-19 vaccine rules for large businesses

Workers who refuse their shot will be tested regularly and they will have to pay for the tests.

Major business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable have not come out against a requirement, though they've pressed for more information about how new rules would be implemented.

The latest federal rules, which cover an estimated 84 million employees in businesses with more than 100 employees, are expected to be immediately challenged by Republican-led states, some of which already have moved to ban vaccination requirements. A Wisconsin firm immediately filed a federal lawsuit to block the mandate.

Fire and Police Commission awards Jeffrey Norman with 4-year term as chief

Jeffrey Norman was unanimously selected by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to be its police chief for the next four years Thursday, ending a tumultuous 15-month search for someone to lead the department at a time when police scrutiny is as high as ever.

Norman is a Milwaukee native who joined the department in 1996. He is the second Black man to be named chief on a permanent basis in the departments history, coming after Arthur Jones, whose tenure ran from 1996 to 2003.

Norman appeared emotional after being given a moment to address the commission following the vote, which was conducted through video conference online. I am honored and deeply humbled by the board's unanimous support," he said. "I look forward to continue to work with the FPC for the betterment of our city. Thank you."

Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Story continues

The Money

KATHLEEN GALLAGHER: Will Rebecca Blank's successor as UW-Madison chancellor help the university become a global innovation hub?

GOODWILL: Goodwill Stores are no longer accepting donations of large furniture items or exercise equipment.

The Fun Stuff

WEEKEND: Five things you should be doing in Milwaukee this weekend.

TAKE THAT CHICAGO: Milwaukee beats Chicago in the semifinals of the 'best city in America' Twitter bracket and now faces New York.

The Games

RODGERS: National writers had a lot of hot takes on the Aaron Rodgers COVID saga and they were not kind to the Packers' star.

BREWERS: Rightfielder Avisail Garcia declined his 2022 option and is now a free agent.

Today in Wisconsin History

On Nov. 5, 1976, ground was broken for the first home in Halyard Park, a new residential development on a site bordered by W. Garfield Ave., W. Brown, N. 4th and N. Halyard streets. The first house was built and bought by Beechie O. Brooks, president of United Realty Group, the African-American-owned development group that took over the long-delayed project, one of the first residential redevelopment efforts aimed at Milwaukee's central city.

Today's Weather

Sunny and 52 today. And then sunny and 58, 64 and 64 through Monday. Enjoy a beautiful Wisconsin fall weekend.

Not yet a Journal Sentinel subscriber? Please consider signing up at jsonline.com/deal.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Workers in large companies will face Jan. 4 deadline for vaccinations
An artists rendering of the entrance to the proposed new Penn Station, as unveiled by Governor Kathy Hochul (Twitter / Kathy Hochul)

For some, it was the greatest act of cultural vandalism in US history.

The 1963 demolition of New York s majestic Penn Station  considered a masterpiece of Beaux Arts architecture  and the construction of the dark, cramped labyrinth that replaced it caused an international outcry, and served as the catalyst for an entire movement to preserve American landmarks.

Through Pennsylvania Station, one entered the city like a god, the architectural historian Vincent Scully once wrote. One scuttles in now like a rat.

Since then, many proposals have come and gone for how to get back some of that original grandeur, or at least make the current Penn Station less miserable. This week, New Yorks new governor, Kathy Hochul , laid out her plan to finally overhaul the station.

New Yorkers deserve a world-class transportation system, and it should have a world-class facility with Penn Station, Ms Hochul said at a press conference on Wednesday, outlining her $7bn proposal. This community deserves it. The people who live there deserve it.

In fact, Ms Hochuls vision largely belongs to her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo , who resigned in August amid a wave of sexual harassment accusations. Ms Hochul has chosen to forge ahead with Mr Cuomos plan, but with a few significant tweaks.

An artists rendering of a public plaza in front of the new Penn Station, as proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul (Twitter / Kathy Hochul)

In order to fund the project, Mr Cuomo had agreed to allow a development company called Vornado Realty Trust to build 10 giant skyscrapers in the area around Penn Station  a neighbourhood that Vornados CEO has thirstily called the Promised Land. In Mr Cuomos plan, the money gained from those developments would be used to fund the new train hub.

Ms Hochul has scaled back that side of the project. According to The New York Times , the governors plan reduces the office space of those new buildings by seven per cent, or 1.4 million square feet. Meanwhile, it adds 540 units of affordable housing, eight acres of public space, and a plaza for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Story continues

circa 1925: View of the Great Gate room of the neo-classical Pennsylvania Station, New York, designed by the preeminent architects of the day, McKim, Mead & White (Getty Images)

But not everyone is happy with the new proposal.

Im sick with grief at how awful it is, Lynn Ellsworth, president of the Alliance for a Human-Scale City , told The Independent, slamming Ms Hochuls changes as lipstick on a pig.

It is not an improvement in any way, shape or form, Ms Ellsworth said. Its Potemkin improvements. Its fake. I hope people are not fooled by this.

In concept art from the architecture firm FXCollaborative, the new Penn Station appears to have a towering glass entrance, letting in plenty of sunlight  a stark difference from the current cave of escalators slinking under Madison Square Garden .

But Ms Ellsworth is not impressed. The new plan, she says, is just kind of recycling and glass-ifying the existing Madison Square Garden and creating a big glassy entrance with escalators down to the dungeons down there.

Instead, she suggests a radical idea: Why not just rebuild the original station?

We have the plans for the old Penn Station. The foundations are still there, Ms Ellsworth says, crediting the idea to the architects Richard Cameron and Alexandros Washburn. And so its a no-brainer Why not just rebuild the old Penn Station on top of it, and move Madison Square Garden?

In the original Penn Station, built in 1910, the waiting rooms were at street level, and were illuminated by sunlight through enormous arched windows and a glass dome over the main concourse. All together, the halls formed the largest indoor space in New York City, and one of the most beautiful.

View of a crowd of people in the interior of the old Pennsylvania Rail Road Station, New York City, circa 1950 (Getty Images)

That all came to an end in the 1960s. By that time, the station was haemorrhaging money as cars and air travel drew Americans away from trains. Pennsylvania Railroad, which owned the station, sold it to a developer called Webb and Knapp, which demolished the above-ground structure, stuffed the waiting rooms underground, and built Madison Garden and an office building on top.

As Ms Ellsworth puts it, We tore down a masterpiece, and we put up an urban disaster.

Governor Hochuls plan does not call for rebuilding the old station, and will leave the bulk of the structure underground. But is it progress? Some think so.

Its the right direction to put Penn Station ahead of the other projects, State Senator Brad Hoylman, who had criticised Mr Cuomos original proposal, told The New York Times . The difference with this governor is collaboration, and we have seen it since she took office.

Vornado, unsurprisingly, is thrilled with the new plan.

Pennsylvania Station in New York pictured from the corner of Seventh Avenue, circa 1940 (Getty Images)

We are very, very, very optimistic that the new government leaders at the city and state will be constructive, will be business-friendly and recognize that the Penn District is something that requires and demands their attention, the developers CEO, Steven Roth, told the paper.

And at the very least, everyone seems to agree that the new Penn Station should do something to redeem New York for demolishing the last one.

Its going to right the wrongs of the past  finally, Governor Hochul said. Its going to jump start something that should have been done a long time ago.

Read More

India Waltons remarkable campaign to run New Yorks second-biggest city

A shockwave in Virginia scares Democrats

Women lawmakers lead charge against Senator Joe Manchins intransigence on key bill

India Waltons remarkable campaign to run New Yorks second-biggest city

A shockwave in Virginia scares Democrats

Women lawmakers lead charge against Senator Joe Manchins intransigence on key bill
The main aim of the United Nations COP26 summit in Glasgow is to keep alive a target of capping global warming at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels - the limit scientists say would avoid its most destructive consequences.

Both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and COP26 President Alok Sharma have referenced the anger and concern of young people about climate change, and urged world leaders to consider their future in their deliberations.

Fridays for Future activist Isabelle Axelsson, 20, from Sweden told Reuters she did not feel politicians were genuinely listening to the calls of young people.

"They'll say anything to be popular, and at the moment it's popular to be in with the youth, especially within climate and climate justice," Axelsson told Reuters at COP26.
Virginia was purple before purple became a political adjective.

Tuesday nights victory by Republican Glenn Youngkin in the gubernatorial race, along with wins by Winsome Sears as lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares as attorney general and the GOPs apparent recovery of its majority in the House of Delegates, is the latest power shift in Richmond. It likely wont be the last.

It had been 12 years since a Republican won a statewide election in the commonwealth, but what goes around comes around.

Since 1990, the GOP has controlled the House 20 years to 10 for the Democrats (they shared it two years), while Democrats have occupied the governors mansion 20 of the last 32 years. Neither party has held the governorship for more than three terms in a row since the late, great Linwood Holton wrested perennial control from the Dems in 1969, back when state Republicans were, relatively speaking, the liberal party.

In the past 30 years, there have been only eight years in which either party has won the trifectacontrol of the House and Senate and the governorship.

Maybe its because we are a moderate state, not prone to excesses. Maybe its because power tends to make you complacent, ripe for the picking.
Six people vied for three seats on the City Council. Challenger Phil Reed won the election with 134 votes, followed by challenger Collin Applegate at 119 and Councilwoman Coralee Bernard at 112.

Treynor

Kyle Plumb and David Waymire retained their City Council seats in an uncontested race.

Underwood

Mayor Dennis Bardsley, Councilwoman Royce Forbush, Councilman James Pingel and Councilman Julias W. Tiarks all won in uncontested races.

Walnut

William Brett Simpson will be the new mayor of Walnut after he received 126 votes, beating out Michael Chapman, who received 37.

Seven candidates were on the ballot for three City Council seats. Challenger Justen Tooley won with 107 votes, while incumbent Linda Booth and challenger Gaylean Bauerkemper won the other two open seats after tying at 106 votes.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
For our country, the choice is simple: get more people vaccinated, or prolong this pandemic and its impact on our country, President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday. The virus will not go away by itself or because we wish it away  we have to act. Vaccination is the single best pathway out of this pandemic. And while I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good. So I instituted requirements  and they are working. They protect our workers and have helped us reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over the age of 12 from approximately 100 million in late July when I began requirements to just about 60 million today.
Examining the individual factors is needed, while solutions include working to spur physical activity and encouraging healthy eating while providing access to healthy foods. Walsh noted some stakeholders have questioned the factors that contribute to low rankings. While a worthwhile question, the need for public health improvements are there, he said.

You dont get down to the minutiae, you work on the big things to start. Get the community a little more active, try to cut back on cigarette smoking (and other bad habits), he said. Thats going to take everyone in the community beating the drum. I think its important to address it.

In this job, there are a ton of little projects well just keep pushing on. But for a big project  thats the last thing I want to get done.

Walsh commended Steve Gorman and Chris Peterson on their election to the Council Bluffs City Council.

Theyre new to the job, like anybody new they dont yet have an appreciation for the barriers and workload. But I think both of them are capable of getting up to speed, he said, noting that its not always easy to replace incumbents, especially in this case Melissa Head, who is leaving the council after 12 years in office.
Prosecutors have portrayed him as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer argued that he acted in self-defense after Rosenbaum tried to grab his gun and others in the crowd kicked him in the face and hit him in the head with a skateboard.

In one video, footage shows a man  Rosenbaum  chasing Rittenhouse and throwing a plastic bag at him just before the man was gunned down. Someone is heard yelling F--- you!, followed by the sounds of the four shots Rittenhouse fired, though the shooting itself is not clearly seen on camera.

Footage shown to the jury also depicted Rosenbaum lying on the ground as frantic bystanders surrounded him to help. He had a wound to his head, and a bystander placed a shirt on it to apply pressure.

Many of the videos played in court were found by police on social media sites, where lots of footage was streamed live or promptly posted after the bloodshed, and many of the scenes were familiar to those following the case.

Howard, the detective, detailed injuries Rittenhouse suffered that night, all seemingly minor: A half-inch scratch above his eyebrow, a small cut inside his lower lip, a 2-inch scratch below his collarbone, a 2-inch scratch on his forearm, a scratch on his back and two bumps the size of pennies on his head.
Management attorneys started using the terminology last best and final offer to basically indicate we want you to take this to a vote, whether you agree to it at the bargaining table or not, Iversen said.

The UAW constitution doesnt have this clause, so Deere using these terms does not compel the union to hold a vote, according to the UAW.

Iversen, who has experience in labor negotiations, said sometimes the final offer ends up being the agreement, but it isnt guaranteed.

Ive had negotiations where were on the third last best and final offer before we finally agree, Iversens said. For people that are experienced in negotiations, they dont place a lot of stock in last best and final because its usually just a bargaining position, a little bit of posturing.

Potential outcomes

If an impasse is reached, Deere can implement the new agreement and fill union members jobs with outside workers, according to Pappas.

If negotiations reach an impasse, an employer can impose terms and conditions so long as it offered them to the union before impasse was reached, according to the NLRB.
I know that choosing to bring his decadeslong career in public service to an end was not easy, but I appreciate his decision and am grateful that he is encouraging a new generation of Iowans to get involved in state government, Wahls said.

His experience, his hard work, and his commitment to the people of Iowa will be missed.

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn, a state representative from Ames, called Bolkcom a tireless advocate for Iowa working families.

He thanked Bolkcom and his decision to rotate the crops, as he said, and let a new generation take the reins.

Bolkcom represents Senate 43, which includes Iowa City, University Heights, East Lucas Township and Hills. Under the new redistricting plan, he would be in Senate 45, which encompasses much of Iowa City.

Among the highlights of his legislative efforts, Bolkcom said, was working on the largest expansion of Iowas Earned Income Tax Credit to help lift families out of poverty; extending civil rights protections to LGBTQ Iowans; saving Iowans lives by raising the price of a pack of cigarettes by $1 and ending smoking in workplaces such as restaurants and bar; expanding Medicaid; creating the Iowa Health and Wellness Program; and establishing a regional mental health system.
Among those first to react were lawmakers who found themselves drawn into districts with another incumbent. In some cases, especially for those paired with a fellow party member, primary contests have been avoided by a legislator retiring or finding an open district in which to run.

For example, in Linn County, Rep. Molly Donahue, who represents a district that stretches from northeast Cedar Rapids and Marion to Ely, now is in a district with fellow Democratic Rep. Eric Gjerde. She has announced plans to run in Senate 37, where there is no incumbent.

Rep. Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids previously announced plans to run for a seat held by fellow Democratic Sen. Rob Hogg, who is not seeking re-election in the new Senate 39. But Democrats Sami Scheetz and Peggy Stover are both running to succeed Bennett in the new southeast Cedar Rapids House 78.

The new map also put Democratic Sens. Todd Taylor and Liz Mathis in Senate 40. However, Mathis is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the new northeast Iowa U.S. House 2nd District.

First-term state Rep. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, will seek to move across the Capitol rotunda by running in Senate 42, which covers rural Linn County and Benton County. There is no incumbent in the new district.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
What services does your agency provide, and who generally does it serve? We're an organization that matches a mentor and mentee that get together one hour a week on school grounds. It's meant for the mentee to have a positive role model in their lives. Mentees are children from grades 3-12.
Here we are, folks. In less than a week, three area teams will play for a state championship. Back in Lincoln, no less. This whole season has shown us one thing, and its that you never know what to expect, which I think will remain true in these games. As always, take it all in.
Nebraska authorities launched the investigation and created a victim hotline in 2018 after several accusers came forward with allegations against the conservative Lincoln Diocese, which for years was the only U.S. diocese that refused to participate in annual reviews of sexual misconduct. The reviews were a key reform enacted in response to the 2002 Boston clergy abuse scandal.

Some of the allegations in Lincoln were against the Rev. James Benton, an elderly priest who only retired in 2017 even though church leaders had known about abuse accusations against him for at least 15 years.

Benton's nephew, Lincoln chiropractor Stan Schulte, said his uncle molested him at a rectory sleepover in the early 1990s when he was a boy.

Another Lincoln man, Jeffrey Hoover, reported a similar experience with Benton during a camping trip in the early 1980s while he and the priest slept in the same bed. Schulte has said he probably never would have been molested if church officials had handled Hoover's allegations against Benton properly.
I remember when Chloe came to Linden Court several years ago. One day the residents were all singing hymns in the chapel. Songbooks were handed out to everyone and the music began. Chloe immediately came to me, sat down next to me and turned pages for me. That is Chloe. She picks up on things that others may not ever notice.

So how does Chloe manage to purchase all the cards and pay the postage? She said if she gets money for her birthday or Christmas, she always goes shopping for cards. But it seems that many know of Chloe and her ministry, and many give her cards or money to buy stamps.

Sheila Freeze is one of those people. She is such a jewel to this community, reaching out to people with a simple greeting, says Sheila. Its a blessing for me to be able to help.

Chloe sends cards to people in other states hundreds of miles away. People come to her and ask if she will send a card to a friend because of illness or loneliness, and she does.

Just recently she asked me that question: Did I know of anyone who is in need of a card?

The first person who popped in my mind was Chloe. I do send cards to Chloe, because I want her to know how much her cards mean to me, but I can never hold a candle to Chloe and her inspirational card ministry
Writer Beer & Society

There is nothing that cannot be discussed and worked out over a beer. Join me as I explore local beer, breweries and how they can civilize us.
Minneapolis police. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Of all the election results from Tuesday, the defeat of Ballot Question 2 in Minneapolis was the clearest indication of where we are, as a country, on what to do about cops after George Floyds murder. Minneapolis was Floyds hometown, after all, where rioters set a police precinct on fire in May 2020  only to have 54 percent of respondents to a Monmouth University poll say their actions were partially or fully justified. If bold change was possible anywhere, it was here.

And yet, nobody was able to make good on that radical moments big policy commitment: a pledge, made by a nine-member City Council majority that summer, to disband the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a more comprehensive public-safety apparatus. Now, 18 months later, local activists and organizers are reeling from a decisive 56-44 drubbing at the polls.

Supporters looking for a silver lining in Tuesdays loss are flirting with sunny naivete  what might be called the Lloyd Christmas approach to politics (So youre telling me theres a chance!). A 12-point split is big. But considering how forcefully much of the nations political mood has swung back toward pro-cop sentiment in the last year and a half, its objectively remarkable that 44 percent of Minneapolis voters were still onboard with such a dramatic reconsideration of public safety.

The primacy of policing in the Twin Cities remains intact, and defunding and abolishing the cops still looks like an electoral loser in most places. But even in defeat, the Ballot Question 2 result hints at a hunger for change thats closer in spirit to what abolitionists want than the anodyne reforms being offered by their detractors.

This was especially significant given how unclear much of the measure was and how badly it was demagogued. The amendment, had it passed, would have meant replacing the police department with a new public healthoriented Department of Public Safety, the functions of which wouldve been determined by the mayor and the City Council. It would have included police officers if necessary  a good indication that the cops probably werent going anywhere, even if there mightve been slightly fewer of them, since a minimum staffing-level requirement thats been in the city charter since the 1960s would have been eliminated.

This was certainly not, at least in the form it took on the ballot, a decisive move to get rid of the police. Still, this is how Mayor Jacob Frey characterized it  the movement [to defund the police] has been roundly rejected, he said of his reelection victory  and how many voters seemed to perceive it: We need the police, one told the Minneapolis Star Tribune of his decision to vote no. The amendments most extreme feature was arguably its vagueness. Youre voting for whatever they [the mayor and the council] want to do, another worried voter said.

Opposing a blank check for the citys government is rational, to be sure. And yet, even with this broad characterization of Question 2 as essentially a free pass to get rid of the cops, a little less than half of Minneapolis voters basically said, Sure.

There are caveats to what might be gleaned about overall public sentiment here. The leanings of 44 percent of voters in an off-year election where a little over 140,000 ballots were cast arent broadly illustrative, and we dont know how much of the yes-vote share was driven by real ideological commitment, misperception, or what. And of course, its worth noting again that this measure lost, and seems to have lost by a margin that would have any political rival happily kicking up their feet with a flute of Champagne.

But at the same time, so much of the course-correction weve seen around policing since the summer of 2020  from once tentatively pro-defund local officials, including several in Minneapolis, ditching the issue once election season rolled around, to the dissolution of congressional police-reform talks into a massive cop-hiring push by the White House  has been explained by the notion that basically no one actually wants this stuff. Contrary to what the summer of Floyd seemed to portend, people are clamoring for more and better-funded cops, not a systemic revamp.

And indeed, according to most polling, majority opinion is still squarely status quo. But if Im someone who cares about public safety and sees the police as fundamentally destructive, and wants to help organize my neighbors accordingly, Im looking at these Minneapolis numbers  44 percent!  and wondering if its not actually more complicated than that.

Its easy to forget how different things are now compared to less than a decade ago. Broadly speaking, weve gone from being a culture that was largely in the dark about the persistence of police abuse  and generally assumed, whenever news of it surfaced, that the cops were right and their victims deserved whatever they got  to a substantially more skeptical one. In the last five years alone, weve seen huge double-digit swings  including among conservatives and white Americans, usually among the most pro-cop cohorts  in public opinion about whether the criminal legal system needs to be overhauled, and how forcefully the police need to be reined in. We went from being a country where police violence tended to come and go with little fanfare to one where its more often pointedly scrutinized in the context of the largest social movement in U.S. history  one that also prompted a nation-spanning spate of insurrectionary violence.

Im on record as being generally bearish about the durability of the George Floyd protests and the prospective changes they put on the table. Too many of the social conditions that informed them seemed fleeting, and now that several of those conditions have lost their salience  including many of the toughest restrictions wrought by the pandemic and the presence of Donald Trump in the White House  that skepticism has been largely borne out. In this light, its easy to conclude, perhaps correctly, that advocates who wanted big change missed their moment. The possibility of a new public-safety apparatus in Minneapolis mightve been possible once, but it got squandered by poor framing, shoddy construction, and a general lack of preparedness for how far so many everyday people would be open to going, and then how fickle their conviction would be.

But if theres one thing we can be sure of, as plenty of more moderate reforms are alternately adopted and discarded across the country, its that the police violence that got people into the streets after George Floyds murder isnt going away, and in all likelihood will persist at similar rates as before. The rage that led to that fleeting summer of 2020 energy will be back, and it would behoove everyone to get ready for next time.
Auburns municipal court has seen a dramatic increase in its failure-to-appear rate, reporting a 56-percent spike in the number of people who didnt show up for their court dates in the last fiscal year. To help reduce this, the court is now seeking to set up reminders directly to residents phones of court notices.

Municipal Court Judge Jim McLaughlin presented a work-in-progress plan for the proposed system to the Auburn City Council during its Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, saying the reminders should be a net benefit to both the court and Auburn citizens.

The problem with (failure to appear) is that it increases paperwork for my people  we have to send them second notices as a courtesy to come to court, McLaughlin told the council. When they dont do that, we have to issue a writ for their arrest and that makes  Public Safety Director (Paul) Registers job more difficult.

The municipal court issued 3,825 failure-to-appear citations during its 2021 fiscal year compared to just 2,440 in its 2020 fiscal year. McLaughlin said a majority of them are likely unintentional given the nature of Auburn as a college town and that students may not prioritize paying a speeding or parking ticket over other activities.
Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.
My friend and I were talking about our teenage days, and Id gotten to the part about moving into our new house. I finally had a room to myself, I told her.

And you had your Princess Phone by your bed, she said.

I had to think for a minute. I did have a Princess phone by my bed. Howd you know that?

She laughed. We all had a Princess Phone by our bed.

These days, chances are you dont have a landline at all. Surveys show there are more cell phones in the world than toilets.

Some changes come fast. Others creep into our lives so slowly we hardly notice. Alexander Graham Bell was awarded a patent for the telephone in 1876. For decades, folks called the phone company Ma Bell.

Mamas family had one of the rare telephones in Eufaula when she was growing up. Her papa owned a general mercantile store, and he had a big wooden phone on the wall, gladly letting anybody with an emergency make a call.

When I was a little girl, we kept a small telephone table next to the staircase in our house on North College Street. The phone was the black, rotary-dial kind.
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High near 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of light rain early. Low 31F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
U.S. Department of Labor and Manhattan Construction Collaborate to Promote Workplace Safety at Southwest Florida International Airport Terminal Expansion Project

The U.S. Department of Labors OSHA signed a partnership with Manhattan Construction Florida Inc. to promote worker safety and health at the Southwest Florida International Airport expansion project in Fort Myers. The University of South Florida On-site Safety and Health Consultation Program is also a partner.

According to a press release, the partnership seeks to prevent worker injuries and exposure to hazards during a terminal expansion construction project by developing a contractor-government approach to safety and health. Participants will focus on the use of PPE, heat illness prevention, hazards related to falls, struck-by and caught-in objects, electrical equipment and work practices, fire protection and prevention, safe use of hand and power tools and silica and noise exposure. The partnership will also encourage contractors to develop safety and health programs, as well as provide training to employees, employers and supervisors.

Worker safety and health partnerships rely on the collaboration between OSHA, management and labor to leverage resources and maximize results, said OSHA Area Office Director Danelle Jindra in Tampa, Florida. While each partnership is unique, they all demonstrate a commitment to ensuring all workers end their workday safely.

The Southwest Florida International Airport expansion project includes constructing a connector between the three existing concourses, consolidating the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints, as well as providing additional seating, concession spaces and a business lounge. In total, more than 164,000 square feet of space will be remodeled, and 117,000 square feet of space will be added to the airport terminal.

OSHAs Strategic Partnership Program works with employers, employees, professional and trade associations, labor organizations and other interested stakeholders to establish specific goals, strategies and performance measures to improve worker safety and health.
Just ahead of the August 2020 visit to Washington of Iraq Prime Minister, Mustafa al- Kadhimi, promised then-U.S. President, Donald Trump, that he would allow a raft of in-principle agreed contracts with U.S. companies to finally go ahead, with a substantial presence of U.S. security personnel on the ground to safeguard these interests. The express intention of this initiative by the U.S. was to draw a line in relentless advance of China and Russia into what had been its heartlands of influence in the central Middle East. For Iraq, the promise was made simply to expedite its waiver from the U.S. to continue to import gas and power from Iran and to avoid Washington cutting off financial assistance to it and introducing threatened sanctions against Baghdad. The ratification last week of a US$480 million deal for U.S. oilfield services giant, Schlumberger, to drill 96 horizontal and diagonal oil wells at the supergiant West Qurna 1 field fits precisely into this mould of perennial game-playing by Iraq with the U.S. and China, as does the news that the U.S.s Halliburton is in talks over bidding for ExxonMobils long-troublesome stake in the field.

Located around 65 kilometres from southern Iraqs principal oil and export hub of Basra, West Qurna 1 has a considerable portion of the estimated 43 billion barrels of recoverable reserves held in the entire supergiant West Qurna field. Originally West Qurna 1 was thought to have around 9 billion barrels of these reserves, but earlier this year Iraqs Oil Ministry said it has plans to boost the fields crude oil production capacity to more than 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) over the next five years on the basis that it has recoverable reserves of more than 20 billion barrels. Although the field is currently producing only around 380,000 bpd, the Oil Ministry says it current capacity is at least 500,000 bpd, and the new wells to be drilled by Schlumberger are intended to add around 200,000 bpd to this. This said, although West Qurna 1  like many of Iraqs oil fields - benefits from the lowest lifting costs in the world, around US$1-2 per barrel (pb) operating cost (excluding capital expenditure), on a par with the best fields in Saudi Arabia and Iran, it still suffers from a lack of sufficient water-injection to boost reservoir pressure. Moves to redress the falling pressure in the reservoir with the implementation of the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP) have so far come to naught, with arguably the only company in the world capable of properly completing it  ExxonMobil  apparently no longer interested in doing so, nor indeed continuing with its 32.7 per cent stake in West Qurna 1 either.

ExxonMobils unwillingness to continue on the field goes to the very heart of not just why so many major Western oil companies have done the same in recent months but also why, specifically, any idea the U.S. has about using the Schlumberger contract in West Qurna 1 to re-assert its influence across the oil fields of Iraq is ill-founded. Over and above the pervasive corruption across Iraqs hydrocarbons carbons that has been well-documented by OilPrice.com, the fact remains that China has been expanding its influence across the very same fields ever since the U.S. signalled that it wanted to reduce its role in the Middle East (and elsewhere, such as Afghanistan) in order to avoid fighting endless wars in the region. Whilst it was dealing with the volatile Trump, and in the midst of a highly sensitive Trade War with Washington, Beijing sought to achieve this by avoiding headline-grabbing large-scale deals for exploration and development contracts for big oil fields and instead secured multiple contract-only awards for a series of obscure Chinese engineering and services firms, many of which no one had ever heard of before.

A case in point is on West Qurna 1 itself, with China already dominant at the site, not only through the 32.7 per cent stake held by PetroChina - the listed arm of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) - but also through the gradual acquisition of a range of huge supposed contract-only awards made to Chinese companies for work on the field. These most recently included the US$121 million engineering contract to upgrade the facilities that are used to extract gas during crude oil production to the China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corp (CPECC). Not only has this put China as the key player on West Qurna 1  so alienating ExxonMobil from both the field development and, even more importantly from going ahead with the crucial CSSP  but it has also allowed it to make other demands from Iraq.

Following ExxonMobils withdrawal from the CSSP, CNPC was the only player left. The Iraqi Oil Ministry knew perfectly well that it did not have the required technology, expertise, or engineering capabilities required at that time to complete the project to the top specifications. However, it was assured by Beijing that CNPC was in the process of acquiring and updating all of the additional elements that it was lacking to complete the CSSP to the required standard over time, a senior oil and gas industry source who works closely with the Ministry told OilPrice.com. What the Chinese wanted to do  and what they have now achieved with Exxons effective withdrawal from West Qurna [1] and the CSSP  was to gain first refusal on all other major oil and gas fields in Iraq, which was the agreement at the time that the CSSP contract was announced, he said.

This is precisely what has happened, with the same sort of contract-only award (drilling-only contract in this case) for Iraqs supergiant Majnoon oil field to another hitherto unheard-of Chinese firm. The Hilong Oil Service & Engineering Company was engaged to drill 80 wells at a cost of US$54 million, while another contract at the same time was awarded to the Iraq Drilling Company to drill 43 wells at a cost of US$255 million. In reality, said the Iraq source, it is China that is in charge of both, having given the funds required to the Iraq Drilling Company as a fee for its own participation. Also located very close to Basra  around 60 kilometres to the north-east - the supergiant Majnoon oilfield is one of the worlds largest, holding an estimated 38 billion barrels of oil in place. It is currently producing around 240,000 bpd. Longer term, though, the original production target figures for then-Shell-led consortium still stand: the first production target of 175,000 bpd (already reached), and the plateau production for the site of 1.8 million bpd at some point in the 2030s.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
U.S. President Joe Biden is considering a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) as a possible move to reduce gasoline prices in the United States, after OPEC+ ignored on Thursday calls for putting extra barrels on the market, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told Bloomberg on Friday.

"The SPR is certainly on the table as an option. The president will have more to say about that," Secretary Granholm said when asked what America can do now to reduce gasoline prices.

The SPR is the world's largest supply of emergency crude oil, and it currently holds around 600 million barrels of crude.

"The Biden Administration is very concerned about the price at the pump," Granholm added.

On Thursday, the OPEC+ group decided to continue easing the collective oil production cuts by just 400,000 barrels per day next month, ignoring calls from the United States and other major oil-consuming nations to open the taps and tame the price rally. The rationale for keeping a cautious approach seems to be assessments from OPEC+ experts that Q4 would see a smaller market deficit than expected earlier and that the balance would tip into surplus next year.

Days before that, President Biden said at the G20 meeting in Rome that the refusal of OPEC+ in recent weeks to increase crude oil production is affecting America's working class.

"I do think that the idea that Russia and Saudi Arabia and other major producers are not going to pump more oil so people can have gasoline to get to and from work, for example, is  is  is not  is not right," President Biden said on Sunday.

The oil price rally, the still strong U.S. gasoline demand even after Labor Day, and falling gasoline inventories across the country have pushed U.S. gasoline prices to a 7-year high in recent weeks.

As of November 5, the national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.421, according to data from AAA.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia dismissed calls for speedier increases from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, citing economic headwinds, Reuters reported.

OPEC and its allies agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December, ignoring calls from U.S. President Joe Biden for extra output to cool rising prices.

The wildcard next week could be the release of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve after OPEC+ rejected requests from the U.S. and other nations to increase supply ahead of winter.

Although the market is in a position to end the week with a higher session on Friday, the technical picture has turned slightly bearish In the meantime, traders are now facing the possibility of increased output from Saudi Arabia on top of rising supply concerns in the United States. Nonetheless, the outlook remains favorable because of growing global demand due to the pace of the economic recovery.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate are edging higher on Friday after OPEC and its allies moved forward with its plans for a gradual increase in production. Ahead of the decision, the group known as OPEC+, faced opposition from the United States and other major consumers, who wanted the producers to raise supply in order to cap prices.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate are edging higher on Friday after OPEC and its allies moved forward with its plans for a gradual increase in production. Ahead of the decision, the group known as OPEC+, faced opposition from the United States and other major consumers, who wanted the producers to raise supply in order to cap prices.

Although the market is in a position to end the week with a higher session on Friday, the technical picture has turned slightly bearish In the meantime, traders are now facing the possibility of increased output from Saudi Arabia on top of rising supply concerns in the United States. Nonetheless, the outlook remains favorable because of growing global demand due to the pace of the economic recovery.

The wildcard next week could be the release of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve after OPEC+ rejected requests from the U.S. and other nations to increase supply ahead of winter.

OPEC+ Rebuffs US Call to Boost Output

OPEC and its allies agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December, ignoring calls from U.S. President Joe Biden for extra output to cool rising prices.

Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia dismissed calls for speedier increases from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, citing economic headwinds, Reuters reported.

President Biden Blames OPEC+ for Sharp Rise in Fuel Prices

President Joe Biden has squarely blamed the reluctance of OPEC and its allies, to pump more oil for the sharp rise in energy prices in the U.S. and around the world.

The idea that Russia and Saudi Arabia and other major producers are not going to pump more oil so people can have gasoline to get to and from work, for example, is not right, Biden said Sunday at the G-20 meeting in Rome.

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm even called on oil-producing nations to immediately increase crude supplies to mitigate the surging cost of living.

The message is we need to increase supply at this moment so that people will not be hurt during the winter months, Granholm told CNBCs Steve Sedgwick on Friday at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Looming Output Rise from Saudi Arabia New Wildcard

Although prices are moving higher on Friday, traders are taking a cautious approach after the market fell sharply the previous session as Saudi TV reported looming a looming output rise.

According to the report, Saudi Arabias oil output will soon surpass 10 million barrels per day for the first time since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, from Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, came after the nation, along with other OPEC countries, agreed to stick to previously agreed upon production increases.

US Crude Stockpiles Rise, While Gasoline Draws to Four-Year Low  EIA

U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose more than expected, but gasoline inventories dwindled to a four-year low on steady demand, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

Crude inventories rose by 3.3 million barrels in the week to October 29 to 434.1 million barrels, compared with analysts expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.2 million-barrel rise.

U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 1.5 million barrels in the week to 214.3 million barrels, the EIA said, putting those inventories at their lowest levels since November of 2017.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly December WTI Crude Oil

Trend Indicator Analysis

The main trend is up according to the weekly swing chart. However, momentum shifted to the downside with the confirmation of last weeks closing price reversal top.

A trade through $85.41 will negate the closing price reversal top and signal a resumption of the downtrend. A move through $61.11 will change the main trend to down.

Retracement Level Analysis

The minor range is $61.11 to $85.41. The market is currently trading on the strong side of its retracement zone at $73.26, making it the nearest support.

The short-term range is $55.54 to $85.41. Its retracement zone at $70.53 to $66.99 is the best support area. This zone is controlling the near-term direction of the market.

The main range is $37.70 to $85.41. If the main trend changes to down then its retracement zone at $61.56 to $55.93 will become the primary downside target and value area.

The retracement zone targets will move up as the market moves higher.

Weekly Technical Forecast

The direction of the December WTI crude oil market the week-ending November 12 will be determined by trader reaction to $82.19.

Bullish Scenario

A trade through $82.19 will indicate the presence of buyers. If this move is able to generate enough upside momentum then look for a possible surge into $85.41. This is a potential trigger point for an acceleration to the upside.

Bearish Scenario

A sustained move under $82.19 will signal the presence of sellers. Taking out $78.25 will indicate the selling pressure is getting stronger. This could create the downside momentum needed to complete a two to three week correction or test of $73.26

Short-Term Outlook

OPEC+s move to raise daily output by 400,000 bpd did not shock the market. In fact, traders seemed to embrace it late in the week. The new concern is the expected rise in Saudi production.

Traders will also be watching to see how the U.S. and other nations respond to OPEC+s refusal to increase production. Fridays tentative trade may be a sign that traders suspect the U.S. will release oil from its strategic reserve in an attempt to drive prices lower ahead of winter.

We could see a volatile trade over the next week with some traders looking for a break into a value area at $73.26 and other wanting to buy strength in order to fuel a breakout over $85.41.
- Reticence to splash the cash also stems from systemic

- Chevron produced the best cash flow in its entire 142-year history, only to announce its intention of increasing share buybacks, keeping CAPEX still below pre-pandemic levels.

- With almost all oil majors having reported their Q3 results, it seems that the oil industrys main trend will be focused on share buybacks and stable dividends in the upcoming months.

- The revival of JCPOA talks with Iran, assumed to take place on November 29, might bring some thrill into OPEC+ meetings  as of today, with US supply being slower on the uptake, the oil group is fairly satisfied overall with how the production curtailments are working.

- Largely helped by terminal declines in Angola and Malaysia, civil strife in South Sudan and recurring technical issues in Nigeria, OPEC+ has maintained a solid compliance rate of 111% in September 2021.

- The ongoing energy crunch and natural gas shortage specifically were often quoted at the October 05 meeting, saying lack of gas overheated oil demand, however supply would still overtake demand by Q1 2022.

- The OPEC+ oil group agreed to maintain its crude output increase for December 2021 at the pre-agreed 400,000 b/d despite calls from US, Japan and India to pump more oil into the markets.

1. OPEC+ Sticks to Charted Course, Confident of Market Balance Coming Soon

1. OPEC+ Sticks to Charted Course, Confident of Market Balance Coming Soon

- The OPEC+ oil group agreed to maintain its crude output increase for December 2021 at the pre-agreed 400,000 b/d despite calls from US, Japan and India to pump more oil into the markets.

- The ongoing energy crunch and natural gas shortage specifically were often quoted at the October 05 meeting, saying lack of gas overheated oil demand, however supply would still overtake demand by Q1 2022.

- Largely helped by terminal declines in Angola and Malaysia, civil strife in South Sudan and recurring technical issues in Nigeria, OPEC+ has maintained a solid compliance rate of 111% in September 2021.

- The revival of JCPOA talks with Iran, assumed to take place on November 29, might bring some thrill into OPEC+ meetings  as of today, with US supply being slower on the uptake, the oil group is fairly satisfied overall with how the production curtailments are working.

2. Big Oil is Focused on Share Buybacks and Dividends

- With almost all oil majors having reported their Q3 results, it seems that the oil industrys main trend will be focused on share buybacks and stable dividends in the upcoming months.

- Chevron produced the best cash flow in its entire 142-year history, only to announce its intention of increasing share buybacks, keeping CAPEX still below pre-pandemic levels.

- Reticence to splash the cash also stems from systemic issues such as ESG pressure  Exxon pledged to dedicate 15% of investments towards low-carbon, whilst Shell is fighting off an activist investors drive to split the firm in two.

- With crude at its highest level since October 2014, energy stocks have been once again the best-performing S&P 500 category last month.

3. Renewables Capacity Still Needs to Move Towards Actual Generation

- According to S&P Global, total wind, solar and hydro capacity additions hit an all-time high last year with 260 GW installed globally, with China accounting for half of the increments.

- At the same time, in terms of actual generated output renewables accounted for only a third of this years power demand growth, hinting at underutilization concerns.

- With most of the world bouncing back strongly from the pandemic-ridden year of 2020, this years total demand growth is assumed to hit 150 GW, roughly double of what Platts expects the 2021-2040 annual average to be.

- Concurrently, runaway commodity prices (especially those of metals) will hurt the roll-out of renewables in the mid-term amidst ballooning feedstocks costs and supply chain bottlenecks.

4. Japan Wants More US Term Deliveries

- Tokyo Gas, one of Japans main utility firms, is considering linking its new LNG term contracts to European and US gas hubs to diversify its pricing away from Asian benchmarks.

- Japan already has long-term supply deals from Cove Point and Cameron LNG but the spiraling of European TTF prices is making US LNG look like the most commercially attractive pricing option.

- Japans LNG imports continue to falter with October inflows coming in at 5.6 million tons LNG, 8% lower year-on-year despite the overall demand rebound of 2021.

- The low LNG arrivals come despite Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry calling for sufficient stocking ahead of winter, as spot prices hover around $32-33 per mmBtu.

5. China Government Crackdown Cools Thermal Coal Prices

- Chinese thermal coal futures, as assessed on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, have bounced back from the downward spiral triggered by the governments crackdown on what it believes to be speculation.

- Whilst the November contract was barely traded in the last sessions, it managed to climb back to 1,300 per metric ton, whilst the most-traded January futures remained below 1,000/mt (equivalent to $155/mt).

- Chinese coal prices witnessed the longest (10-day) losing streak since 2015 as the authorities cracked down on speculation, including lawsuits against reporters, and probed illegal coal storage sites.

- The pressure from the government was so effective that producers in one of the key producing regions, Inner Mongolia, proactively reduced thermal coal prices to under 1,000 per metric ton, roughly to the same level as the December/January coal futures.

6. European Power Prices Rise Again on Weaker Wind Generation

- Stronger-than-usual wind generation helped cool European power prices in late October, however two days of weaker wind in NW Europe were enough for power prices to bounce back to previous levels.

- German baseload prices traded around 165 per MWh this week, whilst France was assessed around 170 per MWh.

- Concurrently, ICIS reports that the average length and size of power purchase agreements (PPA) has continued to shrink, now averaging 11 years, as utility firms put a premium on pricing flexibility.

- Appetite for longer-term power deals might increase if electricity off-takers believe commodity prices will remain on an upward trajectory in the upcoming years.

7. Chinese Wind Producers Eye Global Expansion

- Despite China wielding an aggregate wind generation capacity of 281GW (as of end-2020), more than double than the second-largest market globally (US) has, the presence of Chinese firms abroad remains tiny in comparison.

- Now leading Chinese wind companies Goldwind and Ming Yang stated they consider expanding into the European and American markets a top priority.

- Chinas State Shipbuilding Corp. recently presented the worlds largest offshore wind turbine model, 16MW capacity and a rotor diameter of 256m, with the aim of boosting sales abroad.

- The US might be of particular interest as the Biden Administration set a 2030 target of reaching 30GW offshore wind capacity, up from zero today.
Wherever Huawei goes in the developing world these days is a pretty good barometer for where the Chinese Communist Party is setting up stakes for primetime information-gathering.

Most of these announcements signaling Huaweis growing presence seem entirely banal, such as a cooperation agreement this week between Huawei and Libyas Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. This particular agreement will see Huawei ICT Academy develop a digital knowledge program and information and communication technology skills.

But they are anything but banal. Ongoing battles between Washington and Beijing over the true nature of Huawei were not simply part of a diplomatic dispute over trade; nor is anyone else really unclear about the fact that Huawei is a Communist Party intelligence-gathering instrument. Nonetheless, countries across the Middle East and North Africa are happy to welcome the Chinese intelligence crew in through the back door (Huawei), which comes along with a lot of money for big projects.

While Western nations, Russia, the Turks, and their Middle Eastern allies loudly flock around Libya, trying to stake claims and side with the right horse ahead of planned December 24th elections, the Chinese are strategically quiet. They make no diplomatic noise, and it doesnt get messy, which is exactly why their strategy has long-term staying power. The same is true in Syria and Afghanistan.
Sudan is now facing a civilian revolt following the militarys October 25th coup, with the United Nations now attempting to broker a renewed power-sharing agreement before a revolt hits a point of no return. Coup leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan may be forced into power-sharing regardless, as civilian riots against the militarys move prove much more serious than anticipated.

In a long-running spat with Morocco over the Western Sahara, Algeria has moved to halt all natural gas exports to Spain through Morocco. That move comes only a few months after Algeria cut diplomatic ties with its neighbor. Typically, Morocco would benefit from 1 billion cubic meters of gas from Algeria. Moroccos government is shrugging off this latest diplomatic salvo from Algeria, suggesting that the 10% of electricity this gas powers can be replaced without much risk. Just a day after this move, Algeria claimed that three truck drivers had been killed in a bombing outside of Mauritania, blaming the attack on Morocco. The US has recognized Moroccos sovereignty over the Western Sahara and controls approximately 80% of the territory. Algeria supports the Polisario Front, which is fighting for independence in the Western Sahara.

Geopolitics

In a long-running spat with Morocco over the Western Sahara, Algeria has moved to halt all natural gas exports to Spain through Morocco. That move comes only a few months after Algeria cut diplomatic ties with its neighbor. Typically, Morocco would benefit from 1 billion cubic meters of gas from Algeria. Moroccos government is shrugging off this latest diplomatic salvo from Algeria, suggesting that the 10% of electricity this gas powers can be replaced without much risk. Just a day after this move, Algeria claimed that three truck drivers had been killed in a bombing outside of Mauritania, blaming the attack on Morocco. The US has recognized Moroccos sovereignty over the Western Sahara and controls approximately 80% of the territory. Algeria supports the Polisario Front, which is fighting for independence in the Western Sahara.

Sudan is now facing a civilian revolt following the militarys October 25th coup, with the United Nations now attempting to broker a renewed power-sharing agreement before a revolt hits a point of no return. Coup leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan may be forced into power-sharing regardless, as civilian riots against the militarys move prove much more serious than anticipated.

Deals & Discoveries

Continental Resources, Inc (controlled by big-time wildcatter Harold Hamm) has secured a $3.25-billion cash deal to acquire Permian assets from Pioneer Natural Resources in the Delaware Basin.

OPECs #2 producer is negotiating with OPECs #1 for gas exploration contracts in Iraqs Western Desert. Iraq is also in talks with Aramco over other energy, power, water, and petrochem contracts. Overall, the contracts will be worth tens of billions as Iraq looks to get foreign investors onboard. Solar energy projects are also being discussed. The news of the talks with Aramco follows other talks that Iraq has had recently with TotalEnergies totaling $27 billion.

Oman is calling to bypass the Strait of Hormuz when it comes to oil and gas exports in the region, by transferring oil and gas exports to the Arabian Sea through Oman. Such a pipeline project that would carry oil--particularly oil from Saudi Arabia--across Oman to the Arabian Sea is nothing new and has been bandied about for decades. Recently, Oman was thought to be among the prospective bidders for a $17B minority stake in Aramcos gas pipeline assets that were going up for sale.

Romanias state-run (70%) Romgaz said it would buy a 50% stake in Exxons Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea for $1 billion. It is the largest takeover deal signed by a Romanian company. The move comes as the energy crisis in the region has bolstered prices and threatened shortages. Neptuns reserves are estimated between 42 billion cm and 84 billion cm. Exxon and OMV Petrom, who jointly own the asset, have delayed their FID due to recent legislative changes.

UKs Cairn Energy has finalized the sale of two North Sea assets that will further distance itself from Northwest Europe. The move comes after Cairn completed in September its acquisition of Shells Western Desert assets in Egypt, along with Cheiron Petroleum.

PGNiG Upstream Norway has discovered a 19- to 63-million barrel light oil crude deposit in the Norwegian Sea, in its PL939 license known as the Egyptian Vulture reservoir. PGNiG holds shares in 58 licenses on the NCS.

China has received an emergency LNG shipment from the Russian Arctic as China continues to stare down the barrel of tight energy supplies. The cargo carried 70,000 tons of LNG produced at Yamal LNG and delivered over the Northern Sea Route via a specialized LNG carrier. The shipment was even moved up by four days to keep the Guangdong region from running out of gas. This amount of gas was significant, capable of keeping 1.5 million residents with electricity for a month.

Q3 Earnings

BP raked in $3.3 billion in profits for the quarter, compared to profits of $86 million in Q3 2020. In its quarterly report, BP warned that gas supply would remain tight this winter. Accounting losses of $6.1 billion due to hedging oil and gas prices dogged the company for the quarter. Still, BP announced a $1.25 billion buyback program that will be complete before Q4 figures are released.

Canadian Natural Resources also had a good quarter, surpassing analyst estimates. Producing 1.24 million boepd in Q3 compared to 1.1 million boepd in Q3 2020, the company earned C$1.77 per share.

Bloom Energy Corp. disappointed this week with wider Q3 losses and lower revenue than expected. Net loss came in at $52.4 million (30 cents a share) compared with a loss of $11.9 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue was up at $207.2 million, compared to $200.3 million a year ago, but still well below expectations.

Regulations

President Biden has rolled out new regulations at the UN that will cut methane emissions from oil and gas. The regulations will rely on a monitoring program that would alert companies to leaks and would require that they be fixed. The monitoring would in part, include drones. The regulations would also ban venting. The rules are thought to be stricter than the Obama-era regs.

Norways Norges Bank said it will hike rates in December amid surging oil prices. Experts are expecting three additional rate hikes next year, largely already priced into the market.
Instead of urging OPEC+ to supply more oil, President Biden should back off American drillers, the chief executive of Pioneer Natural Resources told Bloomberg in an interview.

The Biden administration's measure to limit oil and gas drilling on federal lands has started to backfire, Scott Sheffield said, adding that the president has "got to back off his rhetoric on federal leases going forward."

President Biden's repeated pleas and later demands that OPEC boost production and rein in U.S. retail fuel prices has caused understandable chagrin among U.S. oil companies, especially after it failed to produce a response from OPEC and its partners, which met yesterday only to announce they would stick to adding 400,000 bpd to their combined production.

Yet, according to Sheffield, the Biden administration's oil and gas agenda is not the only reason stopping U.S. oil drillers from boosting production. Shareholder priorities are a much bigger one.

"Investors do not want us to grow anymore," Sheffield told Bloomberg. "If we start growing too much again we'll see a price collapse. It's happened too many times over the last 11 years. I just don't see any extra supply coming on over the next several years."

Some of these companies are reducing their presence in the PermianAmerica's most prolific shale playto satisfy shareholder expectations. The acreage is being snapped up by smaller private players, Reuters reported this week.

"It's still the best-producing onshore field in North America," Mike Blankenship, a managing partner at law firm Winston and Strawn, told Reuters. "I think it still has a long, bright future ahead."

According to Citi's head of commodity research Ed Morse, the Permian is already back to pre-pandemic levels of production and about to build on that next year.

As for a potential wider boost in U.S. oil production, according to Sheffield, this would necessitate President Biden changing energy investors' minds about their priorities.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil prices are on course to post a weekly loss despite OPEC+ refusing to increase production. A combination of U.S. producers preparing to ramp up production and President Biden's willingness to tap the SPR to halt the gasoline price rally is set to weigh on oil prices going forward.

For a deeper dive into exactly what is going on in energy markets at the moment, sign up for a risk-free trial of our premium service Global Energy Alert. From geopolitical intelligence to trading tips and technical analysis, it's your one-stop-shop for all things energy. Sign up today!

Friday, November 5th, 2021

International oil majors have suggested US shale output might see tangible increases over 2022 as many are seeking to utilize their windfall profits by investing in shale. With producers less likely to hedge their annual production next year, the anticipated ramp-up in US crude production might materialize relatively soon. This, along with the Biden Administrations alleged readiness to tap into crude SPRs to tame runaway gasoline prices has helped to more than offset OPEC+s decision to maintain supply discipline.

OPEC+ Sticks to Agreement with December Output. This months OPEC+ meeting failed to provide any surprise for the oil markets, with the oil group agreeing to keep the 400,000 b/d monthly increments for December 2021 despite oil importers calling for more barrels in the market.

The US and UK Will No Longer Finance Oil & Gas Abroad. The US and the UK, along with another 18 nations, will no longer finance oil, gas and coal projects abroad as part of their COP26 commitments, a resolution tangibly weakened by the complete lack of Asian support for the motion.

Asian LNG Prices Fall for Third Straight Week. An improved gas balance in Europe and the end of maintenance at Chevrons (NYSE:CVX) Wheatstone LNG project in Australia has pushed spot Asian LNG prices down over this week, trading below $30 per mmBtu.

Continental Buys Pioneers Delaware Basin Assets. In a cash transaction worth $3.25 billion, North Dakota-focused Continental Resources (NYSE:CLR) agreed to buy Pioneers oil assets in the Delaware Basin, acquiring drilling rights over 92,00 net acres of Permian plays.

Jet Cracks Soar on Economies Opening Up. Whilst global jet fuel demand is still some 20% below per-pandemic levels, outright prices keep on increasing since August (to almost $750 per metric ton in Europe) amidst a gradual lifting of COVID restrictions in international aviation, doubling jet crack spreads in less than three months.

South Africa Gets $8.5 Billion in Coal Shift Funds. In a rare move of solidarity, the governments of Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States agreed to provide South Africa with $8.5 billion to finance its moving away from coal in power generation.

Shell Brings Back Damaged GoM Production. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS.A)finished repair works on the Hurricane Ida-damaged Mars and Ursa platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico and brought them in stream this Friday, meaning that the 250,000 b/d medium sour Mars crude stream is back on track two months earlier than previously anticipated.

Tanzania LNG on the Brink of Being Reborn. Norways Equinor (NYSE:EQNR)stated it would restart talks with Tanzanias government on the revival of the Tanzania LNG, despite the NOC having written off the entire book value of the project ($982 million) this January.

Dutch Court Cancels $50 Billion Yukos Ruling. Overturning a 2014 tribunal decision, the Dutch Supreme Court scrapped a $50 billion arbitration award that Russia had to pay for its allegedly deliberate drive to bankrupt Yukos, the then-largest private oil producer in Russia, setting the scene for years of more litigation.

Vestas Is Still Having a Horrible Year. Danish firm Vestas (COP:VWS), the worlds largest maker of wind turbines, lowered its 2021 outlook for the second time this year already and is now expecting an operating profit margin of 4%, far from its long-term target of 10%.

Chinese Inventories Fall to 4-Year Low Amid Weak Buying. With Chinese refiners hitting three consecutive month-on-month declines in overall seaborne crude imports, down at 8.3 million b/d in October, utilization of nationwide inventories have dropped to their lowest since 2018, at 58%.

Aluminum Prices Drop to 4-Month Low amidst Coal Plunge. The Chinese authorities drive to bring coal prices back to historical levels depressed aluminum prices, too, as coal availability worries subsided, with December aluminum contracts in Shanghai dropping 8% on the week to an equivalent of $2,900 per metric ton.

Shell to Shut German Refinery in Low-Carbon Drive. Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS.A) stated it would close down the 150,000 b/d Wesseling refinery in Germany by 2025, refocusing it towards the production of hydrogen, bio-LNG and sustainable aviation fuels.

Brazils Pre-Salt Auction Triggers Oil Majors. The upcoming transfer of rights (TOR) auction on Brazils pre-salt Sepia and Atapu fields has attracted bids from most oil majors already active in the play such as ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) or Total (NYSE:TTE) - the signing bonus was lowered by some 70% from the previous TOR and set at $1.3 billion and $0.7 billion, respectively.

China Mulls Domestic Coal Price Cap. Market rumors indicate Beijing will implement a cap on domestic coal prices to maintain a fixed profitability level for coal-fueled plants, with an upper pithead price limit of 440 per metric ton of 5500kcal/kg.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Dack said the states latest data show that the risk of being hospitalized for people of all ages who are not vaccinated is now about 10 times higher than for those who are vaccinated.

The adult version of the vaccine was approved for 12-to-15-year-olds in May. Elementary-age children, however, had to wait while clinical trials tested the vaccines safety and dosing in that population.

Michele Leibfarth, a registered nurse giving the shots at Kohlls, said the pharmacy administered about 50 kid doses in less than two hours Wednesday night. Children will need a second dose at least 21 days after the first.

Parents, she said, were enthusiastic, telling her, Im so excited, because now we can go places and do things.

Also lining up for his shot Thursday was Kaiden Kocourek, 8. His father, Ethan Kocourek, said his wife made the boys appointment online. This is just the next in line, he said. We got ours, and weve just been waiting for him to get his shot.

Kaiden rolled up his sleeve for his shot with no hesitation. He said he was prepared because he already had gotten a flu shot. In seconds, the shot was over and he had a bandage on his arm. He chose a Blow Pop as a prize and went with his dad to wait out his 15-minute observation period.
First, please be aware of how random symptoms may appear and how quickly COVID can escalate, they said. Our situation started with a bright rash on the cheeks that we gave little thought. Second, it is easy to be complacent with COVID because its gone on much too long, but nothing has changed and we need to be vigilant.

Classes were canceled at Black Elk after a sixth classroom at the school was closed and brought the percentage of the building closed because of COVID-19 to 25%.

As of Monday, when officials closed the school, Black Elk had 34 active COVID cases, by far the highest among Millards 35 schools, according to the districts COVID dashboard. The districts other 24 elementary schools remain open.

The family said that because of their personal experiences, the one thing we feel can change COVID is vaccines.

Those old enough in our family vaccinated, and even though we have been exposed, we have remained healthy, they said. This has been so important as we take care of each other. We encourage everyone to have a conversation with their physician about vaccines.

The family also encouraged people to be kind to one another.
Employees who are not vaccinated and do not have an approved exemption may be able to continue working while replacements are secured, officials said. They will be subject to additional masking and testing requirements.

We know vaccination is the best way to bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and are grateful to all of our employees who have chosen to get vaccinated, CHI officials said in a statement.

Midwest Surgical Hospital

As of late October, the hospital had a vaccination rate of 92%, said Dr. Stephen Doran, chief medical officer. That represents an increase of about 15% since the health systems initiated their policy.

All of those who are not vaccinated, he said, have submitted requests for exemptions. Hospital officials were awaiting federal CMS guidelines for them.

Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals

As of early this week, 93% of Madonnas employees were vaccinated and 123 exemptions had been granted for medical and religious reasons, representing 6% of all employees.
Turman said the description of gender identity discrimination was drawn from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Current U.S. law is based on a Supreme Court decision from last year that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected employees who are gay or transgender from discrimination.

The case, Bostock v. Clayton County, was considered a landmark for LGBT rights and was used as the basis for new rules by the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Education.

In August, Nebraska joined 19 other states challenging the Education Departments decision following the Bostock case that discriminating based on gender identity and sexual orientation was in violation of Title IX.

Turman said several state senators, as well as the Nebraska Family Alliance and Nebraska Catholic Conference, urged him to wait until the lawsuit was settled before bringing the policy language to the board.With litigation and new rule-making potentially taking years, Turman said that if the lawsuit is successful, the State College System could consider changing its policy again, but that because the system receives federal money, it is required to follow federal law.Right now, we are held to what the requirements are, he said.
Metro Smart Cities, which has been active in Omaha-area transportation projects, has been tasked with issuing a request for proposals early next year and selecting a consultant by mid-2022, Andersen said. Once a consultant is selected, developing the plan could take a year or more, based on the experiences of other cities, he said.

Because the plan will grow out of Metro Smart Cities, it will encompass that groups members, including Council Bluffs, Bellevue, the Omaha Public Power District, the Metropolitan Utilities District, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency. Communities that are not already part of Metro Smart Cities are welcome to participate, Andersen said.

Funding to draft the plan will likely come from a mix of public and private dollars.

Stothert said the citys approach  bringing in utilities, businesses and other communities  will produce a better plan. Public input will be part of the planning process.

A regional, multi-jurisdictional climate action plan will identify key areas where we can partner with other public and private entities to further each of our respective goals for climate sustainability and resilience, she said in her email.
But another model from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania suggested a shortfall in revenue for covering the cost, breeding fresh doubts among some of the Democratic lawmakers.

Still, the Democrats in the House are anxious to finish up this week, eager to deliver on the president's agenda and, as some lawmakers prepare to depart for a global climate change summit in Scotland, show the U.S. taking the environmental issue seriously.

Democrats have been working to resolve their differences, particularly with holdout Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who forced cutbacks to Biden's bill but championed the slimmer infrastructure package that had stalled amid deliberations.

Manchin has panned the new family and medical leave program, which is expected to provide four weeks of paid time off after childbirth, for recovery from major illness or for caring for family members, less than the 12-week program once envisioned.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Jake Corman, the ranking Republican in Pennsylvania's state Senate who is widely expected to run for governor in next year's election, has begun inviting donors and others to an announcement next Thursday night.

The event is billed as a special announcement in Corman's hometown of Bellefonte.

Corman's entry into the race would swell an already big field of Republicans running for governor that's double-digits deep and growing, as the party searches for a nominee to potentially succeed outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

Corman, 57, who represents a swath of central Pennsylvania surrounding Penn State's main campus, is the Senate's president pro tempore and has served in the chamber since 1999  controlled by Republicans the whole time  after taking over the seat his father held.

For weeks, Corman has been expected to enter the race, meeting with donors and the Republican congressional delegation. Corman has said he would discuss his political plans after Tuesday's election, but neither he nor a political adviser have returned messages about it.
Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates "tend not to work" and that she wanted a "Kansas-focused" way to meet them but did not give details.

All 26 Republican state attorneys general have previously said they would fight the requirements, and most of them signed a letter to Biden saying as much. Key to their objection is whether OSHA has the legal authority to require vaccines or virus testing.

In the letter to Biden, the top state government lawyers argued that the agency can regulate only health risks that are specific to jobs  not ones that are in the world generally. Seema Nanda, the top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, says established legal precedent allows rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

That hasn't stopped state lawmakers and governors from taking a variety of actions aimed at stopping federal mandates.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an executive order prohibiting private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines.
The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, has said legal precedent allows it to issue rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt submitted the suit. In addition to Nebraska, states that signed onto the lawsuit are: Arizona, Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire and Wyoming. A handful of businesses and organizations signed on, too.

In a prepared statement reacting to the OSHA rule Friday, Peterson made arguments similar to whats in the suit  that compulsory vaccinations are within states authority and the Biden administration recognized that until a recent reversal.
Rival cartels often kill another gang's street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout in the beach town of Tulum.

A San Jose, California woman born in India, Anjali Ryot, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were apparently hit by crossfire from the Oct. 20 drug dealers' shootout in Tulum, south of Puerto Morelos.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

The Tulum gunfight also apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Police smashed their way into a suburban house on Wednesday and rescued a 4-year-old girl whose disappearance from her family's camping tent on Australia's remote west coast more than two weeks ago both horrified and captivated the nation.

Officials wept with relief after seeing body camera video of a police officer scooping up the girl, Cleo Smith, and hearing her say, "My name is Cleo." A 36-year-old local man was arrested after the late-night raid at the house in the coastal town of Carnarvon, which followed a tip to police on Tuesday.

The girl was reunited with her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon soon after her rescue. "Our family is whole again," the mother said on social media.

Western Australia state Police Commissioner Chris Dawson would not detail what the girl had gone through. She is "as well as you can expect," Dawson said. "This has been an ordeal. I won't go into any more details, other than to say we're so thankful she's alive."

Dawson said "dogged, methodical police work" led to her being found.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison reacted from the United Arab Emirates on his way home from Scotland, thanking police for finding Cleo and supporting her family.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of whats believed to be the worlds largest award in an arbitration case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos accused the Kremlin of taking down the company to silence its CEO, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

The decision further extends what already has been a yearslong legal battle between Russia and former Yukos shareholders. It quashed a lower court ruling, effectively setting aside a $50 billion award made to the former shareholders in 2014 and sending the case to another court in Amsterdam to consider Russian claims that the shareholders committed fraud in the original arbitration hearings.

However, the highest Dutch court rejected the rest of Russia's arguments, a move welcomed by the former shareholders, who said in a statement that they won on all substantive grounds of Russias appeal.

We will study the Supreme Court ruling, but are confident that the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam will dismiss the baseless allegations raised by the Russian Federation, and the arbitral awards will be upheld, said Tim Osborne, chief executive of GML, the holding company of former Yukos majority shareholders.
Lt. Governor-elect Winsome Sears achieved historical success once before when in 2002 she became the first Black Republican woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, defeating a 20-year incumbent Democrat. Her victory is a slap in the face to those Democrats who are the real racists when they keep pitting us against each other. In social media posts and in campaign mailers, there was a photo of Sears carrying a rifle, apparently to demonstrate her support for the Second Amendment. This played well in rural Virginia.

It was a clean sweep for Republicans as they also took back the office of attorney general and flipped the House of Delegates from Democrat to a GOP majority. Suddenly all those claims that Virginia has turned irreversibly blue seemed to have been wishful thinking by Democrats and the media, which kept promoting it as a state lost forever to Republicans.

Independents, who helped Joe Biden win the state by 10 points last year, moved in large numbers to Youngkin.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who made a video targeting Virginias black church members, urging them to vote for McAuliffe, predicted before the election that results in Virginia would forecast what next years congressional races will look like, as well as the 2024 presidential contest. Republicans can only wish she has the gift of prophecy.
38th Avenue and Balboa Street, 1951 and 2006

A branch of Bank of America still operates on the southwest corner of 38th Avenue and Balboa Street, but it has expanded to take over where Sterling Cleaners and the Balboa Club bar once stood. In 1951, there were a lot more windows on the 38th Avenue facade of the bank. Walter's Creamery was getting a delivery of Spreckel's Ice Cream in this shot.

WNP photo from approximately same spot, December 29, 2006:

Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places!
NORMAL  Chad and Miranda Holliday of Normal opened their out-of-home small business C&M Chinchilla and Small Animal Rescue on June 20, 2019, and have garnered success over the past two years.

The Hollidays never planned to open an animal rescue, but as pet owners, they'd had a few people ask if they could take in their animals because they could no longer care for them. Once they'd accumulated 12 animals, they decided they needed to do something different. So they created their C&M Chinchilla and Small Rescue page on Facebook  named for their first long-distance animal rescue, and for their own breeding chinchillas  and the endeavor only grew from there.

"Everything after that is history," Chad Holliday said. "It just kind of happened organically. We researched and animals kept coming. We filed our 501(c)3 and got a business license from the state and next thing you know we're one of the bigger rescues in Illinois."

C&M has traveled to 15 states to rescue over 21 species including chinchillas, fish, lizards, snakes, chameleons, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, mice, rats, rabbits, parakeets and other birds, hedgehogs and more.

To help care for and house the animals, C&M works with private owners, local volunteers, foster families, humane societies, animal control, pet stores and other rescues.

About 75 to 100 animals are usually within the rescue at one time depending on fluctuations, waiting lists and the number of animal surrenders. They usually keep animals anywhere from a week to two months and have homed over 1,500 animals in total. Some of their animals can be found at Premium Pet Supply in Bloomington.

"We didn't realize there was such a need for underserved small animals," Chad Holliday said. "We wanted to make a difference, and you don't have to do something huge and grand to make a difference. You just have to do your part, and that's kind of our philosophy."

All of the animals that go through C&M receive health and temperament checks and go to the vet if needed. The animals also receive preventative treatment for any parasites. C&M's supplies and services are almost completely funded through donations, and all donations and adoption fees go directly to take care of the animals.

"It's always an adventure," Miranda Holliday said. "There's always something new, something happening, and snuggling, of course."

The Hollidays hope to move to a permanent location where they can have their own facility and storefront within the next six months. They hope to expand their other services such as small animal grooming, cage construction, boarding, homemade treats and toys.

The rescue is by appointment only. Adoption and surrender forms, volunteer opportunities and ways to donate can be found online at cmsmallanimalrescue.wordpress.com. Their Amazon wish list for needed supplies can be viewed through their Facebook page, "C&M Chinchilla and Small Animal Rescue."

Contact Olivia Jacobs at (309)-820-3352. Reach out with questions.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get a dose of adorable in your inbox Receive local adoptable pets PLUS updates for pet lovers in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  A 32-year-old Normal man was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday for aggravated fleeing and eluding police.

Christopher A. Barron was a focus of a Bloomington Police Department vice unit investigation that led authorities to attempt to arrest him during a traffic stop Aug. 11, 2020.

Barron initially slowed down, but then veered into oncoming traffic and tried to flee from the stop, a prosecutor said Thursday.

One police car drove alongside Barrons car, but Barron took off again, damaging the police car and crashing into a vice unit vehicle, the prosecutor said.

Barrons car then drove toward a wooden fence and stopped. His vehicle was boxed in by police cars and he was placed under arrest, according to a probable cause statement.

He was initially charged with unlawful delivery of 1 to 15 grams of cocaine; unlawful possession of 1 to 15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver; unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine; unlawful possession of 30 to 500 grams of cannabis with the intent to deliver; unlawful possession of 100 to 500 grams of cannabis, charged as a subsequent offense; and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

All of the drug charges were dismissed under an open plea agreement Sept. 17 of this year, when Barron pleaded guilty to the one count of aggravated fleeing.

McLean County Assistant States Attorney Spencer Chikahisa asked Judge Casey Costigan to impose a five-year sentence with the Illinois Department of Corrections, largely basing the recommendation on Barrons criminal history, which he said is serious and troubling.

Defense lawyer Brian McEldowney, of the McLean County Public Defenders Office, asked the judge to sentence Barron to probation, pointing to mental health and substance abuse issues that could be better treated through probation, he said.

McEldowney said Barron completed GED classes while serving time in the McLean County jail in the past year, and that he gained employment upon his release. He also submitted two certificates of achievement that Barron received during his time in jail.

Costigan chose a prison sentence because he said Barrons past battery convictions were concerning.

Probations not appropriate where it would depreciate the seriousness of the offenders conduct and be inconsistent with the ends of justice, the judge said.

Barron also was ordered to pay about $940 in restitution.

He received credit for about 400 days previously served in jail.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  An estimated 200 people marched through the streets of Bloomington-Normal Friday demanding justice for Jelani Day.

"The Bloomington police should be doing their job. They should be wanting to know what happened to Jelani as well, not because I made all this noise, but because Jelani was important," said Day's mother, Carmen Bolden Day, during the demonstration. "Jelani was somebody. It doesn't matter what color you are, everybody is important and he needed just as much attention looking for him as anybody else."

More than two months into the investigation into Day's mysterious disappearance and death, family members continue pleading desperately for anyone with information to come forward, often saying they have been left with more questions than answers.

The 25-year-old Illinois State University speech pathology graduate student was last seen in Bloomington on Aug. 24. His body was found Sept. 4 in the Illinois River in Peru, but it's unclear how he ended up there.

The LaSalle County coroner last week said the cause of death was drowning, but Day's family and others say he was murdered. They have repeatedly called on the FBI to take over as lead investigators in the case.

Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka said last week that all files in the case have been given to the FBI. He said the FBI has told investigators that they will assist them, but they will not take over the case.

Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe said Friday during the rally that the city's police have "been involved from the beginning (of the investigation) in a very significant way and we will continue to be until we're able to find answers."

"We are all united as family, friends, law enforcement, students, community members in our quest to find out what happened to Jelani," said Mwilambwe. "This march is an opportunity for us all as a community to not only grieve, but also channel our energy and work together toward a common goal of finding answers as to what happened to Jelani."

A multi-unit task force comprised of the Illinois State Police, the Bloomington and Peru police departments, LaSalle County sheriff's and coroner's offices, and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit are conducting the investigation into Day's death.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office at 815-433-2161.

On Friday, protesters gathered at the doorstep of the Bloomington Police Department to rally and demand justice for Day. The group, led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and his organization the Rainbow People United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) Foundation, marched north to the ISU Bone Student Center.

Jackson has said the case looks similar to other racially motivated killings. He also led a march in Peru last month.

"Something is wrong in the city of Bloomington, and we're going to figure it out and we're going to get justice for Jelani," said Jonathan Jackson, a national spokesman for the Rainbow PUSH Foundation. "Please keep this family in your prayers."

Carrying signs that said "Justice for Jelani", the group embarked on a nearly 2.5-mile march. As the the group trekked down Main Street, employees of businesses lined sidewalks. When marchers made their way onto the ISU campus, students cheered from balconies, some joining the march to the Bone Student Center.

On the steps of there, ISU Black Student Union President Heaven Moore said she keeps getting asked why it is important for students to organize and support Day's family.

"I keep saying the importance is that Jelani was a member of our community," Moore said. "It is important that we show up. There is a difference between retweeting and coming out and marching and standing by this family as they continue to demand for justice."

She added, "It doesn't end tomorrow, it doesn't end tonight. It ends when we get justice for Jelani."

Julie Jones, 54, Donnetta Tetter, 53, and Mary Diane, 59, drove up to Bloomington from Danville to support Day's family and to demand justice. Tetter, a relative of Bolden Day, said, "To be a mother that has lost a child, I don't cry for her, I cry with her. I know that pain. To not know what happened to your son, that is so devastating."

Jones said she joined the march to support Bolden Day, knowing "it could have been my child." She said everybody who turned out for the march wants justice for Day and his family.

Day, Tetter said, was known for his outgoing and loving personality, but most of all, his smile.

"You just couldn't go wrong with Jelani. When you look at the pictures, it's his smile; it's a smile that you just can't resist," said Tetter. She added, "We just want to see the mother get peace and to get answers to what happened to Jelani. We know that Jelani did not commit suicide."

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  Eastern Illinois Food Bank will distribute food to area families who face food insecurity on Nov. 22 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Pepper Ridge Elementary, 2602 Danbury Drive, Bloomington.

The food giveaway is open to residents of McLean County. Attendees are asked to bring boxes or bags to transport food.

The distribution is part of the Foodbank's Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas. It is also supported by Jewel-Osco Nourishing Neighbors.

Attendees should pre-register at EIFclient.com, but this does not guarantee a place in line. Income guidelines will apply.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at (309)-820-3352. Reach out with questions.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Four staff members and 17 students at the elementary school currently are testing positive for COVID-19, and districtwide, more than 75 people are in quarantine.
BLOOMINGTON  For weeks Jelani Days family, supporters and loved ones have been calling for the FBI to take the lead on his death investigation, marching in the streets and chanting his name.

So whats stopping the agency?

If a violation of federal law has occurred, then the FBI can initiate an investigation and we would typically work that jointly with the other agencies, said Patrick Hoffman, supervisory senior resident agent, covering the Peoria and Quad Cities resident agencies within the Springfield division of the FBI. If there is no federal violation  so for example state or local laws have been violated  then the FBI may not have jurisdiction over those crimes. Theres other ways that we can still assist, but it would be in an assistance role, not necessarily as the lead investigative agency.

No law enforcement agency has publicly said a federal crime has occurred or is suspected in the case of Day, the 25-year-old Danville native and Illinois State University graduate student whose disappearance in August sparked national attention.

The FBI Springfield office began communications with the Bloomington Police Department regarding this investigation when Day was still considered missing from the Bloomington area.

However, FBI Public Affairs Specialist Becky Cramblit said the Springfield office had not formally moved into an assistance role before Days body was found in the Illinois River on Sept. 4, a week and a half after he was reported missing.

When he was identified on Sept. 23 as the person pulled from the Illinois River, the case moved into the Chicago offices jurisdiction. Special Agent Siobhan Johnson from the Chicago office confirmed Friday the agency is assisting with the case. Previously the FBI confirmed its Behavioral Analysis Unit, which is based at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., is assisting in the investigation.

Several local and state agencies are also part of the multi-jurisdictional investigation, including the LaSalle County sheriffs and coroners offices, Peru, LaSalle and Bloomington police departments, and Illinois State Police.

Most commonly, the FBI looks to partner with local, state or the other federal agencies throughout all of our investigations, Hoffman said. We heavily rely upon our relationships with the other agencies in order to successfully investigate any matter.

During a meeting with The Pantagraph editorial board Thursday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said a hate crime would be the nexus that brings the FBI in as the lead investigator on Days case.

Jackson, who led a march Friday afternoon through Bloomington and Normal, has compared Days death to that of Emmett Till, a Black teenager who was lynched in 1955 Mississippi. Till's attackers brutalized, shot and dumped him in the Tallahatchie River. His body was unrecognizable when he was found.

It smells like a hate crime to me, not a suicide, but a homicide, said the Rev. Courtney Carson of Decatur, one of the organizers of Friday's march. Why else would someone murder another human being in such a wicked way?

The FBI defines a hate crime as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.

According to the FBI website, the bureau works with local and state authorities when hate crimes are considered, even when federal charges are not filed, and "The FBI is the lead investigative agency for criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes."

No suspects have been identified publicly by law enforcement agencies in connection to Days death. The LaSalle County Coroners Office autopsy report, which opined his cause of death was drowning, states The manner in which Mr. Day went into the Illinois River is currently unknown.

There must be reason to believe a federal crime has been committed, Johnson said.

John Fermon, public affairs officer for Bloomington police, reiterated what FBI representatives said: The federal agencies need a nexus/connection to be a lead agency e.g. a federal crime has to be committed," adding that his department was always willing to seek assistance if needed.

Hoffman noted if a case crosses state lines, that's often one of the issues that could help the FBI to be involved.

Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka previously told The Pantagraph that investigators had given all files in this case to the FBI and despite his request for the federal agency to lead, the FBI declined to take the lead on this investigation.

The FBI is assisting on this case, but will not take over the lead of this investigation. They will assist us in any possible way they can, but they will not take over the lead in this case, he said. The family numerous times asked us to pass this investigation off, and we have attempted to do such.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  The Rev. Jesse Jackson told The Pantagraph he expects as many as 1,000 people to attend a Friday Bloomington-Normal march for Jelani Day, whose mysterious death has stirred national attention.

Day, 25, of Danville, was last seen in Bloomington on Aug. 24. The Illinois State University grad student's body was found in the Illinois River in Peru Sept. 4. His belongings were discovered in the LaSalle-Peru area, none of them together.

The LaSalle County coroner last week said the cause of death was drowning, but Day's family and others have been adamant that he was murdered. They have repeatedly called on the FBI to take over as lead investigators in the case.

Jackson on Thursday said he's had conversations with multiple Illinois representatives, including U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, about turning the case over to the FBI.

Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka said last week that all files in the case were given to the FBI. He said the FBI has told investigators that they will assist them but will not take charge of the case.

"What we want is a full investigation," said Jackson, calling Day's case a federal hate crime. "What the coroner said last week, with the big headline  drowning  suggested suicide. We went to the truck, (found) 3 miles away from the clothes, a mile and a half away from where his body was found on the side of the river, eyes gouged out and all that. That's not suicide."

Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist, conducted the autopsy Sept. 5. The report was obtained by The Pantagraph via the Freedom of Information Act.

Denton wrote there was "no evidence of antemortem injury, with presence of all decomposed organs, without evidence of an assault, altercation, sharp, blunt, or gunshot injury" were found.

The autopsy report indicated the soft tissue of his eyes were absent with "abundant active insect larval activity," and the bones around the eyes were not broken.

Jackson has disputed the findings of the autopsy.

Jackson has drawn comparisons between Day's death and that of Emmett Till, a Black teenager lynched in 1955 Mississippi. Till's attackers brutalized, shot and dumped him in the Tallahatchie River. His body was unrecognizable when he was found.

"Something about his (Day's) death and the horrendous nature of it will not go away," said Jackson, who led a march in Peru and attended Day's burial in Danville last month.

Jackson on Friday will hold a press conference outside the Bloomington Police Department, 305 S. East St., starting at 12:30 p.m. on the north side of the building's parking lot. The march will start at 1 p.m. and will end at the ISU Bone Student Center, 100 N. University St., in Normal.

Demonstrators will leave the BPD on foot, taking East Street to Olive Street; Olive Street to Main Street/East Street; Main Street/East Street to Main Street in Normal; Main Street to Locust Street in Normal; and Locust Street to the Bone Student Center parking lot.

The march is expected to last until 2:15 p.m. People should expect traffic delays, but at least one lane of traffic will be open along the entire route. Motorists should drive slowly around emergency vehicles and pedestrians, officials said Thursday.

The Bloomington police, Normal police, Illinois State Police, Illinois State University Police, Illinois Department of Transportation, the McLean County Sheriff's Department, Bloomington Fire Department and Bloomington Public Works will be assisting with traffic control.

ISU Provost Aondover Tarhule issued an email to the campus encouraging students who want to attend the march to contact their professors and "explore the possibility of missing class." Faculty were asked to work with students who request to participate in the march.

"We appreciate the students' ongoing need to gather collectively during this difficult time for our campus community," Tarhule said in the email. "As we continue to navigate this difficult time, I call on all of us to take every opportunity to demonstrate care, compassion, and understanding."

A multi-unit task force comprised of the Illinois State Police, the Bloomington and Peru police departments, LaSalle County sheriff's and coroner's offices, and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit are conducting the investigation into Day's death.

Anyone with information about the case should contact the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office at 815-433-2161.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Vandals threw away or damaged free period products in bathrooms at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, drawing condemnation Thursday.

The Alestle student newspaper's reporter Francesca Boston first reported the vandalism.

The vandals targeted menstrual products in men's bathrooms in October, according to SIUE Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Jessica Harris. A new Illinois law (House Bill 641) requires universities to provide the products for free in all campus restrooms.

Transgender people who use men's bathrooms might still need access to tampons or pads, as might nonbinary people  those who don't identify as a single gender.

A student later admitted to throwing away menstrual products after university officials investigated, Harris said.

"SIUE's Bias Incident Response Team took swift action, notifying the campus community that such incidents are transphobic and have no place in SIUE's community," Harris said in an emailed statement. "Since that notification, faculty, staff and students have been diligent about reporting, for which I am grateful."

Student Affairs found that the student violated the university's code of conduct, and the student faces disciplinary and educational penalties, Harris said.

State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, condemned the vandalism.

"I am infuriated and disgusted by the display of bigotry and cowardice shown by a small group on the campus at SIUE. Instead of using compassion, the individuals involved attempted to stoke fear through vandalism," said Stuart, a sponsor of House Bill 641.

"If the sight of a tampon or pad fills someone with so much rage they have to resort to such immature extremes, that is more evidence that menstruation has to come out of the shadows and whispers and be recognized as the natural biological function it is."

The vandalism occurred primarily in the Morris University Center and Peck Hall, an academic building, The Alestle reported.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  Prospective students applying to any of Illinois' 12 public universities can now use the Common Application. That includes students considering Illinois State University in Normal and Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Both schools are also maintaining their own internal application systems. However, the Common App allows students to apply to multiple schools with a single application, although some schools may require supplemental materials as well.

The only Illinois public university still not in the system is Northeastern Illinois University, which plans to join later this fall, according to a Thursday press release from Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office.

The Common App allows students to request fee waivers from their application portal. Free assistance is available through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission through the ISACorps.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A young man, a student at Illinois State University, walked out of his residence one day, and then vanished.

The rest of the story is a nightmare that Jelani Days family has been living for more than two months. The 25-year-old graduate student was last seen on Aug. 24. Two days later, his car was found in Peru, about an hour away from Bloomington. Day was found dead on Sept. 4 in the Illinois River near Peru  nine days after his car was found.

Someone somewhere knows something. A march Friday in Bloomington will help keep the cases profile high. But more than anything else, the case requires a conclusion. What happened to Jelani Day? Central Illinois isnt large enough for a person to go missing without a trace. Cameras caught Day outside a Bloomington business on Aug. 24. The next day, his family in Danville and an Illinois State faculty member reported him missing.

Somewhere after his departure from the Bloomington business, something terrible happened. Anyone with information, however insignificant it might seem, should contact authorities immediately. Their information could be the needle in the haystack that leads to a solution.

Activists continue to call for a federal investigation. Peru police have given their case files to the FBI. The federal organization will assist, but not take the lead. A multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of the Peru and Bloomington police, the LaSalle County sheriff's and coroner's offices, the Illinois State Police, and the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit continues to lead the investigation.

Day's mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has remained in the public eye, demanding answers. Shes due.

Jelani Days family, friends and loved ones deserve answers. Society demands they get it.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Members of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) have threatened to demonstrate against the government over poor implementation of the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme.



The cocoa farmers say they are not convinced about the genuineness of the scheme's implementation even though COCOBOD has inaugurated a Board of Trustees for the scheme.



According to them, the Chairman of the association who was supposed to represent them as a member of the Board was not invited during the inauguration of the Board and, therefore, they have no faith in COCOBOD.



Addressing a press conference today in Kumasi, the President of the Association, Mr Stephenson Anane Boateng said the farmers, being the beneficiaries of the scheme, have been left out without being consulted in the scheme's implementation.



He said they are also disappointed with the way and manner the scheme's implementation is ongoing which is being done on a pilot basis instead of rolling it out nationwide for the benefit of all cocoa farmers.



Mr Anane, however, indicated that if the government fails to consult them and ensure smooth implementation of the scheme and also resolve some welfare issues with regards to farmers by December 1, 2021, they will stage a demonstration against it.



He said as part of the protest, they will not sell their cocoa beans to the government agencies and also boycott the National Farmers' Day event.













Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Binance, the worlds leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider has today announced that Beninese-American Hollywood star and model, Djimon Honsou and famous Nigerian painter, LAOLU will be exhibiting their digital artist series, Time To Heal, on the Binance NFT Marketplace.



This collaboration is for Binance Charitys NFT For Good Campaign, which enables creators to convert their art and creativity into meaningful global action targeting social and humanitarian issues.



Djimon Hounsou who portrayed Korath the Pursuer in Marvel blockbuster movies, Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, will be body painted by LAOLU, the Nigerian artist behind the body art in Beyonces Grammy award-winning Lemonade. This photo will then be projected on a physical canvas and subsequently converted to a digital NFT version.



The NFT collection, consisting of five unique portraits, will launch on November 10, 2021 and proceeds will be shared between the artists and the Djimon Hounsou Foundation through the Binance Charity. I feel this compelling need, this inherent obligation to give back to my continent, to my people, and to champion the idea of reconciliation and reconnection. says Djimon.



LAOLU added: There is so much we can do when we come together. Through my work, Ive always sought to connect the world to my Yoruba roots. With this project, were doing that on a large scale by sharing not only our own stories but that of the diaspora within the digital landscape.



On November 9, 2021, Djimon and LAOLU will also join Binance for a live Ask Me Anything chat on Binance YouTube, discussing NFTs, their entrance into the crypto and blockchain space and how NFTs can impact African artists.



Emmanuel Babalola, Director at Binance Africa, said: We are especially excited to host creators of African descent as we see the profound opportunity NFTs and the blockchain bring to the entire continent. As NFTs transform the digital art world, it is important that African creators are provided an even larger platform with optimal solutions to reach a more global audience.



Nearly 4 times as many people live in modern-day slavery than during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. We know blockchain is a powerful tool that can be used to help tackle complex and horrific social issues - such as this - from tackling corruption to increasing transparency to promoting financial freedom to providing new fundraising streams such as the recent NFT boom. Cross-industry collaborations such as this one between Djimon, his foundation, Laolu and Binance are essential to help harness this potential and drive forward blockchain for good. comments Helen Hai, Head of Binance Charity and Binance NFT.



Binance NFT is an established brand within the crypto community. In just a little over a month after its debut, Binance NFT became one of the fastest-growing NFT platforms in the world, generating 25 million BUSD in sales, selling over 300,000 mystery boxes and onboarding 400 creators globally. Today, Binance NFT has sold over 900,000 mystery boxes and earned 103+ million BUSD in sales in total since launch.



The Binance NFT Marketplace shares the same account system as Binance.com. Existing Binance users are able to access the NFT marketplace and trade with their current Binance accounts. New users simply have to register on Binance.com to create or trade on the Binance NFT platform. Binance NFT has also added multi-chain support for NFT deposits and withdrawals. Users can now transfer their NFTs to and from Binance Smart Chain and Ethereum networks with ease.

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.

Featured Video
Government has released adequate funds to settle all caterers who provided hot meal to private and public Junior High School (JHS) 2 & 3 students as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.



According to the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Mrs. Gertrude Quashigah the money is expected to hit caterers accounts in the next few days.



Mrs. Quashigah dropped the hint during one of her newly adopted unannounced visits to some schools in Accra to personally assess the performance of caterers contracted to provide nutritious meals to pupils on every school going day.





Funds have been released by the government for us to clear arrears of the One Hot Meal for JHS 2&3; and I can assure you that everyone would be paid from next week.



The provision of the hot meal was a stop gap measure introduced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2020 to provide cooked foods and drinking water to over 584,000 students and 146,000 teachers in about 17,440 public and private JHS across the 260 districts nationwide.



But payment to some of the caterers who provided the services could not be effected due to some challenges.



On the other hand, the National Coordinator of GSFP, Mrs. Quashigah has also hinted that the Government is also making significant efforts to pay caterers arrears for the 2nd term of the 2021 academic year as soon as possible. Other arrears to caterers including those that are outstanding since 2019 are under serious consideration for payment.



The unannounced visit of schools was initiated by Mrs. Quashigah to among others, ensure that caterers meet the required standards; and to offer her the opportunity to interact with Education Directors, Circuit Supervisors, Headteachers, teachers, pupils and caterers.



She noted that there are some caterers who see this contract as a service to God and therefore in spite of all the challenges, they are performing marvellously, attestable by all stakeholders. Just like Madam Diana Masopeh who cooks for the Association Community Model Basic School at Labone which we just visited, and I believe you all tasted her food and you can confirm the quality of the food she is serving to the children. So people like her and many others, they have to be recognized and awarded for their efforts.



THE NEW FACE



Interacting with the School Improvement Support Officer for Airport Rangoon as well as staff of Association Community Model Basic School and La Yahoushua A & B Primary Schools, Mrs. Quashigah touched on the ongoing digitization drive at GSFP, which is currently being piloted in some schools in partnership with the World Food Programme.



Currently, the digitization of GSFPs monitoring and evaluation tools is being piloted and we are looking at digitizing the entire operations of school feeding to increase the efficiency of the pro-poor programme.



CATERER RE-ENGAGEMENT



Mrs. Quashigah, encouraged the caterers to show themselves approved and suitable for reengagement under the Programme in the next academic year.



She reminded them to also get their Ghana Cards ready as one of the key verification documents for the selection of Caterers.



We will be operating under a new paradigm shift that would also put smiles on the faces of our pupils. As a caterer the push you can give to these young ones to become useful and responsible future leaders is providing them with nutritious meals. GSFP is a humanitarian work, if you dont have love for kids dont venture. Any caterer who misbehave would be replaced, Mrs. Quashigah who is a renowned international nutritionist admonished.



The National Coordinator strongly pointed out, If we dont give the children nutritious meal then we have failed. GSFP feeds perfectly into the Sustainable Development Goals of eradicating poverty and malnutrition, therefore if you are a caterer and you are starving the children or serving them with poor quality food, then you dont have a place under the Programme.



The School Improvement Support Officer (formerly Circuit Supervisor) for Airport Rangoon, Madam Mercy Adjatey, recounted the impact of school feeding especially on attendance.



Some pupils eat and reserve some for their siblings at home who have nothing to eat. Tell Papa Akufo-Addo that we are grateful and God bless him.



But I will plead with the School Feeding Secretariat that since we value the feeding programme, you should be more cautious about the kind of people you contract to cook because some are giving the programme a bad name.



The National Coordinator was accompanied on the monitoring by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of GSFP, Madam Christiana Nkansah and some staff of GSFP at National Secretariat and Regional Levels.





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.

Featured Video
Pest and Vector Control Association of Ghana (PEVAG) has begun its second phase disinfection of public health facilities across the country.



The nationwide exercise, which kick-started at the Tema General Hospital (TGH) on Friday, November 5, 2021, is aimed at supporting the governments efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

It is targeted at making government hospitals safe for health workers and the general public who largely patronise these facilities.



The exercise forms part of PEVAGs corporate social responsibility (CSR), meaning that the cost is being borne by members of PEVAG.



At the Tema General Hospital, the PEVAG disinfection crew disinfected the Infectious Disease Centre (otherwise known as the COVID Centre) and the Eye Centre of the facility.



All touchable surfaces at the two facilities including door handles, beds, medical devices and equipment were thoroughly disinfected.

Briefing the media, the Executive Secretary of PEVAG, Francis Yegi Albright, said his outfit was motivated to undertake this second operation because the government alone cannot fight the COVID war.



"...we are here to support the Tema General Hospital as a public health institution with all the logistics and all the chemicals to disinfect its Covid Centre and other units, he explained.



According to him, this was not the first time PEVAG was disinfecting the hospital, adding that "we have been doing it and we will continue to do it."



He added that public health facilities in the other remaining regions will be benefiting from PEVAGs free disinfection operation.



"Next week, we will be going to the Volta Region to help disinfect Keta Government Hospital," he disclosed.

Mr Albright said the exercise was to demonstrate to the government and Ghanaians that PEVAG was committed to the Covid fight.



However, he said it was worrying that many Ghanaians have let down their guard so far as the Covid protocols were concerned.



".so you see, now people gather with no nose masks on, lack of social distancing, no hand sanitising as we used to do, he bemoaned.



He attributed this situation to the mindset of many Ghanaians that the virus was no more.



"But the reality is that even as at yesterday, there was a strong surge in Europe, and we need to be ready and know that the disease is still around," he warned.



In this regard, he underscored the need for Ghanaians to take seriously the Covid protocols.



While reiterating the need for continuous adherence to the Covid protocols, Mr Albright also encouraged Ghanaians to avail themselves to be vaccinated.



"We also need to intensify education on the Covid protocols. It should not be the responsibility of Ghana Health Service alone, we must all join in the Covid battle," he urged.



As an association that was birthed over a year ago in the midst of Covid-19, he explained that PEVAG brings together all players in the pest and vector control space in the country to standardise their operations.



and since last year, we have been supporting the government in its fight against Covid-19, he said.



The Head of Clinical Care of Tema General Hospital, Dr Agustine Quarshie, expressed the hospitals gratitude to PEVAG members for the gesture.



Last year, you came around and disinfected all our wards and you have done it again this year. We are so grateful, he gladly expressed.



He admitted that though the Covid cases have come down there was still the need to prepare for more cases.



You know we are moving into Christmas, people are travelling so we can expect anything, he noted.



Dr Quarshie was upbeat that PEVAGs relationship with the hospital will not wither but grow stronger.



He indicated that constant disinfection was very crucial, stating that we need to clear the viruses from time to time as one patient can re-infect the whole place.



He admitted that the disinfection exercise by PEVAG will save the hospital some significant amount of money which would have been used for the operation.

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.

Featured Video
At the beginning of this month, news broke on credible news outlets of the fourth Ekklesia Roundtable Series, which will bring government and religious stakeholders together to discuss the "The Companies Act 2019 and the Charities Bill".



Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ansah is the Executive Director of the Kingdom Equip Network; responsible for presenting the much discussed ERS. Speaking to our independent reporter, he threw more light on the role of the church in the state and the need for order. "The Church is part of the state and does not operaterate in a vacuum", he said. However, stating boldly that this does not mean that the state can dictate how "we worship our God".



Dr. Ansah said that there is strength in Churches being seen as legal entities, as organizations are emboldened to perform customary duties and even request state assistance. He explained that the discussions on 11th November 2021 and measures taken after will help people know the status of certain organizations labeled as "as churches". "The scripture says, let all things be done according to order and in decency. There is room for order", Rev. Dr. Ansah postulated.



He noted that the event to be held at the Accra Ridge Church will feature across section of state, church and media, who will gather from 9am to gain knowledge on the Companies Act 2019 and Charities bill, Church-State relations and rights and obligations.

Source: Atiemo Emmanuel/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The mother of former Boko Haram leader, late Abubakar Shekau, Falmata Shekau, has said she regretted giving birth to him because he was a tragedy to humanity.



Shekau died in May 2021 after waging a deadly war against the Nigerian state that led to the death of over 100,000 thousand people, displacement of over three million people, and destruction of towns, villages, schools, hospitals, and other social amenities valued at over $9bn, according to data released by the state, national and international organizations.



In an interview with Trust TV, the displeased mother of the terrorist group leader said he inflicted pains on her while he was alive and that they had since parted ways. She said she has no idea if he is dead or alive or whether he ever had children.



I dont know if he (Shekau) had any offspring. I gave birth to him and that is the only and last thing between us. Whether he is alive or not; we have parted ways. I never knew whether he had any offspring. He inflicted severe pain on me. God Almighty will judge between us in the hereafter. she said















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mrs Lucille Hewlett Annan, has urged Ghanaians to commit to peaceful co-existence and national cohesion.



In order to achieve National peace, we must learn to coexist irrespective of our cultural backgrounds and languages so as not to bring about any misunderstanding, which could degenerate into conflicts, Mrs Annan stated at a workshop organised by the Tema Metropolitan NCCE Directorate.



The workshop was on the theme, Empowering Ghanaians to stand for National cohesion and inclusive participation Mrs Annan noted that the laws of the land did not allow the formation of any vigilante group.



Civic education



Mrs Annan said it was the mandate of the Commission to work towards the promotion and sustenance of the countrys democracy while inculcating in the Ghanaian citizenry the awareness of their rights and obligations, through civic education.



She gave the assurance that the Commission would continue to create and sustain within the society the awareness of the principles and objectives of the 1992 Constitution as the fundamental law of the people of Ghana.



She noted that the public education embarked upon by the Commission in collaboration with the National Security also reinforced its commitment to educate and encourage the public to defend the Constitution at all times, against all forms of abuse and violation.



Mrs Annan said the NCCEs activities largely targeted the youth and citizens in districts in the Oti, Volta, parts of Bono East and Eastern regions, coastal districts of Greater Accra, Central, Western regions, and the border districts of Western North, Ahafo and Bono regions, as well as other hotspot communities and districts across the country.



According to her, the programme broadly sought to promote national cohesion, peaceful co-existence, and countering extremist activities especially in the parts of the country where peace and security were under threat.



ADR



Mrs Annan also advocated the use of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system to settle issues, a system she noted brings more cohesion into the society, especially in non-criminal cases.



As part of its mandate to educate the general public on important national issues and to create awareness on the rights and responsibilities of the Ghanaian citizenry, the NCCE with support from the Ministry of National Security has embarked on a series of community education and sensitisation activities, she said.



She reminded political parties against forming vigilante groups as it has been banned











Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A fifty-one-year-old man has been arrested by the police in Tamale for allegedly having carnal knowledge of his 14-year-old daughter.



Mohammed Hamza, who divorced his wife several years ago, is said to have taken advantage of the wifes absence to have multiple sex with the daughter against her will.



The victim, who has been living with the grandmother after her parents separation, is said to have visited the father during vacation and he took advantage of that and had multiple sex with her.



Complaint



The Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Emmanuel Cudjoe Holortu, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic and said the victim lodged a formal complaint with the unit that the suspect had been having sex with her.



He explained that the victim who was living with the grandmother decided to visit the father while she was on holidays some time ago, but the suspect prevented her from going back to the grandmother and started harassing her.



He said Hamzas affair with his daughter began last year with the most recent incident occurring on October 23, 2021.



The last time he had sex with her was on October 23, 2021, when she went to take her chop money from the father and he forcibly had intimacy with her, she then confided in a friend who advised her to report to the police, DSP Holortu added.



Caution statement



In his caution statement, the suspect is said to have admitted that he forcibly had an affair with his biological daughter but said it happened only once.



DSP Holortu said the suspect would be put before court today.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Office of the National Chief Imam has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) not to succumb to any external pressure but remain resolute in their quest to uphold the social and moral values of the country by ensuring the passage of the bill on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values.



We encourage them to uphold and respect the social and moral values of the individual constituencies from where they derive their mandate to come to Parliament to enact laws for the country; they must never give up, the Spokesperson for the Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday.



He also expressed the strong reservation of the Muslim community against LGBTQ+ activities in the country.



The Bill



Known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, and now with the Constitutional, Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill is a Private Members Bill championed by eight legislators who are seeking to outlaw LGBTQ+ and related activities, including stipulating jail terms for offenders, sympathisers and funders.



Since its introduction in Parliament, the bill has generated a lot of interest, both in the country and outside.



In the heat of the ongoing debate by the public, some MPs are alleged to have been refused visa by some embassies due to their stance on the bill.





Intimidation



Sheikh Shaibu said the alleged intimidation of proponents of the bill lent credence to the suspicion that the whole idea was coming from the dominance force of the West.



Our existing laws already frown on LGBTQ+ activities, but this is the time to make the laws more stringent because of the force with which those activities are being promoted in our country.



Once they are opposed to the bill and intimidating our parliamentarians, it means that the idea is external and it is being pushed down our throats; that is most unfair and a violation of our nationhood, he added.





According to him, a country was made up of a conglomerate of families, and that any kind of practice that posed a threat to the survival of families also posed a threat to nationhood.



He commended the proponents of the bill for the bold move, while encouraging others not to relent in the fight against what he described as abominable practices.



Regardless of the diversity of our religious beliefs, one common strand runs through us - we all believe in the supernatural and the righteousness of God, as it manifests in human beings through our values, which LGBTQ+ activities seem to undermine, Sheikh Shaibu said.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Spokesperson and Economic Advisor to the Vice President, Dr. Gideon Boako, has said that the doubting Thomases of the Vice Presidents digitalization lecture lacks knowledge to understand.



According to him, you will need to have a deeper insight knowledge into modern technological trends before you can appreciate the vice presidents lecture.



More Jobs Created Than NDC....Through Digitization



Speaking in an exclusive interview on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia program, he explained that the NPP government through its digitization agenda has created more jobs than the erstwhile Mahama and NDC administration.



"I find it very funny when the NDC and the likes of Hon. Adongo goes around to say that this digitization does not put money into the pockets of the ordinary Ghanaian. Its because they have cloud their senses with their myopic political interest.



"The NPP government has through the improvement of the economy provided more jobs and also creating avenues for more jobs to be created.



"Ghanas economy, through the ingenuity of the Vice President, is gradually taking shape which I believe will help improve the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian," he stated.



Take Advantage of Ghana's Digital Revolution



Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged the vibrant youth of the country to take more advantage of the digital revolution the government is undertaking.



The Ghanaian economy has undergone significant digital transformation over the past four years, with many technological innovations and e-commerce springing up.



Delivering a public lecture at the Ashesi University Tuesday evening on the impact of digitilization on the Ghanaian economy, Dr. Bawumia said digitilization is a youth revolution, which presents huge prospects for the brilliant Ghanaian youth in terms of job creation, and also to enable them contribute more to the development of the nation.



"The digital revolution is a youth driven revolution. It is your revolution," Dr. Bawumia said.



"There is a growing body of empirical evidence that illustrates the capacity of digital technology to create jobs, significantly boost productivity, increase income and support wealth creation."



Watch Video Below







Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Following Vice President Bawumias declaration that the Ghanacard will be used as an e-passport by the end of the first quarter of 2022, there have been controversies and reports in the media over what he said.



Here is a transcript and video of what the Vice President said when he explained all about the e-passport to a student of Ashesi University.



STUDENT: In your speech, you were talking of the Ghanacard that is going to serve as an e-passport. Does that mean that the passport will be completely scrapped off? And for like visas, how is that going to synchronize with the card? Is it going to be on the passport or a digital form on the Ghanacard? Thank you.



DR. BAWUMIA: As I said before, we have become the 79th member of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) PKD Community, and this will allow, by the end of the first quarter next year, airport to read the card and information on the card, all airports, pretty much anywhere in the world. It doesn't mean that you don't need your physical passport to travel. We will get to the stage where we can have agreements. Right now what is happening is that, we are linking every passport with the national ID number.



The Ghanacard number and the passport number will be linked so that your travel history is preserved . We have not yet reached there; currently in terms of visas, you have ICAO 1.0 in operation. When it comes to 2.0, you will get electronic visas and we are not there yet. Since we are not there yet, you are going to travel on your normal passports, but you can always present your e-passport for verification.



And if you are stucked anywhere in the world and you need to come to Ghana and you don't have your manual passport and you have your e-passport, you will be allowed to board the flight as long as it is coming to Ghana.



So when ICAO 2.O comes into operation, the visas can actually be issued electronically the Ghanacard, when it comes into operation. But we are not there yet, and we are making that progress one step at a time.







Source: Atiemo Emmanuel/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Parliamentary committee handling Ghana's anti LGBTQI+ Bill will commence sitting next week.

A total of 150 memoranda have been received on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, otherwise referred to as anti LGBTQI+ Bill by the public.



The Deputy Chairman of Business Committee, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin who made this known said the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament will, from next week, commence sitting to consider the various memoranda that have been received on the bill against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) activities in Ghana.



He said the committee will consider 10 memoranda each week for the various interested parties who submitted the memoranda to be heard on the bill.

After hearing all the stakeholders, he said the members of the committee will prepare a report and submit same to Parliament for consideration and for us to make progress.



Mr Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Deputy Majority Leader, stated this in response to a request by the First Deputy Minority Whip, Mr Ibrahim Ahmed, who sought to know the roadmap to the passage or otherwise of the bill.



Response



Answering, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the sitting would ensure that all parties had a fair hearing before Parliament proceeded on the bill.



He said he had been informed about steps the committee had taken so far.



"Per my calculation, if they are doing 10 memoranda weekly, we do not know if any more memoranda will come, then it means we are looking at 15 weeks for the hearings to be done," he told the House.



Dominating proceedings



It is projected that the third meeting of the first session of the Eighth Parliament will be dominated by the bill.



So far, both parties on each side of Parliament have publicly thrown their weight behind the passage of the bill but agreed on the need for some amendments to be made in the bill to fine tune it ahead of its possible passage.



Majority stance



On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, gave an assurance that Parliament would not disappoint Ghanaians in the consideration and passage of the bill that seeks to criminalise LGBTQI+ activities in Ghana.



He said MPs were representatives of the people for which reason the citizenry should be rest assured that Parliament would not turn its back on them.



Speaking to the press in Parliament to state the stance of the Majority on the bill, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, expressed doubt that any lawmaker would be against the principles of the bill.



While giving the assurance that Parliament would do the right thing with regard to the bill, the Majority Leader, however, said there was the need for a careful balance in assessing it.



Minoritys position



Just two days after the press conference by the Majority, the Minority caucus also held a similar conference on Friday, October 15, 2021 in Parliament, where the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, stated that his side was resolutely opposed to the introduction, formalisation and legalisation of LGBTQI+ practices and rights in Ghana.



As representatives of the Ghanaian people, MPs have an obligation to protect the moral fibre of the Ghanaian society and promote the cohesion, unity and preserve Ghanas time-tested cultural practices and beliefs which have kept us together as one country, the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said when he addressed a press conference in Accra on Friday, October 15, 2021.













Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B) has taken a swipe at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over their responses to the governments agenda to use digitalization to transform the economy.



It would be recalled that the Vice President, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia held a public lecture at Ashesi University to delineate an array of digital policies being implemented by the government to drastically reduce the inefficiencies and corruption in public Services delivery; enhance domestic revenue mobilization; improve efficiency in the health sector; provide financial inclusion and a cash-lite economy among other things.



As expected, the NDC has been responding to the issues raised in the lecture by Dr. Bawumia; however, their responses have been scruffy, uncoordinated, conflicting and have drifted into personal attacks on the person of the Vice President according to section of the public.



Reacting to the NDC, Nana B has strongly cautioned the NDC to desist from exposing their ignorance and emptiness on the subject matter in a brazing manner.



Its quite shocking that the NDC that have proven, overtime, to be clueless and bankrupt in knowledge and understanding of digitization and digitalization could gather confidence to speak against the unprecedented digital infrastructure being built by this government to make life very simple and easy for Ghanaians Nana B has said.



He added that its trite knowledge that the NDC is incompetent in the field of digital technology. In 2016 and 2020 elections, they couldnt put up a system to collate their results  such a basic exercise that a first year IT student could have done with such ease, the incompetent NDC couldnt do it.



The Youth Leader of the NPP has thus advised Ghanaians to be weary of the plain lies and fabrications of the NDC directed at discrediting government policies that have far reaching benefits for the ordinary Ghanaian.



This government has been people centered and every single policy we have implemented has brought comfort to the citizenry. Today, Ghanaians can sit in the comfort of their homes to renew their NHIS, open bank account and so on. I entreat Ghanaians to support the government to deliver on its mandate Nana B added.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
" " People celebrate Bastille Day outside a Paris cafe on July 14, 1930. The Lost Generation referred to young people who came of age during Word War I and were disillusioned by it. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

After the dust of World War I settled and the troops came home  or didn't come home  it became evident that the world was changed forever. World War I ushered in a modern era of warfare with new fighting methods that affected an entire generation of young people.

New technology introduced during World War I shaped the way wars would be fought from then on. For the first time, tanks, airplanes and machine guns made their way onto the battlefield. These new technologies magnified the effects of war, both in terms of how war was fought, but also how war affected people. World War I had a devastating effect on the world in terms of lives lost, with over 37 million casualties [source: Infoplease].

Advertisement

Countries that were hit hardest by the war lost entire villages of men. Those who came home were profoundly affected by their war experience. Feeling cynical about humanity's prospects, they rebelled against the values of their elders, seeking debauchery instead of decency, and hedonism instead of ideology.

The generation born between 1883 and 1900 that came of age during this time became known as the Lost Generation. This moniker is credited to writer Gertrude Stein, who passed on her garage mechanic's words to his employee  "You are all a lost generation"  during a conversation with writer Ernest Hemingway [source: University of Oxford]. Hemingway used this phrase in the epigraph of his book "The Sun Also Rises," and the name soon stuck.

The phrase "Lost Generation" is also used to describe the literary landscape of this era. After the war, American writers felt lost, aimless and without purpose. Many flocked to Paris during the 1920s to escape their traditions at home. These expatriates managed to capture the zeitgeist of the time.

What were the attitudes of this Lost Generation? Let's take a look at how disillusionment manifested itself in a generation of youth.
Julian Assange's arrest could spell the end of 13-year-old WikiLeaks

Using cryptography and virtual drop boxes, Julian Assange's WikiLeaks created a revolutionary new model for media to lure massive digitized leaks from whistleblowers, exposing everything from US military secrets to wealthy tax-dodgers' illicit offshore accounts.

Assange's arrest in London Thursday on a US extradition request to face charges of computer crimes could spell the end of 13-year-old WikiLeaks.

But his legacy will live long in the world's media.

News outlets and journalists everywhere can now offer to potential sources encrypted apps and secure virtual mailboxes to receive secrets that were once divulged by discreet whispers, furtive phone calls and unmarked manila envelopes.

Skilled at hacking and cryptographyand motivated by a deep distrust of traditional institutionsAustralia-born Assange took a cypherpunk's libertarian streak to the challenge of government secrecy.

In 2006 he built an online platform that offered an anonymous, encrypted path to leak computerized files without fear of exposure.

'We liberated cryptography'

Leaks have forever been crucial currency in journalism. But no one had before created a convenient, relatively easy-to-use electronic drop box that could almost instantly, with absolute secrecy, take delivery of gigabytes of documents.

And he did it at a ripe time, as the connected world emerged and social media took off.

Assange's legacy will live long in the world's media

For Assange, it was the democratization of powers that had before belonged to governments alone. "Cryptography was then the exclusive property of states," he wrote in 2013.

"By writing our own software and disseminating it far and wide we liberated cryptography, democratized it and spread it through the frontiers of the new internet."

WikiLeaks' first release in December 2006 was an apparent assassination order by a Somali rebel leader that may or may not have been authentic.

But it drew attention. Over the next year, WikiLeaks obtained documents baring the Kenyan leader's corruption, the secret operating rules for the US Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and offshore banking records from a Swiss bank.

It began scooping mainstream media on stories from secret climate discussions to Iran's nuclear activities and Icelandic banking fraud.

The Manning files

In 2010 US army intelligence official Chelsea Manninga transgender woman then known as Bradleybegan secretly feeding hundreds of thousands of classified files to WikiLeaks.

They showed possible war crimes by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, including a never-before-seen video of a US helicopter attack in Iraq that killed 18 people, including civilians and two Reuters journalists.

The stunning leak could not have been carried out in the old days of faxes and printers and it put WikiLeaks into the mainstream.

Chelsea Manning's stunning leak could not have been carried out in the old days of faxes and printers and it put WikiLeaks into the mainstream

Assange partnered with The New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and others to help sort through and make sense of the Manning material. WikiLeaks won awards and Assange was put on the cover of Time magazine.

"What WikiLeaks demonstrated was the potential for a stateless transparency organization to get around the ability of the most powerful governments in the world to suppress information," said Micah Sifry, author of a 2011 book on WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks copycats

Almost as soon as he hit that peak, Assange's star began to fade.

Political pressure to counter WikiLeaks was huge. A multi-country effort got major credit card and payment firms to cut WikiLeaks' financial lifeline of donations.

And he began to fall out with collaborators, a victim of his domineering personality that made WikiLeaks a one-man show, and his insistence that leaked material be published unedited, including that information that could harm peoplesoldiers in the field, human rights activists and others.

But by 2012 others were already adopting his model of setting up encrypted, anonymous paths for leakers to hand over documents.

WikiLeaks copycat sites opened in different countries. Journalists became trained in the use of encryption and secret file transfers.

"Exposing the secrets of the US government was a powerful signal that nobody could keep information under control in the internet age," said Sifry.

US whistleblower Edward Snowden used encrypted communications that Assange helped popularize

US whistleblower Edward Snowden did not deliver his trove of hundreds of thousands of top-secret intelligence and military documents to a media drop-box in 2013.

But he used encrypted communications that Assange helped popularize to communicate with the journalists he collaborated with.

In 2013 the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which had aided WikiLeaks with financing, developed a new anonymous drop box free for anyone to use: SecureDrop.

The New Yorker, an early adopter, explained its value to leakers: "As it's set up, even we won't be able to figure out where files sent to us come from. If anyone asks us, we won't be able to tell them."

SecureDrop is important to the most successful WikiLeaks-like operation, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

In recent years it has obtained from leakers millions of financial account files detailing money laundering and tax avoidance from offshore banking centersthe "Panama Papers" and "Paradise Papers."

The top of the ICIJ's web page offers links to SecureDrop and other encrypted tools for sharing information.

And it has one simple invitation for its users: "Leak to us."

 2019 AFP
Credit: Roger Hart

Many advocates for more equitable college admissions policies have called for random-draw lotteries as a simple and transparent way to fix the "problem" of elite college admissions.

However, simulations of lottery admissions conducted in a new study find dramatic and negative potential effects of lotteries on the admission of students of color, low-income students and men.

"Our findings show that systematic inequalities in GPAs and standardized test scores will be baked into the results of lotteries," said Michael Bastedo, professor and associate dean of research and graduate studies at U-M's School of Education.

The study, published in the journal of the American Educational Research Association, is believed to be the first to examine the potential impact of multiple criteria for lottery eligibilityincluding grade point averages and SAT/ACT scores with varying minimum thresholdswith findings consistent across all conditions tested.

Using minimum lottery thresholds for GPA and standardized tests, both together and separately, the study found that participation of students of color and low-income students dropped precipitously, in some models to levels below 2% of the entering class. Using a minimum threshold for GPA alone, the proportion of men in the entering class could drop as low as one-third.

"Lotteries have been championed as a potential solution for addressing admissions practices at selective colleges that have long favored white and wealthy families," said Dominique Baker, assistant professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University. "But our simulations find that lotteries could backfire, dramatically reducing the admit rate of students of color or from low-income backgrounds."

Bastedo and Baker used two nationally representative datasets from the U.S. Department of Education to compare the demographics of students currently at highly selective institutions (e.g., Harvard University) and moderately selective institutions (e.g., the University of Georgia) with those who could enroll based on a lottery. Selectivity was determined by criteria developed by Barron's magazine.

Significantly lowering the minimum GPA and standardized test score requirements for incoming students at selective institutions would not necessarily enhance the diversity of their classes, according to the study.

"The only way we could see to ensure racial and ethnic diversity in who the lottery admits would be to conduct a lottery within each racial and ethnic group," Bastedo said. "But this would almost certainly be illegal due to Supreme Court decisions outlawing quotas in college admissions."

The study detailed how lotteries would result in wide and unpredictable variations in the demographics of admitted classes from year to year, even with no eligibility requirements other than a high school diploma or GED.

"This means that institutions could not ensure that each year's admitted class would have a significant amount of racial or ethnic diversity," Baker said. "In addition, institutions would have to make new calculations each year about who would actually choose to enroll, and campus offices for housing, financial aid, new student programs and the like would need to adjust."

The researchers added that colleges would have less control over the composition of their classes in terms of student majors or extracurricular activities.

"While we did not seek to dismiss lotteries out of hand, there's just no evidence that they are the solution," Bastedo said.

More information: Dominique J. Baker et al, What If We Leave It Up to Chance? Admissions Lotteries and Equitable Access at Selective Colleges, Educational Researcher (2021). Dominique J. Baker et al, What If We Leave It Up to Chance? Admissions Lotteries and Equitable Access at Selective Colleges,(2021). DOI: 10.3102/0013189X211055494
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a new article in the journal BIO Integration , the authors Rejoice Thubelihle Ndebele, Qing Yao, Yan-Nan Shi, Yuan-Yuan Zhai, He-Lin Xu, Cui-Tao Lu and Ying-Zheng Zhao from Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China, discuss progress in the application of nano- and micro-based drug delivery systems in pulmonary drug delivery.

Nanotechnology is associated with the development of particles in the nano-size range that can be used in a wide range of applications in the medical field. It has gained more importance in the pharmaceutical research field particularly in drug delivery, as it results in enhanced therapeutic drug performance, improved drug solubility, targeted drug delivery to the specific sites, minimized side effects, and prolonged drug retention time in the targeted site.

To date, the application of nanotechnology continues to offer several benefits in the treatment of various chronic diseases and results in remarkable improvements in treatment outcomes. The use of nano-based delivery systems such as liposomes, micelles, and nanoparticles in pulmonary drug delivery have shown to be a promising strategy in achieving drug deposition and maintained controlled drug release in the lungs. They have been widely used to minimize the risks of drug toxicity in vivo.

The authors of this article review recent advances in the application of nano- and micro-based delivery systems in pulmonary drug delivery for the treatment of various pulmonary diseases, such as lung cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Limitations in the application of these drug delivery systems and some key strategies in improving their formulation properties to overcome challenges encountered in drug delivery are also discussed.

Explore further Computational evaluation of drug delivery reveals room for inhalers improvement

More information: Rejoice Thubelihle Ndebele et al, Progress in the Application of Nano- and Micro-based Drug Delivery Systems in Pulmonary Drug Delivery, BIO Integration (2021). Rejoice Thubelihle Ndebele et al, Progress in the Application of Nano- and Micro-based Drug Delivery Systems in Pulmonary Drug Delivery,(2021). DOI: 10.15212/bioi-2021-0028

Provided by Compuscript Ltd
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

More than 100 world leaders have promised to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030, in the first major deal of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. Deforestation contributes to global climate change because it means forests can no longer absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Ending deforestation is necessary to meet global climate targets, but what might this deal mean for the more than 1 billion people worldwideincluding many living below the international poverty linewho benefit directly and indirectly from woodlands?

In Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato Si," the pontiff specifically addressed how the effects of climate change are most egregiously visited upon the poor. "Both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest," he wrote. The U.N. has long recognized this affront and set one of its Sustainable Development Goals to "end poverty in all its forms everywhere." Dovetailing with the encyclical, this goal and the mission of the University of Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs to advance integral human development, Daniel C. Miller's research on how forests contribute to human well-being prioritizes marginalized populations and poverty alleviation.

In the context of COP26, Miller, associate professor of environmental policy in the Keough School, and colleagues from 16 countries have published a special issue on "Forests, Trees and the Eradication of Poverty: Potential and Limitations." This research extends and updates a 2020 global assessment report supported by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations. Collectively, the articles in the special issue consolidate available scientific evidence on the wide range of contributions forests and trees outside forests make to curbing poverty and on the effectiveness of diverse forest management policies, programs, technologies and strategies. The research is based on an understanding of poverty not only in terms of money, but also as an obstacle that keeps people from attaining the level of well-being they would like and participating fully in society.

"Knowledge of what climate change and deforestation are doing to the world's forests is well-established, but we know much less about the social dimensions of forestshow they affect peoples' livelihoods and well-being," said Miller.

Miller and his colleagues highlight the uneven distribution of the harmful effects that deforestation has on local people who rely on forests. Their findings suggest the need for policymakers to put measures in place to ensure more equitable distribution of the costs and benefits of forest use, such as securing land rights for local and indigenous peoples and compensating them for lost access when forests they have traditionally managed are protected for conservation or, conversely, exploited for economic gain.

COVID-19 and global movements to address climate change, as well as systemic racism, have played a role in forest-poverty dynamics.

"These movements are spurring reflection on how forest conservation and management might become more inclusive and just, notably, by directly grappling with legacies of colonialism and dispossession that have disproportionately affected indigenous people and people of color," Miller and his colleagues wrote. "The possibility of transformational change to more equitable, just and sustainable ways of steering society and the environment is now on the table in a way it has not been before."

The researchers reviewed a number of different measures implemented by governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to determine their potential for poverty alleviation as well as their limitations.

"While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, we have found that some of the strongest evidence for poverty reduction comes from agroforestry systems, community forest management, ecotourism and forest producer organizations, among others," Miller said.

Agroforestry, or diversifying through adding trees near crops or pastures, has made a difference in Malawi and Bangladesh, for example. A program in the latter country "improved the poverty situation of 33 percent of participating households, reduced the poverty gap of 10 percent of participating households and reduced the severity of poverty of 5 percent of participating households." A shea producers union in Burkina Faso's female-dominated shea nut industry resulted in 76 percent of surveyed women reporting "noted improvements in their financial situation."

The highest priority for Miller and his colleagues is to further understand how forests and trees can prevent people from slipping into poverty and help the poor move out of poverty permanently. The FLARE (Forests and Livelihoods: Assessment, Research, and Engagement) network, which Miller coordinates, is bringing together hundreds of researchers, donors, policymakers and practitioners to explore this and other knowledge gaps in their annual meeting over the coming days.

"Advances in data availability and analysis are allowing new insights at larger scales and in more places across the globe where forests and trees are vital to people's lives," said Miller. "These developments along with growing awareness by the public and policymakers alike give me hope that actions will follow words to safeguard and sustainably manage the world's forests for the benefit of all, especially the poorest and most marginalized."

Explore further New study: Forests are still underrated as allies to curb rural poverty

More information: Forests, Trees, and the Eradication of Poverty: Potential and Limitations. Forests, Trees, and the Eradication of Poverty: Potential and Limitations. www.sciencedirect.com/journal/  al-issue/108M6M1C9XS
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

With the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, the world is focused on the consequences of a climate crisis and how we can still change course. Yet while climate-driven migration has been deemed a major threat in public discourse and academic research, comprehensive studies that take into account both environmental and social factors globally have been scarce. Now, with the help of machine learning, a research team led by Aalto University has drawn a clearer picture of the factors involved in migration for 178 countries.

Traditionally, research on climate change-related migration has taken a linear approach, concentrating on whether or not environmental stress is directly related to migrationtypically for one country or set of countries at a time. Researchers have known that social factors must also play a role, but studying both at a global scale, with all necessary information for all countries and sub-regions, has been a major challenge.

'Perhaps the most surprising finding from our study is that, when we look at the overall picture, social factors are more important than environmental factors in explaining migration. And regardless of the level of income involved, gross national income was the key factor in explaining net-migration in half of countries,' says Venla Niva, a doctoral student at Aalto University and lead author of the open-access study published in Environmental Research Letters.

In their analysis, the team made use of a machine learning technique, called random forest analysis, well suited to dealing with the complex relationships seen between variables in very large sets of data. This allowed the researchers to explain the importance of each factor for each of the countries studied. Social factors were assessed in terms of income, education in years, life expectancy, government effectiveness; environmental factors were measured through natural hazards, water risk, food production scarcity, and drought prevalence.

For example, income was the most important factor in Finland and Ethiopia, while in the US and South Africa education explained the majority of within-country variation for net-negative migration. In areas like the US and Ethiopia where in-migration surpassed out-migration, health was the most important factor, whereas in Finland and South Africa income was the feature that best explained net-positive migration. Globally, out of environmental variables, drought risk was the most important variable. In Ethiopia, two environmental variables ranked in the top three factors in terms of net-positive migration: drought risk and water risk.

The data used in the study is from 1990 to 2000, the most recent period for which information from 178 countries of the world, both high- and low-income, is available at the level of detail studied: 10 km by 10 km units.

'Very detailed data at the local, rather than national, level lets us see the areas from which people have moved, as well as the areas people have moved towhether that's across borders or within the country. For example, if a specific area has seen environmental stress, like a drought, we can zoom in to see whether there has been a loss of people due to out-migration over that same period,' says Niva.

Majority of net-migration occurred in vulnerable regions

That same level of detail confirmed that while environmental pressures alone are unlikely to directly cause migration, environmental pressures in departure countries or areas are relevant. More than half (58%) of net-negative migration occurred in areas with high environmental stress and low capacity to adapt to changes.

'This is one of the biggest challenges of our times: the areas under environmental stress are the areas with lowest resilience, which means that they aren't well equipped to cope with changes. As populations in Africa and South Asia are rapidly growing, decision-makers need to help build capacity to ensure vulnerable areas can deal with the consequences of a warming climate as well as other environmental stressors,' explains Matti Kummu, professor of global water and food issues at Aalto University.

To get a better sense of how the factors explain more recent global migration, the team is currently creating a dataset that spans 2000-2020, with results expected in the next year or so.

'For now what we can say is that with this recently published study we've been able to identify the basic factors involved in migrationnext we'll explore if and how the factors have changed in importance over time, as the climate heats up,' says Kummu.

Explore further Improving the evidence: Scientists review quantitative climate migration literature

More information: Venla Niva et al, Global migration is driven by the complex interplay between environmental and social factors, Environmental Research Letters (2021). Journal information: Environmental Research Letters Venla Niva et al, Global migration is driven by the complex interplay between environmental and social factors,(2021). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac2e86
Diamesa steinboecki, the midge that has captivated Dr. Lencioni. Credit: Valeria Lencioni

"I have developed a real passion for a midge," said Valeria Lencioni in an interview with GlacierHub. The midge in question, Diamesa steinboecki, is a highly endangered insect that she observed in the glacial streams of the Italian Alps where she conducts her research. When she started studying glacial fauna in 1996, little was known about the insects that populated the icy habitats. Lencioni helped the scientific community get a clear picture of what kinds of insects are living in high glacial regions in the Italian Alps, and now she has come to question the methods that are foundational to her field.

Insect collection is a routine part of entomological research. In order to gather valuable data about insect biology and genetics scientists often capture and kill insects before bringing them back to a lab and investigating them there. This kind of study has afforded researchers many insights into insect biology and ecological conditions, but Lencioni has questions about its necessity when working with delicate populations.

Many of the insects that live on glaciers have small populations to begin with, and as Earth's glaciers continue to retreat, many are facing extinction. When scientists collect these insects in order to study them, they further reduce these already meager populations. In a paper published in Insect Diversity and Conservation in August 2021, Lencioni, who is the coordinator of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology at the MUSE Science Museum in Trento, Italy, argues that there is now enough data that ongoing collecting of insects can be significantly reduced.

Diamesa steinboecki has had a long journey to the streams in which Lencioni now studies it. It is hypothesized that the midge first settled in the region just before a Pleistocene glaciation, by way of Central Asia. She explained that the insect acts like an indicator species for scientists working in the region. "Finding it gives us reassurance that the environment is still healthy, the level of glaciation is still high, and the glacier feeding the stream is still large" she said.

A glacial stream habitat in the area where Lencioni conducts her research. Credit: Valeria Lencioni

According to Lencioni, people regard insect life differently than they do other animal life. "In the common imagination, insects are considered numerous," said Lencioni. "Even too numerous." Perhaps because of this perception, the implications of taking insects from their habitat are not considered fully. "The removal of animals from the environment leads to an imbalance, a disturbance, which can have consequences at ecosystem level," said Lencioni.

Now that sufficient specimen collection has been conducted at these glacial sites, scientists working in the area could continue to compile data by different means, argues Lencioni. She suggests that in the future, scientists could use existing literature as a reference at these sites. "It is useful to have a high sampling frequency in the first couple of years when studying a new environment," said Lencioni. "But after a couple of years, it is sufficient to return to the site every five or even 10 years, depending on how quickly the glaciers in that area are retreating."

Lencioni is also advocating for the advancement of a technology called Environmental DNA, which tests soil, water, or air and gives a profile of all of the trace DNA left by organisms in the area. She notes that Environmental DNA technology is already being used to monitor terrestrial habitats and fish populations, but that it is not yet widely used to characterize insect populations.

Using microscopes in the field can help reduce the need to transport specimens back to a lab. Credit: Valeria Lencioni

It isn't just glacial insects that are under threat. Globally, insect populations are declining by about one percent per year. Lencioni also has concerns about other habitats. "Entomologists should consider their collection practices in any extreme habitats where local population size is reduced and the degree of isolation is high such as the caves and the springs," she said.

Not everyone shares Lencioni's affinity for insects, which can make conservation efforts challenging. "There are particular ways that these ethical questions are inflected when it comes to insects, compared to other animals," said Hugh Raffles, author of "Insectopedia," a book that tells stories of human interactions with insects throughout history. "Often people don't even think of them as animals, for a start."

It won't be possible for insect collection to halt completely if scientists want to continue to understand population dynamics in the face of climate change, but Lencioni is hoping that researchers make their collection more deliberate. "When not strictly necessary, animals should be left in their environment," said Lencioni. "Where natural biodiversity is naturally scarce it becomes even more essential."

Explore further Insects in the light of land use and climate

More information: Valeria Lencioni et al, Monitoring and conservation of cryophilous biodiversity: concerns when working with insect populations in vanishing glacial habitats, Insect Conservation and Diversity (2021). Valeria Lencioni et al, Monitoring and conservation of cryophilous biodiversity: concerns when working with insect populations in vanishing glacial habitats,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/icad.12522

Provided by State of the Planet
Smoke from a 2019 Northern California wildfire could be seen by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Research by scientists from UCLA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory strengthens the case that climate change has been the main cause of the growing amount of land in the western U.S. that has been destroyed by large wildfires over the past two decades.

Rong Fu, a UCLA professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and the study's corresponding author, said the trend is likely to worsen in the years ahead. "I am afraid that the record fire seasons in recent years are only the beginning of what will come, due to climate change, and our society is not prepared for the rapid increase of weather contributing to wildfires in the American West."

The dramatic increase in destruction caused by wildfires is borne out by U.S. Geological Survey data. In the 17 years from 1984 to 2000, the average burned area in 11 western states was 1.69 million acres per year. For the next 17 years, through 2018, the average burned area was approximately 3.35 million acres per year. And in 2020, according to a National Interagency Coordination Center report, the amount of land burned by wildfires in the West reached 8.8 million acresan area larger than the state of Maryland.

But the factors that have caused that massive increase have been the subject of debate: How much of the trend was caused by human-induced climate change and how much could be explained by changing weather patterns, natural climate variation, forest management, earlier springtime snowmelt and reduced summer rain?

For the study, published in the Nov. 9 edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers applied artificial intelligence to climate and fire data in order to estimate the roles that climate change and other factors play in determining the key climate variable tied to wildfire risk: vapor pressure deficit.

Vapor pressure deficit measures the amount of moisture the air can hold when it is saturated minus the amount of moisture in the air. When vapor pressure deficit, or VPD, is higher, the air can draw more moisture from soil and plants. Large wildfire-burned areas, especially those not located near urban areas, tend to have high vapor pressure deficits, conditions that are associated with warm, dry air.

The study found that the 68 percent of the increase in vapor pressure deficit across the western U.S. between 1979 and 2020 was likely due to human-caused global warming. The remaining 32 percent change, the authors concluded, was likely caused by naturally occurring changes in weather patterns.

The findings suggest that human-induced climate change is the main cause for increasing fire weather in the western United States.

"And our estimates of the human-induced influence on the increase in fire weather risk are likely to be conservative," said Fu, director of UCLA's Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, a collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The researchers analyzed the so-called August Complex wildfire of 2020, which burned more than a million acres in Northern California. They concluded that human-induced warming likely explains 50 percent of the unprecedentedly high VPD in the region during the month the fire began.

Fu said she expects wildfires to continue to become more intense and more frequent in the western states overall, even though wetter and cooler conditions could offer brief respites. And areas where vast swaths of plant life have already been lost to fires, drought, heatwaves and the building of roads likely would not see increases in wildfires despite the increase of the vapor pressure deficit.

"Our results suggest that the western United States appears to have passed a critical thresholdthat human-induced warming is now more responsible for the increase of vapor pressure deficit than natural variations in atmospheric circulation," Fu said. "Our analysis shows this change has occurred since the beginning of the 21st century, much earlier than we anticipated."

Explore further Dryer, warmer night air is making some Western wildfires more active at night

More information: Yizhou Zhuang et al, Quantifying contributions of natural variability and anthropogenic forcings on increased fire weather risk over the western United States, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Yizhou Zhuang et al, Quantifying contributions of natural variability and anthropogenic forcings on increased fire weather risk over the western United States,(2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111875118
The researchers raised aphids (Acyrtociphon pisum) and ladybeetles (Hippodamia convergens) on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) plants. Credit: Penn State

We humans tend to avoid harsh conditions when we are sick, instead seeking out the comfort of our climate-controlled homes. New research shows that sick insects may also be sensitive to extreme temperatures, and it could be the pathogen itself that drives their behavior.

An international team of researchers has found that infection with a fungus reduces the thermal tolerance of an aphid and its beetle predatorthe common ladybeetleby more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit compared to healthy individuals. As a result, infected insects are less likely to cross into zones that are too warm or too cold, and this behavior change could have implications for predator-prey interactions as the climate changes. The findings published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

"The effects of climate change on insects are poorly understood," said Edward Rajotte, professor of entomology, Penn State. "Our research showing that pathogens influence the tolerance of insects to extreme temperatures suggests that we cannot expect to understand how an organism will respond to environmental changes by studying the insect species alone; we need to also consider their pathogens."

To conduct their study, the researchers raised aphids (Acyrtociphon pisum) and ladybeetles (Hippodamia convergens) on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) plants. Next, they sprayed spores of a fungus (Beauveria strain) in low and high quantities onto half of the aphids and beetles. The other half were maintained as controls. Two days after inoculation, the scientists collected adult aphids, both those infected with the fungus and those not infected with the fungus, from the experimental plots and measured physiological parameters, including critical temperature maximum and minimum, voluntary exposure to extreme temperatures and energetic costs under each condition. The team then released 300 adult beetles into the cages with the aphids, allowed the beetles to feed on the aphids for 2-3 days, during which they also became infected with the fungus, and then collected the beetles for physiological measurement.

The researchers examined how fungal infection influenced the behavior of aphids and beetles by transferring insects from the faba bean plants to a test arena, which provided space for the insects to freely move across extreme temperature conditions to access food in containers located at each end of the device. Credit: Penn State

To measure the heat tolerance limits of the insects, the team transferred individuals to a hotplate, increased the temperature at a rate of 32 degrees Fahrenheit per minute, and recorded the point at which they turned upside down and could no longer return to an upright position within five seconds. The team conducted the same procedure to examine the insects' cold tolerance, except that they placed the insects into an insulated incubator, instead of onto a hotplate, and then reduced the temperature at a rate of 32 degrees Fahrenheit per minute. To examine whether fungal infection and temperature altered longevity in aphids and beetles, the researchers counted the number of days the insects survived after exposure to extreme temperatures.

"We found that the heat tolerance of fungus-infected aphids and beetles was reduced by 44 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, while cold tolerance, was only reduced in the beetles," said Mitzy Porras, postdoctoral scholar in entomology, Penn State. "In addition, survival was significantly reduced for infected aphids and beetles when they were exposed to both warm and cold extreme temperatures."

Next, the researchers examined how fungal infection influenced the behavior of aphids and beetles by transferring insects from the faba bean plants to a test arena, which provided space for the insects to freely move across extreme temperature conditions to access food in containers located at each end of the device. They replicated the experiment 10 times for each species and treatment condition [aphid: healthy, infected (low and high fungal spore load); predator beetle: healthy, infected (low and high fungal spore load)].

"We recorded whether the insects explored, crossed into or relaxed within either of the extreme temperature zones," said Carlos Navas, professor, University of Sao Paulo, who collaborated with Volker Loeschcke, professor at Aarhus University, in the design of the experimental arena.

This infrared image shows the differences in temperature across the chambers of the test arena. Credit: Penn State

The team found that almost 50% of aphids infected with a low fungal load opted not to cross extreme temperature zones, whereas 70% of aphids infected with a high fungal load did not cross extreme temperature zones. The percentages were similar for beetles.

"These findings suggest that the fungus might manipulate the insect host's physiology and behavior in ways that favor fungal virulence since the fungus's thermal thresholds are narrower than those of either of the insect hosts," said Rajotte. "This is the first time, to our knowledge, that infection has been observed to shift the behavioral response of both a predator and prey in ways that reduce exposure to heat," said Porras.

Porras noted that the response to thermal stress can vary among species, with some pathogens may influencing behaviorssuch as crossing into extreme temperature zonesof certain insect species.

"This, in turn, may alter predator-prey interactions, food web structures and species distributions," she said. "Our findings open the door to a wide array of potential research avenues related to the management of insect species and ecosystems."

Jesper Srensen, professor at Aarhus University, added, "We have learned that the relationships between pathogens and hosts are far more complex than we once thought. This study focuses on a specific case but has broad implications for the way we see these interactions, which can now be seen as another important dimension of ecology."

Explore further Disease-causing virus manipulates crop plants to favor its vector
A size comparison of main sequence MorganKeenan classifications. Main sequence stars are those that fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores. The MorganKeenan system shown here classifies stars based on their spectral characteristics. Our Sun is a G-type star. SISTINE-2's target is Procyon A, an F-type star. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

A NASA sounding rocket will observe a nearby star to learn how starlight affects the atmospheres of exoplanetskey information in the hunt for life outside our solar system.

Using an updated instrument first launched in 2019, the mission has a new target: Procyon A, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. But its question remains the same: How does a star's light affect potential signs of life on planets that orbit it?

The Suborbital Imaging Spectrograph for Transition region Irradiance from Nearby Exoplanet host stars, or SISTINE-2, mission will have its first opportunity to launch from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Nov. 8.

Answering the question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe is beset with technical challenges. We can't yet travel to planets around other stars, called exoplanets, to see for ourselves. Nor are our telescopes powerful enough to see their surfaces.

Instead, astronomers look to an exoplanet's atmosphere, scouring it for traces of chemicals associated with life. Water, methane, oxygen, ozone, and other so-called biomarkers produce unique patterns of light that telescopes can detect from afar. But to interpret them correctly, astronomers must look to the planet's star.

"The interplay between the planet's atmosphere and ultraviolet light from the host star determines which gases serve as the best biomarkers," said Kevin France, an astrophysicist at the University of Colorado Boulder and the principal investigator for the mission.

Some ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, for instance, can break down carbon dioxide, freeing a single oxygen atom to combine with others and form molecular oxygen (made of two oxygen atoms) or ozone (made of three). Stars that shed enough of this light can create spurious biomarkers on their planets, sending astronomers searching in the wrong places.

A sounding rocket launches from the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Credit: NASA/White Sands Missile Range

The SISTINE team aims to avoid this quandary by creating a guide to the wavelengths each kind of star emits. There are many different types of stars, and we don't yet have a complete picture of their light output or how it varies over time. With a catalog of starlight, scientists could estimate if a detected biomarker is either a potential sign of life or a false signal cooked up by pesky starlight.

On its upcoming flight, SISTINE-2 will observe Procyon A, some 11.5 light-years away. Procyon A is an F-type star, which is slightly larger, hotter, and brighter than our Sun. Though it does not have any known exoplanets, studying Procyon A can help us understand F-type stars and their exoplanets throughout the universe.

"Knowing the ultraviolet spectra of these stars will help us find the most promising star-planet environments with future NASA observatories," France said.

SISTINE-2 comprises a telescope and an instrument known as a spectrograph, which breaks light into its separate colors. SISTINE-2 will focus on ultraviolet light from 100 to 160 nanometers, a range that includes wavelengths known to produce false positive biomarkers. By combining their data with existing observations of X-ray, extreme ultraviolet, and visible light from other F-type stars, the team hopes to assemble a reference spectrum that will help astronomers interpret biomarkers on exoplanets orbiting F-type stars.

SISTINE-2 is also testing hardware. Before its 2019 flight, the team applied an enhanced lithium fluoride optical coating to the instrument's mirrors to improve its UV reflectivity. The results some three years later help evaluate whether this specialized coating may be suitable for larger, longer-duration space missions.

As in its 2019 flight, the instrument will launch on a sounding rocket, a small suborbital rocket that makes brief observations in space before falling back to Earth. Ascending to an estimated altitude of about 174 miles (280 kilometers) to access ultraviolet light otherwise absorbed by our atmosphere, SISTINE-2 will observe Procyon A for about five minutes. The instrument will then fall back to Earth, descending by parachute for recovery and refurbishing.

The team hopes for a soft landing to aid in a quick turnaround to be ready for its third launch in July 2022, from the Arnhem Space Centre in Nhulunbuy, Australia. There, a refurbished SISTINE instrument will observe Alpha Centauri A and B, G- and K-type stars, respectively, similar to and slightly cooler than our Sun, and the closest such stars to us. This system is also home to Proxima Centauri, a cool red dwarf star orbited by the closest known exoplanet, Proxima B. These observations will add additional entries to the growing star catalogsmall but critical steps in the search for life.

Explore further Shining (star)light on the search for life
Women wade through a swamp to plant mangrove seedlings, near Progreso, Mexico, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. While world leaders seek ways to stop the climate crisis at a United Nations conference in Scotland, a few dozen fishermen and women villagers are working to save the planet's mangroves thousands of miles away on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

When a rotten egg smell rises from the mangrove swamps of southeast Mexico, something is going well. It means that this key coastal habitat for blunting hurricane impacts has recovered and is capturing carbon dioxidethe main ingredient of global warming.

While world leaders seek ways to stop the climate crisis at a United Nations conference in Scotland this month, one front in the battle to save the planet's mangroves is thousands of miles (kilometers) away on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Decades ago, mangroves lined these shores, but today there are only thin green bands of trees beside the sea, interrupted by urbanized areas and reddish segments killed by too much salt and by dead branches poking from the water.

A few dozen fishermen and women villagers have made building on what's left of the mangroves part of their lives. Their work is supported by academics and donations to environmental groups, and government funds help train villagers to organize their efforts.

The first time they came to the swamp for seasonal restoration work was more than a decade ago with Jorge Alfredo Herrera, a researcher at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the Mexican Polytechnic Institute in Yucatan. He told them the mangroves needed a network of interlaced canals where fresh and salt water would mingle.

Women plant young mangroves in the middle of swamp, near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. The first time they came to the swamp for seasonal restoration work was more than a decade ago. Credit: AP Photo/Fernanda Pesce

To dig them was a hard work and paid only $4 a day. Men from Chelem, a fishing village of Progreso, turned down the job but a group of women took it on, believing they could accomplish a lot with little money.

Recently, after an intense rainy season, the women worked to finish the second part of the restoration process: planting young mangroves in a swamp near this port city. Under the sun, they chuckled, remembering the time they encountered a crocodile and barely managed to run away.

Then they placed 20-inch mangrove seedlings into mounds of mud held together by mesh, creating tiny islands about a yard (meter) square.

"The happiest day is when our plants take," said 41-year-old Keila Vazquez, leader of the women who now are paid $15 a day and take pride in putting their "grain of sand" into the planet's well-being. "They are like our children."

Women push a boat filled with mangrove seedlings as part of a seasonal restoration project, near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. "The happiest day is when our plants take," said the 41-year-old leader of the women who now are paid $15 a day and take pride in putting their "grain of sand" into the planet's well-being. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

GLOBAL THREAT TO MANGROVES

This mangrove restoration effort is similar to others around the globe, as scientists and community groups increasingly recognize the need to protect and bring back the forests to store carbon and buffer coastlines from climate-driven extreme weather, including more intense hurricanes and storm surges. Other restorations are underway in Indonesia, which contains the world's largest tracts of mangrove habitat, Colombia and elsewhere.

"Mangroves represent a very important ecosystem to fight climate change," said Octavio Aburto, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California.

While the tropical trees only grow on less than 1% of the Earth's land, he said, "on a per-hectare basis, mangroves are the ecosystem that sequesters the most carbon ... They can bury around five times more carbon in the sediment than a tropical rain forest."

A woman wades through a swamp carrying a mangrove seedling, as part of a restoration project near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. This mangrove restoration effort is similar to others around the globe, as scientists and community groups increasingly recognize the need to protect and bring back the forests to store carbon and buffer coastlines from climate-driven extreme weather, including more intense hurricanes and storm surges. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Yet around the globe, mangroves are threatened.

From 1980 to 2005, 20% to 35% of the world's mangrove forests were lost, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

From 2000 to 2016, the rate of loss declined as governments and environmental groups spotlighted the problem, but destruction continuedand about 2% of the world's remaining mangrove forests disappeared, according to NASA satellite imagery.

In Mexico, as in much of the world, the largest threat to mangroves is development. The region near Cancun lost most of its historic mangroves to highways and hotels starting in the 1980s.

Tracts of mangroves on the country's southern Pacific coast also have been cleared to make room for shrimp farming, while oil exploration and drilling in shallow waters off the Gulf of Mexico threatens mangroves there, said Aburto.

A woman plants mangrove seedlings as part of a restoration project, near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. Other restorations are underway in Indonesia, which contains the world's largest tracts of mangrove habitat, Columbia and elsewhere. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Mexico began to protect some of its mangroves only after the excessive tourism development of the 1980s. And although Mexico took steps to establish a climate action plan in 1998 and was one of the first developing countries to make voluntary commitments under the Paris Climate Accord, its commitment to the environment began to backslide in 2015, said Julia Carabias, a professor on the science faculty at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

In the past six years, Mexico has cut resources for environmental conservation by 60%, according to Carabias.

And that, combined with increasing government support of fossil fuel energy and ongoing infrastructure and tourist projects in the region, is sounding alarms.

Despite the country's monitoring system, local researchers say that for every hectare (2.5 acres) of mangrove restored in southeast Mexico, 10 hectares are degraded or lost.

A woman plants mangrove seedlings as part of a restoration project, near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. The 20-inch mangrove seedlings are placed into mounds of mud held together by mesh, creating tiny islands. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

EFFORTS TO SAVE SWAMPS

The halting efforts in Mexico to protect and restore mangroves, even as more are lost, mirror situations elsewhere. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency estimated in 2007 that 40% of Indonesia's mangroves had been cut down for aquaculture projects and coastal development in the previous three decades.

But there have been restoration efforts as well.

In 2020, the Indonesia government set an ambitious target of planting mangroves on 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of degrading coastline by 2024. Key ministries are involved in restoration efforts that include community outreach and education.

Yet there have been some setbacks. Precise mapping and data on mangroves is hard to come by, making it difficult for agencies to know where to concentrate. Newly planted mangroves have been swept out to sea by strong tides and waves. Community outreach and education have been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mangrove seedlings planted in mounds of mud are held together by mesh, creating tiny islands, as part of a restoration project near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. "On a per-hectare basis, mangroves are the ecosystem that sequesters the most carbon ... They can bury around five times more carbon in the sediment than a tropical rain forest," says Octavio Aburto, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

In Mexico, successes exist, even if they are slow in coming.

Manuel Gonzalez, a 57-year-old fisherman known as Becha, proudly shows off recovering mangroves in the seaside community of Dzilam de Bravo, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Progreso. He walks through mud, avoiding the interlaced mangrove roots that burrow into it. Some trees are already 30 feet (9 meters) tall.

In 2002, Hurricane Isidoro devastated this area, but after a decade of work, 120 hectares (297 acres) have been restored. The fisherman says that now storms don't hit the community as hard. And the fish, migratory birds, deer, crocodiles and even jaguars have returned.

But the mangroves face a new risk, as stumps scattered among the trees attest.

"In 10 years, you have a very nice mangrove for someone with a chainsaw to come and take it," Gonzalez said. "That's something that hurts me a lot."

Birds fly near the seaside community Dzilam de Bravo, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. In 2002, Hurricane Isidoro devastated this area, but after a decade of work, 120 hectares (297 acres) of mangroves have been restored. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Fishermen dig canals in order for fresh and salt water to mingle, as part of a mangrove restoration project near Dzilam de Bravo, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Their work is supported by academics and donations to environmental groups, and government funds help train villagers to organize their efforts. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Fishermen dig and clean canals as part of a mangrove recovery project, near Dzilam de Bravo, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. From 1980 to 2005, 20% to 35% of the world's mangrove forests were lost, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A patch of dried mangroves in the Dzilam de Bravo reserve, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. The halting efforts in Mexico to protect and restore mangroves, even as more are lost, mirror situations elsewhere. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Dying mangroves poke out from a swamp near the Dzilam de Bravo reserve, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Decades ago, mangroves lined these shores, but today there are only thin green bands of trees beside the sea, interrupted by urbanized areas and reddish segments killed by too much salt and by dead branches poking from the water. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Jorge Alfredo Herrera, a researcher at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the Mexican Polytechnic Institute in Yucatan, walks through the Dzilam de Bravo reserve, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A sign with a message that reads in Spanish: "Don't cut us down. Let me live", is nailed to the trunk of a tree in the Dzilam de Bravo Reserve, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Cutting mangroves has been a crime since 2005, but Manuel Gonzalez, a 57-year-old fisherman known as Becha, says authorities shut down and fine projects, only to have them later reopen. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A dog jumps across a lagoon in the tourist area of San Crisanto, an old salt harvesting community between Progreso and Dzilam, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. While more funds are needed for protection and restoration of mangroves, some communities prefer to think about how to make conservation a profitable activity. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A highway cuts through a mangrove forest near the Dzilam de Bravo Reserve, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. In Mexico, as in much of the world, the largest threat to mangroves is development. The region near Cancun lost most of its historic mangroves to highways and hotels starting in the 1980s. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A tangle of mangrove roots grow alongside a shore in San Crisanto, near Progreso, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. Despite the country's monitoring system, local researchers say that for every hectare (2.5 acres) of mangrove restored in southeast Mexico, 10 hectares are degraded or lost. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

A bulldozer clears a field next to mangroves lining a shoreline near Dzilam de Bravo, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Cutting mangroves has been a crime since 2005. The Yucatan state government said it is aware of complaints of illegal logging yet the harvest has only grown. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Mangroves form an arch over a lagoon in the tourist area of San Crisanto, an old salt harvesting community between Progreso and Dzilam, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Cutting mangroves has been a crime since 2005, but Gonzalez says authorities shut down and fine projects, only to have them later reopen.

The Yucatan state government said it is aware of complaints of illegal logging yet the harvest has only grown.

While more funds are needed for protection and restoration, some communities prefer to think about how to make conservation a profitable activity.

Jose Ines Loria, head of operations at San Crisanto, an old salt harvesting community of about 500 between Progreso and Dzilam, thinks the way to make the local mangrove part "of the community's business model" is using the new financial tools such as blue carbon credits.

Those instruments, already in use in Colombia and other countries, allow polluting businesses to compensate for emissions by paying others to store or sequester greenhouse gases.

Some in Mexico say credits are still not well regulated in the country and could invite fraud and scams. But Loria defends them. "If conservation doesn't mean improving the quality of life of a community, it doesn't work."

Explore further Study shows efforts in mangrove conservation and restoration paying off

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This artist's illustration obtained from NASA shows the DART spacecraft prior to impact with the asteroid Dimorphos.

In the 1998 Hollywood blockbuster "Armageddon," Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck race to save the Earth from being pulverized by an asteroid.

While the Earth faces no such immediate danger, NASA plans to crash a spacecraft traveling at a speed of 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 kph) into an asteroid next year in a test of "planetary defense."

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is to determine whether this is an effective way to deflect the course of an asteroid should one threaten the Earth in the future.

NASA provided details of the DART mission, which carries a price tag of $330 million, in a briefing for reporters on Thursday.

"Although there isn't a currently known asteroid that's on an impact course with the Earth, we do know that there is a large population of near-Earth asteroids out there," said Lindley Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer.

"The key to planetary defence is finding them well before they are an impact threat," Johnson said. "We don't want to be in a situation where an asteroid is headed towards Earth and then have to test this capability."

The DART spacecraft is scheduled to be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 10:20 pm Pacific time on November 23 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

If the launch takes place at or around that time, impact with the asteroid some 6.8 million miles from Earth would occur between September 26 and October 1 of next year.

The target asteroid, Dimorphos, which means "two forms" in Greek, is about 525 feet in diameter and orbits around a larger asteroid named Didymos, "twin" in Greek.

Johnson said that while neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth they are ideal candidates for the test because of the ability to observe them with ground-based telescopes.

Images will also be collected by a miniature camera-equipped satellite contributed by the Italian Space Agency that will be ejected by the DART spacecraft 10 days before impact.

'A small nudge'

Nancy Chabot of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which built the DART spacecraft, said Dimorphos completes an orbit around Didymos every 11 hours and 55 minutes "just like clockwork."

The DART spacecraft, which will weigh 1,210 pounds at the time of impact, will not "destroy" the asteroid, Chabot said.

"It's just going to give it a small nudge," she said. "It's going to deflect its path around the larger asteroid."

"It's only going to be a change of about one percent in that orbital period," Chabot said, "so what was 11 hours and 55 minutes before might be like 11 hours and 45 minutes."

The test is designed to help scientists understand how much momentum is needed to deflect an asteroid in the event one is headed towards Earth one day.

"We are targeting to be as nearly head on as possible to cause the biggest deflection," Chabot said.

The amount of deflection will depend to a certain extent on the composition of Dimorphos and scientists are not entirely certain how porous the asteroid is.

Dimorphos is the most common type of asteroid in space and is some 4.5 billion years old, Chabot said.

"It's like ordinary chondrite meteorites," she said. "It's a fine grain mixture of rock and metal together."

Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer, said more than 27,000 near-Earth asteroids have been catalogued but none currently pose a danger to the planet.

An asteroid discovered in 1999 known as Bennu that is 1,650 feet wide will pass within half the distance of the Earth to the Moon in the year 2135 but the probability of an impact is considered very slight.

 2021 AFP
Illustration of Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander with a depiction of NASAs Polar Resources Ice-Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) attached to the spacecraft on the surface of the moon. Credit: Intuitive Machines

In late 2022, NASA will send an ice-mining experiment attached to a robotic lander to the lunar South Pole on a ridge not far from Shackleton cratera location engineers and scientists have assessed for months. NASA and Intuitive Machines, an agency partner for commercial moon deliveries, announced the location selection Nov. 3.

NASA data from spacecraft orbiting the moon indicate this location, referred to as the "Shackleton connecting ridge," could have ice below the surface. The area receives sufficient sunlight to power a lander for roughly a 10-day mission, while also providing a clear line of sight to Earth for constant communications. It also is close to a small crater, which is ideal for a robotic excursion.

These conditions offer the best chance of success for the three technology demonstrations aboard. This includes the NASA-funded Polar Resources Ice-Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1)which consists of a drill paired with a mass spectrometera 4G/LTE communications network developed by Nokia of America Corporation, and Micro-Nova, a deployable hopper robot developed by Intuitive Machines.

"PRIME-1 is permanently attached to Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander, and finding a landing location where we might discover ice within three feet of the surface was challenging," said Dr. Jackie Quinn, PRIME-1 project manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "While there is plenty of sunlight to power the payloads, the surface gets too warm to sustain ice within reach of the PRIME-1 drill. We needed to find a 'goldilocks' site that gets just enough sunlight to meet mission requirements while also being a safe place to land with good Earth communications."

To select this final landing location, experts from NASA, Arizona State University, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Nokia, and Intuitive Machines created "ice-mining" maps of the lunar surface using lunar remote sensing data.

A data visualization showing the area near the lunar South Pole on a ridge not far from Shackletonthe large crater on the rightselected as the landing site for Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander, which will deliver technology demonstrations to the moon's surface under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The conditions at the site offer the best chance of success for three technology demonstrations onboard. Credit: NASA

After landing, the PRIME-1 drill, known as The Regolith Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT), will attempt to drill up to three feet deep, extract lunar soilcalled regolithand deposit it on the surface for water analysis. PRIME-1's other instrument, the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo), will measure volatile gases that readily escape from the material excavated by TRIDENT.

PRIME-1 will be the first demonstration of finding and extracting resources on the moon. Advancing these types of technologies are critical to establishing a robust, long-term presence in deep space, including at the moon as part of the agency's Artemis missions. Simply operating and drilling into the tough lunar surface will provide valuable insight to engineers for future lunar missions, such as the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, mission, which is slated to land at the lunar South Pole in late 2023.

While PRIME-1 will investigate the resources below the lunar surface, Nokia will set out to test its space-hardened 4G/LTE network. A small rover developed by Lunar Outpost will venture more than a mile away from the Nova-C lander and test Nokia's wireless network at various distances. The rover will communicate to a base station located on Nova-C, and the lander will communicate data back to Earth. This demonstration could pave the way for a commercial 4G/LTE system for mission-critical communications on the lunar surface. This includes communications and even high-definition video streaming from astronauts to base stations, vehicles to base stations, and more.

Nearby, Intuitive Machines' Micro-Nova will aim to deploy to the surface and hop into a nearby crater to acquire pictures and science data before hopping out. It will then send the data back to Nova-C. Micro-Nova can carry a two-pound payload more than 1.5 miles to access lunar craters and enable high-resolution surveying of the lunar surface. This demonstration could help pave the way for additional commercial lunar exploration services. In the future, scientists may have the opportunity to outfit a hopper with their own small science instruments, such as cameras, seismometers, lunar ranging systems, and more.

"These early technology demonstrations employ innovative partnerships to provide valuable information about operating on and exploring the lunar surface," said Niki Werkheiser, director of technology maturation for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The data will inform the designs for future in-situ resource utilization, mobility, communication, power, and dust mitigation capabilities."

Explore further Nokia to build moon's first 4G cell network for NASA program
Credit: Sophia Dagnello, NRAO/AUI/NSF

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey (Astro2020) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences has published its report and the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) received high priority for new ground-based observatories to be constructed during the coming decade. The report, in which ngVLA shared second ranking among ground-based projects, was the culmination of a lengthy process aimed at developing a comprehensive research strategy and vision for a decade of transformative science at the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics.

The ngVLA is a system of 263 dish antennas spread across the entire extent of North America and concentrated in the U.S. Southwest that will provide dramatic new scientific capabilities to the world's astronomers. The Astro2020 report led the ground-based facility list with the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Project (US-ELT), a plan for two large optical telescopesthe Thirty Meter Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope, both under different stages of construction. After US-ELT, equal priority was given for development and construction for the ngVLA and the Cosmic Microwave Background Stage-4 experiment (CMB-S4).

"Being ranked as an important new initiative indicates that our colleagues from all specialties within astronomy and astrophysics have recognized that they need the ngVLA to meet the leading research challenges of the coming decades. We designed the ngVLA based on extensive advice from the research community and know it will be in high demand by scientists from around the world," said NRAO Director Tony Beasley.

With the publication of the Astro2020 report, the ngVLA next will require approval by the National Science Foundation's National Science Board and funding by Congress. Construction could begin by 2026 with early scientific observations starting in 2029 and full scientific operations by 2035.

"The high scientific priority given to the ngVLA reflects the breadth and depth of the science that it makes possible, from the formation of exoplanets, to testing relativity using pulsars and black holes, to the study of some of the earliest galaxies in the Universe. This high ranking is a strong endorsement, and it opens the door to the U.S. continuing its leadership in radio astronomy and thus astrophysics as a whole for decades to come," said Alberto Bolatto, co-chair of the ngVLA Science Advisory Council and a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park.

"This Astro2020 outcome is a direct result of the close collaboration between NRAO and the greater astronomical community in developing both the broad, transformative science case and technical design of the ngVLA over the last five-plus years," said Eric Murphy, NRAO's Project Scientist for ngVLA. "All of the community's hard work has clearly paid off and we now look forward to continuing this collaboration as we finalize the design and move toward achieving first light with the ngVLA," Murphy added.

The ngVLA is designed to have sensitivity to detect faint objects and resolving powerability to see fine detailmore than 10 times greater than the current VLA. It can address fundamental questions in all major areas of astrophysics. The ngVLA's capabilities will complement those of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and other planned instruments such as the lower-frequency Square Kilometer Array. It also will complement the capabilities of the US-ELT optical telescopes and the orbiting James Webb Space Telescope, which will operate at infrared wavelengths and is scheduled for launch next month.

The ngVLA is a resource for all astronomers, regardless of their institution or background. It will be accessible to all segments of the research community. Anyone will be able to submit an observing proposal to take advantage of the ngVLA's advanced capabilities for frontier science.

The Astro 2020 report said, "The ngVLA facility would be absolutely unique worldwide in both sensitivity and frequency coverage," and concludes that "It is of essential importance to astronomy that the VLA and Very Long Baseline Array be replaced by an observatory that can achieve roughly an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity compared to these facilities, with the ability to image radio sources on scales of arcminutes to fractions of a milliarcsecond."

"We congratulate the US-ELT and CMB-S4 teams for their strong proposals, and look forward to working alongside them, the research community and the National Science Foundation to provide astronomers with the advanced, multiwavelength suite of research tools needed to meet the challenges of 21st-Century astrophysics, as outlined in the Astro2020 report," Beasley said. "We appreciate the tremendous amount of work that went into producing the Astro2020 report, including many members of the scientific community and particularly the tireless efforts of the chairs and the steering committees," he added.

The ngVLA will have a dense core of antennas and a signal processing center at the current site of the VLA on the Plains of San Agustin in New Mexico. The system will include other antennas located throughout New Mexico and in west Texas, eastern Arizona, and northern Mexico. More far-flung antennas will be located in clusters in Hawaii, Washington, California, Iowa, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico (at Arecibo Observatory), the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. Operations will be conducted at the VLA site and in nearby Socorro, New Mexico, with additional science operations in a metropolitan area to be determined.

The NRAO has received $23 million in funding from the National Science Foundation for design and development work on the ngVLA's antennas, and in May, NRAO officials signed an agreement with the German firm mtex antenna technology GmbH to develop a production-ready design and produce a prototype ngVLA antenna.

Adam Cohen, president of Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), which operates the NRAO, said, "We are excited by this strong endorsement of ngVLA by the research community and look forward to continuing AUI's nearly seven-decade record of developing and providing some of the world's finest telescopes for the advancement of astronomy. We greatly appreciate the National Science Foundation's support for the initial stages of the ngVLA and are eager to work with them to make this outstanding facility a reality."

Earlier this year, the Canadian Astronomy Long Range Plan 2020-2030, a report on priorities and recommendations for Canadian astronomy over the next decade, recommended that Canada support the ngVLA. That panel recommended that Canada provide $130 million toward ngVLA construction and $6 million per year for operating the facility. A plan for Japanese contribution to the ngVLA is one of the major proposals under consideration by that nation's scientific community to become part of the Master Plan 2023 of the Science Council of Japan.

The ngVLA's design is the result of extensive collaboration with researchers across the landscape of astrophysics. Through a series of workshops and science meetings beginning in 2015, NRAO worked with numerous scientists and engineers to develop a design that will support a wide breadth of scientific investigations over the lifetime of the facility. Participants from around the world contributed suggestions and expertise that helped guide the design.

Provided by National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
Deep learning model developed. Credit: Compuscript Ltd

In a new publication from Opto-Electronic Advances, Shreeniket Joshi and Amirkianoosh Kiani from Ontario Tech University, Ontario, Canada, discuss hybrid artificial neural networks and analytical model for prediction of optical constants and bandgap energy of 3D nanonetwork silicon structures.

This study introduces a reliable method to determine optical properties for novel silicon thin films (nanomaterial). Silicon thin films were deposited on glass by bombarding silicon wafers with pulsed laser beams. Finding optical properties of novel nanomaterials is challenging as limited experimental data is available. The existing models for finding optical properties were found to be complex and prone to errors, this study proposes a new method of using analytical models with artificial neural networks. The purpose of using artificial neural networks was to develop a mathematical function to predict optical constants for novel thin films. This method proposed was found to be 95 percent accurate.

The research group of Dr. Amirkianoosh Kiani from Ontario Tech University proposed this study to find optical properties of novel silicon thin films and the method was validated with conclusive proof to be accurate and reliable. For transparent novel materials, optical properties can be determined using experimental data for transmittance and reflectance. However, it's challenging to do the same for opaque materials as in this case only reflectance data is available. This study can be used to establish a mathematical relation between the available experimental data and shows promising potential for predicting optical properties for opaque materials from reflectance data alone.

Further, the optical properties determined for the novel silicon thin film discussed in this study was found to have an energy band gap of 1.648, this value is close to materials used for harvesting solar energy. As silicon thin films have a phenomenal surface area, a material with this energy band gap can prove to be highly efficient in solar applications. The research group also intends to use this method for exciting materials like titania, gold nanoparticles, etc. which are used in biomedical applications.

Explore further Scientists create thin films with tantalizing electronic properties

More information: Shreeniket Joshi et al, Hybrid artificial neural networks and analytical model for prediction of optical constants and bandgap energy of 3D nanonetwork silicon structures, Opto-Electronic Advances (2021). Shreeniket Joshi et al, Hybrid artificial neural networks and analytical model for prediction of optical constants and bandgap energy of 3D nanonetwork silicon structures,(2021). DOI: 10.29026/oea.2021.210039

Provided by Compuscript Ltd
Professor Charles Ramassamy and Jean-Michel Rabanel analyzing nanoparticles on the Nanosight NS 300, equipment obtained thanks to the generosity of the Charron family through the Armand-Frappier Foundation as part of the Louise & Andre Charron research chair on the Alzheimer's disease. Credit: INRS

Treating diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's is a challenge because drugs have to be able to cross the bloodbrain barrier. As a result, the doses administered must be high and only a small fraction reaches the brain, which can lead to significant systemic side effects. To solve this issue, the postdoctoral researcher Jean-Michel Rabanel, under the supervison of Professor Charles Ramassamy, at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (NRS), is optimizing polymer-coated nanoparticles to increase their permeability across this barrier and consequently the delivery of encapsulated drugs in the brain.

In their recent study, the team demonstrated the effectiveness of a specific polymer with zwitterion properties. These molecules are neutral overall, and have an equal number of positive and negative charges to mimic the molecules on the cell's surface. The researchers compared the characteristics of two polymer coatings on the polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles, a biocompatible material easily cleared by the body.

Promising coatings

The first coating, made of polyethylene glycol (PEG), had already been tested on the zebrafish, whose transparent body makes it possible to see the distribution of nanoparticles virtually in real time. The second coating, made of zwitterionic polymer, was compared under the same conditions.

"With this type of experiment, we demonstrated that the zwitterionic polymer, which in theory is more biocompatible since it's similar to molecules at the cell's surface, have a better access to the brain. However, it is more rapidly absorbed by blood vessel walls, which reduces their circulation time," explained Professor Ramassamy.

Thus, PEG remains the most attractive coating polymer with respect to the bloodstream, while the zwitterionic polymer would potentially result in a weaker immune system response. Professor Ramassamy pointed out that a mixture of both polymers could be considered to leverage the benefits of each.

"Our findings demonstrate that the drug coating is a very important factor in the therapeutic use of nanoparticles. It's an interesting avenue for delivering drugs directly to the brain and improving the treatment for neurodegenerative diseases," said the researcher, who also holds the Louise and Andre Charron Research Chair on Alzheimer's Disease at the Armand-Frappier Foundation.

According to Societe Alzheimer de Quebec, neurodegenerative diseases currently affect more than 565,000 Canadians, including 152,121 in Quebec.

Explore further Bringing drugs to the brain with nanoparticles to treat neurodegenerative diseases

More information: Jean-Michel Rabanel et al, Nanoparticle shell structural cues drive in vitro transport properties, tissue distribution and brain accessibility in zebrafish, Biomaterials (2021). Journal information: Biomaterials Jean-Michel Rabanel et al, Nanoparticle shell structural cues drive in vitro transport properties, tissue distribution and brain accessibility in zebrafish,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121085

Provided by Institut national de la recherche scientifique - INRS
Credit: Our Land and Water National Science Challenge

Regenerative farming practices could increase native biodiversity on New Zealand farms, finds a report released today.

It is highly likely that adopting five specific regenerative farming practices will increase native bird abundance and native vegetation, says Professor David Norton of the University of Canterbury.

"It is likely that the condition of native vegetation, native birds and aquatic biodiversity will all improve with a change from conventional to regenerative farming practices," says Professor Norton, "but farmers do need to adapt practices from overseas to ensure they protect Aotearoa's unique environment."

The report is one of three reports released today that outline the possible effects of regenerative farming on animals big and small, and ways to measure these impacts. The second report outlines how to assess the impact of regenerative farming on the welfare of animals raised for production, while the third examines how invertebrates like spiders and worms can be counted to evaluate the impact of regenerative farming practices.

The three reports were produced by a research project funded by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, the NEXT Foundation and Manaaki WhenuaLandcare Research. The project has produced 20 reports being released through November, each providing recommendations for how claims regarding specific possible benefits of regenerative agriculture could be tested in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Native biodiversity conservation on regenerative farms

Regenerative farming was developed in countries with large native mammals, such as bison. To mimic the way these herbivores would have grazed naturally, regenerative farmers overseas practice intense grazing followed by long rest periods.

The New Zealand context is very different: there were no land-based mammals here prior to human settlement, which occurred very late on a global scale. This means much of New Zealand's flora and fauna are not well-adapted to dealing with mammals, and many species are still adjusting to the pressures of settlement. Because of this, 'regenerative' grazing in our native tussock grasslands (and any grazing in native forests) is likely to be detrimental to native biodiversity. The Mackenzie Basin is an area of particular concern.

Despite this key difference, most of New Zealand's pastoral farms are now based on grasses that originated in other countries, such as ryegrass and clover. On these farms, the regenerative grazing approaches followed overseas are appropriate, and build on our well-established rotational grazing practices.

Diverse pasture species are considered a key principle for regenerative agriculture in New Zealand, but researchers warn of risks from additional weed pressure. "There is high potential for some species included in diverse seed mixes to become invasive and cause harm to our native taonga species. Regenerative farmers should take this into account in their planning, and researchers can help identify the potential threats," says Professor Norton.

There are helpful differences in the way a regenerative farmer might think about their land and its management, says Professor Norton. "The underlying philosophy of regenerative farming means that the farm is seen as an integrated system, while more traditional farmers might see conservation and farming as spatially separate parts of the farm," says Professor Norton. "Regenerative farmers might still have core areas for native biodiversity, like forest remnants, but the systems approach encourages these to be connected through the whole farm landscape, and integrated with native habitats beyond the farm."

In the report Native biodiversity and regenerative agriculture in New Zealand, Professor Norton proposes five key practices for implementing biodiversity conservation that could be adopted by people who farm in New Zealand, and which fit with the regenerative farming philosophy:

Think about how native biodiversity might be on your farm in future. Clearly identify the factors that are currently limiting or threatening native biodiversity now, and that may do so in future, as you seek to achieve your goals. Take a spatial approach to farm planning that is not constrained by the current farm layout. Implement adaptive biodiversity management at multiple scales across the whole farm. Continually monitor biodiversity outcomes and use this as the basis to refine management.

The report also provides farmers with methods to monitor biodiversity on their property (see Native biodiversity and regenerative agriculture in New Zealand report and appendices, Norton 2021).

Assessing animal welfare on regenerative farms

The possible effect of diverse pastures on the nutrition of grazing animals is one of five domains recommended for assessing animal welfare on regenerative farms, in the report Tracking animal welfare in New Zealand pastoral farms.

"Increasing the diversity of plants in pastures affects animal production, environment and welfare, depending on the function of the plant species," says Lincoln University's Professor Pablo Gregorini, lead author of the report.

Animal welfare is a complicated and emotive subject, says Professor Gregorini, and whether we know it or not, we all value animal welfare. "What animals experience, how they perform and whether they are being treated with respect are important both to them and to us," he says. "Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to modern farming that encompasses far more than simply ensuring that enough dry matter and crude protein are available for an animal to consume."

The report recommends five domains for assessing animal welfare in New Zealand pastoral farms: good nutrition, good environment, good health, appropriate behavior, and opportunities for positive mental experiences. The report outlines how each domain could be measured by farmers and communities, as well as by academic-driven research and through collaboration.

Insects on regenerative farms

Farmers have vastly more 'terrestrial macrofauna'insects, spiders, worms and millipedesthan any other farm animal. These large invertebrates perform important functions on farm, including pollination, natural pest suppression, improving soil structure and fertility, and increasing plant productivity.

"Resilience in a farm system comes from a wide range of invertebrate species that perform similar functions," says Dr. Melanie Davidson, a research scientist at Plant & Food Research and lead author of the report Terrestrial macrofauna invertebrates as indicators of agricultural land management practices. "For example, pollination can be carried out by some fly species in cool overcast weather, and honeybees in warm sunny weather. Diversity of invertebrates provides 'insurance'so if one species population crashes, other species are present to continue providing an ecosystem service."

Invertebrates are sensitive to environmental disturbances, so they provide valuable evidence of how farm management practices impact biodiversity and the wider ecosystem, the focus of this report.

It is not expensive or time-consuming to collect and count large invertebrates, says the report, but it's more challenging to achieve accurate species identification and to create studies that can be repeated for consistent results. The report describes several case studies from New Zealand and overseas that show the advantages and challenges of different approaches.

Explore further Regenerative grazing improves soil health and plant biodiversity

Provided by Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
Figure 1. Appearance of the HIBARI satellite. Credit: Tokyo Institute of Technology

A research team led by Professor Saburo Matunaga of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), developed a 50-kg-class technology demonstration microsatellite called HIBARI that denotes "skylark" in English. The purpose of this satellite is the on-orbit demonstration of Variable Shape Attitude Control (VSAC) technology where attitude and orbit are controlled using a variable structure, and the satellite adjusts the attitude via the recoil from the movement of the four movable solar cell paddles. By deploying and retracting the paddles, atmospheric drag can be adjusted and used for orbit control.

HIBARI was selected as a demonstration theme for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration (ISTD), and it will be launched on Epsilon-5 sometime after November 2021 from the Uchinoura Space Center. The satellite will be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at 9:30 Local Sun time at Descending Node with a perigee altitude of 547 km and apogee altitude of 565 km for demonstrating VSAC technology in space. It is also equipped with a small camera as an observation device for checking paddle operation, an optical telescope for precise attitude guidance, and an ultraviolet camera developed jointly with ABLIC Inc. The HIBARI mission is planned to include the photographing of ultraviolet radiation from the auroras over the North and South Poles, and observing the interaction site between the earth's magnetosphere and charged particles.

One of HIBARI's main exterior features is its system of four motor-driven, movable solar cell paddles for realizing VSAC. When driven properly, the recoil from the paddle movement can be used to quickly and efficiently control movements such as rotation and stopping to orient the satellite's attitude in any direction. HIBARI's high-precision and stable directional control is possible with the collaborative use of a reaction wheel (RW). In addition, since atmospheric drag changes when the four paddles are opened and closed, orbit control (descent) can be achieved without a thruster (propulsion device). By implementing variable shape functionality to the satellite itself and controlling it in this way, it becomes possible to control both the attitude motion and the translational motion, which are impossible to perform using a single conventional actuator, with high efficiency and without any propellant. For VSAC testing, a small camera will be used to capture the open/closed status of the paddles on orbit, and a precision attitude guidance control test will be conducted in collaboration with a star tracker and an optical telescope.

HIBARI is also equipped with UVCAM, an ultraviolet camera that was developed in collaboration with ABLIC Inc. Ultraviolet light, which are known to cause sunburn, are difficult to observe on earth since most are blocked by the ozone layer, etc., making it an unexplored wavelength band in the field of astronomy. In this research, line emission from the upper atmosphere and ultraviolet rays from the auroras over high latitude areas will be measured from outer space at an altitude of 550 to 565 km as a basic experiment for ultraviolet astronomical observation.

Next, a successor experiment of the 3-axis earth sensor DLAS using relative attitude estimation based on continuous earth imaging and AI-based image identification, which was demonstrated by ISTD-1, will be conducted as 3-axis attitude determination test using earth images. Then, a demonstration experiment will be conducted for real-time communication with the ground using the installed Globalstar transmitter STINGR. Also, HIBARI's mounted bus equipment was developed in compliance with the CubeSat standard as a microsatellite standard bus. After the separation in orbit, the satellite will automatically start the sun-acquisition operation to generate sufficient electric power. And the operation team led by Mr. Watanabe, a Ph.D. candidate, will check out the satellite system. Then they will move on to the steady state operation in which the various missions including the feasibility as a bus equipment for microsatellites will be conducted.

Figure 2. VSAC conceptual diagram. Credit: Tokyo Institute of Technology

Background and details

Since "microsatellites" that weigh 100 kg or less can be developed quickly and at low cost, they are commonly used for space business. A research team headed by Professor Saburo Matunaga proposed a "research and development center for smart space devices and systems for the creation of new space industries" as part of the Space Cooperation Base Formation Program of the FY2018 MEXT Space Science and Technology Promotion Consignment Fund. To place Tokyo Tech as a center for space development for industry-academia collaboration, they have been actively promoting industry-academia collaboration in space by providing various information to industries from perspectives including basic technology for space development and overseas business trends.

This research is one of the projects created from this base formation project, and was established as a way to achieve more accurate observations with high efficiency in the remote sensing business. To accurately observe ground targets, the ability to quickly change attitude and achieve attitude stability for clear photos is essential. Since small satellites have a small moment of inertia, quick attitude adjustments are easy, but it is difficult, in principle, to maintain stability, and various studies have been conducted on this. To resolve such issues, this research group devised a unique satellite attitude control method called VSAC that utilizes the recoil from satellite structure deformation. In addition to realizing high-speed attitude adjustments with high efficiency, research and development has been conducted to achieve highly stable attitude-oriented control.

Tokyo Tech had already been developing satellites on its own. However, HIBARI is the result of the cooperation based on the "research and development center for smart space devices and systems for the creation of new space industries (smart space base)." The industry-academia collaboration with ABLIC Inc., who was in charge of developing UVCAM, is one of the collaborations resulting from this.

HIBARI is scheduled to be launched aboard Epsilon-5 from the JAXA Uchinoura Space Center sometime after November, 2021. After the satellite separates from the rocket, it enters the critical phase of operation until the solar array paddles are deployed. Next, system soundness is confirmed. Then, attitude control tests, attitude determination tests using earth images, and ultraviolet astronomical observations will begin in turn. The mission is expected to last for one year.
Local pediatricians are seeing strong interest in parents getting the COVID-19 vaccine for their children.

The initial order that we placed for Pfizer COVID vaccines is all booked up, said Dr. Jennifer Theriot, of Adirondack Pediatrics in Glens Falls.

Hundreds of parents have made appointments, she added.

The office has placed another order and added people to a wait list.

Parents are excited now that the FDA has approved the vaccine for use in children ages 5 to 11, according to Theriot. She considers it an important stage in the fight against the virus.

Its a way for us to eventually move through the pandemic and move to a phase where we are getting back to normal, she said.

She said it is exciting to know that they can protect this group of children. The dosage is smaller than the one for adults. The side effects in trials on children mirrored those in adults  body aches and a slight fever.

Theriot said she knows that there is going to be some hesitancy among parents.

Were open to questions and calls, so we can help you make the best decision for your kids, she said.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network spokesman Jessica Rubin said the organization is expecting delivery of the vaccine for children soon, but does not have it on hand yet.

We are working closely with our local health departments and school partners to formalize our plan and look forward to being part of the effort to vaccinate our youth, she said in an email.

Michael Goot covers politics, crime and courts, Warren County, education and business. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 25

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
QUEENSBURY  Fire destroyed three vehicles and a garage in Queensbury on Wednesday night.

Firefighters received a call at about 7:30 p.m. reporting a structure fire at 17 Dineen Road. Bay Ridge Fire Chief Chip Mellon said when crews arrived, firefighters saw a fully engulfed garage with two vehicles inside and one parked outside on fire.

Mellon said firefighters had reason to believe that two people may have been inside the house and immediately started a search.

The residents had gotten out, along with their dog, and were found on the side of the house facing the lake, he said.

About 60 firefighters took about two hours to get the fire under control.

In addition to Bay Ridge, other companies that responded included Queensbury Central, South Glens Falls, North Queensbury, West Glens Falls, Lake George, West Fort Ann and Kingsbury. In addition, EMS agencies from Lake George, North Queensbury and Fort Ann were on scene.

Mellon said one issue was one of two 250-gallon propane tanks was burning and firefighters needed to get more water to the site. Even though the property is on Glen Lake, it is not feasible to use lake water. Tanker trucks were dispatched to the scene.

Mellon said firefighters had to keep the propane tanks cool until the one tank totally burned out. They were on scene until about 3 a.m.

One firefighter had to be taken to the hospital for mild exhaustion, according to Mellon. He was treated and released.

Mellon said it appears that the fire started in the garage. The cause is under investigation, but he said it is not suspicious.

The two-story structure had some smoke damage, but no fire damage.

Our guys did a pretty good job keeping the fire from spreading to the house, he said.

The property is owned by Beverly and Richard Bellizzi. Mellon said they were staying with neighbors.

Michael Goot covers politics, crime and courts, Warren County, education and business. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 4 Sad 14 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
FORT EDWARD  Three prospective businesses are interested in the former dewatering site in Fort Edward, including a manufacturer of energy-efficient products, according to an economic development official.

Hampton Supervisor Dave OBrien, chairman of the Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency, said a consortium including the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the U.S. Department of Energy and a Denver-based consulting firm and manufacturing company are working on a project to locate at the site.

OBrien did not have many details. It was a proposal that was submitted as part of the federal governments Build Back Better program for energy-efficient products.

OBrien said one criteria for the program was that the site had to be owned by a municipality or government entity, and the former dewatering site fits that bill.

The federal government will review submissions and see which ones will be selected to move on to phase two, according to OBrien. More details would be provided at that time. He anticipated hearing more about the project in about three months.

OBrien would not say anything about the other two prospective clients but indicated that they may be on a faster track than the green energy project. He only mentioned that one publicly at the IDA Executive Committee because the green energy project has been in the public domain, he said.

The IDA has been working to find new uses for the dewatering property, whose formal name is now Canalside Energy Park.

One priority is to bring water and sewer service to the site.

OBrien said the IDA has sent out a request for qualifications for engineering firms, which is due Dec. 10.

One of the companies interested in the site has agreed to become what is called as a beneficiary. This status will allow the IDA to apply for funds through Empire State Development for the water and sewer work.

Michael Goot covers politics, crime and courts, Warren County, education and business. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.

Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SALEM  St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Salem was raising money to repair damage to its bell tower when an engineer on that project noticed an even bigger more urgent problem.

The weight of the slate roof over the years has started to push the church nave walls out.

Now church officials must switch gears and focus on rectifying the new issue, putting the bell tower on hold.

They also need to raise additional funds to cover the cost.

The engineer is afraid that a heavy snow could cause collapse, the Very Rev. Gary Kriss said standing inside the nave Wednesday.

To fix the problem, engineers will slowly tighten tension rods over the course of six months to pull the walls back into place. New structural supports will be put on the outside of the 160-year-old brick building.

There was a fire in 1912, Kriss said, and the contractor thinks that might have weakened some of the masonry as well.

The bell tower campaign already raised $125,000, but the church needs an additional $75,000 to fix both problems.

The communitys been very generous, Kriss said. The parish has raised money and done well. And weve put an appeal out to the community as well and weve had a couple of major gifts.

Recently, the church was awarded a grant of $30,000 by the Sacred Sites program of the state Landmarks Conservancy. Previously, the parish received a grant from this program to fund an engineering study.

The church will host a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at 32 East Broadway performed by well-known area musicians Dan Shulman on piano and Kaori Washiyama on violin.

This also will be the first time that the churchs piano  now at St. Pauls on long-term loan from parishioner Jared Stamm  will be heard. Music will include works by Bach, Mozart and Ravel. Donations will be accepted.

Once the nave walls are repaired, work can begin on tackling the repair of the bell tower and the underlying moisture problem that has compromised the tower. Work is expected to begin this month.

The towers not going to fall down, Kriss said. The walls could.

Gretta Hochsprung can be reached at 518-742-3206 or ghochsprung@poststar.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Warren and Washington counties on Thursday formally announced their new educational campaign designed to overcome COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

The counties, partnering with Glens Falls Hospital and Hudson Headwaters Health Network, are working to highlight factual information about COVID-19 vaccines to encourage those who have not gotten vaccinated to make the decision to protect their health and that of those around them, according to a news release.

Warren Countys vaccination rate was 69% and Washington Countys was 57.8% as of Thursday.

The campaign is expected to run several months and is being paid for by a grant provided to the counties for vaccination outreach and logistics.

The first phase of the effort, which began this week, highlights quarantine rules for those who are vaccinated versus the unvaccinated.

Local health officials are finding that many people are not aware that CDC guidelines state that vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine if exposed to someone with COVID-19. This is an important factor that helps keep children in school and people at work.

The effort will also touch on local and national statistics that show that unvaccinated people contract COVID-19 at a markedly higher rate than those who have been vaccinated, despite the fact that there are significantly more vaccinated people in the region than unvaccinated.

The campaign will also include local medical experts weighing in on the need for immunization and telling stories of people who wish they had gotten vaccinated before they or their loved ones contracted COVID-19 and became seriously ill or worse.

The ad campaign is promoting these points across more than a half-dozen local newspapers, 10 radio stations, Adirondack Thunder games, billboards and Greater Glens Falls Transit buses. There are also locally focused ads online and across social media.

We want to make sure our residents know that we have found that the COVID-19 vaccines are proving to be safe and that they have worked to reduce illness among those who have contracted COVID-19, said Warren County Health Services Director Ginelle Jones in a news release. We are excited to promote the vaccine working with our neighbors in Washington County, and we are hoping to continue to save lives and recognize the value in preventing severe illness.

Washington County Public Health Director Tina McDougall encouraged people who have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines to check with their health care provider.

Our Public Health team continues our dedicated efforts in ensuring vaccination is available for every eligible member of our communities who want to be vaccinated, she said in a news release.

Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Rachel Seeber said the county is happy to partner with its Washington County neighbors.

Our counties work well together, and there is no more pressing issue for our region, state and nation than ending this pandemic and getting back to normal for the sake of our residents and businesses, she said in a news release.

Washington County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sam Hall said his county is also excited about the partnership.

We, and our Public Health teams, need the help of everyone in our communities to continue progressing forward in the fight against the pandemic  please consider being vaccinated if you havent already. Our families, friends, schools, businesses and communities are counting on us all to return to the level of normal we all need, he said.

Glens Falls Hospital spokesman Ray Agnew said that the hospital is proud to take part in the campaign

Nothing is more important to the health of our community  individuals and businesses alike  than having everyone who is eligible vaccinated against COVID-19. Do it for those you love first, do it for yourself second and do it for this community we love, he said.

Glens Falls public relations firm Behan Communications and Queensbury graphic design firm Lehman Creative are helping coordinate the campaign, at no charge to the counties.

Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
He is also known for his high-profile reversal on opposition to gay marriage. Sweeney said in 2011 that he made the biggest mistake of my legislative career when he voted against marriage equality.

Though Sweeney was a fellow Democrat, he fought Murphy at the start of his administration over raising income taxes on the wealthy and worked closely with Republican Chris Christie during his eight-year term in office ending in 2018.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

A deal he worked out with Christie to overhaul public worker pension put Sweeney at odds with public sector unions, who would go on to become key supporters of Murphy.

Sweeney's loss was cheered by progressive Democrats from southern New Jersey, who saw him as a product of transactional, machine politics.

Today is glorious, said Sue Altman, director of New Jersey Working Families, in a tweet. Altman is a longtime critic of Sweeney's and saw him as focused on trying to maintain control of the Democratic party, particularly in southern New Jersey.

His allies say he was open-minded and eventually delivered for the left.
Twitter showed Friday that Durrs account had been deactivated by the user.

+3 South Jersey diner patrons see election as chance to voice frustrations Election Day in New Jersey was a triumph for the GOP  and at diners across South Jersey, vo

In a screenshot of a 2019 Twitter post captured by a WNYC reporter, Durr wrote, Mohammed was a pedophile! Islam is a false religion! Only fools follow Muslim teachings! It is a cult of hate!

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

I support everybodys right to worship in any manner they choose and to worship the God of their choice, Durr said in his statement to the media outlets. I support all people and I support everybodys rights. Thats what I am here to do, work for the people and support their rights.

Durr did not respond to phone and email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday. A spokesperson for New Jersey Senate Republicans declined comment Friday, referring a reporter to Durrs statement.

Also on Friday, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations called on Durr to meet with Muslim leaders and renounce hate.

In other posts, Durr seemed to equate not opposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates to remaining silent during the Holocaust, including with the post a photo of a yellow star that the National Socialist party forced Jewish people to wear.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Haiti's fuel crisis is deepening, with the country's Professional Association of Banks announcing Friday that a shortage of petroleum is forcing institutions to cut their hours and days as dozens of gas stations across the capital remained closed.

Starting next week, banks will operate only three days a week instead of the usual six and will close in the early afternoon.

Long lines, fights and boisterous crowds formed earlier this week around a handful of gas stations that were still operating, with a gallon of gas costing roughly $15 in some places. Motorcycle drivers, business owners and even police officers have been forced to search for fuel, with many customers waiting hours for their turn.

The shortage has hit hospitals, schools, ambulances, public transportation and others in recent weeks as anger and frustration grows.

The government has blamed gangs for blocking gas distribution terminals, with local newspaper Le Nouvelliste reporting Friday that several truck drivers have been kidnapped and at least four fuel tankers seized. At least one gang has said it would lift the blockade if Prime Minister Ariel Henry steps down.
11/4 OHIO VALLEY WRESTLING TV TAPING LIVE REPORT FROM LOUISVILLE, KY

By Brian Cannon on 2021-11-05 07:30:00

This is the OVW Report for Thursday, November 4, 2021.

Tonight:

-The Women's Title is on the line as Sierra defends against Haley J!

-The unlikely duo of Tony Gunn & Hy Zaya are in tag team action!

-We find out what's next for Jessie Godderz and the National Heavyweight Title!

-Dani Mo faces the debuting Sholance Royal!

-Heavyweight Champion Ryan Howe faces Facade!

-Kentucky Champion Luscious Lawrence is in action against Tony Evans!

Plus much more!

For ways you can watch OVW TV in the Kentucky area, take a peek at the banner above. Plus, you can see OVW Thursday nights on FITE TV, Fridays at Midnight on YTA, and on several streaming platforms! If you can't find OVW TV, you ain't looking hard enough!

PRE-SHOW:

Eric Cornish is the ring announcer.

"The Viking" Roger Mathis vs. Rush Champion Gustavo.

Gustavo with some quick hits, but he runs into a hard clothesline. Roger knees him and elbows him across the back of the neck in the corner. Gustavo tries to fire back, but Roger takes him down hard. Roger sends him to the corner, but Gustavo comes out with the Solina Del Sol for the 3.

WINNER: GUSTAVO by pinfall.

"The Next Level" Duane Davis vs. Reverend Ronnie Roberts.

Duane with a side headlock. Ronnie comes back with a clothesline and kneedrop. Duane back with a throat thrust and suplex. Ronnie comes back with a clothesline and legdrop. He lays the mighty right hand on him for the 3.

WINNER: RONNIE by pinfall.

"The Empire State Goliath" Scott Cardinal vs. "The Star of the Show" Star Rider.

Star looks for some quick offense, but is at a clear size disadvantage. Scott with a hard throw into the corner. Star comes back with 3 dropkicks to take Star off his feet, but Scott catches him with a hard clothesline for 2. Star gets sent to the apron. He kicks Scott in the head, but gets caught on a dive in and Scott hits a slingshot suplex for 2. Scott misses a charge in the corner. Star dropkicks his knee and goes off the ropes, but Scott catches him with a back body drop for 2. Star with some kicks and a mini slingblade. He hits a shining wizard for 2. He goes up for Orion's Belt, but Scott moves. Star comes back with a crucifix into a rollup for the 3!

WINNER: STAR by pinfall.

OVW TV (HOUR 1):

Bryan Kennison & Shannon the Dude are on commentary, Eric Cornish is the ring announcer.

NON-TITLE MATCH: "The Neon Ninja" Facade vs. Heavyweight Champion "Rockstar" Ryan Howe.

Howe on the attack. Facade comes back with some kicks, but Howe catches him with an atomic drop. Howe hits the sliding uppercut and the rock 'n' roll fistdrop misses. Facade sends Howe to the outside. Facade goes to leap out, but lands on the apron. Howe kicks the ropes as Facade tries to come back in. Facade back with some atomic drops of his own, then flies out on Howe. When he goes to leap in, Howe pulls the ref in the way. Howe kicks the heel of his boot off as he kicks Facade below the belt for the 3.

WINNER: HOWE by pinfall.

We see Luscious Lawrence arriving at the arena looking for Tony Bizo. AJ McKay hasn't seen him, then the Fanny Pack Party use a caution cone as a megaphone to yell for Bizo, but Luscious walks on.

Sholance Royal vs. Dani Mo.

Royal with some quick hits early, singing some high notes as she drops an elbow. She dropkicks Dani in the face for 2. Dani comes back with some kicks and is able to connect with the Twist of Fate to get the 3.

WINNER: DANI by pinfall.

We see Tony Bizo trying to hide in the back. Steven Johnson is working on a podcast and can't hear him and is yelling out his name. Bizo continues to try and hide from Luscious Lawrence.

Jessie Godderz comes out and talks about how much he loves his pecs and how he has beaten Nick Dinsmore, The Pope, & Luscious Lawrence. He says he is the face that runs this place and that won't change.

"Dysfunction": Brandon Espinosa & "The Iron Bear" Tom Coffey vs. "The Hood Ninja" Hy Zaya & "Shotgun" Tony Gunn.

Espy tries to attack Hy, but Hy ducks and fires back. He tags Gunn. Espy throat thrusts him and tags Tom. Tom comes in, but gets knocked down and out. Gunn hits Espy with the take out the trash. Hy clotheslines him down. Tom pulls Hy down from the outside. Espy & Tom take advantage until Hy gets free and tags Gunn. Gunn comes in firing on Espy. He hits a spinning backdrop and reverse DDT to Espy for 2 as Tom breaks it up. Tom is taken out and Hy tags himself in. He hits a leg lariat to Espy and gets the 3.

WINNERS: HY & GUNN by pinfall.

WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH: "Hollyhood" Haley J vs. Sierra (c).

They lock up and Sierra breaks after Haley backs up into the corner. Sierra locks her up in a submission. She throws her to the corner and runs in with a hard elbow. Haley rolls out and Sierra follows her. Haley shoves her into the ringpost, then Sierra fires back and suplexes her on the floor. They continue to fight around ringside with Haley ramming Sierra into the apron. Back inside, they exchange forearm shots off the ropes, then Sierra connects with a running boot. Haley comes back with a clothesline takedown. Tony Bizo comes out to the ramp. Haley is distracted. Luscious Lawrence comes out and pulls Bizo off the apron and they start brawling. Bizo rolls into the ring and runs Haley over as he tries to escape Luscious. Luscious chases him to the back. Back inside, Sierra catches Haley with the cutter off her back and picks up the 3.

WINNER and STILL WOMEN'S CHAMPION: SIERRA by pinfall.

After the match, Luscious comes back out to check on Haley. Bizo comes back out and pulls her out of the ring and says she is his property. Luscious goes after him and he drops her on the ramp and heads to the back.

OVW TV (HOUR 2):

Bryan Kennison & Shannon the Dude are on commentary, Eric Cornish is the ring announcer.

The Fanny Pack Party is out for the presentation of the Nightmare Cup. Kal puts a fanny pack on the trophy and they say they are now #1 contenders for the OVW Tag Team Titles.

Dark Kloudz appears in the rafters and says the only reason they won is because they weren't in it. The Fanny Pack Party tell them to come down now and fight them. They are ready to cash in. Bryan Kennison gets in and says OVW management is in his ear, telling him it's official for the main event!

NON-TITLE MATCH: "Superior" Tony Evans vs. Kentucky Champion "Mr. Juicy" Luscious Lawrence.

Tony locks Luscious up and Luscious shakes his hips out of it and clotheslines him down. He hits the Swinger's Party and gets him up, but Tony slides off and kicks him. He attacks the left leg and works it over. Luscious comes back with a powerslam off the ropes and goes for the One Night Stand. Tony slides out and goes for Crossroads, but Luscious breaks out and connects with the One Night Stand for the 3.

WINNER: LUSCIOUS by pinfall.

"The Barbie Killer" Hayley Shadows vs. "Double A" Arie Alexander.

Hayley with a hard kick, but runs into a back elbow. Arie with a snapmare and kick to the chest. Freya the Slaya is out and she gets in the ring and attacks Arie & Hayley. She slams them both and delivers a double legdrop. She grabs a mic and says she has heard about it being the "season of Sierra", but for her, it's hunting season. She's coming for Sierra and the Women's Title!

NO CONTEST.

Reverend Ronnie Roberts is out for another edition of the Good Word. Tonight's special guest is Gustavo. Gustavo says he has the title, so he is still champion. Ronnie says Star Rider & Gustavo both had their cheering sections, but who's next? Gustavo says anyone can come step up to him. Ronnie says hold up, he has another special guest. It's Star Rider.

Star says his foot was on the rope and he should be champion. Gustavo says he is obsessed and jealous. Ronnie runs the clips of what happened at Apocalypse in their match. Star & Gustavo start to shove each other and argue. Ronnie says he has a little stroke around here and tells them they will meet again for the Rush Title at the Thanksgiving episode in a 30-minute iron man match!

TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: "The Fanny Pack Party": Dustin Jackson & "The Fanny Pack Kid" Kal Herro vs. "Dark Kloudz": "Elusive" Eric Darkstorm & "Hustler" Deget Bundlez (c).

Eric smacks Kal. They exchange holds, then Kal returns a smack to the face of Eric. Lots of quick tags on both sides, then the fight spills to the floor. Dustin & Deget collide inside. Dustin gets back up first and locks in a sleeper. Deget rams him into the corner to break the hold. Eric tries to interfere and gets hit off the apron. Deget tries to roll Dustin up for 2. Kal gets a tag and takes Deget down for 2. He locks in a sleeper, but Deget is able to tag Eric. Eric slams him and then Kal rolls him up in an inside cradle for 2. Deget tags back in and hits Kal in the ropes. He chops Kal and Kal reverses a throw to the corner. Both men are down. Kal crawls for the tag, but Deget pulls him to their corner and tags Eric. Eric with a hard kick to the chest, then he chokes Kal in the ropes. Eric hits Dustin off the apron. Kal with a quick rollup for 2. Deget is back in and locks in a submission, then drops an elbow. Eric tags in and locks in a submission. Kal gets free and super kicks Eric, then tags Dustin. Dustin with a missile dropkick, then knocks Deget off the apron. He covers for 2. He hits a suplex and knocks Deget off the apron again. Dustin goes up and hits the Derby City Dive for 2 as Deget breaks the pin. Kal & Deget fight on the outside. Inside, Dustin splashes Eric in the corner and the ref. Kal hits the knee and Dustin hits the running boot, but the ref is out. Another comes out and counts to 3, but can't call for the bell as Deget pulls him out. Deget throws Kal into the barricade, then gets in and hits the spinning TKO with Eric on Dustin for the 3.

WINNERS and STILL TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: DARK KLOUDZ by pinfall.

This ended the TV taping.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
11/3 & 11/4 STARDOM RESULTS FROM JAPAN

By WrestlingwithDemons.com on 2021-11-05 07:33:00

STARDOM Kawasaki Super Wars results from Kawasaki, Japan at Todoroki Arena on 11/3/21 live on PIA pay-per-view:

https://ticket.pia.jp/piasp/inbound/kawasakisuperwars-engpls.jsp

This pay-per-view is only being broadcast in Japanese and it will only be available to order and view until 11/6/21. It will be posted up on STARDOM World on 11/8/21.

Mai Sakurai pinned Waka Tsukiyama after a face buster in 6:23. After the match, someone wearing a Halloween mask got in the ring and attacked them both with a couple of cheap shot hits from what looked like a pipe or sledgehammer. The mystery person then casually staggered back to the locker room. This match aired free on YouTube as well.

Future of STARDOM Champion Ruaka pinned Lady C after the Freezer Bomb diving splash in 4:21. Mai Sakurai and Waka Tsukiyama got in the ring after the match and were just fine despite getting attacked a few minutes earlier on the show. They both want to be the next challenger of Ruaka.

Fukigen Death and Saki Kashima beat Rina and Hanan when Kashima pinned Hanan after the My Emblem in 5:44. Rina turned on her sister Hanan during the match and joined forces with Death and Kashima after Hanan accidentally drop kicked her while aiming for Kashima. Rina celebrated the win with Kashima and Death then left the ring with them. This was a Red Block match in the Tag League Tournament so that means 2 points for Death and Kashima with the win. Rina and Hanan have 0 points so far in the tournament.

Mina Shirakawa won a 3-Way Match over Saya Kamitani and Maika by pinning Kamitani after the Implant DDT in 7:38.

They announced a show for 1/29/22 in Nagoya at Dolphins Arena. That will be an 11th Anniversary event.

Mayu Iwatani and Koguma went to a 15-minute time limit draw with NatsuPoi and Himeka just as it looked like Himeka was about to pin Iwatani after the running powerbomb. Koguma picked up the shaken up Iwatani afterwards and carried her to the locker room. This was a non Tag League tag team match.

High Speed Champion Starlight Kid went to a Double Count Out brawl with Momo Watanabe in 11:50. After the match, Kid cut an arrogant promo and invited Watanabe to join Oedo Tai. Watanabe refused. Koguma then came out to be the next challenger. Giulia was on guest commentary. Shes been out of action with a neck injury since early September but the hope is she will be able to return for the big 12/29/21 show.

SWA Champion Syuri beat AZM by submission with the White Tiger in 13:22. Syuri cut a promo and said shes still waiting for Konami to have a match against her but Konami is still sidelined with an illness. Himeka came out to be the next challenger.

Wonder of STARDOM Champion Tam Nakano pinned Unagi Sayaka with the Twilight Dream in 21:31. They hugged afterwards. Mina Shirakawa grabbed the mic and wants to be the next challenger. She spoke in both Japanese and English. They shook hands in agreement. Shirakawa then left the ring to help Unagi Sayaka to the back.

Utami Hayshishita pinned Hazuki after the BT Bomb in 25:24. Maika is the next challenger on 11/27/21.

****

STARDOM Goddesses Tag League 2021 Tournament (Day 4) results from Tokyo, Japan on 11/4/21:

Himeka and NatsuPoi beat Hanan and Rina in a Red Block Match for 2 points by pinning Rina with a La Magistral in 7:07. 6 points for Himeka and NatsuPoi so far, while the two sisters only have 0.

Unagi Sayaka and Mai Sakurai beat Saki Kashima and Fukigen Death in a Red Block Match when Sayaka pinned Kashima for 2 points in 6:41. Sayaka and Sakurai are on the board with 2 points. Kashima and Death have 4.

Syuri and Maika beat Lady C and Waka Tsukiyama when Maika pinned Lady C in a Blue Block Match for 2 points in 8:23. Syuri and Maika have 6 points. Lady C and Tsukiyama have 0.

Momo Watanabe and AZM beat Tam Nakano and Mina Shirakawa when AZM pinned Shirakawa after the Azumi Sushi in a Blue Block Match for 2 points in 13:58. 5 points total so far for Watanabe and AZM. Nakano and Mina Shirakawa have 0 points. Starlight Kid once again asked Watanabe to join Oedo Tai after the match.

Mayu Iwatani and Rin Kadokura beat Starlight Kid and Ruaka in a Blue Block Match for 2 points when Kadokura pinned Ruaka in 11:51. Iwatani and Kadokura have 4 points. Kid and Ruaka have 3.

Utami Hayashishita and Saya Kamitani went to a 20-minute time limit draw with Hazuki and Koguma. They each get 1 point for the draw. Hazuki accepted Kogumas invitation to join STARS. Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida (whos been out with an injury), and Hanan came to the ring and joined them to celebrate their new unit member. Hayashishita and Kamitani have 5 points. Hazuki and Koguma have 3.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Pentuic and other panelists asked for patience.

Maybe we were optimistic on how quickly these cases could be mediated, Pentuic said. But we are taking into account the delays now that everyone is backed up. So, if you're frustrated because Prairie State can't get you in, they're backed up. If youre frustrated that Project NOW can't get your grant done, they're backed up. If you're on the other side of the frustrated, you're not getting a hearing, we're backed up.

Were trying to make sure that we get the highest benefit to people and try to keep people housed. I don't want to deal with all the issues that are going to happen if people are unhoused or if people lose their businesses. I know what that's going to look like. That's not going to do any of us any good.

Ford said, however, that with new people, Project NOW would relieve some of the pressure.

To move these applications, I need you as concerned citizens to tell somebody else if you are falling behind, give Project NOW a call, Ford said. You may in fact have to leave a message; you may have to call a couple of times. But don't give up in this process. We're working to relieve the pressure and the stress and reign in the backlog.

For more information on the eviction diversion program, contact Project NOW at 309-793-6391; Salvation Army at 563-324-4808; or, to consult with an attorney about an eviction case, contact Prairie State Legal Services at 309-794-1328. An eviction toolkit has been provided on the county website under the court administration link. For information about volunteering as a mediator, visit the county website.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.
Always assume the gun is loaded.

Those words were bored into my brain by my father and older brother when I was only 8- or 9-years-old and learning how to handle firearms on the farm.

One time, we were leaving the field and my brother ordered me to unload my rifle. I popped out the clip and handed it to him.

He said, "Are you sure the gun is unloaded?"

I said it was.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes," I said rather indignantly.

He took the rifle from me and jacked a round from the chamber. I looked down at my Keds, embarrassed.

I thought about that incident this past week when I read about Alec Baldwin accidentally killing someone on a movie set. Someone apparently handed him a firearm and told him it wasnt loaded with live ammunition.

He believed what he was told and inadvertently killed one person and wounded another.

I cant imagine the remorse someone must feel in such a situation. But there is a lesson from Illinois history that shows such a mistake need not stand in the way of a person's future.
Another, filed by the East St. Louis Branch of the NAACP and other civil rights groups, argues that the new maps in East St. Louis and the Metro East region unfairly breaks up the Black voting population in Democratic Rep. LaToya Greenwoods district in order to protect white Democratic incumbents in neighboring districts.

The other lawsuit, filed by Republican leaders of the General Assembly, Sen. Dan McConchie and Rep. Jim Durkin, along with their respective GOP caucuses, argues many of the same points as the other two cases.

All three lawsuits name the Illinois State Board of Elections, Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch as defendants.

Dow indicated that the case is being put on an expedited schedule in order to accommodate the 2022 election cycle. Under the current schedule, candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions on Jan. 13 and those petitions must be submitted to the State Board of Elections the week of March 7-14. In order to do that, though, candidates need to know what district they will be running in.

During Fridays status conference, all of the plaintiffs agreed to submit their proposed remedies to the court by Wednesday, Nov. 10. That gives the defendants until Monday, Nov. 22, to file their response.
Recruits from across the country officially became public servants of Pennington County at a swearing-in ceremony Thursday afternoon.

The recruits hailed from California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, as well as South Dakota.

Seven of the 15 total new recruits sworn in will go to work for the Pennington County Sheriff's Office, including Randy Mullins, who moved to South Dakota to become a deputy.

Mullins previously worked in law enforcement in Kennewick, Washington. He arrived in Rapid City with his family just days ago.

"We came to South Dakota because we were looking for a safer place to live," he said. "Washington State is just not the best place to be. We really liked the politics in South Dakota."

Mullins said he even got a chance to meet Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday. Noem stopped by the Public Safety Building in Rapid City to meet with the new recruits and hear why they came to work for Pennington County.

"She is as genuine in person as she is in media," he said.

The only difficulty Mullins is having with the move is finding housing.

"We are trying to find a place to live, it's a little difficult. There are a lot of people moving here," he said.

As for the pay, Mullins took a step back from what he was making at his previous job but that was to be expected with a move.

The starting range of pay for a Pennington County Sheriff's Deputy is $22.80 to $27.01 an hour, with more experience garnering higher pay, according to Helene Duhamel, spokesperson for the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

"I would say the pay at Pennington County is very reasonable starting," Mullins said. "I'm taking a few steps back from where I was, but that's just the way it is."

Matthew Williams, who is also starting as a deputy for the Pennington County Sheriff's Office, echoed Mullins' comments on the pay.

"It's comparable pay to the National Parks Service starting out," he said.

Williams previously worked as a law enforcement officer for the National Parks Service, where he was a seasonal employee based out of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks in California.

"I came here after looking for a permanent job. I was doing seasonal law enforcement. I applied for some jobs out at Mount Rushmore, then on a whim I figured I'd apply at the Pennington County Sheriff's Office," he said. "So I came out and visited, and I really liked the people, liked the area, like the culture. I liked that it's all about integrity and respect and how they want to protect people's rights and be a part of the community."

The beauty of the Black Hills and the cold climate is what drew Alejandro Rivera from San Diego to Rapid City to work as a juvenile correctional officer at the sheriff's office.

"I picked this job posting in particular because it's smaller and colder. The climate and geography out here are really cool," Rivera said. "The little kid in me really liked the dinosaurs you have here. Pretty, very humble place."

Rivera said he was impressed with the sheriff's office when he came to visit for a physical fitness test last summer, but had already committed himself to the job when he initially submitted his application.

"I already had my mind made up when I decided to apply that I was going to commit to it," he said.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The federal government is prompting hospitals to reduce "avoidable readmissions by administering Medicare penalties again in 2022, an effort that began as part of the Affordable Care Act about 10 years ago.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services examines readmissions in the following areas, according its website: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure (HF), pneumonia, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, and elective primary total hip arthroplasty and/or total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA).

Hospitals are evaluated on "30-day risk-standardized unplanned readmission measures."

The effort is called Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, described on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website as a Medicare value-based purchasing program that encourages hospitals to improve communication and care coordination to better engage patients and caregivers in discharge plans and, in turn, reduce avoidable readmissions.

A recent report from Kaiser Health News lists hospitals around the country that have incurred Medicare penalties, and it notes that 47% of hospitals throughout the country received such penalties. It also says that 82% of the hospitals "for which Medicare evaluated readmission rates received some penalty." Some hospitals, the report said, were exempt from evaluations due to a number of factors, such as their areas of specialty.

Jill Tice, vice president of quality, safety, and risk management at Monument Health, agreed that the conditions examined by the Centers do tend to be critical to watch for patient readmission.

Monument Health's Rapid City and Spearfish hospitals incurred Medicare penalties for 2022.

We started work on heart failure readmission more than 10 years ago, Tice said, noting one of the conditions prone to readmission. She also described a growing emphasis on working with patients on their discharge plans early in the patients' hospital stays.

We do follow-up calls to our discharged patients to touch base with them and to make sure they will be able to make their follow-up appointments, and to make sure they have transportation, she said. But she noted the unknown variable and unknown pieces of that patients situation that may lead to recurrence of illness.

Tice stressed the importance of seeking out same-day access facilities before problems become acute. Waiting several days and then going to an emergency room, she said, can increase the chance that readmission will be necessary.

Then its too late, because most of the time we do have to readmit that patient to get them re-stabilized, she said. Whereas if on those preceding days we can get them easily into an appointment to see a physician or an advanced practice provider, then we save that patient time. We save them from having to be readmitted into the hospital. And we dont want to see patients readmitted into the hospital.

Tice mentioned urgent care facilities as well as a Nurse Triage Line run by Monument Health where patients can receive immediate advice. People can call that line, free of charge, at 605-755-1350.

The following list contains South Dakota hospitals that have incurred Medicare reductions for 2022. Its part of a list compiled by Kaiser Health News, and a full interactive list can be found at https://khn.org/news/hospital-penalties/.

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls: .19% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Avera St. Lukes, Aberdeen: .05% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Avera St. Marys Hospital, Pierre: .97% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Brookings Health Systems: .22% decrease for excess rehospitalization; payments also reduced 1% because of hospital-acquired complications

Dunes Surgical Hospital, Dakota Dunes: 2.3% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital: .16% decrease for excess rehospitalization: payments also reduced 1% because of hospital-acquired complications

Monument Health Spearfish Hospital: .86% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, Inc., Watertown: .13% decrease for excess rehospitalization

Sanford Medical Center, Aberdeen: .44% decrease for excess rehospitalization; payments also reduced 1% because of hospital-acquired complications

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Letters to the editor, Nov. 5, 2021

Defund the police?

Voices are being raised across America demanding defund the police. The call, to most ears, sounds absurd. That would mean that our communities would be run by criminals. Contrary to any logic, the movement has gained traction. Movements like these are funded by individuals of wealth who have domestic and global political interests.

Could it be that they want local law enforcement to fail so that the public outcry would demand federal intervention in local police matters? This is known as centralizing power in Washington D.C.

When Barack Obama ran for president he stated to an audience that he would like to establish a National Security Force that was just as powerful, just as strong and just as well funded as the military. The title is innocent enough but it sounds very much like a national police force that would assume authority in local law enforcement. Governments have a ravenous appetite for money and power because they know whats best for you and me and they want to impose it on us. Always look for the motive behind the movement. If we lose local law enforcement, we lose our voice. Good-bye to dissent of any government overreach.

Thomas Udager, Rapid City

We must act now

During the pandemic of 2020, greenhouse gas emissions increased at rates greater than the previous year. Nonetheless, the United Nations warns us that numerous governments plan to continue drilling and mining fossil fuels at levels that threaten possible improvements.

For example, the United States has significantly increased coal production. Additionally, the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security have also warned that climate change will challenge our security by increasing the potential for conflicts over resources such as food and water.

And, the World Bank predicts that climate change will force over 200 million people to migrate to other locations or countries over the next few decades. It is simply undeniable that storms and draughts have become more frequent, intense, and destructive, while many communities also suffer because of sea level rise. If governments and people do not take drastic action, our future, and the futures of our children and grandchildren may be very tragic.

There have been numerous carbon fee and dividend proposals submitted to Congress in the past couple of years that would mitigate or even help solve the worlds climate change problems. As citizens we simply must demand that our government act and act now.

Harold Arns, Box Elder

Priorities are wrong

Reference the article about spending $15M on the Sheridan Lake/Catron intersection (Oct. 13, 2021). Mr. Tech and the City Council have their street priorities confused. Let's fix the secondary street potholes first. City Council members need to spend a few hours riding around our fair city to inspect their domain.

How about Cross St., West Dover, Fairview, 12th St, Quick Lane, etc. There are a lot more in dire need of repair. All school areas are busy at start and let-out times. Sheridan west to Catron could use a right turn lane but $15M seems like overkill.

Jim Schmitendorf, Rapid City

Sleep through it?

In his October 23 letter to the editor Rick Lewis claims he didn't vote for Trump because he likes him, but rather that he was the only person that would stand in the way of a movement designed to tear down and destroy our nation. Either Mr. Lewis was out of country on January 6th or possibly he slept through the whole day.

Doug Dobesh, Spearfish

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Town Pump Charitable Foundation will benefit Haven House Food Bank and Family Shelter in Hamilton, Stevensville Pantry Partners and Darby Bread Box with matching donations through Nov. 30.

Across Montana, over 100 food banks are participating in the Be A Friend in Deed, Helping Those in Need campaign and the Town Pump Charitable Foundation is matching $1 million in contributions during its 20th annual fundraising campaign.

The Foundation is matching up to $12,000 for Haven House, $6,000 for Family Shelter and $4,000 each for Stevensville Pantry Partners and Darby Bread Box.

Haven House Director Judy Williams said all financial and food item donations are a blessing.

Town Pump has so much money and them donating it to food pantries is so nice, she said. They really help us so much. There were certain years where they just took us over the hump. Were so glad to get their contributions.

Williams said the timing is perfect as the Haven House is making special Thanksgiving boxes for clients, as they have for years. The boxes are filled with traditional holiday foods like turkey and all the fixings.

It is our gift to the people who have registered with us and been our client for quite a while, Williams said. You cant just walk in and get a Thanksgiving box. I take all the registrations and have 130 so far, and will probably do 200.

She said the community is also great at having food drives and making donations.

Its very nice, she said. We also order specific food for our food boxes as we want to be sure what we offer will be here. We buy a lot of food all year round but for Thanksgiving, we spend the most money.

Currently Haven House has 920 registered clients and filled 280 boxes in October.

Its been smaller but now were getting more people, Williams said. COVID continues and it is an odd time. COVID knocked us for a loop as people werent coming in, we couldnt understand it. Before COVID, we used to do 400 boxes a month on a regular basis.

She said it may have been due to people receiving stimulus checks, extra food stamps and unemployment checks so people were able to buy their own groceries.

In Ravalli County, it was a big help because the average people working are not rich people, she said. So many people are not working now, its such a strange time.

Haven House does not do boxes for Christmas but does take names for the Bitterroot Valley Kiwanis Club who donates food boxes at that time.

Well take those names after Thanksgiving if they want us to do it, Williams said. People can donate here any time, the matching for Town Pump goes through November.

Haven House is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 316 N. Third St. in Hamilton.

Gary Locke of the Family Shelter of the Bitterroot said he is grateful for Town Pumps generosity that will match $6,000 for Family Shelter, an increase of $1,000 over last year.

We spent $36,000 on food last year and they helped us with $5,000 and they are helping us with $6,000 this year, Locke said. Price of food has gone up dramatically so the additional funds are needed.

Locke said the Family Shelter of the Bitterroot has served over 1,000 community meals in October, four nights a week.

The first 10 days of October we served 960 meals at a cost of about $3 per meal, he said. Prices keep going up and we have more people coming for meals.

The free community meals are served at participating churches with food made by volunteers. Meals are served in person or to go in take-out containers on Mondays and Tuesdays at Cornerstone Bible Church, 280 Fairgrounds Rd.; on Wednesdays at the Hamilton Assembly of God, 601 W Main St.; at this time, there are no meals served on Thursdays; and meals are served as takeout on Fridays at the Saint Francis Catholic Church Parish Center, 411 S. 5th, in Hamilton.

We are hoping to fill Thursdays, Locke said. There may be a church out there that wants to take it on as their project.

Locke thanks all who donate to the Town Pump matching funding.

Theyve got until the end of November, Locke said. I get a lot of help from those who donate in this community, theres no way I could do it all. I appreciate all the people.

Town Pump is matching $4,000 each for Stevensville Pantry Partners, 3614 Alc Way, Stevensville, and Darby Bread Box, an increase of $1,000 over 2020 for both pantries.

All funds raised locally stay in the communities.

Town Pump hopes to raise $5 million for Montana food banks this year and has raised over $40 million in 19 years, including about $8 million in matching grants from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation.

Food banks use the funds to purchase perishable food items and pay rent, utilities, and space for storage, refrigeration and freezing, helping the food bank organizations to stay open.

Bill McGladdery, of the Town Pump Charitable Foundation, said Montanas local food banks are vital during the continuing pandemic.

Please join Town Pump and our dedicated food bank partners in making a difference in the lives of our hungry neighbors by donating today at our businesses or directly to the food banks, McGladdery said.

Donations in Hamilton can be made at local Town Pumps, Lucky Lils, Magic Diamonds, the Quality Inn and directly to Haven House at P.O. Box 1343 or to Family Shelter at P.O. Box 656, both in Hamilton, MT 59840. Donations can be made in Stevensville at Lucky Lils, the Florence Town Pump and by mail at P.O. Box 806, Stevensville, MT 59870; and in Darby to the Bread Box at P.O. Box 189, Darby, MT 59829. To get the matching funding from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation make donations by Nov. 30, but the local food banks said donations are welcome anytime.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A Republican map has been selected as the finalist for determining Montanas two new congressional districts.

On a split vote Thursday evening, Districting and Apportionment Commission Chairwoman Maylinn Smith cast her deciding vote with the commission Republicans to select Congressional Proposal 12.

There had been major disputes among commissioners over the placement of four counties: Flathead, Gallatin, Lewis and Clark, and Park. Congressional Proposal 12 put Flathead and Gallatin Counties in the West district. Park and Lewis and Clark counties in the East.

For months the debate has centered on the West where creating a competitive district was possible. In the solidly Republican East, the commission recognized there was no chance to create a district winnable by candidates of both major political parties.

As Smith put it, "everyone wants to be in the West," which was true for blue cities like Helena, and Livingston, which didn't make the cut for the Western district. Smith said the Republican-drawn map created a West winnable by both parties.

This is a competitive district in the sense that we've shown that the right person can win this district and it is the district that I find is the fairest for Montana based on the volumes of comments we've gotten, Smith said. I appreciate that a lot of people are not going to be happy with me but that's what I'm going to go for.

The bipartisan commission consists of two Republicans and two Democrats appointed by the party leadership of the Montana Legislature. Smith, a professional mediator, was appointed by the Montana Supreme Court.

Republicans threw their weight behind Congressional Proposal 12 after almost discarding it two weeks ago. Thursdays more than five hours of public testimony included a rare public appearance by former Republican Gov. Marc Racicot endorsing the map.

With CP 12, Republicans on the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission sent some of Pondera County to a Western district for U.S. House mostly to accommodate including all of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in the West. The move put two Indian reservations in the West, something Smith indicated she preferred. There is a one-person difference between the population of the Western and Eastern districts. Republicans argued that their map produced a competitive Western District, one that Democrats would have won in the 2017 special election for U.S. House and again in the 2018.

Democrats had objected, arguing that the successful back-to-back years cited by Republicans were bookended by Republican wins in 2014, 2016 and 2020.

Republican Commissioner Jeff Essmann dismissed the notion that past results were enough to prove which partys candidates would win the West as drawn in CP 12. Candidates arent widgets, Essmann said.

So, there's a limit to how much we can learn from just looking and assuming that all candidates are created equal, Essmann said. Because we know they're not. Good candidates with good campaigns win. Even good candidates with bad campaigns lose. There's a human factor here that we can't and shouldn't ignore. So the question is, are we, is it looking at the past when we've had good races with good candidates? Do we think it looks fair? We do.

Smith had indicated hours earlier that her preference was that the commission's two Republicans and two Democrats reach consensus on a final map, though it had been clear for weeks the two factions werent coming to an agreement.

Among the concerns raised by Democrats in the final hours was that the partisan advantage in CP 12 favored Republicans by more than 5%, a competition threshold for the national organizations like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee deciding whether to invest in a House race. Commissioner Kendra Miller said CP 12 favored Republicans by 7%.

We've had testimony, talk about the fact that both the D triple C and you know, the RNC and your organizations, everyone targets seats that are between A D +5 and an R +5. Everyone, Miller said talking to the commissions Republicans. And there's less and less money and focus on seats that move outside of that small range. Again, a point that you made earlier at a previous meeting about polarization and nationalized election environments, and the fact that you can have really good candidates, but if you don't have them, you know, close, in terms of your sort of original advantage, you're creating for districts that likely aren't going to be competitive.

Democrats had proposed a map that had some of the elements Smith indicated she was looking for, like two Indian reservations in the West and the inclusion of Flathead County in its entirety in the West as well. But, in the final week before Thursdays selection, Democrats on the commission returned to Congressional Proposal 11, which sent the northern portion of Flathead County to the west, while sending Kalispell and the remainder of the Flathead county to the East. The map didnt include the Blackfeet Reservation in the west, leaving the Flathead Reservation as the only one in the Western district.

Smith said there could still be changes to CP 12, based on public testimony provided before the commissions next meeting Nov. 9.

Keep in mind, this is the map I'm moving forward, Smith said. It doesn't mean that that's going to be the exact final map. There can still be tweaks based on comments we get. I encourage people to give comments. I have to tell you I've been incredibly impressed with the comments that we received. They've been incredibly helpful for me to try and evaluate what to go forward with on this map on what's important or not.

A final map must be decided by Nov. 14. There is a meeting scheduled for Nov. 9 at which time the public will get to testify on the single finalist.

Montana had two U.S. House districts until the state turned in a poor showing for the 1990 Census. The old Western district had all the ingredients of blue-collar Democratic turf with union miners in Butte and organized workers in the lumber mills of the northwest. Voters in their industries coupled with two flagship university towns and two state college communities, favored Democrats.

The politics of Western Montana have changed dramatically, and the region is no longer a blue shoe-in for Democrats. Theres been strong growth in areas like Flathead and Ravalli counties that favor Republicans. The focus by Democrats on the Districting Commission has been to create a Western district thats competitive.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
The layoffs are slated to take place between Dec. 28 and Jan. 31, the WARN notice said.

Im estimating around 40 folks will be let loose in December, but of those, a fair amount of them are scheduled to go right over into another job, Smith said. Some people will stay a little longer to do the conversion, but it just depends on your position and what the need was.

The merger deal, announced June 1, has received regulatory approval, Smith said. A special meeting of Community Bankers Trust shareholders will be held on Nov. 16 to vote on it.

The acquisition is expected to be completed in early December, he said.

We dont anticipate any issues, Smith said.

Those employees being laid off will receive severance and outplacement services.

I will say United was very generous in the severance packages, and theyve included outplacement services for everybody, Smith said. Its not been as bad as things could be in these situations, thanks to Uniteds generosity and also the job market is good for folks right now. For me, thats a relief because they have been my friends and coworkers for a long time now.
Millions of leafy green plants now growing in a greenhouse in Goochland County have their roots in an idea that was planted almost five years ago.

The co-founders of Greenswell Growers, which is producing edible greens at a large indoor farm facility in the West Creek office park in Goochland, initially came together out of a desire to provide more fresh, nutritious produce for food-insecure people in the Richmond area.

The founders of Greenswell are Charles Chuck Metzgar, a former managing director for the human resources consulting firm Mercer; Doug Pick, the president and CEO of Feed More, the hunger relief agency that operates Virginias largest food bank; and John May, a retired technology industry professional and president and CEO of the Center for Innovation and Development in Kilmarnock.

The very simple, 40,000-foot story, is that Doug Pick needed more produce at Feed More, said Metzgar, a longtime friend of Picks who wanted to help Feed More obtain those resources.

We were going to go to farmers in the state of Virginia  field growers  to find the product, Metzgar said. We looked for almost a years period of time.

However, they were unable to find enough produce to supply Feed Mores needs.
Hendersons character of Dr. Allen made the cut from the first-year residents and is now entering her second season on The Good Doctor. (Summer Browns character, sadly, got the boot.)

Summer was amazing to work with. Warm, friendly and a gentle soul, Henderson said. The first year, I didnt know what the heck I was doing. I came on as a guest star. I was only guaranteed five episodes. I came for two months. Two months turned into eight months.

The Good Doctor films in Vancouver and last year, it filmed during the height of the pandemic. Flying home to Richmond where Hendersons family still lives for Thanksgiving wasnt an option.

All the newbies were in Vancouver, figuring out what we had signed up for. It was a hard transition. It was almost like working in a nightmare because of the pandemic, Henderson said. All of the newbies [including Summer] had Thanksgiving together. It was sort of sad, but we were all thankful that we were together.

But this year, with a full season under her belt, Henderson is hitting her stride.

Im doing a lot more work. I have a lot more onscreen time. I challenge myself every time the director says Action. I always want to make it new, Henderson said.
A chance encounter between a big, friendly dog and a mentally withdrawn teen who had been sexually assaulted was the light bulb moment for Powhatan County Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Rob Cerullo, who discovered canines can have a discernible calming effect on traumatized victims of crime.

In November 2020, Cerullo brought his new dog Olive  a then 12-month-old, 100-pound Bullmastiff  into the office to meet his co-workers. By coincidence, a 13-year-old rape victim arrived that morning to meet with another prosecutor who was assigned to the girls case.

She was very, very withdrawn, Cerullo said. She was not in the right mental space to meet with the prosecutor and be subjected to questions.

Then something remarkable happened. Olive, who was roaming the office, walked up to the girl, sat down in front of her and put her paw on the girls leg. Over the next 30 minutes, the girl was just having fun, petting Olive and loving on her, said Cerullo, who didnt learn of the connection until later.

It was a complete change in the girl, and she was much more open to talk to [the prosecutor], Cerullo said. The girl was so taken with Olive that she asked if the dog could be in the office when she returned the following week for another meeting.

It was at that moment that Cerullos colleague, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Gretchen Brown, suggested that Olive undergo training to become a certified courthouse therapy dog. Cerullo made the commitment and on Oct. 28, after nearly a year of training with Reach K-9 in Powhatan, Olive was sworn in by Circuit Judge Paul Cella as a certified therapy dog.

Olive is now one of at least four dogs being trained or already on the job in courthouses in the Richmond region. Their use in a criminal proceeding is authorized under Virginia law.

Since the concept was first put into practice in Seattle in 2004, a growing number of courts across the country are allowing professionally trained dogs to provide quiet companionship to frightened or intimidated victims and witnesses of crimes without causing any disruption to a legal setting  a practice that has been shown to ease their experiences in the criminal justice system.

As of Oct. 29, there were at least 272 courthouse facility dogs working in 41 states, including in seven localities in Virginia, according to the Courthouse Dogs Foundation in Bellevue, Wash. Because of differing training standards, the foundation does not recognize therapy dogs used in legal or court settings, so those types of canines are not included in its count.

The canines can be commanded to lie quietly in the witness box of a courtroom, offering a supportive presence that helps victims and witnesses compose themselves as they testify in a criminal case. They also are used behind the scenes to comfort victims and witnesses before court hearings and trials as prosecutors and judges try to elicit information necessary for cases to move forward.

The dogs are placed with handlers who are professionals in the legal field  usually prosecutors, investigators or victim advocates. The canines are working dogs that are chosen for their calm demeanors and ability to work in high-stress environments, the Courthouse Dog Foundation said on its website. When the dogs work is done, it goes home with its handler and is off duty, and enjoys life as a pet.

In Henrico County, a 7-month-old Aussiedoodle named Bailey, who was donated to the countys Victim Witness Assistance Program, has passed her first puppy class and now is undergoing the next phase of dog therapy training that will span many months. Bailey also is a student of Reach K-9.

The dog has been matched with Kristen Camp, a victim witness advocate, who has a passion for dogs and wanted to acquire a canine that could be trained for court purposes after researching the concept for years. She hopes to have Bailey certified by next spring or summer.

The goal is to have Bailey as a certified dog to provide comfort and support to victims of violent crime as they go through the court process, both in court preparation and during testimony in court, said Shelly Shuman-Johnson, director of Henricos Victim Witness Assistance Program.

Mitz, a 3-year-old Black Lab assigned to Judge M. Duncan Minton Jr. of Chesterfield County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, has completed his training as a courthouse facility dog and been on the job since July. Mitz was trained by St. Francis Service Dogs, a nonprofit organization in Roanoke that trains service and facility dogs.

Mitz lives with the judge, who is his primary handler. The judge even trained with the dog to learn what Mitz knows and how to handle him.

Minton said he looked into acquiring a trained facility dog after hearing about their benefits while attending judicial and commonwealths attorney conferences in recent years. Minton is a former Chesterfield prosecutor.

Mitzs role goes beyond comforting victims and witnesses. He also helps reduce the stress levels of courthouse staff who can vicariously experience the trauma of those impacted by crime, Minton said. Hes very popular.

As a facility dog, one of Mitzs jobs is to allow himself to be petted, because thats one way that he helps comfort both witnesses and victims, the judge said. Hes here for the staff, too, and thats what makes him a little bit different.

I have all sorts of people who come to visit or ask to visit him just when theyre having a rough day, Minton added. But his real specialty is with witnesses and victims, especially kids. But he even works with adult witnesses who are very nervous [because] theyre in an uncomfortable place, talking about uncomfortable things. Hes very good at reading people. Hes learned to read the stress of people.

One of the first people Mitz assisted was a 13-year-old girl who was a witness in a domestic dispute involving her parents. She was called into Mintons chambers to provide an account of what occurred.

She was very, very nervous about that, understandably, Minton said.

Once seated inside the judges office, Mitz went directly up to her, put his head in her lap and she just rubbed his ears while she told me what she needed to tell me, the judge said. And it was one of the most amazing things Ive seen.

When the girl finished providing her account, Minton asked how she felt when she got called into the judges chambers. She said, I felt like I was dying inside, Minton recalled.

The judge then asked if Mitz had helped her. She said I dont think I could have done it without him being here, Minton said.

So far, Mitz has been deployed only once in the courtroom. Hes been more commonly used by Chesterfields victim witness advocates or the Chesterfield Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center, Minton said.

Well have him sit with witnesses in the little antechambers before they go into the courtrooms, the judge said. Hell sit with them in there and just kind of calm everything down.

Mitz also has been called on to assist children who have been paired with guardian ad litems  attorneys appointed by the court to represent the interests of minors in cases involving divorce, child custody, child support and adoption. The attorneys will have Mitz spend time with the children to put them at ease before they have to go into court, Minton said.

Mitz has become a fixture in the courthouse. The judge brings him to work every day, and hes in court when Im in court.

Ive made it as comfortable for him [at the courthouse] as possible, Minton said. Hes got what we call his condo  a nice, soft-sided pet crate. He knows what desks to crawl under, he knows where he can go and where hes not supposed to go.

Hes just an amazingly calm and soothing animal, the judge added. And when hes home and not working, hes an amazingly fun and energetic puppy.

Although Henricos dog, Bailey, is still in the beginning stages of her training, she has been approved to assist victims and witnesses in court preparation meetings. In one such meeting two months ago with the mother and sister of a young man who had been slain, Bailey interacted with the family members; they loved having her by their side, staff members said.

The victims sister was sitting on the floor and loving on her, Camp said. She said Bailey was the best addition to our office.

Bailey also helped a young woman who was the victim of a sexual assault make it through a difficult meeting that required her to view a videotaped interview. She didnt like sitting through it and we had Bailey sit with her, and she was listening while she was loving on Bailey, Camp said.

In central Virginia, Nottoway County courts also have acquired a canine that has been trained as a victim witness therapy dog. Chance, a Goldendoodle, was certified in October and already has been used more than 10 times in a courtroom setting, said Chances handler, Rita Flippen, who serves as the countys victim witness program director.

People love him and he loves people  he loves kids, Flippen said. He is best in [providing] emotional support.

In the run-up to being certified as a therapy dog, Powhatans canine, Olive, had a similar intervention in June involving a 17-year-old girl who had been sexually battered. A juvenile boy was charged.

On the day of the trial, the girl was on edge as she waited about 45 minutes to testify. After Powhatan Victim Witness Assistance Program Director Wendy McClellan noticed the girls distress and texted Cerullo, the prosecutor took Olive to the girl to help calm her. Olive then entertained the girl by following Cerullos commands to follow, sit, heel and play fetch  a welcomed distraction as she waited to be called.

It made the waiting period go much quicker, Cerullo said. I hadnt even considered the advantage of the dog on young people. It gives them something to focus on other than [their bad experience].
Hanover was wrong on clinging to those Confederate school names before changing them last year. And itd be wrong not to act on a transgender policy.

But fear  as in so much of the politics in Virginia these days  is driving the transgender issue.

An oft-repeated story in the outcry against transgender bathroom access was a sexual assault that occurred in a girls bathroom of a Loudoun County High School. The incident stoked fears of random attacks on school girls by skirt-wearing boys. But according to the Washington Posts coverage of the Oct. 25 trial, the teenager had previously had consensual sex twice in the same bathroom before he assaulted the victim  a crime that occurred before Loudouns school district had a transgender policy.

People that believe that this is a political issue would indeed wait until they believe that they have a friendlier administration, says Jamie Nolan of Side by Side, a support organization for Virginias LGBTQ youth.

Side by Side is compiling a list of where Virginia school boards are in adopting a transgender policy. Im aware of others that are dragging their feet, she said.
Hanover County Schools have partnered with the Chickahominy Health District to host three vaccination clinics at schools starting next week for children ages 5 to 11.

Late last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved Pfizers COVID-19 vaccination for children in that age group. The clinics will be: Monday, Nov. 8, at Laurel Meadow Elementary School from 4 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 12, at Oak Knoll Middle School from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; and Monday, Nov. 15, at South Anna Elementary School from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.

Nov. 12 is now a student holiday and a teacher workday in Hanover County, rather than a half day for students.

Appointments are needed and can be made on the school divisions website, www.hcps.us, or by using a link sent out to parents by email on Thursday. Children must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone whos at least 18 years old and has a completed parental permission form, which can also be found online or within the parent email.

In Chesterfield County, children can now get vaccinated at the Chesterfield Health Districts Community Vaccination Center, 10161 Hull Street Road in the Rockwood Shopping Center, from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
In reality, Cox said, her daughter was a threat to no one, and that she was afraid for her safety in both the girls bathroom and the boys bathroom, ultimately using the nurses bathroom in her school.

Transgender student Auden Thies said being transgender is difficult and that for many transgender students, schools are an escape because their personal choices arent accepted in their own homes.

I had to learn to grow a thick skin, Thies said, and to those who are opposed to such policies because their children would be scared to use bathrooms with transgender students, it may seem scary [but] it can be scary for us, too.

Hunter Young, a father of two, said he and his wife took their two children out of Hanover schools earlier this year after learning that one of his daughters third-grade classmates was a boy who identified as a girl.

She didnt understand  why he wore dresses, Young said, and it was hard for her young mind to process.

Young said I have zero hatred in my heart for anybody, and that he was told by the principal that theres nothing that could be done. He said his daughter shouldnt be forced to call a boy by a girls name  I dont believe thats right.
Nationally, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that a third of parents with children ages 5 to 11 will wait and see how the vaccine works among youth. Amy Popovich, nurse manager at Richmond and Henricos health districts, is among the 27% of parents who plan to get their younger child vaccinated as soon as possible.

My youngest just turned 5 recently. I actually have three kids who are between the ages of 5 to 11. My kids are also in Richmond Public Schools and of course, had to wear masks and distance but we were also virtual last year, Popovich said in a Thursday media briefing. They also have the advantage of having a mom whos been involved in vaccine work and gotten to see the progress all along.

But whats been a persistent issue throughout the pandemic is how the access to resources varies depending on where a person lives, the job they have, whether their workplace offers paid leave and if they can reach the clinic by public transportation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classify these neighborhoods as having high levels of vulnerability based off poverty levels, limited English proficiency, crowded quarters and limited transportation. Theyre also mostly Black and Latino.
One day in October, CSO 11 at the base of Hollywood Cemetery had overflowed from a recent storm. So had six other pipes downstream. But all the pipes upstream from Belle Isle were clear, meaning that part of the river was safe for entry.

The department recommends rivergoers stay out of the James two to three days after an overflow at any point downstream from the spill. The map shows if a pipe has overflowed in the past 48 hours and when it occurred.

In July, a sewer line in Goochland County ruptured, sending 300,000 gallons of raw sewage into Tuckahoe Creek, which feeds into the river. The Virginia Department of Health advised against entering the water for almost a week.

Sewage contains fecal bacteria, including E. coli, and swallowing it can cause stomach illness, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. Touching it can infect the ears, nose, throat and skin.

Upstream is cleaner

With data telling experts which pipes overflow often and which dont, theyve learned that upstream is often cleaner than downstream. CSO 20, located near the Powhite Parkway, rarely overflows, LeRose said. Neither does CSO 33, which is located in Byrd Park.
A spokesman for Youngkin, who campaigned heavily on election integrity, said the son misunderstood Virginia's laws.

"Its unfortunate that while Glenn attempts to unite the Commonwealth around his positive message of better schools, safer streets, a lower cost of living, and more jobs, his political opponents  mad that they suffered historic losses this year  are pitching opposition research on a 17-year old kid who honestly misunderstood Virginia election law and simply asked polling officials if he was eligible to vote; when informed he was not, he went to school," Devin O'Malley said in a statement.

Virginia law allows any person who is 17 and will be 18 by Election Day to register in advance and vote in any intervening primary or special election.

Jennifer Chanty, a precinct captain, told The Washington Post she encountered the son, who left after initially being told he was too young to vote. She said he returned a short time later, saying a friend who was also 17 had been allowed to cast a ballot.
McAuliffe and Warner accomplished little in the first half of their terms, tripped up by a Republican-dominated legislature but as well by misplaced priorities. For example, Warner  with the state in the grip of recession  tried to convince lawmakers to end the only-in-Virginia restriction on governors serving consecutive terms.

There presumably is a lesson in this for Youngkin.

His selection of Jeff Goettman  a pal from high finance, a Trump-era adviser to the U.S. Treasury Department, a former top executive of the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the campaigns chief operating officer  suggests there is someone who could speak truth to power, telling Youngkin what he needs to know rather than what he wants to hear.

Though having at the top of the transition and, ultimately, the administration, a buddy, who is  as Youngkin is  unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of state government, can be perilous.

Just ask another Republican governor who snapped a Democratic win streak: George Allen, elected in 1993, and his successor, fellow Republican Jim Gilmore. Both appointed as their chiefs of staff aggressive political aides masterful at rubbing policy professionals the wrong way, even those with Republican credentials.
Democratic and Republican legislative leaders have nominated six candidates  three from each party  to assist the Virginia Supreme Court in redrawing the states legislative and congressional districts using new census data.

Under the constitutional amendment passed by voters last year, the redistricting job fell to the high court when the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission ended in a partisan deadlock. Rules published by the justices called for the party leaders of the House of Delegates and the Senate to recommend three or more special masters to help the justices draw the maps and they did so Monday.

The Democrats nominated:
A federal magistrate judge in Richmond and an assistant U.S. attorney in Norfolk have been recommended by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine to fill a federal judge seat in Richmond.

In a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday, the senators recommended U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Hanes, who has served as a federal magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2020, and Melissa OBoyle, who has been an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District since 2007.

The vacancy was created when Judge John A. Gibney Jr. assumed senior status, or semi-retirement, on Monday.

[W]e believe either of these individuals would win confirmation from the Senate and serve capably on the bench, wrote the senators. The White House will now nominate one individual for the vacancy to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee and later by the full Senate.

Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, said Hanes is a former federal public defender and gained experience as a litigation specialist for plaintiffs in consumer protection cases prior to becoming a magistrate judge.

Shes terrific and I think shed be a great district judge, he said.
******

Wed like to thank Republican state Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth for launching an inquiry into the books lining the shelves of public schools across Texas. No, really. Thank you.

Sometimes we forget what its like to be a kid, driven by a bubbling curiosity and that indomitable impulse to do the opposite of what adults say. What more ingenious way to persuade students to read than to type up a 16-page list of books and tell schools that those titles are being investigated?

Most of the 850 titles relate to race or sexuality. We wonder how Krause so diligently arrived at his list of 850 suspicious books. We do know he is running to unseat Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2022.

If Krause wants to distract overworked educators from the crucial job of making up COVID-19 learning losses so they can review hundreds of books, then he must sincerely believe this fishing expedition is the best use of their time. If he wants to shield children from difficult topics and ideas that might challenge them, hes gone about it in a way that will only stoke their interest in what he deems forbidden.

Krause might think he is doing the right thing for our kids. Otherwise, hes sabotaging childrens education to score political points.
The seeds are a mix of genotypes and chemotypes, Zinski said. Some will produce high levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in weed. Plants from others will produce mostly CBD, a not intoxicating chemical. All the seeds will be labeled so recipients know what theyre getting.

I dont know if youve priced cannabis seeds lately  theyre sold online through many different distributors. But they can easily cost upward of $10 per seed for THC-producing plants, and $5 for plants that produce CBD. And thats when youre buying them in lots of 10 or more.

Zinski conservatively estimates the retail value of the giveaway at $500,000 in marijuana seeds, which is nothing to blow smoke at. And he says hes cleared the legality of the giveaways with an attorney.

Cannabis seeds themselves do not contain THC, so giving them away is completely legal, he said. The seeds I had to buy legally for my hemp field are identical, Zinski added.

And all that suggests that no matter what happens with marijuana laws under a new Republican governor (and an apparent new Republican majority in the House of Delegates), theres going to be plenty of weed around for Virginians who seek it.

Who knows? Your neighbors might be growing plants from Zinskis seed giveaway in their back yards next summer.

Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or dan.casey@roanoke.com . Follow him on Twitter: @dancaseysblog .

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Pursuant to this goal, the plan calls for reaching out to the states under-represented communities in order to promote and explain these talent pathway programs, with information readily available about cost and potential debt as well as graduate rates, likelihood of job placement and potential earnings.

The sum total of all this amounts to building connections between Virginia students and Virginia businesses, so the businesses can be assured of a talent pool full of candidates that have the right skills, and students dont have to leave Virginia to land a better-paying job.

Some familiar names have signed on with this campaign. Carilion Clinic CEO Nancy Agee serves as vice chair of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council board and is actively talking up Growth4Va. VBHEC board chair Dennis Treahy is a past rector of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, and Tech President Timothy Sands also sits on the board, as well as Roanoke Valley business leader and philanthropist Heywood Fralin. Packed with CEOs and college presidents, the roster also includes University of Virginias College at Wise Chancellor Donna Price Henry; Mark Pace, president of E.C. Pace Co. in Roanoke; Commonwealth Care of Roanoke CEO Deborah Petrine; and Michael Quillen, founder of Alpha Natural Resources in Abingdon.
" " Caspar /Pixabay Scientists have detected light echoing from behind a black hole for the first time.

If you know what a black hole is, you're probably aware that it can contain as much mass as billions of stars, compressed into a much smaller space, and have such a powerful gravitational pull that even light can't escape its grasp.

But even though it's not possible to see into a black hole, it is possible to see light that's coming from behind one. In a paper published July 28, 2021, in the scientific journal Nature, researchers from Stanford University, Penn State University and Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) describe the first-ever observation of light apparently being emitted from the far side of a supermassive black hole located in I Zwicky 1, a galaxy 800 million light-years away from Earth.

Advertisement

The researchers used European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton and NASA's NuSTAR space telescopes to take a look in the vicinity of a distant black hole, which has a diameter of 18.6 million miles (30 million kilometers) and contains about 10 million times the mass of our sun, according the ESA website.

During that work, the team's lead researcher, Stanford University astrophysicist Dan Wilkins, observed bright flares of X-rays coming from gas falling into the black hole, according to a Stanford news release. But then he noticed something unexpected  small flashes of X-rays that were different in "color," the term used to describe intensity.

" " XMM-Newton, also known as the High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy Mission and the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, is an X-ray space observatory launched by the European Space Agency in December 1999. It has seen light echo from behind a black hole for the very first time. European Space Agency

The pattern of the flashes indicated that X-rays were being reflected from behind the black hole, as the supermassive object warped space-time and bent light  a phenomenon that was predicted by theoretical physicist Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity (AKA general relativity), published back in 1915, but which up to this point never actually had been confirmed.

"Any light that goes into that black hole doesn't come out, so we shouldn't be able to see anything that's behind the black hole," Wilkins, a research scientist at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, explained in the news release.

It is another strange characteristic of the black hole, however, that makes this observation possible. "The reason we can see that is because that black hole is warping space, bending light and twisting magnetic fields around itself," Wilkins said.

While astrophysicists began speculating about how the magnetic field might behave close to a black hole many years ago, "they had no idea that one day we might have the techniques to observe this directly and see Einstein's general theory of relativity in action," another of the paper's co-authors, Stanford physic professor Roger Blandford, said in the release.

The researchers originally set out to study a different aspect of black holes. When gas is pulled into a supermassive black hole, it superheats to millions of degrees, causing electrons to separate from atoms and form a magnetized plasma that arcs high over the hole and twirls and breaks, in a way that resembles our sun's corona.

Scientists' effort to learn more black holes' coronas will continue, with the ESA's Athena (Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics) X-ray observatory as one of the tools.

Now That's Interesting Scientists eventually hope to use data from the X-ray echoes to create a 3-D map of the black hole's surroundings, according to ESA.
But that growth was concentrated in areas like Horry County, Charleston and the rest of the coast, York and northern Lancaster County near Charlotte, North Carolina, and around Greenville and Spartanburg.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Fourteen of the 16 districts represented by Democrats in 2021 either lost population or failed to gain people as fast as the state average. That meant many inland districts between Columbia and the coast had to cover larger areas, eventually eating up that one district near Columbia.

For example, Democratic state Sen. Brad Hutto's district, anchored in Orangeburg County, was stretched north to include parts of Aiken and Lexington counties. The district lost its portion of Hampton and Colleton counties.

Districts in Horry and York counties and the Charleston region shrank in area.

The map keeps 19 mostly smaller, rural counties intact in one district, up from 11 counties in the 2010 map, Roberts said.

Union County and its 27,000 people is the smallest county in the state to be split into three districts.

This is probably one of the hardest draws Ive come across in many years, Roberts said.



Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Lt. Governor-elect Winsome Sears achieved historical success once before when in 2002 she became the first Black Republican woman elected to the House of Delegates, defeating a 20-year incumbent Democrat. Her victory is a slap in the face to those Democrats who are the real racists when they keep pitting us against each other. In social media posts and in campaign mailers, there was a photo of Sears carrying a rifle, apparently to demonstrate her support for the Second Amendment. This played well in rural Virginia.

It was a clean sweep for Republicans as they also took back the office of attorney general and flipped the House of Delegates from Democrat to a GOP majority. Suddenly all those claims that Virginia has turned irreversibly blue seemed to have been wishful thinking by Democrats and the media, which kept promoting it as a state lost forever to Republicans. Independents, who helped Joe Biden win the state by 10 points last year, moved in large numbers to Youngkin.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who made a video targeting Virginias black church members, urging them to vote for McAuliffe, predicted before the election that results in Virginia would forecast what next years congressional races will look like, as well as the 2024 presidential contest. Republicans can only wish she has the gift of prophecy.
 "Prosecutorial Elections: The New Frontline in Criminal Justice Reform" | Main | Notable OLC opinion on "Home Confinement of Federal Prisoners After the COVID-19 Emergency" 

January 21, 2021

Anyone bold enough to make predictions about the federal prison population  which is now at 151,646 according to BOP?

Regular readers know that I have been following federal prison population data quite closely during the COVID era and giving particular attention to the numbers the federal Bureau of Prisons updates weekly at this webpage. This morning, which just happens to be the first full day of the new Biden Administration, BOP reports "Total Federal Inmates" at 151,646. I am very curious to hear predictions as to what this number might be a year from now, or two years from now, or four years from now.

Here is some notable recent historical perspective. Thanks to the wayback machine, we can see here that during Prez Trump's first week in office in late January 2017, BOP was reporting 189,212 total federal inmates. Because I cannot find parallel data going back to the Obama inaugural months, I can just link to BOP historical data showing the federal prison population was reported at 201,668 at the end of 2008 and was at 218,687 at the end of 2012. So, roughly speaking, the federal prison population increased by 17,000 persons during Prez Obama's first term (roughly 8%), and then it declined nearly 20,000 persons during Prez Obama's second term (roughly 9%). And then the federal prison population decreased by nearly 38,000 persons(!) during Prez Trump's term (nearly 20%).

Gosh knows I would not have predicted that the federal prison population would have increased so significantly during Prez Obama's first term, and I also would not have predicted that this prison population would have decreased so much more significantly during Prez Trump's time in office. Of course, the unpredictable COVID pandemic is a big part of this Trump era story, but BOP data shows that the federal prison population was declining at a pretty steady clip even in the pre-COVID years of the Trump era despite the fact Trump's Justice Department back in 2017, as noted here, was forecasting prison population increases.

In short, hindsight shows that the direction of the federal prison population is quite hard to predict. So, all the more reason for me to want to hear any and all new predictions now. I am tempted to predict the federal prison population will be relatively steady during the Biden years, at least initially. Though I would like to see Biden's Justice Department do a lot more to get a lot more vulnerable inmates out of federal prisons, I suspect it may be many months before we see any big DOJ policy changes and likely many more months before any big policy changes start to impact the federal prison population. (I would love to see the Biden Administration have the gut to set a target of a federal prison population under 100,000, but I will save discussion of that idea for a future post.)

So, dear readers, any federal prison population predictions for the Biden era?

January 21, 2021 at 11:33 AM | Permalink

Comments

If Biden or Congress do not repeal Jeff Sessions 2016 memo to the Federal Government which told the Federal Justice System to resume charging for "Ghost dope"(Relevant conduct, Trafficking conspiracy, which charges and forces people to plead guilty of "said" drug amounts. The drug amounts come from someone they know, who was arrested.) which was abolished by Attorney General Eric Holder who instructed the Fed. Justice department to stop putting said, Drug amounts on peoples charges that came from thin air, because it would trigger extremely harsh sentences without actual evidence of "stated" drugs. These statements come from a unreliable, co-conspirator looking for a lighter sentence, making them embellish on amounts at investigators pressure.

This Country should only send people to prison on real evidence. Not just on people's "words" - So if this is not taken away again by the Biden administration and these people (there are 100's, especially in Texas) let go, you will see a huge influx, there is only a pause because of the elderly sick being sent home because of Covid. It will skyrocket. Will Biden fix this unconstitutional way of throwing people in Fed. prison for decades? He better or we will all know someone, if it's not you, in Federal Prison. I know for a fact that people have put drugs on people because of all kinds of reasons. They don't like them, or the case I know about, because the girl slept with her boyfriend. She is in Prison for 16 years because of it.

Posted by: Lisa Sciretta | Jan 22, 2021 12:28:38 AM



A Death Sentence

On Jan 26th I am expected to agree to a Plea & be remanded into custody...

A Death Sentence I am reaching out to address a situation I have found myself, once again, involved in. I am looking at an Active prison sentence of 13-20 months in the North Carolina Prison System! All told I have already done 12 1/2 years of incarceration. For the same thing...the definition of insanity??...



To start at the beginning would be to begin with the end

I am 64 years old, a recovering addict (finally) It took a lot of hard, tear filled years behind those prison walls before I finally breached the addictive personality I had so carefully cultivated. The walls & barriers I had built, layer upon layer of lies, slathered with deceit, sealed with self sabotage came tumbling down around me.. I began to embrace this novel idea of sobriety.

Until I was incarcerated in North Carolina I was never offered any sort of Recovery programs. After spending 2 years in Swannanoa Correctional Institution, an Honor Grade Camp located in the Swannanoa Valley nestled amongst the Blueridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, 3 years of Drug offender probation, weekly drug screens, I graduated back into the free world.

Only to be caught up with a C.I. (Confidential Informant) For one weekend I fell back into the old grunge, I picked up some cocaine (.2 grams then .4 grams) Mere crumbs!! After being badgered by this manmany text messages & phone calls later I fell into the abyss of the Cleveland County Narcotics Squad...Charged with 2 counts of Sales & Delivery W/ISMD (Intent to sell, manufacture & Deliver) I am now looking at a DEATH SENTENCE

In July of 2017 I attended the Phoenix drug program in Cleveland county. About midway through completion I was pulled from class by a counselor & told that my eyes were blood shot & pinned, my speech slurred that I was Obviously High & where did I want to be taken to? They drove me to my girlfriends house, leaving my personal vehicle on the Phoenix property. I was literaly dro[[ed off on the side of the road. Realizing something was wrong I proceeded to the Emergency Room of the Shelby NC Hospitol. After being seen by a NP I was informed that I had been suffering a stroke!!

I was given a certificate of complettion & not allowed back on the Phoenix property. Abandoned by the Court ordered Drug rehab I was, once again left up to my own twisted notion of life on lifes terms

I am the sole caregiver of my 84 year old Mother. She suffers from a low immune disease called ThrombosisHer Platelets are too low. I, myself suffer from several pre-covid-existing chronic medical issues, C.O.P.D., Osteoarthritis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, Cystoid Pancreatitis, along with several more. For me to enter the Festering Prison System at this time would absolutely be a Death Sentence...

I managed to get a continuance on my court date. In January I am expected to enter into a Plea agreement for 13-20 months, to be remanded into custody to begin sentence in Raleigh, NC Prison.

I'm not afraid of the time, this I could do standing on my head if it were not for this Pandemic & the fact that my Mom is so ill & in need of my caregiving. I need a Prison Diversion, an Alternative sentence.

I need an Advocate!! Please help me to reach out in the right direction!?

Would it be plausible to withdraw or terminate the court ordered Public Defender that is representing me & hire a private atty on Jan. 26th? Will this buy me a bit more time? I am prepared to do so...

Thank you,

Scheryl Reese

AKA

Sharky

Lyrehcseseer@gmail.com



Posted by: Scheryl Kniebes Reese | Jan 22, 2021 5:23:14 AM

Post a comment
 Split Sixth Circuit panel finds multiple errors in district court's reduction of LWOP sentence via 3582(c)(1)(A) | Main | Federal prison population has now grown more than 4,300 persons (almost 3%) in just last six month 

Stateline has this effective piece, headlined "Oregons Drug Decriminalization May Spread, Despite Unclear Results," providing an update of sorts on Oregon's experience one year after a ballot initiative enacted statewide drug decriminalization. I recommend the full piece, and here are excerpts:

Progressive lawmakers and civil rights groups want more states to follow Oregons recent example and drop criminal penalties for carrying small amounts of heroin, cocaine or other drugs, and to spend more money on addiction recovery services. They say substance use disorder should be treated as a disease, rather than as a crime.

Democratic lawmakers in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont all proposed decriminalization bills this year. Advocacy groups hope to get a decriminalization measure on the ballot in Washington in 2022 and in California in 2024, said Matt Sutton, director of public relations for the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit. The Drug Policy Alliance helped fund the ballot initiative that resulted in Oregons new law, which took effect in February.

But Oregons experience shows that its easier to eliminate criminal penalties than to ramp up behavioral health services and get more people to use them. In fact, critics of decriminalization say such policies could decrease access to treatment, because fewer low-level offenders will be pushed into court-ordered programs....

The law will use marijuana tax revenue  plus any criminal justice money saved through decriminalization  to fund organizations that help people seek and maintain sobriety. Those services could include peer support groups and transitional housing programs. Such organizations will get about $300 million over the next two years [which is estimated to be] about five times the amount Oregon is currently spending on services that arent provided through Medicaid, the public health insurance program for people who have low incomes or disabilities. About $30 million already has been disbursed....

Drug arrests and convictions have plummeted in Oregon since February. The ballot measure made possessing small amounts of drugs  such as less than a gram of heroin, or less than two grams of cocaine  a civil citation punishable by a $100 fine rather than a crime. It also downgraded felony charges to misdemeanors for possessing slightly larger amounts.

The measure established a hotline that people whom police ticket for possession can call to undergo a health assessment. If they complete the assessment, they can get their citations waived, even without further treatment or other services. The law also requires the state to establish addiction recovery centers to connect people who use drugs with treatment or other assistance, such as housing or overdose prevention education.

Before decriminalization, in 2019, Oregon law enforcement officers made more than 6,700 arrests and courts issued more than 4,000 convictions for drug possession in cases where possession was the most serious potential charge, according to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.... Between February and August this year, law enforcement made 1,800 arrests for such possession crimes and courts issued 364 convictions. Defendants most likely were arrested for carrying large amounts of drugs or for drug dealing offenses, said Ken Sanchagrin, executive director of the commission.

Decriminalization doesnt appear to be leading to a rise in drug-related crime, such as property crime. Property crimes in the state actually decreased this year, according to data provided by the criminal justice commission and the judicial department.

Its less clear whether decriminalization has led more people to seek help for substance use disorders. Defendants failed to show up in court to make their case against about half of 1,300 citations issued through September for possession of small amounts of drugs, according to the Oregon Judicial Department. In only seven cases did defendants submit a health assessment to get their fines waived. To critics of the new law, the seldom-used hotline proves that decriminalization isnt working....

Policymakers nationwide likely will be watching Oregon for policy insights, said Beau Kilmer, director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center at the RAND Corporation, a California-based research group. But the Oregon law is so new  and is being implemented at such an unusual time, during a global pandemic  that its hard to tell whether its working as intended, he said. I suspect voters in other states will be considering this before we have hard evidence on it.
 "Specialization in Criminal Courts: Decision Making, Recidivism, and Re-victimization in Domestic Violence Courts in Tennessee" | Main | Is longest prison term for Jan 6 rioter, and a possible new benchmark, coming this week? 

November 5, 2021

SCOTUS grants cert on two (consolidated) cases to consider physician criminal liability for unlawfully dispensing prescription drugs

The Supreme Court this afternoon issued this new short order list that grants certiorari in a few new cases, including a (consolidated) pair of criminal matters involving whether and when doctors can be criminal liable for unlawfully dispensing prescription drugs. The two cases are Ruan v. US, No. 20-1410, and Kahn v. US, No. 21-5261, and here is the question presented in the first of these:

Whether a physician alleged to have prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice may be convicted of unlawful distribution under 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1) without regard to whether, in good faith, he reasonably believed or subjectively intended that his prescriptions fall within that course of professional practice.

November 5, 2021 at 06:20 PM | Permalink

Comments

Also took a Bivens case but turned down an offer to decide to chuck the whole thing out.

Posted by: Joe | Nov 6, 2021 1:10:26 PM

Generally, the Feds do not go after physicians over their narcotic prescribing practices unless they are way over the line, not even close to accepted normal medical practices. But occasionally, the Feds prosecute a well-intentioned physician who is just being a liberal physician, and not acting like a drug dealer. I learned a lot about this area of law after spending 5 years litigating the Habeas Corpus Motion (2255) of my friend Ali Sawaf, who had been a urologist in the U.S. since the 1960s. We eventually secured his release from prison, based upon ineffective assistance of counsel at plea bargaining. See, Ali H. Sawaf v. United States, 570 F. App'x. 544 (6th Cir. 2014) (unpublished). Sawaf ended up serving 13.5 years of a 20 year sentence, in part because it took 5 years to litigate his habeas corpus motion. Defense counsel had told him to turn down a 41 month plea offer, because he thought he could get him acquitted based upon entrapment. His young defense lawyer never gave Dr. Sawaf any estimate of the length of sentence he was facing if he went to trial and was convicted on all counts. Dr. Sawaf was convicted at trial on most counts and received a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years [section 841(b)(1)(C)]. Sawaf's trial was the first Federal criminal trial for the District Judge [Karen Caldwell] after she was confirmed by the Senate. It was also the first Federal criminal trial for the AUSA and for Sawaf's defense lawyer (who was only 3 years out of law school). Judge Caldwell sat on Sawaf's 2255 Motion for 3.5 years before denying it. She even waited more than 7 months after his evidentiary hearing before denying it. It took 1.5 years to get the Sixth Circuit to reverse Judge Caldwell and direct her to grant habeas corpus relief to Dr. Sawaf. Judge Caldwell refused to grant Sawaf a bond, even though it was clear he would be released from prison. She kept him incarcerated from June 2014 until September 2014, when Sawaf was re-sentenced to "time served".

A huge problem with Sawaf's case is that the Government did not present any evidence of drug quantity at sentencing or re-sentencing. Rather, the AUSA got Judge Caldwell to extrapolate from the trial testimony of the Government's expert witness physician, who had reviewed only a sample (5%) of Dr. Sawaf's more than 2,000 patient files. He testified at trial only about the narcotics prescriptions written in about 100 patient files. At sentencing, Judge Caldwell extrapolated from the prescriptions written in those 100 files, to including every narcotic pills prescribed for more than 2,000 patients in every file. No physician reviewed or gave an expert opinion about the narcotics prescriptions written for more 1,900 patients, but all of those pills were used by Judge Caldwell at sentencing to give Dr. Sawaf a 20-year statutory maximum sentence. Dr. Sawaf's young defense lawyer did not object at the Sentencing Hearing, and he did not raise the issue in Dr. Sawaf's direct appeal, which he also handled. So, if the U.S. Supreme Court decides these two new cases "the right way", it may be possible for Dr. Sawaf to later file a Petition for a Writ of Error Coram Nobis, to get his convictions vacated and set aside. Now, the 80-year old Dr. Sawaf can just wait.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Nov 7, 2021 10:04:26 AM

I wonder how many states have laws similar to the federal one that creates an exception to the general rule that it is not unlawful to prescribe a Schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance. My state appears to incorporate the federal rule by reference but it is unclear if there is a criminal penalty for improperly prescribing a controlled substance.

Posted by: tmm | Nov 8, 2021 10:05:15 AM

tmm -- My friend Ali Sawaf, M.D. was prosecuted under both Kentucky state law and under Federal law, but his state sentence ran concurrently with his Federal sentence. He was first indicted and prosecuted under Kentucky state law, but then the Feds picked up the case and also indicted Sawaf under Federal law.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Nov 8, 2021 9:22:51 PM

Post a comment
 Federal prison population has now grown more than 4,300 persons (almost 3%) in just last six month | Main | SCOTUS grants cert on two (consolidated) cases to consider physician criminal liability for unlawfully dispensing prescription drugs 

November 5, 2021

"Specialization in Criminal Courts: Decision Making, Recidivism, and Re-victimization in Domestic Violence Courts in Tennessee"

The title of this post is the title of this new paper now available via SSRN authored by Aria Golestani, Emily Owens and Kerri Raissian. Here is its abstract:

Local governments increasingly rely on specialized or problem solving courts as a way to improve the provision of criminal justice. Using administrative data on misdemeanor DV cases between 2000 and 2006, we exploit the arbitrary courtroom assignment of low-income defendants to evaluate the social impact of specialized domestic violence courts in the General Sessions Court of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. We find that, compared to traditional court, defendants assigned to specialized court are less likely to be convicted, but no more likely to be charged with a future crime 1 to 3 years later. This offender-focused measure of recidivism masks a potentially important increase in safety. Police records suggest that victims in cases assigned to specialized court are less likely to be involved in a future domestic incident. Conditional on future police involvement, these same victims appear to be more willing to cooperate with police and prosecutors.

November 5, 2021 at 12:26 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment
Rudy Giuliani says its not his job to check if his own false election fraud claims were accurate

Rudy Giuliani has admitted under oath that he made no effort to verify some of the central claims he made about the alleged theft of the 2020 election from Donald Trump  even saying that it was not his job to do so.

In video footage obtained by CNN, a lawyer deposing Mr Giuliani as part of a lawsuit against him asks whether or not he checked that the information he was supposedly given was accurate, specifically referring to the bizarre conspiracy theory that Venezuelan connections interfered with software supplied by Dominion Voting Systems.

"We had a report that the heads of Dominion and Smartmatic, Mr Giuliani said, somewhere in the mid-teens, you know 2013-14, whatever, went down to Venezuela for a get-to-know meeting with [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro so they could demonstrate to Maduro the kind of vote fixing they did for [Hugo] Chavez.

Pressed on how he knew this, Mr Giuliani replied: Thats what I was told ... Before the press conference I was told about it. However, he also asserted that it should not fall to him to ascertain whether what he was told was true.

Sometimes I go and look myself when stuff comes up. This time, I didnt have the time to do it  Its not my job in a fast-moving case to go out and investigate every piece of evidence thats given to me. Otherwise youre never gonna write a story, you never come to a conclusion.

For her part, Ms Powell  an attorney who has propagated some of the most unhinged conspiracy theories about the election, including to audiences of QAnon believers  said that correcting the record about false claims she herself had made didnt seem to be a material part of the inquiry.

CNN obtained exclusive video that shows Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani, attorney Sidney Powell and others being deposed about their election lies. pic.twitter.com/RhK7CtMfZN  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) November 5, 2021

Mr Giuliani was being deposed as part of a lawsuit brought by former Dominion Voting Systems executive Eric Coomer, who alleges that Mr Giuliani, Ms Powell and others in the Trump circle defamed him in the course of their campaign to overturn the election results. Dominion is suing Mr Giuliani and Ms Powell separately, demanding $1.3bn in damages from each on the grounds that they destroyed the value of its business.

Story continues

Reacting to the deposition video, CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said Mr Giulianis admission could be disastrous for the media outlets, including Fox News, that put [his claims] out uncritically.

In order to win a libel, the plaintiffs have to show a reckless disregard for the truth, Mr Toobin said on New Day. That deposition, to me, looks like the definition for reckless disregard for the truth.

Mr Giuliani, who served as personal attorney to Mr Trump during the latter years of his presidency, faces other serious legal risks, chief among them a federal criminal investigation into his dealings in Ukraine.

According to recent reports, New York prosecutors have compiled evidence that they claim implicates Mr Giuliani in illegal quid-pro-quo dealings with Ukrainian authorities and business interests. His outreach to Ukrainian authorities to investigate members of the Biden family was a core part of the case that led to Mr Trumps first impeachment.

Read More

Months after raid, review of seized Giuliani files continues

Everything to know about Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate in NYC mayor race

Ex-Rep. Vito Fossella makes post-scandal comeback bid in NYC
My how quickly things can change with the right message and the right messenger.

Glen Youngkins impressive victory over Democrat re-tread Terry McAuliffe in the race for Virginia governor ought to be a reminder that kindness wins over name-calling and that issues are more important than personality.

Parents in Virginia saw the curtain pulled back on the indoctrination of values counter to their own in public schools. McAuliffe denied Critical Race Theory (CRT) was being taught in public schools, but a visit to the Virginia Department of Education web page shows three different instances in which it was promoted, including back in 2015 when McAuliffe was governor. The site also uses the term white fragility and references a presentation that encourages teachers to embrace Critical Race Theory in order to re-engineer attitudes and belief systems. The constant focus on race, class and division is wearing thin and it would appear, at least in Virginia, that many voters have tired of it.

Wall Street Journal columnist Holman Jenkins wrote its time for Democrats to retire the white sheets. Can we move on from divide and conquer in favor of promoting togetherness as Americans? In his victory speech that is what Youngkin did, speaking less about himself and more about his fellow Virginians and fellow Americans. Donald Trump take note.

Lt. Governor-elect Winsome Sears achieved historical success once before when in 2002 she became the first Black Republican woman elected to the House of Delegates, defeating a 20-year incumbent Democrat. Her victory is a slap in the face to those Democrats who are the real racists when they keep pitting us against each other. In social media posts and in campaign mailers, there was a photo of Sears carrying a rifle, apparently to demonstrate her support for the Second Amendment. This played well in rural Virginia.

It was a clean sweep for Republicans as they also took back the office of attorney general and flipped the House of Delegates from Democrat to a GOP majority. Suddenly all those claims that Virginia has turned irreversibly blue seemed to have been wishful thinking by Democrats and the media, which kept promoting it as a state lost forever to Republicans. Independents, who helped Joe Biden win the state by 10 points last year, moved in large numbers to Youngkin.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who made a video targeting Virginias black church members, urging them to vote for McAuliffe, predicted before the election that results in Virginia would forecast what next years congressional races will look like, as well as the 2024 presidential contest. Republicans can only wish she has the gift of prophecy.

The New Jersey governors race is neck and neck at this writing, another shock to Democrats in a deeply blue state. And Minneapolis voters, apparently, took a sanity pill and refused to cancel their police department, despite millions of dollars that poured into the city from left-wing groups, most of them outside the city and state.

Youngkin perfectly positioned himself when it came to Trump and his supporters. He did not reject Trumps endorsement, but neither did he dwell on it, or ask the former president to campaign for him. Those rural voters who voted for Trump appeared comfortable voting for Youngkin. Will that strategy work elsewhere? It might. A lot depends on whether Trump runs in 2024.

Youngkin and his administration will be judged on whether they are able to fulfill their promises, which is as it should be. Meanwhile for Virginia Republicans, happy days are here again, at least for now.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Dale Nichols painting hung on the living room wall of the Omaha home, a backdrop to the familys lives for three generations.

Until they decided to sell its contents, two siblings who grew up in the house  who want to remain anonymous  had no idea the work in oils hadnt been seen since an exhibition in New York in 1938. Or that Dan Sanley had been searching for it for years.

Its a painting from his Uncle Dave and Aunt Lilas farm near Surprise, Nebraska. Lilas told Sanley the story of how her brother had created The Sanley Farm while sitting in a cornfield in 1933, unfazed by the winter days freezing temperatures. Hes best known for his rural landscapes.

This was his first oil painting and red barn. He was famous for subsequent red barns in his rural paintings, Sanley said. Its the only rural painting he did from reality. All the rest of his paintings were his own concepts.

The painting sold for $350 in New York in 1938. A photograph of it was featured in the World-Heralds farm report in 1940, but then it seemed to vanish.

The bill of sale from that New York show  stuck to the back of the painting  was a delightful surprise when Joel Ward, owner of Twist of Fate Estate Sales, moved it to a safer spot for the sale this weekend. The address of the home will be released on its website Friday morning.

Ward discovered the paintings history and Sanleys search as he was preparing for the sale. Sanley had created a Facebook page called Nebraska Bohemians in 2011 to celebrate his Czech heritage, and had posted details about the painting, but no one had ever come forward. The World-Herald also did an article that year about its disappearance.

He (Sanley) was beyond excited that we had located the painting, Ward said. I texted him a picture. I think he was kind of in disbelief.

Sanley, who is 73 and now living in San Diego, said he and his siblings still own the family farm east of Surprise and adjacent to the farm in the painting. Sanley is working with the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City to try to acquire the painting and preserve the Nichols history.

The museum has 11 original Nichols paintings already in its collection, plus four originals that are on loan from the City of David City and David City Public Schools. It also has screen and woodcut prints, pencil drawings, illustrated letters and original illustrations for his book, "A Philosophy of Esthetics.

Nichols niece, Ruth Nichols, still lives in David City.

My dream is to get it and put it in the museum, Sanley said.

But thats where things get complicated again. The painting recently appraised for $60,000 to $75,000. Some of Nichols' later paintings sell for much higher.

Ward said while the family likes the idea of it going to the museum, a bid from Sanley and Bone Creek didnt meet their expectations. So, it will be part of the estate sale. It's already drawing national attention.

The museum is the perfect buyer, Ward said. I did get them (the family) to agree that if we have no other offers, we will sell it to the museum.

Sanley is hopeful but realistic. Hes just glad its been found.

It would be nice if the person who buys it would loan it to the museum, he said. If I can get it there on a permanent basis, that would be wonderful.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SIOUX CITY -- When they were kids, brothers Chris and Oliver Wood were surrounded by the Americana music favored by their molecular biologist dad as well as the art of storytelling, a trait taught to them by their poet mom.

While the brothers eventually shared a fondness for bluesmen like Jimmy Reed and Lightnin' Hopkins, upright bass player Chris was drawn to avant-garde jazz while guitar-playing Oliver preferred funky R&B.

It was after 15 years of pursuing separate careers that the Wood Brothers decided to perform together.

With eight albums under their belts (including the Grammy-nominated "One Drop of Truth"), the Wood Brothers have been attracting fans to their eclectic mix of folk, blues and roots music.

Along with multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix, the Wood Brothers will be in concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Sioux City Community Theatre, 1401 Riverside Blvd.

Oliver Wood said he is happy being able to promote the Wood Brother's latest album (2020's "Kingdom in My Mind"), following an extended pandemic-related break.

"We had just released the album and just started touring," he said. "We had an entire year of shows planned that had to be canceled. Like so many other people, our year stopped overnight."

This was especially tough for Oliver, who said the Wood Brothers had previously toured throughout the United States and Europe.

"I didn't necessarily miss the constant travel," he explained. "What I did miss was connecting with an audience on a nightly basis. You know, then human element."

"While musicians become addicted to applause, it wears off over time," Oliver continued. "What sticks with us is when people say, 'Thank you, your music got me through a tough time.'

During his break from performing, Oliver spent quality time with his family, wrote new music and listened to the recordings of such legendary artists as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and John Coltrane.

"There is a timelessness to those guys that is very appealing," he said.

Indeed, Oliver said the Wood Brothers also strive to be timeless.

"We aim for universal themes that everyone can relate to," Oliver said. "We want to keep that human connection."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
OMAHA  More than 90% of employees of the eight Omaha and Lincoln health systems that require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have gotten their shots.

The health systems' chief medical officers jointly announced the plan in early August, well ahead of President Joe Biden's September announcement that all government contractors  including those that receive Medicare and Medicaid dollars  require employee vaccination.

All of the eight Omaha and Lincoln health systems have granted exemptions to a small percentage of their employees on medical or religious grounds, including roughly 5% of Bryan Health's staff. Most established committees to review the requests and granted them on an individual basis. Employees granted exemptions typically have agreed to wear masks and test regularly for COVID-19.

Thursday, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued emergency regulations that will apply to roughly 17 million health care workers at 76,000 providers nationwide.

Under the rules, eligible health care workers must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The regulations require health care facilities to provide for exemptions for recognized medical conditions or religious beliefs under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Unlike a separate rule requiring vaccination in most cases for businesses with 100 or more employees, the CMS rule doesn't allow for periodic testing as an alternative to vaccination. The agency said, however, that health care facilities may voluntarily institute testing alongside other infection control measures, such as distancing and source control.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Thursday that he will fight back against the new federal rules.

The Omaha- and Lincoln-area medical chiefs said in August that their voluntary effort was intended to ensure the safety of patients and employees and the communities in which they operate.

The announcement came as a joint statement signed by the CEOs of Boys Town National Research Hospital, Bryan Health, CHI Health, Childrens Hospital & Medical Center, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, Methodist Health System, Midwest Surgical Hospital and Nebraska Medicine.

On Monday, Bryan said it had only 10 employees  out of 5,552 people  leave over a vaccination mandate that became effective Oct. 29.

Below is a summary of where the other health systems stand:

Nebraska Medicine

More than 97% of employees had been vaccinated by the health system's deadline in late October, officials said. The health system granted 304 exemptions for religious and medical reasons, representing about 3% of total employees.

Thirty employees opted not to follow the vaccination policy, or about 0.3% of total staff. Only 18 worked full time.

Children's Hospital & Medical Center

Omaha-based Children's and its affiliates reported that 99.7% of its 3,351 employees were fully compliant as of Thursday, either vaccinated or with an accepted medical or religious exemption. Only .03% of the health system's staff had taken no action by the Nov. 1 deadline.

Methodist Health System

Some 98% of Methodist's nearly 8,000 employees are fully compliant, either vaccinated or with an accepted exemption.

A total of 129, or 1.6%, of employees elected not to comply with the vaccine mandate. Those people will be facing "corrective action" up to and including suspension and possible termination, officials said.

CHI Health

Some 92% of CHI's approximately 12,000 employees are either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or have applied for and received a medical or religious exemption.

Employees who are not vaccinated and do not have an approved exemption may be able to continue working while replacements are secured, officials of the system that includes St. Elizabeth in Lincoln said. They will be subject to additional masking and testing requirements.

Midwest Surgical Hospital

As of late October, the hospital had a vaccination rate of 92%, said Dr. Stephen Doran, chief medical officer. That represents an increase of about 15% since the health systems initiated their policy.

All of those who are not vaccinated, he said, have submitted requests for exemptions.

Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals

As of early this week, 93% of Madonna's employees were vaccinated and 123 exemptions had been granted for medical and religious reasons, representing 6% of all employees.

Twenty had taken no action by the system's Oct. 29 deadline, which represents about 1% of staff members. As of Tuesday, five had resigned or said they intended to resign rather than comply with the vaccine policy.

Boys Town National Research Hospital

The vast majority of Boys Town employees are vaccinated, officials said. Exemptions continue to be evaluated on an individual basis.

Journal Star reporter Matt Olberding contributed to this report.
According to court documents, Dick entered the woman's Macy home on Oct. 20, 2020, to retrieve clothing he had left there, began yelling at her then punched her in the head once before grabbing her by the neck with both hands and choking her while banging her head against a door. He temporarily released her, then resumed choking her again before releasing her. The woman told authorities she was unable to breathe the second time Dick choked her before he released her.
SIOUX CITY  Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor returned to the board this week after an almost nine-month military deployment.

During his first meeting back Tuesday, Taylor presented a U.S. flag to board chairman Rocky DeWitt in honor of Woodbury County.

During his deployment, Taylor was stationed in Al Asad, Iraq as the chaplain for the 734th RSG Iowa Army National Guard. The group was working on the Combined Joint Task ForceOperation Inherent Resolve, which was created to formalize ongoing military actions against the rising threat posed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, according to the taskforces website.

The first half we had multiple attacks incessantly and the repercussions of those and COVID dealing with that in an operationally deployed environment wasnt easy, but you all made it much easier to be able to serve, he said.

The day before he left Iraq, he asked that a flag be flown over the headquarters in Al Asad in honor of Woodbury County and he brought the flag back to present to the supervisors.

I just wanted to thank you, each of you, for what you did in order to be able to support and complete this mission, he said.

Taylor also thanked Mark Monson, who stepped in to temporarily fill his seat on on the board.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
LE MARS, Iowa  Anxious for a getaway after months of being homebound during the pandemic, Mike and Cheryl Wells embarked on a cross country trip in the fall of 2020.

From their home in Le Mars, the couple traveled in a motor home over 4,100 miles in 21 days through several western states. Their journey took them through Hillcrest, California, where they marveled at a large red neon sign with the citys name in large letters. A prominent landmark, the sign was a gift to the community from a group of neighborhood merchants in 1940.

Later in their trip, they viewed another big illuminated sign as they entered Williams, Arizona, near the southern entrance to the Grand Canyon. That sign, bearing the citys name, extends over the iconic Route 66.

We came away from the experience thinking, 'Wouldnt it be cool to have a combination lighted sign with (Le Mars) name over a street downtown?'  Mike Wells recalled Thursday. We came back and started dreaming with the architects and the engineers.

Nearly a year later, that dream is about to become a reality. This week, crews have been installing a giant welcome sign at the entrance to downtown Le Mars. The 80-foot-wide by 20-foot tall steel sign extends over Central Avenue, between 1st Street NE and Plymouth Street.

Mike and Cheryl Wells donated the structure to help welcome and attract even more visitors to Le Mars, the Plymouth County seat of about 10,000.

We love our community, Mike Wells said. We wanted to create another unique way to differentiate Le Mars and create a landmark people would identify with.

Wells heads Wells Enterprises, the Le Mars-based family-run ice cream manufacturer that employs over 2,500 people, making it the largest employer by far in the Plymouth County seat.

Over 20,000 visitors per year stop at the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor, which is downtown at 115 Central Ave NW.

Wells said the new welcome sign has the potential to help draw even more traffic to the downtown business district. The sign is not far from the intersection with Route 3, which carries 10,000 vehicles per day.

The steel arched sign, which weighs over 20,000, will bear the words, Ice Cream Capital of the World, in white letters over a blue background. A sculpted plastic sundae, with vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and a cherry on top, will bear the word Le Mars in red letters, and Est. 1869 in black letters on the dish.

Both the sign and sundae will be illuminated, visible to northbound and southbound traffic.

Beneath the sign will be a 40-foot wide by 46-foot tall, double-sided banner that will promote seasonal community events. The first is The Joy of Christmas in Hometown Le Mars, set for Nov. 27, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The installation of the welcome center required temporarily shutting down Central Avenue, a major thoroughfare downtown. Wells said he and his wife met with local businesses ahead of time to give them a heads up about the plans.

"The downtown merchants were super supportive," he said.

Local contractors were lined up for the installation, which started Monday. The sign was created by Mark Catton, who heads M. Catton & Co., a Le Mars-based firm that does work for museums, science centers and other clients around the country.

Other contractors on the project include: Interstate Metal Specialists, steel fabrication; Thompson Electric, electrical; Maurer Sign & Design, internally lighted sculpture and channel lights fabrication; Schlotfeldt Engineering, site plan and elevation drawings; and Timmins Construction, crane operator.

While the work was originally estimated to be finished by Friday, wet weather this week has pushed back completion to early next week, most likely Tuesday, Wells said.

"We're a little behind but we'll get the street open for the weekend," he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
LOS ANGELES (AP)  California regulators voted Thursday to increase the capacity of a Los Angeles-area natural gas storage field where a 2015 blowout caused the nations largest-ever methane leak and forced thousands from their homes.

The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to increase the storage capacity of the underground Aliso Canyon field to 41 billion cubic feet (1.1 billion cubic meters) of natural gas from the current capacity of 34 billion cubic feet (962 million cubic meters).

The move is aimed at ensuring supplies of natural gas for the upcoming winter months in a safe and reliable manner" even as the PUC continues working on longer-term plans to close the field, Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said in a statement.

Neighbors and activists who want Aliso Canyon permanently closed said the increase was unnecessary and had urged the PUC to reject it.

The field, which stores gas in old wells, has been at 50% capacity since 2018, but the PUC vote raises that to 60%. The PUC rejected an alternative plan to allow the field to operate at 100% capacity.

The commission regulates natural gas utilities, including Aliso Canyon's operator, Southern California Gas Co.

A well failure at the field on Oct. 23, 2015, led to the release of nearly 100,000 tons of methane and other substances into the air for nearly four months before it was controlled.

The blowout was blamed for sickening thousands of residents who moved out of homes near the San Fernando Valley to escape a sulfurous stench and maladies including headaches, nausea and nose bleeds.

Ahead of Thursday's vote, some told the commission that they still smell gas and one Porter Ranch resident said she was afraid to open her windows, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The PUC's decision was in favor of fossil fuel interests, not the wellbeing of California ratepayers, said a statement from Alexandra Nagy, California director of Food & Water Watch.

The move is not only dangerous, it is needless" and will create a disastrous glut on natural gas," Nagy said.

SoCalGas said Aliso Canyon and other storage facilities will play a key and essential role" in delivering gas and keeping energy prices stable this winter, when prices are expect to rise nationwide and interstate pipeline repairs limit regional supplies.

SoCalGas spent more than $1 billion on the the blowout  with most going to temporarily relocate 8,000 families.

State regulators found SoCalGas failed to investigate previous well failures at the storage site and didnt adequately assess its aging wells for disaster potential before the blowout.

Last month, SoCalGas and its parent company, Sempra Energy, agreed to pay up to $1.8 billion to settle lawsuits by 35,000 people. The agreement is subject to about 97% of plaintiffs accepting it and could be reduced if fewer agree.

The utility faced hundreds of lawsuits on behalf of 48,000 people.

SoCalGas previously reached a $120 million court settlement with the state attorney general and agreed to a $4 million settlement with Los Angeles County prosecutors after being convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of failing to quickly report the leak to state authorities.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Three people are suing Oklahoma County jail employees who investigators found forced them to stand handcuffed for hours and listen to the childrens song Baby Shark on repeat.

Attorneys for three former inmates filed the civil rights lawsuit Monday in Oklahoma City federal court, according to The Oklahoman.

Daniel Hedrick, Joseph Joey Mitchell and John Basco are suing Oklahoma County commissioners, Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, the jail trust and two former jailers, describing the discipline tactics as torture events.

A criminal investigation last year determined at least four inmates were secured to a wall with their hands cuffed behind them while the song played on a loop at a loud volume for hours in two separate incidents in November and December 2019.

In the lawsuit, attorneys called repeatedly playing Baby Shark a known device to torment. They pointed out how in West Palm Beach, Florida, the childrens song was blasted outside an event center in 2019 to keep the homeless from sleeping there at night.

The fourth former jail inmate, Brandon Newell, did not join the lawsuit as he was convicted of first-degree murder a month after the torture incident and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Two former detention employees, Gregory Cornell Butler Jr. and Christian Charles Miles, both 21, and their supervisor, Christopher Raymond Hendershott, 50, were charged with misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy as a result of the investigation.

A jury trial in the criminal case is set for February.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Oklahoman.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  American Civil Liberties Union attorneys said if Nevada redraws its political maps without reallocating thousands of inmates to their pre-prison addresses, they will be in violation of a 2019 state law.

The threat of a lawsuit and organization's insistence that prison officials compile more address could complicate the redistricting process that state lawmakers are expected to conduct this month.

Though the U.S. Census counts inmates at prisons where theyre serving sentences, Nevada is one of a growing number of states required to reallocate state residents in prison to where they previously lived.

Nevada lawmakers in 2019 passed legislation to ban so-called prison gerrymandering. It directs the Department of Corrections to compile the last known residential address of each offender immediately before the offender was sentenced to imprisonment in a facility or institution of the Department and subsequently provide to the State Demographer all available information.

Last week, prison officials said they only had usable addresses for 6,275 people out of the 12,214 counted in the 2020 census, or about 51%.

In a Friday letter sent to lawmakers and state officials, attorneys Holly Welborn and Chris Peterson allege that the thousands of missing inmate addresses "place the Legislature at risk of violating Nevadas Constitutional requirement to base reapportionment on accurate data.

Alejandra Livingston, an economist with the Department of Corrections, told lawmakers last week that it wasn't possible to provide last known residential addresses of all its inmates. Some may have been homeless or transient before incarceration, some may be from out of state, some may be serving long-term sentences and some have declined to provide their addresses when asked, she said.

Welborn and Peterson allege the Department of Corrections did not meet the requirements outlined in the law to compile inmate addresses. Their efforts  which included sending a questionnaire to gather missing addresses  do not qualify as an attempt to compile all available information, they said.

The extent to which people in Nevada prisons are reallocated has significant implications on the population and, in turn, voting power communities across the state will have through the next decade.

Lawmakers are required to draw districts containing relatively equal populations and where inmates are counted can change the recorded population of legislative districts by thousands.

The percentage of addresses prison officials sent for redistricting varied by facility. They provided 644 addresses from Pershing County, where the Lovelock Correctional Center houses 1,345 inmates. They provided 449 from White Pine County, where the Ely State Prison houses 649 inmates.

"The State Demographer is obligated to not use information that it knows is inaccurate, and the Legislature and other governmental entities are obligated to not reapportion representation based upon the inaccurate population estimates," Welborn and Peterson wrote.

The Legislature cannot rely on current numbers provided by the State Demographer without violating the Nevada Constitution and subjecting the state to potential litigation.



Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WASHINGTON (AP)  Colin L. Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first Black secretary of state, was remembered by family and friends Friday as a principled man of humility and grace whose decorated record of leadership can serve as a model for generations to come.

The example of Colin Powell does not call on us to emulate his resume, which is too formidable for mere mortals, his son, Michael, said in a touching tribute at his father's funeral service at Washington National Cathedral. It is to emulate his character and his example as a human being. We can strive to do that.

The funeral on a sunny and chilly day drew dignitaries and friends from across the political and military spectrum. They included President Joe Biden and former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, former secretaries of state James Baker, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Army Gen. Mark Milley.

Two recent presidents did not attend  Bill Clinton, who is recovering from a severe infection, and Donald Trump, who publicly disparaged Powell after his death for having been critical of the former president.

Powell died Oct. 18 of complications from COVID-19 at age 84. He had been vaccinated against the coronavirus, but his family said his immune system had been compromised by multiple myeloma, a blood cancer for which he had been undergoing treatment.

Funeral attendees Friday were required to wear masks. Not all did.

As guests gathered in the cavernous cathedral that has hosted the funerals of several past presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet played a range of tunes, including Dancing Queen by Abba, a favorite of Powell's.

Richard Armitage, who served as the State Department's No.-2-ranking official while Powell was secretary of state during the Bush administration, recalled the day Sweden's foreign minister, Ann Linde, came to call and  knowing of Powell's affection for Abba  presented him with a full CD set of group's music.

Colin immediately went down on one knee and sang the entire Mamma Mia to a very amused foreign minister of Sweden and to a gob-smacked U.S. delegation. They'd never seen anything like it, said Armitage, who described a 40-year friendship with Powell that began while both served in the Pentagon.

Madeleine Albright, who was Powell's immediate predecessor as secretary of state, called him a figure who almost transcended time, and one of the gentlest and most decent people any of us will ever meet.

He relished the opportunity to connect with other generations, she said.

This morning my heart aches, she added, because we've lost a friend and our nation one of its finest and most loyal soldiers. Yet even as we contemplate the magnitude of our loss, we can almost hear a familiar voice asking us  no, commanding us  to stop feeling sad, to turn our gaze once again from the past to the future and to get on with the nation's business while making the most of our own days on Earth, one step at a time.

During her tenure as ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton administration, Albright sometimes clashed with Powell, although they became good friends. Both have recalled the time, during his final months as Joint Chiefs chairman, when she argued for a U.S. military intervention in the Balkans, asking why the United States had built a superb military if it couldnt be used in such circumstances. Powell recalled being so irritated by her statement, I thought I would have an aneurysm.

Powells view was that the United States should commit its military only when it had a clear and achievable political objective, a key element of what became known as the Powell Doctrine, which embodied lessons learned from the U.S. failure in Vietnam.

The story of Powell's rise to prominence in American life is a classic.

In his autobiography, My American Journey, Powell recalled a 1940s childhood in the Hunts Point section of New York City's South Bronx, where he was a mediocre student  happy-go-lucky but aimless.

He caught the military bug during his first year at the City College of New York in 1954. Powell was inspired by seeing fellow students in uniform, and he enrolled in the school's Reserve Officer Training Corps.

I felt distinctive in uniform, he wrote.

Although he was only 4 when the United States entered World War II, he had vivid memories of the war years. I deployed legions of lead soldiers and directed battles on the living room rug, he wrote  a fantasy forerunner of his Army years.

Powell would serve 35 years in uniform. Commissioned in 1958, he served around the world, including two tours in Vietnam in the 1960s.

He distinguished himself at the Pentagon even before he attained flag officer rank. In the late 1970s he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and in 1983 as a brigadier general he became the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. He later served in the White House as President Ronald Reagan's national security adviser, and in 1989 he was promoted to four-star general. Later that year, President George H.W. Bush selected him to be the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

It was a trailblazing American dream journey that won him international acclaim and trust.

He put that credibility on the line in February 2003 when, appearing before the United Nations as secretary of state, he made the case for war against Iraq. When it turned out that the intelligence he cited was faulty and the Iraq War became a bloody, chaotic nightmare, Powells stellar reputation was damaged.

Still, it wasnt destroyed. After leaving government, he became an elder statesman on the global stage and the founder of an organization aimed at helping young disadvantaged Americans. Republicans wanted him to run for president. After becoming disillusioned with his party, he ended up endorsing the last three Democratic presidential candidates, who welcomed his support.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The election board for Ohio's most populous county is being put under administrative oversight by the secretary of state, after another problem with electronic poll books led to three improperly cast votes in this week's election.

Not all of Franklin County's electronic poll books were properly updated on Election Day with data about who had already voted early or requested an absentee ballot, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office. His office has determined three voters were able to vote twice, but said those votes didn't affect the outcome of any election.

One of those voters told the office they cast a ballot during early voting, then did so again on Election Day while accompanying their spouse to vote because a poll worker indicated the poll book didn't reflect the earlier vote. The voter said they were worried their first ballot hadn't been counted.

The Franklin County Board of Elections had another problem last year with some of its electronic poll books not updating, and it didnt fully follow a remediation plan to avoid the newest problem, LaRoses office said.

To make sure the board is effectively administering elections, it will now have to report weekly to the secretary of state, according to LaRoses office.

The county board is working with prosecutors to determine whether criminal charges are warranted, the secretary of state's office said. It didn't release further details about the voters.

Unofficial results showed that more than 201,000 people voted in this week's elections in central Ohio's Franklin County, home to the state capital Columbus.

Officials said they're working to determine how many of the county's electronic poll books weren't properly updated and why. The secretary of state's office said it will work with other counties that use electronic poll books to ensure they followed proper procedures, but said there's no sign the same problem occurred elsewhere.

The Franklin County board is still investigating what happened and how, and is glad to have help from the secretary of state, board spokesperson Aaron Sellers said Friday.

We're going to figure it out so that it doesn't happen again, Sellers said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
LAKE QUIVIRA, Kan. (AP)  Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly argued Thursday that mandates like those from the federal government for vaccinating workers against COVID-19 tend not to work," as the Democrat's made her first public statements on the rules heading into a difficult reelection campaign in her Republican-leaning state.

Kelly is top target among governors next year for Republicans nationally because Donald Trump twice carried Kansas by wide margins and President Joe Biden's vaccine mandates have roused conservative voters.

Her comments Thursday came during and after a Kansas City-area chambers of commerce lunch. She has faced criticism from Republicans and some labor-union members who oppose the mandates for not publicly opposing them after the Democratic president first announced them in September. Her staff has said she couldnt comment until the state learned the details.

We have not mandated a vaccine in the state of Kansas. We have done everything we can to encourage people and to make it easy for folks to get vaccinated," Kelly said. Ive lived in Kansas a long time and I understand that those kinds of things tend not to work.

Mandates have increased vaccination rates elsewhere. In New York City, more than 90% of the municipal workers received COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of the citys deadline Monday, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. And Tyson Foods, which has six Kansas facilities, reported that 60,000 workers got inoculated after it announced its mandate in early August, to bring their vaccination rate above 96%.

Vaccine requirements work at this point in the pandemic. We have tried education, outreach and incentives, Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and former Baltimore health commissioner, said in a recent interview. We need to end this this pandemic being a daily threat."

But Republicans already have made Kellys restrictions on businesses early in the pandemic and her later support for mask mandates key issues in the governor's race.

GOP Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who's running to oust Kelly, promised by social media Thursday to sue the Biden administration over the mandate affecting the most workers. Spokesman C.J. Grover tweeted that Kelly's comments showed that she and national Democratic Party officials had enough time to digest Tuesday nights results, in which Republicans captured the Virginia governor's office.

Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature are having a panel  the joint Committee on Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 Mandates  look for ways for Kansas to resist Biden's mandates. After two days of hearings last week, the committee is set to meet again next week and hopes to draft any proposals before Thanksgiving.

The loudest mandate critics include rank-and-file union members. But Andy Sanchez, the Kansas AFL-CIO's executive secretary, said he thinks most unvaccinated members will meet the Jan. 4 deadline, though the Kansas AFL-CIO doesnt track how many of its roughly 75,000 members are refusing the shots.

Just as time went on, people became more comfortable and felt more safe about getting the vaccinations, not that there was anything to worry about in the first place, Sanchez said.

Many mandate critics are calling on legislators to call themselves into special session to counter Biden's mandates, rather than waiting until 2022. Kelly said she does not think a special legislative session is due, but lawmakers can call one themselves if two-thirds of them sign a petition.

Many critics view the mandates as violating people's personal liberties.

I think those are sort of buzz words around this," Kelly said. "I think the real issue is, what do we do to get Kansans through this pandemic and help our businesses grow and thrive?

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued new rules Thursday under which Americans working at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly. The rules apply to about 84 million workers, and OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses.

Kelly expressed frustration that last year  when Trump was president  were really literally told, You are on your own.

We took that and we basically developed systems and strategies that worked within our state, so at this point to have the federal government come in and say, OK, now you all have to do if this way, is really tough to deal with, she said.

Under a separate Biden mandate, 17 million people who work in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from the Medicare and Medicaid programs also must get vaccinated and don't have a testing option. Another Biden mandate applies the same tough rule to the employees of federal government contractors.

Schmidt already has brought Kansas into a federal lawsuit filed by multiple states against the requirement for government contractors.



Hanna reported from Topeka, Kan. Andy Tsubasa Field in Topeka, Kan., also contributed.



Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Republican state officials reacted with swift rebukes Thursday to President Joe Biden's newly detailed mandate for private employers to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, threatening a wave of lawsuits and other actions to thwart a requirement they see as a stark example of government overreach.

At least two conservative groups moved quickly to file lawsuits against the workplace safety mandate, and a growing roster of GOP governors and attorneys general said more lawsuits were on the way as soon as Friday. Some Republican-led states had already passed laws or executive orders intended to protect employers that may not want to comply.

This rule is garbage, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said Thursday through a spokesperson. Its unconstitutional and we will fight it. His state's governor, Republican Henry McMaster, said he is planning to issue an executive order keeping state agencies from enforcing the rule.

States have been preparing for the requirement since Biden previewed it in September. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements released Thursday call for companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation. Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers.

The White House said the administration has the authority to take actions designed to protect workers and expects the rule to withstand legal challenges.

Republican governors or attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and South Dakota said Thursday they would file lawsuits against the mandate. The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

Robert Alt, a lawyer representing the Midwest companies suing manufacturer Phillips Manufacturing & Tower Company and packaging firm Sixarp  said both companies are already facing staffing shortages amid the pandemic. The mandate will make things worse, he said.

It adds insult to injury and forces them potentially to fire trained employees," said Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, a conservative advocacy group.

States say they are focusing on the role of the federal government in the lawsuits they're preparing.

"While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.

At a news conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized what he called an executive fiat for the private sector. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds characterized the mandate as an imposition on personal choice, saying people should be able to make their own health care decisions. She recently signed a bill guaranteeing that people who are fired for refusing a vaccine can qualify for unemployment benefits.

At least 19 Republican-led states previously sued the Biden administration over a separate mandate requiring vaccines for employees who work for federal contractors. Several more filed similar lawsuits Thursday.

Biden, in a statement Thursday, dismissed the argument from many GOP governors and lawmakers that a mandate for employers will hurt businesses' ability to keep workers on the job.

There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements, he said. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.

The administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, said during a briefing Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

So you know, the question that we always have and that we ask to the Republicans is, why are they getting in the way?" Jean-Pierre said. Why are they getting in the way of trying to protect and save lives? Thats all were trying to do.

Challenges to the workplace mandate from Republicans and conservative groups are expected to be broad-based and quick, reflecting yet another aspect of the COVID-19 response  from mask requirements to social-distancing guidelines  that has fallen into a partisan divide. Democratic governors and attorneys general were relatively quiet after the OSHA rules were announced on Thursday. From California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a simple Twitter message: The right move. Another Democrat, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, defended mandates in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates tend not to work and that she wanted a Kansas-focused way to meet, them but did not give details.

All 26 Republican state attorneys general have previously said they would fight the requirements, and most of them signed a letter to Biden saying as much.

Key to their objection is whether OSHA has the legal authority to require vaccines or virus testing.

In the letter to Biden, the top state government lawyers argued that the agency can regulate only health risks that are specific to jobs  not ones that are in the world generally. Seema Nanda, the top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, says established legal precedent allows rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

That hasn't stopped state lawmakers and governors for taking a variety of actions aimed at undercutting federal mandates.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an executive order prohibiting private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. An Ohio lawmaker has proposed a bill barring schools and colleges from expelling students who refuse vaccines and preventing employers from firing workers who do so.

Arkansas has adopted a law creating a vaccine-mandate exemption for workers who can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies, although a broader measure banning employers from asking about vaccination status failed in the Legislature. The OSHA rule does include a religious exemption, as well as one for people who work exclusively outdoors or away from others  such as from home.

Lawmakers or governors in states including Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming have called for special legislative sessions to counter vaccine mandates. In Nebraska, not enough state lawmakers agreed to a special session to get one on the calendar, but Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican in a GOP-dominated state, has been pushing them to keep trying.

In Ohio, factory owner Ross McGregor said he will follow the rules as he would any federal workplace mandate, but not because he agrees with them. McGregor, who said he is vaccinated, is opposed to the new requirement, just as he has publicly opposed efforts by Ohio Republican lawmakers to prevent him from mandating the coronavirus vaccine for his workers.

At the end of the day, every employer, and every employment situation, dictates what is best, said McGregor, a former Republican state lawmaker and owner of axle and brake component manufacturer Pentaflex, where he estimates that about half the 115 or so employees are vaccinated. Having either a ban on mandates or an imposition of mandates goes against that



This version corrects new paragraph six to say it is the The Daily Wire, not Daily Caller, that filed a lawsuit, and to remove a reference to a lawsuit filed by Indiana, Louisiana and Mississippi. That suit filed Thursday addresses a separate, narrower mandate for federal contractors.



Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Tom Davies in Indianapolis; Heather Hollingsworth in Lake Quivira, Kansas; Alexandra Jaffe in Washington, D.C.; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report, along with other AP reporters from around the U.S.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Idaho will join a multistate lawsuit against the Biden administration over an emergency rule mandating that employers with more than 100 workers require COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing, Republican Gov. Brad Little said Thursday.

Little said he's working with Republican Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and will join the expected lawsuit Friday.

The Biden administration announced in August that the rule would be forthcoming, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration didnt issue the emergency rule until Thursday and that's expected to be published Friday. It applies to about 84 million workers, with the requirements starting Jan. 4.

Formalizing the rule, which also requires unvaccinated workers to wear a mask while in the workplace, opens it up potential lawsuits.

Little, Wasden, Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke and Republican Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder in September wrote Biden a letter warning of potential legal action by the state to uphold its sovereignty should the rule be issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Not surprisingly, President Biden is plowing forward with his OSHA rule to punish Americas businesses  yet another unprecedented federal overreach into the private sector, Little said in a statement.

Biden has framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

Idaho is already part of a different multistate lawsuit against Bidens requirement that all employees of federal contractors be vaccinated against the coronavirus by Dec. 8.

The Idaho State Board of Education is also part of that lawsuit, but earlier this week gave colleges and universities the OK to begin actions necessary to comply with Bidens order to avoid losing nearly $90 million in research contracts and agreements.

Idaho lawmakers plan to convene Nov. 15 at the Statehouse to pass laws also aimed at thwarting Bidens COVID-19 requirements.

Meanwhile, Idaho remains under crisis standards of care, a designation giving hospitals dealing with an influx of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients the ability to ration health care as needed.

The state has been in crisis standards since mid-September. About 3,600 Idaho residents have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan formally accepted new congressional and state legislative maps from a panel on Friday that he plans to propose to the legislature. The governor also signed a proclamation for a Dec. 6 special session of the General Assembly to approve new districts for the state's eight congressional seats.

Legislative leaders, who petitioned Hogan to call the special session earlier in the day, created a separate panel months ago that is still working on its maps.

Because Democrats in the legislature hold a veto-proof majority, they ultimately control the redistricting process, but Hogan is using his unique position as a Republican governor during a Maryland redistricting cycle to call for taking politicians out of the process of drawing district lines.

At a news conference, Hogan said he will be submitting the maps produced by the panel he created. The commission had nine members, including three Democrats, three Republicans and three independents.

Their focus has been on fairness, transparency and accountability, and these maps actually respect natural boundaries and the geographic integrity of our jurisdictions, communities and neighborhoods," Hogan said.

Unlike past Maryland governors, Hogan said he kept himself out of the process of drawing new district lines.

I chose not to draw my own maps but to submit the ones from this esteemed citizen panel," Hogan said.

Over the past seven months, the commission has held 36 public meetings with more than 4,000 attendees. It provided an online mapping application portal for the public to submit maps  and a total of 86 maps were sent in for consideration.

Marylands congressional map has repeatedly been criticized and challenged in court for being unfairly drawn to benefit Democrats. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, Democrats hold a 7-1 advantage over the GOP in the states eight U.S. House seats.

Before Maryland last redrew the state's congressional districts a decade ago under Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, Democrats held a 6-2 advantage over Republicans. The state's western Maryland district was changed significantly, and Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett was defeated in 2012 by Democrat John Delaney, leaving Rep. Andy Harris as the lone Republican congressman in the state.

One of the most notable differences in the map Hogan is supporting would make the western Maryland district resemble what it once was with more Republican voters.

The governor has repeatedly proposed legislation to reform redistricting by taking politicians out of the process and putting it in the hands of a nonpartisan board, but the measure has never advanced.

For decades, Hogan said, Maryland's political powerbrokers have largely dominated the process, "rigging the system to eliminate competition by concentrating one partys voters as much as possible while segregating another partys voters into a larger number of districts.

This is exactly the kind of formula that leaves people to doubt whether their democracy is truly working for them," Hogan said.

House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, said lawmakers will look at what the governor presents. She also noted that the panel she and Senate President Bill Ferguson are on is still working and receiving input from the public. The panel includes several other state lawmakers, including two Republicans.

We havent finished our process yet," Jones said Friday.

The congressional map that ultimately ends up getting approved by the legislature would be subject to the governors veto, which would take a three-fifths vote to override.

If we thought the maps were unfair, I would veto them," Hogan said. "We would try to sustain the veto. If they overrode the veto, I think theyd probably be sued.

Maps also are being proposed for the 188 seats in the General Assembly. The governor will propose that map on the first day of the regular legislative session on Jan. 12. Lawmakers will then have 45 days to either accept that map or create an alternative.

The once-a-decade redistricting process is taking place because of the release of 2020 census data showing how populations have changed in neighborhoods, cities and counties since 2010.



This version corrects word Democrats to Republicans in 10th paragraph.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of whats believed to be the worlds largest award in an arbitration case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos accused the Kremlin of taking down the company to silence its CEO, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

The decision further extends what already has been a yearslong legal battle between Russia and former Yukos shareholders. It quashed a lower court ruling, effectively setting aside a $50 billion award made to the former shareholders in 2014 and sending the case to another court in Amsterdam to consider Russian claims that the shareholders committed fraud in the original arbitration hearings.

However, the highest Dutch court rejected the rest of Russia's arguments, a move welcomed by the former shareholders, who said in a statement that they won on all substantive grounds of Russias appeal.

We will study the Supreme Court ruling, but are confident that the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam will dismiss the baseless allegations raised by the Russian Federation, and the arbitral awards will be upheld, said Tim Osborne, chief executive of GML, the holding company of former Yukos majority shareholders.

The Russian prosecutor-generals office welcomed the ruling but said it is regrettable" the high court didn't dismiss the award outright.

The Russian Federation expects that the Amsterdam Court of Appeal will interpret the remaining controversial issues in accordance with international law ... and take comprehensive measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian taxpayers, the office said in a statement.

An international panel of arbitrators concluded in 2014 that Moscow seized control of Yukos in 2003 by deliberately crippling the company with huge tax claims. The move was seen as an attempt to silence Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a vocal Putin critic.

Khodorkovsky was arrested at gunpoint in 2003 and spent more than a decade in prison as Yukos main assets were sold to a state-owned company. Yukos ultimately went bankrupt.

The state launched a full assault on Yukos and its beneficial owners in order to bankrupt Yukos and appropriate its assets while, at the same time, removing Mr. Khodorkovsky from the political arena, the arbitrators said in their 2014 ruling.

The original case was handled under the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is headquartered in The Hague. As a result, Russia appealed the arbitration decision in the Netherlands.

The Dutch Supreme Court ruled Friday that a lower appeals court in The Hague wrongly dismissed  on procedural grounds  Russias claim that shareholders committed fraud in the arbitral proceedings.

Sergey Alekhin, a Paris-based lawyer and expert on international arbitration who is not involved in the case, said Russia had alleged that the majority shareholders of Yukos fraudulently concealed who has the actual ownership or control over them, so they would allegedly submit false statements.

The Court of Appeal in Amsterdam right now will have to carefully analyze the merit, the substance of those serious allegations," he added. "Those are really serious allegations.

The process  including possible further appeals on the fraud issue  is likely to take years.

In April, an independent adviser to the highest Dutch court had recommended that its judges reject Russias appeal in full.

Khodorkovsky is not involved in the case, which was brought by former shareholders united in a company called GML Ltd.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WASHINGTON (AP)  A person traveling with President Joe Biden to Europe this past week received a positive test result for the coronavirus, the administration confirmed Thursday, saying the individual did not have close contact with the president.

The fully-vaccinated person is asymptomatic and is remaining in Scotland to quarantine while undergoing additional tests after testing positive on a lateral flow rapid test issued by the UK government required for all attendees at the UN climate summit underway in Scotland. Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, the White House said.

Breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people are rare, but have occurred somewhat more frequently as the more transmissible delta variant of the virus has become the dominant strain in most of the world. The vaccines still dramatically reduce instances of serious illness and death.

The White House says out of an abundance of caution  and in a move above and beyond Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance  a few staff members who were in close contact with the individual did not return to the U.S. aboard Air Force One, and instead flew home on a different government plane.

Travelers with Biden on his five-day trip to Rome and Scotland were tested daily with a mix of rapid testing and more-accurate PCR tests.

The instance is not believed to be related to White House press secretary Jen Psaki's diagnosis with COVID-19. She stayed home from the foreign trip after a member of her household tested positive for the virus. She confirmed her diagnosis publicly on Sunday saying she had mild symptoms" and was continuing to work from home while waiting for the infection to pass.

Bloomberg first reported on the positive case.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden's now- $1.85 trillion plan to boost social and education programs as well as protect against global warming continues to be fine-tuned by Democrats in Congress with a new goal of completing work before Thanksgiving.

The updated plan includes universal preschool, funding to limit child care costs and a one-year continuation of a child tax credit that was expanded earlier this year and applied to more families. But Democrats are scaling back some investments and shortening the timeframe for funding to whittle down spending. Some proposals have been dropped entirely.

The House is working to pass the legislation soon, but it will still have to clear the Senate, where revisions are likely.

The framework fits an approximately $1.85 trillion budget over 10 years, rather than the $3.5 trillion budget plan originally envisioned.

Here's what's in the package, based on summaries provided by the White House and the House.

TAX BREAKS

 An expanded child tax credit would continue for another year. As part of a COVID relief bill, Democrats increased the tax credit to $3,000 per child ages 6-17 and $3,600 per child 5 and under. Households earning up to $150,000 per year get the credit paid to them on a monthly basis. Budget hawks worry that a one-year extension is a budgetary tool that will lower the cost of the program on paper, but mask its true costs since lawmakers tend to continue programs rather than let them expire.

 The expanded Earned Income Tax Credit that goes to 17 million childless, low-wage workers would continue for one year.

EDUCATION

 Universal prekindergarten would be established for all 3- and 4-year-olds and child-care subsidies would be provided for poorer and middle-income Americans. But the programs are funded only for six years.

 $40 billion would be provided for higher education and workforce development. This includes raising the size of Pell Grants and providing funding for historically Black colleges and universities as well as institutions that largely serve Hispanic students or tribal communities.

HEALTH CARE

 Medicare would be expanded to cover hearing aids, costing an estimated $35 billion over 10 years.

 Expanded tax credits for insurance premiums tied to the Affordable Care Act would be extended through 2025. The White House says that would help 3 million uninsured people gain coverage.

 $150 billion for a Medicaid program that supports home health care, helping to clear a backlog and improving working conditions.

 $90 billion for investments that would include funding maternal health, community violence initiatives, disadvantaged farmers, nutrition and pandemic preparation.

 Out-of-pocket Medicare Part D costs for older Americans would be capped at $2,000 and the price of insulin reduced to no more than $35 a dose.

 A Medicare drug negotiation program would be established. Each year, the secretary of Health and Human Services would identify 100 brand-name drugs that lack price competition and from that list negotiate the price of up to 10 drugs in 2025, 15 in 2026 and 2027, and 20 thereafter. Insulin products must also be negotiated. A drug selected for negotiation would continue to be included in the program until competition enters the market.

CHILD CARE

 Bidens plan says parents earning up to 250% of a states median income should pay no more than 7% of their income on child care. Parents must be working, seeking a job, in school or dealing with a health issue to qualify.

HOUSING

 $150 billion would be committed toward housing affordability with a goal of building more than 1 million new rental and single-family homes. The goal would be to reduce price pressures by providing rental and down payment assistance.

ENVIRONMENT

 Clean energy tax credits would receive $320 billion worth of funding. These credits over 10 years would help businesses and homeowners shift to renewable energy sources for electricity, vehicles and manufacturing.

 $105 billion would be directed toward investments that would improve communities' ability to withstand extreme weather caused by climate change. The funding would also create a Civilian Climate Corps that focuses on conserving public lands and bolstering community resilience to flooding, drought and other weather emergencies.

 $110 billion would help develop new domestic supply chains and develop new solar and battery technologies. Support would also be given to existing steel, cement and aluminum industries.

 $20 billion would be allotted for the government to become the buyer of clean energy technologies as part of its procurement process.

 $9 billion would be allocated for lead remediation projects, such as the replacement of water lines or the replacement of school drinking water fountains that may contain lead.

TAXES

 Biden's plan bolsters the IRS to improve collections and close the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid.

 A 15% minimum income tax would be applied to large corporations, along with a 1% surcharge on corporate stock buybacks. The U.S. would also be aligned with an agreement reached by more than 100 countries designed to deter multinational companies from stashing profits in low-tax countries.

 The bill would create a new surtax on multimillionaires and billionaires and close a provision that allows some wealthy taxpayers to avoid paying the 3.8% Medicare tax on their earnings.

 A $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions would be raised to $72,500. Tax analysts say the change would largely benefit high-income households.

IMMIGRATION

 Those who entered the United States prior to Jan. 2, 2011, and have continuously resided there since would be eligible for renewable parole grants for five years after paying an administrative fee and completing security and background checks. The parole status gives recipients authorization to travel and work in the U.S. and deems them eligible for a Real ID-compliant driver's license or a state identification card.

PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

 Eligible workers would receive up to four weeks of paid leave to reimburse them for time taken to care for a new child or other family members or to recover from illness. Biden had initially proposed 12 weeks of paid family leave.

WHAT'S OUT OF THE BILL

 A proposal to expand Medicare to cover dental and vision care is out because of concerns about the cost.

 A proposal to allow for up to two years of free community college is out.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administration's effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 27 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

Seema Nanda, solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor, said in a statement Friday that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act gives OSHA the authority to act quickly during an emergency if it finds workers are subject to a grave danger. The agency contends its temporary rule also preempts any state or local bans on employers' ability to require vaccines.

We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court," Nanda said.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organization's center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agency's regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

Missouri's lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor."

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit. Later Friday, Indiana filed in the Chicago-based 7th Circuit.

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It's unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal government's requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach,' Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.



Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas. Also contributing were Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Alexandra Jaffe and Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A Montreal man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday in Vermont to being part of an effort to smuggle 1,500 kilos (3,300 pounds) of cocaine from Peru to Vermont and then to Canada in a plot that prosecutors say was connected to the kidnapping of an older New York couple last year.

During a U.S. District Court video hearing Thursday, prosecutors said the conspiracy plot that involved Georges Yaghmour, 40, was part of the same plan that resulted in the kidnapping of the Moira, New York, couple in September 2020, although prosecutors did not allege Yaghmour took part in the kidnapping.

The couple were held for ransom after 50 kilos (110 pounds) of cocaine failed to reach its intended destination in Canada. The other conspirators did not realize the cocaine had been seized in South Burlington, Vermont, by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents. The couple were taken to Canada and later rescued by Quebec police.

Yaghmour was arrested in Florida in November 2020, where he had traveled to discuss why the cocaine had not been delivered as scheduled, authorities said.

The charge to which Yaghmour pleaded, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, carries a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison. The plea agreement calls for a sentence of just over 11 years. Sentencing is scheduled for March.

During the 40-minute hearing, Yaghmour acknowledged he participated in the cocaine conspiracy but he said he did not take part in the kidnapping.

U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford outlined to Yaghmour the consequences of entering a guilty plea, including that as a Canadian citizen he could be prohibited from reentering the United States after he returns to Canada.

My biggest punishment is I cannot come back to the States, Yaghmour said.

Prosecutors say Yaghmour, at the direction of others, was involved in a meeting in Burlington in December 2019 to discuss the plan to move cocaine between Peru and Canada via Vermont.

At the meeting, which included an undercover DEA operative and another person who was cooperating with law enforcement, Yaghmour asked about shipping the drugs from South America to Mexico, but the DEA agent proposed shipping the drugs to Vermont for further distribution, according to the plea agreement.

A couple weeks later, an unnamed co-conspirator delivered $150,000 to the undercover agent as a down payment. In spring 2020, the DEA undercover operation took delivery of cocaine in South America for shipment to Canada via Vermont, according to the plea agreement.

Two controlled deliveries were conducted, one in Massachusetts and the other in Vermont, but none of the drug reached its intended destination in Canada.

It was after the Vermont shipment failed to arrive at its Canadian destination that the New York couple  ages 70 and 76, and the grandparents of one of the Vermont couriers  were kidnapped by others involved in the conspiracy, authorities said.

They were taken across the border and moved to a house in Magog, Quebec. The kidnappers asked for a ransom of the 50 kilos of cocaine that had been seized in Burlington or a payment of $3.5 million.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Thousands of immigrants working on southern Oregon illegal marijuana farms that authorities say are run by foreign cartels are living in squalid conditions and are sometimes being cheated and threatened by their gangland bosses.

The situation has gotten so bad in the largely rural region near the state line with California, amid a violent crime surge and water theft for the growing operations during a severe drought, that Jackson and Douglas counties declared a state of emergency last month.

They requested state funding and other resources, including deployment of the National Guard, to properly enforce cannabis laws.

On Thursday, commissioners in neighboring Josephine County said they are preparing their own emergency declaration. A draft document cites rampant violations of county codes, state water laws and criminal laws. They previously wrote a letter to Oregon's senate president saying the county is experiencing a tragic surge in narco-slavery.

A spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, Elizabeth Merah, has said that there are no immediate plans to deploy the National Guard.

Many of the zone's illegal marijuana farms operate under the guise of being legal hemp farms, but the crops that they grow have amounts of THC  the component that gives pot its high  far above the legal levels allowed for hemp.

State regulators and local law enforcement officers have been overwhelmed by the amount of industrial-scale growing sites, which they say number in the hundreds and possibly thousands.

There aren't enough inspectors to test for THC content at each site to determine which ones are legal and which are not, officials have said. Some sites, frequently with armed guards, have refused entry to state inspectors. Police have said they do not have the capacity to raid all the suspicious sites because each raid requires an investigation and search warrants.

And some managers of the illegal operations are refusing to pay workers and have threatened them with violence if they go to the authorities or try to quit, according to law enforcement officials and a group that advocates for the migrant and farm worker rights.

Weve had several cases in Josephine County, where they were threatened with guns to their heads, 'If you guys tell anybody, we're going to harm your family in Mexico,' or Were going to shoot you," said Kathy Keesee-Morales, co-director of Unete, an immigrant and farmworker advocacy group based in Medford, Oregon.

Some of workers who say they were cheated have contacted Unete, which has tried to help by calling the pot-farm managers and warning them that they could face complaints filed with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry if they don't pay the workers what they are owed, Keesee-Morales said.

"Many times theyll just pay them because they dont want any kind of interaction with the state, Keesee-Morales said.

The number of illegal marijuana farms in the region, which are not part of Oregon's legal and regulated marijuana system, surged this year, with some even emerging alongside state highways.

They produce tons of marijuana that is sold outside the state. Officials believe the cartels selected southern Oregon because it's considered part of the the fabled marijuana-growing Emerald Triangle, a zone in which Californias Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties form the major part.

The region produces top-quality weed that is the microbrew of cannabis, said state Rep. Lily Morgan, a Republican from the small city of Grants Pass, the county seat of Josephine County.

You can ask a high dollar around the world for it, she said.

Local landowners often rent or sell their property to the illegal growers at prices much higher than normal rates. In one case, an owner went to her land to negotiate a lease renewal and discovered that the manager of the illegal marijuana farm was gone  and had left the growing equipment and workers behind.

Morgan said the owner told county officials: "These people have been left, there are workers who have no I.D., they do not speak English, they have no food.

Oregon's labor bureau is investigating wage complaints from workers at illegal marijuana farms, said Sonia Ramirez, administrator of the bureau's wage and hour division.

Workers have had to use holes in the ground for toilets, bathe with makeshift showers, cook in unsanitary kitchens and live in tents and sleep on cots in shipping containers and in marijuana greenhouses, said Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler.

Sickler said his deputies do not arrest the workers on alleged immigration violations and instead hand out cards, in Spanish, provided by Unete that list agencies that provide free services for migrants.

The workers are reluctant to talk to law enforcement officials because they are terrified that cartel enforcers might discover that they have done so and harm them or their relatives living elsewhere, Sickler and Keesee-Morales said.

There is a fear factor, the sheriff said. "These individuals know that they could be at risk for talking to the police about several things, including the conditions, the lack of being paid.

While colder weather now coming to Oregon spells the end of the growing season for many of the marijuana growing sites, indoor illegal operations continue operating through the winter because they are outfitted with heat lamps that allow pot plants to grow.

Sickler doesn't expect a letup of the criminal activity because a lot of cash is involved, creating a tempting target for robbers.

In raids conducted by Sickler's deputies on one day in September on two pot farms, officers found $650,000, 7.5 tons of processed marijuana and 20,000 pot plants.

Last month, men with guns tried to rob an illegal marijuana growing site and processing facility in the small Jackson County city of Eagle Point. Three men from Sacramento, California were arrested on charges of robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and assault.

Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel predicted no immediate resolution to the problem of illegal marijuana farms.

This summer was absolutely out of control, he said. "We're anticipating next year being just as bad, if not worse.



Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Nebraska State Board of Education will examine the process behind the states aborted attempt at creating health education standards for Nebraska schools.

Board President Maureen Nickels appointed an ad hoc committee of the board Thursday to examine what went wrong and to come up with ways to improve the process for the future.

The committee  Robin Stevens, District 7; Patti Gubbels, District 3; and Jacquelyn Morrison, District 4  will examine a host of issues, from how writing and advisory teams are selected to how proposed standards are rolled out to the public.

Nickels asked the committee to return a report to board leadership no later than Jan. 25.

The committee will report to the full board in February, with possible action taken at the March meeting, presenting any recommendations for standards process, policy or procedural rules implementation, she said.

Morrison, whose district includes eastern Omaha and parts of Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista and Ralston, will chair the committee.

Weve got to troubleshoot what went wrong, she said.

We cant deny that theres a problem. Lets just figure out what the themes are, figure out what we want to change and get it changed, she said.

In March, the Nebraska Department of Education proposed health and sex education standards that were both comprehensive in scope and inclusive of diverse genders and sexual orientations.

Kindergartners, for example, were to learn about cohabitating and same-gender families. First graders were to learn about gender identity and gender stereotypes, and older kids about anal, oral and vaginal sex.

Ninety percent of the input received by the department was in opposition to the standards, according to an analysis of emails and survey responses reviewed by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Board members halted development of the standards Sept. 3.

Critics said the standards did not reflect the views of a majority of Nebraskans, and they questioned the behind-the-scenes efforts of board member Deb Neary.

Released emails show that Neary urged the department to use an advocate of comprehensive sex education, employed by the Womens Fund of Omaha, as an adviser in the standards process. She also arranged to invite the standards writers and her board colleagues to an invitation-only workshop with a national sex ed advocate.

At the board meeting Thursday, Stevens said that early in the process, he asked if activists were involved and was assured that they werent.

He said he relayed that to constituents in a column in newspapers in his area. Now he believes that activists were involved.

In my definition and probably in the definition of many of my constituents, there indeed were activists, he said. And I felt a little bit left out there, and that was difficult for me to respond to at that particular time.

Neary responded to him, saying that the woman she recommended, who was put on the advisory committee, was not an activist.

Lisa Schulze is one of the most informed, scholarly people about best practices in research on sexuality education, and thats not an activist, she said. That is a scholar.

She said her constituent group in Omaha is very different from Stevens in western Nebraska.

Neary said her own advocacy reflected the position of the majority of pediatricians across the country and Nebraska.

When pediatricians say the standards are medically accurate and will help youth to be successful, those arent philosophical thoughts, those are scholarly facts, she said.

Stevens further questioned why the Education Department pushed to adopt health standards during the pandemic.

We should have been much more understanding of the situation that we were in, he said. The middle of a pandemic, very chaotic. Why did we think that this would be a great time or the right time to bring forth health standards?

Gubbels said she has a sense that we all believe that we need to formalize the process.

For example, what is the role of an advisory committee? Right? Who are subject matter experts? I think having definitions will help us in formalization of the process.

Several board members suggested that the state needs a written process that would involve board members earlier in the development of standards.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Prosecutors at trial argued he had taken Thomas out to a boat ramp along the river intending to kill her, and dumped her body in the river. Keadle maintained he left the 19-year-old there  alive  when she refused to get back in his Ford Explorer.

Her body never was found.

On Tuesday, though, as Pickens cast new doubt on the same facts of the case, justices cast doubt on the lawyer's understanding of his own appeal.

Pickens appealed to the state's Supreme Court on the basis of corpus delicti, a common law legal devise that refers to the principle that a crime must be proved to have occurred before a person can be convicted of committing it.

But in Nebraska murder trials, the device revolves largely around confessions.

"What's the purpose of the common law rule of corpus delicti?" Justice Stephanie Stacy asked, interrupting Pickens as he described Facebook posts Thomas had made before her disappearance. "What's the purpose? What's trying to be achieved by the rule?"

"To ensure that folks who confess to crimes that weren't actually committed are not convicted," Pickens replied.

"Do we have a confession in this case?" Stacy asked.

"No," Pickens conceded. "There's some unfortunate statements. There's some dishonesty. There's, I suppose, some misdirection. But there's no confession."

"So, in a murder case where there is no confession in play, what purpose does the rule of corpus delicti serve that isn't already served by requiring a jury to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?" Stacy asked.

And so went the latest appeal of Keadle's conviction.

Pickens, throughout his argument on Tuesday, was peppered by nearly every justice on the state's Supreme Court with questions that seemed to cast doubt on the merits of the appeal.

The lawyer maintained that he was not simply asking the justices to reweigh the evidence  which is not the role of an appellate court. Instead, Pickens recited the facts of the case and the events that led up to Thomas' disappearance, claiming the state didn't have sufficient evidence that a crime occurred.

Even if prosecutors proved the elements of the crime, he argued, it doesn't mean they'd proven corpus delicti -- that the crime had been committed at all.

And Pickens lamented what the common law rule has come to mean in Nebraska, now seeming to require an attached confession, though the dictionary definition of the doctrine doesn't mention one.

"The corpus delicti rule at least used to mean something," he said. "It certainly doesn't mean as much as it used to."

Speaking on behalf of the state, Assistant Attorney General Melissa Vincent summarized Pickens appeal as "nothing more than an invitation to this court" to reweigh the evidence already considered by a jury.

Vincent noted that prosecutors don't have to provide blood evidence in murder cases when circumstantial evidence is enough to convict a defendant, as it was in the case of Keadle, whose own admissions helped put him away.

She said that the existence of physical evidence has never been a requirement in murder trials to prove that a crime occurred.

"Nor does that requirement make sense," she said. "It's possible to kill a person in ways that do not produce physical evidence apart from the body itself. And in any event, physical evidence can be destroyed.

"Both possibilities exist in this case."
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administration's effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 27 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

Seema Nanda, solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor, said in a statement Friday that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act gives OSHA the authority to act quickly during an emergency if it finds workers are subject to a grave danger. The agency contends its temporary rule also preempts any state or local bans on employers' ability to require vaccines.

We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court," Nanda said.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organization's center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agency's regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

Missouri's lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor."

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit. Later Friday, Indiana filed in the Chicago-based 7th Circuit.

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It's unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal government's requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach,' Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas. Also contributing were Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Alexandra Jaffe and Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP)  Jonathan Johnson spent weeks on a ventilator battling COVID-19, then decided to get married  in the hospital.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the 28-year-old man surprised his fiancee with the help of hospital staff and arranged a wedding last month in the intensive care unit of the hospital in Council Bluffs, tying the knot with 28-year-old Mariah Copeland from his bed.

I didnt want any regrets, Johnson said Tuesday. After coming off the ventilator, you view a lot of things differently in life.

Johnson was diagnosed with COVID-19 in September. He quarantined in the couple's bedroom away from Copeland and their 2-year-old son.

Copeland also tested positive, but it was Johnson whose condition worsened. He landed in Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and was on a ventilator for more than three weeks.

As soon as Johnson got off the ventilator, he decided the time was right for the wedding.

You see a lot of sadness, and sometimes the end isnt always what we wanted, nurse Jenna Harvey said. With Jonathan, this gave us hope and it kind of keeps us going. ... Its something they both deserve.

Family, friends and an officiant were looped in and persuaded Copeland to do her hair and makeup and head up to the hospital for a visit on Oct. 14. When she got to Johnsons room  where he was no longer in isolation or contagious  he told her that she was there for a wedding.

I didnt think that was going to happen so soon, she said. I am so happy it did, so I can spend my forever with the man that I love.

Legal paperwork lists the wedding date as Oct. 22, the day Johnson was released. He is on the mend at home, and still uses oxygen. The couple hope to have another ceremony after he fully recovers.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Omaha World-Herald.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Court hearings were set for next week for two southeast Iowa high school students charged with murder in the death of a high school Spanish teacher as her family deals with the shocking ordeal and urged forgiveness.

Investigators said Nohema Graber, a 66-year-old Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, was reported missing Tuesday. Her remains were found later that day at Chautauqua Park on the east edge of Fairfield, where she was known to take daily walks.

Fairfield is located about 95 miles (152.89 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

According to court documents, Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale were charged as adults with first-degree murder as well as conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Both are 16 and were students at Fairfield High School where Graber taught.

A judge set a preliminary hearing date for Nov. 12. If prosecutors first file and a judge approves trial information  documents that contain the formal statement of charges that will lay out the evidence prosecutors have gathered to prove guilt  before Nov. 12, the preliminary hearings will not be held and the case will move forward with an arraignment on the charges.

Both teens are being held in jail on $1 million bond.

Graber was born in Xalapa, Mexico, the capital of the state of Veracruz, about 180 miles (289 kilometers) east of Mexico City. She moved to Fairfield, the hometown of her husband Paul Graber, in the 1990s. They divorced five years ago but remained close, he told The Des Moines Register.

Her son, Christian Graber, posted a Facebook message Thursday saying he forgives the people who killed his mother and that there is no point in being angry.

My mother was an angel of a woman and was one of the kindest souls," he wrote, ending his message with Te amo madre  I love you mom.

Her daughter, Nohema Marie Graber, echoed her brothers message of forgiveness.

We had the wonderful fortune of growing up in a home filled with such an abundance of warmth and love," she said.

Court filings stated that Graber suffered inflicted trauma to the head. Her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the park.

Police received a tip that Goodale posted details about planning the killing and a possible motive on social media, according to court documents. Authorities have not yet released the motive. The court documents indicated police investigators found clothing that appeared to contain blood at the homes of the teens.

Documents also said Miller admitted to being at the park when Graber was killed and helped to conceal her death.

Fairfield has a population of about 9,400 people and a sizable foreign-born population compared to Iowa, generally due to the presence of Maharishi International University. The private college, established by the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1971, centers its educational program around the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Census data shows 12.6% of the population is foreign-born, more than double the 5.3% of the general Iowa population. More than half the foreign-born population is from Asia, 21% from Africa and 17% from Latin America.

Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Patrick J. McAvan said Friday that many people are asking if this is a racially motivated crime. We do not have any evidence at this point that suggests that, he said.

Graber taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012 and she previously taught in the Ottumwa Community School District.

Miller and Goodale appear to not yet have attorneys. A judge on Thursday ordered a state public defender to be appointed to represent Goodale. Documents said Miller declined to request a court-appointed attorney and it wasnt immediately clear who would represent him.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson is among 11 attorneys from GOP-led states who on Friday filed a lawsuit challenging a new federal rule that requires employees at businesses with 100 or more employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus or be tested weekly.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the emergency rule on Thursday. It calls for employees of companies that size to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly and wear masks. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation. It includes a religious exemption, as well as one for people who work exclusively outdoors or away from others.

In the suit, filed against the Biden administration in the St. Louis-based Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, the states allege the new rule is unconstitutional, unlawful and unwise.

The federal government lacks constitutional authority under its enumerated powers to issue this mandate, and its attempt to do so unconstitutionally infringes on the States powers expressly reserved by the Tenth Amendment, it reads.

They also argue that OSHA doesnt have statutory authority to issue the rule, saying it was shoe-horned into laws governing workplace safety that werent meant to federalize public-health policy.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, has said legal precedent allows it to issue rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt submitted the suit. In addition to Nebraska, states that signed onto the lawsuit are: Arizona, Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire and Wyoming. A handful of businesses and organizations signed on, too.

In a prepared statement reacting to the OSHA rule Friday, Peterson made arguments similar to whats in the suit  that compulsory vaccinations are within states authority and the Biden administration recognized that until a recent reversal.

By announcing an OSHA rule that is 490 pages long in its preprint form, it is clear that the Biden Administration is trying to create new law through executive order, Peterson added. This Administration has left us no choice but to go to court to protect constitutional boundaries of power and the 44% of Nebraska workers that fall under this unconstitutional mandate.

Peterson was also among a group of Republican state attorneys general who last week sued the Biden administration over another mandate that applies to federal contractors.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts last week signed an executive order barring multiple state agencies from complying with the requirements.

Ricketts, who has consistently called on eligible people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, has also called the requirements an abuse of the federal governments power. He had previously said Nebraska would take OSHA to court to try to get an injunction.

Thursday, he called the new rule draconian and argued Nebraskans would be at risk of losing their jobs over something that should remain a personal health choice.

Some Nebraska state lawmakers tried to call a special session to pass laws banning vaccine requirements. But to Ricketts disappointment, the group earlier this week fell five senators short of whats required to call a special session.

The OSHA rule faces other legal challenges. The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

This story includes material from The Associated Press.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced Friday he had joined 10 other states to file suit against President Joe Bidens administration, challenging a new vaccine requirement for workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

The lawsuit filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the authority to compel vaccinations rests with the states, not the federal government.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, said the court filing.

New regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate that companies with more than 100 employees require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. The requirement is to kick in Jan. 4. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

The Bishop OGorman Catholic Schools governing board, which is based in Sioux Falls, has also joined the lawsuit.

South Dakota is also a part of a multi-state lawsuit against a vaccine mandate for federal contract workers.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Protesters against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in South Dakota filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Gov. Kristi Noem after the state denied their application to demonstrate on Capitol grounds during a special legislative session this month.

The group of protesters, who call themselves Blue State Refugees, said they planned to hold a demonstration next week to push the Legislature to take up a bill that would keep businesses from requiring vaccines as a condition of employment. But they were told by state employees that they could not hold the event on Capitol grounds because it was being decorated for a Christmas display.

The Institute for Free Speech, a conservative interest group that is representing the plaintiffs in their lawsuit, called that decision a deprivation of speech and petition rights.

The Noem administration is restricting First Amendment rights and blaming it on Christmas. It doesnt take two months to decorate, and it doesnt require banning rallies across the entire capitol grounds, Alan Gura, the organization's vice president for litigation, said in a statement.

The dispute touches on a rift within the state GOP over how much the government should step in to stop employers from requiring vaccines for their workers. Noem, who has carved out a national reputation for her hands-off approach to pandemic restrictions, has argued that its not her job to tell businesses how to handle the issue.

However, last week she issued an executive order to make it easy for state employees to obtain medical and religious exemptions if they should ever face a federal vaccine mandate. She said she was also talking to lawmakers about extending those protections to private employees.

The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas conservative former top prosecutor, who has called for a stronger U.S. security guarantee to neutralize North Korean nuclear threats, won the main opposition partys hotly contested nomination for next Marchs presidential election on Friday.

Recent opinion surveys showed Yoon Suk Yeol would be locked in a tight race with Lee Jae-myung, the outspoken liberal ruling party candidate, who has vowed to take an appeasement policy on North Korea and adopt pragmatic diplomacy between Washington and Beijing.

The close race between the two candidates will likely further intensify severe domestic polarization in South Korea at a time when it faces growing North Korean nuclear threats, an intense U.S.-China rivalry and various economic woes.

A victory for Yoon could lead to South Korea taking steps to bolster its military alliance with the United States while its ties with North Korea and China may sour. If elected, Lee would push for greater ties with North Korea but he may not be able to convince the country to abandon its nuclear program, possibly sharing the legacy of his party colleague and dovish current President Moon Jae-in, whose single five-year term ends in May.

In the opposition People Power Partys convention on Friday, party authorities announced that Yoon garnered 47.8% of the votes cast by party members and general citizens, beating his main rival Hong Joon-pyo with 41.5% and two other competitors.

The government must be very frightened and feeling bitter pains about my victory at the party primary, Yoon said in an acceptance speech. I'll surely achieve a shift in power ... I'll surely rebuild a new Republic of Korea."

Yoon, 60, has spent most of his professional career as a prosecutor but is a novice in party politics.

He was also previously Moon's prosecutor general, who led the presidents contentious anti-corruption campaign that largely focused on conservatives including those aligned with the People Power Party. But Yoon was later embroiled in high-profile political strife with Moons allies after some of his investigations targeted Moon associates.

Moons supporters argued Yoons investigations were politically motivated to elevate his own political standing or disrupt Moons push to reform the prosecution. Yoon denied such views, saying his investigations followed due, fair procedures.

The infighting triggered a domestic political firestorm, undermined Moons anti-corruption drive and boosted Yoons popularity. He eventually resigned the top prosecutors post in March and joined the People Power Party in July.

Yoon has since pledged to strive to end liberal rule, accusing the Moon government of trampling on fairness and justice while being corrupt and anachronistic.

Yoons opponents have attacked him over a lack of expertise on security and other major issues. Yoon said Friday he would select competent experts regardless of their political lines and let them handle key affairs.

Yoon himself does not have a foreign policy record, but he has a deep pool of experienced advisers. The question is whether he will listen to and adjudicate different opinions among them, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

In his Friday speech, Yoon said he would push for North Koreas denuclearization more effectively though coordination with the international community, but didn't elaborate.

But in September, Yoon said if elected he would talk with Washington to formulate procedures on the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in case of emergency and conduct related joint training to boost the reliability of the U.S. nuclear umbrella security commitment offered to allies.

But he later suggested he would oppose the U.S. reinstalling tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, which it withdrew in the 1990s, because that would deprive Seoul of its legitimacy in calling for North Korean denuclearization. He said it would be more realistic to ask Washington to send submarines carrying nuclear missiles around the Korean Peninsula as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea.

Yoon has also said he would prepare for economic cooperation with North Korea but link it to progress in Pyongyangs steps toward denuclearization, a policy that North Korea wont welcome.

How to deal with North Korea has long sharply split South Koreans. Conservatives have called for tougher sanctions and pressures in close coordination with the United States to get North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions. But liberals favor a negotiated resolution of the nuclear issue while often prioritizing improved ties with North Korea over South Koreas U.S. alliance.

Moons government once brokered high-profile nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, but their talks collapsed in early 2019 because they differed over how much sanctions relief the United States should provide to North Korea in return for dismantling its main nuclear complex, a limited disarmament measure.



Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
GENEVA (AP)  A new project trumpeted by U.S. President Joe Biden in which companies underpin development of low-carbon technologies through their buying power amounts to a big transformation, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Thursday.

The  First Movers Coalition , spearheaded by the U.S. government and the World Economic Forum, aims to help meet an increasingly difficult target laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. So far, almost three dozen global companies in many sectors have committed to changing their purchasing practices to favor development of zero-emission technologies by 2030.

The idea is to jumpstart budding or not-yet-existent technologies that can reduce how much CO2 is spewed into the atmosphere by leveraging the market  specifically the purchasing power of the companies  to encourage their suppliers to clean up, so they can too. Biden spoke of the project as the U.N.-backed climate conference in Glasgow known as COP26 got under way.

This is a big transformation. Its a big deal, Kerry told many corporate leaders behind the project in Glasgow on Thursday. Everybody Ive talked to when they learn about it, they say: Wow, that makes sense. Thats great.' And all of you understood that instinctively, and without an arm-twisting.

Designers of the project say half of the emissions reduction projected between now and 2030 will stem from innovations  like capturing carbon out of the air  that arent operating at a large scale. Pushing suppliers of the large companies to cut CO2 will help create bigger markets and ultimately lower costs, the thinking goes.

If we dont get enough reduction somewhere in the 45% range over the next 10 years, we are blowing by 1.5 degrees  and thats a hard target, Kerry said, crediting the private sector for leading in a way that even some governments are not.

A first phase focuses on aviation, shipping, steel and trucking, and three more industries  aluminum, cement and chemicals  are to come on board later. The seven industries account for about one-third of total global carbon emissions, WEF says.

Volvo says were going to buy X%  10% of our vehicles are going to be made with green steel, Kerry said. And so, all of a sudden, people making green steel know, Hey, theres somebody out there waiting to buy this."

But even participant companies arent revolutionizing their plans just yet, committing to make the changes in at least one of their purchasing areas  so not necessarily company-wide.

Questions also remain about both the metrics and monitoring, which could amount to attempted greenwashing if firms try to quietly wriggle out of their commitments.

We are going to have very strict metrics and strict follow-up on this, said Borge Brende, president of the Geneva-based WEF, which is best known for organizing the annual conference of government and corporate leaders in Davos, Switzerland.

Rest assured: were on it," he said in a phone interview.

He said the initiative is no substitute for government regulation to help curb global warming, which will still be needed, and putting pressure on suppliers could lead the companies to face higher prices. The idea builds on commitments in the finance sector already, exemplified through carbon-reduction strategies at investment companies like Blackrock and Carlyle, Brende said.

The coalition hopes to broaden that effort in finance to many more sectors. U.S.-based companies including Amazon, Apple, Boeing and Delta airlines are taking part, as are European plane maker Airbus, Germanys Deutsche Post, Swedish energy company Vattenfall and Indias Dalmia Cement.

This means that they will be pretty tough  even the hard-to-abate sectors -- in the years to come, Brende said, referring to sectors in which cutting carbon is especially difficult. And if you want to sell to these companies, you have to reduce your carbon footprint. And Im pretty sure that that signal will be received  and it will lead to new technology breakthroughs.



Follow APs coverage of the climate conference at http://apnews.com/hub/climate.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed by Israeli fire during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian health officials said.

The teen, identified as Mohammad Daadas, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the stomach during clashes with Israeli forces near the northern West Bank village of Deir al-Hatab, said the health officials' statement. Daadas was taken to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead.

The Palestinian Red Crescent medical service said the Israeli army fired live ammunition, as well as tear gas and rubber bullets, at protesters while also closing off surrounding roads, preventing their ambulances from entering the site. No other serious injuries were reported.

In a statement issued later Friday, the army said dozens of Palestinians near Deir al-Hatab began hurling rocks at Israeli troops who responded with live fire.

According to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, Daadas was from the Askar refugee camp on the outskirts of the northern city of Nablus.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians are common across the West Bank on Fridays. Over the past six months, there have been weekly clashes in the nearby town of Beita, where Palestinians hold demonstrations against the establishment of an unauthorized Israeli settlement outpost that they say was built on their land. At least five protesters have been killed in the violence.

Under a deal in June between the Israeli government and the settlers of Eviatar, the settlers left the outpost but the settlements buildings remain intact and under army guard. The Palestinians have rejected the deal, saying it is a step by Israel towards taking their land.

Last week, the Israeli authorities approved 3,000 new settler homes in the West Bank, while also agreeing on Thursday to build 1,300 housing units for Palestinians who live in areas of the West Bank that are under full Israeli control.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war and has established dozens of settlements where more than 500,000 settlers live. Palestinians seek the territory  along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip  as part of their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to resolving the conflict.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Three red Midwestern states have and are spending a total of $18.7 million in federal pandemic relief funds on ad campaigns touting their state to tourists and potential workers. We cant help but wonder if this is truly a productive way to address a shortage of workers, or to spend relief dollars.

Nebraska became the latest state, announcing a $10 million campaign to lure workers entitled The Good Life is Calling, playing on the state motto. The ad will run in a 500 mile radius around Nebraska, including Chicago, Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis, as well as in Austin, Texas, and Silicon Valley.

Last fall, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announced a $5 million campaign prominently featuring her, along with buffalo and Mount Rushmore.

In September, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds unveiled a $3.7 million campaign including a 30-second ad to be run in the Midwest and national cable networks. Its part of the This is Iowa marketing effort.

In the ad theres a sailboat on a lake, among several images of people enjoying outdoor recreation. The Des Moines skyline is featured, as are Arnolds Park and Sioux Citys amphitheater. The ad touts rolling hills and low bills. So when are you coming to see us? the ad asks.

Another question: So when are we going to get creative?

All three ads tout outdoor recreation, feature children and pitch very similar attributes. Iowas low bills are matched by the Nebraska ad featuring a very nice $225,000 home. Credit too Reynolds and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for not appearing in the ad. Noem, an ambitious GOP rising star, couldnt resist making it look like a campaign appeal.

We show pretty pictures of outdoor destinations, but woefully underfund our state parks system and have taken precious little action to clean up our dirty waters. Children and young adults attend inadequately funded public schools and universities, where tuition is rising. Students who attend our universities may be enticed to stay. We show cities as the GOP Legislature strips them of governing authority.

So instead of making real investments in the attributes we pitch, we simply trade glossy, hollow claims with our neighbors. If people thinking of moving here do simple homework, the gloss quickly will fade.

With the state sitting on a massive budget surplus, its time to make those investments and get Iowa ready for its close-up.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The classic American Western, a product of the twentieth century, was a fantasy. Verisimilitude was never its goal. Black folks were glaringly absent from those paeans to the society white Americans imagined for their forebears: tough, independent, righteous, and bound by an often quixotic moral code. Regardless, the genre is now revered by all (including Black fans) as the ultimate vehicle through which people declare their freedom, independence, morality and general badassedness.

Freedom. Freedom to right wrongs. Freedom to strike back. Freedom to revel in revenge. These are freedoms denied Black people throughout American history. Were not even allowed to openly contemplate revenge for the centuries of enslavement, brutality, rape and other forms of violence heaped on us. Denying ourselves thoughts of retaliation that would plague any human treated as we have been is just another form of denying our full humanity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Netflix film The Harder They Fall, as with other recent movies like Django Unchained and The Birth of a Nation, tries to right this wrong and mythologize Black historical figures as independent rebels who take no shit, and will kill you for saying a word that even starts with N. The film, directed by Jeymes Samuel, employs historical characters, but makes up entirely new stories about their lives. These characters include Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield), a half-Cherokee, half-black outlaw raised by his black grandmother; Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi), a cowboy and Wild West show performer; and Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo), a U.S. Deputy Marshal who worked in what was then Indian Territorytodays Oklahoma.

Then there is Rufus Bucka historical figure who was fascinatingly, enigmatically unique. In the film, Buck is played by Idris Elba, who is 49. However, the real-life Buck was at most 21 years old when he was executed by order of Hanging Judge Isaac Parker in 1895. Thats the first, but not the last, liberty the film takes in adapting his story. Bucks actual life, or what we can glean of it, deserves its own stage. Thats why I wrote the historical novel I Dreamt I Was in Heaven: The Rampage of the Rufus Buck Gang.

Advertisement

Some accurate information about Buck is available, but there is nothing close to a detailed life story. There are records of his arrests, and press accounts, but the latter cannot be fully trusted, since the advocacy journalism of the time portrayed Black and Native offenders as particularly evil and threatening. Buck went from being a very young man, arrested and jailed for selling illicit liquor, to the most wanted man in the Indian Territory. By all accounts, his gang threatened, maimed, killed, terrorized and raped, putting him right in the league of a Jesse James.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fascinating question is Why? How do you evolve, in such a short span of time, from an aficionado of reading outlaw pamphlets, to the most feared man in the whole Territory? Thats the story I tried to tell, and it involved far more than just Buck and other outlaws. It involved politics, history, and the trajectory of America itself.

It is clear that the real Bucks young age was important to his story; the two-week long rampage he carried out was that of a teenager, with all the rage and thoughtlessness that implies. The film, on the other hand, shows Elbas Rufus Buck as a mature, hardcore killer, one doing his business in a principally Black world. But the real-life Buck was just a petty offender prior to his famous rampage. No experienced gunslinger, he also inhabited the opposite of a racially homogenous society.

Advertisement

In fact, the historical Bucks multicultural environment clearly played a large part in his development. By 1895, there were more whites in Indian Territory than Indians, and the US government was on the verge of absorbing the land for white settlement. The Territories also included freedman towns: Black enclaves founded by former slaves. Buck himself attended a Christian mission school run by a white man. Buck was multi-racial. His father was half Creek Indian, and his mother was Black. Placing him in an overwhelmingly Black context may serve the films purposes, but it strips Buck of his backstory. Ditto for removing him from Indian Territory.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Most significantly, the movie omits Bucks stated missionthe cleansing of whites from Indian Territory. He had lived his life there, and, much like present-day viewers of movies like The Harder They Fall, he was reportedly fascinated by pulp pamphlet tales of Black and Indian outlaws. The characters in these were free to do as they pleased, and took no guff from anyonecritical to a youth attending a mission school that punished him for speaking his native Creek language. His very exposure to the white world drove Rufus Buck.

Advertisement

Through his Creek father, the young Buck had absorbed the Indian genocide and watched the Dawes Act strip the tribes of their traditional land rights in Indian Territory. His mother most likely endured some form of bondage. He was watching the last refuge of his people torn from them, and in truly American fashion, he assumed the impossible task of crushing the march of the American Goliath with his little band of five. He assumed that once he began, all the Native people and Blacks in the Territory would join him, rise up, and remove the usurping whites; he would be his peoples messiah. He was grotesquely wrong; instead, whites, Blacks, and Indians joined together to hunt him down.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The real Rufus Buck may have crossed paths with Cherokee Bill (real name Crawford Goldsby) at the Fort Smith jail right outside Indian Territory. However, Buck and Bill were never in the same gang, as the film depictsat most, they might have met each other while behind bars. Shockingly young, both Buck and Bill were hanged around age 20 by order of Hanging Judge Isaac Parker, a white manthe same man who had sentenced Buck for selling liquor.

Advertisement

I see Parkers role in Bucks saga as crucial, but the film omits this character. In an odd bit of historical irony, the same forces that drove Buck to his crusadethe final U.S. assimilation of Indian lands in the areastripped Parker of his power after 20 years as the sole law in the vast Indian Territory. The dissolution of Indian Territory killed the project to which Parker had devoted his life. He died not long after presiding over the Buck Gangs executions.

The centurys close would bring Indian Territory, Buck, Cherokee Bill, and the white man who condemned them to an end. It would also bring an end to Bucks dream, the illusion of Native sovereignty, and the old west itself. The Harder They Fall is a wish-fulfillment romp, appropriate to the casual use of the western genre. However, the real stories of some of the outlaws named in the film carry historical and dramatic weight enough to sear the conscience, and help rearrange our understanding of the American Westand America itself.
Democrats, God bless them, are still out there on Capitol Hill trying to pass this darn infrastructure/social spending package. One of the main reasons they have not yet done so is because Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema reportedly objected to the tax increases on super wealthy Americans and corporations that President Joe Biden initially proposed as part of the spending bill.

Sinema hasnt publicly explained why she is against these kinds of taxes, but has recently been raising a lot of money through business groups. On Friday, Politico wrote about one such group, noting that the senator has gotten at least $10,000 this year in donations from individuals and companiesincluding Amway and Herbalifeassociated with a multilevel marketing organization called the Direct Selling Association.

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

These kinds of enterprises have sometimes been scrutinized by legislators and regulators on the suspicion that they run pyramid schemes, a label they object to. But neither fraud accusations nor the Build Back Better bills taxes appear to be the reason the Direct Selling Association is interested in Sinema. Shes valuable to MLMs, Politico reports, because shes the only Senate Democrat who has not co-sponsored or otherwise expressed support for the PRO Act, a labor-organizing reform bill that seeks to prohibit MLM sellers from being classified as independent contractors rather than employees. Politico describes her as the chambers chief Democratic opponent to the bill.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The news site then notes that gig companies are also against the PRO Act, which leads to this tremendous sentence and concept:

Advertisement

Rover, known as one of the Ubers of dog-walking, just recently enlisted its first K Street firm, Mercury Public Affairs, to lobby on labor classification and taxes.

Take noteRover is only one of the Ubers of dog-walking, not the Uber of dog-walking. And to be clear, it has not sought Kyrsten Sinemas support, that we know of, for the purpose of preserving its legal right not to provide benefits to the dog walkers whom it connects, using technology, with dogs.

Someone should build an app that businesses seeking certain legislative outcomes could use to connect with legislators who are seeking money with which to fund their campaigns and/or lucrative post-term opportunities in the government relations sector. It could be called Bribr, am I right? Ha ha, no, just kidding, this is all extremely legal. In fact, you could argue theres nothing more legal than the lobbying process, because its protected by the people who actually make the laws. Have a great weekend!
Republican leaders are crowing about Tuesdays election in Virginia. Theyre crediting the victory of their gubernatorial nominee, Glenn Youngkin, in part to a backlash against critical race theorya term that Republicans have distorted to mean any statement, particularly in schools, that talks about racism and offends some white people. Parents are getting more and more engaged at the local level, concerned about things like critical race theory being rammed down their kids throats, said Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, at a Republican press conference on Wednesday. That was rejected last night.

Advertisement

Scalise is partially correct. Youngkin cultivated CRT as an issue and exploited it throughout the campaign. He falsely asserted that it was being taught in all schools across Virginia. He complained that it labeled white people as oppressors and Black people as victims, and he promised to ban it from public schools. He provoked a backlash against CRT, and the backlash helped him win. But it wasnt a backlash of parents. It was a backlash of white people.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Surveys conducted before the election showed that Democrats were vulnerable to attacks over the way public schools treated race. In July, shortly after Youngkin began to raise CRT in speeches, the American Principles Project, a conservative organization, commissioned a poll to test the issue. It found that when CRT was framed in Youngkins termsteaching white children that they are oppressors and teaching minority children that they are victimsa two-to-one majority of likely Virginia voters, 58 percent to 26 percent, said it shouldnt be taught in schools. When the poll described Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe as soft on CRT, he lost support. When the poll informed respondents that Youngkin had promised to ban CRT, he gained support. These shiftsmeasured by how many respondents said the information made them more or less likely to vote for each candidatewere about 10 percentage points.

Advertisement

In August, the APP poll was backed up by another survey, this time from the left. This survey of likely voters in Virginia, conducted by Change Research for Crooked Media, found that 68 percent of independents and 52 percent of undecided voters said the teaching of CRT in schools posed a threat to the state. A narrow majority of undecided voters, when presented with Youngkins anti-CRT message, said it was a convincing reason to support him. The pollsters report concluded: Messaging about Youngkin never allowing critical race theory to be taught in Virginia schools was the most effective pro-Youngkin message among all voters and undecided voters.

Advertisement

Academic and media surveys confirmed that the issue was a net plus for Youngkin, particularly among independents. These questionnaires didnt put any spin on CRT; they just asked about critical race theory. In a mid-September Emerson College poll, independents favored banning CRT, 50 percent to 32 percent. In a late September Fox News poll, independents opposed teaching CRT in schools, 50 percent to 16 percent. The Fox News poll found that CRT, unlike other cultural issues raised by the right, didnt just appeal to white non-college voters. It also resonated with white college graduates, who opposed teaching CRT in schools, 44 percent to 25 percent. (Fox News polls, unlike the networks partisan programming, are scrupulous and well regarded.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Published polls in Virginia didnt explore whether the attacks on CRT, unlike cruder appeals to white resentment, were particularly effective in luring upper-income suburbanites back to the GOP. But national polling suggests they probably were. In a YouGov/Yahoo! News survey taken last month, 79 percent of voters with annual incomes above $100,000 said they had heard of CRT, versus just 43 percent of those making under $50,000. Among those higher earners, 39 percent said that children shouldnt be exposed to CRT in school, while 29 percent said they should. (The rest were unsure or unfamiliar with the topic.)

Advertisement

For Youngkin, CRT was a useful way to attract Virginians who had supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In the Emerson poll, 31 percent of likely Virginia voters who had supported Biden favored state laws against teaching CRT. In the Crooked Media poll, 35 percent of likely Virginia voters who had cast ballots for Biden in 2020 but were planning not to vote for McAuliffe said CRT was a threat. And every survey indicated that the issue was cutting against McAuliffe. In the Emerson poll, two-thirds of respondents who favored a ban on CRT supported Youngkin. In the Fox News poll, nearly 80 percent of respondents who opposed CRT were for Youngkin.

Advertisement

By October, CRT had become highly salient. In a CBS News survey, 62 percent of likely Virginia voters said school curriculums on race and history were a major factor in their choice for governor. That was higher than the percentage who said taxes or mask policies were a major factor, and it wasnt far below the percentage who said the same about crime or the economy. Among independents, the percentage of likely voters who cited racial curricula as a major factor was 61; among white college graduates, it was 56. And the rising salience was bad news for McAuliffe: Among voters who viewed this issue as a major factor, he was losing by 20 points.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As a wedge issue, CRT was working. But it wasnt working by appealing to parents, as Republicans pretended. It was working by appealing to white people. In the Fox News poll, white respondents opposed the teaching of CRT by 24 percentage points, but parents opposed it by only five points. Thats because many parents arent white, and the polls nonwhite respondents were twice as likely to favor CRT as to oppose it. When Republicans talk about a parental backlash against CRT, theyre not talking about all parents. Theyre talking about white parents.

Advertisement

Surveys taken by Monmouth University in August, September, and October show that during these months, Youngkin gained ground among white voters but not among voters of color. On one question that was tested repeatedlyWho do you trust more on race relations issues?white voters moved toward Youngkin, while Black voters moved toward McAuliffe. But the most telling question in the Monmouth series wasnt explicitly about race. It was Who do you trust more on education and schools? On that question, from August to October, Youngkin gained 12 percentage points among white voters, relative to McAuliffe. That was twice the size of his gain among all voters on the same question, and it was three times the size of his gain among independents.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The racial concentration of this movement toward Youngkin was one sign that CRT, as an ethnic appeal, was working. Another sign was that his 12-point improvement among white voters on education was bigger than his improvement among white voters on any other issue, including jobs, taxes, and law enforcement. Youngkins gains on education were concentrated among white people, and his gains among white people were concentrated in education. In fact, on the question of who do you trust more on education, the gap between white voters and Black voters grew more in those two months than did the gap between Democrats and Republicans. Race, not party, was driving the polarization.

Advertisement

The network exit poll, released on Nov. 2, showed the same pattern. Youngkin got 62 percent of the white vote and 13 percent of the Black vote, a gap of 49 points. But among voters who said parents should have a lot of say in what schools teachabout half the electoratehe got 90 percent of the white vote and only 19 percent of the Black vote, a gap of 71 points. The idea that parents should have more say in the curriculumYoungkins central messagehad become racially loaded. And the loading was specific to race: Other demographic gaps for which data were reported in the exit pollbetween men and women, and between white college graduates and whites who hadnt graduated from collegeget smaller, not bigger, when you narrow your focus from the entire sample to the subset of voters who said parents should have a lot of say in what schools taught. Only the racial gap increases.

Advertisement

The exit poll didnt ask voters about CRT, but it did ask about Confederate monuments on government property. Sixty percent of white voters said the monuments should be left in place, not removed, and 87 percent of those voters went to Youngkin. That was 25 points higher than his overall share of white voters. The election had become demonstrably polarized, not just by race but by attitudes toward the history of racism. All the evidence indicates that Youngkins attacks on CRT played a role in this polarization.

So, yes, there was a backlash against critical race theory in Virginia. And, yes, it helped Republicans win. Their strategy of hyping, distorting, and attacking CRT worked. But it didnt work by appealing to parents. It worked by appealing to race.
Economy minister forced to explain his property circumstances.

News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription.

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

When Economy Minister Richard Sulik (SaS) faced a no-confidence vote in parliament at the end of October, the opposition asked him to address rumours that he owned a ranch in Australia.

Sulik confirmed he indirectly owns a ranch in Australia through a company he owns with two other people. The co-owners are neither politicians nor business people, the SaS spokesperson later specified for the Sme daily.

"I will not tell you who owns the ranch with me, I will not. They are two natural persons unknown to the public," Sulik said in parliament. He also stated that the ranch, which he has owned since December 2019, cost him a sum equivalent to "the price of a better flat in Bratislava".

The economy minister is currently facing more questions linked to his daughter's participation in the ministerial delegation at the Expo in Dubai.

Fico wants to go back to the ranch
The government has options to hinder the spread of the virus before it starts considering limits to in-person education, expert says.

News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription.

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

The Health Ministry has said it has no plans to change the system governing when schools can remain open if pupils test positive for Covid-19, despite rising infection numbers and warnings of the risks of children spreading the disease.

Regional public health authorities have the power to close individual schools or all the schools within their district, if they decide the epidemic situation requires it.

Pupils and students returned to schools after the short autumn holidays earlier this week as the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic intensified.

Infection numbers and hospitalisations have risen sharply in recent days and most regions in Slovakia are currently in the strictest two tiers of the countrys Covid-automat system which ties the degree of pandemic restrictions that must be put in place in any area to infection rates.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky has said there may be a rethink of current pandemic measures if the situation worsens further.

This has led to questions about whether schools may have to close. In fact, the consilium of experts advising the government on mitigating the pandemic suggested on November 5 that in the worst-off districts, in the dark red and black tiers, in-person education should be interrupted if possible. The competency to make the decision to close schools should still rest with the regional public health authorities.

Open schools as long as possible

Schools were closed for much of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 during the first and second waves of the pandemic. Only schools in Colombia and Costa Rica among OECD countries were shut for longer.

To avoid a repeat of this, the Covid automat system which came into force in late August was designed to keep schools open for as long as possible.
They call on the Economy Ministry to show them more respect.

News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription.

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

Slovak winemakers are criticising the Economy Ministry, the organiser of the Slovakias representation at the Expo 2020 in Dubai, for offering foreign wines at the Slovak pavilion's restaurant. The Association of Wine Growers and Wine Producers (ZVVS) recalls that last year alone, Slovak wines won more than 230 medals at prestigious world exhibitions. In total, more than 5,000 types of wines of domestic origin are available in Slovakia.

Dubai is a slap in the face of Slovak wine, which, with its unique quality, tested by the most prestigious international competitions, has attracted attention to a small country of great wine, Vladimir Mrva, president of ZVVS, wrote in the press release. Not only athletes and the automotive industry, but also winegrowers and winemakers have raised the prestige and self-confidence of Slovakia.

Daughter's trip to Dubai and a ranch in Australia. Opposition tears into Sulik Read more

ZVVS was triggered by a photo of the menu published on the holiday website Dovolenky bez Cestovky  Letenky. Only French and Italian wines, French cognacs, Italian mineral water and Czech beer were on offer, the Pravda daily reported.

As a Slovak winemaker, the absence of Slovak wines, beer and water offends me twice, Karol Sebo, a winegrower and winemaker, wrote on social media. He considers this a manifestation of the deep lack of respect Slovak producers suffer from by a portion of society that is convinced imported goods are better than Slovak ones.

Julius Forsthoffer, the secretary of the Association of Alcohol and Spirits Producers, sees what happened in Dubai as a national disgrace.

None of us were approached; they gave up on it, he said, as cited by Pravda.

Economy Minister Richard Sulik (SaS) reacted immediately, saying that the exhibition in Dubai is not a food fair.

Related article

Related article Drop-shaped hydrogen car to represent Slovakia at the Expo in Dubai Read more

It is an exhibition of Slovak technologies and innovations; the hydrogen car and the bus are just a fraction of the Slovak inventions that will open up to the world market here, said Sulik, as cited by Pravda, explaining that to have Slovak food products at the pavilion would be too expensive and complicated. In the meantime, the administrator of the restaurant has already had some success in obtaining Slovak food products for the restaurant.

Slovak producers are not satisfied with Suliks response.

ZVVS said that Slovak winemakers export their wines to several countries around the world, including China, Japan, Canada, the USA, Shanghai, and Vietnam.

We cannot understand why the Slovak government cannot ensure the presentation of Slovak wines at the long-prepared Expo 2020 in Dubai, wrote Mrva.
https://sputniknews.com/20211104/mexican-authorities-detain-top-cartel-leader-el-inge-in-sinaloa-1090485594.html

Mexican Authorities Detain Top Cartel Leader 'El Inge' in Sinaloa

Mexican Authorities Detain Top Cartel Leader 'El Inge' in Sinaloa

Soldiers of the Mexican Army, the National Guard and agents of the Attorney General's Office of Mexico detained Armando N., alias "El Inge," leader of the... 04.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-04T23:48+0000

2021-11-04T23:48+0000

2021-11-05T00:37+0000

mexico

cartel

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0e/1083148353_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_8c271e8ee619b2e1a71db99d02570189.jpg

The raid was conducted on October 28, but was not reported until Thursday. Along with apprehending "El Inge," agents confiscated 118 kilograms of fentanyl paste, a narcotic opioid, and a laboratory used to produce the synthetic drug. The haul of fentanyl is thought to be worth around $48 million at current street value, which would make it the largest seizure of its kind to date. Securing the lab, however, was of equal importance. The Mexican National Defense agency believed the laboratory capable of producing 70 kilograms of fentanyl paste each month. Each kilogram of fentanyl paste can produce up to a million normal doses. The scale of the operation led the agency to believe its distribution footprint was international. El Inge, the alleged leader of a criminal organization specializing in the production of fentanyl, faces organized crime charges in Mexico. Four of his collaborators were also apprehended. Before executing the October 28 raid, crime units identified the property where the laboratory operated and an additional property used as a collection center. Along with fentanyl paste and the equipment necessary to produce it, the raid netted five guns, 1,050 rounds of ammunition, and two cars. The team also discovered, in cash, $86,000 pesos and $14,600 USD.

mexico

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Nevin Brown

Nevin Brown

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Nevin Brown

mexico, cartel
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/ahead-of-crucial-assembly-polls-in-five-indian-states-congress-slams-modi-govt-on-farmer-issues-1090495343.html

Ahead of Crucial Assembly Polls in Five Indian States, Congress Slams Modi Gov't on Farmer Issues

Ahead of Crucial Assembly Polls in Five Indian States, Congress Slams Modi Gov't on Farmer Issues

India's farmers have been protesting against controversial farm laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government last year. Protesters fear these laws... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T12:47+0000

2021-11-05T12:47+0000

2021-11-05T12:47+0000

new delhi

delhi

politics

politics

narendra modi

farmers

bharatiya janata party (bjp)

india

politics

farmers

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090005462_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_cf36a5336cafea5a363500205379bfc9.jpg

Ahead of crucial assembly polls in five Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, the Congress party has attacked the government and its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over farmers issues.In several tweets, the main opposition party has contrasted the help Congress-led state governments have been able to bring to the farmers with the perceived wrongs perpetrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led federal government.The party has said that the BJP-led federal government has done nothing to raise farmers' income whereas the Congress-led state government of Chhattisgarh has promised farmers an extra INR10,000 ($134) per acre.Highlighting the work done by the Congress government in Punjab state, the party said that its government has not only waived outstanding electricity bills but also slashed electricity prices by INR3 ($0.04) per unit.Congress berated the federal government for allegedly doing nothing for the farmers, and said that farmers' debts have risen by 58 percent since the BJP came to power.Congress also drew attention to the plight of the farmers because of a shortage of fertilisers.In one of the tweets, the party extended support to farmers saying that Congress will continue to stand by them and support them in their fight to repeal the three farm laws.In another tweet, the party condemned the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and said that it will continue to fight for justice for the victims of the incident.In every tweet, the party highlighted the different issues which have been raised by the farmers in the protest which has lasted nearly a year and will mark its anniversary on 26 November.On 1 November, Rakesh Tikait, a spokesperson for Indian Farmers' Union Bharatiya Kisan Union warned the federal government that the protests would be intensified unless the three farm laws were scrapped by the first anniversary.Thousands of farmers have been protesting at three border points on the outskirts of Delhi  Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur. They argue that the new laws will end Minimum Support Price (MSP), a government-set guaranteed price for farmers' produce, and will pave the way for industrialists to enter the farming system. There have already been 11 rounds of talks between farmers and the government but all have remained inconclusive.

new delhi

delhi

india

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg

Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg

new delhi, delhi, politics, politics, narendra modi, farmers, bharatiya janata party (bjp), india, politics, farmers, congress, farmers, indian national congress, congress, narendra modi, politics, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/beijing-slams-us-attempts-to-hype-up-the-china-threat-1090504003.html

Beijing Slams US Attempts to Hype Up the 'China Threat'

Beijing Slams US Attempts to Hype Up the 'China Threat'

The latest report on China, drafted by the Pentagon, suggested that the Asian nation was expanding its nuclear arsenal in no small part thanks to the US' own... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T14:01+0000

2021-11-05T14:01+0000

2021-11-05T14:56+0000

us

asia & pacific

china

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/01/12/1081799952_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_9162f74d85eebf2ecaa044876a0419fe.jpg

China has lodged an official protest to the US over its criticism of Beijing building-up its nuclear arsenal, which Beijing rejected as unfounded. The spokesman for the Chinese Defence Ministry, Wu Qian, has stressed that Beijing only pursues a defensive policy aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty, and does not target any country or endanger regional stability.The official went on to decry the Pentagon's latest report on China, accusing Washington of ignoring the facts, filling the document with bias and making up an illusory "Chinese military threat". He also said that the Pentagon's criticism of Beijing for building up its nuclear arsenal was "unfounded".At the same time, the Defence Ministry's spokesman lashed out at the US, pointing out that Washington had itself made a large contribution to destabilising the world's peace and security by building up its nuclear arsenal, cyber operations and withdrawing from important arms treaties, such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.Wu Qian also highlighted the fact that the US is part of the AUKUS security pact, which Beijing repeatedly condemned as "irresponsible" and violating the principles of nuclear non-proliferation. Under the provisions of the AUKUS agreement, the US will provide Australia with the technology to propel their submarines with nuclear energy.Earlier, the Pentagon presented its annual report to the Congress, where it admitted that Washington's aggressive policies and actions prompted China to fear that a war between the two countries was imminent. This, in turn, spurred Beijing on to accelerate the bolstering of its nuclear weapons and strengthening its nuclear triad. The report painted China as one of the primary military threats for the US.

https://sputniknews.com/20211104/china-slams-australia-over-irresponsible-act-of-joining-aukus-for-its-own-interests-1090481355.html

koursk koursk with the communist party in power, the people's republic of china defends the general interest, inside and outside its borders *** the mobster billionaires who control the nato zone get rich by plundering the public good for satisfy their particular interests *** ethics are on the side of china, russia and their allies *** ethics would like the big mafia, which reigns economically, therefore politically and economically in washington and brussels, restores the money stolen from the public finances of the nato zone, and evacuate the occupied territories like taiwan, the south of the 38th parallel. 5

Nonyank The US needs a Boogie Man to try to justify selling arms to its NATO idiot friends and other non thinking knuckle dragger friends. 4

6

china

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

us, asia & pacific, china
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/chaos-in-ethiopia-as-rebels-advance-towards-capital-1090476815.html

Chaos in Ethiopia as Rebels Advance Towards Capital

Chaos in Ethiopia as Rebels Advance Towards Capital

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan talk about the deteriorating situation in Ethiopia, more analysis on the Virginia... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:09+0000

2021-11-05T10:09+0000

2021-11-05T10:09+0000

ethiopia

us

virginia

nyc

terry mcauliffe

police

minneapolis

fault lines

radio

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/04/1090476773_56:0:1300:700_1920x0_80_0_0_cf18472c389c2db3024c79305fa8bc29.png

Chaos in Ethiopia as Rebels Advance Towards Capital On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan talk about the deteriorating situation in Ethiopia, more analysis on the Virginia gubernatorial election, and stories from the New York City mayoral race.

Guests:Bob Schlehuber - Co-Host of Political Misfits | Violent Uprising by Former Ruling Party in EthiopiaTed Rall - Political Cartoonist | VA Gov Race Results: What Happened To Terry?Alex Vitale - Professor of Sociology | Minneapolis Voters Shoot Down Proposal to Replace Police DepartmentMichael Goodwin - Journalist and Columnist | NYC Mayor-Elect Causes Traffic Jam, Drives on Sidewalk to EvadeIn the first hour, we talked with Bob Schlehuber who is currently in Ethiopia covering the violent uprising by the former leftist ruling party Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has declared to citizens that "dying for Ethiopia is a duty for all of us."In the second hour, Fault Lines was joined by Ted Rall to discuss the missteps by Democrats and Democratic hopeful Terry McAuliffe after his loss in Virginia's gubernatorial race on Tuesday. Alex Vitale also discussed a proposal to replace the Minneapolis police department with a 'public safety' department that voters rejected.In the third hour, Michael Goodwin joined the conversation to talk about the NYC mayoral race including the bizarre and hilarious story where mayor-elect Eric Adams violated multiple traffic laws on the day of the election.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

ethiopia

virginia

nyc

minneapolis

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Shane Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/07/1082560782_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_c5b74c177011dbd114ddab0b2a2e1ab5.jpg

Shane Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/07/1082560782_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_c5b74c177011dbd114ddab0b2a2e1ab5.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Shane Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/07/1082560782_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_c5b74c177011dbd114ddab0b2a2e1ab5.jpg

ethiopia, us, virginia, nyc, terry mcauliffe, police, minneapolis, fault lines, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/china-to-prosecute-people-who-are-pro-taiwan-independence-1090492226.html

China to Hold 'Stubborn Taiwan Independence' Supporters Criminally Liable

China to Hold 'Stubborn Taiwan Independence' Supporters Criminally Liable

Chinese authorities have criticised western countries for "meddling" in their internal affairs, as tensions around Taiwan have been escalating over the past... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T07:34+0000

2021-11-05T07:34+0000

2021-11-05T08:24+0000

asia & pacific

china

taiwan

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0b/1089828528_0:279:2948:1937_1920x0_80_0_0_25043da799fc5cb3e61c7aec9c65f5ea.jpg

Beijing stated on Friday that the Chinese authorities will ban people who are "pro-Taiwan independence" from entering mainland China, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.The said people will be criminally liable for life, and they won't be able to "benefit monetarily from the mainland", an official statement said.The situation around Taiwan has become more challenging over the past few weeks, as Washington pledged to protect the island in case of any aggression against it, and announced $2 billion in military aid to Taipei. At the same time, Taiwan confirmed the presence of American troops on its territory.Beijing additionally slammed Brussels for sending a European Parliament delegation to Taiwan.Taiwan, which officially calls itself the "Republic of China", broke off from the mainland in 1949, after the end of the Chinese Civil War. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province, while the island maintains that it is an autonomous country, and has political and economic relations with several other nations which recognise its sovereignty.

Boris Jaruselski TaiWan is China, Chechnya is Russia, Cataunya is Spain, Kosovo is Serbia, ...just because the US 'thinks' it can interfere, and DOES, doesn't make it any more right! All these 'breakaway republics' have passports from the country they want to break away from. Until they can get international recognition, and their own passports, all is just wishful thinking! 8

DuvalKingpin63 Those with links to foreign intelligence agencies? 7

4

china

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg

Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg

asia & pacific, china, taiwan
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/chris-pratt-accused-of-taking-a-dig-at-ex-wife-as-he-praises-healthy-daughter-after-sons-issues-1090502875.html

Chris Pratt Accused of Taking a Dig at Ex-Wife as He Praises 'Healthy' Daughter After Son's Issues

Chris Pratt Accused of Taking a Dig at Ex-Wife as He Praises 'Healthy' Daughter After Son's Issues

The star of Parks and Recreation and the Guardians of the Galaxy saga often finds himself as the subject of harsh criticism on social media. In 2019, netizens... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T14:02+0000

2021-11-05T14:02+0000

2021-11-05T14:02+0000

viral

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/14/1080829975_0:174:3022:1874_1920x0_80_0_0_1eb373e74fa60765053ecea2c8b65f6a.jpg

Hollywood actor Chris Pratt posted a message on his social media, praising his wife, and it backfired hugely, causing torrents of negative comments on social media. The 42-year-old gushed over how his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger (daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger) looks lovingly at him, before thanking her for giving him "an amazingly gorgeous healthy daughter".One may ask what exactly angered social media users. Well, many netizens deemed that the part about a healthy daughter was a dig at his ex-wife Anna Faris (Scary Movie, Lost in Translation, Brokeback Mountain). Their son Jack was born prematurely and suffered a cerebral haemorrhage during birth, which resulted in problems with muscles and vision.Many users criticised the actor for what they described as bragging and ableismOthers accused him of misogyny and selfishness.Many also expressed support for his wife, while bashing Chris Pratt.Others promised to boycott his upcoming movies.However, there were those who defended the actor from the tirade of angry commentsmany users noted that in his message, the Marvel star wanted to praise his current wife rather than attempt to take a dig at his former significant other.Several years ago, prior to his breakup with Anna Faris Chris, Pratt opened up about his sons health issues. The actor said that Jacks premature birth defined his faith in God after he and his ex-wife prayed a lot, because they feared they may lose him. I made promises in that moment about what kind of dad I wanted to be and I just prayed that hed live long enough that I could keep them. Our Jack went from a small, helpless little squirt to a strong, smart, happy, funny, beautiful boy who loves monster trucks and Daniel Tiger, and, believe it or not, loves vegetables. Broccoli and cherry tomatoes are his favourite foods, the actor said at an event arranged by March of Dimes, a non-profit organisation that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.Chris Pratt and Anna Faris split in 2017 and finalised their divorce in 2018. That same year, he began his relationship with Katherine Schwarzenegger. The couple got engaged in 2019, and last year they welcomed their daughter Lyla Maria.Chris Pratt is often a target of social media users. The actor has been criticised for being affiliated with the Hillsong Church, which has been accused of having an anti-LGBTQ+ stance. Last year, he was suspected of supporting Republican Donald Trump when he didnt attend a fundraiser event for then presidential candidate Joe Biden. The actor also ruffled feathers when he was pictured wearing a t-shirt associated with right-wingers.

Mychal Get a life people! He just brought life into this world. You parents know how that feels and for you who have not shut up, you have no clue! You think he does not love his boy too! He can talk about whoever he wants. Free speech and all that! 0

bill b multi millions a month in alimony&support for life!! pratt another homeless actor of lifetime debtors prison usa 0

3

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Max Gorbachev

Max Gorbachev

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Max Gorbachev

viral
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/dinner-in-dc-meghan-markle-reportedly-to-be-invited-to-advocate-for-paid-leave-among-women-senators-1090503317.html

Dinner in DC: Meghan Markle Reportedly to Be Invited to Advocate For Paid Leave Among Women Senators

Dinner in DC: Meghan Markle Reportedly to Be Invited to Advocate For Paid Leave Among Women Senators

Paid leave has been returned to Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda due to the "urging of many members of the caucus" after it was earlier ditched for the... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T14:38+0000

2021-11-05T14:38+0000

2021-11-05T14:38+0000

us senate

us

political activism

dinner

paid family leave

meghan markle

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/05/1090503710_0:16:3105:1762_1920x0_80_0_0_f69f496f618f4dd0b43525d4d62f43ef.jpg

The Duchess of Sussex, who has recently stepped into the spotlight as an advocate of paid family leave for Americans, will apparently have a platform of female US senators to listen to her while they enjoy a bipartisan dinner in Washington, DC.It is Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who told The 19th that she plans to invite Markle to this dinner so that the duchess has an opportunity to deliver her point to the women senators. She decided to do that after Markle personally called her to discuss the issue.She also gave Meghan several numbers of her Republican colleagues - a move the duchess immediately took advantage of, reportedly calling two female GOP senators - Shelley Moore Capito and Susan Collins - to promote paid family leave.The dinner, which Markle is now apparently expected to attend, will be hosted by Gillibrand in the coming month, per the outlet. The tradition of female senators gathering together to have dinner was renewed by Vice President Kamala Harris this year. According to Gillibrand, Republican Senator from Nebraska Deb Fisher is delighted and looking forward to that conversation" with Markle.Gillibrand herself is a vocal advocate of the paid family leave idea. After the proposal has been returned to the Build Back Better agenda (which is yet to be voted on by the House Democrats), the Senator said that the "fight isn't over until the ink on the bill is dry."Earlier, Joe Biden removed paid leave from his spending proposals to cajole moderate Democrats to support his agenda.Meghan Markle, in her turn, appears to have ramped up her political activism in the United States, where she has spent about a year. However, her activities have already irritated some Republicans, particularly Representative Jason Smith, who argues that Markle should first drop "the Duchess" from her title if she wants to keep lobbying Congress.

https://sputniknews.com/20211103/house-dems-put-paid-family-leave-back-in-spending-bill-after-biden-removed-it-to-assuage-right-wing-1090458641.html

monti Irrelevant elebrity gold digger... 2

Sputnik User greatest country on earth does have neither a health care system nor paid leave for new mothers, services that even some 3rd world countries provide... 2

5

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Daria Bedenko

Daria Bedenko

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Daria Bedenko

us senate, us, political activism, dinner, paid family leave, meghan markle
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/greta-thunberg-leads-protest-in-glasgow-amid-cop26-summit-1090494049.html

Greta Thunberg Leads Protest in Glasgow Amid COP26 Summit

Greta Thunberg Leads Protest in Glasgow Amid COP26 Summit

Previously, Thunberg slammed world leaders for being unable to take real steps in the fight against climate change and called for mass demonstrations. 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:52+0000

2021-11-05T10:52+0000

2021-11-05T10:52+0000

cop26 climate summit

scotland

greta thunberg

uk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107844/16/1078441660_0:114:3237:1934_1920x0_80_0_0_fbd36cb3d8677ed3c6e65ab75fbd3452.jpg

Sputnik is live from Glasgow, as eco-activists headed by Greta Thunberg take to the streets, holding the "COP26 Strike for Climate Justice". The demonstration aims to pressure politicians at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties to reach an agreement on environmental issues and stop climate change.The COP26 summit, held from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow, aims to reach a net-zero emission level by 2050 to stop the global temperature from rising.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!

Albannach001 This little slut slams England for not doing anything, and even Scotland, and the Scottish people are kissing her ass, pathetic, and I'm ashamed to say that I'm Scottish, how did that bitch get to England, as she apparently soo concerned about the global warming, did she swim, fucking bitch, fuck of back to your country slut, and the Scots, grow some fucking balls,, she walking all over everyone, slams everyone, and people take it, what a shame to be Scottish. 5

astrodetective Greta the ((( chosen one ))) pushing this climate change false flag agenda 3

7

scotland

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Greta Thunberg Leads Protest in Glasgow Amid COP26 Summit Greta Thunberg Leads Protest in Glasgow Amid COP26 Summit 2021-11-05T10:52+0000 true PT332M48S

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

scotland, greta thunberg, uk, 
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/hillary-clintons-former-aide-enters-spotlight-after-arrest-of-source-for-steeles-trump-dossier-1090499633.html

Hillary Clinton's Former Aide Enters Spotlight After Arrest of Source for Steele's Trump Dossier

Hillary Clinton's Former Aide Enters Spotlight After Arrest of Source for Steele's Trump Dossier

On 4 November, US Special Counsel John Durham's investigation indicted a Russia-born analyst instrumental in concocting parts of the notorious Steele Dossier... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T12:04+0000

2021-11-05T12:04+0000

2021-11-05T12:06+0000

us

hillary clinton

fbi

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/10/1083170714_0:0:2811:1581_1920x0_80_0_0_617385f3dbda670ff47a1b3469a98c01.jpg

A former Hillary Clinton aide might be at the epicentre of an indictment filed on Thursday by the Durham investigation against Igor Danchenko, one of the analysts behind the infamous Steele Dossier. The indictment repeatedly refers to "PR-Executive 1" as one of the main sources for the dossier's allegations, coined by Danchenko, without explicitly naming the person. However, the The New York Times identified the person as Charles Dolan Jr., whose career description matched that of "PR-Executive 1" as per the indictment's text.Dolan was a senior strategist at the PR firm Kglobal, when he was first contacted by Danchenko, who was seeking a "potential business collaboration" for his "project against Trump". At the same time, Dolan served as an adviser for Hillary Clinton, Trump's opponent in the 2016 elections, and during her unsuccessful bid to become the Democratic presidential candidate in 2008.Hillary Clinton's former aide, prior to his work with Danchenko, had been building up ties with Russia as he handled "global public relations" for Moscow and Russian energy giant Gazprom during his tenure at the PR company Ketchum, Durham's indictment shows. The indictment further noted that some of the people Dolan presumably worked with in Russia later emerged in the Steele Dossier, specifically the portions believed to have been contributed by Danchenko.The Russia-born analyst contacted Dolan as early as April 2016. In August, he asked the ex-Clinton aide for info on Paul Manafort, who abruptly left Trump's campaign. In his response, Dolan told Danchenko he met "a GOP friend", who spilled the dirt on Manafort's resignation. In fact, the indictment says, Dolan fed the analyst a concocted lie, since his information was based on reports he had heard in the media, not the confessions of a GOP source.At the same time, Danchenko retells Dolan's account of the events nearly verbatim, but cites the source as "an American political figure associated with Donald Trump and his campaign".The ex-Clinton aide became the main source of information for the analyst in the portion of the dossier dedicated to Paul Manafort's resignation. Yet, Danchenko deliberately misled the FBI in 2017, denying he had spoken with Dolan about anything that made it into the dossier, Durham's indictment said. Danchenko was indicted on 4 November on several accounts of lying to the FBI as part of an investigation led by Special Counsel John Durham. The latter was appointed by then-US President Donald Trump to investigate the probe the FBI had opened into Trump's campaign in 2016.The bureau justified the probe with since-disproved allegations of collusion between the GOP candidate's campaign and the Russian government. The FBI even led months-long surveillance on one of the members of his campaign, Carter Paige. The law enforcement agency received and extended a FISA warrant to spy on him using the findings from the notorious dossier, parts of which ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele provided to the FBI, before leaking it to the press.

https://sputniknews.com/20200728/from-doyle-moynihan-case-to-durham-probe-investigators-closing-in-on-clintons-obamas-analyst-says-1080002712.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211104/analyst-who-contributed-to-discredited-steele-dossier-reportedly-arrested-in-us-1090474807.html

fluttershield mlp Justice Department prostitutes never jail other criminals and prostitutes, like the prostitutes known as Bill and Hillary Clinton. 4

Notta Snowflake She is the only American politician who farts louder than Biden. 2

3

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

us, hillary clinton, fbi
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/israel-passes-national-budget-but-wheres-the-money-headed-1090490028.html

Israel Passes National Budget, But Where's the Money Headed?

Israel Passes National Budget, But Where's the Money Headed?

The official deadline for passing the legislation was 14 November and a failure to do so would have triggered snap elections. Now that funding has been... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T06:05+0000

2021-11-05T06:05+0000

2021-11-05T06:05+0000

middle east

israel

budget

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/05/1090489983_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_100ec86e3fc83e5e56d8bc73f4101c65.jpg

After three and a half years of financial and political uncertainty, Israel finally has a national budget for 2021-2022.The nation's coalition government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, managed to pass all the hundreds of clauses in the budget that currently stands at $136 and $142 billion for 2021 and 2022 respectively.So where will this money go? Sputnik breaks it down.Just as in previous years, the nation's budget is split between all Israeli ministries, with each of them setting up their own list of priorities and deciding where to channel the funds.Ministry of Defence: Security ConcernsThe Ministry of Defence is set to swallow a big chunk of the funds. In 2021, its budget stood at slightly more than $18 billion, whereas next year it will enjoy yet another injection, reaching nearly $18.5 billion.This sum excludes funds allocated to the country's security agencies. It also does not include annual US assistance, which is expected to reach $4.7 billion.Israel's military apparatus has long stressed the importance of allocating huge amounts of money for its needs. In the south, the country is still facing the threat of Hamas, a militant organisation that controls the Gaza Strip. In the north, it is confronting Lebanon's Hezbollah, known for its high-level military capabilities.Ministry of Health: COVID-19 Tops the AgendaOver the past two years, this government body has been at the forefront of the coronavirus pandemic. And this was why the head of the ministry, Nitzan Horowitz, rejected an initial proposal that gave his office slightly more than $17 billion. After months of fighting, his request has been granted, with the current budget for the health establishment now at $18.6 billion.The pandemic response remains a top spending priority: Israel will create more medicine-related jobs, invest money in the development of medications that fight the virus, and will increase student quotas at universities.Other areas will also be tackled. Israel will have special funds allocated for the construction of new psychiatric institutions. Generous boosts will be given to public hospitals. More equipment will be created and purchased (including for the periphery) and Israelis will enjoy a wider range of medicines sponsored by the state.Ministry of Transportation: Tackling Pressing NeedsIn 2021, this ministry's budget stood at $11 billion. Next year, it will add slightly more than $1 billion to its coffers, and the idea is that this sum will help the country tackle the multiple infrastructure problems currently facing the nation, including traffic jams and insufficient public transportation system.According to projections, millions will be invested in boosting the number of buses, the expansion of roads, and the establishment of connectivity between the centre and the periphery.Many funds will also be allocated for the construction of a subway system in the centre of the country, where serious traffic jams and pollution plague the area.Other Needs:Nearly $9.5 billion will be allocated for the Arab community, who is currently witnessing high rates of unemployment, crime, and underdeveloped infrastructure.The official deadline to pass the budget was 14 November and the failure to do so would have triggered snap elections. Now that the funds have been secured and locked in, Israel's future seems to be stable, and so does the future of its current coalition government.

israel

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Elizabeth Blade

Elizabeth Blade

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Elizabeth Blade

middle east, israel, budget
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/old-dominion-whirlwind-1090487302.html

Old Dominion Whirlwind

Old Dominion Whirlwind

The recent Tuesday election in Virginia took spectators on a whirlwind after Democrat Terry McAuliffe lost the gubernatorial bid to newcomer Republican Glenn... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T03:38+0000

2021-11-05T03:38+0000

2021-11-05T03:35+0000

virginia

gop

democrats

terry mcauliffe

election

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/05/1090486068_0:0:1201:676_1920x0_80_0_0_c4034ea6a4697e3b439c6f8c2aadbb2f.jpg

From a failed political strategy to voters' desire for change, explaining McAuliffe's loss has consumed many commentators. If one thing is for sure, many analysts have suggested that the Virginia election offers insight into the looming 2022 midterm elections, and possibly the 2024 presidential cycle.More worrisome, some experts have speculated that a loss for Democrats suggests the political party may need a policy update. However, one of the top party leaders - US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) - has stated that the Democrat's agenda will remain unchanged in the wake of the election results.US President Joe Biden weighed in on the Dem defeat on Wednesday, telling reporters during an appearance that the passage of his social spending bill could have "maybe" helped McAuliffe take the win.Tick tock: only time will tell how Dems will fare in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections.

virginia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

virginia, gop, democrats, terry mcauliffe, election
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/one-killed-three-injured-after-train-hits-group-of-migrants-near-calais-france-1090496814.html

One Killed, Three Injured After Train Hits Group of Migrants Near Calais, France

One Killed, Three Injured After Train Hits Group of Migrants Near Calais, France

On Thursday, Franck Dhersin, a spokesman for the Hauts-de-France regional council, said that currently, there are "an incalculable number of migrants arriving... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:49+0000

2021-11-05T10:49+0000

2021-11-05T10:49+0000

france

migrants

train

calais

incident

uk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105852/01/1058520187_0:285:5472:3363_1920x0_80_0_0_22b8e104b8fe7217e61edf001029b482.jpg

One UK-bound migrant was killed and three more injured after they were hit by a train near the northern French port city of Calais. The victims have not been identified yet.The incident occurred on Thursday, when the victims, who were part of a group of Eritreans, reportedly walked along the tracks in the Beau-Marais district of Calais."It was raining hard and visibility was very poor. It is thought that the men were on their way to a camp they have set up. The driver of a TER [Trans-European Railway] Dunkirk to Calais train did not see them, and there was a collision", the source added.Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor Guirec Le Bras, for his part, confirmed in an interview with the AFP news agency that "four migrants were hit" in Thursday's incident.This followed two migrants drowning at sea near Calais after they tried to enter the UK, the third fatal incident in the area over the past ten days.The number of illegal Channel crossings has already hit 20,000, flying in the face of previous claims by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, who promised to make such crossings an "infrequent phenomenon" by spring 2020.

https://sputniknews.com/20211104/calais-mayor-dubs-uk-eldorado-for-migrants-as-she-threatens-to-close-her-town-1090475228.html

france

calais

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg

Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg

france, migrants, train, calais, incident, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/republican-congresswoman-dons-lets-go-brandon-dress-to-mock-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-1090495060.html

Republican Congresswoman Dons 'Let's Go Brandon' Dress to Mock Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Republican Congresswoman Dons 'Let's Go Brandon' Dress to Mock Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The phrase "Let's Go Brandon" has become a popular internet joke ever since an NBC reporter misinterpreted a crowd at a NASCAR race that was chanting "F**k Joe... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T11:28+0000

2021-11-05T11:28+0000

2021-11-05T13:49+0000

joe biden

donald trump

us

alexandria ocasio-cortez

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/09/1083350467_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_2a6ef665865fee7cfd1e6f489aaaf21f.jpg

Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has mocked her Democratic colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by circulating pictures of herself in a red dress with the message "Let's Go Brandon" emblazoned on the back in white.The outfit is a clear dig at Ms Ocasio-Cortez, commonly known by her initials AOC, who wore a white dress to this year's Met Gala - an exclusive annual event to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute - bearing the slogan "Tax The Rich" in red. The Democrat inspired criticism from social media users as well as lawmakers on both sides of the political divide who accused her of hypocrisy, noting that she attended the event in an expensive dress, sporting costly jewelry and that tickets for the Met Gala run to the tens of thousands of dollars.GOP Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who is a representative for Colorado's third congressional district, also posted a picture of herself in a "Let's Go Brandon" dress standing next to former President Donald Trump. The official photoshopped herself into the picture and captioned it with the words: "It's not a phrase, it's a movement".From ordinary people at sporting events to demonstrators at protests and even lawmakers, the phrase "Let's Go Brandon" has become a popular slogan. It took off after an NBC reporter misinterpreted a crowd at a NASCAR race that was chanting "F**k Joe Biden". Critics of the president frequently use it to display their discontent with his policies. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently tweeted the slogan in a post about rising prices in the United States.Senator Ted Cruz was also recently filmed using the phrase and Jeffrey Duncan, the Republican representative from South Carolina's third congressional district, wore a mask with the slogan for a session at the US House of Representatives earlier this month.

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Max Gorbachev

Max Gorbachev

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Max Gorbachev

joe biden, donald trump, us, alexandria ocasio-cortez
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/russias-argument-on-fraud-by-ex-yukos-shareholders-wrongly-dismissed-dutch-supreme-court-says-1090496481.html

Russia's Argument on Fraud by Ex-Yukos Shareholders Wrongly Dismissed, Dutch Supreme Court Says

Russia's Argument on Fraud by Ex-Yukos Shareholders Wrongly Dismissed, Dutch Supreme Court Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Dutch Supreme Court ruled that the Amsterdam Court of Appeal wrongly dismissed Russia's argument that former shareholders of the... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:20+0000

2021-11-05T10:20+0000

2021-11-05T10:20+0000

netherlands

yukos

europe

russia

business

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103788/08/1037880807_0:157:3083:1891_1920x0_80_0_0_54e9a46c0c46eddfac89173fe8026ad4.jpg

Back in 2014, the arbitration court ruled to award Yukos shareholders $50 billion in compensation over the company's breakup. But the district court of the Hague overturned the decision in April 2016. Last February, however, the Hague Court of Appeal again sided with the shareholders. With an account for penalties, the amount increased to $57 billion, Russia said.Russian officials said that the court of the appeal had overlooked multiple instances of the plaintiffs breaking anti-corruption laws. According to the Justice Ministry, the former shareholders obtained the company's assets via conspiring, organising fictional auctions, and bribing officials, the ministry said.

koursk koursk in 2000, the resistance for the defense of the general interest, with putin and his team, won *** this resistance allowed the russian federation to escape the yoke of the billionaire mobsters who control the nato zone and related ** * with this victory under the seal of the general interest, the russian state regained control of companies, which the billionaire bandits, who reign in washington and brussels, had attributed to themselves after having dissolved the ussr *** by putting yukos back under its control, ethics would like it to be the russian state which demands indemnities from the crooked billionaire shareholders of the nato zone, who looted russia from 1991 to 2000 *** bravo to the russian state for not to have paid any money to the billionaires shareholders of looted property *** the money that the Russian state legitimately refused to pay to the billionaires mobsters, they largely recovered by plundering the public finances of the nato zone 1

FeEisi The shareholders should receive pennies as compensation. 0

3

netherlands

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

netherlands, yukos, europe, russia, business
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/state-of-emergency-in-ethiopia-lithium-mining--the-environment-steele-dossier--russiagate-1090485433.html

State of Emergency In Ethiopia; Lithium Mining & The Environment; Steele Dossier & Russiagate

State of Emergency In Ethiopia; Lithium Mining & The Environment; Steele Dossier & Russiagate

Steele Dossier source indicted for lying to the FBI. How the Russiagate conspiracy keeps falling apart under scrutiny. 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:00+0000

2021-11-05T10:00+0000

2021-11-05T10:00+0000

new york

nicaragua

ethiopia

sanctions

israel

twitter

facebook

lithium

scotus

facial recognition

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/04/1090485407_56:0:1300:700_1920x0_80_0_0_d756b00b9f78ca2d3c22d04e03f53804.png

State of Emergency In Ethiopia; Lithium Mining & The Environment; Steele Dossier & Russiagate Steele Dossier source indicted for lying to the FBI. How the Russia-gate conspiracy keeps falling apart under scrutiny.

Bob Schlehuber, co-host of Political Misfits on Radio Sputnik, and freelance photojournalist Jemal Countess update us on the situation in Ethiopia, where the government has declared a state of emergency as the TPLF captures towns near the capital Addis Ababa. We talk about their experiences speaking to people on the ground at the capital and neighboring regions and how the narrative presented by Western media does not reflect the reality in the country.Wyatt Reed, correspondent for Radio Sputnik, joins us to talk about the upcoming presidential election in Nicaragua, how Facebook and then Twitter suspended some 1,300 accounts connected to Sandinista figures and Sandinista sympathizers, the RENACER Act that will place more sanctions on Nicaragua, and what polls can tell us about how the election will go on 7 November.Max Wilbert, organizer, writer, and wilderness guide, and author of the book "Bright Green Lies: How the Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It," joins us to give us an update on resistance actions at Thacker Pass, where environmental and indigenous organizers are protesting a lithium mining project.Jim Kavanagh, editor of The Polemicist, talks to us about news that one of the main sources for the infamous Steele dossier, Igor Danchenko, has been arrested and indicted for allegedly lying to the FBI as part of the investigation into Trump and Russia, and how the Russiagate conspiracy theory keeps unraveling.Monica Cruz, host and reporter with BreakThrough News, talks to us about workers at John Deere voting down the latest offer from management, the fight in New York by taxi drivers overexploitation and overpriced cab medallions, and Bill De Blasio running for governor.John Kiriakou, co-host of The Backstory on Radio Sputnik, talks to us about the Biden administration placing sanctions on the Israeli-owned NSO Group, Facebook taking down their facial recognition software, whether the revelations from the Facebook papers played a part in this, and the Supreme Court declining to speak on whether special surveillance courts must disclose significant opinions that came after 9/11.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

new york

nicaragua

ethiopia

israel

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg

Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg

new york, nicaragua, ethiopia, sanctions, israel, twitter, facebook, lithium, scotus, facial recognition, elections, unions, fbi, fisa, russiagate, sandinista, steele dossier, political misfits, tplf (tigray people's liberation front), , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/teen-dies-70-people-injured-in-clashes-between-palestinians-israeli-soldiers-1090511372.html

Teen Dies, 70 People Injured in Clashes Between Palestinians, Israeli Soldiers

Teen Dies, 70 People Injured in Clashes Between Palestinians, Israeli Soldiers

GAZA (Sputnik) - At least 70 Palestinians were injured on Friday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the West Bank city of Nablus, the... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T22:30+0000

2021-11-05T22:30+0000

2021-11-05T22:30+0000

nablus

red crescent

palestinians

israeli settlements

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/13/1082669589_0:152:3100:1896_1920x0_80_0_0_4451d00909bc81d363a50a095e24f2f1.jpg

"Seventy Palestinians were injured today as a result of clashes with Israeli forces in the Bayt and Deir al-Hatab areas near Nablus," Red Crescent said.Also on Friday, a 13-year-old Palestinian teenager died in hospital after being wounded in clashes with Israeli soldiers to the east of Nablus, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.The Israeli army is conducting an investigation into the incident with the death of the Palestinian, the military press service told Sputnik.In May, construction of a small Jewish settlement began near Nablus. Every Friday, Palestinians protest the construction of the new Jewish settlement and the confiscation of Palestinian land in the area.The issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, considered to be an occupied territory by the United Nations, is one of the main stumbling blocks in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.The two-state solution to the conflict is an UN-backed principle, under which two independent sovereign states will coexist peacefully. Its implementation remains stalled, however, as the two parties have not yet agreed on where the border between them would run and who would own Jerusalem.

vot tak "the two parties have not yet agreed on where the border between them would run" ... How about making the israeli eastern border the u.s. east coast and their western border a few metres inland from that, and return Palestine to the Palestinians. 4

mandrake Yep, the jews in palestine must gonever to return. The jews dna makes them unfit to be part of mankind so the quicker the non-jewish part of mankind can act to rid the world of the jews the better it will be! 0

2

nablus

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

nablus, red crescent, palestinians, israeli settlements
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/uk-hospital-staff-worker-admits-to-murdering-two-women-and-raping-100-female-corpses-1090491145.html

UK Hospital Staff Worker Admits to Murdering Two Women and Raping 100 Female Corpses

UK Hospital Staff Worker Admits to Murdering Two Women and Raping 100 Female Corpses

David Fuller was arrested in December 2020 during lockdown in connection with the 1987 murder of two women. Officers, who searched his home discovered hard... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T07:21+0000

2021-11-05T07:21+0000

2021-11-05T10:04+0000

society

uk

hospital

murder

rape

morgue

necrophilia

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104809/48/1048094831_0:154:3009:1846_1920x0_80_0_0_ec3d30f198a4d15dc02ccdcd02ebe6d3.jpg

A UK hospital staff worker has admitted to murdering two young women and raping at least 100 female corpses. On the fourth day of his trial at Maidstone Crown Court, David Fuller, who previously admitted to killing them, but with diminished responsibility, changed his murder pleas to guilty.The killings occurred in 1987. On 23 June, 25-year-old Wendy Knell was found dead by her boyfriend in her flat. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The court heard that there is evidence that she was raped before and after her death. Five months later 20-year-old Caroline Pierce disappeared near hear home. Her body was found four weeks later. She too was raped and strangled.Police investigated both cases for months and even had a DNA sample of the perpetrator, but with no established sample database the cases ended up closed. Decades later thanks to enhanced DNA samples, law enforcement managed to track down David Fuller.Abuse of Corpses in MortuariesDuring his arrest, officers found hard drives that contained millions of images as well as videos showing him raping female corpses. In all, DVDs, floppy discs, memory cards, and hard drives contained five terabytes of information. Some of them were labelled with the names of his victims. Warning: the paragraphs below contain descriptions that some readers may find distressingDuring the trial he admitted to abusing at least 100 corpses in hospital mortuaries, where he worked. The victims ranged from children to a 100-year-old woman. The UK media has already dubbed him one of the nation's worst sex offenders, while a police source described the scale of his crimes as "unprecedented in the country"."This is a shocking case. The sickening nature of the crimes committed will understandably cause public revulsion and concern", said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.Police have spent $2.6 million on victims support programmes, with 317 officers drawn from 27 UK forces in order to track down the relatives of Fuller's victims as well as to offer them psychological support. Police acknowledged they had been unable to identify some of the victims and it is likely that they will never establish the identities of some of the women as Fuller's crimes spanned decades. 'Staff Thought He Was a Nice Guy'Fuller, 67, who is married and has a son, worked as an electrician and maintenance engineer in two hospitals  first the Kent and Sussex Hospital (from 1989 to 2010) and then in the Tunbridge Wells Hospital. The court heard that he abused his victims in broad daylight, a detail that prompted Nevres Kemal, the mother of one of the women he raped, to demand an explanation from the senior staff of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.Ms Kemal was told that as an electrician Fuller had legitimate reasons to visit the mortuary, for example, to check the temperature of the fridges. According to Sky News, Fuller had realised that hospital staff might notice him at any time and that is why he abused his victims in a separate post-mortem room, where no one entered for hours at a stretch. The fridge doors in the mortuary opened onto both rooms.There are no CCTV cameras in post-mortem rooms, which is done to preserve the dignity of patients. Still, Nevres Kemal has questioned how hospital security didn't check the logs to see if any member was making unusual visits.Ms Kemal's daughter, Azra, who died in an accident on a dual carriageway in Kent, was raped by Fuller on three occasions. The first attack lasted sixteen minutes and occurred hours before Ms Kemal arrived at the mortuary to say farewell to her daughter. The second attack lasted twenty-three minutes, while third one was thirty-five.Ms Kemal said she was shocked by the lenient punishment for people who commit necrophilia. The law attached to Fuller's crimes - Section 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 - penetration of a dead body  carries a maxium sentence of two years in prison. The possession of extreme pornography involving a dead body carries a sentence of three years.Ms Kemal believes that the sentences should be the same as for people who commit rape, which can be between 4 and 19 years for each victim.

Rostislav Babyak Vile. I guess he gave 100 stiffs the stiff one. 3

Willyspit The statement from the NHS should be interesting. 2

13

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Max Gorbachev

Max Gorbachev

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Max Gorbachev

society, uk, hospital, murder, rape, morgue, necrophilia
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/unfortunate-not-surprising-india-slams-pakistan-over-refusal-to-attend-afghanistan-summit-1090500611.html

'Unfortunate, Not Surprising': India Slams Pakistan Over 'Refusal' to Attend Afghanistan Summit

'Unfortunate, Not Surprising': India Slams Pakistan Over 'Refusal' to Attend Afghanistan Summit

Last month, India invited Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and all the central Asian nations to attend the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T14:44+0000

2021-11-05T14:44+0000

2021-11-05T14:44+0000

afghanistan

pakistan

afghanistan

india

asia-pacific

ajit doval

shah mahmood qureshi

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/06/1083806094_0:63:3073:1791_1920x0_80_0_0_ec6d552695faf8f1606abfdb99e4fa62.jpg

Indian officials on Friday slammed Islamabad over the reported refusal of Pakistani National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf to attend an upcoming security conference on Afghanistan, set to take place in New Delhi next week.Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan, they stated.The reference is to Yusufs remarks on 2 November, when he was asked by a reporter if he would be attending the event hosted by New Delhi.Besides Yusuf, the country's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has claimed that New Delhi used Afghanistan's territory during the reign of fugitive President Ashraf Ghani as a training ground for terrorist groups that targeted Pakistani interests.India rejects these allegations.Indian officials claimed that there is an overwhelming response to New Delhis invitation from all the countries but Pakistan and China. Beijing is yet to make a decision on attending the New Delhi conference, they said.They also noted that this would be the first time that all the Central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan  and not just Afghanistans immediate land neighbours will be participating in this format.The high-level participation in next weeks meeting hosted by India reflects the widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other. India has an important role to play in this process, they said.Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban* in August this year, the Indian leadership has warned on several occasions about the possibility of terrorist groups using the country as a launchpad to carry out terrorist strikes against other nations.Before the Taliban takeover, India was Afghanistans biggest regional donor, having extended aid and developmental assistance worth over $3 billion to the Central Asian country.However, New Delhi all but ended its diplomatic presence in the nation a day after the Taliban took over Kabul on 15 August.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other nations.

https://sputniknews.com/20210618/indias-presence-in-afghanistan-larger-than-it-ought-to-be-used-against-us-says-pakistans-fm-1083180645.html

WhatTheFishIsThis Seriously, India is not qualified to organize an Afghanistan Summit. However if India pitches event as a real fun gathering, some may go. ROFL 0

1

pakistan

afghanistan

india

asia-pacific

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Dhairya Maheshwari

Dhairya Maheshwari

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Dhairya Maheshwari

pakistan, afghanistan, india, asia-pacific, ajit doval, shah mahmood qureshi
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/us-judge-sets-jan-4-hearing-in-sex-abuse-civil-suit-against-prince-andrew--1090487754.html

US Judge Sets Jan. 4 Hearing in Sex Abuse Civil Suit Against Prince Andrew

US Judge Sets Jan. 4 Hearing in Sex Abuse Civil Suit Against Prince Andrew

Virginia Giuffre, 38, filed a lawsuit in August after testifying that Prince Andrew, 61, forced her to engage in sexual acts while she was under the age of 18... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T03:37+0000

2021-11-05T03:37+0000

2021-11-05T03:34+0000

ghislaine maxwell

prince andrew

jeffrey epstein

sexual abuse

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/08/1083553756_0:187:2977:1861_1920x0_80_0_0_4707efd8029917cd3b3ca3da544bfc3f.jpg

Judge Lewis Kaplan, of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, moved on Thursday to schedule a January 4, 2022, hearing in Giuffre's sexual assault civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew. The hearing date was scheduled after attorneys for the Duke of York filed a motion on Friday to have the case dismissed. Andrew Brettler, the lead lawyer for the prince's defense team, raised multiple legal and constitutional qualms with the case and asserted that Andrew "never sexually abused or assaulted" Giuffre. The attorney argued that while she may have been abused by Epstein, her claims against Prince Andrew have been "unequivocally" denied by the Duke of York. Earlier this week, Judge Kaplan told lawyers that the COVID-19 pandemic and the jurors' related safety will factor into when the trial begins. "I anticipate somewhere in the September-to-December period of next year," the federal judge in Manhattan told attorneys in a Wednesday phone call. "We have to put in a [jury trial] request toward the end of the previous quarter." The civil lawsuit claims that, on multiple occasions in 2001, Prince Andrew sexually abused Giuffre, who was 17 at the time. One alleged instance occurred at the London home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently in federal custody.

tim Andy will look so much better in orange, doncha think? 1

helleb No matter how many ornament he hangs on himself , a criminal stays a criminal. 1

3

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Evan Craighead

Evan Craighead

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Evan Craighead

ghislaine maxwell, prince andrew, jeffrey epstein, sexual abuse
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/us-looking-at-ways-to-keep-remittances-from-cuban-government-hands-1090508124.html

US Looking at Ways to Keep Remittances From Cuban Government Hands

US Looking at Ways to Keep Remittances From Cuban Government Hands

Continuing a trend begun in the summer after protests in Cuba, the US government is continuing to look for ways to keep resources such as remittances sent by... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T17:39+0000

2021-11-05T17:39+0000

2021-11-05T18:51+0000

cuba

latin america

us

sanctions

remittances

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101601/41/1016014197_0:357:3501:2326_1920x0_80_0_0_0a2199865481d6adf223724fedfebfc0.jpg

According to a US official who spoke with reporters on Friday, the White House rejected a proposal by the State Department on remittances, sending it back to the working group for further work.US President Joe Biden ordered a review of US policy following protests in July that the US hailed as an eruption of anti-government malcontent and which found deep resonance in the right-wing Cuban exile communities in southern Florida. The protests were generally not anti-government in nature, but demanded fixes to brownouts and rising commodity prices.In August, the US Treasury and Commerce departments said they were looking at ways to ensure Cubans' access to the internet, which the US said the Cuban government shut down during the protests as a way to control them. A senior administration official also said in late July that the administration was "in talks with private sector providers about the possibility of providing wireless LTE communications to the Cuban people."It wouldn't be the first time the US has tried to funnel support to subversive efforts inside Cuba. In 2014, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), part of the US State Department, created a Twitter lookalike called ZunZuneo that evaded Cubas digital restrictions by creating a text-messaging service that could be used to organize political demonstrations."New Boss, Same Sanctions RegimeWhile Biden ran on a campaign of undoing Trump's many changes to US policy, his nine months in office have only seen new sanctions added against Cuba.US policy toward Cuba is similar to that taken against Hamas in Gaza: portraying the group as unsupported by the masses of people and having goals antithetical to theirs. Following the 11-day war against Israel in Gaza in May, the US pledged support for rebuilding the besieged city - but similarly pledged to deny a single cent of aid to Hamas. Like Hamas, the US State Department lists Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism - a retaliatory move made after the Cuban government refused to extradite members of the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) who traveled to the island in good faith in 2017 for historic peace negotiations that ended 53 years of armed struggle.Since the Cuban revolution in 1959 threw out the US-backed dictator, Fulgencio Batista, and ushered in a socialist government willing to lend support to anti-colonial movements across Latin America and Africa, the US has sought to overthrow that government. A blockade banning most goods and financial transactions has caused severe shortages on the island, which despite the economic pains has built one of the world's premier biomedical industries that has produced five COVID-19 vaccines alongside numerous other advancements.Inside the US, antiwar activists have organized solidarity campaigns to get urgently-needed goods to the Cuban people, including shipping millions of syringes to allow COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to the population. The most recent shipment, which arrived on Friday, included 9 tons of food.In the wake of new sanctions in July, activists also organized a "Let Cuba Live" campaign aimed at raising awareness of the destructive effects of the 243 new sanctions Trump added against Cuba during his four years in office.

dozacosmo Hey Americans between the us government and Cuba who has a torture base in Cuba? HINT its not the Cubans (Guantanamo bay) 5

Ladyshadow The US has no honor, they would starve a child just to keep Cuban citizens from getting support from families, another low for the USA. 4

3

cuba

latin america

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

cuba, latin america, us, sanctions, remittances
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/us-military-aims-to-build-worlds-most-powerful-high-energy-laser-weapon-1090510761.html

US Military Aims to Build Worlds Most Powerful High-Energy Laser Weapon

US Military Aims to Build Worlds Most Powerful High-Energy Laser Weapon

The US military has commissioned General Atomics and Boeing to cooperatively develop the worlds most powerful military laser. 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T20:59+0000

2021-11-05T20:59+0000

2021-11-05T20:56+0000

lasers

boeing

military

us military

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/12/1082377493_0:9:2000:1134_1920x0_80_0_0_4878d9da6fed706b7d250d5e23fae5b6.jpg

The contract was issued by the US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) with the objective that a demonstration of the design of a 300kW-class solid-state Distributed Gain High Energy Laser Weapon System would be the end result.General Atomics will be responsible for developing the laser, while Boeing will look to integrate the beam director to the 300 kW-class distributed gain laser.In 2014, the US Navy deployed a 30 kW laser system, and last year they demonstrated a 150 kW system. A 300 kW laser system would represent a massive leap forward in the technology, and is deemed necessary to keep pace with Chinas rapidly-developing hypersonic missile systems.US Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, said China has done hundreds of hypersonic missile tests. Government scientists have quipped that these missiles defy the laws of physics and have the ability to dodge US missile defense systems. The development of a 300 kW laser has defense against these projectile threats in mind.Through batteries and power grids these laser defense systems could be highly mobile, providing the US with a crucial defense advantage against hypersonic enemy missiles.

TruePatriot And, maybe in 20 years at the cost of a bazillion dollars they might have a prototype smaller than a school bus. 7

STABOU Youssef Au prix de l'electricite, ils n'oseront meme pas tire ! 3

14

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Nevin Brown

Nevin Brown

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Nevin Brown

lasers, boeing, military, us military
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/us-senate-bill-would-give-taiwan-2-billion-in-annual-military-aid-including-hypersonics-1090486579.html

US Senate Bill Would Give Taiwan $2 Billion in Annual Military Aid, Including Hypersonics

US Senate Bill Would Give Taiwan $2 Billion in Annual Military Aid, Including Hypersonics

A group of Republican senators have introduced a bill that would set aside $2 billion a year in military aid to Taiwan to ensure the autonomous island is able... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T01:09+0000

2021-11-05T01:09+0000

2021-11-05T01:06+0000

china

asia-pacific

bill

taiwan

hypersonic weapons

foreign military sales (fms)

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103873/30/1038733058_0:0:1000:563_1920x0_80_0_0_66b5c3ccb3da936fe561e6a71e68108e.jpg

The Taiwan Deterrence Act was introduced in the Senate on Thursday by Sen. Jim Risch, (R-ID), the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and sponsored by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mitt Romney (R-UT), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).Chinas increasing efforts to militarily overwhelm Taiwan is a threat to international diplomacy and regional security, Crapo said in a press release. It is imperative to get asymmetric capabilities, training and readiness resources to Taiwan quickly so it can protect itself from Chinas encroaching aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.The bill would require the US Department of State to set aside $2 billion in Foreign Military Finance grant assistance program annually from 2023 until 2032, provided Taipei commits to matching spending on a dollar-for-dollar basis.It also says the State Department should urge the government in Taiwan to invest in sufficient quantities of munitions to meet contingency requirements and avoid the need for accessing United States stocks in wartime and to cooperate with Taiwan to deliver such munitions, or when necessary, to increase the capacity of Taiwan to produce such munitions.Taiwan is an important friend of the United States, and it plays a significant role in promoting democracy and countering Chinas aggression in the Indo-Pacific, Romney also said in the release. This legislation would ensure that the United States continues to support Taiwan in its effort to counter Chinese aggression and coercion by bolstering our support of Taiwans defense capabilities.The Tightrope of US-Taiwan RelationsIf it became law, the act would violate a key agreement at the foundation of US-China relations.Formally calling itself the Republic of China, the government in Taiwan once ruled the entire country between 1912, when the last Chinese emperor abdicated the throne, and 1949, when the communist Red Army seized control of all of mainland China and founded the PRC in Beijing. However, despite the apparent communist victory, the US refused to switch its recognition of the Chinese government from Taipei to Beijing until the 1970s, and when it did so, three joint communiques underpinned that new relationship.Despite this, the US also passed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, laying out how it would keep an informal relationship with the government in Taipei that would support its continued autonomy, including via arms sales. The US government is compelled by the Foreign Relations Authorization Act to treat Taiwan as if it were a Major Non-NATO Ally when it comes to military aid. However, it makes those deals with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), the RoCs unofficial liaison in Washington, DC, and not the governing authority in Taipei.Aside from the Clinton administration, during which a major crisis erupted in the Taiwan Strait that for a moment threatened open war, and a massive weapons transfer at the beginning of George W. Bushs administration in 2001, US sales to Taiwan tended to remain somewhat small until Donald Trump became president in 2017.Under Trump, whose rise to power was paralleled in Taipei by pro-secessionist President Tsai Ing-wen, the US grew increasingly close to Taiwan, with several visits by high-ranking administration officials and efforts to get Taiwan readmitted to international organizations ultimately provoking anger in Beijing.Biden has sent mixed signals with regards to Taiwan. In a phone call last month with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden reportedly agreed not to change the One-China Policy; however, he also said last month that the US had a commitment to defend Taiwan and swore the US commitment to Taipei was rock solid.Cross-Strait Tensions MountIn 2018, the Trump administration laid out a new change in US global strategy, shifting its focus away from the War on Terror and toward what it called great power competition with Russia and China. Regarding Beijing as seeking to upend the postwar world order - what Washington calls the rules-based international order - in which the US and its allies reign supreme, the US began more intensely pressuring China across a variety of fields, including political, military, economic, and cultural spheres.The US has also regularly conducted war drills in the seas on all sides of Taiwan, often including multiple aircraft carriers and strategic bombers.China has, in turn, mounted its own pressure campaign, regularly sending groups of aircraft and warships to conduct drills near the island which regularly enter Taiwans air defense identification zone (ADIZ), an ill-defined area inside of which the islands military forces claim the right to identify and deter potential violators of its airspace. However, despite its representation in Western media, the ADIZ is not the same thing as airspace and has no bearing in international law, meaning the Chinese aircraft arent technically doing anything wrong.

USSuxRuskyNuts Don't you have to have hypersonics before you can offer them and right now the US is WAY behind Russia and China in this technology! if China attacked you can bet their hypersonic missiles would take out Taiwan's radar systems and their communications platforms before Taiwan knew what hit them and the US would be sitting there looking stupid as usual! Hahaha 9

Nevi'im The US needs to sell as many weapons as possible to Taiwan military using US$ Fiat money loans, to prop up the US$. It has no interest in the lives of Taiwanese people other than using them for cannon fodder for US global interests. Peaceful existence is not an option for the US. 9

10

china

asia-pacific

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg

china, asia-pacific, bill, taiwan, hypersonic weapons, foreign military sales (fms)
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/well-fight-and-win-again-google-workers-warn-of-new-rebellion-over-plans-for-pentagon-contract-1090503152.html

'We'll Fight and Win, Again': Google Workers Warn of New Rebellion Over Plans for Pentagon Contract

'We'll Fight and Win, Again': Google Workers Warn of New Rebellion Over Plans for Pentagon Contract

Earlier, The New York Times reported that the tech giant "aggressively" seeks to win a new contract with the Pentagon despite workers already forcing the... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T13:47+0000

2021-11-05T13:47+0000

2021-11-05T13:47+0000

us

tech

pentagon

alphabet inc

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/05/1090503511_0:134:3163:1913_1920x0_80_0_0_6de689c89fd04b86636da75ad3391493.jpg

Alphabet, Google's parent company, might once again lose the prospect of a lucrative Pentagon contract due to protests from its own employees, as was the case in 2018. Responding to a recent report in The New York Times about the firm "aggressively pursuing" a bid to help the US Department of Defence build the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability, the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) slammed the tech giant's alleged plans.The union, which reportedly unites 800 workers, condemned Alphabet for ignoring the interests of employees in favour of its own. The AWU promised that workers will once again fight the contract with the Pentagon.Separately, The Insider reported that some Google employees had already started posting memes on the company's internal forums mocking the tech titan's new attempt to sign a lucrative contract with the Department of Defence.In 2018, Google had to abandon Project Maven  a programme to build AI that the Pentagon would use in its drones, purportedly including strike craft. However, the company's employees rebelled, objecting to their work being used to kill people. Google caved in to their demands and exited the project.Now, three years later, Alphabet is reportedly going to try to secure a spot in the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) programme, which is expected to use the services of several big US companies. According to The New York Times, the tech giant has given the efforts to prepare a bid for the contract an elevated "yellow priority", drawing engineers away from other projects.If Alphabet succeeds, it will be building a cloud computing platform for the Pentagon so it can use AI capabilities to boost the American military's chances on the battlefield. Such an application of Google's technologies comes dangerously close to violating Alphabet's self-imposed guidelines, which it adopted following the Project Maven scandal. Neither Alphabet nor the Pentagon has so far confirmed the media reports.

https://sputniknews.com/20211104/google-aggressively-pursuing-cloud-contract-with-pentagon-despite-employees-revolt-1090476514.html

koursk koursk the billionaires mobsters also plunder the public finances of uncle sam *** in the farwest, it is not seen much since the billionaires allow for the public finances of the country, to have massive recourse to the dollar board to finance the expenses that military-industrial, pharmaceutical bazaars, etc., belonging to these billionaire mobsters, impose on the public finances of the farwest *** in their other properties in the nato zone, the billionaires mobsters do not authorize these massive issues of currency *** Russia and China must be even more powerful financially and geostrategically to ensure respect for the general interest, and that of mathematics on the whole planet, inducing that too many dollar issues without growth, put everything at logically makes the dollar at 0, and that - 30,000 billion of uncle sam's public finance debts, are not equal to +30,000, or 100,000 or 1,000,000 billion or even more surpluses 0

1

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

us, tech, pentagon, alphabet inc
https://sputniknews.com/20211105/zeman-vows-to-make-all-efforts-so-that-new-czech-government-appointed-promptly-reports-say-1090498362.html

Zeman Vows to Make All Efforts so That New Czech Government Appointed Promptly, Reports Say

Zeman Vows to Make All Efforts so That New Czech Government Appointed Promptly, Reports Say

PRAGUE (Sputnik) - Czech President Milos Zeman, who is being treated at Prague's Central Military Hospital, said on Friday that he will make all efforts so... 05.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-05T10:59+0000

2021-11-05T10:59+0000

2021-11-05T10:59+0000

czech republic

milos zeman

europe

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102128/16/1021281670_0:138:2649:1628_1920x0_80_0_0_92d14e81d25bd82ef3aeb37169b3c8e8.jpg

The president, who was transferred to a regular ward from an intensive care unit this week, also said that he feels fine.The Czech Republic voted for its next lower house on 8-9 October, with the Together coalition of three Liberal parties emerging victorious. Coalition leader Petr Fiala has been nominated as a candidate for the post of prime minister.

czech republic

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

czech republic, milos zeman, europe
Two $10,000 North American Amateur Drivers Association trots went to post tonight at Yonkers Raceway prior to the betting card getting underway and when the judges deemed them official Matt Zuccarello and Tony Beltrami each walked away with a victory. Zuccarello won his split with Stealing in 2:01.2 while Beltrami scored with Dark Pool in 1:59.1.

In his event Zuccarello sent Stealing to the lead from the three-hole and they led their competition by the first stanza in :29.2. Strong on the front-end, Stealing rebuffed an early challenge from Judge Ken (Scott Keppler) but the two trotters raced side-by-side past the half in 1:01.3. Still battling by the three quarters, Judge Ken began to fade as they headed for paydirt. However, Raceace (Alan Schwartz) rallied and put pressure on the leader but Stealing hung tough and was a head winner at the wire.

Gemini Eddie (Joe Faraldo) rallied late for the show dough.

Stealing is owned by Winners Circle Racing, John Campagnuolo, and Latz A Luck Stable and trained by Dennis Laterza .

Like Zuccarello, Tony Beltrami also used the front end to victory. After starting from the five-hole Dark Pool was all alone when he trotted by the first stanza in :29. Still two lengths in front by the half in 1:00.3 Dark Pool seemed unbeatable, and he was as he led Matt Zuccarello and All Night Credit all the way home for two-length triumph. Presidente Zette finished third for Joe Faraldo.

Dark Pool is owned by Barry Franklin and trained by Paul Fusco.

(NAADA)
A number of performers preparing for appearances next week were in action during the Friday (Nov. 5) qualifying session at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In what could be his final effort for Team McNair, sophomore pacing colt Bettor Sun uncorked a 1:54.1 mile against a group predominantly comprised of sophomores for the co-fastest mile of the morning. The son of Sunshine Beach - Bettor Think Twice is co-owned by Gregg McNair along with Willow Oak Ranch of Rogersville, Tenn., but the name on the ownership could change as of next week as the six-time winner is entered in the 2021 Black Book Mixed Sale.

One race prior, two of the fillies slated to compete in the 2021 WEG SBOA Trot were noses apart on the line. L Dees Patrick (James MacDonald) picked off pacesetter Exemplar (Bob McClure) in the trotting session, timed in 1:56.2. Finishing third and fourth, respectively were Imextraspecial (Trevor Henry) and HP Mama B (Sylvain Filion), unstressed throughout but showing good trot late in the mile to finish three and a half lengths in arrears.

HP Mama B and Imextraspecial will join Doing It All, Hawaii, Midnight Miracle, P L Opportunity, Rubys Are Nice, Stonebridge Strong, Up And Ready and Wee Jill in the $144,825 WEG SBOA Filly Trot on Saturday (Nov. 13). The draw for this race and the pacing companion will take place next week.

To view the results from Friday's qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
After pacing hard with the top pacers in Prince County her last two starts, Filly Forty Seven returns to the capital oval against her fellow gals Saturday (Nov. 6) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Saturday afternoon has a 14-dash program starting off at 12:30 p.m. featuring the Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace in Race 13.

Filly Forty Seven has Post 2 in the class after racing the Horse and Gelding preferred pacers at Summerside Raceway her last two starts against pacing horses. The Marc Campbell-trained and driven daughter of Proven Lover was second both those tries being beat by Invitational pacers Bugsy Maguire and Screen Test. The 40-time winning mare is owned by Alan MacDonald, Cory Carver and Katelyn Smallwood.

Ladylike is the morning line favourite off the rail in the $3,100 class with David Dowling driving for trainer Colin Johnson. The field also includes Do U Mind (Mark Bradley), Larjon Legacy (Adam Merner) and The Time To Win (Ken Murphy).

Peter MacPhee says Ladylike is the one to beat as he places her on top of the Post Time Picks.

Ladylike has put together a tidy season and already has five wins on her resume. Dont forget she was a former track record holder and can really fly home, so we say Dowling gets her to the winners circle again.

The card also has $5,000 divisions of the P.E.I. Harness Racing Industry Association Fall Challenge Series in Races 5, 6 and 9 as well as P.E.I.H.R.I.A. Autumn Series divisions in Races 2 and 3. Both series are for four-year-old and younger non-winners pacers.

Southwind Arturo returns to P.E.I. in the first race after a season racing the stakes circuit in New Jersey. The two-year-old son of Muscle Hill finds himself back in the Campbell barn after trotting in 1:56 his last start over Freehold Raceways half-mile oval.

Catch all the action live at the track or tune into the worldwide broadcast at Redshores.ca. Live streaming is also available at the Red Shores Youtube page and online wagering can be found at HPIBet.com. To view the entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(Red Shores)
Theyre among an estimated 42,000 veterans in the Fredericksburg area, according to Congressman Rob Wittman, R1st, keynote speaker for Thursdays event. Across Virginia, 8.5 percent of the population has served in the armed forces, Wittman said, and more than half of the states 800,000 veterans are 60 and older.

They need this health care facility, they need the specialists that are going to be here, he told about 50 people who gathered under a white tent at the construction site. The great thing about it is they wont have to travel to Richmond or up to Northern Virginia. They can get that care right here.

Each speaker noted the assortment of medical offerings: primary care, mental health treatment, outpatient surgery, radiology, MRIs, CT scans and almost every specialty you can think of, Johnson said. The only thing the center wont have is inpatient beds, meaning those who need to be hospitalized will have to travel to the VA facility in Richmond or to other hospitals in the community.

Johnson hopes the center can work with the Department of Defense to provide an urgent care clinic on site as well.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Speakers also praised the partnerships that brought the new center to Spotsylvania.
One issue Kleeb asked PJ Hoehn was how to bring young people into the state to expand the workforce, particularly in the agriculture industry.

On the farm, its so capital-intensive, its so hard for a young person, the younger Hoehn said. ...I wish there was more technical training.

He said teaching youth about agricultural business might make them more open to a job in that field.

Bringing in young people who want to stay in the state is one of Bloods goals, she said. She spent some time during the drive asking Leo Hoehn about rent prices.

If you cant find an affordable place to live and you cant find good childcare, why would a young professional want to stay in this part of the state? So theres a lot of issues here where we have to do more than pontificate, she said.

Additionally, Kleeb asked PJ Hoehn how her party could make inroads with rural America.

She cited Republican opposition to critical race theory, which from our perspective as Democrats, its a made-up controversy, she said.

Hoehn said his frustration with the party stems from a lost relationship with blue-collar voters, and that many in rural areas view Democrats as elitist.
I think sometimes our communities and our people, especially in western Nebraska, probably get desensitized to it, he said. They think this is an issue that Denver and New York and LA and just bigger metro areas base, but we have these families and we have these needs right here in our community. So (we) really want to say thank you to our organizations right here at home that take the time to make this awareness because we all need to be more aware.
Kennedy defended the Cobb moves, saying those areas are communities with common interests, and said some larger counties like Savannah's Chatham County were split to keep smaller counties whole. The proposed Republican map splits 29 of Georgia's 159 counties, down from 39 now.

Kennedy also said it's unfair to focus on any one district.

Taking any one district out from the rest of the map, and looking at it in a vacuum is not really a realistic or fair way, because each district has a connection to the districts around it, Kennedy said.

Vasu Abhiraman, senior policy counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, disputed that point, saying map-drawers must look at voting patterns in local areas.

The ability of communities of color to elect candidates of choice at an equal level to other communities is paramount," Abhiraman said. "It rules. It's not something to be balanced against those other factors.

Fair Districts GA, a group that tries to prevent gerrymandering, graded the Senate proposal as an F, saying it's far too Republican to reflect the states overall partisan balance. The group also faults the map for having only one district where parties are expected to be competitive.
However, he said, "We oppose the proposed Biden administration vaccine mandate on employers for several reasons, including cost to employers for enforcing personal decisions outside the workplace and potential impact on an already strained workforce."

But Slone also made it clear that the Chamber opposes any effort by state government to disallow companies from requiring employees to get vaccinated.

We also oppose bans on vaccine requirements. If theres anything the pandemic has taught us, its that there is no one-size-fits-all policy that meets the needs of all states, all communities, all employers or all Nebraskans," he said. "Accordingly, Nebraska businesses must have the freedom to make the decision that works best for them, their operations, and their employees in their communities."

A group of Republican state senators attempted to call a legislative special session to consider a prohibition on vaccine mandates, but they failed to get enough votes.

Attorney General Doug Peterson has already joined with nine other state attorneys general to file a lawsuit over the vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors, and he earlier said he planned to review the federal mandates as they are implemented and was "prepared to take appropriate legal action.
Contrary to many political prophecies, the election of Republican Glenn Youngkin as governor of Virginia does not augur a bloodbath for Democrats in the 2022 midterms. If it finally pounds in the lesson that the woke crusades of the far left are poison to the party, it may even improve the partys prospects.

FROMA HARROP Froma Harrop is a syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate and contributor to CNN Opinion. Follow her on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be 

The Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe lost in a state that had preferred Joe Biden over Donald Trump by 10 points. Candidate Youngkin managed to thread the needle of not attacking Trump while keeping a far distance. In his victory speech, he didnt even mention Trumps name.

There was a lesson here for Republicans, too.

Youngkin exploited the alarm many Virginia parents have at stories of crusades to make white kids feel guilty over the traumas suffered by African Americans. Though the fears were way overblown, they did find traction in the noisy demands of elite lefties.

And if you think thats a suburban Virginia thing, consider the conflict at a public school in the liberal Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. It was over a mural placed in the cafeteria that read Black Lives Matter, Black Trans Lives Matter and the more militant Your Silence Will Not Protect You.
Sears was articulate about the Democratic strategy regarding elections. I think what has happened with the progressives is that they have pitted all of us against each other so that they can swoop in and be our political savior, Sears told Fox News on Wednesday morning. Shes right, and it did not work in Virginia this time.

She also understands that, while this might win races, it does not build communities or nations. And we are saying that, you know, we have to be one Virginia, Sears continued. I have won my race as lieutenant governor and Im not going to be representing Republicans solely. No. Im representing Republicans, Libertarians, Green Party, Reform Party, Democrats, everybody. Weve got to learn to live together to get along so that we can have a peace.

Tuesday was a good night for Republicans in Virginia, and people are already beginning to speculate about what this means to the midterms next year. While it is certainly positive, the devil, as always, is in the details. Both candidates on the Republican side are highly qualified, articulate, and experienced. Both ran on what they believed and who they are. Both are people of faith with firm family foundations, both have made their way to success through hard work. Both were authentic and positive about the message they were taking to the voters or Virginia. They were for something positive, and not just against the negative. They offered solutions, and asked Virginia voters to work with them for a better future  and it worked.
One of the key speakers during this weeks seminar that embody that trait will be Darryl Burton, of Kansas City, Missouri. Burton isnt an attorney. Instead, he is sharing his story not only to the lawyers during the trial skills seminar, but in a public presentation that will be sponsored by the Gering and Scottsbluff Methodist Churches. That presentation will be held on Friday, Nov. 5. 7 p.m. The presentation is open to anyone and its content is family-friendly.

Burton, who is an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church, spent 24 years of his life as an inmate with the Missouri State Correctional System, serving a life sentence for murder. Chaloupka met Burton through an organization called the Trial Lawyers College, where she and Burton have both taught. Burton also spoke in 2015 at the Chaloupka seminar.

He became involved in teaching because its of great value for lawyers to hear from somebody who, unfortunately, almost lost his entire life as a result of a lawyer that did not do his job, Chaloupka said. The lawyer that was assigned to him didnt care, didnt do her job and didnt work on his case. And thats how he was wrongfully convicted ... She didnt give a damn about him and didnt care about his case. I think she met with him maybe once or twice in his entire case, on a murder case.
You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Oct. 25 coup came more than two years after a popular uprising forced the militarys removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. It has upended the countrys fragile planned transition to democratic rule. Tens of thousands have taken to the street to protest since the takeover.

Massive anti-coup protests were in several instances met with excessive use of force, including use of live ammunition, as documented by the Joint U.N. Human Rights Office in Sudan, particularly in the capital, Khartoum, and the city of Omdurman.

According to medical sources, at least 13 civilians have been killed by military and security forces since Oct. 25, and more than 300 have been injured.

Sudans top general, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the forces loyal to him who dissolved Sudans transitional government and detained other government officials and political leaders, face increasing international pressure. Western nations have condemned the coup.

"Fundamentally, this is about respect for democracy and human rights," Simon Manley, Britains ambassador in Geneva, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. I hope that fellow council members will stand in solidarity with the brave people of Sudan today."
A local man who pled guilty in 2019 to beating his brother-in-law to death was arrested again Wednesday after allegedly threatening another relative.

Sergey Fedoruk was arrested Wednesday by the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office on suspicion of felony harassment. The 911 call log indicates Fedoruk called a relative that afternoon and threatened to kill her. Fedoruk later appeared outside a different relatives house and eventually was detained by police in a store parking lot.

Chief Deputy Troy Brightbill said Fedoruk remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear before a judge Friday.

Past case

Fedoruk beat his brother-in-law Serhiy Ishchenko to death near the familys property in Ostrander in 2011. Fedoruk was twice convicted of second-degree murder by a jury, but outstanding questions about his history with mental illnesses eventually led to those convictions being overturned on appeal.

Court records showed Fedoruk had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital twice before 2011. The appeal for Fedoruks second conviction in 2017 was based around him no longer being mentally competent to stand trial.

During the 2017 trial, Fedoruk had multiple physical and verbal outbursts that eventually caused jail staff to shackle him to a chair and remove him from the courtroom.

In 2019, Fedoruk pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter to avoid a third trial or a harsher prison sentence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, which included his time served from the previous convictions. As part of that sentence, Fedoruk was placed on probation and barred from contacting Ishchenkos family for 50 years.

Brightbill said the county sheriffs office did not currently have a record of when Fedoruk was released from prison, but confirmed he was on probation at the time of Wednesdays arrest. Brightbill said the felony harassment did not appear to involve a member of the victims family.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 5 Angry 6

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Drugs  Kelso officers Thursday arrested Raymond Anderson, 33, of Lacey, Washington, on suspicion of two felony drug charges and the misdemeanor of drug paraphernalia use or delivery.

Child rape  Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office deputies Thursday arrested a Kelso man on suspicion of second-degree rape of a child. (Editors note: The Daily News does not name arrestees of crimes involving children until suspects are charged to ensure a child isnt identified before the suspect has been formally accused of a crime.)

Child rape, incest  A Chehalis man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of first-degree rape of a child, first-degree incest and first-degree child molestation. (Editors note: The Daily News does not name arrestees of crimes involving children until suspects are charged to ensure a child isnt identified before the suspect has been formally accused of a crime.)

Theft  Longview officers Thursday arrested Rodney Milliman, 21, of Longview, on suspicion of retail theft with circumstances and third-degree theft.

Thefts

100 block of Beacon Hill Drive, Longview. Thursday. Black SIG Sauer P240 pistol.

100 block of Green Acres Way, Castle Rock. Thursday. Package.

Vandalism/malicious mischief

100 block of Morrow Road, Kalama. Thursday. Door of city water plant tagged.

Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Incumbent Commissioner Bill Hallanger is poised to keep his seat for another six years after nearly 30 years with the Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Board, according to early election results.

Vote counts released Thursday show Hallanger leading his opponent Russell Collier, a retired Army safety manager from California, by nearly 20 percentage points. The Cowlitz County Elections Office reports Hallanger has about 59% of the votes and Collier has 40%.

The elections office reports about 4,000 county ballots are left to be counted and another tally will be released Friday. The election will be certified Nov. 23.

Hallanger said his fiscal conservatism and historic knowledge of the district are assets to the board and he looks forward to helping the district possibly open a new department during what likely will be his next term.

Mostly, Im just extremely happy with the department, he said.

Hallanger, 76, was first elected to the board in 1992, according to the department, after serving as a Cowlitz 2 volunteer firefighter since 1975. Hallanger said he joined Longviews International Paper Company in 1975 as well, after working for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources for five years in Olympia. He said over his three decades on the board he has encouraged low spending, wildfire training and creative ways to recruit new staff and volunteers.

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescues five-person board oversees the largest fire district in Cowlitz County, according to its website, and serves about 34,000 people over 150 square miles in the city of Kelso and the area surrounding the city of Longview.

Two other board members ran unopposed this November and will also keep their seats: Alan Headley and Maria Hutcheson.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
WOODLAND  Early General Election results show a newcomer and previous board member will likely join the Woodland City Council, as two city measures are barely failing.

A measure to alter Woodlands form of government is failing by about seven percentage points, and a measure to increase sales tax to fund road projects is failing by about three percentage points as of Thursday.

J.J. Burke, who previously served on the City Council for 12 years, is leading the race for position 1 in the initial results. Jenn Rowland, a young progressive running her first campaign, leads a three-way split for council position 6.

Woodland is located in both Cowlitz and Clark counties, though the vast majority of voters live on the Cowlitz side. The Cowlitz County Elections Office reports 4,000 more county ballots are set to be counted, and the Clark County Elections Office has about 41,000. The election will be certified Nov. 23.

Woodland officials pitch Interstate 5 offramp intersection improvement project to Rep. Herrera Beutler Woodland city officials Monday updated Southwest Washington Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler on a stalled project to update an intersection

Races

Burke is holding a relatively strong lead over Keith Bellisle. Burke has received 494 votes in the counts released Thursday, or 58% of the total cast, while Bellisle received 348 votes.

Burke had been on the City Council from 2001 to 2013. He unsuccessfully ran for commissioner at the Port of Woodland and entered this years council race because he was retired and had time to dedicate.

I think either of us would have done a good job, but the good part is Im going in with some experience, Burke said Thursday as he waited for final results.

The winner of the race will take the seat currently held by Janice Graham. Graham decided not to run for re-election this year, but later announced her intention to run as a write-in candidate against Rowland. The third candidate in that race, Aaron Berghaus, suspended his campaign over the summer but did not meet the deadline to be removed from the ballot.

This has resulted in a deeply divided race for position 6. Rowland currently leads with 317 votes, or 39.6% of the total counted ballots as of Thursday. Grahams write-in campaign is likely in second place, with a major portion of the 253 write-in votes cast, while Berghaus has received 231 votes. The exact number of write-in votes for Graham will not be counted unless there is a chance of her overtaking Rowland in the final vote total.

Rowland, 34, is a single Hispanic mother who attended high school in Woodland and has raised her daughter in town since 2012. This will be my first office in government aside from student government, so I want to use my voice. I want to see where there are disparities that could be fixed, Rowland said.

Graham is the wife of former Woodland Mayor Jim Graham, who died in 2012. She was elected to the City Council in 2017 and is the president of the Woodland Chamber of Commerce.

Not everyone knew he was out, not everyone knew I was running, Graham said. Theres more I could maybe have done to let people know about the write-in vote. But thats all hindsight.

Graham added she would be happy to take the position if the remaining votes changed the results of the race.

Measures

Initial vote counts show about 56% of voters turned down the measure to have a hired city administrator lead Woodland as opposed to its current elected mayor. In Cowlitz County, more voters were against the measure, while in Clark county more approved the option.

Woodland mayor supports proposition to downgrade role from chief administrator to figurehead WOODLAND  This November, Woodland voters will decide who will have more power: its elected mayor or hired city administrator.

Counts also show about 53% of voters opted against increasing the sales tax to pay for city street projects. The majority of voters from Cowlitz and Clark counties voted against the measure as of Thursday.

Changing Woodlands system to a council-manager form of government would allow the elected City Council to appoint and remove a hired manager. The mayor would no longer be the citys chief administrator or vote during council ties. Woodland Mayor Will Finn states in the Cowlitz County Voters Pamphlet, if the measure was adopted, current City Administrator Peter Boyce would continue his role of city manager, with the only thing changing is the title on the door. Finn states the current form of government gives too much power to an elected official to lead a city with a multi-million dollar budget despite qualifications.

Woodland to see transportation district tax, write-in council campaign on November ballot Woodland voters will see a familiar issue return to the ballot in November: the Transportation Benefit District.

Boyce said Transportation Benefit Districts help fund municipalities infrastructure when other road funding sources like the state and federal gas tax dont generate needed revenue. Woodland is looking to fund the transportation district by increasing the citys sales tax by 0.2% so anyone purchasing goods inside Woodland will contribute to road funds. Finn states people living inside city limits bear the financial burden of funding the citys road system for everyone who uses the streets, according to the Cowlitz County Voters Pamphlet, so the sales tax would require anyone shopping in Woodland to contribute.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Hayley Day Reporter Follow Hayley Day Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle's downtown business community celebrated Wednesday after the moderate candidates it backed took commanding leads in the races for mayor, city attorney and a key council race over liberals who had called to defund the police.

This election was a choice: Do you want more performative dysfunction, or candidates who are going to unify people and deliver results, said Jon Scholes, president of the Downtown Seattle Association.

Tuesday's election was vastly different from city contests two years ago, when business-backed candidates fared poorly against liberals who argued that huge companies like Amazon had too much sway in the Northwest's largest city.

It could be days before final margins are known, due to Washington state's all-mail ballot system. But the strong showing by candidates who objected to the push to radically alter policing buoyed people who felt a different approach to public safety and homelessness was needed.

The results also echoed setbacks for far left candidates elsewhere in the U.S. New York City elected as mayor a former police officer who ran a public safety campaign.

In Seattle, Bruce Harrell, a former City Council president who urged adding police, including unarmed officers, rather than cutting funding, held a commanding lead of nearly 30 percentage points over current Council President Lorena Gonzalez as additional ballots were counted Wednesday.

The 63-year-old Harrell, who grew up in a redlined Seattle neighborhood, would be the citys first Asian American and second Black mayor if the results hold.

Amid the racial justice protests that followed George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police last year, Gonzalez embraced calls to cut the Seattle Police Departments budget in half  a position she has since softened.

First-term Mayor Jenny Durkan did not seek re-election.

Republican Ann Davison was leading police- and jail-abolitionist Nicole Thomas-Kennedy in the race for city attorney  a position that involves prosecuting minor crimes, advising city leaders on legal matters and representing the city in lawsuits.

While Seattle's municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, it was notable that a candidate who had identified as a Republican  albeit one who said she voted for Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama  could prevail in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.

In one of the two City Council races, business-friendly brewery owner Sara Nelson was leading Nikkita Oliver, an attorney and activist who founded an arts-based alternative to jail for young people. In the other, incumbent Teresa Mosqueda, who has strong support from organized labor, appeared to be holding onto her seat despite an unexpectedly strong showing from little-known civil engineer Kenneth Wilson.

Liberal candidates in Seattle tend to gain ground in later vote counts, but the moderate slate holds very strong leads.

This year's elections have attracted more than $10 million in political contributions, a record for the city.

In the mayor's race, Gonzalez had vowed to end sweeps of homeless encampments when residents had few options for where to go, and she said economic recovery should focus on neighborhoods throughout the city, not just downtown.

That offered voters a false choice, Scholes said: It suggested voters were uncompassionate if they believed parks should be accessible to everyone, or if public drug use made them feel unsafe.

The candidates who did well were the candidates that met people where they were and didn't shame them," he said.

Andrew Villeneuve, founder of the Northwest Progressive Institute, a liberal think tank, said he didn't expect the city to suddenly lurch to the right. But it should wake up the more liberal council members to the reality that they need to listen to all voters, not just activists.

I think what youre going to see is the same dynamic that weve had: a progressive council pushing a mayor who is a little more business-friendly to do things they might push back on."

Doug Trumm, executive director of The Urbanist, a progressive website in Seattle, called the results a setback for a lot of causes, including fighting climate change and adding housing density.

Its easy to talk about clearing encampments, he said. "Its hard to get people into housing.

Associated Press videographer Manuel Valdes contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Thousands of immigrants working on southern Oregon illegal marijuana farms that authorities say are run by foreign cartels are living in squalid conditions and are sometimes being cheated and threatened by their gangland bosses.

The situation has gotten so bad in the largely rural region near the state line with California, amid a violent crime surge and water theft for the growing operations during a severe drought, that Jackson and Douglas counties declared a state of emergency last month.

They requested state funding and other resources, including deployment of the National Guard, to properly enforce cannabis laws.

On Thursday, commissioners in neighboring Josephine County said they are preparing their own emergency declaration. A draft document cites rampant violations of county codes, state water laws and criminal laws. They previously wrote a letter to Oregon's senate president saying the county is experiencing a tragic surge in narco-slavery.

A spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, Elizabeth Merah, has said that there are no immediate plans to deploy the National Guard.

Many of the zone's illegal marijuana farms operate under the guise of being legal hemp farms, but the crops that they grow have amounts of THC  the component that gives pot its high  far above the legal levels allowed for hemp.

State regulators and local law enforcement officers have been overwhelmed by the amount of industrial-scale growing sites, which they say number in the hundreds and possibly thousands.

There aren't enough inspectors to test for THC content at each site to determine which ones are legal and which are not, officials have said. Some sites, frequently with armed guards, have refused entry to state inspectors. Police have said they do not have the capacity to raid all the suspicious sites because each raid requires an investigation and search warrants.

And some managers of the illegal operations are refusing to pay workers and have threatened them with violence if they go to the authorities or try to quit, according to law enforcement officials and a group that advocates for the migrant and farm worker rights.

Weve had several cases in Josephine County, where they were threatened with guns to their heads, 'If you guys tell anybody, we're going to harm your family in Mexico,' or Were going to shoot you," said Kathy Keesee-Morales, co-director of Unete, an immigrant and farmworker advocacy group based in Medford, Oregon.

Some of workers who say they were cheated have contacted Unete, which has tried to help by calling the pot-farm managers and warning them that they could face complaints filed with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry if they don't pay the workers what they are owed, Keesee-Morales said.

"Many times theyll just pay them because they dont want any kind of interaction with the state, Keesee-Morales said.

The number of illegal marijuana farms in the region, which are not part of Oregon's legal and regulated marijuana system, surged this year, with some even emerging alongside state highways.

They produce tons of marijuana that is sold outside the state. Officials believe the cartels selected southern Oregon because it's considered part of the the fabled marijuana-growing Emerald Triangle, a zone in which Californias Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties form the major part.

The region produces top-quality weed that is the microbrew of cannabis, said state Rep. Lily Morgan, a Republican from the small city of Grants Pass, the county seat of Josephine County.

You can ask a high dollar around the world for it, she said.

Local landowners often rent or sell their property to the illegal growers at prices much higher than normal rates. In one case, an owner went to her land to negotiate a lease renewal and discovered that the manager of the illegal marijuana farm was gone  and had left the growing equipment and workers behind.

Morgan said the owner told county officials: "These people have been left, there are workers who have no I.D., they do not speak English, they have no food.

Oregon's labor bureau is investigating wage complaints from workers at illegal marijuana farms, said Sonia Ramirez, administrator of the bureau's wage and hour division.

Workers have had to use holes in the ground for toilets, bathe with makeshift showers, cook in unsanitary kitchens and live in tents and sleep on cots in shipping containers and in marijuana greenhouses, said Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler.

Sickler said his deputies do not arrest the workers on alleged immigration violations and instead hand out cards, in Spanish, provided by Unete that list agencies that provide free services for migrants.

The workers are reluctant to talk to law enforcement officials because they are terrified that cartel enforcers might discover that they have done so and harm them or their relatives living elsewhere, Sickler and Keesee-Morales said.

There is a fear factor, the sheriff said. "These individuals know that they could be at risk for talking to the police about several things, including the conditions, the lack of being paid.

While colder weather now coming to Oregon spells the end of the growing season for many of the marijuana growing sites, indoor illegal operations continue operating through the winter because they are outfitted with heat lamps that allow pot plants to grow.

Sickler doesn't expect a letup of the criminal activity because a lot of cash is involved, creating a tempting target for robbers.

In raids conducted by Sickler's deputies on one day in September on two pot farms, officers found $650,000, 7.5 tons of processed marijuana and 20,000 pot plants.

Last month, men with guns tried to rob an illegal marijuana growing site and processing facility in the small Jackson County city of Eagle Point. Three men from Sacramento, California were arrested on charges of robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and assault.

Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel predicted no immediate resolution to the problem of illegal marijuana farms.

This summer was absolutely out of control, he said. "We're anticipating next year being just as bad, if not worse.

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
MIUI 13 update is coming soon! Xiaomi founder Lei Jun has confirmed that the MIUI 13 update is heading to Xiaomi phones and we could expect it to drop before the end of 2021. No details were revealed on MIUI 13 but it was said that the update will bring a lot of changes to improve the user experience. Rumours have hinted at drastic changes to the interface design of he OS.

MIUI 13 is most likely to spawn the Chinese version first, followed by the global version. Hence, India and other global markets can expect to see the MIUI 13 version with all Google Mobile Services sometime in 2022. If MIUI 12s rollout is anything to consider for reference, MIUI 13 could reach by the summer of 2022 to most Xiaomi phones.

MIUI 13 update coming to Xiaomi phones soon

While MIUI 13 is yet to be revealed, Xiaomi is currently working on releasing the MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition to most phones. Lei Jun pointed out that newly launched Redmi Note 11 Pro benefits highly from the battery optimisations. Sadly, both of these products are yet to come to India.

However, rumours have been suggestive of these phones making it to India under the Xiaomi branding. The Redmi Note 11 5G is expected to launch here as the Redmi Note 11T with its 5G chipset. The Redmi Note 11 Pro could use the Xiaomi 11i name for India while the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ may get the name of Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge; the latter possibly hinting at the 125W fast charging system in store for us.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro is said to become the Xiaomi 11i whereas the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ will become the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge.

For those who need a refresher, the Redmi Note 11 relies on the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chip while the Redmi Note 11 Pro models rely on the Dimensity 920 chip. The Pro models feature a 120Hz OLED display, 108MP main cameras, and the latest version of MIUI 12.5. However, the difference lies in battery capacity and charging speeds.

What remains to be seen is how different will the Indian Redmi Note 11 and Redmi Note 11 Pro be. The Redmi Note 10 and Redmi Note 10 Pro were massively different from their Chinese counterparts.
Credit: Grayson Cooke, Author provided

Clouds have been objects of reverie and wonder throughout human history, inspiring art and imagination, and of course warning of extreme weather events.

Clouds are also central players in Earth's climate. They move water around the globe, reflect sunlight and interact with radiation emitted by the Earth, and in so doing can both cool and warm the planet.

How clouds react as the planet heats up is a matter of serious concern. As the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reiterates, we sit on the brink of a precipice in terms of our ability to slow or halt the global heating humans are causing.

Climate scientists study clouds closely, but translating scientific findings into forms that catch the public imagination is not always an easy task. Our new film, Path 99, uses satellite imagery and the tools of art and science to show clouds in a spectacular new light.

Satellites, clouds and invalid data

Remote sensing satellite data is produced by a very large multinational effort, and it makes an immense contribution to our knowledge of the world. Meteorology, geoscience and climate science all rely on satellite data.

But we can gain even more from this data if we explore it via the creative arts. When we bring knowledge to life through imagination and feeling, we can create new ways of experiencing, understanding and responding to our planet.

Data from the Himawari 8 weather satellite shows water vapour flowing through Earths atmosphere.

Path 99which launches next week at the New Zealand International Film Festivaluses satellite images of clouds over Australia to highlight the importance of clouds to climate. Designed to be viewed on the domed screen of a planetarium with an enveloping electronic soundtrack, it combines art, science and Earth.

We used data from two satellites, America's Landsat 8 and Japan's Himawari 8, made available by Geoscience Australia and the Digital Earth Australia program, and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Landsat 8 is an Earth observation satellite mainly used for monitoring environmental conditions at ground level. Its orbit takes it over the poles while the planet spins beneath it, which means it can view the entire globe over the course of a 16-day cycle of 233 orbits or "paths." The track running down the center of Australia is path 99, hence the film's title.

For geoscientists, clouds are an obstruction to the view of the land from orbit. They use software to comb through satellite data pixel by pixel, identifying and removing clouds and other atmospheric noise to obtain clear images.

At any given time, clouds cover around two-thirds of Earth, so what the scientists sift out creates a vast archive of "invalid data"a multi-year record of incredible cloud formations.

'Invalid Data: Kati Thanda / Lake Eyre 12/03/2017' (2019). This Landsat 8 satellite image shows clouds over Kati Thanda / Lake Eyre on March 12 2017. Credit: Grayson Cooke, NASA/USGS Landsat 8 OLI

Our project focuses on this "invalid data," showing the clouds, cloud shadow and gauzy fragments of land that are deemed unusable for scientific Earth observation.

A scientist's waste can be an artist's treasure. Projects like ours, combining art and science, show what can be gained when we look at the aesthetic qualities of the objects of scientific enquiry from a more human-centered perspective.

Clouds in a new light

Landsat 8's sensor records what is known as "multi-spectral" imagery. This is data recorded in "bands" that isolate specific parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible light to the near infrared.

Scientists use the infrared bands to study plants and water. When we used them to render clouds, we discovered startling colors, textures and forms.

The dramatic shift in colouration that results from mapping the infrared bands into the visible spectrum, turning shades of white and gray into highly colored tableaux, translates clouds into something radically unexpected.

Scientifically speaking, the colored images reveal the remarkable spectral complexity of clouds, in terms of which wavelengths of sunlight they reflect and which they absorb. The variations in color reflect wide ranges of cloud temperatures, densities, and heights, as well as the presence or absence of dust and other aerosol particles.

On the right is a true colour image, mapping the red, green and blue bands (432) of the sensor to RGB in the output image. On the left is a false colour image, mapping the near infrared, and two shortwave infrared bands (567) of the sensor to RGB. The infrared image picks out large variation in cloud structure and therefore height, temperature and opacity more effectively than the true colour image. Credit: Grayson Cooke, NASA/USGS Landsat 8 OLI.

The Path 99 trailer for planetarium. Imagine the circular image as a dome flipped up and rotated above your head.

Tracing vapor

The Himawari 8 satellite sits in a geostationary orbit high above a point on the equator just north of Papua New Guinea. Its field of view allows it to record multi-spectral images of much of the Asia-Pacific region every 10 minutes, including several infrared bands used to track gases and other particles in the atmosphere.

In the video clips shown in this article, Path 99 uses bands designed to show the transport of water vapor around the planet. This allows us to see Australia's clouds in their wider context, as part of the massive circulations that distribute thermal energy around the Earth.

Heads in the clouds

As modern human existence increasingly transforms the Earth, its atmosphere and climate, we need new ways to understand, represent and address this impact.

Cloud behaviors are vital clues to the extent of the changes in climate and weather. Now more than ever, we should all have our heads in the clouds.

Explore further Ship tracks show how aerosols affect clouds fast and slow

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A Heriot-Watt University professor and co-founder of clean tech company Kenoteq, Professor Gabriela Medero, is calling for an overhaul of the construction industry during COP26, recommending an urgent shift to a circular economy approach to avoid any further damaging drain on the world's finite natural resources.

The construction industry faces a tremendous challenge when meeting decarbonisation goals. At present, 45% of the UK's carbon emissions come from the built environment while more than a third of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition. In Scotland, up to 85% of bricks are being imported from England and Europe. The industry sends over 800 million tons of waste to landfill in Europe every year.

Professor Gabriela Medero is a professor of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering at Heriot-Watt University. Together with Dr. Sam Chapman, they developed the K-Briq after more than a decade of research and development into creating innovative, low-carbon products from recycled construction waste.

The unique, multi award-winning K-Briq is made from over 90% recycled demolition and construction waste materials. It produces a tenth of the CO 2 emissions of a traditional fired brick and requires less than a tenth of the energy in its manufacture.

Completing the circular economy pathway, Kenoteq is manufactured onsite at a waste handling company in Scotland to reduce transport miles and limit any additional CO 2 involved in its production. Several million K-Briqs will be going into production in 2022 following significant funding from Zero Waste Scotland.

Professor Gabriela Medero, co-founder of Kenoteq and professor of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering at Heriot-Watt University: "We want to support the construction industry as it strives to decarbonise. The K-Briq presents a real and immediate opportunity for the construction sector to reduce landfill, limit reliance on finite resources and take advantage of waste materials to create a more sustainable built environment.

"Due to its manufacturing process, the K-Briq slashes energy use of existing bricks and blocks. It can be made in a range of colors providing flexibility to architects and designers.

"In 2022, we will be scaling production from our existing pilot plant to industrial-scale manufacture onsite at a waste handling facility in Scotland. This circular economy approach can be replicated at waste handling facilities nationwide, removing the need for imported building products and making a significant contribution towards the UK and Scotland's net zero goals."

Iain Gulland, chief executive at Zero Waste Scotland: "As nations around the world commit to building a greener future, the K-Briq presents an achievable solution for one of the construction industry's greatest challenges. Kenoteq is an excellent example of the abundant pioneering innovation in Scotland which can help to place us at the forefront of the global circular economy frontier."
Dr Brendon Miller, Kate Stoddart, Jack Scott, Indy Platt-Byrnes, Ben Trigg and Sophia White at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. Credit: University of Canterbury

A UC research project evaluating the feasibility of hydrogen production in Antarctica could help to reduce carbon emissions in the future by replacing fossil fuels with a zero-carbon alternative.

The research, in collaboration with Antarctica New Zealand and Callaghan Innovation, is looking at how hydrogen could be generated, used and stored at Scott Base and various remote field camps to reduce the reliance on carbon-based fuels currently used for transport, cooking and heating.

The project team of four UC Chemical and Process Engineering students: Indy Platt-Byrnes, Kate Stoddart, Jack Scott, and Ben Trigg, is being supervised by UC Adjunct Fellow and Jembec Consulting Principal Dr. Brendon Miller.

Dr. Miller says with the development of a new wind farm at Scott Base, the surplus electricity generated by wind turbines could be used to generate green hydrogen.

"Currently Antarctica New Zealand uses fossil fuels for transport to and operation of remote field camps but wants to investigate the feasibility of generating and using hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Turning excess energy from the turbines into hydrogen would help reduce emissions from burning fossil fuels and also transporting those fuels to Antarctica.

"Hydrogen is a step in the right directionif not the eventual answerto providing a zero-carbon alternative to fossil fuels in Antarctica."

Ms Stoddart says the project provides an opportunity to explore a real-world solution involving unique design challenges.

"This project has the potential to help reduce carbon emissions in Antarctica, but there are a number of design challenges to consider, such as the geographic isolation, the pristine environment, extreme conditions and remote field camps. Being able to work with industry on a real-world application is providing valuable first-hand experience as to what a career in this field could look like."

Mr Platt-Byrnes says the project has provided a valuable insight into the scientific work undertaken in Antarctica, as well as Antarctica New Zealand's progress in reducing emissions.

"It has been fascinating learning about how operations at Scott Base are conducted by Antarctica New Zealand to support research, and how these can be modified within the unique set of considerations and constraints to optimize our proposed process economically.

"Antarctica New Zealand's work over the last ten years and desire to further offset their carbon emissions sets a good precedent for the 29 countries that operate bases within Antarctica. Hopefully, this project will inspire similar initiatives to be undertaken at other permanent research stations."

The project commenced in August and will be completed in November.

Antarctica New Zealand Environmental Advisor Sophia White says the outcomes of their research will be used by the organization to inform futureproofing of their operations.

"We know burning fossil fuels has resulted in man-made climate change that is affecting the world today. The students' project is important for us because, as kaitiaki of Antarctica, we want to move away from energy sources that are damaging our planet and this research shows us what could be possible."

Explore further New Zealand cuts research to keep Antarctica virus free
Credit: Eindhoven University of Technology

Can you develop a vehicle that can drive both cooperatively, that is, in a column with others, and autonomously? This is the central question of the research program i-Cave, which started in 2015. Now, five years later, the answer is affirmative. This does not mean that there are no longer any hindrances or questions. For example, how do you set up the computer systems, and is it safe for cars to drive autonomously on public roads?

Self-driving vehicles hold great promise, but for 'normal traffic' the introduction of autonomous vehicles is still some way off. In the i-CAVE program, scientists, companies and governments joined forces five years ago to develop a vehicle that can drive autonomously on closed roads as well as cooperatively on public roads.

"Originally, we sought a combination of cooperative and autonomous driving," says project leader Henk Nijmeijer, professor of Dynamics and Control at the department of Mechanical Engineering. "In the case of autonomous driving, the vehicles, or more accurately the algorithms that control the vehicles, use information they collect themselves. If they partially or entirely obtain their information via other vehicles, then this is called cooperative driving. In that case, the information improves the collective behavior, which, amongst other things, improves the traffic flow. However, this does require the vehicles to communicate with each other via a wireless connection."

The research proposal was aimed at various aspects of autonomous and cooperative driving. Apart from safety, logistics and sensor technology, psychological and social aspects were also considered. All of these subjects were integrated later in the project.

Safety

First, the research in the area of safety. That focused not just on avoiding errors in the software or the cars' observation system and, consequently, on preventing accidents due to these errors, says Nijmeijer. "It is also intended to increase the acceptance of cooperative and autonomous driving cars. If people feel unsafe, or if fellow road users do not trust these cars, then this will delay their introduction."

And this is where we come up against the practical limitations. Nijmeijer: "On public roads, driving in columns, also referred to as platooning, can be done safely, but that is definitely not yet the case for autonomous driving. For the time being, that can only be done in a controlled environment, such as a test location or a parking area, and not in the centre of a town because the traffic situation there is too complex."

Twizy

The researchers tested the operation of the developed algorithms in a number of vehicles at a test site in Eindhoven. Since last year, their small Renault Twizys at the location have been capable of driving in a column with an interval of no more than 0.3 seconds and following each other in bends. By way of comparison: the Dutch government advises an interval of 2 seconds and on the busy A2 motorway that is 0.9 to 1 seconds. The Renaults follow the leading car with the help of Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC), which makes use of WiFi, radar, GPS and cameras.

COVID-19 regrettably disrupted plans for live demonstrations. The research incurred delays, and no physical meetings took place. "Fortunately, we could still carry out various tests thanks to the relentless efforts of the researchers and partners," says Nijmeier.

Merging in a column

Challenges still remain for cooperative driving too. For example, how can other road users merge in while a column of lorries that are driving close to each other goes past?

Nijmeijer: "We have designed algorithms which facilitate that and consequently stimulate social behavior: the lorries in a column make room for vehicles that want to merge in. It is an improvement on the current situation where lorries driven by people are often quite close to each other, so it is difficult for cars to merge in."

At present, driving in platoons is only possible if there is a driver in all of the participating vehicles: "We cannot yet guarantee that the system is always free of errors and so we must have a driver in each vehicle for the sake of safety. The computers can control the speed, and the distance between the vehicles but detecting mistakes is still something that only humans can do."

However, steps are being made in that area: "These include the improved flow of traffic and a reduced use of fuel for lorries, which accelerate and brake in a controlled manner and ride in each other's slipstream. Also, driving is less tiring, which could eventually lead to changes in the Driving Time Decree, which determines the maximum period of time a lorry driver may sit behind the wheel." But the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) would need to approve the technology: "The standards for this are largely still lacking."

Gaining people's trust

Credit: Eindhoven University of Technology

Then there is the research into psychological and social factors. More than fifteen researchers have been involved in this. Debargha Dey was the first to gain a doctorate studying this aspect of i-Cave. He mainly examined the fellow road users of autonomously driving vehicles: "What does a pedestrian or cyclist need to be able to trust the behavior of such a vehicle if there is no driver and a lack of eye contact?"

Dey concluded that other information can compensate for the lack of eye contact: "You can now already see whether an autonomously driving car brakes or will make a swerve. However, that is not enough to gain confidence in it. At a pedestrian crossing, people will wait a long time before they cross the road, as a result of which the algorithm will have to almost stop the car.

We have therefore equipped our cars with a form of external Human Machine Interface (eHMI). This provides additional information on the bumper or windscreen about the future behavior of the car. Light signals indicate that the car has noticed you and that you can safely cross. People have to get used to this form of communicating, but we have demonstrated that it works."

Researchers from i-Cave also focused on the drivers and other occupants of cooperative and autonomously driving cars. They wanted to know how drivers learn what this form of driving means in practice. For instance, when can the driver relax somewhat in the driving seat, or how much time do you need to respond if an unexpected traffic situation arises?

Dey: "It appears that the software is reliable. Nevertheless, people are often still faster and better than an algorithm at estimating what needs to happen in complex situations. Consequently, we need to continue to take this into account."

Practical tests

As driving in columns will lead to changes in traffic flow efficiency, logistics was also given a place in the i-Cave research program.

Nijmeijer: "Various truck platooning tests were performed in a European project called ENSEMBLE." The tests are part of the many international initiatives in the area of cooperative and autonomous driving: "Our research forms part of this."

Practical tests have also been taking place in the context of i-Cave. On the motorway between Helmond and Eindhoven, successful tests with cooperative driving were carried out in collaboration with TNO. At present, it is not yet possible to carry out a test on a bus lane in Eindhoven that has already been equipped with relevant communication devices.

Expectations realized

Back to 2015, to the start of i-Cave. Nijmeijer: "Have we realized the expectations and made a combination of cooperative and autonomous driving possible? The answer is affirmative. And we have partially demonstrated that on the test track already. Even so, it has also become clear that, in practice, limitations still exist. That's the way things usually turn out during research, the results are nearly always different than expected. If that was not the case, then you would have already known the outcomes, and the research would have been superfluous."

The most important limitation is that autonomous driving on public roads is not yet feasible, certainly not in the short term: "We already had doubts about that, and we have become even more reticent or perhaps increasingly realistic is a better way to put it."

Furthermore, there are challenges in the control of the vehicle. Nijmeijer: "We are investigating whether you must realize cooperative and autonomous driving in an integrated system or separate systems. In other words, do you need one or two computers?"

Another interesting question is whether all vehicles, and so not just the autonomously driving ones, should have a WiFi connection with the car in front of them so that they can communicate with each other. That perspective dawns for the transport of the future, and it can offer considerable advantages in the area of traffic safety, for example. However, the vehicles will then need to be fitted with WiFi.

Fantastic project

Despite all the progress being made, I-Cave has not developed a vehicle that is ready for the market. Nijmeijer: "That has never been our intention. We did, however, train a large number of students and PhDs who have found their way into the industry where they can contribute to facilitating cooperative and autonomous driving."

So he is pleased with the results of the project? "Absolutely! I-Cave has without a doubt been a fantastic project."

Explore further New platform allows autonomous vehicles to safely drive at small distances
Facebook's rebranding as Meta has been seen by many as the company's latest attempt at corporate crisis control. The social media giant has been publicly attacked for creating an environment that fosters far-right extremism and violating individuals' data privacy.

Yet it also represents an attempt to rebrand the growing power of tech monopolies to shape all areas of our lives through social expansion. It points to a troubling new era of "metacapitalism"or "capitalism on steroids" as Forbes called it in 2000. It reflects a disturbing trend of massively expanding tech conglomerates and the dangerous privatization of technological knowledge.

Rebranding tech monopolies

Technology is rapidly transforming our worldfrom instantaneous digital communication to AI decision-making to virtual and augmented reality. The driving force behind these changes has been private technology firms, whether global start-ups or famous Silicon Valley conglomerates. But this combination of massive corporate profits and exciting technological innovation is the biggest myth of 21st-century progress.

The truth is much more complicated. Huge technology firms such as Google and Facebook are increasingly criticized for unethical data collection and the use of algorithms which encourage hateful beliefs and viral misinformation.

Their technology has also encouraged unjust labor practices including hi-tech digital surveillance to monitor workers, as happened in Amazon warehouses, and facilitated digital platforms such as Uber, which refuse to provide basic worker rights.

Longer term, the mining of rare earth metals and the massive amounts of energy required for data processing are major contributors to climate change.

These problems point to the threat of capitalist tech monopolies where, according to theorist Neil Postman, the culture "seeks its authorisation in technology, finds its satisfactions in technology, and takes its orders from technology." Microsoft and Google have already been accused of monopolistic practices.

These "bit tyrants" are troubling "technopolies" which actually use their power and influence to stifle innovation and competition usingironicallytraditional practices of the old economy.

Perhaps even more troubling is how these companies channel innovation away from its potential for social good. Beneath the myth of Silicon Valley prosperity are big tech's seeming attempts to promote corporate oligarchies and even authoritarian regimes to extend their economic reach and political power.

The highly publicized renaming of these conglomerates is part of a wider rebranding of this technopoly. As one commentator recently observed, "Facebook's new name is "Meta," and its new mission is to invent a 'metaverse' that will make us all forget what it's done to our existing reality." It may be a different name, but it is the same economic, political and social corporate threat.

The spread of metacapitalism

In his video announcement, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg proclaimed this dawning of the metaverse as signaling a new technological age, providing viewers with a glimpse of it in a virtual world where people could use avatars to live out their wildest imagination in real-time with others around the world.

The backlash has ranged from moral outrage over Facebook itself, to ridiculing Zuckerberg's new vision for technology. What is overlooked is how this represents the desire to create metacapitalismwhich uses technology to shape, exploit and profit from human interaction. It is a completely marketised virtual reality world fuelled by the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, unjust global working conditions and the constant invasion of users' data privacy for private financial gain.

Corporate and social rebranding are fundamental to the spread of metacapitalism. Google's 2015 name change to "Alphabet" reflected its desire to be more than just a search engine and expand into other areas such as driverless cars, medical devices, smart home appliances and drone delivery. Introducing the metaverse, Zuckerberg said: "Think about how many physical things you have today that could just be holograms in the future. Your TV, your perfect work set-up with multiple monitors, your board games and moreinstead of physical things assembled in factories, they'll be holograms designed by creators around the world."

He insisted, once again, that "we don't build services to make money; we make money to build better services."

These moves play into a broader strategy to socially rebrand metacapitalism positively. The introduction of the metaverse is part of a new trend of what business ethics academic Carl Rhodes has referred to it as "woke capitalism," noting in a recent article that "progressive gestures from big business aren't just uselessthey're dangerous."

Whether it is the Gates Foundation initially opposing the spread of global vaccines in order to protect patent rights, or Elon Musk promising to create an "multi-planet civilisation"while avoiding paying much-needed taxes here on Earthcorporations are now increasingly using philanthropy and utopian visions to hide their present day misdeeds.

A force for good

The irony is that technology could actually become a real force for radical social and economic transformation if it was freed from the narrow limits imposed on it by metacapitalism.

Digital platforms are already enabling greater cooperative ownership and direct democratic participation. Big data could be deployed to allow for efficient energy use through better tracking of energy consumption. It also allows for the community ownership of our information and the economy generally. 3D printers have the potential to revolutionize manufacturing so that we can easily and sustainably produce all that we require.

Crucially, open-source technologies which allow for their information to be freely available to use, modify and redistribute, could foster international collaboration and innovation on a scale previously unimaginable. They point to a realistic and utopian "post-capitalist" future that could transcend the need for exploitation based on principles of shared development and collective prosperity.

The rebranding of technology companies is not merely cosmetic, it represents a dangerous attempt to monopolize all forms of technology development linked to a metaverse and the spread of metacapitalism. What is needed instead is a real discussion about fostering open-source culture, data rights and ownership, and the use of technology for positive social transformationnot simply selling more products.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The metaverse poses 'terrifying dangers'and we need to figure out how to police it now before it's too late, according to one leading expert.

The metaversean immersive virtual world connecting countless digital spacesmoved a step closer to reality when Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg made it one of his key priorities last week.

While some critics are skeptical about just how revolutionary the metaverse might prove, Dr. David ReidProfessor of AI and Spatial Computing at Liverpool Hope Universityis adamant it'll change all of our lives immeasurably, in the same way the Internet did.

Yet he also suggests that as well as providing great benefits it also poses 'terrifying dangers'.

And he's now calling for urgent conversations to begin concerning how to protect metaverse usersbefore the technology becomes a reality in the next five to ten years.

Professor Reid, of Hope's Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, argues that "the metaverse has huge implicationsit comes with fantastic advantages and terrifying dangers."

"And we need a highly robust system in place to police the metaverse. We're clearly in the very early stages but we need to start talking about these problems now before we go down a route we can't reverse away from. It's crucial for the future."

The risks posed by the metaverse, according to Professor Reid, center on overall control as well as the gathering and protection of data.

Professor Reid says that "people have been talking about how the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will significantly change society and everything we do. And that's true. But the metaverse is at least as big, if not bigger, than the rise of AI."

"Because if you think about the way it works, the metaverse's ultimate aim is not just virtual reality, or augmented reality, it's mixed reality (MR). It's blending the digital and the real world together. Ultimately this blend may be so good, and so pervasive, that the virtual and the real become indistinguishable."

"And the market for that is gigantic. Whoever controls it, will basically have control over your entire reality."

"Many current MR prototype systems have face, eye, body and hand tracking tech. Most have sophisticated cameras. Some even incorporate Electroencephalogram (EEG) technology in order to pick up brainwave patterns. In other words everything you say, manipulate, look at, or even think about can be monitored in MR. The data this will generate will be vast..and extremely valuable.:

"And that's why we need a system in place to police it. No single company should ever exert controlit's simply too important for that to happen."

"It has to be a collaboration, using open standard protocols, where a standard is freely available to be adopted and shared by others, in the same way that the World Wide Web (WWW) has evolved."

Professor Reid points to the fact that the Internet has the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), influenced by Web founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee's attitude of openness. The metaverse, Professor Reid claims, needs its own dedicated equivalentand it needs one in a hurry.

He warns that "the W3C encourages participation, the sharing of knowledge, and thereby it builds trust on a global scale. This influences the way the Internet functions. It's not a business, it's not a government, it's an independent organization that takes care of standards."

"The metaverse needs the equivalent of the W3C and these conversations need to happen right nowbecause every single tech company I know of sees this as part of its future."

Acting now also gives the world a fighting chance of getting to grips with security risks in the metaverse, as well as the threat of bullying or social media pile-ons in this mixed reality universe.

Professor Reid adds that "If you think about the amount of data a company could collect on the WWW right now, compared to what it could collect with the metaverse, there is just no comparison."

"But consider this; If you have your avatar in the virtual world, do you own it? Do you really own the way you look? Could you hijack someone's avatar and appear as someone else? How do you know you're really talking to the person you think you're talking to?"

"It happens now on the internet and the threat will be much greater with the metaverse. You'll be able to own things and have possessions in the metaversehow do you protect them?"

"People are worried about the influence that Twitter can have on politics right now. But in a completely immersive environment, how much more influence can you have on someone, when you can transport someone to a war zone and show them precisely what's going on?"

"Likewise, how much more dangerous might social media pile-ons, or online bullying, become in the metaverse? I'd argue it has the potential to be far, far more extreme. The visceral experience of immersion can be exceptionally emotive."

There's better news for industryas Professor Reid suspects the metaverse might be a huge shot in the arm when it comes to the Northern Powerhouse 'levelling up'.

He claims that he thinks "the metaverse is the next computing platform. It's not a white elephant. It's the next evolutionary step, not just for the Internet, but for computing as a whole. Also, nobody knows just how many jobs the metaverse will create but it'll spawn an entire new industry. And, of course, for all the drawbacks there will be huge benefits."

"For me, it could even be the way the country finally 'levels up'."

"If you can commute virtually you don't need to live in London. You don't need to be physically located anywhere."

"The Northern Powerhouse should be based around VR and AI because these are two technologies where you can actually level up, because location doesn't matter, providing you've got enough bandwidth."
Refractive index sensor and measurement system. Credit: Compuscript Ltd

In a new publication from Opto-Electronic Advances, Xuezhi Zhang, Boyue Yang, Junfeng Jiang, Kun Liu, Xiaojun Fan, Zhaozhu Liu, Min Peng, Guanlong Chen and Tiegen Liu from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China discuss a side-polished SMS based RI sensor employing perfluorinated POF.

Refractive index is an inherent property of material, which can reflect the concentration, purity and other important information about a material under certain conditions. When the external refractive index changes, some parameters (amplitude, wavelength, intensity, etc.) in the optical fiber will change accordingly. The change of refractive index can be calculated by the change of the parameters mentioned above. Refractive index sensors are widely used in chemical analysis, environmental pollution monitoring, medical diagnosis, food detection and other fields.

Polymer optical fiber has been used in optical fiber sensing, Internet of things, lighting systems and other fields. Compared with SiO 2 optical fiber, polymer optical fiber has many advantages, such as light weight, high flexibility, strong plasticity and so on. In recent years, polymer materials have developed rapidly, and there is great potential to improve the material characteristics and fabrication processes. Some research groups have already begun to study and apply polymer optical fiber. In the field of optical fiber sensing, polymer optical fiber has the potential to replace SiO 2 optical fiber in some areas, which has a high value and potential for wide application.

Professor Tiegen Liu's research group has proposed a method to fabricate a refractive index sensor based on perfluoropolymer fiber and single modemultimodesingle mode (SMS) structure, which can realize real-time monitoring of external refractive index by multimode interference. Firstly, perfluoropolymer fiber is sandwiched between two single-mode fibers to generate a multimode interference structure; secondly, the perfluoropolymer fiber is polished to improve the sensitivity of the sensor; finally, the parameters affecting the sensitivity of the sensor are studied experimentally.

In the experiment, the polymer optical fiber and SiO 2 optical fiber can easily and accurately be connected by a ceramic sleeve; the fine-tuning system with precision of micrometer scale is included in the side-polished device, which ensures the accuracy in side-polished process of the perfluoropolymer optical fiber. In addition, the perfluoropolymer fiber has low water absorption, which makes the sensor work stably in water for a long time and has obvious application in the field of liquid detection. The results show that the refractive index sensitivity is -219.504 dB / RIU.

In conclusion, the fabrication process of the refractive index sensor is simple and easy, realizing real-time measurement of the refractive index with high sensitivity. This method will provide a reference for future development of refractive index fiber sensing.

Explore further Researchers develop tiny sensor for measuring subtle pressure changes inside the body

More information: Xuezhi Zhang et al, Side-polished SMS based RI sensor employing macro-bending perfluorinated POF, Opto-Electronic Advances (2021). Xuezhi Zhang et al, Side-polished SMS based RI sensor employing macro-bending perfluorinated POF,(2021). DOI: 10.29026/oea.2021.200041

Provided by Compuscript Ltd
Thanks for visiting !

The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy.

We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.

Thank you for your support!
TAKE IT OR LEAVE: District Council 37, along with eight other unions, reached an agreement Nov. 4 with the city detailing leave policies for municipal workers who have refused to get the coronavirus vaccine. Unvaccinated employees who do not receive an exemption will be able to extend their unpaid leave through June 30, 2022 and retain their health benefits, or can be reimbursed for sick days if they leave the job by Nov. 17.
Please log in to keep reading.

Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.
The bill of sale from that New York show  stuck to the back of the painting  was a delightful surprise when Joel Ward, owner of Twist of Fate Estate Sales, moved it to a safer spot for the sale this weekend. The address of the home will be released on the company's website Friday morning.

Ward discovered the paintings history and Sanleys search as he was preparing for the sale. Sanley had created a Facebook page called Nebraska Bohemians in 2011 to celebrate his Czech heritage, and had posted details about the painting, but no one had ever come forward. The World-Herald also did an article that year about its disappearance.

He (Sanley) was beyond excited that we had located the painting, Ward said. I texted him a picture. I think he was kind of in disbelief.

Sanley, who is 73 and now living in San Diego, said he and his siblings still own the family farm east of Surprise and adjacent to the farm in the painting. Sanley is working with the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City to try to acquire the painting and preserve the Nichols history.
A change is only being discussed and has not been submitted for any formal action.

Im not sure were necessarily there yet, but the changes were looking at, at this point, would be ... granting some exceptions, Nabity said.

Amos Anson of Grand Island-based FAmous Construction Inc. advocated for the change at Wednesdays meeting.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

FAmous is currently at work on a development at its Highland North subdivision.

I find value in making this area, which, as it stands right now, wed turn into parking with our minimums, I would much rather be a dog park or a green space or playground equipment, he said. I have no time for people complaining about not having enough parking, to be frank about it. I think this would be a good way to test out if Im right or if the way it is is right.

Nabity said the project is a good example of evaluating parking needs.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said at a recent hearing that after speaking to victims, there was still "clearly a disconnect as to what is happening at the top levels of the State Department and how victims are being treated in some cases.

Shaheen has introduced new legislation to fix what she described as differences in how various agencies are investigating and treating cases.

Theres still not enough information thats being shared, not enough coordination thats being done, she said in an interview. Theres not a unanimity of response on how to deal with it.

CIA Director Burns, pressed on Havana Syndrome cases at a separate hearing last week, noted that the agency's investigation into the cases is led by a key leader responsible for the operation to find Osama Bin Laden. He did not refer to the cases as attacks after being asked by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., whether he would use that word.

Weve worked very hard to improve care, the care that our officers and sometimes their family members deserve, Burns said. And we have mounted an extraordinarily vigorous effort to get to the bottom of the questions of who and what may be causing these as well.
In San Antonio de Putina, Alicia Chura said she had heard over a local Quechua-language radio station that the vaccines were being given to older people to kill them because the country is filling up with many people.

On the floating islands of the Uros in Lake Titicaca, boatman Joel Huilca said he'd been wary of vaccines since a measles shot as a child left him with pain for several months.

As for the COVID-19 vaccine, They say it leaves you like a zombie; they are going to put in a chip and they are going to know where you go and what you do.

The persistence of such ideas frustrates nurse Marina Checalla, who was trying to promote life-saving shots at the meeting that Vilca skipped in Jochi San Francisco,

There are myths that are causing damage and dont let us reach the populations, she said.

More than 70 people turned up, but only 30 got shots.

One of those who did was 82-year-old Celso Quispe, despite the fact his wife and three adult children had not.

There are comments, but I don't believe them, he said. What do the people know?"

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Q: When will we know the boundaries of our commissioner districts in York County? I know redistricting has to take place before people can start filing as candidates for next years election. I was just curious as to when that will happen here, that we will know the boundary details and changes.

A: The county is still awaiting some information and guidance from the state. As soon as that is received, the process will begin. That will be happening in the month of November.

Q: Why doesnt the newspaper run the filings from District Court regarding divorces any longer?

A: It has been an issue of staffing and time constraints, as that is an ongoing, time consuming task.

There was also the issue that sometimes couples would file for divorce and then change their minds, but newspaper staff had no way of knowing that unless the case was officially dismissed (so the case would live on perpetually online even though they had reconciled).

But its mostly a staffing/time issue, at this point.

Q: I was told the city was going to be moving the museum artifacts to the downtown mural building. When is that going to happen?
Heres your chance to submit a business plan for the chance to win cash prizes in the Regions Bank 2021 Business Plan Competition.

Southern Illinois entrepreneurs can compete for innovation and small business development funding as part of the Regions Bank 2021 Business Plan Competition. The bank is awarding a top prize of $5,000 along with second and third prizes of $3,000 and $2,000 respectively through the SIU Foundation. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will provide technical support and business assistance and the deadline to submit entries is Friday, Nov. 12.

"Despite the challenges of this past year with the pandemic, we've witnessed a tremendous increase in interest from Southern Illinois entrepreneurs emerging with new, innovative business concepts or business expansion ideas, said Deborah Barnett, SIU director of business incubator programs. The business plan competition support from Regions Bank through the SIU Foundation is very timely and will serve as a spark to continue the entrepreneurial momentum that we've seen building in the region."

Showcase will feature announcement

The winners will be announced during SIU Research Parks Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase on Dec. 2 at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive in Carbondale.

The announcement of the business plan competition winners will be the highlight of the showcase, said Lynn Andersen Lindberg, executive director of the SIU Research Park. The opportunity to help jump-start several emerging or expanding small businesses in partnership with Regions Bank is a great way to celebrate the innovation thats been taking place throughout Southern Illinois during the COVID pandemic.

Open to new or expanding business concepts

The competition is open people with business ideas in Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, Randolph or Williamson Counties. Contestants cant be affiliated with government entities, non-profit organizations, public or private schools, or universities andcolleges. Participants must register and then submit a full business plan and 90-second pitch video by Nov. 12. There are a few simple criteria for the business plans. To enter the plans must be:

A start-up or existing for-profit small business featuring innovative ideas, products or services with an identified market need and potential for commercialization. Pre-venture entrepreneurs can enter, too.

Focusing on new ideas or expansion opportunities, not current business operations.

Not involved with cannabis, gambling or lobbying activities nor any activities which are prohibited by state or federal law.

Register now

For more information about the business plan competition, along with registration, visit sbdc.siu.edu.

The competition is sponsored by Regions Bank in partnership with the Southern Illinois University Foundation, the Illinois Small Business Development Center, the SIU Research Park and the SIU Business Incubator.

"A solid business plan is critical for any business that wants to be successful. This competition is a great opportunity for Southern Illinois entrepreneurs to put a solid business plan in place, develop a strong pitch, and compete for funding, said Greg Bouhl, SIU director of entrepreneurship and business development. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU serves as a strong partner in the competition as we provide no-cost business advisement, including business plan assistance, to competition participants and any small business who needs assistance."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Three-hundred fifty wooden, white crosses stand in a lot at the corner of Grand Avenue and Washington Street in Carbondale.

And every day, hundreds of Southern Illinois University students and thousands of motorists pass by the property, part of the Newman Catholic Student Center just off the SIU campus.

The crosses  representing the average, estimated number of abortions performed in the United States every five hours  are a way for leaders at the campus ministry to build awareness and to advocate for the unborn.

Newman Center Director Tim Taylor said the display has become an annual tradition each fall, placed there each year for more than two decades. In addition to the crosses, the group holds a nighttime prayer vigil at the location as All Saints Day, on Nov. 1, and transitions into All Souls Day, on Nov. 2.

It is a special time in the Catholic Church to remember those who have passed, and thats why we choose to remember them at that time. Taylor said.

Taylor explained that the objective of the display is two-fold.

The first goal is just to witness to the sanctity of life and to respect the dignity of the unborn lives that are lost. We do have a secondary goal that maybe we can change someones mind about the issue of abortion or helping them appreciate the lives of the unborn in a new way, Taylor said.

The display's prominence in Carbondale comes as the U.S. remains deeply divided in a philosophical and political debate over a woman's right to govern her own body and the rights of the unborn. Just this week, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear legal arguments regarding Texas' controversial six-week abortion ban.

However, Taylor said the display is not intended to be a political statement.

We understand the topic becomes a difficult political situation, but we stand on the side of protecting the life of those who are unable to protect themselves, Taylor explained. The Catholic Church is a strong defender not only of unborn life, but of all human life and the dignity and sanctity of all human life. The sanctity of all human life is a religious issue. We understand people will have disagreements with us about that. But the dignity of all human life, I think it's a human issue. It's not a political issue.

Consideration of the sanctity of human life goes beyond the topic of abortion, he added.

This is about the dignity of all human life. Its a human issue. Just like it was a mistake for people to treat enslaved persons simply as property, I think it's also a mistake to treat unborn life simply as an issue of a woman's right to privacy, he said. We hope to encourage a conversation about how we can better protect human life, unborn life and those in later stages of life.

Usually, the Newman Center does not receive much feedback about the display, but this fall has been different. He said the display has had some vandalism and others have expressed their views on the organizations social media pages and with telephone calls. On the contrary, he said the Newman Center also has received support for the crosses with messages of encouragement.

Theres a lot going on with the political situation around abortion right now. And I think both sides are feeling, you know, especially contentious, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CARBONDALE  In August, the city installed a speaker system downtown that plays music at night in an attempt to deter crime.

Law enforcement point to a recent decline in 911 calls to the area as proof that the system is working, but some community members think the city went about the situation the wrong way.

Carbondale Police Chief Stan Reno said crime has gone down since the implementation of the speakers. He said the city stands by its decision, and that they have adjusted the hours of operation.

1,150 calls for service since January

Since January, there have been 1,150 calls for service to the area where the speakers are installed near town square, the city stated on its Carbondale Fact Check section of its website.

Officers have responded to the area for shootings, fights, drunk and disorderly conduct, public urination, bathing in the fountain, defecating on public property, bullying, drug use, and drug sales, according to the citys website.

Some of these calls are for bar checks or assisting a motorist, but a high percentage of callers are reporting crimes or asking for extra patrols because of the large disruptive crowd, the city said on its website. Our responding officers report the same group of individuals breaking laws and causing disruptions. This disorderly behavior is most common late at night and early mornings on the weekends.

Reno said calls for service have gone down since the installation of the speakers  from 196 in August to 157 in September and to 138 in October.

Another perspective

Jennifer Fertaly, former executive director of the social services nonprofit Center for Empowerment and Justice and now a member of CEJs emergency board, said those who gather in the square are a family and a community.

While the square may be intimidating to people who arent familiar with it, she said being present in the community and getting to know the individuals is the answer  not moving people out of the area.

I think the city is trying to maintain a safe and friendly public open space. But the folks that frequent there, that is their social circle, sometimes that same kind of community that other folks find in a church congregation or at a family dinner table, mind after each other, take care of each other, even if it you know, its loud words, sometimes, you know, like any other families there are arguments and disputes by both sides, Fertaly said. (People spend) time up there really to be together.

As police chief, Reno sees things differently. He said the speakers were not put up to address homelessness but to address the high volume of 911 calls the department received regarding violent incidents and large crowds forming late at night.

We had a number of violent related calls for service there to include shots fired, people who are getting shot, and other violence-related type of call responses. So that's one of the calming methods that we tried to put in place to prevent some of the violence that we were seeing there in the large groups of people that were acting disorderly, Reno said.

Too loud at night?

Jaden Fitzpatrick, a SIU student who lives in Carbondale, said recently the music was so loud that it kept her awake at night. She said she works, goes to school and cant fall asleep when she gets home at night because the sound is overpowering.

A city spokesperson said after Fitzpatrick posted to a social media page about the loudspeaker volume, the city reached out to her to apologize. They also turned down the volume.

Fitzpatrick said she is waiting to see if this helps.

We never intended for the music to be heard in nearby neighborhoods. Since learning of her post, we made the decision to turn the music down during the week, the city said in a statement to The Southern.

Reno said the music plays from 4:30 p.m. until approximately 4:00 a.m. the next day and said they will be playing festive music around the holidays.

HairBrains, which is located near the town square, said some customers enjoy the music.

The city on its website said that resolving this has been complicated because yes, the town square is public property.

However, we are trying to create an atmosphere on the square that will be comfortable and safe for everyone  not just the disruptive individuals. The City is proud to provide public spaces like the town square and encourage people to use these spaces respectfully. The music is intended to create a calming atmosphere, and the lights are a reminder that there is a law enforcement presence to prevent criminal activity. We do not have the police resources to dedicate officers to the town square at all times, the city said.

Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 2

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
In an expansive joint effort this summer, attorneys for 88 people with convictions related to disgraced ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts filed petitions asking that those cases be thrown out.

It was a bold move, seemingly intended to force Cook County prosecutors to announce a decision on the cases after prosecutors ongoing review of such convictions had, in the view of some Watts accusers attorneys, stalled out.

On Thursday, prosecutors gave Judge Erica Reddick a formal response: They would not oppose the effort to dismiss five of those cases.

The fate of the remaining convictions is not immediately clear. Prosecutors, upon further review, could agree that more should be dismissed. If they do not, that sets the stage for a series of contested hearings about whether those convictions should stand.

Attorney Joshua Tepfer represents all five of the men whose cases were dismissed along with 55 other people whose convictions remain in question. His reaction was mixed, he said after court.

Today, five of the innocent were exonerated and I dont want to take away the very special feeling that those five men have  were very, very happy for them, Tepfer said. That said, we have 55 other clients who have been literally waiting for their justice for 15 to 20 years and since this review (of Watts cases) has started many have waited for two, three or four years.

States Attorney Kim Foxx released a statement after the hearing, saying the five exonerations represent a step towards righting the wrongs of the past and giving these individuals their names back.

But Thursdays hearing  and the effort on behalf of the 88 petitioners  represent a significant change in the way Watts cases have been handled at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

Foxxs office has been reviewing Watts convictions for years. In 2017, they announced the countys first-ever mass exoneration, clearing out 18 Watts-related convictions and promising an ongoing assessment of such cases.

Watts and his crew of tactical officers have been accused of orchestrating a reign of terror at the now-razed Ida B. Wells public housing complex on the South Side, systematically forcing residents and drug dealers alike to pay a protection tax and putting bogus cases on those who refused to do so.

In all, more than 100 Watts-related convictions have been tossed out. Attorneys for the accusers have been presenting potentially eligible cases to Cook County prosecutors for their review, and until this year, petitioners attorneys and prosecutors had presented a largely united public front. The most recent mass exoneration, clearing out nine cases, was in February of this year.

But a few months later, Tepfer said Foxxs office was not adequately following through on their promises of an aggressive review of Watts cases, and were fighting to maintain convictions that Tepfer maintains are fatally flawed.

The prosecutors office has said that each case needs to be assessed on an individual basis, a process that takes significant time and effort, and in response to Tepfers comments this year a spokeswoman strongly disputed any claim that the offices review had been stalled.

Attorneys filed their petitions representing the 88 Watts accusers in July. The overwhelming majority of those cases had already been presented to prosecutors for their review, they said Thursday.

Tepfer said they are prepared to take the cases to contested hearings if prosecutors do not agree that the convictions should be dismissed, but noted that it may be difficult for prosecutors to present witnesses in those hearings, given that the office has said they will not call to the stand certain officers connected to Watts given questions about their credibility.

Its wonderful that these five are getting justice, Im glad that the States Attorney is proud of that, attorney Joel Flaxman, who represents 28 of the 88 petitioners, told reporters Thursday. For the other 83 people, we cant be celebrating, were still waiting, were still seeing delays in having their cases heard and adjudicated ... we want to see some action on all fronts.

Clarissa Glenn, whose Watts-related conviction was one of the first to be thrown out back in March 2016, had strong words in comments to reporters after Thursdays hearing.

Shame on Chicago, shame on the system. We are humans, you guys, Glenn said. Chicago represents injustice and its painful and hurtful. No one is still listening, no one is still helping and we stand alone.

That is in response to everyone  from Kim Foxxs office moving down to (the police station at) 51st and Wentworth, she said. Whoever is listening  shame.

In case after case, when Watts targets have complained  to the Police Department or in court  judges, prosecutors and internal affairs investigators all believed the testimony of Watts and other officers over their accusers, records show.

The cases also highlighted a broken system of police discipline that allegedly protected corrupt officers and punished those who tried to expose his corruption. Despite mounting allegations, Watts continued to operate for years amid a lengthy police internal affairs probe as well as investigations by the states attorneys office and the FBI, according to court records.

In fact, two Chicago police officers who alleged they were blackballed for trying to expose Watts corruption years ago won a $2 million settlement in their whistleblower lawsuit.

When Watts was finally caught, it was on relatively minor federal charges. He wound up being sentenced to 22 months in prison.

Meanwhile, in March of this year, investigators with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability completed their probe of the Watts matter and delivered a final report to Superintendent David Browns office. The report has not yet been made public, and at least one Watts accuser has sued for its release.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
If Number 7 is unwilling to repeat what it was, were at a disadvantage and I suppose we can take his unwillingness in the worst light, Chirafisi said.

I've talked quite a bit about public confidence in the result of the trial, Schroeder said. It is clear the appearance of bias is present and it would seriously undermine the results of the case.

The juror objected. It wasnt anything to do with the case, it wasnt anything to do with Kyle and his seven charges, the man said.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The aspiring police officer had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of Blake.

Also Thursday, a reporter who took video testified that the first man shot by Rittenhouse lunged for Rittenhouse's rifle in an attempt to take it away just before the 17-year-old fired.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording on a cellphone for the conservative website The Daily Caller, took the stand and described watching as Joseph Rosenbaum chased down Rittenhouse in one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, said McGinniss, who had been called to the stand by the prosecution.

The defense also has said that a shot fired by someone in the crowd moments before Rittenhouse began shooting made Rittenhouse believe he was under attack.

Kenosha Detective Martin Howard testified that video footage shows that a protester, Joshua Ziminski, had fired the first shot into the air. Howard said he used a stopwatch and timed five or six videos to determine that 2.5 seconds later, Rittenhouse began firing at Rosenbaum.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced plans to widen Interstate-64 to three lanes along a nearly three-mile stretch through O'Fallon and Shiloh.

The upgrades to I-64 will be made from a stretch that begins two-thirds of a mile west of Green Mount Road to a half mile west of Illinois 158. It will include the additional lanes, plus wider shoulders, interchange improvements and bridge work, according to an IDOT release.

The project is included in IDOT's proposed five-year highway improvement program for 2022-2027. The cost for additional lanes and bridge repairs is $35.6 million, said Dawn Johnson, a spokesperson for IDOT's Region 5.

The centerpiece of the proposed work will center around the interchange at Green Mount Road, where the volume of traffic has steadily increased around multiple retail developments and construction of the new HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

Commercial development in that area has spurred a 40% increase in traffic volume, according to an IDOT study. An additional 14% growth in traffic to 72,800 vehicles per day is expected by the year 2038, it concluded.

The stretch of four-lane highway already is over its capacity, which causes traffic backups at the Green Mount Road interchange, according to IDOT.

O'Fallon Mayor Herb Roach said he isn't completely familiar project beyond the IDOT's plans to add lanes to I-64. He said city officials plan to hold a meeting about the project next week.

IDOT Improvement Project

The Interstate-64 Improvement Project is being processed in three phases, each taking about 24 months to complete.

The project is currently in a preliminary engineering phase. According to its website, IDOT will award contracts and acquire the necessary right-of-way beginning in 2023. Construction would be completed by 2027.

Temporary lane closures during "off-peak" hours may be necessary, Johnson said, but the goal is to keep four lanes open during construction.

According to a release from IDOT, the project will include:

Widening of I-64 to three lanes in each direction with wider shoulders.

Construction of a concrete median barrier between the eastbound and westbound lanes.

Increasing the clearance under the Green Mount Road and Lincoln Avenue bridges to accommodate larger trucks.

Widening the eastbound and westbound exit ramps to provide two left and two right turn lanes at the intersection with Green Mount Road.

Widening Green Mount Road to provide a southbound right turn lane at the I-64 on-ramp, northbound right turn lane at the I-64 on-ramp, and two southbound left turn lanes, two southbound through lanes, and two southbound right turn lanes at the intersection of Green Mount Crossing and Central Park Drive.

Public input sought

IDOT is holding a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.

The meeting will start with a live presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session. Questions can be submitted online during the meeting.

Advance registration is required to attend the meeting. Those who register at https://projectmeetingonline.com/I-64/ will receive an email with a link to virtual meeting.

Development on I-64

Interstate-64 was built in 1975 to accommodate new development and the resulting traffic in Fairview Heights and Scott Air Force Base.

The interchange at Green Mount Road interchange was added in 2000 when O'Fallon created new highway frontage on Central Park Drive with incentives for retail investment and auto dealerships. Shiloh soon after lured Target and a Dierbergs grocery store as anchors to the Green Mount Crossing shopping center.

Interstate 64 from Illinois 157 to Green Mount Road was widened from four lanes to six lanes and a new interchange was constructed at Reider Road in 2014 to improve access to Scott Air Force Base.

In September of this year, Boeing announced it will construct a new 300-square-foot production facility at MidAmerica Airport that will be used to make the U.S. Navy's first aircraft-refueling drones. The project will bring 500 new jobs to the metro-east, according to company and St. Clair County officials.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
An extended family trip to the Smoky Mountains last June was our first post-pandemic vacation.

Driving through the hills of Tennessee a typical conversation included the words, Ill bet this place would be beautiful in the fall.

A month or two passed and the topic of returning to the Smokies re-emerged as a real possibility. Sometime in late summer a decision was reached  a return trip was a go.

We procrastinated for several more weeks, awaiting the COVID-19 booster, before finally making concrete plans. Last week we learned, This place really is beautiful in the fall.

Driving south and east out of Harrisburg we noted the surprising fall colors in Southern Illinois. The colors got incrementally fuller, more widespread, as we meandered through Kentucky and Tennessee.

Finally, by the time we reached eastern Tennessee we were captivated by the yellows, oranges, occasional reds and intermittent green of the pines of the Appalachian foothills surrounding us. That alone would have been worth the trip.

However, when we entered Great Smoky Mountain National Park it was like we pushed through the looking glass. It was as if we entered a fall version of a snow globe. Instead of snowflakes falling around us, our car was caressed by leaves, slowly riding the gentle breeze to the ground.

The canopy extended over the curving mountain roads as if Mother Earth was extending a warm hug. We were literally engulfed in a magical world ringed in yellow and orange. Walking through this wonderland I felt like a yard gnome come to life.

We took the short hike to Laurel Falls. The narrow path provided occasional gaps in the trees, giving us glimpses of hills in the distance. The low areas between the hills were filled with the clouds and mists from which the Smokies derive their name.

The smoke only heightened the unearthly feel of the world that we were now part of. Occasionally, wed hear other tourists approaching us on the path. It was easy to imagine a face-to-face encounter with Hobbits, or even a band of Smurfs, but in each instance, they were humans marveling at the wonder of our planet.

Our travels took us to Cades Cove, a large valley nestled in the mountains. The open areas allowed us to see the forests stunning patch work extend for miles.

As daylight trickled away, we headed for the North Carolina side of the park, a trip that necessitated driving through Newfound Gap at the top of the mountains. The winding mountain road yielded breathtaking view after breathtaking view.

Two things became eminently apparent as we ascended the mountain  the temperature was dropping rapidly and the clouds we had been viewing from the valley below were now, quite literally within our reach.

There are several tunnels along the way. Im not sure exactly where it happened, but near the top of the mountain we entered one side in the magical world of fall, but exited in the land of film noir.

Colors no longer existed and the once distant clouds surrounded us. Visibility was reduced to almost nothing and the objects we were able to see appeared to be black, white or gray. Although entertaining at first, it got eerie pretty quick.

Fortunately, the descent from Newfound Gap happened quickly and the colors of fall re-emerged.

Sunset was now falling over the mountains. We stopped at one of the scenic overlooks to watch the fading light of the day. By now, the colors were muted and some of the mountains were little more than shadows in the distance.

The color was  well, I now understand the 'for purple mountains majesty' line in the song, America, The Beautiful."

LES WINKELER is the outdoors writer for The Southern Illinoisan. Contact him at les@winkelerswingsandwildlife.com, on Twitter @LesWinkeler.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
If there is a cardinal rule regarding bird feeding during the winter, its once you start feeding, dont stop.

One of the important points to make is birds dont necessarily need you to feed them to make it through the winter, said Carbondale-based ornithologist Mike Baltz. Theyve been doing that for a long time without people feeding them.

During this time theyre starting to define what their territory will be during the winter. One of the things I always tell people is you dont have to feed birds, but if you start you should continue feeding through the winter. If you put out a nice spread in November and December and this flock says, we have a pretty good territory. Then, if you stop putting the food out, theyre screwed. Youve sort of baited and switched. Thats the one thing I think is an important point.

Conversely, Baltz noted that during extreme conditions, like the late winter deep freeze Southern Illinois experienced last year, birds can use some additional food.

And, if you do decide to feed, he suggested placing the feeders close to the house.

Put the feeders where you can enjoy the show, Baltz added. First, it will make you more likely to keep the feeders full. When we had that really cold snap, I think I had 32 different species between my suet and sunflower feeders.

Its a great way to get really good looks at a dozen or two dozen bird species. I think it is a great way to learn a little bird ID on some of our permanent residents.

There are other parameters for feeder placement as well.

You dont want to have feeders in a super-exposed location because the birds are vulnerable at the feeder to cats and Coopers hawks, bird-eating hawks, Baltz said. You dont want your feeders too close to the ground. Ideally you hang them near a planted area so they arent exposed.

Sunflower seeds are a universal favorite of birds. Baltz also uses suet and thistle. Suet is great for attracting woodpeckers and nuthatches. Thistle is great for finches and pine siskins.

Of course, if you have feeders in your yard you will be exposed to the triple-whammy of raiders  squirrels, grackles and cowbirds. The presence of intrusive species can be minimized by not feeding millet or cracked corn, but some freeloaders are inevitable.

Keeping squirrels away from your feeders can challenge the ingenuity of just about anybody,

Baltz said. You almost have to enjoy the battle. Youll figure something out, it will work for a couple days and youll look out and say, what the heck. You almost have to sort of embrace the battle that is going to ensue.

And, although the visitors to winter feeders can be predictable  titmice, chickadees, sparrows, juncos and cardinals, there are exciting exceptions from time to time. Last year was an irruptive year for evening grosbeaks and pine siskins.

The irruptive events are dependent on seed production in the northern forests and severity of the winter weather.

Finally, there are things you can do to attract birds without actively feeding them.

If you dont put out any food the thing to do is to leave the leaves, Baltz said. Create or have a few brush piles. Many insects overwinter in the leaf litter. Thats when you get the rufous-sided towhees and those sparrows. We sort of get rid of the natural bird feeders. If you have perennials, let that stuff standing. Dont ignore the natural bird feeders you have in your yard. The leaves can do half your work for you.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A prosecutor investigating accusations that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo groped a woman asked a judge for more time to evaluate the evidence, saying the criminal complaint filed last week by the local sheriff was potentially defective," according to a letter released Friday.

The request from Albany County District Attorney David Soares throws the high-profile case into further turmoil a week after Cuomo was charged with committing a misdemeanor sex crime. The one-page complaint filed in Albany City Court by a sheriff's office investigator accuses Cuomo of forcible touching by putting his hand under a womans shirt on Dec. 7.

Soares, who has said he was caught off guard by the filing, said in a letter to Judge Holly Trexler on Thursday that his office had been investigating the matter for several months.

We were in the middle of that investigation when the Sheriff unilaterally and inexplicably filed a complaint in this court, Soares wrote in the letter. Unfortunately, the filings in this matter are potentially defective in that the police-officer-complainant failed to include a sworn statement by the victim such that the People could proceed with a prosecution on these papers.

The district attorney said the sheriffs complaint, as filed, only included part of the woman's testimony, but left other parts out, including sections that could possibly be exculpatory, meaning potentially helpful to Cuomos defense.

Soares said that his office still had hundreds of hours of videotaped testimony to review and that it anticipates receiving more material with deadlines for a speedy trial approaching.

Cuomo had been summoned to appear for an arraignment Nov. 17. Soares asked for that to be put off for 60 days. Cuomo's attorneys joined in the request.

The purpose of this adjournment is to give my office time to continue with our independent and unbiased review of the facts of this case, Soares wrote.

The court granted a delay until Jan. 7, 2022, a spokesperson for Soares said in an email.

A call was made to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple seeking comment. The sheriff acknowledged last week that the court paperwork had been processed more quickly than he intended, before hed gotten a chance to consult with the district attorney. But he said he was confident in the strength of the case.

There was no immediate comment from Cuomo's spokesperson.

The complaint did not name the woman, but she has identified herself as Brittany Commisso, who worked as one of Cuomos executive assistants before he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations in August.

Forcible touching is a misdemeanor in New York, punishable by up to a year in jail, though many cases for first-time offenders are resolved with probation or a shorter jail sentence.

Cuomo has repeatedly denied touching anyone inappropriately.

He resigned from office in August after an investigative report, overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluded that Cuomo has sexually harassed 11 women.

Both Cuomo and Commisso gave lengthy interviews to James' investigators. Soares has said that much of that material was turned over to his office but that it was voluminous and would take time to evaluate.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
It is fitting that Mr. William Connors opinion piece as a guest columnist appeared Sunday on the American remake of Halloween with visions of goblins and ghosts and scare tactics. Exception is that Connors ghosts are far more frightening than Halloween. -- but certainly real to him.

I suspect public railings against Critical Race Theory constituted is its own thinly disguised version of racism. One can hear the steps of former Gov. George Wallace and former Sen. Strom Thurmond and a litany of others cry "segregation now ... segregation forever."

In Orangeburg and in South Carolina, the first state to initiate secession from the union, there is so much documentation of "white privilege." One need not look further than the three bodies buried in that pond dam in Mississippi or countless documented stories of racial segregation in South Carolina.

Who remembers the national televised debate between Sen. Jacob Javits of New York and Thurmond wherein Thurmond invoked the Bible to defend segregation?

And historically in 1838, President Andrew Jackson moved all indigenous people ("Indians") west of the Mississippi (Oklahoma) so "white settlers" could have more land.

Who can list the nine presidents of the United States who all owned slaves? Hint (first nine). Is that described in Connors history book? And how many slaves did the nine presidents own? And what happened to that wealth?

The citizens of South Carolina have any number of positive attributes and contributions. But its racial history is not one of them.

On a different note, if one "trans student" raped others (rape by anyone is a true crime) because of the insinuation that "trans people" are "unsafe," then by logic is one to believe all heterosexual men are mass murders such as Ted Bundy? The example appears as it is -- irrational and obviously absurd. Murder and rape are not crimes based on sexual orientation.

History itself can defeat any of Mr. Connors ghosts.

Arnold David Bates is from Orangeburg.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0
This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area.

NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN

If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047.
A Laramie High School student who was arrested for trespassing after refusing to comply with the schools mask mandate is suing the governor, public health officials and six local school districts in an effort to overturn executive and public health orders related to COVID-19.

Grace Smith and her father, Andy, are joined in the federal suit by the guardians of 17 other Wyoming students ranging in age from 4 to 17 years old. The initial complaint was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for Wyoming.

The suit alleges that Gov. Mark Gordon did not have legal authority to issue executive orders in reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, since the virus did not pose a significant threat to human life.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to rule that orders from local or state health departments and policies enacted by school districts were arbitrary and unfounded in scientific fact.

Along with Gordon, the suit names State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, the Wyoming Department of Health and its interim director, Stefan Johansson, and school districts in Sheridan, Albany, Laramie, Goshen, Sweetwater and Uinta counties.

Statements from nine parents with students in those districts testify to the negative effects mask-wearing has had on their children, from persistent headaches to anxiety attacks.

Many said that their children had been bullied and harassed at school  by both students and staff  for refusing to wear a mask. Some said they had been repeatedly denied exemptions, or if granted, they were not taken seriously by staff, who continued to ask the students to mask up.

Several parents also described school boards limiting public comment periods and passing mask mandates despite parents objections.

Smith made national headlines in October for being arrested and trespassed from Laramie High School after violating her third suspension and continuing to refuse to wear a mask on campus.

She was issued two $500 citations for trespassing, the suit states. The Albany County attorneys office said on Thursday that one of those citations has been dismissed.

Citations and supplemental evidence provided by the plaintiffs counsel include publications from the Ron Paul Institute, Breitbart News, blogs including NoMoreFakeNews.com and Off-Guardian.org, a news and opinion site run by former Ron Paul staffer Lew Rockwell, and a reference to sheeple and the Tom Cruise film Minority Report.

Another website, ZeroHedge.com, cited in the lawsuits assertion that PCR tests have fatal flaws that negate their results, says on its disclaimer page that it publishes paid favorable information for publicly traded companies and does not verify or confirm any portion of the Information.

The lawsuit calls for a jury trial to decide its claims of fraud against the governor and other officials. It also asks for an injunction against any mandates or policies related to masking, social distancing, testing or quarantines statewide.

The plaintiffs attorney, Buffalo lawyer Nick Beduhn, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Beduhn sued the governor and health officials in March in an effort to stop all state COVID-19 orders and restrictions. The suit was dismissed two months later by a judge in Johnson County.

In 2017, the Wyoming Supreme Court issued two orders suspending Beduhn from practicing law for a total of two and a half years. The Wyoming State Bar said Beduhn violated his professional duties of competence, diligence, and maintaining communication with clients.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

Love 1 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A driver hit and killed a teenager crossing the street in Cheyenne on Friday, police said.

The 13-year-old boy was in a crosswalk on Western Hills Boulevard near McCormick Jr. High School when the driver of a Ford Escape hit him at around 7 a.m.

Cheyenne police said in a statement that the teenager, a student at McCormick, was pronounced dead after being taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center with critical injuries.

According to police, the driver stayed on the scene to cooperate with the officers investigation.

Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins said the city would rally behind the boys family, as well as students and staff at McCormick.

There are simply no words for such a tragic accident that occurred today in our hometown, he said in a statement. Judy and I send our heartfelt condolences, thoughts, and prayers to the family of the 13-year-old who lost his life today. These condolences extend to the McCormick students and staff who knew this young man so well.

The collision occurred in front of a Cheyenne fire station, and firefighters were alerted to the incident by people pounding on the stations door, according to a message from the Cheyenne Firefighters Facebook page.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 13 Angry 6

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A man incarcerated at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington died in a hospital on Wednesday, the Department of Corrections confirmed Friday.

Frank Lee Apodaca had been taken to the Community Hospital in Torrington prior to his death. He was 66 years old.

His is the fourth death reported at the facility in as many weeks.

The Fort Collins, Colorado, native was sentenced to nine to 12 years in prison in 2017, after being convicted of third-degree sexual assault and intrusion on a victim under age 16 in Laramie County.

The department will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but does not release protected health information.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
RIVERTON  On a split vote, the Fremont County Commission has endorsed a letter of support for further Sinks Canyon via ferrata planning.

The letter comes, reportedly, after Gov. Mark Gordon asked the commission to support the plan.

Four commissioners approved the letter, but a fifth  Commissioner Clarence Thomas of Fort Washakie  was adamantly against it, questioning the governors motives for involvement.

A via ferrata is a rung-and-cable climbing course that opens high cliffs to amateur climbers.

Proponents for such a climbing course in Sinks Canyon above Lander have raised about $30,000 in the past two years, but the project has slowed amid opposition by peregrine falcon advocates, some tribal members and leaders, some conservationists, and by Landers state senator, Cale Case.

Others have argued that the siting process has been too secretive.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon had not responded to a request for comment on his via ferrata stance as of press time, but a chief proponent of the project, Sam Lightner, wrote that Gordon is a climber at heart, claiming the governor thought the via ferrata was a brilliant way to bring more dollars to the central Wyoming economy.

The Lander Chamber of Commerce and Lander Economic Development Association also loved it, wrote Lightner.

Fremont County Commissioner Mike Jones of Lander suggested the board pass a resolution proclaiming support for the via ferrata as long as the process is followed correctly.

The resolution idea was rejected ultimately, but the commissioners voted instead to craft a letter of support.

Jones also noted that the process has stalled slightly as opponents and proponents work together to consider a new site in the canyon.

The original proposed ferrata site is near a ledge occupied by the canyons only peregrine falcon pair. Its also in an area purchased with federal funding and subject to federal regulation.

They have not come up with (the new site), said Jones.

Thomas pointed out that the county doesnt have jurisdiction over the via ferrata plan, which has been undertaken by the Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites.

But now we want to do a resolution? I dont understand that, because if its not our deal, why do we want to get involved? Thomas asked.

Partially out of a request from the governors office, Jones answered. Since there has been so much public comment.

Id rather listen to my constituents on this, Thomas replied. Why am I backing the governor? Hes never come here to talk to us. Ive never heard anything about it from him.

So I have some great issues with this until we know more about it and know why the governor or his people who work for him want us to do a resolution on it.

Jones said he understood Thomass concerns, but he noted that the public process through State Parks has been ongoing for two years.

Jones also said the via ferrata could be an economic development avenue for the county.

Its an option to bring additional people and economic development, (which is) important and gives us an opportunity to keep people here a bit longer, and have something they can visit in Sinks Park, which is already a great park.

Commissioner Larry Allen said a letter of support to encourage WSP and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to continue the study would not be harmful. Commissioner Jennifer McCarty agreed with him.

Four commissioners voted aye, while Thomas voted nay.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Bidens vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administrations effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 26 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

Missouris lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

The administration clearly has the authority to protect workers, and actions announced by the president are designed to save lives and stop spread of COVID, Karine Jean-Pierre, a spokeswoman for the White House, said during a briefing Thursday.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organizations center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agencys regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor.

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit.

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. Its unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions? Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal governments requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach, Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The Colonial Life Insurance Company (Trinidad) Ltd (CLICO) now owes the Government $1.21 billion as part of its 2009 bailout arrangement.

Its taken 12 years to have the debt reduced from $18 billion in 2009 to now $1.2 billion in 2021.
Keep the faith. God is great and he knows best.

Thats the uplifting message from New York-based singer Kevon Carter to the people of T&T during the current spike in Covid-19 cases here at home. T&T recorded 537 new cases of Covid and 17 deaths on Thursday.

Carter, who returned to the United States earlier this year following the reopening of international borders, says he is disturbed by the continued rise in Covid cases in T&T.
Trinidad and Tobago has experienced its deadliest day of the Covid-19 pandemic to date, with a record 28 new deaths being recorded yesterday.

Among the deceased is a child.

The Ministry of Health reported the deaths in its daily update yesterday evening.
Given the low rate of vaccination, our population is wide open to death or hospitalisation from the Delta variant.

That was bluntly stated in my column of September 5, ten weeks ago, with the foresight that the Government would helplessly wait around, self-praise tying up its brain, while its bouffs and bullying failed miserably to motivate the population to get vaccinated in sufficient numbers. No attempt at a creative legislative intervention to support vaccination was made.
Karamargin said his boss agrees with Brnovich that what Biden and OSHA are doing is beyond their legal reach.

He said this is different than normal workplace hazard rules that are within OSHAs authority. More to the point, he said theres no epidemiological basis.

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control itself has identified the places most likely to be the source of the transmission as homes and mass gatherings, not workplaces, he said.

Less clear is whether Ducey will take other action in an attempt to thwart  or at least delay  implementation of the rule here.

Arizona, along with 20 other states, has been given the authority to enforce federal OSHA regulations. But that requires them to enact their own rules that are at least as effective as what the feds want.

Karamargin said the state Industrial Commission, which operates the state worker safety program, will be preparing a response to the new federal rules. But he said he could not say at this point what that response will be.

There are, however, long-term implications to states ignoring federal rules. Arizona could lose its self-regulation authority, a move that would force employers here to have to deal directly with federal inspectors.
Tucsons Mesquite Pediatrics received 300 COVID-19 vaccine doses Tuesday and immediately offered families a drive-thru shot clinic for this Sunday.

Within an hour, all 300 spots were taken.

We werent sure how many were going to want it, and they asked us not to over-order, Dr. Jeff Couchman said of the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 that received final federal approval on Tuesday.

We estimated far too low, unfortunately. This is the most important thing we can do to protect the community right now.

The vaccine is becoming available here just as cases in Pima Countys schools have increased substantially week over week: 738 new school-related cases this week, with 623 infections in students and 115 in teachers and staff.

During the week before this, the total weekly increase was 223 new cases. The week before that was 222.

The data for the countys weekly reporting is pulled at 4 p.m. each Wednesday and for the week ending Nov. 4, the cumulative total of school cases was up to 4,251. The previous weeks before this one: 3,513, 3,290 and 3,068.

So far, 11,400 pediatric doses have been ordered in Pima County, although it is unclear if all of have arrived yet.
Pima County Democrats are digging into their decadal debate over congressional district lines.

As usual, the central questions are about how many Latinos to draw into the district that covers the western part of the Tucson metro area, and how many Democrats to draw into the eastern district.

Generally speaking, the more Latino voters who are in the district represented now by Rep. Raul Grijalva, the fewer Democrats are available for the district represented now by Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. The margin of advantage or disadvantage for Democrats could make a big difference in 2022, expected to be a highly competitive election year.

To make matters confusing, the eastern area that was Congressional District 2 is now numbered 6, and the western area that was Congressional District 3 is now numbered 7. Both new districts, are, of course, shaped differently than their predecessors in the current maps drafted by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. But they largely overlap, except in the devilish details.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero weighed into this and other issues in her Oct. 25 letter to the commission. In it, she argues that the north-south line that divides Tucsons two congressional districts in current maps is drawn too far west.
She and David sat on the construction vehicles, and Ortega said she sang all of the ceremonial songs she could remember.

Border Patrol agents and law enforcement park rangers told them the area was closed and they had to leave or would be arrested.

She tried to explain why the land was important to her, Ortega said in court on Thursday. The construction was a complete disrespect to our culture and a continuation of the harms done to our people without regard for who we are or what we believe in, she told the judge.

As she testified, Ortega got choked up when explaining that she didnt feel safe leaving due to being surrounded by law enforcement. She said that as a Native American, she is used to being harassed by Border Patrol and law enforcement and she felt intimidated and scared.

Park ranger officers told Ortega several times she had to leave or they would arrest her. When she didnt leave, officers arrested both women and they spent the night and the following day in the Florence Correctional Center. Both women faced misdemeanor charges, and Davids case has been adjudicated.
The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy kicked off homecoming weekend in a big way.

On Friday morning, Rick Schnellmann, dean of the college, announced a $50 million gift the college has received from UA alumnus R. Ken Coit.

In the last 74 years, the college has grown from a small group of students with a pioneering vision to one of the premier pharmacy schools in the country. And today, we will take our next great leap, Schnellmann said from a podium during an on-campus ceremony recognizing Coits donation.

As of Friday, the College of Pharmacy has been officially renamed the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy in honor of Coits contributions.

The transformative gift, which is one of the largest in the UAs history, has established six new endowed chairs in drug discovery, neurodegenerative diseases and toxicology and four endowed professorships. The gift is also funding 42 new scholarships for pharmacy students as well as allowing for investments in research equipment and facilities upgrades. Part of it has already been used to expand a wing of the colleges museum, which will now be known as the Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Death Science responded Friday with a statement saying its contract with Med Ed Labs of Las Vegas certified that the provided cadaver was donated for research, medical and educational purposes.

My goal was to create an educational experience for individuals who have an interest in learning more about human anatomy. We understand that this event has caused undue stress for the family and we apologize for that, wrote Jeremy Ciliberto, who described himself as communications consultant for the group. KING-TV described him as a founder of Death Science.

Ciliberto told the station that Death Science paid more than $10,000 for the cadaver. About 70 people paid $100 to $500 to attend its dissection, depending on whether they were doing so virtually or in person, the seat location and whether they were watching for a whole or half day, the prepared statement said.

Death Science did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday from The Associated Press, including a question about whether it had held similar classes in the past.
Its astounding that someone who so recently held a position of public trust to uphold the Constitution would now hide behind vague claims of privilege by a former President, refuse to answer questions about an attack on our democracy, and continue an assault on the rule of law, Thompson said.

Clark's refusal is just the latest fallout from Trump's attempt to assert executive privilege in a lawsuit he filed against the committee and the National Archives. The suit aims to block the government from releasing a tranche of internal White House documents, including call logs, drafts of remarks, speeches and handwritten staff notes from before and during the insurrection. President Joe Biden has so far waived executive privilege on nearly all the documents that the committee has asked for, citing the panels need to investigate the violent attack.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)  A judge appointed Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt as a special prosecutor to consider criminal charges against a state lawmaker accused of having sex with a drunk woman while on duty as a cop years ago, Schmitt's office confirmed Thursday.

An office spokesman said Schmitt, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate, is reviewing whether to press charges against GOP state Rep. Chad Perkins, of Bowling Green.

The Missouri Highway Patrol launched an investigation after the allegations became public in May, and a patrol spokesman in October said the agency turned over a report on the claims to Pike County Prosecuting Attorney Alex Ellison.

Ellison said he asked a special prosecutor to take over the case because he knows Perkins personally. Pike County Circuit Judge Patrick Flynn last month ordered Schmitt's office to take on that role.

Weve been made aware of the Courts order and are reviewing the matter," Schmitt spokesman Chris Nuelle said in a statement.

Perkins worked in law enforcement in northeast Missouri before he won election to the state House in 2020.
Less wealthy countries say they cannot switch their economies to cleaner fuel, and protect their people from increasing natural disasters as the Earth warms, without substantial foreign aid.

And they say established economies, like the United States, should pay, since they historically have been responsible for most of the climate damage from burning coal and petroleum.



GLASGOW, Scotland  Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has compared the worlds complacency on climate change to the way it failed to take seriously the threat of fascism during the 1930s.

Invoking Winston Churchills famous warning that the era of procrastination (...) is coming to its close, Gore told the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow that the impacts of global warming would soon spur momentum for action.

We are now experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis in every part of our world, he said Friday, echoing Churchill. The scientists warned us that these consequences were coming.

Gore starred in An Inconvenient Truth, an Oscar-winning 2006 documentary about the threat of climate change.
They also had to deal with the toilet leak, pulling up panels in their SpaceX capsule and discovering pools of urine. The problem was first noted during SpaceX's private flight in September, when a tube came unglued and spilled urine beneath the floorboards. SpaceX fixed the toilet on the capsule awaiting liftoff, but deemed the one in orbit unusable.

Engineers determined that the capsule had not been structurally compromised by the urine and was safe for the ride back. The astronauts will have to rely on what NASA describes as absorbent undergarments.

On the culinary side, the astronauts grew the first chile peppers in space  a nice moral boost, according to McArthur. They got to sample their harvest in the past week, adding pieces of the green and red peppers to tacos.

They have a nice spiciness to them, a little bit of a lingering burn," she said. "Some found that more troublesome than others.

Also returning with McArthur and Pesquet: NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. SpaceX launched them to the space station on April 23. Their capsule is certified for a maximum 210 days in space, and with Friday marking their 196th day aloft, NASA is eager to get them back as soon as possible.
BANGKOK (AP)  Testimony by prosecution witnesses on Friday in the case of Danny Fenster, a U.S. journalist who has been detained in Myanmar for more than five months, established that official records did not accurately reflect where he was employed, his lawyer said.

The point may be crucial because it appears that Fenster is being prosecuted for alleged offenses by a news outlet at least seven months after he stopped working for the outlet. Authorities have not clearly described what Fenster is accused of doing and his trial is closed to the media and the public.

Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport May 24 as he was about to board a flight to go to the Detroit area in the United States to see his family. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, an online news magazine based in Yangon, Myanmars biggest city.

He has been charged with incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison.

Fenster was also accused of violating the Unlawful Associations Act for contacting opposition groups that were declared illegal by Myanmars military-installed government. The offense carries a penalty of two to three years' imprisonment.
The spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians was released from a New York hospital on Friday and was expected to fly home to Turkey on Sunday after the completion of a U.S. visit that was extended for a medical procedure.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople spent two nights in Mount Sinai Medical Center after having a stent installed to open up a clogged coronary artery.

Bartholomew, 81, had originally been scheduled to return home Wednesday at the end of a 12-day U.S. itinerary, his first visit to the country in several years.

He was previously hospitalized overnight in Washington on Oct. 24 soon after his arrival, when he reported feeling unwell, according to church officials. That episode prompted him to seek follow-up treatment in New York at the end of the trip.

On Thursday the physician who performed the procedure, Dr. George Dangas, said Bartholomew was recovering well. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America said the patriarch expected to return to his base in Istanbul on Sunday.
Its one of the most significant problems facing the criminal justice system in both state and federal courts, said Mark Bennett, a retired federal and state judge who directs the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation at Drake University Law School in Iowa.

In some places, courts and judges have taken steps to educate jurors, attorneys and others about implicit bias. Questions to potential jurors go well beyond asking if they can be impartial, instead asking about stereotypes they may hold or their interactions with others.

In part of Washington state, potential jurors are shown a video about implicit bias, and attorneys are encouraged to ask questions during jury selection such as what they thought about the video. It's not clear whether that happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where 20 people were seated for the Rittenhouse jury in one day. The 12 who decide the case will be announced later, the judge said.

Bennett, who wrote a jury instruction on implicit bias and has studied bias in judges, said Schroeder did the right thing in dismissing the juror. Any person who would joke about Blake while at the courthouse during jury duty doesn't have the kind of mindset a judge would want on the case, he said.
A recent review of The Associated Press and AIM Media Texas also showed how Biden was unprepared for the huge increase in people seeking refuge at the border at different points throughout the year.

It is still unclear how Medina Ulloa, of Honduras, was processed upon arriving in the U.S.

The State Attorneys Office in Jacksonville said he had been apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol earlier this year but could not confirm whether he used a different identity when this happened. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol, did not respond to questions on the case.

On Oct. 7, Medina Ulloa was found covered in blood by witnesses near a pond in Jacksonville. A witness says he received a call from Medina Ulloa where he said he had killed Francisco Cuellar because he hit him. Cuellar was found dead on the floor of his living room. Witnesses say he had been staying in Cuellar's house, and called him uncle, but they were not related.
Four of the hunters are volunteers with the Pilot Station search and rescue team and contacted Emmonak Search and Rescue with an emergency communication device. According to Emmonak Search and Rescue, the hunters provided their location and were directed to the nearest fish camp, KYUK reported.

McDaniel had said the group stopped at the fish camp cabin for the night on Oct. 28. While they were there overnight, the river iced over. So the ice on the river is too thick to run a boat, and its not thick enough to run snowmachine there, and theres no overland route to get to this spot, he said Tuesday.

Troopers said they were notified the individuals were stuck at the camp around 5:15 p.m. last Friday and that a supply drop of food and needed medications was made on Sunday.

Authorities had been pursuing use of a helicopter to pick the individuals up, McDaniel said. Weather conditions between the area and some hub communities, however, had previously hampered efforts to reach the site, he said earlier this week.

Blackburn said the Coast Guard also dropped supplies, including a radio, to the group before the rescue.

Paul Fancyboy, head of the Pilot Station search and rescue group, had told KYUK he was concerned with how long it was taking for the individuals to be rescued, calling it unacceptable.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, KYUK-AM.
Photo editor

Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU).
Trump's 2016 campaign received up to $25 million as part of the scheme, the lawsuit states.

Two NRA affiliates  National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund and National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action  are accused of coordinating with GOP candidates to use the same personnel and vendors for campaign ads.

Campaign finance law prohibits groups like the NRA from buying influence over elected officials by coordinating spending with those candidates campaigns, Campaign Legal Center attorney Molly Danahy said in a news release. When special interests like the NRA secretly collude with candidates, this illegal coordination corrupts our election process and deprives voters of their right to know who is spending to influence their vote.

The NRA responded Thursday with a statement calling the lawsuit "another premeditated abuse of the public by our adversaries  who will stop at nothing in their pursuit of their anti-freedom agenda. This latest action is as misguided as it is transparent. Suffice it to say, the NRA has full confidence in its political activities and remains eager to set the record straight.

Email messages left with the offices of Trump, Hawley, Rosendale and others cited in the lawsuit were not immediately returned.
PHOENIX  Democratic Rep. Charlene Fernandez, the former minority leader of the Arizona House, announced Thursday that shes stepping down to take a job with President Joe Bidens administration.

Biden appointed Fernandez to be the U.S. Agriculture Departments state director for rural development in Arizona. Fernandez, who lives in Yuma, has represented the 4th Legislative District stretching from southwestern Arizona to the outer reaches of the Phoenix area since 2015. The district is home to farms producing most of the nations lettuce during winter months.

I have had the opportunity to represent working families, teachers, farmers and so many more who have taught me the great need for continued action across our state, Fernandez wrote in her resignation letter addressed to Reps. Russell Bowers, the Republican House speaker, and Reginald Bolding, the minority leader. I will continue serving those communities, with the same Democratic values, in a new capacity as I move on to a new chapter.

Fernandez has deep ties to Arizona Democratic politics, having previously worked for U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, former Rep. Ed Pastor and former Gov. Janet Napolitano. In the Legislature, Fernandez was a prominent progressive lawmaker and rose to be House minority leader steering the Democrats strategy and messaging.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP)  Croatian authorities will limit gatherings and widen the use of COVID-19 passes to curb soaring infections after the numbers of infected people hit new records again on Friday.

The countrys crisis team said after a meeting that the new rules for gatherings will apply starting Saturday while the use of COVID passes will take more time to prepare.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic complained that vaccination is going at snails pace after reaching some 50% of the population of 4.2 million.

That is not normal, Plenkovic said, according to the state HRT television. We have had a pandemic for nearly two years, more than 5 million people have died, and we have a situation where some of our citizens still do not realize the danger COVID-19 poses.

Like much of Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia has seen a huge rise in infections and hospitalizations in the past weeks due to low vaccination rates and relaxed virus rules.

Most countries in the region have vaccination rates of about 50% or less, which is lower than the European Union average of about 75%.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed by Israeli fire during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian health officials said.

The teen, identified as Mohammad Daadas, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the stomach during clashes with Israeli forces near the northern West Bank village of Deir al-Hatab, said the health officials' statement. Daadas was taken to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead.

The Palestinian Red Crescent medical service said the Israeli army fired live ammunition, as well as tear gas and rubber bullets, at protesters while also closing off surrounding roads, preventing their ambulances from entering the site. No other serious injuries were reported.

In a statement issued later Friday, the army said dozens of Palestinians near Deir al-Hatab began hurling rocks at Israeli troops who responded with live fire.

According to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, Daadas was from the Askar refugee camp on the outskirts of the northern city of Nablus.
I just wanted to comment on all these people who tell the immigrants to go home. Id like to ask, who will pick your food? Are you going to 
Tulsa authors R.A. Jones and Michael Vance are scheduled for a joint book signing from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Gardners Used Books & Music, 4421 S. Mingo Road.

Jones and Vance, at their first and only signing of 2021, will be selling books, comics and other publications they have written, including many new projects.

Jones has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 30 years. His credits include newspaper and magazine columns, articles, short stories and novels. He has been a movie reviewer and commentator in newspapers and on radio. He assisted actor Gary Lockwood (Star Trek; 2001: A Space Odyssey) in the writing of Lockwoods autobiography, 2001 Memories: An Actors Odyssey.

Jones has scripted more than 100 issues of various comic book titles. Among the more noteworthy are Wolverine and Captain America for Marvel Comics; Harlan Ellisons Dream Corridor for Dark Horse Comics; and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for Malibu Comics. He also co-wrote, for Image Comics, Bulletproof Monk, which served as the basis for the 2003 movie of the same title.
We are living through the greatest public health emergency in our citys history, and these selfless heroes have guided our response every step of the way, Bynum said. All of this has come at a great personal toll for them that can never be properly compensated.

The loudest applause of the day  a standing ovation, in fact  went to Tulsa Health Department Executive Director Bruce Dart, whom Bynum recognized for his leadership during the pandemic.

Bruce Dart is the savior of an incalculable number of lives because of his tireless work, and I hope that one day our community can properly thank him, Bynum said.

A few minutes of the mayors speech were dedicated to the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, but Bynum made no direct mention of the citys recent decision to file an amicus brief in support of the states effort to overturn or modify the decision.

Bynum has drawn heavy criticism from local tribal leaders for that action and for not consulting the tribes before doing so. He has maintained that it is the citys obligation to ensure that the Supreme Court has all the information it needs to assess the impact the ruling has had on local law enforcements ability to do its job.
Over Bob Ritz's two tours in Vietnam, a number of his fellow Marines were killed in action.

But the name on the memorial that means the most to him wasn't one of them.

"Duane Wagner was in the Army. He was from Tulsa, too. He was a good friend," said Ritz, who last saw his friend before leaving for Vietnam in 1965.

Wagner, killed in action three years later, would be one of more than 58,000 Americans to die in the Vietnam War. Today, his name is listed along with all the others on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., as well as on touring versions of the memorial wall.

One touring version, a half-size replica of the original, will wrap up a four-day visit to Tulsa this weekend. The Moving Wall arrived Thursday, and will be at Veterans Park, 1109 E. Sixth St., through noon Sunday.

The public is invited to attend a special commemoration set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the site.

Ritz said he first located Wagner's name after the D.C. memorial opened in the early 1980s. He found it again when the traveling memorial came to Tulsa in 1986.

And he will find it yet again this weekend.
President Joe Biden will enforce a federal mandate that workers at U.S. companies with at least 100 employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly starting on Jan. 4, a reprieve to businesses facing labor shortages during the holiday season, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Con

One day after suing in an Oklahoma City federal court to stop President Joe Bidens executive order requiring all federal contractors be vaccinated against COVID-19, Oklahomas attorney general said he has joined six other states in asking an Ohio-based court to block a different Biden administration vaccination mandate.

Attorney General John OConnor and the six others asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati to stay a U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination of all employees in workplaces of 100 or more.

The petition asks the court to make a final determination of the rule by Nov. 12, opening the way for a possible U.S. Supreme Court hearing.

Besides OConnor, the petition was signed by the attorneys general of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Kansas, Idaho and West Virginia.

The Biden administration continuously uses federal overreach to strip away Americans constitutional rights, and I will continue to defend the rule of law against this absurd abuse of power, OConnor said in a written statement.

Federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have in the past consistently ruled that state and local governments can enforce mandatory vaccination laws to prevent the spread of contagious disease.
Historically, the OTRS was badly underfunded, with lawmakers struggling over the past decade to put it and other pension plans on sounder financial footing. As a result, none of the systems retirees received cost-of-living adjustments for more than a decade.

Green pointed out that the Legislature previously approved COLAs for retired educators in every even year from 2000 to 2008 and said returning to a similar pattern would have long-term implications for OTRS.

On a case-by-case basis, (COLAs) are costly and do have a slight impact on our funded ratio, Green said. When they become a pattern, we have to account for that, and it does significantly reduce our (assets-to-liabilities) ratio.

Green said OTRS paid $1.3 billion in benefits to nearly 59,000 retirees in fiscal year 2021. By way of comparison, she noted that the states largest employer, the U.S. Department of Defense, has around 70,000 people on its payroll.

The OTRS is the largest of the states six pension funds and, according to reports given at Thursdays interim study, the only one still well below fully-funded. At least two  for judges and police  are over 100% funded.
Our goal is helping people understand what happened here, he said. Its always been shocking to me how many people who grew up even a few miles from here dont know about the battle.

The engagement, which took place just two weeks after the more well-known Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, was a resounding Union victory and gave its forces greater control of then-Indian Territory.

Around 9,000 troops were involved. Of the estimated 160 killed, only 20 were Union.

Another important part of the story, participants say, is just how diverse the ranks were. Native Americans made up a significant portion of each side, with the Union force also containing African-American units.

T.S. Akers of Oklahoma City, whose fourth great-grandfather, Chilly McIntosh, fought in the battle, has been participating in the event for over two decades and will return this weekend.

He encourages visitors to come not just for the battle but to visit the camps that will be set up on the grounds, where they can talk with the soldiers and learn about camp and daily life.

Its really a full immersion experience. Kind of like Westworld but not as dangerous, he said, laughing.
For the first time in her young life, two-year-old Nathania Ysobel Alesna was playing outside her house in the Philippine capital after 20 months of being kept at home by government coronavirus restrictions.

At a department store east of Manila one recent day, Nathania giddily rode a scooter and a bike as her mother, Ruth Francine Faller, looked on.

Later, Faller shared her elation with a Facebook group dedicated to helping fellow parents find places where kids can be outdoors or in public places without trouble from police enforcing the Philippines' stay-at-home orders for children, among the strictest in the world.

"Her joy was overflowing. She looks innocent at the same time amazed at what she saw," Faller told Reuters.

For many of the 40 million Filipinos under the age of 18, the pandemic has been a continuous lockdown because the government classifies children as a particularly vulnerable group for COVID-19, though few other countries do so.

Now, after 20 months, hundreds of thousands of parents are turning to social media to find safe hangout places for their children, as they worry about the impact of prolonged time indoors on the mental health of children.

Finding creative ways to classify play as exercise - and public spaces where enforcement is looser - is the goal of the private Facebook group "Kids Are Allowed".

Hershey May Avillo-Parcarey, 37, in March set up the group with other parents to exchange tips on where they can bring their children outdoors, and word has quickly spread.

Parents and children prepare to leave a public park during its closing time, as the country's capital region loosens coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, November 2, 2021. Picture taken November 2, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Parcarey said she gets up to 5,000 requests a day to join the group, which now has around 200,000 members.

Similar online groups have also sprouted up, allowing parents to share information on public places like shopping malls, restaurants and parks accepting children.

Some restaurants caught accepting kids have been temporarily shut down in recent months, but authorities in some areas, wary of restriction fatigue, sometimes overlook violations.

While many countries imposed total lockdowns at the onset of the pandemic early in 2020, the Philippines has maintained President Rodrigo Duterte's policy of banning minors from outdoors and public spaces, although it can be unevenly enforced and has exceptions for exercise.

The Philippines is one of just 17 countries where schools have been closed for the entire pandemic, says the United Nations children's agency UNICEF. A two-month pilot test of face-to-face classes in low-infection areas starts this month.

This is despite only 12.5% of the Philippines' 2.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases are people aged 10-19 years, with deaths only 1.7% of the country's nearly 44,000 deaths.

The presidential palace spokesperson reminded the population late in October that vulnerable groups - including children - are still under stay-at-home orders.

Nevertheless, Mica Canete recently visited a Venice-themed mall in Manila with her husband and nearly three-year-old daughter, their first family outing in 20 months.

Children play at a public park, as the country's capital region loosens coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, November 2, 2021. Picture taken November 2, 2021. Photo: Reuters

"I already have many spots in my bucket list for the kids, so I am thankful for ideas in the Facebook group," Canete said.

Mental health experts say such groups provide support for overwhelmed parents and for children who have become anxious, confused and irritable after prolonged time indoors.

"In a time when we are all stuck at home, these virtual communities help inoculate parents from feeling isolated," said Anna Cristina Tuazon, a clinical psychologist for children and their family, and professor at the University of the Philippines.

Around the world, depression and anxiety rates among children may have doubled since the start of the pandemic, said a report in JAMA Pediatrics in August.

Kids Are Allowed's Parcarey said she screens up to 300 posts a day, and does not approve posts like hiding kids in the driver's seat to avoid checkpoints.

Her own eight-year-old son, Railey Samuel, said he misses visiting malls to watch movies.

"Now, it's hard for me to go out," he said. "I pray for the coronavirus pandemic to be gone."

The Philippines has fully vaccinated just a quarter of its 110 million population and a nationwide vaccine rollout for children over 12 began this week, prioritising those with existing medical conditions.
Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson moved a step closer to becoming Sweden's first woman prime minister on Thursday when the ruling Social Democrat party elected her as its leader in place of Stefan Lofven.

Lofven, the current prime minister, wants to step down before national elections due in September 2022.

His minority coalition with the Green Party has struggled to survive since coming to power in 2014 and Andersson would need backing from the Greens as well as the Left and Centre parties to also succeed Lofven as leader of the country.

Neighbouring Norway got its first female leader 40 years ago. Sweden's failure to follow suit has grated in a country that prides itself on leading the world in gender equality and has a self-described "feminist" foreign policy.

If appointed, Andersson will face tough budget negotiations this year and need to reverse a deficit in the opinion polls if she is to extend her premiership beyond next September.

She said her priorities would be reducing the role of the private sector in education, health and elderly care, addressing climate change and tackling Sweden's wave of gang crime.

"With all the problems we have had, it is clear to people that we need to do more together," she told reporters.

The 54-year-old will become prime minister if a majority in parliament does not reject her in a confirmation vote, probably this month.

Support from the Centre and Left parties is not a given, however.

The Centre Party wants changes to rules over forestry rights and building regulations in exchange for its support. Those policies are opposed by the Greens.

The Left wants a say in policy while the Centre Party wants them excluded.

A vote against Andersson could lead to a snap election or to Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson becoming prime minister.

His centre-right bloc is backed by the Sweden Democrats, a populist, anti-immigration party that the Greens, Left and Centre want to prevent from having a say in government policy.
The numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Ho Chi Minh City have been on the rise during the past few weeks, deputy director of the municipal Department of Health Nguyen Van Vinh Chau said at a meeting on Thursday.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently classified as a medium-risk locality, according to the health official.

However, the number of infections has increased over the past couple of weeks, leading to a surge in hospitalized patients.

Chau also attributed the spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations to district-level quarantine facilities being shut down, which forced patients with underlying conditions to continue their treatment at grassroots-level hospitals.

Although Ho Chi Minh City has achieved a high vaccination rate, many people who have returned to the metropolis from their hometowns are not yet vaccinated.

With the reopening of services throughout the city, people tend to come into contact with one another more often, thus posing more risks.

If prevention and control measures are not properly implemented, the pandemic may re-escalate, Chau warned.

According to a survey released by the health department, most of the newly-detected cases are unvaccinated residents.

Among the hospitalized patients, 14 percent have not been inoculated, the health official continued, adding that most of these unvaccinated patients are under 18 years old.

Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, speaks at a meeting on November 4, 2021. Photo: Thao Le / Tuoi Tre

Chau stressed that people must not let their guard down even though they have been immunized, noting that prevention measures should be strictly followed.

According to Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the municipal steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, the citys COVID-19 hospitalizations on November 1, 2, and 3 were 989, 1,025, and 941, respectively.

The number of COVID-19 fatalities rose from 21 on October 31 to 40 on November 2.

Such statistics show that the pandemic is still serious," Hai said.

Many residents have been disregarding recommendations from health authorities to wear face masks in public and avoid gathering in large crowds, the official continued.

Those who fail to comply with pandemic prevention and control regulations will be sternly panelized, he added.

Ho Chi Minh City has been the largest epicenter in the country since the fourth outbreak began on April 27, with over 435,700 local infections and nearly 17,000 deaths.

Health authorities had administered more than 13.5 million vaccine doses as of Thursday, with over 5.7 million out of nine million people in the city fully inoculated.

The city had implemented various levels of social distancing since May 31 before loosening restrictions on October 1 thanks to optimistic results in prevention and control efforts.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Vietnam has been in talks with Iranian authorities over the seizure last month of a Vietnamese oil tanker off the Iranian coast, in an effort to guarantee the safety of the crew, the Southeast Asian nation said on Thursday.

Talks had taken place on a diplomatic level in Hanoi and Tehran "to verify information and settle the incident to ensure safety and humane treatment for Vietnamese citizens," Vietnam foreign ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang told a regular briefing.

The Pentagon on Wednesday rejected claims by Iran's Revolutionary Guards that they thwarted an attempt by the United States to detain a tanker carrying the Islamic Republic's oil in the Sea of Oman.

American officials said Iranian forces had actually seized a Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker, MV Southys, and U.S. naval forces were just monitoring the situation.

Hang said the captain of the Vietnamese tanker in a telephone call with the embassy on Oct 27 had confirmed all 26 crew had been treated well and were in good health.

"The foreign ministry will continue to closely monitor the situation, and work with Iranian authorities to settle the case in accordance to the laws, and at the same time, will proceed with necessary measures to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens," Hang said.
The Ministry of Health documented 7,504 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, together with 1,941 recoveries and 70 fatalities.

This is the largest daily case spike since October 1, when the health ministry confirmed 6,957 infections.

The latest cases, including 17 imported and 7,487 local transmissions, were reported in 60 provinces and cities, the ministry said, elaborating that 3,207 patients caught the virus from the community.

Dong Nai Province logged 953 of the domestically-transmitted infections, Binh Duong Province 917, Ho Chi Minh City 912, Kien Giang Province 477, Bac Lieu Province 468, An Giang Province 411, Tay Ninh Province 305, Binh Thuan Province 298, Ca Mau Province 241, Can Tho City 199, Soc Trang Province 193, Dong Thap Province 166, Tien Giang Province 163, Long An Province 140, Ha Giang Province 138, Dak Lak Province 135, Binh Phuoc Province 107, Hanoi 91, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 74, Khanh Hoa Province 44, and Da Nang 14.

Vietnam had detected 6,576 locally-acquired infections on Thursday.

The country has found 948,646 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave emerged on April 27, 834,530 of them having recovered from the respiratory disease.

Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest epicenter with 436,629 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 237,158, Dong Nai Province with 70,091, Long An Province with 35,427, Tien Giang Province with 17,642, An Giang Province with 12,505, Tay Ninh Province with 11,996, Kien Giang Province with 11,217, Dong Thap Province with 10,301, Khanh Hoa Province with 9,146, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 5,122, Hanoi with 5,015, and Da Nang with 5,009.

Vietnam detected only 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves.

The health ministry registered 1,941 recoveries on Friday, bringing the total to 837,347.

The toll has climbed to 22,412 deaths after the ministry confirmed 70 fatalities on the same day, including 33 in Ho Chi Minh City, nine in An Giang Province, and six in Binh Duong Province.

Vietnam has reported 953,547 infections since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year.

Health workers have administered over 86 million vaccine doses, including 1,365,149 shots on Thursday, since inoculation was rolled out on March 8.

Almost 27 million people have been jabbed twice.

Health authorities target to inoculate at least two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Hanois China-funded Cat Linh  Ha Dong urban railway project, the first of its kind in Vietnam, will begin commercial operation this Saturday, after over 10 years of construction marked by several deferrals.

Duong Duc Tuan, deputy chairman of Hanoi, announced at a press conference on Thursday afternoon that the Ministry of Transport will hand over the project to the municipal government at 7:00 am on Saturday for commercial operation.

Passengers will benefit from free rides in the first 15 days of operation.

Six trains will run ten minutes apart on the 13km-long railway route, which takes some 20 minutes to travel from start to end, from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm every day in the first six months.

In the next six months, the number of trains will double and operate at a six-minute interval while one train will remain as a backup.

Each train, whose designed speed is 80 km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying over 900 passengers.

The fares range from VND8,000 (US$0.35) for the shortest distance to VND15,000 ($0.66) for a trip covering the entire line between Yen Nghia Station and Cat Linh Station.

Commuters can enjoy unlimited rides in a single day if they purchase a day pass or monthly pass.

Transport authorities have worked to connect 55 public bus routes with the metro line since last year and will increase the network to 59 routes in the future.

Currently, there is no space for car parking along the urban railway route but there are parking lots for motorbikes at all 12 stations.

The Cat Linh  Ha Dong urban railway, costing a total of $886 million after adjustments, runs from Cat Linh Station in downtown Dong Da District to Yen Nghia Station in south-western Ha Dong District.

It is projected to be the first metro line of its kind to be put into operation in Vietnam.

Work on the railway, built by China Railway Sixth Group, began in October 2011 and was initially scheduled for completion in 2013.

However, several hurdles, including problems in Chinas official development assistance (ODA) loan disbursement that were only resolved in December 2017, have stalled it for years.

The trial run of the line, part of a metro line system that will comprise underground sections upon completion, was completed in December 2020, with 5,740 trips covering more than 70,000 kilometers.

The State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects approved the quality assessment results of the metro line, the final step for the project to begin commercial operation, on October 29.

Hanoi Railway One Member Limited Company, the operator of the project, has followed all operational recommendations of the system safety assessment consultant and added 82 more staff members to increase the lines personnel to 733 workers, according to general director Vu Hong Truong.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
In a joint investigation by 60 Minutes, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Nick McKenzie explains why theres an urgent need for a federal watchdog into political rorts.

Breakthrough

On 60 Minutes, a critical breakthrough in the investigation into the disappearance of Russell Hill and Carol Clay. The couple, both in their 70s, vanished 19 months ago after going camping in Victorias remote High Country. Since then theres been plenty of speculation but few solid leads about what happened to the pair, apart from the strong likelihood they have been murdered. But now comes a significant development. Detectives tell Sarah Abo that although there is still a lot of work to do on the case, this new piece of information could finally solve the mystery and provide answers for Russell and Carols families.

Reporter: Sarah Abo

Producers: Madeleine Apps, Naomi Shivaraman

Dirty Work

Politics is often grubby, as investigative reporter Nick McKenzie discovered last year when he exposed the disgraceful behaviour of Victorian MP Adem Somyurek, then an ALP powerbroker with too much power. Somyureks activities are now being investigated by Victorias anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC. In New South Wales a similar body, ICAC, is looking at whether former premier Gladys Berejiklian breached public trust by having a secret relationship with another MP. Somyurek and Berejiklian might not be happy about it, but in both cases the politicians have been made to explain. In Canberra though, there is no such thing as a federal anti-corruption commission. In a joint investigation by 60 Minutes, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, McKenzie explains why theres an urgent need for a federal watchdog, revealing serious but unchecked political dirty work and rorting.

Reporter: Nick McKenzie

Producer: Joel Tozer

Party Time

Its no secret that China is a bully. But the lengths its prepared to go to in asserting its dominance sometimes borders on farcical. Last year 60 Minutes reported how the communist regime savaged a young Queensland university student. Drew Pavlous supposed crime was to organise a rally on his campus highlighting Beijings many human rights abuses. Instead of silencing him, Chinas attack did the opposite, making him an even louder critic. Now Drew is taking his fight a step further. He has started his own political party and is launching a bid for parliament.

Reporter: Tom Steinfort

Producer: Natalie Clancy

8:40pm (not really) Sunday on Nine.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 71F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Angelina Jolie has said she is sad for the ignorant countries that have banned Eternals reportedly over its gay content.

The new film, which sees gay tech maverick Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) in the Marvel Cinematic Universes first same-sex kiss, has been quietly yanked across the conservative Gulf nations, per reports.

Angelina Jolie, who stars as Thena, a member of the celestial race of superhumans known as the Eternals, said she is proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out.

I still dont understand how we live in a world where theres still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and love, Jolie, 46, told News.com.au.

How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesnt approve or appreciate it is ignorant.

Im sad for [those audiences]. And Im proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out.

Marvel, which is owned by Disney, saw its latest star-studded blockbuster face the chopping board in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Local censors in the countries sought to cut a kiss between Henrys Pastos and his on-screen husband, played by Haaz Sleiman.

The studio has yet to confirm or comment on the claim, but sources have told multiple outlets that the same-sex kiss proved contentious for local censors. One regional cinema chain confirmed that the film had been banned  but no explanation was provided.

Eternals director Chloe Zhao spoke to Marvel bosses about not censoring scenes involving the franchises first openly gay hero Phastos and his husband. (YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

In Singapore, Eternals was slapped with an M18 certificate, restricting audiences to those aged 18 or over, becoming the first MCU film in the region to receive such a rating.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority, a media regulator, said the rating was the result of homosexual references. Yet the film features a sex scene between two heterosexual characters.

Eternals director Chloe Zhao had long been upfront about her desire not to change or chop any scenes to appeal to regional censors.

I dont know all the details, but I do believe discussions were had, she told IndieWire, and theres a big desire from Marvel and myself  we walked about this  to not change the cut of the movie.

Story continues

Sleiman, who came out as gay in 2017, said scenes of queer representation are life-saving, he explained to Variety.

Can you imagine how many lives this is going to be saving  kids, young queer folk, who are being bullied, committing suicide, and not seeing themselves being represented?

And now they get to see this  its above and beyond.
By Sarah Wu

TAIPEI (Reuters) - A top Taiwan security official told lawmakers on Thursday that China had internally debated whether to attack Taiwan's Pratas Islands but will not do so before 2024, the year President Tsai Ing-wen's term ends.

National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong did not say how he knew that such a move had been debated or why it would not happen during the next few years.

China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by Beijing, has complained for over a year of repeated sorties by China's air force, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled but lightly defended Pratas Islands.

Lying roughly between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Pratas are seen by some security experts as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance - more than 400 km (250 miles) - from mainland Taiwan.

China has blamed https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-reports-surge-chinese-aircraft-defence-zone-2021-10-04 Taiwan, and its most important international supporter the United States, for the simmering tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

"Attacking and capturing the Pratas Islands - this scenario where war is being used to force (Taiwan into) talks - our assessment is that this will not happen during President Tsai's tenure," Chen told a parliamentary meeting.

Chen was responding to a question from a lawmaker in Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, on whether China would attack before 2024, when Tsai's second term is set to end.

"Frankly speaking, they have internally debated this before," Chen said, referring to China but without elaborating or mentioning when such a discussion occurred. "We obviously have some understanding," he said.

Taiwan's presidential office referred questions on the matter to the National Security Bureau, which did not immediately comment out of office hours.

Story continues

One scenario Taiwan authorities fear https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-security-taiwan-insight-idUSKBN26L1SR is that China could capture the Pratas Islands in a drastic escalation of tensions that could lead to a war, officials have said previously.

Taiwan has repeatedly said it wants to maintain the status quo with China, but vows to defend its freedom and democracy.

Chen told lawmakers that while the situation is more tense than in the past, it had not reached the point of an actual attack on Taiwan. "In the next one, two, three years, within President Tsai's tenure, it won't happen," he said.

In Washington on Wednesday, General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said China was unlikely to try to militarily seize Taiwan in the next couple of years, even as its military develops capabilities that would enable forcibly retaking the island.

(Reporting by Sarah Wu and Yimou Lee with additional reporting by Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Luke Evans has kicked off his week with a Monday morning workout, and as we all know, if you go to the gym without taking a photo, those gains don't count. The Welsh actor, who was most recently seen on our screens in Hulu's drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers, shared a shirtless pic on Instagram which he hashtagged "Monday motivation" and which shows off his lean, muscular physique and the six-pack abs he has been busy sculpting.

"Lets start this week strong!!" He wrote in the caption. "And no, I havent started wearing my pyjamas to the gym.yet."

Evans is something of an expert in taking thirst trap selfies which show off the results of his hard work in the gym, having posted several shirtless photos over the last few months while filming the action thriller series Echo 3 in Colombia. He plays an ex-military mercenary in the Apple TV+ show who goes on a mission to rescue his abducted sister, and has been getting into character by training intensively with members of the real Colombian army.

In addition to portraying an action hero in Echo 3, Evans is also getting ready to reprise the role of Gaston, the famously buff antagonist he first played in Disney's live action Beauty and the Beast remake, in a new prequel series entitled The Little Town. He's been steadily working on getting those Gaston gains back over the last year, and documenting his progress on Instagram.

You Might Also Like
Although some think the history of Turkey's Jews goes back to the Spanish Inquisition of 1492, new findings reveal that it is far older, over 2,500 years. A new exhibition in Istanbul aims to shed light on the thousands of years of Jewish history in what is now the Republic of Turkey, organizers said on Wednesday. The exhibit brings together structures showing Jewish identity on the Turkish soil of Anatolia for the first time, Cigdem Oner, curator of the Jewish Identity Engraved on Stones exhibit, told Anadolu Agency in the historic Zulfaris Synagogue, located in the metropolis of Istanbul, Anadolu Agency writes.

Im doing my doctoral work on ancient synagogues, said Oner, who has a Sephardic Jewish background and is part of Akdeniz Universitys Mediterranean Civilizations Research Institute, where she works on excavations in the ancient city of Phaselis in Turkeys coastal Antalya province. There are a lot of inscriptions, tombstones, (so) we thought why not share them all? And this exhibition was realized, added Oner, who is also a retired architect.

Nisya Isman Allovi, the director of the Quincentennial Foundation Museum, said that the show aims to tell the history of the Jewish presence in Anatolia in light of information from archaeological digs. Noting that the show includes 3D images of historical synagogue structures, Allovi said: The exhibit shows that there has been a Jewish presence in Anatolian lands for 2,600 years, that they came here after the destruction of the Temple of Solomon, in the sixth century BC. Some 2,600 years ago, when Jews came to Anatolian soil, they came to Anatolia and Thrace, and settled in ancient cities, especially to trade, read a statement from the museum. Archaeological excavations present concrete findings such as tombstones, inscriptions, objects, and synagogue ruins that prove the Jewish presence in this region, it added.

New finding: Synagogue in town of Side

In the exhibit, concrete Jewish findings are exhibited by region, and together with a synagogue in the coastal town of Side, Antalya, which was recently discovered, offers details of the synagogues of Andriake (also in Antalya), Sardes (Manisa), Priene (Aydin), Limyra (Antalya), and Miletus (Aydin), including 3D proposals for restoration and models.

Oner also noted that the exhibit for the first time makes public findings on the synagogue in Side. Most excavations are still ongoing, she said. We know that theres a Jewish settlement in the ancient city of Phaselis (in Antalya), there are documents, but we haven't found anything yet. Maybe this exhibit will end, but next year we will find something. Oner said she hoped her work would provide a different point of view for other researchers.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Silvyo Ovadya, the head of the Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews, highlighted the importance of Zulfaris Synagogue as the exhibition site. Ovadya explained that when it was first opened the museum was located at the Zulfaris Synagogue and stayed there for around 12 years, until 1992, when it moved to Istanbul's teeming Galata neighborhood. When we designed this show, we thought it was one of the most ideal places, he said. Its not a huge space, but we see it as a very historical place that will embrace this exhibition.

Thousands of years, not hundreds

Noting that the exhibit brings together findings from digs at five synagogues, Ovadya said: It is often said that the history of Ottoman and Turkish Jews began after the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. Turkey has had Jewish communities since ancient times, and many expelled Spanish and Portuguese Jews were welcomed into the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. The Istanbul metropolis in particular still retains a sizeable Jewish community. The fact that the foundation is called quincentennial  meaning 500 years  tends to strengthen the misconception that Jews have been present in Turkey for five centuries, said Ovayda. But with this exhibit, we tried to demolish this discourse a little bit, he added. And we tried to reveal the history of the Ottoman and Turkish Jews, who have a history of 2,600 years in Anatolia.
Most of the worlds continuous uninterruptable electricity generation is by coal, natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear. The primary usage of crude oil is for the manufacture of derivatives for thousands of products and fuels for transportation infrastructures. Tinkering with the supply chain of oil could impact the supply chain of thousands of products needed by current lifestyles and worldwide economies writes Ronald Stein, founder of California-based PTS Advance, for Eurasia Review .

Of the 3 fossil fuels of coal, natural gas, and crude oil, its only coal and natural gas that are primarily used for the generation of electricity. Besides, natural Gas is often used for generation of continuous uninterruptible electricity at extremely low emissions.Coal is often used for generation of electricity, in countries like China, India, and Africa where they need reliable, affordable, and abundant coal.

Crude oil is seldom used to generate electricity. When oil is used, three technologies are used to convert crude oil into electricity:

1) Oil is burned to heat water to create steam to generate electricity.

2) Oil is burned under pressure to produce hot exhaust gases which spin a turbine to generate electricity.

3) Combined-cycle technology: Oil is first combusted in a combustion turbine, using the heated exhaust gases to generate electricity. After these exhaust gases are recovered, they heat water in a boiler, creating steam to drive a second turbine.

The primary usage of crude oil is for the manufacture of fuels for the many transportation infrastructures such as airlines, merchant ships, automobiles, trucks, military, the space program, and for the manufacturing of oil derivatives that are the basis of more than 6,000 products.

If America gets rid of Crude Oil, it will Eliminate the lubricants for Wind Turbines.The average wind farm contains roughly 150 turbines. Each wind turbine needs 80 gallons of oil as lubricant, which is a PAO (polyalphaolefin) synthetic oil based on approximately 12,000 gallons of crude oil. The oil for each turbine needs to be replaced once a year.

Wind-turbine lubricants play a critical role in equipment operation, maintenance, and reliability of a wind farm. There are several lubrication points in a wind turbine, including gearbox, open gear, pitch gear, pitch bearing, rotor shaft, yaw bearing, yaw gear, hydraulic systems, and generator bearings. These points require various lubricants such as gear oils, hydraulic oils, and greases.

Gear oil is used in lubricating gearboxes. Improper or insufficient lubrication can lead to significant maintenance and operations cost or equipment downtime. It is estimated that 3,800+ turbines would be needed to power a city the size of New York. Thats over 304,000 gallons of refined oil for just one city.

Under the Biden climate plan, America will be discouraging U.S. energy independence, starting with suspending Federal Oil and Gas Permits, encouraging the shuttering, and halting of further fracking efforts in America, the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline, and banning importation of foreign crude oil.

Biden must be oblivious to the consequences of his plan as efforts to cease the use of oil could be the greatest threat to civilization, not climate change. Without any crude oil to manufacture, elimination of the supply chain to the 129 operating refineries in the U.S. would eliminate that manufacturing sector. Without that American refining sector, the demands for the fuels and products that are the basis of our lifestyles and economy would need to be met by foreign refiners exporting to the USA.

Refusal of crude oil will cause the domino effects in the medical, food supply, electronics, and communications industries as they are all totally dependent on the products made from oil derivatives manufactured from crude oil.

Solar and wind stations depend on weather conditions. Rather than picking winners and losers for electricity generation, the world should focus on the proper mix of electricity generation via coal, natural gas, hydropower, nuclear, and the renewables of breezes and sunshine, and not tinker with the supply chain of crude oil as it is seldom used for electricity generating.

While renewables continue to underperform in the generation of electricity, crude oil that is seldom used for electricity, continues to be targeted for elimination along with coal and natural gas. But it is crude oil which provides societies and economies with the supply chain of manufactured fuels for the many transportation infrastructures, and the manufacturing of oil derivatives, that are the foundation of thousands of products that are the basis of lifestyles.

What is the grand total of yearly oil consumption from clean energy for every city across the nation? Not to mention the fact that the large equipment needed to build these wind farms run on petroleum.As well as the equipment required for installation, service, maintenance, and eventual removal. And just exactly how eco-friendly is wind energy anyway?

Each turbine requires a footprint of 1.5 acres, so a wind farm of 150 turbines needs 225 acres. To power a city, the size of NYC youd need 57,000 acres; and who knows the astronomical amount of land you would need to power the entire US. All of which would have to be clear-cut land because trees create a barrier & turbulence that interferes with the 20 mph-sustained wind velocity necessary for the turbine to work properly (also keep in mind that not all states are suitable for such sustained winds)

Regarding blade disposal: the lifespan of a modern, top quality, highly efficient wind turbine is 20 years. After that, they cannot economically be reused, refurbished, reduced, repurposed, or recycled, so they are transported to special landfills. And they are already running out of these special landfill spaces. Those blades are anywhere from 120 ft. to over 200 ft. long, with three per turbine. Since only 7% of the nation currently being supplied with wind energy, imagine if we had the other 93% of the nation on the wind grid; 20 years from now wed have to assign many new landfills for those unusable blades. Then 20 years after that, and 20 years after that, and so on.

We also lose about 500,000 birds year from wind turbine blade collisions; most of which are endangered hawks, falcons, owls, geese, ducks, and eagles. Apparently smaller birds are more agile and able to dart and dodge out of the way of the spinning blades, whereas the larger soaring birds arent so lucky.

The wind turbine graveyard stretches a hundred meters from a bend in the North Platte River in Casper, Wyoming. California, Colorado, Kansas, and many other states are doing the same thing, as the fiberglass blades will never biodegradable. From September 2020 to March 2021, 1,000 blades were brought there.

These blades, which have reached the end of their 20-year working lives, come from three wind farms in the northwestern US state. Each will be cut into three pieces, then the pieces will be stacked and buried. Turbines from the first great 1990s wave of wind power are reaching the end of their life expectancy today. And disposing of them in an environmentally friendly way is a growing problem. This cost taxpayers $200,000 or more per unit, or 200 million total for the 1000 blades, to have them transported and decommissioned.
The idea of uniting the South Caucasus into a political union arose almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR. The cultural closeness of the peoples of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s was not questioned, although nationalist rhetoric was already becoming fashionable. Then the historical community, the desire to preserve and enhance the legacy of the Soviet Union, which would be more difficult for the three republics to achieve separately, did not seem to be something illusory. No one wanted to create obstacles to free trade and movement of citizens of all countries in the region.

In the first decade since the collapse of the USSR, there were many integration projects. Attempts were made to unite within the framework of the Confederation of the Peoples of the Caucasus, the Caucasian Common Market (which was based on the model of the European Common Market), and the Caucasian Common House. The greatest interest in the forms of regional integration was shown by the politicians of post-Soviet Georgia. The first president of the republic, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, supported the project of the "Confederation of the Peoples of the Caucasus", then Eduard Shevardnadze said that it would be easier to maintain the sovereignty of the South Caucasian countries through joint efforts, rather than separately. In 2010, the disgraced President Mikheil Saakashvili spoke about the need to unite the region from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly.

At the same time, the new policy made popular the nationalist principles of state-building; pseudo-scientific concepts of "historical injustice" and "historical conspiracy" became widespread, the overcoming of which became possible only after the republics gained independence. The cultural paradigm has been simplified as much as possible. The idea of internationalism was replaced by a "heroic past," which removed all responsibility for the acts committed in the past. The dubious biographies of individual historical figures have been idealized over time, since they met the nationalist needs.

The foreign policy prospects of the countries of the South Caucasus, which did not intersect with each other by the mid-1990s, also prompted one to be skeptical about the idea of a regional union. Azerbaijan has implemented them best of all, relying on the economic strength of its energy sector. The "Contract of the Century" signed in 1994 allowed the republic to realize the potential of the guarantor of Europe's energy security. Armenia staked on strengthening diaspora structures, hoping to become the center of the fragmented Armenians. The occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia served as a demonstration of the "successes" of regional separatism, satisfying the ideological request of the nationalists to become the curators of the national policy of the entire diaspora. Since the second half of the 1990s, Georgia has taken a confident course towards the development of European integration, although until 1996 many in Tbilisi thought that the key to resolving the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict was in Moscow.

The actualization of the ethnic factor at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union stimulated the activity of the regional post-Soviet criminals, which had a destructive effect on the internal politics of the region. Since the politicians of the new era did not have the opportunity to receive support from the already former Soviet nomenklatura, some resorted to the services of criminal structures that were interested in the privatization of Soviet property. For some politicians, this tactic turned into a career collapse, since the local criminals never shared the political views of individual enthusiasts. The renaissance of the activities of members of the former Communist Party, the Komsomol activists, led to the formation of a faceless bureaucracy. Criminal capital, which at the end of the 1990s was converted into political dividends.

In addition, the idea of integrating the South Caucasus was not popular outside the region (with the exception of Russia). In the West, attention was paid exclusively to economic integration in order to create a system in the region that would link Europe with the Asia-Pacific region. For Western countries, the post-Soviet South Caucasus seemed to be the focus of all sorts of problems, for the solution of which European and American analysts did not develop the necessary methodological base.
Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who went on a hunger strike in the Rustavi prison, actually eats porridge and drinks juices, the head of the Ministry of Justice, Rati Bregadze said today.

He bought certain cereals and natural juices at his own will. He also continues to receive medicines prescribed by doctors, the minister said, stressing that Saakashvili eats and drinks, does not starve, and feels completely normal.
Exactly a year ago, on September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan's Patriotic War began. On that day, Armenia's occupying forces subjected the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the front line and the adjacent populated areas in Azerbaijan to intensive fire with the use of large-calibre weapons, artillery and mortars. Baku decided to launch a counter-offensive operation to ensure the safety of the civilian population. Vestnik Kavkaza offers its readers to follow the events of the 44 days of Azerbaijan's Patriotic War as they were covered a year ago.

On the fortieth day of the war, November 5, the occupying forces of Armenia were still trying to hold back the counter-offensive of the liberation Azerbaijani army, while constantly retreating. At the same time, shelling of Azerbaijani positions across the border outside the combat zone intensified, shelling of the front-line regions of Azerbaijan continued.

Azerbaijani hostages were taken from the Shusha prison to Yerevan. Another fake about the shelling of Shushi and Khojavend was refuted. It was reported in Khankendi that 70% of the separatists, occupants and illegal settlers living in the city fled to Armenia, while about 80 foreign journalists were blocked in the city.

The number of people killed in the shelling by the Armenian Armed Forces of civilians in Azerbaijan reached 92 people - in the afternoon a man died, seriously wounded on October 28 during the terrorist attack in Barda.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with EFE drew attention to the fact that Baku was ready to stop hostilities at the beginning of October, if Yerevan had agreed to the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Azerbaijani land. Meanwhile, the invaders continued artillery strikes on the front-line settlements of Azerbaijan, the Russian Foreign Ministry called for an end to strikes against civilians.

Video documents have been published demonstrating the scale of the flight of the invaders. In the village of Tonashen, the headquarters of the mountain rifle regiment of the invaders was completely destroyed, in the Agdam region - the battery of the artillery regiment. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry showed footage of the liberated villages of the Khojavend and Fizuli regions.

Thus, on the fortieth day of the war, the Azerbaijani liberation army increased pressure in the east of the front, eliminating the infrastructure and manpower of the invaders. Almost the entire population left Khankendi. The invaders were forced to constantly retreat without receiving reinforcements. As it will become known later, the Azerbaijani special forces at that time were already carrying out street battles in Shusha.
Today, on the eve of the inauguration day, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev called the elected President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Azerbaijani leader congratulated his Uzbek counterpart on his victory in the elections and wished him great success in his work to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the people of the republic.

In response, Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani people on the upcoming Victory Day, wishing peace and further progress.
Presentation of the "Victory" carpet and "Shusha" tapestry was held today at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum in Baku within the framework of the Carpet Map of Karabakh project. The "Victory" carpet was woven by the museum staff, and the "Shusha" tapestry was created by the honoured artist of the Azerbaijan Republic, Adil Shikhaliyev.

The event began with a minute of silence for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Azerbaijani lands from occupation.

The director of the museum, Shirin Melikova, said that during the Patriotic War interactive Carpet Map of Karabakh was compiled aiming to popularize Karabakh carpets. On the basis of this map, the "Victory" carpet was woven.
Former Prime Minister of Mali Musa Mara addressed the audience at the 8th Global Baku Forum entitled The World After COVID-19, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reports. He emphasized that the destruction in Karabakh, committed during the years of the Armenian occupation, disappointed him.

"I hope that there will be no more war and peace will be established in the region. It is one of the most important tasks of modern society," the former Malian Prime Minister said.

Mara added that the 8th Global Baku Forum is a significant platform for international peace discussions in the post-pandemic period.
According to the deputy of the New Political Center - Girchi party, Iago Khvichia, the parliamentary faction of the party had prepared a bill to remove any criminal penalties for marijuana circulation so that citizens would only bear administrative responsibility for violations.

In Georgia, it is allowed to use marijuana, but it is forbidden to store, sell and grow the plant. " It is proposed to introduce administrative punishment instead of jailing people, the deputy explained the party's motives.
Today, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on posthumous awarding of orders and medals to martyrs who died for the liberation of the Azerbaijani land from occupation.

The document notes that the awarding is carried out in accordance with paragraph 23 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

To award posthumously servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan who took part in hostilities to restore the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who showed courage and honourably fulfilled their duties," the document reads.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received today a letter from President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev with congratulations on the upcoming anniversary of the victory in the Karabakh war.

"Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I cordially congratulate you and the entire Azerbaijani people on the national holiday marking the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the UN Security Council resolutions. This significant date is forever inscribed in the glorious chronicle of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a symbol of unity and resilience, the unyielding will of your people in the name of strengthening the statehood and sovereignty of the country, " Tokayev's letter reads.
The number of hospitalizations with coronavirus in Moscow has stabilized at 1.5 thousand people after the introduction of non-working days. This was announced by the mayor of the capital Sergey Sobyanin.

The number of hospitalizations with coronavirus in Moscow has stabilized at 1.5 thousand people after the introduction of non-working days. This was announced by the mayor of the capital Sergei Sobyanin.

In previous weeks, 1.6-1.7 thousand patients were admitted to hospitals, he said in an interview with the Russia-1 TV channel. Now in Moscow there is no dynamics of increased incidence.

The mayor of the capital hopes that the pace of vaccination against COVID-19 will remain the same in Moscow.

"Today this figure is approaching 4.5 million, although it is so relative, because some Moscow citizens are vaccinated in other regions, in the Moscow region. The situation is not bad, it would be good if it continued," Sobyanin said.

Citizens need to understand that "despite the stabilization of the dynamics of the disease, the level itself (of the coronavirus disease) is very high and you need to take care of yourself, not to hope for chance, but to get vaccinated," the mayor added.
Armenia should accept the situation in Transcaucasia after the Second Karabakh War. This was stated by the assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Hajiyev.

"We are grateful for this to the Azerbaijani army, headed by the victorious Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, to the Azerbaijani people," Hajiyev said at the 44-Day Road to Victory conference at the ADA University in Baku.

Hajiyev noted that a new holiday, Victory Day, November 8, has appeared in the calendar of Azerbaijan.

He pointed out that Baku is ready to build peaceful relations with Yerevan if both states respect and recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other.

"There is no more conflict. Karabakh is a matter of our internal policy. Armenia must accept the fact that the situation in the region has changed and withdraw territorial claims to Azerbaijan," Hajiyev added.

A year ago, as a result of 44-day battles and a trilateral agreement signed as a result, Azerbaijan was able to regain seven regions previously occupied by Armenia around Nagorno-Karabakh and part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have been deployed in zones that weren't entered by the Azerbaijani military.
A US Navy nuclear submarine that was severely damaged in an accident while submerged in the South China Sea last month struck an uncharted underwater seamount, the US Navy said Monday, South China Morning Post writes.

The US 7th Fleet, which operates in the western Pacific, said an investigation had concluded that the USS Connecticut smashed into a geological formation and not another vessel on October 2.

The investigation determined USS Connecticut grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region, a 7th Fleet spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
I could not believe my eyes, said Tran Thanh Son, head of the human resources department of Song Ngoc Garment Company when talking about the current busy production lines at his company.

Son was busy with his smartphone on November 1. He was in charge of taking pictures of the 20 new members of the company who were recruited for the fifth production line which officially became operational on the first day of November.

Song Ngoc had previously operated under the three on-site production mode until September 24 and resumed normal operation on October 5. To fulfill the high number of orders and offset the production capacity reduction during the pandemic, the company decided to set up one more production line.

The company makes garment products for export to the US.

We have production plans until April 2022. Its now the time to gear up towards the finish line, Son said.

I could not believe what was happening in front of my eyes. Around 280 workers are gathering strength to march towards the goal. This is what I did not dare think of two months ago. After the pandemic, everything is okay. Its now the time for recovery, he said.

The manager of an enterprise in HCM City said positive COVID cases are sometimes found in the factory, but he has become experienced in dealing with the situation. All close contacts have good health conditions as 97 percent of workers have been fully vaccinated. The enterprise is keeping stable production and is going to reduce the testing frequency to cut costs.

Chu Tien Dung, Chair of the HCM City Business Association (Huba), said enterprises are adapting well to the new circumstances.

Manufacturing enterprises with hundreds of workers have resumed 90 percent of their production capacity with a stable workforce. Larger enterprises with several thousand workers have recovered 50-60 percent of production capacity, because they cannot find a high number of workers at one time.

Meanwhile, service and trade companies are recovering more slowly because of the drop in demand. They are still considering a time for reopening.

The manufacturing sector is recovering very rapidly, and the service and trade sector more slowly. Large enterprises are not as in tune with the new way of life and are adapting more slowly, he said.

States role as nurse

The monetary policy needs to continue to support the economy and ensure liquidity. Meanwhile, the fiscal policy needs to aim at stimulating demand. Vietnam should accept high budget over-expenditures and kick off a medium-term public investment program (2022-2025).

Nguyen Xuan Thanh from Fulbright University said HCM City began reopening in early October in accordance with Directive 18, and the Government released Resolution 128 on safe adaptation to the pandemic, so the economy will see a positive growth rate in Q4.

However, he said production and business recovery will begin only from November. If the GDP growth rate is 3.5 percent in Q4, the growth rate of the whole year 2021 will be 2.2 percent.

Thanh thinks that its too late for support packages to bring effects in 2021. The economy in Q4 will only recover thanks to the gradual reopening plan. The growth in 2022 needs to be supported by both monetary and fiscal policies.

The monetary policy needs to continue to support the economy and ensure liquidity. Meanwhile, the fiscal policy needs to aim at stimulating demand. Vietnam should accept high budget over-expenditures and kick off a medium-term public investment program (2022-2025).

Tran Du Lich, a member of the Government Advisory Board, said two goals should be set when providing support to enterprises to recover production and create livelihoods for people.

First, recover production and business; recover the disruptions in production and supply chains, helping enterprises re-join the market.

Second, accelerate the growth recovery process in association with a digitization program and economic restructuring.

Under the principles of a market economy, economic activities will recover after the State allows business fields to resume operation, the no-go zones are narrowed, inhibitions caused by bans are removed, and national and international logistics networks are put through.

However, according to Lich, with the current conditions, businesses will not be able to just rely on a natural recovery. Therefore, the State should serve as the nurse and give the support that businesses need. Most countries use financial support packages and apply loosened monetary policies to stimulate growth.

Lich, citing four key industries and nine service fields that have suffered heavily from Covid-19, said they have different self-healing capabilities, so the solutions for support need to be based on three criteria  the contributions to HCM Citys GRDP (gross regional domestic product); influence capability; and self-healing capability.

The business fields that most need support are tourism, construction, real estate, enterprises in the four key industries, and trading enterprises. The subjects that need support are enterprises with difficulties in capital arrangement, SMEs, cooperatives, and business households that serve peoples welfare.

Regarding enterprises in industrial zones (IZ) and export processing zones (EPZs), the HCM City Industry and Trade Department has reported that 1,342 out of 1,412 businesses resumed operation after the lockdown. In the hi-tech park, 88 out of 88 businesses have resumed operation.

Tran Chung

Businesses have orders but lack workers Many businesses are running three production shifts a day to fulfill orders from Europe and the US. Some of them have enough orders for production until April 2022.
The opening of a representative office in Hanoi by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) marks important progress in Vietnams integration with the world and its attitude toward international laws.

Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu and PCA Secretary General Hugo Siblesz sign a document on the establishment of a PCA Rep. Office in Vietnam (Phot: baoquocte)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and PCA on October 27 announced that PCA will set up an office with staff in Hanoi to conduct PCA hearings and meetings. This will be the fourth office of PCA, except for the main office in The Hague.

The establishment of a PCA office in Hanoi represents a further step of cooperation in realizing the targets set out in the Host Country Agreement signed by the PCA and Vietnam in 2014.

In the late 19th century, the achievements of the industrial revolution led to trade and investment growth in many European countries. But it also led to an increased risk of war among these countries. To avoid the risk of war, many countries from Europe, Asia and Mexico decided to participate in the Peace Conference in 1899.

The peace conference ended up with the signing of a convention on peaceful settlement of international disputes by the participating countries in The Hague. After the success of the Alabama case, the signatories to the 1899 Convention also agreed on the establishment of a permanent arbitration institution to use arbitration for the settlement of international disputes. This was the establishment of PCA.

The 1899 Convention says with an aim of preventing, as much as possible, the use of force in relations between countries, the States participating in the convention agree to use their best efforts to ensure the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

The States also acknowledge that for legal matters, especially in the interpretation or application of international conventions, arbitration is the most effective and at the same time the fairest means to settle disputes which cannot be solved by diplomatic channel.

PCA was officially established in 1900 and became operational in 1902. In 1907, the second peace conference was convened with the participation of other countries from the Central and South America. The 1899 Convention was amended and supplemented with the principles of conducting arbitration proceedings.

Though most of the States that are members of the 1899 Convention are also members of the 1907 Convention, both conventions are still valid. PCA now has 122 member States.

Vietnam signed both conventions.

At first, PCA was established as an institution to settle disputes among countries. Later, in 1930s, PCA expanded its practice and began conducting conciliation and arbitration activities for international disputes between nations and other private subjects.

The opening of the PCA representative office in Hanoi is the result of the process in which MOFA represented the Government to sign and promote activities with PCA, beginning in 2014.

Many countries have the intention to set up PCA offices in their countries, but havent got the nod from PCA. This shows the success Vietnam obtained when promoting cooperation activities with PCA. Also, it shows Vietnams increasingly important role and position in the international community.

The opening of a PCA office in Hanoi also marks an important step forward in Vietnams integration with the world and its attitudes towards international laws.

Vietnam has signed many bilateral and multilateral trade agreements. It is now a member of CPTPP (The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), EVFTA (EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement) and RCEP (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership). There are risks of disputes among the member countries of the agreements, and PCA will serve as an important institution to solve disputes among parties.

The opening of an office by PCA in Vietnam also shows that Vietnam's position in the international arena has changed a lot, and at the same time shows Vietnam's serious attitude towards the use of international law to resolve disagreements with other countries as well as other subjects in the world.

Viet Hoang

Lecturer of the HCM City University of Law, Member of the Vietnam Bar Federation

Permanent Court of Arbitration sets up rep. office in Vietnam The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has decided to establish its representative office in Vietnam under an agreement signed with the Vietnamese Government in Hanoi on October 27.
The complicated pandemic developments, plus the inconsistency in anti-pandemic policies in localities, have made travel firms feel as if they are walking a tightrope.

The Quang Ninh provincial Tourism Department said since November 1, the province has allowed tourism service facilities to receive travelers from other provinces if the facilities can satisfy the requirements on pandemic prevention and control. However, only travelers from Zones 1 and 2 (green and yellow) are welcomed.

Also, the province has set a lot of specific requirements on tourists, drivers and tour guides.

Many travelers and travel firms felt happy about the news which said that they could go to Quang Ninh from November 1, 2021. The number of travelers to the province was still not really high, especially on weekdays, but accommodation facilities were full on weekends. This was the outcome of the tireless efforts to reactivate tourism activities by travel firms.

However, the joy was short-lived. Hanoi, one of the key markets for Quang Ninh, unexpectedly announced the conversion of its pandemic risk level from green to yellow.

Immediately, the Quang Ninh Tourism Association (QNTA) sent a document to travel firms informing them that the locality only receives and serves travelers from green zone (Zone 1 as shown in Resolution 128), and it doesnt accept travelers from the areas with high and very high risks.

The document did not mention the travelers from yellow areas like Hanoi.

Unable to enter Quang Ninh, people have canceled tours. Director of a travel firm said the firm has collected money from travelers and has placed orders for services with partners, and complained that while the firm has had to return money to travelers, it cannot claim money back from partners.

Pham Ha, President of Lux Group, told VietNamNet that the tours to be provided to some groups of travelers on November 3-6 have been canceled. Travelers cant take a cruise because provincial authorities have not released a document with detailed guidance, and no unit dares to receive guests.

Meanwhile, the weather is very good these days and its a great opportunity for travelers to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Ha Long Bay in early winter. If the tours had been provided, they could have brought revenue, though modest, to travel firms and workers, for whom every dong is valuable.

Hanoi has turned yellow, but Quang Ninh province should be flexible in receiving travelers from different areas of Hanoi. Its unreasonable to consider the whole Hanoi as a yellow zone and stop receiving travelers from the city, Ha said.

Nhu Thi Ngan, CEO of Hanoi Tourism, also complained that the preparation for the famtrip to Binh Lieu on November 5-7 had just completed when Hanoi announced the conversion of the pandemic risk level to yellow.

Meanwhile, Quang Ninh provincial authorities set very strict requirements on travel firms which receive interprovincial travelers: only receiving travelers from green zone (Level 1); buses can carry 50 percent of passenger capacity; travelers must be fully vaccinated and get a rapid test.

The managers of the travel firm had to make flexible responses.

They exchanged information with local authorities and persuaded the provinces leaders to allow the program as planned, committing to filter travelers and only accept travelers from green areas who are fully vaccinated. They also promised that travelers will only go in closed tours, and the company has prepared scenarios to handle with the problems to arise.

Our team in Hanoi and Binh Lieu worked from 6h to 24h every day, Ngan recalled. Luckily, everything went smoothly.

However, she still worries that the group of more than 70 travelers may still have to get out of the buses to scan a QR Code and make health declarations (the app used in Quang Ninh is different from that of the country), which takes a lot of time.

Constant anxiety is hanging over us. Running tours these days is as risky as stockbroking, the director of a travel firm said.

The situations are different in different localities, and their regulations are also different. In the same localities, the policies are inconsistent: they are open today, but may close tomorrow, he said.

Ngoc Ha
The recommendation was made by domestic and foreign experts in the recently published "Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation" report.

Domestic and foreign experts talk about promoting the application of science and technology and innovation in Vietnam.

The report is a product of the World Bank's Vietnam Enhancing Innovation Analytical and Advisory Services (ASA) program. It was developed at the order of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, sponsored by the Australia - World Bank Group Strategic Partnership in Vietnam - Phase 2 (ABP2).

It researches current development frameworks and policies on science, technology and innovation, analyses bottlenecks hindering businesses in innovation, and proposes a roadmap for comprehensive reform to promote innovation-led growth.

Vietnam has room for technology-based growth

The application and dissemination of new technologies, digital technology and the Industry 4.0 Revolution have offered opportunities to improve the productivity and adaptability of enterprises in the context of crisis.

Rapid changes in technology, especially increasingly sophisticated digitization, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape Vietnams labor-intensive-based export strategy.

Technological breakthroughs in the production and distribution process will make an impact on manufacturing industries to varying degrees, and provide new opportunities for service sectors. Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for venture investors.

Vietnam should rebalance its science and technology development policy

Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director in Vietnam.

The outbreak of Covid-19 further underscores the need to accelerate the application and diffusion of technology, new business models and digital solutions to support growth and increase agility of businesses.

Experts who developed the "Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation" report said that Vietnam still has a lot of room to promote innovation in domestic enterprises, especially small and medium businesses, which account for 98% of the total number of businesses and half of the workforce.

About 20% of the export activities of small and medium-sized enterprises are limited due to a lack of scale, technology and sophistication. Therefore, Vietnam has many opportunities to improve enterprise productivity through the application and diffusion of technology.

Accumulate innovation capacity to move towards 4.0 technology

A recent survey on technology adoption (2020) shows that, of different types of businesses, only 20% of Vietnamese enterprises use a complete digitalization process in implementing general business functions. There is still a lot of room to enhance the digitization of business operations.

Due to low labor costs, the number of businesses in Vietnam that use Industry 4.0 technologies such as 3D printing and robotics is very small. In addition, only 29% of businesses use computer-controlled machinery and Industry 3.0 digital technology, and only 8.7% use this technology actively and effectively.

According to experts, Vietnamese businesses need to accumulate innovation capacity, firstly through converting processes to using digital technology, and then progressing to more complex Industry 4.0 technologies. The benefits from this activity can be enormous.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat.

Vietnam should promote technology absorption and diffusion

Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director in Vietnam, said that Vietnam needs new motivations for its economic growth to become an economy with high income in 2045, and innovation will help build a fundamental foundation for the country to increase income and improve growth quality.

The report recommends that Vietnam should rebalance its policy on science, technology and innovation development, shifting from focusing on investment in creating advanced technology to promoting technology absorption and diffusion among group of businesses.

More than just focusing on research and development, the spillover of technology can have significant effects on labor productivity and economic transformation. Therefore, focusing on capacity building to make the most of the most modern technologies should be a top priority. Closing the skill gap of the workforce is also very important in applying innovation.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology highly values the support from Australia and the World Bank in the efforts, he said, expressing hope that more cooperation initiatives will be proposed to apply recommendations to life.

Minister Huynh Thanh Dat said that the report highlights the important contributions of science, technology and innovation to Vietnams socio-economic development and outlines the way ahead for the country.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said: The Ministry of Science and Technology highly appreciates the support of the Australian Government and the World Bank in these efforts and looks forward to further cooperation initiatives, and put the recommendations and this useful tool into practice.

The Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to strengthen the national innovation system to further promote the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge and technology to serve the goals of sustainable development from now to 2045.

Trong Dat

Indicators to measure Vietnam's digital economy needed The set of indicators will fully reflect every aspect of the digital economy, including digital infrastructure, the popularity of digital means, online services, and human resources.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  At the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will attend the 28th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and related events from November 11-12 via video conference.

President Phuc will deliver a speech at the event about the regional and international situation as well as the promotion of APEC cooperation in the future.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien will participate in the 32nd APEC Ministerial Meeting.

With the theme "Coordinating within APEC to accelerate post-COVID-19 economic recovery: Key opportunities and challenges in the post-COVID world and how to ensure the gains are shared equally across the world in the present and in the future", the 28th APEC Summit will focus on discussing two main issues, namely the global economic outlook and cooperation in post-pandemic recovery.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.  VNS
If there were any presses left on the premises, they might stop. Chip and Joanna Gaines of Magnolia fame will spend $21 million to renovate the former Waco Tribune-Herald building at 900 Franklin Ave., the newspapers home for more than 70 years before relocating to River Square Centers third floor.

The Waco City Council voted this week to approve the project for the Texas Enterprise Zone Program, which could mean up to $625,000 in state backing for the Magnolia Business Ventures LLC project on top of an anticipated $3.85 million from Waco and McLennan County, for a total of up to almost $4.48 million. The $21 million renovation estimate to turn the building into Magnolias corporate headquarters is up from the companys $13.6 million estimate when the plans became public in April.

Work inside the building is expected to start by next month, and passersby may start noticing crews working on the exterior as we get through early 2022, Magnolia spokesperson John Marsicano said in a statement Wednesday.

Project timelines have shifted a bit due to delays associated with building materials, etc., and much of the design remains a work in progress, but Magnolia is aiming for an opening in the first few months of 2023, Marsicano said.
Brodens motion alleges the officer had spent almost six months and taxpayer time and money with the Red Mouse Cult with little, if nothing to show for it.

In May 2020, Sutton lamented to the officer about what Beaudin reportedly had done to his family members, according to the motion.

Unwisely, but perhaps understandably, Seth verbalized his fantasy of killing the sexual predator and then (the officer) asked if he thought about how he would do it and Seth continued to share his fantasies about how he might kill the sexual predator, the motion states. Although, at the time, there was absolutely no indication that this was any more than the fantasy of a devastated (loved one) who believed he let his family down, this did not stop (the officer) from exploiting Seth Suttons pain. Indeed, (the officer) apparently delighted in the fact that the past half year might not have been a colossal waste of time and money.

The motion says the officer did not notify authorities as required by law after learning of the alleged sexual assault of Suttons family members nor did he warn Beaudin that he was in potential danger.

Instead, (the officer) devised a game plan wherein he would insert himself in the situation and then falsely claim that Seth was hiring him to kill Beaudin, the motion alleges.
Our students are going to compete nationally for colleges, in the workforce, said Rep. Greg Howard, R-Stonington, during a news conference at the state Capitol. "We have be careful not to create a competitive disadvantage to them with the achievement gap that were creating in this state.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, called the Screen and Stay program an incremental step.

Candelora urged the state Department of Education to put together a rapid response team that includes legislators, teachers, and parents. They would be tasked with figuring out how to address the problem of lost learning, lack of tutors to get students back up to speed, the need for mental health support, and the impact of mask-wearing for young children trying to learn language skills.

The governor has said individual school districts will have the final say on whether to implement the policy. Candelora, however, said he believes it should be mandatory statewide.

A student learns the same way in New Haven as they do in North Branford, and so why the governor would leave it up to each district to make the determination is troubling to me, Candelora said.
Brown also has his eye on property taxes charged on business equipment. The Legislature has exempted thousands of small businesses from the equipment tax in recent years, but it still makes up about 17% of all property taxes that primarily go to city and county governments and school districts.

Despite Indiana having cut its corporate tax rate from 8.5% to 4.9% over the past decade, Brown said the equipment tax is a burden on businesses that many other states dont have.

Republican Sen. Ryan Mishler, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, raised skepticism on whether more business tax reductions are needed as the top concerns he hears from business leaders are about the education and availability of workers.

Mishler said the state needed to stay prepared for any economic troubles.

With the national trends of increasing the fuel prices, the supply shortage, the increase in prices, I think were in for a downturn in the economy, Mishler said during a recent Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute program.
The survey comes as authorities are cracking down on political dissent in Hong Kong. Most of the citys prominent pro-democracy activists are currently in jail. Critics say the security law has rolled back freedoms promised to Hong Kong for 50 years when it was handed over to China in 1997.

The former British colony was previously known for its vibrant press freedoms, and for decades has served as regional headquarters for many English-language news outlets.

The national security law has been used against journalists in the city. The pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was forced to close in June after millions of dollars in assets were frozen and several top editors and executives arrested.

The New York Times has transferred some of its staff from Hong Kong to Seoul due to the uncertainties about the citys prospects for journalism under the security legislation.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday at a regular news briefing that the rights of foreign media and journalists in Hong Kong will be fully protected as long as they report in accordance with the law.

Wang said that as of April this year, there were 628 foreign employees with work visas for foreign media in Hong Kong, a 18.5% increase from the same time last year.

It is a true reflection of how people from all walks of life, including foreign media in Hong Kong, see and feel about the economic and social and media reporting environment in Hong Kong, he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
After being turned back at the border, al-Najar appealed to a number of local human rights groups, but said they appeared reluctant to assist her, fearing reprisal from Hamas. Eventually, she filed a petition against the ban.

Her father failed to show up at the first hearing, causing it to be postponed. Before it adjourned, the judge asked her why she was going abroad and suggested she could just as easily study in one of Gaza's universities.

Al-Najar, who speaks fluent English and teaches the language, aspires to be a journalist. She says a multi-cultural country like Turkey provides opportunities that don't exist in Gaza, which is largely cut off from the outside world.

The hearing was postponed a second time because her father's attorney was sick. It was postponed a third time on Wednesday because his new lawyer said he needed time to study the case.

The scholarship's validity was extended until the end of the year, but if al-Najar does not make it to Turkey by then, she will lose it.

But she's not giving up.

I realized no one is going to help me but myself, and I realized that I have to be strong now to fight for my rights," she said. Instead of crying in my room and letting myself down, I decided to fight. I chose to fight for the first time in my life."

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Which is why some of us fear to walk that path. And one can make a case that fear is the great unspoken engine of American history. As Glaze pointed out, one of the arguments against ending slavery was,  If we give them their freedom, whats going to happen to us? Theres the whole idea ... Black people are going to go around and drag white people out of their houses and murder them. That notion repeats throughout history: If we let them hold office, if we give them the vote, if we allow them to be educated, if we stop terrorizing them on a daily basis, what will they do to us? And the answer has always proven to be: nothing. But still that fear recurs, even now, in the debate over education. As Glaze frames it, If we admit to all these falsehoods and wrongs, if we try to actually make good on this stuff, whats going to happen to us?
Wendy Mach said the community also played a big part in getting the NDOT to prioritize the intersection. An online petition garnered over 11,000 signatures in favor of changes at the intersection.

I dont think this wouldve happened without the push of the community, Mach said.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The NDOT reviewed video of the intersection recorded during a three-week period to examine existing conditions and driver behavior. From the review, the proposed modifications were developed.

It was determined that while this intersection was designed and constructed to standard highway criteria, modifications to the intersection will improve the intersections performance, the NDOT said in a press release issued on Oct. 27.

The temporary changes will close the approach lanes going east and west on Highway 77/92. This will reduce the roadway to three lanes, with a left turn lane, a right turn lane and a through lane.

The north and south approaches on Highway 109 will also be changed, going from two lanes to one. The speed limit at the intersection will be 50 mph. It is now 60 mph. The NDOT said there will be new lane markings, traffic control devices and signage to notify drivers of the changes.
What I would encourage parents to do is work with their child to come up with a plan, she says.

That might mean deciding to bring comforting or distracting items, like a favorite television show on a tablet or a favorite stuffed animal.

Validate the childs feelings

Dont say its just a shot or tell kids not to cry.

Medical experts say nervousness is a natural reaction to needles and injections, and adults can acknowledge discomfort from the vaccine.

Feelings are for feeling, not for fixing, Mitsos says. Crying is OK. Its communication. Its OK to share how you feel.

Reaffirm that youll be there for your child during the injection, and youll get through it together, she says.

Making it clear that theyre not going to have to go through it alone is important for kids of any age, Mitsos says.

Ott added that praising a child afterward with statements like you did it or Im so proud of you for doing it can also help.

Offer choices
Warbird Digest has received the August/September, 2021 report from Chuck Cravens concerning the restoration of the Dakota Territory Air Museums P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 at AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, Minnesota. We thought our readers would be very interested to see how the project has progressed since our last article on this important project. So without further ado, here it goes!

Update

The team focused on some of the more complex skin sections for the control surfaces and wing fillets this month. The electrical system and radios also received their share of attention.

Complex Skin Forming

The P-47 has some unusually formed skin sections that join with a seam which has numerous, curved indentations. Where the skins overlap in those areas, joggles must be formed in the sheet metal so that the skin surface remains smooth.

Wing Fillets

The wing fillets are always an exercise in intricate forming of complex curves in the aluminum skin. Randy Carlson came over from his shop in Fargo, North Dakota, Carlson Metal Shaping, to take care of this specialized work.

Instruments and Radio Aaron continues to complete the restoration of the aircraft systems, including the radios and instruments, as the P-47s completion date gets closer.

Electrical System

A restoration milestone arrived this month; Aaron powered up the Thunderbolts electrical system for the first time!

Internal Fuselage Systems

The electrical circuits werent the only system to receive attention this month. The fuel system plumbing and the antenna relay were installed in the upper rear fuselage.

Pratt&Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp

The P-47 Thunderbolt was a versatile and highly successful fighter during WWII. The type was effective operating both at high-altitude (as a long-range bomber escort) and down low (as a fighter bomber). Much of that success and versatility is attributable to the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine which powered the Thunderbolt.

Graham White, in his seminal book, Allied Aircraft Piston Engines, described the R-2800 as the most significant aircraft engine built in the United States during WWII.1 Known as the Double Wasp, the R-2800 has often been referred to as the best radial engine ever built.

Those superlatives are opinions and are open to disagreement, of course, but what isnt debatable is that a great variety of significant, WWII-era fighters and medium bombers used the R-2800. In fact, the Double Wasp powered more different US aircraft types in WWII than any other engine! The most well-known types to use this powerplant include the Vought F4U Corsair, Martin B-26 Marauder and PBM Mariner, Grumman F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, F8F Bearcat, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Northrop P-61 Black Widow, Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, Douglas A-26 Invader, and, of course, the P-47 Thunderbolt. A total of 125,334 R-2800 engines were produced between 1939 and 1960, with 114,073 of those completed between 1941 and 1945.2 Production of the big double row radial continued after 1945. The Martin 404, Convair CV 240 and 340, Fairchild C-123 Provider, and the Douglas DC-6 all used the R-2800. The design for what became the Double Wasp began in 1936. The original concept displaced just 2,600 cubic inches, but upon learning that Wright Aeronautical was developing a double row radial of 2,600 cubic inch displacement, Pratt & Whitney increased their designs displacement up to 2,804 cubic inches by adding just over 11 cubic inches to each cylinder. Heat dissipation proved to be one of the major challenges which the engineers had to tackle in making the R-2800, Americas first double-row, 18-cylinder engine, successful. Pratt&Whitney solved the problem by using aluminum cooling muffs with numerous very thin, cooling fins shrunk around the chrome molybdenum cylinder forgings. A prime example regarding the collective commitment of American industry in supporting the Allied war effort was the fact that so many U.S. companies, including fierce competitors such as Ford, Chevrolet and General Motors, were willing to build R-2800s as subcontractors to Pratt & Whitney. 1 Graham White, Allied Aircraft Piston Engines, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc, 1995, page 222

2 Graham White, Allied Aircraft Piston Engines, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc, 1995, page 260

There were more than 40 variants of the R-2800; the version which the P-47D-23RA used was the R-2800-59. Supplied with an improved General Electric C-23 turbosupercharger, the dash 59 could supply 2,000 hp at takeoff and up to 2,300 hp War Emergency Power in combat, with the use of water injection. Later, C-series variants of the engine (which M and N model P-47s employed) could attain up to 2,500 hp.

During WWII, R-2800s became renowned for surviving damage which would have crippled any other engine. P-47 pilots could come back from missions with their R-2800s down on power, but still running. It wasnt until they landed that they found out that one or even two cylinders had been shot out, but the trusty Pratt & Whitney had brought them safely home anyway.

And thats all for this month. We wish to thank AirCorps Aviation, Chuck Cravens for making this report possible! We look forwards to bringing more restoration reports on progress with this rare machine in the coming months. Be safe, and be well
Is it simply better to fire the unvaccinated?

Ill admit upfront that this post will expose my bias when it comes to COVID-19 and requirements for employees to get vaccinated.

Ive read stories about the risk of employees quitting rather than get a vaccine. This morning, the Associated Press reported that several intelligence agencies had at least 20 percent of their workforce unvaccinated as of late October and at a few agencies the number was as high as 40 percent.

The AP used data released by Rep. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah who got the information from the White House, which hasnt released it publicly.

Stewart said the government should consider more exemptions on medical, religious and other grounds. Any terminations if they dont meet the Nov. 22 deadline should be delayed. He said national security was at risk if these people left.

As I read the article, one thought kept going through my mind -- keeping them also puts national security at risk. So fire them or let them quit.

Think about it: Consultants, analysts, intelligence officers and others of that ilk are in jobs that require them to look at facts and draw conclusions. To reach those conclusions, you have to use a rational thought process.

So if you look at all the data surrounding vaccines -- the significantly lower incidences of contracting COVID and an even lower incidence of severe illness and death. Millions have received the vaccine with almost non-existent reports of side effects, beyond sore arms and maybe a few days of chills.

If you look at those facts and come to the conclusion that you shouldnt get the vaccine, then I cant help but be suspect of any conclusion or recommendation you make after youve reviewed a set of facts.

If you put more weight on conspiracy theories or believe that youre protected because your neighbor got COVID eight months ago, so you must have antibodies which makes you safe, then how can we trust your judgment on anything else?

The same applies to contractors. Do you really want an employee who believes the anti-vaccine rhetoric can make sound business decisions?

Dont argue about individual rights. Yes, we have individual rights, but we also have a responsibility to our community. This isnt the same as declining to get a colonoscopy when you turn 50. You only hurt yourself when you do that. But remaining unvaccinated puts you at risk and everyone around you at risk as well. (But get your colonoscopy. It could save your life.)

So I say, let the unvaccinated intelligence analysts or contractor employees leave. We need the smartest, most rational people in those jobs.

Rant over. Thank you very much.
Are Deere & Co. and the UAW at an impasse in labor negotiations? It depends on who you ask.

Deere said Wednesday that the latest contract offer rejected by the UAW is the companys last, best, and final offer. Jen Hartmann, a spokesperson for Deere, said Wednesday that the company was proud of its six-year contract offer, which would have boosted pay and benefits for about 10,000 UAW workers.

The UAW rejected the deal 55% to 45%, despite gaining majority support from some Quad-City union locals. The contract was rejected by locals in Waterloo and Dubuque.

The UAW said Deere did not inform it that this was their final offer prior to alerting media organizations.

UAWs notification system sent a text to members that read The UAW is aware Deere put out this was our last, best, and final offer. We were never informed directly. Bare (sic) with us as we sort this out.

When asked about the notification of the final offer to the UAW, Hartmann said in our bargaining sessions with the UAW, both parties made numerous proposals in working to negotiate an agreement.

That meant both sides made concessions and compromises, Hartmann said. In reaching the second tentative agreement with the unions bargaining committee, we advised that the overall value of the compensation and benefits package were as far as we were willing to go.

An impasse?

Labor experts said an impasse is difficult to define because each instance is unique and depends on the parties involved.

Its just at a point where both sides have given their best last and final best offer, said Matt Pappas, employment lawyer. You know it when you see it.

The National Labor Relations Board requires an employer and unions to actively negotiate on terms until they agree on a labor contract or reach a stand-off or impasse. An impasse is defined as a total breakdown of the bargaining process after good-faith negotiations, according to the NLRB.

The duty to bargain isnt terminated, though, Pappas said. Its only suspended.

There isnt a formal process for declaring an impasse, according to Paul Iversen, labor expert at the University of Iowas Labor Center. Both parties have to be unwilling to make any additional offers, but if one party creates a new proposal, the other party is obligated to hear it.

If all theyre doing at the table is trying to convince the UAW to submit this same proposal to another vote, you may be at an impasse while still being at the table, Iversen said. The issue is, is either side willing to change their position at the bargaining table?

Hartmann confirmed that Deere and the UAW are still communicating.

We are still in conversations with the UAW and remain receptive to any proposals the UAW might make that will result in a ratified contract  but we have reached our maximum in terms of overall new costs, Hartmann said.

Last, best, and final offer

Iversen and Pappas said the terminology used by Deere, last, best, and final offer, is considered a term of art in negotiations.

This term of art, a word or phrase that has a specialized meaning within a particular field, like labor relations, typically indicates a company has reached an impasse, according to Iversen. However, not all employers know the origin of the terminology and the full extent of what it means to use it.

Sometimes, employers will use the terminology This is our last, best, and final offer as a precursor to arguing toward impasse if the union doesnt accept that offer, Iversen said. But those words arent magic. They dont create an impasse if one doesnt exist.

The term originates from the Teamsters International Constitution that had a provision that required any bargaining committee to submit any last, best, and final offer from an employer to a membership vote, according to Iversen. Since constitutions are publicly filed with the Department of Labor, management attorneys that negotiated with Teamsters would use that language to force a vote.

Management attorneys started using the terminology last best and final offer to basically indicate we want you to take this to a vote, whether you agree to it at the bargaining table or not, Iversen said.

The UAW constitution doesnt have this clause, so Deere using these terms does not compel the union to hold a vote, according to the UAW.

Iversen, who has experience in labor negotiations, said sometimes the final offer ends up being the agreement, but it isnt guaranteed.

Ive had negotiations where were on the third last best and final offer before we finally agree, Iversens said. For people that are experienced in negotiations, they dont place a lot of stock in last best and final because its usually just a bargaining position, a little bit of posturing.

Potential outcomes

If an impasse is reached, Deere can implement the new agreement and fill union members jobs with outside workers, according to Pappas.

If negotiations reach an impasse, an employer can impose terms and conditions so long as it offered them to the union before impasse was reached, according to the NLRB.

If Deere decides to implement the latest agreement, it would only be applicable to workers who are strikebreakers, according to Iversen. But this does not absolve the parties from negotiating. In some negotiations, the implementation of an agreement causes workers to go on strike. However, since the UAW workers are already on strike, the outcome for Deere would look different.

They would be unilaterally implementing terms only for strike break, so only for replacements that they bring in or people that cross the picket line, Iversen said. ... So the impasse isnt as significant in this situation.

Hartmann said although Deeres first priority is to get an agreement ratified, the company needs to start preparing for the future.

I do believe we have to start thinking longer term if that doesnt happen, looking at each unit and what their needs are, Hartmann said. ... Everything is on the table in terms of how we keep the business up and running.

Hartmann said she could not confirm if Deere was considering hiring outside workers to fill union members manufacturing roles.

Disagreement on an impasse

If Deere unilaterally implements the latest tentative agreement, and the UAW doesnt agree with the impasse it can file an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, according to Iversen.

Thats how the National Labor Relations Board ultimately decides whether theyre at an impasse, Iversen said. If they decide, no, youre not at an impasse, you cant implement those terms. You have to go back to the table.

The NLRB states that employers can implement terms encompassed within a pre-impasse offer if negotiations with the union have reached a valid impasse.

Communication between UAW and Deere

Deere and the UAWs communication about their final offer is unclear and labor experts have differing opinions of what it might mean.

Iversen said if the UAW found out it was Deeres final offer through the media, it could potentially qualify as bad-faith bargaining.

Its certainly evidence of bad faith to announce to the media something youve never said at the bargaining table, Iversen said. You have to give the union the opportunity to respond to what theyre saying.

Regardless of the level of communication between the UAW and Deere, Iversen said that the recent media push shows a change in strategy by Deere.

Theyve kept themselves out of the media as much as possible to this point, and now theyve decided to go in an all out media blitz to try to turn public opinion in their favor, Iversen said. But I think the community supports the strikers. Its a change in their strategy to try to litigate it, if you will, in the media, rather than at the bargaining table.

Love 3 Funny 7 Wow 5 Sad 7 Angry 9
CEDAR FALLS  A trend of declining enrollment at the University of Northern Iowa has been mirrored by the states other regents institutions in recent years.

A report presented during the Board of Regents meeting Thursday at UNI shows a continuing decreases in the combined number of students at the three state universities.

This years enrollment report represents the fifth-straight year of decline for the regents universities, said Jason Pontius, associate chief academic officer in the board office. The universities enrolled 69,848 students this fall, 2.5% less than the year before. In the fall of 2016, they had 80,064 students.

UNI dropped 3.1% to 9,231 students while there were decreases of 1.3% at the University of Iowa to 29,909 students and 3.5% at Iowa State University to 30,708 students.

Pontius said the decline does not indicate that a growing number of students are leaving the state to continue their education.

We have consistently kept about 87% of our Iowa high school graduates and signs are we are actually improving in that a little bit, he explained.

Rather, he noted, it points to something else: More and more of our high school graduates are choosing not to go to college after graduation. The percentage increased annually from 2013, when 23% werent in college a year after graduation, to 2019, when the number had risen to 33%. Regents universities, by comparison, enrolled a 19% share of graduates in 2019, a percentage that hasnt changed much during the time frame.

Another concern, Pontius said, is a 4.2% drop since last year in the number of high school students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. That number went from 19,039 to 18,243 this fall. Filling out a FAFSA is probably one of the best predictors of whether a student is going to college, he said.

Declines can also be seen among international students at Iowas state universities. He noted that the number of students from China has continued to drop very precipitously.

Overall, Pontius added, what were looking at is graduating larger classes and replacing them with smaller classes. But that is starting to change.

All three universities had more new first-year undergraduates this fall. Northern Iowa saw growth of 4.9% to 1,554 new students, Iowa State saw a 6.2% increase to 5,387 and Iowa added 0.2% with 4,521. UNI started increasing those new students in 2020, when enrollment grew 1.2% to 1,482.

Again, during COVID thats remarkable, said Pontius. It also sets a really nice foundation for growth in the future.

Its going to take a little bit of time, but if we can keep the growth on these first-year classes coming in were going to start bringing those (total) numbers up again, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
CEDAR FALLS  The University of Northern Iowa will invest $4.9 million into structural improvements for the Innovative Teaching and Technology Center following approval of the project Thursday by the Board of Regents.

Michael Hager, the universitys senior vice president for finance and operations, told the boards property and facilities committee Wednesday during the meeting at UNI that the work would primarily be to repair and strengthen the roof.

Theres some beautiful timber that supports the roof, he noted. Those are still good. But the roof sitting on top of those timbers needs to be replaced.

Clay tiles will be replaced with a lighter clay tile roof system, fixing leaks that have emerged. A rubber membrane roof on another part of the building will be replaced, as well. Additionally, the building has water infiltration problems in the east exterior wall, which will also be repaired.

Board members approved the project and budget on their consent agenda without discussion. Construction is scheduled to begin in May with work completed by August 2023.

The 104,000-square-foot building was formerly known as the Womens Gym or East Gym. According to a news release, it has served over the years as a library, classroom space, dance floor and even wartime barracks. It now holds digital design space, the departments of geography and computer science, university information technology offices, laboratory space for anthropology and Trio student support services.

It has been extensively renovated, work that was completed in 2006. Nearly 13,000 square feet of space was added, in part by building a floor over the former pool.

The news release noted that UNI has a long history of building preservation. It has spent tens of millions of dollars over the past two decades refurbishing facilities such as Lang, Sabin and Bartlett halls.

One of our greatest assets are the stunning facilities that weve worked hard to bring into the 21st century, Hager said in the news release. Were pleased to be able to extend the life of this beautiful 118-year-old building, which is widely used by many across our campus.

The university has more than 90 buildings comprising over 4.7 million square feet of space on its 810-acre campus.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Attorneys for the next four Oklahoma inmates scheduled to be executed filed an appeal on Thursday of a federal judge's ruling allowing the executions to proceed.

The attorneys for Julius Jones, Wade Lay, Donald Grant and Gilbert Postelle filed their appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. They contend that U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot in Oklahoma City was wrong to conclude that their request for a preliminary injunction against their executions would fail on its merits.

Jones, whose case has drawn widespread attention since being featured in 2018 on the ABC documentary series The Last Defense," is scheduled to die on Nov. 18. He is awaiting Republican Gov. Kevin Stitts decision on a parole board recommendation that his life be spared.

The inmates sued for the injunction, saying that John Marion Grant's Oct. 28 execution demonstrated that Oklahoma officials still have not resolved concerns over the state's execution method. Grant convulsed and vomited as his lethal injection ended Oklahoma's six-year moratorium on executions because of such concerns.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
More coverage:

Juror Number 7, a white-haired man who had been using an electric scooter throughout the trial, was called into the courtroom on his own Thursday morning before the rest of the jury was summoned to the courtroom for the fourth day of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.

Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder told the man that he had been informed that when a sheriffs deputy had been escorting the man to his vehicle after court earlier in the week that the juror had told the deputy a joke.

Are you comfortable repeating what the joke was or do you want to leave it alone? Schroeder asked.

The man, his face covered by a cloth mask, looked uncomfortable. He shook his head.

Before Juror 7 came into the courtroom, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the "joke" was about the shooting of Jacob Blake: "Do you know why the Kenosha Police shot Jacob Blake seven times? Because they ran out of bullets."

Anyone who thinks that joke is funny ... Binger said, his word trailing off before he continued. It suggests some sort of racial bias which I think comes into play in this case.

The issue first came to light at the end of the day Wednesday after the jurors had been dismissed for the day and were out of the courtroom. Binger said on the record that Schroeder had informed the attorneys that the deputy had informed the court of the jurors joke. Binger asked then that the juror be removed, but Schroeder and defense attorneys wanted to hear from the juror himself before the judge took action.

On Thursday morning, when the juror refused to respond, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said they did object to the jurors removal from the case.

If Number 7 is unwilling to repeat what it was, were at a disadvantage and I suppose we can take his unwillingness in the worst light, Chirafisi said.

Schroeder dismissed the man from the jury.

I've talked quite a bit about public confidence in the result of the trial, Schroeder said. It is clear the appearance of bias is present and it would seriously undermine the results of the case.

The juror objected. It wasnt anything to do with the case, it wasnt anything to do with Kyle and his seven charges, the man said.

Judge: Assuring a fair trial

Blakes shooting by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey on Aug. 23, 2020, sparked widespread protest and rioting in the city in the two days leading up to Rittenhouse shooting three protesters, killing two of them. Rittenhouse came to the city from his home in Antioch, Illinois, because of that unrest of the previous two days in the city.

Charged with homicide and recklessly endangering safety for his actions on Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse's legal team contends he shot and killed Anthony Huber of Silver Lake and Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha and seriously injured Gaige Grosskreutz of West Allis in self defense and fear of his own life.

The public needs to be confident that this is a fair trial, and at the very (least) it was bad judgement to tell a joke of that nature, Schroeder said.

After the remaining 19 jurors were brought back into the room they were told Juror 7 had been dismissed. The judge had seated 20 jurors for the case rather than the typical 14 to ensure that if jurors had to be dismissed that the trial could continue. At the end of the case, alternates will be randomly chosen to bring the pool down to the 12 who will actually deliberate and decide the case.
If youre looking for a gentle way to recover from an injury or want to find a way to strengthen your entire body, Pilates might be your ticket to transformation.

Pilates is to help you do other things better, not necessarily your only thing. You want to use Pilates to help improve other areas of your life. If you like to hike, you want to have good balance, or if you want to be able to have endurance, says Gia Calhoun, vice president, content director and instructor at Pilates Anytime, an online streaming platform that offers more than 3,000 videos for all levels.

While Pilates shouldnt completely replace other forms of exercise, such as weight lifting or cardio, or aerobic activities like jogging, biking or walking, Calhoun adds that it improves your ability to do those movements by helping you discover the smaller muscles you need to do other activities. Its great for people who are walkers or runners because then it kind of stabilizes and strengthens the rest of your body, so walking and running becomes easier, Calhoun says.



Pilates has been around since at least 1920, when Joseph and Clara Pilates emigrated from Germany and opened the Body Conditioning Gym in New York City. They taught contrology, which was renamed Pilates after Josephs death. Today, Pilates principles focus on concentration, centering, control, precision, flow and breathing.

Calhoun notes that contrology, or the art of control, helps to align multiple aspects at the same time. You are controlling your body, your mind and your spirit, and kind of bringing everything together. It uses resistance to create streamlined movement patterns and its really good for anybody  theres no impact on your joints, she says. Its very safe and effective.

If youve ever practiced Pilates or watched a class, you may have noticed there arent aerobic movements or weight training, but rather small, controlled movements done on a mat, in a standing position or in a chair. It often uses your own body weight as resistance, but apparatuses can be used.

Calhoun points to the benefits of modifications in Pilates: You can use modifications to meet you where youre at if you need those, or make it more challenging by adding more props or variations, so it kind of works for everybody. You should never continue through an exercise you find uncomfortable.

Here are some common modifications Calhoun has seen:

 During a quad stretch, if your hamstrings are tight and you cant reach your foot to complete a stretch, you can loop a towel around your leg for better reach

 While doing abdominal work lying on your back, place your feet on the floor rather than in the air if you have chronic back issues

 Wrist pain is common during planks or other mat work; you can fold up a mat to put more cushion under your palms

 Neck strain during abdominal work might be a concern, but you can simply lower your head to ease it

As we age, its also good for your neuroplasticity because youre working coordination ... which is always good for your brain and your mind to keep sharp, Calhoun notes. Its a very intelligent form of movement.

Calhoun loves that Pilates targets smaller stabilizer muscles you didnt even know you needed to use. She started practicing Pilates after enduring a hip injury as a dancer at age 15. After an instructor suggested she try Pilates, her knee and hip issues were alleviated, starting her on a path of implementing Pilates throughout her life and work.

While Pilates might conjure images of huge machines that take up half your living room, you can perform many of the Pilates Anytime classes without any equipment at all. The reformer machine you might be picturing is fun to try, but isnt an essential part of most classes.

More than half of our [Pilates Anytime] classes are just on the mat, or you can do standing Pilates, or you can do it seated in the chair, so you dont need big equipment, Calhoun says. For most classes, you might want to have a mat for comfort during exercises where you lie down or kneel.

While none of these are absolutely necessary, and you can substitute anything you dont have for common objects around the house, you may see classes that include the following equipment:

 A lightweight ball (can substitute a pillow)

 Light free weights (can substitute a water bottles)

 A floor mat, slightly thicker than a typical yoga mat

 An elastic band (can substitute a towel)

In traditional or classical classes, you do the same set of exercises each time, deepening your abilities. Incontemporary Pilates, more variations will be included from session to session. Either way, Calhoun promises you will get to know your body better.

While many people often confuse Pilates and yoga, Calhoun explains that yoga has a longer and more spiritual history. One of the major differences in the movement is yoga [has] a lot more up and down and a lot more static posing, where [in] Pilates we focus on flowing movement a little bit more, she says. In yoga, you are going to hold a pose for a bit ... in Pilates you do more movement sequences.

Calhoun adds that the two practices are complementary and can be done together. It depends on what you need ... Pilates is a little bit more accessible to people who maybe have more mobility issues, and Pilates tends to be used for physical therapy more often, so [its helpful] if you are coming from an injury or something where you need a little bit more help.
Throughout his deployment, Chamberlain, a Staff Sgt. in the Army, carried his camera with him. By the time he was discharged in 1945, he had developed and printed nearly 900 photographs in the field. Recently, his son, Mike Chamberlain, donated the images to the Veterans History Project run by the Library of Congress.

AARP is the founding corporate sponsor of the Veterans History Project, which is dedicated to collecting and preserving the personal accounts of Americans who served in every U.S. war since 1914. The Chamberlain photos make up one of the largest collections donated to the project since it was created in 2000.

Carl Chamberlain died in 1993, but the images he captured will live on so future generations can experience a firsthand perspective of war through a soldiers eyes. Here are a few of the images recently donated to the Veterans History Project.
A financial blow

Older Americans collectively lost $6.3 billion in cases of financial abuse referred to state and federal authorities in 2020, but with most cases going unreported, the true toll is probably far higher, according to a study by Comparitech, a cybersecurity research firm. The cost is only expected to grow as the U.S. population ages, with the number of people age 65 and over projected to increase from 56 million in 2020 to 94.7 million in 2060.

They call elder exploitation the crime of the 21st century, says Paul Greenwood, a former deputy district attorney in San Diego County, California, who specialized in elder fraud. And in many ways, thats true, just because of the demographics.

To an older person who has worked hard to amass a lifetime of savings, such a crime can be devastating. The average amount lost by an older adult in a reported instance of EFE is $34,200, the CFPB study found. In cases involving fiduciaries, the average loss is $83,600.

Fiduciaries who engage in these crimes choose their victims carefully, says Greenwood, who was involved in prosecuting more than 750 felony cases of elder and dependent adult abuse, many of which had a financial component.

They know the clients lifestyle, he says. They know their clients cognitive impairments. They also know whether or not that client has family members who are close by, or who stay in regular contact.

Many older adults financial skills decline with age, making them even more vulnerable to an unscrupulous financial professional, says Surya Kolluri, a managing director with Bank of Americas retirement and personal wealth unit.

Financial industry oversight

The vast majority of financial professionals do not steal from their clients and work hard in those clients best interests. In fact, they are a significant line of defense against financial exploitation.

The federal Bank Secrecy Act obligates financial institutions to file a suspicious activity report (SAR) with the Treasury Departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network if they detect questionable activity in a customers account. The CFPB also advises institutions to report cases to local, state or federal authorities.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), an industry group authorized by Congress to protect the interests of investors, also has regulations that can help detect EFE. For example, FINRA rules require member institutions to seek the name of a trusted contact for anyone opening a new account.

That way, if the institution spots suspicious activity involving the account or if a financial adviser has concerns about the account holders cognitive skills, I have permission to go contact the designated person, Kolluri says.

What families can do

Experts recommend that family members and friends take these steps to minimize the risk that a vulnerable loved one will be taken advantage of by professionals to whom theyve entrusted their finances.

Be on the lookout for red flags

Ask questions if a financial adviser is frequently moving a loved ones money around or recommending major changes in their assets or estate, says Adam P. Scherer, president of Greenbeat Financial, a financial planning firm in West Hartford, Connecticut.

A lack of availability and accessibility  not returning phone calls, for example  is another big warning sign, Scherer says, indicating at the very least negligence on the financial professionals part.

Alert banks to life changes

Notify a loved ones bank or credit union of changes in an aging loved ones lifestyle or money management, such as a new caregiver, conservator or professional fiduciary, or about a move into a long-term care facility, Greenwood advises.

Ask the institution, in writing, to keep a special eye on my mothers account or my fathers account, and if you see a change in any kind of pattern of behavior, I want you to immediately flag that and do your duty and report it to Adult Protective Services, he says.

Stay in touch with service providers

Whether its a caregiver, a financial adviser or a professional fiduciary, let them know the family is playing an active role in the clients life, Greenwood says. Ask questions such as, What are you going to be doing for my parents? and How often are you going to be billing?

If its practical, pop into their office unannounced, just to make sure that things are going smoothly, he recommends. If you dont live in the area, ask a trusted friend to do so.

Get a second opinion

This option may be costly, but if you feel in your gut like theres somethings wrong with how a loved ones fiduciary is handling their finances, ask your own lawyer or accountant, Hey, do these numbers make sense?  says Patrick M. Simasko, an elder law attorney in Mount Clemens, Michigan.

Report it

If you believe your loved one has been victimized, place a call or write a letter to Adult Protective Services in your area and notify local law enforcement.

The key to stopping EFE is raising awareness, Greenwood says: What Ive learned over the years is that we have to keep getting this message out in all forms.

Tamara E. Holmes is a Washington, D.C.based writer and editor. She has written extensively about money, entrepreneurship and careers for more than two decades. Her work has appeared in such publications as USA Today, Working Mother and Essence.
Rural Americas health care is a mix of successes and ongoing challenges related to access, affordability, and utilization of services. This is especially true for adults 40 and older, including both regular medical visits and specialty care such as dental care.

The depiction comes from a series of three reports on Health Care in Rural America. The first, Health Care in Rural America: Health Care Use, Affordability and Access, reveals that majorities of rural adults 40-plus report they are in good physical and mental health, have a regular physician, and schedule regular medical visits. But it also finds sizeable minorities who delay or forgo care, struggle to pay medical bills, and find themselves in fair or poor health. The subsequent reports focus on the same divergent trends as they relate to telehealth and dental care.

The complicated nature of rural health is also starkly aligned with affluence, with households that have higher incomes faring better than those with lower. Consistently, those with lower household incomes have poorer health outcomes, including reporting more struggles with mental health, a higher likelihood of chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, and chronic pain. Lower income levels also correlate to increased problems accessing and paying for dental care, as well as trouble with broadband services and use of telehealth options.

Easy, affordable access to health care is paramount in addressing the lapses in health care for rural Americans. Education and strong communication plans are vital to reaching those who are not being adequately served, but the solutions once touted as keys to meeting the unique health care needs of rural America must be evaluated to ensure that rural residents of all economic and health status are being served.

Access to On-Site Care Is Challenging

Access remains a fundamental problem, especially among lower-income rural residents. And there are signs that access to providers is worsening. Long wait times for appointments and shuttered clinics and hospitals are creating problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns with social distancing.

The first, overall report, which involved a phone survey of 1,504 adults 40 and older living in rural America conducted between in November and December 2020, found that one in 10 participants reported that a hospital or medical clinic had recently closed in their local community. One-fifth said specialty care was nonexistent with nearly three in 10 having to travel more than 30 minutes to get to a doctors office for specialty care.

Given the struggle to find quality care, many rural adults attempt to self-treat or delay seeking medical attention, especially among those without a regular doctor and those who are worried about the cost of care.

Two-thirds without a regular doctor try to solve medical problems on their own, with 40% of those respondents reporting they have not received medical care in the last two years. About one-third report delaying or forgoing medical care.

Cost Is a Top Concern

Skipping medical care only creates greater problems for those with chronic conditions, putting them in poorer health. And those who would benefit most from proper medical attention often are the most likely to be deterred over costs.

Nearly 20% of all rural adults 40-plus report having problems paying medical bills in the past two years, but the percentage roughly doubles among those in fair or poor health.

In the report on dental care, the survey revealed that 25% of those with income less than $30,000 and those in fair or poor health have not been to the dentist in the past five years. Since Medicare does not cover dental care, many do not have insurance, which is often prohibitively expensive or unavailable.

Telehealth Is Not the Final Answer

While telehealth is touted as a way to bring health care to underserved populations and can clearly be a useful tool in some respects, the reality isnt nearly as simple. The study found despite interest in using telehealth services, many are concerned that the health issues they are experiencing cannot be treated in a virtual environment and require an in-person medical appointment.

Among those who do not use telehealth but are interested, 40% are uncertain whether their doctors office offers telehealth services and whether insurance covers telehealth appointments.

Further, some older rural Americans do not use the internet and do not own a smartphone or computer. One-fifth of all rural Americans age 40-plus cite a lack of access to high-speed internet as a barrier to telehealth.

As with other findings, those most likely to use telehealth are those with higher household incomes.

Methodology

The Health Care in Rural America study was conducted by Alan Newman Research (ANR) among U.S. adults age 40 and older who were living outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The study was undertaken to update our understanding of health in rural America by taking a deeper look at the attitudes and behaviors of adults age 40 and older who are living in rural areas of the country. The telephone survey interviews averaged 22 minutes in length and were conducted in English by ANR from November 20 to December 18, 2020. A total of 1,504 people completed interviews.

For more information, contact Teresa A. Keenan, tkeenan@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact media@aarp.org.

Suggested citation:

Keenan, Teresa A. Health Care in Rural America. Washington, DC: AARP Research, November 2021. https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00447.001


OncoTEX Gold Compound Licensing

Sydney, Nov 5, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iQX Limited ( NSX:IQX ) is pleased to announce that OncoTEX Inc, a US oncology therapeutic company, in which IQX holds 19% equity position, has received licensing for a gold compound platform technology that induces the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells.The technology has been developed by the University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Southern University, and Wright State University; and licensed to OncoTEX. This technology will expand OncoTEX's TEX Core platform, a world-first oncology drug platform designed to create innovative therapies capable of overcoming multiple limitations seen within current cancer therapeutics.OncoTEX Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jonathan F. Arambula, emphasized the critical importance of the novel technology due to its ability to induce the unique immune mechanism known as immunogenic cell death."Of more than 2000 known small molecule cancer therapeutics, very few have been validated to induce such a response," Dr. Arambula said."Of these, most only exhibit this as an auxiliary mechanism as opposed to the compound's primary function. Our Gold compound platform will allow us to design compounds that specifically target these mechanisms. Research has shown that the compound is a much more potent sensitizer of immunogenic cell death than other agents such as platinum."This new class of gold-based proprietary compounds represents a unique mechanism of immunotherapy action, in that the cancer cells are attacked in conjunction with the human body's natural immune system. The gold-based compounds have the ability to enter cancer cells and fight them from the inside while disrupting the tumours, making them visible to the human immune system. This disruption starts a cascade to create killer T-cells that then attack and destroy the remaining cancer.OncoTEX will commence a series of rigorous studies, in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin, to evaluate these compounds over the coming months to determine the full-scale of their potential application in fighting cancers."The primary application of these compounds involves the targeting and treatment of solid tumours. We have identified their ability to do this effectively. Following further tests, we will evaluate their application for blood cancers and other diseases," Dr. Arambula said."This technology is very novel in terms of design, approach, and potential applications. We will continue discovery research to identify a potential clinical candidate. After our evaluation, we will move our identified clinical candidate into preclinical development."Chairman of iQX and Executive Chairman of OncoTEX, Dr. George Syrmalis, said, "This new addition to our existing compound portfolio is extremely important not just for OncoTEX, but also for the modality of oncology."The compound introduces a novel mode of action, demonstrating tumour-specific immune responses and reinstating immunosurveillance. It is expected that through this gold-induced immunogenic cell death, we will be able to provide significant complements to immune checkpoint inhibitors. I speculate that this mode of action may emerge as a mainstream of cancer treatment in the near future."About OncoTEX Inc.OncoTEX Inc is an oncology company and member of the iQ Group Global bioscience investment enterprise The iQ Group Global.OncoTEX Inc owns TEX Core, a novel oncology drug platform that enables the development of well-tolerated, MRI-detectable cancer therapeutics that target drug-sensitive and drug-resistant solid tumours.About The iQ Group GlobalThe iQ Group Global is a group of companies that find, fund and develop bioscience discoveries to create life-changing medical innovations. Recognised by The Australian Financial Review for the second consecutive year as one of the country's Most Innovative Companies in 2020, The iQ Group Global's flagship innovations include the Biosensor Platform and TEX Core, a first-in-class oncology drug platform with the ability to develop a pipeline of novel oncology compounds.About IQX Limited

A member of The iQ Group Global, iQX Limited is an investment funds management company specialising in the bioscience sector that is committed to eradicating disease through capital investment.


Update on Bonus Options and Facilities

Sydney, Nov 5, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Clean lithium developer Lake Resources NL ( ASX:LKE ) ( FRA:LK1 ) ( OTCMKTS:LLKKF ) thanks shareholders for their support of the Bonus Options, of which approximately 78 percent were converted (86,094,394 new LKE shares), providing approximately A$30 million to the cash position of the Company. Cash reserves were approximately A$63 million at end October 2021.Attached 1-for-1 unlisted Additional Bonus Options were issued (86,094,394 options), with an exercise price of A$0.75 and an expiry date of 15 June 2022. The company intends to make application to the ASX to have these shares listed. These options, if converted, will add a further A$64 million to the Company's cash reserves by mid next year, prior to the final investment decision on the Kachi Project."I would like to thank shareholders for supporting the Company to establish a robust financial position as Lake progresses towards the final investment decision and construction of the flagship Kachi Lithium Brine Project next year," Lake's Managing Director, Mr. Steve Promnitz, said.The Company is now well financed for the development of the Kachi Lithium Brine Project. Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) and these activities.As reported on 19 January 2021, the Company extended its existing Controlled Placement Agreement ("CPA") with Acuity Capital to 31 January 2023. The funding amount has now been increased to $80 million to reflect the change in the Company's market value. There are no requirements on the Company to utilise the facility.Mr Promnitz said successful drilling continued at the Kachi project with the intention to upgrade and expand the resource (see ASX announcement 7 July 2021).He said the development team was being expanded to drive the Kachi project forward into large scale clean lithium production, due to the rapidly rising demand for unallocated high purity battery quality battery lithium, especially with significant ESG benefits.About Lake Resources NL

Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) is a clean lithium developer utilising clean, direct extraction technology for the development of sustainable, high purity lithium from its flagship Kachi Project, as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects are in a prime location within the Lithium Triangle, where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost.



This method will enable Lake Resources to be an efficient, responsibly-sourced, environmentally friendly and cost competitive supplier of high-purity lithium, which is readily scalable, and in demand from Tier 1 electric vehicle makers and battery makers.
Editors Note: Venue Plus continues in Case You Didnt Know, a weekly feature with fun tidbits about New Mexicans and their projects

Singing has always been a passion for Alexandra Fresquez.

The New Mexico native worked for nearly a year on her new album, Nothings Wrong But Nothings Right, which was released on Oct. 22.

Ive worked on this for quite some time, Fresquez says. Its been a journey with this album and Im really proud of what has come together.

Fresquez was born in Roswell and then moved to go to college at the University of New Mexico. After graduating, she was convinced to move to Los Angeles to give music a try.

Shes now living in New York City, where she is a registered nurse at a surgery center.

The day job helps her fund her music career.

When not working at her job, shes getting her music out to the masses via social media. Her following on YouTube is in the millions and her music was featured on MTVs Ex on the Beach and Ghosted.

I spend a lot of time deciding what kind of songs that I wanted to do because I want people to relate to my songs, she says. This is why I have a variety of songs. I tend to love sad songs, but I had to convince myself to do upbeat songs for the album.

During the process, Fresquez was also introduced to writing songs via Zoom.

That was interesting, she says with a laugh. But we were able to still collaborate with other artists.

Releasing the album was the first step in a plan for Fresquez to work on music more.

She recently went part time in her nursing job so she could begin planning more tours.

Its a tough balance because I work early in the morning as a nurse, she says. I also like staying up late. Its difficult to make myself go to bed.

Fresquez also donates a portion of proceeds to the New Mexico charity HopeWorks.

The organization provides critical services for people experiencing homelessness and near homelessness.

I hold this so close to my heart because homelessness and behavior health were my focus when I was in nursing school, she says. I did my rotations there and Ive never seen an organization do something similar. They do their best to actually prevent any of it happening.

Fresquez hopes to return to New Mexico for a concert in the near future. In the meantime, here are some things you didnt know about Fresquez:

1 I like to record in a blanket because Im always cold and it makes me more comfortable.

2 I like to run before I record because my breath control is better.

3 I have a twin who works on country music.

4 I used to cry when I watched the Grammys when I was younger because I never thought I could get out of my state of being so shy and actually go for it and do what I wanted to do.

5 Ive experienced a lot of death in my life and I never take a single day for granted which is probably why Im always so tired, lol. I truly love my life to the fullest and know that if I dont have something I want its because of my own self not anyone else. Im the only one who will ever stand in my way.
I spent the first half of 2020 in Prague, arriving just weeks before the coronavirus changed our lives. This gave me a unique opportunity to experience how well the Czech Republic responded to the pandemic, while simultaneously following from afar just how differently things were going back home.

Perhaps not surprisingly, in addition to constant coverage of the viruss accelerating spread, U.S. news organizations offered frequent, pointed criticism of the Trump administrations handling of the pandemic. What did surprise me, though, was the similar criticism I started seeing in the European press. Major news outlets in the Big Three nations  the U.K., France and Germany, our most important European allies  offered substantial coverage of American domestic COVID-19 policy and its impact in the U.S. Whats more, in addition to reporting on U.S. hot spots, caseloads and death rates, the Big Threes papers openly and regularly criticized the U.S. presidents response to the crisis. They went beyond critiques of official policies and statements, offering blunt assessments of the presidents fitness for office, questioning his character and his ability to handle a national health crisis, and analyzing the political motivations driving his administrations response. Finally, these critiques were published not only in opinion columns, but also in papers U.S. or International or Health sections. That is to say, criticism of another countrys president  specifically, an allys president  had become something that could count as news.

In order to make sense of what I was seeing, I needed first to ask and answer a number of other questions:

 Have European media criticized prior U.S. presidents? If so, did they disparage only foreign policy, or did they also critique U.S.-internal issues? Was their focus on politics, or did they also get personal?

 Has cross-Atlantic press criticism gone both ways? In other words, have U.S. papers critiqued the leaders of other democratic nations, including our allies? Are such criticisms offered as opinion or news? Do they critique foreign leaders in terms of personality or policy?

 How are the Big Three countries media covering our new president? How does their 2021 Biden reporting compare to their 2020 Trump coverage? Is it personal or policy-focused? Do Biden critiques get into our internal developments, such as fissures within our major political parties, or only those affecting Europe, as well, such as climate change, the global economy and our military withdrawal from Afghanistan?

These questions have direct relevance to our daily lives as New Mexicans and as Americans. American citizens and the American press, after all, have a long, proud, constitutionally protected tradition of publicly criticizing our own elected officials, a tradition on full display during Trumps presidency  as well as during every presidency that preceded his. Most European democracies, including our allies, have similar traditions. At the same time, more than a few of the post-Communist nations of Central Europe, which eagerly embraced democracy after the fall of the Iron Curtain, have been rapidly returning to their old ways. In places such as Hungary and Poland, restrictions on media freedoms and clampdowns on journalists  especially those who publicly criticize their own countries leaders  are among the most visible and troubling results of this return to authoritarianism.

So, as disturbing as it can be to see elements of my own country, our government and its elected officials being ravaged in the press  here and abroad, in news articles, as well as opinion columns  its a crucial sign of Americas and our allies continuing commitment to free expression. And, as jarring as it may be to see American journalists castigating those allies in Western Europe, this practice must be understood in the same light.
Being married to a New York City guy means we are always on the hunt for the best pizza  the best New York-style pizza. And what an adventure its been.

We once took a one-hour train ride from Manhattan to Coney Island so I could be introduced to the best pizza, Totonnos Pizzeria Napolitana  home of the oldest, continually run, family-owned pizzeria in America. It was everything I had imagined.

A thin, crispy and chewy crust generously blistered in the coal-fired brick oven, topped with just enough red sauce and homemade mozzarella cheese for a pizza I will never forget. Nor will I forget the two sisters, Cookie and Antoinette, third-generation owners whose cantankerous, but lovable, personalities were worth the trek. The dedication to their craft and their family legacy as pizzaiolos was palpable.

While there are ample pizza restaurants in and around Santa Fe, the New York variety is not the prevailing style. Rather, every pizza joint seems to have its own take on pizza, ranging from thick crusts to flatbread-style to other pizza interpretations.

It wasnt until we stumbled into Brunos one day at lunch, hungry for a quick slice of pizza, that I learned we have authentic, third-, fourth- and fifth-generation Italian pizza makers in northern New Mexico. Though they are multigeneration pizza-makers, this is their first commercial pizza venture.

Nestled off Paseo de Peralta between Guadalupe and Cerrillos behind two big food trucks is a hidden gem for anyone who misses a taste of New York-style pizza. This family-owned and -operated pizzeria, open only during the week for lunch, has a casual outdoor setting that features four well-worn wooden picnic tables with umbrellas where diners congregate to wait for their to-go order or to eat.

What started as a family hobby in 2015 with a food truck continues to evolve. We launched the food truck as a labor of love to share the food we eat, which is as close to New York as you can get, says Vincenzo Bruno-Marchi, third-generation patriarch and Brunos wood-fired pizza artisan.

He tells the story of how his grandfather, Giordano Bruno, a boxer whose nickname was Punchy, emigrated from Varese, Italy, to New York. Punchy worked at a pizza restaurant on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, and this was the beginning of the familys multi-generational dedication to pizza.

The family then moved to Chicago, where Punchy continued to make pizza, but struggled to find an ingredient that replicated the famous New York City water for the dough. After a lot of trial and error, Punchy added IPA beer and a few other secret ingredients and the dough was as good  if not better  than what he had produced in New York.

During the Prohibition era, the family relocated again to Salida, Colorado, and eventually landed in northern New Mexico, where they have remained. Born in 1946 at St. Vincents hospital on Palace and Paseo de Peralta, Vincenzo continues to make pizza the way his grandfather taught him and he is determined to keep the tradition alive.

The family business comprises Vincenzo at the helm; his wife, who handles the business side of things; and their daughter, who is the hostess and hustles to take care of the hungry customers. There are also two sons involved  one who operates Punchyz food truck at breweries and distilleries in Rio Rancho and Albuquerque at night and on the weekends, and another who helps out during the weekends when needed. There are times when there are seven or eight of us working during busy weekends at festivals and events, Vincenzo says proudly.

Even though their New York connections are long gone, they pride themselves on sourcing many of their essential ingredients from The Big Apple. This includes pizza flours, a New York-style cheese blend, ricotta and Chianti-infused sun-dried tomatoes. Everything else, they make from scratch using family recipes.

The kitchen is an outdoor tent where the Italian, woodburning Valoriani pizza oven sits on a trailer so that its prepped and ready during the week, and ready to roll at night and on the weekends. Using only oak wood, Vincenzo gets the fire flaming to an impressive 900 degrees, which is how the pizza crust attains the gorgeous blackened edges and cooks in 90 seconds. Quick on his feet, this septuagenarian is constantly on the run as he dashes to and from the kitchen carrying hot slices of pizza on paper plates or whole pies in big pizza boxes to customers.

Over several visits, we tried the lunch specials  a gigantic slice of pizza for $5 and the $7 special that includes a frozen lemon granita. These huge slices come from a pre-made 20-inch cheese pizza with your choice of toppings added before it goes back into the oven to reheat it to a bubbly perfection. We also ordered the $10 lunch special, an 8-inch individual margarita pizza made in the familys Neopolitan style, which also comes with a frozen lemon granita, as well as a mini cannoli. Though the pizza size is perfect for one, we found the crust entirely too thick and doughy for our thin-crust, New York pizza taste.

If you want more than a slice, the menu offers plenty of combinations of toppings, as well as vegan and gluten-free crust options. Or, let Vincenzo make you a custom pie just the way you want it. We were so smitten that we returned for a gigantic 20-inch sausage #3 pie ($34.75) that easily feeds a group, with leftovers for breakfast the next day.

With three salads on the menu, my dining companions and I easily committed to Caesar salad. Made with crispy hearts of romaine and topped with shredded Parmesan, croutons and big anchovies, the dressing is served on the side. The large $8 salad was generous enough for three people and good, but dimmed in brilliance when compared to the stellar pizza. For those who want to eat on the go, try the $16 stromboli and calzones, which come with an arugula salad.

If you need something sweet after a savory, cheesy pizza, the cannolis are the real deal. Stuffed with ricotta cheese, sugar and cinnamon, each single-serving mini cannoli is sprinkled with powdered sugar and is a terrific two-bite treat.

Each day, the familys goal is to replicate traditional New York-style pizza in Punchys honor. Knowing that the upcoming generation, 5-year-old Gianni, is already learning to throw skins (thats Italian for tossing dough in the air), means we can rest easy and trust that the family legacy will continue to feed future generations of New York pizza lovers in northern New Mexico.
When Karen Coates and Jerry Redfern start a project, theyre in it for the long haul.

The two New Mexico residents have taken home accolades for their documentary, Eternal Harvest, at the Tallgrass Film Festival, where it was awarded outstanding documentary. The filmmakers are planning to submit it to New Mexico film festivals.

The film took more than seven years and two trips to Laos to complete.

Its been a lot of work, Redfern says. The basic process of film festivals is so different. We have to get the film format ready with captions or no captions. We live in a spot with bad internet and theres always something happening.

Eternal Harvest uncovers the deadly legacy of unexploded bombs remaining in Laos half a century after the United States dropped them.

It is historys largest bombing campaign and many Americans today know nothing about it.

The film is produced by New Mexico-based Redcoates Studios.

Coates says the film raises key questions about how U.S. post-war foreign policy should be shaped.

Between 1964 and 1973, in an offshoot of the Vietnam War, U.S. forces dumped more than 4 billion pounds of bombs on the tiny country of Laos.

When the last U.S. planes departed, more than 80 million unexploded bombs remained in the ground.

Theyre still there  a danger to millions of civilians in a country where 75% of the population works in farming.

Old U.S. ordnance has killed and injured more than 20,000 Laotians since the bombings ended decades ago, and accidents still happen every week.

The film underscores the critical need for more clearance funding, Coates says. While the U.S. spent more than $50 billion bombing Laos, it has spent only $300 million to clean it up.

Coates and Redfern decided to open the film with archival war footage and stories of survivors, including a young girl named Zua Pa, who watched her sister die in a bomb accident in 2017.

Audiences learn of the incredible efforts of clearance teams that scour the land, inch by inch, searching for bombs. Only one American, a retired school principal from Wisconsin named Jim Harris, returns to Laos year after year to remove and destroy ordnance. The film follows his team through remote regions of Laos near the Vietnam border.

In 2016, when President Obama visited Laos, he announced a historic increase in funding for the country  $90 million over three years.

Yet, that is only a tiny fraction of what is needed to make the land safe, he says.

Coates wants to keep a focus on the subject because its one thats not talked about.

Every time we tell Americans about this story, they are flabbergasted, she says. There has to be change and we hope the film will help bring attention to the problem and help find some answers.

Online

To learn more about Eternal Harvest, visit To learn more about Eternal Harvest, visit eternalharvestfilm.com

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQJournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
So, what happens when you hand a massive Marvel Comics Universe movie to a brilliant maker of small-scale, meditative independent movies? Something different, it turns out  not always in a good way, but definitely something fresh, and maybe thats what the MCU needs right now. Chloe Zhaos Eternals has its flaws; in a nutshell, its too long (very few movies, superhero or otherwise, can justify breaking the 2.5-hour mark), its got some pretty slow spots midfilm and its desperately in need of a bit more wit.

Maybe its hard to have much of a sense of fun when youve been around for thousands of years, as this movies main characters have. But what it does have is a palpable, artful mood; this is a movie full of superheroes who spend time thinking and feeling, and of special effects that arent just zippy but often delicately elegant. If thats not a phrase youve heard applied to a comic-book movie before  well, like I said, this ones a little different.

A more-or-less stand-alone MCU installment (with a few in-jokes for the hardcore fans, who should definitely stick around for two post-credit scenes about which Ill breathe not a whit), Eternals takes place in multiple time periods. It unfolds simultaneously in the present, in which a far-flung band must reunite when alien predators called Deviants begin to attack humanity, and throughout the past, as we revisit numerous key moments in the groups history. And its a very long history: 7,000 years.

Essentially, the Eternals are immortal aliens, living among humans  like vampires, but minus the biting and plus a strong social conscience  and charged with protecting the world. There are 10 of them, all new to MCU movies and all with their own special powers. Its a remarkable group for a superhero movie in that they look like all of us: diverse in gender (this is the first Marvel movie with an equal number of male and female heroes), race, age, sexuality, nationality and ability. (Not that they really look like all of us. Any group fronted by the likes of Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Richard Madden has an obvious extra superpower: bone structure.)

Zhao brings a creative eye to the action sequences: I loved an early London scene in which a red bus suddenly becomes reduced to crimson confetti, floating like leaves in an autumn wind. The Deviants look like enormous lizards whose very skin seems to be dangerously fraying; theyre both fanciful and menacing (pity most of the scenes theyre in are so murky, though). The golden, runelike figures that elaborately encircle the Eternals as they don their warrior garb are poetry in motion.

And its fun getting to know this crowd and seeing their personalities and back stories slowly emerge: the on-and-off love affair between Chans soulful Sersi and Maddens more mercurial Ikarus; wisecracking Kingo (a delightful Kumail Nanjiani, this movies not-so-secret comedy weapon), whos been living as a Bollywood star; childlike Sprite (Lia McHugh), who appropriately has a Peter Pan-ish haircut; warrior Thena (Jolie), who moves with balletic grace; cerebral Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), whose mind we can see as it sketches visions in the air.

For all the nuance that Zhao brings, Eternals is still a superhero movie, with all the pleasures and limitations of that genre. The screenplay, credited to four writers, has some flat spots and awkward dialogue, and theres a lot of superhero-ish standing around, with the Eternals posing in their beautiful warrior outfits like theyre shooting an album cover. Its a long sit, but a day later I find myself still thinking about Chans quiet, mesmerizing presence at the films center, and how Zhao had the confidence to let that performance speak so softly. Its a different kind of superhero movie; not to everyones taste, but made for us all.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A year ago, Phoebe Behrmanns family had a quarantine Christmas.

But her parents can now plan something more festive.

Phoebe, who is 5 and medically fragile, is set to get a child-sized dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this month, opening up the possibility of holiday celebrations with extended family.

To have this tool to protect her feels huge to us, her mom, Kelsey Krause, said in an interview Thursday.

The Albuquerque family has been eagerly awaiting the vaccine expansion to 5- to 11-year-olds, and they immediately booked an appointment for Phoebe this week.

But leading pediatricians in Albuquerque say the vaccine is worthwhile for other kids, not just children with underlying medical conditions.

Alexandra Cvijanovich, a pediatrician in Albuquerque for Presbyterian Healthcare Services and president of the New Mexico Pediatric Society, said parents can be reassured by the robust evidence showing the Pfizer vaccine is safe for children 5 to 11.

Hundreds of millions of people have safely taken the adult-size vaccine doses, she said, and research demonstrates the smaller doses for children are safe and effective.

Im glad that well be able to provide some protection to this age group, Cvijanovich said, especially with the holidays coming up.

The state Department of Health expects to receive about 90,000 of the kid-size vaccines over the next week. Some doses have already arrived and appointments are opening up.

Pediatricians and state health officials have said vaccinating children 5 to 11 is a priority to help limit spread of the disease and protect kids. New Mexico is home to about 188,000 children 5 to 11.

Individuals under 18 have made up about one-fourth of all COVID-19 infections in the state over the past month.

Kids generally dont end up as sick as adults with COVID-19, doctors said, but New Mexico has had five pediatric deaths and 299 pediatric hospitalizations during the pandemic.

Pediatricians who spoke with the Journal on Thursday also mentioned the potential long-haul symptoms of COVID-19 for kids and the risk of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Walter Dehority, a doctor who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of New Mexico Hospital, said children were shielded from COVID-19 early on amid school shutdowns and other measures.

Kids have started to emerge from that quarantine, he said. Youre seeing rates of COVID go up in children. Were seeing serious complications, such as MIS-C and heart problems.

The risk of a vaccine complication, he said, is far lower than the risks associated with COVID-19.

The vaccination push comes as New Mexico endures some of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the country.

The state ranks No. 8 for cases per person over the past week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The Department of Health on Thursday reported:

 460 patients hospitalized in New Mexico with the disease, the most in nine months.

 More than 1,600 new infections, including 333 in Bernalillo County and 287 in San Juan County.

 16 fatalities, pushing the statewide death toll to 5,101 residents. Over the past month, people who are not fully vaccinated made up 90% of deaths.

John Pederson, a doctor and the childrens program medical director at Presbyterian, said vaccinating children 5 to 11 is an important step toward ending the pandemic.

School-age kids have more trouble adhering to masking and social-distancing requirements, he said, and they are a group that really can spread (infections) to each other and to the rest of the community.

But the vaccines, he said, are also good for the children themselves.

Kids feel like theyve been helpless throughout this time, Pederson said. This gives them an opportunity to be part of our solution.

As for Phoebe, her parents have been extra cautious throughout the pandemic. She is particularly vulnerable after multiple heart surgeries, among other medical complications stemming from an extremely premature birth.

The idea of her getting COVID-19, Krause said, is absolutely terrifying.

A year ago, the family stuck with an in-person Christmas just for members of the household, but Krause said she expects a real Christmas with other family members this year.

Vaccinating Phoebe, she said, will absolutely give us a sense of freedom to be able to take her fun places and be around other people without the nagging fear.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The city has secured a key approval needed to operate an overnight shelter at the old Lovelace hospital on Gibson, a milestone for a project intended to aid Albuquerques growing homeless population.

A zoning hearing examiner this week granted the conditional use required for the emergency shelter operation at the Southeast Albuquerque site. While some who live nearby fought the citys application, zoning hearing examiner Robert Lucero found that the city gave sound justification that its plan complied with relevant provisions of the Integrated Development Ordinance.

We have cleared another hurdle to make the Gateway Center a reality  to meet the need for resources and assistance for the unhoused in our city, Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement, also alluding to the $14 million in project bond money voters approved two years ago. Voters gave us a clear mandate to step up for the unhoused and we are seeing it through.

Kellers administration has for years worked toward what its called a 24/7 Gateway Center homeless shelter and services hub, and in April finally closed on the $15 million purchase of a site: the old Lovelace hospital on Gibson, near San Mateo.

City officials say they plan to use only a portion of the 572,000-square-foot facility as a shelter, since there are already existing on-site tenants, and plans to incorporate additional service providers. The emergency shelter would provide beds for up to 100 individuals and 25 families at a time, the city says, and help link them to programs and resources en route to more stable housing.

But neighbors have objected to the scope, airing concerns that the project would negatively impact their area. During a pair of hearings with Lucero earlier this fall, critics said more social-service providers are clustered in Southeast Albuquerque than other parts of town and it was problematic to add a new shelter.

Lucero rejected that argument. In his decision memo, he wrote that the citys comprehensive plan does not require distributing such land uses equally but rather equitably, an approach that means assessing the different needs that people and places have and prioritizing resources and efforts to address them in the order of urgency that best matches those needs to move toward equality over time.

The city, he wrote, has shown its efforts to locate its proposed overnight shelter carefully and equitably in an area of need surrounded by social and governmental assets and that its operations will benefit not only people suffering homelessness in the immediate area, but in the community as a whole.

Opponents can still appeal, and one nearby neighborhood association president  Rachel Conger Baca of Siesta Hills  said some associations are meeting to discuss that possibility.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday shes energized about New Mexicos role in addressing climate change and optimistic about steps businesses are taking to address the issue, after spending this week in Glasgow, Scotland, for a United Nations conference.

Lujan Grisham has played an active role in the climate conference, speaking during several events and moderating a panel discussion with leaders from other states.

She also received praise from President Joe Bidens top climate adviser, who said proposed methane emission rules announced by the federal Environmental Protection Agency this week were based on similar greenhouse gas rules enacted in New Mexico.

However, the governor still faces a balancing act back home in the nations second-highest oil producing state, as youthful advocates for addressing climate change have blasted Lujan Grisham for not moving fast enough, and some fossil fuel advocates have accused her of hypocrisy for traveling to Scotland by airplane.

In a Thursday interview from Glasgow, the Democratic governor said laying the groundwork for a cleaner future takes time.

You cant just turn on a switch  there is a transition, Lujan Grisham told the Journal. I cant make all the infrastructure overnight.

But she insisted New Mexico is on the right track to meet future demands for more electricity while phasing out coal-powered energy generation and imposing new renewable energy mandates.

People around the globe are looking at what were doing, the governor said.

Lujan Grisham traveled to Scotland for the United Nations Climate Change Conference with a delegation that included state Environment Secretary James Kenney, Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst, according to the Governors Office.

While the trip is official state business, Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Nora Meyers Sackett said the travel costs are being paid for by the Climate Registry, a nonprofit group with a vision to make global warming history, according to its website.

Since taking office in 2019, Lujan Grisham has ordered the state to join a national coalition seeking to combat the effects of climate change and banned routine venting and flaring of natural gas.

She also signed into law the state Energy Transition Act in 2019, which requires the Public Service Company of New Mexico and public utilities to shift to carbon-free energy generation by 2045.

Going forward, Lujan Grisham has called on the Legislature to pass bills dealing with clean fuel standards, a legal framework for hydrogen energy development and mandating net-zero carbon emissions across every sector of the states economy by 2050.

Those bills will all be part of the governors agenda for the 30-day legislative session that starts in January, Sackett said Thursday.

However, the Lujan Grisham administration has also worked with fossil fuel industry leaders on several bills and the governor recently spoke at the New Mexico Oil and Gas Associations annual meeting.

That prompted a protest outside the downtown Santa Fe hotel where the event was occurring, with some advocates holding signs asking the governor: Which side are you on?

Meanwhile, Larry Behrens, a spokesman for Power the Future, a group that has opposed renewable energy mandates, questioned why the governor and other members of the New Mexico delegation did not participate in the conference remotely given high gas costs.

Lujan Grisham, who is running for reelection next year, has defended her administrations handling of energy issues while acknowledging New Mexicos unique standing as both a top oil-producer and a state that had one of the nations largest increases in renewable energy production over the last decade.

While the governor acknowledged she has work to do to sell her agenda to New Mexico lawmakers, her administrations policies aimed at greenhouse gas emissions appear to have won admirers in Washington, D.C.

During a Tuesday panel discussion at the Scotland climate change conference, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy acknowledged the Environmental Protection Agency had followed New Mexicos lead in proposing the national methane emission regulations.

We did it because its the right thing to do, because you tested it and because the technologies are available and its cost effective, McCarthy said, referring to Lujan Grisham.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The disarmament of the New Mexico state Capitol wont happen overnight.

But top legislative staffers are already working quickly to implement a new policy approved this week that will, starting next month, ban firearms from the Roundhouse for everyone except law enforcement officers and military members.

Legislative Council Service Director Raul Burciaga said money to pay for the policys implementation will likely come out of both an appropriations bill passed during this years 60-day legislative session and similar bills passed in upcoming sessions  a special session on redistricting set to begin Dec. 6 and a 30-day session that will start in January.

He also said the policy will likely require hiring additional staffers and outside security personnel, but added he did not have an estimate for the total cost of implementation.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, who proposed the policy change, said during an interview the timing was intentional and aimed at ensuring firearms are not allowed in the Roundhouse for the two upcoming sessions.

This years 60-day session was conducted while the state Capitol was off-limits to lobbyists and members of the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Security fencing was also erected outside the building due to threats made after the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington.

It just felt like the time was right, Wirth told the Journal.

He also said hes hopeful the policy does not alter the character of the Roundhouse, which frequently welcomes tourists and school groups, but acknowledged it marks a significant change.

In some senses, its sad we have to be in this place, Wirth said. But its one of the realities of the times we live in.

The move to ban guns and other deadly weapons  including switchblades, bowie knives and brass knuckles  from the Roundhouse was approved by a group of top-ranking lawmakers despite opposition from minority Republicans.

Several GOP lawmakers said the gun-free Roundhouse policy would prevent female legislators with concealed carry permits from defending themselves.

State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce described the change as a violation of New Mexicans constitutional rights, even though courthouses and other government buildings already bar the carrying of firearms.

People have a right to protect themselves, and progressives in Santa Fe are again ignoring the rights and freedoms of citizens, Pearce said.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the Democrat declined to comment on the policy, saying, Its the Legislatures building to run and well defer to their prerogative.
The teachers union in New Mexicos largest city will have fewer friends on the school board next year after three board candidates won Tuesdays election without union support.

Unofficial election results indicate three out of four school board seats were won by candidates funded by business groups, not the teachers union.

Theres going to be a new dynamic on the board. We will see if the board is split on important issues, especially those issues that have to do with the interests of their employees, said Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein.

Albuquerque Public Schools is the largest district in the state, serving around 74,000 students, about 20% of the children in New Mexico. It operates a $1.6 billion budget and a full-time staff of around 12,600 workers.

Elections across the state Tuesday determined school board races and mayoral contests. Voters in most towns approved property taxes and bonds to pay for schools, including some $630 million for APS.

The non-union candidates received funding from business groups, including NAIOP the Commercial Real Estate Development Association and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. The races are nonpartisan.

The board of education should be the kids union, said Republican Courtney Jackson, a stay-at-home mother and school PTA leader.

Jackson said teacher interests are important, but was incensed by school board meetings this spring that downplayed student needs and delayed school reopenings. Their interests were not brought up once, even after the state  said it was safe to go back to school, she said.

Business groups played a large role in helping such candidates as Jackson, while state GOP involvement was minimal. Democrat Danielle Gonzales, a nonprofit manager, relied on the same groups. As did Crystal Tapia-Romero, a child care center owner who is not registered with a political party.

NAIOP has been wonderful with me. The teachers union, not so much, Tapia-Romero said. But I look forward to working with them.

One union candidate did win: Democrat Josefina Dominguez, a retired teacher. She attributed the losses of her colleagues to a change in election timing that allowed for more turnout, as well as an influx of money from such groups as NAIOP.

I take the long-term look. I think, in the end, more participation is good. In this particular case, it costs the union its slate, Dominguez said.

NAIOP says members wouldnt have gotten involved if not for a frustrating pandemic school year and a corruption scandal involving a state legislator and school administrator.

They all had kids in public school here. So, it was just wanting more transparency, wanting more strategic goals, wanting  more ability to have a voice as a parent, said New Mexico NAIOP President Lynne Andersen.

Andersen and Dominguez share a common idea for sweeping education reform: Both want to see trade apprenticeships become more common in an education system they believe has focused almost exclusively on college preparation.

We, as a nation, I think tend to denigrate the trades. And I think its a disservice to our kids, Andersen said.

The placing of students with the trades to learn plumbing or electrical work, or, you know, carpentry, I would love to see that expanded to our neighborhood schools, Dominguez said.
About three weeks ago, I was driving to work and came to a stop at Fourth and Lomas. Suddenly, I noticed a man on the southeast corner. He was a large and very naked man, waving to motorists. I seriously thought I had suffered a stroke and I suspect there were many other motorists who questioned their own mental faculties.

A few days later, I pulled up to the security gate at my courthouse at 8 a.m. and saw another man passed out on the cold, hard sidewalk next to the gate. He had nothing underneath him and was half-covered with a sleeping bag.

Is this the new normal for Albuquerque? Sadly enough, it is. Many people have witnessed similar disturbing situations, including outright criminal behavior, involving chronic substance abusers and/or mentally ill people throughout our city.

It is not as though our community did not have fair warning of what was coming our way. This did not happen overnight. From my unique vantage point as a judge, I saw the harbingers that foreshadowed Albuquerques future.

I began my judicial career in May 2003 on the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. I handled what were called weekend arraignments. I presided over these hearings for many years. Each Saturday morning, I handled upward of 100 misdemeanor cases and a handful of felony cases. Most of these people were in custody. Most had been arrested on outstanding warrants, could not post bond and had been in jail for several days. Most of these people were chronic substance abusers, many were mentally ill  and all needed intervention and treatment.

The lawyers generally would enter guilty pleas on behalf of their clients, and I would give the defendants credit for time served and release them. These primarily were the people who made up the revolving door of justice, as it was coined. Officers and deputies were repeatedly arresting the same people for petty crimes, such as shoplifting and disturbing the peace.

As a judge, I could not justify long jail sentences for chronic offenders pleading guilty to petty misdemeanors. Also, the jail was never meant to serve as a detox and treatment center. Finally, Bernalillo County judges were under pressure to release inmates from custody because overcrowding was violating an agreement called the Duran Consent Decree. Aside from the jail, there really were no other resources with which to address the problems caused by these repeat offenders.

As the years continued, the number of misdemeanor arraignment cases remained at a high rate and, ominously, the felony arraignment cases began to increase. Serious crime in Albuquerque was rising, much of it caused by narcotics. Not coincidentally, the use of crack and meth began to skyrocket, along with the perennial favorites of addicts  heroin and cocaine.

The quality of life in our city took a serious hit.

Which brings us to today. What is the solution? There is an old saying: If you walk a mile into the woods, it will take you a mile to walk out. Clearly, there is no immediate fix, but we need to begin the journey out of this sad state of affairs now.

Years ago, and with great foresight, trial court judges across New Mexico began developing and staffing specialty courts that focused on repeat offenders with chronic substance abuse and mental problems. These courts were, and remain, remarkable for their reduction in recidivism among participants. But these courts can accept only a limited number of people and actually reach only a small percentage of those who need help. Clearly, judges need sufficient resources with which to order detainment, intensive treatment and follow-up supervision, tools which our specialty courts have proven are very effective.

Bernalillo County desperately needs a detox and treatment center capable of detaining and treating up to several hundred substance abusers and mentally ill people. Our elected leaders need to seriously consider the funding, building and staffing of such a facility.

Once and for all, judges, police officers, prosecutors and public defenders, pretrial service officers and probation officers all need to be given the necessary resources to do their jobs. If we fail to address the interconnected issues of crime, mental illness and substance abuse, we will never see a reduction in the crime rate or in the suffering of so many addicts, alcoholics and mentally ill people in Bernalillo County. There is a way out of the woods.

I wish everyone a happy, safe and blessed Thanksgiving and holiday season.

Judge Daniel E. Ramczyk is a judge of the Second Judicial District Court. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the judge individually and not those of the court.
Instagram Celebrity

The Migos rapper has to pay a car rental company in Los Angeles $950,000 after the hip-hop artist failed to return the luxurious vehicle he rented last year.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Offset has been ordered to pay $950,000 (695,348) in a lawsuit over a missing Bentley.

Bosses at Platinum Transportation Group in Los Angeles took legal action against the Migos rapper over the disappearance of the luxury motor, which he rented last year (20).

According to legal documents, PTG executives claim they drew up a contract with Offset in May and rented him a 2020 Bentley Bentayga for a couple of days. This term was extended until late July.

But early that month, Offset told PTG he no longer had the car in his possession.

Company bosses also claim Offset stopped making payments on the car after his lease was up on 25 July, despite failing to return the vehicle, and filed a police report.

Now, a judge has signed off on damages of $950,027.35 (695,486.71) after PTG filed a default against the rapper. A default usually means the defendant didn't respond to the lawsuit or challenge it in court, but it remains unclear why Offset allowed the case to go this way.

Before the Bentley drama, Offset gifted his wife Cardi B a luxury Rolls-Royce, featuring their daughter's name, Kulture, embroidered on the seats, for her 28th birthday.

Cardi later returned the favor for the rapper's 29th birthday. The "WAP" hitmaker presented him with a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, valued at more than half a million dollars, as his birthday gift.
Instagram Celebrity

The reality TV star fears 'another unhealthy pregnancy' following a doctor visit as she is expecting a new addition to her growing family with husband Tim Rosenman.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - "The Hills" star Whitney Port is expecting her second child after previously suffering three miscarriages, but fears this pregnancy could be "another unhealthy" one.

The reality star has revealed she's seven weeks along in an emotional video she posted on social media, explaining she is reeling from bad news following a visit to her doctor.

"I am currently seven weeks pregnant, which is supposed to be obviously be really exciting and it has been, up until yesterday (sic)," Whitney says, as she sits beside her husband, Tim Rosenman.

"I have been going to the doctor and monitoring it because of my history with miscarriages... And everything was looking good up until yesterday. I went to the doctor and he did an ultrasound, and at first he was like, 'Scooch down a little bit', like he couldn't see what he thought. He thought maybe it was just a positioning thing, and then he looked a little bit deeper and whatever was happening in there was not where it was supposed to be, given the week that I'm out."

"He said that he was pessimistic about this pregnancy and that he told me to get blood drawn so I would, I will get blood results back today and see if numbers are going up or going down. He thinks they'll likely be going down and then he is having me come in for another ultrasound on Monday."

She adds the pregnancy is likely "another unhealthy" one, but she felt the need to share the news with followers because "it's such a huge part of our lives right now and it affects everything, like physically and mentally and everything that we do."

"It just felt like an opportunity to just share it because I couldn't just sit here and go on with my life and not share it, and I know that there's likely so many people out there that have had to deal with this."

Whitney adds, "I feel... extremely grateful for (four-year-old son) Sonny, for the fact that we have Sonny and we have each other, that everything else is extremely wonderful (sic)."

Tim then comforted his wife and added, "I understand all your feelings, I don't want to try and talk you out of any of them... We'll figure out how we add to our family and what that looks like when the time is right."

The video ends on an upbeat with Whitney offering an update, stating, "We went today to the doctor and the doctor actually saw an embryo and a heartbeat, which was something we were not expecting. I was living like this weekend... as though today he was probably going to tell us it was over."

"But we wanted to keep you posted just because, I think for both of us, we feel like keeping this a secret feels weird and wrong. Sharing this with you just feels right. It is still very much touch and go, we'll have another ultrasound next week, but as you all know we're in the first trimester and during the first trimester anything can happen."
WENN Celebrity

The new rumored lovebirds have followed up their secret rooftop dinner in his hometown of Staten Island with another date in his favorite spot in Manhattan, New York.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson have further fuelled romance rumours by enjoying a second date night in New York.

The couple was spotted out at one of Davidson's favourite haunts in his native Staten Island on Tuesday (02Nov21), and on Wednesday they met up again at Manhattan private members' club Zero Bond.

They were both with friends, including Kim's longtime pal Jonathan Cheban, and dined together, according to the New York Post.

The night before, the low-key couple enjoyed a dinner date on the rooftop of Campania's in Staten Island.

Dating rumours have been rife ever since Kardashian and Davidson were spotted holding hands on a rollercoaster ride during a trip to Knott's Scary Farm in Buena Park, California on Friday (29Oct21).

The odd couple played lovers in an Aladdin spoof during Kim's stint as "Saturday Night Live" host earlier this month (Oct21), and even shared a kiss.

She is currently divorcing her estranged husband, Kanye West while Davidson is newly single after splitting from "Bridgerton" star Phoebe Dynevor in August. He has also dated Ariana Grande, Kaia Gerber, Kate Beckinsale, and Margaret Qualley.

Meanwhile, Kim's estranged husband Kanye West was previously romantically linked to Irina Shayk following his split from the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star.

Kim stayed at the family house in Los Angeles with her four kids while Kanye moved out. He spent majority of his time in Wyoming during the making of his new album
WENN Celebrity

The Duke of Sussex is expected to speak out against 'media propaganda' and sit down for a discussion about 'the real cost of a lie on the internet' in an upcoming event.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Prince Harry will speak out against "media propaganda" at an online summit organised by Wired magazine.

The royal will address the event on 9 November (21) alongside Renee DiResta, who is a technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, and Rashad Robinson, co-chair of the Aspen Commission on Information Disorder and president at Color Of Change, during a session titled "The Internet Lie Machine".

Details for the discussion state, "What is the real cost of a lie on the internet - to ourselves, our communities, our societies?"

"As social media algorithms reward shock value over reality, as the line between fact and fiction weakens every day, as media propaganda and online hatred run rampant, we must ask: how did we get here and how do we get out of this mess?"

"We'll hear from an expert authority on the rise of digital propaganda, a foremost civil rights advocate who understands the collision between misinformation and racial justice, and a global leader who is taking on misinformation in pursuit of a new era of truth."

On the same day, Harry's wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex - with whom he has children Archie, two, and Lilibet, four months - will address another online conference.

The former "Suits" actress will join the discussion from the New York Times to discuss what the daily newspaper describes as "women reaching economic and professional parity."

It is not known how much the couple - who stepped back from royal duties last year - will be paid for their speeches, but it was previously reported in a leaked document from experts that the pair could "earn up to $1 million (730,000)" for each public appearance.
WENN/Instagram Celebrity

Michael Douglas issues a statement after his late father has been revealed as the actor who sexually assaulted the 'West Side Story' actress when she was young.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Natalie Wood's sister has named Kirk Douglas as the man who sexually assaulted the actress when she was a teenager in her new memoir.

The story of the "West Side Story" star's encounter with a movie star twice her age has been rumbling around Hollywood for years but the assailant has never been identified - until now.

In "Little Sister", which comes out next week (beg08Nov21), Wood's younger sister, Lana, writes, "I remember that Natalie looked especially beautiful when Mom and I dropped her off that night at the Chateau Marmont (hotel) entrance."

"It seemed like a long time passed before Natalie got back into the car and woke me up when she slammed the door shut. She looked awful. She was very disheveled and very upset, and she and Mom started urgently whispering to each other. I couldn't really hear them or make out what they were saying. Something bad had apparently happened to my sister, but whatever it was, I was apparently too young to be told about it."

Lana alleges the incident took place in 1955 while Natalie was filming "The Searchers".

Years later, Natalie described being taken into Douglas' hotel room and told her sister, "He hurt me Lana."

Lana recalls her sister telling her "it was like an out-of-body experience," adding she was "terrified" and "confused."

She recalls her sister and their mother agreeing it would ruin Natalie's career to publicly accuse Douglas, telling the young actress to "suck it up."

Lana explains she promised her sister not to discuss the assault by Douglas, but his death last year, at the age of 103, and things like the #MeToo movement made her feel compelled to tell the story.

"With no one still around to protect, I'm sure (Natalie) she'll forgive me for finally breaking that promise."

Douglas' son, actor Michael Douglas, has released a simple statement through his publicist which reads, "May they both rest in peace."

Kirk Douglas recalled meeting Wood in his 1988 memoir, "The Ragman's Son", explaining she ran up to him while he was stopped at a red light on his way home one night, calling her "a pretty little girl wearing a suede jacket."

She asked him to sign an item of clothing.

"As I obliged, the woman who was driving got out and introduced her: 'This is my daughter. She's in movies, too. Her name is Natalie Wood.' That was the first time I met Natalie. I saw her many times afterward, before she died in that cruel accident."

Wood drowned in a boating accident near Catalina Island off the coast of California in November, 1981. She was 43.
Instagram TV

Things got nasty between the 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' co-stars after Sutton claims that she has to hire a full-time security team after Erika threatens her and her family.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Erika Jayne and Sutton Stracke went at it again in the fourth and final installment of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" reunion. Airing on Thursday, November 4, the episode saw the co-stars throwing insults at each other.

Things got nasty between Erika and Sutton after the latter claimed that she had to hire a full-time security team after Erika threatened her and her family. After taking digs at each other during the reunion, Erika called Sutton "b***hy f**king c**t."

"It felt like you were being a b***hy f**king c**t. OK? That's what it felt like," Erika told Sutton when they rehashed their fight at Kathy Hilton's dinner from this season. "That you could not understand the position I'm in and you kept pushing and pushing and worrying about yourself. And that's not what needed to happen."

At the party, Sutton and Erika fought after the former accused Erika of lying about her involvement in her estranged husband Tom Girardi's alleged embezzlement scandal.

Back to the reunion, Sutton admitted to feeling worried that she would get the negative impact of being associated with Erika amid the scandal. The boutique owner later criticized Erika and Tom, who allegedly embezzled settlement money which was supposedly for the orphans, widows, burn victims and more to cover Erika's lavish life style.

"I wasn't seeing you worried about the victims at all," Sutton acused. To that, Erika responded, "You don't know that. You're assuming that. What would I have needed to do?"

Elsewhere in the episode, Sutton confronted Erika for "pretending" to be her friend during a group trip to Del Mar, Calif. "I actually thought that you were being sincere. And you know what that is? Lying," Sutton said. Erika quickly fired back, "No, that's actually just playing your a**."

Erika filed for divorce from Tom in November 2020. The Bravo personality was later accused of protecting her assests from Tom's alleged victims by filing the divorce. The lawyer, meanwhile, is currently living in an assisted living facility and is under a conservatorship overseen by his brother, Robert.
WENN/Nicky Nelson/Instar Celebrity

'The Real Housewives of New York City' alum doubles down on a theory about the 'Saturday Night Live' cast member's genital size as saying that he 'shoots diamonds out of his penis.'

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Bethenny Frankel has brought up an old rumor about Pete Davidson's manhood size following reports of his rumored romance with Kim Kardashian. Taking to her social media platform, "The Real Housewives of New York City" alum made a comment on the comedian's private parts.

On Wednesday, November 3, the Bravo star tweeted, "Years later, I still maintain that Pete Davidson shoots diamonds out of his penis." She added, "[Pete] needs a deal with @ZalesJewelers (and yes he is talented, charming, smart & cute) but his game is tight."

Many Twitter users replied to her tweet with one saying, "He's just funny with a huge c**k- any dude with these attributes will thrive." In the meantime, a separate person wrote, "I feel like every other famous/wealthy man just cannot be funny at all, because he's really dating the most stunning, powerful, famous women- just because he can make them laugh."

Previously, a fan had asked Ariana Grande, when she dated Pete, about his "big d**k energy." Referring to a song named after the "Saturday Night Live" cast member, the question read, "How long is Pete?" In response, "The Voice" judge replied and later deleted, "Like 10 inches? oh f**ki meanlike a lil over a minute."

More recently, Chrissy Teigen also said that Pete's "big d**k energy" might have played a role in his reported relationship with the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum. "It's definitely a thing, for sure," the "Chrissy's Court" star stated, noting that it was "probably" a factor for Kim.

When Chrissy was asked about "Pete Davidson for Kim," the 35-year-old model responded, "Everybody's asking me! I have no idea," adding that she didn't "know either way" if Pete and Kim were or were not dating. However, she said that the comedian is "good for" the reality TV star.

"Funny guys do a lot," Chrissy shared. The wife of John Legend then praised her husband as saying, "Look at John -- he's hysterical." The 42-year-old musician agreed with her statement, adding, "I'm hysterical. Who wouldn't want to be in love with a funny guy." After the cameraman suggested that "humor is the way to a girl's heart," she added, "Yes, that's what John knows best."

Kim and Pete reportedly spent a week together when she hosted "Saturday Night Live" back in October. In a skit, the SKIMS founder also shared a lingering kiss with "The King of Staten Island" actor.

In a separate sighting, Kim and Pete were spotted holding hands at a Halloween event in California. However, sources shut down the romance reports, stressing that the two are "just friends," who hang out in the same circles.

Then on Tuesday, November 2, Kim reportedly came to Campania restaurant in Pete's native Staten Island for a quiet date night. A source spilled, "Pete arranged a dinner on the rooftop privately. It was just the two of them. They quietly were able to sneak in and out."
Instagram Celebrity

The 'Riverdale' actor's flirty Instagram comment arrives amid rumors that the 23-year-old actress and her 'Outer Banks' co-star call it quits after dating for more than a year.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Ross Butler seemingly doesn't waste time to shoot his shots with Madelyn Cline. The "13 Reasons Why" alum got flirty with Madelyn Cline in a comment underneath the latter's new Instagram post.

In the said post, the 23-year-old "Outer Banks" actress could be seen looking for some cover pictures for The Hollywood Reporter. She donned a leather jacket while shaking her beautiful blonde hair in one of the pics. "NEXT GEN," so she captioned the post.

Ross apparently could not help but gush over the actress. He made sure that everyone knew that he was left speechless by the snaps as he left a pair of emojis, including a hot sweating face emoji and a drooling emoji.

The flirty comment arrived after it was reported that Madelyn and Chase Stokes called it quits after dating for more than a year. "Madelyn and Chase are no longer together... They were trying to work things out privately but broke up a couple of months ago," a source claimed earlier this month. Another source added, "They are definitely broken up."

The rumors of their split first sparked in October, when Ross and Madelyn were photographed getting cozy in a restaurant in Milan. In a video published by TMZ, the stars could be seen affectionately dancing together inside CERA restaurant. In one moment, she was casually twirled by the "Riverdale" actor.

They were also seen leaving a Halloween party in Bel Air together. Prior to that, the pair were spotted enjoying time together on various occasions amid Milan Fashion Week. That included an outing at the Salvatore Ferragamo show on September 25. Ross, however, insisted to the news outlet at the time that he and Madelyn were "just friends."
Instagram Celebrity

After her eldest daughter unveils her 'scary' health journey, 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star says that she is 'forever grateful' for support from her fans and followers.

Nov 5, 2021

AceShowbiz - Lisa Rinna has spoken out after her eldest daughter Delilah Belle Hamlin revealed her accidental overdose. Making use of her social media platform, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star thanked fans for their support.

Taking to her Instagram Story on Wednesday, November 3, the Bravo star wrote, "Thank you to all of the angels who have reached out, sharing their stories, sending their love and prayers." The 58-year-old mom added, "We are so grateful to you all for your help and your guidance!!"

A day earlier, Delilah unveiled her "scary" health journey in a nearly 30-minute Instagram video she shared on Tuesday, November 2. "Basically, in the beginning of the year, I want to say February and March, is when I got my COVID-19 vaccine," she explained. "And after the second vaccine, I was sick for, like, 36 hours. I felt like my bones were breaking but, like, whatever. That's when everything kind of started."

Delilah, who confirmed that she's not anti-vaccine, detailed how the second dose "flared up and triggered certain autoimmune diseases" that she wasn't aware she had. "I started getting really sick, I started feeling like I had the flu. I was getting migraines, I was having panic attacks -- it was like my body was in constant 'fight or flight' mode. It was horrible," she said at the time. "I just knew in my gut that there was something else wrong."

After attempting to seek treatment for her panic attacks with a psychiatrist, Delilah revealed that she was over-prescribed and told to take "three milligrams of Xanax a day." The California native shared, "My body got dependent on Xanax number one, and number two, I overdosed. I didn't mean to at all. I overdosed on this one medication called Propranolol. I took Benadryl with it and, for some reason, I ended up in the hospital."

"I'm having seizures left and right," Delilah continued. "My health is getting scary. Unfortunately, I was I think a medical risk, so I was politely asked to leave after three weeks of being there and making a best friend."

Detailing her current condition, Delilah added, "Mentally I am not great, today." She elaborated further, "I'm feeling hopeless since the last place I went to didn't really work out. I can look perfectly fine and feel perfectly horrible. That's just that. That's something I struggle with mentally, is feeling believed."
Instagram Celebrity

The 'Paris in Love' star was originally expected to swap vows with Carter Reum in a church but now the couple are set to marry at her late grandfather Barron Hilton's estate.

Nov 6, 2021

AceShowbiz - Paris Hilton has changed her wedding venue just days before she is due to marry Carter Reum.

The heiress got engaged to the entrepreneur in February (21) and the couple is expected to tie the knot at the Bel-Air estate of her late grandfather, hotelier and philanthropist Barron Hilton, on 11 November after a location switch.

An invited guest told the New York Post's Page Six column, "It changed about a week or so ago. It's changed several times. Originally, they were going to get married in the church, but they switched it about a week or so ago."

"It's a three-day event. New email invitations went out (Wednesday) to confirm attendance, but there still aren't any addresses (listed). They're going to be filming to death."

Another insider revealed "everything is being filmed" for the star's upcoming 13-part Peacock docuseries, "Paris in Love".

The show is due to start streaming on the happy couple's big day.

Last month, Paris burst into tears after being asked if she was "getting cold feet" about marrying Carter in a trailer for the series.

He said, "This is your last chance to pull the plug on me."

Her sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild then asked, "Are you, like, getting cold feet?"

Speaking to her younger sibling and her mother Kathy Hilton, Paris admitted, "I want to grow up, but I want to make sure I make the right choice."

She then broke down in tears and said, "I just don't want to be alone forever."

Paris put off setting a wedding date as she admitted she "still has healing" to do with regard to her parents. <

She confessed, "I feel like I've lived my whole life for other people."

Carter's romantic proposal is also shown and, in an interview, he admitted, "As you can imagine, marrying Paris Hilton is quite different than what I expected."

But Paris' wedding jitters are a thing of the past as the loved-up pair prepare for a "three-day" wedding.
CHICO, Calif. - A Chico attorney wants to be a part of the ongoing lawsuit between the City of Chico and a group of homeless people.

Attorney Robert Berry shared what he is trying to accomplish.

Berry said he feels the plaintiffs and the city haven't put an emphasis on protecting the parks and waterways.

Homeless and waste are filling Chico's parks and waterways.

Chico Stewards for Parks and Waterways filed a motion to be part of the Warren v. Chico case.

The motion says its goal is to protect Chico's most beautiful and well-known areas.

"Somebody needs to step up to protect and restore the parks and the waterways and that is really what our lawsuit is about, said Berry.

People in the community are skeptical about Berry's motives.

RELATED: Local community group files motion to intervene in Warren v. Chico

"Rob Berry is adding some validation to that the city is responsible for people camping in the parks, said Chico resident Addison Winslow. It wasn't people's free decision to be there but at the same time, whatever he wants to do with it seems irrelevant and I got to assume it is about him trying to hype up some political importance."

Berry believes the city has violated the Brown Act of Californias open meeting law by denying fair and open disclosure to people in Chico especially after the city decided to spend money to build a homeless shelter which is pictured here at the BMX site.

"Where the line is drawn is that the allocation of public funds must be done in an open meeting, said Berry. You cannot allocate millions of dollars to buy pallet shelters as an example.

The city said they cant comment about Berry's Brown Act claim.

The Brown Act prohibits members of legislative bodies to make group decisions without holding formal meetings.

"The first goal that we have is to declare parks and waterways, said Berry. 150 feet on either side of the highwater mark of all waterways and all formal parks to be excluded from the injunction which is currently prohibiting the enforcement of encampments."

Berry will have a hearing with Judge England on Dec. 2 and if the judge approves, he will be able to attend the settlement conferences.
REDDING, Calif. - Police searched a house on Polaris Way after several gunshots rang out in the neighborhood overnight. Several bullets struck a car, shattering its window and sending glass flying.

Citizens in the area said they saw a man without a shirt and jeans shooting off what appeared to be either a rifle or a shotgun, said Sgt. Rob Garnero with the Redding Police Department.

Our patrol officers used our armored vehicle. It's called a bearcat rescue vehicle, to approach the residence early this morning. The gentleman, Ray Morrow, came out and initially said that he wasn't the one that fired and that it was somebody else.

After talking to neighbors around the area, police determined morrow pulled the trigger.

Police said Morrow is a convicted felon and was the man who fired those shots.

He is not legally allowed to possess firearms, said Garnero. At this time, we authored a search warrant to obtain those firearms.

Redding Police took Morrow into custody without incident. Police said the man gave no motive for the shooting.

RELATED: Man arrested after shots fired in Redding neighborhood

One neighbor said they were scared the bullets could've struck them

I was absolutely terrified, said one neighbor who didnt want to be identified. If anybody would've been up or happened at any other time of the day, somebody in our home would've gotten hurt.

People told Action News Now the area is normally quiet. But neighbors said this isnt the first time theyve seen commotion coming from the home.

There's always something awful happening over there, the person explained. The last time I called the police myself, he was screaming. The guy that lived there was screaming and yelling at his girlfriend in the most horrible way.

RPD said no one else was inside the house but found several firearms in the home.
Aditya Maheshwari, Head of Customer Success, AppsFlyer India, writes about how marketing analytics reports for app marketers have become a must-have tool.

Mobile marketing goes hand in hand with data analysis. Contactless payments, virtual socialising, online learning, and e-commerce transactions are few among others, which have become a customers necessity to manage their daily routine. These mobile app services have received traction like never before, resulting in an enormous user base. Hence, theres a need for reports to structure this data and draw meaningful insights for the app-marketers.

Marketing analytics reports prove to be essential as they help optimise app campaigns, making marketers understand which media channels can attract the highest form of revenues.

Today, most app downloads on Google Pay are free of cost. Hence, a marketer gains profit only through customers transactions. This creates a need for generating an engaging audience to meet the end business KPIs.

Here are a few analytics reports that play a vital role in enhancing any app campaign. Let us understand its importance and application 

LTV (Lifetime Value Report): The word lifetime is confusing; to simplify, the report reads data from the day of install to the day the report gets filed  this gives time-constrained information. It could be made in monthly, yearly, or quarterly format.

An LTV report is beneficial in giving engagement boosting insights considering todays freemium-dominated businesses.

Let us look at an example to understand better 

Consider the following two attributes:

Media source A  which delivers higher number of profits

Media source B  which draws small yields, but the users are willing to spend more

An LTV report will draw a study of users and their activities from the date of download. Here, Media source B will give marketers better revenue results if they outlay more money to it. It also helps recognise the audiences geographies, what creative variations attract them, which media source is beneficial, and hence, where they should make more monetary investments.

Post analysing, one can draw a line between which users are revenue-generating. It makes the decision-making of the marketers easy.

Activity report: What if one wants to look at a particular time frame and not always from the initial date of app download? The answer to this is an activity report. Marketers can fix a timeline from start to end and observe their audiences activity accordingly.

This analysis helps especially in event-specific campaigns. For example, Diwali and Christmas are peak transactional slots in India for the clothing and apparel industries. Hence, one can set a timeline during these festivals and observe consumer behaviour. Marketers can compare the previous years data with this year to draw better insights and plan the next effective campaign.

Retention Report: Ensuring customer retention on app is the real game. To retain your audience, apps must engage customers through different events.

Owing to the fierce competition for audience attention amongst marketers, it is evident for customers to keep high user-experience expectations. Hence, securing their loyalty is the next challenge.

This report closely observes user activities and alerts marketers when their customers are about to drop off.

The retention rate is calculated by dividing the number of active users on a specific day/ week since the install day/ week by the total number of users who launched the app for the first time during the selected date range.

For example, segment-1 may have the maximum number of users, but segment-2 might have a higher number of users who engage and retain. Hence, this report will help marketers identify that segment-1 needs re-work and how the following steps need to be taken to gain participation and meet business objectives.

Cohort Report: When a marketer receives audience data, it is unstructured. Users participate in different events, make several transactions, and belong to unique names, backgrounds, and geographies. What if this data could be broken down and grouped in terms of similar choices and interests?

The cohort report helps in clustering data. It breaks down and highlights activities that users show in high value.

For example, set-A shows high activity on the app on Monday, while set-B shows average engagement. Here, the marketer can make a note of what made set-A engage in high rates on Monday and track the details accordingly. Marketers can then plan a campaign for set-A specifically and ensure their participation for upcoming Mondays.

Remarketing Report: Remarketing checks on various levels to ensure your users loyalty for the app.

Most users download an app but are not active on it. For the same, Remarketing report gives timely alerts on which user group needs re-engagement campaigns. Hence, this helps marketers in taking timely actions and saves their users from dropping off.

Exploring same data through different prisms

Running the same data through various reports gives vast yet granular level feedback to the marketers. It helps marketers observe the data through several prisms. It also provides clarity on the KPIs they should focus on.

Hence, marketing analytics reports for app marketers are a must-have tool. They are robust to turn unstructured data into meaningful insights and ultimately give confidence in making the right number of investments and gain expected goals.
Puravankara Limited, real estate developer has launched itsbrand campaign #GharBantaHaiApnoSe for Diwali. The film highlights the essence of diversity and how we are all connected despite our differences. Bangalore is one melting pot which is at the forefront of building bridges between cultures, races, nationalities, languages, social and economic strata of society. Its famous title, Silicon City of India, doesnt do complete justice to it. Especially when considering its role in integrating so many varied sets of people.

The family in the narrative is of a multi-ethnic background. Mother is a Bengali, father a Kannadiga rooting for RCB, the daughter is a Dhoni fan supporting CSK in IPL, and the toddler, well, is thankfully, still not in a position to understand its own identity. The maid-servant Joy, a Tamil Christian, literally brings joy to the family by helping them celebrate the festival. The lady of the house is dusky, while the maid-servant is fair. The man of the house mixes formula milk and cleans up while the lady is busy with her new born and simultaneously managing work from home.

Through this ad, the company represents these realities while challenging the existing stereotypes of cultures, color, religion and language. The underlying message that the film brings out is that a house can be made by anyone but it is love and togetherness that make it a home. Celebrations seek joy and not reasons. Therefore, we should celebrate all the festivities together and as one. The ad is multilingual and has been shot at a Puravankaras World Home Collection Property Purva Atmosphere.

The Puravankara Group has been at the forefront of building such communities under its brands Puravankara Limited that caters to luxury homes while Provident Housing Limited provides affordable homes to the populace without any consideration for their socio-cultural backgrounds.
The Indian wearables market has been seeing an upsurge, especially in the current times, when work and study from home has seen a growing demand for headphones and other audio and video equipment.

German company Truke is well-known for building some of the finest headphones and headsets for music aficionados at reasonable prices. Some of its key products include Truke Fit 1 and Truke Buds Q1, which are an updated version of the previous products with better features like environmental noise cancellation and dedicated gaming mode for the ultimate gaming experience. The company is soon launching its smartwatch to make technology reach the hands of their last mile customer.

In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Pankaj Upadhayay, CEO, Truke India, speaks about how the brand is creating differentiation, carving a niche in a market with several strong players, expansion plans, new launches during the festive season and more.

You have many competitors in the market, what makes Truke different from them?

Yes, the Indian wearable market has grown to be significantly competitive in the past 2-3 years, especially with smartphone companies launching their own TWS and other wearable devices. According to the recent IDC report, Indias wearables market grew 118.2% year-on-year in the June 2021 quarter at 11.2 million units with strong shipments from homegrown brands in ear wear and smartwatches. This speaks about the huge pool of customers who are looking for tech gadgets that can add to their lifestyle statement. At Truke, we have been coming up with products with innovative designs, technology, features at an affordable price. And I think the way we have been clubbing the three components together to make technology reach the hands of our last mile customer, makes us different from other industry players.

What is the brand currently focused on? Which launches are we going to see during this festive season?

We are a new-age brand and aim to revolutionise the Indian TWS segment with our innovative and value-for-money product range. We have been crafting high-quality wireless stereos, wireless headphones, earphones and bespoke acoustic equipment for sound professionals and music aficionados. Our products have received an overwhelming response from our customers and this has further helped us garner a significant market share in the Indian TWS industry. We are a product to say that we are amongst the top 7 TWS brands in India and the only brand which has existed for less than 2 years.

In this festive season, we are surprising our customers with exciting deals and discounts on our celebrated products.

What are the expansion plans for Truke in 2022?

2021 has been a phenomenal year for us. We have successfully established ourselves in the market and have our consumer base. We have a strong pipeline for the upcoming year, where we will be further expanding our product line. We will be launching Smartwatches, IOT Products, Bluetooth speakers in 2022. We will also be starting manufacturing in India under our Make in India initiative.

What kind of technology & marketing tools are you using to see the kind of engagement in consumers?

We truly believe in the power of customers, hence we dont use any such marketing tool. However, we have been closely working with Tech YouTubers who review our products and share their feedback with us. Their detailed review helps our customers in buying decisions while their feedback allows us to work on ourselves and make better products for our customers.
Federal Department of Finance

Bern, 05.11.2021 - On 7 and 8 November 2021, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, together with a financial sector delegation, will attend the Singapore FinTech Festival, the world's largest event for technology and financial services. Given its openness for new technological developments, Switzerland has every reason to present its innovative financial centre at this event.

In his speech at the opening of this year's Singapore FinTech Festival, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer will highlight Switzerland's advantages as a location for digital financial services. Switzerland combines established strengths such as trust and security with an openness for new technological developments. Federal Councillor Maurer will be accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking representatives of the Swiss financial sector.

While in Singapore, Federal Councillor Maurer will additionally meet with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong and MAS Chairman Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The exchange will focus on enhanced cooperation between the two countries both in the area of digital and sustainable financial services and in international financial and tax bodies. The future organisation of a Europe-Asia Fintech Forum in Switzerland in cooperation with the Singapore FinTech Festival will likewise be discussed.

Switzerland will also be present at the Singapore FinTech Festival with a virtual pavilion, where Swiss fintech companies will be able to present themselves to international specialists under the auspices of Switzerland Global Enterprise.

Address for enquiries

FDF Communications

Tel. +41 58 462 60 33, info@gs-efd.admin.ch

Publisher

Federal Department of Finance

https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html



State Secretariat for International Financial Matters

http://www.sif.admin.ch




Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 05.11.2021 - Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis hosted a dinner in Bern this evening for representatives from business, academia and organisations with an interest in Europe. The aim of this gathering was to hold an open discussion on SwissEU relations.

Federal Councillor Cassis regularly exchanges views on the Europe dossier with individual civil society actors. Today's gathering was the first time he has brought together representatives of these organisations collectively to discuss SwissEU relations. This dialogue complements the institutionalised discussion and consultation formats with Parliament and the cantons.

To start the meeting, Mr Cassis gave an assessment of Switzerland's European policy. The floor was then opened in order to obtain as wide a range of views as possible from the different representatives from business, academia and civil society and to be able to discuss different viewpoints.

Representatives of autonomiesuisse, Kompass Europa, progresuisse, the New European Movement of Switzerland, foraus, AUNS, the Swiss Foreign Policy Society ASPE, economiesuisse, and swissuniversities took part in this first gathering. It is possible that further such gatherings with other representatives will take place in the future.

For more information:

Michael Steiner

Head of Media

Mobile +41 79 247 01 35

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy for the afternoon. High 58F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 27F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
My site, Loss of Brain Trust , which has covered the decline of education globally for the last four and a half years, shows us the reality of how sick our children truly are today.

YET, regardless of how many times experts and officials tell us that autism is a normal and acceptable part of childhood, whats happening in the real world is proof of the damage being done.

Reports like these seem to allay fears that something really sinister is happening with the number of children with an autism diagnosis.

Recent studies do seem to point to an overdiagnosis of the condition. Not only is autism being overdiagnosed but research also suggests that the difference between those with autism and those without the condition are shrinking

Another piece, Is Autism Overdiagnosed? , published on October 12 th , made the case for changing diagnostic criteria and reporting practices being the reasons we think that there is more autism out there.

A story on October 20th proves my point. Moms.com , a Canadian site, published a piece from the U.K. called , Autism Diagnosis Increased Nearly 800% Over Last 20 Years , which was all about how there hasnt been any real increase in autism; its just that more girls and adults have been recognized as having the disorder. That accounts for the skyrocketing numbers.

As far as the ever-increasing autism rate is concerned, no increase has ever shown that more kids have autism.

All the science was stacked up against them. Countless studies let vaccines off the hook. Parents needed to move on. Autism was just something parents had to learn to accept and live with as best as they could.

Those making this charge were quickly met with suspicion and dismissed as anti-vaxxers.

By Anne Dachel Over the last 30 years a large group of parents have increasingly made the claim that their normally developing children were negatively affected by routine childhood vaccines resulting in a diagnosis of autism.

UK: A new school in Basingstoke which caters for children with autism has opened.

Someone should have to explain whats happening to schools here and abroad. I doubt if the claims of over-diagnosing and an increase in adults with autism have any relevancy when it comes school districts spending millions on more and more students who cant learn or behave as children have always been expected to. Autism is just aspect of dysfunctional kids today.

Heres another look at a weeks worth of stories. Again the U.K. dominates the news.

U.K.: The national government approved $3.6B in special education funding for kids in mainstream schools and special schools.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to say the funds will help back more than 30,000 new places for pupils to support their learning in both mainstream and special educational needs schools.

The move comes as there is rising demand for specialist support because the school age population is expected to be around 10% higher in 2025 than it was in 2010.

The Treasury says the measure will almost triple the amount of this years capital funding for the most disadvantaged young people through specialised educational support....

A 300 million [$410M] fund in 2021-2022 was announced at last years Spending Review for new places for students with special educational needs and disabilities. This was almost four times as much provided in the previous year.

(There is no logic to the claim that there is rising demand due to an expected 10% increase in the student population from 2010 to 2025. The special education numbers theyre talking about are dramatically more than just 10%.)

U.K. More reporting on the special ed budget increase.

Children with special educational needs will receive a 2.6 billion-pound [$3.6B] funding boost over the next three years. Another 3 billion pounds [$4B] will be spent on improving skills among those aged 16 and over and 560 million pounds on improving adult numeracy.

U.K. A new report raises serious concerns about the lack of funding for special education AT THE SAME TIME the national government okayed billions for schools.

97% of school leaders expressed concern over the increasing struggle to provide the necessary support for SEND students, labelling their funding for this as insufficient according to a recent poll by the National Association of Head Teachers.

In fact, nearly a third of headteachers said they were forced to slash their budgets in 2020 - 2021 and 35% said that they would make further cuts this coming academic year. More than four in five admitted to having to buy extra support services that were previously funded by the local council.

U.K.: Parents report having to wait two and four years just for an autism assessment.

Sonya Mallin, who has ten-year-old twin girls, has joined forces with Jess Tomlinson from Warwickshire to call on the government to provide resources to reduce autism and ADHD assessment waiting times for children and adults.

Jess started a petition after waiting nearly four years for her sons assessment and then joined forces with Sonya to launch the Months Not Years campaign to highlight just how widespread the problem has become. 

Sonya said: Weve been waiting nearly two years for my daughter to go through the assessment.

Jess, a mother of three, had been fighting for support for her younger son since 2016 before he was put on the waiting list for an assessment in March last year. Her eldest child, a ten-year-old boy, has been waiting nearly four years.

Bringing down waiting times is a priority in the NHS Long-Term Plan and the Governments new five-year autism strategy promises to address this with 13million [$18M] allocated. This is important but only the first year of the strategy has funding at the moment. The Government must honour its commitments to autistic people and families by fully funding the strategy in the upcoming Spending Review. For thousands of autistic children, adults and families, progress cant come quickly enough.

Basingstoke: A new school in Basingstoke which caters for children with autism has opened. The Austen academy in Shakespeare Road has 128 students aged from 5 through to 16.

The headteacher stated, We are thrilled.

Dorset: DORSET Council has revealed how it is spending 37.5m [$52M] of funding earmarked to improve the lives of children with additional needs - including the creation of new schools. The funding was secured to help deliver the councils aim, set out in its Childrens Plan, of providing the best education for Dorset children and young people with special educational needs and or abilities (SEND) for the next five years. The council developed the plans in response to the growing need for more special educational provision.

The council's roadmap to deliver the programme includes a scheme to open the Dorset Centre of Excellence  a new school in Shaftesbury based on the former St Mary's site to open with an initial 60 additional places in the 2021/22 academic year, with further phasing as it seeks to achieve 280 places in total over the subsequent years. The council is also working towards opening an additional site for Wimborne's Beaucroft Special School  which will bring approximately 75 additional places in 2022/23.

Andover: ANDOVER town council has given its support to a planning application put forward by a special education needs school to allow it to expand.

Chapel Hill: Becton School  an Ofsted Outstanding hospital school for young people with medical and mental health needs  has opened its new site at Chapel House, Hillsborough Barracks. The new site is mainly supporting young people with mental health needs and bosses say it allows for an increase in places, as part of the citys response to this growing need

The U.S. is dealing with its own increase in demand.

Carlisle, PA: A local autism school is expanding its campus due to a greater demand of services.

Brunswick, ME: The Brunswick Junior High has a support dog to help kids with stress.

There has been a couple of times where we have had some students who have been really quite dysregulated emotionally, some screaming and yelling and maybe throwing stuff, said Prophett. Desi comes in, and its pretty instantaneous. Within the first three to five minutes kids are visibly calmer, you can see their bodies relax, they may ask to lay with her, or give her a hug. Its almost like she instinctually knows which kids in the classroom are having a hard time.

According to Pawesome Advice, an online resource that collect expert advice and data for pet owners, emotional support animals have gained incredible popularity over the last decade, and there are now more than 65,000 of them in the U.S.

Branson, MO:

The Hollister Early Childhood Center is getting a sensory room for students, thanks to a special education teacher.

Sarah Combs, a special education teacher at the Hollister Early Childhood Center, applied for and received a $500 grant from the Missouri Retired Teachers Association to create a sensory room for students with sensory needs, according to a press release from Hollister School District. 

On any particular day, there could be 50 kids who come through the room. In a week it could be over 300 kids, you know, it depends on when the teachers want to bring them and how often their students need refocus time, Combs said. This started more for the mindset of the special education kids, but then like once we started doing it we realized all kids could benefit from this kind of room.\

Were seeing a lot of social and emotional needs, especially through the COVID crisis, Smith said. We know its in the headlines every day. It is affecting the mental health of adults, but also for our kids. Our kids brains are not fully developed yet. We have preschool, kindergarten and first grade in this building, and they cannot process what is going on. All they know is Im frustrated. Im angry. Im sad.
HETTINGER, N.D.  Farmers were fascinated by the towering North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) station, complete with a camera, rain gauges with wind protection, and other cutting edge technologies, at NDSUs Hettinger Research Extension Center (HREC).

The updated NDAWN station at Hettinger continually analyzes weather conditions at the site, with data being retrieved via a wireless modem and sent to the NDAWN database at regular intervals.

It is a nice upgrade and it will give us some more weather information, said John Rickertsen, HREC agronomist.

The NDAWN team moved the previous NDAWN station further away from homes in the vicinity and closer to the fields where research takes place.

Well be able to have soil moisture readings (at more levels in the subsoil), and in 2021, it would have been nice to know the soil moisture, Rickertsen said.

Soil temperature probes have been installed in the soil at 7.5 feet, and there are also five soil moisture probes located in the soil at different depths: 2 inches, 4 inches, 8 inches, 20 inches and 40 inches.

Daryl Ritchison, director of NDAWN, said the probes would measure moisture in the soil at those depths.

This summer taught a lot of people in North Dakota the importance of knowing what the soil moisture conditions are outside of just the top couple of inches of soil, Ritchison said. While the topsoil was dry pretty much everywhere, there were pockets in the state where there was moisture at the right depths in the subsoil that by harvest helped yields.
BUFFALO LAKE, Minn.  Lester Schafer has lived and worked on the same farm for most of his 94 years. His wife, Kathleen, and son, John, live with him and are never far away.

If you look to the west of the farmstead, you see cropland for miles. The big open sky usually tells Lester what the weather is going to do.

It was a different sky that he saw back in 1946. Seventy-five years ago, he was serving in Allied-occupied Germany. He may have looked west toward home and wondered about the folks of Buffalo Lake.

After graduating from high school in 1944, the now-well-known Hereford cattleman worked on the farm until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945.

A lot of people didnt like that I was drafted, but you just accepted what was and it all worked out, he said during an early October interview at the farm.

There were some special reasons why Lesters family might not have been keen on him leaving the farm.

His dad, Henry Schafer, passed away when Lester was just 7 years old. Henry and Lesters mother, Frances Klucas Schafer, married in 1925, and Lester was born in December 1926. Henry was diagnosed with tuberculosis when Lester was just 1-year-old.

Needing long-term care, Henry was moved to the Riverside Sanitorium near Granite Falls, Minn. When nearly healed from tuberculosis, Henry passed away in 1933 from a ruptured appendix.

Frances and her son, Lester, moved to her parents farm  the Klucas Farm. In the 1930s, the Klucas household included Grandparents John and Mary, Uncle Emmet, Frances, Lester, and Lesters little brother, Robert.
Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gabel had a childhood much like any other Montana farm kid. Born and raised in Huntley, Mont., Gabel was involved in 4-H and FFA and he spent his weekends and summers helping his family with all aspects of the farm.

Although Gabel was born a generational agriculturalist, at 18 years old he had slightly different plans for his life. His years of involvement in 4-H and FFA and given him a taste for leadership and the tight-knit feel of his rural hometown had given him a strong passion for community. The big-hearted farmers son also wanted to give back. Combining all those ideas, Gabel decided to leave Huntley and attend college in Manhattan, Kans., at Kansas State University, enrolling in the ROTC program and majoring in Political Science.

I always knew I wanted to help my community. That was always my thing. I wanted to make the world a better place. When I started looking at going into the Army, I saw where I could be a part of an organization, which really appealed to me, he said.

The small town farm boy from Montana thrived in the ROTC program at KSU, and as a result, he went on to find great career success in the U.S. Army as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. He served two yearlong tours in Iraq and one yearlong tour in Afghanistan in addition to serving with a joint task force as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security in Arizona. Gabels Army career found him stationed across the U.S. and he also spent two 3-year assignments in Germany.

Gabel had traveled the world and served his country in the ultimate way. When his military career was drawing to a close, he began looking towards the next stage in his life and there was really no question about what he wanted to do. You can take the man out of the farm, but you cant take the farm out of the man. Gabel wanted to head home to Huntley and raise his son on the farm that raised him.
Quitting was never an option.

Its all Ive ever wanted to do. Ive been farming since my feet could reach the pedals on a tractor, said Justin Minnaert, a third generation farmer from Chester, in southeastern South Dakota.

So when a dirt bike accident left Minnaert paralyzed in July 2020, he looked for ways to continue doing what was in his blood.

Justin Minnaert and his dad Kevin Minnaert were serving as rovers for a race. Rovers are responsible for going around the track making sure everything is clear and safe for the riders. Kevin said his son, went up over a hill like he normally does, but when he came down there was a rut and he caught that.

Justin Minnaert said he knew right away that he was paralyzed.

Following the accident, Justin Minnaert spent a total of 10 weeks at a rehab facility in Colorado. A farmer to the core, he was chomping at the bit to get back to life on the farm throughout his time at the rehab facility.

After the accident happened, Kevin Minnaert said that while he hoped his son would be able to continue farming with him, he left the choice up to him.

We had a heart to heart talk. I asked him if he wanted to farm. I wasnt going to force him one way or another.

Kevin Minnaert wasnt surprised at his sons answer.

For Kevin Minnaert, having his son back has been a fulfillment of a dream the two of them have shared since he was a little boy.

Its wonderful, he said. Its something weve planned since day one. Hes got the passion like I do. We had to change a little aspect, but were still going forward, he said.

That passion was demonstrated throughout rehab where his primary goal was to get home in time to help with harvest.

Once his neurosurgeon cleared him, he didnt waste any time.

While he missed the 2020 soybean harvest due to an early season, he managed to catch most of the corn harvest.

They discharged me on a Wednesday and Thursday morning I was in the combine, Minnaert said.

He picked up where his dad, and the neighbors who jumped in to help the family harvest, had left off the night before. Minnaert said he finished harvesting the remainder of the corn last year.

Considering the tight turnaround time between being discharged and climbing in the combine, Minnaert didnt have time to purchase adaptive equipment to help him with the harvest equipment.

But that didnt mean he didnt have any.

Minnaert recalled the ingenuitive way he and his dad would get him into the combine: It was a big chunk of scrap metal with a seat welded onto it, he said with a chuckle.

They used a long chunk of metal, welded a seat to it and then put that on the pallet fork of the tractor. His dad would lift him to the combine can with the tractor.

This year, Minnaert has a state-of-the-art, remote controlled lift attached to his pickup bed.

It works a lot better, he said.

While there are several places in the area that sell adaptive equipment, most of those provide only lifts meant for getting into standard vehicles.

With many harvesters averaging heights of nearly 13 feet, a standard lift wasnt going to cut it.

Minnaert got in touch with Ryan Buck, a Minnesota farmer who was paralyzed several years ago. Buck directed him to Life Essentials, a custom adaptive equipment company in Indiana.

Buck had gotten a custom chair lift that reached the heights he needed to access his farm equipment. It turned out, that was just what Minnaert needed.

Ryan said that made a world of difference for him, Minnaert said.

So he took a 10 hour drive to the Hoosier state to bring one home for himself.

Now he can independently and safely transfer himself to and from the combine.

I go from my pickup lift seat to the buddy seat to the driver seat, he said.

Sadie, his dog, likes to ride with him in the combine, so shell sit on his lap and be lifted up along with him.

There are a few unforeseen bonuses of having his chair lift on the farm. The lift has a maximum height of 12 feet and has the ability to stretch 12 feet out. With a 500-pound weight limit, Minnaert said theyve used it as a sort of mini crane.

We used it to pick up an electric motor to put on top of an auger and to replace a lightbulb in one of our sheds, he said.

The chair lift isnt the only adaptive equipment Minnaert uses.

Normally the staircase on a combine would have to be pushed by hand to get out of the way of something like a chair lift. However, through a connection he made with another paralyzed farmer on Twitter, he was able to outfit his combine with an electric actuator, so now he can swing the staircase out of the way and bring it back, all with the push of a button.

Once inside, operating the combine isnt much different because it is all controlled by hand.

Back outside, the South Dakota soil can get muddy or snowy, creating difficulties for Minnaerts regular wheelchair. But in true farmer fashion, Minnaert doesnt let that slow him down. His Action Trackchair with all-terrain tires gets him from point A to point B no matter what the ground conditions are.

Minnaert said his automated adaptive equipment has given him more independence compared to his homemade rigging from last year.

Sometimes Id have to sit and wait for my dad to get back if he was taking a truck somewhere or moving something, he said. I could sit in the combine for half an hour before hed get home.

Now when he gets home, he can be out in under five minutes.

Since his chairlift is attached to his pickup, he still needs some assistance if something breaks down while hes in the field. Because of that, he said his wife and his mom have learned a lot more about farming in the last year.

That has helped boost the familys communication skills. When he breaks down, he usually knows what the problem is, but he has to be able to explain it step by step to his wife or mom, depending on who is available to come out and help.

I kind of have to explain the whole process - what were looking for and what we need to search for - and then have them be able to do that, so theyre learning a lot about farming, too, he said.

While the accident paralyzed Minnaert, he says its a whole new life for the entire family, one they are all still adjusting to.

Life has kind of almost slowed down for us now because I just know that its going to take me X amount of time to do certain things and I just have to accept that, Minnaert said. There isnt so much go, go, go.

Harvest felt almost relaxed compared to what it has been in the past, he said. He is typically in the combine by 8 a.m. and they call it a day by about 9 p.m.

We just dont feel like were rushed and pushed but were still getting more done than we did before, he said.

Despite a slower pace, harvest didnt turned out as bountiful as the father and son hoped.

We actually had better corn in 2012 when another drought hit, Kevin Minnaert said.

This summer, the Minnaert farm only saw a total of a little over 6 inches of rain. The late rains helped the soybeans do alright, but by then, the corn was done, Kevin Minnaert said.

Whether its a paralyzing injury, bad yields due to drought or something else, the Minnaert familys attitude is simply to press on.

Minnaert and his family joke that hes semi-retired. But hes still got plenty to do.

He continues to be heavily involved in ag, including presently serving on the board of South Dakota Corn.

Hes been assigned a few other tasks as well.

Minnaert gestured to his chairlift: I got told I get to hang the Christmas lights on the house now.

Melisa Goss, Associate Editor for the Tri-State Neighbor, is a South Dakota farm girl whose love of travel has allowed her to see ags vital impact around the world, from Americas heartland to the rice paddies of Southeast Asia and many places in between. She makes her home in Sioux Falls with her husband, daughter and miniature schnauzer. You can reach her at mgoss@lee.net.

Midwest Messenger Weekly Update Get the latest agriculture news delivered to your inbox from the Midwest Messenger. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The outlook for 2022 remains positive for hog and cattle prices.

While 2022 wont approach the profitability levels of 2021, hog prices should remain decent.

There is an expectation that margins will tighten, says Lee Schulz, Extension livestock marketing economist with Iowa State University.

Schulz says factors other than numbers will contribute to any profit margin.

There are other things out there, like higher propane costs, higher costs for building materials and other items, he says. Pretty much everything is up across the board.

The exception may be feed costs. Schulz says prices have come down slightly as harvest continues and farmers bring in a surprisingly good crop, considering severe drought conditions in key grain-producing regions of the Midwest.

He says feed costs will likely be down 5-10% in 2022, with hog prices down 10-15%,

Entering 2021, it was difficult to gauge whether the hog industry would see expansion or contraction. Schulz says the potential was there for both scenarios.

It remains murky for 2022.

We did see lower-than-expected hog numbers in the (Hogs and Pigs) reports, so clearly there was little interest in expanding, Schulz says. I think producers looked at the rising production costs and decided not to grow. Its difficult to predict what might happen in 2022.

Labor shortages have impacted the livestock industry, much like the rest of the country, he says.

Another variability might be surging fertilizer prices, which could impact how much grain is grown, Schulz says.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends Sunday, Nov. 7, at 2 a.m. Clocks will be set back one hour, giving us more daylight in the dark autumn and winter mornings. It's "fall back" time so set your clock back one hour before going to bed Saturday night. Don't worry about your cellphone as it automatically resets itself.

In the U.S., exceptions to DST are Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation), Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

By the way, the correct term is "Daylight Saving Time" and not "Daylight Savings Time" with an extra "s". The technical explanation is that the word "saving" is singular because it acts as part of an adjective rather than a verb.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, Benjamin Franklin may have been the first in the U.S. to propose the idea. Ben Franklin's "An Economical Project," written in 1784, is the earliest known proposal to "save" daylight. It was whimsical in tone, advocating laws to compel citizens to rise at the crack of dawn to save the expense of candlelight:

"Every morning, as soon as the Sun rises, let all the bells in every church be set ringing: and if that is not sufficient, let cannon be fired in every street to wake the sluggards effectually... . Oblige a man to rise at four in the morning, and it is probable that he will go willingly to bed at eight in the evening."

The first true proponent of Daylight Saving Time was an Englishman named William Willet. A London builder, he conceived the idea while riding his horse early one morning in 1907. He noticed that the shutters of houses were tightly closed even though the sun had risen. In "The Waste of Daylight," the manifesto of his personal light-saving campaign, Willet wrote, "Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shrinkage as the days grow shorter; and nearly everyone has given utterance to a regret that the nearly clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used... . That so many as 210 hours of daylight are, to all intents and purposes, wasted every year is a defect in our civilization. Let England recognise and remedy it."

Willet spent a small fortune unsuccessfully lobbying businessmen, members of Parliament, and the U.S. Congress to put clocks ahead 20 minutes on each of the four Sundays in April, and reverse the process on consecutive Sundays in September.

Attitudes changed after World War I broke out. The government and citizenry recognized the need to conserve coal used for heating homes. The Germans were the first to officially adopt the light-extending system in 1915, as a fuel-saving measure during World War I. This led to the introduction in 1916 of British Summer Time: From May 21 to Oct. 1, clocks in Britain were put an hour ahead.

The United States followed in 1918, when Congress passed the Standard Time Act, which established the time zones. However, this was amid great public opposition. A U.S. government Congressional Committee was formed to investigate the benefits of Daylight Saving Time. Many Americans viewed the practice as an absurd attempt to make late sleepers get up early. Others thought that it was unnatural to follow "clock time" instead of "Sun time." A columnist in the Saturday Evening Post offered this alternative: "Why not 'save summer' by having June begin at the end of February?"

With public opinion in its favor, Congress officially declared that all clocks would be moved ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. on March 31, 1918. (Canada adopted a similar policy later the same year.) Americans were encouraged to turn off their lights and go to bed earlier than they normally did - at around 8 p.m.

The Daylight Saving Time experiment lasted only until 1920, when the law was repealed due to opposition from dairy farmers (cows don't pay attention to clocks). No fewer than 28 bills to repeal Daylight Saving Time had been introduced to Congress, and the law was removed from the books. American had tolerated Daylight Saving Time for about seven months.

The subject did not come up again until after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, and the United States was once again at war.

During World War II, Daylight Saving Time was imposed once again (this time year-round) to save fuel. Clocks were set one hour ahead to save energy.

After the war (which concluded with Japan's final surrender on September 2, 1945), Daylight Saving Time started being used on and off in different states, beginning and ending on days of their choosing.

Inconsistent adherence to time zones among the states created considerable confusion with interstate bus and train service. To remedy the situation, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, establishing consistent use of Daylight Saving Time within the United States: Clocks were to be set ahead one hour on the last Sunday in April and one hour back on the last Sunday in October.

That was the rule, but some state legislatures took exception via a loophole that had been built into the law. Residents of Hawaii and most of Arizona did not change their clocks. Residents of Indiana, which straddles the Eastern and Central time zones, were sharply divided on Daylight Saving Time: Some counties employed it, some did not.

In 1986, the U.S. Congress approved a bill to increase the period of Daylight Saving Time, moving the start to the first Sunday in April. The goal was to conserve oil used for generating electricity-an estimated 300,000 barrels annually. (In 2005, the entire state of Indiana became the 48th state to observe Daylight Saving Time.)

The current daylight saving period was established with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which went into effect in 2007.

As of March 2021, an impressive 32 states have proposed bills to end the practice of switching clocks. However, the legislation can only go into effect if the federal law changes. The Uniform Time Act would need to be amended to allow such a change.

State Sen. Blake Stephens has been leading the charge in the Oklahoma legislature for "locking the clock." He introduced Senate Bill 843 in 2021 aimed at making the change to year-round daylight saving time, but it never got a vote. He said he plans to re-introduce it in February 2022.
Apparently, reporting on the horrific persecution Christian minorities experience in the Muslim world is a punishable offense for Facebook, as that topic falls beneath the social media giant's "standards."

That's what I was told when I logged onto my Facebook account a few days ago. A box popped up saying, "This post goes against our Community Standards," followed by, "Only you can see this post because it goes against our community standards," with a link to the offensive post in question. I was then locked out for 24 hours.

The problematic article in question, which I published online and shared on Facebook back on Feb. 15, 2021  a full eight months ago  is titled "New Film Commemorates 21 Coptic Christian Martyrs." In it, I discussed how an Arabic-language film was being made about the 21 Egyptian Christians savagely slaughtered by the Islamic State in Libya in 2015.

To be sure, I'm familiar with and a regular recipient of Facebook's other tactics  especially "shadowbanning": making my posts appear live on my end, though no one or only a few see them. (I know this only because I've gotten so many messages over the years from Facebook users saying, "How come you haven't posted anything in months?" even though I upload some three or four posts every week. Others regularly message me saying things like, "Facebook has disconnected the 'Share' button on the top menu of your page" (from a 10/27/21 message).

So what is it about that particular article that  eight months after it was first shared on Facebook  caused it to be banned and me punished? If it's the accompanying picture, which in my opinion is hardly that graphic, Facebook could've done what it has done to other articles of mine: keep the post but remove the image. Aside from mentioning the movie, that article recaps the execution of 2015, quotes some family members' views on the forthcoming film, and closes by mentioning how a memorial for the 21 Christian martyrs was erected in the Egyptian village of Al Our, whence several of them hailed.

The following excerpt from that article is the only thing I can think of that might have especially vexed Facebook (even though it's 100% true):

It's worth recalling that, at the time of their abduction and subsequent butchery, Western media were largely absent. Indeed, before the video appeared, the BBC had falsely reported that the majority of those now slaughtered Copts were "released." (Such downplaying of Muslim persecution of Christians is not uncommon for the BBC.)

Around the same time that article got taken down from Facebook, on Oct. 15, 2021, the following comment appeared under another much more recent article on my website  one also about the Muslim persecution of Christians in Egypt:

I shared this article on Facebook and Facebook took it down saying it violated "Community Standards" with no further explanation given.

That article, titled "Coptic Christian Building Abruptly Demolished in Egypt," merely summarized the findings of an Arabic-language report about how Christian minorities in one Egyptian village, because they were banned from having a church, decided to build a community hall to hold their weddings and funerals in. As even that was deemed offensive to Muslim sensibilities, the authorities suddenly came, tore it down, and beat and arrested the Christians. Everything about that account is also 100% true.

So what about it does not meet Facebook's "standards"?

The only conclusion is that, not content with shadowbanning articles on the brutal persecution Christians suffer at the hands of Muslims, Facebook is now openly and more aggressively outright banning them.

Moreover, there is reason to believe that Facebook's actions are at least partially motivated by foreign entities. Seeing that the two articles that got "flagged" both dealt with the persecution of Egyptian Christians  Copts  I contacted Coptic Solidarity, to see if they've had similar experiences. Its director, Lindsay Vessey, wrote back saying:

Numerous countries, including Egypt, employ large cyber teams to flag content critical of their leader/government meaning that discussion of human rights violations in countries like China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt can be blocked, with repercussions to the account owner. Facebook needs to hire individuals who not only have the language skills to review posts, but who can maintain professional neutrality and distinguish between abusive content, and legitimate criticism of human rights abuses. My colleague, Faith McDonnell, who is a titan in the realm of religious freedom advocacy, had her Facebook account shut-down without warning, merely for posting an image of the Coptic martyrs on the beach in Libya. Her account was only reinstated after substantial negative publicity towards Facebook.

Facebook, it's worth adding, is hardly the only one among "Big Tech" to suppress information on the Muslim persecution of Christians: YouTube censored my PragerU video on that precise topic. It also once punished me for sharing a video that the Islamic State made of its members destroying crosses and desecrating churches in Syria and Iraq  even though that video was not "graphic" (it depicted buildings and crosses, inanimate objects) and was going viral in the Arab world. As for Google, where once its search results for Islam-related topics would yield many of my articles on the first page, they now tend to be invisible, buried under a mountain of irrelevant if not fake information.

All of this is a reminder as to why an alternative  which may be coming soon courtesy of the man most banned from social media and search engines, Donald Trump  is desperately needed. One of Trump's companies recently announced its plan "to create a rival to the liberal media consortium and fight back against the 'Big Tech' companies of Silicon Valley, which have used their unilateral power to silence opposing voices in America."

No one can doubt this, just as no one  except those who profit from suppressing the truth  can want such wanton censorship of much-needed information to continue.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

Image via Max Pixel.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
FDA advisory panel OKs Pfizer vaccine for children 5 to 11, announced a recent NBC News headline.

How could a panel that is supposedly composed of rational clear-headed scientists make such an inexplicable recommendation?

Consider the following facts.

According to a presentation by Fiona Havers, who works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and who is a member of the agencys COVID-19 Response Team, [D]uring the 12-month period October 2, 2020 through October 3, 2021, there were 66 COVID-19 associated deaths in children 5-11.

Yes, you read it right. In the last twelve months, there were only 66 Covid-related deaths in the 5 to 11 demographic in the whole of the United States of America.

To give you a sense of perspective, children in that age bracket are three hundred percent more likely to be murdered (207 deaths) and thirty percent more likely to die of flu and pneumonia (84 deaths) than they are to die of Covid.

To give another point of comparison, according to the CDC in 2019, 608 child passengers age 12 and younger died in motor vehicle crashes.

Please contemplate this point well. Children under 12 years of age are nearly 1000 percent more likely to be killed in a vehicular mishap than to die of Covid-19.

One more piece of reference data. According to Statista, there were 20 deaths and a hundred injuries due to lightning strikes in the United States in 2019. Thus, your child is nearly 200 percent more likely to be struck by lightning than to be felled by Covid.

But even this does not tell the full story, because not all of those unfortunate 66 children who died with Covid died of Covid. Most of them had serious underlying conditions, which according to Fiona Havers, included:

... obesity, chronic metabolic disease, feeding tube dependence, cardiovascular disease, neurologic disorders, chronic lung disease, blood disorders, immunosuppressed conditions, and other conditions.

Thus, most  if not all  of the children in the 5-11 age bracket who died while being Covid positive suffered from serious, life-threatening co-morbidities.

To state the situation in a different way, it is virtually unheard of for an active, healthy child to die of Covid-19. For all practical purposes, the chance of your healthy child dying of this disease is zero.

Even the scare-mongering New York Times had to concede that to healthy children the danger of severe Covid is so low as to be difficult to quantify. In other words, the risk is essentially non-existent.

The obvious question is this: Why are we going to mass vaccinate healthy children against Covid-19 given that they face virtually no serious risk from this particular disease?

The only valid medical reason for vaccination of this age cohort would be to stop the spread of infection.

This, however, cannot be the case, because it is now widely known that the Covid vaccines do not prevent infection.

This was publicly affirmed some three months ago by none other than CDC director Rochelle Walensky. Speaking of the vaccines in her CNN interview on August 5 with Wolf Blitzer, Walensky said:

What they cant do anymore is to prevent transmission.

The combination of extremely low Covid risk to the young, and the vaccines inability to prevent transmission, makes vaccinating children a non sequitur from the point of view of public health.

Not only there is no real benefit of doing so, but there are also considerable risks associated with this procedure. It is well known that the Covid vaccines have not been properly subjected to trials and tested. It normally takes between 6 and 10 years to develop and test a vaccine that can be declared safe and effective for mass implementation. The Covid shots have been around for less than 18 months, which makes it impossible to know what their long-term side effects may be.

Meanwhile, in the short term, we have every reason to be deeply concerned about these inadequately tested pharmaceuticals. According to an analysis of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database (VAERS), between December 2020 and October 15 of this year, there have been records of more than seventeen thousand deaths and over eight hundred thousand adverse reactions in connection with the vaccines.

This, however, does not give a true picture as it represents only a small fraction of the actual cases. According to a Harvard study, only about one percent of vaccine injuries get logged in the VAERS database. Do the math.

This being said, it does not mean there is a causal connection in every reported case between the vaccine and the bad health event. Nevertheless, in a substantial portion of reported cases, such a connection does exist. Keeping in mind the findings of the Harvard study should give you an idea of how deep our safety concerns should be.

And yet despite all this, members of the FDA advisory panel still thought that injecting children who have virtually zero risk of serious Covid with these inadequately tested substances is a good idea.

To say that this is reckless and irresponsible would be an understatement.

Why would they do such a thing?

Money is the main reason. The effort to inject your children likely is primarily driven by a desire to further increase the already immense profits of the pharmaceutical giants that produce these vaccines.

The dictum follow the money applies well here. A recent US News headline should give you a good idea of what is involved here: Pfizer Expects 2021, 2022 COVID-19 Vaccine Sales to Total at Least $65 Billion. Pfizers Covid vaccine stands to become the most profitable pharmaceutical product in history.

You can easily see through their game when you look at who sits at the advisory panel that issued the recommendation. According to a report by Zero Hedge:

[T]he meeting roster shows that numerous members of the committee and temporary voting members have worked for Pfizer or have major connections to Pfizer. Members include a former vice president of Pfizer Vaccines, a recent Pfizer consultant, a recent Pfizer research grant recipient, a man who mentored a current top Pfizer vaccine executive, a man who runs a center that gives out Pfizer vaccines, the chair of a Pfizer data group, a guy who was proudly photographed taking a Pfizer vaccine, and numerous people who are already on the record supporting Coronavirus vaccines for children. Meanwhile, recent FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is on Pfizers board of directors.

As if this were not bad enough, the acting chair of the board that made the recommendation was one Arnold S. Monto who was a paid Pfizer consultant up until 2018.

Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of mRNA vaccines and a true and honest scientist, called this a staggering conflict of interest.

It also shows us how brazen these people are since they did this in open view. This is part of a larger pattern whereby nearly all regulatory agencies of the US government have fallen into the hands of those they are supposed to oversee. The name for this process is regulatory capture. As a result, we can no longer have trust in government bodies tasked with protecting the safety and well-being of the population.

To endanger the health of children in the absence of a medical justification and for the sake of profit is a travesty of unspeakable proportions.

Photo credit: SELF CC BY 2.0 license

Vasko Kohlmayer was born and grew up in former communist Czechoslovakia. He is the author of The West in Crisis: Civilizations and Their Death Drives. You can keep up with his writings by subscribing to his Substack newsletter Notes from the Twilight Zone.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The Durham special counsel's bust of Brookings Institute research analyst Igor Danchenko for lying to the FBI five times about how he helped create the Steele dossier is bound to take bigger fish down, given that the investigation is hardly over.

Might that get as far as Joe Biden? Even as much of the attention is being focused on the Hillary Clinton camp as the source of the anti-Trump shenanigans, a case is emerging that Biden is a figure emerging in the scheme. Based on an intriguing book blurb dating from a 2013 anti-Putin book by top Trump impeachment accuser Fiona Hill and her co-author linked to the Democrats, Clifford Gaddy, it seems possible.

Hill is a former researcher for the Eurasia Foundation which is bankrolled by George Soros and had been pals with Steele dossier creator Christopher Steele, calling him merely her U.K. intelligence counterpart in House testimony during her previous work for the Bush and Obama administrations. Reports suggest they were a lot closer than that.

Turns out that the Steele connection was far from her only one in her deep-state plots against President Trump. She's also the person the now-indicted Danchenko has called his "mentor."

Based on the Durham indictment, it was likely Hill who introduced Danchenko to one Charles Dolan, the Democrat public relations operative who worked to assemble the Steele dossier and who was named as PR Executive 1 in the Durham indictment. See TechnoFog's analysis here and definitely check out Andrea Widburg's excellent readable summary here.

In House intelligence committee testimony, Hill stated that she thought perhaps the dossier was trash, which it was, and Steele may have been "played." What tells us now is not that she had a good skeptical mind about Russian tricks, but that she likely knew the dossier was cooked up because she knew the cooks.

Danchenko, a native of Perm, Russia, reportedly with a history of alcoholism and run-ins with the law, as well as a man who had been suspected by the FBI back in 2009 of being an actual Russian spy or spy wannabe, is -- surprise, surprise -- closely tied to Hill, who was also one of President Trump's top impeachment accusers.

She, along with Democrat-linked Clifford Gaddy, wrote a glowingly reviewed 2012 book called "Mr. Putin," which paints a very black portrait of Vladimir Putin.

Hill and Gaddy thanked Danchenko in the book's credits for all the help and insights he supposedly provided. And more important, Joe Biden, who's not exactly anyone's idea of a "scholar," served as the glowing book blurb to Hill's and Gaddy's 2012 book, based on an interview by Rolling Stone, which is not exactly a redoubt of Kremlinology fans. The blurb reads:

Q: Do you have time to read books? If so, which ones would you recommend? "...my goodness, let's see. There's Mr. Putin, by Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy. Insightful." -Vice President Joe Biden, in Joe Biden: The Rolling Stone Interview.

I wrote about that here.

Of all the characters who could have been named to write the book blurbs, why was a clown like Joe Biden the one who was chosen for the blurb to sell the scholarly book? How would he have even known about the book, really? Does anyone, anyone at all, seriously believe that Biden reads books, let alone as heavy a tome as Hill's and Gaddy's long, detailed scholarly Putin book?

Color me skeptical.

It sounds like maybe there was a relation that went way back between Hill and the Biden camp and in citing Joe, she was citing an old political ally.

Hill's role here really needs more scrutiny than it's been getting. She first came to light as one of President Trump's top accusers during his first impeachment trial, delivering testimony to the Adam Schiff-led House intelligence committee about how President Trump supposedly pressured the president of Ukraine over Joe Biden's corrupt dealings there.

Biden again, the guy that Hill and Gaddy used to blurb their book.

She not only testified herself, studiously calling herself apolitical and full of probity as an NSC official in the Trump administration, she also served as boss to one Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who handed information to the supposed CIA "whistleblower" believed to be Eric Ciaramella, to get the impeachment scheme rolling.

So now we have two scandals she's neck-deep in, the creation of the phony and utterly fictional Steele dossier targeting President Trump, and then the impeachment of Trump on the first go-round when the dossier was exposed as garbage. She's pals with Danchenko, she's been fingered as the one who introduced Danchenko to Democrat PR operative Charles Dolan, and she's all in with Vindman and his shenanigans, whose activities she could have directed.

Here's a photo of Dolan with Biden himself:

Joe Biden photographed with Igor Danchenko source Chuck Dolan pic.twitter.com/H9ApFD4bfd  Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) November 4, 2021

Here's an item from January 2021 that contradicts Hill's congressional testimony that she was supposedly suspicious of the dossier's contents and thought someone was being "played":

The FBI wrote, Steele said Fiona Hill knows that the primary subsource," identified as U.S.-based and Russian-trained lawyer Igor Danchenko, "was involved in the dossier, and when the primary subsource went to ground in January and February 2017, Steele contacted Hill and told Hill that he was worried about the primary subsource. The bureau added, Steele said that she probably guesses that the primary subsource was involved."

Maybe that's because she knew the dossier's contents and how the sausage was made. It now comes to light that she introduced her protege Danchenko (the primary subsource) to the Democrat PR operative cited in the indictment who's reportedly Charles Dolan. He was heavily involved in the creation of the Steele dossier, and according to some reports, thanked for his help in her book, although in my paperback edition, I don't see him. And cripes, she was pals with Steele, too.

Some of the activity involved between Danchenko and his Russian drinking buddies in cooking up the phony Steele dossier (since none of these people had much in the way of any Russian contacts except for him). We also know that another Ukrainian-named Democrat operative, Alexandra Chalupa (amazing how many Ukrainian-origin names are turning up in this phony bid to screw Trump as a Russian stooge, both in the dossier and the impeachment: Vindman, Danchenko, and Chalupa) is the person whose original tale of Trump supposedly participating in a Russian "orgy" led to the invention of the "pee tape" part of the dossier, which tells us a lot about what goes on in both her mind and Steele's mind. As Marc Scaringi argues in a PennLive column, yeah, Ukraine did meddle in the U.S. election contrary to Hill's claims.

The idea that Hill was at the White House at all in the Trump administration is nothing short of queasy-making.

How the heck did she get in there? Reportedly, it was former NSC advisor H.R. McMaster who brought her in. Note that she now refuses to display her work with the NSC during the Trump era on her LinkedIn page. In a sense, maybe that's because she wasn't working for the NSC at all. She got her start as a researcher for the Soros-backed Eurasia Foundation before moving on to the Democrat-linked Brookings Institution and she acts as though she remains a Sorosian to the core. But more to the point, why was a clown like Joe Biden selected to serve as the blurb to her scholarly book on Putin which drew all manner of praise from the elites? She didn't need his word to sell the book to the kind of people who would actually read it.

But somehow, that link remains. I find that intriguing. What kinds of contacts did Hill have in the Biden camp, what did she know about Biden's Ukraine corruption linked to his son Hunter's doings as well as his own role as Mr. Anti-Ukraine corruption during the Obama years, and why did Biden's odd statement to Rolling Stone of all places somehow turn up on the back of Hill's and Gaddy's book? Like everything else Hill's been involved in, it sounds like maybe things were planned.

Ric Grenell, who would actually know what went on in the Trump administration, pointed to Hill's history as a schemer and liar, which he saw up close firsthand. His tweet says it all:

DC newsrooms protected Fiona Hill and allowed her to tell lies to further her career.



Shell say anything to climb the ladder.



I worked closely with her. She is a serial liar. https://t.co/xBIzxl3CPh  Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) November 4, 2021

What a damning indictment all by itself. Let's hope the Durham investigation gets to the bottom of this farce and takes his probe all the way to where it leads. The end of that road may be corrupt Joe Biden himself.

Image: Monica Showalter

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Way back in 1605, a small group of Catholic conspirators attempted to blow up the British House of Lords. They rented a small space in the basement, filled it with gunpowder...but were ratted out by an undercover agent on November 5. The best-known member of the group was a convert to Catholicism named Guy (or Guido) Fawkes.

Henceforth, November 5 is celebrated throughout the English-speaking Protestant world...sort of. This practice bears particular significance regarding the beginning of the American Revolution. How? Back in colonial Boston, Guy Fawkes Day was a local tradition...and bad news for the Catholic population. The mob that formed for the occasion eventually morphed into the Sons of Liberty. They began to hold secret meetings to plan their anti-British activities. Their cover was the innocuous getting together of shipwrights, AKA "caulkers"  hence the derivation of the word "caucus" to describe a closed-door meeting. After all, it's the same word, but with a Boston accent.

Anti-Catholic sentiment was a part of American life for many years after the Revolution. Displays of Christmas were severely suppressed up until around the time of the Civil War...hence, American Christmas is particularly Victorian. No Catholic was able to become president until 1960. The first attempt ever was by four-term New York governor Al Smith in 1928.

It's kind of hard to imagine American Catholics being discriminated against, but it harkens back to 1605...and, fortunately (in the U.S., at least) it's not a big deal anymore.

Image: Public Domain.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
I can't begin to tell you, as an overseas observer, how refreshing it was to see the results of recent American state and local elections.

As someone who had become convinced that America had gone completely off the rails in a dogged pursuit of Marxist insanity by a malevolent Politburo whose central policy was to control the people and change the demographics of the country, making it impossible for them ever to lose power, it was inspiring to see the common folk rise up and express themselves in overwhelming numbers, setting back the woke regressive agenda of their leaders.

It had seemed that Americans, regimented by federal and local mandates, had become compliant citizens, except for vaccination-refusing hospital workers, truckers, airline crews and ground staff, factory workers, teachers, firemen, police officers, and parents, who were all defined as extremists, racists, and domestic terrorists by the Democrat Politburo and their propaganda media outlets.

Some results were shockingly amazing. A truck driver, spending less than $200 on his primary campaign, hammered the incumbent New Jersey state Senate president. This really was people over power.

Virginia is the residential epicenter of Washington power, a given Democrat stronghold. And yet, the Deep State got hammered as we witnessed the divide between the Democrat D.C. elite and the common folk.

Terry McAuliffe showed off his friends. Obama, Biden, and Harris all turned up to boogie with the non-dancer, and voters saw how out of touch these people really are.

McAuliffe slapped parents in the face, telling them they don't decide what their kids are to be taught. When they protested about the racism and gender dysphoria brainwashing, they were defined as "extremists" and "domestic terrorists," to be manhandled and evicted from school board meetings and threatened with arrest, as was one irate father who had the temerity to complain about his 14-year-old daughter's rape in a school bathroom.

Of course, parents are angry. Who wouldn't be? I guess Barrack Obama is one. He turned up at a McAuliffe rally to tell voters that parents who protest their children's indoctrination are part of "a phony Trumped up culture war."

Parents winced at Obama's accusation that they were nothing more than racists for supporting the policies of the man who swept away Obama's attempt to "fundamentally change America" with a free-market economy that gave voters freedom, lower energy costs, and lower taxes.

By their vote, they told the elite that they don't want their country fundamentally changed and they hate what the Democrats have done to them and their country in 2021. That's why they gave victory to a businessman outsider who spoke their language and expressed their thoughts.

Throughout 2021, we heard the constant drumbeat condemning those who did not take the knee to Critical Race Theory and Black Lies Matter as racists and white supremacists. That America is a nation born in hate and festering in racism.

In Virginia, that lie exploded with the election of Winsome Sears.

Winsome Sears is an immigrant from Jamaica who was elected to be the first Black female Virginia lieutenant governor. She fits the image perfectly for the likes of CNN and NBC. Even Vogue would be all over her. Except for one thing: She is a Republican. So, the Democrat-supporting media studiously ignored her success. It was as if she didn't exist.

Worse still, she said she was willing to die for her country. That's not the message that BLM and CRT want you to hear. So no airtime for her.

She went on to say, "I don't know if you noticed, but I am Black, and I have been Black all my life, but this is not what this is all about."

They hated that message. It's the message of an abandoned Martin Luther King, one of content of character rather than skin color, and it took a Black Republican migrant to break through the racist rubbish that has been rammed down the throats of Americans since the Democrats gained power.

What Virginia showed America and the world is that Black and Latino voters are moving away from the Democrat party in large numbers. Even Democrats are voting for non-Democrat candidates if their message reflects their individual feelings and needs.

The party that opened the floodgates for millions of illegals to flow unchallenged and unverified into the country has driven gravely concerned legal immigrants away from the party.

Damaging Democrat policies have many fearful for the future of America. Asian immigrant Xi Van Fleet said she had stumped for Youngkin by standing out in the cold and rain for nine hours to volunteer for her chosen candidate. His values resembled hers.

The Democrat media were oblivious to all of this. Instead, they, like McAuliffe, remain fixated on Donald Trump, and recent election results have put them into a Trump meltdown. They are scared to death of a potential groundswell that will bring Trump back to power in 2024. As CNN pundit Van Jones put it, the elections were "the Delta variant of Trumpism."

Hypocritical Rachel Maddow complained on MSNBC that "Fox built their primetime around the elections for months." Pretty rich for a Democrat media outlet that spent years doing nothing but lie about Trump and making out that Republican voters are white racists.

Joy Reid said the Virginia election was about education, which, for her, "is a code for white parents who don't like the idea of teaching about race."

The whole conversation of the mad Marxist media is summed up in three obsessive words  race, White, and Trump. If you don't accept their lying propaganda, you are a racist, an extremist, or a potential terrorist.

Along with this madness has been their anti-police policies, which seemed insane to outsiders but are wildly popular with Democrat policy-makers, particularly those in high crime cities and states whose policies are to disband the police and not arrest or imprison dangerous criminals. Suddenly, we heard from the voters, and their message was the reverse of everything we had heard for the last three years.

In Minneapolis, hardcore "defund the police" George Floyd territory, and home turf for radicals such as Ilhan Omar, voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to replace the police department with an experimental social service/public health alternative. Voters know that an area without police is infinitely a more dangerous place.

There is a long way to go, but the sight of commonsense voters expressing themselves and winning in dominant but delusional Democrat strongholds is encouraging.

Barry Shaw, Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped).

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Fresh off their recent success in fleeing Afghanistan with their tails between their legs, leaving hundreds of Americans and billions of dollars in arms and munitions behind, the Pentagon was in a celebratory mood and decided to drone some ISIS-K terrorists.

Despite ISIS-K sounding made-up, like some long-ago breakfast cereal of my youth, the Pentagon nevertheless thought we should fry a few of them, perhaps to obscure the nauseating stench of America's entire mishegoss in Afghanistan.

So the best and brightest among us decided to rain hellfire on a car in Kabul, reducing the occupants to greasy spots and causing the world to sit up and take notice of America's righteous wrath.

General Mark Milley, the beribboned chairman on the Joint Chiefs, declared the attack a "righteous strike" that probably saved U.S. troops from another terrorist attack  like the one at Kabul Airport that Milley and his pals in "intelligence" failed to stop.

Sadly, it turns out Gen. Milley and his drone operators were too busy worrying about climate change and white supremacists in the military to properly verify their target. He and his boys had, in fact, obliterated a car containing Afghan aid workers and seven children.

The world, especially China, Russia, and Iran, surely had a long, hearty laugh at American "over the horizon" prowess. The only ones not laughing were the world's children, who will be playing inside for the foreseeable future.

Still, this is the United States of America, a nation of laws, morality, and integrity. And a thorough and robust investigation into the needless killing of those Afghani innocents was certainly in order.

So the Air Force inspector general, Lt. Gen. Sami D. Said, interviewed all those involved, read all the intelligence assessments, and studied every single procedure that was in place at the time of the drone strike.

Yesterday, after much study and deliberation, Lt. Gen. Said finally came out with his report on the awful incident. Allow me to paraphrase what Said said.

Mistakes were made, info was off, coulda happened to anybody! Of course, no laws were broken, no one will be penalized or held accountable. It was just a one-in-a-million mistake.

When pressed on what changes needed to be made after the needless slaughter of civilians, Said said, and again I paraphrase:

Put procedures in place, enhanced intelligence sharing, yada, yada, yada, reviews and assessments, etc., etc.

In summation, the Pentagon investigated its wayward attack on innocent Afghani citizens; found absolutely no one culpable; and concluded that all that was needed was more assessments, procedures, and protocols. By finally putting the whole nasty business to bed with the inspector general's report, the Pentagon can now go back to its most critical mission: fighting climate change and purging the military of Trump-supporters.

Image: National Archives.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
On August 25, 2020, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, armed with an AR-15 and a medical kit, went to Kenosha, Wisconsin to offer first aid and protect businesses against looting and arson. By evening's end, Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber were dead, and Gaige Grosskreutz had a hole in his arm. Rittenhouse is now being tried for murder, although he claims  and video evidence and witness testimony confirm  he acted in self-defense.

The trial started this week, and it's been sufficiently fascinating, thanks to mismanaged evidence (including FBI wrongdoing) and an incompetent prosecutor, to merit a short review. These are some highlights. Andrew Branca's superb posts at Legal Insurrection have more details.

On Tuesday, assistant D.A. Thomas Binger committed a fundamental error: he misrepresented the evidence, almost all of which is captured on film. Thus, he asserted that Kyle shot "unarmed" victims. In fact, Grosskreutz was aiming a gun at Kyle when Kyle shot him; Huber was trying to beat Kyle to death, or decapitate him, with a skateboard; and Rosenbaum was trying to steal Kyle's gun.

Also on Tuesday, news broke that the FBI had failed to share evidence with the defense and then "lost" some of that same evidence. Although the testimony wasn't televised, Branca writes:

I did learn later that apparently the FBI had possessed both the low resolution aerial video shared with prosecutors, and a high-definition version of the same video. To the outrage of the defense, however, it was discovered today that the high resolution version of the video had been "lost" by the agency. Reportedly even Judge Schroeder was left aghast at the possibility that the FBI had tossed away evidence relevant to a homicide case, but beyond that I don't have any substantive knowledge of how all this played out.

Wednesday's most interesting story also involved mishandled evidence. Rittenhouse made available to the prosecution the contents of his cell phone. He had nothing to hide.

Things were different went it came to Gaige Grosskreutz's phone. Grosskreutz was the man who simultaneously stuck a gun and his phone, with the camera working, into Kyle's face when Kyle shot his arm.

Police investigators obtained a search warrant for Grosskreutz's phone, which would certainly have contained material evidence. Bizarrely, though, the police did not serve the warrant, did not seize his phone, and never tried to gain access to the contents.

The very young detective in charge of the case conceded that this was the only time in his experience at the Kenosha P.D. that the police did not serve a search warrant for a phone download. The reason given was "Marcy's Law," which protects victims of crimes from invasive investigations. So Grosskreutz, who stuck a gun in Kyle's face, was framed as a "victim" from day one. However, the detective admitted that, in his experience, the police had never before used Marcy's Law to prevent a search warrant for cell phone evidence. The police also didn't record their interview with Grosskreutz, another anomaly in a department that recorded everyone's interviews.

Thursday  day three of the trial  proved particularly fascinating because it was like a master class on how not to question your own witnesses. The two witnesses were Richard McGinnis, a videographer for The Daily Caller, and Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who patrolled the area with Rittenhouse.

The prosecution's job was to get these two men to prove affirmatively that Rittenhouse wasn't acting in self-defense. This would mean showing that he was not the wronged innocent in all this, or that he was not in imminent danger, or that his actions were out of proportion to the threat, or that he was not acting reasonably at the time.

What happened, instead, was that the prosecution's insistent questioning regarding the circumstances of Rosenbaum's death revealed that Kyle was an amiable young man who avoided confrontations and was actively trying to help people; that Rosenbaum threatened to kill him; and that he was desperately trying to run away from Rosenbaum, only to find himself trapped in a dead-end, at which point Rosenbaum (who, again, had threatened to kill him) tried to grab Kyle's weapon.

In other words, the prosecution's witnesses proved every element of self-defense: Kyle wasn't the aggressor; Rosenbaum was an imminent threat; Kyle's actions were therefore proportionate to the threat; and, having first tried to escape the threat, Kyle acted reasonably in defending himself.

Branca's description of the testimony shows ADA Binger violating every rule of holes. Not only did he fail to stop digging, but he also kept digging faster and more desperately.

No matter how bad the prosecution is, Rittenhouse is nowhere near out of the woods. Being a defendant in a murder case is inherently risky, for there's no telling what a jury will do. He has the good fortune, though, to have an honest and thoughtful judge, exculpatory video evidence, and a strangely inept prosecution. With luck, soon Kyle will be able to put this behind him and get on with his life.

Image: Kyle Rittenhouse at his trial. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

USA To Allow Indian Travelers Vaccinated With Covaxin:- Indian coronavirus vaccine Covaxin that is manufactured by Bharat Biotech got all the hurdles cleared from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday. The United States of American is all set to allow the Indian travelers who are vaccinated with Covaxin from November 8th to USA after all the borders for the vaccinated will reopen for foreign travelers. US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) press officer Scott Pauley told "CDC's travel guidance applies to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved/authorized and World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) vaccines and encompasses any new vaccines that may be added to either of those lists over time".

The WHO granted emergency use listing to Covaxin on Wednesday. Covaxin was not a WHO approved vaccine and several countries banned travelers who took the doses of Covaxin. On Wednesday, the Technical Advisory Group of WHO said that Covaxin met the standards of WHO for the protection against the virus. All the travelers flying to USA will accept the people who are fully vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac for coronavirus.As per the reports from WHO, Covaxin has 77.8 percent efficacy rate and is suitable for low and middle-income countries as it can be stored easily.
PLEASE NOTE: ALL ONLINE PURCHASES ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS UNLESS YOU EMAIL JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM OR CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 256-235-9253....

Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM



*NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY join with a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! AMEX is not accepted through this site.



After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel*


TUNIS - On November 10-14 the Italian cultural institute in Tunis will host at the Opera Theater the first platform of Italian contemporary dance called "D'accordo". The initiative of high artistic and cultural value has the objective of presenting contemporary dance to a Tunisian public while creating opportunities to share artistic skills.



The event will take place in close cooperation with the Opera Theater in Tunis, which included it in a wider event called 'Festival Video-Opera-Dance', where performances of Italian dance companies will be preceded by videos focusing on international artists. The initiative will provide an occasion for Italian and Tunisian artists to meet directly. They will participate in videos of "choreographic pills" in different locations of the capital, from the Medina to beaches.



The opening night will feature the company Oplas/Centro Regionale della Danza Umbria, with "Il Grande Viaggio del Divino Dante", a performance with Oplas dancers and the company Ness el Fenn of Syhem Belkhodja (a partner of the event), including readings of the Divine Comedy by actor and director Massimo Belli.



The following day will feature the performance of the company Francesca Selva/Con.Cor.Da with "Amore Amaro", a duet performed across Europe since 2014 and dedicated to the complexity of couple relationships. On the 11th, the company Sbam Dance Connection, with a duet of women called "Mindfulness", will focus on the internal voyage provided by meditation that gives an intense awareness that can lead to an "ethical" way - an acceptance of self. On the 12th, the Mandala Dance Company and the E.sperimenti Dance Company/Gdo (Gruppo Danzatori Oggi) will perform: the first will debut a quartet of women in "HH_Homo Humus", a multimedia production on climate change caused by environmental pollution, while the second will present "Convergence", a choreography with a primordial rhythm that materializes in an extreme challenge with oneself and others through an abstract yet energetic relationship between electronic music, light and rhythm. On the 14th, the opening performance on Dante will close the event in a bid to attract a young public.



The platform includes two important moments: a press conference on the 11th, during which local journalists will be able to talk with Italian artists, and a roundtable on the 13th in which Tunisian promoters, directors of the festival and choreographers will meet Italian performers to exchange ideas and develop potential future collaborations. Dance master classes will also be given by directors and choreographers of Italian companies attending the event. The platform "D'accordo" was created from an idea of Luca Bruni, artistic director of Oplas, with the support of the Italian cultural institute in Tunis and Cat-Colacem.
CAIRO - Flights transferring migrants from Libya to other African countries have resumed, UNHCR Libya tweeted on Friday. "We are delighted that the plane bringing 172 asylum seekers to safety out of Libya has just landed in Niger", the UN Refugee Agency in Libya announced overnight.



"This is the first evacuation flight in over a year, marking the resumption of life-saving flights out of Libya and bringing back hope to most vulnerable refugees".
NAPLES - Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Greece, Egypt, Israel and Turkey are the underwater archaeological sites of European cultural itinerary "Mediterranean Underwater Cultural Heritage" to be presented on November 26 during the Mediterranean conference on underwater archaeological tourism at the Mediterranean Bourse of Archaeological Tourism in Paestum. The eight sites present themselves as the European itinerary of underwater cultural heritage of the Mediterranean: from the submerged bay of Campi Flegrei and the underwaterpark of Gaiola in Campania, to the Egadi islands, Pantelleria, Plemminio and Ustica in Sicily, the sites of Egnazia, Tremiti islands, San Pietro in Bevagna in Puglia, to end with the Italian side in Capo Rizzuto, Calabria.



The itinerary will then include the Mediterranean with diving in Pavlopetri and Peristera in Greece, in Alexandria of Egypt and Caesarea Maritima, in Israel and Kizlan, in Turkey.



The itinerary represents a key resource for responsible and sustainable tourism, responding to the requirements of the Council of Europe and with the consideration that there are still few equipped sites that can be used by the public, both in Italy and in the rest of the Mediterranean. The request to the Council of Europe for a certification has the objective of shedding light on the potential of underwater archaeological tourism, which can offer to the traveller an unprecedented experience in archaeology.



The candidature comes from an idea of Ugo Picarelli, director and founder of BMTA: "The itinerary - he explained - fills a void, because among the 45 currently certified there isn't one dedicated to archaeology. Thanks to archaeologist Sebastiano Tusa, who in 2004 created the superintendency of the sea in Sicily, I understood the great potential of touristic and economic development offered by underwater heritage".



On the valorization of underwater archaeological sites also invests archaeologist Lina Mendoni, minister of culture and sport in Greece, who will be in Paestum to receive the prize "Paestum Mario Napoli". "The underwater archaeological heritage in Greece - she explained - is huge and valorizing it is one of the main objectives of the Greek ministry of culture and sport that over the last few years, in collaboration with local institutions, has started a campaign to enhance and requalify underwater archaeological sites in various areas of the country.



The objective of the campaign is to make underwater sites, both close to the coast and in the open sea, accessible and attractive not just to underwater communities but also to the great public.



Pavlopetri and Peristera are two sites in which the necessary infrastructural work has already been done, as part of pilot projects aimed at making accessible both sites, also through digital imaging systems". The Greek minister then stressed: "Sustainability, controlled development and uniform development of the tourism flow during the year, and not on a seasonal basis, are the key principles of policies implemented by the Greek ministry of culture and sport. This is particularly true in coastal and underwater sites that are for natural reasons more vulnerable and increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change".


The world is at a long-awaited political tipping point in the fight against climate change, former US vice-president Al Gore has said, as he praised youth climate strikers in Glasgow.

Mr Gore, who served two terms as vice-president under Bill Clinton, added that impressive pledges for action have been made at the citys Cop26 summit in Glasgow.

But he warned the climate crisis is getting worse faster than we are yet implementing solutions, as he said more political will is needed to tackle the problem.

Demonstrators attend the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow (Danny Lawson/PA)

Speaking at the summit, he said: Young people all around the world are telling us now is the time.

In every nation Fridays for Futureoutside this meeting hall today.

This is a massive demand by the young people of the world and dont tell them its impossible. It is possible.

We have the tools and we have the ability to this.

Earlier, he spoke in a video address at the start of the Globe Cop26 Legislators Summit taking place at the Scottish Parliament.

Three decades ago, Mr Gore and John Kerry  who is now the US special presidential envoy for climate  established the Globe organisation for legislators around the world to play their part in the fight against global warming.

He told world politicians gathered at Holyrood for the event on Friday: I for one believe very strongly that we are right at the long-awaited political tipping point, the many pledges for action here at this conference of the parties are impressive.

With more countries and organisations making net-zero commitments, Mr Gore said it is crucial they are held to account on their pledges.

If they are making a net-zero pledge they must now be held to it, he said.

The number one task is to reduce emissions because we are now using the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet as if it were an open sewer, putting 162 million tonnes of man-made, heat-trapping global warming pollution into the sky every single day.

He said this means emissions accumulated in the atmosphere now trap as much extra heat as would be released by 600,000 first generation atomic bombs exploding every 24 hours on earth.

Mr Gore continued: Thats what is disrupting the water cycle, that is what is putting so much water vapor into the sky that results in these massive downpours, much larger and much more frequent that in the past.

And the floods and mudslides that result have caused devastating consequences.

Today in Glasgow, young people from around the world are taking to the streets for #FridaysForFuture. To all those in the halls of #COP26, now is the time to listen to their voices and act. Their future is in your hands.  Al Gore (@algore) November 5, 2021

He added: The same extra heat also pulls the moisture out of the top layer of the soil, therefore the droughts take hold more quickly and last longer and go deeper, which is having an impact on agriculture.

Were also seeing increasing temperatures combined with increasing humidity expand the areas of our world in the tropics and sub tropics that are becoming in some cases literally unliveable.

But he said in the three decades since Globe was founded, the world had also seen the emergence of extremely effective solutions for the climate crisis, hailing the growth of renewable power and the increased popularity of electric vehicles.

Al Gore is attending the Cop26 conference (Chris Jackson/PA)

Mr Gore said the increasing threat to the planet has also awakened a much stronger voice from the people at the grassroots of every nation, demanding governments do more.

He added: That makes the job of legislators even more important, to translate the popular will into effective solutions for the climate crisis.

We have the urgency, we have the tools we need to solve the climate crisis, we need the legislation. The only missing element is sufficient political will.

But political will is itself a renewable resource, and legislators who are leading in every single country can renew that political will and then translate it into effective solutions.
There is a greater sense of urgency and focus at Cop26 than ever before, US climate envoy John Kerry has said  but warned it was job not done.

The special presidential envoy on climate, appointed by US President Joe Biden, hailed the flurry of announcements on phasing out coal, cutting methane emissions, delivering green finance and protecting forests in the first days of the climate summit in Glasgow.

Mr Kerry said he had been surprised by International Energy Agency (IEA) boss Fatih Birols suggestion that, if implemented, all the pledges countries have made to date could limit global warming to 1.8C  but it had been confirmed by other modelling.

That would put it close to the 1.5C warming limit countries have promised to try to meet, to avoid the worst impacts of storms, droughts, floods, damage to crops, health and wildlife and rising seas that higher temperatures will bring.

Mr Kerry, a veteran of the UN climate negotiation process, said of the Cop26 talks: The bottom line is, I personally have been to many Cops and I will tell you there is a greater sense of urgency at this Cop, theres a greater sense of focus.

And I have never, in the first days of any of the Cops Ive been to, counted as many initiatives, as much real money being put on the table, even as there are some question marks legitimately about some of the money.

But Mr Kerry said there needed to be a deal out of the talks that was a strong statement and implementable, warning: The words dont mean enough unless they are implemented.

And he warned: Let me emphasis as strongly as I can: job not done, job not done the day this ends.

(PA Graphics)

The first part of the job, of codifying the urgency will hopefully be done, but thats just the beginning.

This is a 10-year, decade-long race if we are being guided as I am, as I think President Biden is, as most of us are by the science.

In order to meet the 1.5C target, scientists have warned the world must cut carbon emissions by 45% by 2030  but national plans submitted under the UN process by countries for the action they will take leave the world miles off track to keep to the safe limit.

So there is pressure on countries to address how to close the gap between ambition and action required up to 2030, as part of the negotiated text that it is hoped will be secured by the end of the two weeks of talks  with some climate-vulnerable nations calling for annual assessments to drive progress.

Quizzed on how often he wanted nations to revisit their climate action up to 2030, Mr Kerry said the time frame would have to be agreed by countries.

But he said: Our goal is to have the most frequent possible measurement of what countries are achieving.

If youre going to be real about this, and we want to be and we are, you cant push out into the long-term future an assessment of where you are, it just doesnt make sense.

The evidence is mounting faster, the science is coming back faster, were all moving  I think  faster, and we need to know what the interaction of all that is, we need to understand where that leaves us.

He said it would be negligent to come out of Cop26 with too long a horizon for revisiting action, and warned it behoves us, in order to convey to people the seriousness of purpose, to revisit this as much as we can.

He said that by the end of the conference, they would not have all countries at a sufficient level of action, but there could be a critical mass of countries moving in a way that keeps 1.5C alive.

We all need to be pressing our ambition going forward, he said, adding that it was a tough task, but one that was doable, to make Glasgow a success.
The Governments handling of the new border with the EU was largely successful but relied on temporary measures that are not sustainable, the National Audit Office has said.

In a review of initial work to establish border controls following Brexit, the NAO praised it as a significant achievement, noting that essential elements had been delivered and there had been no large queues at the border.

However, more controls are due to be phased in over the first half of 2022 and the report added that the current model controls cannot go on indefinitely.

On the Northern Ireland Protocol, the NAO said the situation was inherently challenging and urged the Government to implement any deal reached with the EU on changing the protocol quickly.

Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said: We recognise the significant achievement of government, departments and third parties in delivering the initial operating capability needed at the border for the end of the transition period.

However, this was done in part by using interim measures and by delaying the introduction of full import controls.

Much more work is needed to put in place a model for the border that reduces the risk of non-compliance with international trading rules, does not require any temporary fixes, and is less complicated and burdensome for border users.

The NAO report said burdens on businesses would increase as new controls were introduced, many of which would become evident in the wider supply chain rather than at the border itself.

Trade with the EU has recovered slightly after falling 44% in the first quarter of 2021 but remains 13% below the level of the last three months of 2020.

The report said it was not possible to disentangle the impact of Brexit from the impact of the pandemic, but reductions in the UKs trade with the EU are significantly greater than the UKs trade with the rest of the world over the same period.

The NAO said Government support for businesses affected by new controls had lacked a strategic plan and said businesses had criticised the eligibility criteria for some schemes.

Just 8.5 million of the 20 million made available for small and medium-sized enterprises in the first half of 2021 had been applied for by the time the scheme closed and just 6.7 million had been paid out.

The report also noted UK exporters were at a disadvantage compared with EU exporters, as the EU had implemented the full set of border controls while the UK was not scheduled to do so until July 2022.

Despite the delay, the Governments Border and Protocol Delivery Group still believes there is a high risk that traders and hauliers will not be ready for the introduction of more controls in January 2022.

Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: Todays report finds that the Government was able to do enough to avoid the much-feared queues at the border once the UK-EU transition period came to end.

The delayed rollout of full import controls means its still not a level playing field for some UK businesses.

Leaving the EU has meant businesses have had to grapple with more paperwork and additional cost. Government must help businesses adapt to the new rules and put in place border controls that work for all.
Owen Paterson being given a peerage after his resignation from the Commons would be grotesque and deeply offensive, Nicola Sturgeon has claimed.

Mr Paterson stepped down on Thursday amid a debacle which saw the UK Government forced to U-turn following an attempt to overhaul the complaints procedure to save the former cabinet minister from a 30-day suspension.

He had been found guilty by standards authorities of breaching Commons rules by lobbying officials and ministers for two companies paying him more than 100,000 a year.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman on Friday refused to rule out Mr Paterson being appointed to the House of Lords.

Speaking to journalists at Cop26, Scotlands First Minister  who called the attempts to save Mr Paterson from suspension classic corruption  said: It would be grotesque and deeply offensive that somebody who had been found to breach standards by an independent process of investigation, who ended up resigning from the Commons albeit through a messy process, ended up being put back into politics through the House of Lords.

But I say that as someone who is opposed to unelected peers sitting in the House of Lords.
Three-quarters of adults in Britain are worried about climate change, according to a new survey.

More than 80% of people questioned by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in October, just ahead of the Cop26 climate summit, reported having made eco-friendly lifestyle changes, such as throwing away less food.

Those who said they are concerned about climate change were three times more likely to have made a lot of changes to help tackle the issue, according to the survey.

Today's theme at #COP26 is youth and public empowerment, and our latest article explores peoples worries about climate change  75% of adults in Great Britain said they were very or somewhat worried about the impact of climate change in October 2021 https://t.co/ynZg4CDSoy pic.twitter.com/xVq1FT9hUg  Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) November 5, 2021

More than 40% of those polled reported feeling anxious about the future of the environment.

Women are more likely than men to be worried about the impact of climate change  with eight in 10 saying they are concerned.

They are also more likely to feel anxiety and to have made changes to their lifestyle (85%) than men (77%).

People aged 25 to 34 are most likely to feel very worried about climate change, with 37% saying they do, compared with just under a quarter of over-70s.

Only a quarter of respondents said they are unworried or ambivalent about global warming, with many of them saying they do not know much about the issue or that there are more urgent problems to deal with.

Of the fifth of adults who have made no lifestyle changes, most believe that their actions would make no difference and that large polluters should change before individuals.

The survey also asked people to describe their feelings about the future of the environment.

Common themes in respondents answers included concern for their family and future generations, alarm, frustration and helplessness.

(Im) concerned for what we are leaving our younger generation to cope with, one said.

Another wrote: I think the future is pretty bleak as so much damage has already been done.

Another respondent said: I feel dread, anxiousness and hopelessness. Then I feel energised to do something.

Climate protesters during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow (Jane Barlow/PA)

The surveys findings come as Cop26 talks continue in Glasgow.

Countries are under pressure to increase ambition on cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change, to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, and to ensure financing for poor countries to tackle the crisis.

Youth activists including Greta Thunberg are taking to the Scottish citys streets on Friday to demand action on climate change from leaders and politicians.

 The ONSs Opinions and Lifestyle Survey was carried out between October 6 and 17, with respondents in Great Britain aged 16 and over.
EXCLUSIVE: TheGrio spoke with White House officials and members of Congress to get the break down of federal dollars earmarked for Black farmers, clean water in Black communities, crime prevention, better housing and more.

The White House and members U.S. Congress have been dropping hints that they are nearing a deal on the Build Back Better (BBB) infrastructure spending plan. But both the money and what is considered to be infrastructure remain sticking points even as Biden officials say both will positively impact Black America.

Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Alexander Ocasio-Cortez of New York exclusively told theGrio on Capitol Hill, Its unfortunate how much, sometimes, provisions for our Black communities get trimmed back along with so many other provisions for people of color.

But I do think that there are a lot of exciting investments here, she added. We had those initial expansions for Black farmers in the original [American Rescue Plan]. But as weve seen, theres been so much pushback on that and [we] continue to push for that. [It] is super important.

Senior officials at the White House, including White House Domestic Policy Director Susan Rice, have highlighted that Black farmers will see some funding from BBB.

Rice, who previously served as an advisor to former president Barack Obama, contends that Black Farmers are earmarked for $6 billion.

The farmers, almost 49,000, were a major support to then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in many of the southern states that are typically red. The line item for Black farmers is an effort to address long-standing inequities in agriculture.

White House officials say the relief for farmers and ranchers in the Build Back Better framework includes a program to provide debt relief to certain farmers and ranchers with qualifying loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This provision will include farmers and ranchers who have suffered financial strain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Agriculture has over the decades had to pay out settlement money to Black farmers since the Bill Clinton administration due to discrimination from USDA loan programs. Meanwhile, the numbers of Black farmers have dwindled over the decades in part due to lack of equal access to money and programs offered by the USDA.

Handy Kennedy, founder of AgriUnity cooperative, counts his cows on HK Farms in Cobbtown, Georgia. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

According to Susan Rice, this and several issues impacting Black America have major standing throughout these bills.

Rice asserts that the BBB also has money to prevent and respond to gun crime. Those crimes are linked to gun homicide where Black men make up more than 50% of the deaths. The statistics highlight a major disparity, considering Black men make up only 6% of the population.

In an attempt to resolve this issue, the Biden administration has budgeted items earmarked to target gun-related crime in Black communities. The package puts funding into evidenced-based community violence prevention programs, Rice said.

Additionally, the largest investment in clean drinking water is included in the BBB framework. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan told theGrio, Theres a ton of money in there  $55 billion for water infrastructure  with a significant portion of that going to the remediation of lead pipes in this country.

Thats about six to 10 million lead pipes that are mostly located in Black and Brown communities. Thats going to be very significant. About $5 billion focused on cleaning up contaminated sites like gas stations [and] old warehouses that have housed chemicals, Reagan added.

Regan also said we know that 34% of Black people are more likely to live in areas where we see an alarming increase in rates of childhood asthma, and 40% of Black people are currently living in communities that are more likely to see elevated deaths related to heat.

Discolored water leaks from a fire hydrant as Flint Fire Department works to put out a fire in an abandoned home on March 17, 2016 in Flint, Michigan. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Theres a direct correlation to the infrastructure dollars that goes to remediating pollution in water and land, said Regan. The President has a Justice40 initiative. And essentially, thats setting up a structure so that for across all government agencies 40% of all of the federal spending that goes into environmental justice, communities will stay there and be invested in not only pollution, remediation, or pollution cleanup [in marginalized communities], but also economic development and job growth and job creation as well.

Another campaign promise and something that was a project of then Senator Kamala Harris is addressing maternal health, which will see $3 billion in funding from BBB The billions will be focused on maternal health for Black women who disproportionately die from pregnancy complications. Currently the rate of Black women who die in pregnancy is three times the rate of White women.

Based on what has been proposed in newly-released Congressional text, public housing will see $10 billion in capital funds, $66.5 billion for priority investment determined by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge to repair, replace and construct properties, $2.75 billion for competitive grants that go toward transforming, rehabbing and replacing public housing.

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

HBCUs, along with other minority-serving institutions, will get $300 million to modernize academic research facilities and an additional $700 million for research activities and related activities. This is not all of the funding that will be allocated to HBCUs, according to officials.

The plan to be of assistance to HBCUs is untouched. We know information got out that theyve been pulled out. But that really is not true, Democratic Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas exclusively told theGrio. In the 29 years that Ive been here on this committee, [that] I chair every term, I have put something for HBCUs.

The funding impacting research at HBCUs was specifically earmarked through Johnsons committee, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Black families are also 9% less likely to have access to high-speed internet. There is a $65 billion effort to erase the broadband deficit between those who have access and those who do not  which typically end up being Black and minority communities.

Additionally for families, Susan Rice contends that President Bidens BBB agenda cuts child poverty in half. As it stands, 22.1% of Black people fall below the poverty line. The bill will extend the expanded child tax credit providing a major tax cut to nearly 3 million Black people and will cut the Black poverty rate by 34% and the child poverty rate by nearly half.

It is important to focus on the research aspect of the funding because it has been heavily conflated in the last month.

Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is once again holding up the works on the Build Back Better plan. Manchin, along with Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has objected to several provisions in the bill and caused Democrats to slash the initial $3.5 trillion to the now $1.75 trillion. Manchin said the issue of paid family leave, for example, does not belong in the spending package.

A review from the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that Black mothers saw the largest absolute gain from taking paid family leave.

TheGrios Jessica Floyd contributed to this report.

Have you subscribed to the Grio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Black America to receive billions from Bidens BBB plan  here are the hard numbers appeared first on TheGrio.
By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada may experience a "bumpy ride" with COVID-19 during the winter months given that the rate of decline in cases has slowed, a top health official said on Friday, stressing it was too soon to fully lift precautions.

Chief medical officer Theresa Tam told a briefing that the incidence of reported infections was now highest among children under 12, who are not yet eligible for vaccinations.

An average of 2,230 new cases were reported daily over the previous week compared with more than 4,400 during the peak of the fourth wave. But the figures do not show regional variations or the higher risk faced by vulnerable populations.

"We may be still in for a bit of a bumpy ride all the way through the winter season," Tam said. "I don't think we're out of the woods. I think we should look probably towards the spring when we will be in a better position."

Data show that as of Oct. 23, 83.7% of eligible Canadians had been fully inoculated, a figure Tam said was superb.

Infection rates are still elevated in the western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, which lifted most precautions in July and then had to reimpose them as cases soared.

"Severe illness trends are still elevated. As we head into the winter months with a strained and fragile health system in many areas of the country, we must remain vigilant...It is still too soon to fully ease public health measures," Tam said.

Canada's federal health ministry said in late October it expected to announce by the end of November whether Pfizer Inc's vaccine can be given to those aged between 5 and 11. Tam said this timeline was still valid.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Mark Heinrich)
Florida Changing Birds In this Friday, July 15, 2016, file photo, two American flamingos tussle in their exhibit space at Zoo Miami, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Miami. After nearly a century on its lofty perch, the northern mockingbird's days may be numbered as the state bird of Florida. The flamingo is one of several birds being considered for a new state bird. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  After nearly a century on its lofty perch, the northern mockingbird may be singing its last melodies as the state bird of Florida.

An effort is taking flight to replace the far-ranging musical mockingbird with a bird that is more identifiable as distinctly Floridian.

Part of what were working to do is highlight that Florida has these incredible species and we should recognize the bird that most represents Florida, said state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican whose legislation would strip the mockingbird of its title. To me, it's a fun conversation to have."

Suggestions for a new state bird are all over the map, but four main contenders have emerged: the Florida scrub jay, flamingo, osprey and roseate spoonbill. The white ibis, swallow-tailed kite and wood stork also get mentioned. Some joke it should be the construction crane.

The gray-and-white mockingbird, celebrated in literature and music, has been Florida's state bird since 1927, when the state was much more agricultural and less populated on the coasts. It may not be quite as representative of today's bustling, modern Florida  and four other states also call it the state bird.

But it has supporters, including Marion Hammer, the lobbyist in Florida for the National Rifle Association and executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida. She wrote in a recent opinion piece that the mockingbird deserves our continued love.

The mockingbird can sing up to 200 different tunes and mimic artificial sounds like car alarms. Its Latin name translates to many-tongued thrush.

The mockingbird is a well established, independent, prolific bird that doesnt need government protection or our tax dollars to survive, Hammer wrote. It can be seen, watched, studied and enjoyed by children and adults on any given day in all areas of Florida.

The same cannot be said of the Florida scrub jay, described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as the sole bird species found only in Florida. Trouble is, there are only about 4,000 of them concentrated in central Florida and the federal government lists them as threatened.

Brandes did not suggest a mockingbird replacement in his legislation. But separate bills in the state House and Senate would elevate the blue-headed scrub jay to the honorary post.

One of those bills is sponsored by Sen. Tina Polsky, a Boca Raton Democrat. She argued in a recent editorial that the scrub jay represents the hard-working, family-oriented nature of our residents.

Friendly, cooperative, family-oriented, bold, curious, talented builder, protective, shares chores, stays close to home  does this sound like someone you would want to represent your community? Polsky wrote.

Not to be left out, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted in early October to support naming the fish-preying osprey to represent the state. The commission did the same thing in 2009, after a poll of 77,000 school students resulted in a victory for the large raptor commonly seen building big nests or roosting on light poles near bodies of water.

That doesnt necessarily mean that thats the way its going to go, if you know the Legislature, said commission chair Rodney Barreto. But at least we can put a marker down.

The bright pink American flamingo is a different story. Often linked to Florida in popular culture  think state lottery ticket logos, plastic lawn ornaments or the Miami Vice opening credits  for decades it was considered a foreign interloper.

That changed in recent years when researchers proved flamingos are native to the Sunshine State but were mercilessly hunted to near extinction in the early 20th century. They have since rebounded, bolstered by captive flocks like the one at the Hialeah horse track, but exist mainly in the Everglades, the Florida Keys and around Biscayne Bay in Miami.

The roseate spoonbill, like the flamingo a large, pink wading bird, is more widespread in the state and is not listed as threatened. They have unique rounded bills used for scooping food in shallow waters and usually live near shorelines or on islands.

To Julie Wraithmell, executive director of Audubon Florida, any debate about Florida birds is a good thing  especially if it raises consciousness about what's needed to protect them such as habitat conservation, water quality improvements and Everglades restoration.

Being the state bird doesnt confer any protection on the bird. We just get excited when people are talking about it and acknowledge how integral birds are to our quality of life in Florida, Wraithmell said. Were hoping that through these conversations, people will want to get more involved.

The future of the mockingbird will likely be debated during the 2022 Florida legislative session that begins Jan. 11.

There is precedent for states switching their honorary state animals, including birds: In 1948, South Carolina shifted from the mockingbird to the Carolina thrush. Brandes said it's time for Florida to also find a new feathered friend.

Why does the northern mockingbird make sense in the southernmost state? he said. "I think its a bird that doesnt make sense for Florida.
Pakistan Czech Woman FILE - Czech model Tereza Hluskova, center, reacts after appearing in court in Lahore, Pakistan on March 20, 2019. Hluskova, who was sentenced to eight years on charges of attempting to smuggle heroin from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi will be freed next week following her acquittal by an appeal court, a defense lawyer said Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary, File)

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP)  A Czech model who was sentenced to eight years on charges of attempting to smuggle heroin from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates will be freed next week following her acquittal by an appeals court, her lawyer said Friday.

According to the lawyer, Tereza Hluskova was acquitted by an appeals court earlier this week in the eastern city of Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.

Her attorney, Saiful Malook, said the now 24-year-old Hluskova will be released early next week after completion of paperwork.

She was arrested in January 2018 in possession of 8.5 kilograms, or 19 pounds, of heroin at the Lahore airport from where she was heading to Ireland via the UAE. Her sentence also included an $800 fine.

At the time of the arrest and during her trial, Hluskova, who had come to Pakistan to work as a model, pleaded she was innocent and that someone else placed the narcotics in her luggage.

Authorities in Pakistan regularly arrest both Pakistanis and foreigners over drug smuggling.
A trial of Pfizer Inc's experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 was stopped early after the drug was shown to cut by 89% the chances of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of developing severe disease, the company said on Friday.

The results appear to surpass those seen with Merck & Co Inc's pill, molnupiravir, which was shown last month to halve the likelihood of dying or being hospitalized for COVID-19 patients also at high risk of serious illness.

Full trial data is not yet available from either company.

Pfizer shares surged 13% to $49.47, while those of Merck fell 6% to $84.69.

Pfizer said it plans to submit interim trial results for its pill, which is given in combination with an older antiviral called ritonavir, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of the emergency use application it opened in October.

The combination treatment, which will have the brand name Paxlovid, consists of three pills given twice daily.

FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Pfizer logo is placed near medicines from the same manufacturer in this illustration

The planned analysis of 1,219 patients in Pfizer's study looked at hospitalizations or deaths among people diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 with at least one risk factor for developing severe disease, such as obesity or older age.

It found that 0.8% of those given Pfizer's drug within three days of symptom onset were hospitalized and none had died by 28 days after treatment. That compared with a hospitalization rate of 7% for placebo patients. There were also seven deaths in the placebo group.

Rates were similar for patients treated within five days of symptoms - 1% of the treatment group was hospitalized, compared with 6.7% for the placebo group, which included 10 deaths.

Antivirals need to be given as early as possible, before an infection takes hold, in order to be most effective. Merck tested its drug within five days of symptom onset.

"We saw that we did have high efficacy, even if it was five days after a patient has been treated ... people might wait a couple of days before getting a test or something, and this means that we have time to treat people and really provide a benefit from a public health perspective," Annaliesa Anderson, head of the Pfizer program, told Reuters.

The company did not detail side effects of the treatment, but said adverse events happened in about 20% of both treatment and placebo patients.

"These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations, Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said in a statement.

Pfizer said it was currently expecting to produce more than 180,000 packs by the end of 2021 and at least 50 million packs by the end of 2022, of which 21 million would be produced in the first half.

"We are currently bringing on additional capacity and ramping up further and we look forward to updating these numbers in the coming weeks," the company said.

Infectious disease experts stress that preventing COVID-19 through wide use of vaccines remains the best way to control the pandemic, but only 58% of Americans are fully vaccinated and access in many parts of the world is limited.

Pfizer's drug, part of a class known as protease inhibitors, is designed to block an enzyme the coronavirus needs in order to multiply.

Merck's molnupiravir has a different mechanism of action designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus. Merck has already sold millions of courses of the treatment, which was approved this week by U.K. regulators, to the United States, the U.K. and others.

Britain said earlier this month it had secured 250,000 courses of Pfizer's antiviral.

Pfizer is also studying whether its pill could be used by people without risk factors for serious COVID-19 as well as to prevent coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus.
Will Smith knows people are trying to make sense of his marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith.

Their relationship has long been a buzzy topic, reaching a peak last year when she admitted to a prior sexual relationship with August Alsina while married. He recently admitted he was unfaithful, too. So in a new interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote his memoir, Will, the actor answered questions about his nontraditional marriage.

Will Smith discusses his marrriage to Jada Pinkett Smith. (Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

On AppleTV+'s The Oprah Conversation, Winfrey tried to get answers  like when she asked how long they were separated, which they have both previously said they were. She said people "never actually understood" the duration and wanted to know if it was "months or years."

"Ya know... It's really funny... We didn't... We never actually like officially separated," Will, 53, finally replied, presumably meaning by legal definition.

He pinpointed Jada's 40th birthday  Sept. 2011  as when things came to a head, as he had spent three years planning an elaborate party  and she hated the whole thing.

"We realized that it was a fantasy illusion that we could make each other happy," Will said. "We agreed that she had to make herself happy and I had to make myself happy. Then we were going to present ourselves back to the relationship already happy  versus demanding that the other person fill our empty cup."

He said, "We just decided, 'You have to figure out how to be happy." Though he admitted it was more "contentious" from his side, telling Jada: "'Go figure out if you can be happy and prove to me it's even possible.' I'm gonna do me and you do you."

In his book, he wrote, "Our time apart helped us both to discover the power of loving in freedom. We're simultaneously, 100 percent bound together and 100 percent free. We agree that we were both imperfect people doing our best to how to figure out how to be in this world joyfully."

Winfrey asked him to explained what "loving in freedom" meant  and whether it means they're in an open relationship.

"You love in freedom with everybody except your partner," he said, explaining how people tend to give room in their relationships with friends and their growing children, so it's not as demanding or restrictive as a marriage can be. With him and Jada, "It's friendship versus marital prison."

Winfrey asked if that meant they can have other sexual partners, without bringing up Jada's relationship with Alsina and Will recently revealing infidelity.

"So we talk about everything," he said. "I think the difficulty that people have and difficulty in discussing it is people only think in terms of sex."

Will Smith with Oprah. (Photo: AppleTV+)

He then downplayed whatever side flings they may have, or had, going on.

"People are trying to put something on it: 'Will and Jada  what they doing with other people?'" he said mocking the speculation. "Will and Jada ain't really doing too much of nuthin,'" he laughed. "Will and Jada are on a spiritual journey to cleanse the poisonous, unloving parts of our hearts. And we're doing it together in this lifetime no matter what."

He added, "But the goal is not a sexual goal. Its spiritual. We are going to love each other no matter what."

Will went on to say, "Since we are talking about it, Oprah, let's just talk about it: No woman can make me happy, so I don't need to look for one to try and make me happy. No man can make Jada happy, so she don't need to go look for one to make her happy. We both know that. There is no person that will fill your hole." He then laughed, "That was probably not the best way to say that, but y'all know what I mean."

Will Smith's new memoir is Will. (Photo: Penguin Press)

Will said, "The spiritual journey is finding your joy and bliss without vampirically using others. So the Will journey and the Jada journey is finding that joy without medication. Finding that joy without distraction. It's about being able to find that contentment within yourself  not with external stimuli."

He continued, "The spiritual process is detoxing all of those things  not leaving your marriage so you can go get some chocolate cake. No. It's no chocolate cake. It's not alcohol. It's no sexual stimulation and all of that... The spiritual process is more about detox than going to get more."

He added, "I havent talked about that publicly."

Smith said his path to spiritual enlightenment included going on a 14-day silent retreat and then going to Peru and using ayahuasca, the plant-based psychedelic, more than 12 times under supervision.

He said one night after drinking ayahuasca and questioning, "Do I have to be married? What is it?" he had a vision of Jada as soil and himself as a seed. He saw the hand of God putting them together and a beautiful tree growing as a result. That vision made him start thinking of his relationship with Jada as a "fruitful interaction that is meant to feed the people around us... Whether I liked our interaction or not, I started feeling in my heart we were special together. We were condoned by the universe."

So why is he putting this all out there? He said with the memoir, out Nov. 9, and his new YouTube original series, Best Shape of My Life, he's facing his fears and stepping into his most fearful places.

"Love being the most fearful place you'll ever try to step into," he said. "Real love. That unconditional love. To be able to open a broken heart again. Open a broken heart again and again."
Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor.

Submit
Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content!
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a powerful amendment that would end U.S. presidential waiver authority of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, an Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) -backed measure that would effectively block U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan.

The amendment (#4177) is one of three amendments to the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that deals with U.S. aid to Azerbaijan as well as Azerbaijani and Turkish war crimes committed against Artsakh and Armenia during the 2020 war. The amendment removes all references to presidential waiver authority of Section 907, a provision first put in place in 2001, and utilized by successive U.S. presidents  including President Biden, even in the wake of Azerbaijans 2020 brutal aggression against Artsakh in Armenia. Since 2016, the U.S. has provided over $120 million in U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan, in the face of objections by Members of Congress and the ANCA, which has long raised alarms about the Aliyev regimes belligerence in region.

Senator Menendez also offered a second amendment (#4150) to the NDAA which calls for a joint State Department and Defense Department report on Turkeys use of U.S. technology in its Bayrakdar drones, with a special focus on whether their sale to third countries, like Azerbaijan, violates U.S. export laws. The ANCA has identified a number of U.S. parts used in Bayrakdar drones that targeted Artsakh and Armenian civilians during the 2020 Artsakh war. In addition to the ANCA, Amendment #4150 also has the support of a coalition of ethnic, civic, and faith-based groups including the Hellenic American Leadership Council, American Friends of Kurdistan, the Hindu American Foundation, and the Middle East Forum.

A third amendment (#4251) introduced by California Senator Alex Padilla (D) calls for a joint State Department and Defense Department report, in response to Azerbaijani war crimes during the 2020 Artsakh war, including the use of U.S. technology during the attacks; the use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs, and other prohibited munitions; and the hiring of foreign mercenaries.

We thank Senators Menendez and Padilla for their principled leadership in holding Azerbaijan and Turkey accountable, said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. We are working  in Washington, DC and across each of our fifty states  to secure the adoption of their ANCA-backed amendments enforcing Section 907, investigating Azerbaijani war crimes, and demanding answers about the U.S. parts discovered in the Turkish drones deployed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh.
YEREVAN, 5 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Constitutional Court has recognized the article that served as basis for the dismissal of the then Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Onik Gasparyan as constitutional. ARMENPRESS reports the Constitutional Court decided that the Part 3 of Article 40 of the Law on Military Service and Status of Servicemen is in line with the Constitution.

In March 2021, the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian applied to the Constitutional Court regarding the constitutionality of the given provision of the law, twice refusing to sign the draft decree submitted by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Lars Patrick Berg, Member of the European Parliament, paid a private visit to Armenia this week and as a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, held meetings with Armenian parliamentarians, particularly with Vahe Hakobyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia, and Arman Yeghoyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on European Integration, ARMENPRESS reports Lars Patrick Berg told ARMENPRESS.

Of course, this is not my first visit to Armenia, I have already been to Armenia. This visit of mine is private, I would like to exchange views with our Armenian partners on both economic and trade issues as well as strategic issues. In particular, I am interested in Armenia-EU economic relations, the MEP said.

According to Berg, economic issues were discussed during the meeting with Vahe Hakobyan, and during the meeting with Arman Yeghoyan, opinions were exchanged on Armenia-EU relations. The meetings with the Armenian parliamentarians took place on November 4.

In that context, the MEP referred to the 2017 agreement between Armenia and the European Union, the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, emphasizing that all parties in the European Parliament are interested in the implementation of this agreement, since Armenia, as a separate country and the region as a whole are important for the EU Member States not only in terms of economy but also geostrategy.

Suffice it to say that Armenia has been a member of the Council of Europe since 2001, and that many events and programs have been implemented in Armenia over the past 20 years. Let's take the issue of the rule of law, judicial reforms, etc. And any other step in this direction that will deepen these developments should always be welcomed, Lars Patrick Berg said.
-AeroVironment, Inc a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, announced it was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract on Sept. 28, 2021 by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for $20,321,973 for the procurement of Switchblade 600 tactical missile systems (TMS). Delivery is scheduled to be completed by January 2023.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link



Switchblade 600 (Picture source: AeroVironment)

Switchblade 600 is an all-in-one, man-portable tactical missile that provides warfighters with the capability to fly, track and engage non-line-of-sight targets and light-armored vehicles with precision lethal effects, said Brett Hush, vice president and product line general manager for TMS. The tube-launched, Switchblade 600 can be easily transported for deployment from fixed and mobile platforms in any environment, providing operators with superior force overmatch and minimizing exposure to direct and indirect enemy fires.

AeroVironments Switchblade 600 is an all-in-one, man portable solution equipped with a high-performance EO/IR gimbaled sensor suite, precision flight control and more than 40 minutes of flight time to deliver unprecedented tactical reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA).

Its anti-armor warhead enables engagement and prosecution of hardened static and moving light armored vehicles from multiple angles without external ISR or fires assets. Switchblade 600s patented wave-off and recommit capability allows operators to abort the mission at any time and then re-engage either the same or other targets multiple times based on operator command, resulting in minimal to no collateral damage.
'The Promise' is the story of a troubled Afrikaner family and its broken promise to a Black employee

London: South African writer Damon Galgut won the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction on Wednesday with The Promise, a novel about one white family's reckoning with South Africa's racist history.

Galgut had been British bookmakers' runaway favorite to win the 50,000-pound ($69,000) prize with his story of a troubled Afrikaner family and its broken promise to a Black employee - a tale that reflects bigger themes in South Africa's transition from apartheid.

Galgut took the prize on his third time as a finalist, for a book the judges called a tour de force. He was previously shortlisted for The Good Doctor in 2003 and In a Strange Room in 2010, but lost both times.

Despite his status as favorite, Galgut said he was stunned to win.

Galgut said he was accepting the prize on behalf of all the stories told and untold, the writers heard and unheard, from the remarkable continent that I'm part of. He noted that this year's Nobel literature laureate, Zanzibar-born writer Abdulrazak Gurnah, was also African.

Please keep listening to us  more to come, Galgut added.

His novel paints a troubling picture of modern-day South Africa, though Galgut said he did not set out to be negative.

I didn't plan for the overall trajectory of the book to be a downward one, he said  though that's how it turned out.

I think the portrait it paints of modern South Africa is not a happy one, he said. I had no agenda in describing it that way, but things are not great with us right now. You could read that as a warning or a portrait, I don't know, but South Africa has seen better days.

Historian Maya Jasanoff, who chaired the judging panel, said The Promise was a profound, forceful and succinct book that combines an extraordinary story, rich themes -- the history of the last 40 years in South Africa -- in an incredibly well-wrought package.

Galgut's ninth novel traces members of the Swart family  the word is Afrikaans for black  haunted by an unkept promise to give their Black maid, Salome, her own house. The book is structured around a series of funerals over several decades; Galgut has said he wanted to make readers fill in the narrative gaps themselves.

He is the third South African novelist to win the Booker Prize, after Nadine Gordimer in 1974 and J.M. Coetzee, who won twice, in 1983 and 1999.

The Promise was selected over five other novels, including three by U.S. writers: Richard Powers' Bewilderment, the story of an astrobiologist trying to care for his neurodivergent son; Patricia Lockwood's social media-steeped novel No One is Talking About This and Maggie Shipstead's aviator saga Great Circle.

The other finalists were Sri Lankan author Anuk Arudpragasam's aftermath-of-war story A Passage North and British/Somali writer Nadifa Mohamed's The Fortune Men, about a Somali man falsely accused of murder in 1950s Wales.

Jasanoff said many of the shortlisted novels, including Galgut's, reflected on the relationship between past and present.

This is a book that's very much about inheritance and legacy, she said of the winner. It's about change over a period of decades. And I think it's a book that invites reflection over the decades and invites and repays rereading.

Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize has a reputation for transforming writers' careers and was originally open to British, Irish and Commonwealth writers. Eligibility was expanded in 2014 to all novels in English published in the U.K.

The judging panel winnowed their list from 158 novels submitted by publishers. Only one British writer, Mohamed, made the final six, a fact has renewed debate in the U.K. about whether the prize is becoming U.S.-dominated.

Last year there also was only one British writer on a U.S.-dominated list of finalists, Scotland's Douglas Stuart. He won the prize for Shuggie Bain, a gritty and lyrical novel about a boy coming of age in hardscrabble 1980s Glasgow.

For a second year, the coronavirus pandemic has scuttled the prize's usual black-tie dinner ceremony at London's medieval Guildhall. The winner was announced in a ceremony broadcast live on BBC radio and television.
David Gandy on Wellwear, Mental Health and Fatherhood

David Gandy Dressed Down as Youve Never Seen Him Before

David Gandy is a man who needs no introduction. His name alone is recognised all around the world, but for the few for whom it doesnt ring a bell, his distinct dark features and piercing blue eyes are bound to jog a memory or two. The supermodel is one of those naturally charming men who you would happily give as a reference to your personal trainer, barber and tailor. His good looks and charisma has served him well throughout his 20-year plus career run, which includes a countless number of billboards, front covers and campaigns, including an impressive 15-year stint with Dolce and Gabanna (who could forget the iconic Light Blue ad).

RELATED: Ways to Improve Your Style

Ahead of the launch of his new apparel and wellbeing brand, David Gandy Wellwear, we caught up with him to discuss everything from his first wellness experience, his mental health struggles, parenthood, his love for James Bond, and much more.

David Gandy Wellwear

Gandy appears rested and rejuvenated as he welcomes us (virtually) with a smile into his sun-drenched London home, fresh from taking his own and his neighbors dog for an early walk around Richmond Park. He mentions that the activity is a nice way to start the day, especially as he has work emails rolling in early every day. He finds that he can kill two birds with one stone by writing emails and making phone calls when outside.

The ambassador for Vitabotics Wellman wears a classic black V-neck T-shirt, a khaki green cap, and is sporting a mustache, Ive always got some growth he later says whilst stroking it and laughing, a look that most men wouldnt be able to pull off but he does so effortlessly. Gandy passionately describes why its important to make his customers feel relaxed and secure and allow people to feel comfortable in their own skin. In David Gandy Wellwears press release it says being naturally shy meant he used tailoring as a suit of armor. Thats why on the call, he says his passion came from creating a brand that he has 100% control over and designing pieces in a way that he would wear. He didnt start the brand with only himself in mind however, as he and his team researched the most popular styles to offer a positive wellbeing brand for everyone. The label turned out to be a lockdown labor of love as he feels online shopping is missing that personal touch that he hopes to offer along with quality, fit, style, softness, and great customer service.

Even though the entrepreneur wouldnt describe DGW as a sustainable brand he believes that producing pieces with anti-odor and anti-bacterial properties such as aloe vera plant extract and biodegradable fabrics including pima cotton, lyocell, and modal will make you look and feel good, knowing you have invested in items that will last longer and reduce your impact on the environment. They also considered the psychological benefits of wearing smooth fabrics that have been proven to reduce negative emotions and improve general wellbeing.

Has he always been this mindful? After a brief moment of reflection, he recalls his first wellness, or as he likes to call it mental wellbeing experience, as the simpleness of wandering through the woods in the fall with his mom, sister, and family dog after school, where they would go for long relaxing walks and collect conkers. Then his face lit up as speaks about the full-circle moment he recently shared with his daughter, where they had the same experience together as he taught her how to stamp on conkers and they laughed and played. It was just happy memories and that continues with you. That stays with you, just that beautiful wellness and wellbeing, he adds.

Moving on from what makes him feel good to what keeps him looking so good  Gandy says he hates complicated regimes and after working with the likes of Charlotte Tilbury and others, he finds its best to keep things simple and stick to the essentials. He uses a good scrub or mask once/a couple of times a week, SPF daily, a serum and moisturizer in the morning and again a serum and a more intense moisturizer in the evening. Oh and of course, with the renowned Larry King for a best-friend, Gandy recommends investing in a good hairdresser and haircut.

David Gandy Wellwear

Gandy didnt work out during lockdown, in the conventional sense. When the gyms closed, he found it a beautiful time even though he loves the gym and finds it a form of escapism. He was instead able to spend quality time with his family in Yorkshire (the north of England), going for walks in the Three Peaks, cutting down trees, building fences and being physical.

He has also been able to witness his daughters personality shine during this period. Speaking gleefully as a proud father, he says there are so many great things about being a dad but the simplicity of being able to be silly and share the same sense of humor makes him so happy. This currently involves whoopee cushions, that he worries might be teaching her bad habits, he says with a laugh.

The emotional connection to clothing is an important part of DGW, so on the topic of mental health, the founder and creative director shared his methods of calming his mind on busy days: switching off his phone, going to the gym for an hour in the evening, listening to Marvin Gaye, avoiding his phone and heading out to pick up a newspaper. Wonder what he reads? Yes, you guessed it, hes an everyman and likes to get a range as he says its good to be informed on a variety of topics and viewpoints.

So its no surprise what he ended up doing when the world recently experienced the Facebook/Whatsapp/Instagram shut down  he read. After working all day and hitting the gym, he came home and chose to do some light reading on the history of Porsche, as he is a keen car enthusiast. He is also a big fan of Bond, so we couldnt help but ask what he thought of No Time To Die. He didnt share any spoilers but he did say he absolutely loved it as its a great homage to the previous films in the series, from the music to the action scenes. Also, after being asked in the past, he confirmed with a chuckle that its definitely not me and on the topic of the next Bond: Whoever is going to return as James Bond has got a hell of a task on their hands to beat Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig has been incredible.

David Gandy Wellwear

In a recent documentary called Being James Bond, Daniel Craig was candid about his journey dealing with the highs and lows of being in the spotlight, which is something Gandy has also been open about. He feels that if more people  especially men in the public eye  speak about their mental health, it will break the stereotypical view of mental wellbeing and could help a lot of struggling individuals. He has found it hard to open up during dark periods. I let it bother me and I let it get to me and it got worse and worse, he says. He didnt talk to someone when he shouldve, saying in many ways he felt man enough to go it alone. Hes proud of where he has come with Wellwear because he often has the final say, and being able to be comfortable in his skin and talk honestly and positively as a leader is so important to him.

Another thing he is passionate about is supporting charities, something he has done for several years and has incorporated within the brand. DGW customers can now donate to their charity sponsor Style For Soldiers, for which he is an ambassador, and CALM, the mental wellbeing charity.

When designing the 20-piece unisex collection, that comes in black, white, navy, gray marl, and khaki, he and the team took inspiration from WFH and traveling styles, with help from Mr. Marvin Gaye. It turns out that Gandy and his team are big Motown fans, and a song that kept coming up is Marvin Gayes Got To Give It Up, he says animatedly.

If you are looking for a new versatile piece, Gandy recommends the Ultimate Tee in white, a fundamental in every mans wardrobe. For a comfortable pant that can easily be worn out and about, look no further than the Heritage Jogger in ecru that offers next-level comfort. If day-to-night dressing is more your style, the Heritage Scoop Neck Tees is a good option. Gandy says this has always been a wardrobe go-to for me and works well from day to night. Gandy adds that he also loves the neckline of the Heritage Shawl sweatshirt, and the Ultimate Gilet is great for layering.

Shop David Gandy Wellwear now at www.davidgandywellwear.com

You Might Also Dig:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
You are the owner of this article.
Story Timelines

In our effort to always give our readers the best, up to date local reporting, we have recently collaborated with Ohio University students to build interactive, constantly updated timelines for stories that are important to you.
Kiwanis President Wade Carter shows Athens Mayor Toni Clay the book that will be donated to the Clint Murchison library in honor of her speaking to the club members on Tuesday
DCT

The attached press release mentions New Acura Integra Prototype Global Reveal, which means that were going to be presented with a near-production car. It mirrors Hondas unveiling of the 2022 Civic on Twitch As opposed to the Civic, which is currently available in the guise of a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, Acura decided on a five-door liftback design with a sloping roofline. The landing page for the all-new Integra further confirms a six-speed manual transmission as being available, which means that customers will also be treated to a two-pedal tranny.What type is anyones guess right now. The Civic, for example, comes with a continuously variable box while the ILX is rocking an eight-speed. Given the sporty nature of the Integra, the DCT appears to be the most appropriate choice for this car, even though Acura may prove me wrong.More or less the plusher sibling of the Civic Si, the Integra with the six-speed manual is certain to receive the rev-matching system of the Civic Type R. A short-throw shifter, a limited-slip front differential, thick sway bars, reinforced upper mounts, and unique dampers are pretty certain as well. As for the force-fed powerplant, well, that particular detail is up for debate.The 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo in the all-new Civic Si would be the most sensible choice, even though the 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo in the Accord Sport is more tantalizing. The lesser engine develops 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet (260 Nm) in the compact sedan, whereas the larger motor cranks out 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) in the mid-size sedan.That said, heres hope Acura will offer a more in-depth look at the Integra Prototype on November, 17th when the Los Angeles Convention Center will open its doors to the media for the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show.
While Alfa Romeo has yet to detail its plan regarding the electric models that it will launch on the market, some of them could get the Quadrifoglio badge. As Jean-Philippe Imparato told the Brits at Autocar, every new model that will be launched will be considered for a performance version.If the CEO of the Alfa Romeo brand will consider that the resulting model will not live up to the Quadrifoglio name, that model will not get a performance version that wears the respective badge.In his interview with Autocar , Imparato referenced the "right level of performance steps of Quadrifoglio," which means that we should expect those products to represent the sportiest version of the resulting models.The upcoming EVs from Alfa Romeo are set to be built on the STLA platform of Stellantis, which had significant development involvement from engineers of the Milanese brand. The GTV and the Spider Duetto are among the models considered for an electric rebirth.For those of you unfamiliar with the Italian brand, Quadrifoglio is Italian for the four-leaf clover. The symbol has been associated with Alfa Romeo since 1923 when race car driver Ugo Sivocci painted a green four-leaf clover on a white square background of his Alfa Romeo RL Sivocci won that year's Targa Florio, and he continued to paint the four-leaf clover on all the race cars that he used, as a good luck token. Unfortunately, Sivocci lost his life during practice for the Italian GP at Monza, held in 1923. His race car did not have the Quadrifoglio painted on it, which led everyone to consider that the four-leaf clover truly was a good luck charm.From that point forward, Alfa Romeo never used number 17 on another one of its racing cars, and the four-leaf clover, the Quadrifoglio, became mandatory for all its race models. Out of respect for Ugo Sivocci, the while background for the Quadrifoglio was changed from a rectangle to a triangle to signify his absence.The first Quadrifoglio-branded Alfa Romeo made for the street was the 1963 Giulia TI Super . That model was a coupe based on the corresponding Giulia sedan of that era . It was a version made for racing, but it had a road-going homologation and was available for sale as a regular vehicle.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says Washington needs to show leadership in the fight against global warming. @annenbcnews spoke with him at the UN climate conference in Scotland. #TODAYClimate pic.twitter.com/OnYbZnCAM2  TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 4, 2021

Microsoft co-founder and passionate environmentalist slash activist Bill Gates know all about that. Hes often been called out for what people believe is the best example of hypocrisy: his large carbon footprint that clashes with everything hes been saying we need to do in order to stop climate change and ultimately save the planet. If you want people to stop flying or buying cruise tickets, maybe it would be best if you didnt do it in between private jet flights or from the deck of a gigantic, luxurious superyacht.This extended intro is necessary to understand the latest hubbub around Bill Gates, usually the least controversial of all the billionaires in the world. Gates was in Glasgow, Scotland for the COP26 Climate Change Conference this week, to urge leaders to be more active in supporting and implementing greener policies that could, within 20-30 years, hopefully yield a positive result in stalling climate change, or even overturning the damage already done.On the same occasion, Gates pledged $315 million (through the Gates Foundation) to develop crops that are resistant to climate change, a move that is vital in helping small farmland owners survive. Otherwise, we will lose the global battle against hunger and poverty, Gates wrote on Twitter after his appearance.Now for the hypocritical part: just before COP26, Gates was cruising around the Aegean Sea for extended birthday celebrations, having just turned 66. Hes been partying it up on LANA , the spectacular and world-famous Azimut-Benetti superyacht that charters for $2 million a week and is described as one of the most luxurious in the world.LANA, according to the New York Post , which cites local Turkish publications, isnt traveling alone: its accompanied by the Incat Crowther-designed Wayfinder, the luxury catamaran that serves as supply ship/shadow yacht, and which Gates reportedly owns. On this particular occasion, it served as the base for Gates and his guests security teams, a most-fitting purpose since, due to its size, Wayfinder is classified as a megayacht.Superyachts and cruise ships are among the biggest polluters in the world. In the most simplistic terms, the carbon footprint of a single-person 7-day cruise (so not on a superyacht, because not everyone is a billionaire like Gates) equals that of a single persons on land, over a period of 18 days. Not only does Gates vacation include two superyachts, but the party was joined by a third at one point, as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos sailed in on The Flying Fox to join him for his birthday dinner.In the eyes of the environmentalists, that makes Gates three-times sinner. It also adds fuel to the outrage that comes with learning that, while partying with his 50+ gang of close friends and family members, Gates has been shopping for farmland off the coast of Turkey. Hes been looking for land to build a new, sustainable farm, according to reports.At the very least, this confirms that Gates is serious about the need to change agricultural approaches to meet current challenges. At worst, it paints a very sad picture of the reality of everyday man (and woman): the worlds richest people will talk high-and-mighty about the need to go carbon-neutral, but they will never do the same. Granted, Gates has previously acknowledged his hypocrisy on the issue, saying the only way he could think of mitigating this contradiction was by carbon offsetting. Due to his job, he said, he had to travel by private jet , so he bought carbon credits to offset his flight emissions.But the latest trip wasnt for business. It was also excessive to the utmost, which is perhaps the most grating part. As The Independent wrote earlier this year, Bill Gates operates under the assumption that he is the hypocrite the world needs, the one who gets to say do as I say and not as a I do, even though small sacrifices are well within his power.Gates has publicly admitted that hes a hypocrite on climate change, climate expert Richard Wilk at the University of Indianas Department of Anthropology tells the Post. On the one hand, hes been doing a lot of outreach on the state of the world, but then [his actions show] hes not going to give up his lifestyle. Its a real contradiction.It would be easy to say, yes, but at leastis doing something to help the planet, and it would be accurate. At the same time, this apparent complete disregard and lack of consideration for everyone else isnt helping with the mission. The message might be the right one, but who will listen to it if the bearer doesnt inspire confidence?
EV

In a text she published at Medium, Schwab said she was mostly excluded from crucial meetings where she felt she should participate. The executive blames the Chief Commercial Officer for that without naming him even once. The last person to bear that title at Rivian was Christopher Brown. His LinkedIn page confirms he left the company in August 2018, before Schwab joined the company. Rivian has no CCO nowadays.It is not clear why Schwab decided to name her boss as the Chief Commercial Officer, but maybe she did that to make it more difficult to determine who exactly her boss was. Schwab is suing Rivian, but we did not have access to the lawsuit while writing this text. Whoever this person is, Schwab said he fired her after she complained about the blatant marginalization she experienced at thestartup.Schwab said that she would often raise concerns about pricing and manufacturing deadlines that would be completely ignored. Her boss would only listen to these concerns if they were voiced by Schwabs male colleagues  often less experienced than her.Being left out of meetings where she felt she should be present, Schwab could not even schedule one-on-one appointments with her boss. He would have told her that he would only answer her through instant messaging outside office hours.When Schwab asked another female senior executive to include her in meetings related to sales planning, she heard that this other executive was also excluded from them. Without any other option, Schwab contacted her HR business partner and heard from her that her boss did not speak to her as well. Schwab thought things could change.Two days later, Schwab's boss called her for a meeting in his office, where her HR business partner was also present. That was when she heard that she was being fired due to a reorganization. She told them, tell me another, and made it clear she knew she was being fired for questioning what was happening.Schwab ends her text stating that no woman should be afraid to question the culture they are witnessing at work and that this was the reason for her to come forward publicly and hold Rivian accountable. Rivian is planning its IPO for next week. We have contacted the company to learn what it has to say about Schwabs allegations, but Rivian said it has no comments on Schwab's text or on her lawsuit because it is in a "federally mandated quiet period" due to the initial public offering of its shares.
EV

That's right, Toyota, of all companies, joined Stellantis in a joint tie for last place in a study commissioned by Greenpeace to rank carbon emission efforts by different global automakers. In all fairness, it was not going to be easy for any brand to garner a decent score from Greenpeace. The world still mostly relies on petroleum-powered transportation mind you. Still, the order they ranked global car brands based on emissions initiatives is more than a little bizarre if you are even a little familiar with the brands presented.General Motors scored C- with a D going to Volkswagen and D- for Renault . The real bombshell with this latest report was the placement of Toyota, makers of the Mirai Hydrogen fuel cell, multiple different plug-in hybrids, and the brand new bZ4Xscored a slightly comical F minus-minus score.Considering no one has expected very much good out of Chrysler for years now only makes Toyota's dismal score even more embarrassing. All other automakers involved, including Ford, Hyundai-Kia, and Honda, scored F grades, either minus or plus.Granted, being ranked last in a non-auto-industry standardized comparison by a biased group like Greenpeace isn't going to be a nail in the coffin for any automaker. Even so, it's beyond bizarre to see the world's most reliable automaker find itself down in the dumps with a brand struggling to maintain its own relevancy.
MPV







It was a coincidence that Volkswagen presented the first prototype of its electricon the same day that Mini disclosed its plans. The British brand said it would have new products in order to get to 2030 as a fully-electric company.The electric shift will begin in 2023. Thats when the company will reveal the first model of a new generation of purely electrically powered vehicles. The new Mini will be underpinned by an all-electric platform that BMW is developing with Great Wall, possibly the one used by the ORA Good Cat. BMWs NK (Neue Klasse) platform will be exclusive and set to make its premiere in 2025.Among its electric vehicles, Mini will have the 3-door hatchback, a small and a compact crossover, and a new vehicle concept for the premium compact segment. Mini didnt leave much room for speculation and already confirmed it will be based on the Urbanaut concept, created to meet the wishes of many customers for space and comfort, and increased variability.Being only 4.46 meters (175.6 inches) long, the Urbanault is much shorter than the VW ID.BUZZ, which is expected to have a length of 4.94 m (194.5 in). In that sense, the Urbanaut will be much closer to the original VW Bus (4.28 m or 168.5 in long), although the T2 was 4.51 m (177.6 in) long.Pricing strategies tend to compensate for the size difference. With Minis current premium market profile, the production version of the Urbanaut will probably cost as much as the ID.BUZZ . People will decide between them based on convenience, but Volkswagens electric van will arrive earlier, which should give it a good advantage. To be more specific, Ralf Brandstatter said it will be officially presented in March 2022 in a LinkedIn post. Geneva Motor Show, anyone?
2 Modular e-Ferry With Advanced Drive System Can Operate for 14 Hours With No Recharge

Rolls-Royce mtu Engines to Power Hybrid 80-Ton Tugboats in Brazil, for the First Time

Rolls-Royce is developing not just next-generation aircraft engines, but also a variety of solutions for maritime applications, from industrial ships to ferries and yachts, which will help them comply with future regulations in terms of carbon footprint. 6 photos



The tugboats will be built by Detroit Brasil and operated by Starnav Servicos Maritimos. Whats innovative about them is that theyll be powered by a hybrid propulsion system, based on mtu engines, Z-drive thrusters, Schottel hybrid controls, and mtus Blue Vision New Generation (BVNG) monitoring system.



Maxwell Oliveira, General Manager of Detroit Brasil Shipyard, explained that the thrusters can be connected to only one of the main engines, during operations that are less demanding, which improves fuel consumption, lowers emissions, and cuts overall costs. When maximum power is required, the tugboat reverts to a conventional propulsion system, with each thruster connected to one of the engines.



The mtu 16V 4000 M65L engine delivers 2,560 kW at 1,800 rpm, which is suitable for this type of



Eight of these mtu engines will be delivered by the end of the year, to power four new hybrid tugboats. Starnav Servicos Maritimos is already operating harbor tugs and offshore vessels that are powered by mtu Series 4000 engines, and Rolls-Royce has reached a 20% share in the Brazilian tug boat market, since 2010, when the first mtu 4000 was installed on a tug boat in Brazil.



Rolls-Royce is also Rolls-Royce announced an important achievement related to its mtu engines for maritime applications. The company will be supplying engines for hybrid, 80-ton bollard pull tugboats for the first time, and it will also be the first time when the advanced mtu 16V 4000 M65L engines will be used in Latin America.The tugboats will be built by Detroit Brasil and operated by Starnav Servicos Maritimos. Whats innovative about them is that theyll be powered by a hybrid propulsion system, based on mtu engines, Z-drive thrusters, Schottel hybrid controls, and mtus Blue Vision New Generation (BVNG) monitoring system.Maxwell Oliveira, General Manager of Detroit Brasil Shipyard, explained that the thrusters can be connected to only one of the main engines, during operations that are less demanding, which improves fuel consumption, lowers emissions, and cuts overall costs. When maximum power is required, the tugboat reverts to a conventional propulsion system, with each thruster connected to one of the engines.The mtu 16V 4000 M65L engine delivers 2,560at 1,800 rpm, which is suitable for this type of hybrid propulsion , while also maintaining a high level of power reserve on demand, said Oliveira.Eight of these mtu engines will be delivered by the end of the year, to power four new hybrid tugboats. Starnav Servicos Maritimos is already operating harbor tugs and offshore vessels that are powered by mtu Series 4000 engines, and Rolls-Royce has reached a 20% share in the Brazilian tug boat market, since 2010, when the first mtu 4000 was installed on a tug boat in Brazil.Rolls-Royce is also planning to introduce hybrid solutions for yachts, including next-generation mtu Series 2000 engines, electric motors, gearboxes, and other electronic components. In addition to this, the 4000 and 2000 series engines will be approved for sustainable fuels, in 2023. Last but not least, the company is also considering the potential of fuel cells for its future developments.

load press release
Wed had a lot of requests for a route in Cornwall, the UKs most South-Westerly region, and we could see why. It has beautiful countryside, amazing beaches and lovely towns. We're looking forward to players exploring this iconic British railway in Train Sim World 2, said Rivet Games Director Tim Gatland.Train Sim World 2: West Cornwall Local route goes across Penzance  St. Austell & St. Ives. The West Cornwall Local remains faithful to the line from the 1990s in the pre-British Rail privatization era.For those unaware, the Cornish Main Line opened back in 1867, and it's been Cornwall's main transportation line for tourists, but it also served the local communities. The DLC released today includes the BR Class 150/2, the predominant train of rural regional lines in England, as well as the classic BR Class 37/5, which can be accompanied by the YCV Turbot and YGB Seacow wagons. Train Sim World 2 players who pick up the West Cornwall Local route can choose what activities to perform. They can either drive trains across the 44-mile line from Penzance to St. Austell or ride around as a passenger across the St. Ives branch. They can also complete the newly added route tasks or simply become a witness of the action unfolding. Just make sure to check out the Scenario Planner and Livery Designer for the new content.The new Train Sim World 2: West Cornwall Local route is now available for $30 / 25, with a 10% discount for PC and PlayStation players.
Over the past few months, on account of the Air Forces habit of releasing incredible images of its hardware and troops in action, weve come across some very spectacular images. Few of them can beat the one we have here though.What youre looking at in the background is a portion of Sweden, the place where U.S. Air Force Airmen and Swedish Air Force members flocked at the end of October for a joint exercise. Flying rather low above the place is an MC-130J Commando II, assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Wing out of RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom.Now, the shot was taken from another plane by a tech sergeant, and the distance between the two machines is large enough to require increased eye vision quality to see whats going on at the back of the Commando.If we zoom in close enough though (click main photo to enlarge), we can see four seated airmen, with their feet dangling over the still massive drop below, apparently having the time of their lives in the company of three other soldiers further back.It would seem the Commando is one of the perfect planes for such stunts. Not long ago, we got to see pretty much the same image , only shot from inside the plane where the dangling action was taking place, as another such aircraft was flying over New South Wales, Australia.The MC-130J is a relatively new version of the C-130 that came about in 2011, and was developed for combat, transport, special operations, or tanker duties. It is also, it seems, the perfect platform to be used for troops who like to enjoy what the USAF calls a scenic flyover
Copyright  2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
GLASGOW, Scotland  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-anticipated speech today at the COP26 climate summit broke new ground for the worlds third-largest emitter, but it wont calm fears that the summit has failed to summon the urgency required to truly change the trajectory of the planet.

The big picture: Success or failure in Glasgow will largely be defined by the plans that individual countries bring to the table to limit their emissions this decade and strive toward net zero.

With Chinas Xi Jinping limiting his participation to a written statement and Russias Vladimir Putin also staying home, much of the attention shifted to Modi.

Driving the news: India tonight joined all of the worlds other big polluters in committing to a net zero target date  not 2050 as the U.S. and other rich countries have advocated, or 2060 as China has adopted, but 2070.

Thats still notable, considering Modis environment minister dismissed the idea of net zero pledges just last week. But its also a half-century away.

Modi also increased the target for Indias renewable energy production by the end of this decade, a crucial piece of the puzzle since Indias demand for energy is projected to rise significantly, unlike in many developed countries.

He argued that to fund such transitions, developed countries must make $1 trillion available as climate finance as soon as possible.

What hes saying: Modi said he felt a "duty to raise my voice for developing countries."

He noted that rich countries had fallen short of their previous promises, including to provide $100 billion in annual climate financing beginning in 2020.

At a separate event alongside fellow world leaders, Modi used his time to highlight the help that countries like India need to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Flashback: India used to enter such summits with the attitude of "we have such low per-capita emissions, don't even talk to us because we will never exceed where you are at," says Amar Bhattacharya, former director of the Group of 24 club of developing countries and now a fellow at Brookings.

Now, Modis position is that India still needs fossil fuels but is prepared to become a renewables powerhouse if the investment is available, Bhattacharya says. Other big developing countries like Vietnam, which today pledged to reach net zero by 2050, are in a similar boat.

Modis position is that India still needs fossil fuels but is prepared to become a renewables powerhouse if the investment is available, Bhattacharya says. Other big developing countries like Vietnam, which today pledged to reach net zero by 2050, are in a similar boat. Yes, but: India seems to be in no hurry to quit coal, which currently accounts for 70% of its energy mix.

Whats next: Developed countries produced most of the carbon that's already in the atmosphere, and the developing countries "need space to grow," says Bhattacharya.
More than 15 states across the U.S. have filed lawsuits against the Biden administration over its federal vaccine mandate for companies with at least 100 employees.

Driving the news: Attorneys general in 11 states filed a lawsuit on Friday against the administration, calling the mandate "unconstitutional, unlawful and unwise."

The states participating in the lawsuit are Missouri, Arizona, Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire and Wyoming.

The lawsuit was primarily brought by 10 Republican attorneys general. Iowa's Democratic attorney general, Tom Miller, also joined in the suit.

State of play: On Thursday, three other states  Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee  sued the government just hours after the mandate was announced. The plaintiffs say that President Biden signed an "unlawful executive order, adding that "our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully."

Additionally, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi filed a lawsuit and said that the vaccine mandate "suffers from a host of fatal flaws." It says that the mandate "usurps State authority," provides "no reasoning whatsoever" and "violates a litany of constitutional restraints."

Last Friday, Texas individually sued the administration. The state attorney general, Ken Paxton, said the government "has repeatedly expressed its disdain for Americans who choose not to get a vaccine" and has committed "abusive federal overreach."

Zoom in: Indiana's attorney general, Todd Rokita, said he plans to file a total of three lawsuits: The one filed along with Louisiana and Mississippi, one challenging the mandate for federal contractors, and another against the vaccine mandate for those working in nursing homes, hospitals and institutions that receive funding from Medicare and Medicaid.

What's next: Georgia state officials said in October they also plan to file a lawsuit, along with South Carolina, West Virginia, Idaho, Alabama and Kansas.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday the state will file a lawsuit against the Biden administration after the mandate is published in the Federal Register.

Catch up quick: Biden on Thursday announced that employers with more than 100 employees must ensure their workers are fully vaccinated or tested weekly by Jan. 4, 2022, or face federal fines starting at nearly $14,000 per violation.

Go deeper: Biden sets a hard deadline for vaccine mandates
GLASGOW, Scotland  President Biden's declaration Tuesday that Xi Jinping has walked away from an opportunity to help save the planet showed the intensity of the simmering rivalry and mutual distrust that have been lingering in the back of the COP26 climate summit.

Why it matters: The U.S. and China combine for nearly 40% of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that any major climate breakthroughs require both superpowers on board.

But the rivalry that characterizes the rest of the relationship also made its way to Glasgow, with Biden scolding China for not showing up and Chinese leaders suspecting the U.S. can't actually deliver on Biden's promises.

Driving the news: Speaking to the press before departing Glasgow, Biden said that in skipping COP26, Xi  who has not left China for 21 months due to the pandemic  had made a big mistake.

The single most important thing thats got the attention of the world is climate, everywhere from Iceland to Australia. It just is a gigantic issue, and theyve walked away, Biden continued. How do you do that and claim to be able to have any leadership mantle?

The other side: Chinese leaders, meanwhile, suspect that Biden is making promises America wont keep, Li Shuo, who is based in Beijing for Greenpeace, told Axios.

What you have in China is more and more implementation but the headline targets are not up to the ambition that we need. What you have in the U.S. is completely the opposite, Li said.

You have all the ambition in your targets, in your rhetoric. Youre not necessarily implementing that because you are constrained domestically by your politics.

And while Republicans in Congress contend that the U.S. shouldnt act if China wont, Li says, a growing chorus in Beijing argues that Biden is politicizing the climate agenda to constrain Chinas development.

The backstory: Xi opted against both traveling to Scotland and offering new pledges to cut emissions, which arguably undermined the summit before it even began as China is easily the worlds top carbon emitter.

Biden, meanwhile, offered big initiatives during the world leader portion of the summit, which ended on Tuesday  even though his struggles on Capitol Hill threatened his climate agenda and reverberated in the halls of the conference.

The state of play: The Chinese delegation was virtually invisible during the opening days of the summit, but climate envoy Xie Zhenhua is in Glasgow and will play a key role in negotiations over the next two weeks.

Xie and Bidens climate envoy, John Kerry, know each other well, and met one-on-one before the summit began.

Kerry has proposed that U.S. and China engage on climate as a critical standalone issue, but Chinese leaders have rejected that framing. Meanwhile, theres strong resistance in Washington to giving China leeway on other issues to garner cooperation on climate, Axios Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian reports.

Biden rejected the idea that the U.S. should only accelerate its climate action if China does as well, saying the U.S. should act because we want to be able to breathe and we want to be able to lead the world.

And U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted on Tuesday evening he was pushing China to move its target for peak emissions from before 2030 to 2025  a pledge that would profoundly change the outlook after Glasgow.

The bottom line: The world cant address the climate crisis if China and the U.S. arent moving in the same direction, Li said, but they dont necessarily have to move in the same direction holding each others hands.
Overchuk visited Yerevan to talk to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian about how and from what the unblocking of roads should start.

We would like to discuss that with you and think about how we can move forward, he told Pashinian at the start of their meeting.

Overchuk co-heads, together with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, a trilateral working group set up by the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian governments in January. The group has been discussing practical modalities of opening the Armenian-Azerbaijani border for commercial traffic in line with the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh last November.

Overchuk said that Russian road construction experts have closely examined transport infrastructures of the two South Caucasus states and presented their findings to the task force.

So we now have a very good understanding of what really exists on the ground, the state of roads, he said. Based on that knowledge  it seems to us that we are getting close to concrete decisions, which are first and foremost based on the notion that the countries will retain sovereignty over roads passing through their territory.

The ceasefire agreement commits Armenia to opening rail and road links between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave. Armenia should be able, for its part, to use Azerbaijani territory as a transit route for cargo shipments to and from Russia and Iran.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly claimed that the deal envisages a permanent land corridor that will connect Nakhichevan to the rest of Azerbaijan via Armenias Syunik province. Armenian leaders maintain, however, that the truce accord only calls for transport links between the nations.

I have the impression that Azerbaijan is trying to impose its perceptions on the working group, and that is certainly unacceptable to us, Pashinian said in his opening remarks at the meeting with Overchuk.

Pashinian also said Baku and Yerevan need to negotiate details of border controls for cargo transiting through each others territory. We hope that concrete solutions will be found to these issues in the near future, he said.

Overchuk arrived in Yerevan a week after Russian and Armenian media reports saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host fresh talks between Aliyev and Pashinian. Aliqmedia.am claimed that the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders will sign two documents on the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and cross-border commercial traffic.
PHOENIX (AP)  The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously upheld a lower court judgment that found the Republican-controlled Legislature violated the state constitution by including new laws banning school mask mandates and a series of other measures in unrelated budget bills.

The swift ruling from the state's high court came less than two hours after the seven justices heard arguments in the state's appeal of a trial court judge's ruling. The justices had hammered Solicitor General Beau Roysden with questions about the Legislature's inclusion of policy as different as dog racing and secure ballot paper in one of the budget bills.

The court upheld a September ruling from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper that blocked the school mask ban and a host of other provisions in the state budget package from going into force on Sept. 29. She sided with education groups that had argued the bills were packed with policy items unrelated to the budget and violated the state constitutions requirement that subjects be related and expressed in the title of bills.

Coopers ruling cleared the way for K-12 public schools to continue requiring students to wear face masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. At least 29 of the states public school districts issued mask mandates before the laws were set to take effect, and some immediately extended them after Coopers ruling.

"I think the bottom line is it was unconstitutional, it was unsafe and it was unpopular. I think the majority of Arizonans supported school districts in making these decisions," said Aaron Marquez. Marquez is a Phoenix Union High School District board member, which was the first Arizona district to announce a mask mandate at their schools after the budget was passed.

Marquez is also a dad to a 6-year-old, who until now hasn't been eligible for the vaccine, so masks were a big mitigation tool. "That's been important for my daughter and all the friends she has that she goes to school with," Marquez said.

Several state lawmakers, education groups and non-rofits sued the state to be able to make their own rules on masks. But this ruling goes beyond just the school mask debate. "The biggest part of the story is that for at least two decades, the Legislature has been culturally allowing this sort of behavior," said political consultant Stan Barnes. "This will be the most significant cultural change at the Legislature because of this ruling that I have seen in 30 years."

Barnes said often unrelated issues that failed earlier in the session were added into the budget bill at the end to get passed. That violates the constitution, but he said this certainly isn't the first time it's happened. "The third branch of government told the first branch of government you can't do that, you're out of bounds," Barnes said.

Of the seven Arizona supreme court justices, Gov. Doug Ducey appointed five of them. "For those critics of Gov. Ducey saying he only appointed folks that would parrot what he wanted, that's absolutely wrong. In this case, the court established its own independence," Barnes said.

The Phoenix Union High School District issued the following statement after the high court issued its ruling:

"Phoenix Union is grateful for the Arizona Supreme Courts ruling this afternoon. Arizonas classrooms are now safer places for students and educators. School systems with a mask requirement are 3.5 times less likely to have a COVID-19 outbreak. The safety of all staff, students, and families must be the top priority of local and state leaders. We will continue to enforce our mask requirement and provide widespread access to the vaccine, including the soon-to-be-approved Pfizer pediatric formula, at all PXU large campuses weekly."

Arizona cities and counties were also able to enact mask requirements and other COVID-19 rules that would have been blocked by the budget bills.

The Supreme Court's brief order said it did not adopt Cooper's reasoning in its entirety. A written opinion explaining the court's full reasons for upholding her ruling will be issued later.

Gov. Ducey's Office responded to the ruling Tuesday afternoon with the following statement:
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 41F. Winds light and variable.
Claims by a man who has said he was sexually trafficked by a shadowy Kern County group known as the "Lords of Bakersfield" more than 40 years 
Chevron Phillips Chemical has announced Elliott Johnson as the executive vice president of environmental, health and safety with the company.

Johnson has 23 years of experience with CP Chem in operations and technical positions across multiple domestic manufacturing facilities, including as plant manager at the companys facility in Orange and operations manager at the Cedar Bayou facility.

He is filling the position left by Scott Sharp, who retired after 42 years with CP Chem and Chevron Corporation.

During his tenure with the company, Sharp oversaw operations at the companys joint ventures in Qatar and led the successful completion of its U.S. Gulf Coast expansion projects in Baytown and Old Ocean. Most recently, he played an instrumental role in developing and advancing potential growth projects in the U.S. and Qatar.

Steve Prusak, senior vice president, corporate planning and technology, will assume additional responsibility for the companys projects organization, which includes overseeing the development of expansion projects in the U.S. and Qatar. Prusak has 31 years of industry experience and has held commercial, project and strategy roles during his tenure with CP Chem. Notably, he served as a project director for the companys U.S. Gulf Coast expansion project completed in 2018.

Justin Sheffield has been named the chief operations officer for Beaumont-based Texas Regional Title.

Sheffield will be responsible for providing strategic vision, managerial and administrative procedures, as well as effectively communicating and fostering growth among the leadership team and all employees.

He comes to the company with more than 17 years of banking experience and 12 years of serving in an executive management position, and previously served as vice president of lending at Mobiloil Federal Credit Union.

Sheffield also holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Economics with a minor in general business from Texas A&M University.

Prior to Mobiloil Federal Credit Union, he served as branch manager at Wells Fargo where he managed all functions of a retail banking branch.

Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Lisa Cowart of Sour Lake to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas for a term set to expire Oct. 29, 2024.

The council works with the Texas Workforce Commission to advocate for people with disabilities in the vocational rehabilitation process.

Cowart of Sour Lake is the PATH Project Director for Partners Resource Network. She is an advisory committee member of SpedTex, a general member of the Society for Human Resources Management and the vice chair of the Rehabilitation Council of Texas.

Cowart received a Bachelors Degree of Business Administration in marketing from Lamar University.

Hancock Whitney recently honored 49 Southeast Texas nonprofit organizations and presented grants totaling approximately $1.1 million on behalf of six prominent Beaumont area foundations at the annual Harvest of Giving awards ceremony.

Each year Southeast Texas nonprofits are invited to participate in a unified grant application process for funds available from six private foundations. Hancock Whitney Trust and Asset Management serves as trustee of these foundations.

Grant recipients by category include:

Arts

Art Museum of Southeast Texas

Beaumont Childrens Museum

Beaumont Civic Ballet

Beaumont Community Players

Downtown Beaumont Cultural Arts District KVLU

Southeast Texas Arts Council

Symphony of Southeast Texas

Texas Energy Museum Art Museum of Southeast Texas

Community Services

American National Red Cross

Beaumont Farmers Market

Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council

Jeerson County Bar Association Foundation Magnolia Cemetery

Mauriceville Heritage Association

Southeast Texas Nonprot Development Center Vidor Rotary Club

Vidor Rotary Club

Education

Green Dot Public Schools Southeast Texas Lamar University Foundation

Lamar University Foundation

St. Anthony Cathedral School

St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School

Health

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Foundation

CHRISTUS Health Foundation of Southeast Texas

Hospice Care Team, Inc. dba Heart of Texas Hospice

Julie Rogers Gift of Life Program

Mental Health America of Southeast Texas

Nutrition & Services for Seniors

Rape and Suicide Crisis Center of SETX

RISE Center for Independent Living

Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas

Shorkey Education and Rehabilitation Center

Special Olympics Texas

Stable-Spirit

Surviving Parents of Southeast Texas

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Vidor Independent School District

Vidor Independent School District

Social Welfare

Boys Haven of America

Buckner Children and Family Services - Beaumont

CASA of the Sabine Neches Region

Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas

Orange Christian Services

Salvation Army

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Some Other Place

Southeast Texas Family Resource Center

United Christian Care Center of Vidor

United Way of Beaumont and North Jeerson County

Wells of Agape

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
Struggle Street has made good eats with good brews a part of its model since it opened on Calder Avenue, but now its working on a way to make local food a permanent fixture.

Food trucks are a usual part of the Struggle Street program each weekend, parked behind the brewpub near the expansive outside patio, but the lineup can vary depending on which providers are available to stop by.

Struggle Street has now acquired its own food truck for the site that can serve as a pop-up kitchen for some of the areas talented cooks without a base of operations.

This is our solution for being able to have food all the time, Scott Reeves, owner of Struggle Street said. We would like to be able to offer food every single day we are open, but that means we have to build the consistency first.

The new trailer is fully equipped with burners, fryers, refrigeration and air conditioning, and was registered this week, creating a professional and legitimate test kitchen for a growing business.

Struggle Street briefly transitioned to a modified alcohol license with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission earlier in the pandemic, as did many bars and breweries, but changed back to a regular bar license once restrictions on alcohol-only establishments were lifted.

Reeves said that the model of Struggle Street and its focus on unique micro-brews means that in-house food wouldnt be a great fit for the business, but being able to find partners that could operate and maybe rent the trailer would be the best of both worlds.

He said that future partnership is probably just a matter of time, as there are already a number of skilled chefs and cooks who have a lot to offer hungry beer-lovers, but dont have a venue just yet.

We have a lot of great cooks here that make excellent food that just havent had the capital to buy their own truck or trailer, Reeves said. They have a place to do what they love, now.

Murad Hraizs Signature Kitchen is now open for business, welcoming guests back to the former home of Finch Hutton and The Grille.

The new location at 6680 Calder Ave. offers a combination of the Mediterranean dishes Al Basha has become iconic for and new chef-inspired menu items from different styles.

It also features the signature buffet that had made Hraizs other ventures a lunchtime hot spot.

Hraiz has been in growth mode over the past few months after adding a new market to the Al Basha Mediterranean Grill off the I-10 frontage road in Beaumont, taking advantage of the former lounge area no longer in use.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 52 into law, officially granting Lamar State College Orange more than $37.4 million to construct a new academic building on its campus, according to a LSCO news release.

We couldnt be more grateful to Governor Abbott, our own State Representative and Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, Senator Robert Nichols, and the Texas Legislature for providing this much-needed infrastructure funding for our beautiful college on the Sabine, LSCO President Tom Johnson said in a press release last Wednesday.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Republican state officials reacted with swift rebukes Thursday to President Joe Biden's newly detailed mandate for private employers to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, threatening a wave of lawsuits and other actions to thwart a requirement they see as a stark example of government overreach.

At least two conservative groups moved quickly to file lawsuits against the workplace safety mandate, and a growing roster of GOP governors and attorneys general said more lawsuits were on the way as soon as Friday. Some Republican-led states had already passed laws or executive orders intended to protect employers that may not want to comply.

This rule is garbage, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said Thursday through a spokesperson. Its unconstitutional and we will fight it. His state's governor, Republican Henry McMaster, said he is planning to issue an executive order keeping state agencies from enforcing the rule.

States have been preparing for the requirement since Biden previewed it in September. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements released Thursday call for companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation. Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers.

The White House said the administration has the authority to take actions designed to protect workers and expects the rule to withstand legal challenges.

Republican governors or attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and South Dakota said Thursday they would file lawsuits against the mandate. The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

Robert Alt, a lawyer representing the Midwest companies suing manufacturer Phillips Manufacturing & Tower Company and packaging firm Sixarp  said both companies are already facing staffing shortages amid the pandemic. The mandate will make things worse, he said.

It adds insult to injury and forces them potentially to fire trained employees," said Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, a conservative advocacy group.

States say they are focusing on the role of the federal government in the lawsuits they're preparing.

"While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.

At a news conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized what he called an executive fiat for the private sector. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds characterized the mandate as an imposition on personal choice, saying people should be able to make their own health care decisions. She recently signed a bill guaranteeing that people who are fired for refusing a vaccine can qualify for unemployment benefits.

At least 19 Republican-led states previously sued the Biden administration over a separate mandate requiring vaccines for employees who work for federal contractors. Several more filed similar lawsuits Thursday.

Biden, in a statement Thursday, dismissed the argument from many GOP governors and lawmakers that a mandate for employers will hurt businesses' ability to keep workers on the job.

There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements, he said. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.

The administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, said during a briefing Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

So you know, the question that we always have and that we ask to the Republicans is, why are they getting in the way?" Jean-Pierre said. Why are they getting in the way of trying to protect and save lives? Thats all were trying to do.

Challenges to the workplace mandate from Republicans and conservative groups are expected to be broad-based and quick, reflecting yet another aspect of the COVID-19 response  from mask requirements to social-distancing guidelines  that has fallen into a partisan divide. Democratic governors and attorneys general were relatively quiet after the OSHA rules were announced on Thursday. From California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a simple Twitter message: The right move. Another Democrat, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, defended mandates in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates tend not to work and that she wanted a Kansas-focused way to meet, them but did not give details.

All 26 Republican state attorneys general have previously said they would fight the requirements, and most of them signed a letter to Biden saying as much.

Key to their objection is whether OSHA has the legal authority to require vaccines or virus testing.

In the letter to Biden, the top state government lawyers argued that the agency can regulate only health risks that are specific to jobs  not ones that are in the world generally. Seema Nanda, the top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, says established legal precedent allows rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

That hasn't stopped state lawmakers and governors for taking a variety of actions aimed at undercutting federal mandates.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an executive order prohibiting private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. An Ohio lawmaker has proposed a bill barring schools and colleges from expelling students who refuse vaccines and preventing employers from firing workers who do so.

Arkansas has adopted a law creating a vaccine-mandate exemption for workers who can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies, although a broader measure banning employers from asking about vaccination status failed in the Legislature. The OSHA rule does include a religious exemption, as well as one for people who work exclusively outdoors or away from others  such as from home.

Lawmakers or governors in states including Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming have called for special legislative sessions to counter vaccine mandates. In Nebraska, not enough state lawmakers agreed to a special session to get one on the calendar, but Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican in a GOP-dominated state, has been pushing them to keep trying.

In Ohio, factory owner Ross McGregor said he will follow the rules as he would any federal workplace mandate, but not because he agrees with them. McGregor, who said he is vaccinated, is opposed to the new requirement, just as he has publicly opposed efforts by Ohio Republican lawmakers to prevent him from mandating the coronavirus vaccine for his workers.

At the end of the day, every employer, and every employment situation, dictates what is best, said McGregor, a former Republican state lawmaker and owner of axle and brake component manufacturer Pentaflex, where he estimates that about half the 115 or so employees are vaccinated. Having either a ban on mandates or an imposition of mandates goes against that

___

This version corrects new paragraph six to say it is the The Daily Wire, not Daily Caller, that filed a lawsuit, and to remove a reference to a lawsuit filed by Indiana, Louisiana and Mississippi. That suit filed Thursday addresses a separate, narrower mandate for federal contractors.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Tom Davies in Indianapolis; Heather Hollingsworth in Lake Quivira, Kansas; Alexandra Jaffe in Washington, D.C.; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report, along with other AP reporters from around the U.S.
The good news is Jefferson County still has plenty of emergency funding left to aid local families facing eviction, but the pace of that distribution so far is placing its relief programs in question.

Jefferson County is one of 16 Texas cities and counties that havent distributed at least 30% of the money they were given for rent relief  potentially risking the rest of their money being recouped by the federal government.

As of Oct. 22, the county has granted $1 million of the $7.6 million it received in December of 2020 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. So far, 310 local residents have received help for either rent, utilities or other qualified needs.

In the meantime, court data acquired by the non-profit advocacy group Texas Housers showed that around 400 families were given eviction notices between June and August of this year.

But, Jefferson County Auditor Patrick Swain said the administrator of the countys program, the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission, already is working on its plan of action to keep the funding.

As a part of the plan, counties and cities that didnt meet performance standards have to explain how they will overcome previous problems with distribution, which Swain said came down to available infrastructure.

We werent set up to be able to reach out to people in need and process all of those applications early on, Swain said. There were also a lot of nonprofits we reached out to that said they couldnt handle over $7 million dollars. Thats where SETRPC stepped up.

Adding to the issues of promptly delivering aid was the fact that essentially two programs were running at once  a county-led relief program and a state-ran one.

Swain said that counties under a certain population threshold had their funds managed by the state through its larger relief program, Texas Rent Relief, which meant places like Jefferson County also had to make sure there weren't duplicate applications being filed.

Administrators of Texas Rent Relief announced that Friday at 5 p.m. would be the last available time to make an application for state relief, which will put more emphasis on the county and city-ran programs as families continue to experience economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, the total requests for assistance now exceed all (Texas Rent Relief) funds available, demonstrating just how great the need is in Texas, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs said in an email to the Houston Chronicle.

The state had received $1.9 billion from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Moving forward, Swain said administrators at SETRPC have a plan to contract with six predominant nonprofits in Jefferson County that already have support networks and the trust of vulnerable families in the area.

Using their expertise, SETRPC hopes to streamline the process so the agencies are able to essentially hand up applications from their clients that are ready to process, increasing the reach of the emergency programs and speeding up the distribution of aid.

Advocates like Texas Housers are pushing for underperforming areas to use the deadline as motivation to review the Treasury Departments best practices and push distribution forward.

It is not Jefferson County local governments that will suffer if these funds are recaptured by the Treasury, representatives for Texas Housers wrote in a statement.  It will be low-income residents who are evicted because they wont have these funds to pay the rent. It is essential that the county act on this time-sensitive opportunity to submit a plan to keep these funds available for the low-income residents, and follow through in getting these funds into the hands of renters and landlords.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
PHOENIX (AP)  Most Arizona Public Service customers will see a small decrease in their bills after state regulators slashed the rates that the state's largest electric utility can charge.

The Arizona Corporation Commission on Tuesday gave final approval to a plan that will reduce APS base rates by about $119 million, according to The Arizona Republic. The company vowed to sue, calling the decision shortsighted and warning it will increase consumer costs in the long run.

The rare rate reduction reflects a significant change of fortunes for the politically influential utility, which in 2017 was granted a large rate hike that was billed as an average increase of 4.5% but amounted to a much larger spike for many of its customers.

APS had originally asked for a $187 million rate increase, which it later reduced to $169 million, ABC15 reported. Instead, commissioners voted 3-2 to reduce the company's return on equity from 10% to 8.7%. The commissioners also voted not to allow APS to bill its customers for hundreds of millions of dollars in improvements to a coal plant in New Mexico, which the regulators determined was an imprudent expenditure.

The commissioners did allow APS to increase revenue for adjusters that charge customers for specific items like power plant fuel and renewable-energy programs, the Republic reported. Altogether, APS will see a slight increase in revenue but significantly less than it would have without a cut in its base rates.

Lea Marquez Peterson, the commission's Republican chairwoman, said APS rates haven't been reduced since 1996, providing relief to captive customers that have struggled with multiple challenges with APS previous management and a global pandemic. She voted for the changes along with Republican Jim O'Connor and Democrat Anna Tovar.

Under retired CEO Don Brandt, APS spent lavishly on political contributions, including millions to elect its favored members of the Corporation Commission. Some of the spending was funneled through dark money political groups and wasn't acknowledged by APS executives for years.

Our most important responsibility is to our customers, who depend on APS for the energy infrastructure that will power Arizonas prosperity far into the future, said a company statement released after the vote. Todays short-sighted decision by the Arizona Corporation Commission ignores that crucial responsibility."

APS argues the Commission's actions will raise the utility's borrowing costs for future investments, including renewable energy projects, and the higher costs will ultimately be paid by customers.

The new rate plan also reduces the number of peak hours when customers on some plans pay higher rates. The new hours will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

APS said about 69% of customers would see a bill reduction of 2% or less. About 21% of customers will see an increase of less than 1%, and 7% are projected to see bill increases from 1-3%. The exact impact on customers will depend on their rate plans and the time of day when they use electricity.

The changes will begin affecting bills in December, but the company says it will take months to fully implement them.
Michele Sandberg/Getty Images

Republican Party of Texas chairman and 2022 gubernatorial hopeful Allen West was involved in a physical altercation at the Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport Wednesday. The incident allegedly stemmed from West's refusal to wear a mask on the premises, according to a press release from his campaign.

The statement alleges the GOP candidate was approached by a man who yelled at him for not wearing a mask. West allegedly responded by "flicking" the man's mask off. The man responded by raising his fists at West, per the statement. West took to Twitter afterward to provide his own account of the incident, saying the man called him an "idiot." West said he pulled down the man's mask and said "see, nothing happened."
A barge carrying logged timber on the Mahakam River passes the town of Samarinda in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, Nov. 4, 2021.

Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand this week skipped signing a global pact to end and reverse forest loss by 2030, even as Southeast Asia  home to around 15 percent of the worlds tropical forests  is among its major deforestation hotspots.

The regions most populous and sprawling country, Indonesia, meanwhile, was among 133 nations that signed the pledge at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, but it took issue with some countries reading the language of the agreement too literally.

We therefore commit to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation, states the pledge, known as the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use.

Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Indonesias environment minister, had a problem with the expectation that ending deforestation means zero deforestation. She said it was unfair to ask Indonesia to do that.

That prompted green activists to wonder whether this meant Jakarta would renege on the pledge made on Tuesday.

After all, the agreement was hailed as a landmark one because Indonesia, Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which account for 85 percent of the worlds forests, signed on to protect their woodlands.

Southeast Asia lost about 80 million hectares of forest between 2005 and 2015, said a 2019 article in the journal Nature.

And yet, only Indonesia signed on to the pledge to preserve forests, and that, apparently with caveats.

Here is a look at how some Southeast Asian governments and country experts view the breakthrough COP26 agreement to stem forest loss:

Indonesia

A day after Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo signed the pledge in Scotland to protect forests, the environment minister said the country could not be made to commit to zero deforestation because that would hurt development.

Forcing Indonesia to commit to zero deforestation by 2030 is clearly neither fair nor right, because every country has its key problems and is mandated by the constitution to protect its people, Siti Nurbaya wrote on Twitter after speaking to Indonesian students at the University of Glasgow.

Indonesia is committed to controlling emissions from the forestry sector, but that does not mean that the country will completely eliminate deforestation, she said.

If the concept is that there is no deforestation, it means that there should be no roads, then what about the people, should they be isolated? Siti Nurbaya said later on via Facebook.

Siti Nurbayas comments drew criticism from environmental activists.

According to Greenpeace, the clear-burning of forest land to make way for plantations has generated nearly 104 million metric tons of carbon emissions during the past 19 years. That equals 33 times the annual emissions from powering all the homes in the Indonesian capital.

But according to the environment ministry, Indonesia has already made strides in stemming deforestation. The ministry said Indonesia lost 115,459 hectares (285,300 acres) of forest cover in 2020, a 75-percent drop from 2019.

On Thursday, Siti appeared to clarify her strong statement.

The presidents directive is clear, that development undertaking by the government must be in line with the policy to reduce deforestation and emissions, she tweeted.

There must be a balance.

Chopped trees are seen at the Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, March 2021. [Courtesy Cambodian Youth Network]

Laos

Like Indonesia, Laos, too, had reservations linked to its status as a developing nation, a government official told the Laos Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA), with which BenarNews is affiliated.

Laos didnt sign the deal because its still a developing country and still needs forests to develop its economy, said the official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

We still rely on the forest and agriculture to produce food and reduce poverty; however, our government has a policy to wisely use our natural resources and protect the environment at the same time.

The official said Laos still needed to clear land and forests for the development of infrastructure, including roads, railway, schools and hospitals.

Our government wants to develop its country to graduate from the least developed country status in 2026 too. Its impossible not to destroy some natural resources at all, the official said.

Still, the government has a policy to wisely use our natural resources and protect the environment at the same time, the official added.

Cambodia

Cambodia, which has lost 26 percent of its tree cover since 2000 according to satellite imagery  equivalent to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres)  did not sign the pledge to end deforestation.

Neth Peaktra, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, did not say why Cambodia didnt sign it.

The ministry supports the COP26 statement and reaffirms the government commitment to protect and preserve natural resources and the ecosystem, and restore and replant the forest, he told the Khmer Service of RFA.

Cambodia has about 8.5 million hectares of forest cover and about 41 percent of it is being protected by the ministry, he said.

However, according to San Maly, an activist with the Cambodian Youth Network, the government had failed to implement its commitment to protect forests.

Cambodias forests are declining due to illegal logging and forest crime, he told RFA.

Residents are evacuated from their flooded houses on a rescue boat following Typhoon Vamco, in Rizal Province, Philippines, Nov. 12, 2020. [Reuters]

Malaysia

In Malaysia, where Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said that the country is striving to become carbon neutral by 2050 at the earliest, a local environmental NGO criticized the government for only sending a representative  and not the environment minister  to COP26.

We could only guess that it was done deliberately to avoid taking the international pledge to stop deforestation at COP26 with a bit of face saving, PEKA said in a statement.

For a country that wants to maintain 50 percent of forest cover, Malaysis is eighth highest in cumulative per-capita emissions from 1850 to 2021.

Malaysia may not fulfill a pledge of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, PEKAs founder, told BenarNews late last month.

Malaysia will miss the target by a mile with the current seriousness shown by the government  We are still in the mindset of blaming disasters on Acts of God, she said.

Philippines

The archipelago nation signaled its commitment to preserve woodlands by being one of the more than 100 signatories to save the worlds forests.

The Philippines is one of the worlds most climate-vulnerable countries, but contributes only 0.3 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions. Manila has, however, committed to reducing these emissions by 75 percent over the next decade as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

An average of about 20 typhoons strike the Philippines every year, some of them devastating. In 2013, the archipelago was hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan, the countrys most powerful storm, which caused devastating damage and led to the deaths of more than 6,000 people.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who attended the Glasgow summit, said rich countries must lead in finding hard solutions and help the more vulnerable ones.

The greatest injustice here is that those who suffer the most are those the least responsible for this existential crisis, Locsin said in a statement at COP26 on Oct. 31.

Attorney Ma. Ronely Bisquera-Sheen, executive director of environmental group Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense Nature), welcomed the forest pledge, but said it was too early to rejoice.

[T]he reality is that it will take tremendous political will to deliver this pledge, she told BenarNews.

The devil is in the details.

Ronna Nirmala and Ahmad Syamsudin in Jakarta, Muzliza Mustafa in Kuala Lumpur, Jason Gutierrez in Manila, and the Laos and Cambodia services of Radio Free Asia contributed to this report.
This screen grab from a video produced by the Indonesian Army Headquarters (MABESAD) shows Gen. Andika Perkasa, the army chief of staff, in his office in Jakarta, Oct. 29, 2021.

Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo has nominated the army chief of staff who ended so-called virginity testing for female cadets as the new head of the countrys armed forces, the speaker of parliament said Wednesday.

Gen. Andika Perkasa is expected to replace Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto as the commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), if the House of Representatives confirms his nomination, as is expected. Hadi is due to retire from the military on Nov. 30.

Today the state secretary delivered [to the House] the presidents letter nominating General Andika Perkasa as the candidate for the TNI chief, House Speaker Puan Maharani told reporters.

Puan said no date had been set for a confirmation hearing.

State Secretary Pratikno, who goes by a single name, said the government hoped the appointment would be confirmed soon.

We hope to get approval as soon as possible so that the government can immediately install the new TNI commander, said Pratikno.

Born in Bandung on Dec. 21, 1964, Andika graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1987. He attended post-graduate studies at the National War College in Washington and the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University.

Andika is expected to serve as military chief for 13 months before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 58.

Career rose meteorically

Human Rights Watch researcher in Indonesia, Andreas Harsono, welcomed Andikas nomination.

Andikas move to stop subjecting female recruits to so-called virginity tests was widely welcomed by activists as well. Women make up about 15 percent of the approximately 800,000 members of the military in Southeasts Asia largest country.

Andika was also praised for supporting military member and volleyball athlete Aprilio Manganang, who competed as a woman but transitioned to be a man in March.

Andreas said the army chief had shown courage by abolishing the virginity tests, but was likely to face a tougher task introducing further reforms in his new role.

Its not easy because the TNI is much bigger, Andreas told BenarNews.

Khairul Fahmi, a researcher at the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), said Andika would have to deal with the task of upgrading the militarys aging arsenals and improving personnel capabilities.

And its no less important to stop conflicts between soldiers and police, which are still happening, Fahmi told BenarNews.

Police in Indonesia dislike the militarys heavy involvement in state civil affairs, according to the Australian Institute of International Affairs. This rivalry has led to numerous clashes between personnel from both sides, which endangers citizens lives, local news reports have said.

Andikas father-in-law is Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono, a retired general and former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief, who is among Jokowis backers.

As a member of the armys special forces (Kopassus), Andika in 2002 led an operation to arrest al-Qaeda-linked militant Omar Al-Farouq, reportedly at the request of his father-in-law who headed BIN at the time.

Two days after Jokowi took office in 2014, Andika was appointed the chief of the presidential security corps, where he served for two years before being promoted to major general.

Made Supriatma, a researcher at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, wrote in a 2019 paper that Andika has had the most impressive career path in the Indonesian Army in recent times.

His military career rose meteorically when Jokowi came to power, Made said.

In Indonesia, it is widely held that an officers personal relations with powerful politicians will determine promotion to a strategic post.
Guantanamo Bay inmate Majid Khan, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison on Oct. 29 for his role in a deadly bombing at the Marriott hotel in Jakarta in 2003, is seen in this 2018 photo.

A Guantanamo Bay inmates testimony before a U.S. military tribunal last week about being tortured at a secret CIA site and the jurys clemency recommendation tied to that account may have implications for the trial of three Southeast Asian terror suspects incarcerated at the notorious prison, lawyers and activists say.

Majid Khan, who acknowledged having served as a money courier leading up to the 2003 bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta, was sentenced to 26 years in prison last week. Before his sentencing, he testified in graphic detail about torture he experienced at an overseas black site run by the Central Intelligence Agency after his arrest that year until he was transferred to the U.S. military prison in Cuba in 2006.

I thought I was going to die, Khan, a Pakistani national, said while reading from a 39-page statement during his sentencing hearing at Guantanamo on Oct. 28, according to the Associated Press. The more I cooperated and told them, the more I was tortured.

In a stunning turn of events, seven of the eight senior military officers on the jury delivered a handwritten clemency recommendation for Khan based partly on his account of the torture, which they noted was of no practical value in terms of intelligence, or any other tangible benefit to U.S. interests.

Instead, it is a stain on the moral fiber of America; the treatment of Mr. Khan in the hands of U.S. personnel should be a source of shame for the U.S. government, according to a copy of the letter obtained and published by The New York Times.

Attorney Jim Hodes, who represents Encep Nurjaman, declined to comment about whether his client would give similar testimony in his upcoming trial on terror charges linked to the Marriott bombing and the Bali Bombings in October 2002. Twelve people were killed in the hotel bombing and 202 were killed in the twin bombings in Bali  Indonesias deadliest terrorist attack to date that was blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah, the Southeast Asian affiliate of al-Qaeda.

Nurjaman, an Indonesian citizen more commonly known as Hambali, is to be tried with Malaysians Mohammed Nazir bin Lep and Mohammed Farik bin Amin on terror charges after they were arraigned at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay on Aug. 30 and 31. All three have been locked up in the prison there since 2006 after spending time at CIA black sites following their arrests in 2003.

Hodes called the letter incredibly enlightening.

That letter is a powerful rebuke of what our government did in the past and what it is doing now, in my opinion, he told BenarNews.

Lawyers for bin Lep and bin Amin could not be reached immediately for comment.

The letter on behalf of Khan, who had lived in Baltimore, Maryland, but was not an American citizen, noted that he had been held for nearly two decades without due process.

Although designated an alien unprivileged enemy belligerent, and not technically afforded the rights of U.S. citizens, the complete disregard for the foundational concepts upon which the Constitution was founded is an affront to American values and concepts of justice, the jurors wrote.

Khan is the first high-value detainee who went through the CIA program of worldwide detentions of terror suspects, who were rounded up and interrogated at secret black sites around the globe after the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States, to be convicted and sentenced at Guantanamos Camp Justice.

He could be freed as soon as February 2022 because of a plea deal reached in 2012, AP reported, adding that the jurors were not told about the deal.

Most unusual letter

Joshua Kastenberg, a former Air Force prosecutor and judge, said he had never seen anything like the jurys letter.

This particular letter is most unusual because instead of the comment  there were mitigating circumstances to the offense, or that the defendant/accused was a good guy  this clemency request included a statement on constitutional law and the due process rights of human beings, Kastenberg, who teaches law at the University of New Mexico, told BenarNews.

"[T]he letter may sway the authorities responsible for prosecuting the cases to take a more holistic approach and offer up plea agreements, he said.

Usman Hamid, chairman of Amnesty International Indonesia, discussed the importance of the jurys action.

What should be pointed out is not that clemency, but the torture that Majid Khan has been subjected to  this is a violation of the convention against torture which was ratified by the United States in 1994. That the jury acknowledged there was torture should be the basis for an investigation, he told BenarNews.

Similar clemency should be granted to Hambali because he was subjected to torture too.

A Human Rights Watch official, meanwhile, questioned why Khan, Hambali and others have had to wait years for their day in court.

Majid Khans graphic testimony about his torture at the hands of the CIA is further evidence of the harms of the so-called U.S. global war on terror, Letta Tayler, an associate director in HRWs crisis and conflict division, told BenarNews.

But given the agonizingly slow pace at which these Guantanamo cases are proceeding and the systemic flaws in the military commission system created to try terrorism suspects there, it could be years before a jury delivers a verdict on the Hambali case  if ever. It took 18 years for the U.S. to even indict him.

Tria Dianti in Jakarta contributed to this report.
Filipino children living in shanties near Manila Bay use a rope to climb aboard a docked ship, which they use as a makeshift diving platform, March 31, 2021.

The Philippine government eased COVID-19 movement restrictions in the Metropolitan Manila region on Friday, allowing children to leave their homes and play outside after many months of being mostly cooped up during various pandemic lockdowns.

The Southeast Asian nation  particularly its national capital region, home to 14 million people  has been on different stages of lockdown during the past 20 months, one of the worlds longest.

During that time children have been home-schooled, which affects their mental and psychological well-being, according to child-rights advocates.

The loosening of the restrictions, upon the recommendation of health experts, means children can now go to parks and shopping malls, officials said. At the same time, physical classes in the tertiary level will also be open, subject to certain conditions, the government said.

The lowered alert system will last until Nov. 21 and be reassessed then, presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a press conference on Friday. The new rule extends across all of Metro Manila, which covers the city of Manila and at least 15 neighboring cities.

The reason weve lowered it down to Alert Level 2 is that COVID cases have gone down, but anytime that can also go up knowing that we have more virulent variants. So, we still have to be careful, Roque said.

Limited face-to-face classes, he said, would be allowed under the new alert level, subject to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the government agency in charge of tertiary education.

First, teachers or faculty staff and the students must be fully vaccinated. Second, room capacity should be 50 percent, he said, adding that the local governments should be in the know, and the educational facilities should be retrofitted for limited face-to-face classes, which would be inspected and authorized by CHED.

However, operations of casinos, racing-tracks, cock-fighting arenas, and other gaming establishments will remain closed, Roque said.

According to the new rule, those below 18 years of age are now permitted in public places. As soon as the order became official on Friday afternoon, young kids were seen with adults in malls across Manila.

All establishments are now allowed to operate at a maximum of 50 percent indoor capacity for those that are fully vaccinated and those below 18, even if they are not vaccinated, according to the new government guideline.

Seventy percent capacity is allowed for social gatherings and establishments if employees are fully vaccinated and wearing masks, the rules said.

These include birthday parties and wedding receptions, as well as museums, libraries, and amusement parks, Roque said. Other recreational and sporting venues, such as internet cafes, bowling alleys, swimming pools, are also covered.

At the press conference, Maria Rosario Vergeire, spokeswoman for the Philippine Department of Health, said that recorded new cases of COVID-19 had dropped from last week to an average of 493 cases per day.

The Philippines is among Southeast Asian countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, with almost 2.8 million infections and more than 44,000 deaths reported since the pandemic began here in March 2020.

The government, meanwhile, has ramped up vaccination efforts in recent weeks. Sixty-two million shots of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, according to the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, with 28.7 million people being fully vaccinated.

New rules will help tourism

The easing of restrictions is expected to provide greater mobility to the public and generate activities that could boost the economy, which has been in the doldrums throughout the pandemic.

The eased travel restrictions under this alert level will greatly help tourism businesses bounce back and maximize the opportunities brought by the holiday season, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said in a statement.

We also expect more Filipinos  especially families with children and elderly  to be able to enjoy our tourist destinations while following minimum health and safety protocols, she added.

Child Rights Network, a group advocating for childrens rights, had earlier called on President Rodrigo Duterte to push for the gradual reopening of schools in areas considered low risk.

Schools in the Philippines have been closed since March 2020, and the Philippines is one of the only two countries that have yet to set a date for reopening schools  the other being Venezuela  the network said in September.

The number of schoolchildren enrolled has dropped this year, compared to previous figures, the group said.

We cannot stress enough: the declining participation rate and quality of education brought about by school closures is a learning and child development catastrophe waiting to happen, the group said in a statement.
Sahachai Jiensermsin (right), a Thai businessman in a money laundering case, is presented before Police Lt. Gen. Jirapob Puridej, chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, on Nov. 5, 2021.

Thai police on Friday arrested a fugitive businessman charged with laundering money who according to military officials may be funding separatist insurgents in the mostly Muslim southern border provinces.

Police said they arrested Sahachai Jiensermsin, 53, in Bangkok on Thursday night.

He denied all the charges, but the police are continuing with the proceedings, Police Lt. Gen. Jirapob Puridej, chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, told a press conference in Bangkok.

Jiraprob said that in 2012, a police team targeting oil smugglers seized a boat owned by Sahachai as it was illegally dispensing fuel to other boats off the shore of Songkhla province, in the Thai Deep South, and confiscated 48 million baht ($1.44 million) in cash.

In a subsequent home search, police found evidence of 400-500 million liters of oil trade transactions and a tally of bribes paid to officials, Jiraprob said. The discovery prompted the Anti-Money Laundering Office, a government agency, to order an investigation in 2015.

He said the economic crime division, which now handles both cases, charged Sahachai in 2015, but an arrest warrant was issued only in February of this year.

Jirapob told reporters that Sahachai's arrest was delayed because he had managed to travel in and out of Thailand using other nations' passports. When he was arrested, he was found to be holding a Cambodian passport. Officials were trying to verify if it was genuine, the police said.

Sahachai has been charged in 14 cases since 2003, including illegal smuggling of goods, bribery, and unlicensed fishing in the Deep South and central Thailand, according to police. Most of the cases have either expired or have ended in acquittal, they said.

Due to his high profile and connections, Sahachai has earned the nickname Sia Jo Pattani, or Tycoon Jo Pattani, and local media have alleged that authorities helped him evade jail time.

Sahachai was transferred Friday to the office of Songkhlas attorney general, who will decide the next step, an official told BenarNews on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Songkhla's attorney general could not be reached for comment.

Suspected links to insurgents

Thailand's Deep South, which encompasses Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and four districts of Songkhla, has a common border with Malaysia and is notorious as a corridor for smuggled goods, including fuel, palm oil, alcohol, cigarettes, electronics, and home appliances, according to security officials.

Military officials in the Deep South said Sahachai was a critical player in illicit cross-border trades and was under investigation for possibly financing the separatist insurgency there.

We monitored Sia Jo and other operators who are suspected of funding local insurgents, said an official who asked not to be named because he was not allowed to speak to reporters.

Sia Jo was a major player in posing collateral threats to the violence, and he was still active before the arrest, Maj. Gen. Pramote Prom-in, a spokesman for the military command in the Deep South (ISOC-4), told BenarNews on Friday. He has to pay the price.

Pramote did not give further details. Military officials usually use the term collateral threats for those who pay insurgents for protection or hire them to kill their enemies or officials.

People conducting illegal activities along the southern border, such as smuggling fuel or goods, drug trades, and human trafficking, typically have links with the insurgency and benefit the gunmen one way or another, said a military official, who likewise asked not to be named.

We have proof that 'black business' operators paid protection money to insurgents, who mounted attacks, the official said.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A Russian analyst who provided information for a dossier of research used during the Trump-Russia investigation has been charged with lying to the FBI when questioned about his work
I feel like everything, Ive been allowed, invited and entrusted to do over my professional life, all of it, has prepared me for this, said Kristy Edmunds, newly appointed director of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts.

Edmunds, who assumed the role of director in early October, had recently arrived in North Adams from Los Angeles.

This is my first day here, she told this reporter during an interview on Oct. 21 in the events space of B6:The Robert W. Wilson building. Shes currently splitting her time between the two cities.

This is the kind of job that asks you to use your whole self, not one particular part of you thats particularly adept at something, but your whole self. What a gift.

Prior to becoming the director of Mass MoCA, Edmunds was the executive and artistic director of UCLAs Center for the Art of Performance.

Quote This is the kind of job that asks you to use your whole self, not one particular part of you that's particularly adept at something, but your whole self. What a gift. Kristy Edmunds, director of Mass MoCA

Previously, she was founding executive and artistic director of the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art in Portland, Ore., and artistic director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival, and served as a consulting artistic director for the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

When I ended up saying yes to here, there was a discussion [with the Mass MoCA board of trustees] that I would be able to see through, out of loyalty and commitment, some of the initiatives in Los Angeles that still need my hands on it. And my kids wont move here for a while, so Ill be back and forth. [The board] recognized for me that you cant have integrity moving forward if you leave things undone, she said.

Making sure the move was right for not just her, but for her wife, dancer and choreographer Ros Warby, and two sons, as well, was a big priority for Edmunds.

My younger son said even if you dont get this job we have to move here. I feel free here. What he was seeing was not only the absence of urban grid lines and traffic, but children riding their bikes freely, families getting ice cream  Theres something about this other way and he picked up on that immediately, she said.

And I thought about that too, my kids, my partner. Theres me in the context in the directorship of this remarkable organization and conjoining its effort. But theres also the people of my family who will come and invest in this region and they all have something to contribute in their own special way. The kids, my partner, everyone felt that match and connection.

And Edmunds said shes felt welcome from the day it was announced she had accepted the position as director.

When I was announced, all these different artists [I have] relationships [with] were sending me notes because they have a history here and they have a history with me, she said. I feel like Im coming home to a place Ive never lived. Arent I just lucky?

During the interview, Edmunds answered several of our questions about her career and what the future holds for Mass MoCA. Her answers, lightly edited for length, follow:

Q: Mass MoCA has been here for over two decades, yet there are still some community members who have never stepped foot in the museum, who still ask, What can Mass MoCA do for me? How will you answer that question?

A: When I was out here during the summer, I spent a lot of time talking with people in antique shops, in bookstores, on small farms. Id ask, Hey, what do you think of Mass MoCA? It felt to me, especially with the older generation from North Adams and what not, there was this sense [about Mass MoCA] of something that seemed completely impossible or irrational or hairbrained turned into something they can be proud of. Maybe thats what it can do, is to re-instill a sense of look at what we have in our town; that kind of relationship. Who knows? But, it was really evident to me, that everyone had a story to tell about it. Even being able to have something to tell a story about, in your town, is more than not having a story to tell.

Q: You have a really impressive resume that has taken you to Portland, to Melbourne, Australia, to New York City, to Los Angeles. What attracted you to North Adams?

A: Obviously, Mass MoCA. But also, the Berkshire region, Massachusetts and New England itself, which Ive been to back and forth, many times over the years.

In the context of my resume, you usually dont start a resume until your out of college or whatever, but for me, the life I led prior was also one of growing up in a series of smaller communities. We moved a lot, specifically in the Pacific Northwest, where my exposure to the arts was going to be from the farmers market and my mothers pottery or the local weaver or the quiltmakers and the crafts and artisan folks.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest region; if youre not thinking about Seattle and Portland, the urban centers, theres land and place and towns and people and industry and agriculture. I was around those sensibilities and those invisible but special places as I grew up  I have an abiding gratitude that my parents, my mom, my grandmother, my uncle who would take me to see art things when it was around and available. For me, it opened a world that I couldnt possibly have known from the context of my life condition at that time. It inspired me to find my way in the world differently. Later in my life, we moved to Minneapolis and that was the first time in my life I had been in a larger city, as it were and the Walker Art Museum was there and the Guthrie Theater was there and the Chanhassen Childrens Theater was there. In my then fifth-, sixth-, seventh-grade life, I was then exposed to a world of ideas that were also abstract, modern or unusual or confusing or confronting but fascinating. And so, in a weird way, what Im trying to say, prior to what has my become my career path, I was given the gift of being inspired by a world of possibilities that I would not have been able to find had I not had encounters with art and artists in earlier chapters, which were well and truly outside the urban hotbeds of cosmopolitan thought. And yet, I could feel that I also belonged.

Q: Youre coming into Mass MoCA with the unique opportunity to not have to build the museum, as Joe Thompson did that for the last 32 years. What does that open up for you? What do you want to do more of?

A: Thanks Joe! Thanks Board! Thanks Tom! Thanks Jennifer! Thanks mayors and governors, all you all.

I think anyone who reads some of this, [can understand] the inspiration and gratitude that I feel for others that built the bones and the musculature of what this is as an organization. Its that saying, if you are standing on the shoulders of giants, you can see far. So, its like that. Im coming in at a time when the next chapter of creative evolution can start to be pondered, thought through, evolved  which is a very different thing than just driving the hamster wheel of trying to make a building turn into an art space or a community care about what might be possible from what had been left behind, from Sprague. That is a different kind of intelligence, effort, passion, drive, duty of care, if you will. Im grateful that it happened.

Im deeply grateful and honored to be bestowed with this next chapter of leadership, conjoining a staff, some of which have worked here since the beginning when Joe was here, in the early, early days, some of them have only been here for about four months and everybody has a belly full of dreams and aspirations and contributions to make. And Im excited I get to conjoin them, let alone the town, the region, and Mass MoCA has a really important place in the art world nationally and internationally. Its this place of wonder and discovery and making and that can be from the most small, most sublime thing to the largest thing an artist can imagine ever making.

What will I begin to ponder bringing in? To me, its the effort it would have taken to drive the constant resuscitation of these older buildings and finding artists and content and making more and more place, from what was abandoned at that point and theres still lots to be done with the physical plant, overtime. But right now, its really, for me, about listening and learning and being super curious and using an outsiders vantage point to ask lots and lots of questions so I can put them into my being and then collaborate on the decisions on where to from here.  Were in a time of how to recover from a recession, economically, along with the energy it takes to keep going. I get to be part of a rejuvenation from this chapter. Obviously, theres a great deal of awareness  across the whole country was shaken to an awakeness on the movement for Black Lives, at looking at inequities, all of these kinds of things that you kind of go, that too is a chance because weve learned different ways to find access, belonging and really important stories, voices, ways of being that conjoin in an institution like this in beautiful ways.

Q: We have seen what the pandemic has done to arts and culture spaces around the country and that so many of those places are on the precipice of not coming back or have closed. How do you look forward? Is fundraising, lots of fundraising in the future?

A: Mass MoCA, in its founding origin all the way to this point has literally been in the process of opening and expanding and that is its own particular hamster wheel of profound energy to make all of those things happen. What Im looking at is, with this openness, with all this expanse that has been achieved, how do we sustain it? How do we deepen? How do we look after the people who keep the lights on? How do we look after parts of the town that are affected by it? How do we look after the artists who are also in their process of recovery? A lot of performance makers, they have not been in a studio rehearsing with their bodies or their horns for so long that literally it changes you physically. So, how can Mass MoCA be an asset and a resource for rehearsals and the redevelopment of work that might go out on tour. Schools have just reopened in certain ways. How do we relearn how we belong in public together, in public after being isolated and on Zoom for 18 months or more?

When I look at Mass MoCA, we have a chance to relearn how we belong together in interdependent ways with artists, with creativity, with aspirational ideas and not be Pollyanna about where the economy is. We have to be completely committed to creative risk that does not generate economic challenge. And yes, I think fundraising is a really important part of it. And I think one of the really important privileges you have when you have to raise contributed income is  and I think one of the things the pandemic did [is make us realize] we have to look at how fragile the ecology, the economic ecosystem is for the arts in this country  how very fragile it actually it is. The public this time around recognized if we dont help or contribute, [the arts] isnt going to be there; we dont get the chance to take it for granted that it will always be. And so, theres something beautiful about an organization, about a place like this, at least in my research around the place and around the planet, is [Mass MoCA is] really loved  Oh, Ive been there, I love that place. What a profound achievement to be loved far and wide. And how that contributes to a sense of belonging and a care of sustainability moving forward. Not about how much, but that we will.

Q: Joseph Thompson, founding director of Mass MoCA, was here, as director, for over 30 years. Thats unique in todays world, where most people stay in a position for few years before moving on. Do you have a contract for a set period of time? A set period of time you plan to stay?

A: Its not a contract, but its the clear and present commitment that you will be, at a minimum, engaged in 7 years plus. Its an agreement on both sides.

If Im going to uproot my family, move them here, resettle  youre not going to do that if you have a contract that busts you out in two years. Nor are they going to invest in leadership, visibility, support and collaborative dreaming of a future if youre only going to see it through for a couple of years. So, its a long-term commitment of ones life.

As for my mobility, I founded the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art and I was there for over 10 years. I moved to Melbourne Australia (My family are Australians. My kids were born in Australia.) And the position that I had at the Melbourne International Arts Festival [artistic director] by its design is a high rotation job and they do that so that you never have someone staying there for so long that you have a single aesthetic preference over the top of a public national platform. I was asked to stay on longer than any of my predecessors  I stayed in Australia for an additional 4 years. So, I literally made a commitment to that country and its artists for an 8 year period of time. I then came to Los Angeles and I have been there for 10 years. Im not a skipping stone.

One of the things I believe is when you make a commitment to a place, that is also about how far ahead you can see a usefulness to your presence and your capacity. Where is that usefulness going for what duration of time? You literally make choices to say no to opportunity because its meaningful, it matters and you are driven to see things through. So, Im at the beginning of that journey here. I could imagine 100 years here from this vantage point. Thats incredible. Its not a closed system. Its evolving; its open, its deepening and its growing. Theres a lot that can happen.

Q: The annual operating budget of Mass MoCA is $10.5 million (down from $12.5 million prior to the pandemic). How does this compare to budgets youve worked with in the past? In your most recent position?

A: Its comparable, but in a weird way. Its like comparing an orange to a pineapple. Like when I was running and helping get the Park Avenue Armory off the ground and running in New York City, what goods, services, raw materials, those things have different costs based on where you are at. Its the same in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, its a different size staff. Here its bigger. When I was running the Melbourne International Arts Festival, it was similar. Theres a core team, theres a much larger staff and then as youre getting ready for the festival itself, youre onboarding hundreds of contractors. Ive never been the type of person whose been a careerist  Its more of what have I learned, where am I useful, what pulls you towards wanting to be in another kind of context. For me, thats literally been meaning, purpose, does the organization commit wholeheartedly to the work of artists, to the building of a community and to our cultural literacy and our diversity. Ive always been in that practice, whether [the organization] is small, starting up or larger with a national or global footprint.
Among the many joys of the immensely rewarding My Witch: The Margaret Hamilton Stories at Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts and Education is the sheer intelligence with which this solo play about the woman behind the Wicked Witch of the West is shaped.
Features Editor

Jennifer Huberdeau is The Eagle's features editor. Prior to The Eagle, she worked at The North Adams Transcript. She is a 2021 Rabkin Award Winner, 2020 New England First Amendment Institute Fellow and a 2010 BCBS Health Care Fellow.
PITTSFIELD  A woman whose elderly father died while under her care has been spared jail time after a judge expressed doubt that she had been negligent and acknowledged that she would likely die in jail.

Tammy M. Zdon, 50, was sentenced Wednesday to a years probation by Judge John Agostini, who agreed with the recommendation by Zdons attorney. Agostini rejected the prosecutions request that Zdon serve six months in jail.

That period of incarceration, defense lawyer Jill Sheldon argued during the sentencing hearing, would be akin to a death sentence for Zdon, who she said is suffering from end stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Zdon walked slowly into court with an oxygen tank, which Sheldon said she requires constantly when she is not receiving other nebulized medical treatments.

Because of Zdons compromised immune system, Sheldon said, she is not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. And Zdon successfully has been treating a substance use disorder with methadone after becoming addicted to medication that was prescribed to her years ago for a dental issue, she added.

Zdon was the caregiver for her 72-year-old father, John Zdon, who required around-the-clock care, according to Assistant District Attorney Andrew Giarolo. Despite his physical difficulties, John Zdon was adamant about not wanting to go to a nursing home.

He died in August 2016, days after a family member found him unresponsive, emaciated and suffering from numerous, severe bedsores. He weighed about 71 pounds at the time of his death. It later was discovered that he had a broken femur.

At a previous court hearing, the prosecutor said John Zdon had missed doctors appointments and wasnt taking his medications.

Zdon was trying desperately to treat her fathers bedsores, and was open with her brother with her opinion that their dad rapidly was declining, but ultimately failed to recognize her own limitations as a caregiver.

Her family has forgiven her wrongdoing, Giarolo said. But, he said, a man died in pain, so, the commonwealth believed that a period of incarceration was appropriate.

She pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court in July to involuntary manslaughter and caretaker abuse on an elderly or disabled person.

Agostini said he did not believe that her conduct was intentional, and expressed doubt that it even was negligent.

Ms. Zdon was put into a position to fail, he said.

Sheldon and Zdon embraced after the judge announced the sentence.

After the hearing, Sheldon said that Zdon was not well enough to stand trial, so, the decision was made to plead guilty to the charges.

This was not an intentional act, I think [Judge Agostini] was right when he said she was set up to fail, she said. There was no family stepping in to help out, and given her health, this is the only resolution that would have been just.
PITTSFIELD  "Get out of the truck, or we will begin shooting." That's the threat prosecutors allege was made to then 19-year-old Nick Carnevale in the early morning of Aug. 21, 2018, during 
LOVEPITTSFIELD.COM

New city website wants you to fall in love with Pittsfield again
Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989.
What exactly has been going on in Monterey? That question should be answered before anything rash is done about the structure of local democra
The Rikers Island correctional facility is seen in New York in September.
News

Cohron files to run for circuit judge

Chris Cohron

Warren County Common-wealths Attorney Chris Cohron will attempt to make his case for a new position.

Cohron filed paperwork Wednesday with the Kentucky secretary of state signaling his intent to seek election next year as Warren circuit judge for the 8th Judicial Circuit, 1st Division.

If successful, Cohron would succeed current Circuit Judge Steve Wilson, who was also Cohrons predecessor as commonwealths attorney.

One of my main priorities as a judge would be making sure that all litigants and all parties are treated with respect and consideration as they go through the process, be it civil or criminal, Cohron said.

Wilson made it known a couple months earlier that he would not be running for another eight-year term as circuit judge.

Cohron said the decision to run for judge came after much deliberation.

When Judge Wilson contacted me with his decision, I knew it was something I needed to strongly consider, Cohron said.

A Bowling Green native, Cohron is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

He worked as an assistant commonwealths attorney under Wilson and was elected to his current office in 2004 after Wilson ascended to the bench.

Historically, in Warren County weve always had a strong presence of a circuit judge whose priority is public safety, Judge Wilson being the most recent of that lineage, Cohron said. I think its important to maintain that and I hope to carry on in that tradition.

During his time in office, Cohron has been president and also legislative director of the Kentucky Commonwealths Attorneys Association, representing the association on the Kentucky Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Council.

Cohron has earned a number of honors from various statewide councils for his work as prosecutor.

Cohron said that, should he be elected, his experience as a prosecutor will put him in a good position to adapt to a judges responsibilities, citing the examples of Wilson, 38th Circuit Judge Tim Coleman and retired 43rd Circuit Judge Phil Patton, all former prosecutors in the region.

I think its somewhat of a natural transition for a commonwealths attorney due to the fact that you have to make an unbelievable number of decisions every day and you have to do it while making sure you are following the law, Cohron said. Watching judges like that shows you that its a necessary road, I think, to ensure public safety.

Elsewhere in the local judiciary, sitting Warren District Court Judges Kim Geoghegan and Brent Potter have filed for election for their respective seats in the 2022 primary, and Warren Circuit Judge David Lanphear has announced he intends to file for reelection as family court judge.

 Follow courts reporter Justin Story on Twitter @jstorydailynews or visit bgdailynews.com.
BOISE - The Idaho State Department of Education is now accepting Holiday Card Contest submissions from Idaho students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Winning entries from each grade level will be published on the State Department of Education website. One artwork will be selected for use as the departments official holiday card, and the young artist who submits the winning design will receive cards for personal use.

We receive hundreds of wonderful entries each year, and its one of the most joyous parts of the holiday season at the State Department of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said. The creativity, talent and imagination students put into their entries make it hard to choose winners, but the process is a lot of fun.

The contest is open to all Idaho public school students in grades K-6, with a winner selected for each grade. See last years winners and guidelines for this years contest at https://www.sde.idaho.gov/events/card-contest/.

Holiday artwork for the contest must be submitted or postmarked by Monday, November 29. Digital submissions are allowed, but the art still must be hand drawn. Find a form for digital submissions by clicking HERE. Mail entries should be mailed to Idaho State Department of Education, Holiday Card Contest, attn. Taylor Baggerly, P.O. Box 83720 Boise 83720-0027.

Entries should reflect holiday or winter scenes and cannot include copyrighted images such as Garfield the Cat, Bugs Bunny or Disney characters. Drawings should be on 8.5 x 11.5-inch paper in landscape format and labeled with the students name, grade, school, district and teachers name.

Students are encouraged to completely fill the page but keep the design simple, using as many colors as they want. Students may use watercolors, colored paper, magic markers, crayons or a combination of those items. Pencil drawings and fabric designs are not suitable for our printing process and will not be selected
Boise, Idaho  Governor Brad Little announced today he appointed Mark Monson of Moscow as District Judge in the Second Judicial District and Barbara Duggan of Wallace as District Judge in the First Judicial District.

Barbara Duggan and Mark Monson are strong legal minds who have proven their commitment to upholding the law as they serve the people of Idaho, Governor Little said.

Duggan has more than 30 years of experience. As an attorney, Duggan practiced law in Twin Falls, Kootenai, and Ada Counties. She was appointed as a magistrate judge in Shoshone County in 2016. Duggan serves as a pro tem district judge in treatment courts, specificity, felony drug court and DUI court. She received her law degree from the University of Idaho in 1991.

I am looking forward to continuing to serve the state and my community as a district judge in the first judicial district, and I appreciate Governor Littles confidence in me, Duggan said.

Monson is a partner at Mosman & Monson in Moscow. He has spent the last 20 years practicing law in Moscow. Monson is a member of the Idaho Professional Conduct Board and has served on that board since 2010. He graduated from Arizona State University, magna cum laude, in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. In 1997, Mark moved to Moscow to attend law school and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Idaho in 2000.

I am deeply honored that Governor Little placed his confidence in me to serve as a judge in the Second Judicial District, Monson said. I look forward to serving our community alongside our other outstanding judges.
BOISE - Patricia Perkins, Director of the Idaho Department of Finance, is warning consumers to be aware of spoofed website scams. The department recently became aware of two phony websites purporting to represent Idaho based banks - Bay Trust Bank and Rigid Trust Bank. Both of these websites were created with mirrored content from legitimate financial institutions. The websites claimed the fraudulent institutions had locations in Boise and Chubbuck, Idaho.

Officials have taken immediate action to have the websites removed. However, Department of Finance officials say that in the past perpetrators of website scams often create new sites under new names in an attempt to continue their efforts to victimize consumers.

Perkins urges Idahoans to exercise caution when visiting websites, especially those representing financial institutions. As these scams are growing increasingly sophisticated, it is more important than ever to do your homework. A healthy amount of skepticism and research can help consumers identify fake websites. Simply googling the address a company lists on their website can be telling, if the address is an empty lot, a P.O. Box, or a private residence these are definite red flags.

Other tips to avoid falling victim to website spoofing scams include bookmarking websites youve confirmed are legitimate to avoid sifting through multiple results from a search engine. Call the phone number listed on the website and ask detailed questions. Look carefully at the URL, bad actors purposefully make slight changes to known web addresses to direct web traffic to illegitimate websites.

Above all, avoid providing any personal or financial information without first completely verifying the legitimacy of the entity. For a list of legitimate banks and credit unions in Idaho, visit https://www.finance.idaho.gov/ and select the financial institution search page under the who we regulate tab.

Residents who become aware of, or have fallen victim to, a spoofed financial institution website should contact Supervisory Examiner Robert Moore at (208) 332-8042 or robert.moore@finance.idaho.gov.
The acquisition provides access to a high-growth, emerging digital advertising industry with significant expansion opportunities across Africa

Entravisionannounced today that it has acquired 365 Digital, a digital advertising solutions company headquartered in South Africa. This investment provides Entravision with a geographic foothold in Africa as the company looks to expand its breadth of digital services to new emerging markets.Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, 365 Digital maintains exclusive sales representations with TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile video and brand solutions, and Anzu, an in-game advertising platform, and is also the authorised representative for Triton Digital, a leader in the digital audio streaming and podcasting market.365 Digital also offers end-to-end digital publisher solutions for premier South African publishers, including a proprietary digital ad network.Walter Ulloa, chairman and chief executive officer of Entravision said: We are very pleased to announce our acquisition of 365 Digital and our continued global expansion. 365 Digitals strong management team will fit seamlessly into Entravisions growing digital business, and we look forward to leveraging their regional expertise and existing big tech representations to scale Entravisions digital platform across Africa.This acquisition fully aligns with our vision to position Entravision as a global digital marketing solutions powerhouse, serving brands and local leaders with advanced branding, performance and programmatic needs. Weve strategically expanded our geographic footprint into some of the fastest growing marketplaces across the globe and, as reported today in our third quarter 2021 earnings press release, digital revenue increased nearly 10 times more than the prior-year period.Entravisions acquisition of 365 Digital continues the companys evolution into a leading marketing technology service provider in the worlds highest growth economies. Sub-Saharan Africa is an extremely attractive digital marketplace with nearly 500 million digitally connected consumers.Importantly, the Sub-Saharan Africa customer, including those in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana, is young, tech-savvy and digitally connected.This is a major milestone for our company and we are excited to join Entravision, said Julian Jordaan, chief executive officer of 365 Digital. We see tremendous synergies between our two companies not just in traditional digital advertising, but also in digital audio, mobile and programmatic advertising. I am confident that with Entravisions expertise, guidance and global platform, we will be able to take our company to the next level and attract an even stronger demand for our innovative services.This acquisition follows Entravisions recent acquisitions of Cisneros Interactive, a leader in the rapidly growing digital advertising sector in Latin America and globally, and MediaDonuts, a leader in digital marketing solutions covering seven countries in Southeast Asia.Upon the closing of this transaction, all 365 Digital employees will remain with the company and Julian Jordaan will continue to serve as CEO of the business based out of its headquarters in Cape Town. For more information on Entravision, please review the Companys most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 8-K.
South African newspaper proprietor Dr Iqbal Surve has long pushed the boundaries of credibility, but recently he crossed the line into full fantasy. Should South Africans pay any attention to Surve? And what is to be done with a rogue publisher?

The destruction of a media house

These are the questions South Africans  particularly journalists  are asking after the owner of Sekunjalo Independent Newspapers recent media briefing.Surve acquired Independent Newspapers, one of the countrys biggest and most respected newspaper groups, eight years ago. But under his leadership, the titles have been reduced to shadows of themselves.Surve called the briefing to reveal the outcome of investigations into the story his newspapers ran in June claiming that a Tshwane woman had given birth to decuplets. He had promised his briefing would be explosive and it would implicate a number of senior people.The story, written by Pretoria News editor Piet Rampedi, went viral around the world with the claim that the woman had broken all medical records by giving birth to 10 babies. The report fell apart when the newspaper could provide no evidence to back up the claim and it turned out that no one - not even Rampedi, or the babies father - had seen them.All the hospitals in the area denied knowledge of the births.Rampedi stood his ground, though, and Surve backed him, though he instituted a total of four different investigations: by an independent advocate, his internal ombudsman, his editorial team and his investigative team.At the briefing, it became clear why he needed multiple investigations: it was to allow him to treat the four reports like a smorgasbord from which he could pick and choose. He ignored Advocate Michael Donans independent investigation which said that the report was irresponsible and Rampedi should face disciplinary action.He also ignored his own ombudsmans report, which called the story a 'hoax'.Instead, he went on a rambling account in which he said two of the babies had died and the others had been trafficked in a conspiracy involving doctors, nurses, hospitals and social workers. He produced no evidence but said the proof would emerge in a 10-part documentary series his team were producing over the coming weeks.At the centre of the conspiracy was an unnamed 'Nigerian doctor' who could no longer be found.If this was not the owner of what was once the countrys largest newspaper group, nobody would pay any attention to such delusion. But all of his newspaper titles echoed his account, at least one television channel carried his media briefing live and it trended on social media. Anyone who pointed out that his claims had no credibility was mocked as racist or uncaring of trafficking victims.Why does any of this matter?As a media practitioner and commentator for over four decades, I am of the view that Surve is systematically destroying what used to be a serious, credible set of newspapers.There are 16 titles in the Independent Group. All have seen an almost total collapse of their circulation since Surve bought out the group in 2013.Most newspapers across the world have lost readers, but few have shrunk as dramatically as each of his titles: the Pretoria News only sells under 1,900 copies a day, down from 30,000; the Cape Argus is under 8,000 from a peak of nearly 80,000; the Cape Times under 9,000 from over 50,000; the Daily News 7,600; and the flagship The Star is below 15,000 when it was 220,000.What used to be serious metropolitan voices are now at the scale of school news sheets.This is tragic enough, but it is clear that Surve is also undermining the credibility of journalists and news outlets in general at a time when the industry is already in deep financial pain, and struggling to rebuild its standing.He is fuelling a popular cynicism towards the media, creating a situation  as we have seen elsewhere  ripe for malicious malinformation and dangerous populism.Two factors seem to allow him to keep going. The first is the Public Investment Corporation, which invests state pensions and appears unable to stop him abusing whats left of the R4.2bn (about $276m) they gave to his Ayo Technologies group or to call in their rights as shareholders. He has them tied up in legal technicalities.The second is that some major retail advertisers, short of regional outlets in which to promote their wares, continue to prop up these newspapers, despite their lack of audience.The news media industry itself can only stand by and watch in dismay. The South African National Editors Forum pleaded with him to return to the voluntary self-regulatory industry framework, the Press Ombudsman and Council.But he elected to set up his own, effectively making himself unaccountable and free to run rogue when it serves his purposes.He has driven out from his newsrooms anyone who might be likely to stand up to him, and surrounded himself with sycophants and dependants.A worrying development is the Gauteng provincial government instructing lawyers to sue him for defaming their health workers in his media briefing when he suggested doctors and nurses were involved in trafficking.One can understand the frustration of not being able to take the matter to the Press Council. But using state resources to sue media is a worrying, often-abused process that sets a bad precedent.Freedom of speech supporters were unhappy when President Jacob Zuma sued renowned South African cartoonist Zapiro. Journalists often protest against large corporates using their resources to bully their critics through malicious court action that is costly to defend. This is a wrongful use of state resources. Other ways should be found to deal with the rogue.Government suing journalists and media houses provides a tool to harass and intimidate the media, and will have a chilling effect on critical reporting.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article


Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute.

Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno.

Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.
Advertisement Advertise With Us

FILE Kanisha Patel dances at Disco Diwali at the Keystone Centre in 2019.

Brandonite Sagree Mudaly observes Diwali each year with her family.

She appreciates how the Brandon community works to honour the religious holiday  which starts today  because its an important part of her heritage.

"We have celebrated Diwali all our lives," Mudaly said. "Our kids have to know these things and what better way to keep our culture alive than by celebrating?"

The Diwali festival is celebrated over five days in India, where it originates. In Canada and other countries, it is typically celebrated on a single day by Hindu, Sikh, Jain and some Buddhist communities.

"For many, theres very deep, religious and cultural significances in these communities. Diwali is found all over the world, and there are multiple significances you find among the communities," Mudaly said.

She added in South Africa, where she used to live, the Hindu community usually takes a day off from work to celebrate. They wear colourful and elaborate traditional attire, which is purchased especially for the festival. During Diwali, families will visit each other and homemade sweets are exchanged; traditional meals are also shared and some people trade gifts.

Some families will also spend the night in worship at Hindu temples.

"[Hindus] came to South Africa in 1860 and settled from India. They have maintained very strong cultural roots, and this has been passed down from generation to generation, through various obstacles and struggles," Mudaly said. This history makes it important for her to carry the traditions forward.

Diwali gatherings are smaller in Brandon, but the religious holiday is still honoured with acts of kindness, including distributing homemade sweets to friends, having prayers at home and placing sweetmeats at their Hindu shrine. Mudaly said they also contact family and friends to give well wishes and decorate their house in bright colours and lights.

She especially enjoys creating the sweet treats associated with the holiday because the traditional recipes have been passed down for numerous generations.

"This gesture signifies our thanks for blessings that we have in our lives," Mudaly said. "It may not be the same as celebrating in our home families  But we want to keep these traditions alive for the sake of our kids."

In Brandon, a Diwali celebration is typically organized by the local Indian community, she said, and an event is set to take place in Wawanesa this Saturday. The celebration includes a traditional meal, music, indoor games, prayers, and Garba  a traditional form of dance. The Diwali celebration is limited to invited guests only due to COVID-19 public health measures.

The name Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit name Deepavali, meaning "row of lights."

"To most people that celebrate, it symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, but also knowledge, awareness and enlightenment over ignorance, and love over hatred," Mudaly said.

To celebrate the festival of lights, Hindu communities light fireworks and homes are decorated with colourful lights and clay lamps called diyas to invite positive spiritual energy into the home.

The ritual comes from a tale in Ramayana, a holy scripture in Hinduism, and celebrates the return of Lord Rama, his wife and goddess Sita, and his brother Lakshman, after their defeat of the demon king Ravana.

The trio had spent 14 years living in exile and on their return home, they experienced a night of "extreme darkness," preventing them from finding their way. The people of Ayodhya lit clay lamps around their route to guide them home through the darkness.

Their journey is symbolized by the row of lights celebrated during Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights.

"Its known as the Festival of Lights because its a celebration," Mudaly said.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
A man who allegedly repeatedly assaulted a woman and confined her for days was denied bail Thursday morning.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

FILE Brandon courthouse.

A man who allegedly repeatedly assaulted a woman and confined her for days was denied bail Thursday morning.

The Sun is not naming the man to protect the identity of the complainants. The charges are still before the court and the man is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The first incident happened on Feb. 13, Crown attorney Caroline Lacey told the court. A woman called police from the Virden RCMP parking lot to report her ex-boyfriend had assaulted her the night before.

She reported she was outside her residence in a Westman First Nation at approximately 2 a.m. when the man showed up and said he wanted to be in a relationship once again, Lacey said.

The woman said no and the man became angry, allegedly punching her in the face multiple times.

In April, the same woman was in Brandon, outside a motel, when she reported she was "smoked in the face" by her ex-boyfriend. She told police she came into Brandon to drink around noon, when the accused showed up and allegedly hit her again, Lacey said.

Police found the man in a nearby hotel room, Lacey said. He gave a different story, saying she had stolen a ring from him.

A few months passed without incident. Then, on Oct. 5 at approximately 4:20 a.m., a different woman called police to report the same man had assaulted her, the Crown said.

The woman said the accused assaulted her after they were hanging out and he started to get upset. People were getting rowdy and the woman tried to leave, Lacey said, but the accused assaulted her.

She was allegedly hit multiple times and police could see one of her teeth was missing. Lacey said she also had a large bump on the right side of her forehead. She waited until the accused passed out to call 911.

While they were arguing, the man also allegedly threatened to shoot her.

A few days later on Oct. 15, Lacey said, a member of the First Nations security team saw the man assaulting her.

When police arrived, she told them the man had allegedly forcibly confined her to a room in her house. Lacey said the man also allegedly took away her phone so she couldnt contact anyone and assaulted her several times over the course of the week.

"She also stated on one occasion he had an air rifle pointed at her  He told her he was going to kill her and she would never be found," Lacey said.

She managed to escape and flagged down a security officer. Police arrested the accused later that day.

Lacey said she was "extremely concerned" about the allegations as they involve four alleged incidents with two different women.

The mans defence lawyer suggested a bail plan that would have had him living in the same community and on a nightly curfew. He also proposed conditions ordering him not to be in contact with either complainant.

Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta said she was concerned about the allegations and that they seem to be escalating.

"The decrease in time between the allegations  suggests this to be a situation where things are really spinning out of control," she said.

She denied the mans release on bail, saying she does not have confidence the man will stay out of trouble and is concerned for the safety of the women.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Reports of trespassers posing as Manitoba Hydro employees have Manitoba pork and chicken producers sounding the alarm.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

FILE Reports of trespassers have Manitoba pork, beef and chicken producers sounding the alarm.

Reports of trespassers posing as Manitoba Hydro employees have Manitoba pork and chicken producers sounding the alarm.

Reports of trespassing are concerning for producers, especially as cases have recently been on the rise, said Manitoba Chicken Producers executive director Wayne Hiltz.

"Our farms are family farms, so we have families, kids, grandparents and babies. Thats their place of residence. Obviously, the safety of farmers is first and foremost. But also the safety of their livelihood," Hiltz said.

Manitoba Chicken Producers is aware of four separate trespassing incidents in the last few months. In three of these incidents, trespassers indicated they were an employee of Manitoba Hydro. In two of those instances, the farmers contacted Hydro and received confirmation that the person was not an employee nor on the farm for Hydro business.

Farmers have diligent food safety protocols in place to ensure they are providing safe food to consumers, Hiltz said, and trespassing can compromise these efforts by posing a biosecurity risk.

Biosecurity is essential for the livelihood of farmers, he said. Hiltz cited avian influenza as an example. The disease has hit various places in North America over the last decade. Millions upon millions of chickens were killed due to the disease.

Minnesota was one of the states hit hardest by avian influenza. Counties bordering southeastern Manitoba were also affected.

Biosecurity is what prevented it from spreading to Manitoba barns.

"Due to the great work of our farmers and their adherence to biosecurity there was not one avian influenza [outbreak] in Manitoba, despite the fact it was relatively a few miles away," Hiltz said.

"Thats a testament to how good our farmers adhere to biosecurity and food safety programs."

If biosecurity had been compromised, the disease spreading through a chicken population would have massive implications. Trade barriers could be established around the province or a designated area preventing farmers from moving poultry outside that area, leading to a shortage of poultry products. The shortage would result in increased prices for consumers and devastation to what are largely family-run farms.

"That could affect not just the farm where theres a biosecurity breach, but also other farms in the area would have difficulty getting their product to market," Hiltz said. "It could be a whole segment of the industry where those birds need to be destroyed."

There is a wide range of options farmers face when confronted with trespassers, Hiltz said. At times it can be a lost tourist, but more and more they are witnessing activists committing break-and-enters.

"A few years ago we had trespassers on a farm and the farmer confronted them. He didnt even have his cellphone on him  He got up to the trespassers and these guys were armed with machetes," Hiltz said. "Obviously, he was quite scared at that point  what do you do?"

Manitoba Chicken Producers is encouraging anyone who experiences suspicious trespassers to report the incident. When these reports are received the organization lets all farmers know there is a potential issue so they can keep an eye out.

"Our producers are diligent. Weve got licence plates. Weve got vehicle descriptions. That certainly helps the rest of the producers be on the lookout and be aware," Hiltz said.

He added Manitoba Chicken Producers are thankful to Minister of Economic Development and Training Ralph Eichler and Minister of Justice Cameron Friesen for their work in addressing producers rising concerns regarding trespassing through the Occupiers Liability Act and Animal Diseases Act.

The ministers were attentive when concerns were brought forward, Hiltz said, and made consultations that took place before amending the legislation. He appreciates that they valued the input and safety of farmers and their livelihood.

Manitoba Pork Producers has had reports of similar trespassing issues, said general manager Cam Dahl.

"We are hearing reports of individuals trying to gain access to properties, through, for example, misrepresentation of utility employees," Dahl said. "The reports ... are very concerning."

He added 2021 marks the first year he can recall incidents of trespassers posing as government employees to gain access to a farm. The motivation for these incidents is unclear.

When incidents of this nature occur, Dahl said, the first step is confirming a worker is who they say they are. Farmers can request identification and phone numbers are available to confirm a person is supposed to be on a farm.

If the person is persistent, the incident can be reported to the RCMP.

"Just like all of our homes, we dont want to come home in the evening and see some stranger sitting at our kitchen table," Dahl said. "Its the same for farmers."

The pork industry  a $2-million sector in Manitoba  also faces biosecurity risks. The threat of foreign animal diseases like African swine fever could devastate the industry across the country.

Manitoba Beef Producers general manager Carson Callum said the organization is aware of some of the trespassing challenges animal industries in the province are facing.

"Biosecurity is really important for the health of the [animals]. You can see how quickly the disease can spread and if you dont have some restrictions in place to curb the spread of these harmful diseases it can be detrimental to the various livestock herds that the disease impacts," Callum said.

Anecdotally he has heard stories associated with trespassing and rural crime, Callum said, but the beef sector is unique because herds are managed and maintained on large tracks of land.

"Its difficult to know how many people are coming on to that land at a given time," Callum said.

He encouraged people to call the authorities when there is a potential trespassing incident.

"Its always concerning and abnormal when folks come on the land when theyre not supposed to," Callum said.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
CANUPAWAKPA  A newly painted mural in Canupawakpa Dakota Nation is helping capture the past while looking to the future.

CHELSEA KEMP/THE BRANDON SUN Canupawakpa Dakota Nation artist Jessie Jannuska (right) and her husband John stand in front of her new untitled mural, which pays homage to an art piece lost in a community centre fire in the nation on Oct. 23.

CANUPAWAKPA  A newly painted mural in Canupawakpa Dakota Nation is helping capture the past while looking to the future.

The mural installed by Canupawakpa artist Jessie Jannuska and her family pays homage to an old mural lost to the nation when the Canupawkpa community hall burned down in 2019.

Jannuska installed the artwork over the summer, honouring the legacy of the previous mural while adding her unique spin to revamp the historic art piece.

She was compelled to create the mural to help celebrate the community while recognizing Canupawakpass past. She added the project was especially exciting because the shipping container it has been installed on is in the centre of the nation, located beside the powwow grounds, band office and new community centre.

"I hope people feel pride in their community, that there is something beautiful there to encapsulate the communitys sense of tradition," Jannuska said. "Im just glad I could do this little act of beauty and rejuvenation for the community."

The 40-foot by eight-foot piece was painted on a shipping container. As of now, it remains unnamed because Jannuska is hoping to locate the artist of the original mural and pay homage to them. However, this has proven to be a challenging task as the original mural at the community centre was in place longer than she has been alive.

The new Canupawakpa piece marks her first solo mural, she said, and it took a significant mind shift to create because it is so expansive in comparison to the small, intricate art pieces she typically works on.

Jannuska is the only person from Canupawakpa First Nation with a bachelor of fine arts with honours, she said, explaining how she saw the project as a chance to give back to her community.

CHELSEA KEMP/THE BRANDON SUN Jannuska's mural in Canupawakpa Dakota Nation.

It was a great opportunity to take on a mural because its an art form she had been hoping to explore as an artist. She previously worked on the star blanket mural in Brandon, helping lay the paint, and also worked on a mural in Winnipeg.

The piece took careful planning and tedious math to realize the vision she had in her head.

The mural soon became a family affair, she added, as her husband John Jannuska and siblings Santre and Angel Fosty helped bring it to life over the course of a month.

Jannuska estimates she and John spent about 90 hours each to complete the piece and her siblings spent around 50 hours working on the mural. She added this does not count the preparation that went into planning out the image for the shipping container.

Her family lives about 10 minutes away from the site, and Jannuska and her husband stayed with them as they worked to finish the project.

Jannuska added she appreciated how the project allowed her to spend more time with her father and grandfather, bringing them closer together.

"They would constantly come up and other community members would come up and they would be excited," Jannuska said.

Preparing the shipping container for the painting was a challenging task, as it had old vinyl lettering and rust that needed to be scraped and sanded off before they could even make a brushstroke.

The silhouettes featured on the mural were inspired by the original mural in the community centre, Jannuska said, adding she worked to create more intricate dancers for the new piece.

One of her favourite aspects of the mural is the silhouettes of powwow dancers that have carefully laid ribbons to highlight the movement of the dancers. She especially loves the silhouette of the mens fancy dancer because it is based on a dancer from the community. The image came from a photo Jannuska took at a powwow.

"I like using my own reference material when I can," Jannuska said.

She added each of the silhouettes that appear on the mural were hand-drawn with pencil before committing to a painting.

Other aspects of the piece include silhouettes of a burial symbol, a man with a headdress riding a horse, a buffalo skull, teepees, powwow dancers, two other men on horseback and an eagle.

The colour palette was based on the old mural, but has been updated to bring more vivacious colours to the piece, she said, and she worked to blend the colours smoothly together.

"I tried to put my own spin on it," Jannuska said.

She is unsure what the colours signified to the original artist.

John added they wanted to keep the same four colours that appeared on the original mural to help bring back the memories of the original piece at the community centre.

Jannuska hopes community members that visit the mural will have memories of the old mural and good times at the community hall brought back for them.

"When people and elders come and look at this thing, theyre going to be re-thinking about the old community centre and bring back those memories they have with it," John said. "It seems like everyone here was really stoked and really pumped."

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
The Australian share market powered through to its best week since May as investors embraced the outlook provided by central banks this week as well as good news on the corporate front from News Corp and takeover target Link Administration.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.4 per cent higher, up 28.9 points to 7456.9, with all sectors posting gains for the week aside from energy which fell again on Friday on a weaker oil price.

Australian gold stocks were among the gainers as the RBA, the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England indicated they were in no rush to raise interest rates.

This week, the ASX200 posted its strongest gains in months. Credit:Louie Douvis

Theres a lot of market certainty about how the central banks are positioning themselves in the short to medium term, Commsec analyst Tom Piotrowksi said.

This has led to falls in long term interest rates which have supported shares while banks Like CBA and Westpac lifting their fixed interest rates has also been seen as a positive by the market.

According to Bloomberg, Australias 10-year government bond yield fell as much as 8 points to 1.76 per cent with the weekly decline - down 31 points Friday afternoon - potentially the biggest in nine years.

Good news on the corporate front also helped the market.

News Corp shares jumped 7 per cent to close at $33.90after a strong result, including a billion dollar buyback, and indications that a potential float of Foxtel is progressing well. REA Group shares jumped 8 per cent to a record intraday high of $180.67 in response to its first quarter results.

Lin Administration was the other big performer after Private equity firm Carlyle returned to the table with a $2.8 billion offer which sent its share price up as much as 12.5 per cent before closing 8.5 per cent higher at $4.70.

On the downside, Afterpay was hit by Squares results Friday morning, closing 5.5 per cent lower at $117.50, after its suitor reported soft revenue from bitcoin trading for the September quarter.

Dale Gillham , chief analyst at Wealth Within, warned that the outsized influence of mining and bank stocks could easily undo the recent market gains.

While the All Ordinaries Index is up nearly 1.5 per cent, both the financial and materials sectors have been flat with the market largely being driven by the mid and small cap stocks this week. This is a concern because if both the materials and financial sector move down they will take the market with it, Mr Gillham said.

But he was optimistic about the continuing strength of the market and what it means for the remainder of the year.

The fact it has risen is a good sign because if it continues to rise next week, I am confident it will trade up past the all-time high before the end of the year, he said.

Global share markets will be keeping a close eye on critical US data tonight with the Labor Departments October jobs report providing an important indicator of the state of the economic recovery.
The central banks of the wealthiest countries engaged in $25 trillion of quantitative easing in the last 13 years  25 trillion, she said. Of that, $9 trillion was in the past 18 months  to fight the pandemic. Had we used that $25 trillion to purchase bonds to finance the energy transitions or the transition of how we eat or how we move ourselves in transport, we would now, today, be reaching that 1.5 C limit that is so vital to us. So neatly did Mottley sketch out the two key themes of the COP that its host, Boris Johnson, who desperately needs this conference to succeed, quoted her in an address just hours later lamenting the failure of wealthy nations to secure the annual $US100 billion ($135 billion) in climate finance for poorer ones agreed to in Paris. When it comes to tackling climate change, words without action, without deeds, are absolutely pointless, he said. And our record on deeds so far is not exactly stellar  we had a brilliant speech from Mia Mottley of Barbados making the point.

Back in Paris, richer nations all signed the paper saying that by 2020 wed be raising $100 billion of climate finance each year and there was no ambiguity, no wiggle room in that. But that deadline has come and gone and yet its going to be 2023 before we hit the target The task for the COP was set. If the UN and Johnson  and indeed the world  were to claim that the meeting was to be a success, over the coming days its organisers would have to coax world leaders into signing a document that laid out what mechanisms might be adopted for accelerating reductions, how they might be made fair and transparent, and how the rich world can pay off emerging economies to skip over the carbon-heavy era of their development and prepare for the loss and damage of warming already locked in.

For any of this to work organisers were determined to secure early wins to demonstrate momentum, without which they feared could see the talks stall and fail. To their relief they secured them. The trillion-dollar bombshell The first was Indias announcement that it had set a net zero target of 2070. The declaration was a shock to many on site in Glasgow, even though Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement was vague on detail. It was not clear, for example, if he was referring to all greenhouse gasses or just carbon dioxide. And 2070 seemed a long way off in a conference focused on 2030. There was also the matter of the trillion dollars in investment Modi said would be needed to get it done.

But inside the summit, it was viewed as a significant moment. India is already the worlds third largest emitter and as its population grows larger and wealthier, its carbon footprint will rapidly expand. It also means that net zero goals now covered 84 per cent of global CO2, 93 per cent of coal use, 80 per cent of oil, 65 per cent of population and 75 per cent of gas, observed Dr Simon Evans of the CarbonBrief website. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi during the launch of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Besides, the very nature of these goals is that once they are set they drive innovation and investment and tend to be rapidly brought forward. It really is truly significant, said Rachel Kyte, dean at Tufts University and a former special representative of the UNs Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All.

I understand that everyone got confused by the 2070 deadline, but the big story is that other announcement that by 2030, 50 per cent of all energy would be renewable. That basically means that all new energy has to come from renewables. That opens the door for a lot of new investment. Loading If India can do that, 2070 comes forward, she said, adding that the move left Australia isolated, with another of its customers turning its back on coal. The China factor China has already pushed back against 1.5 degree language, with climate envoy Xie Zhenhuan telling reporters in Glasgow: If we only focus on 1.5, we are destroying consensus and many countries would demand a reopening of the negotiations. The world already has a consensus. We need to be realistic, pragmatic, and focus on taking concrete actions.

China is now the worlds largest greenhouse gas polluter, accounting for around 27 per cent of global emissions. Its post-pandemic economic recovery was driven by growth in emissions-heavy sectors such as construction, steel and cement, causing a surge in recent emissions. Not only did leader Xi Jinping not attend the talks, his 500-word written statement was seen as perfunctory by some, though organisers confirmed they accepted no video messages for the leaders meeting. Xi vowed China would continue to decarbonise but said wealthier countries should do more to help developing nations. The speech echoed Chinas position at G20 talks in Rome, which Xi attended via video link, and at which China opposed  along with countries including Australia  an agreement to rapidly phase out coal. Loading However, other observers have noted that the recently released guiding principles for Chinas decarbonisation domestically are consistent with the effort to drive down emissions. And while China may be the current largest emitter, cumulatively it remains a distant second to the US. In UN proceedings, these historical emissions are significant. Echoing Xis statement, in Glasgow Xie has also called on rich nations to do more, normally a negotiating position that sits well with its own UN bloc, the G77, a coalition of 134 developing countries. In this case, though, many members of that group support increasing climate action.

Biden could not resist a parting shot at Xi, who has not left China since the pandemic began. The fact that China, trying to assert a new role as a world leader, [is] not showing up? Come on. The single most important thing that has got the attention of the world is climate, everywhere, the US President told reporters before leaving Glasgow. It is a gigantic issue, and they have walked away. Coal not quite killed Coal pledges also underwhelmed some observers, not so much because they were insignificant as because they had been oversold earlier. While almost 80 countries signed on to consign coal to history, key nations including the US, Australia, China and India did not. Some others were vague about when coal would be buried. Despite these setbacks, the package and the India pledge had left British COP organisers quietly happy with progress and thrilled when outside observers measured the potential impact of the pledges.

First came an analysis from an Australian expert team led by Professor Malte Meinshausen, at the University of Melbourne. They projected that should the commitments be kept global warming would peak at 1.9 degrees rather than the previous widely accepted projection of 2.7 degrees. Later the International Energy Agency made a prediction of 1.8 degrees. This is a landmark moment: it is the first time that governments have come forward with targets of sufficient ambition to hold global warming to below 2 degrees, said IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol. Wins and setbacks The other successes came outside the formal UN COP process, and were part of a Glasgow package of announcements designed to help ensure success.

They were three separate pledges by three large blocks of nations; to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030; to end deforestation by 2030; and to transition away from coal in the 2030s (for wealthy nations) and by the 2040s (for developing ones). Loading By Thursday night in Glasgow, some of these pledges were beginning to look a little shopworn. It emerged that Joe Bidens climate envoy John Kerry had secured broad support for the methane pledge by making it an easy club to join  signatories are under no obligation to cut their emissions by a set amount, they just have to back the overall goal. And a day after signing the forests pledge Indonesia said it meant it would not allow a reduction in forest cover  old forests could still be razed if new areas were planted. Brazil said it would only target illegal forestry.

Ana Toni, a non-profit director and the first Executive Director of ActionAid Brazil, told journalists that Bolsonaros signature on the forest pledge was important anyway. The Brazilian hard man had once vowed to abandon the Paris Agreement and was now signing COP side-deals, she noted. [It shows that] pressure from civil society groups, from Indigenous communities, from the private sector, from the international community is not allowing a populist government to use climate as an ideological issue, she said. The HAC is back With early wins banked and the leaders and their entourages no longer gumming up the works, negotiators are now focussed on the detail. To this end, some nations are beginning to show their hands. At these climate summits, voting blocs are never fixed and groupings shift and change depending on what issue is being negotiated.

One key group calling itself the High Ambition Coalition formed in secret in the lead up to Paris and forced the 1.5 degree target into the final text. It was founded by small island leaders but managed to win the support of both the EU and the US, before the US abandoned the Paris process under President Donald Trump. Tim Flannery and carbon utilisation expert Sophia Hamblin Wang at the summit. Like many others he was fearful that the meeting might collapse like the Copenhagen talks in 2009. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen This week, the HAC returned with 27 nations including the US signed up, publishing a declaration calling on nations to support efforts to halve emissions by 2030 to be on track to net zero by 2050, end coal financing and development and halt fossil fuel subsidies. Separately the now 55-strong Climate Vulnerable Forum issued their own manifesto demanding a raising of ambition at every single COP, especially from the major pollution-emitting nations, and urging this to be part of a Glasgow Emergency Pact.

This would see nations having to update their climate pledges annually rather than every five years. This would speed up the so-called ratchet mechanism built into the Paris framework by which nations are expected to keep setting and improving their climate goals. The Australian environmentalist Tim Flannery, who spent much of the week walking the halls and conference rooms as an observer, said he was relieved by what he saw. Like many others he was fearful that the meeting might collapse like the Copenhagen talks in 2009. I came into it thinking that failure was more likely than success, he says.
At a 90 per cent double dose vaccination rate, one West Australian would die a day when COVID-19 spread peaks in the state next year.

Outbreak modelling conducted by the WA government suggests a 90 per cent vaccination rate would save about 200 lives as well as delay and compress the infection peak in the state, compared to an 80 per cent rate.

A nurse prepares the Pfizer vaccine. Credit:Getty

The modelling suggests at 80 per cent full vaccination, WA would see 987 symptomatic daily COVID-19 cases between 181 and 211 days after transition day, or the day the state relaxes its borders and allowed the virus to spread.

A 90 per cent rate  expected by January or February 2022  would see community spread suppressed and the peak significantly mellowed at 338 cases between 10 and 11 months after spread.
Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro has agreed to settle the high-profile defamation case he brought against YouTube personality Jordan Shanks, with Mr Shanks issuing an apology and paying court costs of $100,000.

In an apology read out in the Federal Court on Friday, Mr Shanks barrister Matt Collins, QC, said his client posted many videos about Mr Barilaro in 2020 and 2021, which are an important part of freedom of expression for political communication.

John Barilaro (left) has agreed to settle a defamation case against Jordan Shanks.

Mr Shanks accepts that some of the videos he posted were offensive to Mr Barilaro. Mr Shanks understands that Mr Barilaro has been hurt, and apologises to him for that hurt, Dr Collins said.

Mr Barilaros barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, said her client was grateful to Dr Collins for reading out the apology, and will file documents on Friday discontinuing the case.
Police believe alleged cocaine kingpin Mostafa Baluch, on the run since skipping bail last month, is feeling the pressure of an intense manhunt and still hiding in NSW.

Two Sydney homes were raided on Thursday night as part of national and international efforts to find Mr Baluch after he broke off his ankle monitor on October 25, days after being released on strict bail conditions while facing serious drugs charges.

Mostafa Baluch, charged over his alleged role in a drug importation syndicate, is wanted for allegedly breaching bail.

Police found more than $250,000 cash, about 200 grams of cocaine, 485 grams of an unknown substance, mobile phones and an electronic money counter following raids at Potts Hill and Yagoona, in south-west Sydney, on Thursday night.

Investigators believe the properties, one thought to be a safe house for a criminal syndicate, are linked to Mr Baluch and a wider network whose operations have become clearer as a result of the intensive search for the 33-year-old.
Some Victorians in need of hospital care will be treated in their homes in a bid to free up dozens of beds in the states strained healthcare system, as elective surgery remains on hold indefinitely for all but the most urgent cases.

The measure was announced as part of a $307 million state government package on Friday, coinciding with new health performance data showing Victorias elective surgery wait list has grown more than 35 per cent since the pandemic began.

Health Minister Martin Foley on Friday announced $307 million to prepare for a surge in hospitalisations. Credit:Paul Jeffers

High vaccination rates and the age of people infected with the Delta variant, who are mostly under 50, have kept the states hospital admissions just below modelling provided by the Burnet Institute. But a surge in cases is still expected and 1100 COVID-19 patients could be in hospital by late December or early January.

Currently, 634 people are in hospital with COVID-19 and 109 are in intensive care. But that figure does not include an extra 64 patients in intensive care, who The Age revealed on Friday are not reported in public data because they are no longer infectious.
A man wrongfully identified by a Seven West media platform as the suspect in the abduction of four-year-old Cleo Smith has said he will be suing the company.

Terrance Flowers goes by the name Terrance W. B. Kelly on Facebook, using his mothers last name.

Ngaarda Media spoke with the man wrongfully identified by 7NEWS as the man in police custody over the abduction of Cleo Smith. Credit:Ngaarda Media

Speaking to Pilbara-based First Nations broadcaster Ngaarda Media, Mr Flowers said he had been happy to hear the news Cleo had been found.

Not long after, he received a call telling him his picture had been used in a story on 7NEWS.com.au.
But if thats what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time. Mr McGowan said fully vaccinated people could come in and out of Aboriginal communities that had yet to hit 90 per cent double vaccination rates, while other regions such as the Pilbara would need to lift rates to avoid similar restrictions once transition day arrived. Well have to put in rules around the Pilbara, on who can come in and come out, and those people who arent double vaccinated wont be able to, he said. Vaccine Commander Chris Dawson said current vaccination rates for Aboriginal people were a major concern, and he had stipulated as much to the Kimberley Land Councils AGM on Thursday. While the rate of the entire West Australian population is about 80 per cent for first dose, for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley ... it is 38 per cent, and only one in four in the Kimberley are presently fully vaccinated, he said.

Only one in four Aboriginal residents of the Pilbara had received their first dose, and just 13 per cent were fully vaccinated. Thats why we have to be very careful with this, we dont want this disease to devastate the community, Mr Dawson said. Because not only will they be very vulnerable ... people will die. This is the message I gave the KLC yesterday ... this is coming, and we will have to restrict your communities if you dont get vaccinated and reinforce the emergency management direction. Mr Dawson was confident the greater part of the South West would achieve the milestone with the Perth and Peel regions but held fears for the Pilbara and the Kimberley, another popular tourism destination in WAs north.

Im bluntly saying there are certain parts of the state that, unless something changes, there will almost without doubt be restrictions for certain areas, he said. Loading For some of these communities, its going to be a hard grind and they will have to be, I expect, locked down. We will not let people in there unless they are double vaccinated. People might complain about that. But we have to do it to protect the people, literally, from themselves.

Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall said further clarification was being sought on what regional travel restrictions would occur and if they would be limited to unvaccinated travellers. We certainly want tourism businesses with vaccinated staff and guests to continue to operate in and travel through all regions, he said. The potential exclusion of entry to and from the Pilbara could also have implications for the FIFO industry, with Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Paul Everingham tight-lipped on Friday. CME member companies have worked safely and effectively throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with an approach that puts the health and safety of workers and the community above all else, he said. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the WA mining and resources sector will continue to adapt to whatever restrictions may be put in place.
Washington: The Navy said on Friday AEDT it fired the two senior officers of a nuclear-powered attack submarine that was damaged in an underwater collision last month in the South China Sea. A sailor who served as a senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the executive officer was also removed from his position

The actions were taken by Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US 7th Fleet, based in Japan.

The USS Connecticut departs Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, in Washington state, in 2016. Credit:AP

Thomas determined sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident, according to a 7th Fleet statement.

As a result, the statement said Thomas relieved Commander Cameron Aljilani as commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Patrick Cashin as executive officer, and Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers as chief of the boat, due to loss of confidence. The chief of the boat is the senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the executive officer.
Brunswick: A Georgia prosecutor told a jury that the three white men on trial for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery wrongly assumed the worst about the black man when they chased and shot him as he jogged through their neighbourhood in February 2020.

A very wise person once said, Dont assume the worst of another persons intentions, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said on Friday (local time) in her opening statement, in which she described the defendants threatening Arbery with deadly violence.

Ahmaud Arbery is shown on mobile phone footage running on a street in a neighbourhood outside Brunswick in Georgia in February last year. Credit:Twitter via AP

Gregory McMichael, 65, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and neighbour William Roddie Bryan, 52, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment, and face life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge.

Prosecutors say when the defendants saw a black man on a Sunday afternoon jog through a mostly white neighbourhood, they mistook him for someone fleeing from a crime.
On November 3 this year bTV Radio celebrated its 10th anniversary on the Bulgarian air. Over the last decade, the radio established itself as one of the most recognizable radio stations in the country, with a high degree of trust. Inspired by the anniversary and the recognition of its audience, throughout November the radio program presented an overview of what has happened in the last decade through a series of interviews with expert guests in various fields. Prominent personalities shared their point of view on how the world has changed, what the change brings to them personally and professionally and how Bulgaria is developing on a wave with the world.

Sergei Ignatov, Ivo Petrov, Hristo Pimpirev, Alberto San Juan, Pavla Horakova and others entered the bTV Radio studio as part of the anniversary campaign. Victoria Petrova and Yuksel Kadriev, bTV News hosts, were also part of the special program. Although we are used to seeing them as an on-air couple, this time they appeared separately and presented some memorable and very different points of view about what has happened in the last 10 years.

"2021 minus 10 should smell like jasmine. You may remember that Jasmine Revolution that we covered in the bTV News." - began conversation with Victoria, going through topics such as the revolution in the world of science - the proof of the existence of "the god particle", radio as a medium, the geopolitical map of the world, and many others. Victoria also shared her point of view about the change in television journalism and how the main competitor there now is social networks. You can hear the whole interview of Victoria with Georgi Mitov in the show "About the city" here: https://btvradio.bg/intervuta/za-grada/viktorija-petrova-2021-minus-10-zamirisva-na-zhasmin.html

In connection with the 10th anniversary of bTV Radio, the writer and journalist Pavla Horakova greeted her colleagues in the media and also acknowledged the most serious change during this period in technology, the Internet and all social networks. It "brings with it the whole change of society in thinking, in presenting itself. When Facebook and Instagram crashed recently, I thought in those 6 hours what the world would be like without them and how it would change more than as a result of COVID-19."

A look at the field of healthcare can be traced in the conversation with Prof. Ivo Petrov. "We have not paid enough attention to specialties such as infectious diseases, immunology, virologyIt turns out that we had to continue to observe the high levels in these specialties," he said in the program "What's important, said aloud" hosted by Tereza Zaharieva.

The radio review program also included an international perspective, namely the participation of Alberto San Juan, a Spanish actor and social activist. He shared that "Both in Bulgaria and in Spain, we are trying to identify politics as the work of political parties. I do not think that parties are necessary," he said. According to him, there must be forms of organization or structures that will decide how to live as a community. We must create at least one that is democratic and in which political participation is possible. Participation in politics in Spain is limited to voting, i.e. putting a piece of paper in a box every four years. I do not think that many people in Spain vote by conviction. Many people vote out of hatred for the opposing party. "

Looking from the inside out, again looking at the wide horizon, we heard the point of view of Hristo Pimpirev. The last 10 years are a lesson that Bulgarians can handle everything and that we will continue to move forward, said the professor on bTV Radio. At the time, he said, Antarctica had changed a lot. Many new discoveries have been made about science, and polar bases and science labs are now being built there, bordering on science fiction for construction on other planets. "Antarctica is a very avant-garde world right now, and Bulgaria is part of that world," the professor said.

The topic of education also took an important part in our review, as a key item was the conversation of the host Lili Angelova with Prof. Sergei Ignatov. The former education minister, who is currently rector of the European University for the Humanities in Vilnius, said: "The last year and a half has turned the world upside down. There is talk of digital transformation in all areas. The pandemic will pass, we will forget about it, but life will no longer be the same All these things will inevitably lead to a great transformation in education systems. At the end of our talk he concluded that "We must preserve the humane in humanity", because "the main deficit at all levels at the moment" is that people are losing social skills."

And so with the memories comes the aftermath - where we were, where we are now and where we would like to be in 10 years. The quote from the interview of Yuksel Kadriev on bTV Radio summarizes very well the direction we believe we all want to take: "I want people to be happier, to have a better life, because we deserve it."
Christmas is approaching, and with it the moments when we gather with our loved ones, get excited and share thematic content for the holiday.

We invite you to immerse yourself in the feeling of warmth and sharing with a festive program and premium content on television, radio and the online platforms of bTV Media Group!

For the first time, viewers will feel Christmas emotions and mood in the live episodes of the most successful music show in Bulgaria - "The Voice of Bulgaria", and clients will have the opportunity to send their Christmas messages related to the holiday content.

We will enhance the atmosphere with Christmas wishes and surprises in an exclusive digital Christmas episode of "The Voice of Bulgaria". Advertisers will be able to tie their brand and advertising campaign with the digital extension of one of the most beloved shows during the holiday season.

We will also make the fans of Radio N-JOY happy by giving them the opportunity to enjoy greetings from the contestants in "The Voice of Bulgaria" all day long. The individual messages from the talented performers and the attractive jury will be preceded by a client sponsored opener, maintaining the Christmas mood every hour.

We invite you to choose the premiere and themed holiday titles in "Family Afternoon" on bTV in December, as well as hit animations before the movie at 21:00 on bTV Cinema, which will allow the whole family to enjoy the movie content and will distinguish client messages in the magic of Christmas.

To better complement your unique multiplatform presence, we will associate your brand with a fun game on the air of Radio N-JOY and its respective FB page. On a daily basis we will be publishing two movie options for the users to choose from  through a reaction of either like or heart. Everyone who participates will have the chance to win attractive prizes from the sponsor.

We will enrich the thematic communication in December on the air of "Before Noon" with Christmas emotions and excitement, providing an opportunity for the communication of partners to enter into topics that bring people together and unlock the festive mood.

Special radio announcements will announce on bTV Radio the upcoming holiday integration of the partner on the air of "Before Noon". We will ignite the interest of consumers with interesting information about the sponsor, which will be announced by our leading live announcements.

The Christmas theme will be traditionally present in Ladyzone.bg. The theme for December, dedicated to the bright holiday, will unfold in the form of Christmas recipes and mood. Beloved faces on the screen will share with users their favorite Christmas recipe, but most of all how they manage to invite the Christmas spirit at home, as well as what are the Christmas traditions in their home.

Tie in to the festive mood with a multi-platform offer, which the bTV Media Group team will prepare especially for you and which we will be sharing very soon!
Britain explorer PLC will change its company name to Capricorn Energy PLC from mid-December, around the time its over USD 1 billion dispute will be nearing closure.

Cairn Energy, which gave India its biggest onland oil discovery, had in 2011 sold the India unit, Cairn India to mining baron Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Group. The sale included the transfer of the Cairn brand name to Vedanta.

But both the UK firms and Vedanta kept using the name - while did not change its name all this while, the mining group continued with Cairn India Ltd till 2018 when the firm was merged with Mumbai-listed Vedanta Ltd. Since then, the exploration and production operations of Vedanta Ltd are organised as Cairn Oil & Gas.

In a statement, PLC said it "plans to change its company name from Cairn Energy PLC to Capricorn Energy PLC, effective from December 31, 2021. The LSE stock ticker will remain as CNE".

This, it said, follows an agreement at the time of the Cairn India IPO in 2006 that the name would ultimately be changed.

After the name change, the Cairn brand exclusively vests with Vedanta.

"Given the recent legislative change in India and our participation in the related tax refund process, we are now putting in place the planned name change," it added.

On November 3, the company had stated that it has agreed to drop all litigations against the Indian government in exchange for a Rs 7,900 crore refund of taxes claimed retrospectively.

Seeking to repair India's damaged reputation as an investment destination, the government in August enacted new legislation to drop Rs 1.1 lakh crore in outstanding claims against multinationals such as telecom group Vodafone, pharma firm Sanofi and brewer SABMiller, now owned by AB InBev, and Cairn.

About Rs 8,100 crore collected from under the scrapped tax provision are to be refunded if the firms agreed to drop outstanding litigation, including claims for interest and penalties. Of this, Rs 7,900 crore is due only to Cairn.

Subsequent to this, the government last month notified rules that when adhered to will lead to the government withdrawing tax demands raised using the 2012 law and any tax collected in the enforcement of such demand is paid back.

For this, are required to indemnify the Indian government against future claims and withdraw any pending legal proceedings.

Cairn said it has given the requisite undertaking and has agreed to drop litigations it had initiated a few months back to seize Indian properties in countries ranging from France to the UK after the Indian government refused to honour an international arbitration award and refund it the retro tax money.

The government now has to accept this and issue Cairn a so-called Form-II that will commit it to refund the tax collected to enforce the demand. Following the issue of Form-II, Cairn will withdraw legal proceedings and will get a refund of Rs 7,900 crore.

Cairn said its undertaking shall be treated as having never been furnished if the Principal Commissioner for Income Tax either rejects the undertaking given by it in Form No.1 under rule 11UE (1) or the intimation of withdrawal given under rule 11UF(3) or declines to grant the refund.

Only after the refund is issued, the new legislation will be seen as working in the eyes of foreign investors.

"The new name reflects continuity and evolution: the majority of Cairn's subsidiaries have been known as Capricorn for some time. It is an established and respected name across our global operations, maintaining stakeholder confidence in our long-standing reputation for responsibility, relationships and respect," the statement said.

No action from shareholders is required in relation to the change, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
now holds exclusive rights to the brand. Energy, the Scottish oil and gas exploration company, will change its company name to Capricorn Energy on December 13. The LSE stock ticker of the company, however, will remain CNE.

This follows an agreement at the time of the India initial public offering that the name would ultimately be changed, a statement on the website said.

 will discontinue the use of the brand name Cairn as part of its corporate identity by December 2021, said in a statement.

The brand Cairn is exclusively owned by Vedanta, the statement added.

Commenting on the change, Vedantas Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sunil Duggal, said, When exited its Indian operations in 2011 after selling its stake to Group, it continued to use the brand name Cairn though the brand Cairn is owned by Vedanta (erstwhile Cairn India).

After being taken over by the Vedanta Group, the domestic company, Cairn India, disassociated itself from Cairn Energy. Both are now separate legal entities with different promoters and shareholders. Cairn India was later merged into Vedanta Limited in 2017 and renamed as Cairn Oil and Gas.

Prachur Sah, Deputy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas, said, The disassociation of Cairn Oil & Gas from Scottish company Cairn Energy was always a matter of fact. This clarity will help us disengage from issues involving Cairn Energy.

Cairn Energy was engaged in a pitched battle with the Indian government on a retrospective tax dispute. The centre eventually budged and agreed for a settlement with Cairn Energy. Given the recent legislative change in India and our participation in the related tax refund process, we are now putting in place the planned name change, Cairn Energy said.

The majority of Cairns subsidiaries have been known as Capricorn for some time. It is an established name across our global operations, the company added.
What exactly do the likes of Inc. and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board see in the unprofitable Indian payments startup heading for the country's biggest-ever initial public offering? A simple answer: the raw power of data.

Paytm, formally known as One97 Communications Ltd., has signed up BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, and together with the sovereign wealth funds of Singapore and Abu Dhabi as anchor investors for next weeks 183 billion rupee ($2.46 billion) IPO. The $1.1 billion sale to cornerstone investors saw more than 10 times as much demand as shares on offer, according to Bloomberg

The Indian online-payment pioneer had tremendous novelty value five years ago. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly immobilized 86% of the countrys currency in November 2016 in a failed bid to freeze out ill-gotten cash, the fledgling app, whose name is shorthand for pay through mobile, won millions of new customers overnight. Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma couldnt hide his glee. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. joined Masayoshi Son's SoftBank Group Corp. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. as investors in the startup.

That was then. Indias technology landscape has evolved so rapidly since 2016 that most businesses nowadays pay next to nothing for receiving customer payments over smartphones. And the pricing pressure isnt going to ease, except that merchants will want to pay less even for add-on services, such as reconciling accounts and handling returns and refunds.

Back when it didnt have todays 57 million unique monthly users, incurred 162 rupees in direct costs  not counting overheads like salaries and brand-building  to garner 100 rupees of revenue. Of that, 70 rupees went toward processing payments and another 86 rupees were spent on cash-backs and other enticements. You cannot have a business that says, Pay a 500 rupees bill and take 250 rupees cash-back,'' Aditya Puri, the then-chief executive of HDFC Bank Ltd., Indias largest lender by market value, said in 2017, adding that e-wallets have no future.

In its most recent quarter, however, ended up with a 27 rupees surplus on the same 100 rupees revenue. Thanks to additional overheads, its not yet a profit  but its getting closer. HDFC Bank is now a partner of

The economics are improving, even though phone wallets have become a commodity. The underlying technology, which Paytm uses to compete against Alphabet Inc.s Google Pay and Walmart Inc.s PhonePe, is a shared utility anyone can commercialize. So while Paytm handles the equivalent of nearly $80 billion of payments annually to 22 million merchants, its take rate for translating transactions to revenue is just 0.6%.

But its this very competitive nature of the payments game that encourages more merchants in small cities and towns to accept cashless instruments, bypassing expensive cards and contactless systems like PayPal Holdings Inc., which has left the Indian domestic scene entirely.

The anchor investor interest in the Paytm IPO is the biggest validation yet of the Indian model of digitization: From payments to health care, an open-markets protocol  running on top of a public utility  can be a viable alternative to proprietary platforms and predatory pricing. What a firm might lose in take rates on individual transactions is more than made up by the gains from handling billions of them.

graph

A low-margin, high-volume business can create its own data moat. Since most of Indias retailers are too small and too informal to otherwise be able to access credit, digital payments act as valuable  and often the only  informational collateral. The money-making opportunity is in extending credit to mom-and-pop stores, based on their digital cash-flow trail. As Paytm founder Sharma told BloombergQuint, India's GDP will not grow because payments are digital, but because payments being digital have enabled lenders to give credit.

To see why he may be right, consider the behavior of the firms current and future rivals.

Unity Small Finance Bank, a brand-new, digital-first institution, arose this week from the ashes of a scam-tainted cooperative lender, with BharatPe, another payments fintech like Paytm, as one of its two equal owners. This might be a predictable diversification: The wafer-thin margins on which small retailers in emerging markets like India operate cant sustain a pure-play payments business such as Visa Inc. or PayPal. Theres little to be gained from giving shopkeepers QR codes to receive funds if you cant also lend them money.

But then, consider the opposite maneuver. Bajaj Finance Ltd., Indias top consumer lender, said in an investor presentation that it has signed up more than 3 million customers for its wallet. Its now applying for a payment aggregator license that will enable customers to settle merchants bills without requiring mediation by a third-party app. If the whole purpose of getting into payments is to lend, why would a profitable financier want to enter a potentially money-losing business?

Chalk it up to the fear of getting outflanked by BharatPe and Paytm. BharatPe co-owns a bank. Paytm is stuck with a 49% stake in a so-called payments bank, which isnt allowed to lend and can only accept deposits below a certain level.

The next step for Paytm and its payments bank is to amalgamate into a full-fledged, unrestricted lender, credit-card issuer and deposit taker, and flex its own balance sheet like the digital-only KakaoBank Corp. in South Korea. Thats where the pot of gold lies, and may have figured it out better than analysts moaning over transactions not translating into revenue. Thats a feature, not a bug.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' space venture Blue Origin has lost out on its lawsuit against NASA over a contract to build the space agency's next human lunar lander, and has wished success to

The judgement by the US Court of Federal Claims has put an end to Blue Origin's quest to develop a lander for the space agency, while upholding NASA's selection of SpaceX to develop and demonstrate a modern human lunar lander.

"Not the decision we wanted," Bezos said in a tweet, adding that "we respect the court's judgment".

Bezos also wished "full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract".

NASA in a statement said that it "will resume work with SpaceX as soon as possible".

Blue Origin sued NASA over its April decision to pick only SpaceX's Starship rocket system for the agency's first human lunar landing system since 1972.

The US space agency was expected to pick two lunar lander prototypes (including one of Blue Origin's) but funding cuts from the US Congress led the agency to select SpaceX over Blue Origin.

In retaliation, Blue Origin applied to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in April, and put SpaceX's lunar lander contract on hold for 95 days. The GAO squashed its challenge, arguing that NASA "reserved the right to make multiple awards, a single award, or no award at all".

Bezos even offered NASA a discount of up to $2 billion to give his space company Blue Origin the human lunar landing system contract.

When NASA didn't budge, Blue Origin in a last ditch effort lodged a sealed complaint in federal court in July, which has now been quashed.

In response to the ruling, NASA in a statement said that companies will have opportunities in the future to work on the Artemis programme.

"In addition to this contract, NASA continues working with multiple American companies to bolster competition and commercial readiness for crewed transportation to the lunar surface.

"There will be forthcoming opportunities for companies to partner with NASA in establishing a long-term human presence at the Moon under the agency's Artemis programme, including a call in 2022 to US industry for recurring crewed lunar landing services," NASA said.

--IANS

rvt/bg

(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.)
China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh, claimed the US Department of Defense in its annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving China.

These and other infrastructure development efforts along the India-China border have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media, it stated.

The report also specifically points out that China has attempted to blame India for provoking the standoff through India's "increased infrastructure development" near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Asserting that its deployments to the LAC were in response to Indian provocation, Beijing has refused to withdraw any forces until India's forces have withdrawn behind the its version of the LAC and ceased infrastructure improvements in the area, it stated.

Chinese state-controlled media forcefully asserted China's intent to refuse any territorial concessions demanded by India.

"PRC (People's Republic of China) officials, through official statements and state media, had also sought unsuccessfully to prevent India from deepening its relationship with the US during and subsequent to the standoff, while accusing India of being a mere 'instrument' of US policy in the region," it stated.

The department also asserted that Chinese officials have warned US officials to not interfere with the their relationship with India.

Elaborating about India and China border dispute in the last 18 months, it stated that despite the ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues to reduce border tensions, the PRC has continued taking incremental and tactical actions to press its claims at the LAC.

The report stated that tensions with India along the LAC sparked an ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in mid-May 2020, which lasted through the winter.

The standoff escalated on June 15, 2020 after a skirmish ensued in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh between the Indian Army and PLA troops that resulted in casualties on both sides, including the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers.

In February 2021, the Central Military Commission (CMC) announced posthumous awards for four PLA soldiers, "though the total number of PRC casualties remains unknown".

The current standoff between the two nations resulted in the first deaths in the last 45 years.

Despite agreements to disengage in the spring of 2021, both sides maintain troops along the LAC as Corps Commander-level negotiations progress slowly.

The report stated that differing perceptions of border demarcations along the LAC joined with recent infrastructure construction, led to multiple unarmed clashes, an ongoing standoff, and military buildups on both sides of the border.

It also stated that throughout the standoff, PRC officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing's intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India.

The PRC seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the US.

As of June 2021, the PRC and India continue to maintain large-scale deployments along the LAC and make preparations to sustain these forces while disengagement negotiations have made limited progress, the report stated.

--IANS

sk/vd

(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.)
Delhi recorded its poorest in five years the day after with a deadly cocktail of noxious fumes from firecrackers and stubble burning pushing the 24-average AQI to 462, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Friday.

The 24-hour average index (AQI) the day after was 435 last year, 368 in 2019; 390 in 2018; 403 in 2017 and 445 in 2016. The AQI was 382 on day this year, 414 in 2020; 337 in 2019; 281 in 2018; 319 in 2017 and 431 in 2016.

A thick layer of acrid smog hung over Delhi-NCR on Friday after residents flouted the ban on firecrackers to celebrate Diwali and emissions from farm fires in the region peaked at 36 per cent.

Residents in many parts of Delhi-NCR complained of an itchy throat and watery eyes on Friday.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (469), Greater Noida (464), Ghaziabad (470), Gurgaon (472) and Noida (475) also recorded 'severe' levels.

Ahead of the festive season, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2022, and ran an aggressive campaign against their sale and use.

The Haryana government had imposed a ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in 14 of its districts in the National Capital Region. Green crackers were allowed on Diwali in Uttar Pradesh only for two hours in areas with moderate or better

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Friday declared a public holiday on November 10 on account of Chhath Puja.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority had last week issued an order allowing the celebration of Chhath Puja at designated sites in the city except on the banks of the Yamuna river.

"Chhath Puja is an important festival for the people of NCT of Delhi. Accordingly, the Government of Delhi has decided to declare November 10, 2021, as a public holiday on account of Chhath Puja," said a note issued by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The DDMA had issued on September 30 prohibiting the celebration of Chhath at public places due to the threat of COVID-19.

Chhath, celebrated after Diwali by people belonging to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, involves the offering of 'Arghya' by fasting women to the Sun god in knee-deep water. It involves elaborate rituals spanning over three days.

(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 Fire Service received 152 fire-related calls on Diwali, which was less than 25 per cent from last year and the lowest in the last 15 years.

No major fire incident or casualty was reported, Director of Fire Service, Atul Garg, said, on Friday.

According to the fire department, fire-related calls go up usually on mainly due to bursting of firecrackers, not taking adequate precautions when lighting earthen lamps or candles and not checking for loose wires while putting up decoration lights and overloaded extension boards causing short-circuit.

"This is a very positive sign that fire calls have reduced on the day of Dilwali this year. This is the first time that we have recorded only 152 calls on Diwali, which is the lowest in last 15 years on the day of festival," Garg said.

"This is also because of public awareness. There were less calls related to fire-cracker bursting and people also behaved responsibly and followed all the safety precautions as suggested while celebrating the festival be it while lighting diyas or decorating houses and buildings with lights," he said.

According to a data shared by fire department, out of the total 152 calls, 117 calls were fire-related incidents including four which were suspected due to crackers while other calls were related to short-circuit, fire in garbage and due to lighting of earthen lamps.

Besides the 117 fire-related calls, there were 10 calls seeking assistance for animal rescue, 12 for bird rescue, one related to house collapse, seven other rescue related operations and two other class seeking assistance in connection with two road accidents, the data stated.

"There has been no major fire-related incident this and no casualty was reported due to fire. In total, we received 152 calls which is less than 25 per cent from last year," Garg added.

The DFS control room usually responds to maximum calls on Diwali, and fire-fighters need to be on their toes to deal with any emergencies, they said.

Maximum of these fire-related calls were received in the evening during peak hours, he said.

According to the DSF, most of the fire-related calls were of minor category. There was a fire reported from outer Delhi's Mangolpuri area on Friday night.

A fire broke out in a factory in Mangolpuri at around 10.14 pm and eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot on Friday, a senior fire official said, addding tiles stored in the basement, artificial flowers stored on the first floor and shoe manufacturing material kept on the second floor of the factory caught fire.

No one was injured in the process, said a senior fire official.

The fire-fighting operations ended at 3 am, he said, adding the cause of fire is being ascertained.

Another fire broke out at the basement of a godown in Nilothi Extension at around 1.06 pm on Friday and eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

Crockery items AND disposable cups stored in the basement of the godown caught fire but no one was injured in the incident and the fire was doused off by 3.30 pm, the fire officials said.

Fire crackers were burst in the city in a blatant disregard to the government's ban on it.

The fire department had responded to 205 fire-related calls on last year, officials said.

According to fire officials, around 3,000 fire fighters were on duty for the last two days and Fire Service teams were deployed in over 30 specific locations across the capital to tackle any incident.

Fire tenders were deployed at 22 locations across the capital including Bara Tooti Chowk, Tilak Nagar, Lajpat Nagar (Central Market), Lal Kuan Chowk, Lahori Gate, Nangloi, South Extension, Sonia Vihar, Mehrauli, Ghitorni metro station, among others.

Motorcycles fitted with fire-fighting equipments were also deployed in the streets and narrow lanes at six other locations, including Ambedkar Nagar, Kapashera, Chandni Chowk, Sabji Mandi, Ghanta Ghar, Paharganj, Shiela Cinema and Shadipur depot, a senior fire official said.

Another set of fire-fighting vehicles were also at deployed in the lanes of another six locations, including Connaught Circus, Hari Nagar, Geeta Colony, J Road and Paschim Vihar, he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi's air quality was in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning with the AQI at 386, after the nation celebrated Diwali. Earlier on Friday, the air quality at Delhi's Janpath reached the 'hazardous' category as concentrations of Pollution Meter (PM) 2.5 stood at 655.07.

The (AQI) was at 341 on Thursday morning and dropped to 382 by the evening, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the governments pollution monitoring system.

According to SAFAR, Delhi's AQI would not improve till Sunday and will fluctuate in the 'very poor' category.



In Noida, the AQI was at 448, in the severe category, on Friday morning.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Reuters reported earlier this week authorities have warned that Delhis air quality is set to drop sharply in November. Factors including falling temperatures, a drop-off in wind speed, and farmers torching crop stubble are likely to turn the air hazardous.

A delayed end to the monsoon and a sharp pick-up in wind speeds ensured that the concentration of hazardous, small airborne particles known as PM2.5 in a cubic metre of air averaged 72 in October when air quality typically takes a turn for the worse.

That was sharply down from an average concentration of 126 recorded in October 2020 - 25 times over the World Health Organization's safe limit - according to data gathered by the state-run Central Pollution Control Board.
Prime Minister has placed India in a position where it can guide the world in dealing with the crisis of climate change, Union Bhupender Yadav said here on Friday.

Yadav, who is in Glasgow for the 26th international climate conference COP 26, said he was privileged to represent India in the negotiations and also overwhelmed to see the impact the Prime Minister's initiatives and ideas have created on world leaders.

Prime Minister has placed India in a position where the country has come to guide the world in dealing with the crisis of climate change," Yadav said.

While at the Paris Climate Conference, the Prime Minister had urged the world to increase forest area, decrease carbon emission and encourage alternative sources of energy, at the ongoing COP26 conference in Glasgow, Scotland, he took the pledge of Panchamrit' or five-nectar elements in India's fight against climate change, Yadav shared in his blog COP 26 Diary'.

The Panchamrit' commitment made by our respected Prime Minister seeks to raise India's non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, ensure that 50 per cent of the country's energy requirements would be met by renewable energy sources by the same year, reduce the total projected carbon emission by one billion tonnes, decrease the carbon intensity of the economy to less than 45 per cent and finally, become achieve net zero emissions by 2070."



I was privileged to represent India in the negotiations in Glasgow and also overwhelmed to see the impact the PM's initiatives and ideas have created on world leaders, he said.

The minister said that this Panchamrit' vision presented by Prime Minister Modi is going to introduce the global community to the capabilities of the New India.

The BJP National Working Committee congratulates the Prime Minister for showing the world the road ahead and making India the leading stakeholder in the fight against climate change, he wrote in his blog.

The attended a side-event organised by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on Thursday and reiterated the Prime Minister's vision.

He said he emphasised the fact that we must return to the Sun to save the Earth. As the world progresses to achieve newer heights economically and socially, solar energy will power the transition.

Earlier at Glasgow, the ISA, India Presidency of the ISA, and the UK COP Presidency unveiled the plans for the first international network of global interconnected solar power grids, known as the "Green Grids Initiative" at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

At the side event, I stated that sustainable development and mitigation is at the heart of the Green Grids Initiative and that the scale of the project could very well make it the next biggest modern engineering marvel, he said.

The project aims to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy such as coal by enabling and popularising the use of affordable solar power from other countries.

The announcement was accompanied by the "One Sun" declaration, which has been endorsed by 83 ISA member countries.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The India Pavilion, inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, on October 1, has successfully completed its first month at the Expo 2020,

According to an official release of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the India Pavilion has hosted over 2,00,000 visitors as of November 3 with various sector and state-specific sessions to discuss India's growth roadmap.

"It also secured investment opportunities for the country and celebrated several cultural events to attract visitors," the release said.

Commenting on the success of India Pavilion, Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in and Deputy Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 said, "The October month was a huge success for the India Pavilion. We saw a strong visitor turnout and expect this momentum to continue in the coming months".

"While the India Pavilion will showcase more business opportunities for collaboration and investment, the popularity of India's festivals, food, and cultural performances, have been crucial aspects in attracting visitors from across the globe", he added.

The Pavilion started with the Climate and Biodiversity Week from October 3 to October 9.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy conducted various sessions that highlighted India's renewable energy goals and climate action plan to the world.

These weeks were followed by Space and Urban and Rural Development weeks, where discussions around the future of the sectors, the issues and challenges in the sectors, the role of the government regulations, and incentives were discussed.

Besides sector-specific weeks, the India Pavilion also hosted specific weeks for Gujarat, Karnataka, and UT of Ladakh. The state of Gujarat organized events at the India Pavilion where Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister, Gujarat virtually showcased the state's vibrant Pharma sector along with its plan for sustainable development.

Similarly, the Karnataka Week also witnessed the presence of Murugesh Nirani, Minister, Large and Medium Scale Industries, Government of Karnataka along with Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education; IT and BT, Science and Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka.

"Additionally, a series of events showcasing opportunities in Ladakh across focus sectors like sustainable infrastructure, connectivity, food processing, and tourism were discussed during the Ladakh Week at India Pavilion," the release said.

The Ministry informed that the Karnataka week saw an announcement on partnership between the government of Karnataka and Gulf Islamic Investments (GII) to strengthen the investment ties between India and UAE.

"GII's investment approach in India is sector-agnostic and the firm plans to invest another USD 500m (Rs 3,500 crores) in India in the next 3 years and was one of the key achievements for the state of Karnataka," the Ministry said.

The Climate and Biodiversity week saw virtual participation from dignitaries such as RK Singh, Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State, New and Renewable Energy, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India and Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India.

The Space sector sessions were addressed by Dr K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary Department of Space and Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Indian Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) and Umamaheshwaran R, Scientific Secretary, ISRO.

The Urban and Rural Development week that started from October 31was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India including, Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary and Mission Director (Smart Cities Mission); Jaideep, OSD (Urban Transport) and Dinesh Kapila, Economic Advisor (Housing).

"The month of October at the India Pavilion also witnessed an array of cultural activities during Dusshera and Navratri celebrations. These included folk dances, storytelling and music for countless visitors and dignitaries. The ongoing Diwali celebrations at India Pavilion comprise of colourful installations, lighting in the form of Swarangoli or LED rangoli, virtual display of firecrackers and performances by leading artists such as Salim-Sulaiman, Dhruv and Rooh bands from India and Dubai," the release said.

"The enthusiasm of visitors resulted in India Pavilion being one of the most visited Pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai. The activities and events during October were witnessed by hundreds of visitors with zeal and enthusiasm," it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is set to host the regional security dialogue on on November 10, a meeting that will be conducted at the security advisor (NSA) level, sources said on Friday.

NSA will chair the meeting next week.

India had formally invited the NSAs of Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the conference.

According to sources, there has been an overwhelming response to India's invitation. Several countries including Russia and Iran have confirmed participation in the meeting, in which, not just Afghanistan's immediate land neighbours are invited but also Central Asian countries are invited.

The enthusiastic response is a manifestation of the importance attached to India's role in regional efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan, sources said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has declined the invitation to the regional countries' security advisors meeting on being hosted by India.

"Pakistan's decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing as its protectorate. Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format. Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan," sources said.

Aside from Pakistan, another country that is yet to respond to India's invitation is China.

Two earlier meetings in this format have been held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019. The third meeting in India could not be held earlier due to the pandemic.

The high-level participation in next week's meeting hosted by India reflects the widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other, sources said. India has an important role to play in this process, they 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.)
Russia, Iran, and almost all central Asian countries have confirmed their participation at a regional security dialogue on to be hosted by India on November 10, official sources said on Friday.

Pakistans media comments to not participate in the dialogue is unfortunate but not surprising and it reflected Islamabads mindset of viewing as its protectorate, they said. The sources said Pakistans comments against India on the matter are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in

India is hosting the dialogue to discuss the overall security situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban's capture of power in the country. The meeting will be held at the level of the security advisers of the participating countries. Indias NSA Ajit Doval will chair the dialogue.

Two earlier meetings in this format have been held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019, the sources said adding the third meeting in India could not be held earlier due to the pandemic. There has been an overwhelming response to Indias invitation. Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed participation. The enthusiastic response is a manifestation of the importance attached to India's role in regional efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan, said a source.

It is for the first time that all Central Asian countries and not just Afghanistan's immediate land neighbours are participating in this format, the sources said. They said invitations for the dialogue have been extended to China and Pakistan too, and formal responses are awaited.

However, Pakistan has indicated through the media that it will not attend. Pakistan's decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate, the source said.

Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format. Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
announced a broad easing of Covid-era border control measures that will relax restrictions for visitors such as students and those traveling for business, seeking to reopen the economy after a dramatic drop in virus cases and a vaccination campaign thats inoculated more than 70% of the population.

The changes, which take effect Monday, would shorten quarantine from 10 to 3 days for short-term business travelers and Japanese nationals or foreign residents returning from abroad if they have received a vaccine approved in Japan, according to a Friday announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Nikkei reported the news earlier this week.

The easing also means the government will begin reissuing visas for long and short-term stays, which will mainly affect foreign students, technical trainee workers and those relocating to for work. Tourists are still not allowed in the country.

The loosening of restrictions comes as the number of cases have plummeted to a few hundred per day nationally, and after Japans ruling party maintained its majority in Sundays national election. The island nation had enacted one of the strictest border policies among developed nations during the pandemic, effectively banning most foreigners from entering unless they already held a visa.

The latest easing wont fully apply to a small list of countries still deems high-risk, and those whove received vaccines other than those approved by Japan -- shots from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, Moderna Inc. or AstraZeneca Plc. -- also wont qualify.

Much of the Covid border restrictions have affected students and technical workers trying to enter Japan. In recent months, business lobbies and foreign chambers of commerces had begun calling for the government to ease restrictions.
The government on Friday withdrew the night curfew and gave the nod to holding horse racing in strict adherence to the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

With COVID-19 cases coming down significantly in the state, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar issued an order to this effect.

The order said, "Night curfew, which is being imposed from 10 PM to 5 AM is herewith withdrawn."



Regarding horse racing, the order said, "Number of racing patrons attending horse racing shall be strictly as per the seating capacity of the venue and only fully vaccinated people with COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed entry into such premises."



The night curfew was imposed from July 3 onwards at the end of the two-month lockdown when the second wave hit the state starting from the April-end.

The state reported 261 fresh COVID-19 cases, five deaths and 8,267 active cases on Thursday.

(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.)
Except for some pockets in south very few cases of firecracker bursting were reported from the city on Kali Puja night even though the in the metropolis dipped from moderate to poor, a West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) official said on Friday.

He said according to our knowledge except for some pockets in south like Kasba, Jadavpur, Garia, Bansdroni and in areas like Kasipur, Dumdum, Sinthi, Baranagar and Chitpur there were very few incidents of fireworks bursting elsewhere and it was a quieter Kali Puja.

At 5 pm on Kali puja day (Thursday), the Index (AQI) was 260 at Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) area, 171 at Ballygunje, 227 at Bidhannagar, 189 at Fort William, 229 at Jadavpur, 146 at Victoria Memorial and 148 at Rabindra Sarobar air monitoring station, he said.

The official said in RBU area in north the turned worse as the AQI index read 315 (PM 2.5) at 9 am on Friday, after reaching 280 at 9 pm on Kali Puja day.

In Jadavpur University area in south Kolkata the AQI remained at 246 at 9 am on Friday while it read 233 barely 12 hours back, while in Ballygunje area the AQI was 220 at 9 am on Friday from 182 just 12 hours back.

In Fort William area the AQI was 217, in Bidhannagar 207 and in Victoria area 203, in the morning after Kali puja night.

The AQI was 192 in Fort William, in Bidhannagar 223, and in Victoria area 158 on the Kali puja night, the official said.

An AQI of 300-400 is termed as very poor in air quality parlance, it is defined as poor if it crosses 200 threshold and moderate if the AQI is between 101-200.

The WBPCB official said due to wintry conditions in the air in this time of the year, particulate matters hang heavy in the air for hours.

"The dip in air quality cannot be entirely attributed to the fireworks issue and more due to the moisture and the emissions from vehicular traffic as higher number of vehicles hit the road on the Kali puja night. To our knowledge excepting pockets in south Kolkata like Kasba, Jadavpur, Garia, Bansdroni and in areas like Kasipur, Dumdum, Sinthi, Baranagar and Chitpur there were very few incidents of fireworks bursting elsewhere and it was a quieter Kalipuja," the WBPCB official said.

Meanwhile, environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh claimed that air quality didn't improve even after 12 hours on Friday as fireworks were burst in late evening hours.

Though the sounds of firecrackers were fewer than 2019, it was higher than last year in different pockets of the city and the intensity rose after 10 pm, Ghosh told PTI.

Secretary of Sabuj Manch, Naba Dutta said "there was frequent bursting of crackers in different localities like 2019. It was higher than 2020. Apparently the ban on fireworks other green ones didn't work and banned crackers and shells entered into the city."



WBPCB records said while AQI was within 50 to 150 AQI across the city two weeks back and it hovered between 150 to 250 for past one week in the run up to Kali Puja.

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed that all necessary efforts must be made by the West Bengal government to ensure that only green crackers are used during Diwali-Kali Puja and other ensuing festivals, observing that the sincerity of the state would be reflected in enforcement mechanism.

(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.)
More than 15.54 crore balance and unutilized Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, said Union on Friday.

The exact number of unutilized Covid vaccine doses available with states stand at 15,54,54,451.

Over 116.50 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and UTs so far through Govt of India free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category, said the Union

As per the report, a total of 5,65,276 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. India's mass coverage has exceeded 107.70 crore and stands at 1,07,70,46,116 as per provisional report till 7 a.m. on Friday. This has been achieved through 1,08,69,517 sessions.

The Healthcare Workers have got a total of 1,03,79,485 first dose of vaccines and 92,51,816 as second dose. The Frontline Workers have been administered a total of 1,83,72,277 vaccines as the first dose and 1,60,01,188 as the second dose.

Among the age group of 18-44 years, total 42,28,21,083 shots of first dose and 14,80,13,602 of second dose have been administered so far, as per the health ministry report. A total of 17,59,50,688 vaccines as the first dose and 9,82,24,169 vaccines as the second dose have been administered to the age group of 45-59 so far, said the health ministry on Friday morning.

However, among the elderly population of over 60 years, total 11,03,79,297 shots of first doses and 6,76,52,511 of second doses have been administered so far, said the health ministry.

Meanwhile, India continues to report declining trends in daily Covid caseload. India registered 12,729 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. In the same period, 221 new fatalities were reported, which increased the death toll to 4,49,873.

--IANS

avr/skp/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's decision to not attend a regional security dialogue on the Afghan crisis, being hosted by India on November 10, is unfortunate but not surprising and it reflected Islamabad's mindset of viewing as its "protectorate", official sources said on Friday.

They said there has been an "overwhelming response" to India's invitation to the dialogue and Russia, Iran and almost all central Asian countries have already confirmed their participation at the NSA-level meeting.

The sources said Pakistan's comments against India on hosting of the dialogue are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its "pernicious role" in

Pakistani NSA Moeed Yusuf on Tuesday ruled out his participation at the dialogue and said: "I will not go, a spoiler can't be a peacemaker."



The sources said India sent an invitation to China as well and a formal response to it is awaited.

India's Security Advisor Ajit Doval is taking the initiative in hosting the dialogue to discuss the overall security situation in and to firm up a collective approach in the wake of the Taliban's capture of power in that country on August 15.

Doval will chair the dialogue.

Two earlier meetings in this format have been held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019, the sources said, adding the third meeting in India could not be held earlier due to the pandemic.

"There has been an overwhelming response to India's invitation. Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed participation. The enthusiastic response is a manifestation of the importance attached to India's role in regional efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan," said a source.

It is for the first time that all Central Asian countries and not just Afghanistan's immediate land neighbours are participating in this format, the sources said.

They said invitations for the dialogue have been extended to China and too, and formal responses are awaited.

"However, has indicated through the media that it will not attend.

Pakistan's decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate," the source said.

" has not attended the previous meetings of this format. Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan," it said.

The sources said the high-level participation in next week's meeting hosted by India reflects the widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other.

India has an important role to play in this process, they said.

Following the Taliban's capture of power, India has been consistently flagging concerns over possible spillover of terrorist activities from Afghanistan to other countries in the region.

India has also been consistently maintaining that it is important that the international community continues to insist on the fulfilment of goals outlined in the UN Security Council resolution 2593 on Afghanistan.

The UNSC resolution, adopted on August 30 under India's presidency of the global body, talked about the need for upholding human rights in Afghanistan, demanded that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism and that a negotiated political settlement should be found out to the crisis.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister will visit Temple on Friday.

After offering prayer at the temple on Friday morning, Prime Minister will inaugurate the reconstructed samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya and unveil a statue of the seer at the temple premises. He will also review and inspect the ongoing construction works.

The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 floods.

Speaking to ANI, Bagish Ling, a priest of Temple, said, "We will all welcome Prime Minister PM Modi will reach here in the morning. He will do the Maha Rudra Abhishek and pray for the welfare of the nation. He will also unveil the statue of Adi Shankaracharya. The temple has been decorated with flowers."

Following this, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate key infrastructure projects worth Rs 130 crores, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini. He will also lay the foundation stone for multiple projects.

Prime Minister is scheduled to address a public rally during his visit to the shrine.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A thick layer of acrid hung over Delhi-NCR on Friday after residents flouted the firecracker ban and emissions from farm fires in the region peaked at 36 per cent, pushing the capital's 24-hour average air quality index for the day after Diwali to 462, the highest in five years.

In neighbouring Noida, the 24-hour AQI was 475, the highest in the country. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (469), Greater Noida (464), Ghaziabad (470), Gurgaon (472) also recorded 'severe' levels.

As partially blotted out the sun in Delhi and residents complained of itchy throat and watery eyes, the city's Environment Minister Gopal Rai accused the BJP of instigating people to burn crackers by linking it to religion.

Ahead of the festive season, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2022, and ran a campaign against their sale and use.

The air quality across Delhi-NCR nosedived to the 'severe' zone on Diwali night and even the recently-launched tower at Connaught Place could not provide breathable air to residents nearby, government data showed.

Around 9 pm on Thursday, the 24-metre-high air purifier, considered the first such structure in India, recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 642 micrograms per cubic metre at the inlet and 453 micrograms per cubic metre at the outlet.

The smog tower could only reduce the PM10 level from 649 micrograms per cubic meter to 511 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the readings taken at 9 pm on Thursday.

Delhi's 24-hour average AQI, which entered the 'severe' zone on Thursday night, stood at 462 at 4 pm on Friday.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the 24-hour average AQI for the day after Diwali was 435 last year, 368 in 2019; 390 in 2018; 403 in 2017 and 445 in 2016. The AQI was 382 on Diwali day this year, 414 in 2020; 337 in 2019; 281 in 2018; 319 in 2017 and 431 in 2016.

The 24-hour average concentration of lung-damaging fine particles known as PM2.5 in Delhi-NCR shot up from 243 micrograms per cubic metre at 6 pm on Thursday (Diwali day) to 430 micrograms per cubic metre at 2 pm on Friday, around seven times the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre.

The PM10 levels crossed the 500 micrograms per cubic metre mark around 5 am on Friday and stood at 558 micrograms per cubic metre at 2 pm.

According to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the air quality is considered to be in the 'emergency' category if PM2.5 and PM10 levels continue to be above 300 micrograms per cubic metre and 500 micrograms per cubic metre respectively for 48 hours or more.

Low temperature and fog in the morning allowed the accumulation of pollutants.

Fog conditions intensified in Delhi-NCR on Friday morning, lowering visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Safdarjung Airport to the range of 200 to 500 metres at 5.30 am. Visibility in parts of the city dropped to 200 metres, said R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

People from a large number of areas in the national capital had reported rampant cracker bursting on Thursday night. Cracker bursting continued till late night in NCR cities of Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon.

Delhi Environment Minister Rai, who deployed 20 anti-smog guns to combat high pollution levels, alleged the BJP instigated people to burn crackers for political gains.

"A large number of people did not burst firecrackers. I thank them all. But some people burst firecrackers on purpose. The BJP made them do it," he told reporters here.

Concerned citizens and environmental activists shared pictures and videos of people bursting firecrackers on social media and termed the government ban a "joke".

"Delhi should ideally shut down tomorrow morning and the government's cracker ban turned out to be a bigger joke this year. No one cares. Meanwhile, the majority of my family is either down with severe dry cough or headaches. DelhiAQI is 700+ and the night hasn't even begun," a Twitter user posted on the microblogging site.

The Haryana government had imposed a ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in 14 of its districts in the National Capital Region. The Uttar Pradesh government had allowed the use of green crackers on Diwali only for two hours in areas with moderate or better air quality.

Stubble burning accounted for 36 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Friday, the highest this season so far, according to government air quality forecast agency SAFAR.

"The overall air quality of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the 'severe' category with additional firework emissions... The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36 per cent," said Gufran Beig, founder-project director of SAFAR.

"Local winds have picked up and fast dispersion (of pollutants) is expected now. Without any more firecracker emissions, the AQI will improve to the 'very poor' category by tonight, although the stubble contribution is expected to remain almost the same (on Saturday)," he said.

On Thursday, farm fires accounted for 25 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution.

Last year, the share of stubble burning in Delhi's pollution had peaked at 42 per cent on November 5. In 2019, crop residue burning accounted for 44 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on November 1.

The concentration of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 32 per cent on Diwali last year as compared to 19 per cent in 2019.

(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.)
accounted for 36 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Friday, the highest this season so far, according to government forecast agency SAFAR.

"The overall of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the 'severe' category with additional firework emissions The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36 per cent," said Gufran Beig, the founder-project director of SAFAR.

"Local winds have picked up, and fast dispersion (of pollutants) is expected now. Without any more firecracker emissions, the AQI will improve to the 'very poor' category by tonight although the stubble contribution is expected to remain almost the same (on Saturday)," he said.

On Thursday, farm fires accounted for 25 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution.

Last year, the share of in Delhi's pollution had peaked at 42 per cent on November 5. In 2019, crop residue burning accounted for 44 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on November 1.

The concentration of in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 32 per cent on Diwali last year as compared to 19 per cent in 2019.

A thick layer of acrid smog engulfed the Delhi-NCR region on Friday following rampant cracker bursting on Diwali night amid a rapid increase in fumes from stubble burning.

Ahead of the festival season, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on crackers till January 1, 2022 and ran an aggressive campaign against the sale and use of crackers.

Delhi's index entered the 'severe' zone Thursday night and continued its upward trend to reach 462 at 12 noon on Friday.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (460), Greater Noida (423), Ghaziabad (450), Gurgaon (478) and Noida (466) recorded severe air quality at 12 noon.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

(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.)
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
develops Covid pill that cuts hospitalisations and deaths by 89%

Inc. said its Covid-19 pill reduced hospitalisations and deaths in high-risk patients by 89%, a result that has the potential to upend how the disease caused by the coronavirus is treated and alter the course of the pandemic.

The drugmaker said in a statement on Friday that it was no longer taking new patients in a clinical trial of the treatment due to the overwhelming efficacy and planned to submit the findings to U.S. regulatory authorities for emergency authorization as soon as possible. Read more

Oil rises after OPEC+ rebuffs US call to boost output; past $80

Oil prices rose on Friday after OPEC+ producers rebuffed a U.S. call to raise supply to cool the market, sticking to plans for a gradual increase in output after cuts made in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

rose 36 cents, or 0.45%, to $80.90 a barrel by 0912 GMT after touching $81.79. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 60 cents, or 0.76%, to $79.41 after rising as high as $80.17. Read more

Party's over: Diwali leaves Delhi wheezing in dangerously unhealthy air

The morning after Diwali, residents of New Delhi woke up under a blanket of toxic smog and breathed in the most dangerously polluted air of the year so far, after revellers, as usual, defied a fireworks ban.

New Delhi has the worst air quality of all world capitals, but even by its sorry standards Friday's reading was extra bad, as people paid the price for celebrating India's biggest festival in the noisiest, and most smoky way. Read more

Sidhu says he has taken back his resignation as Punjab Congress chief

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday informed that he has taken back his resignation as the president of the party's Punjab unit.

"I have taken back my resignation (as Punjab Congress chief) and I categorically state that the day new Advocate General will be appointed and a new panel will come, I will take charge of my office. It was not any personal ego," Sidhu said while addressing a press conference. Read more
The (NCB) has taken away the controversial cruise drugs case and five others from the agency's Mumbai zonal unit headed by Sameer Wankhede and transferred their investigation to its operations unit based in Delhi, officials said on Friday.

The action has been taken on "administrative grounds", and as these six have "wider and inter-state ramifications", they have been transferred to the operations unit in Delhi, NCB Deputy Director General (north-west region) Mutha Ashok Jain told PTI.

He said the order for transfer of cases has been issued by NCB Director General (DG) S N Pradhan.

Mumbai | Total 6 cases of our zone will now be investigated by Delhi teams (of NCB), including Aryan Khan's case and 5 other cases. It was an administrative decision: Mutha Ashok Jain, Deputy DG, South-Western Region, NCB



(File photo) pic.twitter.com/vmjP65YOOv  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

Wankhede, who is facing a number of personal and service-related allegations, will continue to be the zonal director.

The NCB had arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan and at least 19 others in the drugs on cruise case on the intervening night of October 2-3 and Wankhede is facing a departmental vigilance probe after an independent witness in the case claimed extortion bid by those involved.

A team from Delhi NCB operations will camp in Mumbai to take the probe in these cases forward, officials said.

Sameer Wankhede removed from 5 cases including the Aryan Khan case.

There are 26 cases in all that need to be probed.

This is just the beginning... a lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it.  Nawab Malik     (@nawabmalikncp) November 5, 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.)
is the top concern of Urban Indians in October 2021 while global citizens are more worried about poverty and social inequality, Ipsos What Worries the World global monthly survey has said.

According to the survey, unlike earlier, concern around Covid-19 has receded both for global citizens and Urban Indians. It sat on top as the top worry of global citizens (28 markets including India) for 18 months.

Among the Indians, the urban citizens are more concerned about unemployment (42 per cent), coronavirus (35 ), financial & political corruption (30 per cent), poverty and social inequality (26 per cent), crime and violence (24 per cent), education (20 per cent),among others.

For global citizens, the top concerns included, poverty and social inequality (33 per cent), unemployment (30 per cent), coronavirus (29 per cent), financial and political corruption (29 per cent), crime and violence (27 per cent), etc.

"Our biggest issue is of and it remains a major area of concern for most Urban Indians. Job creation and job openings need to keep pace with expectations. Right now, there is a disconnect. But there is this happy tiding in the form of worry around the coronavirus receding which could lead to more return to normalcy and for the job market to look up. Graft and social inequality are other concerns for citizens," said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.

The survey shows that the majority of Urban Indians (68 per cent) believe India is moving in the right direction. India is second in pecking order in optimism, Saudi Arabia remains most optimistic (83 per cent).

Global citizens stay circumspect with 64 per cent believing their country is on the wrong track. And the markets most downbeat were Colombia (90 per cent), Peru (83 per cent) and Argentina (82%).

"The biggest upside of Urban Indians is their never say die attitude. Despite the worries and hardships, they always believe the tide will turn, and it does. They do not give up mid way," added Adarkar.

Ipsos' What Worries the World survey is conducted in 28 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system.

A total of 21,516 online interviews were conducted between September 24 to October 8 among adults aged 18-74 in the US, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and Canada and age 16-74 in all other countries. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.

--IANS

sn/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinas latest Covid-19 outbreak continues to grow as it shifts east through the nations rust belt, prompting officials to implement increasingly stringent prevention measures in an effort to control it.

The countrys health commission reported 68 local confirmed cases on Friday, plus 22 additional infections that didnt cause any symptoms. Heilongjiang province in the northeast, which accounted for more than one-third of the total, has become the latest epicenter as a mysterious cluster that emerged in the northern border town Heihe ballooned despite a city-wide lockdown.





The latest wave, driven by the highly infectious delta variant, has reached 20 mainland provinces and is now the broadest outbreak since the virus first appeared in Wuhan in 2019. Nearly 800 people have been diagnosed in the past three weeks.

Rising Concern

While the number of infections may seem low compared to the west, where tens of thousands of cases are reported daily, the zero-tolerance approach pursued in the worlds second-largest economy means the rising case count is cause for concern. still embarks on mass testing whenever a single case of the deadly pathogen is detected, quarantines everyone that could be infected and limits transportation to other locations to cut off possible transmission.

Beijing reported zero cases for the past two days, after the country ring-fenced the political hub with escalating restrictions, including halting inbound trains from more than 23 locations where infections have been found during the latest outbreak. Hebei, which borders Beijing, reported 10 days on Friday.

Many municipal governments have urged residents not to travel across provinces and discouraged unnecessary departures from their cities. Wuzhen Scenic Area, a popular tourist spot in eastern Zhejiang province, said it was temporarily shut after one visitor tested positive for the virus. There is no indication about when it will resume operations.
Asia's gradual easing of travel curbs is proving a welcome relief for the region's hard-hit operators slowly opening up to visitors from around the world - with one giant exception.

China, previously the world's largest outbound market, is keeping air capacity at just 2% of pre-pandemic levels and has yet to relax tight travel restrictions as it sticks to zero tolerance for COVID-19.

That has left a $255 billion annual spending hole in the global market for operators such as Thailand's Laguna Phuket to try and fill.

Managing director Ravi Chandran says Laguna Phuket's five resorts have shifted their marketing focus to Europe, the United States and United Arab Emirates to make up for the loss of Chinese visitors, who accounted for 25%-30% of its pre-COVID business.

"Up to today, we have not done significant marketing or promotion in ... because we don't feel anything coming our way," Chandran said. The pandemic has cost Thailand an estimated $50 billion a year in tourism revenue and Chinese were above-average spenders based on tourism ministry data. Thailand hopes to receive 180,000 foreign tourists this year, a fraction of around 40 million it received in 2019, as it opened places beyond Phuket to tourists on Monday.

Many experts expect to keep such stringent measures such as up to a three-week quarantine for those returning home until at least the second quarter of next year and possibly then open gradually on a country-by-country basis.

"Destinations have to identify new source markets and learn how to market and cater to different cultures," Pacific Travel Association (PATA) Chief Executive Liz Ortiguera said, citing the Maldives as a rare example of a successful pivot during the pandemic.

The string of islands in the Indian Ocean promoted itself heavily at trade shows and attracted more Russian and Indian visitors to its luxury resorts and sparkling waters.

had been its greatest source of tourists before the pandemic but the Maldives saw overall arrivals in the first nine months of 2021 fall just 12% versus the same period of 2019.

"When we realised that Chinese travellers weren't coming to the Maldives any time soon, we switched our focus to other key markets including Russia," said a spokesperson for COMO Hotels and Resorts, which has two Maldives resorts.

CHINA TOURISM EVOLVES

Travel data firm ForwardKeys estimates it will take until 2025 for Chinese outbound travel to recover to pre-pandemic levels. That will also force airlines to re-evaluate their routes given its data shows 38% of Chinese tourists took foreign carriers in 2019. Even as Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia's Bali gradually open up for travellers, Thai Airways and Garuda Indonesia are drastically shrinking their fleets as part of restructuring plans amid the absence of Chinese tourists.

When China does open its borders, industry surveys show a reluctance by many to travel internationally due to COVID-19 fears.

There has also been a boom in domestic holidays to Hainan Island which now offers duty free shopping in a threat to future visits to nearby destinations such as Hong Kong and South Korea.

"I honestly do not have much enthusiasm for international travel," said at Kat Qi, 29, a researcher in Beijing who travelled to Southeast and Britain before the pandemic. "A lot of places that I wanted to visit are in less developed countries with gorgeous natural scenery and they tend to be the least vaccinated countries."

Her preference for natural scenery is also a trend emerging in surveys of Chinese travellers. Many are focused on the outdoors at a time when domestic camping holidays have become popular and tourism operators will need to adapt accordingly, experts say.

"The market will have changed so the Chinese people travelling in 2022 will be different from the Chinese travelling in 2019," said Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. "I think the trends will go away from this shopping and rushing around."

Large group tours that have also fallen out of favour on domestic trips could also be a thing of the past, to be replaced by independent travel and smaller customised tours with family and friends, said Sienna Parulis-Cook, director of marketing and communications at marketing company Dragon Trail International.

"You might have organised travel and everything but it would be with a small group of people that you know, rather than 50 strangers on a tour bus," she said.

(Corrects firm's name and description in paragraph 17)

(Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney; additional reporting by Stella Qiu in Beijing, Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok, Chan Thul Prak in Phnom Phenh and Chen Lin in Singapore; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Friday was forced to close highways and school playgrounds in the capital city due to heavy pollution.

This comes as ramps up coal production and faces scrutiny of its environmental record at climate talks.

The municipal government has issued a yellow alert for heavy which came into force from 4 pm Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported. Under the country's warning system for air pollution, red is the most severe warning. This is followed by orange, yellow and blue.

According to the city's weather authorities, unfavourable weather conditions are blamed for the smog blanketing and neighbouring regions from Wednesday to Saturday.

China, considered among the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has ramped up coal output after supply chains in recent months were roiled by an energy crunch owing to strict emissions targets, English-language newspaper Bangkok Post reported.

On Friday, a thick haze of smog covered swathes of northern China, reducing the visibility in some areas to less than 200 metres. The city officials said smog is likely to persist until at least Saturday.

Earlier this week, said it had increased daily coal production by more than one million tonnes to ease an energy shortage that had forced factories to close in recent months.

Back in September this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the UN General Assembly, highlighted the need to accelerate the transition to a green and low-carbon while achieving green recovery and development.

"China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060," he had pledged.

(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.)
Taiwan's National Security Bureau chief Chen Ming-tong on Thursday said that will not try to attack the nation's remote islands while President Tsai Ing-wen is in office.

Taiwan's intelligence chief made the remark during a question-and-answer session at the Taiwanese legislature, reported NHK World.

Chen ruled out the possibility of a China- armed clash elsewhere during her term.

Regarding the possibility of China's military attack on Taiwan, Chen said possible scenarios include China's occupation of remote islands, blockade of the sea and a saturation attack that overwhelms Taiwan's defense capabilities, reported NHK World.

Chen was specifically asked about media reports saying that the Chinese military may be preparing an attack on the Pratas Islands.

effectively controls the islands, which are located in the South Sea. Beijing claims full sovereignty over despite the island's self-governance for over seven decades. Meanwhile, Taipei continues to counter the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US.

Chen suggested that based on intelligence activities, his bureau has concluded that Beijing is not planning such an attack during Tsai's presidency, which is set to last until May 2024. He said this issue has already been studied inside China, reported NHK World.

However, he admitted that the tension across the Taiwan Strait is rising compared to before. He stressed that any unplanned incidents must be prevented.

(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.)
BEIJING (Reuters) - Some Chinese have sped up the disbursement of home loans in some cities, a relief to cash-strapped developers anxious to complete sales, but no wave of new credit is being unleashed just yet amid a heavy regulatory push to deleverage the sector.

Authorities do not want genuine buyers to be shut out of the market or developers to face delays in receiving payments due to slow loan disbursements in a market whose health is key to the

Disbursement has also picked up after the People's Bank of (PBOC) last month criticised some for their "misunderstanding" of its debt-control policies in the property sector.

Some lenders had held back issuance of home loans earlier in the year, concerned about being accused of creating debt bubbles at a time when the state was cracking down on new borrowing by developers that had binged on loans, bankers told Reuters.

Loan issuance also fell after new central bank requirements capping property loans by in January.

A Beijing banker said banks that had not breached the caps on mortgage loan requirements had gained extra quotas to lend to home buyers recently, with regulators supportive of buyers with so-called rigid demand, referring to purchasing or renting by individuals who recently married or were seeking low-cost housing.

New home prices barely grew in October, weighed down by weak demand in major cities, a private survey showed on Monday.

A banker in Shanghai said his branch accelerated the hand-out of mortgages in the third quarter. Still, his bank was reminded by authorities that the regulatory stance remained very strict on illegal lending to the sector.

"The mortgage quota hasn't increased for us but the issuance of mortgage is speeding up," said another banker in Shanghai.

The slowdown in mortgage approval has partly contributed to the financial stress faced by developers including the embattled Group.

Amid ebbing cash-flows, some developers have failed to finish projects, drawing widespread complaints from home buyers and casting a chill on new purchases.

SHORTER WAIT

"The waiting time for getting mortgages is shorter now, about three to four months compared with six months previously," said a realtor surnamed Liu in Shanghai.

Loan approval had also been faster due to fewer home buyers waiting in the queue, said Zhang Dawei, chief analyst with property agency Centaline.

In October, banks granted some 150 billion yuan to 200 billion yuan ($31 billion) more property loans than in September, according to a Thursday report from state-backed media outlet Cailianshe, citing unidentified sources.

Analysts also noted an acceleration in the issue of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) by banks, implying banks are given another capital-raising route as they use up funds to lend to home buyers.

"The issuance of local RMBS reached 77 billion yuan in September," said Huatai Securities.

"Issuance resumed after a two-month halt and rose by a significant amount, which we see as a gesture of (regulatory) guidance."

As of end-September, outstanding mortgage loans reached 37.37 trillion yuan ($5.84 trillion), central bank data showed.

($1 = 6.4006 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Cheng Leng, Liangping Gao, Zhang Yan and Ryan Woo; Additional reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Robert Birsel)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Andrew Galbraith, Clare Jim and Donny Kwok

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd and three of its units had their shares suspended from trading on Friday, a day after an affiliate missed a payment to onshore investors as China's snowballing property debt crisis jolts other developers.

Shenzhen-based homebuilder Kaisa, which has guaranteed the wealth management product, said in a statement on Thursday it was facing unprecedented liquidity pressure due to a challenging and rating downgrades.

Kaisa and its unit Kaisa Prosperity said in separate exchange filings on Friday that trading in their shares was being suspended pending the release of "inside information". The did not elaborate.

Reuters reported last month, citing sources, that Kaisa was seeking buyers for its property management unit Kaisa Prosperity and two residential sites in Hong Kong, as it scrambles to meet a wall of debt repayments.

Kaisa's troubles come amid concerns about a broadening liquidity crisis in the Chinese property sector, with a string of offshore debt defaults, credit rating downgrades and sell-offs in the developers' shares and bonds in recent weeks.

Kaisa has the most offshore debt coming due over the next year of any Chinese developer after embattled Evergrande Group, which is reeling under more than $300 billion in liabilities.

A finance unit of Kaisa had missed a payment on a wealth management product (WMP), the developer said on Thursday, adding it was raising funds to ease the pressure by taking measures including speeding up asset sales.

Kaisa is planning to sell 18 of its assets in city, mostly retail and commercial properties, worth a total of 81.8 billion yuan ($12.78 billion) by the end of 2022, according to a document seen by Reuters on Friday.

The proceeds will be used to repay the wealth management products. The developer also has 95 urban renewal projects in Shenzhen, valued at 614 billion yuan, which can help replenish its capital after sales upon completion or early disposal.

Media outlet Cailianshe, citing unidentified sources familiar with the matter, reported that state-owned enterprises including Resources Land were in talks to buy some of Kaisa's urban renewal projects in the southern city.

Resources did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Kaisa also did not comment.

DEEPENING LOSSES

Kaisa has about $3.2 billion in offshore senior notes due in the next 12 months, with the next maturity worth $400 million falling on Dec. 7. It has coupon payments totalling over $59 million due on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12.

On Friday, a sub-index tracking the mainland property sector fell 2.8%, deepening its losses in the past two weeks to 17.8%. An index of real estate A-shares also fell 2.1%.

Shares of Evergrande, once China's largest property developer and whose debt woes have sparked a liquidity crisis across China's $5 trillion property sector, fell 2.5% to their lowest close since Sept. 21.

The company's 11.5% October 2022 bond issued by its unit Scenery Journey fell more than 10% on Friday morning to yield above 300%, according to Duration Finance, leading sharp falls across developers' bonds.

Evergrande narrowly averted a default for the second time last week, but faces another hard deadline on Nov. 10 for more than $148 million in coupon payments that had been due on Oct. 11.

Scenery Journey has coupon payments totalling more than $82 million due Nov. 6, though the bonds' terms grant a 30-day grace period on such payments.

An ETF tracking Asian high-yield dollar bonds fell as much as 1.6%, while spreads on Chinese high-yield dollar debt hovered near record highs.

Developers have scrambled to ease short-term liquidity squeezes as they face looming debt repayments and tighter financing conditions.

Yango Group, which earlier this week reached a deal with investors to delay principal payments on asset-backed securities, agreed with investors to extend the payment of its 636.5 million yuan onshore bond due Nov. 19 by one year, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

"Kaisa could likely be another Evergrande," said Raymond Cheng, head of China research at CGS-CIMB Securities, adding that the companies' woes had intensified market concerns over developers' liquidity conditions.

"Even though the regulators have some easing measures ... it seems that may not be able to help that much," he said. "Unless the government has aggressive loosening measures ... we expect to see more and more developers have problems (paying) off their debts."

Local authorities in said in a statement on Friday they would strictly implement policies on regulation and guard against speculation.

($1 = 6.4005 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Clare Jim, Donny Kwok and Anne Marie Roantree in Hong Kong, Andrew Galbraith and Steven Bian in Shanghai, and Cheng Leng and Shuyan Wang in Beijing; Writing by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Shri Navaratnam and Mark Potter)

(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 carbon dioxide emissions of the richest 1 per cent of humanity are on track to be 30 times greater than what is compatible with keeping global heating below 1.5C, new research warns, as scientists urge governments to constrain luxury carbon consumption of private jets, megayachts and space travel, The Guardian reported.



But emissions of the poorest 50 per cent will continue to be below climate goals. According to BBC, the research, carried out by two European environmental agencies, comes as world leaders meet at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. "A tiny elite appear to have a free pass to pollute," saysNaftoke Dabi at Oxfam.



The richest 1 per cent  which is a population smaller than Germany  are on track to be releasing 70 tonnes of CO2 per person a year if current consumption continues, according to the study.

According to The Guardian, in total they will account for 16 per cent of total emissions by 2030, up from 13 per cent of emissions in 1990.

The charity commissioned the study from the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Institute for European Environmental Policy.
Oil prices rose on Friday, staging a partial recovery after OPEC+ producers rebuffed a U.S. call to raise supply and instead maintained plans for a gradual return of output halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Brent crude rose 53 cents or 0.7% to $81.07 a barrel by around 0805 GMT, after falling nearly 2% on Thursday. U.S. oil gained 96 cents or 1.2% to $79.77 a barrel, having declined 2.5% in the previous session.

The OPEC+ group of major producers agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December, ignoring calls from U.S. President Joe Biden for extra output to cool rising prices.

"This was an easy and quick OPEC+ meeting on output," said OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya, adding: "At no point did OPEC+ consider changing their output strategy, which was completely the message they had."

OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other large producers including Russia, has been restricting supply after the pandemic led to an evaporation of demand.

Oil prices recently touched seven-year highs, but fell earlier this week on a U.S. stocks buildup and signs that high prices may encourage more supply elsewhere.

Brent is on track for a nearly 4% decline this week, the second straight week the contract has fallen. U.S. oil is heading for a decline this week of nearly 5%.

But with U.S. retail gasoline prices not far off $4 a gallon, considered a pressure point for American drivers, the onus is on the White House after Biden on Saturday urged major G20 energy producers with spare capacity to boost output.

The White House said Washington would consider a full range of tools at its disposal to guarantee access to affordable energy after OPEC+'s meeting.

"We can only guess at this point, but I'd imagine this will involve releasing the U.S. strategic reserves," said a Singapore-based energy trader. "I don't feel this is playing out well for the Biden administration."

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Ron Bousso

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Friday after OPEC+ producers rebuffed a U.S. call to raise supply to cool the market, sticking to plans for a gradual increase in output after cuts made in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

rose 36 cents, or 0.45%, to $80.90 a barrel by 0912 GMT after touching $81.79. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 60 cents, or 0.76%, to $79.41 after rising as high as $80.17.

The OPEC+ group of major producers agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December, ignoring calls from U.S. President Joe Biden for extra output to cool rising prices.

Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia dismissed calls for speedier increases from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, citing economic headwinds.

The group has been restricting supply after the COVID-19 pandemic led to an evaporation of demand.

But with U.S. retail gasoline prices not far off $4 a gallon, considered a pressure point for American drivers, the onus is on the White House after Biden on Saturday urged major G20 energy producers with spare capacity to boost output.

The White House said Washington would consider a full range of tools at its disposal to guarantee access to affordable energy after the OPEC+ meeting.

The focus will now shift to whether the United States and other countries opt to release oil from strategic petroleum reserves (SPR), UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo said in a note.

"While such a decision would result in price setbacks, the SPR can only fill the gap during temporary production disruptions and not fix structural issues of underinvestment and rising demand," Staunovo said. The bank expects to continue climbing to $90 a barrel over the coming months.

Oil prices recently touched seven-year highs but fell this week after an increase in U.S. inventories and signs that high prices could encourage higher production elsewhere.

Brent is on track for a weekly decline of nearly 4%, the second straight week the contract has fallen. U.S. oil is heading for a decline this week of nearly 5%.

(Additional reporting by Aaron SheldrickEditing by David Goodman)

(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.)
Peloton Interactive Inc. cut its annual revenue forecast by as much as $1 billion and lowered its projections for subscribers and profit margins, underscoring its struggles to adjust to a post-pandemic economy.

The fitness company -- best known for its exercise bikes and remote classes -- now expects of $4.4 billion to $4.8 billion in fiscal 2022, which ends next June. Less than three months ago, it had been predicting revenue of $5.4 billion. On an earnings call with analysts, Peloton said it underestimated the impact of economic reopenings.

The grim outlook sent the stock tumbling as much as 30% to $60.12 in late trading. Even before the swoon, Peloton were down 43% this year.

Peloton was a pandemic phenomenon, with customers flocking to home-exercise services during lockdowns. Now people are heading back to the office, school and gyms, sapping demand for the companys equipment. Supply-chain constraints, as well as the soaring costs of commodities and freight, also are weighing on Peloton.

We anticipated fiscal 2022 would be a very challenging year to forecast, management said in a letter to shareholders Thursday. We will be taking concrete steps to reexamine our expense base and adjust our operating costs.

At best, Peloton currently expects to have 3.45 million connected fitness subscriptions by the end of the fiscal year. It had previously called for 3.63 million. And gross profit margin will be 32%, compared with an earlier forecast of 34%. All that will add up to a loss of as much as $475 million, excluding some items.

On Pelotons earnings call, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer John Foley said the swift change in its outlook is not lost on us and that visibility into its future performance has become more limited. Executives added that traffic to Pelotons retail stores and website tapered more than anticipated, but the company saw positive response to price changes and launches internationally, particularly in Australia.

The company cut the price of its original bike by $400 in August, and that too has hurt profitability -- especially since more shoppers than expected opted for that model over other products.

A softer-than-anticipated start to the second fiscal quarter contributed to the companys decision to rethink its forecast, according to the letter. But Peloton added that its confidence in and commitment to our strategy is unchanged.

Like several other companies, Peloton also blamed Apple Inc.s ad-related privacy changes, which have made it more difficult to target shoppers based on their interests.

Efforts to rein in costs probably wont begin to show up for a quarter or two, the New York-based company said. Peloton expects to be profitable -- before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization -- by fiscal 2023.

Revenue rose 6% to $805.2 million last quarter. That was just above Pelotons $800 million forecast, but below the roughly $809 million anticipated by analysts. The company posted a net loss of $1.25 a share.

The slim growth came from a 94% increase in revenue from subscriptions, which totaled $304.1 million. Hardware fell 17% to $501 million in the first quarter.

Peloton expects to report between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion in revenue for in the second fiscal quarter, which ends in December. That would miss Wall Street estimates of $1.5 billion. Its projecting 2.8 million to 2.85 million in total fitness subscribers by the end of the period.

On a more upbeat note, the company hinted that it plans to launch new products in the coming weeks and months. Peloton has been working on a rowing machine and a heart-rate monitor that attaches to a wearers arm, Bloomberg News has reported.

Peloton previously introduced a line of treadmills, but had to recall both models in May. In August, it brought back the lower-end treadmill, but not the more expensive version, which was linked to a childs death.

On its call Thursday, Peloton said that it expects the first fiscal quarter to be the trough of its results for fiscal 2022 and that inventories are healthy going into the holiday season. But its Precor business -- a division acquired this year that sells workout machines to gyms, hotels and dorms -- has faced supply-chain struggles.

As people continue to return to the office, the average number of monthly workouts fell to 16.6 per subscription from 20.7 a year earlier. In-person gyms, meanwhile, are seeing their fortunes recover. Planet Fitness Inc. jumped to a record high on Thursday after delivering a better-than-anticipated forecast.

Peloton also is trying to shed its upscale image, which may put off many middle-class consumers.

There remains a lingering perception that Peloton is a luxury item, the company said. We intend to amplify the platforms value proposition via increased marketing ahead of and during our key seasonal selling period.
US Vice President on Thursday wished a joyous to all Americans and people across the world celebrating the festival of lights, noting that this year, it carries a deeper meaning in the wake of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

"I want to extend my warmest wishes for a happy to everyone celebrating the festival of lights here in the United States and around the world. This year arrives with even deeper meaning in the midst of a devastating pandemic," Harris said in a video message.

"The holiday reminds us of our nation's most sacred values, our gratitude for the love of family and friends, our responsibility to lend a hand to those in need and our strength to choose light over darkness, to seek knowledge and wisdom and to be a source of goodness and grace," she said.

"Let's remember to honour the light within one another. From our family to yours, I wish you a joyous Diwali," Harris said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hectic fundraising through IPOs will continue next week, with three firms -- One97 Communications, owner of Paytm; Sapphire Foods India, which operates KFC and Pizza Hut outlets; and Latent View Analytics -- are set to launch their initial share-sales to collectively mop up about Rs 21,000 crore.

This comes after five companies successfully concluded their public offerings (IPOs) this week.

Those five firms are FSN E-Commerce Ventures, which runs online marketplace for beauty and wellness products Nykaa; Fino Payments Bank; Policybazaar parent entity PB Fintech; decorative aesthetics supplier SJS Enterprises; and microcrystalline cellulose maker Sigachi Industries.

The three-day IPOs of Paytm, Sapphire Foods India and Latent View Analytics are scheduled to open on November 8, November 9 and November 10, respectively.

So far in 2021, as many as 46 companies have floated their IPOs to raise Rs 80,102 crore and market experts believe that the year should close with the Rs 1-lakh crore primary market fundraising.

Apart from these, PowerGrid InvIT, the infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) sponsored by the Power Grid Corporation of India, mopped up Rs 7,735 crore through its IPO, and Brookfield India Real Estate Trust raised Rs 3,800 crore via its initial share-sale.

The fundraising so far this year is way higher than Rs 26,611 crore collected by 15 companies through initial share-sales in the entire 2020.

Such impressive fundraising through IPOs was last seen in 2017 when firms mobilised Rs 67,147 crore through 36 initial share-sales.

Digital firm One97 Communications, which operates under the brand name, is set to come out with its Rs 18,300-crore IPO on November 8.

The IPO comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 8,300 crore and Rs 10,000 crore from an offer for sale (OFS) by existing shareholders.

The company has fixed a price band of Rs 2,080-2,150 apiece, implying a valuation of around Rs 1.48 lakh crore.

The Rs 18,300-crore offer, if successful, will be the biggest in the country after Coal India's IPO in 2010, wherein the state-owned company had garnered Rs 15,200 crore.

"The biggest merit for Paytm's IPO would be that they have so much more diversified regulatory access under one roof.

"This focus on diversification means that none of their particular business books has depth, unlike other major players who focus more on specialising," Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of True Beacon and Zerodha, said.

On Wednesday, raised Rs 8,235 crore from anchor investors.

Sapphire Foods India's public issue will be entirely an offer of sale (OFS) of 17,569,941 equity shares by promoters and existing shareholders.

As part of the OFS, QSR Management Trust will sell 8.50 lakh shares, Sapphire Foods Mauritius Ltd will offload 55.69 lakh shares, WWD Ruby Ltd will divest 48.46 lakh shares and Amethyst will offer 39.62 lakh shares.

In addition, AAJV Investment Trust will sell 80,169 shares, Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Fund will offload 16.15 lakh shares and Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Fund-Series II will divest 6.46 lakh shares.

The company has fixed a price band of Rs 1,120-1,180 a share for its IPO. At the upper end of the price band, the initial public offering is expected to fetch Rs 2,073 crore.

Latent View Analytics' IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 474 crore and an offer of sale of equity shares to the tune of Rs 126 crore by a promoter and existing shareholders.

As part of the OFS, promoter Adugudi Viswanathan Venkatraman will offload shares worth Rs 60.14 crore, shareholder Ramesh Hariharan will sell Rs 35 crore shares and Gopinath Koteeswaran will offload Rs 23.52 crore shares among others.

Currently, Venkatraman owns a 69.63 per cent stake in the company, Koteeswaran holds a 7.74 per cent stake and Hariharan has a 9.67 per cent holding in the firm.

The company has set a price band of Rs 190-197 a share for its IPO.

The proceeds from the fresh issue will be used for funding inorganic growth initiatives, working capital requirements of the subsidiary LatentView Analytics Corporation, and investment in subsidiaries to augment their capital base for future growth and general corporate purposes.

The company provides services ranging from data and analytics consulting to business analytics and insights, advanced predictive analytics, data engineering and digital solutions.

(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.)
This was supposed to be Jack Ma's finest hour: a year ago to the day, his Ant Group was meant to go public in a $37 billion blaze of glory. Instead Beijing reined in his empire, abruptly clipping the wings of corporate China's biggest star.

Now, to the cautious cheer of investors, the billionaire Alibaba e-commerce tycoon is taking his first tentative steps back on to the global stage with a low-key trip to Europe where he's cultivating like horticulture.

It's a far cry from the height of Ma's statesman-like powers in 2017 when he travelled to New York to meet President-elect for one-on-one talks in Trump Tower days before inauguration and promised to create a million American jobs.

That high-profile outing had roiled the Chinese government, which first learned of the meeting and jobs pledge along with the rest of the world when Ma held an informal televised Q&A session with reporters in the lobby of the skyscraper, according to four people close to Alibaba with knowledge of the matter and one Beijing government source.

Alibaba's government relations team was subsequently told by Chinese officials that Beijing was unhappy about Ma meeting Trump without its prior approval, two of the people close to the company said.

Ma's charitable foundation, which handles his media queries, did not respond to a request for comment.

The State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. All the sources declined to be named due to sensitivity of the matter.

The meeting on Jan. 9 came at a time of taut tensions between the two countries after Trump was critical of China during his election campaign, blaming it for the loss of American jobs.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment.

The four people close to Alibaba said they believed the meeting was a negative turning point in the relationship between Ma and Beijing. They did not elaborate on their thinking.

Investors are hungry for clues about Ma's situation: the mere sighting of the businessman on the Spanish island of Mallorca last month, his first trip abroad in over a year, immediately saw Alibaba gain as much as $42 billion in value.

The story of his fall from official favour helps illustrate how rapidly China has transformed under Xi Jinping, as he nears what could be a precedent-breaking third term as leader of the economic powerhouse and exerts greater control over some of its most innovative companies.

'A NATURAL FIRST TARGET'

Authorities cracked down on Ma's business empire after he gave a speech in Shanghai in October last year accusing financial watchdogs of stifling innovation. Regulators suspended the $37 billion listing of his fintech firm Ant Group two days before the planned debut on Nov. 5, ordered that Ant be restructured and launched antitrust investigations into Ma's businesses, eventually leading to a record $2.75 billion fine for Alibaba in April.

The clampdown has spread across the private sector, with officials tightening oversight of companies in technology, real estate, gaming, education, cryptocurrencies and finance.

"Given that Jack appeared too provocative, out of step with the new approach to governance espoused by Xi, he was a natural first target to signal that a major change had begun," said Duncan Clark, chairman of Beijing-based investment advisory firm BDA China and author of a book on Alibaba and Ma.

"Jack was rubbing shoulders regularly with foreign presidents, prime ministers, royalty, celebrities at places like Davos or on his own visits overseas. There was a constant stream of VIP visitors to see him in Hangzhou too."

Ma's global outreach did not end after the Trump meeting, though.

Between 2018 and 2020 he held talks with a host of high-profile figures, including U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Queen Rania of Jordan, Malaysia's veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad and then Belgian premier Charles Michel, according to Alibaba's portal Alizila and media reports.

At Alibaba's Hangzhou headquarters, it has a building housing the company's museum where Ma and his business partner Joe Tsai would take foreign visitors and show them around, according to another person close to Ma.

Tsai did not respond to a request for comment via Alibaba.

Ma had viewed meetings with foreign politicians as "unofficial diplomacy" for China, which he enjoyed doing, the person added.

Alibaba told Reuters it had a guest reception facility widely known as Pavilion 9 that offered a visual tour of its history and an overview of its businesses. It has hosted a wide variety of guests at the exhibition hall in its headquarters, it added.

The company did not respond to other queries for this story.

'JUST LIKE YOU AND ME'

In a sign of how life has changed for one of China's most successful and influential businessmen, Ma requested an audience with at least two people in Xi's inner circle in the weeks following the blocking of Ant's listing, but his requests were turned down by both, said two separate sources briefed by those people.

The billionaire subsequently wrote directly to Xi earlier this year offering to devote the rest of his life to China's rural education, according to a government source who said the president spoke about the letter at a meeting of the country's senior leaders in May.

Reuters could not determine whether Xi approved of or responded to the offer, which has not been previously reported, or precisely when Ma, a former English teacher, penned the missive.

The Alibaba-owned South China Morning Post said last month Ma was visiting Europe on an "agriculture and technology study tour related to environmental issues", citing a person familiar with his itinerary.

Last week the paper published pictures of Ma wearing a white protective gown and holding flowerpots. It said he would continue touring European companies and research institutions involved in agricultural infrastructure and plant breeding, citing people familiar with his plans.

Tsai, the co-founder of Alibaba, played down his long-time associate's influence in a rare interview about the elusive billionaire with CNBC's Squawk Box show in June.

"He's lying low right now. I talk to him every day," Tsai said. "The idea that Jack has this enormous amount of power, I think that's not quite right," he added.

"He is just like you and me, he's a normal individual."

(Reporting by Julie Zhu and Kane Wu in Hong Kong; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee, Paritosh Bansal and Pravin Char)

(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.)
Crude prices rose more than 2% on Friday on renewed supply concerns after OPEC+ producers rebuffed a U.S. call to accelerate output increases even as demand nears pre-pandemic levels.

was up $2.14, or 2.7%, at $82.68 per barrel by 1:01 a.m. EDT (1701 GMT). West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) gained $2.47, or 3% to $81.28.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, agreed on Thursday to stick to their plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December. U.S. President Joe Biden had called for extra output to cool rising prices.

OPEC's decision to stay the course and the Biden administration's lack of a substantial response has the oil rally continuing, said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

Only a coordinated effort, with China and others involved, would address the lack of barrels in the market, Yawger added.

After the OPEC+ meeting, the White House said it would consider all tools at its disposal to guarantee affordable energy, including the possibility of releasing oil from strategic petroleum reserves (SPR).

Sentiment also gained from data showing US employment rising more than expected in October.

" know that the release of strategic reserves can only have a temporary bearish effect on prompt prices and is not a lasting solution for an imbalance between supply and demand," Rystad Energy head of oil Bjornar Tonhaugen said in a note.

Brent was on track for a second straight weekly decline, down about 2%, while WTI was bound for a dip of 3%.

"While factors such as a very cold winter - which may drive the use of more oil for heating - could be supportive for prices, it will be tough for Brent prices to break above the $87 mark," said Ann-Louise Hittle, vice president, oils research at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, noting a limited capacity for gas-to-oil switching despite the high price of the former.

(Reporting by Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru, Ron Bousso in London; additional reporting by Aaron Sheldrick and Bharat Govind Gautam; Editing by Marguerita Choy, Kirsten Donovan)

(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.)
Congress chief on Friday said that he does not have any differences with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and will work for his party's win with a majority in the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference here today, Sidhu, who had tendered resignation from his chief post on September 28 this year, announced that he has taken back his resignation.

"I have been meeting him (CM) for a long time. I have been speaking to him for the last one month. The first meeting was in Bhavan, at that time it was decided that the panel (on DGP) will come and in one-week things will be settled. It is a 90 days government, 50 days have gone," he said.

"There's nothing personal. I speak to him for the state. I speak to him for all the good that can be done for the state. I have no differences with Charanjit Channi, not at all. Whatever I do is for Punjab. I stand for Punjab. Punjab is my soul. That's the goal," he added.

On September 28, Sidhu resigned as the chief of the Punjab Unit of Congress. He was reportedly upset over the bureaucratic setup and his commands not being followed after the Cabinet expansion in Punjab.

Speaking further, the Congress leader said: "During the last 4.5 years, I have raised many issues such as liquor, buses, etc. The CM had centralised power but didn't take any action. I don't have any greed for a post but I only fight for Punjab's people's rights. I will make Congress win 80-100 seats in 2022 polls."

Sidhu was appointed as the president of the Punjab Congress on July 23 this year following months of turmoil in the state Congress unit. He was apparently appointed against the wishes of then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

Amarinder Singh had in September stepped down as the chief minister and recently tendered his resignation from the primary membership of Congress which has also been accepted by party interim chief Sonia Gandhi. The former chief minister has launched a new party 'Punjab Lok Congress'.

Asked if Congress will rope Prashant Kishore as a political strategist for the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, Sidhu said: "It is the decision of the party, if CM says, they will decide on it."

Congress is planning to re-rope Prashant Kishore as a political strategist for the 2022 Punjab assembly elections.

The revelation was made by Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi during a meeting with party MLAs in the state on Tuesday evening.

In a video of the meeting, Channi could be heard saying that Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary has told him that "Prashant Kishore is likely to be introduced as a Political Strategist for Punjab Assembly Elections 2022."

Elections to 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held next year. In 2017 Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.

(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.)
Biotechnology firm Novavax Inc said it has completed the rolling submission for the emergency use listing (EUL) of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate to the (WHO).

Earlier on Monday, Novavax and its partner (SII) had said that they had received the first emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia.

"The company has now completed the submission to (WHO) of all modules required for the regulatory evaluation of NVX-CoV2373, the company's recombinant nanoparticle protein-based Covid-19 vaccine with Matrix-M adjuvant," Novavax Inc said in a statement on Thursday.



The chemistry, manufacturing and controls module submitted to WHO, as well as other regulatory agencies worldwide, leverages Novavax' manufacturing partnership with the SII, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, it added.

Novavax will make further submissions to enable vaccine supply from additional manufacturing sites in Novavax' global supply chain. The filing by Novavax is in addition to a previous filing to WHO by Novavax and SII, the company said.

"Today's submission reflects our continued focus on accelerating access and equitable distribution as we work to bring our vaccine to people in need around the globe," Novavax President and Chief Executive Officer Stanley C Erck said.

The grant of WHO EUL is a pre-requisite for exports to numerous countries participating in the COVAX Facility, which was established to allocate and distribute vaccines equitably to participating countries and economies, Novavax Inc said.

The company continues to work closely with governments, regulatory authorities and non-governmental organisations in its commitment to ensuring equitable global access to its Covid-19 vaccine, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A new report from Bibby Financial Services Ireland has found that 87% of SMEs are planning to invest in their business over the next 12 months. This study is based on a poll of 200 Irish SME owners and decision makers across the manufacturing, construction, wholesale, transport and services sectors. Respondent businesses had an average annual turnover of 3.2m.

The majority of businesses (84%) also say they are either confident or very confident about their business prospects for the remainder of the year and into 2022, with 54% identifying new customers as a top area for growth. Meanwhile, 35% of businesses say they dont believe a return to pre-pandemic levels will recover until after the first quarter of 2022, with this sentiment felt strongest by transport and wholesale businesses who believe that demand will not return until at least August 2022.

Notwithstanding growing optimism, key fiscal and operational challenges still remain for Ireland SMEs. Twenty nine percent say suppliers have gone into administration, liquidation or receivership, rising to 43% for those in the construction section and 41% for wholesalers. Other key challenges include increasing business costs (32%), overcoming Covid-19 safety protocols (29%) and renegotiating new rates with customers and suppliers (28%).

Further demonstrating the supply chain impact of the pandemic, more than one in ten (12%) say they have withheld payments to suppliers, with those in the transport sector (19%) most likely to have held back these payments. While subsequent impact on the flow of payments between Irish businesses is expected, its effects are likely to be long-standing.

The statistics show that an average investment amount of 114,338 is planned per business, with the top three areas of investment identified as:

Staff training and development (39%)

Digital technology and IT (39%)

Recruitment of new staff (34%)

Commenting on the research, Managing Director of Bibby Financial Services Ireland, Mark ORourke said, "As businesses recover and get back on their feet, its concerning that a third say their greatest challenge is rising business costs, while almost a quarter say they need cash flow support more than ever before. As a result, the private and public sectors need to remain focused on providing any required financial support to enable SMEs to do what they do best - drive employment, boost output, and fulfil consumer demand."

He added, "This help comes in many forms, be it through the provision of funding to unlock cashflow, supporting businesses in overcoming the complexities of trading overseas in a post-Brexit world or helping SMEs to understand changing customer behaviours and transitioning to digital operating models. The research ultimately shows that a diverse range of financial tools including invoice finance will help companies grow and prosper into 2022."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Whats new: Beijing will impose punitive measures against diehard Taiwan separatists and investigate them for criminal acts, said Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office.

Zhu said the measures include prohibiting such separatists and their relatives from entering the Chinese mainland and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, as well as restricting cooperation between their affiliated organizations and mainland organizations and individuals.

They also include banning affiliated companies and financial supporters of the separatists from earning profits in the mainland, Zhu said.

A small number of diehard separatists have been trying to incite cross-strait confrontation, maliciously attacking and slandering the mainland and colluding with external forces to divide the country, which seriously damages cross-strait relations and seriously harms the common interests of compatriots on both sides, and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.

The background: Beijing has been reiterating its stance on matters related to Taiwan and warning against remarks and actions regarded as a violation of the One China policy.

Last month, a Ministry of National Defense spokesperson said the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army is on high alert and maintains combat readiness against external interference and separatist acts, in response to a question about a U.S. statement that said the Pentagon will help Taiwan maintain its defensive capabilities.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the United States to pursue a real one-China policy when he met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Sunday, noting that bilateral relations would suffer subversive and overall damage if Taiwan issues are mishandled.

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.

Contact reporter Cai Xuejiao (xuejiaocai@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
Painter Zhang Ben opened his new exhibition on Nov. 6 at Shanghai's M50 Art Zone. Zhang, born in Huangshan, East Chinas Anhui province, in 1984, is now working at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Known for his Symbolist oil paintings, Zhang presents a surrealistic space that reflects his inner self, including religious elements. Xiangwai Artha, an art-sharing platform, contributed to todays gallery

Nov 19, 2021 06:03 PM
St. Johnsbury, VT (05819)

Today

Snow this morning will give way to some clearing this afternoon. High 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 90%..

Tonight

Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 36F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
The Western Carteret Fire and EMS Department Association, a private, nonprofit organization, recently donated money for to Western Carteret Fire and EMS Department to buy this $18,000 car for administrative use. (Contributed photo)
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Glen, NH (03838)

Today

Cloudy with a mixture of rain and snow this morning. Becoming partly cloudy this afternoon. High 46F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain and wind. Low 37F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Carroll, IA (51401)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 44F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
If theres one thing Disney learned under Bob Igers leadership, its the value of a sequel. So we arent too shocked to learn (via The Hollywood Reporter) that the departing executive chairman, who will leave the company at the end of the year, is working on a follow-up to his memoir The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.

That book was supposed to seal Igers legacy at the company. When it was published in September 2019, Disney was a very different place. Covid had yet to convulse almost every strand of its business, from theme parks to theatrical releases. Disney+, its brightest spot in the pandemic, had yet to launch.

The period since has turned into an unexpected coda to Igers Disney career. He abruptly transitioned from CEO to his current role in February 2020, but within months he was apparently back in the driving seat, The New York Times reporting in April 2020 that he had effectively returned to running the company as the virus wreaked havoc.
Photo: Heinz UK Christmas Dinner Big Soup

Heinz in the UK has really stepped up its holiday game.

The company offers several gifts, including personalized cans of beans, personalized ketchup, and for this holiday season, Christmas dinner in a can.

Its called Christmas Dinner Big Soup.

Heinz describes it as packed full of big chunks of all your festive feasting favourites: Turkey, stuffing, chunky potatoes, brussels sprouts and even pigs in blankets  for no-nonsense seasonal satisfaction.

If that tickles your taste buds, youll have to wait for next year.

The limited-edition offering of 500 cans has already sold out on the Heinz-to-home UK website.
Photo: Cornelia Naylor

A New Westminster pharmacy is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit over allegations that it reused syringes to administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients in the summer.

The lawsuit, filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver Oct. 13, arises from vaccinations that took place between Aug. 24 and 26, 2021 at Kent Pharmacy on Columbia Street. The notice of claim says patients who received their vaccines on those days were notified about a month later (on or about Sept. 22) that the syringes had been reused. (The syringe refers to the plastic tube containing the vaccine solution, not the actual needle.)

As a result, patients were advised that they could be at risk of contracting blood-borne illnesses and needed to be tested three times over the course of the next three months, it says.

The plaintiff named in the notice is Marie Powell, an education assistant who lives in New Westminster.

The suit says she has:

sustained personal injury, loss and damage and, in particular, has sustained:

a. Mental injuries; and

b. Such further and other injuries as may become apparent through medical reports, testing and examinations, details of which shall be provided as they become known.

Powells suit is seeking an order certifying it as a class action, with her as representative plaintiff. It asks for general damages, special damages, damages for lost income and loss of opportunity, damages for loss of past and future earning capacity, aggravated damages and punitive damages.

Its also looking to recover the costs of future care, costs of the action and the recovery of health-care costs incurred by the Ministry of Health, on their behalf.

The notice of claim names three defendants: Kent Pharmacy, pharmacist/pharmacy manager Bhanu Prasad Seelaboyina and pharmacy owner Fabina Kara.

As a result of the defendants failure to use reasonable care, skill and diligence in and about the treatment of the plaintiff and other class members, the plaintiff and other proposed class members suffer, at a minimum, mental injuries and alteration of lifestyles as a result of potential exposure to illnesses. Further, the plaintiff and proposed class members may in fact develop illnesses that could seriously harm them and impair their functioning, and possibly cause death, the notice of claim says.

No response to the claim has yet been filed, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.

B.C. College of Pharmacists has taken action

Seelaboyina has also been the subject of a complaint to the B.C. College of Pharmacists. A complaint outcome posted on the colleges website notes that:

The registrant has admitted to using the same syringe barrel for multiple patients while administering COVID-19 vaccinations between August 24, 2021 and August 26, 2021. This conduct occurred while he was in a leadership role as a pharmacy manager.

A College of Pharmacists inquiry committee has reached an agreement with Seelaboyina that places conditions on his practice, pending an investigation into his conduct, until further notice.

He is required to not act in the role of a pharmacy manager and to not administer drugs or substances by injection and/or intranasal route.

The college has also revoked his drug administration certification.
Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative MP James Bezan rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 10, 2021.The Conservative opposition is calling on Liberal government to give money to Kabul safe houses that are providing refuge to 1,700 Afghan interpreters and their families. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Kabul safe houses that have been providing refuge to more than 1,700 Afghan interpreters and their families are to close Friday due to lack of funding, say groups that have been trying to help them.

Veterans groups previously raised about $2 million in private donations but said they would need an additional $5 million to keep the safe houses open after Friday.

The safe house occupants will have to find other places to stay in the Afghan capital and have been making contingency plans, said retired major-general Denis Thompson, part of a grassroots network of veterans, refugee advocates and other volunteers working to help the former interpreters.

Thompson said he was hopeful the interpreters and their families could still be helped to one day flee. He said the safe house option was never meant to be a long-term proposition.

He said he believes the summer federal election in Canada, which plunged the federal bureaucracy into the so-called "caretaker" mode meant that no concrete policy decisions could be made by public servants to help the Afghans. In the end, that led to high costs for the safe houses.

"It is much cheaper to resettle people than to pay for safe houses," said Thompson.

"We're talking millions of dollars, not even tens of millions of dollars, to complete this entire resettlement. It's a G7 nation; these are not huge sums of money."

Other veterans said the closure of the accommodations could leave the occupants at the mercy of Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers, who stormed back to power this summer.

Retired captain Corey Shelson said the federal Immigration Department has been too slow to approve applications and travel documents for Afghan interpreters.

"There's going to be 1,700 people leaving ... and many of them are probably going to die. I don't know how else to say it," said Shelson.

"I can tell you that the 1,700 people that are currently living in the safe house are going to end up on the streets tomorrow due to bureaucratic inefficiencies within the Canadian government."

The federal government has not directly funded the safe houses, which were seen as a temporary measure to help move vulnerable Afghans out of the country.

Thompson said he hopes the Taliban won't take drastic action against any of the safe house occupants as the new rulers try to seek international recognition as Afghanistan's new government and international humanitarian aid to stave off mass hunger due to a collapsing economy.

"It's difficult to say how the Taliban would react. Our assessment is that they've been restrained."

Thompson said the Kabul safe house occupants travelled from the southern city of Kandahar with the hope they would be airlifted by the American-led military forces that included Canada. But the airlift ended at the end of the August with the full U.S. military withdrawal leaving the Afghan interpreters and their families behind.

Some of the safe house occupants can't go back to Kandahar because the Taliban have taken over their homes, while some have received death threats by telephone, said Thompson.

The safe houses also offered access to food and medical care, in addition to providing a safe haven. Many of the occupants will be living under much more harsh conditions, he said.

"It's not going to be pretty," said Thompson. "Some of them are going to be living rough, I'm sure. And some of them are going to have to take the chance of returning to Kandahar."

Earlier Friday, the Conservatives called on the Liberal government to give urgent funding to the groups that have come together to organize and operate the safe houses.

Conservative MP James Bezan said the Trudeau government has been missing in action and must step in and fill the spending void.

"Not only did Justin Trudeau fail to get Canadians, interpreters, support staff, and their families out of Afghanistan as the country fell to the Taliban, he is now refusing to fund their safe houses," Bezan said in a written statement.

"These individuals supported our military heroes in Afghanistan and the least we can do is help make sure they are safe."

Global Affairs Canada has said little about any government efforts to support the safe houses, citing security considerations.

It has said it is working with the Veterans Transition Network and Journalists for Human Rights to protect vulnerable people in Afghanistan, including human rights defenders and former Canadian Armed Forces interpreters.
Photo: Craig Simailak

Aani Uqaitu hasn't been able to see her 89-year-old mother for six months since she was sent to a long-term care home 1,200 kilometres away from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut.

Uqaitu's mother, who has dementia, is one of many Nunavut elders who are flown to Southern Canada every year for care.

The territory does not have the capacity to care for elders with complex needs. Nunavut's Health Department says there are 43 elders currently living at Embassy West Senior Living in Ottawa.

A petition to build an elder care home in each of Nunavut's 25 communities hopes to change that. The petition has received over 19,000 signatures in the last month.

"It's been really hard," Uqaitu told The Canadian Press.

In October, a group of elders in Baker Lake, Nunavut, protested outside the community's elders centre, which closed in 2018. They held signs that called for it to be reopened.

There are elders centres in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven and Igloolik. There are also assisted-living facilities in Arviat and Iqaluit. A long-term care centre is to open in Rankin Inlet in 2023.

Manitok Thompson, a former Nunavut member of the legislature who now lives in Ottawa, started the petition with her friends after seeing more and more elders sent to the south over the years.

Thompson said she spends much of her time visiting them at Embassy West and crying with families who have to leave their loved ones behind.

"I was shocked. I got very emotional," she said. "It's just not right."

Thompson, who speaks Inuktitut, said she regularly gets requests from Nunavut residents to visit their family members in Ottawa.

"I've heard so many stories of 'she died alone' or 'he died alone,'" Thompson said. "The spirit dies. It's too different. The language is not there."

Often she'll bring the elders familiar country foods like cooked seal meat. Her friends bring it down for her when they come to Ottawa. Sometimes she brings containers of it back when she visits Nunavut.

Uqaitu, who lives in Sanikiluaq with her family, has been through this before. Her father died at Embassy West last year, but she couldn't see him because of pandemic restrictions.

"I'm always afraid that it might happen again with my mom," she said. "She always says she wants to go home."

Recently, a doctor told Uqaitu her mother had stopped eating. Herequested that the elder be given a meal replacement formula.

"She always lived on country food. She doesn't want to eat white people's food," Uqaitu said.

She and her husband have full-time jobs and, like many people in the community, were not able to keep their parents at home.

"There are elders here who don't want to be sent out to Embassy West. They're afraid they won't come back."

Thompson hopes Nunavut's newly elected members of the legislative assembly will table the petition when the assembly sits later this month. She also wants the assembly to create a special committee to look at bringing elder care home to the territory.

"This petition is a cry for help. The elders are not going to complain," Thompson said.

"Leaving somebody is very, very difficult. But what choice do they have?"
Photo: Google Maps

Suspected Islamic extremists ambushed a self-defence brigade in western Niger, killing 69 people in the latest attack in the volatile border region near Mali, the Interior Ministry said.

The violence took place earlier this week near Banibangou, the ministry said in a statement Thursday.

The town's mayor was among those killed in the Tuesday attack and 15 other members of the village defence group were wounded in the ambush, the statement said.

The local self-defence groups have been helping Niger's military to fight extremists who have stepped up attacks on civilians this year blamed on Islamic State-linked militants.

The resurgence of extremist violence began with a January attack on two villages that killed at least 100 people. The following month 237 more were killed in a series of attacks at the hands of armed gunmen riding motorcycles.

The mounting violence poses a strong threat to Nigers President Mohamed Bazoum, who was sworn into office in April only days after security forces thwarted an attempted military coup at the presidential palace.
Photo: CTV News

A B.C. man who gained notoriety and the attention of the justice system for his stance on COVID-19 protocols, Makhan Singh Parhar, has died.

Parhar was a prominent COVID-19 denier and flat-earth conspiracy theorist who was arrested for violating the Quarantine Act last year and was in the midst of a court case for refusing to self-isolate after returning to British Columbia from a flat earth conference in the U.S. in 2020.

CTV News Vancouver is reporting the BC Coroners Service is investigating the circumstances around his death. Parkhar was found deceased in his Sapperton neighbourhood home Thursday morning.

In a video posted on Wednesday, Parkhar said he wasn't feeling well, describing COVID-19 like symptoms. In the video, he claims to have taken Ivermectin, the anti-parasite drug health officials have warned against using as a treatment for COVID-19.

The BC Coroner Service is obliged to investigate all sudden deaths in the province. An official cause of death has not been released yet.

-with files from CTV News Vancouver
Colin Powell is shown here in this file photo attending an event honoring the 20th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War on January 20, 2011 in College Station Texas. The Washington National Cathedral on Friday will host a funeral for the late Secretary of State.
INSEE Cement adds import vessels to address cement scarcity in Sri Lanka

05 November 2021

INSEE Cement has added two more import vessels to its operations in order to increase cement supply across Sri Lanka, according to the Daily Mirror.

"INSEE Cement continues to operate at maximum production capacity to ensure the Sri Lankan construction industry remains on its path to a successful recovery," said Gustavo Navarro, INSEE Cements CEO.

"What the domestic market is experiencing is an artificial scarcity that was first created by importers refusing to release their stocks to the market. Unfortunately, now they are struggling to revive the interrupted supply chain, due to cement exporters struggling to meet the demand in their own countries. Therefore, today, even with the government lifting controlled pricing, we have a shortage of cement imports to Sri Lanka. INSEE is once again stepping up to meet this challenge by introducing two more additional import vessels to our logistics operation."

The company is currently operating at its maximum production and import capacity of 3.6Mta.

Published under
Martin Marietta thrives going west

05 November 2021

This week, Martin Marietta, USA, released its third-quarter 2021 results with its Building Material business segment achieving a record US$1.39bn of revenues for the period. ICR looks at what is helping the company break records and how it is evolving its business model to favour future growth opportunities.



Martin Marietta is set up as an aggregates-led building materials company. It is the market leader or in second place in 90 per cent of US aggregate markets, having bolstered its operations significantly since 2010. Its aggregate platform stretches from Florida, the Carolinas and Virginia in the east to the central markets of Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska, and down to Texas in the south.

The performance of the company's aggregate shipments rose sharply in the 3Q21 to 57Mt, up 10 per cent from 51.8Mt in the 3Q20. However, average selling prices were relatively steady at US$14.93/t compared to US$14.75/t in the 3Q20, up just one per cent.

The 3Q21 saw Martin Marietta's Building Materials business benefit from organic shipment and pricing growth as well as value-enhancing acquisitions. It also achieved successful mid-year price increases for its products.

Steady cement sales

The contribution of the cement division saw the slowest growth for the US building material company in the 3Q21. Total shipments of cement reached 1.1Mt, up just four per cent in the 3Q21 from 1Mt in the 3Q20. However, company revenues were supported by an eight per cent rise in cement prices that saw cement revenue climb from US$113.4m in 3Q20 to US$122.9m in the 3Q21. Still, the cement product gross margin declined 250 basis points to 37.7 per cent, as higher energy and raw material costs outpaced pricing gains.

Ward Nye, chairman and CEO of Martin Marietta, stated, "Our third-quarter results demonstrate Martin Marietta's industry-leading performance and disciplined execution of our proven Strategic Operating Analysis and Review (SOAR) plan."

Western cement expansion

The company has strong representation in the western region now, covering the states of Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. Martin Marietta made a strategic acquisition this year to acquire the Lehigh West region, adding the cement plants of Tehachapi and Redding as well as distribution terminals, 17 aggregate and asphalt sites. Martin Marietta viewed the investment as a priority SOAR 2025 target, offering mega-region markets with attractive long-term demand drivers and further bolt-on opportunities. Its west coast presence includes cement (2.6Mt), aggregates (~13Mt), ready-mix (2.3Mm3) and asphalt (2.8Mt).

Texas remains the main hub of the company's cement operations, where a new finish Mill No7 will soon add 0.5Mta of cement capacity to the flagship Midlothian cement plant. The company's total grey cement capacity is approximately 6.2Mta, while the white cement capacity totals 0.11Mta, according to ICR estimates.

Current drivers for the company include the continuation of the resolution of the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST ACT), which maintains funding until 3 December 2021 and the future role of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA Act). The IIJA Act will see increasing funding levels not seen for more than 15 years. Meanwhile, in the FY22, the annual Federal Highways programme will see appropriations of US$67bn and this will continue to rise each year through to US$72bn in FY26, according to the American Road & Transport Builders Association.

The US housing market is less buoyant for building material companies with single-family housing starts in 2022 down 42 per cent to 991,000 from the 2005 high of 1.216m, according to the US Census.

Outlook

The new western markets have expanded Martin Marietta's cement operations so that it has coast-to-coast coverage. It cites further bolt-on acquisition targets in the west, central, southwest and east divisions as well as new market expansion in the west coast, South Florida, DC Metro and Tennessee.

The company's preliminary view of 2022 anticipates: "Organic aggregates shipments to increase in the low-to-mid single-digits as third-party labour and logistics challenges continue to impact an otherwise robust product demand environment. Martin Marietta remains confident that favourable pricing dynamics will continue, supported by the company's locally-driven pricing strategy, and anticipates mid-to-high single-digit growth in organic aggregates pricing in 2022."

Published under
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions
Chatham, VA (24531)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 56F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
String Theory at the Hunter, in partnership with Lee University and the Hunter Museum of American Art, will continue Season Thirteen on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. Celebrated horn virtuoso Radovan Vlatkovic, making his String Theory debut, will be joined by acclaimed violinist Soovin Kim, and Artistic Director and pianist Gloria Chien.

Mr. Vlatkovic, Mr. Kim, and Dr. Chien will perform Beethovens Horn Sonata Op. 17, Ravel's Violin Sonata No. 2, and Brahms Horn Trio, a hauntingly beautiful blend of elegy, nostalgia, and vigor.

We are excited to perform this monumental work with the most celebrated horn player in the world, said Dr. Chien.

At 6 p.m., prior to the concert, the musicians will hold Musical Dialogue, a conversation on their lives, inspirations, and the masterpieces being performed that evening.

Mr. Vlatkovic has travelled the globe as a horn soloist, recording artist, and teacher. It has been said that he can make his horn singa slender, warm, and most notably clear sound. He has won numerous awards, including an Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music and the German Critics Award. Mr. Vlatkovic has also been Artistic Director of the September Chamber Music Festival in Maribor, Slovenia; premiered multiple works; taught at Stuttgart Musikhochschule and Mozarteum in Salzburg; and performed with several symphony and chamber orchestras.

Mr. Kim, an internationally renowned violinist described as superbimpassioned, (Berkshire Review) was the first violinist of the Johannes String Quartet for 20 years, until they disbanded. He frequently performs at the Marlboro Festival and founded the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival. He can be heard on multiple recordings, including his solo CD Gypsy. Mr. Kim is currently a member of the faculty at the New England Conservatory. He has been awarded the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and the Henryk Szeryng Foundation Career Award.

Dr. Chien is the co-artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon, as well as the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, along with her husband, Soovin. For the last decade, Dr. Chien was the director of the Chamber Music Institute at Music@Menlo. She frequently appears with the Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center and is a Steinway Artist. She also serves as an artist-in-residence at Lee University.

Earlier this month, Dr. Chien and Mr. Kim were named the recipients of the 2021 CMS Award for their extraordinary service to chamber music. This award, given only under special circumstances, will be presented to them on Nov. 9 at Alice Tully Hall in New York City, following a CMS concert.

Even during the deepest and darkest days of the pandemic, we knew this award should go next to those who were working tirelessly to keep the art form thriving in the face of tremendous odds, said David Finckel and Wu Han, co-artistic directors of CMS. As young artistic directors, and stellar performers, Gloria and Soovin have set an example, not only as artists, but citizens of the world.

Tickets are on sale now through Nov. 16 for the String Theory concert and are $45 for general admission, $35 for Hunter Museum members, $10 for students and music teachers with ID, and $25 for groups of 20 or more.

The performance will also be aired on WTCI-TV Channel 45 Broadcast on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.

String Theory was founded in 2009 by Dr. Chien to expose new audiences to chamber music, invigorate the local classical music scene, and cultivate a future generation of music lovers.

String Theory at the Hunter is dedicated to the health and safety of its members, guests, and the surrounding community. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, attendees must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the concert. Temperature checks will be taken for guests under age 12. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status, and social-distancing guidelines will be observed.

Season Thirteen will continue in February 2022 with violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, cellist David Requiro making his String Theory debut, and Dr. Chien. The trio will perform Josef Suks Elegy, Zoltan Kodalys Duo for Violin and Cello, and Bedrich Smetanas Piano Trio in G minor.

For more information about String Theory or to purchase tickets, visit www.stringtheorymusic.org/concerts/beethoven-ravel-and-brahms or call 414-2525.
The Lee University womens basketball team went up against one of the best teams in Division I play in an exhibition game on Thursday evening and fell to the 15th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 95-51. It was the first Lee meeting against an SEC opponent.Tonight was obviously a very tough test for our team. Kentucky is just so long and athletic that they took us out of a lot of the offensive action we like to run, said Lee Coach Marty Rowe. That being said, when we executed, I thought we did some good things.This was an awesome experience for our team and my family. I cant thank Kentucky enough for this experience.Kentucky jumped in front 56-27 by halftime and never looked back. However, the Lady Flames did battle the SEC powerhouse on even terms in the third quarter (20-20) before being outscored 19-4 in the final frame. The Wildcats were led by DreUna Edwards who had 21 points and eight rebounds. Former Bradley Central star and All-American Rhyne Howard had 17 points and seven rebounds. Olivia Owens countered with 16 points and seven boards.Lee senior guard Haley Schubert led all scorers with 28 points. She also pulled down six rebounds. Julia Duncan added eight points and freshman Anna Muhoen finished with six. Addison Smith added six rebounds and Camryn Grant five.The Wildcats dominated the stat chart, shooting 51% from the field (40-78) and 35% from behind the arc (6-17). They went to the line 20 times and made nine (45%). The Lady Flames converted 44% from the floor (22-50) and made 6-15 3-pointers (40%). They made the only free throw they attempted the entire evening. Kentucky dominated the glass 41-28 and claimed 20 offensive rebounds while the Lady Flames captured just six.Our goal for this game was to compete for 40 minutes no matter the score and honestly that should be our goal every game, Coach Rowe added. We will address some things for this Saturday and get back to work. It will be Homecoming when the Lady Flames host Covenant College in an exhibition game scheduled for 12 noon. The men will follow at 2 p.m. and face Brescia University in an exhibition. Both games are slated for Walker Arena.
A noise complaint was reported on E. 4th Street for the second time during the evening. When the officer arrived this time, the party had grown in the last hour and was significantly louder. Police spoke again with the man at the residence and told him to shut the party down and start sending people home. The man walked into the house and instructed people to leave, but after several minutes, only a few people had left. Police walked up onto the porch to tell everyone that the party was over, and they were confronted by several people (clearly intoxicated) demanding a warrant before they entered the house. Instead of arguing, the police simply yelled for everyone to go home, at which point people actually began leaving. Several cars had used the parking lot of New City Fellowship (approximately one block west) for parking, and after people left the house, they gathered in that parking lot. Police again gave commands to disperse, using voice as well as lights and siren. Police spoke with the man again and explained that this was the second time in one night, and at least the second night that police had been called to his house for a nuisance. The man provided the names of two men as his only roommates, and said they were UTC students. The man agreed to keep the household from becoming any further nuisance.

* * *

Police responded to a couple in a verbal disorder on Spears Avenue. The woman decided she was going to go elsewhere for the night. She left the scene and the man stayed at the residence.

* * *

An anonymous caller reported that several people were outside Mary's Lounge, 2125 Mccallie Ave., yelling and talking about having weapons. Police saw many cars parked across the street from Mary's Lounge, but no loud music or yelling. Police spoke with the security guard, who said that there had been a verbal argument in the parking lot across S. Kelley Street, but he had gone over there and broken it up. Police located another verbal argument of some sort in the 2100 block of Oak Street, but it dispersed without issue or any crime. The officer wrote several parking tickets for vehicles illegally parked in the area (a common issue at this establishment)

* * *

Police responded to suspicious activity at an address on Tiftonia View Road. Officers made contact with the complainant who said she observed a suspicious vehicle slowly driving by her house several times. She also said the vehicle parked in front of her house with the lights off for some time. Officers also made contact with a neighbor who said he observed the suspicious vehicle parked in front of the house. He made contact with the people in the vehicle. He said he saw that they were inside the vehicle smoking and one of the passengers got out of the vehicle, swapped out with the driver, and then the vehicle drove away.



* * *

On Wilcox Boulevard, a woman said that she and a friend were driving around drinking and going to different friends' houses. She said she was driving her white four-door Chevrolet Cavalier when she thinks her friend stole the vehicle. She said she did not see her take it, but she knows it was her. She said her phone was in the vehicle when it was taken. She said the vehicle is not in her name and that she does not know the tag or the VIN to the vehicle. She also said that she does not know the serial number, brand or color of the phone but only remembered that the phone case had horses and flames on it. At this time there is not enough information to enter a vehicle as stolen and there is not enough suspect information at this time to prosecute a suspect.



* * *

At a vet office on Lee Highway, an employee said a couple was very upset about their bulldog passing away. She said she just wanted them to calm down and then vacate the premises. Police were told by the dog owner that his dog had surgery at the vet's office a week prior and the vet was supposed to be watching him. The dog then passed away and was cremated. He was upset because he was not given back his dog's collar. Eventually, he said that everything was fine and

left the vet's office.

* * *

A woman on Lee Highway said that a credit card that had been in her vehicle that was stolen and the card was attempted to be used at 9409 Apison Pike (Collegedale Tobacco and Beverage). She said the card had been shut off so it was declined. She wanted an officer/investigator to attempt to go to the location, and observe if there is surveillance of possible suspect(s) that stole her vehicle.

* * *

Police received a call about an abandoned vehicle parked behind a house at an address on Lee Highway. Police made contact with a man who said a random vehicle was parked behind his house. He said he looked in the vehicle and found a number to call from the glove box. He also found a gray and black Adidas Duffel bag next to a navy blue sleeping bag. Inside the vehicle police found several beer cans (211 Steel). The vehicle was removed from NCIC and towed.

* * *

Officers responded to a suspicious person at Life Care

Center of Red Bank, 1020 Runyan Dr. Staff said a man was outside of the building punching the brick pillars and hitting his head against it. The man said he was upset with the care his mother and grandmother were receiving and he just went to blow off steam. Staff said that they would like for him to be trespassed from this location. He was informed that he is trespassed from this location and he is not to be on the property. At this time he was given his personal belongings and left the premises.

* * *

At Interstate 75 Nb//Exit 5 off ramp, an officer observed a white male, panhandling. He approached the man who said he was recently homeless. The officer informed him of the laws regarding panhandling and the prohibited areas as the interstate is a prohibited area. The man left the area without incident.

* * *

Police were dispatched to a disorder at the McDonald's at 1117 E. 3rd St. The store manager said a customer told her a white male was exposing himself and yelling at people in the drive through and blocking the line. She said she went out and made contact with the man and told him to

leave. He left but came back a short time later and continued to cause a disturbance. When she went out to make contact again he left heading west towards Erlanger Hospital wearing gray sweatpants and a backwards ball cap. She said he has been asked to leave the property several times in the past but she could not identify him by name. No pictures or camera footage of

the incident were available and any other witnesses had left the scene. A search of the area by Police could not locate any person fitting the description given.

* * *

Officers got an arson call on Clifton Terrace. Chattanooga Fire Department arrived at the same time and put out a vehicle fire. However, the fire did burn a man's Toyota Tundra (TN). Arson Investigators arrived on the scene, took over the investigation, and declared that it was arson.

* * *

Police observed security at the Blue Light bar, 43 Station St., removing a patron from their business who was in an altercation with their security and threw a drink. Once security removed the person from their portion of the patio, police escorted the man away from the establishment to have him ride off of Station Street and prevent further disorder. However, the man continued to be disorderly, causing other people in the area to be disrupted from their normal daily activities to observe his

actions. Police had to detain him and placed him in the back of the patrol car. The man finally calmed down and friends of his came forward to ensure he left the area. His friends took him and they all left the area, ensuring the offense of disorderly conduct would not continue.
James Christopher Jenkins, 60, of Chattanooga entered a guilty plea on Friday to one count of making a false official statement in Chattanooga Federal Court.



Sentencing has been set for March 11, 2022, at 9 a.m., before Judge Travis R. McDonough.

Jenkins faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and three years of supervised release, and $250,000 in fines.



According to court documents, Jenkins was employed from May 2011 to February 2017 as a Senior Project Manager in the Nuclear Power Group and the Major Projects Group at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) with fiduciary and management responsibilities which required him to file annual reports disclosing any outside positions, employment, and income.





These disclosures are made through an Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 450. Government officials review these forms to identify conflicts of interests that may exist between TVA employees and private entities doing business with the TVA or seeking business with the TVA. For instance, a conflict of interest could, among other things, provide a TVA contractor an economic advantage over others and defeat the governments attempt to secure a competitive contract.TVA employees who are in a position to negotiate with vendors and contractors on behalf of TVA are required to file an annual Confidential Financial Disclosure Report which requires those employees to report certain personal assets, sources of income, and debts, and to report their other outside financial positions, agreements or arrangements. Between 2012 and 2016, Jenkins failed to annually disclose certain debts and income on the Report and sought to profit outside the scope of his employment at TVA. This failure to report led to an actual conflict of interest from which Jenkins personally benefited.Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton II said, The integrity of government employees -- especially those in supervisory or senior positions - is paramount to maintaining the publics trust in the officials who serve the nation. Protecting the federal procurement process from false statements is central to the mission of the Department of Justice. The defendant betrayed the publics trust by failing to disclose these debts and other financial activities. Our office is committed to safeguarding that trust through the vigorous enforcement of federal laws.Jill Matthews, TVA Acting Inspector General, said, The vast majority of TVA employees serve the people of the valley by generating power, protecting our natural resources, and encouraging job growth through economic development, while also avoiding personal and financial conflicts that would undermine the public trust in TVA. Regrettably, in this instance, Mr. Jenkins failed to live up to that standard. He held a senior role at TVA with authority to negotiate with vendors and award contracts. He failed to disclose numerous conflicts with companies in which he had an ownership interest or owed substantial sums of money. The Tennessee Valley Authority - Office of Inspector General (TVA-OIG) plays an aggressive role in identifying and addressing this type of abuse, and, due to the collaborative efforts of TVA and our law enforcement partners, Mr. Jenkins has now pled guilty to falsifying an ethics disclosure that impacted financial decisions made by TVA. The TVA-OIG would like to thank the United States Attorneys Office, specifically Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Neff, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for working hand in hand with our office to investigate this fraudulent activity.Todays guilty plea represents the FBIs commitment to investigate these cases. There is zero tolerance for those who exploit their official position for personal gain. It erodes public confidence and undermines the Rule of Law. We want the people we serve to know the FBI along with our law enforcement partners will hold those accountable who betray the public's trust, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico.The investigation was conducted by agents of TVA-OIG and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Neff represented the United States. Chattanooga attorney Lee Davis represents the defendant.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. on Friday appointed Chris Glover as new president and CEO at Volkswagen Chattanooga LLC, the companys assembly plant in Tennessee.

Mr. Glover will assume the role on Jan. 1 and will lead the plants transformation and push towards electric mobility, starting with the localized production of the fully-electric Volkswagen ID.4 SUV in 2022. He follows Tom du Plessis, who will retire at the end of the year after a 13-year career with Volkswagen.

Mr. Glover said, I am delighted to be joining the team in Chattanooga. With Chattanooga now focusing on the next generation of automobile assembly with electric vehicles, it is a privilege to work with a world-class team, and to help in shaping and securing this great future for Volkswagen and our factory in the state of Tennessee.

Mr. Glover was previously executive vice president and member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen de Mexico, responsible for Production and Logistics. He has served a career of more than 30 years at Volkswagen with leadership positions in several countries. Prior to Volkswagen de Mexico, Glover served as Executive Director, Production Planning, at SAIC Volkswagen in China, and as Head of Division for Production Planning at Volkswagen of South Africa.

As a passionate and decisive leader, Tom du Plessis has done a fantastic job in navigating our Chattanooga operations through the past 20 months of uncertainty, said Scott Keogh, president and Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen Group of America. Perhaps more importantly, it was Toms commitment to helping us realize our electrified vision here in America that will be his legacy. Volkswagen is ready to lead the charge, and our expansion in Tennessee is critical to a long-term strategy of EV leadership. As we ramp up for localized assembly of the ID.4, Chriss extensive background in production planning will move that strategy - and this industry - forward.

Mr. Glover holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Cape Town, and a Business Management Diploma from Damelin College at Cape Town, South Africa.
The Duggar family has been in the minds of reality show fans since 2004, when they debuted their first show, 14 Kids and Pregnant Again. Jim Bob Duggar, the patriarch of the Duggar clan, has been sharing his growing family and unique family convictions ever since that first special on TLC. The most recent show, Counting On, was canceled thanks to the arrest of the oldest son, Josh Duggar. However, he is not letting his family issues and all the media coverage slow down his personal aspirations. In fact, Jim Bob Duggar is throwing his hat in the political ring and is officially running for the Arkansas State Senate.

Jim Bob Duggar is running for the Arkansas State Senate

Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar | Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Jim Bob Duggar made the announcement on the Official Duggar Family Facebook page on Oct. 29, 2021, that he is running for the Arkansas State Senate District 7. People reports he plans to run a pro-family, pro-business, pro-gun and pro-life campaign.

Duggar said, Im running for State Senate because these are unprecedented times in our nation. Out-of-control bureaucrats have put politics over common-sense policy with government mandates that force people to choose between earning a paycheck and violating their personal rights and beliefs.

He further added, The foundational principles that have made our nation great are under threat like never before. Its time for conservatives to demand courageous leadership that puts Arkansas families, jobs, and our constitutional liberties first.

The timing is interesting, considering Josh Duggar is facing child porn charges

#JoshDuggar will probably not get his computer back and that's probably a good thing. His trial starts later this month.https://t.co/x5ghXmM3pA  Radar Online (@radar_online) November 2, 2021

The Duggar family was once a tight-knit large family. They have recently fractured due to the controversy stemming from the arrest of the oldest son, Josh. The eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle was arrested back in April 2021 on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.

Josh pleaded not guilty. We intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly, his defense attorneys have stated. In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when youre accused, you can fight back in the courtroom  and that is exactly what Josh intends to do.

The timing of Duggars run for Arkansas State Senate is interesting in light of Joshs arrest and upcoming trial. Also, TLC has since cut ties with the Duggar family completely and ceased filming Counting On.

This is not the first time TLC canceled a Duggar family reality show. It was six years ago when 19 Kids and Counting was canceled after evidence of Josh molesting five underage girls, four of whom were his own sisters, surfaced. Three months later, a data hack revealed Josh was a paid member of the Ashley Madison website and actively cheating on his wife.

Josh is currently staying with family friends as he awaits trial because the court says he cant live with his wife and six kids. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar continue to stand by their son all while Jim Bob is running for the State Senate in Arkansas.

Jim Bob Duggar and son Jedidiah are no stranger to politics.

19 Kids and Counting's Jed Duggar, 20, launches run for Arkansas House of Representatives https://t.co/SYKbJAa1pH  Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) November 5, 2019

Duggar is no stranger to running for political office. In fact, he previously ran for the Arkansas House of Representatives and won the election. He served four years in this office from 1999 to 2002.

Jim Bob is not the only Duggar to seek public office. His son, Jedidiah Duggar, also made a bid for the State House of Representatives in 2020. Jedidiah also ran on a conservative platform with many of the same campaign promises as his Dad. Ultimately, Jedidiahs run for office proved to be a failure despite his best efforts; he lost to incumbent Democrat, Megan Godfrey.

Time will tell what happens with the State Senate run of Jim Bob Duggar and the trial of his son, Josh.

RELATED: Counting On Fans Speculate Jana Duggar Is Preparing to Finally Launch Arbor Acres
Another Morning Show episode recap is here. The Morning Show Season 2 Episode 8: Confirmations, has everyone on the show within the show scrambling. Searching for information on Mitch Kesslers (Steve Carell) whereabouts, the latest episode of the AppleTV+ original series picks up right where the Oct. 29 episode left off. That means Mitchs fate after that cliffhangers revealed.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from The Morning Show Season 2 Episode 8: Confirmations]

Chip Black still hasnt heard from Alex Levy

Billy Crudup, Greta Lee, and Mark Duplass in The Morning Show Season 2 | AppleTV+

Chip Black (Mark Duplass) still hasnt seen or heard from Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) since she ditched the presidential debate in the Oct. 15 episode Ghosts. What he doesnt know is that the lead anchor for TMS traveled to Italy to visit Mitch.

Everything changes when Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup) and Stella Bak (Greta Lee) sit in on a call from a reporter at a small Italian news outlet. They ask one question, would they like to comment on Mitchs death. Immediately Stella and Cory mobilize everyone in the studio to figure out if theres any truth to the rumor.

When they tell Chip to get Alex in the studio immediately, he sets about tracking her down. He digs through her office, leaves voicemails, calls her credit card company, and contacts a hospital in Italy. By the end of it, hes concerned Alex may have been hospitalized  or even killed  along with Mitch.

The Morning Show episode recap: The show needs 2 confirmations on Mitch Kesslers death

Karen Pittman in The Morning Show Season 2 | AppleTV+

While Chip attempts to reach Alex, everyone else, according to AppleTV, works frantically to verify whether or not Mitch is dead. Mia Jordan (Karen Pittman), the shows executive producer, hands off the live show to staff while she and a few others get to work. Once they have two confirmations that Mitch has died then theyll announce the news. But its difficult to get any information.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has hospitals in Italy inundated with patients. They even check Twitter for clues and eventually get one confirmation from the person whose house Mitch had been staying in. Later, after receiving the second confirmation a shocked and saddened Mia sits down to write the death announcement.

Alex Levy tells Mitchs family and asks Bradley to make the on-air announcement

Meanwhile, Chip heads to the airport. Thanks to her credit card history he learns she booked a flight from Italy. So he waits on the tarmac to see if she gets off the plane unharmed. She does and Chip visibly relaxes. Then he tells her the bad news. Shocked because shed just seen Mitch, Alex calls Paola Lambruschini (Valeria Golino). The documentarian confirms that Mitch did die after sustaining injuries in a car accident.

Instead of going to the studio to break the news herself, Alex decides to tell Mitchs family. After an awkward conversation with his ex-wife, Paige Kessler (Embeth Davidtz) where Alex confirms she had sex with Mitch twice, Alex calls Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). Alex tells her co-anchor shes the right person to make the announcement on the air. So, with Laura Peterson (Julianna Margulies) sitting next to her, thats exactly what Bradley does.

Watch The Morning Show Season 2 on AppleTV+. A new episode is released every Friday at 12 a.m. PT, or 3 a.m. ET, on Apples streaming platform.

RELATED: The Morning Show: Julianna Margulies Kept Tearing up in a Season 2 Scene With Reese Witherspoon
The Blacklist Season 9 Episode 3 featured the return of a familiar face. Blacklister Robert Vesco, played by Stacy Keach, popped up again, this time leading a group of religious extremists. Vesco and Red have a complex history, and Red is again seeking payback from his old mentor. Heres everything you need to know about episode 3s guest star.

Stacey Keach as Vesco (Giovanni) in The Blacklist Season 9 | Sony Pictures Television

Who is Robert Vesco on The Blacklist?

Vesco is a conman and legendary fugitive who mentored Red long ago. In the 1970s, the Federal Communications Commission accused him of stealing $200 million from a mutual fund he controlled. Vesco mentored a young Red and eventually conned him out of his life savings.

Years later, Red heard that Vesco faked his own death. Rumor has it, Vesco found the De La Cruz, a sunken ship filled with gold and treasure. Red tracks down his former mentor in season 6. It turns out that Vesco knew where to find the gold, but didnt go after it out of fear that he was being watched. Instead, Vesco faked his death, Distractify says.

Red confronts Vesco about the money he owes him and insists Vesco take him to the gold. Their adventure ends at an old opera house in New Orleans, with Vesco managing to swindle Red again.

Why did Vesco return for The Blacklist Season 9?

In The Blacklist Season 9 Episode 3, Red stumbles upon his former mentor again. The FBI is investigating a group of religious extremists known as the Supremo Priori Knighthood (SPK) who have been stealing religious artifacts. Until now, the group has been mostly harmless. However, a heist to steal a belt worn by the Virgin Mary results in the death of a security guard.

Red attends an auction where the belt is being sold in order to find the leader of the SPK. He is surprised to come face to face with his old mentor Vesco, who has been leading the SPK under the name Giovanni. Vesco explains that he conned the group into criminal activity by convincing them that he burns the artifacts as a sacrifice. In reality, Vesco sells them for a profit.

I am returning to The Blacklist TONIGHT as Robert Vesco on NBC @ 8/7c. Dont forget to watch. Enjoy!#TheBlacklist #NBC #tonight pic.twitter.com/EmTNTbW7a9  Stacy Keach (@StacyKeach1) November 4, 2021

Red obviously hasnt forgotten that his old mentor skipped town with a large sum of gold. He insists that Vesco return the money owed him, though they are interrupted when Red learns the SPK is planning to blow up a church. After the crisis is averted, Vesco prepares to fly to his bank in Malta to retrieve Reds money. Unfortunately for Red, Dembe arrests Vesco, and Red misses out on getting his money back once again.

Will Stacy Keach be back in the future?

Keach is a popular actor known for his role in a wide variety of television shows. Its a lot of fun to have Keach on the show and see someone finally get the best of Red. However, it doesnt look like he will be in any other episodes in The Blacklist Season 9, especially considering Vesco is off to jail. Still, you never know. Its not impossible for Vesco to escape and appear in future seasons.

RELATED: The Blacklist Season 9 Has Fans Questioning NBCs Lack of Promos
Netflixs serial killer docu-series The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea told the bloody and disturbing story behind Yoo Young-chul. Yoo is one of South Koreas most prolific serial killers that operated in the early 2000s. While the docu-series gave more insight into the investigation, viewers were disappointed authorities never revealed a photo of Yoos face.

The Raincoat Killer gave a short and brief explanation of why his face was concealed after his arrest. In the age of technology, Yoos face is quick Google search away. But viewers will be stunned to learn only two photos of Yoos full face exists to the public.

Yoo Young-Chul is escorted by South Korean police | Kim Mi-ok via Getty Images

South Korean law requires a perpretrators face to be concealed from the public

South Korea has a strict law that protects a perpetrators identity during a criminal investigation and arrest. According to The Korea Herald, In accordance with the criminal code and Korean National Police Agency guidelines, it is typical for a suspects face to be covered and for only their surname to be used when they appear in the media.

Yoo was arrested by police in July 2004 when the law was still in practice. In The Raincoat Killer, a police detective found a hat, mask, and raincoat on his desk to hide Yoos face before leaving the precinct. The Korean public has often debated the laws fairness as it undermines the principle of being innocent until proven guilty. The Korean Herald explains the GNP revised the law in 2010. The identity of a perpetrator can be revealed by authorities after they have acquired a confession or sufficient evidence.

There are only 2 concrete photo of Yoo Young-chuls face to the public

Yoo Young-Chul real-life photos The Raincoat Killer docu-series | via Google

RELATED: The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea: Who Is Yoo Young-Chul?

Throughout the investigation, the docu-series, and Yoos imprisonment, his facial features are never fully revealed. As of yet, only two photos of Yoo exist online. One photo is a portrait taken of the killer in what could be his mid 20s. In front of a light green backdrop, Yoo is wearing a dark blue suit with a shirt and tie. The other photo is from his younger school years.

A quick Google search of the serial killer results in a series of the same photo. A majority of images of Yoo are when he leaves the precinct swarmed by police and the media. According to the docu-series, the images took place shortly after he was arrested a second time. Authorities took Yoo to the location where he buried his victims. One mind-boggling fact about the investigation is why Yoo is called The Raincoat Killer. Yoo never wore a raincoat during his murders. Instead, a detective had Yoo wear the coat because it was raining.

After Yoos arrest, his face was always concealed by police using a hat. In some photos of Yoo, he was already in prison and can be seen wearing prison attire while sporting noticeable facial hair. Despite one full photo of Yoos face online, the infamous serial killer remains an allusive character.

Veiwers might confuse a photo from a K-drama with Yoo Young-chul

RELATED: 5 Must-Watch Serial Killer K-Dramas to Binge This Halloween Season

When Googling Yoos face, there is another photo that often pops up on the search engine. The image looks similar to photos of Yoo leaving the precinct to visit the burial site. While the photos hold many similarities, one photo is from the acclaimed crime K-drama Taxi Driver. The 2021 K-drama used real-life Korean crime cases as a basis for their storylines.

Taxi Driver introduced a serial killer named Oh Chul-young played by actor Yang Dong-tak. Chul-young was inspired by Yoo and had a similar Modus Operandi and backstory. In the K-drama, Chul-young bludgeoned his victims and has a young son who once called during one of his murders.

During Chul-youngs arrest, it mimics the same event that happened in real life with Yoo. He is escorted by police outside the precinct wearing a yellow coat and black hat. Viewers of The Raincoat Killer might be led to believe the photo of Chul-young is of the heinous killer Yoo.
Brenntag reports outstanding results in the third quarter 2021 in still persisting exceptional market conditions. Both divisions continue to deliver strong results with Brenntag Specialties in particular showing an excellent performance. The companys transformation program Project Brenntag progresses according to plan and already contributed around 70 million EUR of additional operating EBITDA since the inception of the program.

Christian Kohlpaintner, Chief Executive Officer of Brenntag SE, said: In the third quarter of 2021, Brenntag achieved outstanding results with both our two global divisions Brenntag Essentials and Brenntag Specialties contributing strongly to this performance. The unusual and challenging market conditions continued in Q3, and we expect to see them persisting well into 2022. To secure availability of products and keeping customers operating remain key priorities for Brenntag in this environment. We want to thank all our employees for their great performance and strong commitment in these special times.

In the third quarter 2021, Brenntag generated sales of 3,738.2 million EUR. Operating gross profit rose by 23.7% to 862.3 million EUR compared to 695.2 million EUR in previous years quarter. Operating EBITDA reached 342.9 million EUR, a strong year-on-year increase of 29.7%. Earnings per share totaled 1.02 EUR compared to 0.76 EUR a year ago which is an increase of 34%.

Georg Muller, Chief Financial Officer of Brenntag SE, said: In the third quarter 2021, Brenntag continued on its successful path. While we achieved strong results in both of our global divisions, we are particularly delighted about the development of our Earnings per Share, which rose strongly by more than 34% to 1.02 EUR compared to 0.76 EUR in the third quarter 2020.

Both divisions continue to deliver strong results

In the third quarter, Brenntag Essentials again showed a strong performance. In line with the long-term expectations, Brenntag Specialties grew stronger than Brenntag Essentials and delivered excellent results.

The Brenntag Essentials division which markets a broad portfolio of process chemicals across a wide range of industries again delivered strong results in the third quarter 2021. The division reached an operating gross profit of 520.2 million EUR (+19.5%). Operating EBITDA increased by 28.7% to 210.3 million EUR compared to the prior-year period. The EMEA, Latin America and particularly North America regions contributed to this positive performance. The business development in Asia Pacific was severely impacted by renewed and strict COVID-19 lockdowns in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, as well as dual control measures in China to reduce specific energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Brenntag Specialties division which builds on Brenntags position as the largest specialty chemicals distributor worldwide, again delivered excellent results in third quarter 2021. The division achieved an operating gross profit of 334.3 million EUR (+30.1%). Operating EBITDA rose by 42.3% to 152.9 million EUR compared to the previous years quarter. These remarkable results are due to a broad-based positive performance across all focus industries. In the Americas region, Brenntag Specialties showed particularly strong results.

Project Brenntag makes very good progress

The implementation of the comprehensive transformation program Project Brenntag is going according to plan and makes very good progress since the launch of the new operating model in January 2021. Since its inception, Project Brenntag already contributed around 70 million EUR of additional operating EBITDA which is expected to ramp up to 220 million EUR annually by 2023. Additionally, the optimization of Brenntag's global site network is ongoing. Of the around 100 planned site closures, 68 have been completed to date. Furthermore, since the initiation of the program, more than 740 jobs have structurally been reduced out of approximately 1,300 planned over two years in a socially responsible manner. Brenntag is in close dialogue with the works councils in the different countries.

Chief Financial Officer Georg Muller not to extend his mandate

Georg Muller, Brenntag's long-standing Chief Financial Officer, has informed the Supervisory Board that he will not extend his mandate beyond his current term ending March 2022. Georg Muller has been a constant for the company holding various management positions over the last almost 20 years, thereof ten years as CFO. Brenntag is, also thanks to his work, the global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution. In particular, he contributed extensively over many years to Brenntags financial strength and its excellent reputation in the equity and debt capital markets. The Supervisory Board is currently conducting a structured and thorough succession process.

Outlook confirmed despite critical disruptions in global supply chains

Brenntag confirms its operating EBITDA guidance to be in the range of 1,260 million to 1,320 million EUR for the financial year 2021 (previously: 1,160 million to 1,260 million EUR). The guidance was raised twice this year, and takes into account organic growth, the expected efficiency gains from Project Brenntag, and the contribution to earnings from already closed acquisitions at the time of the guidance increase. It is based on the assumption that exchange rates will remain stable on the level at the time of the guidance upgrade. Brenntag expects the exceptional and challenging market conditions persisting well into 2022.
This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows kid-size doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in Puurs, Belgium. U.S. officials approved the doses for elementary-age children on Nov. 2.
Over the years, I have been to 46 countries, and most of my travel has taken me into places where children are out of sight and unheard by the masses. I have met children living on the streets and others living in orphanages. I have met children whose health is failing and whose hope is waning because they have been abandoned and rejected. Across many countries and cultures, one thing remains constant - each childs face reflects a story of what it means to be living in a broken world.

However, all childrens faces tell a greater storya story of Gods goodness and redeeming love. The Lord desires for all children to have a place in His family through Christ and a family on this earth. Throughout all of history, God has been in the business of setting the lonely in families'' (Ps. 68:6).

Born deaf and blind and taken to an orphanage in Calcutta, Advika was set apart because of her disabilities and never received a bindi on her forehead. She was told she wasnt worthy to be a Hindu. All too often, it is in this rejection where the story ends for children like Advika.

Instead, Advikas story contains hope and a future because one Christian family sought after this sweet girl who needed the love and acceptance of a family. Today, Advika is flourishing in her family, surrounded by love, security, and the gospel. Advika today is not only a daughter, but also a big sister to another little girl with vision impairment whom her family adopted.

On the decline, but not down to zero

Over the last several years, international adoption has been on a sharp decline. Covid-19 exacerbated this trend and put a damper on many families considering adopting internationally. While some of the decline can be attributed to positive trends including healthy domestic interventions both by in-country churches and the government, the decline in international adoptions leaves a void of permanence for those children whose best available option is intercountry adoption. Some U.S. organizations have even stopped doing international adoptions altogether.

While many nations have become much more engaged and involved with vulnerable children in their communities, most domestic options serve younger, healthier children. All the while those children aged 3 and over, those who are a part of a large sibling group, and those with special needs are often left deprived of a family or meaningful intervention.

The intersection of church and the vulnerable child

This is where the church must engage.

While the last 18 months have ushered in sickness, crisis, weariness, and personal pain, we must not neglect the call to love and care for the vulnerable. During a global pandemic, it seems that personal crises can crowd out the call of Christ to care for the orphan and the widow. Specifically we find this call in James 1:27 where Jesus beckons His children to help those who are voiceless and vulnerable - the widow and the orphan.

There are many ways to fulfill the call of James 1:27, but one life-changing approach we must not neglect is international adoption. While international adoption is not the singular solution for the global orphan crisis, it is the exact right solution for many children who will never find the permanence of a family to love and disciple them in their nation of origin.

Adopting internationally isnt easy. It is filled with fears and worries, and adjustments for the child and the family on all sides culturally, socially, emotionally, physically, and linguistically.

Particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic, international adoption can be complicated by global uncertainty - delayed travel and geopolitical disagreements and lack of diplomacy. These delays and confusions have left many children and families waiting much longer than expected to travel in order to be united. Furthermore, the global pandemic has certainly taken a toil on children around the world, leaving many more orphaned and in need.

If you have considered international adoption, while complexities exist, please do not delay because there are children who desperately need a family. Here are three truths that I believe may reframe your thinking and grow your understanding of Gods grace through intercountry adoption.

International adoption teaches about the beauty of Gods adopting grace.

Even in their young lives, most of the kids available for international adoption have experienced more sorrow and trauma than many of us will experience in our lifetimes. Losing a parent or being separated from family, siblings, and communities can be overwhelming. However, children who have been orphaned often show spunkiness, determination and unmatched resiliency. These children are fighters both for themselves and those they love. Ultimately, just like our souls, these children need a father and a family that will fight for them.

Nina and Olga were sisters living in an orphanage in the Ukraine. With no one to protect them, they relied on each other. When Olga would get picked on, Nina would lay in front of the bullies, determined to protect her younger sister. Years later when the sisters were adopted, they were fiercely protective of each other but learned to trust and rely upon their family. God our Father is loving and kind to bring us in and give us rest and faith in Him to relieve our independent striving.

International adoption shows the power of hope.

There is a misconception that those who are orphaned are hopeless. On the contrary, many embrace hope that they will get through today and see a better tomorrow. They have an uncanny unspoken belief that God is the Father to the fatherless who places the lonely in families. For many, its a faith that one day they will be wanted and embraced in a forever family because God has placed the idea of family in their hearts. Hope is what keeps them alive when the world tells them they are unwanted and unneeded. Hope is what holds children like Advika until a family shows up to take her home.

We are Gods ambassadors of hope. Through international adoption, we can give children stability and safety and help fulfill their dreams for a better future. We were once restless and hopeless without Christ, and the redemptive power of Gods love is extended to the orphan when we embrace their hope as a value worth fighting for.

International adoption reveals Gods redeeming work.

Its one of the great mysteries of how God workswe put others first, and yet, we are blessed in return. When we adopt internationally, we dont do so because our family needs a child. We do so because a child needs a family. We adopt because God first adopted us into his family. We needed Him. International adoption is a powerful picture of Gods continued work of setting the lonely in families, of setting individuals in communities, and of bringing new life.

Deaf from birth and placed in an orphanage, Donghai never believed he would learn to communicate, let alone be adopted into a family. He was wrong on both accounts. Donghai was adopted, but he was also told of the good news of Jesus and learned how to communicate in sign language. Donghai has now committed his life to go back to the deaf community in China to offer hope.

Subscribe to email digests from the Better Samaritan.

This is Gods redeeming work that happens when we open up our hearts and lives to adopt internationally.

James 1:27 is not an edict to adopt; instead, its an edict to care. As the largest organism in the world, the church of Christ can change the lives of countless orphans if we say yes to international adoption and yes to go and care.

Herbie Newell is the President of Lifeline Childrens Services, the largest Evangelical Christian adoption agency in the United States. The organization serves vulnerable children and families through private domestic and international adoption, family restoration, and pregnancy counseling.
Liberty University students and alumni prayed and protested in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault as they called on the schools board of trustees to authorize an independent investigation into its response to reports of abuse.

On Thursday evening, more than 100 people gathered behind a barrier along a traffic circle on campusLynchburgs fall foliage aglow behind themto hear from victims advocate Rachael Denhollander; former Liberty professor Karen Swallow Prior; and representatives of Justice for Janes, named for the Jane Does who have come forward with claims that their abuse cases were mishandled by Liberty.

They wore teal clothing and ribbons and held signs reading Were with the Does and Independent Audit Now. Students plan to continue to rally on campus Friday afternoon.

With momentum around the movement and coverage of Liberty building for months, advocates have seen some signs of hope this week. The school announced plans to install surveillance cameras and blue-light call boxes on campus and may be moving toward an outside audit of the schools Title IX and human resources offices.

While Justice for Janes is grateful for the steps being taken, we understand that there is way more to be done, Liberty senior and Justice for Janes founder Daniel Harris told the Liberty Champion. That investigation needs to happen.

After students struggled to secure university permission to hold Thursday nights event on campus, interim president Jerry Prevo ended up attending and spoke with organizers and the media.

On Friday, a day after of the executive committee of Libertys board of trustees had voted in favor of a proposal to conduct an outside audit, the full board unanimously approved the measure.

A university press release called it an independent and comprehensive review of its Title IX policies and processes and said Prevo would engage a third party to independently assess the facts necessary for Liberty University to make things right with the Jane Doe Title IX plaintiffs.



Organizers with Save 71 and Justice for Janes have asked Prevo and the board to pledge to make the review transparent and release a report of the findings.

Beside the audit and call boxes, Justice for Janes is also requesting amnesty for those reporting Title IX violations. During this weeks convocation, Prevo pledged additional training on campus and said victims who report abuse are not going to be disciplined for violations of Libertys ethics policy, which prohibits drinking and sex outside of marriage.

In July, a dozen victims filed a lawsuit against Liberty over its abuse response, alleging that the school and its ethics code made it difficult to report abuse and penalized victims. Several of those women as well as others came forward to share their stories in a recent ProPublica investigation.

Save 71, Justice for Janes, and their supporters are hoping for an audit thats done by an independent third party. Following the scandal that led to the resignation of former president Jerry Falwell Jr. in 2020, Libertys board previously commissioned an investigation into all facets of Liberty University operations.

That investigation, however, was done by Libertys legal counsel, and as Save 71 and former professor Marybeth Baggett have noted, findings were not disclosed publicly at its conclusion. Numerous victims have also said they were not queried in that investigation, which was conducted by the law firms of Gentry Locke and Baker Tilly.

A lawsuit filed last week by Scott Lamb, Libertys former spokesman, alleged that he was fired for criticizing Libertys response to sexual assault, but the school said that played no role in his termination.

Prevo took over as acting president last year and said at the recent convocation he doesnt know what happened back then but that hes serious about making Liberty University a safe place. Prior to Falwell Jr.s departure, Prevo spent 24 years on Libertys board of trustees, including 17 as board chair.

Students and advocates say they have been calling for action and greater transparency from the administration for years.

Today I have hope. And I hope and pray that current students will continue to apply pressure, as systemic problems like these dont resolve easily, and without a fight, wrote Jane Doe 2, whose statement was read at Thursdays gathering.

Addressing the schools administration and board, she said, The opportunity to make things right remains with you; not only to create policies, but to self-reflect on your own contributions to the universitys abuses of power, to make necessary personnel changes, and to invoke checks and balances for the sake of internal accountability.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Asbury Theological Seminary are among the first major Christian institutions to legally challenge COVID-19 vaccine requirements issued by the Biden administration.

The two Kentucky schools, representing the largest seminaries in the Southern Baptist and Methodist traditions, filed a petition Friday against a policy mandating employers with 100 or more workers require COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing, which President Joe Biden announced the day before.

This seminary must not be forced to stand in for the government in investigating the private health decisions of our faculty and employees in a matter involving legitimate religious concerns, said Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary in Louisville. We are glad to join with Asbury Theological Seminary in taking a stand against government coercion.

According to the rules issued Thursday, private-sector employers with 100 or more workers must require COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing. These requirements will take effect January 4 under an emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Several states with Republican governors have also vowed to challenge the OSHA regulations in court, calling them an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.

The Biden administrations decision to mandate vaccines through an OSHA emergency rule is unlawful and compels employers like our clients to intrude on their employees personal health decisions and divert resources from their important mission of training future ministers, said Ryan Bangert, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the two seminaries.

In a federal lawsuit filed with the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, Southern and Asbury claim that the administration doesnt have jurisdiction over employment practices at religious institutions and didnt have the constitutional authority to issue the vaccine mandate over employers.

Last year, months into the pandemic, Southern had its campus community sign a covenant agreeing to comply with coronavirus precautions around masking and social distancing; by this school year, masks were optional and vaccines strongly encouraged.

At its campus in Wilmore, Kentucky, Asbury also strongly encourages full vaccination. Since July, it has reported 28 positive COVID-19 tests among students and staff, with three attributed to on-campus exposure.

While evangelical schools have promoted vaccination and hosted vaccine clinics, few have required the shot for students or employees. Though white evangelicals have been most likely to continue to refuse the vaccine, a majority had gotten the shot by June.

The fact that the largest US seminaries of the Baptist and Methodist traditions are here standing together against this mandate should send a clear and urgent message to Christians and to the nation, Mohler said.

Though confirmed viral cases and deaths have fallen sharply since the start of the year, average case numbers are still at about 70,000 new infections a day and confirmed viral deaths at more than 1,200 a day.

Too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, Biden said as he announced the policy Thursday.

With reporting from the Associated Press.
Christian groups challenge Bidens tyrannical COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed on businesses

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Multiple religious liberty-focused legal organizations are suing the Biden administration over its mandate requiring most private sector businesses to force their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine or risk facing insurmountable fines or firing employees.

First Liberty Institute, on behalf of Daystar Television Network, the American Family Association and Answers in Genesis, petitioned the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Sixth Circuits on Friday and asked the judges to review and set aside the mandate requiring employers with more than 100 employees to mandate the coronavirus vaccine for their employees or subject them to regular coronavirus testing and required mask wearing.

The petitions come one day after the Biden administrations Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, unveiled the temporary emergency standard. First Liberty contends that the prominent national religious ministries it's representing are adversely affected by the vaccine mandate because they will face workplace shortages if unvaccinated employees quit rather than receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The legal challenges also note that petitioners could face civil penalties up to $70,000 for each willful violation of the vaccine mandate. First Liberty Institute is not the only law firm taking the vaccine mandate to court.

Alliance Defending Freedom announced a lawsuit against the Biden administrations vaccine mandate filed on behalf of The Daily Wire, a conservative news outlet based in Nashville, Tennessee. The lawsuit, titled The Daily Wire v. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on Thursday.

The Biden administrations decision to mandate vaccines through an OSHA emergency rule is unlawful and compels businesses like The Daily Wire to intrude on their employees personal health decisions, said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Bangert in a statement. The government has no authority to unilaterally treat unvaccinated employees like workplace hazards or to compel employers to become vaccine commissars, and we are asking the 6th Circuit to put a stop to it immediately.

The Daily Wire's co-founder and Co-CEO Jeremy Boreing said: The Daily Wire will not comply with President Bidens tyrannical vaccine mandate, and we've sued the Biden administration to put a stop to their gross overreach. ... Joe Biden, the federal government, social media and the establishment media have all conspired to rob Americans of their freedom in the name of public health. They've broken faith with the American people through conflicting messaging, false information, and by suppressing data and perspectives with which they disagree. And forcing us to take a vaccine at the risk of financial ruin isn't going to rebuild that lost trust."

Harmeet Dhillon of the Dhillon Law Group, which is representing The Daily Wire alongside ADF, asserted that the federal government lacks the legal authority to compel private employers to play the role of vaccine or COVID police, lacks the police power to force private employees to undergo medical treatment, and may not ignore constitutional limits on its ability to regulate every aspect of our lives.

The Biden administrations attempt to impose this unprecedented and unlawful federal medical mandate on the U.S. workforce without considering the publics views is arbitrary, capricious, unsupported by the evidence, and would produce a willfully ignorant rule, she added.

On Friday, ADF filed another lawsuit in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Bishop OGorman Catholic Schools in South Dakota, the North Dakota-based Christian Employers Alliance and Home School Legal Defense Foundation. The law firm joined the states of Missouri, Arizona, Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire and Wyoming in challenging the administrations authority to issue the vaccine mandate in State of Missouri v. Biden.

The government has no authority to tell 80 million people that they must be vaccinated or tested, and it cannot compel employers to become vaccine agents to achieve that same illegal result, argued ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker in a statement. We are pleased to join this coalition of states in asking the 8th Circuit to put a stop to it immediately.

In a statement, Christian Employers Alliance President Shannon Royce elaborated on her organizations concerns with the vaccine mandate: Members of the Christian Employers Alliance go to great lengths to care for the health and wellness of their employees. These for-profit and nonprofit businesses also believe every person has the God-given right of conscience to do whats in the best interest of themselves and their families.

They believe it violates the dignity of their employees for the federal government to force them to accept the COVID-19 vaccine against their conscience, she stated. Royce also warned that the disruption costs associated with administering, implementing, and tracking the outcomes required by this mandate, in addition to the penalties and fines, are enough to cripple or close a business in these difficult economic times.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh defended the vaccine mandate as necessary to contain the virus and protect people in the workplace against the grave danger of COVID-19. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick asserted that this emergency temporary standard will protect all workers, including those who remain unvaccinated.

The vaccine mandate applies to more than 84 million U.S. workers, accounting for two-thirds of the private sector workforce. It was published in the Federal Register on Friday, and from there, companies will have 30 days to comply with most of the mandates requirements and 60 days to comply with the testing requirements. Failure to comply with the mandate could result in employers facing fines, and employees who do not comply with the mandate could face termination.

The First Liberty lawsuits, The Daily Wire v. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and State of Missouri v. Biden are not the only legal efforts to block the vaccine mandate. At a press conference on Thursday, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced that his office would file a lawsuit against the OSHA mandate in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals after it was published in the federal register.

While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that more than 193 million Americans, or 58.2% of the U.S. population, are fully vaccinated as of Friday morning, many Americans remain hesitant about taking the coronavirus vaccine due to concerns about the longterm side effects and studies showing that those who have recovered from COVID-19 have stronger protection from future infection than that offered by the vaccines.

Sweden and Denmark paused the use of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for those younger than 30 due to concerns that it causes some young people  who face less risk from coronavirus than the elderly  to develop heart inflammation. Additionally, many have sought a religious exemption to vaccine mandates because of concerns about the use of aborted fetal tissue in the development of these vaccines.
What happened in Virginia and why it matters

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Virginia governors race was widely predicted to be a harbinger furnishing insight into where the American electorate currently is and where it might be trending 12 months before all House members and a third of the Senate campaign for reelection in the 2022 midterm elections.

The election results this past Tuesday certainly seem to have lived up to, or even exceeded, those expectations. Some are calling Virginia ground zero for a potential political earthquake.

To say that things are unsettled in the American electorate is to engage in understatement  not hyperbole. For example, 58% of American voters now describe themselves as unaffiliated, declining to identify as Republican or Democrat. For the first time since the Civil War, only a minority of American voters identify as either Republican or Democrat. This remarkable fact guarantees volatility in the electorate  currently a majority of voters are up for grabs in each and every election.

This volatility was on full display Tuesday night in Virginia. Republican Glenn Youngkin won by increasing the Republican vote from 2020 in every county in the state. He won 13% of the black vote and received slightly more than half the Hispanic vote.

The Democrat candidate, Terry McAuliffe, made the mistake of saying what he, and the leadership of the Democratic Party, really believe. He asserted that parents should have no say in what their children are taught in public schools. Is it merely ironic, or is it hypocrisy, that Mr. McAuliffes children went to private schools? This assertion caused a firestorm when made in a public debate.

Then, having painted himself into a corner, McAuliffe, a close Clinton confidant for more than two decades, while visiting a Virginia public school, observed that since 50% of the students were black and 80% of the teachers were white, that disparity had to be ameliorated. He did not specify how this was to be done, but it seemed to many voters that the solution would inevitably involve dismissing white teachers just because they were white. That is racism.

Mr. Youngkins campaign caught fire (his name recognition was at 3% just 12 months ago) when it became clear he was going to listen to outraged and anguished parents who were protesting the controversial things their children were being taught about race and gender.

In spite of the ongoing denials by Mr. McAuliffe and the mainstream media, it is true that critical race theory (CRT) is being taught in the Virginia public schools down to the earliest elementary school grades.

I must admit I enjoyed watching Foxs Juan Williams state that CRT was not being taught in Virginia schools, only to have Foxs Kayleigh McEnany produce visible, undeniable proof from Virginias state curriculum guide from 2015 with instructions to embrace Critical Race Theory and how to implement CRT in the states public schools.

The mainstream print and electronic media are either in denial, or they are lying when they say that protests against CRT are racist dog whistles and that CRT opponents do not want their white children taught about slavery and Americas racist past.

One is always in a dilemma when faced with a situation like this. You dont know whether to hope that theyre lying, which is morally culpable, but can be remedied by confession, or are they cognitively challenged, which is not morally culpable but is harder to fix.

It is simply not true that CRT is not embedded in Virginias public school curriculum. Parents do not protest their children being taught Americas past, warts and all.

What they do protest is CRT being used to indoctrinate their children to see everything through the prism of race and telling them that all whites need to acknowledge their white privilege, which divides everyone into two classes, either oppressors (white) or the oppressed (non-whites), and dismisses America as irretrievably and systemically racist.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained that she wanted black children to feel good about themselves, but not at the expense of making white children feel bad about themselves.

As The Federalists Delano Squires explained, We honor God when we acknowledge all members of the human race have equal worth. We dishonor Him when we ascribe certain sins to people based on skin color. Mr. Squires, who is himself black, tartly described CRT as white liberals seeking absolution for crimes they did not commit and black liberals seeking empathy for injustices they did not endure.

Governor-elect Youngkin illustrated one major reason he was elected in the speech he delivered at his final campaign rally in Loudoun County on election eve. Concerning our history, he acknowledged we have some dark and abhorrent chapters and that we must teach them all. We cant know where were going unless we know where we come from.

Using language and expressing the thoughts that millions of Americans far beyond Virginia have been longing to hear from their political leaders:

But let me be clearWhat we dont dois teach our children to view everything through a lens of race, where we divide them into buckets; one groups an oppressor and another groups a victim; and we pit them against each other and we steal their dreams. We will not be a commonwealth of dream-stealers. We will be a commonwealth of dream-enablers and builders.Were all created equal, and were trying so hard to live up to those immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, who implored us to be better than we are; to judge one another based on the content of our character and not the color of our skin.

It is also instructive that the same electorate that elected Mr. Youngkin also elected a black Republican Lieutenant Governor, Winsome Sears (a native Jamaican and naturalized citizen) as the first black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia. Additionally, these Virginian so-called racists also elected Jason Miyares as attorney general, making him the first Hispanic to be elected to statewide office in Virginia.

Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears, who also served in the U.S. Marine Corps, in her acceptance speech said, There are some who want to divide us, and we must not let that happen. They would like us to believe we are back in 1963. ... In case you havent noticed, I am black and I have been all my life.

She declared that she was the embodiment of the American dream. I agree, and I believe Dr. King would as well. The dream still lives, thank God!
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Dear Chuck,

If I do not get the COVID-19 vaccine, I could lose my job with a federal contractor. If I get it, I go against my conscience and the liberty I have to protect my familys health, a fundamental right of Americans. I am not anti-vax, but I hate coercion. My wife and I are bracing for the financial consequences, but we want your advice.

Standing Against the Mandatory Vax

Dear Standing Against the Mandatory Vax,

I am sorry that you and your family have been placed in such a hard position. This is not a spat with a strongly opinionated believer in the hallways of the church; unlike others with an opinion on the issue, you are faced with a possible job loss.

Evaluate some of your options

Companies are required to make "reasonable accommodations" if an employee objects to receiving a vaccine for valid reasons. Such accommodations could include allowing the employee to work remotely or take a leave of absence. The employee could also show a negative COVID-19 test once a week, per the President's mandate. Ask to work remotely, or agree to get tested weekly. It would appear to me that if you are denied those options, then the law would be in your favor should you get wrongfully terminated.

Religious exemption?

Seek wise counsel before crafting this defense. My understanding is that this route is unlikely to be successful without a history of taking this position with other vaccines.

David Schrock argues this posture from a unique angle: ...we have seen an unending array of executive orders and economic decisions that have further tied the citizens to the state (think: government bailouts) and forced the state on the citizens (think: all the policies of the CDC). Topping the list of government intrusions is the vaccine mandate. And because this mandate has come with all the trappings of a religion, we now have a state that is forcing its religion on its citizens, (emphasis mine). In other words, argue for separation of religion and state.

Appeal to your superiors

One of my friends used a very strong appeal to a high-ranking superior in the company. While not claiming a religious exemption, he believes that Americans should not be coerced into making a choice about their own health. Quoting from the Nuremberg Trials of 1947, he noted:

Coercion into medical treatment violates the direct purpose of the 'Nuremberg Code' which was developed after World War 2 in order to set a series of medical principles and regulations. It states (emphasis mine):

"The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the interventionof any element of force,fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision."

He is yet to hear the outcome of this appeal.

Facing the consequences

The financial implications for your choice are potentially numerous. My understanding is that termination would be based on failure to comply with company policy and would, therefore, cause ineligibility for unemployment benefits. You will also face the stress of finding another job, the cost of regular testing, the possibility of higher healthcare costs, the chance of having to relocate, and more.

It is admirable that you and your family are willing to face the loss of your job based upon your convictions. Millions of Americans in a wide diversity of sectors are doing the same thing. Some companies are backing off of stringent compliance expectations.

Be proactive

Set aside your fear, and place your full confidence in God.

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:1,10 ESV)

Begin planning now for the possibility of a job change. Consider ways to supplement your income should the day come when you need to seek other employment. Possibly, your company or another can hire you on as an independent consultant. Use your network wisely by letting others know you are open to a job or career change. Networking for an inside connection is the best use of your time. Be specific on the type of opportunity you would consider. Activate your prayer partners.

Gods promises are most relevant in a time when we experience great need and come to fully and sincerely rely upon Him. Should you face termination, you will not be separated from Gods faithfulness. He will guide you through the storm and take care of you and your family. He also promises to work this all out for your good. The final outcome is yet to be determined. May God grant you peace as you trust Him with the consequences, whatever they may be.

Now is also a good time to address any problems you may have with personal debt. For more guidance, especially if your debt is related to credit cards, please consider contacting Christian Credit Counselors. They are a trusted source of help.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.

That was the message parents in Virginia got from former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who was seeking a comeback, in the 2021 gubernatorial election.

As it turns out, parents thought otherwise.

Thats a major takeaway in Republican businessman Glenn Youngkins victory this week over McAuliffe in the Virginia governors race.

Youngkins victory is remarkable, given the increasingly leftward tilt of the commonwealth over the past decade. Not only did Republicans take back the governorship, lieutenant governors seat, and attorney generals office, but it also appears they will regain control of Virginias House of Delegates.

After a decade-long blue slide, Virginia is suddenly up for grabs again.

Theres certainly a lot to unpack from not only the Virginia governors race but from elections all over the commonwealth and the rest of the country. One takeaway is that President Joe Biden is deeply unpopular, as are his policies in general.

This is an administration that has been beset by disaster after disaster of Bidens own making. Questions about the presidents general competence are likely gnawing even among the Democratic faithful. No doubt Bidens struggles hurt his party nationwide.

But the elections arent just about the president. The most stunning aspect of the Virginia governors race was the role that education played in swinging the election toward the Republican candidate.

Rarely do education policy or local school board elections become the primary focus of politics, but its hard to argue otherwise, given the results of Tuesdays elections.

In an excellent article in The Wall Street Journal, education policy experts Max Eden and Brad Wilcox explained how Youngkins victory makes the GOP the parents party.

Eden and Wilcox laid out how the far-left insistence on promoting critical race theory and similar ideologies in classrooms, combined with a lack of public transparency, fueled the Republican surge.

Virginias red shift on education could be part of a broader trend, Eden and Wilcox wrote. A majority of Republicans 18 to 55 are parents (61%), whereas only a minority of Democrats are (45%), according to a recent YouGov poll for the Institute for Family Studies/Wheatley Institution.

It also clearly didnt help that the Democrats message on the issue vacillated from critical race theory isnt real to keep quiet, progressive insiders know whats best for your child, and by the way, opposition to nonexistent critical race theory is racist.

Immediate postelection analysis from left-wing media doesnt suggest Democrats are going to change their tune on that message, though there have been a few dissenting voices sounding the alarm.

CNN commentator Van Jones said, Democrats are coming across as annoying and offensive and out-of-touch.

Van Jones: Democrats are coming across as annoying and offensive and out-of-touch. I think there is a message here.



Anderson Cooper. It seems annoying to a lot of people pic.twitter.com/htNI89luii  Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 3, 2021

Most on the left, however, confirmed to themselves that they arent out of touch; rather, its the people who are wrong.

MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace, a former Republican operative, said of the Democratic catastrophe, Critical race theory, which isnt real, turned the suburbs 15 points to the Trump insurrection-endorsed Republican.

This is INSANE.



MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace: "Critical Race Theory, which isnt real, turned the suburbs 15 points to the Trump insurrection endorsed Republican." pic.twitter.com/ARppUNUuGy  Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 3, 2021

Can Democrats really abandon this issue? Their media allies have promoted a nonstop narrative for years that the country needs a racial reckoning. Read the latest in The New York Times and The Washington Post, or tune into National Public Radio, and you will hear stories about systemic racism and white privilege, the essential buzzwords of critical race theory.

For the most part, Americas education establishment has been all aboard this message, too, bringing The New York Times 1619 Project and ideology linked to critical race theory to classrooms around the country. The effort has never really been about teaching accurate history, but instead has been aimed at social and cultural transformation in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In practice, thats meant abolishing accelerated learning programs, woke math that has little to do with actually teaching math, and lesson plans that teach children they are either inherently oppressors or oppressed, based on their race.

The media drove radical wokeness. Democrats can hardly get off that bus now. From the Biden administration on down, its their guiding ethos; that is, cultural transformation above all else.

It turns out that the way to stem that tide is to confront Democrats on these cultural issues and to expose the radicalism that is being engineered behind closed doors on your children.

Education is the primary battleground of this fight because it pits the left-wing institutional machine against parents and democracy. No longer can radical social transformation stay on track behind closed doors. Its now an open question.

One big takeaway from Tuesdays elections in Virginia and elsewhere is that parents have awakened to the danger and are filled with a terrible resolve.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
Christian economics explains current shortages

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Some children will not get the Christmas presents they wanted this year because trucking companies cant find drivers to deliver them from the ports on the coasts. A lack of people willing to work has forced restaurants to cut hours or close. The labor force participation rate for men has fallen to 89% prior to the pandemic from more than 97% in 1955. Whats going on?

Democrats claim that wages are so low that people would rather stay home, but that doesnt explain how the unemployed make enough money to live. Who is paying for their food, clothing, and rent? A new report from the Social Capital Project, Reconnecting Americans to the Benefits of Work explains:

Why are fewer prime-age Americans in the workforce? Many popular explanations attribute Americans declining labor force participation to declining wages, technological change, and international trade. A new report from Joint Economic Committee Republicans Social Capital Project finds that these forces cannot fully explain increasing inactivity among able-bodied prime-age Americans. Instead, many would-be workers are voluntarily disconnected from work, and government programs and policies have likely made work less attractive for these Americans. Beyond a paycheck, employment is also an important source of social capital that provides material and immaterial benefits to personal well-being. By evaluating the incentives workers face, the report recommends a number of policy reforms to lift barriers, remove disincentives, and increase the attractiveness of work.

Christians saw this coming centuries ago. The great French economist Frederick Bastiat wrote in the 1850s, The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else.

Marvin Olasky gives the history of Christian charity in the U.S. from the early 1800s to the present in his classic The Tragedy of American Compassion. Olasky shows that for most of that history Christians worried about giving the poor too much, rather than too little, because they witnessed many men who happily lived in poverty from the generosity of others rather than work, even when they had wives and children to support. So churches provided food and cloth to the wives of such men for them to make clothes for the children. They offered the men work, usually chopping firewood.

Horace Greeley, who wrote Go West, young man! was the first to promote indiscriminate giving to the poor in his newspapers. Greeley had imbibed socialism from the French and wanted all Americans to swallow their bad wine. Socialists taught that society makes people poor through no fault of their own and so society owes them a living. But most Americans valued self-reliance and often refused to take handouts, which kept the poverty rate low. FDR created the Works Progress Administration to provide jobs instead of handouts because most Americans were too proud to take charity from the government.

But Christianity had been declining in the U.S. and by 1968 when Johnson launched his Great Society war on poverty, many Americans had adopted the socialist view of poverty. In 1959, the U.S. poverty rate was 22.4% according to the Census Bureau. It fell to 12.1% in 1969 then rose to 15% in the years 2010  2012 in spite of greater spending on the poor than any other time in human history. Johnson claimed his policies would eliminate poverty. Instead, poverty increased.

Socialists teach that people are born good and turn bad only because of oppression. No one would rather live from handouts than work. However, Christianity explains that people are born with a tendency to evil that only God can change, and many people will mooch off others rather than work if they can. The Apostle Paul addressed that problem in the early church:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyones food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.'" 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

Follow the science. It proves Paul was right.
Afghan Christians facing higher risk of persecution with Taliban in power: report

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Credible reports of ongoing violence committed against Afghanistans vulnerable religious communities, including executions and disappearances, suggest that Christians are at heightened risk of persecution with the Taliban in power, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has warned.

The USCIRF says in a factsheet that religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan are deteriorating since the Taliban took control of the country on Aug. 15, noting that it has documented and received credible reports of violence including executions, disappearances, evictions, desecration of houses of worship, beatings, harassment, and threats of violence to members of particularly vulnerable religious communities.

Afghan Christians, Ahmadi Muslims, Bahais and nonbelievers cannot express their faiths or beliefs openly because they face dire consequences, including death, if discovered by the Taliban, the commission added.

The Taliban have gone door-to-door looking for Christian converts, U.S. allies, former government workers and human rights activists, USCIRF says, based on reports. Christians have received threatening phone calls, while one leader of a house church network received a letter on August 12 from Taliban militants threatening him and his family. Some Christians have turned their phones off and moved to undisclosed locations.

Afghanistans Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which was reinstated by the Taliban in September, uses a notoriously violent hardline Islamist policing system, the factsheet says.

The commission explains that Afghanistan has no long-established Christian denominations and traditions.

Afghan Christians converted from Islam, and, therefore, all are considered apostates, according to Afghan law, which requires the courts to rely on Islamic jurisprudence. Societal actors, the former Afghan government and the Taliban often view conversion as an attempt to flee Afghanistan by seeking refugee status as a member of a persecuted religious community.

The factsheet adds, Converts who already faced ostracization and the threat of honor killings by family and village members are now at heightened risk with the Taliban in power.

The Afghan House Church Network and the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern estimate that there are 10,000 to 12,000 Christian converts throughout the country who have practiced underground over the last two decades.

Afghanistans religious minorities and others who do not share the same religious beliefs as the Taliban are in danger of falling afoul of the Talibans hardline Islamist beliefs, USCIRF warns. While religious freedom conditions in the country were poor under the previous government, these conditions have already worsened and have become dire under the Taliban and are likely to continue to deteriorate.

When the Taliban took control of much of Afghanistan following the drawing down of U.S. troops in August, many ministries working with the countrys underground church worked tirelessly to evacuate at-risk Christians, William Stark, ICCs regional manager for South Asia, told The Christian Post earlier.

Christians are now in hiding because of active threats against their community, Stark said.

He shared stories of how Christians continue to face threats from members of the Taliban. In one situation, an Islamic extremist threatened to kidnap a Christian mans daughters and marry them off to members of the Taliban. In another, a Christian man received a letter from the Taliban saying his house belonged to them. Christians have also been warned to refrain from gathering.

USCIRF recommends in the factsheet that the State Department grant U.S. Refugee Admissions Program access also to members of Afghan religious minorities in recognition of the severe risk of persecution they face from the Taliban.

In August, the Taliban executed 11 ex-defense personnel and two civilians, including a 17-year-old girl in Daykundi province, all of whom were from the ethnic Shia minority, Amnesty International said in a report, noting that the killings appeared to be war crimes.

Amnesty Internationals Secretary General Agnes Callamard said the killings were 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.

The Taliban publicly declared in September 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 was 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.
Bible experts discuss racial divide in US, how Christians can be part of solution

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Bishop Derek Grier of Grace Church in Dumfries, Virginia, recently held a series of discussions with a variety of Bible experts regarding racial strife United States and how Christians can be part of the solution.



Among those interviewed by Grier, the founder of 50 ministries, was Courtney McBath, the president of Virginia Bible College and bishop of Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, Virginia.

When asked why people might be unaware of the multiculturalism in the Bible, McBath said he finds that it's due to an educational problem.

Like everything else, its a lack of teaching and training, and its the context and perspective of the training that we have. Part of the struggle of today is that so much of the Gospel was introduced to the world by a segment of people, said McBath, who's served as a pastor for more than 30 years and is the head of a multicultural leadership network on five continents.

When people go somewhere to introduce the Gospel, they tend to take not only the Gospel but their culture. All of us tend to make the Bible or whoever our heroes are look like us, McBath added.

The pastor said he believes that God purposely placed the Middle East in the center of the world to help the Gospel go forth.

I think God did set it up geographically where you had to go through this place to get anywhere else, and it takes someone with an apostolic flair like Paul to be put in the middle to get to other places, he said. Its as if God intentionally made sure that this Kingdom message would go everywhere and not be limited to any one particular culture.

McBath encouraged minorities impacted by racism to speak up about their experience, adding: I would never say to the Jewish people, Hey, now lets just stop talking about the Holocaust. I mean it happened, people died, but they paid you well afterward. Lets move on.' That would be so insensitive, so unfair to ask people to forget the level of suffering they endured and to pretend that it has no impact on them today."

Christians should be empathetic, feel the pain of others and help those suffering to get through their pain, he emphasized.

Thats Jesus' work in my life  to be empathetic toward my suffering and bring me out of it, the pastor contended. So, I think when we do that for our brothers and sisters in any minority or in the majority  if theyre hurting  when we do that, we simply represent Christ in us.

Jesus never says, Hey, just forget that you were wronged. Get over it; were moving on. He doesnt do that and we shouldnt either, McBath concluded.

Bishop Grier also interviewed Samuel Rodriguez, the pastor of New Season Christian Worship Center and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

In order for minority-led churches to begin to become more culturally plural, Rodriguez said it's important to extract the idea of minority-led churches and have "diversity in the leadership within the Church."

Horizontally speaking, we cant deny the fact that there are majority groups and minority groups," he said. "However, vertically, theres no such word as 'minority' in the Bible. Because [when] I am Kingdom driven, I look at church planting initiatives, or even churches, not from a minority point of view, but from a Kingdom point of view, said Rodriguez.

The pastor explained that his own church leadership intentionally reflects the diversity of its congregation.

We are very intentional about making sure we reflect what we want to see, he posited.

Do I deliberately make certain that I have a person of Asian descent on our team? Yes. You want to call it affirmative action. Call it whatever you want. I am certain that we have African Americans, Latino, whites  we are to be advancing the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. The Church must be a composite of what we want to see in Revelations, Rodriguez added.

Rodriguez said he believes that multi-ethnic churches will be the antidote to some of the racial discord seen in the U.S., adding: "The culture of the Kingdom of God trumps any culture.

Sam Chand, the CEO of Dream Releasers, also shared his take on the racial tensions in America. Chand was born and raised in India and immigrated to the U.S. at age 20.

Where I grew up, it was caste system as well as geography," he said. "In some countries in Africa, it is tribe and color. In some parts of Europe, it is Catholic and Protestant. In the Middle East, it is different sects of Muslims.  But the divide in 1973 was much clearer, Chand recounted. There was very little integration of churches. There were hardly any churches where you could say that blacks attended a white church, or whites attended a black church.

The bestselling author said the global Church is more nuanced and thus creates "missed opportunities" and "misunderstandings." Based on his experiences over the years, Chand stressed that relationships are "built on similarities and dissimilarities and even differences."
Christian Aid Ministries says gangs taking power in Haiti; crime boss urges US to cut ties with govt

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

As they continue praying for the release of their 17 missionaries kidnapped by gangsters in Haiti, the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said nearly half the country is now under the control of gangs, as a powerful local crime boss called on the United States and the United Nations to sever ties with the government to liberate citizens.

This is now the 19th day since the kidnapping in Haiti took place. Our workers and loved ones are still being held. Our prayer is that God would protect them and give them courage as they endure yet another day as hostages, Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement Wednesday. The political situation in Haiti remains extremely volatile. Numerous reports state that nearly half the country is under the control of gangs. Pray for the many Haitians who suffer during this time of upheaval.

Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, leader of the G9 Family and Allies, a federation of nine violent gangs that control much of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, called on the U.S. and U.N. Wednesday to cut ties with his government nearly four months after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.

We take this opportunity to invite the United Nations in general and the so-called friendly countries of Haiti, in particular the United States of America, to register in this page of history as loyal allies who want the well-being of the Haitian people by divorcing the status quo, Cherizier said at a press conference.

The call comes amid the growing insecurity in the Caribbean nation, including hundreds of kidnappings, such as those of the 17 Christian Aid Ministries missionaries being held captive by the 400 Mawozo gang since October. A civil society group in that country reports that 600 kidnappings were recorded from January to September, compared with 231 over the same period last year.

Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier is leader of the G9 Family and Allies, a federation of nine violent gangs that control much of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. | YouTube/Al Jazeera English

Cherizier, who is reportedly one of Haitis most wanted men, has blamed the unrest on Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry whose resignation he has repeatedly called for.

Wilson Joseph, leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, recently threatened to put a bullet in the heads of the kidnapped missionaries if his $17 million ransom demand for their release isnt met.

I swear by thunder that if I dont get what Im asking for, I will put a bullet in the heads of these Americans, he said in a video that has been circulating on social media.

The group of missionaries who were kidnapped on Oct. 16 while they were working with Christian Aid Ministries include six men, six women and five children, of which 16 are Americans and one is Canadian. They range in age from an 8-month-old baby to a 48 year old.

Last week, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden continues to be briefed daily about the kidnapping of the missionaries and noted that he was particularly concerned about the five children in the group.

I personally give an update on this issue every single day to the president, who is taking a deep interest in making sure we get every single one of those people home safely, Sullivan said.

While there has been no official update on the negotiations to free the 17 missionaries, the Ministry of Defense in Haitis neighboring Dominican Republic confirmed on Thursday that five U.S. helicopters that landed in Puerto Plata province to refuel and rest are likely on their way to Haiti on a humanitarian mission.

Invasion? Or a mission to liberate kidnapped missionaries in Haiti? Those helicopters are NOT ours. Video this early morning at Dominican-Haitian border. Please retweet. pic.twitter.com/JvwY9w1rVV  juan ml. valenzuela (@johnny2004) November 4, 2021

The helicopters caused a stir on social networks, due to the political crisis in Haiti, aggravated by the kidnapping of 17 American missionaries, said the Dominican Today. The operation is likely the start of a U.S. humanitarian mission in Haiti.
Unlawful overreach: Elected officials vow to fight Biden's vaccine mandate

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Governors and members of Congress have denounced the plans of President Joe Biden to expand COVID-19 vaccination mandates, with legal action expected against any federal action.

Biden announced on Thursday evening that there would be numerous federal emergency rules requiring vaccinations for federal employees, government contractors, many businesses, healthcare workers, but excludes U.S. Postal Service employees.

In response, many Republican members of Congress, governors and business owners have expressed their opposition to the mandate, often labeling it as overreach.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took to his official Twitter account to denounce Biden's mandate, vowing to pursue legal action if the measures are implemented.

I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration, tweeted Kemp.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts also released a statement in response to Biden's announcement, describing it as a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal governments power.

This plan isnt about public health  this is about government control and taking away personal liberties, Ricketts added. Americans, not the federal government, are responsible for taking charge of their personal health.

It is not the role of the federal government to mandate their choices. Nebraska will stand up to President Bidens overreach, and we will be working with the Attorney General to explore all our options.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denounced the mandate at a press conference held in Pasco County focused on promoting the success of monoclonal antibody treatments for those who've contracted COVID-19.

How could we get to the point in the country where you would want to have someone lose their job because of their choice about the vaccine or not? DeSantis said.

I mean, look, some folks have reasons to do  maybe theyre making the wrong decision  but to put them out of work and not let them earn a living because of this, I just think that thats fundamentally wrong.

Members of Congress, including Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California also denounced the mandate, with the GOP leader accusing the president of making small business an enemy of his administration.

Forcing main street to vax or pay a fine will not only crush an economy he's put on life supportit's flat-out un-American. To Joe Biden, force is more important than freedom. Americans won't stand for it, tweeted McCarthy.

On Thursday evening, Biden announced what he described as a new plan to require more Americans to be vaccinated, to combat those blocking public health.

These measures include requiring businesses with at least 100 employees to either require all of their staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine or have them produce at least one negative COVID test a week, requiring nursing home workers who treat people with Medicaid or Medicare to be vaccinated, and a mandate for all federal employees and those who contract with the federal government to be vaccinated.

Biden said that the requirements for being fully vaccinated or providing negative tests on a regular basis were already being implemented by major employers like Tysons Food, United Airlines, and even Fox News.

This is not about freedom or personal choice, Biden argued. Its about protecting yourself and those around you  the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love.

What more do you need to see? Weve made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, Biden added, And your refusal has cost all of us."

"The unvaccinated minority can cause a lot of damage, and they are.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who's also a medical doctor, noted that Biden's mandate ignores the science because people who've already contracted COVID-19 have a natural immunity to the virus.

"Vaccine mandates that ignore natural immunity ignore the science, are unscientific, and should not be adhered to or promulgated by the government," Paul wrote.

Several studies have shown that people who've already contracted COVID-19 will likely have lifetime immunity. The Cleveland Clinic found in one such study that vaccinating people with "natural immunity" did not increase their level of protection. An Israeli study also found that people with natural immunity have a far greater level of protection than those who were vaccinated.

Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a Harvard Medical School epidemiologist, has also said that people who've recovered from the virus have "stronger and longer immunity" than those who are vaccinated.

Similarly, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor of medicine, has explained that being vaccinated doesn't stop the spread of the virus, but it does provide protection from it.
Rise of the 'nones,' decline of 'white Christian America' slows in US, new survey shows

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A new survey reveals that the share of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated has declined slightly. However, more Americans still describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated than affiliate with any particular religious tradition.

The Washington, D.C.-based Public Religion Research Institute released its first-ever Census of American Religion Thursday, which provided detailed information about the religious demographics of the United States.

The survey was part of PRRIs 2020 American Values Atlas, based on phone interviews with 50,334 Americans throughout 2020.

A statement from the research firm alleges that the Census of American Religion provides the most detailed estimates of American religious affiliation since the U.S. Census Bureau last collected religious data in 1957. Data was compiled based on more than 400,000 responses to PRRIs American Values Atlas dating back to 2013.

One of the biggest takeaways from the survey is that the Rise of the Nones has slowed.

The term nones describes Americans who do not identify with a particular religion and includes atheists and agnostics.

For several years, the PRRI and Pew Research Center have reported on the growth of the religiously unaffiliated American population, which corresponds with a drop in the share of Americans who identify as Christians.

As noted by data compiled in the Census of American Religion, 16% of Americans identified as religiously unaffiliated in 2006. That number rose to a high of 25.5% in 2018 before declining to 24% in 2019 and 23.3% in 2020. Even with this slight decline, religiously unaffiliated Americans constitute a larger share of the American public than the three most prominent religious groups in the U.S.

White mainline Protestants made up just over 16% of the population in 2020, followed by white evangelical Protestants (14%) and white Catholics (12%.) All other religious groups accounted for less than 10% of the U.S. population as a whole, including Christians of color, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.

As the survey reported, The increase in proportion of religiously unaffiliated Americans has occurred across all age groups but has been most pronounced among young Americans.

Even as the share of religiously unaffiliated Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 declined from 38% in 2018 to 36% in 2020, religiously unaffiliated young Americans outnumbered their white mainline Protestant counterparts 3-to-1.

The religiously unaffiliated constitute smaller pluralities of Americans between the ages of 30-49 and 50-64. At 14%, the religiously unaffiliated were the fourth largest group among Americans 65 and older. White evangelicals made up a plurality (22%) of the oldest age bracket, followed by white mainline Protestants (20%) and white Catholics (15%).

The slight decrease in the percentage of nones comes as the Census of American Religion found that the decline of white Christian America has also slowed.

After the share of Americans who identified as white Christians reached a low of 42% in 2018, the percentage of white Christians increased to 44% in 2020.

While the percentage of white mainline Protestants increased slightly in 2020, the share of white evangelical Protestants in the population continues to decline.

Twenty-three percent of Americans identified as white evangelical Protestants in 2006. But that figure shrunk to 14% in 2020 after remaining constant at 15% for the three previous years.

The new survey results illustrate a noticeable relationship between a persons faith and their political affiliation. White Christians made up 68% of the Republican Party compared to just 39% of the Democratic Party.

Although religiously unaffiliated Americans make up an increasing share of both political parties, the nones comprise a higher share of the Democratic Partys coalition (23%) compared to the Republican Partys (13%).

According to data collected by Pew Research Center in 2006, just 4% of the Republican Party consisted of religiously unaffiliated Americans, while the nones accounted for 13% of the Democratic Partys coalition at that time.

In 2020, the religiously unaffiliated made up a plurality of the Democratic Partys membership (23%), followed by white mainline Protestants (16%), white Catholics (13%) and black Protestants (13%). Meanwhile, the nones were the fourth-largest religious group in the Republican Party in 2020 (13%). At 29%, white evangelicals constituted a plurality of the Republican Party, followed by white mainline Protestants (22%) and white Catholics (15%).

Overall, most religiously unaffiliated Americans identify as independents (46%) and Democrats (35%). Majorities of Hindus (79%), Buddhists (77%), Muslims (82%), Jews (75%), Hispanic Catholics (83%), and Hispanic Protestants (75%) identified as either independent or Democrat. An outright majority of black Protestants (65%) aligned themselves with the Democratic Party.

The religious groups most likely to favor Republicans were white evangelicals (51%) and members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints (39%). White mainline Protestants were evenly split between Democrats (35%) and Republicans (33%), while a plurality of white Catholics (38%) identified with the Democratic Party.
Va. megachurch pastor accused of soliciting minors for sex steps down from leadership role

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Virginia megachurch pastor who is facing a felony charge of soliciting prostitution from a minor has agreed to step down from his leadership position at his congregation.

John Blanchard, the lead pastor of the Rock Church of Virginia Beach, was one of 17 individuals arrested in an October sting operation aimed at capturing people seeking sexual relations with minors online.

In a statement posted to its website in response to the arrest, the Rock Church explained that Blanchard had voluntarily stepped back as lead pastor and from all his ministerial duties until this present situation is totally resolved.

During this season, Bishop Anne Gimenez will be stepping in as Lead Pastor and sharing the pulpit with Pastor Robin Blanchard, said the church.

The outpouring of love has been overwhelming and we appreciate all of those who have reached out to be an encouragement to us! We would ask that the privacy of the Blanchard family be respected as they walk through this difficult journey together.

Rock Church also stated that it condemns sexual immorality of any kind and in any form by its members and leaders, and is committed to honesty and integrity in dealing with charges or accusations of sexual misconduct or immorality among its leaders and will support any investigation arising from accusations of violation of this standard.

Under the guidance of our legal counsel, We cannot make a statement or comment concerning the accusations against Rev. John Blanchard at this time, continued the church.

We are all committed to walking in integrity and truth at Rock Church International and will continue to take steps to do so.

On Monday, the Chesterfield County Police announced the completion of a two-day sting operation in which they arrested 17 people who attempted to solicit sex from minors online.

The suspects communicated with people they believed to be underage members of our community and arranged to meet them at a location to have sexual relations. When the suspects came to the location, they were met by police and arrested, explained the authorities.

Blanchard was among those arrested by authorities in their sting. He was charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and the use of a vehicle to promote prostitution.

According to the Rock Church website, Blanchard had served as senior pastor alongside his wife, Robin, since October 2013, having been installed by Rock co-founder Anne Gimenez.

In December 2019, Blanchard was one of 200 evangelical leaders to sign a letter to Christianity Today denouncing an editorial calling for then-President Donald Trump to be removed from office.
Christian charity asks Supreme Court to protect its faith based hiring rules on moral, sexual ethics

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Seattle, Washington-based Christian charity is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that it acted lawfully when it refused, on religious grounds, to hire a man in a same-sex relationship.

Seattles Union Gospel Mission petitioned the Supreme Court earlier this year regarding the ongoing legal battle with Matthew Woods, who had applied for an attorney position with the charity in 2016 but was denied due to him being in a same-sex romantic relationship.

Union Gospel Mission, which is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, has asked the Supreme Court to hear the case after the Washington state Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision in their favor.

ADF Legal Counsel Jake Warner told The Christian Post in an interview Monday that Union Gospel Mission reached out to his organization after the Washington Supreme Court decision.

The petition to the Supreme Court is currently in briefing, according to Warner, noting that they asked the Supreme Court to hear the case a few months ago, and they expect a response to their petition perhaps as early as early December.

In our view, religious organizations have the right to hire those who share their beliefs without being punished by the government. In fact, six federal appellate courts have already recognized this principle, said Warner.

But the Washington state Supreme Court stands alone against this principle, and it's important enough that we believe that the Supreme Court needs to clarify that the First Amendment protects the right of religious organizations to decide who gets to share their religious message to the public.

In October 2016, Woods, a professed Christian who had volunteered at the Union Gospel Missions legal aid clinic while a law student, applied for a staff attorney position with the charity.

When Union Gospel Mission refused to hire him due to their belief that Woods same-sex relationship violated Christian teaching regarding sexual ethics, Woods filed a complaint in November 2017.

In March, the Washington Supreme Court reversed a trial court ruling in favor of Union Gospel Mission, then remanded the case back to the lower court to determine if the charity could apply for a ministerial exemption.

Justice Barbara A. Madsen authored the state Supreme Courts majority opinion, arguing that neither the Mission nor its legal aid clinic is a church or religious entity principally responsible for the spiritual lives of its members.

Moreover, Woods sought employment with SUGM as a lawyer specifically, not as a religious minister or teacher, and there is no indication that religious training is necessary for the staff attorney position, ruled Madsen.

It is best left to the trial court to determine whether staff attorneys can qualify as ministers and, consequently, whether Woods discrimination claim under [Washington's Law Against Discrimination] must be barred.
Supreme Court rejects Catholic hospital sued for refusing to perform hysterectomy on trans patient

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up a case involving a Catholic hospital in California that is being sued for refusing to perform a hysterectomy on a trans-identified patient.

In a list of orders published Monday, the Supreme Court denied the petition for a writ of certiorari in the case of Dignity Health v. Minton, Evan. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neal Gorsuch would have granted the appeal.

The case goes back to state court for further proceedings as the high court's decision lets stand an appellate court ruling allowing the plaintiff to proceed with a lawsuit against the hospital.

The lawsuit was filed in April 2017, one year after Mercy San Juan Medical Center in the Sacramento suburb of Carmichael, California, refused to perform a hysterectomy on Evan Minton, a trans-identified female.

The hospital, one of six medical centers operated by its parent company, Dignity Health, concluded that performing the procedure would violate the ethical and religious directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

The directives document was published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and features guidance for institutionally based Catholic health care services.

The directives assert that direct sterilization of either men or women, whether permanent or temporary, is not permitted in a Catholic health care institution. However, the directives permit Catholic hospitals and healthcare providers to perform procedures that induce sterility if their direct effect is the cure or alleviation of a present and serious pathology and a simpler treatment is not available.

The original lawsuit filed argued that the refusal to perform Mintons hysterectomy "constitutes discrimination" based on gender identity. Although the Catholic hospital refused to perform the procedure, Minton secured a hysterectomy at another Dignity Health-affiliated hospital 30 miles away four days after the scheduled hysterectomy was canceled.

The Mercy San Juan initially agreed to perform the hysterectomy, a procedure commonly done for medical reasons, until finding out that the hysterectomy was part of a gender transition process, not an effort to alleviate a present and serious pathology.

The hospital then informed the doctor scheduled to perform the hysterectomy that she could not do so. Minton learned that the hysterectomy was canceled the day before the procedure was set to take place, a development that resulted in great anxiety and grief.

While a judge at the federal district court level sided with Mercy San Juan Medical Center, an appellate court ruled in September 2019 that Dignity Health discriminated against Minton in violation of California civil rights law. The appellate courts decision sent the case back to the California Supreme Court for San Francisco County to enter a new and different order.

In a petition for a writ of certiorari filed in March 2020, the hospital asked the Supreme Court to reverse the lower court decision. The petition warns that this case poses a profound threat to faith-based health care institutions ability to advance their healing ministries consistent with the teachings of their faith.

Minton took to Twitter to cheer the Supreme Courts refusal to hear the appeal.

For the first time in a year, I can feel my heart start to relax, Minton stressed. At times today, I danced. I notoriously never celebrate the moments, so this was huge.

In closing, the fight for justice can be long, it can be arduous, the future will always be (and is) uncertain, but the fight so far has been worth every tear and drop of sweat.

Hi folks,

It's been a busy day and things are still sinking in. I'm really trying to summarize how I feel, but it's hard. How to summarize a year of intense stress and nights where time seemed to stand still? Impossible.



First, I just want to say thathttps://t.co/waAcErPiQj  Evan Minton t(he)y (@EvanMMinton) November 2, 2021

While the nations high court declined to hear the case, the justices issued a decision in another case Monday that is favorable to Catholic nuns and other Christian employers seeking exemption from a New York state law requiring employer-sponsored healthcare plans to cover the cost of abortions.

The court vacated a lower court decision against religious groups and remanded the case back to the New York State Supreme Courts Appellate Division in light of its ruling in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The June ruling found that the city of Philadelphia could not exclude a Catholic charity from its foster program because the organization upholds policies that don't allow children to be placed with same-sex couples.

The debate about whether or not faith-based organizations should be forced to take actions that violate their religious convictions has intensified in recent years as Congress has debated the Equality Act, which would codify nondiscrimination protections for the LGBT community into federal law.

Critics of the legislation warn of its implications for religious liberty, specifically that it could force religious organizations to fund abortion healthcare coverage and violate their beliefs about gender, marriage and sexuality.

The bill has passed the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives but stalled in the evenly divided Senate because of opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.
Supreme Court justices question Texas heartbeat abortion law's use of legal 'loophole'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday regarding a Texas law that prohibits most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, weighing whether to allow abortion rights advocates to sue the state in federal court.

For around three hours, lawyers who argued for and against Texas Senate Bill 8 were questioned before the nations high court, with discussions focusing primarily on the unique way in which the legislation is enforced.

Also known as Texas Heartbeat Act, the ban is not enforced through state officials like most laws. Instead, private citizens are given financial incentives to sue abortion providers and anyone who helps a pregnant woman procure an abortion. Successful plaintiffs are awarded at least $10,000.

Both Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Brett Kavanaugh expressed concern, with Kagan wondering if the law would resist the even broader principle that states are not to nullify federal constitutional rights.

Kavanaugh questioned if the state was exploiting a "loophole" in legal precedent that should be closed to allow those who oppose the law to appeal to federal courts.

Texas Solicitor General Judd Stone defended the legislation. He argued that the legal challenges should remain in state courts for the time and that third parties had a right to sue abortion providers on the basis of being harmed by the procedure.

Justice Clarence Thomas questioned Stone about what injury third parties would face that could compel them to seek enforcement of the law.

One example could be akin to the injury suffered in the tort of outrage, where an individual becomes aware of a noncompliant abortion and they suffer the sort of same extreme emotional harm, said Stone.

[That is] where a person witnesses something they essentially find to be so extreme and outrageous it causes them extreme moral or psychological harm.

Thomas pushed back.

Forgive me, but I dont recall an outrage injury, he asked. What would that be?

Stone offered an example:

An individual discovers that ... a close friend of theirs who theyd spoken with about pro-life issues and about abortion has chosen instead to have a late-term abortion in violation of S.B. 8, and they were very invested in ... that childs upbringing and the childs coming into being, he said. To the extent to which theres going to have to be a tighter nexus or whats a sufficient injury, in fact, is going to be something that the Texas courts have to develop in the first instance.

Marc Hearron, senior counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, argued that the Texas law makes it so that the ministerial act of the clerks docketing makes clerks an essential part of the machinery that [the state has] created to nullify constitutional rights that have been recognized by this Court.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett stated that the way the law is written does not abortion providers the ability to seek a broader form of relief from the bill in federal court.

[Y]ou cannot get kind of global relief in the same way that a pre-enforcement challenge ... in federal court gives you relief from the prospect that the statute would be enforced against you, she said.

Texas Alliance for Life Executive Director Joe Pojman said in a statement that he is grateful for every day the Texas Heartbeat Act remains in effect.

Regardless of what the courts decide in these cases, the Texas Heartbeat law has saved hundreds or even thousands of unborn babies from the tragedy of abortion, stated Pojman.

At the same time, hundreds of pro-life pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies continue to help more than 100,000 women in Texas with unplanned pregnancies every year.

Jamie L. Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, said in a statement that her organization rallied outside of the Supreme Court building during the arguments. She claimed that the Texas law violated Catholic values, even though the Catholic Church has a longstanding opposition to abortion.

These values  of social justice, human dignity, and liberation  call us to recognize that Texans are harmed every day this anti-abortion law remains in place, especially those who are already suffering from the oppressions of racial and economic injustice, stated Manson.

It also undermines the fundamental notion of religious freedom that our nation was founded upon. Catholics for Choice is here to proclaim we are pro-choice because of our faith, not in spite of it.

In May, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas Heartbeat Act into law. Despite pre-enforcement legal challenges, the Supreme Court allowed the legislation to take effect on Sept. 1. It continues to be challenged in the courts by both pro-choice groups and the Biden administration.

The law is viewed as a challenge to the Supreme Court precedent set in the 1973 decision Roe v. Wade, which bans laws restricting abortion before fetal viability, or the ability of an unborn baby to survive outside the womb, is attained.

Last month U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction blocking the ban from being enforced. But a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision and granted a per curiam order allowing the law to remain in effect amid legal proceedings.

On Dec. 1, The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which centers on Mississippis ban on most abortions after 15 weeks. As with the Texas law, the Mississippi law goes against the current precedent set by Roe v. Wade.
Washington Supreme Court Ruled Against Seattle Homeless Ministry Over Christian Beliefs

Far too often, faith-based ministries must defend their fundamental rights in court rather than focusing on serving those in need.

Thats what happened to Seattles Union Gospel Mission.

Seattles Union Gospel Mission is a nonprofit ministry that began during the Great Depression in 1932. Today, the Mission lives out its Christian faith by bringing the love of Jesus Christ to over a thousand homeless and hurting people in Seattle each day through services like its soup kitchen, mobile showers, and recovery programs.

The Mission is spectacularly successful. About 70 percent of clients are working or in school two years after graduating from one of the Missions recovery programs. And about 25 percent of the Missions staff are former clients.

The Gospel and the Missions religious beliefs are key to its success. Thats why its ironic that Seattles Union Gospel Mission is now being told by the Washington State Supreme Court it should hire an applicant who does not agree with its beliefs. A 2021 decision by the court attempts to punish the ministry for declining to hire a lawyer for its legal-aid clinic who does not share its religious beliefs. The lawyer refused to follow the code of conduct and was not active in a local church, and therefore could not provide a pastors name and contact information as the Mission requires of all applicants. Most problematic, the applicant said he was applying because he hoped to change the Missions religious beliefs.

The Missions faith is integral to everything it does. Its critical that the Missions employees share in its faith because if employees contradict each other on matters of faith, it would undermine the central reason why the Gospel Mission exists. Thats why, with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, Seattles Union Gospel Mission is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case.

Should churches and religious organizations be forced to hire those who disagree with them? Take our poll now to share where you stand.

The Mission Changes Lives of the Homeless in Seattle

Seattles Union Gospel Mission is located in Seattle, Washington, which had the third-largest homeless population in the United States according to federal data released in 2018.

The Missions ministry is greatly needed. It changes the lives of those whom it helpspeople like Darryl Ann. Darryl Ann had a fraught childhood. She never felt like she could measure up to her parents expectations. And she found herself drawn to others who were also struggling.

She went to clubs and started using drugs and drinking alcohol. Eventually, she became a mother of four children. Then her life took a downward spiral.

She left her children. She left her marriage. She lost everything to her addictions.

Those things I still grieve, and no matter how much clean time I have, thats where I need Jesus because the pain is too great, Darryl Ann says.

She was homeless, living under the I-90 bridge in Seattle.

But her life changed when she was jailed for shoplifting. When they took me to my cell, there happened to be a Bible in there. I opened it up and the words I read spoke to me. It said to do something useful with your hands for those in need.

It wasnt long after spending time in jail that she started a new life with the Mission.

I felt so much love and support at the Mission, Darryl Ann says. I found a role model there who is my guardian angel. With her help and the grace of God, Ive been sober for 10 years.

Today, she works for the Mission, using her experience and skills to counsel women struggling with addictions just like she did. Darryl Ann is one of the nearly one-fourth of Mission staff who previously were program participants. She provides a vital Christian witness to those experiencing the same struggles she did.

The Missions programs share the Gospel by teaching participants to surrender their lives to God and enter into a new life through Christ. And employees like Darryl Ann model this surrender to participants.

The Missions success rate is made possible by the fact that every employee shares and lives out its Christian beliefs.

Thats why it is so important that the Missionand other faith-based ministries like ithave the freedom to hire those who align with its beliefs. And its why the Washington Supreme Courts attempt to say who the Mission should hire is wrong.

Will you take a moment to respond to a brief poll on the issues at hand in this case? Your input will help us refine our strategy in defending your freedoms against government coercion.

Homeless Ministry at the Supreme Court

This decision by the Washington Supreme Court violates the Missions religious liberty guaranteed by the First Amendment. If the government can tell the Mission to hire someone who does not share its beliefs, it can demand that a Jewish synagogue or an Islamic Mosque employ a Christian. It can require a Catholic social-services agency to hire an atheist.

The First Amendments guarantee of religious liberty protects ministries to be able to make their own internal employment decisions. The Mission shouldnt be forced to choose between its beliefs and changing the way it serves the homeless.

So the Mission is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case.

ADF attorneys and co-counsel petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the Missions case on August 2, 2021.

And its already receiving a huge wave of support. Seventeen states, 20 current and former state legislators, and legal scholars have submitted friend-of-the-court briefs asking the Supreme Court to hear the Missions case.

Do you agree? Share your opinion by taking our poll here.

SHARE YOUR OPINION
17 missionaries remain captive in Haiti as families of American hostages worldwide plead with Biden

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries urged continued prayers for their 17 missionaries being held captive by the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti as families of 26 Americans being held hostage around the world recently pressed the Biden administration to push more aggressively to free their loved ones.

Seventeen days after 17 missionaries working with Christian Aid Ministries were kidnapped by the Haitian gangsters who have threatened to kill them if their $17 million ransom is not paid, the international Christian charity said they are also praying for wisdom as negotiations continue between American and Haitian authorities to secure their release.

This is now the 17th day since the kidnapping in Haiti took place. Our workers and loved ones are still being held. Voices from around the world continue to cry out to God to sustain the hostages. We desire wisdom from God as we work through this difficult situation, Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement to The Christian Post on Monday.

The group of missionaries kidnapped Oct. 16, while they were working with Christian Aid Ministries includes six men, six women and five children, of which 16 are Americans and one is Canadian. They range in age from an 8-month-old baby to a 48 year old.

Last week, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden continues to be briefed daily about the kidnapping of the missionaries and noted that he was particularly concerned about the five children in the group.

I personally give an update on this issue every single day to the president, who is taking a deep interest in making sure we get every single one of those people home safely, Sullivan said.

Shortly after the kidnapping of the missionaries on Oct. 16, he said, three FBI agents were deployed to Haiti. Since then, Sullivan said the U.S. has sent a significant number of law enforcement specialists and hostage recovery specialists to work closely with the ministry, the families and the Haitian government to try to coordinate and organize a recovery.

We are looking at every possible option for how to go about doing that, he explained. I will be sensitive to what obviously is a delicate situation, not say more here, other than we have put the assets and resources in place that we believe can help bring this to a successful conclusion.

In an open letter to Biden published by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, the hostage advocacy group, the families of 26 American hostages being held in other countries, including Syria, China, Venezuela, Rwanda, Iran, Russia and Egypt explained how they have been waiting for much longer than the missionaries in Haiti to see their loved ones freed.

We are grateful for the times you have personally referred to some of our family members by name in public statements vowing to fight for their release. Many of us were present on a February call with Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his first week in office. That call provided hope to so many families who heard this administration promise that their loved ones freedom was a national priority, the families wrote.

Yet as of this letter, so many of us remain in the same situation, or worse, more than eight months later. In fact, some of us have endured this burden across multiple administrations, they continued. We have not been able to meet with you or even with your national security advisor to discuss our loved ones captivity, which leads us to believe that your administration is not prioritizing negotiations and other methods to secure their release. When we do meet with other officials we feel we are being kept in the dark about what the U.S. government intends to do to free our loved ones.

Jean Pierre Ferrer Michel, a 79-year-old American pastor who was kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti two weeks before the missionaries in Haiti were abducted, was recently freed after $550,000 was reportedly paid for his release.

Since the kidnapping of the missionaries, Haitians have taken to the streets to demand their release. Schools and most businesses were closed for several days in Port-au-Prince last week, according to The Haitian Times, following a call for a general strike to protest kidnappings and widespread insecurity, which followed the assassination of the countrys late President Jovenel Moise in July. A civil society group in that country reports that 600 kidnappings were recorded from January to September 2021, compared with 231 over the same period last year.

Despite the challenges to the freedom of their missionaries, Christian Aid Ministries said people are now praying day and night for their release.

Throughout the long days of waiting, a special network of global prayer support has gathered around the hostages and their families, the group said. Every 15 minutes of the day and night, the torch of prayer is passed on. Some time periods have over 20 individuals or groups praying at once.
Florida school district defends elementary school field trip to gay bar

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Florida school district is defending an elementary school field trip to a notorious gay bar after a school board members social media post of the outing generated outrage.

Sarah Leonardi, who serves on the Board of Education for Broward County Schools in South Florida, announced on her Twitter page last Wednesday that she chaperoned a group of students at Wilton Manors Elementary School in Wilton Manors, Florida, to Rosies Bar and Grill.

I was SO honored to be invited to chaperone @WiltonManorsESs field trip to the incredible Rosies! she wrote.

The students and I had a fun walk over and learned a lot about our community! A huge thank you to @RosiesBNG for hosting this special field trip every year! Leonardi added.

I was SO honored to be invited to chaperone @WiltonManorsESs field trip to the incredible Rosies! The students and I had a fun walk over and learned a lot about our community! A huge thank you to @RosiesBnG for hosting this special field trip every year! pic.twitter.com/A3rpMbyUJP  School Board Member Sarah Leonardi (@bcpsleonardi) October 27, 2021

Rosies has menu items with sexually provocative names, including burgers named Ivana Hooker, "Rhoda Cowboy" and Anita Mojito, which is described as a sexy Cuban temptress. Another burger named Helena Bun is touted as being tossed in Rosies own Smack My Cheeks and Make em Rosy sauce. According to the menu, the Plain Jane burger contains our signature burger blend from the sexiest Angus beef cows.

The field trip received criticism from conservatives, who pointed to the excursion as the latest example of schools trying to force leftist ideology onto children. Christina Pushaw, press secretary for Floridas Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, sent out a tweet lamenting that a Broward School Board member takes little kids to a gay bar on a field trip, forcing them to wear masks to keep them safe.

Broward School Board member takes little kids to a gay bar on a field trip, forcing them to wear masks to keep them safe. https://t.co/mhGAt6WY7h  Christina Pushaw ???? (@ChristinaPushaw) October 28, 2021

In a follow-up tweet, Pushaw suggested that Leonardi took little kids to this bar EXPECTING that some parents would protest, so she could call the FBI and go on MSNBC to discuss all the threatening messages shes received from insurrectionist parents.

Pushaws tweet is in reference to the Department of Justice memo urging federal law enforcement officials to meet with local leaders to facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.

What if the Broward school board member took little kids to this bar EXPECTING that some parents would protest, so she could call the FBI and go on MSNBC to discuss all the threatening messages shes received from insurrectionist parents? pic.twitter.com/bkEFg9YIkC  Christina Pushaw ???? (@ChristinaPushaw) October 28, 2021

The DOJ memo followed a letter from the National School Boards Association requesting federal assistance to stop threats and acts of violence against public schoolchildren, public school board members, and other public school district officials and educators, which it likened to domestic terrorism. The NSBA letter and the DOJ memo were condemned for suggesting that parents expressing concerns about sexually explicit material available in schools at school board meetings were akin to domestic terrorists.

According to Leonardi, some of the rhetoric surrounding the controversy over the field trip to Rosies has gone beyond the boundaries of acceptable discourse. Leonardi told the Miami Herald that since posting about the field trip on social media, she has been attacked with bigoted comments and death threats, along with her family and friends. Rosies owner John Zieba reported that the restaurant has received death threats via phone originating from area codes based outside the Fort Lauderdale area, where the establishment is located.

Zieba also rejected the characterization of his business as a gay bar, telling the publication, We welcome everybody. Every race, color, creed or ethnicity.

Broward County Public Schools issued a statement in response to the criticism, asserting that the bar and restaurant was not open to the general public when students were present inside. The district also stressed that When the business opened, students transitioned to a separate, outside location to order and eat their meals and that the students order their meals from a student-friendly paper menu that has three child-friendly choices.

The district defended the field trip as part of the schools curriculum: Wilton Manors Elementary School offers a Unit of Inquiry called, How we organize ourselves. In the unit, students learn about neighborhood safety, community helpers, the importance of being a community member, what it takes for a community to be successful, different jobs in a community, and social skills.

As part of the unit, the district said students visit Rosies, which is within walking distance from the school, to learn about the types of jobs involved in operating a restaurant, how to pay for their meal, and how to leave a tip for the service they receive.
Va. megachurch pastor arrested, charged with soliciting prostitution from a minor

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Virginia pastor was arrested during a sting operation to capture individuals seeking sexual relations with minors online and is facing a felony charge of soliciting prostitution.

John Blanchard, a 51-year-old pastor at the Rock Church of Virginia Beach, was one of 17 individuals arrested in the operation, according to an announcement from Chesterfield County Police on Monday.

During the two-day operation, detectives intercepted suspects who believed they were soliciting sex from minors through online and social media platforms, explained authorities.

The suspects communicated with people they believed to be underage members of our community and arranged to meet them at a location to have sexual relations. When the suspects came to the location, they were met by police and arrested.

Blanchard has been charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and the use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, according to Chesterfield Police.

Jim Booker, Blanchards neighbor, told the Norfolk-based WTKR News 3 that he was surprised by the news of the pastors arrest.

This is a shock to me because I know him fairly well. Hes never given me any indication over the years that Ive known him that he would be mixed up in anything like this, said Booker to WTKR.

I know evil is always present and always trying to take down those who claim Jesus Christ. Im going to pray for him and be there for him. If he needs someone to talk to, Im going to be there to talk to him.

According to the Rock Churchs website, Blanchard has served as senior pastor of the congregation alongside his wife, Robin, since October 2013.

Coming from a background in atheism and a dysfunctional childhood, Johns heart is to reach a generation with a message of hope through the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ, noted the church.

This message has taken his ministry to dozens of countries all over the world and the USA and to procure a Masters of Divinity Degree from Oral Roberts University.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Parents from coast to coast are speaking out against critical race theory (CRT) being taught to their kids in schools. And yet, Marc Lamont Hill, a progressive professor, would like you to believe that CRT is only being taught in graduate-level courses and law schools.

However, that is just not true.

The fact is that CRT is being taught in the curricula of countless school districts across the country. And the numbers continue to rise.

In this article, I will present three books being taught in several elementary, middle, and high schools.

Woke Baby by Mahogany Browne

To share a glimpse into Woke Baby, the parents come into their baby's room to check on her and find that she is not asleep but awake. And not only is their baby girl wide awake but she is also "woke" as she announces from her crib that gender is a social construct.

The book almost makes it seem like you're a bad parent if you're not teaching your baby about gender identity and racial equity while changing their diaper.

So, to all the parents reading this, allow me to ask you: how essential was it for you to teach your baby to be woke?

Probably not that important. And the reason for not instilling wokeness in your baby is because it's terrible parenting. Babies don't need to be robbed of their childhood development by woke ideology. Babies need to be nurtured, fed, bathed, and loved.

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness (Ordinary Terrible Things) by Anastasia Higginbotham

Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at Manhattan Institute, reported that 30 schools in 15 states are teaching Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness (Ordinary Terrible Things) in the classroom. Why is that alarming? Because from the outset, the book reads, "Racism is a White person's problem and we are all caught up in it."

Another disturbing phrase in the book states that white people "mess endlessly with the lives of your friends, neighbors, loved ones and all fellow humans of color for the purpose of profit."

The book's agenda promotes anti-whiteness and collective guilt by teaching kids to place themselves in categories based on their whiteness, power and privileges. The author states that white kids are raised by racists, and white kids perpetuate systemic racism because they are white.

Another dangerous ideology espoused in this book is that moral value is based on a person's skin color. Not on God.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

The premise of Mr. Kendi's book is that racism is the default setting of the world. According to Mr. Kendi, you are either a racist or an anti-racist. That's it. There are no alternatives. For Mr. Kendi, saying you are "not a racist" isn't enough. He believes you must become an "anti-racist" if you genuinely don't want to be a racist.

Here is how Mr. Kendi makes the distinction, "'Cultural Racist': one who is creating a cultural standard and imposing a cultural hierarchy among racial groups. 'Cultural-Antiracist': one who is rejecting cultural standards and equalizing cultural differences among racial groups."

In essence, Mr. Kendi is espousing that we are all racists if we do not actively participate in removing ideas and policies that advance racism.

Furthermore, Mr. Kendi's solution to rid the world of systemic racism is to advance discrimination against any person or belief not considered anti-racist. He writes, "The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination."

And as if that wasn't alarming enough, Mr. Kendi proposes the establishment of a "Department of Antiracism" of unelected "formally trained experts on racism" that would have total autonomy monitoring "racist ideas" and enforcing what they deem appropriate measures to silence or punish racist offenders. This seems all well and good if you're not a racist. But keep in mind Mr. Kendi's definition of a racist: It is anyone who does not advance antiracism. So, if the "Department of Antiracism" doesn't feel your ideas, beliefs, or actions meet the threshold of antiracism, then they are authorized to silence your speech and block you from exercising your personal convictions and sacred beliefs.

Parents must be aware of what their kids are being taught and stay informed about the training teachers are receiving about CRT. The Bible encourages us to "test everything and hold fast to that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Therefore, be attentive to what your school district teaches kids about gender, race and equity. The more informed and engaged you are, the better chance the next generation will have to walk in the truth of God.
home World Archaeologists find rare 2,000-year-old Balm of Gilead gemstone seal near Western Wall



Archaeologists in Israel say they have discovered in eastern Jerusalem a 2,000-year-old precious gem an engraving that depicts the Balm of Gilead, a rare perfume used medicinally and which was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of an ancient amethyst seal bearing the first known depiction of the plant just north of the City of David, Jewish News Syndicate reported.

The seal was found during excavations in the Emek Tzurim National Park along the foundation stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalems Old City, it added.

This is an important find, because it may be the first time that a seal has been discovered in the entire world with an engraving of the precious and famous plant, which until now we could only read about in historical descriptions, archaeologist Eli Shukron, who conducted the excavation, was quoted as saying.

Toward the end of the Second Temple period, the use of stone stamps expanded and became more common, The Jerusalem Post quoted Prof. Shua Amorai-Stark, an expert in engraved gems, as saying.

But in most stamps discovered so far with plant engravings, it is common to find plants that were common in Israel at the time: vines, dates and olives, which are among the seven species. But on this stone seal, we immediately noticed that the fruit that appears on it is unlike any of the fruits we have encountered to date.

The Bible prominently mentions the Balm of Gilead, also known as balsam tree or persimmon.

After having cast him into a pit, Josephs brothers saw a caravan on its way from Gilead to Egypt, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, according to Genesis 37:25.

While dispatching his embassy into Egypt, Jacob gifted a little balm to the unknown ruler, as per Genesis 43:11. During the final years of the Kingdom of Judah, Jeremiah asks in Jeremiah 8:22, Is there no balm in Gilead?

The oval stone uncovered by archeologists is about 10 mm long and five mm wide, and it also features a bird that looks like a dove, the archaeologists said.

The balsam plant is a positive symbol because, beyond the fact that it was used to produce perfumes and medicines, the ancient persimmon  which, by the way, is not at all similar to todays persimmon  was attributed magical and ceremonial properties and is one of the ingredients used for making the Temple incense during the Second Temple period, which is when this seal was made, Shukron was quoted as saying.

The dove is also a positive motif in the Hellenistic, Roman and Jewish world, Amorai-Stark said. It symbolizes wealth, happiness, goodness and success.



Originally published on The Christian Post.
home World Catholic Church census reveals growth in Asia and Africa, decline in Europe



An annual census by the Vatican news agency, Fides, shows that the number of Catholics has increased in Africa, the Americas and Asia but gone down in Europe.

The list of Catholic Church Statistics, released Thursday, reveals that the number of Catholics grew by more than 15 million from 2018 to 2019. However, in Europe, the number of Catholics decreased by 292,000. The release of the statistics came ahead of World Mission Day, which took place Sunday.

As of Dec. 31, 2019, the world population was approximately 7.6 billion with an increase of 81.4 million compared to the previous year. The population grew on every continent, including Europe, the census notes.

Catholics in the world numbered 1.3 billion with an overall increase of 15.4 million, as of Dec. 31, 2019, compared to the previous year. A video presentation of the statistics notes that Catholics accounted for 17.7% of the world population in 2019.

In Africa, the number of Catholics increased by 8.3 million, by 5.3 million in America, by 1.9 million in Asia and by 118,000 in Oceania. Catholics comprised 19.4% of the population in Africa, 63.8% of the population in America, 3.3% of the population in Asia and 26.3% of the population in Oceania.

As the number of Catholics increased worldwide, the total number of bishops in the world decreased by 13 to 5,364, according to the census. The report also shows that the number of priests worldwide increased, mainly in Africa and Asia, by 271 to 414,336.

The census put the number of lay missionaries in the world at 410,440, with an overall increase of 34,252.

In the field of education, the Catholic Church runs 72,667 kindergartens with 7,532,992 pupils; 98,925 primary schools with 35,188,771 pupils; 49,552 secondary schools with 19,370,763 pupils. The Church also cares 2,395,540 high school pupils and 3,833,012 university students, the census says. Charity and healthcare centres run in the world by the Church include: 5,245 hospitals, most of them in Africa (1,418) and in America (1,362).

Other charities overseen by the Church include 532 Care Homes for people with Leprosy, mainly in Asia (269) and Africa (201); 15,429 Homes for the elderly, or the chronically ill or people with a disability, mainly in Europe (8,031) and in America (3,642); 9,374 orphanages, mainly in Asia (3,233) and in Europe (2,247); 10,723 creches, mainly in Asia (2,973) and in America (2,957); 12,308 marriage counselling centres, mainly in Europe (5,504) and America (4,289); 3,198 social rehabilitation centres and 33,840 other kinds of institutes.

Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, responded to the statistics, concluding that de-Christianization is evident. I think it will be necessary to implement courses for Christian formation, he remarked, according to Premier Christian News.

In a statement issued in honor of World Missions Day, Pope Francis asserted that The call to mission is not a thing of the past. He stressed the need for hearts capable of experiencing vocation as a true love story that urges them to go forth to the peripheries of our world as messengers and agents of compassion.



Originally published on The Christian Post.
Convenience is king when it comes to online shopping.

For proof, take a look at SAPs Influential Shopper report that found convenience is the number one reason more than 4,000 respondents shop from behind their tablets, phones or computers. The study also found that convenience will continue to influence online shopping in the long run  even more than safety.

Online shopping affords consumers to act on their own terms. Buyers can quite literally purchase a product whenever, wherever and however they choose.

Even if it would take less time to get a product by driving to a store, many consumers would rather just wait for delivery  which is why brands should give more attention to the overall ecommerce experience to meet, if not exceed, the convenience factor.

Related: How Convenience Is Making a New Wave in the Service Industry

Convenience is an experience

Brand loyalty took quite a hit for pandemic consumers who couldnt find their preferred products available in stores. That allowed convenience to take over via the mass adoption of online shopping. More than half of consumers now shop online more frequently than before the pandemic.

What this means for retailers is still up for some debate, but it will require some rethinking with regard to business operations. For one, more consumers than ever have tried curbside delivery, buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) and other contactless shopping options. A failure to incorporate these services into the online shopping experience could cost companies plenty of business.

Related: Online Shopping: Evolving Consumer Behavior Amid the Pandemic

Its also become increasingly more important to rethink the customer radius of a business. Just because someone doesnt live in the area of your traditional shopper doesnt make them any less of a potential customer. Consumers interested in what you offer can live almost anywhere these days, and its an aspect of online shopping to explore.

With so much data now available, you can more easily identify and target specific audiences. Its all about understanding their wants, needs and preferences  and then tailoring the experience to improve engagement. Consumers now expect this sort of personalization, knowing full well that all brands gather data on demographics, past purchases and online behavior to personalize every exchange. The practice just adds to the convenience.

Time to keep it simple

While the right customer experience will vary from one brand to the next, a few elements will almost always be the same.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. Size up the landscape

Sometimes, all it takes is a review of other websites in your industry to get ideas for how you can improve customer experience. Focus on those sites with a modern feel in design, color scheme and layout. Consider how these elements enhance a customers interaction with the brand.

Then, take yourself through the path to purchase to fully appreciate the overall shopping experience, paying special attention to load times. One survey found that a delay of a single second can result in 11 percent fewer page views and a 7 percent loss in conversions  with 40 percent of visitors abandoning a website if it takes three seconds or more to load.

See what others around you are doing to simplify the process for their customers. If it resonates with them, consider folding it into your own ecommerce workflow.

Related: Convenience vs Security in Online Shopping

2. Keep your ear to the pavement

Consumers want to know that your business is there for them. Without the luxury of face-to-face interactions, ecommerce sites need to provide them an alternative  in this case, a platform to provide their feedback.

But dont let complaints or concerns go unchecked. Reach out to resolve issues, and then use any learnings to improve the experience online.

JetBlue, like any company, responds to feedback when social media users tag them, but the airline takes it one step further: It manages to catch the comments that dont tag them by setting up notifications for certain keywords used in proximity to the company name. This allows social managers to cast a wider net and address indirect feedback to continue being of service to its audience.

Find ways to personalize interactions going forward. Such efforts can provide a measurable lift. Consider offering product recommendations based on past purchases or product page interactions.

3. Check your timelines

Consumers spend an average of 145 minutes on social media each day. When a business ignores this space, its missing out on valuable discussions related to its products or services  and its customer experience.

Employ social listening to collect and analyze data, using this information to gain insights into what people might want from your brand. Beyond that, involve your brand in these conversations. Get active on social channels by offering up question-based content, surveys or polls. It can encourage engagement and help get direct answers to your own questions about an experience.

4. Enable mirror sites

While this should go without saying, not everyone speaks the same language. Even for a local retailer, you can improve the customer experience by allowing consumers to choose their preferred language upon entering your ecommerce site.

Make it as easy as possible for the selection, avoiding the same mistake as many big brands by asking consumers to change regions to access multilingual options. Just because someone speaks Italian, for example, doesnt mean that person lives in that region of the world.

Convenience is important to every consumer. If you take the time to assess the competition and monitor what consumers are saying about your products and services, you can put your brand in a much better position to give customers the experience theyve come to expect from brands.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The Biden administration plans hefty fines for companies that fail to comply with its COVID vaccine and testing mandates after they come into force on January 4.

Each employee who breaks the rule will cost their bosses $13,653 per violation, with heavier fines of up to $136,532 for "willful violations," according to a White House media briefing on the rules.

The full text of the rules is due to be published later.

The rules required that employees at companies with more than 100 staff have to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly for the disease and wear a mask at work.

The rules and their enforcement are being overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Related: These Are the 10 Richest People in the World (So Far)

The mandate applies to 84.2 million workers at 1.9 million private sector companies, said the OSHA.

Workers at nursing home and other healthcare workers at organisations that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs must also get vaccinated by that date. For these workers, there is no testing option.

Jim Frederick, deputy assistant secretary of labor at OSHA, told CBS News that "We know that the vast majority of workplaces will be in compliance."

"In those cases where OSHA does have to come and work with a workplace with non-compliance, we assess the situation and the gravity or severity of a citation issue."

In a statement Thursday, President Joe Biden defended requiring vaccination, a step he had earlier said he would rather not carry out.

"Vaccination is the single best pathway out of this pandemic. And while I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good. So I instituted requirements -- and they are working," Biden said in a statement.

The move comes as the coronavirus continues to claim thousands of lives daily in the US  with most of the victims unvaccinated.

The mandate is likely to face legal challenges. The governors of Florida, Texas, Indiana, and Iowa have decried the mandate as unconstitutional and a threat to individual freedom.

The Biden administration says the government has broad authority to set and enforce health and safety standards in workplaces.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
NEWTON, Mass. (AP) _ Service Properties Trust (SVC) on Thursday reported a key measure of profitability in its third quarter.

The real estate investment trust, based in Newton, Massachusetts, said it had funds from operations of $43.8 million, or 27 cents per share, in the period.

Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.

The company said it had a loss of $59.7 million, or 36 cents per share.

The real estate investment trust, based in Newton, Massachusetts, posted revenue of $437.1 million in the period.

_____

This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SVC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SVC
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Ukraine has filed charges of espionage and attempted state overthrow against five people who allegedly were part of a hackers group controlled by Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine said Friday that the hackers group known as Armagedon was responsible for some 5,000 cyberattacks on Ukrainian state agencies since 2014.
Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The new requirements are the Biden administrations boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine that has been widely available for months  or face financial consequences. If successful, administration officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

First previewed by President Joe Biden in September, the requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require that unvaccinated workers test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. It asked for public comment on whether employers with fewer than 100 employees could handle vaccination or testing programs.

Tougher rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing  they will need to be vaccinated.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, he said Thursday in a statement.

Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million now.

Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases.

OSHA said companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

The agency will face enforcement challenges. Even counting help from states, OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to oversee 130 million workers at 8 million workplaces. An administration official said the agency will respond to whistleblower complaints and make limited spot checks.

The release of the rules followed weeks of regulatory review and meetings with business groups, labor unions and others.

OSHA drafted the rules under emergency authority meant to protect workers from an imminent health hazard. The agency estimated that the vaccine mandate will save more than 6,500 worker lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations over the next six months.

The rules set up potential legal battles along partisan lines between states and the federal government. Several states and Republican governors threatened to sue, contending that the administration lacks the power to make such sweeping mandates under emergency authority.

OSHA's parent agency, the Labor Department, says it is on sound legal footing. The department's top legal official, Seema Nanda, said OSHA rules preempt conflicting state laws or orders, including those that bar employers from requiring vaccinations, testing or face masks.

Senate Republicans immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate, but with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail.

The rules will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees testing positive must be removed from the workplace.

Companies won't be required to provide or pay for tests for unvaccinated workers, but they must give paid time off for employees to get the shots and sick leave to recover from side effects that prevent them from working. Requirements for masks and paid time off for shots take effect Dec. 5.

Employers covered by the requirements must verify their workers vaccination status by checking documents such as CDC vaccination cards, records from doctors or pharmacies, or even an employee's own signed declaration.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a separate rule requiring vaccination for workers in 76,000 health facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. A senior administration official said several large private health care organizations imposed their own mandates and achieved high vaccination rates  96% or higher  without widespread resignations.

A previously announced requirement for federal contractors to make sure workers are vaccinated was scheduled to take effect Dec. 8, but the administration delayed that measure until Jan. 4 to match the requirements on other large employers and health care providers. Already, more than a dozen states have sued to block the mandate on contractors.

For weeks, Biden has encouraged businesses not to wait for OSHA to act. He has touted businesses that announced their own vaccine requirements and urged others to follow their lead.

Administration officials say those efforts are paying off, with about 70% of adults fully vaccinated.

Workplace vaccine mandates have become more common recently, with hospitals, state and local governments and some major corporations requiring COVID-19 shots for employees. The mandates have led to overwhelming compliance  in some cases 99% of workers  although a small but vocal number have faced dismissal, filed lawsuits or sought exemptions.

United Airlines required 67,000 U.S. employees to get vaccinated or face termination. Only a couple hundred refused to do so, although about 2,000 are seeking exemptions.

In August, Tyson Foods told its 120,000 U.S. workers that they must be vaccinated by Nov. 1. On Thursday, the company said more than 96% of its workforce was vaccinated, including 60,500 people who got their shots after the August announcement.

Walmart, the nations largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and managers who travel within the United States to be vaccinated by Oct. 4. The retailer stopped short of requiring shots for front-line workers, however.

However, some companies have expressed fear that some vaccine-hesitant workers might quit, leaving their workforces even thinner in an already-tight labor market.

Several corporate groups, including the Business Roundtable, endorsed the mandate. However, retail groups worried that the requirement could disrupt their operations during the critical Christmas shopping period. Retailers and others also said it could worsen supply chain disruptions.

The National Retail Federation suggested the new rules are not needed because the rolling average number of new daily cases in the U.S. has fallen by more than half since September.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration has chosen to declare an emergency and impose burdensome new requirements on retailers during the crucial holiday shopping season, said David French, a senior vice president for the trade group.

The number of new infections in the U.S. is still falling from a summer surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant, but the rate of decline has slowed in recent weeks. The 7-day moving average is down 6% from two weeks ago, at more than 76,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths per day.

Cole Stevenson, a 34-year-old autoworker at the Ford Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, said he remains uncomfortable with a vaccine that was developed just a year ago.

He intends to get weekly COVID-19 tests and says he wont reconsider getting the vaccine even if the tests are a financial or logistical burden.

Its getting pretty disgusting how much the government thinks they can be involved in peoples lives, he said. If the whole thing is sort of cooling down and cases are lowering, then buzz off  dont force it on people.

___

Associated Press writers Paul Wiseman and Hope Yen in Washington, Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stacey Plaisance-Jenkins in Picayune, Mississippi, and Matt OBrien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed.
Despite the odd comfort watching someone cook on TV brings, its never really made sense. You cant taste Julia Childs roast duck, much less recreate it. You cant smell the Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium or feel the heat of a warm bread loaf fresh from Paul Hollywoods oven.

But thats what makes Guy Fieri different. Rather than showing off his skills and sophisticated palate, the celebrity chef with spiky blond hair and Oakleys permanently strapped to the wrong side of his head has focused his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on discovering and savoring meals that are actually obtainable and enjoyable to average Americans.

So when Fieri is seen off of I-69, shouting in front of his red convertible that this 32-seat strip mall cafe is where to find a one-way ticket to Italy in Houston, "Triple D" disciples listen.

Steve and Ruby Gonzalez, owners of Upper Kirbys Fresco Cafe Italiano, had watched Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives often before Steve got an email from a producer in Chicago asking if they would be interested in possibly being on the showthe producers had heard about the spot from Dimitri Fetokakis at Niko Nikos, a local Greek restaurant that has been featured on the show three times, but there was no guarantee Fresco would actually make it on.

After the detailed and time-consuming process of interviewing Gonzalez and chef Roberto Crescini, and submitting a menu exhaustively explaining each dishs history, Gonzalez got the call that Fieri wanted Crescini to whip up Frescos spaghetti alla carbonara and lamb tagliatelle on camera.

I was very happy about that and thought it would be exciting and fun, Gonzalez said. And then she said Its going to be this Friday. That left Gonzalez, Crescini and the team fewer than 10 days to prepare for Fieris arrival.

Restaurants speak reverently of the business boost that can result from a Triple D feature, a near-guarantee of packed tables and fan pilgrimages that can help a restaurant survive and thrive for years. And while the pandemic continues to wreak its havoc on the restaurant industry, those six minutes on TV with a goofy but beloved meme-chef are gold. So even with the short notice, you make it happen by making a metric ton of pasta and inviting all your regulars to be on TV, eat a free meal and wax poetic about the magic of Crescinis dishes.

Fieri and his crew shut down Fresco for two days in April while they shot, sacrificing the Friday and Saturday weekend rush while interviewing the eager patrons Gonzalez invited and capturing footage in the kitchen with chefs Crescini and Fieri. Gonzalez and Crescini were surprised to find that despite its casual, feel-it-out appearance on TV. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is actually a tightly run ship.

The two days of filming were very sophisticated, Gonzalez said. You could not walk around easily here  they knew exactly what they wanted.

Some chefs might bristle at all the commotion in their kitchens, but Crescini insists it was no problem for him to navigate the impressively organized crew. I was very surprised, said Crescini, who spent decades cooking in Italy, where he initially met the Gonzalezes, before coming to Houston. At first I think, I dont know whos coming, this TV star But [Fieri] is very on board.

Courtesy: Fresco Cafe Italiano

Fieri, a man who has consumed probably every cheap eat known to man, seemed happy with the plate of lamp tagliatelle, even after he repeatedly voiced confusion about how the lamb was cooked without salt or pepper while Crescini shot him bemused looks. Theres laughter in the background, guests are chatty in between bites, and the 1,500 square-foot restaurant is bustling. Everyone is having a good time, even if Crescini is all business in the kitchen.

Theres an Italian saying, that pasta waits for no one, Fieri says in the episode as Crescini is preparing the carbonara with housemade guanciale, or Italian-cured pork jowl. Do you understand the saying?

No, Crescini says simply.

Its a famous saying, I dont know, Fieri says with a shrug.

And that was that. As quickly as they came, Fieri and his crew were out to their next venture. The episode, Cookin From Scratch, first aired on Sept. 3.

Little has changed at Fresco. Gonzalez had to reorganize his staff to meet demand and start making more pasta ahead of time, and the owner says theyve seen a steady 20 percent increase in business in the few weeks since the episode aired. But their loyal Italian-speaking regulars can still snag a table, even if they might have to wait a bit on weekends.

Whats different now is from where customers are comingas far as Beaumont, Magnolia and north of Conroe, sometimes two weekends in a row. Now, Houstonians who had probably driven by Fresco hundreds of times without stopping were coming in to sample Crescinis pasta.

People from the neighborhood come by and say, I didnt even know you were here until I saw the show, and I live less than a mile away, Gonzalez said.

Frescos appearance also means more people are forgoing menu classics in favor of the carbonara and lamb tagliatelle Crescini prepared for the show, which means doubling the preparation of spaghetti and tagliatelle. Crescini said their pasta machine was perfect before, but theyre now having to strategize how to maximize its efficiency to meet demand.

The environment is obviously not why people come here, Gonzalez said of the small, sparsely decorated restaurant. Its the food.

Brett Coomer, Staff / Houston Chronicle

Thats something Fieri himself can attest to, according to Crescini.

In the career of this man, he eats very very good food and very very bad food, Crescini said. The guys on the staff told me if he eats more than three or four bites, he likes the food.

When it came to the lamb tagliatelle, Crescini says Fieri cleaned his plate. Letting fantastic ingredients do all the work, Fieri says in the episode after savoring a bite of the lamb pasta. That is Italy right there.

That is Italy, Crescini echoes. A one-way ticket to Italy, right off I-69.
When it comes to accommodations in the Lone Star State, Texas has a little something for everyone, from rustic barns and re-purposed wagons to solar homes and grain silos. Below, we highlight some of the most unique and oddball vacation rentals around the state.

Want to sleep under the Texas sky and enjoy the stars? Check out a repurposed wagon that allows visitors a truly special night they surely won't forget when visiting Texas. The Barons Wagon describes itself as the The Ultimate Texas Hill Country Glamping Adventure. It sleeps up to four people, but this glamping experience isnt without amenities: it comes with wifi!

This clothing optional vacation rental is the newest addition to Tin Valley Retro Rentals and is located near Big Bend National & State Park and the Rio Grande. No need to worry about tan lines. But dont worry because its docked on its own island and far away from other properties in the area so you get lots of privacy. It has one bedroom and a kitchen. Theres a composting toilet and a shower house/flushing toilet nearby. You also get a large fire pit as well as an upper deck perfect for stargazing.

The Silo House in Laughing Llama Farm is a secluded farmhouse minutes away from Waco, Texas. The actual house is a renovated grain bin that was moved from a family farm 50 miles away to its current location. The interior of the 672-square-foot silo has a modern artistic vibe. The upstairs loft has a queen-sized bed and a queen-sized sofa sleeper while downstairs there is a full bathroom and a modern kitchen.

Its best to be a fan of four-legged creatures as this property is a working farm with llamas, sheep, goats and cows occasionally.

Located in the Chihuahuan desert near Big Bend National Park, the adobe dome house makes for a truly off-grid experience. The earthen structure runs off solar power enough for lights and charging your phone so dont expect to have air conditioning or a TV. The dome sleeps two and has a small but functional kitchen with a working fridge. For a true vacation away from it all, try out this unique rental!

A modern solar home near world-famous Marfa is a perfect retreat for artists and arts lovers alike! Featuring two bedrooms and three baths, its a perfect spot for a gathering or laid-back weekend.

Feeling royal or want to pretend to be? Enjoy a stay at this mini fortress surrounded by a wooded forest with a castle guesthouse located outside the castle walls. Inside the castle is a loft bedroom fit for royalty. Exposed wooden beams compliment the medieval-esque plaster walls. The entire property can accommodate five guests in two bedrooms and one bath. Enjoy access to the neighborhood private boat dock on Lake Livingston.

Texas is known for wide-open spaces so why not consider that for your vacation rental as well? This property known as Barndominium is nestled 16 miles from downtown Amarillo. Featuring a hot tub, game room and more, this 2,000-square-foot property promises to keep you entertained.

Country living at its finest is what youll get at this barn converted into a vacation guesthouse. This rustic rental is ideal for a romantic getaway and close by Fredericksburg, Bandera and San Antonio.
MADRID (AP)  Spains health minister signed an order Friday granting single women, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people access to medically assisted reproduction in the public health system, where it is performed free of charge.

The measure had long been demanded by LGBT rights groups and is part of the Socialist-led governments drive for equality, which has also seen a record number of women appointed to the Cabinet.
Mobile literacy organization Childrens Books on Wheels will be hosting its third annual fall health and wellness festival Saturday, with the goal of providing education and services to those in need.

The outdoor festival will be taking place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tamina Community Park in Conroe and is free to attend. This year, the nonprofit has invited Lone Star Family Health Center to the event, which will be providing the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 to attendees.

There have been so many people that have died from the lack of education and the lack of having access to vaccines, said Rita Wiltz, founder and executive director of the literacy nonprofit.

On yourcouriernews.com: Tamina literacy group launches program to refurbish technology for students

Wiltz said that Lone Star has provided 60,000 vaccines over the past year and hopes that many will come to get vaccinated. The health organization will also be testing people for COVID-19 at the event and will have another event for people to receive their second dose next month.

The Childrens Book on Wheelss booth will be educating attendees in English and Spanish on its domestic violence services. It will also be hosting open enrollment for HealthCare marketplace, including signing up families for Medicaid. In addition to promoting literacy, the nonprofit provides other community resources as part of its health literacy component.

Other vendors include Texas A&M University, which will be providing education on diabetes, and Urgent Care, which will be answering any health related questions, especially those related to COVID-19. A chiropractor organization and the YMCA, which will be advertising its after school care program in Conroe, will also be at the event.

Wiltz said the day also promises to be a fun event for children who will have access to many books and games at the festival. While it is hard to say how many people will come to the event, she hopes hundreds of people will show up on Saturday.

We hope that they know there is access to services, she said. There's access to services for health care in multiple languages in Montgomery County.

Wiltz noted that festival attendees will also have the chance to meet with doctors and talk to them about their health and medical concerns.

We hope families that are at risk, we hope families that need access to a vaccine that havent been able to get it, get it, she said. We hope people come out that need information on diabetes. We hope that people who have concerns about their health come out, and we hope the children come out and the community come out to support our event.

noor.adatia@chron.com
A major Texas veterans group is backing the fight against the state's ban on Delta 8 THC products, which will have its next chapter unfold during a court hearing Friday in Austin.

A district court judge will hear arguments against the ban from Hometown Hero, an Austin-based hemp manufacturer and retailer that sued the Texas Department of State Health Services in October. Delta 8 is considered an isomer of Delta 9 THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Manufacturers, retailers and consumers all believed that Delta 8 was made legal under the 2018 federal Farm Bill and a new state law in 2019 legalizing hemp. Texas state attorneys, however, argue that Delta 8 is and always has been illegal.

State Health Services manages the state's list of controlled substances and ruled in January that Delta 8 THC was to remain an illegal substance. Attorneys for Hometown Hero argue that the state department failed to properly notify the public about a hearing that ultimately determined the fate of Delta 8 as a controlled substance, which was attended by no one.

Friday's hearing will determine whether or not State Health Services violated the law. If the judge agrees with Hometown Hero, it sets up the potential for a new hearing on Delta 8's designation as a controlled substance.

Attorneys for the manufacturer will present lab experts and organic chemists who will testify to the effects of Delta 8 and accuracy of testing surrounding the newly marketed product. These experts will be joined by representatives of Veterans of Foreign Wars, who will also testify on behalf of Hometown Hero, according to Mitch Fuller, VFW's director of governmental and public affairs.

Fuller commands VFW Post 10427 in Leander, a community outside Austin. The hall is among the first establishments to have a Hometown Hero vending machine on the premises. The unit once featured a host of Delta 8 products from the company, Fuller said.

"Delta 8 is crucial to our veteran brothers and sisters who have [post-traumatic stress disorder] and pain," Fuller said. "It ... helps our veterans avoid, in many cases, having to take synthetic pharmaceutical drugs. It's a much better path, a natural path to addressing these needs."

Hundreds of veterans frequently bought products from the machine, including Fuller. Once a judge denied a request from Hometown Hero to temporarily take Delta 8 off the controlled substance list, all Delta 8 products were pulled from Hometown Hero's shelves  including at VFW Post 10427.

"Until 10 days ago, it was a legal product, and we think it should remain so," Fuller said.

The Hometown Hero case is separate but similar to a lawsuit filed by Houston-based Vape City, which also seeks to overturn the Delta 8 ban. That case had a preliminary hearing on a temporary restraining order against State Health Services on Thursday. The results of that hearing were not immediately available.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the resort of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun.

The two suspected drug dealers killed Thursday had apparently arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day, claiming it was now their territory.

About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Radio Formula station.

Montes de Ocas office said earlier in a statement that there was a clash between rival groups of drug dealers on a beach near the hotels. Several cartels are fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade, including the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. He also said one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment.

Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the commando wore ski masks and arrived by boat at the beach. Montes de Oca said they fled in a boat after the attack.

Joaquin called the attack a serious blow to the development and security of the state ... putting the image of the state at grave risk.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis.

Guests at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun posted videos and photos of tourists hiding or nervously milling in the lobby and hallways of hotels during the incident.

Guests at the nearby Azul Beach Resort also posted videos of people taking shelter or gathering in the lobby. An employee who answered the phone at the hotel said the shooting occurred on the beach near the facility.

Mike Sington, a guest at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, wrote in his Twitter account that Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun. Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens."

Sington tweeted Ive never been so scared, literally shaking," before adding Im fine now, barricaded in my hotel room for the night, just trying to decompress.

Rival cartels often kill another gang's street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout in the beach town of Tulum.

A San Jose, California woman born in India, Anjali Ryot, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were apparently hit by crossfire from the Oct. 20 drug dealers' shootout in Tulum, south of Puerto Morelos.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

The Tulum gunfight also apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.

There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid in October on the beach towns restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects  most apparently for drug sales  after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans, the prosecutors office said about the raid.

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pinned its hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday signed employment protections for workers who claim a religious or health reason for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Republican governor signed the legislation a day after it was approved by the Alabama Legislature as GOP-led states turn to lawsuits and legislation to fight the federal vaccine requirements they call an infringement on personal liberties. Ivey also signed into law a separate bill requiring parental consent for minors to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The new law says state employers cant fire workers for being unvaccinated against COVID-19 if the employee returns a new standardized state form to claim a religious, medical exemption.

From the moment the White House rolled out their scare tactic plans to try to force this vaccine on Americans, I called it for what it is: an un-American, outrageous overreach. Alabamians  including those like myself who are pro-vaccine  are adamantly against this weaponization of the federal government, which is why we simply must fight this any way we know how, Ivey said in a statement.

President Joe Biden in September announced contractors who do business with the federal government must have workforces vaccinated  with no option to test out. The Alabama law will also affect companies, such as medical providers, who wanted to independently place vaccination requirements on workers.

The bill drew opposition from the Business Council of Alabama, which said it would put federal contractors in a no-win situation. Democrats said Republicans were putting both jobs and public health in jeopardy for the sake of scoring political points.

After supporting a bill like that, I dont think they can say they are pro-business or pro-growth. Hopefully, the business community will remember that House Democrats support their interests, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels of Huntsville said.

Under the legislation, employees would check a box in a new standardized form for the reason they couldnt get vaccinated  such as a religion, certain qualifying medical conditions or a health provider's signed recommendation. There would be no requirement to provide proof of the reason. An employee denied an exemption can appeal to the state Department of Labor.

The new process and job protections will end automatically on May 1, 2023, unless extended by lawmakers.

The legislation is a carve-out from existing law that allows companies to fire workers at will and specifies that it wouldnt alter the ability of an employer to terminate an employee for reasons other than the employees COVID-19 vaccination status.

Republicans argued that the federal government already allows exemptions for medical and religious reasons, and lawmakers are trying to provide an easy way for employees to claim those exemptions.

Theyre fearful of losing jobs theyve had for 20 years, very good jobs that they had with federal contractors, Republican Rep. Mike Jones of Andalusia said.

Some Democrats said the GOP proposal would create a wide-open portal for people to fraudulently claim an exemption without truly having a valid reason.

You know and I know, everybody, even atheists, is going to come up and say its because of their religious beliefs, Democratic Rep. Pebblin Warren of Tuskegee said.

Alabama has had at least 15,629 COVID-19 related deaths and has the second-highest per capita death rate from COVID-19 among states, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
Carlos Correa, A.J. Hinch spotted eating together in Houston The Tigers and A.J. Hinch have started their sales pitch on Carlos Correa right here in Houston.

2 Houston spots make Esquire's list of best new restaurants A pair of Bayou City tasting menu spots made the grade on the magazine's annual list of top new...
LOS ANGELES (AP)  California regulators voted Thursday to increase the capacity of a Los Angeles-area natural gas storage field where a 2015 blowout caused the nations largest-ever methane leak and forced thousands from their homes.

The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to increase the storage capacity of the underground Aliso Canyon field to 41 billion cubic feet (1.1 billion cubic meters) of natural gas from the current capacity of 34 billion cubic feet (962 million cubic meters).

The move is aimed at ensuring supplies of natural gas for the upcoming winter months in a safe and reliable manner" even as the PUC continues working on longer-term plans to close the field, Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said in a statement.

Neighbors and activists who want Aliso Canyon permanently closed said the increase was unnecessary and had urged the PUC to reject it.

The field, which stores gas in old wells, has been at 50% capacity since 2018, but the PUC vote raises that to 60%. The PUC rejected an alternative plan to allow the field to operate at 100% capacity.

The commission regulates natural gas utilities, including Aliso Canyon's operator, Southern California Gas Co.

A well failure at the field on Oct. 23, 2015, led to the release of nearly 100,000 tons of methane and other substances into the air for nearly four months before it was controlled.

The blowout was blamed for sickening thousands of residents who moved out of homes near the San Fernando Valley to escape a sulfurous stench and maladies including headaches, nausea and nose bleeds.

Ahead of Thursday's vote, some told the commission that they still smell gas and one Porter Ranch resident said she was afraid to open her windows, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The PUC's decision was in favor of fossil fuel interests, not the wellbeing of California ratepayers, said a statement from Alexandra Nagy, California director of Food & Water Watch.

The move is not only dangerous, it is needless" and will create a disastrous glut on natural gas," Nagy said.

SoCalGas said Aliso Canyon and other storage facilities will play a key and essential role" in delivering gas and keeping energy prices stable this winter, when prices are expect to rise nationwide and interstate pipeline repairs limit regional supplies.

SoCalGas spent more than $1 billion on the the blowout  with most going to temporarily relocate 8,000 families.

State regulators found SoCalGas failed to investigate previous well failures at the storage site and didnt adequately assess its aging wells for disaster potential before the blowout.

Last month, SoCalGas and its parent company, Sempra Energy, agreed to pay up to $1.8 billion to settle lawsuits by 35,000 people. The agreement is subject to about 97% of plaintiffs accepting it and could be reduced if fewer agree.

The utility faced hundreds of lawsuits on behalf of 48,000 people.

SoCalGas previously reached a $120 million court settlement with the state attorney general and agreed to a $4 million settlement with Los Angeles County prosecutors after being convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of failing to quickly report the leak to state authorities.
RIO DELL, Calif. (AP)  Leaders of a small Northern California city voted to destroy about 200 guns that have accumulated in a police evidence locker rather than sell any of them at auction.

The Rio Dell City Council approved destruction of the firearms in a 3-2 vote on Tuesday, the Eureka Times-Standard reported.
TORONTO (AP)  The Canadian government announced Friday it will fully raise Canadas national flag again at all federal buildings, ending a nearly six-month period when the banner has been flown at half-staff in honor of children whose remains were buried at Canadas Indigenous residential schools.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked that flags flown at half-staff in May after more 200 children's remains were found buried at what was once Canadas largest Indigenous residential school.

The raising of the flag at sunset on Sunday will come just before Canada honors war veterans on Remembrance Day on Nov. 11.

As the paramount symbol of our nation, the act of flying the national flag of Canada at half-mast for the longest period of time in Canadas history speaks to the extraordinary sense of loss, Canadas Heritage Department said in a statement.

Raising the flag at this time will allow us to honor and remember important moments in Canadas history. Many discussions were held between Indigenous partners and the Government of Canada to seek guidance on how best to honor the victims of residential schools and ensure they are never forgotten in the future."

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 First Nations children were required to attend state-funded Christian schools as part of a program to assimilate them into Canadian society. They were forced to convert to Christianity and not allowed to speak their native languages. Many were beaten and verbally abused, and up to 6,000 are said to have died.

The Canadian government apologized in Parliament in 2008 and admitted that physical and sexual abuse in the schools was rampant. Many students recalled being beaten for speaking their native languages. They also lost touch with their parents and customs.

Perry Bellegarde, who was chief of the Assembly of First Nations in May, said then while it is not new to find graves at former residential schools, its always crushing to have that chapters wounds exposed.
HONG KONG (AP)  China on Friday criticized a press freedom survey from the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club that found nearly half its members were considering leaving the city.

The survey said the members were concerned about a decline in press freedoms under a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Eighty-three of the 99 journalists polled said that the working environment had changed for the worse since the law was introduced last June. The law outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion to intervene in the citys affairs, and has since been used to arrest over 120 people in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

These results clearly show that assurances that Hong Kong still enjoys press freedom, guaranteed under the Basic Law, are not enough, FCC President Keith Richburg said. More steps need to be taken to restore confidence among journalists and to make sure Hong Kong maintains its decades-long reputation as a welcoming place for the international media.

In a statement, the Commissioners Office of Chinas Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong warned the FCC to stop making noise and accused the organization of being black hands that intervene in the city's affairs.

There is no absolute press freedom in the world that is above the law, the statement read. It is a common international practice for countries to supervise the news media working in their own countries in accordance with the law.

The survey comes as authorities are cracking down on political dissent in Hong Kong. Most of the citys prominent pro-democracy activists are currently in jail. Critics say the security law has rolled back freedoms promised to Hong Kong for 50 years when it was handed over to China in 1997.

The former British colony was previously known for its vibrant press freedoms, and for decades has served as regional headquarters for many English-language news outlets.

The national security law has been used against journalists in the city. The pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was forced to close in June after millions of dollars in assets were frozen and several top editors and executives arrested.

The New York Times has transferred some of its staff from Hong Kong to Seoul due to the uncertainties about the citys prospects for journalism under the security legislation.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday at a regular news briefing that the rights of foreign media and journalists in Hong Kong will be fully protected as long as they report in accordance with the law.

Wang said that as of April this year, there were 628 foreign employees with work visas for foreign media in Hong Kong, a 18.5% increase from the same time last year.

It is a true reflection of how people from all walks of life, including foreign media in Hong Kong, see and feel about the economic and social and media reporting environment in Hong Kong, he said.
A Colorado man who told a judge that he is guilty of being an idiot for twice entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot was sentenced on Friday to 90 days of home detention.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell also ordered Glenn Wes Lee Croy to spend 14 days in a community correctional facility," which is a less restrictive alternative to a jail or prison term.

Croy said he foolishly followed the crowd into the Capitol and now realizes he shouldn't have entered the building.

I'm not against anything. I love America. I love my children, and I respect law enforcement, Croy told Howell, who also sentenced him to three years of probation.

Howell told Croy that being a crowd follower did not excuse him from breaking the law.

I do hope that one of the lessons you've learned from this is that you do have to think for yourself, not accept what people just tell you is the truth, she said.

In a letter to the judge before his sentencing hearing, Croy said he is guilty of being an idiot and walking into that building and has no excuse for joining the mob that stormed the Capitol.

More than 650 people have been charged with federal crimes in connection with the Capitol siege. Croy is one of over two dozen rioters who have been sentenced so far.

Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of two months imprisonment for Croy. His attorney requested a sentence of one year of probation with community service.

Howell questioned why a short jail term, without a longer term of court supervision, would be the best way to ensure that Croy stays on a law-abiding path.

Croy traipsed through the Capitol as if it was an amusement park after seeing police clash with rioters for more than an hour, prosecutors said.

He entered the Capitol twice that day, staying inside for a total of about 30 minutes and later bragged about his actions to friends.

While inside, Croy "treated the Capitol like a vacation: he walked freely around the Capitol, took what he apparently perceived to be fun photos and videos of other rioters dressing statues, and posed for his own photograph by a statue that he later sent to his friends, prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

Croy, of Colorado Springs, was arrested in February. He pleaded guilty in August to a charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of six months in prison.

Croy wasnt accused of being violent or damaging property on Jan. 6.

Several days before former President Donald Trump's Stop the Steal rally in Washington, Croy responded to a tweet by Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who asked, Who is going to be in DC on January 6th to stand with President Trump?

Fellow Coloradan we will be there, Croy replied.

Croy believed Trump's baseless claim that the election had been stolen, but he wasn't trying to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's electoral victory, said defense attorney Kira Anne West.

Now he knows that he was misled by his president, West said.

Croy went to the Capitol with Terry Lindsey, an Ohio man who also was charged with joining the riot. The case against Lindsey is pending.
SEATTLE (AP)  Brazilian Jose Soares has been locked up in one of the United States' largest immigration detention centers for the past two years, passing much of his time cleaning bathrooms and buffing floors at a rate of $1 a day.

But last week, a federal jury ruled that Soares and other detainees who cook, clean, do laundry and cut hair at the for-profit lockup in Tacoma were entitled to Washington's minimum wage, $13.69 an hour. The multibillion-dollar company that owns the jail was ordered to pay more than $23 million in back pay and unjust profits to current and former detainees and to Washington state.

The guards, Soares said, then delivered a message: No more cleaning.

Rather than pay the detainees minimum wage, the Florida-based GEO Group suspended the Voluntary Work Program while it appeals.

Neither the company nor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which contracts it to house the detainees, would answer questions from The Associated Press this week about the suspension.

Soares, two other detainees and activists who monitor the facility south of Seattle told the AP that much of the sanitation work they used to perform is no longer being done regularly.

It got really gross  nobody cleaned anything, Ivan Sanchez, a 34-year-old detainee from Jalisco, Mexico, said in a phone interview from the jail. We pick up after ourselves, but nobody sweeps or mops. The guards were saying it wasn't their job to clean the toilets. ... It caused a lot of animosity between the detainees and the officers because of that.

Further, they said, not being able to work makes it harder for detainees to buy extra food at the center's commissary, supplementing what they consider to be inadequate meals provided by GEO.

While detainees are looking forward to a potential payout, there's a lot of people in here that that dollar makes a difference, Soares said. While he has relatives outside who provide him money to spend at the commissary, he said, he would use his earnings every week to buy five or six ramen noodle packages for other detainees.

The detention center  officially called the Northwest ICE Processing Center  can house up to 1,575 detainees, though the population has been greatly reduced during the pandemic and numbered about 400 last month. Detainees there are not being punished for any crimes, but held in civil custody while the government sorts out their immigration status or prepares to deport them.

Two lawsuits were filed in 2017 over detainee pay  one by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and one by attorneys for the detainees. They accused GEO of profiting on the backs of captive workers.

The cases were consolidated for trial, and a U.S. District Court jury ruled on Oct. 27 that the detainees were entitled to minimum wage. It ordered GEO to give more than 10,000 current and former detainees $17.3 million in back pay dating to 2014. Judge Robert Bryan further ruled this week that the company had unjustly enriched itself and must cough up $5.9 million to Washington state.

GEO asked the judge Thursday to put the decisions on hold pending an appeal. The corporation wrote that it has enough money on hand to pay the Judgments twenty times over, but said it disagreed with the decisions.

In a news release, the company pointed to a March ruling against detainees at a New Mexico facility owned by the nation's other main private immigration detention contractor, CoreCivic. GEO and CoreCivic own and operate scores of lockups around the country.

A federal appeals court panel in that case found the detainees were not entitled to minimum wage because they were not in an employer-employee relationship but in a detainer-detainee relationship.

Washington's minimum wage law says residents of state, county and municipal detention facilities are not entitled to minimum wage, but the law contains no such exception for private, for-profit jails.

ICE requires private immigration detention contractors to offer voluntary work programs as a way to reduce detainee idleness, with pay set at at least $1 per day. However, the companies are also required to abide by other federal, state and local laws  including Washington's Minimum Wage Act, the attorney general and lawyers for detainees argued.

On Oct. 29, GEO received permission from ICE to suspend the work program, court documents show.

Some detainees were given a GEO memo that day explaining they could no longer perform the work they used to do; the memo falsely said ICE had suspended the work program, according to an image provided to the AP.

The three detainees the AP interviewed, who are all in the same unit, said they had not seen the memo. Two said they had noticed more guards than usual working in the kitchen to prepare food, and one, Venezuelan Victor Fonseca, 40, said he at one point saw a guard mopping the floor in the showers.

Soares, 44, from the state of Goias in central Brazil, used to work nightly 12 a.m.-4 a.m. shifts cleaning and buffing floors. He said that by last Saturday, the floors and bathrooms in his unit, which then housed 32 men, were so grimy that he asked to be allowed to clean them despite the work program's suspension.

Guards agreed, and he spent four hours, unpaid, cleaning, Soares said. No one else was allowed to help him.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed a plan that would have overhauled how elementary schools work with young children who struggle to read, saying it needs more money to support the changes.

The bill would have tripled the number of literacy tests young students take in school and require educators to create a personalized reading plan for every student identified to be an at-risk reader. Supporters say the move would improve reading skills that have been poorly rated for decades.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas conservative former top prosecutor, who has called for a stronger U.S. security guarantee to neutralize North Korean nuclear threats, won the main opposition partys hotly contested nomination for next Marchs presidential election on Friday.

Recent opinion surveys showed Yoon Suk Yeol would be locked in a tight race with Lee Jae-myung, the outspoken liberal ruling party candidate, who has vowed to take an appeasement policy on North Korea and adopt pragmatic diplomacy between Washington and Beijing.

The close race between the two candidates will likely further intensify severe domestic polarization in South Korea at a time when it faces growing North Korean nuclear threats, an intense U.S.-China rivalry and various economic woes.

A victory for Yoon could lead to South Korea taking steps to bolster its military alliance with the United States while its ties with North Korea and China may sour. If elected, Lee would push for greater ties with North Korea but he may not be able to convince the country to abandon its nuclear program, possibly sharing the legacy of his party colleague and dovish current President Moon Jae-in, whose single five-year term ends in May.

In the opposition People Power Partys convention on Friday, party authorities announced that Yoon garnered 47.8% of the votes cast by party members and general citizens, beating his main rival Hong Joon-pyo with 41.5% and two other competitors.

The government must be very frightened and feeling bitter pains about my victory at the party primary, Yoon said in an acceptance speech. I'll surely achieve a shift in power ... I'll surely rebuild a new Republic of Korea."

Yoon, 60, has spent most of his professional career as a prosecutor but is a novice in party politics.

He was also previously Moon's prosecutor general, who led the presidents contentious anti-corruption campaign that largely focused on conservatives including those aligned with the People Power Party. But Yoon was later embroiled in high-profile political strife with Moons allies after some of his investigations targeted Moon associates.

Moons supporters argued Yoons investigations were politically motivated to elevate his own political standing or disrupt Moons push to reform the prosecution. Yoon denied such views, saying his investigations followed due, fair procedures.

The infighting triggered a domestic political firestorm, undermined Moons anti-corruption drive and boosted Yoons popularity. He eventually resigned the top prosecutors post in March and joined the People Power Party in July.

Yoon has since pledged to strive to end liberal rule, accusing the Moon government of trampling on fairness and justice while being corrupt and anachronistic.

Yoons opponents have attacked him over a lack of expertise on security and other major issues. Yoon said Friday he would select competent experts regardless of their political lines and let them handle key affairs.

Yoon himself does not have a foreign policy record, but he has a deep pool of experienced advisers. The question is whether he will listen to and adjudicate different opinions among them, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

In his Friday speech, Yoon said he would push for North Koreas denuclearization more effectively though coordination with the international community, but didn't elaborate.

But in September, Yoon said if elected he would talk with Washington to formulate procedures on the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in case of emergency and conduct related joint training to boost the reliability of the U.S. nuclear umbrella security commitment offered to allies.

But he later suggested he would oppose the U.S. reinstalling tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, which it withdrew in the 1990s, because that would deprive Seoul of its legitimacy in calling for North Korean denuclearization. He said it would be more realistic to ask Washington to send submarines carrying nuclear missiles around the Korean Peninsula as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea.

Yoon has also said he would prepare for economic cooperation with North Korea but link it to progress in Pyongyangs steps toward denuclearization, a policy that North Korea wont welcome.

How to deal with North Korea has long sharply split South Koreans. Conservatives have called for tougher sanctions and pressures in close coordination with the United States to get North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions. But liberals favor a negotiated resolution of the nuclear issue while often prioritizing improved ties with North Korea over South Koreas U.S. alliance.

Moons government once brokered high-profile nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, but their talks collapsed in early 2019 because they differed over how much sanctions relief the United States should provide to North Korea in return for dismantling its main nuclear complex, a limited disarmament measure.

__

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  An effort by prosecutors at Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial to portray one of the men he shot as a hero never got off the ground Friday  and one legal expert said they were probably fortunate it didn't.

Rittenhouse, 18, is on trial on several counts including homicide in the August 2020 shootings during street unrest in Kenosha. Among the dead was Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard before he was fatally shot.

Huber's great-aunt, Susan Hughes, was testifying about Huber in a matter-of-fact manner, talking about their relationship, how he ended up at the protest and how he always carried a skateboard.

Then prosecutor James Kraus posed a question: Weve seen video here, and you may have seen video as well, that Anthony Huber ran towards Kyle Rittenhouse while Kyle Rittenhouse was armed. Were you surprised, when you heard about that? Were you surprised by his actions?

As defense attorney Corey Chirafisi swiftly objected, Kraus posed another: Had you ever seen Anthony Huber run towards danger?

Hughes said, Yes, before Chirafisi objected again and testimony was stopped.

Without the jurors present, Chirafisi argued that if prosecutors were allowed to present evidence that characterizes Huber as a peaceful man, then the defense would be allowed to bring up evidence from Hubers past that could paint a different picture.

That included criminal cases involving alleged violence Huber committed against his own family members, with the defense reciting in courtroom a detailed account of those allegations.

I would normally not move to admit those, Chirafisi said. However, if theyre saying that this is a peaceful man... ."

Judge Bruce Schroeder agreed, and Kraus withdrew the line of questioning, effectively ending Hughes' testimony.

Mike Brandt, a Minnesota criminal defense attorney who is not connected to the case, said the judge made the right call and that prosecutors had tread on risky ground. The defense evidence would have left the jury with an image of Huber as hot-headed.

Once you open the door, then its kind of like the wild Wild West, he said.

The issue over who was the first aggressor also was debated at length outside the jury's presence.

Prosecutors said that if the defense claims that Huber was the first aggressor by attacking Rittenhouse with a skateboard, then the state could use Hughes testimony to present their theory that Huber and others were trying to stop an active shooter and had been provoked. The state, frankly, believes that Mr. Huber is a hero and we can present evidence of conduct to rebut that claim that he is aggressively pursuing Kyle Rittenhouse with no basis," Kraus said.

That argument ultimately went nowhere.

___

Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP)  A 21-year-old New Mexico man has been arrested for suspicion of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a teenager at the suspects residence in Clovis.

Police say Theodore Avalos of Clovis turned himself in for questioning on Wednesday after they opened a homicide investigation into the shooting of a 17-year-old male the day before. The juvenile victim was taken to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the head and later died from his injuries.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  An Iowa City man shooting at a squirrel in his yard with an air rifle unintentionally shot and wounded a man from Missouri who was driving by at the time, law enforcement authorities said Friday.

Philip Olson, 69, of Iowa City, turned himself in to police after hearing about the man being injured on Oct. 17, Iowa City police and the Johnson County prosecutor's office said.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A jury has found an Indianapolis police officer guilty of official misconduct and perjury in connection with an incident in which a student was punched after officers broke up a fight inside a high school.

The Marion County prosecutors office said Officer Robert Lawson was convicted Wednesday, The Indianapolis Star reported Friday.
GRANVILLE, France (AP)  Soon-to-be father Hermann Outrequin felt optimistic in 2019 when he gave up his fishing company job of 16 years to go independent. The Normandy fisherman wanted a fresh start to have time for his newborn son.

But now a political spat over fishing rights between Paris and London has thrown cold water over his plans.

Staring out across the cold English Channel from the Granville coastline into the pre-dawn darkness, Outrequin says he regrets that decision and worries for his future.

The 43-year-old has just been denied yet another permit to fish in U.K. waters  which account for one third of his regular fishing grounds and include some of the richest.

So, I dont have a license. I dont have the right anymore. The English have turned their backs on us, he said.

The all-important U.K. licenses are at the center of the dispute following Britains split with the European Union earlier this year. Before Brexit, French fishermen could fish deep inside British waters. Now they need to be granted a special license from the British government or the self-governing British Crown dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey to fish in certain areas.

Fishing is a tiny industry economically, but one that looms large symbolically for both Britain and France, which have long and cherished maritime traditions.

Paris says many vessels have been denied permits for waters where they have long sailed. Britain contends that it has granted 98% of applications from EU vessels  and now the dispute concerns just a few dozen French boats with insufficient paperwork.

France has threatened to bar British boats from some of its ports and tighten checks on vessels and trucks carrying British goods if more French vessels arent licensed to fish in U.K. waters soon. Paris has also suggested it might restrict energy supplies to the Channel Islands, which are heavily dependent on French electricity.

While the dispute has threatened cross-Channel relations, it also has real consequences for Frances ordinary unsung fishermen.

Im not asking for the moon, Outrequin said, zipped up in a thermal jacket as he prepared to go out to trawl for scallops.

Outrequins was a regular story of a father-to-be. The secure fishing job he had held since 2003 at Abeilles International, a unit of the Groupe Bourbon company, required him to be away for long lengths of time. He and his wife Marielis decided that he would need to be back in the evenings to help with his newborn son Paul. So he gave up the protection of the job with the industry giant in 2019 to buy his own boat called the Santa Clara and go it alone.

But new paperwork needed for the post-Brexit seascape put a spanner in the works. He now regrets making that decision.

Outrequin said that the Channel Islands authorities which grant licenses in his fishing area now require fishermen to show they have fished for a minimum of 11 days each year in their waters between 2017-2020.

But since Outrequins company did not exist for half of that period, he cannot possibly qualify.

Jersey, which is only 14 miles off the coast of France, issued earlier this week 49 temporary licenses to French boats. But that represents just a fraction of those still unlicensed.

Jabbing at a chart of the Channel with his finger, Outrequin vents his frustration. Before we could go and fish here, but now its over. All this part here, over.

Many fishermen in northern France say their livelihoods depend on access to British waters, where they chase mackerel, whiting, squid and other species. Outrequin is despondent about the future, and lays hope in French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron is expected to seek re-election in April's presidential vote in France, and will likely be wanting to project an image of strength and steadfastness ahead of that.

The problem is," Outrequin said, "will Macron actually do something about it? He has to do something.

___

Adamson reported from Paris
SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle City Council President Lorena Gonzalez has conceded the mayors race, after an updated vote tally on Thursday showed former Council President Bruce Harrell with an insurmountable lead.

In a statement, Gonzalez said she had called Harrell to congratulate him and wish him luck.
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP)  A Mississippi hospital looking to hire more nurses amid a nationwide nursing shortage is now offering to help pay off student loans of new hires.

The Sun-Herald reported that Memorial Hospital in Gulfport is offering to repay loans up to $20,000 for inpatient nurses and registered nurses who work in long-term care facilities and sign a two-year contract. This is on top of incentives the hospital is already offering such as seasonal pay, more money per hour, and tuition reimbursement.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  Montana's redistricting commission chair selected on Thursday a congressional district map proposed by Republicans, dealing a blow to Democrats who hoped to craft a western district that would give them a better chance of winning.

Chair Maylinn Smith, who was appointed to the commission by the state's Supreme Court, chose a map dividing the state into eastern and western districts, with the liberal college towns Bozeman and Missoula in the west but blue-leaning state capital Helena and Yellowstone National Park gateway community Livingston in the east.

Smith's decision came after the commission's two Republican and two Democratic members could not come to an agreement on how to divide the state into two congressional districts.

The 2020 Census gave Montana a second congressional district for the first time in 30 years, spurring a redistricting process that has included debate about the changing nature of the state. Booming towns such as Bozeman and Missoula in western Montana provide a contrast to the stagnating agricultural communities in the prairie region that covers the eastern half of the state.

Democrats had fought to consolidate blue-leaning towns into a single western district, where they would have a greater chance of winning a seat in the U.S. Congress even in a ruby-red state. Without Helena in the western district, they said it would not be competitive, giving the GOP advantages in both the eastern and western districts.

Republicans consistently pushed for maps that would follow the natural border created by the Continental Divide, with mountainous towns in the west and prairie land in the east. Such maps were guaranteed to split the states Democratic strongholds between the western and eastern district, weakening Democrats ability to win either seat.

But Smith said previous election data indicates a popular Democrat could win in the west, while acknowledging that the eastern district is more than likely to be won by Republicans in the coming years.

With the right person (in the west), you could have a competitive district, Smith said.

The selected map splits only one county in the state  rural Pondera County, which has a population of just over 6,000. Two of the state's seven Native American reservations are in the western district.

Smith, an expert in Native American law, said it was important to her to have two reservations in the western district. She had also previously indicated she wanted to minimize the splitting of counties between districts. The proposal by Democrats would have had only one Native American reservation in the western district and would have split three counties.

The Montana Republican Party criticized the decision to appoint Smith to the commission last year, saying that her history of small contributions to Democratic candidates to the state compromised her decision to make an impartial decision on district boundaries.

The chosen map is very similar to the one used the last time Montana had two congressional districts. Changes from that map including placing Lewis and Clark and Park counties  home to Helena and Livingston, respectively  in the eastern district. That decision was necessary, Smith said, because of the contrast between population growth in western towns and decline of communities in the east.

Clearly everybody we knows appears wants to be in the west these days, and I appreciate that. But that isn't going to work because we have to have an equal population here," Smith said.

Democrats had argued that placing Helena and Livingston in an eastern district would split them from communities with similar interests and with which they share economic and business ties. The Democrats' map, which Smith rejected, would have put Kalispell, a growing GOP stronghold in the northwestern corner of the state, in an eastern district. That proposal dew ire from Republicans, who argued that splitting Kalispell from surrounding communities constituted partisan manipulating on the part of Democrats.

Smith cast the tie-breaking vote at the end of a full-day meeting that including nearly five hours of public comments. Her decision came after several meetings in which Democratic and Republican commissioners shifted their maps in an effort to reach consensus.

Smith said she was prepared to cast the tie-breaking vote Thursday evening only after it was evident that the two sides could not reach an agreement on their own, following hours of acrimonious debate.

The commissioners are set to meet once more next week, when they will hear another round of public comment before finalizing their decision ahead of a Nov. 14 deadline.

___

Iris Samuels is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Barely 24 hours after their passage, North Carolina's newly drawn maps are facing another legal complaint that will likely determine how much Republicans can expand their political clout over the coming decade in a state that is slowly becoming more blue.

An organization formed by Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic lawyer, announced Friday that a group of voters who successfully challenged previous North Carolina maps will now make a similar appeal in state court contesting the latest congressional maps. They will argue that the boundaries approved by Republicans on Thursday were drawn for political gain in a way that violates several provisions of the North Carolina Constitution.

The stakes are high, as Republicans currently hold an 8-5 edge over Democrats in the U.S. House and would likely expand their advantages substantially if the maps prevail.

During a virtual event on Twitter, Elias, founder of Democracy Docket, called North Carolina's maps a grotesque partisan gerrymander and indefensible.

The Republican Party has lost all shame, Elias said. "I mean, in the 2010 (redistricting process and) after 2010, they were still pretending that they cared about democracy and about voting rights, and now they no longer pretend."

Last week, voters and advocacy groups sued in Wake County court to block the timetable for passing state legislative maps, accusing Republicans of breaking rules aimed at ensuring Black voters can elect their desired candidates.

The new legal challenge announced on Friday focuses on partisan gerrymandering.

Expert analysis confirms that the 2021 Plan is an intentional, extreme partisan gerrymander that dilutes Democratic votes and prevents Democratic voters from electing candidates of their choice, the complaint says.

If the maps hold up in court, Republicans would likely win 10 or 11 of the 14 available congressional seats for the upcoming 2022 midterm elections. Because of sizable population growth in the state over the past decade, North Carolina was awarded an additional district. Just one of the 14 districts is considered highly competitive.

Voting rights groups and Democrats argue the maps are unfair, given that the state has become bluer in recent years, though former President Donald Trump won North Carolina in 2016 and 2020. They also accuse Republicans of diminishing the voting power of racial minorities, including Black and Hispanic residents.

The U.S. House map splits Wake, Mecklenburg and Guilford counties into three congressional districts each. The areas that include the cities of Raleigh, Charlotte and Greensboro are the three most populous counties in the state and overwhelmingly elect Democrats.

The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which analyzes maps and seeks to eliminate partisan gerrymandering across the country, gave all three maps an overall F rating, as they would all provide a significant Republican advantage.

The once-a-decade redistricting process is often a highly partisan fight because the party in the majority typically seeks to draw district lines that maximizes the influence of their own voters. North Carolina's maps cannot be vetoed by its Democratic governor, so they became law once the GOP-controlled legislature approves them.

Republicans note they've used criteria closely similar to maps approved in 2019 after a state court struck down previous Republican-drawn lines as based on pure partisanship. In a move that is likely to improve the party's chances of having their maps hold up in court, the GOP prohibited the use of election or racial data when drawing boundaries.

Critics say the boundaries remain unfair because veteran lawmakers know the state well enough to draw lines advantageous to Republicans without any outside resources needed.

Republicans cite a federal court finding during major litigation over the past decade that North Carolina didnt have racially polarized voting and didnt require special attention to racial data. Even so, a federal court in 2016 found North Carolina Republicans wrongly packed Black voters into two congressional districts to dilute the racial groups votes elsewhere. It ordered the map redrawn, and, in a separate case, another panel of judges found that dozens of state legislative districts were also unlawful racial gerrymanders.

Republicans claim they cant win.

When we look at race, we were told we shouldnt have, and those maps were struck down," state Sen. Paul Newton, who co-chairs North Carolinas redistricting committee, said in a recent interview. "Now that were not looking at race, the Democrat Party is telling us, Oh, you should be looking at race.'"

Elias said it's highly unlikely North Carolina's maps emerged from good intentions.

Republicans in North Carolina are among the most committed to voter suppression and anti-Democratic efforts in the country, he said.

___

Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Omaha plans to join hundreds of other U.S. cities by trying to come up with strategies to combat climate change.

While the Nebraska Legislature has rejected calls for a statewide plan, Omaha will lead a metropolitan area climate action plan expected to be funded with a mix of public and private money, the Omaha World-Herald reported Thursday.

Mayor Jean Stothert told the newspaper in an email that the time is right.

Omaha has been implementing sustainability measures for some time now without the need for a formal plan, she wrote. The current timeline gives us the opportunity to maximize the results of more coordination for climate-related practices.

Climate plans typically involve identifying where a community is most vulnerable to severe weather, its contribution to global warming, what needs to be done and measurable steps that can be taken.

A consultant is expected to be chosen by mid-2022. It could take a year or longer for the consultant that's chosen to develop the plan.

Some wonder what took so long. The Kansas City metropolitan area, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Lincoln are among nearby places that already have climate action plans.

Omaha and the surrounding area are late to the solutions game, said David Corbin, chairman of the Missouri Valley Sierra Clubs energy committee.

Frances Mendenhall of Citizens Climate Lobby, a California-based nonprofit that advocates for policies to address climate change, said cities can reduce their emissions by enacting building codes that lead to greater energy efficiency and through planning, zoning and transportation strategies that lessen the need to drive.

Kevin Andersen, Stotherts deputy chief of staff for economic development, said some of the impetus for the plan comes from the desire to remain competitive in drawing new employers and talented workers.

From an economic development perspective, more and more, its getting to be a prerequisite, he said. Were hearing that these kinds of approaches are very important to both businesses and the workforce.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A man suspected of raping women near Sacramento freeway interchanges several years ago has been arrested after investigators used DNA technology and genealogy websites to zero in on him.

JD Wallace Simien, 40, was taken into custody Thursday and booked for investigation of felony kidnapping, rape, oral copulation and robbery charges, according to jail and court records.

Sacramento County prosecutors and sheriff's officials said in a joint statement that investigators had linked an unspecified number of violent sexual assaults between 2013 and 2104 to the Cloverleaf Rapist," because the crimes happened near freeway entrances and exits that resemble a cloverleaf pattern.

The investigation went cold until detectives used the same DNA genealogy techniques to identify and capture Joseph DeAngelo, dubbed the Golden State Killer, and Roy Waller, the so-called NorCal Rapist who was convicted last year of raping nine women in their homes.

DNA technology is a great tool in our criminal justice system, District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said in the statement. DNA can not only be used to exonerate the innocent, but it is a powerful investigative tool for violent crimes that have grown cold because traditional investigative methods are unable to solve the case.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Rod Norgaard declined to release further details of the case, including the number of victims and the dates of the crimes, citing the ongoing investigation. A complaint was expected to be filed Monday, when Simien is scheduled to make his first court appearance.

Its not known whether Simien has retained a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

DeAngelo, a former police officer who committed 13 murders and dozens of rapes, evaded capture for decades before the district attorneys crime lab used DNA from crime scenes to compare to DNA provided to a genealogical website. He was convicted and sentenced last year to life in prison without parole.

Waller was sentenced last year to 897 years in prison  the maximum allowed by law  for raping nine women during a 15-year crime spree that started in 1991.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Singapore is due to hang a Malaysian man next week for smuggling a small amount of heroin into the country, but legal and human rights groups are urging the execution be halted because the man is intellectually disabled.

Nagaenthran K.Dharmalingam, then 21, was detained in April 2009 for trying to smuggle nearly 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore, found strapped to his left thigh. He was sentenced to death by hanging in November 2010 under Singapores strict drug laws.

Death penalty opponents say Nagaenthran's IQ was disclosed during the trial as 69, a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. They say he was also found to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a drinking disorder that together could affect his judgment, decision making and impulse control.

Nagaenthran's appeal to reduce the penalty to life in prison failed and a final push for a presidential clemency was rejected last year.

A judicial hearing was set for Monday to hear arguments that executing a mentally disabled person would violate Singapore's constitution. If the review fails, Nagaenthran will be the first person executed in Singapore since 2019.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Wednesday he has written to his Singapore counterpart about the case and would extend consular aid to Nagaenthran and his family. Singapores home ministry has defended the courts decision, saying Nagaenthran clearly understood the crime and has exhausted all legal appeals.

His lawyer, M. Ravi, said Nagaenthran, now 33, could possibly have a mental age below 18 and that the disability doesnt allow him to understand or appreciate deterrence. Therefore, we contend that the execution is irrational and a capricious act of the state, he wrote on Facebook.

The Malaysian Bar and two other legal bodies this week submitted an appeal to Singapore to commute his sentence.

A group of lawyers, activists and human rights groups also rallied outside Malaysias Parliament this week, demanding government intervention. They said in their petition that it was incredibly excessive to hang Nagaenthran given his disability and that he was being punished for a non-violent crime.

The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch echoed calls to save Nagaenthran, saying the execution of a disabled person violates international laws and won't deter crime.

ADPAN said the failure to recognize Nagaenthran's mental health indicates a systemic failure in Singapores criminal justice system." Amnesty said there are concerns of multiple violations of international human rights" and fairness of the proceedings which could render his execution unlawful.

Singapore should commute Nagaenthran Dharmalingams sentence and amend its laws to ensure that no one is subjected to the death penalty, certainly not people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities," Human Rights Watch said.

The clamor to commute the penalty is giving Nagaenthrans family a sliver of hope.

His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, said the family cried and wailed when they were informed of the execution on Oct. 26. Initially she kept it a secret from her mother, who at 59 still works as a cleaner and has health problems.

On Tuesday, two days before the Hindu festival of Diwali, 10 family members finally surrounded her to explain about her sons imminent execution. She is set to fly to Singapore on Friday and is to meet her son for the first time in nearly three years.

Instead of celebrating (Diwali), we are crying and thinking about my brother and counting the days, Sarmila, 35, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday from northern Ipoh town. He has been on death row for more than 10 years. Please give him a second chance and stop his execution.

Sarmila said Nagaenthran, the second of four siblings, is a loving person who took odd jobs during high school to help out the family. The family still finds it hard to accept the court outcome and is praying daily for a miracle, she said.

In 2019, she said Nagaenthran suddenly refused to meet or talk to the family. Lawyer Ravi also wrote on Facebook that Nagaenthran refused to meet him since 2019.

Nagaenthran finally opened up recently and reconnected with them on the day the family was informed of his execution. Sarmila said he was calm but had refused to talk about his silence in the past few years or about his imminent sentence.

She said their younger brother met Nagaenthran at a Singapore prison this week and found his behavior strange. Nagaenthran would stare at the ceiling, talk incoherently and jump from one subject to another, she said.

Sarmila said he appeared cheerful in a phone call Thursday and had asked how the family was celebrating Diwali.

Ma, dont worry. I will come back soon and we can celebrate together she quoted Nagaenthran as telling their mother in the Tamil language, before cheekily asking for his ang pow  a monetary gift that elders usually give as a token of blessings.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Athena M. King, Old Dominion University

(THE CONVERSATION) With the 2022 midterm elections less than a year away, the stunning victory of political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia governors race demonstrated an effective GOP strategy that appeals to crucial suburban voters alienated by Donald Trump while maintaining support from the former presidents die-hard supporters.

Youngkins campaign and subsequent victory over Democratic former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe launched Virginia into the national limelight. The election was a referendum on not only Trumps influence within the GOP but also the Biden administrations inability to deliver so far on presidential campaign promises.

In previous elections in Virginia, local politics were just that  local. But over the past decade, Virginia turned from a reliable red state in presidential elections to a reliable blue state. Starting with the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Virginia has voted Democratic in presidential contests, including for Hillary Clinton in her unsuccessful bid in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Before the election in 2008, Virginians voted Republican in presidential elections for the previous 40 years.

The recent blue wave placed Virginia at the heart of national politics  and made it a GOP target. By using national culture wars, and specifically GOP outrage over how race issues are taught in public schools, Youngkin took aim at suburban Virginia voters and sliced off enough to become governor.

In addition to winning the governors race, the Virginia GOP saw Winsome Sears become the first Black woman to become lieutenant governor. And Republican Jason Miyares took the state attorney generals office. Republicans also won enough seats in the House of Delegates to tie the Democrats, although a few races are still being decided. The Virginia Senate remains in Democratic control.

The blue wave in Virginia is now an open question.

Suburban GOP gains

Though Biden won the suburbs overwhelmingly in 2020,, the Youngkin campaign won a significant portion this year by, in part, focusing on the potential that critical race theory could be taught at the K-12 level. Its not, but that didnt stop the spread of misinformation.

Usually reserved for graduate schools, critical race theory is a field of intellectual inquiry that demonstrates the legal codification of racism in America. Instead of responding to Youngkin with the truth, McAuliffe alienated suburban voters further by declaring during a debate with Youngkin that parents shouldnt tell schools what to teach.

It was a major blunder and became the subject of relentless campaign advertisements by Youngkin in the days leading up the Nov. 2 election. In Fairfax County  a suburban Democratic stronghold near Washington, D.C., comprising nearly 13.5% of the states overall vote  Youngkins campaign against critical race theory improved GOP results by 2.6 percentage points from the 2020 presidential election.

Youngkins strategy was also helped by McAuliffes inept efforts to paint the millionaire political newcomer as a Trump acolyte.

The Trump factor

Polls showed the race as a statistical dead heat leading into Election Day. Those poll numbers held steady on election night.

In majority Republican counties in Virginia, for instance, such as Bedford, Frederick, Roanoke and Hanover, Trumps margin of victory in 2020 was between 37% and 60%. Youngkin maintained those numbers within 1 percentage point.

Youngkin was able to maintain the Trump base without embracing Trump publicly. GOP hopefuls who fear alienating moderate suburban Republicans are now able to follow Youngkins lead by downplaying their association with Trump while secretly enjoying the enthusiasm he generates among his base.

As Virginia goes?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines bellwether as one that takes the lead or initiative or an indicator of trends. Thats the role Virginia could now be playing on the national political scene.

While the sitting presidents party usually loses congressional seats during the midterms, emboldened Republicans strengthened by the results in Virginia now expect both chambers to not only return to GOP control but also present Biden with the additional challenge of a divided government. Both might culminate in a 2024 presidential election campaign that could very well see Trump at the top of the ticket as the Republican nominee once more.

Such enthusiasm  and public distancing from Trump  might be the difference between winning and losing in an upcoming election across the country. It might also create a new version of an old political standard: All politics are now national.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/suburban-voters-responded-to-gop-culture-war-pitch-in-virginia-governors-race-and-showed-all-politics-are-now-national-171175.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  A truck driver who ousted the powerful New Jersey Senate president in the election previously posted online calling Islam a false religion, comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust and defending rioters at the Capitol.

Republican Edward Durr apologized on Friday after media outlets highlighted the posts. His victory over Steve Sweeney, widely regarded as the second-most powerful Democrat in state government, in Tuesdays election shocked the states political establishment. Durr spent a paltry sum on his campaign.

On Thursday and Friday, media reports highlighted posts Durr had made on Twitter and Facebook, including some critical of immigrants, boasting of defying state COVID-19 mask mandates, and making misogynist attacks on Democratic elected officials like then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Durr issued a statement Thursday night to radio station WHYY, and Friday to the website New Jersey Globe apologizing for the posts.

Im a passionate guy and I sometimes say things in the heat of the moment, Durr said in identical comments to both outlets. If I said things in the past that hurt anybodys feelings, I sincerely apologize.

Twitter showed Friday that Durr's account had been deactivated by the user.

In a screenshot of a 2019 Twitter post captured by a WNYC reporter, Durr wrote, Mohammed was a pedophile! Islam is a false religion! Only fools follow Muslim teachings! It is a cult of hate!

I support everybodys right to worship in any manner they choose and to worship the God of their choice, Durr said in his statement to the media outlets. "I support all people and I support everybodys rights. Thats what I am here to do, work for the people and support their rights.

Durr did not respond to phone and email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday. A spokesperson for New Jersey Senate Republicans declined comment Friday, referring a reporter to Durr's statement.

Also on Friday, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations called on Durr to meet with Muslim leaders and renounce hate.

In other posts, Durr seemed to equate not opposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates to remaining silent during the Holocaust, including with the post a photo of a yellow star that the National Socialist party forced Jewish people to wear.

He also said on Facebook that the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol was not an insurrection but an unauthorized entry by undocumented federal employers.

Durr's Facebook posts show he closely followed and posted in support of former President Donald Trump's baseless claims about election fraud. On Jan. 7, he wrote on Facebook, I do not agree or support the entering of the Capitol! But I was not surprised after courts refuse to do their job!

He also boasted last year of defying New Jersey's indoor mask requirements while visiting stores, and appeared to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic.

Durr also used his Facebook account to highlight his campaign activities, posting photos of himself and others speaking with voters at their homes. He conveyed holiday wishes, posted about his dogs and wrote about his successes trying to eat more healthily.

Durr, a commercial truck driver, defeated Sweeney in southern New Jersey's 3rd district, spending just $2,300 on his campaign. He was largely unknown in state politics before Election Day.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who narrowly won a second term over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, called Durr's posts outrageous during a public event Friday. He said he was stunned over Sweeney's loss.
Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The requirements

The new requirements, which were first previewed by President Joe Biden in September, will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees who test positive must be removed from the workplace.

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

The rules will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses. The Biden administration says 70% of all adult Americans are now fully vaccinated. The new rules are aimed at the tens of millions who remain unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require that workers who remain unvaccinated after Jan. 4 to test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

Companies wont be required to pay for the tests. However, they are required to offer paid time off for workers to get vaccinated and sick leave if workers experience vaccine side effects starting Dec. 5.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

"While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good," he said Thursday in a statement.

Midlands top employers prepare to follow mandate

MidMichigan Health, Midland Countys largest employer with 4,878 employees in Midland County alone, will review the mandate in the near future in its entirety in order to issue the right, best plan for its employees and health care system, officials said Thursday.

Dow, the second-largest employer in Midland County with 4,003 employees, emailed a response to the Daily News regarding the impact of the vaccine mandate on the company and its employees.

"We are reviewing the written rules to understand what further actions are required of our company and of individuals," wrote Kyle Bandlow, corporate media relations director for Dow. "Following this review, we will share detailed plans with our employees on how Dow will implement this policy in the U.S. to be in compliance with the new OSHA safety standards. Dow continues to strongly encourage all our colleagues to get vaccinated and already offers employees paid time off to receive vaccinations and to recover from any side effects; the company also has many tools and processes in place to ensure the health and safety of our colleagues and their families."

The vaccine mandate applies to all school districts that have 100 or more employees, one of which is Midland Public Schools, the third-largest employer in Midland County with 1,039 employees.

MPS Superintendent Michael Sharrow told the Daily News in an email that, now that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released its rules governing the vaccine mandate, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has 30 days to release its own rules.

"I expect (the MIOSHA rules) will be about the same  (that employees must) vaccinate or test weekly and mask up all day," Sharrow said.

In regard to what percentage of MPS employees has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Sharrow said the district is not allowed access to that information.

He said that effective Jan. 4, 2022, every MPS employee will be required to show proof of vaccination, and MPS will know at that point what percentage of employees has been vaccinated.

MPS repeals mask mandate for K-6 as of Dec. 13

Sharrow announced Thursday morning that MPS will lift the current mask mandate for grades K-6 on Monday, Dec. 13.

On that date, MPS will return to recommended masking for all grades, which was its policy for the first week of the school year before the district implemented the K-6 mandate.

The announcement came two days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children aged 5-11.

Sharrow's special edition communique on Thursday announced the Dec. 13 lifting of the mandate as well as the scheduling of COVID vaccination clinics by the Midland County Department of Community Health (MCDPH) that are specifically for ages 5-11 and will be held at both Siebert and Central Park elementary schools.

The first-dose clinic will be on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and the second-dose clinic will be on Wednesday, Dec. 1  both from 3 to 6 p.m.

Vaccinations are not mandatory, the communique noted, and signed parental consent is required in order for a student to be vaccinated at the two clinics. Any child between the ages of 5 and 11 can be vaccinated at the clinics, including non-MPS students.

"Midland (Public Schools') intent to wait until Dec. 13 to return to recommended masking will allow for those students who have received both doses to have close to two weeks following the second dose for the student's body to build up immunity against the virus that causes COVID-19," Sharrow explained in the communique.

Even after the K-6 mask mandate is lifted, masks will still be required on school buses for all students, per federal law.

Sharrow wrote in the communique that school protocols may change based on changing health conditions.

"We must continue to be flexible and prepared to respond to constant changes due to COVID-19," Sharrow wrote. "Please note that district COVID protocols will change if we receive public health orders from the CDC, (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services), the MCDPH, or (if) the COVID metrics cause us to pause and reflect on the need to update the district's safety precautions. Future outbreaks in a classroom or school building will result in a review of safety protocols and possible masking requirements by classroom or school building.

"We have heard your voices and respect each of the COVID protocol opinions we have received," he continued. "The uniting message that has come through loud and clear in each and every communication the district has received is the priority of the safety, health and wellbeing of OUR CHILDREN! Midland Public Schools is honored and grateful to be your family's school district and will continue to do everything we can to support the health and safety of our students and staff."

Moolenaar introduces legislation to challenge vaccine mandate

The administration faced an immediate challenge from Republican officials who are eager to fight Biden in court and in Congress. Senate Republicans immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate, but with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail.

Among the Republicans against the mandate was Congressman John Moolenaar. Moolenaar introduced the No Vaccine Mandate Act to block President Biden from using OSHA to issue the vaccine mandate. Moolenaar's legislation prohibits the Department of Labor from using federal funds to administer a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

President Bidens arbitrary COVID vaccine mandate on businesses with 100 or more employees, burdens businesses with the responsibility to pay for expensive tests or force their employees to be vaccinated, said Moolenaar.

The legislation is cosponsored by 17 Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee, including Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Congressman Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), the ranking member of the House Committee on Rules and the top Republican on the Labor-H subcommittee.

Midland County COVID cases increase, vaccine rates idle

Dr. Cathy Bodnar, medical director for the Midland County Department of Public Health, has one simple request for all residents ages 5 and up: get vaccinated.

Midland County has seen COVID case numbers increase over the past few days, with 83 cases and two deaths reported on Monday and 115 cases and four deaths reported on Wednesday, according to the states website. Bodnar explained the county health department has also seen a spike of COVID presence in wastewater treatment levels based on data from Nov. 1; the wastewater treatment levels tend to predict the number of clinical cases for the next two or three weeks.

According to Bodnar, about 20% of the countys COVID cases are school-related. Meanwhile, there are two outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

The bulk of it seems to be general community (transmission), Bodnar stated. Theres too many places for the virus to go and its going there.

Meanwhile, the countys vaccination rate for individuals ages 16 and over around 65%. Bodnar stated that everyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago is eligible for a booster shot. Booster shots for the Pfizer and Moderna doses are available to those who are either ages 65 and older, have a high risk of severe COVID-19 or at increased risk of exposure and transmission because of their occupational or institutional setting. Booster doses can be mixed and matched.

In the meantime, Bodnar cautions against gathering in packed crowds indoors and encourages following mitigation measures.

People are done with COVID-19, but COVID-19 isnt done with us, Bodnar said.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  A proposed U.N. resolution would unequivocally condemn all attacks, reprisals and violence against journalists and media workers and urge governments to take action to end the prevailing impunity and punish these crimes.

The draft General Assembly resolution circulated Friday also urges the immediate and unconditional release of journalists and media workers who have been arbitrarily arrested, arbitrarily detained or taken hostage or who have become victims of enforced disappearances.

The resolution was drafted by Greece, France, Austria, Costa Rica and Tunisia, according to U.N. diplomats, and lists 34 co-sponsors including the United Kingdom, Germany and many other European and Latin American countries as well as the Ivory Coast and Lebanon.

The United States was not included on the list, but an official at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations told The Associated Press the Biden administration has signed on as a co-sponsor. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly,

The draft resolution must first be approved by the General Assemblys human rights committee and it then needs final approval from the 193-member world body. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do reflect global opinion.

The proposed resolution stresses that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It recognizes the importance of free, independent, plural and diverse media and access to information, online as well as offline, in building inclusive and peaceful knowledge societies and democracies. And it acknowledges that journalism is continuously evolving and contributing to the shaping of public debate.

The draft calls on governments to take legal measures to protect journalists and media workers and to do their utmost to prevent violence, threats and attacks against them. And it calls on them to develop and implement effective and transparent legal frameworks and measures for the protection of journalists and media workers and for combating impunity."

It stresses the importance of accountability, first by conducting impartial, speedy, thorough, independent and effective investigations into all alleged violence, threats and attacks against journalists and media workers, including sexual and gender-based violence against women journalists and media workers in armed conflict and non-conflict situations.

The proposed resolution also urges political leaders, public officials, and government authorities to refrain from denigrating, intimidating or threatening the media, including individual journalists and media workers, or from using misogynist or any discriminatory language towards women journalists, which thereby undermines trust in the credibility of journalists as well as respect for the importance of independent journalism.

In addition, the draft would condemn unequivocally government actions aimed at disrupting access to information -- or the dissemination of information -- online or offline. This aims to undermine the work of journalists in informing the public, including through practices such as Internet shutdowns or measures to unduly restrict, block or take down media websites, such as denial of service attacks, it says.

The proposed resolution calls on all countries to halt such measures which cause irreparable harm to efforts to build inclusive, peaceful and democratic societies. It also calls on governments to ensure that defamation and libel laws are not misused.
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content.

Shariq Siddiqui, IUPUI and Rafeel Wasif, Portland State University

(THE CONVERSATION) Muslim Americans gave more to charity in 2020 than non-Muslims, we found in a new study. They are also more likely to volunteer, we learned.

Only 1.1% of all Americans are Muslim, and their average income is lower than non-Muslims. But as we explained in our Muslim American Giving 2021 report, their donations encompassed 1.4% of all giving from individuals. U.S. Muslims, a highly diverse and quickly growing minority, contributed an estimated US$4.3 billion in total donations to mostly nonreligious causes over the course of the year.

As philanthropyscholars, we believe our findings are significant not only because this is the first time that we can see the size and scope of giving by this small and highly diverse community, but also because U.S. Muslims face a great deal of discrimination.

Giving more, including to civil rights causes

We partnered with Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, to conduct this study. Our findings came from our survey of more than 2,000 Americans, half of whom were Muslim, that the SSRS research firm carried out from March 17 through April 7, 2021. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Participants answered questions regarding their faith customs, donation practices, and volunteer work, along with which causes they support and their concerns about COVID-19. We also inquired about how economic and political uncertainty and financial well-being influenced their giving and volunteering. Finally, we also examined whether they had experienced discrimination and their views about the level of discrimination in society.

We found that Muslim Americans gave more to charity, donating an average of $3,200, in 2020, versus $1,905 for other respondents. They also differed from non-Muslims in many ways. For example, nearly 8.5% of their contributions supported civil rights causes, compared with 5.3% of the general public.

We believe this elevated level of giving reflects efforts to fight Islamophobia, a fear of Islam grounded in bigotry and hatred against Muslims. Likewise, Muslims gave more to enhance public understanding of their faith. About 6.4% of their giving funded religious research, compared with 4% from other sources.

Muslim Americans further defied Islamophobic tropes through the causes they support. For example, about 84% of Muslim American donations support U.S. charitable causes, with only 16% of this money going abroad. That conflicts with an erroneous belief that Muslim Americans mainly support overseas causes.

COVID-19 relief

The other top secular charitable priorities of Muslim Americans were domestic poverty relief and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Donations to causes that sought to alleviate the toll COVID-19 has taken on U.S. health, employment and food security comprised 8.8% of Muslim American faith-based giving, versus 5.3% for non-Muslims. Additionally, these donations also comprised a large part of Muslim Americans non-faith giving. Muslims gave 14.3% of their non-faith giving to COVID-19 causes, a sharp contrast with others. Among the non-Muslim population we surveyed, 6.7% of non-faith giving backed these kinds of charities.

We attribute this pattern to the fact that Muslim Americans are overrepresented among medical professionals and front-line workers. For example, 15% of physicians and 11% of pharmacists in Michigan are Muslim Americans. In New York City, Muslim Americans make up 10% of the citys physicians, 13% of the pharmacists and 40% of cab drivers, all of whom were designated essential workers.

Faith amplifies giving

All observant Muslim adults with the means to do so are expected to give to charity in adherence to faith-based traditions. One, known as Zakat, is more formal and among the five pillars of Islam that Muslims are expected to adhere to. Another, sadaqah, happens voluntarily.

That made us want to see if religiosity played a role with the charitable patterns of U.S. Muslims. It turns out that Muslims who displayed higher levels of religiosity, such as by praying more often, were also more likely to give to charity than those who prayed less frequently. We found similar trends among non-Muslims.

Over 115,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

We plan to conduct this study annually for the next four years and will keep an eye on how Muslim giving patterns change over time. Furthermore, we will add additional questions to further illuminate how faith-based and secular motivations are shaping Muslim American giving.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP)  The first man shot and killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was acting belligerently that night but did not appear to pose a serious threat to anyone, a witness testified Friday at Rittenhouse's murder trial.

Jason Lackowski, a former Marine who said he took an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle to Kenosha last year to help protect property during violent protests against racial injustice, said that Joseph Rosenbaum asked very bluntly to shoot him and took a few false steppings ... to entice someone to do something.

Lackowski got up from the witness stand and demonstrated what he meant by false stepping. He took a small step and slight lurch forward, then stopped.

But Lackowski, who was called as a witness by the prosecution, said he considered Rosenbaum a babbling idiot and turned his back and ignored him. He admitted he didnt see everything that went on between Rittenhouse and Rosenbaum, including their final clash.

In other testimony, the prosecution suffered a potential blow when Rosenbaums fiancee, Kariann Swart, disclosed that he was on medication for bipolar disorder and depression but didn't fill his prescriptions because the local pharmacy was boarded up as a result of the unrest  information Rittenhouse's lawyers could use in their bid to portray Rosenbaum as the aggressor that night.

The judge allowed the defense to elicit testimony about Rosenbaum's mental illness because prosecutors brought up mention of medication. Had prosecutors not touched on the topic, it is unlikely the judge would have let the defense bring it up.

On the day he was killed, Rosenbaum had been released from a Milwaukee hospital. The jury was told that much, but not why he had been admitted  after a suicide attempt.

Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with shooting three men, two fatally, in the summer of 2020. The one-time police youth cadet was 17 when he went to Kenosha with an AR-style rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from the demonstrations that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer.

Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse feared his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

On Thursday, witnesses testified that a hyperaggressive Rosenbaum angrily threatened to kill Rittenhouse that night and that Rosenbaum was gunned down after he chased Rittenhouse and lunged for the young man's rifle.

A state crime lab DNA analyst testified Friday that she tested swabs from the barrel guard from Rittenhouse's rifle and did not find DNA from Rosenbaum or the other man killed that night, Anthony Huber. But Amber Rasmussen said she received no swabs from the actual barrel and would have no way of knowing if Rosenbaum touched it.

Under cross-examination by Rittenhouse attorney Corey Chirafasi, Rasmussen was shown still images of Huber and Rittenhouse and agreed they appeared to depict Huber touching the rifle. She also acknowledged that the absence of Hubers DNA on the gun doesn't mean he didn't touch it.

In other testimony Friday, a Kenosha officer said that because of the chaos after the shooting and other gunfire that night, police didn't realize Rittenhouse was the gunman as he approached a police vehicle.

Video of police allowing Rittenhouse to pass, even as people were shouting that he had just shot people, was widely circulated and cited by those who say he got preferential treatment because he is white.

However, Officer Pep Moretti said he drew his weapon and used pepper spray on Rittenhouse, regarding him initially as a threat because he was disobeying commands and advancing with a gun.

Rittenhouse was not arrested at the time. He returned to his home in Antioch, Illinois, and turned himself in the next day.

Moretti described the area at the time as a war zone," adding: The city was burning and on fire and were just outnumbered and completely surrounded.

In their testimony, Lackowski and another veteran, former Army infantryman Ryan Balch, both used military terminology that reflected their backgrounds as they spoke about patrolling the streets of Kenosha against protest violence.

Lackowski referred to areas of occupation, talked about taking up his post in a parking lot, and said he was trained in shout, shove, show, shoot.

You shout, you shove, you show your firearm and you shoot, Lackowski explained.

Balch used the term plate carrier, which he explained means body armor. He gave a detailed explanation of the differences between full metal jacket bullets and hollow points and talked about ensuring the armed citizens in Kenosha that night worked in pairs to protect each other.

According to testimony, Rosenbaum, 36, was unarmed and did not hurt anyone that night. During the clash with Rittenhouse, he threw a clear plastic hospital bag that he had been given to hold his toiletries.

Rosenbaums fiancee testified that hours before he was killed, she told him not to go downtown because of the unrest.

When he left, he said that he would see me in the morning and he was all excited and I love you. It was a pleasant visit, Swart said.

After getting a call from the medical examiner that Rosenbaum was dead, Swart said, she fell to her knees and cried and then found a video online showing him dying: I broke down and I cant get that image out of my head.

In the morning, Swart said, she went to the spot at a car dealership where Rosenbaum lay on the ground after being shot. And I put my hand in it and my hand was wet with his blood," she said. "And thats again when I collapsed on the ground.

Rosenbaum's killing has emerged as one of the most crucial moments that night because it set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later.

Rittenhouse shot and killed Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward the young man.

Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted in the case that has stirred furious debate over self-defense, vigilantism, the right to bear arms and the racial unrest that erupted around the U.S. after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other cases like it.

___

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin; Forliti from Minneapolis. Associated Press writer Tammy Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan.

___

Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse at: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Joe Biden Wednesday shut down reports that immigrant families separated at the border could receive financial damages for their time in custody, upsetting some immigration advocates.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Biden's administration was considering making payments of $450,000 to settle lawsuits filed by immigrant families affected by former president Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which led to the separation of about 5,500 children from their parents, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The number of families eligible for compensation will likely be smaller, since only around 940 claims have been filed so far, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Oct. 26

A theft from a vehicle was reported Oct. 26 at the 4200 block of W. 13th Street. An unknown person broke a drivers side window of a vehicle and took belongings.

Theft from a building was reported on Oct. 26 at the 1200 block of Quincy Street.

A 25-year-old woman was arrested at the 600 block of Denver St. on Oct. 26. The woman was charged with an active out-of-county warrant for an accident involving damage to a vehicle.

Harassment was reported at the 1600 block of N. Date St. on Oct. 26. A man continued reaching out to a female victim after being told to leave her alone.

Oct. 27

Criminal mischief was reported at the 920 block of Ash St. on Oct. 27. A food trailer parked at the Plainview Roller Rink was damaged. According to the incident report, the suspect attempted to enter the trailer through three different areas. The damages are estimated to be valued at $700.

A theft was reported at the 2800 block of Dimmitt Road on Oct. 27. The shoplifting was caught on cameras at the location.

Theft from a yard was reported at the 600 block of Denver St. on Oct. 27.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 1000 block of W. 5th Street on Oct. 27. Vehicle damage was reported.

Oct. 28

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the intersection of E. 5th St. and N. Date on Oct. 28.

A burglary was reported at the 200 block of SE 7th Street on Oct. 28.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 2300 block of Dimmitt Road on Oct. 28.

Theft was reported at the 2700 block of SW 3rd Street on Oct. 28. The victim reported theft of money by deception.

Fraudulent credit/debit card use was reported at the 1600 block of Milwaukee on Oct. 28.

An assault was reported on Oct. 28 at the 2600 block of W. 5th Street.

A stolen vehicle was reported at the 810 block of N. Broadway. The vehicle was reported stolen on Oct. 28 but it was allegedly taken two days before.

Theft of a bicycle was reported at the 1000 block of Jefferson St. on Oct. 28. An unknown person took the victims Mongoose bike worth $200.

Officers responded to a sexual assault on Oct. 28.

A theft was reported at the 700 block of Independence St. on Oct. 28. The reporting party is the trustee of their grandparents estate and, after conducting inventory of the property, discovered two rings missing. The rings are valued at $1,800.

Oct. 29

A 42-year-old woman was arrested at the 600 block of W. 8th Street on Oct. 29. The individual was charged with driving while intoxicated.

A crash involving vehicle damage was reported on Oct. 29 at the 600 block of W. 8th Street.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the intersection of 24th and Yonkers on Oct. 29.

A terroristic threat was reported on Oct. 29 at the 300 block of E. 5th St.

Lucy Nicole Cortez, 33, was arrested by Plainview police on Oct. 29 at the 1600 block of Joliet. Officers were called to the location in reference to a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was recovered at the location and Cortez was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, which is a state jail felony.

A crash involving vehicle damage was reported at the 2000 block of W. 16th Street on Oct. 29.

A crash was reported at the intersection of W. 12th St. and Vernon on Oct. 29. Vehicle damage was reported.

A stolen vehicle was reported on Oct. 29 at the 400 block of E. 8th Street.

Oct. 30

Obstruction of police was reported at the 100 block of W. 11th Street on Oct. 30. A known person provided a false name knowing they had an active warrant for their arrest.

An assault was reported at the 1500 block of N. I-27 on Oct. 30. A disturbance was reported after a crash at the location. The assault occurred at that time.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 800 block of N. I-27 on Oct. 30. A man intentionally damaged a womans vehicle.

An assault was reported at the 300 block of SE 5th Street on Oct. 30.

A stolen vehicle was reported at the 1300 block of Travis on Oct. 30.

Oct. 31

Criminal mischief was reported at the 1200 block of S. Broadway on Oct. 31.

Criminal mischief was reported on Oct. 31 at the 3200 block of Lexington St. The reporting party said someone they know caused damage to the victims vehicle at the location.

Officers responded to the 2300 block of CR 215 on Oct. 31 where the reporting party told officers they found a baggie with a leafy green substance, which later tested positive for marijuana.

A stolen vehicle was reported at the 1300 block of Travis St. on Oct. 31.

Officers responded to the 1200 block of Joliet on Oct. 31 in reference to a hit-and-run crash. A known person hit a parked vehicle and fled the scene without giving information.

Nov. 1

Theft was reported at the 1300 block of W. 5th Street on Nov. 1. An unknown person took a cigarette case with money and debit cards inside without the owners consent.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 310 block of E. 4th Street on Nov. 1. A known person destroyed the windows to a vehicle with bicycle handle bars.

A threat was reported at the 800 block of N. I-27 on Nov. 1. Officers took a report regarding a threat made via text message.

Police arrested a 39-year-old man at the 1000 block of N. I-27 on Nov. 1 during a traffic stop. The individuals was charged with driving with an invalid license with a previous conviction/suspension without financial resolution.

Nov. 2

Plainview police arrested 37-year-old Joe Daniel Luna on Nov. 2 at the 1300 block of Independence. Luna was charged with an out-of-county felony warrant.

A 28-year-old man was arrested during a traffic stop on Nov. 2 at the 4000 block of W. 13th Street. The individual was charged with an outstanding warrant for making a false statement to law enforcement.

Police responded to the 100 block of W. 9th Street on Nov. 2 in reference to a terroristic threat. A known subject threatened to kill an officer in retaliation for being arrested. No arrests are indicated for this incident report.

Officers responded to a sexual offense on Nov. 2.

Officers arrested a 25-year-old man on Nov. 2 at the 1500 block of N. I-27. The individual was observed taking a speaker amp from Walmart then ran into Wendys and was later arrested for theft.

Nov. 3

A hit-and-run crash was reported on Nov. 3 at the 3700 block of Olton Road. Vehicle damage was noted.

An assault was reported at the 900 block of W. 28th Street on Nov. 3.

Fraud was reported at the 3000 block of College Ave. on Nov. 3. The report classifies the incident as fraud by wire.
Gov. Greg Abbott has a comfortable lead over potential Democratic challenger Beto ORourke, according to a new poll from the University of Texas at Austin and The Texas Tribune.

The survey of registered voters found Abbott with a 9-percentage-point advantage over ORourke, 46% to 37%. Seven percent of respondents picked someone else in the hypothetical matchup, and 10% said they have not thought about it enough to have an opinion. ORourke is increasingly expected to challenge the Republican governor for a third term next year, though he has not made an announcement yet.

Both men have vulnerabilities, according to the survey. Abbotts approval rating has slightly improved since the last poll in August, but it remains underwater, with 43% of voters approving of the job he is doing and 48% disapproving. ORourke, meanwhile, has a well-defined  and negative  image with voters. Only 35% of respondents said they have a favorable opinion of him, while 50% registered an unfavorable opinion. Only 7% of voters said they did not know him or had no opinion of him.

While ORourke is widely liked by Democrats and widely disliked by Republicans, his low favorability with independents is hurting his overall showing: Only 22% of them have a positive view of him, while 48% have a negative view. Abbotts numbers with independents are nothing to brag about, either. Twenty-seven percent of them approve of his job performance, while 57% disapprove.

ORourkes initial 9-point deficit is as good a starting point as Democrats are gonna get, said James Henson, co-director of the poll and head of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

One upside for ORourke is that with his widespread name ID, he doesnt have to spend most of his campaign introducing himself to the electorate, said Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project at UT. But Daron Shaw, a UT-Austin government professor and co-director of the poll, noted that any candidate with a favorability rating as lopsided as ORourkes is not in great shape.

One other potential gubernatorial candidate who has captured the attention of the political world is actor Matthew McConaughey. He has teased a possible run for months, without saying which primary he would run in  or whether he would run as an independent.

The poll discovered that the movie star is not universally beloved by Texans. Close to a third of voters  29%  have neither a favorable nor unfavorable opinion of McConaughey. Thirty-five percent registered a favorable opinion of him, and 24% said they had an unfavorable impression.

Any Democratic candidate will have to contend with a president from their party, Joe Biden, who is deeply unpopular in Texas. In the poll, voters gave him a net approval rating of negative 20 points, with 35% approving of his job performance and 55% disapproving. That is wider than the 11-point deficit that the survey found between the two ratings for Biden in August.

The primary elections

The survey also found that the top statewide officials are easily leading their Republican primaries, with considerable shares of voters who have not tuned in yet. Attorney General Ken Paxton has drawn the most serious lineup of challengers, including Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and Fort Worth state Rep. Matt Krause. Paxton won the support of 48% of primary voters in the poll, with Bush far behind him at 16% and no one else in double digits. But over a quarter of respondents said they have not thought about the primary enough to have an opinion.

Bush is Paxtons best-known challenger by far. Only 15% of Republicans said they were unfamiliar with him, and among the Republicans who had an opinion of him, 34% had a favorable view and 28% had an unfavorable view.

Another high-profile primary has been the governors race. Abbott is at 56%, with Allen West, the former Texas GOP chair and U.S. representative from Florida, in second place at 13%. No other challenger is in double digits, and 16% of primary voters said they have not thought about it enough to have an opinion.

West is easily Abbotts best-known challenger  and very well-liked among Republicans, with 53% rating him favorably and only 7% rating him unfavorably.

Results were less notable in the statewide Democratic primaries. The poll showed ORourke dominating his primary and majorities of voters not paying attention yet to the primaries for attorney general and lieutenant governor.

For example, the two Democrats running for lieutenant governor, Mike Collier and Matthew Dowd, got 17% support and 13% support, respectively. Two-thirds of voters said they had not thought about that primary enough to form an opinion about which Democrat should take on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Like Abbott, Patricks approval rating has improved a bit since the August survey, though it is still upside-down. In the latest poll, 35% of voters approved of the job he is doing, while 39% disapproved.

Paxtons approval numbers, meanwhile, are virtually unchanged from August. Thirty-five percent of voters approve of the job he is doing, while 37% disapprove.

Another top Texas Republican, House Speaker Dade Phelan, remains lesser-known than the statewide officials, as is typical for the legislative leader. Almost a third of voters said they do not know how to rate the job Phelan is doing, while 20% gave positive marks to his job performance and 28% disapproved.

More interestingly, the Texas Legislature has seen a noticeable recovery in its job approval among voters since August, when it was in the throes of a series of contentious special sessions. In the latest survey, 35% of voters registered approval for the Legislatures job performance, while 40% disapproved  a much smaller deficit than the 20-point gap two months ago.

The survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted online from Oct. 22-31. The margin of error was +/- 2.83 points. The sample for the Republican primary had 554 voters, with a margin of error of +/- 4.16 points. The sample for the Democratic primary included 436 voters, with a margin of error of +/- 4.69 points.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/05/texas-poll-greg-abbott-beto-orourke/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
Concerned parents and bookstore owners are refusing to stand idly by as works by writers of color and LGTBQ authors are challenged in Texas schools.

This week, hundreds of free copies of books by award-winning author Jerry Craft were sent to Texas teachers and librarians who requested them, thanks to a collaborative effort of a New York City family and a Houston bookstore. Craft's books were temporarily removed from Katy ISD and his speaking event at the district was postponed after a group of parents accused his works of containing harmful content about critical race theory.

Craft's books were also included in an investigation launched by Republican Rep. Matt Krause that asked districts to review a list of more than 850 books, most of which discuss race, gender and sexuality. The investigation follows the state legislature passing a "critical race theory" law over the summer which limits how Texas educators discuss race in public schools.

Alessandra Bastagli, editorial director of New York-based Astra Publishing House, teamed with Houston's Kindred Stories bookstore to gather funds that helped purchase and distribute 200 copies of Craft's books "New Kid" and "Class Act." Bastagli said she and her children are big fans of Craft, and when they learned his books were under review, they immediately wanted to help.

"[My children] wanted Texas kids to have the same access to these books that they have in Brooklyn," Bastagli said. "As a family, we loved these books because they are smart, funny and relatable. They also allowed us to discuss macro and micro aggressions as well as inequality when it comes to race, class and education."

Bastagli and her family created a GoFundMe and put out a call on social media for donations, which helped raise $3,000 in only ten days to purchase the books. Donations came from parents around the country as well as children's book authors and editors who knew Craft and were upset about the ban, she said. She reached out to Terri Hamm, owner of Kindred Stories, for help in ordering the books and shipping them out from the the bookstore.

"She told me the different price points at the different bulk levels as well as an estimate of the shipping costs within the state of Texas," Bastagli said. "With the kids and my husband we figured we could realistically raise $3,000. And we did."

Bastagli said she specifically wanted to work with an indie, Black-owned bookstore for the effort. "Indies have suffered so much during the pandemic and in general, as a family, we prefer to shop indie," she said. "It also needed to be in Texas so that the shipping wouldnt be too expensive."

Hamm was likewise incensed when she learned Craft's books were challenged, and was looking for ways to help when Bastagli reached out to her with the idea of the fundraiser. Her bookstore was created to ensure writers like Craft have a space to share their stories, she said. "My own son has read both 'New Kid' and 'Class Act' at least 15 times," Hamm wrote. "This is a story he, and I'm sure many other children, connect with on a very personal level. At Kindred Stories we try to counter feelings of anger, frustration, and oppression with action."

Bastagli and Hamm received requests via social media and emails from more than 90 teachers and librarians across the state, Bastagli said. She was moved by the request messages and photos she's since since received from recipients of Craft's books. The two are still receiving requests even though they only have a few copies left, Hamm said.

"As a family, we're so excited kids in Texas now have access to 200 copies of Jerry's books," Bastagli said. "Our kids have learned that when you think something is wrong, unfair, unjust and racist you can organize and do something about it."

Hamm said she hopes the fundraiser shows teachers and students that there are people out there who support them and want to make sure they have access to diverse stories. "I'd like to encourage politicians and teachers to be open to listening and acknowledging diverse experiences," she said. "Denying students access to their history and to the tools that are being created help them understand the world they live in is a huge disservice."
Brandon Bell, Staff / Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Texas over the state's new voting law, arguing that the some measures passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature earlier this year would "disenfranchise eligible Texas citizens who seek to exercise their right to vote."

The Texas voting law, known as Senate Bill 1 and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in September, makes a host of changes that further tighten the state's election laws, such as banning drive-thru voting and setting new rules for voting by mail. The Justice Department is focusing its suit on two provisions of the new law: one related to assistance in voting booths and another related to the rejection of mail-in ballots.
The Magnolia Independent School District has suspended enforcement of gender-specific provisions in its dress code policy for all students until further notice amid pending litigation that argues the rules discriminate against boys who have long hair.

On Thursday, District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal granted a preliminary injunction that expanded relief to all Magnolia ISD students, including six boys and one nonbinary student who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas in a recent lawsuit against the Houston-area school district over its gender-based dress code policy. Rosenthal had granted a previous injunction that offered relief to only four of the seven plaintiffs.

The ACLU of Texas accused the district of violating students equal protection under the 14th Amendment as well as Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education settings.

Rosenthal wrote that the new order requires the District to immediately cease disciplinary consequences resulting from violation of gender-specific provisions of its dress and grooming code as to any student, including but not limited to in-school suspension or placement in the discipline alternative education program.

Students who have faced repercussion under those provisions of the dress code must be permitted to return to, and remain in, school with no further discipline, or other negative consequences, for wearing long hair or for violating any other gender-specific provision of the dress and grooming policy.

Magnolia ISD declined to comment on the ruling.

According to the districts 2021-2022 student handbook, male students hair must not be longer than the bottom of a dress shirt collar [and] bottom of the ear. Boys are also not allowed to wear their hair pinned up in any fashion and it cant be worn in a ponytail or a bun.

In the ACLU of Texas lawsuit against the school district, some of the plaintiffs claim they were given in-school suspension because of their hair and eventually they were placed in an alternative discipline program outside of school, forcing some to unenroll from the district altogether. Some also claimed that the length of their hair had not been a problem before this school year.

In a statement, ACLU of Texas attorney Brian Klosterboer said students and families are relieved with Rosenthals most recent decision. Last month, Rosenthal wrote that the plaintiffs showcased a likelihood of success in their arguments against the districts dress code policy concerning protections under the 14th Amendment and Title IX.

This issue should have been swiftly corrected without the need for litigation, and the school board should end it by permanently changing this outdated and unconstitutional policy, Klosterboer said.
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

View Results
Options to stay in Canada after your PGWP expires Permanent residency and work permit options for staying in Canada.

Options to stay in Canada after your PGWP expires Permanent residency and work permit options for staying in Canada.

Options to stay in Canada after your PGWP expires Permanent residency and work permit options for staying in Canada. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

If you want to stay in Canada beyond your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), there are a number of routes you can take depending on your goals and personal circumstances.



The PGWP is a one-time deal, and there are no extensions. Generally, it lasts as long as your study program. So if you did a one-year credential, you get a PGWP for one year. It can be valid for up to a maximum of three years.

As an open work permit, a PGWP allows you to work for any employer anywhere in Canada. However, if you want to apply for Canadian immigration, it will benefit you to get a job in what is called a skilled occupation.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

This term, skilled currently refers to occupations that Canada categorizes into skill levels 0, A, and B on the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These skill levels will change in 2022 when the new occupation classification system comes into effect. You can check the skill level of your occupation on the government website.

Although there are certainly immigration options for people who work in other occupations, having work experience in a skilled occupation can qualify you for Canadas most popular immigration pathway, Express Entry.

We are not here to tell you which pathway to Canadian immigration you should take. There is no easy route. However, what we would like to do with this article is spell out all your options to stay beyond your PGWP so you can make an informed decision based on your individual preference.

Apply for immigration

Applying to certain immigration programs will qualify you for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which allows you to keep working in Canada if your PGWP expires before you get approved for permanent residence.

Express Entry

Many people think of Express Entry as an immigration program, but actually it is an application management system for three federal immigration programs, and some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). The three Express Entry-managed programs are the:

To immigrate through Express Entry, you first need to be eligible for one of the three programs. Once you are in the pool of candidates, you get a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

You can only apply for immigration after you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Canadas immigration department, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In order to get an ITA, you need to have at least the minimum amount of CRS points required in a given Express Entry draw. IRCC holds these draws roughly every two weeks, where they invite the top scoring candidates to apply for Canadian immigration.

Provincial Nominee Program

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are managed by most Canadian provinces and territories, with the exceptions of Nunavut and Quebec.

There are two broad categories of PNPs. Enhanced PNPs search the Express Entry pool to invite candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. With a provincial nomination, Express Entry candidates get an automatic 600 points toward their overall score. This award pushes them to the top of the pool of Express Entry candidates, and primes them to receive an ITA in a subsequent draw.

People who do not qualify for Express Entry, may be able to immigrate to Canada through a base PNP. These programs allow you to apply for a provincial nomination directly to the province, which then supports your application for permanent residence to the federal government. Some of these base PNPs are also available to people whose work experience does not fall under a skilled occupation category.

PNPs do not necessarily require you to have any experience in the province, nor a job offer  although those things generally help. Choosing a PNP is one part determining what you qualify for, and another part deciding which province you really want to settle in.

Quebec immigration

Quebec has its own immigration system. In order to immigrate to Quebec you need a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), which supports your immigration application to the federal government. Even though Quebec is the most independent province in terms of immigration, only the federal government can issue permanent residency status.

If you speak French, studied and worked in Quebec, you may be eligible for the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This is a popular option for Quebec PGWP holders. You can apply as an international student, or as a temporary foreign worker. International students need to meet certain eligibility criteria for their education, prove their French language proficiency, and demonstrate that they intend to settle in Quebec. Workers need at least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled occupation, and must be employed at the time of application. They also need to prove their language ability in French.

Alternatively, if you speak French and have skilled work experience, you may be able to immigrate to the province through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot makes it easier for Atlantic Canada employers to hire foreign talent. You may qualify if you are hired in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia. There are three streams under this program: one for skilled workers, one for intermediate skilled workers which includes occupations under skill level C, and one for graduates of the Atlantic region.

Family sponsorship

If your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, then spousal sponsorship may be for you. If you are applying as in-land applicants, you may be able to benefit from an open work permit specifically for spouses and common-law partners of Canadians who are going through the immigration process.

Sponsor your spouse for Canadian immigration

Stay as a temporary resident

Say none of these options work out for you, yet. There may be options to extend your stay in Canada under a different work permit.

Work permits: LMIAs and trade agreements

In order to get a work permit in Canada, your employer often need to do what is called a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This process is usually long and comes with a fee.

However, there are other work permit options under the International Mobility Program that facilitate the process. These work permits exist to promote Canadas broad economic, social, and cultural policy objectives. These work permit programs cover workers whose presence would add a significant social or cultural benefit to Canada. Some examples include film and TV workers, as well as entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

Canada also has some trade agreements that allow citizens of certain countries to work in Canada without an LMIA. Citizens of the U.S. and Mexico may qualify for a CUSMA Professionals work permit, for example, if they have arranged employment in one of the 60 eligible occupations. Canada has trade agreements under CETA for citizens of the European Union, as well as CUKTCA for U.K. citizens.

Also, if you are from a country that has a bilateral agreement with Canada, you may be able to stay on an International Experience Canada (IEC) program.

Get help with Canadian work permits

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by some light rain this afternoon. High 53F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low 41F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by some light rain this afternoon. High 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Occasional rain. Low 41F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
You will receive 5-day a week delivery of the Citizen Tribune newspaper to your home or business, plus full, ad-free access to CitizenTribune.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper.



ONLY $13.99 per month for the first 3 months!

Only $16.00 per month after promotional period.

Or

ONLY $169.99 for a full year

Only $192.00 per year after promotional period.




Wells, Maine

Submit your own pictures of this town and show them to the world



OSM Map

General Map

Google Map

MSN Map OSM Map

General Map

Google Map

MSN Map OSM Map

General Map

Google Map

MSN Map OSM Map

General Map

Google Map

MSN Map Please wait while loading the map...

Population in 2010: 9,589.

Population change since 2000: +2.0%

9,589.+2.0%

Males: 4,630 (48.3%) Females: 4,959 (51.7%)

Median resident age: 48.5 years Maine median age: 43.0 years

Zip codes: 04090.

Estimated median household income in 2019: $70,748 (it was $46,314 in 2000)

Wells: $70,748 ME: $58,924

Estimated per capita income in 2019: $38,084 (it was $23,130 in 2000)



Wells town income, earnings, and wages data



Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $341,953 (it was $149,300 in 2000) Wells: $341,953 ME: $200,500

Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $317,665; detached houses: $335,961; townhouses or other attached units: $342,831; in 2-unit structures: $255,132; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $357,327; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $231,825; mobile homes: $73,375 $70,748 ($46,314$38,084 ($23,130$341,953 ($149,300$317,665;$335,961;$342,831;$255,132;$357,327;$231,825;$73,375

March 2019 cost of living index in Wells: 113.9 (more than average, U.S. average is 100)

Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses

Search for: near:



9,244 96.4% White alone 112 1.2% Two or more races 111 1.2% Hispanic 59 0.6% Asian alone 43 0.4% Black alone 14 0.1% American Indian alone 5 0.05% Other race alone 1 0.01% Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander alone

Races in Wells detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth





According to our research of Maine and other state lists, there were 9 registered sex offenders living in Wells, Maine as of November 21, 2021.

The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Wells is 1,065 to 1.

The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is lower than the state average.





Crime rates in Wells by year Type 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Murders

(per 100,000) 0

(0.0) 1

(9.9) 0

(0.0) 1

(10.1) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) Rapes

(per 100,000) 0

(0.0) 1

(9.9) 3

(30.0) 3

(30.2) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 3

(30.6) 4

(40.3) 2

(19.8) 0

(0.0) 1

(9.7) 1

(9.6) 4

(37.5) Robberies

(per 100,000) 1

(9.9) 1

(9.9) 0

(0.0) 1

(10.1) 1

(10.0) 2

(20.9) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 2

(19.8) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 2

(18.7) Assaults

(per 100,000) 8

(79.3) 3

(29.6) 2

(20.0) 6

(60.3) 0

(0.0) 2

(20.9) 1

(10.4) 2

(20.4) 3

(30.2) 2

(19.8) 2

(19.7) 3

(29.2) 5

(48.0) 8

(75.0) Burglaries

(per 100,000) 37

(366.7) 36

(355.0) 46

(459.4) 28

(281.6) 31

(309.8) 46

(479.8) 48

(497.5) 42

(428.4) 54

(543.8) 42

(415.1) 33

(324.4) 19

(184.7) 9

(86.4) 5

(46.9) Thefts

(per 100,000) 182

(1,804) 139

(1,371) 187

(1,868) 119

(1,197) 108

(1,079) 96

(1,001) 96

(995.0) 77

(785.5) 69

(694.9) 64

(632.5) 91

(894.4) 63

(612.4) 63

(605.1) 44

(412.4) Auto thefts

(per 100,000) 9

(89.2) 2

(19.7) 11

(109.9) 6

(60.3) 4

(40.0) 2

(20.9) 7

(72.6) 3

(30.6) 4

(40.3) 5

(49.4) 1

(9.8) 3

(29.2) 7

(67.2) 2

(18.7) Arson

(per 100,000) 0

(0.0) 3

(29.6) 2

(20.0) 1

(10.1) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) 0

(0.0) City-Data.com crime index 123.8 117.7 143.6 131.7 71.1 85.7 82.5 92.4 107.4 84.0 63.2 53.4 52.9 71.9 The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 270.6. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. Click on a table row to update graph

Crime rate in Wells detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson



Full-time law enforcement employees in 2019, including police officers: 32 (23 officers).

Officers per 1,000 residents here: 2.16 Maine average: 1.65



Latest news from Wells, ME collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations

Ancestries: English (21.8%), Irish (17.5%), French (11.6%), French Canadian (8.5%), German (7.4%), United States (7.2%).

Current Local Time: EST time zone

Elevation: 69 feet

Land area: 57.6 square miles. Population density: 166 people per square mile (very low).

273 residents are foreign born (2.0% Europe, 0.4% North America). This town: 2.9% Maine: 2.9%

Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Wells town: 1.0% ($1,453) Maine: 1.5% ($1,417)

Latitude: 43.32 N, Longitude: 70.61 W

Area code: 207

Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 48 buildings , average cost: $107,000

48 $107,000 1998: 71 buildings , average cost: $98,400

71 $98,400 1999: 88 buildings , average cost: $110,900

88 $110,900 2000: 98 buildings , average cost: $132,200

98 $132,200 2001: 79 buildings , average cost: $147,500

79 $147,500 2002: 106 buildings , average cost: $143,200

106 $143,200 2003: 135 buildings , average cost: $161,300

135 $161,300 2004: 142 buildings , average cost: $176,600

142 $176,600 2005: 100 buildings , average cost: $186,000

100 $186,000 2006: 68 buildings , average cost: $204,000

68 $204,000 2007: 37 buildings , average cost: $242,800

37 $242,800 2008: 36 buildings , average cost: $184,000

36 $184,000 2009: 10 buildings , average cost: $191,700

10 $191,700 2010: 89 buildings , average cost: $183,900

89 $183,900 2011: 66 buildings , average cost: $216,200

66 $216,200 2012: 99 buildings , average cost: $168,300

99 $168,300 2013: 106 buildings , average cost: $201,500

106 $201,500 2014: 80 buildings , average cost: $241,400

80 $241,400 2015: 88 buildings , average cost: $215,500

88 $215,500 2016: 110 buildings , average cost: $250,800

110 $250,800 2017: 183 buildings , average cost: $236,700

183 $236,700 2018: 131 buildings , average cost: $204,000

131 $204,000 2019: 138 buildings, average cost: $288,200

Unemployment in November 2020:

Here: 5.0% Maine: 4.7%

Most common industries in Wells, ME (%) Both Males Females

Educational services (11.4%)

Accommodation & food services (8.6%)

Health care (7.1%)

Construction (7.0%)

Transportation equipment (6.2%)

Professional, scientific, technical services (4.3%)

Finance & insurance (3.5%)

Construction (12.3%)

Transportation equipment (10.0%)

Accommodation & food services (6.8%)

Educational services (4.9%)

Printing & related support activities (3.7%)

Motor vehicle & parts dealers (3.6%)

Professional, scientific, technical services (3.0%)

Educational services (18.3%)

Health care (11.8%)

Accommodation & food services (10.4%)

Professional, scientific, technical services (5.7%)

Finance & insurance (5.1%)

Public administration (3.6%)

Administrative & support & waste management services (3.1%) Most common occupations in Wells, ME (%) Both Males Females

Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (6.2%)

Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (6.0%)

Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (5.0%)

Retail sales workers, except cashiers (4.0%)

Secretaries and administrative assistants (3.2%)

Other production occupations, including supervisors (3.0%)

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3.0%)

Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (7.2%)

Retail sales workers, except cashiers (5.0%)

Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers, including supervisors (5.0%)

Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.6%)

Metal workers and plastic workers (3.9%)

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (3.6%)

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3.2%)

Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (7.9%)

Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (7.9%)

Secretaries and administrative assistants (6.5%)

Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (4.8%)

Health technologists and technicians (4.2%)

Other office and administrative support workers, including supervisors (3.9%)

Registered nurses (3.3%)

Average climate in Wells, Maine Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations

Air pollution and air quality trends

(lower is better) AQI NO 2 SO 2 Ozone PM 10 PM 2.5

Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 55.2. This is better than average. City: 55.2 U.S.: 74.2

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2008 was 7.38. This is worse than average. Closest monitor was 7.3 miles away from the city center. City: 7.38 U.S.: 5.56

Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 0.778. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 11.8 miles away from the city center. City: 0.778 U.S.: 1.789

Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 27.3. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 9.7 miles away from the city center. City: 27.3 U.S.: 33.3

Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 9.96. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 14.1 miles away from the city center. City: 9.96 U.S.: 19.64

Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 5.36. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 14.8 miles away from the city center. City: 5.36 U.S.: 8.46

Tornado activity: Wells-area historical tornado activity is significantly above Maine state average. It is 67% smaller than the overall U.S. average.

On 6/9/1953, a category F3 (max. wind speeds 158-206 mph) tornado 30.2 miles away from the Wells town center injured 5 people and caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages. On 10/10/1966, a category F2 (max. wind speeds 113-157 mph) tornado 11.4 miles away from the town center caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages.

Earthquake activity: Wells-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Maine state average. It is 74% smaller than the overall U.S. average.



On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 19.3 miles away from the city center

On 4/20/2002 at 10:50:47, a magnitude 5.3 (5.3 ML, Depth: 3.0 mi, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 174.4 miles away from Wells center

On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG) earthquake occurred 51.2 miles away from Wells center

On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML) earthquake occurred 191.8 miles away from the city center

On 4/20/2002 at 10:50:47, a magnitude 5.2 (5.2 MB, 4.2 MS, 5.2 MW, 5.0 MW) earthquake occurred 174.6 miles away from Wells center

On 8/21/1996 at 07:54:14, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 LG, 3.6 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 70.3 miles away from Wells center

Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), duration magnitude (MD), local magnitude (ML), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW)

Natural disasters: The number of natural disasters in York County (31) is a lot greater than the US average (15).

Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 23

Emergencies Declared: 8



Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 21, Storms: 16, Winter Storms: 6, Snows: 5, Winds: 3, Heavy Rains: 2, Hurricanes: 2, Blizzard: 1, Ice Storm: 1, Mudslide: 1, Snowfall: 1, Snowstorm: 1, Tornado: 1, Tropical Storm: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).

Hospitals and medical centers near Wells: GREENWOOD CENTER (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; SANFORD, ME)

MAINE STAY NURSING HOME (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; SANFORD, ME)

KINDRED TRANSITIONAL CARE AND REHAB-KENNEBUNK (Nursing Home, about 7 miles away; KENNEBUNK, ME)

VARNEY CROSSING NCC (Nursing Home, about 7 miles away; NORTH BERWICK, ME)

SANFORD HEALTH CARE FACILITY (Nursing Home, about 8 miles away; SANFORD, ME)

YORK HOSPITAL HOME CARE (Home Health Center, about 13 miles away; YORK, ME)

YORK HOSPITAL Acute Care Hospitals (about 13 miles away; YORK, ME)

Amtrak station: WELLS (696 SANFORD ST.) Services: ticket office, enclosed waiting area. WELLS (696 SANFORD ST.) ticket office, enclosed waiting area.

Local government website: wellstown.org

Library in Wells: WELLS PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $330,768; Location: 1434 POST ROAD; 42,993 books; 1,528 audio materials; 1,642 video materials; 52 other licensed databases; 101 print serial subscriptions; 1 electronic serial subscriptions)

York County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Highest Potential

Drinking water stations with addresses in Wells and their reported violations in the past: SEA-VU SOUTH CAMPGROUND (Population served: 688, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: One routine major monitoring violation SEA-VU WEST CAMPGROUND (Population served: 660, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 3 routine major monitoring violations BEARS DEN RV PARK - WEST (Population served: 290, Groundwater): Past health violations: MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In SEP-2005 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (SEP-20-2005) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (SEP-20-2005) , St Public Notif received (2 times from NOV-16-2005 to NOV-16-2005) , St Compliance achieved (JAN-17-2007)

SEP-2005 Coliform St Public Notif requested (SEP-20-2005) St Violation/Reminder Notice (SEP-20-2005) St Public Notif received (2 NOV-16-2005 to NOV-16-2005) St Compliance achieved (JAN-17-2007) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In AUG-2005, Contaminant: Coliform. Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (AUG-15-2005), St Violation/Reminder Notice (AUG-15-2005), St Public Notif received (2 times from SEP-22-2005 to SEP-22-2005), St Compliance achieved (JAN-17-2007) Past monitoring violations: One routine major monitoring violation PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND #2 (Population served: 203, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: One routine major monitoring violation GREGOIRES CAMPGROUND (Population served: 188, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 7 routine major monitoring violations MERRILAND FARM (Population served: 186, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: One regular monitoring violation PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND #3 (Population served: 135, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: One routine major monitoring violation MIKES MOOSE CROSSING (Population served: 100, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 9 routine major monitoring violations

5 regular monitoring violations Drinking water stations with addresses in Wells that have no violations reported: PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND- EAST ( Population served: 203 , Primary Water Source Type: Groundwater)

203 Groundwater) PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND #4 (Population served: 78, Primary Water Source Type: Groundwater) SEA-VU SOUTH CAMPGROUND (688Groundwater):SEA-VU WEST CAMPGROUND (660Groundwater):BEARS DEN RV PARK - WEST (290Groundwater):PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND #2 (203Groundwater):GREGOIRES CAMPGROUND (188Groundwater):MERRILAND FARM (186Groundwater):PINEDEROSA CAMPGROUND #3 (135Groundwater):MIKES MOOSE CROSSING (100Groundwater):

Average household size: This town: 2.3 people Maine: 2.3 people

Percentage of family households: This town: 66.4% Whole state: 62.9%

Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 7.4% Whole state: 9.4%



Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 1.0% of all households

1.0% Gay men: 0.7% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:

This town: 5.4% Whole state: 10.9% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:

This town: 2.2% Whole state: 4.1%

93 people in other noninstitutional facilities in 2010

6 people in college/university student housing in 2010

Banks with branches in Wells (2011 data): Sanford Institution for Savings: Wells Branch at 1149 Post Road , branch established on 2004/12/08 . Info updated 2010/01/06: Bank assets: $433.1 mil , Deposits: $320.0 mil , headquarters in Sanford, ME , positive income , Commercial Lending Specialization , 8 total offices , Holding Company: Sis Bancorp, Mhc

1149 Post Road 2004/12/08 2010/01/06: $433.1 mil $320.0 mil Sanford, ME , Commercial Lending Specialization 8 Sis Bancorp, Mhc Bank of America, National Association: Wells Branch at 75 Wells Plaza, Unit 11 , branch established on 1974/11/18 . Info updated 2009/11/18: Bank assets: $1,451,969.3 mil , Deposits: $1,077,176.8 mil , headquarters in Charlotte, NC , positive income , 5782 total offices , Holding Company: Bank Of America Corporation

75 Wells Plaza, Unit 11 1974/11/18 2009/11/18: $1,451,969.3 mil $1,077,176.8 mil Charlotte, NC 5782 Bank Of America Corporation People's United Bank: Webhannet Branch at 1597 Post Road , branch established on 1962/07/17 . Info updated 2012/02/16: Bank assets: $27,319.3 mil , Deposits: $20,835.4 mil , headquarters in Bridgeport, CT , positive income , Commercial Lending Specialization , 374 total offices

1597 Post Road 1962/07/17 2012/02/16: $27,319.3 mil $20,835.4 mil Bridgeport, CT , Commercial Lending Specialization 374 Kennebunk Savings Bank: Wells Branch at Route 109, Sanford Road, branch established on 1975/08/11. Info updated 2010/05/27: Bank assets: $821.4 mil, Deposits: $660.6 mil, headquarters in Kennebunk, ME, positive income, Commercial Lending Specialization, 15 total offices

For population 15 years and over in Wells: Never married: 21.4%

21.4% Now married: 60.6%

60.6% Separated: 0.3%

0.3% Widowed: 6.4%

6.4% Divorced: 11.3%

For population 25 years and over in Wells: High school or higher: 92.0%

92.0% Bachelor's degree or higher: 29.1%

29.1% Graduate or professional degree: 9.3%

9.3% Unemployed: 4.6%

4.6% Mean travel time to work (commute): 26.2 minutes

Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 10.1 Maine average: 11.2



Religion statistics for Wells, ME (based on York County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 40,283 16 Mainline Protestant 11,480 64 Evangelical Protestant 6,086 51 Other 1,847 18 Orthodox 625 3 Black Protestant 119 1 None 136,691 - Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center. Graphs represent county-level data

Food Environment Statistics: Number of grocery stores: 45 York County : 2.24 / 10,000 pop. Maine : 2.80 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 1 Here : 0.05 / 10,000 pop. Maine : 0.14 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 42 Here : 2.09 / 10,000 pop. Maine : 2.20 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 85 Here : 4.23 / 10,000 pop. Maine : 5.75 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 252 York County : 12.53 / 10,000 pop. Maine : 11.02 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: This county : 7.7% State : 8.2% Adult obesity rate: York County : 24.0% Maine : 25.0%

6.41% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($56,229 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.41% Maine average: 5.91% 0.06% of residents moved from foreign countries ($389 average AGI) York County: 0.06% Maine average: 0.04%

Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016:

from Cumberland County, ME 1.67% ($44,353 average AGI) from Strafford County, NH 0.57% ($49,083) from Rockingham County, NH 0.45% ($67,251)



5.79% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($56,896 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.79% Maine average: 5.73% 0.07% of residents moved to foreign countries ($393 average AGI) York County: 0.07% Maine average: 0.06%

Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016:

to Cumberland County, ME 1.45% ($51,464 average AGI) to Strafford County, NH 0.53% ($58,471) to Rockingham County, NH 0.37% ($65,396)

Businesses in Wells, ME Name Count Name Count CVS 1 McDonald's 1 Circle K 2 RadioShack 1 Dairy Queen 1 Rite Aid 1 Dunkin Donuts 2 Subway 1 FedEx 1 T-Mobile 1 GNC 1 UPS 2 Hilton 1 Vans 1

Strongest AM radio stations in Wells: WGIN (930 AM; 10 kW; ROCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WMTW (870 AM; 10 kW; GORHAM, ME; Owner: RADIO PARTNERS OF MAINE, L.P.)

RADIO PARTNERS OF MAINE, L.P.) WTSN (1270 AM; 5 kW; DOVER, NH; Owner: GARRISON CITY BROADCASTING, INC.)

GARRISON CITY BROADCASTING, INC.) WRKO (680 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC)

ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WGAN (560 AM; 5 kW; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC)

SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) WEEI (850 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC)

ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WBZ (1030 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.)

INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WZAN (970 AM; 5 kW; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC)

SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) WPHX (1220 AM; 1 kW; SANFORD, ME; Owner: FNX BROADCASTING L.L.C.)

FNX BROADCASTING L.L.C.) WWZN (1510 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ROSE CITY RADIO CORPORATION)

ROSE CITY RADIO CORPORATION) WKOX (1200 AM; 50 kW; FRAMINGHAM, MA; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION)

CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WBIX (1060 AM; 40 kW; NATICK, MA; Owner: LANGER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) Strongest FM radio stations in Wells: WUBB (95.3 FM; YORK CENTER, ME; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WPHX-FM (92.1 FM; SANFORD, ME; Owner: FNX BROADCASTING LLC)

FNX BROADCASTING LLC) WSEW (88.5 FM; SANFORD, ME; Owner: WORD RADIO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION)

WORD RADIO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION) WQEZ (104.7 FM; KENNEBUNKPORT, ME; Owner: MARINER BROADCASTING L.P.)

MARINER BROADCASTING L.P.) WMEA (90.1 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION)

MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WBQQ (99.3 FM; KENNEBUNK, ME; Owner: MARINER BROADCASTING L.P.)

MARINER BROADCASTING L.P.) WPKQ (103.7 FM; NORTH CONWAY, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WSCY (106.9 FM; MOULTONBOROUGH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION)

NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WHOM (94.9 FM; MT. WASHINGTON, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WSHK (105.3 FM; KITTERY, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WCYY (94.3 FM; BIDDEFORD, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WBLM (102.9 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WOKQ (97.5 FM; DOVER, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY)

CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WRED (95.9 FM; SACO, ME; Owner: ATLANTIC COAST RADIO, LLC)

ATLANTIC COAST RADIO, LLC) WMEX (106.5 FM; FARMINGTON, NH; Owner: WIMMEX, LLC)

WIMMEX, LLC) WHEB (100.3 FM; PORTSMOUTH, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WBYY (98.7 FM; SOMERSWORTH, NH; Owner: GARRISON CITY BROADCASTING, INC.)

GARRISON CITY BROADCASTING, INC.) WQSO (96.7 FM; ROCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WLKZ (104.9 FM; WOLFEBORO, NH; Owner: TELE-MEDIA COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, L.L.C.)

TELE-MEDIA COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, L.L.C.) WJBQ (97.9 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) TV broadcast stations around Wells: WMEA-TV ( Channel 26; BIDDEFORD, ME; Owner: MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.)

26; BIDDEFORD, ME; MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.) WMTW-TV ( Channel 8; POLAND SPRING, ME; Owner: WMTW BROADCAST GROUP, LLC)

8; POLAND SPRING, ME; WMTW BROADCAST GROUP, LLC) WGME-TV ( Channel 13; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: WGME LICENSEE, LLC)

13; PORTLAND, ME; WGME LICENSEE, LLC) WCSH ( Channel 6; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: PACIFIC AND SOUTHERN COMPANY, INC.)

6; PORTLAND, ME; PACIFIC AND SOUTHERN COMPANY, INC.) WHDN-LP (Channel 26; BOSTON, MA; Owner: GUENTER MARKSTEINER)

Wells fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 2019

See more detailed statistics of Wells fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2019 here

National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics

24 Number of bridges

Number of bridges 230ft / 70.0m Total length

Total length 247,873 Total average daily traffic

Total average daily traffic 12,385 Total average daily truck traffic

Total average daily truck traffic 347,876 Total future (year 2036) average daily traffic

New bridges - historical statistics

2 1930-1939

6 1940-1949

1 1950-1959

1 1960-1969

2 1980-1989

5 1990-1999

6 2000-2009

1 2010-2018 See full National Bridge Inventory statistics for Wells, ME

2003 - 2018 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) incidents According to the data from the years 2003 - 2018 the average number of fires per year is 44. The highest number of reported fire incidents - 66 took place in 2007, and the least - 13 in 2003. The data has a rising trend.



Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in Wells, ME



312 44.4% Structure Fires



242 34.4% Outside Fires



107 15.2% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires



42 6.0% Other When looking into fire subcategories, the most incidents belonged to: Structure Fires (44.4%), and Outside Fires (34.4%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Wells, ME

Fire-safe hotels and motels in Wells, Maine: Village By The Sea Hotel And Conference Center, 1373 Post Rd, Wells, Maine 04090 , Phone: (207) 646-1100, Fax: (207) 646-1401

, (207) 646-1100, (207) 646-1401 Hampton Inn & Suites Wells/Ogunquit, 900 Post Rd, Wells, Maine 04090 , Phone: (207) 646-0555, Fax: (207) 646-2228

, (207) 646-0555, (207) 646-2228 Lafayette's Oceanfront Resort At Wells Beach, 393 Mile Rd, Wells, Maine 04090 , Phone: (207) 646-2831, Fax: (207) 646-6770 All 3 fire-safe hotels and motels in Wells, Maine

Houses and condos Apartments 82.5% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.

8.3% Bottled, tank, or LP gas

4.5% Wood

3.7% Electricity

0.5% Utility gas

0.2% Coal or coke

0.2% Other fuel 63.6% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.

20.1% Electricity

13.4% Bottled, tank, or LP gas

1.7% Wood

1.2% No fuel used





Wells compared to Maine state average: Median house value above state average.

above Unemployed percentage below state average.

below Black race population percentage significantly below state average.

significantly below Median age above state average.

above Renting percentage below state average.

below Length of stay since moving in significantly above state average.

significantly above Number of rooms per house significantly below state average.

significantly below House age significantly below state average.

Wells on our top lists: #5 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: used merchandise, gift, novelty, and souvenir, and other miscellaneous stores (population 5,000+)"

#10 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: other teachers and instructors, education, training, and library occupations (population 5,000+)"

#10 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: plant and system operators (population 5,000+)"

#11 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: other management occupations except farmers and farm managers (population 5,000+)"

#14 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: printing and related support activities (population 5,000+)"

#20 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: printing and related support activities (population 5,000+)"

#27 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: other direct selling establishments (population 5,000+)"

#32 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: leather and allied products (population 5,000+)"

#33 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: retail sales workers except cashiers (population 5,000+)"

#34 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: cashiers (population 5,000+)"

#44 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: petroleum and petroleum products merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)"

#45 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: printing workers (population 5,000+)"

#45 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: transportation equipment (population 5,000+)"

#72 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the largest percentage of likely lesbian couples (counted as self-reported female-female unmarried-partner households) (population 5,000+)"

#76 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the largest percentage of likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) (population 5,000+)"

#78 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: petroleum and petroleum products merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)"

#82 on the list of "Top 100 high-educated but low-earning cities (pop. 5,000+)"

#88 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: furniture and related product manufacturing (population 5,000+)"

#89 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: leather and allied products (population 5,000+)"

#91 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: miscellaneous nondurable goods merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)" #21 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents that smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lives"

#35 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the lowest number of births per 1000 residents 2007-2013"

#70 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents that keep firearms around their homes"

#77 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the best general health status score of residents (1-5), 3 years of data"

Cost of Living Calculator Your current salary: State of origin: Choose state Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming Destination state: Choose state Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  As the Philippines joins other countries in the resolve to combat the climate crisis, an environmental organization said there's a need to improve the country's current renewable energy laws.

"The laws are there but they're not enforced. There are still policy gaps for renewable energy to really take center stage in our energy transition," Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) national coordinator Ian Rivera told CNN Philippines' The Exchange on Friday.

Rivera recounted how they filed a petition for writ of continuing mandamus against the Department of Energy (DOE) in 2017, arguing the agency did not flesh out the implementing rules and regulations for important provisions of the Renewable Energy Act.

"The Department of Energy has not prioritized implementing the rules and regulations in order to guide renewable energy players in providing the necessary energy mix of our country," Rivera said.

AC Energy, meanwhile, noted there's already demand for renewable energy, but policies in place must be enforced so energy platforms can all the more participate in the transition.

"We're still waiting for example, the renewable energy market to come alive where you can trade those green certificates. So that's part of the Renewable Energy Law but it hasn't been implemented yet," AC Energy president and CEO John Eric Francia explained.

"Also, the reserve market where you can have an open and competitive bidding for ancillary services, that's not up yet. Again, that's part of the framework design of EPIRA," he added.

Since renewable energy must be complemented by ancillary plants to stabilize the power grid, Francia said these markets must be implemented.

For his part, Rivera emphasized that the DOE must implement an energy transition plan to phase out operational coal power plants before 2030.

The DOE will be working with the Department of Finance and the Energy Regulatory Commission in ensuring the proper mapping out and incorporation of the country's Energy Transition Mechanism, or ETM  a partnership with the Asian Development Bank hoping to speed up the nation's withdrawal from coal plants  into the Philippine Energy Plan.

The agency is also part of the country's United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) delegation, which has focused on holding developed nations to account for their promises concerning the fight against climate change, and the government's efforts to pivot towards a greener economy.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Civil Aeronautics Board is hoping the national government will further increase the daily cap for international passenger arrivals amid the improving COVID-19 situation in the Philippines.

"Hopefully with the decline in the rate of infection, tuloy tuloy na. Umaasa tayo na sa susunod na linggo, tumaas pa ito, maging 5,000 or even more," CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said during a virtual briefing on Friday.

[Translation: Hopefully with the decline in the rate of infection, it will continue. We hope that by next week, the cap will increase even more to 5,000 or even more.]

RELATED: Govt allows more travelers from abroad to enter major airports

Currently, the country's main air hub Ninoy Aquino International Airport is only allowed to welcome 4,000 international passengers per day.

Arcilla noted that the Philippines is used to witnessing an "uptick" in passenger traffic every December as Filipinos living abroad traditionally travel back home for Christmas.

Overseas Filipino workers continue to be a strong driver of the country's airline sector, he said.

"Handa kami magkaroon ng chartered flights or special flights dahil may limitasyon pa rin sa arrival sa NAIA," the official said.

[Translation: We're ready to arrange chartered or special flights since passengers arrivals at NAIA remain limited.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday slammed pronouncements that Cebu City could be moving close to the "endemic stage" of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying such careless remarks could lead to complacency.

OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David on Thursday said Cebu City is "probably close to what we call the endemic stage" because it is only recording an average of 15 new coronavirus cases per day.

But Vergeire stressed that it takes three to five years of intensive evaluation alongside the World Health Organization before a disease can be classified as endemic. She added an area needs to be observed for years and swab tests need to be taken from the general population.

"May mga criteria po na ginagamit para masabi na endemic na po ang isang lugar sa isang sakit. Hindi porket bumababa na ang kaso ay masasabi na po nating endemic," she said in a media briefing.

[Translation: There are criteria being used before a disease can be called endemic in an area. We cannot say it is already an endemic disease just because cases are going down.]

The health official urged personalities to be more careful when making such statements because Filipinos may put their guards down against COVID-19.

"COVID-19 has a lot of uncertainties and unknowns. Hanggang ngayon ang ebidensya natin hindi pa kumpleto [Until now the evidence is not yet complete]. We still have a lot of variants we are monitoring across the globe. Hindi pa ho tayo [We're not yet] out of the woods to say there are areas in our country already at that endemic stage," she said.

In the endemic phase, the number of infections become relatively constant across years.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described an endemic as the constant presence of a disease in a population within an area, while a pandemic refers to an epidemic that has spread over several continents.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered its regional office in Central Luzon to investigate "potential child abuse action" by a teacher who was seen in a video suggesting how to flirt with a "cute" student.

"The Department of Education, as an institution trusted to protect the rights of every Filipino learner, does not tolerate any forms of abuse towards children," the agency said in a statement on Friday.

Screenshots of the video on the TikTok app showed a man in a teacher's uniform.

The text on the video said "Pag dumaan 'yung cute na student mo...Tamang pa cute lang."

[Translation: When your cute student passes by...show a cute side of you.]

The teacher even tagged DepEd in one of the hashtags in the caption. He also added a tag indicating he was from Pampanga. His account is no longer available on the app.

"As teachers and public servants, we must always champion a safe and nurturing learning environment for children, where physical, verbal, sexual, and other forms of abuse and discrimination are renounced," DepEd stressed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Department of Health is in favor of easing the use of face shields in enclosed spaces, but it is reevaluating evidence before making a formal recommendation on its possible removal.

"Definitely the Department of Health supports itong pag-ease ng mga protection, gaya ng face shield, dito sa mabababa ang transmission. Kailangan lang natin ng ebidensya para mas mabuo natin ang rekomendasyon sa IATF," DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing on Friday.

[Translation: The Department of Health definitely supports the easing of this kind of protection, the use of face shields, in areas with low COVID-19 transmission. We just need more evidence to complete our recommendation to the IATF.]

Vergeire said experts from the Living Clinical Practice Guidelines are reevaluating the existing evidence on the protection face shields offer. DOH will present its recommendation to the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force on Monday.

Meanwhile, the health official said it's safe to forego the use of face shields in cinemas as long as the other health standards are followed, namely physical distancing, proper wearing of face masks, and proper ventilation inside the theaters.

The Trade Department said moviegoers can remove their face shields inside the cinemas.

Movie houses in areas under Alert Levels 3, 2, and 1 are allowed to resume operations at limited capacity for fully vaccinated individuals.

The effectiveness of face shields has been a contentious issue among the public and lawmakers. A wind engineer from the University of the Philippines earlier said face shields would only trap COVID-19 airborne particles and that they offer no additional layer of protection.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Philippines' Food and Drug Administration expects US company Pfizer to apply for an amendment of the emergency use authorization given to its COVID-19 vaccine so that it could cover minors aged to 5-11.

In an interview with state-run PTV, FDA chief Eric Domingo said Pfizer may submit its application "within this month".

US FDA advisers earlier recommended the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children in that age group.

Data from Pfizer showed that the vaccine is over 90% effective at preventing symptomatic illness among these youngsters.

"We will be waiting for that application para marebisa ng ating mga expert ang kanilang safety and efficacy data," Domingo said.

[Translation: We will be waiting for that application so our local experts could review its safety and efficacy data.]

On Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, who also heads the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center, said the government is targeting to start the COVID-19 inoculation of children aged five to 11 years old next year.

READ: Govt mulls giving COVID-19 vaccines to 5-11-year-old kids in 2022

In October, the Philippine government expanded the vaccination drive to include adolescents aged 12-17.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) is moving its headquarters to Bataan from Taguig City.

The naval unit has been inside Fort Bonifacio. The Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown will relocate to an "upgraded and strategic" northwest of Luzon officials announced on Friday.

Officials broke ground for the 28-billion Marines headquarters inside the Bataan Technology Park in Morong town on Thursday, just days before the Marines celebrate its 71st anniversary.

The Marines' new home will be a sprawling 100-hectare area inside the Bataan industrial complex managed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

The initial phase of the project, composed of three site development and construction packages worth 7.5 billion, is expected to be completed by 2024.

These packages are:

*Security and utility facilities

*Detention facility, a retraining battalion facility, liaison office, billeting, and other operations and support structures

*The PMC headquarters, a communication tower, residential areas and other support facilities

"We are laying the foundation not just for the future home of the Corps, but for the Marines' continued modernization despite the COVID-19 pandemic," BCDA Officer-in-Charge and CEO Aristotle Batuhan said during the groundbreaking ceremony. "BCDA is honored to support the men and women of the Corps despite these trying times so they may serve and protect our countrymen."

Unlike its current 12-hectare headquarters "where operations are hindered by traffic and congestion," the Bataan location could hasten emergency response and troop deployments, official said.

"We see the strategic value of this area and confirm that it offers a conducive place especially that we are in the midst of strengthening our Archipelagic Coastal Defense strategy," PMC commandant MGen. Ariel Caculitan said, adding that they have been looking forward to the relocation of their base.

"We thank the BCDA, the local government, and the people of Bataan for accommodating us here," Caculitan added.

BCDA said it has been working on the development of the 33.1-hectare Bonifacio South Pointe property inside Fort Bonifacio to convert it for commercial use. It identified SM Prime Holdings Inc. as one of its joint venture partners.

Republic Act 7227 mandates the agency to raise funds for the long-term modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and to convert former US military bases into alternative productive uses.

According to BCDA, it has contributed 49.19-billion to the AFP since May 1993 - 38.07 billion (or 77%) of the funding has been allocated for military modernization projects, while 11.12 billion for the replication of military facilities.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  Two more groups said they will seek to boot former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. out of the 2022 presidential race.

Howard Calleja, a litigation lawyer and law professor, told reporters on Friday that he is assisting two groups in preparing either a motion to intervene to support the Nov. 2 petition to cancel Marcos' certificate of candidacy (COC) for next year's polls, or a disqualification case before the Commission on Elections next week.

One group is led by Carol Araullo, chairperson of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, to represent victims of human rights abuses during the Martial Law; and the other by Dr. Rommel Bautista on behalf of civil society and professionals.

A petition to cancel a COC and disqualification are two different remedies, Calleja explained.

He said the first is based on the claim that an aspirant made false statements in his COC, while disqualification covers individuals who have been sentenced to a penalty of more than 18 months for a crime involving moral turpitude, or those declared as insane or incompetent by authorities.

If the poll body would rule to cancel Marcos' COC, it means he was never a candidate and cannot be substituted, Calleja pointed out.

The new pleas would be based on two important grounds: First, that the son and namesake of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos cannot run after supposedly lying in his COC, where he checked the box saying he is qualified to run for office even though he was found guilty for not filing his income tax returns (ITRs) from 1982 to 1985.

Calleja said the repeated failure to file an ITR should fall under moral turpitude  or acts that go against "justice, modesty, or good morals"  which is a ground for a candidate's disqualification, according to the Omnibus Election Code.

Second, the lawyer said Marcos can no longer run because under the National Internal Revenue Code, anyone who violates tax laws is perpetually banned from holding public office.

Marcos' spokesperson Vic Rodriguez responded, saying they are ready to battle in court. He added that the recent legal actions against Marcos did not faze the presidential aspirant or draw him away from the race.

"Withdrawal is never on the table," Rodriguez said. "BBM is running for president and the people are, the support of the people every day are becoming more pronounced and in fact, mga tao na nga ang sumasagot at nagde depensa para kay Bongbong Marcos at sila na rin ang nagsasabi na tigilan na ang pang-aapi ninyo kay Bongbong Marcos [the people themselves are responding and defending Bongbong Marcos and they themselves are telling others to stop persecuting him]."

Bautista, meanwhile, said public officials must always be held to higher standards and accountability.

"Kung ang ating mga simpleng empleyado lang sa opisina ay hinihingan natin ng NBI clearance [If we ask a simple employee to present an NBI clearance] to give us some measure of security that a person we are about to hire or considering in hiring is somebody without a criminal record, why should it not be applicable to somebody running for the highest office of the land?," Bautista said in a media briefing.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, he also emphasized that apart from plans and platforms, Filipino voters have the right to know the past of those running for public office.

"It is my understanding that somebody who aspires to be a public servant...needs to have a clean background and again through the research it appears that the presidential aspirant Mr. Marcos...seems to be not exactly very forthcoming with all the voters," Bautista said.

He added they have been receiving a lot of support from various groups that are also willing to file the same petition.

The Marcos camp earlier labeled the petition to stop his 2022 presidential bid as a mere nuisance, adding that the former senator was only convicted of the non-filing of ITRs but not for the failure to pay taxes.

READ: Marcos camp denies 'tax evader' claims, says 'yellow wannabes' using Comelec in petition

"It is not political because it is a suit that is applicable to all citizens of the republic," Calleja argued. "His COC is void, therefore he is the nuisance candidate in this situation."

He added: "Hindi po siya ang biktima  actually, siya po ang nambiktima sa Pilipino [He's not the victim here  actually, he victimized Filipinos], having lied to the Filipino people."

The lawyer added that they will also include a plea to review and declare as void the decision of the Court of Appeals that removed the jail sentence meted by a Quezon City regional trial court against Marcos as part of the penalties for the non-filing of ITRs.

He expressed hope this may be tackled by the Supreme Court when the case is elevated or appealed by either party.

Calleja, also a convenor of the opposition group 1Sambayan, said he believes the groups have "a very strong case" against Marcos.

"Even if he ran before, that doesnt, kumbaga (so to speak), validate that he can run now," he said.

"What is relevant is that Mr. Marcos has been convicted of a crime and that conviction carries with it the penalty of moral turpitude and the penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office," Calleja said in a separate interview.

Since the Court of Appeals ruling in 1997, Marcos managed to run as Ilocos Norte governor, congressman, senator, and vice president, where he lost to Vice President Leni Robredo in a tightly-contested race.

RELATED: Resolution on plea to void Marcos' candidacy likely out by December - Comelec
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  All government agencies and the private sector are working together to stage three days of amplified nationwide vaccination drive.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said planning is underway for the National COVID-19 Vaccination Day, which will be held for three consecutive days.

She said all healthcare workers will be asked to join the program since the initial vaccination target is to administer five million shots per day.

Vergeire added that vaccination sites will be set up in public areas with high foot traffic, and the public will be enticed with vaccination perks.

"Maglalagay po tayo (ng vaccination sites) sa department stores, mga common areas, maglalagay din tayo sa ibat-ibang lugar kung saan pumupunta ang mga tao," she said in a media briefing.

[Translation: We will put up vaccination sites in department stores and common areas where people usually go.]

The government on Friday said 1,119,389 COVID-19 shots were administered on Thursday - a new record high in the country's vaccination campaign that started in March. A total of 28.71 million individuals are now fully vaccinated while 33.75 million already received their first dose.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5) The Philippines reached a new milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination program this week as daily inoculation surpassed the one million mark.

In a statement on Friday, the Department of Health said the number of coronavirus shots administered on Thursday, Nov. 4, reached a record high of 1,119,389.

The country's pandemic task force earlier set the target of hitting 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses daily  in hopes of a better Christmas and a safe election season.

Government officials remained optimistic that the goal is doable amid the fresh deliveries of vaccines in the past weeks.

More than 108 million doses have been delivered to the country as of Nov. 2, with 28.71 million individuals now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

READ: All hands on deck for 3-day intensified nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 5)  The government suspended the deployment of nurses and nursing aides this year after the 6,500 cap was reached last month.

In an advisory dated Oct. 26 but only released this week, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that the processing, issuance of overseas employment certificates (OECs), and deployment of new hires for nurses and nursing assistants are suspended effective immediately.

POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said the ceiling has been reached.

Healthcare workers who have OECs can still leave for their overseas employment.

POEA said the suspension will remain in effect until the Inter-Agency Task Force issues a new resolution.

In June, the IATF raised the cap from 5,000 to 6,500. In late 2020, the government imposed the cap considering the "national demand" for healthcare workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Conn wins two Grand Gold CASE awards

Conns Office of Communications has been awarded two CASE 2021 Circle of Excellence Awards

Connecticut Colleges Office of Communications has been awarded two 2021 Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in the marketing and writing categories.

Dancing Camels, the Colleges admitted students campaign for the Class of 2024, received the Grand Gold Award in the Marketing on a Shoestring subcategory, while This Hard Land, a Winter 2020 CC Magazine article, was honored with the Grand Gold Award in the Feature Writing subcategory.

The international CASE awards program honors outstanding work in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising and marketing at colleges, universities, independent schools and affiliated nonprofits. A Grand Gold Award is the highest level of recognition in the program, and the award is reserved for entries that are extremely exceptional or game-changing. Grand Gold Awards are rare, and only one may be given per category.

The Dancing Camels campaign, led by Director of Admission Marketing Eileen Jenkins, was designed to publicly celebrate and welcome the Class of 2024, and direct them to take steps that would quickly make them feel part of the Camel community. The home page banner on the College website showcased a revolving carousel of video vignettes featuring the beloved Camel (a student in our mascot costume) in an array of amusing locations. The campaign also appeared on the admitted student landing page and on social media.

The Colleges creativity was fun and welcoming to new students, especially in a time of great uncertainty, the CASE judges wrote. Most importantly, the fun, welcoming Camel produced impressive results. The 91% of Early Decision I students making deposits and 31% of Early Decision II students making deposits is a win-win for the students and the college ... during the pandemic, when many prospective students were contemplating their choice to attend university or take a year off.

This Hard Land, written by Assistant Director of Content Amy Martin, tells the story of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the tribal members decades-long struggle to have their federal recognitionwon briefly in 2002restored.

The CASE judges called the article one of the most gorgeous pieces of writing we have ever encountered in academic writing.

This feature reads like a transcript for This American Life. The subject is timely, providing both historical narrative and reckoning with injustice, but with healing and hope. This is the kind of central feature every magazine should strive to have, they wrote.

This is the fifth CASE award for CC Magazine, the Colleges flagship publication, since 2018.
Smny.sharepoint.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 1 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the smny.sharepoint homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if smny.sharepoint has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Twitter + the total number of smny.sharepoint followers (if smny.sharepoint has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Welcome to Microsoft Online Services DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2

The language of smny.sharepoint.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for smny.sharepoint.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Funeral service for Otis C. Harrison, Jr., 47, formerly of Oakwood, passed away November 6, 2021 in Cypress, CA. Viewing will be on, Monday, November 22 at Emanuel Funeral Home of Palestine from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 23, at True Vine DOXA Center, Fairfie
Washington, IL (61571)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy for the afternoon. High 54F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 21F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
- By selecting " NVIDIA DLSS" from the menu, you will be able to select your preferred mode from the "DLSS Mode" menu below the Anti-Aliasing dropdown.

- By selecting " NVIDIA DLAA", this will apply NVIDIAs high quality deep learning anti-aliasing at native resolution with no upscaling.

- Given ESO's variety of settings, it is possible to have configurations that result in minimal to no performance gain from DLSS, specifically if you are CPU-limited while playing ESO. Gains are most likely to be seen while playing at higher resolutions such as 4k, with Multithreaded Rendering enabled, and GPU-intensive graphics settings enabled such as SSGI.

- Likewise, you should not expect performance improvements by using NVIDIA DLAA, as this was made available purely as a very high-quality antialiasing option.

C'est en debut de semaine qu'a ete annoncee la derniere mise a jour pour, avec de nombreux ajouts et un joli lot de corrections. Mais surtout, sur un plan technique, le jeu prend desormais en charge les technologies DLSS et DLAA de. De quoi changer un peu l'experience de jeu selon les configurations, avec encore plus de jolies choses a voir de maniere fluide en se promenant dans le monde magique et mysterieux de Tamriel.In Update 32, we are introducing support for NVIDIA DLSS 2.2 (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and NVIDIA DLAA (Deep Learning Anti Aliasing). If you are playing ESO on a DLSS compatible NVIDIA graphics card with compatible drivers, you will see these new options available in the Video settings menu in the Anti-Aliasing dropdown.La mise a jour, dont le contenu complet est disponible ici , s'affiche a environ 3.53 Go.
Crossville, TN (38555)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing this afternoon. High 56F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain ending overnight. Low 38F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Yes, I have been a victim.

No, but not for lack of trying.

I don't think so.

Vote

View Results
By Dixie Reid

Students continue to struggle with food insecurity, a problem exacerbated by the combination of job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and Sacramentos expensive rental market.

Nearly one-quarter of the Sacramento State students who regularly shop at the Associated Students Inc. (ASI) Food Pantry will share their groceries with family members. Between July 2020 and August 2021, nearly 6,000 students used the Food Pantry.

Thats why ASI hopes the campus community and general public will respond generously to its Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive, which continues through Wednesday, Nov. 10.

We can make a difference so that Thanksgiving wont be canceled for our students, said Elizabeth Villalobos, ASI Food Pantry coordinator.

For each $40 tax-deductible cash donation, ASI can purchase 20 items for a familys holiday meal. The organizations goal is to provide food baskets to 200 Sac State students and another 50 to local nonprofits.

Donors who wish to shop for and fill a basket themselves may deliver their gift to the ASI Student Engagement and Outreach office in the University Union 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays through Thursday, Nov. 10. The ASI website lists items required for a complete basket.

Last year, ASI provided Thanksgiving baskets to 230 students in Sacramento and many living elsewhere and studying remotely.

Thanksgiving baskets will contain, among other items, canned vegetables and fruit, cranberry sauce, gravy, pie crust and filling, and stuffing. Recipients who wish to add a free turkey to their holiday meal can sign up through Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.

Any student enrolled at Sac State can reserve a Thanksgiving basket. University employees may nominate students for the program as well.

Last year, ASI provided Thanksgiving baskets to 230 students in Sacramento and many living elsewhere and studying remotely. Seven area nonprofits, including Blessed Faith Ministries and several elementary schools, each received 10 filled baskets.

ASI received $10,485 in cash donations.

The 2020 Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive was particularly successful because ASI partnered with Student Health and Counseling Services to collect donations during drive-through flu-shot clinics. Enough food was collected to fill 60 baskets.

Hunger is a universal feeling everyone can relate to, said Wil Chen, ASIs director of Student Engagement and Outreach.

Through this holiday drive, we have an opportunity to provide a festive meal for students in need of extra support. Each donation can have a significant and lasting impact on a students life.

Share This Story email copy url url copied!

Related Topics: Hornet Family
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Court hearings were set for next week for two southeast Iowa high school students charged with murder in the death of a high school Spanish teacher as her family deals with the shocking ordeal and urged forgiveness.

Investigators said Nohema Graber, a 66-year-old Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, was reported missing Tuesday. Her remains were found later that day at Chautauqua Park on the east edge of Fairfield, where she was known to take daily walks.

Fairfield is located about 95 miles (152.89 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

According to court documents, Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale were charged as adults with first-degree murder as well as conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Both are 16 and were students at Fairfield High School where Graber taught.

A judge set a preliminary hearing date for Nov. 12. If prosecutors first file and a judge approves trial information  documents that contain the formal statement of charges that will lay out the evidence prosecutors have gathered to prove guilt  before Nov. 12, the preliminary hearings will not be held and the case will move forward with an arraignment on the charges.

Both teens are being held in jail on $1 million bond.

Graber was born in Xalapa, Mexico, the capital of the state of Veracruz, about 180 miles (289 kilometers) east of Mexico City. She moved to Fairfield, the hometown of her husband Paul Graber, in the 1990s. They divorced five years ago but remained close, he told The Des Moines Register.

Her son, Christian Graber, posted a Facebook message Thursday saying he forgives the people who killed his mother and that there is no point in being angry.

My mother was an angel of a woman and was one of the kindest souls," he wrote, ending his message with Te amo madre  I love you mom.

Her daughter, Nohema Marie Graber, echoed her brothers message of forgiveness.

We had the wonderful fortune of growing up in a home filled with such an abundance of warmth and love," she said.

Court filings stated that Graber suffered inflicted trauma to the head. Her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the park.

Police received a tip that Goodale posted details about planning the killing and a possible motive on social media, according to court documents. Authorities have not yet released the motive. The court documents indicated police investigators found clothing that appeared to contain blood at the homes of the teens.

Documents also said Miller admitted to being at the park when Graber was killed and helped to conceal her death.

Fairfield has a population of about 9,400 people and a sizable foreign-born population compared to Iowa, generally due to the presence of Maharishi International University. The private college, established by the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1971, centers its educational program around the practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Census data shows 12.6% of the population is foreign-born, more than double the 5.3% of the general Iowa population. More than half the foreign-born population is from Asia, 21% from Africa and 17% from Latin America.

Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Patrick J. McAvan said Friday that many people are asking if this is a racially motivated crime. We do not have any evidence at this point that suggests that, he said.

Graber taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012 and she previously taught in the Ottumwa Community School District.

Miller and Goodale appear to not yet have attorneys. A judge on Thursday ordered a state public defender to be appointed to represent Goodale. Documents said Miller declined to request a court-appointed attorney and it wasnt immediately clear who would represent him.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly grew more forceful Friday in opposing President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates, saying it's too late in the coronavirus pandemic to impose them after Kansas and other states tailored responses to their needs.

Kelly's latest statement came a day after she argued that federal mandates tend not to work," though they've boosted vaccination rates elsewhere. She faces a difficult race for reelection next year in her Republican-leaning state, and GOP officials have been attacking the Democratic president's mandates for weeks and criticizing Kelly for not making any public comments until Thursday.

While I appreciate the intention to keep people safe, a goal I share, I dont believe this directive is the correct, or the most effective, solution for Kansas, Kelly said in her latest statement.

Kelly's statement Friday came shortly before Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican who hopes to unseat Kelly next year, announced that Kansas is among seven states that filed a federal lawsuit with the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati against a Biden mandate that applies to companies with more than 100 workers. Schmidt already had brought Kansas into a federal lawsuit against a mandate applying to employees of federal government contractors.

Kelly said Thursday that last year  when Donald Trump was president  states were left to fashion their own responses to the pandemic, though the federal government provided billions of dollars in aid.

States have been leading the fight against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic. It is too late to impose a federal standard now that we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored for our specific needs," she said in Friday's statement.

For Republicans, Kelly's statements smacked of political opportunism following the GOP's strong showing in Tuesday's elections, when they won the Virginia governor's race and nearly ousted New Jersey's Democratic governor. Schmidt's campaign spokesman, C.J. Grover, labeled Kelly's actions a desperate political ploy.

Its not surprising to see the governor backtrack on this issue," Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said in an email to The Associated Press. "Nevertheless, we need every state leader engaged in fighting this gross federal overreach, and Republicans will welcome her participation.

Kelly said in her latest statement that she will seek a resolution on vaccine mandates that "continues to recognize the uniqueness of our state and builds on our on-going efforts to combat a once-in-a-century crisis. Her office declined to provide more details.

Some Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature have discussed making it easier for people to claim medical or religious exemptions from the mandates or guaranteeing that people who are fired for refusing to get vaccinated receive unemployment benefits. Kelly said Thursday that the state is considering unemployment benefits on a case-by-case basis.

Top Republican lawmakers are having a committee look into ways for Kansas to resist Bidens mandates. It hopes to draft proposals before Thanksgiving, though outside of the federal lawsuits, it's unclear what the state can do.

Meanwhile, Koch Industries, the international energy conglomerate based in Wichita, has told employees that it will not require vaccination as a condition of employment, opting instead to require weekly testing and masking for employees who are not vaccinated, spokeswoman Melissa Scheffler-Hoyle said in an statement. That's allowed under the mandate for private employers.

Charles Koch, the companys CEO, and his late fellow-billionaire brother David built a political network that supports conservative causes and candidates.

"We continue to strongly encourage employees who havent been vaccinated to do so, as it is the best way to avoid COVID-related serious illness and death, the Koch Industries statement said.

___

Andy Tsubasa Field is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

____

On Twitter, follow John Hanna at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna and Andy Tsubasa Field at https://twitter.com/AndyTsubasaF
WASHINGTON (AP)  Colin L. Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first Black secretary of state, was remembered by family and friends Friday as a principled man of humility and grace whose decorated record of leadership can serve as a model for generations to come.

The example of Colin Powell does not call on us to emulate his resume, which is too formidable for mere mortals, his son, Michael, said in a touching tribute at his father's funeral service at Washington National Cathedral. It is to emulate his character and his example as a human being. We can strive to do that.

The funeral on a sunny and chilly day drew dignitaries and friends from across the political and military spectrum. They included President Joe Biden and former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, former secretaries of state James Baker, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Army Gen. Mark Milley.

Two recent presidents did not attend  Bill Clinton, who is recovering from a severe infection, and Donald Trump, who publicly disparaged Powell after his death for having been critical of the former president.

Powell died Oct. 18 of complications from COVID-19 at age 84. He had been vaccinated against the coronavirus, but his family said his immune system had been compromised by multiple myeloma, a blood cancer for which he had been undergoing treatment.

Funeral attendees Friday were required to wear masks. Not all did.

As guests gathered in the cavernous cathedral that has hosted the funerals of several past presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet played a range of tunes, including Dancing Queen by Abba, a favorite of Powell's.

Richard Armitage, who served as the State Department's No.-2-ranking official while Powell was secretary of state during the Bush administration, recalled the day Sweden's foreign minister, Ann Linde, came to call and  knowing of Powell's affection for Abba  presented him with a full CD set of group's music.

Colin immediately went down on one knee and sang the entire Mamma Mia to a very amused foreign minister of Sweden and to a gob-smacked U.S. delegation. They'd never seen anything like it, said Armitage, who described a 40-year friendship with Powell that began while both served in the Pentagon.

Madeleine Albright, who was Powell's immediate predecessor as secretary of state, called him a figure who almost transcended time, and one of the gentlest and most decent people any of us will ever meet.

He relished the opportunity to connect with other generations, she said.

This morning my heart aches, she added, because we've lost a friend and our nation one of its finest and most loyal soldiers. Yet even as we contemplate the magnitude of our loss, we can almost hear a familiar voice asking us  no, commanding us  to stop feeling sad, to turn our gaze once again from the past to the future and to get on with the nation's business while making the most of our own days on Earth, one step at a time.

During her tenure as ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton administration, Albright sometimes clashed with Powell, although they became good friends. Both have recalled the time, during his final months as Joint Chiefs chairman, when she argued for a U.S. military intervention in the Balkans, asking why the United States had built a superb military if it couldnt be used in such circumstances. Powell recalled being so irritated by her statement, I thought I would have an aneurysm.

Powells view was that the United States should commit its military only when it had a clear and achievable political objective, a key element of what became known as the Powell Doctrine, which embodied lessons learned from the U.S. failure in Vietnam.

The story of Powell's rise to prominence in American life is a classic.

In his autobiography, My American Journey, Powell recalled a 1940s childhood in the Hunts Point section of New York City's South Bronx, where he was a mediocre student  happy-go-lucky but aimless.

He caught the military bug during his first year at the City College of New York in 1954. Powell was inspired by seeing fellow students in uniform, and he enrolled in the school's Reserve Officer Training Corps.

I felt distinctive in uniform, he wrote.

Although he was only 4 when the United States entered World War II, he had vivid memories of the war years. I deployed legions of lead soldiers and directed battles on the living room rug, he wrote  a fantasy forerunner of his Army years.

Powell would serve 35 years in uniform. Commissioned in 1958, he served around the world, including two tours in Vietnam in the 1960s.

He distinguished himself at the Pentagon even before he attained flag officer rank. In the late 1970s he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and in 1983 as a brigadier general he became the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. He later served in the White House as President Ronald Reagan's national security adviser, and in 1989 he was promoted to four-star general. Later that year, President George H.W. Bush selected him to be the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

It was a trailblazing American dream journey that won him international acclaim and trust.

He put that credibility on the line in February 2003 when, appearing before the United Nations as secretary of state, he made the case for war against Iraq. When it turned out that the intelligence he cited was faulty and the Iraq War became a bloody, chaotic nightmare, Powells stellar reputation was damaged.

Still, it wasnt destroyed. After leaving government, he became an elder statesman on the global stage and the founder of an organization aimed at helping young disadvantaged Americans. Republicans wanted him to run for president. After becoming disillusioned with his party, he ended up endorsing the last three Democratic presidential candidates, who welcomed his support.
EAST HADDAM  The community is mourning the loss of a local high school student following a deadly crash Wednesday night.

Connor Young, a 16-year-old Smith Road resident, was pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital on Wednesday night after the vehicle he was in collided with a tree on the side of the road. Young was a student at Nathan Hale-Ray High School.

We are profoundly sad to lose this wonderful young man, said Brian S. Reas, superintendent of East Haddam Public Schools, in a prepared statement. Our thoughts and prayers go out (to) his family and friends.

Reas said grief counselors have been provided at the schools to support students and staff.

Young ran C&M Lawn and Landscape, registered with the state in March of this year, with Mitchell Myjak.

Connecticut State Police said troopers from the Troop K barracks in Colchester responded to the report of a crash around 8 p.m. on Mott Lane in East Haddam.

Troopers arrived in the area and found that Young was driving a 2004 Ford F250 Super Duty pickup west on Mott Lane when he veered to the left for an unknown reason, and the vehicle crossed the eastbound travel lane, left the roadway and hit a tree, police said.

The truck came to an uncontrolled stop on the right side of the eastbound travel lane, facing south, according to police.

Young was the sole occupant in the truck at the time of the crash, police said. The investigation is ongoing.

Police asked anyone who witnessed the accident to call Troop K at 860-465-5400.
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP)  Peloton suffered its worst day as a publicly traded company Friday after telling investors that it will likely lose more money than it had expected in fiscal 2022.

The exercise bike and treadmill company thrived during the pandemic, recording its first and only profitable quarters. It benefited from Americans, unable to hit the gym, instead setting up places to work out at home. Sales of its high-end bikes and treadmills soared, as did subscriptions for its online, interactive classes.

Those sky-high sales have stalled, however, since the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Gyms have re-opened, with some restrictions, and people are beginning to spend money on other things, like travel and restaurants.

Late Thursday, the New York City company said that it expects those lucrative subscriptions to drop 6% and losses in 2022 of between $425 million and $475 million. That's a lot more red ink than its previous guidance of $325 million in losses.

Peloton has other problems. It's wrestling with the same snarled global supply chains that have plagued manufacturers this year as economies reopen. What's more, gyms that had closed during the pandemic began offering their own virtual classes, further encroaching on one of the company's greatest strengths.

It is also recovering from a recall of its treadmill machine, something it had fought, after it was linked to a death of a child and numerous injuries.

Given the unprecedented circumstances presented by the global pandemic, we said last quarter that modeling the exit from COVID and the massive growth we saw in fiscal 2021 would be a challenging task, and that has certainly proven to be true, CEO John Foley told investors on a conference call.

Peloton's stock fell $30.42, or 35%, to close Friday at $56.64. It was the worst trading day for the company just 10 months after its shares hit an all-time high above $171.

Peloton's early success also brought new competition, companies that offered cheaper bicycles and exercise equipment. In August, the company cut the price of its Peloton Bike  its marquee technology  to $1,495 from $1,895.

Industry analysts were quick to cut expectations for the company Friday, with one citing rapid deterioration in Pelotons guidance for next year.

Scott Devitt of Stifel said he had believed Peloton would continue to grow even with the worst of the pandemic seemingly in the rearview mirror. He is recalibrating that opinion.

Now, given the materially lower expectations, we expect it will take several quarters to determine a more normalized pace of growth, or more skeptically, whether or not the revised outlook is an indication that the core product may be closer to maturity in existing markets than previously thought, Devitt wrote to clients.

Peloton reported sales of $805 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, close to most Wall Street targets. But Wall Street focused on what's to come. The company lowered its sales expectations to a range of $4.4 billion to $4.8 billion in 2022, well below the $5.3 billion analysts had forecast.
BRIDGEPORT  A local man, awaiting trial in a Stratford home invasion and shooting, was charged Friday with an earlier fatal shooting here.

Calvin 40 Williams, 32, of Alanson Road, was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree reckless endangerment.

During his arraignment Friday afternoon, Assistant States Attorney Felicia Valentino urged Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton to set a high bond for Williams because of the allegations and his criminal history.

The judge agreed and ordered Williams held in lieu of $1 million bond. She continued the case to Dec. 10.

I find he is a danger to the community, the judge added.

According to police, shortly before 10 p.m. on April 2, 2020, they received a ShotSpotter activation of 19 rounds being fired on Trumbull Avenue.

Police said they later received information that a victim, 33-year-old Eduardo Jimenez, of Bridgeport, had been admitted to St. Vincents Medical Center with multiple gunshot wounds.

Jimenez was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police said when they went to the crime scene, they found numerous bullet shell casings from two different guns.

Police said witnesses told them Jimenez had been visiting his girlfriend on Trumbull Avenue earlier in the evening and then had left her apartment and walked back to his car, a Mercedes sedan, parked in a nearby parking lot.

Police said he had just gotten into the car when he was approached by two men who began shooting into the car. The men then fled, police said.

Police said witnesses later identified Williams and another man as the shooters.

Williams is awaiting trial in Superior Court in Bridgeport on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, home invasion, first-degree threatening, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor.

He is accused of breaking into a home on Birch Drive in Stratford on Sept. 3, 2020 and seriously wounding the female resident.

At the time of his arrest in that case, police said they found a large amount of ammunition in Williams home.

Williams was being held in lieu of $750,000 bond when he was arrested on the murder case.
AP

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP)  A Colorado woman accused of killing her 11-year-old stepson pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and a dozen other charges.

Letecia Stauch was in court for the first time in months after opting to appear virtually for earlier hearings, The Colorado Springs Gazette reported. In addition to murder, her charges include child abuse and tampering with evidence related to the slaying of Gannon Stauch, whose body was found in the Florida Panhandle in March 2020.
While lawmakers scramble to assist residents who have been told they must repay millions of dollars in excess unemployment benefits they collected  without fraud  during the pandemic, labor officials cautioned this week the matter is far more complex than many realize.

Two-thirds of the repayment obligations tallied to date are owed to the federal government, Department of Labor Commissioner Dante Bartolomeo told the legislatures Appropriations Committee this week.

More importantly, the latest projection of what must be recouped  about $30 million  is based on a review of only about 40 percent of the applications for unemployment benefits filed between March 2020 and September 2021.

That number will grow, simply because of the volume that we have, Bartolomeo said.

Coronavirus produced a deluge of jobless claims

The coronavirus hit the state labor agency with an unprecedented deluge of claims in 2020 as hundreds of thousands of residents lost work due to the coronavirus.

In an average year, pre-pandemic, the department pays out state benefits to an average of 40,000 jobless claimants per week.

By June 2020, about three months after COVID-19 struck Connecticut, the weekly caseload peaked at 392,000  nearly tenfold the normal average.

And while Connecticut has recovered about 70 percent of the jobs lost since then, the weekly caseload remains above average at 50,000, according to Bartolomeo.

The labor department, like some other state agencies, also has been forced to work with severely outdated technology  in this case, a claims processing system developed in the 1980s that relies on COBOL, a business programming language first created in the late 1950s.

Department leaders reassigned personnel and quadrupled staff assigned to the claims system to develop software upgrades and accelerate claims reviews.

Further complicating matters, Congress authorized several programs to enhance states unemployment benefits with federal dollars, and many of those continued through early September of 2021.

Employers, workers caused most overpayments accidentally

Bartolomeo told the committee that the department received about 1.5 million applications for jobless benefits between March 2020 and September of this year.

But the labor department wasnt the only entity in new territory.

Employers and workers, who also hadnt experienced a pandemic, had to navigate new programs. The federal CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act alone created three new major forms of federal aid in March 2020.

In some cases, employers who laid off staff only to rehire them after receiving an emergency federally backed Payroll Protection Program loan sometimes forgot to notify the state in a timely manner, Bartolomeo said.

In other cases, workers who lost and then regained jobs made unintentional errors in filing.

Less than 1 percent of the problem is due to miscalculations or procedural errors by the state, according to labor officials.

Some intentional wrongdoing also has been identified. Bartolomeo said the department established about 115,000 imposter applications  which were never paid out.

Still, about 600,000 applications of the nearly 1.4 million remaining after fraud screening have been audited to date. And out of that subset, about 2 percent, or 13,000 applications, were found to involve non-fraudulent overpayments totaling about $30 million. A final tally, which is still months away, could be significantly larger.

Bartolomeo said about $20 million of the $30 million tallied so far involves enhanced benefits paid for federal dollars. The state legally must recoup those and return them to Washington.

Another $10 million involves benefits paid out of the state unemployment trust.

But leaders of the General Assemblys Appropriations and Labor committees are worried that forcing all recipients to repay the full $10 million  or more, once all applications have been audited  could cause serious setbacks for thousands of households already suffering.

People were trying to survive, said Rep. Toni E. Walker, D-New Haven, House chair of the appropriations panel, who said she suspects most of the extra payments households received were spent on groceries, rent and utilities. People cant go back and claw back the food.

Economists say the overwhelming bulk of jobs lost during the pandemic were in the restaurant and retail industries, both of which typically employ low-paid staff.

But Sen. Craig Miner of Litchfield, ranking GOP senator on appropriations , told Walker that I have a hard time feeling the same level of passion that you do.

Even if the people double-dipped by accident, Miner said, somebodys got to pay this back, adding that its unfair to place that burden on the state. Lets let it work itself out.

CT is bailing out businesses, delinquent taxpayers. Why not households?

But Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the Appropriations Committees other co-chair, said Connecticut already has committed to share responsibilities of others harmed by the pandemic. It shouldnt ignore workers who now, unintentionally, owe millions.

We need all of the numbers, but as long as there is no fraud, I would be open to looking at that, she said.

Gov. Ned Lamont and the state legislature already have committed to deposit $155 million into the states unemployment trust, and some legislative leaders have said the state should consider adding even more.

The trust, which covers the state unemployment benefits, borrowed $700 million to remain fiscally afloat during the pandemic, and another $300 million may be needed before the calendar years end, labor officials say.

Replenishing that trust, legally, is the responsibility of Connecticut businesses, who face a special assessment that would be tantamount to a significant tax hike. So any dollars the state puts in effectively amounts to tax relief for businesses.

The state also has a habit of bending the rules  and quite frequently  when it comes to delinquent taxpayers.

Connecticut this week launched its seventh tax amnesty program since 1990. Such programs chiefly benefit high-end earners with major tax obligations, rather than working class households.

The Lamont administration projects Connecticut will collect an extra $40 million next fiscal year and an extra $36 million in 2022-23 by easing penalties on delinquents.

Connecticut entered the year tied with Louisiana and Massachusetts for easing penalties on tax delinquents most frequently over the past three decades, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators, a coalition of states top tax offices. Critics of the program charge that by offering amnesty so frequently, the state provides a disincentive for taxpayers with major obligations to pay on time.

Rep. Harry Arora of Greenwich, ranking House Republican on the Labor Committee, said that while he believes strongly in following due process, he also would consider relief for households that received extra state unemployment benefits without committing fraud.

I dont think anybody should be harshly treated in a quick manner, he said, adding the state cannot simply offer blanket relief either. That means waiting until the labor department has a full accounting of over-payments, and then determining which households need assistance the most.

We have to help our community, Arora added, when it is fair and appropriate.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  Multiple people were rescued from a William Street fire Friday morning that left 65 residents displaced, according to a city official.

Units were dispatched to 1130 block of William Street around 11:30 a.m. for a reported structure fire, said Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management.
MILFORD  Jose Morales says hes getting a new lawyer.

The New Haven man accused of murder in the December 2019 death of Christine Holloway in Ansonia, whose daughter with Holloway has been missing for nearly two years, appeared in Superior Court Friday.

He is currently represented by the firm of Pattis and Smith. But Morales told Judge Peter Brown on Friday he has new representation.

I do have another attorney already retained, your honor, Morales said.

And who is that? the judge asked.

Tara Knight, Morales said. She wasnt able to be here today because I gave her notice yesterday.

A message was left at Knights office Friday.

The judge continued the case to Nov. 15 to see if Knight files paperwork to represent Morales.

Holloway was found beaten to death in her Ansonia home in December 2019. Vanessa Morales, Holloways 1-year-old daughter, was nowhere to be found.

Vanessa would have turned three in September.

Morales, 44, has been charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with Holloways death. He has pleaded not guilty to both offenses and has not been charged directly with Vanessas disappearance.

He also faces two unrelated felony charges of criminal possession of a firearm, to which he has also pleaded not guilty.

At a court appearance for Morales in May a prosecutor said investigators had received many leads in the disappearance of Morales and Holloways daugher, Vanessa, but none had panned out.

Morales was identified early on as a suspect in Holloways death, which was determined to be from blunt-force trauma.

During an interview with investigators, Morales claimed he was in the Myrtle Avenue home when he saw men running toward the front door, police said. Morales said he was on PCP and was punched in the face and knocked out as he tried to call 911, police said.

While Holloways body was found in her Ansonia residence more than a year ago, the couples young child, Vanessa Morales, has never been found. Morales has not been charged with the childs disappearance. His arrest affidavit indicates Morales told police he had nothing to do with Holloways death or his daughters disappearance.

Police in Ansonia say they believe the child will be found and continue to search for her, chasing down leads as far away as California.

In January, police released an age-enhanced photo of the girl, who was 15 months old at the time she vanished. A $10,000 reward remains from the FBI to anyone who can lead investigators to Vanessa or who turns her over to police.
Twenty-six Connecticut hospitals will lose some of their Medicare reimbursement payments over the next year as a penalty for having too many readmitted patients, new data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows.

Nationally, Medicare is reducing payments to 2,499 hospitals, about 47 percent of all facilities, with the average penalty being 0.64 percent, according to a report by Kaiser Health News.

This years penalties were based on tracking patients from July 1, 2017, through Dec. 1, 2019, so the influx of patient care during the coronavirus pandemic is not included, CMS said.

In Connecticut, 72 percent of all hospitals in the program face a loss in CMS payments, beginning October 2021 through September 2022.

No Connecticut hospital received the maximum penalty of 3 percent. But Rockville General Hospital will lose 2.3 percent, the highest penalty of any Connecticut facility, and Bridgeport Hospital will lose 2.15 percent.

Five hospitals will lose more than one percent of their funds, 19 others less than one percent.

Connecticuts hospitals share a strong commitment to the quality of care they provide and to patient safety. Through the Connecticut Hospital Association, hospitals drive quality improvement through a shared commitment to best practice and clinical collaboration and we are always striving to do better, the CHA said in a statement.

Hospitals have been operating under tremendous strain in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to focus on quality improvement. We are encouraged that many hospitals showed improvement and we will maintain our focus on the quality of care delivered at hospitals across the state, CHA said.

Lisa Freeman, executive director of the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety, said, This measure and the results among Connecticut hospitals demonstrate the need for a higher degree of coordinated care after hospitalization. This is a time when a discharged patient is particularly vulnerable to complications related to their recent hospitalization and when thorough, accurate and understandable care instructions, new supplies, clarity and access to all medications and oversight of care are particularly important to their continued recovery.

Freeman said readmission measures have the potential to slightly mislead patients because the readmission that is being counted can be for any reason, not only the reason for the initial hospitalization, it still addresses the wellness, or un-wellness of the patient at discharge.

CHA has launched Unite Connecticut to improve hospital readmission rates. Under the program, hospitals now have direct referral and communication loops, through a shared digital platform, to refer and support patients in need of community-based social services to help stabilize their living conditions and optimize their health. 

This year, the program has served more than 3,600 patients through referrals to about 280 community-based organizations. We expect these robust support channels will help patients to realize better health outcomes, by addressing the social drivers of health, CHA said. Over time, taking down those social barriers supports a patients ability to fully follow a course of treatment or make a necessary lifestyle change, reducing the need for readmission and also improving the patients health outcomes. There are 11 hospitals participating and CHA said five more are in the process of joining.

In addition to Rockville General and Bridgeport hospitals, the hospitals receiving penalties of more than one percent are: Manchester Memorial, 1.8 percent; Middlesex, 1.67 percent; William Backus, 1.56 percent; Bristol, 1.34 percent; and Waterbury, 1.13 percent.

The 19 hospitals losing less than one percent reimbursement are: Charlotte Hungerford, 0.38 percent; Danbury, 0.31 percent; Day Kimball, 0.27 percent; Greenwich, 0.53 percent; Griffin, 0.02 percent; Hartford, 0.57 percent; John Dempsey, 0.78 percent; Johnson Memorial, 0.67 percent; and Lawrence + Memorial, .08 percent; Mid-State Medical, 0.45 percent; Norwalk, 0.74 percent; St. Marys 0.62 percent; Sharon, 0.02 percent; St. Francis, 0.56 percent; St. Vincents, 0.41 percent; Stamford, 0.22 percent, Hospital of Central Connecticut, 0.64 percent; Windham Memorial, 0.08 percent; and Yale New Haven, 0.76 percent.

Only two facilities received no penalty: Masonicare Health Center in Wallingford and Hebrew Home and Hospital Inc. in West Hartford.

Eight Connecticut hospitals are exempt from the program: Connecticut Childrens Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, Natchaug Hospital in Mansfield, Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven, Southwest Connecticut Mental Health in Bridgeport, Silver Hill Hospital Inc. in New Canaan, the Connecticut Hospice Inc. in Branford and Albert J. Solnit Childrens Center in Middletown.

This is the 10th year for CMS penalties, enacted under the Affordable Care Act.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting.
NEW HAVEN  The Police Department declared Yale University buildings safe, a city official said Friday night, hours after a bomb threat prompted the evacuation of several buildings as police, firefighters and specialized hazardous device crews responded to the area.

Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana said the Police Department determined that the buildings are safe. He said students would be permitted back into buildings.

All businesses and streets are open and back to normal, the city said in an alert.

Fontana earlier had said that seven Yale facilities were threatened.

(There are) evacuations on many area businesses until areas can be made safe. There are many road closures downtown at this time. Residents are urged to stay clear of downtown until further notice, said Fontana, as the incident unfolded.

Speaking at a press briefing near the intersection of Crown and High streets, Mayor Justin Elicker said a call came into the citys non-emergency line at 1:51 p.m. with threats to specific buildings.

Interim Chief Renee Dominguez had initially said the area would be closed for multiple hours, noting the city called in additional police dogs to search the area.

We take these threats very, very seriously, said Elicker, thanking city police and firefighters, as well as Yale police for their efforts. Clearly, we are going to track down the individual that made this call.

Dominguez had said the area would be shut down for several hours, just in order to make sure we are safe.

Were treating this as if it is a legitimate threat, however, at this time, we are still working on who the caller was and everything that happened, she said.

Dominguez had asked for patience, as detectives and investigators undertake the painstaking process of investigating the threat. She said authorities would open the nearby roads as soon as possible, but safety was the top priority.

Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins said the caller, a man, did not offer a reason for the threat. There was no way to immediately determine whether the caller was a student, he said. He and Dominguez declined to further discuss what was said on the call.

Detectives from New Haven and Yale were looking into the callers identity, Dominguez said. The department had enough officers to respond to the threat and handle regular calls of service without asking for outside assistance, she said.

State police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were responding to be part of the investigation and helped clear buildings, as well, Higgins said.

This is a unity of effort, said Higgins.

Higgins said the University Theater, Jonathan Edwards College, the Yale Art Gallery, Vanderbilt Hall, Bingham Hall, Welch Hall and Grace Hopper college all were evacuated.

He said he did not have a rough count of how many people were evacuated, but he noted that some of the buildings were dormitories in which hundreds of students live.

Fontana said the area evacuated encompassed from York Street to Elm Street, to College Street to Crown Street.

Many fire alarms were activated in order to evacuate the Yale building as well as commercial buildings, he said.

For Yale students in the evacuated areas, it meant four hours without access to their dormitory rooms  although, this being New Haven, they had plenty of access to tasty coffee and baked goods, and some temporarily-displaced students chose to wait it out in local coffee shops, restaurants and doughnut shops.

Katie Quesada, a Branford College senior from Miami, who was one of those displaced was about to go to dinner with a group of friends, several of whom were not displaced as they stood talking at Broadway and York Street about 5 p.m.

Its a little anxiety-causing, said Quesada, who earlier had headed up to some buildings outside the evacuation zone to get some work done. I hope that this clears up  Im going out of town this weekend.

A few yards away inside the warmth of the Blues State Coffee shop at 276 York St., four senior suite mates from Yales Saybrook College sat drinking coffee and working on their laptops and tablets at a table facing York Street.

They were philosophical about the bomb scare.

I think its better that I evacuate and there not be a bomb than to not evacuate and learn the hard way that there was one, said Scotty Parajon, who said he originally is from Nicaragua.

In the meantime, they were just chillin, Parajon said.

A few feet away, a half-dozen young women from Yales Jonathan Edwards and Grace Hopper colleges sat at two tables in the front window near the door, drinking coffee and munching on a birthday cake from Lucibellos Italian Pastry Shop at 935 Grand Ave.

Its unfortunate, said birthday girl Grace Randall, a first-year student at Jonathan Edwards from Houston.

I got an extension on a paper for an English class because of the bomb scare, said Randall.

The cake was the work of her friends Grayson Lamert, a first-year Jonathan Edwards student from Atlanta, and Madeline Levin, a first-year Jonathan Edwards student from Palo Alto, Calif.

Levin had a hardcover copy of The Aeneid, a Latin epic poem written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, with her at the coffee shop, although she didnt appear to be reading it at that moment.

Yale students, initially asked to shelter on the Green, were allowed into other buildings, and were to be allowed to return to affected spaces as they are cleared, Higgins said.

Higgins said Yale would post updates about the situation at https://emergency.yale.edu/welcome.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT  A 15-year-old boy was arraigned Friday on attempted murder charges for allegedly shooting a man at a North End bus stop earlier this week.

However, because of the boys age and current charges, the hearing was held in a closed courtroom and the file is currently sealed.

The boys mother, who was crying as she left the courtroom, declined comment.

On Wednesday afternoon police said the citys dispatch center received multiple calls of a male victim shot at the intersection of Trumbull and Reservoir avenues.

According to Police Detective Thomas Harper a 19-year-old victim was rushed to St. Vincents Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Harper said the 19-year-old victim was waiting at the corner of Trumbull and Reservoir avenues to get his 9-year-old cousin off the school bus when the shooting took place.

Police said they used the citys surveillance cameras to get a license plate for the alleged getaway car, which Harper said was found to be stolen from Trumbull.

Police said the 15-year-old, who was driving the car, led police on a chase before finally being stopped on State Street.

Police said the teenager has an extensive juvenile record and is being investigated in other open cases.
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:

GLASGOW, Scotland  Greta Thunberg branded the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow so far a failure, accusing leaders of actively creating loopholes in the rules and greenwashing their countries emissions.

Speaking at a rally outside the conference venue, Thunberg called for tougher rules to clamp down on polluters instead of what she termed distant, non-binding pledges.

World leaders are obviously scared of the truth, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot escape it, she said. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus, and above all they cannot ignore us - the people, including their own children.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Developed nations will start making good on their joint pledge of $100 billion in annual climate aid to developing nations next year, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Friday.

Thats at least a year earlier than some estimates. So there is genuine progress, Kerry told reporters at a press conference, listing advancements that have moved climate efforts forward over the past year.

The United States and other developed nations committed to the financing pledge under the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord.

Less wealthy countries say they cannot switch their economies to cleaner fuel, and protect their people from increasing natural disasters as the Earth warms, without substantial foreign aid.

And they say established economies, like the United States, should pay, since they historically have been responsible for most of the climate damage from burning coal and petroleum.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has compared the worlds complacency on climate change to the way it failed to take seriously the threat of fascism during the 1930s.

Invoking Winston Churchills famous warning that the era of procrastination (...) is coming to its close, Gore told the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow that the impacts of global warming would soon spur momentum for action.

We are now experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis in every part of our world, he said Friday, echoing Churchill. The scientists warned us that these consequences were coming.

Gore starred in An Inconvenient Truth, an Oscar-winning 2006 documentary about the threat of climate change.

In Glasgow, he praised countries and companies that recently made new pledges to curb emissions but added that the fulfillment of those commitments must be closely watched.

Gore advocated for radical transparency that includes monitoring emissions from the ground, the sea, by air and by satellite to identify those responsible for releasing greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

He also warned that the rising number of climate refugees expected over the coming decades risked triggering xenophobia and anger which in turn could fuel authoritarian populism around the world.

___

ANKARA, Turkey  The leader of Turkeys main opposition party is appealing to foreign investors to steer clear of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans project to construct a shipping canal skirting Istanbul, saying it would exacerbate the climate change crisis.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on Twitter Friday that he sent letters to all the foreign embassies in Turkey, urging them to tell investors in their countries that the Canal Istanbul project is against the worlds climate.

The Canal Istanbul will play havoc with the ecological system and will harm not just Turkey, but the whole world, Kilicdaroglu wrote in the letter.

Erdogan first suggested in 2011 the idea of constructing a canal linking the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, which he dubbed his crazy project. His government took steps toward its construction this year.

The government says the 45-kilometer (28-mile) canal would relieve pressure on the Bosporus Strait, one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, and reduce the risk of accidents.

Opponents claim it will cause widespread ecological damage to the region, increase the dangers posed by earthquakes and saddle Turkey with further debt.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says American climate negotiators are having meaningful talks with their Russian and Chinese counterparts at the U.N. summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Thats despite Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping skipping world leaders current rounds of climate talks, a decision that sparked complaints from U.S. President Joe Biden when he attended a few days ago.

Kerry told reporters he came late to a Friday press conference because Americans had been talking with Russian officials at the summit on efforts to reduce pollution from methane, a potent climate-damaging gas.

We were talking about how we might deal with methane, possibly work together, Kerry said of Russians.

And were meeting with China here, and weve been talking for several days trying to figure out, is there common ground, as a way to try to move forward, Kerry said. Theres a sense of urgency.

Biden last weekend blamed Xis and Putins not showing up for lack of more progress at Group of 20 climate discussions on the eve of the summit. China is the worlds largest current emitter of climate-wrecking fossil fuel emitters, the United States the second, and Russia in the top five.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Hundreds of environmental activists have gathered in a Glasgow park to call on governments at the nearby U.N. climate talks to step up their action against global warming.

The activists, most of them young, carried banners at Friday's rally with slogans such as I have to clear up my mess, why dont you clear up yours? and Stop climate crimes.

The protest was part of a series of demonstrations being staged around the world Friday and Saturday to coincide with the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 U.N. climate change conference in Scotland.

Some at the Glasgow demonstration accused negotiators at the COP26 conference of greenwashing failures to curb greenhouse gas emissions and promoting policies that wont do enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises in the coming decades.

We are here as civil society to send them a message that enough is enough, Valentina Ruiz, an 18-year-old student from Brazil, said.

Brianna Fruean, a 23-year-old activist from Samoa, said, My biggest fear is losing my country. Samao, a low-lying Pacific island nation, is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and cyclones,

Fruean was given the stage at the beginning of the conference, known as COP26, where she told leaders about the effects of climate change already being felt in her country.

I will know if Ive been heard by the end of COP, she said.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Major shipping companies called Friday for governments to put more money into researching and developing cleaner technologies to help the industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

The International Chamber of Shipping said the industry isnt on track to meet its goal of cutting carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 with current policies.

The trade group represents shipping companies that include MSC and Hapag Lloyd. Industry representatives and government ministers are meeting at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow.

The group said it is asking governments to increase R&D spending, including by backing a proposal at the International Maritime Organization that would see ship owners set up a $5 billion fund to boost clean shipping technology.

Shipping currently accounts for about 3% of global emissions.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Anti-poverty charitable confederation Oxfam says the worlds richest people continue to produce the lions share of greenhouse gas emissions.

A study released Friday on the sidelines of the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow concluded that the richest 1% of the planets population is expected to account for 16% of total global emissions by 2030.

The study, commissioned by Oxfam, calculated that each member of the richest 1% will emit 30 times more than the 2.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide deemed compatible with the goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit).

The poorest 50% on the planet, meanwhile, will continue to emit less than that amount per person by 2030.

Oxfam said the study indicates that a tiny elite of ultra-rich people appear to have a free pass to pollute.

The emissions from a single billionaire space flight would exceed the lifetime emissions of someone in the poorest billion people on Earth, said Nafkote Dabi, head of climate policy at Oxfam.

Emissions caused by the wealthiest 10% alone could put the 1.5 C-goal out of reach by the end of the decade, Dabi added.

Tim Gore of the non-profit Institute for European Environmental Policy, wrote the study. He suggested that measures are needed to limit carbon emissions from luxury consumption such as mega-yachts, private jets and space travel.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Environmental campaigners have awarded their Fossil of the Day award to the Polish government for giving  and then apparently backtracking on  a pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.

Climate Action Network, an umbrella group representing hundreds of non-governmental organizations, blasted Poland on Thursday for committing at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow to end coal use, but then declaring itself a poor country and sticking to its previous deadline of 2049.

The little-coveted award went to the United States on Wednesday, for what climate activists say was a new measure that benefits mainly industrial agriculture companies rather than ordinary farmers.

The U.S. shared the prize with France for its efforts to get natural gas and nuclear power plants classified as sustainable forms of energy by the European Union, and with the International Emissions Trading Association for representing oil majors such as Chevron and Shell at the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 talks.

___

Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  Reversing its previous position, the University of Florida said Friday that it will allow three professors to testify as experts in a lawsuit challenging a new state election law that critics say restricts voting rights.

Last month, the university prohibited Dan Smith, Michael McDonald and Sharon Austin from testifying in the lawsuit brought by civic groups, saying that such testimony would put the school in conflict with the administration of Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, which pushed the election law. More than half of the university's trustees are appointed by the governor.

In a letter to the campus, university president Kent Fuchs said he is asking the office responsible for approving professors outside work to greenlight their request to serve as expert witnesses in the litigation. Fuchs said the outside work would have to be on the professors own time and not use university resources.

Attorneys representing the professors said they were still planning to move forward with a lawsuit against the university.

Despite reversing the immediate decision prohibiting the Professors from testifying, the University has made no commitment to abandon its policy preventing academics from serving as expert witnesses when the University thinks that their speech may be adverse to the State and whatever political agenda politicians want to promote, David ONeil and Paul Donnelly said in a statement. "It is time for this matter to be rightfully adjudicated, not by press release, but in a court of law."

The university's announcement came after the union for faculty members urged donors to withhold contributions and scholars and artists to turn down invitations to campus until university administrators affirmed the free speech rights of school employees.

Not allowing them to testify would be "an attack on all of us, said Paul Ortiz, a history professor who is president of the union chapter at the university.

Hours later, after hearing about the reversal, Ortiz called the announcement, a really positive step forward," and said the union chapter's executive committee will meet to decide how to proceed.

Im delighted to see this, Ortiz said. We want some kind of guarantee that this isnt going to be on a case-by-case basis  if another faculty member says, I want to engage in this type of activity, that we arent going to end up back in the same place.

The union also had asked the university to issue an apology, affirm its support for voting rights and declare that the school's mission is for the public good.

Fuchs and Provost Joe Glover said in a letter to the campus community earlier this week that the school will immediately appoint a task force to review the universitys conflict of interest policy and examine it for consistency and fidelity. On Friday, Fuchs said a preliminary recommendation will be ready by the end of the month.

Also this week, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges told news outlets the organization planned to investigate the universitys previous decision to prohibit the professors from testifying.

The University of Florida's president answers to its board of trustees, which has six members appointed by the governor and five appointed by the state university systems board of governors. The board of governors, in turn, has 17 members, 14 of whom are appointed by the Florida governor and confirmed by the state Senate. These offices have been in Republican hands for many years.

In a statement this week, DeSantis' office denied being behind the decision to block the faculty members testimony, and on Friday his press secretary, Christina Pushaw, tweeted that any such suggestion was absurd."

Florida Democratic elected officials, many of whom attended the University of Florida, were critical of the university's initial rejection of the professors' requests, tying it to other controversial recent decisions by the school, such as the quick hiring of DeSantis' pick to be Florida's surgeon general. Dr. Joseph Ladapo recently came under fire for refusing to don a mask at a meeting with a lawmaker who was being treated for cancer.

The rapid reversal of this ill-advised policy will restore the pride and integrity of the Gator Nation of which I am so incredibly proud," Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. Go Gators!"

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
Clinic set

The Kankakee County Health Department received 300 doses of the pediatric vaccine and is using them to host a clinic next from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13.

To sign up, visit signupgenius.com/go/pedspfizernov13. As of Thursday morning, 80 kids were already signed up.

No walk-ins will be accepted and each child needs an individual appointment.
Elizabeth City, NC (27909)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 67F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
The trial hasn't even started and yet issues of race are at the forefront of the case in which three white men are charged with murder for chasing and killing Ahmaud Arbery
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
Hamilton Hall is located on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Ore. Walton and Hamilton Hall at the University of Oregon are scheduled to be torn down and reconstructed in the next few years. March 16, 2019. (Madi Mather/Emerald)
Memphis, TN (38152)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. Thunder possible. High 59F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 36F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Ashland, KY (41101)

Today

Cloudy skies with periods of rain this afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 33F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
State law currently prohibits, in most cases, anyone other than the voter from returning a mail ballot to a county board of elections or drop box, an act punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson discusses the findings of a statewide Catholic church sex abuse investigation on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, at a Nebraska Department of Justice office in Lincoln, Neb. The investigation identified 258 victims who made credible allegations of sexual abuse against 57 Catholic church officials in the state going back decades.
Mornings after are agonising affairs. The regret, the sorrow, that excruciating sense of what on earth was I doing last night?

There really is only one thing for it: Bow your head, neck a few aspirins and keep well below the radar.

There was a strong sense of that among Conservative MPs yesterday. Their catastrophic decision on Wednesday to block the suspension of Owen Paterson for breaching lobbying rules  only to see the whole thing overturned yesterday  was a misjudgment of gargantuan proportions.

The few who dared turn up to support Jacob Rees-Mogg at business questions sat lifeless, dejected, wallowing in shame and embarrassment. It was like the queue for the hotel breakfast buffet after a particularly Bacchanalian wedding.

Pinching his Professor Calculus spectacles against his nose, Rees-Mogg informed the House that the Government was U-turning on its plans to launch a new Tory-dominated anti-sleaze committee. Instead, he planned to seek cross-party consensus. Consensus? After this week? That should make Brexit look like a doddle.

Jacob Rees Mogg stood up in the almost empty House of Commons yesterday to announce the Government's latest u-turn, this time abandoning plans to scrap the current parliamentary sleaze system and instead would seek cross party support for reforms

Moggs opposite number, Shadow Commons Leader Thangam Debbonaire, built herself into a blizzard of fury. She was loving every second, hopping about excitedly at the dispatch box. Shameful! she bellowed.

Ms Debbonaire is something of a motor-mouth and, despite her clear estimation of her comic ability, is about funny as a funeral. So when she gets to dance her merry jig at the Governments expense, they really have cocked up.

Chief Whip Mark Spencer certainly knew it. Slumped next to Mogg, his bloodhound chops drooped in doleful repose. If he wasnt considering his position, he really should have been.

Up sprang Pete Wishart (SNP, Perth) spitting invective. What a mess  Brown envelopes stuffed full of cash!  Kangaroo court! he barked. Mogg, languidly aloof as ever, paid him little attention.

No one from the Tory benches bothered to defend Paterson. We were well beyond that. Peter Bone (Con, Wellingborough) did, however, remain unrepentant about backing the Government the previous day. He had done so, he said, as a matter of conscience, and was too much of a loose cannon (and possibly too advanced in his career) to be told otherwise.

No one from the Tory benches bothered to defend Paterson, pictured here ahead of Wednesday's vote on MP standards

He expressed anger that his constituency office had been vandalised as a result. He reminded the House it had been nearly three weeks since the murder of Sir David Amess. Mr Bones plight found some sympathy with Standards Committee chairman Chris Bryant (Lab, Rhondda).

He stressed the need for care when talking about standards in public life as I have tried to. Hear, hear! honked La Debonnaire.

Bryant has become the moral arbiter in this saga. His devastating critique of Paterson on Wednesday did much to persuade Tories of the indefensible idiocy of their partys position. Even so, Mogg couldnt let this slightly sanctimonious comment slide.

While he welcomed Bryants desire to uphold high standards, Mogg wondered why he had earlier gone on the radio to compare the Government to Putins Russia. A little OTT, surely. Bryant did not care for this attempt to chip away at his newly minted halo. Fixing Mogg with an icy glare, he rasped: You really are a disgrace.

But then no one really emerges with any great credit from this saga, the honourable exception being Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He has maintained an admirable neutrality  as he should of course.

Yet his voice yesterday was harsher, more fierce than usual. His irritation at the way Parliament has been treated, its ideal so sullied, was palpable.

Hours later, Paterson announced his departure. Sighs of relief from Tory HQ. No sooner had he began clearing his desk than former Labour MP Claudia Webbe was being handed a ten-week suspended sentence for threatening to throw acid on another woman. Its a sewer Westminster, it really is.
What on earth do they teach our children in school these days? I ask because of a survey, published yesterday, which found that as many as four in ten young Britons had no idea about the origins of Bonfire Night and the event we commemorate today.

So much for the old rhyme, familiar to everyone of my generation: Remember, remember / The fifth of November / Gunpowder treason and plot . . .

Commissioned by Perspectus Global, an organisation mysteriously described as an insights agency, the researchers found that almost a quarter of the countrys young (23 per cent) thought Bonfire Night was a pagan festival, while another 17 per cent believed it was a traditional celebration to ward off evil spirits.

As for Guy Fawkes himself, 74 per cent said they had heard of him, but a tenth thought he was a fictional character, while seven per cent laboured under the delusion that he achieved fame as the inventor of fireworks.

Another seven per cent ticked the box claiming he was the designer of the fork, while six per cent thought he was an MP.

Some ten per cent of young Britons believe Guido Fawkes was a fictional character while seven per cent believed he is responsible for the invention of fireworks

Seven per cent of young people think Fawkes invented the fork while six per cent believed he was an MP

None of this would be very surprising, perhaps, if the 1,500 people interviewed were under ten years old. But they were all aged between 16 and 29, with at least 11 years of formal education under their belts. So I ask again: what on earth do schools teach these days?

I hate to sound like the old pub bore I have undoubtedly become, but at least a part of the answer to that question is depressingly apparent. If the experience of my four sons is any guide  and all but one of them are now over 30  children have been taught for decades about the perils of global warming, the oppression of women and minorities and the evils of colonialism and the British Empire.

Now it seems they are also being taught, from a very young age, to question their gender identities. So much so that a primary school in Edinburgh, we learned this week, encouraged boys and girls alike to wear skirts to school yesterday, as part of its efforts to promote equality and diversity. (For diversity in this case, as in so many others, read woke uniformity.)

But as far as I can see, they learn precious little about the basics of our island story  or at least about British history as it was taught to my generation in the early 1960s, before we went to our secondary schools.

Now, Im the first to admit that the way I was taught the subject in my early childhood had glaring flaws. Think of Sellar and Yeatmans brilliant parody, 1066 And All That, and youll get the general idea.

It concentrated on the exploits of kings and queens, generals and admirals, great scientists and engineers, while the great mass of the population was given barely a look-in, except when it was being wiped out by the Black Death or moving from the fields to the towns to labour in the mills of the Industrial Revolution.

Indeed, the version I learned before I reached my teens was simplistic in the extreme, almost totally ignoring such questions as the status of women in society, let alone the treatment of minorities. Where the Empire was concerned, it accentuated the positive, focusing on the glory of the enterprise while casting a discreet veil over most of its shameful aspects.

We were taught much more, for example, about Britains leading role in abolishing the slave trade than about the great wealth brought to this country in previous centuries by this evil traffic in human lives. It was only later, when I studied the subject in more depth, that I came to accept there are two sides to every story.

Almost one quarter of young Britons believe Bonfire Night is a pagan festival

So yes, the history I learned while I was in short trousers was quite as biased in its way as the version dinned into children today, which can almost be said to be its polar opposite.

If you ask me, however, there is still a great deal to be said for the way in which I was introduced to the subject.

Certainly, the doings of our kings and queens can represent only a tiny part of the full picture of a country as populous as ours. But being made to learn the sequence of our monarchs, and their dates, at least gave us a framework on which to hang other snippets of the story as they came to our attention, giving chronological coherence to the whole.

To illustrate what I mean, most of us who were taught the old-fashioned way have a vivid mental image of each of the periods in our history, as delineated by the name of the ruling house at the time.

The Tudors? Doublets and hose, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Spanish Armada and the first flowering of Shakespeares genius.

The Stuarts? Van Dyke beards and moustaches, Cavaliers and Roundheads, the Great Fire of London, Isaac Newton, Nell Gwyn and all those other sultry mistresses of Charles II, as painted by Sir Peter Lely.

The Hanoverians? Powdered wigs, sedan chairs, Palladian country houses, Jane Austen, Hogarths Gin Lane, Alexander Pope and the dark Satanic mills of Blakes Jerusalem.

How many of todays GCSE students, I wonder, could tell you which period came first  the Elizabethan, Jacobean or Georgian  or whether Shakespeare lived before or after the English Civil War?

Yet if only all primary school children were still made to learn the dates of our monarchs, as far too few are, they would surely have a head start in stringing together the story of these islands.

As for the old way of focusing on the exploits of great men and women (all right, mostly men, I grant you), I reckon it made history more inspiring to young minds than todays emphasis on the ways in which national heroes such as Nelson and Churchill fell short of the modern woke ideal.

Every week now, or so it seems, the name of another revered figure from our past is dragged through the mud. Only the other day, indeed, that Waterloo hero Sir Thomas Picton became the latest to have his portrait removed from a public gallery because of his links with slavery.

But I have a deeper objection to todays concentration on our ancestors ill-treatment of women and minorities. Yes, I know that the praiseworthy idea is to be inclusive and make all children feel that our history belongs quite as much to them as to anyone else.

But I cant help feeling that it may have the opposite effect. Say what you like about the old way of accentuating the positive about our history  our military victories, great writers, scientists and engineers  but at least it instilled a shared sense of patriotic pride, which bound together British children from all backgrounds.

By relentlessly stressing our ancestors discriminatory treatment of the sexes and races, dont teachers risk breeding ill-feeling between boy and girl, black and white, and turning children against the country I was brought up to love? I just pray that Im wrong.

But before I close, I mustnt overlook one dramatic event of the Stuart period, which I omitted from the list I gave earlier. I refer, of course, to the foiled Gunpowder Plot to blow up James I, along with members of the Lords and Commons, at the State Opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605.

Some four in ten younger readers may be surprised to learn that the conspirators included a real-life fellow called Guy Fawkes. And, no, he invented neither fireworks nor an item of cutlery that sounds like his name.

As a service to that 40 per cent, Ill end with the rest of the verse whose first lines I quoted in my second paragraph: I see no reason / Why gunpowder treason / Should ever be forgot.
The music landscape in the last year has been dominated by the depressing loss of the sorts of true legends whose ilk we will never see again.

After the deaths of Rolling Stones great Charlie Watts, Dame Vera Lynn and The Supremes founding member Mary Wilson, it feels we are waving goodbye all too often to the superstars behind the music which shaped our lives.

That's why today's release of the first ABBA album in four decades  one they've promised will be their last ever collection of new music  feels somewhat miraculous.

Voyage is more than just a bunch of new songs by the best pop group in history, it's hands down the greatest and most unexpected music comeback of all time.

For my entire lifetime, my favourite band  Bjorn, 76, Agnetha, 71, Benny, 74, and Frida, 75  had vowed they would never reunite.

DAN WOOTTON: I'm pictured with Bjorn Ulvaeus who took me for breakfast for my birthday while I was in Stockholm two and half years ago

And today, as ABBA mania takes over the world again, in their understated Swedish manner, they declared simply: 'Thank you for waiting.'

I'll admit to being somewhat overwhelmed emotionally when I first heard the new songs at midnight.

I thought I might be losing my mind until Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl explained he had the exact same visceral reaction.

'When I saw that they were coming back and they had a record, I shot that link to 100 people I knew, then listened to the new song and wept like a baby. I cried like a baby. Oh man! It almost sounded like time hadn't passed,' he said.

And Dave is right, of course.

We're not weeping for the new songs themselves, as perfect as they are, we're weeping for the moments throughout the best and the worst events of our lives where the music of ABBA has provided hope, comfort and, more than anything, unadulterated joy.

It's over two and a half years since I was first let into the secrets of this extraordinary pop reunion by Bjorn Ulvaeus, who is without doubt the brains and driving force behind protecting ABBA's incredible legacy.

The new ABBA album 'Voyage' is seen on display at a record store in Stockholm this week

I had treated myself to a trip to Stockholm for my birthday for an ABBA pilgrimage of his projects that included their brilliant museum and immersive experience Mamma Mia the Party, which now has a residency in London too.

After learning I was in town, Bjorn asked to take me for breakfast for my birthday (I was wearing my favourite T-shirt: 'It might look like I'm listening to you, but in my head I'm listening to ABBA!') where he told me about the incredible experience where the band's original members  two ex-husbands and wives, remember  had worked together for the first time since the early 1980s.

'That was so perfect in a way,' he explained, smiling with joy. 'It was like going into the studio 40 years ago. Suddenly when we were standing there, the realisation came: This is kind of natural but weird at the same time. It's been 35 years.'

I was fascinated by the dynamics between the two couples, whose relationship was clearly strained by the time they made their last major UK appearance together with Noel Edmonds on The Late Late Breakfast Show on November 6, 1982.

But in recent years during a relatively normal life in Stockholm (Bjorn is not bothered once by the public during our morning together), he sees ex-wife Agnetha 'quite often', explaining: 'We have two kids together and, let's see, five grandchildren. It's Christmas, it's birthdays. I see her all the time. So that was normal.'

ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson

But, in a later conversation in London, he was franker, admitting: 'It would have been different if we had been forgotten. Then we probably wouldn't have seen each other, even. I guess with age comes an approach to the whole thing which makes you very humble and which strengthens the bonds between you.'

Now, however, he defines ABBA's working relationship as 'two former married couples getting along very well'.

Of course, there was the fear that Agnetha and Frida's iconic voices could have weakened as they entered their 70s, but thankfully that proved not to be the case.

The harmonies 'came back naturally', with a slight adjustment because 'the ladies are a tone lower, which is completely natural, that's what happens. But the quality, the timbre, and the story-telling qualities, all of that is still there.'

As I read the reviews of Voyage today, it felt like a return to ABBA's heyday.

Many of the snobby critics have been sniffy, but of course they have been. They always were, even when ABBA was releasing hit after hit from SOS to Dancing Queen to Thank You For The Music.

And that doesn't matter one jot  ABBA makes music for the people.

The themes on Voyage are in keeping with the maturity of a group who are reflecting on fascinating and complicated lives.

Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus pose in 1974

From I Can Be That Woman about a potentially abusive relationship and alcoholism to Keep An Eye On Dan (somewhat predictably my favourite track) about the difficulty of sharing custody of a child.

Bjorn's superb lyrics are infused with the insightful melancholy sometimes overshadowed by more upbeat melodies.

Even though ABBA doesn't do public emotion or soppiness  it's just not their style  during my meetings with Bjorn, who has been happily married to music journalist Lena Kallersjo since 1981, I could tell just how much this reunion meant to him.

He told me: 'Coming together like that, for me at least, strengthens and solidifies and confirmsespecially when the ladies went into the studio and stood by their mics and started singing, then, oh, it's that sound. It's amazing, they started singing and, wow, it's ABBA. It's a fantastic sound. It's inside Benny and I and all the ladies to feel what is right for ABBA and what is wrong.'

There is nothing wrong about today's return of ABBA  it's a musical gift for the ages we all believed was impossible.

So don't be scared to weep with happiness when you listen to Voyage and remember all those amazing moments where the songs of this truly historic group have been there for you.
After a week of pretty relentless coverage from Glasgow, no one could blame you for wanting to Cop-out for a spell.

But let me test your patience with one intriguing statistic that may have escaped your attention.

Everyone knows by now that air travel is immensely damaging to our precious atmosphere because of the amount of carbon spewed out by planes.

Especially private jets carrying the powerful privileged few.

Weve seen enough of them in Glasgow to prove  if we needed any more proof  that hypocrisy really is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.

John Humphrys: Surely Greta Thunberg must be a shoo-in for the Nobel Peace Prize? Or at least, she might have been before her foul-mouthed rant at Cop26

In simple terms: dont do as I do, do as I say.

Unless, of course, youre Boris Johnson, in which case different rules apply.

You may be less familiar with another source of greenhouse gas emissions that comes pretty close to air travel: trendy trainers.

Those grotesquely overpriced shoes that prove the First Law of Successful Marketing.

That is: think of a trendy product. Develop a glitzy version that is phenomenally expensive.

Make relatively few available at first and then double the price.

And hordes of gullible teenagers  and plenty of older people who should know better  will break down your doors to get at them no matter what it does to their overdraft.

But its the cost to the environment that really matters.

There are reckoned to be 25 billion pairs made every year, mostly from several forms of plastic made with fossil fuels that cant be recycled.

They create more than half the carbon emissions of the entire aviation industry. And yet few self-respecting young people would dare be seen without the very latest version.

Nor without the latest fast-fashion tops or dresses or jeans that come at the opposite end of the price scale. They might be made by workers on starvation wages in the sweatshops of the Far East, but no matter.

They are Hoovered up  often to be worn once, then cast aside. The cheaper they are, the better. And again, the cost to the environment is monumental.

These might well be the same young people who regard it as their God-given right to take gap years and fly to exotic places so they can post selfies to impress their friends.

The same young people who order takeaways whenever theyre peckish. Who howl with anguish if they cant go clubbing. Who adore avocados  possibly the most polluting food on the planet.

And the same generation who cant be bothered to get vaccinated against Covid. The latest figures show a third still havent been. So what if we get infected and spread the virus, they say. Were young. Well survive.

Demonstrators join the Fridays for Future march on November 5 in Glasgow on day six of the 2021 Climate Summit, focusing on youth and public empowerment

Even as I write this I hear the wheels of the tumbrel. To the guillotine with Humphrys!

How dare this old reactionary vilify our wonderful young people! It is they who will have to rescue civilisation from the fiery future their elders have bequeathed them after all.

So let me hasten to say that, yes, they are wonderful in so many ways. I am immensely proud of my own children and grandchildren. Obviously. But since history began young people have invariably seen themselves as the innocent victims and their elders as the beneficiaries.

And to be fair, arent we older folk benefiting from generous state pensions that have been protected above all other Government financial commitments?

Dont we all live in lovely houses we bought for a pittance 50 years ago when they can barely afford to rent a room in a slum?

Well, yes, theres something in that. But the pensions chicken is coming home to roost.

And a Government minister this week said old people rattling around in houses too big for them must downsize and make way for young people in greater need.

And who has paid the biggest price for Covid?

Sure, we can sympathise with students having only virtual lectures or children missing vital school lessons, but what about the thousands of old people who were treated like pieces of garbage?

Thrown out of hospitals to die in so-called care homes. Denied even a hug from their nearest and dearest in their last few hours on this earth.

They were the real victims. And some survivors still are. Too many old people are shunted off to care homes that charge outrageous fees for disgracefully inadequate care.

Young people are right to accuse us of jeopardising their future by allowing climate change to happen.

But what we did then is, in many respects, what so many of them are doing now.

Of course, I accept, it is the young who are doing most of the protesting. It always is. Surely Greta Thunberg must be a shoo-in for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Or at least, she might have been before her foul-mouthed rant at Cop26.

But while she and her worshippers call for the overthrow of capitalism to save the planet, many more feed the machine that powers it.

And the bosses of Nike rub their hands with glee as they watch their profits soar.

There is nothing new in this notion of young versus old. I remember the 16-year-old William Hague berating his elders at a Tory conference for their half-hearted approach to socialism: Its all right for you lot, he said, most of you wont be around in 30 years time. But I will!

John Humphry says there are reckoned to be 25 billion pairs of 'trendy trainers' made every year, mostly from several forms of plastic made with fossil fuels that cant be recycled.

But climate change is different. There has always been something a little dodgy about the simplistic argument that its we oldies who selfishly bury our heads in the sand while the young are selflessly virtuous.

Sir David Attenborough is hardly in the first flush of youth. Nor are those retired vicars gluing themselves to roads in their misguided, but well-meaning, attempt to insulate our homes.

Even so, the young have cause to be outraged at the mess we oldies have made of their planet and theres some evidence that many are prepared to make changes to their lifestyles.

Some may cycle more or become vegans for starters.

But I suspect their idea of the good life in a rich country like ours is not so very different from their parents.

They may have fewer children than we had, but in many cases thats because theyre getting married later and enjoying their single lives.

I wonder how impressed theyve been by the wretched Harry and Meghan promising they will have no more children.

I suspect they might be looking at the Sussexes lifestyle with its Californian mansion and private jet flights and thinking: I wouldnt mind a bit of that!

But the horrible reality is that we face an existential crisis  and what matters is that we recognise that young and old share it.

Ultimately, its pointless berating one group or the other for their selfish behaviour.

Instead, we have to answer the question that has bedevilled philosophers through the ages: how do we live a virtuous life?

Next week we shall be marking the sacrifices made by so many in two world wars. When Churchill used the expression their finest hour he was referring not only to those heroic men and women who gave their lives but to the nation.

Our parents and grandparents knew they were all in it together. Some made the ultimate sacrifice. Most made a contribution.

They recognised they had no choice. It was a matter of survival as a nation.

Climate change is infinitely more complicated.

Cop26 will probably fail because every political leader is constrained by one calculation: how much sacrifice can I ask of my people?

China is the greatest polluter on the planet. Its president knows if he orders a cut in coal production many people will suffer and his regime might well be overthrown.

Its tempting for us to say what the hell; were minnows in this tank of sharks! Maybe, but we have a moral responsibility to act virtuously.

The young are good at shaming the old for their lapses, but it should not be about whether they are more or less virtuous than us.

Its about how all of us, young and old, find a way of adjusting the rules by which we live for a much greater good.

Maybe even sacrificing that new pair of trainers would be a start.
A high-flying PR executive who claims she was 'groomed' by QAnon says her 'entire world view collapsed' after stumbling across the online conspiracy theory group on yoga and wellness pages.

Melissa Rein Lively, 35, from Arizona, hit headlines last year after footage of her went viral, showing her destroying a display of face masks before telling police she was a 'a spokesperson for the White House and QAnon'.

She had been indoctrinated into QAnon - a conspiracy movement who believe Donald Trump was waging war against a cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic pedophiles who make up a 'deep state', pulling the strings of governments around the world.

Isolated during lockdown, Melissa first came across the group's content while browsing 'spirituality, wellness, health and yoga groups' on social media - but quickly fell down a dangerous rabbit hole.

Appearing on Finding Q, a podcast investigating the shadowy figure behind the movement by British journalist Nicky Woolf, she said that she was left suicidal after joining the group and the strain of the experience took '20 years off her life'.

'I know it's really easy to look at this on the face and say "These people are idiots", but I'm telling you this is some of the most well produced, well written things that were very plausible, and I realise there is a huge industry for conspiracy theories.'

Melissa Rein Lively, 35, from Arizona (pictured) claims she was 'groomed' by QAnon after stumbling across the online conspiracy theory group on yoga and wellness pages

'I absolutely call it a cult in every single way,' she said. 'It destroyed me completely, collapsed my world view and landed me in a psychiatric evaluation facility.

'For me, being a successful person in my life, I never thought I would be in a situation like that and it was rock bottom.'

Melissa had first heard about Covid-19 in January when her brother called her from China, panicking, and warning her that a new virus was spreading quickly around the country.

A self-confessed germophobe, Melissa was terrified and took her brother's advice to bulk buy masks and gloves - an attitude she says was later 'totally reversed' after joining the conspiracy group.

Isolated during lockdown, Melissa first came across the group's content while browsing 'spirituality, wellness, health and yoga groups' on social media

During lockdown Melissa admits she was 'lonely' at home and was spending a lot of time online, soon stumbling on seemingly innocuous posts from the conspiracy movement on pages related to her interests.

'When they call it a rabbit hole, it starts up at the top, near the surface with very innocuous information and as you click and click and click the algorithm does it's thing,' she said.

'Over time it becomes more and more extreme and the confirmation bias you're experiencing changes the way you think and grooms you to believe a separate set of beliefs that you had before.

'If I had seen right off the bat, Hilary [Clinton] is a baby-eating pedophile, I would have been like "Okay no".'

She says that one way users become indoctrinated by the group is by linking certain conspiracy theories - telling browsers that if they believe one, they should naturally believe the other.

'It's incredible and mind-blowing how effectively QAnon has managed to create an umbrella about every conspiracy theory imaginable,' she said. 'That's how the thinking is really transformed and groomed.

'If I looked at like a venn diagram, there's an area in the middle where all of those interests and beliefs meet. One way people were appealed to by QAnon, what I realised to be the entry point for QAnon, was "vaccines are dangerous".'

As her feed was being drip fed content from the group, Melissa became less in touch with reality and began to believe the content she was consuming entirely,

'You stop looking at things from a critical, "is this true, is this true?" especially in times of a crisis. You start looking at everything from the perspective of "What else are they lying about?".'

Internet users who are browsing QAnon content are often shown posts asking them whether they want to 'take the red pill' - a reference to the 1999 film The Matrix, taking the red pill means being willing to learn a potentially unsettling or life-changing truth.

'We don't want to do this anymore': The expletive-filled breakdown which led to Melissa being hospitalised The video was uploaded on the Instagram account of Melissa Rein Lively, who ran a public relations company in Scottsdale, Arizona and was reposted on Twitter on June 4th, 2020. 'Finally we meet the end of the road. Ive been looking forward to this s*** all my f***ing life,' she said as she films a rack selling various face masks inside a Target store. She then proceeds to aggressively rip the masks from the shelves and fling them onto the floor. 'This s***'s over, this s***'s over, this s****'s over. Woo! I dont need this s***. We dont want any of this anymore, this s***'s over, shes heard saying as she spreads the masks across the ground. Two Target employees then approach her as she makes her mess and say,' Maam can you please stop'. 'Why? You let everyone else do it. Why? I cant do it cause Im a blonde, white woman? Wearing a f***ing $40,000 Rolex? I dont have the right to f*** s*** up?' she fumes. A second video, filmed on Instagram Live on the profile of The Brand Consortium, the marketing brand Lively is the CEO of, shows police arrest her at her home following the Target incident. In the clip Lively claims shes a spokesperson for QAnon and the White House. 'I was hired to be the QAnon spokesperson,' she said in the clip adding police can 'call Donald Trump and ask him' claiming she cant share any 'classified information'. Advertisement

'I don't remember the exact moment I took the red pill,' she said. 'I remember seeing those graphics, which were basically screengrabs from that movie, and I remember thinking "Of course I'm going to take the red pill because I want to know the truth".'

After taking the 'red pill', Melissa became totally consumed by the group's core believes, including that 'a shadow government that is pulling all of the strings behind the scenes'.

'I believed that there was a mechanism by that shadow government to perform a genocide on the global population by implementing a health crisis, a man made bio-weapon like Covid-19.

'I believed there was a massive pedophilia ring that politicians and business elite participated in with human trafficking and sacrifice of children for personal Satanic use.'

Her view of Covid also changed, with the PR executive confessing she was sucked in by the 'completely alternative view' of the pandemic, claiming the crisis was a hoax created for political reasons.

As Melissa's relationship with her husband worsened, so did her health, and by July 4th she was living at a hotel, was experiencing panic attacks and was spending as many as 20 hours a day online.

'I was just alone in a hotel room by myself,' she said. 'Without my family, without my dogs, without my husband, I just felt so much rage and anger towards everything that had happened, everything in my life piled up on that day, watching my life in shambles.'

On that day, Melissa uploaded an Instagram video of herself throwing masks on the floor and yelling at two Scottsdale Target employees, while boasting about her $40,000 Rolex.

In a second video, Lively filmed police arriving at her home after her husband alerted the authorities as she told the officers she was a spokesperson for the White House and QAnon and had been on the phone to Donald Trump 'all the time.'

When asked about her memory of the incident, she said: 'It was a complete blackout. The things I was doing and saying, it was so far out of my character.

'It was absolutely rock bottom and I needed help, there was no way I was going to come out of that situation on my own.'

She says 'breaking point' came when her husband sat her down and gave her an ultimatum - forcing her to choose between the conspiracy group and her family.

'At that point I felt I had stepped into my own mission and if the world was ending and they were coming to take us all to concentration camps then I was going to fight tooth and nail to save people and especially save children, she said.

'So I looked at my husband and said "No". I will absolutely choose my mission because I know what I need to do, judgment day is any day now.'

After her husband staged an intervention, Melissa was admitted to hospital where she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and spent weeks in therapy.

Now, eight months on from the incident, Lively (above) has spoken out to reveal how her actions were the result of being 'pretty effectively radicalized' by QAnon which ultimately left her 'robbed of my life'

Melissa says that she 'absolutely' wants to know who the person or group behind the cryptic messages from a character called 'Q', which first appeared on anonymous user site 4chan in October 2017.

'I believed the whole story, that it was somebody with Q level clearance close to the president in the government with access to declassified information, she said.

She added: 'I am certain this has probably taken 20 years of my life. The level of stress, the level of utter humiliation, obviously the enormous financial cost, the mental and physical toll this had on me personally, at one point in this experience I considered suicide. '
As rumors continue to swirl that Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian are dating, many people are wondering - how does the SNL star score so many Hollywood ladies?

Now, a dating expert has revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com what really makes the gangly comedian so attractive to so many different women.

Pete, 27, has dated an array of famous faces over the years, including Cazzie David, Ariana Grande, Kaia Gerber, Margaret Qualley, Kate Beckinsale, Phoebe Dynevor, and now, Kim.

Speculation that he and the Keeping up with the Kardashians star were an item first arose after they were seen holding hands on a ride at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, last week. And since then, they've been photographed on a series of dinner dates around New York City.

So what is it that makes all these attractive women fall for him? From his ability to make people laugh to the way he wears his heart on his sleeve, Amber Kelleher-Andrews - dating and relationship expert, celebrity matchmaker, and CEO of Kelleher International - said the star has a lot going for him.

As rumors continue to swirl that Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian are dating, a relationship expert revealed to MailOnline what really makes the SNL star so attractive to women

Pete, 27, has dated an array of famous faces over the years, including Cazzie David, Ariana Grande, Kaia Gerber, Margaret Qualley, Kate Beckinsale, Phoebe Dynevor, and now, Kim

HIS 'INTELLIGENT' AND 'DESIRABLE' SENSE OF HUMOR

It's no secret that Pete can write some hilarious jokes, which he showcases every Saturday night on the show. And Amber believes that his sense of humor is most likely an instant draw for women - especially since 'laughter is the best medicine.'

'This is not a cliche. If you follow the science, research has proven that our attitude and state of mind is directly related to our overall health and wellness,' she explained.

'The International Journal of Medical Sciences, for example, discovered when researching 730 participants between the ages of 18 and 39, that one can physically laugh yourself into a healthier person.

'Similar studies have shown that laughter can improve a persons lifespan by a whopping 20 per cent.

'It is linked to higher intelligence, boosts perceptions of confidence, competence, and status.

'Its no wonder the leading ladies are drawn to Pete Davidson! Said simply, Pete makes the ladies laugh and this lowers their levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline while concurrently raising their endorphins and dopamine.

'Its quite remarkable when you break down the physiology of laughter. Petes humor brings joy and happiness to his partners and when they feel great and less stressed, they desire more of him.'

Amber Kelleher-Andrews told us that his ability to make people laugh and his vulnerability are some of the reasons she thinks he's able to score so many Hollywood ladies

'Pete wears his heart on his sleeve. He has been very open and candid about his difficult past and because of this transparency women are drawn to his innocence,' she said

HIS VULNERABILITY AND PUPPY-DOG EYES

But making people laugh on screen isn't the only thing Pete has going for him. It appears that the writer is just as likeable in real life as he is when cameras are rolling.

Over the years, he's been pretty open about his mental health issues - in 2017, he revealed that he had borderline personality disorder - and Amber said that she thinks the way he wears his heart on his sleeve attracts more people to him.

'We all know Pete Davidson as a comedian and his sense of humor definitely plays a major role in his eligibility. That said, not all comedians attract the leading ladies quite like Pete,' she said.

'Reason being many famous comedians just arent fun to be around. They can be arrogant, sarcastic, intimidating, and guarded.

'Pete, on the other hand, wears his heart on his sleeve. He has been very open and candid about his difficult past and because of this transparency women are drawn to his innocence.'

She continued, 'They want to help him or fix him. It is his cute puppy dog demeanor that gives him a genuine persona making him more relatable.

'Pete is what I like to call comfortably charming. What you see is what you get, and this approachability (especially for type A personalities such as leading ladies) is refreshing.'

When it comes to his physical looks, she said he has 'several attractive qualities,' including his big round eyes, great teeth, genuine smile, and the twinkle in his eye

Pete - who is 6'3" - also has his height going for him. Amber said, 'Studies show that attraction to taller partners is in our DNA'

Pete's celebrity pals: Amber explained that the SNL star's impressive circle of A-list friends, which he has made through the popular nighttime show, has appeal for many women

Joker: As well as boasting friendships with his fellow SNL stars, Pete (pictured with Drake) has also met dozens of A-list celebrities who have made guest appearances on the show

HIS IMPRESSIVE CIRCLE OF CELEBRITY FRIENDS

Pete has been working on Saturday Night Live since 2014, and over the years, he's certainly made a lot of celebrity friends. And according to Amber, that's a total turn on for Hollywood women.

'Hollywood and SNL are synonymous with one another, from comedic icons such as Mike Myers, Steve Martin, and Eddie Murphy to box-office mega stars like Will Ferris, Chris Rock, and Adam Sandler,' she explained.

'SNL comedians in particular, are brands of themselves and therefore deemed as Hollywoods golden boys.

'Pete Davidson has been an official cast member of SNL for many years and like they say, It's the company you keep. His association with these legendary comedians is a huge chick magnet.

'As a professional matchmaker that works with eligible singles, I know firsthand that single men who have reached mega success in their careers tend to be more attractive than those who have not.

'Hollywood stardom is even more rare, and Pete Davidson has achieved both.'

The relationship guru explained that it's totally in for Hollywood women to date 'less attractive, lanky, tattooed men' at the moment

While working at SNL, Pete certainly made a lot of celebrity friends. And according to the dating expert, that's also a total turn on for Hollywood women

HIS POWEFUL STATURE

When it comes to his looks, Pete has 'several attractive qualities,' Amber said. First and foremost, he's pretty tall - the star is actually 6'3", which is bigger than the average man.

She explained, 'Typically, taller men are considered more attractive than their shorter counterparts.

'Again, we simply follow the science. Studies show that attraction to taller partners is in our DNA.

'For example, according to the BBC, taller men are more likely to be chosen for competitive jobs leading to them earning more money.

'We naturally correlate financial success with greatness and dominance. When it comes to the birds and the bees, taller men have the advantage.

'Pete not only makes his leading ladies laugh but he also stands at 63 thus naturally displaying this alpha male characteristic.

'His stature is directly tied to power, strength, and protection. In a nutshell, Petes dominance makes the leading ladies feel safe.'

The relationship guru also explained that it's totally in for Hollywood women to date 'less attractive' men at the moment.

'Pete also has Hollywood's current trend going for him, which seems to be beautiful leading ladies pairing up with less attractive, lanky, tattooed men,' she said.

'Just look at Machine Gun Kelly with Megan Fox, Travis Barker with Kourtney Kardashian and now Pete Davidson with Kim Kardashian.'

She also pointed out that he has 'big round eyes, great teeth, genuine smile, and a twinkle in his eye.'

She called the comedian 'comfortably charming' and said his 'approachability is refreshing'

THOSE 'BDE' RUMORS

For years, fans have claimed that Pete has what they call 'big d**k energy.' And Ariana practically confirmed these rumors when she dropped her Thank U, Next music video.

In the visual, she reenacted scenes from the classic movie Mean Girls. She made a 'burn book' just like in the film, and in it, she had a page about each one of her exes.

On Pete's page, people were quick to notice that she wrote the word 'huge' in big, bold letters - possibly referring to his penis size.

Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel tweeted in 2019 that she thought Pete 'shoots diamonds out of his penis,' after news hit the web that he was dating Kate.

And when speculation around his relationship with Kim started to arise earlier this month, she doubled down on those claims.

'Years later, I still maintain that Pete Davidson shoots diamonds out of his penis,' the reality star wrote on Twitter. 'He needs a deal with @ZalesJewelers (and yes he is talented, charming, smart, and cute) but his game is tight.'

As for what Amber thinks about the size of his penis, she said, 'I like to keep it simple: Pete may be known for his d**k, but he isn't a d**k.'
Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, MailOnline may earn an affiliate commission.

Some of the best aspects of Christmas are sparkle, shimmer and beauty advent calendars - and now it's possible to combine all of these elements into one neat and eco-friendly package.

Ciate London has launched an advent calendar with a different shade of nail polish for every day of the festive season, and it's excellent value for those of us who like to match our mani to our mini dress on nights out.

Containing 23 gorgeous colors, from pearlescent silver Supernova to sultry, shimmery purple After Dark, the Mini Mani Month calendar is expected to be snapped up fast by beauty fans as it contains more than 150 worth of products for just 59.

Ciate London has launched an advent calendar with a different shade of nail polish for every day of the festive season

What's more, the exterior features a stunning illustration of Ciate's hometown of London by artist Ruby Taylor, which is sure to take pride of place in any Shelfie and create a talking point for guests entering your home.

And if you are trying to make more sustainable choices this Christmas, you'll be pleased to know that the design of the Ciate London advent calendar itself, the packaging and the ingredients in the polish are all eco-friendly.

Formulated with up to 80 per cent naturally derived ingredients and using only biodegradable glitters, the long-lasting Plant Pot polishes are infused with strengthening biotin, repairing bamboo and rejuvenating bakuchiol extracts, for ultra-glossy results

The bottles are made from ten per cent glass and can be fully recycled when you've scraped the last of the polish out of the bottle. Plus, the exterior packaging of the Mini Mani Month calendar, inner sleeve and instruction leaflet can also be recycled.

Containing of 23 gorgeous colors, the Mini Mani Month calendar is expected to be snapped up fast by beauty fans as it contains more than 150 worth of products for just 59

The bottles are made from ten per cent glass and can be fully recycled when you've scraped the last of the polish out of the bottle

Ciate London has had some huge innovations in beauty recently, launching a collaboration with Selling Sunset diva Christine Quinn.

This contained the world's first heat-sensitive, color-changing lip cream, as well as bold eye palettes to empower make up fans to be more confident and go out and chase their dreams.

The concept of a nail polish advent calendar is not new, as Ciate London has sold out of calendars every year since they first launched one in 2012, but they've never been so green before.

Kind to the environment as well as gentle and hydrating on your nails, you may even find that using a different Ciate London polish each day of December leaves your nails in a better state than they were in November.

One of the Mini Mani Month advent calendar doors contains the brand's bestselling Watermelon Burst Hydrating Primer for even more long-lasting at home nail treatment care.

You won't need to visit a nail salon for months, making the 59 investment even better value for money.
An Australian 'hack queen' has created a DIY scent that makes her house 'smell like Christmas' - and you can make your own with four simple ingredients.

Mum-of-two Carolina McCauley took to TikTok to show her 1.5 million followers how they can bring the festive spirit to life by filling a pot with water and adding cranberries, cinnamon sticks, sliced orange and a few sprigs of rosemary.

The blogger from Perth, WA, leaves the mixture to simmer on the stove over a low heat, sending a burst of fragrance wafting through the kitchen.

Her simple recipe, which has been viewed more than 41,600 times since it was uploaded online on Thursday, sparked a wave of excitement among Christmas enthusiasts.

Scroll down for video

Australian 'hack queen' Carolina McCauley (pictured) has created a DIY scent that makes her house 'smell like Christmas' - and you can make your own with four simple ingredients

'How sweet is this!' one woman wrote, while a second added: 'Beautiful. Definitely trying this.'

A third said she swaps rosemary for cloves because they smell 'divine'.

It's not the first time Carolina's easy tips have won praise on social media.

Earlier this year, her simple guide to laundry went viral after she shared a video showing fans how she adds essential oil to wool dryer balls to leave clothes fresher for longer.

The Perth blogger brings festive cheer into her home by filling a pot with water and adding cranberries, cinnamon sticks, sliced orange and a few sprigs of rosemary

After each cycle, Carolina leaves the washing machine door and detergent tray open to allow moisture to escape, which prevents a build-up of grime and mould.

To remove tough stains, Carolina said you need to 'catch them as quick as possible' by soaking the marks in stain remover and a paper towel before throwing the garment in the wash.

Instead of leaving clean laundry lying around in a basket, she folds clothes 'right away to prevent wrinkling'.

A mum-of-two has offered her simple guide for getting the perfect laundry - including the products she uses to leave clothes smelling beautifully fresh

Carolina's method has been viewed more than 20,000 times, with many saying they are excited to try her tips.

'Oh this looks so good I'll have to try,' one wrote, while another added: 'Essential oils is such a good idea.'

However, some warned that essential oil can seep into clothing and cause stains.

'Important let the essential oil seep into the wool before throwing it in. Ideally a couple hours or you will stain all those clothes. Not good,' one person wrote.
A man who started selling supplements out of his spare bedroom nine years ago has raked in almost $500,000 in the space of a month thanks to a 'magical and mystical' Netflix documentary.

Justin Snyder is the founder of Forest Super Foods, a small Melbourne-based organic health food brand that specialises in rare mushrooms grown in Australia.

It's a niche product popular among herbalists and naturopaths, but ever since Fantastic Fungi aired on Netflix on August 1, business has boomed - and then some.

Mr Snyder saw sales surge by a staggering 660 per cent year-on-year, racking up global sales of $482,000 all thanks to interest in the Brie Larson-narrated film which details the healing powers of medicinal mushrooms.

Justin Snyder (right) is the founder of Forest Super Foods, a small Melbourne-based organic health food brand that specialises in rare mushrooms grown in Australia (left)

The founder and his two part-time employees have been working 'around the clock' to fulfil orders which continue to come hard and fast from across the world.

'It's crazy that we were able to [do it] considering I'm the only full-time worker supported by two part time staff - we literally had to work night and day for the whole month,' Mr Snyder told Daily Mail Australia.

His story is all the more impressive given '100 per cent of sales' were made through the company's website with virtually no advertising.

The brand's bread and butter are Lion's Mane, Reishi and Turkey Tail mushrooms, all grown Down Under and freeze-dried rather than sprayed, which preserves their nutritional value and makes them superior to processed alternatives grown in China.

Mr Snyder is still digesting his extraordinary success.

'I couldn't be prouder of our small team, and a big thank you to the people at Netflix for shining an important light on the power of these rare mushrooms,' he said.

The brand's bread and butter are Lion's Mane, Reishi (pictured) and Turkey Tail mushrooms, all grown Down Under and freeze-dried rather than sprayed, which preserves nutritional value

But the 'Netflix effect' is not the only reason behind the company's recent fortunes.

The pandemic-led trend towards health and holistic living saw Forest Super Foods sales rise from under $70k for the January to March 2020 quarter, to more than $300,000 by the October to December 2020 quarter.

Takings had already escalated to $524,000 by this year's April to June quarter before the brand enjoyed its bumper month in August.

Forest Super Foods enjoys a 4.9 out of 5 star customer rating, with many calling the mushrooms a 'life-changing miracle' that has transformed their skin, sleep, and mental outlook.

Customers have called the mushrooms (pictured) a 'life-changing miracle' that has transformed their skin, sleep, and mental outlook

It's a source of immense pride for Mr Snyder, who has persevered for almost a decade and never gave up on his dream.

'I started my business back in 2012 from my spare bedroom in Melbourne. Back then there were only one or two sellers of Super Foods in Australia, but I just knew it was going to be a huge industry,' he recalled.

'I stuck at it knowing that one day people will appreciate the amazing health benefits contained in these natural foods. After all, who doesn't want to improve their health using just natural foods?'
The Duchess of Sussex has been asked to attend a bipartisan dinner with all 21 female US women senators, amid calls to strip her of her royal title for meddling in US politics.

Meghan Markle, 40, who is currently living in her $14 million California mansion having stepped back from royal duty last year, has been ramping up her political activism in recent weeks.

The Duchess on October 20 wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer advocating for paid family leave - a letter that was handed out to several media outlets.

On Wednesday Politico reported that she had - following a conversation with Kirsten Gillibrand, senator for New York - taken her lobbying a step further and picked up the phone to speak with Republican Sens. Susan Collins from Maine and Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia.

Gillibrand has now told The 19th she plans to invite Meghan to a bipartisan dinner she is hosting in the coming month with all the women senators to give her a platform to discuss paid leave.

That has been met with condemnation from US Representative Jason Smith, who says Meghan should be stripped of her title to stop her using it to gain political leverage.

The Duchess of Sussex has been asked to attend a bipartisan dinner at which all women senators are invited, it has been revealed

Gillibrand said of the invite: 'I could hear how sincere she was about advocacy.'

Meanwhile she revealed Senator Deb Fisher, a Republican from Nebraska, told her she is 'delighted and looking forward to that conversation.'

But Rep Smith took a far dimmer view of Meghan's activism, telling DailyMail.com: 'Ms. Markle's latest interference in U.S. politics reignites the question in my mind as to why the Royal Family does not simply strip her and Harry officially of their titles, particularly since she insists on sending this under the pretense of being the Duchess of Sussex.'

He spoke days after it emerged Meghan had called two Republican senators on their private numbers and used her royal title to urge them to vote in favor of paid parental leave - shocking the politicians with her latest foray into political activism.

The move is just the beginning for the Los Angeles-born mother of two, as she is now hoping to be part of 'a working group to work on paid leave long term,' according to Senator Gillibrand.

Smith previously shared his ire at Meghan's behavior with TMZ, telling the outlet: 'If she wants to be a royal, she needs to be a royal - she can't have it both ways.

'I think it's great for a U.S. citizen or for a former movie star of Suits to be lobbying U.S. senators.

'But when you lobby U.S. senators, as Meghan Markle has done, as: 'I'm Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex' - she's lobbying Congress and interfering from a position of using her royal title.'

Gillibrand has now told The 19th she plans to invite Meghan to a bipartisan dinner she is hosting in the coming month with all the women senators to give her a platform to discuss paid leave

He continued: 'While her attempts at appealing to working class families by recalling her days of eating at Sizzler were laughable, her comments make crystal clear that the passage of this massive tax-and-spend bill is aimed more at helping global elites get huge tax breaks than helping the working families she claims to have dined with.'

'Meghan Markle is incredibly out of touch with the American people and should stick to acting instead of trying to play politics,' Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told DailyMail.com as she joined in the criticism.

'The last thing we need right now is wealthy celebrities pushing their liberal agendas on the American people.'

The lawmakers spoke after it was revealed Meghan called Sens. Collins from Maine and Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia, both of whom said they were shocked that Markle called out of the blue and noted that she even used her royal title to lobby for the cause.

Collins said: 'I was happy to talk with her, but I'm more interested in what people from Maine are telling me about paid leave.'

Gillibrand, one of the most vocal campaigners in the senate for paid parental leave, handed the Duchess the phone numbers for Susan Collins, senator for Maine, and Shelley Moore Capito, senator for West Virginia.

Moore Capito said she expected the call to be Joe Manchin, the other senator for West Virginia. Manchin, a moderate Democrat, has been calling the shots for Joe Biden's infrastructure bill, wringing concessions from progressives and cajoling moderate Republicans like Moore Capito to agree.

She told Politico: 'I'm in my car. I'm driving. It says caller ID blocked. Honestly, I thought it was Senator Manchin, his calls come in blocked.

'And she goes "Sen. Capito?" I said, "Yes." She said, "This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex."'

Kamala Harris hosted a dinner for the senators earlier this year, with the group sharing images after the intimate meal

Moore Capito added: 'I couldn't figure out how she got my number.'

Collins said she too was called by the 40-year-old.

She expressed amusement that the Los Angeles-born Markle was using her British title to lobby U.S. senators, after having quit the royal family in 2020.

'Much to my surprise, she called me on my private line and introduced herself as the Duchess of Sussex, which is kind of ironic' said Collins.

She told Politico: 'I was happy to talk with her, but I'm more interested in what people from Maine are telling me about paid leave.'

Collins later told The New York Times: 'She just weighed in that she thought paid leave was really important, and I told her there were a lot of different approaches, and people were working on it.'

Biden had initially hoped to push through plans for a 12-week paid family and medical leave program, costing $500 billion over 10 years.

The benefit declined from 12 to four weeks, as the legislation shrank to less than $2 trillion from $3.5 trillion to win agreement from Manchin and fellow moderate Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

Gillibrand said on Wednesday that she gave senators' numbers to Markle, and said it was just the start.

Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican senator for West Virginia, told Politico on Wednesday that she was shocked to receive a call from Markle

Susan Collins, Republican senator for Maine, was also called by Markle. She said: 'I told her there were a lot of different approaches, and people were working on it'

'I talked to each of the women senators and let them know that she's going to reach out, because she only completed two of the calls,' Gillibrand said.

'She's going to call some others, so I let them know in advance.'

Gillibrand added: 'She wants to be part of a working group to work on paid leave long term and she's going to be.

'Whether this comes to fruition now or later, she'll be part of a group of women that hopefully will work on paid leave together.'

Gillibrand, a Democrat senator for New York, has said she handed out Collins and Moore Capito's phone numbers to Markle to call. Gillibrand is one of the most vocal champions of paid parental leave

Markle's latest intervention heightens speculation that she sees herself in a political position in the future, like her heroines Angelina Jolie and Amal Clooney.

Some have even speculated that she could be considering a run for political office - even the presidency, according to wild online hype.

In her October 20 letter, Markle wrote: 'I'm not an elected official, and I'm not a politician.

'I'm writing to you at this deeply important time - as a mom - to advocate for paid leave.'

The extraordinary 1,030-word letter asked Pelosi and Schumer to consider her plea 'on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry'.

Markle, pictured above with Prince Harry and her first born Archie, made a rare political statement on Wednesday

The duchess depicted humble beginnings, saying that her family struggled when she was young - despite her well-documented middle class upbringing in which she attended private primary and secondary schools on her Emmy award-winning lighting director father's $200,000-a-year salary.

And she now lives in a $14million sprawling mansion in Montecito, California, complete with designer touches. She has also signed a series of lucrative deals with Spotify and Netflix thought to be worth well over $150million.

'I grew up on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler,' Markle wrote.

'I knew how hard my parents worked to afford this because even at five bucks, eating out was something special, and I felt lucky. I started working (at the local frozen yogurt shop) at the age of 13.

'I waited tables, babysat, and piecemealed jobs together to cover odds and ends,' Markle said.

However, she failed to mention the $750,000 California state lottery win her father scooped in 1990, which funded her secondary education at $9,412-a-semester Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.

Meghan also studied a private primary school - Hollywood's Little Red Schoolhouse nursery, which she attended from the age of two.

The primary school now costs between $20,000 and $28,300-a-year, and was paid for by her father Thomas and her airline steward mother Doria's salaries.

She went on to study at Northwestern, a college in Illinois, that would have cost $24,000-$28,000-a-year for tuition when Meghan studied there from 1999-2003.

But the duchess described working from the age of 13 doing several jobs 'to cover odds and ends' and said saving money was a 'luxury' in her family in her letter.

'I worked all my life and saved when and where I could - but even that was a luxury - because usually it was about making ends meet and having enough to pay my rent and put gas in my car.

'I expect many of your constituents have their own version of that story,' she continued.

Meghan lived in different humble abodes growing up, but received a private education from kindergarten until high school. She attended Immaculate Heart High School (pictured) on Franklin Ave in Los Angeles from the age of 11 up to 18

She attended a prestigious private nursery and kindergarten school called Little Red Schoolhouse, pictured, which cost $18,800 a year for kindergarten

Meghan said in the letter she recognized she had not struggled in the same way many new parents who are not offered paid leave do.

'In June, my husband and I welcomed our second child,' she said.

'Like any parents, we were overjoyed. Like many parents, we were overwhelmed. Like fewer parents, we weren't confronted with the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work.'

Meghan and Harry were able to take four months family leave after the birth of their daughter Lilibet in June this year, retreating to their Montecito home for several months before returning to work in September.

The duchess was also able to take time off after having Archie in 2019, staying at home for four months before returning to work.

The couple also reportedly used nannies to look after their children in the UK, and hired and fired several after Archie was born in 2019.

The duchess went on to detail her humble beginnings. 'I grew up on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler,' she said

Meghan went on to attack the American economic system.

'Many of our economic systems are past their expiration date, and as you well know, too many Americans are forced to shortchange themselves when it comes to what matters to them.'

A spokesman for Meghan said she 'cares deeply about advocating for families in the US and around the world' and had partnered with three campaign organizations on the issue.

She followed up the letter with an October 30 donation to Paid Leave US, an activist group.

Neil Sroka, the director of communications for the group, took to Twitter to write: 'The Duchess of Sussex (aka #MeghanMarkle) bought everyone at @PaidLeaveUS a few cups of coffee while we're working overtime to #SavePaidLeave.

Markle, pictured at her home in California, was hailed 'classy' after buying coffee for employees working overtime to campaign for paid family and medical leave in the US after writing to politicians pleading for it to be made a 'national right'

The Duchess of Sussex gifted workers at PL+US, a group running a national campaign to win paid family and medical leave by 2022, a $25 Starbucks voucher through her non-profit Archewell

'Unbelievably classy... and necessary. Truly honored to know she has our backs in the fight to win'.

The gesture had a mixed reaction online, with some saying small kindnesses can make a 'huge difference', while others called the donation 'pitiful' and suggested the act could be a publicity stunt.

Meanwhile as the November 2020 election neared, they urged people to vote - Harry shocking some by admitting he had never voted before.

A slice of happy family life: Sitting next to grandmother Jeanette, 12-year-old Meghan tucks into a cake at her cousin Donovan's birthday party in 1993

Meghan on her 11th birthday with her mother Doria in 1992, seen in pictures kept by her uncle Joseph Johnson

Markle, who before meeting Harry was a UN advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women, was more open about her views.

'Every four years, we're told the same thing: 'This is the most important election of our lifetime.' But this one is,' she told Time magazine ahead of the election.

'When we vote, our values are put into action, and our voices are heard.'

She hosted feminist icon Gloria Steinem at her Montecito home for a conversation filmed for Makers - a media company that describes itself as 'accelerating the women's movement through stories of real-life experiences.'

Markle and Steinem discussed the importance of voting, and urged a more open discussion on issues of race and power.

In recent months Markle has waded back into politics - visiting New York in September and attending meetings at the U.N. before addressing Global Citizen Live, a festival of activism in Central Park.

Markle (left) joined Gloria Steinem for a 'backyard chat' ahead of the election

She is set to appear on November 9 at an online conference organized by the New York Times to discuss 'women reaching economic and professional parity.'

The mother-of-two will appear in a half-hour session called 'Minding the Gap' alongside Mellody Hobson, Co-C.E.O. and President, Ariel Investments, and the chairwoman of Starbucks Corporation.

The session is promoted as 'two groundbreaking figures' who will share their views.

'How can women reach economic and professional parity? Two groundbreaking figures join us to discuss top-down solutions, and reflect on how their shared experiences influenced their thinking about creating opportunities for others,' the blurb states.'
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have done Prince William a favour by 'jumping ship' and leaving the royal family, according to royal author Andrew Morton.

The Duke, 37, and Duchess, 40, of Sussex announced their decision to quit as working members of the Royal Family in January 2020. They moved into their 11 million mansion in the Californian enclave of Montecito in July that year.

Now Morton - best known for penning Princess Diana's authorised biography - has also authored the recent book 'Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy: A Hollywood Princess'.

The writer, who recently updated the tome with more details about the former royal couple, spoke about about the pair's move to America - telling salon.com the couple would have been pushed out in the future anyway.

Prince Harry and Meghan, pictured on stage at Global Citizen Live in New York in September, have 'done William a favour' by stepping back as senior royals, says Andrew Morton

According to Andrew Morton, Prince William 'saw [himself] as being the [leader] of a slimmed down monarchy'

Describing their decision to step back from royal duties as 'jumping ship', Morton says the couple did Prince William and Prince Charles a favour, with the two future kings both having plans to slim down the monarchy.

Charles has spoken about his wishes to reduce the royal family to a few key members on numerous occasions.

Referencing these plans, Morton described the 'irony' of the situation, suggesting that at some point the pair would have been 'asked to walk the gangplank' if they hadn't already made the choice to leave themselves.

He added that while under these plans, Harry and Meghan would have been able to play a minor role, as the Cambridge's children - Louis, and Charlotte, and George - grew older, the Sussexes would have been pushed further down the pecking order.

According to Andrew Morton, Prince Harry 'was in conversations with Oprah Winfrey, secret conversations with her, way back in December 2018'

'It's rather like Prince Andrew, who was at one point second in line for the throne. Now he's way down the order. Meghan and Harry have got a generation to really make an impact. Then afterwards, it'll be, "Oh, Meghan who?",' he said.

The author also spoke about the couple's move to California, and the way they have tried to portray it publicly.

He believes that Harry and Meghan like to foster the narrative that they came to Los Angeles without any kind of specific plans in place.

However, Morton feels there is evidence to suggest that the Sussexes had been planning a move to Hollywood for some time.

Prince Charles has been open about his plans for a 'slimmed down' monarchy - which would see fewer working royals - and see Harry and Meghan's role become more supportive

In line with Morton's thoughts are reports that Harry secretly met with Oprah as far back as 2018 to discuss making his series about mental health.

Additionally, it is widely understood that Harry and Meghan met with now-defunct streaming service Quibi to discuss potential projects in January 2019 - a year before they officially stepped down from royal duties.

Morton also shared his prediction for what will happen to the Sussexes children, with their second child baby Lilibet especially potentially poised to make an impact, as she was born in the US.

He predicted that if Lilibet is christened in the States, then Americans will 'embrace' her as an 'American princess'.
Indigenous model Quannah Chasinghorse has covered Vogue Mexico and walked runways for Gucci and Rihanna  but, she said, she didn't feel like she 'belonged' at the Met Gala when she attended this year, describing it as 'elitist' and a 'weird place to be in.'

The 19-year-old, whose heritage is Han Gwich'in and Oglala Lakota, joined Megan Fox, Ciara, and Mary J. Blige as a guest of designer Peter Dundas at the September 14 fashion event, but told Insider this week that the whole affair didn't quite align with her moral values.

'I just don't think I belong in spaces like that because I'm not an elitist,' she said. 'My way of walking in this world, in the industry, is so different compared to everyone else because I feel like I'm constantly having to break barriers.

'No one knew me, no one cared to ask,' she added. 'People are there for themselves and it shows.'

Out of place? Indigenous model Quannah Chasinghorse says she didn't feel like she 'belonged' at the Met Gala when she attended this year, describing it as 'elitist' and a 'weird place to be in'

Her take: She also bristled at the theme, 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,' and said she was celebrating 'my indigenous bloodlines coursing through my veins'

Quannah certainly has broken a lot of barriers, and was the first Native American to cover an issue of Vogue when she fronted Vogue Mexico earlier this year.

She has also covered V Magazine, posed for Calvin Klein and Chanel campaigns, and walked the runway for Prabal Gurung, Gabriela Hearst, Jonathan Simkhai, Rihanna's Savage x Fenty, and most recently, Gucci.

But attending the Met Gala was different for Quannah, who indicated she felt out of place.

'It was just such a weird space to be in. I remember standing there and looking at everyone and feeling so alone. Like, really, really lonely,' she said, noting that there weren't many other indigenous people there.

Quannah appears to have taken some time to come to terms with those feelings, because the teen model had shared her excitement over attending that night.

'Words cant describe my gratitude to those who made it possible for me to attend my first Met Gala,' she wrote on Instagram.

'No one knew me, no one cared to ask,' she added. 'People are there for themselves and it shows'

Meaningful: With her designer dress, she wore Navaho silver and turquoise jewelry she borrowed from her aunt in Arizona. She said her jewelry and traditional tattoos means her 'ancestors were with me in that moment' and made her feel 'powerful'

'MAHSICHOO (thank you very much) Anna Wintour @voguemagazine and @peter_dundas for inviting me and making me feeling like I belong. Truly an honor and I will forever be thankful for this opportunity.'

However, she did say at the time that she took issue with the gala's theme, 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,' writing: 'I did not celebrate American independence (nor will I ever), I celebrated my indigenous bloodlines coursing through my veins as I hold so close and sacred to my heart because over and over again my people fought genocide and WE ARE STILL HERE!'

Speaking to Insider, she reiterated: 'No way am I celebrating America. If I were to celebrate anything it would be my indigenous roots, my indigeneity, who I am. Because of what America did to my people, I am proud to be here today.'

'My ancestors had to go through so much genocide after genocide after genocide,' she added.

To that end, Quannah paired her dress  a Dundas x Revolve number custom-made for her  with Navaho silver and turquoise jewelry she borrowed from her aunt in Arizona, the former Miss Navajo Nation Jocelyn Billy-Upshaw.

'All that turquoise and silver, and my tattoos, brought me back,' she said. 'All my ancestors were with me in that moment, they walked the red carpet with me, That made me feel more powerful.'

On Instagram, she said it was 'extremely special that I was able to showcase beautiful TRUE (native) American "culture" and described the particular significance of her jewelry.

Breaking barriers: Quannah covered Vogue Mexico earlier this year, making her the first Native American to cover an issue of Vogue

Model moment: She has also walked the runway for Prabal Gurung, Gabriela Hearst, Jonathan Simkhai, and most recently, Gucci (pictured)

In demand: Quannah is pictured at Rihanna's Savage x Fenty show

Changes: She has appeared in campaigns for Chanel and Calvin Klein. She noted that she always wanted to be a model, but never saw Indigenous representation in fashion or beauty. Now, fortunately, she is seeing a shift -which she is part of

'The turquoise represents protection, guidance and love,' she said. 'All of which I felt walking the red carpet with the spirit of my ancestors walking with me.

'Truly is an empowering feeling knowing that my presence brings much needed visibility to indigenous beauty, fashion, art, and our communities, along with many of the things we face as a collective.'

The history behind Quannah Chasinghorse's ink Quannah Chasinghorse has several traditional Han Gwichin tattoos, which are called Yidiitoo. The practice goes back at least 10,000 years, and according to the New York Times, but were prohibited in the 19th and 20th centuries due to Western colonization. Now the art is coming back as Alaska Native women aim to reconnect with their ancestral traditions. Quannah most notable Yidiitoo is a line down her chin. She told Vogue that the facial tat was her first one, which her mother did by hand-poke style when Quannah was 14. 'My mom has been educating me about our sacred tattoos since a young age,' she said. 'The meaning of my first tattoo is all about becoming a woman. [In my culture] when someone steps into her womanhood, she is now able to give birth, get married, and start taking on more responsibilities. 'With that comes a ceremony; we always hold a ceremony when we do traditional tattoos. It was such a powerful experience. When I got the tattoo, I really felt myself connecting to a deeper part of myself.' She added that her tattoos make her feel 'more confident' because she is 'carrying a part of my ancestors that was almost completely lost.' Advertisement

Quannah, who is also well known for her activism for Indigenous issues and climate change, told Vogue earlier this year that her causes are still quite important to her.

'Im extremely passionate about the [activism] work that I do,' she said. 'I get Native youth reaching out to me and telling me that I inspire them to use their voice, and to look more into their identity as an Indigenous person too.'

In fact, her modeling career is helping her bring more attention to the issues.

'People forget that we are people that have gone through so much. They forget the history, let alone even know the history its been invisibilized for years. But were starting to see more Indigenous people being uplifted and included, and its amazing to be a part of it,' she said.

She noted that she always wanted to be a model, but never saw Indigenous representation in fashion or beauty. Now, fortunately, she is seeing a shift  which she is part of.

'I never grew up feeling confident because of the negative stereotypes of Native Americans,' she said. 'But thats changing. Today, younger generations are going to be able to witness Indigenous excellence on the cover of magazines  and hopefully everywhere.'

Quannah is not the only Met Gala attendee to have spoken out about the negative experience they had at the exclusive event.

In 2016, comedian Amy Schumer opened up about her first appearance at the soiree during an interview with Howard Stern, in which she described the Met Gala as being more 'like a punishment' than an enjoyable evening.

'It's people doing an impression of having a conversation,' Amy said of the fashion-focused fundraiser. 'I don't like the farce.

'We're dressed up like a bunch of f**king a**holes. I don't like it. I have no interest in fashion... I don't care.'

Despite her discomfort during the event however, Amy did end up returning the following year.

Chart-topper Demi Lovato also offered a very candid insight into their 'terrible experience' at the 2016 Met Gala, revealing to Billboard in 2018 that they had such an awful time at the event, it nearly caused them to relapse in their sobriety.

'This one celebrity was a complete b**** and was miserable to be around,' they said. 'It was very cliquey. I remember being so uncomfortable that I wanted to drink.'

Meanwhile Gwyneth Paltrow branded the event 'so un-fun' after attending in 2013, telling Australian radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O that 'it sucked' - before insisting to USA Today that she would never return, although the Oscar-winning actress ultimately ended up attending the gala both in 2017 and 2019.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked stunning as she sported a green look today while visiting a software company.

The Dutch royal, 50, traveled to Leusden to tour the new offices of AFAS Software, a tech family-owned company developing software products for businesses.

For the occasion, the mother-of-three opted for a colourful form-fitting green number that oozed style.

She beamed as she arrived, ready to meet AFAS staff and learn more about the company's history.

The Queen and her husband King Willem-Alexander have returned from their trip to the Middle East earlier this week to visit the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Maxima Queen of the Netherlands, 50, traveled to Leusden to tour the new offices of AFAS Software, a tech family-owned company developing software products for businesses

Maxima put on a stylish display for today's event with the figure hugging midi-dress which was cinched at the waist with a matching belt that highlighted the royal's petite figure.

She matched the modern number with accessories in a dark shade of teal, with a felt sun hat that matched her velvet clutch bag and her heels.

Known for her love of accessories, the monarch was also wearing a pair of dark green gloves, her watch, and a gold bracelet on each wrist.

She kept the rest of the look minimal and was not wearing either earrings or a necklace.

The Durtch Queen looked stylish in the green form-fitting dress, which was cinched at the waist with a built-in belt, pictured

Her blond locks were tucked under her hat in a neat bun, with just a strand of loose hair poking out, tucked behind her hear.

She was wearing a natural yet glamourous makeup, with eyeliner to intensify her hazel gaze, and a dash of bronzer to compliment her healthy glow.

The mother-of-three was also wearing a nude pink lipstick and some mascara.

Upon arriving, she warmly greeted the staff who had been waiting for her, showcasing her habitual good spirits.

AFAS was founded by Piet Mars and Ton van der Veldt on 1 April 1996, and was initially called 'AFAS automatisering'.

It got its current name in 2002, which stands for Applications For Administrative Solution

The company consumers call themselves 'socially responsible' and put the wellbeing of their employees and the environment at the centre of what they do.

Th mother-of-three wore a teal hat that watched her velvet shoes and back, as well as a pair of leather gloves for the occasion, pictured

The royal, pictured, happily toured the new offices of AFAS Software, which have just opend in Leusden

AFAS also created a foundation to fund charitable initiatives and since its creation, has helped fund 372 projects, and donated 33,172,300euros (28,379,238).

Maxima of the Netherlands cut a patriotic figure on Tuesday as she donned a Dutch orange gown to arrive in Dubai.

The mother-of-three, 50, and her husband King Willem-Alexander, 54, landed at the Abu Dhabi International airport ahead of a whirlwind two day visit to the country.

The couple visited the Expo 2020 Dubai on Wednesday where they attended the official opening of the Netherlands Pavilion taking place at Al Wasl Plaza.

As the couple landed at the airport, Queen Maxima opted for a brown dress with white polka dots by Zimmerman that cinched her in at the waist with a matching fabric belt.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 50, cut a patriotic figure on Tuesday as she donned a Dutch orange gown to arrive in Dubai
Students, teachers, and parents at a Canadian elementary school were shocked when a nearly-800lb. moose smashed through a glass window and settled into classroom full of children on Thursday.

The confused animal had wandered away from its nearby natural habitat and appears to have 'panicked' and smashed its way into the Sylvia Fedoruk School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where children were quickly ushered away, according to the CBC.

Only one child sustained minor injuries, and the moose was soon tranquilized and released back into a safer area  and locals are now calling it 'a quintessential Canadian story.'

Looking to learn? A nearly-800lb. moose smashed through a glass window of an elementary school in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Thursday

The incident happened just before 9 a.m., with the nearly-two-year-old moose  estimated to be on the small side at 750 to 800 lbs.  broke through a large glass window and then settled on the floor.

The room was being used for a before-school program run by an external provider.

According to local parent Jayme Melnyk, whose son was attending daycare across the hall, the woman in charge of the children in the classroom was able to safely get them out.

No one was seriously injured, with one child sustaining minor injuries and declining medical help.

'This is a case where, due to stress I believe, there is some pets and some dogs that caused the problem,' Steve Dobko, an inspector with the conservation officer service for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, added to Canada's Global News.

'And the moose started running and ended up in this area at the school where it obviously panicked and went through a glass window.'

Safe! Children at Sylvia Fedoruk School were ushered away and there were no serious injuries

Conservation officers arrived and tranquilized the moose within 45 minutes and brought it outside, later releasing it into its natural habitat, which wasn't far away.

Though the moose appears to have suffered the worst in the incident, it was certainly a dramatic day for all involved.

'Were still kind of all in shock about it,' Veronica Baker, a spokeswoman for Saskatoon Public Schools, told the New York Times.

'Little bit more than just another day,' Dobko said. 'It was a little excitement this morning for the staff here at the school and the children. Im sure some of the children will be frightened by what theyve seen.'

Several adults on the scene managed to capture photos and videos of the moose, including Ashley Young, who was driving her kids to school when one of them spotted the animal.

'My youngest yells out the window, "Mom, theres a moose." And of course, Im like, "No, theres not a moose. What are you talking about?"' she told Global News.

Outta there: Conservation officers arrived and tranquilized the moose within 45 minutes and brought it outside, later releasing it into its natural habitat, which wasn't far away

O Canada! Locals are now calling it 'a quintessential Canadian story'

'And he said, "Im not kidding this time." Sure enough, I drove back around and I saw a moose in the window just kind of standing there,' she said.

'Its not very often that happens, especially in an instance like this  and I thought it was kind of neat. I mean, its good knowing now that nobody was hurt and they were able to get it out safely,' she added. 'But yeah, something you dont see every day thats for sure.'

Dobko, the inspector with the conservation officer service, said that locals had begun spotting the moose earlier that morning, with a call coming in to report it at 5:30 a.m.

One conservation officer was sent out to track the moose, and was spotted following it down an alley before it made it to the school.

Another eyewitness, local radio host Pat Dubois, saw the moose on his way to work and later asked his listeners at 92.9 The Bull to watch out for it.

'Its just kind of a quintessential Canadian story,' he told the Times. 'Once we found out that the students were OK, and that while the moose was slightly injured, it was going to be OK, then we kind of got a chance to laugh a little bit more.'

Too funny! The story has inspired quite a lot of jokes on Twitter

The story has inspired quite a lot of jokes on Twitter.

'New rule: the kid who lured the moose there so the test would get cancelled gets an automatic A for profound creativity,' wrote one.

'Luckily they have active moose drill so no one was hurt,' said another.

'Assuming he didn't stop at the office to get a visitor's pass???' wrote a third.

Several said the poor animal just wanted to learn, guessing he was taking up subjects like algebra, biology, and Critical Moose Theory.
Alyssa Milano says that she carried guilt that her two miscarriages were 'punishment' for two abortions she had in her 20s.

The 48-year-old actress shares a ten-year-old son, Milo, and a seven-year-old daughter, Elizabella, with her husband David Bugliari, but she miscarried twice along the way.

In this week's episode of People's new podcast 'Me Becoming Mom,' she admitted that for a time, part of her believed that those two lost pregnancies were karmic retribution for a pair of pregnancies she chose to terminate years before  and it took her going to therapy to work through those guilty feelings.

'I definitely had this moment of, "Well, we're being punished, basically, for abortions in my 20s." And it took me  I didn't realize that at the time,' she said. 'It took a while in therapy to realize that that was something that I was putting on myself.

Once she had her two kids, she said, she would worry that something might happen to them, and that it would be 'karmic resolution.'

Candid: Alyssa Milano says that she carried guilt that her two miscarriages were 'punishment' for two abortions she had in her 20s

No regrets: The 48-year-old actress previously revealed she had two abortions in 1993 (pictured around that time with her then-boyfriend, Party of Five star Scott Wolf)

Milano previously discussed getting two abortions when she was in her early 20s in 1993, speaking candidly about the experience in a 2019 episode of her podcast, Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry.

'I knew at that time, I was not equipped to be a mother, and so I chose to have an abortion. I chose. It was my choice. And it was absolutely the right choice for me,' she said about opting to undergo the first procedure.

'It was not an easy choice. It was not something I wanted, but it was something that I needed, like most health care is,' she went on, adding that it was 'devastating,' particularly given that she was raised Catholic and the decision was in conflict with her faith.

She continued to use birth control after the first abortion, but got pregnant again months later  and chose to get a second abortion.

Despite the guilt she felt about her miscarriages, Milano still stands by the choices she made in her 20s.

'My inability to not be a selfish 20-year-old was reason enough,' she told People this week. 'But then there was a lot that I wanted to do before I had children. And the point was, I was given a choice to control my life, to control my own destiny.'

Family: The actress shares a ten-year-old son, Milo, and a seven-year-old daughter, Elizabella, with her husband David Bugliari

Trigger: Milano said feeling like she was being held down and having things done to her when she gave birth to her son Milo in 2011 (pictured) was 'reminiscent of being sexually assaulted'

Guilt aside, miscarrying was 'a bummer.' She and her husband immediately began trying to conceive after they got married, and Milano got pregnant right away  and lost it.

'I don't think I was prepared for it, but the way it was explained to me was that, if there is something that your body cannot produce or is lacking in order to have this particular baby, the pregnancy will take care of itself,' she said.

'My whole thought was, there was something wrong and it wasn't the right time,' she added.

She then gave birth to Milo, but while trying for baby number two, she had a second miscarriage.

'It was a bummer. I know that a lot of women take miscarriages very hard, but for me, it was part of the process, I guess,' she said.

'Both miscarriages were, I think I was maybe 7 or 8 weeks pregnant, so if it wasn't viable, my body did what it was supposed to do. I still look at it like that.

'It felt like I got the two pregnancies I was supposed to get. And that's how I kind of looked at it the entire time,' she said.

But her guilt kicked in again after having her two children, and she has still worried about something bad happening to them.

Realization: Milano (pictured with her husband David Bugliari) said giving birth 'triggered all of these memories' that she thought she had dealt with

'The way I interacted or was with my children  and I think this is common  but I always felt like, "What if something happens to these two little beings that I love so much? And is there a world in which they're taken away from me for whatever karmic resolution needed to happen?"' she said.

Also in the podcast, Milano opened up about having flashbacks of being sexually assaulted when she gave birth for the first time, saying it 'triggered all of these memories.'

'I remembered at one point [during childbirth] really not enjoying the fact that lots of people had access to my vagina,' Milano told host Zoe Ruderman.

'And thinking to myself, "Why does  I don't like this. Why does it feel so familiar? I've never had a baby before. Why does this invasive feeling feel so familiar?" That was just a fleeting moment, a tick in time, but I didn't forget about it.'

Later, when she was undergoing therapy for postpartum anxiety and depression, she was able to better understand her experience.

'After going through therapy after giving birth to Milo and remembering that one moment of feeling like I was being held down and had things being done to me that I didn't want, to me, was very reminiscent of being sexually assaulted,' Milano said.

Trauma: Milano (pictured in 1992) revealed in 2018 that she had been sexually assaulted twice, including once when she was a teenager

When @Alyssa_Milano had a miscarriage, she thought she was being punished for having abortions in her early 20s. On the latest episode of Me Becoming Mom, the actress shares how she overcame those thoughts that weighed on her as a parent. Listen now: https://t.co/elpN8WVE4p pic.twitter.com/nYyGsAJbk0  People (@people) November 4, 2021

'It triggered all of these memories that I thought I had dealt with. I think anyone who has dealt with trauma has the moments where you're like, '"Yeah, I'm fine. I've dealt with that." Versus the moments where you go, "Oh, no I didn't. I just tried to tuck it away so no one could see them or I couldn't see them or feel them anymore."'

She added: 'I gotta think that because it felt that way for me, it must've felt that way for other women. I wonder how much of my postpartum anxiety was due to  of course, hormones and all of the things  but also that feeling that felt like I wasn't in control, you know?'

In 2018, Milano revealed on Twitter that she is a survivor of sexual assault, writing: 'I was sexually assaulted twice. Once when I was a teenager. I never filed a police report and it took me 30 years to tell my parents.'

Using the #WhyIDidntReport hashtag, she spoke of the harrowing ordeal in response to President Donald Trump's tweet questioning the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford's sexual misconduct allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Using her voice: 'I gotta think that because it felt that way for me, it must've felt that way for other women,' Milano said of her childbirth experience

The activist later recounted one of the traumatic sexual assaults during an emotional speech that was filmed at Sen. Susan Collins' office.

Milano said she was 19 years old and at a 'very famous' pop star's concert when there was a 'stampede' that had her fearing for her life.

'People were smashed against each other. I couldn't breathe. I thought I was gonna die, she explained. 'From behind me, I felt a hand up my skirt and I was punched repeatedly in the vagina.

'I couldn't turn around. I looked to the stage, and I looked to the security guards, and I said, "Please help me" and they couldn't help me. They shook their heads.

'I managed to break free and I climbed up the stage to get away from my predator. I turned around and I didn't know which one it was. I looked to the sea of people and I couldn't find him.'
A TikTok user has shared the bizarre text messages he has received from his mother, who is a believer of QAnon conspiracy theories.

Mac (@mac1eann), who doesn't appear to share any of his mother's QAnon beliefs, shared six text messages his mother sent him about her scientifically unfounded fears, most having to do with COVID-19.

In a video that's been viewed 3.6 million times since it was uploaded on October 4, Mac smirks as he introduces his mother's warnings: 'POV: U have a mom who who is QAnon.'

Q-a-mom: A TikTok user has shared the bizarre text messages he has received from his mother, who is a believer of QAnon conspiracy theories

In a video that's been viewed 3.6 million times since it was uploaded on October 4, Mac smirks as he introduces his mother's warnings: 'POV: U have a mom who who is QAnon' (stock photo)

Anti-vax: Most of his mother's fears seem to center around COVID-19  but not actually getting the virus

Most of his mother's fears seem to center around COVID-19  but not actually getting the virus.

'Do not get vaccinated Mac,' she wrote.

'Do not drink tap water,' she said in another text. It's unclear what, exactly, are her fears about tap water.

'No covid test. Only saliva. Refuse the nose one. The vaccine is on it. They will lie to u,' she lectured.

Straight and to the point, she also wrote: 'Take the mask off now.

His mother seems to be operating under the widely-disproved idea that masks can make people sick, when they are in fact scientifically proven to reduce the spread of airborne diseases.

She even sent him a photo of a Petri dish covered in growth, with the caption: 'This is bacteria grown in a PetriDish from a swab taken from the inside of a mask after 20 minutes of use. This is what you are breathing.'

Masking: His mother seems to be operating under the widely-disproved idea that masks can make people sick, when they are in fact scientifically proven to reduce the spread of diseases

Nope: She shared this photo, which has been discredited by doctors

'Do not drink tap water,' she said in another text. It's unclear what, exactly, are her fears about tap water

That particular photo has been making the rounds on Facebook and Instagram since last fall and has been roundly debunked.

Dr. Richard E. Davis, regional director of microbiology at the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in the US state of Washington, told AFP that the photo is 'definitely misleading.'

'Bacteria and fungi are shown, not just bacteria,' he said. 'The image in this picture shows a culture plate that is overgrown with colonies of bacteria, and large patches of fungus (the "fuzzy" colonies in the picture) as well.

'The colony sizes of the different bacteria and fungus types makes it clear that this plate has been grown for a long period of time which makes the image more dramatic.'

Finally, Mac's mother shared an image with the caption: 'If only sheeple knew that there's a flavor enhancement company called Senomyx that puts aborted baby fetus cells in their food & drinks.'

This has also been proven to be false.

Disagreement: She has warned him not to get vaccinated. Mac did not say whether he has or has not

Made up: She also shared this image, the claims in which have been widely debunked

According to Reuters, the claim originates from 2010, when PepsiCo signed a deal with Senomyx, a biotechnology company that develops sweeteners.

The anti-abortion group Children of God for Life alleged that Senomyx was using 'aborted fetal cell lines to test their products,' saying human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells were 'taken from an electively aborted baby' to produce human taste receptors.'

Those cells, HEK-293, were mentioned in a patent issued to Senomyx in 2008.

But while the HEK-293 cells originally come from the kidney of an aborted human embryo from 1973, they ones currently being widely used in biomedical research are no longer coming from aborted human embryos, but rather cells cloned from that 1973 embryo.

PepsiCo also denied that conducted or funded research that used the cells.
A man needed surgery to rebuild his penis after he was bitten by a cobra while on the toilet during a safari trip in South Africa.

The 47-year-old Dutch man went to use the toilet while visiting an unnamed nature reserve in the country.

While on the toilet, the man was bitten by a highly venomous snouted cobra hidden inside the bowl itself.

The unidentified man had to wait three hours for emergency helicopter transport to the nearest hospital, which was nearly 220 miles (350km) away.

An unfortunate encounter in the toilet with a snouted cobra (pictured) left a 47-year-old Dutch requiring reconstructive surgery on his penis after the snake bite left him with rotting flesh in his genitals

In that time he felt a deep burning sensation in his genitals, which began to swell and turn purple, a sign of scrotal necrosis or 'flesh eating disease'.

Experts who reported the case in Urology Case Reports said the man has the unfortunate honour of being the first medical case of snouted cobra envenomation of the genitals.

The man was provided emergency treatment in South Africa but a serious amount of the tissue in his penis was unrecoverable and had to be cut away.

Nine days later the Dutch national was repatriated to the Netherlands where even more dead penis tissue had to be removed.

Dutch surgeons then set about rebuilding his penis using a graft of tissue they took from his groin to replace the dead tissue lost from the snake bite.

They provided something of cheeky message in their comments of the case, giving some advice for those heading into tropics.

'Always flush the toilet before sitting down in countries notorious for their snake population!' they wrote.

Necrosis, commonly referred to as the 'flesh eating disease' is a potentially deadly condition caused by bacteria infecting the tissue beneath the skin, and the surrounding tissue.

The bacteria do not actually 'eat' the flesh, but the toxins they release damage nearby tissue.



One year after the incident the man had reportedly recovered both the full function and sensation in his penis.

The snouted cobra, the species of snake that bit the man, and its venom, are not well understood, as the creature was only discovered in 2009.

However, the medics who reported the case said the presence of a kidney injury in the Dutch man is indicative of the type of toxins found in the snouted cobra's venom.

This makes it quite unusual in terms of cobra species, the authors noted.

The medics added that snake bites are usually occur on people's extremities, with bites on the genitals relatively rare.

There are only three native species of snake in the UK of which only one, the adder, is venomous

On average there are 100 adder bites to people in the UK each year, according to the group Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.

However these are rarely ever fatal, with only 14 recorded deaths from adder bites since 1876, with the last being in 1975.

But people who are bitten by an adder, or are with someone who has been bitten, are still advised to call 999.

Additionally, a number of venomous snake species are for sale as pets in the UK.

In the US snake bites are far more common, with an average of 7,000 to 8,000 people getting bitten a year, with about five of these being fatal, according to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

North America has numerous species of venomous snakes, including rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and coral snakes.
Amazon is planning to list pelvic floor wands, Kegel weights and similar devices women use to treat incontinence as sex toys, it emerged today.

Charities have slammed the online giant's move as 'absurd' and 'insulting', saying it could put thousands off seeking help for the common problem.

Manufacturers say they have been told Amazon will group pelvic floor gadgets in the same category as dildos and sex dolls from November 15, limiting them to its 'adults only' section.

Devices can be recommended by GPs and physiotherapists to help women correctly perform pelvic floor exercises.

The exercises are a series of movements designed to strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bottom and genitals.

They can be done without aids but experts say gadgets can sometimes help assist people do the exercises correctly or encourage them to do them every day as recommended.

Pelvic wands, like this one sold by Kegel 8 could now be classified as sex toys under the decision apparently made by Amazon

Online retail giant Amazon has been slammed over the 'absurd' move to classify pelvic floor exercise devises as sex toys with some saying it will

Both women, and some men, are advised to do the daily exercises to regain bladder control following an operation or pregnancy.

They can also be used help deal with pain during sex by helping relax the vaginal muscles.

The pelvic floor exercises are also recommended for people seeking stronger and more pleasurable orgasms.

Managing director of Kegel 8, a UK seller of the pelvic exercise products, Stephanie Taylor slammed Amazon's decision.

'The thought that a woman or man in pain, suffering an embarrassing, debilitating condition, would then have to shop on Amazon through pages of sex toys, dildos, vibrators, sex dolls and more to find a therapy device is quite frankly absurd,' she said.

'This decision will have a massive impact on consumers ability to access safe and medically approved pelvic health solutions and could risk putting them off from taking control of their intimate health.'

What are pelvic floor exercises? Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the muscles around your bladder, bottom, and vagina or penis. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can help treat urinary incontinence, treat pelvic organ prolapse and make sex better. To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, sit comfortably and squeeze the muscles 10 to 15 times. Do not hold your breath or tighten your stomach, bottom or thigh muscles at the same time. When you get used to doing pelvic floor exercises, you can try holding each squeeze for a few seconds. Every week, you can add more squeezes, but be careful not to overdo it, and always have a rest between sets of squeezes. After a few months, you should start to notice results. You should keep doing the exercises, even when you notice they're starting to work. Advertisement

Ms Taylor called the decision by the global giant an 'insult' to those seeking help for what could be debilitating condition.

'Its surprising and frustrating to hear Amazon, and as a result, its customers, are unable to differentiate between what is a rehabilitation therapy device and a sex toy,' she said.

She said Amazon's decision appeared to be based on misconception that any device called a 'wand' was a ruse by sex toy manufactures to present their devices as 'body massagers'.

'The term "wand" is used by many sex toy manufacturers to masquerade as a "body massage" device...that bears no resemblance in style and functionality to pelvic floor wands or therapeutic wands,' she said.

While Ms Taylor said she would have welcomed Amazon helping to separate sex toys from therapy devices, she claimed the online giant had made wrong choice.

'Pelvic health professionals welcome a change from Amazon to help their buyers differentiate between a sex toy and a genuine therapy device,' she said.

'However, relabelling a wand type therapy device in the sex toy category is a retrograde step and an insult to those suffering a painful, debilitating condition.'

Ms Taylor said pelvic floor exercise help treat or improve a variety of conditions, which are surprisingly common.

'Pelvic floor conditions affect one in three people at some point in their lifetime and women are the most at risk,' she said.

'From poor bladder control, pelvic organ prolapse to discomfort with tampon use and even painful intimacy, pelvic health symptoms are all too common.'

She added the Amazon decision would undo progress in breaking the taboo about seeking help for problems like incontinence or pain during sexual intimacy.

'While many of these symptoms and conditions are treatable, restricted access to pelvic health solutions delays treatment and prolongs suffering, and will undo progress in making these issues less of a taboo,' she said.

Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP), a professional network of specialist physiotherapists affiliated with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, also condemned the Amazon decision.

POGP chair, Dr Kate Lough acknowledged the issue was complicated as some people look to buy pelvic floor devices to both improve their sexual prowess, as well as to treat a variety of medical conditions.

But, Dr Lough added the risk of Amazon putting all devices in the 'sex toy' category was that it would push some people away from using them.

'There is a group of people who if you said go and look at some of the devices available would feel just about comfortable enough looking at "pelvic health devices",' she told MailOnline.

'If they were labelled as sex devices I think that could be off-putting.'

Dr Lough said while the evidence on the devices results was mixed some patients definitely preferred them to just doing the exercises alone, and this itself was useful.

'Some people like a gadget, they like feedback, and if that's how you are going to being them on board, then it's worth considering,' she said.

'Having something weighty in your vagina might help you locate where you are trying to get the exercises from,'

Vaginal exercise weights, like this one sold by Kegel 8, are preferred by some patients doing pelvic exercises as it provides 'feedback' they can use to make sure they are doing it correctly

But she highlighted how used incorrectly devices can sometimes do harm or demotivate people.

'The trouble is people buy devices, particularly things like weights, and they read the instructions and the thing drops out and they think "oh, I've got the Mersey Tunnel it's not a vagina at all," and they are very downhearted,' she said.

Therefore, Dr Lough recommended that people talk to their health professional for either for advice on what to buy, or how to use a gadget they have already purchased most effectively.

Dr Lough urged anyone experiencing issues with their pelvic floor, or incontinence, to talk to their GP or a specialist physiotherapist.

She said no amount of leakage is normal and it is never too late to seek help regardless how long people have experienced issues.

Opponents of the Amazon decision have created online petition demanding the giant stop its planned change. It has over 60,000 signatures.

Amazon was contacted for comment.
Advertisement

Two thirds of GPs serving some parts of England originally trained outside the UK, official figures show amid calls for the country to become more 'self-sufficient'.

Nationally, one in five GPs across England originally qualified overseas, but there is massive variance in how these family doctors are distributed across the country.

MailOnline analysis of NHS data from September this year found that in areas like Thurrock in Essex, 67 per cent of GPs serving patients originally trained abroad.

Other Clinical Commissioning Groups where foreign trained GPs made up at least half the area's doctors included, North Lincolnshire (54.9 per cent), Southend in Essex (54.4 per cent), Cannock Chase in Staffordshire (52.5 per cent), Stoke on Trent (51.9 per cent), and Castle Point and Rochford (50 per cent).

Most of England's overseas trained GPs got their original qualification in India, accounting for one in three of this group of doctors, NHS data shows. Pakistan and Nigeria both made up around 10 per cent, respectively.

The latest data follows Health Secretary Sajid Javid's admission that the Government would fail in its objective to recruit 6,000 more GPs in England by 2024.

There have been calls for the Government to loosen Brexit rules and allow more foreign doctors to come to the UK to plug the workforce crisis but others have said ministers need to do more to nurture UK-born students. Although, campaigners accept that the country needs as many GP as it can get.

Tensions between Britain's GPs and the Government are currently running hot due to an ongoing row about face-to-face appointments, which are 20 per cent lower than pre-pandemic.





Mr Javid has threatened to name-and-shame individual surgeries which don't see more patients in person while doctors are contemplating strike action, claiming they are overwhelmed with a backlog of care caused by the Covid pandemic.

This map shows the percentage of GPs in each Clinical Commissioning Group in England which originally trained overseas. The nationwide total of foreign trained GPs is 20 per cent, but there is massive regional variance. Some areas have recorded more than half of their GPs as having got their original qualification from a non-British nation

Here are the top 15 countries where overseas trained GPs got their original qualification. India accounts for the vast majority of these overseas trained GPs, accounting for one in three, followed by Pakistan and Nigeria. Ireland and Germany are biggest EU contributors to overseas trained GPs in England

In terms of EU nations, Ireland and Germany were the biggest contributors of GPs to the UK, with both countries each accounting for almost 4 per cent of overseas trained medics.

The proportion of GPs trained from overseas has not shifted significantly since 2006, when 21 per cent of doctors reporting they qualified abroad.

British Medical Association (BMA) GP committee executive team member, Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, said overseas trained doctors made a huge contribution to England's health.

'Amid a historic workforce crisis caused by a failure to support and retain family doctors, our international colleagues make an invaluable contribution to patient care,' he said.

Dr Kasaraneni said working as a GP in the UK remained a goal for many doctors around the world, to both develop their skills, or to make a new home here in Britain and contribute to their community.

Places in England with the MOST overseas trained GPs Thurrock in Essex: 67 per cent North Lincolnshire: 54.9 per cent Southend in Essex: 54.4 per cent Cannock Chase in Staffordshire: 52.5 per cent Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire: 51.9 per cent Castle Point and Rochford: 50 per cent Doncaster: 47.7 per cent North East Essex: 46.6 per cent Basildon and Brentwood: 44.8 per cent Blackburn with Darwen: 43.8 per cent Advertisement

Places in England with the LEAST overseas trained GPs Northumberland: 3.7 per cent Vale of York: 4 per cent Devon: 5.6 per cent North Tyneside: 6.2 per cent Sheffield: 6.7 per cent Gloucestershire: 6.8 per cent Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos: 7 per cent Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: 7.6 per cent Leeds: 9.1 per cent North Yorkshire: 9.6 per cent Advertisement

'Despite current pressures, the system of NHS general practice is highly-regarded around the world, and many people will come here to train and practice, and then many will return to their home country to offer their newly acquired skills and expertise to patients there,' he said.

'Of course, many stay, make a home here and offer a life of service to the NHS, their practice and local patients.'

The doctors' union also highlighted that while many doctors may have got their original qualification outside of Britain, most would have undergone additional study in the UK to become GPs.

Royal College of GPs (RCGP) chair Professor Martin Marshall said any GP working in the UK had to meet high standards, regardless of where they trained.

'All GPs working in the UK must meet rigorous standards, set by the General Medical Council,' he said.

'This includes overseas GPs, who will need to demonstrate equivalent competence to practice in the UK.'

Professor Marshall said the UK needed to become 'self-sufficient' in terms of GPs.

'It is important that work is done by Government to ensure the UK becomes self-sufficient in terms of the supply of GPs and the wider health workforce so that general practice has the capacity to meet the needs of patients and continued increase in demand for services,' he said.

'It is also important to ensure that the UK does not take family doctors from countries that can ill-afford to lose them, especially in developing countries.'

However Professor Marshall said the Government was failing to meet its own objectives in this regard.

'In 2012, the Government set a target that half of UK medical graduates should enter general practice, however this is yet to be met,' he said.

'While recruitment to GP training is looking promising, it takes a long time for a GP to qualify, and more GPs are leaving the profession every year than are coming up through the pipeline.'

Silver Voices, a group representing elderly Brits and which has been campaigning for more face-to-face appointments from doctors said the NHS needed all the GPs it could get.

Dennis Reed, head of the campaign group, said while historically some people had expressed concerns about overseas doctors this had faded away.

There may have been some concern some years ago when people used to be concerned about that sort of thing but I dont pick up any antipathy these days from older people towards overseas doctors, he said.

Some four in ten appointments are still not being carried out face-to-face, figures showed. The above graph shows the proportion of appointments that have been face-to-face since September two years ago

I welcome the fact that overseas doctors are willing to work and contribute to our communities.

Every doctor whether theyre from overseas or not, provided they are good communicatorsthe more the better.

But the Adam Smith Institute warned the statistics were a sign of successive failure to recruit enough GPs in England

Daniel Pryor, head of programmes at the thinktank, said: 'These statistics demonstrate how successive governments have failed to meet GP training targets here in England.

'They also highlight the vital role played by doctors trained overseas in propping up our ailing healthcare system as demand and patient numbers continue to ramp up.

'Even if new NHS investment is properly targeted at recruitment and retention, it takes many years to train new GPs here.

'That's why it's essential that we continue to welcome overseas medics, who are required to meet rigorous training standards.'

Mr Pryor also dismissed concerns about the UK taking doctors from countries with poorer health systems than the UK's.

'Concerns about brain drain on developing countries are exaggerated: foreign NHS doctors often enrich their families and communities back home with remittances and use the skills they learn in the UK in their country of birth,' he said.

The performance of England's GPs has come under the microscope in recent months with the number of face-to-face appointments carried out in general practices still languishing at pandemic levels.

Figures show that around six in 10 GP appointments are in person now compared to more than 80 per cent before Covid.

This week the feud escalated further with Sajid Javid stating patients are resorting to turning up to overwhelmed emergency departments because they can't access a doctor in person.

Mr Javid made the comments to MPs from the Commons Health and Social Care Committee.

'[A] significant portion of people are turning up for emergency care when they could have actually gone to their GP,;

'That is not the fault of those people at all. They have stayed away from the NHS when they were asked to, they now want to be seen and that is right.

'But part of the reason I think people are turning up in A&E perhaps when they don't need it is because they're not able to get through to their primary care services in the usual way.'

Asked again if a lack of availability of GP appointments had led to increased pressure on A&E, he said: 'I think that that general point is correct.'

It comes amid an explosive row about a lack of face-to-face consultation. Mr Javid has threatened to name and shame the worst-performing surgeries, while unions are considering industrial actions over what they deem to be unfair treatment.

During his session with MPs, Mr Javid also admitted the Government would not hit its target of recruiting 6,000 more GPs by 2024.

Asked if the Government was on track, Mr Javid said: 'No, I dont think we are.Were not on track, I am looking at what more we can do, I want to see that increase but Im not going to pretend were on track when clearly we are not.

But Mr Javid has accepted that GPs were under 'huge pressure' due a backlog of people who never came forward during lockdowns.

He said: 'I'm really proud of our GPs up and down the country... the last few months GPs have stepped up and as a nation we couldn't be more proud of what they've done.

But in a subtle warning shot, he added: 'It's important patients can be seen as quickly as possible and where they have desire to be seen face-to-face, that choice should be respected.'

Last month, Mr Javid revealed that performance data from individual surgeries would be published regularly, including the number of face-to-face appointments.

GPs warned that publishing 'league tables' was unfair and demoralising. Some unions warned it could trigger a wave of retirements.

Mr Javid today distanced himself from the so-called league tables, telling MPs: 'I never planned on having league tables, that never came from my Department, or the NHS.'

But family doctors warn the move - announced in the NHS blueprint to improve patient access - would inevitably be used as a league table, even if wasn't the Government's intention.

It comes after a top GP last week blamed Britons' 'Amazon Prime mentality' for the increasing number of patients turning up at A&E with symptoms that could be managed by a GP.
Hispanic adults with asthma are much more likely to have severe asthma attacks during COVID-19 infections than black and white asthma patients, a new study finds.

Researchers at a medical center in Chicago evaluated 174 asthma patients who contracted Covid in spring 2020.

The Hispanic asthma patients were three times more likely to have severe asthma attacks than white patients and 4.5 times more likely to have attacks than black patients.

Asthma symptoms were also longer-lasting for Hispanic patients, with these patients experiencing Covid-induced asthma attacks for about twice as long as white and black patients.

The study shows another way that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted people of color in the U.S., though the team says more research is needed to back up the findings.

Hispanic asthma patients are more susceptible to severe Covid symptoms than black and white patients, a new study finds. Pictured: A nurse takes an asthma inhaler between performing Covid tests, Barcelona, Spain, June 2020

Throughout the pandemic, minority populations in the U.S. have been particularly vulnerable to Covid.

Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native Americans were all at least twice as likely to die of Covid as white Americans during the first year of the pandemic, according to APM Research Lab.

Additionally, Native Americans were more than three times as likely to die of Covid, compared to white Americans.

People of color tend to be more likely to work in essential jobs, live in multi-generational households, take public transportation and face other conditions that increase their risk of catching the coronavirus.

What's more, these communities may be more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions that increase their risk of severe Covid disease.

Minority populations in the U.S. are also more likely to suffer from asthma and allergies.

In 2018, black Americans were 40 times more likely to have asthma than white Americans - and almost three times more likely to die from an asthma-related cause - according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Hispanic Americans are also more likely to suffer from asthma. According to HHS, Hispanics are twice as likely to visit the emergency room due to asthma compared to white Americans.

Like other chronic lung diseases, moderate or severe asthma can increase an individual's risk of severe Covid symptoms.

A new study reveals how, among patients suffering from both asthma and Covid, Hispanic Americans are more severely impacted.

Clinicians at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago studied Covid symptoms in asthma patients who were infected with the virus.

The study is set to be presented this week at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting.

Its findings have yet to be published in a preprint or a scientific paper.

The researchers examined 174 asthma patients who were infected with Covid between February and April 2020.

Hispanic patients had 'significantly higher odds of developing asthma flares' compared to white and black patients, the researchers found

They followed the patients for months, keeping track of long-term respiratory symptoms.

Among the 174 patients, 23 were Hispanic, 44 were black, and 111 were white.

'What we found is that Latinos had significantly higher odds of developing asthma flares, and the length of time of their asthma exacerbations was longer compared to non-Latinos,' said Dr Katharine Foster, the study's lead author, in a statement.

The Hispanic patients were 2.9 times more likely to develop severe asthma attacks - or asthma exacerbations than white patients.

They were also 4.6 times more likely to develop asthma attacks than black patients.

In addition, the Hispanic patients tended to have severe asthma symptoms for a longer period of time.

Hispanic patients experienced these symptoms for an average of 3.2 weeks, compared to 1.6 weeks for white patients and 1.4 weeks for black patients.

'Despite the differences in symptoms we found in the study participants, we didn't see a difference in the likelihood of starting steroids for symptom relief,' said Dr Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, co-author of the study.

The researchers also didn't see significant differences between black, white, and Hispanic patients' likelihoods of starting other types of asthma therapies.

'All the groups sought a similar number of asthma-related provider visits, including in clinic, the emergency departments, or via telehealth,' Mahdavinia said.

More research is needed to further investigate how and why Hispanic patients may be at particularly high risk of severe respiratory symptoms, the researchers said.

Respiratory viruses often trigger asthma attacks, but the same viruses can impact different patients in different ways.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists asthma as a potential risk factor for Covid, there is currently little research to back up this connection.

The disease's ability to impact asthma patients long-term is also unknown, and may be a subject of further study.

In addition, more research is needed because the Chicago study had a fairly small sample size and may not reflect symptom patterns in other parts of the country.
The protection that fully vaccinated Americans have against COVID-19 infection severely drops over time, a new study suggests.

A team led by the Public Health Institute in Oakland, California, found that the overall effectiveness of the three Covid vaccines available in the U.S fell from 87 percent in March to 48 percent by September.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients are especially at risk with just 13 percent efficacy against contracting the virus.

However researchers found that the shots are still highly protective against death from Covid.

The combined effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines has dropped below 50% as of September. The J&J vaccine is the least effective, only reducing risk of infection by 13%. Pfizer's shot reduces risk of infection by 43% and the Moderna by 58%

While the vaccines are not as effective at preventing infection from Covid anymore, they still reduce a person's risk of death from the virus. Researchers found that it can reduce likelihood of death for a person under 65from 2.6% to 1.6% (left). The shots reduce risk of death for people over 65 from over 20% to 9% (right)

Researchers, who published their findings on Thursday in the journal Science, gathered data from the Veterans Health Administration from February to October 2021.

In total, nearly 800,000 veterans' data was included in the massive study.

The team analyzed vaccine records among people who tested positive for the virus, and determined, on average, how effective each individual jab was at preventing infection.

In February, when the vaccines were still relatively new, they all had an effectiveness of more than 85 percent at preventing infection.

J&J's vaccine saw its protection wane the most, dropping from 86 percent in March to below 50 percent by September, and down to only 13 percent last month.

The Pfizer-BioNTech jab - which is far and away the most commonly used in the U.S. - saw its effectiveness drop from 87 percent in March to 43 percent in September.

September was the first month during which the effectiveness of Pfizer's vaccine dropped below 50 percent.

Moderna's shot held up the best, and is the only one of the three to still be more than 50 percent effective.

The shot's effectiveness has still fallen greatly, though, from 89 percent in March to 58 percent in September.

Overall, the three vaccines' effectiveness was 87.9 percent in March, and dropped to 48.1 percent in September.

The efficacy of all three vaccines has dropped over time, but the Moderna shot remains the most effective of the three. Pictured: The J&J, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccination vials, July 2021

'By July 2021, the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of COVID-19, dominated by the [Delta] variant,' the researchers wrote.

'Initial reports, including follow-up of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna trials, suggested sustained vaccine protection, but three reports of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in August 2021 demonstrated protection against infection had declined in mid-summer as the Delta variant rose to dominance.

'Protection against hospitalization and death remained high. Breakthrough infections, illness, hospitalizations, and deaths have since continued to emerge in vaccine recipients.'

This waning immunity is the source behind the federal goverment's push for Covid vaccine boosters for all Americans.

Last month, additional shots of the vaccines became available to Americans over the age of 65 with severe comorbidities or who have a job that puts them at risk of virus exposure.

The goal behind the booster rollout is to shore up immunity from the virus and prevent breakthrough infections.

Many opposed the booster rollout, though, because the shots are still effective at preventing death from the virus.

The new study found that an unvaccinated person under the age of 65 is 2.6 percent likely to die from the virus, while that risk drops to 1.6 percent with vaccination.

Those who received the Pfizer shot had their risk of death slashed by 84 percent, the most effective of the three.

The Moderna shot reduced risk of death by 82 percent and the J&J by 73 percent.

The numbers are even more drastic for people over the age of 65.

For the elderly, risk of death from Covid if unvaccinated is over 20 percent.

Fully vaccinated people over the age of 65 only died from the virus nine percent of times, the researchers found.

The Moderna shot was most effective at preventing death among people 65 and older, reducing risk by 75 percent.

The Pfizer shot reduced the elderly's risk of death by 70 percent and the J&J did by 52 percent.

The death rate among fully vaccinated people over 65 is still high, though, underscoring why health officials are targeting boosters at that group in particular.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 21 million Americans have received a COVID-19 booster shot, with a majority opting for the Pfizer shot.
Maria Esther Roque Diaz was on life support when she gave birth to her son, Dylan, last December.

She had contacted COVID-19 in November and, like many other pregnant women, suffered severe symptoms of the virus.

Roque Diaz, 27, of Maryland, was unconscious when she gave delivered Dylan, and described her baby as a 'miracle' to NBC News.

While the Covid vaccine was not yet available to her when she fell ill last year, Roque Diaz is now urging pregnant women to get the jab to avoid a fate like her own.

Maria Esther Roque Diaz (pictured), 27, had to give birth prematurely while unconscious due to complications with COVID-19 last year. She is now urging other pregnant women to get vaccinated and avoid that fate

Roque Diaz (left) was hospitalized for months due to complications with Covid. She had to be placed on a life support system called ECMO for some of that time to assist in the circulation of her blood

'If the vaccine would've been available to me when I was pregnant, I would've gotten it without thinking about it twice,' Roque Diaz told NBC.

She reports that fell severely ill on November 19, 2020.

'I couldn't breathe. I lived in a second floor, and I felt like I couldn't even go up those stairs,' Roque Diaz told NBC, in Spanish because she is a Salvadorian immigrant.

'I told Wilian, my partner, to please take me to the hospital. I couldn't take it anymore.

'I was so scared and worried for my baby,'

NBC News reports that she spent a few weeks at a local hospital before being transferred to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Her condition deteriorated to the point where she required the use of an extracorporeal life support machine (ECMO), a life support system that assists a person's heart in circulating blood around the body.

In order to save her unborn child, doctors induced labor when she was only 32 weeks pregnant, and Dylan was delivered via C-section, weighing just five pounds.

Roque Diaz would remain unconscious until mid-February, not meeting her child until he was a few months old already.

'When I first woke up, the first thing I saw was the big scar in my belly,' she told NBC News.

'Then I got scared because I realized I couldn't speak because I was intubated. So, I just started to cry.

'My heart started racing and I was sedated again.'

Pregnant women are at an increased risk from Covid, and contracting the virus while carrying a child puts both themselves, and their babies, at risk.

A University of California, San Francisco, study published earlier this year found that women who are infected while pregnant are at an increased risk of giving birth prematurely.

An Oxford study found that expecting mothers that contracted Covid were 76 percent more likely to develop a high blood pressure complication called preeclampsia.

Babies face risk as well, with a University of Texas study finding that babies born to mothers with a symptomatic Covid case were at an increased risk of needed neonatal intensive care unit treatment.

Despite that, pregnant women remain among the least vaccinated groups in America.

Only 35% of pregnant women are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (orange line), despite them facing increased risks from the virus. Around 31% of Latina pregnant women (purple line) are fully vaccinated

According to most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 35 percent of pregnant women are fully vaccinated.

For comparison, nationwide, 68 percent of Americans aged 12 or older are fully vaccinated - nearly double the rate of pregnant women.

Latina pregnant women are also slightly behind the overall pace, with only 31 percent fully vaccinated.

'Unfortunately, the Latino population is making up a number of patients in the ICU, from the pregnancy side of things, that are unvaccinated,' Dr. Allison Lankford of the University of Maryland Medical Center told NBC News.

While pregnant women were eligible for the vaccine from the beginning of the rollout, the CDC did not make a blanket recommendation for them to get the jab until over summer.

Instead, health officials first told expecting mothers to consult with their doctors about whether they should receive the shot.

There is also misinformation circulating on social media about how the vaccines can cause fertility issues and other problems related to pregnancy.

Roque Diaz is asking for pregnant women to ignore the misinformation and look past hesitancies they may have to get the jab and protect themselves and their families.

'I may be here with all this additional weight and all these scars,' she told NBC News.

'But at least I'm here with my family and kids, enjoying them. But unfortunately, other mothers who had cases similar to mine are not here with us.'

Roque Diaz is no longer in the hospital, but is still undergoing physical therapy as she continues to heal from her long bout with the virus.

She is also attempting to reconnect with her two young children, who she says have become distant after she spent so long away from them.

'I look forward to seeing my children grow up, have health and be with my family,' she said.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a new tool for Americans to use to determine whether or not they should get tested for COVID-19.

The When To Test Calculator for Individuals was developed by the agency's Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative.

It uses factors such as vaccination status, protective measures taken by the user and rates of spread where a person lives to recommend testing.

The website also includes resources on how testing works, where and how to get tested and other frequently asked questions.

'By responding to just a few prompts, the new individual impact calculator indicates whether a person should get a test - now or soon,' an NIH press release reads.

The NIH launched its new When To Test Calculator for Individuals this week, using factors such as vaccination status, protective measures taken by the user and rates of spread in a community to recommend whether or not to get tested (file image)

Users begin by entering the state and county in which they live, or checking a box indicating they live in a U.S. territory or outside the country.

Next, the calculator asks if a person is fully vaccinated, meaning more than two weeks since receiving two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The tool next asks if the user wears a mask indoors 'consistently' if they are around people they don't live with.

Then, users answer questions about the date of their most recent COVID-19 test and how many people they have close contact with on average.

Close contact is defined as being within six feet of someone for at least 15 minutes over the course of a day.

Someone who is at low risk of the virus will get a message that reads: 'You're unlikely to need to take a test today. Stay safe and recheck your results tomorrow'

A user at high risk will get a message that reads: 'Consider getting tested today. If you test positive, consult your health-care provider about next steps.'

Lastly, users are asked if they have attended a social gathering in the last seven days or plan to do so.

The calculator then spits out results based on whether or not it determines someone is at low or high risk of contracting COVID-19 or spreading it to others.

Users may receive a message reading: 'You're unlikely to need to take a test today. Stay safe and recheck your results tomorrow.'

Others may get one that reads: 'Consider getting tested today. If you test positive, consult your health-care provider about next steps.'

The NIH also has a companion calculator for organizations to ascertain how much testing is needed for employees.

The new tool comes as demand for rapid tests increases across the country both by individuals who want to see family for the holidays and from employers.

Several rapid test makers are working to scale up production to meet demand including Abbott Laboratories and Quidel Corp.

However, the impact of this scale up is not going to be felt for several weeks at least.

Several state governments, including Missouri and Oklahoma, told Reuters they have been paying higher prices for tests recently due to shortages.

In Missouri, the Abbot Binax Now rapid test typically sells for $5, but limited supplies have left officials to look for more expensive tests.

'We are exploring other rapid antigen tests and finding most are at least three times higher than Abbott's rapid antigen test,' a spokesperson for the state's public health agency told Reuters.
Did you enjoy an extra hour in bed last Sunday when the clocks went back? Weve been repeatedly warned about the dangers of not getting enough sleep so, understandably, most of us would have seized the opportunity to get more shut-eye.

But new research suggests that trying to pack in more sleep can actually undermine our health.

There is no question that a good nights sleep benefits our brains. We feel groggy and irritable if we have slept badly, and long-term sleep deprivation can lead to serious damage.

It is when we are in deep sleep that our memories are preserved  and when channels open in our brains, allowing fluid to gush through and clear away any waste products that have built up during the day.

So, you might imagine that people getting the most sleep must have the healthiest brains. But a recent study, from Washington University Sleep Medicine Center in the U.S. concluded that for older adults, too much sleep may be as bad for their brains as too little.

New research suggests that trying to pack in more sleep can actually undermine our health, writes Dr Michael Mosley

The researchers looked at 100 adults, average age 75, who had been taking part in a long-term study of their brains, which included doing things like repeated memory tests.

They were also given portable EEGs (electroencephalographs) which measured their brain waves to provide an accurate picture of how much they were sleeping.

They couldnt rely on the participants telling them this, as previous EEG studies have shown we actually sleep around an hour less each night than we think we do. So if you think youre getting seven hours a night, you are probably only really having about six. Thats because we often wake up during the night but dont remember doing so.

The researchers then compared how long the volunteers were sleeping with their mental performance over the five years of the study.

The best results were seen in those getting 4.5 to 6.5 hours of EEG-measured sleep each night, the equivalent of between 5.5 and 7.5 hours of self-reported sleep. People getting more, or less, than those amounts showed the biggest declines in brain power.

The best results were seen in those getting 4.5 to 6.5 hours of EEG-measured sleep each night, the equivalent of between 5.5 and 7.5 hours of self-reported sleep. People getting more, or less, than those amounts showed the biggest declines in brain power (stock image)

Fertility benefit of cleaner air The tiny particles we inhale from polluted air cause chronic inflammation throughout our bodies, which not only damages our heart and lungs, but egg and sperm production as well The talk at Cop 26 has been all about the impact on our climate and planet of burning fossil fuels. I hate to add to the gloom, but it also has a more subtle and insidious effect  it can reduce fertility. The tiny particles we inhale from polluted air cause chronic inflammation throughout our bodies, which not only damages our heart and lungs, but egg and sperm production as well. A study published earlier this year in China found that 26 per cent of couples exposed to higher levels of air pollution were unable to conceive after a year of trying, compared to 15 per cent of couples breathing healthier air. If you want to have kids, that is a big difference, and something to add to the long list of reasons why we should be switching to cleaner, greener fuels as soon as possible. Advertisement

This fits in with other major studies, such as one published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2017, which compared peoples levels of selfreported sleep with their risk of developing heart disease and dying. The people who said they slept significantly less, or more, than seven hours had a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke than those around the seven hour mark (which is roughly the amount most Brits say they normally get, although the advice is to have eight hours).

As to why sleeping more than average is linked to poor health, this may be partly because people who are already in ill health spend more time in bed, so its not the long sleep that is causing the poor health, but the other way round. But the researchers from Washington University Sleep Medicine Center also suggest that spending more time in bed can be counterproductive because it leads to more fragmented, poor-quality sleep, which is bad for you.

In other words, if you really want to enjoy the full benefits of a good nights sleep, you need quality rather than just quantity.

Ensuring you have more quality sleep might sound difficult, particularly if you are an insomniac (someone, for example, who wakes up a lot in the middle of the night and then struggles to get back to sleep, as I do). But one of the most simple, but effective, ways to achieve it is to restrict the hours you spend in bed. The trick with Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT) is to teach your brain to associate bed with sleep and nothing else.

The idea is that for a short period of time you restrict your sleep by getting up at the same time every morning but going to bed later than normal.

So if you normally go to bed at 11pm and get up at 7am, then you might try going to bed at midnight, or even 1am, instead. This will increase your sleep drive, so the next night you will fall asleep faster and hopefully wake up less frequently. You do this for a week or two, until you have got back into the habit of falling asleep easily, then gradually increase the amount of time you spend in bed until you get enough quality sleep.

This will vary from person to person, but one of the best ways of telling if you are getting enough is whether you feel sleepy and irritable during the day.

If you want to try SRT there are four things to bear in mind.

1. Do not cut your time in bed to less than five hours.

2. Stick to it rigorously.

3. Do not lie down, nap or snooze during the day.

4. Do not drive or use machinery if you experience serious daytime sleepiness.

There are more details about how to do SRT in my recent book, Fast Asleep.

Note: if you have serious insomnia then you might want to talk to your GP or get professional support from someone who is trained to deliver CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia).

Could next year's Covid jab be given as a painless patch?

Some good news for people with trypanophobia  a fear of needles  who want to be protected against coronavirus.

A team at The University of Queensland are testing a skin patch that theyre hoping to use to deliver Covid-19 vaccines. It consists of a strip of plastic, just 1 cm square, covered with 5,000 tiny plastic spikes.

When coated with the Covid vaccine they can be pressed onto your arm with a single click from a spring-loaded applicator.

This is not only painless but the vaccine doesnt have to be stored at cold temperatures either. Also, when a vaccine is given this way the tiny needles puncture just the outer layer of the skin  this is called an intradermal injection and this can produce a much more powerful immune response than a vaccine delivered via a needle into muscle. Thats because your skin is packed full of immune cells, primed to respond powerfully to any foreign intruders.

Studies using flu vaccines have shown you only need to give a fifth of the normal dose to get the same effect as injecting into muscle. Despite these advantages, few vaccines are routinely administered with intradermal injections because you have to get the needle into just the right layer of skin (the dermis) and this normally requires trained medical staff.

But if a Covid vaccine could be given as a patch, it would be painless, which might encourage more vaccine refuseniks to come forward. It could be done without needing any expertise as the needles are designed to only reach the dermis. The patch could even be self-administered. This approach has only been tested on animals but trials on humans begin next year.
Experts believe performing autopsies on the bodies of people who have died of COVID-19 could provide greater insight into the virus, and how it affects the body.

Only hundreds of autopsies have been performed so far out of five million people who have died of Covid worldwide.

This is due to a mix of reasons including some autopsy clinics closing and other medical systems phasing the practice out.

Autopsies were once the method of choice for medical professionals to determine cause of death and other factors leading to a person's demise, but have been replaced by modern technology.

The procedures still have some use, though, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is planning an investment of more than $1 billion to learn more about the virus, which includes more autopsies of Covid patients, reports Bloomberg.

Autopsies have not been performed on many of the five million people that have died of Covid worldwide, but some experts believe they could be the key to figuring out how the virus affects someone's body. The NIH is planning a $1 billion investment into learning more about the virus, which will include autopsies (file photo)

Autopsies allow experts to find exactly what was happening in a person's body the moment that they die, experts tell Bloomberg.

Because Covid patients die at different points of infection, a large sample of autopsies can help doctors create a timeline of to how the virus spread throughout the body, and what exactly it does.

'It's critically important that thousands of autopsies are done, so we can put this picture together,' Dr Jeffery Taubenberger, head of the viral pathogenesis and evolution section of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, told Bloomberg.

'What we're trying to figure out here is, what goes wrong under the worst circumstances where people die - to try to understand how the virus causes disease in less severe cases.

'And then: What are the therapeutic implications of that?'

More autopsies could also give experts a greater look into how 'long Covid' works as well.

The mysterious condition occurs when recovered Covid patients still feel side effects of the virus months after recovery and has baffled experts becasuse there is little explanation for why or how it happens.

Long Covid can also strike in many ways, with some people losing their sense of taste and smell for long periods of time and others being left extremely fatigued and bed-ridden for months on end.

Autopsies on dead patients would allow experts to gather evidence on how to treat recovered Covid patients on their symptoms as well.

'The post-Covid stuff is very, very real,' Dr Daniel Chertow, an NIH investigator, told Bloomberg.

'If you're going to begin to conceive of ways to prevent or treat those manifestations, you need to understand what's driving it.'

Many autopsy clinics closed during the pandemic, because they were seen as non-essential.

In hindsight, these decisions actually hurt the medical field's ability to develop treatments for the virus.

Dt Klaus Puschel, a German scientist who leads an autopsy clinic in Hamburg, told Bloomberg that he defied local orders and kept his clinic open.

His team conducted 80 autopsies on patients who had died of Covid, and made groundbreaking discoveries.

They found the virus can spread beyond the respiratory system and into the kidney, heart, liver and even the brain.

The clinic also found that Covid patients had defective capillaries in the brain - small blood vessels - which may be the cause for some cognitive issues such as 'brain fog' and memory recall problems people face as a result of the virus.

While these findings were medical breakthroughs, they were also worrying for experts.

'Is there going to be some subclinical effects on your brain that are going to cause neurocognitive issues later in life that perhaps are not immediately noticeable or detectable?' Chertow said.

'If you're going to begin to conceive of ways to prevent or treat those manifestations - either in the next group that might be exposed or among the group that are suffering - you need to understand what the drivers are.'

Autopsies are very intensive, and very expensive, though.

The procedure can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000, and the facilities themselves are also very expensive to operate.

In a time where medical resources are lacking, investing that much money, labor and equipment into a dead person may often not seem worthwhile to a health system.

Bloomberg reports that many doctors are instead opting to use X-rays, MRIs and other existing tools to discover cause of death in some patients.

The technology is a lot simpler to use, and does not require as much manual work as an autopsy does.

Performing an autopsy, especially on a Covid patient, requires physicians to wear a lot of heavy, cumbersome, gear.

They also have to collect over 100 individual samples from all over the body due to the scattershot approach being used to find how the virus works.

Each of the samples then has to be individually examined, adding more work to the process.

'Autopsies are expensive procedures,' Dr Linda Isles, head of forensic pathology services at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, told Bloomberg.

'In reality, not many people want to spend money on dead people.'
A baby in Brazil is one of a handful to ever be born with a true human tail, doctors have revealed.

Fascinating pictures published in a medical journal show how the appendage had a ball-shaped mass on the end.

Medics surgically removed the 'chain and ball', which was only spotted after he was born.

All babies develop an embryonic tail in the womb between four to eight weeks after gestation, but this is normally reabsorbed back into the body.

The 12cm tail with a 4cm ball was examined by doctors shortly after the Brazilian boy was born

The tail after being removed by surgeons, an examination found it represented a rare 'true' human tail meaning it a remnant of the one all babies grow and usually reabsorb in the womb

But in extremely rare cases, this doesn't happen and the tail can continue growing.

By the time he was born, the tail had grown to a whopping 12cm, and developed a 4cm diameter ball at its tip.

Doctors who examined the bay noted the tail contained no parts made of cartilage and bone, meaning it was a rare example of a true human tail.

There have only been about 40 documented cases of children being born with true, boneless, tails in history.

It is not clear if the tail was removed because it was causing the child discomfort or pain or at the request of his family.

Human ancestors, alongside our ape relatives, lost our tails when we diverged from monkeys about 20million years ago.

In some faiths and cultures, human tails are considered holy and are worshiped.

The unidentified Brazilian newborn had his tail removed at Albert Sabin Children's Hospital in the coastal city of Fortaleza, located in the north east of the country, sometime prior to January 2021.

He was born prematurely at 35 weeks with no complications, but initial assessment of the child revealed the tail and ball growth on the end.

After an ultrasound scan revealed no concerns relating to the tail being attached to the baby's nervous system, surgeons opted to remove the appendage but they did not detail how they did so.

The surgery, as detailed in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports had no complications but no details of the boy's recovery was given.

A true human tail is remnant of the one most babies grow in the womb, before it is reabsorbed into the body, forming the tailbone.

In contrast a pseudo-tail is a protrusion from the bottom of the spinal cord which is characterised by being made out of fat, cartilage and elements of bone, the doctors explained.

A post-surgery analysis of the tail found it was comprised of boneless tissue with the ball on the end being made of fat and embryonic connective tissue.

Consent to publish the case was not obtained by the authors but no information was included in the study which could lead to the identification of the child.
Revolutions tend to start off slowly before an eruption takes place. And the growing anger building up among Britains 30 million-plus motorists is one that the Government ignores at its peril.

Towards the end of the Cold War, I was in the Soviet Union to report on a visit by then Education Secretary Kenneth Baker, who was carrying out his own schools revolution in Britain.

In a packed lecture hall at Moscow State University, Baker delivered a speech depicting everyday life in the UK where young schoolchildren could photocopy their work (there was only one photocopier in the entire university and permission was needed to use it to avoid the publishing of seditious material).

Joys of the open road: Drivers set out on the London to Brighton run. This year's event takes place on Sunday

Then came Bakers masterstroke when he explained how, in the earliest days of the motor car, the forces of reaction tried to stifle progress of the new machine by insisting that a man walk in front carrying a Red Flag.

The hall erupted in cheers  as the audience instantly made the link between the fluttering red symbol of revolutionary socialism and the bureaucratic brake put on early automobiles.

He was also referring to an event commemorated by the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which takes place this Sunday, organised by the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall with the support of auctioneers RM Sothebys.

To many, it is simply a vintage automotive jollity with a touch of dressing up, but what it actually celebrates is the first revolutionary act  and possibly not the last  of the motorist.

The first celebration - called the Emancipation Run - was held on a wet Saturday, November 14, 1896

This year more than 320 pioneering horseless carriages from the dawn of motoring will leave Hyde Park in London at sunrise on Sunday and make the same 60-mile journey to Brighton

Every vehicle dates pre-1905 - some powered by combustion engines, others by steam and even electricity

Making a start

The first celebration  called the Emancipation Run  was held on a wet Saturday, November 14, 1896.

After much campaigning, a group of early motorists set off from London to Brighton to celebrate the passing into law of the Locomotive On Highways Act.

This year's run will follow the same 60-mile route to Brighton as the first event 125 years ago

This increased the speed limit for light locomotives from 4mph to 14mph, effectively ending centuries of horse-drawn transport and allowing motorised vehicles the freedom of the road.

Significantly, it removed the need for a man to proceed in front of the vehicle, at walking pace, carrying the hated Red Flag.

The original limit (and the Red Flag) had been introduced to control the speed of huge steam tractors and threshing machines when moving between farms. But technology had advanced so quickly the law had failed to keep pace.

The Autocar magazine, founded a year earlier, celebrated the motorists victory with a special red-letter-day issue, printed entirely in red ink, noting: Today... marks the throwing open of the highways and byeways of our beautiful country.

Ben Cussons, chairman of the Royal Automobile Club which has organised the event since 1930, said: It was a seminal moment.

'The new law was a life-changer in so many ways  it totally transformed the perspectives of social mobility and personal freedoms and, of course, spawned exciting new industries.

Unfinished business for drivers today Fuel duty Petrol and diesel prices have soared to record highs. The fuel protests of 2000 nearly brought the country to its knees. Treated like cash-cows From clean air charges to car-park expenses, inappropriate speed limits, poor signage on bus lanes, yellow-box junction entrapment and charging for dropping off at airports. The drive to electric The sale of petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2030. But how will those of modest means afford a new or even second-hand electric car? And where are sufficient charging points coming from? Smart motorways Motoring groups warned that the Governments cut-price system to boost road capacity would put lives at risk. A damning report by the Commons transport committee published this week proves this. Car-free zones Narrowing roads, introducing cycle-lanes, setting up Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and re-phasing traffic lights all makes life difficult for motorists. Revised Highway Code The new Highway Code has been criticised for appearing to put all the blame on motorists even when other road users  such as cyclists  may be at fault. It sets up a hierarchy of road users.

Charging forward

This year more than 320 pioneering horseless carriages from the dawn of motoring will leave Hyde Park in London at sunrise on Sunday and make the same 60-mile journey to Brighton as those early motorists 125 years ago.

Every vehicle dates pre-1905  some powered by combustion engines, others by steam and even electricity. The oldest car lining up in Hyde Park will be an intrepid single-cylinder 1894 Benz.

By tradition, the celebration begins with the tearing up of a Red Flag by one or more of the participating celebrities.

This year the honour is expected to fall to the fastest man on Earth, former Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, the World Land Speed Record holder, who topped 760mph in Thrust SSC back in 1997.

Tomorrow (November 6 on the eve of the run) the UKs biggest free-to-view celebration of the automobile takes place  Londons Regent Street Motor Show (regentstreetmotorshow.com)  featuring cars old and modern as well as attractions for visitors of all ages.

Arrival: Two vintage motorists negotiate the the final yards of the run along Brighton's seafront

Perpetual motion

There have been motoring revolts since the beginning of the industry, of course.

And the delivery driver shortage showed recently just how fragile supply lines can be when there is even a hint of panic buying.

Howard Cox, founder of the campaign group FairFuel UK, says motorists are getting increasingly angry, and frustrated given that they are demonised by local and national government policymakers.

Petrol and diesel drivers face an uncontrolled pump pricing lottery, enforced local authority congestion, and clean air charges, he said.

UK drivers are still some of the highest taxed motorists in the world, so the Chancellor should make a start by cutting fuel duty by 3p a litre to ease the burden of record fuel prices.

As the 125th annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run gets under way to celebrate one motoring revolution, the question for todays politicians is will they risk raising the red flag on motorists again?

More details of Sundays London to Brighton Veteran Car Run: veterancarrun.com/
MPs launched a scathing attack on Sanjeev Gupta and claimed there was no evidence he had cleaned up his struggling metals empire.

The Liberty Steel owner agreed a vital restructuring package last month that will see 50million injected into his UK plants.

But in a damning report the Commons business committee said there were still serious question marks over whether the tycoon was fit to run a steel business. The report deals another hammer blow to Guptas already shredded reputation.

Crisis: Liberty Steels turmoil put 3,000 UK jobs at the countrys third-largest steelmaker on the brink

The 50-year-old tycoon had been hailed as the saviour of UK steel after he snapped up a plant in Newport, South Wales in 2013 and later went on a spending spree that saw him take over factories in Rotherham, Scunthorpe and Stocksbridge, among others.

But his group of companies  the GFG Alliance, which includes Liberty Steel  was thrown into turmoil after its main lender Greensill Capital went bust in March.

Liberty Steels troubles put 3,000 UK jobs at the countrys third-largest steelmaker on the brink.

The report into the near-collapse of Liberty by MPs said:

That the Insolvency Service should investigate whether Gupta breached his responsibility as a company director.

That Liberty Steel is still at risk because Gupta is not doing enough to address fundamental problems with the business.

That the committee was utterly unconvinced one of GFGs main auditors had the skills, expertise and resources to sign off on its accounts and should be investigated immediately.

That the Treasury and Financial Conduct Authority should look into the complex and fragile financing provided by Greensill Capital that powered GFG.

In the report, MPs called on Gupta to take immediate action to restructure the business to make it more transparent.

Bailout: Sanjeev Gupta agreed a vital restructuring package last month that will see 50m injected into his UK plants

Darren Jones, chairman of the committee, said: The evidence we heard in our inquiry has highlighted serious problems with high-risk financial practices, weaknesses in audit, and about inadequate accountability and corporate governance arrangements within GFG Alliance.

'Sanjeev Gupta must urgently fix these problems if he is to be seen as a fit and proper owner of steel companies in the UK.

MPs commended Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for turning down Guptas request for a 170million bailout earlier this year.

And the Committee said it believed that until the GFG was simplified and published more accessible accounts, Gupta does not meet the requirements to be someone leading a company that might receive Government support.

MPs were also searing about King & King, the tiny two-partner firm that audited the accounts of around 60 GFG firms with combined revenues of 2.5billion.

MPs urged the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales to investigate King & King as a matter of urgent public interest.

A GFG Alliance spokesman said the firm would review and reflect on the MPs conclusions.

The spokesman added: We are disappointed that the report fails to recognise the significant role Sanjeev Gupta and Liberty Steel has played in saving and safeguarding thousands of UK jobs which otherwise would have been lost.

'Mr Gupta has consistently met his obligations as a director of a private company, and with the restructuring and transformation committee has led GFGs global restructuring since Greensills collapse which has enabled the refinancing of our Australian operations and laid the foundations to achieve secure financing across the group.
Barclays Bank has been served with a legal demand by the United States Virgin Islands to hand over all correspondence between its former chief executive Jes Staley and the late Jeffrey Epstein.

The letter was filed at 5.44pm on October 12 and served on Barclays by Carol Thomas-Jacobs, the deputy attorney general of the US Virgin Islands (USVI).

Staley, 64, stepped down from the bank following an investigation by City regulators into the way he described his relationship with Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

The United States Virgin Islands is demanding Barclays hand over all correspondence between its former chief executive Jes Staley (pictured) and the late Jeffrey Epstein.

The bank said the investigation did not conclude that Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Epstein's crimes.

As he stepped down on Monday, Staley vowed to challenge the regulator's findings. Barclays denied the USVI's legal letter had influenced his decision to resign.

Links: Disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein (pictured)

But as one source close to the situation said: 'Coming together with the regulators' report, Barclays and Staley realised it was game over.'

Before he joined Barclays, Staley and his wife visited Epstein on Little Saint James, his private Caribbean retreat in the USVI known locally as the 'Island of Sin'.

The territory's authorities want to repossess the island and make restitution to his victims.

But last month's letter was the second time the bank had received an order from the USVI to hand over documents related to Epstein.

In February, its New York division was served with a subpoena by the USVI courts to reveal transactions, correspondence and investments on accounts linked to Epstein.

A bank spokesman said the lender's US arm has already provided its response to the subpoena and complied with its obligations.

It added that the USVI is in the process of serving a similar subpoena on the bank in the UK and that it 'will respond to that subpoena once it is served'.

'Island of Sin': Before he joined Barclays, Staley and his wife visited Epstein on Little Saint James (pictured), his private Caribbean retreat

The 14-page legal request, seen by the Daily Mail, demands that Barclays' UK arm hands over all documents, emails, information, videos and pictures that may have been shared between Staley and Epstein.

This would include information uncovered in the bank's inquiry into the nature of relations between Staley and Epstein, and documents it may have passed on to the City watchdogs.

In addition, the court wants to see documentation about the hiring of Staley by Barclays, where he took over at the end of 2016.

At the time there were allegations that Epstein lobbied for him to get the job  claims Barclays has denied.

There were also suggestions he had lobbied on behalf of Staley for the role in 2012, when the bank appointed Antony Jenkins.

The USVI court has given Barclays 30 days from the date of filing to respond.

Thomas-Jacobs is asking for the material to be used in the civil proceedings being undertaken between the government of the USVI and the defendants, Epstein's estate.
Early years childcare is fraught with challenges, including a shortage of skilled staff and low pay.

It has created a lot of pressure on parents to find the right childcare, as well as on the care providers who don't feel their wages match up to the skills required.

It is no surprise that one in five early years workers considered leaving the sector this year, according to a report by the Early Years Alliance.

Brett Wigdortz is also the founder of the largest graduate recruiter in the UK - Teach First. He has plans to grow Tiney in much the same way as he grew the Teach First business

An added problem is that few new businesses are entering the childminding and nursery care sector to fill in the gaps, because of the red tape involved.

But entrepreneur Brett Wigdortz sees tackling these challenges as a business opportunity.

Along with his co-founder Edd Read, who was also behind the snack box company Graze, Wigdortz has launched the Ofsted-approved childminding agency Tiney, which is based around an app.

What is Tiney?

Tiney is a London-headquartered start-up that finds people interested in being childminders and offers them training to run and set up a business from home.

Once trained, it marries them up with parents seeking good-quality childcare.

'Parents are desperate for childminders and the number of people doing it has dropped,' says Wigdortz.

'One of the reasons for that is that it's a really hard thing to do on your own and it's very complicated to get registered and licensed.'

Tiney aims to make it simpler for people to set up a childminding business in their homes

The business - which has been described as the 'Airbnb of childcare' - enables the childminders it signs up to cut down on overheads because they work in their own homes.

It is currently only operating in the South East of England, but there are plans to expand into other areas.

'I thought about how we could get more practitioners while ensuring that there was good-quality care and the ability to earn a good salary,' Wigdortz adds.

'I wanted to do this without costing parents and government more money, so the key was to get people to use their homes and resources better so that there'd be no upping of the costs.'

App provides a 'supportive ecosystem'

Wigdortz admits that running a childminding business from home is not a new concept, but he says the 'supportive ecosystem' Tiney provides for its childminders is what makes the business unique.

For example, business administration such as drawing up contracts, taking payments and saving money for paying wages and taxes can be a barrier to entry for people wanting to set up childminding businesses.

In response, Tiney has developed technology to assist with these tasks, and it has even created its own e-money account, similar to PayPal, that its childminders can use to run their businesses. It's provided by banking partner Modulr, which also works with Revolut, Sage and Bubble.

They don't have to worry about the business aspect, they just need to worry about the kids Brett Wigdortz, co-founder, Tiney Brett Wigdortz, co-founder, Tiney

The e-money account doesn't fall under the remit of FSCS protection, but Wigdortz assures that Modulr has protections in place to safeguard transactions and points out that the partner itself is FCA regulated.

'All payments need to be made initially to the Tiney wallet, but the childminder can withdraw funds to their own bank account on a daily basis for no extra fee. They are encouraged to withdraw their funds regularly,' he says.

'The benefit of processing everything through the wallet is that Tiney can register the individual childminders for all the available childcare funding schemes, such as tax credits and free childcare hours, on their behalf.

'We do all the registering, licensing, and a lot of it is tech enabled  we deal with all their contract,' Wigdortz says.

He adds that the model enables childminders the luxury of just worrying about the kids and not the business aspect.

'Many childminders like to have this e-money account so they can keep things separate. It's simple, but it's based on childminder feedback.'

How much does setting up a childminding business cost? The fee to start with Tiney is 200, but it recommends that childminders put aside 500-600 to get their business off the ground. This will cover things like making sure their home is suitable for young children. Says Wigdortz: 'They need a good front room and access to an outside area, which could be a park. For some people it could cost them nothing as their house is already set up for small children. 'Other than that, there are no other big costs. With our training and checks the quickest people have done it is in six weeks, but it normally takes three months. 'We do a lot of safety and background checks with local authorities and that is often the delaying factor.'

Tutoring and networking

As well as handling the financial side of things, Tiney's tech platform also helps childminders find activities for children to do.

Childminders get access to the early years national curriculum, the app pushes out early years foundation stage activities every day, and there is also a tracker that helps them log what they have done.

To address the loneliness of the job, Tiney has also created a community which allows childminders to connect and offer each other support.

In exchange for these services, the business does take a cut of childminders' earnings, and also charges them a one-off fee of 200 to get started.

Says Wigdortz: 'We take 10 per cent of the money off the contracts that they get.

'Most of our childminders earn more than an average childminder as we help them with their contracts and with things like insurance.

'The fee covers insurance and training. There's usually a lot of things childminders have to pay for but with Tiney you don't have to worry about it.'

The fee includes around 50 hours of early years training, the majority of which can be completed online. The whole process to get signed up and clear checks takes between six and 16 weeks.

'I was invited to 10 Downing Street because of Tiney' Blerina Cenuka (38) says Tiney helped her launch her Enfield-based childminding business. 'They help with bills, sending invoices to parents, they help with all the insurances, training and helped me to find clients,' she says. 'I was doing childminding before and was registered with Ofsted. I did feel quite lonely, and we only had had some support from the local authority. Blerina Cenuka (right) launched her childminding business through Tiney and also visited 10 Downing Street to advocate for the early years sector 'It was difficult to get together with local childminders, but Tiney helped with this and now we can co-ordinate and get together. 'We've got that sense of being there for each other. Last month I had Covid, and I called another childminder and they helped as a backup. 'It has grown my business financially.' Blerina was also invited to meet the prime minister and advocate for the early years sector through Tiney. She adds: 'I've had loads of opportunities through Tiney. I had a visit to 10 Downing Street which was an amazing experience. It was really rewarding after all the hard work in lockdown.'

Selecting the best talent

For Tiney, the timing of starting a business during the pandemic was fortuitous.

Interest spiked during lockdown as people considered leaving their office jobs when they realised the benefits of working from home.

Tiney started accepting applications in May 2019, and had received 4,672 enquiries before lockdown.

But this all changed when Covid hit. In the 12 months from March 2020 onwards the business had 12,346 enquiries from people hoping to become childminders.

Despite the surge in applications, Wigdortz says the business was careful about choosing who they would admit.

He said: 'Lots wanted to work from home and had renewed interest in educating children from their lockdown experience.

'We had more than 500 people who met our standards pay to start their training during lockdown.'

'Tiney helped me financially and emotionally during the pandemic' Ramisha Kiyani started her Merton-based childminding business with her mom Romana Kiyani through Tiney Ramisha Kiyani (23) started her Merton-based childminding business, Petite Childcare, with her mum Romana Kiyani (46). They came across Tiney on through a search engine and they completed their training in December 2019. Ramisha says: 'They were training childminders up and the business was new at the time - I was part of their second-ever session. 'They covered my training fees as well as criminal and DBS checks - all the compulsory stuff you need to get to be a childminder. 'The ease of getting Ofsted accreditation with them saved me a lot of time and documentation and extra training. I would say the process and the support from Tiney have been great. 'They do have an app now which links you to a community of other childminders that you can network with. It's easy and quick. 'Tiney also helped childminders out during the pandemic with a 500 allowance, so they provided support both financially as well as emotionally.'

Venture backers

Last year the business raised $6.5million (4.73million) from venture capital companies LocalGlobe and Index Ventures.

And last month, it raised a further 3million from Index Ventures, LocalGlobe, Jam Jar and some new investors.

At present, Tiney is not a profitable business - but Wigdortz says that his backers are comfortable with this as their present focus is seeing the business grow.

His business background may have helped to allay any concerns. Wigdortz is a seasoned entrepreneur and founded the largest graduate recruiter in the UK, Teach First.

Teach First gained over 300million in public funding and raised over 90million from the private sector and individuals. It is now the single biggest employer out of Oxford and Cambridge.

Wigdortz says: 'Teach First is in 61 countries around the world. With Tiney we have the same ambitions. Currently we are in the South East  we will go Manchester later and will be available throughout the UK in around 12 months.

'Scotland and Wales have different regulations that we still have to work through.

'We currently have around 200 childminders up and running and another 300 in training who will open in the next three months.'

Wigdortz says that being an entrepreneur is the most fun job and that he is passionate about creating things from scratch.

He says: 'I start with the problem. With Teach First it was about there not being enough teachers in low-income schools that need them the most.

'With Tiney, it's about parents not being able to find enough good early years childcare. I'm trying to find a solution that helps everyone.

'This is a for-profit business, but I get excited about the impact as it makes people better off.'
Florida law enforcement officials are being slammed for making demeaning social media posts mocking crime suspects and members of the public in an effort to build their social media following.

Sheriff's offices have become prolific social media content creators lately, but the posts, critics say, are now digital pillories for suspects who may never be found guilty.

A DailyMail.com investigation found that these desperate attempts to garner hundreds of thousands of followers - and potential voters - have exposed racist, sexist and humiliating content where suspects are made to look guilty even before the first court hearing, and some even display evidence not yet brought to court.

Just last month in Palm Beach County, a man charged with aggravated assault and improper display of a firearm in July 2020, sued Sheriff Ric Bradshaw after he posted tweets mocking him and refused to delete them when the charges were dismissed.

The man claimed the posts caused 'mental anguish and hurt feelings' and is seeking punitive damages.

And while many of the posts began as public service announcements, the lure of huge social media exposure is backfiring and has resulted in legally tenuous posts.

Florida law enforcement officials are being slammed for making crude social media posts mocking crime suspects. One notorious posting featured a photo of the arms of two white deputies holding, by his dreads, a black suspect who allegedly tried to flee a traffic stop

As far back as 2016, Pasco County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page featured the 'Sad Criminal of the Day'. The post was met with backlash from the community

Footage of Vincent Scavetta, who was pushing his father's wheelchair through a store, pointing his gun at fellow shopper Christopher Estrada went viral at a time when Covid masks were becoming a political issue throughout the country.

Scavetta left the store and was arrested a few days later.

Just last month in Palm Beach County, a man charged with aggravated assault and improper display of a firearm in July 2020 sued Sheriff Ric Bradshaw (pictured) after he posted tweets mocking him and refused to delete them when the charges were dismissed

The charges against the 30-year-old, however, were dropped by prosecutors when it became apparent Estrada, who was accompanied by his young daughter, hit Scavetta with an umbrella.

What's more, Scavetta has a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon and may have been covered by Florida's broad stand-your-ground laws.

Yet, the sheriff's office refused to delete its social media postings, including one from July 23, 2020 that read: 'Welcome to PBC jail, son. Let this be a lesson.'

In that tweet, the sheriff's office appears to be playing judge and jury and made Scavetta look guilty with the words: 'The man who pulled a gun during a verbal altercation.'

An earlier tweet dated July 14, 2020 featured Walmart surveillance photos of Scavetta with the phrase: 'You think you're big and bad because you pull out a gun?'

Scavetta now claims in court the posts and hundreds of comments from the public that the sheriff's office allowed on its Facebook and Twitter accounts were 'malicious and made with the intention to publicly humiliate, embarrass, and shame the plaintiff.'

PBSO declined to comment on the pending litigation. But Public Information Officer Teri Barbera, whose office handles social media, explained the postings were simply to 'help detectives find Scavetta' after he left the scene.

Meanwhile a review by DailyMail.com of the social media of other Florida law enforcement agencies shows the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office isn't the only agency publicizing arrests in legally tenuous ways.

Sheriff's offices throughout the state have become prolific social media content providers with their posts demeaning and humiliating their targets.

For example, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office in New Port Richey.

Sheriff Chris Nocco's media office is putting six to ten Facebook postings a day on an account with more than 286,000 followers in a county with a population of half a million.

Footage of Vincent Scavetta, who was pushing his father's wheelchair through the store, pointing his gun at fellow shopper Christopher Estrada went viral at a time when Covid masks were becoming a political issue throughout the country. A tweet dated July 14, 2020 featured Walmart surveillance photos of Scavetta with the phrase: 'You think you're big and bad because you pull out a gun?'

In Brevard County, Sheriff Wayne Ivey has taken to posting the photo of every DUI suspect in the county, some of whom have yet to have a preliminary hearing let alone a trial. The August suspects, all 42 of them, appeared on Ivey's page on September 1 under the headline 'If you don't want to see your picture on this poster, then don't drink and drive'

As far back as 2016, PCSO's Facebook page featured the 'Sad Criminal of the Day.'

One notorious post featured a photo of the arms of two white deputies holding a black suspect by his hair who allegedly tried to flee a traffic stop.

The man, identified as Marquis Porter, is seen sitting on the ground and weeping.

In time, Porter was found guilty of nine charges, including possession of several types of drugs, fleeing police and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

The Facebook post received 6,100 comments, not all of them good for the sheriff.

'Whoever posted this is sick,' commented Kristl Bryant. 'He's a man, a human, someone's child  To shame him is disgusting.'

Many commenters took shots at the crying suspects, with Brian Reilly writing: 'Glad to see some people still have a sense of humor that hasn't been curbed by today's politically correct/weak society.'

The agency, meanwhile, didn't just limit itself in writing about suspects. Unsuspecting members of the public were fair game, too.

In May 2017, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office posted the story of a local woman undergoing fertility treatment who called 911 when she mishandled two vials of sperm while placing them in a thermos full of dry ice, and reported a risk of explosion.

Soon, the sheriff's office posted a photo of a non-descript woman grimacing with the palm of her left hand open with this explanation: 'Pasco deputies responded to an Assist Other Agency call for service yesterday, May 17, at about 6 p.m. A 26-year-old Port Richey woman contacted emergency personnel, including Pasco Fire Rescue, about a possible dangerous situation.

'The woman advised she is trying to get pregnant by artificial insemination ... and was trying to store the sperm as per the directions. She stated she placed two small vials of sperm inside a 2-quart stainless steel thermos, added dry ice, and closed the lid without removing the rubber O-ring as the directions required.'

'The deputy advised Fire-Rescue personnel...of the potential for an explosion due to increasing pressure inside the device.'

'Fire-Rescue personnel carried the container outside to a safe location and used a pair of channel lock pliers to remove the thermos lid, releasing the pressure and removing the danger. The container was given back to the woman without incident.'

The woman's name was not in the post, but the details about her age, location and time of the incident led reporters to Felicia Nevins, 30, and stories about her inability to get pregnant ran in worldwide media.

Nevins, a behavioral technician who works mostly with children, told DailyMail.com her lawyer asked the sheriff's office remove the post, and Nocco refused.

She opted against suing because she said she 'just wanted for it to go away.'

Up to 467 comments ended up on the post. And while many criticized the sheriff's office, many supported Nocco's use of Nevins' story.

One comment from user Rob Bedard read: 'I can't believe this woman wants the post removed. It's too funny, lmao. Don't let these sensitive (SIC) people ruin some law enforcement fun, PCSO. It's nice to see the different types of calls you receive. Keep up the good work.'

Nocco explained to the Tampa Bay Times at the time: 'We attempt to show every day what our officers see in calls and we are very open agency,' he said. 'Make no mistake, this was a potentially dangerous situation.'

He then blamed the media for finding Nevins' name.

In May 2017, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office posted the story of a local woman undergoing fertility treatment who called 911 when she mishandled two vials of sperm while placing them in a thermos full of dry ice, and reported a risk of explosion

One disgruntled Facebook user slammed the Sheriff's Office for reporting the woman's personal business

In Polk County, in Orlando's suburbs, the Facebook feed of Sheriff Grady Judd uses the mug shots of juvenile suspects

Nevins, meanwhile, told DailyMail.com that the sheriff's publicizing of her plight in 2017 piled up more stress on a stressful time.

Four years later, she says, she still hasn't been able to get pregnant, and her husband recently passed away.

'For months, I was bombarded with messages and emails and comments on my Facebook page from all over the world,' she said. 'I got some from the Middle East and Asia about how I needed to get raped since my husband couldn't impregnate me.

'I don't think the sheriff's office realizes what this did to me.'

Four years later, the sheriff's office changed its ways.

The agency now follows an 83-page Strategic Communications Guide that bans photos of arrest and mocking anyone.

'The Public Information Office, which oversees the social media team, is now under different leadership,' wrote Amanda Hunter, a Pasco sheriff's spokeswoman. 'As such, we have implemented social media and strategic communications policies to include robust guidelines of what should and should not be posted on behalf of the agency.'

Pasco's Sheriff's Office now uses social media for safety tips, to publicize the photos of teenage runaways and find suspects caught on surveillance cameras.

For Brian Andrews, a crisis management expert who works for government entities in Florida and elsewhere, Pasco's guide is a good start that should be emulated throughout the state.

Still, he says, some bureaucrats who dabble in social media 'obviously haven't thought it through.'

'I tell my clients that social media have become such dangerous weapons that only responsible individuals should be allowed behind the keyboards,' said Andrews, founder of The News Directors.

'Social media use by government is an open invitation for lawsuits, and of course, the taxpayers are on the hook. This is really the last thing we, the public, needs at a time of mistrust and polarization.

'I tell my clients always to take the high road, use decorum. Instead, these guys are trying to use emotional triggers as a means to an end. It's bound to leave a bad taste in many people's mouths.'

Indian River County Sheriff's Office posted a photo of passenger Vann Mangum with a white powder in his nostrils  potential evidence that could be used in a trial

The post garnered hundreds of comments, many of them mocking the man and others questioning if this photo was necessary to post

In Polk County, in Orlando's suburbs, the Facebook feed of Sheriff Grady Judd is a chock full of strange and wacky posts, some using the mug shots of juvenile suspects.

An October 10 post on Facebook, for example, garnered more than 1,300 comments.

It involved a man walking on a street of Mulberry stark naked.

In Polk County, in Orlando's suburbs, the Facebook feed of Sheriff Grady Judd is a chock full of strange and wacky posts

Here is the sheriff's office rendition of the arrest: 'Early one evening in Mulberry, Jason decided to go for a walk. For whatever reason, Jason decided that his clothing was not going to be a part of that walk.

'A deputy responded (nobody likes getting the naked guy calls), and sure enough, there was Jasoncompletely nakedand carrying a jug of water and a small glass ball.

'The deputy ordered Jason to stop. 'No!' Jason responded.

'The deputy put a handcuff on Jason. We'll assume it was on his wrist, since that's where handcuffs go.

'Jason tried to resist the deputy, and the deputy no doubt tried to resist getting too close to Jason.

'The deputy repeatedly asked Jason what his name was and why he was naked.

'Jason was arrested for exposing his naughty bits and resisting, and had to be booked-in as John Doe, until he could be identified.

'In Jason's defense, he didn't really have a good place to keep his ID.'

On October 5, another post featured three brothers under 18, calling them Criminals of The Day.

In this post, too, the sheriff's office appears sure they'll be convicted and calls them 'prolific offenders.'

'They stole three guns,' the post reads, 'ammo, credit cards, personal IDs and anything else they could grab from mostly unlocked cars.'

Judd, who was reelected last year to a four-year term, didn't reply to a request for comments and neither did his spokesman.

Along Florida's Atlantic Coast, meanwhile rookie sheriff Eric Flowers, who took office in Indian River County in January, brought a new social media team. The effects were immediate with snarkier social media, and the posting of photographic evidence.

By February, the official Facebook account of the Indian River County Sheriff's Office reported the arrests of the driver and passenger of a car pulled over for running a red light in Vero Beach.

An October 10 post on Facebook, for example, garnered more than 1,300 comments. Here is the sheriff's office rendition of the arrest: 'Early one evening in Mulberry, Jason decided to go for a walk. For whatever reason, Jason decided that his clothing was not going to be a part of that walk'

The post included a photo of passenger Vann Mangum with a white powder in his nostrils  potential evidence that could be used in a trial.

'Yes, the drugs in your nose count against you,' the post reads.

Flowers didn't reply to a request for comment.

And just north in Brevard County, Sheriff Wayne Ivey has taken to posting the photo of every DUI suspect in the county, some of whom have yet to have a preliminary hearing let alone a trial.

The August suspects, all 42 of them, appeared on Ivey's page on September 1 under the headline 'If you don't want to see your picture on this poster, then don't drink and drive.'

There were 315 mostly insulting comment.

State legislator and long-time defense attorney Michael Gottlieb said he's been hearing about law enforcement's social media from constituents in the Fort Lauderdale area as well his law clients.

'Shaming people into submission on social media is being used as a tool by law enforcement,' he said. 'That's a problem. The kind of intense scrutiny caused by these posts compromise the constitutional rights of the accused. It has to stop.'
There are many hurdles for entrepreneurs to overcome when setting up and running a business. They're part of the journey to success.

But an unreliable internet connection shouldn't be one of them, no matter where you work from.

Based in a semi-rural area, company founder Yifat Castle struggled with her internet service until she upgraded to fibre optic broadband from TalkTalk Business.

Castles company, Mooka, offers Italian gelato ice cream to pubs, restaurants and theatres, and she upgraded to an ultrafast Business Full Fibre 100 connection to help her keep in touch with her customers. Her previous broadband service simply wasnt up to the job, leaving her unable to perform even basic tasks, so she needed a solution she could depend on.

Mooka's founder, Yifat Castle, transformed her business thanks to TalkTalk Business

Where we are, even mobile connection is quite poor, so just talking to people was difficult, Castle says. TalkTalk Business was the first provider in my area that offered fibre optic; Id used them for a previous business so I talked to them.

The upgrade to an ultrafast, Business Full Fibre 100 line turned out to be very timely, Castle says - as the first lockdown started two weeks later.

They installed the fibre optic here about two weeks before, she says. Meeting face-to-face with people became less important to how we did business. We upgraded our website and dealt with customers virtually.

Known for its reliable network and brilliant customer service, TalkTalk Business has over 25 years' experience working with hundreds of thousands of businesses all over the UK. It offers competitive pricing as well as advice and support when customers need it most. Plus, with strong word of mouth online - TalkTalk Business currently has over 4,600 'Excellent' reviews on Trustpilot - she was sure her business would be in safe hands.

Castle said, I knew I had to have a reliable way to communicate with people and for people to see what I do: the fibre optic line was so important.

Contact TalkTalk Business now Want to join the hundreds of thousands of businesses connected with TalkTalk Business? Give the team a call on 03301 730 646, to see how they could help your business grow. Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am  6pm. Or visit talktalkbusiness.co.uk to find out more. Plus, this month TalkTalk Business is offering you the chance to get even better value connectivity, in the Business Boost Sale. Read on to discover the amazing deals on offer!

Its enabled people to reach me

Castle says TalkTalk Business has 'helped us keep open a line of communication to our customers.'

Castle spoke with a TalkTalk Business advisor who helped her set up her new stable and ultrafast internet connection.

And the fact it offers 24-hour UK-based support, with over 90 per cent of calls resolved in a single conversation, was a huge draw.

They have great customer service,' says Castle. 'Im a small business. I dont have lots of people to delegate to, so if the service isnt responsive, or there are problems its one more thing for me to do in the day.

And her website became a crucial way for Castle to find new business.

Its enabled people to reach me,' she explains. 'More people are turning to search engines to see who can give them a different product, rather than going to peoples doors and looking round the factory.

Coming out of lockdown, its helped us keep open a line of communication to our customers. Because we are seasonal and we dont have a uniform product, the visuals on the website are important. You cant taste the product, but it shows how we work and what it looks like.

Being able to communicate with customers is crucial for Castle, who likes to offer a personal service.

We do seasonal Italian ice cream,' she says. 'I often speak to chefs in restaurants when they change their menu, so we can make an ice cream which works with their menu, rather than saying, We have six flavours, pick one.

Click HERE to find out how TalkTalk Business could help you stay connected.

How TalkTalk Business could help you stay connected to your customers... Whether you're a start-up going from the kitchen table to market or you're stepping up your e-commerce game, you need an internet supplier that will be there for you during those critical phases of growth. And that's why more and more companies are getting connected with TalkTalk Business. Offering a range of business internet options including Superfast Fibre, Ultrafast Fibre and Dedicated Leased Lines, you're sure to get the right service for your needs. Not only is TalkTalk Business' network ultra-reliable, you'll also have access to personal support from UK-based advisers, with 90 per cent of calls resolved in a single conversation. In fact, TalkTalk Business customers are so impressed theyve given the company an overall rating of Excellent across more than 6,400 Trustpilot reviews. So why not give them a call on 03301 730 646, to see how they could help your business grow? Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am  6pm. Or visit talktalkbusiness.co.uk to find out more. Save NOW in the Business Boost sale This month TalkTalk Business is giving you the chance to get even better value connectivity in the Business Boost Sale.* Get connected in November with one of these amazing deals!  Superfast Fibre (speeds up to 76Mb) - Now only 21.95p/m (ex. VAT / 24 month contract)  Ultrafast Full Fibre (speeds up to 900Mb) - 3 months free (then from 29.95p/m (ex. VAT) for remainder of 24 month contract)  Dedicated Leased Lines (speeds up to 1Gb)  now up to 20% off But be quick! The sale ends on 6th December. Find out more at talktalkbusiness.co.uk *Terms and conditions apply. Please visit talktalkbusiness.co.uk/terms for full details including terms of use and detailed product price lists.

Absolute game changer

IT consultant and owner of i90, James Powell turned to TalkTalk Business during lockdown

For IT Consultant James Powell, owner of i90, a Cloud and IT solutions provider, upgrading the internet connection for his business not only enabled him to work productively from home, but even helped to create a new revenue stream.

I had to ensure the broadband was up to scratch,' Powell says. 'I need to be able to support my clients without worrying that one of my kids will start streaming a film and interrupt my video call.

Even as we have come out of lockdown, I'm still doing a lot of business from my home.

He spoke to an advisor at TalkTalk Business about the business-grade services available and opted for an ultra-reliable Dedicated Leased Line, which meant he could offer new services to his customers.

After one of his clients, an estate agent, mentioned that they wanted to provide virtual property viewings, James offered to handle the large files for them.

Thanks to his new ultrafast connectivity he can upload the house-viewing videos in seconds, something that previously would have taken over 10 minutes. It has been so successful he now manages all their monthly viewings, charging a monthly retainer.

It was something he simply wouldnt have been able to do on his old connection.

Powell says: Its been a game changer for my business, giving me peace of mind on video calls, and allowing me to run several sessions concurrently so I can get my work done a lot faster.

I subsequently upgraded my account with TalkTalk Business because it's going so well,' he says. 'I am now on a full 1Gbps connection which is amazing!

Click HERE to find out how TalkTalk Business could help your company grow.
Question Time panellist Nazir Afzal today backed Fiona Bruce, saying he had 'no criticism' of the host after accusing her during the show of asking him first about the cricket racism row because he is a 'brown person'. The BBC programme has become embroiled in an 'unconscious racism' row after Bruce asked Mr Afzal, the only non-white member of the panel, to be the first person to answer an audience member's query about racism. During the show, Mr Afzal agreed with Bruce that he thought she was 'wrong' to go to him first. But reacting this morning after the incident prompted huge debate online, Mr Afzal tweeted: 'I have no criticism of Fiona Bruce. I made point that racism is something which everyone should have a view on, not just minorities. If the subject was say child or domestic abuse, you wouldn't just ask the victim. It's everybody's business.' The question, which was partly about recent allegations of racist abuse made by cricketer Azeem Rafiq, was asked last night to a panel made up of former crown prosecutor Mr Afzal; white psychologist Jordan Peterson; and three white MPs - Mims Davies from the Conservatives, Stella Creasy of Labour and Stephen Flynn from the SNP. Bruce then immediately turned to Mr Afzal and asked him to answer, prompting him to say: 'The brown person will answer first'. As he made the comment he turned to the audience and laughed, which saw some chuckle with him. The presenter then asked him: 'Nazir, so do you think that was wrong of me to come to you first?' Mr Afzal replied: 'I think so' and attempted to continue answering the question while pointing towards the audience. But Bruce then added: 'Well let's not do it. I'm not being sarcastic at all. I mean if that's how you feel, I respect that.' Mr Afzal then stopped speaking and sat silently, while Bruce went to Mr Peterson to hear from him instead.
Advertisement

The app responsible for England's hated 'pingdemic' is on the brink of death, experts claimed today as NHS data showed usage is up to 180 times lower than it was.

At the peak of its powers in summer, there were as many as 14.5million check-ins a week, the equivalent of around one in four people scanning a barcode once.

Yet latest figures reveal just 220,000 people used the QR-code software to sign in at pubs, restaurants and other venues in the week ending October 27, meaning usage has plummeted 60-fold nationally.

But MailOnline analysis of the NHS data shows the drop was even starker in parts of the country. Just 557 check-ins were made in Liverpool during the final week of October, compared to around 100,000 in June. Manchester and Wandsworth also saw massive drops.

Scientists today called on ministers to 'junk' the app for good or encourage people to use it more, warning it was now only having an 'at best' minimal impact on the spread of the virus.

The software was part of the 37billion Test and Trace, which MPs labelled an 'eye-watering' waste of taxpayers' money that 'did not achieve' its main objective of putting the lid on the spread of the virus. It also played a huge role in the country's 'pingdemic', urging hundreds of thousands of workers to quarantine at home, leaving shelves empty and rubbish piled high in the streets.

Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician at the Open University, argued it was likely even fewer people were using the app, which cost 35million to develop, than the figures suggested because the few still plugged in were likely using it to check-in to more than one venue a week.

He warned that checking into venues using the software was 'perhaps not far off being dead'.

The above graph shows the number of check-ins on the NHS Covid app in England registered every week since June. The blue line shows the cumulative number. It reveals that at the peak in July there were some 14.5million check-ins a week, but now it has fallen 66 times to as low as 220,000

The above graph shows the top ten areas that have turned away from the NHS Covid app. It reveals the number of check-ins on the app at the peak on June 2 (red) and the number of check-ins in the most recent week to October 27 (orange)

The number of Covid tests linked to the app has also fallen, figures showed. People are advised to tell the app if they have a positive test so that it can alert others. The above graph shows the number of results linked to the device.

Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and other businesses have not been required to collect customers contact details from July 19, when most remaining Covid restrictions were dropped in England.

But the Government website says they are still 'strongly encouraged' to do this and should be ready to check-in any customers that 'wish to do so'.

Use of the NHS Covid app has always been voluntary, and people in England appear to have 'voted with their phones' to stop using the burdensome technology.

Ten areas of England that were fastest to shrug off the NHS Covid app The NHS Covid app is now used about 66 times less in England than it was at its peak. Figures from NHS Test and Trace revealed the areas where use has dropped the most. Local authority in England Liverpool Manchester Wandsworth Rotherham Lincoln Sunderland Salford Nottingham Hammersmith Newcastle Check-ins, w/e June 2 102,981 170,928 136,690 68,500 60,499 75,092 62,722 116,155 60,180 101,135 Check-ins, w/e October 27 557 951 876 450 404 512 428 802 423 722 Advertisement

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, said that the app was now 'at best minimally effective' and was 'no longer doing what it's designed for'.

He told MailOnline: 'The Government should just junk it or get people to use it again. Sajid Javid did say at his last press conference that there was the possibility of 100,000 infections a day, and [Professor Jonathan] Van-Tam is thinking there are a hard few months ahead of us.

'So either the Government thinks the app is not as effective as it was made out to be, or they should encourage people to use it again.'

Dr Clarke said he has the app but hasn't used it in months. Despite having it activated, he said it has never sent him an alert to self-isolate.

Professor McConway said checking into venues 'is perhaps not far off being dead'.

But he added that its alert function still appeared to be working for those checking in when visiting pubs, bars and restaurants, telling MailOnline: 'The app is still sending alerts out about venues  indeed it sent out more in the most recent week than it had in any previous week.

'So even on that function of the app, it still seems to be sending out alerts that might be useful to the people who are still checking in  hard to tell.'

He also said that it was likely fewer people were using the app than the figures suggested, saying: 'My guess would be that there are some people who still check-in wherever they can, so they would check-in more than once a week, and many more that never do it at all.'

Professor McConway said he has the app, and actually bought a new phone because of it as his old one could not scan QR codes on posters. He said he hadn't been asked to use it in months, adding: 'Though they might well still be displaying the QR posters somewhere, they could be hidden in some dusty corner.'

NHS Test and Trace publishes weekly figures on how many check-ins have been recorded on their Covid app, and breaks these down by local authorities. The latest data is up to October 27.

In Manchester use of the app has fallen from 170,000 at the peak in June, to just 951 in the latest week  which is 179 times lower. In Wandsworth, it is down from 136,000 to 876  156 times lower.

Rounding out the top five areas where app use has dropped the most are Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, where check-ins fell from 68,500 at the peak to just 450 now and Lincoln where scans using the app fell from 60,499 to 404  both are the equivalent of a 150-fold drop in usage.

Use of the app has fallen in all of England's 315 local authorities by at least 95 per cent.

The area with the smallest drop was Peterborough, but even here the app's use had dropped from 47,983 check-ins at the peak to 2,302 in the latest week  down 20 times.

It was followed by the Isles of Scilly, where scans have dipped from 944 in June to 32 in the latest week  down 30 times  and the Forest of Dean where they've dropped from 16,096 to 530  also down 30 times.

The above graph shows the number of times the app has been downloaded in England and Wales. At present there are 28.6million downloads, although it is not clear how many people have since deleted or deactivated the app

In a further sign of declining use of the device, figures showed less than a quarter of positive Covid tests were actually linked to the app in the latest week.

People are encouraged to input their results into the app so it can send alerts to anyone they may have recently been close to, in order to advise them they have been infected and should isolate.

But they are not legally obligated to do this  even at the height of the 'pingdemic' when many were forced into self-isolation by the app.

There were 69,274 positive tests entered into the app in the week to October 27, despite more than 260,000 Covid infections reported over the same period  equivalent to a quarter of infections being submitted.

But at the peak almost half of infections were reported to the app during the July wave, with 145,000 reports in the week to July 21 out of some 300,000 cases spotted over this week.

The NHS app  heralded as a way to halt the spread of the virus  uses Bluetooth to estimate how close a user has been to a Covid positive patient and for how long.

This information allows it to determine whether someone is at risk of catching the virus and if they should self-isolate.

Everyone who gets alerted is advised to self-isolate for up to ten days, depending on when they came into contact with an infected person.

Self-isolation alerts are sent to everyone considered to be at risk, even if they have had both doses of the vaccine or a negative test.

The NHS Covid app was launched as a flagship device to help prevent the spread of the virus in September.

It has been downloaded more than 28.6million times in England and Wales since  or by almost half of adults. But there are no figures available on how many people have deleted or deactivated the device.

People began scrubbing it from their phones in droves in July, ahead of 'Freedom Day'.

Ministers announced in August that the app would be tweaked to be less sensitive, so that it only alerted close contacts of people from up to two days before they tested positive. Previously, it had trawled through five day's of users data to send out quarantine alerts.

But people in England have instead 'voted with their phones' and chosen to throw off the app rather than be bound by its alerts.

A UK Health Security Agency spokesman said: 'The NHS Covid app has prevented thousands of cases and is a vital tool to help protect against the spread of Covid by alerting people when they may have been in contact with a confirmed case.

'The app is an essential part of the pandemic response, helping to protect your loved ones and reducing the spread of coronavirus. We encourage everyone to continue using it as another tool to help keep us all safe.'
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday Florida will sue the Biden administration over the president's new vaccine mandate that affects a whopping 84 million Americans.

Government rules issued Thursday say people working for companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4 or get tested for the virus weekly.

DeSantis said: 'I just think people are so sick of constantly being bossed around, restricted, mandated, all these different things.

'We have had enough of it and we want people to be able to make their own decisions.'

The Republican governor added: 'The federal government can't just unilaterally impose medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday Florida will sue the Biden administration over the president's new vaccine mandate that affects a whopping 84 million Americans

Government rules issued Thursday say people working for companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4 or get tested for the virus weekly

At least two conservative groups moved quickly to file lawsuits against the workplace safety mandate, and a growing roster of GOP governors and attorneys general said more lawsuits were on the way as soon as Friday.

Some Republican-led states had already passed laws or executive orders intended to protect employers that may not want to comply.

'This rule is garbage,' South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said Thursday through a spokesperson. 'Its unconstitutional and we will fight it.'

His state's governor, Republican Henry McMaster, said he is planning to issue an executive order keeping state agencies from enforcing the rule.

Republican governors or attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and South Dakota also said Thursday they would file lawsuits against the mandate.

The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

Robert Alt, a lawyer representing the Midwest companies suing - manufacturer Phillips Manufacturing & Tower Company and packaging firm Sixarp - said both companies are already facing staffing shortages amid the pandemic. The mandate will make things worse, he said.

'It adds insult to injury and forces them potentially to fire trained employees,' said Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, a conservative advocacy group.

States say they are focusing on the role of the federal government in the lawsuits they're preparing.

'While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce,' Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds characterized the mandate as an imposition on personal choice, saying people should be able to make their own health care decisions. She recently signed a bill guaranteeing that people who are fired for refusing a vaccine can qualify for unemployment benefits.

At least 19 Republican-led states previously sued the Biden administration over a separate mandate requiring vaccines for employees who work for federal contractors. Several more filed similar lawsuits Thursday.

Democratic governors and attorneys general were relatively quiet after the OSHA rules were announced on Thursday. From California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a simple Twitter message: 'The right move.' Another Democrat, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, defended mandates in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

'This rule is garbage,' South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said Thursday through a spokesperson. 'Its unconstitutional and we will fight it'

'While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce,' Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement

Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates 'tend not to work' and that she wanted a 'Kansas-focused' way to meet, them but did not give details.

The new requirements are the Biden administration's boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine that has been widely available for months - or face financial consequences.

If successful, administration officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

First previewed by President Joe Biden in September, the requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require that unvaccinated workers test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. It asked for public comment on whether employers with fewer than 100 employees could handle vaccination or testing programs.

Tougher rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing - they will need to be vaccinated.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

'While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good,' he said Thursday in a statement.

Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million now.

Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases.

OSHA said companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

The agency will face enforcement challenges. Even counting help from states, OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to oversee 130 million workers at 8 million workplaces. An administration official said the agency will respond to whistleblower complaints and make limited spot checks.

The release of the rules followed weeks of regulatory review and meetings with business groups, labor unions and others.

OSHA drafted the rules under emergency authority meant to protect workers from an imminent health hazard. The agency estimated that the vaccine mandate will save more than 6,500 worker lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations over the next six months.

OSHA's parent agency, the Labor Department, says it is on sound legal footing. The department's top legal official, Seema Nanda, said OSHA rules preempt conflicting state laws or orders, including those that bar employers from requiring vaccinations, testing or face masks.

Senate Republicans immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate, but with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds characterized the mandate as an imposition on personal choice, saying people should be able to make their own health care decisions

The rules will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by January 4 or be tested weekly. Employees testing positive must be removed from the workplace.

Companies won't be required to provide or pay for tests for unvaccinated workers, but they must give paid time off for employees to get the shots and sick leave to recover from side effects that prevent them from working. Requirements for masks and paid time off for shots take effect December 5.

Employers covered by the requirements must verify their workers vaccination status by checking documents such as CDC vaccination cards, records from doctors or pharmacies, or even an employee's own signed declaration.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a separate rule requiring vaccination for workers in 76,000 health facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. A senior administration official said several large private health care organizations imposed their own mandates and achieved high vaccination rates - 96% or higher - without widespread resignations.

A previously announced requirement for federal contractors to make sure workers are vaccinated was scheduled to take effect December 8, but the administration delayed that measure until January 4 to match the requirements on other large employers and health care providers. Already, more than a dozen states have sued to block the mandate on contractors.

For weeks, Biden has encouraged businesses not to wait for OSHA to act. He has touted businesses that announced their own vaccine requirements and urged others to follow their lead.

Administration officials say those efforts are paying off, with about 70% of adults fully vaccinated.

Workplace vaccine mandates have become more common recently, with hospitals, state and local governments and some major corporations requiring COVID-19 shots for employees. The mandates have led to overwhelming compliance - in some cases 99% of workers - although a small but vocal number have faced dismissal, filed lawsuits or sought exemptions.

United Airlines required 67,000 U.S. employees to get vaccinated or face termination. Only a couple hundred refused to do so, although about 2,000 are seeking exemptions.

In August, Tyson Foods told its 120,000 U.S. workers that they must be vaccinated by November 1. On Thursday, the company said more than 96% of its workforce was vaccinated, including 60,500 people who got their shots after the August announcement.

Walmart, the nations largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and managers who travel within the United States to be vaccinated by October 4. The retailer stopped short of requiring shots for front-line workers, however.

However, some companies have expressed fear that some vaccine-hesitant workers might quit, leaving their workforces even thinner in an already-tight labor market.

Several corporate groups, including the Business Roundtable, endorsed the mandate. However, retail groups worried that the requirement could disrupt their operations during the critical Christmas shopping period. Retailers and others also said it could worsen supply chain disruptions.

The National Retail Federation suggested the new rules are not needed because the rolling average number of new daily cases in the U.S. has fallen by more than half since September.

'Nevertheless, the Biden administration has chosen to declare an `emergency and impose burdensome new requirements on retailers during the crucial holiday shopping season,' said David French, a senior vice president for the trade group.

The number of new infections in the U.S. is still falling from a summer surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant, but the rate of decline has slowed in recent weeks. The 7-day moving average is down 6% from two weeks ago, at more than 76,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths per day.

Cole Stevenson, a 34-year-old autoworker at the Ford Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, said he remains uncomfortable with a vaccine that was developed just a year ago.

He intends to get weekly COVID-19 tests and says he wont reconsider getting the vaccine even if the tests are a financial or logistical burden.

'Its getting pretty disgusting how much the government thinks they can be involved in peoples lives,' he said. 'If the whole thing is sort of cooling down and cases are lowering, then buzz off - dont force it on people.'
Despite all this, many left-wing pundits were quick to claim that voters' racial animus drove the Republican electoral upset

An overwhelming majority of white women voters with no college degree helped propel Virginia governor-elect Glenn Youngkin to victory over Democrat Terry McAuliffe, and some in the liberal media claim that they know why.

They're racists.

'As a student of American history and a person of color, I never underestimate the white, hot rage, anxiety, and resentment of a Karen scorned,' wrote Wajahat Ali for The Daily Beast in a piece titled, 'You Damn Karens Are Killing America.'

'When push comes to shove, many white women in this country have historically shoved people of color out of the way,' Ali claimed.

Here's my column on #whitewomen who went for Youngkin and the fake CRT scare in Virginia. Hope you can read and share. https://t.co/9kDKlmXaIH  Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) November 3, 2021

'I can assure you,' declared MSNBC's Tiffany Cross on Wednesday. 'Black voters in Virginia are not shocked by the so-called Youngkin shocker.'

'This is about the fact that a good chunk of voters out there are OK with White supremacy. Lets call a thing a thing.'

'Actually, scratch that. They are more than OK,' Cross concluded.

'A good chunk of voters out there are OK with White supremacy. Lets call a thing a thing. Actually, scratch that. They are more than OK,' claimed MSNBC's Tiffany Cross in her analysis of the Virginia gubernatorial election

MSNBC host Joy Reid also saw bigotry bubbling below the surface of Youngkin's appeal.

'[Republicans are] dangerous to our national security, because stoking that kind of soft white nationalism eventually leads to the hard-core stuff,' she said on election night, claiming that the GOP is conditioning voters to accept, 'soft racism.'

And like clockwork far-left pundits smeared many of the same Americans, who previously helped put Democrats in the White House.

'[Republicans are] stoking that kind of soft white nationalism eventually leads to the hard-core stuff,' claimed MSNBC host Joy Reid, during her election night coverage

White women with little or no college education were an important part of Bidens coalition in Virginia in the 2020 presidential election.

44% of these voters supported Biden, nearly matching the percentage of white men with college degrees, who went for the now-president. But in 2021, the group swung 37 percentage-points towards the GOP.

They backed Youngkin by 74% to 25% for McAuliffe, according to exit polls.

Then-candidate Glenn Youngkin (center), and running mates, Attorney General candidate, Jason Miyares (left), and Lt. Gov candidate Winsome Sears (right), campaigned together in Fredericksburg, Va., Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021

Youngkin, Sears and Miyares pray during a worship service at the Highlands Fellowship Church on October 31, 2021 in Abingdon, Virginia

Despite all this, some in the media still see race as the driving factor behind the election shocker in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

'What's your message... to Democratic voters, especially Black voters, who see Republicans running on race and education, lying about critical race theory?' asked PBS NewsHour correspondent Yamiche Alcindor during Wednesday's White House news conference.

'Well, I think that the whole answer is to just speak truth to that, lay out where we are,' Biden responded.

In the run-up to Hillary Clinton's 2016 defeat to Trump, she infamously took a slightly different tack and preemptively dismissed half of her opponent's supporters.

'You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables,' she said at New York City fundraiser in September of 2016.

'The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic  you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that.'

Several months later, Trump arguably won the election by winning over Rust Belt and Midwest voters, who had previously supported President Barack Obama.

Again, critics had a ready explanation for the shift in voting behavior.

They're racist.

'Why Did Some White Obama Voters Go for Trump?: Trump gave them a choice between multiracial democracy and white primacy,' a Slate columnist explained.

Vox doubled-down on that conclusion years later, advancing a study that also blamed racism for Trump's election.

'There is tremendous evidence that Trump voters were motivated by racial resentment (as well as hostile sexism), and very little evidence that economic stress had anything to do with it,' the writer emphasized.
Advertisement

Scott Disick rounded off his whirlwind trip to Miami with some quality time with son Mason before heading back home to LA - but not without his trusty assistant in tow.

The trio were seen in exclusive DailyMail.com photos stopping for a frozen dessert at clothing store-cum-treats shop KITH Miami, across the street from their luxury beachfront hotel The Setai on Monday afternoon.

Disick, 38, looked casual in a white zip-up hoodie, camo shorts, and New Balance sneakers and sunglasses. Eleven-year-old Mason matched his dad's vibe with a t-shirt, shorts and sneakers.

Trailing close behind the father-son duo was Disick's faithful assistant who has been spotted dutifully traveling alongside him day-to-day numerous times in recent weeks.

Scroll down for video

Scott Disck was seen stopping for ice cream with son Mason and his Kourtney Kardashian lookalike assistant as they rounded off their trip in Miami earlier this week

The trio stopped by the clothing-cum-treats shop KITH in Miami Beach on Monday

Disick jetted off to Miami with his eldest son and his assistant in the wake of ex Kourtney Kardashian's engagement

The 38-year-old dad of three looked casual in a white zip-up hoodie, camo shorts, and New Balance sneakers and sunglasses

Disick's assistant has been spotted traveling closely alongside him numerous times in recent weeks. She wore denim shorts, a white tank, and an oversized pink dress shirt

She wore a white tank top under an oversized pink button-down dress shirt and denim shorts.

The three spent some time browsing and chatting at the store before heading back to their swanky hotel.

And it seems the sweet treats weren't enough to spoil their appetite as the group was seen stepping out again a little while later for a fancy dinner in South Beach.

They headed over to celebrity hotspot Carbone for one last supper together in the city before returning to their hotel around 11pm.

The group bid farewell to Miami on Tuesday as they arrived at the airport wearing masks and colorful sweats to head back to Los Angeles.

Eleven-year-old Mason matched his dad's vibe with a t-shirt, shorts and sneakers

Later that evening the group headed over to Carbone, a celebrity hotspot, for one last supper together in the city before returning to their hotel, The Setai (pictured) around 11pm

The trio bid farewell to Miami on Tuesday evening and headed back to Los Angeles

The three arrived at the airport dressed in comfy sweat suits ahead of the six-hour flight

Scott opted for a black hoodie and tie-dye sweatpants while Mason and his assistant donned monochrome sweat suits

Scott opted for a black hoodie and tie-dye sweatpants while Mason and his assistant donned monochrome sweat suits.

Although the group was flying commercial they were given the VIP treatment with airport employees waiting as they arrived and helping them through TSA checkpoints.

Disick is known to make frequent jaunts to Miami for a weekend of partying, but his most recent trip to South Florida was drastically more tame as he spent most of it bonding with his eldest son.

Earlier this week the pair were spotted touring watercrafts together at the Fort Lauderdale boat show.

The two were also seen hitting the beach where Disick stayed hydrated with a Vitamin Water. He later fired up the engine of a boat from Cigarette Racing, which he documented in a couple of video clips.

The doting dad kept his son close, holding Mason's hand as they entered the airport and headed to security

Mason, now 11, is the eldest of Scott's three children with ex Kourtney Kardashian

Disick strayed away from his usual antics in Miami and had a relaxing, wholesome getaway in with his son instead

Although the group was flying commercial they were given the VIP treatment with airport employees waiting as they arrived and helping them through TSA checkpoints

'115 mph with room 2 go,' he bragged, in a reference that the engine could have gone even faster, as the winds blew through his short brown locks.

Disick also shared some words of wisdom in a separate post saying the 'best things in life are free', along with a photo of Mason enjoying a pasta dinner.

Not long after touching down in LA, Disick was spotted catching up with Kris Jenner over lunch in the San Fernando Valley on Wednesday afternoon with cameras still rolling on their new Hulu show.

The Miami getaway comes on the heels of his split from Lisa Rinna's 20-year-old daughter, Amelia Hamlin and his ex Kourtney Kardashian's engagement to Travis Barker.

Kourtney was taken off the market when the Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito last month with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel.

The 42-year-old Kardashian who shares sons Mason, 11, and Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, eight, with Disick, went public with her new romance at the beginning of the year.

Scott kept a low profile at the airport in a black cap, sunglasses and black mask

Scott and his assistant go through the TSA security checkpoint at MIA before flying home to LA

Scott Disick, Mason Disick, and his unidentified assistant at Miami International Airport Tuesday

Scott's assistant donned a blue tracksuit while Mason wore a matching one in green

Earlier this week Scott shared snaps of him firing up the engine of a boat from Cigarette Racing (left). He also doted on his son in a separate post captioned: 'best things in life are free', along with a photo of Mason enjoying a pasta dinner

Travis famously filed for divorce from Shanna Moakler in 2006 after just two years of marriage following claims that she had been unfaithful, and shares Landon, 18, and Alabama, 15, in addition to her daughter, Atiana, from her previous relationship with Oscar de la Hoya.

The couple went all out for their Halloween festivities, including dressing up as Edward Scissorhands and Kim Boggs.

Another costume change was reenacting his favorite film, True Romance, where Kourtney dressed up as Patricia Arquette's character, Alabama, while Travis played Christian Slater's character, Clarence.

Scott and Amelia were first linked in October of 2020 after they were seen arriving at Kendall Jenner's star-studded Halloween party together.

Their year-long relationship ended in September after his petty DMs complaining about his ex Kourtney and her relationship with Travis Barker were made public.

Kravis forever! The Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed to Kourtney on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito last month with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel

Scott and Kourtney called it quits over five years ago after 10 years together. He most recently dated 20-year-old Amelia Hamlin (right)who ended their year-long relationship in September

He sent a private message to another one of Kourtney's exes, Younes Bendjima, criticizing her for showing off too much PDA with the drummer during a trip.

'Yo is this chick ok!??? Broo like what is this. In the middle of Italy,' Scott complained of a photo showing Kourtney straddling and kissing Travis on a boat.

Younes, 28, shot back: 'Doesn't matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: i aint your bro.'

Insiders close to Scott told Page Six last month that he hasn't been doing well since learning of his ex's engagement, despite splitting from Kourtney more than five years ago.

'Scott is going crazy,' an insider told the publication. 'He's going to go off the deep end. It's really bad. It's about to get dark.'

A source also told Us Weekly that the model and socialite feels out of touch with the Kardashians as his ex continues to move on.
Another horror wave of Covid-19 could hit Australia's shores next year, a leading expert has warned.

Singapore is in the middle of a 'controlled wave' of the virus with up to 4000 cases a day and 300 deaths recorded in the last month.

That's despite 94 per cent of the population being fully vaccinated.

Experts say the recent surge to hit the Southeast Asian city-state is due to the waning efficacy of Covid vaccines with jabs rolled out earlier than Australia.

It's 'inevitable' a similar wave could hit Australia next year as the weather cools down, according to infectious disease specialist Dale Fisher.

He's an advisor to the World Health Organisation and Singapore government.

Singapore (pictured) is in the middle of a horror wave of Covid-19 with 3,003 new cases recorded on Thursday

'There will be these surges as the restrictions are pulled down, but the fact it is coming into summer in Australia  when everyone opens their windows and flocks outdoors  and everyone has been recently vaccinated could mean the surge won't be as big as it could have been,' Professor Fisher told The Australian.

'I think Australia could have a bit of a honeymoon for the next few months, though I'd be a bit more worried in six months when you're going back into winter.'

The vast majority of Singaporean cases have asymptomatic or mild symptoms, despite the high death toll in the recent weeks.

'What matters in Singapore is not that we have 3000 or 4000 new cases a day but that we have 75 empty ICU beds which gives us a bit of comfort,' Professor Fisher added.

Singapore (pictured this week) has recorded 300 deaths in the last four weeks

Singapore reported 3,003 new cases and 17 more fatalities on Thursday, taking the death toll to 459.

The nation's highest daily spike of 5324 infections was reported last week.

Of the 1,683 cases currently in hospital, 66 are in ICU while another 72 patients are on ventilators.

Singapore has recorded more than 208,000 cases since the start of pandemic.

Vaccinated Australian arrivals may enter Singapore without quarantining from next Monday.

Australia will reopen to vaccinated tourists coming from Singapore on November 21.
A Virginia court has agreed to give Johnny Depp access to ex-wife Amber Heards electronic device after the actor claimed it would prove she faked domestic abuse injuries.

It means the actors legal team can forensically inspect Heards phone records to determine whether widely-circulated photos of her battered face were doctored.

The actress has claimed that images of her bruised cheek are proof that her A-lister husband hurled his iPhone at her in a fit of rage in 2016 as their toxic marriage imploded.

But Depp  who is trying to vindicate himself in a Fairfax County court  contended that the abuse claims and photos are bogus.

Mr. Depp contends that Ms. Heard completely made up her claims of abuse, and that her purported evidence has been staged, modified or otherwise falsified, Depps lawyer. Benjamin Chew. said in a court filing.

Mr. Depps expert has already determined that at least some of Ms. Heards photographs appear to have been run through a photo editing program.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were a Hollywood golden couple until their marriage started to deteriorate in 2016, when abuse allegations surfaced

A court handout that appears to show bruising on Heard's face was used as an exhibit in the hearing of Depp's libel case against The Sun last year

The former couple has been at war for years, and Depp is currently suing Heard in a $50 million libel case.

The case relates to a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece Heard, 35, wrote about surviving domestic abuse. She did not name Depp in the article.

Depp, 58, is trying to clear his name after losing a defamation suit against The Sun after the paper branded him a 'wife-beater' amid allegations of domestic abuse.

He lost his suit against the British tabloid in November 2020 after a judge ruled the papers claim he was a wife beater was substantially true.

Depps legal team was granted access to Heards phone on Wednesday to see whether the texts, recordings and photos provided by Heard during the U.K. defamation case were manipulated or modified.

The Hollywood golden couples relationship came crashing down in 2016 after reports of Depps cocaine use, heavy drinking and alleged abuse emerged.

The Pirates of the Caribbean Star has staunchly refuted any claims of violence toward his former spouse.

He made the shocking accusation last year that he filed from divorce from Heard after discovering feces in their marital bed.

In a written statement, the actor said Heard or 'possibly one of her friends' was responsible for the incident, but claimed she dismissed it as 'just a harmless prank' - he said it was the final straw in their deteriorating marriage.

Depp's lawyers have said they believe the widely circulated photos of Heard's wounded face are doctored and won permission to have her electronic devices forensically examined

Depp has staunchly denied the attack, and in court last year accused Heard of being a 'calculating, narcissistic sociopath' who married him to further her career

The couple, shown together during happier times, has been at war since 2016

Depp claimed Heard attacked him on a number of occasions, while Heard's legal team painted him as a domestic abuser who repeatedly attacked her when he was high on drugs or booze

While denying attacking Heard, he also launched a blistering attack on her, accusing her of being a 'calculating, narcissistic sociopath' who married him to further her career.

His defense reeled off a string of incidents in which she had allegedly attacked him throughout their marriage including when she threw a vodka bottle at him, severing his finger, in Australia in 2015.

Depp also cited another incident in which she 'repeatedly' punched him in the face on a private jet in 2014 and claimed that she punched him again as he fled to the toilet.

In contrast, the actress' lawyers painted Depp as a domestic abuser who repeatedly attacked her when he was drunk or high on drugs.

Depp's lawyers are now waiting on a court order that would permit them to inspect Heard's devices and determine whether any evidence has been manipulated

The actors legal team is now waiting to receive a court order that would permit it to inspect Heards devices.

The devices will be examined by court-certified video, audio and digital photograph forensics expert Bryan Neumeister.

Mr. Neumeister already has analyzed photos Ms. Heard produced in this action that purport to show injuries she suffered from Mr. Depp, and he determined these photos have gone through a photo-editing application, the legal filing said.

Mr. Neumeister advises, however, that he cannot assess whether the metadata associated with these photographs, or any of the other electronic data Ms. Heard has produced, has been modified in any way without obtaining a forensic image.
San Francisco's woke District Attorney Chesa Boudin will face a recall election just two years into his term amid fury over his soft-on-crime policies.

Boudin's recall was rubber-stamped on Tuesday, after locals collected more than 83,000 signatures to recall him - far above the 51,000 needed to trigger the recall which could see him ousted.

The recall election was set for June 7, 2022 after the department of elections certified the petition on Tuesday. It has been led by members of Boudin's own Democrat party, who say that they've been appalled by the decline in quality of life in the wealthy city caused by soaring crime.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed hasn't commented on the recall, and will choose Boudin's successor should he be ousted next year. Financial disclosures obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle last week show that the campaign to unseat Boudin has attracted $1.6m - far in excess of the $650,000 raised by the embattled DA's supporters.

Boudin was sworn into office on January 8, 2020 after running on the promise to take a new approach to crime by not prosecuting lower-level offenses.

Boudin faces a recall election next summer after a petition launched in March collected more than 83,000 signatures, far above the 51,000 needed to launch an election

Data shows Boudin has kept his promise. But many locals of the famously liberal City by the Bay have now turned on him, as outrage over spiraling crime statistics and shocking anecdotal evidence of serious and often avoidable crime committed on his watch.

The DA has been charging people with theft in less than 50% of all cases throughout his tenure, new data reveals, leading to claims he'd effectively legalized theft.

Businesses throughout the city have reduced their hours or closed entirely because of the uptick in property theft, and Boudin has been lambasted by local critics for 'destroying the fabric of our city.'

A Safeway grocery store became one of the most recent business to suffer from the rampant shoplifting, citing it as the reason for scaling back its round-the-clock service to just 6am to 9pm in an announcement made last week.

Walgreens has already closed 17 of its 70 San Francisco stores and announced last month that it was closing another five because of constant shoplifting by thieves who waltz past security guards and sell the items outside the drugstore chain's doors.

Shocking videos shared on social media have shown thieves ransacking shelves of expensive cosmetics, while security guards stand nearby, powerless to intervene.

Critics point to his prosecution rate which they say is low compared to the rise in crime

San Francisco's woke District Attorney Chesa Boudin has been charging people for theft in less than 50% of all cases throughout his tenure, new data reveals

Overall, Boudin has charged people with crimes in 48% of all reported cases, while Gascon has a charging rate of 54%

Boudin has also convicted far less people of both crimes than Gascon, only convicting thieves in 79% of thefts and 62% of petty thefts

Boudin's office has only been charging people of theft in 46% of all cases since taking office.

In comparison, his predecessor George Gascon made such charges in 62% of all cases in 2018 and 2019, according to city data analyzed by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Some who have joined the recall even came from Boudin's own administration as 50 lawyers from his office quit or were fired since he took the reins in January 2020, representing roughly one-third of the department's prosecutors.

'He has vowed from the beginning to not prosecute quality of life crimes. Quality of life is ... the basis of a society, of our city. If you're not going to hold people responsible for that you're basically destroying the fabric of our city,' Richie Greenberg, a former Republican mayoral candidate and spokesperson for the Committee Supporting the Recall of DA Chesa Boudin, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Boudin has an even lower rate in petty crime and has only made charges in 35% of all cases, compared to Gascon's 58%.

Boudin has also convicted far less people of both crimes than Gascon, only convicting thieves in 79% of thefts and 62% of petty thefts. Gascon has an 82% conviction rate for theft and a 77% conviction rate for petty theft.

Overall, Boudin has charged people with crimes in 48% of all reported cases, while Gascon has a charging rate of 54%.

Boudin has had two upticks in charging rates: rape and narcotics. Another promise he made was to take more alleged rape and narcotics perpetrators to court, even if he loses the case.

He has charged 63% of people with rape in reported cases, while Gascon has only charged 53%, and Boudin has charged 60% of people with narcotics-related arrests as compared to Gascon's 47%.

However, such cases have had less success in court as Boudin has only convicted 70% of those he charged with rape as opposed to Gascon's 81%. Meanwhile, Boudin has only convicted 62% of all perpetrators in narcotics arrests as opposed to Gascon's 75%.

Boudin ran for his position on the promise that he would take a new approach to crime by not prosecuting lower-level offenses. He has stuck to that promise, to the chagrin of many locals. A video posted to Instagram in July captures the moment at least 10 people stole loads of designer bags from Neiman Marcus in San Francisco and fled undeterred

Witnesses told KTVU that the store was about to close when the suspects came in and smashed display cases before nabbing the goods and leaving

Boudin has had two upticks in charging rates: rape and narcotics. However, such cases have had less success in court as Boudin has only convicted 70% of those he charged with rape and has only convicted 62% of all perpetrators in narcotics arrests

Boudin previously argued that the pandemic is to blame for the drop in his charging rate, citing the reduced operation of San Francisco's court system caused by COVID-19 restrictions.

'We had clear instructions from courts to delay and defer anything we could delay and defer, [and] from the medical director to drastically reduce the (jail) population,' he said. 'In the context of those really difficult decisions, we did make intentional decisions to delay or defer charging low-level nonviolent cases.'

He also pointed to a law he enacted this year that allows judges to seek alternatives to jail or prison time for first-time offenders charged with most misdemeanors, which sees some entering community service or drug treatment programs.

During his campaign, when he entered the district attorney's race as an underdog and won by fewer than 3,000 votes, voters were taken by his life story which lends insight into his view on the criminal justice and prison system.

When he was just 1 year old in 1981, his parents, who were members of the far-left Weather Underground, dropped him off with a babysitter and took part in an armored car robbery in upstate New York that left two police officers and a security guard dead.

His mother, Kathy Boudin, served 22 years behind bars and his father, David Gilbert, was jailed for life - until outgoing NY Governor Andrew Cuomo commuted his sentence for murder in August.

He won San Francisco's tightly contested race for district attorney after campaigning to reform the criminal justice system in November. Pictured as a child with his parents in his campaign video

Kathy Boudin (left in November 24, 1981) served 22 years behind bars and his father, David Gilbert (center in the right image), may spend the rest of his life in prison. Judith Clark, David Gilbert and Katherine Boudin are pictured right October 20, 1981

They didn't fire shots that day and the victims were killed by the Black Liberation Army.

Boudin was cared for by members of a radical left-wing group and says his experiences of visiting his parents in jail galvanized his progressive views on law and order.

Though a growing number of locals and public figures say Boudin has only exacerbated the city's long-running crime issues. Shoplifting has been rampant in the Democrat-run state since 2014 - following the passage of Proposition 47, a ballot referendum known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act - that downgraded the theft of property worth less than $950 in value from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Several days before his recall election was officiated, Boudin released two new data dashboards on the DA website allowing citizens to comb over crime, arrest, and prosecution data themselves.

The dashboards come as another fulfillment of a campaign promise: to make the DA's office more transparent.

In a press release announcing the dashboards, the DA's office explained: 'a public user of this dashboard could learn that in 2021 law enforcement presented the SFDA with 280 cases in which robbery was the most serious charge. Of those, the SFDA filed new charges in 71.79% and took action on 84.64% of them.'

This data varies from that published by the Chronicle and was not enough to keep his critics at bay.

A 24-hour Safeway store in the Castro area of San Francisco (pictured) has cut it's hours now open from 6am to 9pm after it was targeted by 'off the charts' shoplifting

Walgreens insists that San Francisco's rampant crime is to blame, revealing it spends 46 times as much on security at its city stores, which face five times as many shoplifting incidents compared with those elsewhere in the country

'Chesa Boudin is protecting criminals and suspects over crime victims,' Tony Montoya said in a statement to the Chronicle.

Montoya leads San Francisco Police Officers' Association, which has said that Boudin refuses to charge cases even with sufficient evidence and pointed to an example in which he initially dropped charges against a man who allegedly attempted to assault police officers with a glass bottle before he was shot by police.

'He refuses to adequately prosecute criminals and fails to take drug dealing on our neighborhood streets seriously. He doesn't hold serial offenders accountable and has released them from custody without consequences,' writes the San Franciscans for Public Safety Supporting the Recall of Chesa Boudin, one of the largest groups supporting the recall, on its website.

The impact of Boudin's alleged relaxed approach to prosecuting has spelled trouble for businesses through the city.

When Safeway announced its reduced hours, its San Fransisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman told CBS SF that 'a lot of retailers [have] been experiencing increasing property crime and theft from their stores. I think the last six months from what they say has been off the charts in terms of how bad it's been. It's sad, upsetting and frustrating.'

Local Walgreens have also been shuttered as thefts in the chain's 53 remaining stores are five times the average for their stores elsewhere in the country, according to company officials.

A Walgreens official revealed in May that the pharmacy store spends 46 times as much on security at stores in the city than elsewhere in the country.

Viral videos taken throughout the summer have shown shoplifters brazenly sauntering out of stores with armfuls of stolen goods as witnesses watch in shock.

One video that received over six million views was filmed in June at a Walgreens on 300 Gough Street, which is now closed, that showed a thief heaping armfuls of Walgreens products into a trash bag.

He then rode his bike through the store with the stolen goods while the security guard and bystanders looked on.

The suspect, Jean Lugo-Romero, 40, was arrested shortly after and remains in jail. He had previously robbed the same store on May 29, 30, 31 and June 1  in addition to CVS stores throughout the city  but the chains declined to prosecute.

In July, Boudin defended the shoplifter and said, 'When I watch that video, I think about five questions that people are not asking that I think they should. Is he drug addicted, mentally ill, desperate? Is he part of a major retail fencing operation? What's driving this behavior and is it in any way representative, because it was presented as something symptomatic?'

Walgreens is shuttering five of its stores in San Francisco because of financial losses due to constant shoplifting. One of the stores, pictured above, was subject of a viral video showing a man filling a garbage bag full of goods as security guards watched and let him go

He then rode his bike through the store with the stolen goods while the security guard and bystanders looked on

Boudin was slammed by an Instagram user who posted another viral video of an incident in July when at least ten people stole armfuls of designer goods from luxury department store Neiman Marcus before fleeing without anyone trying to stop them.

'Everyone in the city is tired of this so please sign the recall petition to oust Chesa Boudin now! Crime is legal basically and allowed and tolerated due to policies put in place and supported by all our supervisors and mayor and DA,' Instagram user sfstreets415, whose bio reads, 'Asian photographer and crime reporter,' wrote.

Meanwhile, more than 150 families have hired the Patrol Special Officers - who are overseen by the police commissioner - to monitor their neighborhoods.

'We don't feel safe in our neighborhood,' Katie Lyons, resident of the Marina District neighborhood, told CBS San Francisco. 'We have an alarm, we have cameras on our property, but we want the extra security of having someone have eyes on our place.'

Lyons said that she, like many other residents, is cautious about walking around outside. 'Especially at night, I don't walk with a purse, I'll drive, or I'll take an Uber, and it's beginning to become a daytime problem too,' she shared.

Officer Alan Byard, who was hired to patrol the Marina District from 8pm to 5am, shared that his clients has more than doubled since COVID hit the city, from 70 last year to 150 now, with each household paying him $65-a-month.

'People are afraid of what's been going on,' the officer said. 'They want a safe place to raise their kids. In the last year, I've had 10 of my clients move out of the city.'

Byard was hired after a rash of repeated instances of car break-ins and home burglaries. While he most often deals with homeless people sleeping on residents' doorsteps, Byard has also addressed incidents of petty theft and burglary.

Between May 2020 and May 2021, there was a 753 percent increase in the car break-ins in the city's Central District, according to the Chronicle.

Boudin's recall isn't just supported by business owners, police, and worried citizens, its also been backed by former employees and friends.

About two weeks ago, a pair of prosecutors quit their jobs in the San Francisco District Attorney's office and touted their support for the effort to recall him.

Brooke Jenkins and Dan DuBain told KNTV they stepped down from their posts in San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin's office due to his lack of commitment to prosecuting crimes, and the danger they say his policies are unleashing on the crime-ridden city's streets.

They both accused Boudin of making San Francisco more dangerous by regularly handing down more lenient sentences than are prescribed by law, releasing criminals early and in some cases not filing charges at all.

Brooke Jenkins and Dan DuBain are two of the attorneys who have resigned from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office in recent months over DA Chesa Boudin's policies

'Chesa has a radical approach that involves not charging crime in the first place and simply releasing individuals with no rehabilitation and putting them in positions where they are simply more likely to re-offend,' Jenkins said, who had been a prosecutor for seven years, most recently in the homicide department.

'Being an African American and Latino woman, I would wholeheartedly agree that the criminal justice system needs a lot of work, but when you are a district attorney, your job is to have balance.'

DuBain added that he believes Boudin 'disregards the laws that he doesn't like, and he disregards the court decisions that he doesn't like to impose his own version of what he believes is just - and that's not the job of the district attorney.

'The office was headed in such the wrong direction that the best thing I could do was to join the effort to recall Chesa Boudin as district attorney,' said DuBain, a former district attorney in Solano County.

'I take no pleasure in saying this,' he said. 'I didn't want to be in this position. I consider Chesa a friend.'

Several high-profile cases of repeat offenders being freed by Boudin's office to go on a kill drew a lot of condemnation and helped in pushing some of his staff out.

Troy McAlister, 45, was intoxicated when he killed Elizabeth Platt, 60, and Hanako Abe, 27 earlier this year as he was out on parole for robbery

Troy McAlister, 45, was intoxicated when he crashed a stolen car and killed Elizabeth Platt, 60, and Hanako Abe, 27, according to FOX News.

The San Francisco police officers association says a plea agreement for a robbery set McAlister free in April 2020, and that Boudin's office failed to prosecute McAlister's multiple arrests in the aftermath - including another alleged car theft on December 20.

And a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman told the Associated Press that McAlister has been incarcerated in state prisons numerous times.

In April 2020, he was sentenced to five years in prison for second-degree robbery and was released on parole.

Boudin said that charging McAlister with a new non-violent crime would not have necessarily put him behind bars, and instead blamed law enforcement agencies, saying they could have acted differently to avoid 'a terrible and devastating tragedy.'

But in another instance, DuBain said, he was ordered by Boudin to request a more lenient sentence for a man convicted of shooting his girlfriend.

DuBain thought the order was a violation of a state statute guiding sentencing for those cases and withdrew from the case in protest.

'I've done 136 jury trials in my career,' he said, adding that he has 'never, never withdrawn from a case before.

'I've seen decisions made in the office in the last year plus, since Chesa took over, that shook my conscience - and I've been a prosecutor for 30 years.'

And in yet another case, Jenkins said, a man convicted of brutally murdering his mother was able to avoid jail time after the district attorney agreed to let him plead insanity without requiring he provide evidence of his mental state in court.

Boudin has also come under fire for his handling of domestic abuse cases, specifically one in which he also allowed a repeat offender to be released before the man allegedly killed someone.

Boudin has come under fire for his low prosecution rate. Two cases, in which repeat offenders who his office allowed on the streets went on to kill, drew a lot of attention and criticism

Just two years into his term, Boudin will face a recall vote on June 7, 2022

The DA has reportedly dismissed the cases against 113 out of 131 people busted for felony domestic violence in the last three months of 2020, according to the Chronicle.

Domestic violence suspect Joseph Williams was released twice before he allegedly murdered seven-month-old Synciere Williams in April.

The 26-year-old was charged over the death of Synciere Williams after the infant arrived at at California Pacific Medical Center showing signs of severe trauma last week.

Police admitted Williams, said to have been caring for the baby at the time of the murder, had been arrested twice in separate domestic violence incidents in January and March of this year, but he did not face charges from either incident.

Boudin claimed they had been unable to book Williams for the assaults because the alleged victim who he was in a relationship with had not wanted to file charges.

But California State law considers domestic violence a crime against the state, with campaigners saying it was Boudin's duty to find a way to make a case stick.

Boudin's comment angered domestic violence advocates in San Francisco who say the District Attorney fundamentally misunderstood the nature of family violence cases.
South Carolina legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh and his alleged hitman Curtis Smith have been indicted by a grand jury today for a failed suicide-for-hire scheme in September.

Murdaugh, 53, allegedly provided Smith with a gun to shoot him in the head over Labor Day weekend so that Murdaugh's son, Buster, could inherit a $10million life insurance policy.

Both men were charged with presenting a false claim for payment, while Murdaugh faced further indictments for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, along with filing a false police report.

Smith, 61, was additionally charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.

An indictment shared and signed off by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson indicates prosecutors have strong evidence against the defendants.

In September, Smith and Murdaugh were released on bond for charges related to the September 4 incident.

The lawyer is also a person of interest in the murders of his wife, Maggie, 52; and son, Paul, 22, who were both fatally at the familys hunting lodge in Islandton, about 67 miles west of Charleston, on June 7. Murdaugh found their bodies upon his return home just after 10 p.m. and called 911 to report the killings.

Murdaugh, 53, allegedly hired Smith and provided him with a gun to shoot him in the head so that Murdaugh's son, Buster, could inherit a $10million life insurance policy. The incident took place on September 4th

It remains unknown as to whether Buster Murdaugh, 25 (pictured), knew about his father's death plan

Meanwhile, circuit judge Daniel Hall sided with an attorney suing Murdaugh on behalf of the family of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old woman killed in a crash on Murdaugh's boat which prosecutors said his late son, Paul, was driving.

'They have refused from day one to give me any information,' the attorney for Beach's family, Mark Tinsley, said.

The family's lawsuit says Murdaugh is trying to hide millions of dollars they could possibly collect in their lawsuit and that he could shift money between unknown accounts and potentially sell off property and a boat after he turned all his affairs over to his surviving son, Buster.

Paul was charged after the boat incident in 2019 because he'd been drinking and was behaving 'belligerently' that night. He was released on bond.

Beach died after Murdaugh's boat hit a Beaufort County bridge and her body was found seven days later.

Witnesses who were in the boat the night that Beach died have said they were scared to speak about the Murdaugh family because they knew how to 'cover things up'.

A lawyer for Murdaugh argued at a hearing before the judge Friday that he has not been found responsible in any civil suits since his wife and son were killed and has insurance to cover if he is required to pay damages.

Circuit Judge Daniel Hall hears arguments from attorney Mark Tinsley during a hearing over prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh's assets on Friday

Tinsley is suing Murdaugh on behalf of the family of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old woman killed in a crash on Murdaugh's boat which prosecutors said his late son, Paul, was driving

Buster, Maggie, Paul and Alex Murdaugh. Murdaugh's wife Maggie and son Paul were found shot dead at the family's hunting lodge in a horrific double murder in June

Alex Murdaugh awaits the beginning of his bond hearing in the Richland Judicial Center in Columbia, S.C., Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021

Attorney John Tiller also argued if Murdaugh loses control of his assets, that would open the door for similar things to happen in countless other cases if the person who sues thinks the defendant does not have enough insurance.

Three years after Beach's fatal boat accident, which was driven from one of the family's private islands before crashing into a Beaufort County Bridge at more than 30 miles per hour, her family has yet to receive a payout.

The family of Beach is suing the Murdaugh estate, as is the family of Gloria Satterfield, the maid of 22 years who 'tripped over the family dogs,' sustaining a head injury that killed her 21 days later, in the same home where Paul and Margaret would be found dead three years later.

Mallory's mother, surviving boat passenger Connor Cook and Satterfield's family fear that money and justice may continue to evade them, even with Alex Murdaugh behind bars.

'If the lawsuit would be settled... we can get on with our lives,' Beach's mother, Lynn Reavis, told 48 Hours. 'Because Mallory died almost three years ago. And every time these stories come out, it's like it happens all over again.'

Pictured is the boat that crashed into a Beaumont County bridge, leading to the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. 'If the lawsuit would be settled... we can get on with our lives,' Beach's mother, Lynn Reavis, told 48 Hours. 'Because Mallory died almost three years ago. And every time these stories come out, it's like it happens all over again'

There have also been reports that Murdaugh is being investigated by the FBI for alleged financial crimes.

Murdaugh, who resigned from the firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED) about two months ago after allegedly stealing from them, is said to have used the firm's stationary in a plan to steal $4.3 million that was owed to the family of Satterfield, who died in his home in 2018.

The suggestion of a possible FBI investigation was made by Eric Bland, one of the attorneys representing the sons of the housekeeper.

The FBI's Columbia Field Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina have not confirmed or denied the existence of an investigation.

Griffin, also told The Post & Courier how he took part in a conference call involving federal prosecutors who were looking to see if he would cooperate with any investigation.

Murdaugh remains in the Richland County jail without bond after being charged with stealing nearly $3 million in insurance payments meant for the sons of his housekeeper, who died in a 2018 fall in his home.

His legal team did not immediately respond to a request to comment on today's ruling.

A judge handling the Murdaugh criminal cases last month asked for a report on his mental state before considering whether to set bond. A date for a hearing has not been set.

Murdaugh inherited part of a legal empire in tiny Hampton County, South Carolina. Murdaughs father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all elected prosecutors.

The familys law firm, located in the most impressive building in town after the courthouse, has spent a century winning multimillion-dollar verdicts.

In October, a judge in South Carolina denied bond for attorney Alex Murdaugh on the second set of charges he has faced since finding his wife and son dead last June

Murdaugh remains in the Richland County jail without bond after being charged with stealing nearly $3 million in insurance payments meant for the sons of his housekeeper, who died in a 2018 fall in his home

Remaining unsolved now for nearly five months are the deaths of Murdaugh's wife, Maggie and their son Paul.

Tight-lipped state police have neither named any suspects nor ruled anyone out. Murdaugh has adamantly denied having anything to do with their killings.

The deaths lead to five more criminal investigations into Murdaugh, from whether he stole money from the family's century-old PMPED Law Firm to the events around his housekeeper's death and insurance payout to whether he or his family tried to obstruct the investigation into the boat crash.

Murdaugh faces at least another six lawsuits seeking money as damages, from claims over the 2019 fatal boat crash to allegations he stole accidental death insurance settlements meant for his housekeeper's sons and money from his family's century-old law firm to his own brother saying Murdaugh owes him $46,500 on $90,000 loaned in September in part to get Murdaugh into drug rehab.

Lawyers in two other lawsuits against Alex Murdaugh filed similar motions asking to have the independent lawyers review and catalog all of Murdaugh's assets and approve whether he can spend money.

They will get part of any legal settlements or judgements against Murdaugh in the cases they are involved.

Those cases involve a man on the boat who said the Murdaugh family tried to falsely pin him as the boat's driver instead of their son.

Alex Murdaugh's (left) brother Randolph 'Randy' Murdaugh IV (right) filed a suit against him Thursday for tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid loans

The complaint, obtained by DailyMail.com, reveals that days before Alex attempted to stage his own murder he asked Randy for a loan of $75,000

Murdaugh has been charged with pocketing nearly $3 million worth of insurance settlements that was supposed to go to Satterfield's estate.

Prosecutors have accused Murdaugh of illegally diverting the money to his accounts. They said he then paid off a $100,000 credit card bill, transferred more than $300,000 to his father and $735,000 to himself.

'He's living pretty well for someone with no assets. He has a crisis manager,' Tinsley said at Friday's hearing.

Last week, at least two more lawsuits were filed against Murdaugh looking to collect debts.

Crime scene tape is visible on the stretch of Old Salkehatchie Road where Alex Murdaugh reported having been the victim of a drive by shooting. Within days of that loan being made Alex attempted to have himself shot so that his surviving son, Buster, could claim his $10million life insurance policy

Murdaugh is suspected of embezzling millions from Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth & Detrick, the family law firm of which he was a partner

His old PMPED Law Firm sued, saying they loaned him $470,000 in 2021 and has not been paid back.

The law firm has a separate suit against Murdaugh seeking money they said he stole from them.

That suit didn't specify and amount, but legal papers have suggested it is in the millions.

Also Randolph Murdaugh IV sued his brother, saying $90,000 he loaned before his arrest to help his brother make payroll and after the arrest for rehab has not been paid back minus a $43,500 tractor and rotary cutter that court papers said were given to the brother after Alex Murdaugh first tried to sell it.

A judge handling the Murdaugh criminal cases last month asked for a report on his mental state before considering whether to set bond.

A date for a hearing has not been set.
Peter Dutton unleashed on former PM Malcolm Turnbull and appeared to take a swipe at TV star Lisa Wilkinson during an interview with her former Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic.

The Defence Minister criticised Mr Turnbull as 'bitter' for constantly bagging Scott Morrison and compared him to 'disaffected' media personalities without mentioning Wilkinson by name.

'You see examples in politics even in media where some people lose their jobs and they go away, they're bitter, they're disaffected,' Mr Dutton said.

'Some of them like Malcolm even write books ... And that's, that's a sad case for some people. I think people just need to move on and I think you find these circumstances sometimes in life.'

Wilkinson has been widely criticised over dubious claims she has made in her autobiography, including that she left Nine because the network refused to pay her as much as Stefanovic.

Mr Dutton's comments prompted a fit of laughter from Stefanovic who has kept silent about the claims in Wilkinson's book.

The Defence Minister launched his attack on Mr Turnbull after the former Prime Minister fronted cameras at the Glasgow climate conference and accused his successor Scott Morrison of being a habitual liar.

Wilkinson has been widely criticised over dubious claims she has made in her autobiography, including that she left Nine because the network refused to pay her as much as Stefanovic

Over the past six weeks Mr Turnbull has repeatedly criticised Mr Morrison for ending a submarine deal with France in favour of a new partnership with the US and UK, calling the PM 'duplicitous'.

Mr Dutton hit back at the multi-millionaire, saying: 'I think it is sad.

'Malcolm has a huge amount of money. He's got beautiful grandkids and a great family - why not move on?

'I think that would be a better pursuit of, you know, your interests than just being embittered.

'You don't want people making up facts and being embittered and forever sort of nasty and spiteful.

'It is not just a good reflection on them and it diminishes from their own career whether it's in politics or media as well,' Mr Dutton said.

Peter Dutton has blasted Malcolm Turnbull (pictured with wife Lucy) in a savage rant on morning television, calling him 'nasty and spiteful'

An awkward handshake in Rome between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron (left) at the G20 summit this week

Mr Turnbull - who has been critical of Mr Morrison throughout his term as PM - strengthened his attacks after French President Emmanuel Macron publicly accused him of lying about the sub deal earlier this week.

'Oh, he's lied to me on many occasions,' Mr Turnbull said when asked about the spat at the Glasgow summit.

'There's quite a few examples in my book, but he's - Scott has always had a reputation for telling lies.'

But Mr Dutton accused the 67-year-old of making up most of his autobiography which was released last year.

Mr Dutton is not the only Government MP to attack Mr Turnbull this week.

On Wednesday Queensland Senator Matt Canavan called him a 'tosser' and said he was still bitter about being rolled by his party and replaced by Mr Morrison in 2018.

'I thought Malcolm Turnbull went halfway around the world to save the planet, but apparently he's gone to just grind more axes',' Senator Canavan told the Today show.

'Three years on from losing his job it still hurts. He's trying to take it out here.

'He's just become a bit of a tosser, hasn't he?' He just constantly seems to gripe about these things.

'He's gone all this way over to Glasgow, you'd think he would focus on those issues that are obviously very personally passionate to him.'
This holiday season's Rockefeller Christmas Tree will be donated from outside the tri-state area for the first time ever, with high expectations after last year's underwhelming tree from upstate New York that was mocked for its feeble, 'scraggly' skinny limbs.

This year's tree - a Norway Spruce that stands 79 feet tall - will come from the nearby state of Maryland.

The tree will specifically be donated by a family in Elkton and is set to arrive at Rockefeller Center on November 13 after being cut down November 11, according to NBC News.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree typically comes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey or the Empire State itself.

Upon the spruce's arrival, the tree will be adorned in 50,000 lights - more than five miles - and adorned with a Swarovski crystal star topper.

This year's tree-lighting will take place the evening of December 1 in a live broadcast on NBC.

SCROLL FOR VIDEO

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree - a Norway Spruce (pictured) that stands 79 feet tall - will come from the nearby state of Maryland

Pictured: Amap showing where the 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is being donated from in Elkton, Maryland, and it's destination - New York City

The tree will specifically be donated by a Maryland family and is set to arrive at Rockefeller Center on November 13 after being cut down November 11, per Rock Center's tweet, pictured

It will remain in Rockefeller Center through the New Year, until January 16, 2022, when it then will ultimately have its body turned to lumber to help Habitat for Humanity build a home, a tradition that started back in 2007.

An estimated 125 million people visit the Big Apple to view the attraction each year. The tree has been a national tradition since 1933.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the Christmas tree used for Rockefeller Center caused some controversy, after the three-day journey to Manhattan from its upstate New York home left the spruce looking decidedly raggedy.

The tree was mocked online when it arrived in the city on November 14, 2020, and its shabby appearance was compared to Charlie Brown's infamously sad-looking tree in the Peanuts cartoons.

Pictured: Installation of the 2020-2021's season 75-foot Rockefeller Center Christmas Norway Spruce Tree from Oneonta in upstate New York

This year's tree is 75 feet tall and weighs 11 tons, or about 22,000 pounds. Pictured: Last year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree installation on November 14, 2020

Spectators gathered to view the 2020 Rockefeller Christmas Tree. This year, COVID restrictions include requiring a ticket and visitors will have just five minutes to view the tree

But after more than a week of love and attention from workers, as well as sneaky 'extensions' to its branches, the 75-foot Norway spruce looked more like itself.

Last year's ceremony was not open to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the event was broadcast live on NBC.

Dolly Parton, the Goo Goo Dolls and Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Fallon were among those who performed last year.

This year's Maryland spruce tree will hopefully hold up better than the one from upstate New York. Photos of the 2020 Rockefeller Christmas Tree circulated online ahead of the tree lighting and drew disparaging remarks from a legion of Scrooges.

'I expected nothing in 2020 to be good nice, or pretty and this tree confirms my dire expectations,' one Twitter user wrote at the time.

More than 50,000 lights on the 75-foot-tall Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree were illuminated at the 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony

'Decorate it with some limbs please,' another chimed in.

'This is treeson,' punned one user.

The Rockefeller Center clapped back in a tweet written in the voice of the tree itself.

'Wow, you all must look great right after a two-day drive, huh?

'Just wait until I get my lights on! See you on December 2!'

It followed a similar controversy in Cincinnati, where the tree installed in Fountain Square was panned as a shrub reminiscent of Charlie Brown.
A reporter has revealed the moment the 36-year-old accused of kidnapping Cleo Smith pointed to him and said 'I'm coming for you' during a bizarre rant in court.

Seven News journalist Joseph Catanzaro was sitting in the gallery as Terence Darrell Kelly appeared at Carnarvon Magistrates Court, in Western Australia, on Thursday.

Kelly, 36, launched into several outbursts at media as he came before a magistrate charged with multiple offences including forcibly taking a child under 16.

'He did point threateningly at several members of the media and had a few choice words for me said in open court,' he said.

Kelly, who was shoeless and dressed in a black shirt, did not enter a plea or apply for bail while his application for a suppression order was rejected by the magistrate.

Catanzaro claimed that Kelly then looked directly at him before he said: 'I'm going to get out of here one day. I'm coming for you.'

7 News journalist Joseph Catanzaro was sitting in the gallery as Terence Darrell Kelly appeared at Carnarvon Magistrates Court, in Western Australia, on Thursday

Catanzaro revealed Kelly (pictured, with Bratz dolls on his social media account) launched into several outbursts as the 36-year-old was charged with multiple offences including forcibly taking a child under 16

Terry Kelly, 36, had only been at Carnarvon police station, in Western Australia, for a few hours on Wednesday before he was taken to hospital requiring medical treatment

The veteran crime reporter shrugged off the comment and quipped he was looking forward to that 'one-on-one interview'.

At one stage Kelly asked the judge 'what the f*(k are the media doing here?', according to The Australian.

'It's an open court,' the magistrate replied.

Kelly was emotionless for much of the remainder of the hearing, nodding to indicate he understood the charges laid against him and taking a long period of time to acknowledge his name.

He was closely guarded in the dock by two police officers and wore his long, black, curly hair down.

Kelly is expected to be flown to Perth on Friday ahead of his next court appearance. The case continues.

Overgrown shrubs and bushes climb the walls at the Tonkin Crescent home where Cleo was found

Accused's alleged doll collection

Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's alleged obsession with toys as numerous social media accounts linked to Kelly show a room full of Bratz dolls.

Police will allege the Carnarvon man snatched Cleo from her family tent at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia as she slept next to her parents and younger sister on October 16.

Charges were finally laid against Kelly after more than 30 hours of interrogation by detectives who have been relentlessly pursuing the case in the desperate hunt to rescue Cleo.

He was represented by a Geraldton Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer who appeared via video link and did not apply for bail.

Cleo holds her backpack covered in cartoon princesses from Disney film Frozen as mother Ellie and stepfather Jake walk to the car on Thursday morning

Junk was seen in Kelly's backyard on Thursday morning, as police still assessed the home

Kelly was arrested just after midnight on Wednesday after police corroborated a tip-off from the public with mobile phone data.

They smashed down the door of a locked property on Tonkin Crescent to find the four-year-old girl locked in a bedroom. Kelly was not home at the time.

The 36-year-old was later bundled out of a car and handcuffed after being located by police.

Since Kelly's arrest, multiple social media accounts have emerged which allegedly belonged to him, where he boasts about his love for Bratz dolls.

One social media account is allegedly solely dedicated to his obsession with dolls, showing the toys piled from wall to ceiling.

He was known to buy girls toys from the local Toyworld store long before he was arrested - even though he doesn't have any kids - but locals assumed it must have just been for his extended family.

Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's strange obsession with toys as numerous social media accounts linked to Kelly show a room full of children's dolls (pictured)

Since Kelly's arrest, multiple social media accounts have emerged which allegedly belonged to him, where he boasts about his love for Bratz dolls

Neighbour Henry Dodd (pictured) claimed he saw the accused kidnapper with a dozen dolls in the back of his dark blue Mazda one week before his arrest

Neighbour Henry Dodd claimed he saw the accused kidnapper with a dozen dolls in the back of his dark blue Mazda one week before his arrest.

He said the brand new dolls were still in their packaging 'as if they had been collected from the post office'.

'There were around ten or twelve dolls... and it looked like he had picked them up after they were delivered somewhere,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'You could see them in their boxes like he ordered them online.

'They were all piled in the back of his car.

'I thought it was weird. But I didn't know anything about him collecting dolls or anything. I didn't know he had a whole room full of them in his house.

'We didn't know that until it (was reported) today.'

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (pictured) was one of the four detectives that freed Cleo and has said he is amazed at how 'well and happy' the little girl seems to be

Homicide detective Cameron Blaine said Cleo has been falling asleep in her mothers arms and is behaving 'exactly how you would expect' a little girl to act

Mr Dodd also claims to have passed the observation on to Carnarvon Police.

Homicide detective Cameron Blaine, who was one of the four detectives that freed Cleo from her 18-day nightmare, said he is amazed at how 'well and happy' she seems to be.

'It was really heartwarming to see that she's still bubbly and she's laughing, he said.

'She's falling asleep in her mother's arms. There was one occasion where she asked if she could lay next to mum and have Ellie look at her while she fell asleep.

'It's really good to see that she's adjusted, she's getting some sleep, she's playing in the backyard exactly how you would expect.'
A young boy who suffered horror facial injuries after being attacked by two dogs on his school grounds was saved by a friend who made 'vampire' and 'dinosaur' noises to try to scare off the mutts.

Mahyar Tashnizi, 6, was bitten on the face by the dogs at Baden Powell College in Tarneit shortly after arriving at school last Friday.

It's believed the large stray dogs had entered the school grounds through an open gate.

'He (the dogs) jumped and pushed me and quickly bit my face and ran off,' Mahyar told 7NEWS.

Mahyar Tashnizi was bitten on the face by the dogs at Baden Powell College in Tarneit after arriving at school last Friday

The six-year-old is recovering after surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital for fdacial injuries inflicted by the two dogs

One of Mahyar's classmates helped save the child by making loud noises to scares the dogs off.

He said his friend made 'vampire' and 'dinosaur' noises to distract the dogs.

'I was pretty scared,' he said.

One of the dogs involved is believed to be a German Shepard while the other was large dog with a white coat.

The dogs were later captured by police and rangers and remain with the Wyndham City Council.

It's not known at present what future awaits the two strays.

Mahyar's family are now seeking answers on how the dogs entered the school, with the Victorian Education Department saying the gate was open due to school starting at the time.

The boy is recovering after surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital.
Victoria Police have come under fire for fining 260 children for not wearing a mask - with the decision slammed as 'overly punitive'.

Police statistics released on Friday reveal there were 29 aged between 10 and 14 who were fined for not wearing a mask in the 12 months to June.

The fines were handed out in public spaces like parks, train stations and footpaths where it is1 mandatory to wear a mask unless a lawful exception applies.

The controversial mask law mean means children aged between 10 and 14 are being forced to cough up $40 and those aged between 15 and 18 fined $80.

Up to 260 children - including 29 aged between 10 and 14 - have been hit with a fine for not wearing a mask in the 12 months to June this year (pictured, students in Melbourne)

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) failed to wear a mask outside Parliament on two occasions last month and was fined $200 for each breach

Melbourne psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg told the Herald Sun he felt the ruling was 'overly punitive' and said disadvantaged children would be the most affected.

Katherine Ellis, CEO of the Youth Affairs Council Victoria, told the publication she hoped police were handing out 'masks and compassion' to young people, rather than costly punishments.

Current rules ask that a mask be worn by children over the age of 12 indoors and on public transport, unless they have an illness, disability or are exempt.

Children are not required to wear a face covering at home.

Melbourne Royal Children's Hospital paediatrician Jane Munro said the mask mandate was 'backed by good science' and will help prevent student absence.

'It is simple, it is safe. There are no health risks for a child wearing a mask. It is easy to do and it is also common sense,' she told reporters last month.

'Some people might still be confused about why we need to do this and it is because we want to get kids back to school and keep them there.'

In July NSW Health said there had not been a single case of outdoor Covid transmission, but Victoria's health department claims there have been 'dozens' of infections linked to outdoor events.

A policer spokesperson said officers would look to 'educate and give guidance in the first instance' when interacting with mask-less children (pictured, officers in a park in Melbourne)

A police spokeswoman said officers would treat interactions with young people on a case-by-case basis and look to 'educate and give guidance in the first instance'.

Poll Is Victoria becoming a police state? Yes No Unsure Is Victoria becoming a police state? Yes 189 votes

No 10 votes

Unsure 4 votes Now share your opinion





'Wherever possible, police will issue a warning or caution to a child rather than a fine,' the spokeswoman said.

'If a breach of the Chief Health Officer directions is blatant, obvious and deliberate, and the young person is ineligible for a caution, a penalty notice may be appropriate.

'It is Victoria Police policy that infringement notices, regardless of what they are for, are not issued to anyone under 14 years of age.'

It comes as children continue to be disciplined for not wearing masks in classrooms, with teachers growing concerned for their own health and safety.

Under current guidelines masks must be worn by students in grade three and above while indoors and on public transport, and are strongly recommended for children in prep to grade two.

A Department of Education spokesperson said face masks will be required in Victorian schools 'until we have certainty from the Commonwealth about vaccination of all school-aged children'.

'First and foremost, schools are working to uphold the mask requirement with students and parents in a supportive way, just like all other uniform requirements.

Dominic Perrottet announced teachers would still be required to wear masks indoors even when the state hit the 80 per cent double-dose mark (pictured, prep students in Melbourne)

'Any consequences would only occur after discussions with a student and their parents or carers if the mask requirement is deliberately and persistently flouted.'

It comes after the NSW Premier announced teachers would still be required to wear masks indoors even when the state hit the 80 per cent double-dose mark.

The decision was made despite Dominic Perrottet earlier declaring face coverings would no longer be mandatory for fully-vaccinated office workers at that milestone.

NSW became the first state to have 80 per cent of its eligible adult population fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on October 16.

As of Friday, 89 per cent of the population have had two doses of a Covid vaccine.
The man accused of kidnapping Cleo Smith and locking her in his room full of Bratz dolls for 18 days wrote about needing privacy and adults being 'careful online too' the day she disappeared.

Terence Darrell Kelly has been charged with two offences including forcibly taking a child under 16 after four-year-old Cleo was taken from her tent at the Blowholes campsite, in western Australia, in the early hours of October 16.

Kelly's Facebook profile showed that hours before Cleo's mother discovered her missing, he posted about his need for privacy.

'I can't accept friend requests from strangers... I live a private life and I respect those who are on my friend list to ensure their privacy is respected too,' his Facebook status read.

'Us adults have to be careful online too.'

The post explained he would not become 'mates' with people just because they know his family or other friends.

It's understood the post was made about 5am.

On October 16, the day Cleo disappeared, Kelly was posting on one of his Facebook pages, discussing his need for privacy moving forward

Cleo was allegedly taken from the tent she was sharing with her mum, stepdad and Isla between 1.30am and 6am, when her family woke to find her gone

Police remained at the scene on Friday collecting evidence from Kelly's home

As the rest of the world kept an eye out for any sign of Cleo, police allege the 36-year-old hid her away inside his rundown housing commission home in a suburb of Carnarvon.

Kelly's Facebook profile was following Cleo's mother Ellie, who regularly shared updates about the investigation and begged for her daughter's safe return.

Cleo was allegedly taken from the tent she was sharing with her mum, stepdad and Isla between 1.30am and 6am, when her family woke to find her gone.

Kelly's Facebook account also interacted with articles written about the missing four-year-old.

On a news article posted about missing Cleo, Kelly's account reacted with a 'sad' emoji.

Ellie Smith garnered worldwide support while her daughter was missing, and her profiles, which were relatively open and featured countless pictures of Cleo and her baby sister, Isla

Cleo is carried inside by her mother Ellie holding a pink balloon after Carnavon decorated the town in support of the little girl

Terry Kelly, 36, (pictured) was charged with Cleo Smith's kidnapping on Thursday night

Police have taped off the part of the street near Kelly's home, where Cleo was found on Wednesday

Kelly also operated a separate Facebook account where he posted about his infatuation with dolls.

In a video posted on the account, Kelly is seen smiling as he showed off a room covered from floor to ceiling with collector's edition dolls, many still in boxes, including a Rapunzel doll that looked to be about the same height as a small child.

Cleo was rescued from the Tonkin Crescent home in the early hours of Wednesday morning by a team of four detectives.

'They might have been wearing guns and detectives' suits, but they were fathers,' Acting Commissioner Col Blanch said of the officers in the rescue mission.

Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's obsession with toys as numerous social media accounts linked to Kelly show a room full of children's dolls (pictured)

Terence Darrell Kelly has been charged with a range of offences including forcibly taking a child under 16 after four-year-old Cleo was snatched from her tent at the Blowholes campsite if the early hours of October 16

Cleo Smith, four, was found alive and well, 18 days after she vanished from her family's tent at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia

Police have refused to comment on whether she was found in a room full of toys

The rescue took place about 1am, and detectives found Cleo in the well lit room, awake and playing with toys.

Police have refused to comment on whether she was found in a room full of toys.

Kelly was known to buy Disney Princess and Bratz dolls from the local Toyworld store long before he was arrested - even though he doesn't have any kids - but locals assumed they were gifts for extended family.

In various social media profiles, Kelly shares images of himself in a Bratz doll T-shirt along with other photos of an entire room full of dolls stacked from floor to ceiling.

More recent purchases, while Cleo was still missing, seem to have attracted the attention of police with the local toy shop asked to hand over CCTV footage.

He was spotted buying toddler's nappies at his local Woolworths prior to Cleo's rescue.

Cleo is now back in the arms of her mum Ellie and stepfather Jake (pictured together)

Junk was seen in Kelly's backyard on Thursday morning, as police still assessed the home

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is greeted by Cleo Smith's stepfather during a visit to the rescued girl in Carnarvon. Mr Gliddon's nails were freshly painted white. It's understood Cleo painted his nails when she got home

The local bakery made cupcakes in Cleo's honour for the town to celebrate her safe return

Neighbour Henry Dodd claimed he saw the accused kidnapper with a dozen dolls in the back of his dark blue Mazda one week before his arrest, when police were desperately scouring the state searching for Cleo.

Mr Dodd said the brand new dolls were still in their packaging 'as if they had been collected from the post office'.

'There were around ten or twelve dolls... and it looked like he had picked them up after they were delivered somewhere,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Police declined to comment on whether they'd received any such report.

Daily Mail Australia understands Kelly was hauled before the local magistrates court in June this year after he was found driving without a licence.

The court heard Kelly had never held a driver's licence in Australia.

Police continue to carry out forensic work at the house where detectives found Cleo locked inside

Neighbours say they'd only ever known Kelly to 'walk everywhere' up until last year, after his grandmother died.

He returned home one day with a new model Blue Mazda, which he kept behind locked gates in 'the same spot every day'.

Kelly appeared in court on Thursday afternoon charged with forcibly taking a child under 16. Other charges have not yet been released to the public.

He was represented by a Geraldton Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer and did not apply for bail.

The accused complained about the frenzied press coverage at the open court asking the judge: 'What the f**k are the media doing here?'

He allegedly told journalists in the room he would 'come for them'.

Kelly is being held in a padded cell in Carnarvon after two reported self-harming incidents that required medical treatment.

Authorities reportedly broke down in tears upon learning the heartwarming news that Cleo was safe. They say the youngster (pictured) was good as can be expected

The first picture of Cleo Smith, safe and sound in hospital, after she was rescued from a house in Carnarvon, in northwest Western Australia, where she was held for 18 days

For the rest of the hearing Kelly did not show much emotion, taking several moments to acknowledge his name and only nodding to indicate he understood the kidnapping charges against him.

He was closely guarded in the dock by two police officers and wore his long, black, curly hair down.

Charges were finally laid against Kelly after more than 30 hours of interrogation by detectives

The alleged kidnapper was rounded up by investigators just before midnight on Wednesday following a 'tip off' from the public that was corroborated with mobile phone data, police said.

Bodycam footage shows the brave little girl being carried out of the house, with her hair clean and brushed and her pyjamas also fresh.

The audio opens with the sound of the police smashing through the door as metal hits the ground before they spot Cleo and one officer says: 'We got her.'

'Hey Bubby' said one, as another says hello to the toddler before Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine asks her name three times.

'M-my name is Cleo,' she told the officers.

Since Kelly's (pictured with a doll) arrest, multiple social media accounts have emerged which allegedly belonged to him, where he boasts about his love for Bratz dolls

Little Cleo was seen in her mother's arms holding a balloon and wearing a pink summer dress on Thursday
A new street drug called Paint is circulating around a small California school, where students are purchasing a highly addictive psychedelic drug for $5 a pill, officials are warning.

School administrators at Mesa Verde High School in Citrus Heights - roughly 30 minutes away from Sacramento - sent parents a letter warning them that a drug called Paint has been circulating around the school.

'Mesa Verde High School was notified early this week that there is a concern about a drug called "Paint" being sold at school,' the letter read.

The drug is a pill with 'psychedelic effects' and is 'known to be highly addictive,' the school said in the letter, obtained by CBS 13 Sacramento.

Psychedelic drugs, like LSD, are usually not addictive. It is unknown what makes Paint addictive.

The pill is described by CBS 13 as being a 'clear pill capsule with a red/brown dust.'

School administrators warn parents of a new drug circulating. A psychedelic drug called Paint is going around Mesa Verde High School, near Sacramento, California, for $5 a pill and is said to be 'highly addictive'

The drug is said to have psychedelic effects. The pill is a clear capsule with a red/brown dust inside, CBS 13 reported

The school told CBS 13 that the drug is being sold for $5 a pill and fights are allegedly breaking out over it.

The school is now urging parents to have a discussion about the drug with their children.

Parent Nation Caramazza did that just that with her son Cipper.

'It said it was a psychedelic and had psychedelic effects,' Caramazza told CBS 13. 'So actually, we looked it up together.

'I'm thinking: "How on Earth are kids getting a hold of that?"' she told CBS 13. 'These things can be really dangerous because you don't know what's in them.'

Cipper said no one has tried to sell him drugs, but he's worried things might go 'haywire' if he is offered the drug and denies it.

There have allegedly been fights among students over the drugs

Another parent, Jamilla Wren, who has a sophomore at the school, said the youth are 'out of control.'

'I feel that we don't have any control over our youth, they're just out of control,' Wren told CBS 13. 'You have to pray and you have to teach your children that it's not appropriate.'

An unidentified student said the drug was 'hard stuff' and wouldn't recommend it to her friends. She did not say if she had taken the drug herself or not.

It is unknown how the students are getting the drug or how it is being dispersed throughout the school.

DailyMail.com reached out to Principal Colin Bross for comment.
Queensland will further restrict movement along the border with NSW despite no new community cases announced in the state.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her state would try to supply the Moree area in northern NSW with essential supplies to stop people trying to cross the border.

'We will try and get supplies to the communities in New South Wales rather than having [NSW residents] cross to get supplies in Queensland,' she said.

'We would like to put this in place in the next seven days. It is really important that we ensure the safety of those townships across our Queensland border.'

A new exposure site at Brisbane domestic airport was announced overnight, with people who were at the Qantas food court area on level 2 adjacent to Mezza Za Za between 2.40pm and 6.04pm last Sunday, October 31 now considered close contacts.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk changed some border restrictions last night in reaction to the growing Covid cluster in the northern NSW town of Moree

Exemptions for essential purposes cross-border travel would also be 'narrowed down' by Queensland Health, Ms Palaszczuk said.

Students who needed to cross the border for school would also be limited for the next seven days, she said.

'Just to give that extra level of assurance,' she said. 'It's my understanding more cases will be announced today in Moree.' Residents in the border zone will only be able to enter Queensland for limited essential purposes such as health care.

Visitor restrictions will be introduced in hospitals and aged care facilities in Goondiwindi only for this weekend.

Unvaccinated NSW border zone residents will also be restricted from crossing into Queensland.

Yesterday, Queensland recorded three new cases of Covid-19 in Goondiwindi, with another two people discovered to have been infectious while in the southern border town.

Queensland has recorded three new cases of Covid-19 in Goondiwindi, with another two people discovered to have been infectious while in the southern border town

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the three new cases are all women aged from their teens to their 30s, and two are unvaccinated. Two had recently visited Moree in northern NSW, with the third case linked to one of them.

The growing cluster across the border in Moree, with more than 30 new cases announced on Thursday, resulted in the town being declared a restricted border zone area from 12.01am on Friday.

Ms Palaszczuk said she would be discussing the schedule plan for booster shots and US approvals for vaccines for children aged 5-12 at today's national cabinet meeting.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks to staff at Logan Vaccination Hub in Logan, south of Brisbane

Queensland Deputy Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken said a NSW woman and a Victorian truck driver also tested positive interstate after being infectious in Goondiwindi.

Covid-19 cases in NSW are on the rise as the state is on the cusp of having 90 per cent of its adults fully vaccinated.

Ms Palaszczuk pleaded with Queenslanders again to lift vaccination rates before the full reopening of the state's borders on December 17.

'Today is a wake up call for every Queenslander and every community, you can have a very high vaccination rate and this virus will hunt you down,' she said on Thursday.

Ms Palaszczuk noted that in Goondiwindi's favour is a high vaccination rate, with 93.1 per cent of residents having received one dose and 83.5 per cent with two doses.

Queensland's overall rate had now reached 78.81 per cent with one dose of a Covid vaccine and 65.81 per cent fully vaccinated.
The number of crimes that end up in court has slumped to a record low of just one in 15, figures revealed yesterday.

Official data showed the proportion of recorded crimes which led to a charge or summons fell to just 6.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, the number of rapes reported to police in England and Wales soared 10 per cent year-on-year to record levels of more than 61,000 in the 12 months to June. But the number of those reports which led to a suspect being taken to court fell to an all-time low.

The number of crimes that end up in court has slumped to a record low of just one in 15, figures revealed yesterday (stock image)

It was the first time the percentage of overall crimes to have led to a charge has dipped below 7 per cent. By comparison, levels stood at more than 15 per cent in 2015  or just under one in seven.

Just 297,000 suspects were taken to court in the year to June, down from 352,000 the previous year.

There was an 8 per cent surge in sex crimes to just under 165,000 reported in the year. It included a record 48,553 recorded in the three months from April to June, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. It was up 15 per cent on the same quarter in 2019.

The ONS said the increase in reports could be partly due to result of recent high-profile events. The period covered by the data included the rape and murder of Sarah Everard, 33, by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens.

Just 297,000 suspects were taken to court in the year to June, down from 352,000 the previous year. Pictured: Lady Justice statue at the Old Bailey in London

But just 1.4 per cent of rapes reported led to a suspect being charged or summoned  a record low. The decline will be hugely embarrassing for Home Secretary Priti Patel who, earlier this year, admitted her deep shame at how rape victims were being failed. In June, she pledged a long-awaited initiative to restore rape charges to the level seen five years ago  but yesterdays data showed they are still in reverse.

Victims Commissioner Dame Vera Baird said the decline in the number of overall crimes brought to justice was nothing short of appalling. And David Spencer, of the Centre for Crime Prevention, added: This should be a source of major embarrassment to police forces and the Home Office.
An infectious diseases expert and children's doctor has warned Australians under 11 should not be vaccinated against Covid-19 until more data is available.

On Tuesday the US approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11 after a study of 3,100 kids detected no serious side effects and found it was 90.7 per cent effective in preventing Covid-19 infection.

Pfizer has started an application process to get its vaccine authorised for children in Australia - but Professor Nigel Curtis from the Murdoch Children's Association believes bigger trials are needed first.

Prof Curtis said children are much less likely to suffer severe disease than adults so the safety threshold for the vaccines should be set much higher.

'I'm a strong proponent of vaccine in general but when we decide on the use of any vaccine we always have to weigh up potential benefits and potential risks,' he told ABC radio host Virginia Trioli on Friday morning.

'That balance is much more difficult than it is in older age groups and the main reason is that in this age group, even with the Delta variant, Covid remains a very mild or even asymptomatic disease in the vast majority of children.'

Australian data from the first seven months of 2021 showed 2.5 per cent of children under nine who caught Covid needed hospital treatment, compared with 7.7 per cent of adults in their 20s and 19.2 per cent of adults in their 50s.

Professor Nigel Curtis wants bigger trials before vaccinating children

Professor Curtis said vaccinating under 12s was 'still an open scientific question' and 'we need more data on the relative benefits and potential harms'.

'The bar for using a vaccine for a disease which is extremely mild and which very few children come to any harm is much higher,' he said.

The children's doctor said US trials had involved 'a very small number of children when it comes to assessing rare side effects' and 'you need much larger numbers before you can be certain.'

Phase three of Pfizer's vaccine trial for adults in November 2020 enrolled 43,661 participants, while AstraZeneca's safety data was based on 20,000 adults enrolled across four clinical trials.

'Children are not little adults and they have a very different immune system. They have a very strong immune system when it comes to Covid and they respond very differently to adults,' Professor Curtis said.

'So you can imagine that children's immune systems may differ in their response to vaccines. So we need to start again in assessing the safety of these vaccines as we would with any vaccine and go through the same very careful measures that we do with all vaccines.'

Asked if he would vaccinate his own child if they were under 12, Professor Curtis replied: 'At this point no because I don't think we have sufficient data to be absolutely sure that the potential harms of the vaccine are less than the potential harms of the disease in this age group.'

But he said if the vaccine 'is shown to be safe' he would be 'very keen' on vaccinating children to keep them healthy and reduce transmission of the disease.

Six-year-old Adeline Fahey is given the Pfizer vaccine in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Pressed on whether there was any evidence of harm caused by vaccinating children, he said there has not been any 'safety signal' but still urged caution.

'There is no need to be rushed into vaccinating this group, particularly in Australia until we have more data to be certain, as we are with all vaccines before we roll them out, that we're absolutely certain that the benefits outweigh any potential harms.

'And I suspect that will be the case - we're just pointing out that at this stage we don't have that data.'

Trioli then asked Professor Curtis if his comments would create vaccine hesitancy.

'Except, of course, if that ends up being the case, isn't there a real risk this morning that you've introduced some vaccine hesitancy that will remain around vaccinating under 12s,' she said.

Professor Curtis replied: 'I said at the outset I'm very pro vaccination. We would support the Australia Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation... we certainly wouldn't want to be introducing any vaccine hesitancy.'

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute has repeatedly urged caution in vaccinating kids, prompting Trioli to say it has 'an institutional view that Covid-19 is not a serious disease in children', a comment Professor Curtis refuted.

ABC host Virginia Trioli interviewed Professor Curtis on Friday morning

Dozens of scientists and children's doctors disagree with Professor Curtis and say vaccinating children is urgent, especially in the US where 94 children aged five to 11 have died from Covid, more than 8,300 have been hospitalized and over 5,000 have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to coronavirus.

The death toll in the past year puts Covid-19 in the top 10 causes of death for this age group in the US.

Australia's premiers and the prime minister discussed the plan for vaccinating children in a national cabinet meeting at 2pm on Friday.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews wants to vaccinate youngsters as soon as possible, telling reporters: 'It would be great to think we could make a dent into that before the school year ended.'

On October 27, Australia's top drug regulator Professor John Skerritt said approving Pfizer for kids 'will take a few weeks but I would hope that we get there by the end of November'.

One major benefit to vaccinating children is reducing Covid spread, a move which protects the vulnerable, keeps schools open and minimises the chance for new variants to emerge that could evade vaccines.

According to Dr Anthony Fauci, the Chief Medical Advisor to the US President, children get infected and transmit the Delta variant 'just as readily as adults do'.

In the US, children aged five to 11 will be vaccinated with two 10-microgram doses administered 21 days apart. The dosage is one-third of the adolescent and adult dose.

'Covid-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C (inflammatory syndromes) and long-term complications, such as long Covid in which symptoms can linger for months,' the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

'In clinical trials, vaccine side effects were mild, self-limiting, and similar to those seen in adults and with other vaccines recommended for children. The most common side effect was a sore arm,' the agency added.
China, India, the US and Australia were accused last night of weakening a pledge to phase out coal power.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng had said the Cop26 pledge by 190 world leaders and bodies was a milestone moment.

But three of the worlds coal power giants are not signed up. The US is the worlds third biggest coal producer at 634million tons a year, second to India  730million  and China  a massive 3.5billion.

Jennifer Morgan, of Greenpeace, said: Without the US, Australia, China and India theres a very real danger that the end of coal power wont come soon enough.

China, India, the US and Australia were accused last night of weakening a pledge to phase out coal power (stock image)

She added: This is one more nail in the coffin of coal, but only one, and the coffin is not yet sealed. Yes, there are some important countries whove signed on, like Vietnam and Egypt. This is more proof that coal is dying and the end is in sight So, if youre the executive of a coal company today is a bad day. But not as bad as it should have been.

It also emerged yesterday that richer countries have been offered the chance to extend their deadlines for scrapping coal power by 2030.

The Financial Times highlighted the addition of the clause by 2030 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Ms Morgan, of Greenpeace, added: The deadline of the 2030s or as soon as possible thereafter for richer countries still offers a loophole. For example, Germanys target date for the end of coal is 2038 - way too late - but nevertheless they felt able to sign up to this agreement because its in the 2030s.

So, theres been some heavy spin here, but even taking that into account, this is still a bad day for coal.

Nigel Topping, an official who worked on the coal pact on behalf of the UK governments presidency of the climate summit, said that the absence of the US from the deal was not a major blow.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) had said the Cop26 pledge by 190 world leaders and bodies was a milestone moment. But three of the worlds coal power giants are not signed up

Murray Worthy, Campaign Leader at Global Witness, said: This announcement falls spectacularly short of what this moment requires. An agreement that only tackles coal doesnt even solve half the problem - emissions from oil and gas already far outstrip coal and are booming, while coal is already entering a terminal decline.

The science is absolutely clear, all fossil fuels must be phased out if were to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. A truly ambitious agreement on energy to put the world on course for 1.5C would be a phase out of coal, oil and gas. This is a small step forwards when what was needed was a giant leap. In 2020, global emissions from oil and gas were estimated to be 18.8 Gigatonnes of CO2, whereas emissions from coal were 13.7 Gigatonnes of CO2. Over the last five years, emissions from coal have already been falling, while emissions from gas are rising by 3 per cent a year.

Separately, the Glasgow Declaration - a pact to protect the worlds forest - hit trouble after Indonesias environment minister called it inappropriate and unfair.

The deal was struck with 100 world leaders who signed the global commitment to halt the destruction of the worlds great forests.

But Siti Nurbaya Bakar, environment minister for Indonesia, attacked the agreement made by her government just two days earlier.
Boris Johnson has been accused of dragging out a post-Brexit fishing row with France to divert attention from domestic problems.

French president Emmanuel Macron told aides that the Prime Minister is trying to entrap the EU in a Franco-British problem.

Details of the rant emerged as further talks in Paris yesterday failed to resolve the issue, with France threatening sanctions over accusations Britain is withholding licences for French boats.

Mr Macron reportedly said: I will not give an inch on fish. The UK must respect the spirit of the Brexit agreement... or sell their fish elsewhere.

Boris Johnson has been accused of dragging out a post-Brexit fishing row with France to divert attention from domestic problems

His comments were published in the highly-respected French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine.

The French leader faces re-election in April and is taking a tough stance on Brexit Britain with eurosceptics Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, a far-Right polemist, rising in the polls.

France has argued British seafood products should be hit with punitive tariffs, accusing the UK of breaching the Brexit deal.

Following a meeting between the two sides yesterday, Mr Beaune, one of the French presidents closest aides, said that large gaps remained and that possible punishment sanctions were still possible.

He claimed that the pressure from Paris had facilitated the resumption of talks with Britain.

As long as dialogue seems possible, we are giving it a chance, he said. We need to accelerate progress.

But Downing Street believes it has a watertight legal case against any French measures to avert a cross-Channel trade war.

British officials are convinced there is little support across the EU for Paris to take such a step.

Were glad that the French want to keep talking and havent yet followed through on their unlawful threat, a British government source said.

Lord Frost will hold talks with Brussels Brexit enforcer, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, later on today FRI on the fishing row and the Northern Ireland protocol.

French president Emmanuel Macron told aides that the Prime Minister is trying to entrap the EU in a Franco-British problem

Mr Beaune warned Britain against using the dispute over trade between the British mainland and the province as leverage.

All Europeans are very clear. We will not do a trade-off between the protocol and fishing. It doesnt work like that.

But despite both sides praising the positive atmosphere of the meeting, they could not even agree on what they disagreed on.

Under the Brexit trade deal, French vessels are able to fish in the area between six and 12 miles from the UKs shores until 2026 if they can prove they had previously been operating in those waters.

Mr Beaune said the dispute is focused on 200 licences that are still to be issued, while British officials said they fail to see eye-to-eye on 86 permits.

Details of the rant emerged as further talks in Paris yesterday failed to resolve the issue, with France threatening sanctions over accusations Britain is withholding licences for French boats

Britain is using commercially-available tracking data to assess whether French trawlers should be granted a permit.

Skippers across the Channel complain that their vessels were not fitted with such technology before Brexit, making it impossible to prove their historic links to those waters.

Further technical talks to broker a truce in the row are set to take place next week at the European Commissions headquarters in Brussels.

The talks between Lord Frost and Mr Beaune came on the same day as British scallop trawler Cornelis-Gert Jan docked in Shoreham-by-Sea, near Brighton.

French authorities had kept the Scottish-registered vessel captive in Le Havre, Normandy, for a week despite having the correct paperwork.

It was finally freed on Wednesday evening after being wrongly accused of not having the right licence.
Politician Nikki Haley has said elected government officials who are beyond a certain age should undergo a 'cognitive test' in order to hold public office.

Haley, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations who also served as the 116th - and first female - governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, made the comment in light of a series of gaffes made by 78-year-old President Joe Biden.

During an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) on Wednesday, Haley was asked specifically if she had any concerns about Biden, the oldest person to ever hold the presidency.

'Well what I'll tell you is, rather than making this about a person, we seriously need to have a conversation that if you're gonna have anyone above a certain age in a position of power  whether it's the House, whether it's the Senate, whether it's vice president, whether it's president  you should have some sort of cognitive test,' Haley said, comparing it to how lawmakers disclose their tax returns.

'And right now, let's face it, we've got a lot of people in leadership positions that are old. And that's not being disrespectful. That's a fact,' Haley, 49, said in a video that was posted to Twitter.

'And when it comes to that, this shouldn't be partisan. We should seriously be looking at the ages of the people that are running our country and understand if that's what we want.'

'There's a concern' when it comes to Biden, she added, claiming that he's showing 'he's not totally in charge.'

President Biden has had several embarrassing gaffes in recent weeks and months. Likewise, Trump, now 75, had also exhibited similarly concerning behavior that appears to stem from his age, as well.

When questioned about her thoughts on Biden by The Christian Broadcasting Network, Haley was asked if she had any concerns over the oldest person to ever hold the presidency

American diplomat and politician Nikki Haley called for government officials of advanced age to be forced to undergo 'cognitive test' in order to continue practicing politics

Biden, pictured, is the oldest president ever at 78-years-old

During the interview, Haley also mentioned how Biden essentially forgot about the fallout with France as a result of the United States' trilateral nuclear submarine agreement with the U.K. and Australia.

When climate envoy John Kerry was asked about Biden's approach on the matter in an interview in France last month, Kerry responded the president 'literally had not been aware of what had transpired.'

'He can't act like he doesn't know something,' Haley said of Biden.

'Because every time he acts like he doesn't know something from "OK, they tell me to call on these reporters," you know, he keeps giving signals that he's not with us. So it's not people hating on Biden, it's Biden really showing the country that he's not totally in charge, and that makes everyone nervous,' she told CBN.

As with advanced age, concerns regarding Biden's physical health continue to follow him as critics like Haley call his mental competency into question.

In March of this year, Biden was boarding the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews just before noon for a flight to Atlanta when he stumbled. He gripped on to the railing, steadied himself and kept going but lost his footing a second time and then a third.

The President recovered and kept going but quickly lost his footing again

The President then lost his balance again and fell to his knees on the carpeted stairs

On the third trip, he fell to his knees. He got back up then carried on up the stairs before giving a salute at the top then disappearing into the aircraft. Once on the plane, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that he was '100 percent fine' and was preparing for his trip in Atlanta.

Wind gusts were 19 mph at Joint Base Andrews when the President was boarding the plane which is officially categorized as a 'fresh breeze' by the internationally recognized Beaufort Scale.

More recently, during the opening remarks of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow on Monday, Biden looked to be dozing off as one speaker underscored the importance of taking action to save the climate. He opened his eyes and appeared to liven up when an aide walked up to him to chat.

Biden then sat forward and rubbed his eyes as Italy's prime minister took the stage.

The latest slip from the president came just hours after he reverted to preapproved list of reporters when asking questions at the end of the G-20 summit in Rome.

The president looked to be dozing off as one speaker underscored the importance of taking action to save the climate

President Biden's whirlwind European tour appears to be catching up with him, as the 78-year-old was caught resting his eyes during the opening remarks of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow

Biden's age and his fitness for the job have long been scrutinized by critics like Haley, while his dropping poll numbers have put pressure on his administration and mounting crises he faces.

He hasn't released a medical report since 2019, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki has deflected questions about his health and coughing during speeches.

In May, Biden was slammed for singling out an 'elementary school-aged' girl during speech and saying 'she looks like she's 19 years old.'

Biden made the bizarre remarks during an address at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia.

Hundreds of Twitter users accused the president of being 'creepy'; others came to his defense saying he just appeared 'socially awkward.'

Biden has had a history of making eyebrow-raising remarks about girls and women.

He has also been photographed kissing girls on the head and seemingly sniffing women's hair.

In 2019, Biden released a statement saying he 'does not believe' he has ever acted inappropriately. He said at the time that it has never been his intention to make anyone uncomfortable.

While former President Trump has been one of the most vocal critics of Biden's age - despite being only three years younger - Trump, too, has had his mental faculties called into question.

Pictured: Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during the Iowa Republican Party's Lincoln Dinner, Thursday, June 24, 2021, in West Des Moines, Iowa

Just last year, Trump, pictured, could be heard off-camera bizarrely saying 'Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV' while bragging about his results on a cognitive examination

Just last year, Trump could be heard off-camera bizarrely saying 'Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV' while bragging about his results on a cognitive examination.

'To demonstrate just how hard he said the test really was, he went on television to recite, over and over, the words that he had been asked to remember in the right order: Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV,' Peter Baker wrote in an April 25 New York Times report.

'I took it at Walter Reed Medical Center in front of doctors and they were very surprised. They said, "Thats an unbelievable thing, rarely does anybody do what you just did,"' Trump said at the time.

In June, Trump's former White House physician, Rep. Ronny Jackson, a Republican from Texas, demanded that Biden undergo a similar cognitive test, going so far as to write a letter Biden, chief White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and Biden's physician.

'When I was Physician to President Trump, the media relentlessly pushed a narrative that he needed a cognitive test. I administered the test and he excelled!' Jackson said at the time, according to The Hill.

'Given the precedent set and President Biden's clear mental struggles, I believe its past time he take a cognitive test.'

Perhaps most the notable case of advanced age in politics, former President Ronald Reagan notoriously battled with Alzheimer's, a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

Although he had planned an active post-presidency, after leaving office in 1989, Reagan disclosed in November 1994 that he had been diagnosed with the illness earlier that year.

Reagan's public appearances became less and less frequent as the disease progressed, before he ultimately died at his Los Angeles home on June 5, 2004.


Western Australia won't reopen its borders until 90 per cent of the state's population is fully vaccinated.

Even then travellers will have to abide by strict rules, WA Premier Mark McGowan confirmed.

Mr McGowan finally unveiled the state's roadmap out of the Covid-19 pandemic on Friday - becoming the last state in the country to do so.

Under the uber-cautious plan, interstate and international travellers will remain banned from entry until late January or early February.

All arrivals will have to be fully vaccinated. They will have to receive a negative Covid test result 72 hours before boarding a plane to WA.

Then within 48 hours of entering, visitors will have to receive a second negative test result.

Foreign visitors won't have to quarantine if fully unvaccinated. Unvaccinated arrivals will still have to undergo two weeks of quarantine.

A transition date will be locked in once WA finally hits the 80 per cent double dose target, expected sometime in December.

'Once we set that date, it will be locked in,' Mr McGowan said.

'But if we don't, on that date, reach the 90 per cent double-dose vaccination, that means there will be further public health social measures put in place.

'That would mean restrictions on venues, on workplaces, restrictions when it comes to masks, all those sorts of things that we're desperately trying to avoid.'

Just 63.7 per cent of the state's population aged over-12 are fully vaccinated, according to government figures.

It estimates another 250,000 West Australians need to roll up their sleeves before the state can reopen its borders, equivalent to four capacity crowds at Perth's Optus Oval.

The threat of future lockdowns also ends at 90 cent cent vaccination.

Mr McGowan hailed his own Safe Transition Plan as a 'world first' and unique.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan (pictured on Friday) refuses to reopen the state's borders until 90 per cent of the state's population is fully vaccinated.

'What's unique about our plan is that it's intended for border controls to ease at a point where there is no community transmission in Western Australia, combined with very, very high levels of vaccination,' he said.

'This puts us in the best possible position to transition with minimal impact on our health, our economy, and our way of life.'

He acknowledged there will be public backlash and disappointment over the plan that will leave thousands of families torn apart for a second consecutive Christmas.

'I acknowledge some people will be frustrated. They may not be able to be reunited with family from NSW or Victoria over Christmas,' Mr McGowan said.

'I know what that feels like. I won't be able to see my parents and my brother until the transition in late January or early February.'

'But as difficult as it is, it is for the right reasons. It's about following the health advice and keeping Western Australia safe.'

All interstate and international visitors must return a negative Covid test before departure and get tested again when they enter Western Australia.

A host of public health and social measures will also be tightened and may be extended to capacity and density limits on businesses and venues and and rapid testing at workplaces, based on the last health advice.

Face masks will be mandatory in high risk indoor settings such as hospitals, aged care and on public transport.

Patrons who want to attend a nightclub, casino or large event will only be granted entry if they're doubled jabbed.

Entry to remote Indigenous communities will remain restricted and contact registers will still be used.

Travellers from NSW and Victoria remain banned from entering WA (pictured Perth Airport)

A host of public health and social measures will be tightened when WA's borders reopen. Pictured are cafe diners in Bunbury

Mr McGowan said the government would soon release health department modelling that showed there would be a significant reduction in cases, hospitalisations and deaths as a result of reopening at 90 per cent vaccination.

'The difference in easing border controls at 90 per cent rather than 80 per cent is 200 West Australian lives are saved,' he said.

'The differences are stark. They cannot be ignored, nor can the benefits.'

'Put simply, if we eased our borders earlier at 80 per cent, modelling suggests widespread community transmission would result in far more infections, hospitalisations and deaths.'

West Australians have been urged to get vaccinated as the state's roadmap out of lockdown is unveiled

The government has not ruled out restricting intrastate travel between regions should vaccination rates to lag behind metropolitan regions.

Less than half of the population in the remote Pilbara region in the state's north have had one jab.

'Cutting off the Pilbara or any region, for that matter, is not something I want to do,' Mr McGowan said.

'But if that's what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time.

'The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner the safe transition plan can kick in.'

The premier rejected criticism WA was acting against the national reopening plan, saying NSW and Victoria had 'ignored every agreement'.

'They've opened up internationally when the agreement was that that wouldn't happen,' he said.

'We don't have community spread, we don't have scores of people dying ... I'm not going to adhere to some set of rules that's going to result in 200 people dying.'

Intrastate travel between regions could be restricted if vaccination rates to lag behind in regional areas. Pictured is Perth's Cottesloe Beach

Health minister Roger Cook gave a big double-vax gold star to over-70s with 90 per cent of the age group fully vaccinated.

However, younger groups are holding back the state with just 45 per cent of West Australians in their 20s and 30s fully vaccinated.

A Super Vax Weekend will be held across the state this weekend.

Pop up clinics will be set up at a number of Bunnings stores while new vaccinations hubs will open their doors for the first time.

'Do you really want your lifestyle to be cramped, just because you couldn't bother to get vaccinated?' Mr Cook pleaded.

'Of course you don't. So, don't hold everyone back, don't hold yourselves back. Get vaccinated.

The Premier added: 'The time for protests, carrying on, reading crazy conspiracy theories is over.

'Go and get vaccinated, safe your life, your family's life, and do the right thing by the community.'
Meghan Markle has been ridiculed by a congressman for using her royal title to lobby U.S. senators, noting that the British royal family had strict rules about not getting involved in politics.

The Duchess of Sussex cold-called at least two Republican senators - Susan Collins of Maine and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia - to plead with them to support paid parental leave.

Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who gave Markle the senators' personal phone numbers, said that the duchess now wants to be part of a 'working group' to thrash out policy proposals.

Jason Smith, a Republican congressman representing Missouri, said Markle was trading off her royal title and 'interfering' in an inappropriate way.

'If she wants to be a royal, she needs to be a royal - she can't have it both ways,' Smith told TMZ on Thursday.

Meghan Markle, pictured with her husband Prince Harry, has been accused by a congressman of trading on her royal title

Jason Smith, a Republican congressman for Missouri, was asked by TMZ for his opinion on Markle's lobbying efforts

'I think it's great for a U.S. citizen or for a former movie star of Suits to be lobbying U.S. senators.

'But when you lobby U.S. senators, as Meghan Markle has done, as: 'I'm Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex' - she's lobbying Congress and interfering from a position of using her royal title.'

Smith pointed out that the 40-year-old and her husband, Prince Harry, decided to leave the royal family in January 2020.

He recommended that, instead of calling senators and saying it was 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex', she should say: 'I'm Meghan Markle, the former star of Suits.'

Smith added: 'Clearly if you look at the royal family, they have a long standing policy of being neutral in U.S. politics.

'And her and Harry left the royal family. She did renounce her royal membership in the family.'

Smith said he would 'welcome' her calling him, and he would explain why he did not think the plans for paid parental leave that she and Gillibrand were promoting were a good idea.

Markle's activism on the issue began on October 20, when she wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and the leader of the Senate, Chuck Schumer, to ask them to support the proposal - part of Biden's infrastructure plan.

Markle referred to herself as someone from a modest background for whom eating at Sizzler was a treat, and said paid parental leave was vital for families like her childhood unit.

'I grew up on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler,' Markle wrote.

'I knew how hard my parents worked to afford this because even at five bucks, eating out was something special, and I felt lucky. I started working (at the local frozen yogurt shop) at the age of 13.

'I waited tables, babysat, and piecemealed jobs together to cover odds and ends,' Markle said.

However, she failed to mention the $750,000 California state lottery win her father scooped in 1990, which funded her secondary education at $9,412-a-semester Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.

Meghan also studied a private primary school - Hollywood's Little Red Schoolhouse nursery, which she attended from the age of two.

The primary school now costs between $20,000 and $28,300-a-year, and was paid for by her father Thomas and her airline steward mother Doria's salaries.

She went on to study at Northwestern, a college in Illinois, that would have cost $24,000-$28,000-a-year for tuition when Meghan studied there from 1999-2003.

But the duchess described working from the age of 13 doing several jobs 'to cover odds and ends' and said saving money was a 'luxury' in her family in her letter.

'I worked all my life and saved when and where I could - but even that was a luxury - because usually it was about making ends meet and having enough to pay my rent and put gas in my car.

'I expect many of your constituents have their own version of that story,' she continued.

Markle, pictured above with Prince Harry and her first born Archie, has waded into U.S. politics

Smith said: 'I would love her to call me, and we could talk about it - like, Meghan, this bill does not help the families that go to eat at the Sizzler.'

He concluded: 'I would just say, most of America is Team Kate anyhow.

'I know that I am.'

Both the senators called by Markle said on Wednesday they were taken aback at her intervention.

Collins said: 'I was happy to talk with her, but I'm more interested in what people from Maine are telling me about paid leave.'

Moore Capito said she expected the call to be Joe Manchin, the other senator for West Virginia. Manchin, a moderate Democrat, has been calling the shots for Joe Biden's infrastructure bill, wringing concessions from progressives and cajoling moderate Republicans like Moore Capito to agree.

She told Politico: 'I'm in my car. I'm driving. It says caller ID blocked. Honestly, I thought it was Senator Manchin, his calls come in blocked.

'And she goes "Sen. Capito?" I said, "Yes." She said, "This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex."'

Moore Capito added: 'I couldn't figure out how she got my number.'

Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican senator for West Virginia, told Politico on Wednesday that she was shocked to receive a call from Markle

Susan Collins, Republican senator for Maine, was also called by Markle. She said: 'I told her there were a lot of different approaches, and people were working on it'

Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat senator for New York, has said she handed out Collins and Moore Capito's phone numbers to Markle to call. Gillibrand is one of the most vocal champions of paid parental leave

She expressed amusement that the Los Angeles-born Markle was using her British title to lobby U.S. senators, after having quit the royal family in 2020.

'Much to my surprise, she called me on my private line and introduced herself as the Duchess of Sussex, which is kind of ironic' said Collins.

She told Politico: 'I was happy to talk with her, but I'm more interested in what people from Maine are telling me about paid leave.'

Collins later told The New York Times: 'She just weighed in that she thought paid leave was really important, and I told her there were a lot of different approaches, and people were working on it.'

Biden had initially hoped to push through plans for a 12-week paid family and medical leave program, costing $500 billion over 10 years.

The benefit declined from 12 to four weeks, as the legislation shrank to less than $2 trillion from $3.5 trillion to win agreement from Manchin and fellow moderate Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

Gillibrand said on Wednesday that she gave senators' numbers to Markle, and said it was just the start.

'I talked to each of the women senators and let them know that she's going to reach out, because she only completed two of the calls,' Gillibrand said.

'She's going to call some others, so I let them know in advance.'

Gillibrand added: 'She wants to be part of a working group to work on paid leave long term and she's going to be.

'Whether this comes to fruition now or later, she'll be part of a group of women that hopefully will work on paid leave together.'

Markle's latest intervention heightens speculation that she sees herself in a political position in the future, like her heroines Angelina Jolie and Amal Clooney.

Some have even speculated that she could be considering a run for political office - even the presidency, according to wild online hype.
Cleo Smith is pictured in a detective's arms 18 days after went missing from a Western Australian campsite

Cleo Smith emerged from what the world feared was an 18-day nightmare with her honey-blonde hair neatly brushed, her clothes clean and fresh, looking just like a real living doll.

The bubbly four-year-old had been found in a locked bedroom, playing with toys, in the middle of the night with the lights turned on.

Since being reunited with her family Cleo has appeared to be the happy little girl she was before her ordeal, kissing and cuddling her mother and stepfather.

Her alleged abductor, doll collector Terence Darrell Kelly, has been charged with one count of forcibly taking a child under 16, but has so far not been publicly accused of doing the child further physical harm.

Kelly is before the courts, entitled to a presumption of innocence and his alleged motives are so far not known.

But amateur sleuths cannot help combining what little is known about Kelly's interests with the few details revealed of Cleo's missing days to speculate she was treated as some sort of toy.

They are asking whether Cleo found herself trapped in the fantasy world of a loner seemingly fixated on plastic figurines - a walking, talking, living doll.



Cleo Smiths's alleged abductor, Terry Kelly, has been charged with one count of forcibly taking a child under 16, but has so far not been publicly accused of doing the child further physical harm. He is pictured shortly before being flown from Carnarvon to Perth on Friday

Doll collector Kelly is entitled to a presumption of innocence and his alleged motives are so far not known. But amateur sleuths cannot help speculating Cleo was treated as some sort of toy. Kelly is pictured in a Bratz T-shirt with two of the fashion figurines

Kelly is not on a list of known sex offenders in Carnarvon and police allege he acted alone. One social media account linked to Kelly shows images of a room stacked floor to ceiling with dolls

Kelly appears to have a particular fascination with Bratz fashion dolls and one of the brand's four original figurines released 20 years ago was a blonde, almond-eyed teenager called Cloe.

Cleo Smith has a seven-month sister called Isla. In the elaborate make-believe Bratz universe Cloe the doll has a little sister named Isa.

Kelly, 36, lived alone in public housing at Carnarvon, 900km north of Perth, where Cleo was found about 1am on Wednesday.

Kelly appears to have a particular fascination with Bratz fashion dolls. One of the popular brand's four original figurines was a blonde, almond-eyed girl called Cloe (pictured)

He is accused of kidnapping Cleo from a tent at the Blowholes camping ground, 75km north of his home, on September 16 while she holidayed with her family.

Detectives have not yet established if Cleo was kept at Kelly's house for all the time she was away from her parents.

Kelly is not on a list of known sex offenders in Carnarvon and police allege he acted alone.

He was not home when detectives broke into the property and rescued Cleo, who fell asleep in her mother's arms when they were reunited.

Police have said Kelly was not known to Cleo's family but his house is just 3km from their home.

Since Kelly's arrest it has been revealed he was obsessed with dolls and he was spotted a week ago with a car full of children's toys, a neighbour told Daily Mail Australia.

Henry Dodd said the brand new dolls were still in their packaging 'as if they had been collected from the post office'.

'There were around ten or twelve dolls... and it looked like he had picked them up after they were delivered somewhere,' Mr Dodd said on Thursday.

'You could see them in their boxes like he ordered them online. They were all piled in the back of his car.

'I thought it was weird. But I didn't know anything about him collecting dolls or anything. I didn't know he had a whole room full of them in his house.

'We didn't know that until it [was reported] today.'

Since being reunited with her family Cleo has appeared to be the happy little girl she was before her ordeal, kissing and cuddling her mother and stepfather. Cleo is pictured before her disappearance

Ae social media account linked to Kelly shows pictures of him driving around town carrying dolls. 'I love my dolls', one post reads. 'I love taking my dolls for drive arounds and doing their hair and taking selfies in public,' says another

Cleo Smith emerged from what the world feared was an 18-day nightmare with her honey-blonde hair neatly brushed, her clothes clean and fresh, looking just like a living doll. She is pictured back in the arms of her mother Ellie Smith on Wednesday

Kelly was known to buy girls' toys including Disney Princess and Bratz dolls from the local Toyworld and police have asked the store's operators for CCTV footage.

Mr Dodd has also said in the days before Cleo was found he saw Kelly buying nappies from a nearby supermarket.

'The other day, I think it was Monday, we saw him buying Kimbies in Woolworths but we didn't click on why he was buying them or who he was buying them for,' he said.

Multiple social media accounts have emerged which allegedly belonged to Kelly, including one under the name Bratz DeLuca which details an obsession with Bratz dolls.

That account features images showing a room with boxed toys carefully stacked from floor to ceiling and pictures of Kelly driving around town carrying dolls.

'I love my dolls', one post reads. 'I love taking my dolls for drive arounds and doing their hair and taking selfies in public,' says another.

Kelly is shown in one picture wearing a Bratz doll T-shirt.

Since Kelly's arrest it has been revealed he was obsessed with dolls and he was spotted a week ago with a car full of children's toys, a neighbour told Daily Mail Australia. This picture of a room filled with dolls appears on a social media account linked to Kelly

Other profiles allegedly linked to Kelly mention children and family members, but neighbours and friends have said they were unaware of him ever having kids of his own.

An account allegedly linked to Kelly followed one belonging to Cleo's s mother Ellie Smith, where she begged for help finding her missing daughter.

When police were asked about Kelly's alleged doll obsession and whether he might have used the toys to lure Cleo they declined to comment.

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine of the Homicide Squad was one of four officers involved in recovering Cleo from Kelly's house.

He can be heard on a police recording asking the little girl, 'What is your name?' three times before she finally falteringly replied: 'M-my name is Cleo.'

That magic moment has been played around the world but Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine has withheld other details about the moment Cleo was found.

Kelly, 36, lived alone in a house at Carnarvon, 900km north of Perth, where Cleo was found about 1am on Wednesday. Hey is accused of kidnapping Cleo from a tent at the Blowholes camping ground, 75km north of his home, on September 16 while she holidayed with her family

Detectives have not yet established if Cleo was kept at the property for all the time she was away from her parents. Kelly is not on a list of known sex offenders in Carnarvon and police allege he acted alone. Cleo is pictured in hospital after her rescue

'The lights were on and that she was playing with toys,' he said. 'I think thats about all I want to say, this is still a matter that still needs to go before the courts.

'There's certain aspects of what we saw that is going to be evidence and I really don't want to say anything that's going to prejudice it.'

Police have told Cleo's parents not to talk about the events of the 18 days she was missing with their daughter.

Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine said discussing the details of what happened could jeopardise the prosecution's case by diluting the accuracy of Cleo's information.

He visited the family on Thursday and said Cleo appeared to be holding up well.

'I can only see her from the outside,' Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine said. 'But from that point of view, I'm amazed that she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy.'

'It was really heart-warming to see that she's still bubbly and she's laughing.

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine of the Homicide Squad was one of four officers involved in recovering Cleo from Kelly's house. He can be heard on a police recording asking the little girl, 'What is your name?' three times before she replied: 'M-my name is Cleo'

'It's really good to see that she's adjusted, she's getting some sleep, she's playing in the backyard exactly how you would expect.'



Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine said police had shared as much information as they could with Cleo's parents but the investigation had a long way to go.

'Obviously it's still a time where we're exploring all the facts,' he said. 'We're getting information from, still, a number of different sources. Some of that information is completely wrong.

'So we're careful about what information we share with people, we want to make sure we're 100 per cent sure of the facts.'

When Kelly faced Carnarvon Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon he took several moments to acknowledge his name when it was called and only nodded to indicate he understood the kidnapping charge against him.
The hearing will come after Ghislaine Maxwell's trial starts on November 29

civil trial would be held 'between September and December next year'

Giuffre filed a complaint accusing Andrew of sexual assault on three occasions at the home of the billionaire paedophile

The Duke of York, 61, will plea for the dismissal of a sexual assault case

A New York judge has set a date to hear Prince Andrew's plea for dismissal of the sexual assault case brought against him by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts.

Judge Lewis Kaplan said the court would hear 'the defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint' on the morning of January 4 next year.

The Duke of York, 61, has been under increasing pressure since August when Roberts, now known as Virginia Giuffre, filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court accusing the 61-year-old of sexual assault when she was a minor over 20 years ago.

Ms Giuffre alleges that late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein lent her out for sex with his wealthy and powerful associates, including Andrew.

A New York judge has set a date to hear Prince Andrew's plea for dismissal of the sexual assault case brought against him by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre

She says the prince assaulted her at Epstein's home in New York, as well as on his private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Ms Giuffre alleges that Andrew also sexually abused her at the London home of socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges she helped recruit and groom underage girls for Epstein to abuse. Her trial begins on November 29.

The 38-year-old, who was known as Virginia Roberts at the time of the allegations, is also expected to request the Duke of York give testimony under oath.

Her lawyer David Boies said that he would seek to depose between eight and 12 people while the Duke's lawyers wanted to question a similar number.

Ms Giuffre alleges that Andrew sexually abused her on three occasions including at the London home of socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. Pictured: Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, then 17, and Maxwell pictured in London in 2001

It is possible that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, could be called to give evidence after Mr Boies told the court he intended to formally speak with two British witnesses.

The prince has not been charged with crimes and has denied the allegations made against him.

He has also accused her of trying to profit from accusations against Epstein, who Giuffre says also abused her, and people who knew him.

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. A medical examiner called his death a suicide.

Andrew denies the charges and has called for the complaint to be dismissed, saying it was 'without merit' and that Giuffre was seeking to profit financially from the case.

The prince has always denied claims by Virginia Giuffre (left) that she was trafficked by her abuser Jeffrey Epstein (right) to have sex with him on three occasions when she was 17

The hearing will come after Ghislaine Maxwell's trial starts on November 29. Maxwell, Epstein's alleged madam (pictured together) and former close friend of Andrew, is accused of procuring and trafficking underage girls to Epstein - which she denies

A civil trial - if the prince's request is rejected - should be held 'between September and December next year,' Judge Kaplan said in a recent hearing.

Neither hearing is believed to have addressed the Duke's challenges to Mrs Giuffre's claims including a 2009 legal settlement she signed with Epstein which may give Andrew legal immunity.

Nor did the judge address any of the Duke's claims in his response including an article from the Daily News written in 2015 which quoted friends of Mrs Giuffre saying she was 'not a sex slave, but a money-hungry sex kitten'.

The hearing took place two weeks before the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's alleged madam and former close friend of Andrew, is due to begin.

Maxwell, 59, is accused of procuring and trafficking underage girls to Epstein knowing they were going to be abused. She denies all the allegations.
A man fell six metres through the lift shaft of a mansion under construction while allegedly trespassing on the site, breaking his arm and leg.

The man allegedly spent most of Wednesday night inside the waterfront mansion at exclusive Sovereign Islands on the Gold Coast.

Neighbours heard the man screaming inside the four-storey construction site on Knightsbridge Parade at 4am on Thursday and called emergency services.

The man allegedly told his rescuers that he had been fishing near the mansion when he broke down and decided to enter the mansion, 9News Gold Coast reported.

He was found injured after falling through an internal lift shaft into a space intended to be an underground carpark in the yet-to-be completed site.

The man entered the mansion's construction site at exclusive Sovereign Islands on the Gold Coast where he fell through a lift shaft and injured himself

The man told his rescuers that he had been fishing near the mansion when he decided to enter the mansion

Neighbours heard the man screaming inside the four-storey construction site on Knightsbridge Parade at 4am yesterday and called emergency services

'When [first responders] arrived on scene they found a male had been wandering on a worksite and fallen between levels,' Luke Wyatt from Queensland Ambulance Service told reporters.

'Job sites can be dangerous, this one did have the appropriate signage and fencing.'

Wearing a neck brace the man can be heard asking members of the media whether they were there for him as he was taken on a gurney to the ambulance.

Told they were, he responded, 'Oh really, haha, yeah'.

Paramedics then told him to put his head back down.

The 45-year-old man is recovering in the Gold Coast University Hospital and has been issued with a notice to appear by Gold Coast police.
Fears are growing after the home addresses and phone numbers of Labour MPs were affected by a 'cyber incident'.

Members of Parliament have been warned that 'a significant quantity of information' could have been stolen after an IT firm, which handles data on Labour's behalf, fell prey to a significant cyber attack.

The National Crime Agency (NCA), National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have been informed and are leading a criminal investigation.

The breach comes after one of the party's suppliers, Blackbaud was also hacked in August last year, with cybercriminals making off with personal data such as names, email address and telephone numbers.

Labour MPs have been warned that 'a significant quantity of information' was under threat after an IT firm, which handles data on Labour's behalf, fell prey to a cyberattack. (Stock image)

In an email, seen by The Times, the director of parliamentary security Alison Giles said: 'The data involved is likely to include the full address details you have provided to the party over the years, home and office. Please review the data you have provided.'

Ms Giles said it was not yet clear if the data had been made public but said they 'cannot exclude the possibility that it may be released to third parties at a future date'.

Members of parliament have been advised to report any suspicious email activity and have also been told to contact parliamentary security staff if they have provided the party with an address that is not public.



Yesterday, a Labour spokesman said the party was informed of the incident on October 29 by the IT firm, which it has not named.

The spokesman said: 'The third party told us that the incident had resulted in a significant quantity of Party data being rendered inaccessible on their systems.

'As soon as the Party was notified of these matters, we engaged third-party experts and the incident was immediately reported to the relevant authorities, including the National Crime Agency (NCA), National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). '

Labour said it was 'working closely and on an urgent basis' with the IT firm in order to understand the full nature, circumstances and impact of the incident.

The spokesman added: 'We understand that the data includes information provided to the Party by its members, registered and affiliated supporters, and other individuals who have provided their information to the Party.

'The full scope and impact of the incident is being urgently investigated.'

The party urged members and supporters who may have been affected to take extra precautions online, in line with NCSC guidance.

An NCA spokesman said: 'The NCA is leading the criminal investigation into a cyber incident impacting on the Labour Party.

The party urged members and supporters who may have been affected to take extra precautions online, in line with NCSC guidance

'We are working closely with partners to mitigate any potential risk and assess the nature of this incident.'

An NCSC spokesman said: 'We are aware of this issue and are working with the Labour Party to fully investigate and mitigate any potential impact.

'We would urge anyone who thinks they may have been the victim of a data breach to be especially vigilant against suspicious emails, phone calls or text messages and to follow the steps set out in our data breaches guidance.

'The NCSC is committed to helping organisations manage their cyber security and publishes advice and guidance on the NCSC website.'

The full scale of the incident is being investigated but Labour's own data systems were unaffected.

In August 2020, Blackbaud, a supplier of the Labour party was also hacked, with cybercriminals making off with personal data such as names, email address, telephone numbers and details of annual donations.

The company paid the ransom demand and were given an assurance that the stolen data had been deleted.
Advertisement

The U.S. House of Representatives will convene at 8am Friday in a make of break session for President Biden's massive domestic policy agenda, as Democrats hope they can advance the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act and the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill already passed in the Senate in August.

But it comes after they saw a Thursday deadline come and go, the latest in a series of missed targets.

Biden lobbied Democrats in the House on Thursday night to vote 'yes' on his social policy and climate-change bill, as the party tries to recover from sobering state election losses.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote at 8am Friday on the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act and the bipartisan infrastructure bill already passed in the Senate in August, according to a senior Democratic aide

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi worked furiously into the night at the Capitol Thursday and kept the House late to shore up votes

A White House official said Biden was calling various House members and urging them to vote yes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi worked furiously into the night at the Capitol Thursday and kept the House late to shore up votes.

'We're going to pass both bills,' Pelosi insisted at a midday press briefing.

But by the end of Thursday evening her leadership team admitted they needed more time.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the House would instead take up the two pieces of legislation as soon as Friday.

He said they would reconvene at 8am to take up the two bills.

Their strategy now seems focused on passing the most robust bill possible in the lower chamber and then leaving the Senate to adjust or strip out the portions its members won't agree to. The House Rules Committee met late Thursday to prepare the bill for floor votes.

Biden had wanted his Build Back Better plan agreed last week, before he left for a meeting of G20 leaders and a U.N. climate conference without a deal on the legislation.

Instead, he arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, with a series of bold climate promises but uncertain whether they would get through Congress.

An affirmative vote before the end of the Glasgow summit on November 12 would bolster the credibility of Biden's pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

With a 221-213 majority in the House of Representatives and a united Republican opposition, Democrats need near unanimity to pass legislation.

Half the size of Biden's initial $3.5 trillion package, the now sprawling 2,135-page bill has won over most of the progressive Democratic lawmakers, even though it is smaller than they wanted. But the chamber's more centrist and fiscally conservative Democrats continued to mount objections.

Overall the package remains more far-reaching than any other in decades. Republicans are fully opposed to Biden's bill.

The big package would provide large numbers of Americans with assistance to pay for health care, raising children and caring for elderly people at home.

There would be lower prescription drug costs, limiting the price of insulin to $35 a dose, and Medicare for the first time would be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for prices of some other drugs, a long-sought Democratic priority.

Medicare would have a new hearing aid benefit for older Americans, and those with Medicare Part D would see their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs capped at $2,000.

The package would provide some $555 billion in tax breaks encouraging cleaner energy and electric vehicles, the nation's largest commitment to tackling climate change.

With a flurry of late adjustments, the Democrats added key provisions in recent days - adding back a new paid family leave program, work permits for immigrants and changes to state and local tax deductions.

Much of package's cost would be covered with higher taxes on wealthier Americans, those earning more than $400,000 a year, and a 5% surtax would be added on those making over $10 million annually. Large corporations would face a new 15% minimum tax in an effort to stop big businesses from claiming so many deductions that they end up paying zero in taxes.

Democrats have been working to resolve their differences, particularly with holdout Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who forced cutbacks to Biden's bill but championed the slimmer infrastructure package that had stalled amid deliberations.

Democrats have been working to resolve their differences, particularly with holdout Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who forced cutbacks to Biden's bill but championed the slimmer infrastructure package that had stalled amid deliberations

Democrats are reeling from a disappointing loss in Virginia this week when a Republican won the governor's office in a state Biden won handily in 2020.

The party is eager to show it can move forward on the president's agenda, and fend off Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections when control of the House and Senate will be on the line.

The nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation issued a report scoring the 'Build Back Better' legislation's tax revenue provisions at $1.48 trillion over the next decade.

Pelosi and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said the committee's analysis did not account for additional revenue from provisions intended to enhance the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection and to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly.

'It's an objective view that it is solidly paid for,' Pelosi told reporters after a meeting of House Democrats on the legislation.

Moody's Analytics analysts said on Thursday the bills would be fully paid for and add jobs, but that implementing them would take 'deft governance.'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks on her phone on Capitol Hill on Thursday

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a statement saying the legislation would raise more than $2 trillion, enough to pay for the bill and 'reduce deficits over the long term.'

The tax committee assesses only the tax provisions in legislation. The Congressional Budget Office, another nonpartisan arm of Congress, is expected to provide revenue scores for the IRS and drug-pricing provisions, Democrats said. But a final CBO report is not expected this week.

In a meeting with fellow Democrats on Thursday morning, Pelosi expressed hope for action on both bills this week, a source familiar with her remarks said.

If passed by the House, the social policy legislation would move to the Senate, also narrowly controlled by Democrats, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to enact it before the November 25 Thanksgiving holiday.

The legislation would raise $640 billion from tax increases on high-income individuals and $814 billion from corporate and international tax reforms from 2022 to 2031, the Joint Committee on Taxation said.

Congress faces another pair of critical deadlines in less than a month: Lawmakers set a December 3 deadline to avoid a potentially economically devastating default on the federal government's debt, as well as to avert a politically embarrassing government shutdown.
President Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better act will specifically ban religious schools from using infrastructure grants to renovate or better their facilities.

If the infrastructure bill passes the House when it will be voted upon on Friday, then it will ban religiously-affiliated schools or child care services from allocating funds to improve their facilities.

Grant recipients 'may not use the funds for modernization, renovation or repair of facilities that are primarily used for sectarian instruction or religious worship,' the bill says.

In March, Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA.) and junior South Carolina Senator Tim Scott introduced the Child Welfare Inclusion Act, a bill to ensure that both state and local governments cannot discriminate against faith-based adoption and foster care providers by forcing them to choose between offering these vital services and violating their deeply held religious beliefs.

However, the bill failed to make it past the Ways and Means Committee back in September.

President Biden's Build Back Better bill includes an amendment that specifically prohibits religious schools from using infrastructure grants to renovate or better their facilities

House Democrats will hope that one of the Biden Administration's top priorities, the Build Back Better act (pictured), will gain the majority of votes on Friday

Kelly's press secretary, Matt Knoedler, expressed the congressman's disappointment towards the stepback.

'The congressman was disappointed that Democrats wouldn't grant such a simple request to help our children during previous negotiations,' Knoedler told Fox News in a statement. 'His Religious Freedom Amendment was an inclusive bill that would have given parents greater choice and allow them to pick a child care service that was best for them.'

On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to reveal any date on the bill's voting session, widely expected to take place on Friday, or whether Democrats already have the majority to pass it.

Democrats have failed to meet previous self-imposed deadlines to pass the bills that form the cornerstone of Biden's legislative agenda, but the aide said that leadership was confident on finishing on Friday.

Biden, the country's second Catholic president, lobbied Democrats in the House on Thursday night to vote 'yes' on his social policy and climate-change bill, as the party tries to recover from sobering state election losses.

A White House official said Biden was calling various House members and urging them to vote yes.

House Speaker Pelosi expressed hope for action on the bill this week, expected to be voted in the House on Friday, although she refused to share a specific date on the legislation's timing

Biden left for Europe last week for a meeting of G20 leaders and a U.N. climate conference without a deal on the legislation.

An affirmative vote before the conclusion of the climate conference in Glasgow on November 12 would bolster the credibility of Biden's pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

With a 221-213 majority in the House of Representatives and a united Republican opposition, Democrats need near unanimity to pass legislation.

Democrats are also reeling from a disappointing loss in Virginia this week when a Republican won the governor's office in a state Biden won handily in 2020.

The party is eager to show it can move forward on the president's agenda, and fend off Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections when control of the House and Senate will be on the line.

Fingers are pointing all around as negotiations over Bidens ambitious infrastructure package have dragged on, with Democrats unable to pass the bill. Progressive and centrist lawmakers, particularly Senators Manchin, of West Virginia and Sinema, of Arizona, have fought over details of the sprawling 1,600-page package.

The nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation issued a report scoring the 'Build Back Better' legislation's tax revenue provisions at $1.48 trillion over the next decade.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said the committee's analysis did not account for additional revenue from provisions intended to enhance the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection and to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly.

'It's an objective view that it is solidly paid for,' Pelosi told reporters after a meeting of House Democrats on the legislation.

Progressive and centrist lawmakers, particularly West Virginia Senator Manchin (pictured), have fought over details of the sprawling 1,600-page bill

The bill is not as sweeping as Democrats had hoped for as they seek to strike a compromise with one of the two key holdout Democrats, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona (pictured)

Moody's Analytics analysts said on Thursday the bills would be fully paid for and add jobs, but that implementing them would take 'deft governance.'

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a statement saying the legislation would raise more than $2 trillion, enough to pay for the bill and 'reduce deficits over the long term.'

The tax committee assesses only the tax provisions in legislation. The Congressional Budget Office, another nonpartisan arm of Congress, is expected to provide revenue scores for the IRS and drug-pricing provisions, Democrats said. But a final CBO report is not expected this week.

In a meeting with fellow Democrats on Thursday morning, Pelosi expressed hope for action on both bills this week, a source familiar with her remarks said.

If passed by the House, the social policy legislation would move to the Senate, also narrowly controlled by Democrats, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to enact it before the November 25 Thanksgiving holiday.

The legislation would raise $640 billion from tax increases on high-income individuals and $814 billion from corporate and international tax reforms from 2022 to 2031, the Joint Committee on Taxation said.

Congress faces another pair of critical deadlines in less than a month: Lawmakers set a December 3 deadline to avoid a potentially economically devastating default on the federal government's debt, as well as to avert a politically embarrassing government shutdown.
The alleged terrorist accused of fatally stabbing Sir David Amess will enter pleas next month at the Old Bailey ahead of a potential trial in March next year.

Ali Harbi Ali is charged with murdering the Conservative MP for Southend West during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15.

The 25-year-old British defendant, who is in custody, is also charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1, 2019 and September this year.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is charged with murdering the Conservative MP for Southend West last month

Sir David Amess had been holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, last month

A draft indictment claims Ali engaged in reconnaissance of locations of targets to attack including addresses associated with MPs and the Houses of Parliament.

He also allegedly did online research relating to targets to attack. Ali appeared this morning at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing by videolink from HMP Belmarsh.

Wearing a pale blue jumper, Ali spoke only to confirm his name. The judge Mr Justice Sweeney set a preparatory and plea hearing for December 21.

A provisional trial date has already been identified for March 7 next year. Following the brief hearing, the defendant was remanded into custody.

Ali appears via videolink from HMP Belmarsh for an Old Bailey hearing on October 22

Sir David with (from left) daughter Katie, wife Julia and other daughters Flo, Sarah and Alex at Flo's wedding in August. On October 15, the veteran MP was pronounced dead at the scene

Ali is accused of travelling by train from his home in Kentish Town, North London, to attend 69-year-old Sir David's surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church.

During the meeting, he was allegedly seen to use his mobile phone before standing up, producing a large knife from his pocket and repeatedly stabbing Sir David.

The veteran MP was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10pm and a preliminary post-mortem report gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.

Ali was arrested at the scene and later charged before appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, which heard he had been plotting to kill an MP for two years.

Forensic officers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church in Essex on October 15

People look at flowers left by the police cordon near Belfairs Methodist Church on October 17

On October 22, Ali appeared at the Old Bailey for the first time by videolink from high security Belmarsh prison in South East London.

In that hearing, the defendant lifted up his face mask to confirm his name and date of birth and was not asked to enter pleas to the charges.

Ali's barrister, Kevin Toomey, made no application for bail in that hearing and the defendant was remanded in custody.

The Crown Prosecution Service alleges the murder has a terrorist connection because of its 'religious and ideological' motives.
Members of an alleged criminal syndicate have been busted with bricks of cocaine that had been brazenly stamped with the Australian Federal Police logo.

Officers attached to Taskforce Becke stopped a tow truck carrying a Nissan X-trail on Pennant Hills Road in Oatlands, in northwest Sydney on Wednesday.

Detectives searched the vehicle and discovered four 1kg blocks of cocaine that had been allegedly concealed in the Nissan for transportation into Queensland.

Commander of the Organised Crime Squad Jason Herbert said officers were 'surprised' to find the official AFP logo stamped on the bricks.

Commander of the Organised Crime Squad Jason Herbert (pictured) said officers were 'surprised' to find the official AFP logo stamped on four 1kg bricks of cocaine

Officers attached to Taskforce Becke stopped a tow truck carrying a Nissan X-trail on Pennant Hills Road in Oatlands, in northwest Sydney, on Wednesday (pictured)

'Syndicates such as these use stamps to identify who owns what product,' the commander said during a press conference on Thursday.

An attending reporter described the decision to stamp the badge of a law enforcement agency on prohibited drugs as 'brazen'.

'I would describe that as interesting, yes,' the commander responded.

Commander Hebert said the car allegedly transporting the drugs had not actually required a tow truck after reporters asked if it was simply part of the ruse.

Detectives searched the vehicle and discovered four 1kg blocks of cocaine that had been allegedly concealed in the Nissan (pictured) for transportation into Queensland

In total, the cocaine officers seized had an estimated potential street value of $2.2 million

The bricks of cocaine had been stamped with the official logo of the Australian Federal Police

'We will allege that this is not by accident,' he said.

'This is a well thought out, sophisticated plan to deliver drugs from New South Wales into Queensland.'

He said inquiries were continuing into the involvement of the tow truck driver.

A 42-year-old man was arrested in a carpark on Windsor Road in Northmead a short time after the Nissan was searched and taken to Granville Police Station.

Taskforce officers then executed search warrants in four homes at Zetland, Holyroyd, Thornleigh and Northmead.

Taskforce officers then executed search warrants in four homes at Zetland, Holyroyd, Thornleigh and Northmead

Police also seized $43,735 in cash, electronic devices, documentation, vehicle number plates and ammunition at other locations across Sydney

During the search of the Northmead home officers discovered a hydraulic press and a metal stamp of the AFP logo, as well as an additional 1.5kg of cocaine

During the search of the Northmead home officers discovered a hydraulic press and a metal stamp of the AFP logo, as well as an additional 1.5kg of cocaine.

Police will allege it was this stamp that was used to brand the seized bricks which have an estimated potential street value of $2.2million.

Police also seized $43,735 in cash, electronic devices, documentation, vehicle number plates and ammunition at the other locations across Sydney.

The 42-year-old man was charged with 'serious' drug offences including four counts of supply of a prohibited drug, to knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and possess ammunition without a licence.

He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.
A high-powered Brisbane couple are taking on a celebrity architect in court over a luxury unit development they say threatens their historic home in an exclusive suburb.

Barrister Daniel Clarry and his wife Sarah, a lawyer and Rio Tinto executive, have launched a legal appeal to protest the development of a luxury, five-storey apartment block in the upmarket riverside suburb of New Farm in Brisbane.

Approval for the 'multi-residential concept' named Arcilla in Maxwell Street, New Farm was given to architect Joe Adsett and developer Craig Purdy in September.

Mr and Mrs Parry argue the design is too large for its location in the street and that its underground carpark will damage their circa 1937 home.

Barrister Daniel Clarry and his wife Sarah (pictured), a lawyer and executive, have launched a legal appeal to protest a luxury, six-storey apartment block development next door to their historic home in New Farm

Mr and Mrs Clarry argue the development will damage their 1937 art deco house which they purchased in 2020 for $3.7million

'Arcilla', a 'multi-residential concept' in Maxwell Street, New Farm by architect Joe Adsett and developer Craig Purdy was approved by Brisbane City Council in September

Property records show the high-achieving couple purchased the beautiful art deco house in 2020 for $3.7million.

The couple's house is described as an 'iconic home with its enclosed courtyard, vine strewn windows and arched loggia is a character-filled haven of art-deco charm that has been beautifully preserved and enhanced to offer a unique abode in a premier locale'.

The couple also own other properties in the suburb, including a $2.23million house on Bowen Terrace.

Mr and Mrs Clarry filed an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court in October asking it to overturn approval for the development.

Other residents in the street had also lodged formal objections with the Brisbane City Council.

The approved development will include eight apartments with a total of 26 bedrooms and 21 car spaces, reported The Courier-Mail from court documents.

The appellants argue Arcilla will reduce setbacks from surrounding properties by taking up 65 per cent of the site, rather than the current structure's 46 per cent footprint.

High profile architect Joe Adsett has previously appeared on season 9 of Grand Design Australia and designed Botanic New Farm in the same suburb as Arcilla

Mr Adsett designed the five-storey development, with eight three-bedroom apartments and one four bedroom apartment, which will span the whole of the top level, after he and developer Craig Purdy paid $4million for the site

'The unique design of the building draws inspiration from the character Spanish mission architectural styles which pervade the local streets of New Farm,' Joe Adsett Architects posted to Instagram when announcing Arcilla.

Mr Adsett has previously appeared on season 9 of Grand Designs Australia, which featured his family home Boomerang House in the inner Brisbane city suburb of Ascot.

He previously designed luxury apartment complex Botanic New Farm, also in New Farm and also partnership with Mr Purdy.

The pair paid $4million for the 845 sqm Maxwell Street site, after which Mr Adsett designed the five-storey Arcilla, with eight three-bedroom apartments and one four bedroom apartment, which will span the whole of the top level.

New Farm is considered one of Brisbane's most desirable inner suburbs, with views of Story Bridge and the city as well as proximity to Brisbane Powerhouse.

The median house price of $2.1 million is significantly higher than the state's average of $555,000.

The appeal against the development is expected to return to court on December 12.
A citizen journalist jailed for her coverage of China's initial response to Covid in Wuhan is close to death after going on hunger strike, her family have said, prompting renewed calls from rights groups for her immediate release.

Zhang Zhan, 38, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 to report on the chaos at the pandemic's epicentre, questioning authorities' handling of the outbreak in her smartphone videos.

She was detained in May 2020 and sentenced in December to four years in jail for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' - a charge routinely used to suppress dissent.

Zhang Zhan, 38, a former lawyer (pictured in a still grab taken from one of her video blogs), travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 to report on the chaos at the pandemic's epicentre, questioning authorities' handling of the outbreak in her smartphone videos

She is now severely underweight and 'may not live for much longer', her brother Zhang Ju wrote last week on a Twitter account verified by people close to the matter.

Zhang has been on a hunger strike and was force-fed through nasal tubes, her legal team, which did not have information on her current condition, said earlier this year.

'She may not survive the coming cold winter,' Zhang Ju wrote, adding that he had urged his sister in letters to 'take care of herself'.

'In her heart, it seems there is only God and her beliefs, with no care for anything else.'

Zhang Ju's posts sparked fresh calls for his sister's release, with Amnesty International urging the Chinese government Thursday to 'release her immediately so that she can end her hunger strike and receive the appropriate medical treatment she desperately needs'.

Amnesty campaigner Gwen Lee said in a statement that Zhang's detention was a 'shameful attack on human rights'.

Someone close to the citizen journalist, who declined to be named, told AFP the family had asked to meet Zhang more than three weeks ago at the Shanghai women's prison where she is being held but had not received a response.

AFP news agency was unable to reach Zhang Ju while Zhang's mother declined to comment.

Zhang Zhan was jailed for her coverage of Wuhan's Covid lockdown last year. Pictured: Medical workers in protective suits receive a patient at the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Centre, February 2020 (file photo)

The Shanghai prison also offered no response when approached by AFP.

Zhang now cannot walk or even raise her head without help, according to Reporters without Borders (RSF).

RSF East Asia Bureau head, Cedric Alviani, said the 'international community (must) apply pressure to the Chinese regime and secure Zhang Zhan's immediate release before it is too late.'

'She was only performing her duty as a reporter and should never have been detained, not to mention receive a four-year prison sentence.'

China has revelled in its success in keeping domestic infections down to a trickle of sporadic outbreaks.

The government has put forward a narrative crediting the Communist Party with returning life almost to normal even as death tolls and infections continue to explode in the rest of the world.

But those who threaten the official version by raising questions about the government's early cover-up and handling of the Wuhan outbreak face the party's wrath.

Zhang is among a group of four citizen journalists - including Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua - detained after reporting from Wuhan.

Wuhan caught international attention December 2019 when the coronavirus first broke out there before spreading around the globe, killing at least 5 million people so far. Pictured, patients infected with Covid-19 are seen at a makeshift hospital in Wuhan on February 2020

Home to some 11million people, the Chinese provincial capital caught international attention in December 2019 when coronavirus first broke out there before spreading around the globe, with over 5 million deaths reported so far.

Criticism of China's early handling of the crisis has been censored, and whistle-blowers, such as doctors, have been warned off speaking out. State media have credited success in reining in the virus to the leadership of President Xi Jinping.

Speaking in December last year, a New York-based human rights organisation told MailOnline that Ms Zhang was being punished 'for doing exactly what the world desperately needed: reporting on the coronavirus from Wuhan'.

Ms Zhang - a former lawyer - arrived in Wuhan on February 1 from her home in Shanghai. Her short video clips uploaded to YouTube consist of interviews with residents, commentary and footage of a crematorium, train stations, hospitals and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

After her arrest and sentence - by December 2020 - she was reportedly suffering headaches, giddiness, stomach ache, low blood pressure and a throat infection.

Ms Zhang's supporters have hailed her for revealing 'the truth' of the coronavirus outbreak

One of Ms Zhang's lawyers, Zhang Keke, described the grim situation of his client after visiting her in a detention centre in Shanghai last year - according to a post on Weiquan Net, a Chinese website which publishes updates about activists.

He said restraint belts had made it difficult for her to sleep at night and she needed assistance for the toilet, the post read.

Ms Zhang was 'completely exhausted' and 'felt every day is torment', and could not stop crying during the meeting with her lawyer, the article said.

She also allegedly denied the official accusations that she had fabricated false information and insisted that all her reports had come from first-hand interviews and real-location visits in Wuhan.

According to Weiquan Net, Ms Zhang's persecution documents were released by the People's Procuratorate of Pudong New District of Shanghai on September 15, 2020.

One of the official files accused Ms Zhang of 'maliciously hyping the epidemic of the novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan' through popular Chinese messaging app WeChat, as well as Twitter and YouTube.

The prosecutor claimed that Ms Zhang had spread 'a large amount of false information' through text and videos and accepted interviews with foreign media outlets.
Jack Ciattarelli slammed Governor Phil Murphy over his 'premature' victory speech and says he will not concede in New Jersey's gubernatorial race until all 21 counties finish counting ballots.

'The governor's victory speech last night was premature,' the Republican said in a 'Jack Chat' video posted to Twitter Thursday.

'No one should be declaring victory or conceding the election until every legal vote is counted.'

Murphy, an incumbent Democrat, won reelection in the reliably blue state by a razor-thin margin of 2 percent out of 2.4 million ballots counted.

Ciattarelli argues that 'there are still tens of thousands of vote-by-mail and provisional ballots yet to be counted' and that no one should claim victory or concede until that process is complete - which could take weeks.

He said that any 'decision on a recount or audit' would be made after the completion of the counting process.

Jack Ciattarelli (pictured giving a 'Jack Chat' video update Thursday) slammed Governor Phil Murphy in a social media video, saying his victory speech was 'premature'

The GOP candidate also shared that his legal and political teams are watching over the counting and doing everything in their to ensure that 'whatever the outcome, this election will be legal and fair'.

Ciattarelli advised his supporters not to fall victim to conspiracies and asked anyone with evidence of election fraud to call the voter integrity hotline.

'I don't want people falling victim to wild conspiracy theories or online rumors,' he said. 'While consideration is paid to any and all credible reports, please don't believe everything you see or read online.'

The closeness of the race made the election a surprise nail-biter.

'Two days ago shockwaves were sent throughout our state and the national political world, all because a Republican was in the position to win the race for governor here in New Jersey,' Ciattarelli said in his Thursday video.

'Despite what the polls, press and pundits were saying, I knew I could win. Why? Because every time a governor of this state has taken us too far off track, the decent, hardworking people of New Jersey have always risen up and said 'that's not where we want to go.''

The GOP candidate says he will not concede to Gov. Murphy (pictured on Election Day) in the gubernatorial race until all 21 counties finish counting ballots

Ciattarelli (pictured on Election Day) argues that 'there are still tens of thousands of vote-by-mail and provisional ballots yet to be counted'

However, regardless of the closeness and the - at the time - less than 1 percent lead, The Associated Press declared Murphy the winner early Wednesday night, a day after voting ended.

Within twenty minutes of the announcement, Ciattarelli's campaign issued a statement alleging the news outlet was 'irresponsible' for calling the race.

'With the candidates separated by a fraction of a percent out of 2.4 million ballots cast, it's irresponsible of the media to make this call when the New Jersey Secretary of State doesn't even know how many ballots are left to be counted,' Ciattarelli Campaign Communications Director Stami Williams tweeted. Ciattarelli retweeted her post.

Murphy, 64, was long projected to win in the state that Biden won by nearly 16 points in the presidential election against Donald Trump. But it appears Biden's unpopularity is having ripple effects for Murphy in the suburbs.

In Morris County, which Biden won in 2020, Ciattarelli won with 56.8 per cent with 100 per cent reporting compared to Murphy's 42.6 per cent  a near 15 percent split.

Hours after the polls closed Tuesday night, former state lawmaker Ciattarelli was leading Murphy by half a percentage point, with 88 per cent of precincts reporting.

When the race was called, he led Ciattarelli 50 percent to 49.2 percent.

Within twenty minutes of The Associated Press naming Murphy the winner, Ciattarelli's campaign issued a statement alleging the news outlet was 'irresponsible' for calling the race

As of 10.45pm Thursday, Murphy's lead had increased to 51.16 percent, with Ciattarelli trailing closely behind at 48.84 percent, with 95 percent of New Jersey's precincts reporting

As of 10.45pm Thursday, Murphy's lead had increased to 51.16 percent, with Ciattarelli trailing closely behind at 48.84 percent, with 95 percent of New Jersey's precincts reporting.

Murphy became the first Democratic governor in four decades to win re-election in New Jersey.

In his brief victory speech Wednesday night, the governor alluded to his narrow margin of victory by saying he would listen to the needs of all citizens, but still emphasized Democratic goals like expanding voting rights, raising taxes on the wealthy and defending abortion rights.

'If you want to be governor of all of New Jersey, you must listen to all of New Jersey. And New Jersey, I hear you,' he told the crowd.

'So, tonight, I renew my promise to you - whether you voted for me or not - to work every single day of the next four years to keep moving us forward. Forward with renewed optimism to ensure greater opportunities for all nine-point-three million who call this great state home.'
Former President Donald Trump cannot claim executive privilege to prevent the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 riots from accessing over 770 pages of files, call logs and notes from his administration, a federal judge asserted during a hearing on Thursday.

The former president sued the National Archives and Records Administration on October 15 to prevent it from giving the House committee those documents and argued that they must remain secret under the doctrine of executive privilege.

However, District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, cracked down on such efforts on Thursday and said, 'There is only one executive,' referring to President Joe Biden.

'The person best able to determine whether there's an executive privilege is the current executive,' she to Trump's lawyer Justin Clark, according to Newsweek.

Trump cannot claim executive privilege to prevent the House Select Committee from accessing documents related to January 6, District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan said Thursday

Trump sued the National Archives on October 15 to prevent it from giving the House committee 770 sensitive files. He is above with his wife Melania on October 30 at the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves Truist Park

On October 25, Biden rejected Trump's invocation of executive privilege for two tranches of documents sent to the White House for review last month.

In a letter to the National Archives, Biden counsel Dana Remus said the president has 'determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not in the best interests of the United States, and therefore is not justified.'

Trump's lawsuit also asserted that allowing Congress the ability to access confidential material from the president 'would destroy the very fabric of our constitutional separation of powers and invade fundamental privileges designed to maintain the autonomy and functioning of the Executive Branch.'

Chutkan argued against such a claim and told Clark, 'I don't see where the separation-of-powers argument that you're making exists.'

Clark said in his opening remarks Thursday, 'This is not only a monumental argument, but it's one that will have consequences down the line for generations.'

He asserted that the committee's requests were out of line because they didn't have to do with legislation being considered by Congress, though Chutkan rebuked the argument and said, 'the Jan. 6 riot happened in the Capitol' so Congress had an interest in investigating the attack.

On October 25, Biden rejected Trump's invocation of executive privilege for two tranches of documents sent to the White House for review last month, all related to the January 6 riot

The National Archive has identified nearly 1,600 files related to the insurrection and Trump's efforts to undermine the 2020 election

Chutkan also cracked down on the committee's request for being overly vague in their requests for information. The committee, pictured above, is composed of seven Democrats and two Republicans

She added, 'We're not talking about your client's banking records from before he became president. We're talking about documents that are quintessentially about government business.'

In a positive turn of events for the former president, Chutkan also cracked down on the committee's request for being overly vague. She told committee members, 'There's almost no limit to what you could be seeking.'

She asked House lawyer Douglas Letter why the committee needed Trump campaign polling data that goes back to April 2020.

But Letter said the data would help grant perspective to the committee on when and why Trump decided to amplify false claims that the November 2020 election was stolen from him.

Trump gave a fiery speech at a Save America rally the day shortly before the riot repeating his false claims that the November 2020 election was rigged by widespread voting fraud and encouraged his supporters to go to the Capitol and 'fight like hell' to 'stop the steal.'

According to a sworn declaration from the National Archives released early Saturday morning, among the documents Trump wants to protect are draft remarks for the Save America rally in addition to 30 pages of his daily schedule, visitor logs and call records for both the former president and former Vice President.

It also includes documents from Trump's aides, including three handwritten notes from former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, 'multiple binders' of Kayleigh McEnany's 'made up almost entirely of talking points and statements related to the 2020 election,' files from former advisor Stephen Miller and deputy White House counsel Pat Philbin.

Other documentation Trump's legal team is trying to shield from the House Committee include the White House 'daily diary,' a memo about a potential lawsuit against several states that President Joe Biden won in the 2020 election, an email chain from a state official regarding election-related issues and talking points on alleged election irregularities in one Michigan county.

The January 6 insurrection began shortly after President Donald Trump gave remarks at the Save America rally

It resulted in a group of pro-Trump protesters scaling the walls of Congress and breaking into the building in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election

The Saturday filing, which came as part of the National Archives and Record Administration's opposition to Trump's lawsuit, details the effort the agency has undertaken to identify records from the Trump White House in response to a broad, 13-page request from the House committee for documents pertaining to the insurrection and Trump's efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.

Billy Laster, the director of the National Archives' White House Liaison Division, who released the filing, said the agency has identified nearly 1,600 files for the request.

He said that the documents Trump is trying to exert executive privilege over 'all relate to the events on or about January 6, and may assist the Select Committee's investigation into that day, including what was occurring before, during and after the attack.

'Even assuming the applicability of executive privilege, however, the documents may assist the Select Committee in understanding efforts to communicate with the American public, including those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, on the subjects of alleged voter fraud, election security and other topics concerning the 2020 election.'

Leaders of the House Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, and Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, have condemned Trump's lawsuit as 'nothing more than an attempt to delay and obstruct our probe.'

'It's hard to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to overturn the results of an election,' they wrote in a statement after the suit was filed in federal court.

Lawyers for the House committee also wrote on Saturday that the 'Plaintiff's claims of executive privilege fail because the privilege is not absolute, and here is outweighed by Congress's compelling need for information about the extraordinary attack that occurred on the Capitol,' according to the New York Times.

'The committee's investigation into the January 6 attack plainly embodies a legitimate legislative purpose.'

They say the select committee must reject Trump's efforts to block the release, or they risk leaving future elections subject to abuse.

'The urgency of the work cannot be overstated,' House Counsel Doug Letter wrote in a 52-page legal brief delivered to Judge Tanya Chukan.

'The threat that brought the attack on January 6 is ongoing,' the brief said. 'Those who falsely claimed the election was stolen (including Mr. Trump) continue to do so.'

The House Committee and then the broader House of Representatives voted in favor of issuing a criminal referral against Steve Bannon last month after he defied a subpoena to appear

The lawyers also note that the Supreme Court has determined former presidents have less legal authority to demand confidentiality of Executive Branch records, according to Politico.

Like Chutkan, they also argue that a sitting president's denial of executive privilege should outweigh that of a former president's because courts have ruled that sitting presidents have a better perspective on Executive Branch interests.

While some former Trump officials have been complying with the January 6 probe, the House Committee and then the broader House of Representatives voted in favor of issuing a criminal referral against Steve Bannon last month after he defied a subpoena to appear.

A lawyer for Bannon explained how he was not acting in 'defiance' of the subpoena and simply following instructions from Trump's attorney.

'President Trump's counsel stated that they were invoking executive and other privileges and therefore directed us not to produce documents or give testimony that might reveal information President Trump's counsel seeks to legally protect,' Bannon's lawyer stated.

Aside from Bannon, the committee has subpoenaed the organizers of the Stop the Steal rally which took place before Trump supporters headed to the Capitol.

The committee has subpoenaed other officials including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, Trump former chief of staff Mark Meadows, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and former Defense Department official Kash Patel.

The attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters took place as Congress met to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election victory over Trump, delaying that process for several hours as then-Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, staff and journalists fled.

More than 700 people face criminal charges stemming from the event.
Millions of Australians have been fortunate enough to witness a mesmerising aurora after nature put on a unique light show.

The Bureau of Meteorology announced on Thursday just before 7.30pm that Tasmanians and Victorians along the coastline could have a possible chance to see the aurora during the night.

The Bureau's Space Weather Services issued the Aurora Alert and stated that a 'geomagnetic storm' was occurring and the best conditions to observe the natural light show were at 'high latitudes'.

The #AuroraAustralis  is one of natures most spectacular visual phenomena and last night, it did not disappoint.



It was spotted by eagle-eyed sky watchers as far north as the Mallee in Victoria and Perth in Western Australia



Did you catch one?



 @VLphotographyAU pic.twitter.com/K9VpFGH8ps  Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 5, 2021

While patchy clouds arriving from the east proved a challenge for Victorians, residents from the state and across southern Australia raced out their doors to spot the astonishing Aurora Australis that did not disappoint.

The Bureau took to Twitter on Friday to share the visual experience which was captured by sky-gazers 'as far north as the Mallee in Victoria and Perth in Western Australia'.

Lucky sightseers posted images to social media of the sky entirely lit by striking purple and green colours with glistening stars scattered throughout the stunning mix of colours.

The Bureau of Meteorology announced on Thursday just before 7.30pm that Tasmanians and Victorians along the coastline could have a possible chance to see the aurora

Josh Karpowicz wrote: 'Thanks #Tasmania for the show tonight, got to see the #auroraaustralis from the lake right outside our airbnb in #Strahan.'

Mr Karpowicz captured an image of the mesmerising light show as the bright colours reflected onto the lake.

A thick green line also appeared from behind the outline of the mountainous tops, and it travelled along the sky view.

While patchy clouds arriving from the east proved a challenge for Victorians, residents from across southern Australia raced out their doors to spot the astonishing Aurora Australis (Pictured: Strahan, Tasmania)

Tasmanian resident Anne Hardy was also fortunate enough to watch the display and wrote: 'Living on the side of a mountain has its advantages on nights like these. It is a five minute drive to the top and...voila! Aurora Australis.'

Her husband Pete's captured the striking image of the aurora from the high position as lines of dark purple and yellow colours are seen scattered throughout the sky amongst the bright stars.

Tasmanian resident Anne Hardy was also fortunate enough to watch the display of dark purple and yellow colours that lit up the sky amongst glistening stars

Despite the weather challenges, Victorian Anne Logan-Bell witnessed the light show from Koonya Beach on the Bass Strait coast section of the Mornington Peninsula.

While the skies weren't as clear as in Tasmania, the image showed a mix of purple colours filling the sky.

The mystifying light show happens when the sun releases a large burst of solar wind and magnetic fields into space.

These solar winds carry particles that connect with the earth's magnetic field and then collide to create energy releases that form auroras of red, green and purple colours.
A pre-historic eel-like fish has been discovered in Wooditchup, Margaret River after a 20-year-long hunt.

Local tour guide Sean Blocksidge has been searching for Lampreys, which are jawless creatures that pre-date dinosaurs, for decades.

Mr Blocksidge said the remarkable discovery on October 19 goes against the odds, as he said no-one he knows has seen one in the last five-ten years.

Adults only grow to between 500-700mm, which means they can be easy to miss if you aren't looking, according to the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).

Mr Blocksidge spent nearly 20 years searching for Pouched Lampreys in Margaret River

The keen-eyed tour guide said finding them was like discovering a mythical animal - and he found six at once.

'It's been like searching for a yeti or the Lochness Monster,' he wrote on his business' Instagram page.

'I've spent nearly 20 years of searching for these incredible prehistoric creatures in Wooditchup /Margaret River and we finally found them.'

Mr Blocksidge said he found six in one sighting on October 19

Mr Blocksidge said long time locals will tell you the species previously migrated to Wooditchup, Margaret River in their thousands, but these days they are 'incredibly rare to see'.

'Scientists are not sure why, but it could be related to a drying climate with 20% decrease in rainfall [in the region] in the past two decades,' he wrote, 'Or changes in river flow with the weirs'.

He said there are many possible reasons why it is now rare to see these Lampreys in Margaret River.

'No one seems to be sure why the populations have decreased so dramatically,' he wrote.

'All I know is it's incredibly exiting to see them today.'

Adult Pouched Lampreys grow to be about 700mm long, according to the MDBA

Mr Blocksidge said the Lampreys have a 'remarkable life cycle', with adults spending most of their life at sea, re-entering rivers and travelling upstream during migration, during winter and spring, to permanent fresh headwater creeks where it spawns and dies.

'Larval lampreys spend several years filter feeding from burrows in soft sediments before metamorphosing into their adult form and moving to the ocean in winter,' he wrote.

On his discovery of the six he saw, Mr Blocksidge said: 'These guys were still quite blue in colour which suggest they have recently entered the river system'.

'They usually migrate at night, so we scored an incredibly lucky moment in the rain to spot several of these guys trying to make their way up the river.'
Thousands of US intelligence officers could soon face dismissal for failing to comply with the government's vaccine mandate, leading some Republican lawmakers to raise concerns about removing employees from agencies critical to national security.

Several intelligence agencies had at least 20 percent of their workforce unvaccinated as of late October, said U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, a Utah Republican who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

CIA Director William Burns disclosed publicly last week that 97 percent of the agency's officers have been vaccinated. The National Reconnaissance Office, which operates U.S. spy satellites, has more than 90 percent of its workforce vaccinated.

But Stewart said some agencies in the 18-member intelligence community had as much as 40 percent of their workforce unvaccinated.

He cited information the administration has provided to the committee but not released publicly. He declined to identify the agencies because full information on vaccination rates was classified.

The logo of the CIA is shown in the lobby of the CIA headquarters in Langley. Several intelligence agencies had at least 20 percent of their workforce unvaccinated

CIA Director William Burns disclosed publicly last week that 97 percent of the agency's officers have been vaccinated, but other intel agencies are lagging behind

While many people will likely still get vaccinated before the administration's November 22 deadline for civilian workers, resistance to the mandate could leave major agencies responsible for national security without some personnel.

Intelligence officers are particularly hard to replace due to the highly specialized work they do and the difficulties of completing security clearance checks.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined several requests to provide figures for the intelligence community. The office also would not say what contingency plans are in place in case officers are taken off work due to not complying with the mandate.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines declined at a hearing last week to disclose what percentage of the workforce had been vaccinated, but said 'we are not anticipating that it is going to be an issue for mission.'

The vaccination rates provided by Stewart are mostly higher than those of the general U.S. population. About 70 percent of American adults are fully vaccinated and 80 percent have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

There are an estimated 100,000 employees in the intelligence community.

The Biden administration set a November 22 deadline for federal civilian workers to get vaccinated

Stewart called on the administration to approve more exemptions for people on medical, religious and other grounds, and delay any terminations of intelligence officers.

'My question is what's the impact on national security if we do that?' Stewart said. 'You're potentially firing thousands of people on the same day. And its not like you put an ad on Craigslist and have people apply by Thursday.'

House Intelligence Committee Democrats say theyre confident that the vaccination mandate will not cause a problem for the intelligence community. Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, said the agencies were doing 'quite well' and that getting vaccinated was a sign of an employees readiness.

'If somebody is not willing to do whats necessary to protect their own health and the health of their unit, that actually calls into question their ability to effectively do the job,' Crow said in an interview.

President Joe Biden has issued several mandates to boost the vaccination rate in the U.S. affecting federal employees, contractors and health care workers.

The White House has credited those mandates with driving up vaccination rates and reducing deaths from a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 people in the U.S. and 5 million people worldwide.

Federal regulators and independent health experts have certified that the available vaccines are safe.

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that from April to July, unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely than vaccinated people to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19.

Mandates to get vaccinated have faced significant resistance, particularly given an already-tight market for businesses looking to hire workers. Some first responders have resisted vaccine mandates as have employee unions, arguing that mandates impinge on personal freedom.

The Biden administration classified information it gave the intelligence committee on each of the nations 18 intelligence agencies, said Stewart, who noted generally that agencies more closely affiliated with the military tended to report lower vaccination rates.

Several major agencies with large military components all declined to provide their vaccination rate when asked by The Associated Press, including the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

The NGA, which produces intelligence from satellites and drones, said in a statement that it was 'working to ensure that all members of the workforce understand the process and documentation required' prior to the deadline.

Stewart, a former Air Force pilot, has been vaccinated, but said he opposes mandates as being intrusive and counterproductive.

'If you say, `You have to do this and we wont consider any exceptions to that, thats where you get people to dig in their heels,' he said.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, left, next to CIA Director William Burns, testifies at a House Intelligence committee last month

Rep. Darin LaHood, an Illinois Republican, echoed Stewart's concerns in a hearing last week and told agency leaders that the question of unvaccinated employees 'affects all of you and us globally.'

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he supported requiring vaccinations for federal employees. 'We need to be using every tool at our disposal to save lives and protect mission readiness,' Warner said.

Federal employees who arent vaccinated or haven't received an exemption by Nov. 22 could face a suspension of 14 days or fewer, followed by possible dismissal. The General Services Administration has advised agencies that 'unique operational needs of agencies and the circumstances affecting a particular employee may warrant departure from these guidelines if necessary.'

Steve Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies, said the vaccine mandate was still relatively new and he expected the numbers to change before the administrations cutoff.

Morrison said that as intelligence agencies broadly work with unvaccinated employees, 'theyre going to have to show some flexibility around the margins without compromising away the basic strategy and goals.'

'Getting control over this pandemic in the United States requires getting to a much higher level of vaccine coverage,' Morrison said. 'Its a matter of national security.'
Advertisement

These are the two 16-year-old boys accused of murdering their high school's Spanish teacher in a park, then dumping her remains under a wheelbarrow.

Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale have both been charged as adults for the first-degree murder of 66 year-old Nohema Graber, who was found dead in the sleepy Iowa town of Fairfield on November 3.

They're being held on $1 million bond ahead of their next court appearance on November 12.

Graber taught Spanish at the nearby Fairfield High School, which her alleged killers attended, although cops and prosecutors have yet to reveal a motive for her murder. A county prosecutor told DailyMail.com no further details about why Graber was killed would be shared, but did say there is currently no suggestion the killing was racially-motivated.

Her son Christian and daughter Nohema have both taken to Facebook in the aftermath of their mom's killing to say they'd forgiven her alleged murderers.

The suspects' mugshots were released Thursday night, with cops saying the pair plotted the pre-meditated murder of Graber as she took one of her regular strolls through Chautauqua Park on Tuesday.

Graber was last seen alive on November 2, was reported missing by her concerned family the next morning, with her remains found under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties on November 3.

These are the two 16-year-old boys accused of killing their high school teacher and concealing her corpse in a park in southeast Iowa. Willard Noble Chaiden Miller (left) and Jeremy Everett Goodale, both 16, have been charged as adults with first-degree homicide and conspiracy to commit first-degree homicide

After her remains were recovered, Graber's son Christian memorialized his mother on Facebook: 'Im sorry I cant respond to the all of the messages', he wrote, 'but Ill just say what Ive been told. My mother passed away. As I understand it was pre attempted murder by two students. I forgive them and feel sorry that they had that anger in their hearts. Theres no point in being angry at them. We should hope that they can find peace in their lives'

She had suffered head trauma, although a cause of death hasn't been revealed.

Cops have said the killing was pre-meditated, but have not revealed a motive.

They also allege that Miller and Goodale discussed the murder on social media after the killing, but haven't offered further detail on the nature of those postings, what platform they were made on, and whether they were public or private.

Court documents released Thursday detailing the criminal complaints against the two teens reveal that Miller admitted to investigators that he took part in the murder.

During the interview with detectives, Miller allegedly admitted he was at the park as the murder was taking place, provided materials used in the murder and helped hide Graber's body, the complaint reveals.

Goodale was said to have worn bloodied clothes, although investigators still haven't said who they suspect of beating the teacher to death. The alleged killers' school - where Nohema taught - was closed Friday, with students being offered counseling to cope with the shocking death of the well-regarded teacher, who was described in one tribute as 'an absolute angel.'

The newly released documents also reveal that an associate of both Goodale and Miller provided information detailing social media exchanges between the two teens that indicated Goodale knew specific details pertaining to Graber's disappearance and death.

Nohema Graber, 66, taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012 before her life was snuffed out on Tuesday. Jefferson County police have charged two students at the Iowa school in her homicide death

A search warrant was then executed by Jefferson County police, who searched Goodale's residence, uncovering 'multiple clothing items appearing to have a substance consistent in appearance with that of blood, the complaint states.

The court documents also reveal that investigators questioned an additional teen, this one an 'associate' of only Goodale, who reported meeting with Goodale at the park the day that Graber disappeared.

Investigators added in their report that the clothes the witness described matched a blood-spattered outfit cops seized from Goodale's home, adding in the report that the clothes 'contained a substance consistent in appearance with blood.'

According to police, the witness 'described Goodale as wearing clothing consistent in appearance to that which was seized' during the search.

The witness also told lawmen that saw Miller at the park as well.

Miller and Goodale, both 16 and students at the school, have been charged as adults with first-degree homicide and conspiracy to commit first-degree homicide, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department said.

The shocking details emerged as Graber's son and daughter both took to social media to say they forgive their mom's alleged killers.

Graber's body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at Chautauqua Park, where she frequently walked in the afternoons

Son Christian wrote: 'Im sorry I cant respond to the all of the messages but Ill just say what Ive been told. My mother passed away.

'As I understand it was pre attempted murder by two students. I forgive them and feel sorry that they had that anger in their hearts.

'Theres no point in being angry at them. We should hope that they can find peace in their lives.

'My mother was an angel of a woman and was one of the kindest souls.

'She gave me the gift of the Spanish language and helped many of her students over the years.

'She was well loved in the community and around the world.

'Thanks to everyone who reached out. I may ask for some help with things in the following days but in the end everything will be ok. Te amo madre.'

Graber, a mom of three, leaves behind her two sons and one daughter (not pictured). Graber's eldest son, Christian (at right), took to social media to say he forgives his mother's alleged killers

Graber, originally from Xalapa, Mexico, also leaves behind her husband, after she was allegedly killed by the two teens during a Tuesday stroll through the Iowa park

Meanwhile, daughter Nohema Marie wrote, 'Weve lost an absolute angel in our family.

'It is all thanks to her for instilling a love of travel and languages that my brothers and I have continued to experience the world throughout our lives.

'We had the wonderful fortune of growing up in a home filled with such an abundance of warmth and love.

Police said that Graber, pictured here with her three children, suffered head trauma before her homicide death, but did not reveal a cause of death as of Thursday

Graber's remains were found on Wednesday, hours after she was reported missing, at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, located about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines, where police say she was known to walk after school finished for the day

Graber's body was discovered hidden under a tarp, wheelbarrow and an assortment of railroad ties at the Fairfield park on Wednesday

'I will miss her loud laugh and dancing with her to any music that was playing, she had so much joy in her eyes and such a deep sense of faith.

'To the two teenagers that so cruelly took her life,' she continued, 'it is clear that they need more love and light in their hearts.

'But I agree with my oldest brother Christian, all we can do is forgive.

'I am filled with so much gratitude to have had such a strong and beautiful woman as my mother.

'And from the outpouring of messages, its incredibly touching to know that her presence impacted so many. What a blessing she is, we know that her soul lives on in heaven.'

Daughter Nohema Marie wrote on social media, 'Weve lost an absolute angel in our family,' before adding, 'I will miss her loud laugh and dancing with her to any music that was playing, she had so much joy in her eyes and such a deep sense of faith. To the two teenagers that so cruelly took her life,' she continued, 'it is clear that they need more love and light in their hearts. 'She then, like her older brother, went on to forgive the two teens charged in her death

Authorities said the two juveniles will be tried as adults, citing circumstances and their ages. They are both being held on a $1 million bail, records show.

Court documents filed Thursday from their initial appearance in court indicate they did not yet have attorneys. Both appeared via video conference.

Magistrate Stephan Small ordered a state public defender to represent Goodale. Documents said Miller did not request a court-appointed attorney and it wasn't immediately clear who would represent him.

According to court filings made public Thursday afternoon, Graber suffered 'inflicted trauma to the head.' Her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the park, where she frequently walked in the afternoons.

It's believed the crime was carried out late Tuesday afternoon.

Fairfield High School (pictured), where Graber taught for the last nine years, cancelled classes on Thursday and on Friday after learning about the tragedy. However, the school's counseling services will remain open for impacted students

Police received the tip from an 'associate' of Goodale that the teen posted details about planning the killing and a possible motive on social media, according to the court documents. The filings did not detail the teen's possible motive for killing his teachers.

Investigators said they also talked with an additional witness who saw the two teens at the park on Tuesday afternoon.

A search warrant at the suspects' homes uncovered clothing items that appeared to have blood on them, police said.

Police confronted Miller, who 'admitted to being in Chautauqua City Park as the murder was taking place,' a criminal complaint states, 'providing materials utilized in committing the murder, and aiding in actions taken to conceal the murder.'

Graber, originally from Xalapa Mexico, taught Spanish classes at Fairfield High School since 2012, though it was not disclosed whether she had been the teens' teacher. She previously taught in the Ottumwa Community School District.

'An act like this is unspeakable, and we are torn that one of our education family is a victim to such a senseless act,' a statement from Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek read.

'Every day educators work tirelessly to protect the students in their care. With full hearts and deep commitment, educators have been the backbone of our state and our nation during this unprecedented time. We cannot understand this, or any violence aimed at such guardians.'

Fairfield students were dismissed from classes Thursday and all classes on Friday were canceled, the district said. The school said its counseling services will remain open for students and staff.

'We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mrs. Graber,' Fairfield superintendent Laurie Noll said in a statement Thursday. 'At this time our students' and staffs' wellbeing is our top priority. As a community, we will remain united in this time of tragedy.'

The investigation remains ongoing, with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assisting the Fairfield Police Department, Fairfield Fire Department, Iowa State Patrol, Jefferson County Emergency Management, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Jefferson County Attorney's Office.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 12 for Miller and at 11:30a.m. the same day for Goodale at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
A record 853 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK on small boats in a single day on Wednesday.

The Home Office confirmed UK authorities had to rescue or intercept this number of people from 25 incidents.

The arrival tally eclipses the previous daily record of 828 set in August and is the highest number of crossings ever recorded in one day in the current crisis.

It comes after French authorities said two migrants died this week while attempting the journey and several more were feared to have been lost at sea last week.

More than 21,000 migrants have made the crossing to the UK so far this year, analysis shows. This is more than double the total for the whole of 2020.

In 2019, Home Secretary Priti Patel promised to make migrant crossings an 'infrequent phenomenon' by spring 2020 and then pledged in August last year to 'make this route unviable'.

Meanwhile, migrants were moved into a dedicated centre just outside Calais city centre on Friday morning.

A bus load of people were brought to the centre after the French state vowed not to leave migrants in Calais wandering the streets after tearing down their camps.

A government spokesman previously promised they would be 'systematically' offered shelter.

A group of migrants are pictured at the Calais migrant centre as they wait to be processed

Teenage boys were pictured messing around as they collected food in Calais today

The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said one person was found dead on the beach of Wissant, near Calais. Pictured, a group of migrants are brought to Dover by Border Force on November 2

The British Government has agreed to pay France millions of pounds to increase security on its northern coast.

Campaigners and aid charities have repeatedly called on ministers to overhaul the asylum system in light of the soaring numbers.

Yesterday, a migrant died after attempting to cross the English Channel to get to the UK, according to the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea.

It said one person was found dead on the beach of Wissant, near Calais, on Thursday morning after the discovery of a boat filled with water.

Two other people were found nearby suffering from hypothermia.

The death was the third fatal incident in the past ten days, after at least one migrant was reported to have gone overboard by men rescued on a small boat off Harwich last Tuesday and another body was found off Dunkirk on Wednesday.

French authorities said they were treated by emergency services before being taken to a local hospital.

Irish ferry Isle of Ishinore had to stop mid-crossing to rescue a sinking migrant boat on Wednesday morning

Migrants head towards the new Calais Migrant Centre in France

One migrant was wearing a cast on their leg and used crutches to head inside the centre

Volunteers helped process migrants at the Calais centre on Friday morning

One man was wearing a cast and using crutches to move around as he waited to be processed

Crowds of people were brought to the centre on a large bus on Friday morning

It is believed the person was unconscious when they were pulled from the water and pronounced dead as rescuers returned to the dock.

Another has been reported as missing.

French authorities said more than 400 people were rescued during a French-led rescue operation in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais on Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

UK authorities on Tuesday rescued or intercepted 456 people who had navigated busy shipping lanes from France in small boats.

Migrants are pictured as they collect food from a Care For Calais Van in the French city

The boys appeared to lean over an electronic device as they waited for food in Calais

Migrants waiting in Calais were brought food by a Care 4 Calais van today

Equipment was loaded into a van after food was handed out today in Calais

Migrants were photographed in Calais on Friday morning

The men were handed bags of food by charity workers in Calais on Friday

The migrants appeared to celebrate being handed their food parcels in Calais

The young men were pictured laughing at something on one of their phones on Friday

Pictured, another group of migrants were brought to Dover on Wednesday

Migrants come ashore at Dungeness in Kent, escorted by border officials and RNLI, after crossing the English Channel

According to data compiled by the PA news agency, prior to that at least 19,756 people had already reached the UK so far this year, bringing the total to more than 20,200.

This is more than double the total for the whole of 2020.

It comes after another migrant died when his boat capsized in the Channel on Wednesday. The body of the man, who has not been identified, was recovered by the French authorities off Dunkirk.

Natacha Bouchart, the Mayor of Calais, said Emmanuel Macron's government must 'strongarm' Britain

He is believed to have drowned. An unknown number of migrants aboard the same dinghy were rescued, a government source said.

Footage reveals the moment a Channel ferry was forced to stop and rescue migrants in a sinking dinghy on Wednesday.

Photos taken from onboard the Isle of Ishinore show more than a dozen migrants on a packed boat being propelled through the world's busiest shipping lane by a single man holding a flimsy paddle.

The ferry stopped midway through a crossing from Dover to Calais after the craft was spotted drifting 10.45am, with the captain telling passengers: 'Apologies for the delay but we had to stop and rescue 13 migrants in distress who's boat had run out of fuel and was sinking'.

The ship dispatched a rescue craft which threw a rope to the stricken boat so it could be pulled alongside. The crew hauled all 13 migrants to safety and found two of them were without life jackets. They were all taken to Calais.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Calais yesterday called Britain an 'Eldorado' for illegal migrants and said it 'lacks the courage' to tighten its laws to deter Channel crossings.

In a call for showdown talks over migration, Natacha Bouchart told French radio station RTL that Emmanuel Macron's government must 'strongarm' Britain to 'overhaul' the treaty that obliges France to control migrants before they cross the Dover Strait.

Dunkirk's public prosecutor, Sebastien Pive, has announced a manslaughter inquiry into Wednesday's death, saying the boat was so overloaded it broke down and sank.

Shocking photos taken from onboard the ferry showed more than a dozen migrants on a packed dinghy being propelled through the world's busiest shipping lane by a single man holding a flimsy paddle

Ms Bouchart, who is a member of the centre-Right Republicans, accused Britain's 'soft touch' on migrants of inflicting 'trauma' on Calais residents 'for over 20 years' by essentially luring people to the French port town from all over the EU.

'We know that a migrant who arrives in England is taken care of. They are housed, they have an income,' the Mayor said. 'For them, England remains an Eldorado but the British Government does not have the courage to review its legislation in the field.'

Under the Touquet Treaty first approved in February 2003, the UK border was effectively moved on to French soil. As a result, the French government has complained that this ultimately leaves them - not Britain - in charge of the border protection arrangements.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has paid Paris the first installment of the 54million to counter Channel migrants, after her French counterpart, Gerald Darmanin, promised to stop 100 per cent of the boats if the UK paid the full amount.

However, fewer than half of the migrants have been intercepted by French authorities, The Times reported. And France has raised the prospect of ending checks on migrants unless Britain backs down in the ongoing post-Brexit dispute over fishing licences.

Either side can revoke the border agreement with just two years' notice before it is cancelled.
A key source who provided information to British ex-spy Christopher Steele for his 'dirty dossier' of allegations against Donald Trump has been arrested in the U.S. and was held for several hours before being released.

Igor Y. Danchenko, a Russian-born analyst living in the United States, was arrested Thursday in Virginia by federal agents assigned to John H. Durham's special counsel inquiry into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, according to the Justice Department.

He is charged with five counts of lying to FBI agents about the sources he used in collecting information for Steele, who is identified in the indictment only as 'UK Person-1'.

At a brief hearing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday afternoon, prosecutors did not ask that Danchenko be detained as he awaits trial.

Magistrate Judge Theresa Buchanan ordered Danchenko's release on a $100,000 unsecured bond.

Igor Danchenko is seen leaving the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in Alexandria on Thursday

Danchenko did not stop to speak to the waiting reporters as he left the courthouse

Danckenko was freed on Thursday on a $100,000 bond

The Russian has been charged with five counts of lying to the FBI over his sources for the Steele dossier

Danchenko, 43, was the primary researcher for Steele's dossier alleging that Trump's 2016 presidential campaign conspired with Russia in a covert operation to beat Hillary Clinton, and that Russia had salacious videos that could be used to blackmail Trump.

Many of the dossier's claims remain unproven or have been debunked, though the document was cited by the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller in secret warrant applications to spy on a Trump campaign advisor.

Charles H. Dolan Jr, also known as Chuck, was revealed as a source for Danchenko's story

The indictment alleges that Danchenko lied to federal investigators by saying that he had not gotten information about Trump from a certain US-based executive at an American public relations firm, who had deep and longstanding ties to the Democratic Party.

In fact, Danchenko did communicate with the unnamed PR exec, and used him as a key source for one or more of the allegations in the Steele report, according to the indictment.

The PR executive was revealed on Thursday as Charles Dolan, a state chairman for both of Bill Clinton's successful presidential campaigns in 1992 and 1996, and an advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign.

'Chuck understands and appreciates your interest. I can confirm that he is PR Executive-1 in the indictment,' said his lawyer, Ralph Drury Martin, in a statement.

'As he is a witness in an ongoing case, it would not be appropriate for Chuck to comment further on the allegations in the indictment at this time.'

He was also the chairman of a national Democratic political organization at one point, and actively campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to the indictment.

Dolan worked for both Bill and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns

Donald Trump has always insisted that the Steele dossier was full of untruths

Igor Danchenko, a Russian-born analyst living in the United States, was arrested on Thursday by federal agents assigned to John H. Durham's special counsel inquiry

Special Counsel John H. Durham is investigating whether the FBI's Trump-Russia probe, code-named 'Crossfire Hurricane,' was opened and conducted legally

However, the arrested man's father Yuri Danchenko, 68, spoke to DailyMail.com from his home in Perm, Russia, saying: 'Of course, I am very worried about my son. But I don't plan to fly to America yet.'

'We will wait for the development of the situation for now,' he added. 'I have just read the news about the detention of my son. He did not contact me, I did not speak to him on the phone. I will not take any action.'

Danchenko's father Yuri (above) spoke to DailyMail.com from his home in Perm, Russia

On his fears for his son, he said: 'He will figure it out himself, Igor is legally literate. His wife is also a legally literate person.'

Danchenko's wife, a corporate attorney in DC, did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com.

A Justice Department spokesman confirmed Danchenko's arrest, which was first reported by The New York Times.

Danchenko's lawyer said he intended to hand himself in, but the leak to the media meant he was arrested instead.

The indictment against Danchenko was issued on Wednesday by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he is believed to live in the DC suburb of Alexandria.

The charging document outlines five instances in which Danchenko allegedly lied to FBI agents about his work on the Steele dossier.

In addition to lying about contact with Dolan, Danchenko is accused in four counts of fabricating information about an anonymous phone call he claimed he received in July 2016 from someone he believed to be the president of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce.

The information purportedly conveyed by the anonymous caller included the allegation that there were ongoing communications between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, and that the Kremlin might help get Trump elected. The indictment claims the purported call never took place.

The most explosive allegations in the indictment related to Dolan, whose relationship with Danchenko is detailed at length.

Danchenko was the primary researcher for British ex-spy Christopher Steele's (above) dossier alleging that Trump's 2016 presidential campaign conspired with Russia in a covert operation

According to the indictment, an employee at a DC think tank introduced Danchenko to Dolan in February 2016.

Subsequently, the two men discussed collaborating in Danchenko's work for Steele, and Dolan enlisted Danchenko's help planning a conference for business executives in Moscow in October 2016.

Dolan said of Danchenko in a June 2016 email to an acquaintance: 'He is too young for KGB. But I think he worked for FSB,' referring to Russia's Federal Security Service, the successor organization to the Soviet KGB.

'Since he told me he spent two years in Iran. And when I first met him he knew more about me than I did. [winking emoji],' the email added.

Danchenko has publicly denied being a Russian spy.

Dolan has not been charged.

According to the indictment, Danchenko told Dolan in an August 16, 2016 email that he had a 'project against Trump' and asked for 'any thought, rumor, allegation' regarding the resignation of Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, who is identified in the indictment as 'Campaign Manager-1'.

Dolan responded in an email that he'd had a 'drink with a GOP friend' and shared gossip that former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewnandowski 'hates' Manafort and remained close to Trump.

The allegation appeared nearly verbatim in a portion of Steele's dossier, dated August 22, 2016.

The indictment states that Dolan later admitted to the FBI that he had never met with a 'GOP friend,' but instead had fabricated the meeting and gleaned his insights from public news sources.

Dolan insisted that he wasn't aware of the nature of Danchenko's 'project against Trump, and had no idea the information he furnished would later be provided to the FBI by Steele.

According to the indictment, Danchenko told Dolan in an August 16, 2016 email that he had a 'project against Trump' and asked for 'any thought, rumor, allegation'

Dolan responded in an email that he'd had a 'drink with a GOP friend' and shared gossip that former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski 'hates' Paul Manafort

The allegation appeared nearly verbatim in a portion of Steele's dossier (seen above)

In a subsequent interview with FBI agents on June 15, 2017, Danchenko falsely stated that he had never spoken to Dolan about information that later appeared in the Steele dossier, according to the indictment.

The indictment also suggests, without confirming, that Dolan may have played some role in other aspects of the dossier, including its most salacious and inflammatory claims regarding deviant sex acts in the presidential suite of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Moscow.

The indictment notes that in June 2016, Dolan stayed in the Moscow hotel and spoke with the general manager, whom Danchenko later claimed was his source for the explosive allegation.

Prosecutors allege that Danchenko's false statements about his communications with Dolan were 'highly material' in part because they influenced the FBI's investigative steps as they probed the dossier's claims.

Steele is a former British intelligence officer who prepared the dossier for Fusion GPS, which was working for a law firm that represented the Democratic Party and Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

Igor Danchenko was taken into custody on Thursday by US federal agents

Two sources familiar with Durham's activities told Reuters that he had issued subpoenas seeking evidence from multiple sources, including people linked to Fusion GPS.

One of the sources familiar with Durham's activities said Fusion GPS was not a target of Durham's investigation. Steele had previously declined to cooperate with investigators working for Durham and could not be reached for comment.

Trump has long denied any illegal conspiracy with Russia in his 2016 campaign, insisting that the allegations were trumped up by his political enemies. Likewise, Democrats claim that Durham's probe is a political hatchet job.

Durham was appointed as special counsel by Trump administration Attorney General Bill Barr in October 2020, and tasked with investigating whether the FBI's Trump-Russia probe, code-named 'Crossfire Hurricane,' was opened and conducted legally.

Danchenko's role in the affair emerged last year, when he was revealed as the primary researcher behind Steele's explosive but dubious claims in the dossier, which was funded by the Democratic Party and Clinton's campaign.

In June 15, 2017, Danchenko falsely stated that he had never spoken to Dolan about information that later appeared in the Steele dossier, according to the indictment

Prosecutors allege that Danchenko's false statements about his communications with Dolan, the PR executive, were 'highly material'

Trump is seen at the 2013 Miss Universe competition in Moscow, on the trip that is at the center of the dossier's most salacious allegations

In FBI hands, the dossier was used to further its probe into Trump during the presidential campaign, and was cited in a FISA warrant application to surveil Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, an American who has never been criminally charged.

Durham previously signaled his interest in Danchenko and the Steele dossier by obtaining subpoenas in February for old personnel files and other documents related to Danchenko from the Brookings Institution, where he worked from 2005 until 2010.

Last year, Trump allies Senator Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representative Devin Nunes, top Republican on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, made comments suggesting that Danchenko is a Russian agent.

Danchenko responded to the allegations with a statement denying that he was working as a spy for Russia.

Danchenko told Reuters in an email that he was merely 'an experienced expert in Russian affairs who has spent more than a decade in business intelligence.'

Danchenko previously denied that he was working as a spy for Russia

'My academic and business intelligence work in Russia has always been on behalf of Western clients and never on behalf of Russia,' he added.

Danchenko also told the Guardian that he didn't back down from the dossier's claim that the Russians' may have held compromising information on Trump.

'I stand by it. I got it right,' he said.

But he also downplayed the most salacious claims of the dossier, which also argued broadly that the Russians held financial leverage over the president.

He said he traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to assist Steele in his reports.

He said his own work with sources of information in Russia amounted to 'hearsay' and 'jest.'

Information about Danchenko's role in gathering information for the 2016 dossier emerged during Senate look-backs at the Russia probe.

In September, Durham indicted cybersecurity lawyer Michael Sussmann (above) accusing him of lying to the FBI about who he was working for in a tip-off about alleged Trump-Russia ties

Sussman (left) and FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith (right) are the only other people to be charged as part of Durham's probe thus far

Durham has moved methodically and quietly since he first began probing Crossfire Hurricane in May 2019, first as a US Attorney and later as special counsel.

His office has been the source of very few media leaks and has issued only a handful of terse statements.

But in recent weeks the probe has appeared to be increasing in tempo and intensity.

Danchenko is the third person, and second in a two-month span, to face charges in Durham's probe.

In September, Durham indicted a cybersecurity lawyer, Michael Sussmann, accusing him of lying to the FBI during a September 2016 conversation in which he relayed concerns about potentially suspicious cyber contacts between a Trump Organization server and the server of a Russian bank.

The indictment alleges Sussmann told the FBI's then-general counsel, James Baker, that he was not bringing the concerns to the FBI on behalf of any particular client when he was actually representing the Hillary Clinton campaign and a technology executive.

Sussmann has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have attacked the case as driven by politics rather than facts.

The first criminal charges in Durham's probe were against Kevin Clinesmith, an FBI attorney assigned to the Robert Mueller probe, who altered an email during the process of acquiring a wiretap warrant renewal on Page.

Clinesmith pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation.
The federal government canceled a nearly $200 million contract with a Maryland-based vaccine manufacturer after a production fiasco at its Baltimore plant last spring contaminated millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Emergent BioSolutions disclosed the development Thursday in a conference call discussing its latest financial results, the Washington Post reported. Emergent said it will forgo about $180 million due to the contracts termination, according to the Post.

The federal government had invested in 'building additional capacity at two of the firm's sites,' the Post reported.

Emergent BioSolutions played a role in Operation Warp Speed - the Trump administrations effort to speed up vaccine development and distribution. But after winning a contract from the previous administration, Emergent quickly ran into production problems.

Robert Kramer, Emergent BioSolutions' president and chief executive officer, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun confirming the cancellation of the federal governments $180 million contract

The lapses at the Bayview factory in Baltimore hampered J&Js efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people

Following the Emergent plant shutdown, J&J lowered its production target for 2021 to between 500 million and 600 million doses from around one billion

Robert Kramer, Emergent BioSolutions' president and chief executive officer, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun explaining that the federal government's nine-year pandemic contract began after the swine flu pandemic in 2009.

He wrote that the original goal of the contract was to produce 50 million doses of the influenza vaccine in four months in the event of a pandemic.

'The government maintained that they would provide us with the necessary drug development work to build and maintain those capabilities. That didnt happen,' he claimed.

Kramer goes on to states that the faculty: 'had never been tested by the government for influenza, much less a new virus.'

He wrote that the plant already had an agreement with Johnson & Johnson to manufacture their vaccine in part of the facility when the federal government directed them to also work on the AstraZeneca vaccine in the remaining space.

'No one at the time knew which vaccine candidates would succeed. So, even though the U.S. government, we and our partners understood the risks of producing two viral-vector vaccines in the same facility, we took on the challenge,' Kramer wrote.

In March, ingredients intended for use in producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shots contaminated 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The problems with the vaccines caused a monthslong delay in production.

After that, the Biden administration put Johnson & Johnson in direct control of vaccine production there.

A report released by the U.S. House Oversight Committee in May found that workers producing the vaccine often failed to shower or change clothes.

What's more, despite J&J contracting Emergent in April 2020 to manufacture the vaccine, the Baltimore facility wasn't scaled for making millions of doses, according to an FDA inspection which was conducted last year.

The FDA records - released as part of the House report - described the plant as a contract testing laboratory that 'did not manufacture products for distribution.'

Further, the inspection also noted there was 'mold, poor disinfection of plant equipment and inadequate training of employees.'

In June, the Food and Drug Administration decided to discard at least another 60 million additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced at the plant.

Emergent in late July said it would resume production of J&J's vaccine at the plant following additional FDA reviews, but that plan has been scrapped.

Kramer closed out his op-ed with what he stated were the key take aways: 'First, we shouldnt assume the next pandemic will be just like this one.

'Second, we need to approach manufacturing with a military readiness mentality.

'Third, we need to invest in the jobs and training to prepare for the next pandemic.'

But beyond the Covid vaccine contamination there have been other problems with the Emergent plant.

The FDA repeatedly cited Emergent in the past for problems such as poorly trained employees, cracked vials and problems managing mold and other contamination around one of its facilities, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Production was halted at the facility in April 2021 after batches of J&J's vaccine were contaminated with material from AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shots (Pictured: An exterior view of the Emergent BioSolutions plant in Baltimore, April 2021)

The lapses at the Bayview factory in Baltimore hampered J&Js efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people, particularly in remote areas and poor countries. It only requires one dose and standard refrigeration and it's also cheaper than some other vaccines.

Following the Emergent plant shutdown, J&J lowered its production target for 2021 to between 500 million and 600 million doses from around one billion. It expects to be able to make one billion doses annually starting next year.

Last month, the FDA authorized J&J's vaccine as a booster for people who are already vaccinated but desire additional protection against COVID-19, including anyone over age 18 who originally received the company's single-dose shot.

Use of J&J's vaccine fell sharply in the United States after it was linked to a rare but potentially lethal blood clotting disorder.
Cleo Smith's family have thanked police and acknowledged 'love and support' received from across Australia in an emotional statement after the four-year-old's incredible rescue.

Her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon said they were 'humbled' by the public response to Cleo's disappearance 18 days ago and the amazing discovery of the little girl in a locked Carnarvon house in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The heartwarming statement added Cleo's parents are 'so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms'.

'We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the rescue of our daughter Cleo Smith,' the couple said on Friday evening.

Cleo Smith 's family thanked police and noted the 'love and support' they have received from across Australia in an emotional statement after the four-year-old's incredible rescue. Pictured are Cleo with her mum Ellie Smith and stepdad Jake Gliddon

Cleo Smith's parents have admitted they are 'humbled' and happy that their family is 'whole again'. She is pictured being carried inside by her mother Ellie after her rescue

'In particular, we would like to thank WA Police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends.

'We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.

'We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.

'As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.'

As Cleo's family recovers from an exhausting 18-day rollercoaster, the nation's attention is also now focused on her alleged abductor.

The man accused of abducting Cleo winked as he boarded a plane in shackles to fly to Perth where he will remain in jail until his next court appearance.

Terence Darrell Kelly was transferred from his padded cell in Carnarvon to a Western Australia Police plane under heavy guard on Friday morning.

The 36-year-old is accused of kidnapping Cleo from a tent she was sharing with her mum, stepdad and younger sister, Isla at the Blowholes campsite on October 16.

Cleo Smith is pictured with her stepfather Jake Gliddon. Cleo's family are recovering from an exhausting 18-day rollercoaster

Cleo waves from hospital after her incredible rescue by WA police on Wednesday morning

Detectives, acting off a tip and extensive policework, broke down a locked door inside his home in Tonkin Crescent in Brockman, WA, where they found Cleo in a well lit room playing with toys.

Dramatic pictures taken as Kelly was loaded into the police plane show the prisoner barefoot and shackled from hand to foot.

As he stepped on the plane, a charter Cessna 441, he appeared to wink at photographers.

Cleo's mum said 'we are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms'

At least four special operations officers escorted him onto the waiting plane, which is expected to fly him directly to Perth where he'll wait in a maximum security prison until his next court appearance in December.

As the police flight left the small town on the country's west coast, locals within the largely isolated community are piecing together a picture of Kelly and how he came to be allegedly involved in one of the nation's most shocking crimes.

Described as a 'loner', Kelly lived alone in a well-known government housing precinct, and was also a regular at Carnarvon Central shopping centre.

As Cleo's alleged abductor, Terence Darrell Kelly, stepped on the plane, a charter Cessna 441, he appeared to wink at photographers.

At least four special operations officers escorted Kelly onto the waiting plane, which is expected to fly him directly to Perth where he'll wait in a maximum security prison until his next court appearance in December

On Friday the team behind the rescue of Cleo were given a round of applause as they enjoyed a pint at a pub to celebrate the safe return of the four-year-old girl.

Nearly 50 officers, including forensics, data analysts and detectives, were given the hero's welcome by pubgoers as they packed into the Carnarvon watering hole.

The group was part of Taskforce Rodia - the team responsible for finally ending an 18-day long search mission that began when Cleo was allegedly kidnapped from her family tent at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia on October 16.
The 'perfect storm' of problems facing the taxi industry: Why have cabbies left and why have they not returned? - Tens of thousands of drivers left the industry during last year's Covid lockdowns when demand for taxis and private hire vehicles plummeted - Some took their cars (often drivers with smaller vehicles) and joined takeaway delivery firms which saw a huge spike in demand during lockdown - Others who had taken cars out on finance prior to the pandemic sold up and joined other firms such as Amazon - But taxi and private hire firms, including Uber, have struggled to attract drivers back - Uber drivers have previously told MailOnline how an increase in Uber's cut has made journeys barely profitable - Meanwhile, unions have raised safety concerns for ride-hailing app drivers following a spate of violent attacks - The LPHCA has now warned that backlogs in local council licensing departments mean new taxi and private hire drivers and those wanting to return are being delayed Advertisement

More than half of the UK's cabbies have quit since the start of the Covid pandemic sparking a shortage 'worse than the HGV driver crisis', industry figures have today warned.

The Licensed Private Car Hire Association (LPHCA) estimates the UK's taxi and private hire industry is short of 160,000 of the previously 300,000-strong workforce.

It comes after MailOnline revealed earlier this year how a shortage of Uber drivers - many of whom switched to takeaway delivery after taxi demand plummeted in the pandemic - was sparking chaos for customers.

Now the LPHCA warns the shortage is impacting on the wider taxi and private hire industry.

The trade association says tens of thousands of drivers quit the industry to work for companies such as Amazon as demand collapsed during last year's Covid lockdowns.

And they say that delays in licensing - handled by local councils - has hampered their efforts to bring in new drivers.

The shortage has prompted concerns over the safety of women, students and night time workers struggling to get home.

And bosses of the LPHCA warn that the crisis is now worse than the HGV driver shortage, which earlier this year left petrol stations without fuel and which could spark supermarket shortages this Christmas.

Steve Wright, from the LPHCA, told MailOnline: 'It's a perfect storm really. A lot of drivers left the industry during the pandemic, and many haven't come back.

'Quite a few went to Amazon to do delivery driving because they bought their cars on finance (before the pandemic) and because there was no work, they couldn't afford them.

'We are still trying to get a lot of those drivers back that left because they had to get other jobs - they have mortgages to pay and children to feed.

The Licensed Private Car Hire Association (LPHCA) estimates the UK's taxi and private hire industry is short of 160,000 of the previously 300,000-strong workforce

Steve Wright, from the LPHCA, told MailOnline: 'It's a perfect storm really. A lot of drivers left the industry during the pandemic, and many haven't come back.'

Uber posts its first profitable quarter since launching more than a decade ago The company behind Uber has reported its first profitable quarter since it launched more than a decade ago. The San Francisco-based firm, which trades under the name Uber Technologies Inc said its two most important segments, ride-hailing and restaurant delivery, had both turned the corner in terms of profits. Executives also allayed investor concerns about a shortage of drivers, telling analysts that spending on incentives to entice drivers back on the road after the pandemic was largely behind the firm. The company reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation - a measure that excludes one-time costs - primarily stock-based compensation, of $8million (6million) for the three months to the end of September with a loss on the same basis of $625million (465million) a year ago. But it posted a growing net loss of $2.4billion (1.8billion), mostly driven by a drop in value of its holding in Chinese ride service Didi and stock-based compensation. Total revenue grew 72 per cent to $4.8billion (3.6billion), above an average estimate of $4.4billion (3.2billion), according to Refinitiv. Revenue at its mobility unit, which includes its rides business, grew 62 per cent to $2.2billion (1.6billion) from last year. Uber did not provide data on how driver numbers compared to pre-pandemic levels. Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the company wanted to grow its driver base beyond 2019 levels to meet expected demand. Advertisement

'Also, many of the local councils basically shut down their licensing offices during the pandemic and so there's a huge backlog of applications now which is slowing things down.'

Asked the scale of the problem, he said: 'This is a really really big concern. There's been a lot of talk about the HGV crisis but this is worse.

'And it is impacting on businesses as well, like pubs and clubs and restaurants, because people don't know if they are going to be able to get home.'

'I even went to a trade meeting a few weeks ago and we couldn't get cabs home.'

Mr Wright, who has been in the industry since 1973, called on the Government to step in and help clear the backlog.

Under current rules taxi drivers must apply to their local council for a licence as either a taxi driver of private hire.

Taxi drivers, such as black cab drivers, are allowed to be hailed on the street, while private hire cars, including Uber vehicles, must be booked in advance.

Licences can cost up to 600 a year and drivers must also obtain a criminal record check and medical check. In some cases a 'Knowledge' test, where drivers must demonstrate their impeccable knowledge of the local roads, is required.

Because of safety concerns, these background checks are important and can take time.

Industry chiefs, however, warn that councils are now facing a backlog having been disrupted during the pandemic.

The Local Government Association, the LGA, told MailOnline that councils were 'working hard' to clear the backlog.

Meanwhile, local councils are also taking a proactive approach to tackle the taxi driver shortage.

In Torbay in Devon, they have slashed the cost of licensing to just 50 to get more drivers behind the wheel.

Councillor Christine Carter told the BBC: 'We were seeing massive queues for cabs and the tourist trade was being affected, so we thought we'd better step in.

'In the summer, we had taxi marshals to help people, and we are going to do that again at Christmas to make it as safe as possible.'

Meanwhile, the Night Time Industries Association said it was 'alarmed' by the driver shortage.

In a bid to keep their take-home pay up, drivers are taking to 'multi-apping' - using other ride-hailing services such as Bolt and FreeNow at the same - in order to pick-up the highest fare

Speaking to the BBC, its chief, Michael Kill, called on the issue to be prioritised by the Government, who recently stepped in to try and deal with the country's HGV driver shortage.

He said: 'With a focus on vulnerability, and the safety of women at night, and thousands of night workers across the country, we cannot underestimate the vital role these services play in keeping people safe at night.'

A spokesperson for the LGA told MailOnline councils were aiming to take a 'pragmatic approach' to try and deal with the issue.

The spokesperson said: 'Like other parts of the economy, the taxi and PHV trade has been significantly impacted by COVID-19.

'We saw a reduction in the number of private hire vehicle drivers during the pandemic due to reduced demand, and many of these drivers have moved into other sectors including food delivery.

Speaking to the BBC, its chief, Michael Kill, called on the issue to be prioritised by the Government, who recently stepped in to try and deal with the country's HGV driver shortage

'Councils have worked hard to try and support the sector by taking a flexible and pragmatic approach throughout the pandemic.

'Authorities will continue to do so as businesses look to increase driver numbers, balancing this with the need to ensure that important safeguards that protect the public are maintained.'

A government spokesperson told MailOnline: 'While provision of taxi licences is the responsibility of Local Authorities, we continue to work with industry groups to address concerns over potential shortages.

'Throughout the pandemic we have supported private hire vehicle drivers through grants from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.'

A DfT spokesperson said the Government had aimed to help drivers during the pandemic through its Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

It also said it would be issuing a consultation for a revised Best Practice Guidance to licensing authorities in the new year.

A spokesperson said the guidance will encourage every local licensing authority to look afresh at what they require in taxi and PHV licensing and what the benefits and costs are to passengers and the trade.

It comes as earlier this year frustrated Uber customers said they were facing higher fares and longer waits for a pick-up.

In August, Uber cabbies told MailOnline how a perfect storm of driver shortages, surge pricing and so-called 'multi-apping' was behind the problem.

MailOnline was told how 'thousands' of drivers quit the ride-hailing app since the start of the pandemic, with many joining takeaway delivery firms such as JustEat, Deliveroo and sister firm UberEats.

Frustrated Uber customers are facing higher fares and longer waits for a pick-up because of a perfect storm of driver shortages, surge pricing and so-called 'multi-apping', MailOnline can today reveal. Pictured: Drivers are allowed to run multiple ride-hailing apps at the same time - allowing them to pick and chose the biggest fares

Lorry driver numbers fall by 53,000 in four years, ONS figures show The number of lorry drivers in Britain has plunged by 53,000 over the past four years with the fall the largest among middle-aged hauliers, official figures reveal. The Office for National Statistics said analysis of the annual population survey showed a 17 per cent plunge HGV drivers in the UK to 268,000 in the year to June, down from a peak of 321,000 in 2016-17. But industry figures have put the shortage of lorry drivers in the UK at a far higher 100,000. The ONS report underlines the issues facing the crisis-stricken haulage industry, with an ageing workforce, a shortage of EU nationals and mounting costs and red tape. The ONS said there were nearly a third fewer - 29 per cent - lorry drivers working in the UK aged between 46 and 54 than in the year to June 2017, with a 34,000 drop. Nearly a third of all hauliers in the UK were aged 56 or over in 2020-21, with just under 20 per cent aged between 19 and 35. The figures showed the impact of the pandemic on the number of EU drivers working in the UK, with a 12,000 or 30 per cent plunge since 2017. The number of UK lorry drivers has fallen by 15 per cent, or 42,000, in the same time. Most of the decline has been seen in the past two years, particularly during the pandemic, which has taken its toll on EU drivers willing to work in the UK. Advertisement

Uber told MailOnline in August that it was launching a recruitment campaign to up its numbers.

But drivers warned that the pandemic exodus had led to an increase in the use of 'surge charging' - where the app automatically ups fare prices due to a spike in demand.

Drivers also said they were furious about changes to their pay deal with Uber, meaning they are now having to fork a larger chunk of their fare to the San Francisco-based tech firm.

Uber increased the service rate from 20 to 25 per cent for thousands of drivers after Supreme Court judges in the UK ruled the company must give its workers benefits such as holiday pay.

To keep their take-home pay up, drivers revealed they were taking to 'multi-apping' - using other ride-hailing services such as Bolt and FreeNow at the same - in order to pick-up the highest fare.

But passengers said this had led them to routinely have drivers cancel their trips after accepting.

Uber said in August that it was planning to sign-up an additional 20,000 drivers across the UK to meet demand as more workers return to the office.

It comes as official figures revealed that the number of lorry drivers in Britain has plunged by 53,000 over the past four years with the fall the largest among middle-aged hauliers, official figures reveal.

The Office for National Statistics said analysis of the annual population survey showed a 17 per cent plunge HGV drivers in the UK to 268,000 in the year to June, down from a peak of 321,000 in 2016-17.

But industry figures have put the shortage of lorry drivers in the UK at a far higher 100,000.

The ONS report underlines the issues facing the crisis-stricken haulage industry, with an ageing workforce, a shortage of EU nationals and mounting costs and red tape.

The ONS said there were nearly a third fewer - 29 per cent - lorry drivers working in the UK aged between 46 and 54 than in the year to June 2017, with a 34,000 drop.

Nearly a third of all hauliers in the UK were aged 56 or over in 2020-21, with just under 20 per cent aged between 19 and 35.

The figures showed the impact of the pandemic on the number of EU drivers working in the UK, with a 12,000 or 30 per cent plunge since 2017.

The number of UK lorry drivers has fallen by 15 per cent, or 42,000, in the same time.

Most of the decline has been seen in the past two years, particularly during the pandemic, which has taken its toll on EU drivers willing to work in the UK.

The Office for National Statistics said analysis of the annual population survey showed a 17 per cent plunge HGV drivers in the UK to 268,000 in the year to June, down from a peak of 321,000 in 2016-17 (file photo)

This has seen record numbers of transport and storage vacancies in the UK - at 52,000 in the three months to the end of September, up 49 per cent up on the January to March 2020 pre-pandemic level, and with HGV drivers making up around 10 per cent of that sector.

The lorry driver shortage is taking its toll across most sectors in the UK, increasingly leaving supermarket shelves bare and recently sparking a crisis on Britain's petrol forecourts and forcing the army to step in to help with fuel deliveries.

The ONS said a recent survey showed nearly a third (29 per cent) of adults in the UK said they struggled to buy certain groceries, medication or other essentials.

It said the lorry driver shortage was likely to be one of the factors impacting the availability of items.

Vegetables are rotting in fields due to 'chronic' crop picker and driver shortage as recruitment bosses urge government to let in TEN TIMES more foreign workers to solve supply crisis

By Jack Wright for MailOnline

Vegetables are being left to rot in fields due to a 'chronic' crop picker and driver shortage, as recruitment bosses urged UK officials to let in ten times more foreign workers to solve the crisis.

Guy Moreton, CEO of MorePeople, which specialises in hiring food service supervisory and management roles, said the Government's restrictions on foreign workers are to blame.

'We need five to ten times as many people as the Government is letting in at the moment,' he told Lincolnshire Live.

'All of my clients, and I have hundreds of clients, are all short of people, with some of them hundreds of people a day short.

'It is an absolute disgrace that they are leaving perfectly good food in the fields because they can't pick it. If they get it picked, they often can't get it to the depot because of the chronic shortage of drivers.

'Food waste is a cardinal sin, to leave good quality food that costs money and resources to grow, to leave them in the field is horrendous.

'The Government's lack of flexibility on this is appalling, I think they've got this wrong and they are not listening.'

It comes amid a wider crisis across the food supply chain caused by a lack of workers and HGV drivers and congestion at global trading ports.

Vegetables are being left to rot in fields due to a 'chronic' crop picker and driver shortage, as recruitment bosses urged UK officials to let in ten times more foreign workers to solve the supply crisis (stock image)

Mr Moreton went on: 'There is absolutely a major issue regarding hard-working, down-to-earth people who want to pick crops in the field and pack in packhouses.

'That's not just in agriculturally related organisations but also prevalent across the whole of the food industry.

British beef and pork producers are sending animal carcasses to EU to be butchered before being re-imported as they fight ongoing labour shortage British cattle farmers are being forced to export carcasses to the EU for processing due to a shortage of butchers. Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, said beef producers were shipping supplies to Ireland by ferry for cutting and packing before re-importing them into the UK. This will cost around 1,500 for each lorry load when transport fees and Brexit customs requirements - such as export health certifications - are taken into account. Pork farmers are also expected to start shipping millions of pig carcasses to the Netherlands to be prepared in a similar process. Meat produced in this way cannot be listed as British pork for UK sale. Advertisement

'Nearly every food client that we deal with that supplies supermarkets with food has a lack of hourly-paid workers in the factories.'

He also said that the pandemic is another reason for the shortages of workers, adding: 'Covid hasn't helped because a lot of Eastern European workers went home and don't want to come back to the UK and that's mainly because of travel restrictions.'

The National Farmer's Union's county adviser for the south of Lincolnshire, Jo Musson, said: 'This is a perfect storm of labour supply issues.

'Our growers are producing high-quality vegetables, salad, flowers and plants for sale all over the country.

'But because of the severe shortage of workers, we're seeing crops left to rot in fields and not enough people to wash, pack and transport them to retailers.'

Lincolnshire Rural Support Network's head of charity, Amy Thomas, said: 'The situation is just getting worse and worse.

'Just having someone to talk to, share and unload the day-to-day concerns, can help to see a clearer path through those challenges.

'The important thing to remember is that there is always someone there to talk to. Please don't suffer in silence.'

A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain - which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges.

'We have expanded the seasonal workers pilot to 30,000 visas for workers to come to the UK for up to six months, and continue to work closely with industry to understand labour demand and supply, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements.

'But we also want employers to make long-term investments in the UK domestic workforce, and our Plan for Jobs is helping people across the country retrain, build new skills and get back into work.'

The global supply chain crisis has caused chaos and hampered the UK's economic recovery, with shortages on supermarket shelves across the country as well as delayed deliveries and increased prices.

It is partially caused by supply being unable to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand as the UK economy reopens. Staff shortages, Brexit, Covid and wider economic conditions are also contributing factors.

Guy Moreton, CEO of MorePeople, which specialises in hiring food service supervisory and management roles, said the Government's restrictions on foreign workers are to blame (stock image)

Across the UK food supply chain there are currently about half a million job vacancies, which represents 12.5 per cent of the total workforce required.

The haulage sector has also been badly affected by the crisis, with the Government pledging to recruit thousands more lorry drivers for the Christmas period.

Crisps in CRISIS! Wotsits, Quavers and ready-salted Walkers could be out of stock for 'several weeks' after IT glitch disrupts supply Supplies of crisps including Wotsits, Quavers and ready-salted Walkers are set to be disrupted for several more weeks following an IT glitch, raising the prospect of the festive favourites being in short supply this Christmas. The Leicester-based manufacturer said products had been affected by the glitch, adding it was ramping up production of its most popular crisp flavours including cheese and onion and salt and vinegar. A number of products are unavailable on the Tesco website and empty shelves have been seen in some supermarkets, amid a wider crisis across the food supply chain caused by a chronic lack of workers and HGV drivers and congestion at global trading ports. A Walkers spokesman told MailOnline: 'A recent IT system upgrade has disrupted the supply of some of our products. Our sites are still making crisps and snacks but at a reduced scale. 'We're doing everything we can to increase production and get people's favourites back on shelves. We're very sorry for the inconvenience caused.' Advertisement

A shortage of drivers previously delayed fuel deliveries, which sparked panic-buying and a weeks-long fuel crisis.

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, warned of 'terrific supply chain squeezes' on the food and drink industry that are expected to last for the next six to nine months.

Industry leaders have insisted a combination of Brexit and strict immigration controls, plus coronavirus, where many foreign workers chose to go home, have triggered the crisis.

Experts said the HGV driver shortage is due to a combination of factors including EU employees returning home after Brexit and lockdown restrictions causing the cancellation of 40,000 HGV tests. They also cited poor wages and the closure of a tax loophole for some drivers.

Earlier this week, it emerged that British cattle farmers are being forced to export carcasses to the EU for processing due to a shortage of butchers.

Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, said beef producers were shipping supplies to Ireland by ferry for cutting and packing before re-importing them into the UK.

This will cost around 1,500 for each lorry load when transport fees and Brexit customs requirements - such as export health certifications - are taken into account.

Pork farmers are also expected to start shipping millions of pig carcasses to the Netherlands to be prepared in a similar process. Meat produced in this way cannot be listed as British pork for UK sale.

'Due to the shortage of meat workers in the UK and the limitations to recruit caused by the immigration policy, processors are taking advantage of the fact that other countries are sourcing extra labour from around the world and exporting meat to be processed and returned to this country,' Mr Allen said.

'Whilst it is an added cost it is a better option than empty shelves and animals building up on the farms,' he said.

There is a 15 per cent staff shortage across many meat plants in the UK, climbing as high as 20 per cent in some cases, he said.

The UK beef sector needs to fill 15,000 vacancies, a majority of them skilled or semi-skilled, he added.

Last month the British government agreed to issue 800 temporary visas for butchers to work in the UK for six months, but the government has not said how many applications have been made.

The haulage sector has also been badly affected by the crisis, with the government pledging to recruit thousands more lorry drivers for the Christmas period (stock image)

Turkeys could be imported from France and Poland for Christmas if crippling shortage of workers threaten supermarket stocks Supermarkets will be short of home-produced fresh turkeys this Christmas with stores turning to imports from France and Poland, MPs have been told. Industry leaders say it is evidence of a wider crisis across the food supply chain caused by a chronic lack of workers. UK farmers decided to raise fewer chicks this year because they could see there would not be enough staff in processing plants to handle them. In evidence to an inquiry by MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, chairman of the British Poultry Council, Graeme Dear, said there was a 'likelihood' there will be a shortage of UK turkeys for Christmas. Around 20 per cent fewer birds have been reared this year on British farms. Advertisement

More than 10,000 healthy pigs have already had to be culled due to a backlog on farms, according to the National Pig Association.

Chief executive Zoe Davies: 'This is not excess supply, farmers have been contracted to grow these pigs, but the facilities are taking a quarter less than they agreed because they simply don't have the butchers.

'The Government has to help now because all the processors have tried very hard to recruit lately, wages have gone up exponentially over the last few months. The reality is that most people in the UK do not want to work in abattoirs and it doesn't matter how much you pay them.'

Rules mean farmers can only kill their own animals for consumption on the farm, and are banned from selling the meat commercially.

It comes after MPs were warned supermarkets will be short of home produced fresh turkeys this Christmas with stores turning to imports from France and Poland.

The warning came from farm industry leaders, who say this is evidence of a wider crisis across the food supply chain caused by a chronic lack of workers.

The nation's turkey farmers decided to raise fewer chicks this year because they could see the country would not have enough workers in processing plants to handle them.

Farmers' leaders said the labour shortages are a disaster for British food production with the result that huge quantities of fresh produce and milk is going to waste.

The doomsday scenario was set out by farm industry leaders in evidence to an inquiry by MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, into the impact of labour shortages.

Chairman of the British Poultry Council, Graeme Dear, said there is a 'likelihood' there will be a shortage of UK-produced turkeys for Christmas. Around 20per cent fewer birds have been reared this year on British farms.

The Government recently announced that it would allow in 5,500 poultry plant workers on short-term visas, however this came too late to boost the number of turkeys being raised.

Mr Dear said: 'We would have loved to have known about that in June, and therefore could have placed enough turkeys for a full Christmas.

'We will do our utmost to make sure that Christmas is as normal as it can be, but there is a likelihood that there will be a shortage - had we known back in June or July that would have been fixed.

'The irony is that we may find ourselves having to import turkey from France and Poland for a British Christmas, probably with some of the very workers we trained and left to go back to their homelands.'
Donald Trump's allies including his attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell have testified under oath that they did little to check their wild election fraud theories last year.

Footage of their depositions in a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems boss Eric Coomer shows Giuliani saying he 'didn't have the time' to fact check their claims.

Trump's team peddled theories after the 2020 election loss that Dominion 'specializes in voter fraud' due to the 'massive influence of communist money through Venezuela, and likely China'.

Dominon has repeatedly denied its voting systems allowed for fraud and US authorities have found no evidence of widespread manipulation.

Giuliani says in his testimony, obtained by CNN: 'We had a report that the heads of Dominion and Smartmatic, somewhere in the mid-tweens, you know 2013, 2014, whatever, went down to Venezuela for a get-to-know meeting with (President Nicolas) Maduro so they could demonstrate to Maduro the kind of vote fixing they did for (former President Hugo) Chavez.'

Donald Trump's allies including Rudy Giuliani have testified under oath that they did little to check their wild election fraud theories

Sidney Powell testified that she was not tasked with correcting any falsehoods they had made in their election fraud claims

Coomer's attorney then replies: 'You say the heads of Dominion and Smartmatic...'

Giuliani interjects: 'Yes, that's what I was told... Before the press conference I was told about it. Sometimes I go and look myself -- when stuff comes up. This time I didn't have the time to do it.

'It's not my job, in a fast-moving case, to go out and investigate every piece of evidence that was given to me. Otherwise, you're never going to write a story. You'll never come to a conclusion.'

In Powell's deposition, she testifies that she was not tasked with correcting any falsehoods they had made.

Coomer's attorney asks: 'You had the ear of a number of conservative media outlets. Why did you not ask to provide a statement correcting the misstatements that you had reported?'

Powell, who vowed to 'release the Kraken' with bombshell documents about alleged election fraud which turned out to be unsubstantiated, replied: 'That didn't seem to be the material part of the inquiry.'

Trump's team peddled theories after the 2020 election loss that Dominion 'specializes in voter fraud'

Sean Dollman, a political advisor and financial consultant who worked as CFO for the Trump campaign, also testified

Trump campaign CFO Sean Dollman also testified in the deposition.

Eric Coomer, a former director of product strategy and security for Dominion, filed the lawsuit in Denver, Colorado last December.

The lawsuit claims Coomer was driven into hiding by death threats after the Trump campaign and others publicized an unverified report saying Coomer told Antifa activists in a pre-election telephone call that the vote could be fixed for Joe Biden.

Defendants have filed a motion to dismiss which is pending before the court.

Court records seen by CNN show Giuliani spent less than an hour reviewing the claims that Coomer was trying to rig the election before he publicly made the claims in a news conference.

Meanwhile Powell said in her deposition she did not have 'a lot of specific knowledge about what Mr. Coomer personally did' in the alleged election fraud plot.

The defendants' attorneys have argued their clients didn't act with malice, that the report was public knowledge, and that Coomer was a public figure.

They say those conditions that should preclude Coomer from prevailing in his defamation suit.

However, Coomer says that their actions have ruined his life.

'Today I have filed a lawsuit in Colorado in an effort to unwind as much of the damage as possible done to me, my family, my life, and my livelihood as a result of the numerous false public statements that I was somehow responsible for 'rigging' the 2020 presidential election,' Coomer said when he filed suit.

Lawyers for former President Trump's 2020 re-election campaign and ex-attorney Rudy Giuliani are among several trying to dismiss a lawsuit brought on by a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems who claims they cost him his job

Eric Coomer, a former director of product strategy and security for the company, filed the lawsuit in Denver, Colorado last December

The lawsuit claims Coomer was driven into hiding by death threats after the Trump campaign and others publicized an unverified report saying Coomer told Antifa activists in a pre-election telephone call that the vote could be fixed for Joe Biden

The case mainly centers around an alleged phone call made by Colorado activist Joseph Oltmann in September 2020.

When the prospect of a Trump victory was brought up, Oltmann said a man identified as 'Eric from Dominion' supposedly said 'don't worry about the election, Trump is not going to win. I made ... sure of that,' adding an expletive.

Oltmann's attorney identified someone referred to as 'Eric' on the purported call as Coomer by Googling his name and Dominion.

Attorney Andrew DeFranco also claimed to have found private anti-Trump social media posts by Coomer.

The lawsuit acknowledged that Coomer made comments critical of the president on his private Facebook page; he now says his page is inactive.

The case mainly centers around an alleged phone call made by Colorado activist Joseph Oltmann in September 2020

When the prospect of a Trump victory was brought up, Oltmann said a man identified as 'Eric from Dominion' supposedly said 'don't worry about the election, Trump is not going to win. I made ... sure of that,' adding an expletive

Oltmann publicized his findings on a podcast, and he was both interviewed about it and had the story spread by the other defendants, the lawsuit alleges.

Both President Trump and his son Eric tweeted references to the report as the campaign launched ultimately unsuccessful lawsuits after the election alleging there was widespread voter fraud.

Trump, who had earlier tweeted about a legal effort to try to prevent states that went for certifying Biden from certifying their results, tagged OANN and its Washington correspondent, Chanel Rion.

'REPORT: DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE. DATA ANALYSIS FINDS 221,000 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES SWITCHED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BIDEN. 941,000 TRUMP VOTES DELETED. STATES USING DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS SWITCHED 435,000 VOTES FROM TRUMP TO BIDEN,' read the all-caps missive.

President Trump forwarded a 'disputed' claim about election fraud by retweeting a conspiracy theory about voting machines deleting 2.7 million Trump votes

President Trump was banned from Twitter following the Capitol insurrection on January 6.

Oltmann's charges spread after he was interviewed by Malkin and Gateway Pundit. Eric Trump tweeted about them. OANN and Rion reported on them.

Powell, misidentifying Coomer as working for Smartmatic, said at a news conference that Coomer's 'social media is filled with hatred' for Trump, and she later repeated her charges in a Newsmax interview.

Giuliani, at a news conference, called Coomer 'a vicious, vicious man. He wrote horrible things about the president ... He is completely warped,' according to the lawsuit.

Newsmax, OANN and Fox News had to roll back their election fraud claims because Dominion and software company Smartamatic threatened to sue.

Fox News Channel, another network popular with Trump supporters, is not being sued and Coomer actually uses Fox's Tucker Carlson to buttress his case.

Oltmann's charges spread after he was interviewed by Michelle Malkin (pictured above) and conservative website Gateway Pundit

Eric Trump, the president's son, also spread the story, tweeting about the claims of Coomer's knowledge of the voting systems

The lawsuit notes a scheduled Powell appearance on Carlson's show did not happen after she could not provide evidence for her charges.

Coomer said that right-wing websites posted his photo, home address and details about his family. Death threats began almost immediately.

He said his father, an Army veteran, received a handwritten letter asking, 'How does it feel to have a traitor for a son.'

'It's terrifying,' Coomer said. 'I've worked in international elections in all sorts of post-conflict countries where election violence is real and people are getting killed over it. And I feel that we're on the verge of that.'

'Elections are not about politics; they are about accurately tabulating legally cast votes.'

DeFranco claims that the suit isn't about whether Coomer was defamed at all.

'This case is not about whether Coomer was on the call in September 2020. This is about whether Oltmann reasonably believes that Coomer was on the call,' DeFranco said.

'He believes it to this day,' he added.

Judge Marie Avery Moses repeatedly asked defense counsel if their clients investigated or tried to fact-check Oltmann's claim.

The defense replied that their clients had a First Amendment right to address a report already in the public realm.

Some insisted that there was no coordination or conspiracy against Coomer or Dominion, as Coomer's lawsuit contends.

Some insisted that there was no coordination or conspiracy against Coomer or Dominion, as Coomer's lawsuit contends

'There were serious doubts about election fraud at the time. The context is important,' Holway said.

Dominion, which provided vote-counting equipment to several states, has denied accusations that it switched Trump votes in Biden's favor.

Coomer has insisted he has no connections to Antifa, was never on any call and that there is a recording of him is 'wholly fabricated.'

He had earlier told CPR News: 'I have a personal political opinion. I may share that with friends and family, but I have never participated, or belonged to, any political groups, political action groups, social justice groups.

'I do not donate to political campaigns. I don't donate to any PACS or anything like that.'

He also has said that right-wing websites posted his photo, home address and details about his family. Death threats began almost immediately.
A university trade union leader has refused to condemn the ousting of a University of Sussex professor by students who carried out a 'bullying and harassment' campaign over her views on gender politics.

Kathleen Stock, 48, had faced angry calls to be sacked in September by students at the university following accusations of transphobia after she said people cannot change their biological sex.

The feminist academic had accused the Sussex branch of the University and College Union of 'effectively' ending her career after it called on her employer to take a 'strong stance' against transphobia.

But the general-secretary of the University and College Union, Jo Grady, today refused to condemn student protesters who campaigned to oust Prof Stock, a professor of philosophy.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Ms Grady instead denounced what she claimed was 'consistent misinformation' about Sussex UCU's actions during the saga. In a statement, the Sussex branch had said all trans and non-binary members 'now more than ever should receive the unequivocal support' of the university.

Asked if she was 'sorry' that Prof Stock had lost her job, Ms Grady said: 'I think it's really unfortunate if anybody in higher education feels that they have been chased out of their jobs.

'I'm afraid that I'm really not going to be commenting on any individual members, and I think particularly when the Sussex branch have put out a very clear statement that they condemn bullying.

'She's entitled to feel however she wants.'

Pressed on whether she supported Prof Stock, the UCU general-secretary went on: 'I don't feel the need to say whether I back anybody.

The general-secretary of the University and College Union, Jo Grady (right), has refused to condemn the ousting of Kathleen Stock (left) from her position at the University of Sussex by students

Trans activists celebrated after Prof Stock quit her University of Sussex job

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

'What I want to put on record, what I think is misinformation about the Sussex branch - they put out a statement very clearly condemning bullying and harassment, not calling for anybody to lose their job, and there is a consistent misinformation attempt around that statement to suggest that they did otherwise.

'And I think they acted sterlingly in upholding the right to academic freedom, upholding that people should not be bullied and harassed, but also upholding the right for people to attend campus and not be bullied and harassed and have their rights respected.

'I think it's really important to correct the misinformation that has been put around, around what Sussex UCU did or did not do.'

More than 200 of Prof Stock's fellow academics had backed her in a letter to the Sunday Times signed by figures including Cambridge economist Sir Partha Dasgupta and physicist Sir Michael Pepper.

Under the heading 'We will not bow to trans activist bullies on campus', the letter stated: 'This is not just an issue of freedom of expression. It is also an issue of harassment and discrimination.

'Universities are creating an intimidating and hostile environment for staff and students who recognise that sex matters.

'Most of the victims are female, and many are gay, lesbian or bisexual.'

This week, Prof Stock spoke for the first time about about resigning from her post of twenty years on BBC Woman's Hour.

The academic said she still holds the view that 'trans women aren't women' and 'trans men aren't men' - but said these views are 'compatible with protecting trans people'.

She called her departure from the university 'completely humiliating' and 'a defining moment in my life' but said she had 'no regrets' about leaving and stood by her views that female-only spaces should be protected.

Prof Stock said returning to campus to retrieve her belongings was an 'anxious' experience and that she even felt anxious getting the train to the Woman's Hour studio, saying 'my life has changed completely'.

She suggested the views of a small number of academics who were against her inflamed the student protests by 'radically misrepresenting my views', saying: 'I don't know if the student activity would have been there if the colleague activity hadn't already been there.'

In the 30-minute interview on Radio 4, she described how 'intense' student activity came at the end of 'three-and-a-half years of low level bullying, harassment and reputation trashing' by colleagues, which began, she says, when she first started to write about gender identity policy.

Instead of debating her views directly with her, she said some staff had mobilised students against her during lectures.

Prof Stock explained: 'There's a small group of people who are opposed to what I say and instead of getting involved in arguing with me, using reason, evidence, the traditional university methods, they tell their students in lectures that I pose a harm to trans students.

This week, Prof Stock spoke for the first time about about resigning from her post of twenty years on BBC Woman's Hour

Posters put up in the tunnel from Falmer station to the university's campus said she 'makes trans students unsafe' and 'we're not paying 9,250 a year for transphobia'

Banners saying 'Stock Out' had also been held alongside burning flares and scores of people were criticising her online under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni

Open University criminology professor who said 'male-bodied' trans women should NOT be in female prisons suffers public harassment and is compared to a 'racist uncle at Christmas dinner table' for her gender critical beliefs A Professor of Criminology at the Open University has described how she was compared to a 'racist uncle at a Christmas dinner table' for her gender critical beliefs. Professor Jo Phoenix has crowdfunded more than 80,000 to fight her current employers for not protecting her from a bullying campaign after she expressed views about the silencing of academic debate on transgender issues. She claims the Open University, who she began working for in 2016, 'shattered' her dreams and made her feel 'like a pariah'. Professor Phoenix said she has been publicly vilified and suffered public harassment for launching the Open University gender critical research network. She also said her view that male-bodied prisoners should not be allowed in female prisons resulted in her being compared to a transphobic and racist. By bringing the Open University to an employment tribunal, she hopes to protect female academics from 'the vicious bullying perpetrated by those who disagree with our beliefs on sex and gender'. The Government's policy to house transgender women in female prisons was ruled lawful by the High Court in July earlier this year amid claims from an inmate it raised the risk of sex attacks. In 2018, Karen White - who was born a man but was placed in women's prison HMP New Hall after telling authorities of his identification as a woman - sexually assaulted two female inmates. Advertisement

'Or they go on to Twitter and say that I'm a bigot.'

She told Ms Barnett 'feeling unsafe doesn't mean you are unsafe' and she hopes the students realise 'the world is not as hostile towards them as they think it is'.

The feminist professor, who identifies as a lesbian, said that she first became aware of the complexities of the trans rights movement when she saw 'men' on lesbian dating websites.

When asked by the Woman's Hour host if by 'men' she meant 'trans women' she replied: 'I don't know what they were' explaining that physically some had an appearance traditionally considered as masculine but 'with female names'.

She explained: 'The categories are changing in radical ways and 'lesbian' is one of them. There's real pressure on lesbians to accept that trans women can be lesbians and I think that has made lesbians of this in a way that straight people aren't necessarily as aware.

'There isn't the same pressure on straight women or straight men.'

She went on to say she was 'ostracised' while working at the university and faced a 'terrible anxiety dream' seeing her name plastered on posters across campus reading 'Stock Out' and 'Stock is a Transphobe'.

Prof Stock added: 'The narrative about me is so far away from what I think I am.'

The academic also said that she's 'happily' taught trans students throughout her career and has been contacted by them following her resignation and that her book is not a threat to trans and non-binary people.

Despite the University saying they would not sack Prof Stock, and 'vigorously and unequivocally' defending her right to academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech, free from bullying and harassment, she decided to leave last week.

'So they're creating an atmosphere in which the students then become much more extreme and much more kind of empowered to do what they did.

'I'm not saying that they intentionally set out to cause this point but I do think that academics are treated by students as role models quite often,' she explained.

'If you're in a class as a student, and your lecturer is saying, look, 'there are some views that are just beyond the pale that should never be debated' .

'Then automatically as soon as you say something that makes you bigot.

'You just have to go on to Twitter and see who has said this.

'This is a a small number of people who really are quite extreme. In departmental meetings, people radically misrepresent my views, saying things like, 'Oh, she thinks all trans women are rapists. Or she she's a bigot. She's awful, she she doesn't like trans people''.

'And all of this is totally false. But I am increasingly powerless to change the narrative myself.'

Prof Stock, an expert in gender and sexual orientation, had been branded a 'transphobe' by some outraged students who called for her to be fired in wake of her comments on gender.

Posters put up in the tunnel from Falmer station to the university's campus earlier this month said she 'makes trans students unsafe' and 'we're not paying 9,250 a year for transphobia'.

Attention on her views has intensified since her book Material Girls came out in May

Banners saying 'Stock Out' had also been held alongside burning flares and scores of people were criticising her online under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni.

The University's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell had strongly defended her 'untrammelled' right to 'say what she thinks', whilst more than 200 academics from other universities signed a letter calling out alleged abuse from 'trans activist bullies'.

But Prof Stock ultimately announced on Twitter that she was leaving her position, and added that she hoped 'other institutions can learn from this'.

In a letter to staff, Sussex's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell said that the university had 'vigorously' defended her right to 'exercise her academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech, free from bullying and harassment of any kind'.

But he added: 'We had hoped that Professor Stock would feel able to return to work, and we would have supported her to do so.

'She has decided that recent events have meant that this will not be possible, and we respect and understand that decision.

'We will miss her many contributions, from which the University has benefited during her time here.'

After the posters were put up calling for her to be sacked, Sussex Police launched an investigation into whether Professor Stock was a victim of harassment.

Kishwer Falkner, the head of the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission, was among those who slammed the attacks on the academic.

She wrote to The Times to denounce the bullying behaviour of a minority of students who 'disagree with someone's entirely lawful expert views'.

In her public letter, the equality watchdog chief agreed that 'trans rights must be protected', but reiterated the importance of academic integrity and freedom of expression on university campuses across the UK.

Prof Stock had also spoken out, telling her 46,000 Twitter followers: 'If you work where I do, and you know what's happening to me at the moment (which I'll discuss at later date), this is the time to say something about it.

'Not for me, but for you. What kind of future does a university have where intimidation determines what is said or taught?'

The group which led the protests against her was an anonymous collective called 'Anti Terf Sussex', which described itself as an 'unaffiliated network of queer and trans students'. 'Terf' means a 'trans-exclusionary radical feminist'.

It was the term levelled at JK Rowling over her response to an article about 'people who menstruate'.

The author had tweeted last year: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people', suggesting that word was 'women'.
Advertisement

A railway station master has been 'forced out of his job' by killjoy bosses who have banned him from bringing his dog to work - despite no complaints from passengers, who all adore the friendly pet.

Richard Bunce, 54, and his dog George, who is four, were a popular pair at Horsley station in East Horsley, Surrey, and became local celebrities in the 2,000-population village.

Mr Bunce was so good at his job the transport hub was even nominated for Best Small Station of the Year three months ago.

But after a mystery shopper gave it a glowing review - mentioning in passing a dog was in the office - South Western Railway has issued the ban.

And because Mr Bunce, a former train guard, cannot make or afford alternative arrangements for German wirehaired pointer George, the new conditions mean he can longer do the job.

Even if he did have the money for daycare for the dog, the early 5.30am time he starts his shifts mean none would be open.

Now over 3,800 people have signed a petition - backed by East Horsley Parish Council - urging bosses to see sense and let the pet back to the station.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps also weighed in on the scandal, tweeting: 'Sad to hear that South Western Railway is planning to dispense with the services of George the station dog, along with his owner station master Richard Bunce.

'Sounds like RUFF justice to me! A little less tick-boxing would brighten up everyone's day.'

Mr Bunce started taking George in around three years ago because he worked alone there during his popular tenure.

He told MailOnline: 'For some people, dogs are family - that's what George is to me.

'I took it upon myself to bring him into work. I was never told I couldn't, but I didn't ask either.

'It never caused any problems. Everyone has been very positive about it. He stays in the ticket office so he's not a bother.

George has become a local celebrity at Horsley railway station and news of his impending departure have saddened locals

Richard Bunce, said George was like a 'member of his family' and took him to work as he was the only one working there

Station master Richard Bunce, 54, and his dog had been adored fixtures at Horsley Railway Station in East Horsley, Surrey

Mr Bunce was so good at his job the transport hub was even nominated for Best Small Station of the Year three months ago

Locals are devastated after Mr Bunce has been forced to leave his job because of his dog, pictured Lucy the dog , John, Sue, Sylvia and Kevin

Horsley Railway Station is in Surrey near to Leatherhead, West and East Horsley as well as Ockham and Great Bookham

Transport Minister Grant Shapps saw MailOnline's story and said he thought South Western Railway should think again

'But as of Monday, going forward, dogs aren't allowed in the ticket office.

'We had a secret shopper that visited the station. Part of that report is that it was noted that there was a dog in the ticket office. It wasn't positive or negative, it was just a note. It was just noted that it was there. Apart from that, they were happy with the station.

'I have to leave the position because there isn't a cost-effective way of doing it.

'I don't want to spend the whole day away from him alone in the house and if I was to drop him off at a doggy daycare, it'd have to be at 5.30am. I don't think there's anywhere near here that opens that early.

'If I was to be working at a station that had ten other people in the office I wouldn't even try to bring him in as it's not suitable. I work on my own. I don't see the problem.'

Over 2,000 residents and dog-lovers have signed a petition for Mr Bunce to be allowed to take George to work.

They say they are essential to the community and have done hours of unpaid work to help people living there.

During lockdown when the local library was closed Mr Bunce even offered a pop-up book borrowing service to help the elderly stay connected and entertained.

German wirehaired pointer George would lie in the station office causing no trouble and was popular with passengers

Now over 2,000 people have signed a petition urging bosses to see sense and let the pet back to the station in Surrey

Mr Bunce added he hoped SWR would reconsider and make an allowance, especially considering he is the sole worker there

The petition to save Richard Bunce and George has been started online and already has fetched at least 2,000 signatures

Station to station: Some railways welcome pets as members of staff The rules on animals vary from station to station but one has a very relaxed approach to them in the office. A beloved moggie who has spent almost five years patrolling a West Yorkshire railway station was given a promotion for her dedication to her job back in 2016. Felix, a black-and-white cat, was named Senior Pest Controller and given a new high-vis jacket and a name badge by TransPennine Express. She has been working at Huddersfield Railway Station since 2011, catching mice, making friends with commuters on a daily basis and getting paid in cat treats. Challenges were faced at one point when the barriers designed to catch out fare dodgers prevented her from patrolling the station for mice. Thankfully the train operators spotted Felix's problem, and she was able to enjoy the use of a unique cat flap that allowed her to bypass the barriers. The new system was been a success and the feline was able to go about her business. Over the years she had gained the support of her colleagues and captured the hearts of commuters in the process. Felix even had her very own Facebook page with over 4,000 followers Chris Bamford, a Customer Services Assistant at the station, said: 'The promotion is just a nice appreciation of Felix's work. It is a reward for nearly five years of service. Her presence just brings a smile. 'She can often be found on the concourse just sitting on a podium next to me during the busy periods. The morning commuters just glance at Felix and it brings a smile out of them. 'Felix is part of the family here, although she does like to think that she runs the place.' The dedicated moggie's name was given to her when she was a kitten and staff thought she was a male. After discovering she was actually female, they decided to keep the name anyway. Advertisement

The petition reads: 'Richard has been responsible for many local initiatives and the clean, tidy and friendly upkeep of Horsley station which has been a labour of love for him together with his well behaved and friendly dog George.

'Rules is rules it seems but George wasn't doing any harm and he and Richard make a great team and that makes a lovely happy station. If it ain't broke, don't fit it.'

One customer at the station told MailOnline: 'Richard is a lovely man and has completely transformed that station for the better.

'He is a local hero and everyone loves seeing him and George. The individuality of stations is just fading into history now - it's so sad.

'His bosses should be giving Richard a promotion or pay rise for all he's done for this village - not making it impossible for him to work there.'

Following SWR's no-dog ruling, Mr Bunce took a few days off sick unrelated to the issue and a concerned regular got in touch to ask where he was.

He said: 'Someone asked why I wasn't there as I always am, I explained I will ill but I also said to them I'd have to leave as dogs aren't allowed in the station now.

'I've pretty much done nothing since then. The ball has rolled down the hill. I've seen some comments online, I've seen the petition, and virtually everyone I've spoken to can't see the problem.

'In Horsley, I swear the world and his mate have at least one dog so they're a big fan of George.

'He doesn't do much at work, he's very chilled. I take him for a walk before work. He has his bed there. He just waits for his audience to turn up.

'He's in the ticket office with me so there's no immediate contact. If they can see in, they see him. Some bring bags of treats to him. He's a happy-go-lucky well behaved dog.



'I do think SWR have been fair. If there is a ruling or a reason I can't bring him into the office, that's fine. I'm not trying to take a stand - it's purely a case of if I can't take him to work, I can't go to work.

'I emailed my immediate manager this afternoon - I imagine he's aware of comments and the support - of my intention to come back if they're happy for me to come back without the dog short-term.

'I'll do my notice. If I'm allowed to, I'll carry on with my dog. I'm genuinely not angry or bitter, it's just a situation that wouldn't work.'

Mr Bunce added he hoped SWR would reconsider and make an allowance, especially considering he is the sole worker at the station.

Many residents in the area have supported Mr Bunce and his dog.

Writing on NextDoor, one said: 'This is absolutely awful! Richard you are the best station master and a total asset to British Rail.'

Another said: 'I'm new to the area but every time I've been to the station thought how lovely it is to see your dog at work with you. Can't see what the problem is - world's gone mad.

'Total nonsense on part of the company...happy station masters and dogs bring a smile to most commuters' faces - bad judgement call on the part of your ex-company in my opinion.'

A spokesperson for South Western Railway said: 'While we dont allow dogs to be brought into workplaces across our network, we recognise the strength of feeling in Horsley and are looking into the individual circumstances of this case.'
Advertisement

Kanye West has revealed that he still supports Donald Trump as he lashed out at the #MeToo Movement and said him and Kim Kardashian were 'still' married in a candid chat on Revolt TV's Drink Champs on Thursday.

In the wide-ranging interview believed to have been recorded in October, the rapper, now known as Ye, gave an indiscreet nod of support to the former President.

'I've still got a red hat on today, I'll let y'all know that,' he said. 'I might not got it on [at the moment] but I'll let y'all know where I stand,' he said.

The public display of support is a huge turn around from last year, when in a bizarre interview for Forbes the rapper he said was 'taking the red hat off' after an apparent falling out with the President.

Earlier in his interview, Kanye lashed out at 'Cancel Culture' and the #MeToo Movement while defending his controversial collaborations with Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, who were both featured on the Donda album.

'When I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got canceled for five songs, its like, they cant cancel us all!' the producer said.

He appeared to suggest that accusations of misconduct - such as the sex abuse allegations Manson has denied - that are made years after the fact can't be trusted.

'They'll hit you with an accusation of somebody you was with ten years ago,' he complained, comparing them unfavorably to women who have been 'pulled in alleys against their will.

'Thats different than a hug, but its classified as the same thing,' he claimed. 'Its power and politics.'

The rapper also spoke about his split from his wife of seven years, detailing the impact the impending divorce has had on himself and their four children.

Kanye, 44, insisted he was 'not even divorced' and hadn't seen the divorce papers yet - despite Kim filing to end their marriage in February - adding: 'I want us to be together'.

The couple share four young children: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, and Kanye added that the divorce had been difficult for them as they wanted their parents to stay together.

Kanye West has revealed that he still supports Donald Trump as he lashed out at ' Cancel Culture ' and the #MeToo Movement in a candid chat on Revolt TV's Drink Champs. Pictured: West meets Trump at the White House in 2018

'I want us to be together': Kanye West insisted Kim Kardashian is 'still my wife' as he discussed his divorce, defending Marilyn Manson and his feud with Drake in a candid chat on Revolt TV's Drink Champs on Thursday

The rapper, 44, insisted he was 'not even divorced' and hadn't seen the divorce papers yet - despite Kim filing to end their marriage in February (Kim and Kanye pictured in 2019)

The couple share four young children: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, and Kanye added that the divorce had been difficult for them as they wanted their parents to stay together

Kanye added that his divorce from wife Kim was 'no joke to me,' especially as it seemed to have caused the couple's children distress

Kanye's comments about Trump come as a surprise after he more recently distanced himself from the president.

He has however previously spoken out in support of Trump and wore a Make America Great Again hat when he visited the White House in 2018.

In a rambling speech to Trump and reporters in the Oval Office, he said the former president 'is on his heros journey'. West told Trump, 'I love you,' as he came around to give him a hug.

Kanye first formally met then president-elect Trump in December 2016 on a visit to Trump Tower in New York.

But last year on July 4, he announced that he no longer supported Trump as he launched his own presidential bid. 'I am taking the red hat off, with this interview,' he told Forbes, although it was unclear whether Trump's handling of the pandemic - which Kayne called 'one big mess' - may also have been a reason.

He also said it was wrong to assume that black people will always vote for Democrats. 'To say that the Black vote is Democratic is a form of racism and white supremacy,' he claimed.

The rapper has denied claims that he is being used by Trump to siphon black votes from the Democrats with his presidential bid last year.

Reports at the time said that in return Trump had 'kind words for West, but also said he had "loony tendencies".'

During the rambling interview, which featured numerous digressions and left turns, Kanye discussed the jokes Kim made about their split when she hosted Saturday Night Live last month.

In her opening monologue, Kim, 41, quipped: 'when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to just one thing: his personality.'

Addressing the dig, Kanye hit back: 'SNL making my wife say "I divorced him" on TV because they just wanted to get that bar off... And I ain't never even see the papers, we not even divorced.'

Kanye added that the divorce was 'no joke to me,' especially as it seemed to have caused the couple's children distress, explaining: 'My kids want their parents to stay together'.

'I want us to be together,' Kanye added before insisting that it was 'the media' didn't want him and Kim to work out their differences.

Kim has recently been spotted out on multiple dates with SNL star Pete Davidson, who kissed her in an Aladdin-themed episode when she hosted the long-running comedy series.

Earlier in his interview, Kanye lashed out at 'Cancel Culture' and the #MeToo Movement while defending his collaborators Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, who were both featured on Donda

Kanye first formally met then president-elect Trump in December 2016 on a visit to Trump Tower in New York. He later said it was wrong to assume that Trump was using him to siphon black votes from the Democrats with his presidential bid last year

Fighting back: 'When I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got canceled for five songs, its like, they cant cancel us all!' the producer said; seen in August with Manson (R)

Minimizing: Kanye complained that 'they'll hit you with an accusation of somebody you was with ten years ago,' though 15 women have accused Manson of crimes including sexual assault and physical abuse

When she was rehearsing for her episode, Kanye was reported to be consulting with her on her fashion choices and her monologue for the show, though the line about divorcing him seems to have stung.

Kim recently purchased the couple's $60 million home in Hidden Hills, California, signaling that the divorce is proceeding.

Kim initially filed for divorce earlier this year, but she was seen by the rapper's side throughout the rollout of his Donda album, and she and their children were seen at his listening shows ahead of its release.

Kanye shared that since giving up his home in Calabasas, he had been living a 'monk lifestyle' and didn't want to have a home, even though he recently bought a home in Malibu.

Instead, he felt at home whenever he got to talk to his oldest daughter North.

Meanwhile, Kayne's support for Manson, who is accused by 15 women of sexual assault and physical abuse, has been criticised by supporters.

Manson joined Kanye at one of his listening parties for Donda, which he also appears on.

He's also currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department.

DaBaby was disinvited from several music festivals over the summer after a homophobic rant he delivered at the Rolling Loud festival in Miami.

The rapper asked audience to raise their hands 'if you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that'll make you die in two to three weeks,' among other offensive remarks.

And while he was dropped by several tour operators, he later resurfaced on Donda.

Kanye seemed to think he was above 'Cancel Culture,' though he appeared to conflate his sometimes controversial statements with the sexual crimes that Manson has been accused of by several women.

'I love [Cancel Culture]. Im above it,' he boasted. 'Im running to get canceled.'

Kanye, who legally changed his name to Ye, also briefly complained about the wife of a friend who reminded people on social media shortly after his death that Kobe Bryant had been accused of rape, which appeared to have angered the rapper.

'They dont want you to have a house,' he began, appearing to complain that Black men are held back in society.

Sophistication: Kanye had rare praise for Drake, whose music he called 'more sophisticated than the style of rap that I grew up on'

Suspicions: But he also said he worried that Drake had had an affair with Kim, and he wondered if he might have DMed her even if there wasn't an affair; seen October 30 in LA

Kanye also delved into his controversial relationship with Drake several times in the interview.

Early on he shared some rare praise for the hitmaker, calling him a very important artist who added something to the algorithm.'

'The style of rap that he was doing was more sophisticated than the style of rap that I grew up on,' Kanye said approvingly, adding that Drake's song had 'good melodies' and 'good music.'

But after he was asked if he could 'smoke' Drake in a Verzuz battle, Kanye replied, 'Yeah, absolutely.'

'But it already happened,' he added. 'He played one of my leaked songs and it was better than every other song this year,' he said of a track that featured Outkast's Andre 3000.

Public information? Kanye denied leaking Drake's Toronto address and claimed the information was easily found online; seen together in 2015 in Atlanta

Kanye also denied leaking Drake's address, after he posted a map image with an address on social media that is believed to be the location of Drake's Toronto mansion.

'No, he advertised it when he was building the house,' he claimed. 'Everyone knows it. It's like a place in Canada you go by. It's like a monument.'

'You can find it. That's how I was able to find it,' he added. 'It's Googleable. It's on Google Maps.'

He also complained that those close to him worried he was having an 'episode' whenever he referenced his feuds in his music.

He defended his reactions after believing that Drake threatened him on a track.

'A man threatening my life on a song and they wonder why you end up in the hospital,' he said, adding that Drake was 'driving me crazy' with his jabs in songs.

He claimed that Drake said to him, 'I never f***ed Kim.'

'But you acted like you did,' Kanye continued. 'You've got bars, it's like, "Hidden Hills, give your wife the chills."'

He said it was disrespectful and said he asked Drake if he ever 'DMed' Kim.

Risky business: Early in the interview, Kanye revealed that he was not fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. He said he had only had one shot and was 'halfcinated'

Kim has recently been spotted out on multiple dates with SNL star Pete Davidson, who kissed her in an Aladdin-themed episode when she hosted the long-running comedy series

Early in the interview, Kanye revealed that he was not fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

'I traveled to Paris a couple weeks ago and I had to go through Lisbon 'cause you can go through Lisbon without being vaccinated,' he admitted.

'I only got one of the shots, so I'm "halfcinated." And Lisbon is a 15-hour ride,' he said, before launching into a different tangent.

He also called out his former John Legend and Big Sean, both of whom were previously signed to his G.O.O.D. Music label.

Toward the end of the interview, Kanye held a fake tombstone and said, 'When I die, on my tombstone it's gonna say, 'I deserve to be here. I signed Big Sean.'

He explained that he was angry at Big Sean and John Legend because both of his label mates criticized him amid his doomed presidential run last year.

'I changed this man's family,' he said of Sean. 'And both John Legend and Big Sean, when I ran for office, got used quick by the Democrats to come at they boy that actually changed they life. And that's some sellout s***,' he said.

'And I don't rock with neither of them and I need my apology. I ain't saying they ain't gon' change, but n****s is scared,' he added.

Fighting words: Elsewhere, Kanye shared that he was upset that Kylie Jenner's partner Travis Scott had appeared on a Drake song. He said in a group chat with him, Jay-Z, Drake, Kim and other, 'I'm worth more than all of y'all on this text combined'

Elsewhere, Kanye shared that he was upset that Kylie Jenner's partner Travis Scott had appeared on a Drake song.

He revealed that he called Travis out in a massive group chat that also included Drake, Jay-Z, Kim, Kid Cudi and Pusha T.

'One of the lines I said [to them] that was legend is I said, "I'm worth more than all of y'all on this text combined."'

Kanye seemed concerned with his wealth and blasted Forbes for declaring his former sister-in-law Kylie Jenner a billionaire  though the magazine later claimed her wealth had been inflated  while he said it insisted that he was not a billionaire.

However, the magazine  which he called 'racist'  announced in April 2020 that he was officially a billionaire.

Too close to home: Kanye objected to Travis Scott's Sicko Mode being played at his children's parties because of lines from Drake that he took to be an attack on him; Travis and Drake seen in 2013 in NYC

Kanye object to Travis' song Sicko Mode, which features Drake, being played at his children's birthday party.

'I'd have to bring my kids to a party where this man's threatening my life on a song. Welcome to Calabasas!'

He continued, 'And then they wonder why you end up in a hospital,' seemingly referencing his commitment.

In his Sicko Mode verse, Drake raps about 'I crept down the block / made a right / cut the lights,' which some fans have interpreted as a jab and Kanye because their houses were so close to each other.

He raps that 'it's on sight,' which has also been interpreted as a threat to Kanye.

Drake added fuel to the feud with a line about 'checks over stripes,' seemingly referencing the iconic Nike swoosh and the stripes of the Adidas logo.

Drake has previously collaborated with Nike on shoes, while Kanye's Yeezy shoes are made by Adidas.

New 'do: Kanye said his bizarre haircut was supposed to have three doves carved into it. He joked that it was called 'the Britney' at first after Britney Spears, but he now called it 'the Ye'

Ancient history: He seemed to reference when Britney Spears shaved her head amid a mental health episode in 2007

Kanye explained his bizarre haircut earlier in the video, which appeared to be fairly new at the time it was recorded.

He joked that he called the look 'the Britney,' seemingly referencing when Britney Spears shaved her head amid a mental health episode, though he now called it 'the Ye.'

The Monster rapper said he started to shave it himself but went back after he wasn't satisfied to add three doves, which seemed to account for the smoother patches at the top of his head.

Although the cut was uneven because he gave it to himself in stages, he liked how the dove shapes grew back at different rates.

Joining in: During the interview, the hosts appeared to be smoking what looked like blunts, and Kanye had a joint, which may have been given to him

During the interview, the hosts appeared to be smoking what looked like blunts, and Kanye had a joint, which may have been given to him.

'Come on, you're my Joe Rogan, let's go!' Kanye joked as he decided to unwrap the joint and light it up.

'Hey man, I'm not a real smoker, y'all gonna embarrass me, you've gotta light it,' he said as he handed it over.

He laughed as he said it would be hard to light while he was wearing black leather gloves.

Kanye only seemed to take a puff before setting the joint down.
A zoo has sparked outrage after forcing a baby monkey to smoke a cigarette on camera as part of a supposed public health campaign.

Hengshui Wildlife Park uploaded a video of the monkey named Banjin smoking in Hengshui, Hebei province, yesterday.

In the video a woman off-screen removes the cigarette and tells off the animal, saying smoking is harmful.

The monkey rubs his eyes and falls on his back after the cigarette is taken from him.

Hengshui Wildlife Park uploaded a video of the monkey named Banjin smoking in Hengshui, Hebei province, yesterday

In the video a woman off-screen removes the cigarette and tells off the animal, saying smoking is harmful

The zoo keepers said they shot the video to raise public awareness against the vice. They added that the captive monkeys usually do not smoke.

Bosses at the zoo did not comment on the incident but Chinese social media users hit out at the wildlife park, saying the video was cruel.

One user wrote online that the monkey looked like it was hurt. They wrote: 'He fell over on his back like he was dizzy and sick.'

Another added: 'A zoo should know better than doing this. They are supposed to care about animals.'

The monkey rubs his eyes and falls on his back after the cigarette is taken from him

The US Food and Drug Administration said animals exposed to cigarette smoke have been found to be at higher risk of illnesses such as pneumonia, eye problems, heart disease, and cancer.

The smoking monkey video is the latest in a list of controversies surrounding animal welfare in China.

Last May, the 'blind box' craze  in which pets were sealed and sold in 'mystery boxes' for about 1.11 ($1.50) each  swept through online shoppers in the country. Animal activists rescued around 160 cats and dogs, some of which had died during transit due to suffocation.

Meanwhile, the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival in southwestern China has also garnered widespread criticism from both international and local animal rights groups.

More than 10,000 dogs are slaughtered and eaten during the yearly 10-day event, with residents believing the meat will bring good health and luck to those who consume it.
A man has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a 24-year-old man to death at a popular Melbourne beach.

The Brunswick East man was stabbed near the lifesaving club at St Kilda beach at about 11pm on October 27 after getting into a fight with a 23-year-old man from a large group, police allege.

Police said the fight between the 24-year-old and the man moved to Jacka Boulevard, where he was allegedly stabbed by a second member of the group.

The man collapsed and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but died the next morning after his family decided to withdraw life support.

Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said the man who died was a 'good young kid' who appeared to have visited the area by himself so he could enjoy the warm weather.

Craigieburn man Duldong Deng, 23, was charged with murder on Friday after allegedly stabbing 'good young kid', 24, to death as he enjoyed a warm night on St Kilda beach (pictured, St Kilda lifesaving club)

'He was initially taken to hospital where he stayed overnight on life support and died sadly the next morning at about 10am,' he said.

Det Insp Stamper said the group were of African appearance and there was 'some level of intoxication' among them.

Police charged Craigieburn man Duldong Deng, 23, with murder on Friday.

Deng made no application for bail on Friday afternoon after he appeared via video link at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

He will stay behind bars until March 3 when he is next due to appear in court.

Pictured is the scene of the alleged stabbing. Investigators said the 24-year-old who died did not have a criminal record

Investigators said the 24-year-old did not have a criminal record.

Det Insp Stamper said police were still trying to determine what sparked the fight.

'We are mindful there were a lot of people around that night, it was very busy down there,' he said.

He encouraged anyone who may have filmed the incident to come forward.
A father-of-five was served with a 273 debt collection notice and threatened with court action after accidentally paying for the incorrect parking ticket which was 20p short of the actual tariff.

Lee Taylor, 38, from Normanby, North Yorkshire, was given the penalty charge after parking in a private car park when he took his family to a soft play centre on July 17, 2021.

He paid 3.30 for what he thought was four hours of parking at the Redcar car park owned by Euro Car Parks.

When a 100 fine dropped through the letter box weeks later, the leakage technician and his wife Laura realised they had paid the Monday to Friday price instead of the Saturday price of 3.50 - 20p more expensive - and that the 3.30 only covered three hours of parking.

Mr Taylor says they contacted Euro Car Parks to appeal, offering to pay the 20p difference.

Lee Taylor, 38, from Normanby, North Yorkshire, was served with a 273 debt collection notice and threatened with court action after accidentally paying for the incorrect parking ticket which left him 20p short

But the couple received no response from the company, he claims, until another notice arrived to say the fine had been increased as he had not paid the original fine.

Euro Car Parks, which operates more than 1,000 car parks across the UK, Ireland and Europe, requests for all appeals to be made in writing.

A few weeks later, the company sent Mr Taylor another letter containing a 273 debt collection notice and also threatened court action.

The West Dyke Road car park, owned by Euro Car Parks, where Mr Taylor and his family parked in the summer

Mr Taylor told Teesside Live: 'I realised I had made a genuine mistake and had paid the Monday to Friday price instead of the Saturday price of 3.50 which meant I was short by 20p.

'I received no change from the machine to indicate we had only paid for three hours.

'There was no way of contacting this company direct and it said to appeal we must do this in writing which we did explaining the mistake and offering to pay what we owed.

'We received no correspondence from Euro Car Parks until a few weeks later when they stated the fine had increased because we hadnt paid in a certain time.

'Again we appealed in writing stating we hadnt received anything back from our appeal.

'Another few weeks passed with nothing then suddenly we received a letter from a debt company telling us the debt had been passed onto them and we must now pay 273 off or face court proceedings.

'We contacted the debt company and they basically said there is no way of appealing this anymore and we either paid it or face court.'

Mr Taylor paid 3.30 for what he thought was four hours of parking. However, as Saturday tariffs were 20p more expensive, he had only paid for three hours of parking and was then sent a fine weeks later

Mr Taylor said he and his wife, who have used the Redcar car park before without issues, have 'tried everything to resolve this'.

He added: 'We have been totally ignored.

'I feel this is all a way of these companies exploiting and scaring people into paying these unreasonable fees.

'This has caused us much distress and I would hate it to happen to lots of other people.'

Mr Taylor said he and his wife usually pay for parking at the West Dyke Road car park by phone but on that occasion paid using cash.

MailOnline has approached Euro Car Parks for comment.
Advertisement

Ultra-Orthodox Jews today clashed with police at the Western Wall in Jerusalem as thousands protested against a Jewish women's group that holds monthly prayers there.

The 'Women of the Wall' group has campaigned for equality of worship at the wall  one of Judaism's holiest sites  for decades.

Israel's religious institutions are dominated by the ultra-Orthodox, who are opposed to any changes at the site, where men and women pray in separate areas.

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man clashes with a policeman during a protest against 'Women of the Wall' at the Western Wall in Jerusalem today

An Israeli security force officer tackles one of the protestors during the thousand-strong demonstration at the Western Wall in Jerusalem today

Two female Israeli security force officers restrain an ultra-Orthodox Jew at a protest against women praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

The 'Women of the Wall' group (a member clutching a Torah pictured today) has campaigned for equality of worship at the wall  one of Judaism's holiest sites  for decades

The dispute has sharpened since the swearing-in of a new government in June pushed Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties into the opposition.

A newly elected lawmaker who is also a Reform rabbi has used his parliamentary immunity to bring Torah scrolls into the women's section in defiance of rules enforced by the ultra-Orthodox administrators of the site.

Police set up metal barricades and deployed in large numbers to hold back the mostly male protesters, who blew whistles and occasionally surged forward only to be pushed back.

The women carried empty mantles used to cloak Torah scrolls to protest the prohibition on bringing the scrolls themselves into the women's section.

An ultra-Orthodox Jew stands arms-crossed gazing at an Israeli security forces officer before the violence erupts in Jerusalem

Protestors clash with security forces at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, today. The 'Women of the Wall' group has campaigned for equality of worship at the wall  one of Judaism's holiest sites  for decades

A young ultra-Orthodox jew holds his middle finger up during the protest against the 'Women of the Wall' at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, today

A protestor is led away by Israeli security forces during the demonstrations at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, today

Anat Hoffman, the founder of the group, said they are 'fighting for equality and religious pluralism and justice.'

'We cannot read from the Torah in the women's section in 2021,' she said. 'Why not? Why the hell not?'

The protests were called for by ultra-Orthodox leaders, including Aryeh Deri, head of the Shas party.

In a tweet on Friday that was shared by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Deri called on his supporters to come out 'so that heaven forbid this holy place is not desecrated.'

The dispute has sharpened since the swearing-in of a new government in June pushed Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties into the opposition

Police set up metal barricades and deployed in large numbers to hold back the mostly male protesters, who blew whistles and occasionally surged forward only to be pushed back

A member of the Women of the Wall, center, clutches a Torah scroll, as she is surrounded by Israeli security forces holding back protesters at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, today

Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi and newly elected parliament member from the center-left Labor party, had planned to bring a Torah scroll into the site for the women to use but called off his visit at the request of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who sought to prevent conflict at the site.

Netanyahu had shelved plans for an egalitarian prayer space at the wall in 2017 under pressure from the ultra-Orthodox parties who are politically allied with him.

The move infuriated adherents of more liberal strains of Judaism to which most Jews in North America adhere.

The dispute has been a major point of friction between the two largest Jewish communities in the world, in Israel and the United States.
The Capitol rioter sent to jail after bragging she was too white and blonde to go to prison launched into a Twitter rant aimed at the media after being sentenced to 60 days behind bars.

Texas realtor Jennifer 'Jenna' Ryan, 50, tweeted that she was making a 'blanket statement' to those who were trying to contact her before writing: 'You win!!! I'm going to prison.

'So you don't need to contact me anymore. Pop champagne and then rejoice. But just leave me alone. Thank you'.

She had earlier called her conviction for entering the Capitol illegally a 'travesty' in a video posted online after she was sentenced.

Ryan took a private jet to the Capitol riot on January 6 for a date with a man who dumped her hours later.

The rant came after a judge sentenced her to 60 days in prison on a misdemeanour charge fro entering the Capitol building illegally

Texas real estate broker Jennifer 'Jenna' Ryan (pictured), 50, told media outlets trying to contact her after she was sentenced that they had won and to 'pop champagne' at her jailing

Ryan posed for photographs outside the Capitol building before entering illegally during the riot which left five people dead.

She later bragged that she'd be spared a custodial sentence because of her hair colour and ethnicity.

Ryan faced four charges and pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor account after admitting that she 'paraded, demonstrated or picketed' inside the Capitol when she knew she didn't have permission to be there, according to Huff Post.`

On Thursday US District Judge Christopher Cooper sentenced Ryan to 60 days in jail and told Ryan: 'You were a cheerleader, you cheered it on' despite playing a 'lesser role in the criminal conduct that took place' than many others did.

Ryan threw up a peace sign as she stood on the steps of the Capitol on January 6, which left five people dead. She has consistently maintained that she did nothing wrong and has no regrets

Ryan candidly tweeted before the start of her trial and was proven wrong when Cooper announced the guilty charge and said: 'Youre not being singled out for your political views or anything like that. Its how and where you decided to express them'

'But that does not mean that you dont have any culpability in what happened that day,' he added, noting that Ryan knew she wasn't going to a peaceful protest when she left her hotel room that morning.

Before the start of the trial Ryan responded to a tweet warning her she was destined for custody, saying: 'Definitely not going to jail. Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and I'm not going to jail. Sorry to rain on your hater parade. I did nothing wrong.'

But she was proven wrong Thursday when Cooper announced her conviction and and said: 'Youre not being singled out for your political views or anything like that. Its how and where you decided to express them.'

It's unclear whether anyone else in the group Ryan traveled with the Washington was arrested in connection with the riots.

When the judge brought up the tweet Ryan claimed that she didn't mean that she 'was above prison' when she wrote it, adding that she 'just shouldn't tweet,' according to Huff Post.

'I just felt that it would be unlikely since I was pleading to entering the Capitol for two minutes and eight seconds. Now I realize that was a false notion but having a false notion does not automatically mean I deserve incarceration,' she wrote in a letter to the judge.

'A tweet of me taking up for myself against a bully who is harassing me does not indicate that I feel above-the-law,' she added.

Ryan previously said she went to the riot on a whim after receiving a Facebook message from a handsome stranger looking for people to join him at the rally then-President Donald Trump was holding at the White House on January 6.

'He was adorable,' said the single realtor, who told NBC News earlier this year that she loves Trump, firmly believes his unfounded claims of voter fraud and has always wanted to attend one of his rallies.

'So I said: 'Heck yeah, let's go.' I mean, who wouldn't go and get on a private jet?' she added.

After agreeing she asked her friend Brian to come with her as a 'bodyguard', and once inside the cabin Ryan shared several photos of the group getting to know each other while drinking and bonding over their mutual love for Trump.

But unfortunately for Ryan, the pairing wasn't meant to be.

Ryan added: 'There was another adorable girl there, too, and they ended up getting together, darn it.'

Ryan revealed that she decided to go to DC on a whim after receiving a Facebook message from a handsome stranger looking for people to join him at the rally Trump was holding at the White House. Pictured: Ryan (left) with the new friends she joined on the jet. She did not identify her crush by name but he is presumed to be one of the three men above

Ryan's Twitter plea asking for help paying for legal fees racked up thousands of replies in a matter of hours - the majority of them from unsympathetic critics who pointed out the irony of asking for money after she boasted about her posh private flight to DC

Ryan posted this photo inside the cabin of the plane on Facebook and said the group spent the flight getting to know each other while drinking and bonding over their mutual love for Trump

Ryan is the only member of the jet group facing charges for involvement in the MAGA riots

.@CynthiaMcFadden sat down with Texas real estate agent Jenna Ryan who says she took no part in the violence on January 6 though her social media posts raise significant questions. pic.twitter.com/vTKFHcpnVw  TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 18, 2021

Although Ryan didn't identify her crush by name, it's possible he is one of the three men she and another woman were photographed with alongside the private jet before their flight to DC.

Two days after the riot, Ryan realized she had much bigger problems than the failed romance as the FBI identified her as a person of interest and shared grabs of a livestream she filmed of herself storming the Capitol.

She turned herself in to authorities before the end of January for her role in the Capitol siege, which left five people dead, and has consistently maintained that she did nothing wrong and has no regrets.

'I'm glad I was there, because I witnessed history,' she added later. 'I'll never get the chance to do that again. No one will probably ever be able to go near [the Capitol] again,' she told NBC.

She was released from custody hours later and returned home, where she demanded that Trump pardon her from charges of knowingly entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

But the demand went unanswered as Trump left office and Ryan was put on trial in Washington, DC.

At one point Ryan even turned to fellow MAGA fans for help. 'I am accepting donations to pay legal fees and losses due to my arrest and charges by the FBI for protesting at the US Capitol. Thank you for your support. Any amount helps,' she tweeted in January along with a link to her PayPal account.

Ryan documented the fallout from her attendance at the Capitol riot on Twitter. At one point she even turned to fellow MAGA fans for help

'I have to go to trial in Washington DC for this misdemeanor. I believe I was wrongfully arrested and charged and we have to fight for my freedom and [clear] my name,' she added in another post.

While Ryan did manage to scrape together about $1,000 in donations, the plea racked up thousands more replies in a matter of hours - the majority of them from unsympathetic critics who pointed out the irony of Ryan asking for financial assistance after she boasted about her posh private flight to DC.

At the end of the hearing Cooper advised Ryan to think about what sources she relied upon for her news in the future, as reported by Huff Post.

MORE: Jenna Ryan will serve two months behind bars for her role in the #CapitolRiot. A federal judge pointed to her statements before and after January 6, including one on her way to the Capitol: "I'm going to war." https://t.co/l9VUbhGBzK @wusa9 @EricFlackTV  Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) November 4, 2021

Ryan also posted a photo of a broken window on Twitter, writing: 'Window at The capital. And if the news doesn't stop lying about us we're going to come after their studios next'

Ryan posted a 21-minute livestream on Facebook as she made her way to the Capitol, telling the camera: 'We're gonna go down and storm the Capitol. They're down there right now and that's why we came and so that's what we are going to do. So wish me luck.' The video has since been deleted but was described in an affidavit for her arrest

Two days after the insurrection Ryan realized she had much bigger problems than the failed romance, as the FBI identified her as a person of interest and shared grabs of a livestream she filmed of herself storming the Capitol

To date the FBI has reportedly made more than 650 arrests in connection with the Capitol riot, which they predict is one-fourth of the total number of potential defendants who committed chargeable crimes that day.

Ryan has said she fears that her involvement in the riots could ruin her real estate career.

The Texas Real Estate Commission has faced numerous complaints demanding that her license be revoked. Ryan responded by issuing a statement saying she was 'truly heartbroken' over the lives lost during the assault.

'Unfortunately, what I believed to be a peaceful political march turned into a violent protest,' she wrote on Twitter.

She also tweeted that she lost a publishing deal for a book related to her work.

'This has taken my company. This has taken my business,' she tweeted.

Since the rally she said she has received thousands of death threats and people attacking her business. Despite this, she said she would do it all over again.
Advertisement

Greta Thunberg dismissed COP26 as a 'greenwashing campaign' for politicians as she joined Emma Watson on a climate discussion panel - as thousands of climate activists gather for a 'youth strike' protest in Glasgow.

Miss Thunberg, who also this week denounced Government figures who gathered in the Scottish city for 'whatever the f*** they are doing in there', yesterday attended the New York Times' 'Climate Hub' - a forum for discussing 'actionable climate strategies', also based in Glasgow.

The Swedish eco activist heaped scorn the UN's COP26 conference, branding it a 'greenwash campaign, a PR campaign' for businesses and politicians to pretend they are taking action, but not follow through.

In a 'surprise session' curated by Emma Watson, Miss Thunberg said: 'Since we are so far from what actually we needed, I think what would be considered a success would be if people realize what a failure this COP is.'

She and other young female activists, including Malala Yousafzai and Vanessa Nakate, also discussed the role women have played in bringing together protests and demanding action from world leaders, the New York Times reports.

Thousands of youth activists are now descending on Glasgow to protest against what they say is a dangerous lack of action by leaders at the COP26 climate summit. Demonstrations are expected across the Scottish city to highlight the disconnect between the glacial pace of emissions reductions and the climate emergency already swamping countries across the world.

Organisers of the Fridays for Future global strike movement said they expected large crowds at the planned three-hour protest during COP26 'Youth Day', which will be attended by high-profile campaigners, including Miss Thunberg.

The Prince of Wales was invited to join Miss Thunberg and thousands of activists on a climate change march through Glasgow, but said taking part would be 'difficult'. Charles sympathised with the 'frustration' of the younger generation in a speech to Cop26 negotiators, and he told them the 'weight of history' is resting on their shoulders.

Miss Thunberg, who also this week denounced Government figures at Glasgow's COP26 summit for 'whatever the f*** they are doing in there', yesterday attended the New York Times' 'Climate Hub' - a forum for discussing 'actionable climate strategies' - in the same city

Miss Thunberg and other young female activists, including 24-year-old Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate and Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai, also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in rallying protesters and pressuring world leaders to take action

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joins a march by youth activists to protest against climate inaction on the sidelines of the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow on November 5

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march on November 5 in Glasgow, Scotland

A setup to highlight threats to environment and mock leaders' talks is shown in the center of of Glasgow, Scotland

Speaking from Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery, he stressed how young people were seeking action from leaders to tackle the environmental issues facing the planet.

He told the negotiators: 'There's a lot of anger and a lot of frustration. There's a big march tomorrow, which some people have said I should join - that's more difficult - but the point is, please don't forget these people out there. Don't forget that it's their future.'

Miss Thunberg and other young female activists, including 24-year-old Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate and Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai, also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in rallying protesters and pressuring world leaders to take action.

Mitzi Joelle Tan, a climate justice activist from the Philippines, said: 'This UN Climate Summit, we're once again seeing world leaders saying big words and big promises.

'We need drastic carbon dioxide emission cuts, reparations from the Global North to the Global South to use for adaptation and to manage loss and damages, and we need to put an end to the fossil fuel industry.'

Demonstrators at Kelvingrove Park, ahead of the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow during the Cop26 summit

Demonstrators during the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow during the Cop26 summit

Delegates from nearly 200 countries are in Glasgow to hammer out how to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting temperature rises to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius.

The UN-led process requires countries to commit to ever-increasing emissions cuts, and enjoins richer, historical emitters to help developing countries fund their energy transformations and deal with climate impacts.

Countries issued two additional pledges on Thursday to reduce their fossil fuel consumption.

Twenty nations including major financiers the United States and Canada promised to end overseas fossil fuel funding by the end of 2022.

And over 40 countries pledged to phase out coal - the most polluting fossil fuel - although details were vague and a timeline for doing so not disclosed.

Thunberg was unimpressed, tweeting: 'This is no longer a climate conference. This is a Global North greenwash festival.'

Greta Thunberg gave a passionate and foul-mouthed speech, telling demonstrators: 'Inside Cop, there are just politicians and people in power pretending to take our future seriously... No more blah blah blah, no more whatever the f*** they are doing inside there!'

World leaders pose for a group photo during an evening reception to mark the opening day of the COP26 summit in Glasgow

Experts say a commitment made during the high-level leaders summit at the start of COP26 by more than 100 nations to cut methane emissions by at least 30 percent this decade will have a real short-term impact on global heating.

But environmental groups pointed out that governments, particularly wealthy polluters, have a habit of failing to live up to their climate promises.

'On Monday, I stood in front of world leaders in Glasgow and asked them to open their hearts to the people on the frontlines of the climate crisis,' said Kenyan activist Elizabeth Wathuti, who addressed the conference's opening plenary.

'I asked them to take their historic responsibility seriously and to take serious action here. So far they haven't.'

Countries came into COP26 with national climate plans that, when brought together, puts Earth on course to warm 2.7C this century, according to the UN.

With just 1.1C of warming so far, communities across the world are already facing ever more intense fire and drought, displacement and economic ruin wrought by our heating climate.

'We are tired of fighting against the current 'normal - the 'normal' we have is unviable, unsustainable and not enough,' said Kenyan activist Kevin Mtai.

'We need to change.'
Advertisement

Families across Britain were told to expect a clear Bonfire Night tonight following a sub-zero start to the day.

The Met Office said most parts of the UK will enjoy 'decent conditions' for watching fireworks this evening, although there will be some rain in western Scotland and over a few north-western hills and coasts elsewhere.

It comes after a very chilly start to this morning with temperatures dropping to -5C (23F) in southern England and -3C (27F) in the North, making it the fourth day in a row this week that the mercury has fallen below freezing.

The past three days have brought sub-zero temperatures of -1.7C (28.9F) at Bridgefoot in Cumbria yesterday, -2.5C (27.5F) at Hurn in Hampshire on Wednesday, and -1.8C (28.8F) at Benson in Oxfordshire on Tuesday.

And below-average temperatures observed this week are likely to continue later this month, with forecasters expecting that high pressure near Greenland will help to push colder air from the North towards the UK.

This weekend, Scotland is set to be hit by 80mph winds as the worst storm of autumn blows in from the Atlantic - with coastal spots becoming dangerous as winds coincide with spring tides, lashing seafronts with high waves.

Potential disruption is looming for roads, trains, ferries and air travel, with heavy rain expected tomorrow. Later in the day, winds will pick up in the North and North East of Scotland, with the Met Office issuing a weather warning.

Runners enjoy a frosty start to the day at Richmond Park in South West London this morning as temperatures drop below zero

Sunrise on a cold and frosty morning in the countryside at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

Sunrise at Bournemouth on the Dorset coast this morning at the start of another chilly November day

Today will bring a frosty start to the day across southern and central areas and any early mist will clear during the morning. It will then mostly dry but dull with cloudy skies and the best of the sunny spells will be in eastern areas.

Conditions will also be breezy in the North and West today with a little patchy light rain or drizzle, before tonight will be a generally dry evening with patches of mist soon reforming and there will be variable amounts of cloud.

Overnight will be mainly overcast with thick cloud cover and outbreaks of rain will spread into Scotland and Northern Ireland and will be locally heavy  and a few spots of drizzle are possible elsewhere.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: 'Another widespread frosty one for the south of England, perhaps South Wales as well  with temperatures in rural spots below freezing, but frost-free further north.'

The lowest temperatures recorded early this morning in the UK were -5C (23F) at Benson in Oxfordshire and -3C (27F) at Topcliffe in North Yorkshire.

Mr McGivern said today would be 'bright with some breaks in the cloud, some sunny spells coming through for central and eastern areas in particular'.

He also told how there will be thicker cloud for western Scotland, Northern Ireland, North West England, North Wales and a few light outbreaks of rain, mostly over higher ground and coastal areas.

He added: 'As that cloud arrives it also contains some milder air and so, all in all, a slightly less cold day compared to Thursday  11C to 13C - the difference marked across the North Sea coast, which will have lost that biting wind.

'Into Friday evening, decent conditions for Bonfire Night - it looks like for most places it's going to be dry, just some outbreaks of rain feeding into the West of Scotland, one or two spots for north-western hills and coasts elsewhere, but for many it's dry with clear spells and generally light winds.'

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for 80mph winds in parts of Scotland this weekend

But he continued: 'That's all going to change though as low pressure approaches on Friday night. The warm front initially bringing the thicker cloud and light outbreaks of rain, but the cold front brings heavier rain and then following that some strong winds later on Saturday.'

Tomorrow, early patches of mist will soon lift and clear. It will then be overcast during the day with outbreaks of rain sinking southwards across Scotland and Northern Ireland, turning heavy across western areas during the morning. Rain will spread into northern England and North Wales during the afternoon.

Mr McGivern said: 'So a wet start then as the cold front pushes into western Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday morning. Heavy rain for a time - large rainfall totals building up for western Scotland, then the wet weather sinking into south western Scotland, North West England, North Wales by lunchtime

'To the South, breezier and a bit more cloud around but still some breaks in the cloud, plenty of fine weather through Saturday for the South and South East. As that rain sinks south though, the winds really pick up later Saturday - gales or severe gales for the northern and western coast of Scotland in particular. But the wind of course coming from a milder direction - temperatures are going to be up at 11C to 13C.'

Electricity towers are seen over a misty landscape at autumn sunrise this morning in Wimbledon, South West London

A freezing dawn and clear skies in the Kent town of Gravesend on the Thames estuary this morning

Sunday will be mostly dry and bright with spells of sunshine, however there will be variable amounts of cloud cover across western areas of Britain. Monday will be mainly dry and sunny, although cloud will build across Scotland and Northern Ireland bringing spells of rain and drizzle to western areas.

In the Met Office's outlook for the first half of November, it says: 'Blustery showers are possible in the far east and northeast at the start of the period, but these quickly clearing. Otherwise, plenty of fine, dry weather with long spells of sunshine.

'Feeling colder initially, with frosts possible, especially in the north. Rain and thicker cloud will then steadily encroach from the west. Areas of low pressure lying to the north or northwest of the UK will then bring unsettled conditions, predominantly affecting the north and west, with some heavy rain and strong winds followed by cooler, more showery interludes.

'The driest and brightest weather is likely to be in the southeast where rain bands will often be weak. Temperatures generally around average thorough this period, although brief cold spells possible.'

Looking ahead to the period from November 18 to December 2, the Met Office says: 'Through this period, there is an increased chance of wintry showers from the north and northwest, initially over higher ground but also a low risk at lower levels later in the month.

'While there is little sign of prolonged, widespread settled weather, conditions are likely to be less stormy and windy. Where there are more settled spells, frost and fog are increasingly likely, with temperatures slightly colder than average. Overall remaining drier than average.'

BBC Weather's forecast for this period said: 'Moving into the second half of November, we should see an overall colder pattern begin to take shape.' It added: 'High pressure near Greenland will help direct colder air from the north towards the UK, leading to a period of below normal temperatures.

'As the Greenland high becomes more entrenched and occasionally extend towards Northern Europe, winds are likely to diminish. With low pressure still expected to be close by, this doesn't appear to be a dry pattern, but it is also unlikely to be an extremely wet pattern.'
A 'heartbroken' owner says her French bulldog puppy choked to death after Starbucks staff put a dog biscuit in its 'puppuccino'.

Megan Harrison, 24, visited the branch in Festival Park, Stoke on Trent, and bought the treat - consisting of a cup of whipped cream - to take home for her three dogs. However, staff topped them up with Bonio biscuits.

Shortly after 18-week-old Bonnie finished hers she was found dead after choking on one of the biscuits and could not be revived.

Ms Harrison, a support services worker, said she was 'devastated' about what happened and 'absolutely disgusted' by Starbucks' response.

Megan Harrison visited Starbucks in Festival Park, Stoke on Trent, in September and bought the treat to take home for her three dogs including Bonnie (who she is holding in her right hand)

Starbucks said they were 'really upset' to hear about Megan's loss and stated that puppuccinos are not an official item on the Starbucks UK menu.

The chain admitted that dog biscuits are not usually provided, but claimed their staff asked Megan if her dog would like one on this occasion.

Bonio manufacturer Purina said the health and wellbeing of pets is their 'number one priority' and that they don't supply dog biscuits to restaurants and cafes.

Ms Harrison from Crewe, Cheshire East, said: 'It's so heart-breaking, I'll never really be over it. She was just so funny and lovely and had a really big personality.

'I had to hand-rear her myself when she was newborn. She looked to me as mum, I did everything for her.

'She's had them [cream-only puppuccinos] before. I'd go to Starbucks with just Bonnie and it used to be a thing that me and her did as a treat. This was the first time it had a biscuit with it.

'I wasn't watching her every second because she'd had them before and it was never an issue, but there was never a biscuit in there [on previous occasions].'

Ms Harrison said Bonnie was in the kitchen when she demolished the whipped cream treat while she was in the open-plan living room.

She added that Bonnie had enjoyed biscuits at home before and puppuccinos as a treat so she 'wouldn't watch her every second'.

'She had the puppuccino, ate the biscuit, went to go and get a drink of water and then she lay in her bed and obviously that's when she died, she choked but it was silent,' Ms Harrison said.

'My partner's brother was the one that found her, obviously I then went to her and just dropped on the floor when I saw her. I didn't know what to do.

'Her tongue was out and eyes were open, I knew that she'd gone.

Starbucks said they were 'really upset' to hear about Megan's loss and stated that puppuccinos are not an official item on the Starbucks UK menu. They consist of a cup of whipped cream, and are pictured here with dog biscuits in them)

After Bonnie's death in September, Ms Harrison's partner contacted Starbucks to let them know what happened.

She said: 'All we wanted was to make sure that it didn't happen to any other dogs because what happened to me, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It was heart-breaking.

'I've spoken to Starbucks and to be honest, I'm absolutely disgusted with them.

'It wasn't like ''Oh, I'm really sorry that this has happened'', it felt more like 'I'm really sorry but what can we do to get you back in store?'

'That's all they seemed bothered about and it angered me so much.

'They shouldn't have biscuits in them anyway, a puppuccino is just meant to be a cup of whipped cream.'

Ms Harrison said she was offered a 250 gift card, but feels she wasn't given a sincere apology.

She said: 'When I lost her my mental health just plummeted.

'I tried telling Starbucks this but all they offered me was a 250 gift card and I'm not being funny but she's worth more than 250 worth of coffee.

'I emailed them back and said ''I don't want a gift card for your store because I'm not going to be a customer again, it's pointless''.'

Ms Harrison, a support services worker, said she was 'devastated' over Bonnie's death and 'absolutely disgusted' by Starbucks' response

A Starbucks spokesman said: 'Our partners (employees) are really upset to hear about the customer's loss, the customer and her dogs are known and well-loved in our store.

'Puppuccinos are not an official item on the Starbucks UK menu. If customers request the item we have a 'make every moment right' policy and offer them free of charge.'

Purina said: 'We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the owners of the puppy.

'We know that the loss of a pet in any circumstances is heartbreaking and the health and wellbeing of pets is our number one priority.

'We don't supply dog biscuits to restaurants and cafes and we would not recommend serving treats to pets in a way that leaves owners unable to see the feeding guidelines on pack.

'This guidance indicates to the owner whether a snack is safe and appropriate for their individual pet.'
Sark Yves Amadeus Kennedy

The son of world famous violinist Nigel Kennedy has been jailed for 33 months for drug dealing after he was caught 'red-handed' with more than 15,000 worth of cocaine.

Sark Yves Amadeus Kennedy, 25, was in his Skoda Octavia when he was stopped by police who found almost 400 wraps of cocaine stuffed inside pairs of disposable gloves on June 22 in St Johns, Worcester.

Kennedy, who was wearing an expensive Rolex watch and gold chain, was arrested but told officials his drug dealing was a 'one off'.

But a court heard he was 'up to his neck in the filthy trade' of drug dealing in a bid to clear his debts after getting hooked on cocaine as a teenager.

Kennedy, who lives with his mother, Nigel Kennedy's ex-partner Eve, in Malvern, Worcestershire, was jailed for 33 months after admitting possession with intent to supply cocaine.

John Cooper QC, defending, told the court Kennedy had had an 'unconventional background' which provided 'excitement' but also lacked 'stability'.

He said: 'He asserted it was a one-off. The Crown indicated during the course of the last hearing, on the material they had, that certainly was not the case.'

Mr Cooper added that Kennedy had travelled in Australia and Indonesia without taking drugs and there had lived 'a law-abiding life', adding: 'There's something to work with here in short.'

He said: 'That brought him closer and closer to individuals who forced him, cajoled him into helping them, working with them and playing the role properly laid out in the opening. He has an unconventional background, an upbringing that could provide excitement perhaps but also, perhaps, a lack of stability.'

Mr Cooper told the court Kennedy had been diagnosed with both ADHD and dyslexia, but added: 'Whilst in custody he has made positive steps to address his drug addiction.

'There's potential here.'

The troubled son of world famous violinist Nigel Kennedy (pictured) has been jailed for nearly three years for drug dealing after he was caught 'red-handed' with more than 15,000 worth of cocaine

Sentencing him at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, Recorder Martin Butterworth said: 'I'm prepared to accept you had an addiction to cocaine since you were 18.

'It's perfectly clear that there is a lot about you which would suggest that you are entirely capable of becoming a useful member of society.

'But you became involved in a very significant way in a filthy trade which produces serious and real harm to the people who use the drug. Whether you understand that, or care, I don't know.

'Your attempt to present your drug dealing activity in a more favourable light when interviewed by the probation service backfired for you.

'I had considered whether your attempt to hoodwink probation and the court suggested you were a more cynical drug dealer than I'm being asked to see you as.

'If you were cynical you would know that saying all of that would just produce the response from police that it did.'

Kennedy was sentenced to 33 months at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday

The court heard that police found 146g or 389 wraps of cocaine with 59 per cent purity stashed inside the 'stash car' - where Kennedy hid his drugs - with a street value of 15,560. His Huawei mobile phone with two SIM cards was also seized which revealed bulk SMS messages sent out to numerous drug users.

An expensive Rolex watch and gold chains worth 7,300 were also found on Kennedy.

The court heard police also found Kennedy had stuffed 0.4g 'cocaine shots' inside the fingers of petrol station gloves which he sold for 40 each.

An expert described Kennedy's drug-dealing as 'mid-market level' with the drugs to be handed on to 'multiple street dealers'.

The dealer line was described as sending out 'daily global messages'.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi criticised young climate protesters for travelling to Glasgow to demonstrate outside Cop26 today - saying they should not be there in 'school time'.

The senior Cabinet minister warned them it was their own time they were wasting and warned they faced handing their parents fines for truancy if they attend the march that will feature a speech by Greta Thunberg, 18.

Mr Zahawi said youth climate protesters should demonstrate at the weekend rather than during school hours.

The climate strike organised by Fridays for Future Scotland sees participants marching at 11am from Kelvingrove Park to George Square.

It is expected to attract 8,000 to 10,000 people on what is Cop 26's Youth and Public Empowerment Day.

Asked on Times Radio whether he has been invited to join them, Mr Zahawi said: 'No, I'm... I have to say, I wish they were doing it on a Saturday and a Sunday, not in school time.

'I'd hate to get into a situation where headteachers and teachers are having to fine families and students.

The senior Cabinet minister warned them it was their own time they were wasting and warned they faced handing their parents fines for truancy if they attend the march that will feature a speech by Greta Thunberg.

Thunberg, fellow activist Vanessa Nakate and other young campaigners, as well as local trade unionists, will speak to crowds at the end of the march through the city where the UN summit is being held.

The climate strike organised by Fridays for Future Scotland sees participants marching at 11am from Kelvingrove Park to George Square.

'We've got two weekends of Cop here in Glasgow when they can have lawful demonstrations, and they should have those and have the right to do that, and I would happily engage with anyone who wants to come and tell me exactly what they think.'

Local authorities have powers to fine parents if their children truant from school. Fines start at 60 but repeated offences can see them rise to 2,500, as well as possible jail terms of up to three months.

Youth activists are taking to the streets of Glasgow to demand action on climate change from leaders and politicians as the Cop26 talks continue.

Campaigner Greta Thunberg, fellow activist Vanessa Nakate and other young campaigners, as well as local trade unionists, will speak to crowds at the end of the march through the city where the UN summit is being held.

Ms Thunberg has been highly critical of the two-week conference, claiming it is the most 'excluding Cop ever' and labelling it a 'two-week celebration of business as usual and blah blah blah'.

A group of mothers from around the world, including Rosamund Adoo Kissi Debrah, whose daughter Ella died from an asthma attack as a result of severe air pollution, will be handing in a letter at Cop26 calling for an end to new fossil fuel financing for the sake of their children's health and future.

They will then join the youth strikers marching through Glasgow.

Friday's protest comes ahead of marches on Saturday where tens of thousands of people are expected in Glasgow, with other marches in London and cities around the UK, as well as across the world.

The protests come at the end of the first week of the conference, where countries are under pressure to increase ambition on cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change, to avoid the worst impacts of warming, and to ensure finance for poor countries to tackle the crisis.

Earlier in the week around 120 world leaders gathered at the Cop26 summit to set out the action they were taking to tackle the climate crisis.

There have also been announcements on curbing deforestation, phasing out coal and boosting finance flows towards transforming economies to be green.

But shadow business secretary Ed Miliband warned against 'shifting the goalposts' to focus on long-term targets and vague announcements in various sectors instead of on urgent action by countries to cut emissions to get the world on track to limit temperature rises to 1.5C.

In an event on Thursday night US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry said the Cop26 summit is a 'critical' event which he described as the world's 'last best hope to get us on course'.

Speaking at the CBI dinner, he called on developed countries to help less-developed countries in the fight against climate change and warned trillions were needed from private finance 'because no government in the world has enough money' to cope with climate change.
Internet meme turned global restaurateur Salt Bae will leave London on Sunday to open his latest lavish eatery.

The meat-loving Turkish chef, 38, is jetting out to Saudi Arabia where he will cut the ribbon on his newest restaurant, in Riyadh.

It comes after Salt Bae - real name Nusret Gokce - spent the last two months in London while opening and promoting his flagship restaurant, Nsur-Et.

The theatrical meat slicing chef has been a regular fixture at the Knightsbridge eatery, where diners have racked-up eye-watering 37,000 bills.

While in the capital, Salt Bae has shown off his salt-smattering skills tableside for adoring fans, including Wayne and Colleen Rooney.

But today he took to social media to announce he and his theatrical knife-wielding techniques will be heading off to Saudi Arabia to open his 28th restaurant.

Sharing a picture of himself holding up a gold-covered Tomahawk steak - which costs 850 at Nsur-Et - he said: 'Sunday is my last day in London. I will go to Riyadh to open my 28th restaurant.'

Sharing a picture of himself holding up a gold-covered Tomahawk steak - which costs 850 at Nsur-Et - he said: 'Sunday is my last day in London. I will go to Riyadh to open my 28th restaurant'

It comes after Salt Bae - real name Nusret Gokce - spent the last two months in London while opening and promoting his flagship restaurant, Nsur-Et (pictured)

Along with London, Salt Bae owns restaurants in Turkey, Greece, the United States, and Dubai, among other locations.

Salt Bae - who became an internet sensation after a video of him theatrically seasoning meat went viral - opened his Knightsbridge restaurant in September to mixed reviews.

While the restaurant attracted a host of celebrity guests, many of whom swanned to the eatery to get pictures and videos with the man himself, it was slammed as 'a rip off' by others.

A receipt posted to Reddit by an anonymous user showed an eye-watering 37,000 receipt from October 8, with the service charge alone totalling 4,829.10.

A customer has been slammed after spending 37.000 at celebrity restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse in London's Knightsbridge

The upscale eatery chain is owned by Turkish butcher-turned-chef Nusret Gokce, better known as Salt Bae, whose theatrical salt-sprinkling antics have earned him over 38million followers on Instagram

Shared with the caption 'Now this is just outrageous', it shows a Snapchat screengrab of the receipt, with the diner complaining 'That's just taking the p***'.

The receipt shows that almost 30,000 of the meal was spent on expensive alcohol, while a gold-encrusted steak came to 850 and 20 Baklavas came to 600.

The cheapest items, besides the water, were the mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms which came to 12 each.

Commenting on the receipt, one Reddit user wrote: 'Daylight robbery. At least with Michelin you have somewhere that's been stringently deemed to charge high amounts. And it would cost about 37x less!'

Celebrity restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse has been accused of 'deleting negative reviews', after a customer's eye-watering bill went viral last month

London diners will be able to get their hands on the 24-Carat gold Tomhawk steak, which has previously been a menu item in their Dubai branch (pictured)

The menu includes gold plated steaks (right) - which cost up to 1000 and a 100 golden burger (left)

As well as golden cuts of a meat (left) the restaurant also has golden balaclava (right) for dessert

However many users felt the customers were to blame, with one writing: 'Receipts from this place are just the latest social media flex. I don't know why anyone should care.'

Another added: 'Why do people keep posting receipts from a s***** restaurant? Is it some sort of anti-flex to say Im rich but also very very stupid and dont have good taste?'

'It's a humble brag. Posting your receipt for a 30k meal whilst simultaneously expressing outrage at the cost,' another wrote.

Elsewhere one said: 'I'm not commenting on the price cos that's been established as largely from alcohol that these people specifically selected'.

However many users felt the customers were to blame, with one writing: 'Receipts from this place are just the latest social media flex. I don't know why anyone should care.'

Another added: 'Why do people keep posting receipts from a s***** restaurant? Is it some sort of anti-flex to say Im rich but also very very stupid and dont have good taste?'

Google reviews currently show a 4.8 star rating - with the site stating it was 'updated by the business a week ago.

This week the restaurant was accused of 'deleting negative reviews', after a customer's eye-watering bill went viral last month.

Last month a customer's receipt from went viral after totalling a staggering 1,812.40 earning the restaurant an onslaught of backlash, however Google reviews currently show a 4.8 star rating - with the site stating it was 'updated by the business a week ago.

According to My London News, 'a flurry of reviews appearing to criticise the restaurant when it first opened' have since 'disappeared.

The upscale eatery chain is owned by Turkish butcher-turned-chef Nusret Gokce, whose theatrical salt-sprinkling antics have earned him a celebrity following including David Beckham

The 38-year-old, who has been nicknamed Salt Bae by fans, currently has 17 restaurants in his successful chain and has a legion of celebrity devotees including DJ Khaled, Leonardo DiCaprio

The restaurant now boasts 4.8 stars on Google and 4.7 stars on Facebook, where one client writes: 'What can I say apart from WOW! Yes the prices are not cheap but you get what you pay for in regards to service, ambience and quality of food and drinks.'

Only one less flattering review remains, with a customer branding it 'too expensive' and 'not child friendly'.

FEMAIL has contacted Nusr-et Steakhouse for comment.

The restaurant now boasts 4.8 stars on Google and 4.7 stars on Facebook, where one client writes: 'What can I say apart from WOW! Yes the prices are not cheap but you get what you pay for in regards to service, ambience and quality of food and drinks.

'I was lucky enough to meet Nusret and hes a lovely, humble man. The theatre of performing the signature steak slicing by Nusret and then later the Baklava by another gentleman was absolutely fantastic.'

Only one less flattering review remains, with a customer branding it 'too expensive' and 'not child friendly'.
Hillary Clinton revealed Thursday that she was told to fire her longtime assistant Huma Abedin after damaging emails exposed her husband Anthony Weiner's online sexcapades.

Abedin, 45, appeared on stage with her former boss Clinton just a day after admitting she 'carried the guilt' of the Democrat's 2016 election defeat to Donald Trump 'for a very long time'.

The top aid is in the final stages of her divorce from the disgraced congressman and is promoting her memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, which was released on Tuesday and details the fallout from his sex pest scandal.

Abedin and Clinton spoke together with Glamour Magazine editor Samantha Barry on Thursday at 92nd Street Y in New York, where the former colleagues appeared in good spirits.

It was the first time the pair had been seen together in public since they went for coffee in the Hamptons in September and their first-ever joint interview.

Huma Abedin has appeared on stage with her former boss Hillary Clinton just a day after admitting she feels responsible for her 2016 election loss

The top aide, 45, is in the final stages of her divorce from disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner

She is promoting her memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, which was released on Tuesday and details the fallout from his sex pest scandal

Abedin was a key aide in the 2016 election and was her former deputy chief of staff (pictured together in April 2016)

Clinton called the day then-FBI Director James Comey decided to re-open the closed investigation into Clinton's emails based on a computer the former New York Congressman had used 'one of the worst days for [Huma], terrible for me too.'

'It just came out of nowhere and there was nothing to it. It was so unnecessary, it could've been handled a million different ways, it obviously impacted the outcome of the election.'

The former secretary of state said she was 'angry' and 'felt really sorry for Huma' as they flew to Iowa to campaign after finding out about the investigation, when she began getting contacted by advisors telling her to dismiss Abedin.

'I must say that I then began getting texts, emails and calls from people telling me you should fire Huma' because of what happened,' Clinton said.

She was resolute in not doing so because she felt that Abedin had nothing to do with her husband's exploits.

'But why would I fire Huma? So of course I didn't and wouldn't.'

Abedin agreed that it was 'hard to get to a worse professional day.'

'It was so devastating, that moment when we were informed that this investigation was going to be reopened, I couldn't feel anything because it felt selfish to feel.'

She said that years of living with the trauma of Weiner's misdeeds - which she characterized as 'mental health challenges' and 'addiction - made her put herself second to her child's needs.

'I completely broke down and we were on a plane with a bunch of colleagues and reporters and you came over and gave me a hug and walked me to the bathroom.'

'Every time I had something challenging happen in my life, you approached it as my friend first and as a boss second.'

She then describes having driven out to see Clinton and presumably either be fired or offer her resignation, but saying Clinton refused to fire her because 'it's not the right thing to do.'

That outing marked the first time they had been seen together since March 2020 - when they both attended the premiere of a documentary that examined Clinton's failed presidential bid, and the scandal of her husband's affair with Lewinsky.

They have maintained a strong friendship - which has had to weather plenty of ups and downs over the years.

In 2016, former FBI Director James Comey restarted a probe into Clinton's private email server controversy after agents found emails that Abedin had forwarded to Weiner to print.

At the time, Weiner, 57, was under a separate investigation for sending salacious texts to a 15-year-old girl, as first reported by DailyMail.com.

Clinton said the FBI's decision to reopen the investigation was the reason she lost to Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, speaking at George Washington University, Abedin said: 'I carried the guilt of her loss for a very long time.'

She also wrote in her book: ''Anthony,' I said, wanting to shake him through the phone, 'if she loses this election, it will be because of you and me'.'

Comey made waves when he announced he was reopening his investigation into Clinton's use of email as Secretary of State, a politically divisive issue, just 11 days before she was set to face Trump at the polls.

Comey was accused by Democrats, including Clinton, of tipping the scale for Trump.

'And the thing that really got to me about that experience is the year before, when I had heard that the FBI was starting this investigation, I had not heard from anybody about any information that I had volunteered,' Abedin said Monday.

'I had reached out to say, 'Can I be helpful?' I didn't understand why nobody tried to reach me. So, yes, I will carry that to my grave.'

In 2019, Comey said that reopening the investigation was the 'least terrible option,' and suggested that not doing so would have been 'lying' to Congress and the public.

Abedin has known Clinton since she was a student at George Washington University, when she worked as an intern in 1996 for the then-First Lady.

Abedin and Clinton spoke together on Thursday at 92nd Street Y in New York and the former colleagues appeared in good spirits

On Wednesday, speaking at George Washington University, Abedin said: 'I carried the guilt of her loss for a very long time' (pictured together with moderator Samantha Barry)

She then served an aide to Clinton during her successful run for the U.S. Senate in 2000, before moving up to the role of Clinton's deputy chief of staff in 2009, a position that she held throughout her boss's years as Secretary of State in the first term of the Obama administration.

She continued to ascend through the ranks up until being named as chief of staff ahead of the 2016 presidential election, by which point she was considered one of - if not the - closest staffer to the wife of former President Bill Clinton.

Weiner had been a Congressman from New York when he met Abedin in 2007, but just one year after they were married, he was forced to resign in disgrace after a photo of himself in his boxer briefs was posted on his personal Twitter account.

He then tried to run for mayor of New York, but as he was leading in the polls, explicit text messages he sent to a young woman surfaced and he was once again caught up in a sex scandal.

Abedin stood by his side and defended him in a now infamous press conference - apparently against the advise of Clinton.

'Everyone was calling me and saying - people who loved me - were calling and saying 'Don't do this,'' she recounted to CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell in an interview on Sunday.

'I think if I had talked to Hillary or my mother or anybody in my family, they would've advised me against doing it,' Abedin said.

But, she told O'Donnell: 'I didn't take their calls.'

Abedin's new book chronicles her life growing up as an American raised in a Muslim society in Saudi Arabia, her time working with the Clintons, and her marriage and eventual separation to Weiner.

She revealed this week she is in the 'final stages' of her divorce who still lives 'very nearby' in her building,

She and Weiner sought therapy after he was released from prison as they adjusted to co-parenting their son Jordan, nine.

Former FBI Director James Comey restarted a probe into Clinton's private email server controversy after agents found emails that Abedin had forwarded to Weiner to print

Clinton said the FBI's decision to reopen the investigation was the reason she lost to Donald Trump

The couple separated in 2016 and filed for divorce but later withdrew that filing. When asked if they were getting divorced, she confirmed they were.

'We are in the final stages of our divorce,' she told The Cut. 'Lawyers are doing their lawyer thing.'

Abedin wrote in her memoir that while she knew her marriage to Weiner was over, 'my relationship with my child's father is not, and never will be.'

She explained to O'Donnell: 'I think for most of my adult life, certainly in the last 25 years that I've been in public service or the public eye, I have been the invisible person behind the primary people in my life.

'But what I realize [now] is that if you don't tell your story, somebody else is writing your history.'

When asked to comment on her new book by the New York Post, Weiner praised his estranged wife.

Abedin stood by Weiner's side and defended him in a now infamous press conference - apparently against the advise of Clinton

'Huma is a remarkable woman who has written a truly amazing book,' he told the Post.

'This is a time for her to tell her story. It is both riveting and ultimately uplifting.'

Abedin and Weiner, 57, are not officially divorced, though they are separated.

When asked about their relationship as it currently stands, Abedin says: 'We are good.'

'He is my co-parent, and I learned the full truth, I processed it and moved on,' she continued.

'I wish him well. He, I hope, wishes me well. I think he does.'

When asked if she is still 'angry' at Weiner, the former member of Congress whose budding political career was destroyed by the scandals, she says: 'I can't live in that space anymore.

'I tried that. It almost killed me.'

Abedin and Anthony Weiner were married in an elaborate ceremony in 2010

Three years later, Abedin stood by his side as he faced renewed sexting claims, saying in a now infamous press conference that she forgives him. She told O'Donnell it is something Hillary would have warned her not to do

Abedin, now 45, served as a top aide for Hillary Clinton for 25 years, standing by her side as Clinton became first lady, a United States senator, a Secretary of State and a presidential candidate.

She first met Weiner, then a Congressman from New York, in 2007, revealing in her book that after their first kiss her 'head started spinning and didn't stop.'

But as they were discussing marriage, she said, Weiner told her, 'I'm broken, I need you to fix me.'

That same night, she said, she picked up his Blackberry phone and 'found a text from a woman, a very flirtatious text from a stranger.

'I was shocked,' she told O'Donnell. 'And I showed it to him right away sand said 'What is this? Can you explain this to me?' And he did: He was a public personality and that people communicated with him all the time.'

Abedin said she accepted the answer at the time, and the two got married in a star-studded ceremony at a Long Island mansion, officiated by President Bill Clinton in 2010. At the time, Hillary called the bride the closest thing she had to a second daughter.

But the couple's high-powered political union hit troubled waters the following year.

In May 2011, the same month she found out she was pregnant with their son, Weiner accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public, on his official page.

At first, Weiner told Abedin that it was 'the work of a hacker,' which she believed, then after a week told her what had really happened.

''What's wrong?' I asked,' she wrote.

'And then, just like that, life as I knew it was officially over. 'It's true,' he said. 'I sent the picture...

'I was simultaneously filled with rage and stunned to my core. It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck me and run straight through my body,' she wrote.

Abedin, now 45, served as a top aide for Hillary Clinton for 25 years

She stood by her side as Clinton went from a first lady, a United States senator, a Secretary of State and a presidential candidate

Abedin writes in her book that she had been traveling with Clinton at the time the crotch photo was posted.

She said she went into Clinton's office and sobbed.

'I wanted to tell you myself,' was all I could get out before I burst into tears.

'She walked me over to the window seat, sat with me, rubbing my back, trying to reassure me, telling me over and over again that it was going to be okay. I was crying so loudly that her assistant Claire Coleman closed the door to the outer office...

'After I don't know how long, when I caught my breath, HRC asked, 'Do you still want to go on this trip?'

''I think it's important for me to do my work,' I said, blowing my nose.

''I think it would be good for you to go, too,' she said,' Abedin wrote.

Journalists then began to search for other illicit photos and messages Weiner sent, and by June 6, he held a press conference, confessing that he had sent sexual photos and messages to women online over the course of a few years.

He said at the time he 'deeply' regretted his actions, noting: 'I'm going to try to be a better husband.'

In 2011, Weiner accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public, on his official page

Soon, journalists started looking for other illicit photos and messages Weiner sent

He announced shortly thereafter that he was resigning from Congress

Weiner resigned from Congress just 10 days later.

In 2013, he tried using a New York City mayoral race to mark his comeback and was leading in the polls for a while, but in July, a young woman from Indiana named Sydney Leathers shared explicit photos and messages he sent her using the alias 'Carlos Danger.'

Weiner soon admitted he had never stopped sexting, Buzzfeed reported, and around the same time, a former campaign intern decided to write a tell-all about her experience on the campaign.

At that time, Abedin said her 'world exploded again, in the most unexpected, shocking, humiliating way.

Still, Abedin stood by his side and defended him in a now infamous press conference on July 23, 2013.

She told reporters: 'I have forgiven him, I believe in him... I made that decision.

'That was a decision I made for me, for our son and for my family.'

But it is a decision Abedin now seems to regret, as she told O'Donnell on Sunday: 'I think in part it was a financial decision.

'In part, it was - we moved into a duplex and Anthony took one floor and I took another,' she said. 'And we were very concerned about our son and having a stable, you know, routine for him.'

Soon, though, she found out he was having affairs in the apartment.

'It was that moment that I realized the way I had been handling my response to him was not working.'

Abedin and Weiner, seen here in 2015, are now estranged, but have not officially filed for divorce

In 2016, DailyMail.com revealed that the disgraced congressman had an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl for months and sent her lewd messages and pictures

Text messages from the time show he once told her he woke up 'hard' thinking about her

By 2016, DailyMail.com revealed that he had been sending lewd text messages to a 15-year-old girl that included more explicit photographs.

Weiner seemed to have known that the girl was underage at the time, but sent her bare-chested photos of himself, repeatedly called the girl 'baby,' complimented her body and told her that he woke up 'hard' after thinking about her.

In one particularly lewd message, he told the teenager: 'I would bust that p***y so hard and so often that you would leak and limp for a week.'

He did not deny sending the messages when DailyMail.com approached him about them and said in a statement: 'I have repeatedly demonstrated terrible judgment about the people I have communicated with online and the things I have sent. I am filled with regret and heartbroken for those I have hurt.'

Weiner and Abedin announced they were getting divorced that August, and in 2017, Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in prison for sending obscene material to a minor.

He served 15 months in federal prison in Massachusetts and three more in a Bronx halfway house.

Hillary Clinton, seen in 1998, herself has had to face a sex scandal when her husband, Bill Clinton was president and was accused of having an affair with a 22-year-old intern

Hillary stood by his side as he faced impeachment for lying about the scandal, and has now credited her daughter, Chelsea, with helping keep the family together

Clinton, herself, has experienced life in the public eye during a sex scandal when her husband, former President Bill Clinton had an affair with a 22-year-old White House intern named Monica Lewinsky.

The former president denied having intercourse with Lewinsky, ending a televised speech in January 1998 saying he 'did not have sexual relations with that women.'

But further investigation led to charges of perjury against him, and in 1998 he was impeached by the House of Representatives. He was subsequently acquitted on all impeachment charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in a 21-day trial.

Throughout that time, Hillary stood by his side.

She revealed in a documentary last year: 'I defended and stood by him because I thought the impeachment process was wrong, but that wasn't the necessary answer to what I would do with my marriage.

'It was notto methe same. I still had to decide whether I wanted to stay in the marriage, whether I thought it was worth saving.'

Hillary credited her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, with holding the family together during the difficult time, according to Newsweek.

In one famous photo, in particular, showed the Clinton family as a pillar of strength despite the drama, with Chelsea standing between her parents holding both of their hands. Hillary said this wasn't planned, and it was all Chelsea's idea.

'That was not anything other than her just trying to keep us together,' she explained. 'When she did that, 'Oh my gosh,' I thought, That's just so incredibleso strong and so wise.'

Weiner and Abedin, seen in 2020, are now reportedly on good terms

They serve as co-parents to their son, Jordan. They are pictured here walking him to school one Halloween morning

They were also recently seen shopping together in the East Village

Weiner and Abedin, meanwhile, are reportedly now on good terms, and have not yet finalized their divorce.

On Wednesday the pair was seen shopping together in New York's East Village.

Abedin and Weiner appear to have remained civil despite their pending divorce.

They are said to be committed to co-parenting their only child, Jordan, but have no interest in a romantic reunion.
Scottish Ballet bosses will make changes to The Nutcracker after an anti-racism review found some scenes 'proliferated racial stereotypes'.

The dance company will remove 'elements of caricature' from Arabian and Chinese sequences in The Nutcracker as part of an overhaul of a production first staged 1972.

Changes to characters, costumes and choreography will be made to scenes in The Land of the Sweets in The Nutcracker, which will feature a cast of 40 children.

Act two of the ballet represents different nationalities through the 'dances of the sweets', including Spanish 'Chocolate', Arabian 'Coffee' and Chinese 'Tea'.

Drosselmeyer, the enigmatic toymaker and magician character in the 19th-century ballet, will be played by both male and female performers for the first time in the company's history.

The Nutcracker opens in Edinburgh on December 1 and will be touring Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

The dance company will remove 'elements of caricature' from Arabian and Chinese sequences in The Nutcracker as part of an overhaul of a production first staged 1972. Pictured: Two dancers perform Coffee, the Arabian dance, under the eyes of two ballerinas wearing white tutus sitting behind them. Italy, 2013

Changes to characters, costumes and choreography will be made to scenes in The Land of the Sweets in The Nutcracker. Pictured: Kit Holden and Nathanael Skelton with Laetitia Lo Sardo in the Chinese Dance section of Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov and Vincent Redmon's 'The Nutcracker' at The Birmingham Hippodrome

An official announcement said: 'The Nutcracker is a timeless festive story that has delighted audiences around the world for over a century.

'To ensure it remains relevant today and for the future, we continue to make subtle, but important changes to some of the characters, costumes and choreography.

THE DANCES OF THE SWEETS: CULTURES REPRESENTED IN THE NUTCRACKER Act two of The Nutcracker Ballet represents different nationalities through the 'dances of the sweets'. Foreign delicacies were very rare and people did not travel nearly as much when the ballet was created. Dances performed by the sweets represent delicacies thought to be special enough to feature in the main character Clara's fantasy world. Dancers' costumes depict sweets they bring from overseas. Special dances include Spanish 'Chocolate', featuring lively trumpets and castanets; Arabian 'Coffee', where women dance in veils; and Chinese 'Tea', which involves an exotic Asian flute chorus. In the 'Candy Canes' dance, Russian dolls follow the Mandarin tea dances with a Russin trepak. Advertisement

'The enigmatic Drosselmeyer will, in this tour, be played by both male and female dancers.

'And, following ongoing consultancy, the Chinese and Arabian-inspired divertissements in The Land of Sweets will have updated costumes and choreography to remove elements of caricature and better represent the culture and traditions which have inspired them.'

Last year Scottish Ballet admitted its 50-year history 'includes outdated and racist artistic content'.

An article published on Scottish Ballet's website last year stated: 'Classical ballet and access to elite training has included racism: proliferating racial stereotypes (The Nutcracker and Petrushka are just a couple of examples).

'Through scrutinising our own history, understanding and accepting the ways in which Scottish Ballet has been part of and benefited from institutional and systemic racism, we hope to encourage others to do the same.'

Artistic director Christopher Hampson said: 'We have had the opportunity to redress some of the choreography in The Nutcracker.

'It was created at a time [in 1972] when it was acceptable to imitate cultures and represent them though imitation rather than deep knowledge.

'It's really about representation, knowing we have done our due diligence and that if we're representing a culture, then we're doing it authentically.

'I think the changes will make the production richer.

'Audiences are perhaps more likely to notice a difference in the production on the nights when Drosselmeyer is played by a woman.

'That change has come about after I started to look at who our heroes are in ballets.

'There was nothing in the role that made me think it only a man could deliver it.

'I thought it could just as well be a woman.'

The company previously pledged to ensure better representation of the Gypsy, Romany and Traveller communities in The Snow Queen after it came under fire last year.

It has surveyed all staff, dancers and board members on anti-racism issues and also held anti-racism workshops.
An unvaccinated Uber driver who sparked a Covid outbreak scare has claimed authorities exaggerated how sick the virus made him - despite health officials saying he could barely speak in hospital.

Duran Raman, 36, a self-confessed anti-vaxxer, copped a $4,135 fine for breaching border rules by travelling back to Queensland from Covid-hit Melbourne.

He became so sick with the virus he needed hospital care for two weeks.

After being discharged from Gold Coast University Hospital, Mr Raman claimed his case of the virus 'wasn't that bad'.

Duran Raman, 36, a self-confessed anti-vaxxer, copped a $4,135 fine for breaching the border at Tweed Heads and became so sick with the virus that needed hospital care for two weeks

Mr Raman (pictured) was slapped with a $4,135 fine by Queensland Police for breaching the border

When news broke that Mr Raman had potentially exposed the community to Covid, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said he was 'breathless'.

'He's so breathless he can hardly talk to us and will probably have to go into intensive care,' Dr Young said.

Mr Raman said that wasn't how he remembered his illness.

'I was fine. They were exaggerating it like something stupid.. it wasn't that bad,' Mr Raman told 9News, adding he was not on his 'death bed'.

Mr Raman was rushed to hospital with Covid after breaching Queensland's border restrictions

Sources alleged the infected patient has verbally abused nurses caring for him at Gold Coast University Hospital (pictured)

Hospital sources alleged Raman has been an uncooperative patient who verbally abused nurses.

They also claimed he insisted he 'doesn't really have' Covid-19 and claimed the virus wasn't real, as several hospital sources shared more details about his alleged attempted escape.

The Broadbeach rideshare driver arrived in Queensland on October 10 following a trip to Melbourne but was believed to have been infectious several days prior.

He then tested positive for coronavirus at Robina Hospital on the Gold Coast several days later, bringing an end to the state's 15-day Covid-free streak.

He allegedly checked out of the hospital before the results came back and had to be tracked down at his home by police and health authorities when he could not be contacted.

Police arrived at the Island Beach Resort, where he lives alone, and he was taken to Gold Coast University by an ambulance and placed on oxygen.
Two death row inmates are suing Japan's government over a system notifying prisoners of their execution just hours beforehand, arguing it causes psychological distress.

Japan, where over 100 inmates await execution, is one of the few developed nations that still has the death penalty. Executions are usually implemented long after sentencing, always by hanging.

For decades, authorities have told death row inmates just hours before an execution is carried out.

The two inmates argue the current system is illegal and are calling for prisoners to receive notice in advance.

The suit filed before the Osaka district court Thursday also seeks compensation of 22 million yen ($193,000) for the distress caused by living with uncertainty about their execution date, according to their lawyer.

Two death row inmates are suing Japan's government over a system notifying prisoners of their execution just hours beforehand, arguing it causes psychological distress. Pictured: Halloween knife attack suspect Kyota Hattori, who told Japanese investigators he 'wanted the death penalty' after attacking 18 people on a train

'This tramples on human dignity,' Yutaka Ueda told AFP.

Death row inmates are usually informed just one to two hours prior to their execution and do not have time to see their lawyer or file a complaint, he explained.

He said 'They live in fear, thinking every morning "Maybe today is the day" when they hear the sound of guards' shoes.'

Documents and news archives show that Japan used to give death row inmates more notice, but stopped around 1975.

Japan executed three inmates in 2019 and 15 in 2018  including 13 from the Aum Shinrikyo cult that carried out a fatal 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway.

Blindfolded convicts, usually serial murderers, are led to a spot with their feet bound and hands cuffed before a trap-door opens below them.

The mechanism is triggered by a button in an adjacent room, pressed simultaneously by several officers, with none told which button is 'live'.

Ueda said Japan 'does not disclose a lot of information about capital punishment', which means there is little public discussion.

Public support for capital punishment remains high despite international criticism, including from rights groups.
A convicted sex offender has been accused of being at the centre of two gruesome cult murders in Israel.

Eliezer Berland, 83, was arrested in connection with the murders of Nissim Shitrit and Avi Edri in 1986 and 1990 on Monday.

He is currently serving 18 months for fraud, exploitation, attempted intimidation, tax offences and money laundering.

The notoriously slippery defrocked Rabbi secured a reduced sentence, despite serving 18 months in 2016 for sexual offences  again on a reduced term.

Seven of his Hasidic cult followers were arrested in recent weeks for the murders that occurred more than 30 years ago.

Convicted sex offender Eliezer Berland (pictured at court in Haarlem, Israel, in 2014 before being convicted for sexual offences), 83, has been accused of being at the centre of gruesome cult murders in Israel more than 30 years ago

Nissim Shitrit (left) went missing in 1986 days after he filed a police report claiming to have been abducted and beaten up by Berland's Shuvu Banim cult's 'modesty squads' in Jerusalem. Avi Edri (right) was found dead in a forest north of the city in 1990 after being pummelled to death

Who is cult leader Eliezer Berland and what is Shuvu Banim? Eliezer Berland is a defrocked rabbi and convicted sex offender who led the violent Shuvu Banim cult in Israel for 30 years. The cult terrorised Jerusalem in the 1960s to 1990s, using violence and intimidation to enforce Haridi standards. They are accused of abduction, assault and now murder, targeting those who do not follow the strict Orthodox principles. Berland, now 83, fled the country in 2013 after being accused of sexual offences against female members of the cult and violence towards their husbands. He travelled around the US, Italy, Switzerland and Morocco, where he was exiled by King Mohammed XI. The former Rabbi  who still broadcasts prayers on his website from prison  then hopped from Egypt, to Zimbabwe, then on to South Africa and finally the Netherlands. Berland returned to Israel in 2016, confessing to rape charges. He secured a reduced sentence of 18 months for two counts of 'indecent acts' and one assault. Israeli authorities arrested him again in 2020 and he was convicted of fraud, exploitation, attempted intimidation, tax offences and money laundering. Berland is still serving the 18 months he was charged with for those crimes. Now he has been implicated in the murders of of Nissim Shitrit and Avi Edri in 1986 and 1990. He is under questioning and a judge said there is 'reasonable suspicion that he committed offences'. Judge Elad Lang said: 'He implicated himself and provided a detailed version of events.' Advertisement

Ultra-Orthodox Jew Shitrit, 17, disappeared days after filing a police report claiming to have been abducted and attacked by Berland's Shuvu Banim cult's 'modesty squads' in Jerusalem.

The vigilante groups set up by Berland were infamous for using violence and intimidation to police Haredi standards in public.

They terrorised orthodox neighbourhoods of Jerusalem for more than 30 years.

Shuvu Banim members were arrested at the time of the abduction but police did not have enough evidence to convict them.

Shitrit said he was accused by the cult of having relationships with multiple girls while a student.

His body was never found but a former Berland-follower said he was dismembered and buried in a forest outside the city, according to Israeli broadcaster Kann News.

Berland's son-in-law Zvi Zucker, a capo of one of the 'modesty squads', allegedly admitted that he knew about the murder.

Meanwhile, Edri, 41, an ultra-Orthodox taxi driver, was pummelled to death four years later, with his body found in Ramot Forest north of Jerusalem.

Shuvu Banim is thought to have suspected him of multiple relationships with married Haredi women.

A documentary in 2020 suggested the group was behind both murders, sparking a fresh police investigation.

Two men  one of whom is accused of being the main kidnapper and murderer  and a woman in their 60s who were former cult members were arrested on October 17.

The woman confessed to being used as 'honey trap' in Edri's murder and potentially Shitrit's as well, according to Israel Hayom.

She said she 'enticed' Shitrit to an apartment in Jerusalem where Berland-followers were waiting.

Three more suspects were arrested two days later, followed by two more after another two days.

Police searched for Shitrit's remains on Wednesday after new evidence came to light following the spate of recent arrests.

His brother Meir told radio network Moreshet that forensics were attempting to find traces of his DNA in 'lumps of earth' in a forrest in Beit Shemesh, 23 miles from Jerusalem.

And an arrested member of the cult  also now in their 60s  reportedly implicated Berland this week.

During questioning, Berland further buried himself, admitting details of both of the cases, according to the Times of Israel.

Judge Elad Lang said: 'There [is] reasonable suspicion that he committed offences. He implicated himself and provided a detailed version of events.'

Vigilante group Shivu Banim was set up by Berland and was infamous for using violence and intimidation to police Haredi standards in public. They terrorised orthodox neighbourhoods of Jerusalem for more than 30 years

Berland returned to Israel in 2016, confessing to rape charges. He fled in 2013 after female members of the cult accused him of sexual offences

Berland fled Israel in 2013 after being accused of sexual offences against female members of the cult and violence towards their husbands.

He travelled around the US, Italy, Switzerland and Morocco, where he was exiled by King Mohammed XI.

The former Rabbi  who still broadcasts prayers on his website from prison  then hopped from Egypt, to Zimbabwe, then on to South Africa and finally the Netherlands.

Berland returned to Israel in 2016, confessing to rape charges.

He secured a reduced sentence of 18 months for two counts of 'indecent acts' and one assault.

Israeli authorities arrested him again in 2020 and he was convicted of fraud, exploitation, attempted intimidation, tax offences and money laundering.
British holidaymakers will face new travel restrictions unless they are triple-jabbed, as Austria and Israel lead the way in tightening Covid entry rules.

Both countries have now placed time limits on the validity of vaccinations to guard against waning immunity.

Austria will categorise travellers as unvaccinated if it has been more than 360 days since their second dose or booster, meaning they must pay for a PCR test to enter.

Israel will even stricter rules, with foreigners barred if the date they are set to leave the country is more than 180 days after their second dose or booster.

A graph showing the number of Covid boost tabs delivered in the UK, as Austria and Israel tightened their entry rules to guard against waning immunity

This could see even triple-jabbed Britons being excluded, although an exception applies to anyone who has recovered from Covid within the last six months and can produce a certificate showing they have antibodies.

Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, expects more countries to join Austria and Israel's lead.

'It's likely countries will continue to ensure we are fully jabbed,' he told the Telegraph.

'By fully jabbed that means being up to date. We are seeing countries starting to align.'

Today saw a boost for Britain's Covid booster vaccine drive, with experts saying it is going quick enough to keep winter cases under control.

Labour has again urged the Government to 'turbo charge' the NHS programme to 500,000 doses a day  nearly double the current average rate  to avoid hospitals becoming overrun this winter.

Doctor Abhi Mantgani administers a Covid-19 vaccine booster to Joanne Coombs in Birkenhead

And Health Secretary Sajid Javid  who has already warned Christmas curbs may be on the cards if uptake does not pick up  has repeatedly urged all eligible adults to come forward for their third jab.

But despite a slow start to the rollout beset by bureaucratic hurdles and slow uptake, NHS medics and volunteers are now dishing out an average of 1.9million booster doses every week in the UK  up from around 1.2million in the first week of October.

Unusually optimistic models by SAGE advisers predicted cases and hospitalisations will fall naturally this winter even without implementing the Government's 'Plan B' if 1.3million boosters are dished out a week.

And independent experts told MailOnline today said the current pace of the rollout should be enough to keep the virus at bay.

Professor David Livermore, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the rollout is likely to reach the majority of the country's most vulnerable adults by early December at the current pace.

He added: 'Any suggestion that we should move to Plan B owing to the 'slow' rollout should be robustly resisted.'

At the current rate of 1.9million boosters a week, 23million people will have had their booster shot by Christmas Day  nearly three quarters of all 32million eligible adults.

But officials have also warned against complacency, urging Brits to book their booster jabs as soon as possible to ensure the rollout stays on track.

Professor Livermore told MailOnline: 'Around seven to eight million of the circa 12 to 13million [currently] eligible for boosters in the UK have received them. I don't see reason to be overly concerned.

'Scotland and Wales are essentially already in Plan B, with continued mask mandates and with Covid passports for nightclubs and events. Yet their Covid rates are no different from England, which lacks these restrictions.'

He added: 'This strongly suggests that Plan B amounts to inconveniencing people for no useful effect.'

Booster jabs are currently available to everyone over the age of 50, vulnerable adults and NHS and care workers who had their second dose at least six months ago.

Cases have already begun falling across the UK and remain low in older age groups. If the trend continues, experts expect hospitalisations and deaths to follow in the next two weeks.
Cleo Smith and her family should head straight to a 'special holiday place' to help them heal from her traumatising 18-day abduction, according to a top child psychologist.

The four-year-old's disappearance captivated the nation after she vanished from her tent at a campsite in Carnarvon, north-west Western Australia on October 16.

The little girl was miraculously discovered in a locked and run-down house on Wednesday, with 36-year-old Terence Darrell Kelly now behind bars and charged with her abduction.

Concerns though are growing for Cleo's mental wellbeing as her family face increased public scrutiny and Kelly's case goes through the court system.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg on Friday said her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon would likely want to 'shield' her from much of the outside world in the coming days and months.

Concerns for Cleo's welfare grow as she and her family face increased public scrutiny and her alleged abductor Terence Darrell Kelly's case goes through the court system

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said Cleo Smith and her family needed to head straight to their 'special place' to begin healing from her traumatic 18-day abduction

Dr Carr-Gregg said the family need to shield themselves from media scrutiny to help recover from the shocking ordeal. Cleo is pictured with her mother Ellie after her rescue

'Recovery takes time so I would hope they would be able to shield not only themselves but of course Cleo,' Dr Carr-Gregg told The Project.

He said Cleo must return to a normal routine 'as soon as possible' to help her recover from her ordeal.

Dr Carr-Gregg also suggested the family head to somewhere they have fond memories of to heal in privacy together, away from the public eye.

'If there was a special holiday place they'd normally go to I'd be making a beeline to it,' he said.

Police are still trying to piece together what happened to the four-year-old girl during her mysterious 18-day abduction, allegedly at the hands of Kelly.

Acting off a tip police broke down a locked door at Tonkin Crescent in the Carnarvon suburb of Brockman, where they found Cleo in a well-lit room playing with toys.

Kelly is accused of kidnapping the little girl and allegedly keeping her in his room full of Bratz dolls.

He was transferred from his padded cell in Carnarvon, shackled and bare-foot, to a Western Australia Police plane under heavy guard on Friday morning.

Cleo's mother Ellie Smith and step-father Jake Gliddon issued an emotional statement asking for privacy on Friday while thanking the community and police

WA police located Cleo inside Terence Darrell Kelly's locked and rundown house after an 18-day search on Wednesday. Kelly is pictured being taken onto a plane under heavy police guard on Friday

Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, (pictured) has been charged over Cleo Smith's alleged abduction

Before stepping onto the police guarded plane he appeared to wink at photographers.

At least four special operations officers escorted him onto the waiting plane, which is expected to fly him directly to Perth where he will wait in a maximum security prison until his next court appearance in December.

As Cleo's family recovers from the exhausting ordeal they issued an emotional statement on Friday evening asking the public to respect their privacy.

Her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon thanked police and acknowledged the 'love and support' they received from across Australia.

Cleo Smith (pictured) and her family are now trying to recover from a traumatising 18-day ordeal

The heartwarming statement added Cleo's parents are 'so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms'.

'We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the rescue of our daughter Cleo Smith,' the couple said.

'In particular, we would like to thank WA Police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends.

'We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.

'We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.

'As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.'
A drink driver who downed 10 pints on the first day pubs opened after lockdown and killed a 19-year-old student while travelling at 'motorway speeds' in a 20mph zone has been jailed.

David Turner, 31, drove 'like a maniac' in his 30,000 Audi S3, reaching speeds of 72mph and revving his engine 'like a racing car driver' in Kirkham, Lancashire when he hit a pedestrian.

He and friends had admitted July 4 - the first day pubs re-opened after lockdown last summer - was seen as an 'opportunity to get wasted'.

Gabriel Isaac Fields, 19 and a student at the University of Salford, died instantly when Turner mounted the pavement and ploughed into the teenager.

Turner was jailed for ten years after he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Passengers in Turner's car compared his driving that evening to 'a white knuckle ride' and admitted no-one would have stood a chance if there had been a crash.

David Turner, 31, drove 'like a maniac' in his 36,000 Audi S3, reaching speeds of 72mph and revving his engine 'like a racing car driver' in Kirkham, Lancashire when he hit a pedestrian

Gabriel Isaac Fields (pictured), 19 and a student at the University of Salford, died instantly when Turner mounted the pavement and ploughed into the teenager

Bob Elias, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court Turner was socialising with friends on July 4 last year - the first day pubs reopened after lockdown,

Giving evidence one of the group, Courtney Patton, said: 'This was our first opportunity to let our hair down and it was our opportunity to get wasted.'

At around 6pm Turner and his wife needed to leave to see their babysitter. Ms Patton also went with them as she wanted to buy cigarettes.

But Ms Patton said: 'This small journey was the worst car journey I have ever had.'

She described Turner as driving so fast his wife screamed at him to slow down and said no one would have stood a chance in a collision.

Ms Patton said: 'It was like a white knuckle ride.'

The group returned to the pub, but at around 10pm an argument broke out between Ms Patton and another friend, Elizabeth Newton, so Turner offered to take Ms Newton home.

Shortly before 10pm Mr Fields was walking along Station Road, Kirkham, to buy snacks from the Co-op where he also worked part-time.

Around the same time, Turner sped away from the carpark of The Swan Hotel on Poulton Street with his wheels spinning in the gravel.

As Turner turned onto Station Road he lost control of the vehicle and mounted the pavement, hitting Mr Fields before colliding with a bench and a tree.

Emergency services were on the scene within minutes, but Mr Fields could not be saved.

The psychology student suffered catastrophic injuries and died instantly. All four passengers in Turner's vehicle were also injured in the crash, the court heard.

Accident investigators later concluded the Audi was driving up to 70mph before it collided with the kerb.

Mr Elias said: 'This accident was not the result of momentary inattention of the defendant. He was an accident waiting to happen.

'Throughout the afternoon he had driven at excessive speeds and bullied traffic.

'Passersby had noticed and commented on his driving. His aggressive driving meant a car crash was inevitable.

'That he killed Gabriel Fields turns that into a complete tragedy.'

The aftermath of the crash in which David Turner killed 19-year-old student Gabriel Fields

In a moving victim impact statement, Mr Fields' mother, Jacqueline Blache-Rostron, paid tribute to her 'kind and caring son.'She said he dreamed of visiting the USA and was proud of his US citizenship.

Ms Blache-Rostron said: 'My last words to my son were: 'Have fun, be careful, see you in a bit,' only I never got to see him again and he never got to see me again.'

She described hearing the sirens and worrying where her son was.

Ms Blache-Rostron said: 'My heart stopped and my stomach was turning - I was already watching the clock wondering where Gabe was because he always kept in touch with me.'

She described the moment her husband Adam, who had gone out to look for Mr Fields, phoned her.

Ms Blache-Rostron said: 'This is when my life fell apart.'

She described her son as a loving brother, son and stepson, who never had the chance to complete his degree, get married or have children.

Sentencing, Judge Heather Lloyd told Turner: 'You decided to drive in a temper, aggressively, and with alcohol in your body and at levels of speed which were more appropriate to motorway driving.

'This is an area you knew well, these were roads you knew well.

'Had you not been drunk, angry and driving on alcohol, had you been fully in control, it is likely you would not have come off the road and killed Gabriel.

'He had only popped out to get snacks and his family will have to for the rest of their lives with the consequences of your criminal and selfish behaviour.

'You put your own needs and a reckless desire to drive while unfit before the safety of others.

'Your passengers were injured and so were you.

'Although Elizabeth Newton gave no thought as to whether you were fit to drive, your passengers must have realised what state you were likely to be in and chose to get in the car with you.

'By doing so they all arguably encouraged you to get in the car when they should have not got in the car with you and encouraged you not to drive.'

Ms Newton also suffered serious injuries in the collision, including a shattered pelvis and is still recovering from her physical and mental injuries, the court heard.

When interviewed by police, Turner gave no comment and refused to give consent for a blood sample, taken while he was unconscious at the scene, to be sent for analysis.

Russell Davies, mitigating, said Turner had a wife and family who would be affected by his imprisonment.

But Judge Lloyd said: 'You [Turner] did not care about the risks you were taking for yourself or any other innocent person.

'You will eventually be able to rebuild your life. Your children will be able to see their father again.

'Gabriel's family will never have that opportunity.'

Turner will also be banned from driving for five years upon his release from prison, and must sit an extended re-test.

Speaking after the case, Sgt Finn Quainton, of Lancashire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'Gabriel's death was totally unnecessary.

'It happened because of David Turner's complete disregard for the drink-driving laws and because he drove so selfishly fast that he lost control of the car.

'Gabriel Fields had no alcohol in his system and was innocently walking on the pavement'.

'David Turner was in fact an accident waiting to happen. Through that afternoon Turner had driven at excessive speed and bullied traffic.

'His aggressive driving meant a car crash was, in fact, inevitable. That he killed Gabriel Fields turned that into a tragedy'.

'My thoughts today remain with all of Gabriel's loved ones and I hope that today's sentence can bring them at least some comfort.'

Ms Blache-Rostron added: 'It is very difficult to put into words the impact of losing a child. Gabe was a kind, gentle, smart and funny young man.

'Nothing, and I mean nothing, can prepare you for the devastation and emptiness you feel when you are told that your child, someone that you gave birth to, are meant to protect, who you would do anything for, who you love more than anything else in this world, that they will never come home.

'You will never see him again, you will never hug him again, you will never tell him that you love him again and you will never tell him how proud you are of him. All because of the actions of that man.'
The number of protest movements around the world has tripled in the last 15 years, with most taking to the streets against failed political systems, a study has found.

Looking at demonstrations between 2006 and 2020, researchers found that every region in the world saw an increase, with some of the largest ever protest movements being recorded.

These included the 2020 farmers' protests in India, the 2019 protests against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Yellow-vest protests in France and the on-going Black Lives Matter protests that began in 2013.

The number of protest movements around the world has tripled in the last 15 years, with most taking to the streets against failed political system, a new study has found. Pictured: A man faces off against police officers in Washington DC during Black Lives Matter protests last year

The study, titled 'World Protests: A Study of Key Protest Issues in the 21st Century,' was conducted by a team of researchers by German think tank Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) along with a non-profit organisation from Columbia University.

It looked at more than 900 protest movements across 101 countries and territories, with its authors concluding that the world is seeing historically large protests.

The study - released on Thursday - likened the present to the years around 1848, 1917 and 1968, 'when large numbers of people rebelled against the way things were, demanding change,' the authors wrote.

India saw the largest ever protest movement, according to the study, with 250 million people joining the strike against the government's plan to liberalise farming.

Another Indian protest in 2013 - a strike over rising prices and low wages - saw 100 million people involved in the movement, the second largest recorded.

A global in 2017 that saw protesters calling to regulate social media giants and rallying against citizen surveillance saw the involvement of 87 million people, while the Black Lives Matter movement is believed to have had 82 million people involved.

Authors of the study highlighted one particular reason behind the increase in protests: democratic failure.

Of the protest events they recorded, researchers found 64 percent were prompted by a perceived failure of political systems of representation.

In terms of what protesters were demanding at the events, around 28 percent of the protests were calling for what the authors call 'real democracy' - the most of any demand found in the research.

Other popular demands were related to inequality, corruption and a lack of action over climate change, but the study's authors said that in general, lawmakers do not respond adequately to the demands.

Protesters - some holding yellow umbrellas - take part in a protest against the proposed extradition law on April 28, 2019 in Hong Kong, China

'Too many leaders in government and business are not listening,' said Sara Burke, senior expert on global economic policy at the FES and an author on the study.

'The vast majority of protests around the world advance reasonable demands already agreed upon by most governments.

'People protest for good jobs, a clean planet for future generations, and a meaningful say in the decisions that affect their quality of life,' she said.

The trend relating to the number of protest movements worldwide is clear in the research. In 2006, just 73 protest movements were recorded by the study.

By 2020, there were 251 protest movements recorded - representing even more than were seen in 2008 following the financial crash or the Arab Spring in 2011.

Europe and Asia have seen the greatest increase in the number of protest movements, and while the number was higher in high-income countries that lower-income ones, there was a rise in protests across all regions and income levels.

The study reported protest movements across different years as separate 'protest events', recording more than 2,809.

The authors make it clear that their research looks at 'movements' rather than individual protests - meaning there were not 2,809 individual protests.

Yellow vest (gilets jaunes) protesters gather for a demonstration in Paris, France on December 7, 2019. The Yellow Vest movement began in 2018 by demanding economic justice, and later political reforms

Demonstrators gesture during a protest against the newly passed farm bills at Singhu border near New Delhi, India, December 10, 2020

For example, other studies have suggested that there were over 12,000 Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 alone.

The study also showed that protests mean different things to different people.

The release of the report comes as huge climate change protests are scheduled - particularly in Glasgow, Scotland - where Cop26 climate summit is being held during which world leaders hope to strike agreements on how to tackle the climate crisis.

But some European leaders, particularly in France, are concerned that the cost of moving away from fossil fuels to help the environment could spark backlash from protesters such as the 'yellow vest' or Gilets Jaunes movement in France.

The release also coincides with on-going investigations in the US over the January 6 insurrection that saw participants in a 'stop the steal' protest that featured then-President Donald Trump go on to storm Washington's Capitol building.

The event, which captured global attention, was a result of participant's concerns - fuelled by conspiracy theories largely spread over various forms of social media and perpetuated by Trump - over democratic representation in America.

It has been contrasted with the Black Lives Matter protests that began in 2013 but were galvanised by the death of George Floyd's - a black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis - in May last year.

The movements behind the two groups in the US are seen as being on opposite ends of the spectrum ideologically, but are both expressing dissatisfaction with the government and the status quo.

An image of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is burnt during a protests demanding his resignation, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 2, 2021

Researchers found there was also a significant increase in protests demanding racial justice, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. However, there was also a growing number of movements focused on denying the rights of others.

As examples, the authors pointed towards Germany's far-right 'Pegida' movement, as well as anti-Chinese movements in Kyrgyzstan and the 'Yellow Vest' movement.

The authors also noted that while most protests - like the Capitol insurrection in the US - were peaceful, there has been a steady increase in violence between 2006 to 2020 - with just over one-fifth of recorded protests involving some kind of crowd violence, vandalism or looting.

Arrests were recorded In almost half of the protests recorded in the study, and a little over a quarter reported some form of police violence.

The study also identified the most popular forms of protest, with marches making up 61.3 percent, closely followed by protest assemblies and civil disobedience.

One of they key take-aways from the study is perhaps the need for leaders to take protests more seriously, with just roughly 42 of protests in the study being judged as 'successful', although that measure varied from region to region.

Thousands of hours of work went into the study, with researchers from a variety of organisations collecting information 'by-hand' on different protests.

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021

Meanwhile, the Google-backed Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone scraped news articles for data.

The study's authors acknowledged that their work was inherently political, with Burke saying: 'There are no neutral numbers in protests.'

She admitted that some of the figures - such as crowd sizes - can be vague and left open to interpretation, with researchers only able to rely on whats reported.

We can only study what we can see and what we can see is increasingly impacted by where and who we are,' Burke added.

She also acknowledged that what defines demands - such as 'real democracy' - can be open to interpretation. In the case of the January 2021 riots, which were out of the study's time frame - she said that would have been classified in the study as a demonstration for 'real democracy' but also as a protest to deny rights.
Kirill Zhalo, 35, was found lifeless on the pavement outside the Russian embassy in Berlin on October 19

A suspected spy with family ties to Russia's shadowy FSB has been found dead outside the country's embassy in Berlin.

Kirill Zhalo, 35, was found lifeless outside the building in central Berlin at 7.20am on October 19 by German guards assigned to protect it. Medics were called but were unable to revive him.

Zhalo appears to have fallen to his death from the upper floor of the building, German newspaper Der Spiegel said, as it broke news of the death today.

But no official cause of death has been given because the embassy refused an autopsy and German prosecutors have no powers to investigate because of Zhalo's diplomatic status.

Zhalo's body was repatriated to Russia the following day.

The Russian embassy has acknowledged Zhalo's death since the news became public, describing it as a 'tragic accident' and saying it will not comment further for 'ethical reasons.'

'All the procedures related to repatriating the diplomat's body back to the homeland were promptly settled with responsible German law-enforcement and medical authorities in accordance with current practices,' the embassy said in a statement.

It added that 'speculations which have appeared in a number of Western media' over the diplomat's death are 'absolutely incorrect'.

Guards found Zhalo's body outside the building (file image) at 7.20am and called medics, who were unable to revive him

Germany's foreign ministry also confirmed the death today, but said it cannot give more information due to 'privacy reasons'.

Zhalo was identified by investigative websites Bellingcat and The Insider, which said he is the son of prominent FSB officer Lieutenant General Alexei Zhalo.

Zhalo Sr is head of the FSB's Office for the Protection of the Constitutional System, the sites said, which has been implicated in numerous assassination plots including the failed poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Lieutenant General Alexei Zhalo, a senior member of the FSB (pictured), is believed to be Kirill's father

The office was also linked to the failed poisoning of writer Dmitry Bykov in Russia 2019, and two failed poisonings of politician and writer Vladimir Kara-Murza in 2015 and 2017, also in Russia.

Zhalo Sr is also deputy director of the FSB's Second Service, Bellingcat reported, which was linked to the 2019 assassination of Georgian asylum seeker and former Chechen rebel commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili.

Khangoshvili was shot twice in the head in Berlin's Kleiner Tiergarten park as he went for a run down a wooded track on 23 August.

Zhao Jr had served as Third Secretary to Russia's permanent representation to the United Nations in Vienna, and was based there from at least 2013 until 2019.

He then moved to Berlin in June 2019, two months before Khangoshvili was killed.

Zhalo Jr was officially working in Berlin as a diplomat, but German security services suspect he was actually an undercover spy.

Public records show the two Zhalos were previously registered at the same address in Moscow, and before that in Rostov-on-Don where the family hails from.

Google's data shows that Zhalo Jr was removed from the diplomatic list of the German Foreign Ministry between November 1 and 4, two weeks after he died.

There is no evidence that Zhalo Jr was involved in the planning or execution of Khangoshvili's murder.

No official cause of death has been given because the embassy, in central Berlin, refused an autopsy and German prosecutors have no authority to investigate

Another man, Vadim Krasikov, is currently in jail in Berlin accused of state-mandated murder over the shooting.

Evidence suggests Krasikov was in contact with FSB operatives in the run-up to Khangoshvili's death and may have received weapons training from them.

Among the FSB operatives that Krasikov is alleged to have met are agents with links to Zhalo Sr, though there is no evidence the two men met directly.

It is not the first time someone has fallen to their deaths from the Berlin embassy.

In 2003, a porter was found dead having apparently fallen from the window of his apartment building within the grounds.

It is also just the latest in a spate of deaths of Russians who have mysteriously fallen from buildings after criticising the government or local officials.

At least four doctors have mysteriously plunged from hospital windows during the Covid pandemic, some of them after criticising authorities for failing to provide enough support for patients.

The latest to die was dentist Darya Khorovskaya, 35, who fell to her death from the ninth floor of a Covid ward in St Petersburg last month.

It came four days after her mother - Professor Lina Khorovskaya, an expert in diagnostics - had died from Covid.

Father Oleg Khorovsky, 58, the head of a leading private dental hospital, had also died of the virus in September.
Advertisement

Britain's Covid outbreak is no longer the worst in Western Europe, according to official data that shows infections are beginning to soar across the continent.

Cases spiked in the UK when schools went back in September, which led to the country being branded Europe's coronavirus capital by advocates of the Government's 'Plan B' strategy.

Many scientists, including No10's own, argued that the UK was only recording higher case, hospital and death rates because it is testing far more than other EU nations.

But latest statistics show Austria, Belgium and Ireland have all overtaken Britain in Western Europe's infections league table. This is despite all three countries having a mix of tougher restrictions, including face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports.

And Germany today reported its highest ever daily infection toll, prompting the country's health minister to warn the fourth wave has hit the country with 'full force'. The World Health Organization warned Europe is 'back at the epicentre' of the pandemic.

Britain led the way with Covid vaccinations at the start of the year and was months ahead of the rest of the EU, which many scientists believe led to immunity waning quicker here and left the country vulnerable to another uptick in cases.

Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, argued the rise across Europe showed vaccine protection was now starting to falter there too.

The roll-out of booster jabs and the natural immunity built up following the back-to-back school wave should see Britain's infections continue to slump over the coming weeks, he said.

Despite having no Covid restrictions in place nationwide, the UK has dropped to the sixth most-infectious country in Western Europe. Austria, Belgium and Ireland are recording up to 17 per cent more cases, despite having a mix of mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and Covid passports in place

Despite falling in the infection rate rankings, the UK still has one of the highest daily death rate. Yesterday, the UK recorded 2.5 Covid deaths per million people, compared to 1.6 in Austria, Belgium and Ireland. Deaths lag a few weeks behind case numbers, due to the time it takes someone to become seriously unwell with the virus after they get infected

The UK dropped to the sixth most-infectious country in Western Europe yesterday, with Austria, Denmark and Ireland all recording more cases. However, Austria is also carrying out the most Covid tests in Western Europe - around 37 tested per 1,000 people each day - while the UK is conducting around 12 daily testers per 1,000 people. This means Austria is picking up more cases than the UK, where a higher proportion will be slipping under the radar. But Belgium (six per 1,000 people) and Ireland (4 per 1,000 people) - which are also recording higher infection rates than the UK - are testing up to two-thirds less than the UK

He said: 'The virus is running out of people to infect who have not already had the infection recently.'

And he claimed Britain's booster vaccine roll-out, which has faced criticism for being slow, should keep infections at bay in vulnerable, older groups.

Professor Hunter said: 'Cases are already dropping quite considerably in the over-80s, who have had most of the booster doses, so I'm, I'm moderately optimistic.'

Daily testing data from Our World in Data  an Oxford University-based research platform which complies national statistics  shows the UK yesterday dropped to fourth place in Western Europe, after holding the top spot for four months.

More proof England's Covid outbreak has 'peaked': Mass-testing survey reveals cases plateaued last week... but one in 50 people were still infected on any day England's third Covid wave may have already peaked, more official data suggested today as a swathe of statistics now point to a slowing epidemic. The Office for National Statistics' (ONS) weekly surveillance report estimated 1.1million people were infected with the virus at any time in the week to October 30  the equivalent of one in 50. This was approximately the same as the previous seven-day spell, bringing an end to nearly three months of rising cases which began in August. Experts say the levelling off suggests the latest wave of Covid triggered by the return of schoolchildren has 'likely' come to a natural peak, due to a combination of vaccine immunity and previous infection. But the ONS data still suggests the outbreak is still as big as it was at the peak of the second wave in January and the weekly total is the third highest ever recorded, even though deaths are just a fraction of levels seen during the darkest days of the crisis. Covid cases were falling among under-16s and dipped slightly among 35 to 49-year-olds but remained static in all other age groups including the booster-eligible over-60s, according to the mass-testing survey. Meanwhile, Government advisers today said the R rate has fallen for the first time since millions of pupils returned to school in September. The UK Health Security Agency now estimates the rate stands at between 0.9 and 1.1 but caution that it reflects the situation three weeks ago, rather than now. It comes after separate data from the UK's largest symptom-tracking study yesterday reported a fall in cases for the first time in weeks, in another sign cases may have peaked. Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist behind the survey, said the country is probably over the 'last great peak of Covid' for the year, but encouraged mask-wearing and social distancing to be safe. Advertisement

The UK yesterday recorded 37,269 positive tests  equivalent to 574 people per million.

Cases had been rising in the UK over the summer but the rates have been falling across the four home nations for 11 out of the last 12 days, despite the Government resisting plans to bring in measures such as mandatory face masks and work from home guidance.

Meanwhile, rates are on the rise in much of Europe, including in Austria, Belgium and Ireland, as well as in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Iceland.

Immunity is thought to be lower among the countries, which have had lower infection levels throughout the pandemic.

In Austria, where people must wear high-grade FFP2 masks on public transport and essential shops, 674 people per million tested positive yesterday 17 per cent higher than the UK cases.

The country also requires unvaccinated people to wear the masks in all shops and museums. And everyone must show proof of vaccination or a negative test before entering almost all indoor settings and some outdoor spaces.

However, Austria is also carrying out the most Covid tests in Western Europe  around 37 tested per 1,000 people each day  while the UK is conducting around 12 daily testers per 1,000 people.

This means Austria is picking up more cases than the UK, where a higher proportion will be slipping under the radar.

But Belgium (six per 1,000 people) and Ireland (4 per 1,000 people)  which are also recording higher infection rates than the UK  are testing up to two-thirds less than the UK.

Belgium recorded 634 cases per million yesterday  a figure 10 per cent higher than the UK.

It requires people to wear a face mask on public transport and in shops, work from home guidance is in place.

Those in the country must show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter all hospitality and fitness venues, as well as at events with more than 200 people indoors or more than 400 people outdoors.

And Ireland has capped the number of households that can meet indoors to three for vaccinated families, while unvaccinated people are only able to meet indoors with one vaccinated household at once.

And face coverings are mandatory in shops, while people have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to attend cinemas and theatres at full capacity.

But despite the measures 580 people per million tested positive yesterday  one per cent more than the UK rates.

The surge has prompted countries including France and Germany to dish out booster jabs in an attempt to limit infections.

It follows criticism from European leaders and pessimistic scientists in recent weeks over the UK's lack of restrictions and high case numbers  which peaked last month at a level 30 per cent lower than infections seen at the height of the second wave.

But Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped design the AstraZeneca vaccine, last week said it is unfair to 'bash' Britain for its high case numbers because it tests up to 10 times more people than other European countries.

Nearly all Covid restrictions were lifted across the UK in July as part of so-called Freedom Day, bringing an end to social distancing and mandatory masks.

Covid infections have been trending downwards over the last 12 days - apart from on Monday due to a data problem one week earlier. Some 37,269 infections were recorded yesterday, a drop of 6.5 per cent in a week

The Office for National Statistics estimated that some 1.1million people in England had Covid at any point last week. This is the same as the previous seven-day spell, but the levelling off suggests the outbreak has peaked because fewer people infected with the virus are passing it on to others  either due to self-isolation or immunity from jabs or previous infection

The experts behind the ZOE Covid Study  which is based on reports from around 750,000 weekly contributors and more than 40,000 swabs  calculated there were 88,592 daily symptomatic Covid cases across the UK, based on data from 42,359 positive PCR and lateral flow tests taken between October 16 and 30. Around a third of cases (26,928) are among double-jabbed Brits, up from 26,928 last week, the study found.

However, companies such as Transport for London require Britons to wear face covering when using their services and masks must be worn in healthcare settings.

The Government faced calls in recent weeks from medics, scientists and Labour to bring back masks and work from home guidance  it's 'Plan B' measures to suppress the virus this winter  amid rising cases.

But the Health Secretary said he did not believe the NHS was facing unsustainable pressure  the measure No10 is using to determine whether to bring the restrictions back.

Is THIS why Delta is so infectious? Scientists find little-known mutation NOT on spike protein makes it ten times better at replicating in cells A mutation on the Delta variant that has flown under the radar may explain why it is more than twice as infectious as previous strains. Scientists tracking the Covid mutant have until now focused their attentions on changes to the virus' spike protein, which it uses to infect cells. It was presumed these alterations made it easier for Delta to spread between people and harder for their immune systems to recognise and defend against. Now researchers believe an inconspicuous mutation that alters the virus' structural body might have played a key role in the strain becoming world-dominant. Their study found R203M  which is unique to Delta  allows the virus to inject up to 10 times more of its genetic code into host cells than older versions of the virus. When Covid enters the body, it programs healthy cells to release more viral particles which in turn infect more cells, thus helping it multiply. Experts told MailOnline the breakthrough may explain why people infected with Delta have a much higher viral load than those with earlier versions of the virus. Advertisement

Instead, the Government is focusing on booster jabs to the over-50s, NHS staff and vulnerable people, as well as jabbing 12 to 15-year-olds, to keep the virus at bay over the coming months.

And the downward trend in cases over the last 12 days  apart from on Monday due to a data problem one week earlier  led one of the country's top epidemiologists to claim cases have peaked in the UK for 2021.

However, England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam warned there are 'hard months to come' in the UK this winter and warned the pandemic 'is not over'.

Some scientists have called for restrictions in the UK to bring down infection levels, to limit pressures on health services, bring down Covid death numbers and avoid a lockdown.

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi said last month that the UK's high case numbers came after the country 'abandoned all caution', which shows measures should be lifted gradually.

Ministers have so far been reassured by scientific modelling, which last month showed daily cases could drop to 5,000 without any extra restrictions.

But Professor Van-Tam this week urged the nation to behave responsibly and emphasised the importance of face masks  but did not outright call for their enforced return in public spaces.

Addressing the nation in a Q&A, he told BBC Breakfast: 'Too many people believe that this pandemic is now over. I personally feel there are some hard months to come in the winter and it is not over.

'Christmas and indeed all of the darker winter months are potentially going to be problematic.'

Asked about how another festive lockdown can be prevented, he said it depended on 'how cautious we are' and the UK's vaccination drives. He urged people to come forward for their booster and flu jabs when invited.

It comes as the ONS today estimated 1.1million people were infected with the virus at any time in the week to October 30  the equivalent of one in 50.

This was approximately the same as the previous seven-day spell, bringing an end to nearly three months of rising cases which began in August.

Experts say the levelling off suggests the latest wave of Covid triggered by the return of schoolchildren has 'likely' come to a natural peak, due to a combination of vaccine immunity and previous infection.

But the ONS data still suggests the outbreak is still as big as it was at the peak of the second wave in January and the weekly total is the third highest ever recorded, even though deaths are just a fraction of levels seen during the darkest days of the crisis.


Republican Sen. Josh Hawley on Thursday accused the Pentagon of preparing U.S. armed forces for culture wars rather than real wars after their humiliating 'defeat' against British Royal Marines in a training exercise.

U.S. forces had to ask for a 'reset' halfway through the five-day mock battle in the Mojave Desert as they took heavy simulated losses.

It comes with the Pentagon already under intense scrutiny, following the hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban takeover.

And this week the US Navy fired a nuclear submarine's commanding Officer, executive Officer and chief of the boat for after their vessel collided with an 'uncharted seamount' in the South China Sea.

Hawley said competitors such as China would be baffled by the U.S. approach.

'They're probably wondering why it is that people like General Milley and Secretary Austin spend so much time recommending books on white rage, on critical race theory and are not more focused on warfighting,' he told the 'Ingraham Angle' on Fox News.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sparked fury earlier this year when he said he wanted to understand 'white rage' and why thousands of people attacked the U.S. Capitol Building in January.

During the same House hearing, the country's first Black secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, also defended the military's efforts to address racism and extremism.

Hawley said Pentagon leadership should let warfighters do what they are best at.

Sen. Josh Hawley (l) accused the Pentagon and Gen. Mark Milley (r) of pushing a woke agenda that left warfighters ill=equipped for war as he reacted to U.S. defeat to U.K. in war games

Royal Marines 'dominated' US forces just days into a training exercise after eliminating nearly their whole unit. Pictured: A Royal Marines commando training in exercise Green Dagger at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California

The Marines' 'kill board', which assesses damage done to enemy assets, had a tick against nearly all American assets at one point, meaning it had been rendered inoperable or destroyed

'I mean, here's my view, Lord, we've got the best soldiers, airmen, Marines in the entire world,' he said.

'Our soldiers are amazing warfighters. Let them fight,' he said.

'Train them to fight. Let them do what they do best and stop using the military as a giant social experiment, which is what the left seems to want.'

Republicans have kept a steady stream of accusations that the Pentagon is following a 'woke' agenda.

Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led by Jim Inhofe, wrote to Gen. Milley this week expressing their 'grave concern.'

'The world is a more dangerous place than ever in our lifetime...Yet today, efforts to recruit, train, and equip a ready and lethal force often appear to take a back seat to the Department of Defenses Climate Adaptation Plan, Countering Extremism Working Group, and discussions of critical race theory,' they wrote.

'Although the actual costs associated with each of these undertakings is certainly cause for concern, the opportunity cost they have and continue to visit on the force, its readiness, and morale appears nothing short of devastatingparticularly in light of current threats.'

Earlier this week, it emerged that U.S. forces had suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of British Royal Marines.

British forces took part in a five-day mock battle at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in southern California, one of the largest military training areas in the world, and achieved a decisive victory against their American counterparts.

The Royal Marines, along with allied forces from Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE, destroyed or rendered inoperable nearly every US asset and finished the exercise holding more than 65 per cent of the training area, after beginning with less than 20 per cent.

Combatants used paintball-style training ammunition, which fires with reduced pressure and velocity, along with hi-tech simulators for heavier firepower like artillery, and live ammo on expansive ranges.

Seeing no opportunity for victory, American combatants asked for the exercise to be 'reset' halfway through the five-day exercise, having taken significant casualties from British commandos.

Exercise Green Dagger is designed to test the US Marine Corps prior to units deploying overseas, covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain

A comparison of Britain's Royal Marines and the United States Marine Corps, who faced off in the training exercise

Royal Marines, alongside allies from the Netherlands, Canada and the UAE, defeated the US Marine Corps in a training exercise

Combatants used training ammunition, which fires with reduced pressure and velocity, along with hi-tech simulators for heavier firepower like artillery, and live ammo on expansive ranges

Royal Marines using the 'Viking' transport during the exercise Green Dagger in southern California, where they defeated US forces

Pictured: US Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion alongside Royal Marines with Armoured Support Group Royal Marines 3 Troop, during Exercise Green Dagger at Twentynine Palms

Royal Marines are seen during exercise Green Dagger at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, California

British forces were trialing the new Littoral Response Group (LRG) structure, which will be the new template for commandos - who are to become more flexible and mobile under reforms directed by First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. LRGs are Royal Navy task groups centred on commando forces set up to respond to world events

The exercise includes urban settings where actors, who are not following a script, play civilians who can choose to help or hinder the military forces

The Royal Marines trained with counterparts from the US, Canada, UAE and the Netherlands in the weeks before the main exercise

British forces, along with allies from Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE, won a decisive victory against US forces in a training exercise

British artillery units helped achieve victory by concentrated on eliminating enemy vehicles and opposing artillery

By the end of the exercise, the Royal Marines held more than 65 per cent of the training area, having begun with less than 20 per cent

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled

ROYAL MARINES: A HISTORY OF VICTORY 1664: As the Second Dutch War broke out, a special regiment of 1,200 men were trained for the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot - the Royal Navy's earliest form of raiding force and the foundation of today's Royal Marines. 1704: Six Royal Marrines regiments are raised for the War of Spanish Succession, fighting with a brigade of soldiers who attacked Gibraltar and held its fortress while under constant siege from the enemy. 1805: At the Battle of Trafalgar, Lord Nelson defeated French and Spanish troops off Cape Trafalgar on October 21 with Royal Marines making up more than 10% of his force. One officer, Second Lieutenant Roteley, described the scene as being 'like a hailstorm of bullets passing over our heads on the poop, where we had forty Marines with small arms'. 1915: The Ottoman Empire entered World War I in 1915, and the Royal Marines were part of the force tasked with opening the Dardanelles in the Gallipoli Campaign. Two battleships brought Marine detachments who accomplished their tasks and re-embarked. 1918: On St George's Day, 1918, British naval forces launched a raid on Zeebrugge to deny German U-boats, based in Bruges, access to the English Channel. A force of Royal Marines landed along the Zeebrugge Mole and destroyed German guns, leading to three ships being sunk, blocking the canal. 1942: Winston Churchill, trying to find a way to more effectively fight Hitler with fewer resources, ordered the creation of the commandos - highly-trained personnel who would go on to play crucial roles in the Arakan campaign, the Allied landings in Sicily and the 1944 invasion of Normandy. 1982: Royal Marines played an active role throughout Britain's defence of the Falkland Islands from Argentinian invasion. Towards the end of the crisis, M Coy Gp landed from a small task group to reclaim Southern Thule in the South Sandwich Islands. 2001: The Royal Marines are at the vanguard of the British war effort in Afghanistan, mounting a 13-year-long counter-insurgency campaign. 2003: 40 Commando is deployed to north west Iraq, secures initial targets and advances towards Basra, facing heavy fire for three days before taking over Saddam Hussein's palace. Just hours later, commandos were distributing crucial humanitarian aid in the country. 2017: After Hurricane IRMA in September 2017, personnel from 3 Commando took part in an international relief operation in the Caribbean. More than 400 men and women deployed in 72 hours, helping to repair 22 schools and five hospitals, and distribute 30 tons of food and 60,000 litres of water. Advertisement

A U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson, disputed any suggestion that British troops won.

'"Winners" are never determined,' Capt. Zachary Colvin, the communications and strategy director with the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, told Military Times in a statement.

'This exercise does not provide an opportunity to "surrender," "keep score," or "reset."

'The objective of the exercise is to heighten unit performance and increase readiness.'

Even so, it follows other embarrassments.

Some 11 crew members were injured at the start of October when the nuclear powered submarine USS Connecticut hit a seamount - a mountain rising from the ocean floor.

An investigation concluded the collision could have been avoided with 'sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning.'

That will reinforce Republican accusations that readiness is suffering, along with the result in the Mojava desert.

Troops from they UK's 3 Commando Brigade and Taunton-based 40 Commando had spent the last two months in the Mojave Desert preparing for deployments next year.

Their time in the US culminated with the five-day simulated conflict Green Dagger, which is designed to test the US Marine Corps prior to units deploying overseas.

The mock battlefield covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain, including urban settings where actors, who are not following a script, play civilians who can choose to help or hinder the military forces.

The Royal Marines trained with counterparts from the US, Canada, UAE and the Netherlands in the weeks before the main exercise.

The British forces achieved their victory by targeting the American headquarters and equipment, severely hampering the ability of US combatants to launch counter-attacks.

Artillery units also concentrated on eliminating vehicles and opposing artillery.

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled.

British forces were trialling the new Littoral Response Group (LRG) structure, which will be the new template for commandos - who are to become more flexible and mobile under reforms directed by First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

LRGs are Royal Navy task groups centred around commando forces and set up to respond to world events.

Following the restructuring of the Marines, Nato's northern and Baltic flanks will be covered by the UK-based LRG (North).

LRG (South), built around Taunton-based 40 Commando, will be based around Oman's port of Duqm, operating with a focus on British military activity in the Indo-Pacific.

Each LRG will be capable of working with the carrier strike group to assemble an expeditionary strike force which can operate anywhere in the world.

The exercise focused around three urban sprawls which were defended by allied forces, the largest of which consisting of 1,200 buildings purpose built for military testing.

The Marines won decisive battles early on and gained ground from their enemy, but amid a US Marines counter-attack, commandos carried out raids behind enemy lines.

The exercise concluded with a last-minute assault by US forces, which was repelled.

'Our success has proved the new commando force concept is more lethal and sophisticated than ever before and I am immensely proud of every member of the LRG and their vital contributions,' said Lieutenant Colonel Andy Dow, Commanding Officer of 40 Commando.

'Operating alongside our partners from the USA, Netherlands, Canada and the UAE gives us a fantastic opportunity to test, integrate and continue to push our capabilities in new and innovative directions.

'Throughout this deployment our focus has been on integrating game-changing capabilities from across the commando force to deliver disproportional effect in the face of a free-thinking peer adversary.'

Royal Marines 'dominated' US forces just days into a training exercise after eliminating nearly their whole unit

American combatants asked for a 'reset' halfway through a five-day simulated war exercise at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California, having taken significant casualties from British commandos using a new battle structure

A mortar position is pictured during the five-day simulated war exercise at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California

Following the restructuring of the Marines, Nato's northern and Baltic flanks will be covered by the UK-based LRG (North). LRG (South), built around Taunton-based 40 Commando, will be based afloat around Oman's port of Duqm, operating with a focus on British military activity in the Indo-Pacific. Each LRG will be capable of working with the carrier strike group to assemble an expeditionary strike force which can operate anywhere in the world

Exercise Green Dagger covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain

Royal Marines brought a decisive defeat of the American combatants, who asked for a 'reset' halfway through the five-day simulated war exercise in the Mojave Desert

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has described his emergency back surgery ordeal in leaked remarks to his production staff, saying the 'intense' experience with powerful prescription painkillers, including fentanyl, had given him a new understanding of the opioid crisis.

Carlson made the remarks on Wednesday in a private speech to his crew, hours after undergoing emergency back surgery to correct an issue that left him in excruciating pain, according to a tape of the remarks reported by Vice News.

Carlson went on to film Wednesday's show just hours after the surgery, as he had on Monday and Tuesday to cover election results despite the excruciating pain, but took Thursday night off to recuperate, with Jesse Watters filling in.

The conservative pundit apparently suffered an undisclosed injury on Monday that prompted him to seek treatment and get the emergency surgery on Wednesday morning, calling it 'one of the most traumatic things that's ever happened to me in my whole life, ever,' in the leaked remarks to his staff.

Carlson, an avowed teetotaler, said that even high doses of prescription opioids dilaudid and fentanyl failed to ease the pain, but said that his experience with the powerful drugs gave him a new appreciation for their ability to 'extinguish the spirit within you'.

Carlson is seen on Wednesday's show, hours after undergoing emergency surgery. He said in leaked remarks the ordeal gave him a new understanding of the opioid crisis

It's unclear what triggered the need for the surgery, but Carlson is believed to have suffered from serious back pain for several weeks before things took a turn for the worse early this week.

After his Election Day show on Tuesday, his executive producer rushed him to a hospital in Florida, where he underwent the surgery the next day before returning to the airwaves later Wednesday night, according to Page Six.

A Fox News spokesperson told Vice on Thursday: 'Tucker Carlson had emergency back surgery yesterday and did the show anyway. He thanks all those who tuned in and watched closely.'

'That was one of the most intense experiences of my life,' Carlson said of the ordeal in the leaked remarks to his staff, according to Vice.

'They hit me up, they told me this morning, with such a huge dose of dilaudid, which is more powerful than morphine, when I got there, that I had trouble breathing,' he said.

'Scared the s**t out of me. Didn't have any effect at all. And then all night, I lay there, the nurse finally upped my dosage of dilaudid to the point where every eight minutes I hit it and it was like getting shot. Just like bam, feel it hit me, and it didn't touch the pain,' continued Carlson.

Carlson said even the powerful opioid fentanyl did not cure his pain, but said that he noticed how the drug sapped his spirit and drained his sense of dignity

'I didn't sleep literally one second last night, and I was on so many fucking drugs,' he said. 'It was just like, more drugs, more drugs. I didn't know that there was untreatable pain.'

'They gave me fentanyl this morning, that did not cure itthey gave me intravenous fentanyl,' he said.

Carlson said the agonizing pain only ended when he went under general anesthesia for the surgery.

'And they gave me all kinds of other s**t. I was like, 'Fine, go for it.' And then it only ended when they gave me propofol, and I went out. Then I woke up and I was like, I felt totally fine. I haven't taken a single Advil,' he said following the surgery.

Carlson said he will never take opioids again if possible, describing how the drugs sapped his spirit.

'I had this spirit of fear within me, which I don't have,' he said. 'I'm not bragging, I don't have it. And I think you can feel it. I don't have it, I think that's why I'm successful, cause I'm just not afraid. I felt afraid just of like life or something. It's interesting,' he said.

It's unclear what triggered the need for the surgery, but Carlson is believed to have suffered from serious back pain for several weeks before an emergency this week

'It was super deep. And I just haven't had those feelings since I was in a plane crash 20 years ago this month. I've never had those feelings. I'm always like 'Yeah I'm gonna die, I don't care.' And I mean it. But last night I was like, 'Oh s**t.' Fearjust like anxiety. People who have anxiety, that's what I felt. And it was from those drugs,' he said.

'They extinguish the spirit within you. And they make you feel like you're running away. You're hiding. It's so fucking deep. I'm lying in bed filthy with dog toys on my pillow, and it doesn't bother me. And I'm not that way. Like I am a f***ingin real life, I wash the sheets every day. I'm that guy. I shower every day,' he continued.

'I just thought that was the most interesting f***ing thing that had ever happened to me. It wasn't even that I survived it, it wasn't even about me, it was about what it does to people. It was just like so f***ing interesting,' said Carlson.

'It explains so much of what we see around us. Just the lack of dignity. And that weird drive you have to be like, 'That's not in the right order, it should be this way. You know?' It inculcates this not caring.'

When reached, a Fox News spokeswoman referred DailyMail.com to the statement the network provided to Vice.
Advertisement

There was anger and confusion Capitol Hill Friday as House Democratic leaders frantically tried to come up with a way to vote on Joe Biden's $3 trillion agenda that the president said he wants passed 'now.'

Speaker Nancy Pelosi frantically worked the phones on Friday morning to line up votes to try and pass both of the spending bills with moderate Democrats still concerned over the details and the final cost.

As leaders struggled to come up with a way forward, the House held the longest vote in modern history with a more-than-seven-hour roll-call on a Republican motion to adjourn (originally slated for 15 minutes).

Leadership will often hold open a vote while they twist arms to get lawmakers to vote their way.

The House chamber started voting on a motion to adjourn at 8:12 a.m. on Friday. At 3:17 p.m. the vote was gaveled to a close.

Pelosi, a master vote counter, had various factions of the Democratic Party in and out of her office as she whips her members into a compromise. Her ornate office in the Capitol building overlooks the National Mall and White House, where President Biden earlier urged Democrats to vote for his plans.

'I'm asking every member of the House of Representatives to vote yes on both these bills right now,' Biden said during a speech on the October jobs report. 'Send the infrastructure bill to my desk. Send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate.'

He then said he would answer more questions when both bills had moved forward and didn't respond to shouts from reporters before leaving for Colin Powell's funeral and ahead of a planned weekend at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.

A possible way forward began to materalize - only to see the liberal wing of the party reject the idea.

The Congressional Black Caucus, which wants to move forward with the votes, is leading the charge to hold a final vote on Biden's infrastruture plan, which would send it to the president for his signature.

Then they proposed voting on the 'rule' for Biden's $1.75 trillion social safety net package. The 'rule' is the first step in the legislative process. The bill would still require a final vote, which could be held further down the line, giving moderates time to read the more than 2,000 pages of bill text and get more details on its cost.

But, at the same time, techinically voting on both would give Biden a win.

'We're going to go and vote on the bipartisan infrastructure, and we're going to vote, then, on the rule,' CBC Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty told reporters on Capitol Hill after a meeting with Pelosi. She said a vote on the Build Back Better Act itself is 'forthcoming.'

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who sets the vote schedule, announced just that - a final vote on infrastructure and then the rule vote on Build Back Better. The schedule update made no mention of a final vote on Build Back Better.

Pelosi touted the compromise as a win: 'The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework rule and debate have already happened. Now, we will bring to the Floor the BIF and a rule for consideration of the Build Back Better Act,' she wrote in a note to lawmakers.

'In order to make progress on the Presidents vision it is important that we advance the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and the Build Back Better Act today,' she told them, adding 'the agenda that we are advancing is transformative and historic, hence challenging.'

Progressives, however, threw cold water on the idea, sticking to their position they want a final vote on both bills.

'If our six colleagues still want to wait for a CBO score, we would agree to give them that time  after which point we can vote on both bills together,' Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the House Progressive Caucus, said in a statement. Without liberal support a vote on both bills could be delayed til later November.

Some moderate Democrats are demanding a 'score' from the Congressional Budget Office on Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill. The nonpartisan agency scores legislation that has an affect on government spending and the deficit. Moderates worry that the actual cost of the bill is higher than the $1.75 trillion figure.

They are threatening not to vote for Biden's social program without that score  which could take up to two weeks to produce as analysts go through the more than 2,000 pages of legislation to tally its costs.

Pelosi is expressing confidence she can hold two votes even if she doesn't bring the Build Back Better bill to final passage. The speaker worked the House floor on Thursday, speaking to lawmaker after lawmaker to take temperatures and get a vote count, telling reporters she was confident that both of Biden's bills - his infrastructure plan and his package of social safety net programs - would pass.

'We're going to pass both bills,' she said. She arrived at the Capitol Friday morning still working the phones to try and garner support for the packages that include an investment in roads and bridges, four-week paid family and medical leave, monthly payments to families with children and universal pre-K.

But moderates expressed concern about the $1.75trillion price tag of Biden's social agenda and some argued they needed time to read the text of the more than 2,000 page bill, which was finalized on Thursday.

Republicans are also expected to try and delay the vote in the House for as long as possible, arguing the details and the true cost of the bill are still unclear and with some calling it a 'reckless' spending spree.

The Senate approved the $1 trillion infrastructure plan in August. If the House passes it on Friday, it will go to the president for his signature, giving Biden a victory lap after weeks of intra-party drama.

But his Build Back Better social program, if it passes the House, still needs to be approved by the Senate. It's unclear if moderate Senators Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema will vote for it. In the 50-50 Senate, Biden needs every Democratic vote.

Biden made personal calls on Thursday to House Democrats, as did Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, the New York Times reported as party leadership scrambles to wrap this up before the weekend.

The president did wake up on Friday to some good news after the Labor Department revealed 531,000 jobs had been added in October, beating expectations from economists.

'I'm asking every member of the House of Representatives to vote yes on both these bills right now,' Biden said during a speech on the October jobs report. 'Send the infrastructure bill to my desk. Send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate.' He didn't take questions from the press and said he would answer more when both votes had moved forward

Nancy Pelosi arrived at the Capitol on Friday morning with her phone in hand to try and get the support needed to pass President Joe Biden's social spending plans

The president is scheduled to leave for his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, on Friday afternoon after a week where he returned from his Europe trip and dealt with the fallout from the disastrous Tuesday elections

Nancy Pelosi has insisted the bills are going to be passed with negotiations still underway with members of her party

Thursday was a day of frantic deal making as Democratic leadership tried to get the moderate and liberal wings of the party in line. Progressives finally fell in line. They were refusing to support the infrastructure bill without assurances on the social safety net legislation. But on Thursday evening they were ready to vote.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, the vote counter of the nearly 100-member strong House Progressive Caucus, said their membership was on board.

'We do have the votes,' she said.

In the closely-held Democratic House, Speaker Pelosi can only afford to lose three votes.

Biden had wanted his Build Back Better plan agreed last week, before he left for a meeting of G20 leaders and a U.N. climate conference without a deal on the legislation.

Instead, he arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, with a series of bold climate promises but uncertain whether they would get through Congress.

An affirmative vote before the end of the Glasgow summit on November 12 would bolster the credibility of Biden's pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

With a 221-213 majority in the House of Representatives and a united Republican opposition, Democrats need near unanimity to pass legislation.

Half the size of Biden's initial $3.5 trillion package, the now sprawling 2,135-page bill has won over most of the progressive Democratic lawmakers, even though it is smaller than they wanted. But the chamber's more centrist and fiscally conservative Democrats continued to mount objections.

Overall the package remains more far-reaching than any other in decades. Republicans are fully opposed to Biden's bill.

The big package would provide large numbers of Americans with assistance to pay for health care, raising children and caring for elderly people at home.

There would be lower prescription drug costs, limiting the price of insulin to $35 a dose, and Medicare for the first time would be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for prices of some other drugs, a long-sought Democratic priority.

Medicare would have a new hearing aid benefit for older Americans, and those with Medicare Part D would see their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs capped at $2,000.

The package would provide some $555 billion in tax breaks encouraging cleaner energy and electric vehicles, the nation's largest commitment to tackling climate change.

With a flurry of late adjustments, the Democrats added key provisions in recent days - adding back a new paid family leave program, work permits for immigrants and changes to state and local tax deductions.

Much of package's cost would be covered with higher taxes on wealthier Americans, those earning more than $400,000 a year, and a 5% surtax would be added on those making over $10 million annually. Large corporations would face a new 15% minimum tax in an effort to stop big businesses from claiming so many deductions that they end up paying zero in taxes.

Democrats have been working to resolve their differences, particularly with holdout Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who forced cutbacks to Biden's bill but championed the slimmer infrastructure package that had stalled amid deliberations.

What's in, and what's out: The social welfare and climate initiatives included in Biden's huge spending package President Joe Biden's now plan to boost social and education programs as well as protect against global warming continues to be fine-tuned by Democrats in Congress with a new goal of completing work before Thanksgiving. The updated plan includes universal preschool, funding to limit child care costs and a one-year continuation of a child tax credit that was expanded earlier this year and applied to more families. But Democrats are scaling back some investments and shortening the timeframe for funding to whittle down spending. Some proposals have been dropped entirely. Here's what's in the package, based on summaries provided by the White House and the House. TAX BREAKS - An expanded child tax credit would continue for another year. As part of a COVID relief bill, Democrats increased the tax credit to $3,000 per child ages 6-17 and $3,600 per child 5 and under. Households earning up to $150,000 per year get the credit paid to them on a monthly basis. Budget hawks worry that a one-year extension is a budgetary tool that will lower the cost of the program on paper, but mask its true costs since lawmakers tend to continue programs rather than let them expire. - The expanded Earned Income Tax Credit that goes to 17 million childless, low-wage workers would continue for one year. EDUCATION - Universal prekindergarten would be established for all 3- and 4-year-olds and child-care subsidies would be provided for poorer and middle-income Americans. But the programs are funded only for six years. - $40 billion would be provided for higher education and workforce development. This includes raising the size of Pell Grants and providing funding for historically black colleges and universities as well as institutions that largely serve Hispanic students or tribal communities. HEALTH CARE - Medicare would be expanded to cover hearing aids, costing an estimated $35 billion over 10 years. - Expanded tax credits for insurance premiums tied to the Affordable Care Act would be extended through 2025. The White House says that would help 3 million uninsured people gain coverage. - $150 billion for a Medicaid program that supports home health care, helping to clear a backlog and improving working conditions. - $90 billion for investments that would include funding maternal health, community violence initiatives, disadvantaged farmers, nutrition and pandemic preparation. - Out-of-pocket Medicare Part D costs for older Americans would be capped at $2,000 and the price of insulin reduced to no more than $35 a dose. - A Medicare drug negotiation program would be established. Each year, the secretary of Health and Human Services would identify 100 brand-name drugs that lack price competition and from that list negotiate the price of up to 10 drugs in 2025, 15 in 2026 and 2027, and 20 thereafter. Insulin products must also be negotiated. A drug selected for negotiation would continue to be included in the program until competition enters the market. CHILD CARE - Biden's plan says parents earning up to 250% of a states median income should pay no more than 7% of their income on child care. Parents must be working, seeking a job, in school or dealing with a health issue to qualify. HOUSING - $150 billion would be committed toward housing affordability with a goal of building more than 1 million new rental and single-family homes. The goal would be to reduce price pressures by providing rental and down payment assistance. ENVIRONMENT - Clean energy tax credits would receive $320 billion worth of funding. These credits over 10 years would help businesses and homeowners shift to renewable energy sources for electricity, vehicles and manufacturing. - $105 billion would be directed toward investments that would improve communities' ability to withstand extreme weather caused by climate change. The funding would also create a Civilian Climate Corps that focuses on conserving public lands and bolstering community resilience to flooding, drought and other weather emergencies. - $110 billion would help develop new domestic supply chains and develop new solar and battery technologies. Support would also be given to existing steel, cement and aluminum industries. - $20 billion would be allotted for the government to become the buyer of clean energy technologies as part of its procurement process. - $9 billion would be allocated for lead remediation projects, such as the replacement of water lines or the replacement of school drinking water fountains that may contain lead. TAXES - Biden's plan bolsters the IRS to improve collections and close the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid. - A 15% minimum income tax would be applied to large corporations, along with a 1% surcharge on corporate stock buybacks. The U.S. would also be aligned with an agreement reached by more than 100 countries designed to deter multinational companies from stashing profits in low-tax countries. - The bill would create a new surtax on multimillionaires and billionaires and close a provision that allows some wealthy taxpayers to avoid paying the 3.8% Medicare tax on their earnings. - A $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions would be raised to $72,500. Tax analysts say the change would largely benefit high-income households. IMMIGRATION - Those who entered the United States prior to Jan. 2, 2011, and have continuously resided there since would be eligible for renewable parole grants for five years after paying an administrative fee and completing security and background checks. The parole status gives recipients authorization to travel and work in the U.S. and deems them eligible for a Real ID-compliant driver's license or a state identification card. PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE - Eligible workers would receive up to four weeks of paid leave to reimburse them for time taken to care for a new child or other family members or to recover from illness. Biden had initially proposed 12 weeks of paid family leave. WHAT'S OUT OF THE BILL - A proposal to expand Medicare to cover dental and vision care is out because of concerns about the cost. - A proposal to allow for up to two years of free community college is out. Advertisement

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn (left) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., a key moderate, arrive in the House for the vote

Democrats are reeling from a disappointing loss in Virginia this week when a Republican won the governor's office in a state Biden won handily in 2020.

The party is eager to show it can move forward on the president's agenda, and fend off Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections when control of the House and Senate will be on the line.

The nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation issued a report scoring the 'Build Back Better' legislation's tax revenue provisions at $1.48 trillion over the next decade.

Pelosi and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said the committee's analysis did not account for additional revenue from provisions intended to enhance the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection and to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly.

'It's an objective view that it is solidly paid for,' Pelosi told reporters after a meeting of House Democrats on the legislation.

Moody's Analytics analysts said on Thursday the bills would be fully paid for and add jobs, but that implementing them would take 'deft governance.'

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a statement saying the legislation would raise more than $2 trillion, enough to pay for the bill and 'reduce deficits over the long term.'

The tax committee assesses only the tax provisions in legislation. The Congressional Budget Office, another nonpartisan arm of Congress, is expected to provide revenue scores for the IRS and drug-pricing provisions, Democrats said. But a final CBO report is not expected this week.

In a meeting with fellow Democrats on Thursday morning, Pelosi expressed hope for action on both bills this week, a source familiar with her remarks said.

If passed by the House, the social policy legislation would move to the Senate, also narrowly controlled by Democrats, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to enact it before the November 25 Thanksgiving holiday.

The legislation would raise $640 billion from tax increases on high-income individuals and $814 billion from corporate and international tax reforms from 2022 to 2031, the Joint Committee on Taxation said.

Congress faces another pair of critical deadlines in less than a month: Lawmakers set a December 3 deadline to avoid a potentially economically devastating default on the federal government's debt, as well as to avert a politically embarrassing government shutdown.
A rogue helicopter pilot led the NYPD on a chase over the New York skyline after picking up passengers at a vacant Brooklyn lot before flying 46 miles and landing at an airport in central New Jersey.

Witnesses in the residential Brooklyn neighborhood were stunned to see the helicopter touch down on the undeveloped corner lot in Crown Heights and pick up two passengers around 1:30 pm on Thursday.

'It was something else  not something you see every day,' one witness said.

The witness's wife said she watched the helicopter take off and land twice, with someone getting out briefly the second time, the New York Daily News reported.

The illegal helicopter flight took off from the undeveloped lot at the corner of Troy and Carroll Streets, which is bracketed by four-story row houses and surrounded mostly by doctors' offices and butcher shops, as well as a yeshiva and a pole dancing studio.

The unidentified passengers boarded the chopper across the street from a large synagogue in the quickly gentrifying neighborhood before heading off to Lakewood.

An NYPD patrol was alerted by air traffic controllers at JFK airport and followed the chopper to Lakewood Township Municipal Airport, where video shows the cops talking to the pilot.

Police approach an R66 helicopter that landed in Lakewood, New Jersey Thursday after leading the NYPD on a chase following an unauthorized landing to pick up passengers in Crown Heights, Brooklyn

The helicopter led police on a chase 46 miles from the vacant lot to Lakewood Municipal Township Airport in New Jersey

Kevin McKenzie, the on-site manager of Lakewood Municipal Airport, said that the conversation between the pilot and the NYPD was 'cordial'

The parking lot where the illegal landings took place

Footage from The Lakewood Scoop captures the police helicopter landing first and officers then walking over to the other copter as it lands.

The pilot of the chopper, which was an R66 Robinson based in New York, was allowed to take off again after a 'cordial' talk with police, according to Kevin McKenzie, the on-site manager of Lakewood Municipal Airport.

'It was people speaking, and they each went their separate way,' he said. 'That helicopter left, and the police helicopter left, and they went north.'

When asked for comment, the NYPD referred DailyMail.com to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident.

The FAA told DailyMail.com on Friday that the agency is aware of the incident 'and looking into the matter.'

New York law prohibits helicopters from landing on city streets or vacant lots.

NYPD sources said that the pilot told police he didn't know he couldn't do that.

Air traffic controllers at JFK Airport in Queens said that the chopper had permission to be in the area, reports said.

McKenzie was skeptical the pilot didn't know the landing rules.

'Rules and regulations, they drill it in your head. You have to know it when you pass your test,' McKenzie said. 'You break the rules, someone's going to find you.'

The NYPD police helicopter lands in New Jersey before the chopper it was chasing touched down

The helicopter eventually landed in Lakewood, a town in Central New Jersey

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (center), who has spearheaded the city's Congressional delegation's attempts to ban non-essential helicopters over the city, called the landing 'obnoxious and dangerous'

Helicopters have become a political issue in New York, as Congressional lawmakers and Manhattan's borough president have launched a campaign to ban non-essential choppers from flying over the city.

'This is completely obnoxious and dangerous. There should be a full and independent investigation of this incident,' Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer told DailyMail.com on Friday.

'What happened yesterday in Brooklyn is yet another example of how helicopters are treating New York City like a "wild, wild, West." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the FAA need to crack down on risky and unsafe practices by helicopter operators.'

The city has three public-use heliports, all of which are located in Manhattan  at West 30th Street, East 34th Street and Pier 6 on the East River in Lower Manhattan.
An ultra-violent horror film about a young woman who has sex with cars and gets impregnated by a vintage Cadillac which caused Australian audiences to faint in shock is coming to the UK.

Dozens of audience members down under walked out and fell ill at the gory thriller's premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on Thursday.

Titane, by French director Julia Ducournau, tells the story of a young woman who kills without a care and pretends to be a boy despite being pregnant by the vintage car.

According to viewers attending a screening at the Sydney Film Festival, scores left the cinema while as many as 20 fainted.

And British audiences will be able to test their mettle when the horror film comes to UK cinemas on December 31 this year.

Dozens of Australian viewers walked out and fell ill at the Titane's premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on Thursday

Some extremely violent scenes had cinema-goers shielding their eyes at the film's early festival screenings, as sharp intakes of breath alternated with nervous giggles.

The movie still won a long standing ovation at its opening night of Cannes film festival in France though.

Fixated on vehicles, the murderous heroine has sex with a car, becomes pregnant and gives birth to the resulting monster.

The film might have won Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, but it has turned the stomachs of many who watch it.

Titane, by French director Julia Ducournau, tells the story of a young woman who kills without a care and pretends to be a boy despite being pregnant by the vintage car

'15 people walked out of Titane at #SydFilmFest tonight. Missed a great, but strange, movie!' one person tweeted.

Another wrote: 'A friend fainted during TITANE last night and told me that 20 other people did as well - now that's cinema baby!'

Someone else reported: 'Multiple walkouts during Titane, they definitely did not prepare for that lol.'

According to audience members attending a screening at the Sydney Film Festival, scores left the cinema, unable to cope with what they were seeing, while as many as 20 fainted

One more said: '13 people fainted at the Sydney premiere of Titane.'

Acknowledging that some scenes were difficult to watch, Ducournau told reporters that even the goriest bits had narrative meaning. 'I hate gratuitous violence, I really do,' she said.

The film drew some flattering comparisons with 'Crash' by David Cronenberg - another controversial look at driving and eroticism - and 'Blue Velvet' by David Lynch, both of which became instant classics after premiering in Cannes.

The Hollywood Reporter said the movie, which is competing for the Palme d'Or, might herald a 'French-Punk-Queer Wave', while IndieWire said it was 'one of the wildest films ever to screen at Cannes'.

The flick might have won Palme d'Or - the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival - but it has turned the stomachs of many who watch it

But others were not as receptive to it. The Guardian called it a 'car crash' because of its 'sheer silliness and towering pointlessness', French paper Liberation said the storyline was 'pretty much inarticulate' and Switzerland's Le Temps wondered what the film-maker had meant by her 'pretentious' offering.

While some felt let down by the French director - whose cannibalistic debut 'Raw' delighted critics a few years ago - others gave her full marks.

'Ducournau breaks all the rules, to our greatest pleasure,' gushed French magazine Les Inrockuptibles. 'Her furious film is like no other.'

The director herself said she felt 'a lot of anger' while writing the film.

'Trump had just been elected, and the world was not a happy place,' she told AFP in an interview.

'I was very pessimistic about the future and about a society that has no room for fluidity, transformation, for change and inclusiveness,' she said, adding: 'There was also a desire for metal and skin that I can't really explain.'
Advertisement

England's third Covid wave may have already peaked, more official data suggested today as a swathe of statistics pointed to a slowing epidemic.

The Office for National Statistics' (ONS) weekly surveillance report estimated 1.1million people were infected with the virus at any time in the week to October 30  the equivalent of one in 50. This was approximately the same as the previous seven-day spell, bringing an end to nearly three months of rising cases which began in August.

Experts say the levelling off suggests the latest wave of Covid triggered by the return of schoolchildren has 'likely' come to a natural peak, due to a combination of vaccine immunity and previous infection.

But the ONS data suggests the outbreak is still as big as it was at the peak of the second wave in January and the weekly total is the third highest ever recorded, even though deaths are just a fraction of levels seen during the darkest days of the crisis.

Covid cases were falling among under-16s and dipped slightly among 35 to 49-year-olds but remained static in all other age groups including the booster-eligible over-60s, according to the mass-testing survey.

Government advisers today said the R rate has fallen for the first time since millions of pupils returned to school in September. The UK Health Security Agency now estimates the rate stands at between 0.9 and 1.1 but caution that it reflects the situation three weeks ago, rather than now.

It comes after separate data from the UK's largest symptom-tracking study yesterday reported a fall in cases for the first time in weeks, in another sign cases may have peaked. Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist behind the survey, said the country is probably over the 'last great peak of Covid' for the year, but encouraged mask-wearing and social distancing to be safe.

And Britain's daily Covid cases fell again yesterday for the 11th time in 12 days, after a brief blip earlier this week. The Department of Health said there were 37,269 infections recorded, down 6.5 per cent from last Thursday.

Figures also revealed today that Britain is no longer the Covid capital of Europe, with Austria, Belgium and Ireland now all having higher infection rates.

The Office for National Statistics estimated that some 1.1million people in England had Covid at any point last week. This is the same as the previous seven-day spell, but the levelling off suggests the outbreak has peaked because fewer people infected with the virus are passing it on to others  either due to self-isolation or immunity from jabs or previous infection

The ONS estimated that cases are falling among under-16s, and there was a slight drop among those aged 35 to 49, but they remained static in all other age groups

Across England's regions a downturn in infections was suggested in the East of England, North West, South East, East Midlands and London. This is likely linked to dropping infections among younger age groups over half-term

The experts behind the ZOE Covid Study  which is based on reports from around 750,000 weekly contributors and more than 40,000 swabs  calculated there were 88,592 daily symptomatic Covid cases across the UK, based on data from 42,359 positive PCR and lateral flow tests taken between October 16 and 30. Around a third of cases (26,928) are among double-jabbed Brits, up from 26,928 last week, the study found.

 Slide me  Covid infection rates fell in all but 10 per cent of areas in England during the half-term week, data from the UK Health and Security Agency's weekly Flu and Covid Surveillance Report shows

Now Pfizer says it's at-home Covid pill cuts risk of death by up to 90%... Pfizer today claimed its at-home Covid pill cuts the risk of severe illness by nearly 90 per cent, potentially providing the UK with another weapon in its arsenal to combat the pandemic. Its twice-a-day antiviral was shown in clinical trials to slash the risk of hospitalisation or deaths by 87 per cent in vulnerable and elderly patients. The pharmaceutical giant stopped its study of the drug  known as Paxlovid  early due to the 'overwhelming efficacy'. Pfizer's twice-a-day antiviral was shown in clinical trials to slash the risk of hospitalisation or deaths by 87 per cent in vulnerable and elderly patients. It found that 0.8 per cent of those given Pfizer's drug within three days of symptom onset were hospitalised and none had died by 28 days after treatment. For comparison, the hospitalisation rate stood at 7 per cent for the patients given a placebo. There were also seven deaths in the placebo group The findings appear to surpass those seen with Merck's rival pill molnupiravir, which data showed halved the risk of death or hospitalisation. Paxlovid can be taken at home and is a combination of an experimental drug with an older antiviral called ritonavir, already used to treat HIV/AIDS. Pfizer described its findings as a 'game-changer' and now plans to apply for approval from American medical regulators in the coming days. The firm will likely also seek approval in the UK, where the Government has already purchased 250,000 courses. It comes after Britain yesterday became the first country in the world to give Merck's antiviral the green light, paving the way for it to be rolled out on the NHS within the next few weeks. Advertisement

The ONS Covid survey randomly swabs 100,000 Britons every seven days  even if they have no symptoms of the virus  to estimate its prevalence in the country.

It is seen as the gold-standard surveillance project tracking the spread of the virus by ministers.

In Wales, infections plateaued last week after estimates suggested there were 72,700 cases on any given day last week  equivalent to one in 40 being infected. In the previous week it was 77,800.

In Scotland, the ONS suggested cases had fallen from 71,500 to 66,000 cases last week  equivalent to one in 80 having the virus.

But in Northern Ireland cases rose from 23,900 to 27,400  with up to one in 65 now having the virus.

Dr Raghib Ali, an epidemiologist at Cambridge University, said the results were 'broadly as expected', bolstering claims that prevalence peaked in England in the final week of October.

He added that it also confirms infections in schoolchildren were peaking before half-term, saying it offers more evidence that the fall was genuine and not just down to less testing as some experts had speculated.

Professor Jim Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at the University of Oxford, also claimed the data showed prevalence appears to have peaked. He added: 'I would now expect all other things being equal for the prevalence to fall.

'There are other encouraging results the prevalence in teens shows a trend downwards from very high levels. This age group had very alarming levels of infection and this was driving case numbers.

'The combination of vaccine roll out to this age group and the high level of infection, will drive down the numbers of newly infected teens rapidly from this point.'

He added: 'There is no doubt that this Christmas will be transformationally different than last.'

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of East Anglia, said the results provide some 'reassurance that Covid infections in England may have indeed peaked'.

He added: 'The report supports what has been seen in the daily case reports which have been falling for a couple of weeks now.

'Because this report presents prevalence and people often remain positive for more than a week after becoming infected it will always look like data here are falling more slowly than seen in daily case reports which are incidence data.'

However, other scientists urged caution over the results.

Dr Simon Clarke, a cellular microbiologist at the University of Reading, said: 'It is too early to know if this will be the peak of the latest wave of infections or just a temporary week to week reduction.

'The slightly lower numbers overall are likely due to a reduction in cases among children, which may be an impact of the autumn half term school holiday, and the rising numbers of vaccinated teenagers.'

No10's top scientists tracking the R rate  which measures the speed the outbreak is growing at  estimated that it had fallen below one in most regions of the country.

This suggests that fewer people are catching the virus than are currently infected with it.

Only London (1.0 to 1.2) and the South East (1.0 to 1.2) had rates above one, suggesting their outbreak is either static or is growing.

In the South West and East of England the R rate was 0.9 to 1.2. And in the Midlands, North East and North West it was estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1.

Yesterday the ZOE Covid symptom study estimated there were 88,592 daily symptomatic Covid cases across the UK every day in the week to October 30. This was down five per cent on 92,953 from the previous week.

Similar to other studies, they also found infections were falling fastest among children, but levelling off in the other age groups.

Professor Spector said: 'It's great that we're finally seeing cases start to come down, and hopefully we're over the last great peak of Covid in 2021.'

But, in a warning, he added: 'As the temperatures drop and winter comes we're still seeing far too much Covid in the community leading to high long Covid and hospitalisation rates compared to other countries in Western Europe. With high rates of other viral respiratory illnesses too (although no flu yet), there is no room for complacency.'

Despite having no Covid restrictions in place nationwide, the UK has dropped to the fourth most-infectious country in Western Europe. Austria, Belgium and Ireland are recording up to 17 per cent more cases, despite having a mix of mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and Covid passports in place

Despite falling in the infection rate rankings, the UK still has the highest daily death rate. Yesterday, the UK recorded 2.5 Covid deaths per million people, compared to 1.6 in Austria, Belgium and Ireland. Deaths lag a few weeks behind case numbers, due to the time it takes someone to become seriously unwell with the virus after they get infected

The UK dropped to the fourth most-infectious country in Western Europe yesterday, with Austria, Denmark and Ireland all recording more cases. However, Austria is also carrying out the most Covid tests in Western Europe - around 37 tested per 1,000 people each day - while the UK is conducting around 12 daily testers per 1,000 people. This means Austria is picking up more cases than the UK, where a higher proportion will be slipping under the radar. But Belgium (six per 1,000 people) and Ireland (4 per 1,000 people) - which are also recording higher infection rates than the UK - are testing up to two-thirds less than the UK

The UK Health Security Agency  which took over the reigns from Public Health England  also published its weekly surveillance report yesterday.

It showed cases dropped in nine of ten areas of England last week, with the biggest downturn in cases in the South West (down 21 per cent), followed by the South East (16 per cent) and the East of England (13 per cent).

It came as official data today revealed Britain is no longer the Covid capital of Europe.

Cases in the UK spiked when schools went back in September, which led to the country being branded the centre of the continent's outbreak by advocates of the Government's 'Plan B' strategy.

But the latest statistics show Austria, Belgium and Ireland have now all overtaken Britain's infection rate. This is despite them having a mix of tougher restrictions, including face masks, working from home, and jab passports.

Many scientists had argued Britain was recording a higher case, hospital and death rate from the virus because it was testing up to ten times more people than its neighbours.

Experts said the roll out of booster jabs and natural immunity built up from the back-to-school wave should see infections continue to slump over the coming weeks.
Does Boris have to declare the value of his holiday? Boris Johnson might have been burned by his abortive bid to save ally Owen Paterson from lobbying punishment - but he still seems to have the appetite for a battle over other Commons rules. The PM has declared his recent holiday to a luxury villa near Marbella, offered free of charge by the Goldsmith family, solely on the register of ministerial interests. That would seem at odds with his own previous decision to list a 2019 trip to Mustique with now-wife Carrie, where again the accommodation was donated for free, on the Commons register. Downing Street insists that the difference is Lord Goldsmith is a minister, and so the ministerial register is the appropriate place. They argue that it was an 'arrangement in his ministerial capacity, given this was hospitality provided by another minister'. However, the ministerial register is not typically used for listing this kind of interest. Instead it typically features general interests such as the fact that RAF Brize Norton is in Mr Johnson's constituency, and that he is a patron of the Anglo Turkish Society. Conveniently, there is no specific format for declarations on the ministerial register. That means Mr Johnson has not given any estimate for the value of the gift from the Goldsmith family - something he would need to do on the Commons version. No10 was unclear tonight whether it would have felt obliged to list the freebie with parliament if Lord Goldsmith was not a minister. As other members of the Goldsmith family appear to have a stake in the Marbella property, the Commons standards commissioner might consider that they have also made a gift to the PM. Historically premiers have listed similar jaunts on the Commons register. Tony Blair gave details of his stays at Cliff Richard's Barbados villa, saying he had made charitable donations to offset the benefit. Separately, No10 also seems to be relying on a passage in the Commons rules that gifts need not be declared unless they relate to a politician's 'membership of the House or to their parliamentary or political activities'. They pointed to a section of the code which states that MPs do not need to register 'visits wholly unconnected with membership of the House or with the Member's parliamentary or political activities (e.g. family holidays)'. However, if the trip was considered a declarable ministerial interest Mr Johnson might struggle to argue that it was wholly unconnected to political activities. Advertisement

Boris Johnson is facing mounting sleaze fury today after refusing to reveal the value of a free family holiday he was given at the lavish Spanish estate of one of his richest ministers.

Downing Street confirmed this morning that the Johnsons' October stay at the Marbella home of Lord Goldsmith would not be placed on the register of MPs' financial interests, which would require him to say how much it was worth.

The move to keep secret the value of the visit to the Torre Tramores estate, which had a rental value of 25,000 per night, is the Prime Minister's latest confrontation with political transparency watchdogs.

Last night it was revealed he is is facing the threat of a new probe into the opulent revamp of his Downing Street flat by the Commons Standards Commissioner he has attempted to undermine.

The Daily Mail understands that the commissioner will make a decision on whether to launch an inquiry into the funding of the refurbishment as soon as a separate probe being conducted by the Electoral Commission has been completed.

The Prime Minister was forced last night to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on Kathryn Stone.

Cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday suggested the parliamentary standards commissioner's role was untenable in the wake of the row over Owen Paterson.

But she appears to be on firm ground after Mr Johnson's U-turn led to Mr Paterson's resignation as an MP and widespread fury among his backbenchers.

Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points.

The party is now just one point ahead of Labour, after dropping from 39 per cent to 36 per cent in a week, while Keir Starmer has seen a boost to 35 per cent, according to the survey in The Times.

The latest brazen behaviour by Mr Johnson could also fuel an escalating spat with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle over ministers failing to show respect for Parliament.

Sir Lindsay has repeatedly rebuked the government for making announcements in press conferences and interviews instead of coming to the Commons.

In the latest spat yesterday, the Speaker tore into Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for suggesting that standards commissioner Kathryn Hudson should resign.

When registering the stay in the less exacting Register of Ministerial Interests the PM said it was owned by 'the Goldsmiths'.

And his entry in the Lords' register of members interest Lord Goldsmith himself mentions 'land in Andalucia owned by a family trust of which the member is a beneficiary'.

One Commons source told MailOnline that if the villa was owned by the Goldsmith family it could not be treated solely as a gift from Lord Goldsmith - which could torpedo No10's arguments against putting it on the MP register.

'It's the arrogance now,' another Westminster source said. 'Things like this will bring them down. They are spending credit at such a rate. It is absurd.'

Downing Street today claimed that because the Johnsons' holiday in Spain last month was provided by a minister it falls outside the remit of the House of Commons financial probity watchdog.

The holiday was yesterday revealed on the ministerial register of interests as having provided free of charge by Goldsmith, a former MP and friend of Carrie Johnson who was handed a peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his Commons seat in 2019.

The Prime Minister quietly revealed in the latest list of ministerial interests that Lord Goldsmith allowed him, Carrie and Wilfred to stay at his 25,000-per-night estate near Marbella without payment.

A No 10 spokesman today said the holiday provided by 'a longstanding friend' of the PM had been registered correctly.

In the latest register, released yesterday, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths. 'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

Goldsmith is the former MP for Richmond Park - a close friend of the PM's wife - who was elevated to the peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his seat at the 2019 election.

The move allowed the 46-year-old (pictured at Cop26 this week with the Prince of Wales) to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment.

Paterson drops scandal-linked 100,000 consultancy work after quitting Parliament Owen Paterson has dropped the consultancy work that led to the end of his political career after quitting the Commons, he revealed today. The former North Shropshire MP confirmed he was dropping all business interests including work for Randox and Lynn's Country Foods, who between them paid him more than 100,000 per year. It was lobbying efforts on their behalf which led to censure from parliament's standards watchdog and this week's astonishing events which culminated in his downfall. In a tweet today he said he would be 'stepping aside' from his consultancy work following his resignation from the Commons. 'Thank you to the many people who have sent their kind wishes to me and my family this week,' he wrote. 'At this difficult time, I will be stepping aside from my current consultancy work to focus on my family and suicide prevention.' Mr Paterson officially resigned his seat today by being appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. There is no official process for an MP to stand down from the Commons and the Parliament website says that 'unless they die or are expelled they must become disqualified if they wish to retire before the end of a Parliament'. However they can be made ineligible to be an MP under law by taking one of two offices of profit under the Crown - Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds, or Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. The unpaid roles have no responsibilities but the process allows MPs to resign within the law. Advertisement

But an entry on the separate MPs register would require revealing how much the benefit in kind was worth. The Torre Tramores estate, where Mr Johnson, Carrie and their son Wilfred stayed, is available for private rent at a cost of 25,000 per night for a secluded retreat with its own private helipad.

A No 10 spokesman today said the holiday provided by 'a longstanding friend' had been registered correctly.

'The Prime Minister's met the transparency requirements in relation to this, he declared this arrangement in his ministerial capacity, given this was hospitality provided by another minister,' he said.

However, the ministerial code entry says the property was provided by 'the Goldsmiths', not just the minister.

He added that the PM has written to the House of Commons registrar 'to set out' the arrangement. He did not clarify when asked whether the registrar had replied to Mr Johnson's letter, but added: 'As I say, ministerial code declarations fall outside the remit of the House of Commons registrar and Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.'

Labour has demanded a probe into the holiday by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. In a letter last night deputy leader Angela Rayner said: 'Lord Goldsmith was given a peerage and a ministerial job by Mr Johnson. The public could understandably draw the conclusion in this case that the Prime Minister is dishing out cushy jobs to his friends who pay for his luxury holidays.

'We cannot have a situation where Boris Johnson behaves like it's one rule for him and another for everyone else. I would be grateful for your guidance on whether this is a breach of the rules, and whether you will investigate the Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.'

Downing Street has justified its decision by pointing to a section in the Code of Conduct for MPs regarding trips abroad which says that among those that do not need to be declared are 'visits wholly unconnected with membership of the House or with the Member's parliamentary or political activities (e.g. family holidays)'.

The spokesman added that the PM's ministerial standards adviser Lord Geidt had scrutinised the declaration as part of the process.

Asked why the PM's Marbella holiday did not need to be declared on the register of members' interests, the spokesman replied: 'The ministerial code declarations fall outside the remit of the House of Commons register.'

Goldsmith is the former MP for Richmond Park who was elevated to the peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his seat to the Liberal Democrats.

The move allowed the 46-year-old to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment having been given an additional role in a 2020 reshuffle.

The stay at the Torre Tramores in early October sparked fury as Mr Johnson left the UK amid a gas price crisis that struck businesses.

Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points

Boris Johnson could face a THIRD probe over 'Wallpapergate' Boris Johnson is facing the threat of a new probe into the lavish revamp of his Downing Street flat. Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone is set to make a decision on whether to launch an inquiry into the funding of the refurbishment as soon as a separate probe being conducted by the Electoral Commission has been completed. The Commission has handed over its initial findings to Tory party chiefs who now have an opportunity to respond before it is published. Tory donor Lord Brownlow paid an invoice to cover some of the costs for the works, effectively giving Mr Johnson a loan, before the PM eventually settled the bill himself. However, this was not declared until after the Daily Mail published a string of exposes. Eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle was hired to transform the flat with gold wallpaper costing as much as 840 a roll. Lord Geidt, the ministerial standards adviser, earlier this year found Mr Johnson did not breach the ministerial code but acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded'. The Electoral Commission is carrying out a separate investigation into whether donations to the party were properly declared. Advertisement

In the latest register, released yesterday, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths.

'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

But the Liberal Democrat's Wendy Chamberlain said: 'Boris Johnson and the Tories have shown this week they don't have a shred of integrity left.

'The Independent Standards Commissioner should urgently launch an investigation into whether Boris Johnson breached the code of conduct by failing to properly declare his holiday.

'The Tories have shown they can't be trusted to mark their own homework on this issue. They are now the party of sleaze.'

The position adopted by Mr Johnson comes after he registered his previous controversial holiday with the Commons authorities.

Kathryn Stone, the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, castigated the Prime Minister in the summer over a lavish 15,000 Caribbean holiday in 2019 funded by Tory donors.

But he was saved from punishment - which could have included being the first serving premier to be suspended from the Commons, by MPs who overturned her ruling.

The cross-party Standards Committee found the PM had made an 'accurate and complete' declaration about the holiday in December 2019, saying it was a donation from Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross even though the couple did not stay in his villa.

The committee - chaired by Labour MP Chris Bryant - over-ruled Ms Stone after she concluded that Mr Johnson did breach the Code of Conduct for MPs during a 15-month wrangle after initially failing to provide a full explanation, slamming him for 'not showing the accountability required of those in public life'.

The report also suggested that the premier himself did not know exactly how the jaunt was being funded until after he arrived on Mustique and realised he was not staying in Mr Ross's own property.

Boris Johnson, pictured here with his wife Carrie during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall in June, is facing a new sleaze probe into his affairs, this time in relation to the controversial refurbishment of his Downing Street flat

Boris Johnson commissioned eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle whose gold wallpaper can cost as much as 840 a roll. Tory donor Lord Brownlow initially paid an invoice to over some of the costs before the BP settled the bill himself

Tory poll lead plunges FIVE POINTS in the wake of Owen Paterson shambles Boris Johnson is struggling to contain mounting fury on Tory benches today as a poll laid bare the damage inflicted by his bungled effort to save ally Owen Paterson from punishment for lobbying. Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points. The party is now just one point ahead of Labour, after dropping from 39 per cent to 36 per cent in a week, while Keir Starmer has seen a boost to 35 per cent, according to the survey in The Times. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms. Meanwhile, a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the meltdown - which culminated last night when Mr Paterson resigned from the Commons after the PM cut him loose. His exit was made official this morning when he was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead - the traditional way for MPs to quit the House. Advertisement

Meanwhile the Electoral Commission has handed over its initial findings on wallpapergate to Tory party chiefs who now have an opportunity to respond.

Tory donor Lord Brownlow paid an invoice to cover some of the costs for the works, effectively giving Mr Johnson a loan, before the PM eventually settled the bill himself. However, this was not declared until after the Mail published a string of exposes. Eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle was hired to transform the flat with gold wallpaper costing as much as 840 a roll.

Lord Geidt, the ministerial standards adviser, earlier this year found Mr Johnson did not breach the ministerial code but acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded'.

The Electoral Commission is carrying out a separate investigation into whether donations to the party were properly declared.

An inquiry by Miss Stone would be the third probe into the matter if she goes ahead. Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner requested in June that she investigate. Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson's former chief aide, yesterday claimed in a tweet that the Government's bid to change the standards process to spare Mr Paterson from being punished was actually 'a pre-emptive strike by [the] PM on [the] EC (Electoral Commission) and [Miss] Stone'.

But No 10 denied the planned overhaul had been designed to protect Mr Johnson's own interests.

Meanwhile, a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the Owen Paterson standards meltdown - which culminated last night when Mr Paterson resigned from the Commons after the PM cut him loose.

His exit was made official this morning when he was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead - the traditional way for MPs to quit the House.

As well as a wave of anger about Mr Johnson's lack of judgment, many Tories have been pointing the finger at chief whip Mark Spencer, saying he should have realised that the tactic would not 'fly'. One MP told MailOnline that Mr Spencer had not done his job properly.

Tory Chief Whip Mark Spencer (R) is also under fire, with some Tories saying he should resign over the debacle concerning Owen Paterson

'If the PM was told about the extent of disatisfaction then he wouldn't have pushed it,' they said. 'You could tell there was a problem because the whips were literally running around the Commons.'

The premier is said to be 'p****d off' that the crisis has distracted from the progress being made on climate change at the Cop26 conference in Glasgow. Senior MPs said he was also 'livid' about triumphalist interviews by Mr Paterson in which he claimed he would not change anything about his past behaviour.

No10 has been forced to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on commissioner Kathryn Stone - with whom Mr Johnson has clashed repeatedly.

He is still under the threat of inquiry by the watchdog into the funding of his Downing Street flat refurbishment, with a decision due to be taken on whether to go ahead once a separate Electoral Commission investigation.

No10, however, was quick to reject suggestions that the case was linked to attempts to reform the rules over the last few days.

Opposition parties pass on chance to field 'anti-sleaze' candidate against Tories in North Shropshire No single 'anti-sleaze' candidate will be fielded to challenge the Tories to replace Owen Paterson after Labour and the Lib Dems confirmed they would fight the by-election. Casual communications between the opposition parties to field a unity candidate in North Shropshire had taken place, but the move was not considered viable and both parties said on Friday they would fight for the seat. It has been vacated by the former Cabinet minister's resignation following a 24-hour debacle during which Boris Johnson humiliatingly U-turned after attempting to overhaul the disciplinary process to save him from suspension. Mr Paterson, a long-standing friend of the Prime Minister, had been found to have breached Commons rules by lobbying officials and ministers for two companies paying him more than 100,000 a year. The rural constituency is considered ultra-safe for the Tories, with Mr Paterson having held it since 1997, but allegations of sleaze aimed at the Conservatives under the current leadership will likely feature strongly in the contest. A date is yet to be set for the by-election in North Shropshire, where Mr Paterson won 63 per cent of the vote in 2019, beating Labour by nearly 23,000 votes, with the Lib Dems coming a distant third. Advertisement

Vicious blame game erupts after Boris's sleaze U-turn fiasco: Livid Tories target 'out of his depth' chief whip Mark Spencer - but allies insist he had 'total support and approval' from PM who flew back from COP hours before vote

Livid Tories today hammered chief whip Mark Spencer over the Commons sleaze shambles branding him 'out of his depth' and warning his credibility is 'below junk bond status'.

Mr Spencer is facing the wrath of many MPs over the bungled bid to save Owen Paterson from punishment over lobbying, which culminated in an humiliating U-turn and the ex-minister resigning from parliament.

The meltdown is said to have left some MPs in marginal Red Wall seats 'in tears' as they were hit with a barrage of abuse on social media and in their postbags.

However, allies of Mr Spencer have hit back by pointing the finger at Mr Johnson - saying the chief would not have acted without 'total support and approval' from No10.

The backlash has intensified after a poll suggested the Tories have suffered huge damage from the debacle, with their poll lead plunging by five points in a week.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms.

But a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the meltdown. As well as a wave of anger about Mr Johnson's lack of judgment - with criticism that took his eye off the ball amid the COP26 summit - Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg and Mr Spencer are taking flak.

One former minister told MailOnline that Mr Spencer had not done his job properly. 'If the PM was told about the extent of dissatisfaction then he wouldn't have pushed it,' they said. 'You could tell there was a problem because the whips were literally running around the Commons.'

Another Conservative MP said Mr Spencer is a 'very nice guy' but 'out of his depth'. 'The Cabinet is full of nodding yes men,' they raged. 'We have a chief whip who doesn't communicate anything back to No10 that he doesn't think No10 wants to hear.

'There's a mindset of we've got an 80-strong majority, we can do whatever the hell we like.

'I had two marginal male MPs from Red Wall seats in tears looking at their social media feed, looking at their emails coming in after the vote, going 'what the hell have we done?'.'

The MP insisted that his colleagues were determined not to be 'sh** on' again and would simply ignore stupid demands from the leadership.

'The chat on the WhatsApp groups is that the whips can stick their whipping up their a***. It's now every man for himself,' they said.

The premier is said to be 'p****d off' that the crisis has distracted from the progress being made on climate change at the Cop26 conference in Glasgow. Senior MPs said he was also 'livid' about triumphalist interviews by Mr Paterson in which he claimed he would not change anything about his past behaviour.

Mr Johnson's media advisers are thought to have warned that the tactics were high-risk, but those pushing the political benefits of shoring up Mr Paterson and reforming the standards regime won the internal argument.

No10 has been forced to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on commissioner Kathryn Stone - with whom Mr Johnson has clashed repeatedly.

He is still under the threat of inquiry by the watchdog into the funding of his Downing Street flat refurbishment, with a decision due to be taken on whether to go ahead once a separate Electoral Commission investigation.

No10, however, was quick to reject suggestions that the case was linked to attempts to reform the rules over the last few days.

Mr Johnson (left) first ordered Tory MPs to ram through plans to tear up Parliament's anti-sleaze rules to save Mr Paterson (right), before abandoning the idea in the face of a public outcry.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms

What happens next after Boris Johnson's humiliating U-turn on standards shake-up? Tory MPs won a vote on Wednesday to block the suspension of Owen Paterson and to overhaul the House of Commons' standards system. But the Government has now announced a U-turn following a ferocious backlash. What has the Government U-turned on and what will happen next? The Government performed a U-turn on its decision to block the 30-day suspension of Tory MP Owen Paterson from the House of Commons after he was found to have breached lobbying rules. They initially insisted that was part of wider reform of the standards system, with a committee being created to draw up new rules. But that idea was humiliatingly dropped after Opposition parties boycotted it and the scale and anger became clear. A new vote on suspending Mr Paterson was due to be brought forward by the Government in the coming weeks. But his resignation from the Commons last night means that is no longer needed. Meanwhile, the handling of the row has inflamed tensions with opposition parties which means the floated 'cross-party discussions' may struggle to get off the ground. What did MPs vote for on Wednesday? Allies of Mr Paterson tabled an amendment to block his suspension from the House of Commons. The amendment was passed by 250 votes to 232 after Mr Johnson instructed Tory MPs to vote for it. The amendment proposed creating a new committee with a Tory majority to review the case of Mr Paterson and to make recommendations on the overhaul of the current standards process. How would the amendment have changed the standards rules? The new committee would have been tasked with looking at whether the standards system should give MPs 'the same or similar rights as apply to those subject to investigations of alleged misconduct in other workplaces and professions'. That would include looking at things like the right to representation, examination of witnesses and the right of appeal. Who was Mr Paterson working for? Mr Paterson became a consultant to clinical diagnostics firm Randox - which sponsors the Grand National horse race - in August 2015, a year after he left Government after serving as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Environment under David Cameron. He has carried out a similar role for Lynn's Country Foods, a processor and distributor of meat products including 'nitrite-free' items, since December 2016. Both firms are based in Northern Ireland and between them paid him more than 112,000 a year on top of his 80,000 annual MP salary. What is Mr Paterson said to have done? Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone found that he breached paragraph 11 of the 2015 MPs' Code of Conduct that prohibits 'paid advocacy' - when he made three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and testing for antibiotics in milk in November 2016 and November 2017 Emails to the FSA read like marketing pitched on behalf of the firm, mentioning 'Randox's superior technology' in helping identify problems. He went on to suggest that 'once established the application of the technology could be discussed not just within the FSA but across the whole dairy industry,' something from which the company stood to make large sums of money. The hardline Brexiteer broke the same rules by making seven approaches to the FSA for Lynn's Country Foods in November 2017, January 2018 and July 2018 regarding a rival 'global food producer (who) was acting in breach of EU law by mislabelling a product'. And the same rules were breached in October 2016 and January 2017 when he made four approaches to ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology. Ms Stone also found that Mr Paterson had breached paragraph 13 of the 2015 MPs' Code of Conduct, on declarations of interest, by failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn's Country Foods in four emails to officials at the FSA on 16 November 2016, 15 November 2017, 8 January 2018 and 17 January 2018. Lastly, she found that Mr Paterson breached paragraph 15 of the 2015 MP's Code of Conduct, on use of parliamentary facilities, by using his Westminster office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his paying clients between October 2016 and February 2020; and in sending two letters, on 13 October 2016 and 16 January 2017, relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper. What punishment was recommended by the Commons Committee on Standards? After receiving Ms Stone's report the Commons Committee on Standards, made up of a cross-party group of MPs, recommended Mr Paterson serve a 30-day suspension that could trigger a recall petition in his seat. What does Mr Paterson say? Mr Paterson continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying he was acting on genuine concerns for public safety. Ahead of the release of the investigation last week he made an astonishing attack on Ms Stone, claiming her 'cruel' probe in to his activities contributed to the death of his wife, Rose, who took her own life last year. The 65-year-old North Shropshire MP believes the investigation against him was 'biased' and 'an absolute denial of justice'. Why do Mr Paterson's supporters think he has been wronged? Allies of Mr Paterson claim the standards investigation was 'so amateurish it failed to interview witnesses'. They claim that he had 17 witnesses ready to give oral evidence on his behalf but complained they were never called. The Standards Committee however, pointed out that each of the 17 had supplied it with comprehensive written statements and 'did not see what further 'relevant information could usefully be gleaned by inviting oral evidence from the witnesses concerned'. Supporters believe the current standards system is flawed and must be overhauled to give MPs the ability to appeal. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said MPs currently have 'no effective right of appeal' because 'this is a standards system where one person is chief investigator and prosecutor combined'. Tory MPs want to replace the current standards system with a quasi-judicial process and a 'proper' appeal system. Advertisement

In a round of interviews, Mr Zahawi said creating a system of appeal for suspended MPs should not have been conflated with the Paterson case.

He told Sky News: 'The Prime Minister has always been very clear that paid lobbying is not allowed.

'The mistake is the conflation of creating a fairer system with the right of appeal for Parliamentarians to be able to put forward an appeal process.

'Conflating that with the particular case of Owen Paterson was a mistake and I think the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, came to the House yesterday, upon reflection yes it was a mistake, and I think it was right to come back very quickly to the House and say we need to separate these things out.

'We should work on a cross-party basis to create a fairer system, I think that's a good thing.

'And my appeal to my fellow Parliamentarians from all parties is: let's come together and create a better system with a right of appeal.'

He told BBC Radio 4 that the shambles should not cast doubt on the Mr Johnson's judgment.

'I think actually it says that the Prime Minister, when wanting to be following a process that makes the system fairer wanted to do that,' he said.

'That is absolutely not true, and Kathryn Stone and her duties are the responsibility of the House of Commons, and the Speaker of the House.

'And I think the important thing to remember is that Parliament as the legislative chamber of our country has absolutely the right to look at and improve the system'

Mr Zahawi said the issue of the No11 flat had been looked at by Mr Johnson's own ministerial standards adviser Lord Geidt 'and the Prime Minister was found not to have broken any ministerial code'.

'I think it was looked at by Lord Geidt, it's a ministerial declaration and I think that's the correct way of doing this. We have very good robust processes, we always want to improve them, but I think that's the correct way of doing it,' he said.

Extraordinarily, Mr Zahawi admitted he had not read the standards report on Mr Paterson before the vote.

'I actually haven't read the report,' he said.

Asked how he could have voted on the issue when he had not read the report, he said: 'I've looked at the report, I haven't gone into the detail.

'Owen says that much of it is contested, right? I think something like 14 people have sent statements (saying) that it's contested.'

Later, on Times Radio, he added: 'So, my understanding is that there was something like 14 statements that have gone in that dispute, some of the evidence in the report, I haven't read those statements.'

Mr Paterson has said the standards process neglected to take evidence from witnesses who would have supported his cause.

Labour MP Chris Bryant, the chairman of the Committee on Standards, said every MP had been emailed urging them to read the report.

'I know ministers have a busy life, but I guess you'd hope that the Education Secretary would do his homework,' he said.

He added: 'What this really underlines is that it's best if governments stick out of independent disciplinary processes.

'I think it's been a terrible week really for Parliament and an awful lot of reputations have been unnecessarily tarnished.'

Conservative Sir David Lidington, former leader of the House of Commons, said the farce had damaged politicians' reputation.

'Clearly, there was a pretty appalling set of misjudgments involved,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'The reputation of the House of Commons as an institution and MPs of all parties will have been damaged by the events of the last 24 hours.'

The former MP also said the affair has 'weakened the Government', making it harder for Boris Johnson to win support from backbench MPs on potentially unpopular measures in future.

'If you ask your troops to march through the lobby on something like this, and which they don't think is right, and then you U-turn on it, it's going to be more difficult next time around,' he said.

Some sources suggested Downing Street is trying to throw Mr Spencer under the bus in order to absolve the PM of responsibility.

'The chief [whip] only does as he is ordered,' an ally of Mr Spencer told the Times, while another accused No10 of being 'spineless' and attempting to hide its own complicity in the plan.

As the criticism continued to grow, one Cabinet minister said Mr Johnson should have made Mr Paterson 'turn up and accept his punishment' rather than put the full might of the Government machine behind him.

Another senior minister said: 'This was completely avoidable.

'The problem with Boris is he packs his Cabinet with second-rate people, meaning there is no one to tell him he should take a different course.'

The minister added: 'It all just looks like we're back to the 1990s  MPs getting together to support their friends.'

Meanwhile, former chief whip Mark Harper declared: 'This is one of the most unedifying episodes I have seen in my 16 years as an MP.'

One Tory said: 'Obviousy there is anger at the PM, but there is a real feeling the Chief should be considering his position.

'He laid down a three-line whip, threatened people with having their funding removed, sacked someone and had to reinstate her  all for a stupid vote that had to be abandoned the next day.' But No 10 yesterday insisted the PM retains 'full confidence' in Mr Spencer.

Former Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb said many MPs defending 'very narrow' majorities were furious at being 'dragged into this whole sleaze agenda'.

In the wake of Wednesday night's vote Mr Paterson had given an unrepentant interview in which he said he 'wouldn't hesitate' to repeat his actions.

But last night, Mr Johnson said he was 'very sad' to be losing Mr Paterson, adding: 'He has had a distinguished career, serving in two cabinet positions, and above all he has been a voice for freedom  for free markets and free trade and free societies  and he was an early and powerful champion of Brexit.'

Labour today moved to kill off rumours than an 'anti-sleaze' candidate could fight for Owen Paterson's seat after a lobbying scandal forced his exit.

The former minister's resignation as MP for North Shropshire was confirmed this morning as he became 'Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead' - the traditional way of quitting the Commons.

Mr Paterson had a majority of nearly 23,000 in 2019, making it one of the safest seats in the country.

Speculation had been swirling that Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens could unite behind a single candidate in an effort to overturn the huge margin.

The move would have echoed when Martin Bell, a former BBC war correspondent, challenged Tory incumbent Neil Hamilton for the Conservative stronghold of Tatton in Cheshire in 1997.

The broadcaster, who famously wore a white suit, won on an anti-sleaze ticket with a majority of more than 11,000 after other major parties agreed not to stand.

But a senior Labour source said today: 'We're standing.'

Another Labour insider told MailOnline that electoral laws made it 'almost impossible' to field a unity candidate.

'An independent candidate couldn't get donations or infrastructure from parties so they'd be up against the Tory machine with zero support,' they said.

Mr Paterson has held the North Shropshire constituency since 1997 and secured 62.7 per cent of the vote in 2019.
A convicted child rapist and murderer is appealing his death sentence in Florida by arguing that the prosecutor violated the so-called 'Golden Rule' by asking the jury to imagine his victim's suffering.

Granville Ritchie, 41, was sentenced to death in September 2020 for the 2014 killing of nine-year-old Felecia Williams, who was raped, strangled to death, stuffed into a suitcase and thrown off an overpass.

In arguing for the death penalty, Tampa prosecutor Scott Harmon said to the jury, in part: 'Can you imagine the dread of knowing that your life is ending and you are feeling pain all over your body? That pain wouldve been greater for a little girl.'

Convicted child rapist and murderer Granville Ritchie, 41 (left), is appealing his death sentence, claiming prosecutorial mistakes. Ritchie was sentenced to die last year for the 2014 killing of nine-year-old Felecia Williams

In arguing for the dearth penalty, Tampa prosecutor Scott Harmon (pictured) said to the jury, in part: 'can you imagine the dread of knowing that your life is ending and you are feeling pain all over your body?'

According to Ritchie's appellate attorney Rachel Roebuck, Harmon's impassioned speech violated what is known in the legal profession as the Golden Rule, which is an argument that persuades jurors to put themselves in the place of the victim when considering a verdict, reported Fox 13.

'Golden rule' law can scupper convictions The Golden Rule argument refers to an argument put forth by the prosecution in a jury trial, where jurors are persuaded to consider themselves in the place of the victim in reaching a verdict that they would prefer the defendant to get. The argument is considered improper and could be grounds for an appeal because the jurors have to consider a case in an objective manner and rely on evidence alone, instead of their feelings and biases. Advertisement

That argument is considered legally improper because jurors are expected to weigh a verdict objectively based on evidence alone, instead of their personal feelings.

During a hearing in Florida Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Jamie Grosshans closely scrutinized Harmon's remarks and signaled she was leaning towards the position of the defense.

'Im trying to figure out how that is not a Golden Rule violation,' Grosshans said, referring to the prosecutor's speech.

Rick Buckwalter, the appellate attorney for Florida, conceded that it was 'a close call,' but argued that Harmon did not cross the line.

Buckwalter claimed that the prosecutor was merely describing for the jurors Ritchie's actions and made an offhand remark.

Roebuck, the appellant's attorney, insisted that there was nothing spontaneous about Harmon's argument.

'Mr. Harmon is a veteran prosecutor who has been prosecuting homicides for 20 years,' she told the court. 'He wrote out this argument, he gave it to colleagues, I guarantee you, and tested it. This was deliberate.'

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday held a hearing in Ritchie's case

Justice Jamie Grosshans closely scrutinized Harmon's remarks

Ritchtie's appellate attorney Rachel Roebuck, said Harmon's speech violated what is known in the legal profession as the Golden Rule. Rick Buckwalter, the appellate attorney for Florida, said Harmon did not cross the line

The seven justices of the state Supreme Court did not reach a decision in Ritchie's case this week.

If the inmate wins on appeal, he would be granted a new sentencing trial to determine whether he gets life in prison or the death penalty again.

Ritchie was found guilty in 2019 of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse in connection with Felecia's death.

During his sentencing hearing last year, Felecia's father stunned the courtroom by telling his daughter's killer that he forgave him.

''I'm not like everybody else, bro. I ain't got no ill will against you,' said Jerome Williams, WREG reports.

Ritchie and Felecia did not know each other before they met on May 16, 2014, but they were both close with Eboni Wiley, who was the man's then-girlfriend and the girl's neighbor and family friend.

Ritchie was found guilty in 2019 of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse in connection with Felecia's death, and received the death penalty in September 2020

During Ritchie's sentencing hearing, Felecia's father, Jerome Williams (right), forgave his daughter's killer

On the day of the murder, Felecia left home with Wiley and went to Ritchie's mother's apartment at the Doral Oaks Apartment complex.

Ritchie instructed Wiley, who was baby sitting Felecia, to leave the home to buy marijuana.

Ritchie then sexually assaulted and strangled the girl while Wiley was away, prosecutors said during his trial.

When Wiley returned nearly an hour later, Ritchie claimed that he gave Felecia money to go buy candy at a nearby CVS store and she had not returned.

According to the Tamp Bay Times, prosecutors said that Ritchie raped and strangled the young girl before stuffing her body into a suitcase.

Later that night, Ritchie drove to the Courtney Campbell Causeway where he dumped Felecia's body into the bay.

Wiley initially told investigators that Felecia had run away while she and Ritchie had sex in a bedroom, but she later admitted she lied.

Wiley was witness in Ritchie's trial, and was charged with lying during a missing person investigation.

In October 2020, she pleaded guilty to lying to law enforcement and was later sentenced to 75 days in jail and five years of probation.
Advertisement

The medals awarded to a royal chauffeur who drove King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis have gone on sale for 1,800.

William Figg, who was originally a stable boy from Ashendon, Buckinghamshire, learnt to drive the first electric cars in 1904 so he could ferry the royals around.

He formed a close bond with Edward's mother Queen Mary as her personal driver for over 30 years, and also chauffeured the Prince of Wales during the early stages of his controversial romance with American socialite Wallis Simpson.

This meant he was aware of the courtship long before it became public knowledge, with the royal dramatically abdicating the throne after 11 months in 1936 to marry the divorcee.

Mr Figg died aged 86 in 1966 and his collection of four medals, including his Royal Household Faithful Service medal, is going under the hammer with London-based auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb next week.

The medals awarded to a royal chauffeur who drove King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis have gone on sale for 1,800. William Figg's medal group consists of the Royal Household Faithful Service Medal; Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; The Royal Victorian Medal.

Left, William Figg preparing to chauffeur Queen Mary. Right, Edward and Wallis Simpson on their wedding day in 1937

Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII: A scandal that rocked a nation January 1931 - Wallis meets Prince Edward in January 1931, after being introduced via her friend Lady Furness 1931-34 - The American divorcee and the heir to the throne see each other regularly at various parties August 1934 - Wallis admits she and Edward are no longer just friends, after joining him on a cruise January 1936 - King George V dies. Edward asks Wallis to watch the proclamation of his accession with him from St. James's Palace August 1936 - The pair enjoy a cruise around the Adriatic sea with friends. Details of their relationship appear in the American press December 11, 1936 - Edward announces his abdication June 3, 1937 - The couple get married in the south of France. Wallis was formally known as the Duchess of Windsor, but was not allowed to share her husband's title of 'Royal Highness.' Advertisement

Mr Figg drove electric Broughams and was praised by Queen Mary for his 'fine driving to Balmoral'. When he retired in 1936, he lived in Kennington, south London, on an estate belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall.

He attended Queen Mary's funeral with his wife in 1953.

The archive, which has been consigned by a private collector, also contains letters from the Royals to Mr Figg and photos of him driving Queen Mary.

A Dix Noonan Webb spokesperson said: 'On the appointment of Oscar Humphrey as Head Chauffeur to King George V, Figg was appointed official Chauffeur to Queen Mary.

'He held the position as Chauffeur to Queen Mary until the death of King George V in 1936, although he drove most members of the Royal family including the King on many occasions.

'He also drove the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, whilst he was courting Mrs Simpson, and was well aware of his clandestine meetings long before they became known to the public.

'He drove King Edward many times when the abdication crisis was reaching its peak.'

Oliver Pepys, associate director at Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'We are very pleased to be selling this Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) group of four belonging to William George Figg.

'Although he started as a stableboy, he embraced the new technology of the car and went onto have an illustrious career in the Royal Household, being party to some of the key historic moments of the first half of the 20th century.'

His medal group consists of the Royal Household Faithful Service Medal; Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; The Royal Victorian Medal.

The sale takes place on November 10.

After his abdication, Edward was made the Duke of Windsor by his brother - the new King George VI - and granted the style of His Royal Highness.

However, after their marriage and decision to settle in France, Edward was upset by the King's decision to issue Letters Patent which denied Wallis the style of Her Royal Highness.

Edward received a tax-free allowance from his brother which went some way to maintaining his and Wallis's lavish lifestyle. He also made money from illegal currency trading.

Mr Figg (circled) drove electric Broughams and was praised by Queen Mary for his 'fine driving to Balmoral'

Queen Mary is seen above playing hostess to her son when he visited her in 1945, eight years before her death at the age of 85

The solemn King Edward VIII giving his abdication broadcast to the nation and the Empire, on December 11th, 1936

The difficult relationship which Edward had with his family after his abdication was depicted extensively in Peter Morgan's Netflix drama The Crown.

One month after George's coronation, Edward married Simpson at the Chateau de Cande in Monts, France. Four months into their marriage, the couple visited Germany as Hitler's guests.

Meanwhile King George's popularity soared as a wartime monarch and he became a figure of stability despite previously being marred by his speech impediment as well as a reputation for being unprepared.

The boon to his reputation was aided by his decision to remain in London as the bombs of the Blitz rained down on the capital.

George died of ill health in 1952, leaving his daughter Elizabeth, 25, to take over as Queen in a spell that has seen her become Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
Modelling used to justify keeping Western Australia's borders closed until next year forecasts the state will rack up 104,000 cases in 12 months if it opens up to the rest of the country too early.

Premier Mark McGowan on Friday doubled down on a promise to keep his state borders closed until 90 per cent of locals aged over 12 are double-vaccinated.

That may not be achieved until late January or early February 2022 as only 65.4 per cent of WA residents are currently double-jabbed - compared to a national rate of 79.6 per cent.

Flight Centre chief executive Graham Turner said he is considering challenging the border closure and claims his lawyers 'are quite confident we can be successful'.

WA Premier Mark McGowan pictured with his wife Sarah. He looks set to try and defy the national plan to reopen state borders with a 70-80 per cent fully vaccinated public. He wants to stay shut until WA reached 90 per cent double jabbed - which may not happen there until February

New WA Government modelling predicts there will be 104,251 Covid cases within a year of opening up at the 80 per cent mark, more than the 94,669 infections Victoria has recorded during the entire pandemic

Australians were left confused by modelling from WA's Covid-19 transition plan on Friday

New WA Government modelling predicts there will be 104,251 Covid cases within a year of opening up at the 80 per cent double-dose vaccination mark, more than the 94,669 infections Victoria has recorded during the entire pandemic.

The modelling also predicts 117 residents will die in a year in WA at a 90 per cent double-dose rate, more than the 106 predicted to be admitted to intensive care wards.

The data sparked confusion from Australians on Twitter.

'Genuine question: how could it be that the WA Health model projects more deaths than ICU admissions over a year at 90% vaccination rate?' ABC journalist Casey Briggs tweeted.

Commenters speculated the death rate may not count residents who die at home or in aged care settings.

Sky News host Laura Jayes said the modelling was 'wild'.

'After 2 years of fear West Australians are being told theyll be the new 'Italy' even with the vaccine. And tax payers are the ones footing the bill for this "modelling",' she said.

Mr McGowan said his 'an island within an island' strategy could save 200 lives a year and avoid pressure mounting on the state's hospital system.

'We wont be pressured into a different approach,' he said.

His tough approach contradicts the Commonwealth's advice that reopening borders at 70 and 80 per cent is safe, based on modelling from the Doherty Institute.

Mr McGowan's hardline stance has angered the travel industry which is preparing to take legal action to try and force WA to reopen its borders, The Australian reported.

Members of the public wait to be vaccinated at the Claremont Showground mass vaccination centre in Perth. Mr McGowan finally unveiled the state's roadmap out of the Covid-19 pandemic on Friday - becoming the last state in the country to do so

Flight Centre's boss said he will begin a legal challenge to open WA's borders is the roadmap does not say they will open at 70 to 80 per cent of residents vaccinated (pictured: airport workers)

Flight Centre's chief executive has consulted lawyers and was 'confident' of a High Court legal challenge succeeding on the basis that a national plan had been proposed by the Commonwealth.

'We havent made a decision on it yet but well have a good look over the weekend and see if we go ahead with it,' Mr Turner said.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said different border restrictions across various states was 'frustrating for vaccinated travellers'.

Mr McGowan finally unveiled the state's roadmap out of the Covid-19 pandemic on Friday - becoming the last state in the country to do so.

Under the cautious plan, interstate and international travellers will remain banned from entry until late January or early February.

All arrivals will have to be fully vaccinated. They will have to receive a negative Covid test result 72 hours before boarding a plane to WA.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan (pictured on Friday) refuses to reopen the state's borders until 90 per cent of the state's population is fully vaccinated.

Then within 48 hours of entering, visitors will have to receive a second negative test result.

Foreign visitors won't have to quarantine if fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated arrivals will still have to undergo two weeks of quarantine.

A transition date will be locked in once WA finally hits the 80 per cent double dose target, expected sometime in December.

'Once we set that date, it will be locked in,' Mr McGowan said.

'But if we don't, on that date, reach the 90 per cent double-dose vaccination, that means there will be further public health social measures put in place.

'That would mean restrictions on venues, on workplaces, restrictions when it comes to masks, all those sorts of things that we're desperately trying to avoid.'
The producers of the film Rust had budgeted $7,913 to pay rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, compared to $650,000 for themselves and a $350,000 contingency fee in case anything went wrong, according to a preliminary budget.

The independent movie had a modest overall budget of just $7,279,305, according to a draft of the production budget dated September 8, which was revealed by the Hollywood Reporter.

Star and producer Alec Baldwin, who fired the accidental shot that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, derailing the production, was slated to earn $150,000 as the lead actor, and his production company, El Dorado, was taking a $100,000 fee.

'I'm not sure why they needed six producers taking fees. They'd be falling all over each other if they're really on set. But it's not unheard of,' a source with knowledge of similar productions told the outlet.

The producers of the film Rust had budgeted $7,913 to pay rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed (left), compared to $650,000 for themselves, including Alec Baldwin (right)

An aerial view of the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, where the movie was being filmed

It is a modest fee for an actor of Baldwin's high profile, though it doesn't reflect what he may have stood to earn on the backend. He had developed the script as a passion project, rather than a money gig.

The film's other producers included Allen Cheney and Ryan Donnell Smith's Thomasville Pictures planned to take a $150,000 fee, as did Nathan Klingher and Ryan Winterstern's Short Porch Pictures,

The other producers were Matt DelPiano, whose fee was budgeted at $150,000, and Anjul Nijam, who stood to earn $100,000.

Klingher, Winterstern and Nijam were the producers who were on the set daily in a hands-on role, according to sources cited by the Hollywood Reporter.

A source close to the production told the outlet that the producers were deferring their fees following the fatal on-set accident.

Director Joel Souza, who was also injured by the gun Baldwin fired, was to earn $221,872 for his work on the film. First assistant director Dave Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin according to sheriff's affidavits, was to earn $52,830.

Hutchins, who was killed, was budgeted to earn $48,945.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot with a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin on the movie set in New Mexico on October 21

The budget also included $7,469 for an 'armorer crew,' in addition to Gutierrez-Reed's fee, as well as $17,500 for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

On Thursday, a lawyer for Gutierrez Reed - whose father, Thell Reed, is a veteran armorer - insisted that she had taken her role extremely seriously and had briefed all the actors, including Baldwin, that they should never point even unloaded guns at people.

'Hannah was incredibly safety conscious and took her job very seriously from the moment she started on October 4,' Jason Bowles, one of her attorneys, said in a statement shared with Fox News on Thursday.

'She did firearms training for the actors as well as Mr. Baldwin, she fought for more training days and she regularly emphasized to never point a firearm at a person.'

Gutierrez Reed has hired Jason Bowles, a former federal prosecutor, to represent her

On Wednesday, Bowles, appearing on Good Morning America to defend his client, floated the wild theory that someone 'intended to sabotage' the production by sneaking live rounds into the package of dummy ammunition.

'Never in a million years did Hannah think that live rounds could have been in the 'dummy' round box,' he later said Thursday.

'Who put those in there and why is the central question.'

No charges have been filed in the shooting, and investigators in New Mexico are continuing to piece together events.

Los Angeles personal injury attorney Miguel Custodio, who is not connected to the case, questioned the sabotage theory put forward by Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys.

'Of course they're going to say something like that, they want to shift public opinion and start building a cloud of doubt about the investigation and about who is at fault,' he told DailyMail.com.

'It's highly speculative and at the end of the day probably won't be supported by evidence. More importantly, Ms. Gutierrez Reed's inexperience and unproven track record will probably supersede any theories of sabotage,' he added.

Prior to Rust, Gutierrez-Reed, 24, had served as head armorer on only one film, The Old Way starring Nicolas Cage, which was shot just months earlier.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, the armorer on the set of Rust, has hired a legal team and is insisting that she took her job incredibly seriously with safety as the priority

'And what about crew accounts of the gun being used for target practice, and other live rounds found on the set? She's the one in charge of the guns, and she should not have let that happen, or at the very least alerted higher-ups to a problem,' Custodio added, referring to reports about on-set safety lapses.

'An armorer's job is to maintain control of every weapon used on the set, at all times. Reports so far show that wasn't happening,' he said.

Both Gorence and Bowles - a former federal prosecutor based in Albuquerque - have said that the focus on Gutierrez Reed is unfair.

On Wednesday, Bowles repeatedly claimed that the set had been deliberately sabotaged, speculating that it was connected to a walk-out by union members the day before the shooting amid anger over working conditions, including a long commute from the set to the hotel.

'We know the live rounds shouldn't have been in that box, but they were,' Bowles told GMA.

'So there can be very, very few explanations for why live rounds end up in a box of dummy prop ammunition on a movie set.

'And one of them is that somebody wants that to go into a firearm and then wants there to be an incident on the set. There's no other reason to mix a live round with the dummies. There's just none.'

Gutierrez Reed is pictured at a a Mad Max Post-Apocalyptic Photo Meet in 2018

The 24-year-old armorer posted this picture on Twitter of her in costume

He continued pressing the argument later Wednesday on NBC's Today.

Savannah Guthrie, host of Today, questioned why anyone would 'have the motive and opportunity' to plant live rounds on set, risking the lives of their colleagues.

Bowles replied: 'I believe that somebody who would do that would want to prove a point, want to say that they're disgruntled.

Baldwin is seen in costume, covered with fake blood, in an image posted to Instagram

'And we know that people had already walked off the set the day before.

'And the reason they were unhappy is they're working 12- to 14-hour days. They were not given hotel rooms in and around the area. So they had to drive back and forth an hour to Albuquerque, and they're unhappy.'

When Guthrie asked Bowles whether he was accusing the crew who quit, he said: 'You can't rule anybody out at this point.

'We know there was a live round in a box of dummy rounds that shouldn't have been there.

'We have people who had left the set who had walked out because they were disgruntled.

'We have a timeframe between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., approximately, that day in which the firearms, at times, were unattended. So there was opportunity to tamper with the scene. And yes, we're looking at that possibility.'
Advertisement

Greta Thunberg tonight slammed COP26 as shameful and added: The world is literally burning.

And she accused governments and leaders such as Boris Johnson and Joe Biden of being complicit in the worlds ecological problems.

She told those who gathered: It is not a secret that Cop26 is a failure. It should be obvious that we cannot solve a crisis with the same methods that got us into it in the first place.

And more and more people are starting to realise this. Many are starting to ask themselves what will it take for the people in power to wake up.

But lets be clear, they are already awake. They know exactly what they are doing. They know exactly what priceless values they are sacrificing to maintain business as usual.

The leaders are not doing nothing. They are actively creating loopholes and shaping frameworks to benefit themselves. And to continue profiting from this destructive system.

This is an active choice by the leaders to continue to let the exploitation of people and nature and the destruction of present and future living conditions to take place.

It comes after thousands of schoolchildren and their parents marched through Glasgow today in an extraordinary 'Fridays For Future' rally led by Thunberg as they urged world leaders at COP26 to 'act now'.

Greta Thunberg tonight slammed COP26 as shameful and added: The world is literally burning

And she accused governments and leaders such as Boris Johnson and Joe Biden of being complicit in the worlds ecological problems

Prince Charles lent his support to up to 10,000 protestors marching through the city this afternoon, as parents took their children out of school to join the event which was being addressed by the Swedish activist.

But Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has criticised young activists for travelling to the demonstration today - saying they should not be there in 'school time' and they faced handing their parents fines for truancy.

Thunberg claimed that the 30,000 delegates attending Cop26 were being fed a greenwashing PR event that was aimed at maintaining a status quo on behalf of the events sponsors, which include major energy companies.

Thunberg said: 'The Cop has turned into a PR event where leaders are giving beautiful speeches and announcing fancy commitments and targets while behind the curtains the governments of the Global North countries are still refusing to take any drastic climate action.

It seems like their main goal is to continue to fight for the status quo. And Cop 26 has been named the most exclusionary Cop ever.

This is no longer a climate conference. This is now a Global North greenwash festival. A two-week long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah.

The most affected peoples in the most affected areas still remain unheard and the voices of future generations are drowning in their greenwasher and empty words and promises.

But the facts do not lie and we know that our emperors are naked.

To stay below the targets set in the Paris agreements and thereby minimising the risks of setting off irreversible chain reactions beyond human control we need immediate, drastic, annual emission cuts unlike anything the world has ever seen.

And as we dont have the technological solutions that alone will do anything close to that, that means we will have to fundamentally change our society.

And this is the uncomfortable result of our leaders repeated failure to address this crisis.

At the current emissions rates our remaining CO2 budgets to give us the best chances of staying below 1.5 degrees will be gone before the end of this decade.

It comes after thousands of schoolchildren and their parents marched through Glasgow today in an extraordinary 'Fridays For Future' rally led by Thunberg as they urged world leaders at COP26 to 'act now'

Millions of people around the world are taking part in a Global Day of Action for Climate Justice

Thunberg claimed that the 30,000 delegates attending Cop26 were being fed a greenwashing PR event that was aimed at maintaining a status quo on behalf of the events sponsors, which include major energy companies

In England, a local authority can issue parents with a fine for a child's non-attendance which is 60 but rises to 120 after 21 days but within 28 days. There is no right of appeal and the authority can prosecute the parent if it is unpaid. Repeated offences can see the fines rise to 2,500, as well as possible jail terms of up to three months.

The situation is different in Scotland, where there are no automatic fines for parents who take children out of school without permission during term-time - although the education authority can hold a meeting with their parents regarding truancy and then choose to prosecute them through a sheriff court if it wishes. Parents in some council areas have previously been threatened with prison or fines of up to 1,000 in criminal proceedings.

Thunberg claimed the real issues were not being talked about in the Cop26 blue zone where international leaders and official agents of change have gathered for the last week.

The current ecological crisis doesnt exist in a vacuum, Thunberg, who also took part in the march, said.

It is directly tied to other crisis and injustices that they back to colonialism and beyond, crisis based on the idea that some people are worth more than others and somehow have the right to exploit others and steal their land and resources.

'And it is very naive of us to think we can solve this crisis without addressing the root cause of it.

But this is not going to be spoken about inside the Cop. Its just too uncomfortable.

Its much easier for them to simply ignore the historical debt that the countries of the Global North have towards the most affected people and areas.

And the questions we must ask ourselves is, what is it that we are fighting for.

Are we fighting to save ourselves and the living planet or are we fighting to maintain business as usual.

Our leaders say that we can have both but the harsh truth is that that is not possible in practice.

The people in power can continue to live in their bubble filled with their fantasies, like eternal growth on a finite planet and technological solutions that will suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere and will erase all of these crises just like that.

All this while the world is literally burning, on fire, and while the people on the frontlines are still bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.

They can continue to ignore the consequences of their inaction but history will judge them poorly and we will not accept it.

We dont need any more distant, non-binding pledges. We dont need any more empty promises.

We dont need any more commitments that are full of loopholes and incomplete statistics and that ignore the historical emissions and climate justice.

Yet that is all that we are getting. I know that it is not radical to say. Just look at their track record. They have had 26 Cops. They have had decades of blah, blah, blah, and where has that led us.

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband was spotted taking part in the march today, and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon praised 'young people who care enough about the future of the planet to come out to make their voices heard', adding that it was a 'sizeable demonstration' and young people were 'powering this agenda.'

Having described the actions of those behind Cop26 as shameful, she added: Some people say that we are too radical but the truth is that they are the ones who are radical. Fighting to save our life supporting systems isnt radical at all.

Believing that our civilisation as we know it can survive a 2.7 degree or 3 degree hotter world on the other hand isnt only extremely radical, its pure madness.

They cannot ignore the scientific consensus and they cannot ignore our screams as we reclaim their power. We are tired of their blah, blah, blah. Our leaders are not leading, this is what leadership looks like.

Thunberg had followed a speech by Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate who told protestors her country is witnessing the impacts of the climate crisis first hand.

People are dying, Nakate said. Children are dropping out of school, people's farms are being destroyed.

Millions of people around the world are taking part in a Global Day of Action for Climate Justice.

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as they walk throught the streets during COP26

She told the cheering crowds: 'COP has turned into a PR event where leaders are giving beautiful speeches and announcing fancy commitments and targets while behind the doors still refusing to take any drastic climate action'

Greta Thunberg (centre) is aided by security personnel during the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow today

Greta Thunberg speaking at the rally today, where she dismissed COP26 as a 'global greenwash festival'

Demonstrators carry placards at a Fridays for Future march during the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow today

Thousands of young activists march through Glasgow as part of the Fridays for Future rally this afternoon

Demonstrators during the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow during the Cop26 summit this afternoon

Thousands of young activists march through Glasgow as part of the Fridays for Future rally this afternoon

Thousands of activists attend the Fridays for Future march in Glasgow today to demand action from world leaders at COP26

Thousands of young activists march through Glasgow today as they campaign on issues surrounding climate change

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'We do understand why young people feel so strongly about climate change, and we want to see them use that passion and turn it into action.

'That's exactly why we're empowering them through our new virtual national education park, climate leaders awards, and giving teachers the tools to put climate change at the heart of the curriculum, and we're backing this up with our continued pledge to cut the carbon footprint of school buildings as well.'

During her speech, Ms Thunberg branded the event a 'failure' that would not manage to 'fundamentally change society' to tackle global warming.

She told the cheering crowds: 'COP has turned into a PR event where leaders are giving beautiful speeches and announcing fancy commitments and targets while behind the doors still refusing to take any drastic climate action.

This is a global greenwash festival and a two week celebration of business as usual and blah blah blah. The words do not lie and we know that our emperors are naked.'

Ms Thunberg suggested climate change and environmental destruction was 'directly linked' to issues 'dating back to colonialism and beyond'.

She continued: These crises are based on the idea that some people are worth more than others and therefore have the right to exploit others and steal their land and resources.

The countries of the global north are forgetting the historic debt they owe to the south. Our leaders cannot ignore us  the people  including their children. We are tired of their blah blah blah. We are tired of them not leading, this is what leadership looks like.

Charles, who has long campaigned on green issues and been attending COP26 throughout this week, said he had been invited to join the demonstration, but it was 'difficult' for him to personally march with the protest.

The Prince expressed sympathy last night with the anger and frustration of the young activists in a speech addressing COP26 negotiators, telling delegates that the 'weight of history' was on their shoulders.

He added: 'There's a big march tomorrow, which some people have said I should join - that's more difficult - but the point is, please don't forget these people out there. Don't forget that it's their future.'

Speaking yesterday at the Chief Negotiators Reception at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Charles said: 'I've met people from all over the world in the last week and elsewhere when I go around the Commonwealth.

'So many people are in a dire situation of such vulnerability with more and more people wanting to move as climate migrants, because they are now finding such scarce resources, such as drought.

'Unless we respond to their cries for help, we will end up in a very, very difficult situation indeed with conflict and ever scarcer resources.

'I remember speaking about this over 30 years ago in a lecture at Cambridge to the then Global Security unit, but nobody paid the slightest attention. I am begging you this time to pay attention to these people, because they matter.'

Pupils who took part in the demonstration today staged a strike from school during the march from Kelvingrove Park in the west of the city to George Square demanding climate justice and seeking to hold leaders to account.

Charlie O'Rourke, 14, from Glasgow, skipped school to attend the march with his mother, Cairsty O'Rourke, and sister, Edith. He said global leaders at Cop26 must 'listen to the people'.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg joins thousands of young activists marching through Glasgow city centre this afternoon

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as some hold banners as they walk through the streets

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow as COP26 focuses today on youth and public empowerment

Thousands of young people attend a protest at COP26 as they march through Glasgow city centre this afternoon

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as the COP26 climate change summit continues

Greta Thunberg (centre) along with demonstrators during the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow today

One girl dressed in school uniform at the protest in Glasgow told Sky News this afternoon: 'Our leaders have just failed us'

Prince Charles speaks at the Chief Negotiators Reception at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow yesterday

He said: 'Listen to what they want to say. Don't just go for profit. Listen to what the planet needs.'

His mother said she was there for her children and for 'the generations to come to just show that something has to happen and it has to happen very quickly'.

Ms O'Rourke, who is from Glasgow and works for the NHS, said the Scottish Government has been 'on the fence for too long' on the issue of the Cambo oilfield.

She added: 'I'd like to hear Nicola Sturgeon saying a bit more against it. I'd like all of this funding to go into a way out of this, a way out of using fossil fuels.'

Finlay Pringle, 14, from Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands, travelled by train to Glasgow with his father to take part in the march.

He said: 'If you really, truly love something and you want to protect it, no matter what it is, it doesn't have to be climate striking, but if there's something that you love and you want to protect it, then you should do that, don't think twice about it.'

On what is COP26's 'Youth and Public Empowerment Day', one parent Laura, McDonald, 34, took her daughters Erin and Ellie out of Hermitage Primary School to take them to the protest.

Climate activists gather in George Square, the end point for the Fridays For Future rally in Glasgow, this afternoon

Security personnel help Greta Thunberg (centre) walk through the Fridays for Future Scotland march in Glasgow today

Friday for Future climate protestors take part in a demonstration as they march though the city centre of Glasgow today

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as the landmark COP26 conference continues

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg attends the Fridays for Future student march to demand action from leaders today

Police officers drive their motorcycles ahead of the Fridays for Future march during COP26 in Glasgow today

British climate activist Mikaela Loach speaks to the crowd in George Square at the end of the Fridays For Future rally today

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as the COP26 climate summit continues

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as they march through the city's streets

Greta Thunberg (centre) joins demonstrators during the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon

Greta Thurnberg posted this picture of herself in Glasgow to her 13million Instagram followers shortly after 2pm today, saying: 'School strike week 167, in Glasgow outside the #COP26 ! #FridaysForFuture #UprootTheSystem #ClimateStrike'

She said: 'Thave been studying climate issues and are well aware of the challenges we all face.

'They are aged 10 and eight and my older child is becoming more and more interested in climate change issued and I hope the youngest will follow more as she gets older.

'I took them out of school today and the school didn't appear to mind. It's good to see so many hundreds of other schoolchildren here as well. It's a very important day.'

One girl dressed in school uniform at the protest in Glasgow told Sky News today: 'Well I feel that our leaders have just failed us.

'Greta Thunberg has told them repeatedly and repeatedly, something needs to happen. I think Boris just sort of blathers on about... not saying very much...

'He went on a private jet to a dinner in London with a climate sceptic and then came back.

Climate activists march through the streets of Glasgow this afternoon during the youth march at COP26

Youth activists shout as they march to protest against climate change on the sidelines of the COP26 summit in Glasgow today

Youth activists shout as they march to protest against climate inaction on the sidelines of the COP26 summit today

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband takes part in the Fridays for Future march during COP26 in Glasgow this afternoon

Youth activists cheer on protesters marching against climate inaction make their way through Glasgow this afternoon

Climate activists march through the streets of Glasgow this afternoon as the city hosts the COP26 summit

Climate activists march through the streets of Glasgow today as they make their point to world leaders gathered in the city

Climate activists march through the streets of Glasgow today as the climate change conference continues

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as young activists take to the city's streets

'When he started talking about, you know oh, 'it's one minute to midnight, we need to make some kind of action'. He is just being a total hypocrite and we need to tell him that he's wrong.'

She continued: 'I feel young people have a lot of power and energy. I feel young people have a lot of new ideas and I feel like they have more hope.'

The girl, who was not named, was referring to reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew out of COP26 on a private jet to attend a dinner with former Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore, who wrote last month in the newspaper that the 'climate emergency' is 'a speculation'.

However, the girl's claim that Mr Johnson then returned to COP26 following the dinner is untrue.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: 'We pay tribute to young people who care enough about the future of the planet to come out to make their voices heard. I know I passed it on the way here, it looks like a sizeable demonstration, and it's young people that are powering this agenda.

'I was reflecting to myself that it only feels like five minutes in my life from the day that I would have been on that march rather than being a leader that is charged with living up to the expectations of young people.

'Obviously I'd say to everybody protesting whether it's today or tomorrow, when there'll be another sizeable demonstration - be peaceful, make your voices heard, respect the citizens of the city. But protest - peaceful, democratic protest - is a powerful, powerful part of any process of change and it's particularly important at this time.'

Miss Thunberg joined the event organised by Fridays for Future Scotland, a group of global activists founded by young people who had been inspired by Swedish teenager's stance on climate change.

Brazilian activist Adri Maffioletti accused her country's president of being a liar as she addressed climate protesters in Glasgow's George Square.

She said: 'Our president, Jair Bolsonaro, is not here. Because he doesn't have the capacity to him. All of his lies.

'Because he's lying all the time - he's lying about Brazilian people, he's lying about ... preservation of our forest. Liar, liar, our forests are on fire.'

She added: 'We are in an emergency. Our country is collapsing.'

Mikaela Loach, of the Stop Cambo campaign, told the climate rally in Glasgow that the UK Government is propping up 'violent fossil fuel companies' with public subsidies.

She criticised the Government over the Cambo North Sea oil field and urged activists to be 'audacious' in their demands.

She added: 'I will be taking the UK Government to court over the North Sea oil and gas subsidies I mentioned before.

'We will hold them accountable and with the support from all of you ... we will end public payments for big polluters. We will win because the power is with the people, the power is with all of us.'

Striking council workers and protestors carrying Socialist Workers Party placards also staged protests.

Chris Mitchell from the GMB union told climate activists in Glasgow's George Square that they are the future.

Demonstrators during the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow during the Cop26 summit this afternoon

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as the climate change summit continues in the city

Protesters march through Glasgow this afternoon as young activists join in with the Fridays For Future march

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as the first week of COP26 continues

Friday for Future climate protestors take part in a protest as they march though the city centre of Glasgow today

Greta Thunberg (centre) joins demonstrators during the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon

Thousands of young activists march through Glasgow as part of the Fridays for Future rally this afternoon

Demonstrators hold up signs at the Fridays for Future march through Glasgow during COP26 this afternoon

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as world leaders gather for COP26

Rubbish has been piling up in the city during the Cop26 summit after refuse staff and street cleaners who are members of the GMB went on strike.

Mr Mitchell told the rally: 'Everybody here is fighting for the future - you are the future. Delegates and world leaders mean nothing to us - you will make a difference. From now to eternity.

'I am so proud of everybody here. It is the biggest march that I have ever seen.

'I am so proud of the striking workers of the GMB trade union that's on the picket line today making a stance. The message is for everybody right through world: stand with us, not against us.'

Miss Thunberg was due to speak along with Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate and other youth campaigners from around the world, as well as local trade unionists.

Anna Brown, an activist with Fridays for Future in Glasgow, said the event demonstrated a need to move climate discussions away from 'enclosed' spaces.

She said: 'The message is that the system of COPs - we've had 26 now - that system isn't working. So we need to uproot that system.

'The message is you need to listen to the people in the streets, the young people, the workers.

'We need to move it from being in an enclosed space where people can't get involved to the streets, where people can see what's happening and have a say.

'I think part of it is designed so people don't understand what it's about - if people don't understand what's being said in negotiations, they can't criticise what's happening and the decisions that are being made.'

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as the COP26 summit continues

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg attends the Fridays for Future student march through Glasgow today

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as the COP26 summit continues

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg takes part in a Fridays for Future march during the COP26 conference in Glasgow today

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as the COP26 summit continues

Patience Nabukalu, a climate activist from Uganda working with Fridays for Future MAPA (Most Affected People and Areas), said Cop26 was ignoring the people that mattered.

She said: 'It's like we didn't attend. It's like we are excluded, yet we are the most affected people.'

Ms Nabukalu claimed leaders at COP26 are 'deciding for us' instead, saying: 'Many people in my country are suffering. Children are not going to school because of the crisis.

'Climate change is real in my country. It's one of the countries that are vulnerable to the climate crisis. People are flooded every day and we are having a lot of landslides in my country, we are experiencing a lot of impact of climate change.'

Asked if she feels the voice of the Global South is being listened to, she said: 'Honestly, no. People in the Global south are the most affected people and areas. Yet we are not given ears to listen to our voices.'

Today's protest is the first of two, with a second tomorrow set to attract more than 50,000 people.

A baby lies next to a sign during the Fridays for Future march during the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow today

The Fridays For Future youth climate movement holds a march to George Square in the centre of Glasgow this afternoon

Activists with placards attend the Fridays for Future student march against climate change in Glasgow this afternoon

A demonstrator speaks as youth activists protest in the Fridays for Future march during the COP26 summit in Glasgow today

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg joins thousands of young activists marching through Glasgow this afternoon

It comes after Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi criticised young climate protesters for travelling to Glasgow to demonstrate outside Cop26 today - saying they should not be there in 'school time'.

The senior Cabinet minister warned them it was their own time they were wasting and warned they faced handing their parents fines for truancy if they attend the march that will feature a speech by Miss Thunberg.

Mr Zahawi said youth climate protesters should demonstrate at the weekend rather than during school hours.

Asked on Times Radio whether he has been invited to join them, Mr Zahawi said: 'No, I'm... I have to say, I wish they were doing it on a Saturday and a Sunday, not in school time.

'I'd hate to get into a situation where headteachers and teachers are having to fine families and students.

'We've got two weekends of COP here in Glasgow when they can have lawful demonstrations, and they should have those and have the right to do that, and I would happily engage with anyone who wants to come and tell me exactly what they think.'

A demonstrator joins the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon as the COP26 summit continues

Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today as the COP26 summit continues

Activists attend the Fridays for Future student march against climate change in Glasgow this afternoon

Demonstrators at Kelvingrove Park, ahead of the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow this afternoon

Demonstrators holding banners attend the Fridays for Future march during COP26 in Glasgow today

Demonstrators at Kelvingrove Park, ahead of the Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow this afternoon

Greta Thunberg (centre) joins demonstrators during the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow this afternoon

Local authorities have powers to fine parents if their children truant from school. Fines start at 60 but repeated offences can see them rise to 2,500, as well as possible jail terms of up to three months.

A group of mothers from around the world, including Rosamund Adoo Kissi Debrah, whose daughter Ella died from an asthma attack as a result of severe air pollution, will be handing in a letter at COP26 calling for an end to new fossil fuel financing for the sake of their children's health and future.

They will then join the youth strikers marching through Glasgow.

Today's protest comes ahead of marches tomorrow where tens of thousands of people are expected in Glasgow, with other marches in London and cities around the UK, as well as across the world.

The protests come at the end of the first week of the conference, where countries are under pressure to increase ambition on cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change, to avoid the worst impacts of warming, and to ensure finance for poor countries to tackle the crisis.

Earlier in the week around 120 world leaders gathered at the COP26 summit to set out the action they were taking to tackle the climate crisis.

A separate Fridays for Future protest is also taking place through Westminster today at Whitehall and Parliament Square

Youth climate protesters march through Westminster this afternoon on their Fridays for Future demonstration

The Fridays for Future protest in Whitehall and Parliament Square has seen protesters gather outside Downing Street today

The Fridays for Future protest in Westminster today (pictured) is happening on the same day as the bigger march in Glasgow

The Fridays for Future protest in Whitehall today is seeing young people gather to hold a climate change demonstration

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi criticised young climate protesters for travelling to Glasgow to demonstrate today

The march today comes after Greta Thunberg (right) attended the New York Times 'Climate Hub', a forum for discussing 'actionable climate strategies', in Glasgow and spoke on a panel curated by Harry Potter star Emma Watson (left)

There have also been announcements on curbing deforestation, phasing out coal and boosting finance flows towards transforming economies to be green.

But shadow business secretary Ed Miliband warned against 'shifting the goalposts' to focus on long-term targets and vague announcements in various sectors instead of on urgent action by countries to cut emissions to get the world on track to limit temperature rises to 1.5C.

In an event last night, US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry said the COP26 summit is a 'critical' event which he described as the world's 'last best hope to get us on course'.

Speaking at the CBI dinner, he called on developed countries to help less-developed countries in the fight against climate change and warned trillions were needed from private finance 'because no government in the world has enough money' to cope with climate change.
Polling was so off-base for the New Jersey governor's race that one prominent pollster is questioning whether political horserace polling should continue.

Monmouth University Poll director Patrick Murray wrote a column Thursday for NJ.com that started out with the phrase: 'I blew it.'

'The final Monmouth University Poll margin did not provide an accurate picture of the state of the governor's race,' Murray said. 'So, if you are a Republican who believes the polls cost Ciattarelli an upset victory or a Democrat who feels we lulled your base into complacency, feel free to vent. I hear you.'

New Jersey's incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy was re-elected, but the race was much closer than pollsters predicted. Monmouth University Poll director Patrick Murray wrote a column Thursday saying, 'I blew it'

Republican Jack Ciattarelli came within 2.3 points of taking out incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy. However Monmouth's final poll suggested he would lose by double-digits

The final Monmouth survey had Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy running 11 points ahead of Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

Other late-in-the-race polls, including Trafalgar Group and Fairleigh Dickinson University also showed the Democrat ahead by a healthy margin.

Traflagar had Murphy ahead by four points, while Fairleigh Dickinson University had him ahead by nine.

The final Real Clear Politics polling average showed Murphy 7.8 points ahead.

The actual spread between the two candidates: just 2.3 per cent.

'I owe an apology to Jack Ciattarelli's campaign - and to Phil Murphy's campaign for that matter - because inaccurate public polling can have an impact on fundraising and voter mobilization efforts,' Murray said in his column. 'But most of all I owe an apology to the voters of New Jersey for information that was at the very least misleading.'

Murray said there had been signs that Murphy was in trouble - the fact that he was only polling at around 50 per cent - but that wasn't emphasized as what looked to be his lead in the race.

The final Real Clear Politics polling average, which included the Monmouth Poll, had Murphy 7.8 points ahead. He only won by 2.3 per cent

Murray wrote that 'More than one astute observer of polls has pointed out that the incumbent was consistently polling at either 50% or 51% against a largely unknown challenger.'

'That metric in itself should have been an indication of Murphy's underlying weakness as an incumbent,' he noted. 'Still, in the age of polling aggregators, needles, and election betting markets, we tend to obsess more on the margin than on the candidate's vote share.'

Murray questioned whether horserace political polling should continue because pollsters have to try to guess the electorate.

'The difference between public interest polls and election polls is that the latter violates the basic principles of survey sampling,' he said.

'For an election poll, we do not know exactly who will vote until after Election Day, so we have to create models of what we think the electorate could look like,' he explained. 'Those models are not perfect. They classify a sizable number of people who do not cast ballots as "likely voters" and others who actually do turn out as being "unlikely."'

'These models have tended to work, though, because the errors balance out into a reasonable projection of what the overall electorate eventually looks like,' he continued.

Murray also pointed out that a number of prominent polling companies have pulled out of doing election polling, such as Gallup and Pew. Quinnipiac, which previously polled the New Jersey and Virginia off-year races, didn't put a poll out in the field this year.

'If we cannot be certain that these polling misses are anomalies then we have a responsibility to consider whether releasing horse race numbers in close proximity to an election is making a positive or negative contribution to the political discourse,' Murray said.
Dallas icon Linda Gray has been seen stepping out to run errands near her home in Valencia, California.

DailyMail.com spotted the 81-year-old actress Wednesday taking a trip to Costco, where she stocked up on fruit and purchased a fluffy blanket.

She kept it casual in black sweatpants and a tan sweatshirt and was seen pushing a cart, then loading the items into her car. She finished her errands by grabbing mail from a PO box.

The actress keeps a low profile these days in California where she owns a ranch. Wednesday's outing was the first time she's been photographed in public in three years.

DailyMail.com spotted Dallas icon Linda Gray, 81, running errands near her home in Valencia, California

During her outing Linda went on an hour-long trip to Costco, where she stocked up on fruit and also purchased a fluffy blanket

She kept it casual in black sweatpants, a tan sweatshirt and sneakers with her hair tied up

The actress keeps a low profile these days in California where she owns a ranch. Wednesday's outing was the first time she's been photographed in public in three years

The veteran actress was seen pushing a cart, then loading the items into her car

The veteran actress, director and former model is popular for her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, the long-suffering wife of Larry Hagman's on screen persona J.R. on the classic TV series.

Linda played the part from 1978 until 1991, then went on to appear in a string of successful movies and reprise her role in a couple of Dallas reunions.

Also an accomplished theatre actress, she starred as Mrs. Robinson in a production of The Graduate in 2001.

The brunette beauty also worked with Sylvester Stallone on Oscar in 1991 and on Models Inc from 1994 until 1995.

She went back to Dallas in 1996 and 1998 for spinoffs and also appeared on the reboot from 2012 until 2014.

The veteran actress, director and former model is popular for her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, aka the long-suffering wife of Larry Hagman's screen persona J.R. on the classic TV series

Linda played the part from 1978 until 1991, then went on to appear in a string of successful movies and reprise her role in a couple of Dallas reunions

Last year Linda took to Instagram to share the sad news that her 56-year-old son Jeff Thrasher had passed away.

'A celebration of my son Jeff's life. He was the kindest, funniest, sweetest human being..... he brought the world such love and was loved by everyone!' she wrote.'May his journey be a magical one. .'

Her followers expressed shock at the tragic news as they said, 'I am sorry for your loss' and 'Don't know what to say! Sending you love and a big hug from Scotland.'

'Linda I am so sorry. I am sending you all of my love and strength,' wrote her Dallas co-star Jordana Brewster.

Linda shared an image of the back of Jeff riding his bicycle on a street filled with autumn leaves and another was of his name drawn in the sand with a heart around it as the waves crashed in the background.

Jeff had been battling leukemia.

Jeff's father is Ed Thrasher whom Linda was married to from 1962 until 1983.

Gray, husband Ed Thrasher, son Jeff Thrasher and daughter Kehly in 1982

The 81-year-old star revealed on Instagram last year that her 56-year-old son Jeff Thrasher has passed away

The star shared an image of the back of Jeff riding his bicycle on a street filled with autumn leaves. The next photo was of his name drawn in the sand with a heart around it as the waves crashed in the background

Linda also has 55-year-old daughter Kehly Sloane, an actress who is married to Lance Sloane; together they have two children.

Jeff worked as a TV director and producer and his most recent project was Junior Chef Showdown.

In Junior Chef Showdown, 'the best and brightest young cooks go head-to-head in challenges that test their skills and ingenuity in the kitchen, but only one pint-sized chef will be named the country's best.'

He also produced The Amazing Race Canada and Canada's Smartest Person.

In 2017 he directed Furze World Wonders and in 2015 Jeff worked on Vegas Rat Rods.
Despite this, Lackowski said he did not consider Rosenbaum a credible threat to him or anyone else and walked away

'He had been acting very belligerently. He had asked people very bluntly to shoot him. He did what I would call, ''false-stepping'' to incite someone,' he said

Lackowski, who was armed with an AR-15, a knife and CS canisters that night, said that Rosenbaum asked him to shoot him several times

Rosenbaum was shot four times by Rittenhouse and died of his injuries

Lackowski claimed Joseph Rosenbaum screamed 'Shoot me n*****' and 'false-stepped' towards strangers to incite a violent response during the riots

Jason Lackowski was the first witness to take the stand Friday on the fourth day of Rittenhouse's trial

The defense will try to bring those claims into proceedings should the state push the notion that Huber was a 'peaceable character'

Rittenhouse's defense plans to argue that his second victim Anthony Huber had a violent criminal past in which he assaulted family members

Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of gunning down three people with a military-style semi-automatic rifle last year, killing two and injuring one

Anthony Huber had a violent criminal past in which he assaulted family members, threatened to 'gut his brother like a pig' and to burn down the family home 'with all you f****** in it.'

This is the startling criminal history that Kyle Rittenhouse's defense will try to bring into proceedings should the state push the notion that Huber was a 'peaceable character.'

The jury were not present as defense attorney Corey Chirafisi addressed the judge responding to the state's earlier attempt to paint Huber as 'a hero' during direct examination of Huber's great aunt, Sarah Hughes.

According to the criminal complaints quoted by Chirafisi in one instance, Huber 'hurled a chair,' and armed with a butcher's knife told his brother he would 'gut him like a pig.'

Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of gunning down three people with a military-style semi-automatic rifle last year, killing two and injuring one

Anthony Huber had a violent criminal past in which he assaulted family members, threatened to 'gut his brother like a pig' and to burn down the family home 'with all you f****** in it.'

Shortly before breaking for lunch the court heard from Anthony Huber's great aunt, Susan Hughes (pictured)  the first 'spark of life' witness, brought in by the prosecution to humanize the victim

Chirafisi stated, 'Huber told his brother he would kill him. Huber put a knife to his brother's stomach saying he was going to gut him like a pig.

'Huber grabbed his brother by the neck, dug his nails in and choked him for approximately ten seconds. He put a knife to his brother's left ear and his brother felt it cut.

'He said, 'I'm going to burn the house down with all you f*****s in it.'

On another occasion he kicked his sister in her right hip, causing her pain and to fall.

Chirafisi stated, 'they're saying this is a peaceful man. If you're saying that's peaceful this is the [material] we will want to admit.'

Faced with this prospect the state backed away from the attempt to paint Huber a 'hero' so the jury will not hear details of Huber's violent criminal past.

As Friday afternoon drew on, jurors heard that an opportunity to collect vital DNA evidence from Rittenhouses gun had been missed as officers were not directed to swab for evidence on the barrel despite receiving information that Huber and Rosenbaum may have both laid hands on it.

Images displayed in court show Huber grabbing Rittenhouses gun with his bare hands, while the defense contends that Rosenbaum made a grab for the guns barrel and may have been close enough to make contact  something that could have been established had DNA swabs been taken.

Questioned by Chirafisi, Officer Jeffery VanWei explained that he only swabbed the trigger and the part of the rifle most likely have been held by the shooter.

Chirafisi asked, Did any detectives come to you and ask you to do additional swabs now that more information about what had happened was out there?

The officer replied, No.

Chirafisi asked, If somebody would have asked you, We would like to know if there was DNA on the actual barrel of that gun, could you have done that? He replied, Absolutely.

Jason Lackowski was the first witness of the fourth day of the trial and is an army veteran who traveled to Kenosha to 'protect property.'

Questioned by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, Lackowski, who was armed with an AR-15, a knife and CS canisters that night, said that Rittenhouse's first victim Joseph Rosenbaum asked him to shoot him several times.

Lackowski said, 'He said 'Shoot me,' and used more explicit language than that.

'He had been acting very belligerently. He had asked people very bluntly to shoot him. He did what I would call, ''false-stepping'' to incite someone.'

On Binger's request, Lackowski rose to demonstrate 'false-stepping' to the jurors. He lurched forward from a standing start, in a jarring movement and with his chest puffed out, then simply stepped back.

Despite this, Lackowski said he did not consider Rosenbaum a credible threat to him or anyone else. Instead, he turned his back on him and walked away.

Lackowski is the second prosecution witness whose testimony about Rosenbaum's aggressive behavior and the chaos of the night seems only to add weight to the defense's case that Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense when he shot first him, Huber and Grosskreutz.

Lackowski is the second prosecution witness whose testimony about Rosenbaum's aggressive behavior and the chaos of the night seems only to add weight to the defense's case that Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense when he shot first him, Huber and Grosskreutz

Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum (pictured), 36, with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle after Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse across a parking lot and threw a plastic bag at him shortly before midnight on August 25, 2020

Jason Lackowski was the first witness to take the stand Friday on the fourth day of Rittenhouse's trial

Yesterday the court heard from key witness, Daily Caller Chief Video Director Richie McGinniss, who described how Rosenbaum had 'lunged' for Rittenhouse's gun having pursued him into a row of parked cars and what appeared to be 'something of a dead end.'

McGinniss painted a compelling picture of the sporadic violence of the night as well as Rosenbaum's erratic and 'menacing' behavior. And he refused to cede to Binger's assertion that the dead man was already falling forward when Rittenhouse shot.

Under increasingly testy direct examination that at times seemed more like a cross-examination of a hostile witness, McGinniss insisted that Rosenbaum was gaining ground on Rittenhouse when he 'lunged forward' and attempted to grab the teen's weapon.

He said that Rosenbaum may have been unable to stop himself from falling face down because of the shot, but would not agree that he had witnessed Rosenbaum fall before the first shot was fired

Under direct examination Lackowski described the scenes of 'chaos' in downtown Kenosha, earning a reprimand from the judge when he referred to, 'the a**holes who were trying to use the protest to their own gain.'

He explained, 'There were a lot of individuals there to legitimately protest and there were people there to instigate and I noticed there were a lot of people who were using that to cause havoc.

'People throwing things at police, people staring fires, people with mal intent.'

He told the court that he had been trained to, 'Shout, shove, show, shoot.' But that he had never had to take even that second step.

Lackowski testified that Rittenhouse told him he was an EMT and that he assumed he was 18 because of that and the fact that he was carrying a firearm.

Rittenhouse's mother, Wendy, and sister McKenzie were once again in court. They were flanked by security as they have been every day.

Both Rittenhouse and his family have a constant security detail as the teen and his family received multiple threats on their lives since the events of last summer.

Lackowski testified that Rittenhouse had run towards him after shooting all three men. He was, Lackowski said, 'frazzled and in shock,' but when Rittenhouse spoke he said he had NOT shot anybody but needed help. But under cross examination Lackowski said he was 'not at all certain' of that assertion.

Lackowski said, 'I told him to run towards the police [vehicles]'

After that, he said, 'I pretty much blacked out because the next thing I remember is helping Mr. Grosskreutz.'

He said, 'I remember him being on the ground screaming. Somebody was screaming for a tourniquet. I had given that to him, he applied the tourniquet. He had done it wrong so I pushed him out of the way and applied it correctly.'

After the police showed up Lackowski said he noticed Grosskreutz's Glock on the ground and someone walking towards it.

He said, 'I pushed him away, picked up the firearm, dropped the magazine and emptied the chamber.'

Rosenbaum's fiance Kariann Swart briefly took the witness stand directly after lunch. She told the court that she had been with Rosenbaum for just over a year and recalled how she and her sister visited the site where he had been shot the morning after

Joseph Rosenbaum, in the red shirt, front center, and Anthony Huber, in the blue hat behind Rosenbaum, are seen at the riots confronting armed men

Rosenbaum's fiance Kariann Swart briefly took the witness stand directly after lunch. She told the court that she had been with Rosenbaum for just over a year and recalled how she and her sister visited the site where he had been shot the morning after.

She said, 'We went over to the Car Source and there was this mark where Joe had lain. I put my hand in it and my hand was wet with his blood andI collapsed to the ground.'

Swart had received a telephone call telling her that Rosenbaum was dead at around 4am she said.

She said, 'I fell to my knees and cried.'

Rosenbaum had visited Swart earlier in the day and she had 'explicitly told him' not to go downtown that night because the 'whole city was up in flames.'

She said that the visit had been 'pleasant' and that he had been 'excited' to 'work on the relationship and work on himself.'

When he left he told her he loved her.

Rosenbaum had been released from a psychiatric hospital that morning following a domestic assault and suicide attempt. He could not stay with Swart as she had a restraining order against him.

Earlier the defense had unsuccessfully argued to have that information put before the jury.

But today, in another point scored by the defense with a state witness, the jury heard details of Rosenbaum's mental health issues for the first time.

The jury was asked to leave the room while Chirafisi questioned Swart regarding the medication Rosenbaum took.

She said she did not know them all but knew that he was on Gabapentin, Effexor and Seroquil - medications for bi-polar disorder, depression and a sleep disorder respectively.

On hearing this Judge Schroeder deemed the information admissible and recalled the jury to continue her testimony.

A second juror in the trial was dismissed Friday. The juror who is pregnant asked to be removed at the start of the fourth day of testimony due to medical reasons.

Juror 27 was dismissed without issue and Judge Bruce Schroeder wished her well before seating the remaining jurors.

Car Source owner Amnol Khindri took the witness box mid Friday afternoon. In often conflicting, confused testimony he denied ever asking Rittenhouse or any of the other vigilantes on any of his family's three properties that evening

Car Source owner Amnol Khindri took the witness box mid Friday afternoon. In often conflicting, confused testimony he denied ever asking Rittenhouse or any of the other vigilantes on any of his family's three properties that evening.

Earlier in the week Dominick Black testified that he had spoken with Khindri on just that matter.

He denied seeing a text sent by Rittenhouse to his cell phone on the afternoon of August 25 in which the teenager offered armed protection to the Car Source properties.

The text, shown on a screen in court, read, 'Hi Sam [Amnol's nickname] It's Kyle do you need anyone to protect your business tonight I'm more than willing and will be armed I just need address. Me and my brother would both be there armed.'

Khindri also initially denied communicating with Rittenhouse at all, before admitting that he had spoken with him earlier in the day when Rittenhouse had offered to fundraise for his company and had taken his cell phone number.

Under both direct and cross examination Khindri was often evasive, frequently appearing to default to the response that he did not understand direct questions.

Asked by Chirafisi if he was concerned that his family might be open to prosecution if they had given permission for armed men to be on their property when a man was ultimately shot there, he said he did not.

Under cross-examination and increasingly frustrated Chirafisi attempted to pin Khindri down to straight answers to straight questions.

He denied providing a ladder for the men who positioned themselves on the roof and denied seeing them on his property one moment then admitted in the next breath that he had seen a group of armed men, of which Rittenhouse was part, being photographed with his brother.

At the beginning of cross examination, he claimed that all of the property was insured and suggested that he was resigned to shouldering any loss or damage caused by the protesters.

He said he did not know the extent of loss to inventory.

Chirafisi rounded on him and stated quite bluntly that neither of those statements were true.

The attorney pulled up an interview given by Khindri shortly after the night of August 25. In it Khindir stated that 137 cars had been destroyed and estimated losses of $2.5million.

He told the reporter that the insurance company was not paying out. Chirafisi said, 'You testified under oath that you had insurance for this. That's not true. One of the first questions I asked was about your loss and you said you had insurancebut not for those vehicles due to arson, correct?'

Khindri answered quietly, 'I'm not understanding the question.'

Lackowski claimed Joseph Rosenbaum screamed 'Shoot me N*****' and 'false-stepped' towards strangers to incite a violent response during the riots

Juror 27 was dismissed Friday without issue and Judge Bruce Schroeder wished her well before seating the remaining jurors

Shortly before breaking for lunch the court heard from Anthony Huber's great aunt, Susan Hughes  the first 'spark of life' witness, brought in by the prosecution to humanize the victim.

She recalled her great nephew as a man with whom she shared a 'special bond,' rarely without the skateboard that he rode whenever possible.

She said that his 'vision' was to build an indoor skatepark in downtown Kenosha.

She also recalled how Huber told her that he knew Jacob Blake  the black man whose shooting by a Kenosha police officer led to the nights of protest and rioting at which Rittenhouse shot Huber and Rosenbaum dead and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz.

Jurors at the Kenosha shooter's trial heard jolting audio of the first four shots fired by Kyle Rittenhouse on the night of August 25, 2020

She said that she had seen Huber on the day he was shot and told him to be back by curfew.

Rittenhouse is accused of gunning down three people with a military-style semi-automatic rifle last year, killing two and injuring one

Jurors heard startling testimony as Ryan Balch took the stand Thursday afternoon. Balch, a self-avowed 'boogaloo boi' had traveled to Kenosha to 'police' the community after hearing of the protests and riots that had taken place across the previous nights.

According to Balch, Rosenbaum made the threats within ear-shot of Rittenhouse who had quickly attached himself to Balch and the two spent much of the evening side by side.

Rittenhouse was by Balch's side when Rosenbaum 'got in his face' 'yelling and screaming.'

In direct testimony Balch told Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, 'He was yelling and screaming. I said, ''Dude back up, chill out.''

The court then heard that Rosenbaum turned to Balch and said, 'If I catch any of you guys alone tonight I'm going to f***ing kill you.'

According to Balch, 'the defendant was close enough to hear what was said.'

Later that night Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse down in a pursuit that ended when the younger man turned on him and fired off four shots, shooting him dead.

Earlier in his testimony Balch, a military veteran who was armed with an AR-15 and wearing body armor that night, characterized Rosenbaum as, 'hyper-aggressive and acting out in a violent manner.'

He said, 'He was always having to be restrained by someone. The crowd was pretty good about getting in between him and whoever it was.

'If he landed a blow I didn't see it, but he definitely wanted to.'

In contrast Balch described Rittenhouse  whom he believed to be 19 years old  as 'underexperienced and underequipped.'

He said, 'He seemed like an impressionable kid. I felt like as young as he looked and the general way he was carrying himself the protesters would have seen that as a weakness and tried to exploit that.'

In a moment of levity Balch recalled the only direct encounter he witnessed between Rittenhouse and a protester. He said, 'He had one exchange that I saw. Just some random person in the crowd yelled, 'F*** you!'

Balch said Rittenhouse replied, 'I love you too ma'am.'

Balch told the court that he mistakenly believed the hospital bag that Rosenbaum was carrying to contain ammonia and bleach  the ingredients for a Molotov cocktail.

Daily Caller Chief Video Director Richie McGinniss (pictured) took the witness stand Thursday morning as a prosecution witness. He claimed Rittenhouse victim Joseph Rosenbaum 'lunged towards the muzzle' of Rittenhouse's gun in the moment the teen levelled it towards him and shot

Jurors heard the startling testimony as Ryan Balch took the stand Thursday afternoon. Balch, a self-avowed 'boogaloo boi' had traveled to Kenosha to 'police' the community after hearing of the protests and riots that had taken place across the previous nights

Earlier in the day Thursday Daily Caller Chief Video Director Richie McGinniss took the stand to testify that Joseph Rosenbaum 'lunged towards the muzzle' of Kyle Rittenhouse's weapon in the moment the teen leveled it towards him and shot.

McGinniss had traveled to Kenosha to cover the unrest following the shooting of Jacob Blake and was so close to the shooting on August 25, 2020, that Rittenhouse has been charged with reckless endangerment.

He told the court he followed Rosenbaum's pursuit of Rittenhouse because he sensed that 'something newsworthy' was about to happen after seeing Rittenhouse running carrying a fire extinguisher in one hand and his AR-15 in the other.

McGinniss had been called as a state witness, but if he had hoped that McGinniss would further his case Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger was disappointed. At times his direct examination seemed more like a contentious cross.

McGinniss detailed the events of the night as he had witnessed them chronicling the 'menacing' atmosphere and random violence up to the point where he found himself just feet behind Rosenbaum as Rittenhouse turned to face him.

Binger focused in on the moment that Rittenhouse pulled the trigger  suggesting that Rosenbaum was already 'falling forward' when the first shot was taken, a key element to the state's contention that Rosenbaum was no threat and that the shooting was therefore not self-defense.

But McGinniss pushed back, with testimony that rendered him more a witness for the defense than the state.

Indeed DailyMail.com has learned that McGinniss, who gave a host of interviews to right-wing outlets in the days following the shooting, was seen speaking with the defense team in a Kenosha hotel last night.

McGinniss said, 'It's unclear to me whether the shots were the reason he was falling because he lunged as the shots were fired. Perhaps it was the shots that caused him to fall forward.

'He was lunging, falling, I would use those as synonymous terms  he threw his momentum towards the weapon. His momentum was going forward and that's the point at which he fired the shots.'

The defense claims Rittenhouse tried to turn himself in for shooting Rosenbaum, but was seized by a mob, including Huber, who they claimed tried to 'decapitate' Rittenhouse

Binger badgered McGinniss to cede the point and agree with him that Rosenbaum was falling when the shots were fired but despite an increasingly tense examination McGinniss would not be swayed.

He insisted that Rosenbaum 'lunged' towards the rifle and that it was in that moment that Rittenhouse, 'levelled [his gun] at Mr. Rosenbaum and fired.'

McGinniss went onto recall how he attempted to comfort Rosenbaum as he sped to hospital with the dying man in the back of a stranger's car.

He said, 'I was telling him we were going to have a beer together afterwards and that it was all doing to be okay. I believe that when I was talking, I like to think, that he could hear me.

'It seemed that his eye was looking at me but it was kind of rolling back and when I started talking it kind of rolled back towards me, looking at me.

'He was having difficulty breathing.'

McGinniss revealed that the crowd were so 'animated' and angry that he was punched in the face as he tried to load Rosenbaum into the car.
Georgia prosecutors called a Glenn County Police Officer who responded to the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery as their first witness in the racially-charged trial on Friday.

Officer William Duggan, an officer of the force for 12 years, took the stand and talked the jury through his bodycam video, which depicts the moment the officer found Arbery on the ground after being shot by Travis McMichael, who chased the black jogger with the help of his father Greg McMichael and neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan.

Duggan said when he approached Travis, the 35-year-old was covered in blood, saying, 'I'm not okay.'

Meanwhile, Duggan, who has had nearly 190 hours of medical training, determined that Arbery was already dead given 'the blood loss, lack of rise and fall of the chest and the gaping would I saw in his chest.'

'There was nothing I could do,' he told EMS officials as they arrived at the scene shortly after.

His testimony came after prosecutors claim the three white men on trial for the murder of Arbery knew that he was not a burglar despite their claims that they confronted the black jogger because they suspected him of robbery.

Officer William Duggan was the first to take the stand in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was killed on February 23, 2020, while he was out for a run in his neighborhood

Travis McMichael delivered the fatal gunshot wounds that killed Arbery

Greg McMichael sits and listens to the charges placed against him during the trial

William "Roddie" Bryan helped chase Arbery and filmed the fatal interaction

Georgia Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski presented a bodycam video of Greg and his adult son, Travis , speaking with a police officer months before the fatal shooting, with the officer telling them that Arbery, 25, is only a suspected trespasser and loiterer in the area, not a burglar.

'Mr. Arbery has never taken anything from this property. At this point, the McMichaels knew this,' Dunikoski told the nearly all white jury at Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick.

The McMichaels had armed themselves and pursued Arbery in a pickup truck as he ran through their neighborhood just outside the Georgia port city of Brunswick on February 23, 2020. A neighbor, Bryan, joined the chase and recorded graphic video of Travis shooting Arbery three times with a shotgun.

Travis's attorney, Robert Rubin, claimed that the former US Coast Guard service member was only trying to defend his neighborhood amid a series of robberies in the area.

The prosecutor was also allowed to show the jury, which has just one black juror on the 12-person panel, a picture of Travis's license plate that features an old Georgia flag with the Confederate battle emblem, after the judge overruled objections by defense lawyers.

Georgia Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski, left, claimed Greg McMichael, top right, and son Travis McMichael, knew Ahmed Arbery was not a burglar months before they were caught on video shooting the black jogger in their neighborhood

Dunikoski presented photos highlighting Travis's shadow, demonstrating that he confronted Arbery in front of the car and not backing away from the jogger when he shot him

Police bodycam footage shows the Confederate flag vanity plates on Travis McMichael's pickup truck

Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley has slammed the trial for 'intentional discrimination' after just one black juror was picked to sit on the 12-person jury

Wanda Cooper-Jones, the mother of Arbery, watched the video depicting the fatal shooting

She closed her eyes and covered her ears during the final moment when Arbery was shot

Georgia's response to the killing has become part of a broader effort to address racial injustice in the criminal legal system after a string of fatal encounters between police and black people such as George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.

All three defendants are standing trial together, charged with murder and other felony counts.

Dunikoski said the tragedy befell Arbery for a series of assumptions, 'driveway decisions' and malice about his race and suspicion regarding thefts in the area.

Larry English had long been complaining about thefts on his property when his home surveillance caught video of Arbery on the property in late 2019.

Dunikoski said English and police suspected Arbery of the burglaries for only a brief moment before designating him as a 'strange' trespasser and loiterer who only seemed to walk by the area. Videos of Arbery were shared around the neighborhood in an attempt to identify him.

Despite being told this by police, according to the bodycam video, both McMichaels said they believed Arbery was the serial robber plaguing their neighborhood when they chased after him.

Dunikoski said the men had time to think about what they were doing when they decided to chase the black men with their pick-up truck and guns, but carried on anyway. The McMichaels also called police to say they were chasing Arbery and had him 'trapped like a rat.'

She presented a photograph of the incident, which shows Travis, 35, running towards Arbery in an effort to intercept him before discharging his shotgun.

'The state will show this was an attack on Ahmaud Arbery for five minutes, and all Mr. Arbery did was runaway,' Dunikoski said.

Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, was also seen crying and covering her ears as Dunikoski presented the video of the fatal encounter.

Dunikoski said said the tragedy befell Arbery for a series of assumptions and malice about his race and suspicion regarding thefts in the area

Arbery was video tapped trespassing in the area in late 2019

He was spotted multiple times in October, November, December and February

Rubin claims that the character of the neighborhood had changed in the months leading up to the shooting due to the string of robberies in 2019.

'Satilla Shores was a neighborhood on edge,' Rubin said, alluding that neighbors were putting up cameras, posting worries on Facebook and children were no longer allowed to play outside.

He said Travis felt he had a duty and responsibility to help catch not just the suspected thieves, but also the trespasser, Arbery.

Rubin adds that Travis had come across a trespasser at English's home on the night of February 11, presumably Arbery, who Travis claimed may have been armed in a 9-11 call that night.

He also claimed Arbery was a in fact a burglar, because he was trespassing on the property even if he did not steal anything from English, so Travis had probable cause to chase Arbery.

Rubin said Travis ultimately shot Arbery in self-defense when Arbery ran at him and allegedly tried to grab the shotgun away from him.

Robert Rubin said his client, Travis McMichael, was doing his duty when he chased Arbery

Rubin presented statements from the neighborhood over their fears of the robberies

The jury was shown the video and images taken when the men chased and trapped Arbery

Franklin Hogue, Greg McMichael's attorney, said his defense also believed Arbery was the man who had been burglarizing English's property.

Hogue said Greg, a former officer, used his training to recognize Arbery as the man from the video tapes and notified his son as the two decided to go after him.

Greg was the one speaking with police at the time Travis confronted Arbery. Hogue said Greg believed Arbery was trying to grab Travis's gun.

'He was in abject fear that he was about to see his only son get shot before his very eyes,' Hogue said.

He added that Greg only wanted to arrest Arbery in order to get answers as to why he continued to break into English's property.

Defense Attorney Kevin Gough, representing William 'Roddie' Bryan, said he wanted to forego his opening statement until the state presents its case in chief.

Franklin Hogue said Greg McMichael was afraid Arbery would kill his son

Defense Attorney Kevin Gough, representing William 'Roddie' Bryan, said he wanted to forego his opening statement until the state presents its case in chief

Arbery had been dead for more than two months before the McMichaels and Bryan were charged and jailed last year. Greg McMichael, a retired investigator for the local district attorney, told police the men were trying to stop Arbery because they suspected he was a burglar. Security cameras had recorded him entering a nearby house under construction.

Greg McMichael said his son killed Arbery in self-defense after Arbery attacked with his fists and tried to take Travis McMichael's gun.

Prosecutors say Arbery was merely out jogging, was unarmed and had committed no crimes in the neighborhood. When Bryan's video of the killing leaked online in May 2020, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local police. GBI agents arrested the McMichaels the next day, and charged Bryan two weeks later.

The killing of Arbery has dominated news stories and social media feeds in Brunswick and surrounding Glynn County, a coastal community of about 85,000 people.

Arbery was chased by the armed McMichaels as he was jogging in February 2020

Arbery, in a white T-shirt, is confronted by Travis McMichael, who holds a shotgun

This combination of booking photos provided by the Glynn County, Ga., Detention Center, shows, from left, Travis McMichael, his father, Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. On Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, a Georgia judge has ruled that Ahmaud Arbery's mental health records can't be used as trial evidence by the men who chased and killed him.

It took the judge and attorneys 2 1/2 weeks to select a jury. Nearly 200 people summoned to jury duty were questioned extensively about what they knew about the case, how many times they had seen the video and if they had any personal connection to Arbery or the defendants.

Controversy erupted on Wednesday, the final day of jury selection, when prosecutors objected to a final jury consisting of 11 whites and one black juror. They argued that defense attorneys had cut eight potential jurors from the final panel because they are Black, which the U.S. Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional.

The judge agreed there appeared to be 'intentional discrimination,' but said Georgia law limited his authority to intervene because defense attorneys stated non-racial reasons for excluding Black panelists from the jury.

One juror, a white woman, was dismissed Thursday for medical reasons. Fifteen total panelists will hear the trial - 12 jurors plus three alternates. The judge has not given the races of the alternate jurors, and they were not asked to state their race in open court.

Court officials have said the trial could last two weeks or more.

If the defendants are acquitted, their legal troubles won't be over. They have also been indicted on federal hate crime charges. A U.S. District Court judge has scheduled that trial to begin February 7.
Adult film actress Lily Cade had reportedly called for the 'lynching' of high-profile trans women

The BBC have removed the words of a porn star who 'called for trans people to by lynched' from a controversial article following a fierce backlash from trans activists.

The broadcaster defended the piece, which was published last week with the headline 'We're being pressured into sex by some trans women', following complaints it was 'transphobic and poorly evidenced'.

On Thursday the BBC said the article has been edited to remove the quotes of former porn actress Lily Cade 'in light of comments she has published on blog posts in recent days, which we have been able to verify'.

Ms Cade had reportedly called for the 'lynching' of high-profile trans women and called them 'vile, weak and disgusting' on her website, which has been down since Wednesday.

She had said: 'I need the mothers on my side. I'm on the side of the breeders. I'm on the side of the children. F*** feelings. I care about the emotional and physical well-being of the future generations, not some spoiled little f*** of the easiest, stupidest, path of least resistance society that has ever existed's bulls*** delusions.

'No woman should ever pity a weak man. Tear your f***ing blinders off, b****, what the f*** is wrong with you? Your pity rewards weak men for their weakness. You have sacrificed your children's futures on the altar of that pity.'

The BBC article did not feature those comments.

More than 20,000 people have now signed an open letter to the broadcaster, condemning the piece and accusing the BBC of 'transphobia'.

A statement published on the complaints section of the BBC website read: 'We acknowledge that an admission of inappropriate behaviour by the same contributor should have been included in the original article.'

The BBC faced a fierce backlash after it published an article which described the pressures three lesbian women had allegedly faced from their trans partners into having sex

More than 20,000 people have signed an open letter condemning the article

A spokesman for the BBC said: 'This is an important piece of journalism that raises issues that should be discussed.

'We have updated this article, published last week, to remove a contribution from one individual in light of comments she has published on blog posts in recent days, which we have now been able to verify.

'We acknowledge that an admission of inappropriate behaviour by the same contributor should have been included in the original article.'

The piece, published last week, questioned whether a lesbian is 'transphobic if she does not want to have sex with trans women'.

It also included comments from a number of lesbians who said they have been criticised for not wanting to have sex with trans women, including one who said they 'had someone saying they would rather kill me than Hitler'.

The BBC was previously sent an open letter criticising the article by campaign group Trans Activism UK, which was signed by more than 20,000 people.

It criticised the piece for including a social media survey of 80 lesbians, of which 56% said they had been pressured or coerced to accept a trans woman as a sexual partner.

The letter said the article 'dangerously frames' lesbians being pressured into sex 'as a widespread issue'.

The BBC have now updated the article revealing that Ms Cade's contribution had been removed

The article's author Caroline Lowbridge spoke to three women, who used aliases, and said they had experienced a backlash after stating they would not want to have sex with a trans woman.

Jennie, a lesbian who is only attracted to women who are biologically female, said she had been described as transphobic, a genital fetishist, a pervert and a 'TERF' - a trans exclusionary radical feminist.

She told the BBC : 'I've had someone saying they would rather kill me than Hitler.

'They said they would strangle me with a belt if they were in a room with me and Hitler. That was so bizarrely violent, just because I won't have sex with trans women.'

Another woman, who used the name Chloe, told the BBC she felt so pressured she ended up having sex with a trans woman at university after repeatedly explaining she was not interested.

She added: 'I felt very bad for hating every moment, because the idea is we are attracted to gender rather than sex, and I did not feel that, and I felt bad for feeling like that.'

Ms Lowbridge said those affected had told her 'the pressures came from a minority of trans women'.
The EU warned of 'serious consequences' if the UK suspends the Northern Ireland protocol today after fresh talks failed to secure a breakthrough.

Lord Frost has met Maros Sefcovic in Brussels as they try to find a way through the increasingly bitter impasse over post-Brexit rules.

But the commission vice-president said afterwards that he was 'disappointed' there has been no 'big move' from the UK. He said the round of discussions in London next week will be crucial.

And he fired a shot across Britain's bows after Lord Frost repeated that invoking Article 16 - which would essentially remove the divorce rules for Northern Ireland - is 'on the table'.

At a press conference, Mr Sefcovic said: 'Until today we have seen no move at all from the UK side. I find this disappointing and once again I urge the UK government to engage with us sincerely.'

'We hear a lot about Article 16 at the moment. Let there be no doubt that triggering Article 16 to seek the renegotiation of the protocol would have serious consequences.'

The EU says it has already 'bent over backwards' to make concessions on the implementation of the protocol.

However, key disagreements remain, including over the role of the European Court of Justice in any disputes. The new arrangements have been blamed for fuelling sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland as loyalists demand it is scrapped altogether.

Lord Frost repeated that invoking Article 16 - which would essentially remove the divorce rules for Northern Ireland - is 'on the table'

Lord Frost has met Maros Sefcovic (pictured) in Brussels as they try to find a way through the increasingly bitter impasse over post-Brexit rules

A UK government readout of the meet said Lord Frost had 'underlined that progress had been limited and that the EUs proposals did not currently deal effectively with the fundamental difficulties in the way the protocol was operating'.

'He added that, in the UK view, these gaps could still be bridged through further intensive discussions,' the statement said.

'He underlined that the UKs preference was still to find a consensual solution that protected the Belfast (Good Friday) agreement and the everyday lives of people in Northern Ireland.

The pair also had a 'short' discussion about fisheries policy, with the row with France another potential destabilising factor in relations.

To avoid a hard border with Ireland, the protocol effectively keeps Northern Ireland inside the EU's single market for goods.

That has resulted in some checks for products crossing the Irish Sea from the British mainland, which left the single market.

Earlier, Lord Frost said he would not immediately trigger Article 16, which would allow parts of the deal to be suspended.

The new arrangements have been blamed for fuelling sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland as loyalists demand it is scrapped altogether. Pictured, protests in Belfast on Tuesday

He said: 'We're not going to trigger Article 16 today, but Article 16 is very much on the table and has been since July.

'If we can reach an agreement on the protocol that provides a sustainable solution, then that's the best way forward.'

He has previously claimed the conditions for using the mechanism have been met because of the difficulties being caused.

The Brexit minister has previously said he expects the issues around the protocol to be settled 'one way or another' this autumn.

The UK also wants an end to the European Court of Justice's oversight role, something that Brussels has said is impossible.
An ISIS terror suspect wanted by the Russian government was arrested at an airport in Colombia while waiting to connect to a flight to Guatemala, Colombian authorities revealed Friday.

Vladimir Ali Ali Taranetc arrived at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota on a flight from Istanbul Airport on Thursday and was scheduled to continue on to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, the National Police of Colombia said.

Customs officials noticed Taranetc had been flagged in their system due to an Interpol Red Notice that had been requested by authorities in the west-central Russian city of Naberezhnye Chelny in 2013.

ISIS terror suspect Vladimir Ali Ali Taranetc was arrested Thursday at El Dorado International Dorado in Bogota, Colombia, after he was trying to connect to a flight to Guatemala City after arriving from Istanbul. The National Police of Colombia said Taranetc will be extradited to Russia, where he face terror related charges

Vladimir Ali Ali Taranetc, a member of the Islamic State, is escorted through El Dorado International Dorado in Bogota, Colombia, on Thursday

Taranetc was initially a member of Jaish Muhajireen wal-Ansar, a terror group that was formed in Iraq in 2011 and that was also involved in terror plots which were coordinated in Syria.

Colombian authorities learned that Taranetc left Russia for Turkey in September 2013 before arriving in Syria, where he joined the terrorist organization and 'shared extremist ideas.'

Jaish Muhajireen wal-Ansar was known for employing 'sabotage methods through violent acts' that left civilians, government officials, and law enforcement agents dead while carrying out executions in public. The terror network was also involved in trafficking slaves.

Vladimir Ali Ali Taranetc, who joined ISIS and participated in terror activities in Syria according to the Russian government, reviews a document after he was taken into custody Thursday at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia

The terror group was later disbanded and Taranetc subsequently joined the Islamic State.

'Vladimir acted as a foreign fighter and it was estimated that he had a strong arsenal of firearms and ammunition,' the National Police of Colombia said in a statement. 'Russian authorities affirm that, to this day, Taranetc has not stopped participating and collaborating by his own free will with the Islamic State.'

The National Police said that Taranetc would be extradited to Russia to face terror charges.

He could face up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.

Vladimir Ali Ali Taranetc, a suspected fighter with ISIS, is questioned by an Interpol agent at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia
A Met officer on trial accused of rape told police he thought he was about to begin a relationship with his alleged victim, a court today heard.

James Geoghegan, 27, said he and the woman had 'passionate sex' at her home in Essex after going clubbing with her and other friends.

He told officers in his interview that it was a 'complete shock' when he awoke to the woman's flatmate telling him to leave or she would call 999.

In a prepared statement given to police, which was read to jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court today, the defendant, said the woman had asked him after he awoke: 'Did you not hear me say no?'

Geoghegan, who had a girlfriend at the time, said: 'It was a complete shock, I didn't know what she was on about. She said she had said no to having sex.

'I was so shocked. I genuinely thought we were going to wake up and spend the day together and start seeing each other like we were saying the night before.

'I was so shocked because as far as I knew we just had passionate sex with each other and it was really good and things were good between us.'

The defendant, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, denies rape.

Met Police Office James Geoghegan, 27, told police that he and his alleged victim had 'passionate sex' and it was a 'complete shock' when he awoke to the woman's flatmate telling him to leave or she would call the police. Pictured: Library image of Scotland Yard

In his prepared statement, he said that he and the woman had taken a taxi to her home together in December 2018.

He said they 'danced, mainly to (rapper) Drake' at her home.

He said he offered to sleep on the sofa but she 'insisted' he sleep in her bed.

'She laughingly said we were going to have a cuddle and a spoon,' he said.

He said they had both been drinking but had been 'having long and involved conversations'.

The response officer, whose mother was in court, wiped tears from his eyes as defence barrister Nicholas Corsellis QC said Geoghegan had waited a long time for the case to be heard.

He is 'currently suspended from being a police officer', Mr Corsellis said.

The defendant said he spoke to the woman on a night out before they went to her flat together.

He said he had joked about proposing to her and going on a honeymoon.

'We were laughing and joking but the undertone was serious - I thought we were going to be together after this,' he said.

He went on: 'I genuinely thought that (the woman) and I were going to be together like we said... we always said we were going to be together, I thought that was happening.'

He said they took a taxi to her home and she invited him in.

Asked by Mr Corsellis if he thought he and the woman were 'going to have sex no matter what', the defendant replied: 'No, definitely not'.

Geoghegan said he 'definitely thought she was attracted to me'.

He said that after they brushed their teeth in the bathroom, she told him he would be 'sleeping in her bed with her and we were going to have a cuddle and a spoon'.

He said she 'put her arms round my waist and led me into her room'.

Prosecutors had previously told the court that Geoghegan had decided to sleep at the woman's home instead of returning to his home in Enfield, north London.

They told jurors that he had followed his alleged victim into her room 'uninvited' later that morning as she was undressing.

Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver said Geoghegan proceeded to try to take off the victim's pyjama bottoms, to which she replied 'stop, think about your girlfriend'.

Jurors were told that she repeated this several times to try to 'discourage him' as she was 'not interested in intercourse' but this was ignored.

After gesturing that she was not interested in going further, the alleged rape took place on her bed, the court heard.

In a prepared statement given to police, which was read to jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court (pictured) today, the defendant, who had a girlfriend at the time, said the woman had asked him after he awoke: 'Did you not hear me say no?'

In a police video interview played in court, the woman said: 'I pulled them back up, said, 'No. Stop'.

'He then pulled them back down. I just remember lying there looking at the ceiling thinking, "This is disgusting",' she said.

She said the defendant fell asleep afterwards and she cried.

Mr Cleaver said: 'The prosecution case is simple, (the victim) said no and (the victim) said stop and that is exactly what she meant.

'He accepted in the living room and later in those messages that he heard her say it more than once, but he took no notice of her.

'He disregarded her limits and decided instead to press on.'

Mr Cleaver added: 'It was totally unreasonable, he had no reasonable belief that she was consenting, less still that she was inviting sexual intercourse with him.

'It may be that he felt that he had waited long enough and this was his opportunity to go all the way without any real regard to what she actually wanted and to what she was clearly indicating.'

He said that as a police officer, Geoghegan had 'professional insight' on where 'sexual boundaries may be crossed'.

The trial continues.
Undated handout photo issued by Metropolitan Police of Ta-Jaun Subaran

Three gang members who 'senselessly' murdered an innocent Marks and Spencer shop assistant on a mini cab 'ride out' because he was from another area have today been jailed for a total of 57 years.

Anthony Adekola, 22, nicknamed Lizzy, was stabbed to death as he walked home from work at the Colindale store in north-west London on the evening of September 5 last year.

The attackers, wearing black facemasks and bandanas, leapt out of two taxis and chased after Mr Adekola. He tried to sprint away but tripped over a bollard, allowing his assailants to gain ground.

The M&S shop assistant was stabbed at least nine times to his head, neck, back and chest and was dead when paramedics arrived, the Old Bailey heard. Jurors were told that the killing was linked to a gang postcode feud in which the victim played no part.

Ta-Jaun Subaran, 20, and two 17-year-old boys, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were part of the gang of eight who knifed Mr Adekola to death.

Following a trial, Subaran and the two teenagers were found guilty of his murder. Judge Simon Mayo QC jailed Subaran for life with a minimum term of 22 years. His co-defendants have also been detained for at least 18 years and 17 years and six months.

The judge called the murder 'as brutal and callous as it was random and pointless'. He earlier commended Mr Adekola's family for 'the quiet dignity' they sat in court with during the course of the trial.

'I recognise that listening to how Anthony had met his death must have been deeply upsetting and I imagine must have opened up those wounds,' he said.

In a statement read to the court, the victim's mother Foluke Adekola told how the 'senseless' killing over a 'postcode that does not belong to anyone' had broken her heart.

Anthony Adekola, 22, nicknamed Lizzy, was stabbed to death as he walked home from work at the Colindale store in north-west London on the evening of September 5 last year

The M&S shop assistant was stabbed at least nine times to his head, neck, back and chest and was dead when paramedics arrived, the Old Bailey heard

She highlighted the 'utter futility' of it, saying there was no place in society for such 'cold blooded' violence.

Her son was an 'honest and hard working boy' whose chance of becoming a man was taken away.

She added: 'The Anthony we knew was not involved in any trouble so why did trouble come for him?'

Sentencing, the judge told the defendants: 'On the evening of September 5 2020 you set out together with five others from the Hendon area of north London in two mini cabs.

'Your purpose in setting out that evening was to carry out a murder that was as brutal and callous as it was random and pointless.'

The aim to 'score a point against a rival gang' was 'perverse and abhorrent', the judge said. When Mr Adekola came across the defendants armed with knives, he paused before running away.

Judge Mayo said: 'You chased after him. That was an utterly cowardly act on your part. It is clear you caught up with Mr Adekola and attacked him with knives. In the course of that attack he was stabbed at least nine times - to his head, to his face, to his neck, his chest, his back, and his upper and lower limbs.'

The fatal stab wound to his neck severed the carotid artery and jugular vein. The attackers then returned to the waiting taxis and made off.

In a statement read to the court, the victim's mother Foluke Adekola told how the 'senseless' killing over a 'postcode that does not belong to anyone' had broken her heart

Police later found drill lyrics on an electronic device seized after arresting one of the youths that referred to 'the 9', jurors heard.

Bill Emlyn Jones, prosecuting, said the 9 may refer to NW9, the postcode Mr Adekola lived in.

'Such lyrics often contain bragging or boastful claims, which may or may not reflect what the person writing or delivering those lyrics has really done,' he told the OId Bailey.

'But equally you may feel able to accept that the lyrics are revealing of the writer's true feelings, hostilities, ambitions, or achievements.

'He had written: 'I wanna go to the 9 and set it / Catch me an opp n f*cking kweff it / Dey took my bro so I'm garn get dem back'.

'That lyric expresses the obvious sentiment that he wants to go to 'the 9', to catch a rival because they have done something to one of his own team and he wants revenge.

'You can probably work out what 'kweff' means: to attack, assault or stab.'

Mr Adekola was found badly injured and bleeding by his brother and concerned friends who retraced his route.

Police arrived at 11.15pm and found him surrounded by people applying pressure to the neck wound.

Medics carried out emergency surgery at the scene but despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at 11.45pm.

The judge said Mr Adekola was a 'very fine man' in the prime of his life and his untimely death had a profound impact on his family and friends.
A British woman who travelled to Turkey to have liposuction surgery has died two days after the operation took place.

Diarra Akua Eunice Brown, 28, had travelled to Istanbul to have the surgery at a clinic in the suburb of Bahcelievler on October 22.

The operation was initially a success, but Brown fell 'suddenly ill' two days after the surgery while having her dressings changed and died within hours.

Diarra Brown, 28, (left and right), flew to Istanbul in Turkey to have liposuction surgery on October 22 and was initially discharged without complication

The doctor who performed the surgery, identified in Turkish media only as S.G.B., has since been arrested and a criminal investigation is underway.

S.G.B has been questioned by police, and told them that Brown suffered no ill effects after the operation and had been discharged the next day.

He said she had returned a day later to have her dressings changed, but her condition quickly deteriorated.

The medic added that he had no idea what had caused her sudden illness. The investigation is ongoing.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out, though the results have not yet been made public, and Brown's body has been returned to the UK for burial.

Social media posts from family and friends paid tribute to her, describing her as a 'beautiful soul' and a 'close friend'.

'This must be a dream,' one post said. 'Still cant come to terms with this yet.'

'I miss you angel. I'm devastated you were taken away way before your time,' said another.

A third suggested that Diarra had been a nursery worker, though this has not been confirmed by MailOnline.
Advertisement

Colin Powell's widow Alma led mourners including Joe and Jill Biden, former presidents and the most prominent members of the political and military elite at his funeral on Friday following his death from COVID complications last month at age 84.

Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. and Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton - without her husband Bill during his recovery from an infection - sat together in the front row for the Pentagon powerhouse's ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, national security advisor Condoleeza Rice were also in attendance to pay tribute to the first black Secretary of State who served five administrations.

Donald Trump did not attend, after criticizing the media for treating Powell 'so beautifully' in his death even though he made 'big mistakes', and 97-year-old Jimmy Carter is believed to have stayed at home in Georgia.

The Powell's children Linda and Michael Powell, their grandchildren and nieces and nephews followed the casket as it was carried to the front of the cathedral.

Dr. Anthony Fauci was also spotted at the service, as was Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with Biden advisor Susan Rice and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Powell, who was battling a rare blood cancer, died last month at 84 from complications related to COVID-19. He had been vaccinated by his family said his immune system was compromised by his battle with multiple myeloma.

The Harlem-born son of Jamaican immigrants served in Vietnam with the Army, was awarded the Solider's Medal for saving fellow soldiers from a burning helicopter and went on to serve as a top military advisor in five administrations from Reagan to George W. Bush.

The funeral began at noon ET. Before it started, the US Army Brass quintet played happy tunes, including 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA, a favorite of Powell's.

Colin Powell's widow Alma lead mourners including Joe and Jill Biden, former presidents and the most prominent members of the political and military elite at his funeral on Friday following his death from COVID complications last month at age 84.

Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. and Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton - without her husband Bill during his recovery from an infection - sat together in the front row for the Pentagon powerhouse's ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral

Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive and greet (from left) former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before the funeral

Colin Powell's widow Alma led mourners including Joe and Jill Biden, former presidents and the most prominent members of the political and military elite at his funeral on Friday

President and First Lady Biden arrived after the Obamas and Bushes at the service on Friday at Washington National Cathedral where the late general was eulogized by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

President Biden consoles Alma Powell at the funeral service for her husband

Alma Powell is escorted out of the service and waves to attendees with a cane in her hand

Barack and Michelle Obama are seated at the funeral next to George and Laura Bush, with Hillary Clinton sitting solo on the end

President Biden, first lady Jill and Barack Obama turn to each other in the front row of the National Cathedral

President Obama hugs First Lady Jill Biden with his wife Michelle standing by his side

Powell's casket arrives at the National Cathedral. The Pentagon powerhouse died last month at the age of 84 from COVID complications. He also had blood cancer and Parkinson's

Guests rise as Colin Powell's casket is carried into the National Cathedral

A somber Alma Powell is seated above at her husband's funeral

Alma Powell is escorted by Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin

Colin Powell's son Michael rests a hand on his father's casket before delivering a eulogy

Two former presidents chat at Powell's funeral. Bush had his mask below his nose for much of the service

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hugs Dr. Anthony Fauci before the service

Fauci and Cheney shake hands at the funeral

Presidents Bush and Biden shake hands before the service on Friday afternoon

Former U.S. President George W. Bush puts his arm around joint chiefs chairman Gen. Mark Milley

He is survived by his wife Alma, who had also tested positive for Covid around the same time, their three children and multiple grandchildren.

Powell was eulogized by Albright, who preceded him as secretary of state; Richard Armitage, who was deputy secretary under Powell and had known him since they served together in the Pentagon during the Reagan administration; and Powell's son Michael.

Michael Powell, his voice cracking as he choked back tears, described his father as a 'great lion with a big heart.'

'His zest for life derived from his endless passion for people. He was genuinely interested in everyone he met. He loved the hot dog vendor, a bank teller, a janitor and a student as much as any world leader,' Powell continued.

'Colin Powell was a great leader because he was a great follower. He knew you could not ask your troops to do anything you were unwilling to do yourself,' he said.

'I've heard it asked, "Are we still making his kind?"' the younger Powell said. 'I believe the answer to that question is up to us. To honor his legacy I hope we do more than consign him to the history books.'

'I hope we recommit ourselves to being a nation where we are still making his kind.'

During her tenure as ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton administration, Albright sometimes clashed with Powell, although they became good friends. Both have recalled the time, during his final months as Joint Chiefs chairman, when she argued for a U.S. military intervention in the Balkans, asking why the United States had built a superb military if it couldnt be used in such circumstances. Powell recalled being so irritated by her statement, 'I thought I would have an aneurysm.'

Powell often emphasized his belief the US should only deploy its military when it had a clear and achievable objective, in what became known as the Powell Doctrine.

'On policy, the general and I didn't always reach the same conclusions and in fact he would later recount that one of my comments almost gave him an aneurysm,' Albright said in her address. 'Although we were the same age, he and I were shaped by different experiences and he and I had different ideas and represented different departments. But over the last quarter century we became very close friends.'

She noted that she was a civilian and he, after Operation Desert Storm, the 'hero of the Western world.'

'Beneath that glossy exterior of warrior-statesman was one of the gentlest, most decent people any of us will ever meet. As I grew to know him, I came to view Colin Powell as a figure who almost transcended time, for his virtues were Homeric - honesty, dignity, loyalty and an unshakeable commitment to his calling and word.'

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney attended the service. Powell was secretary of state when Cheney was VP

George W. Bush and Michelle Obama chat at the funeral. Their tight friendship has been well documented

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sits at the funeral beside domestic policy advisor Susan Rice

Former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage gave eulogies

Light from stained glass windows fills the cathedral during Powell's funeral

Morning dawns over the National Cathedral ahead of the funeral service for U.S. former Secretary of State Colin Powel

Family members of Colin Powell hold hands as they follow the casket inside the service

Colin Powell died last month at the age of 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He is leaving behind his wife, Alma, who also had a breakthrough case of coronavirus

Biden had ordered all US flags across government buildings and military posts nationwide to fly half staff until October 22 in honor of four-star general.

Powell was the first black secretary of State and to this day is the only black man to ever serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was born in 1937 in Harlem, New York, to immigrants from Jamaica and grew up in the South Bronx

He served under several Republican administrations  including for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Also, from 1991-1993, he served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Bill Clinton after being appointed to the post halfway through Bush Sr's tenure.

Powell served 35 years in uniform. He was commissioned in 1958 as a second lieutenant and served as a platoon leader in what was then called West Germany.

In 1962 he was deployed to Vietnam for a year as an adviser to a South Vietnamese infantry battalion. During that tour he was wounded; he served a second tour in Vietnam in 1968 and afterward held a variety of assignments at home and abroad.

In the late 1970s he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and in 1983 as a brigadier general he became the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger.

He later served in the White House as President Ronald Reagan's national security adviser, and in 1989 he was promoted to four-star general. Later that year, President George H.W. Bush selected him to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

'He was such a favorite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom - twice,' former President George W. Bush said when Powell's death was announced.

His decades-long legacy was marred by a 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council in which he claimed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

After leaving government, Powell became an elder statesman on the global stage and the founder of an organization aimed at helping young disadvantaged Americans.

Republicans wanted him to run for president but he ended up endorsing the last three Democratic presidential candidates - including Obama and Biden.

In a statement after Powell's death, Joe Biden commended Powell as having 'the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat' and commemorating his humble beginnings - the two are seen together above in January 2009

In a statement after Powell's death, Biden commended Powell as having 'the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat' and commemorating his humble beginnings.

Obama called Powell 'an exemplary soldier and an exemplary patriot.'

'And although he'd be the first to acknowledge that he didn't get every call right, his actions reflected what he believed was best for America and the people he served.'

On a personal level, Obama stated he was 'deeply appreciative' that Powell not only endorsed him in 2008 but 'what impressed me more was how he did it.'

'At a time when conspiracy theories were swirling, with some questioning my faith, General Powell took the opportunity to get to the heart of the matter in a way only he could.'

He recalled a time Powell corrected someone on Obama's religious faith, and added, 'What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?'

Obama continued on to say 'That's who Colin Powell was.'
A video appearing to show a communist official being hand-fed a gold-covered steak at Salt Bae's London restaurant has been slammed back in Vietnam.

Footage of To Lam, minister of public security in the country, seemingly enjoying the 1,450 tomahawk steak at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Knightsbridge, London, emerged on social media last night.

The restaurant  named after Turkish chef Nusret Gokce, better known as 'Salt Bae'  has hit the headlines since it opened as a popular venue for celebrities including the Beckhams, Leonardo DiCaprio and Wayne Rooney.

Gokce, 38, served the food table-side in his viral theatrical fashion but has now left the capital to open a new restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In the video, the Turkish chef cuts the steak for Lam, salts it in his signature pose, before feeding it to the official off his knife.

Footage of To Lam, minister of public security in the country, seemingly enjoying the 1,450 tomahawk steak at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Knightsbridge, London, emerged on social media last night

The video also appears to show Vietnamese ministry spokesman To An Xo sat next to Lam

Turkish chef Nusret Gokce, better known as 'Salt Bae' cuts the steak for Lam (left), salts it in his signature pose (right), before feeding it to the official off his knife

The footage was posted on the restaurant's Tiktok page and quickly deleted yesterday, but has already gone viral in Vietnam, where people only earn 112 ($150) on average a month.

Social media users slammed Lam  whose department monitors dissenters and activists in the authoritarian country  for having such an extravagant meal.

Dang Hoang Luong wrote: 'Millions of people are suffering from Covid. No words.'

Konchag Norbu said: 'Not only that, gobbling steak at a climate conference is the height of revolting indifference.'

Sharing a picture of himself holding up a gold-covered Tomahawk steak - which costs 850 at Nsur-Et - he said: 'Sunday is my last day in London. I will go to Riyadh to open my 28th restaurant'

Nguyen Huu Truong said: 'Where did he get the money? His annual salary cant afford that meal!'

And Bui Mang Tung added: 'My tax money has been used for luxury.'

The video also appears to show Vietnamese ministry spokesman To An Xo sat next to Lam.

Gokce today revealed this week will be his last in London, with the restauranteur switching his attention to his new venue in Riyadh.

It comes after Salt Bae - real name Nusret Gokce - spent the last two months in London while opening and promoting his flagship restaurant, Nsur-Et (pictured)

A customer has been slammed after spending 37.000 at celebrity restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse in London's Knightsbridge

Along with London, Salt Bae owns restaurants in Turkey, Greece, the United States, and Dubai, among other locations.

Salt Bae  who became an internet sensation after a video of him theatrically seasoning meat went viral  opened his Knightsbridge restaurant in September to mixed reviews.

While the restaurant attracted a host of celebrity guests, many of whom swanned to the eatery to get pictures and videos with the man himself, it was slammed as 'a rip off' by others.

A receipt posted to Reddit by an anonymous user showed an eye-watering 37,000 receipt from October 8, with the service charge alone totalling 4,829.10.
Advertisement

Bonfire night celebrations have returned in the UK as a giant effigy of Matt Hancock hugging his lover and Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask were set fire in Lewes.

The effigies are among those which were set alight in the historic East Sussex town which hosts the country's biggest and arguably most famous November 5 celebrations, and which return after they were cancelled by coronavirus lockdowns last year.

A glum Matt Hancock is seen sitting on a rock while hugging a naked woman above a sign that reads, 'CCTV in operation,' a reference to his affair with Gina Coladangelo that was revealed earlier this year via his office's CCTV cameras.

Below that, a painted caption reads `Hands, Face, Disgrace`, a play on the `Hands, Face, Space` messaging from the government that people should wash their hands, wear a face covering and social distance to protect themselves against Coronavirus.

An effigy of Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask and with vaccine needles in his arms was also torched. The giant figure sits astride two barrels of `vaccine` (rather than gunpowder) and in front of a green petrol can and a toilet roll with the words `panic buyers` - a reference to the recent fuel shortages at garages across the country and stockpiling of toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.

There was also an effigy of Dominic Cummings requiring an eye test following a trip to Barnard Castle.

US President Joe Biden also featured in the controversial event, depicted as a chicken, clad in red, white and blue being led from Kabul.

During the event, one group of men were shown running through the town towing barrels of burning tar.

Some years, the event attracts up to 60,000 visitors, although according to police, this year there were between 25,000 and 30,000 revellers.

Up to 50 people were injured according to St John Ambulance volunteers and South East Coast Ambulance who were dotted around the town. A number of people suffered eye and hand injuries.

Sussex Police confirmed six people have been arrested, including one person on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and others for drunk and disorderly.

Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges said: 'I'd like to thank the community of Lewes for behaving responsibly and allowing tonight's bonfire celebrations to pass without significant incident.

'A very small and isolated minority of people chose to engage in crime and/or disorder but were dealt with effectively by our officers on the ground, minimising any disruption to the proceedings and helping us to keep people safe.'

Lewes is famed for its topical and sometimes controversial bonfire night effigies and usually attracts thousands if not tens of thousands of revellers.

In 2019 paper h atop a 'Brexit rollercoaster' which paraded down the street before being burnt.

Lewes Bonfire society created a giant effigy of Matt Hancock featuring his infamous clinch captured on CCTV in his ministerial office as he breached Covid-19 social distancing rules

A second giant effigy featured former No10 adviser Dominic Cummings who has since become a vocal critic of Boris Johnson

US President Joe Biden as also attracted the ire of bonfire societies in Lewes during tonight's event

Locals in Lewis, East Sussex marched through the town this evening carrying flaming torches and burning crosses

Bonfire night marks the capture of Guy Fawkes, a Roman Catholic mercenary who planned to blow up parliament

There are several bonfire societies in Lewes who each create their own effigies to burn in locations surrounding the town

The East Sussex town is renowned for its elaborate November 5 celebration which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19

Each year the bonfire features a main model normally involving a gratuitous caricature of someone prominent in the news over the previous 12 months

The Lewes bonfire is regarded as the largest in the country each November 5 although last year's event was cancelled due to Covid-19

Participants wearing puritan clothing march through the centre of the town carrying flaming torches ahead of lighting the bonfire

Another of the effigies featured an illuminated Covid-19 model with a black death plague mask

And the year before that a giant portrayal of Boris Johnson holding an axe and Theresa May's severed head was set on fire.

Two Trump figures were set alight in Lewes in 2016, at the culmination of its annual fireworks event.

Other effigies which went up in flames in Lewes included Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and David Cameron.

In 2014, Sussex Police investigated after two effigies of Alex Salmond featured as part of two bonfire societies' displays after he lost the Scottish referendum vote as first minister.

In the same year Vladimir Putin was depicted in a mankini following Russia's conflict with the Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.

The Pope, Syria's President Assad, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Angela Merkel have all been subjected to ridicule over the years.

The Pope, Syria's President Assad, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Angela Merkel have all been subjected to ridicule over the years

A giant effigy of Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask with vaccine needles in his arms is seen in Lewes

A glum Matt Hancock is seen sitting on a rock while hugging a naked woman above a sign that reads, 'CCTV in operation,' a reference to his affair with Gina Coladangelo that was revealed earlier this year via his office's CCTV cameras

Other effigies in Lewes feature more traditional portrayals of the gunpowder plot of 1605

The Guy Fawkes effigy sits atop two wooden barrels near a petrol can and a roll of toilet paper that says 'panic buyers'

A giant effigy depicting Guy Fawkes with Covid 19 vaccine needles in his arms and a PPE face mask is seen before being set alight later today

Six bonfire societies burn effigies every year in the town's famed bonfire display but their identities are usually kept a secret until the night.

Given the time it takes to build them, the figures are usually media villains in the spotlight in the weeks leading up to the event.

But emergency services fear that tonight`s event may draw packed crowds which could cause the spread of coronavirus.

So warnings have been issued urging people not to be complacent over Covid and the message to stay local is 'doubly important this year'.

Precautionary measures include no trains running after 5pm from Lewes, Glynde or Southease, while several roads around Lewes will be closed overnight and people have been encouraged to not take cars into the town.

This effigy of Donald Trump sitting on a wall was burned in Lewes in 2016

Another Trump figure was set alight in Lewes in 2016 as he rode a donkey in a sombrero and held a clown mask

An effigy of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May paraded through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex in 2018

Effigies of Britain's Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson are paraded through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex i n2019

Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges, who is Gold Commander for Sussex Police's Lewes Bonfire operations, told the Lewes Argus: 'If people are going to come, we ask them to wear masks, take lateral flow tests before and certainly not come if you have any symptoms. Don't be complacent because the pandemic is still here.'

But bonfire-goers may be deterred from attending the event due to sub-zero temperatures seen across the country today with a very chilly start to the morning.

Temperatures dropped to -5C in southern England and -3C in the North, making it the fourth day in a row this week that the mercury has fallen below freezing.

The past three days have brought sub-zero temperatures of -1.7C at Bridgefoot in Cumbria yesterday, -2.5C at Hurn in Hampshire on Wednesday, and -1.8C at Benson in Oxfordshire on Tuesday.

Bonfire societies parade through the streets during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations in 2019

Participants parade through the town during the annual Bonfire Night festivities in Lewes in 2019

And below-average temperatures observed this week are likely to continue later this month, with forecasters expecting that high pressure near Greenland will help to push colder air from the North towards the UK.

Lewes's controversial event found itself in hot water in 2016 when revellers who 'blacked up' as Zulu warriors agreed to stop after a raft of complaints.

But campaign group 'Bonfire Against Racism' called it a 'racist act' and asked the Borough Bonfire Society to 'stop painting faces black'.

In 2016 after a visiting dance troupe from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa threatened to boycott the event they were booked to perform at, organisers have agreed to not black up.

Troupe leader Thanda Gumede called the practice a 'gross misrepresentation' and Mick Symes, a committee member of the Borough Bonfire Society, agreed to stop.
The local county voted 51% in favor of governor Gavin Newsom's failed recall and only 48% of the population is vaccinated

Vice Mayor for the city, near Sacramento, said it was 'basically drawing the line'

A northern California city has declared itself a 'constitutional republic' in a bitter push back against a 'barrage' of Covid-19 health restrictions.

Council members for Oroville voted 6-1 in favor of the measure, stating it would oppose state and federal orders it deems to be 'government overreach'.

Leaders added that the designation was a way of affirming the city's values in fierce opposition to Covid lockdowns and school closures mandated by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Vice Mayor Scott Thomson accused the California chief of going 'on a rampage' with 'increasingly intrusive' mandates, including a vaccine requirement for school kids

'Its just basically drawing the line,' he told the meeting, before criticising the state's attitude towards handing down mandates that had taken away the residents' 'inalienable rights'.

He continued: 'Its not necessarily against one specific mandate, we're not talking about one mandate that's been pushing on us recently its a barrage of mandates.'

But a legal expert has said that passing the resolution was only a 'gesture' and it did not give the city's council any more authority.

Council members for Oroville voted 6-1 in favor of declaring itself a 'constitutional republic' in a bitter push back against a 'barrage' of Covid-19 health restrictions

Leaders said that the designation was a way of affirming the city's values after fiercely opposing Covid lockdowns and school closures mandated by Governor Gavin Newsom (pictured)

As the vote was passed one member even warned residents of the city of 20,000 that the designation had 'no teeth' and was just a political statement rather than a push for independence over mandates.

'I proposed it after 18 months of increasingly intrusive executive mandates and what I felt to be excessive overreach by our government,' said Mr Thomson.

'After the failed recall in California, our state governor seems to [be] on a rampage and the mandates are getting more intrusive. Now he's going after our kids and schools.'

Thomson was referring to the 51 per cent of people in Butte County, where Oroville is located, that voted in favor of the ultimately unsuccessful recall vote against Governor Gavin Newsom.

He also admitted that the resolution would have no impact on the ability to prevent school closures, which are controlled by the school district.

As the vote was passed one member even warned residents of the city of 20,000 that the designation had 'no teeth' and was just a political statement rather than a push for independence over mandates. Pictured: The City of Oroville

As the vote was passed one member even warned attendees that the designation had 'no teeth' and was just a political statement rather than a push for independence over mandates.

'We're not ignorant that there are serious issues at hand, we just do not agree with the way it's being handled.'

Following the designation, Lisa Pruitt, a rural law expert at the University of California, warned that the city must still follow federal and state laws.

'A municipality cannot unilaterally declare itself not subject to the laws of the state of California,' she told The Guardian. 'Whatever they mean by constitutional republic you can't say hocus pocus and make it happen.'

The city has however been resistant to the implementation of Covid rules since last year, with one councillor describing the mandates as 'political theater'.

Residents also appear to agree and have been wary in their take up of the vaccine - the county's rate is just 48 per cent having been jabbed.
Advertisement

The Queen was seen smiling in the autumn sunshine today as she was photographed being driven through Sandringham in a Range Rover after heading to her Norfolk estate for the weekend.

The 95-year-old monarch flew to the country estate by helicopter yesterday from Windsor Castle, where she has been resting after her overnight stay in hospital last month as she continues her recuperation.

The Queen, who was wearing a headscarf and sunglasses, was in the A-Bio Sdv8 diesel vehicle travelling towards Wood Farm on the estate, which she used to visit annually with Prince Philip around this time of year.

The head of state is expected to spend the weekend at Sandringham while she has some time off after doctors advised her to cancel all official visits for a fortnight amid her determination to be fit for Remembrance Sunday.

Her Majesty last week pulled out of a planned visit to the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow and instead recorded a video message from Windsor last Friday, which was played to world leaders on Monday.

And her 105-mile flight to Sandringham for the weekend comes after insiders said the Queen was determined to host her family at the estate for Christmas this year after the pandemic forced them to scrap last year's event.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment to MailOnline on her trip, and a source said it was a 'private matter'.

The 95-year-old Queen is photographed being driven back to Wood Farm at Sandringham in Norfolk today in a Range Rover

The monarch flew to her country estate of Sandringham (pictured there today) by helicopter from Windsor Castle yesterday

The monarch is expected to spend the weekend at her Norfolk estate of Sandringham after flying there by helicopter

The Queen and Prince Philip used to escape to Sandringham every year around the time of Halloween so they could enjoy some quality time together at Wood Farm on the estate.

And although her 'dear late husband'  as she referred to him this week  died in April, the Queen has decided to honour those cherished memories together by going back to the estate this week.

The Queen's very busy October schedule The Queen maintained her typically busy schedule in October up until she was told to rest by doctors and cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland around two weeks ago. Here is what the 95-year-old monarch has been up to since the start of October: October 6: The Queen holds two virtual audiences at Windsor with the Greek ambassador and the ambassador for Belize. She meets Canadian troops from 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and later has a telephone audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

October 7: The Queen, with the Earl of Wessex, launches the Queen's Baton Relay for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

October 12: The Queen, accompanied by the Princess Royal, attends a Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving to mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion. She uses a walking stick at the abbey, the first time she has done so at a major event.

October 13: The monarch has a face-to-face audience with pianist Dame Imogen Cooper to present her with the Queen's Medal for Music. She also holds three other audiences.

October 14: On an away day to Cardiff, the Queen delivers a speech at the sixth session of the Welsh Senedd.

October 16: The Queen enjoys a day at the races at Ascot, and presents the trophy after the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes during the Qipco British Champion Day.

October 18: She holds a virtual audience with the new Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro.

October 19: The Queen has three engagements, two virtual audiences with the Japanese ambassador and the EU ambassador, and then hosts an evening reception at Windsor Castle to mark the Global Investment Summit.

October 20: The Queen is under strict orders to rest and 'reluctantly' cancels a two-day trip to Northern Ireland.

October 21: Buckingham Palace confirms the Queen spent the previous night in hospital for 'preliminary investigations'. She returns to Windsor Castle at lunchtime and is said to be in 'good spirits', back at her desk, undertaking light duties.

October 24: The monarch misses a church service at Windsor.

October 26: The Queen carries out virtual audiences from Windsor Castle, her first official engagements since she was ordered to rest by doctors. Later, Buckingham Palace announces the Queen has 'reluctantly decided' not to attend a Cop26 reception in Glasgow on November 1. Instead, she delivers an address via recorded video message on Monday of this week, which was filmed on Friday of last week. Advertisement

Wood Farm was where Philip, her husband of 73 years who passed away aged 99, largely spent the last few years of his life following his retirement.

A countryman at heart, he loved Sandringham and relished the relative simplicity of Wood Farm, where his only concession to modernisation had been to put in a new kitchen. If not for the pandemic, which saw him move to Windsor to be with the Queen, it is likely to have been where he would have spent his last days.

A royal source told Mirror Online yesterday: 'The Queen had been hoping she would still be able to spend the weekend at Sandringham and was delighted her doctors gave her the all clear to travel.

'Her Majesty is very much looking forward to hosting her family at her Norfolk home for the Christmas holiday and there is much preparation to be done in time to accommodate everyone who has been invited.

'The Queen has many happy memories of being at Sandringham with the family over Christmas and was in the firm belief that she was far better off being there in person to oversee everything as much as possible.'

The source added that the Queen travelled 'on the understanding with her doctors that she continues to rest as advised' after they said last week that she should only take part in 'light, desk-based' duties for at least a fortnight.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last year spent their Christmas alone at Windsor Castle  which made it the first time since 1987 that she did not spend the holiday with her family at Sandringham.

The monarch has vowed to attend the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph on November 14, even though she will miss the traditional Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall the previous day.

The head of state had been due to attend Cop26 where she had hoped to deliver an in-person speech and to host a reception, but was forced to drop out after royal doctors said that she should not travel for any duties.

The Royal Family were instead represented at the conference by Prince Charles, Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Last month, the Queen was secretly taken to the private King Edward VII Hospital in London. Royal aides have only said that the trip was for 'preliminary investigations' with the exact reason for the trip still unknown.

Speaking last weekend, the Prime Minister said that the Queen was in good spirits when they held their regular weekly audience last Wednesday.

Boris Johnson said: 'She seems in very good form. She's been told by her doctors that she's got to rest and I think we've got to respect that and understand that. I think the whole country wishes her well.'

But despite reassurances from Buckingham Palace that she remains in good spirits, public concern is unlikely to be eased at what has been the lengthiest absence from ill health during her reign.

Doctors will reassess the monarch at the end of her recommended fortnight of rest, with it likely that her diary could be affected for some time to come.

The Queen's eagerness to get out and about as soon as possible will ultimately be overshadowed by what her doctors think is best.

This will leave other senior royals, especially the Prince of Wales, having to attend more engagements on her behalf whenever possible.

Queen Elizabeth II is seen during a Cop26 video message recorded last Friday and played in Glasgow on Monday this week

The Queen was pictured driving close to Windsor Castle on Monday after being instructed by doctors to rest for a fortnight

Concerns about the Queen, who has recently been seen using a walking stick at events for the first time, were triggered last month when she cancelled a two-day tour to Northern Ireland.

The decision came just hours before she was due to fly and despite aides saying she stayed at Windsor Castle she was later whisked to hospital for her first overnight stay for eight years.

On Monday the Queen was photographed driving close to Windsor Castle in Berkshire in a green estate car, wearing a signature headscarf and a pair of sunglasses.

During her message to world leaders at Cop26 on Monday, the Queen issued a powerful plea to them over the climate crisis, saying they should put aside division and act now for the sake of 'our children'.

In her first major intervention on the environment, the monarch said they should 'rise above the politics' and show 'true statesmanship' on the issue.

The Queen has been staying at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for rest following her recent overnight hospital stay

Speaking in a video message  played at a reception marking the first day of the climate summit  the Queen declared: 'The time for words has now moved to the time for action.'

She included a poignant nod to her advancing years, saying many involved in the Glasgow summit  including herself  would not see the fruits of their actions, adding: 'None of us will live for ever.'

But she stressed: 'We are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children's children, and those who will follow in their footsteps.'

She struck a markedly positive note, saying that 'working side by side' the world's leaders could solve 'the most insurmountable problems' and 'triumph over the greatest of adversities'.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last year spent their Christmas alone at Windsor Castle - the first time since 1987 that she did not spend the holiday with her family at Sandringham. The Queen and Philip are pictured at Sandringham in 2017

Insiders said the Queen was determined to host her family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk for Christmas this year

She spoke with unusual candour of her pride in her family and their stance on the environment  from 'my dear late husband', the Duke of Edinburgh, to her son the Prince of Wales and grandson the Duke of Cambridge.

She recalled how in 1969 Prince Philip told an academic gathering: 'If the world pollution situation is not critical at the moment, it is as certain as anything can be that the situation will become increasingly intolerable within a very short time If we fail to cope with this challenge, all the other problems will pale into insignificance.'

The Queen said: 'It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William. I could not be more proud of them.'

She added she had also 'drawn great comfort and inspiration from the relentless enthusiasm of people of all ages  especially the young  in calling for everyone to play their part'.

But she emphasised the enormous task ahead, saying: 'In the coming days, the world has the chance to join in the shared objective of creating a safer, stabler future for our people and for the planet on which we depend.'
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday announced he was appointing two senior diplomats to lead the investigation into 'Havana syndrome' attacks and promised it was a top priority of President Biden.

In his most extensive remarks yet on the mystery, Blinken said the attacks had caused 'profound' physical and psychological harm.

His announcement of Jonathan Moore as the new chief of the Health Incident Response Taskforce comes almost two months after its last head left the post, prompting criticism that the Biden administration was not taking the problem seriously.

But Blinken said officials were working tirelessly to find out who was responsible.

'These incidents have left our colleagues with profound harm,' he said.

'They've experienced serious physical consequences, including persistent headaches and hearing loss.

'They've also experienced psychological harm, including trauma, anxiety, depression.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration would 'leave no stone unturned' to prevent mystery ailments - known popularly as 'Havana syndrome' - happening

Blinken announced veteran diplomats Jonathan Moore and Margaret Uyehara to lead the State Department's reponse, tasked with identifying the cause and supporting victims

There have been 200 reported cases of the yet-unexplained illness, which has been colloquially named for its first reported case in 2016 at the US Embassy in Havana, Cuba, and affected American personnel on nearly every continent except Antarctica

Although dubbed the 'Havana syndrome,' cases have been reported all around the world

What is 'Havana Syndrome'? The mysterious illness that started in the US embassy in Cuba and causes memory and hearing loss The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 200 cases across the government are now under investigation, up from several dozen last year, according to a U.S. defense official who was not authorized to discuss details publicly. The National Security Council is leading the investigation. People affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. Investigators believe there are at least four cases involving Trump White House officials. Advocates for those affected accuse the U.S. government of long failing to take the problem seriously or provide the necessary medical care and benefits. US senators said recently that the government was investigating an apparent increase in the mysterious directed-energy attacks. Advertisement

US embassy staff and spies around the world have been struck by the strange affliction, which is characterized by the sudden onset of headaches, nausea, and vertigo, sometimes followed by lingering symptoms and documented brain injury.

Blinken said the administration was drawing on all its intelligence resources.

'This is an urgent priority for President Biden, for me, for our entire government,' he said.

'We will do absolutely everything we can, leaving no stone unturned to stop these occurrences as swiftly as possible.'

He also announced retired ambassador Margaret Uyehara would lead efforts to directly support care for State Department employees.

The chief suspects in the mystery are Russia and China, possibly employing microwave devices in an attempt to gather data from mobile devices remotely.

Both countries deny involvement.

The earliest cases date to diplomatic staff stationed in the Cuban capital Havana in late 2016, who often reported hearing strange noises in conjunction with the onset of symptoms.

Since then there have been at least 200 reports of similar cases - ranging from Washington D.C. to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Recent cases have been linked to visits of high-profile officials.

One case involved a member of CIA Director William Burns' party in India and another was reported just before a visit by Blinken to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.

Officials said an 'anomalous health incident' in Vietnam in August delayed Vice President Kamala Harris' departure by more than three hours.

The lack of progress in identifying the cause, and reports that victims were struggling to get help from the State Department, prompted senators to push for action in August.

A bipartisan group legislation designed to shake up the U.S. government's response.

'U.S. public servants injured by directed energy attacks should be treated with the same urgency as any other American injured in the line of duty,' said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

'They shouldnt have to jump through bureaucratic hoops to access the care they need, which compounds the suffering theyve already endured.'

James Giordano, a scientist working on investigations into the cases, said the incidents were being treated as 'an intentional engagement' by a U.S. adversary or proxies.

'Speaking about attribution at this point in time is a very delicate matter because of the intelligence, military, and political ramifications,' Giordano, executive director of the Institute for Biodefense Research in Washington, told the Associated Press.
Advertisement

Grim photos show a homeless encampment that has sprung up in a leafy Manhattan park close to an outdoor drug den known as the 'crack alley,' as the NYPD seeks to control the city's homeless crime wave and its vagrant population doubles to 50,000.

Nearly 10 makeshift shelters have been erected along the south-side sidewalk of Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan's East Village neighborhood. They are home to about 20 people who have cluttered the walkway with bags filled with clothes, pillows and space heaters as the city's temperatures dip to the low 50s.

The closest park entrance to the encampment - dubbed 'crack alley' - is littered with needles, cigarette butts and food waste, as homeless people have transformed the park's benches into shelters using tarps and crates found on the street where they shoot-up drugs.

As the homeless at the East Village encampment face an opioid crisis, others in Manhattan are plaguing the city with violent crimes. The worrying trend comes as the number of single adults sleeping in municipal shelters spiked by 103 percent in the past decade - from 25,000 to 50,000 - and has continued to soar since the beginning of the pandemic.

Bookseller Jeff Powers, 64, - who was once homeless himself - carries a bag of Narcan to revive his heroin-addict friends when they overdose in the outdoor drug den, where he says the residents are addicted to synthetic cannabis, known as K2, and heroin.

Powers was homeless for 15 years himself before getting an apartment through government housing in 2019, yet he still hangs out around Tompkins Square Park to spend time with his good friend Lisa - who has been homeless for three years - and to sell books.

A homeless encampment pictured on the sidewalk along Tompkins Square Park. Its residents have erected shelters complete with space heaters and flowers as decor

Homeless bookseller Jeff Powers (pictured), 64, in New York City carries a bag of Narcan to revive his heroin-addict friends when they overdose at their tent encampment which has sprung up in a park close to an outdoor drug den known as 'crack alley'

Powers sets up shop just a few feet away from 'crack alley' at the 7th street entrance to the park where he has a table full of books and a small stash of food, juice and dog toys. An avid history buff, the 64-year-old told DailyMail.com that he always wanted to work in a bookstore and is hoping to get a retirement job as a librarian by the time he's 65 in June

Powers hangs out in Tompkins Square Park with his good friend Lisa (pictured), who has been homeless for three years

Powers gets a surplus of Narcan (pictured) from a local homeless shelter, which hands it out liberally to try and keep people safe. It can be given as a nasal spray or injected via needle. With his stash of Narcan, Powers said that over the summer alone he saved 13 people. Lisa said she has given Narcan to 47

Lisa was pictured sweeping the area around a park bench where she sleeps. Powers said he stays in the park about three nights a week with her despite living in government housing

The Oklahoma native told DailyMail.com that when he's in the park - where makeshift tents line benches and sidewalks - he carries a bag of the opioid-blocker Narcan when his friends overdose on synthetic cannabis, known as K2, and heroin.

He says he's saved 13 people with the anti-opioid treatment in recent months, as NYC endures an ongoing plague of serious crime blamed on homeless defendants, many of them with drug addiction or mental health issues.

'K2 is still the main thing on the streets,' he said, adding: 'It's cheap and it's effective and it makes people absolutely crazy. It makes people look like zombies.'

'It's potpourri. You know that stuff that makes your house smell good? But they spray it with fentanyl so they make it addictive and people die.'

Powers gets a surplus of Narcan from a local homeless shelter, which hands it out liberally to try and keep people safe. It can be given as a nasal spray or injected via needle.

With his stash of Narcan, Powers said that over the summer alone he saved 13 people. Lisa said she has given Narcan to 47.

Powers explained how he would spray it into people's noses or jab it into their upper arms.

Powers said that many of the park's homeless residents are addicted to synthetic cannabis, known as K2, and heroin

NYPD officers and park police patrolled the sidewalk along Tompkins Square Park and demanding that the homeless take down their tents and shelters

A homeless man living in the encampment was pictured talking to police officers as authorities cleared the sidewalk

People living in the encampment gathered their things but reportedly wait for authorities to leave before putting it all back up

'You have five minutes,' Powers said of the response time. Any more and a person 'will turn blue' he said, noting: 'That's not good. That's too late.'

'You have to get them up and walking around,' Powers said and recalled a time when he had to administer Narcan - formally known as naloxone - to a friend 'five or six times'.

'He was mad at be because I messed with his high,' he told DailyMail.com.

Powers also said that he was worried about overdose increasing as the city gets colder, which is when homeless people stay in their shelters and it becomes harder for Powers to see when they're overdosing.

He cited that a lot of the drug abuse happens in what he referred to as 'crack alley' - a strip of benches being used as a shelter. Powers said about 10 people live in the alley, which is riddled with needles and covered in food waste.

Powers sets up shop just a few feet away from 'crack alley' at the 7th street entrance to the park where he has a table full of books and a small stash of food, juice and dog toys.

An avid history buff, the 64-year-old told DailyMail.com that he always wanted to work in a bookstore and is hoping to get a retirement job as a librarian by the time he's 65 in June.

Powers said that he knew selling things in the park was against the law but noted that he does it anyway because the police know him and 'leave him alone,' noting that the same 17 to 20 people live there.

When asked why the people choose to live outside and deal with law enforcement rather than go to a shelter, Powers said: 'The shelter system sucks.

'There's CAMBA and BRC but most people don't like it. They get paid every time someone signs into a shelter - although I don't know how much - so they want to keep us there.'

CAMBA - Church Avenue Merchant Block Association- and BRC - Bowery Residents' Committee - are non-profit programs in New York City designed to help homeless people find housing.

Powers added: 'The cops leave us alone - it's park security.'

As per the Parks Department's request, cops showed up at Tompkins Square Park Thursday afternoon and again around 11.45am Saturday saying they were going to disband the encampment on the sidewalk around the park's south-side perimeter.

When asked why the people choose to live outside and deal with law enforcement rather than go to a shelter, Powers said: 'The shelter system sucks'

A homeless man swept leaves and other debris out of his tent before taking it down

Cops were seen leaning up against the fence in the background ensuring that the tent was disbanded

After he finished sweeping the man was pictured taking his tent down

Although they have ordered that the tents be taken down on multiple occasions, Powers said he's happy that cops haven't kicked any of his friends out of the park. However, he noted that the NYPD needs to deal with the opioid crisis

A man living in one of the tents said that when the cops cleared the sidewalk weeks back they simply threw everything into a truck, including his passport and important documents, which he never got back

'The cops leave us alone - it's park security,' Powers said when talking about law enforcement's efforts to clear the sidewalk of the makeshift shelters

Remnants of the encampment were pictured after cops showed up at Tompkins Square Park Thursday afternoon and again around 11.45am as per the Parks Department's request

A notice of clean up was pictured taped to a lamppost outside of Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan's East Village

A man living in one of the tents said that when the cops cleared the sidewalk weeks back they simply threw everything into a truck, including his passport and important documents, which he never got back.

Now he's sure to stay near his shelter when he catches wind that officers are on their way. He said the cops stand there waiting for the homeless people to break down their tents.

However, the homeless man said everyone just waits for the police to leave and then puts their tents back as soon as they do.

'Tompkins Square Park used to be the people's park,' Powers said, recalling a time when concerts and art vendors would occupy the space.

While the bookseller was pleased that law enforcement hasn't been kicking his friends out of the park, he doesn't think the city's government is helping stop the opioid crisis.

However, the East Village encampment is just the latest tent site in a series of posts around the city as the homeless population seeks to avoid the shelter system - and the others are facing much more vicious crises.

Just last month a three-year-old girl was almost kidnapped by a homeless man in broad daylight in the Bronx.

Shocking video footage showed the moment when the vagrant attempted to make off with the youngster, who was walking with her grandmother and two brothers.

The man slowly approached the family and in an instant, suddenly wrapped the girl up in a comforter and ran off with her much to the horror of the other kids and the 65-year-old grandma who immediately gave chase.

Police caught the suspect, Santiago Salcedo, 27, later that day sleeping in a doorway.

He was charged with kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and child endangerment and was seen grinning for the cameras as he was taken into custody on October 11.

Then, during NYC's summer of violence, a woman was fatally stabbed in the neck and stomach after arguing with a man on the corner of Georgia Avenue and Belmont Avenue in a homeless camp in Brooklyn.

Police reported that the woman knew her attacker and cops found her lying unconscious and unresponsive on the ground with two stab wounds in late August.

Crime in NYC is up 1.3 percent year-to-date compared to last year. Crime in October rose 11.2 percent compared to October 2020 as the mayor talks about a return to 'pre-pandemic levels'

Police caught Santiago Salcedo, 27, later in the day sleeping in the doorway of a nearby business and was seen grinning as he was charged on Monday night. He was charged with kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and child endangerment

The crime surge committed by homeless suspects comes as NYC homelessness has reached its highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to the New York Coalition for the Homeless. There were 47,979 homeless people - including 14,881 homeless children - sleeping each night in the NYC municipal shelter system in August 2021, according to the agency. In the same month, there were 18,357 single adults in shelters.

The coalition added that thousands of homeless people sleep throughout the streets, subways and other public spaces but there is 'no accurate measure' of such data and city surveys 'significantly underestimate the number of unsheltered homeless New Yorkers'.

Many have said that Mayor Bill de Blasio's attempts to handle an already existing mental health crisis have only exacerbated it despite De Blasio facing regular condemnation for being too soft on crime and its causes.

Just yesterday the lame-duck mayor again blamed the courts for NYC's skyrocketing crime numbers as he touted a small decrease in the murder rate while ignoring an 11 percent jump in overall crime.

According to the NYPD's latest monthly numbers overall crime was up 11.2 percent last month compared with October 2020. Robbery was up by 15.8 percent and felony assault rose by 13.8 percent.

But De Blasio cited statistics claiming that felony trials are down 92 percent from 2019. He also said pleas in felony cases are down 53 percent and sentencing is down 55 percent.

'I'll tell you what's not working, and this is a profound problem: Our court system,' De Blasio said at his press conference Wednesday.

A spokesman for the city's court system slammed de Blasio's comments in a statement provided to DailyMail.com.

'Someone should alert the Mayor that Charles Lindbergh made it to Paris, since that would mirror how out of touch the Mayor is regarding activity in the New York Courts,' said spokesman Lucian Chalfen.

Powers was also not too keen on the city's present - and future - government officials.

A homeless encampment was pictured on the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn on Monday

The homeless crisis in New York appears to increase as more people are left without a place to stay

A makeshift shelter was made with two umbrellas and garbage cans. It was pictured surrounded with water bottles, carts and even a pet carrier

A homeless person sleeps in front of ABC studios in Times Square as people watch the taping of the show through the window

After noting that he thinks President Biden is too old and has Alzheimer's while Vice President Kamala Harris 'doesn't seem fit to run the country,' he added that he also wasn't too happy with De Blasio or Eric Adams's sweeping victory in NYC's mayoral election.

Adams, a former NYPD officer, has vowed to stamp down on violent crime in the city after it recorded more than 1,500 shootings in 2020 - nearly twice as many as 2019.

Violence in the Big Apple so far in 2021 is also at its highest level since the early 2000 after Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to slash $1billion from the police budget despite the surging crime rate.

'Not all black people are cool,' Powers said when talking about Adams, noting that he was fearing the former police officer would bring back the Stop-and-Frisk policy, which drew attention to cops racial profiling and was deemed unconstitutional in 2013.

He predicted that if the policy resurfaced many people struggling with addiction on the streets would be thrown into jail instead of getting proper help.

'Anti-crime was good with gun violence but now all gun crime is gang-related,' he told DailyMail.com before citing a string of fatal shootings that happened in Brooklyn over the summer.

Shooting victims rocketed by 12 percent, from 944 between January and the start of August 2020, to 1,057 from the start of 2021 to August of this year.

'It was all Bloods,' Powers said, referring to the street and prison gang known for its rivalry to the Crips.

The conflict between the two gangs originated on the west coast. The United Blood Nation (UBN) - also known as the East Coast Bloods - is a faction of the California-based gang and is active in NYC.

'That's how you get into a gang. You shoot someone. Not someone from a rival gang but any person,' he said, noting that going to prison gives the gang members ' more street cred'.

A homeless man was pictured near Washington Square Park in Manhattan as it was revealed the city's vagrant population has doubled to 50,000 in a decade
Advertisement

US Marines have insisted they did not lose to the British during a war game in the Mojave Desert following reports they were forced into an embarrassing surrender.

Royal Marines commandos were said to have 'dominated' their American counterparts and brought about a humiliating surrender just days into exercise Green Dagger - which featured a mock battle at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in southern California.

American combatants were reported to have asked for the exercise to be 'reset' halfway through, having taken significant casualties from British commandos.

But now the US Marines say that 'winners' are never determined and the training exercises, which do not provide an opportunity to 'surrender,' 'keep score,' or 'reset', are merely intended to 'heighten unit performance and increase readiness'.

The Royal Marines, along with allies from the Netherlands, Canada, and the UAE, were said to have destroyed or rendered inoperable almost every American asset in the virtual battle and finished the exercise holding two thirds of the terrain, after beginning with less than a fifth.

The US Marine Corps twitter account published a message celebrating the connection between their forces and British counterparts, writing that everyone benefited and 'iron sharpens iron'.

But the Royal Marines had on October 30 published pictures of their combatants, writing: 'Victorious! Royal Marines triumph in part of multinational team on Exercise Green Dagger 21. The 5-day Multi-domain war-fighting exercise concluded with an epic close quarters finale in Mojave Desert.'

Exercise Green Dagger was described by US forces as a routine 'deployment for training' opportunity of a company or battalion from the United Kingdom Royal Marines Brigade, with training including live-fire and non-live fire events.

Adjudicators assess and control the scenario, injecting advantages and creating challenges that test systems and commanders' response.

A 'kill board', more formally known as a Relative Combat Power Assessment (RCPA), keeps track of how the exercise is playing out, as combatants use training ammunition, which fires with reduced pressure and velocity, along with hi-tech simulators for heavier firepower like artillery, and live ammo on expansive ranges.

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled, it was reported

Royal Marines were said to have 'dominated' US forces just days into a training exercise after eliminating nearly their whole unit. Pictured: A Royal Marines commando training in exercise Green Dagger at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California

The Marines' 'kill board', which assesses damage done to enemy assets, had a tick against nearly all American assets at one point, meaning it had been rendered inoperable or destroyed, reports revealed

Exercise Green Dagger is designed to test the US Marine Corps prior to units deploying overseas, covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain

A comparison of Britain's Royal Marines and the United States Marine Corps, who faced off in the training exercise

Royal Marines, alongside allies from the Netherlands, Canada and the UAE, had claimed a victory against the US Marine Corps in a training exercise

Combatants used training ammunition, which fires with reduced pressure and velocity, along with hi-tech simulators for heavier firepower like artillery, and live ammo on expansive ranges

Royal Marines using the 'Viking' transport during the exercise Green Dagger in southern California, where they defeated US forces

Pictured: US Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion alongside Royal Marines with Armoured Support Group Royal Marines 3 Troop, during Exercise Green Dagger at Twentynine Palms

Royal Marines are seen during exercise Green Dagger at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, California

British forces were trialing the new Littoral Response Group (LRG) structure, which will be the new template for commandos - who are to become more flexible and mobile under reforms directed by First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. LRGs are Royal Navy task groups centred on commando forces set up to respond to world events

The exercise includes urban settings where actors, who are not following a script, play civilians who can choose to help or hinder the military forces

The Royal Marines trained with counterparts from the US, Canada, UAE and the Netherlands in the weeks before the main exercise

British forces, along with allies from Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE, were said to have won a decisive victory against US forces in a training exercise

British artillery units helped achieve 'victory' by concentrated on eliminating enemy vehicles and opposing artillery

By the end of the exercise, the Royal Marines held more than 65 per cent of the training area, having begun with less than 20 per cent, it was claimed

ROYAL MARINES: A HISTORY OF VICTORY 1664: As the Second Dutch War broke out, a special regiment of 1,200 men were trained for the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot - the Royal Navy's earliest form of raiding force and the foundation of today's Royal Marines. 1704: Six Royal Marrines regiments are raised for the War of Spanish Succession, fighting with a brigade of soldiers who attacked Gibraltar and held its fortress while under constant siege from the enemy. 1805: At the Battle of Trafalgar, Lord Nelson defeated French and Spanish troops off Cape Trafalgar on October 21 with Royal Marines making up more than 10% of his force. One officer, Second Lieutenant Roteley, described the scene as being 'like a hailstorm of bullets passing over our heads on the poop, where we had forty Marines with small arms'. 1915: The Ottoman Empire entered World War I in 1915, and the Royal Marines were part of the force tasked with opening the Dardanelles in the Gallipoli Campaign. Two battleships brought Marine detachments who accomplished their tasks and re-embarked. 1918: On St George's Day, 1918, British naval forces launched a raid on Zeebrugge to deny German U-boats, based in Bruges, access to the English Channel. A force of Royal Marines landed along the Zeebrugge Mole and destroyed German guns, leading to three ships being sunk, blocking the canal. 1942: Winston Churchill, trying to find a way to more effectively fight Hitler with fewer resources, ordered the creation of the commandos - highly-trained personnel who would go on to play crucial roles in the Arakan campaign, the Allied landings in Sicily and the 1944 invasion of Normandy. 1982: Royal Marines played an active role throughout Britain's defence of the Falkland Islands from Argentinian invasion. Towards the end of the crisis, M Coy Gp landed from a small task group to reclaim Southern Thule in the South Sandwich Islands. 2001: The Royal Marines are at the vanguard of the British war effort in Afghanistan, mounting a 13-year-long counter-insurgency campaign. 2003: 40 Commando is deployed to north west Iraq, secures initial targets and advances towards Basra, facing heavy fire for three days before taking over Saddam Hussein's palace. Just hours later, commandos were distributing crucial humanitarian aid in the country. 2017: After Hurricane IRMA in September 2017, personnel from 3 Commando took part in an international relief operation in the Caribbean. More than 400 men and women deployed in 72 hours, helping to repair 22 schools and five hospitals, and distribute 30 tons of food and 60,000 litres of water. Advertisement

Troops from 3 Commando Brigade and Taunton-based 40 Commando had spent the last two months in the Mojave Desert preparing for deployments next year.

Their time in the US culminated with the five-day simulated conflict Green Dagger, which is designed to test the US Marine Corps prior to units deploying overseas.

The mock battlefield covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain, including urban settings where actors, who are not following a script, play civilians who can choose to help or hinder the military forces.

The Royal Marines trained with counterparts from the US, Canada, UAE and the Netherlands in the weeks before the main exercise.

The British forces were said to have achieved their victory by targeting the American headquarters and equipment, severely hampering the ability of US combatants to launch counter-attacks.

Artillery units also concentrated on eliminating vehicles and opposing artillery.

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled, reports said.

British forces were trialling the new Littoral Response Group (LRG) structure, which will be the new template for commandos - who are to become more flexible and mobile under reforms directed by First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

LRGs are Royal Navy task groups centred around commando forces and set up to respond to world events.

Following the restructuring of the Marines, Nato's northern and Baltic flanks will be covered by the UK-based LRG (North).

LRG (South), built around Taunton-based 40 Commando, will be based around Oman's port of Duqm, operating with a focus on British military activity in the Indo-Pacific.

Each LRG will be capable of working with the carrier strike group to assemble an expeditionary strike force which can operate anywhere in the world.

The exercise focused around three urban sprawls which were defended by allied forces, the largest of which consisting of 1,200 buildings purpose built for military testing.

The Marines were reported to have won decisive battles early on and gained ground from their enemy, but amid a US Marines counter-attack, commandos carried out raids behind enemy lines.

The exercise concluded with a last-minute assault by US forces, which was repelled.

'Our success has proved the new commando force concept is more lethal and sophisticated than ever before and I am immensely proud of every member of the LRG and their vital contributions,' said Lieutenant Colonel Andy Dow, Commanding Officer of 40 Commando.

'Operating alongside our partners from the USA, Netherlands, Canada and the UAE gives us a fantastic opportunity to test, integrate and continue to push our capabilities in new and innovative directions.

'Throughout this deployment our focus has been on integrating game-changing capabilities from across the commando force to deliver disproportional effect in the face of a free-thinking peer adversary.'

Royal Marines reportedly 'dominated' US forces just days into a training exercise after eliminating nearly their whole unit

American combatants asked for a 'reset' halfway through a five-day simulated war exercise at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California, having taken significant casualties from British commandos using a new battle structure, it was reported

A mortar position is pictured during the five-day simulated war exercise at the US Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms base in the Mojave Desert in southern California

Following the restructuring of the Marines, Nato's northern and Baltic flanks will be covered by the UK-based LRG (North). LRG (South), built around Taunton-based 40 Commando, will be based afloat around Oman's port of Duqm, operating with a focus on British military activity in the Indo-Pacific. Each LRG will be capable of working with the carrier strike group to assemble an expeditionary strike force which can operate anywhere in the world

Exercise Green Dagger covers more than 3,500 square kilometres of mountainous and desert terrain

Royal Marines brought a decisive defeat of the American combatants, who asked for a 'reset' halfway through the five-day simulated war exercise in the Mojave Desert, it was reported

A long-range commando assault with fighter jet support eventually defeated the American forces, who had launched a last-minute attack but were repelled, reports said
Scotland Yard has today been accused of 'institutional homophobia' for allegedly repeatedly dismissing fears that the murders of four young gay men by serial killer Stephen Port could be linked.

John Pape, who said he had a 'whirlwind friendship' with Slovakian Gabriel Kovari in summer 2014, said he provided the Metropolitan Police with information he thought might link the deaths in Barking, east London.

By September of that year, depraved killer Port had murdered Anthony Walgate, Mr Kovari and Daniel Whitworth by plying them with fatal doses of the drug GHB and dumping their bodies near his home.

At the inquests into the deaths at Barking Town Hall, Mr Pape said he tracked down Mr Kovari's former boyfriend, Thierry Amodio, who was told by another man - later established to be Port, seeking to distance himself from the investigation - that the men were drugged at orgies involving older men.

But Mr Pape said police seemed to ignore his attempts to provide them with information. It came as the detective appointed to speak with Mr Kovari's family admitted having never done so, saying she was 'busy'.

The allegations are likely to cause a headache for Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, whose tenure has been marked by controversy.

Last week, she was told she could carry the can for Metropolitan Police officers who took pictures of the dead bodies of murder victims Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, by their grieving mother.

She has also come calls to quit following the murder of Sarah Everard by depraved cop Wayne Couzens and for thwarting the Daniel Morgan inquiry team's attempts to access sensitive documents.

Serial killer Stephen Port (pictured) planted a fake suicide note on his third victim, framing him for the drug-related death of his second victim, an inquest today heard

Two of Port's four victims were Jack Taylor (left), 25, and Daniel Whitworth (right), 21

Anthony Walgate (left) and Gabriel Kovari (right) were also victims of Port

Timeline of Stephen Port's crimes June 4, 2014: Police find Stephen Port at Barking station in East London with a young man he had drugged who has collapsed. Port admits they had taken illegal drugs but is not arrested. June 19: Anthony Walgate, 23, given drug overdose and raped by Port who dumps body outside his flat and calls 999, claiming he has found an unconscious man. June 26: Port suspected of lying to police and charged with perverting the course of justice. Released on bail. He is not accused of murdering Mr Walgate. August 28: Gabriel Kovari, 22, given an overdose and raped by Port who dumps the body against a graveyard wall. September 20: Daniel Whitworth, 21, given a drug overdose and raped. Port dumps his body against the same graveyard wall. Mr Whitworth is wearing Mr Kovari's top and is in a bed-sheet which has Port's DNA on it. October 1: Detective Chief Inspector Tony Kirk tells local paper the three deaths within a mile of each other are not being treated as suspicious. March 23, 2015: Port jailed for perverting the course of justice by lying over Mr Walgate's death. Released on licence in June with an electronic tag. June 2015: Inquests into the deaths of Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth were held, which were later set aside at the High Court in the wake of the murder trial. September 13: Jack Taylor, 25, given a drug overdose and raped by Port. Body found next to the same graveyard. October 15: Port arrested on suspicion of four murders and charged. Later charged with attacks on eight other men. November 23, 2016: Port is convicted of 22 offences against 11 men, including four murders, four rapes, four assaults by penetration and 10 of administering a substance. He was cleared on three counts of rape. November 25: Port is handed a whole-life sentence for the four murders. Advertisement

Mr Pape told the inquests: 'I think it's been said here that the police were underfunded and under emotional strain.

'But I think, when grieving families, boyfriend and friends are getting close to the truth and trying to raise the alarm 10 months before the Met are even willing to acknowledge the deaths are suspicious, it can't be a funding issue.

'What resources did the families and friends have? What emotional strain were we under at that time?

'The only thing that makes sense about how disturbingly incompetent this investigation was is prejudice.

'If the lives and deaths of young gay and bi men aren't treated with significance and respect, I think that amounts to institutional homophobia.'

He said he was told by police at the original inquests for Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth that there was no evidence which suggested the two men knew each other, despite a 'suicide note' found on Mr Whitworth's body taking responsibility for killing Mr Kovari.

It was later established that the note was written by Port and planted on Mr Whitworth's body to mislead the police.

Mr Pape said he contacted gay charities, the gay press and campaigner Peter Tatchell to explain his concerns, adding: 'I didn't trust the police to link it properly.

'I was concerned about young, gay men in Barking.'

Mr Pape wept as he described hearing that Port had been arrested.

He said: 'I think I felt a mix of emotions, certainly a kind of anger because it felt like I had these concerns... that an older man might be preying on younger men... and I felt like I hadn't been listened to.

'I wish I could go back and tell myself to push it more.'

Peter Skelton QC, counsel for the Metropolitan Police, said officers involved in the case had apologised for the police response, but suggested to Mr Pape that 'incompetence does not always equate to prejudice'.

Mr Pape replied: 'I would agree that what happened here was incompetence... But behind that incompetence there has to be a reason why so many people were making such shocking mistakes.'

Detective Constable Jackie Baxter, who was appointed as family liaison officer (FLO) to the Kovaris, admitted she failed to contact them.

She told the inquest jury: 'I can only put that down to the workload I was working on. That's no excuse, I know.'

Andrew O'Connor QC, counsel to the inquests, said: 'You were appointed as the FLO for the Kovari family ... the clue is in the name.'

Ms Baxter replied: 'The problem we had was we had an awful lot of work.

'I'd not done my job properly by not contacting the Kovari family.'

The inquest also heard that she erroneously referred to Mr Kovari as being from Lithuania, rather than Slovakia, in an email for the coroner.

She denied Mr O'Connor's suggestion that she decided she was 'not going to bother' to do her job as the FLO due to Mr Kovari being gay, a foreign national, or because his death was linked to drugs.

The 46-year-old, who will spend the rest of his life behind bars for murdering four men and sexually assaulting several others, began taking GHB in late 2013

She said: 'I was busy and I know I didn't do what I was asked to do.'

A Met Police spokesman said: 'Since Stephen Port's offences came to light we have worked hard within the Met to improve both our processes and our wider knowledge across the organisation of a range of issues associated with the murders.

'We will not prejudge the findings of the inquests but we will review any more improvements the jury and coroner identify that we need to make.

'It is extremely important to us that members of the LGBT+ communities trust the police and feel confident they are being provided with the best possible service. We welcome the help and support of our independent advisors and a whole range of community partners to help us achieve this.

'In order not to pre-empt any findings or be seen to influence the inquest in any way the MPS will not be making any further comment until the proceedings have concluded.'

Port, now 46, was given a whole life sentence in 2016 after being found guilty of murdering Mr Walgate, 23, Mr Kovari, 22, Mr Whitworth, 21, and final victim Jack Taylor, 25, between June 2014 and September 2015.

The inquests continue.
Advertisement

Daily coronavirus cases in the UK have fallen by more than a fifth in a week amid hopes the third wave has peaked before winter.

The Department of Health's usual update showed there were 34,029 new infections in the past 24 hours, marking a 22 per cent fall on last Friday.

Deaths and hospitalisations for the virus  which are both lagging indicators  crept up by about 3 per cent in a week with 193 victims and 1,072 admissions announced today.

It comes as the country's largest official surveillance study found that cases had levelled off last week for the first time in nearly three months  but prevalence was still high.

The Office for National Statistics report estimated 1.1million people in England were infected with the virus at any time in the week to October 30  the equivalent of one in 50.

The finding finally brought the ONS' study in line with the official testing programme, which has reported falling cases for 12 of the past 13 days.

Officials also revealed the UK's R rate had fallen for the first time in months today, and is now estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1.

Experts said the statistics suggested that the latest wave, triggered when schools went back from summer, had 'likely peaked' thanks to combination of vaccine immunity and previous infection.

It came as it emerged Britain is no longer the Covid capital of Western Europe. Austria, Belgium and Ireland are all recording higher infection rates and Germany looks bound to surpass the UK's in weeks.

The Office for National Statistics estimated that some 1.1million people in England had Covid at any point last week. This is the same as the previous seven-day spell, but the levelling off suggests the outbreak has peaked because fewer people infected with the virus are passing it on to others  either due to self-isolation or immunity from jabs or previous infection

The experts behind the ZOE Covid Study  which is based on reports from around 750,000 weekly contributors and more than 40,000 swabs  calculated there were 88,592 daily symptomatic Covid cases across the UK, based on data from 42,359 positive PCR and lateral flow tests taken between October 16 and 30. Around a third of cases (26,928) are among double-jabbed Brits, up from 26,928 last week, the study found.

Separate data from the UK's largest symptom-tracking study yesterday reported a fall in cases for the first time in weeks, in another sign infections may have peaked.

Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist behind the survey, said the country is probably over the 'last great peak of Covid' for the year, but encouraged mask-wearing and social distancing to be safe.

Now Pfizer says it's at-home Covid pill cuts risk of death by up to 90%... Pfizer today claimed its at-home Covid pill cuts the risk of severe illness by nearly 90 per cent, potentially providing the UK with another weapon in its arsenal to combat the pandemic. Its twice-a-day antiviral was shown in clinical trials to slash the risk of hospitalisation or deaths by 87 per cent in vulnerable and elderly patients. The pharmaceutical giant stopped its study of the drug  known as Paxlovid  early due to the 'overwhelming efficacy'. Pfizer's twice-a-day antiviral was shown in clinical trials to slash the risk of hospitalisation or deaths by 87 per cent in vulnerable and elderly patients. It found that 0.8 per cent of those given Pfizer's drug within three days of symptom onset were hospitalised and none had died by 28 days after treatment. For comparison, the hospitalisation rate stood at 7 per cent for the patients given a placebo. There were also seven deaths in the placebo group The findings appear to surpass those seen with Merck's rival pill molnupiravir, which data showed halved the risk of death or hospitalisation. Paxlovid can be taken at home and is a combination of an experimental drug with an older antiviral called ritonavir, already used to treat HIV/AIDS. Pfizer described its findings as a 'game-changer' and now plans to apply for approval from American medical regulators in the coming days. The firm will likely also seek approval in the UK, where the Government has already purchased 250,000 courses. It comes after Britain yesterday became the first country in the world to give Merck's antiviral the green light, paving the way for it to be rolled out on the NHS within the next few weeks. Advertisement

The ONS' infection survey found Covid cases were falling among under-16s and dipped slightly among 35 to 49-year-olds in the most recent week.

But they remained static in all other age groups including the booster-eligible over-60s.

The survey randomly swabs 100,000 Britons every seven days  even if they have no symptoms of the virus  to estimate its prevalence in the country.

It is seen as the gold-standard surveillance project tracking the spread of the virus by ministers.

In Wales, infections plateaued last week after estimates suggested there were 72,700 cases on any given day last week  equivalent to one in 40 being infected. In the previous week it was 77,800.

In Scotland, the ONS suggested cases had fallen from 71,500 to 66,000 cases last week  equivalent to one in 80 having the virus.

But in Northern Ireland cases rose from 23,900 to 27,400  with up to one in 65 now having the virus.

Dr Raghib Ali, an epidemiologist at Cambridge University, said the results were 'broadly as expected', bolstering claims that prevalence peaked in England in the final week of October.

He added that it also confirms infections in schoolchildren were peaking before half-term, saying it offers more evidence that the fall was genuine and not just down to less testing as some experts had speculated.

Professor Jim Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at the University of Oxford, also claimed the data showed prevalence appears to have peaked. He added: 'I would now expect all other things being equal for the prevalence to fall.

'There are other encouraging results the prevalence in teens shows a trend downwards from very high levels. This age group had very alarming levels of infection and this was driving case numbers.

'The combination of vaccine roll out to this age group and the high level of infection, will drive down the numbers of newly infected teens rapidly from this point.'

He added: 'There is no doubt that this Christmas will be transformationally different than last.'

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of East Anglia, said the results provide some 'reassurance that Covid infections in England may have indeed peaked'.

He added: 'The report supports what has been seen in the daily case reports which have been falling for a couple of weeks now.

'Because this report presents prevalence and people often remain positive for more than a week after becoming infected it will always look like data here are falling more slowly than seen in daily case reports which are incidence data.'

However, other scientists urged caution over the results.

Dr Simon Clarke, a cellular microbiologist at the University of Reading, said: 'It is too early to know if this will be the peak of the latest wave of infections or just a temporary week to week reduction.

'The slightly lower numbers overall are likely due to a reduction in cases among children, which may be an impact of the autumn half term school holiday, and the rising numbers of vaccinated teenagers.'

No10's top scientists tracking the R rate  which measures the speed the outbreak is growing at  estimated that it had fallen below one in most regions of the country.

 Slide me  Covid infection rates fell in all but 10 per cent of areas in England during the half-term week, data from the UK Health and Security Agency's weekly Flu and Covid Surveillance Report shows

The ONS estimated that cases are falling among under-16s, and there was a slight drop among those aged 35 to 49, but they remained static in all other age groups

Across England's regions a downturn in infections was suggested in the East of England, North West, South East, East Midlands and London. This is likely linked to dropping infections among younger age groups over half-term

Despite having no Covid restrictions in place nationwide, the UK has dropped to the sixth most-infectious country in Western Europe. Austria, Belgium and Ireland are recording up to 17 per cent more cases, despite having a mix of mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and Covid passports in place

Despite falling in the infection rate rankings, the UK still has one of the highest daily death rate. Yesterday, the UK recorded 2.5 Covid deaths per million people, compared to 1.6 in Austria, Belgium and Ireland. Deaths lag a few weeks behind case numbers, due to the time it takes someone to become seriously unwell with the virus after they get infected

The UK dropped to the sixth most-infectious country in Western Europe yesterday, with Austria, Denmark and Ireland all recording more cases. However, Austria is also carrying out the most Covid tests in Western Europe - around 37 tested per 1,000 people each day - while the UK is conducting around 12 daily testers per 1,000 people. This means Austria is picking up more cases than the UK, where a higher proportion will be slipping under the radar. But Belgium (six per 1,000 people) and Ireland (4 per 1,000 people) - which are also recording higher infection rates than the UK - are testing up to two-thirds less than the UK

Only London (1.0 to 1.2) and the South East (1.0 to 1.2) had rates above one, suggesting their outbreak is either static or is growing.

In the South West and East of England the R rate was 0.9 to 1.2. And in the Midlands, North East and North West it was estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1.

Yesterday the ZOE Covid symptom study estimated there were 88,592 daily symptomatic Covid cases across the UK every day in the week to October 30. This was down five per cent on 92,953 from the previous week.

Similar to other studies, they also found infections were falling fastest among children, but levelling off in the other age groups.

Professor Spector said: 'It's great that we're finally seeing cases start to come down, and hopefully we're over the last great peak of Covid in 2021.'

But, in a warning, he added: 'As the temperatures drop and winter comes we're still seeing far too much Covid in the community leading to high long Covid and hospitalisation rates compared to other countries in Western Europe. With high rates of other viral respiratory illnesses too (although no flu yet), there is no room for complacency.'

It came as official data today revealed Britain is no longer the Covid capital of Europe.

Cases in the UK spiked when schools went back in September, which led to the country being branded the centre of the continent's outbreak by advocates of the Government's 'Plan B' strategy.

But the latest statistics show Austria, Belgium and Ireland have now all overtaken Britain's infection rate. This is despite them having a mix of tougher restrictions, including face masks, working from home, and jab passports.

Many scientists had argued Britain was recording a higher case, hospital and death rate from the virus because it was testing up to ten times more people than its neighbours.

Experts said the roll out of booster jabs and natural immunity built up from the back-to-school wave should see infections continue to slump over the coming weeks.
Advertisement

Venice flooded again on Friday as The Floating City was hit by seasonally high waters, forcing tourists to don wellington boots and waterproof shoe covers as they waded through the famous St. Mark's square.

Scientists have blamed rising sea levels on the increasing frequency of high tides that flood the 1,600-year-old Italian lagoon city, which is also gradually sinking.

But despite the flooding, pictures today showed a number of people still exploring the famous Italian city, with some even choosing to sit at cafes while braving the shin-deep waters around their tables.

People walk through a flooded St. Mark's Square during seasonally high water in Venice, Italy November 5, 2021.

A couple sit at a cafe in a flooded St. Mark's Square during seasonally high water in Venice, Italy November 5, 2021. Despite the shin-high waters around their table, the couple appear determined to enjoy a cup of coffee

Pictured: A group of people in orange waterproof shoe protectors are seen posing for a photograph in Venice's St. Marks square on Friday, November 5, 2021

One couple were seen seated at a cafe table being served by a waiter, and despite the water at their feet they appeared determined to enjoy their cup of coffee.

Others were seen posing in groups for photographs in the square in front St. Mark's Basilica,which appeared to be open for tourists - some of whom were on the viewing balconies above.

Some tourists even chose to go barefoot, splashing through the water as if it was a paddling pool.

Venice is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its unique topography of long pointed wooden poles that were driven straight down into the seafloor, along with its 117 canals that flow through the ancient city.

Venice's worse-case scenario for sea level rise by the end of the century is a startling three feet, 11 inches, according to a study published by the European Geosciences Union last month.

That is 50 percent higher than the worse-case global sea-rise average of two feet, seven and a half inches forecast by the United Nations science panel.

Pictured: People walk past a row of shops in Venice on Friday next to a flooded St. Mark's square. Scientists have blamed rising sea levels on the increasing frequency of high tides that flood the 1,600-year-old Italian lagoon city

Pictured: A flood St. Mark's square is seen on Friday, November 5, 2021. The square is in the city's lowest point and so is now flooded frequently when Venice sees high water levels

A couple sit in bar in a flooded St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Friday, November 5, 2021. After Venice suffered the second-worst flood in its history in November 2019, it was inundated with four more exceptional tides within six weeks, shocking Venetians and triggering fears about the worsening impact of climate change

It is the fate of coastal cities like Venice that will be on the minds of climate scientists and global leaders meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, at the UN climate Cop26 conference this week and next.

The city's interplay of canals and architecture, of natural habitat and human ingenuity, has earned it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its outstanding universal value, a designation put at risk of late because of the impact of over-tourism and cruise ship traffic.

It escaped the endangered list after Italy banned cruise ships from passing through St. Marks Basin, but alarm bells are still ringing.

Pictured: A group sit at a cafe table, with their feet, table and chairs all in the floodwater that has covered St. Mark's square on Friday, November 5, 2021

A closed bar is shown at the flooded St. Mark's Square during seasonally high water in Venice, November 5, 2021

Sitting at Venice's lowest spot, St. Mark's Basilica offers a unique position to monitor the impact of rising seas on the city. The piazza outside floods at around 30 inches, and water passes the narthex into the church at 34.5 inches, which has been reinforced up from a previous 25.5 inches.

'Conditions are continuing to worsen since the flooding of November 2019. We therefore have the certainty that in these months, flooding is no longer an occasional phenomenon. It is an everyday occurrence,' St. Marks chief caretaker, Carlo Alberto Tesserin, told The Associated Press last month.

In the last two decades, there have been nearly as many inundations in Venice over three feet - the official level for 'acqua alta,' or 'high water,' provoked by tides, winds and lunar cycles - as during the previous 100 years: 163 vs. 166, according to city data.

Exceptional floods over four feet, seven inches are also accelerating - a mark has been hit 25 times since Venice starting keeping such records in 1872.

Two-thirds of those have been registered in the last 20 years, with five, or one-fifth of the total, from November 12 through December 23, 2019.

People walk on a raised catwalk at the flooded St. Mark's Square during seasonally high water in Venice, November 5, 2021

Pictured: People in waterproof show protectors stand in the floodwater in Venice's St. Mark's square on Friday, November 5

'What is happening now is on the continuum for Venetians, who have always lived with periodic flooding,' said Jane Da Mosto, executive director of We Are Here Venice.

'We are living with flooding that has become increasingly frequent, so my concern is that people haven't really realized we are in a climate crisis.

'We are already living it now. It is not a question of plans to deal with it in the future. We need to have solutions ready for today.'

Venices defense has been entrusted to the Moses system of moveable underwater barriers, a project costing around nearly $7 billion (6 billion euros) and which, after decades of cost overruns, delays and a bribery scandal, is still officially in the testing phase.

Following the devastation of the 2019 floods, the Rome government put the project under ministry control to speed its completion, and last year start activating the barriers when floods of four feet, three inches are imminent.

Pictured: Three women with their shoes off walk barefoot in a flooded St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021

St. Mark's Basilica is seen in Venice's famous square as tourists wade through shallow floodwaters, November 5, 2021

The barriers have been raised 20 times since October 2020, sparing the city a season of serious flooding but not from the lower-level tides that are becoming more frequent.

The extraordinary commissioner, Elisabetta Spitz, stood by the soundness of the undersea barriers last month, despite concerns by scientists and experts that their usefulness may be outstripped within decades because of climate change.

The project has been delayed yet again, until 2023, with another $500 million in spending, for 'improvements' that Spitz said will ensure its long-term efficiency.

'We can say that the effective life of the Moses is 100 years, taking into account the necessary maintenance and interventions that will be implemented, Spitz said.
Border patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling operation when they discovered 10 migrants, including three underaged girls, hiding under a stack of plywood covering the flatbed of a pickup truck driven by a teenager in Arizona.

Three girls - aged four, eight and 17 - were found crammed together along with seven adults during an inspection of the vehicle last Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed in a press release this week.

CBP said that agents assigned to the Tucson Station stopped a 2000 Dodge Ram on Highway 286 several miles north of the Sasabe Port of Entry in Sasabe, Arizona.

The U.S. Border Patrol officers noticed that the flatbed's tailgate was shut close, 'dangerously trapping the migrants on top of each other without means of escape.'

U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed this week how border agents with the Tucson Station found 10 undocumented migrants, including three unaccompanied underaged girls, hidden the locked flatbed of a pickup truck that was stopped on a road in Sababe, Arizona, last Friday. The vehicle was driven by a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, who was arrested

A migrant steps out from under a pile of plywood that was covering the locked flatbed of a pickup truck where they were being concealed. None of the 10 migrants presented health issues

CBP said the 10 migrants were Guatemala and Mexican nationals. All were taken to a local border patrol station near Sababe, Arizona, where they were processed

CBP identified all three girls as unaccompanied children. It's unknown if their parents are living in the United States.

The driver, a 19-year-old US citizen whose name was not released, was taken into custody. The suspect is facing human smuggling charges.

The migrants - Guatemalan and Mexico nationals - were detained and taken to the Tucson Coordination Center where they were processed.

Sabri Y. Dikman, the acting chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, said that 'luckily, no one was hurt.'

Tucson border agents stopped three groups who had crossed the United States-Mexico border on Saturday and Sunday, apprehending an additional 202 migrants the following two days in the rural desert area near Sababe.

At least half of the group consisted of minors who were traveling alone.

One of the three groups intercepted by U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Station on Saturday and Sunday in the desert area near Sasabe, Arizona

The arrests along the 1,954-mile southwestern border show that migrants continue to defy the administration of President Joe Biden, even after Vice President Kamala told Migrants them in June, 'Do not come. Do not come. The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our borders.'

Despite the warning, data released by CBP in late October showed that U.S. Border Patrol agents reported 1.7 million encounters with migrants who unlawfully crossed the United States-Mexico border in fiscal year 2021, the highest since 1986.

Interdictions at the border increased during former President Donald Trump's last eight full months in office and dramatically spiked in the following six full months of Biden term in the White House.
Two ex-Colorado cops were sentenced on Friday for killing a six-foot-tall drunk man on his 23rd birthday after cuffing him and shoving him into a five-foot-long van compartment to take him to detox.

Former Boulder County sheriff deputy James O'Brien was sentenced to six years followed by three years of parole. His partner in crime Adam Lunn was given three years in prison with another three on parole for the 2018 death of Demetrius Roy Shankling.

In a statement released Thursday Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said: 'This entire incident is a tragedy to everyone involved, including Mr Shankling and his family, as well as these former deputies and their families.

'Im sure of one thing, this death did not need to occur. Im also sure these former deputies intended no harm. I am confident we took all the necessary steps for accountability and transparency during this process. We relied on the justice system for a just outcome, and we trust that outcome is the best it can be under a horrible and yet preventable situation. I am deeply saddened for everyone involved.'

Two ex-Colorado cops James O'Brien (left) and Adam Lunn (right) were sentenced on Friday for killing a six-foot-tall drunk man on his 23rd birthday after cuffing him and shoving him into a five-foot-long van compartment to take him to detox. O'Brien was sentenced to six years in prison while Lunn got three

Six-foot-tall Demetrius Roy Shankling (pictured) died after being crammed face-down into a five-foot-long van compartment for 16 minutes as cops drove him to a detox facility. An autopsy report showed Shankling died of suffocation because of his positioning and alcohol and amphetamine in his system were contributing factors

O'Brien and Lunn were found guilty of manslaughter back in August after body camera footage and surveillance video from inside the van showed the moments leading up to Shankling's death.

It showed the then-cops stumbling across an obviously intoxicated Shankling and his friend wandering around in the early hours of September 9, 2018, near Canyon Boulevard, Boulder.

Shankling sat on the ground insisting that he shouldn't go to detox. 'He's fine,' friends said in the background as Shankling told cops: 'I live right there... I would love to just go home.'

'Sir, we can't do that,' the officer responded.

As they started to handcuff him an upset Shankling said: 'I'm not fighting anything... I'm not doing anything,' to which a cop replied: 'You talk big for a small kid, dude.'

Oddly enough, just moments later as the officers went to put Shankling in the van one said: 'You're a big, tall guy, okay. Don't hit your head.'

Shankling can be seen sitting on a curb after getting drunk to celebrate his 23rd birthday. Less than an hour later, he would be dead

O'Brien (right) and Lunn (left) were found guilty of manslaughter back in August after body camera footage showed the moments leading up to Shankling's death

Two officers, presumably O'Brien and Lunn, were recorded clearly struggling as they tried to close the van door. 'Hasta la vista, another satisfied customer,' someone was heard saying

The cops proceeded to put six-foot-tall Shankling into the less than five-foot-long van compartment headfirst and laying on his stomach.

Two officers, presumably O'Brien and Lunn, were recorded clearly struggling as they tried to close the van door. 'Hasta la vista, another satisfied customer,' someone was heard saying.

Shankling spent 16 minutes crammed into the space as deputies drove to the detox facility, investigators said, and security footage from inside the van showed the 23-year-old's legs wedged against the inside of the door.

When they arrived at the facility and opened the van doors Shankling was unconscious and not breathing. He was rushed to the hospital and spent the next 27 days in a coma before passing.

An autopsy report revealed that Shankling's blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.352 at the time of his death, which is considered life-threatening

'Holy s***! Holy f***ing s***!' a cop was heard shouting after opening the van doors.

'God dammit Demetrius wake up!' he yelled as he pulled Shankling out of the van by his feet.

An autopsy report showed that Shankling died of suffocation because of his positioning in the van and determined that the alcohol and amphetamine in his system were contributing factors.

The report also noted that Shankling's blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.352 at the time of his death, which is considered life-threatening.

District Judge Norma Sierra (pictured) also sentenced both ex-cops to serve three years of mandatory parole after their jail time

The county's coroner classified the death as a homicide, saying Shankling had been placed 'into this position by another person(s)'.

Prosecutors told District Judge Norma Sierra during the trial that O'Brien and Lunn acted recklessly and didn't utilize their training on positional asphyxia, according to Yahoo News.

Meanwhile, the defense argued that the now-convicted killers were working overtime that night and were not familiar with the van.

Court records said that Shankling left a downtown Boulder bar around 2am on his 23rd birthday. Friends who left with him said they were helping him walk down the street when he fell or jumped into a bush.

Boulder police officers then approached the group. Lunn and O'Brien told investigators that they were called to take Shankling to a detox facility in a transport van.

The sheriff's office was reportedly in charge of taking people to detox that weekend because students had recently returned to the University of Colorado and police wanted to keep their officers on patrol during a weekend of anticipated partying and intoxication.
A mother who once dismissed COVID as a hoax became the first parent in her state to allow her young daughter to get vaccinated against the virus.

Stacy Conrad, from Louisiana, said she previously subscribed to QAnon conspiracy theories dismissing the virus - but that she saw sense after her immunocompromised daughter Ella was unable to see friends for 18 months.

'In the very beginning, I kind of believed the hype that it was a conspiracy,' Stacy Conrad, an ex-QAnon conspiracy theorist, told CBS News' David Begnaud of her initial skepticism over the contagion, after her 10 year-old immunocompromised daughter, Ella, got the jab Wednesday.

Conrad had such an epiphany that Ella was the first child under 12 to receive her COVID shot in Louisiana on Wednesday, after the FDA approved the shot for kids aged five to 11.

The youngster was evidently delighted to receive the jab, and was filmed exclaiming: 'Oh my god, I have it in my body now, yay!,' afterwards.

Conrad revealed that she began to change her mind after a recent conversation with her husband, who slammed her beliefs as 'bizarre' and 'crazy.'

Louisiana mother Stacy Conrad became one of the first parents in the state to allow their kids aged under 12 to get vaccinated for the virus, after her ten-year-old daughter, Ella, got the jab Wednesday

The mom said part of the reason for her about-face was because Ella has ulcerative colitis.

It is a bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Ella takes medication that severely compromises her immune system, putting her at risk of a potentially severe COVID infection, and spurring her mom on to get the youngster vaccinated to protect her.

'I decided to put my energy into what was real and what was in front of me The facts,' Conrad said, explaining her change of heart hours after her daughter got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

'I know that if my child gets COVID once she's fully vaccinated, that her risk of having severe COVID is minimal,' Conrad said.

Ella was thrilled to be among the first in line to get the shot. 'Oh my god, I have it in my body now, yay!' a visibly excited, newly vaccinated Ella told Begnaud Wednesday

For the past year-and-half, Ella has been unable to play with children her age out of concern of getting sick, due to her suppressed immune system, Conrad explained.

What's more, she had been homeschooled for years before that as well - before the virus even surfaced - to stave-off other contagious infections like the flu, making her exhilaration all the more understandable.

Since the virus posed such a serious threat to immunocompromised Ella, former COVID-19 denier Conrad only permitted the child to do individual activities - like horseback riding - since the pandemic started in early 2019.

The youth was thrilled to be one of the first in the state to get vaccinated, telling her mom she felt 'fine' after the shot, and that she 'didn't even feel it'

'It's been real hard watching her struggle through this, so I'm real excited,' Conrad said.

But, as mentioned, Conrad did not always have the same stance on her at-risk child getting the vaccine.

In fact, at the start of the pandemic, she says she did not believe in COVID-19 at all.

What's more, Conrad revealed that she began to subscribe to QAnon conspiracy theories after feeling guilty about keeping her child locked away from the outside world out of caution over the virus.

'I wanted to believe what the scientists were saying. I wanted to believe what the government officials were telling us,' she told Begnaud.

Ella, who hasn't been able to interact with kids her age during the pandemic due to her suppressed immune system, celebrated with a friend after getting administered the Pfizer vaccine

'I wanted to believe all of this stuff, but I also didn't want to shelter my kid and keep her inside.'

She explained that she then grew to become skeptical about the threat posed by the pandemic.

'I was trying to prove that it wasn't so - and hearing the QAnon conspiracies made it easier for me to not believe.'

'I believed that JFK was going to come back from the dead,' she added, detailing some of more bizarre beliefs of the conservative conspiracy outfit.

It originated from the fringe forum 4Chan, after an anonymous user calling themselves Q posted messages claiming to be a senior federal official and purporting to reveal a 'deep state' cabal intent on bringing down Donald Trump.

Conrad's old, controversial beliefs also exacerbated her young daughter's fears, she admitted to CBS.

Ella added: 'I was just terrified. I did not want to go outside anymore.'

After the discussion with her husband, however, Conrad began to subscribe to facts and science offered by doctors, instead of that of fringe followers from the controversial far-right group.

Conrad said that she began to subscribe to QAnon conspiracy theories after feeling guilty about keeping her child locked away from the outside world out of caution over the virus. Now, she is a pro-vaccine activist

Conrad, now a pro-vaccine activist, says she currently travels throughout her home state to educate people in underserved communities about the vaccine - and even helps them book appointments to get vaccinated.

On Wednesday, Ella became Conrad's latest appointment, with the youth getting vaccinated alongside her friend Kiki, and Kiki's brothers, Hudson and Cooper.

'We want to get vaccinated so we can hurry up and have a sleepover,' Ella exclaimed.

Due to Ella's compromised immune system, her doctor has said she probably will need four COVID-19 vaccine shots, instead of two, over a series of months so she is in a safe place.

In Louisiana, children are also eligible to receive the same cash incentive that the state has been offering to vaccinated adults - meaning children as young as five who gets a shot can walk home with a cool $100.

Scientists say COVID vaccines have been widely-tested on the age group, although their approval has not been without controversy.

Fewer than 700 children under the age of 18 have been killed by COVID since the virus hit the US in March 2020, according to CDC figures.

Younger people are more at risk of a very rare but potentially serious bout of heart inflammation if they do catch COVID, although medics still insist that the risks posed by the vaccine are far smaller than that of a potentially serious infection.
A top John Deere executive said the world's largest maker of farm equipment will look to hire strikebreakers or import equipment from factories it operates overseas as a strike by 10,000 workers drags into a third week.

The workers on strike at 12 Midwest factories, who are members of the United Auto Workers union, are demanding higher wages. On Tuesday, the union rejected the company's 'best and final offer.'

The union's rejection of the agreement has lead the company to begin its 'customer service continuation plan,' Marc Howze, Deere & Co.'s chief administrative officer, told CNN Business.

'We want to live up to those commitments.'

Howze confirmed that the company is 'exploring' if it will use the 59 factories it operates outside the country. He also said the company is looking at hiring replacement hourly workers.

'All options are on the table as to what to do as we progress,' he stated.

More than 100,000 Deere & Co workers are in their third week of striking as they continue to demand higher wages as the company is set to a record net income of $5.7 to $5.9 billion

John Deere employees picket outside John Deere Davenport Works in Iowa. Over 10,000 John Deere employees began their strike at 11:59pm Wednesday

Deere & Co is the world's largest maker of farm equipment

Both these options may not be completely efficient due to the extensive supply chain shortage, partially caused by delays in shipping containers, and the current worker shortage in the country.

'The strike against John Deere and Company will continue as we discuss next steps with the company,' UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said in a statement. 'Pickets will continue and any updates will be provided through the local union.'

Arrah North-Osborne has worked as a factory level continuous improvement representative at the Deere & Co factory in East Moline, Illinois, according to her Facebook page.

She explained why the UAW members went on strike and voted to reject the company's tentative offer.

North-Osborne explained that while the offer provided some of what the workers were demanding such as raises, pensions for new hires, and adequate healthcare options, the contract language 'allows [the company] to effectively 'steal' money from our pockets when the mood hits them, and language that allows us no recourse to recover from it.'

She also claimed that the contract did not address overtime complaints.

She wrote: 'At this point its not just about money. Its about being treated like human beings in our work place....Its not greedy to want to be treated like a human being.'

If the strike at the world's largest maker of farm equipment continues it could affect the harvest and impact the food sector.

While the company explores its options and has management employees working nearly around the clock, the strike has not negatively impacted the company's stock value.

In fact, Deere & Co stock has continued to rise since the UAW strike began. On October 14, Deere & Co closed the day at 329.77 USD and sat at 354.88 USD on Friday.

The Deere & Co. workers began their strike on October 14, the first major walkout at the agricultural machinery giant in more than three decades.

The strike demanding higher wages comes as workers leverage their increased power in a tight labor market to demand a bigger piece of the profits at successful firms.

The UAW members have rejected two tentative agreements from the company since their strike began last month

Deere CEO John May earned nearly $16 million last year, 220 times more than the average worker at the company

Deere, due to report full-year results in late November, has forecast a record net income of $5.7 billion to $5.9 billion, and workers believe they can take advantage of the national labor shortage to demand that the company share the wealth.

Workers are angry that Deere CEO John May, who earned nearly $16 million in his first year in the role last year, makes 220 times more than the median company salary of $70,743.

United Auto Workers, the union representing Deere workers, had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached October 20.

The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier in the week that would have delivered 5 percent raises to some workers and 6 percent raises to others at the Illinois company known for its distinctive green tractors.

'The almost one million UAW retirees and active members stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere,' UAW President Ray Curry said.

Brad Morris, vice president of labor relations for Deere, said the company is 'committed to a favorable outcome for our employees, our communities and everyone involved.' He said Deere wants an agreement that would improve the economic position of all employees.

'We will keep working day and night to understand our employees priorities and resolve this strike, while also keeping our operations running for the benefit of all those we serve,' Morris said.

Deere, which has about 27,500 employees in the United States and Canada, had earlier said its operations would continue as normal.

The strike is taking place in the middle of the U.S. corn and soybean harvest season, at a time when farmers are struggling to find parts for tractors and combines.

The last strike against Deere by the UAW was in 1986 when workers sat out for 163 days.

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

United Auto Workers picket outside of John Deere Des Moines Works on Thursday in Ankeny, Iowa. The Deere workers' strike began at midnight

Deere & Co stock has risen throughout the three weeks of the strike going from 329.77 USD on October 14 to 354.88 USD on Friday

'Our members at John Deere strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,' said Chuck Browning, vice president and director of the UAWs Agricultural Implement Department. 'We stay committed to bargaining until our members' goals are achieved.'

A handful of workers began forming a picket line outside the company's plant in Milan, a town in western Illinois near the Iowa border, about 15 minutes after the strike deadline last month.

The union dropped off a metal barrel and firewood to keep workers warm in preparation for a demonstration that was projected to continue for 24 hours a day, the Quad-City Times reported.

Workers began picketing at several other Deere plants - including at its large operation in Waterloo, Iowa - on the morning of October 14 around when the first shift would normally arrive.

Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register before the strike that it could make a significant difference.

'The whole nation's going to be watching us,' Laursen said to the newspaper. 'If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it's going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let's do it. Lets not be intimidated.'

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic

Strikers are expected to remain on the picket line for 24 hours a day until Deere gives in

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said workers have a lot of leverage to bargain with right now because of the ongoing worker shortages.

'Right now across the U.S., labor is in a very good strong position to bargain, so now is a good time to strike,' Goss said.

Earlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.

The contracts under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia.

The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere & Co is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year.

The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment throughout the year.

Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson said those profits give Deere the means to come to terms with workers.

'They can afford to settle this thing on much more agreeable terms to the union and still maintain really strong profitability,' Swenson said.

The strike was called in the middle of the U.S. corn and soybean harvest season, at a time when farmers are struggling to find parts for tractors

The Deere production plants are important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived because it will have an immediate impact when striking workers cut back on their spending.

'We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,' Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-City Times. 'Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.'

Swenson said the impact of the strike could spread further if companies that supply Deere factories have to begin laying off workers.

So Deere will face pressure from suppliers and from customers who need parts for their Deere equipment to settle the strike quickly.

And Swenson said Deere will be worried about losing market share if farmers decide to buy from other companies this fall.

'There is going to be a lot of pressure on Deere to move closer to the union's demands,' Swenson said.
A French trawler that went down off the coast of Cornwall, killing five crew, sank after snagging on the seabed, an inquest has found.

The fate of the Bugaled Breizh has been shrouded in mystery since it sank off the Lizard Peninsula in 2004 in relatively favourable conditions and with no apparent defects to the vessel.

The bodies of skipper Yves Marie Gloaguen, 45, and Pascal Lucien Le Floch, 49, were found in the initial search and rescue operation and brought back to the UK.

The body of a third man, Patrick Gloaguen, 35, was recovered during a salvage operation to raise the Bugaled Breizh but was taken to France, and his death was not subject of the inquest.

The bodies of the two remaining crew members, Georges Lemetayer, 60, and Eric Guillamet, 42, were never found.

It has long been suggested that a submarine may have become entangled in the Bugaled Breizh's trawling gear, causing it to capsize.

The Bugaled Breizh, pictured right, sank off the coast of The Lizard in 2004 in relatively calm conditions amid claims it had been sunk by a submarine

Relatives of the crew including Thierry Lemetayor, son of Georges Lemetayer, who died on board the Bugaled Breizh were in the High Court in London today where the inquest heard the relatively light damage to the vessel's trawling gear was inconsistent with entanglement with a powerful military submarine

But in 2016, France's top judicial court confirmed the closure of its investigation after finding no evidence to support the theory.

But the inquest heard the relatively light damage to the vessel's trawling gear was inconsistent with entanglement with a powerful military submarine.

Judge Nigel Lickley QC, who acted as coroner for the inquest at the High Court in London, said it was 'wholly fanciful' that an unknown submarine had caused the sinking.

'The Bugaled Breizh had disappeared in a few minutes leaving very little behind. I can understand how thoughts can develop afterwards,' Judge Lickley said.

'I have no doubt that the fact a submarine was seen at the scene - doing nothing other than assisting in the search - caused speculation to run as to a submarine being involved in the sinking.'

He said Dutch, German and British submarines were operating in the English Channel, but were 'many miles away' at the time of the sinking.

'For the avoidance of doubt, I am satisfied that no other identified Allied submarine of any type or class was in the area at the time and that includes submarines from the US,' he said.

'So far as the idea still persists today, I reject it as wholly fanciful and unfounded.'

He added: 'I am satisfied that no non-Allied submarine was in the vicinity of or anywhere near the Bugaled Breizh when she sank.'

Judge Lickley also ruled out a collision with another vessel, a hard snag or mechanical failure.

'I am satisfied the cause of the sinking was a soft snag of the trawl rig on the seabed, that in combination with other factors, caused the Bugaled Breizh to heal to port, take on water, move to starboard causing the crew quarters to flood and she sank rapidly,' he said.

He gave the cause of death for Mr Le Floch and Mr Gloaguen as drowning and recorded conclusions of accident.

The inquest heard that maritime investigators examined evidence gathered by France's marine accidents investigation body and found one of the vessel's trawl doors - two sheets of metal used to keep the mouth of the net open - had become buried in sediment and mud close to a depression in the seabed.

It was likely the weight on the port trawl door had put a huge amount of pressure on one of the cables, known as warps, connecting the net to the boat.

The pressure may have caused the vessel to lean heavily, allowing a large volume of water to be shipped on to the main deck.

Claims a submarine had caused the sinking had been investigated by the Royal Navy, the court heard.

Andrew Billings, who led the investigation, said he had found no evidence any submarine of any flag was within five nautical miles of the trawler.

A senior naval officer told the inquest it would be 'unthinkable' for a British or allied submarine crew to falsify records about a vessel's location.

Commander Daniel Simmonds, who is currently in charge of daily operations of all UK submarines, said such a move 'would absolutely erode the trust at the highest levels between allied partners'.
The mom of a child shot dead at a Chicago McDonald's driveway has lashed the firm's CEO over a text suggesting she was to blame.

Lanesha Walker, whose seven year-old daughter Jaslyn Adams was killed at one of the fast food giant's Windy City restaurant's in April, lashed Chris Kempczinski over remarks he made in a text to Mayor Lori Lightfoot days later.

She raged: 'How dare you judge me! How dare you say I failed my child! I wasnt there when my child was killed,' she said in an interview with Chicago Sun-Times.

'Mr. CEO, you have no clue what its like to live on the South Side and West Side, in the trenches, where it gets real treacherous, just to survive, just to protect your children,' she continued. 'You come from privilege. You cant speak about me.'

Kempczinski, whose firm is itself headquartered in Chicago, texted Lightfoot, commenting on the recent killings of Jaslyn and 13-year-old boy called Adam Toledo.

'With both, the parents failed those kids which I know is something you can't say. Even harder to fix,' the multimillionaire McDonald's executive wrote in the text, which was revealed this week in response to a public records request about the mayor's communications.

Lanesha Walker (left), the mom of Jaslyn Adams, 7, who was shot and killed in Chicago in April, slammed McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski (right) over his recently revealed comments concerning child killings

Jaslyn was in her dad's car when she was shot dead at a McDonald's drive-thru

Jaslyn was in her father's car at a McDonald's drive-thru on April 18 when she was riddled with bullets and killed as part of a suspected ambush targeting her dad, who was said to be in a gang.

Adam Toledo, 13, was killed by a police officer during a foot chase in March

Three weeks prior, 13-year-old Adam Toledo was running away from the police with a gun in his hand when he was shot dead by an officer less than a second after the teen dropped or tossed the weapon aside. The CEO was also referring to that killing in his text.

Kempczinski reached out to Mayor Lightfoot a day after Jaslyn's killing, following a meeting at McDonald's headquarters.

The mayor sidestepped the CEO's remark concerning the shootings in her reply, writing back to him: 'Thanks, Chris. Great to see you in person. Such a great work space, and your folks were terrific. I said to Joe I would be happy to reach out to the operator to offer support. He and his team members have got to be traumatized. Terrible tragedy. Thanks again, Chris.'

Walker said her daughter loved McDonald's and ate there twice a week, and for the company's CEO to make disparaging comments about her and other parents who lost their children to gun violence showed a lack of respect and compassion.

In a text message to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in April, Kempczinski wrote that Jaslyn and Toledo's parents 'failed those kids'

'My daughter was gunned down in one of your McDonalds, and to this day, has anyone from your company reached out, even just to offer your condolences? No. Instead, you tear me down,' the mother continued.

Walker insisted that Kempczinski knows nothing about the 'hood,' and demanded that he meet her face-to-face in her community and learn about the effects of gun violence on families.

'Mr. CEO, you dont know me. You dont know anything about us. Youre on the outside looking in, from your high pedestal, judging us,' Walker argued. 'You dont know anyones real situation.'

Despite the McDonald's executive's highly critical comments, Walker said she knows that she is a good parent and that she did not put her daughter in harm's way.

Jaslyn was shot and killed in a suspected gang-related attack targeting her father on April 18

Jaslyn's father Jontae Adams, 29, has admitted knowing that he was a potential target for gang retaliation

Arrested in Jaslyn's slaying were (left to right) Devontay Anderson, 22, Demond Goudy, 21, and Marion Lewis, 18

Kempczinski's comments, revealed as part of a Freedom of Information Act requesting Lightfoot's communications, were met with widespread condemnation, which prompted the executive to backpedal.

In an internal memo to McDonald's US corporate employees seen by DailyMail.com, Kempczinski said that his remarks were emotional and regrettable.

'When I wrote this, I was thinking through my lens as a parent and reacted viscerally. But I have not walked in the shoes of Adam's or Jaslyn's family and so many others who are facing a very different reality,' Kempczinski wrote in the memo.

'Not taking the time to think about this from their viewpoint was wrong, and lacked the empathy and compassion I feel for these families. This is a lesson that I will carry with me,' he added.

Jaslyn's father Jontae Adams, 29, has admitted knowing that he was a potential target for gang retaliation, but didn't think anything would occur on the day he took her to get McDonald's.

Prosecutors say that Jaslyn and her father were in a McDonald's drive-thru in Homan Square on April 18 when three men pulled up in a silver Audi and riddled their vehicle with at least 28 bullets. Jontae Adams was shot once and injured, Jaslyn was hit multiple times and killed.

'My daughter wanted McDonald's. I tried to Uber McDonald's,' Jontae Adams said in an interview with WCGI-FM, referring to the food delivery service. 'But my baby wanted to see me.'

'As far as my actions or my past, maybe it had something to do with it. But I was a father the day my daughter died. That's all I remember being. I don't remember gang-banging. I don't remember what led to it,' he continued.

'I'd do it again. My baby wanted McDonald's, and I would take her to McDonald's again. Nothing is going to stop me from being a father and putting a smile on my baby's face.

This video police body cam image released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) on April 15, 2021, shows a frame grab of 13 year-old Adam Toledo on the ground after he was shot by police in Chicago, Illinois on March 29, 2021

Officer Eric Stillman was pursuing Adam on foot in Little Village when he fired the fatal shot. COPA cleared Stillman of wrongdoing

Arrested in Jaslyn's slaying were Devontay Anderson, 22, Demond Goudy, 21, and Marion Lewis, 18, who was shot and injured by police and taken into custody after he crashed his vehicle trying to elude officers, and then tried to steal a family's car on the Eisenhower Expressway.

All three are being held without bond in the Cook County Jail.

The officer who shot and killed Adam Toledo during a foot chase on March 29 has not been relieved of his police powers following a review by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Toledo's family, which previously faced questioned about his upbringing and his suspected involving with gangs, has not publicly commented on the McDonald's CEO's words of criticism.

Meanwhile, the March 29 killing of Adam Toledo at the hands of
The funeral of Sabina Nessa, who was attacked as she walked to meet a friend in south-east London, has taken place following prayers at East London Mosque.

Sabina, 28, was attacked as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke on September 17.

Her body was discovered nearly 24 hours later covered with leaves near a community centre in the park.

Funeral prayers were said for her at East London Mosque in Whitechapel in a ceremony held by Sheikh Mohammed Mahmoud OBE earlier today before her coffin was taken to a nearby graveyard for burial.

Sabina's family lamented their 'immeasurable loss' and called on the Government to take 'proactive steps' to make streets safer for women in a touching statement to the BBC.

'Our loss is immeasurable with the realisation that we will not see our beloved Sabina again.

'Our communities need to be made safer for women, so nothing like this can ever happen again. We need everyone, including the Government, to work together with us on this problem.

'Actions speak louder than words, and we need to see proactive steps being taken for women's safety.'

Garage worker Koci Selamaj, 36, from Eastbourne, who is charged with Sabina's murder, will appear in court on December 16 for a plea hearing.

Sabina Nessa, 28, was making her way through Cator Park in Kidbrooke to meet a friend for a drink at a pub nearby when she was allegedly attacked and killed

Funeral prayers were held by Sheikh Mohammed Mahmoud OBE and were attended by members of Sabina's family and community earlier today

Funeral prayers were said for Sabina at East London Mosque in Whitechapel, east London, before her coffin was taken to a nearby graveyard for burial (East London Mosque pictured in 2020)

A court sketch of Koci Selamaj, who is charged with Sabina's murder appearing via video-link from Wormwood Scrubs prison for a hearing at the Old Bailey (sketch dated September 30, 2021)

Images shared on Facebook captured the moments following the funeral as family, friends and members of Sabina's community left the mosque.

Funeral goers could be seen consoling one another outside the mosque following the ceremony and prayers held by Sheikh Mohammed Mahmoud OBE.

Weeks earlier, hundreds gathered at peaceful vigils in south London and Eastbourne in the days following Sabina's death on September 17 amid continuing public outrage over woman's safety.

More than 500 well-wishers, including young children, attended a memorial event on September 24 close to where she was killed in Pegler Square to pay their respects.

Others meanwhile used the vigil as an opportunity to campaign for safer streets.

Speaking at the vigil, sister Jebina told the crowd: 'We have lost an amazing, caring, beautiful sister, who left this world far too early.

Images shared on Facebook captured the moments following the funeral as family, friends and members of Sabina's community left the mosque

Funeral goers could be seen consoling one another outside the mosque following the ceremony and prayers held by Sheikh Mohammed Mahmoud OBE

'Words cannot describe how we are feeling, this feels like we are stuck in a bad dream and can't get out of it. Our world is shattered, we are simply lost for words.'

Sabina's death came just days before the sentencing of Wayne Couzens, who will spend the rest of his life in prison for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

As calls continue for action to better protect women and girls from violence, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab vowed that the issue was his 'number one priority'.

Asked what would change following Ms Everard's death, Government sources said a victims bill to strengthen the rights of those in the position of Miss Everards family would be published soon.

Police near Pegler Square in Kidbrooke, south London, near to where the body of 28-year-old school teacher Sabina Nessa was found on September 18

Jebina Yasmin Islam, Sabina's sister, speaks at a candlelight vigil on September 24, 2021 in south London

Officers comb through a field in Kent as part of the investigation into the death of murdered schoolteacher Sabina Nessa (pictured September 30, 2021)

Sabina's funeral and her family's demand for safer streets comes two weeks after the Duchess of Cornwall made an impassioned speech at the Shameless! Festival, which aims to change attitudes of sexual violence towards women.

Highlighting the brutal deaths of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa among others, Camilla said a 'culture of silence' and feelings of shame led many women to conceal their abuse.

Camilla highlighted the brutal murders of women including Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard (pictured) in an impassioned speec at a reception in London to launch the Shameless! Festival two weeks ago

She demanded: 'How many more women must be harassed, raped or murdered?'

The duchess also said it was crucial for women 'to get the men in our lives involved in this movement'.

She explained that without the whole of society taking the issue seriously, violence against women would continue to be 'just one of those things, part and parcel of being born female'.

Camilla continued: 'We do not, in any way, hold all men responsible for sexual violence. But we do need them all on board to tackle it. After all, rapists are not born, they are constructed.

'And it takes an entire community  male and female  to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal, and in which it shames the victim.'

The duchess made her speech hours after Couzens lodged an official appeal against the whole-life tariff handed to him in September for Ms Everard's rape and murder in March.
Advertisement

Anarchists and anti-vaxxers have set an effigy of Prime Minister Boris Johnson ablaze in Trafalgar Square as hundreds of protestors clash with police on the streets of London amid the annual Million Mask March.

Twelve anarchists were arrested and eight police officers were injured in the frenzy which saw hordes of rioters sporting Guy Fawkes masks, flares and weapons hurl fireworks at officers, forcing riot police to pile into the crowd to confiscate the missiles.

Other groups of anarchists joined arms and rushed the police, leading to violent clashes and fights between the protestors and officers in Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and Oxford Circus.

The Met has issued a dispersal order for Westminster, urging protestors to disband, but footage has emerged of riot police locked in a battle with rioters just metres from the Houses of Parliament.

Footage from the protest has shown several rioters being hauled away by riot police after intense scraps with officers.

It comes as families and children are out in droves to celebrate bonfire night as they attend fireworks displays all over the city.

Police officers have also set up a cordon and reinforced security outside the BBC headquarters at Portland Place to protect the building from surging protestors at Oxford Circus.

One, who gave his name only as Richard, from London, said the protest was a 'continuation of the anti-Covid marches'.

'It's a couple of fingers in the direction of the establishment,' he said.

The march, which has been held each year since 2012, sees anarchists and anti-establishment protestors rally against government corruption, wealth inequality and, as of last year, coronavirus restrictions.

Almost 200 people, including businessman and prominent anti-vaxxer Piers Corbyn, were arrested in last year's march for breaching Covid restrictions.

Fireworks are let off as people take part in the Million Mask March in Parliament Square. Riot police have been dispatched to confiscate fireworks which have been fired towards police ranks

The Met has issued a dispersal order for Westminster, urging protestors to disband, but footage has emerged of riot police locked in a battle with rioters just metres from the Houses of Parliament

Hordes of rioters sporting Guy Fawkes masks, flares and weapons have blasted fireworks at officers, forcing riot police to force their way into the crowd to confiscate the missiles

Hundreds of demonstrators attended the Million Mask March Annual bonfire night protest advertised as a 'world wide protest' organised by activist group Anonymous in London

Riot police have engaged in violent clashes with protestors outside the Houses of Parliament

Other groups of anarchists joined arms and rushed the police, leading to violent clashes and fights between the protestors and officers in Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and Oxford Circus

Videos have emerged of protestors joining arms and rushing police officers in violent clashes, while other clips have shown the anarchists launching fireworks towards police ranks and setting Boris Johnson's effigy alight at the foot of Nelson's column

The Prime Minister's effigy was set ablaze in Trafalgar Square as hundreds of protestors clash with riot police

Protestors have launched fireworks towards police, some of which have hit bystanders in the crowd according to the Met

Police officers have set up a cordon and reinforced security outside the BBC headquarters at Portland Place to protect the building from surging protestors at Oxford Circus

Videos have emerged of protestors joining arms and rushing police officers in violent clashes, while other clips have shown the anarchists launching fireworks towards police ranks and setting Boris Johnson's effigy alight at the foot of Nelson's column.

The police were forced to set up barricades at various locations across the capital to contain the march which protestors have vowed 'will go down in history'.

WHAT IS THE MILLION MASK MARCH? The Million Mask March, also known as 'Operation Vendetta', is an annual protest which usually takes place on November 5 to coincide with bonfire night. It is an anti-government and anti-establishment protest which was first held in 2012 and has been held every year since in multiple cities across the world, with the protests in London and Washington D.C. being the most prominent. The protest is closely associated with the international activist group 'Anonymous' and rails against government corruption, capitalist greed, and the erosion of civil liberties. 'Anonymous' is an international group of leftist libertarian activists, some of whom are hackers, devoted to the ideals of personal freedom and a society free of centralised power. Many of the protestors at the Million Mask March are known for wearing full face Guy Fawkes masks styled on the graphic novel 'V for Vendetta'. Advertisement

Meanwhile, Piers Corbyn was seen joining the protestors to march the streets, one year after being arrested for breaching lockdown restrictions in last year's march, and breathing fire to the delight of the rioters.

The Met police released a statement this morning in anticipation of the protest, saying that intelligence suggests some protestors have travelled to London to target police officers.

Mounted divisions and dog units have also been called in to support the police's efforts to prevent the march from descending into a full-blown riot.

'This policing plan has been developed following a continual review and thorough assessment of intelligence which suggests some groups are intent on causing disorder or targeting police officers with violence,' said a Met spokesperson.

'As a precaution, officers will be equipped with specialist public order uniforms and a number of protective barriers have been set up outside a number of locations in London.

Different units across the Met will also support today's policing plan, including our public order teams, mounted branch, police dogs and the National Police Air Service.'

In a series of Twitter posts, the Met said: 'Our policing operation on tonight's demonstrations is underway. A group of protesters have moved from Parliament Square along Whitehall, #Westminster.

'A number of fireworks and flares have been set off. Officers are on scene engaging with the crowd.

'Part of the group have moved off from Trafalgar Square and are now in Leicester Square. Officers remain on scene.

'The group continue to meander throughout central London. They are now walking northbound up Charing Cross Road towards Tottenham Court Road. There may be disruption to traffic in the area.

'This group are now walking from Oxford Circus up Regents Street. A secondary group have returned to Parliament Square.

'A number of officers continue to monitor both crowds.

'A crowd in Parliament Square have been dangerously lighting fireworks and rockets. Some have struck people or exploded near to the crowd, this could cause very serious injury.

'We have moved into the crowd to remove any fireworks and prevent people coming to harm.'

At 9pm, the Met announced they had issued a dispersal order in an attempt to urge protestors to disband as police continued to battle rioters in Parliament Square.

'A section 35 dispersal order has been authorised for a number of areas across Westminster.

'This includes Parliament Square. Officers are engaging with those in Parliament Square and will be advising them of this order.'

The police later confirmed the arrests of twelve people and said eight officers were injured in the clashes.

'We have made nine arrests during tonight's operation. Frustratingly, five of our officers have been injured.

'We are providing them with support. A number of our officers remain in Parliament Square.'

Rioters marched through the streets carrying slogans and fireworks and clashed with police throughout the evening

Almost 200 people, including businessman and prominent anti-vaxxer Piers Corbyn (pictured breathing fire at tonight's protest), were arrested in last year's march for breaching Covid restrictions

Piers Corbyn was seen joining the protestors to march the streets, one year after being arrested for breaching lockdown restrictions in last year's march, and breathing fire to the delight of the rioters.

Anarchists and anti-establishment protesters are marching through Westminster and Trafalgar Square touting signs and flares

Hundreds of anti-capitalist protesters, many wearing V for Vendetta face masks, gather at Trafalgar Square before moving onto Downing Street, then to the BBC headquarters before returning to Trafalgar Square

Hordes of protestors have blocked traffic in Parliament Square as they clash with police officers, many of whom are in riot gear

Protesters are pictured clashing with police officers close to Piccadilly Circus. Rioters are engaged in bitter scraps with the Met police in several locations in the capital

The Police have been forced to deploy barricades and defences with many officers donning riot gear as they clash with protestors

A protestor wearing a Guy Fawkes masks sets off a sparkler during the Million Masks March protest in Parliament square

Anarchists and anti-vaxxers carry an effigy of Boris Johnson as they parade around the streets of the capital

Hundreds of officers have been deployed to reign in the march which takes place as families and children are out in droves to celebrate bonfire night as they attend fireworks displays all over the city

Police look on as a protester holds a firework in Trafalgar Square in front of the burning effigy of Boris Johnson during 'The Million Mask March'

A protester holds a 'Free Julian Assange' banner as he stands on the fountain in Trafalgar Square during 'The Million Mask March

Giant effigies of ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock with his lover and Guy Fawkes with Covid19 vaccine needles in his arms will burn tonight in Lewes as November 5th celebrations return after the pandemic

Effigies will burn tonight in Lewes as country's biggest bonfire celebrations return after last year`s was stopped by lockdown

Lewes is famed for its topical and often controversial bonfire effigies it has burned over the years

In 2018 Boris Johnson was portrayed holding an axe and Theresa May's severed head before being set alight

By ISABELLA NIKOLIC FOR THE MAILONLINE

Bonfire night celebrations have returned in the UK as a giant effigy of Matt Hancock hugging his lover and Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask were spotted in Lewes.

The effigies are among those which will burn tonight in the historic East Sussex town which hosts the country's biggest and arguably most famous November 5 celebrations, and which return after they were cancelled by coronavirus lockdowns last year.

A glum Matt Hancock is seen sitting on a rock while hugging a naked woman above a sign that reads, 'CCTV in operation,' a reference to his affair with Gina Coladangelo that was revealed earlier this year via his office's CCTV cameras.

Below that, a painted caption reads `Hands, Face, Disgrace`, a play on the `Hands, Face, Space` messaging from the government that people should wash their hands, wear a face covering and social distance to protect themselves against Coronavirus.

An effigy of Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask and with vaccine needles in his arms is also set to be burned. The giant figure sits astride two barrels of `vaccine` (rather than gunpowder) and in front of a green petrol can and a toilet roll with the words `panic buyers` - a reference to the recent fuel shortages at garages across the country and stockpiling of toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.

Lewes is famed for its topical and sometimes controversial bonfire night effigies and usually attracts thousands if not tens of thousands of revellers.

In 2019 paper mache versions of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg were seen atop a 'Brexit rollercoaster' which paraded down the street before being burnt.

Locals in Lewis, East Sussex marched through the town this evening carrying flaming torches and burning crosses

Bonfire night marks the capture of Guy Fawkes, a Roman Catholic mercenary who planned to blow up parliament

The East Sussex town is renowned for its elaborate November 5 celebration which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19

Each year the bonfire features a main model normally involving a gratuitous caricature of someone prominent in the news over the previous 12 months

A giant effigy of Guy Fawkes wearing a face mask with vaccine needles in his arms is seen in Lewes

A glum Matt Hancock is seen sitting on a rock while hugging a naked woman above a sign that reads, 'CCTV in operation,' a reference to his affair with Gina Coladangelo that was revealed earlier this year via his office's CCTV cameras

Other effigies in Lewes feature more traditional portrayals of the gunpowder plot of 1605

And the year before that a giant portrayal of Boris Johnson holding an axe and Theresa May's severed head was set on fire.

Two Trump figures were set alight in Lewes in 2016, at the culmination of its annual fireworks event.

Other effigies which went up in flames in Lewes included Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and David Cameron.

In 2014, Sussex Police investigated after two effigies of Alex Salmond featured as part of two bonfire societies' displays after he lost the Scottish referendum vote as first minister.

In the same year Vladimir Putin was depicted in a mankini following Russia's conflict with the Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.

The Pope, Syria's President Assad, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Angela Merkel have all been subjected to ridicule over the years.

The Guy Fawkes effigy sits atop two wooden barrels near a petrol can and a roll of toilet paper that says 'panic buyers'

A giant effigy depicting Guy Fawkes with Covid 19 vaccine needles in his arms and a PPE face mask is seen before being set alight later today

Six bonfire societies burn effigies every year in the town's famed bonfire display but their identities are usually kept a secret until the night.

Given the time it takes to build them, the figures are usually media villains in the spotlight in the weeks leading up to the event.

But emergency services fear that tonight`s event may draw packed crowds which could cause the spread of coronavirus.

So warnings have been issued urging people not to be complacent over Covid and the message to stay local is 'doubly important this year'.

Precautionary measures include no trains running after 5pm from Lewes, Glynde or Southease, while several roads around Lewes will be closed overnight and people have been encouraged to not take cars into the town.

This effigy of Donald Trump sitting on a wall was burned in Lewes in 2016

Another Trump figure was set alight in Lewes in 2016 as he rode a donkey in a sombrero and held a clown mask

An effigy of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May paraded through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex in 2018

Effigies of Britain's Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson are paraded through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex i n2019

Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges, who is Gold Commander for Sussex Police's Lewes Bonfire operations, told the Lewes Argus: 'If people are going to come, we ask them to wear masks, take lateral flow tests before and certainly not come if you have any symptoms. Don't be complacent because the pandemic is still here.'

But bonfire-goers may be deterred from attending the event due to sub-zero temperatures seen across the country today with a very chilly start to the morning.

Temperatures dropped to -5C in southern England and -3C in the North, making it the fourth day in a row this week that the mercury has fallen below freezing.

The past three days have brought sub-zero temperatures of -1.7C at Bridgefoot in Cumbria yesterday, -2.5C at Hurn in Hampshire on Wednesday, and -1.8C at Benson in Oxfordshire on Tuesday.

Bonfire societies parade through the streets during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations in 2019

Participants parade through the town during the annual Bonfire Night festivities in Lewes in 2019

And below-average temperatures observed this week are likely to continue later this month, with forecasters expecting that high pressure near Greenland will help to push colder air from the North towards the UK.

Lewes's controversial event found itself in hot water in 2016 when revellers who 'blacked up' as Zulu warriors agreed to stop after a raft of complaints.

But campaign group 'Bonfire Against Racism' called it a 'racist act' and asked the Borough Bonfire Society to 'stop painting faces black'.

In 2016 after a visiting dance troupe from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa threatened to boycott the event they were booked to perform at, organisers have agreed to not black up.

Troupe leader Thanda Gumede called the practice a 'gross misrepresentation' and Mick Symes, a committee member of the Borough Bonfire Society, agreed to stop.
Former New York Times tech reporter Nellie Bowles, the partner of political columnist Bari Weiss, claims the newspaper bullied her out of the paper - much like they did Weiss - and was 'leaking stories to other publications to embarrass me.'

Bowles, who covered tech for the Times beginning in 2017, announced her move to Weiss' Common Sense Substack on Friday with an article slamming the Old Gray Lady for a woke culture run amok.

She claimed she began at the paper as a 'very happy, lauded bulldog liberal of a writer' but that the outlet and the culture in general shifted toward a 'charismatic new ideology' that she felt pressured to 'cheer on or otherwise carefully ignore.'

'When I didn't, I became suspect,' she wrote. 'My colleagues started leaking stories to other publications to embarrass me.'

Bowles added that she was particularly bothered by being contacted by a magazine reporter who was asked her about her co-workers being angry at her for going to CHAZ [Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone] in Seattle during the racial justice protests in 2020.

'Efforts by well-meaning bosses to intervene only made it more frenzied,' she continued. 'At first it was crazy-making, like a breakup or a betrayal, a feeling so many in my position have written about beautifully already in this newsletter.'

CHAZ was a protest movement that closed off six blocks of Seattle for over three weeks by protesters after the Seattle Police Department left its building within the zone. Four shootings took place in the police-free zone during the protest. Bowles visited and published a story about the movement in August.

Bowles said that those who have made similar decisions made it easier and 'more fun' to quit and get 'outside' the 'old newspapers and mainstream TV networks' which she slammed as 'docile and predictable.'

Former New York Times tech reporter Nellie Bowles announced she left the New York Times to work for Bari Weiss' Common Sense Substack

Weiss (pictured) founded Common Sense after herself leaving the New York Times

Bowles announced Friday she'll be writing a weekly roundup for Weiss' outlet

Weiss greeted the news warmly on Twitter, referring to her wife as 'the best writer in my house'

Award-winning writer and podcaster Weiss celebrated the move in a tweet that referred to Bowles as 'the best writer in my house.'

The two met in 2018 and reportedly got married this year. Bowles' Twitter bio says since leaving the Times she's been, 'Writing, working on a small family business, and trying to convince my wife we need to adopt more dogs.'

Bowles, who was born in San Francisco and prefers not to give her age, worked for several publications that included the San Francisco Chronicle, the technology journalism website Recode, the British daily The Guardian and Vice News before joining the Times.

Weiss herself slammed her former newspaper in the first episode of her new podcast after leaving the paper, saying editors 'live in total fear of an internet mob'.

She quit the Times with a resignation letter that went viral where she railed against the liberal newspaper's bias and said the paper no longer served journalism.

Weiss, in her resignation letter, said her opinions had resulted in her being bullied by coworkers.

She described the Times as a 'hostile work environment' and criticized management for allowing her co-workers to 'publicly smear' her on Twitter and also on company-wide Slack messaging channels.

Weiss said some employees would post an axe emoji next to her name on company Slack channels and others would discuss the need for her to 'rooted out' if the NYT was 'truly inclusive'.

'My own forays into Wrongthink have made me the subject of constant bullying by colleagues who disagree with my views. They have called me a Nazi and a racist; I have learned to brush off comments about how I'm 'writing about the Jews again',' Weiss wrote in her resignation letter.

'Several colleagues perceived to be friendly with me were badgered by coworkers. My work and my character are openly demeaned on company-wide Slack channels where masthead editors regularly weigh in.

'There, some coworkers insist I need to be rooted out if this company is to be a truly 'inclusive' one, while others post ax emojis next to my name. Still other New York Times employees publicly smear me as a liar and a bigot on Twitter with no fear that harassing me will be met with appropriate action. They never are.'

She went on to describe that behavior as unlawful discrimination, hostile work environment and constructive discharge.

'I do not understand how you have allowed this kind of behavior to go on inside your company in full view of the paper's entire staff and the public.

'And I certainly can't square how you and other Times leaders have stood by while simultaneously praising me in private for my courage,' she wrote.

Weiss's Substack is now attracting widespread attention for its focus on cancel culture, transgender issues and freedom of speech, among other contentious issues.
The FBI conducted a raid on the apartment of Project Veritas operative Spencer Meads and the conservative outlet's Westchester office after it obtained a stolen diary from President Biden's daughter Ashley in the week before the 2020 election.

Project Veritas did not publish the diary, as founder James O'Keefe said in a video released Friday that the group could not confirm the authenticity of the diary, its belonging to Ashley Biden or that the contents of the diary were truthful.

The investigation, ordered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), was carried out by both federal investigators and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, according to the New York Times.

The FBI searched two locations in New York linked to Project Veritas as part of an investigation into how Ashley Biden's diary was stolen and published online. She is pictured center at her father's 2021 inauguration

Ashley Biden, 40, is the only daughter of Joe and Jill Biden

O'Keefe said Project Veritas had been offered the diary by tipsters who said that the then-Democratic candidate's daughter left it in a room where she stayed and the tipsters stayed after she departed. O'Keefe said that the tipsters said they were shopping it around to other outlets to see who would offer money for it.

O'Keefe then claimed that once they got ahold of the journal, they attempted to return it to an attorney representing Ashley. The attorney refused to authenticate the diary, so he said they then turned it into law enforcement.

But another conservative news site did publish the full 112-page diary, on Oct. 28, 2020, one week before the election. It was largely ignored by media and other conservative news sites that were likely skeptical of its authenticity. The Department of Justice's involvement, however, boosts the likelihood that the writings are genuinely those of the first daughter.

The website claimed to have obtained the diary from a whistleblower who worked for a media organization that had declined to publish the story.

Ashley has kept a much lower profile than her half-brother Hunter, whose business dealings former President Trump had his sights set on at the time of the diary's publication.

Last year, the DOJ launched an investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes.

Meads, a longtime Project Veritas operative and confidant of O'Keefe, has lived in the 35th street apartment in Midtown Manhattan that the FBI raided since 2019

One of the raids was conducted on the Project Veritas office in Mamaroneck, N.Y., north of New York City.

O'Keefe said in the video that Project Veritas had received a grand jury subpoena and the DOJ had asked, but not ordered, the group not to disclose the existence of the subpoena. O'Keefe said that he did not know who had leaked the raid to the New York Times.

'In what world is the alleged theft of a diary investigated by the president's FBI and his DOJ? A diary. This fed investigation smacks of politics,' O'Keefe said.

The DOJ under President Trump had opened an investigation into theft of the diary after a member of the Biden team reported it to authorities in October 2020. The representative of the Biden family had said that several of Ashley Biden's belongings had been stolen, according to the Times.

Meads, a longtime Project Veritas operative and confidant of O'Keefe, has lived in the 35th street apartment in Midtown Manhattan that the FBI raided since 2019.

Ashley, 40, is the sole daughter of Joe, 78, and First Lady Jill, 70. She is married to Philadelphia-based surgeon Dr. Howard Krein.

Ashley, 40, is the sole daughter of Joe, 78, and First Lady Jill, 70. She is married to Philadelphia-based surgeon Dr. Howard Krein

Project Veritas' undercover investigations and secret recordings have targeted Democrats, Planned Parenthood, media outlets like CNN and the Washington Post, Facebook and even Pfizer-BioNTech.

At one point, former British spy Richard Seddon was recruited to train operatives at Project Veritas.

Seddon owns a company, Branch Six Consulting International, registered to an address in Sheridan, Wyo. Flyover Media, the company that owns the website that published the diary, is registered to that same address.

The founder of Project Veritas was once president of a company that was also registered the the same address.

Project Veritas is currently suing the New York Times for libel over a video they published containing allegations of voter fraud. The Times called the video 'deceptive' and full of 'misinformation.'
Students at Yale University are given the all-clear after being evacuated by police after multiple bomb threats were made Friday afternoon.

Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins announced at a press conference that all buildings at Yale have been given the all-clear.

Higgins also said the unidentified 911 male caller was 'specific in the buildings he identified.'

'The caller told the dispatcher that he had planted multiple bombs in multiple locations,' he said.

'The caller was very specific in the buildings that he identified, which is why we were very specific in our evacuation and also understanding the proximity of other locations to those buildings, that's why we evacuated those buildings as well.'

The Ivy League university in New Haven, Connecticut sent out an alert at 2.35pm on Friday warning people of the threat and evacuation.

Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins announced at a press conference that all buildings at Yale have been given the all-clear

Yale University evacuated several locations after police received a call of bombs being placed in seven buildings on Old Campus

Police received a non-emergency call of bombs being placed in several Yale buildings, according to the alert. Calls to New Haven's 911 emergency line can't be made if the person is not within city limits.

A male caller reportedly called the police at 1.51pm 'stating 40 bombs' were hidden around the university campus, police told the New Haven Independent.

Several buildings on Old Campus including the University Theater, Johnathan Edwards College, Yale Art Gallery, Vanderbilt Hall, Bingham Hall, Welch Hall, and Grace Hopper had been evacuated.

Students were first evacuated to the upper section of New Haven Green as police and the Department of Homeland Security were responding to the threats but have since been placed inside. Emergency services have set up their staging at the intersection of High Street and Chapel Street.

Yale sent an alert to alert students what buildings were being evacuated

Mayor Justin Elicker, who was just re-elected this week, said the city 'takes these threats very, very seriously.'

'Clearly we are looking to track down the individual who made this call.'

New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez and Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins confirmed that all seven buildings that were named in the threat were evacuated earlier today.

The departments called in explosive dogs to be brought in by neighboring departments.

Bomb teams worked in groups with the explosive dogs to clear all the buildings for entry.

Dominguez said the campus would be shut down for 'several hours,' earlier today.

Old Campus has been blocked off and bomb threat teams are aiming to get students back on campus by 7.30pm

Old Campus and the intersection of High Street and George Street have been blocked off by authorities.

Connecticut Transit has been instructed to re-route buses from downtown.

It is unknown if blockade and transit systems are back to normal.

Chief Higgins said no reason for the threat was given but declined to give more information about the call. He said the department is 'always gonna err on the side of caution.'

An email sent from Benjamin Franklin College Operations Manager Suzanne McDermott at 2.59pm informed students that the campus disabled gate access to all the residential colleges 'for the time being,' but police have since granted access to buildings not affected by the investigation, according to the Yale Daily News.

Another email was sent to Pauli Murray students from its head Tina Lu who told students the authorities are 'acting out of an abundance of caution.'

New Haven and Yale police are working to clear the buildings for re-entry but declined to give details about the call that was made Friday afternoon

Student Harrison Bushnell told the Yale Daily News that police 'didn't say why, they just said it was an evacuation.'

He was in Linsly-Chittenden Hall when an officer entered and told students to evacuate to the upper New Haven Green. 'I was just in a session about a class that's going to be offered in the spring, and then they came in and said we all had to go to the North Green.'

Hank Graham said he heard the alarm go off in his room in Jonathan Edwards and began to evacuate when he saw police.

He recounted: 'The police officer said "The safest place to be right now is by the Green." And I was like "Oh my god, safe in what way?"'

Another student, Josh Zeitlin, was entering Bingham Hall when an officer instructed him to evacuate the building.

'It's pretty chaotic,' he said. 'I had to call and make sure that my suitemates were okay.'

Evelyn Chacon was napping in her Grace Hopper dorm when she was woken up by officers entering her room.

'I was immediately then told they were responding to a bomb threat and I had to gather my belongings and leave immediately,' Chacon texted the Yale Daily News. 'It was definitely a frightening way to be woken up but I appreciated the alert.'

Yale advised students around 5pm that the Schwarzman Center and Lanman Center on campus are open for all those displaced.
Members of the Jewish community in Texas have been targeted with anti-Semitic letters sent in bags filled with stones that blamed them for the COVID pandemic.

Over the weekend several Jewish Hays County residents say they received hateful letters sealed in plastic bags and packed with rocks, just one of at least 17 anti-Semitic incidents reported in the Lone Star state in the last 10 days alone, the Austin-American Statesman reported.

Judge Ruben Becerra shared a photo of one of the letters folded up inside a zip lock bag with pebbles inside on Twitter.

One of the letters appears to ask why certain Jewish people control 96 percent of the media when Jewish people make up only 2 percent of the population

Becerra also shared a picture of a letter claiming that the 'Covid agenda' is Jewish, listing the name of DCD snd HHS heads who happen to be Jewish

The letter in the ziplock bag repeats a common anti-Semitic slur demanding to know why certain Jewish people, including Disney Chairman Bob Iger and Gerald Levin, former COO of Time Warner, control 96 percent of the media when Jewish people make up only 2 percent of the population.

Becerra also shared a picture of a letter claiming that the 'Covid agenda' is Jewish, listing the name of CDC and HHS heads who happen to be Jewish.

They include CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky and COVID 'Czar' Jeff Zients, but make no mention of Dr Anthony Fauci - the United States' leading COVID expert, who is Catholic.

The letter also adds 'Blackrock and Vanguard are the two largest shareholders of both Pfizer and Glaxosmithkline as well as practically all of the MSM,' and 'Were literally Shabbos goy carrying out the will of the Jews, wittingly or unwittingly.'

A shabbos goy is a term used to describe a non-Jewish person employed to perform certain jobs which the Jewish faith prohibits its followers from doing during the Sabbath.

BlackRock and Vanguard are both wealth management firms. BlackRock does own 7.5% of GSK's shares, but there's no suggestion it 'manages' the pharmaceutical firm.

Vanguard is itself the largest shareholder in BlackRock, although any suggestion of deliberate maneuvering from the two firms with regards to COVID has been widely debunked, including by respected news agency Reuters.

The firms have been targeted with anti-Semitic slurs because BlackRock's billionaire founder Larry Fink is Jewish.

Judge Becerra condemned the letters on Twitter.

'Negative actions motivated in bias is an attack against an entire community and not just an attack on a single person,' he posted. 'This behavior is not acceptable.'

Judge Ruben Becerra shared a photo of one of the letters folded up inside a zip lock bag with pebbles inside on Twitter

The letters have upset many in the community who have turned to Rabbi Ari Weingarten, who said he is working with community leaders to 'heal spirits, reminding residents that unity is key,' the Statesman reported.

The Hays County sheriffs office told the Statesman that there is currently no criminal investigation into the letters.

The letters are part of a recent rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the Lone Star State, which is home to more than 108,000 adherents to Judaism.

According to the Statesman, since October 22 four anti-Semitic incidents have been reported in Austin, including someone setting fire to the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Central Austin on Sunday night.

The damage was limited to the exterior of the building and investigators are searching for a man that was seen carrying a 5-gallon container and driving away in a Jeep after setting the fire, the Statesman reported.

Austin Police released this image of a man filmed trying to torch a synagogue in the Texan city

He was filmed fleeing the scene in this black SUV on Sunday night

Since October 22 four anti-Semitic incidents have been reported in Austin alone, including someone setting fire to the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue (pictured)

Statistics from the Anti-Defamation League show that 2,100 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in its most recent survey, an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year.

That is also the highest number since the group began tracking such hate incidents in 1979.

According to newly released data from the FBI, the number of hate crimes reported in the U.S. in 2020 was the highest recorded since 2001- the year of the September 11 attacks.

After hate crimes that involved race, which made up the majority of the cases, 20 percent involved sexual orientation bias, 13.3 percent were biases related to religion, 2.7 percent involved gender identity bias (which means attacks against transgender and non-binary people), 1.4 percent involved disability bias, and 0.7 percent involved gender bias.

Of the 7,750 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against persons in 2020, 53.1 percent were for intimidation, 27.9 percent were for simple assault, and 17.9 percent were for aggravated assault. Twenty-two murders and 21 rapes were reported as hate crimes. The remaining 32 hate crime offenses were reported in the category of other.
Derek Chauvin - the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in George Floyd's death - and his realtor ex-wife have pleaded not guilty to multiple tax evasion charges after underreporting their income by nearly $500,000.

Washington County District Judge Sheridan Hawley also set the cause's next court for January 21 but a trial date has not been set.

Chauvin, 45, appeared via Zoom for the brief hearing from the state's maximum security prison at Oak Park Heights where he's serving a 22.5-year sentence for his conviction in April for second-degree murder in the May 2020 death of Floyd.

A judge entered not guilty pleas on tax evasion charges Friday on behalf of Derek Chauvin (pictured in court on November 1), the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in George Floyd's death, and the officer's realtor ex-wife Kellie Chauvin (right)

The white ex-officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes as the black man pleaded that he couldn't breathe.

Sitting in a prison conference room and wearing a white t-shirt, Chauvin said little except 'yes, your honor,' to answer routine questions from the judge.

Kellie Chauvin, who announced she wanted to divorce her then-husband days after Floyd's death, appeared from a different location.

The nine felony tax evasion counts filed in July of 2020 alleged that Derek and Kellie Chauvin underreported their joint income by $464,433 from 2014 through 2019, including more than $95,000 for his off-duty security work.

Chauvin is serving a 22.5-year sentence at Minnesota's maximum security prison at Oak Park Heights where he's serving a 22.5-year sentence in the May 2020 death of George Floyd (pictured). The white ex-officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes as the black man pleaded that he couldn't breathe

Kellie was a real estate agent and also operated a photography business. At the time, prosecutors said they owed $37,868 to the state, including unpaid taxes, interest and fees.

Prosecutors have said the tax investigation began before Floyd's death.

Meanwhile, a judge approved the pair's divorce last February under terms that were kept sealed.

That judge reportedly rejected an initial proposed settlement that would have given Kellie most of their property and money - which fueled speculation that the Chauvins were trying to shield their assets.

Chauvin is also facing a separate federal civil rights trial, along with the three other former officers who still face trial in state court with aiding and abetting Chauvin in Floyd's death.

Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to the civil rights charges and is appealing his murder conviction.
A Texas judge on Friday raised the total bond amount of the mother in the Houston House of Horrors case to $1.5million after prosecutors revealed in court that she had been receiving $2,000 a month to care for her children, including her eight year-old son who was beaten to death and left to rot in an apartment with his brothers.

Gloria Williams, 35, previously had her bond set at $900,000, but earlier this week Judge Kelli Johnson said that the amount was 'insufficient' for the charges against the mom-of-six, including injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence.

On Friday, the judge increased Williams' bond amount stemming from the injury to a child count from $350,000 to $1million, with the new total being $1,550,000.

Williams' defense attorney previously requested that her original bond be lowered, arguing that $900,000 was not a 'reasonable' amount.

Scroll down for video

Gloria Williams, 35, appeared in court Friday for a bail review, during which a judge raised her total bond amount to $1.5million

Williams previously had her bond set at $900,000, but the judge found that amount to be 'insufficient' given the charges against her

Williams' defense attorney, right, previously requested that her original bond be lowered, arguing that $900,000 was not 'reasonable'

'I am satisfied,' prosecutor Andrea Beall KPRC of the higher bond amount. 'We cant seek no bond in this case, per the Texas Constitution, and I believe the judge did take into consideration all of the factors and community safety.'

Williams' boyfriend, Brian Coulter, 31, is charged with felony murder for allegedly punching and kicking her autistic eight-year-old, Kendrick Lee, to death, and then leaving his body to rot in the Houston apartment alongside his brothers, ages 15, 10 and 7, for nearly a year. His bond stand at $1 million.

Prosecutor Andrea Beall said she was 'satisfied' with Williams' new bond amount

During Friday's hearing, prosecutors revealed new information about the disturbing case, including that Williams was received payments from the government to help care for three of her children, including Kendrick, totaling $2,000 a month, reported KTRK.

According to prosecutors, she continued receiving the financial assistance even after Kendrick's death in November 2020, which she had not reported to the authorities.

The child's skeletal remains were found inside a Houston apartment on October 24, after Williams' 15-year-old son alerted the police, leading to her and Coulter's arrests.

The money that Williams was receiving allowed her to pay rent on two apartments, prosecutors said, including the one where she and Coulter had lived since March.

Williams (left) is charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence. Williams' boyfriend, Brian Coulter, 31 (right), is charged with felony murder for allegedly beating her autistic eight-year-old, Kendrick Lee, to death

Kendrick, who was autistic and non-verbal (pictured in a colorful shirt) was kicked and punched to death in November 2020, and then left to rot in an apartment with his brothers

A search of the couple's apartment revealed that it was fully furnished, as opposed to the unit at the CityParc II complex 15 minutes away, where Williams' sons lived beside the corpse of their brother, which was bare and crawling with cockroaches.

The children alleged that they were locked in a bedroom room with Kendrick's decomposing remains, even while Coulter and Williams still lived with them.

TIMELINE IN HOUSTON HOUSE OF HORRORS CASE REVEALED: November 20-23, 2020: Brian Coulter allegedly beats eight-year-old Kendrick Lee to death inside apartment at CityParc II complex in Houston November 23: Coulter is arrested in Luling, Texas, and spends six days in jail after being discovered drunk and in possession of a gun at a convenience store November 29: Coulter is released on bail; weapons possession case against him is still pending March 2021: Coulter and Gloria Williams, Kendrick's mother, move out of CityParc II apartment, leaving her three sons to live alone with Kendrick's skeletal remains October 2020: Coulter allegedly attacks Williams' 10-year-old son, breaking his jaw; the boy receives no medical attention October 24: Williams' 15-year-old son texts his mother that he cannot do this anymore and calls 911 to report his brother's death; police arrive to discover the corpse in filthy apartment October 24, Evening: Deputies question Coulter and Williams, but let them go without charges October 26: Harris County Medical Examiner's Office rules Kendrick Lee's death a homicide, leading to arrests of Coulter and Williams; boyfriend is charged with murder, while girlfriend is accused of injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence October 27: Judge sets Coulter's bond at $1million and Williams' at $900,000 October 28: Coulter makes first court appearance and agrees to bond conditions November 1: Williams appears in court and has attorney assigned to her November 5: Judge raises Williams' bond to $1.5million as prosecutors reveal she was getting $2,000 towards child care Advertisement

Williams allegedly had groceries delivered to the apartment once a month and paid rent on the apartment to prevent Kendrick's body from being discovered.

During a jailhouse interview with KHOU11 last week, Williams said she was 'sorry' but denied knowing that Kendrick was dead, even though according to a probable cause statement that was previously read in court, the mother allegedly admitted to investigators that she was aware the child had died, but she was afraid to report it to the police.

Kendrick's body was left to rot under a blue blanket in a bug-infested bedroom, in full view of his brothers, for nearly a year while Williams and Coulter moved to another apartment, leaving the children to fend for themselves, according to law enforcement.

When asked why she left her sons - one of whom was seriously injured after being allegedly punched in the face by Coulter - Williams replied: 'I checked on them every two weeks.'

The children were rescued by sheriff's deputies on Sunday, after Williams' 15-year-old son called 911. All three boys were described as malnourished, having been forced to subsist for months on snacks supplied by their mother and food donations from concerned neighbors.

Earlier, the grandmother of one of Williams' daughters has described the woman as being 'very unstable,' and accused her of failing to protect her children.

Authorities last Wednesday alleged that Coulter punched and kicked Kendrick to death around Thanksgiving Day last year, and Williams refused to report him to the police, claiming she was afraid her children would be taken away and she would end up in jail.

Coulter and Williams were arrested a week ago at a public library, where they were said to have been looking up news stories online about their own case.

During Williams' previous court appearance, a prosecutor read aloud a statement of probable cause, which revealed that three of the mother's surviving children witnessed their brother's fatal beating.

The children claimed Coulter struck the eight-year-old with closed fists and kicked him in his face, feet, back, testicles and buttocks.

Williams' 7-year-old son told deputies Coulter continued kicking Kendrick, who was lying on the floor and not moving, while staring at the younger brother who was in the room.

After Kendrick's eyes turned black and he stopped blinking, Coulter covered him with a blue blanket, the prosecutor stated.

When Williams entered the bedroom to check on her son and saw that he was dead, she began crying and fighting with Coulter.

Her 15-year-old son told investigators he believed his mother would call the police on Coulter, but 'she never did.' She then moved out of the apartment, leaving her surviving children with their brother's rotting corpse and without any adult supervision.

Police rescued Williams' three surviving sons, ages 7, 10 and 15, after her eldest son called 911

William's 10-year-old son told investigators that when Williams came by the apartment at a later date and lifted the blanket off of Kendrick, she found that 'his body, feet and teeth had turned into a skeleton,' and that 'his hair was off.' His decomposing corpse was said to have been covered with cockroaches.

The 10-year-old also claimed that Coulter would beat him as well, hitting him on the face, stomach, buttocks and legs, and broke his jaw three weeks ago.

When police arrived at the apartment on Sunday, they found the child with a swollen jaw. At the hospital the following day, the boy said that his mother 'was aware of the injury but did not seek or obtain medical aid for him,' the prosecutor said.

Authorities said that the 10-year-old will require surgery to treat his facial fracture.

When questioned by detectives, Williams claimed that when she entered the bedroom around Thanksgiving 2020 and found Coulter beating her son Kendrick, she stopped the attack.

Prosecutors said Williams and Coulter were living in a fully furnished apartment located just 15 minutes away from her children's bare and roach-infested home

After discovering the next day that Kendrick had died, Williams claimed that she confronted her boyfriend, who 'stated he was sorry, that he lost it and punched him, and continued punching him until he went to sleep.'

Williams allegedly told investigators that she knew her son was dead a year ago, but she did not go to the police because Coulter had told her not to, and also because she was afraid that her children would be taken away and she would go to jail.'

The children lived in deplorable conditions for months as they waited for their mother to call authorities to report that their brother had been beaten to death and left to rot. Investigators say the mother never made that call and the oldest surviving son, a 15-year-old, finally overcame his 'absolute fear' and called authorities on Sunday.
Disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo could have his sex crime charge tossed out after the Albany County district attorney called the complaint 'potentially defective.'

District Attorney David Soares said that Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple filed the complaint 'unilaterally and inexplicably' while his investigation was still ongoing.

Soares, a Democrat, added that the complaint did not even include a sworn statement by the alleged victim, former aide Brittany Commisso, that would allow them to prosecute the deposed governor.

The DA noted that parts of Commisso's prior testimony were excluded and that one part of the complaint incorrectly stated the relevant law that Cuomo had allegedly broken.

Judge Holly Trexler of Albany City Court agreed to Soares' request to postpone Cuomo's arraignment until January 7, giving the district attorney 60 days 'to reduce the risk of a procedural dismissal of this case' and give Soares 'time to continue with our independent and unbiased review of the facts.'

Disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo could have a sex crime charge tossed out after a letter written by the Albany County district attorney calling the complaint 'potentially defective.'

Cuomo is pictured with Brittany Commisso, the former aide who claims he groped her breast in the Executive Mansion in November 2020. The picture was taken in 2019 and she says he'd touched her behind shortly before it was taken

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple (pictured) filed the initial charge of forcible touching

Albany County District Attorney David Soares (pictured) said Apple filed the complaint 'unilaterally and inexplicably' while his investigation was still ongoing

Cuomo has been charged with forcible touching, two months after being pushed out of office by New York AG Letitia James, the woman now campaigning for his job.

James announced a campaign for governor on October 29, which led some Cuomo supporters to call the investigation phony and politically motivated.

On Sunday, the Cuomo camp had issued a lengthy statement saying that 'Sheriff Apple and Tish James have epitomized the worst combination of politics, incompetence and abuse of the law.'

'Despite Apples claim that there is "overwhelming evidence", he has offered zero evidence corroborating the claim. Likewise the James report did not offer any corroborating evidence of the claim,' the Cuomo statement added.

James on Monday responded saying: 'This is nothing more than an attempt by the former governor to undermine and politicize this report.'

'I believe the women. They obviously told their truth. And we are going to stand by our report,' she added, according to NY1.

The charges were filed last week in Albany City Court. They relate to the allegation brought by Commisso, a former aide who claimed Cuomo groped her breast in the office of the Executive Mansion in Albany in December 2020, when he was at the height of his pandemic popularity.

Cuomo has always denied it.

Soares indicated that Apple's decision to charge Cuomo caught him off guard, having not said whether his office intended to prosecute the case.

Apple has defended the decision, which was based off his own department's investigation, adding that it wasn't necessary for his office to coordinate with Soares.

Commisso's claim was the most serious of all of the allegations listed in James' report, which Cuomo has always maintained was a hit-job by James to get him out of her way.

'From the moment my office received the referral to investigate allegations that former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, we proceeded without fear or favor,' James' office said in a statement.

'The criminal charges brought today against Mr. Cuomo for forcible touching further validate the findings in our report.'

Scroll down for video

Commisso claimed that she felt violated and that Cuomo wouldn't 'touch his mother' the way he did her. He has always denied her claims

The complaint, which was signed by an investigator from the Albany County Sheriff's Office, alleges that the former governor 'intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, forcibly place his hand under the blouse shirt of the victim and onto her intimate body part'

If convicted, Cuomo - who has not yet commented - could face up to one year in prison.

The complaint, which was signed by an investigator from the Albany County Sheriff's Office, alleges that the former governor 'intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, forcibly place his hand under the blouse shirt of the victim and onto her intimate body part.'

Cuomo is alleged to have touched Commisso's left breast 'for the purposes of degrading and gratifying his sexual desires, all contrary to the provisions of the statute.'

The incident is alleged to have taken place on the second floor of the governor's Executive Mansion in Albany on December 7, 2020, sometime between 3:51pm and 4:07pm.

The complaint was signed by an investigator on Monday.

Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin has said that Commisso's 'story changed over time.'

The complaint filed by the sheriff's department investigator said evidence in the case included police BlackBerry messages, cell phone records, building security records and a text message from Cuomo's mobile phone.

District attorneys in Oswego, Manhattan, suburban Westchester and Nassau counties also had said they asked for investigative materials from the attorney generals inquiry to see if any of the allegations could result in criminal charges.

The announcement of the charge was chaotic on Thursday; the criminal summons was filed hastily, before sheriff's deputies had received the permission of Commisso.

It was then leaked to a local reporter in Albany, who tweeted about it and published a brief report on New York Focus.

Spokespeople for the Albany County Sheriff's Department then refused to confirm or deny whether or not their office had filed charges.

Eventually Lucien Chalfen, a spokesman for the court system, confirmed it to The Washington Post.

'A Misdemeanor Complaint against former Governor Andrew Cuomo has been filed in Albany City Court.

'As this is a sex crime, a redacted complaint will be available shortly,' he said.

The Times Union - another local Albany paper - reports that the charges had been filed too early in a clerical error.

Albany's top prosecutor released a statement on Thursday indicating that he was 'surprised' by the court filing.

Like the rest of the public, we were surprised to learn today that a criminal complaint was filed in Albany City Court by the Albany County Sheriffs Office against Andrew Cuomo, read a statement from the office of Soares.

The Office of Court Administration has since made that filing public.

Our office will not be coming further on this case.

Commisso was one of multiple women who gave evidence against Cuomo as part of the AG's investigation.

She also spoke on TV about the alleged incident in November 2020.

'I said, "Governor, you're going to get us in trouble." Then I thought to myself, that probably wasn't the best thing to say.

'That's when he put his hand up my blouse and cupped my breast over my bra.

'I remember seeing his hand, which is a large hand, and thinking "oh my God, this is happening."

'He didn't say anything,' she said.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a run for governor on October 29

Cuomo has been laying low since his resignation, occasionally sharing photos on Instagram of himself fishing with his dog, Captain

Andrew Cuomo told the doctor who carried out his COVID-19 test last spring that she 'made the gown look good'. AG James said that amounted to sexual harassment, and she included it in the report

PANDEMIC HERO TO ZERO - TIMELINE OF CUOMO'S RISE AND FALL 2006: Cuomo is elected AG of New York 2010: Cuomo is elected Governor of New York 2014: Re-elected, with Kathy Hochul as Lt. Gov 2018: Re-elected, defeating actress Cynthia Nixon March 2020: Cuomo becomes a pandemic hero with his daily press briefings on how New York, under his guidance, was responding to the crisis. He routinely sparred with then President Donald Trump and he basked in people calling him the people's real president in the time of crisis March 25: At the height of New York's COVID crisis, Cuomo signs a directive telling nursing homes they have to accept COVID-19 patients May 10: Cuomo rescinds the nursing home directive amid intense criticism of it as COVID deaths climb October 2020: Cuomo releases his book, Lessons in Leadership, about the pandemic November 2020: Cuomo is awarded an Emmy for his daily COVID briefings December 2020: Lindsey Boylan tweets that Cuomo abused her when she worked for him February 2021: The AP releases a damning report into how Cuomo's administration counted nursing home deaths as hospital deaths which made the numbers smaller March 2021: Letitia James launches sexual harassment investigation into Cuomo Assembly Judiciary Committee opens impeachment investigation August 3: AG releases her report finding Cuomo did sexually harass 11 women Cuomo issues statement insisting he is innocent but refuses to stand down August 10: Cuomo resigns, citing the good of the people as his reason for it October 28: Cuomo is charged with forcible touching Advertisement

The majority of the allegations that James said amounted to serial sexual harassment were non-physical.

One of them applied to a nurse who gave the governor his first on-camera COVID-19 test.

He told her she made the 'gown look good', which James considered sexual harassment.

Others said Cuomo asked them about their boyfriends - which he admits - and that he 'clearly' insinuated wanting to sleep with them, but never did.

Cuomo fight the claims, resisting an Albany impeachment proceeding and pushing on with the COVID governance he was revered for at the start of the year, before eventually bowing out.

Since resigning, he has made few public statements aside from to bash James and her report, which he says is all politically motivated.

The allegations of sexual misconduct peppered the final year of his ten year governorship.

He got the job after his predecessor, Elliot Spitzer, resigned in shame having been caught patronizing a prostitution service.

Cuomo always denied that he was a sex pest and said at worst, he made inappropriate comments and jokes as an affectionate Italian man, like his father was.

The sexual misconduct allegations came at the same time as claims of gross negligence stemming from Cuomo's order to send thousands of COVID-19 positive elderly people back into New York nursing homes, a decision which many say proved fatal.

Not only did those infected patients infect others and lead to more deaths, critics say Cuomo's administration also tried to cover it up by deliberately skewing COVID deaths numbers.

For months, his administration reported the deaths of people who contracted COVID in nursing homes as 'hospital deaths' because they had died in hospitals.

He was only reporting nursing home deaths for people who contracted COVID in the nursing home and died in the nursing home.

His administration says it was an innocent error in numbers reporting.

Cuomo's political enemies seized on that scandal and the sexual misconduct claims, both of which were made even more irresistible when he released a smug memoir last October in the height of the second wave, titled Lessons in Leadership.

Cuomo was panned for writing the self-congratulatory book at a time when dozens of people were still dying every day in the state.
Republicans knocked Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday for laughing when asked about the 'Granholm plan to increase oil production' in response to rising gas prices.

'That is hilarious,' Granholm told Bloomberg's Tom Keene. 'Would that I had the magic wand on this.'

Granholm went on to explain that the higher gas prices are thanks to OPEC.

Republicans knocked Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday for laughing when asked about the 'Granholm plan to increase oil production' in response to rising gas prices

The Republican National Committee shared the clip of Granholm (right) speaking with Bloomberg's Tom Keene (left)

'As you know, of course, oil is a global market,' she said. 'It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called OPEC, and they made a decision yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning.'

Republicans have hammered President Joe Biden's administration for not increasing domestic oil production to deal with the pain at the pump.

In August, 24 GOP senators signed on to a letter chiding Biden for calling on OPEC to increase gas production, while jeopardizing the domestic oil and gas agenda with his green climate agenda.

'Your Administration's domestic oil and gas development policies are hurting American consumers and workers, are contrary to an 'America First' energy agenda, and reinforce a reliance on foreign oil,' the letter said. 'For example, you have rejoined America into the radical, job-killing Paris Climate Agreement, cancelled the Keystone XL pipeline and its associated 10,000 jobs, imposed an apparently indefinite pause on oil and gas drilling leases on federal lands and waters, including suspending drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and proposed increasing taxes on those engaged in oil and gas development.'

The Michigan GOP knocked Granholm for laughing in the clip, saying she 'thinks it is hilarious that someone dare ask her to elaborate on how she plans to fix this issue for Americans'

Republican National Committee staffer Zach Parkinson said, 'There's fierce competition for most out of touch Biden cabinet member, but Jennifer Granholm fights for the title harder than anyone'

On Friday, Republican Party operatives highlighted Granholm's comments on Twitter, portraying her as out of touch.

'Gas prices are at historic highs and hurtin American families and their wallets daily. But former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, currently the U.S. Secretary of Energy, thinks it is hilarious that someone dare ask her to elaborate on how she plans to fix this issue for Americans ...' said a tweet from the Michigan GOP.

Steve Milloy, a former Environmental Protection Agency aide under Trump, who founded JunkScience.com, said 'Millionaire Energy Secretary Granholm laughs as she acknowledges that the Biden regime has put OPEC back in charge of global oil production and soaring prices that are harming non-millionaire Americans.'

'No US government official has ever thrown up their hands and cackled at Americans being gouged at the pump. Of course, no American President has purposefully gone out of his way to empower OPEC either,' Milloy said Friday in a statement.

Republican National Committee staffer Zach Parkinson said, 'There's fierce competition for most out of touch Biden cabinet member, but Jennifer Granholm fights for the title harder than anyone.'

During the interview, Granholm assured Keene that prices would normalize.

'So, you know, the interesting thing is, you know, the Department of Energy has an energy information agency. And that agency does the forecasting of what oil and gas prices are going to be,' she said. 'As of right now, their forecast for the beginning of December is that on average  gasoline prices will be about $3.05 at the beginning of December. They will do an adjustment forecast in the next week or so, so we'll see if that holds.'

She added, 'But clearly the Biden administration is very concerned about the price at the pump and certainly the price in people's wallets for natural gas as well for this winter including, I would say, propane and heating oil, particularly, in the Northeast.'
Date rape drugs  including those used by one of the countrys most prolific sex attackers  are being openly sold online and shipped to the UK by express delivery, a Mail investigation has found.

Internet pharmacists said Britain had become one of its top destinations for sales of Rohypnol and GHB, which are illegal in the UK without a prescription.

Undercover reporters were offered them prescription-free by four separate dealers, who promised secure delivery and a 100 per cent success rate to anywhere in the UK in as little as 24 hours.

Online drug dealers are offering date rape drugs such as Rohypnol to Britons for as little as 184 for 100 pills

Britons are also offered GHB which is a powerful sedative often used in date rapes

One said they vacuum-packed the banned substances to ensure no one can detect whats inside before putting them in padded envelopes with heat-sealed sachets to avoid detection.

It comes amid growing concerns the drugs are being used in sex attacks, with police saying there were 198 reports of drink spiking in September and October across the UK, plus 24 reports of some form of injection.

Home Secretary Priti Patel announced in March that she would crack down on GHB and related substances after warning they had been used in some truly sickening crimes, including murder, sexual assault and robbery.

But with a simple Google search, the Mail found a string of websites openly selling the drugs, with one showcasing a hot products page where other restricted substances including MDMA and Valium were also available to buy. After sending online messages posing as a potential buyer to a US-based site, reporters were offered hundreds of pounds worth of Rohypnol and GHB, without a prescription.

High demand for GHB had caused another dealer to sell out of the drug, with new stocks expected next month.

Powdered GHB was available from $40 (30) a gram, while the sellers offered 100 pills of Rohypnol for $250 (184). The dealers, who only accepted payment in the untraceable cryptocurrency Bitcoin, boasted about speedy delivery, with one claiming to have a very fast and easy ordering process.

One said he sold to UK customers every day, and they now made up half of his customers.

The date-rape drugs are sedatives which can be used legally to treat insomnia if prescribed by doctors. Criminals caught trying to distribute Rohypnol in the US can face up to life in prison and a maximum fine of 3 million.

But one said: All orders are packaged very discreetly in padded envelopes with heated sealed sachets inside and no mention of product names or the website name on the outside of the package.

The UK is one of our top destinations for delivery from the US.

Another said: Four days maximum for overnight delivery so you receive your package ASAP. We first of all do vacuum packaging to ensure no one can detect whats inside. We have a 100 per cent successful delivery rate to UK.

Reynhard Sinaga, the UKs most prolific rapist, was jailed in January 2020 for drugging and raping 48 men after lacing their drinks with GHB.

Sinaga is believed to have attacked at least 195 men and was convicted of drugging his victims and filming himself sexually violating them while they were unconscious.

The student was jailed for 60 years and must serve a minimum of 30 years before he can be considered for parole.

Serial killer Stephen Port was branded wicked and monstrous by a judge after luring four young men back to his flat and poisoning them with lethal doses of GHB. He was given a whole life prison term in 2016.

Black-cab rapist John Worboys plied women with alcohol laced with sedatives before attacking them in his hackney carriage.

He is believed to have attacked more than 100 women before he was jailed in 2009.

In March, Miss Patel said she would tighten the restrictions around GHB and related substances by moving them from class C to class B, meaning tougher penalties for unlawful possession of the drug. She pledged to do everything in my power to protect people from harm from the drugs.

Criminals can face up to 14 years in prison and an unlimited fine for the supply and production of class C drugs. Those caught possessing Rohypnol  known as Roofies  without a prescription face two years in jail.

The investigation is a further indication of how illegal drugs can be easily obtained on the internet. Last week the Mail revealed how hundreds of drug dealers were openly selling potent cannabis to teenagers via social media.

A Home Office spokesperson said: Drugs can devastate lives, ruin families and damage communities. Anyone selling them should expect to face the full force of the law.

"Thats why we are putting in place a series of tough measures, including our Online Safety Bill which will compel big tech companies and other service providers to take firm action against criminal activity.

"Our Violence against Women and Girls Strategy will prevent more of these crimes from happening in the long-term. Police across the UK are disrupting County Lines gangs and Border Force is working hard to stop gangs from bringing their illegal products into the UK.
President Biden said the country 'took a monumental step forward' after the House passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill with a vote of 228 to 206 on Friday night.

The vote late on Friday night is a substantial triumph for Biden's Democrats, who have bickered for months over the ambitious spending bills that make up the bulk of his domestic agenda.

Six Democrats, part of the progressive 'Squad' wing of the party, voted against it.

The bill had become one of two key pieces of President Joe Biden's and it will now head to his desk for him to sign it into law.

Biden's administration will now oversee the biggest upgrade of America's roads, railways and other transportation infrastructure in a generation, which he has promised will create jobs and boost U.S. competitiveness.

The president called the it 'a once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century.'

President Biden said the country 'took a monumental step forward' after the House passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill with a vote of 228 to 206 on Friday night

The House passed President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package before midnight on Friday night after progressive and moderate Democrats came to a compromise

What's included in the new infrastructure bill and how much it will cost Here's a breakdown of the bill that Biden is expected to soon sign into law: ROADS AND BRIDGES: $110 billion The bill would provide $110 billion to repair the nation's aging highways, bridges and roads. According to the White House, 173,000 total miles of America's highways and major roads and 45,000 bridges are in poor condition. And the almost $40 billion for bridges is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to President Joe Biden's administration. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL: $66 billion To reduce Amtrak's maintenance backlog, which has worsened since Superstorm Sandy nine years ago, the bill would provide $66 billion to improve the rail service's 457-mile-long Northeast Corridor as well as other routes. Its less than the $80 billion Biden - who famously rode Amtrak from Delaware to D.C. during his time in the Senate - originally asked for, but it would be the largest federal investment in passenger rail service since Amtrak was founded 50 years ago. INTERNET ACCESS: $65 billion The legislation's $65 billion for broadband access would aim to improve internet services for rural areas, low-income families and tribal communities. Most of the money would be made available through grants to states. MODERNIZING THE ELECTRIC GRID: $65 billion To protect against the widespread power outages that have become more frequent in recent years, the bill would spend $65 billion to improve the reliability and resiliency of the nation's power grid. It would also boost carbon capture technologies and more environmentally-friendly electricity sources like clean hydrogen. WATER AND SEWERS: $55 billion To improve the safety of the nation's drinking water, the legislation would spend $55 billion on water and wastewater infrastructure. The bill would include $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS - chemicals that were used in the production of Teflon and have also been used in firefighting foam, water-repellent clothing and many other items. PUBLIC TRANSIT: $39 billion The $39 billion for public transit in the legislation would expand transportation systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and provide dollars to state and local governments to buy zero-emission and low-emission buses. The Department of Transportation estimates that the current repair backlog is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations and thousands of miles of track and power systems. AIRPORTS: $25 billion The bill would spend $25 billion to improve runways, gates and taxiways at airports and to improve terminals. It would also improve aging infrastructure at air traffic control towers. ELECTRIC VEHICLES: $12.5 billion The bill would spend $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations, which the administration says are critical to accelerating the use of electric vehicles to curb climate change. It would also provide $5 billion for the purchase of electric school buses and hybrids, reducing reliance on school buses that run on diesel fuel. PAYING FOR IT The five-year spending package would be paid for by tapping $210 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief aid and $53 billion in unemployment insurance aid some states have halted, along with an array of other smaller pots of money, like petroleum reserve sales and spectrum auctions for 5G services. Advertisement

Once it is signed by Biden, the new law will reach virtually every corner of the country - a historic investment that the president has compared with the building of the transcontinental railroad and Interstate Highway System. The White House is projecting that the investments will add, on average, about 2 million jobs per year over the coming decade.

'It will create good-paying jobs that can't be outsourced. Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations,' Biden said.

'This will make it easier for companies to get goods to market more quickly and reduce supply chain bottlenecks now and for decades to come. This will ease inflationary pressures and lower costs for working families.

'Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century,' Biden said.

A rule was voted on that will allow for the passage the Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives the week of November 15.

After hours of closed-door meetings, a group of centrists promised to vote for the bill by November 20 - as long as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that its costs lined up with White House estimates.

'Welcome to my world. This is the Democratic Party,' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters earlier in the day. 'We are not a lockstep party.'

Democratic leaders had hoped to pass both bills out of the House on Friday, but postponed the action after centrists demanded a nonpartisan accounting of its costs - a process that could take weeks.

'The Build Back Better Act will be a once-in-a-generation investment in our people,' the president explained.

'It will lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool. And middle-class families get a tax cut.'

Democrats celebrate on the House floor late on Friday night in Washington D.C. after the House approved a $1 trillion package of road and other infrastructure projects

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, presides and announces the vote total late on Friday

Democrats resolved a months-long standoff between progressives and moderates, notching a victory that President Joe Biden and his party had become increasingly anxious to claim

President Biden's late night statement Tonight, we took a monumental step forward as a nation. The United States House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century. It will create good-paying jobs that can't be outsourced. Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations. This will make it easier for companies to get goods to market more quickly and reduce supply chain bottlenecks now and for decades to come. This will ease inflationary pressures and lower costs for working families. The bill will create jobs replacing lead water pipes so every family can drink clean water. It will make high-speed internet affordable and available everywhere in America. This bill will make historic and significant strides that take on the climate crisis. It will build out the first-ever national network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country. We will get America off the sidelines on manufacturing solar panels, wind farms, batteries, and electric vehicles to grow these supply chains, reward companies for paying good wages and for sourcing their materials from here in the United States, and allow us to export these products and technologies to the world. It will also make historic investments in environmental clean-up and remediation, and build up our resilience for the next superstorms, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that cost us billions of dollars in damage each year. I'm also proud that a rule was voted on that will allow for passage of my Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives the week of November 15. The Build Back Better Act will be a once-in-a-generation investment in our people. It will lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool. And middle-class families get a tax cut. This bill is also fiscally responsible, fully paid for, and doesn't raise the deficit. It does so by making sure the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share and doesn't raise taxes a single cent on anyone making less than $400,000 per year. I look forward to signing both of these bills into law. Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century. Advertisement

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pursued by reporters after the House passed the bipartisan infrastructure package at the U.S. Capitol

A box containing an enrolled bill is wheeled through a hallway after the bipartisan infrastructure bill package passed in the House

Friday night's vote on the the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act came following months of negotiations and a final day of haggling between progressive and moderate Democrats, with a deal struck late on Friday night.

Moderates agreeing to pass Biden's Build Back Better social spending bill no later than November 15.

Thirteen Republicans voted with the Democrats to pass the infrastructure bill, which passed the Senate August after rare bipartisan negotiations, and the House kept that compromise intact.

When the bill crossed the line of 218 - which signified passage - applause broke out on the House floor. Even more applause broke out when the final was done.

Biden delayed a planned trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to stay in Washington and work the phones. He was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris in the effort, the White House said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (center) said late Friday afternoon that she would go ahead and have members vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill later Friday

Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal faced pressure from President Joe Biden to have her members vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Progressives have long said the votes would have to happen at the same time as the Build Back Better bill

Six House Democrats - 'the Squad' - part of the progressive wing of the Democratic party voted against.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York, Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan broke from their party to vote against the bill.

Meanwhile, thirteen Republicans in the House voted with Democrats to approve the bill. They are: Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Rep. Andrew Gabarino of New York, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Rep. John Katko of New York, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, Rep. Tom Reed of New York, Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, Fred Upton of Michigan, Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Rep. Don Young of Alaska.

House Democrats, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, left, of New York, Rep. Cori Bush, center, of Missouri, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, right, of New York voted against the bill

Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, left, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts , center, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, right, of Michigan broke from their party to vote against the bill

Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota tweeted her reasons as to why she went against her party on Friday night

Just before midnight, Rep. Illhan Omar outlined her reasons for voting against her fellow Democrats.

'From the beginning, I have been clear that I would not be able to support the infrastructure bill without a vote on the Build Back Better Act. Passing the infrastructure bill without passing the Build Back Better Act first risks leaving behind childcare, paid leave, health care, climate action, housing, education, and a roadmap to citizenship,'Omar wrote in a statement and series of tweets,' Omar began.

'Right now, families across my district are struggling with the rising cost of childcare, the inability to get family leave to take care of their kids and deal with a medical emergency. The Build Back Better Act addresses it by creating a universal pre-k program, affordable childcare, and paid family and medical leave,' she wrote.

'In the Twin Cities, we have the worst housing shortage in the nation. The Build Back Better Act addresses it, by investing $150 billion in affordable housing. Minnesota is experiencing some of the fastest rising temperatures in the nation. The Build Back Better Act makes the boldest investment in history in the climate crisisinvesting in zero waste initiatives and creating jobs in the process,' Omar continued.

'My community cannot wait any longer for these much-needed investments that will be delivered through the Build Back Better Act. I cannot in good conscience support the infrastructure bill without voting on the President's transformative agenda first.'

'And for those reasons, I voted NO on the infrastructure package.'

Just after 1am, another member of 'The Squad', Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts explained her reasons for voting 'no' on the infrastructure bill

Just after 1am, another member of 'The Squad', Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts explained her reasons for voting 'no' on the infrastructure bill.

'For months, my progressive colleagues and I have been calling for bold investments to address both the human and physical infrastructure needs of our country. We have been clear from the onset that any vote on the narrow roads and bridges bill must happen in tandem with a vote on the Build Back Better Act that invests in our care economy, housing, paid leave, combating climate change, and more.

'We had an agreement that these two bills would move togethernot that we would vote for one in exchange for a potential vote on the other if certain conditions were met. Unfortunately, that agreement was not honored. As such, I voted no tonight on the narrow roads and bridges bill,' Pressley said.

'I refuse to choose between the livelihoods of the union workers who build our highways and bridges, and the childcare and healthcare workers who care for our children, elderly, and disabled loved ones. I refuse to choose between our crumbling roads, bridges public transit system, and our crumbling housing stock. I refuse to pit community member against community member,' she continued.

'As lawmakers, we have a duty to deliver policies and budgets that have a meaningful and tangible impact on the daily lives of our constituents and leave no community behind. I look forward to continuing the work of passing the President's full Build Back Better agenda.'

A number of the 13 Republicans who crossed aisle to vote with the Democrats tweeted late on Friday night their reasons for doing so.

Republican Nebaska Rep. Don Bacon was a 'yes' on $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill

New York Republican John Katko also explained his reasoning for voting with Democrats

Congressman Fred Upton, serving Michigan's 6th District described the bill as 'commonsense legislation that will support critical infrastructure projects without raising taxes or increasing the debt.'

The majority of Republicans were also not happy about the bill's passing.

'This is potentially a very black day for America,' said Republican Representative Glenn Grothman, who characterized the legislation's child-care and preschool provisions as a 'Marxist' effort to have the federal government raise children.

The nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the social-spending bill would raise $1.48 trillion in new tax revenue over the next decade, short of its $1.75 trillion cost.

Pelosi and other top Democrats have said that fails to account for increased tax enforcement and savings from lower prescription drug prices.

At a press conference earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted infrastructure would pass

Later, just before 1am, the House voted on a rule on the Build Back Better bill as part of Democrats' promise to progressives.

221 Democrats voted for the bill with 213 Republicans against - a straight party-line vote. lt will enable Democratic leaders to quickly schedule a final vote when the time comes.

The standoff came just days after Democrats suffered losses in closely watched state elections, raising concerns that they may lose control of Congress next year.

At a press conference earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted the infrastructure bill would pass.

'I do believe that there are a large number of members of the progressive caucus that will vote for the bill, that is my understanding,' Pelosi said at a press conference, despite Progressive Caucus Chair, Rep. Pramila Jayapla saying progressive didn't support the plan. 'I have the speaker's secret whip count. I have a pretty good feeling.'

She said the larger, Build Back Better bill would be passed in full by Thanksgiving, as a group of moderates now want to see a Congressional Budget Office score on the huge piece of legislation. In the later agreement, that date got pushed forward to November 15.

'We had hoped to be able to bring both bills to the floor today. Some members want more clarification or validation of numbers ... we honored that request,' Pelosi said. 'Today we hope to pass the BIF and also the rule on Build Back Better with the idea of, before Thanksgiving.'

Around the same time Pelosi, flanked by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, spoke to reporters in a Capitol hallway, progressives were huddled in a meeting that Biden called into, Punchbowl News reported.

'The President is speaking with House leadership, progressives, and moderates in an effort to come to a solution. And he has been urging a vote tonight,' a White House official told CBS News.

Punchbowl also reported that progressive and moderate Democrats were working on a joint statement that would give assurances to progressives that moderates would vote for the Build Back Better bill, in order for the infrastructure vote to happen Friday night.

Earlier Biden publicly urged Democrats to vote for his plans.

'I'm asking every member of the House of Representatives to vote yes on both these bills right now,' Biden said during a speech Friday morning on the October jobs report. 'Send the infrastructure bill to my desk. Send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate.'

He then said he would answer more questions when both bills had moved forward and didn't respond to shouts from reporters before leaving for Colin Powell's funeral and ahead of a planned weekend at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.

As 6pm neared, Biden still hadn't left the White House.

An hour later, the White House said the president would remain in D.C. overnight as deliberations dragged on.

The Senate approved the $1 trillion infrastructure plan in August. It will go to the president for his signature, giving Biden a victory lap after weeks of intra-party drama.

But his Build Back Better social program, if it passes the House, still needs to be approved by the Senate. It's unclear if moderate Senators Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema will vote for it. In the 50-50 Senate, Biden needs every Democratic vote.

'I'm asking every member of the House of Representatives to vote yes on both these bills right now,' Biden said during a speech on the October jobs report. 'Send the infrastructure bill to my desk. Send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate.' He didn't take questions from the press and said he would answer more when both votes had moved forward

Nancy Pelosi arrived at the Capitol on Friday morning with her phone in hand to try and get the support needed to pass President Joe Biden's social spending plans

The president is scheduled to leave for his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, on Friday afternoon after a week where he returned from his Europe trip and dealt with the fallout from the disastrous Tuesday elections

Biden had wanted his Build Back Better plan agreed last week, before he left for a meeting of G20 leaders and a U.N. climate conference without a deal on the legislation.

Instead, he arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, with a series of bold climate promises but uncertain whether they would get through Congress.

An affirmative vote before the end of the Glasgow summit on November 12 would bolster the credibility of Biden's pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

With a 221-213 majority in the House of Representatives and a united Republican opposition, Democrats need near unanimity to pass legislation.

Half the size of Biden's initial $3.5 trillion package, the now sprawling 2,135-page bill has won over most of the progressive Democratic lawmakers, even though it is smaller than they wanted. But the chamber's more centrist and fiscally conservative Democrats continued to mount objections.

Overall the package remains more far-reaching than any other in decades. Republicans are fully opposed to Biden's bill.

The big package would provide large numbers of Americans with assistance to pay for health care, raising children and caring for elderly people at home.

There would be lower prescription drug costs, limiting the price of insulin to $35 a dose, and Medicare for the first time would be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for prices of some other drugs, a long-sought Democratic priority.

Medicare would have a new hearing aid benefit for older Americans, and those with Medicare Part D would see their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs capped at $2,000.

The package would provide some $555 billion in tax breaks encouraging cleaner energy and electric vehicles, the nation's largest commitment to tackling climate change.

With a flurry of late adjustments, the Democrats added key provisions in recent days - adding back a new paid family leave program, work permits for immigrants and changes to state and local tax deductions.

Much of package's cost would be covered with higher taxes on wealthier Americans, those earning more than $400,000 a year, and a 5% surtax would be added on those making over $10 million annually. Large corporations would face a new 15% minimum tax in an effort to stop big businesses from claiming so many deductions that they end up paying zero in taxes.

Democrats have been working to resolve their differences, particularly with holdout Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who forced cutbacks to Biden's bill but championed the slimmer infrastructure package that had stalled amid deliberations.

What's in, and what's out: The social welfare and climate initiatives included in Biden's huge spending package President Joe Biden's now plan to boost social and education programs as well as protect against global warming continues to be fine-tuned by Democrats in Congress with a new goal of completing work before Thanksgiving. The updated plan includes universal preschool, funding to limit child care costs and a one-year continuation of a child tax credit that was expanded earlier this year and applied to more families. But Democrats are scaling back some investments and shortening the timeframe for funding to whittle down spending. Some proposals have been dropped entirely. Here's what's in the package, based on summaries provided by the White House and the House. TAX BREAKS - An expanded child tax credit would continue for another year. As part of a COVID relief bill, Democrats increased the tax credit to $3,000 per child ages 6-17 and $3,600 per child 5 and under. Households earning up to $150,000 per year get the credit paid to them on a monthly basis. Budget hawks worry that a one-year extension is a budgetary tool that will lower the cost of the program on paper, but mask its true costs since lawmakers tend to continue programs rather than let them expire. - The expanded Earned Income Tax Credit that goes to 17 million childless, low-wage workers would continue for one year. EDUCATION - Universal prekindergarten would be established for all 3- and 4-year-olds and child-care subsidies would be provided for poorer and middle-income Americans. But the programs are funded only for six years. - $40 billion would be provided for higher education and workforce development. This includes raising the size of Pell Grants and providing funding for historically black colleges and universities as well as institutions that largely serve Hispanic students or tribal communities. HEALTH CARE - Medicare would be expanded to cover hearing aids, costing an estimated $35 billion over 10 years. - Expanded tax credits for insurance premiums tied to the Affordable Care Act would be extended through 2025. The White House says that would help 3 million uninsured people gain coverage. - $150 billion for a Medicaid program that supports home health care, helping to clear a backlog and improving working conditions. - $90 billion for investments that would include funding maternal health, community violence initiatives, disadvantaged farmers, nutrition and pandemic preparation. - Out-of-pocket Medicare Part D costs for older Americans would be capped at $2,000 and the price of insulin reduced to no more than $35 a dose. - A Medicare drug negotiation program would be established. Each year, the secretary of Health and Human Services would identify 100 brand-name drugs that lack price competition and from that list negotiate the price of up to 10 drugs in 2025, 15 in 2026 and 2027, and 20 thereafter. Insulin products must also be negotiated. A drug selected for negotiation would continue to be included in the program until competition enters the market. CHILD CARE - Biden's plan says parents earning up to 250% of a states median income should pay no more than 7% of their income on child care. Parents must be working, seeking a job, in school or dealing with a health issue to qualify. HOUSING - $150 billion would be committed toward housing affordability with a goal of building more than 1 million new rental and single-family homes. The goal would be to reduce price pressures by providing rental and down payment assistance. ENVIRONMENT - Clean energy tax credits would receive $320 billion worth of funding. These credits over 10 years would help businesses and homeowners shift to renewable energy sources for electricity, vehicles and manufacturing. - $105 billion would be directed toward investments that would improve communities' ability to withstand extreme weather caused by climate change. The funding would also create a Civilian Climate Corps that focuses on conserving public lands and bolstering community resilience to flooding, drought and other weather emergencies. - $110 billion would help develop new domestic supply chains and develop new solar and battery technologies. Support would also be given to existing steel, cement and aluminum industries. - $20 billion would be allotted for the government to become the buyer of clean energy technologies as part of its procurement process. - $9 billion would be allocated for lead remediation projects, such as the replacement of water lines or the replacement of school drinking water fountains that may contain lead. TAXES - Biden's plan bolsters the IRS to improve collections and close the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid. - A 15% minimum income tax would be applied to large corporations, along with a 1% surcharge on corporate stock buybacks. The U.S. would also be aligned with an agreement reached by more than 100 countries designed to deter multinational companies from stashing profits in low-tax countries. - The bill would create a new surtax on multimillionaires and billionaires and close a provision that allows some wealthy taxpayers to avoid paying the 3.8% Medicare tax on their earnings. - A $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions would be raised to $72,500. Tax analysts say the change would largely benefit high-income households. IMMIGRATION - Those who entered the United States prior to Jan. 2, 2011, and have continuously resided there since would be eligible for renewable parole grants for five years after paying an administrative fee and completing security and background checks. The parole status gives recipients authorization to travel and work in the U.S. and deems them eligible for a Real ID-compliant driver's license or a state identification card. PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE - Eligible workers would receive up to four weeks of paid leave to reimburse them for time taken to care for a new child or other family members or to recover from illness. Biden had initially proposed 12 weeks of paid family leave. WHAT'S OUT OF THE BILL - A proposal to expand Medicare to cover dental and vision care is out because of concerns about the cost. - A proposal to allow for up to two years of free community college is out. Advertisement

Environmental activists swarm Democrat Manchin's $80K Maserati as he tries to leave parking lot in protest at his opposition to Biden's infrastructure plan A throng of climate protesters swarmed Sen. Joe Manchin's car Thursday morning in an effort to confront him about his opposition to President Joe Biden's multi-trillion dollar social spending plan. The environmental activists followed Manchin from his $700,000 houseboat on the Potomac River in Washington DC to a parking garage where he keeps his $80,000 Maserati Levante as they chanted 'pass climate change bills,' 'we want to live!' and 'fight for us!' Video shared on social media shows the group in the garage surrounding the Maserati as Manchin honks his horn. One protestor even alleged that the Democrat tried to run them over. 'This is Joe Manchin's car slowly pressing into our peaceful protestors,' a woman is heard saying in video posted by Hunger Strike 4 Climate Action. The West Virginia Democrat and his colleague, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), have been routinely targeted by activists since they openly criticized Biden's $1.75trillion Build Back Better Act. 'I will not support a bill that is this consequential without thoroughly understanding the impact it will have on our national debt, our economy and the American people,' Manchin previously said. A throng of climate protesters swarmed Sen. Joe Manchin's car Thursday morning in an effort to confront him about his opposition to President Joe Biden's multi-trillion dollar social spending plan They followed him from the boat, housed on the Potomac River in Washington DC, to the parking garage where he keeps his Maserati Levante The senator, accompanied by his security team, does not appear to interact with the protestors, other than honking his horn as they surrounded the vehicle from all sides. The guards were ultimately able to clear a path for Manchin to exit the garage. The Democrat has not publicly commented on the incident. However, social media users are slamming the activists for their aggressive behavior. Protestors have attempted to confront Manchin, as well as Sinema - the other key holdout on the social spending plan - on numerous occasions over the past few months. Advertisement

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn (left) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., a key moderate, arrive in the House for the vote

Democrats are reeling from a disappointing loss in Virginia this week when a Republican won the governor's office in a state Biden won handily in 2020.

The party is eager to show it can move forward on the president's agenda, and fend off Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections when control of the House and Senate will be on the line.

The nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation issued a report scoring the 'Build Back Better' legislation's tax revenue provisions at $1.48 trillion over the next decade.

Pelosi and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said the committee's analysis did not account for additional revenue from provisions intended to enhance the Internal Revenue Service's tax collection and to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly.

'It's an objective view that it is solidly paid for,' Pelosi told reporters after a meeting of House Democrats on the legislation.

Moody's Analytics analysts said on Thursday the bills would be fully paid for and add jobs, but that implementing them would take 'deft governance.'

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a statement saying the legislation would raise more than $2 trillion, enough to pay for the bill and 'reduce deficits over the long term.'

The tax committee assesses only the tax provisions in legislation. The Congressional Budget Office, another nonpartisan arm of Congress, is expected to provide revenue scores for the IRS and drug-pricing provisions, Democrats said. But a final CBO report is not expected this week.

In a meeting with fellow Democrats on Thursday morning, Pelosi expressed hope for action on both bills this week, a source familiar with her remarks said.

If passed by the House, the social policy legislation would move to the Senate, also narrowly controlled by Democrats, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to enact it before the November 25 Thanksgiving holiday.

The legislation would raise $640 billion from tax increases on high-income individuals and $814 billion from corporate and international tax reforms from 2022 to 2031, the Joint Committee on Taxation said.

Congress faces another pair of critical deadlines in less than a month: Lawmakers set a December 3 deadline to avoid a potentially economically devastating default on the federal government's debt, as well as to avert a politically embarrassing government shutdown.
Detectives used mobile data to track down the alleged abductor of Cleo Smith as the final two hours of the search and rescue for the four-year-old are revealed.

Sources close to the investigation claim the mobile phone data was crucial in helping police to identify Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, as a prime suspect.

'His phone was allegedly in the area as part of the data collection,' a source told The West Australian. 'That is part of the information that led the taskforce to him.'

There are at least three new mobile base stations located not far from the remote campsite where Cleo vanished from at Quobba Point, in Western Australia, on October 16.

Telecommunication providers then gave police a list of phone numbers that had been used in the area during the times of interest.

Detectives used mobile data to track down the alleged abductor of Cleo Smith as the final two hours of the search and rescue for the four-year-old are revealed

Police tailed Kelly in an unmarked police car at 11.24pm on Tuesday - just hours before they raided his housing commission home at Carnarvon at 1am on Wednesday

Detective superintendent Rod Wilde said the data was then layered with other information before Kelly became a person of interest.

'So we put the phone data over numberplate-recognition data, CCTV, witness accounts, forensics... And when you layer them on top of each other you solve crimes and that is merely what we have done here.'

Police tailed Kelly in an unmarked police car at 11.24pm on Tuesday - just hours before they raided his housing commission home at Carnarvon at 1am on Wednesday.

Detective senior sergeant Cameron Blaine said officers had been waiting for Kelly to 'go mobile and leave the premises'.

'It was clear in my head what had to occur so it was: 'OK, let's do that'.'

Dashcam footage from a passing taxi captured the moment Kelly was pulled over by the unmarked police vehicle as he drove down Robinson Street.

A second unmarked police vehicle pulls up in front of the parked car to prevent any chance of escape.

A bystander recalled watching police then pin Kelly to the ground before arresting him.

'We saw one of the detectives on top of the guy pinning him down on the curb ... you know really vigorously,' they said.

With their prime suspect now in handcuffs, detectives made the decision to search his housing commission home at 12.46am on Wednesday.

Detectives then found Cleo playing with toys in one of the rooms which had been locked.

'I just saw a little girl sitting there and didn't think about anything else than picking her up,' Detective senior constable Kurt Ford said.

It will be a day WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson will never forget as he recalled new details of the rescue to the state's 7,200 officers in internal weekly publication From The Line.

Clutching a pink balloon, Cleo Smith was pictured in her mum's arms outside her Carnarvon home on Thursday, 24 hours after her incredible rescue

'It was a day that will go down in history as one of the greatest triumphs for WA Police Force. For many officers, it will be the greatest day of their careers,' Commissioner Dawson said.

'My heart has been bursting with pride since I first received a phone call from Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch advising of Cleo's rescue shortly before 1am.

'Today, I want that pride to fill the hearts of all employees of this great agency.'

The commissioner met Cleo along with her mum Ellie Smith, stepfather Jake Gliddon and her grandparents at the family home just hours after the little girl was rescued.

'As Cleo and her mum were exchanging kisses and hugs she fell asleep in Ellie's arms,' he recalled.

'None of us will forget that day. It's why we join the police force.

'From the bottom of my heart - which is so very swollen with pride - thank you to all... Enjoy this moment in history and let it carry you forward in service of our community.'

Western Australia Police Commissioner Chris Dawson (pictured) as shared new details of Cleo Smith's incredible rescue and how the little girl fell asleep in her mum's arms when he met Cleo on Wednesday

He also sent an photo of Cleo smiling and waving in hospital to WA Premier Mark McGowan, who described the little girl as well adjusted, sweet and delightful during his visit to the family home on Thursday.

Commissioner Dawson also recalled the heart-melting moment he first heard the audio of the little girl's rescue and the first words she uttered, telling officers: 'My name is Cleo'.

'In policing, we frequently see the worst of society and the circumstances surrounding Cleo's abduction certainly fit that bill,' he said.

'But on occasion...we also have the great privilege of having a front row seat to witness the very best of humanity and the rescue of Cleo is one of those moments.

'It should be treasured.'

On Saturday investigators were back at the home where Cleo was found.

Police in full protective gear collected more evidence as part of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Cleo's parents are under strict instructions by police not to discuss the four-year-old's 18-day nightmare with her.

On saturday an officer in full protective gear is seen at the home where Cleo was found

A team of forensic police are seen at the home where Cleo was found earlier this week

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine revealed on Thursday that discussing the details of what happened could jeopardise the prosecution's case by diluting the accuracy of her information.

Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, who is not known to the family but lives just minutes away, was charged with multiple offences on Thursday night, including Cleo's kidnapping.

He appeared in Carnarvon Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon, where he was formally refused bail.

Police have warned Cleo's parents to wait until specialist child abuse detectives formally interview the four-year-old before talking about the traumatic events with her.

Commissioner Smith will never forget when he first heard the audio of the little girl's rescue and the first words she uttered, telling officers: 'My name is Cleo' (pictured during her rescue)

Cleo is back in the arms of her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured on Thursday)

Police officer's guard the Tonkin Crescent house in Carnarvon, WA where Cleo Smith was rescued

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (pictured) warned the parents discussing the details of what happened could jeopardise the prosecution's case by diluting the accuracy of Cleo's information

'This is still a matter that needs to go before the courts, there's certain aspects of what we saw that is going to be evidence, and I don't want to say anything that's going to prejudice that,' Senior Sergeant Blaine, who was one of the four detectives that rescued Cleo from the locked house said.

'It's not always the case that people understand that, but we want to see a successful prosecution at the end of the day for the people who are responsible.

'We've given them advice around that, and that must be incredibly hard for them, so we appreciate their assistance and cooperation with that.'

He said the family have been 'cooperative and understanding' all the way through the hellish ordeal as police worked tirelessly to track down Cleo's alleged abductor.

'They understand where we are going with the investigation and what remains to be done,' Senior Sergeant Blaine said.

'Our family liaison officer is going back out there now to speak to them and talk them through the next steps.'

Cleo Smith's mother Ellie was seen with her daughter for the first time since her dramatic rescue on Thursday afternoon

Little Cleo is seen getting into the car with her mother Ellie on Thursday afternoon, one day after she was rescued

A heart-warming audio clip of the moment detectives first found Cleo alone in a room playing with toys was heard for the first time on Thursday.

Sergeant Blaine can be heard asking the little girl 'what is your name?' three times before she finally falteringly replied: 'M-my name is Cleo.'

He said police have tried to share as much information they can with the parents but at this stage investigators are still piecing all the details together themselves.

'We share with them what information we can. They know what they need to know,' Senior Sergeant Blaine said.

'Obviously it's still a time where we're exploring all the facts. We're getting information from, still, a number of different sources. Some of that information is completely wrong.

'So we're careful about what information we share with people, we want to make sure we're 100 per cent sure of the facts.'

Terry Kelly, 36, was taken away from Carnarvon police station, in Western Australia, after sustaining head injuries

It's been 45 hours since police dragged Kelly out of his car at about midnight on Wednesday and slapped handcuffs on him.

The process of charging has been delayed after Kelly was allegedly attacked by another prisoner inside a police holding cell within hours of his arrest.

He was taken to hospital with head injuries and released after medical treatment.

But police revealed on Thursday he had been returned to hospital for a second time after he is understood to have suffered new injuries while alone in his police cell.

Police forensic teams are continuing to scour the Tonkin Crescent address where Cleo was found

Thousands of missing person's posters were put up for Cleo Smith all over Carnarvon and surrounding areas

Forensic officers are expected to be at the home where Cleo was found for days if not weeks

Any future trial could be jeopardised if detectives tried to rush the process, the WA Deputy Police Commissioner told Seven's Sunrise.

'The important thing for police, if we're going to interview someone about offences as serious as this... we will need them in a condition where they have had a rest, they're in a good mental state, they've been fed,' he said.

'So, we've got to make sure we give them the best opportunity to answer questions and that's to ensure that the court process is validated if we get to that point.'

When detectives first found the little girl alone in a room playing with toys Sergeant Blaine asked her 'what is your name?' three times before she finally falteringly replied: 'M-my name is Cleo'

A beaming Cleo is seen from her hospital bed after she was rescued by police on Wednesday

Kelly had only been at Carnarvon police station for a few hours on Wednesday when he was allegedly set upon by a prisoner and taken to hospital the first time.

That prisoner's mother told Daily Mail Australia her son was 'furious' when he discovered why Kelly had been arrested.

'As soon as he heard this bloke was arrested over that little Cleo, he blew up, beat him black and blue,' the woman said.

'I tell you what, he (Kelly) got a real hiding... my son had to be taken out in shackles, and he (Kelly) was taken for treatment... he was in a bad way. He is a big bloke but he really copped it'.

A spokesman for the Western Australia Police Force said detectives would not be commenting on the woman's claims.

Kelly was loaded into an ambulance outside the police station yesterday morning and taken to hospital for treatment. A large white bandage was wrapped around his head.
Outgoing Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, warned his fellow Republicans that former President Trump may win the 2024 presidential election, but if he does not, he will try to 'steal' it.

Still, he said he will work to ensure Trump does not 'steal' the election.

'January 6 was an unconstitutional attempt led by the President of the United States to overturn an American election and reinstall himself in power illegitimately. That's fallen nation territory, that's third world country territory. My family left Cuba to avoid that fate. I will not let it happen here,' Gonzalez told CNN.

'I think it's all pushing towards one of two outcomes: He either wins legitimately, which he may do, or if he loses again, you just try to steal it,' the two-term congressman added.

'Should he be the nominee, or should he run again, I'll do everything I can to stop him,' he said. 'Can I stop him? I have no idea. But I believe as a citizen of this country who loves this country and respects the Constitution, that's my responsibility.'

'I think it's all pushing towards one of two outcomes: He either wins legitimately, which he may do, or if he loses again, you just try to steal it,' said Gonzalez

Trump has all but said he'll run again in 2024

Gonzalez was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the former president sought revenge, endorsing a primary challenger, former White House aide Max Miller, and excoriating him in emailed statements.

Trump has backed challengers to almost all of the Republicans in the House and Senate who voted for impeachment.

Gonzalez announced he would not be seeking reelection in September, calling Trump a 'cancer to our country.'

'RINO Congressman Anthony Gonzalez, who has poorly represented his district in the Great State of Ohio, has decided to quit after enduring a tremendous loss of popularity, of which he had little, since his ill-informed and otherwise very stupid impeachment vote against the sitting President of the United States, me. This is no loss for Ohio or our Country,' Trump said upon learning Gonzalez would retire.

Gonzalez cited family reasons  he has two young children  but told the New York times the need for extra security for himself caused a rethinking of his future.

Gonzalez was censured by his own state party after his vote to impeach.

'That's one of those moments where you say, 'Is this really what I want for my family when they travel, to have my wife and kids escorted through the airport?' he told the paper.

But he also cited the 'toxic dynamics within my own party' in a statement he tweeted out, calling it a 'significant' part of his decision.

Trump has all but said he'll run again in 2024. On the anniversary of the 2020 election this week, Tump thanked the 'patriots in Arizona' which he claimed had uncovered fraud in their audit. But the GOP-backed audit uncovered that Biden beat Trump by a slightly bigger margin than was originally believed. He also endorsed a challenger to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey after Ducey distanced himself from the audit.
An extraordinary war of words erupted over the Channel crisis last night after a record 853 migrants reached Britain in a single day.

Government sources accused the French of lamentable inaction as rising numbers risk the perilous crossing.

Home Office insiders claimed their French counterparts dont give a s*** about the growing death toll after seven migrants were feared to have lost their lives in just ten days.

A group of migrants were this week brought in to Dover, Kent through a lifeboat. Government sources accused the French of lamentable inaction as rising numbers risk the crossing

And for the first time, they voiced escalating concerns about Frances ineffective use of 54million of British taxpayers money intended to stop the flow of migrants.

The Daily Mail can reveal the French have deployed only 220 gendarme reservists with the British cash so far  described as woefully inadequate by a senior Home Office source.

British insiders also pointed the finger at French President Emmanuel Macron for concentrating on the fishing permit dispute rather than the humanitarian crisis in the Channel.

UK migrants walking ashore at Dungeness in Kent, escorted by border officials and RNLI on Wednesday

A staggering 853 migrants reached UK shores on Wednesday aboard 25 small boats, beating the previous daily record of 828 set on August 21.

The total to have made it to Britain since the start of the year now stands at 21,051, compared with 8,410 last year.

Three migrants have drowned off the French coast this week in two separate incidents, just days after up to three Somali men were reported overboard from a dinghy which was recovered off Harwich, Essex, last week. Their bodies have not been found.

In addition, an Eritrean migrant died after being hit by a train in Calais on Thursday. Northern France has seen a sharp rise in arrivals hoping to make the push for British shores.

A group of migrants at the new Calais migrant centre as the first residents were seen entering the shelter

Franck Dhersin, of the Hauts-de-France regional council, said there was an incalculable number of migrants arriving in Calais and Dunkirk.

In a sign of worsening Anglo-French recriminations, a Home Office source said last night: We have had enough of the Frenchs lamentable inaction.

They seem content to continually blame us for their domestic problems and that they have hundreds of people living in squalor in northern France. What are they doing to stop migrants arriving?

Macron and his top team are spending their time having a stupid argument about fishing licences, while multiple people are setting sail from his shores to their deaths each day.

The source added there were fears there would be a mass tragedy if smuggling gangs continue to push boats across the Channel in choppy weather.

British insiders also pointed the finger at French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) for concentrating on the fishing permit dispute rather than the humanitarian crisis in the Channel

Government sources accused the French of lamentable inaction as rising numbers risk the perilous crossing

There could have been scores of deaths and the French just dont seem to give a s***, the source said.

It seems inevitable there will be a large-scale loss of life unless the French rapidly improve.

The Home Office is understood to have been enraged by remarks from Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart this week, when she blamed the UK for the crisis and described the UK as an El Dorado for migrants.

Miss Bouchart said in a radio interview: We know that a migrant who arrives in England is taken care of.

They are housed, they have an income. For them, England remains an El Dorado but the British Government does not have the courage to review its legislation in the field.

The Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart this week blamed the UK for the crisis and described the UK as an El Dorado for migrants

A UK source described the comments as jaw-dropping, adding: This has left a very sour taste in a lot of peoples mouths.

A senior Home Office source also questioned whether French officials were making effective use of British taxpayers cash.

The French are deploying 220 reservists with our money, the source said. Were not sure how many more from their own resources, but its clearly woefully inadequate.

The fact is that six people have died in the past week  plus 39 nearly drowned in Boulogne last week and 29 were found adrift after two days off Belgium last week. That could have been more than 70 deaths in a week.

Ben Bano, from refugee charity Seeking Sanctuary, said: The UK and French governments can work together to provide safe and secure ways to seek asylum in the UK.

'Instead those involved put their lives in even more danger in response to what they see as a hardening of attitudes from both governments.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hit back at Clinton strategist James Carville for suggesting 'stupid wokeness' caused the wave of crushing Democrat defeats on Tuesday night.

'There are limits to trying to mobilize a campaign with a 100% moderate strategy without mobilizing the base. (I) said nothing abt wokeness which is a term almost exclusively used by older people these days btw,' The Squad Member wrote on Twitter on Friday.

'The average audience for people seriously using the word "woke" in a 2021 political discussion are James Carville and Fox News pundits. So that should tell you all you need to know,' she added.

On Wednesday, veteran Democrat Carville tore into 'stupid wokeness' as the root of Terry McAuliffe's defeat in the Virginia governor's race and said some members need to go to 'woke detox'.

AOC blamed moderate Democrats for the stinging loses in the Virginia governor race and the tight gubernatorial election in New Jersey.

She said the centrist did not handle Republicans' 'race baiting' and acted like middle schoolers with their fighting over President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda.

'Historically moderate Democrats have believed the best way to respond to race baiting by the right is to say little/nothing,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote in an Instagram stories Q&A. 'We see how that demoralizes the base you're supposed to protect and turn out while also ceeding white swing voters to the right w/ inadequate responses or silence.'

Carville, who helped steer Bill Clinton to victory in 1992 aimed squarely at cultural clashes over race, education, and police funding as the heart of the matter, after Republican Glenn Youngkin took down McAuliffe by winning over suburban areas that had gone for Joe Biden just a year ago.

'What went wrong is just stupid wokeness. Don't just look at Virginia and New Jersey. Look at Long Island, look at Buffalo, look at Minneapolis, even look at Seattle, Washington,' Carville said as he ticked off election results in an appearance on PBS News Hour.

'I mean, this "defund the police" lunacy, this take Abraham Lincoln's name off of schools. I mean that  people see that,' he said.

He said Terry McAuliffe got 'caught up in something national' and blamed it for his loss (McAuliffe also has deep Clinton ties).

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hit back at Clinton strategist James Carville for suggesting 'stupid wokeness' caused the wave of crushing Democrat defeats on Tuesday night

Voters in Minneapolis voted down an effort to replace the police department in the city where George Floyd was killed.

Carville blasted activists and progressives for hijacking the agenda and driving down turnout. Youngkin set a record for votes cast for a statewide candidate in the Commonwealth by driving up support from his own supporters.

'It's just really  has a suppressive effect all across the country on Democrats. Some of these people need to go to a 'woke' detox center or something," the Louisiana native riffed, while wearing a Louisiana State University sweatshirt and a Tulane hat.

'They're expressing a language that people just don't use, and there's backlash and a frustration at that,' he continued.

'We got to change this and not be about changing dictionaries and change laws,' he said  as Democrats in Washington struggled to agree on President Joe Biden's agenda.

Carville also called out 'defund the police lunacy'

Voters in Minneapolis chose not to replace the city's police department with a new Department of Public Safety

Carville spoke on the PBS News Hour

Analysts are still combing over the election results in Virginia, where Youngkin had a wide lead among parents with school-age children, according to exit polls. Virginia parents expressed frustration with school closures. Youngkin also stressed 'critical race theory' that he said was being pushed by Virginia schools, and ran a campaign ad by a Fairfax County, Virginia mother who said her 'heart sunk' at 'explicit' reading material in her son's school class.

Carville was also referencing a push in San Francisco to rename schools and potential take off the names of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. The city backed down after a public outcry.

In Buffalo, mayor Mayor Byron W. Brown appears to have prevailed through a write-in campaign against a democratic socialist, India Walton, who beat him in the primary.

Carville, who boosted Clinton with his 'It's the economy, stupid' mantra, weighed in even as 'squad' member Rep. Ilhan Omar retweeted a message saying progressives would get blamed for McAuliffe's loss, suggesting he didn't run left enough.

There were echoes of Carville's critique in comments by Sen. Joe Manchin Thursday, although Manchin spoke to economic issues.

Manchin claimed the US is a 'center-right' country and that President Biden should give up on trying to get the kind of 'major legislation' done that passed under Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.

'You wanna know what's wrong with the place? I go to work in a hostile work environment every day,' Manchin said

"You want to know what's wrong with the place? I go to work in a hostile working environment every day."@Sen_JoeManchin discusses his hopes for bipartisanship in Congress.https://t.co/9zINPfILOv pic.twitter.com/PVSVBM9w3j  New Day (@NewDay) November 4, 2021

'We can't go too far left,' the West Virginia Democrat told CNN from Capitol Hill on Thursday. 'This is not a center-left or a left country. We are a center  if anything, a little center-right country, that's being shown  and we ought to be able to recognize that.'

'You wanna know what's wrong with the place? I go to work in a hostile work environment every day,' he inveighed, after becoming a center of attention as one of two Democrats in the Senate holding up Biden's economic agenda and demanding changes.

'If you're a Democrat and a Republican is up for election, you're supposed to be against that person,' even if their opponent is 'Donald Duck,' he complained.

'I just saw it to confirm that we have a divided country  I hope it's a wake-up call for all of us,' the West Virginia Democrat told Fox News' Special Report's Bret Baier about the election results on Wednesday.
Boris Johnson is leading the sleaziest government in more than 40 years of British politics and is considered more than twice as sleazy as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, according to a Daily Mail poll.

In the week that the Owen Paterson scandal led to accusations of a return to Tory corruption, voters believe MPs should be ordered to give up lucrative second jobs outside Parliament  with claims of wrong-doing investigated by a High Court judge, not politicians themselves, the survey found.

But even amid widespread criticism of his bungled handling of an attempt to ditch the parliamentary standards system, the Prime Minister is still ahead of Sir Keir in the personal ratings war.

The poll was carried out during an extraordinary week in Westminster, which ended with former Cabinet minister Mr Paterson resigning as an MP  and senior Tories seriously questioning the judgment of Mr Johnson, who had backed him.

The Owen Paterson scandal led to accusations of a return to Tory corruption, voters believe MPs should be ordered to give up lucrative second jobs outside Parliament, the Daily Mail poll revealed

Mr Paterson had previously been found guilty of breaking Commons rules by lobbying for two firms that paid him 500,000, and was facing a 30-day suspension from the Commons as punishment.

In an attempt to let Mr Paterson off the hook, the Government backed and won a vote on plans to tear up Parliaments anti-sleaze rules on Wednesday.

But the next morning, the Government was forced into a humiliating U-turn in the face a public outcry and anger among Tories, who had been forced to back the amendment.

With Mr Johnsons support effectively withdrawn, Mr Paterson quit what he described as the cruel world of politics on Thursday.

The JL Partners poll for the Mail shows that nearly one in three (31 per cent) believe Mr Johnsons administration is the worst behaved in terms of corruption, dating back to Margaret Thatchers government in 1979.

A total of 22 per cent say Tony Blairs government was sleazy, with 9 per cent of voters awarding the same badge of shame to David Camerons administration.

In todays Mail poll, 69 per cent of voters say the Prime Minister was wrong to order Tory MPs to vote in favour of letting Mr Paterson off

By contrast, the governments of former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown and ex-Conservative PM Theresa May are seen as sleazy by only 2 per cent of voters.

A total of 53 per cent say Mr Johnson is sleazy, but only 20 per cent place Sir Keir in the same category.

Similarly, nearly half (46 per cent) say the Conservative Party as a whole is sleazy, but only 17 per cent would apply the description to Labour.

A separate poll showed the Tories five-point lead over Labour a week ago has narrowed to just one point.

In todays Mail poll, 69 per cent of voters say the Prime Minister was wrong to order Tory MPs to vote in favour of letting Mr Paterson off.

A total of 71 per cent say he should return the 500,000 he earned from his two second jobs.

More than six in ten (61 per cent) say all MPs should be banned from having second jobs and 81 per cent say an independent body led by a High Court judge should take over the task of dealing with corruption claims against them.

Asked if Mr Paterson had been right to claim that the inquiry into his behaviour contributed to the suicide of his wife, Rose, last year, 33 per cent say he was wrong to have done so; 15 per cent backed his decision.

A stark warning this week by former MI5 chief Lord Evans, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, that Britain could slip into becoming a corrupt country struck a chord with the public.

A total of 53 per cent say Mr Johnson is sleazy, but only 20 per cent place Sir Keir in the same category

A total of 57 per cent agree and 18 per cent disagree.

But Sir Keir and Labour appear to have gained little from accusing Mr Johnson of leading his Tory troops through the sewer in a doomed bid to save Mr Paterson.

Asked who is the better leader, 41 per cent choose Mr Johnson; 27 per cent choose Sir Keir.

The Conservatives are also seen as more competent than Labour, which is still seen as far more divided party.

James Johnson, of JL Partners, said: People who have heard about the Paterson scandal are outraged by it, and are scathing about the way the Conservatives tried to scrap the system of dealing with complaints against MPs.

In the publics eyes, this was merely to protect one of their own. He continued: The public  angry about this attempt to weaken Parliamentary scrutiny  want the system made much tougher.

The pollster added: So far, however, this episode has not been as damaging as [former senior No 10 aide] Dominic Cummings flouting Covid lockdown rules with his infamous trip to Barnard Castle  which felt much more personally insulting to voters.

A total of 1,021 adults took part in the online survey in Britain on Wednesday.
Disturbing footage has emerged showing a group of beachgoers pulling a shark onto the shore before they began taking photos with the washed-up animal.

The men caught the shark late on Thursday night at Henley Beach in Adelaide as a concerned onlooker recorded the incident.

Footage shows a man at the shoreline tying a rope around the animal's tail.

Concerning vision has emerged of a crowd of beachgoers posing for photos with a washed-up shark at Henley Beach. The marine animal is seen with a rope around its tail while one man grabs its dorsal fin after patting its body. 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm | https://t.co/8ftPfFYTVQ #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/T3Pj9sCZZm  7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) November 5, 2021

As the group of men crowd around the washed-up shark, the man poses with the distressed animal for photos.

Another man rubs the shark's body as bystanders are heard telling the group of men to release it.

Asha Reilly witnessed the worrying incident and told 9NEWS: 'They hooked it with a rope, they tied it around its tail, and they just had it on the beach, taking photos.'

'They'd beached it and it clearly couldn't breathe.

'I felt sick to the stomach, and I could see other people, bystanders were as well, it was just horrible,' Ms Reilly added.

A group of men caught a shark late on Thursday night at Henley Beach in Adelaide and pulled it to the shoreline as concerned onlookers watched

The shark was later released back into the water.

South Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regions website states that recreational fishing for sharks is a popular activity in the state and that most fisheries use 'catch and release practices'.

Fishers are urged to follow appropriate gear and handling methods to guarantee the 'ethical and humane treatment' of the marine animals.

The Department's guidelines say a soft, knotless net should be used for landing if the shark is small, and they should not be left on a warm or dry surface.

It is also recommended that a soft wet cloth is placed over the animal's eyes to help keep it calm.

The Department further advises that a shark should be released immediately and preferably without being removed from the water.

The men tied the marine animal's tail with rope and took photos with the washed-up shark before they eventually freed it

RSPCA South Australia was made aware of the incident and told Daily Mail Australia that not all guidelines seemed to have been followed.

However, the animal organisation has no power to investigate the matter.

'RSPCA's view is that all animals must be treated humanely at all times,' the spokesperson said.

'From the limited information in the videos provided to RSPCA, it appears that these individuals are trying to do the right thing and return the shark to the water.'

'We don't know the context in which this shark came to be on the beach and we don't have the power under the Animal Welfare Act in South Australia to investigate because fish and crustaceans are not protected under the act.'

RSPCA added that excluding the animals from the legislation is a serious omission and it has campaigned for change as fish and crustaceans are included in the acts of other states.
When two police officers arrived at Nevres Kemals North London home less than a month ago to deliver the horrific news that her beautiful, bright, feisty daughter Azra had been raped after shed died  not once, not twice but three times  in a hospital morgue, she was consumed by a frightening rage.

Believing that her precious daughters monstrous abuser, whom she knew only as Dave, was being held at nearby Colindale police station, she took a knife from the kitchen and ran, shaking and crying, from the house to punish Dave.

The rage . . . she says now. My only thought was, He is not going to get away this. Id just been told hed raped her in hospital when she was dead. It was incomprehensible. I felt I had to take things into my own hands  find him, punish him. Im her mother.

When two police officers arrived at Nevres Kemals (pictured) North London home less than a month ago to deliver the horrific news that her beautiful, bright, feisty daughter Azra had been raped after shed died  not once, not twice but three times  in a hospital morgue, she was consumed by a frightening rage

Believing that her precious daughters (pictured) monstrous abuser, whom she knew only as Dave, was being held at nearby Colindale police station, she took a knife from the kitchen and ran, shaking and crying, from the house to punish Dave

Staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, where Fuller worked as a maintenance supervisor, would not allow her to visit her daughter

If Id found him, Im 99.99 per cent sure Id have put that knife straight through his heart because hed put a knife through mine. The thought of him violating her  of touching her hair, touching her skin . . .

But as I walked towards the police station, all hell broke loose. Police officers seemed to spring from everywhere. I was handcuffed and thrown to the floor by eight or nine of them.

The two officers who had come to the house had telephoned in and said I was running around with a knife. But the police who arrested me didnt know what had happened. I was crying: My daughter was raped in hospital and shes dead. They were looking at me, going, Does this woman need psychiatric help?

They read me my rights but I had this rage. I was shouting, What are you doing? I need to put an end to this. No one is violating my child. I am her mother. Im here because Im looking for Dave. He needs to be punished.

As it was, Nevres herself was thrown into a cell and kept there for 34 hours.

They kept me there that long because they thought maybe Id hurt myself, she says. They were also trying to get some family liaison officers there to tell me the exact details of what had happened to Azra.

When they knew what had happened to Azra they were softer to me. One officer in the custody area was crying as she took my fingerprints, photographs and DNA. She said, Its awful. We cant believe it. Weve never heard anything such as this. 

In fact, Dave  whom we now know is David Fuller, 67  was in Belmarsh Prison in South-East London, where he had been awaiting trial since his arrest in December last year.

In fact, Dave  whom we now know is David Fuller, 67  was in Belmarsh Prison in South-East London, where he had been awaiting trial since his arrest in December last year

This week, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in 1987 and admitted 44 charges in relation to necrophilia involving women and girls aged between nine and 100 in morgues in Sussex and Kent

This week, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in 1987 and admitted 44 charges in relation to necrophilia involving women and girls aged between nine and 100 in morgues in Sussex and Kent.

The true number of those he violated is believed to stretch into the hundreds, if not thousands.

Nevres, 57, is the only member of one of the victims families to speak out so far about the sickening 30-year crime spree that has shocked the country.

She is doing so because, she says: Azra was always loud and proud and passionate. This is what shed want. I understand there is a lot of shame and embarrassment around this. People think, Do I want my kid or relative to be remembered as someone who was raped or abused in a morgue?

But we need to come forward so the law changes. I understand the penalty for raping a corpse is two years. How can that be right in the 21st century?

Our legal system has to acknowledge that the dead have rights and the sentencing tariff has to be such as to let society know the law will respect the dead. Its their duty to do so.

The true number of those he violated is believed to stretch into the hundreds, if not thousands

Nevres, a social worker who was so appalled by what she witnessed while previously working for disgraced Haringey Council that she turned whistleblower, is a strong, passionate woman with a deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong.

Indeed, so horrified was she about Haringeys dire treatment of children in its care that in 2007 she wrote to ministers to warn of an imminent catastrophe. Six months later, Baby P was dead.

You sense that, since the death in July 2020 of her 24-year-old daughter, a law graduate from the London School of Economics, her crusading spirit is all that gets her out of bed in the morning.

Azra, who was conceived with the help of a sperm donor, was Nevress soulmate. Nevres wrote a letter that she put in her daughters coffin, in which I thanked her for all her craziness, all her stress, all her madness, but also for making me complete for however long she lived.

Azra died from the fatal injuries she sustained after falling from a bridge on the A21 in Kent after her car caught fire. She had phoned her mother in the early hours of that July morning to tell her about a row shed had with a friend, ending the call, I love you. Im on my way home.

That was it, says Nevres, who has never felt her daughters case was thoroughly investigated.

My heart had already been broken, she says. Once that happens youre beyond that. Theres nothing left to break. I sat there in the cell, thinking, I wish I hadnt given birth to Azra.

Ive been fighting for the last year to have her death properly investigated and here I am in a cell, and someone has raped her. After her 34 hours in custody, Nevres was taken to an interview room, where two family liaison officers told her the terrible details of her daughters abuse. They had to give a disclosure saying, What were about to tell you is going to be very distressing.

Nevres is in tears again. She tells me she rarely cries, particularly in front of strangers, but the tears have rarely stopped coming in the past three weeks.

They told me the dates, the times and where Azra was penetrated, she says.

She had been to visit Azras body for two hours on one of the days the assaults happened. I was kissing my daughters mouth and face where he had abused her  and touched her hair and touched her skin. He took her shroud off. How do you . . . that image . . . how?

The tears overwhelm her again. It is impossible to see her pain and not feel it, too. It is also impossible not to be truly sickened by what this monster has taken from her. She will not call him by his name. Instead she calls him Insignificant  but, of course, he is not.

When Azra died on July 16, 2020, Nevres was unable to see her daughter for five days because of the Covid restrictions.

When two officers told me Were sorry to inform you Azra passed, I ran out of the house screaming. That screech of pain is horrendous. I still hear it echo in my brain.

Ive heard that scream before because [as a social worker] Ive been around people who have lost children. Its a haunting scream that has no name.

When Azra died on July 16, 2020, Nevres was unable to see her daughter for five days because of the Covid restrictions

Staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, where Fuller worked as a maintenance supervisor, would not allow her to visit her daughter. Eventually, after appealing directly to a kind woman at the hospitals mortuary, she was allowed to see her for five minutes behind a glass screen. She went with four friends, including Azras godparents, and by the time they had reached the morgue, she had persuaded them to allow her to spend 20 minutes with her daughter.

When I walked in, Azra didnt look happy and at peace. I questioned the mortuary staff about that afterwards, she says.

She was lying with her head towards the window. Ive seen people whove passed and there is some angelic peacefulness about them but Azra didnt have that and that upset me.

Shed had her nails done that day and she was in a shroud and the top half of her hands were free. Her head was on the pillow. I was just kissing her hands and talking to her. Her father, who was a friend, was from Malta and Ireland. Im from Cyprus, so I used to call her my Island Girl.

I didnt even have the emotion to cry because there were no more tears. Youre looking at a body  my babys body. This is the reality now. I was talking to her in Turkish just about things and how much I loved her, but her hands were cold and lifeless so I started touching her hair. That seemed to be the most real part of her because it was still curly and it had a little bit of grass on it.

I spread her hair out on the pillow and lay behind her. As a child, her hair was everywhere and many times shed sleep with me. That was her favourite thing, sleeping with me and cuddling.

So I lay there looking down on her and she looked like she was in a deep sleep. I slept too and at that time, Azra was alive again to me. The staff let 20 minutes drift into two hours as Nevres held Azra.

I wouldnt describe it as a feeling of peace but Id had the opportunity to doze with her one more time and hold her. When I held her when she was born she slept in my arms and now she was gone I was holding her in my arms.

Azra was identified early in the police investigation as one of Fullers victims. When he was arrested for murder, officers discovered 14 million images of the women he had violated.

They learnt that he had scoured Azras Facebook, and her name was in a black book that was recovered from his office.

After his abuse he would relive it, says Nevres. The disgust is writ large across her face. Azra was identified fairly early on as a definite victim by her nails. Her face was in the videos. Her tattoo was in the videos. Hed recorded her name tag.

During that interview with family liaison officers I was calm. I wanted detail, I didnt want bull****. The emotional impact was something I took home with me  the screaming, the crying again, the walking, the silence, the disbelief. How can anyone be allowed to do that?

Nevres sought a meeting with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust chief executive Miles Scott. When she was told how many hundreds, if not thousands, of times Fuller had gained access with his pass to the mortuary, she said, Youve got to be joking.

I asked why there were no cameras. He said, Weve put them in now. I said why wasnt the fridge locked on one side. He said, It is now.

When I asked how Fuller got in, he said he used the swipe card and the face recognition to gain access.

The Insignificant had gone in and out of that mortuary thousands of times. I said, Surely theyd have been in a work log. He could have built a mortuary from the number of times he was going in and out. I found out there was no log.

The hospital and the trust had a duty of care as much for the dead as for the living. I said to Miles Scott: You need to resign. Youre sitting there very smug and smirking about how the Boards backing you. Im telling you how I feel as the mother of a victim whos been violated.

Its too easy to sit there and say Im sorry. He admitted to me he was responsible as head of the trust  so if hes responsible for allowing a monster to do what he did, why is he sitting there?

In a statement, Miles Scott said: I want to say on behalf of the Trust, how shocked and appalled I am by the criminal activity by David Fuller in our hospital mortuary that has been revealed in court this week. And most importantly, I want to apologise to the families of those who have been the victims of these terrible crimes.

My immediate priority is to ensure that the families of Fullers victims are given the time, space and privacy to come to terms with what they have learnt, and that they receive all the care and support they need.

Nevres went to court to see her late daughters abuser on the first day of the trial.

My first thought was, Hes only ten feet from me. I wanted to see his face in its entirety but he was wearing a mask. I looked at his hands and he had a wedding ring on. When he started to move his hands, I was thinking: Those are the hands that violated my child  the hands that have been imprinted on my daughters skin.

Azra was cremated and Im happy she was cremated because his vileness has been burnt away. Thats some sort of comfort.

Nevres also draws comfort from a paid internship programme in her daughters name that has been established with the support of the legal charity Centre for Womens Justice. The programme aims to address the under-representation of Black, Asian and minority women in the legal profession.

Such was Azras pride in her education and law degree, she was cremated in her graduation gown.

Azra was very passionate about law and women having opportunity, particularly minoritised women, Nevres says.

This will be Azras legacy and through it she will continue to live. Its important because she has to live for me to heal.

If you would like to support The Azra Kemal Legal Internship Programme and help to make it a lasting legacy, please visit crowdjustice.com/case/azra-kemal/

Now hundreds ask police: Were OUR relatives abused by this monster? Helpline is flooded by calls from devastated families over morgue predator David Fuller

More than 200 horrified relatives called police yesterday demanding to know if a double murderer defiled their loved ones bodies in hospital mortuaries.

A police helpline was flooded by calls from devastated families after it emerged that morgue predator David Fuller had sexually violated at least 100 corpses while working at two hospitals in one of Britains biggest healthcare scandals.

After Fuller, 67, dramatically confessed to murdering two women in 1987 midway through his trial on Thursday, police revealed the electrician could have assaulted the bodies of hundreds of women and girls over decades working for the NHS as an electrician.

More than 200 horrified relatives called police yesterday demanding to know if a double murderer defiled their loved ones bodies in hospital mortuaries

A police helpline was flooded by calls from devastated families after it emerged that morgue predator David Fuller had sexually violated at least 100 corpses while working at two hospitals in one of Britains biggest healthcare scandals

Yesterday his wife Mala, 50, spoke out for the first time, saying she had ended their marriage. She said: Im not with him. I couldnt carry on in that relationship.

'Im too upset to even think about what was going on, I couldnt live with it. You cant imagine how distraught I am.

It came as demands grew for a full public inquiry amid concerns by MPs and campaigners that attacks could have happened in other hospitals across the country.

Guidelines about protecting the dignity of the deceased mean the sensitive area of hospital mortuaries where post-mortem examinations take place are not routinely covered by CCTV.

The security loophole meant Fuller was able to carry out acts of unspeakable depravity on at least 100 victims, remaining undetected until he was arrested for two murders he had carried out 33 years earlier.

This week Fuller finally admitted the 1987 killings of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent  known as the Bedsit Murders  after a DNA breakthrough cracked one of Britains longest unsolved murder cases.

Fuller was part of a cycling club in the 1980s with one of the groups routes going directly past where Miss Pierces body was found.

Mala, his third wife, said she had moved out of the home she shared with him in Heathfield, East Sussex, for 20 years following his shock arrest in December.

She said: I could not stay in that house knowing what he did and what went on in there.

'I wanted to be alone and want to live my life alone. Yesterday the daughter of Fullers first wife, Gill Palmer, said she was numb with shock at the unbearable details.

Gemma Keena, 39  Miss Palmers daughter from a later relationship  told of the devastating effect on her mother and half-brother and half-sister.

They are in such shock, the details are unbearable. Id say they are numb, she said.

He isnt my father, I came along later. Its still an awful shock but its really dreadful for my brother, sister and my mum. They are trying to process what he did and that is so hard for them. Its so awful you dont even want to say it.

It was only when they went down to a pre-trial hearing that they learnt about what hed done in the hospitals.

Police say they will never know how many women and girls David Fuller (pictured) violated  but admit it could be hundreds more

The pervert kept a detailed diary of his sex assaults, printing photos and stashing thousands of digital images and videos at his home.

Detectives have established that he assaulted at least 100 deceased women after 2008 in the mortuaries of Kent and Sussex Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital  81 of whom have been identified from the records Fuller kept.

The oldest was 100 and his youngest victim was just nine. Police believe some bodies will never be identified because the images taken bear no identifying marks.

Officers have pored over 150,000 hours of hospital CCTV footage and swipe card data to track Fullers movements from 2019 onwards, narrowing down the time he could have entered the post-mortem room to commit the crimes.

But detectives believe there could be hundreds more victims, as there were 20 to 25 womens bodies stored in the mortuary at any one time.

Fuller worked as an electrician at the now closed Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells from 1989 to 2010, before he moved to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury.

The burglar, with convictions dating back to the 1970s, managed to dodge criminal record checks when he was first employed by the hospital as disclosure at that time was the responsibility of the employee.

Brought to justice: The moment corpse defiler and murderer Fuller arrived at the police station more than 30 years after murdering two women

But yesterday it emerged that Mitie, the company which provides facilities staff for the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, learnt of his criminal record in 2015.

Despite this, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust insisted last night it was not informed.

Yesterday local Tory MP Greg Clark demanded a full public inquiry and said a lack of CCTV meant there was no way of knowing if abuse had also happened in other NHS hospital mortuaries.

An independent review at the trust where Fuller worked is under way, but MPs are calling for a wider national review. Mr Clark said: The questions that are raised include local ones about how this was allowed to happen.

'But there are also national ones as to whether national policy was good enough, was stringent enough, and whether it could have happened in other hospitals across the country.

He said the lack of CCTV in post-mortem rooms was a concern, adding: We do not know how many people Fuller assaulted and how many people there are like Fuller across the country. We need to work on the assumption that there may be others and we need to protect people from being preyed on.

A spokesman for the Centre for Womens Justice said: A proper inquiry must now take place to explore how Fuller was able to continue perpetrating these appalling acts over such a long period of time.

Responding to calls for an inquiry, a spokesman for Boris Johnson said: Were not ruling it out, but we need to let the investigations that are already under way take place.

A Kent Police spokesman said: Kent Police has set up a contact centre and major incident public portal for people who may feel they may have information about the ongoing investigation into David Fuller.
Allies of Boris Johnson last night told him to sort out the shambles in No 10 as backbenchers warned his authority has been truly shattered.

Senior Conservatives urged the Prime Minister to conduct a major overhaul of his top team in the wake of his botched handling of the Owen Paterson sleaze row.

Lord Moylan, an adviser to Mr Johnson during his time as London mayor, said the Prime Minister was being let down badly by both his ministers and inner circle in Downing Street.

Theres no escaping the fact that the No 10 operation is a shambles, worst for decades, said the Tory peer.

It needs a thorough clear out, with new people who both share the PMs ambitions for the UK and can think out consequences of what they do.

He added: As for the Cabinet, there are lots of capable people at different levels in the Government but we dont see them and instead continue with a Cabinet that, at best, fails to inspire and, at worst, fails to deliver.

Boris Johnson deserves better. [It is] not too late for him to act on this.

This comes as:

Boris Johnson is seen as leading the most corrupt government in 40 years

Tory MPs are deeply split over the handling of the Owen Paterson affair

Many newer MPs in Northern Wall seats are angry over being whipped to support Paterson because of the impact it has on their re-election chances

The PM has vowed not to reveal the cost of his luxury holiday in Ben Goldsmith's 25,000-a-night luxury villa

Ministers have admitted making mistakes over supporting Paterson

The warning came as Tory MPs vented their fury at being ordered to vote to tear up the Commons disciplinary system to stop Mr Paterson from being suspended for 30 days, only for the Government to perform a spectacular U-turn the next day.

Backbenchers said it would be impossible for the party whips to assert their authority when there are difficult votes in future.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council and Chief Whip Mark Spencer are blamed for their 'disastrous strategy'

Boris Johnson holidaying in Benahavis, Spain. Lord Moylan, an adviser to Mr Johnson during his time as London mayor, said the Prime Minister was being let down badly by both his ministers and inner circle in Downing Street

The power of a three line whip is well and truly shattered, one said. There is a huge disconnect between the Downing Street team and the parliamentary party.

Another said the knives are out for Chief Whip Mark Spencer and Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, who are blamed for the disastrous strategy.

Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi yesterday conceded the Government made a mistake in its attempt to protect Mr Paterson.

The Education Secretary said it should not have been combined with a wider move to overhaul the Commons standards regime.

The Prime Minister has always been very clear that paid lobbying is not allowed, he told Sky News. The mistake is the conflation of creating a fairer system with the right of appeal for Parliamentarians to be able to put forward an appeal process.

Conflating that with the particular case of Owen Paterson was a mistake... upon reflection yes it was a mistake.

Sir David Lidington, former leader of the House of Commons, said the row had damaged politicians reputations.

Boris Johnson went on a foreign holiday for the first time in nearly two years, jetting off to Marbella with his pregnant wife Carrie and their son Wilf, pictured is their private villa on the Costa sel Sol

Clearly there was a pretty appalling set of misjudgments involved, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

The reputation of the House of Commons as an institution and MPs of all parties will have been damaged by the events of the last 24 hours.

The former Conservative MP also said the affair has weakened the Government, making it harder for Mr Johnson to win support from backbench MPs on potentially unpopular measures in future.

If you ask your troops to march through the lobby on something like this  which they dont think is right  and then you U-turn on it, its going to be more difficult next time around, he said.

Lord Barwell, who was Theresa Mays chief-of-staff, said the decision to whip MPs to vote for Mr Paterson to be spared punishment was a terrible mistake.

He told LBC Radio: The Prime Minister... will have significantly dented his reputation with Conservative MPs who will be livid that they were whipped to vote for something, took a huge amount of flak understandably from their constituents, and then saw a U-turn in less than 24 hours.

Boris Johnson's allies have urged the Prime Minister to conduct a major overhaul of his top team in the wake of his botched handling of the Owen Paterson sleaze row

It remains to be seen how much damage is done to the standing of the Conservative Party with the general public.

Chris Bryant, the Labour chairman of the Commons standards committee, last night called on Mr Rees-Mogg to quit.

I personally think the Leader of the Houses position has become untenable. He has created a crisis for Parliament by standing out and talking for 45 minutes in favour of a motion that was the direct, polar opposite of the rule of law, Mr Bryant told the i paper.

He also revealed that Kathryn Stone, the independent standards commissioner, has been given additional security as a result of an orchestrated smear campaign against her.

Number 10 confirmed yesterday that the Johnsons' October stay at the Marbella home of Lord Goldsmith would not be placed on the register of MPs' financial interests, which would require him to say how much it was worth.

The move to keep secret the value of the visit to the Torre Tramores estate, which had a rental value of 25,000 per night, is the Prime Minister's latest confrontation with political transparency watchdogs.

Last night it was revealed he is is facing the threat of a new probe into the opulent revamp of his Downing Street flat by the Commons Standards Commissioner he has attempted to undermine.

As a result of the questions of impropriety, Boris Johnson is leading the sleaziest government in more than 40 years of British politics and is considered more than twice as sleazy as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, according to a Daily Mail poll.

In the week that the Owen Paterson scandal led to accusations of a return to Tory corruption, voters believe MPs should be ordered to give up lucrative second jobs outside Parliament  with claims of wrong-doing investigated by a High Court judge, not politicians themselves, the survey found.

But even amid widespread criticism of his bungled handling of an attempt to ditch the parliamentary standards system, the Prime Minister is still ahead of Sir Keir in the personal ratings war.

Clean up your act, Boris! As Owen Paterson corruption row rages, voters say this government is mired in worst sleaze for decades

Boris Johnson is leading the sleaziest government in more than 40 years of British politics and is considered more than twice as sleazy as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, according to a Daily Mail poll.

In the week that the Owen Paterson scandal led to accusations of a return to Tory corruption, voters believe MPs should be ordered to give up lucrative second jobs outside Parliament  with claims of wrong-doing investigated by a High Court judge, not politicians themselves, the survey found.

But even amid widespread criticism of his bungled handling of an attempt to ditch the parliamentary standards system, the Prime Minister is still ahead of Sir Keir in the personal ratings war.

The poll was carried out during an extraordinary week in Westminster, which ended with former Cabinet minister Mr Paterson resigning as an MP  and senior Tories seriously questioning the judgment of Mr Johnson, who had backed him.

The Owen Paterson scandal led to accusations of a return to Tory corruption, voters believe MPs should be ordered to give up lucrative second jobs outside Parliament, the Daily Mail poll revealed

Mr Paterson had previously been found guilty of breaking Commons rules by lobbying for two firms that paid him 500,000, and was facing a 30-day suspension from the Commons as punishment.

In an attempt to let Mr Paterson off the hook, the Government backed and won a vote on plans to tear up Parliaments anti-sleaze rules on Wednesday.

But the next morning, the Government was forced into a humiliating U-turn in the face a public outcry and anger among Tories, who had been forced to back the amendment.

With Mr Johnsons support effectively withdrawn, Mr Paterson quit what he described as the cruel world of politics on Thursday.

The JL Partners poll for the Mail shows that nearly one in three (31 per cent) believe Mr Johnsons administration is the worst behaved in terms of corruption, dating back to Margaret Thatchers government in 1979.

A total of 22 per cent say Tony Blairs government was sleazy, with 9 per cent of voters awarding the same badge of shame to David Camerons administration.

In todays Mail poll, 69 per cent of voters say the Prime Minister was wrong to order Tory MPs to vote in favour of letting Mr Paterson off

By contrast, the governments of former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown and ex-Conservative PM Theresa May are seen as sleazy by only 2 per cent of voters.

A total of 53 per cent say Mr Johnson is sleazy, but only 20 per cent place Sir Keir in the same category.

Similarly, nearly half (46 per cent) say the Conservative Party as a whole is sleazy, but only 17 per cent would apply the description to Labour.

A separate poll showed the Tories five-point lead over Labour a week ago has narrowed to just one point.

In todays Mail poll, 69 per cent of voters say the Prime Minister was wrong to order Tory MPs to vote in favour of letting Mr Paterson off.

A total of 71 per cent say he should return the 500,000 he earned from his two second jobs.

More than six in ten (61 per cent) say all MPs should be banned from having second jobs and 81 per cent say an independent body led by a High Court judge should take over the task of dealing with corruption claims against them.

Asked if Mr Paterson had been right to claim that the inquiry into his behaviour contributed to the suicide of his wife, Rose, last year, 33 per cent say he was wrong to have done so; 15 per cent backed his decision.

A stark warning this week by former MI5 chief Lord Evans, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, that Britain could slip into becoming a corrupt country struck a chord with the public.

A total of 53 per cent say Mr Johnson is sleazy, but only 20 per cent place Sir Keir in the same category

A total of 57 per cent agree and 18 per cent disagree.

But Sir Keir and Labour appear to have gained little from accusing Mr Johnson of leading his Tory troops through the sewer in a doomed bid to save Mr Paterson.

Asked who is the better leader, 41 per cent choose Mr Johnson; 27 per cent choose Sir Keir.

The Conservatives are also seen as more competent than Labour, which is still seen as far more divided party.

James Johnson, of JL Partners, said: People who have heard about the Paterson scandal are outraged by it, and are scathing about the way the Conservatives tried to scrap the system of dealing with complaints against MPs.

In the publics eyes, this was merely to protect one of their own. He continued: The public  angry about this attempt to weaken Parliamentary scrutiny  want the system made much tougher.

The pollster added: So far, however, this episode has not been as damaging as [former senior No 10 aide] Dominic Cummings flouting Covid lockdown rules with his infamous trip to Barnard Castle  which felt much more personally insulting to voters.

A total of 1,021 adults took part in the online survey in Britain on Wednesday.

Boris vs the sleaze watchdogs: Now PM REFUSES to tell Commons regulator how much his Marbella freebie holiday was worth ... as he ALSO faces new 'wallpapergate' probe after botched attempt to block MP's lobbying punishment

Boris Johnson is facing mounting sleaze fury today after refusing to reveal the value of a free family holiday he was given at the lavish Spanish estate of one of his richest ministers.

Downing Street confirmed this morning that the Johnsons' October stay at the Marbella home of Lord Goldsmith would not be placed on the register of MPs' financial interests, which would require him to say how much it was worth.

Does Boris Johnson have to declare the cost of his holiday? Boris Johnson might have been burned by his abortive bid to save ally Owen Paterson from lobbying punishment - but he still seems to have the appetite for a battle over other Commons rules. The PM has declared his recent holiday to a luxury villa near Marbella, offered free of charge by the Goldsmith family, solely on the register of ministerial interests. That would seem at odds with his own previous decision to list a 2019 trip to Mustique with now-wife Carrie, where again the accommodation was donated for free, on the Commons register. Downing Street insists that the difference is Lord Goldsmith is a minister, and so the ministerial register is the appropriate place. They argue that it was an 'arrangement in his ministerial capacity, given this was hospitality provided by another minister'. However, the ministerial register is not typically used for listing this kind of interest. Instead it typically features general interests such as the fact that RAF Brize Norton is in Mr Johnson's constituency, and that he is a patron of the Anglo Turkish Society. Conveniently, there is no specific format for declarations on the ministerial register. That means Mr Johnson has not given any estimate for the value of the gift from the Goldsmith family - something he would need to do on the Commons version. No10 was unclear tonight whether it would have felt obliged to list the freebie with parliament if Lord Goldsmith was not a minister. As other members of the Goldsmith family appear to have a stake in the Marbella property, the Commons standards commissioner might consider that they have also made a gift to the PM. Historically premiers have listed similar jaunts on the Commons register. Tony Blair gave details of his stays at Cliff Richard's Barbados villa, saying he had made charitable donations to offset the benefit. Separately, No10 also seems to be relying on a passage in the Commons rules that gifts need not be declared unless they relate to a politician's 'membership of the House or to their parliamentary or political activities'. They pointed to a section of the code which states that MPs do not need to register 'visits wholly unconnected with membership of the House or with the Member's parliamentary or political activities (e.g. family holidays)'. However, if the trip was considered a declarable ministerial interest Mr Johnson might struggle to argue that it was wholly unconnected to political activities. Advertisement

The move to keep secret the value of the visit to the Torre Tramores estate, which had a rental value of 25,000 per night, is the Prime Minister's latest confrontation with political transparency watchdogs.

Last night it was revealed he is is facing the threat of a new probe into the opulent revamp of his Downing Street flat by the Commons Standards Commissioner he has attempted to undermine.

The Daily Mail understands that the commissioner will make a decision on whether to launch an inquiry into the funding of the refurbishment as soon as a separate probe being conducted by the Electoral Commission has been completed.

The Prime Minister was forced last night to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on Kathryn Stone.

Cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday suggested the parliamentary standards commissioner's role was untenable in the wake of the row over Owen Paterson.

But she appears to be on firm ground after Mr Johnson's U-turn led to Mr Paterson's resignation as an MP and widespread fury among his backbenchers.

Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points.

The party is now just one point ahead of Labour, after dropping from 39 per cent to 36 per cent in a week, while Keir Starmer has seen a boost to 35 per cent, according to the survey in The Times.

The latest brazen behaviour by Mr Johnson could also fuel an escalating spat with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle over ministers failing to show respect for Parliament.

Sir Lindsay has repeatedly rebuked the government for making announcements in press conferences and interviews instead of coming to the Commons.

In the latest spat yesterday, the Speaker tore into Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for suggesting that standards commissioner Kathryn Hudson should resign.

When registering the stay in the less exacting Register of Ministerial Interests the PM said it was owned by 'the Goldsmiths'.

And his entry in the Lords' register of members interest Lord Goldsmith himself mentions 'land in Andalucia owned by a family trust of which the member is a beneficiary'.

One Commons source told MailOnline that if the villa was owned by the Goldsmith family it could not be treated solely as a gift from Lord Goldsmith - which could torpedo No10's arguments against putting it on the MP register.

'It's the arrogance now,' another Westminster source said. 'Things like this will bring them down. They are spending credit at such a rate. It is absurd.'

Downing Street today claimed that because the Johnsons' holiday in Spain last month was provided by a minister it falls outside the remit of the House of Commons financial probity watchdog.

The holiday was yesterday revealed on the ministerial register of interests as having provided free of charge by Goldsmith, a former MP and friend of Carrie Johnson who was handed a peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his Commons seat in 2019.

The Prime Minister quietly revealed in the latest list of ministerial interests that Lord Goldsmith allowed him, Carrie and Wilfred to stay at his 25,000-per-night estate near Marbella without payment.

A No 10 spokesman today said the holiday provided by 'a longstanding friend' of the PM had been registered correctly.

In the latest register, released yesterday, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths. 'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

Goldsmith is the former MP for Richmond Park - a close friend of the PM's wife - who was elevated to the peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his seat at the 2019 election.

The move allowed the 46-year-old (pictured at Cop26 this week with the Prince of Wales) to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment.

Paterson drops scandal-linked 100,000 consultancy work after quitting Parliament Owen Paterson has dropped the consultancy work that led to the end of his political career after quitting the Commons, he revealed today. The former North Shropshire MP confirmed he was dropping all business interests including work for Randox and Lynn's Country Foods, who between them paid him more than 100,000 per year. It was lobbying efforts on their behalf which led to censure from parliament's standards watchdog and this week's astonishing events which culminated in his downfall. In a tweet today he said he would be 'stepping aside' from his consultancy work following his resignation from the Commons. 'Thank you to the many people who have sent their kind wishes to me and my family this week,' he wrote. 'At this difficult time, I will be stepping aside from my current consultancy work to focus on my family and suicide prevention.' Mr Paterson officially resigned his seat today by being appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. There is no official process for an MP to stand down from the Commons and the Parliament website says that 'unless they die or are expelled they must become disqualified if they wish to retire before the end of a Parliament'. However they can be made ineligible to be an MP under law by taking one of two offices of profit under the Crown - Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds, or Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. The unpaid roles have no responsibilities but the process allows MPs to resign within the law. Advertisement

But an entry on the separate MPs register would require revealing how much the benefit in kind was worth. The Torre Tramores estate, where Mr Johnson, Carrie and their son Wilfred stayed, is available for private rent at a cost of 25,000 per night for a secluded retreat with its own private helipad.

A No 10 spokesman today said the holiday provided by 'a longstanding friend' had been registered correctly.

'The Prime Minister's met the transparency requirements in relation to this, he declared this arrangement in his ministerial capacity, given this was hospitality provided by another minister,' he said.

However, the ministerial code entry says the property was provided by 'the Goldsmiths', not just the minister.

He added that the PM has written to the House of Commons registrar 'to set out' the arrangement. He did not clarify when asked whether the registrar had replied to Mr Johnson's letter, but added: 'As I say, ministerial code declarations fall outside the remit of the House of Commons registrar and Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.'

Labour has demanded a probe into the holiday by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. In a letter last night deputy leader Angela Rayner said: 'Lord Goldsmith was given a peerage and a ministerial job by Mr Johnson. The public could understandably draw the conclusion in this case that the Prime Minister is dishing out cushy jobs to his friends who pay for his luxury holidays.

'We cannot have a situation where Boris Johnson behaves like it's one rule for him and another for everyone else. I would be grateful for your guidance on whether this is a breach of the rules, and whether you will investigate the Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.'

Downing Street has justified its decision by pointing to a section in the Code of Conduct for MPs regarding trips abroad which says that among those that do not need to be declared are 'visits wholly unconnected with membership of the House or with the Member's parliamentary or political activities (e.g. family holidays)'.

The spokesman added that the PM's ministerial standards adviser Lord Geidt had scrutinised the declaration as part of the process.

Asked why the PM's Marbella holiday did not need to be declared on the register of members' interests, the spokesman replied: 'The ministerial code declarations fall outside the remit of the House of Commons register.'

Goldsmith is the former MP for Richmond Park who was elevated to the peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his seat to the Liberal Democrats.

The move allowed the 46-year-old to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment having been given an additional role in a 2020 reshuffle.

The stay at the Torre Tramores in early October sparked fury as Mr Johnson left the UK amid a gas price crisis that struck businesses.

Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points

Boris Johnson could face a THIRD probe over 'Wallpapergate' Boris Johnson is facing the threat of a new probe into the lavish revamp of his Downing Street flat. Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone is set to make a decision on whether to launch an inquiry into the funding of the refurbishment as soon as a separate probe being conducted by the Electoral Commission has been completed. The Commission has handed over its initial findings to Tory party chiefs who now have an opportunity to respond before it is published. Tory donor Lord Brownlow paid an invoice to cover some of the costs for the works, effectively giving Mr Johnson a loan, before the PM eventually settled the bill himself. However, this was not declared until after the Daily Mail published a string of exposes. Eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle was hired to transform the flat with gold wallpaper costing as much as 840 a roll. Lord Geidt, the ministerial standards adviser, earlier this year found Mr Johnson did not breach the ministerial code but acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded'. The Electoral Commission is carrying out a separate investigation into whether donations to the party were properly declared. Advertisement

In the latest register, released yesterday, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths.

'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

But the Liberal Democrat's Wendy Chamberlain said: 'Boris Johnson and the Tories have shown this week they don't have a shred of integrity left.

'The Independent Standards Commissioner should urgently launch an investigation into whether Boris Johnson breached the code of conduct by failing to properly declare his holiday.

'The Tories have shown they can't be trusted to mark their own homework on this issue. They are now the party of sleaze.'

The position adopted by Mr Johnson comes after he registered his previous controversial holiday with the Commons authorities.

Kathryn Stone, the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, castigated the Prime Minister in the summer over a lavish 15,000 Caribbean holiday in 2019 funded by Tory donors.

But he was saved from punishment - which could have included being the first serving premier to be suspended from the Commons, by MPs who overturned her ruling.

The cross-party Standards Committee found the PM had made an 'accurate and complete' declaration about the holiday in December 2019, saying it was a donation from Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross even though the couple did not stay in his villa.

The committee - chaired by Labour MP Chris Bryant - over-ruled Ms Stone after she concluded that Mr Johnson did breach the Code of Conduct for MPs during a 15-month wrangle after initially failing to provide a full explanation, slamming him for 'not showing the accountability required of those in public life'.

The report also suggested that the premier himself did not know exactly how the jaunt was being funded until after he arrived on Mustique and realised he was not staying in Mr Ross's own property.

Boris Johnson, pictured here with his wife Carrie during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall in June, is facing a new sleaze probe into his affairs, this time in relation to the controversial refurbishment of his Downing Street flat

Boris Johnson commissioned eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle whose gold wallpaper can cost as much as 840 a roll. Tory donor Lord Brownlow initially paid an invoice to over some of the costs before the BP settled the bill himself

Tory poll lead plunges FIVE POINTS in the wake of Owen Paterson shambles Boris Johnson is struggling to contain mounting fury on Tory benches today as a poll laid bare the damage inflicted by his bungled effort to save ally Owen Paterson from punishment for lobbying. Research by YouGov carried out in the wake of the dramatic Commons vote to suspend the standards system showed the Tory poll lead plunging by five points. The party is now just one point ahead of Labour, after dropping from 39 per cent to 36 per cent in a week, while Keir Starmer has seen a boost to 35 per cent, according to the survey in The Times. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms. Meanwhile, a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the meltdown - which culminated last night when Mr Paterson resigned from the Commons after the PM cut him loose. His exit was made official this morning when he was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead - the traditional way for MPs to quit the House. Advertisement

Meanwhile the Electoral Commission has handed over its initial findings on wallpapergate to Tory party chiefs who now have an opportunity to respond.

Tory donor Lord Brownlow paid an invoice to cover some of the costs for the works, effectively giving Mr Johnson a loan, before the PM eventually settled the bill himself. However, this was not declared until after the Mail published a string of exposes. Eco-friendly interior designer Lulu Lytle was hired to transform the flat with gold wallpaper costing as much as 840 a roll.

Lord Geidt, the ministerial standards adviser, earlier this year found Mr Johnson did not breach the ministerial code but acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded'.

The Electoral Commission is carrying out a separate investigation into whether donations to the party were properly declared.

An inquiry by Miss Stone would be the third probe into the matter if she goes ahead. Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner requested in June that she investigate. Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson's former chief aide, yesterday claimed in a tweet that the Government's bid to change the standards process to spare Mr Paterson from being punished was actually 'a pre-emptive strike by [the] PM on [the] EC (Electoral Commission) and [Miss] Stone'.

But No 10 denied the planned overhaul had been designed to protect Mr Johnson's own interests.

Meanwhile, a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the Owen Paterson standards meltdown - which culminated last night when Mr Paterson resigned from the Commons after the PM cut him loose.

His exit was made official this morning when he was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead - the traditional way for MPs to quit the House.

As well as a wave of anger about Mr Johnson's lack of judgment, many Tories have been pointing the finger at chief whip Mark Spencer, saying he should have realised that the tactic would not 'fly'. One MP told MailOnline that Mr Spencer had not done his job properly.

Tory Chief Whip Mark Spencer (R) is also under fire, with some Tories saying he should resign over the debacle concerning Owen Paterson

'If the PM was told about the extent of disatisfaction then he wouldn't have pushed it,' they said. 'You could tell there was a problem because the whips were literally running around the Commons.'

The premier is said to be 'p****d off' that the crisis has distracted from the progress being made on climate change at the Cop26 conference in Glasgow. Senior MPs said he was also 'livid' about triumphalist interviews by Mr Paterson in which he claimed he would not change anything about his past behaviour.

No10 has been forced to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on commissioner Kathryn Stone - with whom Mr Johnson has clashed repeatedly.

He is still under the threat of inquiry by the watchdog into the funding of his Downing Street flat refurbishment, with a decision due to be taken on whether to go ahead once a separate Electoral Commission investigation.

No10, however, was quick to reject suggestions that the case was linked to attempts to reform the rules over the last few days.

Opposition parties pass on chance to field 'anti-sleaze' candidate against Tories in North Shropshire No single 'anti-sleaze' candidate will be fielded to challenge the Tories to replace Owen Paterson after Labour and the Lib Dems confirmed they would fight the by-election. Casual communications between the opposition parties to field a unity candidate in North Shropshire had taken place, but the move was not considered viable and both parties said on Friday they would fight for the seat. It has been vacated by the former Cabinet minister's resignation following a 24-hour debacle during which Boris Johnson humiliatingly U-turned after attempting to overhaul the disciplinary process to save him from suspension. Mr Paterson, a long-standing friend of the Prime Minister, had been found to have breached Commons rules by lobbying officials and ministers for two companies paying him more than 100,000 a year. The rural constituency is considered ultra-safe for the Tories, with Mr Paterson having held it since 1997, but allegations of sleaze aimed at the Conservatives under the current leadership will likely feature strongly in the contest. A date is yet to be set for the by-election in North Shropshire, where Mr Paterson won 63 per cent of the vote in 2019, beating Labour by nearly 23,000 votes, with the Lib Dems coming a distant third. Advertisement

Vicious blame game erupts after Boris's sleaze U-turn fiasco: Livid Tories target 'out of his depth' chief whip Mark Spencer - but allies insist he had 'total support and approval' from PM who flew back from COP hours before vote

Livid Tories today hammered chief whip Mark Spencer over the Commons sleaze shambles branding him 'out of his depth' and warning his credibility is 'below junk bond status'.

Mr Spencer is facing the wrath of many MPs over the bungled bid to save Owen Paterson from punishment over lobbying, which culminated in an humiliating U-turn and the ex-minister resigning from parliament.

The meltdown is said to have left some MPs in marginal Red Wall seats 'in tears' as they were hit with a barrage of abuse on social media and in their postbags.

However, allies of Mr Spencer have hit back by pointing the finger at Mr Johnson - saying the chief would not have acted without 'total support and approval' from No10.

The backlash has intensified after a poll suggested the Tories have suffered huge damage from the debacle, with their poll lead plunging by five points in a week.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms.

But a blame game is in full swing over who was responsible for the meltdown. As well as a wave of anger about Mr Johnson's lack of judgment - with criticism that took his eye off the ball amid the COP26 summit - Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg and Mr Spencer are taking flak.

One former minister told MailOnline that Mr Spencer had not done his job properly. 'If the PM was told about the extent of dissatisfaction then he wouldn't have pushed it,' they said. 'You could tell there was a problem because the whips were literally running around the Commons.'

Another Conservative MP said Mr Spencer is a 'very nice guy' but 'out of his depth'. 'The Cabinet is full of nodding yes men,' they raged. 'We have a chief whip who doesn't communicate anything back to No10 that he doesn't think No10 wants to hear.

'There's a mindset of we've got an 80-strong majority, we can do whatever the hell we like.

'I had two marginal male MPs from Red Wall seats in tears looking at their social media feed, looking at their emails coming in after the vote, going 'what the hell have we done?'.'

The MP insisted that his colleagues were determined not to be 'sh** on' again and would simply ignore stupid demands from the leadership.

'The chat on the WhatsApp groups is that the whips can stick their whipping up their a***. It's now every man for himself,' they said.

The premier is said to be 'p****d off' that the crisis has distracted from the progress being made on climate change at the Cop26 conference in Glasgow. Senior MPs said he was also 'livid' about triumphalist interviews by Mr Paterson in which he claimed he would not change anything about his past behaviour.

Mr Johnson's media advisers are thought to have warned that the tactics were high-risk, but those pushing the political benefits of shoring up Mr Paterson and reforming the standards regime won the internal argument.

No10 has been forced to deny claims that his botched effort to overhaul the standards process had been a 'pre-emptive' strike on commissioner Kathryn Stone - with whom Mr Johnson has clashed repeatedly.

He is still under the threat of inquiry by the watchdog into the funding of his Downing Street flat refurbishment, with a decision due to be taken on whether to go ahead once a separate Electoral Commission investigation.

No10, however, was quick to reject suggestions that the case was linked to attempts to reform the rules over the last few days.

Mr Johnson (left) first ordered Tory MPs to ram through plans to tear up Parliament's anti-sleaze rules to save Mr Paterson (right), before abandoning the idea in the face of a public outcry.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi tried to cool the growing backlash among MPs this morning, admitting that the government 'made a mistake' in retrospectively tying Mr Paterson's case to wider reforms

What happens next after Boris Johnson's humiliating U-turn on standards shake-up? Tory MPs won a vote on Wednesday to block the suspension of Owen Paterson and to overhaul the House of Commons' standards system. But the Government has now announced a U-turn following a ferocious backlash. What has the Government U-turned on and what will happen next? The Government performed a U-turn on its decision to block the 30-day suspension of Tory MP Owen Paterson from the House of Commons after he was found to have breached lobbying rules. They initially insisted that was part of wider reform of the standards system, with a committee being created to draw up new rules. But that idea was humiliatingly dropped after Opposition parties boycotted it and the scale and anger became clear. A new vote on suspending Mr Paterson was due to be brought forward by the Government in the coming weeks. But his resignation from the Commons last night means that is no longer needed. Meanwhile, the handling of the row has inflamed tensions with opposition parties which means the floated 'cross-party discussions' may struggle to get off the ground. What did MPs vote for on Wednesday? Allies of Mr Paterson tabled an amendment to block his suspension from the House of Commons. The amendment was passed by 250 votes to 232 after Mr Johnson instructed Tory MPs to vote for it. The amendment proposed creating a new committee with a Tory majority to review the case of Mr Paterson and to make recommendations on the overhaul of the current standards process. How would the amendment have changed the standards rules? The new committee would have been tasked with looking at whether the standards system should give MPs 'the same or similar rights as apply to those subject to investigations of alleged misconduct in other workplaces and professions'. That would include looking at things like the right to representation, examination of witnesses and the right of appeal. Who was Mr Paterson working for? Mr Paterson became a consultant to clinical diagnostics firm Randox - which sponsors the Grand National horse race - in August 2015, a year after he left Government after serving as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Environment under David Cameron. He has carried out a similar role for Lynn's Country Foods, a processor and distributor of meat products including 'nitrite-free' items, since December 2016. Both firms are based in Northern Ireland and between them paid him more than 112,000 a year on top of his 80,000 annual MP salary. What is Mr Paterson said to have done? Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone found that he breached paragraph 11 of the 2015 MPs' Code of Conduct that prohibits 'paid advocacy' - when he made three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and testing for antibiotics in milk in November 2016 and November 2017 Emails to the FSA read like marketing pitched on behalf of the firm, mentioning 'Randox's superior technology' in helping identify problems. He went on to suggest that 'once established the application of the technology could be discussed not just within the FSA but across the whole dairy industry,' something from which the company stood to make large sums of money. The hardline Brexiteer broke the same rules by making seven approaches to the FSA for Lynn's Country Foods in November 2017, January 2018 and July 2018 regarding a rival 'global food producer (who) was acting in breach of EU law by mislabelling a product'. And the same rules were breached in October 2016 and January 2017 when he made four approaches to ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology. Ms Stone also found that Mr Paterson had breached paragraph 13 of the 2015 MPs' Code of Conduct, on declarations of interest, by failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn's Country Foods in four emails to officials at the FSA on 16 November 2016, 15 November 2017, 8 January 2018 and 17 January 2018. Lastly, she found that Mr Paterson breached paragraph 15 of the 2015 MP's Code of Conduct, on use of parliamentary facilities, by using his Westminster office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his paying clients between October 2016 and February 2020; and in sending two letters, on 13 October 2016 and 16 January 2017, relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper. What punishment was recommended by the Commons Committee on Standards? After receiving Ms Stone's report the Commons Committee on Standards, made up of a cross-party group of MPs, recommended Mr Paterson serve a 30-day suspension that could trigger a recall petition in his seat. What does Mr Paterson say? Mr Paterson continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying he was acting on genuine concerns for public safety. Ahead of the release of the investigation last week he made an astonishing attack on Ms Stone, claiming her 'cruel' probe in to his activities contributed to the death of his wife, Rose, who took her own life last year. The 65-year-old North Shropshire MP believes the investigation against him was 'biased' and 'an absolute denial of justice'. Why do Mr Paterson's supporters think he has been wronged? Allies of Mr Paterson claim the standards investigation was 'so amateurish it failed to interview witnesses'. They claim that he had 17 witnesses ready to give oral evidence on his behalf but complained they were never called. The Standards Committee however, pointed out that each of the 17 had supplied it with comprehensive written statements and 'did not see what further 'relevant information could usefully be gleaned by inviting oral evidence from the witnesses concerned'. Supporters believe the current standards system is flawed and must be overhauled to give MPs the ability to appeal. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said MPs currently have 'no effective right of appeal' because 'this is a standards system where one person is chief investigator and prosecutor combined'. Tory MPs want to replace the current standards system with a quasi-judicial process and a 'proper' appeal system. Advertisement

In a round of interviews, Mr Zahawi said creating a system of appeal for suspended MPs should not have been conflated with the Paterson case.

He told Sky News: 'The Prime Minister has always been very clear that paid lobbying is not allowed.

'The mistake is the conflation of creating a fairer system with the right of appeal for Parliamentarians to be able to put forward an appeal process.

'Conflating that with the particular case of Owen Paterson was a mistake and I think the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, came to the House yesterday, upon reflection yes it was a mistake, and I think it was right to come back very quickly to the House and say we need to separate these things out.

'We should work on a cross-party basis to create a fairer system, I think that's a good thing.

'And my appeal to my fellow Parliamentarians from all parties is: let's come together and create a better system with a right of appeal.'

He told BBC Radio 4 that the shambles should not cast doubt on the Mr Johnson's judgment.

'I think actually it says that the Prime Minister, when wanting to be following a process that makes the system fairer wanted to do that,' he said.

'That is absolutely not true, and Kathryn Stone and her duties are the responsibility of the House of Commons, and the Speaker of the House.

'And I think the important thing to remember is that Parliament as the legislative chamber of our country has absolutely the right to look at and improve the system'

Mr Zahawi said the issue of the No11 flat had been looked at by Mr Johnson's own ministerial standards adviser Lord Geidt 'and the Prime Minister was found not to have broken any ministerial code'.

'I think it was looked at by Lord Geidt, it's a ministerial declaration and I think that's the correct way of doing this. We have very good robust processes, we always want to improve them, but I think that's the correct way of doing it,' he said.

Extraordinarily, Mr Zahawi admitted he had not read the standards report on Mr Paterson before the vote.

'I actually haven't read the report,' he said.

Asked how he could have voted on the issue when he had not read the report, he said: 'I've looked at the report, I haven't gone into the detail.

'Owen says that much of it is contested, right? I think something like 14 people have sent statements (saying) that it's contested.'

Later, on Times Radio, he added: 'So, my understanding is that there was something like 14 statements that have gone in that dispute, some of the evidence in the report, I haven't read those statements.'

Mr Paterson has said the standards process neglected to take evidence from witnesses who would have supported his cause.

Labour MP Chris Bryant, the chairman of the Committee on Standards, said every MP had been emailed urging them to read the report.

'I know ministers have a busy life, but I guess you'd hope that the Education Secretary would do his homework,' he said.

He added: 'What this really underlines is that it's best if governments stick out of independent disciplinary processes.

'I think it's been a terrible week really for Parliament and an awful lot of reputations have been unnecessarily tarnished.'

Conservative Sir David Lidington, former leader of the House of Commons, said the farce had damaged politicians' reputation.

'Clearly, there was a pretty appalling set of misjudgments involved,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'The reputation of the House of Commons as an institution and MPs of all parties will have been damaged by the events of the last 24 hours.'

The former MP also said the affair has 'weakened the Government', making it harder for Boris Johnson to win support from backbench MPs on potentially unpopular measures in future.

'If you ask your troops to march through the lobby on something like this, and which they don't think is right, and then you U-turn on it, it's going to be more difficult next time around,' he said.

Some sources suggested Downing Street is trying to throw Mr Spencer under the bus in order to absolve the PM of responsibility.

'The chief [whip] only does as he is ordered,' an ally of Mr Spencer told the Times, while another accused No10 of being 'spineless' and attempting to hide its own complicity in the plan.

As the criticism continued to grow, one Cabinet minister said Mr Johnson should have made Mr Paterson 'turn up and accept his punishment' rather than put the full might of the Government machine behind him.

Another senior minister said: 'This was completely avoidable.

'The problem with Boris is he packs his Cabinet with second-rate people, meaning there is no one to tell him he should take a different course.'

The minister added: 'It all just looks like we're back to the 1990s  MPs getting together to support their friends.'

Meanwhile, former chief whip Mark Harper declared: 'This is one of the most unedifying episodes I have seen in my 16 years as an MP.'

One Tory said: 'Obviousy there is anger at the PM, but there is a real feeling the Chief should be considering his position.

'He laid down a three-line whip, threatened people with having their funding removed, sacked someone and had to reinstate her  all for a stupid vote that had to be abandoned the next day.' But No 10 yesterday insisted the PM retains 'full confidence' in Mr Spencer.

Former Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb said many MPs defending 'very narrow' majorities were furious at being 'dragged into this whole sleaze agenda'.

In the wake of Wednesday night's vote Mr Paterson had given an unrepentant interview in which he said he 'wouldn't hesitate' to repeat his actions.

But last night, Mr Johnson said he was 'very sad' to be losing Mr Paterson, adding: 'He has had a distinguished career, serving in two cabinet positions, and above all he has been a voice for freedom  for free markets and free trade and free societies  and he was an early and powerful champion of Brexit.'

Labour today moved to kill off rumours than an 'anti-sleaze' candidate could fight for Owen Paterson's seat after a lobbying scandal forced his exit.

The former minister's resignation as MP for North Shropshire was confirmed this morning as he became 'Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead' - the traditional way of quitting the Commons.

Mr Paterson had a majority of nearly 23,000 in 2019, making it one of the safest seats in the country.

Speculation had been swirling that Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens could unite behind a single candidate in an effort to overturn the huge margin.

The move would have echoed when Martin Bell, a former BBC war correspondent, challenged Tory incumbent Neil Hamilton for the Conservative stronghold of Tatton in Cheshire in 1997.

The broadcaster, who famously wore a white suit, won on an anti-sleaze ticket with a majority of more than 11,000 after other major parties agreed not to stand.

But a senior Labour source said today: 'We're standing.'

Another Labour insider told MailOnline that electoral laws made it 'almost impossible' to field a unity candidate.

'An independent candidate couldn't get donations or infrastructure from parties so they'd be up against the Tory machine with zero support,' they said.

Mr Paterson has held the North Shropshire constituency since 1997 and secured 62.7 per cent of the vote in 2019.
An Israeli court has suspended the auction of a partial Nazi tattoo kit believed to be used on inmates at the Auschwitz death camp.

The judgment came on Wednesday following an outcry from Holocaust survivors who chastised the auctioneers in Gilo, a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, for trying to flog the kit.

Obtained from a private collector, the kit is comprised of eight fingernail-sized steel dies, each lined with pins to form numerals, which would have been pressed into prisoners' flesh with ink to brand their serial numbers according to auctioneer Meir Tzolman.

His website had deemed it 'the most shocking of Holocaust items', with a projected sale value of $30,000 to $40,000.

More than 1.1 million people, most of them Jews, were killed at Auschwitz, among a number of camps run by Nazi Germany on occupied Polish soil during World War Two. It was the only facility that tattooed inmates.

The dies from a tattoo kit, and a manual, are displayed at an Israeli auction house which says they were used on inmates at Auschwitz death camp

A worker at an Israeli auction house organises dies from a tattoo kit, which they say were used on inmates at Auschwitz death camp, in Gilo, a Jewish settlement in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank November 2, 2021

the kit is comprised of eight fingernail-sized steel dies, each lined with pins to form numerals, which would have been pressed into prisoners' flesh with ink to brand their serial numbers

Auschwitz, also known as Auschwitz-Birkenau, opened in 1940 in Poland and was the largest of the Nazi concentration and death camps

Bidding reached $3,400 by Wednesday, when Tel Aviv District Court granted a request by survivors to order the auction halted pending a Nov. 16 hearing on whether it should proceed.

Tzolman's website was amended to show the sale had been suspended.

Israel has no law against private sales of Holocaust relics. A court spokesman's statement did not specify the legal basis for Wednesday's injunction.

Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust remembrance centre in Jerusalem, said it should have possession of items like the auctioned dies.

'The trade of these items is morally unacceptable and only encourages the proliferation of counterfeits,' said Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem.

Auschwitz survivor Mr. Leon Greenman, prison number 98288, displays his number tattoo on December 9, 2004 at the Jewish Museum in London, England

The entrance gate to Auschwitz concentration camp in the 1940s. The arch over the gates reads 'Arbeit Macht Frei' - 'Work Sets You Free'

Interviewed before the court injunction, Tzolman said he was the grandson of Holocaust survivors who had been tattooed.

He defended the auction - from which he would take a 25% commission - as a means of ensuring the dies reached 'the right hands'.

'The seller is determined to sell any way necessary,' he said. 'We received calls from tens of people who want to bid on this item and donate it. Each one noted a name of a different museum related to the Holocaust.'

Tzolman said the dies had been certified as having come from Auschwitz. He did not share such documentation with Reuters.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's website says some Auschwitz tattoos were applied by stylus and others using 'a special metal stamp, holding interchangeable numbers made up of needles approximately one centimeter long'.

The Auschwitz Memorial in Poland said photographs of the dies appeared similar to those in its collection.

'If they would be authentic, then the very fact that such unique historical items are put up for auction - and not given to an institution that commemorates the victims and educates about the tragedy of Auschwitz - deserves the words of protest and condemnation,' said memorial press officer Pawel Sawicki.
Agnes Wanjiru, 21, was last seen alive with British troops at a hotel in Nanyuki, Kenya, in March 2012. Her mutilated body was found three months later

British detectives have quizzed UK troops about the death of a Kenyan woman dumped in a septic tank near an Army training base nine years ago.

Royal Military Police are also probing claims that senior officers failed to act on the suggestion that squaddies were involved in her murder, and effectively 'covered up' alleged wrongdoing.

The RMP investigation was triggered by an approach to officers in Lancashire, thought to have been made by a soldier who claims to be a witness.

Agnes Wanjiru, 21, was last seen alive with British troops at a hotel in Nanyuki, Kenya, in March 2012. Her mutilated body was found three months later.

Armed Forces minister James Heappey arrived in Nanyuki this week, where he promised Britain would 'leave no stone unturned' in the hunt for the young mother's murderer. His comments follow newspaper claims that a soldier confessed to a colleague that he had killed Miss Wanjiru, who left behind a five-month-old daughter.

The RMP is now looking into whether troops from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment and Royal Army Medical Corps had a role in the murder.

Miss Wanjiru was seen with soldiers from these units before she vanished in March 2012. Her corpse was discovered in a septic tank in June. She had been stabbed near her waist and had suffered a broken arm and leg. Pathologists later suggested these injuries may not have been fatal  raising the prospect she was still alive when she was dumped in the tank.

Her body was found just 50 yards from rooms which, according to hotel records, had been booked by British soldiers.

Kenyan detectives visited the Army training base at Nanyuki following the grim discovery  but UK soldiers were reportedly described as witnesses rather than suspects. Local police are initially thought to have believed that Miss Wanjiru, a prostitute, had been murdered by her pimp.

However, the crime remained unsolved and in 2017 the case files were passed to judge Njeri Thuku. In 2019 she produced a 25-page report which concluded that British troops must have committed the murder.

The case hit headlines three weeks ago after an unnamed whistleblower, Soldier Y, claimed a colleague had confessed to the crime. The alleged killer, Soldier X, denied murdering Miss Wanjiru when approached by The Sunday Times, and said his supposed involvement was a rumour started by colleagues after a falling-out.

James Heappey, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces, speaks to the media after meeting with British soldiers and local community representatives, at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki, Kenya

Sources close to the RMP case said detectives had compared their efforts to 'peeling an onion'. The Mail understands that while soldiers who may have been told about the death after it took place have been questioned, key suspects are yet to be interviewed.

Lancashire Police confirmed its involvement in the case last night, but stressed it had 'no investigative role' and that responsibility rested with the Ministry of Defence and Kenyan authorities.

An MoD spokesman said: 'The jurisdiction for this investigation rests with the Kenyan police, who we continue to work closely with on a daily basis to provide all possible support.

'This remains an active investigation with multiple lines of enquiry. In order to protect the investigation, and in the interests of justice, we cannot comment further.'

Defence sources indicated that Kenya's strategic importance to Britain was a significant factor behind the UK Government's eagerness to co-operate with the authorities investigating Miss Wanjiru's death. The MoD has plans to station forces in Kenya to combat the threat of Islamist terror groups, as well as the growing Chinese and Russian military presences in East Africa.

Members of the Duke of Lancaster's regiment have previously faced legal scrutiny over the killing of an Iraqi hotel receptionist in 2003.

Baha Mousa, 26, from Basra, was beaten to death while in the custody of troops from what was then the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. It was never proved who inflicted the fatal injuries.

While six defendants were acquitted at their court martial, a seventh pleaded guilty to inhumane treatment of Mr Mousa. The corporal was sentenced to a year in jail.

m.nicol@dailymail.co.uk
Britain faces a fake tan shortage this winter due to supply problems with a key chemical.

Cosmetic manufacturers are struggling to import an ingredient used in everything from tanning lotions to skin creams, hair dye, make-up and shampoo.

The ingredient, ethoxydiglycol, is widely used in cosmetic products because it is soluble in both oil and water-based products.

The shortage has already seen a near ten-fold price hike in recent weeks and many suppliers are out of stock.

Britain faces a fake tan shortage this winter due to supply problems with a key chemical

Diane Higham, director of Sunjunkie.com, said: This is a total nightmare.

We are still desperately trying to source the ingredient from major UK and European suppliers, which is already impacting our production line.

For fake tan to remain on the skin and be resistant to water, the product must be able to absorb into the skin effectively. Without a good solvent, this may not be the case.

Sunjunkie is a fake tan supplier based in Stockport which manufactures its own brand of self-tanning products.

Online pharmacy Medicine Direct said the shortage is expected to have a huge impact on cosmetic supplies and could hit the makers of medical products used to treat eczema.

Hussain Abdeh, clinical director and superintendent pharmacist at Medicine Direct, said: 'Ethoxydiglycol is almost single handedly responsible for how cosmetics are applied to the skin.

'Without it, many cosmetic products as we know them would be unusable.'

'This problem can also cause serious problems for medical treatments, particularly for conditions like eczema, acne and psoriasis.

'Without an effective solvent, topical treatments will be hindered in their absorption,' he told iNews.

The ingredient, ethoxydiglycol, is widely used in cosmetic products because it is soluble in both oil and water-based products

Medicine Direct also found the price of ethoxydiglycol had rocketed from 12 to 103 a kilogram.

Nitin Sethi, the managing director of the chemical distribution firm Ascot International, said other ingredients found in fake tan are also in short supply.

'A month ago I placed an order for 10 metric tonnes of DHA and I only got four tonnes between now and the end of the year.

'Our turnover is down because we are not able to sell what we need to sell because of lack of stock, and the price is high and some people are not willing to pay the price,' he told the Guardian.

Boots said its suppliers had not raised concerns about the supply of ethoxydiglycol and Superdrug declined to comment.
Police later found a hole in his backyard which he claimed was for the premier

He failed to get bail on Friday amid claims he destroyed a 5G tower at Mt Eliza

In the video he hit his arms, legs and torso with a stick while dressed in the gear

He said it is necessary because it can 'take heavy handed treatment' from police

Nathan Glover, from Mt Eliza in Melbourne's south, masterminded P.A.T.I.R

An anti-lockdown coronavirus sceptic who allegedly dug a hole in his backyard to 'imprison' Dan Andrews will remain behind bars for now.

Nathan Glover, from Mt Eliza in Melbourne's south, is accused of setting fire to a Telstra 5G tower on October 7, causing up to $1million in damage.

When police searched his home later they found a hole outback, which Glover had allegedly expressed a desire to place the Victorian premier in to put him before a kangaroo court.

The concreter had made a name for himself during Melbourne's lockdown protests when he took to social media to offer his services as a makeshift security force to 'protect' protesters from police.

The father of one masterminded the 'protection and tactical incident response' group known as P.A.T.I.R when police shut down anti-lockdown protests in the CBD during Stage Four lockdown.

The 43-year-old had been a regular at the demonstrations and had pledged his allegiance to future events, despite receiving large fines for flouting stay at home directives.

In a video released on Facebook in September, the tradie modelled his new protective wear, which included helmets, chest plates and motorbike vests.

Glover said the armour was necessary because it could 'take the heavy handed treatment' from police.

'I am not there to attack anyone, or fight anyone. If the police want to be brutal, I am there,' he said.

'If you need care, P.A.T.I.R will be there. Our guys are highly trained. We're there for you guys to do what you do without getting messed up.'

The 43-year-old (pictured in protective gear) is a regular at the illegal demonstrations and has pledged his allegiance to future events

In the video, he is seen hitting his arms, legs and torso with a stick while covered in armour to demonstrate the strength of the gear.

He wrote on social media that the makeshift taskforce was necessary because police 'get pleasure out of hurting people and have the emotional range of a sack of potatoes'.

In a subsequent video, Glover introduced a long piece of metal wiring to add to his protective gear.

He said the metal had been donated by a screen door company that did not want to be identified.

The court heard when Glover was arrested over the tower fire, he had two samurai swords at his home address along with a treasure trove of illegal drugs.

They also found clothes and a scooter matching the description of a man seen lighting the fire.

Police claim Glover had also been caught on a chat site offering to burn down other 5G towers, which conspiracy theorists believe caused the pandemic, among other things.

In the video, he is seen hitting his arms, legs and torso with a stick while covered in armour to demonstrate the strength of the gear. A long piece of metal wiring also covers his mid-section

He said the makeshift taskforce is necessary because 'get pleasure out of hurting people and have the emotional range of a sack of potatoes'

Mr Glover also claimed the government turned the city into a 'prison', and risks a $1,652 fine if he is involved in a future protest

Glover, who has previously claimed the lockdowns in Melbourne ruined his music career and 'decimated' the live scene, according to the Herald Sun, has denied he set fire to the towers.

His lawyer had argued he was an honest concreter who was needed at home to care for his young family.

But Magistrate Alexandra Burt refused to release Glover back into the community, declaring him too great a risk of reoffending.

Glover, who attempted to address the magistrate upon mention of the premier's name, was told to remain silent by his lawyer.

Ms Burt told Glover his supposed intentions for Mr Andrews were hardly the reason she had refused bail.

Police did not even charge Glover over his supposed threats against the premier.

Instead, it was the extent of the damage his alleged arson caused to the tower that will see him remain behind bars until his next hearing in January.
Pets can be infected with the alpha variant of the COVID-19 virus, which can cause heart problems in the animals, veterinarians have warned.

Researchers led from The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre in Marlow report four cases of the variant detected in cats and two in pet dogs.

The alpha variant  also referred to as the 'UK' or 'Kent' variant, as well as lineage B.1.1.7  was first detected in November in the south-east of England.

It went on to rapidly outcompete the pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 variants in the country as a consequence of its increased transmissibility and infectivity.

Pets can be infected with the alpha variant of the COVID-19 virus, which can cause heart problems in the animals, veterinarians have warned. Pictured: a dog being treated

THE SIX PETS According to the researchers, none of the cats and dogs with the alpha variant and severe myocarditis developed 'flu-like symptoms. Nearly all clinically improved after a few days of intensive care. The exception was one 10-year-old Sphynx, who was presented again one week after discharge with a relapse of symptoms  including profound lethargy and uncontrolled ventricular tachycardia (accelerated heart rate.) Based on the symptoms, the owners elected for euthanasia. Advertisement

Two of the cats and one of the dogs were identified with the variant by means of a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, while the other three pets were found to have antibodies against it twosix weeks after displaying signs of cardiac disease.

All suffered from severe myocarditis  an inflammation of the heart muscle.

Many of these pets' owners had themselves developed respiratory symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 threesix weeks before their animals became ill.

'Our study reports the first cases of cats and dogs affected by the COVID-19 alpha variant,' said paper author and veterinary cardiologist Luca Ferasin of The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre.

The findings, he added, 'highlights, more than ever, the risk that companion animals can become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

'We also reported the atypical clinical manifestations characterized by severe heart abnormalities, which is a well-recognised complication in people affected by COVID-19 but has never described in pets before.'

Despite these examples of pets contracting the alpha variant, Dr Ferasin noted, 'COVID-19 infection in pets remains a relatively rare condition.'

He concluded: 'Based on our observations, it seems that the transmission occurs from humans to pets, rather than vice versa.'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Veterinary Record.

In July this year, veterinarians warned that coronavirus is common in cats and dogs if their owners have the virus  and recommended that people should avoid their pets if they catch the disease.

Swabs from 310 pets in 196 homes where at least one human had been infected with Covid were taken by researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Out of the pets six cats and seven dogs triggered a positive PCR test and another 54 had evidence of virus antibodies in their system.

Owners passing Covid-19 on to pets is a 'negligible risk to public health', according to researchers, but there is a possibility they could become a 'reservoir' and reintroduce it to humans after it has left the human population.

The main concern, according to study author and veterinarian Els Broens, isn't the health of the animal as they have mild or no symptoms, but rather the future risk to the humans they come into contact with.

The team found no evidence of the virus passing between pets, but Dr Broens says people should still avoid their pets 'just as you would do with other people.'

Coronavirus is common in cats and dogs if their owners have the virus, vets have warned, claiming people should avoid their pets if they catch the disease (stock image)

They analysed the PCR test results of 156 dogs and 154 cats from 196 households, finding just 4.2 per cent had positive tests and 17 per cent had antibodies.

'The main concern, however, is not the animals' health  they had no or mild symptoms of Covid-19 - but the potential risk that pets could act as a reservoir of the virus and reintroduce it into the human population,' said Dr Broens.

'Despite the rather high prevalence among pets from Covid-19 positive households in this study, it seems unlikely that pets play a role in the pandemic.'

Eight cats and dogs that lived in the same homes as the PCR-positive pets were also tested for a second time to check for virus transmission among pets.

None of the animals tested positive, suggesting the virus was not being passed between pets living in close contact with one another.

But researchers said their findings show that Covid-19 is highly prevalent in pets of people who have had the disease.
NASA's first planetary defence mission will launch later this month, sending a spacecraft hurtling into the side of an asteroid at more than 15,000 miles per hour.

Known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, it will involve sending the DART spacecraft out to the Didymos binary asteroid system.

It will launch at 01:20 ET (05:20 GMT) on November 24 at the earliest, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The US space agency says it will hit one of the two asteroids, known as Dimorphos on October 2, 2022, changing the speed of the space rock by a fraction of a per cent.

While only a tiny correction, it is enough for NASA to measure its altered orbit, and feed into future missions that could one day save Earth from a deadly impact.

NASA says this asteroid poses no danger to the Earth and any changes they make won't lead to it posing any danger to the planet, but hope the lessons they learn can be used in the future if a large space rock does pose a threat.

NASA said on Monday that its mission to deflect an asteroid in deep space using a spacecraft is targeting a late November launch

The DART spacecraft will head towards the Didymos binary (pictured) on November 24 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. At roughly 160 meters (524ft) wide, Dimorphos orbits the much Didymos, which is approximately 780 meters (2,559ft) across

Ahead of the launch in the next few weeks, NASA has provided fresh details of the DART mission, which carries a price tag of $330 million (244 million).

'Although there isn't a currently known asteroid that's on an impact course with the Earth, we do know that there is a large population of near-Earth asteroids out there,' said Lindley Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer.

At roughly 160 meters (524ft) wide, Dimorphos orbits a much larger space rock known as Didymos that is approximately 780 meters (2,559ft) across.

Dimorphos came relatively close to Earth in 2003, coming within 3.7 million miles, which, despite being 15 times farther away than the moon, is still considered a 'Near-Earth object' by NASA.

There are more space rocks the size of Dimorphos than Didymos, according to NASA and the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

Dimorphos came relatively close to Earth in 2003, coming within 3.7 million miles. These 14 images of Didymos and its moonlet were taken on November 23, 24, and 26, 2003

On October 1, NASA said that the cube satellite that will accompany DART was ready for installation

WHAT IS THE NASA DART MISSION? DART will be the worlds first planetary defence test mission. It is heading for the small moonlet asteroid Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion asteroid called Didymos. When it gets there it will be intentionally crashing into the asteroid to slightly change its orbit. While neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, DARTs kinetic impact will prove that a spacecraft can autonomously navigate to a target asteroid and kinetically impact it. Then, using Earth-based telescopes to measure the effects of the impact on the asteroid system, the mission will enhance modeling and predictive capabilities to help us better prepare for an actual asteroid threat should one ever be discovered. Advertisement

NASA considers any near-Earth object 'potentially hazardous' if it comes within 0.05 astronomical units (4.6 million miles) and measures more than 460 feet in diameter.

According to the US space agency, there are just over 25,000 NEOs, but many more are waiting to be discovered.

DART will be joined on its trip to Dimorphos by a CubeSat, weighing just 31 pounds and measuring 'roughly the length of an adult's hand and forearm.'

DART is the first part of NASA's asteroid defense strategy, designed in collaboration with the European Space Agency to protect Earth from a possible impact from a 'hazardous asteroid.'

'The key to planetary defence is finding them well before they are an impact threat,' Johnson said. 'We don't want to be in a situation where an asteroid is headed towards Earth and then have to test this capability.'

Johnson said Dimorphos was an ideal candidate for the test because of the ability to observe it with ground-based telescopes.

Images will also be collected by the miniature camera-equipped satellite contributed by the Italian Space Agency that will be ejected by the DART spacecraft 10 days before impact.

Nancy Chabot of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which built the DART spacecraft, the DART spacecraft, which will weigh 1,210 pounds at the time of impact, will not 'destroy' the asteroid.

'It's just going to give it a small nudge,' she said. 'It's going to deflect its path around the larger asteroid.'

'It's only going to be a change of about one percent in that orbital period,' Chabot said, 'so what was 11 hours and 55 minutes before might be like 11 hours and 45 minutes.'

It is a test of how much momentum is needed in order to deflect an asteroid.

'We are targeting to be as nearly head on as possible to cause the biggest deflection,' Chabot said.

The total amount of deflection depends on the composition of the asteroid itself - and right now scientists can't say how porous the space rock is.

According to NASA, there are just over 25,000 near-Earth objects, but many more are waiting to be discovered

DART (pictured) is the first part of NASA's asteroid defense strategy, designed in collaboration with the European Space Agency to protect Earth from a possible impact from a 'hazardous asteroid'

The binary asteroid pairing they are visiting is the most common type of asteroid in space and is some 4.5 billion years old, Chabot said.

'It's like ordinary chondrite meteorites,' she said. 'It's a fine grain mixture of rock and metal together.'

The mission is being managed by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office and the Science Mission Directorate's Planetary Science Division at NASA headquarters.

In August, a study from researchers in California said that several bumps would be needed to change the course of an asteroid, such as Bennu.

NASA has previously said that Bennu has a one in 1,750 chance of hitting Earth in the next 300 years.
It is possible for the desert-world of Arrakis, featured in the Dune movie and novels, to be habitable to humans, according to a climate study of the fictional planet.

Frank Herbert wrote Dune in 1965, conjuring up the richly-detailed world of Arrakis, a sparsely populated desert wasteland with temperatures reaching 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70C), that has no natural rain or bodies of surface water.

Using these details, climate scientists, from the University of Bristol and the University of Sheffield, created models to see if it could host human life.

'We wanted to know if the physics and environment of such a world would stack up against a real climate model,' they wrote in The Conversation.

The team fed various data points into a system, and found it would have whispery clouds over the desert-landscape, with thick patches around the poles and equator.

'We were very pleased to discover Herbert had envisioned an environment that for the most part meets expectations,' they said, adding 'we might need to occasionally suspend disbelief, but much of Arrakis itself would indeed be habitable.'

Timothee Chalamet, left, and Rebecca Ferguson in a scene from the recent Dune movie. It is possible for the desert-world of Arrakis, featured in the Dune movie and novels, to be habitable to humans, according to a climate study of the fictional planet

DUNE: THE PLANET OF ARRAKIS Arrakis is the desert planet in Dune, that is also known as Rakis. It is a harsh desert planet located on the far edge of the Old Imperium in the Canopus star system. It was the first, and for a long time only source of the Spice Melange, which is vital for space travel in the Dune universe. Its surface is made exclusively of dry deserts, with various weathered mountain ranges also present. There are also Mars-like rock outcrops. In the books the atmosphere is said to be made of nitrogen and oxygen at levels enough for humans to breathe. There is no rainfall, a polar ice cap and no open surface water bodies. In the book the polar regions are said to be more comfortable for humans, but climate models of the fictional world suggest they would be too harsh - with hot and cold extremes. Advertisement

To determine how liveable Arrakis would be for humans, the team started with climate models used to predict the weather and climate on Earth.

They then had to decide on the physical laws that were most likely at play on Arrakis and input the data on everything from mountains to the strength of the sun.

The model was then able to simulate the climate and say roughly what the weather would be like at different times of the year.

'We decided to keep the same fundamental physical laws that govern weather and climate here on Earth,' the researchers explained.

'If our model presented something completely strange and exotic, this could suggest those laws were different on Arrakis, or Frank Herbert's fantastical vision of Arrakis was just that, fantasy.'

They then needed to feed in specifics about Arrakis, using as much information from the novels and the Dune Encyclopedia as they could find.

This included the topography of the planet and its orbit around its host star - it is the third planet from the star and is in an 'essentially circular' orbit similar to the Earth.

'The shape of an orbit can really impact the climate: see the long and irregular winters in Game of Thrones,' the researchers explained.

'Finally, we told the model what the atmosphere was made of,' they added.

'For the most part it is quite similar to that of the Earth today, although with less carbon dioxide (350 parts per million as opposed to our 417 ppm).'

The biggest difference between Arrakis and Earth is the concentration of ozone, which on Earth is 0.000001 per cent of the lower atmosphere.

However, on Arrakis it is 0.5 per cent, which has a significant impact on climate, as ozone is 65 times more effective at warming the atmosphere than CO2.

'Having fed in all the necessary data, we then sat back and waited. Complex models like this take time to run, in this case more than three weeks,' the scientists said.

'We needed a huge supercomputer to be able to crunch the hundreds of thousands of calculations required to simulate Arrakis.

Javier Bardem in a scene from 'Dune'. To determine how liveable Arrakis would be for humans, the team started with climate models used to predict the weather and climate on the Earth

CREATING A CLIMATE MODEL OF A FICTIONAL WORLD To model the fictional world of Arrakis the team started with a climate model used for the Earth to predict weather. They then assumed physical laws would be the same as on Earth, and added in information from the books on surface topology. This included mountain locations. They also added details like the strength of the star and atmosphere makeup. They then had to add its orbital position - it is third from the star, and worked on the idea its orbit was largely circular, similar to Earth. Finally they told it the atmosphere was made of nitrogen and oxygen, with concentrations of other elements. Frank Herbert's books say it has less CO2 than Earth but significantly more ozone. Once it was all fed in to the model the scientists had to wait - even running on a supercomputer it took three weeks to calculate the climate of the world. Advertisement

'However, what we found was worth the wait,' they said, which is that the climate of Arrakis, as described by Herbert is 'basically plausible.'

In the books the star is described as unforgiving, the planet as being made of desolate wastelands of sand and rock, but with a better climate in the polar regions.

In the polar regions, towards the cities of Arrakeen and Carthag, the books describe a climate that is suggested as something more hospitable.

However, the models of the climate don't match this description, the team found.

'In our model of Arrakis, the warmest months in the tropics hit around 45C (113F), whereas in the coldest months they do not drop below 15C (59F),' they said.

This is similar to Earth, however, the most extreme temperatures would occur in the mid-latitudes and polar regions - where the books suggest the climate improves.

'Here summer can be as hot as 70C (158F) on the sand,' they found, and winters would be just as extreme.

Winters would reach as low as -40C (-40F) in the mid-latitudes and down to -75C (-103F) at the poles, researchers explained.

'This is counter intuitive as the equatorial region receives more energy from the sun.

'However, in the model the polar regions of Arrakis have significantly more atmospheric moisture and high cloud cover which acts to warm the climate since water vapour is a greenhouse gas.'

The other area their model differs from the book is on rainfall. The book says it never rains on the planet, but the climate models found there would be small amounts.

'We needed a huge supercomputer to be able to crunch the hundreds of thousands of calculations required to simulate Arrakis'

Zendaya in a scene from 'Dune.' The biggest difference between Arrakis and Earth is the concentration of ozone, which on Earth is 0.000001 per cent of the lower atmosphere

Although this would be restricted to higher latitudes, only occur in the summer and autumn months, and only on mountains and plateaus.

'There would be some clouds in the tropics as well as polar latitudes, varying from season to season,' they said.

There would also be no polar ice caps in the northern hemisphere, according to the model, which contradicts descriptions in the books that suggest they have remained in the northern hemisphere for a long time.

The model suggests summer temperatures would melt any polar ice, and there would be no snowfall to replenish the ice caps in winter.

To determine whether human life could survive on the surface of this fictional world, the researchers assumed that those in the Dune universe share similar thermal tolerances to modern humans.

'If that's the case then, contrary to the book and film, it seems the tropics would be the most habitable area,' they found.

'As there is so little humidity there, survivable wet-bulb temperatures  a measure of 'habitability' that combines temperature and humidity  are never exceeded.'

The model suggests summer temperatures would melt any polar ice, and there would be no snowfall to replenish the ice caps in winter

Sharon Duncan-Brewster in a scene from Dune. To determine whether human life could survive on the surface of this fictional world, the researchers assumed that those on the Dune world share similar thermal tolerances to modern humans

This is contrary to the books, which suggest that most people on Arrakis actually live at mid-latitudes - which the model found would be the most dangerous.

'In the lowlands, monthly average temperatures are often above 50-60C (122F to 140F), with maximum daily temperatures even higher.

'Such temperatures are deadly for humans,' they wrote.

Humanoid life on Arrakis, outside the habitable locations, are described as wearing 'stillsuits' in the book, which are designed to keep the wearer cool.

These suits are also said to reclaim body moisture from swearing, urinating and breathing to provide drinking water in the dry environment.

'This is important as stated in the book that there is no rainfall on Arrakis, no standing bodies of open water and little atmospheric moisture that can be reclaimed,' the authors wrote in The Conservation.

Dune was written in 1965, two years before Nobel-prize winner Syukuro Manabe published the world's first climate model.

Herbert also had no access to modern supercomputers, which the team relied on to develop their climate model of Arrakis.

'Given that, the world he created looks remarkably consistent six decades on,' they said, praising his ability to craft a world from his imagination that is plausible.
Advertisement

Seemingly gravity-defying canines, stunning close-ups of insects and mesmerising safari silhouettes  these are among the winning snaps in the nature categories of the 2021 International Photography Awards.

The annual contest  which is in its 19th iteration this year  was established to promote the appreciation of photography, discover emerging talent and salute the achievements of the world's finest photographers.

It is open to photographers of all types, including professionals, amateurs and student artists.

The title of 'Nature Photographer of the Year' was awarded to Dutch photographer Liselotte Schuppers, who dazzled the judges with her breath-taking monochrome equine-themed photo, which she titled 'Beyond Horses'.

'I am fascinated by Baroque Friesian stallions,' Ms Schuppers said. 'In this image I work with the horses in a studio setting where I have encounters with real personalities and their emotions.'

Seemingly gravity-defying canines, stunning close-ups of insects and mesmerising safari silhouettes  these are among the winning snaps in the nature categories of the International Photography Awards. Pictured: 'Happiness' by Claudio Piccoli

The annual contest  which is in its 19th iteration this year  was established to promote the appreciation of photography, discover emerging talent and salute the achievements of the of the world's finest photographers. Pictured: Maya Maymonia's shot entitled 'Savanna Storm' took third place in the 'Professional Nature, Wildlife' category

The International Photography Awards is open to photographers of all types, including professionals, amateurs and student artists. Pictured: Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's series of insect close-ups took third place in the Macro category

The title of 'Nature Photographer of the Year' was awarded to Dutch photographer Liselotte Schuppers, who dazzled the judges with her breath-taking monochrome equine-themed photo, which she titled 'Beyond Horses', pictured. 'I am fascinated by Baroque Friesian stallions,' Ms Schuppers said. 'In this image I work with the horses in a studio setting where I have encounters with real personalities and their emotions'

Pictured: Teguh Aria Djana's 'Singing in the Rain' received an honourable mention. 'When it was rain, two frogs were found under the leaves. I am lucky enough to capture one of them opening its mouth like singing a song,' he said

Pictured: Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's series of insect close-ups took third place in the Macro category

Wildlife photographer Bence Mate of Hungary secured second place in the 'Professional Nature, Sunset' category for his collection of safari-esque silhouettes taken in the uMkhuze Game Reserve, in South Africa.

'The key to producing a successful silhouette is exposure for the background,' Mr Bence explained.

'When exposed correctly, foreground subjects will be underexposed by ten stops, rendering them as solid black.'

And, he continued, 'when low sunlight illuminates clouds, dust and water grains in the air, vivid yellow, red, pink and purple tones appear.

'As this phenomenon is short-lived, each image required careful planning, and sometimes many sessions were needed to capture the images that I had set out to achieve.'

The 'Professional Nature, Macro' category honoured snapshots of some of the planet's tiniest creatures  with its first place going to Germany's Adalbert Mojrzisch for his close-ups of bug eyes.

'If you look at insects at high magnifications, interesting structures and beautiful colours come to light. Especially the eyes are very interesting,' Mr Mojrzisch said.

'Photographing such fine details requires special equipment, some of which I developed and assembled myself. I use a self-made photo tube and microscope lenses corrected to infinity, mounted on a self-made rail.

'Each image is a composite of many individual images that are stacked and stitched together.'

Third place in the macro category, meanwhile, went to self-taught photographer Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz of Bilbao, Spain for his up-close-and-personal series of insects, all shot against colourful backdrops.

'Macro photography allows you to see amazing portraits of these insects, damselflies, spiders, butterflies, beetles,' Pedro said.

Third place in the macro category, meanwhile, went to self-taught photographer Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz of Bilbao, Spain for his up-close-and-personal series of insects, all shot against colourful backdrops. 'Macro photography allows you to see amazing portraits of these insects, damselflies, spiders, butterflies, beetles,' Pedro said

Wildlife photographer Bence Mate of Hungary secured second place in the 'Professional Nature, Sunset' category for his collection of safari-esque silhouettes taken in the uMkhuze Game Reserve, in South Africa

Kristin Schnell took third place in the 'Professional Nature, Animals / Pets' category for her series titled 'Not Good Enough'. The images were all of animals who once suffered as a result of not being valued by their owners  but have since found happiness in a sanctuary

Andrew Doggett said that his series, 'Exceptional Creatures', was 'a timeless ode to the most extraordinary  and often endangered  animals in the world.' It took 2nd place in the 'Professional Nature, Wildlife' category

Pictured: a snap of a larval North Pacific Giant Octopus, captured by Sayaka Ichinoseki

'Photography  the universal language in a still image  conveys a message to make us: buy, desire, transport ourselves to a place, be aware, rally for or against, stir us, inspire us, enrage us, even revolt us and make us want to turn away,' said International Photography Awards head judge Susan Baraz.

'The photo is ingrained in our minds, and we are changed,' she continued.

'Thanks to photographers, our individual world has been expanded using their remarkable insight and vision.'

'Photography  the universal language in a still image  conveys a message to make us: buy, desire, transport ourselves to a place, be aware, rally for or against, stir us, inspire us, enrage us, even revolt us and make us want to turn away,' said International Photography Awards judge Susan Baraz. Pictured: one of Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's winning macro shots

'The key to producing a successful silhouette is exposure for the background,' Mr Bence explained. 'When exposed correctly, foreground subjects will be underexposed by ten stops, rendering them as solid black.' Pictured: one of Mr Bence's shots

Animals (like these dogs, shot by Tianhand Zhang, left) did not only take the top spots in the nature category. Mattia Gorno of Italy's shot of a dog catching a frisbee (right) took first place in the 'Professional Sports, Other' category

Pictured: one of Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's award winning and colourful insect close-ups

Pictured: 'Underwater', by South Africa's Alfred Minnaar, took 3rd place in the 'Professional Nature, Underwater' category. He said: 'Cruising Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia we came across something special, it is not often that you come across a bait ball like this and we were pleasantly surprised when we did. The fish would move in sync as you would swim through them almost like they were programmed and they would create amazing patterns as they make way for the person swimming. The elegance of my freediver Elle moving through the water with grace, the light, watercolour and fish movement truly came together in a once in a lifetime shot for me.'

Pictured: in 'Cozy' by Xu Cheng, a well-fed crab-eating seal yawns on the ice of Antarctica

Animals did not only take the top spots in the nature category  with Mattia Gorno of Italy's shot of a dog catching a frisbee taking first place in the 'Professional Sports, Other' category.

'This shot was one of my first in this discipline, and I am particularly attached to this image,' said Mr Gorno.

Disc Dog is a fantastic sport and the complicity of the combination is certainly one of the most interesting emotions to tell.'

Mr Gorno's fellow countryman, Claudio Piccoli, was awarded an Honourable Mention in the same category for a photograph of his pet dog leaping through the air.

'Dogs love running in freedom in the forest and I think we should learn from them how to enjoy more about life in a simple and pure way!' Mr Piccoli said.

Pictured: 'In these images, lions, giraffes, or mountain gorillas serve as symbols of strength and wonder roaming the remaining wild expanses of our planet, evolving to thrive in places that push the limits of survival,' said Andrew Doggett of his series 'Exceptional Creatures', which took 2nd place in the 'Professional Nature, Wildlife' category

Pictured: one of Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's award winning and colourful insect close-ups

'When low sunlight illuminates clouds, dust and water grains in the air, vivid yellow, red, pink and purple tones appear, said Mr Mate of his sunset images. 'As this phenomenon is short-lived, each image required careful planning, and sometimes many sessions were needed to capture the images that I had set out to achieve.'

'Egrets live in rice fields, lakes, swamps and tidal flats, and nest on trees and bamboo forests near the villages,' said photographer Ling Jyi Chao. 'They breed in May and June each year. At this time, they will grow feathers.'

'Taken whilst on a trip to the Shetland Isles. To be able to capture what goes on under the water after a Gannt has dived was an unbelievable experience,' said Tracey Lund, whose photo 'Underwater Gannets' made the Jury's 'Top 5 Selection'

Pictured: Bence Mate's 'Sundown' captures two elephants silhouetted against the setting South African sun

Pictured: Jose Luis Ruiz Jimenez submitted a series of shots of Great Crested Grebes living in eastern Spain

Pictured: one of Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz's award winning and colourful insect close-ups

Pictured: 'I Still Have You', by Michelle Dawkins. The artist said: 'The move they performed during this shoot is called a foot stall, and requires a lot of coordination between the dog and owner to achieve. There was a little bit of waiting around for the right lighting with the sun setting and also the tide going down to get this shot. I directed the two to perform this move in the water when the tide was perfect. I hope you are able to see the focus and connection these two have in the photo'

Pictured: a giraffe is captured in silhouette in front of the setting sun over the uMkhuze Game Reserve, in South Africa in this award-winning photograph by Bence Mate

Pictured: a gorilla looks into the camera in this shot from Andrew Doggett's series 'Exceptional Creatures'
Advertisement

The U.S. military has commissioned the building of a 300 kilowatt solid state laser to destroy drones and missiles amid rising concern over China's new hypersonic missiles.

The Distributed Gain High Energy Laser Weapon System laser, which some have called the U.S. military's 'most powerful laser weapon to date,' will be developed by a General Atomics and Boeing partnership.

When delivered, the 300 kilowatt distributed gain laser will have an integrated Boeing beam director.

The contract was awarded on October 25, just days after it was reported that China stunned the world, performing a second test in August of what is believed to be a hypersonic orbital missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The U.S. military has commissioned building a 300 kilowatt solid state laser (artists' rendering) from General Atomics and Boeing

If the laser is successfully developed, it could destroy a number of objects, from small drones to missiles

Beijing has acknowledged one of the tests, claiming it launched a 'peaceful' civilian spacecraft. But analysts believe the craft can actually be tipped with a nuclear warhead which would be able to evade missile defenses.

Even government scientists are struggling to work out exactly what the new craft is capable of, with one source telling the Financial Times that it appears to 'defy the laws of physics' and is unlike any technology the U.S. is known to have.

If the laser is successfully developed, it could destroy a number of objects, from small drones to missiles, PopScience reported.

'The high power, compact laser weapon subsystem prototype that GA-EMS will deliver under this contract will produce a lethal output greater than anything fielded to date,' said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS in a statement.

'This technology represents a leap-ahead capability for air and missile defense that is necessary to support the Army's modernization efforts and defeat next-generation threats in a multi-domain battlespace.'

The DGHELWS could help protect soldiers via 'unmatched speed, performance, safety sand affordability,' the statement added.

General Atomic's vice president for lasers and advanced sensors Dr Michael Perry said the laser is a 'packaged version' of the seventh generation design that has already been demonstrated.

'The laser system employs two Gen 7 laser heads in a very compact and lightweight package. Recent architectural improvements have enabled our single-beam DG Lasers to achieve comparable beam quality to fiber lasers in a very simple design without the need for beam combination.'

By focusing the beam of light on an object such as a hypersonic missile, it could burn through it, assuming the laser has enough time and power to do so.

In an interview with PopScience, Dr Perry said the 300 kilowatt HELWS could intercept a 'wide variety of threats ranging from cruise missiles, manned aircraft, unmanned aircraft and rockets/artillery.'

Last month, the U.S.'s second-highest ranking military officer, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, said the public should be worried that China has completed 'hundreds' of hypersonic missile tests

China, the US and Russia are engaged in a global arms race that now includes the development of hypersonic missile technology. Here, DailyMail.com has compared (from left) each country's main nuclear weapon, the latest hypersonic technology they have tested, their most up-to-date aircraft carriers, main battle tanks, and cutting-edge jets

Last month, the U.S.'s second-highest ranking military officer, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, said the public should be worried that China has completed 'hundreds' of hypersonic missile tests, while the U.S. has done less than 10.

'What you need to be worried about is that in the last five years, or maybe longer, the United States has done nine hypersonic missile tests, and in the same time the Chinese have done hundreds,' Hyten said a Defense Writers Group roundtable, according to reports.

'Single digits versus hundreds is not a good place.'

China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed last month by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose

Beijing subsequently acknowledged the August test, but said it had taken place on July 16. Intelligence sources now believe the test which the FT initially reported and the test acknowledged by the Chinese are different.

The British newspaper reported the first test took place on July 27, before a second test of the same technology a little over two weeks later, on August 13.

Observers say the weapon appears to be an update of Cold War-era Soviet technology called a 'Fractional Orbital Bombardment System' - or FOBS.

Soviets developed the technology to get around powerful US radar arrays designed to detect the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) tipped with nukes, and defense systems designed to shoot them down.

FOBS works by putting the nuclear warheads into a low-Earth orbit, allowing them to circle the globe and maneuver in flight before coming down on their targets.

This makes the warheads harder to detect, track and destroy than those carried on board ICBMs.

China appears to have updated the concept by fitting the nuclear warhead on to a 'hypersonic glide vehicle', which is designed to travel faster and maneuver easier - making it even harder to stop.

Several countries, including the U.S. and Russia, are developing their own hypersonic glide vehicles - though neither of them have put them to the same use as China.

The U.S. laser weapons systems have had some success, albeit on the smaller end of the spectrum.

In February, DailyMail.com reported that the Army was developing the 'most powerful' laser in history that could vaporized targets using short pulses.

In 2014, the U.S. Navy deployed the Laser Weapon System that was capable of burning through the metal exterior of rockets with a beam strength of 30 kilowatts, PopScience reported.

Last year, the Navy demonstrated the 150 kilowatt the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator atop the USS Portland.

A weapon of twice that strength could have a considerable impact on any missile or inbound object from a foreign enemy, officials believe.

The 300 kilowatt laser is capable of being powered by batteries or a power grid, allowing for maneuverability.

However, if it is powered by a battery, the batteries will eventually need to be recharged, which could impact strikes.

The longer the beam is on, the more powerful it can be and go after targets if multiple sizes, in as little as seconds.

Perry told PopScience that the higher power would be used for 'some targets,' though he did not specifically mention a certain type.

'For softer targets that can be destroyed with a lower power laser, the extra power can be used to increase the engagement range and/or dwell time,' Perry added.

'We're excited to take the next step in delivering this critical capability to the Army,' said Cindy Gruensfelder, vice president and general manager of Boeing's Missile and Weapon Systems division.

'Our joint offering will leverage proven, deployed technologies to provide an industry-leading solution on an accelerated timeline.'
NASA has revealed a grainy photo of Pluto's dark side, six years after it was taken by its New Horizons spacecraft.

The image  taken in July 2015 when Pluto was 3 billion miles from Earth  shows the portion of the dwarf planet's landscape that wasn't directly illuminated by sunlight.

Researchers were able to generate the image using 360 images that New Horizons captured as it looked back on Pluto's southern hemisphere during its fly-by.

Capturing the shot involved leveraging light that was reflected off the largest of Pluto's five moons, Charon.

The image reveals a large and 'conspicuously bright' region midway between Plutos south pole and its equator, which may be a deposit of nitrogen or methane ice, similar to Pluto's icy 'heart' on its opposite side.

The image shows the dark side of Pluto surrounded by a bright ring of sunlight scattered by haze in its atmosphere. Researchers on the New Horizons team were able to generate this image using 360 images that New Horizons captured as it looked back on Plutos southern hemisphere

PLUTO: QUICK FACTS Discovered by: Clyde W. Tombaugh Discovery date: February 18, 1930 Surface temperature: -387F (-232C) Orbit period: 247.92065 Earth years Orbit distance: 5,874,000,000 km (39.26 AU) Known moons: 5 (Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx) Diameter: 1,471 miles (2,368 km) Mass: 13,050,000,000,000 billion kg (0.00218 x Earth) Advertisement

'In a startling coincidence, the amount of light from Charon on Pluto is close to that of the Moon on Earth, at the same phase for each,' said Tod Lauer, an astronomer at the National Science Foundation's National Optical Infrared Astronomy Research Observatory in Tucson, Arizona.

'At the time, the illumination of Charon on Pluto was similar to that from our own Moon on Earth when in its first-quarter phase.'

Pluto  which is smaller than Earths Moon  is a complex world of frozen plains and ice mountains as big as the Rockies.

Once considered the ninth planet, Pluto is the largest member of the Kuiper Belt and the best known of a new class of worlds called dwarf planets.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft launched in January 2006 and made history by returning the first close-up images of Pluto and its moons the following decade.

After flying within 7,800 miles (12,550 kilometers) of Pluto's icy surface on July 14, 2015, New Horizons continued at a rapid nine miles per second on to the Kuiper Belt.

As it departed Pluto, the spacecraft looked back at the dwarf planet and captured a series of images of its dark side, backlit by the distant Sun.

Although Pluto's hazy atmosphere stood out as a brilliant ring of light, the dark side itself was of course hidden.

An incomplete image of Plutos crescent. Although Pluto's hazy atmosphere stood out as a brilliant ring of light, the dark side itself was of course hidden

Fortunately, a portion of Pluto's dark southern hemisphere was illuminated by the faint sunlight reflecting off the icy surface of Pluto's largest moon, Charon, which is about the size of Texas.

PLUTO'S ATMOSPHERE IS DISAPPEARING, STUDY FINDS Pluto's atmosphere is disappearing as it moves further away from the Sun, a new study has revealed. Pluto takes 248 Earth years to complete a single orbit of the Sun, and its distance varies from its closest point of 30 AU (2.7 billion miles), to 50 AU (4.6 billion miles). Researchers deployed telescopes at various sites in the US and Mexico to observe the distant world as it passed in front of a star, briefly backlighting the dwarf planet and revealing its small, nitrogen rich atmosphere. Their observations suggest that as Pluto moves further from the Sun in its long orbit, it is getting colder and its nitrogen is refreezing to the surface. Read more: Pluto's atmosphere is disappearing, study finds Advertisement

That bit of 'Charon-light' was just enough for researchers to tease out details of Pluto's southern hemisphere that could not be obtained any other way.

Recovering details on Pluto's surface in faint moonlight wasn't easy, however  which is part of the reason the image has been released over six years after the fly-by.

When looking back at Pluto, scattered light from the Sun (which was nearly directly behind Pluto at the time) produced a complex pattern of background light that was 1,000 times stronger than the signal produced by the Charon-reflected light.

In addition, the bright ring of atmospheric haze surrounding Pluto was itself heavily over-exposed, producing additional artefacts in the images.

'The problem was a lot like trying to read a street sign through a dirty windshield when driving towards the setting Sun, without a sun visor,' said John Spencer, New Horizons co-investigator and researcher at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

It took the combination of 360 images of Pluto's dark side, and another 360 images taken with the same geometry but without Pluto in the picture, to produce the final image, consisting just of the signal produced by Charon-reflected light.

Looking at the image, Pluto's south pole and the region of the surface around it appears to be covered in a dark material, starkly contrasting with the paler surface of Pluto's northern hemisphere.

The researchers suspect that difference could be a consequence of Pluto having recently completed its southern summer (which ended 15 years before the flyby).

Pluto takes 248 Earth years to go around the Sun, so its seasons can last several decades.

A map overlay shows the physical extent of Pluto (black circle) and the limit of Charons illumination (solid, vertical gold line) when New Horizons captured the images. The dotted gold lines represent latitudes, with Plutos south pole at the bottom. The extremely high contrast in the images makes a large, conspicuously bright region midway between Plutos south pole and its equator (third dotted line from bottom) visible. The team suspects it may be a deposit of nitrogen or methane ice similar to Plutos icy 'heart' on its opposite side. The dark crescent to the west (left) is where neither sunlight nor Charon-light fell

Plutos ice-covered 'heart' is clearly visible in this false-colour image from NASAs New Horizons spacecraft. The left, roughly oval lobe on Pluto's surface is the basin informally named Sputnik Planitia. Pluto's largest moon, Charon appears top left

Pluto has a thin atmosphere of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide.

During the summer, the team suggests that nitrogen and methane ices in the south may have turned straight from solid to vapour, while dark haze-particles settled over the region.

Carly Howett at Southwest Research Institute, who is on the New Horizons team but was not involved in this study, told Science News that the image can help understand how Plutos nitrogen atmosphere varies throughout its seasons.

Pluto's atmosphere becomes thicker when more nitrogen ice evaporates, but if too much nitrogen freezes to the ground, the atmosphere could collapse.

Future Earth-based instruments could eventually verify the team's image and confirm other suspicions, but it would require Pluto's southern hemisphere to be in sunlight  something that won't happen for nearly 100 years.

'The easiest way to confirm our ideas is to send a follow-on mission,' Lauer said.

The researchers shared their image and scientific interpretation of it in a study published by the American Astronomical Society in the The Planetary Science Journal.
NASA's Perseverance rover has been on the Red Planet for more than 250 days and it has now found layered rocks on Mars.

The rover, which left Earth on February 18, is looking at a part of the Jezero Crater that may have formed as a result of the presence of water.

'Layered rocks like this often form in water, and can hold clues about what their environment used to be like,' the space agency wrote on Twitter.

Perseverance will take out its abrading tool  used to cut rocks  to go in for a closer inspection.

NASA's Perseverance rover has been on the Red Planet for almost 250 days and it has found layered rocks on Mars

Perseverance will take out its abrading tool (seen in the shadow)  used to cut rocks  to go in for a closer inspection

Once the abrading tool chips the rock away to reveal what is underneath, the rover will remove the dust to see if it is a 'good place for sampling,' the agency added in the tweet.

The Jezero Crater, the area Perseverance is currently exploring, was once filled by water and NASA is navigating the rover around the area to look for fossilized signs of ancient life.

On September 5, Perseverance collected its first rock sample on Mars, though scientists were not sure if it had gathered the sample because of poor sunlight on the Red Planet.

Perseverance has already collected two rock samples after a failed attempt in August

Perseverance abraded, or scraped, a rock nicknamed 'Rochelle' with a tool on its robotic arm to collect the sample.

A few days later, the rover collected its second rock sample in its mission to find signs of ancient microbial life on Mars.

In August, it initially tried to get a rock sample, but that failed because the rock was 'unusually' soft and powdery and it crumbled.

The rover drove half a mile to a better sampling spot to try again.

The Jezero Crater, the area Perseverance is currently exploring, was once filled by water and NASA is navigating the rover around the area to look for fossilized signs of ancient life

Perseverance touched down on Mars' Jezero Crater  believed to be the home of a lush lakebed and river delta billions of years ago  on February 18 after a nearly seven-month journey through space.

The rover carries 43 titanium sample tubes, and is exploring Jezero Crater, where it will be gathering samples of rock and soil for future analysis on Earth.

Perseverance is tasked with seeking traces of fossilized microbial life from Mars' ancient past and to collect rock specimens for return to Earth through future missions to the Red Planet.

The rover's turret-mounted scientific instruments are able to determine chemical and mineral composition and look for organic matter, as well as better characterize the planet's geological processes.

It uses a drill and a hollow coring bit at the end of its 7-foot-long (2-meter-long) robotic arm to extract samples slightly thicker than a pencil, which it stores under its belly.

NASA plans a mission to bring around 30 samples back to Earth in the 2030s, where scientists will be able to conduct more detailed analysis that might confirm there was microbial life.

However, Perseverance itself is not bringing the samples back to Earth  when the rover reaches a suitable location, the tubes will dropped on the surface of Mars to be collected by a future retrieval mission, which is currently being developed.

Once Perseverance collects samples from Mars, it will drop them at a suitable location on the surface of Mars to be collected by a future retrieval mission, currently being developed.

The multi-billion dollar project to bring back a piece of Mars to Earth will involve three separate launches and would only be successful as soon as 2031. The mission will start when Perseverance, NASA's new exploration rover, launches this summer

Currently, NASA and ESA plan to launch two more spacecraft that would leave Earth in 2026 and reach Mars in 2028.

The first will deploy a small rover, which will make its way to Perseverance, pick up the filled sampling tubes and transfer them to a 'Mars ascent vehicle'  a small rocket.

This rocket will blast off  in the process becoming the first object launched from the surface of Mars  and place the container into Martian orbit, meaning it will essentially be floating in space

At this point, the third and final spacecraft involved in the tricky operation will maneuver itself next to the sample container, pick it up and fly it back to Earth.

Providing its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is successful, it will plummet to the ground at a military training ground in Utah in 2031, meaning the Martian samples won't be studied for another 10 years.
Meta is thinking about opening its own retail stores in an effort to get consumers to understand what the metaverse actually is, according to a new report.

They would allow CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Meta to show off the company's devices, such as its smart glasses, Oculus (soon to be rebranded Meta) virtual reality headsets and video-calling devices more easily.

The stores, which were first reported by The New York Times, are still in the exploratory stage and do not yet have an opening date.

Apple opened its first retail store in May 2001 in Tysons, Virginia and Google has quietly been expanding its retail presence to show off its goods, like the Pixel smartphone.

Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are thinking about opening its own retail stores to educate consumers on what the metaverse actually is

The stores would allow Meta to show off its devices, including smart glasses, virtual reality headsets and video-calling devices

'We can't confirm any plans for stores, but can confirm that Quest 2 is in high demand and is available at our partner retailers along with our other hardware products, Ray-Ban Stories and Portal,' a Meta spokesperson told DailyMail.com via email.

Last month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled that Facebook would change its name to Meta (referencing the metaverse), as the company transitions to focusing on a environment where users work and play in a virtual world.

The attempt to escape reality couldn't come at a better time for the embattled brand, which will retain the Facebook name, but Facebook Inc. - the parent company that also owns Instagram and WhatsApp - will now go under the new title Meta.

It will begin trading under the ticker symbol MVRS on December 1.

It includes a new logo depicting a blue infinity symbol and refers to the 'metaverse', the company's new focus to expand beyond its social media apps

What is the metaverse? The 'metaverse' is a set of virtual spaces where you can game, work and communicate with other people who aren't in the same physical space as you. Facebook explained: 'You'll be able to hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. 'It's not necessarily about spending more time online  it's about making the time you do spend online more meaningful.' While Facebook is leading the charge with the metaverse, it explained that it isn't a single product one company can build alone. 'Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not,' it added. 'And it won't be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10-15 years.' Advertisement

The company's name change includes a new logo depicting a blue infinity symbol and refers to the 'metaverse', its new focus to expand beyond its social media apps.

The term 'metaverse' can refer to digital spaces, which are made more lifelike by the use of virtual reality or augmented reality.

'Our mission remains the same, it's still about bringing people together,' Zuckerberg said at the company's Facebook Connect conference, adding, 'Now we have a new North Star to help bring the metaverse to life.'

He added that the word means 'beyond' in Greek and symbolizes that there is 'always more to build' and 'always a next chapter in the story.'

'I believe the metaverse is the next chapter of the Internet and it's the next chapter of our company too,' he said, adding, 'While most etch companies focus on how people could connect to technology, we focus on building technology so people could connect with each other.'

Zuckerberg has previously suggested the metaverse to be the future of the company, and has been talking up the metaverse since July.

'And my hope, if we do this well, I think over the next five years or so, in this next chapter of our company, I think we will effectively transition from people seeing us as primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company,' Zuckerberg said in a July interview with The Verge.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously suggested the metaverse to be the future of the company, and has been talking it up since July

Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, published in 1992, touches on the subject.

After a worldwide economic collapse, the US has been broken up into different regions owned by powerful organizations and entrepreneurs who use their regions for various purposes, often nefarious in nature.

People spend much of their time in the 'Metaverse', a virtual multi-player world where people own virtual homes, visit 'bars' and go celebrity spotting.

Stephenson is credited with creating the 'metaverse' phrase as a successor to the internet.

Meta has invested heavily in virtual reality and augmented reality, developing hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets and working on AR glasses and wristband technologies.
China is working on a 'complex mission' to take samples of rock and dust from Mars and bring them back to Earth by the end of this decade.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) mission will build on the success of its mission to return moon rocks to Earth, and the ongoing Tianwen-1 Mars rover mission, currently searching for signs of life on the Red Planet.

Named Tianwen-2, it could launch as early as 2028, according to Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of Tianwen-1, speaking at the Deep Space Forum in Shenzhen.

It would be like no other mission that has come before it, Rongqiao suggested, adding it would involve a pair of rocket launches to send a drill and a orbiter.

A joint NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) mission hopes to have Martian rocks on Earth by 2031, but China hopes to beat them to that goal, returning in 2030.

China is working on a 'complex mission' to take samples of rock and dust from Mars and bring them back to Earth by the end of this decade

A joint NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) mission hopes to have Martian rocks on Earth by 2031, but now China hopes to beat them to that goal, returning in 2030

MARS: THE BASICS Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, with a 'near-dead' dusty, cold, desert world with a very thin atmosphere. Mars is also a dynamic planet with seasons, polar ice caps, canyons, extinct volcanoes, and evidence that it was even more active in the past. It is one of the most explored planets in the solar system and the only planet humans have sent rovers to explore. One day on Mars takes a little over 24 hours and a year is 687 Earth days. Facts and Figures Orbital period: 687 days Surface area: 144.8 million km Distance from Sun: 227.9 million km Gravity: 3.721 m/s Radius: 3,389.5 km Moons: Phobos, Deimos Advertisement

A Long March 3B rocket would be used to launch a lander and ascent vehicle to Mars, that will go down to the Red Planet, take samples, and launch from Mars to put them in orbit around the planet.

A separate launch, of a Long March 5 rocket, would send the orbiter and reentry capsules, that would be used to pick up the samples and return them to Earth.

Both rockets are expected to be launched within the same launch window in 2028, reaching Mars at about the same time.

Assuming the mission goes ahead as suggested, China could become the first nation to return samples of another planet to the Earth.

While NASA rovers have been sent to Mars with miniature laboratories on board, bringing samples to Earth will allow for much more extensive analysis.

Mars is increasingly becoming a battleground in the 'new space race' that is developing between China and the west.

If China does manage to get their samples back to Earth by 2030, NASA and ESA will only be a year behind.

The European and US mission will return samples already being collected on the Red Planet by the NASA Perseverance rover.

An ESA built 'Fetch' rover will be sent to Mars no earlier than 2026 to pick up tubes left on the Martian surface by Perseverance, and an ascent vehicle will put them in Mars orbit.

An ESA-led orbiter will pick up the samples around Mars and bring them back to Earth no earlier than 2031.

Like ESA and NASA building on Perseverance for their sample-return, the Chinese mission will build on capabilities developed for Tianwen-1 Zhurong rover and Chang'e-5 lunar sample-return mission.

China's ongoing Mars project was its first fully independent interplanetary mission, launching in July 2020 - sending a rover and satellite to the Red Planet.

With the mission they successfully demonstrated they could land a rover on another world, including the entry, descent and landing technologies involved.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) mission will build on the success of its mission to return moon rocks to Earth, and the ongoing Tianwen-1 Mars rover

Named Tianwen-2, it could launch as early as 2028, according to Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of Tianwen-1, speaking at the Deep Space Forum in Shenzhen

THE ZHURONG ROVER Part of mission: Tianwen-1 Manufacturer: China Academy of Space Technology Deployed from lander: May 22, 2021 Dimensions: 8'6'' x 9'10'' x 6'1'' Mass: 530 lbs Powered by: Solar panels Tools: Cameras and scientific instruments, including to measure climate and the chemical composition of material found on Mars' surface Advertisement

Coupled with the November 2020 Chang'e-5 mission, that returned moon rocks to Earth a few weeks later, China is flexing its space technology muscles.

The missions proved China has the ability to find samples on another world, drill to collect them, launch from another body, rendezvous in orbit, and return to Earth.

Zhang said in a press conference that there were 'big technological challenges' involved in bringing samples back to the Earth.

'We need about two to three years to tackle the core technologies before conducting engineering development,' he said.

Unlike the NASA and ESA sample return mission, China will not use a rover, but rather simply land a drill on the surface and send it back into space.

They need to make the 2028 launch window in order to get the samples back to Earth by the end of the decade, as there would be a 26 month window before Mars is positioned close enough to the Earth.

Before travelling the millions of miles to Mars, China is first hoping to collect material from a near-Earth asteroid, known as Kamooalewa.

Coupled with the November 2020 Chang'e-5 mission, that returned moon rocks to Earth a few weeks later, China is flexing its space technology muscles

They would be the third nation to achieve this, after Japan and the US, launching in 2024 and named after Ming dynasty admiral and explorer Zheng He.

After dropping the samples off at Earth, the spacecraft will head to the asteroid belt, to study comet 311P/PANSTARRS.

China's ambitions extend beyond robotic exploration, with plans to send its first crewed mission to Mars in 2033 with the goal of constructing a base and extract resources from the Red Planet.

The ambitious plan will intensify a race with the US to put humans on Mars, with NASA aiming for sometime during the 2030s.

Chinese officials are using the rover to analyze Martian soil and atmosphere, capture images, chart maps and look for water and signs of ancient life

Along with conquering Mars, China is also looking to set up a base in the south pole of the moon, in which it is working with Russia to complete.

Authorities from Moscow and Beijing signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the project in March to cement the partnership.

'An international lunar science station is a complex of experimental and research facilities created on the surface and/or in orbit of the moon,' the memorandum reads.

The base, it continued, would be 'designed to conduct multidisciplinary and multipurpose research work.'
NASA, still trying to figure out why the Hubble Space Telescope stopped working for the second time this year, is turning to an instrument that has not been powered on in over a decade to help solve the issue.

The U.S. space agency said late Thursday that during the weekend of October 30, it started to turn on parts of the Near Infrared Camera and Multi Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) instrument to look for 'potential workarounds' on why the Hubble detected a loss of specific data synchronization messages.

First installed in 1997, NICMOS has been inactive since 2010, when the Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) became operational.

'NICMOS allowed the team to use an instrument to collect information on these lost messages while keeping the active instruments off as a safety precaution,' NASA said in the Thursday update.

'Since NICMOS was recovered on Nov. 1, no additional synchronization messages have been lost.'

NASA has turned on an instrument that has not been powered on in over a decade to help get the Hubble out of safe mode

NASA has started to turn on parts of the Near Infrared Camera and Multi Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) instrument to look for 'potential workarounds' on why the Hubble detected a loss of specific data synchronization messages. First installed in 1997, NICMOS has been inactive since 2010

Hubble mission members are analyzing the circuitry of the Control Unit, which generated the synchronization messages and sends them to Hubble's many instruments. The ageing satellite was first launched in 1990.

Potential workarounds include changes to instrument flight software that could look for the lost messages and compensate so the telescope does not have to go back into safe mode.

In order to do this, mission members have to test it on a ground simulator to make sure the idea works as planned.

Engineers are in the process of recovering Hubbles Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) instrument from safe mode and could make a decision as early as Sunday after they look at the latest data

Engineers are in the process of recovering Hubbles Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) instrument from safe mode and could make a decision as early as Sunday after they look at the latest data.

ACS was the first instrument to recover because it is the least impacted by lost messages, NASA explained.

NASA will continue to analyze the Control Unit design diagrams and data with the lost synchronization messages in hopes of understanding what caused the issue.

Earlier this week, the agency provided more clarity on the malfunction.

Error codes on the Hubble's science instruments were issued at 1:46 a.m. EDT on October 23, 'indicating the loss of a specific synchronization message.'

The engineers working on the Hubble reset the instruments and science operations were resumed the following morning.

However, a second set of error codes were issued on October 25 at 2:38 a.m. EDT, again indicating the loss of a specific synchronization message.

Subsequently, the instruments went into safe mode.

When the Hubble is in safe mode, it does not observe any celestial objects or collect data, but it is still powered up.

The Hubble, which has been in space more than 30 years, first stopped working in June after it ran into issues with a 1980s-era computer that controls its science instruments.

On June 14, flight controllers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland tried to restart the computer after they noticed it stopped working on June 13, but they ran into the same issue and could not get it to operate normally.

In June, the Hubble stopped working after it had issues with a 1980s-era computer that controls its science instruments

Science operations on the Hubble resumed on July 17, following a month in which it was halted due to a technical malfunction.

The agency successfully performed a 'very risky' maneuver to switch the Hubble to its backup computer.

The switch 'was performed to compensate for a problem with the original payload computer that occurred on June 13 when the computer halted, suspending science data collection.'

The switch, which started on July 15, involved bringing the backup Power Control Unit (PCU) online, as well as the backup Command Unit/Science Data Formatter (CU/SDF) on the other side of the Science Instrument and Command & Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit.

The PCU brings power to the SI C&DH components, while the CU/SDF sends and formats commands and data.

NASA added that other pieces of hardware on the Hubble were also switched to alternate interfaces to connect to the backup SI C&DH.

The backup payload computer was then turned on, loaded with software and normal operations mode.

Prior to being switched on in July, the backup payload computer had not been powered on since it was installed in 2009 during Hubble's last servicing mission.

Hubble, a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, has been observing the universe for over three decades.

It has taken more than 1.5 million observations of the universe, and over 18,000 scientific papers have been published based on its data.

The telescope orbits Earth at a speed of about 17,000mph (27,300kph) in low Earth orbit at about 340 miles in altitude, slightly higher than the International Space Station.

Launched in April 1990 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Hubble is showing more and more signs of ageing, despite a series of repairs and updates by spacewalking astronauts during NASA's shuttle era

Launched in April 1990 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Hubble is showing more and more signs of ageing, despite a series of repairs and updates by spacewalking astronauts during NASA's shuttle era.

The telescope is named after famed astronomer Edwin Hubble who was born in Missouri in 1889 and discovered that the universe is expanding, as well as the rate at which it is doing so.

The Hubble recently marked its 31st anniversary in space, doing so with an image of a giant star that is 'on the edge of destruction'.

The U.S. space agency is going to replace the Hubble with $10 billion James Webb Telescope.

Following months of delays, the James Webb Telescope will launch into space on December 18, 2021, on board the ESA's Ariane-5 rocket.

Last month, the telescope was successfully unpacked in French Guiana, where it will head into space, following a 5,800 mile-long journey.
A modified commercial drone may have been responsible for an attempted attack on a Pennsylvania power substation last year, the first reported case of a drone assault on the United States' energy infrastructure.

Authorities believe a DJI Mavic 2 drone with a thick copper wire tethered to it found in June 2020 was likely intended to disrupt operations 'by creating a short circuit to cause damage to transformers or distribution lines,' according to a joint intelligence bulletin from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center released October 28.

If the wire had come into contact with any of the power plant's high-voltage equipment, it could have resulted in a short circuit, power failure or even a fire, according to New Scientist.

The Drive reported the drone was recovered by authorities from a substation near Hershey, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from Philadelphia and not far from the Hersheypark amusement park.

No group has claimed responsibility and identifying labels and the device's camera and internal memory card had been removed, in a likely attempt to obscure its origins.

DJI Mavic 2 drones are available to the public online for less than $2,000.

Scroll down for video

Law enforcement officials discovered a modified drone with copper wire tethered to it near an electrical substation in Pennsylvania. Authorities believe the intention was to disrupt the local energy grid

The DIY device is similar in basic concept to technology that has been deployed by the American military.

In 1999, the U.S. Air Force used cluster bombs to scatter conductive filaments over electrical equipment, disabling most of Serbia's electrical grid during the Kosovo War. (A similar technique was used during the first Gulf War to create blackouts in Iraq.)

According to the bulletin, 'This is the first known instance of a modified UAS [unmanned aerial system] likely being used in the United States to specifically target energy infrastructure.'

'To date, no operator has been identified and we are producing this assessment now to expand awareness of this event to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement and security partners who may encounter similarly modified UAS,' it read.

The drone, or unidentified aerial system (UAS) was recovered by authorities near an electrical substation outside Hershey, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from Philadelphia

If the drone's wire had come into contact with any of the plant's high-voltage equipment it could have resulted in a short circuit, power failure or even a fire. Pictured: An aerial view of an electrical substation in Houston, Texas

While this is the first attempt on an energy utility reported by federal authorities, a swarm of five or six large drones flew in a restricted area at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Tonopah, Arizona, two nights in a row in September 2019, David Hambling, author of Swarm Troopers: How Small Drones Will Conquer the World, reported in a 2020 Forbes article.

According to documents obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request, the drones flew over Palo Verde's Unit 3 nuclear reactor for about 80 minutes.

The files also referred to a similar incident at Limerick Nuclear Generating Station in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

A modified DJI Mavic 2 drone may have been responsible for an attempted attack on a Pennsylvania power substation in June 2020, the first reported case of a drone assault on the country's energy infrastructure

In all, the FOIA documents, which were requested by the Scientific Coalition for UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) Studies, revealed that between 2015 to 2019, two dozen U.S. nuclear reactors and fuel storage sites suffered 57 known drone incursions.

That includes another flyby at Palo Verde in December 2019, even after the station had supposedly installed drone detection technology.

Diablo Canyon Power Plant near San Luis Obispo, California, reported seven separate incursions between December 2015 and September 2018, according to the Drive.

'Counter-terrorism defenses largely assume a ground-based attacker,' Zak Kallenborn at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, told New Scientist. 'Hence the fences and bollards everywhere.'

But those defenses are useless to terrorists that take to the air, Kallenborn added.

'Drones are cheap, and easy to use," he said. 'Critical infrastructure facilities need to worry about attacks from any direction.'

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission marked 85 percent of the drone incidents in the files as 'unresolved,' but closed the cases anyway.

While the attack on the Pennsylvania substation doesn't appear to have been successful, autonomous drones may have already attacked and killed humans without human operators at the controls.

In 2020, rebels in Libya were bombarded by 'unmanned combat aerial vehicles and lethal autonomous weapons systems,' according to a United Nations report released this May.

Kargu-2 quadcopter drones were reportedly deployed in Libya in March 2020, attacking anti-government rebels fully autonomously - without human operators

The drone in question, the Kargu-2 quadcopter, can be operated manually but in this encounter they appeared to have no human operators and were relying on-board cameras and machine-learning to target enemies.

Fatalities were not confirmed but the drones carry explosive charges and similar systems have caused 'significant casualties' in other encounters.
The four astronauts departing from the International Space Station as early as this weekend will be wearing diapers on their return trip to Earth due to a broken toilet aboard the SpaceX capsule.

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur described the situation Friday as 'suboptimal' but manageable.

'Spaceflight is full of lots of little challenges,' she said during a news conference from orbit.

'This is just one more that we'll encounter and take care of in our mission. So we're not too worried about it.'

McArthur is part of Crew-2 that also includes NASA's Shane Shane Kimbrough, the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide  all of which launched to the ISS on April 28.

Scroll down for video

The four astronauts departing from the ISS as early as this weekend will be sporting diapers on their return trip to Earth due to a broken toilet aboard the SpaceX capsule. Pictured left to right: Thomas Pesquet, Megan McArthur, Shane Kimbrough and Akihiko Hoshide

The crew investigated the return capsule, named Endeavour, by looking under the panels with video cameras to provide the NASA and SpaceX teams with data to see if their toilet was anything like that of the Inspiration4 mission.

In September, the toilet on the Inspiration inspiration began spilling urine when a tube came unglued.

William Gerstenmaier, a SpaceX vice president who used to work for NASA, told the New York Times that bodily fluids collected under the floor of the Resilience capsule.

'We didn't really even notice it, the crew didn't even notice it, until we got back,' Gerstenmaier said.

On the culinary side, the astronauts grew the first chile peppers in space This photo provided by NASA, Astronauts, from left, Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough, Akihiko Hoshide and Megan McArthur

SpaceX fixed the toilet on the capsule set to take a new batch of astronauts to the, but deemed the one in orbit unusable.

Following their investigation, Crew-2 found pools of urine under the capsule floor, but the craft had not been structurally compromised by the urine and was safe for the ride back.

Crew-2 was planned to be replaced by a fresh group of astronauts before their departure from the ISS, but the initial launch, set for October 31, was delayed due to poor weather.

The rescheduled launch was scrubbed because of a 'minor medical issue' affecting a crewmember.

The crew was able to sample their harvest last Friday, adding pieces of the green and red peppers to tacos.

Mission managers could decide later Friday whether to bring McArthur and her three crewmates back in their SpaceX capsule before launching their replacements.

On the culinary side, the astronauts grew the first chile peppers in space  'a nice moral boost,' according to McArthur.

And the crew was able to sample their harvest last Friday, adding pieces of the green and red peppers to tacos.

'They have a nice spiciness to them, a little bit of a lingering burn,' she said. 'Some found that more troublesome than others.'

During a video interview with the crew, someone had asked if the peppers were the reason for the broken toilet  but the astronauts avoided the question.
Gareth Southgate defended Mason Greenwood after he rejected an England call-up - but he notably stopped short of doing the same for Callum Hudson-Odoi, who turned down a call from the Under-21s.

The Three Lions boss  who has axed Jadon Sancho from his squad  revealed that Manchester United striker Greenwood, after talks with his family, believes he isnt ready for a senior call-up.

And in another snub, Southgate confirmed the FA wanted to select Hudson-Odoi for Under 21 duty, but the Chelsea forward  who has three senior caps  does not want to be considered for Lee Carsleys squad.

England boss Gareth Southgate named his squad for the World Cup qualifiers on Thursday

Mason Greenwood (left) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (right) both turned down England call-ups

Hudson-Odoi is being chased by Ghana, while Jamaica are trying to lure Greenwood.

Jude Bellingham and Greenwood were left out of last months squad after discussions with the players families. But Southgate insisted it is not the case that Greenwood and Bellingham are dictating when they play for England.

If I did feel they were picking and choosing it would, in a few months, probably be reflected in our selection, he said.

Southgate is adamant that Greenwood wants an international career with England, despite the fact that the 20-year-old has not been selected at all this season after withdrawing from the Euros squad last summer with injury.

Greenwood (right) believes he isnt ready for a senior call-up after talks with his family

Southgate confirmed the FA wanted to select Chelsea winger Hudson-Odoi for Under 21 duty

He said: In September, John McDermott (FA technical director) and myself went to United and had a good chat with Mason and his family and we agreed we would park this until next year.

The England boss, who named Conor Gallagher, Emile Smith Rowe, Marc Guehi and Tino Livramento as potential future call-ups, added: Greenwood is young enough that there is time.

He wants to play for England, he is clear about that. Its not that he doesnt want to be with us.

But Southgate suggested the situation could benefit from Greenwood publicly stating his position.

His appraisal of the Hudson-Odoi situation was less encouraging, however, as he indicated the 20-year-old Chelsea star did not want to be considered for the Under 21s.

Jesse Lingard and Jadon Sancho were the two big-name casualties from the latest squad

He feels he would be best served staking a case for the team with Chelsea. I think he has a better chance of impressing us if he is with the Under 21s as well, frankly, said the England boss.

Sancho and Jesse Lingard were the two big-name casualties from Southgates latest squad. Sancho has struggled for game time since joining United for 73million in the summer and Southgate added: We can support and back them, but you cannot do that forever.

'There has to be a point where you say: we have to bring in players who are playing regularly. There is no point carrying lads if we dont think we can use them.

He has a challenge at the moment, but I am sure that will be a short-term thing. He will be able to force his way back in.
England's autumn plans were thrown into chaos after skipper Owen Farrell tested positive for Covid.

Unless secondary tests prove his case to be a 'false positive', the fly-half must self-isolate for 10 days, ruling him out of Saturday's opener against Tonga and next week's showdown with Australia.

Flanker Courtney Lawes declared himself ready to take over the captaincy at Twickenham, with George Furbank likely to be handed No 10 jersey ahead of Marcus Smith.

England captain Owen Farrell has tested positive for Covid ahead of Saturday's Tonga clash

Despite operating under strict covid protocols, England have suffered two positive cases this week, through Farrell and a member of support staff.

In desperation, Farrell was sent for a second PCR test on Friday with the faint hope that he could still feature this afternoon.

It is a major disruption to Eddie Jones's campaign planning, as the head coach must now surely wait until the final Test against the Springboks to try out the new Smith-Farrell axis.

The Saracens star was picked to start at No 10 for Eddie Jones' side at Twickenham on Saturday

But Eddie Jones and his medical staff have refused to rule Farrell out of the Twickenham fixture

Despite Smith being the only specialist 10 remaining in the squad, Furbank is primed to take up the starting role as Smith has played a limited role in training due to injury.

'Furbank's obviously trained in that position for the last couple of weeks,' said assistant coach Richard Cockerill.

'He's played there before for his club. He's a very talented player who has great instincts and I think he'll take it in his stride, we've got no concerns with our options in that position.

'Whoever starts and finishes there is more than capable of doing what we need them to do.' England named three assistant captains - Lawes, Ellis Genge and Tom Curry - at Thursday's team announcement.

Unless secondary tests prove his case to be a 'false positive', the fly-half must self-isolate for 10 days, ruling him out of Saturday's opener against Tonga and their game with Australia

If he is ruled out, George Furbank likely to be handed No 10 jersey ahead of Marcus Smith

Lock Lawes is the most experienced candidate and claimed he last night that he is ready to lead the team if called upon.

'I've only been skipper for a few games, but I generally have been in and amongst the leadership group with England and Saints for the last three or four years,' said Lawes. 'I don't generally ask to be captain, I prefer playing that role of support for the skipper.

'I've got lots of experience and I can hopefully help drive the team in positive directions but generally I like to do it from the background. I think that's just part of my personality but if I have to step up and be skipper like I have for Saints in the past then I'm happy to do that, I'd be very honoured to do it.'
Advertisement

Over a century has passed since the end of World War I, but physical reminders of 'the war to end all wars' remain today.

These reminders are explored in Abandoned Places of World War I, a fascinating new book by conflict archaeologist and historian Neil Faulkner.

Featuring more than 180 poignant images of the deserted detritus of war, the book documents bunkers, trench systems, tunnels, fortifications and gun emplacements, guiding the reader from North America to Australia via the UK.

In the introduction to the book, Faulkner writes: 'The struggle ranged from the mud-mires of Flanders to the forests of the Argonne, from the Polish swamps to the Carpathian passes, from the mountains along the Isonzo River to the slopes of Gallipoli, to the deserts of Iraq.

'When the war finally ended - with 1.5million dead and 30million maimed for life - the conflict left a residue of material remains greater than that of all previous wars combined. Many of those remains survive today.'

Scroll down to see some of the striking images that appear in Faulkner's compendium...

SS AYRFIELD, HOMEBUSH BAY, PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: 'This old collier, originally built in a British yard in 1911, did service in both world wars before finding its way to a breakers yard in 1972,' explains Faulkner. At that point, he reveals, 'the price of scrap metal plummeted, the break-up was abandoned, and the rusting hull has since sprouted a small forest'

MONTE PASUBIO, TRENTINO, ITALY (LEFT): Faulkner describes the limestone massif of Monte Pasubio as one of the wars most remote battlefields. He writes: This massif of jagged peaks and plateaus more than 2,000m (6,500ft) high saw Italians and Austrians engaged in years of attritional warfare in freezing rock-cut trenches and dugouts.' EDEGEM FORTRESS, ANTWERP, BELGIUM (RIGHT): This was one of 21 forts forming Antwerps main line of resistance in 1914, explains Faulkner

Pictured above is a military camp on the battlefield of Pasubio during World War I

On the left, Italian soldiers march along the Lora trail on Monte Pasubio. On the right, a column of Alpinis head to the trenches on the same massif

EDEGEM FORTRESS, ANTWERP, BELGIUM: Shedding light on the significance of forts like the Edegem Fortress, Faulkner writes: By the late 19th century, the range and power of modern artillery meant that cities had to be defended by rings of forts often placed several miles from the centre'

SANCTUARY WOOD, YPRES, BELGIUM: Faulkner reveals that when the Schier family returned to Ypres after the war, they decided to preserve the 'trenches, shell-holes and splintered trees' on their land as an attraction for pilgrims and tourists. The author writes: They later added a museum, now much enlarged, and the site remains one of the best places in which to explore the character of World War I trench systems'

Pictured are soldiers walking around the puddles created by bombing on the wetlands near Gheluvelt during a World War I battle over Ypres

Soldiers from a British regiment from the North of England throw grenades at a German position in Polygon Wood, the scene of fierce fighting during the Third Battle of Ypres

BUNKER, HILL 60, ZILLEBEKE, BELGIUM: Faulkner explains that by 1917, the Germans had abandoned linear defence in favour of defence in depth based on belts formed of separate strongpoints. 'Machine-guns would be mounted in concrete pillboxes arranged to create kill zones swept by converging fire,' he says, adding: Hill 60 was one of the most fiercely contested locations in the Ypres Salient [the battlegrounds surrounding Ypres]'

SEARCHLIGHT EMPLACEMENT, BLYTH BATTERY, NORTHUMBERLAND, ENGLAND: Blyth Battery was built in August 1916 as the east-coast defences against a German naval attack were augmented, Faulkner writes. He continues: The battery comprised two searchlights and two six-inch (152mm) quick-firing guns manned by 80 men'

MACHINE GUN PILLBOX, NORTH WALSHAM, NORFOLK, ENGLAND: 'Fears of German invasion were very real during the Great War,' Faulkner writes. He says trenches were dug and pillboxes constructed in anticipation of land fighting in coastal areas. According to the historian, pillboxes - such as the one pictured - 'were sited on routeways and were designed as strongpoints within wider defensive systems

MONTE CENGIO, TRENTINO, ITALY: Monte Cengio, a 1,350m- (4,400ft) high mountain on the southern edge of the Asiago Plateau, 'was a key Italian defensive position guarding the approaches to the Po Valley', according to Faulkner. The author writes: 'Overwhelmed by Austro-Hungarian attack in June 1916, the Italians counter-attacked and recaptured the mountain.' He reveals that most of the fortifications visible today were built the following year, during 1917

Pictured are Italian General Luigi Cadorna and other soldiers on Monte Cengio during the war

MOUNT MAGGIO, TRENTINO, ITALY: In the foreground of this picture and scored across the slopes in the middle-ground are former Great War trenches, reveals Faulkner, who adds that 'they were placed off the skyline but positioned with clear fields of fire downhill'

The photograph above shows Italian troops man a trench in the mountains in Trentino in 1915

MOUNT ZOVETTO, ASIAGO PLATEAU, ITALY: The picture above shows an artillery emplacement on Mount Zovetto. British reinforcements were sent to the Italian front following the collapse at Caporetto in November 1917, writes Faulkner. He explains these heavily-camouflaged gun ports, which had 'extensive rock-cut galleries behind', were constructed by British artillerymen the following year

CINQUE TORRI, DOLOMITES, ITALY: Above you'll see a trench in the Five Towers - which Faulkner describes as 'a distinctive rock formation some 3,600m (11,800ft) up'

CINQUE TORRI, DOLOMITES, ITALY: Faulkner reveals the 'Five Towers' was the scene of sustained fighting between Italian and Austrian troops

Soldiers heading towards Cinque Torri - or the 'Five Towers' - during World War I

CINQUE TORRI, DOLOMITES, ITALY: Visitors can explore the 'Five Towers' today, where a network of trenches, machine-gun emplacements, observation posts and accommodation areas have been partially reconstructed as an open-air museum, according to Faulkner

GUN EMPLACEMENT, MOUNT MOZIC, SORISKA PLANINA, SLOVENIA: Faulkner says: 'This steel gun turret is one of the few visible elements in an underground complex of tunnels and chambers on a strategic mountain-top overlooking the Isonzo River'

FORT HERMANN, BOVEC, ISONZO VALLEY, SLOVENIA: Fort Hermann was twinned with Fort Kluze about two miles away, Faulkner explains. 'This Austro-Hungarian fort was built between 1897 and 1900 to guard an important pass near Mount Rombon, just north of the Isonzo River,' he writes. However, Faulkner notes that when fighting spread up the mountainsides, fortifications of this kind 'proved largely redundant'

KAUNAS FORTRESS, LITHUANIA: Above is an aerial picture of Kaunas Fortress, which Faulkner says is a 'vast defensive complex'. It was built between 1882 and 1915 to protect the Russian Empires Baltic flank, extended across 65 square kilometres (25 square miles), according to the historian. Outlining the fate of the fortress, he writes: 'Defended by 90,000 soldiers in 1915, it succumbed to German assault after 11 days resistance, partly due to bombardment by a monster 420mm (16.5in) siege howitzer lobbing one-ton shells'

The archival photograph above shows cannonry prepared by Russian troops for evacuation, in front of the train station in Kaunas

FORT 48 BATOWICE, KRAKOW, POLAND: This picture depicts one of an outer ring of pre-war Austro-Hungarian artillery forts around Krakow that was constructed in the 1880s, Faulkner reveals. He writes: 'The outer ring contained and protected an inner ring of older, sometimes originally medieval, city defences'

PRZEMYSL FORTRESS, POLAND: The Przemysl fortress is a 'huge Austro-Hungarian fortress' that covered the approaches to the Carpathian passes, according to Faulkner. In addition to the central work of the fortress, there were 25 smaller forts and 12 artillery redoubts

Inside the Przemysl Fortress after bombardment. The fortress was a site of extensive combat during the war

PRZEMYSL FORTRESS, POLAND: Recounting the fate of the Przemysl fortress in World War I, Faulkner writes: 'Besieged by the Russians from September 1914, the garrison of 120,000 men, reduced by starvation, finally surrendered in March 1915'

Pictured above is the destroyed Przemysl Fortress in June 1915, after the surrender of the Austro-Hungarian troops

The photograph above was taken circa 1915. It shows the aftermath of the bombardment of the fort in Przemysl

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS: 'This view of the former frontline between German and Russian troops gives a clear impression of these battlefields in the clouds,' Faulkner says of this vista over the Carpathian Mountains. The historian explains that mountain warfare, traditionally confined to the passes, spilt up the highest slopes during World War I 'as attackers attempted to flank fixed positions that could not be taken in a frontal assault on the lower ground'

AMMUNITION, GALLIPOLI, TURKEY: Pictured is a collection of spent Mauser cartridges in Turkey. Faulkner says: 'The German Mauser Gewehr 98 was the standard rifle used by Ottoman infantry in World War I'

FORT MISSISSAUGA, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA: This old-fashioned brick fort was built to defend the frontier during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States, according to the author. He reveals it was 'reused for training purposes during World War I, like most old fortifications'

FORT TILDEN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Fort Tilden was built during World War I to guard the approaches to New York harbour, Faulkner explains. He notes that the fort included four 12-inch (304mm) coastal-defence mortars and four six-inch (152mm) guns on pedestal mounts

SS HEROIC, SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: Look above and you'll see what remains of the SS Heroic. 'This steel-hulled steamboat tug was British-built in 1909 and was then commandeered by the Royal Navy to perform rescue services off the Scilly Isles during World War I,' Faulkner writes. The historian says it did further service during World War II before being sold for scrap in the 1970s
Advertisement

British travellers will find that their pound will go furthest in Turkey, where theyll get over 210 extra on a 500 transaction compared to March 2020 when lockdown began, a gain of 73 per cent.

That's according to Post Office Travel Moneys Holiday Money Index 2021 report, which has been measuring exchange rate movements and foreign currency sales. The report also reveals the fastest-selling currencies and the top 10 best-value long-haul winter sun destinations in terms of item costs.

In terms of exchange rate value, the report names Jamaica as the second-best location for Britons. There, 500 will buy them an extra 127 of currency, a 34 per cent gain since the first lockdown. Mauritius is third in the ranking with a 29 per cent gain  thats 111 more to spend on a 500 transaction - and Kenya is fourth, with a 99 gain.

Britons will find that their pound will go furthest in Turkey, where theyll get over 210 extra on a 500 transaction. Pictured is the Turkish city of Istanbul

Pictured is the Exchange Rate Monitor report, which shows a comparison of rates for the bestselling Post Office currencies for the countries open to UK visitors. Current rates are compared with those 12 months ago and in March 2020, when lockdown started

The country topping the ranking for the 10 cheapest long-haul holiday destinations is Jamaica, specifically the country's Montego Bay area. There, the cost of a three-course meal for two and a range of drinks is just 52.82. Grand Baie in Mauritius is the second-best value with a total of 55.19 for the combined price of the meal with wine, beer, coffee and water.

Thailand takes the bronze medal for value. On the Thai island of Phuket, Britons will pay 61.45 for the assortment of food and drink.

Two US destinations make the top 10 - the same basket of goods will set you back 61.51 in fourth-place Orlando, while New York comes ninth with an average cost of 88.22.

Commenting on the holiday costs in these long-haul destinations, Nick Boden, Post Office Head of Travel Money, says: The strength of sterling is a real bonus, but it is also important to consider the cost of living in individual countries.

Pictured is the Holiday Costs Barometer for long-haul destinations, which shows the resort costs in leading winter sun destinations now open to UK tourists

In terms of exchange rate value, the report names Jamaica as the second-best location for Britons. Pictured is the country's Seven Mile Beach in Negril

Mauritius, pictured, is third in the Exchange Rate Monitor ranking with 111 more to spend on a 500 transaction

The Post Office currency sales trends report, pictured, shows the fastest-growing currencies

When you combine the two, Jamaica and Mauritius look like winter sun winners according to our barometer of resort costs.

Prices for meals and drinks are 79 per cent higher in Barbados than in Jamaica. Similarly, when you compare costs in the most popular US destinations, visitors to Orlando in Florida will pay around a third less than in New York.

Iceland tops the list of the fastest-growing currencies in the Post Office currency sales trends report, with sales of the Icelandic krona shooting up by 3,009 per cent compared with September and October last year.

According to Post Office Travel Money, there was also pent-up demand for winter sun holiday destinations that were released from the UKs Covid restrictions. Sales of the Croatian kuna are up 1,304 per cent, boosted by demand during the school half-term holiday.

Pictured is the Amboseli National Park in Kenya, where Britons will get a 99 gain on a 500 transaction compared to March 2020

The overall fastest-selling currencies, according to Post Office Travel Money

A steep rise of 633 per cent in UAE dirham sales also suggests Britons will be heading to Dubai for winter sun, the report finds.

The Hungarian forint is up 582 per cent, and St Lucia, Antigua and Barbados also look like popular choices for sun holidays, with currency sales that more than quadrupled year on year.

The euro was the overall bestseller, though, from January to October 2021, with sales trebling since the start of the summer. Compared with September and October last year, euro sales have risen by 150 per cent.

The US dollar - of which sales have almost doubled since June - is the second-most popular currency. According to Post Office Money, US dollar sales surged by 142 per cent after the USA confirmed that UK tourists will be able to visit the country from November 8.

The Croatian kuna is the third bestselling currency, followed by the UAE dirham and the Canadian dollar.

According to Post Office Money, there has been healthy sales growth for almost all major holiday currencies since the start of summer.

A year-on-year rise in the value of sterling helps to explain the upturn in sales of some currencies - the pound has risen year on year against 25 of the Post Offices top 30 currencies, the report finds.

The report also reveals that Britons are continuing to take more foreign currency when holidaying abroad. The average Post Office transaction on euro purchases is now up 39 per cent to 462.

Boden adds: Looking at our currency sales, the green shoots of recovery are now evident for most of the destinations now opening up to British visitors again and reveal a latent demand for hotspots in Europe and further afield.
The Daily Mail Escape team has everything you need to know about the reopening of travel to the U.S and how to keep its notoriously impatient border guards sweet.

Fit-to-fly certificates at the ready!

Can we finally go to America?

The Daily Mail Escape team have offered tips on how to keep America's notoriously impatient border guards sweet

Not immediately  but from Monday we can, as President Joe Biden has lifted the long-running blanket ban on UK tourists. But there is one caveat.

Whats that?

You must be fully vaccinated to travel.

Can you go if youre not vaccinated?

There are exemptions for diplomats, air crew and United Nations officials.

Are there any other requirements for double-jabbed travellers?

Yes. You must also take a Covid test and have proof of a negative result within three days of departure. This can be either an antigen/lateral flow test or a PCR test. The test certificate must be marked with your name as shown on your passport plus at least one other identifier such as your date of birth or passport number.

Test certificates can be in digital or paper form to show at check-in on departure and to border officials on arrival.

Can I use an NHS test for this?

Almost certainly not. U.S. border control wording is not clear on this, so it is essential to err on the side of caution and book and pay for a private test at a registered medical laboratory. Prices for antigen/lateral flow tests are cheapest, varying from 25 to 50. You must have the test taken by a laboratory  you cannot complete a test at home without supervision as these are open to fraud.

What about tests taken via video/Zoom while medical lab staff witness it?

Such tests are acceptable.

The US opens to British holidaymakers from November 8 - but Britons must be fully-vaccinated to travel

What proof of being fully vaccinated will I need?

Your NHS Travel Covid Pass is sufficient. You will need to be able to show the QR code to your airline and to officials on arrival, either printed or in digital form.

Is the AstraZeneca vaccine accepted as it has not yet been approved there?

Yes. Americas health regulator, the Centers for Disease Control, accepts Oxford AstraZeneca jabs as these have been approved by the World Health Organisation.

What about children?

Children under 18 travelling with a fully vaccinated adult are exempt from the requirement to be fully vaccinated, but those aged two to 17 must take a lateral flow or PCR test within three days of departure. Children under 18 travelling solo need to take a test within one day of travel.

Anything else you need?

Yes. Each tourist must, as was required pre-pandemic, complete an ESTA form to enter the U.S. ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. These cost 9 and should be completed at least 72 hours prior to travel. Apply via esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Do you need to wear a face mask while flying?

Yes  and also at U.S. airports.

Travellers are required to wear a face mask while flying and travelling through U.S. airports

Do you have to wear a face mask everywhere?

Each state has its own rules, although masks are mandatory on public transport. Some places have special rules for indoor gatherings that could affect children. In New York, anyone over 12 must have proof of having at least one jab when attending restaurants, cafes, shops, cinemas and museums. See Key to NYC at nyc.gov.

For a state-by-state breakdown see List of Coronavirus-Related Restrictions at aarp.org.

What about further information in general about U.S. travel rules?

Go to the Entry Requirements page for the U.S. at gov.uk. Also see the U.S. Visa and Travel FAQs page of uk.usembassy.gov.

Are flight prices cheap?

Very. If you book in advance and are flexible on dates, a return to the west coast is from around 400, while New York is from about 340 return. Check skyscanner.net and Google Flights.
Real Housewives of Melbourne newcomer Kyla Kirkpatrick has fired back after being accused of fabricating aspects of her career on the show.

The 41-year-old works as a champagne educator, and as part of her job, the brunette claims to have taken multiple trips to Paris to learn about the history of champagne.

However, on the series, co-star and former friend Janet Roach accused her of lying about her travels to France.

Hitting back: Real Housewives of Melbourne newcomer Kyla Kirkpatrick has fired back after being accused of fabricating aspects of her career on the show

Now Kyla has taken to Instagram to hit back at the rumours in what appeared to be a thinly-veiled dig at rival Roach.

'Of course I was apprehensive about filming a show like Real Housewives and it is 'risky' to a certain extent because you cannot control the edit and because the show is known for drama which personally, I hate,' she wrote.

'I was shocked to find in the end that there is nothing off limits,' she continued.

'They say they won't allow another woman to attack your career or your family but that wasn't true. I found that other women's 'opinions' which were categorically not based on fact were touted as truth just to try and put you down.'

Questions: Kyla works as a champagne educator, and as part of her job, she claims to have taken multiple trips to Paris - but her co-star Janet Roach has questioned her credibility

She added: 'No woman should ever question, attack and make fun of another woman's career EVER.'

Kyla and Janet's clash went down on Sunday's episode of the Real Housewives of Melbourne.

And now it's been revealed that producers were forced to intervene after things spun out of control between veteran Janet and newcomer Kyla.

'No woman should ever question, attack and make fun of another woman's career EVER!' Kyla has hit back at the rumours in what appeared to be a thinly-veiled dig at rival Roach (pictured)

Cast member Anjali Rao, who is one of the four newbies this season, dished the behind-the-scenes dirt in a scathing Instagram post aimed at Janet on Tuesday.

'Everyone at the Cairns dinner from hell knows what really happened. EVERYONE, including Janet,' Anjali wrote.

'Production was forced to react in an unprecedented manner, by shutting the scene down because of her abominable, vicious behaviour,' she added.

Things spiralled out of control on Sunday night's episode during a dinner in Cairns, when Janet accused of Kyla of lying about taking lavish trips to Paris.

Lying? Things spiralled out of control on Sunday night's episode during a dinner in Cairns, when Janet accused of Kyla of lying about taking lavish trips to Paris

However, it appears there could be more to their feud than what was shown on screen, with Janet claiming on Instagram on Tuesday that Kyla and Anjali had been feeding 'false stories' about her to various fan websites.

She cited a Real Housewives fan account on Twitter as the source, but Anjali has since denied the accusation.

'How does one person have so much time to spend making up complete twaddle about others?' Anjali wrote on Instagram, before branding Janet 'a miserable desperate woman'.

Shots fired! 'How does one person have so much time to spend making up complete twaddle about others?' Anjali (pictured) wrote on Instagram, before branding Janet 'a miserable desperate woman'

Kyla also accused Janet of bending the truth in a comment shared to the Real Housewives of Melbourne's Instagram page.

'Yeah right. Janet's full of facts. I'm just not sure if she knows the difference between the truth and what comes out of her mouth....saying something doesn't make it true,' Kyla wrote.

Janet and Kyla's drama has been the driving force behind the latest season of The Real Housewives of Melbourne.

The Real Housewives of Melbourne is currently streaming on Binge.
Benedict Cumberbatch is back with what looks like one of his darkest roles to date in Jane Campion's upcoming film The Power Of The Dog.

The 45-year-old Academy Award nominee stars with Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee in a new trailer for the Netflix Western, which dropped on Thursday.

Cumberbatch stars as a Montana rancher in the 1920s who seems determined to terrorize his sister-in-law's son from a previous relationship after becoming enamored of him.

Obsession: Benedict Cumberbatch stars with Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a Montana Rancher in the 1920s who develops a dangerous infatuation with his sister-in-law's son from a previous relationship in The Power Of The Dog

The trailer opens on picturesque hills soundtracked to the moody acoustic guitar from Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, who has established a second career as a film composer with his acclaimed scores for There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread.

'Twenty-five years since our first run together. Nineteen hundred and nothing,' Cumberbatch muses as the rancher Phil Burbank to his brother George (Plemons).

'That's a long time,' George replies as they slowly ride horses alongside a herd of cattle.

Then George is seen taking his hat off to introduce himself to Rose Gordon (Dunst), a widow with a young adult son named Peter (Smit-McPhee).

Decades in: 'Twenty-five years since our first run together. Nineteen hundred and nothing,' Cumberbatch muses as the rancher Phil Burbank to his brother George (Plemons)

New love: Then George is seen taking his hat off to introduce himself to Rose Gordon (Dunst), a widow with a young adult son named Peter (Smit-McPhee)

Enamored: 'Whatcha doin', gettin' mixed up with her?' Phil asks suspiciously as George is seen in a bowler hat enjoying a cup of tea out on the hills with Rose

'Whatcha doin', gettin' mixed up with her?' Phil asks suspiciously as George is seen in a bowler hat enjoying a cup of tea out on the hills with Rose.

'You are marvelous, Rose,' George says as he embraces her.

'We were married Sunday,' he admits to a startled Phil in another scene.

Then Phil is seen with a malicious sneer on his face as he gazes into the distance at Rose's gangly son Peter, who stands out from the other rugged ranchers with his clean white shirt and cream-colored hat.

Although Phil is attracted to Rose's son, he can't pursue his desires out of fear that he'll be shunned.

Getting serious: 'You are marvelous, Rose,' George says as he embraces her. 'We were married Sunday,' he admits to a startled Phil in another scene

Catches his attention: Then Phil is seen with a malicious sneer on his face as he gazes into the distance at Rose's gangly son Peter, who stands out from the other rugged ranchers with his clean white shirt and cream-colored hat

Bullying: Although Phil is attracted to Rose's son, he can't pursue his desires out of fear that he'll be shunned. Instead, he sets about harassing and tormenting him

Mean-spirited: He compliments a set of paper flowers decorating a saloon and asks Peter what 'little young lady made' them, only to set them aflame after learning that Peter made them himself

Instead, he sets about harassing and tormenting Peter.

He compliments a set of paper flowers decorating a saloon and asks Peter what 'little young lady made' them, only to set them aflame after learning that Peter made them himself.

He holds one flower up to a candle as the other ranchers laugh with glee.

Rose is then seen trying to strike up a conversation with Phil, but he seems to give her the cold shoulder.

He ratchets up the torment against Peter when he sends the rider out of a corral on a horse, despite him not being an experienced enough rider to be set free.

As the horse gallops away, Peter falls off the side and crashes into the dusty ground.

Too soon: He ratchets up the torment against Peter when he sends the rider out of a corral on a horse, despite him not being an experienced enough rider to be set free

Injured: As the horse gallops away, Peter falls off the side and crashes into the dusty ground

Empty words: 'It's just a man, Peter,' Rose tells her son while Phil's sinister chuckle plays on the soundtrack. 'Only another man'

'It's just a man, Peter,' Rose tells her son while Phil's sinister chuckle plays on the soundtrack. 'Only another man.'

Then Phil is seen in a rare moment alone with Peter as he tells the boy, 'A man is made by patience and the odds against him.'

'For what kind of a man would I be if I did not help my mother,' Peter muses to himself on the soundtrack as Rose is seen running out in her robe to stop him from riding off alone with Phil, who may mean to do him harm.

'It's sort of a lonesome place out here, Pete,' Phil says to Peter in their final scene together. 'Unless you get in the swing of things.'

The Power Of The Dog will receive a limited theatrical release beginning November 17, followed by a streaming debut on Netflix on December 1.

Making of a man: Then Phil is seen in a rare moment alone with Peter as he tells the boy, 'A man is made by patience and the odds against him'

Unprotected: 'For what kind of a man would I be if I did not help my mother,' Peter muses to himself on the soundtrack as Rose is seen running out in her robe to stop him from riding off alone with Phil, who may mean to do him harm
Judge Rob Rinder and former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls are set to join Good Morning Britain as hosts as part of a new 'supergroup rota'/

Television personality Rob, 43, and one-time Strictly Come Dancing star Ed, 54, will be holding guest spots alongside anchor Susanna Reid, 50, later this month.

Rob, who has appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox alongside Susanna, insists his experience as a TV barrister will 'stand him in good stead' for the job, while Ed spoke of his excitement about appearing.

All stars: Judge Rob Rinder, 43 (pictued), and former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, 54, are set to join Good Morning Britain as hosts later this month

Judge Rinder's Crime Stories star Rob said: 'I think being a seasoned barrister will stand me in good stead for hosting Good Morning Britain later this month, demonstrating Im just as comfortable holding politicians to account as I am judging the weeks TV with Susanna on the Gogglebox sofa.

'Plus, who wouldnt want the chance to guest present GMB alongside one of their best friends?'

Politician Ed said: 'I always thoroughly enjoy being a guest on Good Morning Britain, but I have a sneaky suspicion Im going to enjoy hosting alongside Susanna even more.

Looking forward: Politician Ed said: 'I always thoroughly enjoy being a guest on Good Morning Britain, but I have a sneaky suspicion Im going to enjoy hosting alongside Susanna even more.

'Eagle-eyed viewers may remember I appeared as a guest on GMB during my stint on Strictly, and during that appearance Susanna and I recreated one of my dance lifts.

'I can reassure everyone that wont be happening again, and that my feet will be kept firmly on the ground.'

Ed will appear for three days from Monday November 15 until Wednesday November 17, while Rob will co-host next Wednesday November 10 and again on December 1.

The pair will join a number of stars who appear alongside Susanna, including Adil Ray, Alastair Campbell, Richard Madeley and Martin Lewis.

Friends in high places:: Rob is already good friends with Susanna who previously hosted the show alongside Piers Morgan

A source added to the Mirror: 'Its been talked about as a super-group of presenters with different personalities, styles and opinions.

'Each brings something fresh to the table and Susanna is the perfect co-host in bringing out their respective qualities.'

The news comes after it emerged Richard Madeley, 65, will reportedly only appear on Good Morning Britain twice a week, but will be given more screen time if he wins I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

The TV presenter was recently confirmed as Piers Morgan's replacement on the ITV daytime show and was said to be finalising a 300,000 deal.

A source told The Sun: 'Richard's delighted to land the GMB role permanently after hitting it off with Susanna Reid in the past few months.

Screen time: Richard Madeley will reportedly only appear on Good Morning Britain twice a week, but will be given more screen time if he wins I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

'He'll initially appear in the hot-seat twice a week, but if he's a huge success and becomes a fan favourite in the I'm A Celeb castle or he's crowned king, expect that to increase to three or four days.

'He's definitely going to give it his all and can't wait to get stuck into the challenges.'

The source added that Richard had always previously claimed he'd never do GMB full-time but has now found his stride after being received well by viewers.

However, a source close to GMB told MailOnline there are no such set days for Richard.

They said:'He will continue as part of the guest presenting team and do a handful of days per month.'

The broadcaster is not expected to be paid as much as co-host Susanna Reid who does four days a week and has been on the show since 2014.

A source said: 'If he's a huge success and becomes a fan favourite in the I'm A Celeb castle or he's crowned king, expect that to increase to three or four days' (pictured on I'm A Celebrity spin-off show Extra Camp in 2018)

Richard will start his new role after appearing on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! which starts on November 21, and will appear alongside a revolving team of guest presenters.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Richard Madeley and ITV for comment.

Revealing he is headed for Abergele's Gwrych Castle, Richard told viewers during Wednesday's show: 'I've got places to go, people to see and things to eat... interesting things to eat, so I'll be back very shortly after Christmas. This is my last show for a while.'

Show: The TV presenter, 65, was recently confirmed as Piers Morgan's replacement on the ITV daytime show and was said to be finalising a 300,000 deal (pictured with Susanna Reid)

While Susanna quipped: 'How do we say goodbye in Welsh? I don't know but I'm sure you'll find out in the next couple of weeks.'

Richard himself confirmed he would be staying with the show, saying: 'I'm doing the show down the line along with other people.'

Celebrities tipped to head into the Grade I listed 19th-century country house include Adam Woodyatt, Arlene Phillips and Frankie Bridge.

Other famous names reported to be in the running are Gogglebox's Tom Malone Jr, Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure, Chaser Jenny Ryan, ex-Corrie star Lucy Fallon and Katie Price's ex-husband Kieran Hayler.

Success: The source added that Richard had always previously claimed he'd never do GMB full-time but has now found his stride after being received well by viewers

The official trailer for this year's series of I'm A Celebrity was released last month.

In the 40-second long clip, Ant and Dec are seen heading out on a quest dressed as knights, with Ant joking about the size of his horse compared to Dec's, who is shorter than him, and quipping: 'I think we've got the wrong horses.'

The reality show, which usually films in the Australian wilderness, was forced to relocate to the dilapidated castle following fears Australia could shut its borders because of the ongoing pandemic.

Producers have since filed an extensive planning application to the authorities in order to make the country house inhabitable in time for the new series.

Last year's I'm A Celebrity series was the first to take place in the UK. The show was won by Giovanna Fletcher, with Radio 1 host Jordan North finishing in second place and Vernon Kay following close behind in third place.
Porsha Williams of Real Housewives of Atlanta fame was ready to stun in tropical style on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old TV personality flaunted her figure in an itty bitty bikini as she struck multiple poses on a lush green landscape.

She was with her soon-to-be husband Simon Guobadia, and the two also appeared on the app to share a video.

Luxuriating: Porsha Williams of Real Housewives of Atlanta fame was ready to stun in tropical style on Wednesday

The mom-of-one wowed in an orange string bikini that tied on either side of her hips.

Her triangle top held her ample bosom in place, displaying a generous amount of cleavage, keeping her 6.6 million followers engaged.

She rounded out the look with a multicolor, full-length cover-up that was worn open.

The Bravo TV star had various captions for her many posts. One said, 'Be a Soul full of Sunshine,' with a sun and an orange heart emoji.

Then she added: 'Book link in bio #PursuitOfPorsha'

Sunny getaway: The 40-year-old TV personality flaunted an itty bitty bikini as she struck multiple poses on a lush green landscape

In a separate post with more holiday outtakes, the entrepreneur wrote: 'Queen Tingz.'

Another piece of content showed a silhouette of the engaged celeb holding hands with her beau as they walked along a grassy area.

As the camera panned from their shadows on the ground to the yard in front of them, Katy Perry's Harleys in Hawaii played.

Across the clip Porsha wrote, 'Forever,' in a cursive font and added an orange heart emoji. In the caption she doubled down on the sentiment, writing, 'It's a forever thing.'

Williams tagged her partner and incorporated a diamond ring emoji.

Hot stuff: The mom-of-one wowed in an orange string bikini that tied on either side of her hips

Lap of luxury: In a separate post with more holiday outtakes, the entrepreneur wrote: 'Queen Tingz'

The Atlanta beauty didn't disclose her exact location but she geotagged the word 'Paradise.'

November is shaping up to be a busy month for the former Dish Nation radio show host.

Her new reality television show Porsha's Family Matters premieres on Bravo November 28.

Two days later on November 30, her debut literary work, The Pursuit of Porsha: How I Grew Into My Power and Purpose, will be published via Worthy Books.

Leading up to the release of the memoir, the author will be reading excerpts from the written work.

Secret spot: The Atlanta beauty didn't disclose her exact location but she geotagged the word 'Paradise'

On display: Her triangle top held her ample bosom in place, displaying a generous amount of cleavage, keeping her 6.6 million followers engaged

In the most recent episode of her mini Instagram show Pop of Porsha, the stunner talked about the project and encouraged fans to pre-order a copy.

'In this book I really just opened up. I was just like, super vulnerable and it was all because I wanted my life to be a lesson or to be of encouragement to other women, other people who are trying to fight through and get to their true happiness,' she said.

'Through going through life and the process of writing this book, I kept understanding that it has always been about my faith in god.'

Earlier in the day she posted a message in Instagram Stories.

In black marker written on a whiteboard was a quote: 'Happiness is an inside job. Don't assign anyone that much power over your life.'
Channel Nine has bumped Love Island Australia after it underperformed in the television ratings.

According to a report by industry website TV Blackbox on Thursday, the reality dating show has been pushed to a later timeslot.

It will now air at 9.30pm on the network, with repeat episodes of Travel Guides moving into the 8.40pm timeslot on Tuesdays.

Later timeslot: Channel Nine has bumped Love Island Australia after it underperformed in the television ratings. Pictured, host Sophie Monk

Meanwhile, Emergency will now air at 8.40pm on Wednesdays instead.

Wednesday's episode of Love Island Australia drew in 203,000 metro viewers, while Monday's and Tuesday's episodes saw 204,000 and 191,000 viewers, respectively.

While the show has failed to perform on TV, it still rates strongly on Channel Nine's streaming service, 9Now.

Out of prime time: According to a report by industry website TV Blackbox on Thursday, the reality dating show has been pushed to a later timeslot

According to recent data, Love Island Australia saw an audience increase of 80 per cent over a seven-day period on 9Now.

Despite its dismal performance in the TV ratings, Love Island Australia is the most popular program on 9Now.

This is likely to be because of its younger target audience, who traditionally don't watch free-to-air TV.

Underperforming: Wednesday's episode of Love Island Australia drew in 203,000 metro viewers, while Monday's and Tuesday's episodes saw 204,000 and 191,000 viewers, respectively

After taking a year off, Love Island Australia returned to TV screens in 2021 for a third season.

The show sees a variety of sexy young singles converge in a luxury villa with the goal of forming romantic connections with each other.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.
The show couldnt be cosier  the televisual equivalent of a sit down with a nice cup of tea and a custard cream. However Countdown, which started in 1982, has been struck by a toxic feud which is providing plenty of off-screen drama.

Countdowns new host, Anne Robinson, 77, is said to be at daggers drawn with her younger female counterparts Rachel Riley, 35, and Susie Dent, 56.

Anne is said to have had Rachels microphone muted after complaining that the maths expert was too chatty with contestants before filming. Shes also said to be irritated by Rachels timekeeping and habit of spending time on her mobile phone.

Rachel, for her part, is said to find Anne difficult and mean. Shes joined in this view by Dictionary Corners Susie.

Ratings for Countdown have shot up since Anne Robinson joined as a host. But daggers are apparently drawn with co-stars Susie Dent and Rachel Riley.

We can reveal there are suspicions over the source of a story about Susies marriage break-up  which became public just weeks after Robinson joined the show in June.

These have added to divisions between Anne and the shows two experts. Matters are so fraught that more than one source associated with the show believes Anne will leave early next year when filming is completed on the second tranche of episodes. They will have to fix the issue, one source told the Mail.

But another perfectly placed source reveals Channel 4 has just offered a new contract to the Cruella of Countdown  which she signed four days ago. In other words, they are delighted with the ratings, Anne Robinson is going nowhere  and Rachel Riley and Susie Dent are just going to have to suck it up.

So why did Channel 4 hire her? And how will they solve the conundrum of the teatime telly host who is dividing the studio but captivating viewers, more of whom are tuning in to observe her delicious touches of frost?

Hired on the fly

Countdown has long been hosted by genial avuncular figures. Richard Whiteley  whose first episode in November 1982 was the first show on Channel 4  was followed by Des OConnor, Des Lynam, Jeff Stelling and Nick Hewer.

Anne, the shows first female lead presenter, was sought out to succeed Hewer by Channel 4s Head of Daytime, Jo Street.

Im told that Ms Street, who is based in Glasgow, unusually did not consult any of the producers of the show about their view of Anne as host.

Anne said this summer: They asked me and I didnt even take 30 seconds to say, Yeah, thats great, thats exactly what I want to do.

First of all, Im sitting down. All those years I had to stand up [on The Weakest Link].

Also its cerebral, its very authentic. It hasnt changed over the years to make it up-to-date.

She added: 'It's like stawberries and cream - the perfect marriage.'

A bumpy launch

The transition to the Anne era wasnt completely smooth, which perhaps gave a taste of things to come. Her official statement was smart and self-deprecating: I am beyond thrilled to be joining Countdown. The show is almost as old as I am and just as historic.

But Anne was greatly annoyed by Channel 4 repeatedly selling her hiring on the grounds that there were now three women at the helm.

She told one interviewer: When Channel 4 said to me, Youll be the first woman, I groaned, because I was rather hoping got past the stage of being completely astonished that a woman can do the same job as a man. Maybe we havent.

You might as well say Im the first presenter of Countdown whos got O-negative blood.

She told another: You might as well say its the first person with an under-active thyroid to do it.

Anne also refused to meet Hewer even though he offered to show her the ropes.

She said: Through the producer, he very kindly said he was available. But, and this isnt meant to be rude, I sort of thought it was information I could do nothing with.

You know, it would be like Gary Lineker telling me how to do Match Of The Day. Were just two completely different people.

Too much natter

Simmering tensions came to a head over Rachels habit of chatting before filming starts. Anne is said to have requested that producers muted Rachels microphone to shut her up.

A source said: Anne is famously known for two things: her dislike of noise and time-keeping. Shell tolerate neither.

Anne also has tinnitus and cannot bear excess sound. Rachel, with her big heels and even bigger personality, can be quite loud on set. Rachel used to chat to contestants before every show and Anne found it hugely distracting so is said to have asked for Rachels microphone to be muted.

'Anne felt she couldnt do her job properly, or bond with the contestants to help them to relax, before the cameras started rolling.

Rachel is obviously a professional and never late for filming  she just cuts things more fine than perhaps stickler Anne would like.'

Poor old Rachel didnt work it out for a couple of days and was babbling away quite happily before realising no one could hear her. When Anne said she wanted silence, Rachel turned around in front of the whole studio and stated publicly that she disagreed; that she didnt find it necessary.

The tension was palpable. But for Anne, theres nothing like a bit of good-natured rivalry to get the juices flowing.

Rachel is obviously a professional and never late for filming  she just cuts things more fine than perhaps stickler Anne would like. Its safe to say theres no love lost between these two, but its ratings gold.

Two versus one

Perhaps it was always going to be hard for Anne to fit in as Rachel and Susie have appeared in nearly 3,000 episodes of Countdown together, plus spin-off show 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown and are also good friends off-screen, as well as both being Oxford graduates.

Susie has filmed 4,719 episodes of the show and Rachel 2,858. Anne made six appearances in Dictionary Corner in 1987 and has made 128 episodes of the show so far.

An insider said: It is very much Rachel and Susie against Anne  a case of two camps.

Lots of crew are discussing what is going on. Rachel and Susie dont care much for Anne and her rather grand ways and things have become pretty uncomfortable.

Anne likes to do things her way, while Rachel doesnt go along with how she operates.

This has now led to little social interaction between them away from the cameras.

On July 9, it emerged that Susie had split from her primary school teacher husband Paul Atkins several months previously.

A source revealed to the Mail that Anne has been excluded from social events involving the rest of the cast and crew. Apparently she finds Rachel stuck up.

Another source said: Rachel doesnt like her and nor does Susie. There is dissent in the camp.

A third source said: Anne is a stickler for time-keeping and doesnt like seeing the younger crew members, including Rachel, on their phones, on Twitter, constantly. Basically the two women are worlds apart.

Anne actually thinks Rachel is incredibly quick-witted and hugely talented, but the trouble is theyre both alpha females and, alas, only one can be top dog.

Suspicious minds

Countdown's current 84th series started broadcasting with Anne at the helm on June 28.

On July 9, it emerged that Susie had split from her primary school teacher husband Paul Atkins several months previously.

A source told the Mail: Susies a very private person and was sad when the divorce came out. Nobody is sure quite how it leaked, but it did coincide with Anne coming on to the show.

Friends of Anne insist that she had nothing to do with it and think that perhaps the crew are to blame or Susie's estranged husband himself.

The wage gap

Rachel started on Countdown in 2008 and was paid around 40,000 a year at first. Both she and Susie are now thought to be on more than 150,000 a year. Anne Feud for thoughtis understood to be getting around three times that amount.

The first thing they do is tell you how little money theyve got, Anne sighed.

Her biggest paydays came when she was making the The Weakest Link for UK and U.S. TV networks and earning 4million a year.

Rachel and Susie share a stylist and a makeup artist, while Anne has her own. She also has a larger dressing room, but that is normal for the host of a show.

Primark v Prada

All three women are given a clothes budget. Rachel was blown away by hers and said she felt like Pretty Woman going down to Regent Street with a stylist twice a year and getting clothes from Whistles, Reiss and LK Bennett to wear on screen.

By contrast, Anne was openly disdainful of the 8,000 she was given for clothes, saying: I think it extends to two dresses.

She added: Id be shopping in Primark if I relied on that budget.

Anne never wears High Street clothes, instead favouring designer brands such as Issey Miyake, Prada, Valentino, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, Gucci, Yves St Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana.

She said: In the beginning of my career [as a journalist] all I needed was curiosity and a notebook. Now I need earrings.'

Feud for thought

Countdown is filmed twice a year in intensive blocks. They make five shows a day, three days a week at Media City in Salford.

The next block of filming is due to start in December, once Rachel is back from maternity leave, and will finish in February.

She is expecting her second child with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev.

A source said: They film five episodes a day, so its pretty fullon. When they meet there is very little small talk.

Anne was overheard saying Hello and asking how Rachels day was going. Basically if looks could kill then Anne would be six feet under.

Friends of Anne, though, say shes far too tough and professional to care much about a few dirty looks. She feels that the feud is just a storm in a tea cup.

Ratings winner

There have been lots of complaints about Annes manner on the show. Even when she is being at her nicest to the contestants, some viewers still think she is too clipped and abrasive.

I do say, hello, how are you, simply to allow them to see that the slightly pantomime character on Weakest Link isnt all of me, she said.

However, ratings are the highest since 2012, with audience share up since Anne took over. Some viewers have remarked on the frosty atmosphere on the show  which is, perhaps, making more people tune in.

In July, soon after Anne started, Dictionary Corners comedian guest Rachel Parris suggested the randomly-selected nine-letter conundrum spelled megabitch.

Letter picker Rachel was pictured standing next to the word
An Australian influencer has been trolled over a sponsored post for a fake-tan brand.

Madi Edwards, who boasts almost 900,000 followers, posted a video of herself applying Bali Body's new Instant Tan range, before wiping herself with a white towel to demonstrate how effective the tan is at drying without leaving residue.

However, many people watching the clip suspected the towel didn't actually make contact with her skin.

Awkward: Influencer Madi Edwards has been called out over an embarrassing fake-tan post for one very embarrassing reason

Popular Instagram 'snark' account Celeb Spellcheck reshared the post on Friday and accused Madi of not using the towel properly.

'She didn't even try let that cloth touch her skin,' one follower commented.

A second commented: 'Are the brands not embarrassed by this?'

'Miss ma'am don't pretend like you actually wiped that white towel on your skin PLEASE,' laughed another.

Did she or didn't she? Madi appeared to wipe the fake tan off with a white towel, but some fans suspected the towel never made contact with her skin

However, despite the negative comments, it's unclear from the video whether or not Madi really used the towel.

Due to the angle of the camera, it's impossible to definitively tell if the towel connected with her skin or not.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Madi Edwards for comment.

Guess we'll never know! Due to the angle of the camera, it's impossible to definitively tell if the towel connected with her skin or not

Meanwhile, Madi isn't the only influencer to be called out by Celeb Spellcheck in recent weeks.

Sophie Guidolin was accused of duping her followers after filming a video of herself using skincare products.

The 32-year-old shared a sponsored post to Instagram for Skora Skincare, rubbing their blemish spot remover on a pimple on the left side of her chin.

The following day, she claimed the product had worked but shared a photo of the opposite side of her face.

'Does she really think she's fooled us?' Gold Coast influencer Sophie Guidolin (pictured) was called out for her very dubious sponsored post by Celeb Spellcheck earlier this week

Sophie's post was reshared by Celeb Spellcheck and captioned: 'The poor brand honestly.'

Instagram star Kurt Coleman commented below the post: 'That's cracking me up.'

Model Jessie Gurunathan wrote: 'Wait, what the heck did I just watch?! Does she really think she's fooled us switching face sides? This is too much for a Sunday.'
AFL superstar Shaun Burgoyne has sold his family home in Bentleigh East, Melbourne, after moving back to South Australia to be closer to his family.

The four-bedroom house on 4 Kadir St went to auction on Thursday, with a young family securing the property for $1.85million, reports realestate.com.au.

The four-time premiership player, 39, and his wife, Amy, listed the home with a price guide of between $1.65million and $1.75million, after the family decided to move back to Adelaide following the Hawthorn great's retirement earlier this year.

The archetypal family home: AFL superstar Shaun Burgoyne has sold his family home in Bentleigh East, Melbourne, after moving back to South Australia to be closer to his family

'We have a lot of good memories there,' said Burgoyne, who is regarded as one of the AFL's most respected and decorated players.

He reminisced about the friendliness of the community, the neighbourhood barbecues and nearby parks where their kids played.

'Everyone was so nice and welcoming. We loved that it was in walking distance to the kids' schools and shops,' he continued.

'A lot of good memories': The four-bedroom house on 4 Kadir St went to auction on Thursday, with a young family securing the property for $1.85million, reports realestate.com.au

Inclusions: There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a car port for three vehicles

The Burgoynes bought the contemporary home in November 2016 for $1.46million.

There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a car port for three vehicles.

The house also includes a glimmering stone kitchen, high ceilings, a stylish lounge, spacious indoor-outdoor living, private study, double-shower ensuite, fitted laundry, undercover deck and powder room.

It is also conveniently located close to parks, school, cafes and restaurants.

Ideal location: It is conveniently located close to parks, school, cafes and restaurants

Jellis Craig's Nick Renna described the property as a 'really good family home'.

'Its pretty much got everything from a family perspective; it ticks all the boxes,' Mr Renna said.

Burgoyne played more than 400 games for Port Adelaide and Hawthorn across a stellar 19-year career.

He made 35 finals appearances and won four premierships: for Port in 2004, and for the Hawks in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Just days after sparking engagement rumors with on-again beau John Miller, Jennifer Garner seemed to be going to great lengths to conceal the talked about sparkler.

On Thursday the 49-year-old Alias star was seen ringless on a walking business meeting in Brentwood, before she picked up son Samuel from school and concealed her hand.

Though she had first been spotted out in New York City with a ring on her left hand in late October, she sparked real chatter of a possible proposal during a November 2 Instagram live.

Keeping it quiet? Just days after sparking engagement rumors with on-again beau John Miller, Jennifer Garner seemed to be going to great lengths to conceal the talked about sparkler as she was seen without a ring on Thursday

In the afternoon Jennifer was seen in jeans and navy sneakers with a heart-adorned cardigan as she took a walking business meeting in the California sunshine.

Her brown hair was tied up and she sported sunglasses while chatting up an associate and heading to her car.

While clasping a notebook and reading glasses in hand, the actress' left ring finger was noticeably bare.

Another ring was glimpsed on her right hand but it was markedly different from the one she had sported on her ring finger in recent days.

Business first: In the afternoon Jennifer was seen in jeans and navy sneakers with a heart-adorned cardigan as she took a walking business meeting in the California sunshine

Where'd it go? While clasping a notebook and reading glasses in hand, the actress' left ring finger was noticeably bare

Getting crafty? The 13 Going On 30 star had first been spotted with a ring on that finger during an October 23 trip to New York City where Miller resides

And she continued to shield any view of her hand later that day as she picked only son Samuel, nine, up from school.

Though it was not clear if she had re-put the ring on, Garner covered her left hand with her phone before slipping it in her right jean pocket for the remainder of the walk to the car.

On Wednesday she seemed to try and cast doubt of an engagement as she moved the gold diamond ring to the middle finger of her left hand while checking on her home's construction.

The day before (November 2) she had flashed a sizable diamond with two adjacent stones while chatting with her 13 Going On 30 co-star Judy Greer on an Instagram live.

Bling bling: On a November 2 Instagram chat she showed off the ring in question on her left hand

Moving it around: And on Wednesday she seemed to begin to try and cast doubt of an engagement as she moved the gold diamond ring to the middle finger of her left hand; ring pictured November 3

But in photos obtained by DailyMail.com that span back to October 23, she had first been seen wearing the ring during a trip to Miller's native NYC.

She and Miller, 43, the CEO of CaliGroup holding company, first rekindled their romance back in May after splitting in August 2020.

They had been reported to be an item beginning in 2018 and were seen out publicly for nearly two years, though neither ever commented on their relationship status or confirmed they were an item.

Us Weekly reported that after they had rekindled this past spring, things were growing more 'serious.'

'Jen and John are serious. They are totally set on a long-term future together. They've taken their time to get this committed,' the insider said at the time.

Playing coy: Though it was not clear if she had re-put the ring on, Garner covered her left hand with her phone before slipping it her right jean pocket for the remainder of the walk to the car

Walking down the aisle? After rekindling with Miller (who she split from following two years in August 2020) a source told Us Weekly that friends of the couple thought an engagement could but just around the corner but that they were being 'quite old-fashioned and respectful until that happens'

And it was added that friends of the couple thought an engagement could be just around the corner but that they were being 'quite old-fashioned and respectful until that happens.'

Though he has been spotted visiting her in Los Angeles in recent months and she now spends extended time on the east coast, a source had said it was 'unlikely they'd live together before things are formalized.'

Jennifer famously shares three kids Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine, with ex-husband of nearly a decade, Ben Affleck, who is also now seemingly on the engagement track with on-again former fiancee Jennifer Lopez.

And Miller was married to violinist Caroline Campbell  with whom he shares two daughters  but they divorced in 2014, one year before Garner and Affleck pulled the plug on their marriage.
It appears as though Christina Hendricks has a new man in her life.

The Mad Men actress recently sparked dating rumors with cinematographer George Bianchini after the pair attended Christian Siriano's 'People Are People' exhibition in Georgia on October 22.

Bianchini worked as a cameraman on Hendrick's recently canceled NBC series Good Girls, which ran from 2018 to 2021.

New man: Christina Hendricks and George Bianchini looked like an item when they attended fashion designer Christian Siriano 'People Are People' exhibition presented by The SCAD Museum Of Art on October 22, 2021 in Savannah, Georgia

During the event, Christina and George cozied up to one another as they posed for some photos during a tour of the reception area of the exhibition, which was presented by The SCAD Museum Of Art in Savannah.

The actress, who oozed elegance in a black gown, had her arm wrapped around Bianchini, who looked handsome in a black suit and and tie.

In an Instagram Story post from the event, two people who appeared to be Christina and George could be seen passionately kiss as they gathered with fellow exhibit attendees outside.

Her rumored romance comes two years after her split from actor Geoffrey Arend. The former couple were married from 2009 until their finalized divorce in 2019.

Show of support: Hendricks lent her support to Christian Siriano and his exhibition, and later they attended the Savannah Film Festival's opening-night screening of Kenneth Branagh's much-heralded new film Belfast

It looks as Christina and George they may have met on the set of Good Girls, for which Hendricks played the lead role of Elizabeth 'Beth' Boland and Bianchini worked with the camera crew.

The comedy-drama, which also starred Retta, Mae Whitman Reno Wilson, Manny Montana, Lidya Jewett, Isaiah Stannard and Matthew Lillard, was canceled this past summer after four seasons.

Most recently, Bianchini worked as the camera and steadicam operator for the upcoming Netflix drama Inventing Anna, which is slated to premiere in February 2022.

The miniseries was created and produced by Shonda Rhimes, and is based on a biweekly New York magazine article - How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People - by Jessica Pressler.

The connection: Bianchini worked as a camera operator and steadicam operator on Hendricks' NBC series Good Girls, which ran for four seasons from 2018 to 2021: she is seen in season one

Four season run: Bianchini, Hendricks and her co-stars Retta and Mae Whitman got the word that Good Girls was canceled this past summer

Hendricks has been living the single life following her separation, and subsequent divorce, from Arend, who made the announcement in a joint statement in October 2019.

'Twelve years ago we fell in love and became partners. We joined our two amazing families, had countless laughs, made wonderful friends and were blessed with incredible opportunities,' the statement read.

'Today we take our next step together, but on separate paths. We will always be grateful for the love we've shared and will always work together to raise our two beautiful dogs.'

Arend is best known to many fans for his roles in the drama series Body of Proof (2011-2013), the political drama series Madam Secretary (2014-2019), and earlier in his career in the comedy film Super Troopers (2001).

So far, Hendricks and Bianchini have not yet commented publicly on the status of their relationship.
Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich have put their three-storey Brisbane townhouse on the market with an asking price of $700,000.

The couple, who met on The Bachelor in 2013 and married in 2018, listed the 31 Murarrie Rd investment property with Place Estate Agents.

Selling agent Rebecca Russell has since revealed an offer for the home has been accepted by the pair after it attracted a lot of interest from potential buyers.

On the market: Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich have put their three-storey Brisbane townhouse on the market with an asking price of $700,000

Tim, who now works as a fitness instructor, purchased the townhouse with Anna in 2016 for $630,000, reports realestate.com.au.

The pad was completely new at the time and only recently built.

It is located in the Portavilla complex on Murarrie Road.

Hot property: Selling agent Rebecca Russell has since revealed an offer for the home has been accepted by the pair after it attracted a lot of interest from potential buyers

Inclusions: The townhouse is three storeys tall and has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a private parking space for two vehicles

The townhouse is three storeys tall and has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a private parking space for two vehicles.

There is also a private courtyard, European oak floors, lofty ceilings, an internal staircase, open living and dining areas, a large balcony and a designer kitchen.

The private courtyard is situated at the front of the property.

Tim and Anna's investment property is ideally located near the local shopping centre, train line and restaurants.

Location, location, location: Tim and Anna's investment property is ideally located near the local shopping centre, train line and restaurants

Ms Russell hinted the couple may be selling to free up some cash to move into a larger property in Sydney to accommodate their growing family.

They currently live in a three-bedroom apartment in Rose Bay with their one-year-old daughter, Elle.

Tim also recently listed his other investment property: a four-bedroom townhouse in Aspley, in Brisbane's north.

The chiropractor purchased that townhouse in 2016 for $452,500.
John Wick 3 action star Halle Berry strutted out of a Manhattan building on Wednesday while clad in a double-camo Dolce & Gabbana ensemble.

The 55-year-old Oscar winner slipped her fit figure in a camouflage shirt-dress with matching knee-high boots selected by her stylist and re.spin partner Lindsay Flores.

Hairstylist Sara Seward coiffed Halle's (born Maria) partial tousled updo and make-up artist Jorge Monroy brought out her youthful complexion.

Not blending in! John Wick 3 action star Halle Berry strutted out of a Manhattan building on Wednesday while clad in a double-camo Dolce & Gabbana ensemble

Berry later slipped her fit 5ft5in figure into a brown $1,750 Zimmermann FW/21 'Tempo Ribbed Long Line' coat for an Instagram video she captioned: 'Cold ass b****.'

The wellness influencer showed a lot of leg in the zip-up trench, which she paired with caramel-colored $1,050 Jimmy Choo 'Oriel 95' leather booties and Lilou Jewelry.

Later on Wednesday, Halle wore the same Zimmermann coat to make a virtual appearance on The Graham Norton Show, which airs Friday on BBC One.

Berry has been hard at work promoting her directorial debut Bruised - premiering November 24 on Netflix - during which she 'broke some bones' playing MMA fighter Jackie Justice.

Standing out: The 55-year-old Oscar winner slipped her fit figure in a camouflage shirt-dress with matching knee-high boots selected by her stylist and re.spin partner Lindsay Flores

Glam: Hairstylist Sara Seward coiffed Halle's (born Maria) partial tousled updo and make-up artist Jorge Monroy brought out her youthful complexion

Iconic: The star looked incredibly stylish in her khaki ensemble

Berry later slipped her fit 5ft5in figure into a brown $1,750 Zimmermann FW/21 'Tempo Ribbed Long Line' coat for an Instagram video she captioned: 'Cold ass b****'

Leggy: The wellness influencer showed a lot of leg in the zip-up trench, which she paired with caramel-colored $1,050 Jimmy Choo 'Oriel 95' leather booties and Lilou Jewelry

Tomorrow! Later on Wednesday, Halle wore the same Zimmermann coat to make a virtual appearance on The Graham Norton Show, which airs Friday on BBC One

In the Rocky-style drama, the former Miss Ohio 1986's character must conquer her demons, face one of the fiercest rising MMA stars, and reunite with her estranged six-year-old son Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.).

On Wednesday, Halle revealed the first single off the Bruised soundtrack - Scared by Yung Miami and JT - drops this Friday before the first all-female hip-hop project is released November 19.

Grammy winner Cardi B co-executive produced the Warner Records release - which features herself, H.E.R., Saweetie, City Girls, Flo Milli, Latto, and more.

'I can't wait to show it,' Berry told Variety on Tuesday.

Premiering November 24 on Netflix! Berry has been hard at work promoting her directorial debut Bruised during which she 'broke some bones' playing MMA fighter Jackie Justice

Redemption tale: In the Rocky-style drama, the former Miss Ohio 1986's character must conquer her demons, face one of the fiercest rising MMA stars, and reunite with her estranged six-year-old son Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.)

'Soooooo excited!' On Wednesday, Halle revealed the first single off the Bruised soundtrack - Scared by Yung Miami and JT - drops this Friday before the first all-female hip-hop project is released November 19

'I have to tell you, one of the things I'm most excited about is the title song that H.E.R. sang...and she killed it. So I can't wait to share with everyone and am super excited.'

On the personal front, the biracial beauty has been dating Grammy-winning neo soul artist Van Hunt as far back as July 2020.

Halle has two children - daughter Nahla Ariela, 13; and son Maceo Robert, 8 - from her four-year relationship with Gabriel Aubry and her two-year marriage to ex-husband #3 Olivier Martinez.

Inseparable: On the personal front, Berry has been dating Grammy-winning neo soul artist Van Hunt (R, pictured October 19) as far back as July 2020
They are usually joined at the hip as their relationship goes from strength to strength.

But Roxy Horner and Jack Whitehall were at separate events on either side of the pond on Thursday night, with the model at a bar launch in London and the comedian promoting his new film in New York.

Blonde beauty Roxy, 30, dazzled in a gold mini dress at the launch of Creed x Sofitel St James as she posed with other famous faces including Made in Chelsea's Jamie Laing.

Couple: Roxy Horner (pictured) and her beau Jack Whitehall were at separate events on either side of the pond on Thursday night, with the model at a bar launch in London and the comedian promoting his new film in New York

She teamed the dazzling number - which featured a statement bow on the bust - with black tights and heels as she posed up a storm.

Roxy opted for a slick of bright red lip to make her outfit pop and wore her long light tresses in a curly style.

Meanwhile Jack, looked dapper in a cream suit and beige trousers as he attended a special screening of Clifford The Big Red Dog in the Big Apple.

Star: Jack looked dapper in a cream suit and beige trousers as he attended a special screening of Clifford The Big Red Dog in the Big Apple

Looking good: Blonde beauty Roxy, 30, dazzled in a gold mini dress at the launch of Creed x Sofitel St James

Group: Roxy (centre) posed with other famous faces including Made in Chelsea's Jamie Laing (left)

Jack has been dating model Roxy for nearly two years.

They got together during the first lockdown after meeting during a trip to Australia, with the beauty moving into his London home after just a few weeks of dating.

Jack previously admitted although the decision 'accelerated' their relationship, they did miss out on doing ordinary things like restaurant and cinema dates.

Style: She teamed the dazzling number - which featured a statement bow on the bust - with black tights and heels as she posed up a storm

Glowing: Roxy opted for a slick of bright red lip to make her outfit pop and wore her long light tresses in a curly style (pictured with Laura Pradelska)

Girls: She posed with her gal pals at the event

The look: She later added a leather jacket to her look as she headed home

Speaking on the Couples Quarantine podcast, he said: 'Weirdly that was quite nice because we spent a lot of time together and it accelerates the relationship in a way.

'Then when lockdown ended, there's a lot of things we realised.

'We'd never gone to see a film together. We'd never been to a restaurant in England because we met in Australia.'

Film: Jack has always acted alongside his various comedy shows and gigging

Suave: Jack teamed the jacket and trousers with brown shoes and sported a beard

Having fun: Riana Horner, Vincent De Paul and Roxy posed together

Reality star: Jamie looked in great spirits for the bash as he posed with the two women
Kristen Stewart looked vibrant in a sheer dress covered in flowers as she walked the red carpet for a screening of her new film Spencer on Thursday.

The 31-year-old actress was joined at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City by the film's director, Pablo Larrain, as they opened its film series The Contenders.

Kristen stars in Spencer as Diana, Princess of Wales, during pivotal days in late 1991 as she prepares to divorce her husband, Prince Charles.

Flower power: Kristen Stewart, 31, looked summery in a stunning black dress with stitched-on flowers at a screening of her Princess Diana film Spencer at New York Museum of Modern Art on Thursday

Kristen looked chic in her sheer black dress, which featured lace designs over her chest.

They were overshadowed by a bevy of gorgeous pale pink, red and blue flowers stitched onto the dress, which were decorated with silver sequins and sparkling jewels.

The top of the dress and its long sleeves were completely covered in flowers, but the tiered skirt featured sheer stripes and only thin stripes of flowers.

The Personal Shopper star complemented her dress with a pair of black sequined heels, and she wore her dyed-blond hair tied up in a playfully messy bun so that her darker roots showed underneath.

Sparkler: Kristen's top featured lacy designs covered by the pale pink, red and blue flowers, which were covered in jewels and silver sequins

Layers: The look also featured a sheer tiered skirt and black heels. She wore her blond hair up in a playfully messy bun

Kristen opted to skip accessories so as to draw all the attention to her stunning outfit.

She stars as Princess Diana (born Diana Frances Spencer) in Spencer over the course of three days, starting on Christmas Eve in December, 1991.

Diana is seen driving to Sandringham House in Norfolk in her convertible after evading the security detail that was supposed to drive her to the Christmas festivities.

Although her agonizing decisions about ending her marriage to Prince Charles are shown in detail, Diana is the main focus, and the other royals, even the Prince, are barely featured in Spencer.

The real-life Charles and Diana would announce their separation in 1992 after years of infidelities, before divorcing in 1996.

She would continue to devote herself to charity causes across the globe after her divorce, before dying in a car crash while trying to flee paparazzi.

Lookalike: Kristen adopted a blond wig and an English accent to transform into Princess Diana. Spencer details three days around Christmas in 1991 as she considers a divorce from Prince Charles

The boss: Director Pablo Larrain looked distinguished in a plaid overcoat, which he wore buttoned up while posing with Kristen

Curated: Kristen and Pablo were also joined by Rajendra Roy, the chief curator of film at MoMA, who wore a black suit and matching shirt

Kristen showed off a stunning transformation for the melodrama, adopting both a blond wig and an impressive English accent.

Several of director Pablo Larrain's films have focused on real-life figures, most recently in his 2016 film Jackie, a portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy (played by Natalie Portman) as she struggles to regain control of her life after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy.

The director looked distinguished in a plaid overcoat, which he wore buttoned up while posing with Kristen.

He dressed down the rest of his look with black trousers and matching trainers.

Kristen and Pablo were also joined by Rajendra Roy, the chief curator of film at MoMA, who wore a black suit and matching shirt.

Low key: Earlier in the evening, Kristen was spotted as she arrived at the screening. The actress showed off her toned legs in her dress, but she opted for speed and comfort by switching out her heels for a pair of blue-and-white Nike trainers

In her own world: The Twilight star blocked out the noise with a pair of AirPods. After the screening, both Kristen and Pablo stuck around for a conversation with audience members about their new film

Earlier in the evening, Kristen was spotted as she arrived at the screening.

The actress showed off her toned legs in her dress, but she opted for speed and comfort by switching out her heels for a pair of blue-and-white Nike trainers.

The Twilight star blocked out the noise with a pair of AirPods.

After the screening, both Kristen and Pablo stuck around for a conversation with audience members about their new film.

Spencer is set to be released in theaters in the United States and the United Kingdom on Friday, November 5.
George Clooney whips out his mobile and begins tapping away feverishly. Heres my biggest problem in life, he says gravely, handing over the phone. On the screen is a small girl in a swimsuit. Thats my daughter, Ella.

The four-year-old is adorable, and bears a striking resemblance to her mother, the legal advocate Amal. She also happens to be a twin. But Clooneys not worried about her brother, Alexander.

Boys at this age are easy, he says, dismissively. Give em a stick and they start banging on things. Theyre fine.

But daughters? Daughters are a mystery. Ella woke up this morning with a sad face, he tells me. I said: Are you OK, Ella? It turns out that her doll was missing a shoe. It was a very tragic morning for us and believe me, all you want in life is to find that shoe.

Clooney tells me he enjoyed being stuck at home in LA with his family at the height of the pandemic

Were seated outside his suite at the Haymarket Hotel, on a spacious terrace so we dont have to wear masks  though weve both been tested for you know what. (These days, each time Im to interview a major star, the studios arrange for a nurse from an outfit called Your Doctor to visit my home of a morning, to give me a Covid test. What must the neighbours think?!)

And kids are on our mind, because weve been discussing the filmmakers latest movie, The Tender Bar. The picture, which he directed, is based on a memoir by American Pulitzer-prize winning journalist J.R. Moehringer.

Its the story of how he and his mother (Lily Rabe) moved to the North Shore of Long Island when he was ten, to live with his grandparents and bar-owning Uncle Charlie, played with revitalised energy by Ben Affleck.

The denizens of the Dickens bar in Manhasset were a rough and ready bunch: p***heads, but scholars all. Clooney likens it to a mash-up of The Sopranos and Dead Poets Society.

Uncle Charlie becomes a father figure to J.R. (played at aged ten and in his college years by Daniel Ranieri and Tye Sheridan); and the regulars at the Dickens become his pals, helping him with his homework, joking about literature and playing word games.

George Clooney whips out his mobile and begins tapping away feverishly. Heres my biggest problem in life, he says gravely, handing over the phone. On the screen is a small girl in a swimsuit. Thats my daughter, Ella. The four-year-old is adorable, and bears a striking resemblance to her mother, the legal advocate Amal (right)

Would Clooney let his twins into a bar, I wonder?

If my kids arent able to handle themselves in situations that theyre less comfortable with, I think we would have failed them as parents, he says, firmly.

If you dropped my kids off at a place like the Tender Bar, theyd sit and ask questions about these guys and their families, I would hope. Ask people questions. Its amazing what you can learn.

Clooney tells me he enjoyed being stuck at home in LA with his family at the height of the pandemic. They werent old enough that I had to re-learn trigonometry, he jokes of the twins. He boasts that at one point he was doing six loads of laundry a day  and I was doing the food, because my wife doesnt cook.

The actor is a handy man  a legacy of the lean years before he became famous. I was broke a long time, he says; eking out a living doing odd jobs: selling ladies shoes, cutting tobacco for three dollars an hour, working as a carpenter and decorator.

Speaking of being down and out in Hollywood, what about Affleck? On the way up again, after his acting career took a dive several years ago. You go where people are offering you work, he says of his old friend, who directed Oscar-winning Argo for the production company run by Clooney and his business partner Grant Heslov.

Following Good Will Hunting, which earned him and Matt Damon a screenwriting Academy Award, Affleck appeared in a lot of dross: Armageddon, Reindeer Games, Pearl Harbor and Gigi (with Jennifer Lopez).

But Affleck was still effective behind the camera, directing several fine movies such as the aforementioned Argo, The Town and Gone Baby, Gone. In doing those, he rediscovered acting, Clooney suggests.

Speaking of being down and out in Hollywood, what about Affleck (left)? On the way up again, after his acting career took a dive several years ago

He and Heslov sent Affleck the screenplay by William Monahan, with the warning that this isnt a film you get paid on.

Affleck sent back a long email, explaining why he was going to do it, saying he didnt care about the money. And he was right! He doesnt get offered parts like this. He has also aged into it appropriately, dont you think?

Indeed I do. The actor is a pleasure to watch; and its clear that this is no phoned-in performance. Even so, the thought crossed my mind that women in showbusiness rarely get the same opportunity. Affleck is 49  an age when a lot of actresses are told their careers are over.

Clooney leans forward. I think that was because, for a long time, the people who were hiring them were men whod probably gone through their first divorce and were now remarrying a 30-year-old woman.

He notes that in the 1940s and 1950s, eight of the top ten box-office stars were women. We both start rattling off the names: Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck . . .

Weve been discussing the filmmakers latest movie, The Tender Bar. The picture, which he directed, is based on a memoir by American Pulitzer-prize winning journalist J.R. Moehringer

They were huge stars, and got to work well into the Meryl Streep kind of age. (Im only quoting what he said, Meryl!) And then all of a sudden it was like you turned 40 and your career was over.

Mercifully thats changing, partly because the lines have blurred between television and film. You see Nicole (Kidman) doing really interesting limited series, he says, by way of example.

He then slams as pretty ridiculous the practice of aged male stars making movies with female leads half their age. I havent done many romantic films, but usually I was working with someone age appropriate, he says, mentioning Michelle Pfeiffer (38 to his 35 when they shot One Fine Day in 1996) and Catherine Zeta Jones in Oceans Twelve (she was a little bit younger than me . . . 35 to Clooneys 43 when that one was made in 2004).

His flow on gender fairness is interrupted by Heslov, joining us to discuss their array of future productions including Ticket To Paradise, which he has just started shooting for Working Title in Australia with Julia Roberts (an age-appropriate 54). Oh, and in the film, they have a daughter. Just to keep George on his toes.
Shannen Doherty was snapped shopping in Malibu, California on Thursday with her mother Rosa Doherty, as she continued her brave public battle with breast cancer.

The 50-year-old actress donned a black hooded sweatshirt with dark sweatpants and sneakers on the daytime outing. She carried a beige tote bag on her shoulder and wore sunglasses and a face mask while out in the luxe beach locale.

Her mother Rosa donned an off-white sweater with light blue jeans and white sneakers, with her red locks down and parted.

Out and about: Shannen Doherty, 50, was snapped shopping in Malibu, California, as she continues her brave public battle with breast cancer

Doherty, who portrayed Brenda Walsh on the hit 90s series Beverly Hills, 90210, took to Instagram earlier on Thursday with a selfie with filmmaker James Cullen Bressack, who directed her most recent effort on the screen in the forthcoming film Hot Seat.

'Things I focus on.. work, family and continuing awareness for cancer,' she wrote. 'The rest is just noise. Im very lucky and blessed that I worked with @jamescullenb that first time cause that first time has turned into many times. James, I appreciate you as my director and my friend. Thank you for another great opportunity.'

Bressack also shared the shot, reflecting on his fondness amid his collaborations with the Charmed star.

'Thats a wrap on Shannen Doherty @theshando!' he wrote. 'Thats 10 projects together and hopefully a million more. Thank you for always elevating the project but more importantly always elevating me as a filmmaker, and always pushing me to do my best. I appreciate you more than you will ever know.'

Doherty's mother Rosa donned an off-white sweater with light blue jeans and white sneakers, with her red locks down and parted

Doherty took to Instagram earlier on Thursday with a selfie with filmmaker James Cullen Bressack, who directed her most recent effort on the screen in the forthcoming film Hot Seat

He continued: 'You are always my support system on set. Shoots are never as fun without you. The world has yet to see what you are truly capable of as a performer.'

Doherty underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation after she was first diagnosed with cancer in March 2015, before being declared cancer-free in April of 2017. She said in February 2020 that the stage four cancer had returned.

Doherty, who is wed to photographer Kurt Iswarienko, spoke with ABC News last month about her focus amid the recurrence of her cancer battle.

'You really have to dig deep to face cancer, and in that, you find all this stuff that you had hidden away,' Doherty said. 'And it's beautiful things that you find: You find the vulnerability, you find your trust in people again. You find forgiveness.'

Challenges: Shannen (pictured in June) underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation after she was first diagnosed with cancer in March 2015

Support system: Doherty, who is wed to photographer Kurt Iswarienko, said that her diagnosis is 'part of life at this point'

In the chat, Doherty said she felt she has 'a responsibility' in her public life 'to talk about cancer and perhaps educate people more and let people know that people with stage four are very much alive and very active.'

Last month Shannen also said her diagnosis is 'part of life at this point' during a virtual panel for her Lifetime movie List of a Lifetime.

She said: 'I feel like I have a responsibility in my more public life, which I separate from my acting life ... to talk about cancer and perhaps educate people more and let people know that people with stage four are very much alive and very active.'

'My husband says that you would never know that I have cancer. I never really complain. I don't really talk about it. It's part of life at this point.'
Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of) (Criterion Theatre, London)

Verdict: Girl pride without prejudice!

Rating:

What a gorgeous paradox: a Pride & Prejudice that's delightfully predictable and yet endlessly surprising.

First seen at Glasgow's Tron Theatre in 2018, this show is the brilliant, all-female brainchild of Isobel McArthur, re-spinning the well-worn yarn of Jane Austen's novel, ostensibly from the point of view of the servants.

Although completely faithful to the book, it's also a raucously irreverent romp, related in Empire line dresses and Dr. Martens.

What a gorgeous paradox: a Pride & Prejudice that's delightfully predictable and yet endlessly surprising

The ball at Meryton, where dashing Mr Darcy first appears, serves Wagon Wheels and Irn-Bru.

But much of the sugar-charged, childlike joy lies in the way the cast conjure up microphones from silver platters and then burst into karaoke caterwauling.

We kick off with Elvis Costello's Every Day I Write The Book and The Shirelles' Will You Love Me Tomorrow? before climaxing in a lovely rendition of Pulp's sweetest song, Something Changed.

In between, the piece of resistance is Holding Out For A Hero ('where have all the good men gone?') and a very amusing snatch of Lady In Red (attributed to snooty Lady De Bourgh's nephew 'Chris').

And all the while, I found myself getting more and more engrossed in a story I thought I knew backwards.

First seen at Glasgow's Tron Theatre in 2018, this show is the brilliant, all-female brainchild of Isobel McArthur, re-spinning the well-worn yarn of Jane Austen's novel, ostensibly from the point of view of the servants

Although completely faithful to the book, it's also a raucously irreverent romp, related in Empire line dresses and Dr. Martens

McArthur judiciously includes, amid the (sometimes blithely sweary) banter, Austen's elegant gems, such as the one about heroine Lizzie being 'so desperate to seem at ease that ease deserted her entirely'.

And the characters positively blaze on the stage. McArthur plays the inscrutable Mr Darcy as a self-important stiff who's satisfyingly redeemed.

Doubling up as Mrs Bennet, she also makes sense of that character's anxiety about her daughters and adds an unexpected seam of Yorkshire wit.

The daughters themselves are a terrific team, with Jane (Christina Gordon) a loveable teenage romantic, Lydia (Tori Burgess) a wannabe WAG, and Lizzie (Meghan Tyler) a tall, strident Ulster girl who's actually a teeny bit credulous.

And in a touching twist, Hannah Jarrett-Scott plays the Bennets' friend Charlotte as Lizzie's lovelorn admirer.

Improvised on and below a sweeping staircase crammed with second-hand books, there are moments of genius including creepy Mr Collins being introduced with wet hands (after flushing the loo); and a lifesize model horse called Willy for Jane to ride to the Bingleys (cue extremely racy humour).

Conceived by, and perhaps aimed at, younger women, this is nevertheless a show for all sexes and ages  in particular the young at heart.

(They might even have included that chirpy little Bluebells number in the karaoke.)

Blue/Orange (Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath)

Verdict: What's up, Doc?

Rating:

In Joe Penhall's blazing, blistering Blue/Orange, a junior psychiatrist and an older consultant slug it out over whether Christopher, a young black man who believes oranges are blue and that Idi Amin is his dad (it's possible), should be discharged from an NHS hospital.

Conscientious Dr Flaherty thinks Chris has borderline personality disorder, possibly paranoid schizophrenia, and doesn't want to risk him becoming dangerous.

Casually uncaring Dr Smith says there is a shortage of beds, suggests Chris's problems are his 'response to the human condition' and that he is a victim of the medical establishment's 'ethnocentric' bias towards mental illness in black men.

In Joe Penhall's blazing, blistering Blue/Orange, a junior psychiatrist and an older consultant slug it out over whether Christopher, a young black man who believes oranges are blue and that Idi Amin is his dad (it's possible), should be discharged from an NHS hospital

Conscientious Dr Flaherty thinks Chris has borderline personality disorder, possibly paranoid schizophrenia, and doesn't want to risk him becoming dangerous

The brilliantly written play is a battleground, with words used as weapons, innocent phrases resurrected and returning like boomerangs, edges sharpened to kill.

Perceptions have changed since the play was written in 2000, thanks to more discussion of mental health and the emergence of Black Lives Matter, which gives James Dacre's powerfully performed revival the feel of a period piece.

That is a shame because the play still packs a potent punch. Michael Balogun's Christopher is compelling. One moment he is hyper, buzzing, swaggering and eager to leave hospital; the next coiled, cowed and vulnerable.

But then everyone on the stage is more than a little mad. Might he be the sanest of them all?

GEORGINA BROWN

A Christmas Carol (Nottingham Playhouse)

Verdict: Cheer trumps chills

Rating:

The Christmas Carol season has started early . . . very early. First, this one adapted from Dickens's story by Mark Gatiss, who also plays Jacob Marley opposite Nicholas Farrell as Scrooge.

Still to come, we have the Old Vic's latest take, this time with Stephen Mangan playing the old misery; and there will no doubt be many more Ebenezers bah humbug-ing their way out of the woodwork before December 25.

Gatiss has sought to focus on the ghoulishness of the tale, which he may be alone in believing has been 'undervalued' as a ghost story.

And yet the result is no more ghostly than normal. Apart from showing Scrooge's famously dead associate Marley briefly alive, the main innovation is the Ghost of Christmas Past looking like a rugby prop forward in a lacy white smock.

As the Ghost of Christmas Present, booming Joe Shire may be a little more forbidding than usual. But the last ghost is a standard-issue grim reaper.

The Christmas Carol season has started early . . . very early. First, this one adapted from Dickens's story by Mark Gatiss, who also plays Jacob Marley opposite Nicholas Farrell as Scrooge

Adam Penford's production lays on Hammer Horror gimmicks including spectral video projections and flying sheets.

But you've got your work cut out to make a tale as familiar as this seem creepy. So Paul Wills's set design wisely packs in plenty of deja vu.

He conjures Scrooge's office with towers of dusty filing cabinets and video projections of smoking chimneys.

Gatiss also pops up in League Of Gentlemen mode with multiple other turns.

Farrell makes a sternly dyspeptic Scrooge, but he's light on his feet, too; capable of a sprightly jig when he finally uncorks his seasonal jollity.

Carols at the end ensure the evening is more about Christmas cheer than ghoulish chills.

But you may prefer to hold out for its run at London's Alexandra Palace to enjoy as a midwinter warmer.

christmascarolonstage.co.uk

PM

Brian & Roger (Mixing Room, Menier Chocolate Factory, London)

Verdict: Two peas in a podcast

Rating:

Given the honour of opening an impressive new 150-seater space below Southwark's boutique Menier Chocolate Factory theatre, meet Brian & Roger: two down-on-their-luck divorcees, and the stars of Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner's cult comedy podcast.

Mousey Roger has been turfed out by his wife and is moonlighting as a lollipop man.

Dodgy Brian is living 'in the shadows' as a petty crook; mixed up in a rigged poker game with Albanian gangsters in a Wiltshire abattoir.

It's a perfect mix of character comedy and a plot worthy of (the first) Hangover movie  except it's all told through voicemail left on each other's phones.

Stepping in for Peacock (who bowed out for health reasons), Simon Lipkin is brilliantly possessed as Brian the bastard  a dodgy bloke with a wobbly middle and thoroughly untrustworthy mateyness.

Dan Skinner's beardy Roger, with his bomb-blast hair, is a loveably meek, endlessly forgiving doormat.

Warned by his shrink that someone is trying to manipulate him, he remains pitifully devoted to his embarrassed son and merciless ex-wife.

David Babani's often hilarious production showcases the new space with stunning video projections by Timothy Bird that take us from dreary London suburbs to Beijing's red light district.

With very strong language and excruciating sexual antics, it won't be everyone's cuppa, but fans of the podcast should prepare to fight for a ticket. And I'm now one of them.

PM
Paris Hilton has reportedly changed her wedding venue just one week before she is set to walk down the aisle with Carter Reum on November 11.

The 40-year-old hotel heiress will now be saying 'I do' at her late grandfather Barron Hilton's Bel-Air estate, per Page Six, which is also the location of the reception to follow.

It had previously been reported that the ceremony portion of the lavish-three day affair would be taking place at the Good Shepherd Church in Beverly Hills, however an invited guest divulged that plans had now changed.

Last minute: As the Hilton hotel heiress prepares to say 'I do' on November 11, the location of the ceremony has now been changed to match the reception location, with new RSVPs only having gone out on November 3; pictured June 21

'It changed about a week or so ago. It's changed several times. Originally, they were going to get married in the church, but they switched it about a week or so ago,' a source told the publication.

In order to ensure maximum privacy, save the dates sent out in October had no disclosed location, and the new RSVPs  which were sent out on Wednesday November 3  also have no addresses listed reportedly.

'New email invitations went out [Wednesday] to confirm attendance, but there still aren't any addresses [listed],' the source said.

As the whole thing will be filmed for the upcoming Peacock series Paris In Love, the same source remarked 'they will be filming to death.'

In flux: 'It's changed several times,' an insider told Page Six of the venue switching as 'Originally, they were going to get married in the church, but they switched it about a week or so ago'

Happy wife happy life! The 40-year-old socialite will now be saying 'I do' at her late grandfather Barron Hilton's Bel-Air estate which is also the location of the reception to follow on November 11; pictured with fiancee Carter Reum September 24

An insider had previously told the publication of the wedding plans: 'They sent out the save-the-date. They didn't include the location, but [the reception] is going to be at Barron's house.'

It was also added that the first invitation 'came in a blue box. It sort of looked like a Tiffany's box.'

Paris' late grandfather Barron's sprawling Bel-Air mansion is 15,000 sq ft, and was owned by the hotel magnate for 60 years before it was sold to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in May.

It also served as the backdrop for a then 19-year-old Hilton's 2000 Vanity Fair photoshoot shot by David LaChapelle.

Grandfather: Barron's sprawling Bel-Air mansion is 15,000 sq ft, and was owned by the hotel magnate for 60 years before it was sold to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in May; Paris and Barron pictured 2010

Of planning the nuptials, The Cooking With Paris star previously told Extra: 'It's been the most exciting and romantic time in my life  I just can't wait for the wedding. It's stressful planning it.'

And during that September chat her mom Kathy Hilton had accidentally disclosed that the lavish three-day affair would include a carnival.

A source had confirmed her brief slip up as they shared 'There will be three parties  including a carnival-themed bash at Santa Monica Pier,' and also an 'out-of-towners dinner.'

Reum  an entrepreneur and venture capitalist  popped the question in February with a 15-20 carat engagement ring estimated to cost nearly $2M, following nearly a year-and-a-half of dating.

According to sources she will reportedly wear a Valentino bridal gown and the pair have an eye-popping $60,000 wedding registry through luxury store Geary's Beverly Hills.
Spencer (12A, 111 mins)

Rating:

Verdict: A screech of republicanism

Eternals (12A, 157 mins)

Verdict: Seems to last for ever

Rating:

The captivating Netflix series The Crown has set a high bar for all screen dramatisations of the royal soap opera, a bar that Spencer regrettably fails to reach.

Set on the Sandringham estate during three days over the course of Christmas 1991, with the marriage between Charles and Diana ruptured beyond repair, Spencer, like The Crown, is a work of fiction woven from fact.

A caption at the start of the film, portentously declaring it to be a fable drawn 'from a true tragedy', does at least imply that what follows is mostly whimsy.

And so it proves, with gold knobs on.

In truth, Kristen Stewart does a fine job, nailing the breathy voice and Sloaney accent

Kristen Stewart plays Princess Diana as a gibbering, dysfunctional wreck (but in a good way), while Jack Farthing gives us a Prince Charles so callous and cold that he could offer your average Nazi commandant a run for his Deutsche Marks.

The other adult royals present only slightly more favourably.

Spencer, set to a score of plaintive strings by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, is a cinematic screech of republicanism.

Director Pablo Larrain has form with tragic female icons. He made Jackie, the 2016 picture about the world's most famous widow, set in the wake of the Kennedy assassination.

And rather like Jackie, Spencer is a romantic fairy tale turned on its head: the fragrant beauty who loses her prince.

Here, though, the subject is not a world-famous widow but a world-famous bulimic  and we are not allowed to forget it.

One of the wackiest episodes comes during dinner on Christmas Eve, when a despairing Diana tears off a pearl necklace identical to one she knows Charles has given Camilla. The enormous pearls then plop into her soup, whereupon she promptly starts scoffing them before later, inevitably, throwing them up.

Larain and screenwriter Steven Knight, use food throughout as a symbol not just of Diana's unhappiness but also the family's absurd imperiousness.

In the vast Sandringham kitchens, the head chef (Sean Harris) reminds the staff to abide by a sign reading 'Keep Noise To A Minimum  They Can Hear You'.

Yes, these royals are like the monsters in the alien-invasion thriller A Quiet Place, only it's Diana who is depicted as the alien, entirely at odds with the stuffy formality mostly embodied by the Queen Mother's hide bound equerry Major Gregory (Timothy Spall).

One of those buttoned-up, patrician Scots for whom sex is what they deliver the coal in, the major has been sent from Clarence House to keep a stern eye on Diana, whose outsider status is rammed home from the start when she loses her way driving herself up to Norfolk.

Here is a woman lost in more ways than one, is the unsubtle message. Her only real soulmate is her favourite dresser, Maggie (Sally Hawkins), although even that relationship turns out to be more complicated than it appears.

The film is at its sweetest when showing us Diana's warm embrace of motherhood, and in truth Stewart does a fine job, nailing the breathy voice and Sloaney accent.

At first all you see are the differences, but gradually all you see is Diana, even though Stewart is considerably shorter than the princess was.

In fact, the matter of height alone will turn seasoned royal-watchers puce with indignation.

The Queen (Stella Gonet) looks as if she's been stuffing herself with steroids. She is nearly as tall as the Duke of Edinburgh (Richard Sammel), who incidentally seems to spend most of the movie as an elective mute, another spectacular swerve from reality.

The crashing irony of this film, and its greatest flaw, is that in trying so hard to make us feel sorry for Diana, it leaves us feeling more than a little miffed on behalf of the others, especially Charles.

Well, it did me For all his missteps, Charles is no Henry VIII, hard as Larrain hammers the parallels with Henry's ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn, with whom Diana, we are led to believe, felt a powerful spiritual kinship.

Kinship also looms large in Eternals, the latest Marvel blockbuster, during which only the gift of eternal life will stop you looking at your watch, willing the final credits to hove in to sight.

Eternals stars Don Lee, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden and Salma Hayek as a diverse group of superheroes

The eponymous Eternals are a band of superheroes created by the Celestials to protect humanity from the Deviants, which is all very well, but there's surely no need for it to take them quite so long.

Director Chloe Zhao, whose last film was the Oscar-winning Nomadland, gets terribly carried away showing us that she can do outrageous fantasy as well as gritty authenticity, and better still, not at the expense of her liberal credentials.

Thus the Eternals (played by Angelina Jolie and Richard Madden, among others) are diversity-friendly superheroes, varying in ethnicity and sexuality.

There is even a split personality and a deaf-mute in their number, to remind us that mental and physical disabilities are not incompatible with living for ever and saving the planet.

The CGI-augmented action whisks us on a dizzying tour through history and geography from ancient Mesopotamia to modern-day Camden Town, in a story that fuses with Greek myth and legend in a way that would be streamlined and thrilling if it wasn't so bloated and boring.

But if you're looking for harmony (and heart)...

My favourite release of the week is the least glitzy by a very long way. It's a documentary called Men Who Sing (, 78 mins, 12A) and it's a real charmer, made with manifest devotion by Dylan Williams, who also made a lovely film 11 years ago called Men Who Swim.

Men Who Sing tells the story of friendships between old men who, apart from their weekly rehearsal, come together all too often to perform at the funerals of the latest of them to pass away

That was about the camaraderie within Sweden's all-male synchronised swimming team, of which Williams was a member. This, too, is deeply personal: inspired by Ed, his elderly father in North Wales, who has been singing with the same male-voice choir for 65 years.

And it is also about camaraderie  friendships between old men who, apart from their weekly rehearsal, come together all too often to perform at the funerals of the latest of them to pass away. 

Unsurprisingly, there is a melancholic feel to all this, but it is also tremendously life-affirming in its way, full of humour and warmth, not to mention a glorious finale as the choir competes again for the first time in 15 years. I would defy anyone to watch with dry eyes.

The Card Counter (, 15, 111 mins) is a hard watch for very different reasons, as it gradually becomes clear why a brilliant professional gambler (Oscar Isaac) suffers from a form of post-traumatic stress. The writer-director is Paul Schrader, to whose long list of illustrious credits (he wrote Taxi Driver and Raging Bull for Martin Scorsese) this is a worthy addition.

I couldn't quite shake off a sense that the two distinct narratives would have been better served by separate films, but Isaac is splendid and gets top-notch support from Tye Sheridan, Tiffany Haddish and Willem Dafoe.

Red Notice (, 12A, 115 mins) is a tongue-in-cheek art-heist caper starring Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot. Reynolds does his standard jaunty turn as a wisecracking rascal, and there's nothing particularly original about any of it  apart perhaps from an unexpected glimpse of The Great British Bake Off. Doughy, but easy to digest.
He always looks smart when he entertains the nation as a presenter on This Morning.

And Phillip Schofield cut a dapper figure in a navy wool blazer as he attended The Ocean At The End Of The Lane's West End premiere on Thursday night.

The TV personality, 59, stepped out with his 28-year-old daughter Molly May Schofield who looked effortlessly cool in jeans and black combat boots.

Suave: Phillip Schofield cut a dapper figure in a navy wool blazer as he attended The Ocean At The End Of The Lane's West End premiere on Thursday night

Phil beamed as he arrived at the Duke of York's Theatre in indigo jeans, suede Chelsea boots and a dark denim shirt.

He wore his white locks in their classic sideswept style and completed his look with the stylish button-front jacket.

Meanwhile Molly opted for a black shearling jacket as she posed with her dad after the performance.

She accessorised with an enviable Yves Saint Laurent cross-body bag and wore her blonde tresses in a sleek straight style as she smiled next to Phil.

Daddy-daughter outing: The TV personality, 59, stepped out with his 28-year-old daughter Molly May Schofield who looked effortlessly cool in jeans and black combat boots

The duo were joined at the performance by actress Fay Ripley and her daughter Parker Lapaine.

The pair twinned in cosy long line camel coats and Fay added extra glam in a pair of bedazzled black stilettos.

Meanwhile, Parker opted for a laidback look of loose-fitting black trousers and matching brogues.

Attendees: The duo were joined at the performance by actress Fay Ripley and her daughter Parker Lapaine who twinned in long line camel coats

Meanwhile, TV personality Dr Ranj opted for a rain mac and matching chinos as he stepped out at the theatre.

The doctor sported a open-collared white shirt and posed confidently with his hand in his pocket as he left the show.

He completed his look with a pair of point-toed black shoes and smized at the cameras.

Co-ordinated: TV personality Dr Ranj opted for a rain mac and matching chinos as he stepped out at the theatre

And on screen star Simon Callow looked chipper as he left the performance in a pair of burnt orange chinos, brown shoes and a cosy coat.

Ocean At The End Of The Lane is based on the 2013 fantasy horror novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman.

The plot follows a man who returns to his childhood home in Sussex and is magically transported to his 12th birthday where he reckons with ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around him.
A producer on The Kyle and Jackie O Show has sensationally claimed a beloved Aussie celebrity once 'destroyed' a toilet at a media event.

Peter Deppeler, known to listeners as Intern Pete, alleged on Friday's show that Kerri-Anne Kennerley dropped an 'explosive number two' at a movie junket.

He said all the other journalists present overheard her but were too embarrassed to say anything.

Tell-all: Pete Deppeler (right), a producer on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, has sensationally claimed a beloved Aussie celebrity once 'destroyed' a toilet at a media event. Pictured with radio host Kyle Sandilands (left)

The incident took place about 10 years ago at a junket for an international movie.

He said the Australian press pack was waiting to interview the film's star in a hotel room, which had a toilet that was very exposed.

Despite everyone present being able to 'hear a pin drop', Kerri-Anne allegedly decided to use the hotel room's bathroom.

Grim story: Pete Deppeler, known to listeners as Intern Pete, alleged on Friday's show that Kerri-Anne Kennerley (pictured) dropped an 'explosive number two' at a movie junket

'This person has not only used this toilet, they have destroyed this toilet,' he said.

'They did a number two, but I mean explosive stuff going on... Just one of those ones where you go, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no."

'And everyone's looking around going, "Oh my God! Who is in the toilet?! Who is in the toilet?!"

The horror: A stunned Jackie 'O' Henderson (right) said she couldn't believe Pete had 'outed TV royalty Kerri-Anne in this terrible story'

He added: 'We didn't see who went in, but we saw who came out, and oh my godfather, our jaws dropped with embarrassment for this person.'

Pete then named the person as Kerri-Anne, and said everyone who witnessed the incident has 'ignored it to this day' because of how awkward it was.

A stunned Jackie 'O' Henderson said she couldn't believe Pete had 'outed TV royalty Kerri-Anne in this terrible story'.

Claims: Pete said the Australian press pack was waiting to interview the film's star in a hotel room, which had a toilet that was very exposed. Despite everyone present being able to 'hear a pin drop', Kerri-Anne allegedly decided to use the hotel room's bathroom and 'destroyed' it

Pete said until now everyone present had an unspoken rule to 'never, ever bring it up under any circumstances'.

He added that Kerri-Anne appeared oblivious to the fact everyone outside the bathroom had heard her, and they decided to spare her the embarrassment.

'Well, here you are, spilling the beans,' said Kyle Sandilands, who agreed that Kerri-Anne would 'own it' if she knew.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Kerri-Anne Kennerley for comment.
Frida alum Salma Hayek Pinault used her upbringing in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico to take on the wings of death during Thursday's episode of First We Feast talk show Hot Ones.

'I love habanero!' the 55-year-old Oscar nominee exclaimed at one point.

'You have to remember that in Mexico, you grow up with candy...It's sweet but it's full of chili. There's a lot of spicy candy the children do eat. So you get used to it.'

'I love habanero!' Frida alum Salma Hayek Pinault used her upbringing in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico to take on the wings of death during Thursday's episode of First We Feast talk show Hot Ones

Salma - who ended her three-month break from hot food - relied on ice water, lemon slices, and Fritos corn chips to cut the ever-increasing Scoville levels.

By the time Hayek (born Jimenez) took a bite of the chicken wing soaked in Da Bomb Beyond Insanity Hot Sauce, she amusingly quipped it was 'like a bad lover.'

'No me gusta,' groaned the Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard action star.

'Oh my god, I am playing an Eternal, but my tongue is still human.'

The 55-year-old Oscar nominee said: 'You have to remember that in Mexico, you grow up with candy...It's sweet but it's full of chili. There's a lot of spicy candy the children do eat. So you get used to it'

Salma - who ended her three-month break from hot food - relied on ice water, lemon slices, and Fritos corn chips to cut the ever-increasing Scoville levels

'No me gusta!' By the time Hayek took a bite of the chicken wing soaked in Da Bomb Beyond Insanity Hot Sauce (R), she amusingly quipped it was 'like a bad lover'

Salma hilariously added: 'Too much pain for very little pleasure!'

Despite threatening to 'send the Mexican mafia' to host Sean Evans, he eventually won over Hayek and she declared him 'an honorary Mexican' for consuming hot wings in 230 episodes.

The Daytime Emmy winner said: 'You know what? I am adopting you as a Mexican. You are an honorary Mexican from today on. You can really handle your chilis.'

Salma revealed the Mexican restaurant she and her 14-year-old daughter Valentina Paloma frequent near their 14-bedroom mansion in London's 'billionaires row' at Bishops Avenue.

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard action star exclaimed: 'Oh my god, I am playing an Eternal, but my tongue is still human...Too much pain for very little pleasure!'

Giving him props: Despite threatening to 'send the Mexican mafia' to host Sean Evans, he eventually won over Salma and she declared him 'an honorary Mexican' for consuming hot wings in 230 episodes

Hayek said: 'You know what? I am adopting you as a Mexican. You are an honorary Mexican from today on. You can really handle your chilis'

'She loves it!' The Daytime Emmy winner revealed the Mexican restaurant she and her 14-year-old daughter Valentina Paloma (R, pictured October 27) frequent near their 14-bedroom mansion in London's 'billionaires row' at Bishops Avenue

'There is a place I go with my daughter Valentina, who loves it. And it's just called Taqueria,' Hayek described.

'I mean, not the most original name, but we love it. They make great tacos.'

The Bliss actress confessed that she buys Mexican ingredients at Mestizo in London to make tacos at home: 'The best tacos outside of Mexico? [points to herself] Anyone of my houses.'

After the show, Salma said she wished her husband of 12 years - Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault - was there, 'so I could kiss him and then he'd be on fire and wouldn't even know why!'

Salma described: 'There is a place I go with my daughter Valentina. And it's just called Taqueria (pictured August 21). I mean, not the most original name, but we love it. They make great tacos'

Hayek confessed that she buys Mexican ingredients at Mestizo in London to make tacos at home: 'The best tacos outside of Mexico? [points to herself] Anyone of my houses'

Worth a reported $7B! After the show, the Bliss actress said she wished her husband of 12 years - Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault (L, pictured Tuesday) - was there, 'so I could kiss him and then he'd be on fire and wouldn't even know why!'

Salma also touched on topics ranging from economics of the movie industry, truffle hunting with dogs, string theory, encounters with sea creatures, and her love of films

Hayek also touched on topics ranging from economics of the movie industry, truffle hunting with dogs, string theory, encounters with sea creatures, and her love of films.

The self-described animal hoarder was on Hot Ones to promote her role as immortal Central American deity leader Ajak in Chloe Zhao's $200M-budget movie Eternals, which hits UK/US theaters this Friday.

The dismally-reviewed MCU ensemble flick also stars Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Richard Madden, and Kumail Nanjiani.

Hitting UK/US theaters this Friday! Hayek was on Hot Ones to promote her role as immortal Central American deity leader Ajak in Chloe Zhao's $200M-budget movie Eternals
She's the busty Aussie model who isn't afraid to flaunt her incredible physique in racy bikinis on Instagram.

But on Friday, Gabrielle Epstein kicked things up a notch when she posted her topless cover for Playboy Magazine.

Alongside the cover, the 27-year-old stunner pleaded with Instagram not to delete the image - as the social media giant holds a strict policy to avoid nude images which display nipples.

Drinks are on her! Aussie model Gabrielle Epstein goes topless for VERY raunchy Playboy Magazine cover

'My @playboy November cover & editorial is out now! PS this is a magazine cover pls dont be a d**k and remove it lol,' she wrote.

In her seductive photo shoot, the blonde beauty barely has her chest covered by two shot glasses.

This is not the first time Gabrielle has taken part in a daring shoot.

In October, Gabrielle gave fans a little more than they bargained for as she posed in a very risque bikini set.

While filling petrol in her car, she donned a suede two-piece, which barely contained her cleavage.

Risque! This is not the first time Gabrielle has taken part in a daring shoot. In October, Epstein gave fans a little more than they bargained for as she posed in a very risque bikini set

Before she started modelling full-time, the Australian sensation was a competitive swimmer and ambassador for various fitness brands.

Gabrielle was already making significant cash off of her social media fame in 2015, and had dropped out of nursing school to pursue modelling and influencing.

In 2016, she hosted a special lifestyle segment with MTV veteran Matt Pinfield on PBS series Landmarks Live in Concert. The music/travel show was hosted by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith .

Pays to be an influencer! Running her own lingerie line, and lending her fame to many other brands, Gabrielle's impressive net worth was estimated in 2020 at $400,000

She was a WAG in 2018 when she ignited a romance with swimmer James Roberts, who represented Australia at two Olympics (2012 London and 2016 Rio).

The model and influencer, who also has her own YouTube channel, was also named seventh on a 2020 list of 'The Highest-Paid Female Influencers In Australia'.

Running her own lingerie line, Gabrielle Grace, and lending her fame to many brand partnerships, her impressive net worth was estimated at the time at $400,000.
Below Deck star Alli Dore and her boyfriend Benny Thompson welcomed their son River George two months ago.

And it appears the tiny tot is already following in his mother's cool footsteps as she dressed him in a sweet Slipknot romper on Friday.

The 32-year-old reality star shared an adorable photo of her little one in his black onesie - which was branded with the rock band's logo on it.

Babys first merch! Below Deck Sailing Yachts Alli Dore dressed her newborn son River in an adorable Slipknot romper on Friday

'Baby's first band merch... thanks Aunty Sugarpie, River loves it,' she captioned the sweet photo.

The reality TV star announced River's arrival on Instagram two months ago, telling fans she gave birth to him prematurely on Thursday, August 26 at 5:17 AM.

Alli wrote, 'Hes come a little prematurely but is doing better everyday. We are so proud of our strong little man.

'The last couple of weeks we faced challenges I never thought wed have to,' she added.

Baby joy! The reality TV star announced River's arrival on Instagram two months ago, telling fans she gave birth to him prematurely on Thursday, August 26 at 5:17 AM

'Its been really emotional but also the most special time in our lives because we have River at the end of it all.

'Im so grateful to have @bennithompson by my side because I couldnt have done this without him,' the new mother concluded.

'Proud of our little family and counting the days until River gets to come home'.

'Hes come a little prematurely but is doing better everyday. We are so proud of our strong little man' she wrote alongside the photo

As for dad Benny, he took to his own social media to share a similar gallery of new baby photos.

The main photo saw Benny in a face mask smiling as he held his infant, who also seemed to be smiling.

'Dont listen to them! Bubs dont take 9 months,' he wrote in the caption at the time.

Happy day: The couple welcomed to their son at the The Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne

'Our littlest man, River George Thompson, arrived Thursday morning. Its been an absolute journey and I couldnt be prouder of him or his incredibly strong mama @allidoreporfavor,' he continued.

'Born a few weeks early he has surprised everyone with how far hes already come. We are over the moon and think the absolute world of you, our little legend '

The couple welcomed to their son at the The Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne.

Alli, meanwhile, had more details to share about her pregnancy when she stopped by the Unpopular podcast in June.

The reality star admitted at the time that she'd been on birth control when she became pregnant, taking a budget pill she purchased in Spain that had concerned Ben right off the jump.

She also said that her Below Deck co-star Dani Soares was on the pill as well when she fell pregnant last year.

Oops! The reality star admitted that she'd been on birth control when she became pregnant, taking a budget pill she purchased in Spain that had concerned Ben right off the jump

'We must both be the most fertile women in the country!' Alli joked.

She also admitted that she made the mistake of not taking the pill at the same time each day, which led to her surprise pregnancy.

'I'm a bit slack...' she said with a laugh. 'I think you get a bit comfortable when you're in a relationship.'

She added: 'My only form of contraception was relying on the pill. I would always try to take it as soon as I would wake up, but sometimes it wouldn't be until later in the day.

'I didn't realize that was such a sensitive thing. Now I've learned!'
Meg Ryan was among the stars who turned out to support the amfAR gala in Hollywood on Thursday night.

The actress, 59, looked absolutely gorgeous in a sleeveless shimmery black cocktail dress.

Her frock featured a round neckline and an A-line skirt that fell to just below the knee.

Stylish: Meg Ryan was among the stars who turned out to support the amfAR gala in Hollywood on Thursday night that raises money for AIDS research

Ryan stepped out in a pair of platform-soled black sandal heels.

Her signature blonde hair was parted in the middle and styled in a tousled look that rested on her shoulders.

She completed her look with black eye-liner and mascara and glossy red lip color.

Ryan joined Alessandra Ambrosio, Paris Jackson, Camila Mendes and Jenna Dewan at the fundraiser for the Foundation for AIDS Research.

Red carpet ready: The actress, 59, looked absolutely gorgeous in a sleeveless shimmery black cocktail dress which she paired with platform-soled black sandal heels

Natural beauty: Ryan's signature blonde hair was parted in the middle and styled in a tousled look that rested on her shoulders

Movie star: The When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle star completed her look with black eye-liner and mascara and glossy red lip color

Ryan made her name as the star of classic rom-coms When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail.

Divorced from actor Dennis Quaid since 2001, she's mom to son Jack, 29, whom she shares with Quaid, and daughter Daisy True, 17, whom she adopted from China.

The actress made news recently when she flipped a mansion in upscale Montecito for a very hefty profit.

She sold the bedroom home on one-and-a-half acres for $13.25 million after purchasing it for $5.05 million in February 2020, according to Realtor.com.

The property website notes that Ryan currently owns a gated compound with a six-bedroom mansion in the exclusive enclave just south of Santa Barbara that she purchased in August for $9.5 million.

Savvy investor: The actress made news recently when she flipped a mansion in upscale Montecito for a very hefty profit; the home is pictured on her Instagram
Advertisement

Kanye West revealed he wants to stay together with estranged wife Kim Kardashian as he touched on his divorce, friendship with accused rapist Marilyn Manson and his ongoing feud with rapper Drake in a candid chat on Revolt TV's Drink Champs on Thursday.

In the interview, which is believed to have been filmed last month, Kanye spoke about his split from his wife of seven years, detailing the impact the impending divorce has had on himself and their four children.

The rapper, 44, insisted he was 'not even divorced' and hadn't seen the divorce papers yet - despite Kim filing to end their marriage in February - adding: 'I want us to be together'.

The couple share four young children: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, and Kanye added that the divorce had been difficult for them as they wanted their parents to stay together.

'I want us to be together': Kanye West insisted Kim Kardashian is 'still my wife' as he discussed his divorce, defending Marilyn Manson and his feud with Drake in a candid chat on Revolt TV's Drink Champs on Thursday

During the rambling interview, which featured numerous digressions and left turns, Kanye discussed the jokes Kim made about their split when she hosted Saturday Night Live last month.

In her opening monologue, Kim, 41, quipped: 'when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to just one thing: his personality.'

Addressing the dig, Kanye hit back: 'SNL making my wife say "I divorced him" on TV because they just wanted to get that bar off... And I ain't never even see the papers, we not even divorced.'

Kanye added that the divorce was 'no joke to me,' especially as it seemed to have caused the couple's children distress, explaining: 'My kids want their parents to stay together'.

'I want us to be together,' Kanye added before insisting that it was 'the media' didn't want him and Kim to work out their differences.

Still together? The rapper, 44, insisted he was 'not even divorced' and hadn't seen the divorce papers yet - despite Kim filing to end their marriage in February (Kim and Kanye pictured in 2019)

Family: The couple share four young children: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two, and Kanye added that the divorce had been difficult for them as they wanted their parents to stay together

Kim has recently been spotted out on multiple dates with SNL star Pete Davidson, who kissed her in an Aladdin-themed skit when she hosted the long-running comedy series.

When she was rehearsing for her episode, Kanye was reported to be consulting with her on her fashion choices and her monologue for the show, though the line about divorcing him seems to have stung.

Kim also recently bought out Kanye's share of the couple's $60 million home in Hidden Hills, California, signaling that the divorce is proceeding.

The pair have remained close amid the split, with Kim seen by the rapper's side throughout the rollout of his Donda album as she attended all his listening shows - even taking to the stage in a wedding dress for one gig.

Difficult times: Kanye added that the divorce was 'no joke to me,' especially as it seemed to have caused the couple's children distress

Canceling Cancel Culture: Earlier in his interview, Kanye lashed out at 'Cancel Culture' and the #MeToo Movement while defending his collaborators Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, who were both featured on Donda

Fighting back: 'When I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got canceled for five songs, its like, they cant cancel us all!' the producer said; seen in August with Manson (R)

Elsewhere in his interview, Kanye lashed out at cancel culture and the #MeToo Movement while defending his collaborators Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, who both featured on Donda.

'When I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got canceled for five songs, its like, they cant cancel us all!' the producer said.

He went on to state: 'Theyll hit you with an accusation of somebody you was with ten years ago. And also, theres women whove been through very serious things, pulled in alleys against their willthats different than a hug, but its classified as the same thing.

'Its power and politics. You know, power-hungry maniacs and just control. This is 1984 mind control were in.'

Minimizing: Kanye complained that 'they'll hit you with an accusation of somebody you was with ten years ago,' though 15 women have accused Manson of crimes including sexual assault and physical abuse

Manso, 52, joined Kanye at one of his listening parties while he has three active lawsuits against him in relation to allegations of sexual, psychological, and physical abuse from over 15 different women, including actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Esme Bianco.

He's also currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department.

DaBaby was disinvited from several music festivals over the summer after a homophobic rant he delivered at the Rolling Loud festival in Miami.

The rapper asked audience to raise their hands 'if you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that'll make you die in two to three weeks,' among other offensive remarks.

Yet although he was dropped by several tour operators, he resurfaced on Donda.

Kanye went on to scoff: 'I love [Cancel Culture]. Im above it. Im running to get canceled.'

Sophistication: Kanye had rare praise for Drake, whose music he called 'more sophisticated than the style of rap that I grew up on'

Suspicions: But he also said he worried that Drake had had an affair with Kim, and he wondered if he might have DMed her even if there wasn't an affair; seen October 30 in LA

Kanye also delved into his controversial relationship with Drake several times in the interview.

The pair have been in a war of words since 2009 when Kanye critiqued one of Drake's lyrics on the Young Money song Every Girl. In response, days later Drake said in an interview, 'Before I met him, I had the utmost respect for Kanye West. Id even go as far as to say hes the most influential person as far as a musician that Id ever had in my life.'

Since then, the two have continued to exchange barbs via their music and interviews.

Early on in his chat, Kanye shared some rare praise for the hitmaker, calling him a very important artist who added something to the algorithm.'

He added: 'The style of rap that he was doing was more sophisticated than the style of rap that I grew up on,' noting that Drake's song had 'good melodies' and 'good music.'

But after he was asked if he could 'smoke' Drake in a Verzuz battle, Kanye replied, 'Yeah, absolutely.'

He went on: 'It already happened. He played one of my leaked songs and it was better than every other song this year,' he said of a track that featured Outkast's Andre 3000.

Public information? Kanye denied leaking Drake's Toronto address and claimed the information was easily found online; seen together in 2015 in Atlanta

Kanye also denied leaking Drake's address. In August, Kanye shared then deleted a map detailing the purported location of Drake's Toronto home, which appeared to be in response to Drake's jab at him on a collaboration with Trippie Redd, in which he referred to Kanye as 'burned out.'

Explaining his post, Kanye said: 'No, he advertised it when he was building the house. Everyone knows it. It's like a place in Canada you go by. It's like a monument.

'You can find it. That's how I was able to find it. It's Googleable. It's on Google Maps.'

He also complained that those close to him worried he was having an 'episode' whenever he referenced his feuds in his music.

He defended his reactions after believing that Drake threatened him on a track.

'A man threatening my life on a song and they wonder why you end up in the hospital,' he said, adding that Drake was 'driving me crazy' with his jabs in songs.

He claimed that Drake said to him, 'I never f***ed Kim.'

'But you acted like you did,' Kanye continued. 'You've got bars, it's like, "Hidden Hills, give your wife the chills."'

He said it was disrespectful and said he asked Drake if he ever 'DMed' Kim.

Risky business: Early in the interview, Kanye revealed that he was not fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. He said he had only had one shot and was 'halfcinated'

Early in the interview, Kanye revealed that he was not fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

'I traveled to Paris a couple weeks ago and I had to go through Lisbon 'cause you can go through Lisbon without being vaccinated,' he admitted.

'I only got one of the shots, so I'm "halfcinated." And Lisbon is a 15-hour ride,' he said, before launching into a different tangent.

He also called out his former John Legend and Big Sean, both of whom were previously signed to his G.O.O.D. Music label.

Toward the end of the interview, Kanye held a fake tombstone and said, 'When I die, on my tombstone it's gonna say, 'I deserve to be here. I signed Big Sean.'

He explained that he was angry at Big Sean and John Legend because both of his label mates criticized him amid his doomed presidential run last year.

'I changed this man's family,' he said of Sean. 'And both John Legend and Big Sean, when I ran for office, got used quick by the Democrats to come at they boy that actually changed they life. And that's some sellout s***,' he said.

'And I don't rock with neither of them and I need my apology. I ain't saying they ain't gon' change, but n****s is scared,' he added.

Fighting words: Elsewhere, Kanye shared that he was upset that Kylie Jenner's partner Travis Scott had appeared on a Drake song. He said in a group chat with him, Jay-Z, Drake, Kim and other, 'I'm worth more than all of y'all on this text combined'

Elsewhere, Kanye shared that he was upset that Kylie Jenner's partner Travis Scott had appeared on a Drake song.

He revealed that he called Travis out in a massive group chat that also included Drake, Jay-Z, Kim, Kid Cudi and Pusha T.

'One of the lines I said [to them] that was legend is I said, "I'm worth more than all of y'all on this text combined."'

Kanye seemed concerned with his wealth and blasted Forbes for declaring his former sister-in-law Kylie Jenner a billionaire  though the magazine later claimed her wealth had been inflated  while he said it insisted that he was not a billionaire.

However, the magazine  which he called 'racist'  announced in April 2020 that he was officially a billionaire.

Too close to home: Kanye objected to Travis Scott's Sicko Mode being played at his children's parties because of lines from Drake that he took to be an attack on him; Travis and Drake seen in 2013 in NYC

Kanye object to Travis' song Sicko Mode, which features Drake, being played at his children's birthday party.

'I'd have to bring my kids to a party where this man's threatening my life on a song. Welcome to Calabasas!'

He continued, 'And then they wonder why you end up in a hospital,' seemingly referencing his commitment.

In his Sicko Mode verse, Drake raps about 'I crept down the block / made a right / cut the lights,' which some fans have interpreted as a jab and Kanye because their houses were so close to each other.

He raps that 'it's on sight,' which has also been interpreted as a threat to Kanye.

Drake added fuel to the feud with a line about 'checks over stripes,' seemingly referencing the iconic Nike swoosh and the stripes of the Adidas logo.

Drake has previously collaborated with Nike on shoes, while Kanye's Yeezy shoes are made by Adidas.

New 'do: Kanye said his bizarre haircut was supposed to have three doves carved into it. He joked that it was called 'the Britney' at first after Britney Spears, but he now called it 'the Ye'

Ancient history: He seemed to reference when Britney Spears shaved her head amid a mental health episode in 2007

Kanye explained his bizarre haircut earlier in the video, which appeared to be fairly new at the time it was recorded.

He joked that he called the look 'the Britney,' seemingly referencing when Britney Spears shaved her head amid a mental health episode, though he now called it 'the Ye.'

The Monster rapper said he started to shave it himself but went back after he wasn't satisfied to add three doves, which seemed to account for the smoother patches at the top of his head.

Although the cut was uneven because he gave it to himself in stages, he liked how the dove shapes grew back at different rates.

Joining in: During the interview, the hosts appeared to be smoking what looked like blunts, and Kanye had a joint, which may have been given to him

Helping out: 'Come on, you're my Joe Rogan, let's go!' he said, though he said he's 'not a real smoker' and asked someone to light up for him since he was wearing gloves

During the interview, the hosts appeared to be smoking what looked like blunts, and Kanye had a joint, which may have been given to him.

'Come on, you're my Joe Rogan, let's go!' Kanye joked as he decided to unwrap the joint and light it up.

'Hey man, I'm not a real smoker, y'all gonna embarrass me, you've gotta light it,' he said as he handed it over.

He laughed as he said it would be hard to light while he was wearing black leather gloves.

Kanye only seemed to take a puff before setting the joint down.

He then launched into explaining how he got DaBaby on his album, which he said was after his 'red hat' times, when he publicly supported former President Donald Trump.

However, Kanye then seemed to indicate that he still supports Trump's right-wing movement.

'I've still got a red hat on today, I'll let y'all know that,' he said. 'I might not got it on [at the moment] but I'll let y'all know where I stand,' he said.

Still wearing the 'red hat': Kanye seemed to say that he still supports former President Donald Trump's right-wing movement
Reunited after three months apart, Delilah Hamlin and her UK-based boyfriend Eyal Booker couldn't keep their hands off each other while spending Thursday afternoon together in Beverly Hills.

The couple were seen snuggled up and sharing several kisses on a sidewalk, near the busy street, while waiting for her friends to meet them for a sushi lunch.

This was Hamlin's first public outing since she took to Instagram two days earlier and opened up about her recent health struggles, which included an accidental overdose on prescription pills.

Scroll down to video

Delilah Hamlin, 23, and boyfriend Eyal Booker, 26, packed on the PDA while out spending their Thursday afternoon in Beverly Hills

Hamlin, 23, kept it casual in the fashion department, stepping out in blue jeans with a yellow, white and black sweater and white sneakers.

The daughter of actors Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna gave a hint of her toned midriff by tying the back of the shirt, which gave the garment a lift.

In keeping with the casual theme of the day, the model pulled her dyed blonde tresses back off her face and into a loose bun.

Easy does it: Hamlin kept it casual in the fashion department, stepping out in blue jeans with a yellow, white and black sweater by 4th + Reckless and white sneakers

Handsy: The UK native's hands wandered south of her waistline while waiting for her friends to come meet them for a sushi lunch in Beverly Hills

The couple made sure to wear a protective masks over their mouths and noses whenever they were in the midst of any people. But when it came to showing their affection with each other with a smooch or two, those masks came off in a jiffy.

Booker, 26, was also dressed casually in tan jeans that were paired with a cut-off t-shirt and white sneakers.

On more than one occasion, the reality star's hands wandered from his lady's waistline down to derriere.

Abs for days: The couple showed off their toned abs while out on a back patio in the afternoon

Booker, who's known to many fans for his stint on the reality show Love Island, only just arrived in the US from London, so he could be with his lady following her health scares.

On Tuesday, in a 30 minutes confessional on Instagram, Hamlin shared how her health problems seem to begin when she got her 'COVID-19 vaccine in February or March.'

'After the second vaccine, I was sick for, like, 36 hours,' she shared, adding, 'I felt like my bones were breaking but, like, whatever.  Thats when everything kind of started.'

Clarifying that that she' not anti-vaccine, she then detailed how the second dose 'flared up and triggered certain autoimmune diseases' that she wasn't aware she had.

Health battles: In an emotional Instagram video, the model revealed that that she overdosed on Benadryl and beta blockers and got hooked on Xanax after getting the COVID vaccine

Open and honest: The daughter of actors Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna clarified that that she's not anti-vaccine, despite her health struggles following her vaccine shots

She went on to reveal that she had recently sought treatment after getting hooked on the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, which was prescribed to deal with her panic attacks.

'My body got dependent on Xanax number one, and number two, I overdosed. I didn't mean to at all. I overdosed on this one medication called Propranolol. I took Benadryl with it and, for some reason, I ended up in the hospital,' she shared in the emotional video.

Propranolol is usually prescribed patients suffering from for high blood pressure and other heart problems, as well as the physical signs of anxiety, like sweating and shaking, according to NHS.

Hamlin has credited Booker for being 'so supportive' throughout her health battles this year.

The couple have reportedly been dating for more than two years.
Addison Rae put on a busty display in a two-toned gown at the amFAR Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

The 21-year-old TikTok megastar's ensemble consisted of a silky black material on the lower portion, and a glittery silver bodice with a cutout.

The Item Beauty founder looked glamorous as she walked the event's black carpet.

Dressed to impress: Addison Rae put on a busty display in a two-toned gown at the amFAR Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday night

Addison's dress pulled in at her waist, showing off her enviable figure.

It boasted a dramatic high split and the gown's floor-length fabric was expertly draped.

Rounding out the internet sensation's evening look was a pair of open-toe black heels with a slingback strap.

The shoes showed off her black pedicure and her short manicured nails were painted a deep red color.

Beautiful: The Item Beauty founder looked glamorous as she walked the event's black carpet

Hanging from the media personality's ears were a sparkling pair of flower pendant earrings.

An equally glinting ring was worn on one of the star's fingers.

There was no need for a necklace, as the statement-making neckline of her dress stood out all on its own.

For the annual gala Rae parted her glossy hair in the center and pulled in back into a tight, low bun.

Sleek: For the annual gala Rae parted her glossy hair in the center and pulled in back into a tight, low bun

Shapely: Addison's dress pulled in at her waist, showing off her enviable figure

The famed dancer wowed in a fully made up face of glam that accentuated her features and natural beauty.

Her big brown eyes popped with defined strokes of mascara on her top and bottom lash lines.

The entrepreneur's cheeks were dusted in a rosy hue and her pout was covered in a glossy, warm, pink shade.

The media success took to the stage at the star studded soiree, and charmed the crowd with her bubbly, likable personality.

The yearly gathering benefits the international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research.

Earlier in the day the She's All That actress was seen packing on PDA with her musician beau Omer Fedi, 21, as they dined at Joan's on Third in West Hollywood.
Natasha Oakley paid tribute to her boyfriend Theo Chambers in a heartfelt post on Instagram on Friday as they celebrated their three-year anniversary.

The 31-year-old Instagram model shared a series of photos of herself and her businessman boyfriend throughout their relationship.

'Three years of love, fun and adventure with my best friend. Love you BM @theochambers,' she captioned the post.

Celebrate: Natasha Oakley paid tribute to her boyfriend Theo Chambers in a heartfelt post on Instagram on Friday as they celebrated their three-year anniversary. Both pictured

It comes after Tash ranked 71 out of 100 on the Financial Review Young Rich list last week.

The annual list recognises the 'best and brightest next generation of entrepreneurs, aged 40 and younger'.

Tash is estimated to be worth $63million, and ranked just ahead of Margot Robbie, who is estimated to be worth $62million.

Three years: The 31-year-old Instagram model shared a series of photos of herself and her businessman boyfriend throughout their relationship

In addition to boasting 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Tash also established a swimwear label, Monday Swimwear, with her friend, Devin Brugman in 2014.

She's also launched an at-home pilates program, The Pilates Class, and has endorsement deals with Lancome, American Express and Pantene.

'If I worked at a retail store, I was watching the way they manage the employees, I was watching the sales goals, I was watching the commissions, I was seeing the way that they were operating payroll,' she told the Financial Review last week.

Striking it rich: It comes after Tash ranked 71 out of 100 on the Financial Review Young Rich list last week

'I was paying attention, I wasn't just showing up to the job to get my hours done and walk out, I was genuinely interested in how the business was being run.'

She added: 'I knew owning companies on my own was something that I was going to be good at because I genuinely took such a strong interest in how things work, how things operate.'

Speaking about the accolade on Instagram last week, Tash said when she and Devin started their swimwear label, they simply wanted to pursue something they loved.

Businesswoman: In addition to boasting 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Tash also established a swimwear label, Monday Swimwear, with her friend, Devin Brugman (right) in 2014

'Ten years ago when @devinbrugman and I started @abikiniaday the only dream we were chasing was to live a life where we do something we love,' she wrote.

'I have been so lucky to live out that dream every day since. I love my job, my teams and our story goes to show that passion, drive and positivity can take you places that you never dreamed you would go!'

She added: 'Thank you @afrmag for recognizing our hard work as young female entrepreneurs!'
They've famously had a turbulent romance.

And on Thursday, Jacqueline Jossa, 29, and Dan Osborne, 30, looked happier than ever as they held hands in London's West End while enjoying a rare date night.

The couple wrapped up warm in light coloured coats as they headed to London's Noel Coward Theatre to watch Dear Evan Hansen.

Happy days: On Thursday, Jacqueline Jossa, 29, and Dan Osborne, 30, looked happier than ever as they held hands in London's West End while enjoying a rare date night

Jacqueline, who played wild child Lauren Branning in Eastenders, looked chic in a white longline wrap coat boasting black panels.

Keeping things simple, the actress wore plain black skinny jeans and a roll-neck jumper, while carrying her belongings in a classic handbag.

Dan teamed his taupe jacket with a simple black top and cropped trousers, with his cross necklace standing out in contrast.

The married pair laughed and joked as they strolled along together hand-in-hand during their romantic evening.

Toasty: The couple wrapped up warm in light coloured coats as they headed to London's Noel Coward Theatre to watch Dear Evan Hansen

Natural beauty: The soap star opted for a minimal make-up look for the outing

The couples' outing comes after Jacqueline revealed that she and husband Dan Osborne no longer have the 'energy' to argue.

The former EastEnders star explained that instead of things getting heated between them, Dan has previously settled any tension by throwing freezing cold water on her.

Speaking on Vicky Pattison's podcast The Secret To, Jacqueline explained that she had been in a 'bad mood' when the ex-TOWIE star decided to soak her, as she confessed to blocking Dan on social media.

Stylish: Jacqueline, who played wild child Lauren Branning in Eastenders, looked chic in a white longline wrap coat boasting black panels

At the wheel: Dan took charge, driving the pair into London for the evening

Opening up about the pair's relationship, Jacqueline insisted that she is 'pathetic' when it comes to arguments and is glad that she and husband Dan are 'past' fighting with each other now.

She revealed: 'I'm still pathetic in arguments and I hold grudges and I'm like, "Come one, be the bigger person." But I don't know if I can be.

'I love an argument sometimes. I think that's the dramatic in me, where I'm not doing EastEnders anymore, screaming and shouting all the time, but we're well past it now.'

Recalling the incident where Dan threw water at her, Jacqueline said: 'The other day he chucked water at me, that's how we argued!

Chic: Keeping things simple, the actress wore plain black skinny jeans and a roll-neck jumper, while carrying her belongings in a classic handbag

'I was fuming at him and in a bad mood and he was like, "I know how to [sort this out]." And he threw freezing cold water at me right after I showered.'

'That's how we argue now, we haven't got the energy to do that big blow up argument anymore, we don't do that,' Jacqueline insisted.

She also recalled one time she chose to block Dan on Instagram when she was annoyed with him and didn't realise it would 'unfollow' him on the social media app - something eagle-eyed fans picked up on.

Jacqueline confessed: 'I blocked Daniel on Instagram, because I was fuming, and it makes you unfollow each other. So I was then unfollowing him, and it got out all in the press and it's like, "Jacqueline Jossa unfollows Dan Osborne".

'I was like "Ugh, why did I do that?" when we're on the sofa eating pizza and we're fine.'
They recently announced they are expecting their third child.

So it was no wonder Vogue Williams, 36, and Spencer Matthews, 33, looked in great spirits as they headed to Steph's Packed Lunch filming in Leeds on Friday.

The Irish presenter was glowing as she linked arms with her husband and flashed a smile before heading in to the studio.

Glowing: Pregnant Vogue Williams showed off a hint of her baby bump as she stepped out with husband Spencer Matthews to Steph's Packed Lunch on Thursday in Leeds

Vogue looked sensational in a black and white printed midi dress from her Little Mistress clothing collection.

The dress featured long puffed sleeves and a high neck - perfect for the autumnal weather.

The Irish beauty paired the piece with some black leather stiletto boots as she strutted to the studio.

Baby bump: Vogue looked sensational in a printed midi dress from her Little Mistress collection which give a hint of her blossoming baby bump

Autumnal: She accessorised with a pair of gold framed Ray-Ban sunglasses and added a slick of nude gloss to her lips

She added a silver buckled belt to the ensemble with clinched in her small waist to give a hint of her blossoming baby bump.

Vogue accessorised with a pair of gold framed Ray-Ban sunglasses and added a slick of nude gloss to her lips.

Spencer braved the cold as he opted for a green check wool jacket that he teamed with slate grey chino trousers and trainers.

Perfect: Spencer braved the cold as he opted for a green check wool jacket that he teamed with slate grey chino trousers and trainers

Loved-up: The pair could be seen laughing as they affectionately held hands after they announced that they are expecting their third child together

The Made In Chelsea star also donned a pair of round sunglasses to complete his casual cool look.

The loved-up pair could be seen laughing as they affectionately held hands after they announced that they are expecting their third child together on Sunday.

The couple, who married in June 2018, are already parents to three-year-old son Theodore and a 16-month-old daughter called Gigi.

Cute couple: Spencer shared a sweet snap of the couple and wrote, 'WERE HAVING A THIRD BABY!!'

Vogue recently took to Instagram to share their excitement over impending new arrival.

She said: 'Baby number three on the way!!! This has been a lot harder to hide third time around, I feel like Ive had a bump since the first month.'

Spencer also shared the news to Instagram and in a sweet snap of the couple, he wrote: 'WERE HAVING A THIRD BABY!!!'

'If youd have told me a few years ago that by the age of 33 Id have three beautiful children with the woman of my dreams I WOULD have believed you because that was always the plan.

He added: 'Having said that I feel fortunate every day for what we have. Family is EVERYTHING.'
Misse Beqiri, 35, and her TOWIE star fiance Jake Hall, 28, have reportedly secretly split after five years together, following a 'series of explosive rows and her brother Flamur's murder.'

They began dating in 2016, welcomed their daughter, River, together in 2017, and announced their engagement in 2018.

The couple - who have had a famously rocky relationship over the years - are said to now be living apart but are focused on making things 'as normal as possible' for their daughter, four.

Real Housewives of Cheshire star Misse also shares son Julian, six, with ex-Manchester United star Anders Lindegaard, 37, who she divorced in August 2016 after two years of marriage. Jake was previously in a seven-year relationship with TOWIE co-star Chloe Lewis.

SPLIT? It's been reported that Misse Beqiri, 35, and fiance Jake Hall, 28, have secretly split after five years together, following a 'series of explosive rows and her brother Flamur's murder' (pictured December 2016)





A source told The Sun: 'Misse and Jake had a perfect relationship to start with but things started being quite rocky between them.

'Their bond was tested after a series of difficult situations, including the tragic death of her beloved brother Flamur. It's been really tough for them both and they struggled to make it work.

'Misse has now moved into a new house and they are working hard to keep things as normal as possible for their daughter.'

The pair have since unfollowed each other on Instagram and removed almost every trace of each other from their pages.

MailOnline has contacted Misse Beqiri and Jake Halls' representatives for comment.

Main focus: The couple - who have had a famously rocky relationship - are said to now be living apart but are focused on making things 'as normal as possible' for their daughter, four

Doting mother: As well as daughter River, four, Misse also shares son Julian, six, with ex-Manchester United star Anders Lindegaard, 37

The couple previously sparked split rumours in October 2019, when they unfollowed each other, 12 months after Jake was slapped with a restraining order following a row with Misse.

In December 2018, Jake was ordered not to contact Misse for 28 days, over the Christmas period.

While no details were given in relation to what sparked the order, Hall's barrister Martin Lewis told the court no physical violence had taken place.

I do: Jake and Misse announced their engagement in 2018, and proposed to Misse for a second time over Christmas after her brother Flamur was murdered on Christmas Eve 2019

At Westminster Magistrates' Court, Lewis stated that Hall agreed that a 'cooling off period' may be a good idea to 'keep the peace'.

The terms of the order, which were not read in court but were confirmed by a court official, state that Hall must not contact the model directly or indirectly and must not attend Park Walk in Chelsea for 28 days.

District Judge Kwame Inyundo said: 'Mr Hall, you know what the order is and you understand that any breach of the order is a criminal offence which could lead to anything up to imprisonment.'

Tragic: Misse's brother Flamur 'Alex' Beqiri was gunned down in front of his family aged 36

Back in May 2020, Misse posted pictures from the magical night her 'soulmate and best friend, former TOWIE star, Jake proposed to her on Instagram.

She uploaded the romantic snaps and wrote: 'Two years ago the love of my life asked me to marry him.

'I love you and I can't wait to marry you next year, you've been my rock and my best friend since day one. Thru ups and downs Love always came first and I will love you forever ever. My soulmate. Some memories.'

Jake also proposed to Misse for a second time over Christmas after her brother Flamur was murdered on Christmas Eve, signifying how important family is to them.

A source told MailOnline at the time: 'The re-proposal signifies a new chapter for them as a family.'

Misse's brother Flamur 'Alex' Beqiri was gunned down in front of his family aged 36 on Christmas Eve in 2019.

He was peppered with bullets in front of his screaming wife Debora Krasniqi, and his child, outside their 1.5million home in Battersea.

Mr Beqiri was a Swedish citizen of Albanian origin who had left Malmo for London nearly five years before his death.
Jesinta Franklin suffered backlash after she said the Cleo Smith case wouldn't have generated the same amount of attention if she were Indigenous.

The model has now hired a 'full time manager' in the wake of the negative response, The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday.

'Franklin now has a full-time manager, Adam Finch,' the paper reported - however it's unclear if the hire is a direct response to the backlash.

Hired: Jesinta Franklin (pictured) suffered backlash after she said the Cleo Smith case wouldn't have generated the same amount of attention if she were Indigenous. The model has now hired a 'full time manager' in the wake of the negative response, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday

The Daily Telegraph claimed that Jesinta, through Finch, had continued to decline to comment on the backlash as of Friday.

While she garnered negative attention, Jesinta also saw support following her comments.

Supporters flooded the 30-year-old model's Instagram account with praise after she deleted her original post following backlash.

Comment: 'Franklin now has a full-time manager, Adam Finch,' the paper reported. The Daily Telegraph claimed that Jesinta, through Finch, had continued to decline to comment on the backlash as of Friday. However it's unclear if the hire is a direct response to the backlash. Pictured with her daughter Tullulah

'Thank you for speaking up for Indigenous children. Sorry you were pressured into deleting the post, you said nothing wrong,' one fan commented.

'I support what you said! Indigenous children and children of colour are so overlooked,' added another.

'Of course Cleo deserves the effort that went into the search but ALL children deserve that! Western culture has a horrible history of sensationalising white missing children.'

A third said her post was '100 per cent correct', while several others said she was 'spot on' with her assessment.

Support: Supporters flooded the 30-year-old model's Instagram page with praise after she deleted the controversial post amid backlash. Pictured: Cleo Smith

'I'm really sorry you deleted your comment about Cleo. Yes, your timing was off but you were absolutely spot on,' commented one fan.

'We need to highlight this as an example of injustices within Indigenous communities.'

It comes after Jesinta faced backlash after comparing Cleo's case to missing Indigenous children, with many criticising the timing of her post.

'Thank you for speaking up for Indigenous children. Sorry you were pressured into deleting the post, you said nothing wrong,' commented one fan

'Wrong time to bring this up,' wrote one critic, while a second slammed her post as 'utterly insensitive'.

'I'd agree with her if she made concerted efforts to bring this to light consistently prior to this incident, piggy backing is just making it about her!' wrote another.

One accused Jesinta of 'turn[ing] the good-news story of the year into [an] issue of race'.

'Indigenous children and children of colour are so overlooked,' another supporter said

In a since-deleted post on Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Jesinta spoke about the disappearance and subsequent discovery of Cleo, four, insisting the case wouldn't have received the same coverage if she'd been an Aboriginal child.

The former Miss Universe Australia, who is married to Indigenous AFL superstar Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, pointed out the 'disparity' between missing white children and Indigenous children.

'Without taking away from the joy of finding a missing child alive and well, I can't help but think about the disparity that exists in this country between missing children who are White and Indigenous children when it comes to the visibility and coverage of the case,' she wrote.

Weighing in: In a since-deleted post on Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Jesinta spoke about the disappearance and subsequent discovery of Cleo, four, insisting the case wouldn't have received the same coverage if she'd been an Indigenous child

'I have read so many heartbreaking stories of missing Indigenous children that garner hardly any media coverage or the social media coverage that a case like Cleo's did.

'I have no doubt the widespread broadcasting of information in regards to the case assisted the phenomenal efforts of the WA police force in locating this beautiful little girl and reuniting her with her family.'

She added: 'Posting this because I think we need to do better for all children who go missing and their families.'

At a disadvantage: The former Miss Universe Australia, who is married to Indigenous AFL star Buddy Franklin, noted the 'disparity' between missing white children and Indigenous children

'I have read so many heartbreaking stories of missing Indigenous children that garner hardly any media coverage or the social media coverage that a case like Cleo's did,' wrote Jesinta

Jesinta is mother to daughter Tullulah, 20 months, and son Rocky, seven months, whom she shares with her husband of five years, Buddy, 34.

Indigenous people account for 17.5 per cent of all unsolved missing persons cases in Western Australia, despite making up just three per cent of the local population.

In August 2019, the families of 15 missing Aboriginal children united for a state-wide rally in NSW to raise awareness for Indigenous cases.

Family: Jesinta is mother to daughter Tullulah, 20 months, and son Rocky, seven months, whom she shares with her husband of five years, Indigenous AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin

Cleo disappeared on October 16 and was found alive at 12.46am on Wednesday when police stormed a public housing home after a sudden tip off with a 'needle in haystack' clue.

Police feared the missing girl could have been spirited away anywhere in the country - but instead she was under their noses all along in a rundown house just 3km from her home and 75km from the campsite.

'What's your name?' officers asked as they scooped her up into their arms. 'My name is Cleo,' she replied.

Found: Cleo disappeared on October 16 and was found alive at 12.46am on Wednesday when police stormed a public housing home after a sudden tip off with a 'needle in haystack' clue

That rundown house on Tonkin Crescent in Brockman, in the northern suburbs of Carnarvon in northwest Western Australia, is just kilometres from where she lived in South Carnarvon.

Cleo was likely already locked up in the house when her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon awoke at 6am to find she was no longer lying next to them and her baby sister Isla in their tent at Blowholes camping grounds.

Terence Darrell Kelly has been charged with a range of offences including forcibly taking a child under 16.
Pamela Anderson looked sensational as she stepped out to support her son Brandon Thomas Lee at the launch of his Swingers Club Capsule Collection on Thursday, where she reunited with her ex Tommy Lee.

The actress, 54, looked every inch the proud mum as she posed next to her eldest son, 25, in a sleek strappy dress at the fashion event held at The Webster at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.

Brandon's father and Pamela's ex Tommy was also out to support his boy, putting on a cosy display with wife Brittany Furlan as they posed for photos at the launch.

Star: Pamela Anderson looked sensational as she stepped out to support her son Brandon Thomas Lee at the launch of his Swingers Club Capsule Collection on Thursday, where she reunited with her ex Tommy Lee

Pamela teamed her maxi dress with pointed black heels and kept her blonde locks and make-up simple so as to not detract from her outfit.

The Baywatch star flashed a broad smile as she happily posed alongside her son, who kept things casual in a white T-shirt, baggy jeans and a bright blue cap.

Meanwhile, rocker Tommy, 59, cut a typically edgy figure in a black leather jacket and jeans teamed with a black bucket hat.

There he is: Brandon's father and Pamela's ex Tommy Lee was also out to support his boy, putting on a cosy display with wife Brittany Furlan as they posed for photos at the launch

Family: Pamela also attended the event wearing a sleek black ensemble

Happy days: The blonde beauty flashed a wide smile as she was pictured arriving

The Motley Crue star was in great spirits as he posed alongside his wife of two years Brittany, 35, who showed off her figure in a black crochet T-shirt dress.

Pamela married Tommy in 1995 after knowing each other for less than a week, with their first son Brandon born in 1996.

Their second son, Dylan Jagger Lee, was born in 1997, before they ultimately split in 1998.

Sweet: The actress, 54, looked every inch the proud mum as she posed next to her eldest son, 25, at the fashion event held at The Webster at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles

Style: Pamela teamed her maxi dress with pointed black heels and kept her blonde locks and make-up simple so as to not detract from her outfit

After splitting from Tommy, Pamela went on to marry Kid Rock, Rick Salomon, twice and her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst - whom she wed on Christmas Eve in 2020.

In May, it Pamela reportedly branded Hulu show Pam And Tommy, about her romance with Tommy Lee, 'a joke and cheap knock-off'.

The show hit headlines that month when first look images showed Lily James, 32, and Sebastian Stan, 39, bear an uncanny likeness to the iconic couple.

Happy to be here: The Baywatch star flashed a broad smile as she happily posed alongside her son, who kept things casual in a white T-shirt, baggy jeans and a bright blue cap

All smiles: The Motley Crue star was in great spirits as he posed alongside his wife of two years Brittany, 35, who showed off her figure in a black crochet T-shirt dress

Whirlwind romance: Pamela married Tommy in 1995 after knowing each other for less than a week, with their first son Brandon born in 1996 (pictured in 1995)

However it seems the model was less than impressed at the forthcoming show.

Insiders told The Sun that the star deems the 'God awful' programme 'a joke' and has never heard of Lily or Sebastian, who have already been praised for their transformation - although seemingly without Pamela's seal of approval.

Pam And Tommy is based on the model's three-year marriage to rock star Tommy - which saw them tie the knot in 1995 and take part in their notorious sex tape.

Oh dear: In May, it Pamela reportedly branded Hulu show Pam And Tommy, about her romance with Tommy Lee, 'a joke and cheap knock-off'

The source said: 'One of the iconic star's friends told The Sun: 'Pamela has no intention of watching this God awful show, absolutely not. Never...

'She's never heard of the actors playing her or Tommy, and doesn't care to know them. She and her family think the show is a cheap knock-off.'

The insider then added: 'The whole thing is a joke to them.'
Kaia Gerber was recently featured on the cover of M Magazine's November 2021 issue.

The 20-year-old model was seen covering her upper chest and showing off her natural beauty while modeling for the fashion-forward publication that is a part of France's Le Monde.

The fashion industry personality also cut a very stylish figure while largely obscuring her shapely form in an alternate version of the magazine's cover.

High profile: Kaia Gerber was recently featured on the cover of M Magazine's November 2021 issue

Gerber opted for a pair of black sweat pants with an elastic waistband while she posed topless for the magazine.

She later donned a stylish light brown overcoat as she took an alternate shot for the long-running publication.

The American Horror Stories actress also accessorized with a thin yellow sash that featured two black cords hanging from one of its sides.

Her lovely light brunette hair fell onto her shoulders and the nape of her neck during the photoshoot.

Dressed down: The model posed topless for one version of the publication's cover and donned a large light brown overcoat for another

Gerber notably began her modeling career at an early age and has become a recognizable face in the fashion world.

She has since been featured in shows for brands such as Burberry, Fendi and Miu Miu, among various others.

The social media personality has also signed on to work as the face of various promotional campaigns for numerous companies, including Omega.

The runway regular first appeared on the cover of Vogue in 2018, and she has done so several times since then.

Doing her thing: Gerber notably began her modeling career at an early age and has become a recognizable face in the fashion world; she is seen in 2019

Gerber discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during a sit-down with Elle, and told the media outlet that she was happy to have found a bit of time to focus on herself.

'I think in our industry, you travel constantly and don't really have a chance to stop and reflect, so I've been grateful to use this opportunity to stay home and...do things that we don't have the time for when you are working a lot,' she said.

The fashion industry figure noted that, although she would have expected to be busier, she was happy to spend more time with her loved ones.

'My fashion month schedule is nothing compared to what it normally would be, but I'm pretty grateful that I don't have to be living on a plane right now,' she stated.

Taking a step back: Gerber discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during a sit-down with Elle, and told the media outlet that she was happy to have found a bit of time to focus on herself; she is pictured in 2019

The social media personality also added that she was interested in how the global pandemic was a shared experience for many people.

'I do think it's nice to have a break and I think everyone wants to appear more human now. I think we all feel very connected because we're all going through this together,' she said.

Gerber then pointed out that her personal sense of style had changed as a result of spending so much time at home.

'Being able to feel confident in sweatpants is one of the greatest gifts. I mean, even putting on pants is a win for me,' she stated.
Heidi Klum looked sensational as she graced the set of Germany's Next Top Model In Athens on Friday.

The show's presenter, 48, was a vision in an unmissable orange ensemble, comprising a button-up shirt and matching tailored trousers.

Featuring padded shoulders, military-inspired pockets and a smart collar, the chic look certainly showcased her stellar sense of style.

Emerging: Heidi Klum looked sensational as she graced the set of Germany's Next Top Model In Athens on Friday

Protecting her face from the Greek sunshine with a pair of oversized shades, the model added inches to her frame with eye-popping satsuma heels.

Appearing to be in high spirits, she beamed for onlookers while chatting to members of the behind-the-scenes crew.

It wasn't long before the America's Got Talent judge was joined by a trio of budding models, who are battling it out on the reality show to be crowned the winner.

Wow! The model, 48, was a vision in an unmissable orange jumpsuit, while wearing her gorgeous sandy locks in a chic fringe

Fashion forward: Featuring padded shoulders, military-inspired pockets and a smart collar, the ensemble certainly showcased her stellar sense of style

Stunning: Protecting her face from the Greek sunshine with a pair of oversized shades, the America's Got Talent judge added inches to her frame with eye-popping satsuma heels

Elsewhere, Heidi left little to the imagination as she took to Instagram on Thursday to share a very steamy snap.

The TV personality sent temperatures soaring as she sprawled out on her bed sheets in nothing but a brown bra featuring delicate butterflies.

She covered her modesty with a plate of pie, while playing with her sandy locks and showcasing her incredibly toned pins.

Incredible: She looked nothing short of sensational

Happy: Appearing to be in high spirits, she beamed for onlookers while chatting to members of the behind-the-scenes crew

Hello! Heidi waved towards onlookers during the shoot

Chatting: She spoke with a contestant of the show at one point

Heidi was sure to send temperatures soaring in the sizzling snap shared with her 8.7 million Instagram followers.

With her phone, laptop and a tray of breakfast favourites to hand, the businesswoman certainly appeared to be in her element as she posed up a storm.

She teased: ''Oh! My! Yummy Pie!' followed by a cheeky emoji with its tongue out.

Heidi's post came soon after her beloved Halloween holiday, where she usually goes all out with several different costumes.

Gang: It wasn't long before the America's Got Talent judge was joined by a trio of budding models, who are battling it out on the reality show to be crowned the winner

Meeting: Three of the show's models met for a group discussion

Mentor: Heidi exchanged some friendly words with another contestant of the show

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was forced to cancel her annual bash for the second year in a row.

'With everything happening in the world right now, I feel like it's still too early for me to feel okay having a party. So I will not do that this year again,' she told TooFab back in July.

'Like last year, I feel like it's insensitive of me to do that. I don't want anyone to get hurt because we're having fun on my dime so I don't want to do that,' she added.

Announcement: Heidi spoke to a group of three girls, who lined up in front of the host

'I kind of want to sit out one more year but I definitely, I'm already working on something, because I'm also a creative person, and I live for that, that's why I get up every morning because I love it," she added.

'I love doing it to myself. I love watching amazing artists doing crazy things, so I'm definitely doing something because I just have to, for my own, you know?' she said.

The project she was working on was an epic short film dubbed Heidi Does Halloween II: Klum's Day, featuring her husband Tom Kaulitz and her kids.
Criss Angel and his wife Shaunyl Benson have welcomed their daughter Illusia Angelina.

The child is in the NICU after Shaunyl had to have an emergency C-section at 35 weeks along, the illusionist shared to Instagram on Friday.

The Las Vegas based Criss, 53, said his spouse, 29, is 'resting and doing well' after the delivery. The baby girl was due in December.

A happy week: Criss Angel and his wife Shaunyl Benson have welcomed their daughter Illusia Angelina. The child is in the NICU after Shaunyl had to have an emergency C-section at 35 weeks along, the illusionist shared on Instagram on Friday. Seen with their kids in May 2019

They already have two sons together: Johnny Crisstopher, aged seven, and Xristos Yanni, age two.

'IT'S A GIRL!!!  Ran to the hospital early this morning where my love @shaunylbenson had to have an emergency C-section 35 weeks into her pregnancy,' the illusionist shared in a clip.

He was still in the hospital.

'She is currently in NICU. Both her and momma are resting and doing well,' added the star.

Blessed: 'IT'S A GIRL!!!  Ran to the hospital early this morning where my love @shaunylbenson had to have an emergency C-section 35 weeks into her pregnancy,' the illusionist shared in a clip

Hands-on daddy: 'She is currently in NICU. Both her and momma are resting and doing well,' added the star

Proud: In the video he looks at his new child and says, 'Look how beautiful you are. Hi, baby! Yes, she's beautiful'

Sweet girl: The newborn weighed 4 lbs., 13 oz., and measured 17 inches long at birth

In the video he looks at his new child and says, 'Look how beautiful you are. Hi, baby! Yes, she's beautiful.'

The newborn weighed 4 lbs., 13 oz., and measured 17 inches long at birth.

The Australian actress said on social media in July that the pregnancy caught her by surprise as it was very 'unexpected.'

'Baby number 3 was absolutely unexpected, thanks to you tequila!. Here's how I told @crissangel and our family! Little girl - arriving December 2021,' she said on social media.

Her love Angel - whose real name is Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos - added, 'So happy for our little girl, you my love and our blessed family but I guess nothing is private I love you forever. .'

Baby bump: 'Baby number 3 was absolutely unexpected, thanks to you tequila!. Here's how I told @crissangel and our family! Little girl - arriving December 2021,' she said on social media in July

Angel first broke the news that his lady love was pregnant on Father's Day in June.

'+1=5 It's a [party] ... Happy Father's Day! May everyday be as special as today. @shaunylbenson .'

In June 2020 Angel talked about his son Johnny's incredible bravery as he battles pediatric cancer which he was diagnosed with in 2015.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV, Angel became emotional discussing Johnny's courage as he attempts to beat cancer following a relapse last November 2019.

More to love: Angel first broke the news that his lady love was pregnant on Father's Day in June. '+1=5 It's a [party] ... Happy Father's Day! May everyday be as special as today. @shaunylbenson .' Seen in 2019

Johnny is undergoing chemotherapy and treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation in Vegas.

Choking back tears, he revealed how the kind-hearted boy cheered up a distraught fellow patient by handing him his toy car.

Recounting the moment he told DailyMailTV: 'Johnny Crisstopher is a very unique boy.

'He is selfless. This happened yesterday while he was here; I haven't told anybody this story, it's a true story. Johnny Crisstopher was here being treated. He was in a room, Shaunyl was with him, there was a little boy who was constantly crying. Johnny looked over to Shaunyl and said, ''Mommy, why is that boy crying?'' And Shaunyl said he's probably getting treated, he's probably scared and Johnny Crisstopher says, ''I want to give him a Hot Wheel car.''

Full house: They already have two sons together: Johnny Crisstopher, aged seven, and Xristos Yanni, age two

'So the nurses cleaned it off, Johnny Crisstopher brought the Hot Wheel car to the little boy that was crying, and as soon as he saw Johnny Crisstopher, and Johnny Crisstopher gave him the Hot Wheel car, honest to God, he stopped crying.'

The TV illusionist said it's moments like that that help him feel 'positive' and retain his faith in his son's recovery.

'I truly believe with God anything is possible,' he said, adding: 'There is a greater purpose.'

Angel says the COVID-19 pandemic has made him even more determined to support other cancer victims, whose health is further at risk.

Their struggle: In June 2020 Angel talked about his son Johnny's incredible bravery as he battles pediatric cancer which he was diagnosed with in 2015. In an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV, Angel became emotional discussing Johnny's courage as he attempts to beat cancer following a relapse last November 2019; seen in 2020

And he insists his family's challenges have made him 'appreciate the moment you are in, even if it is during a crisis.'

'I cannot be anymore proud of a six-year-old boy who sees the world that way,' he says.

'These kids that get affected, it has a profound effect on them. They look at things differently.

'They don't take things for granted. They're in the moment and the moment is what we all have to be in and have to reflect on because we don't know if we're going to have the next moment.'

In May, Benson paid tribute to Johnny on Instagram, saying, "Our little superhero, loving life everyday. He's carefree and full of love. It's been a weird couple of months but Johnny takes it like a superstar. Yesterday we had a long clinic visit for an immunoglobulin infusion which cut our desert stay short.'
John Whaite donned tiny underwear to show off his freshly tanned physique on Thursday ahead of his Rumba performance on Saturday night.

The Strictly Come Dancing sensation, 32, admitted he'd gone 'a shade darker' for this week's show in the Instagram post.

He wrote alongside the image which saw him posing next to the tanning tent: 'Gone a shade darker this week. Blame it on the Rumba.'

Looking good: John Whaite, 32, donned tiny underwear to show off his freshly tanned physique on Thursday ahead of his Rumba performance on Saturday night

John showed off just how tanned he was as he cheekily pulled down his undergarment to reveal a streak of stark white against the tan.

The Great British Bake Off star is set to perform the dance with his professional partner Johannes Radebe to Sting's Shape Of My Heart this week.

Last week, the dancing duo scored an impressive 33 points with their werewolf themed Quickstep.

The post comes after John and Johannes' candid interview with Attitude magazine, where they discussed being the show's first ever all-male pairing.

'Blame it on the rumba!': The Strictly sensation admitted he'd gone 'a shade darker' this week in the Instagram post

He told the publication he was 'anxious' about dancing with a male because he believes gay people are 'conditioned' to expect 'hate and flack', and he thought he would be targeted by trolls.

'As soon as I found out, I felt a little bit anxious. I think as gay people, we have to choose the places we go to, we have to choose the people we speak to, who we even look at, because we have been conditioned to kind of expect hate and flack.

'So honestly, I was quite anxious about it. I knew that it was an important thing to do, that it was hopefully going to change the way TV is, change the way that children feel when they watch TV  its massive  but I was expecting to get a lot of hate, like [people] sliding into the DMs and saying, "Youre disgusting" and that kind of thing.'

Tangoed! John showed off just how tanned he was as he cheekily pulled down his undergarment to reveal a streak of stark white against the tan

The baker explained that he feels uncomfortable with people calling him and Johannes 'role models' as they have people helping them behind the scenes from make-up artists to costume designers, insisting they are 'lucky' to be 'representing for our people'.

Johannes recently revealed he feels the need to change how he dresses after he was accosted by the police.

During an appearance on Channel 4's Stephs Packed Lunch last month, the South African stressed that it is crucial it is to consider both his location and appearance when out and about.

New dance: He is set to perform the dance with his professional partner Johannes Radebe to Sting's Shape Of My Heart this week

Johannes recalled his 'terrible' experiences and admitted that he now avoids wearing a leather jacket and cap.

He said: 'Im going to stop wearing a cap and a black leather jacket. I say that because I get stopped all the time, and they [the police] go, "Oh sorry, its not you."

'Im tall, Im black its important who you are and what you do and where you hang around.'

The talented dancer revealed how he has to make an effort to dress 'civilised' in a bid to prevent being stopped by the police.
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles' Josh Flagg recently had his identity stolen and the thief used his credit card on a shopping spree at Cartier.

The 36-year-old reality television personality made the news known to the public through a video that was shared to his Instagram account on Thursday, where he was seen speaking to an American Express representative.

He also wrote a humorous message in his post's caption that read: 'Someone spent over 100k on my Amex at Cartier but the real problem is using speaker phone.'

Tough break: Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles' Josh Flagg recently had his identity stolen and used during a shopping spree at Cartier; he is seen in 2019

Flagg was notably in the middle of a hairdressing appointment while addressing the financial mishap, and a hairstylist was seen working on the real estate agent's hair.

The representative made a point of asking if the call was being made over speakerphone, although the Bravo star reassured her that he was fine with the circumstances.

When asked for a specific dollar amount, the woman on the other end of the line expressed that 'it's $104,175.64 right now.'

The author appeared to take the theft in stride and humorously remarked that 'someone had a good day.'

Priorities: Flagg was notably in the middle of a hairdressing appointment while addressing the financial mishap, and a hairstylist was seen working on the real estate agent's hair

Excessive: When asked for a specific dollar amount, the woman on the other end of the line expressed that 'it's $104,175.64 right now'

Flagg also seemed dismayed when he was informed that he would not be notified about the identity of the individual who had stolen his identity.

The real estate agent initially began appearing on the Bravo program during its second season, which premiered in 2008.

The show follows the personal and professional lives and exploits of various realtors in the Los Angeles area.

Other reality television figures who have appeared on the show include Josh Altman, Madison Hildebrand and Frederik Eklund.

Featured agent: The real estate agent initially began appearing on the Bravo program during its second season, which premiered in 2008

Spinoffs of the program have taken place in locations such as New York City, San Francisco and Miami.

Flagg recently spoke to Forbes and expressed that the most recent season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles would see the featured realtors treating each other much more cordially.

'There's [also] a really good dynamic between all the agents whereas, in other years in the past, there hasn't been [as much]. There is a synergy. Everyone's getting along with each other. It's just a whole different thing,' he said.

He did point out, however, that fans of the show would not be disappointed by the new season's content.

Calming down: Flagg recently spoke to Forbes and expressed that the most recent season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles would see the featured realtors treating each other much more cordially.

The reality television personality noted that viewers could expect 'a lot of fighting. What else can we see? Oh, yeah, me and Josh [Altman] are besties now. I love it.'

Flagg went on to tell the media outlet about why prospective home buyers should work with a trusted realtor.

'In my business, one percent of us do 99 percent of the business and there's a reason why we have good reputations...Very few brokers have knowledge of the market,' he said.

The real estate agent then expressed that being featured on the hit Bravo program has been helpful in terms of raising his public profile.

'I started as a top broker then I got into this two years later with the show and everything. It obviously catapulted my business. The show is a wonderful thing,' he said.
Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young and her husband Tarek El Mousa of Flip Or Flop fame have been enjoying an idyllic honeymoon.

The blonde bombshell, 34, was seen posing in a light mauve string bikini as her spouse rode a bicycle while they let down their hair at the Waldorf-Astoria luxury resort in the Maldives.

It has been two weeks since the lovebirds said 'I do' at their splashy Santa Barbara, California wedding with friends and family.

In paradise: Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young and her husband Tarek El Mousa of Flip Or Flop fame have been enjoying an idyllic honeymoon

Pristine coastline: The blonde bombshell, 34, was seen posing in a string light mauve bikini in the Maldives

Heather looked like a 1950s pinup as she put one hand back and the other on her bare knee.

The siren was wearing a string bikini that left very little to the imagination as her hair was pulled back and she added black sunglasses.

The TV star made sure fans see her new diamond wedding rings as she modeled a white manicure that matched her toes.

All good in the hood: It has been two weeks since the lovebirds said 'I do' at their splashy Southern California wedding with friends and family

She gets a kick out of married life: The looker flashed her bare legs as Tarek held them

She was sitting on a white cushion lounge chair on a wood deck with her hut and swimming pool behind her and even a view of the ocean.

'Pool day smiles,' the social media favorite wrote in her caption.

She was also seen in a nude bikini from Beach Bunny as she added a sheer cover up. She said, 'Another beautiful day, another cute bikini' as she tagged the designer.

The star was in a bathroom with a tote bag behind her.

On Thursday she posed with Tarek.

'Heart is so full,' began the Southern California resident.

Full of love for each other: 'Heart is so full,' began the Southern California resident

Swimsuit life: She was also seen in a nude bikini from Beach Bunny as she added a sheer cover up. She said, 'Another beautiful day, another cute bikini' as she tagged the designer

'So happy to be here with my husband, celebrating our love and our lives together. Honeymoon glow is a real thing .'

On Friday the siren posted a video where she was on the deck of her hotel room, watching fish jump in the turquoise waters.

'Currently: Living in a postcard. Words don't do this place justice,' said the real estate expert.

'Tarek and I have been in awe since the day we arrived.

Such beauty: On Friday the siren posted a video where she was on the deck of her hotel room, watching fish jump in the turquoise waters

Pretty as a postcard: 'Currently: Living in a postcard. Words don't do this place justice,' said the real estate expert

So happy with the WA Maldives: 'Tarek and I have been in awe since the day we arrived

WHat a view: 'We get to walk outside our room and see things like this, swim with the turtles and dolphins, see the most beautiful sunsets we've ever seen, and eat the most delicious food'

Touching trip: She said they were in 'heaven,' but missed 'the kiddos so insanely much but if it weren't for that we may never come home'

'We get to walk outside our room and see things like this, swim with the turtles and dolphins, see the most beautiful sunsets we've ever seen, and eat the most delicious food.'

She said they were in 'heaven,' but missed 'the kiddos so insanely much but if it weren't for that we may never come home.'

There was also a post from Wednesday.

'Maldive sunsets and you. It's crazy to think about how much of your life can change when you meet the right person. 4 years ago I didn't think a second chance existed for me. Now I'm on the beach in the Maldives honeymooning with the love of my life enjoy every moment. ,' she said.

The stars got hitched near Santa Barbara, California on October 23.

So fancy: They had a heart made out of flowers at the upscale luxury resort

Very healthy which makes her happy: The food was vegan which she said was the best for her

The happy couple were joined by their close friends and family - including the 40-year-old star's daughter Taylor, 11, and son Brayden, six, whom he has with ex-wife Christina Haack - and his other half's co-stars on the Netflix reality series.

Heather, 34, told People: 'We're best friends, we're true soulmates, and our love is so rare and so special.

'It's the love I've always dreamed of my whole life.'

Tarek added: 'I'm just excited to live this life with her. We've got the two babies, we have a family, and we have a very bright future.'

The blonde beauty wowed in a long-sleeve gown by Israeli designer Galia Lahav, while her new husband wore a black velvet tuxedo.

The day before the ceremony, the couple held a rehearsal dinner at the Paradise Springs winery.

And Tarek admitted he never imagined he would get married again after his divorce from his first wife.

In a touching tribute to the realtor, he penned on Instagram: 'Ready to say 'I do' Which is crazy.

'If you had asked me four years ago I would've told you I was never getting married again and honestly I didn't even think I would find love.

A little workout: Tarek was seen on a bicycle ride with his lady behind him

Work for it: Young told him he had to bicycle to get a slice of pizza so they could stay in shape

'Then one day Heather jumped onto my boat, looked at me, smiled and the rest is history. Thank god for that day. My life is so much better with you in it now let's do this thing!! (sic)'

Tarek popped the question last July while the pair were on a boat trip to Catalina Island in California.

The engagement came on the pair's one-year anniversary.

And Tarek proposed with an eight-carat, colorless, emerald-cut diamond.

He said at the time: 'The diamond is perfect all the way around, just like Heather. I also picked this ring because eight is a lucky number.'
Angelina Jolie reacted to the news that her new Marvel movie, Etertnals, has been banned by several countries in the Middle East over the portrayal of gay couple.

During a press conference, the 46-year-old A-lister said she was 'sad' audiences would miss out and expressed her disbelief over 'ignorant' views regarding the 'beauty of that relationship' in the film, according to news.com.au.

On Thursday it was reported that Eternals would not be shown in Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Kuwait over censorship concerns because it features a gay couple and a same-sex kiss.

Speaking out: Angelina Jolie reacted to the news that her new Marvel movie, Etertnals, has been banned by several countries in the Middle East over the portrayal of gay couple calling it 'sad' and 'ignorant', according to news.com.au

'I'm sad for [those audiences],' Angelina said during an interview. 'And I'm proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out.'

The movie, which was due for release in the Middle East on November 11, has been quietly removed from websites in several countries advertising upcoming films.

No official reason has been given, but homosexuality is still illegal across much of the Middle East and films are frequently banned there for referencing LGBT issues.

Eternals features Marvel's first on-screen gay couple - superhero Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry, who shares a home with non-hero Ben, played by Haaz Sleiman.

'I'm sad for [those audiences],' Angelina said during an interview. 'And I'm proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out.'

Censored: On Thursday it was reported that Eternals would not be shown in Saudi Arabia , Qatar or Kuwait because it features gay couple - superhero Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry (second right), and husband Ben, played by Haaz Sleiman (third right)

'I still don't understand how we live in a world today where there's still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love,' Angelina said.

Adding: 'How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn't approve or appreciate it is ignorant.'

At one point during the film, the Phastos and his husband share a passionate kiss. It will be Marvel's first same-sex kiss shown in cinemas.

Ahead of the release, censors in several Middle Eastern nations had requested edits to remove the gay couple, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

'I still don't understand how we live in a world today where there's still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love,' Angelina said. 'How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn't approve or appreciate it is ignorant.'

But Disney, the company which owns the Marvel franchise, refused and the movie was pulled, according to the site.

One Middle Eastern cinema chain confirmed to the site that Eternals had been 'banned', though said they had not been given an explanation.

Last year, the Pixar film Onward was pulled from cinemas in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia over a single line that referenced a lesbian relationship.

It is not the first time Eternals has been targeted because of its gay characters.

In love: At one point during the film, the Phastos and his husband share a passionate kiss. It will be Marvel's first same-sex kiss shown in cinemas (Brian Tyree Henry, Haaz Sleiman)

Earlier this week the movie was 'review-bombed' - where people who haven't seen a film target it with malicious reviews - which is thought to have been triggered by its depiction of homosexuality.

The Last of Us Part II, the latest installment of a popular Playstation franchise that was released last year, was similarly targeted - thought to be at least in part due to its prominent use of LGBT characters.

Meanwhile Eternals was also given an 18 rating in Singapore due to its depiction of homosexuality, the first film in the Marvel franchise not to get a PG13 rating.

Close minded: Earlier this week the movie was 'review-bombed' - where people who haven't seen a film target it with malicious reviews - which is thought to have been triggered by its depiction of homosexuality

Eternals is Marvel's 28th film based on a fictional race of humanoid aliens of the same name which first appeared in an American comic book series.

The film sees the Eternals, who are immortal, come out of hiding for the first time in thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

The movie, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina Jolie as Thena, leader of the Eternals, alongside Gemma Chan as Sersi, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo and Lauren Ridloff as Makkari.

The film was directed and co-written by Academy Award-winning director Chloe Zhao, who won the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture last year for Nomadland.
TOWIE's Chloe Sims and Pete Wicks ended their tumultuous two-year entanglement for good in December last year.

And it appears Pete hasn't given up on trying to get back in Chloe's good books since their split almost a year ago.

In footage set to air on Sunday night, the lothario finally secures some much-needed bonding time with Chloe but leaves her unimpressed when he takes her on a trip to a pig farm.

Oink: In scenes set to air during Sunday's TOWIE, Pete Wicks attempts to bond with his ex-girlfriend Chloe Sims by taking her to a pig farm

Joined by James 'Diags' Bennewith for the bizarre outing, Chloe looked less than enthusiastic as she scowled at her former flame while clutching a coffee.

The glamorous reality star looked every inch the city girl as she stood in the countryside in loungewear and trainers and a full face of glamorous makeup.

Pete's idea of a fun day out appeared to be a nightmare for Chloe and Diags as they both looked horrified while he began to shovel muck out of the pig pen.

But Pete appeared unphased by their lack of enthusiasm as he fully embraced farm life in a Barbour jacket and newsboy cap and got up close and personal with the hog.

No thanks: Pete's idea of a fun day out appeared to be a nightmare for glamorous Chloe and James 'Diags' Bennewith as they both looked horrified

It comes after Pete and Chloe looked very close as they descended on Lympne Castle in Folkstone last month to film the show's Halloween Special.

The pair shared what looked to be friendly banter and happily posed for photos, with Pete wrapping an arm around Chloe's waist.

MailOnline reached out to Chloe and Pete's representatives as to the status of their relationship at the time.

Going for it: Pete appeared unphased by their lack of enthusiasm as he fully embraced farm life in a Barbour jacket and newsboy cap and got up close and personal with the hog

The pair previously sparked reconciliation rumours when they departed the National Television Awards together in London.

However in an interview with The Sun following the red carpet event, Pete revealed they are just 'friends'.

'Things are all good. We have known each other so long and we have been through so much so it is nice that we are back to having fun and being pals,' he said.

Reflecting on their breakup, Pete added: 'What happened was in the past. We are both over the situation. The foundation of me and Chloe is that we were such good friends.'

'Just friends': It comes after Pete and Chloe looked very close last month and previously sparked reconciliation rumours when they departed the National Television Awards together (pictured in 2019)

Elsewhere in Sunday's episode, after his surprise appearance at the Halloween party, Jack Fincham has some making up to do with his ex Frankie Sims.

Frankie and Chloe Brockett went head-to-head in a heated feud on last week's episode after Frankie saw Jack had made comments about her appearance.

Although Chloe has apologised to Frankie there is still tension in the air and Chloe doesn't think Frankie is innocent as she claims.

Trouble: Elsewhere in Sunday's episode, after his surprise appearance at the Halloween party, Jack Fincham has some making up to do with his ex Frankie Sims

Tense: Frankie and Chloe Brockett went head-to-head in a heated feud on last week's episode after Frankie saw Jack had made comments about her appearance

Last laugh: Although Chloe has apologised to Frankie there is still tension in the air and Chloe doesn't think Frankie is innocent as she claims and wants everyone to know her side

Meanwhile, Liam Gatsby throws an amazing party for his friends to celebrate Diwali in Essex.

The star decides to have some singing lessons to prepare for a performance at the celebration but it's unclear how the crowd will react to his new sound.

But, whatever his mates might think, Gatsby appears to have the full support of his girlfriend Dani Imbert at the party as she beams by his side.

The Only Way Is Essex returns Sunday at 9pm on ITVBe and ITV Hub

Party time: Meanwhile, Liam Gatsby throws an amazing party for his friends to celebrate Diwali in Essex

New material: The star decides to have some singing lessons to prepare for a performance at the celebration but it's unclear how the crowd will react to his new sound
She's known as the Queen of Christmas.

And Mariah Carey gave fans exactly what they needed this holiday season with another festive tune called Fall in Love at Christmas with Khalid and Kirk Franklin.

The 52-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, 10, appeared in the music video, which was released on Thursday.

So cute: She's known as the Queen of Christmas. And Mariah Carey gave fans exactly what they needed this holiday season with another festive tune called Fall in Love at Christmas with Khalid and Kirk Franklin

Mariah's fraternal twins, which she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon, cuddles her kids on the couch besides a Christmas tree.

Moroccan donned a hoodie that featured his mom Mariah in an animated form of her in Christmas gear.

The Carey family pup was also featured in the video, howling and cuddling for some adorable canine footage.

The holiday song and music video includes Mariah in a gold dress as she sang outside in the snow.

Queen of Christmas: The 52-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, 10, appeared in the music video, which was released on Thursday

Sweet: Mariah's fraternal twins, which she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon, cuddles her kids on the couch besides a Christmas tree

Too cute: Moroccan donned a hoodie that featured his mom Mariah in an animated form of her in Christmas gear

Doting mom: The sweater featuring animated Mariah in a Santa hat

There were also parts where she sang with Khalid on a couch all decked out in festive decorations as well as in individual booths.

Mariah and Nick met while they song her song Bye Bye in Antigua and married on April 30, 2008 in the Bahamas.

They welcomed their twins on their third wedding anniversary - April 30, 2011, naming Monroe after Marilyn Monroe and Moroccan after a room at Mariah's apartment where Nick had proposed to her.

Amazingly adorable: The Carey family pup was also featured in the video, howling and cuddling for some adorable canine footage

Puppy love: Monroe kissed the family pup in a sweet moment

Focused: The dog also felt the festive spirit, joining in to howl in sync for the tune

High notes: Mariah looked stunning in a gold dress, dripping in diamonds

Goddess: She sang outside as the snow came down for a magical moment

Flow: The snow fell around her in the scene, which included holiday lights

In harmony: There were also parts where she sang with Khalid on a couch all decked out in festive decorations as well as in individual booths

In sync: The artists all sang together in a decorated room

They split in 2014, with the divorce finalized in 2016.

Mariah has a busy holiday season with the Grammy winner set to return for a holiday special for Apple TV+ called Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues.

The event, which is her second, arrives in December.
It was a defiant choice widely interpreted as a form of vengeance.

Breaking royal protocol, Princess Diana stepped out in a revealing off-the-shoulder dress as her husband Prince Charles confessed to being unfaithful.

Now her arrival at a glitzy event in what became known as her revenge dress has been recreated by Elizabeth Debicki for the hit series The Crown.

New images show the Australian actress, 31, as Diana getting out of her car to attend the 1994 Vanity Fair dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London.

Princess Diana's arrival at a glitzy event in what became known as her revenge dress has been recreated by Elizabeth Debicki (pictured) for the hit series The Crown

Breaking royal protocol, Princess Diana (pictured) stepped out in a revealing off-the-shoulder dress as her husband Prince Charles confessed to being unfaithful

The star looked strikingly similar to the princess as she filmed scenes for the Netflix drama in a replica of the 900 Christina Stambolian silk crepe cocktail dress with side sash.

Diana had bought the dress in 1991 but considered it too daring to wear at the time.

On the same evening she wore the outfit Charles admitted in a TV documentary interview with Jonathan Dimbleby that he was having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, now his wife.

Miss Debicki, who has replaced Emma Corrin, 25, as Diana in the latest series of The Crown, also wore a copy of the sapphire, diamond and pearl necklace that the princess wore that night.

Diana had it made using a sapphire and diamond brooch given to her by the Queen Mother as a wedding gift.

Miss Debicki was pictured filming the scenes on Monday at the gallery in Hyde Park, a stones throw from Kensington Palace.

Elsewhere, the actress was photographed recreating Dianas first encounter with billionaire Mohamed Fayed.

She could be seen chatting with Salim Dau, 71, playing the former Harrods owner at a polo match.

New images show the Australian actress, 31, as Diana getting out of her car to attend the 1994 Vanity Fair dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London

The star looked strikingly similar to the princess as she filmed scenes for the Netflix drama in a replica of the 900 Christina Stambolian silk crepe cocktail dress with side sash

Mr Fayeds film producer son Dodi won Dianas heart before both were killed when their Mercedes crashed in a tunnel in Paris in August 1997.

In September it was claimed that British actor Khalid Abdalla, 40, who starred in the 2007 film The Kite Runner, has been cast in the role of Dodi.

With the Fayeds having been cast, it is likely the fifth series of The Crown  due in November next year  will detail the final months of Dianas life.

The fourth series, which streamed in November last year, told the story of Charles and Dianas early romance.

Their relationship breakdown will be a central part of the fifth series and likely to lead the way to Dianas romance with Dodi.

The show will also look at the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle.
Osher Gunsberg has always been open about his battle with mental health issues.

And now the reality TV host has narrated an eight-part animated series about mental health called Woven Threads: Stories From Within.

Speaking about the series, which was just nominated for an AACTA, the 47-year-old told the Daily Telegraph that he's thankful to be raising awareness around mental health issues.

Brave: Osher Gunsberg has narrated an eight-part animated series about mental health called Woven Threads: Stories From Within

'I am just really grateful these stories are getting out there and we are normalising these sorts of things,' he said.

'The trick with mental illness is that its very hard to describe to somebody else what it actually feels like and the team at Woven Threads did an extraordinary job at visualising the experiences that I was having when I was very sick,' he added.

In addition to the animated series, Osher has also released his own documentary about Australia's suicide crisis called Osher Gunsberg: A Matter of Life and Death.

The 47-year-old revealed to New Idea in September that seeking help was the key to getting better.

'Reaching out to another human being was the thing that saved my life,' he said.

Powerful: The emotional and raw series has been nominated for an AACTA award

Elsewhere, the TV presenter spoke about his upcoming SBS documentary, noting that he hopes to shine a light on the crisis and that help is available.

'Suicide is a very real and prevalent problem in our community, and I know firsthand what it's like to experience suicidal ideation,' he said.

The Bachelor host added that he hopes the doco will encourage conversations between friends, family and colleagues.

'At the very least, we need to recognise Australia's suicide crisis, because you cannot fix a problem if you don't acknowledge it exists,' he added.

Awareness: In addition to the animated series, Osher has also released his own documentary about Australia's suicide crisis called Osher Gunsberg: A Matter of Life and Death

Earlier this year, Osher appeared on ABC's You Can't Ask That where he detailed his dark battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

In the program, the TV presenter revealed he even contemplated suicide at his lowest point.

Osher confessed his life had become 'a never-ending pit of day drinking, compulsive internet gambling and masturbation'.

He described the thought of suicide as 'the best idea I'd ever had', and claimed it was 'the kindest thing I could have ever done for myself'.

'I got to a point where I was in so much pain, I would have absolutely done anything...' he confessed.

Osher, who married make-up artist Audrey Griffin in 2016, said he was 40 when he was diagnosed with OCD, and had already been living with various mental illnesses.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
Madonna's eldest daughter Lourdes Leon inaugurated her latest modeling gig with an eye-popping photo-shoot.

She could be seen in a series of psychedelic pictures in the new fall campaign for the line Bimba Y Lola which is based in Spain.

The 25-year-old arced herself into a rectangle on blue grass while surrounded by extravagant multicolored fungi.

There she is: Madonna's eldest daughter Lourdes Leon inaugurated her latest modeling gig with an eye-popping photo-shoot

In another picture she bared her enviably taut midriff by going topless over her sky blue bra while being photographed in a brightly colored forest setting.

The British makeup artist and 'wearable art' creator Isamaya Ffrench was behind the look of the campaign and Lourdes' makeup, according to WWD.

Madonna welcomed Lourdes with her then-beau Carlos Leon, a fitness trainer who has apparently remained friends with the pop diva.

Madge shares her son Rocco, 21, with her ex-husband Guy Ritchie and also adopted four children from Malawi - David, 16, Mercy, 15, and twins Stella and Estere, nine.

Amazing: She could be seen in a series of psychedelic pictures in the new fall campaign for the line Bimba Y Lola which is based in Spain

Lourdes recently offered a peek behind a curtain at her family dynamics while talking to Debi Mazar for Interview magazine.

'Its funny, the only siblings that I ever really argue with are the boys. Theyre just little a******* sometimes,' she dished.

'A 15- or 20-year-old brother? Come on. Obviously were going to fight. But Mercy and I have never, ever fought about anything,' shared Lourdes.

Wow: The 25-year-old arced herself into a rectangle on blue grass while surrounded by extravagant multicolored fungi

'Shes always had my back and Ive always tried to be the best big sister I can be for her. Its harder with the twins, because I dont live at the house anymore.'

Mercy is able to give Lourdes moral support when she needs it and 'Rocco is very caring and concerned about my well-being, and thats such a nice feeling.'

Lourdes also addressed reports she paid her own way through college, saying: 'We dont get any handouts in my family.'

Spot the resemblance: Lourdes and Madonna are pictured attending an Alexander Wang show at New York Fashion Week in September 2016

The showbiz legacy acknowledged: 'Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. Theres no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like: "My kids are not going to be like this."'

She added: 'Also, I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you. My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school.'

Looking ahead at her career prospects she dished: 'I dont know how I feel about acting yet. I think its about finding a role that wouldnt be too far off from who I am already. Honestly, actors really annoy me and I cant be around them. As for music, I can sing. I just dont care about it. Maybe its too close to home.'
She never fails to pull out all the style stops for star-studded events.

And Naomi Campbell dazzled in a sequin-decorated white hooded gown as she arrived at the Dior Designer of Dreams exhibition in Qatar on Friday night.

The flawless supermodel, 51, arrived at the M7 center in Doha in the striking ensemble and joined Adriana Lima who sizzled in a thigh-split black cocktail dress.

Wow: Naomi Campbell dazzled in a sequin-decorated white floor length gown as she joined Adriana Lima at the Dior Designer of Dreams exhibition in Qatar on Friday night

Naomi looked elegant as she shrugged on the sequin jacket over the floor-lenth dress and accessorised her hands with diamond rings and henna.

She wore her hair in a sleek straight style beneath the hood and accentuated her natural beauty with a gold eyeshadow look.

The supermodel has been in Qatar for the whole of this week and hasn't missed the style mark once as she made appearances at all the glitziest fashion parties.

Naomi's eye-catching outerwear was covered in glittering white sequins and featured a gorgeous silver trim.

Gorgeous: Naomi looked elegant as she shrugged on the sequin jacket over the floor-lenth dress and accessorised her hands with diamond rings and henna

Meanwhile, Adriana smouldered in a red-lined twisted knot cocktail dress.

The Brazillian beauty looked phenomenal as she posed in the two-tone dress that featured a clever structured shoulder design.

She matched her outfit with a slick of red lipstick and swept her raven tresses up into a sleek bun for the outing.

Adriana put on a leggy display in the thigh-split dress as she posed alongside her boyfriend Andre Lemmers, who opted for a suave grey suit.

Wow: Adriana looked phenomenal as she posed in the two-tone dress that featured a clever structured shoulder design

Couple goals: The Brazillian beauty put on a leggy display in the thigh-split dress as she posed alongside her boyfriend Andre Lemmers, who opted for a suave grey suit

Also in attendance was Natalia Vodianova who oozed classic Hollywood glamour in an A-line grey dress.

The Russian supermodel, nicknamed Supernova, looked timelessly chic in the elegant long-sleeved gown and completed the ensemble in nude stilettos.

Natalia accessorised with an enviable Dior mini bag, diamond drop earrings and a matching necklace as she beamed at cameras with her tresses in bouncy curls.
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan has been enjoying Brisbane while spending time in the city to film the Peacock series Joe Exotic.

Last week, the 62-year-old snapped a selfie inside of the supermarket while posing in front of shelves filled with Vegemite.

'Tell me you're in Australia without telling me you're in Australia,' he captioned the photo.

Say cheese! Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan has been enjoying Brisbane while spending time in the city to film the Peacock series Joe Exotic

He was also spotted at the The Artisan Coffee Roaster in Brisbane.

The US star is best known for playing Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks in the early 90s and then Trey MacDougal in Sex And The City in 2000-2002.

Since arriving in Australia, Kyle has shared a video of him practising his Australian slang.

In a hilarious clip posted to Instagram, the actor crammed in as many Aussie phrases as possible as he sent a message to his fans.

All smiles: Kyle (far right) was also spotted at the The Artisan Coffee Roaster in Brisbane

Kyle sat in front of the camera with Sydney's Centrepoint Tower in the background, and said: 'G'day from Sydney! It's Kyle MacLachlan, I'm here in quarantine for the next few weeks, and I'm doing okay despite being isolated in my room'

'Crikey, my day is choc-a-block. Fair dinkum.'

'Once I put on my dacks, from brekky to arvo and even to din-din I'm flat out. There's heaps to do, and even though it's not hard yakka, I'm no bludger. I reckon it'll pay off.'

Iconic: The US star is best known for playing Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks in the early 90s (pictured) and then Trey MacDougal in Sex And The City in 2000-2002

Kyle travelled to Australia earlier this year to film the scripted Tiger King TV series, which began filming in Brisbane last month.

The show, based on true events, follows Carole Baskin (played by Kate McKinnon), who learns that fellow exotic animal lover Joe 'Exotic' is breeding his big cats for profit, then sets out to shut down his venture, inciting a rivalry.

Kyle will play Carole's husband Howard Baskin in the series.

Watch the iconic series, Twin Peaks on Stan in Australia.
Mr. Lexx has been released after he was detained upon arrival in Panama City yesterday.

The Full Hundred deejay thanked Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Babsy Grange, Judith Edwards from the consulate for Panama, and his fans for their help after he was detained by Panamanian Immigration officials at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. The officials had allegedly denied him access to the services of an interpreter and confiscated his phone.

Begining at 7:45am today, Lexx live-tweeted the ordeal, a day after sharing a photo from the Norman Manley airport, on Instagram indicating to his fans that he was taking a flight out of Jamaica. He indicated that he has been tweeting the messages from his laptop.

Ive been in an immigration room at Tocumen since yesterday. They detain me and threatening to bar me because I got arrested in the US 1997. with no chance to explain, no phone call cause for whatever reason they took my phone. They jus have me here, he tweeted in his first post.

ive been in an immigration room at Tocumen since yesterday. they detain me and threatening to bar me because i got arrested inthe US 1997. with no chance to explain, no phone call cause for whatever reason they took my phone. they jus have me here.  Dancehall Ayatollah (@therealmrlexx) November 4, 2021

He then followed up with a series of tweets pointing out how unprofessionally he was being dealt with.

Dis a foolishness enuh, i keep asking for someone who speaks English and dem not even businees wid me. jah jahnow they rushing me to sign some paper; Im not signing that This a bullcrap enuh. All now me cyah get a phone call and they keep saying no one speak English smaddy get Babsy attention fi me nuh. cah dis need crowd. they took away my phone, he wrote in a flurry of tweets.

He told producer Tony Kelly, who responded to his tweets, that they took away his phone after the producer asked whether he had any means of being contacted.

This is so unfair. they not even giving me a chance to explain or plee my case. #help i cant get a chance to speak to anyone. they arent even listening to me. this cant be right, the Get those Monkeys out artist lamented.

The Mountain View native then sought to explain that the reason given for him being barred from the Central American country.

So me being arrested in 1997 in US almost 30 years ago even doh the case was dropped against me, this is enough for them to bar me from this region? Naaaaaaah dis cyah right.

So me being arrested in 1997 in US almost 30 years ago even doh the case was dropped againts me, this is enough for them to bar me from this region? Naaaaaaah dis cyah right.  Dancehall Ayatollah (@therealmrlexx) November 4, 2021

One stupid mistake almost 30 years ago and it still affect me now. Guys please be responsible with yall decisions when unuh young. some shiiit dont go away. kmt smh, he noted.

Wah dis me a go through????? like i spent my life walking the right line and for some reason some random person always push me off my line. cause this officer was jus out yesterday to get some work done no matter what. cause had they given me a chance to talk we wouldnt be here, he said.

Mr Lexx later tweeted that his troubles were even more petrifying as he was calling the Jamaican consulate and nobody nah pick up.

The consulate not answering. and these ppl about to bar me from Panama innocently. Whats the handle for the ministry that deal wid this type situation? he asked.

Ive been here so many times before and this never happened once.a joke dis to BBCi dont care if they dont want to let me in their country. thats ok. but WHY ARE THEY THREATENING TO BAR ME?????????, he added.

i dont care if they dont want to let me in their country. thats ok. but WHY ARE THEY THREATENING TO BAR ME?????????  Dancehall Ayatollah (@therealmrlexx) November 4, 2021

Shortly after 5:00pm, a follower assured Mr. Lexx that the Minister of Foreign affairs senator Kamina Johnson Smith was working to sort out his situation, this after a popular journalist and other prominent people tagged entertain Minister Olivia Babsy Grange and the senator herself on Twitter, while ZJ Sparks and almost all her followers tagged both Ministers over on Instagram.

Almost four hours later, Lexx confirmed that he had been released. Update. They not gonna bar me. Which was all my concern. I wish i had tweeted u guys earlier, he wrote. Thanks @Babsy_grange u and ur team have my highest praise. Also thanks to Judith Edwards consulate for Panama. Thanks for moving so swiftly . And thanks to yall for retweeting.

Update. They not gonna bar me. Which was all my concern. I wish i had tweeted u guys earlier. Thanks @Babsy_grange u and ur team have my highest praise. Also thanks to Judith Edwards consulate for Panama. Thanks for moving so swiftly . And thanks to yall for retweeting  Dancehall Ayatollah (@therealmrlexx) November 5, 2021

Mr. Lexx is among the artists who ruled the 1990s up to the mid-2000s and is known for hits such as Cook, Full Hundred, Ring Mi Cellie and Halla Halla. His album Mr. Lexx, which was released in 2000, spent five weeks on the Billboard Reggae chart where it peaked at number 12.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council called for an end to the intensifying and expanding conflict in Ethiopia on Friday, and for unhindered access for humanitarian aid to tackle the worlds worst hunger crisis in a decade in the war-torn Tigray region.

The U.N.s most powerful body expressed serious concern about the impact of the conflict on the stability of the country and the wider region, and called on all parties to refrain from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness.

The press statement was approved by the 15 council members the day after the first anniversary of the war in the northern Tigray region that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions. It was only the councils second statement on the conflict, and the first to address the worsening conflict.

Today the Security Council breaks six months of silence and speaks again with one united voice on the deeply concerning situation in Ethiopia, said Irelands U.N. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason. For the first time, the Council clearly calls for a cessation of hostilities. We believe this should happen immediately, and that all civilians must be protected.

The statement was drafted by Ireland, Kenya, Niger, Tunisia and St. Vincent and The Grenadines. Those countries and the United States had called for an open Security Council meeting on Ethiopia on Friday afternoon, but it was postponed until early next week, probably Monday. Diplomats said African Union representatives weren't available to participate so the meeting was delayed.

The council called on the parties to put an end to hostilities and to negotiate a lasting cease-fire, and for the creation of conditions for the start of an inclusive Ethiopian national dialogue to resolve the crisis and create the foundation for peace and stability throughout the country.

Council members said the language in the statement was watered down after objections from Russia to the original statement which called on all parties to immediately end hostilities without preconditions.

But the statement, read by Mexicos U.N. Ambassador Juan Ramon De La Fuente Ramirez, the current council president, did call for an end to hostilities -- though without the word immediately. It did single out the expansion and intensification of military clashes in northern Ethiopia.

In recent weeks, the conflict has expanded, with Tigray forces seizing key cities on a major highway leading to Ethiopias capital, Addis Ababa, and linking up with another armed group, the Oromo Liberation Army, with which it struck an alliance in August.

Months of political tensions between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds government and the Tigray leaders who once dominated Ethiopias government exploded into war last November. Following some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict, Ethiopia soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June. Facing the current Tigray offensive, president Abiy declared a national state of emergency with sweeping detention powers on Tuesday.

The Tigray forces say they are pressuring Ethiopias government to lift a deadly months-long blockade on their region of around 6 million people, where basic services have been cut off and humanitarian food and medical aid are denied.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last month that at least 5.2 million people in the region need humanitarian assistance including at least 400,000 living in famine-like conditions. Child malnutrition levels are now at the same level as they were at the start of the 2011 famine in Somalia, he warned.

The press statement reiterated the Security Councils support for the African Unions role in resolving the conflict and gave strong support to the strategy and efforts to achieve a cease-fire and a prompt and peaceful resolution of the conflict being undertaken by the AUs high representative for the Horn of Africa region, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.

The Security Council statement did not mention the announcement earlier Friday that the Tigray forces, which in August linked up with the Oromo Liberation Army, have joined with seven other armed and opposition groups in an alliance against prime minister Abiy Ahmed to seek a political transition. The alliance left open the possibility of his ouster by force.

Amid fears that the violence could lead to a division of Ethiopia similar to the break-up of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, council members reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity of Ethiopia.
Kisha Gulley appears with her sons Sebastian, 2, left, and Santana, 5, Friday, on Sept. 2 in Sept. 3 in Phoenix. Gulley is an Instagram influencer and blogger who generates income from her content.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Karnataka saw Rs 8.62 a litre cut in petrol price due to VAT reduction and Rs 9.40 in diesel rates, while Madhya Pradesh gave its citizens an additional Rs 6.89 price relief on petrol and Rs 6.96 on diesel. (DC Photo)

New Delhi: Petrol price has been further reduced by as much as Rs 8.7 per litre and diesel by Rs 9.52 in BJP ruled states and UTs - from Ladakh to Puducherry - as they matched the central government's announcement of a cut in excise duty with slashing of local sales tax (VAT) rates.

Buckling under pressure, the Union government had on Wednesday cut excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 10 a litre to give reprieve to consumers battered by record-high retail fuel prices.

This announcement was matched by 22 states and Union Territories cutting VAT rates in different proportions.

This has led to BJP and its partner ruled states witnessing steeper reductions in petrol and diesel prices in comparison to Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and other states that are governed by other political parties, according to a price chart of different locations prepared by state-owned oil firms.

The additional reduction, on top of the excise duty cut, is the lowest in Uttarakhand because of lower duty cuts and the highest in UT of Ladakh. On petrol, the price reduction over-and-above excise reduction ranges from Rs 1.97 per litre in the case of Uttarakhand to Rs 8.70 in the case of UT of Ladakh.

For diesel, the additional reduction warranted by VAT cuts, ranging from Rs 17.5 a litre in Uttarakhand to Rs 9.52 in the case of Ladakh.

The states and UTs that extended additional VAT benefits are Karnataka, Puducherry, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Assam, Sikkim, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Ladakh.

Karnataka saw Rs 8.62 a litre cut in petrol price due to VAT reduction and Rs 9.40 in diesel rates, while Madhya Pradesh gave its citizens an additional Rs 6.89 price relief on petrol and Rs 6.96 on diesel. Uttar Pradesh lowered VAT on petrol by Rs 6.96 and diesel by Rs 2.04 a litre.

States that have so far not lowered VAT include Congress and its allies ruled Rajasthan, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. AAP-ruled Delhi, TMC-governed West Bengal, Left-ruled Kerala, BJD-governed Odisha, TRS-led Telengana and YSR Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh.

Wednesday's excise duty cut had translated into a reduction in the price of petrol in the range of Rs 5.7 to Rs 6.35 per litre across the country and diesel rates by Rs 11.16 to Rs 12.88.

Since states charge local sales tax or VAT not just on the base price but also on the excise duty levied by the Centre, the total incidence of price reduction was higher than Rs 5 a litre cut in excise duty on petrol and Rs 10 per litre cut in diesel. The reduction was larger in states with higher VAT.

In Delhi, the reduction in petrol price was Rs 6.07 per litre, and that on diesel was Rs 11.75, according to the price chart.

After duty changes, the costliest petrol is sold in Rajasthan at Rs 111.10 per litre (Jaipur), followed by Mumbai (Rs 109.98) and Andhra Pradesh (Rs 109.05). The fuel is below Rs 100-a-litre-mark in most BJP ruled states baring Karnataka (Rs 100.58), Bihar (Rs 105.90), Madhya Pradesh (Rs 107.23) and Ladakh (Rs 102.99).

Similarly, the costliest diesel is now sold in Rajasthan at Rs 95.71 a litre (Jaipur), followed by Andhra Pradesh (Rs 95.18) and Mumbai (Rs 94.14).

The cheapest diesel is in Mizoram at Rs 79.55 a litre. `

Petrol costs Rs 103.97 per litre in Delhi, and diesel is sold for Rs 86.67 per litre.

VAT rates differ from state to state, leading to differential rates of fuel.

The excise duty cut announced on Wednesday night was the highest-ever reduction in excise duty. It rolls back a part of the Rs 13 and Rs 16 per litre increase in taxes on petrol and diesel effected between March 2020 and May 2020 to avoid passing on to consumers the sharp fall in international oil prices at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That hike in excise duty had taken central taxes on petrol to their highest level of Rs 32.9 per litre and that on diesel to Rs 31.8 a litre.

The tax cut follows an unrelenting hike in international oil prices, pushing pump rates across the country to their highest-ever levels. While petrol soared to above Rs 100-a-litre-mark in all major cities, diesel had crossed that level in more than one-and-a-half dozen states.

The total increase in petrol price since the May 5, 2020, decision of the government to raise excise duty to record levels had totalled Rs 38.78 per litre. Diesel rates have, during this period, gone up by Rs 29.03 per litre.

The relentless increase in fuel prices had been severely criticised by the Opposition parties, particularly Congress, which had demanded that the government reduce its excise duty.

Based on April to October consumption numbers, the loss of revenue to the government due to the excise duty cut will be Rs 8,700 crore per month. This totals to an annual impact of over Rs 1 lakh crore, industry sources said. For the remainder of the current fiscal, the impact would be Rs 43,500 crore.

Data available from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in the Union Ministry of

Finance showed excise duty collections during April-September 2021 surged to over Rs 1.71 lakh crore, from Rs 1.28 lakh crore mop-up in the same period of the previous fiscal.

For the full 2020-21 fiscal, excise collections were Rs 3.89 lakh crore and Rs 2.39 lakh crore in 2019-20, the CGA data showed.

After the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, excise duty is levied only on petrol, diesel, ATF and natural gas. All other goods and services are under the GST regime.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli had in July told Parliament that the Union government's tax collections on petrol and diesel jumped by 88 per cent to Rs 3.35 lakh crore in the year to March 31, 2021 (2020-21 fiscal) from Rs 1.78 lakh crore a year back.

Excise collection in the pre-pandemic 2018-19 was Rs 2.13 lakh crore.
The court granted bail to Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha on October 29. (PTI Photo)

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, who was granted bail in the drugs-on-cruise case, appeared before Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to mark his weekly (every Friday) presence before the agency.

On October 29, Bombay High Court had issued a detailed bail order of Aryan Khan which stated that he should appear before NCB every Friday and was asked to surrender his passport.

The court had asked all three bail applicants - Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmum Dhamecha - to appear before the NCB Mumbai office every Friday, between 11.00 am to 2.00 pm to mark their presence.

The court granted bail to Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha on October 29. Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3.

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. A total of 20 people, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested so far in the case.
The Department of Defense has categorically said China is indulging in aggressive and coercive behaviour with its neighbours, India in particular. (PTI Photo)

Washington: China has been taking "incremental and tactical actions" to press its claims at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India and has unsuccessfully sought to prevent New Delhi from deepening its relationship with the US during and subsequent to the standoff, the Pentagon has said in a major report on China's military modernisation.

The Pentagon report comes amid heightened tensions between the US and China over the issue of Taiwan and was published hours after the most senior US general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley issued a stark warning about China's military progress.

The Pentagon has repeatedly referred to China as the "pacing challenge" for the US.

"The PRC (People's Republic of China) seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the United States. PRC officials have warned US officials to not interfere with the PRC's relationship with India," the Department of Defense told the US Congress on Wednesday.

The Pentagon regularly reports to the Congress on the India-Chinese military standoff in eastern Ladakh. The Department of Defense has categorically said China is indulging in aggressive and coercive behaviour with its neighbours, India in particular.

Chinese officials, through official statements and state media, had also sought unsuccessfully to prevent India from deepening its relationship with the United States during and subsequent to the standoff, while accusing India of being a mere instrument of U.S. policy in the region, the Pentagon said.

Beginning in May 2020, the Chinese Army launched incursions into customarily Indian-controlled territory across the border and has concentrated troops at several standoff locations along the LAC, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said despite the ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues to reduce border tensions, China has continued "taking incremental and tactical actions" to press its claims at the LAC.

As of June 2021, China and India continue to maintain large-scale deployments along the LAC and make preparations to sustain these forces while disengagement negotiations have made limited progress, it said.

In addition, a substantial reserve force from the Tibet and Xinjiang Military Districts were deployed to the interior of Western China to provide a rapid response, the Pentagon report said.

The acute tensions and clashes along the border with India in 2020 resulted in significant PLA force buildup and establishment or enforcement of forward positions along the LAC.

"These tensions likely provided the PLA with valuable real-world operational and tactical experience," it said.

According to the report, at the height of the border standoff between China and India in 2020, the Chinese Army installed a fiber optic network in remote areas of the western Himalayas to provide faster communications and increased protection from foreign interception.

The PLA field commanders view near-real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and situational data as well as redundant and reliable communications as essential to streamlining decision making processes and shortening response timelines, it said.

The June 2020 skirmish in Galwan Valley, which led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, marked the first loss of life on the LAC since 1975.

In February 2021, China's Central Military Commission (CMC) announced posthumous awards for four PLA soldiers, though the total number of Chinese casualties remains unknown, it said.

In 2020, China built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Chinese Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh state in the eastern sector of the LAC.

"These and other infrastructure development efforts along India-China have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media," the Pentagon said.

In contrast, China has attempted to blame India for provoking the standoff through India's increased infrastructure development near the LAC, the report said.

Asserting that its deployments to the LAC were in response to Indian provocation, Beijing has refused to withdraw forces till India's forces have withdrawn behind the Chinese version of the LAC and ceased infrastructure improvements in the area, the Pentagon said.

As the standoff continues, China has expressed its aim to prevent the standoff from worsening into a wider military conflict, the report said, adding that Beijing has voiced its intent to return bilateral relations with New Delhi to a state of economic and diplomatic cooperation it had perceived to be improving since the 2017 Doklam standoff.

China's state-controlled media forcefully asserted China's intent to refuse any territorial concessions demanded by India.

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 and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February.

However, India and China failed to make any headway at their 13th round of military talks on October 10 in resolving the standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.

India has voiced hope that China will work with it to bring a satisfactory resolution to the current issues, keeping in view each other's sensitivities and interests.
The statue has been installed on a rebuilt samadhi of Shankaracharya, the eighth century Sanyasi, in Kedarnath, an important Hindu pilgrimage centre in the Himalayas. (Photo: Twitter)

Bengaluru: Months of hard work finally paid off for Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru as Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the grand statue of Adiguru Shankaracharya at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand on Friday.

"It's a moment of joy for us. After nine months of toil for at least 14 hours a day, we completed the statue of Shankaracharya, which Prime Minister Modi inaugurated at Kedarnath," Yogiraj told PTI.

After completing his MBA, the 37-year old sculptor got a lucrative job but resigned soon after to take up his traditional work.

Yogiraj said when the government decided to install the Shankaracharya statue, it had invited models from sculptors from across the country.

"My model was finally selected and since then the Prime Minister's office was personally monitoring the progress," the sculptor said.

He also said that he selected the black granite rock from HD Kote in Mysuru and worked on it with a team of seven people.

According to him, the 12 feet tall statue weighs about 28 tonnes. After it was completed in July, it was taken to Uttarakhand.

Yogiraj said the statue was then airlifted by Chinook helicopter to the designated place.

He was supposed to be in Kedarnath but due to a tragedy in the family, he had to return home a week ago.

The sculptor said he is constructing a 25-ft tall Anjaneya statue at Chunchanakatte in Mysuru district and a Shiva statue in another location.

"I have also taken up the construction of a temple in Malaysia as well as at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district," Yogiraj added.

The statue has been installed on a rebuilt samadhi of Shankaracharya, the eighth century Sanyasi, in Kedarnath, an important Hindu pilgrimage centre in the Himalayas.

The seer had also laid foundation to the Shankaracharya order and set up four monastries or Peetam in India at Badrikashram in the north, Dwaraka in the west, Jagannath Puri in the east and Sringeri in the south.
The vice admiral informed the Chief Minister about the commissioning of the lead ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer called Visakhapatnam which was named after APs executive capital city.  DC Image

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been invited to attend the Navy Day celebrations scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam on December 4.

The Eastern Naval Command flag officer commanding in-chief and vice admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh met Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office here on Friday and extended the invitation to him to attend the celebrations as the chief guest.

The Navy Day is celebrated on December 4 every year to mark India's victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war as Indian naval ships launched the missile attack on Karachi.

The vice admiral informed the Chief Minister about the commissioning of the lead ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer called Visakhapatnam which was named after APs executive capital city. He also apprised the Chief Minister of the progress of preparations for the conduct of Presidential Fleet Review and Milan (Naval Exercise) 2020 scheduled to be held in February, 2022.
A girl holds a draw reading Save Our World as demonstrators take part in the Fridays for Future Scotland march, during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. (AP)

I tried to listen to the wind

I heard there was an answer blowing there

But all I heard was fluttering leaves

And the wish in the whoosh of relentless

hot air.

 From Tales of the Akela Kela by Bachchoo

As persistent as the coronavirus statistics, the bad jokes and alliterations of BoJo, the contradictory announcements of health secretary Sajid Javid are now news hype about the international climate conference COP26 in Glasgow this week.

There are, among reports of speeches by Princes Charles and William, the persistence of a hollow and even hypocritical optimism from BoJo and the governments environment spokespersons, sceptical voices saying it will all come to nought. And there are, inevitably, the prophets of doom.

In past decades people treated the men and women who paraded the streets with billboards round their necks proclaiming THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH as lunatics. Today we must take the doomsters seriously because among them are the most distinguished, persuasive scientists in the world and the diligent gatherers of statistics  among them the voices of campaigner Greta Thunberg and natural scientist David Attenborough.

BoJo, the virtual host of all the gathered heads of state, flew in from London to Glasgow and was promptly criticised for burning flight fuel to get there. Prince Charles, on the virtuous hand, drove there in an Aston Martin powered by a fuel made of cheese and wine. What a hero! The other proclaimed heroes could, of course, be those who didnt burn any fuel to get to Glasgow, like Xi of China or Vlad of Russia.

Amid all the necessary attention the conference is getting, there are two distinct strands. The climate sceptics who say man-made or civilisation-made emissions, like burning of coal and petrol or farming of huge herds of cattle who emit methane and urea arent the cause of climate change, have been proved wrong and more or less silenced. Some still hang on to their conviction that global warming will go away just as the Ice Age did, but they are justifiably treated as flat-earthers. No, the two significant trends I extract from the cacophony are, first, pleas for practical and costly but feasible solutions to reduce all greenhouse emissions; and second, a lot of virtue signalling.

In the former, one has to include the pledges by nations to set dates for zero carbon and the pledge, made long ago, to raise the money to assist less developed or poorer countries to move to zero-carbon.

Where does the UK stand in this global problem and what do the positive sounding pledges that BoJo makes amount to? The inescapable fact is that the UK is responsible for one per cent of harmful global emissions. So, when the UK, by spending billions to insulate houses, change from fuel-boilers to heat-burners, electrify all cars, trucks and COP26 trains etc, gets to net-zero carbon emissions, there will have been a one per cent reduction in global emissions?

Thats of course nonsense, because Britain isnt going it alone. Its own contribution to the reduction isnt simply its percentage share but its example, its encouragement, both moral and material, and perhaps its contribution to inventing alternatives to burning coal and making alternatives progressively cheaper and accessible to the world.

As with Covid, humanity is in this together. Host UK is determined to boast a lead.

There are those who argue its not simply the process of production that counts, its the consumption of that nations population. Say, for instance, a European nation shuts down the factories that make steel, reducing carbon emissions from its soil. If it still needs steel to build and imports it from China, it has signalled its virtue but probably increased global emissions used in producing and transporting the steel.

So, with cattle farming. If the UK gets rid of all its cows but still eats beef which it imports from Uruguay or Australia, it may feel virtuous but must factor in Uruguayan and Australian cows also fart methane. Net nothing-reduction and even perhaps a small increase if the beef comes to the UK by fuel-burning transport with freezer facilities.

Xi and Vlad have indicated whatever the increases in badass gases from China and Russia in the next decade, they will aim to join the global community to aim for Net Zero by 2060, 10 years after Britain and the US. Our own Narendraji went one further: he pledged that India, responsible for 15-16 per cent of global badass gas, would go Net Zero by 2070.

Reacting to that disappointing pledge, commentators at the conference said Modiji was speaking tactically. India, they said, had been plundered by colonialism and it was time the colonialists who looted its wealth and forced it to try and catch up with steel and concrete production etc, paid something back. Modiji, they said, was using this 2070 target to manipulate the rich countries, mainly ex-colonial power Britain, to get jittery about this 20-year gap in pledged ambitions and make significant offers of aid to bring it down. If thats true, and Narendrabhai is really playing tactically, then Jai Shambho, and lets hope Jai Hind!

And talking of reparations, with a change of personnel at the top of the British Museum, as former Chancellor George Osborne assumes the directorship, there is a revived agenda of repatriation of objects taken from across the world. The Kohinoor diamond is not at the museum but with the Crown. Lord Dalhousie, who looted it from Punjab, must have known it carries the curse which devastated the Ranjit Singh family. He gave it to Queen Victoria as the curse only operates on male possessors of the diamond. When Queen Elizabeth II passes the crown to Charles, the curse moves with it.

Time, then, to return the diamond and avoid a royal tragedy to a leading environmentalist.
For those who'd like to try out the new Drive search chips beta, Google is directing interested users toward this sign-up form. (AP Photo)

Washington: American tech giant Google is preparing to beta test new search filters in Google Drive, which will hopefully make it easier to find the exact file users search for.

According to The Verge, dubbed as 'search chips', the feature adds a line of filters to the top of the Drive interface, letting users limit their search by things like file type, last modification date, or which other users are associated with a specific file.

Google Drive already has some search filtering options, but they're relatively basic and hidden in a sub-menu in the search bar.

In contrast, the new search chips are presented front and centre, and they look set to offer a wider range of filtering options. A similar feature was introduced in Gmail early last year.

For those who'd like to try out the new Drive search chips beta, Google is directing interested users toward this sign-up form.

As per The Verge, Search chips will eventually be available to all Google Workspace users, including G Suite Basic and Business customers.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Boeing Co investors have reached an agreement with current and former company officers to settle a lawsuit over the safety oversight of the 737 MAX, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The proposed settlement agreement is expected to be filed in the coming days in Delaware Chancery Court, and is subject to approval by a judge, the people said. It would likely include provisions to increase internal safety oversight, they said.

One of the people added that the monetary portion of the agreement could be around $250 million, and would be paid by insurers.

A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The settlement agreement was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.

In an amended complaint unsealed in February, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who heads the state pension fund, and other investors argued that Boeing's board had breached its fiduciary duties and acted with gross negligence by failing "to monitor the safety of Boeing's 737 MAX airplanes."

The lawsuit, also filed in Delaware Chancery Court, alleges that the board did not develop any tools to evaluate and monitor airplane safety until after 737 MAX crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people in a span of five months, and the fleet was grounded.

In March, Boeing asked the Delaware court to throw out the shareholders' lawsuit, saying the board had engaged in "robust and well-established" oversight of jet's development.

In its motion to dismiss the complaint, Boeing said the plaintiffs ignored "the robust systems that had long been in place" to keep the board informed about significant risk issues.

"Boeing's Directors maintained this high scrutiny, moreover, during a period in which commercial aircraft, and Boeing's in particular, achieved ever higher levels of safety," Boeing said, "a trend that cannot be squared with Plaintiffs' simplistic narrative about a 'safety-engineering culture' that had been 'intentionally dismantled.'"

Since 2019, Boeing's board has improved oversight of Boeing's engineering and industrial operations, and added new board members.

The settlement agreement was expected to add additional oversight.

Boeing acknowledged, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Justice Department in January, that the company concealed details about a crucial flight control system at the centre of the two crashes from the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Check out latest videos from DH:
This was supposed to be Jack Ma's finest hour: a year ago to the day, his Ant Group was meant to go public in a $37 billion blaze of glory. Instead Beijing reined in his empire, abruptly clipping the wings of corporate China's biggest star.

Now, to the cautious cheer of investors, the billionaire Alibaba e-commerce tycoon is taking his first tentative steps back on to the global stage with a low-key trip to Europe where he's cultivating hobbies like horticulture.

Also read: Alibaba shares soar after Jack Ma reported on Europe trip

It's a far cry from the height of Ma's statesman-like powers in 2017 when he travelled to New York to meet President-elect Donald Trump for one-on-one talks in Trump Tower days before inauguration and promised to create a million American jobs.

That high-profile outing had roiled the Chinese government, which first learned of the meeting and jobs pledge along with the rest of the world when Ma held an informal televised Q&A session with reporters in the lobby of the skyscraper, according to four people close to Alibaba with knowledge of the matter and one Beijing government source.

Alibaba's government relations team was subsequently told by Chinese officials that Beijing was unhappy about Ma meeting Trump without its prior approval, two of the people close to the company said.

Ma's charitable foundation, which handles his media queries, did not respond to a request for comment.

The State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. All the sources declined to be named due to sensitivity of the matter.

The meeting on January 9 came at a time of taut tensions between the two countries after Trump was critical of China during his election campaign, blaming it for the loss of American jobs.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment.

The four people close to Alibaba said they believed the meeting was a negative turning point in the relationship between Ma and Beijing. They did not elaborate on their thinking.

Investors are hungry for clues about Ma's situation: the mere sighting of the businessman on the Spanish island of Mallorca last month, his first trip abroad in over a year, immediately saw Alibaba gain as much as $42 billion in value.

The story of his fall from official favour helps illustrate how rapidly China has transformed under Xi Jinping, as he nears what could be a precedent-breaking third term as leader of the economic powerhouse and exerts greater control over some of its most innovative companies.

'A natural first target'

Authorities cracked down on Ma's business empire after he gave a speech in Shanghai in October last year accusing financial watchdogs of stifling innovation. Regulators suspended the $37 billion listing of his fintech firm Ant Group two days before the planned debut on November 5, ordered that Ant be restructured and launched antitrust investigations into Ma's businesses, eventually leading to a record $2.75 billion fine for Alibaba in April.

Also read: Billionaire Jack Ma on first trip abroad after China's crackdown on Alibaba

The clampdown has spread across the private sector, with officials tightening oversight of companies in technology, real estate, gaming, education, cryptocurrencies and finance.

"Given that Jack appeared too provocative, out of step with the new approach to governance espoused by Xi, he was a natural first target to signal that a major change had begun," said Duncan Clark, chairman of Beijing-based investment advisory firm BDA China and author of a book on Alibaba and Ma.

"Jack was rubbing shoulders regularly with foreign presidents, prime ministers, royalty, celebrities at places like Davos or on his own visits overseas. There was a constant stream of VIP visitors to see him in Hangzhou too."

Ma's global outreach did not end after the Trump meeting, though.

Between 2018 and 2020 he held talks with a host of high-profile figures, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Queen Rania of Jordan, Malaysia's veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad and then Belgian premier Charles Michel, according to Alibaba's news portal Alizila and media reports.

At Alibaba's Hangzhou headquarters, it has a building housing the company's museum where Ma and his business partner Joe Tsai would take foreign visitors and show them around, according to another person close to Ma.

Tsai did not respond to a request for comment via Alibaba.

Ma had viewed meetings with foreign politicians as "unofficial diplomacy" for China, which he enjoyed doing, the person added.

Alibaba told Reuters it had a guest reception facility widely known as Pavilion 9 that offered a visual tour of its history and an overview of its businesses. It has hosted a wide variety of guests at the exhibition hall in its headquarters, it added.

The company did not respond to other queries for this story.

'Just like you and me'

In a sign of how life has changed for one of China's most successful and influential businessmen, Ma requested an audience with at least two people in Xi's inner circle in the weeks following the blocking of Ant's listing, but his requests were turned down by both, said two separate sources briefed by those people.

The billionaire subsequently wrote directly to Xi earlier this year offering to devote the rest of his life to China's rural education, according to a government source who said the president spoke about the letter at a meeting of the country's senior leaders in May.

Also read: Water tycoon Shanshan now China's richest man as wealth crackdown batters Jack Ma

Reuters could not determine whether Xi approved of or responded to the offer, which has not been previously reported, or precisely when Ma, a former English teacher, penned the missive.

The Alibaba-owned South China Morning Post said last month Ma was visiting Europe on an "agriculture and technology study tour related to environmental issues", citing a person familiar with his itinerary.

Last week the paper published pictures of Ma wearing a white protective gown and holding flowerpots. It said he would continue touring European companies and research institutions involved in agricultural infrastructure and plant breeding, citing people familiar with his plans.

Tsai, the co-founder of Alibaba, played down his long-time associate's influence in a rare interview about the elusive billionaire with CNBC's Squawk Box show in June.

"He's lying low right now. I talk to him every day," Tsai said. "The idea that Jack has this enormous amount of power, I think that's not quite right," he added.

"He is just like you and me, he's a normal individual."

Check out latest DH videos here:
A shortage of nitrogen fertiliser due to soaring natural gas prices is threatening to reduce global crop yields next year, CF Industries, a major producer of the crop nutrient, said on Thursday.

European gas prices have jumped amid high demand, as economies recover from the pandemic and with below-average gas storage levels at the start of the winter heating season. Natural gas is a key input in the production of nitrogen-based fertilisers and higher costs have caused some producers to cut production.

"Who's going to get the scarce tons that are out there? ... There's going to be a lot of unmet demand that's going to be pent up," CF Chief Executive Tony Will told analysts on a conference call. "And so we do think yield is going to be, on a global basis, off next year. Not because of demand destruction, just because there's not enough tons available."

Prices of nitrogen fertiliser, one of the most commonly used fertilisers to boost production of corn, canola and other crops, are at their highest levels in more than a decade.

Hurricane Ida also hit CF's ammonia plants in Louisiana in late August, forcing them to halt production.

Strong global fertiliser demand looks set to last into at least 2023, CF Senior Vice-President of Sales Bert Frost said.

US-based CF's predictions of constrained crop production echo those last month of Norwegian rival Yara International ASA , which warned rising fertiliser costs would drive up food prices and could lead to famine.

Russia will limit exports of nitrogen fertilisers for six months to try to curb any further increase in food prices, its prime minister said on Wednesday. China is also limiting nitrogen exports.

CF reported on Wednesday a $185 million quarterly net loss, factoring in an impairment charge related to shutting its United Kingdom operations in September due to high natural gas costs.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
A trial of Pfizer Inc's experimental antiviral pill for Covid-19 was stopped early after the drug was shown to cut by 89% the chances of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of developing severe disease, the company said on Friday.

The results appear to surpass those seen with Merck & Co Inc's pill molnupiravir, which was shown last month to halve the likelihood of dying or being hospitalized for Covid-19 patients also at high risk of serious illness.

Full trial data is not yet available from either company.

Also Read | Are Covid-19 boosters the same as original vaccines?

Pfizer said that it plans to submit interim trial results for its pill, which is given in combination with an older antiviral called ritonavir, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of the emergency use application it opened in October.

The combination treatment, which will have the brand name Paxlovid, consists of three pills given twice daily.

The planned analysis of 1,219 patients in Pfizer's study looked at hospitalizations or deaths among people diagnosed with mild to moderate Covid-19 with at least one risk factor for developing severe diseases, such as obesity or older age.

Also Read | Saudi approves Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for age group 5-11

It found that 0.8% of those given Pfizer's drug within three days of symptom onset were hospitalized and none had died by 28 days after treatment. That compared with a hospitalization rate of 7% for placebo patients. There were also seven deaths in the placebo group.

Rates were similar for patients treated within five days of symptoms - 1% of the treatment group was hospitalized, compared with 6.7% for the placebo group, which included 10 deaths.

Antivirals need to be given as early as possible, before an infection takes hold, in order to be most effective. Merck tested its drug within five days of symptom onset.

Also Read | Which countries are vaccinating children against Covid-19?

"We saw that we did have high efficacy, even if it was five days after a patient has been treated ... people might wait a couple of days before getting a test or something, and this means that we have time to treat people and really provide a benefit from a public health perspective," Annaliesa Anderson, head of the Pfizer program, told Reuters.

The company did not detail the side effects of the treatment but said adverse events happened in about 20% of both treatment and placebo patients.

"These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate if approved by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients lives, reduce the severity of Covid-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations, Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said in a statement.

Also Read | WHO approves Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for Emergency Use Listing

Infectious disease experts stress that preventing Covid-19 through the wide use of vaccines remains the best way to control the pandemic, but only 58% of Americans are fully vaccinated and access in many parts of the world is limited.

Pfizer's drug, part of a class known as protease inhibitors, is designed to block an enzyme the coronavirus needs in order to multiply.

Merck's molnupiravir has a different mechanism of action designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus. Merck has already sold millions of courses of the treatment, which was approved this week by U.K. regulators, to the United States, the UK and others.

Also Read | Covaxin shelf life extended to 12 months from manufacturing date

Britain said earlier this month it had secured 250,000 courses of Pfizer's antiviral.

Pfizer is also studying whether its pill could be used by people without risk factors for serious Covid-19 as well as to prevent coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Google Pixel Fold was rumoured to launch along with Pixel 6, 6 Pro but it never materialised and now, a new report has emerged that the elusive foldable phone is still under works and may see the light of the day in 2022.

While browsing through the software code of the latest Google Camera app, folks at 9to5Google's APK Insight have detected a mysterious device name code 'Pipit' understood to be the codename for Pixel Fold handset.

The application teardown also revealed that the Pixel Fold will feature 12.2MP (with Sony IMX363 sensor), which is likely to be incorporated on the backside. It will also feature two 8MP snapper (with IMX355), one inside and the other on the cover display.

It should be noted that the camera sensors are a bit downgrade compared to the current flagship Pixel 6 Pro, but we believe that the Google Pixel Fold will still be able to support all key features such as Magic eraser, face unblur, motion picture mode with the improved photography software.

Also, it is likely to come with a second-generation Tensor chipset. It is believed that the Pixel Fold may launch in the first half of 2022, as Google is slated to release Android 12L, specially designed for foldable phones, tablets, and Chromebooks.

Must read | Android 12L: Key features you should know

More details related to Google Pixel Fold are expected to make their way to the web in the coming months.

Stay tuned. Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Sooryavanshi

Hindi (Theatres)

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Gulshan Grover, Jackie Shroff

Rating: 2.5/5

The best part of Sooryavanshi is when Simmba Bhalerao (Ranveer Singh) and Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgn) join Veer Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) in a high-octane clash against terrorists. The final 15-20 minutes is fun as the trio revels in slick action and whacky comedy.

Apart from that, Sooryavanshi is a tame Akshay Kumar star vehicle in a familiar theme of Indias fight against terrorism. Instead of expanding his cop universe with the story of another upright officer, director Rohit Shetty should have pulled off an ambitious film with a meaty plot for the three idiosyncratic policemen to shine equally.

DCP Veer Sooryavanshi, the main man of the Anti-Terrorism Squad, is tasked to stop Pakistani terrorists from executing a gruesome attack on Mumbai. The done-to-death story has cliched antagonists (Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Abhimanyu Singh, and Kumud Mishra), who are too toothless and unintelligent for the dangerous job.

Its an Akshay Kumar film, so you expectedly see the protagonist champion his Indianness in several scenes. Just that, the director prefers an in-your-face approach to instill patriotism in the viewers instead of organically placing the concept into the narrative.

The film is an action thriller. So cinematically, it feels out of place to see the protagonist delivering long speeches on secularism and patriotism in the middle of many tense operations.

Sooryavanshi fails to humanise its central character. He is in a tumultuous relationship with his wife Riya (Katrina Kaif). We dont emotionally relate to this conflict courtesy of Rohit Shettys poor writing. The films weakest link is the portrayal of Sooryavanshis personal life.

He meets doctor Riya in a ridiculously bad scene, and the duo's love story is showcased with zero conviction. Despite being a seasoned filmmaker, Rohit Shettys handling of emotions is terrible. The best example is how he fails to extract a credible performance from Katrina, who is otherwise a decent actor.

She sounds awful while delivering the bland dialogues. There is no scope to be unique in a character that unfairly makes her the sole reason for the rift in the relationship. Rohit Shetty fails to flesh out the dynamics of their bond.

The film doesnt deliver on the promise of being an ode to the Mumbai police. We dont get to see the lives of his subordinates as the focus is completely on the hero. Hence, when Sooryavanshis colleague Thambe (Ashish Warang) dies in a blast, there is amplified melodrama in the film but we are not moved.

Sooryavanshi opens with the narration on Mumbai being the target of terror attacks since the 1993 multiple bombings. Yet, the citys undying spirit or the families of the terror attacks victims dont find a place in the plot. Not believing in a holistic approach, Rohit Shetty plays to the gallery, like needlessly adding a raunchy rain song (remix of the classic 'Tip Tip Barsa Paani') featuring Katrina in the second half.

One positive surprise was the films action sequences. Some thought seems to have gone in designing the shootouts and chases. Akshay Kumar pulls off the stylish and racy action with elan. However, the pre-climax scene embraces Rohit Shettys over-the-top style.

Sooryavanshi is an ordinary film that's watchable. Perhaps you cant expect more from a filmmaker who loves the idea of being ordinary and never raises the bar.
China vowed Friday to punish "diehard" Taiwan politicians, saying it would ban several from visiting the mainland, as tensions between Beijing and Taipei spiked to their highest level in years.

China claims Taiwan as its territory -- to be seized one day, by force if necessary -- and has intensified efforts in recent years to isolate the self-ruled island on the international stage.

On Friday, the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing warned that "the mainland will pursue criminal responsibility for Taiwan independence diehards in accordance with the law, to be effective for life".

The statement by spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian named Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang, parliament speaker Yu Shyi-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu as among a minority of independence supporters.

Also Read: US Republicans want billions for Taiwan military aid to counter China

Zhu said the politicians "have tried to instigate cross-strait confrontation, maliciously attacked and slandered the mainland... severely undermining cross-strait relations". She added that Beijing has prohibited them and their family members from entering the mainland, Hong Kong or Macau. Their affiliates would also be restricted from cooperating with mainland organisations and individuals, she said, without giving more details.

The nationalist Kuomintang party fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the Chinese civil war. The island of 24 million people has since transformed into a vibrant democracy and major tech hub, leading many -- including President Tsai Ing-wen -- to assert Taiwan's distinct identity, which Beijing attacks as separatism.

Beijing-Taipei ties have plunged since Tsai rose to power in 2016.

Also Read: China's advice to stockpile sparks speculation of Taiwan war

"Those who forget their ancestors, betray their motherland and split the country will not come to a good end," Zhu said.

The comments came a day after the head of a visiting European Parliament delegation to Taipei called Taiwan's democracy "a treasure" to be protected, promising to stand with the island.

China has dramatically ramped up military activities in recent years, with a record number of planes intruding into the island's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in early October.
An upmarket neighbourhood in Medellin, Colombia briefly resembled the award-winning Spanish crime series Money Heist on Thursday when 20 masked robbers engaged in a shoot-out with police, before 11 were arrested.

Footage of the incident posted on social media showed robbers fleeing on motorbikes after police thwarted their attempt to plunder a gold warehouse.

It was "a robbery attempt by an organised criminal gang that seemingly prepared this robbery for months, who thought they were going to pull off 'Money Heist' here," Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero told journalists.

Also read: Gang shootout in northern Mexico leaves four dead

"Let that be a message to all criminals who think they're going to do a Netflix here, no sir!" Quintero added.

He said 11 people were detained following the shoot-out, one of whom was injured and treated in the hospital.

Police Chief Javier Jose Martin said security forces initially apprehended a suspect close to the warehouse.

"When this criminal saw the patrol, he got scared, alerted the other criminals who were inside the establishment and began a confrontation with firearms," said Martin.

Two police officers were "lightly injured" in the shoot-out, which took place in the middle of the day.

Seven firearms, five motorcycles, six bullet-proof vests and a vehicle were seized, police said.

Medellin was no stranger to gang violence in the 1980s and '90s when the local drug baron Pablo Escobar launched a war against authorities.

The city of 2.5 million recorded 332 murders between January and November this year.

Check out latest DH videos here:
Connecting everyone in the world to the web will not single-handedly bridge the digital divide, tech experts at the Web Summit said this week, citing other invisible barriers like high costs, low digital literacy, and complicated user interfaces.

The so-called "digital divide" refers to the gap between those who have access to computers and the internet and those who don't, with the latter group made up of nearly half the world's population, according to the United Nations.

With many essential services like schooling and banking moving online, the coronavirus pandemic has brought new urgency to global efforts to get the unconnected online by bringing internet coverage to remote or deprived areas.

Also Read | G7 countries reach breakthrough on digital trade and data

"(Covid-19) made us clearly understand that what used to be seen as a 'nice-to-have' technology is now a 'must-have'," said 'Gbenga Sesan, executive director of Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise working on digital inclusion.

Reaching everyone can be a daunting task.

Even identifying where exactly internet access is needed is no easy feat in parts of the globe, said Sophia Farrar, who leads a programme that uses satellite imagery and other data to locate offline schools and get them connected.

"No one actually knows how many schools there are in the world," Farrar, of the UN children's agency UNICEF, told a panel at Europe's biggest tech conference in Lisbon.

Also Read | Will the liberal arts have a place in the digital world?

"What we aim to achieve through the mapping is even just setting what that baseline target is."

Increased mobile penetration has accelerated the process.

The number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide jumped more than 75 per cent to nearly six billion, including people with multiple accounts, between 2015 and 2020, according to the International Telecommunication Union.

Only about 450 million people live in areas not covered by mobile broadband, according to the telecoms lobby group GSMA.

But even where there is coverage, more than 3 billion are not online, largely because they lack tools, skills, and money to make use of it, said Robert Opp, a chief digital officer at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

"If you just connect somebody with infrastructure, it doesn't mean that you're going to have productive use of your internet connection," told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview.

Also Read | Consent in the digital age

Cost is one major barrier, he noted.

There are only a few developing countries where internet prices are in line with the UN's target of less than 2 per cent of the national average monthly income, Opp said.

Even in rich nations like Britain or the United States poor people often can't afford to buy data, an issue that has sparked calls for price caps and motivated some countries to declare the internet an essential public service during the pandemic.

Others might not have the skills to navigate often complex, jargon-filled websites and applications, Opp added.

The problem has come to the fore with Covid-19 vaccine rollouts, like the elderly and the frail in countries from Sweden to South Africa report having trouble booking their shots online.

Lack of digital literacy also leaves people exposed to risks such as misinformation and loss of privacy, said Opp.

Also Read | How digital cash can lift Gross National Happiness

While education is key to helping people protect themselves online, designing digital tools that are easier to understand and tailored for the communities they are meant to serve is also essential, said Howard Pyle, a digital designer turned social entrepreneur.

"Most websites and mobile apps are designed for digitally privileged users who already know how to use those tools - typically the most profitable users that companies will get most traction with," Pyle said in an interview at the Web Summit.

"But this excludes people who have different needs or different abilities, for example, those who are older or lack experience with technology or lower income users who have limits in terms of the types of devices they have access to."

Pyle's social enterprise, ExperienceFutures, looks to help firms and governments make their web services more accessible by cutting jargon and complexity and involving the communities they are trying to serve at the design stage.

"At the moment, there is too much emphasis on trying to create one-size-fits-all tools and expect users to learn how to use them," he said.

"We have to evolve to a place where the technology is flexible enough that individuals can understand it based on their abilities."

Check out the latest videos from DH:
Lawmakers were set to vote Friday on giant twin bills at the center of Joe Biden's $3 trillion blueprint to fix America's crumbling transport network, expand its social safety net and tackle the climate crisis, on the biggest day so far of his presidency.

Success on both fronts would be a huge boon to Biden, 10 months after he swept to the White House promising the pandemic-devastated nation he would "build back better" -- before seeing his popularity plunge.

The House of Representatives was expected to pass the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package for Biden to sign into law after taking a vote to advance an even bigger social welfare bill, worth up to $1.85 trillion, to the Senate.

"I'm asking every House member... to vote yes on both these bills right now. Send the infrastructure bill to my desk, send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate," Biden said in a televised address from the White House.

"Let's build on incredible economic progress, build on what we've already done, because this will be such a boost when it occurs. Let's show the world that America's democracy can deliver and propel our country forward."

Biden's low approval ratings were blamed in part for a humiliating upset defeat this week in Virginia's gubernatorial election.

The infrastructure deal's final approval would mark an unambiguous, resounding and immediate victory for the 78-year old former senator, who touts his ability to reach across the aisle.

By funding work on roads, bridges and ports and high-speed internet, the White House says it would create millions of high-paying jobs for people without college degrees.

"America is at a crossroads and it is essential that we take action to enact both of these bills and set our country on a path to continued, equitable recovery," House Leader Steny Hoyer said in a statement.

But the social spending bill -- named Build Back Better -- was still facing headwinds mid-morning, with up to five lawmakers seeking a full accounting of its economic impacts that won't be available for days.

It also does not have the Senate's blessing and is likely to be downsized significantly and put through further arduous votes by moderates in the upper chamber who continue to stiff-arm a deal.

"It will not be enacted as is. Everybody needs to sit with that and get comfortable with it," Montana's Democratic senator Jon Tester told Politico.

The votes cap months of tense negotiations on Capitol Hill since the Senate approved the infrastructure package in August, giving it rare bipartisan support in Washington's highly-polarized political atmosphere.

The package has since been held up by wrangling over the size and scope of Build Back Better, which progressives wanted to pass at the same time.

The infrastructure plan, which spans transport, broadband expansion, clean water measures, electric charging stations and other measures to fight climate change, calls for $550 billion in new federal spending.

Its top line of $1.2 trillion -- the equivalent of Spain's 2020 gross domestic product -- relies on other public funds that have already been approved.

Needing just a simple majority, the infrastructure package passed the Senate by 69 votes to 30 with backing from a third of Republican Senators.

But most House Republicans are expected to withhold their support after former president Donald Trump threatened reprisals for helping to hand Biden a political win.

The bill is a key element of Biden's sweeping domestic agenda aimed at structuring a greener, more equitable economy.

Democrats in both chambers are still haggling over the Build Back Better package that includes major investments in health, education, tackling climate change and expanding social welfare programs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spent Thursday painstakingly bringing aboard holdouts over multiple sticking points, from prescription drug pricing to immigration provisions.

If there is no Republican support, House Democrats can only afford to lose three votes for the bill to pass on Friday.

Pelosi prides herself on never bringing a vote to the floor for which she has not already garnered sufficient backing, however -- suggesting she was able to twist some arms.

But one major hurdle remained on Friday morning, with several moderate holdouts insisting on a full economic impact assessment of the sprawling 2,135-page bill from the non-partisan congressional budget office.

This would likely take 10 to 14 days, however.

Check out the latest videos from DH:
Little magazines have faced a tough time over the past year but are now back, making up for lost time.

Rutha, launched in late 2019 from a home office in Basavanagudi, had published six editions when it had to take a break. Our goal was to bring out an edition every month for 11 months, and one special edition at the end of the year. But sadly, Covid had other plans, says Madhava Ithal, editor and publisher.

Rutha has brought out issues on a variety of themes, including feminism and tribal culture. With a team of five, it became difficult to bring out an edition every month, Ithal says. The printers shut down during the lockdowns. Plus, with the postal service being affected, we had no way of getting the magazines across to our subscribers, he says.

Matukate, the quarterly magazine published by the well-known theatre institute Ninasam in Heggodu, faced similar problems. We eventually clubbed two editions, says K V Akshara, honorary director, Ninasam.

While financial troubles hindered publication, donations received from all over Karnataka helped.

The journal has been in print since 1987 and focuses predominantly on theatre, art and culture. It currently has 800 subscribers.

Ananya Kalasinchana, a bilingual monthly music magazine, is published by Ananya, a non-profit cultural organisation based in Bengaluru. It stopped its print edition last year and is now a free online magazine. It is no longer viable to bring out a print edition, says R V Raghavendra, founder. He edits the magazine along with his wife Pramila Bai.

We are a team of just eight, and so we decided to shift online. This way, we might reach more people, he told Metrolife.

Since transitioning online, the magazine has acquired 7,000 readers, reached mainly through email and WhatsApp. It is popular for its feature articles on classical music and dance.

Dearth of contributors

Ananya Kalasinchana, running since 1998 as a Kannada magazine, became bilingual in the recent years. It was earlier known as Ananya Abhivyakti.

Over the years, weve lost many of the older Kannada writers. Plus, many are no longer contributing since we moved online. We have a lot of young contributors and they write in English, he says.

T S Goravara, editor of the literary journal Akshar Sangaatha, agrees writing talent is getting harder to find. We have to dig deep and go hunting. I have found some gems but it takes time and patience to guide fresh writers, says the writer, who also launched a bookstore in Dharwad two months ago.

Akshara feels writing today has become too crisp, leaving no room for writers who write long form.

In most magazines, a piece is just 500 to 900 words, and this might be one of the reasons many contributors dont come forward to write. We dont follow this. If you are passionate about something and give us a 20-page article, we publish it, he says.

Subscription net

Akshar Sangaatha, launched in 2018, celebrated its third anniversary earlier this year. The subscription model has helped it stay afloat, says editor Goravara. Thankfully we didnt have to face many financial challenges. We did have to miss an edition because of postal restrictions, but we tried to make up for it by bringing out a special edition, he says.

Ithal believes a little magazine can survive on just subscriptions if it gets about 2,000 on its list. That is our goal, he explains. Rutha also goes out to universities and libraries across the state, and is not available on the stands.

Future online?

For Ananya Kalasinchana, now also available as an Android app, shifting online has come with its own problems. While younger subscribers have adapted to it easily, older readers find it hard to read on the phone, and not many have access to laptops and computers, Raghavendra says.

Rutha plans to launch its e-version soon. We will not be stopping our print edition, this will be in addition to it, says Ithal. However, he believes nothing can compare to the joy of reading in print.

Goravara agrees print is something we should not let die. Even if Akshar Sangaatha does go online, print is what is demanded by universities and libraries across the country, he says.

Sangaathas subscriptions have doubled from 800 in 2018 to 1,600 in 2021. Goravara was honoured as a DH Changemaker in 2021.

Labour of love

Little magazines feature high-quality articles by well-known writers. They also encourage fresh writers and explore themes often ignored by the mainstream press. The editing and office are managed by passionate volunteers.

Feisty efforts

Akshar Sangaatha: Literary journal, four editions a year. Edited by T S Goravara. Published from Dharwad. Annual subscription: Rs 600. Contact: Sangaata2018@gmail.com

Rutha: Arts and politics monthly. Edited by Madhava Ithal, Santosh Naik and Sushma Kashyap. Published from Bengaluru. Annual subscription: Rs 600. Contact: editor@ruthamedia.com

Matukate: Arts and culture quarterly, with a focus on theatre. Edited by Madhava Chipale. Published from Heggodu, Shivamogga district. Annual subscription: Rs 100. Visit: ninasam.org

Ananya Kalasinchana: Classical music and dance monthly. Edited by R V Raghavendra and Pramila Bai. Published from Bengaluru. Free online magazine. Contact: ananyakalasinchana@gmail.com
China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh, claimed the US Department of Defense in its annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving China.

These and other infrastructure development efforts along the India-China border have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media, it stated.

The report also specifically points out that China has attempted to blame India for provoking the standoff through India's "increased infrastructure development" near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Also Read | China continues incremental and tactical actions to press territorial claims with India: Pentagon

Asserting that its deployments to the LAC were in response to Indian provocation, Beijing has refused to withdraw any forces until India's forces have withdrawn behind its version of the LAC and ceased infrastructure improvements in the area, it stated.

Chinese state-controlled media forcefully asserted China's intent to refuse any territorial concessions demanded by India.

"PRC (People's Republic of China) officials, through official statements and state media, had also sought unsuccessfully to prevent India from deepening its relationship with the US during and subsequent to the standoff, while accusing India of being a mere 'instrument' of US policy in the region," it stated.

Also Read | Ladakh stand-off: Failure of talks cause for concern

The department also asserted that Chinese officials have warned US officials to not interfere with their relationship with India.

Elaborating about India and China border dispute in the last 18 months, it stated that despite the ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues to reduce border tensions, the PRC has continued taking incremental and tactical actions to press its claims at the LAC.

The report stated that tensions with India along the LAC sparked an ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in mid-May 2020, which lasted through the winter.

Also Read | Standoff clashes with China: 20 ITBP personnel honoured with gallantry medals

The standoff escalated on June 15, 2020, after a skirmish ensued in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh between the Indian Army and PLA troops that resulted in casualties on both sides, including the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers.

In February 2021, the Central Military Commission (CMC) announced posthumous awards for four PLA soldiers, "though the total number of PRC casualties remains unknown".

The current standoff between the two nations resulted in the first deaths in the last 45 years.

Despite agreements to disengage in the spring of 2021, both sides maintain troops along the LAC as Corps Commander-level negotiations progress slowly.

Read | India deploys US weapons to fortify disputed border with china

The report stated that differing perceptions of border demarcations along the LAC joined with recent infrastructure construction, led to multiple unarmed clashes, an ongoing standoff, and military buildups on both sides of the border.

It also stated that throughout the standoff, PRC officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing's intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India.

The PRC seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the US.

As of June 2021, the PRC and India continue to maintain large-scale deployments along the LAC and make preparations to sustain these forces while disengagement negotiations have made limited progress, the report stated.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Buildings were decorated with earthen lamps and colourful lights while people, dressed in their finest, exchanged gifts on Diwali which was celebrated across India amid Covid curbs and restrictions on firecrackers in some states.

People visiting temples maintained social distancing while many took the virtual route to convey their greetings although active Covid cases in India declined to the lowest number in 253 days.

One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Diwali is associated with the day Lord Ram is believed to have returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after defeating Ravana during his 14 years in exile and is seen as a celebration of the victory of good over evil.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Diwali and hoped for their happiness and prosperity. Senior leaders across political parties took to social media to extend their best wishes.

On the occasion, Modi met soldiers at Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir and lauded the role played by the brigade there in surgical strikes. India had conducted surgical strikes on September 29, 2016, across the Line of Control as a response to a terrorist attack on an Army base in the Uri sector.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on lit a lamp on Diwali in honour of Indian soldiers.

BSF personnel and Pakistan Rangers exchanged sweets and Diwali wishes on the international border in Gujarat and Rajasthan's Barmer.

In the national capital, skies hung heavy with smoke and its air quality inched towards the 'severe' category on Diwali night as people burst firecrackers in a blatant disregard to the government's ban against it. Experts predicted that Delhi's air quality may plunge to the 'severe' category by midnight.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his wife and cabinet ministers performed Diwali Puja at Thyagaraj stadium from a stage modelled on the upcoming Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Across Punjab and Haryana, devotees queued up at temples and gurdwaras to pay their obeisance amid tight security.

Bandi Chhor Divas, which coincides with Diwali, was also celebrated in Punjab. It marks the release of the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, along with 52 kings, from Mughal prison in 1620.

After his release, Guru Hargobind had reached the Golden Temple in Amritsar and the city was illuminated as people had lit 'diyas' to celebrate the occasion. The Golden Temple witnessed a huge rush of devotees since early morning who took a dip in its holy pond and offered prayers.

Detailed instructions have been issued to authorities in Punjab about maintaining strict vigil on Diwali night so that the government's directive about bursting only green crackers for two hours -- 8 pm to 10 pm -- are not violated. Chandigarh has imposed a complete ban on the sale or use of any type of firecrackers.

Several incidents of high-intensity cracker bursting were reported from Gurgaon and Faridabad despite the Haryana government banning the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in 14 of its districts in the National Capital Region, while curbs were put in other parts.

Amid the restrictions put in place by courts on the bursting of firecrackers, Kali Puja celebrations in West Bengal began early in the day with many people thronging temples with the queues getting longer as the day progressed.

A trustee of the much-revered Dakshineswar temple said the management has made sure that all Covid-19 protocols were being followed on the premises. Visitors will have to undergo temperature checks at the entry point, he said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar extended their wishes to people on the occasion.

A huge rush was also witnessed at the city's Kalighat temple, close to the CM's residence, with the management trying its best to stop people from huddling together on the premises.

The chief minister performs Kali puja at her residence every year, with several politicians and dignitaries attending the occasion.

In neighbouring Odisha, the Puri district administration clamped prohibitory orders around the Jagannath Temple to avoid crowding and prevent people from observing 'Paya Shraddha', paying obeisance to their forefathers in the 12th-century shrine which remained closed.

Burning of 'Kaunriya Kathis' (jute sticks) in front of Lion's Gate of the temple, a part of the ritual, was also not allowed.

Similar restrictions have been imposed at the Dhabaleswar temple in Cuttack district. In Bhubaneswar people have been prohibited from offering 'Paya Shraddha' at Bindusagar tank and the Lion's Gate of the Lingaraj Temple.

Goa ushered in the Diwali festivities with the burning of giant effigies of mythological demon king Narakasur. Youths dressed as Lord Krishna burnt the effigies of Narakasura at several places.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant conveyed his greetings to citizens, wishing happiness and prosperity to everyone.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan chose to celebrate Diwali with children who have lost one or both parents to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had lunch with 66 children from Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Vidisha, Rajgarh and Hoshangabad districts at his official residence, said an official.

Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrated Diwali with soldiers in the border village of Mana. After that, they left for Badrinath where they prayed for prosperity and well-being of the state and the country.
Leaders cutting across the political divide gathered at Rabindra Sadan here on Friday to pay their last respects to former West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, who died after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at a state-run hospital.

Senior Trinamool Congress leaders Firhad Hakim and Arup Biswas, the Congress Abdul Mannan and Pradip Bhattacharya, as well as Dilip Ghosh and Rahul Sinha of the BJP paid tributes to the former Kolkata mayor.

Also read: Subrata Mukherjee: A man for all seasons

CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra and party spokesperson Sujan Chakraborty also paid their last respects to Mukherjee, who passed away at SSKM Hospital around 9.22 pm on Thursday evening.

"I have grown up seeing Subratada. He was my childhood hero. There were numerous instances when I approached him for advice and he always guided me. I have lost my big brother," Hakim told PTI.

Ghosh, vice-president of the BJP, said, His contribution to Bengal politics will never be forgotten. He was the Bhishma Pitamah of Bengal politics. This is a big loss for all of us.

Thousands of admirers and supporters of the veteran politician assembled at Rabindra Sadan, too, to pay homage to their beloved leader.

In his condolence message, industrialist Sanjiv Goenka said, In Subrata Mukherjee, we have lost a very good and a very capable leader. At a personal level, I had known him for over 35 years. Its a very deep personal loss.

Mukherjee, 75, who was hospitalised on October 24 following breathing problems, underwent angioplasty and two stents were inserted inside his blocked arteries on November 1.

"Subratadas body will first be taken to the state assembly and then to his residence in Ballygunge, followed by a visit to his club and finally to Keoratola crematorium for the last rites," a TMC leader said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday said the death of Mukherjee was a personal loss for her.

"I have faced many disasters in my life but this is a very big blow. I do not think there will be another man like Subrata da who was such a nice and hard-working person. The party and his constituency (Ballygunge) were his soul. I will not be able to see Subratada's body, she had told reporters at the hospital on Thursday.

Check out latest DH videos here:
Track DH's latest updates of news in India and across the world!
Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and six other states next year and current issues top the agenda of the BJP's national executive meeting scheduled to be held on Sunday in a hybrid mode, party leaders said on Friday.

This will be the BJP's first national executive meeting after J P Nadda took charge as the party president.

"In view of the ongoing Covid-19 protocols, all state presidents, state general secretaries (organisation), and national executive members of that respective state will attend the meeting virtually from their respective state party offices...," the BJP said in a communication to all its state units.

Also Read | BJP slams Congress, calls it biggest 'pickpocket' in country

National office-bearers, Union ministers, and Delhi leaders who are members of the national executive will attend the meeting physically at the NDMC Convention Centre here on November 7.

According to the party communication to its state units, the agenda features "discussion on the forthcoming assembly elections and other current issues."

Assembly elections in seven states are due in 2022.

Five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur -- will go to the polls early next year, while elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will be held in the later part of the year.

Also Read | 'I'm a woman, I can fight': Priyanka Gandhi aims to revive Congress

Barring Punjab, the BJP is in power in all these states.

Political observers view 2022 as a very crucial year for the BJP as the party has the uphill task of retaining power in six states, including politically crucial Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

The one-day national executive meeting will begin with the presidential address by Nadda and conclude with the valedictory address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Check out the latest videos from DH:
At a recent election rally, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the scion of India's Nehru-Gandhi family that dominates the opposition Congress party, strode on stage and asked the crowd to repeat after her: "I'm a woman, I can fight."

The slogan is at the heart of the party's bid to revive its fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that goes to the polls early next year, by winning over women voters who have long been marginalised but are starting to find a voice.

The Uttar Pradesh result will offer a clue as to whether the Congress, which dominated Indian politics for decades, can mount a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next general election in 2024.

Modi came to power in 2014 on promises of economic growth and a strong, modern India, and secured a convincing re-election victory in 2019.

His rise has come as the 136-year-old Congress has been mired in decline, in part because of leadership turmoil.

Also read: Congress in Uttar Pradesh: Flattering to deceive since 2007

Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi Vadra's brother, was unable to fire up voters and quit as Congress chief in July 2019 after a general election mauling.

The party is now led by their mother, Sonia Gandhi, as interim president, compounding a perception held by some that it is old-fashioned and overly reliant on the Gandhis.

With its secular legacy, the Congress portrays itself as an inclusive national party and it will be hoping an appeal to women-led by Gandhi Vadra, who only entered politics in 2019, will strike a chord as it presents an alternative to Modi's hardline Hindu agenda.

A spate of violence against women has alarmed voters across India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, which according to government data faces the highest number of gender crimes in the country, and Gandhi Vadra promised women change.

"I want to tell the women that I will fight for them, the Congress party will fight for them," Gandhi Vadra said on Sunday to cheers in the Gorakhpur stronghold of the state's chief minister, a Hindu monk and BJP stalwart, Yogi Adityanath.

In Uttar Pradesh, the well-organised BJP has been criticised for its handling of violence against women as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also facing protests by farmers opposed to Modi's liberalisation of agriculture.

An unusually high proportion of women attended the Gorakhpur rally - about a quarter of the estimated 40,000 people - suggesting the Congress message may be getting through.

Also Read | UP polls: Congress prepares separate manifesto for women, promises free LPG cylinders, bus rides

"People, especially women, have started looking at Congress with hope, that the party will stand with women and become their voice," said Sunita Mishra, 40, a party worker at the rally.

Voters had welcomed a Congress pledge to field women in 40% of the state's 403 assembly constituencies, said Mishra, helping her sign up 50 women as party cadre in the past few days.

The party has also promised electric scooters and smartphones to female students, free rides on government buses to all women, three free cooking-gas cylinders per family a year, and gender-based job reservations.

'Listening to sycophants'

But the Congress in Uttar Pradesh is suffering from a series of internal problems - mirroring its woes at the national level - with disenchantment in the rank-and-file and resignations of senior members as Gandhi Vadra tries to stamp her authority, current and former party officials said in interviews.

"The state leadership is listening only to sycophants and the number of such people has increased in the party in the last two years," said Rana Rahul Singh, a former Congress assembly candidate from Gorakhpur who recently quit the party.

"Grassroots workers in Congress are being neglected."

Gandhi Vadra's team did not respond to an interview request from Reuters but party spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate said reorganisation was underway.

"Changes are uneasy but changes are good," Shrinate said. "In the longer run, these changes are going to work."

A recent survey by polling agency CVoter projected that the BJP would easily win the state election with more than 240 of its 403 seats, with Congress likely finishing a distant fourth with just three to seven seats.

Also Read | Congress in UP: Has it finally got the Priyanka it needed?

In the last state election in 2017, which Congress fought in a coalition, it won only seven of 114 seats it contested, while the BJP won 312.

The proportion of women voters across India has steadily increased and some states now have more women casting votes than men, said Praveen Rai of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies think-tank in New Delhi.

"Whether it converts into more seats or not is a little difficult to predict," Rai said about Congress's focus on women. "But I think this is the right strategy for the party to make a comeback and create some political space for itself."

At the Gorakhpur rally, district Congress president Nirmala Paswan said she had hope in Gandhi Vadra.

"A lot of women are approaching us to join the party," she said. "Change is coming and women are going to bring it."

Check out latest videos from DH:
With a number of BJP-ruled states reducing taxes on petrol and diesel on Thursday and the party trying to frame it as a Diwali gift by the Modi government, the Congress took a swipe at the ruling party, saying the decision to slash the excise duty was driven by fear and not by a desire to lighten the common man's burden.

The steady rise in fuel prices had angered people and made sections in the saffron party jittery over fears of a blowback. The BJP is already under pressure over its handling of the Covid-19 crisis and facing anti-incumbency in poll-bound states. The excise duty cut, interestingly, came after the bye-election results and Congress leader P Chidambaram said it was a by-product of the bypolls.

After BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, which has the costliest fuel rates, announced a reduction in VAT, the spotlight will be on Opposition states to follow suit. So far, nine BJP-ruled states and two ruled by allies have reduced VAT on petrol and diesel. UP, which goes to polls in less than five months and is crucial for the BJP, is an agrarian state where a reduction in diesel prices is good news for farmers.

Read | 'Centre reduced fuel rates by Rs 5 after bypoll defeat'

All indications are that more Opposition-ruled states will soon slash taxes even as they argue that the BJP has done this after reading the writing on the wall, having lost seats in bypolls in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The ruling party believes that public pressure will finally prevail and Opposition-ruled states will have to reduce VAT on diesel as it affects farmers and the transport business substantially.

Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai said the tax cut on petrol and diesel is being pitched as a Diwali gift by BJP backers.

However, a cut in petrol prices is jarring and aimed at pleasing a largely angry and dissatisfied section of citizens. These measures, populist as they may sound, go against the grain of effective administration and market-linked price mechanisms.

Read | Fuel excise duty cut will give common man relief: Shah

But Kidwai added the measure is understandable as rising fuel prices mean rising anger, which any ruling political party can ill afford, more so with elections round the corner.

States which reduced VAT on both fuels include Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Goa (all BJP-ruled). Odisha (BJD) and Bihar (NDA) Uttarakhand, Gujarat (BJP), Sikkim (NDA) , Delhi (AAP) and Rajasthan (Congress) reduced their local taxes, making the fuel cheaper by different rates.

On Thursday evening, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh also announced a 4% cut in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Rs 1.50 cut in the cess on the two fuels; some states have done both.

While Home Minister Amit Shah called it Diwali gift by PM Modi, the Congress launched a broadside against the government, flagging the high fuel prices on Twitter under the hashtag Bhajaapa ne nikala Diwala (BJP made people bankrupt).

While youre having a happy Diwali millions of Indians are unable to go see their families because of the exorbitant fuel prices. What are you doing to control the soaring prices? the party asked in one of the tweets.

Interestingly, while the Congress was dismissive of the excise duty cut by the Centre, in Kerala the BJP and the Congress were on the same page.

Both criticised the CPI(M)-led Kerala governments stand that the state cannot reduce taxes on the fuels in the same manner as the Centre did it as a face saver. In West Bengal, the BJP asked the Mamata government to cut VAT.

Congress leader P Chidambaram said the excise duty was due to the bypolls. The results of the 30 Assembly and 3 LS by-elections have produced a by-product. The Centre has cut excise duties on petrol and diesel! he tweeted

Randeep Surjewala, chief of AICC communication department, termed it jumlanomics (slogan economics) of Modinomics (Modi economics).

While the Congress reminded that the cut has come only after a repeated rise in fuel prices, former NDA ally Shiv Sena said the BJP has to be defeated completely if the fuel prices have to be brought down by Rs 50.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
A fire broke out in a servants' quarter at the residence of Doordarshan's director at Shahjahan Road in New Delhi in the early hours of Friday, fire officials said.

The call about the fire was received at 2 am. Six people were rescued from the house, they said.

Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Domestic articles kept in the servants' quarter on the ground floor of the house of Doordarshan director Mahender Singh had caught fire, a senior fire official said.

Two people were rescued by locals before the firemen reached the spot. Four more people were rescued by the firemen and a woman was shifted to RML Hospital, he said.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Stubble burning accounted for 36 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Friday, the highest this season so far, according to government air quality forecast agency SAFAR.

"The overall air quality of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the 'severe' category with additional firework emissions The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36 per cent," said Gufran Beig, the founder-project director of SAFAR.

"Local winds have picked up, and fast dispersion (of pollutants) is expected now. Without any more firecracker emissions, the AQI will improve to the 'very poor' category by tonight although the stubble contribution is expected to remain almost the same (on Saturday)," he said.

Also Read | Party's over: Diwali leaves Delhi wheezing in dangerously unhealthy air

On Thursday, farm fires accounted for 25 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution.

Last year, the share of stubble burning in Delhi's pollution had peaked at 42 per cent on November 5. In 2019, crop residue burning accounted for 44 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on November 1.

The concentration of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 32 per cent on Diwali last year as compared to 19 per cent in 2019.

A thick layer of acrid smog engulfed the Delhi-NCR region on Friday following rampant cracker bursting on Diwali night amid a rapid increase in fumes from stubble burning.

Ahead of the festival season, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on crackers till January 1, 2022 and ran an aggressive campaign against the sale and use of crackers.

Delhi's air quality index entered the 'severe' zone Thursday night and continued its upward trend to reach 462 at 12 noon on Friday.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (460), Greater Noida (423), Ghaziabad (450), Gurgaon (478) and Noida (466) recorded severe air quality at 12 noon.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Russia, Iran and almost all central Asian countries have confirmed their participation at a regional security dialogue on Afghanistan to be hosted by India on November 10, official sources said on Friday.

Pakistan's media comments to not participate in the dialogue is unfortunate but not surprising and it reflected Islamabad's mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its "protectorate", they said.

The sources said Pakistan's comments against India on the matter are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its "pernicious role" in Afghanistan.

India is hosting the dialogue to discuss the overall security situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban's capture of power in the country.

The meeting will be held at the level of the national security advisers of the participating countries. India's NSA Ajit Doval will chair the dialogue.

Two earlier meetings in this format have been held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019, the sources said adding the third meeting in India could not be held earlier due to the pandemic.

"There has been an overwhelming response to India's invitation. Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed participation. The enthusiastic response is a manifestation of the importance attached to India's role in regional efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan," said a source.

It is for the first time that all Central Asian countries and not just Afghanistan's immediate land neighbours are participating in this format, the sources said.

They said invitations for the dialogue have been extended to China and Pakistan too, and formal responses are awaited.

"However, Pakistan has indicated through the media that it will not attend. Pakistan's decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate," the source said.

"Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format. Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan," it said.

The sources said the high-level participation in next week's meeting hosted by India reflects the widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other.

India has an important role to play in this process, they said.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Police have arrested a self-proclaimed godman from Thane district of Maharashtra for allegedly cheating several people, especially women, on the pretext of removing evil spirits from them, an official said on Friday.

The action was taken by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commissionerate, in which the police also recovered over 300 grams of gold from him, which he had collected from different victims, he said.

"Between October 18 and 22, the accused, Noor Azizullah Salmani, 32, a resident of Mira Road of Thane district, had offered to remove evil spirits from several women residents of Manickpur in Vasai. He took money and ornaments from them, but ran away after that," Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone II) of the MBVV police Sanjay Patil said.

Thereafter, the victims approached the police and an offence was registered against him with the Manickpur police station based on their complaints, he said. He was later traced and arrested.

During his interrogation, it came to light that he had duped several people in Vasai, Virar, Thane, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Vapi of Gujarat over the last four years in a similar manner, Patil added.

Police also recovered over 301 grams of gold worth Rs 12.05 lakh from him, which he had taken from the victims, he said, adding that further probe was on.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday called upon the youth of the country to take inspiration from the sacrifices of the freedom fighters and strive towards a harmonious and inclusive society. He observed that building a society free of all kinds of discrimination is the real tribute to their sacrifices.

Naidu was addressing a gathering at the release of a book on the life and parliamentary debates of Umar Alisha, the former pontiff and sixth chief of Sri Viswa Vignana Vidya Adhyatmika Peetham. The Vice President paid rich tributes to Alisha for his contributions during the freedom struggle.

Describing him as a humanist, Naidu noted Alishas efforts in the literary and social sectors, as well as for womens empowerment. Referring to the spiritual outlook of Umar Alisha, the Vice President suggested that religious and spiritual leaders take the message of 'service' to the common people. It should be conveyed to the people that spirituality and service are not separate and they essentially seek social welfare, he added.

The Vice President said that the empowerment of women is essential for accelerated national progress. He also underlined the importance of the education of girl children for the economic prosperity of the individual, family and the nation. Naidu also underlined the need for usage of the mother tongue.

"We can learn any language, either English, French and other languages, but at the same time we should not forget our mother tongue, which is very important...We can learn English to acquire knowledge, but we should not be dependent. in it... We have to give importance to the mother tongue." The former pontiff's grandson and the present chief of the Peetham, Dr Umar Alisha, explained the various welfare activities taken up for the welfare of the common man and the poor.

He said they had been providing educational facilities to the poor through the 'Akashara Jyothi' scheme since 1992, benefitting thousands of such persons, who are now in good posts.

He urged the Vice President to take steps to install the statute of the sixth pontiff in the city. Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivas, writers and linguists were among those who participated in the event.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Apart from taking stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir during his recent visit there, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked the delimitation commission, a body assigned to redraw poll constituencies in J&K, to complete its task by March 2022, thus signalling that election could be held in the spring and summer of 2022. Only seven seats will be added to the current strength of the Assembly.

Much had been made out about the China challenge. The military tussle is in uninhabited areas at heights over 11,000 feet above sea level, and is a highly specific military situation far away from the populated areas of the newly carved-out J&K. The impact of the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan on J&K is limited. More importantly, the heavyweights in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) -- Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries -- have refused to buy the Pakistani line on the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, the UAE has promised to fund various infrastructure projects in J&K.

The main challenge relating to J&K is internal, and the ability of the polity to handle its diversity. Egregious anti-women laws and a rigid conceptual understanding of domicile that excluded some inhabitants living in J&K for 6-7 decades no longer exist. However, a situation of political unease and threat to demography has heightened in the Kashmir valley. While the abrogation of Article 370 is a factor in this, there are political dynamics that preceded the August 5, 2019, decision and are rooted in structural realities that requires an in-depth understanding.

First, some building blocks of J&Ks demography must be understood. At least 22% of Muslim-majority J&K are non-Kashmiri-speaking Muslims, particularly Gujjars and Pahari speakers, a linguistic group comprising upper caste Muslims such as Rajputs, Syeds, and other caste groups. They are present in Jammu as well as in the peripheral areas of Kashmir valley. The Kashmiri-speaking Muslims in the valley are around 40-45% of J&Ks population on this side of the LoC. Across the LoC, the population is entirely Pahari-speakers and Gujjars. Ethnically, the Kashmiri-speaking Muslims in the valley, which is still the largest group on the Indian side of J&K, are the most vocal critics of the abrogation of Article 370.

The discourse among other groups, post-abrogation of Article 370, has largely been community-centric. For instance, Pahari Muslims want Schedule Tribe (ST) status, just like Gujjar Muslims. The latter group, whose political, social and economic rights have got greater political validity after abrogation, is eager to get greater privileges, at par with other ST communities, in the country. Jammu Hindus, who include a broad set of Dogri, Punjabi and Pahari-speakers and North Indias typical caste configurations, want domicile protection similar to that of Himachal Pradesh. This has more or less been done.

Second, within the valley, less acknowledged is the fact that apart from killings of Kashmiri Pandits and a Sikh teacher, who were locals, the militants also killed Muslims from the rest of the country. In October 2019, five Bengali Muslims were killed in Kulgam and, on October 16 this year, a UP Muslim was killed. While The Resistance Force (TRF), a terrorist outfit, defended these killings to protest over the alleged demographic change being effected, the signalling is that only Muslims of Kashmiri ethnicity will be considered natives and their principal territorial concern is the valley. The Kashmir valleys territory is nearly half that of Jammu province, though the valleys population size is bigger by at least a million.

Directly or indirectly, the killings are meant to further isolate the Kashmiri-speaking Muslims not only from the rest of the country, including Indian Muslims, but from other stakeholders within J&K, including co-ethnic Kashmiri-speaking Hindus, popularly known as Kashmiri Pandits, and Jammu residents, who include Hindus as well as large non-Kashmiri-speaking Muslim minorities. In short, the killings are meant to wean away the Kashmiri-speaking Muslims of the valley from other stakeholders, who form at least 50% of J&Ks population on the Indian side.

Third, instead of debating and executing some of the concrete ideas, such as institutionalised regional federalism, that could have accommodated divergent political and economic regional, sub-regional and ethnic urges, J&K politicians have garnered votes by reinforcing regional, religious, sub-regional or even ethnic polarisation. For decades, the ruling political elites or even the Opposition could not grasp the nuanced and well-researched proposals presented to them, such as regional autonomy, which drew from similar experiments from across the world.

Fourth, the polarisation between the two regions, including religious polarisation within Jammu province, and the splitting of votes in Kashmir valley, has created a political reality in which forming political coalitions is a necessity for the purpose of forming the government. Within the valley, there are a set of political entities, including the People Democratic Party (PDP) since the 2002 elections, which have challenged the National Conference in the valleys 45 seats. In Jammu province, the BJP, whose influence was restricted to the three Assembly segments of Jammu city, is now a formidable force in J&K as it won 25 seats out of Jammus 37 seats in the last election. The party swept the Hindu-majority segments and narrowly won in religiously mixed Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar Assembly segments by Hindu consolidation and division of Muslim votes. That explains the PDP-BJP coalition in 2014.

Before that, the Congress, which was once popular in Jammu, stitched an alliance with the NC and PDP, which got significant seats in Kashmir valley, in 2009 and 2002 respectively. However, such coalition governments were inherently unstable as the parties had to appease their divergent bases, which invariably led to obstructionist or sub-optimal decision-making process and furthering polarisation.

Only religious polarisation in Jammu could guarantee the BJPs performance in the 2014 Assembly elections. In Kashmir valley, parties will aggressively oppose the abrogation of Article 370. In the absence of political sagacity and intellect exhibited by any formidable entity within J&K that could glue the mosaic, the upcoming electoral process in the new context will only turbocharge the religious, ethnic and regional drift. Only time will tell how these multiple paths drifting within J&K will manifest internally and externally.

(The writer is the author of two books on J&K, including Across the LoC, Columbia University Press)
To imagine that Capt Amarinder Singh could piggyback on the BJP in Punjab, or vice versa, to enthuse a groundswell of votes in their favour is perhaps to oversimplify the changing dynamics of Punjab politics. If Amarinder gets into bed with the BJP in any format  be it alliance or seat-sharing or even tacit support  in the run up to the elections, neither will be able to sidestep questions on their respective ideologies and their roles in the continuing farmers protest.

Amarinders friend request to the BJP, after being unceremoniously ousted from the chief ministers post by the Congress, is both fraught with flaws, if not danger, as well as loaded with advantages for the two sides. So, how does this new-found love of Amarinder for the party of Amit Shah make political sense for him?

The BJP is in power at the Centre, but has remained marginalised in Punjab. Its political stock has been on the wane and the party finds itself staring at an uncertain future in the state, if not slipping into oblivion, after its long-time ally, the Akali Dal, severed ties with it last year over the three farm laws.

For Amarinder to hope that the electorate will vote for him and his new political outfit in this landscape of Punjab seems to be foolhardy. He knows well the fate of rebel outfits in Punjab and is not naive to assume that his would be any exception. The former CM cannot win on his past laurels alone. He also realizes that with polls just around the corner, he has only a few months to make an impact that will put him back in the reckoning. Elections in Punjab come at a time when the farmers agitation against the Centres three farm laws is showing no sign of retreating.

The Congress, despite its tall claims, did not have much to flaunt during Amarinders tenure as CM. Thats why it perhaps wanted a change of guard, with Navjot Singh Sidhu doing the job for it. But even under the new CM Charanjit Singh Channi, the first Dalit CM of Punjab, or with Navjot Sidhu in the party driving seat and in the fast lane, it is unlikely to achieve anything so noteworthy as to justify its rule or validate its decision to humiliate and oust Amarinder as a non-performing CM.

The issues flagged by Sidhu and Channi against Amarinder may not have the desired impact, for want of time. Amarinders exit from the Congress will not benefit the Congress, beyond perhaps partly offsetting anti-incumbency. In the worst-case scenario, it could even prove counterproductive for it, if it is seen as an admission of non-performance for four-and-half years. This is where Amarinders bid to join forces with the BJP comes into play.

Amarinder knows that reaching out in his new avatar to the protesting farmers is one possible way to turn the tide in his favour as well as offer some leverage to the Punjab BJP. He has reportedly proposed a solution to break the ice between the BJP and the farmers, knowing well that neither side may be willing to prolong the confrontation any further. If he is able to clinch a deal to break the logjam, he would be back in the race, and the BJP, too, would be able to at least put up a fight.

Punjab has a sizeable agrarian vote bank and political parties have always looked to make the most of it. The Akali Dal is unlikely to find favours on this front given that the SAD had a representative in Modis cabinet at the time the three farm laws were cleared. Harsimran Kaur did resign thereafter and the Akali Dal severed its ties with the BJP, but it was too late, and it was seen as merely a face-saving exercise.

In his rapprochement bid with the BJP, Amarinder will have to face questions on the alleged erosion of the federal structure of the country that he had been flagging for long while he was in the Congress, especially on the issue of the farm laws. He will also have to make it clear if he would prefer corporate forces in Punjabs farm sector or the farmers.

At the grassroots level in Punjab, villagers are inimical to the BJP and its leaders. From the days of welcoming them with garlands and singing paeans, villagers now pose questions and, at times, even ferociously drive them out. The BJP cannot even conceive of putting up a fight if its candidates do not have access to the voters. With a deal on farmers issues, however, Amarinder could swing things for the BJP. There seems to be some such hope.

Amarinder has also been a proponent of regional aspirations and a robust federal structure, something that arguably is in conflict with the BJPs visible manoeuvres on the ground and in its overt posturing at the policy level.

What works for both sides, though, is that the BJP at the Centre was easy-going with Amarinder when he was CM, and he, in turn, seemed to echo Modis nationalist narrative partly. Be it the Balakot air strikes, or the recent extension of the operational limits of the BSF in Punjab or elsewhere, Amarinder seemed to be supporting the Modi governments moves.

Yet, after all this, Amarinder needs candidates to fight in the Assembly polls, some of whom may come from his former party as well as splinter groups from the Akali Dal. The BJP fights in 23 seats in Punjab out of 117. A seat-sharing agreement with it could help Amarinder fill in the gaps. Whether this game plan will work or not remains to be seen.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
By Andy Mukherjee

What exactly do the likes of BlackRock Inc. and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board see in the unprofitable Indian payments startup heading for the country's biggest-ever initial public offering? A simple answer: the raw power of data.

Paytm, formally known as One97 Communications Ltd., has signed up BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, and CPPIB together with the sovereign wealth funds of Singapore and Abu Dhabi as anchor investors for next weeks Rs 18,300 crore ($2.46 billion) IPO. The $1.1 billion sale to cornerstone investors saw more than 10 times as much demand as shares on offer, according to Bloomberg News.

The Indian online-payment pioneer had tremendous novelty value five years ago. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly immobilised 86% of the countrys currency in November 2016 in a failed bid to freeze out ill-gotten cash, the fledgling app, whose name is shorthand for pay through mobile, won millions of new customers overnight. Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma couldnt hide his glee. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. joined Masayoshi Son's SoftBank Group Corp. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. as investors in the startup.

That was then. Indias technology landscape has evolved so rapidly since 2016 that most businesses nowadays pay next to nothing for receiving customer payments over smartphones. And the pricing pressure isnt going to ease, except that merchants will want to pay less even for add-on services, such as reconciling accounts and handling returns and refunds.

Back when it didnt have todays 57 million unique monthly users, Paytm incurred 162 rupees in direct costs  not counting overheads like salaries and brand-building  to garner 100 rupees of revenue. Of that, 70 rupees went toward processing payments and another 86 rupees were spent on cash-backs and other enticements. You cannot have a business that says, Pay a 500 rupees bill and take 250 rupees cash-back,'' Aditya Puri, the then-chief executive of HDFC Bank Ltd., Indias largest lender by market value, said in 2017, adding that e-wallets have no future.

In its most recent quarter, however, Paytm ended up with a 27 rupees surplus on the same 100 rupees revenue. Thanks to additional overheads, its not yet a profit  but its getting closer. HDFC Bank is now a partner of Paytm.

The economics are improving, even though phone wallets have become a commodity. The underlying technology, which Paytm uses to compete against Alphabet Inc.s Google Pay and Walmart Inc.s PhonePe, is a shared utility anyone can commercialise. So while Paytm handles the equivalent of nearly $80 billion of payments annually to 22 million merchants, its take rate for translating transactions to revenue is just 0.6%.

But its this very competitive nature of the payments game that encourages more merchants in small cities and towns to accept cashless instruments, bypassing expensive cards and contactless systems like PayPal Holdings Inc., which has left the Indian domestic scene entirely.

The anchor investor interest in the Paytm IPO is the biggest validation yet of the Indian model of digitisation: From payments to healthcare, an open-markets protocol  running on top of a public utility  can be a viable alternative to proprietary platforms and predatory pricing. What a firm might lose in take rates on individual transactions is more than made up by the gains from handling billions of them.

A low-margin, high-volume business can create its own data moat. Since most of Indias retailers are too small and too informal to otherwise be able to access credit, digital payments act as valuable  and often the only  informational collateral. The money-making opportunity is in extending credit to mom-and-pop stores, based on their digital cash-flow trail. As Paytm founder Sharma told BloombergQuint, India's GDP will not grow because payments are digital, but because payments being digital have enabled lenders to give credit.

To see why he may be right, consider the behavior of the firms current and future rivals.

Unity Small Finance Bank, a brand-new, digital-first institution, arose this week from the ashes of a scam-tainted cooperative lender, with BharatPe, another payments fintech like Paytm, as one of its two equal owners. This might be a predictable diversification: The wafer-thin margins on which small retailers in emerging markets like India operate cant sustain a pure-play payments business such as Visa Inc. or PayPal. Theres little to be gained from giving shopkeepers QR codes to receive funds if you cant also lend them money.

But then, consider the opposite maneuver. Bajaj Finance Ltd., Indias top consumer lender, said in an investor presentation that it has signed up more than 3 million customers for its wallet. Its now applying for a payment aggregator license that will enable customers to settle merchants bills without requiring mediation by a third-party app. If the whole purpose of getting into payments is to lend, why would a profitable financier want to enter a potentially money-losing business?

Chalk it up to the fear of getting outflanked by BharatPe and Paytm. BharatPe co-owns a bank. Paytm is stuck with a 49% stake in a so-called payments bank, which isnt allowed to lend and can only accept deposits below a certain level.

The next step for Paytm and its payments bank is to amalgamate into a full-fledged, unrestricted lender, credit-card issuer and deposit taker, and flex its own balance sheet like the digital-only KakaoBank Corp. in South Korea. Thats where the pot of gold lies, and BlackRock may have figured it out better than analysts moaning over transactions not translating into revenue. Thats a feature, not a bug.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
An international team of researchers has, in a new study, claimed that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, does not infect human brain cells, raising hopes that Covid-related damage to sense of smell may be more superficial than previously feared.

The study, published in the journal Cell, showed that the virus infects sustentacular cells -- associated with structural support -- but not olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), which are responsible for initiating smell sensations, as thought earlier, the Guardian reported.

The study challenges previous research that suggested the Covid virus infects neurons in the membrane that lines the upper recesses of the nose. This membrane, called the olfactory mucosa which contains OSNs, is where the virus first lands when it is inhaled.

Also Read: Covid booster dose effective in reducing severe disease outcomes: Study

Olfactory dysfunction affects an estimated half of all Covid-19 patients. In one in 10 of those, the loss or change of smell is long-term, perhaps permanent.

But if the virus only infects the sustentacular cells, then the damage could be less long-lasting, the report said.

According to Peter Mombaerts, Director at the Max Planck Research Unit for Neurogenetics in Frankfurt, this could be the result of support for the OSNs breaking down, even if they themselves are not infected. They may function below par, or stop functioning altogether, until the sustentacular cells regenerate, the report said.

For the study, the team adapted a form of skull base surgery to remove tissue from the olfactory mucosa and bulb of Covid-19 patients within about an hour of their death.

In 30 of the patients, the researchers were able to detect that the virus was still replicating -- meaning the patients had died in the acute, contagious phase of the disease.

Also Read: Delta variant does not increase hospitalisations, no major difference from previous waves: CDC study

The results did "not show any OSNs as being damaged or there being fewer of them, or the OSNs near infected sustentacular cells as being different in any way from those not near infected cells," said Stuart Firestein, a neurobiologist at Columbia University in New York City.

In only six of the 30 patients was the virus detectable in the olfactory mucosa itself. "Overall the numbers are thus really low to make any strong conclusions," said Debby Van Riel, a virologist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

If the study results are confirmed, people experiencing Covid-related loss of smell can be reassured that the virus has not infected their brains, and that future therapies targeting the understudied sustentacular cells could alleviate or cure their condition.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Months of hard work finally paid off for Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru as Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the grand statue of Adiguru Shankaracharya at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand on Friday.

"It's a moment of joy for us. After nine months of toil for at least 14 hours a day, we completed the statue of Shankaracharya, which Prime Minister Modi inaugurated at Kedarnath," Yogiraj told PTI.

After completing his MBA, the 37-year-old sculptor got a lucrative job but resigned soon after to take up his traditional work. Yogiraj said when the government decided to install the Shankaracharya statue, it had invited models from sculptors from across the country.

"My model was finally selected and since then the Prime Minister's office was personally monitoring the progress," the sculptor said.

He also said that he selected the black granite rock from HD Kote in Mysuru and worked on it with a team of seven people.

Also read: PM Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath temple, inaugurates rebuilt Shankaracharya samadhi

According to him, the 12 feet tall statue weighs about 28 tonnes. After it was completed in July, it was taken to Uttarakhand. Yogiraj said the statue was then airlifted by Chinook helicopter to the designated place.

He was supposed to be in Kedarnath but due to a tragedy in the family, he had to return home a week ago.

The sculptor said he is constructing a 25-ft tall Anjaneya statue at Chunchanakatte in Mysuru district and a Shiva statue in another location.

"I have also taken up the construction of a temple in Malaysia as well as at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district," Yogiraj added.

The statue has been installed on a rebuilt samadhi of Shankaracharya, the eighth-century Sanyasi, in Kedarnath, an important Hindu pilgrimage centre in the Himalayas.

The seer had also laid foundation to the Shankaracharya order and set up four monasteries or Peetam in India at Badrikashram in the north, Dwaraka in the west, Jagannath Puri in the east and Sringeri in the south.

Check out latest videos from DH:
An assessment of the effects of climate change on Karnataka's forests has shown that even a rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius in temperature will deliver a debilitating blow to the scrub and open forest areas of seven districts in both short term (2030s) and long term (2080s).

Experts have called for detailed studies to understand the various facets of the problem.

The study, which is part of Karnataka government's draft climate action plan, said the extremities caused by climate change will effect change in vegetation in Vijayapura, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Chitradurga, Kodagu and Hassan under both low-emission and high-emission scenarios.

"This means that the future climate at such locations will not be suitable for existing vegetation or forest type and biodiversity. The forest type change may be accompanied by forest dieback and mortality, the study added.

Indu K Murthy, Principal Research Scientist, Adaptation and Risk Analysis, at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, used the dynamic global vegetation model that takes into account vegetation dynamics and land-atmosphere carbon and water exchanges to simulate the changes.

Read | 2070 target is fine, but India can do more

"Change in very dense and moderately dense forest is projected only for the Western Ghats district of Udupi in the short as well as long-term periods," the study said, adding that improved modelling was needed to assess districts with high forest cover.

Indu, who has worked with UN bodies, told DH that interventions were needed to prepare districts, especially farmers, by including crops that are resistant to climate change. She said even though some districts are projected to see a wetter future, it may not translate into better vegetation. We can hope that the copious rains turn scrub land into forested land. But experience shows that such phenomena are more likely to cause floods. The weather extremes will have a major bearing on agriculture and agrarian economy, she said, noting that a long-term study was needed to understand the impact of such changes.

The study suggested that forest and agriculture policies need to change at the earliest with measures adopted to promote biodiversity at every level. Especially social forestry is predominated by monoculture plantations, which are not only vulnerable to pests but also spell disaster for biodiversity.

Allowing the market to drive such policies will lead to monocropping and monoculture. Instead, the rules related to social and agroforestry as well as agriculture have to adopt measures that proactively promote biodiversity. This can also prepare the farmers to face the future, she said.

On August 14, DH had reported that climate change will lead to the Western Ghats losing 33% of biodiversity by 2050 along with degradation of forests.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Abhimanyu Dassani reacts to his film Meenakshi Sundareshwar being called out for stereotyping Tamilians

Abhimanyu Dassani and Sanya Malhotra starrer Meenakshi Sundareshwar is out on Netflix. The film which is an out-and-out romantic drama is about a young South Indian couple in a long-distance marriage. The project marks Abhimanyus second Bollywood outing after his debut with Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota in 2018.

The movie trailer attracted a lot of attention and Meenakshi Sundareshwar made headlines as a section of social media called out the film for stereotyping Tamilians in the film. Netizens objected to many things about the films trailer, right from showing Tamilians as Rajinikanth fans to the folk music playing the backdrop several things irked them about this Dharma backed movie.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhimanyu (@abhimanyud)

Abhimanyu has now reacted to these comments about Meenakshi Sundareshwar and said that it was not at all anyones intention. Our intention behind this film is pure; we want to bring a relatable story to the audience. We dont want to insult anyone at any point. [When people watch the film], they will realise its a sweet love story that could happen anywhere in the world, and they can relate to it regardless [of its setting], he told Mid-Day.

His co-star Sanya too had defended the project in an interview earlier vouching that the team has been extremely sensitive in handling the narrative. "Our direction was clear, Vivek did that very well to ensure that it (stereotyping) doesn't happen. It is a Bollywood film with extremely well written characters and scripts. As an actor, I didn't need anything else apart from the reading material that I had when I was prepping for the character. There is a Rajinikanth dialogue that I speak in the film, so for that I did a lot of homework. It wasn't on my mind that I don't want to offend anyone, I simply wanted to perform it well," she told PTI.
Alia Bhatt shares loved up picture with Ranbir Kapoor from Diwali celebrations, greets fans with some 'light' and 'love'

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt on Thursday shared Diwali greeting on her social media along with some 'light' and 'love'.

Alia took to her Instagram handle and shared two Diwali posts. The first post had three pictures of her dressed in purple ethnic attire. It had the caption, "Some light... Happy Diwali."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alia Bhatt  (@aliaabhatt)

The second post featured her along with boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor. In the picture, the duo can be seen in an embrace gazing deeply into each other's eyes. "& some love .. Happy Diwali," read the post's caption. For the occasion, Ranbir was dressed in a black kurta.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alia Bhatt  (@aliaabhatt)

On the film front, Ranbir will be soon seen in Luv Ranjan's next, 'Brahmastra' and 'Shamshera'. While on the other hand, Alia too will be seen in 'Brahmastra', 'Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani', 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', 'Darlings', 'RRR' and 'Takht'. (ANI)
Kangana Ranaut revisits her snub of Karan Johar at an award show says, "Mera attitude pehle se hi kharab hai"

Kangana Ranaut and Karan Johars discord has been a frequent subject of conversation on social media especially when it comes to the mention of nepotism in Bollywood. The Queen actress once again revisited her old feud with Karan Johar and shared a video from an award show where she walks away from the filmmaker without acknowledging him.

While there were no differences between the two when the dates back to, the actress snub wasnt unnoticed by Karan who on the mic tried to make Kangana take notice that he was on the stage too. As Kangana walks away with her trophy, Karan who was hosting the event can be heard saying, Thank you Kangana and congratulations  I am here  if that matters at all.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by    (@_.queen_.kangana._)

The actress sharing this throwback video wrote, Ha Ha mera attitude pehle se hi kharab hai. She further added, This is my first year in the industry, I was a teenager lekin.

Interestingly, the award Kangana won at the event was one Karan Johar had won three years in a row he said.

Karan and Kanganas relationship went sour after her appearance Karans talk show Koffee With Karan where she had arrived with her Rangoon co-stars Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. The actress has often accused Karan of being nepotistic, a practice she claims has made life rather difficult for outsiders like herself in Bollywood.
Radhika Madan gives her family a sweet surprise on Diwali; watch

Bollywood actress Radhika Madan surprised her family by making an unannounced visit to her home for Diwali after an unscheduled off day from shoot. Radhika has time and again expressed her fondness for her family through social media. Marking the occasion of Diwali, yet again the young and talented actress made a heartwarming post.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika Madan (@radhikamadan)

Taking to her social media, Radhika shared the video from her surprise visit saying, "This Diwali I wasn't supposed to be home due to some prior commitment at work.. I could hear the sadness in my parents voice whenever I used to speak to them which made me feel helpless. At the very last moment I got to know that my shoot has been cancelled so I just picked up my backpack and took the next flight home. The smile I saw on their faces was priceless. Diwali wouldn't have been the same without them. Hope your Diwali was as beautiful as mine".

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika Madan (@radhikamadan)

Juggling work commitments one after another, the busy actress never misses an opportunity to meet her family and make a quick visit to Delhi. Earlier, Radhika expressed her joy of having celebrated ashtami pooja at home after years. Currently shooting for her upcoming project in Jaipur, the actress has an interesting line up including Kuttey starring a spectacular cast of Arjun Kapoor, Tabu, Naseeruddin Shah and Konkana Sen Sharma amongst others.
Sooryavanshi Movie Review: The Akshay Kumar starrer is a decent watch with heartwarming elements & a fantastic climax

Movie: Sooryavanshi Rated: 3.5/5.0 Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amyra Dastur Director: Rohit Shetty

Rohit Shetty knows exactly what a film needs to entertain the masses. He has proven the same with his previous hits Singham and Simmba. So when Akshay Kumar starrer Sooryavanshi was announced, we knew its going to be another cop drama to watch out for. Sadly the release got postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but today the much awaited film finally hit theatres. While it was fun watching films on digital platforms during the lockdown, most fans were extremely excited about seeing Akshay doing high octane stunts on the big screen. Well, after watching the film, we can agree that Sooryavanshi was made for cinema halls.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif)

The film begins with a heartbreaking scene-- the 1993 Bombay bombings. Among many other victims were Veer Sooryavanshis parents. We then get a background of the terrorists behind the heinous crime and are introduced to various sleeper cells, their head Omar Hafeez aka Jackie Shroff and his sons Riaaz and Raza. Riaaz is the main contact of the sleeper cells who are transferred to India many years after the attack, to wait for a command. DCP Sooryavanshi, the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, arrests Riaaz after almost a decade and thats where the real story begins. The entire film is like a chase and towards the end Sooryavanshi, with the help of Singham and Simmba, stops the terrorist group before they attack the city again.

The story seems straightforward when you read about it, but watching it on-screen is different. The storyline is not out of the world, but it is most definitely unpredictable and gripping. The background score, on the other hand, is on point! It reminds you of Rohits previous cop dramas but thats the beauty of it. Coming to Bollywoods Khiladi Akshay-- while almost no other actor is as convincing as him in action sequences, Sooryavanshi might not turn out to be your favorite character played by the superstar. Imagine 80% of Singhams serious Ajay Devgn mixed with 20% of Simmbas quirky Ranveer Singh. The fact that Sooryavanshi forgets names and calls people by funny words is hilarious, and Akshay has a natural finesse for action. But, as we remember his impactful performances in Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty and Baby, we can confidently say that the role of a special forces officer is more fitting for him than a cop.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)

Then there is his leading lady, the gorgeous Katrina Kaif. The beauty has portrayed the role of a doctor in the film who saves Sooryavanshis life after he gets shot. Their entire love story has been shown in flashbacks after she left him because their sons life was endangered during his face off with a terrorist. Katrina left us in awe of her killer dialogue delivery in the scene where she slaps Sooryavanshi and leaves him, choosing her sons safety over their marriage. She looks like a fierce and protective mother in that particular sequence. But sadly that was the only scene of hers that wowed us, because for the rest of the film the actress did not really utilize her other expressions. For instance, when the terrorists made her walk wearing a bomb jacket she had a very blank look on her face. We expected a little more from the strong character that she portrayed. However, her steamy performance in Tip Tip Barsa Paani's remix left us wanting more.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif)

Well, all in all, Rohit Shetty has made a decent entertainer which is full of fun and heartwarming elements. One important scene, where people of different religions come together as Indians in a time of crisis, will especially touch your heart. While Akshay and Katrinas reunion turned out to be better than what we expected, it was Ranveer Singh who emerged as the star. His and Ajays entry, in the typical Rohit Shetty style, filled us with a new energy! Ranveer livened up the situation, and screen, and his one-liners were hilarious as always. He, Akshay and Ajay then presented us with a dhamakedaar climax. Seeing the three stars shine together as cops made us wish the entire film revolved around them.

The climax also gave us a hint that Singham 3 is in the making, where Ajay would come face to face with Jackie aka Omar, who was sitting in Pakistan. But we are now eagerly hoping that the director makes a full feature film with Singham, Simmba and Sooryavanshi in the spotlight!
The Eternals review: Lacking urgency and inspiration, this celestial troop fails to fill the void left by the Avengers in MCU

Movie: The Eternals Rated: 2.5/5.0 Cast: Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Richard Madden, Kit Harington Director: Chloe Zhao

After the Avengers Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have been feeling bereft and waiting for another super troop to arrive and take over the reins. I am disappointed to report the Eternals will not be that group despite 7000 years of expertise in the department. The whole group put together brings perhaps MCUs most uninspired and insipid origin story we have seen of late.

The film starts with the arrival of The Eternals on planet Earth in 5000 B.C. The ten super-powered beings hail from Olympia and are here on a mission to rid the planet of Deviants. Salma Hayek as Ajak is charged by the Celestial Arishem to lead this group and keep them away from interfering in any human conflicts or matters which do not pertain to the Deviants (shiny multi-coloured CGI beings ravaging the earth and threatening the human race). There you go, that is your answer to why we never saw them fighting alongside the Avengers as Thanos snapped his finger and wiped off half the world.

For a group that isnt supposed to get too attached to the human race (but does), thats a pretty convenient and (unconvincing) response to a crisis, especially since these powerful beings love to discuss the blip every opportunity they get in the present with Richard Maddens Ikaris also being utterly convinced that he could lead the Avengers now and Don Lees Phastos even working on inventions to help aid human evolution. Well, this isnt about the Avengers but the entire film is certainly as unconvincing as their argument about keeping away.

The Eternals is as divided a group as any other. The gang that loves to stand in formation before and after each group victory disbands after having killed all Deviants and each goes their own way to discover their purpose and live seemingly normal lives only to unite again in the 21st century when a Deviant (surprise surprise) seeks out Gemma Chans Sersi and Lia Mchughs Sprite who have been living in London together. Sersi who married Ikrais centuries ago is seen dating Kit Harringtons Dane who she works with at the Natural History Museum. Sersi and Sprite are barely surviving the combat till Ikaris arrives and drives the beast away. The three reunited Eternals set out to find the rest of their fellow Olympians after discovering that the Deviants still roam the Earth and kick off the plot which is a total bore-fest.

You can feel the eternity-long mission weighing down on these immortal beings unlike any other origin story of a superhero film where the excitement builds with the discovery of their one true purpose. As we come to the third act, some like Kumail Nanjianis Kingo dont even mind giving up the whole job in favour of a comparatively monotonous life on Earth, instead of taking on an inspired new mission. While Chloe Zhao succeeds as a filmmaker convincingly transports us back and forth over 7000 years, she fails to make us believe in the urgency of the purpose of the Eternals. The stunning visuals and the lush scenery does little to attract attention when some of the key actors are wasting away in the narrative which is two-and-half-hours long.

Angelia Jolies Thena, for example, is there in the plot but absent when it comes to contributing to the groups own survival in a crisis. Salma Hayek as Ajak too is far too removed to actually count as trouble comes knocking. It is certainly established that the plot is to be pushed forward by Gemmas Sersi and Richards Ikaris who are united by love but divided by purpose. As for the rest, the Deviants arent villainous enough and the Eternals are united enough to count.

Despite the gloom, that mars the plot, Harish Patel and Kumail Nanjiani shoulder the responsibility to deliver laughs and succeed to a large extent. Kumail plays a Bollywood star as Kingo and is as good as Hollywoods imagined and stereotypical sense of Bollywood goes. Theres a scene where hes fighting a Deviant in the present with the rest of the Eternals and goes dishoom on actually managing to kill one all alone. Harish, the actual Bollywood representation in the project plays Kingos valet Karun who goes around capturing his adventures with the Eternals on camera.

The diversity on display in The Eternals is amazing and commendable as these immortals roam all corners of the Earth over their thousands of years of existence. Cultural, ethnic, gender, sexuality  the film has several layers of inclusiveness involved to make a point but it certainly does nothing to help the plot that is consistently leaving you with more questions as the movie progresses. For example at one point, Kumails Kingo reveals he knew Odins son Thor since he was a child pointing to the fact that an Avenger actually knew that the Eternals existed. This makes you wonder why he didnt ever (even in the direst and desperate circumstances) approach him to seek help.

There are a few such instances that leave you baffled and are actually the things that stay with you hours after the movie. It is hard to say you know the Eternals as a group or as individuals by the end of the film which is the fact which stumped me the most. The curiosity over this new MCU offering can certainly drive you to the theatres but would this super troop be able to bring you back there again is the real question that the makers have to find a solution for after this underwhelming outing.
Minister Coveney condemns killing of 69 civilians in Niger

Press release

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD, has condemned the killing of 69 civilians in an attack in south west Niger.

The attack took place on Tuesday, November 2, and was confirmed by authorities in Niger on Thursday, November 4.

Minister Coveney said:

I am deeply saddened by the loss of life following an attack on civilians in southwest Niger. I express my sincere condolences to the victims, families and communities affected by this incident. Ireland stands in solidarity with the Nigerien people as they enter a period of mourning for the victims.

Ireland strongly condemns the increasing violence against civilians in Niger and calls for continued efforts aimed at supporting peace and stability and the protection of civilians across the Sahel region.

ENDS

Press Office

3 November 2021

 Previous Item | Next Item 
Subscriber content preview

SALEM, Ore. (AP)  A new national monument at Sutton Mountain near Central Oregon's Painted Hills has been proposed by Oregon's U.S. senators.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports Sutton Mountain stands in the backdrop of the iconic view overlooking the Painted Hills. The hills themselves are already featured as one of three distinct units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

SEATTLE  The Neptune will celebrate 100 years of the historic venue, and ten years of incredible live shows at the theatre on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

The celebration includes beverages and snacks, a short video about the life of the theatre, and the honoring of an art installation by indigenous artist Joseph H. Seymour, signifying the acknowledgement of the land once inhabited where the Neptune Theatre stands.





. . .
Proceeds to go to Kings Portion

Do you love home-baked treats? Do you love donating to a good cause so those less fortunate in our community can have a wonderful holiday meal? Would you like a chance to win a $100 gift card and a free turkey?

The answer to all of those questions is most likely, Yes!

Employees at the Douglas Safeway have until 10 p.m. Saturday night to raise $1,300 in their Turkey Bucks program, which will be donated entirely to the Kings Portion Community Compassion Center for food during the holidays for those in need.

Every year we sell Turkey Bucks around this time to raise money for food pantries. This year Safeway employees have been challenged to raise $1,300 in donations for Kings Portion, however we can come up with the money by the end of day Saturday, Safeway bookkeeper Crystal Hendricks said.

Were on our way to the goal. Safeway will continue to sell Turkey Bucks until Christmas, but the employee part of our challenge ends Saturday. All of the money will be donated to Kings Portion, she said.

This is where the public can help the employees reach that goal.

Store employees are holding a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, with wonderful homemade pies, pumpkin pie bars, cookies of all types, an assortment of brownies, coffee cakes and more.

Theyll also be holding a raffle at the same time. Tickets are $10 each. First prize is a $100 gift card to Safeway and a free turkey. Second prize is a large gift basket full of goodies. You do not have to be present to win.

And, to make it even more interesting at the store tomorrow, the employees will be up to a bit of mischief.

Any donation we receive over $20 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. means a pie to the face for our manager, Tracy (Raush). Were working really hard as employees to meet this goal. We just want to encourage the community to come by and help us raise money for the Kings Portion. Its going to be fun, Hendricks said.

Safeway is located at 1900 East Richards Street.
STONEWALL [ndash] Funeral services for Maple Hamilton, 78, of Stonewall, OK will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, at the Stonewall First Baptist Church with the Apostle Gary Bruner officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Stonewall, OK. Mrs. Hamilton passed away in a Deni
The final report into the fatal Rescue 116 helicopter crash, in which Louth man Mark Duffy was tragically killed, is set to be published later today.

The four crew on board the Rescue 116, Captain Mark Duffy, Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, winchman Ciaran Smith and winch operator Paul Ormsby lost their lives after the helicopter crashed in Mayo on March 14th 2017.

The aircraft crashed into Blackrock Island, which is just off the coast of Mayo.

The rescue craft was set to refuel at Blacksod before it began a rescue operation.

The bodies of Captain Mark Duffy and Captain Dara Fitzpatrick were recovered in a search, but the bodies of Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby were never found.

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) has published its final report into the Rescue 166 crash.

During the flight, Rescue 116 was flying at 200ft and was nine nautical miles from its landing point at the time of the fatal crash.

According to the report, the probable cause of the crash was due to poor weather, poor visibility and the crew being unaware of the 282ft tall island in their flight path.

The report also focuses on Blackrock Island not being on their flight databases or warning systems, as well as the Route Guide not specifying minimum altitudes during specific legs of the journey.

The helicopter operator, CHC Ireland, is also mentioned in the report, with weaknesses in how the operator handled risks.

There were serious and important weaknesses with aspects of the Operators SMS including in relation to safety reporting, safety meetings, its safety database SQID and the management of FMS Route Guide such that certain risks that could have been mitigated were not, reads the report.

The report also details that there was confusion at a state level around responsibility for oversight of Search and Rescue operations.

In a statement this morning, the Department of Transport said that they fully accept the report and will evaluate it in the coming weeks.

Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan said that it was a tragic accident and gave his condolences to the families impacted by the tragedy.

This was a tragic accident that claimed the lives of four individuals who were dedicated to saving the lives of others. I would like to again convey my condolences to the families and loved ones of the R116s crew at this time, said Minister Ryan.

The completion of the investigation and the publication of the report is a key step in ensuring that such accidents are prevented in the future.
An Irish man caught in a police sting after he sent a nude selfie to a fake 13-year-old girl has launched an appeal against the decision to extradite him to the United States (US).

Martin Jude Wall (46), who was arrested in this country last December, began sending text messages to the youngster after meeting her in an internet chatroom.

The profile was fictitious, however, and was instead the creation of US detectives who arrested Wall when he travelled to meet the girl in person.

Wall was detained for a period of not more than a year and not less than 240 days for attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes.

However, he fled the US while serving a 15-year probation bond he entered into on his release.

He is now wanted by the Chatham County Sheriff's office in Georgia for an alleged breach of his bail conditions.

At the High Court last month, Mr Justice Paul Burns said there was no basis to refuse Wall's surrender to US authorities and ordered his extradition.

On his return to the US, Wall faces a possible 15-year term if convicted of the bail breach.

On Thursday (Nov 4), the High Court was told Wall had lodged an appeal against Mr Justice Burns decision and was now applying for bail.

Simon Matthews BL, for Wall, said his client had previously been granted bail last December and he had abided by the strict terms attached to his release until he was remanded in custody last month.

All of his travel documents have been surrendered and his internet access has been restricted to Google Maps, he told the court.

Mr Matthews added that the grounds for the appeal against the extradition were strong and that Walls mother, who was at the hearing, had agreed to provide an independent surety if her son was granted bail in advance of his appeal.

Wall, Mr Matthews added, has no previous convictions in this jurisdiction and would return to full-time employment with his uncle if the court agreed to release him on bail.

Objecting to the bail application, Elva Duffy BL, for the Minister for Justice, said: There isnt a presumption of innocence here.

Ms Duffy told the court Wall was being extradited to face a hearing over the breach of probation he engaged in and he had fled the US authorities because he found the conditions attached to his probation onerous.

Detective Sergeant James Kirwan, from the Garda Extradition Unit, told Ms Duffy that Wall had been convicted of a very serious offence and the sentence he faced was significant.

Rejecting the bail application, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs said even though Wall has family and a job in this country, there was a risk he could abscond.

Ms Justice Biggs added that the fact that Wall had previously failed to comply with the conditions of his probation was of grave concern to the court.

Previous evidence:

The High Court was previously told that in February 2012, Wall had pleaded guilty through plea-bargain to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes.

He had sent messages and a nude photo of himself from his phone through a chat group to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

In an application to the High Court for Wall's surrender, Mr Micheal P O'Higgins SC, for the Minister for Justice, said that detectives created a "non-sexually suggestive" profile but that Wall tried to initiate the meeting, said he was "very good at massage" and repeatedly asking for photos.

Wall said in one message that he preferred "younger girls but I guess you're okay".

Mr OHiggins said that Wall initiated "sex talk" and that he suggested meeting the girl for sex acts.

Wall told the fake profile that he had a cheating wife and that he was looking to take revenge on her with the girl, who he told was "very hot, very hot".

One message from Wall read: "Are you going to have me arrested?"

After sending the photo, Wall suggested that he and the girl should meet and detectives arrested Wall at the location.

Mr O'Higgins said that when detectives asked Wall if he had had a conversation with a girl, he "froze" with the phone still in his hand.

Detectives confirmed Wall's identity from the photo and his mobile phone was still logged into the group chat from where he was sending the messages.

As part of his sentence, he was detained for a period of not more than a year and not less than 240 days before being given a 15-year probation bond upon his release.

However, after becoming homeless, Wall absconded the jurisdiction in 2014 and returned to Ireland.

US authorities confirmed in October 2019 that Wall, who is on the US list of registered sex offenders, was living in Crossmolina, Co Mayo. His last address listed at hearing was in Clontarf in Dublin.

His US arrest warrant was executed in November 2019 with the outstanding amount left on his probation standing at 12 years and six months.
Pfizer has announced a new Covid-19 anti-viral oral pill that can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89%, according to trials conducted by the drug-making company.

The data showed an 89% reduction in Covid-19-related hospitalization or death, they said.

It also confirmed their plant in Ringnaskiddy Co. Cork will support the global manufacturing and supply of the oral antiviral pill if it is approved.

"Pfizer's site in Ringnaskiddy has an established and successful history of contributing to our manufacturing efforts." said a Pfizer spokesperson.

Pfizer concluded the trials early 'due to the overwhelming efficacy demonstrated in these results' and plan to submit the data to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization.

The data of 1219 adults was evaluated during Phase 2/3 of the clinical trial and found 0.8% of those given Pfizer's drug were hospitalized and there were no deaths 28 days after treatment.

Placebo patients had a hospitalisation rate of 7% and seven deaths.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer, Albert Bourla described it as a 'game changer' and has the potential to 'save patient's lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations'.

"Given the continued global impact of COVID-19, we have remained laser-focused on the science and fulfilling our responsibility to help healthcare systems and institutions around the world while ensuring equitable and broad access to people everywhere." he added.

Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer, Mikael Dolsten said he is 'incredibly proud' of the scientists, who designed and developed this new anti-viral pill while working with urgency.

The pharmaceutical company has not released full trial data as of yet.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain. Low 47F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Loan of 10 million equivalent to boost Bank Lvivs lending to Ukrainian small businesses

Financing is part of the EU4Business-EBRD credit line

Green financing to be the focus of the new credit line

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a local-currency loan worth the equivalent of 10 million to JSC Joint Stock Bank Lviv to facilitate access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Ukraine.

At least 50 per cent of the financing will be dedicated to supporting projects that promote environmental goals, in line with the EBRDs Green Economy Transition (GET) approach.

The EBRD loan will also help Bank Lviv to diversify its funding structure with medium-term local-currency resources and support the growth of its MSME portfolio, with a focus on sustainable green financing.

The financing is part of the EU4Business-EBRD credit line. The credit line is a joint programme by the EBRD and the European Union (EU), aimed at enabling companies to upgrade their products and services in line with EU standards, foster safe and healthy workplaces and promote green practices. It also helps MSMEs to create jobs by equipping them with new skills and supporting them in their ambition to export to Ukraines largest neighbouring market  the European Union  with more than 500 million consumers.

Established in 1990, Bank Lviv is a regional MSME-focused bank with 18 branches in western Ukraine.

To date, the EBRD, a leading institutional investor in Ukraine, has invested more than 15 billion in 505 projects across the country, with a focus on assisting stabilisation, anchoring reforms, strengthening energy efficiency and energy security, and supporting agricultural and industrial projects, as well as smaller businesses.
Meetings with authorities, partners and civil society

The President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud-Basso, will start an official visit to Turkey on Saturday when she arrives in Istanbul from the EU-Central Asia Economic Forum in Bishkek.

The EBRD President said: This is my first visit to Turkey as EBRD President and I look forward to meeting the authorities, business partners and civil society representatives. It will allow us to reiterate our commitment to developing the Turkish private sector and other areas of the broader economy.

Prudent reforms and macroeconomic stability will unlock more investment and help generate sustainable growth. The EBRD is and remains Turkeys committed partner.

During her stay in Istanbul and Ankara the EBRD President plans to meet Minister of Treasury and Finance and EBRD Governor Lutfi Elvan, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoglu, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum and Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar.

The President will also introduce the new EBRD Head of its Ankara office, Mehmet Uvez, to the authorities before he takes up his new post at the start of 2022.

Ms Renaud-Basso will have the opportunity to discuss the latest economic developments with Central Bank Governor Sahap Kavcioglu, but also in meetings with representatives of Turkish small and medium-sized enterprises.

The President will reiterate the EBRDs support for Turkish municipalities in meetings with the Mayors of Ankara, Istanbul and Gaziantep, Mansur Yavas, Ekrem Imamoglu and Fatma Sahin, respectively. The three cities have joined the EBRD Green Cities programme, addressing the enormous environmental challenges presented by urban conurbations.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Turkey and, to date, has invested 14.2 billion in the country through 351 projects, with 95 per cent of those in the private sector.

Half of the EBRDs investment in Turkey supports the countrys shift to a low-carbon economy. To date, the Bank has provided 6.6 billion through 175 projects  mostly in the private sector but also to Turkish cities and households  in support of greater sustainability and resource efficiency.
CORK TD Holly Cairns has launched a bill that she hopes will create a cultural shift in Irish politics.

The Social Democrats TD for Cork South West recently launched a bill that would extend maternity, adoptive and paternity leave for local councillors nationwide.

Deputy Cairns said councillors currently have no entitlement to these forms of leave.

The Local Government Act 2001, which my bill amends, is a product of its time when little consideration was given to women in politics or that male councillors would take paternity leave. My bill aims to allow councillors to take maternity, adoptive and paternal leave, she said.

This is not just about a technical change, it is about good governance and the need for a cultural shift in Irish politics. We need to normalise politicians taking maternity and parental leave. I will be working with all political parties and groupings to help this legislation move through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible, she said.

Deputy Cairns hopes these measures will encourage more women to get involved in local and national politics.

Women make up less than a quarter of the TDs in the Dail and less than a quarter of the councillors on local authorities across the country. If we want to increase the number of women in politics then we need to identify the barriers to female participation and work to remove them. The lack of any maternity or paternity provisions for public representatives is one very obvious barrier. It denies the country of strong female political candidates, many of whom feel unable to progress a career in politics because of structural barriers that are in their way.

Without a more family-friendly environment we are excluding young people, especially young women from becoming or succeeding as councillors, she added.

Breaking down barriers

Cork County Councillor Deirdre Kelly echoed Ms Cairns sentiments with regards to breaking down barriers to entice more females into politics.

It is now high time that definitive policy was put in place for parents in all sectors of society, including public representatives. Currently, if a councillor is absent for a period of six months it is determined that their seat has been resigned and vacated. This does nothing to entice women to enter into public life.

The lack of proper provision surrounding maternity leave is certainly a barrier for any female considering a career in public life. Women should be encouraged to engage in public life and not have prohibitive obstacles placed in their way, she added.

A long-overdue change

Sinn Fein County Councillor Danielle Twomey said the proposed change to the Local Government Act is well overdue.

Every party claims to want stronger female representation and its extremely important for them to recognise the anomaly contained within the Local Government Act. Its something that should have been implemented a long time ago. Maternity leave and paternity leave should be an automatic entitlement to all parents regardless of their position.

Ms Twomey said that the lack of maternity leave for politicians is a clear barrier for women entering into politics.

The lack of maternity leave for politicians is a clear barrier for women entering into politics. Childcare still remains a huge issue for young women in local government. The cost of childcare for every family is a problem but with a local representative, its even more of an issue. Our work does not follow a 9-5 schedule. Without the support of my family, I couldnt do this job.

Cllr Twomey said more work behind the scenes needs to be done to attract more women into politics.

We as women have so much to offer. We need to be at the decision-making table."

She added: The promotion of women in politics in youth groups is also something I think we should look at. I would like to see more emphasis on the importance of politics in secondary schools with the introduction of student councils at secondary level.
A 57-year-old man who was caught with more than 60,000 worth of heroin when he was living in squalor in a house in Cork more back in 2015 was arrested recently in Finland on a European warrant.

Kevin Sweeney was brought before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing where Detective Garda Jerome Murphy described the circumstances of the detection of the diamorphine (heroin) on July 15, 2015, at his home at the time on Glentrasna Drive, The Glen, Cork.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Helen Boyle has imposed a five-year sentence on Sweeney and suspended half of it.

Ray Boland, defending, had stressed the fact that the defendant had completely distanced himself from addiction and the drug scene and was now in employment and living with his family in Finland.

Charge too serious to fully suspend sentence

However, the judge said that the seriousness of the charge, combined with the fact that the accused effectively fled the jurisdiction, made it impossible for her to impose a fully suspended sentence.

The charge to which Sweeney pleaded guilty was one of having diamorphine for sale or supply when its street value exceeded 13,000.

This is the threshold figure which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years unless the judge finds there are exceptional circumstances.

Mr Boland submitted, It is an unusual case in a number of respects.

It is very unusual that a man leading an otherwise blameless life would become addicted to heroin in his late 40s. He is now 57.

He managed to rehabilitate himself completely from heroin without any help from outside agencies.

He was in the throes of addiction at the time of the offence.

I should say in relation to the 62,000 worth of heroin the amount of drugs is less relevant in the case of a storeman than it would be in the case of a distributor.

The evidence was that he previously stored small amounts.

Mr Boland said Sweeney developed depression and anxiety following the breakdown of a relationship and became addicted to heroin.

Judge Boyle said people who get the benefit of a fully suspended sentence for drugs are often young people who do not have the wisdom of years.

The judge also said in relation to the application for a fully suspended sentence, He left the jurisdiction for a considerable number of years.

Events in 2015

Detective Garda Murphy said gardai went to the defendants home on July 15, 2015, when 16 bags of heroin were found in the sitting room and in a lunchbox in the kitchen a further 14 bags of the drugs were found.

More than 1,000 in cash was also found together with a weighing scales.

He made full admissions to storing heroin. He was paid in small quantities of heroin and cash.

He said he let another person hide heroin in the house, Det Garda Murphy said.

He was arrested in Finland in July and conveyed back to Ireland on September 16.

Judge Boyle noted from the evidence that the accused was addicted to heroin and effectively living in squalor at the time of the offence but was a different man now.

The evidence was that he was playing music and living productively in Finland without any involvement in drugs.
A THIRD-PARTY appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala objecting to the planning permission granted for a mixed-use scheme on the site of the former Lakelands Tavern on Avenue De Rennes in Mahon.

Cork City Council approved proposals put forward by Dooneen Property Developments Limited to demolish the former bar and to construct three retail units and 39 residential units at the site.

Those units were proposed to be split into 19 two-bedroom apartments and 20 one-bedroom apartments in a single block ranging in height from three to five storeys. Cork City Council attached 23 conditions to its grant of permission.

However, the councils grant of conditional planning permission has now been appealed.

The appeal claims that the design and density of the proposed development is not in keeping with existing structures in the local area.

The appeal states that 99% of the surrounding buildings are a maximum of two-storeys high, with a large portion of that being one storey, adding that the density of the plan is overwhelming for the local area.

The appeal also claims that the plans have not shown how they reflect the existing character of the area.

The area is a family neighbourhood, with three schools on the developments proposed road, local shops, community centre, and numerous family homes.

A high-rise building comprised of one and two-bedroom apartments does not reflect this demographic.

This type of building would be more suited to inner-city professional living.

It also says that due consideration should be given to the privacy concerns of the existing residential homes to the north of the development, and states that this seems to have been disregarded.

I would like to point out that I do think the current site/structure in place is in need of serious renovation/overhaul, however, the proposed/approved development is not appropriate, the appellant added.

An Bord Pleanala is due to make a decision on the case by March 9, 2022.
Ireland's longest-running film festival, Cork International Film Festival (CIFF), returns this week for its 66th year. This year's festival combines in-person screenings and online films and runs from 5th to 21st November 2021. The programme is packed with features, shorts, and special events. Fiona Clark, festival director and CEO, says that the online aspect allows for greater flexibility.

"Last year, we planned to have a blended festival with in-person and digital screenings. As soon as we launched the festival, lockdown was announced, and we had to put the programme online. It was not the same as watching films on the big screen and collectively, but there's a real value in that people could join us from all over the country. We reached thousands of people, which would never have been possible without digital."

"Digital is still part of everyone's lifestyle. We wanted to combine what we learned last year and do it in a way that lets people have the physical festival experience. The digital festival is three programs over three days to allow people to have fresh content just like they would in a cinema."

As with previous years, directors and filmmakers will be on hand to introduce their films, but this year's festival also presents new strands to the programme. Clarks says it is vital for the festival to refresh, renew and make things as relevant as possible each year.

As world leaders meet to discuss the fate of the world's climate situation at COP26 in Glasgow, CIFF adds its support by showing films rooted in environmental issues in the Green Strand.

Disco Pigs gets a a rescreening as part of a Female Visions showcase.

Clark says the festival team is interested in sustainability regarding their own practices and felt it was important to dedicate a strand to all things green.

"We have one of the largest documentary feature programs in the country, so inevitably, social and global themes around the human impact on the environment, climate etc., have been the focus of many of our films. This year we noticed a particularly strong focus from filmmakers on the environment. With COP26 front and centre of the news, it makes sense to use the platform of the festival as an opportunity to focus public engagement on those issues through film."

The Culinary Strand is more than just the chance to watch films set in the culinary world. There are two ticket options for Philip Barantini's Boiling Point; one includes a three-course supper in The River Lee Hotel. Clark says this is not the only treat for foodies.

"We have a wonderful documentary Nordic by Nature followed by a brilliant panel discussion which includes a Michelin starred chef and two of the filmmakers, and it is hosted by Regina Sexton, food historian and food writer from UCC."

A retrospective programme, Female Visions, celebrates female directors and includes a screening of Disco Pigs directed by Kirsten Sheridan, which saw a young Cillian Murphy in his breakout role.

"Female Visions showcases films by women who have pushed boundaries, and the programme is connected to art, to the city, and more. We commissioned a beautiful piece of art by Eleanor O'Donovan, who produced a piece in response to female visions. We have our Trail of Discovery, which is the walking tour exhibition around the city. There are six sites with different exhibitions and podcasts that all draw on the theme of female visions."

"We are keen to encourage people to explore, to see the festival as a journey through the Trail of Discovery and discovering new films. We want people to reimagine the world through what they see."

CIFF brings the best of national and international films to Cork, but Clark says it is essential to support the work of artists living and working in the county.

Tadhg O'Sullivan is this year's Filmmaker in Residence 2021 at UCC, and Clark says they are delighted to play his new film, To the Moon.

"We have a fantastic relationship with UCC. Each year we screen work by the Filmmaker in Residence, and this year we have Tadhg's beautiful film, which is a love letter to the moon. We run criticism workshops with UCC Media students. We also have an intern youth film and mental health program in partnership with UCC. We need to continue to support artists at home and help them gain wider attention."

There are two ticket options for Philip Barantinis Boiling Point; one includes a three-course supper in The River Lee Hotel.

UCC Film Artist in Residence alumni Mark O'Halloran brings his latest work, An Encounter, to the festival. The short film is loosely based on a short story by James Joyce. Written by O'Halloran and directed by Kelly Campbell, it is part of the Irish Shorts programme strand.

Clark says that, in these uncertain times, it is important for everyone to feel safe attending the festival, and the team have gone to lengths to ensure that all precautions are taken.

"People who want the flexibility of being able to watch from home can, and those who want to be in the cinema can do that safely as well because we are not selling to capacity. Our venues are well managed and ventilated, and everyone must have a COVID cert to attend the screening. I'm really confident that people can focus on enjoying the films knowing that safety and management are well taken care of by the teams at each venue and by our planning."

Cork International Film Festival runs from 5th to 21st November 2021. More information on CIFF can be found at corkfilmfest.org

Highlights

With over 4,000 submissions to whittle down, the festival had their work cut out. The festival has an extensive viewing panel whose selections are then watched by a smaller team, who, in turn, make recommendations to the programming team.

Their pick for the opening night film is Ali & Ava by acclaimed director Clio Barnard. The film focuses on Ava (Claire Rushbrook), an Irish-born single mum living in Bradford who strikes up a friendship with outgoing landlord Ali (Adeel Akhtar).

Foscadh (Shelter) sees the star of the acclaimed Arracht, Donall O Healai, take the lead in Irelands official entry to the 2022 Oscars. Set in Connemara, the Irish-language film deals with John Cunliffe, a recluse whose world is changing around him.

This years cine-concert is a presentation of the 1927 film, Metropolis, a dystopian drama by Fritz Lang. Cork composers and sisters Irene Buckley and Linda Buckley have produced a new score for the film, which will be performed by percussion ensemble Bangers and Crash.

In the Female Visions strand, Engagement and Endurance: Cork City Women in the 1920s, focuses on the role played by Cork women in the events of the 1920s. The film examines how womens role in history is often overlooked and brings women to the fore.

Lyra is a documentary that explores the life and career of Lyra McKee, an internationally renowned investigative journalist who was shot dead in 2019 in Derry while she was covering a story.

For something entirely different, CIFF introduces the Guilty Pleasure programme giving audiences the chance to catch up with old favourites. There are several films to choose from, but Clueless takes the top spot. This 1995 comedy, a reworking of Jane Austens Emma, is a much-loved coming of age comedy.

Films will be screened in venues throughout the city and county.
By James Ward, PA

An investigation into the Irish Coast Guard helicopter R116 crash that claimed four lives has identified systemic safety issues.

It found that the aircraft was manoeuvring at 200ft and nine nautical miles from the intended landing point, at night and in poor weather conditions, unaware that a 282ft obstacle was on the flight path.

There were serious and important weaknesses with the operators safety management systems (SMS) in relation to navigation and the reporting of safety issues, such that certain risks that could have been mitigated were not, its report said.

Rescue 116 crashed off Co Mayo at 12.46am on March 14th, 2017 with four crew on board after it struck Blackrock Island, 19km off the coast.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, winchman Ciaran Smith and winchman Paul Orsmby, were killed in the crash. Photo: Irish Coast Guard/PA

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, the commander of the flight, was pulled from the sea in the hours after the crash and never regained consciousness, while the body of Captain Mark Duffy, the co-pilot, was taken from the cockpit 12 days later by Navy divers.

The bodies of winchmen Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith were never recovered despite weeks of intensive seabed, surface and shore searches.

The investigation report found that concerns had been raised over the navigation system  the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)  four years before the crash.

Emails from 2013 highlighted that the lighthouse at Blackrock was not listed in the obstacle database.

The crew probably believed that the route taken, by design, provided adequate terrain separation from obstacles, the report said.

The conditions on the night in question meant it was not possible for the crew to accurately assess horizontal visibility.

There were serious and important weaknesses with aspects of the operators SMS, including in relation to safety reporting, safety meetings, its safety database Sqid (Safety and Quality Integrated Database) and the management of FMS (flight management system) route guide, such that certain risks that could have been mitigated were not, it added.

Members of the Irish Coast Guard search the coastline near Blacksod, Co Mayo, following the R116 crash. Photo: Chris Radburn/PA

The report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), published on Friday, has made 42 safety recommendations in light of the findings, which the Department of Transport said it fully accepts.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: This was a tragic accident that claimed the lives of four individuals who were dedicated to saving the lives of others.

I would like to again convey my condolences to the families and loved ones of the R116s crew at this time.

The completion of the investigation and the publication of the report is a key step in ensuring that such accidents are prevented in the future.

The report also called on CHCI, the company which provided the helicopters to the Irish Coast Guard, to review its guidance, operating and training procedures in respect of its EGPWS navigating system, and to ensure crews are aware of the limitations.

The body of Captain Mark Duffy is accompanied by a guard of honour as it is driven along the seafront at Blacksod, Co Mayo. Photo: Chris Radburn/PA

In addition, questions were raised over whether the rescue mission was necessary under official protocols.

The National Search and Rescue (SAR) Framework states that such missions are for people who are, or are believed to be, in imminent danger of loss of life.

Reports showed that the fisherman at the centre of the rescue was in danger of losing a thumb, but did not appear to be at risk of bleeding out.
Effingham, IL (62401)

Today

Cloudy with light rain this morning...then becoming partly cloudy. High 54F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 25F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Isle of Man secures inclusion in landmark climate agreement

A landmark agreement, which underpins the United Nations crucial COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, will be extended to the Isle of Man after successful talks with the UK.

The Paris Agreement united almost all the world's nations  for the first time - in a single commitment to combat climate change, when nearly 200 countries signed up in 2015.

Members agreed to "pursue efforts" to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C, and limit greenhouse gas emissions from human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally - known as net zero.

The approval of the Isle of Mans request, and those from the other Crown Dependencies, was announced by Greg Hands MP, the UK Minister of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), at COP26 on Thursday.
Athens, AL (35611)

Today

Cloudy skies with periods of rain this afternoon. High near 65F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain ending overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 41F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
January 2, 1942 - November 20, 2021 Meron Kay Highfill Burleson went home to her Lord on November 20, 2021. She will be cremated at her request. There will be no memorial service at this time. A private memorial service to celebrate her life and going home will be held at a later date. Meron
With the success of Netflix's smash hit "Squid Game," the demand of Asian content has seemingly brought out the competitive spirit from different content hubs in the region. With Chinese streaming service iQiyi boldly declaring themselves in The Hollywood Reporter as the premiere service for pan-Asian content and Taiwan enticing foreign co-productions with the island's lack of censorship and generous rebate incentives, it seems that every Asian country wants to distinguish themselves as Hollywood's next go-to location for inventive, high production TV and film.

However, before any Asian streaming service can challenge Netflix and its expanding international content library, there are a few things that these challengers to the Netflix stream crown need to secure first. Here's our list.

6 Things Asian Streaming Services Need to Compete with Netflix

1. Lock down English subtitle translations

While most Asian communities, whether in the U.S. or abroad, are used to reading subtitles while enjoying content, one major audience that's still adjusting to this practice is the United States. Now that the U.S. audience's eyes are being open to foreign media, the quality of English subtitles becomes increasingly more crucial.

As the outrage over the loss of meaning in "Squid Game"'s English subtitles indicates, these subtitles are crucial in allowing American and other English-speaking audiences to understand the nuances in Asian shows' storytelling. And, if Netflix, one of the leading American streaming services, is slipping up in the subtitle department, then any Asian streaming service prepared to take the streaming crown must step up their game in quickly but accurately providing English subtitles for their content.

How can this be done? Perhaps streaming services can consider the Viki model of hiring fansubbers to provide subtitles and act as linguistic gatekeepers. Fansubbers are a dedicated group of fans who translate content and provide subtitles for foreign content. These fans are extremely passionate about the shows or stars, and so will provide subtitles for free to fan communities and often have years of experience translating from one language to another. By recruiting these fansubbers, Asian streaming services may be able to provide more accurate English subtitles in less time.

2. Offer quality English dubs

To provide even more accessibility for their content, Asian streaming services should also consider offering quality English dubs. One reason Netflix can reach many international communities is because they have teams of voice over artists to provide dubs in a variety of languages. English dubs provide a way for Americans or other English-speaking audiences unused to reading subtitles to enjoy content.

However, when providing English dubs, streaming services need to be careful about how well the voice actors capture the Asian actors' performances. "Squid Game"'s English dub famously had American audiences bowled over laughing at how over-the-top the voice acting performances were. While it's often easier to provide more convincing dubs for animated shows, dubs for live action shows can easily sound off if they don't match the same level of intensity of the original actor or if the language translation is off, which is something to look out for.

3. Allow for creative freedom

To create the innovative shows that audiences like, TV and film creators need to be given creative freedom to make the content they and audiences would like to see. However, China, one of the Asian content hubs competing to become Hollywood's go-to, is notorious for censoring content that doesn't match the the government's strict views.

With recent crackdowns including a film censorship law in Hong Kong banning any films that go against "China's national security interests" and mainland Chinese bans on idol audition shows and the depiction of effeminate men on TV (think K-Pop-styled or men wearing makeup or less traditionally masculine fashion), the ability for Chinese creators to make riveting shows that reflect audience demand is greatly hobbled. Even worse, certain taboo topics, such as LGBTQ+ stories, are also banned in China. These limitations will get in the way of a Chinese streaming service or any streaming services that cater to a primarily Chinese audience competing with the likes of Netflix, which doesn't suffer as much restrictions.

4. Learn American TV writing

I know this comes off as extremely American-centric. However, if an Asian streaming service wants to contend with Netflix seriously, they may need to borrow a move from Netflix's playbook. Recently, one of my TV writing professors was invited to teach American-style TV writing to Italian TV writers, so these Italian writers could provide content that conforms to Netflix's expectations. This move indicates that Netflix is a company that's willing to invest in foreign talent by helping develop their skills, which is a trait that shouldn't be underestimated.

Asian streaming services can also borrow from this way of thinking by hiring notable American TV writers to help bring Chinese writers up to speed on American TV writing expectations, which would help Chinese writers become more competitive. Additionally, the best way to beat someone at their own game is to borrow the tools they use and subvert them to your uses. So, Asian streaming services should let their creators absorb the screenwriting style that American audiences are used to, and adapt it to tell the stories they want.

5. Take advantage of pan-Asian talent

Asian streaming services can compete with Netflix by diversifying their content to show different sides of Asia and showing American audiences that being Asian isn't a singular experience. In the article touting iQiyi's Asian streaming content, the article emphasizes that their content features "international casts from Southeast Asia" and brings up "Rainless Love in a Godless Land," a Taiwanese drama that draws heavily on indigenous Amis mythology. These points are indicators that Asian streaming services are paying attention to Asian content outside of China. Since Asian streaming services have the advantage of being knowledgeable about the cultural landscape they seek to represent, they know where to find the brightest and most talented people in Asian film industries.

Besides, capitalizing on pan-Asian talent is something that Asian entertainment industries are already doing. Cross-Asian collaboration has long been an established practice that reflects Asian audiences' predisposition to consume content from outside their home countries. Examples of this include Japan's casting of South Korean, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese stars alongside Japanese actors in "The Files of Young Kindaichi - Lost in Kowloon" TV movie, Japan shooting an entire spin-off mini-series in Taiwan for "GTO Taiwan," China casting Japanese singer-actor Akanishi Jin (last seen in Hollywood in that Keanu Reeves "47 Ronin" film) to play Erlang Shang in Chinese drama "The Legends of Monkey King," and finally, all the different times famous South Korean actors appeared in Chinese films and dramas after gaining popularity due to the Hallyu or Korean Wave.

Now, imagine what could be pulled off if Asian filmmakers from different countries managed to collaborate behind the camera as well. By investing in pan-Asian talent, Asian streaming services could encourage a mixing of styles, aesthetics, and sensibilities that could lead to a new movement in the proliferation of Asian content.

6. Hire Asian Americans as liaisons

Finally, Asian streaming services could gain a leg up in the American streaming wars by hiring Asian American talent. While it would be wrong to say that every Asian American is knowledgeable about both American and Asian entertainment, there are definitely those in the community who are. Perhaps, like me, they went searching for Asian faces created or were in charming, fascinating media properties.

Regardless of how these Asian Americans developed their wealth of knowledge, Asian streaming services would do well to seek out and bring these people, who have been caught between cultures, onto their team. We know that American TV and film gatekeepers haven't been great at finding and investing in Asian Americans executives or creatives, who grew up knowing what their peers like to watch and also developing their own appreciation of Asian cinema or TV. This insight would be invaluable for any Asian streaming service wanting to cross-over to American audiences. And, the best way to gain this insight is to hire Asian Americans onto their teams.

As the U.S. becomes more and more aware and accepting of international content, streaming services will need to bring in international productions to compete. This logic is the same for any Asian streaming service hoping to break into the American market, where services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime still reign supreme. If Asian streaming services can take advantage of some of the tips I've provided, I believe they and the Asian content they introduce will become even more competitive.
The official trailer for the upcoming film The Hating Game came out last night, and it is shaping up to be the most highly-anticipated enemies to lovers film of recent time. The film, starring Pretty Little Liars's Lucy Hale and Bridge of Spies's Austin Stowell, is based on a novel of the same title by Sally Thorne.



We are excited to see Hale take on this role. She has been a consistent presence on screen for years. This can be attributed to the artist's power, confidence, and In an interview with Shape earlier this year, she said, "For much of my life, I thought I had to be cute and sit there. That's so boring...I've developed more confidence because I realize I'm more htan the way I look. One day, I was like, wait, I'm a good person. I work really hard. I've been given gifts. I'm smart. I can have good conversations." She is the girl-power icon we need, and we can't wait to see her take on this high-power professional role in The Hating Game.

The story follows that of Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeton: two co-workers that absolutley hate each other. According to Goodreads:

Lucy can't let Joshua beat her at anything-especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking...If Lucy wins this game, she'll be Joshua's boss. If she loses, she'll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she's got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth-shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she's got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

We will be seeing Lucy Hale on the screen more and more in the coming months. She will be seen in the upcomming AMC+ series Ragdoll. The show comes from the same producers of Killing Eve, and will follow Hale as she searches London for a killer. Ragdoll is being adapted from the novel by Daniel Cole. It is set to premiere on November 11, 2021.



Meanwhile, The Hating Game is set to be released aproximately a month later on December 10th, 2021. We can't way to see this dyanmic will-they-won't-they hit the screen!
Three years ago, the company walked away from a Defense Department project after employees objected to it. Now the company is working on a new proposal for the Pentagon.

Three years after an employee revolt forced Google to abandon work on a Pentagon program that used artificial intelligence, the company is aggressively pursuing a major contract to provide its technology to the military.

The companys plan to land the potentially lucrative contract, known as the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability, could raise a furor among its outspoken work force and test the resolve of management to resist employee demands.

In 2018, thousands of Google employees signed a letter protesting the companys involvement in Project Maven, a military program that uses artificial intelligence to interpret video images and could be used to refine the targeting of drone strikes. Google management caved and agreed to not renew the contract once it expired.

The outcry led Google to create guidelines for the ethical use of artificial intelligence, which prohibit the use of its technology for weapons or surveillance, and hastened a shake-up of its cloud computing business. Now, as Google positions cloud computing as a key part of its future, the bid for the new Pentagon contract could test the boundaries of those A.I. principles, which have set it apart from other tech giants that routinely seek military and intelligence work.

The militarys initiative, which aims to modernize the Pentagons cloud technology and support the use of artificial intelligence to gain an advantage on the battlefield, is a replacement for a contract with Microsoft that was canceled this summer amid a lengthy legal battle with Amazon. Google did not compete against Microsoft for that contract after the uproar over Project Maven.

The Pentagons restart of its cloud computing project has given Google a chance to jump back into the bidding, and the company has raced to prepare a proposal to present to Defense officials, according to four people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. In September, Googles cloud unit made it a priority, declaring an emergency Code Yellow, an internal designation of importance that allowed the company to pull engineers off other assignments and focus them on the military project, two of those people said.

On Tuesday, the Google cloud units chief executive, Thomas Kurian, met with Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the chief of staff of the Air Force, and other top Pentagon officials to make the case for his company, two people said.

Google, in a written statement, said it is firmly committed to serving our public sector customers including the Defense Department, and that it will evaluate any future bid opportunities accordingly.

The contract replaces the now-scrapped Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, the Pentagon cloud computing contract that was estimated to be worth $10 billion over 10 years. The exact size of the new contract is unknown, although it is half the duration and will be awarded to more than one company, not to a single provider like JEDI.

It is unclear whether the work, which would provide the Defense Department access to Googles cloud products, would violate Googles A.I. principles, although the Defense Department has said the technology is expected to support the military in combat. But Pentagon rules about outside access to sensitive or classified data could prevent Google from seeing exactly how its technology is being used.

The Defense Department said it would seek proposals from a limited set of companies that could meet its requirements. As this is an active acquisition, we cannot provide any additional information related to this effort, said Russell Goemaere, a spokesman for the department.

After a late start in selling its cloud computing technology to other organizations, Google has struggled to close the gap with Amazon and Microsoft, which have the two biggest cloud computing businesses. To bring in more big customers, Google hired Mr. Kurian, a longtime executive at the software company Oracle, to take over the business in 2018. He has beefed up the size of Googles sales staff and pushed the company to compete aggressively for new contracts, including military deals.

But Google employees have continued to resist some work pursued by the cloud unit. In 2019, they protested the use of artificial intelligence tools for the oil and gas industry. A year later, the company said it would not build custom A.I. software for the extraction of fossil fuels.

Google started working on Project Maven in 2017 and prepared to bid for JEDI. Many Google employees believed Project Maven represented a potentially lethal use of artificial intelligence, and more than 4,000 workers signed a letter demanding that Google withdraw from the project.

Soon after, Google announced a set of ethical principles that would govern its use of artificial intelligence. Google would not allow its A.I. to be used for weapons or surveillance, said Sundar Pichai, its chief executive, but would continue to accept military contracts for cybersecurity and search-and-rescue.

Several months later, Google said it would not bid on the JEDI contract, although it was unlikely that the company had a shot at landing the deal: The Maven experience had soured the relationship between Google and the military, and Google lacked some of the security certifications needed to handle classified data.

Googles cloud business recently has done other work with the military. Since last year, Google has signed contracts with the U.S. Air Force for using cloud computing for aircraft maintenance and pilot training, as well as a U.S. Navy contract for using artificial intelligence to detect and predict the maintenance needs of facilities and vessels.

Some Google workers believed the new contract would not violate the principles, a person familiar with the decision said, because the contract would enable generic uses of its cloud technology and artificial intelligence. The principles specifically state Google will not pursue A.I. that can be applied in weapons or those that direct injury.

Lucy Suchman, a professor of anthropology of science and technology at Lancaster University whose research focuses on the use of technology in war, said that with so much money at stake, it is no surprise Google might waver on its commitment.

It demonstrates the fragility of Googles commitment to staying outside the major merger thats happening between the D.O.D. and Silicon Valley, Ms. Suchman said.

Googles efforts come as its employees are already pushing the company to cancel a cloud computing contract with the Israeli military, called Project Nimbus, that provides Googles services to government entities throughout Israel. In an open letter published last month by The Guardian, Google employees called on their employer to cancel the contract.

The Defense Departments effort to transition to cloud technology has been mired in legal battles. The military operates on outdated computer systems and has spent billions of dollars on modernization. It turned to U.S. internet giants in the hope that the companies could quickly and securely move the Defense Department to the cloud.

In 2019, the Defense Department awarded the JEDI contract to Microsoft. Amazon sued to block the contract, claiming that Microsoft did not have the technical capabilities to fulfill the militarys needs and that former President Donald J. Trump had improperly influenced the decision because of animosity toward Jeff Bezos, Amazons executive chairman and the owner of The Washington Post.

In July, the Defense Department announced that it could no longer wait for the legal fight with Amazon to resolve. It scrapped the JEDI contract and said it would be replaced with the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability.

The Pentagon also noted that Amazon and Microsoft were the only companies that likely had the technology to meet its needs, but said it would conduct market research before ruling out other competitors. The Defense Department said it planned to reach out to Google, Oracle and IBM.

But Google executives believe they have the capability to compete for the new contract, and the company expects the Defense Department to tell it whether it will qualify to make a bid in the coming weeks, two people familiar with the matter said.

The Defense Department has previously said it hopes to award a contract by April.

Daisuke Wakabayashi & Kate Conger

 : www.nytimes.com
The driver of a stolen truck led authorities on a chase along several Los Angeles freeways Wednesday night. The chase ended in a standoff in Santa Ana, which continued until the driver surrendered Thursday morning.
'We've got a lot of work to do,' Governor Elect Glenn Youngkin says

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin had a closed meeting, and afterwards spoke with the press about some of their conversation including the planning of a smooth transition between the two parties.
A plan to build a business incubator in downtown Boerne  one big enough to catch the attention of entrepreneurs in Kendall County and beyond  is inching toward reality.

The proposed public-private partnership will be between the city of Boerne and the recently formed Boerne Kendall County Angel Network, a nonprofit that works to foster local startup companies. The effort hopes to serve as an anchor for business talent and startups in the citys former public works building downtown.

On ExpressNews.com: Boerne's laws against public nudity are among the strictest in the area. Here's why.

The incubator would operate as a nonprofit organization with its own board and with help from the Angel Network and the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation. The focus will be on creating opportunities for residents to pursue careers where they grew up  a crucial need for the region of Hill Country whose talent often leaves after high school.

Incubators are part of a growing ecosystem in the region where we want to foster and grow our own entrepreneurial culture, said Justin McKenzie, the Angel Networks CEO.

McKenzie added: We would seed companies, help them get started and see them expand outside of the incubator into their own space in our region. We are just making Boerne visible and giving entrepreneurs a future by giving them a first home.

The city of Boerne has agreed to negotiate a lease on the former utility building next to the old City Hall on Blanco Road. Initial plans for the 6,700-square-foot building calls for co-working spaces and mentorship, continuing education and networking opportunities.

We want a place where people want to come, said Amy Story, the president and CEO of the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation. Its a launching pad to give them an affordable space to be successful for when theyre done in the incubator.

On ExpressNews.com: In this Anaqua Springs Ranch home in Boerne, Texas meets New York City in decor that had to be kid-friendly and stylish

Unlike the other areas around San Antonio, Boerne and Kendall County don't have the infrastructure to attract major manufacturers and recent efforts to grow the regions economy are focused on small businesses.

Of the nearly 3,000 businesses that call fast-growing Kendall County home, just about all of them have fewer than 20 employees.

But the region has few affordable real estate opportunities for young entrepreneurs to start their business, McKenzie said.

The IC Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, a think tank that helps communities outside major urban areas become more economically and technologically resilient, recently assessed the situation in Boerne. One major takeaway was the need for the region to create its own culture of entrepreneurship with programming and dedicated space for aspiring startups.

The incubator gives an opportunity to plant the flag of entrepreneurship McKenzie said. Its a place for mentors to pour in and to gather and talk about big ideas. Its also a place to seed, grow and foster a business until its ready to move to the next facility.

Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net
Nursery schools, nursing homes and nursing, in general, are in trouble, and the post-COVID-19 economic recovery rests on delivering workers to those critical sectors.

Pay and working conditions are poor, despite the devotion Americans profess for their loved ones. With 10 million job openings nationwide, the people we rely on to care for those who cannot care for themselves are beginning to take better care of their futures.

Americas 254,000 daycare workers make on average $12 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The annual median wage is $25,000 when most national retail and fast-food operations pay $15 an hour, plus bonuses.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Immigration reform should focus on employers, end black market labor

A coffee shop barista can make 30 percent more with tips than someone caring for your child. For working parents trying to do right by their child, a daycare job is an irrational choice.

The 3 million personal care aides who work in home healthcare or assisted-living facilities only make about $13 an hour, or $27,000 a year. We expect them to care for and clean up after the disabled and the elderly, some of whom have dementia.

Whatever verbal abuse a Starbucks or Walmart customer may hurl at you, at least they leave quickly and probably do not mess the floor on the way out. Nursing homes have lost more than 380,000 employees since the pandemic began, according to the Labor Department.

A registered nurse remains a solidly middle-class profession. Their median wage is $38 an hour, or $80,000 a year. Almost 3 million people work in the field, but half are considering leaving within the next two years, a recent survey revealed.

Pay is not the problem as much as demographics and the workplace. Most nurses are nearing retirement, and after the unmitigated COVID-19 disaster, many are getting out early. Not enough young people are enrolling in nursing to replace them, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Violence in the health care setting plays a role in the nursing shortage, the ever-present threat of emotional or physical abuse, adding to an already stressful environment, NIH reported. Job satisfaction and work effort are affected negatively, as the physical and emotional insults take a toll on the well-being of the healthcare professional physically and emotionally.

Society tends to undervalue the skills required to do these jobs. Capitalism doesnt reward patience, empathy and generosity of spirit as much as competition, aggression and selfishness. We should also not ignore how men have devalued the tough jobs historically performed by women.

Care-giving professionals are necessary, though, in our division-of-labor economy. They allow people with other skills to leave home and work in other professions. Numerous studies show that the lack of affordable care for loved ones is a significant reason women are not returning to the workforce.

Efforts are underway to make these professions more attractive, including better pay and benefits. But we also need more working-age people to fill all the open jobs. Luckily, we have a vast pool of laborers ready and willing to fill these roles if we can get politics out of the way.

Care-giving industries have long relied on immigrants, and employers want more of them. So should we.

Immigrants, including refugees, are a valuable part of the long-term care workforce, providing critical support to older adults and individuals with disabilities nationwide, said Clif Porter, senior vice president of government relations at the American Health Care Association. The group recently promised the White House to hire and train newly-arrived Afghan refugees.

The U.S. slashed nonimmigrant visas from 10 million in 2016 to 4 million last year, drastically reducing the workforce. The business community needs Congress to turn that trend around with an immigration law overhaul.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texans should be recruiting Afghan refugees to boost economy, diversify culture

First, the 10 million undocumented people already working in the country need work visas. The United States does not have enough unemployed people to fill those jobs, and deporting 10 million people would trigger a depression.

Second, Congress should improve and enforce employment laws. Anyone with access to the Internet can get a U.S. drivers license and Social Security Card from Chinese counterfeiters. Congress needs to improve the E-Verify system so that all employers, in all circumstances, can ensure every worker is legally authorized to work.

Lastly, they should increase the number of refugee and work visas granted each year. When 98,000 companies are spending thousands of dollars every year to compete for 33,000 work visas, according to federal statistics, the government is holding back innovation and growth.

Expanding legal immigration is the best way to solve the illegal immigration problem and give the U.S. economy a boost, too.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Boeing Co. outsourced work on Air Force One aircraft at Port San Antonio to a financially insolvent shell company owned by a foreign government, raising troubling national security questions, a whistleblower alleges in a court filing.

Subcontractor GDC Technics, which was 80 percent owned by the Saudi Arabian government, ultimately didnt complete interior modifications to the aircraft because of a dispute with Boeing. As a result, the aerospace giant reportedly wants a 12-month delay in the jets delivery and $500 million in additional taxpayer funds to cover cost overruns.

The whistleblower also alleges the Saudi government diverted funds earmarked for the Air Force One projects to complete two of its own Boeing 787-8 aircraft before it forfeited and abandoned all interests in GDC in 2019.

The whistleblower, Ahmed Bashir, a Pakistani-born owner of a now-defunct aircraft modification company in Wichita, Kan., made the allegations in an Oct. 27 court filing in GDCs San Antonio bankruptcy case.

GDC filed for reorganization April 26 after Boeing dropped it from the Air Force One contracts.

On ExpressNews.com: Dispute over work on Air Force One causes 56 to be laid off in San Antonio

Bashir has submitted a $312 million claim in GDCs bankruptcy, an amount he describes in his filing as an estimation of the bill footed by the United States taxpayers as a result of Boeing and GDCs fraud. He filed the document on behalf of taxpayers in response to GDCs objection to the claim.

Bashirs allegations amount to nothing more than sour grapes that his company lost the Air Force One projects, GDC says in its objection. Bashirs Emerald Aerospace lost the contracts because of its own financial and legal problems and failures in the bidding process, GDC says. Bashirs lawyer disputed those charges, saying the allegations have nothing to do with Emerald.

GDC has not filed a response to the filing. Two of its bankruptcy lawyers didnt respond to an email seeking comment last week.

Qui tam lawsuit

File photo

Bashir originally filed a whistleblower lawsuit, or qui tam case, against Boeing and GDC in April 2019 in federal court in Washington state. It came a year after he filed an ethics complaint with Boeing.

Qui tam lawsuits are filed under seal so the federal government can conduct an investigation without the defendants knowledge. In January, the U.S. government decided not to join Bashirs lawsuit but reserved the right to intervene at a later date.

That case has dragged on without much activity. But Bashir has amended his lawsuit, and its currently in the hands of Justice Department attorneys to determine if the government wants to intervene, according to his lawyer, Trey Crawford of Dallas.

The amended complaint has not yet been filed with the court. The allegations are mainly directed at Boeing and go beyond whats in the court filing Bashir submitted Oct. 27 in GDCs bankruptcy, Crawford said.

What happened here blows my mind, to be honest with you, he said. And if they do decline (to intervene), then the American people should know that, too, and why.

Boeings lawyers are awaiting filing of the amended lawsuit before filing an answer with the court. A spokeswoman for Chicago-based Boeing declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for the Air Force, which awarded the contracts, said it doesnt comment on ongoing litigation.

Gore Design

GDC Technics is the successor to San Antonios Gore Design Completions, an entity founded in 1988 that installed posh custom interiors in wide-body jets that fly foreign heads of state, corporate VIPs and other bigwigs.

San Antonio economic development officials often spoke of Gore Design, with its high-skill and high-paying jobs, as the kind of employer they sought to attract to Port San Antonio. The Southwest Side campus had been known as Kelly AFB before its closure in 2001.

Gore Design had 600 employees in 2013. That year, after a dispute between its principal owners, it was sold to aircraft refurbishment management company MAZ Aviation of Riyadh for an undisclosed price.

On ExpressNews.com: GDC Technics' local workforce shrinks

Saudi Arabias Finance Ministry, through a shell company called SAAV Completions, acquired 80 percent of Gore Design, according to a court document filed by creditors in GDCs bankruptcy. MAZ Aviation owned the rest. SAAV is thought to stand for Saudi Arabia Aviation.

Not long after the transaction, the new owners landed completion work for two Boeing 787-8s. In his filing, Bashir says the aircraft belonged to the Saudi Finance Ministry. The contracts were for $100 million apiece, he adds. Work also was performed for the Saudis on a Boeing 777ER.

In 2014, Gore Design became GDC Technics. The next year, GDC moved its headquarters to Fort Worth but continued to operate at Port San Antonio, where it occupied 340,000 square feet of hangar space. Its San Antonio workforce shrank considerably, however.

Financially insolvent

GDC has been financially insolvent and grossly undercapitalized since the 2013 sale, Bashir alleges. Its only revenue came from work on the Saudi aircraft. The Saudi government pumped $150 million in equity infusions into GDC (over and above the contract prices) for completion of those aircraft from late 2013 through July 2016, he adds.

In August 2016, the Saudi government injected $75 million as a loan. Bashir says GDCs entire existence was predicated on the Saudi governments willingness to continue pumping money into it.

Rather than be stuck with three uncompleted aircraft, the Finance Ministry poured an additional $50 million into GDC in November 2016. Altogether, Bashir says, the Saudi government sank $600 million into GDC.

About that time, it began soliciting work from Boeing, he says. That included a project for an Indian head of state and orders for work on two jets in the Air Force One fleet that have transported U.S. presidents.

Boeing had performed that work in Kansas before moving it to San Antonio in 2014, Bashir says. But it had difficulty finding qualified workers with necessary security clearances to work on the aircraft.

By mid-2015, he says, Boeing began looking for subcontractors and one of its executives encouraged GDC to bid on whats known as the VC-25A program.

On ExpressNews.com: Bankrupt aircraft-modification company GDC Technics may be better off liquidating, creditors say

Quid pro quo

During that time, GDC began forming a quid pro quo relationship with Boeing, Bashir alleges.

He says his company was the most qualified contractor but that Boeing awarded the contract to GDC. It was paid $5 million to $10 million a year under the subcontracts.

Meanwhile, Boeing was pursuing fleet modernization contracts with the Saudi government.

In other words, Boeing was doling out subcontracts on major U.S. defense projects to GDC at the same time Boeing was soliciting valuable contracts from GDCs beneficial owner  the Saudi Arabian government, Bashir alleges.

Saudi Arabia is Boeings second largest customer for military defense and arms products, his filing says.

Boeing continued to direct major subcontracts to GDC in 2017 and 2018, including two next-generation 747-8 aircraft  designated VC-25B  for the Air Force One fleet. The Defense Department awarded Boeing the $3.9 billion contract, with the work performed at Port San Antonio.

Boeing awarded the subcontract about three weeks after it entered into a $22 billion joint venture with the state-owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries, Bashir notes.

Still, he says, the Saudi governments sole concern remained getting GDC to complete the work on its own aircraft.

Financial records submitted in GDCs bankruptcy show it lost $17 million in 2017 and had negative equity of $88 million at the end of that year. It was an open secret that GDC would have failed a requisite financial review and audit, Bashir says, but Boeing never required GDC to submit its financial statements in bidding on the VC-25B contracts.

Boeing knew GDC was insolvent and that its existence was dependent on the Saudi government continuing to inject money into it, Bashir alleges.

Breach of national security

Boeing also concealed GDCs foreign ownership from the U.S. government, he says. Federal regulations prohibit subcontracting national security contracts to an entity controlled by a foreign government, Bashir adds in his court filing.

File photo

A former GDC CEO also acknowledged that Mohammed Alzeer, its principal and a Saudi foreign national, was given top-secret Air Force One specifications, Bashir says.

The unlawful disclosure of this top-secret information is a major breach of national security, he alleges.

The Saudi governments last cash infusion in GDC occurred in November 2017, yet it didnt finish the work on the Saudi aircraft until February 2019, Bashir says.

During those 15 months, the vast majority of cash coming into GDC ultimately came from U.S. taxpayers in connection with the U.S. Air Force contracts, he says.

When GDC completed work on the Saudi aircraft in February 2019, its owners flew the jets from Fort Worth to Riyadh.

GDC abandoned

Immediately after their delivery, Bashir says, the Saudi Ministry of Finance completely abandoned and forfeited all interest and affiliation with GDC  and walked away from approximately $193 million in loans to the company.

New ownership, including an entity headed by Alzeer, took over GDC. Insiders then began looting the company, Bashir says.

A group of creditors essentially said the same thing in a June court filing after GDCs bankruptcy.

This is a case about a group of insiders that took over an insolvent company in a leveraged buyout, grossly under-capitalized it and proceeded to drain it to the dregs  all while running up even greater balances on the backs of debtors vendors, the creditors said.

Meanwhile, Bashir says, GDC exhibited massive performance problems on the VC-25B subcontract.

It fell behind schedule on the work. Its lack of funding undermined its ability to perform under its subcontracts with Boeing, the aerospace company alleged. Work ground to a halt even as Boeing tried to infuse cash into the debtors business to pay employees and key suppliers, Boeing added.

Boeing terminated its agreements with GDC and sued it April 7 in Tarrant County.

GDCs failures have resulted in millions of dollars in damages to Boeing and threaten to jeopardize work that is of critical importance to the USAF and the president of the United States, Boeing said in its lawsuit.

GDC immediately laid off more than 200 employees.

Claims, counterclaims

In a counterclaim nine days later, GDC blamed Boeings mismanagement for the delays. Boeing also failed to pay outstanding amounts owed to GDC, which it said substantially caused its financial issues.

On April 26, GDC sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It reported $52.1 million in assets and $66.4 million in liabilities.

GDC received bankruptcy court approval in May to assign its lease at Port San Antonio, 607 N. Frank Luke Drive, to Boeing. The assignment resolved a $1.7 million claim for unpaid rent owed to the Port Authority of San Antonio.

Boeing subsequently sought a one-year delay  until 2025  to deliver the two new Air Force One jets. It was expected to seek $500 million in additional government funding to cover the increased costs, the Wall Street Journal reported in June, citing people familiar with the matter.

On Aug. 18, Bashir filed his $312 million proof of claim seeking a distribution from GDCs bankruptcy estate. The claim is solely related to the minimum amount of damage Boeing itself claims arises from the unlawful selection of GDC as the subcontractor for Air Force One, he says.

Eight days later, GDC announced that it had reached a global compromise with Boeing and other creditors after several weeks of negotiations. As part of the compromise, Boeing and GDC each agreed to dismiss their litigation. Also, GDC agreed to $74 million in unsecured claims held by Boeing.

In resolving the disputes, GDC acknowledged that Boeings more than $300 million claims dwarf GDCs roughly $30 million in claims against Boeing.

The compromise also says the agreement reached with Boeing and GDC allows them to continue their business relationship upon GDCs exit from bankruptcy. That doesnt include the modification work on the Air Force One aircraft.

pdanner@express-news.net
Rating: Worth a drive

At the height of the pandemic last year, bars and breweries faced a raw regulatory truth: feed people or die. Simply put, if alcohol was your business, the authorities said you had to add a kitchen or a food truck to stay open, and Roadmap Brewing Co. on North Alamo Street was no exception.

Into this void rolled Project Pollo, a vegan fried chicken trailer from San Antonio entrepreneur Lucas Bradbury, a veteran of the vegetarian restaurant game and a partner with Benjamin Krick in the local craft cocktail bars Jet-Setter and Pastiche.

Bradbury was approached by Dustin Baker of Roadmap to meet the need, so Bradbury took his nascent idea of a vegan chicken sandwich to rival Chick-fil-A and turned it around with lightning speed.

Project Pollo took its place next to Roadmap in September 2020, and the story could have ended there, with the trailer doing $150 a day in sales of vegan chicken sandwiches, nuggets and wraps, barely hanging on, like so many other restaurants caught in COVIDs grip.

Mike Sutter /Staff

Instead, Bradbury rallied Project Pollo into a chain of brick-and-mortar restaurants across Texas that will add its 13th and 14th locations this year, with 12 more Texas outlets and six locations spread among Arizona, Florida and Colorado planned for next year.

Project Pollo Location: 723 N. Alamo St. at Roadmap Brewing Co., projectpollo.com, no phone Hours: Noon-10 p.m. daily Takeout/delivery: Shaded picnic table dining outside; Roadmap seating inside. Takeout and third-party delivery available. See More Collapse

On ExpressNews.com: Rosey's Fish and Chips is making good fried fish and french fries - and it's worth a drive

And still the trailer at Roadmap abides  and will continue to do so if Bradbury has anything to say about it.

I need that trailer to be a part of our DNA, he said. It reminds you of humble beginnings.

Bradburys upfront about a couple of things. One is that while hes a vegan running a vegan fried chicken operation, he is not a vegan evangelist, out to convert the omnivorous masses. He says hes trying to develop awareness of alternative protein sources to help feed the planet as the population grows and resources shrink.

The other thing is that hes 100 percent aware that his 100 percent vegan food is still junk food, fried and fast and calorie-intensive. And thats OK, because I didnt come to Project Pollo for a lecture or a cleanse. I came to eat. And the eatings good.

Best dish: The beauty of Project Pollo is that it takes a good plant-based protein alternative to chicken  one thats indistinguishable from chicken breast  and makes it work as fried chicken. The breading is shaggy and crisp, the insides are moist and meaty-ish, and the foods made fresh to order.

Mike Sutter /Staff

Its better than real Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds, and it works in different formats: sandwiches, mac and cheese, wraps and nuggets on their own.

The best for color, flavor and texture was a Caesar salad wrap ($7.50) that amplified the crunch of chicken nuggets with crisp Romaine lettuce and kale and a tangy vegan Caesar dressing rolled in a soft spinach tortilla.

Other dishes: The cultish devotion to Chick-fil-As basic dry chicken sandwich is lost on me. Project Pollos version called the Original Project ($7) was better: better breading, better bun, better pickles and better yet, a nice aioli to perk things up.

The Deluxe sandwich ($8) went a step or two beyond, maxing out that fried vegan chicken with vegan smoked Gouda cheese and vegan bacon that brought pleasant smoke, salt and fat even as it refused to assume a taste or texture remotely like bacon.

On ExpressNews.com: How to make the best pozole verde, rojo, blanco or vegan pozole this fall, in both the Instant Pot and on the stove

Fried nuggets did some heavy lifting while staying light at Project Pollo, not just in the wrap but on their own ($4.50 with dipping sauce) and piled onto bouncy mac and cheese dressed in their finest spicy Buffalo red sauce cloak ($8). They were better than the pasta itself, which could have used twice the cheese sauce to get the point across.

And youll want that cheese sauce, a lightly spicy, creamy version made with cashews, because its the same vegan queso that lit up an order of loaded french fries topped with pico de gallo and jalapenos ($5.50).

Those fries made a logical companion to Project Pollos double cheeseburger ($9), a juicy handful made with vegan Impossible beef supplemented at the trailer with more than a dozen herbs and spices. Theres no real reason a vegan chicken trailer needs a burger this good, but its as good an excuse as any to dodge into Roadmap for a quirky sour fruit beer or a coffee stout to complete the symbiotic pandemic loop that brought together the brewer and the little trailer with big ambitions.

msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalking
A San Antonio culinary power couple is months away from opening a new wine bar and restaurant on the citys North Side.

Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar owners PJ and Lindsey Edwards plan to launch a new concept called Vintage Wine Bar & Specialty Foods in The Alley on Bitters this winter. The new project is intended to build on the success of Meadow, which is also located in The Alley on Bitters, and fill a gap for area residents.

We love this area, and weve built a lot of regulars, said PJ Edwards. There arent a lot of wine bars on the North Side, and we wanted to do something that will fit our area.

Lindsey Edwards has curated the bars wine list, which will include a mix of popular wines such as cabernet sauvignon from California and wines from smaller, less common European producers. All of the bottles will be available to enjoy on site or for retail purchase.

PJ Edwards said the food at Vintage will have a Mediterranean flair with a French focus. The offerings will include house-made pates, escargot, duck confit, steak tartare and more. Charcuterie and cheese boards will be available for in-house or retail purchase.

On ExpressNews.com: Review: Meadow at The Alley on Bitters has strong Southern cooking minus the yall factor

Vintage also will serve as a market for fresh produce from area growers, locally sourced meats and imported items such as Italian olive oil and French sea salt. The intimate space is less than 1,500 square feet, Edwards said, and will be able to seat about 25 customers inside and another 20 people on a patio.

Both PJ and Lindsey Edwards have been part of San Antonios dining scene for years. PJ long served as a chef at eateries owned by the Jason Dady Restaurant Group, while Lindsey worked as general manager for several Jason Dady properties. The two opened Meadow in the former home of Dadys Bin 555 and Tre Enoteca in 2018.

Vintage Wine Bar & Specialty Foods, 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 112 (on the left side close to Bitters), in The Alley on Bitters, Facebook: Vintage Wine Bar & Speciality Foods. Hours: noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

pstephen@express-news.net | Twiter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
A license plate reader picked up Abigail "Abby" Saldana's car driving through a Fort Worth intersection the night of Oct. 26. Seconds later, it registered the pickup truck of the customer police say the 22-year-old stripper feared had been stalking her.

Seventeen minutes after that, Saldana was dead, gunned down in her silver Hyundai sedan, which itself had been riddled with bullets.

Stanley Szeliga, 54, has been charged with murder, accused of fatally shooting Saldana. He's locked up in the Tarrant County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

The night of Oct. 26, a bystander called 911 to report that she'd watched a car speed off a highway exit ramp into a grassy area, Fort Worth detective L. Dickerson said in a sworn affidavit for Szeliga's arrest. When the 911 caller went to check out the car, she noticed bullet holes in the passenger side. The woman inside was not moving or responsive.

Detectives responding to the call tentatively identified Saldana using a passport they found in the car. They also noticed clothes that looked like those worn by strippers, Dickerson said in the affidavit. From the scene of the crash, police could see a strip club - Rick's Cabaret - and went to check it out. The manager confirmed the woman they'd found in the car was an employee but said she hadn't worked that day. But, he told them, according to the affidavit, Saldana had recently been harassed by a customer he knew as "Stan."

The manager showed the detective an Oct. 14 Instagram post in which Saldana said she found a tracker under her car. The manager went through several more posts indicating that "Stan" was irritated with Saldana and had threatened to tell police she was engaged in prostitution, Dickerson wrote.

Saldana's family told police she was afraid because of Szeliga's stalking and harassment, according to the affidavit.

Detectives checked a license plate reader near Saldana's place. Police say it not only showed Saldana's and Szeliga's vehicles had traveled through the intersection minutes before Saldana was killed, but it had also recorded Szeliga's truck going through that same intersection five times in the 13 days prior.

"[A]ll of which indicate that he may have been stalking the victim," Dickerson wrote.

And so Dickerson called Szeliga, who agreed to come down to Dickerson's office that day at 5:30 p.m. About 15 minutes before the meeting, the detective said, Szeliga called to say he'd been told of a death in his family but would still make their appointment.

But Szeliga never showed, Dickerson said.

The detective got a judge to sign a search warrant for Szeliga's place. At 11:30 that night, the Fort Worth SWAT team went to serve it. But Szeliga refused to come out, the affidavit states, and eventually "caused a self-inflicted wound to his neck" that required medical treatment before he was arrested.

Saldana's mother, Jessica Contreras, told KDFW that, a few weeks before the shooting, her daughter confided to her that she'd found a tracking device under her car and thought she was being followed. Contreras said she urged her daughter to report the device to law enforcement. Police confirmed that report is part of their homicide investigation.

Saldana's Instagram page has been made private, but KFDX published the Oct. 14 video she posted about finding the tracker on her car. "This was literally on my car like this," Saldana told viewers as she popped the device onto the undercarriage of her car using its magnets. "This is why you have to be careful."

Then, she opened the box, revealing an electronic device inside.

"This is so crazy, you guys. Who would do this?"

Szeliga also had an Instagram account, according to the affidavit, where Szeliga accused Saldana of engaging in prostitution and claimed to have paid the exotic dancer thousands of dollars for sex.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Szeliga made those claims on his account three hours before the fatal shooting. Several of his past posts were allegedly devoted to Saldana, including one on Oct. 17 that said he and "Abigail S." had been "enjoying each other's company" since July. He began the post by saying, "I never thought I'd be one of those guys to be taken advantage of" and implying that he was Saldana's boyfriend.

"She's so beautiful and personable that I envisioned a future with her," the post states. "But dealing with all the lies is overwhelming, I realize that's part of your primary job as an adult entertainer. But leave it at the club. If you only leave your second job, being in a high-end prostitution ring we could move forward."

Saldana hailed from Wichita Falls, Texas, but moved to Dallas with her 5-year-old son about two years ago, Contreras told the Star-Telegram. To support him as a single mother, she had several jobs, one styling eyebrows and another working at a bar.

"He took away a mother; a daughter; a beautiful, strong, bright person," Contreras said. "There will be justice on that. I won't stop."
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  A Nebraska attorney general's office investigation identified 258 victims who made credible allegations of sexual abuse against 57 Catholic church officials in the state going back decades, including many that high-ranking church leaders knew about and didn't report to the authorities, according to a report released Thursday.

Prosecutors can't charge against any current or former church officials with a crime because the statutes of limitations have expired in the vast majority of cases, Attorney General Doug Peterson said at a news conference announcing the findings. In one case where charges are still possible, Peterson said the accuser declined to participate in a prosecution.

The report outlines each known case in graphic detail, stretching from the 1930s to the 2010s. More than 90% of the victims were boys, usually young teenagers who served as altar servers.

The extent of the physical and psychological harm caused by the perpetrators and the failure of the church to safeguard so many victims is gut-wrenching, said Peterson, fighting back tears at several points during a news conference.

The investigation identified 57 church officials from Nebraska's three dioceses who were credibly accused, including 51 priests, four deacons and two teachers. There were 97 documented victims from the Lincoln Diocese, 158 from the Omaha Archdiocese and and three from the Grand Island Diocese.

Most of the reported abuse took place in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, although 10 people reported abuse that took place in the 2010s.

Peterson said he was frustrated that prosecutors couldn't file charges against anyone in the church, and would support efforts to loosen or eliminate old statutes of limitation for such crimes. Nebraska has since eliminated statutes of limitation for child sex assaults, but the change didn't apply retroactively to old cases and the old law prevents those victims from filing lawsuits.

This has in effect denied these victims justice and I am committed to setting this right, said state Sen. Rich Pahls, of Omaha.

Pahls promised to introduce a bill during next year's legislative session to address this egregious and unacceptable state of affairs.

In a joint statement, the bishops of all three Nebraska dioceses apologized to the victims and said they had taken steps to try to protect children and vulnerable adults.

This report also points out mistakes made in the way dioceses received, reported and responded to allegations of sexual abuse in the past, the bishops said. We have been committed in recent years to comprehensive measures to protect young people and vulnerable adults, preventing abuse, offering healing for past victims of abuse and fully cooperating with civil authorities in these matters.

Nebraska authorities launched the investigation and created a victim hotline in 2018 after several accusers came forward with allegations against the conservative Lincoln Diocese, which for years was the only U.S. diocese that refused to participate in annual reviews of sexual misconduct. The reviews were a key reform enacted in response to the 2002 Boston clergy abuse scandal.

Some of the allegations in Lincoln were against the Rev. James Benton, an elderly priest who only retired in 2017 even though church leaders had known about abuse accusations against him for at least 15 years.

Benton's nephew, Lincoln chiropractor Stan Schulte, said his uncle molested him at a rectory sleepover in the early 1990s when he was a boy.

Another Lincoln man, Jeffrey Hoover, reported a similar experience with Benton during a camping trip in the early 1980s while he and the priest slept in the same bed. Schulte has said he probably never would have been molested if church officials had handled Hoover's allegations against Benton properly.

Schulte, who attended Thursday's news conference and has pushed for accountability in the church, said he doesn't believe the church's current leaders have done enough to protect the public and that they should be removed from their posts. He said one credibly accused priest has been allowed to live in the Bonacum House in Lincoln, a home for retired priests that's a short walk from both a public and a private elementary school.

He said another credibly accused priest was assigned to a home in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, next to a Boy Scout camp, and that the church isn't monitoring him and didn't tell the public.

Schulte said another church official in Omaha has also been accused of engaging in a gay orgy with a subordinate, although no minors were involved in that incident.

If this were to happen in the public school system, and a principal knew for decades that there were teachers abusing children and refused to act, that principal would be asked to step down immediately, Schulte said. If the current leadership doesn't step down, we're very naive to think that there will ever be any real change.

___

Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico already has among the highest U.S. unemployment rates and state Republican legislative leaders said Thursday that they fear President Joe Bidens plan to require vaccinations or COVID-19 testing for large employers could do more damage to the job market of the poverty-stricken state.

New Mexico Senate Republican Leader Greg Baca said the mandate is sowing more distrust of the federal government and he urged Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to push back against what he called federal overreach.

We are already facing a significant worker shortage, he told The Associated Press in an email. "This excessive policy may very well be the final nail in the coffin for many more local businesses.

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements made public Thursday call for workers of companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers.

More than a dozen Republican attorneys general in other states have said they would fight the requirements.

In New Mexico, the legislative session that begins in January is limited to budget issues. Republican lawmakers said it's possible that one or more bills could be introduced to provide relief for local businesses being forced to comply with federal and state mandates.

New Mexico's Democrat-dominated state government was among the first to push hard for vaccinating adults.

Interest in inoculation has since tapered off and the state's vaccination rate has been stagnant at less than 73%. State officials announced Wednesday they aim to have more than 50% of children ages 5 to 11 vaccinated as part of the latest campaign.

Lujan Grishams public health order already requires shots for state employees, health care workers and educators, accounting for much of the state's workforce. But some critics have raised questions about whether her administration might go further and require booster shots since immunity in the state appears to be waning.

Our focus right now is on MLG (the governor) and the mandates she has already imposed and potential mandates she has yet to announce, said House GOP Leader Jim Townsend of Artesia. "New Mexicans simply want to get back to their lives, but continue to run into power hungry politicians at every turn.

The governor's office did not comment directly on the federal vaccine requirement. Officials with the state Health Department have said any discussions on whether the state would consider reimposing stricter public health mandates or expanded vaccine requirements have not yet occurred.

Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokesperson for the governor, said Thursday that New Mexico continues to have one of the highest vaccination rates in the West. Sackett said the state's goal is to get as many people vaccinated as possible and that vaccinating younger children will be a big step.

Steve Pearce, chairman of the New Mexico Republican Party, described the federal vaccine mandate for employers as a blatant infringement on our civil liberties.

To threaten employees who dont comply is even more dangerous and insulting, he said. "Americans have the right to choose, and this is another violation of our constitutional rights.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases are creeping back up in New Mexico despite higher vaccination rates and a mask mandate for indoor public spaces. State data shows more than 22,000 confirmed infection cases have been reported over the past month, including infections among vaccinated people.

State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase on Wednesday pointed to the infectious nature of the delta variant as a factor driving the surge. He said all regions of the state are seeing an uptick in infections and that community spread remains high statewide.
San Antonio police arrested the man accused of a road rage shooting that left a woman dead and a child hospitalized.

On Thursday, police charged Cedrick Wallace, 27, with one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio firefighter suspended after DWI arrest with blood alcohol three times limit

On April 9, police were called to the 3800 block of Interstate 35 where they found a vehicle crashed into a fence. Lucia Mendoza and one of the two children inside the vehicle were suffering from gunshot wounds.

Mendoza died on the way to the hospital and the injured child still remains in critical condition.

Police said the shooting stemmed from a road rage incident, but did not elaborate on what led to the shooting.

Officials said the investigation is still ongoing.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Mikhail Metzel/AP

MOSCOW (AP)  The presidents of Russia and Belarus signed an array of measures Thursday to deepen the integration of the two countries but stop short of a full merger.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko approved the integration measures during a meeting in Minsk of the bilateral Supreme State Council for the union state; Putin participated by video link from Russia-annexed Crimea.
R.C. Curtis at first yelled, then laughed at a detective who showed photos of him using an ATM at the exact time a transaction was recorded on his late grandmother-in-laws account.

The exchange was shown on video at Curtis capital murder trial Thursday. He is accused of killing Paula Mendez Boyd, 75, his wifes grandmother, known as Paulita. Prosecutors say she was beaten, strangled, robbed and sexually assaulted.

San Antonio police found her nude body during a welfare check at her Northwest Side apartment on Oct. 21, 2015, after numerous co-workers began to worry when she did not show up for her shift at the H-E-B at DeZavala Road and Interstate 10, where she was a deli specialist.

The video interview of Curtis, now 36, was conducted following his arrest and a search of his apartment on Evers Road after authorities concluded he was using Boyds bank cards the day after she was killed.

Questioned by prosecutor Steve Speir, San Antonio police Detective Richard Richardson described the video to the jury, including the moment Curtis was shown pictures taken from surveillance cameras at a convenience store. Curtis could be seen entering the story and using the automatic teller machine. The detective also showed him bank records with transaction times.

Youre in the same store, at the same ATM at the same time her ATM card is being used, Richardson told Curtis in the interrogation video.

Curtis became argumentative, and the two men spoke over each other.

On ExpressNews.com: Trial opens in strangulation killing in 2015 of beloved San Antonio 'deli lady'

Show the card in my hand, Curtis yelled at the detective. I know it wasnt me.

Your wifes grandmother was found dead in her apartment and the next day you are at the same store. You are standing at that ATM, Richardson said.

Ive got no card in my hand, Curtis said as he continued to look at the pictures. Youve got nothing.

During the interview, Richardson attempted to show Curtis the surveillance video, but the detective could not get it to play on his laptop, so he continued showing the still photographs they captured.

It is hard to believe in a city this size that you are at the same ATM where her card is being used at the same time, Richardson told Curtis, which prompts the defendant to laugh.

Show the card in my hand, Curtis told Richardson, who replied: This aint CSI, dude.

After Curtis again denied he used Boyds card, Richardson asked him if he killed his wifes grandmother.

No sir, Curtis replied. He later agreed to provide a DNA sample.

The afternoon testimony followed that of lead Detective Randal Hines, who spent the morning testifying about the investigation and collection of surveillance video and bank records to determine the times that Boyds bank and credit cards were used after her death.

Jurors saw numerous photographs and transactions which matched the time frame of when items were purchased.

The Bexar County District Attorneys Office is not seeking the death penalty in the case, which is being heard in the 187th District Court. If convicted, Curtis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
The capital murder trial of R.C. Curtis came to an abrupt halt Friday morning and is in recess until Tuesday after a problem involving cell phone evidence prompted both prosecutors and defense attorneys to agree they needed time to review it.

A jury has been hearing the case since Tuesday. Curtis, 36, is accused of strangling and sexually assaulting his wifes grandmother, Paula Mendez Boyd, 75.

Boyd was a 20-year employee of H-E-B, and a beloved deli specialist at the grocers store on De Zavala Road and Interstate 10 on the Northwest Side. Co-workers called San Antonio police when she didnt arrive at work on Oct. 21, 2015, and officers found her nude and badly beaten body in her nearby apartment.

On ExpressNews.com: Testimony shows assault on San Antonio 'deli lady' broke her ribs, neck and nose

Authorities arrested Curtis after video evidence determined he was using her credit and debit cards after her death.

During testimony of a San Antonio police detective, prosecutors and defense attorneys became aware late Thursday that cellphone communications had been collected and reviewed, but neither side knew of it, which prompted the recess.

There is a discovery issue regarding something in the system that another party had, prosecutor Daryl Harris said Friday morning. The defense and the prosecution will be inspecting the material, and we will have it done so we can proceed by Tuesday morning.

State District Judge Stephanie Boyd, who is not related to the victim, granted the request so attorneys could review the records.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio detective, suspect sparred over photos of strangled H-E-B deli worker's ATM card being used

The Bexar County District Attorneys Office is not seeking the death penalty in the case, which is being heard in the 187th District Court. If convicted, Curtis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
After more than 320 live briefings on how San Antonio was coping with COVID-19, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff have quietly wrapped up an evening ritual that even hardened political cynics agree helped unite a community in crisis.

They began March 27, 2020, when the city had confirmed a few deaths from a mysterious but very contagious virus-caused illness said to have started in a Chinese live animal market.

Every night at 6:13 p.m.  a time local TV news directors preferred  Wolff and Nirenberg met in the citys public access broadcast studio in a basement across from City Hall and relayed what they knew of the pandemics grim, rapid progress.

It was a frightening time. We were all scared, Wolff recalled. But it was important that we all be on the same page. Openness. Honesty. Giving people facts.

A solemn Nirenberg, who had developed a reputation as dry, wonky and policy-driven, would review the numbers: deaths, hospitalizations, available ventilators and intensive care unit beds.

Early on, he developed what became a signature line about mask-wearing, social distancing and, eventually, vaccinations: Do it for yourself, do it for your family. Do it for San Antonio.

Wolff, the folksy and direct political veteran, would tell a personal story from a nursing home or neighborhood. I was more the commentator, he said.

One night in January, the normally stoic Wolff began to choke up as he talked about the recent COVID-19 death in Houston of a childhood friend, Glynn Dyess, a wealthy Republican who had become the longtime Democrats largest political donor.

I had known him since seventh grade, Wolff said. It was terrible that his wife couldnt be with him when he died. I tried to convey how deeply personal this tragedy had become.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Wolff and others noticed that Nirenberg, too, came to show a level of emotion that he rarely displayed in public.

I think thats important to see in our leaders, Wolff said. He got emotional about these issues. Im proud of the mayor, and we developed a close partnership in the briefings and learned from each other.

Over 19 months, the pair of leaders regularly invited other elected officials and, notably, experts to join them  epidemiologists, respiratory therapists, emergency planners, hospital administrators and Metropolitan Health District officials.

Some of them, perhaps reluctantly, became recognized in grocery stores and on park trails. People who had not known what an epidemiologist actually does began to quote them.

They definitely became part of our dinner table conversations in San Antonio, Nirenberg said. Maybe it gave the people, and government, a better respect for what they do to protect us, and maybe the silver lining will be better investment in our public health infrastructure.

Nirenberg and Wolff are lifelong Democrats who usually maintain a nonpartisan public face. But leaving then-President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott out of the briefings was almost impossible, the mayor said, given their often conflicting or false statements.

Our main goal was to provide data, facts and consistency to the public, because they were getting a lot of uncertainty and mixed messages, Nirenberg said. But we also wanted to depoliticize the situation and avoid the political rhetoric that pandemic policy debates had infused at the state and national levels.

Both men are loath to say so, but their approval ratings increased during these months of crisis  as reported by the nonpartisan public research group Bexar Facts  and many observers believe Nirenberg won re-election this year because of his handling of it.

Christian Archer, a Democratic political consultant in San Antonio, said Wolff and Nirenberg showed a common purpose and inspired confidence that there was a path forward.

But the circumstances really benefited Ron, whose tenure as mayor had not yet been defined, Archer said. (The briefings) put him in the public eye every day, distilling a global problem down to the local level.

It was about jobs, where you can get tested, facts, combating lies. There was no thumping of the chest politically. And because of that, theres absolutely no doubt in my mind that people listened and those two men probably saved thousands of lives.

The coronavirus has killed more than 5 million people globally  and counting. The briefings spanned three deadly surges in San Antonio: the summer of 2020, the winter months, and the sucker punch from the virus delta variant that began in July this year.

Weeks after the mayor and county judge ended their last briefing June 3, they had to start the briefings again. But this time, the signoff might be permanent.

The local COVID-19 metrics have dropped Metro Healths risk level to low, and the national debate is increasingly about how to know what normal looks like when were back to it.

Metro Health will continue to update the statistics daily, including new and cumulative case counts, hospitalizations and deaths. It also tracks vaccination rates. The data can be found in several formats at covid19.sanantonio.gov/Reports-Statistics/Dashboards-Data.

bselcraig@express-news.net
A San Antonio man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for uploading child pornography to Tumblr, the Bexar County District Attorneys Office said in a news release.

John Alan Fuentes, 37, was convicted of promoting child pornography in the 399th Judicial District Court.

Fuentes was arrested June 3, 2020, after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported that a user on the social media platform was uploading images of child sexual abuse to another user on the platform.

His email account, phone number and IP address were all linked to the material.

On ExpressNews.com: San Marcos man sentenced to 80 years in prison for distributing child pornography online

When questioned by police, Fuentes admitted to downloading and sharing the materials with users he met online. He said that he was telling other users what they wanted to hear, the release said.

District Attorney Joe Gonzales said cases like this are a reminder to parents to monitor their childrens social media accounts because people like Fuentes can use social media platforms, not just the black web, for illegal activity.

That they openly share these horrible images shows how little regard for the law they have and should serve as a reminder to parents to monitor their childrens online activities, Gonzales said. Our children are safer with people like this off our streets.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
John Lujan occupies a strange place in Texas political history.

The South Side Republican and retired firefighter has twice been elected to the Texas House. But he has yet to serve a single day of a legislative session.

When Lujan won a special-election runoff in January 2016 over Tomas Uresti, Democrats were annoyed but not alarmed. They understood that special elections, in political terms, are mutant creatures.

They were certain that the solidly Democratic District 118  which snakes its way from the Southwest Side to the Northeast suburbs of San Antonio  would vote Lujan out of office in that years November general election.

Sure enough, thats what happened, with Uresti comfortably taking a rematch by more than 10 percentage points.

This time around, however, things are different.

Lujans Tuesday special-election runoff win over young Democratic progressive Frank Ramirez amounted to much more than placeholder bragging rights.

Republican lawmakers had their eye on District 118 during this years redistricting process, which coincided with the special-election campaign to fill the seat vacated this summer by Leo Pacheco.

Republicans see Lujan, a GOP South Texas Latino, as a political unicorn they must nurture and protect. So they were determined to bump up the districts GOP voting numbers and give him a solid chance in the 2022 general election.

That push caused some division in the Bexar County House delegation, where San Antonio Republican Steve Allison peeled away from the group and refused to support a consensus map, backed by every other member of the delegation, for the countys 10 Texas House districts.

As a result, District 118 has gone from being a district that Democratic President Joe Biden carried by 14 percentage points over Donald Trump last November to one that Biden would take by less than 3 points.

Thats why the stakes were so high in this weeks special election. For Ramirez, a victory on Tuesday would have given him the mantle of incumbency.

It would have provided him a year to build constituent connections, not as a candidate hoping to unseat the districts representative, but as someone already representing the district.

Democrats went all out for Ramirez, with most members of the San Antonio delegation block-walking on his behalf. By special-election runoff standards, the turnout was exceptionally high, more than tripling the number of voters in the January 2016 election that put Lujan in office the first time. Conventional wisdom would tell us that strong turnout worked to Ramirezs benefit.

Lujan triumphed, nonetheless, bolstered by hard work and considerable financial help from his fellow Republicans.

Lujan entered the race at the urging of Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and received contributions from Phelan, Gov. Greg Abbott, Associated Republicans of Texas, Texans for Responsible Government and the Republican State Leadership Committee.

Lujan raised more than $600,000 for the race, compared with about $300,000 for Ramirez.

The day after the election, an upbeat Ramirez sounded ready for a rematch with Lujan.

I think our mind is made up, Ramirez said. Theres still work to be done. Theres still fights to be fought. And we look forward to doing those things in the coming weeks.

Lujan is an intriguing contradiction, because he conveys a sense that he doesnt follow politics closely, yet he has now run four times for the Texas House, going back to his third-place finish in the 2006 GOP primary for District 118.

As a candidate, he talked about faith and family, often answering policy questions with lengthy digressions into personal anecdotes.

During a recent interview on Texas Public Radios The Source, he deflected a question about whether statewide power outages in February were due to the nature of the Texas energy market.

When we start talking like that, then I think it kind of gets to begin a lot of political stuff, Lujan said. I dont like that.

He never demonizes the opposition and regularly emphasizes that his loyalty is not to his party, but to the voters of his district.

Lujan agrees that his chances of holding the District 118 seat will be better in 2022 than they were in 2016. He gives three reasons for that.

No more straight-ticket voting. I think that hurt me a lot last time, he said.

The second one is the mood of the country, that always has an impact, especially in a district thats even. The third thing that I think is favorable is the new district (map). It takes in a lot of the Southwest area. Personally, Im stronger in that area because I have family out there.

He also wont lack for backing from the states most powerful Republicans.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Only 9 percent of Texas registered voters cast a ballot in Tuesdays election, approving eight Texas constitutional amendments and deciding local races, according to the Texas Tribune.

The turnout was lower than the last constitutional amendment election in 2019, but odd-numbered years have always had low participation.

I am not sure what that says about Texans or voting. Ive previously shared how I havent always prioritized voting, but I now deeply value casting my ballot. I just wonder if other nonvoters will come around.

On ExpressNews.com: Preyor-Johnson: Why are politicians, others, so mean? Blame Trump.

On Tuesday, I was No. 22 in line at 2:30 p.m. at the Cibolo Fire Station No. 2. It took about an hour from start to finish, a bit unexpected, but not too bad.

As we waited in line in the sunshine, Guadalupe County elections worker Deborah Stone stepped outside to size up things. She playfully called us out for not voting early: Where were all of you the last two weeks?

With two check-in stations, six machines and three pages on the ballot, voting was slow, she warned, adding how one woman took almost 15 minutes.

Standing in line gave me plenty of time to chat with others who showed up to cast a ballot. In Guadalupe County, Tuesdays voter turnout was 11.15 percent of 114,095 registered voters.

Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson /Staff

I made small talk about the recent Wi-Fi challenges at my home office, saying I needed to get home in time to meet a technician. Others shared Wi-Fi woes, including a friendly tech expert.

Despite our varied backgrounds, the conversation flowed. We had one thing in common  the value we put on voting. While we all had lives to get back to, no one got out of line. A mom who used to work as a substitute teacher said, People dont realize how important these smaller elections are.

Shes right. In addition to the amendments, the ballot in Cibolo featured school board members, term limits and other decisions.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

Every vote  and failure to vote  matters.

In Bexar County, the voter turnout total was only 88,763 total voters  7.5 percent of the total 1.1 million registered voters. Bexar County voters rejected bond proposals in East Central, Judson and Southside ISDs.

I wonder if all who didnt show up to vote agree that school districts shouldnt get much-needed funding. Some of Judson ISDs gyms arent even air-conditioned. The district needs more schools and other upgrades to level the playing field for students. Voters who showed up rejected all of it.

Also Tuesday, the Texas House District 118 flipped when Republican John Lujan received just 286 more votes than Democrat Frank Ramirez. Only 11 percent of registered voters cast ballots in that special election.

Maria Nava, a 71-year-old daughter of Mexican immigrants who became citizens because they understood the importance of voting, stood behind me in line. Mail-in ballot in hand, she said she knew the U.S. Postal Service was slow and shes also afraid of new laws that further restrict voting access.

Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson /Staff

She fears we will lose our democracy. That the new redistricting maps dont consider the states growing Hispanic population also fueled her passion to vote. She stood in line despite painful scoliosis and a major back injury that make it impossible to stand up straight.

I am here, standing in line, in the heat, because I want to be counted, she said.

She never gave up. Neither did another woman using a cane.

I also chatted with Gregory McFadden, a 70-year-old African American who called voting a fundamental right that must be maintained. Hes participated in three recent voting rights rallies in Austin because of his concerns about all the outrageous hoopla surrounding voting  its outrageous.

For years and years, Ive voted, and we accepted whatever the outcome was. Its been proven, over and over, that there was no voting fraud, he said.

Thanks for showing up, Gregory. And thanks to Maria and the other few Texans who cast their ballots.

Nancy.Preyor-Johnson @express-news.net
On Monday, the Defense Department acknowledged it removed more than 140,000 Afghanistan war photos and videos from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDs, a public website.

The announcement came nearly four weeks after the Express-News Editorial Board broke a similar story that DOD purged its main public website, Defense.gov, of thousands of pieces of content posted between 1994 and 2014.

DOD took more than a month to answer our questions about this blow to transparency, and when we asked about DVIDs in early October, a spokesperson said, There havent been any recent changes to the DVIDs platform.

That was misleading. At the time, people were scouring DVIDs to remove publicly released material that could put Afghans who aided the coalition at risk.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

Alex Brandon /Associated Press

A DOD spokesman said the department emailed guidance to units outlining the precautions but declined to share the document because it is deemed controlled unclassified information.

John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, said the department removed the material from public sites but did not delete it.

It was a mammoth undertaking, and it took us a long time, almost two months, he said. And the reason why I didnt announce it was because we were in the middle of it, and it wouldnt make much sense to tell the world that we were archiving these images before we were done archiving them.

The Pentagon tried to decouple the purges of Defense.gov and DVIDS. It stood by a previous statement that it deactivated Defense.govs 20 years of archives due to cybersecurity concerns.

Despite the Defense Media Activitys oversight of both websites, DOD said the Defense.gov archive takedown is unrelated to the unpublishing of certain images for the safety and well-being of Afghan civilians.

This is the latest episode of veiling previously released information following our disastrous departure from Afghanistan. Recall that DOD purged images of a ceremony for the 13 Americans killed by a suicide bomber outside the Kabul International Airport in August.

Regardless of rationale, these changes reflect poorly on DOD transparency. It sets a terrible precedent and paves the way for the DOD to hide information.

Throughout the war, DOD yearned for content showing how the U.S. stood shona ba shona, or shoulder to shoulder, with our Afghan allies.

The content put our allies at risk then, but now an official record is too dangerous to make available to the public? What changed  besides our departure? The Office of the Secretary of Defense is whitewashing history under the guise of protecting allies.

Its always troubling when a federal agency decides that posterity should be limited to the people who know where to find records deep inside the agency archives, said Kel McClanahan, executive director of National Security Counselors, a legal group focused on government openness. Press releases, press statements and public facing announcements about a tragic war should never be a casualty of a change in IT infrastructure.

Despite the legal precedent of the presumption of openness, McClanahan said government agencies are still in a mode of figuring out if they can withhold it, and theyre not looking at whether or not they should withhold it.

We lose valuable context if DOD dismantles the archives and someday, maybe, reposts or sends some of the materials to the National Archives.

DOD is exploring options to make the data from before 2014 accessible, according to a spokesman.

When? What assurances exist for it to be available digitally in full? In the meantime, theres the Freedom of Information Act  we have filed requests.

Welcome to a time when you must request previously released public information.
When I attended the SOLI Chamber Ensemble concert recently, I learned to my great shock and dismay of the strike called by the symphony due to continuous financial problems.

I will be forever grateful to my parents, who introduced me early to concerts and operas in Frankfurt, Germany, when George Solti was there.

I have supported the San Antonio Symphony since 1968 and taken my children to performances to cultivate a cultural life as rich as mine. Ive continued this with my grandchildren.

I have purchased a full season ticket for the San Antonio Symphony for several years and already paid for the San Antonio Symphonys 2021-22 season. This is a big expense for me as a retired teacher.

Looking back at my long life, I treasure all of my special experiences of music and art. I hope the community, the city, the Symphony Society of San Antonio and the musicians can develop a plan that keeps the full orchestra playing its amazing music. It is much needed for the cultural well-being of San Antonio and the surrounding communities.

Helga Anderson

Always check guns

Much has been written and discussed about what transpired on the movie set of Rust in New Mexico. Any speculation about the tragic incident could be resolved if those involved admitted how or what they should or shouldnt have done to prevent the tragedy.

The person accepting the weapon from the prop manager as being a cold weapon, indicating it was safe to use, failed to personally verify the condition of the weapon was as described. Anyone having experience with handguns, long guns, shotguns or any weapon capable of inflicting harm on another should verify, through personal inspection, the weapon is as described and safe to handle or use.

Had this been done, the cold weapon would not have been used until it was in a safe mode, thereby avoiding the tragedy. In this and other situations, the word of another is not good enough.

John Kepler

Jessica Phelps /San Antonio Express-News

No choice with shot

The military has changed. During my 24 years in the Army, if you missed a flu shot, got the flu and missed work, you could get an Article 15. The only exemption was if you were allergic to eggs.

Retired Master Sgt. Raymond Baird
WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing legislation that would block schools from requiring students to get COVID vaccines.

The Texas Republican filed a bill this week that would prohibit the federal government or any entity at the federal, state or local level that receives federal funding, including school districts, from requiring COVID-19 vaccines for minors. The legislation comes as the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for children 5 through 11 years of age.

BACKGROUND: What Gov. Abbotts ban on vaccine requirements means for Texas workers

Parents should have the right to decide what is best for their children in consultation with their family doctor, Cruz said in a statement about the bill. My view on the COVID-19 vaccine has remained clear: no mandates of any kind.

Texas schools currently require students to get vaccinated for tetanus; polio; measles, mumps and rubella; hepatitis B; chickenpox; meningitis and hepatitis A. According to data from the Department of State Health Services, the number of Texas K-12 students who opted out of vaccines is 91,000 for the current school year, less than 2 percent. But the number of opt-out students has doubled since 2013.

Cruzs bill comes as Texas Republicans push back on several fronts against President Joe Bidens efforts to require masking and vaccines to curb COVID.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

On Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he is suing the Biden administration over its vaccine-or-testing mandate for business with 100 employees or more, calling it a breathtaking abuse of federal power. At least 26 states have filed suits challenging the rule.

This standard is flatly unconstitutional, he said in a statement. Bottom line: Bidens new mandate is bad policy and bad law, and Im asking the court to strike it down.

Last week, Paxton sued the Biden administratoin over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors and federal employees.

Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an order blocking even private businesses from requiring vaccines. His order prevents Texas schools from requiring COVID vaccines, as well.

Taylor Goldenstein contributed reporting from Austin.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Sterling, VA (20165)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High near 55F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Occasional light rain. Low around 45F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Next to the penny above: 2 milligrams of fentanyl, a lethal dose for most people when injected.

By Vince Bielski, RealClearInvestigations

November 4, 2021

On a September afternoon, Allyssia Solorio wondered why her energetic young brother hadnt emerged from his bedroom in their Sacramento, Calif., home. When she opened his door, she saw 23-year-old Mikael leaning back on his bed with his legs dangling over the side. She rushed to her brother and shook him, but to no avail. He was dead. A counterfeit pharmaceutical pill laced with illicit fentanyl had killed him.

Mikael Tirado was one of an estimated 93,331 overdose fatalities in the United States last year  an all-time high. Nearly five times the murder rate, the deadly overdose toll was primarily caused by fentanyl, a highly lethal synthetic opioid. Its manufactured mostly by Mexican cartels with ingredients imported from China, and then smuggled over the southwestern U.S. border. Fentanyl has been arriving in larger quantities each year since at least 2016.

The cartels are taking advantage of law enforcement weaknesses and policy failures to smuggle record amounts of the lethal drug into the United States, according to interviews with half a dozen current and former drug and immigration agents. While a lack of screening technology to find contraband at ports of entry and an inept U.S-Mexico campaign to cripple the cartels are longstanding issues, theres also a new one: the flood of migrants across the border that the Biden administration has done little to stop.

Former law enforcement officials say the cartels are orchestrating the surge, overwhelming the capacity of agents to pursue drug smugglers. They can freely enter Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California carrying fentanyl while agents are diverted to the time-consuming duty of apprehending and processing migrants.

Frustrated border agents and their union have been calling on Congress to send reinforcements. But help is not on the way. The administrations upcoming budget request doesnt include funding for more Customs and Border Protection agents.

In September, tensions boiled over after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lashed out at agents on horseback in response to videos showing them blocking Haitians crossing the border. Harris compared the incident to the mistreatment of slaves, an inflammatory accusation that the union strongly denied, saying no migrants were hit or hurt.

The administration is pivoting away from law enforcement and embracing a public health approach to the fentanyl crisis. It has proposed spending $11.2 billion  a huge increase over last year  to expand substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services. Fewer addicts would mean fewer deaths from fentanyl.

But curbing opioid addiction is very challenging. The vast majority of substance abusers avoid treatment, according to researchers, and only about one-third of those receiving long-term medical care fully recover. These success stories, however, will be offset if the supply of fentanyl continues to boom and fuel more addiction.

Drug treatment is very important, but you cant treat someone in the morgue who just died from fentanyl poisoning. Its too late, says Derek Maltz, the former director of the Drug Enforcement Administrations special operations division, which primarily targets cartels. We have to vigorously attack the production labs in Mexico and increase border security on our side.

Cartels have turned to fentanyl because the super-potent powder is cheap to produce, making it more profitable than heroin, says Eric Triana, an assistant special agent in charge at the DEA division in New York. Two of Mexicos most powerful crime groups  the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels  manufacture the synthetic drug in rustic clandestine labs. In the U.S., the powder is mixed with heroin to stretch supplies.

To boost sales, cartels have more recently increased production of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. They are made with fentanyl but labeled to look exactly like legitimate medications such as Percocet, Vicodin and Xanax.

The fake pills, which are promoted and sold on social media platforms as real pharmaceuticals, are priced to sell at a discounted rate of about $20 each. They have brought the dangers of fentanyl to mainstream America, with victims belonging to every age, class and racial group. Nationwide, DEA agents seized an unprecedented 9.5 million fake pills -- some portion of that total in every U.S. state in the first nine months of 2021, or more than the last two years combined. That prompted the agency to issue a rare public safety alert in September.

Fentanyls potency  at 50 times the strength of heroin  is what makes it so deadly. Two milligrams, which can fit on the tip of a pencil, can kill. But cartels dont take precautions to make sure the pills arent lethal. DEA analysis found that 40% of the seized pills had a potentially deadly dose.

I saw the devastation that heroin brought to Baltimore as a young police officer, Triana says. But fentanyl is a more potent deadly threat. Its frightening.

Crime groups have gained complete control of the Mexican side of the 1,950-mile border, directing the flow of both migrants and drugs. The Gulf Cartel runs the region around Brownsville, Texas, and moving west to California, the Cartel of the Northeast, Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel have staked out turf, says Victor Avila, a former supervisory special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement who specialized in human and narcotics trafficking.

Diversion Game at the Border

They operate openly as if they were the Mexican military. Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which has recently expanded operations, even slaps a CJNG logo in big letters on its military-style trucks and uniforms as part of a show of force.

The surge of migrants that began in 2019 and accelerated after Biden took office has been a boon to these violent enterprises. The migrants are coming from Eastern Europe and Africa as well as Central and South America, lured partly by the administrations policy that allows unaccompanied children and families to stay in the states while they apply for asylum, according to border agents who have interviewed them. In addition to paying cartels between about $2,000 and $9,000 each to cross, migrants are also used as decoys in drug smuggling operations.

Equipped with encrypted communications and satellite technologies, crime organizations are precisely orchestrating the timing and location of the border crossings of large migrant groups as part of a diversion tactic, several officers say. Dozens of agents are forced to leave their posts guarding many miles of the border and at checkpoints on roads to assist with apprehensions of the groups.

The cartels work with spotters in the Halcon network to identify these wide security gaps along the border and send drug smugglers on foot through them undetected.

A Call for More Agents

The illegal alien flows are so big that the Border Patrol has to leave hundreds of miles of border unprotected, says Avila. This absolutely means more fentanyl has been entering the country in the last few years.

The smugglers make their way across tough terrain to one of hundreds of stash houses located near roads in the border region. The drugs are then placed in cars and driven through often unguarded checkpoints and across the country.

Rather than pursue these smugglers, many Border Patrol agents are handling the crush of migrants entering the U.S. They apprehended more than 1.7 million this fiscal year, or six times the 2017 number. (That doesnt include the hundreds of thousands who got away, according to Border Patrol estimates.) Agents deport most of the single adults. But they have to assist in transporting, processing, housing and feeding the unaccompanied children and families who are placed in border patrol facilities for weeks before they are released into the U.S. to pursue asylum claims.

In the busiest border areas, such as Texas Rio Grande Valley and Del Rio, as many as 30% of agents are pulled from the frontlines to deal with the migrant overflow, says Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council. Texas is trying to fill the security void by deploying hundreds of state troopers and the National Guard in Operation Lonestar, a $1.8 billion effort. They have seized 127 pounds of fentanyl this year through early September.

The Trump administration was able to tamp down the number of migrants crossing the border by forcing them to remain in Mexico while they applied for asylum. Biden ended that program, calling it inhumane, and the administration is now fighting a court order to reinstate it.

Judd says as long as Bidens asylum policy is in place, the Border Patrol, which has about 14,000 field agents covering both coasts and both land borders, needs thousands more to help secure the Southwest flank. Pleas to congressional leaders for help, made by Judds union and former Border Patrol chiefs, have gone unheeded.

If you are not going to change the policy, then give me more manpower to stop the drugs, Judd says. But Democrats control Congress, and while some of them are fairly good on border security, it isnt a priority for a majority of them.

So far this year, CBP has redeployed 400 agents from the northern and coastal areas to the southern border  not nearly enough to fill the gaps, Judd says.

In a statement to RealClearInvestigations, a CBP spokesperson said the agency continues to evaluate the need for more agents and pointed to drug busts as evidence of strong enforcement. Border and customs agents seized 10,000 pounds of fentanyl this fiscal year, according to agency data. Thats five times the catch in 2018. But agents say more seizures actually indicates that more of the deadly drug is entering the country since they have only been capturing an estimated 10% to 15% of the total.

Most of the fentanyl is pouring over the Southwest border at the U.S. ports of entry, particularly in California, a favorite route for smugglers. The challenge for customs agents at the controlled inspection ports in four states is very different than the cat-and-mouse pursuits of the Border Patrol: How to find illegal contraband in vehicles without slowing trade with Mexico worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

The San Ysidro port in California between San Diego and Tijuana is the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. The 70,000 vehicle passengers headed north every day through the port have to wait in long lines of traffic for an hour, on average. Nearby, the thousands of commercial trucks that go through the Otay Mesa port daily have even longer waits.

Customs agents are in a fix. They are under pressure to efficiently clear trucks from Mexico carrying fruits, vegetables, electronics and other goods for entry into the U.S. But that priority to avoid costly commercial delays is in constant conflict with the need to stop and search the vehicles for illicit goods.

More often than not, smugglers get waved through without a search. Transnational criminal organizations take advantage of the chaos and clutter at the ports of entry that are dealing with so much legitimate trade and travel, says Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol supervisor and now a security expert at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Cartels have the confidence to go big at the border. In August, a Mexican tractor-trailer driver attempted to cross at Otay Mesa with 2.8 tons of methamphetamine and fentanyl hidden among plastic household goods. Agents scanned the cargo using an X-ray-like machine and saw what they described as anomalies inside the trailer. Then a canine team sniffed out narcotics worth $13 million. It was the largest ever meth bust along the border.

Customs agents would arrest more smugglers if they were equipped with basic scanning technology used in the huge Otay Mesa seizure. It helps them quickly make better decisions about which vehicles to inspect manually, a process that can take hours. CBP says it has been deploying more large-scale scanners at ports of entry in the last two years.

Remarkably, only 15% of trucks were scanned at Southwest ports of entry in 2019, according to a CBP report. And less than half of them received any formal inspection because customs agents have to move too rapidly through the snarl of waiting traffic, says Manjarrez.

Many of the 328 U.S. ports also need to be expanded and modernized to reduce wait times to allow for more inspections. The Biden administration is asking Congress for $660 million for upgrades, or enough to improve only a handful of the old ports. Otay Mesas $144 million expansion plan alone would absorb almost a quarter of this new funding. Its really only a down payment for what is needed, Manjarrez says.

Hugs, Not Bullets in Mexico

More agents and technology would absolutely make a bigger dent in the flow of fentanyl over the border, Manjarrez says, but not stop it. Agents say Mexico also has to begin targeting the hundreds of cartel production labs to further cut the supply.

Destroying the labs has to be a top priority because, without them, the cartels cant continue to kill our kids, says Maltz, the former DEA organized crime specialist.

But President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ended Mexicos military campaign against cartel leaders two years ago. Soldiers captured and killed many kingpins, but the crackdown also unleashed a reign of violence that Lopez Obrador pledged to blunt.

The populist president is pushing his hugs, not bullets agenda to reduce poverty in the hope that it will eventually curb the appeal of drug smuggling. Meanwhile, the cartels, facing little government resistance, have continued to expand their hold on territory and corrupt lawmakers, according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, a scholar focusing on nonstate armed actors at the Brookings Institution.

The clout of the cartels was made clear in 2020 when U.S. agents arrested a former Mexican defense secretary for taking bribes to protect the ultraviolent H-2 Cartel. Outraged officials pressured the U.S. to return Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda to Mexico where prosecutors promptly exonerated him.

The more lasting damage to drug enforcement came when Mexico passed a law in response to Cienfuegos arrest. Maltz says it froze DEAs operations in Mexico by requiring agents to pass sensitive intelligence through a central foreign affairs office that they believe is corrupt.

The cartels control Mexico. All of it, says Avila, the former ICE agent who survived gunshot wounds in an ambush with a cartel. They are running a parallel government.

The U.S. Plays Nice

With the U.S. drug enforcement imperiled, Felbab-Brown has called on the Biden administration to get tough with Mexico. In January she urged the administration to use financial support as leverage to compel Mexico to target mid-level cartel operatives and their corrupt government protectors to avoid the bloodshed that comes with taking down bosses.

But the State Department is taking a conciliatory position, essentially backing Lopez Obradors economic development strategy in an agreement between the two countries announced in early October.

At a joint press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the countries had relied too much on security forces to try to weaken the cartels. Over the past decade the U.S. has spent $3 billion to arm and train the Mexican military and police as part of the Merida Initiative. During that time, drug trafficking into the U.S. increased. A new agreement will replace Merida, making job creation in poor communities and drug treatment and prevention top priorities, Blinken said.

The countries did agree to pursue the cartels, particularly by curtailing the illegal supply of U.S. arms into Mexico and money laundering activities. But the prosecution of cartel members isnt the priority. Mexico Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the success of the agreement wont be measured by how many drug lords go to jail.

The administrations strategy has plenty of backers in the criminal justice and public health professions. I'm sympathetic to the argument that Mexico is on the border with the largest consumer of fentanyl and cocaine in the world, says Bryce Pardo, a drug policy specialist at Rand Corp. We could do more to reduce our insatiable appetite for drugs.

In the meantime, more fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. means more deaths. Triana, the DEA special agent, estimates that the number of overdose fatalities this year will either be on par with or exceed 2020s.

Allyssia Solorio, the sister of the Sacramento man who died from fentanyl, has become an activist to raise awareness of the dangers of the illicit drug. The former postal worker says law enforcement must play a larger role.

President Biden can do a lot more to shut down the smuggling of fentanyl over the Mexican border, she says.
BOZEMAN, Mont., Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Guidefitter, the online marketplace for hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear, fueled by the opinions of thousands of pro guides and other outdoor professionals, today announced that Beth Brennan has joined the company as Vice President of Marketing. Beth was formerly Chief Marketing Officer for Go Fast Campers.

Prior to Go Fast, Brennan headed up marketing for Tepui Tents, a popular Santa Cruz-based rooftop-tent company. During that time Tepui catapulted roof-top tents into the North American market and was instrumental in bringing the "overland" category into the outdoor-recreation scene. Beth gained significant exposure for Tepui by implementing a rebrand of all aspects of marketing, taking it from a homegrown company to a lifestyle brand and properly positioning it as a category leader. Tepui was acquired by the Thule Group in December of 2018. Prior to Tepui, Beth worked in business development for Uber in Chicago.

"I've been watching Guidefitter's growth as it established its prominence in the outdoor industry and was excited to have the opportunity to jump in and lead marketing to help continue and accelerate that growth, especially at a time when the outdoor industry has grown rapidly since the beginning of the COVID pandemic," said Beth. "On the surface, Guidefitter first seemed like only a strong platform for outdoor pro purchase programs, but it now finds itself at an exciting intersection of e-commerce, the creator economy, and the outdoors, all of which have taken center stage recently in the US."

Over the past few years, Guidefitter has quietly built a network of over 310 outdoor brands, including market leaders such as Swarovski Optik, Polaris RANGER, Weatherby, First Lite apparel and others, helping them connect with large audiences of verified outdoor professionals. In doing so, Guidefitter now operates the largest and most authoritative network of individuals who are best positioned to provide the know-how, information, and advice required to maximize the outside experience and to proactively promote the brands they love through the content they create via the Guidefitter platform.

"Beth brings strong brand building and demonstrated marketing leadership to us at a perfect time in our evolution as a company," says Bryan Koontz, Guidefitter CEO. "I look forward to working with her and her team as we continue with the next phase of Guidefitter's business strategy, helping brands deploy true outdoor professionals as powerful brand advocates through their unique expertise and content."

For open positions and information about joining the team, visit guidefitter.com/careers.

About Guidefitter

Guidefitter is the online community and e-commerce marketplace of choice for genuine outdoor industry professionals and other consumers who love to enjoy the great outdoors. We are pioneering the outdoor industry's first online experience where brands, true outdoor pros and consumers engage in a common digital community, marketing and e-commerce platform oriented around a shared passion for outdoor recreation and great gear. Industry pros have access to hundreds of pro purchase programs from a central location, tools to easily promote the brands they love and a like-minded community to demonstrate their abilities and expertise. Consumers benefit from a community that understands their passion for the outdoors, access to thousands of outfitters through a comprehensive search engine, and opportunities to discover and purchase great gear based on the insights from people who know better than anyone else - true outdoor professionals. Over 300 outdoor brands, including Swarovski Optik, Kenetrek Boots, Weatherby, Polaris RANGER, and First Lite Hunting Apparel work with Guidefitter to promote their brand with authentic messages through large, managed audiences of genuine outdoor professionals. Guidefitter is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. For more information, please visit www.guidefitter.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Media Contact:

media@guidefitter.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guidefitter-hires-beth-brennan-as-vice-president-of-marketing-301417273.html

SOURCE Guidefitter
These days, it seems like there are shortages of everything. While the media has largely focused on shortages of goods, the increasingly tight labor market is also having widespread effects. Nowhere is this truer than in the shortage of qualified nurses. Its a serious problem with many causes, most of which relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless something is done to correct the problem, many hospitals  especially those outside of major cities  will face ever-worsening staffing crises.

Part of the problem is demographic and has been predicted for years. The Baby Boom generation is now fully into retirement age, but many Boomers have chosen to work past 65 or even 70. And why not? If people are in good health and enjoy their jobs, there is no reason not to put in another year or two and save more for that eventual retirement. Still, as early as 2009, the Highmark Foundation and others anticipated a severe labor squeeze in the profession by 2025. More recently, numbers have begun to decline seriously in some states.

The pandemic significantly accelerated this timetable. In the face of a virus that overwhelmingly harms older people, it is not surprising that many who were eligible to retire would do so. Added to that was the sad reality that some nurses died of COVID, often early in the pandemic when vaccines and better treatment options were not yet available.

Struggling to replace these front-line losses has made for tough going in many hospitals  and Pennsylvania hospitals have been as hard-hit as any in the country. Speaking to the York Daily News this summer, nurse Bill Engle said, were giving safe care, dont get me wrong. But the margin for error is getting slimmer and slimmer, and nurses are getting more burnt out.

The commonwealth made some efforts to alleviate that shortage by suspending some licensing requirements as an emergency measure last year. As Danielle Ohl reported for Spotlight PA, these measures included allowing out-of-state practitioners to treat patients in Pennsylvania, permitting retired or lapsed professionals to return to medicine, and expanding who could give a vaccine.

Healthcare providers in other states have responded similarly, leading to a spirited competition for labor. In some ways, rising labor prices  that is, higher pay  is a good outcome, since it means more benefit to nurses and their families. But with wages rising so much, hospitals in poorer areas cannot compete with richer ones. Staffing agencies help accelerate the trend by hiring nurses from across the U.S. to work with employers that can afford higher salaries and signing bonuses.

Thats a great story for the individual who gets a good paycheck. Paying off student loans or saving for a house is much easier when ones skills are in high demand. But it leaves many struggling communities in the lurch.

The constant churn forces less-experienced nurses into leadership positions earlier than ever before. That contributes to overwork and burnout, leading some nurses to leave the profession. Peg Lawson, a nurse at Philadelphias Einstein Medical Center, told the Philadelphia Inquirer last month, we are experiencing a turnover rate now that Ive never seen in the 30 years Ive been at Einstein. Every day, someone leaves. Nurses used to be here for three or four years before moving on; now, its three or four months.

Vaccine mandates at hospitals will have an impact, too. While most medical professionals were vaccinated months ago, some have resisted. With deadlines fast approaching in Philadelphia and more to follow elsewhere, the most stubborn holdouts may look to the abundance of job openings across the country  some in states or hospitals without such mandates  and choose to relocate.

With so many causes contributing to the nursing shortage, no one claims to have a perfect fix. Part of the solution will inevitably include paying more in wages and benefits to keep qualified nurses from leaving  a heavy lift for an already-strained medical system. What else might help ease the labor crunch? Patricia Duddy, a nurse manager at Einstein Medical Center, says that better use of nurses at or near retirement age could be part of the answer. They have the knowledge and experience, so we can use them as a resource to supervise four new nurses on a unit to provide better safety for the patients, she told me. This way, "they can stay around longer and not retire, but avoid doing the physical care that is pushing them to retire because of bad backs, knees, or hips."

Smarter use of existing staff would surely help, but even as COVID fades from the scene, getting more people into the nursing profession  and keeping them there  is a must. Finding the way to do that will be a serious challenge for the nursing industry over the next decade.

Kyle Sammin is the senior editor of Philadelphia Weekly, and the co-host of the Conservative Minds podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @KyleSammin.
The recently sealed free trade deal with Australia could have 'harmful consequences' on the UK agricultural marketplace further down the line, according to an AHDB report.

The levy board's latest Horizon report quantifies the potential economic impact of the Australia trade deal on UK agriculture for the first time.

It offers an in-depth analysis of Australian agricultural production and trade, assessing its potential competitiveness in the UK marketplace.

The opportunities for UK agri-food products in the Australian market is also explored, and how the two countries stack up against each other in terms of size and scale.

The Australia trade agreement, announced in the summer, is the first the UK government has negotiated from scratch, setting the template for a line of new deals currently underway.

AHDB researchers found that the size and scale of Australian agricultural production means the scope for UK producers to compete at a commodity level is limited.

In the short term, where market factors are unchanged, Australian exports to the UK may be subdued due to more lucrative and rapidly expanding markets closer to home.

However, when the commercial realities of global agricultural supply and demand are factored in, as well as domestic policy at a sector level, the report warns that the risks to the UK agricultural supply chain increase.

For lamb, the model assumes Australia keeps its preferential trading arrangements with China. However, if Australia were to lose these arrangements, then Australian product would emerge onto the world stage and may undercut the UK market due to lower costs of production.

With the UK a high-income, developed market, it will only increase its attractiveness as a destination for Australian lamb, the report says.

For beef, the model finds the impact of the trade deal muted if the world remains constant. Australian beef imports are likely to be in the form of higher value cuts, into the foodservice sector.

This is likely to impact the demand for, and price of, domestic high value cuts, and will mean the overall value of domestic carcases will be reduced.

However, the forecast expansion of the Australian cattle herd represents a real risk to the UK market, the report warns.

While Australian agriculture is at the mercy of extreme weather variations, an oversupplied Australian market would see far more imports to the UK than the report modelled.

And for dairy, as Australia is a net-importer of cheese, the trade deal offers an opportunity for UK exporters when prices are favourable and away from traditional European markets.

However, the levy board says the cyclical nature of Australian production due to weather means this will not be a consistent market as domestic supply and demand changes.

David Swales, AHDB head of strategic insight, said that changes to trade partners' markets had the potential for 'harmful consequences' on the UK agricultural marketplace.

Australia has built up a diverse portfolio of markets for its agricultural products and is able to meet the requirements of our food safety laws, bringing increased competition to the UK marketplace longer term.

Farmers and producers need to prepare for this period of change, which is occurring against the backdrop of our own structural change in farm policy, to enable the UK to compete in a more global setting.

"Australia might be the first new trade deal the UK negotiated but it certainly wont be the last.

In compiling the report, AHDB worked with Harper Adams University to develop a new trade network model to quantify the impact of the deal.
First Milk has launched a regenerative farming bonus of 0.5p per litre for farmers who submit plans showing how they will reduce carbon emissions.

The British dairy co-operative unveiled on Friday (5 November) its commitment to regenerative farming principles as part of its net zero 2040 strategy.

It has launched a digital tool to capture regenerative farming plans for each of its farmer suppliers, along with the associated bonus payment.

Farmers have been asked by the co-op to complete an individual regenerative farming plan by the end of March 2022.

The plans should detail farmers' current practices and planned changes to reduce carbon emissions and increase carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

First Milk has worked with Kingshay to develop a digital mapping tool to enable completion of regenerative plans, providing field-level data.

The new regenerative farming bonus of 0.5ppl will then come into effect from 1 April 2022 for those farmers who committed to a plan, the co-op said.

Mark Brooking, First Milk's sustainability director, said: Dairy farmers can be part of the solution to the climate crisis by adopting regenerative principles that store carbon in soil for the long term.

"The response that weve had from members has been overwhelmingly positive and we will support them as they develop their own regenerative farm plans.

"We will then test and monitor soil carbon levels across our members farms through our partnership with Agricarbon, providing clear, robust data on soil carbon sequestration levels and progress towards net zero as we move forward."

I believe that this programme is unique in its scale and approach," he added, "We are confident that this will help us deliver our ambitious net zero goals and safeguard the future for our dairy farmer owners."

It follows the completion of a round of 11 regenerative farming workshops across the country, held in partnership with First Milk and Farm Carbon Toolkit.

These saw more than 300 farmers attend to understand more about the benefits of adopting regenerative farming, covering topics such as soil health and climate resilience.
A Manchester school has been named Food, Farming and Natural Environment School of the Year after its students demonstrated passion for the industry.

Laurus Ryecroft, a secondary school in Manchester, beat five other schools in winning a fiercely-contested national competition looking at sustainable farming.

Launched in 2018, the competition aims to inspire young people about agriculture and food production through on-farm experiences.

The competition is run by education organisation LEAF Education and Coleg Cambria, a college in north east Wales.

The competition took place last weekend at Coleg Cambria, where students along with LEAF Education staff, college lecturers, the farm manager and industry experts debated the motion: "Farming can become carbon neutral in the future".

Students from the five schools discussed the issue in detail and used their knowledge to present an evidence-based response to the hypothesis, which they presented to a panel of judges.

The presentations were delivered with a 'clear passion and support' for the farming industry, the judges said.

The students demonstrated their knowledge of the issues and challenges facing the agriculture industry on its journey to net zero by 2040.

The weekend also saw pupils take part in activities such as milking, tractor driving, habitat management, woodland management, lamb selection and soil analysis.

LEAF Education's director of education, Carl Edwards said: Each school was more than worthy of their place in the final, but it was the group of students from Laurus Ryecroft in Manchester that stood out the most.

"We were impressed by how they linked every experience they had to supporting their strong belief that the farming industry can become carbon neutral by 2040.

"Having had zero experience on farm before, the judges were blown away by how quickly and competently these three young adults understood what our industry is doing to tackle the climate crisis.

Head of School at Laurus Ryecroft, Martin Vevers added: "For us to win National Innovation School of the Year just goes to show how much our young people value sustainability in food production and are keen to learn more."

The five finalists participating were: William Howard School, Cumbria; The Market Bosworth School, Leicestershire; Laurus Ryecroft, Manchester; Pipers Corner School, Buckinghamshire; Ysgol y Preseli, Pembrokeshire.
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
Closes Private Placement

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 4, 2021 / Victory Resources Corporation (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR61)(OTC PINK:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement (the "offering ") as previously announced on November 2, 2021 raising a gross aggregate total of $1,093,995.

The Company issued 19,890,816 units ("Unit"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of Victory Resources and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of CDN $0.07 per share until November 4, 2023 and are subject to an acceleration clause as previously announced.

In connection to the Offering the Company paid certain eligible finders fees of $56,063.99 cash and will issue a total of 1,019,345 non transferable finders warrants subject to the same terms and conditions as noted above.

Insiders participation in the offering was for an aggregate amount of $35,750.00 comprising 650,000 Units representing 3.5% of the offering. Such participation is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The related party transaction is exempt from minority approval and valuation requirements pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the securities to be issued under the Offering nor the consideration to be paid by the insiders exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of Units for the ongoing exploration and drilling program on its ongoing projects including the Smokey Lithium Property located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Partial funds will also be put towards general working capital in furtherance of the Company's business.

The Company also announces that pursuant to its Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") it has granted a total of 2.7 million stock options at an exercise price of $0.07 per common share to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. The option grant may, in accordance with the Plan, have vesting provisions and will be exercisable until November 4, 2026.

About Victory Resources Corporation

Victory is a publicly traded junior international mining corporation with interests in North America. The company is currently developing its existing projects including its recently optioned Loner property in Nevada adjacent to Goldbanks, its recently acquired Smokey Lithium property in Nevada adjacent to American Lithium's flagship property, its British Columbia Mal-Wen property and its other properties including, Black Diablo in Nevada, Hammond Reef South in Ontario adjoining Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef mine, and Lac Simard in Quebec within 20 k of 3 operating gold mines including Agnico Eagle's Goldex, Canadian Malartic mines and Eldorado Gold's Lamaque mine.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Ireton, President

Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or

TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653)

E-mail: IR@victoryresourcescorp.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates", "may" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Victory Resources Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671324/Victory-Resources-Raises-over-1-Million
SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Nov 5, 2021, CIIE, the first national-level import-oriented professional trade fair in the world, kicked off at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Initiated by the Chinese government since 2018, the CIIE continues to be a significant platform for the nation's opening-up and enhancing international economic cooperation and free trade across the world.

The CIIE has over the years become more well-organized, professional, and digital.

Featuring a wider range of industries, the fourth CIIE has attracted 3,000 offline exhibitors from 127 countries and regions to take part in the Business Exhibition. Three international organizations and 58 countries from five continents, especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, are participating in the Online Country Exhibition.

The Business Exhibition comprises exhibition areas Food and Agricultural Products, Automobile, Intelligent Industry & Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Medical Equipment & Healthcare Products, and Trade in Services. Thirteen themed subsections have also been set up to showcase the latest products and innovations related to low-carbon energy and environmental protection.

The total exhibition area of this year's CIIE has been expanded to 366,000 square meters. More than 80 percent of Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading companies from last year's CIIE are returning for this latest edition and will showcase products that are making either their global or regional debuts. These companies include the world's top three auction houses, top three fashion and luxury consumable groups, top four grain traders, top 10 automobile groups, and top 10 medical device enterprises.

More businesses from countries along the Belt and Road, Central and Eastern European countries, and LDCs have also signed up for the exhibition. The number of overseas small and medium-sized enterprises attending the CIIE as groups has continued to grow.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization. To mark this occasion, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, which is an integral part of the CIIE, will be holding a high-level forum themed "Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Solution for a Shared Future" to showcase China's achievements in opening up 20 years and its confidence in fulfilling its higher-level opening-up goal in the New Era. The forum will also publish the "World Opening Index" which evaluates the degree of opening-up in 129 world economies since 2008.

At this critical juncture in the global fight against COVID-19 and world economic recovery, a successful CIIE would demonstrate China's determination to promote sustainable world economic development, globalization and build a new development paradigm for its economy and society.

Contact: Nie Qingxin

Tel.: 0086-21-67008870/67008988

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1678240/Pic1_20211105_CIIE_3_Asian_countries_Korea_Japan_Singapore.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1678241/Pic2_20211105_CIIE_3_Asian_countries_Korea_Japan_Singapore.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1077995/CIIE_Logo.jpg
Return to Revenue Growth in the Quarter at +65% Year

Strategic Acquisition Bolsters Competitive Position and Creates Cross-Selling Opportunity

Private Placement and Debt Repayment Enhance Financial Position

CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / November 4, 2021 / FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (TSXV:FLY)(OTCQX:FLYLF) (the "Company" or "FLYHT") today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2021.

"Our third quarter financial performance is beginning to reflect the significant efforts we have made to reinvent the business," said Bill Tempany, Interim CEO. "We delivered 65% revenue growth, the first quarterly growth since 2019, narrowed our net losses despite a decline in government grant support, and strengthened our balance sheet with an over subscribed private placement and the retirement of our convertible debentures. We also purchased complementary weather sensor technology which is further increasing the value of our offering to airlines."

Continued Mr. Tempany, "The significant increase in FLYHT's licensing revenues this quarter as well as recent new sales contracts and purchase orders from new and existing customers are positive signs both for FLYHT and the global airline industry. It is clear there is pent up demand for travel, especially domestic travel, and the financial performance of the aviation industry as a whole is expected to improve in 2022 compared to 2021."

Concluded Mr. Tempany, "FLYHT is well-positioned to emerge from the pandemic as the global aviation leader in Actionable Intelligence. With a sharpened focus on software solutions, leading technology, loyal customers who value the service, a strong leadership team and salesforce, and the financial strength to execute a targeted M&A strategy to scale the offering, we are highly confident that we will be able to leverage our installed customer base of over 80 global airlines to generate profitable growth for the company and value creation for our stakeholders."

Third Quarter 2021 Financial Overview

Total revenue increased by 65% to $3,173,331 compared to Q3 2020. Growth was driven by Licensing, which generated over $1 million of revenue in Q3 2020 versus minimal a year ago. Additionally, Hardware revenue increased by 314% to $567,356. Technical Services revenue increased by 117% to $93,911. SaaS revenue declined 9% year-over-year to $1,507,366 and increased 4% compared to Q2 2021.

Gross margin increased slightly to 68.2% of revenue compared to 69.2% in Q3 2020. The decrease in gross margin was due primarily to changes in the mix of revenue sources during the quarter, as Q3 2021 revenue included a larger contribution from Licensing compared to Q3 2020, which carries the highest gross margin among revenue sources.

Operating expenses increased by 16% compared to Q3 2020, largely due to a reduction in government grants which are applied as an offset to reported expenses. A 22% decrease in Administration expenses was offset by an increase in Distribution expenses of 70% and an increase in Research and Development and certification engineering expenses of 25%.

EBITDA1 loss narrowed to $811,966 compared to an EBITDA loss of $1,079,873 in Q3 2020.

Net loss narrowed to $1,107,195 compared to a net loss of $1,647,249 in Q3 2020.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

FLYHT ended the quarter with cash and short-term investments of $5,355,302, an increase from $5,127,963 at YE 2020 and $3,079,255 at June 30, 2021.

Trade and other receivables increased by 25% to $1,978,189 compared to YE 2020, and Trade payables and accrued liabilities decreased by 20% to $1,717,060 compared to YE 2020.

Third Quarter Achievements

During the quarter, the Company acquired the Water Vapor Sensing System ("WVSS-II") product line from SpectraSensors Inc ("SpectraSensors") to enhance its weather business. The WVSS-II is a sensor installed on aircraft and provides water vapour measurements in near real-time throughout an aircraft's flight. These observations directly benefit weather forecasting and improve weather support to aviation. The acquisition includes manufacturing assets, inventory, aviation-specific intellectual property, and a license to SpectraSensors' Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy ("TDLAS") technology for use in the weather and aviation markets. The WVSS-II product line was purchased by FLYHT from SpectraSensors for $500,000 USD.

Also during the quarter, on July 21, 2021, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement, issuing 8,828,818 common shares at an issue price of $0.75 per share, resulting in proceeds to the Company of CAD$6,621,615. Directors, officers and senior employees contributed 10% of the offering total. The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the offering to repay its outstanding secured convertible debentures, including any accrued and unpaid interest, in the amount of CAD$1.8 million.

Conference Call Information

FLYHT will host a conference call to discuss its third quarter 2021 financial results on November 5, 2021 at 7:30 am MT (9:30 am ET). The conference call will include a brief presentation from FLYHT's Interim CEO Bill Tempany and CFO Alana Forbes followed by a question and answer session. To access the conference call by phone within Canada and the U.S., the toll-free number is 1-800-319-4610. Outside Canada and the U.S., dial 1-604-638-5340. Callers should dial in five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Management will accept questions by telephone and e-mail. Individuals wishing to ask a question during the call can do so by pressing *1. Questions can be emailed in advance or during the conference call to investors@flyht.com. An archive of the conference call will be posted on the Investor Communications section of FLYHT's website following the meeting.

Additional Information

FLYHT's Q3 2021 Report, which contains more detailed information including the CEO's Letter to Shareholders, Management Discussion and Analysis and Financial Statements, can be accessed on the Company's website. The MD&A and Financial Statements have also been filed with SEDAR and will be accessible at www.sedar.com.

About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

FLYHT provides airlines with Actionable Intelligence to transform operational insight into immediate, quantifiable action, delivering industry leading solutions to improve aviation safety, efficiency and profitability. This unique capability is driven by FLYHT's patented aircraft certified hardware products including AFIRS, a satcom aircraft interface device which enables real-time streaming of flight information, cockpit voice and black box data streaming and TAMDAR, which aggregates and streams airborne weather data in real-time. FLYHT is headquartered in Calgary, Canada with an office in Littleton, Colorado, and is an AS9100 Quality registered company. For more information, view our latest presentation here, or visit www.flyht.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the anticipated/projected revenues and related matters. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are founded on the basis of expectations, assumptions and hypotheses made by the Company, including, but not limited to projected revenues. Such forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, and supply chain delays. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Contact Information:

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Alana Forbes

Chief Financial Officer

403.291.7437

aforbes@flyht.com

investors@flyht.com

FNK IR LLC

Matt Chesler, CFA

Investor Relations

646.809.2183

flyht@fnkir.com

Join us on social media!

www.twitter.com/flyhtcorp

https://www.linkedin.com/company/flyht/

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1 EBITDA: defined as earnings before interest, income tax, depreciation and amortization (a non-GAAP financial measure). SOURCE: FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671328/FLYHT-Reports-Third-Quarter-2021-Results
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Australian airline Qantas Group (QAN.AX, QUBSF.PK) said that it is on track to deliver A$1 billion of transformation by fiscal year 2023, with A$850 million realised by the end of the financial year. These are annual savings that flow straight to its bottom line, and are a foundation for its recovery as well as building long-term shareholder value. At Annual General Meeting, the airline's chairman Richard Goyder said that the company is confident in its levels of liquidity, even more so with forward bookings flowing through; it will reach net debt target before the end of this financial year; and it is confident in hedging position as flying ramps up in the second half. Goyder stated that the airline will provide a more detailed market update in December, when it has the benefit of a few more weeks of trading at higher levels of activity. Goyder also said the airline is looking at an order of over 100 aircraft, delivered over 10 years from the end of 2023 onwards. Discussions with Airbus, Boeing and Embraer are well advanced, and Qantas expects to decide on preferred aircraft by the end of this calendar year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vietnam's leading IT firm FPT Software and aerospace giant Airbus have recently inked an agreement called Skywise App Editor Partnership, in an attempt to introduce innovative solutions to accelerate digital transformation in the aviation industry. The signing ceremony took place during Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to France.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211104006438/en/

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his delegation, and both companies' executives. (Photo: Business Wire)

As per the agreement, FPT Software will provide and deploy a new set of solutions on Airbus's open data platform for the aviation industry, Skywise. By leveraging its capabilities in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cloud, and more, the Vietnam-based IT firm aims at assisting players in this sector to gain competitive edge and prepare for a green reboot after the pandemic. Specifically, these solutions can help optimise fluid consumption, reduce operational costs, enhance operations across various functions, including logistics, supply chain, crew management, aircraft maintenance, route planning and so on.

Scheduled to launch later this year and in early 2022, the solutions by FPT Software and Airbus are expected to support more than 140 airlines and 9,500 commercial aircraft worldwide.

According to FPT Chairman Dr Truong Gia Binh, this collaboration not only demonstrates FPT Software digital capabilities and market position as a trusted IT partner but also fosters common values between France and Vietnam. "I believe that the partnership between France and Vietnam's leading companies can act as a trading bridge, enhance the two countries' strategic cooperation and encourage collaborations between both sides' businesses", he added.

"We have over 100 high-skilled aviation data engineers and 500 software engineers with experience in several aviation projects. With our scalable IT talent pool, proven expertise, and Airbus's industry knowledge, we are confident to develop innovative solutions that enable aviation companies to realise their goals.", Chairman Binh said. "The sky is our only limit", he affirmed.

FPT Software and Airbus cooperation history dates back to 2017 when FPT Software became one of the first trusted IT partners that helped Airbus kickstart its Skywise ecosystem in the Asia Pacific. In 2019, FPT Software established its office in Toulouse, France, to better collaborate with Airbus in achieving its digital transformation goals. The two companies have joined forces in various initiatives to support several major aviation players to improve operational performance, ensure complete data continuity, and achieve savings of millions of dollars across the value chain.

About FPT Software

FPT Software is a global technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, with more than USD 513 million in revenue and 20,000 employees in 26 countries. As a pioneer in digital transformation, the company delivers world-class services in Smart factory, Digital platforms, RPA, AI, IoT, Cloud, AR/VR, BPO, and so on. It has served 700+ customers worldwide, a hundred of which are Fortune Global 500 companies in the industries of Automotive, Banking and Finance, Logistics Transportation, Utilities, and more. For further information, please visit https://fpt-software.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211104006438/en/

Contacts:

Media

Trinh Sao Mai (Ms.)

FPT Software, Head of Global Marketing Communications

Email: MCP.PR@fsoft.com.vn

Website: https://www.fpt-software.com/newsroom/
TOKYO, Nov 5, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - With COP26 underway, two Principal Partners for one of the most important climate summits in recent history have come together to agree a new renewable energy deal.Hitachi Rail has agreed a contract with ScottishPower, part of the Iberdrola Group, for the supply of 100% renewable electricity for their UK operations over the next three years, helping to accelerate the company's efforts to decarbonise their sites by 2030.The agreement provides an estimated 21GW of electricity per year for all of Hitachi Rail's UK maintenance and manufacturing sites.Jim Brewin, Head of UK & Ireland at Hitachi Rail said: "Today's agreement to power our UK sites with 100% renewable electricity builds on Hitachi Rail's progress to decarbonise both our business and the transport sector."This partnership with ScottishPower is a major step on Hitachi Rail's journey to decarbonising our sites by 2030. To do this alongside another COP26 Principal Partner is really special and demonstrates that businesses with shared values and goals can work together to make Net Zero a reality."Andrew Ward, CEO Retail at ScottishPower, said: "Companies changing how they source energy, whether through Power Purchase Agreements or through top tier Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates like this one, will make a significant difference to the UK achieving its climate change targets."In making this change to green, clean electricity companies are also supporting the future growth of renewables across the UK, something which is much needed if the UK is to realise its climate ambition."With COP26 now well underway in Glasgow, we're really pleased to be able to work with our fellow Principal Partner, Hitachi Rail, helping them to take major steps on their own decarbonisation journey and hopefully encouraging other companies to follow suit."Hitachi Rail is one of the UK's major train manufacturers and maintains over 200 trains at depots across England, Wales and Scotland. It's regional, intercity and high speed trains carry passengers in the South East, South West, the East Coast and throughout Scotland's Central Belt. Hitachi trains have already playing a major role in decarbonising transport by replacing previous diesel-only powered fleets.Hitachi Rail has set itself a target of being carbon neutral at all its sites across the globe by 2030. Last year Hitachi Rail reduced its overall global carbon emissions by more than 30%. Today's agreement will continue the progress on emissions reduction.ScottishPower were the first UK integrated energy company to remove fossil fuels from its energy generation, focussing instead on investing in onshore and offshore wind, solar and green hydrogen. They are committed to working with companies to help them reduce their carbon footprint with the ultimate goal of helping the UK achieve Net Zero.About Hitachi RailHitachi Rail is a fully integrated, global provider of rail solutions across rolling stock, signalling, service & maintenance, digital technology and turnkey solutions. With a presence in 38 countries across six continents and over 12,000 employees, our mission is to contribute to society through the continuous development of superior rail transport solutions. We are proud of our global achievements, from our world -famous 'bullet trains', to our signalling solutions and turnkey projects, state-of-the-art traffic management and digital solutions. Drawing on the wider Hitachi Group's market-leading technology and research-and-development capabilities, we strive for industry leading innovations and solutions that can deliver value for customers and sustainable railway systems that benefit wider society. www.hitachirail.comSource: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW

Solidium has today, 5 November 2021, sold 11 million A-shares in Sampo plc, representing approximately 2.0 per cent of the outstanding shares of Sampo, following an accelerated bookbuilt offering to Finnish and international institutional investors (the "Equity Offering"). Solidium will use the proceeds of approximately EUR 498 million from the Equity Offering mainly to a capital repayment to the State and for general corporate purposes.

Following the Equity Offering, Solidium's ownership interest in Sampo will be approximately 33 million A-shares. Solidium's holding in Sampo will decrease from 8.0 per cent to 6.0 per cent of the outstanding shares and from 7.9 per cent to 5.9 of the votes. Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc acted as Lead Manager and Sole Bookrunner for the Equity Offering.

Solidium has agreed not to dispose of any further shares of Sampo for a period of 90 days following the Equity Offering, subject to certain customary exceptions, including waiver by the Lead Manager and Sole Bookrunner.

Solidium is a limited company wholly owned by the State of Finland. Its mission is to strengthen and stabilise Finnish ownership in nationally important companies and increase the value of its holdings in the long term. The basis and core objective of Solidium's strategy is proper, value-enhancing asset management of its current holdings. Through its stakes, Solidium is a minority owner in eleven significant listed companies: Elisa, Kemira, Konecranes, Metso Outotec, Nokia, Nokian Tyres, Outokumpu, Sampo, Stora Enso, TietoEVRY and Valmet. The value of Solidium's total investment assets is approximately 9.7 billion euros.





Further information: CEO Antti Makinen, Solidium Oy, +358 50 561 1501

Important notice





THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY, SELL, ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SELL, ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ONLY BEING DISTRIBUTED TO AND IS DIRECTED AT "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129, AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, (A) HAVING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"); (B) WHO ARE HIGH NET WORTH ENTITIES DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 49(2) (A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER; OR (C) OTHER PERSONS TO WHOM THEY MAY LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO AND WILL ONLY BE ENGAGED IN WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY PERSON WHO IS NOT A RELEVANT PERSON SHOULD NOT ACT OR RELY ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OF ITS CONTENTS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE INTO THE UNITED STATES. THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

ANY INVESTMENT DECISION TO BUY SECURITIES IN THE EQUITY OFFERING MUST BE MADE SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER OR THE SELLER. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANY COPY OF IT MAY BE TAKEN, TRANSMITTED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIAN, CANADIAN, JAPANESE OR OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFERING OR SALE OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES OR ANY OTHER PERSON THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OTHER OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER IS ACTING EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SELLER AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EQUITY OFFERING. THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER WILL NOT REGARD ANY OTHER PERSON (WHETHER OR NOT A RECIPIENT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT) AS THEIR CLIENT IN RELATION TO THE EQUITY OFFERING AND THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE SELLER FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO THEIR CLIENTS NOR FOR GIVING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE EQUITY OFFERING OR ANY TRANSACTION, ARRANGEMENT OR OTHER MATTER REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE EQUITY OFFERING ON A PROPRIETARY BASIS.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / Gold Mountain Mining Corp. ("Gold Mountain" or the "Company") (TSXV:GMTN)(OTCQB:GMTNF)(FSE:5XFA) is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") to list its common shares. Assuming the outstanding listing conditions are satisfied and the common shares are listed on the TSX, the Company will voluntarily delist its common shares from the TSX Venture Exchange. Gold Mountain will continue to trade under the ticker "GMTN". The Company has also filed a preliminary base shelf prospectus (the "Shelf Prospectus") with the securities commissions in each province of Canada.

"As we transition into commercial production and continue expanding the Elk's resources, the timing is right for our company to up list onto the Toronto Stock Exchange," commented Kevin Smith, CEO and Director of Gold Mountain. "Up listing to the TSX will mark a significant milestone for Gold Mountain and should send a message that management's focus is corporate development on all fronts, with a goal of becoming a prominent name in Canadian mining. By listing on the TSX, we seek to further enhance the Company's exposure and accessibility to institutional investors, as well as increase the liquidity of our market. We have also filed a Preliminary Base Shelf Prospectus with each province in Canada. While the company does not have any immediate requirement for additional funds, we wanted to put ourselves in a position to be deal ready over the next 25 months, should we elect to accelerate our exploration plans at the Elk or the right M&A opportunity presents itself. With a healthy treasury, the M199 mining permit in hand, and our Phase II exploration program nearing completion, the Company is positioned for a strong finish to our first year of trading, and look to carry that momentum into 2022."

TSX Conditional Approval

Gold Mountain received conditional approval to list on the TSX on November 4th, 2021 after trading on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") for 10 months. During this period, the Company transitioned from an exploration and development junior mining company, to a near term gold producer with strong and established partnerships in South Central British Columbia. The Company's sound economics, broad shareholder base and imminent revenue generation lead Management to begin the process of up listing to the TSX.

Final approval of the Gold Mountain up-listing to the TSX is subject to the Company meeting certain customary conditions. Gold Mountain will officially announce when the trading of its common shares is expected to commence on the TSX. Upon completion of the final listing requirements, the Company's common shares will be delisted from the TSXV.

Shareholders are not required to exchange their share certificates or take any other action in connection with the TSX listing. A TSX listing is one of the requirements for inclusion in certain indices including the S&P/TSX Composite Index and related exchange-traded products (ETFs). There can be no certainty that the company would qualify or be eligible to be included in such indices and ETFs.

Corporate Governance

As part of the up listing process to the TSX, the Company's board of directors has appointed Kevin Smith as Chairman and Blake Steele as Independent Lead Director. The appointments were made at the request of the TSX to provide further structure to the company's board.

Preliminary Shelf Prospectus

The Shelf Prospectus, upon a receipt for the final base shelf prospectus, would allow Gold Mountain to make offerings up to C$50,000,000 of common shares, warrants, subscription receipts, units, debt securities, share purchase contracts, or any combination thereof, from time to time over a 25-month period. The specific terms of any future offering of securities (if any) will be set forth in a shelf prospectus supplement. Gold Mountain has filed this base shelf prospectus for future financial flexibility and has no immediate intentions to undertake an offering. As reported in its quarterly financial statements ending July 31, 2021, Gold Mountain had a cash position of $14,931,106.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualifications under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

A copy of the preliminary Shelf Prospectus, and copies of the final base shelf prospectus and any shelf prospectus supplements that may be filed in the future, can be found under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Annual Information Form

Gold Mountain has also voluntarily filed an Annual Information Form ("AIF") to support the Base Shelf Prospectus and its TSX listing. The AIF provides a detailed overview of the Company and is available at www.sedar.com.

Amended and Restated Technical Report

The Company is also filing an amended and restated technical report for its Elk Gold Project entitled "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Elk Gold Project, Merritt British Columbia" (the "Amended Report"). The Amended Report can be found under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. and was filed further to a review by staff of the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC"). The BCSC review is now complete.

There are no material differences between the original report filed June 22, 2021 and the Amended Report and there are no differences with respect to the mineral resource, the preliminary economic assessment of the recommendations and conclusions provided in the original report. The report, effective from May 14, 2021 dated August 26, 2021 and amended as of November 4, 2021 is available under Gold Mountain's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.gold-mountain.ca.

About Gold Mountain Mining

Gold Mountain is a British Columbia based gold and silver exploration and development company focused on resource expansion at the Elk Gold Project, a past-producing mine located 57 KM from Merritt in South Central British Columbia. Additional information is available at www.sedar.com or on the Company's new website at www.gold-mountain.ca

For further information, please contact:

Gold Mountain Mining Corp.

Kevin Smith, Director and Chief Executive Officer

Phone: 604-309-6340

Email: ks@gold-mountain.ca

Website: www.gold-mountain.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward- looking statements include statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release and are not purely historical including any information or statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future and often, but not always, use words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements in this press release include all statements relating to imminent cash flow generation, achieving commercial production, anticipated Year 1 production profile and anticipated profits, the timing for the receipt of any EA, transitioning to commercial production, the timing to commence mining, the timing for the delivery of mineralized material to New Afton. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals; the price of gold; and the results of current exploration. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Gold Mountain disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For a comprehensive overview of all risks that may impact the Company, please see the Company's Annual Information Form a copy of which is available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: Gold Mountain Mining Corp

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671261/Gold-Mountain-Receives-Conditional-Approval-to-List-on-the-Toronto-Stock-Exchange
Subscription price: 5.40 per new share

Subscription ratio: 16 new shares for 11 existing shares

Detachment of preferential subscription rights on November 10, 2021 and subscriptions open from November 12 to 25, 2021 inclusive

Subscription Commitment of TDK for 100% of the issue by offsetting receivables, on a reducible and irreducible basis, and subscription intention of Thales Avionics, by cash on an irreductible basis, for 3.5%.





Grenoble, France and Dallas TX, USA, November 5, 2021 - Tronics, a TDK Group Company that manufactures custom MEMS products and standard inertial sensors for industrial applications, announces the launch of a 28.9 million capital increase through the issue of new shares paid for in cash or by offsetting receivables, with preferential subscription rights for all shareholders.

This capital increase is guaranteed by TDK Electronics AG, the majority shareholder of Tronics. TDK Electronic AG has irrevocably undertaken to subscribe by offsetting receivables, on an irreducible basis in proportion to its existing share of the capital (74.26%) and on a reducible basis up to a maximum of 28.9 million, a subscription commitment of between 74.26% and 100% of the New Shares. TDK Electronics AG has supported Tronics's development for several years with regular cash contributions in the form of loans.

Thales Avionics, another major Group shareholder, has also undertaken to subscribe in cash, a part of its preferential subscription rights on an irreducible basis, in order to maintain a shareholding of approximately 10%, i.e. an amount of 1 million.

The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) approved the Prospectus relating to this transaction on November 4, 2021 under number 21-472. This capital increase is carried out in accordance with the twelfth resolution adopted by the combined general meeting of shareholders of the Company on October 19, 2021.

The purpose of the capital increase is to restore the financial position of Tronics by rebuilding its currently negative shareholders' equity, so that it can continue to grow its business.





MAIN TERMS OF THE CAPITAL INCREASE WITH MAINTENANCE OF PREFERENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

Tronics is launching a capital increase through the issue of New Shares paid for in cash or by offsetting receivables, with preferential subscription rights for all shareholders, for a gross amount of 28.9 million, at a ratio of 16 new shares to 11 existing shares.

Each Tronics shareholder will be granted, on November 10, 2021, 1 preferential subscription rights for each 1 share held and recorded in their securities account at close of business on November 9, 2021, in accordance with the provisional schedule below.

The Offering will be open to the public in France only.





NUMBER OF SHARES OFFERED

5,360,884 New Shares with a par value of 1 each.





SUBSCRIPTION PERIOD

The subscription period for the New Shares will be open from November 12, 2021 to November 25, 2021 inclusive.





SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF THE NEW SHARES

The New Shares are issued at a subscription price of 5.40, including a nominal value of 1 and a premium of 4.40, i.e. 28,948,773.60 euros, to be fully paid up at the time of subscription, by payment in cash or by offsetting debts, representing a premium of 8.00% over the last quoted price of 5. This price has been set in line with the volume-weighted average price of the Company's shares over the ten trading days preceding the date of approval of the Prospectus by the AMF, i.e. 5.41, allowing to take into account the low liquidity of the share, and showing a discount of 0.2%.

The subscription price of the New Shares has been set at 5.40 per share (i.e. 1 par value and 4.40 share premium), representing 28,948,773.60.

Similarly, the theoretical value of the preferential subscription right is (0.24) and the theoretical value of the ex-rights share is 5.24. The issue price of the New Shares represents a bonus of 3.11% to the theoretical value of the ex-rights share.

These values do not reflect the value of the preferential subscription right during the preferential subscription right trading period, nor the value of the ex-rights share, nor the discounts, as they will be established on the market.





GROSS AMOUNT OF THE TRANSACTION

The total amount of the issue, including the issue premium, is 28,948,773.60 (5,360,884 par value and 23,587,889.60 issue premium), calculated as the number of New Shares issued (5,360,884 New Shares) multiplied by the subscription price of one New Share 5.40 (comprising 1 par value and 4.40 issue premium).





PREFERENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

The subscription of the New Shares will be reserved, on a priority basis:

for holders of Existing Shares recorded in their securities account at the close of business on November 9, 2021 in accordance with the provisional schedule, on the basis of one preferential subscription right per existing share;

for transferees of the preferential subscription rights.

In order to exercise their preferential subscription rights, holders must submit a request via their authorised financial intermediary at any time between November 12, 2021 and November 25, 2021 inclusive and pay the corresponding subscription price. Preferential subscription rights that are not exercised will automatically expire at the end of the subscription period, i.e. on November 25, 2021, at the close of trading.

Subscribers who have made irreducible subscription orders are guaranteed, subject to the effective completion of the Capital Increase with preferential subscription rights, to receive the number of Offered Shares they have subscribed for within the applicable timeframes. Those who have made reducible subscription orders will be informed of their allocation by their financial intermediary.

Fractional preferential subscription rights may be sold on Euronext Growth Paris during the preferential subscription right trading period.

Subscription orders are irrevocable.





LISTING AND PROCEDURE FOR EXERCISING PREFERENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

The preferential subscription rights will be detached on November 10, 2021, and may be traded on Euronext Paris from November 10, 2021 until the close of the preferential subscription right trading period, i.e. until November 23, 2021 inclusive (at the close of trading), under ISIN code FR0014006979.





INTENTIONS AND SUBSCRIPTION COMMITMENTS OF MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS

In order to guarantee the completion of the capital increase, TDK Electronics AG, the reference shareholder holding 74.26% of the Company's share capital prior to the Offering, has irrevocably undertaken to subscribe to the capital increase by exercising all of its preferential subscription rights on an irreducible basis and on a reducible basis to new shares of the Company, by way of offsetting against receivables, for an amount of 28.95 million, a subscription commitment of between 74.26% and 100% of the New Shares.

Thales Avionics SAS, which holds 19.86% of the Company's share capital prior to the Offering, has undertaken to subscribe to the capital increase in cash by exercising 128,374 preferential subscription rights to new shares of the Company for an amount of 1,0 million.

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any intention of other shareholders or members of its administrative or management bodies to participate in the Capital Increase with preferential subscription rights.





IMPACT OF THE ISSUE ON THE SHAREHOLDER'S FINANCIAL POSITION AND ON THE COMPANY'S SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

By way of illustration, the impact of the issue of the Offered Shares on the stake of a shareholder holding 1% of the share capital of the Company prior to the issue of the Offered Shares and not subscribing to the issue of the Offered Shares (calculated on the basis of the number of shares comprising the share capital of the Company at the Prospectus date) would be as follows:

Non-diluted basis Before issuance of the New Shares from the present capital increase 1.00% After the issue of 5,360,884 New Shares resulting from the present capital increase 0.41%





Based on the consolidated shareholders' equity of the Company as at August 31, 2021, the consolidated shareholders' equity per share, before and after the Offering, would be as follows (after allocation of transaction costs) :

Share of consolidated shareholders' equity (in euros) Before issuance of the New Shares from the present capital increase -6.87 After the issue of 5,360,884 New Shares resulting from the present capital increase 0.35





PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE OF THE CAPITAL INCREASE

November 3, 2021 Executive Board decides on the terms of the Offering November 4, 2021 Approval of the Prospectus by the AMF November 5, 2021 Publication of a press release outlining the main features of the operation and the conditions under which the Prospectus is made available

Publication of the issue notice by Euronext November 9, 2021 Accounting day at the end of which the holders of existing shares recorded in their securities accounts will be granted preferential subscription rights November 10, 2021 Detachment and opening of trading of preferential subscription rights on Euronext Growth Paris November 12, 2021 Opening of subscription period November 23, 2021 End of trading of preferential subscription rights on Euronext Growth Paris November 25, 2021 Close of subscription period November 30, 2021 Publication of a Company press release announcing the result of the subscriptions

Publication by Euronext of the notice of listing of the Offered Shares indicating the final amount of the capital increase and the pro rata allocations for subscriptions on a reducible basis December 2, 2021 Issue of the Offered Shares - Settlement/delivery December 3, 2021 Offered Shares admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Paris





SHARE CODES

Share name: TRONICS

ISIN code: FR0004175099

Ticker symbol: ALTRO

Place of listing: Euronext Paris

Compartment: C

ICB business sector: semiconductors

ICB classification: 9576







PROSPECTUS

Copies of the Prospectus are available free of charge at the registered office of the Company.

The Prospectus is also available on the Company's website (www.tronicsgroup.com) and on the AMF website (http://www.amf-france.org). The information provided on the Company's website does not form part of the Prospectus and has not been reviewed or approved by the AMF.







RISK FACTORS

The Company draws the public's attention to the material risk factors specific to the Group and to the Offered Shares to be issued and admitted to trading as set out in Chapter 4 of the Prospectus.

Investors are advised to read the Prospectus in its entirety before making any investment decision and to make their own assessment as to the suitability of investing in the financial securities concerned. Shareholders are invited to regularly consult the page dedicated to the operation on the Company's website www.tronicsgroup-bourse.com, which will be updated whenever necessary.

-----





About Tronics Microsystems

Tronics Microsystems is a division of TDK's Temperature & Pressure Sensors Business Group that manufactures custom MEMS products and standard inertial sensors for industrial applications. Addressing high-growth markets relying on increasing miniaturization of electronic devices, the company provides custom and standard products especially to the industrial, aeronautics, security, and medical markets. Founded in 1997, Tronics is located in Crolles, near Grenoble (France) and in Dallas, Texas (United States), and has around 100 employees, most of them engineers and scientists. Following a tender offer ending January 2017, TDK Electronics AG now holds 74 percent of Tronics' shares.

* ISIN code: FR0004175099 ALTRO





About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a world leader in electronic solutions for the smart society based in Tokyo, Japan. Built on a foundation of material sciences mastery, TDK welcomes societal transformation by resolutely remaining at the forefront of technological evolution and deliberately "Attracting Tomorrow." It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK's comprehensive, innovation driven portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in the areas of information and communication technology and automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In the 2021 financial year, TDK achieved a turnover of USD 13.3 billion and employed around 129,000 people worldwide.

TRONICS CONTACT

Vincent Gaff

Director, Marketing & Business Development

Phone: 00 33 4 76 97 29 50

info@tronicsgroup.com



For more information: www.tronicsgroup-bourse.com/en/







Important information

The contents of this press release have been prepared by and are the sole responsibility of Tronic's Microsystems.

Neither this press release nor any of the information contained herein may be distributed to the public in any country in which registration or approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction (other than France) in which such actions would be required. The offer and sale of Tronic's Microsystems' shares or preferential subscription rights (together, the "Securities") in certain jurisdictions may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions. Persons receiving this document or any information contained herein must be aware of and comply with such restrictions. Any violation of such restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable regulations in such jurisdictions.

The information contained in this press release is for informational purposes only and does not purport to be complete and no person should rely in any way on the information contained in this press release or its accuracy, precision or completeness. Any purchase of Securities should be made solely on basis of the information contained in the Prospectus published by Tronic's Microsystems.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of ordinary shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

The distribution of this document may, in certain jurisdictions be restricted by local legislations. Persons into whose possession this document comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such potential local restrictions.

This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017 (as amended the "Prospectus Regulation"). Potential investors are advised to read the prospectus before making an investment decision in order to fully understand the potential risks and rewards associated with the decision to invest in the Securities. The approval of the prospectus by the AMF should not be understood as an endorsement of the Securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market.

With respect to the member states of the European Economic Area (other than France) and the United Kingdom (each a "Relevant State"), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the Securities referred to herein requiring a publication of a prospectus in any Relevant State. As a result, the Securities may not and will not be offered in any Relevant State except in accordance with the exemptions set forth in NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN Article 1 (4) of the Prospectus Regulation or under any other circumstances which do not require the publication by Tronic's Microsystems of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation and/or to applicable regulations of that Relevant State.

The distribution of this press release has not been made, and has not been approved, by an authorised person within the meaning of Article 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. As a consequence, this press release is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that (i) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Order"), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.) of the Order or (iii) to any other person to whom this announcement may be addressed in accordance with the law (the persons referred to in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. In relation to the United Kingdom, securities may not be offered or sold without the publication of a prospectus in the United Kingdom or an exemption from such publication under the Prospectus Regulations, which form part of United Kingdom domestic law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulations"). Accordingly, this document is directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Section 2(e), of the UK Prospectus Regulations. This press release does not constitute a prospectus approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authorities as defined by Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer of Securities for sale or any solicitation to purchase or to subscribe for securities or any solicitation of sale of securities in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or the law of any State or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Tronic's Microsystems does not intend to register all or any portion of the Securities in the United States under the Securities Act or to conduct a public offering of the Securities in the United States.

The Securities may not be offered, purchased or sold in the United States (including its territories and possessions), Canada, Australia or Japan.

This announcement may not be published, forwarded, broadcast or distributed, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.

Tronic's Microsystems and its affiliates expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

lWluaJRslWyXx3Gclcaaa5WVamlmm2HIZWSVmmpwlcuYbXGSlm9onMiYZnBinWtt

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-71867-pr_tronics_launch-of-capital-increase_051121_vdef.pdf
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh has invited the UK's private sector and capital markets to partner in long term sustainable development and green investment opportunities at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership

LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the appearance of Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, at the COP26 conference on Monday 1st November, Her Excellency yesterday discussed the remit of Bangladesh's first green bond and invited UK investment into green and sustainable projects in South Asia's fastest growing economy.

The Prime Minister's speech was delivered at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership, held in London at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre on Thursday 4thNovember 2021. UK investors were called upon to invest in a wide range of sectors including renewable energy, shipbuilding, automotive, light engineering, agro-processing, blue economy, tourism, knowledge based hi-tech industries, and ICT.

The London Investment Summit is regarded as a key step in strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and the UK. It was hosted by a high-level government delegation from Bangladesh alongside the Honourable Prime Minister, including the Chairmen of both the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, as well as the UK High Commissioner for Bangladesh. It was also attended by a range of senior representatives from the UK government - including Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister of State for Trade - as well as major corporates, banks and investment organisations.

The event featured a presentation on the potential of trade and investment in Bangladesh, a panel discussion on investment for sustainable growth, as well as speeches by high-profile business leaders and parallel sessions.

Following the summit, Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Securities Exchange Commission, said: "Bangladesh has experienced extraordinary growth to become a Middle-Income nation, and is now South Asia's fastest growing economy. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is on target to achieve a GDP of USD 500bn by 2026, likely overtaking powerhouses including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. We're thrilled that we have been able to demonstrate at the summit the promising opportunities and lucrative returns available for foreign investors in Bangladesh."

Mohammad Sirazul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), said: "We're delighted with the response we've had from investors at this Bangladesh Investment Summit in London and we're looking forward to hosting our next roadshow in Manchester. We seek diversification in our trade and investment, with a focus on green infrastructure and the blue economy. The UK is the perfect partner in this, with extensive experience in this area."

Saida Muna Tasneem, UK High Commissioner, said: "We're very proud to be a partner for the Bangladesh Investment Summit. The UK and Bangladesh have a long history and operate in close partnership, with the UK currently Bangladesh's third largest trading partner. This summit has enabled UK investors to see even more potential in Bangladesh, and we look forward to continuing to grow the partnership between our two nations."

Bangladesh is making leaps and bounds in addressing the challenge of being a climate-vulnerable country. In her COP26 address, the Prime Minister outlined the steps being taken including doubling climate-related expenses over the last seven years, investing in significant renewable energy programs, and cancelling plans for extensive coal-based power plants. The Prime Minister is one of the most vocal leaders internationally on tackling climate change and has been conferred the 'SDG Progress Award' by the UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network for Bangladesh's steady progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Notes to Editor

The next Investment Summit will be held in Manchester on Monday 8th November at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, where further UK-based investors will be able to learn about the green investment opportunities in Bangladesh. The UK events are the latest in a series of roadshows showcasing the investment potential of Bangladesh, held in the UAE, the USA and Switzerland.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) - https://www.sec.gov.bd/

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) - http://bida.gov.bd/

Bangladesh High Commission London - https://bhclondon.org.uk/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679549/Bangladesh.jpg
ProSomnus Sleep Technologies is the Leader in Patient Preferred OSA Therapy

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProSomnus Sleep Technologies is proud to sponsor the British Sleep Society (BSS) 2021 Virtual Meeting, Nov. 4-6, 2021. This is the UK's largest multidisciplinary meeting for sleep professionals, dedicated to sleep medicine and research. This three-day high-quality program appeals to sleep colleagues across a multi-professional sleep community. The BSS Virtual Sleep Meeting will provide a range of superb national and international speakers in the sleep medicine arena.

The BBS Sleep Meeting includes both a patient and public involvement symposium. If you are a patient or member of the public who wants to find out more, please visit www.sleepsociety.org.uk for more information.

ProSomnus is proud to provide continuous support for many other European Dental Sleep Medicine organizations, such as the British Society for Dental Sleep Medicine (BSDSM), the British Academy for Dental Sleep Medicine (BADSM), the European Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (EADSM), the Spanish Society of Dental Sleep Medicine (SEMDES), the Interdisciplinary Belgian Dental Sleep Medicine Academy (iBEDSSMA) and many more.

ProSomnus medical devices are rapidly emerging as the leading, patient preferred alternative to CPAP for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Effective, non-intrusive and easy to use, each ProSomnus device is prescribed by a physician and fitted by a Dental Sleep Medicine specialist. ProSomnus devices are an excellent option for people with OSA who prefer a more comfortable treatment experience.

--

About ProSomnus Sleep Technologies

ProSomnus Sleep Technologies designs, manufactures and markets FDA Cleared Class II Medical Devices for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Diagnosed by Medical Doctors and provided by Dentists, ProSomnus Devices are the first, precision oral appliance therapy devices designed to enhance compliance, mitigate side effects and, enable providers to achieve excellent patient experiences and outcomes. They have been used to treat thousands of patients, with clinical performance that has been validated in numerous studies.

Media Contact

Heather Whalen, VP Marketing Communications

HWhalen@ProSomnus.com

Related Images











Image 1: ProSomnus EVO. Patient Preferred OSA Therapy.





ProSomnus EVO, the first OAT device to incorporate advanced materials, manufacturing robotics and artificial intelligence to advance the treatment of OSA.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Herzliya, Israel and Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (OTCQB: INNPF) (the "Company" or "Innocan) is pleased to announce that all investors who participated in the Company's December 2020 private placement (the "Offering") fully exercised the common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") issued to them as part of the Offering. The exercise of the Warrants by the investors resulted in a total cash receipt for the Company of approximately CAD $1.4 million and resulted in the issuance of 3,998,705 common shares of the Company. This marks the completion of the third round of warrant exercises in two years.

Pursuant to the terms of the Warrants, the Company had the right to issue a notice to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants if the daily volume weighted average trading price of the Company's shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange equaled or exceeded $0.70 for any period of 30 consecutive trading days.

"This remarkable achievement demonstrates a much-appreciated act of trust and confidence from our investors," said Iris Bincovich, CEO of Innocan Pharma. "We are excited that our investors have enjoyed the appreciation of their initial investment, and in addition they have decided to invest more. We are humbled by the continued support of our investor community, as Innocan Pharma continues to grow and secure its place as an innovator within the CBD space."

Innocan's relationship with The Hebrew University

Innocan Pharma Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a worldwide exclusive research and license agreement with Yissum Research and Development Company ("Yissum"), the commercial arm of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with respect to the design, preparation, characterization, and evaluation of hydrogels containing CBD (or other cannabinoids) loaded liposomes. The research and development initiative is led by Professor Chezy Barenholz, head of the Membrane and Liposome Research Department at The Hebrew University, which is the inventor of over fifty-five patent families, two of which underlie Doxil, an FDA-approved drug for breast cancer treatment. This unique platform technology may have a wide range of applications, such as epilepsy, pain relief, inflammation, and central nervous system disorders. A patent application was filed covering this technology on September 30, 2021.

About Innocan

Innocan, together with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Innocan Pharma Ltd. ("Innocan Israel") is a pharmaceutical tech company that focuses on the development of several drug delivery platforms containing CBD. Innocan Israel and Ramot at Tel Aviv University are collaborating on a new, revolutionary exosome-based technology that targets both central nervous system (CNS) indications and the Covid-19 Corona Virus using CBD. CBD-loaded exosomes hold the potential to help in the recovery of infected lung cells. This product, which is expected to be administered by inhalation, will be tested against a variety of lung infections.

Innocan Israel signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Yissum, the commercial arm of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to develop a CBD drug delivery platform based on a unique-controlled slow release Technologies to be administered by injection. Innocan Israel plans, together with Professor Barenholz, to test the liposome platform on several potential conditions. Innocan Israel is also working on a dermal product that integrates CBD with other pharmaceutical ingredients as well as the development and sale of CBD-integrated pharmaceuticals, including, but not limited to, topical treatments for the relief of psoriasis symptoms as well as the treatment of muscle pain and rheumatic pain. The founders and officers of Innocan Israel each have commercially successful track records in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors in Israel and globally.

For further information, please contact:

For Innocan Pharma Corporation:

Iris Bincovich, CEO

+972-54-3012842

info@innocanpharma.com

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian CPA | Vice President

Direct: 646-829-9701; Cell: 516-652-9004

shamsian@lythampartners.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution regarding forward-looking information

Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, information regarding research and development, collaborations, the potential for treatment of conditions and other therapeutic effects resulting from research activities and/or the Company's products, requisite regulatory approvals, the granting of patents underlying the patent applications and the timing for market entry, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of requisite production and distribution arrangements.

Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: general global and local (national) economic, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; intellectual property risks, and relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in the nature of product distribution, including import / export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner) and availability in each market of product inputs and finished products. The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release concerning the timing of launch of product distribution. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can also be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102064
COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's industrial production declined in September, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Friday. Industrial production fell a seasonally adjusted 5.6 percent month-on-month in September, after a 3.3 percent growth in August. In July, output rose 6.4 percent. Production of pharmaceutical decreased the most by 29.6 percent monthly in September and those of chemical industry and oil refineries declined 3.4 percent. The industrial turnover gained 7.2 month-on-month in September. For the three months ended in September, the industrial production rose 4.8 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
- Multi-asset fintech broker has grown client base by 220 per cent

- Company announces new board, new structure, strong governance and growth

- Gold revealed as highest traded instrument in 2021

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SquaredFinancial Group of multi-asset fintech brokers has today announced its Q3 trading results. Highlights include a 266 per cent growth in volume, a 220 per cent growth in its client base and a 200 per cent increase in gross profits.

The Group has continued to increase its offering during the year, providing immediate access to over 10,000 trading instruments across different asset classes and adding cryptocurrencies to more traditional asset classes such as foreign exchange, commodities, stocks and indices, with Gold being the significant driver of the increase in volume year to date due to its perceived safety in uncertain times.

SquaredFinancial Group has also appointed three new board members to further strengthen the governance and future growth of the company. Dirk Van Daele, Vusi Thembekwayo and Philippe Preval will bring a wealth of technology, entrepreneurial and financial board experience.

Philippe Ghanem, Founder and Executive Chairman of SquaredFinancial Group, explained:



"We set out to build something different, listen to what clients want and provide stability and security.

"In the coming months, we will continue to release new products, new funding channels, more online banking services and asset management, access financial markets and help clients towards achieving financial freedom. Each new member of our Board, each one of them brings a specific and different skillset, strengthening our Corporate Governance, Emerging Markets and Corporate Finance expertise that will help build, grow and promote SquaredFinancial in the coming years.'

Dirk Van Daele, financial services entrepreneur and new board member of the parent company, commented:



"This is an exciting time to join SquaredFinancial. A dynamic new model on the convergence of asset management, but with an incredibly experienced leadership team and a clear pathway for progress.

"As a global FinTech, SquaredFinancial is able to offer more products and more capabilities than most peers. I look forward to working with Philippe and the team in the years to come and continuing to build the SquaredFinancial brand."

Vusi Thembekwayo, venture capitalist, entrepreneur and new board member of the parent company, stated:



"Timing and talent must meet at the intersection perfectly. The world of finance, capital markets and asset management is fast changing, and the most pressing question for customers is how to take advantage and benefit from these challenges. Crypto, broking and asset management have become mainstream, but clients need a trusted, secure provider, and this is where we want to make a difference".

Philippe Preval, CEO of Lusis and new board member of the parent company, said:



"My goal is to help change perceptions of how a FinTech company should be operated. With the utilization of Artificial Intelligence in trading as in other business areas such as payment fraud, credit scoring, loyalty and recommendations, SquaredFinancial can provide customers with unprecedented service and access."

SquaredFinancial

SquaredFinancial combines financial market expertise with dedicated customer support to provide a flexible technology-backed solution for first time traders to professional investors.

We are a group of experienced financial service professionals who share a passion and enthusiasm for online trading. We are determined to give you the support, investment tools and access to the products which will allow you to enter the financial markets.

www.squaredfinancial.com
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Gene linked to doubling the risk of death due to COVID-19 identified using technology exclusively licensed to Nucleome Therapeutics

Study conducted by Nucleome's academic founders at the University of Oxford published in

Nature Genetics

Oxford, UK, 5thNovember2021 - Nucleome Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that is decoding the dark matter of the human genome to uncover novel ways to treat disease, is pleased to note that the Company's academic founders from the University of Oxford have published a paper in Nature Genetics identifying a gene that potentially doubles the risk of death from COVID-19.

The technology used to identify this gene has been exclusively licensed to Nucleome, highlighting the competitive advantage of Nucleome's platform in the discovery of genetic targets for innovative precision medicine development.

Since the start of the pandemic, research teams around the world have been searching for genetic signals in our genome that contribute to the susceptibility and severity of individuals' response to COVID-19. Previous work already identified a stretch of DNA on chromosome 3 which doubled the risk of adults under 65 of dying from COVID-19. However, scientists did not know how this genetic signal worked to increase the risk, nor the exact genetic change that was responsible.

Sixty percent of people with South Asian ancestry carry this high-risk genetic signal, compared with one in six people of European ancestry, partly explaining the excess deaths seen in some UK communities and the impact of COVID-19 in the Indian subcontinent.

The researchers used Nucleome's platform, which combines machine learning and novel ultra-resolution 3D genome analysis method to identify the causative genetic variant, the cell types involved and the effector gene, leading them to identify the probable gene responsible, called LZTFL1.

Prof James Davies, Academic Founder of Nucleome Therapeutics and co-lead of the study, said: "The genetic signal conferring increased risk was located within what we call the dark matter of the genome. This dark genome regulates cell type-specific gene expression and is still largely uncharted. Using Nucleome's Micro-Capture-C technique we were able to pinpoint the gene. A higher level of LZRFL1 likely prevents the cells lining the airways and the lungs from fighting the virus properly, but importantly it doesn't affect the immune system, so people carrying this version are likely to particularly benefit from vaccination."

Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Nucleome, said: "In addition to shedding light on the biological mechanism of COVID-19, which is of highest importance in the current pandemic, this study also represents significant validation of Nucleome's platform in identifying disease drivers by decoding the genetic variants located in the dark genome. This publication demonstrates that our platform can be applied to cell types and therapeutic areas beyond Nucleome's focus on autoimmune diseases and lymphocytes, opening the door to potential discovery partnerships consistent with our mission of unlocking the dark genome to transform the lives of patients through precision medicine."

The full paper 'Identification of LZTFL1 as a candidate effector gene at a COVID-19 risk locus'

can be found here.

- End -

About Nucleome Therapeutics

Nucleome Therapeutics is decoding the dark matter of the human genome to uncover novel ways to treat disease. The dark genome holds more than 90% of disease-linked genetic variants whose value remains untapped, representing a significant opportunity for drug discovery and development. We have the unique ability to link these variants to gene function and map disease pathways. Our world-leading cell type-specific platform creates ultra-high resolution 3D genome structure maps and enables variant functional validation at scale in primary cell types. This will enable us to discover and develop first-in-class precision medicines. The initial focus of the company is on lymphocytes and related autoimmune disease. Our ambition is to build a robust pipeline of drug assets, with corresponding biomarkers. Nucleome Therapeutics was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford and backed by investment from Oxford Sciences Enterprises.

For more information, please visit www.nucleome.com.

Contacts:

Nucleome Therapeutics

Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer & Founder

contact@nucleome.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Sukaina Virji/ Lindsey Neville/ Isobel McLeod

nucleome@consilium-comms.com

+44 (0)7738 499212
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. (TSXV: SOIL) (FSE: SMKA) ("Saturn" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the operational results of the 2021 third quarter drilling and workover program.

Third Quarter Drilling Program

Saturn drilled three operated, 100% working interest, Extended Reach Horizontal ("ERH") wells targeting Viking oil at its Loverna property (the "Loverna Wells"), performed workovers/re-activations of existing non-producing wells, and participated in two gross, non-operated wells (0.54 net wells), for $4.5 million of total capital expenditure. All three of the Loverna Wells were drilled successfully, brought into production in October 2021 and are in-line with the Company's internal forecasted production rates of light oil. The non-operated wells and workovers contributed additional light oil production throughout the third quarter, with strong capital efficiencies and production results exceeding internal expectations. A summary of the capital expenditures:

Total Capital

Expenditure

$ thousands Initial Production

First 15 Days1

Bbl/d Capital

Efficiency2

$/Bbl/d Three Loverna Wells $ 3,737 202 $ 18,500 Workovers & Non-operated Wells $ 730 130 $ 5,604 Total $ 4,467 332 $ 13,444

"We are extremely pleased with the results of the completed drills, especially the encouraging results of the southern-most well of this program," commented Justin Kaufmann, Senior Vice-President, Exploration. "It was drilled on a section that previously had been unexplored for Viking oil and had the strongest production of the three drilled wells. This further proves up our internal geologic model in the regional area, opens the prospectivity for development of Saturn's contiguous five sections of land, and de-risks up to 10 new ERH drilling locations."

Current Company production is approximately 7,000 boe/d (96% crude oil and NGLs), based on field estimates.

About Saturn Oil & Gas Inc.

Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. is a growing Canadian energy company focused on generating positive shareholder returns through the continued responsible development of high-quality, light oil weighted assets, supported by an acquisition strategy that targets highly accretive, complementary opportunities. Saturn has assembled an attractive portfolio of free-cash flowing, low-decline operated assets in Southeastern Saskatchewan and West Central Saskatchewan that provide a deep inventory of long-term economic drilling opportunities across multiple zones. With an unwavering commitment to building an ESG-focused culture, Saturn's goal is to increase reserves, production and cash flows at an attractive return on invested capital. Saturn's shares are listed for trading on the TSXV under ticker 'SOIL' and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under symbol 'SMKA'.

Saturn Oil & Gas Investor & Media Contacts:

John Jeffrey, MBA - Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +1 (587) 392-7902

www.saturnoil.com

Kevin Smith, MBA - VP Corporate Development

Tel: +1 (587) 392-7900

info@saturnoil.com

Initial production rates are aggregated as an indication of the combined production potential if the new drilled and workover wells were brought into production at the same time, while actual production volumes will vary. Capital Efficiencies are calculated as capital expenditures amount divided by the resulting initial production of those expenditures, as an indication of efficiencies of development capital, See Advisory "Non-GAAP Measures".

Reader Advisory

NON-GAAP MEASURES

This news release includes non-GAAP measures as further described herein. These non-GAAP measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures by other companies. Management believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP measures provides useful information to investors and shareholders as the measures provide increased transparency and the ability to better analyze performance against prior periods on a comparable basis.

"Operating netbacks" are determined by deducting, royalties, operating expenses and transportation expenses from petroleum and natural gas sales. Operating netbacks are per boe measures used in operational and capital allocation decisions.

"Capital Efficiencies" are the measurement of the expected amount of capital required to add an additional barrel of oil per day on production.

BOE PRESENTATION

Boe means barrel of oil equivalent. All boe conversions in this news release are derived by converting gas to oil at the ratio of six thousand cubic feet ("Mcf") of natural gas to one barrel ("Bbl") of oil. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A Boe conversion rate of 1 Bbl: 6 Mcf is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio of oil compared to natural gas based on currently prevailing prices is significantly different than the energy equivalency ratio of 1 Bbl: 6 Mcf, utilizing a conversion ratio of 1 Bbl: 6 Mcf may be misleading as an indication of value.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND STATEMENTS.

Certain information included in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project", "scheduled", "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information in this press release may include, but is not limited to, the drilling of development wells, expected capital expenditures, prospectivity of land, workover program and the maintenance of base production and the business plan, cost model and strategy of the Company.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Saturn, including expectations and assumptions concerning: the timing of and success of future drilling, development and completion activities, the performance of existing wells, the performance of new wells, the availability and performance of facilities and pipelines, the geological characteristics of Saturn's properties, the application of regulatory and licensing requirements, the availability of capital, labour and services, the creditworthiness of industry partners and the ability to source and complete asset acquisitions.

Although Saturn believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Saturn can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks), constraint in the availability of services, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, the current COVID-19 pandemic, actions of OPEC and OPEC+ members, changes in legislation impacting the oil and gas industry, adverse weather or break-up conditions and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. These and other risks are set out in more detail in Saturn's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Saturn believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information because Saturn can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things, the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of the share consolidation. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which have been used.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and Saturn undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

All dollar figures included herein are presented in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102109
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 6.00 am ET Friday, Eurostat releases euro area retail sales data for September. Sales are forecast to grow 0.3 percent month-on-month, the same rate as seen in August. Ahead of the data, the euro traded mixed against its major counterparts. While it rose against the pound, it fell against the greenback. Against the franc and the yen, it held steady. The euro was worth 131.38 against the yen, 1.1543 against the greenback, 0.8592 against the pound and 1.0561 against the franc at 5:55 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
KANNONKOSKI, Finland and NEW DELHI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Betolar, the Finnish materials technology company announces the launch of a new partnership with sustainable housing firm TARA - founded by former UN sustainability advocate and pioneer, Ashok Khosla.

The Indian market is viewed as a significant growth area for green construction due to rapid urbanisation and growing housing needs in the rural areas.

Commenting on the news, Betolar's Executive leading the expansion in Asia, Juha Pinomaa said, "There is a tremendous appetite for sustainable construction materials in India which we are tapped into through our work with TARA and its mission to develop alternative and sustainable models for rural development, democratizing construction from the bottom up."

"Establishing local operations in India is the culmination of a partnership launched from the inauguration of our Asian expansion plans. Asia is a hugely important region for Betolar's innovation precisely because our materials technology licensing model is able to lean on its vast size and complexity."

Betolar enables a wide network of precast concrete manufacturers to produce construction materials that not only lower CO2 emissions by as much as 80%, but also utilize side streams from industrial processes, delivering a double sustainability dividend. Betolar's Geoprime solution replaces cement in concrete by using industrial side streams from the process, mining and energy industries, among others.

Using local, industrial side streams is an affordable way to match the market price for traditional building elements such as bricks and pavers, speeding up the market breakthrough.

A new recipe for sustainable construction

India is making efforts to reduce reliance on more traditional, high carbon emitting red bricks, particularly in rural areas. The government has even introduced tax breaks to incentivize circular practices and use of waste content.

TARA's chairperson, Dr Ashok Khosla, says, "The construction sector is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases. Pioneering new, easily accessible low-carbon building materials is fundamental for achieving India's net zero target by 2070, let alone within the much tighter time-frame needed to avoid global climate catastrophe. Geoprime offers a remarkably innovative, widely affordable solution for transforming the industry's climate impact at the scale and with the speed now required to solve India's massive housing and infrastructure needs in a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable manner."

Betolar and TARA have been working together over two years, combining synergies to contribute to affordable housing in India - most notably for rural entrepreneurs. Leveraging TARA's sustainability and local expertise, combined with Betolar's innovative approach, helps provide sustainable cement-free alternatives to the market.

Commenting on the move to the Indian market, Betolar CEO Matti Lopponen said, "We intend to amplify Betolar's offering to the mainstream market where developers, cities and governments are looking for sustainable solutions for rapid urbanisation and greener cities. We have plans to grow our local presence by adding business development experts and technical support to our India team in the near future."

"TARA and its community of smaller, family run businesses are showing the way, innovating beyond the scope of less agile corporations. We hope that by putting down roots here and using India as a kick starter to other countries in Asia, we will be able to influence and accelerate positive change by working with major customers to deliver greater global impact."

CONTACT:

For media inquiries:

Jo Hooke, Gong Communications: Jo.Hooke@gongcommunications.com +44 (0) 20 7935 4800

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

The following files are available for download:
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / Evolution Petroleum Corporation (NYSE American:EPM) ("Evolution" or the "Company") today announced that it has issued its inaugural Corporate Sustainability Report ("CSR") which is now available on the Company's website at www.evolutionpetroleum.com under the "Sustainability" tab.

The report provides detailed information about Evolution's Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") initiatives and related key performance indicators, as appropriate. In the creation of the document, the Company considered various frameworks, including the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board's ("SASB") Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Sustainability Accounting Standards and Institutional Shareholder Services' ("ISS") Environmental and Social ("E&S") QualityScore. Evolution's actions and initiatives implemented to date endeavor to comply with standards as represented by SASB and address ISS' E&S QualityScore factors.

Jason Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Evolution has been operating its business with integrity and a high regard for corporate responsibility for nearly 20 years. With our inaugural CSR, we are pleased to provide increased transparency and detailed communication to our stakeholders regarding our business practices, while more clearly demonstrating our commitment to sustainable growth, ESG initiatives, and best practices. Although we are presently a non-operator, we support and encourage sustainable and responsible development methods employed by our third-party operators. We believe that our investments in the right assets - long-life oil and natural gas fields where technology and minimal maintenance capex can be applied to extend production - represent a sustainable path forward for both our Company and our industry as a whole. We invite you to review our inaugural CSR to learn more about the progress we have made over the past 20 years."

About Evolution Petroleum

Evolution Petroleum Corporation is an oil and natural gas company focused on delivering a sustainable dividend yield to its shareholders through the ownership, management, and development of producing oil and natural gas properties onshore in the United States. The Company's long-term goal is to build a diversified portfolio of oil and natural gas assets primarily through acquisition, while seeking opportunities to maintain and increase production through selective development, production enhancement, and other exploitation efforts on its properties. Our largest assets are our interest in a CO2 enhanced oil recovery project in Louisiana's Delhi field, our interest in a secondary recovery project in Wyoming's Hamilton Dome field, and our recently acquired interests in the Barnett Shale in Texas. Additional information, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, is available on its website at http://www.EvolutionPetroleum.com.

Company Contacts

Jason Brown, President & CEO

Ryan Stash, SVP & CFO

(713) 935-0122

JBrown@evolutionpetroleum.com

RStash@evolutionpetroleum.com

SOURCE: Evolution Petroleum Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671336/Evolution-Petroleum-Announces-Issuance-of-Inaugural-Corporate-Sustainability-Report
Instacoin UK Provides Progress Report Toward Full Scale Launch of IOS and Android Mobile App

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / Codebase Ventures Inc. ("Codebase" or the "Company") (CSE:CODE)(FSE:C5B)(OTCQB:BKLLF) is pleased to announce that the Company's non-fungible token (NFT) investment, Instacoin UK, has provided an update on its progress.

"The Instacoin UK app is progressing rapidly, with development work addressing security for customers by removing reliance on social logins, updating compliance with new IOS for iPhone, and production on an Android version of the mobile App," said Mr. Gianni O'Connor, Instacoin Technologies Founder.

Instacoin (Mobile App) Development Highlights

The company has created 250 NFTs which will be available on launch

Following the recent events with Facebook and Instagram downtime, the company has restructured the app to not be reliant on a social login to ensure legal and privacy compliance and providing the most reliable and trusted user experience

Following the launch of the new iPhone, a few changes have been made to the app, to assist with compliance issues and updated operating systems.

Instacoin has begun production on the Android version which is expected to be released in late December and available in up to 6 languages.

Instacoin is positioned as the world's first self-serve social NFT platform. Instacoin will allow users to connect their social profiles to the blockchain and create instant NFT tokens from their own content. Followers and fans connect in the open market for immediate sales.

With a one-off cost of $1 per NFT, this simple streamlined model will aim at targeting the millions of existing social media users to create sales and drive revenue instantly as well as a lifetime commission model from the secondary markets.

About NFT's:

A non-fungible token or NFT, is a unique token or asset existing on a blockchain such as Ethereum. Unlike other popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum which are fungible, meaning they can be swapped or exchanged with other coins of the same type. NFTs contain unique data and cannot be replicated or exchanged with similar tokens, making them non-fungible in nature. In simpler terms, this means that the asset is "one-of-a-kind" and can be verified authentic using the blockchain.

The Company also announces that it has entered into an advertising and investor awareness campaign with Dig Media Inc. dba Investing News Network (INN). INN is a private company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, dedicated to providing independent news and education to investors since 2007. For the 12-month term of the agreement from August 31st, 2021, INN will provide advertising on its website and social media communications to increase awareness of the Company. INN does not provide investor relations or market making services. The cost of the campaign is $27,000 CAD. INN can be reached at 604-688-8231 or www.investingnews.com, info@investingnews.com. The Company has also agreed to engage Aktiencheck.de AG, owned by Stefan Lindam (collectively, "Aktiencheck"), for 50,000 for a European marketing and news dissemination program. The length of such program depends upon the volume of the Company's future news flow.

The Company has also cancelled a total of 9,550,000 stock options, including 2,800,000 to insiders as they were no longer serving their purpose in aligning the interest of the holders with those of shareholders.

About Codebase Ventures Inc.

Codebase Ventures Inc. seeks early-stage investments in emerging technology sectors, including the blockchain ecosystem and fintech. The Company identifies such opportunities and applies its relationships and capital to advance its interests.

For further information, please contact:

George Tsafalas - Ivy Lu

Investor Relations

Telephone: Toll-Free (877) 806-CODE (2633) or 1 (778) 806-5150

E-mail: IR@codebase.ventures

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates", "may" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, lack of investor demand for Bitcoin and/or Bitcoin futures exchange traded funds, and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Codebase Ventures Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671319/Codebase-UK-NFT-Investment-Update
TKO token holders now can book over 3,000,000 travel products in 230+ countries, further expanding TKO utilities

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Toko Token (TKO), the native utility token of Tokoscape, a complete crypto ecosystem that spans a crypto assets digital exchange (Tokocrypto), an offline community hub (T-Hub) and a NFT marketplace (TokoMall), partners with Travala.com, the world's top cryptocurrency-friendly online travel booking platform, to integrate Toko Token (TKO) on Travala's website. With this integration, TKO holders can use the token to book over 2.2 million hotels and homes, 600+ airlines, and 40,000+ activities in more than 230 countries on Travala's online platform.

Launched through Binance Launchpad to a record-breaking reception on 7 April 2021, Toko Token (TKO) is the first local Indonesian crypto project to operate based on a unique hybrid token model which combines both CeFi and DeFi utilities. The addition of Travala's platform to TKO's range of utility further propels TKO's mission to fulfil the full potential of the utility by expanding TKO's suite of use cases.

"We are proud to also include this partnership as a part of our big milestone, in our efforts to continuously expand TKO utilization. Not only that, we would like to enable TKO holders to participate in a cheaper, fairer and more inclusive travel economy, alongside leading cryptocurrency assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), on Travala.com," said Omar Adrian Rozak, Head of TKO International.

As the travel industry slowly recovers, a total of over 3,000,000 travel products are now available at the fingertips of TKO token holders worldwide, increasing the exposure of Tokoscape that is powered by TKO to an ever-expanding user base. TKO users are advised to ensure that the use of cryptocurrencies as payment instruments is permitted by the laws of their respective country of residence prior to using TKO as a payment instrument on Travala.com or any other platform which accepts TKO as a means of payment.

Media contact:

Anindita S. Jati

Global PR Lead

anindita@tokocrypto.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679705/TKO_GLOBAL__TKO_listed_in_Travala__tlgrm___1.jpg
NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Pfizer Inc. (PFE) said its investigational COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate, PAXLOVID, significantly reduced hospitalization and death, based on an interim analysis of the phase 2/3 EPIC-HR double-blind study of non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness. In the study, PAXLOVID was found to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% compared to placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19, the company said. Pfizer noted that, in the overall study population through day 28, no deaths were reported in patients who received PAXLOVID as compared to 10 deaths in patients who received placebo. 'These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients' lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations,' said Albert Bourla, CEO, Pfizer. Pfizer plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing rolling submission to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization as soon as possible. Shares of Pfizer Inc. were up 10% in pre-market trade on Friday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Mythbusting department expands following bumper busy year of busting printer myths

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson's European Mythbusting department, established last year to bust the myths surrounding printers, cartridges and inkjet printing has announced the expansion of its team with the appointment of a new trainee. Usain Bolt, eight-time Olympic gold medal winner and the fastest man on earth, joins the team with immediate effect. His first mission is to bust the myth that cartridges are the only option for printers by starring alongside Chief Mythbuster, Roz Addison in a new informative film.

In the video Usain demonstrates in a fun and light-hearted way that cartridges are no longer the only option for printer ink. Usain and Roz explain that Epson's EcoTank printers have refillable ink tanks instead of cartridges and come with enough ink to last for up to three years, saving up to 90 per cent on printing costs.

Roz Addison said: "We are delighted to welcome Usain to the team. I was quite surprised when he asked to become a Mythbuster but as you can see, he is really good! And he's very very fast, he will definitely keep the rest of us on our toes!"

You can catch Usain's debut performance as an Epson MythBuster on our website, our social media channels, or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwvRO3AEeE. He will be starring in more Mythbusting videos later in the year.

You can also watch Epson's other Mythbusters on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/epsoneurope). Myths busted include Ink always runs out just when you need it, Ink is more expensive than champagne, printing from your mobile is hard and many more.

Last month Epson announced a European wide partnership with Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man. Usain is the face of a major awareness building campaign for Epson's cartridge-free EcoTank printers. Becoming a trainee Mythbuster is just part of the fun! Usain is also starring in a TV Advertising campaign in UK and Germany, as well as appearing on billboards, on Point-of-Sale in major retail outlets and on social media. You can watch Usain in action here - https://www.youtube.com/user/EpsonEurope

Based on print volume of 100 pages per month and the lowest yield produced from the first set of inks. ReadyPrint EcoTank - save up to 90% on printing costs

Epson ReadyPrint Unlimited calculation includes bundled ink bottles (included with printer) and relevant device activation fee together with a subscription cost of printing the max. pages within relevant plan over a period of 5 years, compared to the average cost to buy one printer (plus bundled cartridges) and print the same number of pages (A4 prints of ISO/IEC 24711) with the genuine consumables used in the 50 best-selling consumer printers (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Devices and Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19 - Mar 2020 ). Cost per page calculated with reference to the average printing costs for these top 50 models, calculated by dividing the relevant cartridge sales revenue and total yield by unit sales (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19 - Mar 2020 ). Average cost per page saving and average number of inkjet cartridges required to print the same number of pages as EcoTank "102" and "104"ink bottles. Comparison between average yield (A4 prints of ISO/IEC 24711) of EcoTank "102" and "104" bottles and the genuine consumables used within the 50 best-selling inkjet cartridge printers (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Devices and Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19 - Mar 2020 ).

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson will become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion.

global.epson.com/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1676939/PR_Social_EPSON_UB.jpg
TORONTO, ON and NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / GlobeX Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF)(CSE:SWIS)(FRA:GDT) ("GlobeX" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, is pleased to announce that, as part of its US mass marketing strategy to bring awareness to GlobeX Data's Sekur solution, it is sponsoring a series of Spanish language YouTube episodes of The Epoch Times with hosts David Rojas and Julian Bertone, catered to the 60+ Million strong Hispanic and Latino American population in the USA. The sponsorship is part of a blended marketing on EMG Group, or Epoch Times, including English language YouTube hosts Roman Balmakov, Joshua Philipp and Larry Elder. This is all part of a marketing budget for 2021 and 2022 of over 2.5 million USD.

The sponsored ads will describe Sekur 's attributes as the leading Swiss hosted Privacy and Security communications application, such as encrypted email and secure messaging, without any data mining, including Sekur 's unique proprietary feature called Chats-by-invites, letting a Sekur user message a non-Sekur user, without the recipient having to download or register for Sekur .

The sponsored programs will be En Primera Plana with David Rojas and China en Foco with Julian Bertone. Additionally, followers will benefit from a 25% discount Promo code for the first 12 months of subscription to Sekur at the time of signup.

About the programs, according to The Epoch Times :

China en Foco with Julian Bertone

China en Foco: As China increases its influence in the world, it is extremely important that people have honest information about the threats posed by the communist regime. At China en Foco we make it a point to present our audience with first-hand news about what is happening inside the Asian giant. China en Foco has 380K subscribers and has gained 86,173,412 video views since the program being established on YouTube on May 2020.

En Primera Plana with David Rojas

En Primera Plana: Freedom of expression today is under threat. Big media and technology giants control information and censor those who do not agree with their vision of the world. En Primera Plana we want people to find the truth, basing our information on real and objective facts. En Primera Plana has 89,767 subscribers and has gained 13,921,204 video views since the Channel being established on YouTube on Dec 2021.

GlobeX Data and The Epoch Times plan to start the first sponsored Spanish language episode on the following times:

En Primera Plana channel on November 16 and November 18 2021

China en Foco November 17 & November 19 2021

According to The Epoch Times , The Epoch Times has received numerous awards for our reporting and design, including from the New York Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Society for News Design. The Epoch Times national print readership is over 1 million, and theepochtimes.com website monthly pageviews is 110 million. The Epoch Times' media network currently covers 21 languages and 33 countries.

Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data said: "We are excited to start the Spanish language sponsored YouTube episodes on The Epoch Times, targeting the Hispanic and Latino American audience of 60 million plus strong US citizen and residents. As we already have a partnership in Latin America with the largest telecom operator in the continent, Mexico based America Movil, and other partners such as Micronet in Colombia, Panama and other countries in Latin America, we felt it was a natural fit to address the Hispanic population of the United States of America and bring awareness to our privacy and security solutions, since we already have our website and applications in Spanish language. So far, the English language YouTube sponsorships have brought extremely satisfactory consistent and steady results. So much so, that we already booked all of 2022 with them already. Should the results in Spanish also be satisfactory, we will continue with the sponsorship into 2022. The Epoch Times' audience will come to know the many unique and critical features provided by Sekur , such as, Swiss hosted data privacy and security, and the right for consumers and businesses not to have their data mined by third party service providers, Big Tech companies, or rogue governments stealing Americans' data and financial and medical information, in order to hold Americans' hostage with ransom demands. As we are not connected, and never have been connected, to AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud platforms, commonly referred to as "Big Tech", we can offer a truly independent, private and secure means of communications such as secure and private emails and instant messaging. We are looking forward to offer true data privacy and no data mining to all Americans, in both Spanish and English language, and we look forward to tell our story on The Epoch Times network."

Sekur , which includes SekurMessenger as part of a bundle of email, messaging and file transfer into one app solutions, includes the Company's latest SekurMail technology, which includes proprietary anti-phishing and privacy feature called SekurSend  . SekurSend  lets a user send an email to any other recipient, whether they have Sekur or not, in full privacy and security as the email never leaves Sekur 's encrypted email servers based in Switzerland. The recipient can then click on the notification and reply in the same manner using SekurReply  , without the recipient having to register for a Sekur account. The sender can also decide to protect any email sent by adding a password to open it, a read-limit and a self-destruct timer as well. Sending an email with the SekurSend  feature allows the senders and recipients to add limitless size attachments to the emails without crowding the recipients' email box. This also eliminates BEC attacks for businesses and email phishing attacks. Additionally, SekurMail includes full control of email delivery, automatic data export for large Enterprises and an automatic Data Loss Prevention technology ("DLP") with real time continuous archiving.

Recent data breaches in messaging applications and in particular in the WhatsApp application have created a certain urgency for businesses and data privacy advocates to protect their communications form cyber-attacks and identity theft via mobile and desktop devices.

SekurMessenger eliminates many of the privacy and security risks by not only not requiring a phone number, which would divulge a user's phone device ID, but also by not social engineering a user's phone or computer contact list and infecting the contacts by default as well, eliminating a huge loophole in security and privacy. SekurMessenger issues each user a username and a SM number. The SM number is the contact ID a user would disclose in order for other SM users to be added. The service comes with a self-destruct timer and other features as well, including GlobeX's proprietary VirtualVaults and HeliX technologies with all data stored in Swiss hosted encrypted servers.

Additionally, SekurMessenger now comes with a proprietary feature and technology called Chat by Invites. This feature allows a SekurMessenger user ("SM user") invite a non-SM user, or a group of non-SM users, to chat in a fully private and secure way, without the recipient ever having to register to SekurMessenger or download the app. At the end of the chat, the initiator of the conversation can remotely terminate the conversation and all traces of the conversation are deleted from all users, including the recipient. This unique feature is now fully deployed and functional on all iOS and Android devices and web platforms. The target sectors are numerous, including but not limited to real estate, legal, financial, government, energy, mining, manufacturing, trade and medical sectors.

GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner.

Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved.

About GlobeX Data Ltd.

GlobeX Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools, secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery and document management. GlobeX Data Ltd. sells its products directly through its websites, through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. GlobeX Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide.

On behalf of Management

GLOBEX DATA LTD.

Alain Ghiai

President and Chief Executive Officer

+1.416.644.8690

corporate@globexdata.com

For more information, please contact GlobeX Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://globexdata.com .

For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com .

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. GlobeX cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond GlobeX's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in GlobeX's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com . Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, GlobeX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE: GlobeX Data Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671335/GlobeX-Data-to-Sponsor-The-Epoch-Times-Spanish-Language-YouTube-Programs--theeopchtimescom--Reaching-over-60-million-Strong-Hispanic-and-Latino-American-Population-of-the-USA
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / XS Financial Inc. (CSE:XSF) (the "Company" or "XSF") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Andrew Mitchell, Research Analyst at Marblegate Asset Management, to its Board of Directors.

David Kivitz, CEO of XS Financial commented: "We welcome Andrew's addition to our Board of Directors. Andrew brings a unique background and experience and will be a tremendous value add as we strengthen our position as the industry leader for CAPEX financing. With this addition, our Board is now comprised of an independent majority, which we believe offers transparency, corporate governance, and added oversight for our shareholders."

Prior to joining Marblegate, Mr. Mitchell was an Analyst in the Restructuring & Recapitalization Group at Raymond James Financial, where he advised on in and out of court restructuring transactions, complex corporate carve-outs and other special situation transactions. Mr. Mitchell graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in History, and Peace War & Defense.

About XS Financial

XS Financial provides competitively priced, non-dilutive CAPEX financing solutions to companies operating in the U.S. state regulated and taxed cannabis industry. Founded in 2017, the Company specializes in providing financing for equipment and other qualified capital expenditures to growing cannabis companies, including cultivators, processors, manufacturers and testing laboratories. In addition, XSF has partnered with over 150 original equipment manufacturers (OEM) through its network of Preferred Vendor partnerships. This powerful dynamic provides an end-to-end solution for customers, resulting in recurring revenues, strong profit margins, and a proven business model for XSF stakeholders. The Company's subordinate voting shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "XSF" and in the United States on the OTCQB under the symbol " XSHLF." For more information, visit: www.xsfinancial.com.

For inquiries please contact:

David Kivitz

Chief Executive Officer

Antony Radbod

Chief Operating Officer

Tel: 1-310-683-2336

Email: ir@xsfinancial.com

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements", collectively "forward-looking information", within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information is not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent the beliefs and expectations regarding future events about the business and the industry and markets in which XS Financial operates, as well as plans or objectives of management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information contained herein may include but is not limited to, any additional leasing opportunities and the ability to capitalize on such and the timing thereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, general market conditions, availability of financing, regulatory approvals and the results of the Company's operations. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. XS Financial Inc., does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: XS Financial

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671325/XS-Financial-Strengthens-Its-Board-of-Directors
Industry-leading revenue, $6,069,247 in FY2021

Total working capital of $9,680,431 to fund operations

Expanded network to six clinics and three clinical research sites

Contracted for eight clinical trials

Granted DEA Schedule 1 licenses for psilocybin research

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / Novamind Inc. (CSE:NM | OTCQB:NVMDF | FSE:HN2) ("Novamind" or the "Company"), a leading mental health company specialized in psychedelic medicine, reported its audited financial results for the twelve months ended June 30, 2021 ("FY2021"). All results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise specified.

Yaron Conforti, CEO and Director, commented: "Novamind had strong financial and operating performance in its first year as a public company. Our unique business model serving both patients and drug developers is growing significantly, reflected by an expanded clinic network, new clinical programs and research partnerships, and strong additions to our staff and leadership. I want to thank our patients, employees, partners and investors, and look forward to rapidly expanding our model to meet demand for psychedelic medicine and other innovative mental health treatments."

Today the Company filed its financial statements later than anticipated due to unforeseen delays with its audit. The Company has since resolved the situation, and going forward, will take the required corrective measures.

FY2021 Operating Results and Subsequent Events

Clinic Division

Strengthened Novamind's clinic network with the addition of two clinics; all six locations offer a variety of innovative mental health services, individualized treatment plans and speciality programming for treatment-resistant illnesses

Updated guidance for opening new clinics, adjusting for construction and supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinic #7, Salt Lake City, Utah, to open in December 2021 Clinic #8, Park City, Utah, to open in early 2022

Opened a dedicated client call center to centralize clinic administration services and maintain excellent client services while rapidly growing the Company's network of clinics

Clinical Research Division

Expanded clinical research network to three total sites featuring specialized staff and infrastructure to support the unique needs of psychedelic clinical trials

Granted DEA Schedule 1 licenses for psilocybin research, a key prerequisite for hosting clinical trials studying psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy

Contracted for eight clinical trials including: Merck's phase II clinical trial of MK-1942 for treatment-resistant depression Karuna's phase III clinical trial of KarXT for schizophrenia Bionomics' phase II clinical trial of BNC210 for post-traumatic stress disorder



Psychedelic Therapy and Programs

Launched Frontline Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (Frontline KAP) pilot program to address the widespread COVID-19-related stress and trauma faced by healthcare workers

Launched Psychedelic Palliative Care by Novamind, a specialty program to research and scale access to mental healthcare for patients with chronic and serious illness

Strategic Investments

Invested US$1,000,000 in Alto Neuroscience, which is developing a pipeline of precision psychiatry medicines using its proprietary AI-based brain biomarker platform

Invested AU$965,400 in Bionomics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system disorders, alongside investors including Apeiron Investments, Biotech Value Fund, Merck, Mike Novogratz, and Peter Thiel

Realized +60% return divesting holdings in the Synthesis Institute, a psychedelic retreat company based in the Netherlands, to focus on Novamind's U.S. network of clinics and clinical research sites

Capital Markets Activities

Listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) on January 5, 2021

Uplisted to the OTCQB Venture Market, a U.S. trading platform and received Depository Trust Company (DTC) eligibility

Closed an oversubscribed private placement, raising gross proceeds of $10,000,000

Included in the AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF trading on the NYSE

FY2021 Financial Highlights

Total revenue of $6,069,247, including revenue from four clinics Clinic #5, Draper, Utah, opened on July 29, 2021 Clinic #6, Murray, Utah, opened on September 30, 2021

Debt-free balance sheet with $5,426,286 in cash and $2,975,329 in marketable securities On August 11, 2021, the Company completed the sale of its investment in the Synthesis Institute realizing gross proceeds of approximately $1,760,000

Total working capital of $9,680,431 to fund operations

The following table presents selected financial information from Novamind's audited financial statements for the twelve months ended June 30, 2021. The following information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and management's discussion and analysis, which are available under Novamind's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

About Novamind

Novamind is a leading mental health company enabling safe access to psychedelic medicine through a network of clinics and clinical research sites. Novamind provides ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and other novel treatments through its network of Cedar Psychiatry clinics and operates Cedar Clinical Research, a contract research organization specialized in clinical trials and evidence-based research for psychedelic medicine. Both Cedar Psychiatry and Cedar Clinical Research are wholly owned subsidiaries of Novamind. For more information on how Novamind is enhancing mental wellness and guiding people through their entire healing journey, visit novamind.ca.

Contact Information

Novamind

Yaron Conforti, CEO and Director

Telephone: +1 (647) 953 9512

Samantha DeLenardo, VP, Communications

Email: media@novamind.ca

Bill Mitoulas, Investor Relations

Email: bill@novamind.ca

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations including the risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable laws.

SOURCE: Novamind Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671342/Novamind-Reports-FY2021-Financial-Results-and-Operating-Highlights
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Validus Power Corp. (VPC) is pleased to announce further expansion in Northern Ontario at a new site in Kapuskasing following the recent ground-breaking of the North Bay power plant and data centre. This project includes the construction and operation of a new 32,000 square foot High Performance Compute hosting facility, with the revitalization of the Kapuskasing combined cycle power plant, which Validus acquired earlier this year. As a part of an overall $100 million investment in Northern Ontario, Validus will re-open the 45MW plant under its modernization plan to gain additional operational efficiency and reduce emissions.

With active support from the Town of Kapuskasing, Validus anticipates this site to be fully operational by early spring, and will bring approximately 25 highly skilled jobs to the local economy including engineers, millwrights, and data centre technicians.

"This is really exciting for everyone involved and Kapuskasing is an ideal location for us. Reinvesting in Canada and specifically Ontario's north is a natural fit," said Todd Shortt, President and CEO of Validus Power. "A data centre designed for high performance compute with steady reliable power fits well in a cool climate if you want to promote maximum operational efficiency."

"Northern Ontario is the future of Ontario. With that being said, we are extremely excited to announce the first phase of this project with Validus," said Kapuskasing Mayor David Plourde. "Bringing new and diverse jobs to the area is great for the economy and community overall. Also, incorporating our continuing reforestation program with Validus' ESG initiatives is very synergistic."

About Validus Power Corp.

Validus is a global leader in advanced power solutions and lifecycle management working with industry, communities, and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Validus maximizes the environmental and economic performance of next generation power plants.

www.validuspower.com

Kristina Garth, Validus Power Corp., Kristina.garth@validuspower.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - This release is provided by Scott Taylor, who, together with joint actors Christina Barnard, Jason Barnard and affiliates (collectively, with Mr. Taylor, "we" or the "Concerned Shareholders"), hold directly and indirectly approximately 7.7%% of the issued and outstanding common shares of FAR Resources Ltd. (CSE: FAT) (FSE: F0R) (OTC Pink: FRRSF) ("FAR" or the "Company") that are entitled to be voted at the Company's annual general meeting ("AGM") previously scheduled to be held December 7, 2021 and now delayed until December 10th, 2021. As a result of discussions with shareholders who are supportive of change at FAR, the Concerned Shareholders, have already received expressions of support from shareholders (themselves included) holding over 45% of the shares entitled to be voted at the AGM.

The Company has explained the delay in holding the shareholders meeting as a result of health issues currently being experienced by Mr. Gammack. Under those circumstances, the Concerned Shareholders have no objection to a short delay and we wish Mr. Gammack a speedy recovery and return to full health.

The Concerned Shareholders do have significant objections to other points raised in the Company's press release. The Company has suggested the Concerned Shareholders nominees lack experience. Quite the opposite is true. The Concerned Shareholders went to significant effort to source individuals with the requisite skills to move the company's promising assets from early stage to full development. Our nominees Scott Taylor, Pierre-Yves Tenn and Andrew Lyons will deliver tremendous value to FAR shareholders with a wide array of skills in the following areas: mining, energy, resource development, drill programs, mining technology, global finance and Asian capital markets, joint ventures, government relations in Canada, public markets, finance and technology. Equally important to the skill set of our nominees is their aggressive drive and ambition to realize immediate and sustainable growth for the company. It is laughable for the incumbent Board to question our nominees experience given the total failure they have been in their stewardship of the company over the past 18 months.

Equally disturbing is the incumbent Board's attack of Mr. Barnard. The Board is correct in its description of Mr. Barnard's long term involvement with FAR; however we note the relationship dates back to early 2016 rather than 2017 as referenced by the Company. Mr. Barnard worked very closely and had developed an excellent working relationship with the CEO at that time, Mr. Keith Anderson. Long term shareholders will fondly remember the enthusiasm and excitement Mr. Anderson brought to developing the Company's assets and the likelihood of corresponding share appreciation. Mr. Anderson was responsible for bringing together a team of technical experts that would efficiently develop the Company's assets. Those same technical experts with the desire to see the company prosper are still at FAR today.

Unfortunately, what has changed since that time is that the current Board comprised of Messrs. Gammack and Dinning have done nothing to move the business forward. It is in the face of colossal stagnation caused by the current Board in the midst of huge growth in the Lithium market that Mr. Barnard was forced to take action. Over the past two years Mr. Barnard has worked tirelessly at promoting the Company's assets and its potential with existing and prospective shareholders. Unfortunately, the lack of real progress under the current Board, has caused many investors to turn away and some have challenged Mr. Barnard to take action. It was in response to these shareholder demands that the Concerned Shareholders were compelled to nominate a new slate of Directors to arrest the Company's stalled growth and commence a plan to create shareholder value. To suggest Mr. Barnard's motives are not in line with creating value for all shareholders is offensive and once again laughable.

For more information regarding the Concerned Shareholders' position please contact:

Gryphon Advisors Inc.

Tel: 1.833.292.5847

Email: inquiries@gryphonadvisors.ca

Information in Support of Public Broadcast Solicitation

The information contained in this press release does not and is not meant to constitute a solicitation of a proxy within the meaning of applicable securities laws. As disclosed in the Concerned Shareholders' news release and Notice of Nominations dated October 7, 2021 (as confirmed October 12, 2021) the Concerned Shareholders have submitted nominees for election to the Company's board of directors at the Meeting of shareholders scheduled for December 7, 2021 and now postponed to December 10th, 2021 (the "Meeting"), shareholders are not being asked at this time to execute a proxy in favour of any matter. In connection with the Meeting, the Concerned Shareholders will file a dissident information circular in due course in compliance with applicable securities laws. In the meantime, for information regarding the Concerned Shareholders Nominees, please refer to the Concerned Shareholder's news release dated October 7, 2021. Any right for revocation of a proxy submitted in connection with the election of the Nominees will be set out in the dissident information circular or a document referred to therein.

The information contained herein, and any solicitation made by the Concerned Shareholders in advance of the Meeting, is or will be, as applicable, made by the Concerned Shareholders and not by or on behalf of the management of FAR. All costs incurred for any solicitation will be borne by the Concerned Shareholders, provided that, subject to applicable law, the Concerned Shareholders may seek reimbursement from FAR of the Concerned Shareholders' out-of-pocket expenses, including proxy solicitation expenses and legal fees, incurred in connection with a successful reconstitution of the Company's board of directors. The Concerned Shareholders are not soliciting proxies in connection with a general meeting of shareholders of the Company at this time.

The Concerned Shareholders may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist in soliciting proxies on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders. Any proxies solicited by or on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders, including by any other agent retained by the Concerned Shareholders, may be solicited pursuant to a dissident information circular or by way of public broadcast, including through press releases, speeches or publications and by any other manner permitted under Canadian corporate and securities laws. Any such proxies may be revoked by instrument in writing executed by a shareholder or by his or her attorney authorized in writing or, if the shareholder is a body corporate, by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized or by any other manner permitted by law.

The registered address of FAR is located at Suite 400 - 725 Granville St., Vancouver, BC, V7Y 1G5, Canada and its head office is located at #510 - 580 Hornby St., Vancouver, BC, V6C 3B6, Canada. A copy of this press release may be obtained on FAR's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Mr. Taylor is a resident of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA, and the other Concerned Shareholders are each a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102144
HOUSTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, has safely and successfully re-started production at our Mars and Ursa platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico and began exporting oil and gas through the West Delta-143 (WD-143) "A" facility.

"Our Hurricane Ida recovery efforts are the latest example of how our people come together with great determination to tackle the biggest challenges of the day," said Zoe Yujnovich, Upstream Director. "We are proud to have safely restored our full production in the US Gulf of Mexico, where the barrels are among the lowest GHG intensity in the world."

On October 1, Shell safely and successfully re-started production at our Olympus platform in the Gulf of Mexico and began exporting oil and gas through the West Delta-143 (WD-143) "C" facility. When Mars and Ursa are fully ramped up, we will have 100% of Shell-operated production in the Gulf of Mexico back online, ahead of schedule from our initial estimates.

Notes to editors

The WD-143 facilities serve as the transfer station for all production from our assets in the Mars corridor in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico to onshore crude terminals. Production from Olympus flows across WD-143 "C" while production from our Mars and Ursa facilities flow across WD-143 "A".

to onshore crude terminals. Production from Olympus flows across WD-143 "C" while production from our Mars and Ursa facilities flow across WD-143 "A". The WD-143 platform, owned by Shell Offshore Inc. (71.5%) and BP Exploration & Production Inc (28.5%), is operated by Shell Pipeline Company LP.

The Mars corridor consists of Shell-operated tension leg platforms Mars, Olympus, and Ursa. Mars and Olympus ownership is: Shell Offshore Inc. (71.5%) and BP Exploration & Production Inc. (28.5%), respectively. Ursa ownership is: Shell Offshore Inc. (45.3884%), BP Exploration & Production Inc. (22.6916%), ExxonMobil Corporation (15.9600%), and ConocoPhillips Company (15.9600%).

Shell is the leading operator in the US Gulf of Mexico, with eight deep-water production hubs and a network of subsea infrastructure.

The reference to our US Gulf of Mexico production being among the lowest GHG intensity in the world is a comparison among other members of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. 'Subsidiaries', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", 'anticipate', 'believe', 'could', 'estimate', 'expect', 'goals', 'intend', 'may', "milestones", 'objectives', 'outlook', 'plan', 'probably', 'project', 'risks', "schedule", 'seek', 'should', 'target', 'will' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell plc's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, November 5, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

The content of websites referred to in this press release do not form part of this press release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this press release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/449079/shell_oil_company_logo.jpg
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77I) ("Boosh" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has begun accepting orders from the food service industry. This sector includes, but is not limited, to providing meals to hotels, restaurants, bars, cafeterias, catering, airlines and more.

"I have been fielding calls for over a year with requests to supply Boosh to local restaurants and pubs where the demand for plant based and gluten free options continues to grow," states founder and president, Connie Marples. "The food service sector is not necessarily equipped to deal with plant-based menu requests with regards to specially sourced ingredients and cross contamination. However, our Boosh products are high quality, ready-made and easy for the food service sector to adopt such as our Good Gravy, Sloppy Joes, Vegan Chili and proprietary Vegan Cheese powder blends. All can be used in a variety of ways to meet their chef's expectations and satisfy consumer demands. Different ways to present Boosh entrees include Chili Cheese Nachos, Vegan Poutine, Vegan Sloppy Joe Sliders and Vegan Broccoli Cheddar soup to name a few."

Boosh is pleased to present its two new Mac & Cheeze shelf stable entrees; Better Cheddar and Nacho Cheese at the Plant Expo on November 20-21st.





Boosh Creates 5th Revenue Stream; Selling To The Food Service Industry



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7944/102120_pouch%20packages-%20all.jpg

"The food service industry creates our 5th revenue stream. This is combined with our organic growth, acquisitions, expansion into the US and E-commerce in Canada and the US," States CEO, Jim Pakulis. "And the Mac & Cheeze brings our total number of SKU's in our portfolio to 24, from a starting point of 6 SKU's at the beginning of the year. We look forward to continually adding quality, plant-based, nutritional, easy to fix meals for the whole family to enjoy."

The Company has retained Hybrid to provide investor relation services. The cost is equivalent to twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars per month payable in stock or fifteen thousand dollars per month for a twelve month contract. The Company has retained Milestones Capital Limited for corporate development and investor relations services. The fee is one hundred thousand euro's for a six week period.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

James Pakulis

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (833) 882-6674

www.Booshfood.com

About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.:

Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com), offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. We currently offer six frozen meals and three refrigerated meals which are sold throughout Canada. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth.

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's proposed use of the proceeds of its initial public offering. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102120
CHF 47 million investment will serve dynamic markets in Turkey, Middle East and 'Stans' countries

GENEVA, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned perfume and taste company, and MG International Fragrance Company today announce the construction of a new Regional Perfumery Production Hub on the MG International campus near Istanbul, Turkey. The 47 million Swiss franc investment in the new plant will provide 20,000 metric tons of additional capacity to serve customers in Turkey, the Middle East and 'Stans' countries.

"This project is a milestone in the partnership Firmenich signed with MG International Fragrance Company in 2019, demonstrating our shared dedication to provide winning service to our customers and the strength of our commitment to this dynamic region," said Firmenich CEO Gilbert Ghostine. "This state-of-the-art plant will be a true perfumery production hub, responding to fast-growing demand from small and mid-size customers across Turkey, the Middle East and the 'Stans' countries."

"We are very proud that our legacy of 186 years of combined business experience in fragrances continues to successfully expand the alliance that we started only two years ago," said MG International Fragrance Company CEO Aslan Gulcicek. "With the continued unparalleled investments by Firmenich in our country and in our business, we are demonstrating that we are committed to be a key player in these important markets in the region."

Construction of the Regional Perfumery Production Hub was formally launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on the MG International and Firmenich campus in the Gebze Organized Industrial Zone attended by MG International Fragrance Company's Honorary President Misel Gulcicek, Firmenich Chief Operating Officer Eric Nicolas and senior executives from both companies. The new facility is expected to become operational before the end of 2023, joining Firmenich's global network of 46 perfumery, flavors and ingredients plants across the world.

With approximately 15,000 square meters of floor space spread across four floors, the facility will house some of the most advanced digital production technology and quality assurance laboratories in the industry. The highly automated plant will help deliver high-quality and agile service to meet the bespoke needs of small and mid-size enterprises which are flourishing in the region.

Sustainability criteria were incorporated from the outset in the project design, in keeping with Firmenich's responsible business approach and its ambitious 2030 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. The plant is planned as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green building, meeting the highest standards for energy efficiency, environmental protection and a healthy working environment.

About Firmenich

Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895 and has been family-owned for 126 years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors and ingredients. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science and taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 4.3 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2021. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com.

About MG International Fragrance Company

MG International Fragrance Company provides services to over 55 countries and supplies fragrance compositions and ingredients to 1800 active manufacturers worldwide including the domestic market. With its environmentally conscious production, "employee-and-customer-first" oriented approach, and productive high technology utilization, the company, which is among the 650 largest companies in Turkey, places particular emphasis on working under healthy and safe environments.www.mgfragrances.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/798187/Firmenich_Logo.jpg
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Lyfted Farms is being recognized with a County Appreciation Certificate from Stanislaus County, California on November 8, 2020.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the team at Lyfted Farms played an instrumental role in providing local seniors and veterans with meals by donating cold freezer storage space, a forklift and distribution assistance to a program run by the Stanislaus Department of Aging and Veterans Services that helped provide meals to over 1,500 seniors a week at the height of the program.

"The department is very appreciative of the donation Lyfted Farms has made in support of our senior meals program during a difficult time," said a representative from the Department. "The support was key to the day-to-day operations and overall success of the program."

Lyfted Farms also lent a hand to the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services to store 450 pallets of PPE for six months in support of local efforts to protect against the spread of the virus.

"The opportunity to help alleviate food-insecurity amongst the elderly, veterans, and resource-challenged within Stanislaus County during the COVID-19 pandemic was impossible to ignore, and we eagerly donated our warehouse, freezer space, and the efforts of our amazing team members to assist in this effort," said Alan Applonie, COO for Lyfted Farms and TransCanna. "We are proud of our contributions to the larger effort to assist the community and seek to create a public perception of cannabis-centric businesses that is as positive as the contributions cannabis makes daily in the lives of so many millions of people."

The Stanislaus County Department of Aging and Veterans Services will present Lyfted Farms with a formal commendation at its upcoming Commission on Aging, on November 8th, 2021.

About TransCanna

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California-based, Canadian-listed company building cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

TransCanna's wholly owned subsidiary Lyfted Farms is California's authentic cannabis brand whose pioneering spirit has been continuously providing the finest cannabis flower genetics and cultivation methods since 1984. The Lyfted Farms brand of exclusive cannabis flower is sold at premium retailers throughout the state. With its new multipurpose facility in Modesto, California, the company is now poised to become one of the largest and most efficient vertically integrated cannabis companies in the California market. Visit the TransCanna website today at transcanna.com.

For updated information with respect to our company, please see our filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the CSE at www.thecse.com, or visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com. To contact the Company, please email info@transcanna.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Bob Blink, CEO

Corporate Communications:

info@transcanna.com

604-200-8853

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION:

Certain information in this release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning management's guidance on sales and other statements which are not historical facts. When used in this document, the words such as "could", "plan" "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should" and similar expressions indicate forward looking statements.

Although TransCanna believes that its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date that the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other events contemplated by the forward-looking statements will not occur. Although TransCanna believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct as these expectations are inherently subject to business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.

This cautionary statement expressly qualifies the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. TransCanna undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102119
-Additional Positive BioCloud Testing Results to be Released November 15th

Kontrol Technologies Corp. (NEO:KNR) (OTCQB:KNRLF) (FSE:1K8) ("Kontrol" or the "Company"), a leader in smart building technology, is shipping BioCloud units to a hospital in Belgium to support a fourth wave outbreak of COVID-19. The shipment to Belgium will be applied to various areas in the hospital, with multiple applications, in support of creating safe zones.

"BioCloud continues to gain new applications and opportunities through its distribution network," said Paul Ghezzi, CEO of Kontrol Technologies. "As the emphasis for building safety shifts to air quality and early detection systems, BioCloud is well positioned for continued adoption supported by a growing global brand awareness. I look forward to providing an update on additional testing results for BioCloud, as well as a broader update on Kontrol's continued revenue growth and strong operational progress later this month."

Additional Testing with Positive Detection Response to be provided November 15th

Based on recent multiple positive detection responses by the BioCloud technology in Canada, Kontrol will provide updated testing results with associated data. The data will include the successful application of the BioCloud technology with real-time performance and results. The results will also be shared with various applicable government agencies.

Steelcase and Other Distribution Channels

Kontrol is actively quoting opportunities generated from the Steelecase partnership, in addition to other previously announced distribution partners.

International HVAC Company

Following the press released dated October 4th, 2021, Kontrol has shipped initial units to the HVAC Company and has commenced product training while the distribution agreement continues to be negotiated. The distribution agreement is anticipated to be completed in November 2021.

About Kontrol BioCloudTM

Kontrol BioCloud ("BioCloud") is an operating subsidiary of Canadian public company Kontrol Technologies. The BioCloud technology is a real-time analyzer designed to detect airborne viruses and pathogens. BioCloud is an air quality technology and not a medical device. BioCloud has been designed to operate as a safe space technology by sampling the air quality continuously. With a proprietary detection chamber that can be replaced as needed, viruses are detected, and a silent notification system is created. BioCloud can be applied to any space where individuals gather including classrooms, offices, retirement homes, hospitals, mass transportation and others. Additional information about Kontrol BioCloud can be found on its website at www.kontrolbiocloud.com

Kontrol Technologies Corp.

Kontrol Technologies Corp., a Canadian public company, is a leader in smart buildings and cities through IoT, Cloud and SaaS technology. Kontrol provides a combination of software, hardware, and service solutions to its customers to improve energy management, air quality and continuous emission monitoring.

Additional information about Kontrol Technologies Corp. can be found on its website at www.kontrolcorp.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

https://facebook.com/kontroltechcorp/

https://twitter.com/kontrolgroup

https://www.linkedin.com/company/kontrol-group

Neither IIROC nor any stock exchange or other securities regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "likely", "should", "would", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "proposed", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions, and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy.

Where Kontrol expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is based on assumptions made in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. Such assumptions include, without limitation, that sufficient capital will be available to the Company and that technology will be as effective as anticipated.

However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, that sufficient capital and financing cannot be obtained on reasonable terms, or at all; that those technologies will not prove as effective as expected; those customers and potential customers will not be as accepting of the Company's product and service offering as expected; and government and regulatory factors impacting the energy conservation industry. Kontrol BioCloud is an air quality technology and not a medical device. The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus).

Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as at the date hereof and are based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations, and opinions of management on such date. Kontrol does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements or any forward-looking statements contained in any other documents whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required under applicable securities law. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties, and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005532/en/

Contacts:

Kontrol Technologies Corp.

Paul Ghezzi

CEO

info@kontrolcorp.com

180 Jardin Drive, Unit 9, Vaughan, ON L4K 1X8

Tel: (905) 766.0400

Investor Relations:

Brooks Hamilton

MZ Group MZ North America

KNRLF@mzgroup.us

Tel: +1 (949) 546.6326
DGAP Post-admission Duties announcement: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



05.11.2021 / 14:14

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): November 3, 2021 Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

__________________________________________________________ Ohio 1-4879 34-0183970 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 5995 Mayfair Road, P.O Box 3077, North Canton, Ohio 44270-8077 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (330) 490-4000 Not Applicable Former name or former address, if changed since last report Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: ? Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) ? Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) ? Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) ? Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Trading Symbol Name of each exchange on which registered Common shares, $1.25 per value per share DBD New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ? If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ? Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. On November 3, 2021, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (the "Company") increased the number of directors of the Company from 11 to 12 and appointed William (Bill) A. Borden, age 58, to the Board to fill the vacancy created by the increase. Mr. Borden's term will expire at the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. He will serve on the Board's Audit and Technology Committees. Mr. Borden's compensation for his service as a director will be consistent with that of the Company's non-employee directors, as described the Company's definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2021. There are no arrangements or understandings pursuant to which Mr. Borden was selected as a director, and there are no related party transactions between the Company and Mr. Borden that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure. A copy of the press release announcing Mr. Borden's appointment is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto. Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits. Exhibit Number Description 99.1 Press Release of Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated, dated November 5, 2021 104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated November 5, 2021 By: /s/ Jonathan B. Leiken Name: Jonathan B. Leiken Title: Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary EX 99.1

/ Press Release Contacts:

Media Relations Investor Relations

Mike Jacobsen, APR Christine Marchuska, CAIA

+1-330-490-3796 +1 607 206-9212

michael.jacobsen@dieboldnixdorf.com christine.marchuska@dieboldnixdorf.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Nov. 5, 2021 Diebold Nixdorf Names Microsoft Corp. Executive Bill Borden as Company's Newest Board Member NORTH CANTON, Ohio - Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) announced today it has added William A. (Bill) Borden, corporate vice president of worldwide financial services for Microsoft Corp., to its board of directors.

A veteran leader in the global financial services industry, Borden brings a wealth of experience to Diebold Nixdorf's board. For more than 20 years during his career, he has held various senior leadership positions at some of the largest banking institutions in the United States, including Bank of America and Citigroup. As Microsoft's thought leader in financial services, he is responsible for leading the development and execution of the company's global financial services strategy, supporting its customers in their digital transformation journeys.

Borden is a member of The Executive Leadership Council, the preeminent membership organization for the development of global Black leaders. He is committed to helping the communities in which he lives and works through board membership, volunteering and mentoring. For Diebold Nixdorf, Borden will serve on the board's audit and technology committees. His appointment expands the number of the company's directors from 11 to 12.

"On behalf of our board, we are very excited to welcome Bill as our newest director," said Gary G. Greenfield, non-executive chairman of the board, Diebold Nixdorf. "His addition will be invaluable in helping successfully guide our strategies in global financial services and digital transformation and exemplifies our ongoing efforts to bring in new perspectives and vital experience at the director level."

(more) Diebold Nixdorf Names Microsoft Corp. Executive Bill Borden as Company's Newest Board Member / Page 2 About Diebold Nixdorf

Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) is a world leader in enabling connected commerce. We automate, digitize and transform the way people bank and shop. As a partner to the majority of the world's top 100 financial institutions and top 25 global retailers, our integrated solutions connect digital and physical channels conveniently, securely and efficiently for millions of consumers each day. The company has a presence in more than 100 countries with approximately 22,000 employees worldwide. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information. Twitter: @DieboldNixdorf LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/diebold

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/diebold

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DieboldNixdorf YouTube: www.youtube.com/dieboldnixdorf

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dieboldnixdorf ### PR_21-4033

05.11.2021 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


TBEA unveiled a plan to build a 400,000 MT polysilicon factory in Baotou City, in the Inner Mongolia province. Furthermore, EnergyTrend reported polysilicon prices increased slightly this week.Polysilicon maker and inverter company TBEA announced on Thursday that it signed a deal with the administration of Baotou City, in the Inner Mongolia province, to build a 400,000 MT factory and develop 5 GW of renewable energy projects. The RMB 6 billion ($930 million) manufacturing facility will be built in two 200,00o MT phases. Construction on the first phase will start in one month and completion is ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


Almere, The Netherlands

November 5, 2021

ASM hosts key suppliers at annual Supplier Day event, launches inaugural sustainability PRISM award

ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) held its annual Supplier Day this week. The virtual event was attended by over 150 supplier representatives from across ASM's global supply chain.

Benjamin Loh, CEO of ASM International, thanked suppliers, saying, "Our suppliers are our lifeline. The semiconductor industry is experiencing a significant growth. With our strategy of 'growth through innovation', ASM is expanding capacity in operations, R&D, and facilities. Much more than just a supplier-customer relationship, we are counting on partnerships with our suppliers, working together to address technology innovations, growth, and sustainability".

ASM awarded suppliers whose exemplary performance made a tangible impact on its success in the past year. Award recipients demonstrated creative solutions, open and honest alignment, expert navigation of the many supply chain challenges related to COVID-19, and close partnerships to enable ASM's growth. The suppliers awarded for performance and partnership are:

Song Tat Precision

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

VDL Enabling Technologies Group (Singapore)





A key theme of ASM's Supplier Day was sustainability. ASM is committed to collaborating across its value chain, to increase the impact of sustainability initiatives. This includes key challenges such as addressing the climate crisis, ensuring human rights throughout the supply chain, and addressing important social topics and safeguards. The winners of the inaugural PRISM award have exemplified actions and results in sustainability. The winners of this year's PRISM award are:

XP Power

CEVA Logistics



About ASM International

ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, its subsidiaries and participations, design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM provides production solutions for wafer processing.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, changes in import/export regulations, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company's reports and financial statements. The Company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.

CONTACT

Investor and media contact:

Victor Bareno

T: +31 88 100 8500

E: victor.bareno@asm.com

Attachment
STOCKHOLM, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Securitas is pleased to invite investors, analysts and financial media to our Investor Day on Monday, March 21, 2022, at app. 13.00 CET to approx. 17.00. The event will take place at Securitas headquarters in Stockholm and will also be webcast live.

To provide more opportunity for interactivity, the Securitas Investor Day will be held live instead of virtually and is therefore postponed from December 7, 2021 to March 21, 2022. The Investor Day will provide a strategic and financial update, including status and achievements of our transformation programs as well as our intelligent security services journey.

A formal invitation, including the program and details for registration, will follow closer to the event.

Further information:

Investors: Micaela Sjokvist, Head of Investor Relations, mobile: +46 (0) 76 116 7443; micaela.sjokvist@securitas.com

Media: Helena Andreas, SVP Communications & People +46 10? 470 30 20; press@securitas.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/securitas/r/securitas-investor-day-new-date--march-21,c3448014

The following files are available for download:
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / EastWest Bioscience Inc. (the "Company" or "EastWest") (TSXV:EAST) announces the proposed issuance of 3,095,044 common shares at a price of CDN $0.05 per common share to certain non-arm's length service providers for expense incurred on behalf of the Company and arm's length service providers for settlement in respect of services provided to the Company by consultants and for consulting services (collectively, the "Consultants"). The transactions with the Consultants were in the normal course of business and the consideration provided was agreed to by the Company and the Consultants.

The aforementioned transactions are subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval and a statutory hold period of four-months and one day will be in place on any common shares issued herein, in accordance with applicable securities laws.

About EastWest Bioscience Inc.

EastWest Bioscience is a vertically integrated wellness company with a multitude of business units and assets that allow for seed-to-sale supply chain management. We source our raw material, process, manufacture, test, brand, market, and distribute our products to our customers in Canada, the United States, and beyond. The Company owns and operates retail and manufacturing subsidiaries.

The Company's retail subsidiary is the award winning, Canadian, natural health retail franchise - the Sangster's Health Centre's - with over 40 years of legacy in the health and wellness industry. Sangster's goal is to provide natural choices through quality products and educated advice for a healthy lifestyle. Sangster's Health Centres occupies a unique position in the industry, the stores provide vast knowledge and safe natural remedies for the prevention and treatment of disease and ailments. Sangster's introduction and development of over 202 exclusively labeled products (vitamins, mineral, herbs, proteins, natural body care and organic foods) catapulted Sangster's name and product into a large number of Canadian households. From a solid base in Saskatchewan, Sangster's has become a national brand name with franchise stores located across Canada.

Orchard Vale Naturals is the Company's manufacturing arm that is certified with a Health Canada Site License and has GMP Certified NHP Manufacturing capabilities. Orchard Vale Naturals specialize in custom blends and production runs of all sizes, small to large, for top-quality products with quick turnaround times. Orchard Vale Naturals operate out of the 34,000 sq Health Canada licensed facility in Penticton, British Columbia that is owned by EastWest Bioscience and is the Head Office for all its Canadian operations.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF EASTWEST BIOSCIENCE INC.

"Rodney Gelineau"

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For Further Information

Company Website: www.eastwestbioscience.com

Contact: Rodney Gelineau on 1-800-409-1930 or investors@eastwestscience.com.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the matters disclosed herein. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: EastWest Bioscience Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671320/EastWest-Bioscience-Announces-Shares-for-Debt-Settlements
FRUITLAND, ID / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / PROTOCALLL TCHNOLOGIES INC (OTC PINK:PCLI) trades on the Pink Open Market. Investors can find Real-Time quote and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. $PCLI $protocalltech

Protocall Technologies Inc. (PCLI) has acquired 100% of JR Development LLC, an Idaho real estate development company. JR Development LLC is now a wholly owned subsidiary of PCLI. JR Development LLC owns a 27.38% interest in North Allen Avenue LLC. Continuing with our recapitalization plan, PCLI now owns 100% of North Allen Avenue LLC"s interest in 35 residential building lots being developed as the Rivers Edge 2 subdivision in Fruitland, Idaho.

CEO Paul Knudson stated, "PCLI is creating a vertically integrated real estate company. With the acquisition of JR Development LLC, PCLI is positioned to profit from the change of value created by its residential and commercial land developments."

Plat of Rivers Edge 2 Subdivision

PCLI CONTACT: Paul Knudson, 912 Bobwhite Street, Fruitland, Idaho 83619.

PCLI's telephone number is 1-208-452-6972

Website: http://www.protocalltech.com

Follow us on Twitter: @OfficialPCLI

INVEST IN LAND, THEY AREN'T MAKING ANYMORE OF IT - Mark Twain

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release should be considered in light of the disclosures contained in our filings and our "forward-looking statements" in such filings that are available in the OTC Markets, Inc. website under our trading symbol, "PCLI."

Contact: Paul Knudson

Phone: 1-208-452-6972

Email: protocalltechinfo@gmail.com

SOURCE: Protocall Technologies Inc. (PCLI)

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671412/PCLI-Completes-Acquisition-of-JR-Development-LLC


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar spiked higher against its most major counterparts in the European session on Friday, as the nation's job growth exceeded forecasts in October, signaling a continued improvement in the labor market as virus cases dropped.



Data from the Labor Department showed that U.S. employment increased more than expected in the month of October.



The report said non-farm payroll employment surged up by 531,000 jobs in October after climbing by an upwardly revised 312,000 jobs in September.



Economists had expected employment to jump by 425,000 jobs compared to the addition of 194,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.



With employment increasing by more than expected, the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in October from 4.8 percent in September, hitting its lowest level since March of 2020. The unemployment rate was expected to edge down to 4.7 percent.



The House of Representatives is expected to vote on President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion economic package and an infrastructure measure later today.



The White House said the infrastructure deal would create thousands of jobs by providing funds for broadband, roads, bridges and other projects.



The currency showed mixed trading against its major opponents in the Asian session. While it rose against the franc and the euro, it was steady against the pound. Versus the yen, it fell.



The greenback appreciated to a 1-week high of 0.9176 versus the franc, from Thursday's close of 0.9124. Should the greenback continues its uptrend, 0.93 is possibly seen as its next resistance level.



The greenback added 0.4 percent to hit over a 1-year high of 1.1513 against the euro. The pair was worth 1.1554 when it closed deals on Thursday. Further rally may take the greenback to a resistance around the 1.13 area.



Data from Destatis showed that German industrial production declined unexpectedly in September.



Industrial production dropped 1.1 percent on a monthly basis, but slower than the revised 3.5 percent decline seen in August. Economists had forecast a monthly growth of 1 percent.



The greenback held firm against the pound, after touching a fresh 5-week high of 1.3424 at 6:45 am ET. The pound-greenback pair had ended yesterday's trading session at 1.3498.



Survey data from the Lloyds Bank subsidiary Halifax showed that UK house prices grew at the fastest pace in four months in October, taking the average property price up to an all-time high.



House prices increased 0.9 percent on a monthly basis in October, slower than the 1.7 percent rise in September.



The greenback jumped to more than a 3-week high of 0.7360 against the aussie following the data, but it has since pulled back to 0.7400. The greenback was worth 0.7398 per aussie at Thursday's New York session close.



In contrast, the greenback fell to a 3-day low of 113.50 against the yen, from a high of 114.03 seen at 8:30 am ET. The pair had closed Thursday's deals at 113.74. Immediate support for the greenback is likely located around the 110 level.



Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that Japan household spending fell 1.9 percent on year in September - coming in at 265,306 yen.



That beat forecasts for a drop of 3.9 percent following the 3.0 percent decline in August.



The greenback edged down to 1.2441 against the loonie, following more than a 3-week high of 1.2480 hit at 6 am ET. The greenback was trading at 1.2457 against the loonie at yesterday's close. The greenback is likely to find support around the 1.22 region.



After rising to more than a 2-week high of 0.7072 at 6:55 am ET, the greenback eased off to 0.7103 against the kiwi. Next key support for the greenback is likely seen around the 0.72 level.



U.S. consumer credit for September will be published in the New York session.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Greece's government gathered today on the Aegean island of Halki to inaugurate a local community energy project and also launch its Gr-Eco Islands Initiative, which aims to green the country's archipelago.The Greek government and the island of Halki hosted an inauguration of the island's green energy community project, comprising an 1 MW solar PV farm, electric vehicles and a 5G telecommunications network. pv magazine presented the project in detail in July. The pilot project is looking to foster clean and energy independent island communities. The project inaugurated today comprises a PV array ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Hammerle will be responsible for the formation and execution of Intelex's strategy as it delivers safer, cleaner and more efficient operations for our customers.

Toronto, Canada, Nov. 05, 2021, a leading global provider of cloud-based Environmental, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) management software, today announced the appointment of Melissa Hammerle to the role of president of the organization.

"I'm excited to bring Melissa's deep continuous improvement experience and leadership to the Intelex team. Melissa will be a key driver as we work to help customers drive EHS and ESG performance to levels previously unimaginable," said Justin McElhattan, Group President of EHS businesses for Intelex parent company Fortive.

Hammerle brings experience driving growth, customer retention and innovation through leadership roles in general management, product, marketing, sales, customer success and the Fortive Business System (FBS). She has led teams to co-create cultures with high engagement, ownership and customer centricity across a range of businesses, from startups to large scale enterprises.

"I'm thrilled to join the Intelex team," said Hammerle. "We have a profoundly impactful mission and a once-in-a-lifetime growth opportunity as investors, business leaders and customers raise the bar on the practices of EHSQ and help our customers achieve their Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals."

Hammerle joins Intelex from Accruent, where, as the Commercial President, she and her team built new sales and marketing growth engines to sustainably deliver software bookings. Previously, she led the team that created Fluke's first Internet of Things business to serve customer maintenance workflows, accelerated strategic initiatives across Fortive as the FBS Director of Growth, and delivered strong revenue and employee engagement as the VP & GM of Fluke Calibration.

Prior to joining Fortive, Hammerle served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, where she led a company in Iraq.

She earned an MBA from Harvard University and an BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.

###

About Intelex Technologies, ULC

Intelex Technologies, ULC is a global leader in environmental, health, safety and quality.

Attachment
Revenue in  thousands 2020 2021 Change Like for like[1] First Half 29,038 32,436 12% -6% Third Quarter 14,074 23,178 65% +27% First 9 months 43 112 55 614 29% +7%

Revenue in  thousands 9M 2020 9M 2021 Change Like for like EMEA 13,169 22,575 71% +19% USA / Canada 18,103 18,664 3% -1% Latin America 4,020 6,049 50% -5% Asia Pacific 7,819 8,327 6% +7% TOTAL 43,112 55,614 29% +7%

Q3 figures are unaudited. H1 figures underwent a limited review by auditors.

MRR in  thousands Jan 2021 Oct 2021 Monthly Recurring Revenue[2] 1,500 1,899

Alternative performance indicator, not subject to ATEME's statutory auditors' review.

Paris, November 5, 2021 - ATEME (ISIN: FR0011992700), the emerging leader in video delivery infrastructure, generated revenues of 23.2 million for the Third Quarter of 2021, up by 65% on a reported basis and by 27% like for like.

Revenues for the First Nine Months stood at 55.6 million, up by 29% reported and 7% like for like (with a marginal exchange rate effect).

The EMEA region returned to the fore as the largest contributor to revenues, with revenues representing 41% of group total, up 71% reported, and 19% like for like.

The USA/Canada region contributed 33% of group revenues, up 3% reported and down 1% like for like.

Asia Pacific represented 15% of revenues, up 6% reported and 7% like for like.

Revenues in Latin America is up 50% reported with a significant Anevia contribution, and down 5% like for like.

MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenues) trending ahead of target

The objective published at the beginning of the year to grow MRR from 1.5 million in January 2021 to 3 million in 2024, translates into an incremental 100k per quarter. At the end of October 2021, Monthly Recurring Revenues stood at 1.9 million, implying the group has already achieved the annual target.

Strong operational momentum

With the acquisition of Anevia, ATEME has enhanced its value proposition for media companies and service providers, offering a wide range of software solutions for OTT delivery.

The integration of Anevia is 99% complete with synergies set to materialize in 2022 both in terms of savings and cross-selling. Several major deals are under discussion with legacy ATEME customers to deploy Anevia's NEA solutions.

ATEME's innovation leadership is evidenced by the 50% headcount dedicated to R&D, its strong contribution to industry standardization initiatives and the multiple awards this year. ATEME solutions are reinventing video delivery, notably with cloud native software technologies leveraging the flexibility of hybrid cloud or multi cloud implementation, and multiple solutions generating incremental revenue streams for our customers based on ad insertion, personalized TV and Open Caching compliant CDN (Content Delivery Network).

Disposal of non-core business

ATEME has announced the disposal of Anevia's Enterprise and Hospitality business solutions to focus on its core business. As a reminder this activity generated 3,5 million euros in 2019 before it was impacted by the Covid crisis.

Full Year Revenues objectives confirmed

Based on our strong Third Quarter including the attainment of our annual MRR target, we reiterate our Full Year and longer term objectives. Nevertheless we remain vigilant concerning global supply chain issues of semiconductors and servers, with potentially an attendant impact on revenues.

ATEME Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Michel Artieres, said: "As expected, ATEME delivered a strong Third Quarter and we have already met our annual MRR growth target. What comes next is even more exciting. We are sowing the seeds of a tremendous success story in the coming years with our strong focus on R&D investment, MRR creation and Anevia synergies starting to feed through."

Upcoming publications: January 27, 2022: Full Year 2021 revenues

About ATEME: Ateme is a global leader of video compression and delivery solutions helping Tier-1 Content Providers, Service Providers and Streaming Platforms to boost their viewership and subscription engagement.

Leveraging a unique R&D task force in the video industry, Ateme's solutions power green sustainable TV services, improve end-users' quality of experience, optimize the total cost of ownership of TV/VOD services and generate new revenue streams based on personalization and ad insertion. Beyond the technology agility, Ateme's value proposition is to partner with his customers by offering a great flexibility in the engagement and business models matching their financial priorities. A consequence is a rapid shift to Recurring Revenues, boosting the company resilience and creating long term value for the shareholders.

Founded in 1991, Ateme has 490 employees spread over its headquarters in France and 20 offices around the world including the USA, Brazil, Argentina, UK, Spain, Germany, Russia, the UAE, Singapore, China, Korea, and Australia.

Ateme has been listed on the Paris Euronext market since 2014 and in November 2020 it made the acquisition of Anevia, a provider of OTT and IPTV software solutions. In 2020, Ateme served close to 1,000 customers worldwide with revenues of 70.7 million, of which 93% outside its home market.

Name: ATEME - ISIN Code: FR0011992700 - Ticker: ATEME - Compartment: C

ATEME INVESTOR RELATIONS PRESS RELATIONS Michel Artieres

Chairman and CEO Olivier Lambert

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 33

ateme@actus.fr Anne-Catherine Bonjour

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 93

acbonjour@actus.fr

DISCLAIMER

This press release does not constitute or form part of and should not be construed as any offer for sale of or solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of ATEME, nor should it, or any part of it, form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any contract or commitment whatsoever concerning ATEME's assets, activities or shares.

All statements other than historical facts included in this presentation, including without limitations, those regarding ATEMEs' position, business strategy, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's current views and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to impact of external events on customers and suppliers; the effects of competing technologies competition generally in main markets; profitability of the expansion strategy; litigation; ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships in major businesses; and the effect of future acquisitions and investments.

ATEME expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this presentation to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. These materials are supplied to you solely for your information and may not be copied or distributed to any other person (whether in or outside your organization) or published, in whole or in part, for any purpose.

[1] At constant exchange rate and perimeter (ATEME + Anevia)

[2] Alternative performance indicator, not subject to ATEME's statutory auditors' review: Monthly Recurring Revenue is defined as the sum of (1) the monthly revenue from support contracts in hand, and (2) the monthly revenue from multi-year licensing contracts in hand (capex), and (3) the monthly revenue from license lease contracts (OPEX).

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

mWpraZluYmeXmZ2clMdoa5Nqb5tklJPIbGWYlGGeacuZnHFlnW9pm5mbZnBinW1o

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-71882-ateme_9_months_revenues-2021_en-vdef.pdf
Regulatory News:

ESI Group (FR0004110310 ESI) (Paris:ESI), leader and pioneer in Virtual Prototyping solutions, hereby releases the total number of shares making up the company's capital and the total number of voting rights in October 31, 2021, in accordance with articles 223-16 and 221-3 of the General Regulations of the "Autorite des Marches Financiers".

Number of shares Number of theoretical

voting rights * Number of voting

rights ** 6,063,092 8,299,211 7,952,686

* The number of theoretical voting rights is calculated based on all shares eligible for voting right (single or double), including shares temporarily deprived of voting rights (treasury shares).

** All Group shares have equal right to vote, except treasury shares, which are deprived of the right to vote, and registered shares held for more than four years that are eligible for double voting rights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005738/en/

Contacts:

ESI Group
Urban Aroma is Asking People to SupportTheMission and Help Match Their $30,000 Donation to Mission Green this Holiday Season

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabis directory and lifestyle brand Urban Aroma has announced the launch of a seasonal match campaign to raise $30,000 for The Weldon Project's MISSION [GREEN] initiative to support inmates serving life sentences for nonviolent cannabis offenses. The crowdfunding campaign kicked off November 1st and will continue through the December holiday season. The goal is to raise at least $30,000 to match the amount donated by Urban Aroma earlier this year. Supporters can donate on Urban Aroma's site directly to Mission Green.

In addition to their match campaign, Urban Aroma supports The Weldon Project's campaign to pardon cannabis prisoners. Last month Urban Aroma co-founder M-1 signed a letter from Mission Green and the Academy for Justice asking President Biden to issue a general pardon to all persons subject to federal criminal or civil enforcement on the basis of a nonviolent marijuana offense. The letter was signed by over 150 artists, athletes, lawmakers, law enforcement officials, academics and policy experts including prominent celebrities such as Drake, Deion Sanders, Kevin Garnett, Killer Mike and Meek Mill.

"Mission Green's efforts are pushing the envelope as we all should in the name of oppressed people who have been disproportionately impacted by politics and the war on drugs. This is an opportunity for artists and the culture to support decriminalization and to see how far Biden will go on his promises. This is a test. Let's see what happens," says M-1 who is also part of the hip hop duo dead prez.

Largely known for its curated cannabis directory , Urban Aroma highlights cannabis sources from major cities such as NYC , DC , Miam i, and Boston while focusing on education and policy alongside art, culture and activism. With a strong commitment to social justice and social impact, Urban Aroma has forged community partnerships with Fortune Society and now with Mission Green to support those most impacted by the war on drugs.

Mission Green is an initiative by The Weldon Project dedicated to securing clemency for those currently incarcerated for cannabis and to creating pathways to expungements or pardons to support them living meaningful lives. The Weldon Project was founded by Weldon Angelos who served 13 years of a 55-year prison sentence for selling less than $1,000 worth of cannabis as a first time offender because of the draconian sentencing statute. He has since been instrumental in legislative advocacy, including the passing of the First Step Act.

"Biden campaigned for office saying people should not be incarcerated for marijuana. We agree and we are asking Biden to make good on his promise. Cannabis has been legalized in 18 states. It is time we decriminalize and pardon those still serving harsh unjust sentences," says Weldon.

Urban Aroma will be collecting donations through the end of December and is urging people to actively participate in the public awareness campaign and amplify the call to pardon prisoners by reposting across social media. To donate and learn more about the SupportTheMission campaign please visit UrbanAroma.com/missiongreen and follow @urbanaroma_ on Instagram and Twitter .

About Urban Aroma

Urban Aroma is a premier destination for cannabis, art, culture, and activism. It is a voice for cannabis consumers, offering essential information, education, and brand awareness while drawing attention and support for social equity issues. For more information visit urbanaroma.com

About The Weldon Project

The Weldon Project is dedicated to funding social change and financial aid for those who are still serving prison time for cannabis-related offenses. Through extensive partnerships throughout the legal cannabis industry, The Weldon Project launched the MISSION [GREEN] initiative to raise the bar for awareness, social justice, and social equity by providing unique ways for cannabis businesses and consumers to participate in a nationwide campaign aimed to provide relief to those who have been negatively impacted by prohibition. For more information, visit theweldonproject.org .

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1680225/Urban_Aroma.jpg

Media Contact:

Autumn Marie

347.391.8732

autumn@experience54.com
WASHINGTON, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny has been announced as the winner of the prestigious 2021 Democracy Medal awarded by members of the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) which is the global peak professional body for democratic election strategists and pollsters.



IAPC president Mauricio De Vengoechea said Mr. Navalny's award recognized him for fighting for democracy in Russia, often at great personal risk to his own life.

"Mr. Navalny has long been the most prominent voice calling attention to democratic abuses and corruption under the regime," Mr. De Vengoechea said.

"His bravery has come at a high cost to him, including an attempt to poison him with a nerve agent and periods in jail. He remains imprisoned in Russia at this time following the latest in a series of impeding legal maneuvers against him by officials."

"Since becoming leader of the Russia of the Future Party in 2013, Mr. Navalny has been subjected to a range of tactics to prevent him from participating in election processes. Instead, he has sought to engage Russian citizens through social media activism that has attracted many followers."

"As a non-partisan organization that defends and celebrates free elections, IAPC believes Mr. Navalny, like all those who seek high office, should be able to put his case to voters in a free and fair election. The simple act of choosing your candidate is a foundational privilege of democracy. It should be defended and never taken for granted."

"The challenges to democratic principle and human liberty that we see in Mr. Navalny's case are disturbing. By presenting this award to him, IAPC is articulating its support for the principle that all people everywhere have a right to free elections."

IAPC is the global professional organization for people who work in democratic election campaigns and processes, often for head of states races across Europe, the Americas, the Asia-Pacific and Africa. It provides a forum for campaign strategists and pollsters to share and deepen professional knowledge around elections and to monitor trends in election practice globally.

Since 1982, IAPChas been a pioneer in awarding an organization or an individual who in the judgment of its membership has worked courageously to foster, promote and sustain the democratic process anywhere in the world through our Democracy Medal, the first international award of its kind.

This is the 39th time since 1982 that the Medal has been awarded. Nominees are proposed by members who then vote on the nominee shortlist. Awardees have included individual politicians and leaders, political organizations, and political movements that have contributed to free elections through their leadership and commitment to democratic ideals.

Other 2021 nominees shortlisted for the Medal were Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for asserting only Taiwan's people can decide their future; journalist Maria Ressa, for breathtaking courage in challenging the Duterte government in the Philippines; and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for being an island of sanity in a growing sea of demagogue leaders.

Past winners include Hong Kong Umbrella Movement founder Joshua Wong, the Women of Belarus, Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, US Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Philippines President Corazon Aquino, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Established in 1968, The International Association of Political Consultants is committed to fostering democracy and the democratic process throughout the world. Members span a variety of political backgrounds and activities fostering the growing and diverse profession of political consulting as well as the practical aspects of democratic elections.

For further information contact:

Mauricio de Vengoechea, IAPC President Email: devengo@Icloud.com

Matt Klink, IAPC President-Elect: Tel: (310) 283-6267 Email: matt@klinkcampaigns.com

Marcel Wieder, Communications Tel:
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After moving sharply lower over the two previous sessions, the price of crude oil showed a strong move back to the upside during trading on Friday. Crude for December delivery jumped $2.46 or 3.1 percent to $81.27 a barrel after plummeting $3.05 or 3.6 percent on Wednesday and tumbling another $2.05 or 2.5 percent on Thursday. The rebound by the price of crude oil came as traders continued to digest news that OPEC and its allies decided on Thursday to stick with a plan to raise oil output modestly and gradually. Oil prices may also have benefited from upbeat U.S. jobs data, which may had generated optimism about the outlook for demand. The Labor Department said non-farm payroll employment surged up by 531,000 jobs in October after climbing by an upwardly revised 312,000 jobs in September. Economists had expected employment to jump by 425,000 jobs compared to the addition of 194,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month. With employment increasing by more than expected, the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in October from 4.8 percent in September, hitting its lowest level since March of 2020. The unemployment rate was expected to edge down to 4.7 percent. The Labor Department described the job growth as widespread, with notable job gains in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / Citizen Stash Cannabis Corp. ("Citizen Stash") (formerly Experion Holdings Ltd.) (TSXV:CSC)(OTCQB:EXPFF)(FRANKFURT:MB31) is pleased to announce that the Company has obtained a final order of the Supreme Court of British Columbia approving the previously announced plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "Arrangement") involving The Valens Company Inc. ("Valens"). If the Arrangement is completed, Valens will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares (the "Shares") of the Company.

The Arrangement was approved by over 98% of the Company's shareholders and optionholders (the "Securityholders") at the special meeting of the Company's Securityholders held on November 1, 2021. The completion of the Arrangement remains subject to certain customary closing conditions. It is anticipated that the Shares will be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") following the completion of the Arrangement.

The Company's Securityholders are encouraged to consult with their investment dealer, broker, bank manager, lawyer or other professional advisor should they have questions with respect to the matters discussed in this press release. The Company's Securityholders that require further assistance may also contact investor relations at ir@experionwellness.com.

About Citizen Stash Cannabis Corp.

Citizen Stash is the parent company of Experion Biotechnologies Inc., a Health Canada licensed cultivator and processor of cannabis, based in Mission, BC.

Citizen Stash is best known as a rapidly growing adult-use premium cannabis brand offered nationally in nine provinces and territories. Citizen Stash has invested and developed a portfolio of premium cannabis genetics, strains and products with a unique growth strategy incorporating a highly scalable aggregation and distribution business model to drive revenues across its national sales network.

Citizen Stash trades on the TSX Venture Exchange as a Tier 1 issuer under the symbol "CSC" on the OTCQB Venture under the symbol "EXPFF" and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "MB31".

For further information, please visit Citizen Stash's website www.experionwellness.com or contact Investor Relations, Email: IR@experionwellness.com.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This news release includes certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). When used in this news release, words such as "expected", "anticipated" and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements as well as phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "could", "may", "should", "will", "would" or the negative connotation of such terms. As well, forward-looking statements may relate to future outlook and anticipated events, such as: the transaction and the proposed Arrangement; the timing and consummation of the Arrangement; and delisting the Shares from the TSXV. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including those relating to required regulatory approvals, exercise of any termination rights under the Arrangement Agreement, meeting other conditions in the Arrangement Agreement, material adverse effects on the business, properties and assets of Valens and Citizen Stash, whether any superior proposal will be made and such other risk factors detailed from time to time in Citizen Stash's public disclosure documents including, without limitation, those risks identified in Citizen Stash's management information circular dated September 28, 2021 and Citizen Stash's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended November 30, 2020, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Citizen Stash assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Citizen Stash updates any one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Information contained on any website or document referred to or hyperlinked in this news release shall not be deemed to form part of this news release. All information concerning Valens has been prepared solely by Valens and, as such, Citizen Stash does not assume any obligation or provide any representations regarding the statements made therein.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Citizen Stash Cannabis Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671454/Citizen-Stash-Obtains-Final-Order-Approving-Arrangement-with-The-Valens-Company-Inc
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 5, 2021 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Universal Ibogaine and Hank Payments discussing their latest press releases.

The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives.

Universal Ibogaine (TSXV:IBO) announces the appointment of Dr. Ian Rabb as Chief Clinics Officer

Universal Ibogaine has announced the appointment of addiction treatment and clinic operations with Dr. Ian Rabb as Chief Clinics Officer. Dr. Rabb is one of the most recognized and respected leaders in Addiction Treatment in Canada. Caroline Egan sat down with Dr. Rabb to discuss the opportunity.

For the full interview with Ian Rabb and to learn more about Universal Ibogaine's announcement, click here.

Hank Payments (TSXV:HANK) welcomes Jeff Guthrie as President and Chief Operating Officer

Hank Payments has announced that Jeff Guthrie has joined as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Guthrie is an accomplished financial services leader with over thirty years of experience in payments, banking and financial services. Michael Hilmer, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Hank sat down with Caroline Egan to discuss the appointment.

For the full interview with Michael Hilmer and to learn more about Hank Payments' announcement, click here.

Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald.

About The Market Herald

The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets.

DISCLAIMER: Report Card Canada Media Ltd. ("Report Card") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market Herald Limited, an Australian company ("Market Herald"). Report Card is not an advisory service, and does not offer, buy, sell, or provide any other rating, analysis or opinion on the securities we discuss. We are retained and compensated by the companies that we provide information on to assist them with making information available to the public. All information available on themarketherald.ca and/or this press release should be considered as commercial advertisement and not an endorsement, offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities. Report Card is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority in any province or territory of Canada, will not be performing any registerable activity as defined by the applicable regulatory bodies and do not provide nor claim to provide investment advice or recommendations to any visitor of this site or readers of any content on or originating from themarketherald.ca. Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees may from time to time acquire, hold or sell securities and/or commodities and/or commodity futures contracts in certain underlying companies mentioned in this site and which may also be clients of Market Herald's affiliates. In such instances, Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees will use all reasonable efforts to avoid engaging in activities that would lead to conflicts of interest and Market Herald and/or its affiliates will use all reasonable efforts to comply with conflicts of interest disclosures and regulations to minimize any conflict. All the information on this document and/or the website - themarketherald.ca - is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Report Card does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this document and/or website (themarketherald.ca) is strictly at your own risk. Report Card will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. From our website, you can visit other websites by following hyperlinks to such external sites. While we strive to provide only quality links to useful and ethical websites, we have no control over the content and nature of these sites. These links to other websites do not imply a recommendation for all the content found on these sites. Site owners and content may change without notice and may occur before we have the opportunity to remove a link which may have gone 'bad'. Please be also aware that when you leave our website, other sites may have different privacy policies and terms which are beyond our control. Please be sure to check the Privacy Policies of these sites as well as their "Terms of Service" before engaging in any business or uploading any information.

CONTACT:

The Market Herald

Brianna Anthony

brianna.anthony@themarketherald.ca

themarketherald.ca

SOURCE: The Market Herald

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671476/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-New-Interviews-with-Universal-Ibogaine-and-Hank-Payments-on-Their-Latest-News
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CSE: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods ("CPG") company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, has issued 9,260,809 common shares, at a deemed price of CAD$0.17362 per common share, as compensation for a product licensing rights agreement. The common shares have a value of USD$1,300,000 and are subject to a hold period expiring March 3, 2022.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email SLNG@kcsa.com with "SLNG" in the subject.

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. SLANG specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's annual information form dated April 29, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Media and Investor inquiries

Investors@SLANGww.com

KCSA Strategic Communications

Phil Carlson / Rory Rumore

SLANG@kcsa.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102209
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - Tony G Co-Investment Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TONY) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that Mr. Antanas (Tony) Guoga has been appointed the Executive Chairman of the Company effective November 3, 2021.

Antanas Guoga, more commonly known as Tony G, is a former politician, Lithuanian businessman, poker player and philanthropist. Mr. Guoga has previously been a domestic member of parliament in Lithuania as well as a MEP at the European Parliament in Brussels. In 2015, Mr. Guoga was highlighted in the POLITICO 28 list. The European affairs weekly newspaper chose one person from each of the European Union's 28 member-states who is "shaping, shaking and stirring Europe." He has founded and invested in a number of businesses including life insurance, online gaming, sportswear and his own resort in Lithuania and is associate professor at Vilnius University's Economics faculty. As a poker player Mr. Guoga has over $7 million in lifetime tournament earnings and founded the high traffic PokerNews.com.

Mr. Guoga is an early adopter of blockchain, founding Cryptonews.com and a Blockchain Centre in Vilnius in recent years. He is currently Executive Chairman of Canadian listed Cypherpunk Holdings Inc., an investment company and significant holder of bitcoin. Prior thereto, he was a member of the legislative period of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania from 2020 until February 2021. Prior thereto, member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2019.

In addition, the Company announces it has granted 357,500 stock options to purchase common shares of the Company exercisable at a price of $0.92 per common share and expiring on November 3, 2031, to officers, directors and consultants of the Company. The common shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four-month hold period from the original date of grant.

Media Contact:

Tony G Co-Investment Holdings Ltd.

Doug Harris

Chief Financial Officer

416-480-2488

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's goal of making investments in the blockchain and other sectors and enhancing value. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward- looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102236


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook Inc. (FB) recently changed its name to Meta and one of the first things that is being rumored about the company is that it is planning to open a brick and mortar shop.



While discussion has been on the cards for over a year now, the people in the know believe that the project can either be a retail store where all the tech planned by the company will be kept or it may very well be an exhibition center where projects built by the company's Reality Labs division are kept to let the buyers get some physical experience of the product. The story came to light as the NYT got hold of some documents that speak of a store that the company had in mind.



These stores can feature Oculus Quest, Portal Gadgets, Augmented reality sunglasses being built in collaboration with Ray Ban named Stories and other innovative tech creations that the company will plan to launch.



According to reports, the main idea behind such a store is to bring people close to the inventions and let them have hands-on experience so that they can understand how the product feels and works. The store is supposed to be very minimalist in its design and it is supposed to use certain brand placements to maximize the effect.



However, the company has not yet come out with the names yet. They have considered the likes of Facebook Hub, Facebook Comons, Facebook Reality Store and such. Zuckerberg, during the launch of Meta, said, 'Your devices won't be the focal point of your attention anymore. We're starting to see a lot of these technologies coming together in the next five or 10 years. A lot of this is going to be mainstream and a lot of us will be creating and inhabiting worlds that are just as detailed and convincing as this one, on a daily basis.'



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

META PLATFORMS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Bedford, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 5, 2021) - Sylla Gold Corp. (TSXV: SYG.H) (the "Company") would like to remind shareholders of the upcoming annual and special meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held on Friday, November 12, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. (Atlantic time) at Suite 802, 1550- Bedford Highway, Nova Scotia (the "Meeting"). The Meeting is being held to elect the directors of the Company, appoint the auditors of the Company, confirm and approve the stock option plan of the Company and to approve a proposed related party transaction (the "Transaction") between the Company and Niaouleni Gold Inc. ("Niaouleni Gold") pursuant to which the Company has the option to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Niaouleni Gold Mali SARL ("Niaouleni Mali"), which holds a 100% interest in a gold and group 2 mineral substances research and exploration permit located in the Republic of Mali (the "Niaouleni Permit").

The independent directors of the Company recommend that shareholders of the Company vote FOR the Transaction.

Background on the Transaction

Touba Mining SARL ("Touba") of Bamako Mali has been in control of the Niaouleni Permit for almost 20 years and has optioned the Niaouleni Permit to companies in the past. The last company to have optioned the permit failed to complete work commitments and pay renewal fees resulting in the DNGM/Mali Ministry of Mines (the "Ministry") revoking the Niaouleni Permit and Touba re-acquiring the permit from the Ministry after it committed to a very substantial work commitment. Gregory Isenor, a director and officer of the Company, assisted Touba with respect to re-acquiring the Niaouleni Permit. As consideration for his assistance, Gregory Isenor received an interest in the Niaouleni Permit through a 50% interest in Niaouleni Gold. After re-acquiring the Niaouleni Permit, Touba Mining attempted to find a party to advance the Niaouleni Permit through conducting exploration work.

The initial party that reviewed the Niaouleni Permit spent considerable time and expenses conducting due diligence of the Niaouleni Permit, however ultimately felt that they did not want to overextend them selves beyond their existing core assets.

In order for the Company to perform its analysis of the value of the Niaouleni Permit, the Company obtained all of the due diligence materials from the initial party that reviewed the Niaouleni Permit and granted a right of first offer (the "ROFO") to the initial party for the data. After the ROFO was executed, an independent director of the Company, commenced negotiations with the principal of Touba. On August 27, 2021, a letter of intent was executed between the Company and Niaouleni Gold.

Analysis

In making its assessment of the approximate value of the Niaouleni Permit the independent directors used a modified appraised value method and a review of comparable transactions.

Modified Appraisal Value Method

The modified appraisal value method involved the Company reviewing and weighting all of the applicable project historical exploration expenditures incurred on the Niaouleni Permit as detailed in a geological report prepared by ACA Howe International Limited. Based on these materials, the Company ascribed a value of the previous exploration work on the Niaouleni Permit at a minimum of $1,560,000 and a maximum of $2,090,000.

Comparable Transactions

The independent directors also conducted an analysis of comparable transactions, reviewing three arm's length transactions involving mineral properties in the same geographic region as the Niaouleni Permit. The value of these transactions varied in value from a minimum of $1,500,000 to a maximum of $2,926,000, with the average value of $2,008,667.

Conclusion

Based on the valuation methods (modified appraisal value and comparable transactions analysis) as set out above, the independent directors felt that $1,525,000 was fair value of the Niaouleni Permit. In addition, as a result of the independent directors felt that a slightly higher valuation would be considered if the option agreement was extended to a three year period with the more substantial payments occurring in the later part of the option period to allow the Company to adequately explore the Niaouleni Permit prior to making option payments.

Related Party Transaction

Gregory Isenor, an insider, director and officer of the Company is also a director, officer and shareholder of Niaouleni Gold and is considered an "insider" within the meaning of the policies of the TSXV. In addition, Mr. Gregory Isenor's management positions and share ownership in both the Company and Niaouleni Gold, the Transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Accordingly, pursuant to MI 61-101, the Transaction is subject to the minority shareholder approval and the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101. The Company has not received any valuations with respect to the Transaction and is relying on the exemption from the valuation requirement set out in Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, due to the fact that that the Company is not listed on one of the specified markets set out in Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101. The Company will be seeking the approval of the disinterested shareholders at the Meeting to be held on November 12, 2021. Pursuant to the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, the votes attached to Common Shares held by Gregory Isenor and his associates will be excluded from voting on the Transaction. Based on information provided to the Company, votes attaching to an aggregate of 2,047,100 Common Shares, representing approximately 12.12% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, will be excluded from voting on the Transaction. Pursuant to MI 61-101, the resolution approving the Transaction must be approved by a simple majority of affirmative votes cast by the shareholders, other than votes attaching to Common Shares held by Gregory Isenor and his associates.

The independent directors of the Company determined that the option agreement would be in the best interests of the Company. A written resolution of the board of directors of the Company was executed by all of the directors of the Company, with Gregory Isenor's signature being necessary to ensure compliance with Section 117(1) of the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "Act"), and not a vote in favour of the resolution in accordance with Section 120(5) of the Act. No materially contrary vote was expressed by any of the independent directors who executed the resolution.

Reactivation

It is intended that the Transaction will result in the reactivation of the Company pursuant to the regulations of the TSXV, and the graduation of the Company from the NEX to a listing of the Company on the TSXV. The Company has applied to the TSXV for reactivation. The Company is currently addressing comments from TSXV staff with respect to a National Instrument 43-101 technical report as part of the reactivation application.

For more information, please contact:

Regan Isenor

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (902) 233-4381

Email: risenor@syllagold.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and includes those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102224
Everlaw, an Oakland, California-based provider of a cloud-native investigation and litigation platform, raised $202m in Series D funding.

Backers included H.I.G. Growth, TPG and existing investors CapitalG, Menlo Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz and K9 Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to expand go-to-market efforts, channel partnerships, and product innovation.

Led by CEO and Founder AJ Shankar, Everlaw provides a cloud-native investigation and litigation platform for government entities, law firms and corporations to solve tough problems in the legal industry. Its platform is built for collaboration from anywhere on tasks central to the practice of litigation and investigation. It is used by Fortune 100 corporate counsels and household brands such as Hilton and Dicks Sporting Goods, 76 out of the AM Law 100 and all 50 U.S. state attorneys general. Other new customer contracts include the Colorado State Attorney General and corporations such as Lime, Snowflake and Coca-Cola Europe.

This year, the company launched Storybuilder by Everlaw, a no-cost case preparation software platform, delivering a fully collaborative environment to build case strategy. Other key innovations include Slack and Microsoft Office 365 connectors, which allow for rapid ingestion and review of data on those platforms, and a legal holds tool to assist with defensible preservation of evidence.

FinSMEs

05/11/2021
Tampa, FL (33646)

Today

Mostly cloudy this morning with showers developing this afternoon. High 81F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
 Unlimited website access 24/7

 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7

 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more!

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.
Quote: 85e150 Originally Posted by Welcome to FTE!



I moved you here from Genera Diesel because you have a pretty specific question.



As to the story, I do not know the breakdown of corporate, government or individual ownership.



Trucktrader has a bunch. Watch the GVWR as these can run past the magical 26001 GVWR.



Several folks here have them and can chime in.



I think the Cummins is seen to be underpowered.



Brakes are a concern, and some years would have the good but expensive Lucas Girling hydraulic brakes.

Quote: jovol Originally Posted by I bought a 95 f800 with an 8.3 on proxibid this past february for around $6k. Auction sites are likely your best bet for finding one, and finding one for a good deal. 14' flatbed dump and a 4 ton knuckleboom between the cab and bed. about 250k unverified miles (speedometer/odometer wasn't working when I bought it). Appears to originally have been a US forest service truck, later sold to a private tree business who auctioned it off. I've put a number of hours of work into her, and probably ~$1500 in parts. engine/transmission are sound, just peripherals and such that need to be maintained since it is a CMV (33k gvwr).



It's got a 2 speed rear with 4.30/6.00 final drive ratio. In high she'll top out at 75mph on a downhill, generally run her at 60-65 on the highway unloaded. Lots of hills in western NC, so when loaded with logs she slows down quite a bit on the uphills. Air brakes are great. The cummins seams to be stout, although not very quick. Easy to get engine parts from any cummins dealer.

Quote: Destroked 450 Originally Posted by Is there a reason your wanting the heavier classed F-800 over a F-600 or F-700

F-800 with a 8.3 Cummins will be a 93 or newer, prier models used the 7.8 Ford diesel

The smaller 5.9 Cummins like used in Dodge pickups would be found in the F-600/F-700 models also 93 or newer, prier F-600 models used the 6.6 Ford diesel while the F-700 usually had a derated 8.3, but that's just the norm, I've seen a F-800 with a 7.3 power stroke



I own a 93 F-800 with 8.3 Cummins and Allison automatic but it doesn't have the flip front normally found on that model

Could've sworn I replied... guess I didn't, or forgot.I've seen those trucktrader ones. They seem to be alright including the prices and all... just wish they didn't have heavy equipment (somewhat to be expected?). Yeah, I almost forgot about the GVWR, so thanks for the reminder on that...Lucas Girling hydraulic brakes... I'm worried about the prices on those ones. I'm hoping I find a truck with good Lucas Girling's.Thanks for telling me about Proxibid! Looks like a promising site with promising results. As for the truck... wow. Sounds like a nice HEAVY (in caps for emphasis) duty truck. I've seen the 8.3 versions. The 8.3s are cool...but I prefer the 5.9. It's lighter, and seems to have more aftermarket support, among other things. Might be a little underpowered, yes, but I could always tune it a little (auto transmission is a concern though).And speaking of transmissions and rear-end gear ratio... is that a manual transmission as well? The 2 speed sounds kinda convenient, but probably overkill for me. I'd have to choose a ring and pinion set that will work out for me best.Is there a reason... besides price (and looks?), not really. Just happened to come across an F800 and thought 'that looks like a nice truck,' and that it's a platform I want to work with/on.I'm hoping to get a model between the years 1994-1998 with the 5.9... don't hate me for this, but I don't seem to like the front look of the older ones as much.
We welcome your letters and columns!

Use the button below to send us your thoughts.

Remember:

Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published.

Submit
Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below.
Military service is a family tradition for the Esparzas of Gatesville: Manuel served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, Stan served in the infantry during Vietnam and Allison served as a military nurse during Vietnam.

Stan, who was born on July 11, 1920 and celebrated his 101st birthday this year, was inducted into the military on Aug. 22, 1942.

He said he was a jack of all trades during his service in the Army Air Corps (before the Air Force was formed).

In addition to being a marksman, he worked as a carpenter and did whatever tasks he was assigned, from cooking eggs for breakfast to loading planes, delivering mail and doing laundry.

He earned a Bronze Star for valor, seeing action in New Guinea and the Philippines while the U.S. forces were battling the Japanese.

Dad saw combat, and when they were building an airstrip in New Guinea was killed right next to him, Stan said.

The Japanese bombed the airstrip, and Manuel found a detonator which he kept as a souvenir.

I was in the Army Air Corps, but I didnt fly airplanes, Manuel said. I did everything else you could think of.

He built a lot of buildings, Stan said.

It was when he was stationed in Florida that Manuel met his wife and Stans mother, Felda. Stan said Manuel remains active, including repairing lawnmowers, and is a frequent guest of El Tapatio restaurant.

It was Nov. 22, 1965 when Stan became a draftee, and he went to Fort Polk (in Louisiana) for basic training.

We were so happy to be there, he joked. On a bus ride one of the soldiers flipped off a police officer, who stopped us and told the sergeant.

Can you describe him? the sergeant asked, and the officer, looking at a group of men wearing the same green uniforms and with the same haircut, dropped the issue and walked away.

After four months of training, which included basic as well as advanced infantry training, Stan served as part of the 4th Infantry Division and was sent to Pleiku, in Vietnams Central Highlands in 1966.

Stan saw combat on multiple occasions during his 13-month tour of duty, and was injured by shrapnel during one firefight. He earned a Purple Heart during his service.

That was right before the Tet offensive (a massive attack by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops on more than 100 South Vietnamese cities and installations), so we were pretty busy, he said.

After his stint in Vietnam, Stan returned to California, and because he has been sick with malaria on multiple occasions, was sent to an Army hospital in Denver.

I met a nurse there named Allison, who turned out to be a Vietnam veteran, too, Stan said.

The former Allison McIntyre was in Vietnam from April 1966 to April 1967 .

I was in nursing school in San Francisco and the Army was recruiting nurses, she said. Forty-two of us graduated, and six of us went into the Army.

Allison was sent to Fort Polk, and her roommate and friend met a soldier there that led to them going to Vietnam.

She was in love and she told me that we had to go to Vietnam, Allison recalled. While we were over there her dad died so she left, and I stayed in Vietnam by myself.

After she and Stan were married, they spent 20 years in California and then moved to Gatesville in 1990. Allison worked as a nurse for the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Temple before working as an instructor in the nursing school at Central Texas College.

I taught at CTC for 13 years, she said. I taught a lot of nurses in this town during the very beginning of their careers.

Allison and Stan have a grandson, Gavin Williamson, age 11, who Stan described as a big World War II buff.

He goes over to Dads and looks through everything, and one of the things he got was a footlocker from when Dad served that was marked 1943. He just thought that was the coolest thing ever.
An 80-year-old Corvallis woman survived the night in an Alsea forest after getting lost during the day last month. She recently shared her harrowing tale.

Valerie Lake was mushroom hunting with her husband John Vansickle on Friday, Oct. 29 in the Alsea Falls area when the couple suddenly got separated. Before she knew it, Lake was all alone in the old growth forest surrounded by trees.

When looking for mushrooms, you tend to look at the ground and lose your orientation, Lake said.

Vansickle searched for Lake for about two hours but couldnt locate her. She told herself her husband either would find her or call the local authorities.

Vansickle did the latter.

According to a Facebook post from the Benton County Sheriffs Office, Vansickle reported his wife missing at around 6:30 p.m. that night.

The Facebook post said the BCSO, Marys Peak Search and Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit, Benton County Sheriff's Mounted Posse and Region 3 K9 Search & Rescue Units were called in to help with the search.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

The forest after dark

As it began to get dark, Lake realized that she probably wouldnt make it out of the forest until the next morning.

Fortunately, her experience as a backpacker and camper kicked in. Lake said she spent time camping in Zimbabwe when she lived there, so she wasnt particularly scared in the moment in Alsea.

I was level-headed because Im experienced in the outdoors.  Im just happy I wasnt in Zimbabwe because the lions would have gotten me, she said.

Lake added that she didnt come into contact with any hostile animals. She was a little nervous about coyotes but didnt encounter any.

Knowing that it was going to get cold, she made sure to move different parts of her body throughout the night to avoid hypothermia. Lake also knew finding water was an important part of making it through the night.

She had no water

Her water bottle was with her husband, so instead, Lake sucked water out of lichen and leaves.

During the night, the search and rescue team utilized whistles, dogs and horns to try and alert Lake. However, she wasnt wearing her hearing aids like she usually does, and she thought the whistles were coming from an owl.

According to Vansickle, at one point during the search, a member of the K9 unit caught onto Lakes scent but eventually lost it. The search and rescue team called it a night at around 1 a.m.

Search & rescue calls it a night

Lake spent the night trying her best to stay warm. When the daylight finally came, she decided she needed to craft a plan and find a way out.

When dawn came, I couldnt tell which way was east and which was west, she said.

As she started walking through the forest, Lake noticed a group of planted trees that were not old growth. She deduced there must be a road nearby.

She headed toward the trees and found a trail which she followed until she made it to the Alsea Falls access road.

I made it to a road and walked down, hoping a car would pass by, she said.

Campers get an abrupt awakening

She eventually made it to the forest campgrounds and woke up some campers. The camp host had been alerted by BCSO about Lake, so the host drove her to where the rescue team and her husband were stationed.

According to BCSO, Lake received a full medical examination before going home. Lake said she made it out without any injuries  and even avoided getting a cold.

Members of the Sheriffs Office told Lake she wasnt the first person to get lost hunting for mushrooms in the forest, she added.

She wasn't the only anxious one

Vansickle said he was pretty stressed while Lake was lost, but the search and rescue team impressed him with their dedication to finding his wife.

I spent my time observing the search and rescue team, most of whom were volunteers, Vansickle said. They were remarkable.

He was extremely grateful for their time and efforts.

The Sheriffs Office expressed similar sentiments.

Thanks again to our volunteers for your efforts, BCSO said in the Facebook post. We know you don't do it for recognition, but want the community to know what amazing resources our office has to keep the community safe.

Lake was obviously thankful to all of the people who participated in the search. Although the team didnt technically find her, she hopes community members will see how valuable the search and rescue team is.

They seem to be so willing to go out and find people, she said.

Lake also urges people to be prepared when they go out in the forest and to stay next to the person they come with so they dont find themselves lost among the trees.

Have a compass, have a whistle, have a plan, she said.

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_

Love 13 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 47F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Holberton School to open a new campus in Guatemala in January 2022, in partnership with Anahuac University and Banco G&T Continental. This will be the 29th Holberton School campus in the world.



SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Holberton School , a project-based college alternative educating the next generation of software engineers, announced that it will open a new campus in Guatemala City, Guatemala, in partnership with Anahuac University and Banco G&T Continental . This new campus in Guatemala City will offer better access to education to hundreds of Guatemalans, and will support the government initiative to create more jobs for the 4th industrial revolution.

Maria Eugenia Tabush, director of the Guatemala Investment Promotion Office shows their goals, as well as the impact that the school will have on the local economy:

Guatemala seeks to develop 2.5 million formal jobs. One of the areas we are focusing on is software development. We are sure that Holberton School will find in Guatemala a seedbed and will help to create a much greater supply of human labor than what already exists.

In addition, Anahuac Online and Banco G&T Continental will offer the first 100 students a scholarship and an educational credit option. This will open opportunities to promote the education and development of Guatemalans in the most innovative careers in the digital world.

Guatemala city will be the first location for Holberton School in Guatemala and in the Central America region. The Campus Tecnologico , in zone 4 of Guatemala City - the major tech ecosystem of the region - will host this new campus. It will offer Guatemalans the opportunity to be an important part of the digital transformation process. As shown by Juan Mini, director of the Tec Campus:

We have always thought that the software engineering educational part is something that is missing in the country, and thats why we thanks Holberton for coming to Guatemala and contributing to an important part of our technological innovation ecosystem.

The launch of Holberton School in Guatemala answers an urgent need for high-skilled professionals in software engineering:

Technology and the digital world is not the future but the present, and thanks to programs like Holberton's we will be able to put Guatemala on the map.

Said Sebastian del Buey, Corporate Marketing Manager of Banco G&T Continental.

At G&T Continental we have been working to provide Guatemalans with the best financial products and services for them to achieve their dreams []. In this case, the idea is to support this new milestone in education in Guatemala, through our products and services.

About Holberton School

A world-class education should be available to everyone  regardless of background, gender, or ethnicity. Thats why Holbertons college alternative program is offering students multiple ways to finance their tuition. Graduates have gone to work as software engineers at top employers, including Apple, MercadoLibre, Pinterest, Google, Rappi, and LinkedIn. Holberton School trains software engineers in both practical knowledge and theory by utilizing project-based and peer learning. Co-founded in Silicon Valley by Julien Barbier, Holberton School has campuses all over the world.

Go to www.holbertonschool.com to learn more.

About Anahuac University

With more than 50 years of history, Anahuac University is currently part of the 500 best universities in the world. Today, Anahuac has more than 60 undergraduate options and 200 postgraduate programs, distributed on thirteen campuses around the world. More than 90 thousand alumni attest to the mission of the Universidad Anahuac: Contribute to the comprehensive training of positive action leaders and promote the development of the person and the society.

About Banco G&T Continental

Banco G&T Continental is a Guatemalan bank based on three pillars : Being a human, agile and reliable group. With more than 60 years of experience on the market, Grupo Financiero G&T Continental reaffirms its avant-garde position and leadership in the country.

San Francisco, California

10/19/2021
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DSS, Inc. (DSS or the Company) (NYSE American: DSS), a multinational company operating business segments in blockchain security, direct marketing, healthcare, consumer packaging, real estate, renewable energy, and securitized digital assets, today announced its majority-owned subsidiary, American Medical REIT Inc. ("AMRE"), has acquired three hospitals (the Hospitals) located in Fort Worth, Texas, Plano, Texas and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The aggregate purchase price for the Hospitals was $62 million. The Hospitals are currently tenanted and operated by LifeCare Hospitals (together with its affiliates, LifeCare Hospitals), a specialty hospital operator with a focus on long-term acute and critical care.

The Hospitals acquired by AMRE are currently under an 18-year lease with eleven years remaining and an option to renew for an additional five years. The Hospitals have a total capacity of 195 hospital beds spanning a gross floor area of approximately 320,000 square feet. The Hospitals are located near densely populated and fast-growing areas, within close proximity to state highways, making them easily accessible by patients and clients. Additionally, the Hospitals have been accredited by The Joint Commission and are Medicare-certified. In 2015, the Hospitals were awarded the Quality Respiratory Care Recognition accolade issued by the American Association of Respiratory Care.

LifeCare Hospitals has lengthy experience in operating long term and acute care facilities. Since 1992, LifeCare Hospitals early intervention and early mobilization treatment program addresses those patients that require a length of stay greater than 5 days in the ICU/Critical care setting. LifeCare Hospitals provides these patients with additional resources that are not normally provided in traditional hospital settings to enhance the recovery process. LifeCare Hospitals operates a behavioral health hospital in Pittsburgh that delivers innovative behavioral health care by providing patient centered therapeutic interventions in a safe, compassionate, and personalized recovery environment.

These acquisitions represent a significant expansion of our real estate operations, stated Frank D. Heuszel, CEO of DSS. While other areas within commercial real estate have been impacted by the ongoing pandemic, medical real estate has demonstrated considerable resiliency. With a now formidable foundation in place, we are in a great position to pursue further opportunities to expand AMRE as we continue to execute on our strategic growth plans.

Following AMREs maiden acquisition of Ivy Brook Medical Center in July this year, we are pleased to report AMRE has expanded its portfolio with three additional quality hospitals which we believe will position us to create sustainable dividends and build value for our shareholders over the long term, commented Mr. Heng Fai Chan, Executive Chairman of the Company. We continue to believe that the medical REIT space is a scalable and lucrative business model resilient to macroeconomic fluctuations. Looking ahead, we intend to focus our attention on advancing additional acquisitions through our pipeline of high-quality healthcare assets so as to accelerate growth for AMRE.

In connection with the acquisition of the Hospitals, DSS Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of DSS, loaned AMRE $0.8 million and American Pacific Bancorp, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of DSS, loaned AMRE $13.9 million.

About DSS, Inc.

DSS is a multinational company operating business segments in blockchain security, direct marketing, healthcare, consumer packaging, real estate, renewable energy, and securitized digital assets. Its business model is based on a distribution sharing system in which shareholders receive shares in its subsidiaries as DSS strategically unlocks value through IPO spin offs. Under new leadership since 2019, DSS has built the necessary foundation for sustainable growth through the acquisition and formation of a diversified portfolio of companies positioned to drive profitability in five high-growth sectors. These companies offer innovative, flexible, and real-world solutions that not only meet customer needs, but create sustainable value and opportunity for transformation.

For more information on DSS visit http://www.dsssecure.com.

About American Medical REIT Inc.

AMRE provides financing solutions to leading medical operators by acquiring licensed patient treatment facilities in various communities and delivering reliable, secure, and competitive cash returns to our investors. AMRE focuses on credit worthy single-tenant, single property transactions in the $10-$60M range and portfolio deals of larger scale, having initial rental yield in the 7-9% range and to pay a quarterly dividend up to 8% in annualized yield to the investors.

For more information, please visit: www.americanmedreit.com.

Investor Contact:

Dave Gentry, CEO

RedChip Companies Inc.

407-491-4498

Dave@redchip.com

Safe Harbor Disclosure

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company's intended use of proceeds and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include: risks relating to our growth strategy; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; risks relating to the results of development activities; our ability to attract, integrate and retain key personnel; our need for substantial additional funds; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the prospectus and in our other filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, our reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q, all of which can be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management's current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
TORONTO, Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Denarius or the Company) (TSXV: DSLV) is pleased to announce the voting results of the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held today. The detailed results of the votes for each matter to be acted upon are set out below:



Item Description of Matter Outcome Voted Voted (%) 1. Fixing the number of directors at seven Approved For 99,365,170

Against 19,100 99.981%

0.019% 2. The election of the following individuals as directors of the Corporation to hold office until the next annual meeting of the Corporation or until their successors are appointed or elected: Serafino Iacono Approved For 99,366,170

Withheld 18,100 99.982%

0.018% Lombardo Paredes Arenas Approved For 99,355,170

Withheld 29,100 99.971%

0.029% Paul Sparkes Approved For 99,368,270

Withheld 16,000 99.984%

0.016% Jeffrey Couch Approved For 99,383,270

Withheld 1,000 99.999%

0.001% Jesus Perez Approved For 99,373,170

Withheld 11,100 99.989%

0.011% Gino Vitale Approved For 99,375,270

Withheld 9,000 99.991%

0.009% Francisco Sole Approved For 99,362,170

Withheld 22,100 99.978%

0.022% 3. Appointment of KPMG LLP as auditors of the Corporation at a remuneration to be fixed by the directors Approved For 99,507,225

Withheld 9,000 99.991%

0.009% 4. Approval of an ordinary resolution reapproving the stock option plan of the Corporation which fixes the maximum aggregate number of shares for issuance under the plan at 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation, as more particularly described in the management information circular of the Corporation dated October 4, 2021 (the Circular) Approved For 99,347,070

Against 37,200 99.963%

0.037% 5. Approval of a special resolution to alter the Corporations Notice of Articles to remove the application of the Pre-existing Company Provisions as defined in the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) from the Corporation, as more particularly described in the Circular Approved For 99,375,270

Against 9,000 99.991%

0.009% 6. Approval of a special resolution to delete and cancel the Corporations current Articles in their entirety and create and adopt new Articles including the adoption of new special rights and restrictions attached to the Preference Shares of the Corporation, as more particularly described in the Circular Approved For 98,610,269

Against 774,001 99.221%

0.779%

About Denarius

Denarius is a Canadian-listed public company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and eventual operation of mining projects in high-grade districts, with its principal focus on the Lomero-Poyatos Project in Spain and the Guia Antigua Project in Colombia. The Company also owns the Zancudo Project in Colombia which is currently being explored by IAMGOLD Corp. pursuant to an option agreement for the exploration and potential purchase of an interest in the project.

Additional information on Denarius can be found on its website at www.denariussilver.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

DENARIUS SILVER CORP.

Serafino Iacono, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO

Email: investors@denariussilver.com

Website: www.denariussilver.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, forwardlooking statements. Forwardlooking statements may be identified by words including anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, expects and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forwardlooking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, listing of the Warrants and use of proceeds from the Financing are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forwardlooking statements.
Montreal, Canada, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Frank And Oaks latest winter coat retains the companys use of sustainable materials and combines vintage-inspired styling with the latest advances in insulation and weatherproofing. They can be purchased in-store or from the companys website.

More details can be found at: https://ca.frankandoak.com/pages/mens-sustainable-winter-outerwear

Available in Atlantic green, black, and walnut, the new Plateau parka utilizes a recycled polyester shell and 100% recycled polyester lining. A number of additional features make it a versatile and heavy-duty garment for outdoor activities.

The new jacket uses Frank And Oaks Featherless Primaloft insulation and can be used in temperatures ranging from -25C to -20C. The insulation fibres mimic the warmth and appearance of natural down while remaining free of animal-based materials. In addition, this innovative material resists the clumping tendencies of natural down fillings.

Two outer layers of semi-dull recycled polyester fabric with hydrophilic lamination provide water and wind resistance, making the parkas suitable for use in harsh winter conditions. NATULON zipper tapes are also made from recycled materials, including PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and POM (acetal).

Frank And Oak also considered functionality as one of the core requirements for the new coat. It features a toggled hood and waist, as well as ribbed cuffs to provide additional protection. Side pockets with fleece lining keep hands warm, and 3 internal pockets provide users with additional storage away from the elements.

The company suggests that these vintage-inspired jackets will suit a variety of styles and uses. Sizes from XS through to XXL are available, and the garments are machine washable.

About Frank And Oak

Starting from humble beginnings in a former kitchen, Frank And Oak has grown to encompass multiple stores throughout Canada and the US. The founders have maintained an ongoing ethos of sustainable practices along with unique styling.

As a Canadian company, Frank And Oaks garments are designed to reflect the relationship that local people have with the natural environment. Functionality is combined with innovative materials to create the most modern and up-to-date products, and the new Plateau parka combines all these features in a stylish and heavy-duty garment.

Interested parties can learn more by visiting: https://www.frankandoak.com/collections/men-coats

Website: https://ca.frankandoak.com




SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  BOTS, Inc. (OTC: BTZI), ("BOTS" or "The Company"), a global technology conglomerate specialized in Blockchain-based solutions including decentralized finance applications, cybersecurity, crypto generation, mining equipment repair, and warranties announced today announced that our first class of 14 students graduated from the basic Bitmain miners' repairs training course, conducted by the Company's Subsidiary TekX Mining & Gaming PC Solutions LLC. Graduates are now able to provide maintenance services and repair Bitmain mining rigs using original parts in a timely and efficient manner. TekX certified, trained, and experienced electronics engineers will also assist graduates to remotely diagnose miner malfunctions providing professional advice while helping with repair equipment as we supply original parts for the repairs. TekX graduates will be repairing the majority of Bitmain's Antminer brand models, including S17, S17 Pro, S17+, T17, T17e, S19 - 90TH, S19 - 95TH, S19 Pro - 105TH, S19 Pro - 110TH.



BOTS, Inc. announced earlier that the Company would offer its TekX Accelerated Training at its Parkersburg campus. Those 2-week advanced programs will provide students with knowledge of Bitcoin mining repairs technology and state-of-the-industry miner diagnostics, electrical, and mining technologies.

In addition to providing high-tech training, TekX is conducting research on cutting-edge immersion-cooling mining technologies. Immersion-cooling is a revolutionary technology where Bitcoin mining rigs are submerged in a specialized liquid that is circulated, keeping the hash-boards integrated circuits cooler and operating at lower temperatures. Based on industry data immersion-cooling test results, an estimated 25% -30% increase in hash rate is expected from lower temperatures.

TekX is utilizing the most advanced technologies such as ultrasonic cleaners, clean rooms, automated soldering gear, and other state-of-the-art equipment in order to ensure that customers' rigs are operating without interruption and generating the maximum ROI.

Cryptocurrency mining has become very popular in the past years as investors embrace the crypto asset to diversify their wealth in addition to the traditional stock market.

As previously announced, BTZI is the first public company to offer bitcoin miner warranties to operators in North America. The extended miner warranty program will initially be covering Bitmain manufactured miners, but soon, BTZI will add coverage for Canaan Inc miners, MicroBT Whatsminer, and other leading bitcoin miner manufacturers. The Company announced earlier the availability of bitcoin mining repairs through an authorized national bitcoin miners' repair center, which is now fully operational through our new subsidiary.

Around 3,000,000 bitcoin miners are in operation in the U.S. and about 2,000,000 in Canada.

BTZI estimates the extended bitcoin miners' warranty market size could quickly exceed $1.2 billion in the U.S.

BOTS, Inc. has under consideration a $1 million investment from a past supportive investor regarding a private, restrictive placement which will enable greater expansion of its operations upon favorable terms being successfully completed. BTZI is also developing a 10MW self-mining facility in WV.

BOTS, Inc. is the first to build an approach to the bitcoin miners' extended warranties  providing a cost-effective and efficient way for Bitcoin mining farm operators to buy warranty contracts and file claims against them which allows Bitcoin miners in North America to take their mining business to the next level. The warranty covers labor on all components of the bitcoin mining rig, including the availability of remote monitoring services, mining rig hardware coverage, and racking systems.

About BOTS, Inc.

BOTS, Inc. is a global technology company specialized in Blockchain-based solutions, including decentralized finance applications, cybersecurity solutions, and owns a portfolio of digital assets and crypto-related businesses such as BeadSwap, a decentralized crypto exchange, Bitcoin ATM machines, and corresponding U.S. patents and Cyber Security Group LLC, an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management System certified company. The Company also provides crypto mining consulting, optimization, and crypto mining equipment repair and insurance.

Track BTZI news on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/Bots.Bz/.

Follow BTZI news on Twitter @Bots_bz http://www.Twitter.com/Bots_bz

Find BTZI news at http://www.bots.bz

Bots, Inc. has been featured in media nationwide, including CNBC, Bloomberg, TheStreet.com.

For more information, visit http://www.bots.bz

Visit BTZI on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Bots.Bz/

Follow BTZI on Twitter @Bots_bz

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as may be disclosed in the Company's filings. In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors, including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release, and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release. Such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the Company's website and filings.

Contact:

Oleksandr Gordieiev

CEO

info@bots.bz
ST PETER PORT, GUERNSEY, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via Blockchain Wire) Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have been around for some time now. However, following a few big press stories earlier this year, one being digital artist Beeple selling an NFT for $69 million, its only in recent months that weve seen some big players in the art world, such as Damien Hirst and Sothebys auction house, join in the NFT party.









This is where RedKite comes in to cut the noise. With a founding team built heavily of contemporary art professionals - one being renowned street artist and pioneer in the exploration of graffiti letter forms Ben Eine - the RedKite platform is fully curated, with a focus on artists who already have a big following and are widely collected in the physical art world. The teams deep ties to current practicing artists and their ability to bring in valuable contemporary names creates a one stop shop for premium digital art collecting.









In 2001, [American art dealer and curator] Jeffrey Deitch said the Street Art Movement was the biggest art movement in the world. I agreed with him at the time. Were now in 2021 and although it blows my mind, I believe digital art is the future. RedKites set up, where artists get to create physical pieces that relate to the digital works, makes more sense to me. Ben Eine, street artist

With all of the artwork on the platform being carefully selected by RedKites in-house curatorial team, who between them have many years experience in running galleries, publishing limited editioned art and shaping artists careers, a close partnership that helps facilitate this lies with Ourtypes, an international art studio managing some of the most leading street artists and graffiti writers in the world.

Ourtypes impressive projects include a mural on the London Eye and the production of one of the largest paintings ever created in partnership with Zippo. The cumulative following of Ourtypes and its artists currently sits at around 3 million and the volume of interest in the group is expected to significantly grow as their artists gain further exposure and continue to create ground-breaking work.

As an active studio thats constantly working on new projects and embracing new technology, Ourtypes like the concept of the NFT space, and many of their artists, including Eine, whose work was once gifted to President Obama by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, have been dipping their toes in the digital medium for some time, but it wasnt until they spoke to RedKite that it the idea resonated.

Juan Topping of Ourtypes said: Wed been approached by a lot of NFT spaces in the past, with everyone wanting to work with our artists, however, it wasnt until we heard about RedKites idea of the artists producing physical works to create asset backed NFTs that it all seemed to make sense.

Cementing this new relationship, Eine and other artists from the Ourtypes family are likely to be the first in line for RedKites debut NFT drops, paving the way for other leading artists to jump on board.

On top of all this RedKite is looking to utilise some of the best tech in the space as well as bringing innovative solutions to the table. They will also be introducing some of the first asset-backed NFTs into the space. This means that each NFT bought and sold is associated with an original piece of work, such as a painting, that physically exists and will be publicly exhibited. By doing this, not only does a collector get to own part of a piece of art that exists in the real world, but it also means the value of the associated NFTs will not fall below a certain point. This is, due to them representing a fraction of a physical artwork that will hold its value or, more likely, increase in value as time goes on.

Environmental issues are often addressed when talking about NFTs and RedKite takes this seriously, offering carbon-neutral transactions. They aim to make this possible by offsetting their energy usage that is used on the Layer 2 of the Ethereum Network that they run on.

With this new platform, Redkite is looking to continue the development of the growing contemporary art market by bringing art collecting into the current digital climate.

Powered by blockchain technology to break down ownership of high-value pieces, their aim is to ultimately increase accessibility and utility for all.

Alongside the platform, RedKite will also be launching the KITE token, with its main utility deriving from running a Collectors Club. Avid investors can sign up to find out more information about how a public sale will be run via the RedKite website, Twitter and Telegram. Those that want premium NFTs can expect first drops to happen in December, with visual content appearing via instagram.

RedKite will be running a competition in order to excite and strengthen the community. Prices will include an original work of art by Ben Eine, five prints provided by Ourtypes, NFTs and Token Prizes. In order to find out more head over to the RedKite website and subscribe.

If you wish to learn more about the team's extensive background and technicalities of the project visit RedKite and read through their whitepaper.





Links:

https://www.redkitenft.com

https://twitter.com/RedKiteNFT

https://t.me/RedKiteNFT

https://www.instagram.com/redkitenft/














Oslo, 5 November 2021 - Adevinta ASA (ADE) (Adevinta or the Company) disclosed today historical segment information. This information is available in the document attached to this press release.

The purpose of this document is to provide a track record of consolidated quarterly segment information for the fiscal years ended 31 December 2019 and 2020, and the period ended 30 June 2021, for the group (the Group) resulting from the acquisition of eBay Classifieds Group by Adevinta on 25 June 2021.

The information disclosed reflects the results of the Group, as if it had existed during the periods presented. It does not include the contribution of joint ventures that are not 100% consolidated (namely OLX Brasil and Willhaben).

As of Q3 2021, Adevinta will implement changes in the financial reporting structure. The segment disclosed here represents the revised reporting structure of the Group and, therefore, the segments that will be presented in the consolidated annual financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021.

Adevinta has identified France, Mobile.de, European Markets, International Markets and Headquarters and Others as operating segments, based on the internal reporting structure. This reflects how the operating results will be reviewed and managed, and how performance will be assessed by Group Management going forward, following the acquisition of eCG.

-End-



IR contact

Marie de Scobiac

Head of Investor Relations

ir@adevinta.com

Anne-Sophie Jugean

Investor Relations Manager

+33 6 74 19 22 81

ir@adevinta.com





About Adevinta

Adevinta is a global online classifieds specialist, operating digital marketplaces in 16 countries. The company provides technology-based services to connect buyers with sellers and to facilitate transactions, from job offers to real estate, cars, consumer goods and more. Adevinta's portfolio spans more than 40 digital brands, covering one billion people and attracting approximately three billion average monthly visits. Leading brands include top-ranked leboncoin in France, Germany's leading classifieds sites mobile.de and eBay Kleinanzeigen, Marktplaats in the Netherlands, Kijiji in Canada, fotocasa and InfoJobs in Spain, and 50% of fast-growing OLX Brasil. Adevinta spun off from Schibsted ASA and publicly listed in Oslo, Norway in 2019. Adevinta employs almost 7,000 people committed to supporting users and customers daily. Find out more at Adevinta.com.

***

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachment
Toronto, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Minister of Finance, the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, delivered the provincial Fall Economic Statement (FES) in the Ontario legislature on November 4th, 2021. Entitled, Build Ontario: 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, the FES outlines the governments plan to build the foundation for the provinces recovery and prosperity by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure, attracting increased investment, and building capacity across numerous economic sectors.

The Fall Economic Statement, delivered today, charts an important direction for economic recovery and prosperity in communities big and small across Ontario, noted OHBA President Bob Schickedanz. The home building and professional renovation sectors are poised and ready to build Ontario to ensure that our province remains the very best place to live, work and play.

OHBA welcomes and supports a number of key components of the FES which are aimed at building Ontario. As part of the FES, the provincial government has indicated its goal to move forward with both the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413. The Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 represent critical transportation infrastructure that will enhance the movement of people, goods and services necessary to address the real growth pressures of today and in the imminent and longer-term future needs so that more Ontario families can achieve the great Canadian dream of home ownership.

The province also plans to renew the Seniors Home Safety Tax Credit. This program supports 25 % of renovation costs up to $10,000 in eligible expenses for a seniors principal residence in Ontario that are completed in 2022. The 2022 extension would provide an estimated $35 million in support for approximately 32,000 people, or $1,100, on average, up to a maximum benefit of $2,500. These are renovations that help Ontario seniors age safely in place in the comfort in their own homes, help ensure positive health outcomes and are made possible thanks to our professional renovator members who complete these transformative projects.

Building Ontario also includes important investments in transportation and infrastructure. The FES reiterates that the government is committed to Transit-Oriented Communities on priority transit corridors such as the Ontario Line and the Yonge North Subway Extension. The province is also proposing doubling the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund program with an additional $1 billion over five years. This $2 billion investment will assist hundreds of small, rural and northern municipalities construct, and rehabilitate the critical infrastructure needed to support these growing communities.

Important investments in Ontarios workforce are also being proposed to ensure our province has the skilled workforce needed to support economic recovery and drive productivity. The provincial government is continuing the Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit into 2022 which provides up to $2,000 in relief for 50% of eligible training expenses. Furthermore, the province is also investing an additional $90.3 million over three years in its Skilled Trades Strategy, $5 million more for the Second Career program and a second round of Skill Developing Funding.

In addition, a critical initiative that is proposed through the FES are enhancements to the Brownfields Financial Tax Incentive Program to facilitate the redevelopment of contaminated lands by allowing a reduction of municipal and education property taxes on brownfield sites. The government is proposing to extend the period for matching provincial education tax assistance from three to six years for business developments and 10 years for residential developments. Having heard from the industry on the need for red tape reduction, the province is taking steps to streamline administrative processes for the program, particularly the application review timelines. Finally, OHBA is pleased to see the province deliver on a number of key objectives of the housing supply action plan and we look forward to taking an active role on the Housing Affordability Task Force.

OHBA is supportive and welcomes these important changes outlined in the FES, are encouraged and look forward to the provincial government implementing further key measures that will help reduce the red tape and regulatory burden, fill the gaps in the skilled trade labour shortage and reinforce a predictable, balanced and growth-oriented planning system that will help enable our industry deliver keys to awaiting families across Ontario.

-30-

Key Economic Figures

Ontarios real GDP is projected to rise 4.5% in 2022, 2.6% in 2023 and 2.0% in 2024.

Ontarios 202122 long-term public borrowing is now forecast to be $42.0 billion.

On an annual basis, more than 300,000 net new jobs are expected in 2021 compared to 2020. Job gains are expected to continue over the projection period, resulting in over half a million more jobs by 2024.

Key Pages

Highway 413 & Bradford Bypass, page 48

Transportation, pages 49-55

Seniors Home Safety Tax Credit, page 23, 34, 169

Skilled trades and labour policy, pages 72-76

Brownfield redevelopment incentive, page 65 & 175

Attachment
English French

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

MONTREAL, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharethrough Inc. (Sharethrough or the Company), one of the largest independent omnichannel and omniformat ad exchanges in the world, announced today its decision to postpone its previously announced initial public offering (IPO) on the Toronto Stock Exchange.



We made this decision based on adverse and challenging current market conditions, especially for technology companies, despite receiving strong interest and positive indications from the broader institutional investor market, said JF Cote, Sharethroughs co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. While we monitor the market for more stable and favorable IPO conditions, we will continue to build trustworthy relationships with our clients and partners, develop and scale our platforms and technologies, and grow the Sharethrough team to accomplish our goals.

When speaking about the future of the company, Louis-Charles Genest, Chief Financial Officer said: Sharethrough is a hyper-growth company, generating free cash flow and positive EBITDA. We are in a solid financial position and we will continue to manage our organization successfully to fulfill our vision with our strong profitable platform.

About Sharethrough Inc.

Sharethrough is a leading dynamic advertising technology company on a mission to bring human-centric technology to real-time programmatic advertising. As one of the largest independent omnichannel and omniformat ad exchanges in the world, Sharethrough is focused on achieving the best balance of scale and directness. Its state-of-the-art technology maximizes performance and return on ad spend for advertisers while driving superior monetization for publishers.

Sharethrough is headquartered in Montreal with broad coverage across Canada and the United States. For more information, visit sharethrough.com.

Contact:

Investor Relations

investors@sharethrough.com

514-516-4562




IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burnham Benefits Insurance Services today announced it again ranked number one for the small employer category (25-249 employees) in Business Insurances annual Best Places to Work in Insurance program for the second consecutive year. This program recognizes employers for their outstanding performance in establishing workplaces where employees are engaged, thrive, enjoy their work, and help their companies grow.

Since 2013when the organization also ranked number oneBurnham has participated in Business Insurances Best Places to Work in Insurance program and consistently ranks at the top. Burnhams above-average 95 percent employee retention rate in a competitive industry is a testament to the organization's strength and distinctive culture Regional President Kristen Allison fosters. A culture of collaboration and inclusivity that translates to an above-average 98 percent client retention.

In addition to the distinction of being an employer of choice, Marcom Awards recognized Burnham in its 2021 international creative competition for marketing and communication professionals for outstanding achievement by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design, and production of marketing and communication materials and programs.

There were over 6,000 entries from throughout the United States, Canada, and 39 other countries. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

Regional President Kristen Allison says, "I could not be more proud of our team of professionals and their continued passion for Burnham. The Marcom Awards that highlight our client communications department's talent, creativity, and forward-thinking nature is icing on the cake and an impactful way to showcase what we do for our clients.

About Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, LLC:

Burnham, a BRP Group, Inc. partner, consults with clients on employee benefits, property and casualty, and retirement and wealth management solutions. Burnham is a national full-service strategic consulting and brokerage firm based in Irvine, California. The company easily adapts to today's rapidly changing business climate, investing in cutting-edge technology, tools, and resources, and creates customized programs to fit clients' best interests. A cadre of highly skilled industry professionals and strategic partnerships provide unmatched personal service. Burnham is a Certified B Corporation (B Corp), holds national recognition as one of the Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance magazine for the ninth year and counting, and over the last decade consistently ranks as one of the Best Places to Work by the Orange County Business Journal, North Bay Business Journal, and Los Angeles Business Journal. For more information, visit BurnhamBenefits.com.

If you would like more information about Burnham Benefits or career opportunities, please contact Regional President Kristen Allison at 949-252-4580 or email allison@burnhambenefits.com.

Contact: Emily PisanoBurnham, a BRP Company Phone: 949.800.4014 Email: pisano@burnhambenefits.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37217183-ea7b-4f94-b33e-30a40b7757b0

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80b9a297-ee8f-4199-92d2-d819a1d5acb3

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/70b2e6f6-f167-44be-9159-12a40a47d451
ABERDEEN, Wash., Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It is with great sadness that Bank of the Pacific announces the passing of board member, John Van Dijk. John recently passed away at his home in Palm Springs due to complications from cancer. Johns distinguished career with the Bank spanned 25 years as a board member and employee and he was pivotal to the Banks growth and success.



John joined the Bank in 1996 as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In November 2004, John was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer and served in that role until his retirement in December 2012. He was also the Corporate Secretary of the holding company, Pacific Financial Corporation from 1997 to 2012. Prior to joining the Bank, he was employed in the thrift industry for 18 years. John also served on the Board of Directors for the Community Bankers of Washington and was an active member of the Grays Harbor Country Club. Following his retirement from the Bank, John joined the Bank board in 2013 where he continued to provide leadership and guidance, including chair of the audit committee.

Bank President and CEO, Denise Portmann, said when remembering John, I had the honor and privilege to know him and work with him for many years. He was a mentor and friend. She went on to say, John had a special way about him that made people feel welcome and he always made employees feel important regardless of their position in the Bank. He was a big champion of our values and will be dearly missed.

Bank of the Pacific sends their deepest sympathies to the Van Dijk family; wife Jane Van Dijk, sons Ron (Cara), Don and Josh, and grandchildren Ben and Gracie.

Bank of the Pacific offers consumer banking products, residential mortgage origination and commercial banking services to small-to-medium sized businesses and professionals in western Washington and Oregon. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had total assets of $1.29 billion and operated fifteen branches in the communities of Grays Harbor, Pacific, Whatcom, Skagit, Clark and Wahkiakum counties in the State of Washington, and Clatsop County, Oregon. The Company also operates loan production offices in the communities of Bellingham, Tacoma, Olympia and Burlington in Washington and Salem and Eugene in Oregon. Visit the Companys website at www.bankofthepacific.com. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

For more information contact:

Denise Portmann, President and CEO, 360.537.4052
Abu Dhabi, UAE, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its ongoing effort to foster greater dialogue between regulators and anti-financial crime (AFC) professionals operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), ACAMS will host a unique, two-day event for its 12th Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crime Conference  MENA. Beginning on November 7, attendees of this fully virtual conference will learn compliance strategies and industry best practices from high-level governmental officials and subject-matter experts, including representatives from the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), Saudi Arabias Capital Market Authority, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy, the Central Bank of Bahrain, Banque du Liban, and many of the regions largest banks and FinTech firms, among others.

Speakers at the conference will offer practical guidance on AFC compliance topics as the growing money-laundering risks for designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to detect emerging fraud typologies, risk mitigation policies and procedures for the virtual assets sector, the impact of China sanctions on trade finance and supply chains, and compliance strategies to minimize exposure to criminal activity in free trade zones and the maritime industry.

Amid international calls for financial institutions to strengthen their AFC effectiveness and make new efforts to identify payments tied to cybercrime and other illicit activity, the challenges facing compliance professionals and regulatory agencies today have never been greater, said ACAMS President and Managing Director, Scott Liles. Thats why weve designed ACAMS MENA around the concept that fostering strong communication lines between financial institutions and governmental agencies is a crucial step in the fight against illicit finance.

Attendees of this event will not only have the opportunity to glean insights on such developments as the rising role of FinTech firms in the compliance space and the recent launch of the UAEs new anti-money laundering office, but theyll also walk away with practical compliance advice on how to best safeguard their own institutions from new and long-standing financial-crime risks, said Liles.

###

About ACAMS

ACAMS is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider headquartered in the United States. ACAMS is the largest international membership organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and skills of anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crime prevention professionals from a wide range of industries. Its CAMS certification is the most widely recognized AML certification among compliance professionals worldwide. Its new Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS) certification commenced in January 2020. Visit acams.org for more information.

About Adtalem Global Education

Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider, partners with organizations in the healthcare and financial services industries to solve critical workforce talent needs by expanding access to education, certifications and upskilling programs at scale. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to the global community. Adtalem is the parent organization of ACAMS, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Adtalem has more than 10,000 employees, a network of nearly 275,000 alumni and serves over 82,000 members across 200 countries and territories. Adtalem was named one of Americas Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek and one of Americas Best Employers for Diversity 2021 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter (@adtalemglobal), LinkedIn or visit adtalem.com for more information.
LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that it has received a purchase order valued at 60,000 (approximately CAD $86,400) as initial inventory for launching all three TAAT varieties in Austria beginning in Q1 2022. In a press release dated October 22, 2021 , the Company announced the most recent developments with respect to its first international expansion into the United Kingdom, which included enthusiastic reception of TAAT by tobacco wholesalers from across the country. Furthermore, in the Companys September 7, 2021 press release it was announced that tobacco wholesalers in several other European countries including Poland, Germany, France, and Switzerland provided very positive feedback on the advanced formulation of Beyond Tobacco using reconstituted material. With this purchase order for Austria, TAAT is beginning its second launch in the European Union, as the Company simultaneously executes TAAT launches in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Australia, while continuing to grow its footprint at retail and online in the United States where the Company now has more than 1,200 points of sale carrying TAAT.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61c7192e-5485-4162-8c7a-e7b89eb75ea0

Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media.

Compared to other global markets, the Company believes TAAT products can perform especially well in Austria based on several unique modern-era developments (listed below) which have influenced the tobacco market across the country. Austria has a total population of approximately 8.9 million, with a smoking incidence rate of approximately 25% in 2019, compared to an average of 18% in other European Union nations1.

Relatively New Privatization in Austrias Tobacco Industry

The tobacco industry in Austria has only been privatized for approximately 24 years, following a public offering of Austrias state-owned cigarette manufacturer (who had leading, non-monopoly market share) resulting in Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Gallaher Group (ultimately acquired by JTI in 2007 for USD $15 billion2) taking over the states cigarette-manufacturing operations as of 19973. Accordingly, it can be concluded that smokers of legal age in Austria have not had the same opportunities to form preferences for a given tobacco cigarette brand compared to other countries. TAAT therefore intends to capitalize on any such weaknesses in brand loyalty as part of its initiatives to convert smokers of legal age in Austria to TAAT as an alternative to regular cigarettes with no nicotine or tobacco.

Rapid Decline in Austrias Smoking Incidence Rate

In 2008 a staggering 43% of Austrian adults smoked cigarettes5, dropping dramatically to an incidence rate of approximately 25% in 20191. The Company anticipates it can capitalize on this momentum and convert Austrian smokers of legal age to TAAT products as a better alternative to tobacco cigarettes, particularly with the advent of measures intended to discourage nicotine consumption such as a recent smoking ban in public indoor spaces such as restaurants and bars.

Discontinuation of Menthol Cigarettes in Austria as of 2020

On May 20, 2020, a ban across the European Union was put into effect against menthol cigarettes6, a tobacco market segment that was valued at USD $11 billion across the continent that same year7. As menthol tobacco cigarettes can no longer be purchased anywhere in the European Union including Austria, TAAT Menthol is expected to offer smokers of legal age who once preferred menthol cigarettes a desirable alternative, which has already proven especially popular in the United States since launching in December 2020.

The Company has preemptively filed for Austrian trademarks on the terms TAAT and Beyond Tobacco, which can provide crucial protection of the Companys brand and intellectual property as sales of TAAT are set to begin in Austria next quarter. Through its distribution partners, the Company has arranged for TAAT to be sold to smokers of legal age at retail points of sale in several of Austrias nine states (e.g., convenience stores, smoke shops), as well as online through a geo-fenced e-commerce portal.

TAAT Chief Executive Officer Setti Coscarella commented, The global tobacco market has undergone significant changes in recent years, and with many shifts occurring rapidly in Austria where smoking rates remain relatively high (i.e., three-quarters more than the U.S. national average), I believe it is a very promising market for our next launch of TAAT. Thirteen years ago nearly half of all Austrian adults were smokers, a number that has declined considerably due in part to factors such as the recent indoor smoking prohibition, which in combination with other events to include the EU-wide menthol ban has created attractive opportunities for better alternatives such as TAAT to gain market share. It would appear that incumbent players in the tobacco industry have taken note of these market circumstances; as an example, Philip Morris International only launched an IQOS boutique in Austria last spring, despite having already opened 226 outlets elsewhere in the world8. I am therefore very confident that this initial commercial order of TAAT will perform well in Austria, laying the groundwork for a large-scale launch as we continue to build out TAATs global market footprint.

Sources

1 - https://www.dw.com/en/austria-smoking-ban-in-effect-after-decade-long-debate/a-51080604

2 - https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/business/worldbusiness/18iht-tobacco.1.5332040.html

3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225958/

4 - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55341779

5 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-017-1254-3

6 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7549510/

7 - https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/eu-menthol-ban-tobacco-firms-offer-alternatives-to-cigarettes

8 - https://www.colliers.com/en-at/news/20201015-pa-philipmorris

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC.

Setti Coscarella

Setti Coscarella, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

TAAT Investor Relations

1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)

investor@taatglobal.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER.

About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc.

The Company has developed TAAT, which is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternative to traditional cigarettes offered in "Original", "Smooth", and "Menthol" varieties. TAAT's base material is Beyond Tobacco, a proprietary blend which undergoes a patent-pending refinement technique causing its scent and taste to resemble tobacco. Under executive leadership with "Big Tobacco" pedigree, TAAT was launched first in the United States in Q4 2020 as the Company seeks to position itself in the $814 billion1 global tobacco industry.

For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com .

References

1 British American Tobacco - The Global Market

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Planned Q1 2022 launch of TAAT in Austria following the purchase order detailed in the press release. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms

Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. can be found under the Company's profile on http://sedar.com .




ATLANTA, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wounded Warriors Family Support and Assurant (NYSE:AIZ) presented Cameron West of Acworth, Georgia, with a 2022 Ford Super Duty F-250 truck as part of the Mobility is Freedom program. West is medically retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served until 2013.



Wounded Warriors Family Support launched Mobility is Freedom in 2015 to provide modified vehicles for combat-wounded veterans. Across the U.S., there are 350 veterans who need modified vehicles as a result of their combat-related injuries.

Our belief is that given a properly equipped vehicle for their individual needs, combat wounded veterans, such as Cameron, will have the freedom to live a productive and quality life with their family, Wounded Warriors Family Support CEO and President Kate McCauley said. We thank Assurant and Pugmire Auto for their partnership, so we can honor and present Cameron with this vehicle to help enhance his quality of life and provide freedom and independence in his everyday life.

West was deployed to a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistans Sangin Valley 11 years ago. West led a hunt for Taliban insurgents on Oct. 15, 2010, when he received intelligence on enemy activity.

Captain West led the platoon when a pressure-plate improvised explosive device (IED) was triggered, which caused a massive explosion. The blast hurled West into the air. It took his right leg and severely damaged his left leg. West also sustained damage to his right hand and arm, and lost vision in his right eye.

West was in rehabilitation for two years at Balboa Medical Center in San Diego, where he learned to walk again. In 2012, Captain West returned to nearby Camp Pendleton, where he was stationed prior to his Afghanistan deployment, as the commander of the instructor group at the School of Infantry.

West has three children  Ella James, 6, 5-year-old Robert Thornton and Ethan Bull, 2. In his spare time, West volunteers for multiple charities that serve veterans. He is proud to volunteer as a court-appointed special advocate for children in the foster care system due to removal from their home.

Assurant Global Auto, Pugmire Automotive Group, the Assurant Foundation and Assurants Georgia Engagement Champion Team hosted the presentation to West with the new vehicle in honor of his military service and to recognize the commitment and sacrifices of all veterans.

We are grateful for the service of our Assurant veterans worldwide and the important work of Wounded Warriors Family Support to assist veterans like Captain West and their families, Assurant President Keith Demmings said. Every day, we work with partners like Pugmire Automotive Group and our employee volunteers to bring our Assurant Cares spirit to life and strengthen the communities where we live and work.

About Wounded Warriors Family Support

Wounded Warriors Family Support is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured, or killed during combat operations. This organization is run by combat veterans for combat veterans. Rated a four-star nonprofit by Charity Navigator, Wounded Warriors Family Support aids veterans and their families in healing the wounds that medicine cannot. For more information about Wounded Warriors Family Support, visit www.wwfs.org.

About Assurant Global Automotive

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a leading global solutions provider in the automobile industry for manufacturers, large group and independent dealers, agents, third-party administrators, financial institutions, insurance providers, and vehicle technology companies. Assurant Global Automotive helps drivers protect their vehicles and avoid costly repair. With over 50 years of industry experience, Assurant is trusted by and works with nine of the top ten global automotive manufacturers serving over 50 million consumers in 17 countries. Providing innovative solutions like vehicle service contracts, performance management and training, participation options, ancillary products, guaranteed asset protection, and more, Assurant Global Automotive helps clients grow and thrive.

About Assurant

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a leading global provider of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect and connect major consumer purchases. Anticipating the evolving needs of consumers, Assurant partners with the worlds leading brands to develop innovative products and services and to deliver an enhanced customer experience. A Fortune 500 company with a presence in 21 countries, Assurant offers mobile device solutions; extended service contracts; vehicle protection services; renters insurance and lender-placed homeowners insurance. The Assurant Foundation strengthens communities by supporting charitable partners that help protect where people live and can thrive, connect with local resources, inspire inclusion and prepare leaders of the future.

Media Contacts: Kevin Schuster, PR Counsel Kate McCauley, WWFS Cell: 402.917.6001 402.660.5785 Email: kschuster@lukaspartners.com kate@wwfs.org Assurant Media Contact: Andy Mus Cell: 404.840.4185 Email: andy.mus@assurant.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fcaeaed7-fc83-4365-843b-7a24dc8fda0b
San Antonio, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chip Fulghum, COO of national service organization Endeavors, headquartered in San Antonio, has been recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal as a 2021 Veterans in Business Award Honoree.

The annual Veterans in Business Awards honor individuals of the Greater San Antonio area who are Veterans, combat Veterans, retired Veterans, or those currently on reserve status in the U.S. military.

Recognized at a sit-down awards breakfast on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at the McNay Art Museum, Fulghum was announced among the recipients of the 2021 Veterans in Business Award for his outstanding practices in business and in supporting his fellow veterans in the workplace and beyond.

As the Chief Operating Officer of Endeavors, an organization of over 2,000 employees that provides an array of programs and services supporting children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters, or emergencies, Fulghum leads efforts on a variety of significant initiatives. Of those relating to Veterans, Fulghum has helped the company make significant strides in elevating services for Veterans experiencing homelessness, impacted by COVID-19, or in need of mental health care. Additionally, he has been part of the team that developed, built, and implemented the concept of San Antonios first Veteran Wellness Center, scheduled to open on November 11, 2021.

Fulghums military career spans 28 years, where he rose to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He is a graduate of the Air War College, the Air Command and Staff College, Professional Military Comptroller School, and Squadron Officer School. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to joining Endeavors in 2019, Fulghum served as the Deputy Under Secretary for Management with the Department of Homeland Security.

ABOUT ENDEAVORS

Endeavors, a San Antonio-based national service organization, provides an array of programs and services supporting children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters, or emergencies. Endeavors has served vulnerable people in need since 1969 through personalized services. For more information, please visit www.endeavors.org.

###

Attachment
RESTON, Va., Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMI Expeditionary Healthcare earns the distinguished title of International Travel and Health Insurance Journal's (ITIJ) Medical Provider of the Year Award 2021 for being the global leader on the frontlines of COVID-19, providing exceptional clinical expertise, working seamlessly with communities and clients, and doing this at scale in response to the global pandemic. The award announcement was made at the conclusion of the International Travel Insurance Conference (ITIC) in Madrid.

"We dedicate this prestigious recognition to our devoted employees on the pandemic's frontlines, putting others' safety and well-being above their own," Dr. Andrew Walker, Founder and CEO of AMI states. "Winning Medical Provider of the Year is a testimony to our commendable frontline teams, being recognized as truly global healthcare professionals."

Named to the Top 7% on the Growjo 10,000, - The Fastest Growing Companies in the World, AMI has been noted for its impressive growth. Providing medical solutions and delivering critical services to federal, state, and local governments, schools, international organizations, private corporations, and institutions all over the world, AMI employs a diverse staff of trained professionals. AMI corporate demographics are an equal balance of men and women. Their collective employee base speaks over 50 languages including Arabic, Afrikaans, Swahili, French, Creole, German, Spanish, Russian, and many more.

Capturing the essence of AMI's expeditionary nature, the company has recently deployed a Forward Surgical Team (FST) and an Aeromedical Evacuation Team (AMET) in support of the UN Peacekeeping Forces and staff in Afghanistan. The FST provides damage control surgery for life-threatening injuries while the AMET provides additional resuscitation, stabilization, and transfer of critically ill and/or injured patients. Together these two AMI teams deliver a robust medical and surgical capability for the UN in a far forward, dynamic, and challenging environment showcasing the global excellence and innovation ITIJ celebrates.

ITIJ recognizes companies that go above and beyond to serve their customers and clients and drive forward positive change in the industry, showcasing excellence and innovation across all sectors that serve global travelers.

About AMI:

Physician-owned and physician-led, AMI Expeditionary Healthcare provides medical services to the private sector, government agencies, international aid organizations and humanitarian concerns in a wide range of remote and challenging environments. AMI has delivered countless healthcare solutions to over 140 clinical and hospital settings on four continents.

Contact:

If you would like to learn more about AMI and its services, please visit www.ami.health.

Email info@ami.health Phone 571-375-8366

Related Images











Image 1: AMI Expeditionary Healthcare





AMI Expeditionary Healthcare Wins ITIJ Medical Provider of the Year









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS



TORONTO, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avicanna Inc. ("Avicanna" or the "Company") (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF) (FSE: 0NN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of organic and sustainable plant-derived cannabinoid-based products announces that, with immediate effect, Setu Purohit will no longer serve as President and Chief Legal Officer of the Company. He will remain a member of the Companys board of directors.

The Company continues to execute on its transitional plans as it evolves from a pre-revenue R&D stage company into a rapidly expanding bio-pharmaceutical company with global operations and sales. The company would like to thank Mr. Setu Purohit for his service and his contributions and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.

Aras Azadian, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

I would like to express my gratitude to Setu for his dedication to our shared vision and contributions to bringing Avicanna from a concept to a multi-national company over the past 5 years. His belief in cannabinoid-based medicine and his ability to help navigate the stigmatized and emerging cannabis industry from a global perspective has helped form the companys platform.

The Company is actively engaged in discussions with a suitable candidate for the position of Chief Legal Officer and expects to provide an update shortly.

About Avicanna Inc.

Avicanna is a commercial stage Canadian biopharmaceutical company and an established leader in cannabinoid research, development, and evidence-based products for the global consumer, medical, and pharmaceutical market segments. Avicanna conducts its research in Canada including its R&D headquarters in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centre, JLABS @ Toronto, Canada, located in the MaRS Discovery District, and in collaboration with leading Canadian academic and medical institutions. Avicanna has established an industry leading scientific platform including advanced R&D and clinical development which has led to the commercialization of over twenty products across four main market segments:

RHO Phyto: these medical and wellness products are an advanced line of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products containing varying ratios of CBD and THC. The product portfolio contains a full formulary of products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries that have controlled dosing, enhanced absorption and stability studies supported by pre-clinical data. These products are developed using pharmaceutical drug development processes and are supported with pre-clinical data. The advanced formulary is marketed with consumer, patient and medical community education and training.





these medical and wellness products are an advanced line of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products containing varying ratios of CBD and THC. The product portfolio contains a full formulary of products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries that have controlled dosing, enhanced absorption and stability studies supported by pre-clinical data. These products are developed using pharmaceutical drug development processes and are supported with pre-clinical data. The advanced formulary is marketed with consumer, patient and medical community education and training. Pura H&W: these registered, clinically tested, cosmetic products include a portfolio of functional CBD consumer derma-cosmetic and topical products.





these registered, clinically tested, cosmetic products include a portfolio of functional CBD consumer derma-cosmetic and topical products. Aureus: as a part of Avicannas vertical integration based out of Santa Marta, Colombia its raw material business units are primarily dedicated to providing consistent source of cannabinoid raw materials for Avicanna and its global partners food, cosmetic, medical and pharmaceutical needs. Aureus branded products are cultivated, extracted, and manufactured by Avicannas subsidiaries in Colombia including SMGH which is GACP and USDA organic certified and where they benefit from optimal environmental conditions to produce cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients economically, organically, and sustainably and include a range of CBD, THC and rare cannabinoids such as CBG extracts and standardized seeds. Company is well positioned to be a global supplier of cannabinoid raw materials demand and has already successfully exported its products to over 11 countries in 4 continents.





as a part of Avicannas vertical integration based out of Santa Marta, Colombia its raw material business units are primarily dedicated to providing consistent source of cannabinoid raw materials for Avicanna and its global partners food, cosmetic, medical and pharmaceutical needs. Aureus branded products are cultivated, extracted, and manufactured by Avicannas subsidiaries in Colombia including SMGH which is GACP and USDA organic certified and where they benefit from optimal environmental conditions to produce cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients economically, organically, and sustainably and include a range of CBD, THC and rare cannabinoids such as CBG extracts and standardized seeds. Company is well positioned to be a global supplier of cannabinoid raw materials demand and has already successfully exported its products to over 11 countries in 4 continents. Pharmaceutical pipeline: leveraging from the companys scientific platform, vertical integration, and real-world evidence, Avicanna has established a pipeline of indication specific cannabinoid-based drug candidates that are in various stages of clinical development and commercialization. Avicannas drug candidates are in pre-clinical stage and are dedicated to providing solutions for unmet medical needs in the areas of dermatology, chronic pain and various neurological disorders.

SOURCE Avicanna Inc.

Stay Connected

For more information about Avicanna, visit www.avicanna.com, call 1-647-243-5283, or contact Ivana Maric by email at info@avicanna.com.

The Company posts updates through videos from the official company YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXPBGdKSxOUOf_VZoSFSUA.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These forward-looking statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected developments at the date the statements are made, such as current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment and future approvals and permits. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances could cause actual events, results, level of activity, performance, prospects, opportunities or achievements to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including general business and economic conditions, changes in laws and regulations, product demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, the effects of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks, uncertainties and factors set out under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form dated April 15, 2020 (the AIF) and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Companys issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company cautions that the list of risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities laws.
Bronx resident Claudette Colvin talks about segregation laws in the 1950s in Alabama while having her photo taken, in New York on Feb. 5, 2009. Months before Rosa Parks became the mother of the modern civil rights movement by refusing to give up her seat and move to the back of a segregated Alabama bus, Black teenager Colvin did the same. Convicted of assaulting a police officer while being arrested, Colvin was placed on probation yet never received notice that she'd finished the term and was on safe ground legally.
Palm City - Margaret Jan Crandall passed away at home on November 14. Her daughter Martha and her husband Robert were at her side. Jan Crandall, nee Schmults, was born on June 2, 1935, in Barrington, Rhode Island. During WWII, the family lived in Newport where her father, Ernest, worked at t
Goshen, IN (46526)

Today

Becoming partly cloudy after some morning rain. High around 50F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 28F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Goshen, IN (46526)

Today

Rain early. A mix of sun and clouds by afternoon. High around 50F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 28F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Grand Haven, MI (49417)

Today

Rain showers early then mostly cloudy and windy for the afternoon. High near 50F. SW winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Submit An Obituary

Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.

Go to form
Austin, Texas transit operator Capital Metro Transportation Authority has awarded NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. a contract for 26 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses and four battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG sixty-foot heavy-duty transit buses (34 equivalent units or EUs). The five-year contract includes options to purchase up to 126 forty-foot and up to 15 sixty-foot battery-electric buses, and up to 427 chargers (197 depot plug-in chargers, 197 depot overhead chargers, and 33 on route chargers).

The first shipment of new electric vehicles is scheduled to arrive by the end of 2022.

This procurement is potentially the largest battery-electric bus procurement yet in the United States. CapMetro is Austins public transportation provider, delivering more than 20 million annual trips through bus, paratransit, and commuter rail services. The award will advance CapMetros Project Connect, aiming to bridge initiatives addressing equity, sustainability, and innovation by reimagining and implementing its transit program, and electrifying its entire fleet of more than 400 transit vehicles.

New Flyers Xcelsior CHARGE NG battery-electric buses deliver up to 525 kWh of power and 250 miles of range on a single charge and, over a 12-year lifespan, offer up to $125,000 in maintenance savings and up to $400,000 in fuel savings.

New Flyers zero-emission deployments are supported by NFI Infrastructure Solutions.
Michigan utility Consumers Energy is committing to powering 1 million electric vehicles by 2030. The goal would support the auto industrys goal to have electric vehicles be 50% of new sales by 2030.

Lauren Youngdahl Snyder, Consumers Energys vice president of customer experience, said Consumers Energy expects to see 1 million EVs in just the communities where it provides electricity, which means most of Michigans Lower Peninsula excluding the Detroit area.

Today, there are about 30,000 registered EVs in Michigan, but electric vehicle sales have been growing by 20% annually. That growth should accelerate due to commitments by US automakers that EVs will make up half of vehicle sales by 2030.

Michigan has joined other states in regional and nationwide networks to build fast EV charging, a major step to encourage potential EV buyers.

Youngdahl Snyder noted that more EVs also can lower electric rates for all customers as drivers charge during off-peak hours, typically overnight when there is less demand for electricity.

Consumers Energy is taking other actions to support EV adoption:

More than 1,000 rebates for home, business and public charging stations through its PowerMIDrive program. Those include 30 fast-charging locations that can fully power an EV battery in less than an hour.

Plans to power the growing demand for EVs, with 200 fast-charging locationsand more than 2,000 chargers at homes and businessesacross Michigan over the next three years.

PowerMIFleet, which provides Michigan businesses with expertise and guidance to electrify their vehicle fleets, as well as rebates for charging locations.

The new Bring Your Own Charger program, allowing EV owners to receive energy savings and monthly rebates for charging at night.

Nationally, there are more than 2 million electric vehicles on US roads today, according to the Edison Electric Institute. That number should grow to 18.7 million by 2030, with EV sales expected to top 3.5 million per year.

Consumers Energy is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the states 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
Greensburg, IN (47240)

Today

A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High near 45F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 24F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
STAMFORD  Puerto Vallarta, which operates several Mexican restaurants in the state, announced Friday that it planned to open an establishment early next spring in the restaurant plaza at Stamford Town Center.

The new restaurant at 230 Tresser Blvd., will mark the eighth and largest Puerto Vallarta in the state, complementing locations in Avon, Danbury, Fairfield, Middletown, Newington, Orange and Southington.

I am very happy to be bringing traditional Mexican food and an accurate taste of Mexican culture to this new location in Stamford, Puerto Vallarta founder and owner Esaul Rodriguez said in a statement.

Rodriguez established Puerto Vallarta 20 years ago in Hartford County. Since then, he has added a new restaurant in Connecticut every few years. He is originally from Union de Tula, Mexico, about 130 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta, a city on Mexicos Pacific coast.

With the large number of businesses in the area, we expect our lunch and happy-hour offerings to be very popular, Rodriguez said. In the evenings, we anticipate the nearby residential community coming in and making Puerto Vallarta a regular dining destination.

Puerto Vallarta will take 7,535 square feet in a space that has stood vacant for the past three years. A Rascal Flatts restaurant operated in that space from 2017 to 2018.

Weve been watching this restaurant group grow throughout Connecticut over the past several years, and we are extremely pleased to welcome them to the plaza, Stamford Town Center General Manager Dan Stolzenbach said in a statement. Esaul and the entire Puerto Vallarta team are consummate professionals. Im confident their winning combination of great food and great drinks, paired with fast and friendly service, will ensure long-term success for them here at Stamford Town Center.

The mall has also confirmed another upcoming arrival in the restaurant plaza: Brazilian steakhouse Terra Gaucha, which will open in an approximately 8,200-square-foot space that has stood vacant since the August 2020 closing of a Cheesecake Factory.

Next to the former Cheesecake Factory space is a Plan B Burger Bar. It has not operated since March 2020, and it is listed as temporarily closed, on the Plan B website.

At this time, we do not believe Plan B will re-open, Stolzenbach told Hearst Connecticut Media. Weve had a good amount of interest in that space, though, so we are pursuing conversations with those prospective tenants.

At the same time, the mall is still looking to fill the vacancy created by the 2019 closing of a Kona Grill.

We have several interested parties for the remaining spaces on the plaza and expect to make another exciting announcement in the near future, Stolzenbach said.

The other tenants in the restaurant plaza are pizza franchise Pieology, which opened in 2017; Peter Chang Restaurant, which serves Chinese fare and arrived in 2018; and The Capital Grille, which opened in 2007, the same year as the plazas debut.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
ATLANTA (AP)  Democrats and liberal-leaning groups on Thursday attacked a Republican plan to redraw districts for the Georgia state Senate as violating the federal Voting Rights Act by unnecessarily dividing minority populations.

It's a crucial discussion as the state Senate's Republican majority moves toward voting their preferred map out of committee as early as Friday. The U.S. Supreme Court in the last decade has ruled out challenges based on partisan gerrymandering. But although the court struck down the requirement that Georgia and other areas with a history of racial discrimination get preclearance for new district maps from the U.S. Justice Department, the way remains clear for people to sue in court alleging racial bias after lawmakers pass maps.

Such lawsuits are likely the best opportunity Democrats will have to change a map that could initially produce a 33-23 Republican majority in the Senate, down from 34-22 now. Legislative proceeding are likely to become part of the evidence in any court challenge.

Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee Chairman John Kennedy, a Macon Republican, defended the maps from charges of racial bias.

Weve also endeavored and ensured that weve complied with the Voting Rights Act, creating majority-minority districts and new minority-opportunity districts, Kennedy said.

But critics, starting with Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, a Stone Mountain Democrat, pointed to particular examples they said showed ill intent. Butler focused on Senate District 48, now held by state Sen. Michelle Au of Johns Creek. The GOP plan draws parts of it into whiter areas of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties, creating a district more likely to be won by a Republican.

The proposed plan turns a majority-minority district to a majority-white district, Butler said of District 48.

Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican, said Butler's analysis was legally flawed because she was lumping all nonwhite people together and that the Voting Rights Act doesn't protect minority coalitions. That remains an area of dispute under federal law.

This is not a voting-rights protected district, Cowsert said.

Speakers also criticized the continued split of Athens-Clarke County, which makes it possible for all Republicans to represent parts of one Georgia's most Democratic counties, as well as how Gwinnett County is split.

The map would draw districts now in northern Cobb and Fulton counties into more Republican areas of Cherokee and Bartow counties, likely creating easier paths to reelection for several Republican incumbents.

Kareem El-Hosseiny, government affairs director for the Georgia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that move would crack communities in competitive Cobb County by stretching them out further away from Atlanta.

Kennedy defended the Cobb moves, saying those areas are communities with common interests, and said some larger counties like Savannah's Chatham County were split to keep smaller counties whole. The proposed Republican map splits 29 of Georgia's 159 counties, down from 39 now.

Kennedy also said it's unfair to focus on any one district.

Taking any one district out from the rest of the map, and looking at it in a vacuum is not really a realistic or fair way, because each district has a connection to the districts around it, Kennedy said.

Vasu Abhiraman, senior policy counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, disputed that point, saying map-drawers must look at voting patterns in local areas.

The ability of communities of color to elect candidates of choice at an equal level to other communities is paramount," Abhiraman said. "It rules. It's not something to be balanced against those other factors.

Fair Districts GA, a group that tries to prevent gerrymandering, graded the Senate proposal as an F, saying it's far too Republican to reflect the states overall partisan balance. The group also faults the map for having only one district where parties are expected to be competitive.

Janet Grant, vice chair of Fair Districts GA, urged Republicans to consider a plan less stacked against Democrats, as well as more districts where both parties would be competitive and at least one more district with enough minority voters to influence outcomes.

Cowsert was dismissive of the group, in part because it relies on modelers at Princeton University to aid in analysis.

The people who are drawing the maps, who could have built 35 or 36 Republican seats if they wanted to be partisan, instead reduced the number of Republican seats, and Princeton, New Jersey, thinks thats unfair, Cowsert said.

There are other considerations in the map. Except for two Republicans running for statewide office, the map protects all Senate incumbents.

Kennedy said the map includes some Democratic suggestions and requests from public hearings, such as an onion belt district around Vidalia.

___

Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Haiti's fuel crisis is deepening, with the country's Professional Association of Banks announcing Friday that a shortage of petroleum is forcing institutions to cut their hours and days as dozens of gas stations across the capital remained closed.

Starting next week, banks will operate only three days a week instead of the usual six and will close in the early afternoon.

Long lines, fights and boisterous crowds formed earlier this week around a handful of gas stations that were still operating, with a gallon of gas costing roughly $15 in some places. Motorcycle drivers, business owners and even police officers have been forced to search for fuel, with many customers waiting hours for their turn.

The shortage has hit hospitals, schools, ambulances, public transportation and others in recent weeks as anger and frustration grows.

The government has blamed gangs for blocking gas distribution terminals, with local newspaper Le Nouvelliste reporting Friday that several truck drivers have been kidnapped and at least four fuel tankers seized. At least one gang has said it would lift the blockade if Prime Minister Ariel Henry steps down.

Last week, Henry said the country was not running out of petroleum and that ships were waiting to unload fuel. He added that police had created a security corridor to protect gasoline shipments and truck drivers, and that airports, Coast Guard boats and some hospitals and telephone companies had received fuel. He also said officials from various government agencies were working together to find a quick solution, although he did not provide details.

However, the situation seemed to have worsened this week, with the president of Haiti's petrol stations federation warning that meetings with government officials have not yielded a solution.

The real crisis will start in upcoming days, Marc Andre Deriphonse told Magik9 radio.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  A riverside memorial was held for a Maine man shot and killed by police after he threatened and injured a fellow resident of a shelter with a knife.

Dustin Paradis, 34, was living at the Bread of Life Shelter in Augusta last month when two police officers shot and killed him, the Kennebec Journal reported. Responding to a call, police said they found a man with injuries outside the shelter and then found Paradis inside where he waved the knife he was holding.
GREENWICH  A day after Greenwich Hospital began offering vaccines for 5- to 11-year-old children, the Greenwich Public Schools reported just two new cases of COVID-19 in its community, according to the Friday update on the districts online tracker.

That brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 90 since classes began Sept. 1, according to the tracker.

There are currently four active cases of COVID-19 in the school district, with two cases at Eastern Middle and one each at Julian Curtiss and Parkway, according to the tracker. All four cases are among students, with three cases attributed to family or outside activity and one due to undetermined origin, according to the district.

The school district updates its online tracker every Tuesday and Friday, and the reports of new cases have consistently remained in the single digits since Sept. 28.

On Tuesday, the school district reported just one new case, and it reported two new cases last Friday, which followed five cases reported on Oct. 26 and four cases reported on Oct. 22, according to the online tracker.

For the 2020-21 school year, a total of 697 cases of COVID-19 have been reported districtwide.

The low numbers come as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave final approval Tuesday for children ages 5 to 11 to get size-appropriate doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

In town, Greenwich Hospital began offering the COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday to young children who had previously not been eligible. The new policy means that many elementary school age students now have the opportunity to get vaccinated.

Appointments, which are required for the childrens vaccines, can be made by calling 833-275-9644 or visiting www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccin e.

We encourage families to get their children vaccinated at either their pediatricians office or at one of our sites, said Cynthia Sparer, executive director of Womens and Childrens Services for Yale New Haven Health Servies, which includes Greenwich Hospital.

Yale New Haven Health also will be distributing Pfizer doses to pediatricians offices around the state, spokesman Mark DAntonio said.

The state Department of Health has partnered in devising a distribution plan that allows providers to have access to smaller quantities of vaccine, which in turn allows them to administer COVID vaccines to their patients, DAntonio said.

The town of Greenwich will not hold vaccination clinics for young children, Town Director of Health Caroline Baisley said.

The state said that this age group would be best served through community pediatricians and medical facilities and pharmacies rather than at open public health clinics, she said.

Also Thursday, the state launched an optional new program called screen and stay that would prevent quarantines for some COVID-19-exposed students by providing the option to be evaluated instead of staying home for days.

Eligibility for screen and stay, instead of quarantine is limited to exposure in school, on school transportation or outside under school supervision, officials said, and the student must be asymptomatic.

What this says now is if theres an exposure in the classroom, we will notify your parents, we will notify somebody at home and then we ask you: Look, if you are showing symptoms, if you are showing COVID/flu-like symptoms ... dont come into the class because theres a risk you are exposed and could be spreading it. Otherwise, this allows you to stay in the classroom, Gov. Ned Lamont said.

The states mask mandate remains in place for all people in public and private schools across Connecticut.

Statewide as of Nov. 4, Connecticuts school submission summary of COVID-19 reported 487 cases of COVID-19 among students, teachers and staff in public and private schools during the week of Oct. 28 through Nov. 3.

That is up slightly from the 483 cases reported during the week of Oct. 21 through Oct. 27. A total of 550 cases were reported during the week of Oct. 14 through Oct. 20. The state updates its schools COVID-19 data every Thursday.

Prior reporting from staff writers Ken Borsuk and Nicholas Rondinone is included in this story.
STAMFORD  A city man is facing multiple felony charges for his alleged role in an October fight in downtown Stamford where, police said, he pistol-whipped a man and fired a bullet, police said.

Kadeem Sadio, 31, was arrested during an early morning raid Friday on charges of criminal attempt at first-degree assault, criminal use of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from an Oct. 17 incident where multiple individuals were involved in a fight that happened around midnight in the 200 block of Summer Street, where there are multiple restaurants, Capt. Richard Conklin said.

During the fight, a person later identified as Sadio allegedly pistol-whipped an individual and then fired a single bullet which didnt strike anyone, according to Conklin.

Conklin said the victim in the fight refused medical treatment at the scene.

Detectives eventually identified Sadio, a convicted felon with a criminal history in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey, as the man with the gun through surveillance footage from the area, Conklin said.

Police raided Sadios family home around 5 a.m. Friday. During the raid, investigators seized a loaded 9-mm semiautomatic handgun and had an extended magazine attached.

Conklin said police did not file any charges Friday in connection to the seized weapon. Investigators, however, are applying for a separate arrest warrant regarding the weapon, Conklin said.

Sadio was taken to the police department without incident Friday, according to Conklin.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon.

The arrest was a joint effort between Stamfords Special Response Team, the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, the Narcotics and Organized Crime Squad and a K9 unit.

A number of different units worked well together to get a good arrest for an illegal gun, Conklin said Friday.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 first surfaced back in September, then a couple of weeks later a detailed spec sheet leaked out. This will be a new affordable tablet with a 10.5 LCD that will (allegedly) target the $260 price point.

Its launch draws near and leakster Evan Blass has managed to find the first official image of the slate, here it is:

According to the leaked specs, the display will be a 10.5 1,920 x 1,200 px LCD (16:10) with 60 Hz refresh rate and there will be four speakers with Dolby Atmos around the sides. The tablet will will also feature a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a USB-C port, its body will be made out of aluminum.

It will be powered by the Unisoc Tiger T618, something that was confirmed in a Geekbench result yesterday. Two results, actually, there is the Wi-Fi only SM-X200 and the LTE-enabled SM-X205.

So, when can we expect the Galaxy Tab A8? According to Ross Young (CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants), mass production of the Tab A8 will start in mid-December, while the higher-end (and OLED-equipped) Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra slates will go into mass production in late January. So, a January or February unveiling of the Tab A8 seems reasonable.

Source
In a report by The Wall Street Journal, Google is complying with Korea's new laws that require companies like Apple and Google to offer customers the choice to use payment systems outside of their app store apps.

The catch here is that Google will still charge service fees to developers wishing to us their own payment system, but at a discounted rate. According to the report, e-Book and music streaming developers would pay Google 6% instead of 10%, while most other developers will have to pay 11% instead of 15%. Meanwhile, popular devs will need pay 26% versus the regular 30% in service fees. These discounts are meant to offset the costs associated with having an in-house system.

Google's public policy director Wilson White argues that Google still needs to collect fees to "continue to invest" back into Android and the Google Play Store to pay for the advancement of Android, dev tools, and security research.

It's not clear whether Korean regulators will be on board with Google's approach to Korea's new requirement, but it would certainly not be too encouraging for developers to do extra work to put their own payment systems in place given the net cost savings of a couple of percentage points.

Source
The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) departs Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for sea trials following a maintenance availability, Dec. 15, 2016, in Washington. China is accusing the U.S. of a lack of transparency and responsibility regarding an accident in the South China Sea involving the USS Connecticut last month. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, said the U.S. should provide full details of the incident.
Acolytes of Primo Pizzakaya already know their rotating menu is the stuff of dreams. Once every few months, their creative team delivers some of the most adventurous food youll find on Guam  and this weekends new drop is something to savor.

Owner and chef Dylan Saad and his team can produce some seriously mouthwatering meat and seafood, but I find the greatest delights in their masterful, unexpected work with vegetables. Im never as excited to eat veggies as I am when I walk through those doors.

Primo Pizzakayas new menu includes multiple vegetable-forward dishes, thrilling my sustainability heart and my taste buds all at once.

Beckoning from the savor section of the menu is an item called Moroccan Carrot, with ingredients including spiced honey, goat cheese, toasted almond, and tahini dressing. Robust, decadent, and absolutely not something Im going to find anywhere else.

For those with a love of warm North African and Middle Eastern spices, theres more available in that vein.

The Soft Turkish Egg, served with house yogurt, zaatar oil, roasted pepper relish and toast will be a welcome sight, as will Tetas Wings, tossed with Arabic spices and served with the bold Lebanese toum garlic sauce.

Also on the new menu are a roasted kale salad, featuring blistered cauliflower, shaved gruyere, and honey truffle vinaigrette, as well as a mushroom kushiyaki  skewered cultured mushrooms accompanied by grilled scallions and green gochu miso.

Meat lovers, Saad and his kitchen would never hang you out to dry. The Kurobota Pork Belly served with dried chili, Chinese brown sauce and local vegetables promises to be amazing. Kurobota pork, after all, comes from a heritage hog breed known for producing exquisite, succulent cuts of meat.

Pizza is literally in the name of the restaurant, so lets not forget it. New specials include the Chorizo Hokkigai, pairing up Mexican style chorizo and hokkigai clams, and the Suprimo, featuring more traditional pizza ingredients like sausage and pepperoni, with the bright twist of charred lemon.

Remember, this is a rotating menu! It wont be around forever, so get it while its hot.
Dave Hayner was recognized as the 2021 GCA Champion. Hayner hosts the GCA Today podcast featuring new GCA members and issues about Guams construction industry.
Anthony Camacho made his first appearance in court since being charged in connection to escaping the Department of Corrections.

Camacho appeared before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Quan alongside his attorney, Sam Teker, who was appointed on Thursday.

The Office of the Attorney General requested a $15,000 cash bail at the hearing to which Teker had no objection for.

Teker did not argue for Camacho to be out on conditional release due to him already being on parole for another case.

Previous cases

Camachos active parole case stems from a 2018 conviction of conspiracy to commit third-degree robbery.

Camacho also has two closed parole cases, one from 2013 for a criminal mischief conviction and one from 2015 from a theft of property conviction.

Escape

On Tuesday morning Camacho was unaccounted for at DOCs quarantine facility, located within the perimeter of the prison.

A six-hour search by Guam Police Department and DOC launched. They found him with his brother, Agusto Camacho, behind Benson hardware store in Mongmong.

Prior to their arrest, reports were made of Anthony Camacho allegedly robbing a gas station and stealing a car with the help of his brother.

Officers eventually found the brothers in the stolen vehicle with the stolen items inside, along with methamphetamine and DOC leg irons, documents state.

When questioned Anthony Camacho said he escaped from DOC when the guards were not paying attention around 12 hours before he was unaccounted for, documents state.
Guams COVID Area Risk score is down to 9 Friday as the number of new cases on the island continues to drop.

There were 79 new cases of COVID-19 out of 974 tests performed Nov. 4 according the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

Of those, 23 cases were identified through contact tracing.

Guam has had officially 18,586 reported cases of the virus and 2,557 cases are in active isolation.

Hospitalizations

There were 46 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including seven in intensive care and five on ventilators, the Joint Information Center reported.

Of the 46 people in island hospitals, 31 were at Guam Memorial Hospital, with four pediatric admissions, four in the ICU and two on ventilators.

There were 13 people hospitalized at Guam Regional Medical City, with one in the ICU and one on a ventilator.

There were two people hospitalized at Naval Hospital, with two in the ICU and two on ventilators.

Of the 46 people hospitalized, 23 werent vaccinated, including two who were ineligible for vaccination.

Archdiocese of Agana

The Archdiocese of Agana also reported that six people have tested positive for COVID-19 between Oct. 29 to Nov. 5.

Those cases included five students and one employee, according to a news release from the archdiocese.

Two students were from Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School, while Saint Anthony Catholic School, Father Duenas Memorial School and Notre Dame High School each had one positive student. The one employee was from Notre Dame, according to the release.

The schools are collaborating with the Department of Public Health and Social Services and the Archdioceses COVID-19 Liaison on contact tracing and have implemented their established COVID-19 safety protocols. School administrators have communicated with their parents and guardians.

Guam Department of Education

The Guam Department of Education announced that one positive COVID-19 case was identified. The case involved a student attending Martyrs Memorial Elementary in Malesso'.

DOE has also collaborated with Public Health.

They have since identified and notified teachers, as well as parents of students who may have been in contact with the student, in order to schedule testing. Tested individuals will remain in quarantine until they are cleared by Public Health to return to campus. Cleaning and disinfecting of areas of the campuses is taking place to ensure schools are ready for regular hours of operation on Nov. 8.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program will continue distributing food to Guam residents through December, officials said.

A batch of 9,000 produce boxes will be shipped to Guam through December. Six containers of 1,500 boxes each will arrive at the Guam Department of Education warehouse and be given out every two weeks.

The program started in March 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help those struggling to afford groceries.

The Guam Department of Education is in charge of the program here and receives food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USDA continues to provide food purchases to feed both the community and build the local market for growers, and provide food banks through the Guam Department of Education as one of USDAs most important partners in responding to the rising food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dina Lorenzo, Guam State Agency Administrator for Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs.

Each fresh produce package is about 10 to 12 pounds and includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including at least a pound of locally grown fruit or vegetables. In addition, the Guam Department of Education continues to order U.S. Department of Agriculture food commodities that are available for Guam.

The department collaborates with villages mayors, nonprofits and other government agencies on the island to reach people in need.

Food package numbers for a distribution site are given to the Guam Department of Education based on the population of the village or community.

A total of 97,365 food packages were distributed to households from March 2020 to August 2021.

October 2020 was the month with the highest number of food packages given to the community, at 10,423.

The largest number of packages have been distributed by mayors offices at 63,269, followed by mobile distribution to the elderly and those who are sick and unable to leave their residence with 20,441 and by organizations who gave out 13,655 packages.

Changes in the COVID-19 situation, including the emergence of the delta variant on Guam, hve not affected the program, said Lorenzo.

Partners in the program, including trucking agents, shipping agents, the Customs and Quarantine Agency, Port Authority of Guam and village mayors staff must adhere to safety protocols including wearing masks before entering warehouses, sanitizing areas and wearing gloves.
Local

breaking featured popular urgent

Lawrenceville police ID suspect in shooting of 16-year-old Central Gwinnett High School student; victim remains on life support

A 17-year-old is facing aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony charges in the shooting of a 16-year-old Central Gwinnett High School student at a bus stop on Tuesday morning.

Lawrenceville police have confirmed that the suspect in the shooting has been identified as Serar Shakiib Abdi. Police believe Abdi allegedly shot the 16-year-old male classmate, who has not yet been identified by police, at about 6:30 a.m. in the Saddle Shoals neighborhood off Spring Lake Road.

Lt. Jake Parker the latest information he has on the victim's condition is that he is on life support. The victim is a sophomore at Central Gwinnett.

The suspect is in custody and were only looking at one suspect (at this time), Parker said.

Parker said investigators believe the shooting was the result of a previous argument between Abdi and the victim.

The shooting, while off campus, comes at the time when several Gwinnett County high schools and middle schools have been on elevated alerts amid an increase in social media threats of violence at schools in the last two weeks.

School system officials announced last week that they made arrests related to five out of 11 threats, and that they believed the threats were pranks, but the shooting on Tuesday morning likely made it harder to ease concerns in the district.

Central Gwinnett principal Shane Orr sent a letter to parents Tuesday morning to let them know about the shooting. Among the information the principal shared with parents was the news that security was increased at Central Gwinnett on Tuesday in light of the shooting.

It is with a heavy heart that I share the tragic news about a shooting in our community this morning that involved two of our students, Orr wrote. I do not have many details at this point, as this situation is still being investigated by the police. I have been notified that a 10th grader at our school has been identified as the victim.

The police do have the person responsible in custody, and, unfortunately, the preliminary information I have received is that this individual is also a student at our school.

While there are many rumors circulating about the students condition, we do not have any confirmed details. That said, this is a grave situation, and our thoughts are with the family of this student.

While this tragic incident did not occur at school, we wanted to make sure you were aware as we know word about this incident is spreading throughout the school and our community. I have shared this information with our faculty this morning so that teachers are aware and can assist students who may be upset and need to speak with one of our counselors. I also have asked that we have additional School Resource Officers on campus today.

I felt that our students, staff, and families would feel better with additional security and support at our school.

"Again, while this incident did not occur at school, it does touch all of us in the Central community  our students, families, staff members, and community. As always, we appreciate your support of our students and school and ask that we all be there for each other during this difficult time."




Haiti - Dom. Rep. : End of health services to illegal Haitians, except in emergencies





Faced with the sharp increase in medical care for Haitian patients for the first 8 months of 2021, i.e. 275,993 acts as of September 9, 2021 covered by hospitals of the Dominican public health network (outpatient, general and specialized consultations, deliveries, emergencies, surgeries, hospitalizations and clinical and imaging diagnoses), the Dominican Government announced Tuesday, November 2, 2021, that it will no longer offer health services to Haitians in an irregular migratory situation and that only emergencies will now be supported.



This limitation of access to hospital services to illegal immigrants, which is part of a series of measures adopted by the Dominican National Council for Migration, will affect a large part of the Haitian population who until now receives medical services. in public hospitals without being required to present an identity document.



In Santiago, Haitians in an irregular situation expressed their dissatisfaction with the measure announced by the Migration Council, that access to public hospitals be limited for irregular immigrants, except in emergencies. They said it affects them, because they can't afford private clinics, and they don't have medical insurance to be treated in these centers...



Since the beginning of the year there have been 4,190 births to Haitian mothers (33.6% of the national total), there have been 6,265 hospitalizations of Haitians (16.9% of the national total) and 3,037 surgical interventions (10.3% of the national total).



The Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, endorsed the Government's decision to no longer provide health services to Haitians in irregular migration situation in the country, except in emergencies and defended this new measure.



Regarding Haitian parturients (woman giving birth) he said that public health centers do not have the necessary capacity to support the large number of Haitian women in labor who come to the national territory especially to give birth.



The Minister explained that currently, 33% of all births nationwide are to Haitian mothers and that the year 2021 is expected to end with 40%.



Minister Rivera explained that in hospitals in provinces such as Valverde and Santiago 70% of birth services are occupied by Haitian women in labor. Calling on the Haitian authorities to be accountable to its citizens.



Likewise, he indicated that about 80 Haitian women give birth in the country every day, and could reach the threshold of 100 deliveries per day if illegal immigration is not stopped, a situation, he says, that the health system cannot support in terms of human and financial resources. It should also be noted that Haitian women who are pregnant for more than 6 months will no longer be admitted to the Dominican Republic.



For the record in 2017, the deliveries of Haitian women in the Dominican Republic cost more than 100 million US dollars to the Dominican State (Source Dr Nelson Rodriguez Monegros, Director of Information of the National Health Service (SNS) of the era - https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21014-haiti-dr-more-than-5-billion-pesos-for-the-delivery-of-women-from-haiti.html ) to which is added medical care for mothers and children for more than 60 million dollars https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21694-haiti-dr-nearly-8-billion-pesos-in-hospital-care-and-services-for-haitians.html



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-33527-icihaiti-dr-29-of-dominican-maternity-beds-are-occupied-by-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33196-haiti-dr-towards-the-end-of-free-deliveries-for-haitian-women-in-the-dominican-republic.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25827-icihaiti-social-the-number-of-haitians-giving-birth-in-dr-would-have-dropped.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21694-haiti-dr-nearly-8-billion-pesos-in-hospital-care-and-services-for-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21014-haiti-dr-more-than-5-billion-pesos-for-the-delivery-of-women-from-haiti.html



S/ HaitiLibre


















Romney, WV (26757)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. High 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 37F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Published on 2021/11/04 | Source

Actors Kim Joo-hun, Ok Ja-yeon, Yang Kyung-won, and Kwak Dong-yeon will join "Big Mouth".

Advertisement

The drama "Big Mouth" said on the 4th, "Kim Joo-hun, Ok Ja-yeon, Yang Kyung-won, and Kwak Dong-yeon have confirmed their appearance".

"Big Mouth" is a story of a lawyer with a 10% winning rate, digging into the bare faces of privileged people stained with huge conspiracy to survive by becoming genius fraudster also known as "Big Mouth" overnight after being caught up in a murder case he accidentally undertakes.

In particular, it is a work in which Jang Yeong-cheol and Jeong Kyeong-soon-I, who wrote numerous well-made dramas, including "Vagabond", participated as creators and director Oh Choong-hwan, who directed "Hotel Del Luna", collaborated. In addition, the meeting between Lee Jong-suk and Yoona is in the spotlight of global fans.

On top of that, Kim Joo-hun, Ok Ja-yeon, Yang Kyung-won and Kwak Dong-yeon, who are solidifying their own filmography, are expected to add to a complete storyline and a three-dimensional relationship.

Kim Joo-hun plays the role of Choi Do-ha, mayor of Gucheon, who has great ambition in the drama. Ok Ja-yeon will transform her new image through the role of Hyeon Joo-hee, the hospital director of Gucheon Hospital and Choi Do-ha's wife. The role of Gong Ji-hoon, played by Yang Kyung-won, is the president of the media conglomerate Gukdong Daily and the chairman of the NR Forum.

Kwak Dong-yeon, who boasts an amazing spectrum regardless of genre, aims for a scene stealer once again as Jerry, a scammer and with three previous convictions. He respects the genius scammer "Big Mouth" so much that his nickname is Jerry, from "Tom and Jerry". As a result, I am already looking forward to the unpredictable charm of Kwak Dong-yeon's unique color.

As such, "Big Mouth" which will feature Lee Jong-seok, Yoona, Kim Joo-hun, Ok Ja-yeon, Yang Kyung-won and Kwak Dong-yeon, is being filmed with the goal of broadcasting in 2022.
Written By

Reporter

Sophia Voight is a reporter for the Hastings Star Gazette. She is from Oshkosh, WI and graduated from the UW Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Multimedia Journalism in 2021. She can be reached with any news tips at svoight@orourkemediagroup.com

|
While a disbelieving nation is focused on the endless border crisis, more immigrat
BARDSTOWN, Ky., Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global country music superstar Brad Paisley will launch "American Highway" Bourbon this month, a whiskey aged in barrels stored in a 53-foot semi-trailer that followed his 2019 nation-wide tour for 7,314 miles across 25 states, from coast to coast.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys Tyler S. Thompson and Jordan A. Stanton have been honored by Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications. This marks the second year in a row in which Best Lawyers has acclaimed two Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC attorneys.
Jordan's father Kyle and the rest of her Kerrville-area family have been helping as needed through her recovery.
Maps adopted by General Assembly tilt solidly to GOP

After much debate, public scrutiny and controversy, the General Assembly passed redistricting maps for the N.C. House and Senate, and U.S. Congress.



The Senate voted 25-21 for the House map. The House voted 65-49 to approve the map for the Senate, and also 65-49 for the congressional map, which includes a new 14th Congressional District in the western part of the state. Fifteen counties from Cherokee to Watauga are included in the district.

I am confident that the House and Senate have approved redistricting plans that include maps that are constitutional in every respect, House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said about the passage of the Senate and congressional maps.

Criteria for drawing the maps included considering equal population  the number of people in each legislative district within plus- or minus-5 percent of the ideal district population. Legislators also weighed contiguity, county groupings as required by previous court cases, only splitting voting districts, when necessary, the compactness of districts, municipal boundaries, and the use of member residence. As a result, they tried to keep counties whole and have minimal splits of municipalities.

Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate touted transparency, as meeting rooms where the maps were drawn were open to the public for a few weeks and could be viewed live on YouTube. Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, who chairs the House Redistricting Committee, called the process historic and unprecedented. Public hearings were held across the state.

Hall said lawmakers agreed to an amendment of the congressional map that kept the fingerling or northeast counties together but, overall, 11 counties across the state were split, along with 24 voter tabulation districts. Two municipal boundaries  Charlotte and Greensboro  were split due to population.

Hall said he was disappointed by the lack of participation by Democrats in drawing congressional maps in the committee room. Rep. Robert Reives, D- Chatham, introduced an amendment that would have kept Guilford County together. Reives said the amendment was introduced in the Senate a few weeks ago and has been on display for public view.

Hall said he only saw that amendment a few minutes before the session.

I notice it would split the finger counties in the northeast, Hall said. It splits more municipalities and will split more counties. This map doesnt comply with criteria the base map has."

The House defeated the amendment 67-47.

I think a reasonable argument can be made in Greensboro and Guilford County that the African American population feels targeted with surgical precision, said Rep. Amos L. Quick III, D-Guilford.

I am taken aback that the Democrats wished that they had more involvement in this process, said Hall. There was no input. We have no alternate congressional map from Democrats. If you have a process that doesnt consider election data, it's done out in the open with audio and video, you consider keeping cities and counties whole, and if you still dont like the outcome, perhaps the problem is not the process, perhaps the problem is your ideas.

The subject of race came up many times throughout the process. Those opposed, including Democrats and various groups, said the maps dilute minority voting by splitting up districts in certain areas, claiming the new districts combine areas with nothing in common. The maps split up several urban areas or well-established areas such as the Triad, the Triangle, and Wilmington, and include them with more rural areas, thus, splitting voters of race and ethnicity and of the Democrat Party.

Is this the final say on the maps until 2030? Probably not.

In a motion filed last week, the Southern Coalition for Justice told the court it's leading a lawsuit for the state chapter of the NAACP and Common Cause, NAACP v. Berger. The lawsuit names as defendants Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and Moore in their official capacities as legislative leaders, along with chairs of the House and Senate Redistricting and Elections Committees, as well as members of the N.C. State Board of Elections.

Congressional map

Beginning in 2023, North Carolina will have a total of 14 congressional seats, up from 13. Throughout most of the last decade, N.C. Republicans held 10 of the congressional seats; Democrats had three. Due to litigation, in 2019 the districts were re-drawn giving N.C. Democrats five of the current 13, the most seats they have held in a decade.

An analysis of the proposed congressional map by Daves Redistricting App, using election results data from 2016 and 2020, predicts the map would likely produce a 10-4 split in favor of Republicans. Princeton University also predicted a 10-4 GOP-favored result. According to Daves, the map would have eight safe Republican seats, three safe Democratic seats, and three competitive seats; two would lean right and one would lean left.

Although the current 11th Congressional District shifts north to take in Watauga County and liberal voting Boone, the new district, now the 14th, appears to be one of the eight safe seats for the GOP.

N.C. Senate map

Princeton University also evaluated the proposed state Senate map. It predicts 30 Republicans, and 20 Democrats will likely be elected with this map in the 50-member chamber. This may overestimate Republican strength. Daves Redistricting App shows Gov. Cooper Roy Cooper won 23 and lost 27 of the proposed state Senate districts.

Dave's rates 23 districts as Republican, 19 as Democratic, and eight as competitive.

N.C. House map

The GOP won 67 seats under Democrat-drawn House maps in 2010. After new GOP House maps were put in place, Republicans hit a high mark of 77 seats in 2012. They won 74 seats over the next couple of cycles until the 2018 election brought them to a decade low of 65. They gained four seats in 2020 and currently hold 69 seats.

It's not unreasonable to think that, as the population moves throughout the next decade, Democrats could win a narrow majority despite their geographic difficulties.

Democrats would prefer maps more favorable to them. However, in a state that requires keeping counties whole, and the fact the Democrats are largely uncompetitive in 70 of North Carolinas 100 counties, they would be at a sharp disadvantage no matter who drew the districts.

If Republicans capture veto-proof margins in the General Assembly  30 seats in the Senate, 72 in the House  in 2022, they will do so mostly on the strength of a strong GOP year overall. Legislative maps are not, and cant be, drawn to deliver Republicans a supermajority. Candidates of either party will have to win several pure toss-up races.
Council OKs 93-home Providence Walk subdivision

Acting on yet another development that neighbors opposed, the Hendersonville City Council on Thursday approved a rezoning request to permit a subdivision of 93 single-family homes on 22 acres behind the Oklawaha Village community and south of Duncan Hill Road.

Council members Lyndsey Simpson and Jerry Smith warned that with 1,300 dwellings on the drawing board the city will need to consider the overall infrastructure needs.

"We really need to be looking at things bigger picture," Simpson said. "It raises so many flags. This is now and this is how many units are coming in and how many are coming down the pipeline at some point we have to stop and look at things."

"After this development," Smith said, "my eyes will be more focused on stepping back and looking at what we're doing with 1,300 units already in the hopper."

But council members who favored the rezoning said that the Providence Walk subdivision, with numerous conditions to address traffic, setback and design concerns, would provide needed housing even if it's not affordable workforce housing.

Voting yes were council members Jeff Miller and Jennifer Hensley and Mayor Barbara Volk. Simpson and Smith voted no.
A GRANDFATHER who fought off masked robbers after being hit on the head with a crowbar has been honoured for his bravery.

Sami Barsoum, 71, from Lower Assendon, who still has a scar on his skull from the attack, said: I dont really feel that brave.

Its nice to be recognised but deep down I feel like I just did what I had to do.

The retired exchange bureau manager was speaking after being presented with a High Sheriffs award more than three years after the 50,000 armed robbery in London.

The incident happened as Mr Barsoum was coming to the end of a busy day at the bureau he ran near Victoria station on January 4, 2018. There was just one other member of staff and two customers there when two men wearing high-vis clothing and balaclavas forced their way through the security doors.

Mr Barsoum challenged them but was hit on the head by one of the men with the crowbar and fell to the ground.

He got back up and continued to stand up to the robbers before they fled with bags stuffed with cash.

Mr Barsoum recalled: When you work for so many years and you are just about to retire, it felt wrong.

These two guys came in disguised from top to bottom. They were wearing high-vis clothing, balaclavas and gloves, so you couldnt see anything apart from their eyes. It was about 6pm and one of them was carrying a bag. They just came in and within seconds they came to the door and pulled a crowbar out of a bag.

They started bashing on the door and trying to open it.

I didnt know how to react or what to do because it happened so quickly.

When they came in, one of them went towards the money and the other one went to keep us out of the way but I tried to fight them off.

I was angry and was trying to defend everyone. There was a girl with one of the customers.

The robbers, Cleon Perry and Edmund Brown, who were part of an organised gang, were later caught by police. They were jailed for a total of 37 years at Croydon Crown Court in August 2018 for this and similar offences.

While sentencing the pair, Her Honour Judge Alice Robinson commended Mr Barsoum and nominated him for a bravery award.

Mr Barsoum and his wife Kim attended a ceremony at the Supreme Court in Parliament Square to be presented with a certificate from the High Sheriff of Greater London, Lynn Cooper.

The ceremony was due to take place last year but had to be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Barsoums, who have two adult daughters, have lived in Lower Assendon for 19 years. They moved to the area from Osterley in West London as the girls and Mrs Barsoum loved horses.

Mr Barsoum worked at Change Link for more than 40 years when he retired in 2019, a year after the robbery, which has left him with feelings of worry.

He said: Sometimes, I sit at home and think this sort of thing could happen again, someone could just break the door down. It puts you on edge.

I look back at it and wonder if I could have done anything differently. Its always in the back of my mind.

His wife said he was too modest about his attempts to stop the robbers.

She said: The police said it was one of the worst cases they had seen in terms of the violence the robbers used. When we got the phone call to say what had happened, Sami played it down because he didnt want us to panic.

We called him stupid at the time but he was just not prepared to let them take the money.

The police said we shouldnt really watch the CCTV footage but it was only when you looked at it that you realised how extreme the violence was. It was quite shocking.

Mrs Barsoum said her husband had a history of catching thieves.

He was on the Tube once and he felt he had been pick-pocketed, she said. He confronted the guy and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

My husband is not that big but he held him until London Transport Police came and he got his money back. He was not prepared to let anyone help themselves.

Mr Barsoums younger daughter Laura Barsoum-Symons, 37, said: When you look at the footage, you see how much of a fight he put up. He fell backwards and the guy was still coming at him.

Head injuries can be so serious and it could have been much worse. We just said, Dad, why didnt you just let them take the money?

His older daughter, Lisa Barsoum-Allen, 40, said: In court, the judge commented that there was no need for the violence and the guy was really cocky and said Dad should have just laid there and let them take the money.

They were all quite proud of what they had done and they showed no remorse.
Free access for current print subscribers

As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition.

All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name.

Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address.

Activate your account now.
Greenville, TX (75401)

Today

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Morning high of 68F with temps falling to near 60. WSW winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low near 40F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Support local journalism

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free.

Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.


St. Joseph, MI (49085)

Today

Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 51F. SW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
ST. JOSEPH  Berrien County epidemiologist Guy Miller is set to become the countys acting health officer after commissioners approved his appointment Thursday.

The move is pending final approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Administrator Brian Dissette said Miller, who grew up in St. Joseph, has been working for the county since 2015 and has a masters degree in public health. His appointment is for up to six months.

This is something that were required to have in place. The state of Michigan has given tentative approval that they would recognize him as the acting health officer, Dissette said during Thursdays Committee of the Whole meeting. There was no discussion of Millers appointment during the regular meeting later that morning, when it was approved as part of the consent agenda.

He said commissioners need to approve Miller for the role before the state can give its official approval.

My intent is to have Guy here, talking with you all at your next meeting, he said. I think that youll find him to be someone thats easy to work with. I think that youll find him to be someone who very much loves this community and wants to do good work here.

Dissette said hes been looking for a new acting health officer since the previous one, Courtney Davis, announced she was stepping down. Her last day was Wednesday.

Davis served as the acting health officer after former Health Officer Nicki Britten stepped down July 9 to work for Spectrum Health Lakeland as the director of population health.

Dissette said the county is finally getting applicants for positions that are open at the health department, including for deputy health officer, finance manager and health officer.

He said the county will continue to seek applicants for the health officer role while Miller test drives being the acting health officer. He said hes encouraging Miller to find someone to work as the countys epidemiologist on a temporary basis.

Dissette said he wants Miller to be able to go back to being the countys epidemiologist if down the road, he decides he doesnt want to be the acting health officer.

Miller, 31, told The Herald-Palladium in April 2020 that when theres not a global pandemic, hes involved with monitoring food-borne outbreaks and infectious diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis, lyme disease and West Nile virus.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Very, we have an emergency plan and complete emergency supply kit.

Somewhat, we have a complete emergency supply kit.

Little, we have incomplete plan and/or supply kit.

Not at all.

Vote

View Results
Local_news

top story

City goes after vacant buildings

MOUNT CARMEL  Mayor Joe Judge wants the city to aim at abandoned buildings and eyesore properties.

A new ordinance could save the city costs for demolition while improving the communitys appearance and add to the property tax base. In recent years, demolitions of abandoned or fire-damaged commercial buildings have Mount Carmel taxpayers up to $60,000.

A lack of proper insurance coverage by some business owners has canceled out access to a firefighter insurance fund, Judge said. A new ordinance could address that and related issues, including building code compliance and making sure a new business is the right fit for an empty structure.

When the city tears down a large commercial building it is costing us $60,000. Some have cost $50,000, Mayor Judge said Monday.

Another monetary element of the issue is property taxes. Abandoned, damaged or deteriorating structures do not add much to the city tax base. Therefore, this problem is costing the city money up front and through the tax rolls.

Mount Carmel City Clerk Ryan Turner explained after the meeting this problem also involves public safety and the overall appearance of the city and its neighborhoods.

We are reviewing businesses not up to code and revitalizing the downtown. There are homes that the city must go through the court system to get something done. And the courts take time, Turner said.

Judge said the goal is to an ordinance addressing these problems drafted for future approval by the city council.

In other business, the council approved the appointment of Tyler Jefferson to the Mount Carmel Fire Pension Board. There was also a first reading of an ordinance for changing the Park Board meetings to the third Mondays of March, June, September and December. This change would end scheduling conflicts for board members.

During reports, Police Chief Mike McWilliams said the closure of Cherry Street for major street work was ending as the workers moved on to Oak Street.

Finance Commissioner Ikemire said the General Fund balance from Oct. 19 to Nov. 1 signed $40,229 in receipts and $153,205 in expenditures. The cash and investment balance totaled $1,655,267 entering November. The council members approved paying bills at the close of the meeting.
It's up already

The day after Thanksgiving

Three weeks before Christmas

Two weeks before Christmas

If it's up in time for Christmas, I'm happy

Vote

View Results
Copyright  2021 at Sun Newspapers/ APG Media of East Central Minnesota. Digital dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
Lima, OH (45805)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 45F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph..

Tonight

A chance of a lone shower in the early evening. Low 29F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Appointment

5 November 2021

HP Hotels, a leading full-service third-party hotel management company, announced today that Jeff Burns has joined the company as its Chief Investment Officer. HP Hotels CEO Kerry Ranson made the announcement.

In this role, Jeff will work closely with HP Hotels' existing and prospective hotel property owners to assess their portfolios; investment opportunities; and the capital structure and market strategies for any given hotel property. Jeff will also advise investors who are new to the hospitality industry and work closely with HP Hotels' executive leadership team and Advisory Committee in forming strategic direction.

Jeff has more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, most recently as Principal, Acquisitions for JMI Reality, a private real estate investment and development company originally founded as an investment vehicle of the John J. Moores family.

Jeff is also founding co-partner with Matt Comfort of Bullwhip Capital Partners, LLC., an investment platform focused on the hospitality space. Among successful hotel investments, Bullwhip Capital has invested in multiple states across the U.S., including in Santa Fe, NM and Dallas. Bullwhip Capital is also an investor in HP Hotels.

Prior to forming Bullwhip Capital Partners, Jeff was a Senior Vice President for Behringer Harvard in Dallas where he managed $650 million in hotel investments for a private REIT across multiple funds.
Appointment

5 November 2021

Jonathan Raz has been named as hotel manager of Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Prior to starting as hotel manager, he was complex director of food and beverage for both Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Owned by Park Hotels and Resorts and managed by Hilton, Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek recently debuted as the brand's first property after converting and rebranding from a 1,009-room Hilton Hotels & Resorts property.

In his new role, Raz will lead the team in all aspects of hotel operations, from marketing and hotel administration to guest services and satisfaction.

Raz began his 20-year career with Hilton in New York City at the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York as the assistant director of banquet and events operations. He continued his career as assistant director of food and beverage at Hilton Americas-Houston and as director of food and beverage at Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor before moving to Orlando as director of food and beverage at Hilton Orlando.

Raz is the incoming president on the board of directors for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association's Central Florida chapter. In his free time, he is an avid cook and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, creating content and editing film for his own YouTube channel.
Appointment

5 November 2021

David Steyn has been appointed General Manager of the all-inclusive Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia's South Cardamom National Park.

Born in Johannesburg, David has 13 years of hospitality industry and management experience at high-end safari and beach lodges in South Africa, East Africa and Bhutan under his belt, including three assignments at the prestigious Singita, Sabi Sands.

David is not only a trained field guide with extensive wilderness experience, but also a trained sommelier.

Prior to taking up his new position at Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild, David was the Lodge Manager at Aman Resorts' Amankora Punakha Bhutan, followed by a short term assignment as Rooms Division Manager at One & Only Nyungwe House, Rwanda.

Given his past experience and love of all things wild, his arrival by zipline over 400m of the forest canopy, river and waterfalls should be a breeze.
Appointment

5 November 2021

Following its reopening at the middle of October 2021, Six Senses Zighy Bay has announced a new general manager. Andrew Spearman joins the Omani property having previously worked in luxury hospitality in Europe.

Spearman's hospitality career can be traced back to 1985 where he started as a front office management trainee for Holiday Inn. In 1990, he worked with Walt Disney as a senior management trainee in Europe before being sent to Florida at Disney's 855-key Polynesian Resort.

He later became project co-coordinator of Euro Disney Resort Hotels for two years before re-joining Holiday Inn in a range of managerial positions. By the turn of the century, he was GM of Malmaison Edinburgh hotel, later working with Constance Hotels in the Seychelles and Mauritius in a range of GM roles.

He then had a string of hospitality consultancy and operational roles for the likes of GBR Hospitality Consulting in Germany and Rigmora Holdings Ltd.
Author

Iqbal Ahmed was born in Kashmir in 1968 and has lived in London since 1994. His books have been chosen as Books of the Year in The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, Economist and New Statesman. They have also been favourably reviewed in many newspapers and magazines, including the TLS, The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, The Tablet, Le Temps and New Zealand Listener.

Iqbal writes from the standpoint of an immigrant who has travelled widely and worked in a variety of occupations in London. His curiosity and cosmopolitan outlook have been nourished by his vantage point as concierge of a busy London hotel that is part of a worldwide chain.

More about Iqbal Ahmed
Press Release

5 November 2021

Melia continues along the road to recovery in the 3rd quarter, increasing revenues (+161.7%) and EBITDA (+329.1%) compared to the same period in 2020, thanks to an optimisation of rates, strict cost control and digital strength that compensated the persistent irregularity in occupancy.

Advertisements

The Net Result improved by +64.6% up to September

Since June, the company has continued to generate positive cash flow and consolidated the changing trend in the business that began in July

Revenue practically doubled in Q2 compared to Q1, and doubled again in Q3, reflecting the increasing demand as we come out of the pandemic and restrictions are relaxed

Average occupancy continues to improve every week, although it is still far from the levels seen in 2019

Spanish holiday destinations, thanks largely to the domestic market, and the Caribbean have already recovered levels similar to 2019

Leadership in resorts and bleisure - which performed better than city hotels - and the company's positioning in the upscale segment also boosted results

Photo: Melia

Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer The 3rd quarter of 2021 confirms the road to recovery seen towards the end of the 2nd quarter, with a solid but irregular summer season and moderately positive estimates for the 4th quarter, mainly based on a recovery in international travel and the evolution of the Corporate Travel and MICE segments. Melia's leadership in resort hotels and bleisure -urban leisure- also allowed us to benefit from their speedier recovery, offsetting a weaker performance in large cities over the period."

"The lessons learned since March 2020 reaffirm our commitment to health and safety and flexibility (resilience factors that we will continue to apply in the coming months). They also demonstrate the competitive advantage given to us by our digitalisation, brand positioning (especially our luxury brands and concepts), and our strong focus on improving our efficiency and competitiveness. All of this continues to form part of our strategy for 2022-2024, in which we expect to recover the activity and revenue levels we had prior to the pandemic while consolidating a more efficient, profitable and resilient company, further bolstered by growth focused mainly on management and franchise models".

Photo: Melia

Melia Hotels International has presented its results for the first nine months of the year, showing a positive overall trend in line with the progressive recovery in the business after the pandemic, which saw a clear turning point from June onwards thanks to the positive summer season in some destinations. Consolidated revenue excluding capital gains reached 290.8M, having increased by +21% compared to the first 9 months of 2020 (-62.4% compared to the first 9 months of 2019), although the increase is +161.7% if only the third quarter is taken into account. On the other hand, operating expenses excluding extraordinary items only increased by 1.8% until September, compared to the same period in 2020, and -48.1% compared to 2019.The Attributed Consolidated Result improved by +64.6% up to September (+86.4% for the third quarter alone), and EBITDA continued to grow to 64.6M (+ 165.3%) for the first nine months after growing by +328.8% in the 3rd quarter.

Melia is benefiting from the reactivation of tourism in several important destinations. In the Caribbean results are already near those of 2019. The recovery in Mediterranean destinations and the Canary Islands has still been negatively impacted by travel restrictions in some feeder markets, particularly the UK, where reservations for Spain fell by 73.5% according to Exceltur.

The performance was boosted by the company's digital capacity, with more than 55% of centralised sales coming through melia.com and the MeliaRewards loyalty programme, helping optimise revenue and preserve average room rates. Occupancy levels, however, remain far behind pre-pandemic levels, mainly due to irregular international demand. As a result, in the RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) for the period, the qualitative component (price) had a greater positive influence than the quantitative component (occupancy), allowing us to predict important improvements in the future as international demand recovers and average occupancy returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Demand is growing at different rates, with destinations that are more accessible and more dependent on domestic and local tourism achieving higher occupancies, even above those of 2019. On the other hand, destinations more exposed to international demand were affected by the slowdown in markets such as Germany and the UK.

Melia's results also benefited from its leadership in the resort segment in key Spanish destinations (the segment that has been the first to recover), and its strong positioning in upscale and luxury hotels, where demand has increased above average, with global average rates up to 4% higher compared to the same period in 2019, and rates up to 15% higher in Spanish holiday hotels.

With regard to financial results, the company has an approximate liquidity level of 439.5Mn, while Net Debt at the end of September stood at 2,811.9Mn, (+208.1Mn since the end of 2020), caused by the impact of the pandemic and the addition of several lease agreements. Pre-IFRS 16 Net Debt, however, saw a slight reduction (-2Mn) in the 3rd quarter. The company continues to consider debt reduction one of its top priorities, and therefore continues to assess the possible disposal of assets in addition to the transaction carried out in June.

With regard to portfolio growth, the company has added 16 hotels (with more than 3,600 rooms) to date, with a clear focus on Mediterranean destinations such as Spain, with 4 hotels, Greece and Malta with 3 hotels each, 2 hotels in Italy and one each in Portugal and Albania. The other focus for growth has been Asia, with a new hotel signed in both China and Indonesia. Melia hopes to continue adding hotels during the year in Spain, Portugal and Albania, as well as in the Caribbean and Vietnam, which may lead to over 6,300 new rooms being added by the end of the year.

The changes in the business environment, growing competitive forces and new market trends reinforce the importance of the company's digital and management capabilities, leadership and expertise in resort hotels, and the brands and economies of scale the company can offer to companies under the new partnership models. This is reflected in the intensification of current growth and the potential for growth in the portfolio through management and franchise formulas.

Performance by region - 3rd quarter

Photo: Melia

In Spain, Melia ended September with 107 hotels open, including almost all of the city hotels. As in other destinations, recovery is coming at two different rates, more quickly in holiday destinations, particularly those with significant domestic demand (which represented more than 50% of our sales and for which demand this year grew by +3.4% compared to 3Q 2019 according to Exceltur), and more slowly in destinations dependent on the UK market (Calvia in Mallorca, Benidorm, Torremolinos and South Tenerife). The tendency to book at the last minute remains strong, as well as a preference for superior rooms and luxury products, where revenues were +5% higher than in 2019 after a double-digit increase in the average rate compared to 2019 and sales through melia.com accounting for 52% of the total. With a view to the 4th quarter, the company sees a growing demand from international travellers for resort hotels, highlighting the importance of the Canary Islands over the coming months. With regard to city hotels, the limited visibility and last-minute booking trends continue, as well as a dependence on the recovery of the MICE segment. The numbers at the beginning of October and the outlook for the Corporate Travel segment do, however, point towards a certain optimism.

In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), the company had 82 hotels open at the end of September and was seeing an incipient recovery in most markets, particularly in Italy, where the relaxation of restrictions caused a rebound in demand in all destinations. In France, the company has 6 hotels open and has seen a certain reactivation in leisure and bleisure travel in October. In Germany, despite the positive domestic demand in hotels with a bleisure component and the slow recovery of the Corporate Travel segment, a travel ban in most companies and the absence of large trade fairs and MICE groups continued to hamper the recovery, although expectations are positive for the leisure and business segments for the 4th quarter. Regarding the UK, the restrictions made it difficult for international travellers to visit London in summer, although domestic guests (more than 95% of the total, thanks to the so-called staycations") boosted results in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle. The outlook for the 4th quarter is better, thanks to a certain recovery in international travel and the MICE segment.

In the Americas, Mexico became the first country to recover pre-Covid revenue levels, with a very positive performance in individual traveller segments that offset the weakness of the MICE segment. The luxury lifestyle portfolio in the country will be boosted with the recent reopening of the fully renovated ME Cabo. Visitors from the US represented 78% of guests in the absence of travellers from LatAm, Europe and Canada, which are expected to reactivate demand from November after the recent lifting of restrictions. The Dominican Republic continued to experience some difficulties in recovering the number of flights to the destination, with a very strong dependence on the US market, which, like the Canadian market, has recently reopened, although with certain concerns about the Delta variant.

As for hotels in the USA, Orlando had higher revenue than in the 3rd quarter of 2019, with 89% of guests from the US, while New York expects to reactivate the Corporate Travel segment with people returning to their offices and with the leisure segment pending the reopening of the border on November 8 (for which Melia has launched a strong sales campaign). In other Latin American countries with borders closed until September, the company continued to grow revenues thanks to domestic demand in each country, with further growth expected after the reopening of borders in the 4th quarter. Cuba, with 12 hotels open, saw discreet growth in the 3rd quarter after the announcement of a restart to travel from Canada. This is expected to continue in the 4th quarter with greater availability of flights and more travellers after the official reopening of borders on November 15.

In Asia Pacific, Melia hotels in China suffered the impact of various virus outbreaks in August and September, although the country expects a greater reactivation of the MICE segment for November and December. Vietnam will gradually reopen hotels up to the end of 2021, and Thailand, highly affected by the absence of international demand up to September, will reopen three hotels up to December as the country lifts quarantine requirements on a significant number of nationalities. In other countries in the region, a reopening of international markets is not foreseen until the 2nd half of 2022
Press Release

5 November 2021

Lecturer Lilly Jan of the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration continues to invite leaders to share their candid thoughts in a series of panel discussions on getting through the pandemic, moving forward, and creating a better future for the embattled food and beverage industry.

Advertisements

In a keynote webinar titled The Choice: Industry Leaders Envision the Future of F&B, made possible by the Nolan Schools Center for Hospitality research (CHR), Jan spoke with Daniella Senior, chief executive officer and owner of Colada Shop, and Elizabeth Tilton, chief executive officer and founder of Oyster Sunday. They discussed their personal experiencesboth challenges and inspirationsas well as the F&B industrys path forward.

Overcoming pandemic-related challenges

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, labor shortages have troubled the industry. Daniella Senior, a restaurant owner, listed some of the pandemic-related factors causing employees to leave their jobs: losing loved ones, moving back in with parents, or having more time to learn other skills. The pandemic, she noted, exposed the food and beverage industrys long hours and lack of benefits, causing many employees to pursue careers in more worker-friendly industries.

With this shortage in mind, employers have been more eager than ever to hire. To retain and attract workers, Elizabeth Tilton suggested that employers take a step back and streamline their operationsfor example, with smaller teams and scaled-back hoursto provide benefits like health insurance and salaried wages.

Technological innovations have also been foregrounded by the pandemic, with QR codes, contactless kiosks, and even cloud kitchens (kitchens without storefronts that prepare food for delivery only) coming into demand. Tilton was interested in seeing where this expansion of technology would go in the future, saying that the pandemic made people less apprehensive about using data and technology to inform their businesses.

Creating opportunities and changing the culture

With people from marginalised communities facing discrimination and fewer advancement opportunities in the industry, Jan invited the panelists to share how their companies are promoting inclusivity. Tiltons company, Oyster Sunday, a New Orleans and NYC-based corporate office for independent restaurants, encouraged remote work at the start of the pandemic. This gave employees flexibility and enabled Tilton to build a team that was not bound by [a] city. They also removed education requirements from job descriptions, and created a free tool, Reopening: Critical Path, outlining steps toward reopening safely during COVID for operators who may otherwise not have had access to these resources.

Not only have they made strides in inclusivity, the panelists are committed to increasing employees benefits in general. At Colada Shop, employees with knowledge gaps are trained to use business software like Microsoft Excel, to prepare them for salaried positions and other opportunitiesbecause, as Senior explained, it can be detrimental to promote those who arent ready yet. Ultimately, Senior believes in supporting employees by giving them the tools to reach the positions they choose, while also supporting organizations that [uplift] women and members of the LGBTQ community.

Oyster Sunday is also shifting its work culture with initiatives to transition independent contractors to full-time workers within a set number of months. Working with tiers and giving the contractors timelines, Tilton made a point of being transparent with salaries, as well as ensuring healthcare coverage and providing unlimited paid time off. Since this webinar, Oyster Sunday has launched the Oyster Sunday Benefits Program, which aims to improve access to benefits for hospitality and food service workers.

Personal inspirations for a better future

As for why they were motivated to push for these changes, Senior and Tilton each cited some of their personal experiences. Growing up in the industry, Senior faced constant abuse while working in kitchens in New York City, where she was frequently the only womanor among the few womenin a sea of men. There was not yet a culture of mutual support between women, she explained, because oftentimes there was only one seat at the table. The idea that her future children could be exposed to this culture drove her to do [her] part to create one in which all people could flourish.

Tilton spoke of her mother, a doctor and rockstar in her profession, as one of her major inspirations, imbuing her with the idea that she should not be bound by her gender. As someone who is dyslexic, finding her way through life drove home this concept that if you want to get it done youll find an alternative path forward. As an adult, she has brought these lessons into her business, saying that she wants to provide people a space that resembles a life they want to live.

Going forward, both Senior and Tilton hope to see the industry offer more and better resources to employees. Tilton asserted that until the huge void of benefits and healthcare is addressed, situations like the pandemic will continue to find employees choosing between wellbeing and compensation. Owners should create an environment that gives as much stability as they can, Senior recommended, instead of overworking employees in the name of a more, more, more mentality.

At this unprecedented time for the food and beverage industry, leaders like Daniella Senior and Elizabeth Tilton offer brighter possibilities for the future. To learn more about their insights and the work theyve done, watch the full keynote.
Frank Rogers went to Teslas service center near the Dominion in 2018 and took his first-ever spin in an all-electric Model 3.

The thing that attracted me first was the technology, and when I got behind the wheel, it was the thrill of the ride, said Rogers, CEO of a small-business services firm. Its like being on a roller coaster, but you can control how fast you go.

A self-described computer geek, Rogers rushed home to buy one on the electric car makers website, carefully selecting the color, type of wheels, interior design and battery options.

Three months later, Rogers received his blue Model 3 with the 30-day temporary license plate tags at his home. A Tesla-contracted broker in the Dallas area helped him secure his registration and license plates.

We signed the documents sent to us and it was pretty much hands-off, he said. But it took about three more months to get the plates. He had to return to Teslas far North Side service center three times to pick up new temporary license tags.

Earlier this year, his wife went online to buy a Tesla Model Y. But without a broker, Frank said it was a fiasco, with her driving to several drivers license branch locations to obtain plates. It was just not knowing where to go, he said.

Rogers suspects Tesla buyers in Texas wouldnt experience such hassles if the automaker could sell its vehicles directly to consumers. But it cant. Texas law requires auto manufacturers to sell their cars, trucks and SUVs through franchised dealerships.

Texas customers must buy Tesla vehicles on the companys website and fill out paperwork through email.

Here, Tesla remains limited to operating showrooms and service centers, such as the Dominion location. Employees offer test drives out of these sleek, Apple Store-inspired storefronts, but they cant discuss pricing with potential car buyers or help buyers with services most dealerships provide  like getting their plates and registration.

If Tesla could have helped us out  to figure out where to go  it wouldve been easier, just like dealerships, Rogers said. But with Tesla not being able to sell in Texas, that was on us to do.

Selling directly to buyers over the internet is the heart of Teslas distribution model, and Musk doesnt appear to be budging on that front.

And partnering with third-party dealerships is seemingly out of the question; in fact, Tesla has been trying to tear down franchise dealership laws across the country.

Though Tesla has managed to overturn such laws in other states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, it has repeatedly failed in Texas.

But Tesla may be playing a stronger hand in Texas than ever before. The company is building a $1.1 billion Cybertruck plant in Austin, and co-founder and CEO Elon Musk announced Oct. 7 that its moving its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to the state capital. Given the size of Teslas investment here  in addition to the Texas operations of SpaceX, Musks other major concern  will Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers finally consider upending the dealership law?

The perfect battle

Tech entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning got Tesla rolling in 2003, with Musk largely bankrolling the company with part of the $180 million fortune hed made from the 2002 sale of PayPal  which he co-founded  to Ebay. The idea was to start with a luxury all-electric roadster, perfect its car-making skills and eventually sell less expensive electric vehicles to the masses.

Its succeeding. In its third quarter, Tesla sold a record-breaking 241,000 electric vehicles, despite tangles in its supply chain.

Yet traditional dealerships across the country  and lawmakers who protect them  are resisting Teslas direct-to-consumer push. Texas is one of nearly 25 states that either ban automakers from cutting dealerships out of the picture or put restrictions on manufacturers sales directly to their customers.

What were asking for from the Texas Legislature is really simple, Musk said in 2013 when Tesla first attempted to undo the franchise law. Let us sell our cars directly to the people of Texas like were able to do in most of the country.

The Texas Automobile Dealers Association fended off the bill that year and fought follow-up legislation in the past four sessions. The organization represents more than 1,200 dealership across the state, many of whose owners are rich and politically connected in their communities.

This is really the perfect battle as these two interests collide, said Raji Srinivasan, an associate dean at the McCombs School of Business at University of Texas at Austin.

Looking to take emissions-free vehicles into the mainstream, Musk has introduced a disruptive technology to the traditional car model, she said. And its internet-driven sales system is as much a challenge to traditional dealerships as its sought-after electric vehicles are to major automakers.

April Ancira, chairwoman of both the Texas and San Antonio auto dealer associations, testified against Tesla-backed bills in the latest legislative session.

Its not that Tesla itself is so frightening, she said. Its just that we would hate to see one thing cause the demise of the backbone of America: family-owned, mid-sized businesses that are engaged in their communities and are great for their consumers considering the competitive pricing.

As the vice president of the Ancira Auto Group in San Antonio, Ancira said she supports Teslas plan to move its headquarters to Texas. But she said shes baffled by the companys decision to forgo the franchise model, in which automakers can use dealerships to have a mass distribution point without having to put up all of the capital and all of the risk on it.

She wonders whether Musk would ever change his mind and partner with dealerships.

I dont know a dealer out there who wouldnt raise their hand, Ancira said. If he said lets do the dealership thing, Id say, Where do you want me to build?

ROBYN BECK, Contributor / AFP via Getty Images

Roadblock

State Sen. Jose Menendez said he has always been consistent on my opposition to changing the law for one manufacturer. In past legislative sessions, the San Antonio Democrat worked across the political aisle to prevent the Big Three automakers and now Tesla from killing the state dealership law.

I dont think Mr. Musk decided to move his headquarters to Texas because it was going to buy favor with legislators, Menendez said. Because if that was his thinking, hes wrong.

Neither Gov. Abbott nor Musk responded to requests for comment for this story. Tesla did not respond to questions as of press time, either.

Tesla has employed a plethora of lobbyists for nearly a decade trying to influence legislators, but theyve fallen short because the franchise dealership model is not broken, Menendez said.

He cited the economic benefits of local dealerships. San Antonios 78 dealers, he said, employ 8,700 workers who make an average annual salary of $69,000, with an overall payroll of $600 million.

With all due respect, Mr. Musk, the state of Texas has gone over 150 years just fine without having to accommodate you, he said. Im sure well do just fine if you choose not to play by the rules.

Menendez said he is a huge fan of the Tesla products and offered an olive branch, of sorts. The day that Mr. Musk chooses to play by the rules that we have in Texas is the day that Ill look at purchasing a Model S, but not anytime before, he said.

Buyers weigh in

Back at his San Antonio business, Frank Rogers said he expects lawmakers to continue icing out Tesla.

Its the Big Three that are keeping those other manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, he said. Its a union thing. Its a politics thing. Its nothing about how good the cars are and how much people like the cars.

Rogers said he could not imagine Musk partnering with a franchised dealership, since his whole philosophy is to move the world toward sustainable energy, and I dont think hed park his car alongside a gas-powered car.

Michael Danberry, president of the Tesla Owners Club of San Antonio, said the company-sanctioned group has garnered 246 members since forming last year. Other Tesla owners groups exist in Austin, Houston and North Texas.

After retiring from the Army, Danberry test-drove his first Tesla in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2017.

The test drive is what will hook you, he said. It just goes. Theres no sound. No shifting. Its just a quiet go.

Danberry placed an online order from the Tesla showroom for a Model S. Two years later, he and his family had moved to Dripping Springs, just outside of Austin, when his wife Carla  who also retired from the Army  bought a Model X over the internet. She had the same hassles the Rogers experienced.

In Texas, they can show you a car and they can deliver the car, but they cant sell you the car, Danberry said.

The club president said he supports Teslas mission to create an entire sustainable energy ecosystem, adding: Tesla is more than a car company  theyre a technology company.

Teslas have become a common sight on Texas roadways, particularly in metro areas  which means the states dealership law hasnt stopped buyers like Danberry. But he worries that the law and similar ones in other states may hinder startup electric vehicle makers such as Rivian and Lucid, both based in California.

These new vehicle manufacturers dont want to follow the dealership model, he said. They shouldnt have to follow the dealership model.

Srinivasan, the UT professor, said lawmakers in various states, including Texas and Connecticut, have aligned with franchise dealers, which she described as traditional interests.

Still, she believes Texans someday will be able to legally buy Teslas directly from the company, saying, Its a question of time.

As for Ancira, she said she is 99 percent sure the law wont change in the next Legislature. But shes concerned about legislative sessions farther out, as more dealer-friendly lawmakers such as state Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) retire.

You get put in the spot where you need to retell your story to ensure that theres no disconnect from one session to another and build those relationships on a continuous basis as those players begin to change, she said. Were concerned. But were trying to stay on top of this as best as we can.

eric.killelea@express-news.net
Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The new requirements are the Biden administrations boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine that has been widely available for months  or face financial consequences. If successful, administration officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

First previewed by President Joe Biden in September, the requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require that unvaccinated workers test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. It asked for public comment on whether employers with fewer than 100 employees could handle vaccination or testing programs.

Tougher rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing  they will need to be vaccinated.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic.

While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, he said Thursday in a statement.

Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million now.

Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases.

THE LATEST NUMBERS: Interactive maps, charts show spread of COVID across Houston

OSHA said companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

The agency will face enforcement challenges. Even counting help from states, OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to oversee 130 million workers at 8 million workplaces. An administration official said the agency will respond to whistleblower complaints and make limited spot checks.

The release of the rules followed weeks of regulatory review and meetings with business groups, labor unions and others.

OSHA drafted the rules under emergency authority meant to protect workers from an imminent health hazard. The agency estimated that the vaccine mandate will save more than 6,500 worker lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations over the next six months.

The rules set up potential legal battles along partisan lines between states and the federal government. Several states and Republican governors threatened to sue, contending that the administration lacks the power to make such sweeping mandates under emergency authority.

OSHA's parent agency, the Labor Department, says it is on sound legal footing. The department's top legal official, Seema Nanda, said OSHA rules preempt conflicting state laws or orders, including those that bar employers from requiring vaccinations, testing or face masks.

Senate Republicans immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate, but with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail.

The rules will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees testing positive must be removed from the workplace.

Companies won't be required to provide or pay for tests for unvaccinated workers, but they must give paid time off for employees to get the shots and sick leave to recover from side effects that prevent them from working. Requirements for masks and paid time off for shots take effect Dec. 5.

Employers covered by the requirements must verify their workers vaccination status by checking documents such as CDC vaccination cards, records from doctors or pharmacies, or even an employee's own signed declaration.

NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a separate rule requiring vaccination for workers in 76,000 health facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. A senior administration official said several large private health care organizations imposed their own mandates and achieved high vaccination rates  96% or higher  without widespread resignations.

A previously announced requirement for federal contractors to make sure workers are vaccinated was scheduled to take effect Dec. 8, but the administration delayed that measure until Jan. 4 to match the requirements on other large employers and health care providers. Already, more than a dozen states have sued to block the mandate on contractors.

For weeks, Biden has encouraged businesses not to wait for OSHA to act. He has touted businesses that announced their own vaccine requirements and urged others to follow their lead.

Administration officials say those efforts are paying off, with about 70% of adults fully vaccinated.

Workplace vaccine mandates have become more common recently, with hospitals, state and local governments and some major corporations requiring COVID-19 shots for employees. The mandates have led to overwhelming compliance  in some cases 99% of workers  although a small but vocal number have faced dismissal, filed lawsuits or sought exemptions.

United Airlines required 67,000 U.S. employees to get vaccinated or face termination. Only a couple hundred refused to do so, although about 2,000 are seeking exemptions.

In August, Tyson Foods told its 120,000 U.S. workers that they must be vaccinated by Nov. 1. On Thursday, the company said more than 96% of its workforce was vaccinated, including 60,500 people who got their shots after the August announcement.

Walmart, the nations largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and managers who travel within the United States to be vaccinated by Oct. 4. The retailer stopped short of requiring shots for front-line workers, however.

However, some companies have expressed fear that some vaccine-hesitant workers might quit, leaving their workforces even thinner in an already-tight labor market.

Several corporate groups, including the Business Roundtable, endorsed the mandate. However, retail groups worried that the requirement could disrupt their operations during the critical Christmas shopping period. Retailers and others also said it could worsen supply chain disruptions.

The National Retail Federation suggested the new rules are not needed because the rolling average number of new daily cases in the U.S. has fallen by more than half since September.

TRY THE APP: Get alerts, breaking news and in-depth coverage on what's happening in Houston through our mobile app.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration has chosen to declare an emergency and impose burdensome new requirements on retailers during the crucial holiday shopping season, said David French, a senior vice president for the trade group.

The number of new infections in the U.S. is still falling from a summer surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant, but the rate of decline has slowed in recent weeks. The 7-day moving average is down 6% from two weeks ago, at more than 76,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths per day.

Cole Stevenson, a 34-year-old autoworker at the Ford Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, said he remains uncomfortable with a vaccine that was developed just a year ago.

He intends to get weekly COVID-19 tests and says he wont reconsider getting the vaccine even if the tests are a financial or logistical burden.

Its getting pretty disgusting how much the government thinks they can be involved in peoples lives, he said. If the whole thing is sort of cooling down and cases are lowering, then buzz off  dont force it on people.

Associated Press writers Paul Wiseman and Hope Yen in Washington, Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stacey Plaisance-Jenkins in Picayune, Mississippi, and Matt OBrien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP)  Virgin Orbit said Thursday that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with ANA Holdings Inc. for 20 flights of its LauncherOne rocket originating from an airport in Japans Oita prefecture.

ANA Holdings, owner of Japans largest airline, and several partners would fund the manufacturing of mobile ground support equipment for the LauncherOne system, according to Long Beach, California-based Virgin Orbit.
CenterPoint Energy said Thursday that its profits surged in the third quarter as it rebounded from a pandemic-depressed 2020 and losses from the February winter storm that left more than 1 million of its customers without power for days.

CenterPoint, which is facing several wrongful death suits connected to the extended outages, attributed the increases to Houstons growing population, which means more people hooking up to the utilitys meters. CenterPoint also increased fees for delivering electricity in September, sending higher bills to Houston area residents.

Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the University of Houston, said most of the improved profits likely came from increase electric and natural gas use as households and businesses began to shake off the pandemic and return to normal.

They get paid on the through put of electricity and the through put of natural gas in their markets," Hirs said. "Their profits fell during COVID, very much like everybody else.

In the third quarter, CenterPoints profits rose 80 percent to $218 million from $121 million in the third quarter of 2020. Profits allocated to common shareholders nearly tripled to $195 million from $69 million.

Revenues climbed 8 percent to $1.7 billion in the third quarter from $1.6 billion during the same period a year earlier

Dave Lesar, CenterPoints CEO, said the profits mark the sixth straight quarter the company has met or exceeded revenue expectations.

I remain excited about what's to come for CenterPoint, Lesar told analysts Thursday. We have a growing track record of execution, and I believe it more than demonstrates what we can do in the near future.

RELATED: Texas wants to strengthen power grid. Are batteries the answer?

Rate hikes

Lesar said some of the companys profits were buoyed by actions taken by the Texas Legislature. The Texas Legislature allowed utilities to tack on extra costs to ratepayers bills in May through several actions. In a statement, CenterPoint officials said they lobbied the Legislature to give them more tools in our toolbox to provide safe and reliable service to our customers. In all, the company said, newly enacted bills could mean revenues and savings of nearly $1 billion for the utility.

Among those bills: $7 billion in ratepayer-backed bonds to help utilities statewide recover from the storm. Utilities paid exorbitant prices for natural gas during the freeze, accumulating massive amounts of debt that will ultimately be repaid by their customers.

Lawmakers and utility experts at the time agreed the bonds would prevent spikes in customer bills by spreading the costs of the winter storm over a decade or more, instead of trying to recover the money over a shorter period.

Alison Silverstein, an Austin-based energy consultant who worked for the state Public Utility Commission from 1995 to 2001 and with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2001 to 2004, said the extra costs seem tougher to take, given the high profits CenterPoint reported.

It doesnt look good to be funding or to be repaying utility losses at a massive clip when shareholders are raking in the cash, she said. There are certainly are legal rationales for why this is allowed to happen, but it doesnt look good or feel good.

RELATED: CenterPoint customers will pay the price for pipeline company profits during winter storm

The Legislature also gave the green light for utilities to raise their base rates to lease mobile power generation units that can be used as backup in emergencies. Lesar said CenterPoint procured five, five megawatt units and three 30-megawatt generation units, some of which were deployed after of Hurricane Nicholas. Lesar said the company plans to lease more units to have a combined 500 megawatts of mobile units.

One megawatt is enough electricity to power about 200 homes on a hot summer day.

The company has increased its fees for delivering electricity, upping their fee by a penny to about 4.6 cents per kilowatt hour  the second highest rate among the five transmission and distribution utilities in the state. Oncor, which serves Dallas and is the largest such entity, charges its customers about 4.2 cents per kilowatt hour.

And earlier this week, Lesar said CenterPoint asked the PUC to raise its rates by $67.1 million a year, which it said would also be used to offset costs related to the winter storm. The last time CenterPoint asked the PUC for a higher rate of return, companies, including HEB, fought the increase in court.

Asking for more

HEB had complained for years that CenterPoints service was unreliable, so much so the San Antonio-based grocery giant began to install backup generators in its Houston-based stores so power outages would not cause their refrigerated food to spoil.

So, when CenterPoint asked the PUC if it could raise its rates by $161 million in 2019 and boost its rate of return to 10.4 percent, HEB opposed it during the rate-case proceeding. An administrative law judges sided with HEB and several other entities and CenterPoint eventually settled for a $13 million rate increases and a profit of 9.4 percent.

It could take a year or more for the PUC to decide on CenterPoints latest request, and Hirs said he wouldnt be surprised if the PUC would be more willing to approve it especially if its justified as necessary to improve weatherization or make Houstons grid more reliable.

Silverstein, however, wasnt so sure.

If you make that much profit, she said, Its hard to imagine people looking kindly when you come back and ask for more.

A previous version of this story misstated how much the fees CenterPoint and Oncor charge customers for delivering electricity.
NEDERLAND  Energy Transfers massive export terminal in Nederland is exporting record volumes of fuels and chemical feedstocks as the global economy rebounds from coronavirus pandemic and demand for energy and consumer products surge.

The Dallas pipeline company completed expansion products in late 2020 and early 2021 allows it to export more than 700,000 gallons a day of natural gas liquids that are byproducts of oil and gas drilling and used as fuels, such as propane, and feedstocks, such as ethane, for plastics and other petrochemicals. Natural gas liquids also include butane, isobutane, and pentane.
Former BP Chairman Bob Dudley said six years ago that oil prices would be lower for longer. But that was six years ago.

Today, analysts are predicting higher for longer. Crude prices are at seven-year highs  above $80 a barrel  and analysts are betting that the bull market in energy has more room to run  at least through mid-2022. Some of the countrys biggest banks, such as Goldman Sachs, have forecast oil again reaching the mystical $100-a-barrel level; Bank of America is predicting oil will reach $120 by 2022.

The surge in crude prices has its roots in the pandemic, which, in the spring of 2020, drove oil prices briefly into negative territory  meaning oil suppliers were paying buyers to take crude off their hands. The economic destruction caused by COVID-19 became another catalyst for a transition in the energy sector, spurring oil companies, already under pressure from advocates, investors and customers, to shift focus and investment toward clean energy technologies as petroleum demand plunged to historic lows.

Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of OPEC, has blamed the lack of investment in oil and gas development for the surge in prices. But the flood of oil that crashed prices in 2020 also imposed new discipline on OPEC to curb production  a discipline that continued last week as the expanded cartel known as OPEC+ stuck to its plan of gradually increasing output despite pleas from the United States and other major oil consumers to open the spigots.

U.S. producers, meanwhile, are maintaining their own discipline, cautiously boosting production, which remains nearly 2 million barrels a day lower than the pre-pandemic peak of 13.1 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Department. As a result, U.S. commercial crude inventories are running 6 percent below average for this time of year.

The constrained supplies coupled with the rebound in demand as the global economy emerges from the pandemic have led to rising energy prices that are far outpacing increases in other goods and services. The Labor Department, for example, recently reported that the cost of going out for dinner rose 4.5 percent during the 12-month period ending in September. Energy prices soared more than 40 percent.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Who benefits from Big Oils big profits?

Ed Longanecker, the president of the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association, a trade group, said he expects oil prices to rise near $90 a barrel and stay there at least through the winter. Typically, a rapid rise in oil prices would lead to a correction by providing incentives for oil companies to produce more and customers to consume less. But the lack of investment in oil and gas projects, supply chain bottlenecks that are making it harder to obtain materials and equipment for exploration and production, and resilient demand are creating a combination of market forces that should continue to support high prices, Longanecker said.

Many factors point to a higher for longer scenario for commodity prices, he said.

Supply and demand

Denton Cinquegrana, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, a unit of the consulting firm IHS Markit, agreed. He also expects oil to climb near $90 a barrel, further supported by soaring natural gas prices in Europe and Asia that are driving power generators and other industrial customers to shift to coal and oil.

Overall (oil) futures are likely to average somewhere in the $85-$87-per-barrel area through much of the winter, based on a potential colder than normal winter and inventories still below seasonal norms, Cinquegrana said. A run toward $90 also seems to be in the cards.

Giovanni Staunovo and Wayne Gordon, strategists at the Swiss financial services firm UBS, said in a research note to investors that supply isnt keeping up with demand. Even with inventories low, producers seem unwilling to put more oil on the market. Oil storage inventories for the 38 industrialized nations belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development are at their lowest level since 2015.

Resurgent demand, coupled with only moderate supply growth, suggests oil prices could remain elevated for the foreseeable future, hitting $90 next month before leveling off at about $85 a barrel through 2022.

Steins Law  formulated by Herbert Stein, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under two presidents in the 1970s  states that if something cant go on forever, it will stop. Market swings are an ingrained part of the economy.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Your gasoline, natural gas and electric bills are going up this winter

Oil peaked at a staggering $145.31 per barrel in late June 2008 before the Great Recession sent it plunging to $32.94 by the end of that year. In 2014, crude climbed above $107 a barrel, then began a slide that didnt end until early 2016, when prices bottomed at about $26 a barrel.

Last year, WTI traded in negative territory for a brief period in April, demonstrating the wild swings that oil prices can make.

Ole Hansen, the head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank in Denmark, said he expects markets to remain tight at least for the next three to six months and oil to stay at $80 a barrel or higher. The shift from natural gas to crude oil added around $5 per barrel to the price of oil for October.

Dudleys ghost

Hansen also pointed to other frequently cited factors: the economic rebound and the shifting for investment from oil and gas to clean energy.

The combination of an overstimulated global economy driving a strong recovery for fossil fuels and the intense focus on the energy transition towards greener solutions  driving reduced appetite for fossil fuels investments  are the two main engines behind the prospect for elevated crude oil and with that fuel product prices, he added.

Bob Dudley may have been correct in pointing out that trends can be long lasting. But for now, it seems like his mantra is reversed  crude oil prices may be higher for longer.
WASHINGTON - Democrats are moving ahead with a fee on methane emissions from oil and gas drilling as part of their $1.85 trillion spending bill as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tries to line up enough votes to the bring the legislation to the floor.

The fee is expected to generate billions of dollars a year in government revenue from the oil and gas sector, while inducing companies to stop fugitive emissions of a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent to global warming than carbon dioxide.

Party leaders had faced criticism of fee from moderates including Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, and Rep. Filomen Vela, D-Brownsville, but that opposition appears to be weakening with Rep. Henry Cuellar tweeting Thursday evening he would support the spending package.

"No bill is perfect - it must be negotiated and go through the leg. process. My support is confirmed to move that process forward," he wrote.

RELATED: Oil firms face faster timeline on methane reductions under Biden climate plan

Vela and and Gonzalez did not respond to a request for comment Friday on whether they supported the spending bill. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, of Houston, another centrist Democrat, tweeted Friday she was supporting the bill, writing it was time, "to move this legislationand our countryforward."

With only a four vote advantage in the House and no Republican support, Pelosi will need near unanimous unity with her members if she is to pass the spending package, which President Joe Biden has pitched as critical to addressing climate change and improving living conditions for America's lower and middle classes.

If Pelosi succeeds, the legislation will still need to pass the Senate, where Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., a critical vote in the evenly divided senate, is expected to oppose the methane fee.

"Senator Manchin has expressed reservations," Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told the New York Times Tuesday. We want to mitigate methane, but well see.

Under the current version of the legislation, companies would be charged $900 for every ton of methane that escapes into the atmosphere beginning in 2023. That would steadily roll up to $1,500 in 2025 - the equivalent of a $60 per ton carbon fee. Only companies that emit more than 25,000 tons of methane a year would be subject to the fee, marking a compromise from earlier versions of the bill. But it has done little to assuage concerns from the oil and gas industry.

"The changes made to the methane fee in the reconciliation text do very little to address American oil and natural gas producers concerns," said Anne Bradbury, president of American Exploration and Production Council.

Following on the heels of an announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency this week that would increase methane regulations to include hundreds of thousands of existing oil and gas wells, the oil sector could be facing billions of dollars in additional costs. By some industry estimates, the methane fee would add 31 cents to the cost of natural gas, which works out to 6 percent at current prices.

In a letter to Pelosi Thursday, Cuellar, Gonzalez and Vela said the fee could force small oil and gas companies in their districts to lay off workers or even close their doors, to avoid paying millions of dollars in fees.

"This program unfairly targets oil and gas companies while excluding other sources of methane emissions," they wrote, referring to methane produced by cattle farms and waste landfills.
Fran Ruchalski/The Enterprise

Houston liquefied natural gas company Cheniere Energy has reached a deal to sell LNG to Sinochem Group Co. of China beginning in July 2022, the companies said Friday.

Under the sale and purchase agreement, Sinochem will buy an initial volume of 900,000 metric tons per year of LNG, increasing to 1.8 million metric tons per year, with a 17.5-year term from Cheniere Marketing, a subsidiary of Cheniere.
2 1 of 2 Venture Global / Venture Global Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Venture Global Show More Show Less



The Virginia company Venture Global and Chinas Sinopec have signed the largest LNG long-term contract between U.S. and Chinese companies and will double imports of U.S. LNG to China, the companies said Thursday.

Venture Global and Sinopec have signed two 20-year sales and purchase agreements for the supply of a total of 4 million tons per year of LNG from Venture Globals Plaquemines LNG export facility in Plaquemines Parish La, due to come online in mid-2023.
Impact Networking, an Illinois-based company specializing in managed services and outsourced IT solutions, has leased a full floor of office space in the first phase of Midway's East River development.

The company will occupy 16,000 square feet in East River 1 and get its name on the five-story building as part of the deal, according to Houston-based Midway. Other future office tenants at East River include Method Architecture and TEAL.

Midway will deliver phase one of East River, a mixed-use development going up along Buffalo Bayou at Jensen and Clinton near downtown, in 2023. The first phase consists of 250,000 square feet of office space, 110,000 square feet of retail space and 360 apartment units. Burton Construction is the general contractor.

RELATED: Real estate transactions: Renovated Galleria office tower lands new tenants

Midway is also entering into a partnership with Impact Networking as its new managed IT service provider. The company provides services such as managed IT and cloud, cybersecurity, digital innovation, branding and marketing, and print and document management services to businesses of all sizes.

"We saw the East River development as an elegant blend of history, culture, innovation, and modern community," Scott Copeland, president of Impact Texas, said in an announcement. "Midway's visionary efforts in East River are incredibly exciting and we are thrilled to be a part of this monumental project."

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Impact Networking plans to expand to other Texas markets of Austin, Dallas and San Antonio beginning next year.

The company recently formed a partnership with the Houston Astros and will have its name on the Impact Networking Party Deck in center field at Minute Maid Park.

"Impact is committed to investing in the Houston community, first with our Houston Astros sponsorship, and now with our Midway partnership, said Casey Vaughan, chief operating officer of Impact Texas. We look forward to providing Midway with excellent managed IT services, as well as continuing to build new partnerships in the community."
Third times the charm.

While Thursday wasnt exactly the Houston Chronicles annual Best Dressed Luncheon, it was an opportunity to safely gather in recognition of the women who collectively raised more than $1.44 million for March of Dimes over the past two years.

The intimate celebration, underwritten by presenting sponsor Childrens Memorial Hermann Hospital, took over Tonys, Houstons go-to for white tablecloth fine dining. There, roughly 140 attendees raised a glass to salute the Best Dressed Class of 2020 and its co-chairs.

And inadvertently the Class of 2021, too, quipped Anne Neeson, executive vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Foundation.

Honorees Ann Ayre, Alice Mao Brams, Greggory Burk, Estela Cockrell, Gaynell Drexler, Melissa Juneau, Joanna Hartland Marks, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Leigh Smith and Hallie Vanderhider, as well as luncheon co-chairs Brigitte Kalai and Alicia Smith, were applauded for their service. Not all honorees were present, though they were recognized for back-to-back years of continued support.

When the initial 39th annual Houston Chronicle Best Dressed Luncheon  first in the events history to sell-out before the big day  was canceled in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, honorees pivoted their fundraising efforts toward a new initiative: the Bundles of Joy Campaign, which provided financial assistance and infant care essentials for families in the newborn intensive care unit.

Since its inception, the Houston Chronicles Best Dressed Luncheon and Neiman Marcus Fashion Presentation has raised more than $11 million toward March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies and their mothers by preventing premature births, infant mortality and birth defects.

Thats the reason were all here, Neeson reminded the crowd.

Lindsey Garcia told a touching story of the difficult birth of her son, Kai Oakley Garcia, and the help she received from March of Dimes and Childrens Memorial Hermann. Kai is now a healthy 12 year old.

A rescheduled, full capacity luncheon just wasnt in the cards this year. The delta variant thwarted organizers second attempt to host the luncheon with 800 guests at the Westin Galleria in September, as well.

Alls well that ends well. Co-chairs Kalai and Smith stayed the course and secured more than seven-figures during an unprecedented time. At Thursdays luncheon, the dynamic duo  and real-life besties  paused to acknowledge their honorary third chair, fundraising powerhouse Rosemary Schatzman, affectionally known as Rosemoney Schatzman for her ability to encourage people to open their wallets.

As is tradition, there was of fashion, too. Neiman Marcus Houston team dotted the crowd, as did Freya brands Linsay Radcliffe and DTLA Customs Tara Martin. The latter twosome gifted honorees with bespoke hats featuring Oscar de la Renta-inspired floral designs. In the crowd were many past honorees including Lynn Wyatt, Linda McReynolds, Cynthia Allshouse, Jana Arnoldy, Dr. Yvonne Cormier, Gracie Cavnar and Sneha Merchant and March of Dimes senior executive director Jen Torres.

Looking onward and upward, two-time honoree Hallie Vanderhider has been tapped to chair the 40th annual Houston Chronicle Best Dressed Luncheon in 2022  pending any pandemics or natural disasters, of course.

amber.elliott@chron.com
When Jake Donaldson helped launch a second location of his Houston firm, Method Architecture, in the Dallas area, he struggled to gain traction and grow his business.

I didnt know a strong network of people for referrals, said Donaldson, who is of Choctaw Nation descent. But after meeting Amanda Smith, the founder and president of the Native American Business Association, things began to change.

Smith, 46, launched an expo in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2019, bringing together various indigenous tribes, higher education institutions, certifying organizations and a diverse community of business owners from around Texas.

It instantly helped me feel more connected and gave me kind of a sense of belonging, like I wasnt an outsider, Donaldson said.

Smith also referred him to the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, where he signed on to become one of five architecture firms in the country to work on projects for various tribes in the U.S. Hes since worked with tribes around the country, including his home community, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, doing pro-bono work and helping design buildings for Native nonprofits and startups that incorporate their tribal culture and history.

Anyone who has been in business for a long time knows its all about the relationships, Donaldson said. A lot of it doesnt come from cold outreach. It comes from knowing people, referring people to things, and doing a good job so people return.

Thats where NABA is great. Theyre acting as a conduit for Native Americans and Native American-owned businesses.

Michael Wyke / Contributor

Now, hes paying it forward.

A Houston chapter

After joining NABAs board of directors, Donaldson is helping launch the national associations Houston chapter to advocate for Native American business owners and connect them with Indigenous clients while also offering educational and networking opportunities to help advance their careers.

Its geared around how to help Native American businesses thrive and network and grow, Donaldson said. We want to help other businesses owners find a sense of place and community.

The NABA chapter held its first meeting Wednesday at a local brewery, opening with an acknowledgment of tribal lands, a thanks to state and local tribes and a drumming ceremony honoring its veterans. Around 30 people attended, including members of Chevrons corporate Native American group.

Our tribes are not here  they may be in California, or Louisiana, or in Oklahoma  but we are here, and we are significant, said Chad Johnson, a member of the Choctaw Nation and owner of The Akana Group, a Native-owned equipment provider.

Weve been here for 10,000 years. Weve been traders. Weve been builders of civilizations. We have legal systems. Weve been communicators with telecommunications.  We still are here, and these businesses do exist, Johnson said.

NABA, which is headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has grown to about 100 members from around the country since its launch. With promising buzz around the Houston area chapter, Smith is hoping to expand the organization  further cementing the presence of Native American business owners in Texas.

Smith founded her Fort Worth construction company, Mahuya Industries, in 2018. She decided to create NABA after noticing that there was no Native American Chamber of Commerce in Texas. Networking opportunities were slim. She connected with minority organizations and Hispanic and Black contractors, but found she needed a more tailored fit, considering the unique barriers Native American business owners can face.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The Native American story in S.A. is 15,000 years old, and counting

For some, the certification process can be so overwhelming that they give up, Smith said.

Tribal-owned businesses often endure a stringent process, with additional requirements and documentation needed to prove that the owner is from one of the 574 federally recognized indigenous tribes in the country. In Texas, only three tribes are federally recognized  the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.

While looking for community and guidance for her business, Smith began traveling back and forth to Oklahoma, attending events and meetings with the states American Indian Chamber of Commerce, noticing subtle differences in how Oklahoma and Texas handled business. While Texas noted its minority spending, it failed to show how many Native-owned businesses it had.

A 2021 report from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy noted that there are 11,539 small Native-owned businesses in Texas, accounting for less than 0.5 percent of total businesses in the state. In comparison, in Texas, 1.1 percent of the population identifies as solely American Indian and/or Alaska Native, while 1.8 percent identifies as Indigenous and another race.

Smith decided to launch her own Texas organization. She partnered with the city of Dallas to form NABA, and threw her first event, expecting 150 attendees. More than 300 people from Native-owned businesses, corporations and purchasing departments showed up.

It really showed that there was the need, interest and desire here, Smith said.

Michael Wyke / Contributor

Today, with dozens of members from various industries around the country, and with great demand for a Houston chapter, Smith is excited for the expansion. Houstons ports and its international and diverse community have been a major draw for native-owned businesses, including those in Oklahoma, and with the American Indian Center in Houston  a resource for local Indigenous people  it was a natural move, she said.

Having a voice

But Houston  like the United States as a whole  still has a lot of work to do when it comes to Native-owned businesses, Smith and Donaldson said.

In March 2016, U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller ruled that the Houstons Office of Business of Opportunity could not qualify Native American-owned businesses as minority business enterprises in its construction program, which contracts these businesses for city-funded projects. Such a qualification would also list businesses in a disparity study that is conducted at least every five years and tracks information, like funding awarded and obstacles people have faced. Miller noted that there was not sufficient evidence of discrimination against Native American-owned businesses at that time.

Consulting firm NERAs study, noted in court documents, stated that though Native American-owned businesses in Houston were used at a higher rate than anticipated in city construction contracts, much of the work was done by two Native-owned firms. Without these two firms, the utilization rate for Native Americans would decline significantly, yielding a statistically significant disparity ratio, the report stated.

In 2012, the city did a study that qualified Native Americans as minorities. It noted that Native-owned businesses make up roughly 1.7 percent of all construction firms in Texas, yet earned less than 1 percent of all sales and receipts.

Native American buying power, however, grew by 67 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to University of Georgias Multicultural Economy report. In 2020, Texas boasted the third-largest Native American market, with $12 billion. Houston Business Journal also ranked three major Native-owned companies in its top 20 largest minority-owned business list.

Were in the most inclusive city in the country. Why is it that we cant be included in this disparity study? Johnson asked.

Smith hopes the association can help change that by accounting for the many Native businesses the city does have but has yet to discover. NABA has since met with Houston officials to improve the representation and inclusion of native-owned businesses, Donaldson said.

Without having a resource and with these one-off companies not having that information, theres not much of a voice. But now we can come back and say, Hey, here we are, Smith said. Thats why (NABA is) important, so we can have the voice.

Though the pandemic slowed some of the associations growth and halted in-person events, Smith said NABA has used the opportunity to host virtual events to connect with members all over the country. The association is gearing up for more events over the next year and plans to strengthen its reach through partnerships with the American Indian Chambers of Commerce of both Oklahoma and Louisiana, as well as Houstons American Indian Center.

Were just really wanting to create that awareness and that advocacy for Native-owned businesses and to be that resource to know native businesses are here, Smith said. We want an opportunity to be heard, and hopefully, through all that, the association will serve as an opportunity to educate so natives are thought of year-round, not just during Native American Heritage Month or Indigenous Peoples Day.

brittany.britto@chron.com
MILAN (AP)  A rescue ship carrying nearly 400 migrants picked up another 400 people from a two-tier wooden boat that had started to sink overnight in the central Mediterranean Sea, a German charity that operates the ship said Thursday.

The nongovernmental organization Sea-Eye said a distress call from the crowded boat originated in Malta's search and rescue area, and that Maltese authorities failed to respond. The island nation's search and rescue area covers a broad swath of the central Mediterranean, including the waters surrounding Italys southernmost island of Lampedusa and part of the corridor between Libya and Sicily.

Seeing that no other help was available to people in acute danger, the rescue ship Sea-Eye 4 traveled for about six hours to reach the rickety boat, which had a leak and was taking on water, the Germany charity said. Another ship, Rise Up, also responded but did not take on any migrants.

Several people were in the water without life jackets and had to be rescued directly from the sea, said Sea-Eye, which operates the rescue ship along with the NGO German Doctors. It said one person had to be resuscitated while a lifeboat.

Sea-Eye 4 was en route Thursday to Lampedusa, the closest safe port, although the charity said it still had not received confirmation from Italy's rescue coordination center in Rome that the vessel would be permitted to dock

A state of emergency is now in effect on the Sea-Eye 4, Sea-Eye Chairman Gorden Isler said. Any delay by the authorities endangers the health and lives of the rescued people and our crew.

He accused Malta of shirking its duty and ignoring distress calls.

Separately, the Italian coast guard said it rescued nearly 200 migrants in two separate operations off Calabria, the southern toe of Italy's mainland, on Wednesday night.

The coast guard said a sailboat with about 74 migrants, including 15 children, on board ran into difficulty in shallow water. Elsewhere, coast guard personnel rescued about 120 passengers from a fishing boat that was in distress at sea in bad conditions.

Dr. Christine Winkelmann, a German Doctors board member, said rescue crews operating in the dangerous central Mediterranean Sea migration route between North Africa and Southern Europe are reaching the edge of their capacities.

Migrant arrivals in Italy are up dramatically in 2021 compared to the previous two years but still far below the highs of 120,000-180,000 recorded during 2014-2017.

So far this year, nearly 54,000 migrants have arrived in Italy, up from more than 29,000 last year and under 10,000 in 2019, according to Interior Ministry officials. More than a quarter are from Tunisia, which has a pact to accept those sent back from Italy, while many more arrive from Libya.

While most migrants brought to Sicily or its tiny islands after rescue in the central Mediterranean started out on boats launched from northern Africa, sailboats and other vessels carrying migrants have made it to offshore the Italian mainland after sailing from Turkey.

___

Frances D'Emilio contributed reporting from Rome.

___

Follow AP's migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  New Hampshire Republicans on Thursday released a redistricting plan that would transform the state's 1st Congressional District into one that favors their party, instead of a swing district where Democrats have made recent gains. But it also would solidify the Democrats' advantage in the 2nd District.

This map would virtually eliminate two-party competition for New Hampshires congressional seats for the next decade, said University of New Hampshire political science Professor Dante Scala. It would create a Blue Hampshire seat and a Red Hampshire seat.

Under the current map, the 1st District covers the eastern part of the state and some of the south, including Manchester. The 2nd District covers the western, northern and some southern communities, including Nashua.

With the latest U.S. Census figures showing the 1st District with about 18,000 more residents than the 2nd, Democrats on the House Special Committee on Redistricting propose making just one change: moving the town of Hampstead from the 1st District to the 2nd.

But Republicans, who control the Legislature, on Thursday proposed significant changes, creating a 1st District that climbs up from the southeast corner through the middle of the state, with the 2nd District reaching up and around it.

Republican strongholds in southern New Hampshire including Salem, Hudson, Windham and Atkinson would move into the 1st District, while Seacoast communities including Portsmouth, Rochester, Dover and Durham and surrounding towns would shift to the 2nd.

Can you tell me why we dont adopt the principle of, If it aint broke, dont fix it? asked Rep. Marjorie Smith, D-Durham, adding that moving one town would keep both districts competitive in recognition that New Hampshire is a purple state.

But Rep. Ross Berry, R-Manchester, said he considers the current map broken, because it divides communities along the southern tier.

"Its time that all that area gets put together, he said.

U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, a Democrat, is in her fifth term representing the 2nd District, while fellow Democrat Chris Pappas is in his second term in the 1st District. Democrats have won the last three elections there, but before that, it swung back and forth between the parties multiple times.

Devon Chaffee, executive director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, called the map blatant gerrymandering.

"The people of New Hampshire should choose their elected officials, not the other way around, she said in a statement. Every Granite State voice should be heard and valued equally when they cast their ballot. This map aims to prevent that.

Rep. Robert Lynn, R-Windham, acknowledged that political considerations were a factor.

Of course they were. This is a political process. Thats why its done by the Legislature, he said.

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed bills in 2020 and 2019 that would have created an independent redistricting commission, saying it was unnecessary because gerrymandering is rare in the state and the current redistricting process was fair. He said Thursday he will look closely at the proposals and await further revisions.

This is the first round of maps that the public is seeing, and there are still many steps left in this democratic process, Sununu said.
DENVER (AP)  A North Dakota-based organization representing Native Americans sued Colorado this week for a measure banning American Indian school mascots which was passed last year amid a nationwide push for racial justice following George Floyds murder in Minneapolis.

The lawsuit by the nonprofit Native American Guardians Association was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, naming Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser and Kathryn Redhorse, the executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. The firm is representing a John Doe, Jane Doe and three other Colorado residents who cite Native American heritage in the lawsuit.

The organization's lawsuit argues that the Colorado law is unconstitutional and unlawfully enacts state-sanctioned race discrimination" against the Native American residents the association is representing.

The Colorado measure, signed into law in June, fines public schools, colleges and universities $25,000 monthly for their use of American Indian-themed mascots after June 1, 2022. The law does not apply to schools on tribal lands and also allows exceptions for schools that had existing agreements with tribes.

The suit argues that the complete erasure of Native American imagery is not beneficial and that the use of positive and respectful Native American symbols and mascots in schools honors the group, helps neutralize offensive stereotypes and teaches the public about Native American history. The lawsuit also states that the use of positive Native American symbolism is a form of reappropriation or a way to reclaim names and images that were once directed at them as insults in order to turn them outward as badges of pride."

According to the lawsuit, John and Jane Doe, who are of Cherokee and Chippewa descent, attend Yuma High School in northeast Colorado which is home of the Yuma Indians. The two want their school to continue honoring their cultures and heritage because as the suit alleges, they would suffer a hostile environment" if the Native mascots were banned.

The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs has identified more than 20 schools across the state for violating the law by using terms such as Savages, Indians and Warriors in their mascot's name.

Spokespeople for Polis and Weiser said they would not comment because the lawsuit is ongoing.

An email sent Thursday to the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs for comment on the lawsuit was not immediately returned.
HONOLULU (AP)  The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of two government watchdog groups who sued to stop the Legislatures use of gut and replace tactics on legislation.

The court ruled that lawmakers violated the state constitution when they stripped a bill of its original content and substituted it with something entirely different and afterward failed to hold a sufficient number of readings for the amended measure.

The lawsuit specifically challenged a 2018 law that started out as a bill requiring the state to make annual reports on recidivism. The state Senate passed the legislation. But when it got to the House, lawmakers changed it to be about hurricane shelter space at public schools.

The ruling invalidates this law. The court said it would apply to future lawmaking but not to other previously enacted legislation.

This is a good decision, not just for the people, but also we think for the Legislature itself; for real, thoughtful decision making, said Sandy Ma, the executive director of Common Cause Hawaii, one of the two groups that filed the lawsuit.

Bills became law without lawmakers and the public having sufficient opportunity to understand and debate their contents when the Legislature used gut and replace, Ma said.

The ruling will restore trust in the legislative process because sometimes people think lawmakers have engaged in horse trading when a bill has been gutted and replaced without public discussion, Ma said.

The League of Women Voters of Honolulu was the other plaintiff in the lawsuit.

State Senate spokesman Jacob Aki said the Senate had no immediate comment and would review the ruling. A representative for House Democratic majority leadership didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

House Minority Leader Val Okimoto, a Republican, called the ruling a monumental win for government transparency and the people of Hawaii.

"I am thrilled that the public will have a more open and democratic process as the 2022 Legislative Session approaches, Okimoto said in a statement.

Lawmakers in other states have used similar tactics. Elsewhere, the maneuver is known as gut and stuff or gut and amend.

The court said the Hawaii Constitution requires that a measure have three readings in each chamber of the Legislature before it is passed and signed into law. The hurricane shelter bill only received one reading in the Senate before it became law.

The court found there was no common tie between the issues of recidivism and hurricane shelters, making the amended version about a new and independent matter, disconnected from the question.

Justices Paula Nakayama, Sabrina McKenna and Michael Wilson ruled for the majority. Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald wrote the dissenting opinion joined by Circuit Court Judge Shirley Kawamura who filled in for retired Justice Richard Pollack.

State Attorney General Clare Connors said in oral arguments before the court last year that the state constitution mandated only that a bill have a broad enough title to encompass the changed content and that the bill be in its final form when it goes up for its last vote.

She argued the Legislature needed flexibility to be able to substitute bill content to allow it to respond to unforeseen emergencies, like when it passed measures to respond to flooding on Kauai in 2019 and when it passed legislation to address the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony said Thursday he intends to run for state lieutenant governor in 2022.

Anthony, a Republican who lost a bid for Clark County Commission last year pointed in a statement to what he called catastrophic" state policies about the coronavirus pandemic and the state economy. He said he wants to "lay out competing visions on how to best move Nevada forward.

The lieutenant governor post is vacant after Democrat Kate Marshall resigned in September to join President Joe Bidens administration. Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, hasn't named a replacement.

Anthony joins two other announced Republican candidates, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported: Former state treasurer Dan Schwartz and business consultant Mack Miller, who has run previously for state Assembly and Las Vegas mayor.

Candidate filings are in March.

Anthony is in his final four-year term on the Las Vegas City Council.

He lost his 2020 bid for County Commission to Ross Miller, a Democrat, by 10 votes. The state Supreme Court in June upheld a lower court ruling rejecting Anthonys bid to force a new election.

Anthony is a retired Las Vegas police captain. He served two terms on the state Board of Regents and dropped out of a race for Congress in 2018, citing health reasons.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Mary Kate Cary, University of Virginia

(THE CONVERSATION) I teach political speech writing. My students know that earlier this year I served on a committee that wrote the University of Virginias statement on free speech and free inquiry, which stated that All views, beliefs, and perspectives deserve to be articulated and heard free from interference.

Im also a conservative who recently co-taught a 2020 elections class with a liberal colleague  and we both managed to survive. In my class, the mainly liberal students know they can speak freely about whats important to them. Being open about your political views is important  but so too is listening generously to those of others.

Theyve written speeches about climate change, defunding the police, voting reforms, the Texas abortion law, misinformation on social media, electric cars, education policy, oil pipelines, critical race theory, Chinas oppression of the Uyghurs, a universal basic income, and even the need for more napping during the day.

Across the board, they want to hear all sides of an argument and decide for themselves. They dont want to be told what to believe. Theyre taking speech writing because they want to learn how to make a good case in the face of a hostile audience.

And what I heard in the runup to the Nov. 2 elections was that students are increasingly worried about the job market and the economy theyll be walking into upon graduation; they are concerned about rising crime rates in Charlottesville, where they attend college; and they wonder if theyll be able to freely express their opinions  left or right  here at the university.

So it was no surprise to me that exit polls of Virginia voters this week showed that the economy and education were voters top concerns, just as they are for many of my 20-something students.

Old playbook, new circumstances

No matter what subject my students are writing speeches on  from critical race theory to electric cars  they want to take on all sides of an argument.

Similarly, many voters wanted to hear both candidates views on kitchen table issues  such as expanding job opportunities, ensuring public safety, and reforming education  in the closing weeks before the election. But that wasnt always what voters got. Instead, they were often presented not with the issues, but with heavyweight political endorsements.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe brought in one Democratic star after another: President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Barack Obama, voting rights activist Stacey Abrams and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi all made appearances for the former governor.

On one hand, McAuliffes playbook has worked for others in the past. Research by Rob Mellen Jr. and Kathleen Searles into presidential campaign appearances during midterm elections between 1986 and 2006 showed that visits by the campaigner-in-chief can boost turnout and campaign donations for candidates  but only if the president is popular.

The problem in Virginia was that according to an NPR-PBS Newshour-Marist poll that came out the day before the election, a plurality of Democrats no longer want Joe Biden at the top of the ticket in 2024. Add to that Bidens collapsing approval ratings, which sank lower every week in October, according to Reuters.

It seems McAuliffe didnt realize the albatross effect Biden was having on his own candidacy. Or the disconnect right now between voters and those stars campaigning with him.

In contrast to McAuliffe, Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin talked early and often about his day one game plan, which focused on specific actions hed take on the economy, public safety and education  the quality-of-life issues voters wanted to hear about. He hit the airwaves with TV ads comparing his policies with McAuliffes record and made his best case.

Succession stymied

McAuliffe also faced an issue unique to Virginia that dampened his chances of success. Virginia is the only state in the nation that legally bars governors from a second successive term. Virginia law changed in 1851, after several governors  including Patrick Henry  had served two successive terms in office. So from 1851 onward, the state has had only one-term governors  with one exception, in 1974, when former Democratic governor Mills Godwin waited four years and came back as a Republican.

McAuliffe, who held the governors job from 2014 to 2018, was trying to be the second exception. Theres a reason former Virginia governors Chuck Robb, Mark Warner, George Allen and Tim Kaine all went on to become U.S. senators from the commonwealth instead of returning later as second-term governors. Virginians like a fresh face in the governors office, and this election was no exception.

The last time Virginia had a Republican governor was 2009, and a decade of one-party control of the governors mansion has led to a rising sense of frustration among voters  including suburban independents who swung away from Democrats this week  concerned with the stagnation of Virginias economy, the perceived lack of support for police and changes to parts of the educational curriculum in Virginias K-12 schools.

Instead of making a strong case for addressing these issues, the McAuliffe campaign preferred to bring Trump into everything. In fact, at one McAuliffe rally in late October, Joe Biden mentioned Donald Trump 24 times in a single speech.

That strategy didnt, by and large, connect with the concerns of working-class voters  from truck drivers dealing with hikes in the gas tax to urban residents worried about the 20-year high in the murder rate to parents upset about whats been going on in Loudoun County schools, where USA Today reports that school board meetings have spiraled into violence, accusations of student sexual assault are dominating headlines, and some parents have sued the school board over the districts equity initiatives.

The turning point came when McAuliffe stunned a debate audience with his statement, I dont think parents should be telling schools what to teach, not realizing that there are likely far more voters who consider themselves parents first  and members of a political party second. When he failed to disavow a Department of Justice memo labeling parents at school board meetings as criminals, there was no going back. His silence spoke volumes to everyone watching.

These days, it takes guts to speak up for what you believe in.

My sense is that theres a growing number of Americans willing to stand up and courageously challenge the age in which we live. From what Im seeing and hearing in just one college classroom, I have no doubt more brave young people  on both sides of the aisle  will make their case for positive change in the years to come.

Isnt that what elections are all about?

[Get The Conversations most important politics headlines, in our Politics Weekly newsletter.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-the-virginia-governors-race-pay-attention-to-voters-concerns-instead-of-making-it-all-about-national-politics-171197.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  The trial hasnt even started and yet issues of race are dominating the case in which three white men are charged with murder for chasing and killing Ahmaud Arbery.

The 25-year-old Black man's slaying has become part of the broader reckoning on racial injustice in the U.S. legal system. Greg and Travis McMichael, a father and son, and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan werent charged for more than two months until a cellphone video of the shooting leaked online.

And Arberys family and their supporters had their faith rattled after 2 1/2 weeks of jury selection ended Wednesday with the judge agreeing to seat a panel of 11 whites and one Black man.

Its probably clearer than before that race is going to be at the forefront of this case and will probably even play a big role in jury deliberations at the end of the trial, said Page Pate, a Georgia criminal defense attorney who isnt involved in the case.

Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley plans to have the jury sworn in Friday to hear opening statements from lawyers on both sides. He intends to seat 15 total panelists: a main jury of 12 plus three alternates.

The total number shrank by one Thursday when the judge dismissed a juror from the main panel, a white woman, citing medical reasons. The race of the alternate juror who replaced her was not known. The judge has not given the races of the alternate jurors, and they werent asked their race in court during jury selection.

The judge had said that he agreed with prosecutors that the exclusion of other Black potential jurors appeared to be intentional discrimination. He also said Georgia law limited his authority to intervene after defense attorneys stated nonracial reasons for cutting those jurors.

The judge said the group of 48 used to narrow down the final jury had included 12 potential jurors who were Black. Prosecutors were allowed to strike a dozen people from the jury pool and defense lawyers got to cut 24, for virtually any reason save for one exception. The U.S. Supreme Court has held its unconstitutional to exclude potential jurors based solely on race or ethnicity.

Its outrageous that Black jurors were intentionally excluded to create such an imbalanced jury, Ben Crump, an attorney for Arberys father, Marcus Arbery Sr., said in a statement Thursday.

Black potential jurors seemed to face greater scrutiny than whites as they were questioned by lawyers during jury selection, and the resulting jury likely favors the defense, said Pate, who practices in Atlanta and Brunswick.

Im not saying its intentionally discriminatory, or if it was just the dynamic of this case, but it was a lot harder to get on this jury if you were Black than if you were white, Pate said.

Many expressed strong opinions about Arberys killing and their beliefs that race played a role. Some knew Arbery or other members of his family. Defense attorneys cited those reasons for striking Black people from the jury pool.

The McMichaels armed themselves and pursued Arbery after spotting him running in their neighborhood. Bryan joined the chase and took cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery three times with a shotgun.

Defense attorneys say the men committed no crimes. They say Arbery had been recorded by security cameras inside a nearby house under construction and they suspected him of stealing. Greg McMichael told police his son opened fire in self-defense after Arbery attacked with his fists and grappled for Travis McMichaels shotgun.

Most of the jurors among the final 16 had previously told attorneys that they had seen the video, and many had read news stories about the case. All said they could keep an open mind during the trial.

I dont think the video is the whole story, said one juror, a woman who works in retail and said she didnt know enough to form an opinion about the case.

Another juror, a retired government employee, described a conversation about the shooting with her husband as being probably something that was like, `Thats too bad that happened.

Other jurors expressed stronger reactions to Arberys death. One young woman called the cellphone video of the shooting obscene, saying: theres no reason someone should ever have to see someone else die.

An Air Force veteran who made the final jury panel said it was his impression that Greg McMichael was stalking Arbery. Another juror, a woman who works with volunteers, told lawyers she was somewhat fearful of the defendants, adding: Theyre driving around with a gun!

A railroad worker on the jury said he could fairly consider whether Travis McMichael shot Arbery in self-defense, though he also noted Arbery was unarmed.

He didnt have no gun or nothing and he was by himself, the juror said of Arbery. It was three persons who attacked one and no gun.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem contradicted her own labor secretary Thursday about a meeting last year in her office, saying it didn't include any discussion about how her daughter could still win a real estate appraiser license after a state agency moved to deny it.

The Republican governor answered questions from South Dakota reporters on the episode for the first time Thursday, more than a month after The Associated Press first reported on it. While a Republican-dominated legislative committee and state government ethics board have looked into the matter, she called AP's reporting on the meeting twisted and manipulated.

Noem's secretary of labor defended her department's actions to lawmakers last week by explaining that state regulators before the meeting had already reached an agreement to provide Noem's daughter, Kassidy Peters, with an opportunity to fix issues with her application. She said the meeting mostly consisted of potential fixes to a shortage of licensed appraisers.

However, Secretary of Labor Marcia Hultman told lawmakers it also included a brief discussion at the end of the meeting about a possible plan forward for Peters to obtain her license.

But when Noem was asked by the AP at a Thursday news conference if she was aware of that plan headed into the meeting, she responded by saying, We didn't even talk about that and insisted the meeting was not to discuss Peters' application.

She gave her personal experiences through the program," Noem said. Of course, she gave her perspective and how long it took to go through the program and how difficult it was.

However, Sherry Bren, the longtime director of the Appraiser Certification Program, told the AP she was presented at the meeting with a letter from Peters' supervisor that slammed the agency's move to deny her the license.

Four months after the meeting, Peters received the license.

Noem once again insisted Peters went through the exact same process that other appraisers did in the state of South Dakota. She at no time received special treatment.

Noem has also defended her conduct in the episode by saying she was working to solve a shortage of appraisers in the state. However, she has faced backlash from the organization that represents appraisers after Hultman pressured Bren to retire late last year, shortly after Peters received her license. Bren filed an age discrimination complaint and received a $200,000 payment from the state to withdraw the complaint and leave her job.

I came in to fix the program. And so we are fixing it, she said. But also we recognize that some people that have been involved in the industry for a long time dont like that.

The Legislature's Government Operations and Audit Committee, which is looking into the agency at the center of the episode, has requested copies of the agreements between Peters and the agency, but Noem said doing so would set a precedent of opening personnel files to the public.

Thats why for consistency and to make sure that Im being fair  because thats exactly what Im focused on  I would have to set that same precedent for everybody," she said.

When asked if she would allow the documents to be opened because the agreements themselves state they are open to public inspection, she said she would let her attorneys decide what should be deemed an open record.

Attorneys for the Department of Labor and Regulation have already denied a public records request from the AP for the records. An appeals office later ruled that the department was right to deny the records request.

While Bren declined an invitation from the Legislature to speak last week, she has said she is working with her lawyer to communicate with lawmakers and correct any factual inaccuracies from Hultmans testimony.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  A Wichita police officer who fatally shot a fleeing bank robbery suspect last year is immune from prosecution under Kansas law, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett released his findings into the Dec. 21 death of Paul Peraza following a robbery at the Golden Plains Credit Union in Wichita and the subsequent police chase. He concluded no criminal charges would be filed against the officer.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's attorney general pushed back Thursday against President Joe Biden's coronavirus vaccination mandate for private employers, filing a lawsuit claiming the requirement amounts to government overreach.

The suit, filed in federal court in Kentucky, takes aim at the Biden administrations vaccine mandate for federal contractors, Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron said. Ohio and Tennessee joined in filing the suit, which claims the vaccination requirement is unlawful and unconstitutional.

The federal government contracts with private businesses and public agencies in states across the country, and the commonwealth is no exception, meaning that numerous Kentuckians are subject to the Biden administrations unconstitutional vaccination requirement, Cameron said.

We are taking the issue of federal overreach seriously and will protect the livelihoods of countless Kentuckians and Kentucky businesses from overbroad mandates, he added.

The legal action comes in advance of the Jan. 4 deadline requiring vaccines for employees who work for federal contractors.

The attorneys general in the three states also claim the vaccine mandate violates state sovereignty by preventing the states from exercising power to establish laws regarding workforce vaccination policies. They also contend the mandate is unconstitutional because Congress did not give the president authority to issue such a broad mandate.
2 1 of 2 Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Harris County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less



If national supply chain disruptions weren't enough of an obstacle, some Houstonians might find their products delayed by a familiar problem: catalytic converter theft.

Not even the largest corporations are immune. On Tuesday, an Amazon distribution hub in La Marque reported five catalytic converters stolen overnight from delivery trucks parked outside the facility, which is located off I-45, according to the La Marque Police Department.
BOLIVAR FLATS  Richard Gibbons abruptly stopped walking. He lowered the stand for his scope onto the sand. Enthralled, he looked toward the birds flying above the coastal marsh. The sun still rose, and the wind blew in strong gusts.

Oh, Gibbons said, admiring the animals. Caracaras. Cool.

Gibbons is the conservation director for Houston Audubon, which promotes bird appreciation. And for him, no visit to the well-known Bolivar Flats is the same. Thats what he loves about the sanctuary. Its varied habitat allows for varied birds. It feels magical.

But its future is in question. A federal proposal is moving ahead to build a costly coastal barrier to block storm surge at the mouth of Galveston Bay. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans for the system to include walls and a levee for a short stretch on the peninsula.

If it goes forward, it would trace a line around the back of the flats, changing the dynamic ecosystem in unknown ways. The project still needs congressional approval and funding.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

On HoustonChronicle.com: How the proposed Ike Dike could affect wildlife and plants

Gibbons paused again. He was here to show an employee the preserve. In the distance, a trio of young Audubon staff was counting birds along a one-mile path. They do this about every 10 days, part of a wider effort that began after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, when scientists realized they didnt have a baseline to figure out how many birds had died.

This morning, Gibbons wore a Houston Audubon cap and Patagonia jacket.

Listen, he said. Its Clapper rails.

Gibbons doesnt get out here as much as he would like. Its roughly a two-hour trip from Houston, including the drive to Galveston, the ferry ride to Bolivar Peninsula and the final stretch to the end of Rettilon Road, which is no litter spelled backward.

The flats are protected land at the end of the peninsula. The sanctuary includes some 1,200 acres of coastal prairie and marsh, along with the namesake mud flats. Birders from all over come to see what might be passing through. Gibbons likens it to an avian Grand Central Station.

Oh! he exclaimed again. Heres a harrier going into the wind. Look!

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Gibbons hears birds everywhere he goes, and he sees them where a normal person would not. This weekday morning at the flats, an untrained eye could barely spot the creatures in the distance. They looked like rocks. But they were threatened piping plovers, running in fits and starts.

Though Gibbons has seen many bird species, he acts as excited when he sees one as if he were seeing it for the first time. They might be Savannah sparrows or eastern meadowlarks or an ibis. He shouts their names instantaneously, observing their plumage and bill shape and movements.

Oh, look up! he said as five killdeer passed overhead.

The scientist fights to conserve species because biodiversity means resilience. Take one species out and things might continue OK. But at some point a species dies off and the system collapses. Theres also a philosophical argument: Wildlife should be allowed to exist, rather than pushed to extinction.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Humans are part of nature, and habitat loss is birds greatest threat. At the flats, one can see what people have done. Trash litters the beach. Buildings rise from Galveston Island. Ships wait to enter the Houston Ship Channel. Still, the balance is complex. The North Jetty that protects the channel also helped create this place along the Gulf.

Gibbons felt grateful and privileged to be here. He squatted and pulled his binoculars to his face to look at the Nelsons sparrows in the mud. Black skimmers soared above the water.

What concerns him is not knowing exactly what impact the coastal barrier will have, especially when a surge hits. The Corps proposed the plan to lessen the chances of a deadly environmental catastrophe should a major hurricane push up the industrial ship channel.

The agency reworked its concept to reduce harm done to the flats, which are considered critical habitat for piping plovers. It intends to restore marsh and protect against erosion in other spots around the peninsula.

Potential impacts have been avoided and minimized where possible, and unavoidable impacts have been offset through mitigation, the Corps wrote in response to Houston Audubons concerns.

Corps spokesperson Lynda Yezzi added in an email, We are truly and deeply committed as good stewards of the environment as well as fellow Texans, to ensuring we maximize the life-saving benefits of the Coastal Texas Project, while also protecting all that makes our coastline unique.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

On HoustonChronicle.com: The final Ike Dike plan won't protect against every storm

Further analysis of the environmental impact is to be done, and there will be a way to track its effects if the $26 billion project, which some refer to as the Ike Dike, is built. The counts the trio of staffers was doing will add to years of data in whats known as the Audubon Coastal Bird Survey.

Walking back to his van, with its bird license plate, Gibbons scooped up a dead western sandpiper. His bootprints left imprints on the sand, along with the markings of lots of bird feet. He blew on its feathers. Migration exhausted it, he guessed. He pocketed it to send to a museum.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

emily.foxhall@chron.com
A police sergeant accused of molesting a girl had helped the childs family months earlier when their downtown Houston bakery was burglarized, according to court records.

Sgt. Tung Tran, 50, spent the next two years earning the trust of the child and her family because of his position with the Houston Police Department, records show, with prosecutors painting his behavior as grooming. He was arrested this week and faces multiple sex abuse charges in connection to the allegations.

Tran, who most recently worked in Internal Affairs, first met the family in January 2019 through an acquaintance, according to court records. In May of that year, he helped them receive the police assistance they needed for a business break-in. He became a family friend and gave the girl rides to the bakery so she could sleep in, Hedwig Village police investigators found.

The grooming started in September 2020 and led to inappropriate encounters in December 2020 and again in March and September of this year, court records show.

The abuse was reported in September to the Hedwig Village Police Department, whose officials investigated the allegations. Houston police arrested Tran this week on two counts of sexual assault of a child under 14 and two counts of indecency with a child.

Hedwig Village police Chief David Gott said the family trusted Tran because of his status as a police officer. Gott added, however, that there is no indication that he used his position to commit a crime.

I believe this is an example of a parents worst nightmare and that Mr. Tran is a predator who should spend the rest of his life in prison, Gott said in an email.

Janna Oswald, of the Harris County District Attorneys Office, said child abusers are typically not strangers and know their victims and their families.

They violate that trust, Oswald said. This is especially egregious here because of his position in the community as a Houston police officer. The family and the child knew that.

That kind of power differential prevents a child from feeling they can make an outcry, she continued.

Tran, a 23-year veteran of the police department, made bond late Wednesday and appeared in court the next morning. He had not hired a lawyer by then.

Houston police officials said Tran was relieved of duty when the allegations were made known to the department.

Judge Danilo Lacayo prohibited Tran from contacting the accuser, other children or from possessing firearms as part of his bond conditions.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Greenpeace agreed to pay nearly $60,000 in criminal restitution on the behalf of protesters who shut down the Houston Ship Channel ahead of the locally held Democratic presidential debate in September 2019, according to the Harris County District Attorneys Office.

Eleven people who rappelled off the Fred Hartman Bridge and 14 others who acted as spotters signed agreements admitting their roles in the demonstration, prosecutors said. Their misdemeanor charges of obstructing a highway will be dismissed once the money is paid, Greenpeace leaders added.

The protesters unfurled flags off the bridge, blocking traffic in the Houston Ship Channel for 18 hours to take a stand against the oil industry.

Regardless of motive, it is illegal to risk the lives of law enforcement and ordinary people who must drive the bridge, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. They wasted the time of police officers and firefighters, who potentially could have been used to respond to real emergencies.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Greenpeace protesters taken into custody after rappelling from Fred Hartman Bridge

Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube, an attorney representing the protesters, said her clients signed the agreements because that was faster than getting the cases to trial.

While the district attorney's office released a copy of the statement that the protesters signed, reportedly affirming "I am guilty of the offense," DeBorde Hochglaube emphasized that the pre-trial intervention agreements do not equate to guilt.

"These allegations are replete with legal problems and the District Attorney knew that a dismissal without a trial was appropriate for many reasons," she said. "It is unfortunate that the press release she issued does not address the many legal problems with these allegations which the DA would have been forced to address in a trial. It is also unfortunate that the District Attorneys press release implies that these activists are guilty of any crime."

The event stopped traffic on the bridge and along State Highway 146, as well as the path for ships navigating the channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Greenpeace USA activist Rico Sisney, who participated in the protest, released the following statement.

In Houston and around the world, Black, Brown, and Indigenous Peoples are on the frontlines of the climate crisis," he said. "For too long, fossil fuel companies have poisoned communities to line the pockets of a handful of billionaires. Theyve gotten away with it in the same way that corporations and politicians get away with dehumanizing migrant, disabled, low-income, and other marginalized people all too often. Working together, we can ensure that the clean energy revolution will leave no one behind.

Each of the 25 defendants paid a pre-trial intervention fee of $250, and Greenpeace paid $58,450.92 to the agencies - Harris County Sheriffs Office, Houston Fire Department, Baytown Fire Department, Harris County Constables Office Precinct 8 and Texas Parks and Wildlife, according to the district attorneys office.

None of the protesters lived in Texas, and all were from 13 other states or Washington, D.C., prosecutors said. They were originally charged in state court with felonies stemming from the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, which took effect after the Legislature passed it earlier that year. Those charges were dismissed by a grand jury.

The advocates also face federal charges, to which they pleaded not guilty after the event.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Some may call it luck, but Dominique Ramirez calls it favor and a blessing that she and her three young children weren't home when a fire erupted at their apartment complex over the weekend.

Ramirez, 30, went to take care of her sister's dog and her children were with their father Saturday. She returned Sunday afternoon to find her place completely burned and boarded up, and all of her family's possessions gone.

"Thats when my world was turned upside down," she said. "When I got there I was so confused, I was panicking, crying of course and I was upset as to why I hadnt received a phone call from the office since it happened Saturday at midnight."

She questioned the officials at her apartment complex, Avana Eldridge, who told her they were bombarded trying to contact everyone and hadn't got around to it yet. She demanded they remove the boards from her apartment so she could see the inside.

All that survived was a mounted television on the wall and a religious painting that reads "pray."

She treated it as a sign.

"Its definitely God talking to me and telling me that I need to pray through all of this so thats immediately what I did," Ramirez said.

"Praying and crying, I saw my prayer sign was up and it made me hold onto my faith a little bit more. Ive always been a believer and had faith, but Ive been more involved with my church so I know this is more of a spiritual attack than anything. Im just trying to hold onto my faith and not allow the devil to win."

The fire started Saturday night at 10:28 p.m. and was extinguished by 11:20 p.m. according to reports. The fire consumed nearly 12 to 14 units located at 1602 Enclave Parkway, according to Houston Fire Department chief, Jason Wells.

Screenshot / OnScene TV

FIREFIGHTER'S DREAM: Houston firefighter with cancer crosses item off his bucket list: attend a World Series game

The cause of the fire is under investigation but "firefighters arrived on scene to find light haze around an apartment building with a report of a stove on fire," a HFD spokesperson confirmed via email.

No injuries were reported, but the fire caused $300,000 in estimated damage and $200,000 worth of property was saved, per an HFD report.

Although Ramirez had a one bedroom unit, it represented much more to her. It was her first place on her own since splitting from her husband and bouncing around different family members' homes with her kids.

"Living in that apartment I was barely getting back on my feet," she said. "I was just starting to make my apartment homey."

Devastated, she sat at the door until she had no choice but to leave.

Confused and unsure what to do, Ramirez returned to work the next day as if nothing happened. She recently started a new position as a receptionist at a law firm and was reluctant to tell them. But her phone wouldn't stop ringing between her renter's insurance company, family and neighbors.

"They were shocked too that I was there, but I think I was using it to suppress everything that I was going through," she said. "It was my little bit of normal."

Ramirez and her kids are now staying with her older sister, Lorena Vela, who started a GoFundMe to help them restart their lives.

OnHoustonChronicle.com: Family of Gloria Williams' ex-husband say he cared for and 'loved' her children

"While the loss of all of their belongings is replaceable, they are without a place to live and all of those little day-to-day things we all take for granted (like a toothbrush, a change of clothes, or even a single toy for her three-year-old twins!)" the post reads.

"Dom would never directly ask for help which is why her overbearing sisters decided to put this together as there has already been such an outpouring of people asking how they can help. To put it plainly... they have the clothes they were wearing on Friday and that's about it. So anything you can think of to make their lives a little more 'normal' would be so appreciated."

The fund is close to achieving its goal of $15,000 with more than $12,000 in donations.

Overwhelmed by the generosity, Ramirez said she's staying in contact with some of her neighbors who aren't as fortunate as her and donating things she doesn't want or need.

"Its not just about me," she said. "Thank God I have family. I just want to still be able to be a blessing to people despite what Im going through. I know Im covered."
Sarah Seely turned her gaze from the jurors and raised her voice at Kendrick Johnson, a 21-year-old standing trial in the ambush and fatal shooting of a Lamar High School student near the River Oaks campus.

Delindsey Mack never saw it coming, the prosecutor said, speaking directly to the defendant. You are guilty of the murder of Delindsey Mack, she added later.

The Harris County jury agreed. After about three hours of deliberation, jurors convicted Johnson on Thursday in the Nov. 13, 2018 killing, which unfolded at a church parking lot while Mack was walking to meet his ride home.

The guilty verdict is the first of three that the Harris County District Attorneys Office hopes to attain in Macks death. Two other defendants, a suspected getaway driver and a girl accused of luring the 18-year-old to the ambush location, are expected to stand trial at an undetermined date.

Macks mother left the courtroom in tears when state District Judge Chuck Silverman dismissed the jury following the three-day trial. The panel on Friday will begin hearing more evidence for sentencing Johnson, who could face between five and 99 years or life in prison.

Johnsons defense attorneys closed their case Thursday without bringing any of their own witnesses. During closing arguments, Skip Cornelius and Arthur Washington contended that the states evidence was not conclusive enough to prove a murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

What we saw these last few days was smoke but no fire, said Washington, a hired attorney.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Prosecutor unravels yarn of love, betrayal, violence in during murder trial

The Harris County District Attorneys Office presented ballistics, cell phone evidence and physical evidence from the homicide scene and the scene of Johnsons arrest on a separate charge one month later.

That evidence was circumstantial, with no DNA evidence linked to Johnson, Washington and Cornelius said. Someone could have been using Johnsons Instagram account or weapon, they said, and no witnesses identified Johnson as being present at the scene.

None of the prosecutors exhibits showed earlier conflict between Johnson and Mack, and one officer who testified said he couldnt identify the suspects or their vehicle from a clip that jurors viewed, according to the attorneys. That car was distinctive in the search for the suspects, with the identifying feature being a black garbage bag that covered a back passenger window.

It doesnt prove that even that car was used in this case, said Cornelius, an appointed defense attorney. Certainly it doesnt prove who committed the crime.

In her closing arguments, Seely ran through multiple pieces of evidence - including social media messages between Johnson and his co-defendants - and reiterated that those were enough to connect Johnson to the crime. The witnesses who could identify Johnson at the scene are his co-defendants, and would not be brought to testify, she said.

The shooters - one of whom has not been apprehended - were wearing masks, police said.

We designed the case to be built on circumstantial evidence, Seely said. It carries a ring of truth around it.

Mack was killed in the middle of the day when two people pulled up in a speeding car and jumped out, shooting at the teen. One of the gunmen then stood over him and repeatedly fired shots as Mack lay dying on the pavement, according to court records.

He was shot seven times - in the head, heart and lungs, the prosecutor said. A student named Keona Mouton had also left the scene. Investigators later learned that she was faking a relationship with the lovelorn teen and lured him to his death, Seely said.

The homicide investigation steered quickly to a broader conversation about gangs in Houston, when law enforcement leaders learned that it was one of many recent deaths that were part of an ongoing "war" between members of two rivaling local street gangs, 100 Percent Third Ward (103) and the YSB gang, Seely said.

Mack's parents found out after the shooting that their son had portrayed himself on social media to be a member of the Backstreet/Freemoney gang, a group associated with the Young Scott Block, or YSB, gang. His mother had warned police twice that he was being threatened by gang members, and she pulled him out of Yates High School in the Third Ward before homeschooling him and later enrolling him at Lamar.

Johnson and Daveon Thomas, both suspected 103 members, were connected to Mack's death after authorities found more messages that the pair exchanged on social media.

Police also found physical evidence during a traffic stop that preceded Johnsons arrest on a separate charge. He had binoculars, a scope, several extended magazines, and a 9 mm firearm that matched the shell casings used against Mack, Seely said.

Thomas, the accused getaway driver, was also charged with murder, and Mouton was certified to stand trial as an adult on a murder charge.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Not to cast aspersions on the academic accomplishments of state Rep. Matt Krause (San Diego Christian College, 2003) or Gov. Greg Abbott (UT-Austin, 1981), but their book-banning inclinations of late would suggest that they either ditched a class, dozed off during a lecture or simply have chosen to ignore a vital lesson from history.

Surely, the two Republicans were exposed in college to the uncomfortable fact that in a free society anyone suggesting the need to winnow out books they find disagreeable is venturing into dangerous territory. Surely, they realize that crusades to ban or censor books, particularly on ideological grounds, inevitably go too far, sometimes over yonder to, say, fascism or communism..

Krause, a history and social studies major with a law degree from Liberty University, got this latest effort started recently when he announced he was conducting an investigation into the types of books Texas school districts make available to their students. The Fort Worth lawmaker is chair of the House General Investigating Committee and one of the founders of the hyper-conservative Texas Freedom Caucus. He explained in a letter to Texas school districts that he was particularly interested in books that address issues of race or sexuality or make students feel guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex. . . . (Thats language he borrowed from recent House legislation.)

Included with Krauses letter was a 16-page list of about 850 book titles. He directed the school districts, by November 12, to tell him whether they have any of the books on his list, how many copies, and how much they spent acquiring them. He wouldnt say where he came up with his list or what he would do if any of the offending titles showed up on school-library bookshelves or on class reading lists.

Among the better known titles on Krauses blacklist of sorts are William Styrons Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Confessions of Nat Turner, the acclaimed Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by the esteemed writer Isabel Wilkerson. All three books are likely to make readers feel distressed  and also enlightened, as good books tend to do.

Did we mention that Krause is running for attorney general? Running in the Republican primary against two better-known candidates  Land Commissioner George P. Bush and former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman  this self-described faithful conservative fighter for Texas desperately needed an issue. And now he has one.

Candidate Abbott, never one to pass up a potent culture-war issue of his own, chimed in. The governor, running for a third term and possibly beyond, reminds us of a Galleria visitor who simply cannot resist the in-your-face importuning of kiosk clerks hawking cell phones, cosmetics or the latest energy booster. If its guaranteed to energize his own Trumpian political base, Abbotts got to have it.

Now that hes worked to make guns available even to the folks who cant shoot straight, make it more difficult for his fellow Texans to vote, censor discussions of race in classrooms, ban transgender youth from sports, throw sand in the gears of desperately needed plans to contain a deadly pandemic and push through the most restrictive (and unconstitutional) anti-abortion law in the nation, Abbott has to have yet another campaign cudgel. Banning books will do just fine.

In addition to being nakedly obvious about his motives, Abbott was embarrassingly inept. He asked the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) on Monday to determine the extent to which pornography or other inappropriate content exists in public schools across the state and to remove it if they found it.

A growing number of parents of Texas students are becoming increasingly alarmed about some of the books and other content found in public school libraries that are extremely inappropriate, Abbott wrote to Dan Troxell, TASBs executive director, without giving examples.

Abbott said the group had an obligation to act  which the TASB found confusing since, as it noted, it has no regulatory authority over school districts and does not set the standards for instructional materials.

The Texas Institute of Letters, an organization of writers, journalists, playwrights and composers, responded to Krause and Abbott with a letter of its own. These political tactics, the letter noted, are meant to intimidate school districts, to motivate voters sympathetic to state representative Krause and Governor Abbott, and to set the groundwork for more book banning and censorship.

The targets, in the words of the TIL letter, are readers in marginalized communities who suddenly see the books that inspire them and give meaning to their lives threatened with banning. Parents who understand that fostering empathy is one of the most important achievements of reading widely. Librarians, writers, and all citizens who understand that the banning of books has often led to authoritarianism that destroys freedom of thought and encourages the cruel and powerful to prey on the vulnerable.

Of course, another governor, the once and now-forever former governor of Virginia, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, made the politically fatal mistake of saying that parents shouldnt be telling schools what they should teach. Whatever he was trying to say, his gaff was a reminder that parents should indeed be involved in what schools teach.

Some books obviously are inappropriate for young readers. One mothers now-viral complaint at a Leander ISD board meeting last month sparked outrage after she read passages from a book she said her high school-aged son selected from a classroom shelf that graphically depicted sexual acts between fourth-graders.

But the solution isnt the government banning books from on high. Its ensuring that every school has teachers  preferably, librarians  tasked with carefully reviewing material before its made available to kids, and a transparent process by which parents can register serious complaints and request reviews.

In a democratic society that values free speech, theres a simple strategy for handling books about race or controversial volumes expressing strident political views: dont ban ideas; provide books that challenge them. Dont ban Ta-Nehisi Coates, for example. Feature him on a display case next to Columbia University linguist John McWhorters new bestseller Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. That will get the kids talking  and hopefully, thinking.

Books, like good teachers, are meant to provoke, to raise questions, even to make us uncomfortable with our long-held assumptions. That process isnt called indoctrination. Its called learning.
On the second day of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the United States and European Union launched a historic pledge to lower methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Joined by over 100 countries, the commitment wont directly save the planet  but it might just buy enough time for it to be saved.

While most efforts to reduce emissions have been aimed at carbon dioxide, methane has a much more potent effect on heating the planet  roughly 86 times as powerful as CO2 over a 20-year period.

By focusing on methane emissions, through multi-nation commitments like the Global Methane Pledge adopted Nov. 2, we can more effectively stem the rise in the Earths temperature than we could by limiting our efforts to CO2 alone.

On the face of it, that new target sounds like bad news for the natural gas industry.

Natural gas is essentially methane, and a big chunk of those emissions trace directly back to its production and distribution. Yet, rather than treat it as a death knell, the industry should regard the pledge  and tighter regulations on leakage and venting from facilities and pipelines that come with it  as opportunities to ensure that natural gas can continue as a transition fuel during decarbonization.

The more the industry cleans up its carbon footprint, the longer it remains viable.

But the industry needs to act sooner than later  and address not just some, but all of natural gas easier-to-eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. That means doing away with the practice of flaring and stopping the venting and leakage of methane entirely. Targeting industry practices like flaring, venting and everyday leakage from pipelines and facilities may sound trivial, but addressing these would make a significant difference in the climate battle.

First, lets look at flaring. According to Capterio, a UK-based gas flaring specialist, huge volumes of excess gas  equivalent to the total gas consumption of Europes two largest markets, Germany and the United Kingdom  are routinely burned off during oil production, resulting in CO2 emissions and the release of methane from incomplete combustion.

According to the World Bank, gas flaring worldwide creates some 400 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions  a measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential  annually, though that is likely a conservative estimate. Often the result of technical, regulatory or economic constraints, the greenhouse gas-intensive process generates no power and fails to realize more than $21 billion of potential revenue.

The practice is routine in oil-producing regions like the southwestern U.S., Russia, the Middle East and Nigeria where no external carbon (or carbon-equivalent) price  a financial penalty for greenhouse gas emissions  exists as it does in places like Europe and California. That makes flaring a no-cost solution for oil and gas producers. If producers are serious about lowering emissions, theyll apply an internal carbon price on flaring before one is imposed on them and incentivize the development of alternative solutions.

Boards, investors and finance providers must also hold executives accountable for delivering on the World Banks Zero Routine Flaring goal by 2030. As of today, 49 oil companies and over 30 governments  including the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Russia  have endorsed the pledge, but missing from the list are a few of the biggest offendors. To date, flaring worldwide has only been reduced 14 percent since 1996. Thats less than a paltry 1 billion cubic meters per year. To achieve the World Banks goal, flaring must be reduced yearly by around 15 bcm, between now and 2030.

But the industrys major source of methane emissions is operational venting and leakage from vast networks of pipelines and valves. Venting and leakage together add another 5.7 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent per year to the atmosphere. That figure reflects the heightened potency of methane.

In an earlier report, we called on gas regulators to set a higher bar when it comes to maintenance, requiring operators to demonstrate containment or risk the revocation of licenses to operate. While recently announced new regulations would raise that standard, the industry could go a step beyond by budgeting for a significant increase in spending on maintenance now, even before problems are found.

For the industry, theres a lot at stake.

While it will not be cheap to eliminate flaring, venting and leakage, that investment pales against the trillions that could be lost on investments if natural gas is eliminated from the fuel mix sooner than later. Closing up these obvious emission sources also may narrow the 34 trillion cubic-meter gap between industry pledges to cut future gas production and the reduction in supply called for in the 2050 net-zero scenario from the International Energy Agency.

Were playing against time: Can we develop economically viable and scalable no-carbon energy alternatives, such as green hydrogen, before the planets temperature rise over pre-industrial levels exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius?

If achieving cleaner natural gas provides extra time for innovation and extends gas role in the energy transition, then getting rid of flaring, venting and leakage now is really a very small price to pay.

Knipe is a partner in Oliver Wymans energy and natural resources practice and a former head of international gas for BP.
Runoff elections will be held Dec. 11, the Harris County Elections Department announced Friday.

Four Houston Independent School District board seats and individual City Council races for Bellaire and Missouri City, as well as a trustee race in the Houston Community College System, will be decided in runoffs after none of the candidates in those contests won more than 50 percent of the votes cast.

Early voting is scheduled to begin Nov. 29 and end Dec. 7. Voters can cast ballots between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during early voting, except for Dec. 5, when polls will be open from noon to 5 p.m.

Election day voting hours will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Individuals in line by the cutoff time to vote even if their ballot is not cast until later are permitted.

Elections officials said they must wait for a Monday deadline before completing a final canvass of results and officially announcing runoff races. Four of five open HISD board seats were forced into a runoff, per unofficial returns.

The runoffs are for the four HISD trustee races, one Houston Community College System board seat, and a single city council race in both Bellaire and Missouri City:

HISD

District 1: Incumbent Elizabeth Santos vs. Janette Garza Lindner, a management consultant.

District 5: Incumbent Sue Deigaard vs. Caroline Walter, a self-described stay-at-home mom

District 6: Incumbent Holly Flynn Vilaseca vs. Kendall Baker, a pastor and small-business owner

District 7: Incumbent Anne Sung vs. Bridget Wade, former president of Briargrove Elementary PTO

Houston Community College System

District 8: Incumbent Eva Loredo vs. Jharrett Bryantt, an HISD assistant superintendent

Bellaire City Council

District 5: Andrea Ehlers, a certified technology project manager and human resources professional, vs. Brian Witt, who works in finance and has served on Bellaires Environmental Sustainability Board

Missouri City

City Council District A: Monica Riley, a radio station manager, vs. Reginald Pearson, a deacon at Fountain of Praise Church

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
The Biden administration is suing the state of Texas over the controversial package of voting restrictions and election reforms passed by the Legislature this fall, claiming it violates the rights of Texans with disabilities and other minority groups protected by federal voting and civil rights laws.

The 18-page suit, filed in federal court in San Antonio, takes issue with provisions in Senate Bill 1 that limit the kind of voter assistance that can be provided to those with special needs and that require election officials to reject mail ballot applications if the right kind of identification is not included.

These vulnerable voters already confront barriers to the ballot box, and SB1 will exacerbate the challenges they face in exercising their fundamental right to vote, the suit says, citing voters with disabilities, voters with limited English proficiency, members of the military who have been deployed outside the U.S. and other Americans abroad.

The Republican-authored bill, which bans 24-hour and drive-thru voting, adds new requirements for voting by mail and expands the powers of partisan poll watchers. It passed despite heavy opposition from Democrats who staged two walkouts to try to delay or kill the legislation, which they denounced as voter suppression.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill in September, hailing it as helping Texans have trust and confidence in our elections. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, also a Republican, on Thursday said he is prepared to defend it.

I will see you in court, Biden! Paxton said in a tweet. Its a great and a much-needed bill. Ensuring Texas has safe, secure, and transparent elections is a top priority of mine.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

State Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, and state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who authored the bill, did not respond to requests for comment. As Democrats complain of suppression, the pair have pointed out that the bill expands early voting hours in some counties.

Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, chair of the Texas Democratic Caucus, and leaders of minority caucuses celebrated the Justice Departments involvement, calling it decisive action to stop Texas Republicans continued attacks on our democracy.

Democrats say the Texas GOP is hyping election security despite having no proof of widespread voter fraud in the state.

Senate Bill 1 is a sweeping piece of legislation that creates unnecessary and deliberate barriers to voting, they wrote. This bill was never about election security or voter integrity. It was always about Texas Republicans using the Big Lie to justify restricting access to the ballot box.

U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, said the Biden administration is doing the right thing.

It is time to take action against Texas anti-voting law, she said. There is already evidence of the real effect of bills like SB1: silencing the voices of Latinos, communities of color, people with disabilities and seniors. There is no room for voter suppression in our democracy.

Lawsuit echoes objections of Texas lawmakers

The suit alleges that revisions to the oath that voter assistants are required to take will unlawfully limit the type of assistance that can be rendered to only reading the ballot to the voter, directing the voter to read the ballot, marking the voters ballot or directing the voter to mark the ballot.

It also prohibits the assistants from answering a voters questions, which the Justice Department noted could include explaining the voting process, paraphrasing complex language and providing other forms of voting assistance that some qualified voters require to cast an informed and effective vote.

The new identification requirement for voting by mail is one that Texas Democrats had also attacked, saying it could leave voters vulnerable to making mistakes and having their ballots tossed. Republicans said the measure is necessary to guard against voter fraud, and they touted provisions in the law that improve the mail ballot correction process, which gives voters the opportunity to fix errors if they are found early enough.

The Justice Department echoed Democrats concerns, saying unmatched ID numbers on a mail ballot application and the ballot itself constitute errors or omissions that are not material to determining a voters qualification to vote or vote by mail. The Civil Rights Act prohibits such minor mistakes from being used as a reason to deny someone the right to vote.

The suit adds that some voters will not be able to provide certain forms of ID; for example, voters who have lost a drivers license or disposed of an expired identification card and dont have available records of that number. Others may list an ID number that the state doesnt have on file because the voter did not use it when registering to vote.

The suit comes after U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked Democrats latest effort to pass new voting rights legislation that Texas Democrats spent the summer in Washington promoting.

All but one Republican, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted to block debate on a bill that would have again required Texas and other states with a history of discrimination to get pre-clearance from the Justice Department before enacting new voting laws or redistricting maps.

Democrats in Washington have pointed to Texas as they push the bill.

In states like Georgia and Texas, Iowa and Florida and Arizona and many others, partisans have rewritten the rules of our elections in broad daylight, potentially making it harder for tens of millions of young, minority, low-income, disabled and generally Democratic-leaning voters from participating in elections, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Republicans have blasted Democrats efforts to pass that and other new elections legislation as a federal takeover of state election rules. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas called the bill a power grab that he said perverts the cause of voting rights to give the Democratic Party unprecedented control over Americas elections.

At the heart of this legislation is the pre-clearance regime, Cornyn said. In other words, the states would have to ask the federal government, Can we pass laws in our state? and it would be up to the Biden Justice Department and Merrick Garland to say yes or no.

Cornyn said pre-clearance was justified based on a history of discrimination, which has now been essentially eradicated if you believe the numbers of minority voters who are casting their ballots now.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 44F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The Adams Selectmen have reinstituted a winter parking ban after trying alerts last year.

Adams Board of Selectmen Reinstates Winter Parking Ban

ADAMS, Mass  The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the reinstatement of a winter on-street parking ban, which will run from Nov. 15 to March 31.



After a one-year trial period last winter, during which on-street parking was allowed, the board decided at its Nov. 3 meeting that safety concerns and issues surrounding informing residents of weather emergencies were enough reason to reinstate the ban.



"As much as we tried to get the word out that an emergency was declared and asking people to park off the street, that word wasn't getting out their cars were still left in place," said Town Administrator Jay Green



The board initially discussed reinstating the ban at an Oct. 27 workshop meeting. Present at that meeting to discuss the trial period were Department of Public Works Operations Supervisor Tim Cote and Police Chief K. Scott Kelley.



In other business, the board unanimously approved to ratify a contract for a general government review consultant from Paradigm Associates. The board approved $20,000 for the consultant, who will help the town review its charter for updating.



The consultant will aid a Government Study Committee that will explore the charter and the governing of Adams. This committee will operate for between 12 and 15 months, and the board will discuss who will be on the committee at the next workshop meeting.



Board Chair John Duval said the last time the town reviewed its charter was about 15 years ago. He said he took part in that process and believes the charter needs another look.



"It's been a long time and needs to be looked at, and I think we all realize that it's time," Duval said.



 The board unanimously approved a reserve fund transfer of $33,000 to repair the elevator in Town Hall. The board initially discussed the transfer and the specifics behind the repairs at an Oct. 27 workshop meeting.



Green said the town does not have much choice in repairing the elevator due to state and federal regulations.



"It's just one of those things that needs to be done," he said.



With the Selectmen's approval, the Finance Committee will have to approve the transfer. Once approved, the work will take approximately four to five days.



"I think this reiterates the need for a facilities maintenance plan," Selectmen Member Howard Rosenberg said.

Vice Chairwoman Christine Hoyt said while the town does not generally need to approve Chapter 90 requests, they had to in this case because the contract with Volvo exceeds three years.



 The board ratified the hire of a new community development administrative assistant, Isaiah Moore. Eammon Coughlin, director of community development, spoke highly of Moore.



"We interviewed two or three folks for this job, some really, really talented people," he said. "And I'll say Isaiah definitely blew everyone else out of the water."



 The board unanimously approved a facility use request for the Turkey Trot from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Nov. 25. The roads set for use are North Summer Street, Lime Street and Industrial Park.



The board unanimously approved setting the dog license fee for spring 2022. The price will be $10 for spayed or neutered pets and $20 otherwise.
BCC to Honor First-Generation Students

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  As the first community college in Massachusetts, Berkshire Community College (BCC) joins Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) to hold an all-day First-Generation Student Celebration on Monday, Nov. 8.

First-generation, or "first-gen," students are the first in their families to attend or graduate from college.

The celebration also allows an opportunity for students to visit MCLA on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The event is held in collaboration with TRIO (Talent, Resources, Initiative, Opportunity) Student Support Services, the Center for First-Generation Student Success, and the Berkshire Community College Foundation.

Participants, who can partake in most activities in person or via Zoom, will have the opportunity to hear about student success stories; learn about TRIO, library, and other student success resources; participate in a strategic planning meeting; attend a student art show; and visit MCLA.

To register for events and to access Zoom links, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/firstgen . The first five students who register and attend will receive a $25 gift card.

Monday, Nov. 8

"Generations of First Generations" Panel, 1011 am: Hear about the experiences of first-generation peers from MCLA and BCC (forum credit). This event will be held in the Koussevitzky Arts Center, Room 111 and on Zoom.

BCC Student Support Resources Fair, 11 am1 pm: Learn about all the student support resources available at BCC. This event will be held in the Koussevitzky Arts Center lobby and on Zoom.

Conversation with the BCC Strategic Planning Team, 121 pm: Share your ideas by participating in strategic conversations. It's resume-worthy, too (forum credit). This event will be held on Zoom only.

First Generation Art Fair, 10 am5 pm: Come view first-generation student art in the Koussevitzky Arts Center lobby.

Wednesday, Nov. 10

MCLA Campus Tour, 121:30 pm: Tour the MCLA campus, join an admissions information session, and enjoy a free lunch with MCLA TRIO students and campus partner guests.
The recent success of technology points the way to the tech sector's role in combating climate change, the greatest challenge we all face.

As politicians from across the world meet in November 2021 for 12 days of debate and hopefully decision making at the COP26 Summit, the tech sector needs to take a positive stance because it has much to offer.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the need to rapidly enable remote working proved a point that technology really can allow organisations to think and work differently. Remote working was far from new in early 2020, but it took last year's events to be truly understood and used effectively. Unlike the pandemic, everyone can see the threat climate change poses, so let's not wait to prove our value at the point of no return. Technology can and must play a vital role in solving climate change.

That may sound like a tall order, but the tech sector, both provider and internal teams, have enabled organisations to survive pandemics and economic crises, developed levels of insight never before imagined, reworked how and where we work, and given us products we never knew we needed.

Inventiveness in technology was instrumental to the global response to the pandemic, which reduced its impact on wellbeing and economic disruption (though both took a clobbering). That same inventiveness is sadly also used in the creation of the very problems facing the planet - namely excessive consumerism and planet-destroying convenience and affordability to do damage. Food is wasted, servers spin, dissemination of lies by traditional and social media digital platforms runs unchecked, and the population is constantly informed that they need to consume and keep consuming.

However, the same creativity and collaboration of the tech sector can be harnessed to deliver a far more meaningful change than a single-use piece of plastic or fast fashion. Time to market, like gross domestic product (GDP) is looking like a measurement of the previous epoch rather than the environmental challenges we face today.

As a community, the tech sector must look at what it achieved in the face of the pandemic. That same approach to rethinking operations, powered by technology, needs to be used to combat climate change and make COP26 stand for something. But also, now is the time for technology to rethink its own operating models, clean up data centres, improve technology energy usage and optimisation, and use many of the lessons learned in improving diversity in tech.

The sector has an opportunity to influence significant changes in procurement and business models. In some cases, the technology sector must build the solutions for a cleaner planet because, as the pandemic demonstrated, when there is no alternative, organisations suddenly find that they can embrace collaboration tools, slash excessive levels of travel and digitally sign agreements. As the rising number of wild fires, floods, warm winters and wet summers show, a climate-based emergency could hit your organisation at any time.

In order to develop solutions to climate change, the tech sector's expertise will play a part in how all organisations and geographies become environmentally and economically sustainable. All organisations in all vertical markets can harness data to optimise their business operations and become more sustainable.

As is well reported, during the lockdowns, productivity increased, and dealing with climate change needn't be damaging to output, which understandably many leaders fear. After all, with sewage now returning to waterways, air pollution at dangerous levels in some cities, ice retreating from mountain glaciers and the polar ice caps and rain forests being illegally logged to grow chocolate ingredients - there is much to do.

The pandemic forced action where before there had been just words on new working ways. All members of the technology sector must act in the right way and not just pay lip service to the themes of COP26.
Two suspected drunk drivers crash into poles next to the WSP office in Moses Lake
Effective May 5, 2021, Eden Hospice at Idaho Falls, LLC has achieved its Medicare-certification and Deemed Status via the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).
DOH: Supply of COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11 will be limited for first couple weeks
A truck driver who ousted the powerful New Jersey Senate president in the election has apologized for social media posts including ones where he called Islam a false religion, compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust and defended rioters at the Capitol
Amnesty International announced on October 25 it would close its Hong Kong base, citing the National Security Law, the imposition of which has led to the prosecution of the citys journalists, activists and politicians as well as the disbandment of dozens of rights groups and trade unions. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Hong Kong authorities to stop targeting civil society groups.

On October 25, Amnesty announced its plan to shut down its Hong Kong operations, with a local section office ceasing operation on October 31 and a regional office set to close by the end of 2021.

The organisation said the decision to depart from Hong Kong after four decades in the city was prompted by the National Security Law, which went into effect June 30, 2020. The legislation allows Hong Kongs administration to punish what it considers acts of secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities and collusion with foreign or external forces to endanger national security.

Since the imposition of the law, Hong Kongs press freedom and security of human rights have declined rapidly, with media workers, pro-democracy activists and politicians, and scholars arrested or charged on national security grounds. Moreover, at least 35 trade unions and other civil society groups have disbanded, including some of the citys largest unions and activist groups, amid the governments crackdown.

Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnestys International Board, said This decision, made with a heavy heart, has been driven by Hong Kongs national security law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights organisations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government.

The IFJ said, As an apolitical non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting freedom of the press, the IFJ has in the past partnered with Amnesty Hong Kong on efforts to safeguard press freedom and enhance journalists rights in Hong Kong. The closure of Amnesty Hong Kong and disbandment of other groups reflect the depletion of civil space in the city. The IFJ urges the Hong Kong authorities to respect freedom of the press, of association and the right and freedom to form and join trade unions as guaranteed in the citys Basic Law.
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 29 October and 5 November 2021.
If your small business fell out of the habit of reducing waste during the pandemic, you may soon need to revert back to pre-Covid best practices.

Government is once again leading the way in pushing for bans on single-use plastics, such as shopping bags and takeout-food utensils, following a sustained period of growth for single-use items. In the first months of the pandemic, the International Solid Waste Association was telling media that consumption of single-use plastic had grown as much as 300 percent. Now, a data science operation in Wisconsin that tracks local-government goings-on, has noticed a trend in local government these days renewing efforts to ban single-use plastics.

"There was a lot of momentum pre-pandemic for bans on single-use plastic," says Taralinda Wills, previously CEO of Curate Solutions and now a managing director at FiscalNote after her firm's August acquisition. With Covid, when consumers wanted items individually wrapped, single-use plastic bans took a back seat, but lately, Wills says, the data has changed: "Now people are starting to understand how the Covid virus actually works, and there's a move toward single-use plastic bans again."

Wills shared the data her firm is seeing at the local-government level: Just 25 local governments were talking about single-use plastic bans in the last quarter of 2020. That's risen nearly 500 percent over the past year, to 59 in the second quarter of 2021, and 121 in the recently-completed third quarter.

Beyond the data, the picture appears to be changing all across America. The entirety of Washington State put a plastic bag ban in effect as of October 1. The city of Taos, New Mexico, which had tabled its plans for a single-use plastic ban when the pandemic started, voted in September to move forward with the ban, effective in November. Pittsburgh's city council is expected to vote on a ban this fall, and 100 local businesses signed a letter endorsing the ban in late September. Chicago passed a partial ban in August.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

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.
The bursting of firecrackers on Diwali is a highly polarising issue these days. Those in favour of firecrackers argue that it has been part of the Diwali festival for a long time and preventing it is an assault on their religion.

Those opposed to bursting firecrackers on Diwali put forward several arguments including air pollution, the wellbeing of people around them, especially those with breathing difficulties, the aged and children.

AFP

Many pet owners also say no to firecrackers as the loud explosions leave their much-loved animals traumtised.

The opposing views can come to blows at times and such differences getting out of hand is not uncommon.

What happened?

A pet owner from Mumbai was allegedly assaulted on Thursday morning after he requested a group to stop bursting crackers for a few minutes as the loud noise was scaring his pet dog.

The youth, identified as AS Chatterjee was walking his dog in the morning in sector 29, Vashi, when he came across a group bursting loud crackers.

BCCL

Since the loud explosions were making his dog, Prince scared and nervous, Chatterjee asked a youth if they could stop it for some time until he takes his pet to safety.

"At around 6.30 am, I had taken my pet dog Prince for a morning walk in Vashi's Sector 29. There, some people were bursting some very loud firecrackers such as sutli bombs at Ashirwad Housing Society. I urged a youth to stop lighting crackers for a minute to allow my dog to pass as he was scared and nervous. However, the man's father Kishore Vichare became angry with me for asking his son to stop bursting crackers," Chatterjee told The Times of India.

AP

"When Vichare aggressively came towards me and threatened to slap me, his son also charged at me and beat me up on the false pretext that I hit his father. Since I had to also take care of my pet, I tried to defend myself, but the duo slapped me several times, while also pushing me, which led to a ligament tear near my right knee as it got twisted," he said further.

Following Chatterjee's complaint, a non-cognizable complaint (NC) has been registered at the Vashi police station against one Kishore Vichare and his son.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Did Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook know what it was doing in terms of hate speech, misinformation, and mental harm to its users? According to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Facebook (now under new branding Meta) "knew what it was doing."

Referring to Facebook Papers that have revealed some concerning things about Facebook's role in amplifying fake news and hate speech, Schmidt said that Facebook "went a little too far on the revenue side and not enough on the judgment side."

MIT

Facebook knew what it was doing

In conversation with Bloomberg, Schmidt said that most people were convinced that Facebook didn't understand it or measure it, but that's not what revelations from Facebook Papers (which were shared with US congress by whistleblower Frances Haugen) reveal.

What we learned in those disclosures is that these companies, and Facebook in particular knew what it was doing, Schmidt told Bloomberg.

Also read: Hold Up, Zuckerberg: This Startup Applied For 'Meta' Trademark Before Facebook

Even then, the former Google CEO doesn't think regulation of Big Tech is the way forward. The regulation is always either too soon or too late. Instead, Schmidt suggested a "sort of proper industrial restraint."

BBC

Facebook has been in the storm of the eye recently after allegations against the company intensified with Haugen at the helm. Very recently, Facebook announced that it was ending its face recognition abilities on the platform. Now, the company is deleting a billion facial prints.

Also read: After Facebook, Satya Nadella Shares Microsoft's Vision Of A Digital Metaverse



Reuters

Mark Zuckerberg has responded to the allegations, claiming that they're "just not true."

What do you think about this claim by former Google CEO about Facebook's misdemeanours? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
We now offer lithium prices and coverage free for reference. Click here to read all about it. Join our growing community of participants who want to learn more about electrification and how this market is developing.
Forney, TX (75126)

Today

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 69F. WSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with light rain developing after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
A 20-acre estate on Tucsons east side recently sold for $4,080,000, making it the citys most expensive residential real estate sale on the multiple listing service of southern Arizona since 2007. The property on 1416 N. Smokey Springs is a 8,860 square-foot home with six bedrooms, seven ba
These grants are designed to build capacity and enhance the competitiveness of faculty at MSIs when applying for nationally competitive grant support and aid in faculty development and retention.
Local Twin Cities artists Enzyrose, Eyenga Bokamba, Noah Lawrence-Holder, LeShon Lee, and Meadow Gillispie, talk about their reaction to the murder of George Floyd, the trial of Derek Chauvin, and life as a black artist during this time.
RT Specialty Names Neary to Environmental and Construction Professional Practice

RT Specialty named Rachael Neary as an account administrator in its environmental and construction professional practice (RT ECP).

In this role, she will work with senior management to further the account management and policy servicing activities supplied to the companys national network of agents and brokers.

Before joining RT ECP, Neary served as an underwriters assistant at Bass Underwriters in Jersey City, New Jersey.

RT ECP is a part of the RT Specialty division of RSG Specialty LLC, a Delaware limited liability company based in Illinois. RSG Specialty LLC is a subsidiary of Ryan Specialty Group LLC. RT ECP provides wholesale insurance brokerage and other services to agents and brokers.

Source: RT Specialty

Alliant Hires New Yorks Parahus as Senior Vice President

Alliant hired employee benefits consultant Stephen Parahus as senior vice president within its national employee benefits group.

Based in New York, Parahus will design and implement employee benefits programs that provide long-term profitability and increased organizational efficiencies for a range of clients throughout the U.S.

Parahus has more than 30 years of experience designing strategic benefits solutions for national and global corporations. He has experience working as a consulting health actuary, combining his analytical and advisory skills to deliver sound, quantifiable results for employers while addressing the welfare and well-being of employees and retirees.

Prior to joining Alliant, Parahus was senior director of health and benefits with a global advisory, broking and solutions company offering risk management, insurance and consulting products and services.

Source: Alliant
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  The death toll from the collapse of a high-rise apartment building under construction in Nigerias most populous city has risen to 23 with two more bodies recovered Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Nine people had been rescued by Tuesday, but no new survivors were found Wednesday. Segun Akande of the Nigerian Red Cross told The Associated Press that rescue efforts continue, but said there seemed to be little hope for those trapped in the heap of debris.

Lagos Building Collapse Kills at Least 10; Scores Reported Missing

The chances are very slim; very, very slim, he said when asked about those still trapped.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said it was unclear how long the rescue mission would continue.

There is no pillar in any form that is holding anything, he said of the buildings remains. Hope is what is in short supply, he told families. Hope is what we all require now.

Its unknown how many people could still be trapped inside the debris, but one construction worker at the scene had estimated there were about 100, leaving potentially 70 unaccounted for.

The 21-story luxury apartment building under construction toppled Monday and it took several hours for officials to launch the rescue effort. Authorities have arrested the propertys owner, according to media reports, saying that his building permit only allowed for a 15-story structure.

By the entrance of the compound, help desks were set up for people to provide names and photos of their relatives or friends who they believed were working there when the structure crumbled.

There was also a help desk for counselling and support of distraught relatives, many of whom were lined up by the roadside.

Abel Godwin traveled 722 kilometers (448 miles) from the nations capital, Abuja, in search of his 18-year-old son who had been employed at the site.

After arriving in Lagos at 2 a.m., he visited the government hospital where victims are being treated.

They couldnt allow me to check whether my son is alive or dead, he lamented.

Dozens of family members have expressed anger and frustration over their inability to know the fate of their relatives.

The Lagos state government has set up an independent panel to determine the cause of the accident and whether the project developers had fully complied with building laws. The panel also is to examine whether there were any lapses by state regulators in overseeing the project.

People are indeed upset, people are angry. I can assure you we are doing everything, the governor said.

Photograph: A view of the rubble of the collapsed 21-story apartment building under construction in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. Authorities in Nigerias largest city say the owner of a high-rise apartment building that collapsed suddenly has been arrested. Photo credit: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
GLASGOW  A pledge to phase out coal gained the support of 23 more countries at the U.N. climate conference on Thursday, but was shunned by big users of the dirtiest of the fuels that cause global warming.

The COP26 summit hopes to find ways to keep within reach a target of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), but the scale of the challenge was underlined by a study showing carbon dioxide emissions have returned to near pre-pandemic levels.

Coal in Crosshairs as UN Climate Summit Brings Raft of Clean Energy Pledges

Greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal are the single biggest contributor to climate change, and weaning the world off coal is considered vital to achieving global climate targets.

The pledge to drop coal did not include Australia, India, the United States and China, which has around half the coal-fired plants operating around the world and plans to build more.

Carbon dioxide emissions fell by 5.4% in 2020 as economies ground to a halt, but the new report by the Global Carbon Project forecast a 4.9% rebound in emissions for this year.

We were expecting to see some rebound, said the reports lead author Pierre Friedlingstein, a climate modeling researcher at the University of Exeter.

What surprised us was the intensity and rapidity.

It was a stark reminder to leaders in Glasgow of the challenge of preventing more than 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming above pre-industrial levels.

The United Nations says a rise above 1.5C would trigger climate impacts far more catastrophic than the intensifying storms, heatwaves, droughts and floods already being seen.

I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight, Alok Sharma, British president of the two-week summit, said in detailing the pledge to phase out existing coal-fueled power plants and to stop building new ones.

The non-binding pledge has 77 signatories, including 46 countries, such as Poland, Vietnam, and Chile, 23 of which are making commitments on ending coal for the first time, he said.

Richer nations agreed to quit coal power by the 2030s and poorer ones by the 2040s. Poland said it was aiming for the 2040s  having previously pledged to stop mining coal in 2049. Indonesia did not agree to the part of the deal on ending finance for new coal plants.

Coal-fired power today produces more than a third of the worlds electricity. Many developing countries currently rely on cheap, accessible coal to fuel their economies, just as developed countries did from the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century onwards, despite the costs to the environment and public health.

Cannot Celebrate

The International Energy Agency, the worlds energy watchdog, said net-zero emissions pledges and promises to cut methane announced at COP26, if enforced, would enable the world to limit warming to below 2 degrees.

New @IEA analysis shows that fully achieving all net zero pledges to date & the Global Methane Pledge by those who signed it would limit global warming to 1.8C, IEA chief Fatih Birol wrote on Twitter.

Selwin Hart, special adviser to the U.N. secretary-general on climate action, challenged Birols assertion.

Fatih, I heard your numbers. But based on the NDCs that have been submitted, the world is on a 2.7 degree pathway  a catastrophic pathway, Hart said in Glasgow.

And therefore we are a long way from keeping the 1.5C goal of the Paris Agreement alive. We cannot be complacent. We cannot celebrate before weve done the job, he added.

Funding Gap

The U.N. Environment Programme said poorer countries needed five to 10 times more money to adapt to the consequences of climate change than they are now getting.

Richer countries failed to meet a 2020 deadline for delivering $100 billion a year in climate finance.

Questions of finance also swirled around the COP26 coal deal, which some countries said they would not be able to deliver without more financial help.

We need to have funding to retire coal earlier and to build the new capacity of renewable energy, said Indonesias finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati. The Southeast Asian nation is the worlds biggest coal exporter, and relies on the fuel for 65% of its own energy capacity.

It also will be among the first recipients of a multibillion dollar pilot program to speed a transition to clean energy, along with India, South Africa, and the Philippines, the Climate Investment Funds said.

The main aim of COP26 is to get promises of enough cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to put the world on a clear path towards capping the rise in global temperature  already up 1.1C since pre-industrial times.

(Additional reporting by Katy Daigle, William James, Andrea Januta, Noah Browning, Fathin Ungku, Stanley Widianto and Valerie Volcovici; writing by Kevin Liffey and Alexander Smith; editing by Janet Lawrence and Philippa Fletcher)
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries warned Facebook Inc. and its chiefs are on course for criminal prosecution for failing to reign in the harmful effects of its platform.

Why would we give them two years to change what they can change today? said Dorries. Remove your harmful algorithms today and you will not be subjected  named individuals  to criminal liability and prosecution.

Searching for Realistic Ideas That Could Help Tame Big Tech[/sidebar

Dorries was speaking with members of the joint committee in charge of drafting the bill on Thursday. The UK is currently examining a draft of its Online Safety Bill, which is set to be managed by regulator Ofcom and put forward for approval next month.

Im looking at three to six months for criminal liability, she added. I think its nonsense that platforms have been given two years to make themselves ready for what would be criminal action. They know what theyre doing wrong now.

A spokesman for Facebook in the UK didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Online Safety Bill will attempt to impose accountability for illegal or potentially harmful content such as material promoting terrorism or spreading disinformation about Covid-19. Companies could be fined as much as 10% of annual global revenue if they breach regulations.

Mark Zuckerberg, Nick Clegg and others who are wanting to take off into the metaverse, my advice is stay in the real world, added Dorries. You will be accountable to this act.

Dorries was also skeptical of Meta Platforms Inc.  the new name for Facebooks parent company  and its recently announced plans to hire 10,000 people in Europe to build out its vision for a metaverse.

Rebranding does not work, she said. When harm is caused, were coming after it. Put those engineers now onto abiding by your terms and conditions and removing your harmful algorithms.

Photograph: Platforms like Facebook and YouTube have come under intense scrutiny for failing to do enough to police hate speech. Photo credit: Uli Deck/Getty Images/picture alliance.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Fraud Abuse Molestation
HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam was seeking more information Thursday about a Vietnamese oil tanker that was seized at gunpoint last month by Iranian soldiers in the Gulf of Oman, while vowing to ensure the safety and humane treatment of the ships crew members.

Irans powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard troops on Oct. 24 took control of the MV Southys, a vessel that analysts suspect of trying to transfer sanctioned Iranian crude oil to Asia. U.S. forces had monitored the seizure but ultimately didnt take action as the vessel sailed into Iranian waters.

Iran Blames Israel for Explosion that Damaged Container Ship in Mediterranean Marine Insurers Set to Raise Rates After Red Sea Attacks on Merchant Ships

The episode was the latest provocation in Mideast waters as tensions escalate between Iran and the United States over Tehrans nuclear program.

Vietnamese officials continue to closely follow the developments and work closely with Iranian authorities to resolve this issue in accordance with the law and enact necessary measures to safeguard the rights and interests of Vietnamese nationals, Pham Thu Hang, deputy spokesperson in Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Thursday.

The captain of the MV Southys told the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran that all 26 crew members were being treated well and were in normal health, Hang told reporters at a scheduled briefing.

Iran celebrated its capture of the vessel in dramatic footage aired on state television Wednesday, the day before the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press from MarineTraffic.com showed the vessel still off Irans southern port of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday. A satellite photo from Planet Labs Inc. also showed the vessel off Bandar Abbas in recent days.

Iranian state TV offered a series of contradictory reports about a confrontation between the Guard and the U.S. Navys Mideast-based 5th Fleet. State TV sought to cast the incident as an act of American aggression against Iran in the Gulf of Oman, with the U.S. Navy detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil and the Guard freeing it and bringing it back to the Islamic Republic.

Asked about Irans assertion of U.S. aggression, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said it was false and that it was Iran that had seized what he described as a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Oct. 24.

Its a bogus claim, Kirby said of the Iranian assertion. The only seizing that was done was by Iran. He declined to cite the nationality of the vessel that was seized, saying it was up to that country to discuss it.

Kirby said Irans boarding and seizing of the vessel constituted a blatant violation of international law that undermines freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce.

Tehran also did not provide the ships name, or other details, nor any explanation of why the Navy might target it. Irans mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

State TV released footage showing an Iranian surveillance drone monitoring a hulking red tanker in the Gulf of Oman. Heavily armed Iranian commandos then rappelled onto the boat from a helicopter as small speedboats surrounded the vessel, and an Iranian catamaran ship patrolled the waters.

The video appeared to show Iranian Guard troops pointing uncovered deck-mounted machine guns at the USS The Sullivans, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Photos released by the U.S. military show The Sullivans recently in the Arabian Sea near the Gulf of Oman.

A shipping database showed the Southys last registered owner as OPEC Petrol Transportation Co., a firm with a Hanoi address. On Thursday, a worker at the office acknowledged an incident involving the Southys but referred questions to another employee who wasnt there. That employee did not immediately return a request for comment.

However, the Southys had been on the radar of United Against a Nuclear Iran, a New York-based advocacy group long suspicious of the Islamic Republic. In a letter dated Oct. 11 addressed to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the group said its analysis of satellite photos showed the Southys received a ship-to-ship transfer of oil in June from an oil tanker called the Oman Pride.

The U.S. Treasury identified the Oman Pride in August as being used to transport Iranian oil as part of a smuggling scheme to enrich the Guards expeditionary Quds Force. That Iranian oil ends up being sold into East Asia, the Treasury alleged, without identifying a specific country.

Irans seizure of the Southys would be the latest in a string of hijackings and explosions to roil the Gulf of Oman, which sits near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all traded oil passes.

The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers in 2019, as well as for a fatal drone attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker that killed two European crew members earlier this year. Just a few months ago, Iranian hijackers stormed and briefly captured a Panama-flagged asphalt tanker off the United Arab Emirates.

Tehran denies carrying out the attacks, but a wider shadow war between Iran and the West has played out in the regions volatile waters since then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Irans nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed crushing sanctions on the country.

___

Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Robert Burns and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Photograph: This frame grab from a video released by Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, shows the guard speed boats, center, in front of a U.S warship, left, amid the seizure of a Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker, right, in the Gulf of Oman. Iran seized the tanker in the Gulf of Oman last month and still holds the vessel, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday, revealing the latest provocation in Mideast waters as tensions escalate between Iran and the United States over Tehrans nuclear program. Source: Revolutionary Guard via AP.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Energy Oil Gas
Lockton Re Hires Moore, Boon for Non-Marine Retrocession, Property Specialty

Lockton Re, the global reinsurance business of the largest privately held independent insurance broker, announced that Simon Moore and James Boon have joined the Non-Marine Retrocession and Property Specialty division in London as part of Lockton Res growing global platform.

Moore joins as a senior broker bringing valuable expertise and experience with nearly 30 years of experience in both London and Bermuda in both underwriting and broking. He started his career at Lloyds before moving to Aon in 2002 as a loss modelling analyst and account manager for North American property treaty. He then spent time at Gallagher Re in London and Bermuda, subsequently becoming a broker at Aon Benfield in Bermuda. In 2015, Moore moved to Markel CATCO as a senior underwriter and most recently was chief underwriting officer of CATCOs Investment Management on the island.

Boon joins as a senior broker, with an excellent reputation in the London Market. Most recently he was a reinsurance broker at Aon specializing in property retrocession and catastrophe risk on direct and facultative (D&F). He also has experience of underwriting with time spent at Arch and CNA Hardy.

***

Fidelis Appoints Lancashires Russell as Head of Marine

Bermuda-based Fidelis Insurance has hired Paul Russell as the groups new head of Marine.

With extensive marine experience, Russell previously was marine underwriter at Lancashire Insurance, which he joined in September 2013. He also spent four years at marine broker CR Marine Aviation and previously held positions at Cooper Gay, Willis and Marsh.

Russells appointment is part of Fidelis overall marine expansion both internally and with its Marine MGA, Navium, which commenced underwriting under Clive Washbourn in May 2021 and has already established a substantial material market footprint.

Fidelis said the combined marine offering places Fidelis among the largest in the London market, promising brokers and clients substantial capacity, innovative products and around the clock service  making full use of the companys new Forum trading floor on Lime Street to maximize face-to-face accessibility to brokers.

Topics Aon Lockton
Insurance premium rates are likely to continue to climb in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2022, but probably at a slower clip, the chief executive of AIG Europe said at the Reuters Future of Insurance Europe conference on Friday.

Were going to continue to see rate rises across most of our product areas, not all but most, and that will continue and will probably continue at a reduced pace, Thomas Lillelund said in an interview.

Cover against cyber attacks is one of the business lines likely to register the biggest increases, he said.

A video from the conference can be viewed here.

Insurance rates have been rising sharply as insurers have suffered hefty claims for issues such as floods and wildfires, cyber attacks and the cancellation of events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adrian Cox, the boss of Lloyds of London insurer Beazley , earlier told the conference there were some parts of the companys portfolio where rate rises were tapering off, without giving further details.

For more on the Reuters Future of Insurance Europe conference, please click here https://reutersevents.com/events/insuranceeurope

(Reporting by Carolyn Cohn and Noor Zainab Hussain Editing by David Goodman and Susan Fenton)

Topics Trends Europe Pricing Trends AIG
All insured Michigan drivers will be getting refunds due to a $5 billion surplus in a fund that reimburses insurers medical and other costs for people seriously injured in crashes.

The Michigan Catastrophic Fund Associations board said Wednesday that it voted unanimously to support issuing checks. The move came two days after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for refunds, citing excessive premiums along with savings under a 2019 law that curbed medical expenses and made mandatory unlimited health coverage optional.

Details on the specific refund amount per vehicle, along with a proposed timeline and logistics, will be announced in the next several weeks, the board, comprised almost entirely of insurance companies, said in a statement. The goal is to issue the largest possible refunds to consumers while maintaining sufficient funds to ensure high-quality care to those who have been catastrophically injured.

Under the 2019 law, the state insurance director must hire an independent actuary starting next July and every third year after to audit the MCCA, a state-created nonprofit that reimburses car insurers for personal injury protection medical claims surpassing $600,000. If the review _ due by September _ shows the MCCAs assets exceed 120% of its liabilities, the difference must be refunded.

Under the Democratic governors proposal, the entire $5 billion surplus would be returned _ $675 per car. MCCA Executive Director Kevin Clinton said this week that having no surplus would be too risky, saying the law could require an estimated $100 per-vehicle refund.

Whitmer called the pending refunds great news.

Many motorists currently are paying $86 a vehicle annually to the MCCA. The fee was $220 in 2019-20 but has been dropping due to the law.

Its important for the MCCA board to do its due diligence and land on a refund amount that balances giving insured drivers back the money they deserve while protecting the longevity of a fund that pays for the cost of medical care for Michiganders seriously injured in car accidents, said Insurance Alliance of Michigan Executive Director Erin McDonough.

Critics of the law said people absolutely are owed a refund because insurance companies have been gouging them for years. But they also renewed a push for stalled legislation to help catastrophically injured motorists who they said are losing care because of slashed reimbursements to rehabilitation facilities and other providers.

Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council President Tom Judd urged Whitmer to show bold leadership. Republican legislative leaders have not embraced the policy bills. In July, the governor and Legislature did approve $25 million in aid for providers that can show financial losses, though some lawmakers have said it is inadequate.

We wrote this law to include an automatic refund next year, and Im glad our reforms have produced large enough savings for the MCCA to act immediately and return that money to the people even sooner, House Speaker Jason Wentworth said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Personal Auto Michigan
Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Calculated Risk Advisors, LLC.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Chicago-based Calculated Risk Advisors is a boutique risk consulting firm and professional liability insurance brokerage, which supports its clients on alternative risks, complex insurance and errors and omissions. Tom Firestine, Managing Principal, and the Calculated Risk Advisors team will join Hub Midwest West.

Headquartered in Chicago, Hub International Limited is a full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services.

Topics Mergers
President Joe Biden will enforce a mandate that workers at U.S. companies with at least 100 employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly starting Jan. 4, spurring legal challenges from Republican governors who say Biden is overstepping his authority.

Within hours governors from Florida, Iowa and Indiana had vowed to fight the new rule, arguing it infringes on individual freedom.

Despite growing political opposition, the delayed roll-out of the mandate offered a reprieve to businesses facing labor shortages during the holiday season. Bidens related decision to push back a deadline for federal contractors to the same date suggested the White House accommodated requests from companies and industry groups.

The administration also said millions of workers in healthcare facilities and nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid government healthcare programs will need to get their shots by the same date.

The action on the private-sector vaccinations was taken under the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) emergency authority over workplace safety, officials said. The mandate applies to 84.2 million workers at 1.9 million private-sector employers. Another 18.5 million workers for those employers are exempt because they either work remotely or outside all the time, OSHA said.

While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good. So I instituted requirements  and they are working, Biden said in a statement.

An average of about 1,100 Americans are dying daily from COVID-19, most of them unvaccinated. COVID-19 has killed more than 745,000 people in the United States.

OSHA estimates that 31.7 million of covered workers are unvaccinated and 60% of employers will require vaccinations, up from 25% today, resulting in another 22.7 million employees getting vaccinated. The healthcare industry rule will lead to 2.4 million worker vaccinations during the first year.

The administrations various vaccine rules cover 100 million employees, about two-thirds of the U.S. workforce, the White House said. OSHA will consider during a 30-day public comment on the private-sector rule expanding the mandate to cover businesses with fewer than 100 workers, officials said.

The private-sector mandate is likely to trigger a legal battle hinging upon the rarely used law on which the action was based and questions over the constitutional limits of federal power and authority over healthcare practices. The administration said the action falls well within OSHAs authority.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nations largest business lobbying group, said the administration made some significant adjustments in the rule that reflect concerns raised by the business community.

Other industry groups voiced concerns. The Retail Industry Leaders Association said the 60-day implementation timeline is insufficient and that it wanted 90 days.

Associated Builders & Contractors, which represents construction workers, said it plans to assess additional actions, which may include facilitating industry compliance and/or filing a legal challenge.

Some of the nations largest unions such as the United Auto Workers (UAW) said they will review the rule to determine how it affects current workplace protocols.

The 490-page regulation https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-23643.pdf is known as an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Senate Republicans said they would try to repeal it using a law known as the Congressional Review Act.

As soon as its published the state of Florida will be joining with Georgia and Alabama as well as private plaintiffs to file suit, said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The federal government cant just unilaterally impose medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation.

The administration wouldnt move forward unless they thought that they could defend it legally.  I think the constitutional challenges are all going to fail, Donald Verrilli, U.S. solicitor general during former President Barack Obamas administration, told Reuters.

DANGEROUS SURGE

Biden in September unveiled plans for the mandate, seeking to increase vaccination rates amid a dangerous surge in COVID-19 cases and get more people back to work. In meetings with companies and industry groups representing retailers, logistics firms and construction workers, executives asked the administration to delay implementation until after the New Year, citing concerns about worker shortages during the important holiday season.

Employers will not be required to provide or pay for tests. The administration estimates that about 5% of employees covered by the rule will seek and receive religious or medical accommodations.

Failure to comply with the mandate would trigger fines of about $14,000 per violation, which would increase with several violations, officials said. They did not specify whether workers would be fired for refusal to be vaccinated or tested.

A company can have all its workers unvaccinated under the rule as long as they get tested regularly and wear masks, officials said.

A minority of Americans has refused to be vaccinated. About 70% of U.S. adults have been fully vaccinated and 80% have received at least one shot, according to the latest data.

We have to do what is right for our workforce, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told reporters.

The rule for healthcare workers covers more than 10 million people, of whom around 70% have already been vaccinated, costing about $1.4 billion, officials said. It applies to around 76,000 healthcare providers that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements including hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, ambulatory surgical settings and home-health agencies.

The administration said it stopped short of requiring further workplace measures involving workplace distancing, barriers, ventilation and sanitation.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose, David Shepardson and Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington and Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Will Dunham, Chris Sanders, Shri Navaratnam and Daniel Wallis)

Topics COVID-19 Politics
American International Groups General Insurance, or property/casualty business, saw double-digit premium growth and substantially higher net income in Q3 along with lower catastrophe losses.

AIG produced $1.7 billion in net income during the quarter, which compares with $281 million in the 2020 third quarter.

AIGs performance in the third quarter and through the first nine months of the year validates the strategy we have been executing over the last few years, AIG President and CEO Peter Zaffino said.

Zaffino said the General Insurance results demonstrate an underwriting discipline that is now embedded in AIGs culture and the benefits of its volatility reduction efforts through a well-articulated risk appetite and reinsurance program that performed well.

General Insurance net premiums written grew by 11%, driven by commercial lines growth of 17%, which included 18% growth in North America and 15% growth in International.

The quarter saw underwriting profitability, with a combined ratio of 99.7 inclusive of catastrophe losses, and 90.5, as adjusted, which represents a 2.8 point improvement from the combined ratio, as adjusted, in the third quarter of 2020.

AIG reported $20 million in underwriting gain, versus a $423 million underwriting loss in the same, year-ago period. In the U.S. and internationally, commercial lines losses grew, but personal insurance was profitable.

The underwriting results included $628 million of catastrophe losses, predominantly from Hurricane Ida and U.K. and European floods, compared to $790 million in the prior year quarter, which included $185 million of estimated COVID-19 losses.

North America Personal Insurance net premiums written growth of 11% reflected increases in the travel and warranty business driven by increased consumer spending, partially offset by lower Private Client Group (PCG) business due to underwriting actions taken to improve portfolio mix and rate adequacy. International Personal Insurance net premiums written decreased 3% compared to the prior year quarter.

Zaffino said that AIG remains on course in its effort to separate its Life and Retirement program from the company. AIG recently sold a 9.9% equity stake in its Life and Retirement arm for $2.2 billion, and said a planned IPO for the business remains on track for 2022.

Consolidated net investment income for Q3 was $3.7 billion, versus $3.8 billion in the previous years quarter.

Source: AIG

Topics AIG
Austin leaders gathered earlier this week to demonstrate solidarity with the citys Jewish community after a string of antisemitic incidents including an expected arson to Texas oldest synagogue.

The nonprofit Interfaith Action of Central Texas organized a Monday, Nov. 1 demonstration after a fire around 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 caused $25,000 in damage to the main entrance of Congregation Beth Israels synagogue. Fire investigators believe the blaze was deliberately set. No injuries or arrests have been reported.

Austin Fire Capt. Brandon Jennings said they received tips about who committed the arson. Investigators are also reviewing security video of the incident, he said.

The arson suspect used a jerry can style of container as an accelerant, firefighters said.

KXAN News reported that leaders at the synagogue sent an email to members that said all ceiling tiles in the sanctuary have to be removed and the wooden doors will need to be replaced.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Arson
A Texas jury awarded more than $352 million last month to the family of a former Houston airport worker who was paralyzed from the chest down after a van driver struck him on the tarmac.

The award, announced on Oct. 25 in the Harris County 127th District County, marks the largest jury verdict for actual damages for an injured worker in Texas history, according to Sorrels Law, the firm representing the family of the paralyzed worker.

Ulysses Cruz was on shift as a wing walker for United Airlines on the morning of Sept. 7, 2019, when he walked behind a United plane backing from the gate at Houstons Bush Intercontinental Airport. According to court records, Cruz was struck by an Allied Aviation van driven by Reginald Willis, causing Cruz to be throw the grown. He hit the tarmac and sustained serious injuries.

Cruz, who at the time was 48 years old, underwent spine-stabilization surgery following the accident, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Two days later, he suffered a stroke that left him unable to use his right arm.

The verdict came more than two years after Cruzs wife initially filed a lawsuit against Allied and Willis.

The jury found Allied liable for 70% of the accident and Willis 30%. The jury rejected the defenses claim that Cruz and United were partly negligent.

Topics Texas Aviation
A week after a federal court found that waiting two years to file a property claim is too long, a state court reached a different conclusion: Failing to timely file supporting documents on a claim does not necessarily harm the insurer.

In Winston and Kathleen Dias vs. Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Floridas 4th District Court of Appeal on Wednesday examined the subtleties of state insurance law, case law and policy requirements.

Writing for the majority of the court, Judge Martha Warner said that a Broward County trial court had erred when it sided with Universal. The trial judge had essentially upheld the insurer in its denial of the claim. Universal had denied the claim when the homeowners failed to provide key information  until almost five months later.

That an insurer is required to pay or deny a claim in accordance with the statutory terms does not necessarily show that an insurer is prejudiced when the insured does not cooperate, the appeals court wrote.

The opinion explained that the Dias home suffered water damage in March 2016. The couple hired a public adjuster, who filed a claim about a month later. Universal asked for a sworn proof-of-loss statement. Universals own adjuster then inspected the damage about two weeks later, in May.

On May 24, two months after the damage occurred, Universal again asked for a proof-of-loss statement and other documents. A few weeks later, the carrier asked again. Having received no information, Universal denied the claim in July. The Diases filed suit in October 2017.

Universal argued that it had little choice: A Florida law, adopted in 2020, requires insurers to accept or deny a claim within 90 days, and that failure by the homeowners to provide needed documents had hurt the insurers ability to weigh the claim. The appeals court also noted that previous court decisions have found that prejudice to the insurer is presumed when policyholders breach policy requirements, but that the insureds can rebut that and show that the carrier had not been prejudiced.

The Diases attorneys, George Vaka and Nancy Lauten, of Tampa, argued that the couple had provided the necessary documents, albeit late, and that Universals own adjuster had testified that he had fully inspected the property and had everything he needed to prepare a restoration estimate. On the 90-day statutory deadline, the appeals court said that the law does not mandate action on a claim if the failure to pay is caused by factors beyond the insurers control.

That an insurer is required to pay or deny a claim in accordance with the statutory terms does not necessarily show that an insurer is prejudiced when the insured does not cooperate, Judge Warner wrote. The failure of the insured to comply with policy provisions would be a matter not within the insurers control.

Besides, the court said, statutes allow for a claim to be reopened.

Because a disputed issue of fact remains as to whether insurer was prejudiced by the untimely submission of the sworn proof of loss and documentation, the trial court erred in granting summary judgment, the opinion concluded. We thus reverse and remand for further proceedings.

A week earlier, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida found, in LMP Holdings vs. Scottsdale Insurance, that homeowners who waited 27 months to file a claim had prejudiced the insurer. The policy in that case required prompt notice after damage was discovered, and after two years, the carrier had scant ability to rebut the claim, the federal court said.

Topics Carriers Florida
The Kentucky Department of Insurance has approved another workers compensation loss cost decrease for employers in the state.

The DOI announced this week that officials have ratified a 10.4% average reduction, effective Oct. 1. Its the 16th straight year for an overall decrease in the state and follows an average cut of about 9% that was approved last year, the department said in a bulletin.

The decrease shows the continuing decline in the lost-time claim frequency and flat trend of the indemnity severity rate, said DOI Commissioner Sharon Clark.

Like most states, Kentucky has seen workers comp costs decline steadily over the past two decades, thanks in part, analysts have said, to fewer claims, fewer workers covered by comp insurance, fewer coal workers, safer workplaces, a continued shift to safer service-sector jobs, and reductions in benefits and duration of benefits.

The Kentucky General Assembly in 2018 passed significant pro-business reforms that stopped lifetime medical benefits for some workers at age 70, created a drug formulary, and limited attorney fees, among other changes.

Kentucky ranked 38th in the nation  near the lowest  in the 2020 Oregon workers comp premium ranking, down from 33rd in 2018.

The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to have no significant impact on loss costs, the department said.

Topics Trends Workers' Compensation Profit Loss Kentucky
Florida juries in the last month have returned two hefty verdicts in favor of plaintiffs, one for a slip and fall at a Walmart and one for the death of a stroke patient at a hospital.

In Apopka, near Orlando, a jury awarded $948,000 to a woman who fell after slipping on a wet bathroom floor at the Walmart in 2016. Jessica Amador was shopping with her mother and helped her mother into the restroom, which had just been mopped, the complaint said.

Amador slipped and struck the back of her head on a bathroom stall, causing serious injury and mental anguish, her lawyers said. The store should have followed its own procedures and kept the bathroom closed until the mopped floor was dry, and should have warned patrons of the danger, the complaint argued. The jury awarded $198,000 for medical expenses and another $750,000 for pain, suffering, disability, anguish and inconvenience.

In Port Charlotte, south of Tampa, a jury granted $2.6 million to the widow of a man who suffered a stroke in 2016 after he allegedly was not hospitalized soon enough, according to court records.

Michael Hodge, a 62-year-old fabrication worker, visited a vascular surgeon in June 2016. The physician found severe atherosclerosis in Hodges arteries and scheduled a plaque-removal surgery for three weeks later.

A week before the scheduled surgery, Hodge felt ill and was taken to Bayfront Health Port Charlotte, operated by Port Charlotte HMA. He suffered a stroke and died the next day, the complaint reads.

Hodges estate argued that the man should have been admitted to the hospital in early June, immediately after he was evaluated by the vascular surgeon. An expert witness for the plaintiff said hospital personnel also failed to follow the hospitals stroke procedures.

The jury found that one doctor was not liable but that the hospital and two other doctors were. The jury said that damages for Hodges family totaled as much as $7.5 million, but assigned 65% to unnamed defendants under Floridas Fabre defendant doctrine. The practice, arising from a 1993 court decision, allows juries to apportion some liability to a Fabre defendant to avoid unfairly blaming a named defendant.

The hospitals and the doctors insurance companies were not named in the litigation.

Topics Florida
Hub International, a global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, has acquired Rider Insurance Group, an agency based in Fort Myers, Florida.

Rider provides personal lines and commercial insurance, including auto, home, flood, recreational vehicles, life and business products. Rider Insurance Group owners Jared Hartley and Jennifer Hartley and their team will be joining Hub Florida, Hub said in a news release.

Hub, based in Chicago, has more than 13,000 employees in North America.

Topics Mergers Florida
An estimated 80,000 farmed salmon worth up to 2.4m have been wiped out by a massive toxic plankton bloom off Cork which is being linked to climate change.

Coming as the Government announced its 125bn Climate Action Plan, scientists from the Marine Institute and other experts are now investigating the incident which decimated stock at Mowi Irelands fish farm operations in Bantry Bay.

Mowi, the major Norwegian-based seafood company confirmed last night that its Ahabeg and Roancarrig sites in Bantry Bay were both affected by the toxic bloom in late October.

The naturally occurring bloom was exacerbated by warmer waters, the company said.

The average water temperature in the bay is around 11.5C but it was hovering close to 13C in recent days.

The Marine Institute (MI) warned last March that harmful algal bloom patterns in Irish marine waters are changing because of climate change.

However, MI stopped short last night of confirming a definite link between this bloom event which hit Bantry Bay and climate change, pending further analysis.

A spokesperson said a phytoplankton bloom is currently being observed in the southwest, leading to a brown water discolouration in some areas.

The Marine Institute is working on identifying the causative species of the bloom, she said.

Mowi Ireland said it is still assessing the extent of losses arising out of the incident but industry sources said up to 80,000 salmon may have been lost.

The stock was due to be harvested next week, with most for export to Europe.

The incident came as the Government announced its 125bn Climate Action Plan to cut carbon emissions by 51% by 2030.

Major emissions reductions in every sector of society including agriculture, energy, transport, construction and housing are included. If all sectors combined hit their upper targets, Ireland would surpass the 51% target. However, if each sector was only to hit its lowest number, that overall target figure would be missed.

Despite its lofty goals, the plan has been criticised for being "high on ambition but short on details" by opposition TDs.

Unveiling the plan, the Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Ireland "must confront the reality we know face; the time to step up is now."

He said reaching climate neutrality no later than 2050 will require "a profound change in the practices".

"Our homes, workplaces, communities must all adapt but the benefits to all of us and future generations are clear. Failure to act is simply not an option, he said.

Key aims include increasing renewable electricity by up to 80%, accelerating the electrification of road transport, and encouraging cycling, walking and public transport over private cars. Incentives for switching to electric vehicles will be increased, and there will be a scale-up in retrofitting homes.

The plan makes clear that some sectors will be more impacted than others, and the government will need to help people with the costs of the so-called just transition to ensure that it happens.

Amid much speculation about the potential effects of the plan on farmers, a reduction in emission of between 22% and 30% is outlined for the agriculture sector, which is substantially lower than what is being demanded of other sectors.

In relation to the size of the national herd, the plan does not dictate a number by which it must reduce by, but Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said it will have to decrease.

The Government also sought to play down fears that Norwegian firm Equinor's withdrawal from the Irish market would damage the country's ability to meet renewable energy targets.

However, Mr Ryan said that Ireland will be ready for an auction of the rights to build seven "relevant projects" next year.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has urged the Government and HSE to publish their winter plan as it revealed that 2,305 patients were on trolleys during the first week in November.

The INMO say the figure is the highest since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

The union said that unless urgent action is taken, hospitals will see record-breaking numbers every week.

It is now the first week of November and we have still yet to see a comprehensive winter plan from the Minister for Health and the HSE. This delay in publishing a fully funded solution to the overcrowding crisis that exists in our hospitals is unacceptable, said General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha.

Our staff in our hospitals are exhausted, they are dealing with rising trolley numbers coupled with rising Covid-related hospitalisations.

On Friday, 356 patients were waiting on for beds in hospitals around the country.

Some 282 patients are waiting in the emergency department, while 74 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

University Hospital Galway had the most patients on trolleys with 49, followed by University Hospital Limerick (45) and Cork University Hospital (41).

Ms Ni Sheaghdha said that funding for a Safe-Staffing Framework is needed, something that would determine the safe levels of nurse-to-patient ratio.

Just like we have a pupil-teacher ratio that advises on the optimum number of children in a classroom to one teacher, Ms Ni Sheaghdha added.

We are hearing examples in our hospitals of one nurse to fifteen patients in a ward. This is not a safe environment for the nurse or patients.

The Government and HSE need to urgently outline how they plan to curb the levels of overcrowding in our hospitals to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
If you want to really depress yourself, spend some time online looking at videos of people who have taken to protesting outside the homes of our politicians.

What you will see are angry, misguided, often horrible, people. Some are clearly dangerous. It is less than a month ago that British MP David Amess was killed during one of his constituency clinics, and in 2016 MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency.

You hope things are different and less polarised here. However, there is a fine line between keeping a lid on a situation generally and not making things worse and ensuring people are safe. We do need to ensure that our politicians are properly protected  beginning with the reinstatement of Garda drivers for Cabinet ministers.

Another very important move is a new bill to make it illegal to protest outside the homes of public representatives which was introduced in the Seanad by Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne.

The Protection of Private Residencies against Targeted Picketing Bill, which would result in a fine of up to 5,000 and a 12-month jail sentence for repeat offences, needs to be made law as soon as possible.

We have seen protests outside the home of Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, health minister Stephen Donnelly, and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, among others. They have been aggressive, hostile, and sustained.

They have occurred at the home of the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, those of broadcasters Joe Duffy and Pat Kenny, and scientist Luke ONeill. Professor ONeill has spoken about being assaulted on Grafton St by a man who roared anti-vaccine stuff at him.

There are children in some of those houses, including one with significant special needs.

In another, there is a couple who recently set up a new home, outside of which protesters have shouted horribly homophobic abuse. It happens to be on a very narrow street, which must cause huge disturbance to the neighbours.

We all know how much our homes have become even more of a sanctuary over the past two years or so than they were previously. This was probably even more true for those who have had the protests outside their homes  all doing responsible jobs every day, some working incredibly long hours, often away from home for very long days while their families are the ones facing the protesters.

It is not just at home that politicians are facing these sorts of horrible threats and aggression. There is a video clip of Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe crossing Merrion St in Dublin recently, not far from the Department of Finance.

Anti-vaccine protests

A handful of people, an angry mini-mob, begin to follow him, and a man who is in his company. The group, anti-vaxxers, follow the minister, aggressively raising their voices and eventually shouting at him. He is told he is an absolute disgrace, a murdering c***, responsible for mass genocide.

The minister holds his cool admirably, and in a manner I think few people in a similar situation might have managed. Personally, I would have been terrified of these deranged thugs. Apparently, this sort of thing has happened to him quite regularly.

In another video, you can see Fianna Fail Limerick TD Willie ODea walking down the street. A female voice is heard from behind: Im having a problem with what you are doing with our country. You are destroying our country.

He does not turn around but, in a reasonable tone, tells the woman, who has become increasingly aggressive: Unless you have a specific problem, go away.

She goes on to call him a traitor. He replies she is harassing him, and she immediately accuses him of harassment.

Im just saying the truth, she ends up roaring at him. You are a traitor to our country, you have sold us out  You are a fucking disgrace is what you are, you have sold us out ... people are dying all over the world from your injections ... you are poisonous.

Youd hesitate to repeat the abuse, but without doing so, it is not possible to give a sense of the horribleness of it all, how off the wall it is, and how close to the edge those delivering it can sound.

A fine line

We hear from politicians that they are feeling under threat, have installed alarms and panic buttons at home, and have concerns for staff in constituency offices.

There is this fine line between giving additional profile to such people and highlighting the danger that those they target may be in. But we need to ensure we take these threats really seriously and have the proper protections in place.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has been targeted for abuse.

We justifiably hear a lot about the vulnerability of female politicians, especially given the additional abuse they receive on social media. In sending out that particular signal, there is a danger that male politicians may not be careful enough, or feel that they have to manfully tolerate these assaults and not be seen to complain.

This is clearly a small number of angry, and in a number of cases, deluded, people involved in these protests. Gardai seem to have taken a decision not to police these in a manner that would incite matters, and the force may be building criminal cases against individuals under existing laws. However, a new law against protesting outside homes is badly needed.

Senator Malcolm Byrne said he first thought of it in 2019 when Simon Harris wife and their newborn baby were followed home by protesters while out on a walk.

I happen to know his wife, who had a new baby at the time, and that really annoyed me, he said.

Everyone has a right to protest, but not outside someones family home.

In a general chat about the desirability for politicians to continue to be accessible to people, and not to put people off getting involved in politics despite the increasing abuse, Mr Byrne recalled one occasion when he was leaving Leinster House and there was an anti-vaccine protest going on outside. He was wearing a mask and the protesters clearly got him confused with the finance minister.

They were shouting at me: F*** You Paschal. Who do you think you are Paschal?, he said.

In 2011, in the midst of the economic crash  in a foolish, window-dressing, move  the Government decided that most Cabinet members would lose their garda driver, a cutback that was anticipated to reduce costs from 5.5m to 3.5m. This needs to be reversed.

These drivers accompanied ministers at all times and provided important security. It is not the time to be waiting until something bad happens, and then doing it.
The rubber officially hit the road yesterday. Now that the climate action plan has been launched, its time to get cracking with the action bit.

Some of this will be painful at different levels of society, but one area that should be straightforward is the generation of electricity through off-shore wind energy. Except it isnt.

On the morning that the action plan was launched the Irish Examiner broke the story that one of the worlds biggest off-shore wind developers is leaving this country.

Equinor, which entered a joint venture partnership with the ESB amid much fanfare in 2019, has had enough. Officially the Norwegian companys reason for leaving is simply a reassessment of its priorities.

The Irish Examiner understands that it is more accurate to attribute Equinors exit to frustration with the Irish regulatory and planning systems. When this was put to the ESB, the response was they decided to stop their offshore wind activities in Ireland, in part due to local regulatory uncertainty.

When a spokesperson for Equinor was asked whether the Irish regulatory system contributed to the decision to leave, he responded: The decision is based on many things and obviously the regulatory process would be part of that but it is just a part of the totality.

Make what you will of that. The ESB certainly would not want to get on the wrong side of the government apparatus as it expands its interests in renewables. And there is no percentage for the Norwegians in criticising a foreign government, particularly once it is leaving that state.

Sources in the offshore energy industry are adamant that behind closed doors the consensus is that Equinor had had enough of faffing about with a slow and cumbersome regulatory system and a protracted planning process.

Plenty more fish in the sea?

Reacting to the departure of Equinor, government ministers such as Michael McGrath and Darragh OBrien suggested it was no big deal, there are plenty more fish in the sea. It will not inhibit delivery of offshore wind energy, Mr OBrien said.

One might hope rather than expect that the ministers forecast is correct. Equinor is one of the biggest players in the market and its exit will have been duly noted by various international competitors.

In any event, if its no big deal why didnt the ESB or the Minister for the Environment announce the departure and wish the Norwegians well. The Irish Examiner understands the ESB were informed of the decision three weeks ago. Why keep everybody in the dark if it didnt matter?

The blow rendered by Equinors departure is best illustrated by the biggest project it was involved in through the joint partnership.

Just last April the partners announced that it would build a 2bn offshore floating wind farm development near Moneypoint in Co. Clare that would produce 1.4GW (gigawatts) of electricity to power 1.5 million homes.

The total amount of electricity earmarked for offshore wind by 2030 is 5GW. The Moneypoint farm represented over a quarter of that target and it was only one of a number of farms which the ESB hoped to build with Equinor.

The importance of offshore wind in contributing to emissions targets cannot be overstated. Last August, for instance, Leo Varadkar was adamant that offshore wind would be central to addressing both the states electricity supply issues and the conversion to renewables. The solution is a huge expansion of renewable energy production, especially off-shore wind, he said.

Until recent years, the generation of wind energy was largely focused on the onshore market. This has been a minefield as many developments faced protests and delays, often with good reason, from local communities.

For the last 10 years, successive governments have failed to implement set-back distance and noise guidelines for the industry because of fears of a major political cost. An exercise that might take six months in other European countries has not been completed here for over a decade.

Backlog dragging State off course

The political fears combined with the realisation that onshore is a relatively finite market at this stage, has prompted the move offshore. Now, however, while developers are lining up, it would appear that the state apparatus is not up to speed.

Developers in every sector will lobby and cajole in order to receive the most favourable route to the bottom line, but there is mounting evidence that their complaints in relation to offshore wind are well-founded. The biggest issue is simply one of resources deployed to process applications for foreshore licences.

This was referenced last September by Wind Energy Irelands CEO Noel Cunniffe at the umbrella groups annual conference. Resources need to be invested in critical government departments and state agencies like An Bord Pleanala, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), EirGrid, ESB Networks and the CRU to enable them to help deliver the target (for renewables) set in the Programme for Government, he said.

This view was echoed by one developer in the business who attributes some of the shortfall in resources to a reluctance to commit resources until a new licencing regime is in place. The new regime will come into force once the Maritime Area Planning Bill completes its journey through the Oireachtas and comes into force. (it is currently at committee stage).





However, this developer points out that it could take another year to get the new regulatory authority up and running and, in the meantime, the backlog of applications will build up. The foreshore section in the Department of Housing  an unusual location for the job  is operated by a handful of engineers.

The NPWS is understood to be equally understaffed or at least not operating in a manner designed to respond promptly to inquiries and applications. And then there is the fear of legal challenges, which havent gone away just because the work has transferred offshore, many miles from anybodys domestic abode.

One of the big issues here is the EU habitat Directive under which applications are being constantly challenged in the courts. Frequently the challenges are successful which suggests that not enough care is being taken in the design and location of developments.

All of this will most likely change in the coming years as the use and centrality of wind energy is realised. Time, however, is not on our side. Its a short eight-and-a-half years to 2030.

If one of the ostensibly more straightforward and uncontentious elements of the new greening cannot be executed expediently and with minimum fuss, what chance is there for the rest of the climate action plan?
Burma Almost 100 Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Two Days: Resistance

The Loikaw PDF fight junta soldiers in Pekon Township, Shan State, on Thursday. / PDF Loikaw

Almost 100 junta soldiers and some civilian resistance fighters were reportedly killed during fierce firefights across Myanmar on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) continue to step up operations, including urban attacks, against regime forces in Yangon, Mandalay, Magwe, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions and Chin, Shan and Kayah states.

On Thursday, a fierce firefight between regime troops and the combined PDFs and Karenni armed forces from Pekon and Mobye in Shan State and Loikaw and Demoso in Kayah State and the Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, broke out in the west of Pekon Township.

During several hours of fighting, at least 20 military troops were killed and a civilian resistance fighter was injured, Loikaw PDF said.

Regime troops fired many artillery shells and torched and looted a nearby village, the Pekon PDF said in a statement.

It said junta soldiers burned harvested rice in paddy fields and residents from several villages and Pekon town have fled their homes.

Around 15,000 Pekon residents left the town after junta artillery hit residential areas on Monday.

Five junta soldiers were killed and many others injured when the Chin Defense Force (CDF) in Kanpetlet ambushed a military convoy using motorbikes at Kyindwe in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, on Thursday morning.

The CDF said regime troops retreated after suffering casualties.

Two fierce shootouts between junta soldiers and the CDF in Mindat broke on the Mindat-Matupi highway in Mindat Township, Chin State, on Thursday, according to the CDF.

The casualties are unknown.

On Wednesday, around 10 junta soldiers were killed and many injured when the CDF in Mindat ambushed a convoy of 75 military vehicles, including two armored cars, on the Mindat-Matupi highway.

A 73-year-old civilian fighter, who was a retired teacher, was killed and two others were injured.

A combined force of the Kalay PDF and Chin National Defense Force raided regime forces stationed in the south of Kale Township, Sagaing Region, on Wednesday morning.

The combined force also ambushed a convoy of military reinforcements at two locations in the township.

The Kalay PDF claimed 47 junta soldiers were killed in the attacks and one civilian fighter was killed on Wednesday.

Two of its sentries were shot dead after being seized by junta troops, the group said.

A combined force of four civilian groups raided a military checkpoint between Taung Tha and Myingyan townships in Mandalay Region on Wednesday night.

In the raid, four junta soldiers were killed and one injured, according to the Myingyan Guerrilla Force, which took part in the attack.

The Myaing PDF ambushed three military vehicles using landmines in Myaing Township, Magwe Region, on Thursday.

At least three junta troops were injured when the Kani PDF attacked regime forces at the entrance of Kani in Sagaing Region on Wednesday morning, according to the civilian resistance group.

The Kani PDF on Wednesday also ambushed the Pyu-Saw-Htee group  a militia trained and armed by the military  on motorbikes taking food to regime forces at Yaylelkyun village in the township.

In the attacks, there were eight Pyu-Saw-Htee casualties, Kani PDF said.

Dawei Guerrilla Revolutionary Force claimed to have killed seven junta soldiers and injured at least 10 others during an ambush using landmines on a military convoy in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, on Wednesday morning.

Another clash between civilian resistance fighters and junta reinforcements occurred in the area on Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday and Thursday, guerrilla forces attacked regime forces at four locations, including two police stations and a ward administration office, in Mandalay.

One junta police officer was allegedly killed and at least four others injured.

On Thursday night, unidentified gunmen reportedly attacked a battalion in South Dagon Township, Yangon.

With the exception of Rakhine State, the regime is facing increasingly fierce attacks and ambushes from PDFs and some ethnic armed forces across the country.

Regime forces continue to commit atrocities, including the arbitrary of killing civilians, bombarding residential areas, looting and burning down houses and using civilians as human shields, especially in Magwe and Sagaing regions and Chin, Shan and Kayah states.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Juntas Tactic of Re-Arresting Political Prisoners is Psychological Warfare

Myanmars Civilian Government to Start Selling Bonds to Fund Revolution

Farmers Fear Myanmar Junta Will Confiscate Their Land
Burma Low-Profile Junta Crony Imports and Makes Arms for Myanmars Military

U Sitt Taing Aung is a pillar of Myanmars junta.

U Sitt Taing Aung, the owner of Suntac Group of Companies, is one of the military cronies who supplies weapons to the army.

He has close ties not only with the top brass of Myanmars military but also with other major arms suppliers including chairman of Htoo Group of Companies U Tay Za, U Aung Hlaing Oo of Myanmar Chemical & Machinery Co and Dr. Naing Htut Aung of International Gateways Group of Company Limited, according to business sources in Yangon.

U Sitt Taing Aung and coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing have developed ties over the promotion of Buddhism in Myanmar, according to sources.

U Sitt Taing Aungs father is U Aung Phone, who served as forestry minister under the previous military regimes State Peace and Development Council chaired by military dictator Than Shwe.

It was U Sitt Taing Aung who raised U Tay Za up in the logging business. U Sitt Taing Aung has long engaged in logging and importing arms from Ukraine and other countries. But he keeps a low profile and is less well known than U Tay Za, a source told The Irrawaddy.

U Sitt Taing Aung is also Mexicos honorary consul to Myanmar. He has a military import license to import raw materials needed to build arms factories and make weapons, a businessman said.

He also owns Yatanarpon Aviation Support Co., which imported aircraft parts from Ukroboronservice, a Ukraine state-owned company, for Myanmars military in 2020 and 2021, according to Justice for Myanmar.

Yatanarpon Aviation Support Co. is registered at the same address as Myanmar Consultancy, a major supplier of fighter jet parts, air surveillance radar components and other military equipment for Myanmars military. Dr. Naing Htut Aung was a director at Myanmar Consultancy Co.

Myanmar Consultancy was an online exhibitor at the MAKS 2021 air show in Russia, which Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended in person.

U Sitt Taing Aung is also currently the chairman of the Myanmar Steel Association.



You may also like these stories:

Thousands Flee Homes as Myanmar Junta Steps Up Attacks

Myanmar Military Regime Steps up Campaign of Terror

Myanmar Junta Raids Rebel Groups Office Near Thai Border
Burma Myanmar Juntas Tactic of Re-Arresting Political Prisoners is Psychological Warfare

People wait for detainees to be released from Yangons Insein Prison on October 19, 2021, after authorities freed thousands of people jailed for protesting against the February 1 coup that ousted the civilian government. / AFP

Over 20 years ago in exile, I co-founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) to monitor political prisoner numbers in Myanmar, so we can advocate and lobby the outside world to apply pressure on the Myanmar military, which once again seized power on February 1.

On October 18, I saw the success of that political pressure when the junta announced a mass prison release days after coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was rightfully excluded from the October 26-28 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

This is not the first so-called amnesty since the coup and it must not be the last. Yet, the outside world must continue to pay close attention. The junta will use so-called prisoner releases to deceive. On June 30, the regime announced the release of 2,342 prisoners. But AAPP has identified only 371 prisoners who were actually freed. Most remained in detention and their torture continued.

It has been over two weeks since the junta announced on October 18 the supposed release of another 5,636 political prisoners. Only 4,072 of those detainees have had their releases confirmed by AAPP, but just 949 of them have been properly identified because the military refuses to be transparent.

Our democratically-elected leaders remain in prison, as do many others as hostages. Arrests and killings by the junta have not slowed down. On October 23, the 1988 generation activist Ko Jimmy was violently arrested at a home in the Panglong housing complex in Yangons North Dagon Township. Another bargaining chip for the military regime in any future concessions.

Thousands of less well-known political prisoners are at risk of being forgotten by the outside world. This is what the Myanmar military wants. Therefore, they arrest people in the middle of the night, refuse to acknowledge the location of detainees or to allow independent observers inside prisons. This corrupt and power-hungry institution wants to make it as difficult as possible for ASEAN and others to know how many people they arrest, and whether any amnesty is authentic.

Actually, the stories of re-arrests outside prison gates and at homes soon after release demonstrate the reality of the juntas tactics. Kyaw Naing Tun was one of those released from Magwe Central Prison on October 19, but the former political prisoner was re-arrested just eight days later. He was taken to an interrogation center and tortured to death, His body, and in particular the back of his head, had been violently smashed.

At least 127 detainees supposedly released on October 18 have been re-arrested since then. Among them were 11 democratically-elected politicians who were taken to the gates of Meiktila Prison, only to be cynically re-arrested by the police and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law.

This is a pattern from before the February coup. Min Ko Naing, another 1988 generation activist, was released on two separate occasions during the time of the previous military regime, and both times was soon re-imprisoned.

It was the same story for leading National League for Democracy (NLD) member U Win Htein, who on October 29 was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in a Naypyitaw detention center under Section 124(a) of the Penal Code. Back in 2008, U Win Htein was waiting in a guesthouse to be reunited with his daughter after being released from prison. It was less than 24 hours later when military intelligence sent him back to Katha Prison and charged him under the State Protection Act, a repressive piece of legislation subsequently repealed by the now ousted NLD government. Such re-arrests are motivated by the desire of the military to psychologically intimidate others.

Treating political prisoners like pawns, the military re-arrests them just when they think they are free. AAPP released a statement on this tactic after October 18, highlighting the impact on the mental health of political prisoners and families. In fact, this is a type of psychological warfare, a torment which does not end with conditional release. Forced to sign pledges, all can be re-arrested at any time, for any reason, under Section 401 of the Penal Code.

This is how it was in the past when persecution continued long after detention ended. Former political prisoners were always the first target if something went wrong in a community and they were continually harassed as a type of social punishment. When I was released for the first time in 1993, businesses felt intimidated to hire me and military intelligence followed my every move. It was not long before I was arrested again and sentenced to a longer, harsher term.

While in prison, protestors detained for practicing fundamental human rights are forced to hold stress positions for hours, sticks are used to repeatedly hit their shins and backs, they are refused anything to drink, and made to hear the screams of fellow inmates. Even if they are spared brutal interrogation, political prisoners are housed in overcrowded cells and need to bribe guards just to get enough space to sleep, enough food to eat and water to drink. Every day is a struggle to survive. These are experiences that AAPP staff understand intimately.

The scars of torture linger long after detention. A young man from Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, was arrested on August 8 on unfounded suspicion of links with a Peoples Defense Force. He was released the next day with wounds across his body consistent with severe torture. The man could barely speak, traumatized through vicious interrogation by the junta. Photos circulated of another detainee from North Dagon in Yangon, showing his neck tattoo burned off by cigarettes. The tattoo read we will never forgive, a reference to the Myanmar peoples hatred of the coup and desire for justice.

Nowadays, people in Myanmar know that the coup leaders greed and brutality will impoverish entire generations. Wed seen the prospect of a better future. Political prisoners and the entire population profoundly hate Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing for destroying that possibility and will never subject themselves to his rule, whatever the level of repression. Brutal interrogations, however, will create long-term mental health implications. Former political prisoners and their families need urgent support. Fundamentally, Myanmar is a deeply traumatized society. Just being released is not enough; we need accountability to tackle the loss of dignity.

Families embracing loved ones after being released is one of the reasons I really appreciate what ASEAN did on October 15 by excluding the coup leader from its October summit, as well as the support of the United States and other like-minded governments since the coup. It was political pressure which allowed the possibility of rehabilitation to happen. Nowadays, the junta does not have legitimacy from its own people, its neighbors or the international community.

Before the coup, the militarys spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said torture survivors and families could make complaints to the military. People in Myanmar understand, then and now, that you cannot submit a complaint of torture to the torturer, when that same torturer continues to hold a gun to your head on release. People in Myanmar need a civilian government, with no role for the military in politics or government.

This why ASEANs decision to deny the coup leader the legitimacy he craves was so significant. Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews powerful statement said of the subsequent prisoner amnesty, their release is clearly not because the junta has had a change of heart. The October 18 releases happened because of pressure from inside and outside Myanmar. But I want to advocate for the international community to do more. The international communitys demand now must be for the release of detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, all other political prisoners, and a return to civilian rule.

For this purpose, United Nations (UN) member states need to implement the Special Advisory Council for Myanmars Three Cuts policy. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spoke for civilians in Chin State and Magwe and Sagaing regions earlier this month. It noted the juntas established pattern of attacks against unarmed individuals using lethal force, destruction of residential properties, mass arbitrary detention and deaths in military custody. As long as the Myanmar military has cash and weapons, atrocities will continue.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmars Civilian Government to Start Selling Bonds to Fund Revolution

Farmers Fear Myanmar Junta Will Confiscate Their Land

Mytel CFO Most Prominent Victim So Far as Myanmar Military-Linked Firms Targeted
Burma Mytel CFO Most Prominent Victim So Far as Myanmar Military-Linked Firms Targeted

Former navy lieutenant commander turned telecom CFO U Thein Aung, center right, at a Mytel promotional event.

Myanmar military-linked businesses are increasingly being targeted by anti-regime forces, with the chief financial officer of the juntas joint venture telecom company becoming their most high-profile victim so far on Thursday.

U Thein Aung, the CFO of Mytel Telecommunications Co., was gunned down by an unidentified man in Yangons Mayangone Township. The 56-year-old was a former navy lieutenant commander. Mytel is a joint venture between the Myanmar military and Vietnams Defense Ministry.

Mayangone Township is home to the Yangon Regional Military Commands office.

The Myanmar military staged a coup in February, toppling the countrys democratic government. People affiliated with the regimefrom village and ward level administrators to police and soldiershave been attacked since late March in response to the juntas brutal crackdowns on protesters opposed to its rule.

He died on the spot after being shot four times a local resident who lived in the same neighborhood as the victim told The Irrawaddy on Thursday.

The regime confirmed the killing, stating that the executive and his wife were shot by a gunman in the morning. U Thein Aung was killed and his wife was being treated at Yangon General Hospital.

During his military career the victim was a personal assistant to the previous Myanmar navy chief. U Thein Aung was also reportedly close to the current chief, Admiral Moe Aung, as they are both from the same batch at the military academy.

The killing of its CFO is the latest blow for Mytel, which has been boycotted by most users in Myanmar since the coup in February as people seek to deprive the regime of revenue.

Launched in 2018, the company used to be the fourth-largest telecom operator in Myanmar.

In September, the company saw as many as 80 of its towers across the country bombed by local civilian resistance forces known as PDFs, who have been waging guerrilla-style warfare against the regime.

The boycott has hit the company hard, according to Justice For Myanmar (JFM), a covert group of activists exposing inequality, violence, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Myanmar.

On Friday, JFM said the telecom firm lost at least US$24.9 million and almost 2 million subscribers from February to April.

Mytel is part-owned by Star High, a subsidiary of the military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation. Prior to taking up the CFO position at Mytel, U Thein Aung was general manager at Star High.

The military owns between 28 and 39 percent of Mytel following the transfer of shares from its cronies to Star High. Viettel Global Investment, a company owned by Vietnams Ministry of National Defence, holds 49 percent, JFM said.



You may also like these stories:

Low-Profile Junta Crony Imports and Makes Arms for Myanmars Military

Thousands Flee Homes as Myanmar Junta Steps Up Attacks

Myanmar Military Regime Steps up Campaign of Terror
Specials 33 Pictures of Myanmars Stolen Election, One Year On

Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi before casting her ballot in Naypyitaw on Oct. 29, 2020. Though the election was set for Nov. 8, she and the countrys president, U Win Myint, chose early voting partly because of COVID-19. / The Irrawaddy

Monday will mark the one year anniversary of the Myanmar general election, in which the majority of people voted for Daw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) and more of the democratic changes its government had rolled out since taking office in 2016.

Keeping that in mind for their country, the dutiful citizens of Myanmar braved the raging COVID-19 epidemic at the time by arming themselves with masks and face shields to cast their votes. On the morning of Nov. 8 last year, hope was in the air.

When the results came out, Myanmar was thrilled. Jubilant NLD supporters in cities rallied the towns to celebrate the success as the party won 920 (82 percent) of the total 1,117 elected seats up for grabs nationwide. The military-backed main opposition Union Solidarity and Development party (USDP) only managed a humiliating 71 seats. Local and international observers chorused that the election was free and fair. As the NLD was given an even greater mandate to form the government, expectations for a new, more democratic Myanmar ran high.

People queue outside a polling station in Yangon on the morning of Nov. 8, 2020. / The Irrawaddy

But hopes were shattered and expectations proved short-lived on the early morning of Feb. 1 as the military seized power, claiming it was defending the country from election fraud, and arrested Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint. Myanmar exploded as millions of angry and insulted voters flooded the streets across the country to prove the regimes claim false while denouncing the coup. You said voting fraud, come and check it out with us! they shouted in unison.

Polling station officials in Mandalays Aung Myay Thazan Township make some final checks shortly before they open the station to the voters on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Ignoring the peoples voice as it always has, the military cracked down on protesters with deadly force and abolished the results of the election, pushing Myanmar to the verge of being a politically, economically and socially failed state. International sanctions were imposed and investors took the last train out of town while civilian armed resistance against the regime flared up across the country; it is still going strong 10 months after the coup.

A volunteer distributes COVID-19 protection gear to voters outside a polling station in Yangon on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

On the eve of the first anniversary of Myanmars 2020 election, which was stolen by the military, here are some images of the historic moments The Irrawaddy recorded at the time. They are not merely editorial pictures but document the aspirations, hope and anger of a nation that has been betrayed by its military.

A woman casts her vote on Nov. 8 in Yangon. / The Irrawaddy

As one of the COVID-19 precaution requirements set by the Union Election Commission, a polling station staffer checks the body temperature of a voter before they enter the polling station in Yangon on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Voters wait outside a polling station in Yangon on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmar army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing shows off his ink-stained pinky as a sign of just voted after casting his ballot at a polling station in Naypyitaws Zayarthiri Township on Nov. 8. Deputy army chief Vice Senior General Soe Win and other military commanders, also cast their ballots there on the same day. / The Irrawaddy

Voters in Mandalays Chan Myathazi Township wait for their turn to cast their vote at a local polling station on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

A woman casts her vote in Yangon on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Slum dwellers in Yangons Dagon Seikkan Township use banana leaves to protect themselves from sunlight while waiting to cast their votes on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Military voters wait to cast their votes in Mandalay on Nov. 8. Unlike previous elections, the Union Election commission ordered that the polling stations for military personnel and their families in the 2020 election to be open to public sight, especially for transparency issues. / The Irrawaddy

A man casts his vote in Yangons Dagon Seikkan Township on Nov. 8.

A voter shows her ink-stained pinky after casting her ballot in Yangon on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Voters in Naypyitaws Zabhuthiri Township wait under a scorching sun to cast their votes on the afternoon of Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Votes are counted at a polling station in Yangon Seikkyi Khanaungto Township on the evening of Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

Ballots are counted under election observers scrutiny in Mandalay on Nov. 8. / The Irrawaddy

NLD supporters celebrate in front of the partys headquarters in Yangon on the night of Nov. 8 as some results show the partys win in some townships. / The Irrawaddy

NLD supporters celebrate in front of the headquarters in Mandalay on Nov. 9. / The Irrawaddy

NLD supporters in Naypyitaws Pobbathiri Township celebrate on Nov. 9 after learning of the partys near electoral sweep of the capital, with the exception of military stronghold Zayathiri Township. / The Irrawaddy

People gather in downtown Yangon to show their support for the NLD while saying no to the military coup on Feb. 7, 2021. / The Irrawaddy

People gather downtown Yangon to show their support for the NLD while saying no to the military coup on Feb. 8, 2021. / The Irrawaddy

A regime soldier looks out at anti-junta protesters in Yangon in February. / The Irrawaddy

Government schoolteachers stage a protest against the regime on Feb. 10 in Yangon. / The Irrawaddy

An NLD supporter waves the partys flag during an anti-regime protest in Yangon on Feb 13.

Anti-regime protesters in Yangon on Feb 14. / The Irrawaddy

Anti-regime protesters in Yangon hold placards countering the regimes election fraud claims and calling for Suu Kyis freedom on Feb 14. / The Irrawaddy

A child holds a placard saying We Stand With Out Our Leader when teachers and students at Mandalay Education Degree College held a Red Ribbon Campaign on the morning of Feb. 5 to protest the military dictatorship. / The Irrawaddy

Anti-regime protesters in Yangon on Feb 14. / The Irrawaddy

Anti-regime protesters in Mandalay on Feb 15. / The Irrawaddy

People gather to show their solidarity with the NLD on Feb 15 in Yangon when the regimes forces try to raid the partys headquarters in the city. / The Irrawaddy

Anti-regime protesters gather in downtown Yangon on Feb 17. / The Irrawaddy

Anti-coup graffiti is sprayed on a footbridge in downtown Yangon in February. / The Irrawaddy

You may also like these stories:

Flashbacks: Three Months of Protest Against Myanmars Military Regime

In Myanmars Yangon, Scenes Reminiscent of a War Zone
By now, Floridians are likely familiar with the Delta variant, which is highly contagious, spreads faster and causes more COVID-19 infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Not widely known is a new strain of the Delta variant. Its called AY.4.2.  sometimes called Delta plus  and its in Florida, among other states.

The World Health Organization (WHO) described AY.4.2. in part as new branches of the COVID-19 evolutionary tree, and has three additional mutations, according to a late October epidemiological update on COVID-19. And the new strain has spread to at least 42 countries, according to WHO.

How the new strain will act has become a focus of epidemiologists, virologists and other health officials and scientists, as well as media outlets.

According to the Associated Press, Scientists are monitoring the delta-related variant  known as AY.4.2.  to see if it might spread more easily or be more deadly than previous versions of the coronavirus.

CBS reported earlier this week that a potentially faster-spreading sub-lineage of the coronavirus Delta variant named AY.4.2 has been spotted by labs in at least 8 states, and health authorities in the United Kingdom say they are investigating a growing share of cases from this strain of the virus.

Labs in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Washington state, plus the District of Columbia, have so far spotted at least one case of AY.4.2.

However, another analysis shows a larger AY.4.2. number: Ten states and the District of Columbia. That analysis comes from a mutation tracker from the oubreak.info website.

The 10 states listed are Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Nevada, Maryland, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington state, California, and Florida, plus Washington D.C.

Portions of this report first appeared on the website of the Florida Phoenix, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to coverage of state government and politics from Tallahassee.
Want to download an app but it is not on the Apple Store? Well, an Apple expert has warned iOS users of the major risks of the so-called sideloading.

What Is Sideloading?

For those who are not familiar with sideloading, Indian Express stated that it is a way of installing apps that are not available on the Google Play Store or Apple App store. Through this method, it allows users to download apps that are not allowed to run on their smartphones.

If sideloading was done on Android phones, Android Central clarified that Google cannot be held liable since the apps installed is not already part of their service utilizing a security protocol.

It is worth noting that if a security protocol has been bumped off, the device is now at risk of every malware available, per Corrata. The said malware includes Trojan and Spyware.

Luckily, iPhone users are less exposed to these risks since it does not support sideloading.

Read Also: Google Play Store Malware Abstract EMU Can Steal Your Banking Data, Other Private Information: How to Protect Yourself

iPhone Security Issue: Apple Not Supporting Sideloading

Since there is a lot of risks that sideloading brings to every device, senior vice president of Apple Craig Federighi is against this method.

For background information, the European Commission has proposed a Digital Markets Act, which aims to promote fair and open digital markets. With this proposed Digital Markets Act, it could force sideloading of apps on the Apple device in Europe, per Macrumors.

After this proposal, the Cupertino-based technology company has issued a 31-page in-depth document that reads, "Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps: A threat analysis of sideloading."

In the document, it stated different negative effects if Apple is forced to support sideloading.

It would compromise the security of iOS users, personal data as well as privacy.

Smartphone users can choose from millions of apps and download an ever-increasing number of them. Through the apps sideloaded, it has the potential to access every information that users may have. Gadgets and users' personal data are at risk of security and privacy breaches.

In the previous Web Summit 2021 held in Portugal, Federighi declared that sideloading is a cyber criminal's best friend, which will be a gold rush for the malware industry if Apple supported this proposal, per The Verge. He added that the lack of sideloading on Apple devices is the reason why the tech giant has a low malware rate on iOS, which separates them from the 5 million Android attacks each month.

Once Apple supports sideloading, the iPhone security issues could run rampant.

"As an engineer who wants iPhone to stay as secure as possible for our users, there is one part I worry about, and that's the provision that would require iPhone to allow sideloading," Federighi furthered in his speech.

In addition to this, Federighi also opposed a widely recommended solution that would allow users to decide for themselves whether to risk sideloading apps. He added that tech-savvy smartphone users may not be fooled, but the children and parents who are not familiar with technology might be affected.

Related Article: iPhone Scam: Answering Your iPhone Could Turn Into Bank Hacking, Here's How to Avoid It
Huntsville, TX (77320)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Shelton, CT  November 5, 2021  TMC today announced the newest Exhibitors who signed on to join us at the #TECHSUPERSHOW, being held February 8-11, 2022 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

ITEXPO Exhibitors include:

Aircall

BEKA Business Media

Ecosmob

eFax Corporation MSP Expo Exhibitors include: Aparavi

Bio-Key

Datagate

Everconnect

Hughes

Parallels

Red Sentry

Through its in-depth education, showcase of innovative solutions, robust exhibit floor and unique audience, ITEXPO has become the leading event for IT professionals, C-levels and business owners, developers, and the channel to gather and learn about digital transformation. Resellers, enterprises, service providers, media, manufacturers and developers come to ITEXPO to make their purchasing decisions and select new partners.

For more information or to register for ITEXPO, contact [email protected]. For media inquiries, contact Michelle Connolly. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for ITEXPO should contact TMC's Joe Fabiano at 203-852-6800 x132 or Maureen Gambino at 203-852-6800 x109.

For the latest ITEXPO news, updates and information follow the event on Twitter at @ITEXPO.

About TMC

Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMC's content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. As a result, leading technology vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. Our in-person and online events deliver unmatched visibility and sales prospects for all participants. Through our custom lead generation programs, we provide clients with an ongoing stream of leads that turn into sales opportunities and build databases. Additionally, we bolster brand reputations with the millions of impressions from display advertising on our news sites and newsletters. Making TMC a 360-degree marketing solution, we offer comprehensive event and road show management services and custom content creation with expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, @tmcnet.

Media and Analyst Contact:

Michelle Connolly

Marketing Manager

TMC

203-852-6800 x 170

[email protected]
Were working to cover how COVID-19 is affecting our region. Tell us your story.

Have you or someone close to you been monitored, quarantined or tested  and can you share about the process? Are you a medical professional dealing with this who wants to share your experience and needs at this time? Are you a student or worker affected by closures? Are there questions you have about the coronavirus and COVID-19 response that havent been answered? We want to hear about your experience.

We understand this is a sensitive and private issue and we are willing to protect your identity if you request it.
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by increasing clouds with showers developing this afternoon. High 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 36F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Business to business service GS1 Australia is collaborating with Food Standards Australia New Zealand to develop the Branded Food Database, which will serve as a central source of nutrient content for brand-specific foods and beverages sold in Australia.

GS1 Australia says the database will help consumers make informed decisions about the products they buy. It will also support public health initiatives such as the Health Star Rating system and the Healthy Food Partnership.

The database will deliver benefits to consumers, industry, health professionals and policy makers by providing a 'single source of truth' containing credible product information, which is accurate, comprehensive and updated regularly, comments Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) interim CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert.

Brand owners will provide the information about their products, rather than alternative approaches relied on by other databases. The goal is to have 85% of all packaged food and beverage products sold by national retailers, loaded and available by 2023, GS1 Australia says.

Having hosted and managed an industry database for over 25 years, we are glad we could lend our expertise in the capture and storage of product master data to Fsanz and our industry partners, enthuses GS1 Australia CEO and executive director Maria Palazzolo.

The database will leverage decades of work already invested in the GS1 Australia program, the National Product Catalogue and the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN), an industry-driven tool used to share product master data between brand owners and retailers and drive supply chain and merchandising efficiencies.

GS1 Australia says it will not only host the data and facilitate the collection and loading of product information from brand owners, but will also undertake a range of data quality measures, including in-store product data audits, to ensure the accuracy and timelines on the database ensuring the data can be relied on by consumers and industry stakeholders alike.

In the US, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Services has partnered with GS1 US to deliver food product data from manufacturers and suppliers using the same GS1 GDSN standards.

Similarly, New Zealand Food Safety, a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), has partnered with GS1 NZ to capture branded food product data.

Once we have this valuable tool built and populated with the majority of items consumers can buy, we believe there will be many other tools such as nutrition apps that can bring this data directly to consumers and thats where the value is really delivered, Palazzolo concludes.

GS1 Australia and Fsanz have already begun reaching out to key stakeholders. More detailed communications will be released on December and a focused industry engagement program will begin in January 2022.
Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 83F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High 79F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
I am planning to host family and friends at my home.

I am planning to travel to the home of a friend or family member.

I am working on Thanksgiving Day.

I plan to stay home with my immediate family for a low-key holiday.

I am taking off the entire week and traveling.

My plans for Thanksgiving aren't listed here as an option.

I don't have plans.

I don't celebrate Thanksgiving.

Vote

View Results
Jacksonville, TX (75766)

Today

Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.




Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support.
FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations after touring a Clayco Corporation construction site for a Microsoft data center in Elk Grove Village, Ill., Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. President Joe Bidens plan to require vaccinations at all private employers of 100 workers or more has already hit a wall of opposition from Republican governors, state lawmakers and attorneys general.
Betty Jean Pulley, 95, passed away November 4, 2021, at Windridge Nursing Home, Miami, Oklahoma. Betty was born September 7, 1926, at home in Riverton, Kansas, to Albert Petty Cutright and Alta Elizabeth (Newkirk). She graduated from Riverton High School Class of 1944, and attended Joplin Ju
This photo from Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, shows Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly after an event in Topeka, Kan. The Democratic governor is suggesting that President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandates will be difficult for the state to deal with and is questioning whether they will work even though mandates have boosted inoculation rates in other places.
Missouri's Republican attorney general and U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt is considering possible criminal charges for a state lawmaker accused of having sex with a drunk woman while on duty as a cop years ago
When it comes to teaching accounting, being inclusive helps ensure you're providing the best opportunity for all students to learn.

Class design can sometimes inadvertently exclude students with disabilities or different learning needs, said Katie Novak, Ed.D., founder of Novak Education Consulting and co-author of the book Equity by Design: Delivering on the Power and Promise of UDL. When faculty design learning experiences that are "one-size-fits-all," not all students may have the same opportunities to reach course outcomes, she said.

A video without captions won't reach someone who can't hear. Lectures may not be ideal for students who struggle with auditory processing or attention. Written tests may not allow every student to shine under pressure. But things are changing.

"We do things differently now because we want to reach all students," said Elizabeth Atkinson, director of accessibility services at Husson University's Center for Student Success in Bangor, Maine.

Educators increasingly favor inclusive or universal design for learning (UDL) because it gives more students the opportunity to succeed. Instructors recognize and respect that students have different needs, abilities, temperaments, and motivations that affect how they study, learn, and show what they've learned, and they're reflecting that in their teaching practices.

Inclusive design can benefit many types of students, not only those who have an impairment, said Dick Walstra, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill. "That can include so many groups: international students with language barriers, veterans with PTSD, and first-generation students who don't know the ins and outs of higher education," he said. For instance, adding captions to videos helps students with hearing loss, but also those whose first language is not English, or who just prefer to read as they watch.

What's more, starting with an inclusive design makes it easier for faculty to adapt if a student with a disability enrolls in one of their courses. "You never know who's going to come into your classroom," Atkinson said.

Here are some ways to help make your classes more inclusive:

Make sure your materials are accessible. As you map out a semester or module, consider incorporating every diverse need of your in-person or online class to ensure everyone can understand each piece, Atkinson suggested. For example, do your videos have captions to help students who can't hear, and do you describe images for those who cannot see? "Thinking about accessibility from the design standpoint means that your class is going to be welcoming to all types of learners," Atkinson said.

Learn more. Walstra recommends that faculty who want to make their classes more accessible to everyone read the book Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education by Thomas Tobin and Kirsten Behling, and the UDL guidelines on the website CAST.org. (CAST is the organization credited with first developing the concept of UDL.) Atkinson recommends the publication Universal Design in Higher Education and the website UDL on Campus.

Be open and flexible. Learn what services your university offers to students with disabilities, and, if you have questions about accommodations, don't hesitate to ask them. And remember that there are many types of disabilities, including mental health, Walstra said. A student can have more than one issue to deal with.

When you introduce yourself to students at the beginning of the semester, discuss the university's support available and be clear that students can come to you for help. "They may be suffering in silence," Walstra said. "Let them know that this is important to you and you care" and that you want to work with them to find solutions, he said.

Don't think putting this information in the syllabus is enough, Atkinson said. Students won't always "read the fine print," she said, but they're more likely to pay attention if you say it out loud.

Flip the class. When possible, avoid long in-class lectures. Instead, consider a flipped classroom approach. This method is "going to be more accessible to all types of learning," Atkinson said. Have students complete work prior to class, which allows them to go at their own pace and revisit things that may seem unclear. Reserve class time for small-group activities, letting students learn from one another.

Reconsider how you assess students. Students with learning disabilities, or who are linguistically diverse, may not perform well on specific kinds of assessments, Atkinson said. Students with dysgraphia, for example, may not excel at expressing themselves in writing. Giving varied types of assignments over the course of the semester will give students more opportunities to shine: A student who struggles with multiple-choice exams may be great at giving presentations, for instance, or sharing a relevant video in a discussion forum.

Don't make a test a "one-shot deal" requiring students to memorize and recall a large amount of information, Walstra said. Consider letting students take several smaller quizzes or reviews over the semester and quickly provide feedback on each one, he suggested.

When you ensure that students of all abilities learn in your class, everyone benefits, Atkinson said. "We want all the students to have the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed," she said.

 Dawn Wotapka is a freelance writer based in Atlanta. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Courtney Vien, a JofA senior editor, at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com.
Sudans deposed foreign minister Mariam al-Mahdi on Friday called for the military leaders of the October coup to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Coups are crimes that fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, Mahdi said in a statement addressed to the UN Human Rights Council.

Mahdi referred to Article 8 of the ICCs Rome Statute in making her argument for the criminalisation of the coup as a war crime, in a statement published on the Facebook page of the information ministry .

On October 25, Sudans top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the government as well as the ruling joint military-civilian Sovereign Council which had been heading Sudans transition towards full civilian rule following the 2019 overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

In a move widely condemned internationally, Burhan declared a state of emergency and detained Sudans civilian leadership, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and members of his government.

Hamdok, an international economist, was later released and placed effectively under house arrest.

Mahdi, one of the few members of the government not to have been arrested by the military, has been a vocal critic of the coup.

Her comments came as the UN Human Rights Council convened a special session in Geneva to discuss a draft resolution presented by Britain, Germany, Norway and the United States condemning the coup.

The resolution calls for the immediate restoration of the civilian-led government and increased rights monitoring after Burhans power grab.

The council did not release her statement that was only posted online by Sudans ministry of information, which has remained loyal to Hamdoks government.

On Thursday, Burhan ordered the release of four cabinet ministers as the army said the formation of a new government was imminent.

But three key civilian leaders of the protest movement that toppled Bashir who had met with the UNs Sudan envoy Volker Perthes were also arrested Thursday.

Perthes condemned their detentions in a Friday statement writing that it nullifies the impact of the release of the four ministers.

Sudan has since August 2019 been ruled by a joint civilian-military council as part of the now derailed transition to full civilian rule.

In a further escalation of political tensions, Sudans state television reported Friday that Burhan ordered the dissolution of all boards of directors of state-run companies as well as agricultural and national projects.

bur-ff/hkb

FACEBOOK
CBD has also been shown to reduce the urge to reach for a cigarette. These impulses are what leads a person to smoke. Some experts believe that CBD can have a very positive effect on the addiction mechanism because it can regulate cannabinoids and AMPA receptors in the brain. Both regulate addiction.According to Dr. Yasmin Hurd of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, CBD is expected to be used to treat patients with heroin use disorder4In addition, for example, a 2009 study found that CBD may be a potential treatment for heroin craving and relapse5Although cigarettes are indeed not heroin, quitting smoking may be as difficult as ending heroin addiction. The way in the brain to control drug intake and cravings is mediated by the neurotransmitter dopamine.It is the endocannabinoid system that affects the activity of neurotransmitters and ultimately stimulates the release of dopamine6CBD can reduce the craving for cigarettes by interacting with dopamine receptors and increasing the level of anandamide (happiness molecule) in the brain. Smoking CBD pre-roll can completely smash those cravings for cigarettes.

Is CBD Pre-rolls the next wave of cannabidiol consumption?

In July 2018, preroll technology company Wagner Dimas reached a deal with Canadian cannabis company Aurora.They plan to produce 50 million CBD pre-roll Next year, this number will increase from last years 5 million. Dean Arbit, CEO of Wagner Dimas, said: This large-scale platform gives CBD hemp credibility because we can run it on a large scale as a tobacco substitute. There are herbal cigarettes there, and people need this kind of fixation, and There is a market. This is like a global market for herbal cigarettes worth 200 million U.S. dollars.

With the decline in the popularity of cigarettes, and the efficacy of CBD is more recognized, especially in the aspect of smoking cessation, CBD pre-rolling is expected to become the next big thing. Although smoking is generally not particularly good for you, it does not stop millions of people from lighting up cigarettes every day! Can CBD pre-roll meet the demand for smoking? The answer is yes! It has been found that CBD pre-rolls are an attractive alternative, and more and more people are showing more and more interest in CBD flowers than ever before. With tens of millions of CBD pre-rolls planned to be produced in the coming year, we may see a decline in the cigarette market and a busy CBD market.This article is created by Pure relief, A manufacturer of high-quality CBD pre-rolled and CBD products.
Outside of the COP26 summit in Glasgow this week, the slogan of climate activists was: Keep 1.5 alive. It refers to a goal in the 2015 Paris Agreement to try to limit global warming to higher than pre-industrial levels A safer 1.5 degrees Celsius.With the lack of leadership in the most important countries in the world, the chance to achieve this goal now is Close to zero, According to the International Energy Agency. The failure of China and the United States to sign an agreement to phase out coal production put more pressure on the second week of the meeting to detail how to fulfill the grand promises that have been successfully achieved.

The past week has provided a reason for cynicism: the leader of China, the worlds largest polluter, has not even appeared.Although U.S. President Joe Biden quickly criticized Xi Jinpings absence, he himself decided not to sign the coal agreement. The key to his efforts Pass a $130 million infrastructure bill-a major blow to what should be the flagship policy of COP.

Since Xi has not left China for two years, he has almost no chance to attend the meeting (Xi instead sent a written statement as the UK) Reject video link speech). But this has increased Chinas sense of isolationism. Part of the success of the 2015 Paris Conference of the Parties was due to the intense diplomatic pace of Washington and Beijing in their preparations. China has pledged not to provide funding for foreign coal-fired power plants, and has set a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2060, and has embarked on its own path. But in the process of responding to the energy crisis, it continues to invest in domestic power plants.Multilateralism should still make sense for China, especially when it is The biggest recipient of climate funding From the Development Bank.

Nevertheless, some tangible progress has been made this week.About 100 countries Methane trading, Although some large emitters have not signed up.India Committed to net zero, Although it will be 2070 instead of 2050. Developed countries have proposed a $8.5 billion plan to free South Africa from dependence on coal. This targeted support for poorer countries should be encouraged.

Former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney demands a pledge of $130 trillion from private sector assets Exaggerated, But he did manage to guide financial institutions to make meaningful commitments. He was right to emphasize the need for the private sector to fund the transition to net zero. But the institutions that signed the initiative have come under fire for still funding fossil fuels. In order to gain credibility, they need to promise to withdraw the funds before the deadline. Without policies and regulations, companies cannot be expected to take action. Regulators can consider whether they should punish lenders by increasing the cost of capital for holding legacy brown assets on their balance sheets.

This weeks IEAs preliminary inventory of commitments estimate that their impact may limit global warming to 1.8C. As long as these promises are fulfilled, this is progress-even if it is not 1.5C.

This raises difficult law enforcement issues. The commitments made at COP26 are not legally binding. The ill-fated Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which the United States signed but never ratified, highlights the difficulty of turning promises into reality. Nevertheless, countries should explain at the next meeting of the parties why they did not comply with the agreement reached at this meeting. Otherwise, it is easy to over-commit and under-deliver, as demonstrated by the first 25 COPs. There is only one week left to distinguish this COP from all other COPs.
The European Union warned that if the UK suspends some of the agreements, it will have serious consequences for the UK. Northern Ireland Agreement, This is a key element of the Brexit agreement.

EU Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic told reporters in Brussels after several hours of fruitless talks with the Brexit Minister Lord David Frost on Friday: There is no doubt that the trigger Article 16 -Seeking to renegotiate the agreement-will have serious consequences.

It is serious for Northern Ireland because it will lead to instability and unpredictability. It is also serious for the EUs overall relationship with the UK, because it means that the EU will refuse to seek a consensus solution for the implementation of the agreement. 

Over the past few months, Britain and the European Union have been deadlocked over post-Brexit trade rules. Northern IrelandAccording to the terms of the agreement, after the UK leaves the EU, the region will remain in the EU single commodity market to avoid setting up trade borders on the island of Ireland.

But the British government wants to rewrite the agreement, it insist it does not work. Sevcovic After Britain complained that the agreement had affected trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and caused riots in the union community, in October it proposed a plan to reduce inspections of cargo crossing the Irish Sea.

The European Union stated that its reforms will halve customs inspections of British products destined for Northern Ireland and reduce health inspections by 80%. But British officials say this is far from enough.

After the fruitless talks on Friday, Sevkovic said: We have not seen any action from the British side. I find this disappointing and I once again urge the British government to contact us in good faith.

According to a British spokesperson, Frost told Sefcovic that the EUs proposal currently does not effectively solve the fundamental difficulties in the way the protocol operates.

He added that in the UKs view, these gaps can still be bridged through further in-depth discussions.

Frost told reporters earlier that Article 16 is very important.

EU diplomats said that in recent weeks, member states have been discussing with the European Commission what countermeasures the EU might take if the UK fulfills its threat of invoking Article 16.

While some advocate targeted actions, such as more intensive customs and health checks to slow cross-channel trade, others support more dramatic moves to end the trade and cooperation agreement, which allows the EU and the United Kingdom Free trade in goods between tariffs and quotas.

British Communications after Brexit Learn about the latest developments after Brexit through original insights provided weekly by our public policy editor Peter Foster and senior writers from the Financial Times. Register here.

The UK will then have a year to decide whether to stick to the agreement and TCA, or trade in accordance with the terms of the World Trade Organization.

If TCA [termination] It takes 12 months to take effect after being triggered. You start a new clock and a new deadline, an EU diplomat said. The member states dont think there will be any progress in this negotiation. We are dealing with theorists. You cannot reason with them. 

Frost and Sefcovic will meet again in London on November 12 for talks, and both parties have hinted that this will be a success or failure meeting.

In addition, Downing Street announced that it has appointed Lord Jonathan Kane, an expert on Northern Ireland issues, as the junior minister of the Northern Ireland Office. He has served as a special adviser to six British Secretary of State in the region.

Additional report by Peter Foster
When a GroupMe message warning members of a University of Kansas sorority of a potential targeted threat of roofies circulated on social media in spring 2021, many students alerted KU. Ultimately, though, no one came forward to KU with a report of being drugged, officials said.

Hi everyone! Please be careful at the bars this week. We were informed a fraternity is to roofy 15 girls each as a pledge obligation, a GroupMe message sent in a sorority chapter group in March read. Always monitor your drink at all times and be safe!

The message indicated that a fraternity was allegedly hazing its new members by requiring them to drug 15 women each, noting that it may be just bar talk, but to take precautions.

The sorority was first notified by a security guard from Mil-Spec Safety and Security, a company that provides on-site security officers and self-defense training, said Zac Marrs, a Mil-Spec security officer in Lawrence. Marrs, who provides security to a KU sorority, heard of the threat from his daughter who goes to KU, and wanted to warn his clients, despite it being hearsay at the time, he said.

It was all hearsay and like I said when I talked to our clients was, This is not documented, but being hearsay, I'd rather inform everyone and be completely wrong than keep it to myself and find out that some people suffered because of it, Marrs said. I let our clients know simply so they could let their people know to be very very much aware that weekend.

Marrs declined to comment on what sorority he worked with.

Members of Greek life were notified of the potential threat in an email from former Sorority and Fraternity Life Director Ethan Stubbs, who said the office was actively working to uncover more about the allegations, according to the email obtained by the Kansan through the Kansas Open Records Act.

Its unfortunate that I am sending this email to you on a Sunday, however, I did want to acknowledge that SFL/institution are aware of recent disturbing reports about an alleged practice by members of our sorority and fraternity life community, Stubbs said in the email sent on March 7. Specifically, reports whereby young women are to be or have been targeted at bars (by being roofied) as part of a new member/member challenge and that this practice is alleged to be attributed to a chapter within the Interfraternity Council (IFC).

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards received multiple notifications of the threat, said Katie Treadwell, the offices director. However, no individual made a report to the office on behalf of themself or a friend that they were drugged, she said.

We know with any type of sexual harassment or sexual assault people come forward at all different times and sometimes they never come forward for reasons that are entirely personal to them, Treadwell said. We never had anyone that came forward and said, This happened to me, I'd like you to look into it. That left us with not a lot of information and there were certainly a lot of reports on social media but not a lot of details that we could really, truly investigate.

Representatives from the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association did not respond to interview requests by time of publication.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault

Over one-fourth of undergraduate women at KU reported being sexually assaulted, according to a survey conducted by the Association of American Universities in 2019, and nearly 75% of them said they didnt report it.

A study of drink spiking at three colleges in 2017 found that 1 in 13 individuals reported being drugged while on a college campus, and many women said after they were drugged, they were sexually assaulted.

Any kind of drug-facilitated sexual assault or alcohol-facilitated sexual assault kind of increases a lot of confusion around the event and whats happening, said Chrissy Heikkila, executive director of the Lawrence Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center. It goes through your system so quickly so its often hard for people to tell what drug, when you were drugged and the experience around it.

Common drugs used in drug-facilitated sexual assault that are often referred to as roofies are Rohypnol, GHB and ketamine. In many cases involving these drugs, alcohol is involved to increase the effects, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

We know that drug-facilitated sexual assault is often correlated with alcohol-facilitated sexual assault. They both are used in a way that can camouflage a situation and make it confusing for survivors to remember what the situation was, which can be really challenging for the healing process too then, Heikkila said.

Although alcohol is not commonly referred to as a drug in instances of drug-facilitated sexual assault, it is one of the most pervasive used to facilitate violence, said Jen Brockman, director of KUs Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center.

Alcohol is the largest and most frequent contributing drug that is weaponized to facilitate sexual violence, Brockman said. So, while the utilization of things such as Rohypnol, GHB or ketamine do occur, those tend to be used to steer the conversation and reduce our awareness of the role that alcohol plays by those who wish to cause harm.

Alcohol-facilitated sexual assault is especially prevalent on college campuses, Brockman said, and in addition to combining alcohol with Rohypnol, GHB or ketamine, perpetrators may also use more easily accessible prescription drugs such as Xanax to facilitate sexual assault.

KU is currently investigating an alleged drugging and sexual assault at Phi Kappa Psi, which sparked days of protests on campus that brought hundreds of students calling for justice for Jane Doe and other victims of sexual violence.

A culture of distrust

Despite many people not reporting instances of drugging while on campus, it is something students and often women in Greek life  are susceptible to, said Grace Reading, a trained sexual assault victim advocate and member of Strip Your Letters, an activist group that addresses systemic issues in Greek life.

Especially in Greek life where theres so much access to drugs for anyone who wants to use them...it makes it easy for perpetrators in an already vulnerable system to abuse it, Reading said. Specifically, on KUs campus surrounding Greek life, you see a lot of it happening in that red zone at the beginning of the fall semester.

Freshmen women are especially susceptible to drug-facilitated sexual assault on the Sunday night before fall classes start, she said. It is colloquially referred to as 3:01 or shark night and is the first time individuals involved with sorority recruitment, which ends the Sunday before classes at 3 p.m., are allowed to interact with people outside of recruitment and drink alcohol.

Your first interaction with Greek life if youre a sorority member is going to a frat house on 3:01 night or shark night. Your first interaction is this dark atmosphere where people are drinking, where youre interacting with people youve never met and your support system is made up of people youve really never met until that day, Reading said.

When Strip Your Letters posted the GroupMe message on March 8 that warned of a threat of roofies, Brockman said SAPEC employees saw an overwhelming response from students who were not surprised that this practice may be happening at KU.

Outside of the specific social media posts that were made, there was the response from our community of, Yeah, that tracks, Brockman said. For our office what stood out to us even more was the fact of this culture of concern and culture of distrust within each other, and real concern about the safety and well-being that we had for each other.

But to get to the root of the issue, SAPEC is working with students to address the needed cultural shift surrounding sexual violence prevention by actively collaborating with community members to teach effective bystander intervention and consent training, Brockman said.

The way we prevent violence is you take the education, you take the research, and then you translate it into practice in your community, she said. That is a long-term change and it takes a lot of work but its the most effective way to do it."

Were hoping we will start to see those shifts continue as were seeing them in student-led activism, were seeing increased rates of reports, which are all indicators of students taking information and putting that into practice by talking about when harm has happened, demanding that the university addresses the harm and demanding shifts in culture and climate in our community, Brockman continued.
Kevin Strickland has spent more than 40 years in prison for a triple murder in KC that he says he didnt commit. But, even if the court rules in his favor on Monday, freedom is all hell likely get.
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
Jang Ki Yong and Song Hye Kyo unveiled their "Now, We Are Breaking Up" characters in the latest Dazed Magazine issue.

On November 5, a fashion magazine surprised the public by releasing pieces of snaps for their special edition issue starring Jang Ki Yong and Song Hye Kyo on the cover. Ahead of their drama's premiere, the two lead stars are about to grace the fashion world first with Dazed Korea.

Song Hye Kyo and Jang Ki Yong Exhibit Good Chemistry on Their First Magazine Cover

As their characters in the series are both involved in the fashion industry, Song Hye Kyo and Jang Ki Yong channel their inner fashionista and display the love chemistry that the viewers are about to see in the drama.

To begin with, it has been said that the new special issue magazine for the winter edition will have over 30 pages, heralding only the story of the two celebrities. The beautiful pictorial exhibits the connection between Ha Young Eun (Song Hye Kyo) and Yoon Jae Guk (Jang Ki Yong).

In addition, Fendi, a global fashion house, partnered with Dazed Korea to showcase pieces of their collection that can be seen worn by the main actors. Song Hye Kyo is also the new face of the said luxury brand.

Dazed Korea Shares a Glimpse of Their Interview with the 'Now, We Are Breaking Up' Stars

Through Fendi's chic and classy outfits, it perfectly creates a sensuous couple look while still maintaining the individuality of Jang Ki Yong and Song Hye Kyo. The "Now, We Are Breaking Up" protagonists continued to explain their respective roles without hesitation.

The "Descendants of the Sun" actress said that the love comes back to Ha Young Eun, who kept her profession but lived freely without being bothered by her emotions. She added that her character makes wise and healthy decisions.

Meanwhile, Jang Ki Yong shared that his upcoming character is full of passion and confidence, not only in life but also in work. He continued by confessing that he had a lot of worries while doing the series because it was different from the characters that he had played before.

Song Hye Kyo's new leading man also said that it was great to be working with the actress. Since their first table reading, Jang Ki Yong's vision for the project was bright, and he was glad that it all happened in reality.

Meanwhile, the female star praised Jang Ki Yong and even described him as innocent, bright, and cheerful. Song Hye Kyo also mentioned in the interview that she didn't have a difficult time working with the actor. She said that Jang Ki Yong followed her advice until the end of their filming. According to her, Ki Yong seemed to be loved wherever he went.

The special magazine edition will be available soon, both online and in print. The photos are expected to be released on Dazed Korea's social media accounts.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 3 Couples to Anticipate in Song Hye Kyo and Jang Ki Yong's Romance Drama 'Now, We Are Breaking Up'

What can you say about Jang Ki Yong and Song Hye Kyo's first magazine cover together? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins.
As the "Squid Game" mania continues, Dakota Johnson and her beau, Coldplay's Chris Martin, confessed that they are the biggest fans of the Netflix series.

The "Fifty Shades of Grey" star expressed how they love the nine-part episode K-drama while binge-watching during the quarantine.

Dakota Johnson Calls Netflix's 'Squid Game' 'Intense'

During her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 32-year-old actress shared how they spent their downtime, including watching a ton of shows.

The "How to be Single" star revealed that she and the British band frontman went to binge-watch "Squid Game."

She shared that they find the Netflix series "so intense" and "confusing" at the same time.

Aside from the thrilling experience, Johnson explained that "Squid Game" has an "interesting combo" of "joyful moments" and "horrifying" scenes.

Hollywood Celebrities Admits Hopping on the 'Squid Game' Trend

Dakota John Son and Chris Martin are not the only Hollywood celebrities who expressed their love for the Korean survival thriller.

To recall, "Bad Guy" hitmaker Billie Eilish told Sunrise Australia that she managed to watch the entire Kdrama in just two days.

The same goes for Grammy winner Cardi B who went all out and changed his Twitter profile to the "Squid Game" doll known as Younghee.

Moreover, the rapper even sang a line featured in the Netflix series in one of her live streams, sending fans into a major frenzy.

'Squid Game' Being Netflix's 'Biggest Show' Ever

Directed by "Miss Granny" PD Hwang Dong Hyuk, the survival thriller Kdrama follows the story of 456 debt-ridden participants and their hopes of bagging a whopping cash prize of 45.6 billion won or around $38 million.

Since it made its debut on September 17, several viewers, not just in Asia but worldwide, were amazed by the thrilling story and the Kdrama's visuals.

"Squid Game," starring Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Wi Ha Joon, and newcomer Jung Ho Yeon, became Netflix's "biggest series launch ever" with over 111 million viewers.

The Kdrama was so popular that it became the top series in 92 countries for weeks.

Due to its massive success, it even surpassed "Sweet Home" as the highest-scoring K-Drama on Netflix and the American period drama "Bridgerton" as the streaming platform's biggest ever series launch.

Meet the 'Squid Game' Cast

Amid the popularity of the Kdrama, the cast members reaped the rewards of the "Squid Game" mania through its soaring social media followers.

Model turned actress Jung Ho Yeon went from having 400,000 Instagram followers to being the most followed Kdrama actress with 23.3 million.

The same goes for Wi Ha Joon, who played police officer Hwang Jun Ho who now rakes 9.3 million Instagram followers.

As for South Korean A-lister Lee Jung Jae and "Prison Playbook" star Pae Hae Soo, both recently launched their own Instagram to reach their global fans.

IN CASE YOU MISSED: LOOK: 'Squid Game' Star Lee Jung Jae Will Definitely Make You Swoon in These Throwback Vogue Covers

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
SALEM, Ore.  Governor Kate Brown announced Friday that she is headed to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the ongoing 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties  commonly referred to as COP26  to discuss the impacts of climate change on Oregonians and the actions the state has taken to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy.

I have been Governor since 2015, and it was about that time that Oregon took a front row seat to climate change, said Governor Brown. Nearly every year the extreme weather has been worse than the last. We are a warning for the rest of the world.

We must continue to move urgently and with focusand we can tackle climate change and grow our economy at the same time. These goals are not mutually exclusive. Oregon is a shining example of how it can be done."

Several Democratic governors are slated to attend the summit, including Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state. California Governor Gavin Newsom had initially planned to travel, but later announced that he would only attend virtually due to family obligations. California's Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis was tapped to lead the state's delegation instead.

Items on Governor Brown's agenda for the conference stretch from Sunday through Tuesday, beginning with participation in the US Climate Alliance/Under2 Supernationals Event and the Under2 General Assembly panel: Accelerating finance and investment for state and regional climate leadership.

On Monday, Brown is scheduled to participate in the Under2: States and Regions for the Climate Decade panel, the Pacific Coast Collaborative panel on the Public-Private Partnerships to Reduce Food Waste Along the West Coast of North America, the US Department of Energy/America is All In panel, and the Pacific Coast Collaborative/Ocean Acidification Alliance panel: Integrated policies for climate and ocean action: building coastal resilience in the US.

Governor Brown will participate in the US Climate Alliance, US Government and Governors panel: A State-Federal Partnership for a Net-Zero Future on Tuesday.

What is clear is we cannot leave behind our historically underserved communities," Brown continued in her statement on Friday. "In Oregon, we have worked to ensure that our communities hardest hit by climate change due to structural racism and systemic disparities are not left behind. Future generations will judge us not on the fact of climate change, but on what we have done to tackle it. The time is now, we cant afford to wait.

World leaders attending the Glasgow conference have touted several key agreements to reduce methane emissions, deforestation, and coal burning. Regardless, young climate activists that have gathered in Glasgow for the UN summit have largely criticized the pledges emerging from the event as too little and too late.

Prominent youth climate activist Greta Thunberg branded the UN climate talks in Glasgow so far a failure, accusing leaders of actively creating loopholes in the rules and greenwashing their countries emissions, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking at a rally outside the conference venue, Thunberg called for tougher rules to clamp down on polluters instead of what she termed distant, non-binding pledges.

World leaders are obviously scared of the truth, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot escape it, she said. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus, and above all they cannot ignore us - the people, including their own children.

A 22-year-old from Barbados who is on her countrys climate negotiation team in Glasgow says she's observed sessions bogged down in minutiae. The UN conference was dedicated to youth on Friday, but the schedule at times didnt reflect that. A news conference where officials talked about youth had no panelists under 30.

Thunberg has captured the impatience by repeatedly referring to government pledges on climate change as blah-blah-blah.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.  The lower-dose Pfizer vaccine recently authorized for kids 5 through 11 is now available in Klamath County, public health officials announced Friday.

We are excited that vaccines will now be available for those five to eleven years old. Many families have anxiously awaited this opportunity for their families, said Jennifer Little, director of Klamath County Public Health.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup convened earlier this week and unanimously concluded that the vaccine is safe and effective, and the Oregon Health Authority informed healthcare providers they could begin administering doses as soon as they became available.

KCPH noted that the roll-out of the pediatric vaccine is a little different from the adult and youth vaccine. In Klamath County, these doses will be available at a short list of locations:

Sky Lakes Medical Center Walk-in Clinic

Walmart Pharmacy

Klamath Tribal Health Clinic- for Chiloquin residents

Wholesome Family Medicine- for established patients

Sanford Childrens Clinic- for established patients

Families are encouraged to ask questions of their primary care providers, pediatricians, or pharmacists.

Josephine County Public Health announced Thursday that appointments for the pediatric vaccine are now available there, though doses are limited until at least next week. About 2,400 doses are scheduled to arrive in Josephine County early next week, which will free up availability for more appointments.

Public health officials in Jackson County said Friday that the lower-dose vaccines are expected to arrive in Jackson County the week of November 8. Parents and guardians can reach out to their pediatrician, primary care provider, or pharmacist to ask if they will have the vaccine and when they can begin scheduling appointments.

Jackson County Public Health said that it will also be offering the pediatric doses, but is not scheduling appointments at this time.
CHILOQUIN, Ore.  Ranchers in southern Oregon reported a number of cattle killings near the end of October and into November, according to a report from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife  many of them blamed on the wolves of the region's Rogue Pack.

The Rogue Pack is known to stalk the hinterlands of Jackson and Klamath counties, and has often topped yearly wolf depredation reports. However, at the time that the ODFW killed multiple wolves from the Lookout Mountain Pack in Baker County over the summer due to repeated depredations, the Rogue Pack had been unusually quiet for months.

The first reported depredation last month was of a 500-pound calf found dead on October 21 in the Wood River Valley area west of Chiloquin. According to the ODFW report, "the size, number, and location of bite scrapes" and severity of injuries indicated that the killing was done by wolves, likely from the Rogue Pack.

On October 29, a ranch hand in the Rancheria area east of Butte Falls found three dead 10-month-old steers in a 30-acre pasture. ODFW again found that the size and severity of the attacks were consistent with wolves, again attributed to the Rogue Pack.

Within the next two days, there were two more killings in the Bly area of Klamath County  two calves, discovered dead on separate pastures. Unlike the earlier depredations, these were not attributed to the Rogue Pack, which tends to remain on the west side of Klamath County. ODFW ruled the first death inconclusive, while the second was attributed to LAS13M AKWA, which is believed to be a single male wolf that dispersed from California's Lassen Pack in late 2020.

Finally, on November 1, there was another dead steer discovered in the Rancheria area of Jackson County. ODFW concluded that this killing, too, was caused by the Rogue Pack.

Wolves in western Oregon  such as the Rogue Pack  were shielded from lethal countermeasures up until the federal delisting earlier this year. None of the Rogue wolves have yet been killed in response to depredation. As recently as October 28, ODFW had approved lethal removal of wolves in northeastern Oregon.
Central Okanagan Public Schools superintendent Kevin Kaardal, show here in a file photo, is preparing a report on whether a COVID-19 vaccine mandate should be implemented for teachers and other staff. Vancouver and Surrey trustees this week decided against such a mandate.
Two Kenosha County men accused of burglarizing and damaging three city businesses are being held in custody on high cash bonds.

Alexis Sierra-Arzola, 36, of the 800 block of 45th Street in Kenosha, and Jose A. Medina-Pantoja, 37, of the 800 block of Sheridan Road in Somers, each made initial appearances Thursday afternoon in Kenosha County Circuit Court.

The two defendants are accused of burglarizing and damaging Sophisticatering, 8048 Sheridan Road; Tobacco Hut, 8046 22nd Ave.; and New China, 8044 22nd Ave. in the course of three days late last week and earlier this week.

Court Commissioner Larry Keating imposed a $20,000 cash bond for Sierra-Arzola and a $15,000 cash bond for Medina-Pantoja. Both are set to return to court for hearings on Nov. 12.

Sierra-Arzola faces 20 criminal charges, including nine felony counts of bail jumping, three felony counts of burglary and one felony count of operating a motor vehicle without owners consent. Hes also charged with three misdemeanor counts of theft, three misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property and one misdemeanor count of operating a motor vehicle while revoked.

If convicted of all the felony charges, Sierra-Arzola faces a possible maximum prison sentence of 97 years, six months and a total fine of $175,000.

Medina-Pantoja faces 10 total charges, including three felony counts of burglary and one felony count of operating a motor vehicle without owners consent, along with three misdemeanor counts of theft and three misdemeanor counts of damage to property.

If convicted of all the felony charges, Medina-Pantoja faces a total prison term of 43 years, six months and a fine of $85,000.

Assistant District Attorney Rosa Delgado in court Thursday asked Keating for a high cash bond for each defendant and cited a lengthy criminal history for both, including some out-of-state cases in both Delaware and Florida for Medina-Pantoja and in Florida for Sierra-Arzola.

Keating ultimately agreed.

These are allegations (against Medina-Pantoja), but these are very serious allegations, he said. This court has concern with this defendants court appearances in the future.

This is a 20-count complaint (against Sierra-Arzola) with multiple felony counts and nine bail jumpings. I understand these are allegations, but they are very serious. The exposure (to prison) is very significant here with regard to the counts brought to the court. The court does believe hes a flight risk.

According to the criminal complaint, Kenosha Police responded to Sophisticatering on Oct. 31, where they met with the owner, who stated his business had been burglarized overnight. The owner reported the theft of several items, including a grey Dodge van, along with damage and the theft of copper pipes from the kitchen.

On Nov. 1, police responded to the Tobacco Hut and New China, which adjoin each other, and found the front glass door of the restaurant was shattered by a large rock or a piece of concrete. The cash register drawer was resting on the front counter and there were items all over the floor, the complaint states.

Surveillance video from the restaurant showed two suspects entering through the front door at about 3:28 a.m. The owner reported $500 in cash and coins and items valued at $330 had been taken.

The video also showed the suspects used a blue 2008 to 2010 Volkswagen Jetta to get to the location, and officers recognized that vehicle as one used in a previous theft from a Festival Foods location in Kenosha.

According to the complaint, the owner of the Tobacco Hut reported the total value of all items taken was between $5,000 and $10,000.

Police also spoke to a citizen witness, who reported that he had known Sierra-Arzola for about a year, and that he saw both defendants unloading metal items from a gray full-sized van into a blue Sedan the morning of Oct. 30. Sierra-Arzola asked the man to cash in a stack of 116 lottery tickets for him as well.

The witness told police that Sierra-Arzola told him that he and his roommate gained access to the Tobacco Hut through the roof and detailed how they cut locks, broke into gaming machines and found/took money from under the register.

Police also reported that a receipt from Racine Auto and Scrap indicated that a significant amount of stainless steel and copper was sold Oct. 30 that was consistent with what was taken from Sophisticatering.

Sierra-Arzola, in an interview with police, admitted that he and Medina-Pantoja had committed the three burglaries, the complaint states.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
More coverage:

The juror dismissed from Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial apparently was trying to be funny when he cracked to a court security officer about a police officer's shooting of Jacob Blake, the event that set off the protests where Rittenhouse shot three people, two fatally.

Blake, who is Black, was shot by a white officer three months after the murder of George Floyd by a white officer in Minneapolis prompted protests over racial injustice nationwide. When Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder said Thursday that the joke  which the juror didn't want to repeat in open court  showed bias that "would seriously undermine the outcome" of the Rittenhouse trial, the man objected.

"It wasn't anything to do with the case," the juror told Schroeder Thursday. "It wasn't anything to do with Kyle."

The moment captured the bias  sometimes explicit, but often implicit or unconscious  that experts say is especially damaging in criminal proceedings. Jurors who may not see their biases as problematic or even realize they exist are asked to weigh witness testimony and ultimately decide a defendant's fate. And while the juror in Kenosha may have vocalized his beliefs, sharing the joke while being escorted to his car after jury duty, in most cases these biases are difficult or impossible to detect.

"It's one of the most significant problems facing the criminal justice system in both state and federal courts," said Mark Bennett, a retired federal and state judge who directs the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation at Drake University Law School in Iowa.

In some places, courts and judges have taken steps to educate jurors, attorneys and others about implicit bias. Questions to potential jurors go well beyond asking if they can be impartial, instead asking about stereotypes they may hold or their interactions with others.

In part of Washington state, potential jurors are shown a video about implicit bias, and attorneys are encouraged to ask questions during jury selection such as what they thought about the video. It's not clear whether that happened in Kenosha, where 20 people were seated for the Rittenhouse jury in one day. The 12 who decide the case will be announced later, the judge said.

Bennett, who wrote a jury instruction on implicit bias and has studied bias in judges, said Schroeder did the right thing in dismissing the juror. Any person who would joke about Blake while at the courthouse during jury duty doesn't have "the kind of mindset a judge would want" on the case, he said.

But Bennett also said a one-day jury selection isn't enough time to root out people with explicit or implicit biases, particularly in racially polarizing cases. In one major federal trial, Bennett took 14 days to select a jury. He also has had potential jurors fill out a questionnaire  one as long as 99 questions  at home, where they're more likely to answer candidly, before coming to the jury selection.

"You cannot do it in one day," he said. "I'm sorry, you just cannot."

Margaret Russell, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law and co-founder of the Equal Justice Society, agreed, saying the jury selection "seems astonishingly quick" for a case that involves some of the most "contentious, inflammatory issues of our day."

Rittenhouse is white, as are the three men he shot in August 2020. But the case has raised questions about racial justice, policing, firearms and white privilege that have polarized people far outside Kenosha.

Blake, who was shot by the officer two days before Rittenhouse shot the three men, was partially paralyzed in the shooting. Police say it occurred while they responded to a domestic disturbance call and that Blake was holding a knife. The county prosecutor later declined to charge the officer.

Protests following the Blake shooting at times turned violent and destructive, with rioters setting fires and ransacking businesses. Rittenhouse, then 17, traveled to Kenosha from his home in Illinois, just across the Wisconsin state line. The former police youth cadet said he went to Kenosha to protect property. As he walked the streets he carried an AR-style rifle.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the three shootings, while his lawyer says Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

After his arrest, conservatives called Rittenhouse an American patriot, with people contributing millions of dollars to a legal defense fund and helping the now 18-year-old post a $2 million bail to leave jail.

Russell said she also believed Schroeder was correct to dismiss the juror Thursday, saying his actions show "a shockingly ignorant sense of the case and the issues involved." The fact that the man didn't want to repeat his joke in open court suggests he knew it was inappropriate, she said.

Russell also was troubled by the juror's use of Rittenhouse's first name as he referred to the defendant. Calling him "Kyle," she said, showed a sense of familiarity that "perhaps means he's not viewing the case through an unbiased lens."

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4
Lee Enterprises will be carrying a live blog of events in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, which began with jury selection Monday and opening statements Tuesday.

Rittenhouse, 18, shot two people and wounded a third during a night of unrest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020. His attorneys contend he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors have portrayed him as an instigator.

Lee Enterprises/Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith is reporting from inside the Kenosha County Courthouse, with reporting on this page augmented by remote staff.

More coverage:

4:29 p.m.: Moretti testimony concludes. Trial over for the week.

4:17 p.m.: Moretti, like many others, described the area as "like a warzone," as cross-examination begins.

3:57 p.m.: Officer Van Wie steps down from the witness stand. Now up is Officer Pep Moretti, who was on patrol night of shootings.

Moretti said in responding to shootings, he and his partner only had handguns and "were not equipped" to go into what they believed to be an "active shooter" situation. So, Moretti pulled the squad car to the side, allowing armored vehicles to move closer to the scenes of the shootings.

Moretti said he saw Rittenhouse running toward the officers' vehicles. "He was approaching us." Moretti and partner "gave him multiple commands to get out of the roadway" by yelling out through the window. Moretti said it didn't occur to him at the time that Rittenhouse was trying to surrender. "I've never in my career had somebody put their hands up but continue to advance and not obey orders and continue to advance on us."

Moretti's partner "deployed pepper spray" at Rittenhouse when he continued to not follow orders and walk up to the vehicle; Moretti says he may have pointed his firearm at Rittenhouse but can't recall exactly, other than remembering he did pull his firearm.

Moretti believes there were "more people armed than not" throughout the civil unrest. "I probably talked to more people that had pistols and weapons and baseball bats and whatnot." Moretti said he and his partner told everyone they encountered and talked to "to go home."

Moretti says that an officer down call went out after the shootings, but it ended up being false. The hospital was going into lockdown soon after shootings.

Moretti said he was one of the ones who put Rosenbaum into a body bag and brought his body to the hospital morgue.

The body armor Moretti was wearing, he says, would not have been able to sustain a rifle round. Moretti said a full-metal jacket round would go through his body armor "like he was wearing nothing."

Moretti testifies he was unable to hear people yelling that Rittenhouse had "just shot them." Moretti adds that he saw Rittenhouse "manipulate" his rifle twice as he walked up, increasing their fear he may mean them harm. A voice is heard in video yelling "Get out of the road!" to Rittenhouse, whose hands are up; Moretti said the person yelling is either himself or his partner  they both were yelling, so Moretti can't tell who is yelling at which moment.

3:53 p.m.: Cross-examination begins on Van Wie. Officer confirms he "didn't know much" about the case when he swabbed it for DNA, and that Van Wie is the one who decided where to swab. Van Wie says he was never told to swab more parts of the gun, such as the barrel of the gun that the defense has implied Rosenbaum may have grabbed hold of.

The swabbing was done on Aug. 26, the day after the shootings, Van Wie said.

3:41 p.m.: Weidner testimony concludes. Kenosha Officer Jeffrey Van Wie now on the stand. He's been with the KPD for 18 years.

He processed and secured evidence from Rittenhouse shootings.

Van Wie says the caliber of the 22 unfired bullets inside Rittenhouse's gun were .223 and were of multiple different brands.

3:22 p.m.: Called to the stand is Erich Weidner. He is a Kenosha Police officer, testifying in his police uniform. He's been a cop for more than 20 years. He was working the night of the shootings.

3:21 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri's testimony ends.

2:54 p.m.: Cross-examination begins.

Sam testifies Car Source was insured. Sam says he didn't give anyone permission to be on property; Dominick Black said the opposite when he testified Tuesday.

As Car Source was burning the night before the Rittenhouse shootings, Sam says he didn't ask anyone to help put out fires other than calling 911.

Defense brings up statement Sam reportedly made to police on Sept. 11. Sam said Rittenhouse had "offered to help and fundraise" for your business.

Sam testifies he never gave a ladder to anyone to get on the roof of Car Source.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi is clearly frustrated with the witness. The defense has been arguing that Rittenhouse and others were explicitly asked to defend Car Source property, which the Khindris are denying.

When Chirafisi asks if the family that runs Car Source was "resigned" to let destruction happen for another night the night of Aug. 25, Sam replies "After seeing the destruction, there's nothing I could do."

Sam says he can't answer many of the questions, that he doesn't remember how many cars were burned, how much was lost in terms of money, that he doesn't remember interviews he gave to news outlets. "I'm sorry, it's been over a year," he says.

Sam's father, the owner of Car Source, "does not speak much English."

2:30 p.m.: Break.

2:07 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri called to the stand. He is Car Source's inventory manager. Car Source, and the associated Car Doctor, are owned by his dad.

Sam says he didn't talk to anyone asking them to protect Car Source, including Kyle Rittenhouse. After that is confirmed, the text message shown earlier is shown again. Prosecutor asks Sam if he'd seen the message before, to which Sam replies "it was the day after the shooting." Sam says he never replied to the message.

The timestamp on the message was 3:02 p.m. and appears to have been sent on the day of the shootings.

Sam identifies one of the men in the photo that includes his brother and Car Source's ex-detailer, identified as "Nick Smith," who had not worked for the business for some time.

Sam says he talked to Rittenhouse at the burned up Car Source lot earlier in the day. Sam says he recalls Rittenhouse talking about potential fundraising opportunities. Sam says he gave his phone number to Rittenhouse, as he did to many others the day of.

Sam says he doesn't recall asking anybody to protect Car Source locations, including Rittenhouse. Sam says he didn't give keys to anyone so they could get into the buildings. Sam says he didn't give permission to anyone to go inside any of the Car Source buildings or give permission to protect them.

Prosecutor asks if Sam was aware that armed men "took it on themselves" to guard Car Source, and Sam says he wasn't. He says he didn't know about it until he saw it on the news the next day.

1:59 p.m.: A text message is shown from someone identifying themself as "Kyle" to Khindri's brother offering to protect business. Kyle offered to be there armed with his brother; Kyle Rittenhouse considers Dominick Black, who admitted to having bought the AR-15 for Rittenhouse, his brother.

Khindri is asked why he was in the photo with the armed people, Khindri said he was the one who requested the photo. He said he'd never seen anything like it, other than "on TV."

Khindri said the armed people said they were there to "protect Kenosha" but doesn't recall them saying they were there to protect Car Source specifically.

1:43 p.m.: Former Car Source employee Sahil "Sal" Khindri, who owns the Car Planet dealership in Milwaukee and whose families runs Car Source, called to testify.

He testifies that he never has spoken with Rittenhouse or met him. He said he never personally asked for Rittenhouse to protect the family's businesses. But he did posed with armed men outside Car Source, including Rittenhouse and Ryan Balch.

On cross-examination, defense asks Khindri if he asked them to leave. Khindri responds by noting the guns the group had. Khindri said that Balch "got dressed" in front of me, "putting on the fancy shoes." Defense asks "You didn't think they were there to harm you?" and Khindri confirmed he didn't feel threatened. One of the people there, Khindri said, is or was an employee of his brother who helps run Car Source.

Khindri confirms that the armed people wouldn't have been able to get into the buildings unless a current employee allowed them in.

Khindri said he recalls there was no conversation between him and the armed people asking them to protect the businesses, but that Khindri's brother might have had such a conversation.

1:39 p.m.: Swart is dismissed.

1:28 p.m.: Swart to be questioned regarding the medications her fiance was taking and prescribed prior to his death. "I only know some of them. I don't know all of them," Swart says of Rosenbaum's medications. She says they were for "bipolar disorder" and that he was on an "anti-depressant" and "something for sleep." She confirms Rosenbaum was taking gabapentin for bipolar disorder, per her recollection. She recalls Rosenbaum also taking Effexor and Seroquel.

Judge Schroeder says prosecution "did open the door" to questioning on Rosenbaum's medications.

Swart says Rosenbaum was on the same medications for "the whole year I was with him."

1:22 p.m.: Cross-examination of Swart paused before it begins. Jury being taken out of the room so lawyers can openly discuss something related to a line of inquiry the defense wants to pursue.

1:03 p.m.: Now on the witness stand is Kariann Swart, who said that Joseph Rosenbaum is her fiance. She's an Illinois native.

They got to know one another while homeless and started a romantic relationship within a few days of meeting. "He was a very animated person," she says of him.

Swart says Rosenbaum is from Waco, Texas, but moved up to Kenosha to be with his then-girlfriend and child.

Swart says when she got the call from the Medical Examiner at around 4 a.m. that Rosenbaum was dead "I fell to my knees and cried." She then opened up Facebook on her phone and saw the video of her fiance being killed. "I can't get that image out of my head."

12:58 p.m.: Jury called back into room.

A couple questions of Huber's aunt, then she steps down at 1:02 p.m.

12:45 p.m.: After lunch break, trial resumes.

Discussion for about 13 minutes over bringing in history on Anthony Huber's character.

11:04 a.m.: Amber Rasmussen with the State Crime Lab testifying.

She testifies that Huber's DNA was not found on Rittenhouse's gun, but that doesn't mean he didn't touch it.

11 a.m.: Lackowski testified he encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the night, described him as shouting "shoot me, shoot me" and making aggressive moves toward people, but said he did not find him threatening.

"And if I threaten to kill you that night and Im running at you and try to take your gun?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked Lackowski, describing what the defense says was Rosenbaum's behavior before Rittenhouse shot him. "A threat to my life, yes," he answered

After a state crime lab DNA analyst, next witness up will be Susan Hughes, Anthony Huber's aunt.

She testifies that she was close with Anthony Huber and saw him frequently, including on the day of his death. When prosecutor James Kraus asks her if she was surprised that Huber would "run toward danger" defense objects, setting off a legal argument. State argues for their ability to provide evidence to rebut the idea that Huber was the first aggressor. In his opening statement, defense attorney Richard accused Huber of trying to decapitate Rittenhouse with his skateboard. The state's view is that Huber, Grosskreutz and others believed Rittenhouse, who had just killed Rosenbaum, was an active shooter when they tried to stop him. "The state frankly believes that Mr. Huber is a hero," Kraus said.

Judge Schroeder appears to take the defense's view that the aunt should not be allowed to testify on the issue, but said he will make a decision after the lunch break.

10:26 a.m.: Break

9:30 a.m.: Before testimony begins for the day, another juror is dismissed at her request. The juror requested the dismissal for medical reasons, and attorneys for both sides did not object.

Prosecutor Thomas Binger also lets Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder know that he was captured on a live mic during one of the breaks in proceedings the day before. Schroeder acknowledges that he had remarked on the length of the proceedings, and there has been communication with video pool provider CourtTV about avoiding this in the future.

Binger then begins questioning of Jason Lackowski of Green Bay, who is identified as a Marine, who was one of the armed individuals with Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020.

Lackowski says he came to the city to protect property. Asked by Binger how he planned to do that, he says he was trained to "shout, shove, show (a firearm) and shoot."

Seconds after the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, video shows Lackowski encountered Rittenhouse; he said Rittenhouse looked "frazzled, shocked," and said he did not shoot anybody. Lackowski told Rittenhouse to run to the police.

Lackowski testified he was the one who provided the tourniquet that was applied to Gaige Grosskreutz.

Lackowski said that people at the scene after the shootings suspected he had been the person who shot others because he was holding an AR-15 and was wearing a shirt of similar color to the one Rittenhouse was wearing.

Lackowski said he gave some medical supplies to Rittenhouse earlier in the night, including "quick clot"  medical gauze used to stop severe bleeding.

Lackowski said soon after the first shooting, he "blacked out" due to the stress of the situation. "The lights on, nobody's home."

Lackowski testifies that he emptied the magazine and chamber of the handgun Gaige Grosskreutz had been holding when he was shot by Rittenhouse. As such, the gun was ready to fire when Grosskreutz was shot, according to Lackowski.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi confirms that Lackowski was never directly threatened or "ambushed" by anyone that night, a point the defense is making in its argument that Rittenhouse had reason to shoot others.

Lackowski said that he drove his car to Kenosha that night. When he went to drive home, he said he found his windshield and rear window were smashed in.

9 a.m. Witness testimony is set to continue this morning in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.

Jurors on Thursday heard from witnesses who testified that rapid sequence in which Rittenhouse shot three men was set off by the confrontational behavior of the first man, who threatened to kill Rittenhouse and others in his group and later grabbed for the 17-year-old's weapon right before he was shot.

The testimony came from two witnesses who were called to the stand by the prosecution but gave accounts often more favorable to the defense in the politically polarizing case.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The onetime youth police cadet from Antioch, Illinois, had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of a Black man.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording events on a cellphone that night for the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man shot that night, was killed after chasing down Rittenhouse and making a lunge for the gun.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.

The shooting of Rosenbaum set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later. Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard.

Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, a protester from West Allis, Wisconsin, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward Rittenhouse.

Prosecutors replayed widely seen video of the interview that The Daily Caller did with Rittenhouse before the shooting.

It began with Rittenhouse in front of a boarded-up building, where he said he and other men were there to protect this business, and part of my job is theres somebody hurt, Im running into harms way. He also said he was there to provide medical aid.

Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted.  Associated Press

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1
Its hard to image a more difficult circumstance a teenage girl can face than an unplanned pregnancy.

Reasonable people can disagree about the propriety of abortion. But the unfortunate reality is that the political debate that surrounds it most often degenerates into extremes that invoke absolutes  unadulterated public evil or undeniable public good.

That was the case last week in Springfield, when legislators voted to repeal the statute under which the parents of underage girls who become pregnant must be notified of a planned abortion.

Experts say that in most instances like this, parents are brought voluntarily into the conversation. Proponents of the repeal assert there are other, sadder cases in which a parent or parents do not play a meaningful, positive role in their childs life and, as a consequence, do not deserve to be or cannot be brought into the notification process.

The law legislators just voted to repeal contemplates that circumstance, creating the option of a bypass in which a judge can be asked to clear the way for the procedure to terminate a pregnancy. Although at least two judges were critical of its procedures, bypass is a viable option.

Needless to say, the legislative debate was explosive, each side ratcheting up its rhetoric. Its probably impossible to separate the notification  not permission  issue from the politics and emotions that drive the abortion debate.

Nonetheless, lets boil the question down to its essence  should Illinois law allow parents to be excluded from their minor childrens deliberations on abortion?

How many parents are comfortable with the idea that they are deemed legally irrelevant at the same time other adults unrelated to the pregnant girl can guide her through this procedure?

Consider the issue in this context: An underage girl who wants to have her ears pierced, a minor event, must get parental permission or wait until shes a legal adult (age 18) to decide for herself. There are all kinds of legal provisions under which underage children must obtain parental permission to pursue medical and non-medical activities.

But under the new law, an underage girl can decide on her own to get an abortion without parental notification.

The State of Illinois, through its legislative body and governor, is asserting that it knows best when it comes to identify the players in this drama.

One need not be an uncompromising abortion opponent to object to that kind of heavy-handed intervention in a child-parent relationship, which now just needs Gov. J.B. Pritzkers signature to become law in 2022.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Hopkinsville, KY (42240)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 53F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 29F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Asbury Seminary are challenging the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate in federal court with attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom. Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron has filed suits each of the past two days,
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy and windy with periods of rain. Low 41F. Winds SE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
309 Shares Share

One recent afternoon in the GI endoscopy suite (not my favorite place to work, but thats a topic for another day), I walked up to the bedside of my next patient and introduced myself as I always do.

Hi, I said, holding up my name badge for the patient and his wife to see. Im Dr. Sibert. Im with the anesthesiology department and Ill be looking after you today.

The patient was an otherwise healthy man in his mid-30s, having his fifth endoscopy this year for a chronic though serious problem. My questions were few and he understood very well what was about to happen.

The consent process concluded. I asked if the couple had any other questions. The wife did.

Youre a doctor when youre not giving anesthesia? she asked.

Wait. What?

Im seldom speechless, but this question took me by surprise. Why yes, I said, unsure how to respond.

Youre a doctor, and you give anesthesia, the patients wife said, making sure she heard correctly. Usually weve had CRNAs.

Yes, I said. Im a doctor, and I give anesthesia all the time. Im actually an MD who specializes in anesthesiology.

The patients wife seemed slightly embarrassed but happy to acquire this new (to her) information  that doctors give anesthesia too, and that anesthesiology is a specialty practiced by physicians.

So it must take a lot more training, she mused. I confirmed that was true, and outlined the years of medical school, residency, and often fellowship training that we undertake to become fully qualified.

Since the patient and his wife seemed interested, I explained that theres more to anesthesiology than the brief sedations he had experienced in the GI suite. I explained a little about my own specialty  thoracic anesthesia  and the challenge of ventilating each lung separately for lung operations. I went on to mention some of the other subspecialties, including pediatric and cardiac anesthesiology.

At the mention of cardiac anesthesiology, a light bulb seemed to go off in the patients mind. I think I had a cardiac anesthesiologist one time, he said.

At that point, the GI team was ready to begin his procedure, so there was no more time to chat. I gave the patients wife my business card with my title: Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. We headed to the procedure room. The circulating nurse and I hooked up his monitors; I started the propofol infusion. I watched his breathing and vital signs until the endoscopy was completed, turned the propofol off, and watched him wake up.

So many questions

This brief encounter left me with so many unanswered questions, and the unhappy feeling that no matter how much we may have done to try to explain the profession of anesthesiology to the lay public, clearly were not getting through.

This patient and his wife were not uneducated or economically disadvantaged. This was not their first encounter with the health care system; he had undergone four prior procedures at our teaching hospitals this year. If he received care from nurse anesthetists, they would have been under the medical direction of anesthesiologists. California is an opt-out state, but our health system does not permit nurse anesthetists to practice unsupervised.

How could the patient and his wife believe that all his prior anesthetic care had been given by nurse anesthetists?

Gender bias?

My first hypothesis was that perhaps the patient had been taken care of by a mix of female anesthesiologists and female nurse anesthetists, all wearing the same nauseatingly pale green scrubs. It could be hard to tell one person from another  let alone remember whos who  in the fast-moving assembly line of an outpatient GI endoscopy suite.

But when I looked up the patients previous records, that wasnt the case at all. Heres the roster of anesthesia personnel for his four prior procedures, in chronologic order from first to most recent:

Female anesthesiologist and male nurse anesthetist

Male anesthesiologist, solo

Male anesthesiologist and male nurse anesthetist

Female anesthesiologist, solo

It turned out that the male anesthesiologist who worked solo was indeed a cardiac anesthesiologist, exactly as the patient recalled after our conversation jogged his memory.

So the total number of anesthesiologists who cared for this patient before I did was four  two women and two men  and the total number of nurse anesthetists was two, both men. Yet the impression he and his wife retained was that CRNAs gave him anesthesia. What can we make of that?

First names?

Im sympathetic to the kindly impulse that can lead some of us to introduce ourselves by first names instead of using the title Doctor. We dont want to seem elitist in the eyes of patients or staff. But is this a good idea?

There is evidence that reduction of hierarchy can improve patient safety by making it feel less threatening for anyone junior  whether in terms of age, professional rank, experience, or education  to question what is happening or about to happen. Thats the theory behind programs such as Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS). Timothy Clapper, PhD, writing about the experience with TeamSTEPPS at Weill Cornell Medical College, states: Health care workers may not speak up, even when it could make a difference for patient safety because they do not want to be wrong, are unsure, or do not want to hurt someones feelings.

However, Dr. Clapper also notes: From a communication standpoint, hierarchies are beneficial for health care teams, especially when time and clarity is an issue. Team members prefer to have a clear leader on their team. An effective leader operating in a suitable level of the hierarchy can quickly assign tasks and roles, especially during emergent cases to ensure task coverage and minimize delays. In health care systems, physicians regularly take on leadership roles and decision-making responsibilities.

For physicians to assume those leadership roles, the key is for each person in the room to understand who among them is a physician and who is not.

If everyone on the team is introduced on a first-name basis, it may not be clear at all who is who, and which personnel are in leadership positions. This may be especially true when some people on the team are youthful trainees who rotate on and off teams in the course of their training. Is Annabelle an attending physician, a resident, a nurse, a nurse anesthetist, a physician assistant, a medical student, or a technician? Confusion is almost inevitable when you cant tell the players without a scorecard, and confusion can be lethal in a crisis.

First and last names?

Even when both first and last names are used, without the title Doctor in front of the name, a listener may not appreciate that the speaker is a physician.

The Editor of the ASA Monitor, Steven Shafer, MD, wrote a column in the August 2021 issue, explaining that he introduces himself to patients by saying, Hello, Im Steve Shafer. Im the anesthesiologist who will be caring for you today. He assumes that using the term anesthesiologist is sufficient to communicate the message that he is a physician with subspecialty training in anesthesiology.

This may work for many patients, but not all. A recent survey by the American Medical Association found that 70 percent of patients recognized an anesthesiologist as a physician, 22 percent did not, and 8 percent were unsure. Several years ago, in the interest of truth in advertising, the ASA decided to champion the term physician anesthesiologist. Unfortunately, physician anesthesiologist is clumsy and difficult to say out loud without tripping over your own tongue. Does anyone use it in everyday conversation?

Which brings me back to my patient and his wife, and the fact that my self-introduction as Dr. Sibert created a moment of clarity that had been missing before.

What could have happened in the previous encounters?

Perhaps the anesthesiologists introduced themselves as Dr. Shafer does.

Perhaps the anesthesiologists who were supervising nurse anesthetists met the patient only briefly in the procedure room right before the case started, while the actual preop interviews were done by the CRNAs. This approach enables the anesthesiologist to duck into the room and quickly tick off the attestation boxes for preop assessment, assessment prior to induction, and presence at induction all at the same moment. However, in this scenario its unlikely that the patient will remember meeting the anesthesiologist at all.

Perhaps the term CRNA is just easier than anesthesiologist to say and remember.

Perhaps nurse anesthetists are simply better at promoting their brand.

We need to acknowledge a problem

Whatever the reason, I think we need to acknowledge that there is a problem. We cant have it both ways: abandoning formal titles and then complaining that no one knows were physicians. We cant assume that our profession is going to get the respect it deserves if were reluctant to refer to ourselves as Doctor.

We cant delegate the responsibility for doing the preoperative assessment to nurse anesthetists and then wonder why patients dont know that an anesthesiologist was involved in their care.

We shouldnt downplay our critical role in the operating room by introducing ourselves with our first names. Everyone on the team needs to know who the attending anesthesiologist is. This may be even more important if the attending anesthesiologist is young or female or both, and doesnt necessarily look the part of a senior physician. During the time-out in the operating room, my standard response is, Im Dr. Sibert, with anesthesiology.

With patients, I routinely introduce myself to patients as Dr. Sibert, trying as best I can to convey a smile behind my mask. I explain if Im supervising a nurse anesthetist or a resident, or if Ill be taking care of the patient by myself. I give out my business card liberally, making sure that my patients have a way to contact me after surgery if any issue should arise, and at the same time making it clear that Im a board-certified physician who specializes in anesthesiology.

I have a hard time imagining Dr. Michael DeBakey in his prime ever introducing himself as Mike, and I wont be saying, Hi, Im Karen, anytime soon either. All of us in anesthesiology have worked long years to become the physicians we are today. We need to own it, or else stop wondering why the public doesnt know who we are.

Karen S. Sibert is an anesthesiologist who blogs at A Penned Point. This article originally appeared in ASA Monitor.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
EUGENE, Ore.  A man is in jail after police say he set off a fire alarm at a University of Oregon building and later held two students against their will inside a dorm room.

It started at about 3 a.m. Thursday at the William Knight Law Center. Firefighters responded and found no evidence of smoke or fire, and officers with the University of Oregon Police Department reviewed security footage.



Shawn Densmore Shawn Densmore

They reportedly saw Shawn Densmore, 37, who has no known connection to the university, pull the fire alarm. He was seen holding a gun and acting erratically inside the building, police said.

Officers from multiple departments responded to the scene and searched the building. A Lane County Sheriffs Office drone team was called in along with a police dog unit from Springfield.

Thats when police said they started receiving multiple 911 calls from a single cell phone in which the caller reported incidents from other areas across the campus. Authorities pinged the cell phone and sent texts to it, making contact with a student in Hamilton Hall.

Police said two students were being held in the dorm room and Densmore had used the students phone to call 911. Officers arrived to the room, found the armed suspect and took him into custody, police said.

Densmore faces charges of menacing, burglary, criminal trespass, kidnapping and carrying a concealed firearm.

Chief Matt Carmichael said this is an isolated situation.

"This is a very unique incident, very scary incident, but the person who did the bad things is in jail, they are in custody. So tonight, we'll have an extra presence out," Carmichael said.

He said this is because they want to make sure their students feel comfortable and safe.

"Our students are safe, our resident halls are safe, and this really came to a good conclusion today," Carmichael said.

Some students told KEZI they were confused by the situation and lack of information.

The university sent out an emergency alert text three-and-a-half hours later. It said: "Law enforcement activity at Knight Law. Avoid the area." They sent out an "all-clear" alert around 8 a.m.

Law student Erin Strader said her morning classes were moved online because no one knew the severity of the situation. She wishes the alert messages would give more details.

"I live close by, and I wondered if I shouldn't walk outside, or is everything safe within a block? So, I was confused about that and slightly frustrated, like what level of emergency is it?" Strader said.

Others, like student Kundai Kapurura, said they were comforted by the message.

"I think the alert system is perfect just because a lot of students have smartphones, they are always looking at them and it's a quick way to access information," Kapurura said.

The investigation is ongoing. Police said they are working to find the motive behind this scary morning.
SALEM, Ore.  Gov. Kate Brown is headed to Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties.

She will be there to discuss the impacts of climate change on Oregonians as well as the actions the state has taken to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy.

Starting Sunday, Brown will participate in the US Climate Alliance and the Under2 panels. Under discussion will be the accelerating finance and investment for state and regional climate leadership. The panels will also go into policies for climate and ocean action and touch on state and federal officials partnering together for a net-zero future.

In a statement, Brown said: I have been governor since 2015, and it was about that time that Oregon took a front row seat to climate change. Nearly every year the extreme weather has been worse than the last. We are a warning for the rest of the world.
EUGENE, Ore. -- After the CDC authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, health officials in Oregon are urging patience as distribution efforts begin.

Lane County Public Health said it will receive 14,200 vaccine doses so far. That's enough to vaccinate more than half of the roughly 25,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 across the county.

Those doses are being shipped directly to vaccination providers including pediatric clinics, family care practices, school-based health programs, and pharmacies over the next 10 days, Lane County Public Health said. Additional deliveries will continue on a regular schedule in the following weeks.

Lane County residents will be able to schedule appointments for pediatric clinics hosted by county officials starting the morning of Friday, Nov. 5. Those clinics will begin Tuesday, Nov. 9, according to LCPH. Some vaccination providers in the county are already allowing people to schedule appointments for children in this age group.

Larger-scale booster dose clinics for adults will be paused until after Lane County has met the immediate demand for pediatric doses, health officials said. Booster doses remain available at primary care providers and pharmacies throughout Lane County.

Health officials in Coos County said doses are tricking into the county. They said appointments may not be available at all locations until the end of next week due to the limited supply. Supplies are expected to build to full availability over the next few weeks.

For the past two months, children under the age of 18 have made up roughly one-fifth of all new COVID-19 cases in Oregon, according to the Oregon Health Authority. There have been three COVID-19 related deaths in children under 18.
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, gets his first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, administered by HN Samantha Alvarez, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda Md., as the U.S. kicked off the biggest vaccination campaign in U.S. history in an effort to get protection against the COVID-19 and start beating back the pandemic.
Do you know a person or family who is in need of a new ride? Submit them here and they could win a pre-owned 2018 Chevrolet Trax LT AWD.
Flood, a play which is dark, extremely moving and often very funny, comes to the Watergate Theatre this Friday.

The work of Ger Bourke, Flood takes a look into the lives of Stella and Jack, a married couple in their fifties adrift in a small boat in modern day Ireland.

The rising water has knocked out all lines of communication, power lines. Electricity, television masts, phone masts and covered all stop signs. As they desperately bail water from their now sinking boat the interaction becomes frantic. Can anything be salvaged from a marriage that is literally and metaphorically; on the rocks before it is too late?

Flood is directed by Jim Nolan, a founder member and former Artistic Director of Red Kettle Theatre Company and a former Writer in Association at the Abbey Theatre.

Stellar performances

The role of Stella is played by Jenni Ledwell, w ho has worked and toured Ireland delivering stellar performances with Red Kettle Theatre Company and Druid Theatre Company amongst many others. Her most recent performance was in Jim Nolans highly acclaimed sold out run of Red Iron.

Flood is an amazing piece, said Jenni. Ive waited a long time to be in it. It is a joy...An absolute joy. This piece will blow your mind.

Jack is played by Joe Meagher. Joe has been a professional actor for almost 30 years, working and touring extensively with companies such as Red Kettle, Corcadorca, Broken Crow, Bag-a-Cats and Rigout Productions.

A Million turns

This hilarious, dark twisted play takes you on a million and one turns throughout epic, endearing and true to heart performances. Ger Bourkes beautiful lyrical script is brought to life by Jim Nolans expert hand.

Produced by Eadaoin Breathnach as a co-production of Rigout Productions and Bag-a-Cats Theatre Company. Supported by Waterford City and County Council, Creative Waterford, Art Links and The Imagine Festival.

Tickets

Tickets for Flood are available online at Watergatetheatre.com or from the box office, tel 056-7761674
The closing date is fast approaching for applications for Food Works, the highly successful tri-agency initiative run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc for innovative and export driven food and drink start-ups.

Participants wanting to follow in the footsteps of thriving food and drink companies as Nobo, Wicklow Wolf and Fiid, have until December 3 to apply.

The collaborative food and drink entrepreneurship programme is designed for rising stars to help them transform from a start-up to an investor-ready company, with a focus on scaling internationally.

Over 100 companies have successfully completed the unique programme since it began in 2012.

The initiative, now in its tenth year, includes workshops with national and international industry experts across disciplines such as strategy, finance, product development and marketing.

Participants are also eligible to apply for feasibility grant funding of up to 35,000 through Enterprise Ireland.

Gillian Willis, Small Business Development Manager, Bord Bia says, "We encourage applications from any ambitious, innovative food and drink start-up with the potential to export. Food Works has a successful track record in supporting Irish start-ups to succeed at home and abroad and can support and assist you to achieve your ambitions.

"The programme also showcases the pipeline of unique, high quality Irish food and drink products that have the potential to achieve export success."

Full details and an application form are available at foodworksireland.ie
A Kilkenny start-up business has been awarded 12,000 under a programme designed to help early stage social enterprises to grow and create jobs.

Buddy Bench is a project that strengthens communities by proactively educating primary school students on positive mental well-being with evidence-led lessons on topics like anxiety, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Research has found almost 90% of Irish teachers have not been trained in children's mental health in college, while Ireland rates among the highest for childhood self-harm and suicide compared to the European average.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced a total of 300,000 in funding to support 25 social enterprise projects across the country.

The Social Enterprise Start-up Fund will support early stage social enterprises to grow, create jobs and inspire the next generation of Irish social enterprises.

The 25 awardees will receive cash grants of 12,000 as well as a place on a special training programme designed to help them further develop their businesses.

The Fund will be administered by Rethink Ireland on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Making the announcement today, Minister Humphreys said: Social Enterprises are providing valuable services and supports in communities right across Ireland.

Even throughout COVID-19, our Social Enterprises stepped up to the plate and continued to play a vital role.

This fund was set up with the aim of helping different Social Enterprises who are at an early stage to grow, create jobs and realise their goals.

We received an overwhelming response to this call for funding, with the scheme heavily over-subscribed.

Following the assessment of all the applications received, I am delighted to be in a position today to announce the twenty-five awardees of the Social Enterprise Start-up Fund. I want to congratulate and wish all of the recipients well.

The Minister continued: The Social Enterprise Start-up Fund builds on successful schemes for Social Enterprises funded by my Department in recent years, such as the Training and Mentoring Scheme and the Small Capital Grants Scheme for Social Enterprises.

This announcement underscores my commitment under the National Social Enterprise Policy to growing and strengthening Social Enterprises by supporting them through targeted programmes and initiatives, and by providing tailored training to help them improve their business potential.

The programme will be delivered by Rethink Ireland who have a great track record in administering supports to social enterprises.

Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Rethink Ireland added: Rethink Ireland are delighted to have partnered with the Department of Rural and Community Development to announce the awardees of our Social Enterprise Start-up Fund.

The twenty-five social enterprises being awarded today will play a key role in the transition to a more inclusive, sustainable and green economy.

The funding and non-financial supports that the awardees are to receive will help ensure that they have the best chance of reaching sustainability and impact in their communities.

The 300,000 programme will provide supports of 12,000, consisting of a cash grant and a place on a capacity building Accelerator Programme, a tailored programme that will provide training across strategic planning, financial management, governance, business modelling, pitching, and impact measurement.
A third of respondents in a recent survey have experienced domestic abuse in their personal life accord to Amber Women's Refuge, who are based in Kilkenny.

The survey was undertaken by Amber of women and men who work outside the home in Kilkenny and Carlow.

'The Impact of Domestic Abuse on the Workplace survey, which 200 women and men responded to, is the first of its kind to attempt to quantify the impact of domestic violence and abuse on employees and their employers in Kilkenny and Carlow.

Of the respondents who answered that they have or are experiencing domestic abuse, over 66% of them said the abuse negatively impacted their work performance with them feeling exhausted, unwell or distracted as a result of an abusive relationship in their personal life. 3.5% said their work performance was impaired by a physical injury resulting from the abuse.

35% said the abuse periodically affected their ability to work productively, with 21% saying that the abuse negatively affected their work performance most of the time. 38% experienced significant stress while at work, while 24% had to deal with frequent phone calls, messages or emails from their abuser while at work. Almost 21% experienced physical threats from their abuser during their workday.

Almost 58% of respondents who have or are experiencing domestic abuse have been absent or late for work as a result. 10% had their car keys, money for transport to work or their work clothes/uniform hidden or withheld from them and 44% needed to take planned or unplanned time off work to deal with issues related to domestic abuse.

54% of respondents cited an ex-partner as their abuser. For a quarter of respondents, a family member was the main perpetrator.

82% of respondents to Ambers survey were women, with the majority aged between 35-54 years. The highest number of respondents work in large companies with 500+ staff and under 20 staff respectively, across Kilkenny and Carlow.

These findings are in keeping with research undertaken by the Centre for Global Womens Studies at NUI Galway earlier this year. This research quantified the impact of domestic violence on productivity loss, finding that Irish women experiencing domestic violence miss, on average, 15 days of productive work each year. Research by economists in the US, UK and other European countries has also established that women who experience domestic violence are at increased risk of absenteeism, more irregular work history and reduced performance at work, consequently costing businesses time and money. These women also experienced limited occupation mobility and were at risk of dropping out of the labour force and ultimately lower earnings.

While the personal and societal effects of domestic abuse have been documented, less recognised is the impact of the serious crime of domestic abuse on the victims work and workplace. We were aware from our work on the ground in Kilkenny and Carlow that domestic abuse has a significant impact, not only for the victims in their personal lives, but that the abuse often invades their working lives. Many victims and their colleagues frequently face harassment, disruptions to their working day and job sabotage by an abusive partner or family member. Domestic abuse can also negatively impact staff turnover levels, workplace culture and morale. 1 in 4 Irish women and 1 in 7 Irish men will experience abuse from an intimate partner in their lifetime. They are very often someone who works with us or for us. said Lisa Morris, Manager, Amber Womens Refuge.

Almost 70% of respondents who said they have or are experiencing domestic abuse did not disclose it to their employer/manager or co-workers. 60% felt too embarrassed or ashamed to, while 27% did not want to get their work colleagues involved. 5% said they feared they would lose their job or be discriminated against if they disclosed the abuse.

65% of those who made a disclosure about their abuse said their employer/manager were helpful and empathetic to their situation. Encouragingly, 23% of respondents said their employer/manager suggested specialists the respondent could speak to, while 29% actively discussed possible solutions with them. 12% of respondents said their employers/managers were not helpful when they made their disclosure.

The impact of domestic abuse was also felt by their co-workers. Over half of respondents, who hadnt personally experienced domestic abuse, said they witnessed the effects of a colleagues abuse while at work in Kilkenny or Carlow. Over 18% said the abuse caused conflict or tension at work, causing them to feel stress and concern for their colleague. Only 3% of those who had witnessed a colleague dealing with domestic abuse said it did not affect them personally while at work.

83% of all respondents said that a policy on domestic abuse would benefit their workplace. 66% stated that a designated advisor or counsellor would be the most suitable person in the workplace to make a disclosure of domestic abuse to.

Globally there is a growing movement across various jurisdictions that the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda must also address the consequences of domestic violence, in addition to workplace harassment and bullying. The International Labour Organisation Convention on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, to which Ireland is a signatory, calls for governments and employers to address the risks and impacts of domestic violence in workplace policies.

Our survey findings highlight how domestic abuse is not just a devastating personal issue for those experiencing it, its a societal issue that pervades all aspects of our lives, from the person we buy our morning coffee from, to the colleague we sit beside in work or see on the screen on a Zoom call. While the response from local employer/managers was, in the main, positive for the minority of respondents who chose to disclose their abuse, gaps in knowledge, support and training on the issue of domestic abuse remain in local workplaces. said Naoimh Murphy, Communications & Training Officer, Amber Womens Refuge.

Amber is calling on employers and people managers in Kilkenny and Carlow to first acknowledge and then address the impacts of domestic abuse being experienced by some of their employees while at work. Engage in conversations, develop a Policy for Domestic Abuse for your workplace and avail of specialist training for your people managers. With the average fulltime Irish worker spending over a third of their lives at work, employers have a duty of care, as well as a financial and HR imperative, to make their workplaces a safe and supportive place for all their employees. concluded Naoimh Murphy.

Amber Womens Refuge offers specialist guidance and support to employers on developing a workplace policy on Domestic Abuse, how to spot the signs, what to do if a member of staff makes a disclosure and how to appropriately respond and refer. Contact communications@ amberwomensrefuge.ie for more details.

Amber Womens Refuge Helpline can be reached on 0818 42 42 44 and the Mens Aid Helpline is on 01 554 3811.

The Impact of Domestic Abuse on the Workplace survey was authored by Jennifer Walsh, as part of her post graduate studies at University College Cork, in partnership with Amber Womens Refuge.

Amber Womens Refuge provides emergency refuge accommodation, support and information services and a 24hr Helpline to women and children in Kilkenny and Carlow who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. Amber also provides safe, inclusive, community-based support services in Kilkenny city and county and throughout county Carlow to women and children living with or fleeing the serious crime of domestic abuse. Amber Womens Refuge works to achieve equality and the right to live a life free from violence and abuse for all in our community.
Kilkenny Carlow Acquired Brain Injury Group has been hard at work over the eighteen months and their documentary film, Kilkenny Brain Works, will screen at the IMC cinema on Barracks Street at 7.30pm last night.

The focus of the film is the camaraderie of the group and members of the group worked with writer Gillian Grattan and Kilkenny and Carlow ETB to make this documentary happen. Through a series of interviews, the audience will get a real insight into the world of people who are living with a brain injury and how this dramatically affects the lives of those people. The positivity that comes from being involved in the Kilkenny Acquired Brain Injury Group shines through.

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain that occurs after birth. Brain injury commonly results in life-long challenges, including changes to behaviour, emotions, and physical function. ABIs may be traumatic, caused by a sudden blow or jolt to the brain. These injuries are usually serious and often occur because of falls, assaults, and road traffic accidents. ABIs may also be non-traumatic, brought about because something happens within the body like stroke, brain

hemorrhages or a viral infection.

Every brain is different, so every brain injury is unique to each individual affected. Brain injury is often described as an invisible disability because its effects are often hidden, even though 19,000 people in Ireland acquire a brain injury every year  that is 52 people every day.

The documentary includes Mick Gaule, Darina O Mahony, Richie Reynolds, Fergus Witherow, Nigel Brander, Barney Moore, Alan Phelan, Shane O Hara who are all members of the group, as well as Marie Costigan and Sharon O Neill of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. The group has been working with Gillian Grattan, over the last eighteen months, which has been funded by

Community Education, Kilkenny and Carlow ETB, and what started out as a project on storytelling through photography has turned into a highly informative film.

The documentary was filmed and edited by Gillian Grattan and funded by Kilkenny and Carlow ETB. This documentary is a true insight into what goes on with the group.

"We learn something every week when we come in  nothing can teach you what we learn from this group, says Marie Costigan. Anyone who watches this documentary will gain a real understanding of the Kilkenny Acquired Brain Injury group and its unique positivity.

For more pictures from the evening, see next week's Kilkenny People.
A Kilkenny man has become Freeman of the City of London and awarded a prestigious insurance industry honour in a London ceremony full of ancient pageantry.

Michael Walsh - originally from Keatingstown, Hugginstown, Kilkenny - has had an illustrious career in insurance and is Managing Director at Allied World, a global insurance company. This week he has been honoured by The Worshipful Company of Insurers, the City of Londons livery company for the UK Insurance industry.

Mr Walsh was invited to become a Freeman of the City of London in recognition of his work across insurance over many years in addition to his fundraising efforts for a large number of charitable causes.

Allied World trades within the Lloyds of London marketplace. Michael Walsh has lived in London since 2003 is a graduate from the Waterford Institute of Technology in Business Studies and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Michael returns back to Kilkenny regularly to see his parents and maintains strong connections with friends / family across the county. He is married to Louise and has two daughters Saoirse and Aoife.

The ceremony on Wednesday commenced with Mr Walsh formally accepting the invitation to become a Freeman of the City of London. This was followed by a clothing ceremony at the Saddlers Hall held by the Worshipful Company of Insurers. The day concluded with a procession through the streets of London to a thanksgiving service held at the Church of St Lawrence Jewry which dates from Medieval times.

"As a Kilkenny man, I am proud and extremely honoured to be made a Freeman of the City of London. I am thrilled to have been part of such a prestigious event which forms part of the citys rich history," said Mr Walsh.

"My award this week is tribute to all those who came before me and as a proud Kilkenny man its a huge privilege.
Over a quarter of a million euro in funding has been announced for twenty five social enterprise projects across fourteen counties.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, today announced the support of 12,000 cash to each of the chosen awardees as part of the Social Enterprise Start-up Fund.

Minister Humphreys called the response to the call for funding "overwhelming" and stated the scheme was heavily over-subscribed.

She said, "Social Enterprises are providing valuable services and supports in communities right across Ireland. Even throughout Covid-19, our social enterprises stepped up to the plate and continued to play a vital role.

"This fund was set up with the aim of helping different Social Enterprises who are at an early stage to grow, create jobs and realise their goals."

Projects including Buddy Bench and Carers Network Ireland will receive funding in the following counties: Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kilkenny, Dublin, Limerick, Louth, Cork, Tipperary, Roscommon, Monaghan, Meath, Carlow and Kerry.

Recipients will also receive a place on a tailored programme providing training in strategic planning, financial management, governance, business modelling, pitching, and impact measurement.
MASON CITY, Iowa - The nursing field is continuing to be hit with shortages across the board. So much so that a shortage of registered nurses is projected to be widespread across the country by 2030 according to the American Journal of Medical Quality.

In a recent survey from the Iowa Board of Nursing regarding workforce demand, nearly 58% of hospitals report finding qualified nurses as their biggest challenge.

NIACC President Dr. Steve Schulz praises the college's nursing program, which is nationally credited and has a 96% licensure pass rate. He's heard from MercyOne North Iowa President Rod Schlader and Governor Kim Reynolds on how to generate more nurses to enter the workforce. The biggest challenge he's discovering is finding Master Degree prepared nurses who want to teach as well.

"Every time we pull a nurse out of the field to teach, that creates an opening on the back end. We've been fortunate in the partnership with Mercy we have several shared positions, so we allow people to continue to work for Mercy, but yet meet the clinical needs of our students when they're in that space."

But could expediting the academic process make it easier? Dr. Schulz says because of the structure of the program, that's not likely.

"We don't want to lower our standards of care. There are certain pass rates that our students have to have in order to advance...that quality piece is really important, and it's really hard to fast-track that. There are some ways to speed it up a little bit, but at the end of the day, it's about competency in nursing, and you have to demonstrate that in the clinical setting, as well as the academic setting. And it's really people-intensive. One nursing instructor is responsible for 8 people in a clinical setting, that's the maximum allowed by federal law. It's really hard to speed that up. We drive it really hard the way it is to get them through...a year for an LPN, two years for an RN. But there's another two years if they want a Bachelor's Degree. It's a challenge for the state and the country with the current regulations anyway to fast track that."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates the registered nurse workforce to grow 7% by 2029. However, 180,000 RN openings are projected each year through 2029 due to retirements and workforce exits.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- Destination Medical Center wants to see downtown Rochester become a retail hub. The board of directors met this morning to discuss how they're going to accomplish that goal.

According to Chris Schad, DMC's director of business development, the agency is looking into ways to keep businesses already in downtown Rochester and recruit new ones.

Schad says attracting and keeping retail downtown has always been a challenge and the pandemic has made it harder. While The Med City has gained some businesses, there are still many empty storefronts. Finding tenants to replace them depends on the demographics of downtown Rochester including their income and lifestyle.

"We've spent alot of effort partnering with RDA, Rochester Downtown Alliance, to understand who's living downtown. Part of what has been happening through our efforts and others is we have more people living downtown and that represents a new retail opportunity for businesses."

Schad also tells KIMT News 3, there's an interest from entrepreneurs to add more businesses with a focus on health and fitness, along with restaurants and bars.

"It's exciting. I think if any community is poised to take advantage of the emergence from what's happening over the last 18 months with COVID, Rochester's in a really good position to do that," says Schad. "We've got a community that cares about its members and businesses. We see that those two things combined put us in a really good place."

The DMC is looking at ways to fund improvements for small businesses downtown. One possible source could be through Deed's Mainstreet Economic Revitalization Program.
ZUMBROTA, Minn.  Officials are investigating reports a Zumbrota-Mazeppa student was struck by a school district employee.

Superintendent Michael Harvey says the accused employee has been placed on administrative leave and local law enforcement and the Minnesota Department of Education helping with the investigation, which began Monday.

Harvey says the results of that investigation will be discussed at an upcoming school board meeting.

A video was posted online of the alleged incident but Harvey says that video was not the source of the investigation.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP)  Jonathan Johnson spent weeks on a ventilator battling COVID-19, then decided to get married  in the hospital.

The 28-year-old man surprised his fiancee with the help of hospital staff and arranged a wedding last month in the intensive care unit of the hospital in Council Bluffs, tying the knot with 28-year-old Mariah Copeland from his bed, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

I didnt want any regrets, Johnson said Tuesday. After coming off the ventilator, you view a lot of things differently in life.

Johnson was diagnosed with COVID-19 in September. He quarantined in the couple's bedroom away from Copeland and their 2-year-old son.

Copeland also tested positive, but it was Johnson whose condition worsened. He landed in Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and was on a ventilator for more than three weeks.

As soon as Johnson got off the ventilator, he decided the time was right for the wedding.

You see a lot of sadness, and sometimes the end isnt always what we wanted, nurse Jenna Harvey said. With Jonathan, this gave us hope and it kind of keeps us going. ... Its something they both deserve.

Family, friends and an officiant were looped in and persuaded Copeland to do her hair and makeup and head up to the hospital for a visit on Oct. 14. When she got to Johnsons room  where he was no longer in isolation or contagious  he told her that she was there for a wedding.

I didnt think that was going to happen so soon, she said. I am so happy it did, so I can spend my forever with the man that I love.

Legal paperwork lists the wedding date as Oct. 22, the day Johnson was released. He is on the mend at home, and still uses oxygen. The couple hope to have another ceremony after he fully recovers.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Throughout the pandemic, local health departments have remained a constant source of information and resources to keep our communities safe and protected.

Its something UMR student Melita Marshall appreciates. She said, Whatever you need to make yourself safe and your health to be stable I think they have done a good job in pushing that out to us.

As we near the two-year mark of when the COVID-19 pandemic began some community members are reflecting on the impact local health agencies have had on our communities.

Aleia Jamison, a UMR student as well, added, I feel like they were really trying got help us students get vaccinated so there would be less school missed and stuff.

Since early February of 2020 local departments like Cerro Gordo Public Health in Mason City have been among the community leaders ready to assist in whatever capacity is required.

Director Brian Hanft explained, The pandemic hasn't been a bad thing to bring to light that public health agencies have a critical function and role especially in our local communities.

Hanft says one of those critical roles stems from the departments ability to collaborate.

How well communities collaborated with their community partners, I think, is really a reflection on the overall ability for a community to kind of bounce back, said Hanft. We have great partners, we work through a lot of difficult situations together and I think that's been a huge benefit.

The Olmsted County Public Health Department has also been hard at work tailoring its response to community needs by organizing mass vaccination clinics, ensuring accurate information is being communicated efficiently to us all while trying to keep its own staff from suffering from burnout.

Employee well-being professional Alan OMalley-Laursen said, It's pretty easy to pay attention to folks' physical well-being in terms of a pandemic or any other types of endeavors but I think its the emotional health risks that are sometimes more significant. So, I have to give us a lot of credit for having taken that one and making that a priority to focus on and address that.

OMalley-Laursen says Olmsted County recognized the reality of the pandemic infiltrating every staff members personal and professional life which helped ease some stress and allowed workers to focus on how to best serve the community.

He said, The idea that how we choose to think about our circumstances can make a difference and to neither under-react or overreact and to fully appreciate the challenges that we've faced, while at the same time having the determination to overcome those challenges.

Now, both health departments are looking back and reevaluating what staff have learned, who theyve grown and what can be used in the future during a health crisis.

Hanft spoke about C.G. Health saying, I take it very seriously that we need to develop a really, really, quality, robust after-action report, and that documentation is important for that 50-100 years from now because we didn't have that from 1918, the Spanish Flu that happened. But, for us now, for that next episode that were to happen it's important we have something on the shelf that says, This is how we dealt with this when it happened.

OMalley-Laursen added, I think we've learned a lot about how to literally pivot on a dime and make some adjustments in order to meet whatever the need is in the community. I pretty strongly believe that we will have walked away from this with the confidence that whatever comes our way we're going to be able to meet that need and the community can band together to do that.

An area of improvement recognized by both departments is sharing accurate and timely information via social media. Both health agencies say the spread of misinformation continues to remain a concern throughout the pandemic.
State Representative Tina Liebling led a virtual hearing for the House Health Finance and Policy Committee on Thursday at 2 p.m.

The hearing featured presentations from Mayo Clinic and The Department of Health, touching on recent COVID-19 updates.

A dominant topic of conversation was post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASCS) or long COVID.

Mayo Clinic defined long COVID as symptoms that occur in a person after they have recovered.

Long COVID symptoms could last up to four weeks or longer, with some cases ranging up to six months, according to Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic Healthcare Policy Researcher David Jiang said most COVID survivors could experience long COVID.

"Between 33% to 98% percent of patients who have recovered from the initial COVID-19 infection will experience some persisting symptom or a new symptom lasting longer than four weeks," Jiang said.

Jiang said almost 5% of Minnesotans could get long COVID.

"800,000 Minnesotans have had COVID-19 and most of these patients will recover from the initial illness. That means a conservative estimate of at least 15 million Americans or 250,000 Minnesotans will experience some form of long COVID symptoms," Jiang said.

One of the most common side effects of long COVID is shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Med City Mayor Kim Norton joined the White House and leaders from the Twin Cities Wednesday, highlighting how President Biden's Build Back Better framework could help the North Star State.

The President's revised BBB plan is about half the size of his original proposal, trimmed down after months of negotiations with members of Congress. But with a $1.75 trillion price tag, the framework certainly still packs a punch according to the White House, and Mayor Norton agrees.

"The President's Build Back Better and infrastructure bills are what this country needs, what families and cities desperately need," Mayor Norton said during the joint briefing.

Highlights of the hefty BBB package include free pre-school for more than six million children over the next six years, an extension of the Child Tax Credit, and reductions in Affordable Care Act premiums.

"There are so many working families who are just waiting for this type of help and relief, and this framework is going to give nearly 90% of American children's families this type of support," said Norton. "It's a historic tax credit. It'll cover the cost of food and housing, health care and transportation, and we'll continue the largest one-year reduction in child poverty in history."

For Rochester's local leaders, President Biden's sweeping plan presents a critical chance to make headway on a number of fronts. One of them - addressing a desperate need for affordable housing, with experts projecting over 18,000 new units will have to be built in the Med City by 2030 in order to keep up with demand.

"It is absolutely imperative that we deal with this from the federal level on down to the local level, and having a framework that will reduce the price pressures for homeowners and renters is absolutely key. The idea that there will be down payment assistance more available to families, particularly for first-generation homebuyers, is key," Mayor Norton said.

The BBB's over $550 million commitment to combatting climate change is pivotal, Mayor Norton believes, to Rochester meeting its promise of a complete transition to renewable energy by 2030.

"We are moving toward a district energy program in town that needs the support from the federal level. Also, bus rapid transit with electric buses is very new for us. Some of the larger cities have it, but we're moving in that direction again, and our first bus rapid transit line is a $114 million project." Norton continued, "So you can imagine that is not something that a small community with 122,000 people, although we have many more visitors and workers than that, can manage without that support from our federal partners."

Mayor Norton also points to the plan's increased support for lead paint removal programs, which the city is very interested in continuing to participate in given the impact contamination has on children and families. You can learn more about how the White House says the Build Back Better framework could help Minnesota by following this link.
KALMAR TOWNSHIP, Minn.  A two-vehicle collision in Olmsted County Friday morning sent one person to the hospital.

The Minnesota State Patrol says Robert Gordon Johnson, 36 of Louisberg, was driving a pickup truck east on Highway 14 when he turned to go north on 60th Avenue NW and collided with the car driven by Matthew Steven Stensgard, 46 of Pine Island. The State Patrol says the crash happened in the westbound lanes.

Stensgard suffered what are described as non-life threatening injuries and was taken to St. Marys Hospital for treatment. Johnson was not hurt.

The Olmsted County Sheriffs Office assisted with this accident, which happened just after 7 am.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - This weekend, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is expecting close to half a million hunters statewide hoping to bring home a deer.

The firearm deer season goes from Nov. 6-14. In Iowa, the first shotgun season starts on Dec. 4.

This hunting season, a fatal deer disease is yet again adding another step to a hunter's routine.

Officials say there are around 120 deer in the state that are infected, and the DNR wants to remind hunters about certain hunting areas to get their deer sampled and tested for the disease to help limit its spread.

The state's Big Game Program Leader Barb Keller shares more.

"We do have mandatory sampling for chronic wasting disease for all deer that are harvested during both opening weekends of the firearms A season and the firearms B season," said Keller. "Just the opening weekends of those two seasons. Hunters are required to take their deer to a CWD station. That is just deer one year or older, you don't have to take a fawn if you happen to harvest a fawn. But they do need to do the work ahead of time to look at our regulations booklet."

There will be sampling stations with DNR staff to assist the hunters or self-service stations for those who do not want to be in crowded areas.
STEWARTVILLE, Minn.  There are more questions than answers after a large law enforcement response to a reported break-in Friday morning.

Around 4:30 am, the owner of a home in the 2000 block of Lark Lane NW in Stewartville reported hearing her ex on cameras inside her trailer. The woman was not at home at the time and said she could only hear her ex, not see him, but was getting texts from him that made her think he was in her home.

The Olmsted County Sheriffs Office says the man in question is well known to law enforcement from previous encounters. There were reports he might be armed and have outstanding warrants.

A perimeter was set up around the trailer and after issuing voice commands without getting a response, law enforcement sent a robot into the trailer just after 6 am and found no one inside.

The Sheriffs Office says no criminal charges have been filed, no one is in custody, and there is no probable cause currently to even say a burglary occurred.

The Rochester Police Department and Minnesota State Patrol assisted with this incident.
Jasper, TX (75951)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 74F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tryston Corbin, 19, is accused of murder in the Oct. 31, 2021 shooting death of Kaleeb Barnes.
Two Easy Ways To Subscribe!

The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper.

(Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription.
Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Cloudy. Periods of rain this morning. High 47F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 22F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star.
The Justice Department is suing Texas over new voting restrictions that the federal government says will disenfranchise eligible voters and violate federal voting rights law.




A group of people demand a swift investigation into Hana Bank in a protest in front of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, Thursday. Yonhap
gettyimagesbank



South Korea plans to partly lift restrictions on arrivals of migrant workers prompted by the pandemic later this month, as the country has begun to take steps to return to normalcy, the labor ministry said Friday.



The government will allow all entry of foreign workers from 16 countries that send labor force to the country under the Employment Permit System, including Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand and China, the ministry said during a regular COVID-19 response meeting held at the government complex in Seoul.



However, workers from Myanmar, the Philippines, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where the virus situation is bad, will be able to get visas only two weeks after getting vaccinated. They also have to have a negative result on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted at designated local hospitals within 72 hours before boarding a flight to South Korea.



Workers from the other 11 countries will be allowed into the country only if they submit a negative PCR test result, but they will be required to get COVID-19 vaccine jabs after arriving here.



All migrant workers, whether they are inoculated or not, must undergo 10 days of self-quarantine at state-operated facilities upon arriving in the country.



So far, South Korea has not issued visas to workers from Myanmar and the four countries struggling with COVID-19, and only allowed entry of a limited number of migrant workers from the other 11 countries amid the pandemic due to virus concerns.



Only those who tested negative on a PCR test have also been allowed here and have had to undergo a mandatory two-week self-quarantine.



These measures led to the number of migrant workers who entered South Korea plunging from an annual average of 50,000 before the pandemic to below 7,000 last year, according to the ministry.



Many small and medium-sized businesses here, as well as farms, have complained of manpower shortages due to the sharp drop in the number of migrant workers.



About 50,000 foreigners with work permits were waiting to enter the country as of last month due to the restrictions, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 46F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
OREGON CITY, Ore. (KPTV) - One person was hospitalized with serious injuries after a crash in Oregon City early Friday morning.

The crash occurred at about 12:11 a.m. in the 16100 block of South Clackamas River Drive, east of Riverside Park. The vehicle went off the side of an embankment, partially landing in the Clackamas River.

Clackamas Fire gets specialized rescue boat CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV)  A new Clackamas Fire boat is expected to help increase response capabilities on the waters.

Clackamas Fire said the driver was the only person in the car. The Swift Water Rescue Team used a boat to reach the driver and bring them to medical personnel.

The driver, a woman whose name has not been released, was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.

No additional information about the crash has been released at this time.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV)  Nearly 3,400 Kaiser Permanente workers from both Oregon and southwest Washington plan to walk out on strike Nov. 15.

The announcement came Thursday afternoon with the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, the union representing the workers, citing harmful proposals put forward by Kaiser leadership as the driving factor in the potential strike.

Kaiser, employees' union come to agreement, strike averted PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV)  A healthcare employee union and Kaiser Permanente reached an agreement on a new contract on Saturday, averting a possi

The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals is now informing Kaiser that unless negotiations improve, 3,400 members of the staff will be gone until further notice. Similarly, 32,000 other Kaiser workers plan to begin striking around the same date and an additional 8,000 are said to potentially follow shortly after across five states.

We hoped that simply authorizing the strike, holding rallies and other forms of collective worker and community action would push Kaiser to do the right thing, but they have continued to push proposals that would create dangerous conditions for patients and staff, says Jodi Barschow, a Kaiser Sunnyside RN and President of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. Striking is our last resort, but it is what we must do so that we can protect our patients, our workers, and our entire public healthcare system from the disastrous attack Kaiser leadership is staging.

The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals said the primary issues relate to lack of adequate staffing, described by the union as reaching crisis levels at Kaiser.

The union also said executives from the hospital have presented workers with offers of low wages and a two-tiered system, meaning new workers would make significantly less than their colleagues. Kaiser employees reportedly fear this would only accelerate the staffing crisis.

In a statement on Friday, Kaiser Senior Vice President of Human Resources Arlene Peasnall argued Kaiser is incredibly friendly to the labor unions.

"Our history and our future are deeply connected to organized labor. Labor unions have always played an important role in our efforts to provide more people with access to high-quality care and to make care more affordable," Peasnall wrote.

Peasnall added that Kaiser offered a 4 percent yearly increase in pay for workers to the national union, Alliance of Health Care Unions. Kaiser Permanente said this would be in addition to "market-leading" benefits and retirement programs.

"The challenge we are trying to address in partnership with our unions is the increasingly unaffordable cost of health care. And the fact is, wages and benefits account for half of Kaiser Permanentes operational costs," Peasnall said.

Despite negotiations, no deal has been reached. A recent showing of growing support for union members took place Sept. 28 when nearly 800 people rallied in front of Kaisers corporate office in Portland with union members joined by other organizations and supporters. Secretary of State Shemia Fagen led the rally, and 32 state legislators and senators issued a letter of support for the union workers.

The Oregon Nurses Association, another nurses union representing over 15,000 health professionals in Oregon, recently announced that their members will respect the picket line and will not act as replacement workers for Kaiser.
The minor child has been located and is with law enforcement in Elko Co Nevada. An arrest warrant has been served on the party believed to have kidnapped the minor child. Read more
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce says it opposes the guidelines for federal vaccine mandates after the Biden administration announced the official deadline Thursday.

The White House announced some health care workers, federal contractors, and employees at large businesses must be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or get tested weekly. The Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement the rules and outline enforcement. According to OSHAs proposed new rules, if companies fail to comply, they could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

Chamber staff said they believe this decision should be up to employers, not mandated by the federal government.

"Everybodys workspace is different and so it could be different for every employer and they should have the right to decide whats right for themselves and their employees, said Kristie Arthur, Director of Workforce Development of the St. Joseph Chamber.

Arthur said the Chamber has been reaching out to state and federal officials with local businesses concerns. She said because the workforce is tight right now, businesses are worried this could make things worse.

"We are relaying that information to the officials of the U.S. Government and the state and how employers are feeling about the tight turnaround and the mandate. They do believe that they will lose some employees, she said.

The organizations stance echoes the Missouri Chamber of Commerces position. The state association released a statement Thursday in firm opposition to the OSHA rules and said, The Missouri Chamber has always taken a stance against attempts to place new government mandates on employers.

The statement goes on to say that while the state Chamber opposes mandates, it still strongly encourages vaccination.

We need more Missourians to get vaccinated so that we can put this pandemic behind us for good, said Daniel P. Mehan, President/CEO of the Missouri Chamber.

The Missouri Attorney General, Eric Schmitt also announced his opposition to the rules announced Thursday. He said he will file a lawsuit to stop the new requirements from going into effect.

However, the White House appears undeterred. In response to reporter questions about legal challenges to the rules, Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said they believed it was within the Presidents power to make this decision.

We're pretty confident the administration clearly has the authority to protect workers and actions announced by the president are designed to save lives and stop the spread of COVID. The DOJ will be defining these laws, said Jean-Pierre.
(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) Missouri elected officials reacted to the federal vaccine mandate.

Missouri's Attorney General says he will file a lawsuit today in an attempt to block the federal vaccine mandate for private employers.

The new vaccination deadline is January 4.

Following the announcement, Eric Schmitt said he will sue once OSHA's emergency temporary standard for the vaccine is published.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson took to twitter Thursday, saying that he stands with concerned Missourians and will do all he can to stop the federal Covid-19 mandates.

Parson also shared an image of his executive order fighting president Biden's federal vaccine mandates.

Missouri representative Sam Graves also pushed back on president Biden's vaccine mandates.

Graves released a statement saying no American should have to choose between getting a Covid-19 vaccine and putting food on the table.

Adding that it's a personal decision and not a politician's decision.
CROW AGENCY, Mont.  Our neighbors living on the Crow Reservation seem to have something that's becoming increasingly more common and concerning: a dwindling number of Crow people who can speak the Crow language.

In the 1960s, 85% of the Crow population spoke the Crow language. Today, that number sits at less than 20%.

But an idea that sparked six years ago in 2015 is hoping to breathe new life into the Crow language.

Thanks to a federal grant, The Language Conservancy, a non-profit based in Indiana, began the long and arduous process of creating a Crow language app with help from numerous fluent Crow speakers.

One driving force behind the app is Bob Rugh. He asks, without language, how can culture survive?

"All the novels that I love, all of the films that I love, the newspapers that I read  what if some took all that away from you? You know, your life would be empty," Rugh said.

Roanne Hill is the Crow language and culture teacher at St. Labre Indian School here in Montana. She, too, is heavily involved in the development of the Crow language app.

"Now we have books, we have one, two, three books. The online dictionary is available, and I've really noticed a change, even on things like Facebook or some of those social media websites, where I can tell when people are using it because I've seen a whole level of accuracy in Crow language being written, and it's really awesome," she said.

And it was Hill who ignited a fire in Jacob Brien, drawing his interest in the Crow language when he was a high school freshman.

Brien is now in his sophomore year at Rocky Mountain College in Billings.

Even though he grew up on the Crow Reservation, he didn't learn the language. But now, with the Crow language Conservancy app, which he also helped develop, he says he hopes to be a Crow linguist in just a few years and teach young members of the tribe how to speak their own language.

Brien blames the loss of the language on the Indian effort to assimilate into an English-speaking society.

"I feel like that's why we're in the place we are now because a lot of people, they learned English at school, whether they chose to or were forced to. Then they go off to college and then they have a job where they speak English. There's no net for Crow speakers," he said. "There's no place where Crow speakers can go and work and speak Crow language. There's no foundation for that. English is the money-making language, and we need money to survive."

The Language Conservancy, which is dedicated to saving Indigenous languages, recently donated Crow books to the Billings Public Library, hoping to stoke more interest in the language.

According to Hill, in order to teach effectively, you have to go to the platforms used by learners. For younger folks, they now have access to the app on their phones, but Hill is excited that a printed Crow dictionary will be coming out early next year.

You can visit the Crow dictionary right now online by clicking here.

If you would like to download the Crow language app for Apple, you can do so by clicking here. It is also available for Android here.
HELENA, Mont. - Montana Governor, Greg Gianforte, and Wyoming Governor, Mark Gordon gave statements Friday after a lawsuit was filed by several state attorneys general and employees looking to block a recently announced vaccine mandate for private employers.

The following is Governor Gianfortes statement:

President Bidens heavy-handed vaccine mandate is illegal in Montana, and I stand with Montana employers and Attorney General Knudsen as he joins other states to challenge the presidents unlawful overreach, Gov. Gianforte said. Not only does President Bidens mandate violate Montana law banning vaccine-based discrimination, but also it will further strain Montana employers already facing a worker shortage. We will use all tools at our disposal to protect Montanans against this gross, unprecedented federal overreach.

The following is Governor Gordons statement:

These legal actions are essential to stopping the unconstitutional mandates from the Biden Administration. This is a result of the hard work by our Attorney General. I thank General Hill and her team for their efforts to protect the rights of Wyoming citizens and her industries. We have been preparing for this battle and, as promised, we are now joined in the fight to protect our civil liberties. Rest assured I am committed to using every tool possible to oppose these unlawful federal policies.
HELENA, Mont. - Following the announcement of OSHAs COVID mandate, the Montana Chamber of Commerce says they are evaluating the impact of the rule when paired against Montanas recently passed vaccine law.

The mandate would give a Jan. 4, 2022 deadline for all businesses that have at least 100 employees to require COVID vaccinations or weekly tests for their employees.

Tens of thousands of employees in Montana would be affected by the new mandate, and employees who are unvaccinated will be required to produce negative tests weekly, submit their negative test each week, and remain masked at their workplace at all times.

The Montana Chamber said they and other business groups are evaluating the practical impact of the OSHA rule when paired with Montanas HB 702, legislation passed in 2021 that prohibits discrimination based on vaccination status.

"President Biden's vaccine mandate will create a devastating blow to our economic recovery efforts and puts Montana businesses at a competitive disadvantage with businesses that are not subject to the arbitrary 100-employee count, Montana Chamber President and CEO Todd O'Hair said in a statement. The Chamber continues to be a strong advocate for vaccination to control the spread of the virus, but not carried on the backs of business. The recent filing of the OSHA emergency temporary standard that requires certain employers to mandate vaccines or testing is an attack on employers' rights."

A special briefing is being held by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in response to the announcement on Friday, at 12:30 p.m. MT. You can register for the special briefing online here.
GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - A person died following a crash that happened after a pursuit with law enforcement off Interstate-80 near Rock Springs, Wyoming Wednesday, law enforcement said.

A release from the Wyoming Highway Patrol said troopers stopped a driver for a traffic infraction at mile-marker 80 on Interstate-80. After talking briefly talking with troopers, WHP said the driver tried to get back in the vehicle. Troopers tried to stop the vehicle from fleeing but were not able to.

WHP said a pursuit began as the driver was traveling east on Interstate-80 going speeds of up to 120 miles-per-hour towards Rock Springs.

Troopers were able to pop the vehicle's tires with spike strips near mile-marker 97.

However, WHP said the driver kept driving and rear ended a belly dump combination commercial vehicle while driving fast after getting off the interstate at Exit 99.

The driver of the pursued vehicle was pronounced dead due to injuries from the crash, WHP said, but the commercial vehicle driver was not injured.

WHP said the pursued vehicle had 83-pounds of marijuana inside of it.

WHP is not identifying the driver at this time pending family notification.

The investigation remains ongoing.
BILLINGS  With new federal rules on COVID vaccines, officials at Billings Clinic say the guidelines will help make the hospital a safer place.

Under the mandate, officials have to vaccinate all their staff, and medical facilities that don't follow the rules could miss out on some major funding.

"Vaccination is the fastest and most effective way to get through this pandemic we are in. Federal rule does override the state rule," Human Resources Officer Jonathan McDermott said.

New federal rules state companies with over 100 employees must vaccinate all workers against COVID.

Here in Montana, HB 702 bans vaccine requirements for employees, but the hospital says that doesn't matter; They must follow the federal laws.

When it comes to Medicare and Medicaid funding, Billings Clinic gets over half of its revenue from those programs. If they chose not comply with the vaccine mandate, they would lose that funding.

"The way the rule is written, we would not be able to participate in those programs if we did not follow these rules," McDermott said.

But there are exemptions, and because of that, Billings Clinic anticipates the rules will have a minimal impact on them.

"The ability, one, to have medical and religious exemptions, as well as that most of our employees have already been vaccinated," McDermott said.

Over two-thirds of employees at the clinic already have their shots. But there are some key deadlines. Workers have to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022, and get their first dose of the vaccine by Dec. 5.

"December fifth is the first date where the first dose needs to have taken place because there are several doses, depending on the vaccine you get," McDermott said.

The OSHA rules also say companies have to give employees up to four hours of paid time to get each vaccine dose.

Employees are required to stay home if they get COVID, even if they are vaccinated.
BILLINGS  A man, accused of injuring four people with a knife inside and around Jake's Downtown in Billings Wednesday afternoon, faces seven criminal charges.

Brandon Eugene Bird is charged with two Felony counts of Robbery, three Felony counts of Assault with a Weapon and one Misdemeanor count of Resisting Arrest.

According to court documents, officers were dispatched to Jake's restaurant, located at 270 1st Avenue North, on Nov. 3 for report of an ex-employee armed with a knife and causing a disturbance.

Police say they arrived to find people in shock and hysteria. Court documents show one woman told them there was a man in the kitchen area stabbing people.

Officers went into the kitchen and say they saw two men covered in blood on top of Bird, the defendant. One of the men was identified as BPD Detective David Raschkow.

Police say Bird was actively resisting arrest and refused to remove his arms from under his body. Other people in the kitchen told police Bird still had a knife under him.

An officer helped Bird remove his hands from under his body, and Detective Raschkow put Bird in handcuffs.

There were reportedly two knives on the ground and people in the kitchen told police that Bird used them during the assault.

Bird was then walked out to a patrol car, actively bleeding from one of his hands and yelling incoherently, police say.

In an interview with Billings Police, one of the employees, J.C., who worked with Bird at the restaurant told police they and Bird had gotten into an altercation the day before. The general manager of Jake's, T.S., then fired Bird.

Court documents show while working on Wednesday, another employee told J.C. that Bird was at the restaurant wielding two knives and demanding money from people. J.C. says he heard Bird yell, "Gimme all your money!"

According to court records

Bird then entered the kitchen and started stabbing one of the three employees, so J.C. started throwing dishes at Bird to make him stop. Birds accused of then swinging the knives at J.C., who received a cut on his finger.

J.C. told officers he was in fear for his life and the lives of the others at the restaurant while all this was happening.

T.S. told officers in an interview he fired Bird on Nov. 3 a few hours before he heard Bird back in the restaurant yelling.

T.S. also said he saw Bird with two knives, yelled at him, and was able to direct him to the alley. Two other employees came into the alley to help T.S.

T.S. said he yelled at the employees to shut and lock the door, but Bird followed them into the kitchen and stabbed two employees.

On scene, officers spoke with a witness who said she was standing in the alley west of the restaurant when she saw plates being thrown from the back door.

She said she saw a man run through the back door, followed by Bird who had two knives in his hands. Bird then lost a shoe and stopped to put it back on before he turned to the woman and demanded money.

According to police, the woman told Bird she didn't have any money and he stabbed her with one of the knives. Bird then turned to chase after the other man again.

Officers say three employees had to be taken to local hospitals for treatment but will be okay.

Bird is currently being held at the Department of Corrections on revoked sentences out of Missoula County cases for Criminal Mischief and Robbery.
UPDATE NOV. 5 AT 1:56 PM:

Senator Steve Daines gave a statement Friday after receiving a response from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Mayorkas response was to a letter sent by Daines asking for answers about an Afghan evacuee who was arrested in Missoula, and the vetting process for all Afghan evacuees placed in the country as a result of Bidens withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In the response, Mayorkas outlined the vetting process and said Zabihullah Mohmand completed the rigorous and multi-layered screening and vetting process at an international transit point and again at a U.S. port of entry.

Prior to being granted entry into the United States, no derogatory information, including a criminal record, was identified, Mayorkas wrote. If the evacuee is convicted of or pleads guilty to the criminal charge for which he was arrested in Montana, or if he is otherwise determined to have violated a condition of parole or be a threat to public safety, he will be placed in removal proceedings.

Senator Daines issued the following statement regarding the response from Mayorkas:

Once again, DHS offers little detail and leaves many questions unanswered. This is unacceptable. Im very concerned that the vetting process that allowed Zabihullah Mohmand into our country is not following federal law and has resulted in dangerous situations for our communities. As the fallout of Bidens disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan continues, we must get detailed answers on who is being brought into our country and why. I will continue to demand thorough responses from DHS for the sake of our Montana families and communities, Daines said.

You can read the full letter from Secretary Mayorkas to Senator Daines here.

Previous coverage

HELENA, Mont.  The Departments of Homeland Security and State confirmed an Afghan evacuee charged with rape in Missoula cleared a rigorous screening and vetting process before he was relocated to Montana.

A letter sent from those departments to U.S. Senator Jon Tester outlines the vetting process for evacuees from Afghanistan, including the specific process for 19-year-old Zabihullah Mohmand.

Mohmand was arrested in Missoula on October 17 for sexual intercourse without consent. The victim told police Mohmand told her he was visiting from Afghanistan.

According to the letter shared by Sen. Testers office, This evacuee completed the rigorous and multi-layered screening and vetting processat an international transit point and again at a U.S. port of entry. Prior to being granted entry into the United States, no derogatory information, including a criminal record, was identified.

The letter goes on to say that if Mohmand is convicted or pleads guilty to the sexual intercourse without consent charge, he will be placed in removal proceedings.

During a court appearance in Missoula on Thursday, Mohmand pleaded not guilty to a the felony charge. His next court appearance is set for December. He remains in custody at the Missoula County Detention Center.

The following in the letter to Sen. Tester from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State:
MISSOULA, Mont. - The new Netflix show 'Maid' is putting Missoula on the map.

The show is based off the memoir with the same name by author Stephanie Land who got out of an emotionally abusive relationship herself while working as a maid in western Washington.

She made Missoula her destination to get an education and rebuild her life with her young daughter.

The ending shot to the series shows Stephanie Land's character and her daughter looking over Missoula where she is about to start school and become the writer who produces a best-selling book and one of the most popular Netflix dramas on right now.

However, there's more to the story because Land is now giving back to Missoula women who feel the isolation she once felt.

"I started writing for that one person who was staying up late at night and looking for some kind of sign that they weren't alone," Land said.

She wrote a story of a mom's grit, dealing with government programs and underpaying jobs.

"I really think there's a lot of power there in just being vulnerable with each other, because that's where empathy comes from and that's how we build compassion," Land said.

Compassion is what Land is now sharing with other moms.

She teamed up with the bookstore Fact and Fiction to sign copies and raise money for Mountain Home, a local group home for young moms and their kids.

Bookstore Owner Mara Panich said they can't keep books on shelves.

"I think it's a reflection of that people all over care and this voice is raising out of Missoula," Panich said.

Now, the book's success is making a difference right here at home.

"We're just a small community bookstore," Panich said. "When books well 12, 20, 40 copies, we're excited and I think we're pushing 800 copies at this point."

Books continue to be ordered every couple of minutes and despite the global attention, Land cherishes Missoula the most.

"I love the support that the community is bringing, especially to Fact and Fiction and to Mountain Home," Land said. "It just warms my heart and keeps me going."

This week, Land is donating 100 books to the store where 100% of the profits will go to Mountain Home Missoula.

To order a signed copy of 'Maid' from Fact and Fiction, click here.
Have you seen the proposed redistricting maps for New Hampshire? What do you think of the plans?
EAU CLAIRE  The Wisconsin Department of Justice said it is investigating Eau Claire police shooting to death a man who stabbed and seriously injured a woman.

The DOJ said officers responded to a 911 call of a person breaking into a residence in Eau Claire about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday. The caller said someone had broken in and was armed with a knife.

The man stabbed a woman in the home, leaving her with serious injuries, state officials said. Two Eau Claire police officers entered the residence and encountered the intruder. Authorities say one officer shot the man, who died at the scene.

Police say the woman was transported to a local hospital, then airlifted to a regional medical facility. Her condition was not available. No officers were injured during the intrusion, the Leader-Telegram reported. Police say the man who was fatally shot was 30 years old and has not been identified.

The two veteran Eau Claire officers involved are on administrative leave per protocol as DOJ investigates and turns its findings over to the Eau Claire County District Attorney's Office.
Lee Enterprises will be carrying a live blog of events in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, which began with jury selection Monday and opening statements Tuesday.

Rittenhouse, 18, shot two people and wounded a third during a night of unrest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020. His attorneys contend he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors have portrayed him as an instigator.

Lee Enterprises/Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith is reporting from inside the Kenosha County Courthouse, with reporting on this page augmented by remote staff.

More coverage:

4:29 p.m.: Moretti testimony concludes. Trial over for the week.

4:17 p.m.: Moretti, like many others, described the area as "like a warzone," as cross-examination begins.

3:57 p.m.: Officer Van Wie steps down from the witness stand. Now up is Officer Pep Moretti, who was on patrol night of shootings.

Moretti said in responding to shootings, he and his partner only had handguns and "were not equipped" to go into what they believed to be an "active shooter" situation. So, Moretti pulled the squad car to the side, allowing armored vehicles to move closer to the scenes of the shootings.

Moretti said he saw Rittenhouse running toward the officers' vehicles. "He was approaching us." Moretti and partner "gave him multiple commands to get out of the roadway" by yelling out through the window. Moretti said it didn't occur to him at the time that Rittenhouse was trying to surrender. "I've never in my career had somebody put their hands up but continue to advance and not obey orders and continue to advance on us."

Moretti's partner "deployed pepper spray" at Rittenhouse when he continued to not follow orders and walk up to the vehicle; Moretti says he may have pointed his firearm at Rittenhouse but can't recall exactly, other than remembering he did pull his firearm.

Moretti believes there were "more people armed than not" throughout the civil unrest. "I probably talked to more people that had pistols and weapons and baseball bats and whatnot." Moretti said he and his partner told everyone they encountered and talked to "to go home."

Moretti says that an officer down call went out after the shootings, but it ended up being false. The hospital was going into lockdown soon after shootings.

Moretti said he was one of the ones who put Rosenbaum into a body bag and brought his body to the hospital morgue.

The body armor Moretti was wearing, he says, would not have been able to sustain a rifle round. Moretti said a full-metal jacket round would go through his body armor "like he was wearing nothing."

Moretti testifies he was unable to hear people yelling that Rittenhouse had "just shot them." Moretti adds that he saw Rittenhouse "manipulate" his rifle twice as he walked up, increasing their fear he may mean them harm. A voice is heard in video yelling "Get out of the road!" to Rittenhouse, whose hands are up; Moretti said the person yelling is either himself or his partner  they both were yelling, so Moretti can't tell who is yelling at which moment.

3:53 p.m.: Cross-examination begins on Van Wie. Officer confirms he "didn't know much" about the case when he swabbed it for DNA, and that Van Wie is the one who decided where to swab. Van Wie says he was never told to swab more parts of the gun, such as the barrel of the gun that the defense has implied Rosenbaum may have grabbed hold of.

The swabbing was done on Aug. 26, the day after the shootings, Van Wie said.

3:41 p.m.: Weidner testimony concludes. Kenosha Officer Jeffrey Van Wie now on the stand. He's been with the KPD for 18 years.

He processed and secured evidence from Rittenhouse shootings.

Van Wie says the caliber of the 22 unfired bullets inside Rittenhouse's gun were .223 and were of multiple different brands.

3:22 p.m.: Called to the stand is Erich Weidner. He is a Kenosha Police officer, testifying in his police uniform. He's been a cop for more than 20 years. He was working the night of the shootings.

3:21 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri's testimony ends.

2:54 p.m.: Cross-examination begins.

Sam testifies Car Source was insured. Sam says he didn't give anyone permission to be on property; Dominick Black said the opposite when he testified Tuesday.

As Car Source was burning the night before the Rittenhouse shootings, Sam says he didn't ask anyone to help put out fires other than calling 911.

Defense brings up statement Sam reportedly made to police on Sept. 11. Sam said Rittenhouse had "offered to help and fundraise" for your business.

Sam testifies he never gave a ladder to anyone to get on the roof of Car Source.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi is clearly frustrated with the witness. The defense has been arguing that Rittenhouse and others were explicitly asked to defend Car Source property, which the Khindris are denying.

When Chirafisi asks if the family that runs Car Source was "resigned" to let destruction happen for another night the night of Aug. 25, Sam replies "After seeing the destruction, there's nothing I could do."

Sam says he can't answer many of the questions, that he doesn't remember how many cars were burned, how much was lost in terms of money, that he doesn't remember interviews he gave to news outlets. "I'm sorry, it's been over a year," he says.

Sam's father, the owner of Car Source, "does not speak much English."

2:30 p.m.: Break.

2:07 p.m.: Anmol "Sam" Khindri called to the stand. He is Car Source's inventory manager. Car Source, and the associated Car Doctor, are owned by his dad.

Sam says he didn't talk to anyone asking them to protect Car Source, including Kyle Rittenhouse. After that is confirmed, the text message shown earlier is shown again. Prosecutor asks Sam if he'd seen the message before, to which Sam replies "it was the day after the shooting." Sam says he never replied to the message.

The timestamp on the message was 3:02 p.m. and appears to have been sent on the day of the shootings.

Sam identifies one of the men in the photo that includes his brother and Car Source's ex-detailer, identified as "Nick Smith," who had not worked for the business for some time.

Sam says he talked to Rittenhouse at the burned up Car Source lot earlier in the day. Sam says he recalls Rittenhouse talking about potential fundraising opportunities. Sam says he gave his phone number to Rittenhouse, as he did to many others the day of.

Sam says he doesn't recall asking anybody to protect Car Source locations, including Rittenhouse. Sam says he didn't give keys to anyone so they could get into the buildings. Sam says he didn't give permission to anyone to go inside any of the Car Source buildings or give permission to protect them.

Prosecutor asks if Sam was aware that armed men "took it on themselves" to guard Car Source, and Sam says he wasn't. He says he didn't know about it until he saw it on the news the next day.

1:59 p.m.: A text message is shown from someone identifying themself as "Kyle" to Khindri's brother offering to protect business. Kyle offered to be there armed with his brother; Kyle Rittenhouse considers Dominick Black, who admitted to having bought the AR-15 for Rittenhouse, his brother.

Khindri is asked why he was in the photo with the armed people, Khindri said he was the one who requested the photo. He said he'd never seen anything like it, other than "on TV."

Khindri said the armed people said they were there to "protect Kenosha" but doesn't recall them saying they were there to protect Car Source specifically.

1:43 p.m.: Former Car Source employee Sahil "Sal" Khindri, who owns the Car Planet dealership in Milwaukee and whose families runs Car Source, called to testify.

He testifies that he never has spoken with Rittenhouse or met him. He said he never personally asked for Rittenhouse to protect the family's businesses. But he did posed with armed men outside Car Source, including Rittenhouse and Ryan Balch.

On cross-examination, defense asks Khindri if he asked them to leave. Khindri responds by noting the guns the group had. Khindri said that Balch "got dressed" in front of me, "putting on the fancy shoes." Defense asks "You didn't think they were there to harm you?" and Khindri confirmed he didn't feel threatened. One of the people there, Khindri said, is or was an employee of his brother who helps run Car Source.

Khindri confirms that the armed people wouldn't have been able to get into the buildings unless a current employee allowed them in.

Khindri said he recalls there was no conversation between him and the armed people asking them to protect the businesses, but that Khindri's brother might have had such a conversation.

1:39 p.m.: Swart is dismissed.

1:28 p.m.: Swart to be questioned regarding the medications her fiance was taking and prescribed prior to his death. "I only know some of them. I don't know all of them," Swart says of Rosenbaum's medications. She says they were for "bipolar disorder" and that he was on an "anti-depressant" and "something for sleep." She confirms Rosenbaum was taking gabapentin for bipolar disorder, per her recollection. She recalls Rosenbaum also taking Effexor and Seroquel.

Judge Schroeder says prosecution "did open the door" to questioning on Rosenbaum's medications.

Swart says Rosenbaum was on the same medications for "the whole year I was with him."

1:22 p.m.: Cross-examination of Swart paused before it begins. Jury being taken out of the room so lawyers can openly discuss something related to a line of inquiry the defense wants to pursue.

1:03 p.m.: Now on the witness stand is Kariann Swart, who said that Joseph Rosenbaum is her fiance. She's an Illinois native.

They got to know one another while homeless and started a romantic relationship within a few days of meeting. "He was a very animated person," she says of him.

Swart says Rosenbaum is from Waco, Texas, but moved up to Kenosha to be with his then-girlfriend and child.

Swart says when she got the call from the Medical Examiner at around 4 a.m. that Rosenbaum was dead "I fell to my knees and cried." She then opened up Facebook on her phone and saw the video of her fiance being killed. "I can't get that image out of my head."

12:58 p.m.: Jury called back into room.

A couple questions of Huber's aunt, then she steps down at 1:02 p.m.

12:45 p.m.: After lunch break, trial resumes.

Discussion for about 13 minutes over bringing in history on Anthony Huber's character.

11:04 a.m.: Amber Rasmussen with the State Crime Lab testifying.

She testifies that Huber's DNA was not found on Rittenhouse's gun, but that doesn't mean he didn't touch it.

11 a.m.: Lackowski testified he encountered Rosenbaum earlier in the night, described him as shouting "shoot me, shoot me" and making aggressive moves toward people, but said he did not find him threatening.

"And if I threaten to kill you that night and Im running at you and try to take your gun?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked Lackowski, describing what the defense says was Rosenbaum's behavior before Rittenhouse shot him. "A threat to my life, yes," he answered

After a state crime lab DNA analyst, next witness up will be Susan Hughes, Anthony Huber's aunt.

She testifies that she was close with Anthony Huber and saw him frequently, including on the day of his death. When prosecutor James Kraus asks her if she was surprised that Huber would "run toward danger" defense objects, setting off a legal argument. State argues for their ability to provide evidence to rebut the idea that Huber was the first aggressor. In his opening statement, defense attorney Richard accused Huber of trying to decapitate Rittenhouse with his skateboard. The state's view is that Huber, Grosskreutz and others believed Rittenhouse, who had just killed Rosenbaum, was an active shooter when they tried to stop him. "The state frankly believes that Mr. Huber is a hero," Kraus said.

Judge Schroeder appears to take the defense's view that the aunt should not be allowed to testify on the issue, but said he will make a decision after the lunch break.

10:26 a.m.: Break

9:30 a.m.: Before testimony begins for the day, another juror is dismissed at her request. The juror requested the dismissal for medical reasons, and attorneys for both sides did not object.

Prosecutor Thomas Binger also lets Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder know that he was captured on a live mic during one of the breaks in proceedings the day before. Schroeder acknowledges that he had remarked on the length of the proceedings, and there has been communication with video pool provider CourtTV about avoiding this in the future.

Binger then begins questioning of Jason Lackowski of Green Bay, who is identified as a Marine, who was one of the armed individuals with Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020.

Lackowski says he came to the city to protect property. Asked by Binger how he planned to do that, he says he was trained to "shout, shove, show (a firearm) and shoot."

Seconds after the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, video shows Lackowski encountered Rittenhouse; he said Rittenhouse looked "frazzled, shocked," and said he did not shoot anybody. Lackowski told Rittenhouse to run to the police.

Lackowski testified he was the one who provided the tourniquet that was applied to Gaige Grosskreutz.

Lackowski said that people at the scene after the shootings suspected he had been the person who shot others because he was holding an AR-15 and was wearing a shirt of similar color to the one Rittenhouse was wearing.

Lackowski said he gave some medical supplies to Rittenhouse earlier in the night, including "quick clot"  medical gauze used to stop severe bleeding.

Lackowski said soon after the first shooting, he "blacked out" due to the stress of the situation. "The lights on, nobody's home."

Lackowski testifies that he emptied the magazine and chamber of the handgun Gaige Grosskreutz had been holding when he was shot by Rittenhouse. As such, the gun was ready to fire when Grosskreutz was shot, according to Lackowski.

Defense Attorney Corey Chirafisi confirms that Lackowski was never directly threatened or "ambushed" by anyone that night, a point the defense is making in its argument that Rittenhouse had reason to shoot others.

Lackowski said that he drove his car to Kenosha that night. When he went to drive home, he said he found his windshield and rear window were smashed in.

9 a.m. Witness testimony is set to continue this morning in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.

Jurors on Thursday heard from witnesses who testified that rapid sequence in which Rittenhouse shot three men was set off by the confrontational behavior of the first man, who threatened to kill Rittenhouse and others in his group and later grabbed for the 17-year-old's weapon right before he was shot.

The testimony came from two witnesses who were called to the stand by the prosecution but gave accounts often more favorable to the defense in the politically polarizing case.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is charged with shooting three men, two of them fatally, in the summer of 2020. The onetime youth police cadet from Antioch, Illinois, had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from violent protests that broke out over the police shooting of a Black man.

Richie McGinniss, who was recording events on a cellphone that night for the conservative website The Daily Caller, testified that Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man shot that night, was killed after chasing down Rittenhouse and making a lunge for the gun.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, McGinniss said.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman who carried an AR-style rifle that night and walked around patrolling the streets with Rittenhouse, testified that Rosenbaum was hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner, including trying to set fires and throwing rocks.

Balch said he got between Rosenbaum and another man while Rosenbaum was trying to start a fire, and Rosenbaum got angry, shouting, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight Im going to f- kill you!

Balch said that Rittenhouse was within earshot and that he believed the threat was aimed at both of them.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed, while his lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse had reason to fear his weapon would be taken away and used against him.

The killing of Rosenbaum, 36, has emerged as one of the most crucial and disputed moments of the night. It is one of the few moments not clearly captured on video.

The shooting of Rosenbaum set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later. Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard.

Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, a protester from West Allis, Wisconsin, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward Rittenhouse.

Prosecutors replayed widely seen video of the interview that The Daily Caller did with Rittenhouse before the shooting.

It began with Rittenhouse in front of a boarded-up building, where he said he and other men were there to protect this business, and part of my job is theres somebody hurt, Im running into harms way. He also said he was there to provide medical aid.

Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted.  Associated Press
Rev. Kathy Brumbaugh discusses what it means to trust in God's timing as we wait for his answer to our prayers  whatever it may be.
A new report from the National Young Farmers Coalition. found that young farmers need more on-farm training opportunities, better access to capital, and greater knowledge about government programs.
Jaisalmer (Raj), Nov 5 (PTI) A woman was killed and two children were injured following an explosion while crushing potash in a village here, police said on Friday.

Kamla Meghwal (50), died in the incident that occurred late on Thursday at Didhu village, they said.

Also Read | Gurugram: Ex-Sarpanchs Family Attacked, 2 Shot Dead, 4 Injured.

She sustained critical injuries and was referred to a hospital in Jodhpur but died during treatment, police said.

The relationship between Meghwal and the two children is not known.

Also Read | Mumbai Man Duped Of Rs 3.45 Lakh By Cyber Fraudsters While Buying Liquor Online; Case Registered.

Potash contains Potassium.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing [China], November 5 (ANI): Beijing on Wednesday slammed Washington after US officials refused entry to many students and visiting fellows who had valid visas but were linked to military institutions.

The remarks came from Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin who said that nearly 30 students and visiting scholars were repatriated following interrogation in August 2021, despite holding visas to enter the US, Radio Free Asia reported.

Also Read | Alpha COVID-19 Variant Detected in Dogs, Cats With Severe Myocarditis: UK Scientists.

"In August 2021 alone, nearly 30 Chinese students and visiting fellows to the US suffered similar unjust treatment, with many more reporting rough handling during harassment, interrogation, and searches," Wang told a regular news briefing in Beijing.

"Many of them were asked questions like if they or their parents are members of the Communist Party of China, and if they had been assigned any task by the Chinese government prior to their departure," Wenbin added.

Also Read | Australia's Northern Territory Plunged Into Lockdown on 1st Community Case.

The spokesperson also said that some law enforcement departments and agents continue to recklessly stretch the concept of national security to wantonly harass Chinese students and scholars in an attempt to produce a chilling effect among Chinese personnel pursuing studies in the US.

"Such practices deviate from the mutually beneficial and win-win nature of China-US people-to-people and cultural exchanges," he added.

Earlier in 2020, President Trump had issued an executive order, accusing Beijing of engaging in "a wide-ranging and heavily resourced campaign to acquire sensitive US technologies and intellectual property, in part to bolster the modernisation and capability of its military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA)."

"The [Chinese] authorities use some Chinese students, mostly post-graduate students and post-doctorate researchers, to operate as non-traditional collectors of intellectual property," the order said.

In other recent developments, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has witnessed a 1,300 per cent jump in China-linked economic espionage cases over the past decade, the Pentagon said in a report released on Wednesday.

The Pentagon's report titled Military and Security Development Involving the People's Republic of China, 2021, said that the FBI in 2020 opened a new China-related counterintelligence case about every 10 hours. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lahore [Pakistan], November 5 (ANI): In the wake of violent protests of the proscribed group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the Punjab government has transferred 30 officers in a clean sweep of Lahore police commanders, local media reported on Friday.

According to The News International, there were rumours about another major reshuffle in the Punjab Police over very poor management of violent protests and long march by the TLP and the Punjab chief minister interviewed three officers for the slot of CCPO on Wednesday.

Also Read | Australia's Northern Territory Plunged Into Lockdown on 1st Community Case.

Senior officers of Lahore, Gujranwala and Sheikhupura Police were under criticism after the TLP long march and riots which led to 3 cops dead and injuries to over 70 officials. The Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and the Law minister held several meetings with the IGP and finalized the names of officers for immediate removal, The News International reported.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister on Thursday granted the initial approval to the summary sent to him for the revocation of the TLP's proscribed status.

Also Read | IMF Welcomes Indias Announcement at COP26 Summit on Renewables, Net Zero Target by 2070.

This comes after several weeks of clashes with banned Islamist group, TLP and Imran Khan government on last Sunday reached an agreement.

Punjab home department sent a summary to CM Usman Buzdar for removal of TLP's proscribed status, reported Geo News.

After granting preliminary approval to the summary, the CM has now sent it to the Federal Cabinet to take a final decision regarding the matter through circulation, sources said.

The cabinet wing of the services department has now sent the summary to all the ministers of the province for their signatures, while sources added that the summary needs the support of at least 18 ministers to be approved.

As per the rules, if no reply is received within three days, the summary will be considered approved, reported Geo News. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Peshawar [Pakistan], November 5 (ANI): Acting interior minister in the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Sirajuddin Haqqani is reportedly playing a role of a mediator between Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to reach a "broader" "peace agreement" to bring an end to the two-decades of militancy in Pakistan, local media reported.

Pakistan has reached a possible understanding with the TTP after the "direct, face-to-face" talks between the two sides that are being held in South-western Khost province of Afghanistan for almost two weeks, reported Dawn citing the sources.

Also Read | AstraZeneca Withdraws Application for Approval of Its COVID-19 Vaccine in Switzerland.

However, it is not clear who on the Pakistan side is negotiating with the TTP.

The understanding includes the declaration of a nationwide truce and the release of some TTP terrorists based on certain conditions, as part of confidence-building measures.

Also Read | China Tightens Border Control To Prevent Import of COVID-19 Cases.

However, the TTP has yet not confirmed or denied the possible understanding reached between the two sides.

The number of terrorists who are to be released was not clear, however, the newspaper reported citing the sources that the number of such terrorists would not be more than two dozen.

"These are foot soldiers (terrorists), not senior or mid-level commanders. We are testing the ground. We are cautious. The truce will come into effect once the prisoners are released," Dawn quoted the sources as saying.

"Talks are being held directly between senior officers and senior TTP leadership. The TTP includes all groups without exception. There are several proposals on the table and both sides are working to hammer out a workable solution," Dawn quoted the source as saying.

However, Dawn reported citing the source that it is clear that no tribal intermediaries were being engaged in talks with the TTP leadership at the moment.

The strong resurgence of Pakistani Taliban's terror activities soon after the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan is raising new concerns about Pakistan's overall stability, including the security of its nuclear arsenal, said a Canada-based think tank.

According to an article in International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS), Pakistan efforts to pressurise the Taliban to ensure that the TTP is not allowed any sanctuary in Afghanistan, have failed to yield any visible results.

In recent times, the Pakistani Taliban has carried out multiple attacks in Pakistan.

A ceasefire between Pakistan's government and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced on October 1 has fallen apart in days as fears rise about the al Qaeda-linked group's true agenda, the think tank said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Several devotees visited Swaminarayan Temple in Vadodara on Friday to offer their prayers on the first day of Gujarati New Year. According to a temple official, around 22,000 devotees are expected to visit the temple on Friday. He added that all COVID-19 guidelines are being followed. Gujarati New Year 2021 in India: Vikram Samvat 2078 Start Date, Significance of Bestu Varas, Rangoli Designs and Greetings To Celebrate the Day After Diwali.

Devotees Offer Prayers at Swaminarayan Temple on First Day of Gujarati New Year:

Gujarat | Devotees offer prayers at Vadodara's Swaminarayan Temple to mark the first day of Gujarati new year Around 22,000 devotees expected to visit the temple today. All Covid guidelines incl wearing of face masks&physical distancing are being followed, says a temple official pic.twitter.com/gaAkNr1f9d  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 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.)
Flipkart, the e-commerce company, has introduced the 'Love It or Return It' scheme for Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 smartphones. Under this programme, customers will be eligible to experience both devices for 15 days and they can return the phones, if they are dissatisfied for any reason. Flipkart Big Diwali Sale 2021: Apple iPhone 12 Now Available From Rs 53,999; Check Other Smartphone Offers Here.

If you initiate a return request, a quality check will be done by Flipkart to make sure the phone is in working condition and then you will receive the amount back to your bank account. It is important to note that buyers only from Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Gurugram, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Vadodara can avail this offer via the Flipkart app.

Many premium smartphone buyers like to buy it by visiting the retail store. With this programme, Flipkart aims at solving the common disadvantage of buying a smartphone online.

To return a Galaxy Flip3 or Galaxy Z Fold3 device, you will have to click on the request web link shared by Flipkart. Then you will be asked to enter the IMEI number to login, bank details for the successful return request submission. Then a ticket will be generated and an email will be sent for you to download an app for the diagnosis of the handset to make sure its working. Then a logistics person will contact you for the pick schedule of the purchased handset.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 04, 2021 02:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Canberra, November 5: Australia's Northern Territory (NT) has introduced Covid restrictions after reporting its first locally-acquired case. Michael Gunner, chief minister of the NT, on Thursday night announced that an unvaccinated man in his 20s was diagnosed with the virus in Katherine, about 300 km south of the capital Darwin, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the man has not travelled outside the NT recently. "We don't know where and we don't know when but this is community transmission," Gunner told reporters.

"He has caught it from someone in the territory but we don't know who." It is the first confirmed case of community transmission in the NT since the start of the pandemic. China Tightens Border Control To Prevent Import of COVID-19 Cases.

Gunner said the man was likely infectious in the Katherine and Darwin communities from Sunday until Tuesday. As a result, Katherine has been plunged into a 72-hour lockdown that started at midnight Friday.

Under the lockdown, Katherine residents are only allowed to leave home for medical treatment, shopping for essential goods, performing essential work, exercising or providing care.

Darwin residents who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are required to wear masks outdoors but can otherwise go about life as normal, while those who are not inoculated are subject to full lockdown restrictions.

Anyone caught breaching the restrictions will receive a 5,000-Australian dollar (about 3,700 US dollars) fine. As of Wednesday, 77.8 per cent of people in the territory aged 16 and over had received one vaccine dose and 64.7 per cent were fully inoculated.

"This is another reminder that the territory is absolutely vulnerable to Covid-19," Gunner said. "But you are more likely to catch Covid if you are unvaccinated, and you are way, way more likely to get seriously ill from Covid if you are unvaccinated."

Victoria, New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory on Friday reported a total of 1,598 new locally-acquired coronavirus infections and 14 deaths. Meanwhile, Australia's most populated states, NSW and Victoria, reopened their shared border on Friday in recognition of their high Covid-19 vaccination rates. Joe Biden Administration Sets January 4, 2022 Deadline for US Health Workers To Get Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19.

It means that for the first time in months, NSW travellers, including those who are unvaccinated, can cross the southern border into Victoria without quarantining or testing. They do, however, need to have an entry permit and prove they have not tested positive for the coronavirus.

Fully vaccinated Victorians can now travel freely into NSW unless they have been to a region of the state with a high risk for virus transmission. Unvaccinated Victorians aged 16 and over still, however, are not allowed to cross the border.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 05, 2021 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, November 5: Goods purchased from Mongolia, which have arrived in Erenhot City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, tested positive for coronavirus, local health authorities said in a notice, Global Times reported.

Five residents reported to Erenhot City's epidemic prevention and control work team about having received goods they had bought from Mongolia. The packages were then sent for nucleic acid testing, and returned positive results. Chinese Authorities Force Young Monks To Leave Monasteries, Go Back Home in Qinghai Province.

The city's health authority urged local residents to stop buying items from abroad with high infection risks in light of pressure from imported coronavirus cases, the report said. The notice also asked those who have received goods from high risk countries since September 15 to report to local authorities for proper disposal.

Since the latest epidemic outbreak, the province has registered a total of 163 domestically transmitted cases by Wednesday, with 14 in Erenhot city and 144 in the China-Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner, which experts believe could be the source of the virus in the latest epidemic surge.

The Chinese mainland reported another 87 new local cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to over 700 in just half a month since the first local confirmed cases were found in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Among the confirmed cases, 497 of the infected have direct or indirect links with the epidemic in Inner Mongolia or neighbouring northwest China's Gansu Province.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 05, 2021 11:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday during a press conference with state Attorney General Ashley Moody that Florida will officially file a lawsuit against U.S. President Joe Biden's COVID vaccine mandate.

Florida would be joining Georgia, Alabama, and private plaintiffs in filing a lawsuit against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over its vaccine mandate for employers, according to a Fox News report.

The Republican governor said that it is not consistent with a government of limited and enumerated powers, citing the lack of police power.

He added that individuals should make informed choices about their own healthcare, adding that they should not be forced into getting the vaccine.

READ NEXT: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Declaration of Columbus Day as Left Commemorates Indigenous Peoples' Day

OSHA Lawsuit

The Republican governor also questioned the authority of the government to impose a fine as much as $13,653 per violation, according to a Miami Herald report

He also argued that a rule that has been coming for close to two months and requiring workers to be vaccinated by January 4 can hardly be a response to an "emergency."

DeSantis said that the state will file its lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on Friday. He noted that the federal government can't just unilaterally impose a medical policy under the guise of "workplace regulation."

Mayor Lenny Curry supports the governor's stance on the vaccine mandate. He said that he does not support mandating vaccines, despite being vaccinated himself and his whole family.

Curry said that it was a family decision and was not taken lightly, according to a News4Jax report.

Meanwhile, Biden dismissed the argument from several GOP governors and lawmakers saying that a mandate for employers will hurt businesses' ability to keep workers on the job. The president noted that there have been no "mass firings" and worker shortages due to the vaccination requirements.

A week ago, DeSantis had sued the Biden administration over its vaccine mandate for federal contractors, alleging the president of overstepping his legal authority in a lawsuit, according to an NBC News report.

Biden's COVID Vaccine Mandate

The Biden administration has set January 4 as the deadline for large companies to require COVID vaccines or start weekly testing of their workers, according to The New York Times report. Companies with more than 100 employees are seen to be covered by the new rule.

The president has earlier imposed vaccine requirements on federal workers, as well as companies that have federal contracts.

Attorneys general in at least 24 states have threatened to file a lawsuit.

Biden said that he would have much preferred that requirements do not become necessary. However, too many people remain unvaccinated for the country to get out of the pandemic for good.

The updated rule also instructs employers to require masks for unvaccinated workers by December 5, as well as provide paid time off for vaccinations and sick leave for side effects as necessary.

Meanwhile, the country continues to face shipping delays and shortages caused by supply problems.

READ MORE: Last Living Man of Juma Tribe in Brazil Dies From COVID-19 Spread by Invading Loggers

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Florida joins stats in lawsuit to block vaccine mandates issued by OSHA - from WESH 2 News






Two were injured after another group of migrants clashed with the Mexico national guard on Thursday, near the area where a Cuban immigrant was shot to death by authorities earlier this week.

The group of migrants clashed with the Mexican authorities at the southern state of Chiapas where an encounter between the militarized forces of the country and another group of immigrants took place, Al Jazeera reported.

The recent clash with the national guard resulted in two migrants being injured as they were "badly beaten" by the authorities. The said casualties were also a part of the migrant caravan that engaged in a march towards the north of Mexico.

READ NEXT: 'Mother Caravan': New Caravan of Thousands of Migrants Continue to March Toward U.S.-Mexico Border, Texas Buckles Up

Migrants Injured After Clash With Mexico's National Guard

The number of casualties was confirmed by Luis Garcia, one of the individuals who organized the caravan of migrants marching towards Mexico City and the U.S.-Mexico border.

"There are two injured migrants, they were badly beaten," Garcia said, adding that authorities tried to surround the migrants with their shields.

Specifics about the injured such as their nationality was not disclosed by the authorities or Garcia.

Garcia also described the incident on Thursday as "very chaotic."

Garcia also mentioned that four busses took migrants away after the said confrontation. Photos and videos showed with Reuters revealed several migrants being detained by the National Migration Institute (NMI). Meanwhile, images showed that Mexico's National Guard troops confronted the migrants with helmets and riot shields.

"It's not right that the authorities keep acting this way. Despite all the repression we're not going to stop," Garcia underscored.

Aside from the injured, the Thursday clash also resulted in at least one officer being injured and 25 people detained.

Both National Guard and the NMI had not yet issued statements regarding the incident.

Cuban Migrant Fatally Shot in Mexico

The recent clash between the migrants and Mexico's National Guard happened near the location where a Cuban migrant was fatally shot by authorities on Sunday.

The shooting on Sunday happened 25 miles far from where the migrant march was located. The authorities reportedly opened fire on a pickup truck as it tried to ram a patrol vehicle when it did not stop as instructed by the authorities.

The victim that died due to the shooting was identified as Cristobal "N," while four other Cuban victims were reportedly injured due to the incident.

The victims of the Sunday shooting and the Thursday clash, who were part of the migrant caravan, reportedly stopped their march on Sunday due to health issues among women and children.

Luis Villagran, one of the leaders of the migrant caravan, said that there were about 150 boys and girls who can't walk anymore, as well as pregnant women who have sores on their feet making them unable to continue walking.

The said group started their journey in Tapachula, a city in Mexico located on the border of Guatemala. Despite their efforts, the migrant caravan is still a hundred if miles away from Mexico City.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Dismisses Reports of His Admin Paying Thousands to Migrants Separated on Border Under Trump Policy

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Mexico Migrant Caravan: President Calls for US Help After Clashes - From Al Jazeera English
Children ages five to 11 will be mandated soon to show proof of COVID vaccine status before entering public spaces, such as restaurants, gyms, and large events like Warrior games in San Francisco, California.

Public officials said that children between that age range are now eligible to get the COVID vaccine shots. However, they added that the local mandate will likely not apply to them for another couple of months, according to a San Francisco Chronicle news report.

San Francisco has required everyone 12 and older to be vaccinated before they can be allowed inside public spaces in August.

The move made them the first major city in the U.S. to issue such an order.

City Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip said that the rule is expected to be extended to children aged five and 11. However, she noted that they will wait until everyone has enough time to be vaccinated as they want to ensure the children have the opportunity to get the vaccine. She said it would be no sooner than eight weeks after the vaccine is available for kids.

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, has given the approval for children ages five to 11 to receive shots.

Pediatricians' offices, pharmacies, and hospitals were also seen to start the distribution of the vaccines. Schools and clinics are also included in the distribution.

READ NEXT: FDA Panel OKs Low-Dose Pfizer COVID Vaccine for Children 5 and Up

Children Receiving COVID Vaccines

More than 28 million children will now be able to receive their vaccines after the go-signal from CDC, according to an NBC News report. The approval comes after the unanimous recommendation of CDC's advisory committee within hours of the vote.

Committee member Dr. Beth Bell said that it is a huge step forward for children and parents, adding that she endorses the recommendation.

Another committee member, Dr. Oliver Brooks, said that the data showed that the vaccine is safe. He is the chief medical officer at Watts Healthcare Corporation in Los Angeles.

Brooks noted that children are dying, adding that they can reduce hospitalizations, cases, and deaths with the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

There have been more than 1.9 million cases of COVID since the beginning of the pandemic. More than 8,300 hospitalizations and 94 deaths were reported among children ages five to 11 in the U.S.

CDC models project that allowing children to get the vaccine could help accelerate the decline in cases seen in the U.S.

However, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at Duke University said that some parents she has talked with about the vaccine are not sure how they feel about it. Dr. Ibukunoluwa Kalu said that parents are now weighing the decision to vaccinate or not their children, according to an NPR report.

Dr. David Kimberlin, an infectious disease pediatrician at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said that everybody needs to protect themselves, including children, against what the virus is capable of doing.

CDC noted that as compared to White children, Black, Native American, and Hispanic children are three times more likely to be hospitalized.

READ MORE: Moderna Scientists Warn Against New COVID Variants That Could Drive a New Wave of Transmission

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: KIDS COVID SHOTS: San Francisco health officials to hold Q&A with 4th and 5th graders on COVID vaccine - from KPIX CBS SF Bay Area






An on-duty pregnant nurse was attacked by one of the patients in a Florida hospital which resulted in the death of her unborn child.

Patient Shoves, Kicks Pregnant Nurse in Florida

According to NBC News, the pregnant Florida nurse was assisting one of her patients when the attacker came inside the room. The pregnant nurse was shoved against a wall by the patient.

The attack on the pregnant nurse happened on Saturday evening in the behavioral unit at Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital.

Based on the report of the Longwood police officers, the nurse who was just over eight months pregnant stated that she was giving her female patient medication when the woman started to scream.

The arrest report said that a male patient, identified as Joseph Wuerz, suddenly came into the room, shoved the nurse onto a wall, and tried to kick the pregnant nurse.

The nurse shared to the officers that the kicks did not land in her body and Wuerz did not say anything during the attack. However, several staff members and security officers had to pull Wuerz from the room.

Moreover, the nurse said on the arrest report that she was terrified, shocked, and not sure if the attack injured her or the unborn child. She later went to another hospital to be checked out of concern for her baby, but the arrest report stated that doctors at the said hospital said that they could not find a heartbeat and the baby had died.

READ MORE: Texas Nurse Sentenced to Death for Killing 4 Patients by Injecting Air Into Arteries After Heart Surgery

Patient Attack Kills Pregnant Nurse's Unborn Child

Based on the report of WFTV, the pregnant nurse was taken to Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, where she was told that she had lost her baby.

The nurse said to the officers that doctors would have to induce labor and said that she believed that the stress that she went under during the attack may have caused her unborn child's death.

The police wrote in the report that the pregnant nurse also noted that she did not have any prior medical issues and also her baby.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital said they were aware of the incident and were already cooperating with the police investigation.

The suspect, 53-year-old Wuerz of Casselberry was released from the hospital and was taken to jail as he faces charges of aggravated battery on a pregnant woman, aggravated battery on a medical worker, and homicide of an unborn child.

He was also being held on bonds which totaled up to $90,000. He was scheduled to appear in court on January 11, 2022, based on online records.

An attorney for Wuerz did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Furthermore, Wuerz was previously arrested twice for domestic violence.

READ NEXT: Pharmacist Arrested for Distributing Drugs Out of His Drugstore in Exchange for Sex

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: 32 Weeks Pregnant Nurse's Unborn Baby Dies After Patient Attack -News Today


A new Pew Research Center study found that darker skin among Latinos can impact their everyday lives and long-term success in the United States.

The research center surveyed 3,375 Latinos in the U.S., with 62 percent saying having darker skin hurts their chances of getting ahead, while 59 percent say that having light skin helps them, the Associated Press reported.

The study was released on Thursday and came months after colorism captured wide attention with the release of the movie "In the Heights," which was criticized for its lack of dark-skinned Afro Latinos in leading roles.

The Pew study further noted that 57 percent of Latinos say their skin tone affects their everyday lives, adding that most dark-skinned Hispanics have experienced discrimination because of it.

Study: Latinos With Darker Skin Face More Discrimination

Nadia Y. Flores-Yeffal, associate professor of sociology at Texas Tech University, said the findings were supported by years of research showing dark-skinned people earn less money and experience more bigotry.

Latinos in the U.S. are not the only the ones facing colorism. In Mexico, people with Indigenous features are also reportedly looked down on, while lighter-skinned Mexicans are among the most powerful politicians, businesspeople, and celebrities.

Flores-Yeffal said colorism had been around for many years, adding that it doesn't look like "it's going anywhere," NPR reported.

Laura E. Gomez, a law professor, said people must talk about racism within the Latino community to fight anti-Latino racism. The law professor noted that talking about colorism is a good step toward resolving the issue.

Ana Gonzalez-Barrera, the lead author of the Pew report on the survey, said Latinos are very aware of colorism in their community and how darker skin color can hurt their chances to get ahead in life.

READ NEXT: Pandora Papers: Shakira, Julio Iglesias, Chayanne Among Famous Spanish and Latino Artists to Use Tax Havens

Report Finds Latinos Vastly Underrepresented in Media

In September, a government report said Latinos are "perpetually absent" in major newsrooms, Hollywood films, and other media industries where their portrayals could profoundly affect how their fellow Americans view them.

Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro has called on Hollywood studio directors, book publishers, and journalism leaders to include their perspectives.

According to Castro, the lack of accurate representation means at the very best that Americans do not get a complete understanding of Latinos and their contributions, especially in Hollywood, according to another AP report.

At worst, Castro noted that Latinos are solely portrayed as drug dealers or criminals that invite politicians to exploit negative stereotypes for political gain.

Castro told the AP that American media, including print journalism, has relied on stereotypes of Latinos. He added that if the goal is the truth, it has not indeed served the truth.

Meanwhile, the report also found that management jobs had the lowest representation for Latinos. About five to six percent of main cast members in TV and film are composed of Latinos, despite being around 18 percent of the U.S. population.

Ana-Christina Ramon, who was involved in the study, said that it's a bit of a ceiling and does not go over that percentage.

READ MORE: Jennifer Lopez to Launch Her Own Cosmetics Brand, JLo Beauty

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: 'Corazon De America' Examines Colorism in the Latino Community - From ABC News






At least two were reported dead in a shootout between warring Mexican drug cartels that occurred near two hotel resorts in Mexico on Thursday.

The shootout reportedly happened on a beach in Bahia Petempich, Puerto Morelos. The Associated Press reported that two suspected members of a Mexican drug cartel were killed in the shootout.

The two alleged drug dealers reportedly arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort, and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day and claimed it was now their territory.

READ NEXT: 2 Injured After Migrants Clash With Mexico National Guard Near Area Where a Cuban Immigrant Was Shot to Death

Shootout Between Mexican Drug Cartels Near Mexico Resorts

According to the attorney general of Quintana Roo, the said shooting was a confrontation between a group of drug dealers in Bahia Petempich, The Sun reported.

No tourist had been reported hurt or injured, authorities said. According to a guest of Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, men with machine guns came in from the beach.

Active shooter in our hotel. Were hiding in my room, a group of us. Praying all guests and hotel staff get through this. Men with machine guns came in from the beach.  DominicFord (@DominicFord) November 4, 2021

Oscar Montes de Oca, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, told a local radio station that about 15 people arrived on the beach to kill the two men, who said they were the new drug dealers in the area.

In a statement, Montes de Oca said several Mexican drug cartels were fighting for the lucrative retail drug trade in the area, including the Jalisco cartel and a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca further noted that one of the men, who was shot, managed to flee into one of the hotels before he died. The other was killed on the beach.

He added that an individual suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but authorities still could not determine whether that person was an employee or guest of a hotel.

Local reports said the Mexican army and paramedics were present at the area moments after the shooting. Authorities noted that at least one gunman was arrested.

Shootout Between Mexican Drug Cartels Sparks Fear Among Guests in Mexico Resorts

The shootout between members of Mexican drug cartels has sent the guests of the hotel resorts into a scramble. Some guests staying at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun told CNN that they had been instructed to find a safe location indoors and remain there until they were given an 'all clear' or told to evacuate.

NBC reporter Mike Sington tweeted a video of the guests huddled in the lobby of Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun following the shootout at the beach.

Active shooter at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort. All guests confined to lobby now. Hotel staff huddled together in corner. Still no announcement or update from hotel, Hyatt, or police. Several guests have now told be they saw gunman come up from the beach, actively shooting. pic.twitter.com/fL9BP7Jisb  Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 4, 2021

A guest also told CNN that they heard several successive gunshots while at the pool area, and hotel staff briefly led them into hiding.

The guest added that they manned the basement's entrances and were provided metal sticks and even a pedestal bathroom sink to defend themselves.

In a statement, the Hyatt hotel confirmed that they were working with law enforcement regarding the shootout. The hotel added that "the safety and wellbeing of guests and colleagues is always a top priority."

CNN reported that a spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said they were already aware of the incident, and the consulate in Merida was already looking into it.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle 'Cold-Calls' Republican Senators as She Push for Paid Parental Leave

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: 2 killed in Confrontation Between Rival Drug Dealers Near Cancun Hotel - From 6abc Philadelphia
A DNA expert said Brian Laundrie "had weeks" to alter, conceal or destroy evidence at the van or the crime scene if he killed his fiancee, Gabby Petito.

Police said Laundrie had returned to his parents' home in North Port, Florida on September 1, with their van but without Petito.

According to The Sun, authorities did not seize the Ford Transit van until September 11, when Petito's family reported her missing. Laundrie was named a person of interest by the North Port police after Petito was reported missing.

Paul Belli, a member of the International Homicide Investigations Association, told The Sun that Laundrie "had weeks to handle or do things to disturb scenes such as the van."

Belli believed that authorities would have to carry out a lot of "forensic processing" on the van the couple had used to travel. He feared that investigators might not fully know what happened in Petito's final moments.

Belli noted that authorities would need to get a lot of information to have a precise idea of what actually occurred. However, he said there's a "good possibility that they may never know every detail."

READ NEXT: Gabby Petito Case: Moab Police in Utah Allegedly Profited From Brian Laundrie's Fiancee Bodycam Video

Gabby Petito's Autopsy Results

The investigation over Gabby Petito's death is still ongoing, weeks after coroners in Teton County, Wyoming concluded that she died due to manual strangulation.

An autopsy was performed on her remains after her body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19.

Teton County coroner Brent Blue earlier said that Petito was strangled to death by "human force," and the manner of death was homicide. The cause of death was officially listed as "manual strangulation/throttling."

Blue earlier told CNN that throttling means that "someone was strangled by human force" and "no mechanical force" was involved. He noted that people could be strangled by other means, like individuals on snowmobiles who run into a wire.

"That would be strangling by a mechanical event. But this was, we believe was strangling by a human being," he said.

When asked how they knew it was a human responsible for Petito's killing, Blue said, "because only humans have opposable thumbs." He added that there was no evidence it was "done by any animal as far as the cause of death."

According to Blue, they conducted a "detailed investigation" in coordination with the FBI that included a full-body computed tomography scan and examinations by a forensic pathologist and a forensic anthropologist.

He also said that Petito was not pregnant at the time of her death, and her body was left in the wilderness for three to four weeks.

The coroner has declined to answer if he suspects that Laundrie was responsible for his fiancee's death, saying it will be up to law enforcement to determine that.

Brian Laundrie's Death

The month-long manhunt for Brian Laundrie finally came to an end after the FBI announced that the skeletal remains discovered in a Florida park belonged to Gabby Petito's fiance.

The remains found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20 were confirmed to be Laundrie after a "comparison to known dental records."

Laundrie family attorney, Steven Bertolino, said the initial autopsy of Laundrie's remains did not uncover a cause or manner of his death.

He noted that the autopsy by the Sarasota County medical examiner did not produce concrete results on Laundrie's death. He said the remains of Petito's fiance were already sent to a forensic anthropologist for further examination.

According to Bertolino, the results of the forensic anthropologist's examination of Laundrie's remains are expected this month.

He said the forensic anthropologist's examination would conclude in two to three weeks. Forensic anthropologists analyze human remains, conduct DNA tests and look for signs of weapon evidence to help determine how a person died, whether accidental, suicide, homicide, or natural.

Gabby Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip Brian Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August.

READ MORE: Brian Laundrie Manhunt: Parents of Gabby Petito's Fiance Change the Date of Florida Fugitive's Disappearance

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Attorney: Brian Laundrie's Parents at Site Where Remains Were Found - From FOX 13 Tampa Bay




A Missouri mom has been charged Wednesday in connection to the deaths of her five children in an apartment fire in August.

Sabrina Dunigan, 34, was charged with five counts of endangering the life or health of a child, a felony charge, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Dunigan's five children, Loy-el Dunigan, Jabari Johnson, Deontae Davis, and twins Heaven and Neveah Dunigan, died in the August 6 fire at her East St. Louis home. The kids were all under the age of 10.

According to Crime Online, the blaze was reported at around 3 a.m. on the second floor of the apartment building at 29th Street in East St. Louis while Dunigan was picking up her boyfriend from work.

Court documents alleged that the Missouri mom left her five kids unattended and "knowingly caused or permitted a child to be placed in circumstances that endangered the child's life or health."

A judge has set her bail at $75,000. Reports said she's not yet in custody as of Thursday. Online court records showed there are pending grand jury actions regarding the case.

READ NEXT: Latinos in the U.S. With Darker Skin Face More Discrimination, New Study Shows

Missouri Mom's Father Reacts on the Charges

Sabrina Dunigan's father, Greg Dunigan, and his wife were reportedly home at the time of the fire in the apartment. Greg told the Post-Dispatch that he could not believe that authorities would charge her daughter with a crime after everything she lost.

"Why are they trying to do this to her [Sabrina Dunigan]?" said Greg, adding that his daughter lost all she could lose already.

"Why they want to take the rest away, meaning herself? She don't have nothing left," Dunigan's father told the outlet. Greg also said he and his wife were supposed to be watching the kids, but they fell asleep.

The family of eight was reportedly living together in the one-bedroom apartment. But Greg and his wife were in a separate part of the home, near the back.

The couple reportedly escaped the blaze by jumping from the apartment's second-floor window without the children.

The Missouri mom and her father believed that it was an electrical fire. They also said the apartment lacked smoke detectors. However, the landlord disputed their claims, saying they were smoke detectors in all of his properties.

Landlord Says Missouri Mom Told Him That a Candle Started the Fire

Rudy Mcintosh, the landlord, told FOX 2 on Thursday that Sabrina Dunigan narrated that she left a candle burning, and the kids started the fire in the apartment.

"I don't know what she told the investigators, but... that's what she said to me," said Mcintosh, a retired officer of the East St. Louis Police Department.

However, the East St. Louis Fire Chief could not confirm if a candle was left burning. According to St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office spokesperson Christopher Allen, no reports on the cause of the fire will be publicized until the case is prosecuted.

The Missouri mom is charged with five felonies. Each felony count is reportedly punishable by two to 10 years in prison.

READ MORE: Heidi Planck: Missing California Mom's Ex-Husband Believes Her Boss, Under Investigation for $43M Fraud, Has the Answers to Her Disappearance

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: 5 Children Killed in East St. Louis Fire - From KMOV St. Louis
A county jail nurse in California faced an involuntary manslaughter charge Thursday after being accused of walking away from an inmate who collapsed in front of her before dying.

Inmate Dies in Front of Watching California Nurse

The report said that the incident happened inside the cell of the 24-year-old inmate, where she collapsed and later on died on the floor.

According to ABC News, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office said that California nurse, Danalee Pascua, will face up to four years in prison if convicted of the charge stemming from the November 11, 2019 death of Elisa Serna. The incident happened at the Las Colinas Detention Facility in the San Diego suburb of Santee.

Based on the report of the Associated Press, the day before Serna died, the inmate was moved into the medical observation unit of the county jail after she reported that she felt dizzy and nauseous.

The prosecutors in the case stated that Serna passed out in front of Pascua the next day, and the nurse did not even check her vital signs. Instead of giving her medical attention, the California nurse left her on the floor for about an hour before she returned alongside other deputies to start the "futile lifesaving measures."

Moreover, the District Attorney's office said the San Diego County Sheriff's Department alerted prosecutors to the case after conducting a separate internal investigation. The sheriff's department of San Diego County offered condolences to the family in a statement Thursday.

Also, the District Attorney's office said the investigation in the case is still ongoing, and there would be a possibility that others may be involved in the alleged involuntary manslaughter.

The District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to an email asking if Pascua had an attorney, but the California nurse was scheduled to be arraigned on November 18.

READ MORE: Pregnant Nurse's Unborn Child Dies After a Patient Shoves Her Against a Wall in Florida Hospital

Inmate's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against San Diego County

The sheriff's department initially said that 24-year-old inmate Serna died from complications of drug abuse, with a contributing factor of early intrauterine pregnancy. However, her family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the county last year, claiming that the jail staff knew that the inmate had used heroin before she was booked and was vomiting and showing "obvious signs of medical distress." Still, they did not provide her with any medical treatment.

Furthermore, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement that there's nothing more sacred than the sanctity of life, and when that life would be in the custody and care of government officials and enforcers, it must be safeguarded and provided with the appropriate medical care.

Stephan stated that the evidence in the in-custody death of Elisa Serna demonstrated criminal negligence, which contributed to the inmate's death.

READ NEXT: Pharmacist Arrested for Distributing Drugs Out of His Drugstore in Exchange for Sex

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: San Diego jail nurse charged with manslaughter in inmate's death -CBS 8 San Diego
Five officers of Mexico's National Guard were injured after a group of migrants attempting to walk across southern Mexico pelted them with a hail of rocks.

According to ABC News, the Mexican national guards were tailing the march and were trying to detain a number of mostly Central American migrants when a group of male migrants, estimated at 100 to 150 in numbers, started to attack them.

5 Mexico's National Guards Injured After They Were Attacked by Migrants

The migrants reportedly threw rocks at two truckloads of National Guard officers equipped with plastic shields and helmets.

Despite having protective gears, the Mexican National Guard said in a statement that four male officers and one female officer suffered injuries and were hospitalized. The Guard noted that the officers did not respond to the attack.

The rain of rocks was reportedly heavy that at least two officers tumbled from the trucks onto the highway close to the town of Pijijiapan in the southern state of Chiapas.

The national guards tried to protect themselves from the rocks showering towards them but to no avail. Video footage showed that one of the guardsmen was unconscious. Some of the migrants tried to help the officer, but another even threw a punch at him.

Mexico's National Guard officers have been wary of confronting migrants after the shooting incident on Sunday that left one migrant dead.

READ NEXT: Texas Border Patrol Apprehends Two Illegal Immigrant Child Sex Offenders; Suspects Nabbed in Less Than 2 Hours

Mexico's National Guards Shoot Truck Carrying Migrants

Clashes between law enforcement and migrants had been relatively rare in Mexico, but National Guard officers reportedly opened fire on a pickup truck carrying migrants on Sunday.

A Cuban migrant was shot dead, and four others were wounded after the vehicle they were in tried to avoid an immigration checkpoint in Chiapas. The Guard said the pickup truck had attempted to ram a Guard vehicle.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador later said the shooting was unjustified. He said the pickup, allegedly driven by a migrant trafficker, has simply tried to run past the checkpoint, not ram the patrol vehicle.

The National Guard officers involved in the shooting are now subject to a federal criminal investigation.

The migrants inside the truck were reportedly not part of about 4,000 mainly Central Americans seeking to reach Mexico City on foot. The shooting incident occurred some 40 kilometers from where the march was at the time.

The Mexican government discouraged migrants from marching towards the U.S., saying the poor conditions put the migrants' lives at risk. According to the National Immigration Institute, six cases of the tropical fever dengue had already been detected among the migrants.

READ MORE: More Than $50M of Methamphetamine Being Smuggled Into U.S. Seized by Texas Border Protection Officers

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: MX: Thousands of Migrants Break Through Blockade of Mexican National Guard in Tapachula - From Ali Bradley
Need help logging in?

We have transitioned to a new user-friendly interactive website. You will need an account and a subscription to see the site in its entirety.

HOME DELIVERY subscribers get online access for free with their subscription. If you are a home delivery subscriber, create a new account and follow the directions to validate your home delivery subscription.

If you were a previous ONLINE ONLY subscriber, you should have received an email with directions on how to log in. If you are still experiencing issues contact us at bulletincirc@gmail.com.
A man was told that drinking in public was not acceptable, at Portlaoise district court last week.

Miles Connors, 49, of 29 Churchfield Heights, Castletown was charged with intoxication and using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at JFL Avenue, Portlaoise on September 8 this year.

Sgt JJ Kirby told the court that at 12.10pm on the date in question, Mr Connors was found asleep on a footpath. When he woke he was unsteady on his feet. He became abusive and told the guards to f*** off.

Defence solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said he was 49-years of age and he was an alcoholic. He was separated from his wife and was looking for his family.

He was seeking treatment and intended going to Cuan Mhuire.

Judge Catherine Staines said she was sorry for his alcohol problem but continuing to drink in public was not acceptable. She told him it was not fair on the Gardai or the public.

Mr Connors apologised to the court. He was fined 20.
The Government's new Climate Action Plan says renewable energy hubs in Laois and other counties have potential to generate power from wind and other renewable resources in communities.

The plan, which dedicates a chapter to the region because of the impact of moving a way from peat, also says 30 energy masterplans will have been developed in the counties within two years.

Much of the chapter given to the Laois and other counties outlines measures already take to transition away from the reliance on carbon producing peat as a power and heat source.

The plan points to alternative energy as a replacement supply.

The Government plan proposes: "the potential for renewable energy hubs in the Midlands through existing and planned investments by State-owned entities and support from Just Transition Fund".

It adds that the the renewable energy potential of the Midlands could be further developed using existing grid connected infrastructure, as well as greenfield investment opportunities.

It says Both Bord na Mona and the ESB have announced major investment plans for the region during 2021, which will support continued employment growth over the coming years. It adds that a number of private energy companies are also planning investments.

The plan says there will also be support for the development of community-based energy master planning, led by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

"This will provide a strong platform for community participation in future calls under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme.

"The SEAI Sustainable Energy Communities Programme will provide support to Midlands communities, through local mentors and co-ordinators, to assist on their decarbonisation journey. The mentors provide free guidance on how to form a sustainable energy community and develop an energy master plan, including establishing a baseline for energy used in the community and a register of opportunities for projects.

"By the end of 2024, it is estimated that investment of 450,000 will have supported the development of 30 energy master plans in the Midlands region," says the plan.

The plan says the Midlands is the first region in Ireland to directly experience the negative impacts of the transition away from fossil fuels with the ending of peat extraction for power generation. It says peat extraction in Ireland is highly concentrated in the Midlands (counties Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath), and extends into adjoining counties, including Kildare, Roscommon, east Galway, and north Tipperary.

It says the exit from peat from power generation will bring climate, biodiversity and economic benefits. It adds that at least 1.25 million tonnes of carbon will be saved each year, and emissions will reduce by up to 9 million tonnes up to 2027 as a result of peat no longer being combusted in power stations.
A new Slaintecare funded heart service at Portlaoise hspital is improving care and access to services for heart failure patients, according to the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.

In a rare statement about the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, from the Department of Health, the Minster welcomed the introduction of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in Cardiology.

The statement says the service at the Laois hospital which is funded by the Department of Health through the Slaintecare Integration Fund, it is improving patient access and continuity of care. The Department adds that it is also providing an opportunity to extend the service and implement new care pathways, referral pathways and services for patients with and at risk of heart failure.

"Patients and their carers in Laois are experiencing better access to services, as well as health outcomes and a better quality of life," said Minister Donnelly.

He continued: "Patients with or at risk of developing heart failure, or presenting to GPs with signs of heart failure, can now be seen and treated by an ANP and Consultant Cardiologist in the Rapid Risk Assessment Clinic.

In collaboration with the local community intervention team, patients can be reviewed and have blood tests done by a nurse in their home when required. Meanwhile, an initiative introduced by the Heart Optimisation nurses is allowing for remote monitoring of patients blood pressure, heart rate and weight at home. These improvements in services are saving patients hours of travel time and expenses now that they can access care closer to home and avoid a trip to Portlaoise hospital, said the health minister.

The statement added that recent results from the service show that:

High-risk patients are now seen within 24 to 48 hours

Most patients have an appointment within two weeks, while less urgent patients are seen within 3 to 4 weeks

An estimated 418 bed days have been saved thanks to reduced hospital admission and shortened length of stay

Readmission for heart failure has reduced by over 80% in patients attending the post discharge heart failure service



Minister Donnelly concluded: With heart failure accounting for 5% of all emergency admissions in Ireland, this is a wonderful of example of Slaintecare reform delivering better outcomes and experiences of our health service for all.
Laois woman Louise Lynam has won the presitigious title of Mum of the Year 2021 at the Woman's Way & Beko Mum of the Year Awards.

The Portlaoise native was named Mum of the Month for April and was crowned the overall Mum of the Year at a special lunch at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin. Womans Way and Beko teamed up for the sixth consecutive year to host the awards, which showcases and celebrates Irish mothers and highlights their contribution across all facets of society.

Louise, a single mother of two girls, Jessica (15) and Kiera (9), has been working on the frontline since the start of the pandemic as a healthcare assistant in the Accident and Emergency Department at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

Louise has taken her role of protecting her children from being exposed to Covid-19 extremely seriously, and with good reason. For months she felt unable to even kiss her daughter Kiera goodnight when putting her to bed.

Louise found out Kiera had cystic fibrosis a few weeks after she was born. She was rushed to Crumlin Hospital as she had a bowel blockage. It was there, through further tests, Louise was given the news that Kiera has cystic fibrosis. Learning to cope with Kieras condition through the help of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and Tallaght Hospital, Louise began to manage her little girls medication, therapies and check-ups.

At five years old, Kiera developed pseudomonas, a chronic lung infection which depleted her energy levels. She was on strong antibiotics which had to be administered twice daily through a nebuliser. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

However, in 2018 following lobbying of the government by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, a new drug called Orkambi was approved.

This drug changed Kieras life immensely  for the better. Despite this, as a single parent and a frontline worker, Louise was naturally anxious about continuing to work in the emergency department while also caring for Kiera but thankfully, had a great support system to help her get through this difficult time.

She had her energy back. She was no longer run-down. If Kiera develops a cough now, the mucus comes up straight away, whereas before, it would take ages, leaving her more exhausted than before.

Kiera still has a significant care regimen every day which includes time on her nebuliser, chest physio (airway clearance), and up to 22 tablets daily. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

During the initial Covid lockdown, Louise was nervous about going to work in the emergency department, while also caring for Kiera.

It was a very worrying and challenging time for me as a parent with a child in the high-risk category. But once I got to know more about the virus, I got into a routine of being extra careful. I would change my clothes, shower, boil wash my clothes and stay away from Kiera for a few hours when I returned home. That was so tough but I needed to protect her.

Kiera is a bubbly little character, Louise says, who loves to dance and go to gymnastics. I asked her how tough it was telling Kiera that she could no longer attend those classes due to the virus.

I remember last March, Kiera was going to have her 8th birthday party with all her friends, my heart broke having to tell her that it couldnt go ahead. However, myself and my eldest daughter, Jessica, had a small tea party for her, and she loved it. Kiera really understands the importance of looking after herself and staying safe, especially with all the tablets she takes. She is just an amazing little girl.

"She knew the importance of the virus and, because she was born with cystic fibrosis, she was always used to hand sanitiser, washing hands and wearing a mask, so it didnt faze her thankfully. It really shows how resilient little children are, said Louise. More below picture.

Early this year Louise got the Covid vaccine which was a massive relief to her.

I know having this means I now get to protect my family, especially Kiera, but also my work colleagues and the community. I love to care for other people, I love my job at the emergency unit as its so rewarding, she said.

As a single parent and a frontline worker, Louise is grateful for her support network.

My management staff and colleagues throughout Covid have been so supportive, they were always aware of my circumstances at home with Kiera being high risk.  They constantly checked in on me.

Being on my own for a few years now, I have very good family support - they help me out with the kids when Im working, which is great. But I am still very much independent and strong; I like to do everything for me and most importantly for the girls, she said. MORE BELOW PICTURE

Louise explained what it means being a mother mean to her.

Being a mum makes me a lot of things, it makes me proud, happy, excited but also worried, nervous and occasionally stressed, laughs Louise. But all those things combined, I wouldnt be anything without my two girls, I am forever proud of them. My aim being a mum is to make them happy and proud always and to be a good role model.

"Overall, I am just so content in my little world with the two best girls I get to call my daughters, she said.

Norah Casey, Chair of the Judging Panel commented: Its always very difficult to select a winner but the judges were blown away by Louises story and we are honoured to present her with the very deserving award and title of Womans Way and Beko Mum of the Year for 2021!

Shane Kelly, Sales and Marketing Manager, Beko added: "We are delighted to be involved in The Mum of the Year awards and this is now our sixth year involved and every year we recognise how special an event it is. We know how tough the last couple of years have been for everyone and today is a real celebration of Mothers everywhere. Wed particularly like to thank those who nominated a colleague, friend or family member in support of those in their communities who strive to make a difference.

Nominated for the award by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, Louise and youngest daughter Kiera are ambassadors for the charity and have fundraised for over the years.
Maynooth chef Megan Delaney has been named the winner of Aramarks Chef of the Year 2021, making an impression on the judges with her take on a plant forward menu.

In total, seven of the catering service provider's finest chefs competed against each other in a thrilling live cook off. They included Stephen Power, Irish Prison Services Training Centre; Megan Delaney, SAP Dublin; Danko Loncar, Avoca Monkstown; Sinead Connolly, Avoca Rathcoole; Andy Byas, JP Morgan and Jeff Murphy from Apple, Cork.

Competitors were required to prepare, cook, and present two portions of a main course dish.

Each dish had to be at least 75% plant based with a focus on using Irish seasonal fruits and vegetables. Each competitor was also required to present two portions of a hot dessert course with Fairtrade chocolate as the key ingredient.

Megan wowed the judging panel, which included Ross Lewis, Michelin-starred chef from Chapter One Restaurant, with a main dish of tempura of stuffed courgette flower, seared monkfish, curried pumpkin veloute and cauliflower rice, followed by a white chocolate and raspberry fondant.

The highly competitive competition saw second place awarded to Andy Byas, while Stephen Power was highly commended for his exceptional hygiene standards.

Derek Reilly, Culinary Director for Aramark: At Aramark we pride ourselves with recognising and rewarding exceptional culinary talent. After a challenging year and a half, it was great to see our talented chefs back in the kitchen showcasing their culinary skills. This year our finalists were asked to demonstrate their innovation, inspiration, and skills, while truly champion areas including sustainability, provenance, and seasonality. We are extremely proud of each and every one of our finalists who surpassed all expectations with their exceptional cooking.

Shane Flynn, Managing Director for Aramark Food Services, Facilities Management & Avoca, Ireland said, We are passionate about keeping the customer at the heart of everything we do, and that includes giving our guests choices to lower their impact on climate change through the food they eat. We are focused on creating locally sourced, seasonal, and sustainable menus, with a close to zero food waste approach. With the help of our teams and partners, were committed to creating and serving healthy, delicious meals.

Following the announcement, Megan said: I feel very honoured to have won the title of Aramark Chef of the Year title. Congratulations to all the other finalists and a very big thank you to Derek Reilly and the Aramark team for coordinating such a well organised, streamlined, and exciting competition. Its great to be back in the kitchen and competing at such a high level.

Following her win, Megan will now go on to compete in Aramarks European Chefs Cup in Prague. The Aramark Ireland Chef of the Year event was supported by Unilever Food Solutions and Hugh Jordan.
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
As part of events taking place across the country during COP 26 The Treasure Leitrim group are asking people to gather for a socially distanced rally at Manorhamilton Castle at 3pm on Saturday, November 6 in a call for climate justice and in opposition to proposed prospecting in Leitrim.

The group are joining the international call for urgent action to be taken on the climate emergency and for climate justice with communities to be at the heart of that. People are also encouraged to wear masks.

A spokesperson for Treasure Leitrim Jamie Murphy said The issue of the proposed granting of a license by Eamon Ryan for mining in Leitrim is directly linked to the climate justice movement. Mining is a hugely significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions and if the Minister goes ahead with his intention to grant a license he will be contributing in a negative way to the climate crisis as well as impacting the local population and environment. We are asking him again to listen to community voices and those of our local and national political representatives and not grant this license. The deadline for objections is Sunday, November 7.

See https://www.foe.ie/takeaction/object-to-mining-licences-in-leitrim/ for details on how to place an objection to the proposed prospecting licence.
A Donegal TD has stated that government missing the Mica redress deadline is "just not on".

Deputy Pearse Doherty made the comment yesterday before the reading of the second stage of the Finance Bill 2021.

He said, "I am deeply disappointed, to say the least, that the Government is going to miss the deadline once again to do what is right by the families in Donegal and elsewhere who are suffering as a result of no regulation or light-touch regulation. Their houses are crumbling around them.

"The extended deadline, November 9 is now going to be missed by the Cabinet because you haven't got your act together. That is not acceptable to the many many families who are in mental turmoil waiting for the Government to do the right thing. It is not on."

Details of an enhanced scheme for mica-affected houses was set to come before Cabinet on November 9.

However, according to the Irish Independent, a spokesperson for the Housing Minister stated a memo on the new scheme will not go before ministers next week.

Deputy Thomas Pringle also spoke on the matter and said news of a delay "sickens" him.

He said, "I saw a newspaper report mention 9 December and I thought it was a misprint but it must actually be right. We will now have to wait until then when yet another deadline will pass and this just seems to keep on going and going. What more needs to be discussed other than the fact that 100% redress for these families is necessary?!

The current Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme, known in Donegal as the Mica Redress Scheme, financially assists homeowners with damages caused by the use of defective concrete blocks in construction.

The maximum grant available under the scheme is 275,000 in cases where the entire building needs to be demolished to foundation level and rebuilt.
Young farmers and generational renewal have been completely overlooked in the the Government's Climate Action Plan, according to Macra na Feirme.

Responding to the actions outlined to provide a roadmap for Agriculture to meet a reduction in emissions by 2030 of between 22-30% based on 2018 levels, Macra na Feirme President John Keane condemned the list which he noted does not have a single action which addresses the issue of generational renewal.

Not once in the almost sixty actions are young farmers mentioned, our future in the sector is being decided at the moment and there is not one single action contained to address the barriers we meet in the sector, said Mr Keane.

Young people and youth are mentioned several times through the document, but not under the

agriculture heading, the young farmers' organisation points out. Macra na Feirme has consistently articulated that young farmers are essential to mitigation of climate change and yet they say they are excluded from the plan when it comes to agriculture.

It is the young farmers of today who will be involved in farming over the next decade and beyond that will have their lives and livelihoods affected by changes in policy and the environment. The current generation and indeed future generations of young farmers see the positive role we can play in protecting our local environment and playing our part in climate change, Mr Keane said.

Across the globe young people are having their voices heard and are involved in the climate discussion and debate while also being part of the solutions at COP26. What has been published today has no direct action for our Irish young farmers. Young farmers who are highly educated, who want to be drivers of environmental change and progress, said Mr Keane who has just returned from COP26 in Glasgow.

Over the past five years in excess of 200 million has been invested by Irish young farmers, on farm improvements which included numerous climate mitigation measures, young farmers have demonstrated their commitment to addressing climate change with action, added Keane.

No clear action is detailed to allow young people enter the sector over the next decade to address and deal with the climate targets as laid out. We have heard as recent as this week the Taoiseach speak about a sustainable future for young farmers in the sector but once again talk is cheap and actions are once more failing in securing a future in Irish farming for young people, Mr Keane concluded.
Thousands of young people are taking to the streets of Glasgow today to demand action on Climate Change and ensure world leaders are listening.

'Keep the oil in the ground' and 'the people united will never be defeated' are two of many chants being heard in Glasgow this morning.

The march was organized by the youth-led climate movement, Fridays for Future, Scotland.

Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg will join the march and will make a speech about the importance of tackling climate change.

The 18-year-old has described COP26 as a 'Global north greenwash festival' and is the most 'excluding COP ever'.

#COP26 has been named the must excluding COP ever.



This is no longer a climate conference.



This is a Global North greenwash festival.



A two week celebration of business as usual and blah blah blah. November 4, 2021

Recently, she penned an open letter to world leaders and said 'young people around the world are describing our governments' failure to cut carbon emissions as betrayal'.

One protester named Eric told Glasgow Live that he was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel for the protest today.

"A lot of people around the world are suffering and they need action very quickly." he added.

Today marks Day 5 of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

The day is aimed at 'youth and public empowerment'.

COY16, the UN Climate Change Conference of Youth, is in attendance at COP26 today.

Communications Coordinator, Julieta Marino Tartaglino said COY16's main goal is to represent the youth by creating a document called the 'Global Youth Statement'.

The Global Youth Statement is a policy document including demands, compromises, and suggestions for world leaders from the youth and was presented to COP president Mr. Alok Sharma today.

They hope it will be taken into account when decisions are made.

More than 1,700,000 people have signed the Emergency Appeal for Climate Action here

Attendees at the march in Glasgow:

Best day in Glasgow: #NoMoreBlahBlahBlah but People power! Thank you every one for organising this march, all the surrounding protests and this whole movement for true climate justice



We are unstoppable! No greenwashed #COP26 will ever defeat usus! pic.twitter.com/Jz1jo6uRnW  Line Niedeggen (sie/she) (@lineniedeggen) November 5, 2021
A new report has suggested navigational issues contributed to a crash which resulted in the deaths of the R116 crew in 2017.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, winchman Ciaran Smith and winch operator Paul Ormsby tragically died after their helicopter impacted with Blackrock Island off County Mayo during a rescue operation on March 14 2017.

The report, which was compiled by Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), detailed twelve contributory factors to the cause of the accident with forty two safety recommendations.

One of the contributory factors is that Black Rock was not identified on radar, the EGPWS databases or the 1:250,000 Aeronautical Chart as Euronav imagery "did not extend as far as Black Rock".

The R116 crew had initially planned to re-fuel in Sligo, but changed course to Blacksod after learning that R118 (another craft participating in the rescue operation) reported conditions there as good.

Neither of the Flight Crew members had operated into Blacksod recently.

Several probable causes are noted in the report: The helicopter was manoeuvring at 200 ft, 9 NM from the intended landing point, at night, in poor weather while the crew was unaware that a 282 ft obstacle was on the flight path.

The family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick released a statement today following publication of the report, with one family member calling the report "utterly harrowing".

Their statement cites "failings" by Operator CHC Ireland which they believe contributed to the accident. This includes "not raining the crew on all the specific approaches on simulators", and providing the crew with "a low-level approach chart that started right above a fatal hazard".

Captain Fitzpatrick's family are now calling for necessary changes highlighted in the report to be "urgently" implemented by those responsible, and that feedback from flight crews regarding potential hazards and inadequacies are prioritised in future.

Her body and the body of Captain Mark Duffy were recovered, however Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby remain lost at sea.
MINISTER Patrick ODonovan believes it is a case of when and not if something happens to a politician in this country.

I hope I never do see anything happen but hand on heart it wouldnt surprise me if it does, said Minister ODonovan, who was speaking in the context of a gun threat made to the office of Sinn Fein TD last week.

He confirmed to the Leader that he has gone to the gardai over threats.

Ive had my share of threats. Ive had a mixture of different levels in relation to electronic communication, in relation to clinics, in relation to meetings. I have staff I have to protect, other members of the public I have to protect, myself obviously I have to protect. I have a very good relationship with the guards but going about my daily job representing people I should not, in a democracy, need the support of the guards, said Minister ODonovan.

He is worried by what he believes has become acceptable hate both in political discourse and on social media.

The advent of hate speech in politics  politics now in Ireland has reduced itself to the lowest common denominator. I have my political differences with people  I have no problem with that whatsoever  but you cant have a normal debate now without it being aggressive and encapsulated in hate. No matter how trivial the discussion is, it is all roaring and shouting and debasing somebody.

I can understand anger. I can often be very angry and emotive in a political debate but it is how hate has become part of the norm is what worries me. Every debate now in the Dail is how much hate you can spew, how much anger you can spew, how much is directed at your political opponent to make them a target of hate. Then when something happens outside their house you pretend you feel sorry about it, said Minister ODonovan.

It seems to be like a pilgrimage whose house is the next one to be targeted, he said.

The minister for the OPW also asks have social media companies responsibility to do more?

What is accepted now online and what the online platforms have allowed to be published on their platforms against politicians in this country is nothing short of terrifying.

What passes for normal correspondence online would not get through editorial checks in the Limerick Leader. There is no way the Leader would publish in the paper some of the comments that are published on a TDs, councillors or a senators Facebook page. No way.

Yet it can go ahead without any problem day in day out on political representatives Facebook pages. It is a very legitimate question for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, all of them, why do they allow this? The damage they are causing to individual people is grossly unfair. It is going ahead unchecked and is inculcating that culture of hate in this country, something which I think is toxic.

There will be wringing of hands and wiping of tears and gnashing of teeth when something happens and something will happen  that is my fear, said Minister ODonovan.

He concluded: Whats happening in this country is really, really worrying.
Toyota has unveiled its new A-segment crossover, Aygo X, with urban and suburban needs of European markets. The Toyota Aygo X is built on the GA-B platform of the Toyota Global New Architecture (TNGA), seen earlier on Toyota Yaris and Toyota Yaris Cross. The sub-compact size of the car makes it a worthy competitor of recent cars like Tata Punch.

Toyota Aygo X will be offered in two-tone colour finishes. The C-pillar and the roof will be clad in black whereas the rest of the body will be painted in green, red, beige or blue. Toyota has named the finishes after spices - Cardamom for green, Chilli for red, Ginger for beige and Juniper for blue.

Also Read: Toyota Innova Crysta Limited Edition launched for Diwali. Check price, details

The Aygo features a wedged roofline for a sportier image. The front sports a trapezoid grille, headlamps with LED daytime running lights, slim indicators and fog lamps. The Cardamom green version sits on 18-inch matte black alloy wheels, while the other variants feature 17-inch wheels.

Toyota Aygo X is 3,700mm long, 1,740mm wide, and 1,510mm high, making it bigger in size than the vanilla Aygo. The wheelbase of the car is 2,430mm, and the turning radius has been kept at 4.7m to suit urban environments.

The Toyota Aygo x is powered by an in-line 1-litre, 3-cylinder 1KR-FE engine, which the carmaker says has been improved to meet European regulations. It conforms to the EURO6D emission standards. The 998cc motor can dish out 72 hp of power at 6,000 rpm and 93Nm of max torque at 4,400 rpm.

The engine is mated to either a S-CVT gearbox or a manual transmission, with top speeds of 151 kmph and 158 kmph, respectively. Fuel consumption for the S-CVT gearbox stands at 4.9 litres per 100 km whereas that for the manual gearbox is 4.7 litres per 100 km.

Also Read: Toyota Mirai sets Guinness World Record; Here's why

Suspension duties are handled by Macpherson Strut unit up front, and a torsion beam at the back. The front wheels get ventilated disc brakes with floating calipers, whereas the rear wheels are stopped by drum brakes.

In the cockpit, the Toyota Aygo X features a multifunction steering wheel with a digital driver display behind it. It has been equipped with Toyota Smart Connect and MyT smartphone app and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The MyT app helps track driving analytics, fuel levels, warnings and vehicle tracker.

The multimedia system in the Aygo X offers cloud-based navigation via the always connected services in higher grades. New services will be introduced over time via over-the-air updates, so new software and connected services will be automatically pushed to the system. Toyota Smart Connect also offers wired and wireless smartphone connectivity via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan will have to visit Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) office today between 11 am and 2 pm to mark his presence before the anti-drug agency. Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB officials in a raid on a cruise ship on October 3. The superstar's son returned home from Mumbai's Arthur Jail on October 30, after he was granted bail from the Bombay High Court.

The court has imposed 14 conditions before granting him bail, one of which includes a weekly visit to the office. Aryan Khan has also surrendered his passport before the special NDPS court and cannot leave India without taking permission from the special court. As per the High Court's conditions, the 23-year-old SRK's son will have to give prior intimation to the NCB before leaving Mumbai and shall provide their itinerary. Besides, Aryan Khan and other co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha will not be indulging in any activity similar to the activities based on which the present case stands registered against them for offenses under the NDPS Act.

Aryan Khan was released from Mumbai Arthur Road Prison on October 30 after spending 22 days in jail. NCB did not find any drugs with Aryan Khan. The NCB did not find drugs on him and claimed in court that his WhatsApp chats proved his involvement in "illicit drug deals" and links with a foreign drugs cartel.

A single bench of Justice N W Sambre had on October 28 granted bail to Aryan Khan, 25 days after he was arrested during a drug raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast. The high court had said it would provide a copy of its order on Friday.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
The reconstructed skull of "Leti," a young Homo naledi. The skull was found inside a tiny passageway deep within a South African cave, and probably dates back more than 241,000 years. (Image credit: Wits University)

Deep within South Africa's Rising Star cave system, in a dark passageway barely 6 inches (15 centimeters) wide, scientists have discovered the fragmented skull of a Homo naledi child they're calling "Leti." How the little skull ended up in such a remote part of the cave is a mystery, though the discoverers suspect it could be evidence of an intentional burial.

"Leti," short for "Letimela," or "Lost One" in the Setswana language of South Africa, probably lived between 335,000 and 241,000 years ago, based on the ages of other remains found in the enigmatic cave. Fossil fragments belonging to about 24 Homo naledi individuals have been found in the cave system since 2013, when the first fossils from this human ancestor were discovered in what's now known as the Dinaledi Chamber.

The presence of so many individuals from a single species in the cave is mysterious. The only way in is a 39-foot (12 meters) vertical fracture known as "The Chute," and geologists and spelunkers have so far found no evidence of alternative entrances into the passageways. Leti's small skull was found scattered in pieces on a limestone shelf about 2.6 feet (80 cm) above the cave floor. The spot sits in "a spiderweb of cramped passages," Maropeng Ramalepa, a member of the exploration team, said in a statement .

Related: Homo naledi in photos: Images of the small-brained human relative

Image 1 of 4 Leti's skull fits into the palm of a modern human hand. (Image credit: Wits University) Image 2 of 4 Research team members exploring the cave had to squeeze through spaces barely 6 inches (15 cm) wide when exploring the labyrinth of passages where Leti was found. (Image credit: Wits University) Image 3 of 4 Teeth from the Homo naledi child "Leti." The teeth indicate that Leti died around the time of the eruption of the first permanent molars, which would be between the ages of 4 and 6 in modern humans. (Image credit: Wits University) Image 4 of 4 The reconstructed skull of "Leti," a young Homo naledi. The skull was found inside a tiny passageway deep within a South African cave, and probably dates back more than 241,000 years. (Image credit: Wits University)

A complicated ancestor

The area is barely navigable for experienced spelunkers with modern equipment, according to a new paper published Thursday (Nov. 4) in the journal PaleoAnthropology . There is no evidence that animals carried the H. naledi bones into the cave  there are no gnaw marks or evidence of predation. The bones also appear to have been placed in the cave, not washed in, as they were not found mixed with sediment or other debris.

That leaves open the possibility that more than 240,000 years ago, human ancestors with orange-size brains deliberately entered a dark, maze-like cave, perhaps through a vertical chute that narrows to 7 inches (18 cm) in places, and placed their dead inside.

No tools or artifacts have been found alongside the Rising Star cave system fossils. There are few signs of other animals entering the caves, beyond two specimens of juvenile baboons , at least one of which may be much older than the Homo naledi remains.

This human ancestor lived at the same time as early Homo sapiens , John Hawks, an anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies the remains, told Live Science in 2017 . Their apparent forays into the cave suggest that they were among modern humans' smarter ancestors, and that they had mastered the use of fire to light their explorations, Hawks said. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, H. naledi walked upright, stood about 4 feet, 9 inches (1.44 m) tall and weighed between 88 and 123 pounds (about 40 and 56 kilograms).

The new skull  which fits into the palm of a modern human hand  should reveal more about H. naledi's growth and development. While a few jaw fragments from juveniles have been found in the cave, this is the first time researchers have discovered bones from the skull case, or cranium. They also discovered six teeth.

Bones and teeth

The bones and teeth were found during an exploration of the narrow, twisting passageways around Dinaledi Chamber. Researchers mapped 1,037 feet (316 m) of these passageways, looking for evidence of another way into that chamber and several others nearby where remains have been found. They saw no evidence of another route.

"Exploration of the narrow passages within the Dinaledi Subsystem involves considerable effort, navigating areas with irregular floors and walls, numerous obstructions and fissures less than 30 cm [11.8 inches] wide," archaeologist Marina Elliott of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, wrote in the PaleoAnthropology paper.

The researchers did, however, find more fossils in this subterranean maze. These included the second-ever piece of evidence of a juvenile baboon in the cave; a single arm bone probably belonging to H. naledi; a trove of 33 bone fragments that also likely belonged to an H. naledi individual or individuals; and Leti. Details on Leti's skull were also published Nov. 4 in the journal PaleoAnthropology.

The partially preserved skull was broken into 28 fragments. When reconstructed, these fragments revealed much of the child's forehead and some of the top of the head. The teeth consisted of four unworn permanent teeth and two worn baby teeth. Their development and wear indicate that the child was at the age where the first permanent molars were breaking through the gum. In a human child, this would correspond to about 4 to 6 years of age. It's not known if H. naledi developed faster; if so, Leti may have been younger than 4 when he or she died.

The size of the skull indicates that Leti's brain had a volume of between 29 and 37 cubic inches (480 and 610 cubic cm)  about 90% to 95% of the brain volume of adults of her species.

"[T]his begins to give us insight into all stages of life of this remarkable species," Louisiana State University anthropologist Juliet Brophy, who led the study on Leti's skull, said in the statement.

Originally published on Live Science.
Utah state historic preservation officer Christopher Merritt examines excavated floorboards from a Chinese home in the ghost town of Terrace, Utah. Between two and four Chinese railroad maintenance workers likely lived in this home, which would have been built around 1869. This is the first fully excavated Chinese worker home on the transcontinental railroad line.

Archaeologists excavating in a Utah ghost town have turned up a rare find: a house belonging to 19th-century Chinese workers on the transcontinental railroad.

The house  now just a layer of floorboards scattered with artifacts such as Chinese coins and stoneware  is the first-ever completely excavated Chinese home on the transcontinental railroad. More than 11,000 immigrants from China helped build the railroad, which connected the Eastern lines in Iowa to the San Francisco Bay. But these workers are often left out of historical documents from the late 1800s, said Christopher Merritt, the state historic preservation officer with the Utah Division of State History. The presence of a Chinatown wasn't on any map of Terrace, for example.

"Being able to open up a whole house for the first time gives us a really interesting lens" on the Chinese railroad worker community, Merritt said.

Related: 15 incredible places on Earth that are frozen in time

Image 1 of 5 More than 11,000 Chinese workers helped build the transcontinental railroad, according to Golden Spike National Historic Park in Utah. The workers endured six days a week of 10 to 12 hours of hard labor in both heat and cold. According to the Historic Park, they were initially paid less than other workers. Eventually their wages were raised to the same level, but the workers still faced discrimination and segregation. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 2 of 5 The bottom of a porcelain Chinese bowl from over a century ago looks like dishware found in China or Chinatowns around the world today. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 3 of 5 A tiny arm from a figurine found in Terrace. Archaeologists found between 10,000 and 20,000 artifacts at the ghost town site, which was abandoned by 1904. The remote location and the desert environment have protected these artifacts at the surface, though large materials like railroad ties were hauled away for scrap by the 1940s. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 4 of 5 Glass fragments are a common find at the Terrace ghost town site. Archaeologists conducted two digs here in 2020. The town had a population of about 500 at its peak, but many of the buildings were destroyed by a fire in the early 1900s. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 5 of 5 There are few surviving historical records of the Chinese community in Terrace, which was likely the third-largest in Utah at its peak. Census records put the population at 56 in 1870, just over 10% of the total population of the town, but may be an undercount. Most railroad records of employment were destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, Merritt told Live Science. Artifacts like this Chinese coin reveal the location of Terrace's Chinatown for the first time. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt)

Ghost town

The town of Terrace materialized in far northwest Utah with the building of the railroad in the late 1860s. It was a railroad maintenance town, populated by 500 or so people at its peak. But in 1902, the railroad opened a cutoff route with a trestle across the Great Salt Lake , which meant workers didn't need to travel around the lake or pass by Terrace. By 1904, Terrace was gone.

A fire in the early 1900s erased much of the town's main street, but artifacts remained scattered on the ground. Looting and vandalism are common problems, Merritt said, but the artifacts represented a "time capsule of a boomtown," so state archaeologists desperately wanted to study and protect the site.

Related: Photos: See stunning natural bridges across Utah

Image 1 of 5 The excavation of the Chinese workers' home. Only floorboards and a few vertical posts are left behind. The boards used to construct the home were probably surplus railroad material, according to state archaeologists. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 2 of 5 Utah state historic preservation officer Christopher Merritt examines excavated floorboards from a Chinese home in the ghost town of Terrace, Utah. Between two and four Chinese railroad maintenance workers likely lived in this home, which would have been built around 1869. This is the first fully excavated Chinese worker home on the transcontinental railroad line. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 3 of 5 Archaeologists and volunteers dig at the Terrace ghost town site in northwest Utah. The Chinese Railroad Workers Descendents Association was also involved with volunteering, touring the site, and advocating for its protection. In this remote location, looting is common, and people walking off with artifacts might not even understand that what they're taking is the only history left of the Chinese community in this area from the late 1800s. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 4 of 5 The dry desert conditions of northwest Utah preserve artifacts well -- even organic ones like melon seeds, peanut shells and Chinese dates. These remnants of Chinese railroad workers' diets suggest that the immigrants were still eating comfort food from home, even in remote Terrace. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt) Image 5 of 5 An old railroad trestle in northwest Utah. Terrace's fate was sealed with the railroad developed the Lucin Cutoff, a line that crossed the Great Salt Lake on a long trestle rather than skirting around the lake by places like Terrace. The cutoff opened in 1902, and Terrace was a ghost town by 1904. (Image credit: Christopher Merritt)

Working closely with the Utah-based Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, the archaeological team conducted two digs at the site.

"The amount of material culture, artifacts on the ground, is staggering," Merritt told Live Science. Archaeologists collected 10,000 to 20,000 items that had been preserved by the dry desert climate. These items revealed something not on any map: the location of Terrace's Chinatown.

Chinese culture on the transcontinental railroad

The researchers could tell where the Chinese workers in Terrace lived based on artifacts such as Chinese coins, gaming pieces, Chinese porcelain bowl fragments and stoneware that would have been used to hold soy sauce and vinegar. From China, these goods would have crossed the Pacific by ship to San Francisco, where workers loaded them onto a train for a journey to this "podunk" little town, Merritt said. The archaeologists and volunteers at the dig even found melon seeds, peanut shells and Chinese dates preserved at the site.

The 1870 Census records 56 Chinese workers living in Terrace at the town's peak, Merritt said, but Census records often undercount minority and immigrant groups. It's possible that as many as 100 Chinese workers called the town a temporary home at its peak. There was no legal requirement for segregation between these workers and the town's white residents, he said, but discrimination and racism kept the two communities apart.

The researchers did, however, discover evidence of at least one Chinese business right on the main street. The type of business wasn't clear, but archaeologists found Chinese liquor jars, stoneware and porcelain in a building foundation. It may have been a grocery store, a laundry or even a restaurant, Merritt said.

"We don't know that answer yet, but at least now we have one fixed point that there was a Chinese presence on this main street in Terrace," Merritt said.

The researchers now plan to analyze more thoroughly the artifacts discovered at the site, hoping to reveal more stories of the workers who made the transcontinental railroad possible. Utah policymakers also hope to protect Terrace. State Rep. Karen Kwan, the president of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, told KSL.com that she plans to introduce a resolution in the upcoming legislative sessions highlighting the importance of ghost towns like Terrace. New fencing and signage have also been erected to alert visitors to the identity of the site and to discourage looting.

Originally published on Live Science.
Revitalization of the historic Alameda Theater will finally move forward with a funding boost. San Antonio City Council approved $7 million from the Houston Street TIRZ Thursday, allowing the Alameda Conservancy Group to kick off $37 million renovations to the downtown cultural icon.

Veronica Garcia, assistant director of center city development and operations department, said at the meeting that the TIRZ funding will help cover part of a $14 million funding gap. She said county commissioners will consider a $7 million match later this month.

Courtesy of OTJ Architects - Alameda Theater Conservancy

ACG expects the theater to be completed in 2023 with the first season to open in 2024.

Garcia noted the theater will offer flexible seating for audiences of up to 1,400 people. The stage will be converted into a "thrust stage" that goes into the audience. She said the facade on Houston Street and the black light murals will also be fully restored.

Courtesy of OTJ Architects - Alameda Theater Conservancy

"When completed, we will again feature many of our regional and local acts that will be celebrated here," Garcia said.

This Alameda is part of an larger restoration project that also include the new TPR headquarters next door. The theater has been in the works since 2017 and has been aided by Pete Cortez of La Familia Cortez, which owns well-known local restaurants like Mi Tierra and La Margarita.

Cortez said at the council meeting that the Alameda Theater opened in 1949 and was once home to Spanish language films.

"Although it has been dark for almost 40 years, it remains a symbol of community in our city," Cortez said.
Click here to read the full article.

AMC Networks said an surge in the production of new programming helped boost its operations in the third quarter, resulting in a boost to profit as the company works to place its content in an array of new venues to court the rise of consumers interesting in streaming.

The New York owner of the AMC, IFC and SundanceTV cable networks and distributor of the Walking Dead series, said net income rose to $110.6 million, or $2.60 a share, compared with $61.6 million, or $1.18 a share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue, meanwhile, surged 24% to nearly $810.8 million, compared with $654 million in the year-earlier period.

AMC Networks reported earnings for the first time under new executive oversight. The company named Matt Blank, a former longtime Showtime executive, as its interim chief executive in August, while Josh Sapan, who had held the role for years, moved to a chairman role. In a statement, Blank said the company was focused intently on reaching viewers through broadband. We are building a streaming business that is sustainable and will be profitable over the long term, and with our owned IP, our library of high quality content, and our strong legacy channels business, we have the right assets to drive growth and increase shareholder value, he said.

AMC Networks, he said, is on track to having 9 million streaming subscribers by the end of 2021.

AMCs advertising and distribution were largely bolstered by an increase in production of new episodes and programs, after a period during which that process was crimped by the coronavirus pandemic. Revenues in the U.S., where AMC derives the bulk of its business, rose 25% owing in part to more content being made available across a range of venues. Advertising revenue in the U.S. rose 22%.

Still, like other media companies, AMC is navigating troubles in its traditional linear-TV operations, where it noted it grappled with declines in ratings and fewer traditional subscribers.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

World premiering at the Seville European Film Festival, Santi Amodeos latest production The Gentiles is a robust reminder of the directors vibrant and idiosyncratic voice which hasnt always attracted the notice it merits on the Spanish film scene. After having made cult pieces such as Astronauts (2003) and Doghead (2006), Amodeo turns again to a portrait of adolescence with The Gentiles, this time with a generation of full-on digital natives.

Produced by Grupo Tranquilo and Sacromonte Films, headed by Gervasio Iglesias, the film follows Ana  played by Africa de la Cruz  a teenager who, while struggling with the typical problems of adolescence, is thunderstruck by her charismatic friend Corrales  played by Paula Diaz  who fantasizes with taking her own life.

Amodeo imbues his characters with a spontaneity that youd expect from a younger filmmaker, someone much closer to the age of its characters. Alex Catalan, a DP on Alejandro Amenabars While at War and La Fortuna and all of Alberto Rodriguezs movies, serves as cinematographer. Alongside art director Ana Medina, he creates a sensuous Seville, brimming with color.

Variety talked with Amodeo in the build up to the films world premieres in main competition at Seville.

Both the choice of analog film as of the lenses give the movie an aesthetic that is modern while reminiscent of a classical cinema. How did you strive to find the right visuals and texture for the film?

From the first moment the DP Alex Catalan and I were clear that we wanted to shoot in 16mm. Almost everything is better when you shoot in analog, from the colors to the textures. But also analog in some way pushes you to a way of shooting, by the type of camera, the processes of the negative, the lenses, the same chassis that has a certain duration Everything conditions you, for me in a good sense. And as you say, something shot in 16mm has two faces, one that transports you towards a somewhat more classic cinema, and the other that provides a certain look, I dont know if modern, but certainly different. I think this movie suited it very well; but in reality Ive shot almost all my films in analog and my idea is to continue doing it while I can.

The film manages to be both an adolescent portrait as as well as a take on suicide and unrequited love but maintaining a lightness and acid sweetness very typical of the protagonist herself. How did construct the portrait of a teenage girl? And what tones were you looking for when making the film?

In this film there were two things that conditioned the tone: a high percentage of what happens in the film is taken from real teenagers, in many cases girls who committed suicide. And the other thing is how the story itself came to me: normally I was nourished by things told in the first person on social networks. The tone was already there: For example, in one publication a teenager spoke with enthusiasm about some new Vans shed bought and in the next post she said that she was going to kill herself by drowning in the river. Many times there were no more clues, you were the one who had to complete the story. I have tried to reflect that, giving it logical dramatic structure, but trying to make the viewer feel similar to how I felt.

As filmmakers we are continually confronted with how to portray this new digital reality. You explore with great interest the digital world in which this new generation grows up and embrace its aesthetics. What was the aesthetic approach that you had when portraying this virtual space?

Although it may seem otherwise, there are few references, at least inspiring ones, on how to treat social networks in the cinema. In the script it was clear, because the writing emanated from the networks themselves. But putting it on screen was not that simple. Although there were things that we were clear about from the beginning, it was in editing where we managed to fully squeeze the social networks to try to catch their essence. And Im not just talking about aesthetics, but about the philosophy that moves them, about whats behind. The truth is that the only thing we were clear about was that we did not want to drink from movies, but from the networks themselves. And this brings us back to tone. Because networks have their own language. Very few people post Im sad just plain. Instead, they may sing a song on Tik Tok.

A key to the film is the actresses work. What was the preparation with them? What were the hardest parts of that work?

Truth be told the casting directors had found very good raw material and from there everything is easier. From the profiles we were looking for  very young people  we knew that they had to be non-professionals. But I was surprised by the maturity and natural talent of such young actresses, that by the way none of them are just actresses, one plays the viola, another dances, another does circus, another writes  But they are also digital natives. So they not only understood the story but brought a point of view that solidified it. Everything improved with their contact. The most difficult thing with them has been to help them maintain stability in the wheel of emotions that is shooting a movie, which on the other hand is logical.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

For the last 15 years, the Seville European Film Festival has built step by step to become now one of the three or four most important film industry events in Spain.

Growth has been driven by the ecosystem of Andalusia at large, currently one of Spains most dynamic regions for film and TV, and that of Sevilles industry events as well.

2021, the first SEFF edition with a near full post-pandemic onsite industry attendance, is no exception.

Three years ago, the festival launched European Co-Productions, a bilateral project-based meet with a natural production partner county for Spain. This year Germany weighs in as the guest country.

In 2021, Seville has added the first edition of Merci, its Independent Film Market, a miniSpanish ShowEast-style convention running Nov. 10-12 which will see 25 movies from 13 independent distributors in Spain, grouped in its Assn. of Independent Film Distributors (ADICINE), pitched to exhibitors and small screen buyers.

The Seville European Film Festival can also look to the increasingly film-TV dynamism and institutional infrastructure of Andalusia itself.

Women in Focus, for example, will team with the Andalusian Assn. of Women in Audiovisual Media (AAMMA), to host this year two masterclasses delivered by Gloria Bretones, director of sales agency Begin Again Films and script consultant Ana Sanz-Magallon.

The festival has long had the support of European institutions. Lifting off Nov. 5 as the American Film Market winds down, the Seville European Film Festival will see some of Europes major industry orgs hail into the still sunny southern Spanish city for events. Europa International, Europes sales agent org, will hold its annual conference. Companies confirmed as attendees include Coproduction Office, Charades, Films Boutique, Les Films du Losange, New Europe Film Sales, The Match Factory, TrustNordisk and Wild Bunch.

Europa Cinemas, the continents arthouse theater network, will host an Innovation and Audience Development Lab.

A companion event to European Co-productions is EAVE on Demand Seville, which will serve to unveil new film projects by Ane is Missings David Perez Sanudo, Toronto and San Sebastian regular Manuel Martin Cuenca and: Leire Apellaniz, who comes with one of the most ambitious Basque projects ever in the making: Zuria.

All three new titles have to date been pretty much off the radar. The caliber of tiles at both EAVE on Demand and European Co-productions is high.

Some 300 execs and directors will attend industry events. We address all the value chain from script development through to exhibition, says Seville European Film Festival industry co-ordinator Olivia Pont.

Seville also tries to strike synergies between different events. In town for a film student mentoring program, which runs throughout the festival, producers and directors from the Madrid Film Schools Incubator, one of Spains top development labs, can also meet with sales agents at Europa International.

The possibility of doing so on a cafe terrace still lit by near summer sun by Northern Europe standards will facilitate networking.

Following a rundown on the 10 projects at European Co-productions:

Die Gaste (Stefan Butzmuhlen, Cristina Diz, The Match Factory)

Produced by top European indie The Match Factory, this is not your typical road movie. Young widow Maura, suspected of witchcraft, leaves her native Galician village in the north of Spain and relocates to Germany, followed years later by her daughter. While there, the mother is involved in an accident at work and her daughter Iria, against her own wishes, is pushed to bring Maura back to Spain with the help of her boyfriend. Along the way, the differences in the couple become pronounced in a story described by Butzmuhlen and Diz as being about power relations that are inscribed in bodies, and about the structures that inextricably connect the living with the dead, women with witches, and the past with the present.

Electric Sheep (Zeynep Dadak, Unafilm)

Titled to honor Philip K. Dicks legendary dystopian cyberpunk epic which inspired the Blade Runner franchise, Electric Sheep unspools in the near future after an economic crisis has pushed a ruling elite to find new ways to exploit the working class, including a new technology that limits the amount of sleep needed in a day to three hours. The tech, however, also has a sinister secondary purpose, which the films young coder protagonist must uncover.

Its a Sad and Beautiful World (Cyril Aris, Reynard Films)

Leipzigs Reynard Films leads this Germany, Lebanon, (Abbout Productions) and France (Cinenovo) co-production which tells the improbable love story of the idealistic Nino and Soraya the cynic, set against a 40-year backdrop of Lebanese history. As a project there is already plenty of buzz around the project which has previously participated in the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, MIA Co-Production and nearly a dozen other labs.

Sultanas Dream (Isabel Herguera, Fabian&Fred)

Sultanas Dream marks the animation feature debut of Isabel Herguera. An animation/live-action hybrid, its inspired by a classic feminist tale from Bengali social activist Begum Rokeya, published in 1905, and follows a young animator living in India who forgets how to dream. Herguera was a Variety talent to track in 2017 and her latest is now backed by SultanaFilms, Gatoverde Producciones, Abano Producions Uniko and Fabian & Fred.

The Arabic Interpreter (Ali Kareem Obaid, Achtung Panda!)

Kareem Obaids feature debut, The Arabic Interpreter follows Hassan, an unemployed actor who becomes an interpreter for the German government during the recent refugee crisis. While assisting people fleeing war in the Middle East, Hassan comes across an individual who he thinks could be a jihadist and begins to relive his own nightmarish experience during the war in Iraq. The project was one of six Arab feature film projects selected to participate in the Red Sea Lodge program, launched in 2019 with the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A la cara (Javier Marco, Pecado Films)

Director Javier Marco earned a 2021 Spanish Academy Goya Award for his short film of the same name. For the feature, Pecado Films (When Brooklyn Met Seville) boards this award-winning project aiming to step up production and bring the story to a new format. When Pedro shows his apartment to Lina, he cant possibly know shes the journalist he has been bullying on social media. When, the next day, Lina disappears, Pedro becomes the last person who saw her alive, making him a central suspect to the police. A la cara will mark Marcos sophomore feature outing after his debut , Josefina, played to an upbeat reception at San Sebastian.

Diogenes (Roger Gual, Funicular Films)

Director Roger Guals latest was co-created with Spanish actor Alex Brendemuhl, the two having met while working on 7 years, a Netflix Original feature in 2016. Diogenes is a man on two quests, one to discover what happened to his mother, and one to track down his biological father. Raised by his mother, Diogenes struggles with how to move on after her death when he learns that his biological father is a person of influence.

Manantial (Manuel Munoz Rivas, El viaje Films)

Director Manuel Munoz Rivas is a recent Ikusmira Berriak  co-backed by the San Sebastian Film Festival  2021 residency participant with this project, now backed by recently created production company Funicular Films (Aina Clotet, Jan Andreu, Marc Clotet and Marta Baldo). The film follows an elderly couple on a trip to find the source of the Guadalquivir River in Spain and the struggles, physical and psychological, along the way.

Matria (Alvaro Gago, Matriuska Producciones, Avalon PC, Ringo Media)

Another short-to-feature adaptation, 2018 Sundance short film Jury Prize winning director Alvaro Gago brings Ramonas life-story back to the big screen. Galicias Matriuka Producciones, Madrids Avalon PC and Catalonias Ringo Media produce, with Warsaws New Europe Films Sales recently taking international rights to the film. In a Galician village, Ramona has sacrificed everything for her daughter but finds that perhaps there is more to life after a surprise arrival. The film was put through the Incubator program at the Madrid Film School (ECAM).

On The Go (Maria Gisele Royo, Julia de Castro, Jur Jur Productions, Esperpento Films, Paola A. Filmproduktion)

Spains Jur Jur Productions and Esperpento Films join Germanys Paola A. Filmproduktion on directors Maria Gisele Royo and Julia de Castros latest project. Unwilling to accept an artificial insemination donation from a faceless stranger, Julia recruits her friend Johnathan on a Grinder-selection process, hoping to score a hand-picked biological sample from a used condom. Its a feat that proves harder than the two initially expect. Eventually the two meet up with international sex symbol La Reina de Triana and the three set out on a pan-Andalusian road trip full of music, dance and eroticism.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

For the second year in a row, Variety and the History channel are joining forces, teaming up on a television special that pays tribute to veterans and military families.

Variety Salute to Service, hosted by Robin Roberts, will premiere on the History Channel at 9 p.m. ET on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, and showcase those whose lives were changed by their military service. The special also features former President George W. Bush speaking about his Presidential Institutes Military Service Initiative, which helps post 9/11 vets and their families. Additional participants in the program include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Strahan and Bob Woodruff.

Im a proud military brat! My beloved father Col. Lawrence E. Roberts, who served in three wars, began his military career as a Tuskegee Airman. I witnessed first hand the sacrifices my father and other members of the military made to keep this country safe. They fought for our freedom and I welcome every opportunity to honor them and those currently serving, Roberts says.

The emotional special highlights the incredible true stories of veterans who have sacrificed so much to serve their country. The special also puts a spotlight on how vets make the sometimes difficult but ultimately very important transition from military to civilian life, while putting to use their skills and experiences, so that they can chart new and exciting paths in their lives, after their service has

been completed.

For over 25 years, the History channel has been proud to support our nations veterans and military families, says Paul Buccieri, president and chairman, A+E Networks Group. Our commitment to them is part of our DNA as a company. These heroes put everything on the line to protect us, so we feel a responsibility to stand with them and spotlight their stories. We are honored to join with Variety to salute military families through this special, shining a light on extraordinary veterans who are at the forefront of leadership and service in our communities.

The History channels Mission to Honor initiative celebrates the contributions of veterans and military families through programming and content across all platforms. Retired Army Sgt. Travis Mills is among the veterans featured in the special. Mills, who served three tours in Afghanistan where he was critically injured by an IED, losing portions of both legs and arms, is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive his injuries. Mills service continues with the work of the Travis Mills Foundation, which provides a safe haven for veterans and their families to come together at a center in Maine.

Recognizing, saluting and thanking all veterans, and their families, is important to who we are as a nation, says Gerry Byrne, vice chairman of Variety parent PMC and a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran. To have this very important History channel partnership with their on-air Variety Salute to Service special, allows us the perfect path to further ignite an awareness of the important issues and needs impacting the veteran community.

The special also highlights the veteran and military affairs initiatives of Comcast NBCUniversal, which has developed strong enterprises to provide resources to veterans and military families. These efforts include Comcast Rise, a program that supports small businesses owned by people of color, including veteran-owned businesses. In the special, viewers learn the inspirational story of Navy veteran Steven Rho, who served in Somalia on the ship that responded to the American hostage crisis there. Today, Rho has launched a toy company called Big Future Toys. Comcast contributed airtime to advertise his business in the Atlanta area, drawing awareness and visibility that he says has helped jumpstart his endeavor.

Military veterans have a long history of business ownership contributing to the economic health of local communities and our country, says retired Brig. Gen. Carol Eggert, senior vice president of Military & Veteran Affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal. Through Comcast Rise, were honored to continue this legacy and empower those veteran-owned businesses hardest hit by the pandemic.

As well as the Variety special, History will also air Hidden Heroes: The Nisei Soldiers of WWII at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 11.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

 if audiences can get past the conceit that an attractive, self-respecting woman would be so desperate for a boyfriend that shed stick around after a potential beau pulls a despicable deed by catfishing her. For those who find that completely implausible even by dumbed-down genre standards, the remainder is hard to love. The ensuing shenanigans not only do our heroine a massive disservice by letting men manipulate her agency  they also cause us to question what exactly were rooting for when the perky protagonist stoops to equally lowdown behavior.

Los Angeles journalist Natalie Bauer (Nina Dobrev) is searching for her soul mate in the online dating world, but failing spectacularly with local prospects. Her Flirt Alert app matches have tested her patience with men using outdated profile photos, standing her up completely and worse, cheating on their spouses. She remains unflappable, turning these disaster dates into fodder for a mega-popular column she writes under the sad-sack pseudonym Always a Bridesmaid at a trendy lifestyle website. Though her pieces please both readers and her douchey, demanding editor Lee (Matty Finochio), Natalie is growing tired of rejection. So at the encouragement of her bestie Kerry (Heather McMahan), she expands her search for true love country-wide. And just like that, she swipes right and matches 30-year-old Josh Lin.

From his profile, he appears to be the entire package  tall, handsome and outdoorsy. After two weeks of late-night calls, bonding over the intimate details of each others lives, Josh casually drops a hint that he wants Natalie to join him at his family home in Lake Placid, N.Y., for Christmas. Feeling like she knows him well enough, and with Lee desperately needing her to complete a new assignment, Natalie decides to hop on a plane and surprise her beau. However, when she arrives, shes shocked to discover Josh isnt who he said he was. Hes actually a short, shy, bespectacled introvert (Jimmy O. Yang) living in his parents basement. He used a picture of his best friend Tag (Darren Barnet) to lure Natalie into a romance. As a half-baked mea culpa, Josh strikes a deal with Natalie: If she stays for a week and pretends to be his girlfriend to make his family happy, hell help her win over Tag, thus finding her true love. Yet instead of cutting her losses and parting ways to write her next humiliating masterpiece, she agrees to stay and scheme.

Jimenez, along with screenwriters Danny Mackey and Rebecca Ewing, hit too many sour notes when attempting to soften Joshs unforgivable betrayal. They rationalize his abhorrent behavior by explaining that a lack of self-confidence drove him to these extreme measures. They also give him a slight backstory involving being bullied by his spotlight-hogging, competitive older brother, Owen (Harry Shum Jr.), who demeans Josh as a disappointment to their kindhearted parents (James Saito and Rebecca Staab). Incidentally, his unhealthy brother issues are left mostly unresolved by films end. Bringing Natalie down to Joshs level by deceiving Tag (i.e., fundamentally changing everything about herself to suit his dream-girl needs) serves to compound these problems, as neither of their scenarios is equal. But for the sake of the film, were forced to accept that they are. Theyre both awful, beginning romantic relationships based on lies but to drastically varying degrees, with Joshs duplicity trumping hers as the absolute worst.

Natalies journey toward becoming her honest self is severely muddled. Its rare when shes given the chance to demonstrate initiative. Men in her world are continually explaining the reality of situations to her, from her hypocrisy to her superficial dating habits. She seldom learns lessons on her own. They also keep rescuing her, whether its Josh taking her to the vet after an allergic reaction to a boozy beverage, the rock-climbing incident when Josh calms her fear of heights, or when Lee  not her best friend Kerry  arrives in the third act to get her to realize her true feelings about the real Josh.

Thats not to say there are no redeeming values. Theres a tangible sweetness behind the notion of two imperfect people finding each other perfect. Though the troubling material doesnt necessarily allow for the actors to turn in their best work, some of the ensemble frequently rise above it. Saito and Yang portray the touching, tender aspects of their underwritten father-son relationship with nuance and vulnerability. Skilled comedic performers Yang and Dobrev pack a lot of heart and humor into the scene where Natalie helps Josh improve his profile page.

Jimenez and company give the picture an innovative aesthetic sheen to augment characters emotions through camera movement, editing and subtle shifts in the cinematography. Jimenez , editor Priscilla Nedd-Friendly and cinematographer Shane Hurlbut take craft and care capturing character-driven sequences  like when Natalie and Josh put their own spin on Baby Its Cold Outside as the camera swirls around them as if theyre the only two people there, or during the climactic chaos of their surprise engagement party when the camera turns upside down, symbolizing their lies doing the same.

If only similar ingenuity was applied to better reinforce the protagonists internal conflicts that directly inform their arcs. Wed be dealing with a well-earned, satisfying conclusion. As is, it cuts corners to achieve such a rush. With its prevailing sentiments on dating in the digital age feeling more than a decade old, and themes centered on honesty and shallowness ringing hollow, this feature is fairly forgettable.

Reviewed online, Los Angeles, Nov. 3, 2021. Running time: 104 MIN.

Running Time: 104 MIN.

Production

A Netflix release of a Wonderland Sound and Vision Production. Producers: McG, Mary Viola. Executive producers: Steven Bello, Brendan Ferguson, Max King.

Crew

Director: Hernan Jimenez. Screenplay: Danny Mackey, Rebecca Ewing. Camera: Shane Hurlbut. Editor: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly. Music: Mark Orton.

With

Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet, James Saito, Harry Shum Jr., Heather McMahan, Rebecca Staab, Matty Finochio.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

In Passing, Tessa Thompson stars as Irene Redfield, a Black woman living in Harlem amid the Renaissance, whose life with her doctor husband Brian (Andre Holland) and their two sons is turned upside down when she reconnects with Clare Kendry (Ruth Negga), a childhood acquaintance whos since begun passing for white and is married to a wealthy (and racist) businessman named John (Alexander Skarsgard). The movie, which marks Rebecca Halls feature directorial debut, recently earned five Gotham Award nominations, including a lead performance nod for Thompson. Beyond her own acknowledgment, Thompson explains, those accolades represent something more. It was so hard to get the film made because of the subject matter and because its shot in black and white, she tells Variety. When movies like this do well, all that does is make room for more stories like this to be told.

Passing is based on Nella Larsens 1929 novella. How did reading her work prepare you to play Irene?

I engaged with Nellas words almost obsessively, actually, while we were making the movie. Maybe for some people it feels liberating to not engage with the text that much or create a barrier between what you read on the page and what your rendering is going to be, but we were doing something that I felt like was a pretty dedicated adaptation of the book and trying to capture the same ambiguity and haunting nature of it, so I just thought, what a resource, because one of the challenges is theres such interiority in the book. Even though its not written in first person, its entirely from Irenes perspective, and while she doesnt verbalize a lot of her thoughts and feelings, she has so many. So, I actually had passages of the book in the margins of my scripts. I found it really helpful in terms of understanding the things I was hoping to communicate. It felt like playing a piece of music.

You have a striking line of dialogue: Were all passing for one thing or another. How does this story explore larger themes of identity  including some queer subtext?

Nella uses passing in terms of race as a metaphor for all the ways in which we pass: this idea of women having to pass for being entirely satisfied inside domesticity, which for many women isnt the case; themes of sexuality, of repressed desire. Something that really stood out to me was this idea that none of us fit too squarely in boxes  that were bound to spill over when and if we allow ourselves full access to who we actually are. And when you add all the intersections of race and class on to that really very human thing that we tend to put on masks sometimes to survive, to find a sense of belonging, it gets complicated. What feels so incredible is that Nella was writing about that before there was language around intersectionality, for example. She was really ahead of her time and, in some ways, ahead of our time.

What did you make of the way director Rebecca Hall used black-and-white cinematography to illustrate this conversation about racism and colorism?

That felt paramount to me. I remember Rebecca calling  it had been some time since Id signed on and we thought we were gonna go at a certain date and suddenly financing fell out  and saying, If we were to make this in color, we could maybe make it sooner. And I said, Ill wait. Well make this movie whenever we can make it, exactly the way you imagined it. She was on page 10 of reading the novella when she started to imagined it in black and white. She also imagined it in 4:3 [aspect ratio] because she wanted to talk about the suffocating nature of the way in which society at large puts us in boxes.

One of the most shocking and standout moments of this story happens when Irene learns that Johns nickname for his wife Claire is Nig, revealing that he doesnt know shes passing for white. I couldnt imagine how that would translate from book to screen  what scenes were you most interested in seeing adapted?

We got really lucky with all the men that are in our film. I think men in Hollywood arent often tasked with playing really strong supporting parts inside of narratives where women are protagonists and all of them really believed so heartily in Rebecca and were so supportive to us.

But for Alexander especially, its a really tough thing to do and play. Not that you feel for the man, but you understand hes a product of his time, and as much as you can judge his choices or his language, if youre gonna play a human being, you have to imbue them with a sense of humanity. And I was really excited actually, even though it was very hard to play the scene, to see Alexander do that because I thought it had a certain amount of bravery to it.

I was really interested in how Rebecca would adapt the end  how she would lens it. You make decisions as an actor around what your characters doing, and theres a little bit of ambiguity in the book. But the truth is, as an actor, you deliver a lump of clay and the editor and director sculpt it. So I might have one idea of what Im trying to get across, but it can be lensed in an entirely different way. I felt protective over Irene and also protective over Rebecca having the ability to see how she sees and to let us see.

Tell me about working with Ruth. Rebecca has said that she had to find two actors that could kind of almost feel as if they could play either role because both of these women are so seduced by and interested in each others lives  how did you find that within each other?

Thats so interesting because Ruth actually said that recently, she was like, If we were doing this as a stage play, we could do it in such a way that wed trade roles every other night, which I was like, Oh thatd be so interesting.

In a perfect world, I think there should always be a sense of symbiosis between two performers or an ensemble because your performances exist because of the other. Particularly in this one because Clare and Irene are two sides of the same coin, in a way. Theres something about Clare that is so beguiling to Irene. Its the thing that they talk about when you play royalty  its the company around you that gives you a sense of power because their behavior should change when you walk into the room: They give you your power, you dont play it. In that way, I felt really excited to get to play opposite Ruth because I knew by that camaraderie and the interconnected nature of our performances that I could also give her a sense of majesty in the way that I look at her by the way that I treat her.

I also had a sense  because theres a certain real oppressive restraint to Irene, and so, necessarily, a restraint in my performance  that I felt very taken care of by knowing that Ruth would come in and add all of [the] electricity you want on screen. The nature of the film actually changes when shes in it or when shes not, and that allowed me to feel safe to be understated and to really play Irene with honesty. I really loved the ways in which it felt like we were dependent on each other. It makes sense that Rebecca would think itd be smart to have two actors that can do both, because I think we both maybe understand the demands of the other, although I would never want to play Clare  I love Ruth in this part so much, I wouldnt have done it.

You also executive produced this film and recently launched your own company, Viva Maude. Tell me about your transition behind the scenes.

I was listening to Rebecca talk about her journey as an actor into directing, and she felt like she always approached acting as a director, in a way. I can sympathize with that in the sense that Ive always been interested in storytelling from a very macro perspective. Ive always admired actors that felt very myopic in terms of just concentrating on their contribution  that can blur out all of the other distraction on a set and be really focused. I have always thought about the totality of what it takes to tell the story  the things that you both see on-screen and the things that you never see on-screen but are paramount to getting the thing made. So, producing has felt like a natural progression for me.

The aim of Viva Maude is to expand the aperture, to change who gets star treatment, to inspire new voices to feel like they have a home thats safe where they can cultivate stories that they want to tell. Weve been working in concert with HBO and HBO Max to produce original work there and have adaptations of a couple really exciting books that Im happy to be speaking around. Our work in development, thus far, speaks to that  a project like Secret Lives of Church Ladies, where there will be a whole cast of brilliant, Black women who are all shapes, sizes, skin tones. We dont get to see that often. It felt like an actionable way to contribute to the change that Id like to see in Hollywood.

Things you didnt know about Tessa Thompson:

Age: 38

Hometown: Los Angeles

Why Viva Maude: She named her company after the 1971 film Harold and Maude, which was initially dismissed by critics but built a cult following. The film became profitable in 1983, the year Thompson was born.

Up next: Reprising her role as Valkyrie in Marvels Thor Love and Thunder; currently filming Season 4 of HBOs Westworld

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

The djembe drum is the sacred heartbeat of West Africa, a powerful instrument conveying messages of struggle and liberation for African people. Traditionally used by griots to connect history and culture to younger generations, the djembe is at the center of the Public Theaters production of The Visitor  but in this new musical by the Pulitzer-winning duo behind Next to Normal, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the drums historical context goes unacknowledged and its purpose gets corrupted. The musical feels like a slap in the face.

With a book by Kwame Kwei-Armah and direction by Daniel Sullivan, The Visitor adapts Tom McCarthys 2007 film of the same name. The story follows Walter (David Hyde Pierce), a white college professor who travels to New York to deliver a paper he cowrote and encounters an immigrant couple, Tarek (Ahmad Maksoud), a drummer fronm Syria, and his partner Zainab (Alysha Deslorieux), a jewelry designer from Senegal.

Originally, Tarek was to be played by Tony Award winner Ariel Stachel (The Bands Visit), but just before previews began the actor departed, expressing concern over the shows Arab-American representation. Seeing the final product, its easy to understand why Stachel left: The Visitor is a story characterized by white saviorism, cultural appropriation and racial bias.

Throughout the production, the shows title is often challenged: Who is the visitor? The immigrant couple barely surviving in New York seems like the obvious answer, but their story is often told through a one-dimensional lens; instead the text centers Walters experience as a bored educator who has not updated his syllabus in 20 years and cant keep his students focused in class. He finds a renewed sense of purpose by going out of his way to help this poor couple  after pompously alluding that no one else would do it.

Pierce, famous for his role as Dr. Niles Crane on Frasier, remains stiff and unentertaining here. Walter becomes so obsessed with his human discoveries and the small piece of African culture they introduce him to that he forgets about everything else. In a role reversal, Tarek becomes Walters teacher, introducing Walter to the djembe, teaching him how to play, encouraging him to practice and offering him a seat at the table during the musicals most telling song, Drum Circle.

Rhythm is not a thing you find outside of you, one of the lyrics states, and indeed Walter and the audience remain searching for it throughout the production. Music and storytelling have been the backbone of the African experience, and Africans and their descendants have survived, thrived and resisted injustices with their faith and their shared song. But when Walters search leads him to join the circle, the results prove disastrous  not for him, but for Tarek, who generously invited Walter into the space in the first place.

The musical finally comes alive during My Love Is Free, the single moment when the story shifts its focus solely to Tarek and Zainab. The heartbreaking song unearths the infectious chemistry between the couple that for the rest of the production remains overshadowed by Walters problems. Deslorieux delicately and superbly plays the role of a supportive yet cautious girlfriend, and Maksoud does what little he can with a character whose complexity is never fully explored. Lorin Latarro provides pristine choreography and Japhy Weideman sublimely lights the moment.

When the number is over, however, the audience is quickly thrust back into the world of white-savior Walter. The creators seem to have been generously aiming to create a sympathetic portrait of a privileged mans performative activism. But by centering Walter rather than Tarek and Zainab, the show ends up highlighting the privileged folks who are already coddled more than enough. A story that features important notes on racism and immigrant survival takes a back seat to a script that magnifies the problems of one white mans mid-life crisis.

In a program note, book writer Kwei-Armah explains that his hope is to focus the human gaze in the direction of advocacy and allyship  but he had the perfect opportunity to enlighten the audience on Tarek and Zainabs backstory and chose not to. During the musicals finale, Walter sits alone in front of bars that enclose the immigrant couple. Holding the djembe between his legs, he beats the instrument forcefully with a look of satisfaction thats almost scary. He is intense and self-absorbed. He has finally found his rhythm, and the drum circle that graciously allowed him entrance is no longer needed.

The Public Theater; 299 seats; $90 top; Opened November 4, 2021. Reviewed Oct. 30. Running Time: ONE HOUR, 30 MIN.

Production

The Public Theater presentation of a musical in two acts with book by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Brian Yorkey.

Music By

Tom Kitt, Brian Yorkey.

Crew

Directed by Daniel Sullivan. Set, David Zinn; costumes, Toni-Leslie James; lighting, Japhy Weideman; sound, Jessica Paz and Sun Hee Kil; choreography by Lorin Latarro; hair/wig & makeup, Matthew Armentrout; production stage manager, James Latus.

With

Jacqueline Antaramian, Robert Ariza, Anthony Chan, Alysha Deslorieux, Delius Doherty, C.K. Edwards, Will Erat, Brandon Espinoza, Sean Ewing, Albert Guerzon, Crystal Joy, Marla Louissaint, Ahmad Maksoud, Sahar Milani, Dimitri Joseph, Moise, Takafumi Nikaido, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Pontrelli, Katie Terza.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  An influential LGBT advocacy group in China that has spearheaded many of the legal cases pushing for greater rights is halting its work amid growing restrictions on social activism.

LGBT Rights Advocacy China announced it was ceasing all activities and shutting down its social media accounts in an announcement on social media Thursday.

We are deeply regretful to tell everyone, Queer Advocacy Online will stop all of our work indefinitely, the group said on WeChat, using the name of its social media account. It closed its accounts on WeChat and Weibo, two widely used platforms in China.

A member confirmed that all the groups activities have been shut down. The member, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns, declined to say why. Group founder Peng Yanzi did not respond to a request for comment.

LGBT Rights Advocacy China did work across the country, pushing for the rights of gay people and raising awareness about the community. It advocated for same-sex marriage and fought workplace discrimination by helping individuals sue their former employers.

While there are many other groups focused on helping LGBT individuals, LGBT Rights Advocacy is one of a handful who focused on changing law and policy.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs announced Friday that they have dealt with 3,300 illegal social organizations, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. The ministry also shut down some 200 illegal websites and individual social media accounts that were not registered with any government entity.

It is unclear if the group was shut down as part of the government campaign. The ministry did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.

The group mentioned they were in trouble a few months ago, said a 30-year-old LGBT activist who knows the group's founders and who spoke on condition of anonymity. Lawyers who helped the group with cases had also stopped their work then.

LGBT Rights Advocacy China was co-founded by Peng and another activist named AQiang in 2013, and focused their efforts on securing legal rights for LGBT individuals through strategic lawsuits.

One of their most high profile cases came early on in 2014, when Peng himself went undercover to a facility that claimed it could treat homosexuality with electroshock therapy. He sued the company and won.

The group often brought landmark cases to the court, challenging the law to make space for non-traditional families, and often helped start public discussions on those issues.

In April last year, they helped a lesbian sue for custody rights for her children, after her partner took them and stopped communicating with her. She had given birth to one of the two children. Under Chinese law, she could claim she was the birth mother of one child, but wanted to fight for the right to see the other as well. Her case is still lingering in court.

The group also helped a young woman sue textbook publishers for writing that homosexuality was a disorder in a high profile case that gained national prominence and was reported on by state media. She lost the case in February, after years of litigation.

In the entire community, they gave us a lot of hope and guidance, giving everyone the confidence to go out there and do something" said a 34-year-old man, who sued his former employer in 2018 for discrimination and won with the help of the group. He declined to be named out of fear of retribution, citing the current environment.

Homosexuality is not a crime in China, and in bigger cities, theres a vibrant social scene where LGBT individuals can socialize without much fear or discrimination. However, restrictions on advocacy groups and online censorship have grown.

In July, WeChat shut down dozens of accounts run by university students and non-profit groups on LGBT topics.

One LGBT blogger, who also declined to be named out of fear of retribution, said it's getting increasingly difficult to run an LGBT group in current circumstances, noting that WeChat and other social media platforms are deleting related content.

Shanghai Pride canceled its annual event in 2020 and said it would no longer hold it without explanation after 11 years of operation.

Another well-known group, True Self, which often held events to teach families how to accept their LGBT children, would tell people to not mention the word gay in publicizing their events, said the man who had previously sued his employer for discrimination. The space for acceptance for sexual minorities is less and less, its not like before.

Pandemic restrictions also played a role in cutting down on the number of events the groups would hold, he added.

For now, groups are struggling to operate within the constraints.

The future may bring more uncertainties, we await the day when we can lift the clouds and see the daylight," LGBT Rights Advocacy China said in their post.

___

Associated Press news assistant Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Programs run by tribal and local governments are seeking to help child care providers in Juneau but challenges remain even with higher wages and bonuses the programs make possible.

Little Eagles and Ravens Nest Child Care Center has advertised continuously for positions since opening in February 2020, before the pandemic took hold. Pay starts around $17 an hour, and entry-level jobs come with tribal government benefits, KTOO Public Media reported.

We now offer professional development courses and classes that we pay for. As well as, you know, university credits that we would pay for. We have health insurance, life insurance, retirement, said Jamie Shanley, the executive director. Were employees of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida, so our benefits are wonderful. We have holiday pay, paid leave, family leave  and we still cant find people. So its very grim.

Shanley recently has been able to advertise a temporary, $4 per hour bonus, from federal stimulus money through the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. But she has struggled to get applicants.

Other child care providers are able to get financial assistance through a program the Juneau Assembly started last year, run by the Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children.

Blue Shibler, the nonprofits executive director, said since the city began making stipends available to qualified providers, the average starting wage for entry-level child care workers in Juneau has gone from about $11 an hour to about $13 an hour.

Which is still not great, Shibler said. Such positions usually do not come with benefits.

One concern with the city-supported program has been that its based on the number of children a provider serves. Shibler said each provider participating in the grant program is under-enrolled, despite most having waitlists.

While there are families wanting child care, the centers are "not able to take any additional children because they cant find staff, she said.

The city Assembly briefly this week discussed what to do with unspent program funds. Assembly member Michelle Hale asked to send it to participating child care centers as if they were operating at capacity. There were no objections.

The state received about $95 million in federal funds earlier this year to address child care challenges but as of late last month had only written a grant program to distribute $5 million of that statewide, KTOO Public Media previously reported.

We are hearing that providers are concerned that there isnt enough funding being distributed initially and that the timeline is taking too long, said Shawnda OBrien, director of the states Division of Public Assistance, which is responsible for distributing the funds to child care centers. But her staff was moving cautiously, wanting to make a sustainable impact with a one-time fund source, the outlet reported.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Morgan Marietta, University of Massachusetts Lowell

(THE CONVERSATION) Faced with the question does the constitutional right to possess a gun extend outside the home? the majority of the Supreme Court appears to be heading toward the answer yes.

On Nov. 3, 2012, justices heard oral arguments over New Yorks restrictions on the carrying of firearms in public. Supreme Court watchersreported that conservative justices  who make up the bulk of the court  appeared to be of the view that the states laws contravene individuals right to self-defense outside of their own property.

Why isnt it good enough to say I live in a violent area, and I want to be able to defend myself? Justice Brett Kavanaugh wondered.

The nine-member panel is far from the first to ponder such questions. The crux of the issue before the Supreme Court is captured by a debate that Thomas Jefferson had with himself at the time of the founding.

When Jefferson was drafting a proposed constitution for his home state of Virginia in June 1776, he suggested a clause that read No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms.

In the second draft, he added in brackets, [within his own lands or tenements].

Jeffersons debate with himself captures the question posed to the court: Is the purpose of the right to keep and bear arms the protection of a citizens own lands, or is it self-protection in general? Does the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognize a right to keep and bear arms in the home, or a right to keep firearms in the home and also bear them outside of the home for protection in society?

The plaintiffs in the case currently before the justices, New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, want the court to strike down the states restrictions and allow citizens who meet basic requirements, such as having no criminal convictions, to carry concealed weapons.

Gun in the house

There are surprisingly few Supreme Court rulings on the meaning of the Second Amendment.

The question of whether the amendment recognizes a fundamental right  on par with free speech or free exercise of religion  was not decided until 2008 in the landmark ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller. For the first time, the court recognized a clear individual right to bear arms for the purpose of self-defense. This deeply disputed 5-4 ruling was expanded two years later to cover state laws.

The Heller ruling stated that the Second Amendments right is like the others in the Bill of Rights, which cannot be violated without the most compelling reasons. The amendment, the ruling says, surely elevates above all other interests the right of law-abiding, responsible citizens to use arms in defense of hearth and home. The Washington, D.C., law intended to reduce crime cannot ban firearms in the home, where the need for defense of self, family, and property is most acute.

That ruling  written by Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016 and was replaced by Justice Neil Gorsuch  also recognized that like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. Scalia cited regulations like longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill or prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons as presumptively lawful.

The principal dissent was written by Justice Stephen Breyer, the only dissenter in Heller still serving on the court. He emphasized the balance between core rights and the needs for public safety.

If a resident has a handgun in the home that he can use for self-defense, wrote Breyer, then he has a handgun in the home that he can use to commit suicide or engage in acts of domestic violence.

During oral arguments in the current case before the Supreme Court, Breyer expressed concern over loosening restrictions, suggesting there were legitimate concern over gun-related chaos resulting from having more guns in public places.

Concealed carry laws

State governments follow very different procedures for determining who will be allowed to carry a concealed firearm outside of the home.

Open carry, or just having a handgun in plain sight on a belt holster or carrying a long gun (rifle or shotgun), is actually legal in many places. The general idea is that carrying openly would be done only by an honest actor, so less regulation is needed. Concealed carry, having a hidden weapon in a pocket or under a jacket, is far more restricted.

At one end of the continuum are near-bans on what are called concealed carry licenses, while at the other end are states in which no license is needed. These laws are referred to as constitutional carry, meaning the U.S. Constitution itself is a citizens license to carry a firearm.

In between these two positions are rules known as shall issue, whereby the government issues a license if the applicant meets the requirements such as having no felony convictions, or may issue, which gives the government discretion to deny a license based on perceptions of fitness.

New York state has may issue laws with stringent requirements, which in practice allow almost no licenses to be issued. Applicants must demonstrate a proper cause  such as being in imminent danger from a known source  which effectively eliminates ordinary applicants.

Regulation or eradication

The strongest argument in the gun owners brief to the Supreme Court relates to New Yorks insistence that citizens show an exceptional or extraordinary need to exercise a right that the court has recognized as fundamental.

No other fundamental right, such as freedom of speech or religion, is limited to people who can demonstrate special circumstances. Instead, fundamental rights are understood to be held by ordinary people in ordinary circumstances.

As Chief Justice John Roberts asked during oral arguments on Nov. 3: You dont have to say, when youre looking for a permit to speak on a street corner or whatever, that your speech is particularly important. So why do you have to show in this case, convince somebody, that youre entitled to exercise your Second Amendment right?

The strongest argument in the opposing brief from the New York State Police is federalism  the long-standing conservative argument that state lawmakers hold wide latitude to determine their own regulations to serve as laboratories of experimentation, as Justice Louis Brandeis phrased it in 1932. The federalist principle suggests that the court should defer to the judgment of state legislatures representing the needs of local citizens.

On Nov. 3, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the most liberal justices on the court, immediately challenged the plaintiffs advocate about the role of federalism: Before recent times, there were so many different regulations. What it appears to me in the history and tradition of carrying weapons is that states get a lot of deference on this.

As a close observer of the Supreme Court, I believe the justices reactions to the arguments suggest an outcome to the case in which the majority rules that a state can limit but not eliminate the core purposes of the protected right.

The Heller decision identifies at least one purpose as self-defense. The question is whether a specific concealed carry law creates a burden so strong that it becomes equivalent to eradication of the right to self-protection, or whether it imposes a legitimate public safety regulation that still maintains the core right for citizens who assert it.

[Understand whats going on in Washington. Sign up for The Conversations Politics Weekly.]

Individual rights vs. fellow citizens

The most permissive laws that allow unrestricted concealed carry are almost certainly not mandated by the Constitution.

Shall issue laws, which allow states to screen applicants for flaws but compel local governments to provide a concealed carry license to qualified citizens, are likely to be seen even by the conservative justices as legitimate regulations that do not create unconstitutional burdens.

However, the current court appears to be viewing a may issue law like New Yorks, which allows the government to deny a license to nearly every applicant, as creating a burden that blocks the core of the right to self-protection where ordinary citizens are exposed to greater threats  outside the home.

Editors note: This article is an updated version of a story that was published on Nov. 1, 2021.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-appears-to-suggest-right-to-guns-at-home-extends-to-carrying-them-in-public-too-171263.
Frank Rogers went to Teslas service center near the Dominion in 2018 and took his first-ever spin in an all-electric Model 3.

The thing that attracted me first was the technology, and when I got behind the wheel, it was the thrill of the ride, said Rogers, CEO of a small-business services firm. Its like being on a roller coaster, but you can control how fast you go.

A self-described computer geek, Rogers rushed home to buy one on the electric car makers website, carefully selecting the color, type of wheels, interior design and battery options.

Three months later, Rogers received his blue Model 3 with the 30-day temporary license plate tags at his home. A Tesla-contracted broker in the Dallas area helped him secure his registration and license plates.

We signed the documents sent to us and it was pretty much hands-off, he said. But it took about three more months to get the plates.

He had to return to Teslas far North Side service center three times to pick up new temporary license tags.

Earlier this year, his wife went online to buy a Tesla Model Y. But without a broker, Rogers said, it was a fiasco, with her driving to several drivers license branch locations to obtain plates. It was just not knowing where to go.

Rogers suspects Tesla buyers in Texas wouldnt experience such hassles if the automaker could sell its vehicles directly to consumers. But it cant. Texas law requires auto manufacturers to sell their cars, trucks and SUVs through franchised dealerships.

Texas customers must buy Tesla vehicles on the companys website and fill out paperwork through email.

Here, Tesla remains limited to operating showrooms and service centers, such as the Dominion location. Employees offer test drives out of these sleek, Apple Store-inspired storefronts, but they cant discuss pricing with potential car buyers or help with services most dealerships provide, like getting plates and registration.

If Tesla could have helped us out  to figure out where to go  it wouldve been easier, just like dealerships, Rogers said. But with Tesla not being able to sell in Texas, that was on us to do.

Selling directly to buyers over the internet is the heart of Teslas distribution model, and co-founder and CEO Elon Musk doesnt appear to be budging on that front.

And partnering with third-party dealerships is seemingly out of the question; in fact, Tesla has been trying to tear down franchise dealership laws across the country.

Though Tesla has managed to overturn such laws in other states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, it has repeatedly failed in Texas.

But Tesla may be playing a stronger hand in Texas than ever before. The company is building a $1.1 billion Cybertruck plant in Austin, and Musk announced Oct. 7 that its moving its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to the state capital.

Given the size of Teslas investment here  in addition to the Texas operations of SpaceX, Musks other major venture  will Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers finally consider upending the dealership law?

The perfect battle

Tech entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning got Tesla rolling in 2003, with Musk largely bankrolling the company with part of the $180 million hed made from the 2002 sale of PayPal  which he co-founded  to Ebay. The idea was to start with a luxury all-electric roadster, perfect its carmaking skills and eventually sell less expensive electric vehicles to the masses.

Its succeeding. In its third quarter, Tesla sold a record-breaking 241,000 electric vehicles, despite tangles in its supply chain.

Yet traditional dealerships across the country  and lawmakers who protect them  are resisting Teslas direct-to-consumer push. Texas is one of nearly 25 states that either ban automakers from cutting dealerships out of the picture or put restrictions on manufacturers sales directly to their customers.

What were asking for from the Texas Legislature is really simple, Musk said in 2013 when Tesla first attempted to undo the franchise law. Let us sell our cars directly to the people of Texas like were able to do in most of the country.

The Texas Automobile Dealers Association fended off the bill that year and fought follow-up legislation in the past four sessions. The organization represents more than 1,200 dealerships across the state, many of whose owners are rich and politically connected in their communities.

This is really the perfect battle as these two interests collide, said Raji Srinivasan, an associate dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Looking to take emissions-free vehicles into the mainstream, Musk has introduced a disruptive technology to the traditional car model, she said. And its internet-driven sales system is as much a challenge to traditional dealerships as its sought-after electric vehicles are to major automakers.

April Ancira, chairwoman of both the Texas and San Antonio auto dealer associations, testified against Tesla-backed bills in the latest legislative session.

Its not that Tesla itself is so frightening, she said. Its just that we would hate to see one thing cause the demise of the backbone of America: family-owned, midsized businesses that are engaged in their communities and are great for their consumers considering the competitive pricing.

As the vice president of the Ancira Auto Group in San Antonio, Ancira said she supports Teslas plan to move its headquarters to Texas. But she said shes baffled by the companys decision to forgo the franchise model, in which automakers can use dealerships to have a mass distribution point without having to put up all of the capital and all of the risk on it.

She wonders whether Musk would ever change his mind and partner with dealerships.

I dont know a dealer out there who wouldnt raise their hand, Ancira said. If he said lets do the dealership thing, Id say, Where do you want me to build?

Roadblock in Austin

State Sen. Jose Menendez said he has always been consistent on my opposition to changing the law for one manufacturer. In past legislative sessions, the San Antonio Democrat worked across the political aisle to prevent the Big Three automakers and now Tesla from killing the state dealership law.

I dont think Mr. Musk decided to move his headquarters to Texas because it was going to buy favor with legislators, Menendez said. Because if that was his thinking, hes wrong.

Neither Abbott nor Musk responded to requests for comment for this story. Tesla did not respond to questions as of press time, either.

Tesla has employed a plethora of lobbyists for nearly a decade trying to influence legislators, but theyve fallen short because the franchise dealership model is not broken, Menendez said.

He cited the economic benefits of local dealerships. San Antonios 78 dealers, he said, employ 8,700 workers who make an average annual salary of $69,000, with an overall payroll of $600 million.

With all due respect, Mr. Musk, the state of Texas has gone over 150 years just fine without having to accommodate you, he said. Im sure well do just fine if you choose not to play by the rules.

Menendez said he is a huge fan of the Tesla products and offered an olive branch, of sorts.

The day that Mr. Musk chooses to play by the rules that we have in Texas is the day that Ill look at purchasing a Model S, but not anytime before, he said.

Buyers weigh in

Back at his San Antonio business, Frank Rogers said he expects lawmakers to continue icing out Tesla.

Its the Big Three that are keeping those other manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, he said. Its a union thing. Its a politics thing. Its nothing about how good the cars are and how much people like the cars.

Rogers said he could not imagine Musk partnering with a franchised dealership, since his whole philosophy is to move the world toward sustainable energy, and I dont think hed park his car alongside a gas-powered car.

Michael Danberry, president of the Tesla Owners Club of San Antonio, said the company-sanctioned group has garnered 246 members since forming last year. Other Tesla owners groups exist in Austin, Houston and North Texas.

After retiring from the Army, Danberry test-drove his first Tesla in Kansas City, Mo., in 2017.

The test drive is what will hook you, he said. It just goes. Theres no sound. No shifting. Its just a quiet go.

Danberry placed an online order from the Tesla showroom for a Model S. Two years later, he and his family had moved to Dripping Springs, just outside Austin, when his wife, Carla  who also retired from the Army  bought a Model X over the internet. She had the same hassles Frank Rogers and his wife experienced.

In Texas, they can show you a car and they can deliver the car, but they cant sell you the car, Danberry said.

The club president said he supports Teslas mission to create an entire sustainable energy ecosystem, adding: Tesla is more than a car company  theyre a technology company.

Teslas have become a common sight on Texas roadways, particularly in metro areas  which means the states dealership law hasnt stopped buyers like Danberry. But he worries that the law and similar ones in other states may hinder startup electric vehicle makers such as Rivian and Lucid, both based in California.

These new vehicle manufacturers dont want to follow the dealership model, he said. They shouldnt have to follow the dealership model.

Srinivasan, the UT professor, said lawmakers in various states, including Texas and Connecticut, have aligned with franchise dealers, which she described as traditional interests.

Still, she believes Texans someday will be able to legally buy Teslas directly from the company, saying, Its a question of time.

As for Ancira, she said she is 99 percent sure the law wont change in the next Legislature. But shes concerned about legislative sessions further out, as more dealer-friendly lawmakers such as state Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, retire.

You get put in the spot where you need to retell your story to ensure that theres no disconnect from one session to another and build those relationships on a continuous basis as those players begin to change, she said. Were concerned. But were trying to stay on top of this as best as we can.

eric.killelea@express-news.net
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Cloudy with occasional light rain during the afternoon. High near 50F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Rain showers early becoming more intermittent overnight. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Longford County Library, Heritage and Archives Services will host a major conference entitled 1921: Partition, Truce and Treaty on Saturday, November 6, online via MS Teams.

The event is being organised as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme and it also takes place during History Month in Longford.

A distinguished panel of speakers will consider many of the key events of a century ago and those joining in will have the opportunity to ask questions and contribute to the debate.

The conference will be formally opened at 10am by Cllr Peggy Nolan, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council. The first speaker, Dr Cormac Moore, will then discuss the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, which led to partition in 1921. Dr Moore is an historian-in-residence with Dublin City Council.

Prof Marie Coleman of Queens University Belfast will follow. Prof Coleman is known for her work on Longford, especially the book County Longford and the Irish Revolution, 1910-1923.

Her paper will consider the response of southern Protestants to the Treaty and Civil War.

After lunch, Dr Padraig Og O Ruairc will give an account of the final stages of the War of Independence, with new insights into the lead-up to the Truce on 11 July 1921.

To conclude, Ardagh historian, Dr Mel Farrell, will look at the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the local and national aspects of the debate about it. Dr Farrell has written extensively about the politics of that time.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Peggy Nolan said, This conference is a must for anyone interested in this most important time in our history, and we look forward to many people joining in on the day.

To access the conference online, please email decadeofcentenaries@ longfordcoco.ie and request the link. For further information, call Longford County Library and Archives on 043-3341124.
A FUNERAL director who allowed more than 200 people to attend a wake during a Level 5 lockdown has been fined 1,500 after he admitted breaching Covid-19 regulations.

John Murphy, aged 40, who has an address at Main Street, Gorey, County Wexford was prosecuted following an incident at Magners Funeral Home, Rathkeale on January 19, last.

At Newcastle West Court, Inspector Andrew Lacey said Mr Murphy had facilitated the repatriation of the deceaseds body from the UK and that gardai had expressed their concerns in advance.

He said around 200 people, many of whom had travelled from the UK, were permitted to view the body of the deceased even though there were strict limits on public gatherings at the time.

He was aware of our concerns but people were still facilitated at the funeral home which should not have happened, he added.

Solicitor Darach McCarthy told the court his client is third-generation funeral director and that what happened was an aberration.

He said Mr Murphy was aware of the regulations and that his intention was to only allow members of the deceaseds immediate family to view the body.

He told Judge Carol Anne Coolican there was no public advertisement or notice regarding the wake but that a lot of people turned up leaving his client in a difficult position.

Unfortunately, extended family and friends who had not seen the deceased for some time presented at the funeral home, he said.

The solicitor said no more than 10 people were allowed to view the remains at any one time but that more than 200 were permitted inside over a number of hours.

He never intended to breach the public health regulations at the time. He is extremely sorry for what happened, added Mr McCarthy who said his client takes pride in being at the top of his trade.

Imposing a 1,500 fine, Judge Coolican noted the offence occurred at the height of the spread of Covid-19 and she commented that Mr Murphys actions constituted a threat to public health.

She said the number of people allowed to view the remains was an aggravating factor as was the fact that Mr Murphy had shown a complete disregard for the public health regulations.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, today announced details of a financial package of 4.25 million to offset the additional costs on farmers, in the move to mandatory electronic identification of cattle from January 2022 onwards.

The Minister said:

"I am very pleased to announce details of this financial support which will assist farmers in transitioning to this new electronic identification system.

"Mandatory bovine EID will deliver a substantial improvement in the bovine identification system for farmers, livestock marts, slaughter plants, export assembly centres and veterinarians. This initiative aligns with and supports the Food Vision 2030 objective that Ireland will become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems, enhancing consumer trust in our food systems.

"Further, it will lead to a safer working environment for all stakeholders with less reliance on manual checking of bovine tag numbers and herd keepers and livestock marts will save time that is currently involved in making amendment applications associated with misreading of animals and mismatched passports when cattle are moving off the holding.

The intention is that the scheme will operate over 3 years (2022 to 2024 inclusive) with the first payments scheduled to take place in Quarter 4 2022 amounting to 2.25 million.

Payments in 2022 will be calculated on the number of new EID tag sets purchased from 1st January 2022 at a rate of 1 per new EID tag set.

There is a maximum payment of 100 per farmer over the life of the scheme and no application process will be required. The scheme is proportionately weighted in favour of smaller producers.

Farmers can only order annually the number of new tag sets required commensurate to the number of breeding females in the herd.

Eligible Payment Examples:

A farmer who purchases 30 new EID tag sets each year will be eligible for a payment of 30 in each year of the 3 years of the scheme.

A farmer who purchases 100 new EID tags in the year 1 will be eligible for a payment of 100 in year 1, however, they will not be eligible for further payments in years 2 or 3.

As previously announced mandatory bovine EID will be implemented in two stages:

From 1st January 2022 all approved bovine tag suppliers will be required to supply an EID tag with all new tag orders.

Each new tag set will include one EID tag and one tissue tag. EID tags will be white in colour. The colour of conventional and tissue tags will remain yellow.

From 1st July 2022 it shall be a legal requirement on herd keepers to officially identify all new-born calves with a tag set containing an EID tag.

The Minister thanked the stakeholders for their important contributions into the decision to move forward with mandatory bovine EID.

He concluded by urging cattle herd keepers to use up all existing stocks of tags as only white EID tags can be used to officially identify and register calves born on or after 1st July 2022.
Community, Charity & Cause

By Chris Boyle Published: November 05 2021

The 15-member Council will assist in reviewing County policies, procedures, practices and programs and recommend legislation.

Surrounded by advocates and elected officials, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed into law bipartisan legislation to create an Advisory Council On People With Disabilities. The Council, which will include members with disabilities and those representing organizations that serve or advocate for people with disabilities, will provide recommendations to the County Executive and County Legislature on how to better the lives of residents with disabilities in Nassau County.

The 15-member Council will assist in reviewing County policies, procedures, practices and programs and recommend legislation. It also will advise the County Executive and Legislature regarding funding priorities and capital projects that address the needs of County residents.

In Nassau County, we are committed to protecting the fundamental rights of people with disabilities, including supporting their self-sufficiency and equal participation in society. Today, were taking an important step to ensure that residents with disabilities have a voice in County government and a seat at the table to make their voices heard. I thank the dedicated advocates made this effort possible, and I look forward to working together on behalf of the approximately 250,000 Nassau residents with disabilities, said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.

Advocates greeted the creation of the committee as a mechanism that could allow for concerns to be raised and improvements to be proposed.

Its a major milestone here for Nassau County, said Gina Barbara, an advocate for people with disabilities. This advisory committee will be a voice for our community where we can share concerns in a more effective manner.

This is an important step towards inclusivity for all residents of Nassau to live their best life possible, said Nadia Holubnyczyj, an advocate for people with disabilities. We must remain vigilant to ensure best practices.

Laura Nugent-Carter, an advocate for people with disabilities, said its crucial to include the disabled in policies related to providing access and meeting their needs. Its very important for us to have a voice, Nugent-Carter said.

The Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged serves as the disability rights advocacy agency for the Countys population of more than 250,000 adults and children with disabilities. This Council will create a new mechanism for those with disabilities and organizations serving them to provide input.

The importance of the legislation to me is that it gives the broader disabled community an opportunity to speak in one voice, said Matthew Dwyer, director of the Nassau County Department of Human Services Office for the Physically Challenged. It allows for individuals to bring their personal and specific concerns to the committee and for the committee to determine how, in a broader sense, this may be applied to benefit the whole of the community.

The Council, which will hold regular meetings at times and places that its members determine, also will periodically evaluate the Countys parks and preserves and recommend ways to improve accessibility for Nassau Countys disabled residents. Members of the Council will be appointed by the County Executive subject to confirmation by the Legislature. Each appointment will be to serve three years without compensation, although members can be allowed actual and necessary expenses incurred while performing their duties. Five members will be appointed upon the recommendation of the County Legislature Presiding Officer, three upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader and seven will have one or more disabilities or be representatives of organizations serving or advocating on behalf of people with disabilities.

Those seven members will have or represent organizations on behalf of disabilities including intellectual/developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, blindness/legal blindness, deaf or hard of hearing, mental health disability, autism or a learning disability. There will be one non-voting representative from a wide range of County offices and departments, including the Office of Mental Health, Chemical Dependency and Developmental Disabilities; Office for the Physically Challenged, Department of Social Services, Department of Parks, Department of Health, Department of Public Work and the Office of Emergency Management.

Elected officials joining the County Executive included Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton and Legislator Ellen Birnbaum.
Community, Charity & Cause

By Chris Boyle Published: November 05 2021

It is fitting for us all to turn our focus to honoring and celebrating all who bravely served in our nations armed forces, Legislator Birnbaum said.

Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum (D - Great Neck) recently joined a celebration of Nassau Countys veterans at Clinton G. Martin Park. During the special get-together, which was hosted by the Town of North Hempstead, attendees celebrated the 101st birthday of World War II veteran and Mineola resident Tony Catalano.

As Veterans Day approaches, it is especially fitting for us all to turn our focus to honoring and celebrating all who bravely served in our nations armed forces, Legislator Birnbaum said. It is always a privilege to spend time with our veterans, and I thank the Town of North Hempstead for hosting this truly enjoyable gathering.
Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business!

Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge.

(Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!)
(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers on AIM in London on Friday.







AIM - WINNERS







Nichols PLC, up 7.9% at 1,213.54 pence, 12-month range 980.00p-1,650.00p. The flavoured cordial Vimto producer says it expects to report 2021 profit ahead of current market expectations. The company says revenue for the first nine months of 2021 was ahead of expectations, increasing by 17% year-on-year to GBP107 million. The Vimto brand has continued to deliver a strong performance across all of its markets, Nichols highlights. Going forward, the company sees adjusted pretax profit for 2021 ahead of the current market consensus, which stands at GBP19.1 million. Nichols now anticipates that adjusted pretax profit for the year will be in the range of GBP21 million to GBP22 million. For 2020, the company posted adjusted pretax profit of GBP11.6 million.







President Energy PLC, up 7.5% at 2.02p, 12-month range 1.40p-2.89p. The oil & gas company focussed on Latin America says its subsidiary Atome Energy PLC agrees with ANDE, the national electric power company of Paraguay, for the supply of up to 250 megawatts of power for its production facility.







eve Sleep PLC, up 6.6% at 3.25p, 12-month range 2.80p-9.50p. The sleep wellness brand says a collection of six eve branded CBD drops in Camomile and passionflower, and Ginkgo biloba and ginseng botanical extracts have gone live on its website. eve says it is also currently in discussions with a number of store based retailers who are interested in stocking the eve CBD oil range. eve also extends its range of sleep gifting and wellness products in recent weeks, including the non-alcoholic plant based three spirit nightcap drink, the gingko baton low glow night light, a range of eym candles and a selection of rescue remedy products designed to aid a restful night's sleep.







AIM - LOSERS







Berkeley Energia Ltd, down 6.1% at 13.14p, 12-month range 10.20p-45.35p. The clean energy company has been served with a writ for proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria at the Melbourne Commercial Court. The move follows announcement on Tuesday that Berkeley had received a claim from Singapore Mining Acquisition Co Pte Ltd in relation to the investment agreement and convertible note entered into in 2017. The claim alleges that the principle amount of USD65 million of the convertible note is immediately payable by Berkeley due to allegations that the investment agreement and convertible note have been frustrated, repudiated and/or an event of default has occurred. Berkeley disputes the allegations and claim made by Singapore Mining Acquisition and says it is currently seeking legal advice in relation to the matter.







By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of London-listed company director and manager changes announced on Friday and Thursday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







MP Evans Group PLC - producer of palm oil in Indonesia - Appoints Finance Director Matthew Coulson as chief executive officer with effect at the start of January 2022. He will be replacing Peter Hadsley-Chaplin, who will relinquish his CEO responsibilities and continue in his role as executive chair. Coulson has been part of MP Evans for five years since 2016, when he was appointed as CFO. Coulson will continue in the short term to supervise the group's finance team, while the company start the process to find a replacement CFO.







Kavango Resources PLC - mineral exploration company with operations in Botswana - Appoint Brett Grist as chief operating officer designate, a role he will take up with effect on February 7,2022. Most recently, Grist had led the definition of a substantial high-grade metal resource for Strategic Minerals PLC's Redmoor tin-tungsten-copper project







Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Ltd - Guernsey-based investment company - Senior Manager Neil Gills to step down from full employment with effect on February 28, 2022, for personal reasons of producing and teaching music.







Ted Baker PLC - London-based clothing retailer - Non-Executive Director Andrew Jennings to step down with effect on January 29 after eight years in the role since 2014.







RIT Capital Partners PLC - managed by J Rothschild Capital Management Ltd, aims for long-term capital growth while preserving shareholders' capital - Non-Executive Directors Jeremy Sillem and Jonathan Sorrell step down due to increased demands from their executive commitments.







Ovoca Bio PLC - Women's health-focused biopharmaceutical company - Appoints Anastasia Levashova as non-executive director with immediate effect. Levashova is currently portfolio manager at London-based fund management boutique Blackfriars Asset Management. At the same time, Leonid Skoptsov will step down.







By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Keras Resources PLC - mine development in Togo, West Africa and US state of Utah - Mining campaign for 2021 for the Diamond Creek organic phosphate mine in Utah has been completed with 8,520 tonnes mined and delivered to the laydown area, below the forecast annual tonnage of 10,000 tonnes.

Sales since the start of the project in June 2020 totals 3,061 tonnes.

However, due to capital shortfall, operations at the Spanish Fork processing plant has been halted until funding discussions with a potential partner has been resolved.

Current stock price: 0.060 pence, down 29% on Friday

Year-to-date change: down 45%

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Friday said its subsidiary, Shell Offshore Inc has restarted production at its Maras and Ursa platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico, and has started exporting oil and gas through the West Delta-143 A facility.

Following the restarting of production at the Olympus platform, 100% of Shell-operated output in the Gulf of Mexico will be back online ahead of schedule once Mars and Ursa are fully ramped up.

"Our Hurricane Ida recovery efforts are the latest example of how our people come together with great determination to tackle the biggest challenges of the day. We are proud to have safely restored our full production in the US Gulf of Mexico, where the barrels are among the lowest GHG intensity in the world," said Zoe Yujinovich, Upstream director.

Shares in Royal Dutch Shell's A shares closed 1.5% higher at 1,683.40 pence, while its B shares ended down 0.5% at 1,650.00p.

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Madison, IN (47250)

Today

Periods of rain. High around 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low near 25F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Government announcements in China, Austria, Germany and Sweden urging people to store food in case of an electricity blackout in Europe, have caused widespread alarm in Spain and the Balearic Islands.

Camping gas stoves, butane bottles, battery operated lighting and torches are flying off the shelves in Palma.

We placed an order but the suppliers told us that there is no stock left, said Garcia e Hijos hardware store. This reminds me of the toilet paper rush at the beginning of the pandemic.

"We are amazed because buyers have been talking about a blackout in January," said a Tramuntana hardware store spokesperson.

Sales have skyrocketed, but we still have stock, said a Mayol hardware store representative. People are scared.

Hypermarket Managerss in the Balearic Islands say they havent witnessed customers stockpiling food, but staff at a shop in central Palma say some people bought more food and alcohol just in case theres shortages at Christmas.

Staff at one supermarket said theres a shortage of some brands of milk, chocolate and cat litter.

We have warehouses in Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza and we try to buy our products in the Islands, said a Hipercentro Manager.

Google has reported a massive upswing in searches using the phrase how to cook without electricity.


Viewed of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
MANISTEE COUNTY  Michigan has a new statewide standard for indigent court defense.

The standard was signed on Oct. 28 by the director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs after being proposed by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.

Under current Michigan law, courts can assess defense costs without first considering the defendants foreseeable ability to pay. The Indigency Standard, however, instructs local court funding units not to seek reimbursement from indigent defendants, reads part of a LARA news release on the new standard.

Jared Henry, chief public defender with the Manistee-Benzie Public Defender's Office, said the new standard is a guideline for deciding whether a defendant is indigent, or unable to fund their criminal legal defense.

It improves the quality of the representation significantly, Henry said of this and the previously passed standards No. 1-5 in the state.

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission is tasked with setting standards. The standards that have been approved so far deal with:

Education and training of defense counsel;

Initial interviews;

Investigation and experts;

Counsel at first appearance and other critical stages;

Independence from the judiciary; and

Indigency defense standard.

Attorneys at the public defenders office do nothing but handle criminal cases, its all we do. So we are getting the training, were getting the guidance from the state, were getting our (continuing legal education) CLEs," Henry said.

Henry said the overall standards that are in place and ones that are proposed aim to ensure that deficiencies pointed out in a 2008 report about Michigan's trial-level indigent defense were cured.

Currently in Manistee and Benzie counties, Henry said it is the court that makes the decision of who is considered indigent and who is not.

He noted that the standard also allows for a person to be considered partially indigent, where they could contribute something toward their defense.

And partially indigent has now been given a definition by the standard meaning an inability to afford the complete costs of legal representation but maintaining an ability to contribute a monetary amount toward one's representation, he explained.

Orlene Hawks, LARA director, said in the LARA news release about the new standard that it promotes access to justice by looking at each persons entire financial situation before determining their ability to pay attorneys fees.

By carefully considering each persons ability to pay, this standard compassionately balances the need for recouping costs with fundamental fairness, Hawks said.

According to the LARA release, defendants are presumed to be indigent if they are receiving personal public assistance or earn an income less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.

But one timely piece of the standard deals with the effects seen with the ongoing pandemic: peoples circumstances can quickly change.

The standard also allows defendants to ask for re-screening at any time during the case due to a change in circumstances, reads the release. Once approved, local indigent defense systems have 180 days to submit a plan for compliance with the new minimum standard. Those plans and corresponding requests for funding are reviewed and must be approved by the MIDC.

The release also stated that the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission surveyed hundreds of defense attorneys, conducted focus groups with numerous judges and attorneys and sought feedback from the State Bar of Michigan and the State Court Administrative Office for input that was reflected in the standard.

BACKGROUND ON STANDARDS

The indigent defense standard is the latest in a list of about nine standards that have been proposed and six that have been approved in the state since 2017.

In 2008, a report by the National Legal Aid & Defender Association was published that looked at how Michigans trial-level defense systems operated.

But the report found a list of problems in its evaluation.

What was found was as a whole, we were lacking in areas and one of the main areas was in funding, Henry said.

Since that report, the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission was formed under LARA that was created by legislation in 2013 after an advisory commission recommended improvements to the states legal system.

Then the commission started creating proposed standards that would address the issues raised in the 2008 report.

The standards are all designs to improved the quality, effectiveness and the efficiency of criminal representation. And it also helps to try to build some trust back into the (system) as well.

According to the 2008 report, Michigan was one of seven states where its trial-level indigent defense funding was completely derived from county funding; most states relied wholly on state funding.

Henry said that made it difficult for Michigans counties with limited funding and also for defense to hire expert witnesses and find private investigators.

At the time of the 2008 study, both Benzie and Manistee counties were ranked in the next to lowest category for indigent defense spending per capita at $2.01-$4. The highest in the state was $8 and the lowest was $2, with most of western Michigan falling into the lowest two categories.

Currently, the Manistee-Benzie Public Defender's Office relies on both county contributions and state grants to meet state requirements for criminal indigent defense.

The current total combined Manistee-Benzie county share is about $280,380 annually, Henry said. Although the share is annual, it changes based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index.

The county has to pay a fixed number of dollars, which is their local share, toward this system and then anything above that cost comes in the form of state grant dollars, he said.

The current standards tackle aspects like training for attorneys on topics such as continuing training for legislative updates, new case law updates, how to use technology in the courtroom and refresher courses.

Standard 4 was also an example of change and it defines when an indigent person has their first meetings with counsel. Attorneys are now appearing at arraignments, Henry said.

We have an attorney there to argue bond at all times, Henry said. I think were seeing decreased bonds, were seeing more pre-trial releases. I think under the old system they didnt have an attorney there to argue bond at arraignment.

The regional Manistee-Benzie Public Defender's Office has handled more than 1,700 cases since the offices inception in 2019.

There are still three standards that have been proposed by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission but not approved. More information on the standards can be found online at michiganidc.gov.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Windy with sunshine. Morning high of 37F with temps falling to near 25. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 18F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Angie Lancaster runs her hands through the endless clay selection at Ben Franklin's Crafts. Finally picking out the clay she wants, she rushes back home, eager to start a new project. As she is molding the clay, she visualizes a bright green incense holder with red mushrooms to accent the green.
The winter is already here in the United Kingdom and the government is offering aid to help people within a certain age bracked to pay for their heating bills.

In this article, we explain some of the key questions about the Winter Fuel Payment, including who is eligible for the benefit and how you can claim it in the event you qualify for it.

Winter Fuel Payment: Eligibility

To be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment you should be born on or before September 26, 1955 and have lived in the UK for at least one day during the qualifying week between September 20 and September 26, 2021.

In the event you were not a UK resident during the qualifying week, you could still receive the payment if you live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country and have lived or worked in the UK, or have family in the UK.

Applicants who live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain cannot receive the benefit because the aforementioned countries' average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

Meanwhile, according to the UK government, you will not qualify for the payment if you:

are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year

need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds

were in prison for the whole week from 20 to 26 September 2021

lived in a care home for the whole time from 28 June to 26 September 2021, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Winter Fuel Payment: How to claim it?

You don't need to claim for the Winter Fuel Payment, which will be automatically received by those of you who qualify for it. However, if you haven't received the benefit before, you can claim Winter Fuel Payment by phone or by post.

To do it by phone, you can call 800 731 0160 or +44 (0)191 218 7777 if you are living abroad and make sure you know your National Insurance number, your bank details, your BIC and IBAN numbers if you live in the aforementioned countries and the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate).
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here.
Meadville, PA (16335)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 43F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with showers. Low 29F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Carter Giglio, 8, joined by service dog Barney of Hero Dogs, shows off the bandaid over his injection site after being vaccinated, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at Children's National Hospital in Washington. The U.S. enters a new phase Wednesday in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with shots now available to millions of elementary-age children in what health officials hailed as a major breakthrough after more than 18 months of illness, hospitalizations, deaths and disrupted education.
Meridian, MS (39302)

Today

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low around 50F. WSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Bangladeshs local shipbreaking scrap prices were heard this week at 53,500-54,700 taka ($613-627) per tonne ex-yard including VAT, which a leading Bangladeshi trader said was an all-time high.It surpassed the previous record high of 53,200 taka per tonnes seen on October 26, he added.Finished steel prices have also gone higher in Bangladesh. The price is going up here for rebar, with most manufacturers prices at 75,000-76,000 taka per tonne ex-works today, a Bangladeshi steelmaker source told Fastmarkets on November 3.By Friday, the trading source said, prices from large Chattogram-based mills had reached 77,000 taka per tonne ex-works, up from prices of 73,500-74,500 taka per tonne on October 26.

The strong local market,...
From left: Dr. Yuan Wei, deputy director and associate professor, Department of Economics, Party School of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee; Li Xuhang, minister counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Kenya; Raphael Tuju, the secretary general of Kenyas ruling Jubilee Party; Prof Hu Jianhua, executive vice president, Party School of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region Committee of CPC; and Peng Yongjia, the translator, during a training session for Jubilee Party leaders and members by CPC delegation on July 14, 2016. [Edith Mutethya/China Daily]

The Communist Party of China (CPC) shared party development tips with Kenya's Jubilee Party on Saturday in an effort to realize political stability in the East African country, as well as achieve prosperity and grow the economy.

Professor Hu Jianhua, executive vice-president for the Party School of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region Committee of CPC, said that for any party to develop, it must put in place systems that will ensure its consistency throughout different regimes.

He said that one of the CPC's secrets to success is a commitment to democratic centralism as a decisive factor for the partys long-running government in the country.

"It's precisely stipulated in our Party constitution that lower-level Party organizations submit to higher-level organizations, the minority submits to the majority, individuals submit to organizations, and the whole Party and members submit to the Party central committee," he said.

He noted that Party members and officials should be committed to the policy of the Party as well as remain disciplined in efforts to realize set goals.

Hu said for any government to realize long-term success, the ruling political party must remain committed to a people-centered philosophy of development. He said that is one of the secrets of the success of the CPC.

"Our commitment to a people-centered approach compels us to deliver tangible benefits for our people. For instance, by 2020 we want to eliminate poverty in China. We are very strict on the poverty alleviation program and all levels must deliver on the same," he said.

Hu noted that for any political party to survive and thrive, it is very important to tighten its member discipline, ensure that officials and members commit toward bettering the party and work toward solving people's needs. This is in addition to increasing the party's ability to coordinate various forces to implement its decisions, he said.

He said he is confident that the Jubilee Party has the potential to grow into a strong party, saying he was thrilled by the governments big four agenda, which focuses on food security, affordable housing, universal healthcare coverage and manufacturing development.

Li Xuhang, minister counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Kenya, said it's important for Kenya to have political stability in order to attract foreign investment, develop infrastructure as well as grow the economy.

Li said the CPC Party school has played a very critical role in the growth of the Party from a small group of 23 members to a strong Party with 89.5 million members. "For a political party to develop, there is a need to unite minds and then take action, and the CPC was able to achieve that through the Party's school," he said.

Dr Yuan Wei, deputy director and associate professor of the economics department at the Party School of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, said, it's only through learning from the best that a country will not stagnate.

He said Kenya can learn from China's process in opening-up in order to grow its economy and realize sustainable development.

Raphael Tuju, the secretary-general of Kenya's ruling Jubilee Party, said Kenya is keen to borrow lessons from the CPC not only to develop the party but also grow the economy.

"In 1961, Kenya's GDP per capita was four times higher compared to China's. Today, the GDP per capita in Kenya is $1,450 while in China it is $8,875. China's GDP has gone up more than 50 times, while in Kenya, it has gone up only three times. We should find out the focus that China took in the last 40 years," he said.

Tuju appreciates the fact that the establishment of the CPC's Party school has played a critical role in the country's economic achievements.

"It's obvious across the globe that when the ruling political party is strong and consistent, the country becomes stable. Political competition is conflictual and if it cannot be contained within the party, the party differences flow into the country and in our case, where political parties are ethnic in nature, they result in communities fighting against each other," he said.

Just like the CPC, Tuju said Jubilee is planning to establish an academy in efforts to engage with the Kenyans as well as build its membership based on ideologies, policies and programs, as opposed to the current situation where parties are essentially mobilized on the basis of ethnicity.

"We realized that as the Jubilee Party, we owe it to the future generations to stabilize the politics of this nation and the party. By so doing, we will be able to move this country to the next level," he said.

Tuju said Jubilee will borrow a leaf from the CPC to enhance its fight against corruption in efforts to protect public resources.
African countries are planning special economic zones to act as catalysts for the continent's industrialization.

The $230 million (196 million euros; 173 million) China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone developed by TEDA Special Economic Zone Development Co. Liu Hongjie / China Daily

Chinese State-owned and private companies have won bids to design, develop and manage them, riding on successes back home that enabled the country's meteoric rise onto the global stage.

Nevertheless, in spite of a notable increase in the willingness of Chinese private investors to set up in Africa, they say their plans have been held back due to the unavailability of fully operational special economic zones, or SEZs.

During a recent trade visit to Nairobi, Kenya, by entrepreneurs from Guangzhou and Foshan, Guangdong province, the discussion focused on how the Sino-African relationship can be shifted from trade to investment.

The benefits of such a move were seen as twofold. First, by using Chinese investment and technical expertise in the nascent manufacturing sector, export volumes can be improved, ultimately bridging the yawning trade deficit. Second, investment in light industries has the potential to create millions of jobs, consequently checking the illegal flow of young Africans to Western countries.

Therefore, plans for SEZs must be accelerated, the entrepreneurs said.

The benefits of such zones were realized in China four decades ago. They were catalysts for market-oriented reforms and helped deepen the country's opening-up and reform process, thereby unlocking foreign direct investment inflows. SEZs are estimated to have created more than 30 million jobs, increased the income of farmers by 30 percent and accelerated industrialization, agricultural modernization and urbanization, said Xian Weijian, chairman of the Guangdong Association.

"Business brings communities together and gives direction to long-term relationships," Xian said during the meeting. "We are looking for opportunities in Africa to provide healthy returns on investment. But this will only be possible in an enabling environment."

SEZs are demarcated areas with regulatory, legal and economic conditions that are different from the rest of the country. The rules are designed to lower the cost of doing business by providing flexible investment conditions, lower tax rates and attractive international trade regulations. The successes of these economic regimens are then replicated elsewhere to widen economic growth.

Africa has begun deep structural transformation, engendered by the African Union. The aim is to boost Africa's share of global manufacturing GDP from the 11 percent recorded in 2014. Experts blame sluggish growth on poor policies.

"We have seen how SEZs strongly impacted China, and so we are betting on their technical and financial assistance in developing zones, in addition to managing them," Adan Mohamed, Kenya's Cabinet secretary for industrialization, told the visiting entrepreneurs. "Our approach is pragmatic and reform-oriented."

Tanaka Chitsa, an economic analyst based in Lusaka, Zambia, said: "Estimates have shown that a fully operational zone can generate millions of jobs within a decade or two. This is besides other fundamental benefits, such as attracting international capital, technology and technical and managerial expertise that stimulate industrial development."

Through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China has established five zones in Ethiopia, Egypt, Zambia, Mauritius and Nigeria. This follows commitments made by China in 2000 to share its experience in investment promotion and management of SEZs with African countries.

The zones have attracted Chinese private investors. In Lusaka, at least 75 percent of the tenants of the Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone are Chinese.

"They are confident settling here because we provide a familiar and predictable environment," said Zan Baosen, the zone's managing director, in an earlier interview. The zone has modern infrastructure such as roads and amenities including water and sanitation. Other foreign investors find the facility to be attractive and competently run by its Chinese managers.

Local employees work at Huajian Shoe Factory, which is located at Ethiopia's Eastern Industrial Zone. Dith Mutethya / China Daily

The story is similar in Ethiopia. The country has at least four fully operational industrial zones, according to Industrial Parks Development Corp. The government has partnered with Chinese State-owned companies in designing and developing Bole Lemi I, the country's first industrial park. It has consequently attracted a heavy Chinese presence and other international investors. Companies established there include George Shoes Group and Nitton Apparel Manufacturing from China, Ashton Apparel and Vestis Garment Production from India, Jay Jay Textiles from Sri Lanka and Shintis Garment from South Korea.

Success in these government-led zones has given Chinese investors an appetite for lucrative deals, either by building zones or investing in them. According to Helen Hai, the goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, her move to establish a shoe factory in Addis Ababa in 2011 served as a beacon for other enterprises, especially Chinese, to invest in Ethiopia.

"Other African countries, including Rwanda and Senegal, have sought my advice on how to design and manage attractive zones to capture Chinese outbound direct investment," she told an investment forum in Egypt last year.

The Chinese entrepreneur said businesses in Ethiopia pay 10 times less than the average wage in China. This, coupled with trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, makes Africa an attractive proposition, especially for Chinese investors, she said.

Despite the success of Ethiopia, Egypt leads the way among African nations in receiving foreign direct investment. In the recently released World Investment Report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the North African country continued to be the largest recipient, with $7.4 billion (6.3 billion euros; 5.5 billion) last year.

"The inflows were supported by a large increase in Chinese investment across light manufacturing industries and wide-ranging economic reforms beginning to pay off. Financial liberalization, for instance, fostered more reinvestment of domestic earnings," said the report, released in June.

China has established the Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Egypt.

Kenya, however, cannot boast such an achievement. According to the UNCTAD report, foreign direct investment in the country was $672 million last year and hinged on strong domestic demand and inflows in the information and communication technology sectors. This was despite the country having a relatively strong political and social environment.

Nevertheless, Kenya is betting on better fortunes following the completion of the first phase of its modern railway infrastructure, and is embarking on the second phase which will eventually link the port city of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Three SEZs have been planned along the route, and the government is aggressively marketing them.

"We have enacted policies and regulations for SEZs and look forward to Chinese investors establishing businesses here," said Mohamed, Kenya's Cabinet secretary for industrialization. "We are providing incentives to encourage the Chinese business community to produce their products here so that they can reach the continental market."

The idea of establishing prominent economic zones is not new to Africa. In the 1960s and '70s, countries set up zones that emulated other regions. Despite robust growth, difficulties in global economic growth and poor technical expertise hampered progress. In Kenya, 44 textile exporting companies, which directly or indirectly employed 32,000 people, invested in the textile and apparel sector to take advantage of the United States' African Growth and Opportunity Act. The number of investors has steadily dwindled, however, with enterprises citing high operational costs and moving their factories to cheaper locations.

The situation has prompted the government to seek another approach. According to Moses Ikiara, the managing director of the Kenya Investment Authority, or KenInvest, the government agency that markets Kenya as an investment hub, Kenya exports 80 percent of its finished products to Western countries. "The remaining 20 percent cannot meet the growing domestic and continental market demand created by the signing of the (African) Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which enables intra-Africa trade in finished products," Ikiara said at the meeting.

He said SEZs will be an attractive proposition for Chinese investors. "There has been a remarkable increase in their investment in Kenya over the last five years. These zones would be a development nucleus to trigger a robust investment partnership between China and Kenya."

Nevertheless, development of government-led zones is sluggish, weighed down by financial constraints. Africa's infrastructure needs amount to $130 billion to $170 billion a year, with a financing gap in the range of $68 billion to $108 billion, according to new estimates by the African Development Bank.

The continent suffers from a serious energy deficit and lacks modern, efficient transportation infrastructure. To improve infrastructure, governments have resorted to external borrowing, raising concerns over their ability to repay. But according to Anzetse Were, a development economist based in Kenya, governments need to build ecosystems around the mega infrastructures to make them viable. "The borrowing appetite will continue as more African countries implement their infrastructure plans. But I also think it is time to tap the brakes and look at maximizing the potential of these projects," she says.

Location of the zones is also an issue. Unlike successful examples in China, where the initial zones were located near seaports to lower transportation costs, zones in Africa are yet to leverage on their comparative advantages, thus increasing production costs.

However, private-led development has been able to overcome such challenges. A fourth SEZ in Kenya, built by Guangdong New South Group Ltd, is setting up its own infrastructure. Located in western Kenya, the $1.94 billion zone plans to establish a 94-megawatt power plant to provide reliable and affordable power.

"This will be the gateway to the northern corridor that includes Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi," said Deng Yu, the CEO of Africa Economic Zone Pearl River.

He said Chinese investors are confident not just about their return on investment but also on the zone's management.

"There are no inconsistencies once an investor launches their business here, no additional costs on rent, no inflated electricity bills," Deng said. "Our office takes care of them and their business."

Deng added that his company is aggressively marketing the zone in China and locally. "Two public universities and technical colleges will be located in the zone to provide necessary technical and research and development requirements for the investors. This is an important requirement for the sustainability of the business."

Meanwhile, as an example of high-level political commitment and support for boosting investment, Ethiopia has established a committee that is chaired by the prime minister and headed by a Cabinet minister, who receives and addresses challenges reported by investors. This has eased coordination among ministries and sped up executive decisions that have pushed forward the success of the zones, said Ikiara from KenInvest, whose office recently led a fact-finding mission to Ethiopia as Kenya prepares to launch a similar committee to speed up plans and budget allocations.

"Issues such as land allocation, compensation, incentives and attractive taxation regimes are agreed and implemented faster using this committee," Ikiara said. "Kenya's progress has always been hampered by bureaucracy among relevant departments. Deliberate efforts to encourage local firms to settle in the zones need to be launched. Partnerships between foreign and local companies will strengthen linkages.

"Alternative financing models should be pursued to address financial constraints faced by developers and investors."

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn
Q: Tomorrow, President Xi Jinping will start his visits to the relevant countries in the Middle East and Africa. Could you give us more details on the agenda of the visits? During the visits, President Xi will also attend the BRICS Summit. Will the US trade policy be discussed at the summit?

A: On July 13, the Foreign Ministry already held a briefing on President Xi Jinping's upcoming visits to the five countries in Asia and Africa and his attendance at the 10th BRICS Summit, during which Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou and Assistant Minister Zhang Jun talked about the relevant issues in details. You may refer to that.

The theme of the BRICS Johannesburg Summit is "BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution". We hope to work with South Africa and other relevant parties to step up solidarity and cooperation and deepen the strategic partnerships between BRICS countries, seize the opportunities presented by the new round of industrial revolution and enrich our practical cooperation, improve global governance system while championing multilateralism, and enhance institutional building to promote the steady development of the BRICS cooperation. We believe that with the political guidance of the leaders of the BRICS countries, we will be able to make greater positive contributions to world peace and development and the building of a new type of international relations. We also hope that with the concerted efforts of various parties, this BRICS Summit will reap fruitful outcomes and achieve a full success.

Q: On July 13, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Health Ministry issued an official statement, announcing an end to the latest outbreak of Ebola since May. What is your comment? Did China help the DRC in dealing with that? Can you give us more details?

A: The announcement of the end to the latest outbreak of Ebola since May by the DRC's Health Ministry marks a major victory in its fight against the epidemic. We send our congratulations to them.

Since the latest outbreak of the epidemic, we have taken the DRC's concerns as our own and immediately donated epidemic prevention supplies such as protective clothing, masks and gloves, and provided emergency humanitarian assistance to them. The Chinese medical team for prevention and control of the Ebola epidemic went to support the DRC's efforts in early June and has returned to China after their mission was successfully completed.

China's assistance once again testifies to the brotherhood between China and the DRC as well as Africa, which has carried us through weal and woe. It also showcases that China and Africa are a community with a shared future. China's assistance is highly commended by the government and people of the DRC and the international community. Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China stands ready to help the DRC and other African countries to strengthen their public health and disease prevention and control systems and enhance capacity building so that they can better address the challenges of major communicable diseases.
On 16th July, 2018, His Excellency RAO Hongwei, Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, held a press briefing which attracted near 20 media houses from both Rwanda and China.

In his statement, Amb. Rao announced that, H.E. XI Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, will pay a state visit to Rwanda from 22 to 23 July at the invitation of H. E. President Paul KAGAME, and this is his first and the first ever by a Chinese head of state in history. People are very much looking forward to it.

As a good partner, true friend and intimate brother of Rwanda, China firmly supports Rwanda's efforts to safeguard national security, development interests and the choice of development path that suits its national conditions. China-Rwanda friendship is rooted in the basic principles of independence, mutual respect, common mission to promote development and improve people's livelihood.

Amb. Rao firmly believed President Xi's upcoming visit will be of historic significance and will bring China-Rwanda relationship into a new era. During his visit, President Xi will have in-depth exchanges of views with President Kagame and Rwandan friends from all sectors, shift China-Rwanda cooperation into a higher gear and upgrade bilateral relations by deepening political trust, increasing pragmatic cooperation and broadening regional cooperation.

After the statement, H.E. Rao picked up questions about China-Rwanda relations from reporters of Xinhua News Agency, the New Times, People's Daily and the East African and received exclusive interview from China Central Television.
Miami, FL (33127)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High around 80F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 72F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
AG Nessel Reissues Consumer Alert Following FTC Warning on Fake IRS Emails

AG Nessel Reissues Consumer Alert Following FTC Warning on Fake IRS Emails

Attorney General

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746

Public inquiries: 517-335-7622

November 5, 2021

LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reissuing a consumer alert focused on federal stimulus payment scams following a release by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about fake IRS emails that are showing up in peoples' inboxes.

Late last month, the FTC warned consumers of an email offering an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) if the recipient clicks a link. Clicking it creates an opportunity for a scammer to steal the person's identity.

In addition to reissuing her Federal Stimulus Payment Scam Consumer Alert, the FTC's warning provides an opportunity for consumers to understand government imposter scams, which is also explained in one of Nessel's alerts.

"If you receive a text, email or phone call from someone claiming to be from the government with a check for you - do not fall for it," Nessel said. "These scams will likely ask you for your bank account information or other personal information that can then be used to steal your identity."

The Department of Attorney General provides a library of resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics.
White House officials visit Michigan to highlight, learn from best practices to support Afghan resettlement

White House officials visit Michigan to highlight, learn from best practices to support Afghan resettlement

State, local officials join federal Operation Allies Welcome team to showcase efforts to welcome Afghan Allies

November 4, 2021

Media Contact: Erica Quealy, 517-582-2961

White House Coordinator for Operation Allies Welcome, Jack Markell, met with state and local leaders today to learn more about Michigan's best-in-states practices to step forward, support and welcome Afghan Allies and other immigrants.

"Michigan has shown strong leadership in the resettlement of our Afghan Allies, and I'm grateful to see firsthand the exemplary work being done to equip our new neighbors for success in the long term," said Markell. "We look forward to continued support and leadership from our Michigan partners and sharing with other states the best practices we've seen here today."

Highlights of Michigan's efforts lauded by federal partners include:

Directed engagement from the State Refugee Coordinator's office with the five Michigan Resettlement Agencies to identify and address their needs to accomplish this important work in partnership.

Activated early-on an interagency operations framework to ensure housing, food and other wrap-around supports for arriving families in a short timeframe.

Worked closely with federal partners to explore unique ways to further increase our capacity to welcome Afghan families.

Launched a statewide volunteer and donation website to provide an additional layer of support.

With a history of welcoming refugees and other immigrants to our state and providing them with the resources they need to succeed, Gov. Whitmer and the Office of Global Michigan remain committed to making Michigan a more welcoming state.

"We will continue to embrace our duty to honor and protect Afghan families as they flee from violence and political persecution," said Poppy Hernandez, Executive Director of the Office of Global Michigan. "We welcome our fellow men, women and children to Michigan as they find a new home to begin their lives."

State Refugee Coordinators continue to coordinate and leverage state and local resources, working with local resettlement and other agencies throughout the state to ensure new arrivals are welcomed and well-positioned to attain self-sufficiency and integrate into their communities.

"Refugees and immigrants bring a tremendous wealth of culture and economic impact to our communities, and we stand ready to support them and help them survive and thrive here in Lansing," said Andy Schor, Lansing Mayor. "We look forward to continuing our efforts and partnerships to create a vibrant ecosystem that supports refugee and community wellness in Michigan."

School districts across the state also serve as vital partners to ensure all students and their families have the academic and career readiness skills needed for success in their new home.

"We are focused on welcoming newcomers to Lansing, and how we can help them learn and grow and find a path that's right for them," said Benjamin Shuldiner, Lansing School District Superintendent. "We provide promising pathways for each and every student so they have the solid career and academic readiness skills that prepare them for success in their new community.

The Office of Global Michigan was established to help grow Michigan's economy by retaining and attracting global talent; and to promote the skills, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit of our immigrant and refugee communities. Assisting the Afghan Arrivals, the office supports immigrant and refugee integration initiatives for the state and works with state agencies that provide services to immigrants and refugees and strives to minimize or eliminate barriers to accessing those state services.

The Michigan resettlement agencies, under consultation with the Office of Global Michigan, are currently approved for approximately 1,600 Afghan arrivals. Michigan is working closely with the federal government to coordinate the arrivals of these Afghan allies and nationals as they come to Michigan.

The resettlement agencies, among other things, help identify permanent housing, employment opportunities, provide cultural orientation, assist in signing them up for public benefits, enroll children in school, and assist in securing a state ID/driver's license.

To learn more about how you can volunteer and donate to ease the transition and welcome individuals and families to Michigan, visit the recently launched Michigan.gov/AfghanArrivals site.
PHOTOS: Gov. Whitmer Receives Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

PHOTOS: Gov. Whitmer Receives Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2021

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

PHOTOS: Gov. Whitmer Receives Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer today received her booster shot of the safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine at the recommendation of her physician at the Washtenaw County Health Department in Ypsilanti. The FDA has amended the emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of a single booster dose for all three Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and J&J vaccines.

"The three safe, effective vaccines continue to be our best shot at beating COVID-19," said Governor Whitmer. "I am getting my booster today per my doctor's recommendation to protect myself, my loved ones, and every person I come into contact with. I encourage every Michigander to talk to their doctor and see if a booster shot is right for them."

There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC's recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

"Thank you to Gov. Whitmer for doing her part and getting the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine booster to keep herself, her loved ones and all Michiganders protected," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "This is also an opportunity to continue to encourage those eligible to get the booster as soon as possible."

For individuals who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 primary vaccines, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at six months or more after their initial series:

65 years and older.

Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings .

Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions .

Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings .

People over age 18 who received a single dose of the J&J (Janssen) vaccine should receive a single J&J COVID-19 booster dose at least two months after completing their primary series.

The use of a single booster dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least two months after completion of the single-dose primary regimen to individuals 18 years of age and older.

Per CDC, occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include frontline essential workers and health care workers including:

First responders (EMS, health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff).

Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers).

Food and agriculture workers.

Manufacturing workers.

Corrections workers.

U.S. Postal Service workers

Public transit workers.

Grocery store workers.

"We were so pleased to welcome Gov. Whitmer to the Washtenaw County Health Department for her booster dose," said Jimena Loveluck, MSW, health officer for the Health Department. "Though COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available, local health departments are critical in ensuring vaccine accessibility for all. We are grateful for Gov. Whitmer's trust in our local health department and her example. Together we can protect ourselves and each other by getting vaccinated and layering up our prevention strategies, like masks and distance, when local transmission is elevated."

Michiganders should bring their COVID-19 vaccine card or immunization record with them when getting their booster dose. Immunization records are available online at the Michigan Immunization Portal for many residents and can be downloaded and printed. To obtain their record, Michiganders must create a MILogin account at Michigan.gov/MiImmsportal and upload a valid government issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID or passport. There is no cost to access the portal.

To date over 69% of Michiganders age 16 and up have gotten at least their first dose of one of the three safe, effective vaccines. From January to October 12, unvaccinated Michiganders accounted for 93.1% of COVID cases, 90.7% of hospitalizations and 90.5% of deaths.

Michiganders can also receive their flu shot the same time as a booster dose.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.

For more information about COVID-19 in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus.

###
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administration's effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 27 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

Seema Nanda, solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor, said in a statement Friday that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act gives OSHA the authority to act quickly during an emergency if it finds workers are subject to a grave danger. The agency contends its temporary rule also preempts any state or local bans on employers' ability to require vaccines.

We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court," Nanda said.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organization's center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agency's regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

Missouri's lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor."

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit. Later Friday, Indiana filed in the Chicago-based 7th Circuit.

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It's unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal government's requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach,' Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas. Also contributing were Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Alexandra Jaffe and Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C.
Getty Images

BIG RAPIDS  Community members are encouraged to take advantage of a free flu shot clinic at Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital.

Shots will be available via walk-in appointments to anyone 3 years old and older from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 at the hospitals Professional Office Building, 705 Oak St., Suite 5, Door A in Big Rapids.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  A nurse at a county jail in California was charged with involuntary manslaughter Thursday after being accused of walking away from a 24-year-old inmate who collapsed in front of her on a cell floor before she died.

Danalee Pascua faces up to four years in prison if convicted of the charge stemming from the Nov. 11, 2019, death of Elisa Serna at the Las Colinas Detention Facility in the San Diego suburb of Santee, the San Diego County District Attorneys Office said.

The day before she died, Serna was moved into the jail's medical observation unit after reporting she felt dizzy and nauseous.

According to prosecutors, Serna passed out in front of Pascua the next day and the nurse did not check her vital signs and instead left her on the floor for about an hour before returning with deputies to begin futile lifesaving measures."

The District Attorney's office said the San Diego County Sheriff's Department alerted prosecutors to the case after conducting its own internal investigation. The sheriff's department offered condolences to the family in a statement Thursday.

The District Attorneys office said the investigation is ongoing and others may be involved.

Pascua is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 18. The District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to an email asking if Pascua had an attorney yet.

The sheriffs department initially said Serna died from complications of drug abuse, with a contributing factor of early intrauterine pregnancy.

Her family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the county last year, alleging jail staff knew she had used heroin before she was booked and was vomiting and showing obvious signs of medical distress, but did not provide her medical treatment.

There is nothing more sacred than the sanctity of life and when that life is in the custody and care of government, it must be safeguarded and provided with the appropriate medical care," San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement. The evidence in the in-custody death of Elisa Serna demonstrates criminal negligence that contributed to her death."
It wasnt a trick when Tuscola County Central Dispatch received a call about stabbings in the city of Caro on Halloween.

On Oct. 31, three victims were stabbed by a 34-year old male from Caro. The stabbing incidents happened at 403 Madison St. and at 1005 Luder Road, both in the city of Caro.

Three separate victims were stabbed by the defendant including a 27-year-old male, a 65-year-old male and a 51-year-old female, explained Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Reene. All of the victims continue to recover from their injuries.

They were treated at McLaren Caro Region hospital in Caro and were released.

One of the victims was stabbed in the face and nose area.

The defendant was ultimately apprehended at a residence on Evergreen Drive in Indianfields Township in Caro, Reene said.

On Nov. 2, multiple felony charges were authorized in two separate files against Damian Kurt Meindl II, 34.

The one file relates to the stabbing incidents, and the second file is in regard to incidents that reportedly occurred at the Tuscola County Jail, explained Reene.

Meindl is charged with three counts of assault with intent to murder, one count of assault with the intent to maim, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon  felonious assault and one count of interfering with an electronic communication. If convicted, Meindl could face penalties of anywhere from two years to life in prison.

In the second case against Meindl, he is charged with six counts of assaulting a police officer  resisting and obstructing, and malicious destruction of fire or police property. Those charges carry possible sentences of two to four years in prison if convicted.

Bond was set at $300,000 cash-surety for the first set of charges, said Reene. And, bond was set at $35,000 cash-surety for the second set of charges.

At Madison street, Meindl allegedly stabbed the 65-year-old man and 41-year-old woman there, and a 27-year-old male was reportedly attacked at the Ludar Road address.

According to preliminary police reports, the attack on the woman just missed the carotid artery in her neck. Preliminary reports indicate a pocket knife was allegedly used in the assaults.

The office of the prosecuting attorney wishes to recognize the extraordinary efforts of first responders in this case that included members of the Caro Police Department, which is the lead investigating agency on the assault with intent to murder case, said Reene. Others that assisted were the Tuscola County Sheriffs Office, Michigan Department of State Police, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and MMR.

Their coordinated, dedicated and relentless efforts were crucial to providing emergency medical treatment to the victims and locating and apprehending the defendant.

Meindls next court appearance will be at 9 a.m., Nov. 17.

According to the Michigan Department of Corrections website, Meindl is on probation for aggravated domestic violence that occurred in December 2018 in Wayne County.

In the meantime, the investigation continues on the assaults.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Police clashed in Athens Friday with protesting firefighters demanding job contracts in the wake of massive wildfires. One firefighter was hurt by a stun grenade and five others were detained after police fired teargas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators.

The protesters, wearing their firefighting uniforms, blocked traffic outside the newly-created Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry north of the capital.

Massive fires this summer burned more than 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles) of forest on the island of Evia and in southern Greece, as heatwaves scorched southeast Europe. Hundreds of firefighters from European Union nations and nearby countries came to Greece to support the effort.

In the wake of the fires, the government created the new climate crisis ministry, headed by the Cypriot-born former European Union Commissioner Christos Stylianides.

On Friday, protest organizers said some 2,000 firefighters have short-term contracts, renewed every five years or less.

People talk about climate change and we know from science that its happening. That means we need better resources to deal with its effects, Alexandros Farandakis, head of the contract workers firefighting association, told the AP.

Greece has more than 15,000 firefighters during the summer months, about 5,000 of them on short-term contracts or hired seasonally.

Contract firefighters put their heart and soul into the effort to battle the fires over the summer," Farandakis said. "They have repeatedly been promised proper jobs. But they have been deceived. I dont know what kind of disaster has to happen  more fires? more floods?  for the message to get through.

The government says it is reviewing the countrys firefighting capability, including equipment and staffing levels. It spent 500 million euros ($578 million) on a relief effort for people who lost their homes and businesses in the fires this summer, an amount roughly equivalent to the annual firefighting budget.

Speaking at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland this week, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the intensity of the fires was a consequence of climate change.

We are already getting a glimpse of the dramatic effects of global warming. This summer, having experienced a record-breaking streak of days with temperatures over 40 degrees (Celsius, 104 Fahrenheit), we had to deal with forest fires of unprecedented intensity, Mitsotakis said.

That's why ... we created a climate crisis ministry, and I emphasize the term crisis.

___ Full AP coverage of climate change: https://apnews.com/hub/climate
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Irans atomic agency said Friday that its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium has reached over 210 kilograms (463 pounds), the latest defiant move ahead of upcoming nuclear talks with the West.

The figure, attributed to agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvan, was carried in a report by the semi-official Tasnim and Fars news agencies.

Under the historic 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the World Powers, Iran was not meant to enrich uranium above 3.67 percent. Enriched uranium above 90 percent can be used for nuclear weapons.

After months of delays, the European Union, Iran and the U.S. announced Wednesday that indirect talks to resuscitate the deal would resume on Nov. 29 in Vienna.

The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, promises Iran economic incentives in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, and is meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb. Tehran insists its program is peaceful.

Kamalvandi also said that so far his agency has also produced 25 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, a level that only countries with nuclear weapons have the physical capabilities to produce.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, but Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia have tried to preserve the accord.

Tehrans strategy of deliberately violating the deal is seen as an attempt to put pressure particularly on Europe to provide it with incentives to offset crippling American sanctions re-imposed after the U.S. pullout.

On Sept. 15, Irans nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said Tehran removed surveillance cameras belonging to the United Nations nuclear watchdog because of unfulfilled commitments by other signatories of the nuclear deal.

U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders criticized Tehran last week for what it saw as accelerated and provocative nuclear steps as Iran continues to enrich uranium to a higher levels.

With the talks in Vienna now stalled, Iran has breached limits set by the accord and is enriching small amounts of uranium to its closest-ever levels to weapons-grade purity as its stockpile continues to grow. Iran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.
BOSTON (AP)  A Rhode Island man authorities say used the stolen identities of others to obtain more than $450,000 in COVID-19-related unemployment assistance has been arrested, federal prosecutors said.

Dquintz Alexander, 34, of Cranston, was arrested Thursday in Michigan on multiple counts of wire fraud as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Boston.
The Tribune will publish Self-Help, information in the Upper Thumb area on a space-available basis. Each notice should be limited to 30 words. Please mail or bring information, clearly marked, to the Huron Daily Tribune, 211 N. Heisterman St., Bad Axe, 48413, call 989-269-6461 or email hdt_news@hearstnp.com.

Womens support

 Huron County SafePlace offers free support groups to women on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Transportation via Thumb Area Transit and child care for these support groups will be available by calling SafePlace.

These meetings take place in Bad Axe, please call for additional information or to make your reservations 989-269-5300.

 For information on meetings of the Womans Christian Temperance (self-control) Union, call Marie at 989-975-2465. It is a support group for people with addictions.

Substance abuse

 To find Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the area call 800-230-4085.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron & Tuscola Chapter will have monthly meetings at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Hills and Dales Corporate Services and Regional Education Center in Cass City. For more information, visit their website www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

 Family member or friend addicted? Call Families Anonymous. Familes Anonymous is a 12 step program to aid families with substance abuse or behavioral problems. Meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 206 Scheurmann St. in Essexville. For inquiries, call 989-895-5938.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets Mondays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Caseville United Methodist Church. For inquiries call 800-230-4085.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets from 7 to 8:15 at the Port Austin Bible Campus on Thursdays.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron County chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Huron Fairgrounds Expo Center.

Family forum events are designed to promote recovery community and provide individuals to share their story, reducing shame and stigma associated with the disease of addiction.

Support is available online at familiesagainstnarcotics.org, via phone 989-551-4326 (HFAN), and Facebook @huronfan.

Grief

 GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Seminar sessions include The Journey of Grief, The Effects of Grief, Your Family and Grief, Why? and Stuck in Grief.

For more information, call Chaplain Londa at 989-545-8357.

 Grief Support meets second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. at Caro Community Library. Please call Sue or Pam at 800-275-4517 for more details.

 Grief Support meets last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. for dinner at Franklin Inn in Bad Axe. Call 1-800-635-7490 ext. 4134.

 Grief Support meets at noon on the first Tuesday of the month at Eddie Gs in Marlette. Call United Hospice Service for more information at 800-635-7490.

 Thumb Compassionate Friends is a chapter of a national self-help group offering support to families who have suffered the loss of a child at any age. Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at the Community of Christ Church, 2081 E. Deckerville Road, Caro.

For information, call Sharon at 989-683-3305 or Dave at 810-376-2801 or visit www. TCFcaro.org.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Cleo Smith was back to her laughing, bubbly self as she played in the backyard of her Australian west coast family home on Thursday, hours before a 36-year-old stranger was charged with abducting the 4-year-old from a camping tent more than two weeks ago.

Police charged Terry Kelly, a local resident, with forcibly taking a child among other offenses, a police statement said.

Kelly, referred to in his charge sheet as Terence Darrell Kelly, appeared briefly in court in the town of Carnarvon where a magistrate refused to release him on bail.

Police visited Cleo's family in Carnarvon as they prepared to gather crucial eyewitness evidence involving Kelly, who is suspected of snatching her from a campground north of the town of 5,000 people on Oct. 16.

I can only see her on the outside, but from that point of view, Im amazed that she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy, and it was really ... heartwarming to see that shes still bubbly and shes laughing, Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine said.

Im sure that it has had an impact, but just to see her behaving quite naturally like a 4-year-old girl should do and just enjoying being in the presence of her little sister and her family was good, Blaine added.

Blaine was part of a four-member police team that used a battering ram to smash into a locked house early Wednesday and rescue Cleo. The lights were on and she was alone playing with toys in a house less than a 10-minute drive from her own, police said.

My name is Cleo, the smiling girl told the police officers who rescued her and asked her name as confirmation that they had found the right child.

Kelly was arrested in a nearby street at about the same time, police said.

Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde, who heads the police investigation, said specialist child interviewers had traveled to Carnarvon from the state capital Perth, 900 kilometers (560 miles) to the south.

The main concern around that is Cleos welfare, Wilde said of the interview.

We have experienced people that will undertake that and itll take as long as it takes. Well sit down with the family and work out the appropriate time, Wilde added.

Police would not comment on whether Cleo was interviewed before Kelly was charged.

Media have reported Kelly raised suspicion among other residents when he was seen buying diapers and was known to have no children, but police have disclosed little information about what made the man a suspect.

It wasnt a random tip or a clairvoyant or any of the sort of things that you might hear, Police Minister Paul Papalia said. It was just a hard police grind.

Kelly was taken from police detention to a hospital late Wednesday and again on Thursday, with what media reported were self-inflicted injuries.

Asked about reports Kelly was injured after banging his head against a cell wall, Western Australia Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch only replied that there were no serious injuries.

A police statement said Kelly's medical matter does not relate to any police involvement with him.

Wilde said Kelly had since returned to the police station and was speaking to officers.

Wednesday was the first full night Cleo spent at home with her mother, Ellie Smith, stepdad Jake Gliddon and her baby half-sister Isla Gliddon since the familys ordeal began.

As they slept, public buildings in Perth were illuminated with blue lights to celebrate the success of the police investigation. In Carnarvon, balloons were raised on buildings and signs were posted welcoming Cleo home.

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan also visited the family on Thursday and commented on how well-adjusted the child and her parents seemed.

Shes bubbly, playing, friendly, sweet. She was eating an icy pole, she spilt it every way. She told me it was very, very sticky, which I believed, and she was just delightful, McGowan said.

McGowan said he gave her two teddy bears dressed in police uniforms, but she seemed unimpressed with his suggestion that she name them Cameron and Rod after the senior detectives leading her investigation.

Blaine, a homicide investigator, said he was uncertain whether Cleo recognized him from their first meeting when they met again on Thursday. He described his reaction to finding Cleo alive as shock, followed by elation.

Wed always hoped for that outcome, but were still not prepared for it, Blaine said.

Xanthe Mallett, a criminologist at Australias Newcastle University, said finding a victim of stranger abduction alive after more than two weeks was rare.

Sadly, theyre normally killed quickly, usually during the first three hours, Mallett said.

The Carnarvon communitys willingness to help police find Cleo was likely a key factor in the investigations success, she said. Police had offered a 1 million Australian dollar ($743,000) reward for information, but dont expect the money will be claimed.

I always thought that this was going to be somebody with local connections because it was somebody who knew that campsite, so the fact that she was so close to that campsite and so close to Cleos home wasnt a surprise to me, Mallett said.

Police engaged so well with that community and had them on board, they had the whole communitys eyes on everyone, reporting anyone suspicious. I think that was really key in this investigation  just great, old-fashioned, boots-on-the-ground police work, Mallett added.
PARIS (AP)  A train struck and killed a migrant from Eritrea and at least two bodies were recovered from the sea and on a beach in France during what has been a particularly deadly week for migrants attempting treacherous crossings to Britain in growing numbers.

Many hundreds of people, setting off in a flotilla of boats, quickly ran into trouble in the waters between northern France and Britain. Hundreds more were intercepted on the British side. The waterway with changeable weather, cold seas and heavy maritime traffic is dangerous for the inflatables and other small boats that men, women and children squeeze into for attempted crossings.

From Monday night to Wednesday night, more than 1,000 people were picked up off France's northern coast during dozens of rescue operations by French maritime vessels backed up by helicopters. And on the other side of the English Channel, British authorities said they intercepted another 853 migrants on small boats on Wednesday alone, their largest daily tally since August.

On the French side, one person taken unconscious from the sea on Wednesday was later declared dead on shore, authorities said. Another person was declared missing, having fallen off a boat from which other people were rescued off the coastal town of Calais.

Another body was recovered on a beach west of Calais on Thursday, along with a boat filled with water and two survivors who were hospitalized with hypothermia, authorities said.

The train that killed the migrant from Eritrea on Thursday night was traveling on a rail line in Calais that migrants often use as a footpath, authorities said.

Another Eritrean was critically injured and two others were slightly injured. They were among a group of migrants walking along the tracks in heavy rain and after dark, making it hard for the train driver to see them and for them to see the train, Franck Dhersin, a regional vice president for transportation, told French broadcaster BFM-TV.

Dhersin, who is also a village mayor near the coastal town of Dunkirk, said dozens of migrants are arriving daily in the area. He appealed for help, saying: We feel abandoned by the government.

There is a new influx of migrants, he said. There are more and more deaths. There are more and more clashes. There are also a lot of fights between traffickers who regularly fire at each other's legs with Kalashnikov rifles.

___

Follow AP's migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
There were another 125 coronavirus cases and three deaths reported in the Upper Thumb since Wednesday, according to the state update Nov. 5.

Tuscola County continues to lead the region in new cases, with 59, and the county saw one death, bringing the total cases in the county to 6,505 and the total deaths due to COVID to 187.

Huron County saw an increase of 34 cases and an decreasing adjustment of one death, bringing the county to 3,805 cases and 90 deaths.

Sanilac County saw two new deaths and 32 new cases reported, bringing the county to 4,455 cases and 130 deaths.

State testing showed a statewide test positivity rate average Nov. 4 of nearly 14%. Huron County continues to lead the region in positivity rates, with a rate of nearly 27%, based on 16 positive cases out of 60 processed. Tuscola County saw its positivity rate improve slightly to 18%. Meanwhile, Sanilac County's positivity rate increased slightly to nearly 15%.

According to the state, there were 10,094 new cases and 42 new deaths across the state since Wednesday. The state also identified an additional 48 deaths during a review of its vital records.

Hospital data for Preparedness Region 3, which includes the Upper Thumb, showed facilities in the region treated 360 patients for COVID Nov. 5, including two pediatric patients, 41 patients on ventilators and 92 patients in intensive care. On Nov. 4, hospital emergency departments reported treating 2,060 patients across state for COVID.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michigan no longer leads the nation for the number of new coronavirus cases in the last seven days after being bumped by California. California had 42,946 new cases in the past week, followed by Michigan at nearly 30,000 and Pennsylvania at nearly 32,115.

For more information on the coronavirus visit www.michigansthumb.com.
* Sammy Rivera, a prominent Allingtown business owner known for his big heart and generous spirit, received West Havens Hispanic American of the Year award at the third Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sept. 24. Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and the West Haven Hispanic Heritage Committee recognized Rivera, a native of Cayey, Puerto Rico, during a midday ceremony in the Harriet C. North Community Room of City Hall. The event, traditionally held on the steps of City Hall, was moved indoors because of rain. The committee bestows the award annually on a Hispanic resident who personifies service in West Havens thriving Hispanic American community. Last years ceremony was postponed because of the coronavirus. At the 35-minute event, Rivera, who owns Budget Transmission at 950 Boston Post Road and Budget Car Wash at 936 Boston Post Road, honored his Puerto Rican lineage with dozens of friends and loved ones.

* A fun filled afternoon was held at the North Haven Senior Center members recently learned how to make No-Sew warm winter blankets. Janice Beimler is pictured with the final product; others who led the event were Marlene Thorp, Program Coordinator, Laurie Feldman, Senior Center Secretary and Janice Beimler. The North Haven Senior Center is located at 189 Pool Road; call 203-239-5432 for information.
MIDDLETOWN  Students enrolled in the Criminal Justice And Protective Services Program at Vinal Technical High School spent parts of Wednesday and Thursday taking part in a realistic, but simulated hazardous material training exercise.

A tanker truck, donated by Charlies Water Wagon in Portland, sat in the back parking lot of the school. White smoke poured out of the tank, and a 185-pound dummy dressed in full firefighting gear lay next to the tanker.

The scene was a simulation of a hazardous material emergency that law enforcement and first responders might experience in the field on any given day.

In this simulation, however, it was not professional first responders who handled the emergency, but high school students taking a Criminal Justice and Protective Services class taught by David Cruickshank and Joseph Linskey, both former members of the Berlin Police Department.

Its pretty good, hands-on stuff, Cruickshank said.

Students took turns handling the emergency. They were tasked with identifying the material that was spilled, choosing their level of protective equipment, suiting up in that equipment, rescuing the simulated unconscious firefighter, and stopping the leak.

In this case, the hazmat suits included three pairs of gloves, a full body suit, and an oxygen mask. Cruickshank said that it was as close to a real scenario as possible.

The only thing thats not real is the boot covers, Cruickshank said, explaining that the real boot covers were a bit too expensive. Otherwise its 100 percent what it would be like.

This is the first year that Cruickshank has implemented this particular exercise into his curriculum. He said its part of his and Linskeys shared goal of improving the lesson every year.

We try to improve three things every year, Cruickshank said.

He said this is because he and Linskey are both passionate about improving the profession, and that he is not the only teacher that feels that way.

Thats what all the teachers here are doing, Cruickshank said. Just trying to make the future of their trade better.

Brianna Nowakowski and Davia Wright are both juniors at Vinal Tech in the Criminal Justice and Protective Services class and for most of the simulated hazmat exercise, they were stationed outside, wearing reflective vests, directing traffic and monitoring the size of the material spill; another important role deployed for real hazmat emergencies.

Its a unique experience, Wright said. Not many high school students can say they put on a hazmat suit and dragged a dummy.

Wright said she was drawn to the criminal justice aspect of the class because she hopes to be a lawyer one day. She said that she has greatly enjoyed the exposure to the other elements of the course.

It builds on our professional experience, Wright said.

Nowakowski said she has always been interested in the medical field, and she felt this course would help give her a jump start on a future in that field. She noted that students in the class all receive an EMT certification.

We get that certificate at the end which will help in the future, Nowakowski said.

According to Cruickshank, the EMT certification is just one of many that students in the class will receive, including a CPR certification, a FAA drone pilot license, and more.

He said that not all first responders necessarily receive the hazmat awareness certification that the students earned through this simulation exercise and other coursework.

Admission applications for Vinal Tech and the rest of the states technical high schools for the 2022-23 school year will become available in the second week of November, possibly as early as Friday, according to Kerry Markey, director of communications for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. More information can be found at cttech.org.
AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A shooting in broad daylight killed one man and wounded another Thursday in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury neighborhood, an area popular with young homeless people and with tourists seeking to visit the center of the city's hippie heritage.

The shooting occurred at around 1 p.m. near the corner of Haight and Masonic streets, police said.
NEW YORK (AP)  When New Yorkers this week chose Eric Adams as their next mayor and Alvin Bragg as the next Manhattan district attorney, they elevated two more Black men into high office at a time when the city and state are being led by a historic number of Black leaders.

Its a moment African American officials say has been a long time coming, made possible by an earlier generation of trailblazers who broke barriers in the face of immense bias and carried the burden of being the first.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, one of a record seven Black people now representing New York in Congress, said the new mayor and prosecutor will be transformational figures.

The emergence of individuals like Eric Adams and Alvin Bragg follow in a long tradition of leaders who emerge from the fiery furnace of the Black experience in New York City, particularly in some of our toughest neighborhoods, to become public servants committed to doing a great deal of good for everyone, said Jeffries.

Nearly 28 years after David Dinkins ended his single term as New York's first Black mayor, the halls of power in the city and state are packed with Black leaders from the city or its suburbs, including three of the state's most powerful politicians: Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Letitia James, the states first Black attorney general, who is now running for governor.

A majority of the city's borough presidents are now Black, as well as several top prosecutors, including both of its appointed U.S. attorneys, and its elected public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who is considering a gubernatorial run.

The change has happened even as the number of Black people living in New York City has declined, falling by 4.5% since 2010 while the city's overall population grew.

According to the 2020 census, 20% of New Yorkers are Black, 31% are non-Hispanic white, 28% are Hispanic and around 16% are Asian.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, who in 2015 became the states first African American woman elected as a DA, said the historic wave of Black leadership is both long overdue and timely following the national racial reckoning that occurred in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

I think the more we can have people that look like the people and the communities that we serve, the better. I should not be the only one, she said.

Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, who became the second Black person to hold that role when he was appointed in September, recalled a recent political rally in Harlem attended by federal, state and local African American elected officials and candidates.

There were young Black boys and young Black girls who were able to look at us and say, Oh wow. This is normal. I can do this. I can be a mayor. I can be lieutenant governor. I can be a congressperson,' Benjamin said.

Many of the Black politicians, including Adams and Bragg, drew upon their life stories as they campaigned, describing firsthand experience with inequity, racism or unequal and brutal treatment from the criminal justice system.

Adams talked about growing up poor and experiencing brutality as a teenager at the hands of police before becoming a police officer himself. He became a captain and an outspoken activist calling out injustices in the New York Police Department.

Bragg, a civil rights lawyer and former federal prosecutor, talked about being held at gunpoint by both crooks and police officers during his youth in Harlem.

Days before he was elected district attorney, he was questioning New York City police officers as part of a judicial inquiry into the 2014 police chokehold death of Eric Garner, whose pleas of I cant breathe became a rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Donovan Richards Jr., who last year became the first Black man elected as Queens borough president, said that in the past, he and other Black politicians were often told: Dont talk about your Blackness. Dont talk about where youre from.

Often were told to shy away from who we are, to shy away from our stories, especially as Black men. You need to smile a little more in your pictures, Richards said. I think we have changed the narrative.

New Yorkers on Tuesday elected an Afro Caribbean of Dominican heritage, City Council Member Antonio Reynoso, to replace Adams as Brooklyn borough president. Across town, City Council Member Vanessa Gibson became the first Black woman elected Bronx borough president.

Richards said theres also a huge burden with being the first  or even the second  person of color to hold an elected office.

Its a lot of pressure, he said. You dont get to settle in and you cant make mistakes.

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. became the first African American to represent New York in Congress in 1945. Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress from any state in 1969. Both faced immense challenges because of racism.

Even though earlier African American leaders paved the way, Richards said he, Adams, Bragg and other Black leaders today still face bias and microaggressions after winning top offices.

Richards said that when he first took office, he was stopped several days in a row at the entrance to borough hall by a security guard asking to see some identification. Richards explained he was the borough president.

Then he says, Youre the borough president? I said, Yes. Get used to it, Richards recalled, with a laugh.

___

Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Jake Corman, the ranking Republican in Pennsylvania's state Senate who is widely expected to run for governor in next year's election, has begun inviting donors and others to an announcement next Thursday night.

The event is billed as a special announcement in Corman's hometown of Bellefonte.

Corman's entry into the race would swell an already big field of Republicans running for governor that's double-digits deep and growing, as the party searches for a nominee to potentially succeed outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

Corman, 57, who represents a swath of central Pennsylvania surrounding Penn State's main campus, is the Senate's president pro tempore and has served in the chamber since 1999  controlled by Republicans the whole time  after taking over the seat his father held.

For weeks, Corman has been expected to enter the race, meeting with donors and the Republican congressional delegation. Corman has said he would discuss his political plans after Tuesday's election, but neither he nor a political adviser have returned messages about it.

He has served in GOP leadership since 2009  including as majority leader from 2015 through last year  and is well known to party donors.

But his impending candidacy is not clearing the field of Republican rivals.

On Friday, Charlie Gerow, a Harrisburg-area marketing consultant, launched a new cable TV ad campaign and state Sen. Doug Mastriano began fundraising for a gubernatorial campaign.

On Saturday, seven gubernatorial hopefuls were expected at a Tioga County Republican Party dinner, while in Delaware County, Dave White, who runs a large plumbing and HVAC firm, is formally announcing his candidacy.

The field's best-known candidate is perhaps Lou Barletta, a former four-term member of Congress who was the Republican nominee in his 2018 loss to Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and a prominent loyalist of former President Donald Trump.

Corman's standing with Trump loyalists is mixed, at best.

Over the summer, Trump and his allies in the baseless quest to prove that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election had held up Corman as an obstacle, before Corman embraced it.

Im a hundred percent on board with this," Corman declared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon's War Room online broadcast.

With Wolf in office since 2015, Corman has been part of a Republican leadership that sent more than 50 bills to certain veto on the Democrat's desk, including legislation on abortion, elections, guns and to strip some of the authority Wolf wielded during the pandemic.

Republicans have rejected many of Wolfs highest-profile priorities, including multi-billion-dollar tax increases, although Corman-led Senate Republicans compromised on raising the minimum wage and imposing a severance tax on Pennsylvanias huge natural gas industry. Both died in the House.

Top Democrats in the Senate have generally viewed Corman as congenial, respecting the Senate as an institution and playing within its rules, even if they had had disagreements, said Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia.

But that changed in the past year, Williams said, as the politics of the 2020 election drove bare-knuckled partisan fights, including Republicans' election audit that Democrats are now challenging in court.

Corman also has a long voting record that could be picked apart, including bipartisan measures that aged poorly and have become grist for primary attacks from the right against various Republican lawmakers.

For instance, he voted in 2005 for a broad government pay raise  rammed through without public hearings in the middle of the night  that stirred such a backlash that lawmakers three months later voted to rescind it.

In 2013, he voted along with Republican leaders for an increase in the gas tax and motorist fees to fund highway construction projects, a measure backed by business groups and labor unions. The law made Pennsylvanias gas tax the second-highest in the nation.

Then in 2019, he and nearly every other Republican lawmaker voted for sweeping election legislation that, among other things, authorized no-excuse mail-in voting, mere months before Trump mounted a campaign to tar mail-in voting as rife with fraud.

Many Republicans have since soured on mail-in voting, with candidates on the gubernatorial campaign trail calling for the law's repeal.

On the Democratic side, two-term state Attorney General Josh Shapiro's candidacy has thus far cleared the field of rivals.

Wolf is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  In an effort to fight COVID-19 vaccination requirements on workers, Alabama lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation to prevent companies from firing workers who claim a religious or medical exemption.

Republicans said they were responding to an outcry from unvaccinated constituents afraid of losing their jobs because of the Biden administrations vaccination mandate on federal contractors. Democrats argued the bill would put both federal contractors and public health in jeopardy for the sake of scoring political points.

The Republican-sponsored bill states employers must exempt employees from a COVID-19 vaccination requirement if the worker returns a new standardized state form to claim a religious or medical exemption. Alabama lawmakers gave final approval to the bill late Thursday night after votes that broke mostly along party lines. It now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.

Republican Sen. Chris Elliott, the sponsor of the bill, said lawmakers wanted to stand in the gap and provide some protection for employees while federal courts hear lawsuits brought by Republican states challenging the mandate on federal contractors.

There are people in the state of Alabama that are hurting right now, that are trying to decide about taking a vaccine that they are frightened of... They are in danger of losing their jobs due to federal mandates that are really unnecessary, Elliott said.

Republican Rep. Mike Jones of Andalusia said the federal government already allows exemptions for medical and religious reasons and lawmakers are trying to provide an easy way for employees to claim those exemptions. Theyre fearful of losing jobs theyve had for 20 years, very good jobs that they had with federal contractors, Jones said.

Jones said they are trying to find a way to protect employees without hurting federal contractors who face the mandate. But House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, argued the bill would do just that by interfering with a companys ability to comply with the federal mandate.

Im angry as hell right now, because this is a job killer, said Daniels, saying that federal contractors provide many of the jobs in, and around, his Huntsville district.

Biden in September announced executive branch employees and contractors who do business with the federal government must be vaccinated  with no option to test out. Other rules will require companies with 100 or more employees to regularly test unvaccinated employees for COVID-19. While much of the debate centered on the federal vaccination requirement, it would also impact companies who wanted to independently place vaccination requirements on workers.

Some Democrats said the GOP proposal would create a wide-open portal for people to fraudulently claim an exemption to the vaccination mandate without truly having a valid reason.

You know and I know, everybody, even atheists, is going to come up and say its because of their religious beliefs, Democratic Rep. Pebblin Warren of Tuskegee said.

Under the legislation, employees would check a box in a new form for the reason they couldnt get vaccinated  such as a religious reason, certain qualifying medical conditions, or a health providers signed recommendation that the person shouldn't be vaccinated. There would be no requirement to provide proof of the reason. An employee denied an exemption could appeal to the state Department of Labor.

The proposal is a carve-out from existing law which allows companies to fire workers at will. The bill specifies that it wouldnt alter the ability of an employer to terminate an employee for reasons other than the employees COVID-19 vaccination status.

The new process and job protections would automatically end on May 1, 2023, unless extended by lawmakers.

The legislation comes as Republican leaders in many states try to find ways to resist the federal vaccine mandate they call an infringement on personal liberties. The bill has drawn opposition from a business group, which said it would put federal contractors in a no-win situation.

Non-compliance with the federal mandate could result in the loss of current and future contracts and jobs for their companies and communities, the Business Council of Alabama said.

Lawmakers approved a separate bill requiring parental consent for minors to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Alabama has seen at least 15,629 COVID-19 related deaths and has the second-highest per capita death rate from COVID-19 among states, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
BAGHDAD (AP)  One protester was killed and scores of people, mostly members of Iraqi security forces, were injured Friday when scuffles between supporters of pro-Iran Shiite militias who had camped outside Baghdads Green Zone and anti-riot police turned deadly, officials aid.

The protesters reject the results of last month parliamentary elections that saw the pro-Iran militias as the biggest losers.

The health ministry said the injuries in early Fridays scuffles were mostly from smoke inhalation and rock throwing. Most of the injured were members of the riot police.

It was not clear what sparked the clashes later Friday.

There were reports of an exchange of fire erupted after dark Friday following a day of tense rallies and scuffles between the Iraqi forces and the protesters who have been camped out outside the Green Zone for over three weeks.

Iraqs Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered an investigation into Fridays violence to determine what sparked the clashes and who violated orders not to open fire, a statement from the joint security operations room said.

About 300 protesters marched, apparently trying to storm the heavily protected Green Zone, and used rocks to pelt the security forces. The anti-riot police responded with batons, tear gas and water cannons to push them back.

At least 27 civilians and 98 members of the security were injured, the health ministry said. Then clashes erupted, killing at least one protester, two security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Following the vote, militia supporters had pitched tents near the Green Zone in an ongoing sit-in, rejecting election results and threatening violence unless their demands were met.

The United States, the U.N. Security Council and others have praised the Oct. 10 election, which was mostly violence-free and without major technical glitches.

But unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud have cast a shadow over the vote. The standoff with the militia supporters is also increasing tensions among rival Shiite factions that could reflect on the street and threaten Iraqs newfound relative stability.

The election was held months ahead of schedule in response to mass protests in late 2019, which saw tens of thousands in Baghdad and predominantly Shiite southern provinces rally against endemic corruption, poor services and unemployment. They also protested against the heavy-handed interference of neighboring Iran in Iraqs affairs through Iran-backed militias.

The militias lost popularity since the 2018 vote, when they made big election gains. Many hold them responsible for suppressing the 2019 protests, and for challenging the states authority.

The biggest gains were made by influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who won the largest number of parliament seats, 73 out of 329. While he maintains good relations with Iran, al-Sadr publicly opposes external interference in Iraqs affairs.

The protests appear to be aimed at pressuring al-Sadr to ensure that Iran-aligned factions are part of the next Cabinet. As the winner, al-Sadrs bloc will seek coalition partners and name the prime minister.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A 22-year-old man dressed in battle gear fired at least 20 shots outside and inside a Las Vegas convenience store, killing a man sitting in a parked car but missing customers in store aisles, a prosecutor said Friday.

The suspect, Jesus Javier Uribe, refused to attend a scheduled court appearance on multiple felony charges including murder and attempted murder following his arrest Thursday at a house in southwest Las Vegas following what police characterized as a random criminal act.

A judge acknowledged Uribe's absence and ordered him held in jail without bail pending arraignment Tuesday in Las Vegas Justice Court on charges also including robbery, burglary and illegal discharge of a weapon.

Prosecutor Richard Scow said later that police found 13 bullet casings outside the store, where Curtis Leon Abraham, 36, was shot several times while sitting in a vehicle waiting for his girlfriend inside. Abraham was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said.

Police said Uribe shot into an unoccupied vehicle outside the store before he was seen on security video striding inside wielding a handgun and wearing a tactical vest and a gun belt.

Abraham's girlfriend hid with a store clerk in a refrigerator cooler, Scow said, while other people escaped out the back door.

Seven bullet casings were found inside the store, but no one there was hit by gunfire, the prosecutor said.

Uribe also is accused of robbing a person in a street confrontation before arriving at the store.

Police said a tip led to Uribe came after officials issued a public plea for help, characterizing the shooting as a random act and releasing a photo of the gunman entering the store.

The gunman took items from the store and left the area on foot, police said.
Middletown Police / Contributed

MIDDLETOWN  A New Britain resident was charged on a 31-count arrest warrant Thursday for his role in an organization that targeted ATMs in commercial burglaries across the state, police said.

Rafael Delvalle, 24, of Kelsey Street in New Britain, was arrested on a warrant for corrupt organizations and racketeering activity, various burglary and larceny offenses and criminal mischief charges, police said.
PROGRESO, Mexico (AP)  When a rotten egg smell rises from the mangrove swamps of southeast Mexico, something is going well. It means that this key coastal habitat for blunting hurricane impacts has recovered and is capturing carbon dioxide  the main ingredient of global warming.

While world leaders seek ways to stop the climate crisis at a United Nations conference in Scotland this month, one front in the battle to save the planet's mangroves is thousands of miles (kilometers) away on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Decades ago, mangroves lined these shores, but today there are only thin green bands of trees beside the sea, interrupted by urbanized areas and reddish segments killed by too much salt and by dead branches poking from the water.

A few dozen fishermen and women villagers have made building on whats left of the mangroves part of their lives. Their work is supported by academics and donations to environmental groups, and government funds help train villagers to organize their efforts.

The first time they came to the swamp for seasonal restoration work was more than a decade ago with Jorge Alfredo Herrera, a researcher at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the Mexican Polytechnic Institute in Yucatan. He told them the mangroves needed a network of interlaced canals where fresh and salt water would mingle.

To dig them was a hard work and paid only $4 a day. Men from Chelem, a fishing village of Progreso, turned down the job but a group of women took it on, believing they could accomplish a lot with little money.

Recently, after an intense rainy season, the women worked to finish the second part of the restoration process: planting young mangroves in a swamp near this port city. Under the sun, they chuckled, remembering the time they encountered a crocodile and barely managed to run away.

Then they placed 20-inch mangrove seedlings into mounds of mud held together by mesh, creating tiny islands about a yard (meter) square.

The happiest day is when our plants take, said 41-year-old Keila Vazquez, leader of the women who now are paid $15 a day and take pride in putting their grain of sand into the planet's well-being. They are like our children.

GLOBAL THREAT TO MANGROVES

This mangrove restoration effort is similar to others around the globe, as scientists and community groups increasingly recognize the need to protect and bring back the forests to store carbon and buffer coastlines from climate-driven extreme weather, including more intense hurricanes and storm surges. Other restorations are underway in Indonesia, which contains the world's largest tracts of mangrove habitat, Colombia and elsewhere.

Mangroves represent a very important ecosystem to fight climate change, said Octavio Aburto, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California.

While the tropical trees only grow on less than 1% of the Earth's land, he said, on a per-hectare basis, mangroves are the ecosystem that sequesters the most carbon ... They can bury around five times more carbon in the sediment than a tropical rain forest.

Yet around the globe, mangroves are threatened.

From 1980 to 2005, 20% to 35% of the world's mangrove forests were lost, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

From 2000 to 2016, the rate of loss declined as governments and environmental groups spotlighted the problem, but destruction continued  and about 2% of the world's remaining mangrove forests disappeared, according to NASA satellite imagery.

In Mexico, as in much of the world, the largest threat to mangroves is development. The region near Cancun lost most of its historic mangroves to highways and hotels starting in the 1980s.

Tracts of mangroves on the country's southern Pacific coast also have been cleared to make room for shrimp farming, while oil exploration and drilling in shallow waters off the Gulf of Mexico threatens mangroves there, said Aburto.

Mexico began to protect some of its mangroves only after the excessive tourism development of the 1980s. And although Mexico took steps to establish a climate action plan in 1998 and was one of the first developing countries to make voluntary commitments under the Paris Climate Accord, its commitment to the environment began to backslide in 2015, said Julia Carabias, a professor on the science faculty at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

In the past six years, Mexico has cut resources for environmental conservation by 60%, according to Carabias.

And that, combined with increasing government support of fossil fuel energy and ongoing infrastructure and tourist projects in the region, is sounding alarms.

Despite the country's monitoring system, local researchers say that for every hectare (2.5 acres) of mangrove restored in southeast Mexico, 10 hectares are degraded or lost.

EFFORTS TO SAVE SWAMPS

The halting efforts in Mexico to protect and restore mangroves, even as more are lost, mirror situations elsewhere. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency estimated in 2007 that 40% of Indonesias mangroves had been cut down for aquaculture projects and coastal development in the previous three decades.

But there have been restoration efforts as well.

In 2020, the Indonesia government set an ambitious target of planting mangroves on 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of degrading coastline by 2024. Key ministries are involved in restoration efforts that include community outreach and education.

Yet there have been some setbacks. Precise mapping and data on mangroves is hard to come by, making it difficult for agencies to know where to concentrate. Newly planted mangroves have been swept out to sea by strong tides and waves. Community outreach and education have been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Mexico, successes exist, even if they are slow in coming.

Manuel Gonzalez, a 57-year-old fisherman known as Becha, proudly shows off recovering mangroves in the seaside community of Dzilam de Bravo, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Progreso. He walks through mud, avoiding the interlaced mangrove roots that burrow into it. Some trees are already 30 feet (9 meters) tall.

In 2002, Hurricane Isidoro devastated this area, but after a decade of work, 120 hectares (297 acres) have been restored. The fisherman says that now storms dont hit the community as hard. And the fish, migratory birds, deer, crocodiles and even jaguars have returned.

But the mangroves face a new risk, as stumps scattered among the trees attest.

In 10 years, you have a very nice mangrove for someone with a chainsaw to come and take it, Gonzalez said. Thats something that hurts me a lot.

Cutting mangroves has been a crime since 2005, but Gonzalez says authorities shut down and fine projects, only to have them later reopen.

The Yucatan state government said it is aware of complaints of illegal logging yet the harvest has only grown.

While more funds are needed for protection and restoration, some communities prefer to think about how to make conservation a profitable activity.

Jose Ines Loria, head of operations at San Crisanto, an old salt harvesting community of about 500 between Progreso and Dzilam, thinks the way to make the local mangrove part of the communitys business model is using the new financial tools such as blue carbon credits.

Those instruments, already in use in Colombia and other countries, allow polluting businesses to compensate for emissions by paying others to store or sequester greenhouse gases.

Some in Mexico say credits are still not well regulated in the country and could invite fraud and scams. But Loria defends them. If conservation doesnt mean improving the quality of life of a community, it doesnt work.

___

Larson reported from Washington, D.C.; Milko reported from Jakarta.

___

On Twitter follow Maria Verza: @verzamex; Christina Larson: @larsonchristina, and Victoria Milko: @thevmilko

___

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.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  Prosecutors and defense attorneys on Friday presented dueling portraits of Ahmaud Arbery, who was either an innocent Black runner fatally shot by three white strangers or a scary mystery who had been seen prowling around a Georgia neighborhood.

In her opening statement, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said the short cellphone video that stirred national outrage over Arbery's slaying offered only a glimpse of the attack on the 25-year-old, who gave his pursuers no reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing.

They assumed that he must have committed some crime that day," Dunikoski said. He tried to run around their truck and get way from these strangers, total strangers, who had already told him that they would kill him. And then they killed him.

An attorney for Travis McMichael, the man who shot Arbery three times, put the shooting in a much different light. Attorney Robert Rubin described Arbery to the overwhelmingly white jury as an intruder who had four times been recorded on video plundering around a neighboring house under construction.

McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, gave chase, hoping to detain Arbery until police arrived, Rubin said, but Arbery refused to stop and lunged toward McMichael and his gun.

It is a horrible, horrible video, and its tragic that Ahmaud Arbery lost his life, Rubin said. "But at that point, Travis McMichael is acting in self-defense. He did not want to encounter Ahmaud Arbery physically. He was only trying to stop him for the police.

Arberys killing on Feb . 23, 2020, was largely ignored until the video leaked and deepened a national reckoning over racial injustice.

On that Sunday afternoon, the McMichaels armed themselves and pursued Arbery in a pickup truck as he ran through their neighborhood just outside the port city of Brunswick. A neighbor, William Roddie Bryan, joined the chase and recorded graphic video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery with a shotgun.

The chase started when a neighbor who's not charged in the case called a nonemergency police number after seeing Arbery wandering inside a home under construction, where security cameras had recorded him before.

Dunikoski said Greg McMichael later told police that at one point during the chase he shouted at Arbery, Stop or Ill blow your f-ing head off!

When a police officer who responded to the shooting asked Greg McMichael if Arbery had broken into a house, he told the officer: "Thats just it. I dont know ... I dont know. He might have gone in somebodys house, according to Dunikoski.

All three of these defendants did everything they did based on assumptions  not on facts, not on evidence, Dunikoski said. And they made decisions in their driveways based on those assumptions that took a young mans life.

As Dunikoski played the video of Arbery's death for the jury, his mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, cried out in the courtroom and sobbed as her attorney tried to console her.

Rubin described Arbery as a scary mystery to residents of a neighborhood already on edge from thefts and property crimes. Travis McMichael saw him outside the home construction site at night 11 days before the shooting. When Arbery reached for his pocket, Rubin said, Travis Michael feared he was reaching for gun.

Thats why the McMichaels grabbed guns before chasing Arbery, Rubin said, insisting they had probable cause to legally detain him on suspicion of stealing under a Georgia law allowing citizens arrests. The law was later repealed in response to Arbery's death.

As Arbery ran toward the McMichaels' truck, Travis McMichael raised the shotgun in hopes that he's going to deescalate the situation, Rubin said. Instead of running past him, Rubin said, Arbery turned toward Travis McMichael swinging aggressively" with his fists.

Travis McMichael, Rubin said, recalled his firearms training from when he served in the Coast Guard: Never lose your weapon. And thats why he shoots.

He has no choice because if this guy gets his gun, hes dead or his dads dead, Rubin said.

Greg McMichael was in his driveway reupholstering boat cushions when he saw Arbery run past hauling ass, said Franklin Hogue, Greg McMichaels defense attorney.

Greg McMichael was absolutely sure this was the guy, the same guy he had seen on surveillance video inside a house where Greg had sound reasons to believe theft had occurred, burglary, Hogue said.

Hogue said most facts in the trial are not in dispute.

The why it happened is what this case is about, Hogue said. This case is about intent, beliefs, knowledge  reasons for beliefs whether they were true or not.

Bryans attorney, Kevin Gough, deferred making an opening statement until after prosecutors rest their case, which Georgia courts allow.

All three defendants are standing trial together, charged with murder and other felonies.

Arbery had been dead for more than two months when Bryan's video of the killing leaked online in May 2020. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local police. GBI agents arrested the McMichaels the next day, and charged Bryan two weeks later.

Dunikoski described Arbery as an avid runner and told the jury it was not surprising for him to go running in the Satilla Shores subdivision, which was less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from his own home.

When he was killed, Arbery had no weapon and was carrying no wallet or keys, Dunikoski said.

Arbery "couldnt even have called for help if he wanted to because he had no cellphone on him," she added.

Officer William Duggan of Glynn County police was the first witness to testify. Duggan was the second officer to arrive after the shooting. Video from his body camera showed Arbery, his white T-shirt soaked with blood, facedown in the road. Duggan rolled him over and pressed a hand to his wounded chest.

He told other first responders he heard Arbery gurgling at first, but said he died after about two minutes.

I had pressure on, but there was nothing I could do, Duggan said on the video.
Venice, FL (34285)

Today

Cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  An appeals court has formally ended a lawsuit that in 2018 temporarily suspended a California law that allows adults to obtain prescriptions for life-ending drugs, a gap that advocates blamed Thursday for a significant drop in its use that year.

California lawmakers made the lawsuit moot last month when they reauthorized and extended the law until 2031 while reducing the time until terminal patients projected to have six months or less to live can choose to be given fatal drugs.

The 452 terminally ill Californians who received prescriptions in 2018 was down 22% from the previous year, when 577 people received the lethal drugs, before increasing to 618 who obtained the drugs in 2019.

Last year, 667 people obtained prescriptions. In each year, not everyone who received the drugs used them to end their lives.

Compassion & Choices, a national organization that advocated for the law, blamed the drop three years ago on a Riverside County judge's ruling in May 2018 that state legislators acted unconstitutionally when they passed the law during a special session that was devoted to health care in 2016.

Superior Court Judge Daniel Ottolia's suspension was in place about three weeks before an appeals court reinstated the law.

But the advocacy group said at the time that the ruling interrupted the plans of about 200 patients who had already started the process, while causing confusion and fear among both doctors and patients about violating the law.

A different Riverside County judge last year ruled that lawmakers in fact did act properly and that physicians who sued to block it lacked legal standing to file the challenge. But the court allowed the opponents to refile their complaint if they could find patients to join the lawsuit.

Late last week the two sides agreed that the Legislature's recent reauthorization and extension of the law, which had been set to sunset in another five years, effectively ended the legal challenge. The 4th Appellate District Court of Appeal accepted the parties' stipulation in a one-paragraph order Monday, without comment.

Starting January 1 under the reauthorized law, the waiting period required between the time a patient makes separate oral requests for medication will drop to 48 hours, down from the current minimum 15 days.

The revised law also eliminates the requirement that patients make final written attestations within 48 hours of taking the medication.

Katie Short, legal affairs vice president for the Life Legal Defense Foundation, said the opponents she represented in the lawsuit still believe it is a deeply unjust and ill-advised law that initially was enacted illegally, and they will continue to seek ways to end the availability in California and elsewhere.

We always believed the California legislature lawfully passed the End of Life Option Act during a special session on healthcare because medical aid in dying is a palliative care option to relieve intolerable suffering, Compassion & Choices chief legal advocacy officer Kevin Diaz said in a statement. But thanks to the Legislature reauthorizing the law this year during a regular session, it doesnt matter anymore.

California is one of 10 states and Washington, D.C. that allow medical aid in dying. The others are Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is pivoting his country back to its longtime ally the United States after years of wooing China failed to bear fruit, according to defense experts.

The maverick leader began his term in 2016 by hurling insults at then-U.S. President Barack Obama and offering warm words to America's strategic competitors.

"I realign myself in your ideological flow and maybe I would also go to Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world -- China, Philippines, Russia," Duterte said that year on his first trip to Beijing.

As he prepares to step down after six years in office, however, the Philippine strongman has "effectively ended" his China-friendly policy, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corp. argues.

"Now, just as easily as he flipped one way, he's flopping the other," Derek Grossman wrote in a commentary posted Tuesday on Rand's website, "... and he's doing his best to align the Philippines with the United States again."

The evidence for that includes recent visits by top U.S. military leaders, the Philippines' endorsement of the AUKUS defense pace between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., and plans for expanded bilateral military exercises next year, Grossman wrote.

In July 2020, Duterte authorized his Department of Foreign Affairs to call on China to recognize an international tribunal's rejection in 2016 of Beijing's claims to areas of the South China Sea inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

He told the U.N. General Assembly two months later that the ruling was "beyond compromise."

During an online conference in September, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said the U.S. and the Philippines "plan to move fairly quickly" on facilities for U.S. forces at five Philippine bases that were authorized under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, visited the Philippines in late August and last month said the U.S. wants to "increase the complexity and scope" of exercises in the islands and invite new partners to join, Bloomberg reported Oct. 14.

Duterte's pro-China policy failed to clinch a deal on joint prospecting in the South China Sea or persuade the Chinese to fund infrastructure projects in the Philippines through its Belt and Road initiative, Grossman wrote.

Meanwhile, China has continued to send its maritime militia into waters claimed by the Philippines and, in January, authorized its coast guard to fire upon foreign vessels.

In March, more than 200 Chinese fishing boats moored at the disputed Whitsun Reef.

"Duterte thought he could play China against the U.S. but ended up being played by China," Ralph Cossa, president emeritus of the Pacific Forum think tank in Hawaii, said in an email Wednesday.

China made Duterte look bad and never delivered on many of its promises, he said.

"Meanwhile support for U.S. runs deep among Philippine people and especially among military," he said, adding that the pro-China, anti-U.S. position isn't a vote-getter in the Philippines.

However, the Philippines can't afford to shun China, its biggest trading partner, said Patricio Abinales, a professor at the University of Hawaii's School of Pacific and Asian Studies, in an email Wednesday.

"What the Philippines is doing is returning to the pre-Duterte approach of dealing with China -- the international court, diplomatic pressure," Abinales said, "all of which will irritate China but not to the point of ending a mutually beneficial trading relationship."
WASHINGTON  The Navy said Thursday it fired the two senior officers of a nuclear-powered attack submarine that was damaged in an underwater collision last month in the South China Sea. A sailor who served as a senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the executive officer was also removed from his position

The actions were taken by Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, based in Japan.

Thomas determined sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident, according to a 7th Fleet statement.

As a result, the statement said Thomas relieved Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani as commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin as executive officer, and Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers as chief of the boat, due to loss of confidence. The chief of the boat is the senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the executive officer.

The Navy has yet to publicly explain how or why the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class submarine, struck a seamount, or underwater mountain, or to reveal the extent of damage to the vessel.

The Navy has said the submarines nuclear reactor and propulsion system were not damaged. The collision caused a small number of moderate and minor injuries to the crew. USNI News, which was first to report that the sub had struck a seamount, said damage to the forward section of the submarine damaged its ballast tanks.

The incident happened on Oct. 2 but was not reported by the Navy until five days later, well after it had exited the South China Sea. The vessel made its way to Guam for a damage assessment, where it remains.

The 7th Fleet Statement on Thursday also said the sub will return at an unspecified time to Bremerton, Washington for repairs.
Turkish authorities detained 17 members of a political organization after protesters put a hood over the head of a U.S. Navy civilian in Istanbul.

Youth Union of Turkey, also known as TGB, posted a photo Tuesday to two Twitter accounts, and in one post, the group claimed to have put a "sack on the head of an American soldier."

In a statement, the Istanbul governor's office said the 17 people detained had targeted a civilian employee of a U.S. Navy ship that "came to our city as part of a port visit," according to Reuters.

USS Mount Whitney, the U.S. 6th Fleet's flagship, arrived in Istanbul on Monday and entered the Black Sea on Thursday to join the destroyer USS Porter.

In addition to putting the hood on the civilian's head, the group also chanted "you are our enemy, and you are not wanted here. ... Yankee go home," Reuters reported.

U.S. 6th Fleet didn't comment Thursday on the incident. At a media briefing Wednesday, Defense Department spokesman John Kirby thanked Turkey for its swift action and responsiveness. He referred further questions to Turkish authorities.

The U.S. and other NATO members and partners routinely conduct military exercises in the Black Sea.

Personnel from Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO and 6th Fleet, both under the command of Vice Adm. Gene Black III, were aboard USS Mount Whitney, 6th Fleet said in an Oct. 29 statement.

On Wednesday, the ship hosted a reception that included the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and various Turkish dignitaries, according to 6th Fleet. Black spoke at the reception.

"It is very important to be here and to deepen our maritime cooperation. Turkey is a very valuable NATO ally," he said. "Achieving economic prosperity in the Black Sea region depends on the stability to be achieved at sea."

This isn't the first time TGB has protested the U.S. by putting hoods over Americans' heads.

In 2014, it attacked a group of service members from the destroyer USS Ross who were dressed in civilian clothes. The protesters threw red paint on at least one service member and put a plastic sack over his head, calling him a murderer, the pro-government Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reported.

The newspaper said putting hoods on U.S. service members is viewed as revenge for a 2003 incident in Iraq, in which U.S. military personnel detained and put hoods on Turkish soldiers operating as part of a special operations team.

U.S. officials had accused the soldiers of plotting to kill an American-backed Iraqi official, The New York Times reported at the time.

On its English-language website, TGB says it stands up for a secular and populist Turkey. The group says it "was founded in order to unite Turkish youth -- ignoring whether they're leftists or rightists -- to defend the motherland."
At least five service members allegedly were part of the deadly pro-Trump mob that assaulted the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, leaving behind a ransacked house of government and injured police.

The attack shook the core of democracy in America, with looting and violence as Congress certified the presidential election results. The sudden unrest forced lawmakers to hide in offices and barricade doors as rioters chanted threats.

Ten months later, the military is finally starting to take action against some of the identified participants of the event. But most of those accused appear to still be in uniform, serving the country they allegedly attacked.

Read Next: Navy Fires 2 Top Officers of Submarine Damaged in Collision

The five service members are a diverse group. There are two officers, along with three enlisted. Four are in the Army and National Guard, and one is in the Marine Corps. Common to all five are pending federal charges for their actions around and inside the Capitol, and the lack of a clear and decisive response from military leaders.

"I think the way the military is handling insurrectionists, treating them with kid gloves, is another great example of how broken the system is," Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army veteran and CEO of Sparverius, an intelligence firm that researches online extremism and disinformation campaigns, said in an interview. "There's no excuse for insurrection; it should be treated as the most serious crime someone who swore an oath to the Constitution can commit."

Pentagon officials have been adamant that they are working swiftly to weed out extremists from military service, and that all appropriate action has been taken to discipline service members who participated in the Jan. 6 attack while court cases are ongoing.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is "comfortable that the civilian and military leadership of each of the services are working through appropriately each of these cases," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Military.com on Oct. 27.

The Pentagon has struggled with extremism in the ranks, or even to understand the scope of the issue, as troops become attractive targets for recruitment to radical causes. The issue is highlighted by the services' slowness in punishing or discharging those allegedly involved in the Capitol mob.

In this Jan. 6, 2021 photo, a police officer has eyes flushed with water after a confrontation with rioters at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The most decisive response from military leadership so far came in the case of Army Sgt. Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who was demoted to private and booted from the force in June. The discharge came almost half a year after his arrest on Jan. 17, according to Army records. Hale-Cusanelli is also the only defendant of the five to still be incarcerated pending his trial.

Personal photos surfaced of Hale-Cusanelli apparently mimicking Adolf Hitler. "As indicated by multiple co-workers, [Hale-Cusanelli] shaved his facial hair into a 'Hitler mustache,' which he wore on duty" while working at a Navy base in New Jersey, according to court filings.

Meanwhile, both of the officers arrested, Army Capt. Mark Sahady and Marine Corps Maj. Christopher Warnagiris, are still serving.

Although he was arrested in January, Sahady's lawyer tells Military.com that he is now being processed out of the Army.

Warnagiris, who was arrested in May, had a hearing at the end of September where he had to argue his case for staying in the service, a Marine Corps spokesman said. The service would not provide any more information on Warnagiris' status beyond confirming the hearing and saying that the boards recommendations are currently under review.

The responses stand in contrast to how quickly and decisively the military often handles infractions of its own policies or laws. For example, soldiers who are caught with marijuana in their system are supposed to be processed out of the force immediately, according to Army regulations.

The National Guard is seemingly the only service that hasn't begun to give alleged rioters the boot, but it is keeping an eye on federal investigations of accused soldiers. However, the military does not need to wait for a conviction in civilian courts to move on with a discharge.

Cpl. Jacob Fracker, a Virginia Guardsman, is in a non-drilling status, meaning he isn't reporting to his unit during the investigation into his involvement in the Capitol riot. Cotton Puryear, a Virginia Guard spokesperson, said more evidence is needed to remove Fracker from the force, though he admitted in social media posts to being part of the mob and posted a photo of himself inside the building during the assault.

"Virginia National Guard attorneys have reached out to civilian law enforcement to request they share any evidence that will not prejudice the ongoing civilian criminal process. Anything provided will be evaluated to determine if it is sufficient to proceed with an administrative separation board," Puryear told Military.com in a statement. "If there is sufficient evidence, the [Virginia National Guard] will pursue an administrative discharge action against Fracker."

In this Jan. 6, 2021 photo, protesters loyal to President Donald Trump try to open a door of the U.S. Capitol as they riot in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The National Guard declined to disclose details on the other soldier who allegedly participated in the Capitol riot, Pfc. Abram Markofski, a Wisconsin Guardsman. Maj. Gretel Weiskopf, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin National Guard, cited privacy concerns and would not say whether Markofski has conducted drills with his unit. It is unclear why Wisconsin chose to withhold that information, but Virginia did not.

Markofski's unit was part of the Guard's massive response to secure the Capitol after it was overrun. Officials would not confirm or deny whether Markofski was a part of that mission, despite his alleged role in the riot.

"Let me be clear: Extremism is not tolerated in any branch of the U.S. military," Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a statement to Military.com when pressed on the service's claims of taking extremism seriously while troops alleged to have stormed the Capitol to disrupt Congress have been allowed to remain in its ranks.

The Marine Corps declined an opportunity to comment about the speed at which it has handled potential discipline of the Marine who allegedly took part in the attack on the Capitol.

Austin ordered an "extremism stand-down" in March and issued a stark warning to the force that extremist ideology can "tear the fabric" of the military.

Then, in April, he announced tougher screenings for new recruits, as well as a new extremism working group and several commissions to study the size of the problem of extremism within the ranks. However, outside groups such as Rand Corp. have argued that the Pentagon doesn't need to reinvent the wheel to deal with the problem. A report published in September argued that re-tooling existing programs to tackle extremism could be more effective.

The Pentagon moves were prompted partly by revelations that the Capitol mob also consisted of dozens of military veterans. One estimate showed more than 10% of defendants in the attack are veterans and those with a background in combat arms made up the majority.

During the stand-down, commanders had to talk about extremism with their formations and its impact on the force and national security. Some troops have said that the conversations were helpful, while others saw it as yet another check-the-box training event that didn't have buy-in from units.

U.S. Capitol Police with guns drawn stand near a barricaded door as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Many of those involved in the riot appeared to have the false belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. Numerous state audits, lawsuits and investigations found no evidence of widespread election fraud, and several of Trump's lawyers are facing disciplinary action for including false fraud claims in court filings.

Still, no good data exists on the scope of extremism in the ranks and the reach of such misinformation, which has created a gap in ongoing efforts to counter the problem, Todd Helmus, a behavioral scientist at Rand, told Military.com in an interview.

Right-wing extremism appears to be the most common of radical ideologies troops can fall into, and is the top concern among most experts. Helmus said it can be tough for top brass to address while not appearing partisan.

In this Jan. 6, 2021 photo, rioters supporting President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

"This is going to be a challenge for the military. The data shows far-right extremism is a larger problem," he said. "They're going to have to deal with conservative communities. But any sort of effort that looks like it's targeting conservatism ideology is going to be counterproductive."

There's scant evidence veterans or service members are particularly vulnerable to misinformation. However, bad actors, including militia groups that were present during the siege, such as the Oath Keepers, target troops and veterans for their combat and leadership skills, according to Goldsmith.

Helmus said the key will be giving troops an opportunity to de-radicalize, which could mean counseling from supervisors or mental health care, after they have fallen victim to disinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger also told reporters this week that social media is another challenge for screening recruits, even as background checks are becoming more thorough.

"I think this is going to be the tension -- between their individual rights and protections as U.S. citizens versus what we want to discover about their interests and how it might fit in with being a service member," Berger said.

Five service members have been charged thus far with participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Below is a full accounting of the current status of their cases, 10 months after the riot took place.

1. Maj. Christopher Warnagiris

Charges: Civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; act of violence in the Capitol grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building

Plea: Not Guilty

The most senior military member allegedly found at the Capitol that day was Marine Corps Maj. Christopher Warnagiris. According to prosecutors, security camera footage showed him "violently" entering the Capitol building after pushing through a line of police officers. Once inside, the Marine officer held the door open for others, at one point pushing a U.S. Capitol Police officer who was trying to close the door.

Screenshot taken from YouTube video and released in a court filing allegedly shows U.S. Marine Maj. Christopher Warnagiris at the East Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, January 6, 2021. (U.S. District Court for District of Columbia/YouTube screen grab)

Warnagiris was arrested for his actions on May 13 but, on June 21, a Marine Corps spokesman told Military.com that the artillery officer was still working at his post at Quantico, Virginia. On June 30, he pleaded not guilty to nine charges.

More than four months after his arrest, the Marines held a Board of Inquiry for Warnagiris from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 in which the officer had to argue for his right to stay in the Corps. Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Ryan Bruce said that the board has made a recommendation to the general who oversees Warnagiris, but he would not say what that recommendation was or when a decision on his service would be made.

Military.com reached out to Warnagiris' lawyer, Marina Medvin, several times but did not receive a reply before publication. She previously noted that DC federal court rules limit what attorneys can say about pending cases.

2. Army Reserve Capt. Mark Sahady

Charges: Entering or remaining in restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building

Plea: Not Guilty

Sahady, an Afghanistan war veteran who serves in the Army Reserve's 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts, received a letter of reprimand and is currently being processed out of the Army, according to his attorney. A timeline for his dismissal is unclear. A spokesperson with the Army Reserve declined Military.com's request for additional information.

On the bottom right, Mark Sahady can allegedly be seen in a red and blue hat inside the Capitol, according to court records. (DC Attorney General's office)

According to a criminal complaint, Sahady made multiple posts on a now-suspended Twitter account with statements spreading the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen and that people needed to gather in D.C. for retaliation.

On Dec. 20, weeks before the Capitol siege, investigators say Sahady posted a tweet saying it is "important that millions of Americans show up in DC on January 6 to support the legitimate President, Donald Trump, and show Democrats what they will be facing if they continue to try and steal the Presidency."

When someone on Twitter asked about transportation, Sahady replied, 'we have 7 buses coming," adding there was space left for additional personnel.

On Jan. 4, Sahady tweeted, "January 6 -- Washington, DC -- It begins." The following day, another Twitter account posted a photo, which law enforcement alleges is Sahady on a bus giving a thumbs up, presumably en route to Washington, D.C.

A Department of Justice press release on Sahady noted that he "is the vice president of an organization called 'Super Happy Fun America,' which allegedly purports to advocate for the 'straight community.'"

Sahady's lawyer, John Kiyonaga, told Military.com in an email that, in his several years as an Army prosecutor, he "never saw such administrative action on a civilian criminal charge prior to conviction."

3. Army Reserve Sgt. Timothy Hale-Cusanelli

Charges: Civil disorder; aiding and abetting; obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; impeding ingress and egress in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building

Plea: Not Guilty

Hale-Cusanelli enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2009 as a human resources specialist and served in the 174th Infantry Brigade, out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.

He was demoted from sergeant to private and booted from force in June, according to Army records.

Federal authorities say Hale-Cusanelli admitted to entering the Capitol and encouraging the mob to "advance" -- giving verbal and hand signals to direct the rioters. Hale-Cusanelli told a federal informant that the mob could have taken the entire building if they had more men, according to court documents. He also admitted to picking up a flagpole and flag he observed another rioter using "like a javelin" against a Capitol Police officer, describing it as "a murder weapon."

He worked at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, which prompted the Navy to conduct its own investigation, in which "the majority" of his colleagues interviewed described him as a white supremacist and anti-semitic, who was potentially violent. He also wore a Hitler mustache to work.

Image taken from video footage allegedly shows Timothy Hale-Cusanelli (circled) inside the U.S. Capitol, January 6, 2021. (DC Attorney General's office)

One Navy petty officer told investigators that Hale-Cusanelli said, "Hitler should have finished the job." That petty officer said they considered Hale-Cusanelli "unstable," adding that he made the work environment uncomfortable. Investigators said that Hale-Cusanelli told another petty officer that, "Jews, women, and blacks were on the bottom of the totem pole."

When investigators inquired about why Hale-Cusanelli's poor conduct wasn't handled, a contractor said they feared for their safety.

On Jan. 6, federal authorities say Capitol Police hit Hale-Cusanelli with pepper spray as he advanced into the building with the mob. He admitted to law enforcement that he then encouraged others to "advance" past law enforcement. Rioters began to push and shove police officers; after 30 seconds, the mob broke through and advanced up the building's steps toward the front doors, where Hale-Cusanelli recorded a video yelling, "Trump won!"

Military.com reached out to Hale-Cusanelli's lawyer several times but did not receive a reply before publication.

While the Army Reserve has made moves to kick out soldiers accused of assaulting the Capitol, the National Guard has been much slower in doling out meaningful punishment against at least two of its soldiers.

4. National Guard Cpl. Jacob Fracker

Virginia National Guard Cpl. Jacob Fracker, left, and Army veteran Thomas Robertson, right, were arrested in Virginia in connection with the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol. Fracker, who previously served in the Marine Corps, and Robertson are members of the Rocky Mount Police Department. (Photo via the Justice Department)

Charges: Obstruction of an official proceeding; aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds

Plea: Not Guilty

In now-deleted social media posts, Cpl. Jacob Fracker, an infantryman with the Virginia National Guard, posted a photo of himself and another individual in the Capitol during the siege and wrote, "Lol to anyone who's possibly concerned about the picture of me going around... Sorry I hate freedom?...Not like I did anything illegal...y'all do what you feel you need to..."

The posts were cited in his criminal complaint.

Fracker was a police officer in Rocky Mount, Virginia, but was fired for his role in the attack. He is being charged by federal authorities alongside Thomas Robertson, who federal law enforcement says took the photo with Fracker in the Capitol.

Robertson, an Army Reserve veteran, served in the same police department as Fracker. During the summer, while awaiting trial, authorities say Robertson purchased 34 firearms, despite a judge's order to stay away from weapons. During an FBI search of his home, they also found a partially assembled pipe bomb and "large amounts of ammo," according to court documents.

Despite the fact that Fracker, who is assigned to 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, has admitted to being a part of the Capitol mob on social media, posted photos from inside the Capitol, and lost his civilian job over his actions, the Guard hasn't removed him from the force.

Fracker's case is ongoing, but the military doesn't need a conviction to take action. Troops often are swiftly removed for infractions such as using marijunana or offenses that break military rules, but not the law, such as being overweight.

Military.com reached out to Fracker's lawyer several times but did not receive a reply before publication.

5. National Guard Pfc. Abram Markofski

Markofski (right) allegedly captured on surveillance video inside the Capitol with the mob. To his left is an alleged codefendant. (DC Attorney General's office)

Charges: Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; violent entry or disorderly conduct; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building

Plea: Guilty to Demonstrating in a Capitol Building

Markofski, an infantryman who serves in the Wisconsin Guard's 1st Battalion, 128 Infantry Regiment, is set to be sentenced Dec. 3.

Federal prosecutors say he and a friend traveled to Washington, D.C., from Madison, Wis., to attend the rally held by Trump, where the former president told his supporters to march on the Capitol and "never concede." He also informed his backers that if they "don't fight like hell," they "aren't going to have a country anymore."

Markofski admitted to federal authorities to being in the Capitol for 40 minutes after Capitol Police warned him to leave, court documents say.

Military.com reached out to Markofski's lawyers several times but did not receive a reply before publication.

-- Travis Tritten contributed to this story.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: House Panel Spars Over Extremist Groups' Recruiting of Veterans
For much of the early history of the United States, American Indians weren't generally well-regarded or well-treated, and Ely Parker experienced the same treatment for much of his life.

But Parker had friends in high places who didn't care if he was native or not; they knew he was a smart, capable man, and nothing else mattered after that. Opportunity ensured he had a place in Civil War history, but his ability sent him to the highest ranks of the Union Army.

Parker was born Hasanoanda, a member of the Tonawanda Seneca tribe in Upstate New York. The tribe is one of the six original tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy. His father was a leader of the tribe and had fought for the United States against the British during the War of 1812.

With this history, young Ely learned his native language but also could speak English. As an adult, he set out to become a lawyer but was blocked from taking the New York State bar exam because of his native ancestry. As a member of the Seneca, he was not legally a U.S. citizen.

Parker opted to become an engineer instead, studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Once he graduated, he began working on prestigious projects like the Erie Canal, which connected the Atlantic Ocean in New York City with the Great Lakes. This work led to more government projects, including one in Illinois, where he befriended one Ulysses S. Grant.

When the Civil War started in 1861, Parker, from a family that was fiercely loyal to the United States, wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and raise a regiment of Iroquois volunteers to fight for the Union cause. New York's governor turned him down.

Unable to lead Iroquois men into battle, Parker decided he would enlist in the Union Army instead. He wanted to offer his considerable engineering skills to the Union Army on the battlefield, but was turned down once again. This time, it was Secretary of War Simon Cameron who rejected Parker.

Determined to do his part, Parker called on his old friend, then-Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, to help him get in. Grant knew the Union was short of engineers and helped Parker get into the Union uniform.

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and staff after the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia in 1864. Ely Parker sits at the far right. (Buffalo History Museum)

By 1863, Parker was chief engineer of the Union Army's 7th Division during the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. His friend, Maj. Gen. Grant by that time, was in overall command of the siege. Parker's work at Vicksburg prompted Grant to appoint Parker his adjutant for the coming Chattanooga Campaign.

Parker served as adjutant to Gen. Grant for the rest of the war, as adjutant for the 1864 Overland Campaign, then as military secretary to the general as the Union Army laid siege to Petersburg, Virginia. He also was promoted by then to lieutenant colonel.

Finally, it was Parker, the American Indian who could not enlist as a private, who had risen so far as to draft the final documents for Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, in April 1865. The draft that exists today is in Parker's handwriting.

An artist's depiction of the surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865. Parker is seated to the far right. (Department of Defense)

For his work during the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, Parker was promoted to the brevet rank of brigadier general, the highest-ranking American Indian in the Union Army. After the war, he stayed on as Grant's secretary, and when Grant was elected president of the United States, he appointed Parker to serve as commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first native person to hold the position.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

Want to Learn More About Military Life?

Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
Keokuk, IA (52632)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 56F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low around 25F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Jon Gray is a few days away from fielding offers around the league, after the 29-year-old rejected a three-year extension offer from the Rockies that reportedly landed in the $35-40MM range. Its widely expected the Rox will issue him an $18.4MM qualifying offer before Sundays deadline, thereby at least entitling themselves draft pick compensation were he to sign elsewhere.

General manager Bill Schmidt has yet to formally announce the clubs intentions on a Gray QO, but he acknowledged to Thomas Harding of MLB.com the front office is discussing whether to do so. With the Rockies already willing to offer Gray $12-13MM annually over a three-year term, itd be surprising if they werent willing to risk him accepting a one-year deal for just $5-6MM more.

Harding suggests in a separate piece that Colorado still hopes to eventually work out a deal with Gray, writing that the Rockies believe they value Gray more than other teams. Given that hes shown himself capable of finding success in Coors Field, thatd certainly be plenty reasonable. Still, the pitcher and his representatives evidently believe theres a chance theyll find an offer that tops the Rockies proposal on the open market.

Retaining Gray would require a significant investment on Colorados part, but itd be far easier to keep another of their free agents  Chris Owings  in the fold. Owings has spent the past two seasons with the Rockies, joining the organization on minor league deals in both instances. Colorado would like to bring Owings back in 2022, Harding hears. Its possible thatd come via another minors pact, as the utilityman was limited to just 50 plate appearances this past season (albeit with a highly productive .326/.420/.628 line) by a pair of injuries to his left thumb.

One free agent who almost definitely will not be returning is Trevor Story. A lock to receive and reject a qualifying offer, Story is all but certain to sign a significant multi-year deal elsewhere. The Rockies will have to address one middle infield spot this winter, then, and Harding writes theyre expected to target shortstop help. Brendan Rodgers came up as a shortstop prospect before moving to second base in deference to Story. Its not out of the question Colorado could bump Rodgers back to short and add an external option at second base, but Harding hears the front office would prefer to keep the 25-year-old Rodgers at the keystone moving forward.
The White Sox will decline their $6MM club option on second baseman Cesar Hernandez, reports ESPNs Jesse Rogers (via Twitter). Theres no buyout on that option. Hernandez will become a free agent once the move is made official.

Hernandez slugged a career-high 21 home runs between Cleveland and Chicago this season but did so with a lackluster .232/.308/.386 batting line on the whole. He was more productive prior to the trade (.231/.307/.431) than he was after being moved (.232/.309/.299). Just three of Hernandezs 21 long balls came with the White Sox.

Chicagos acquisition of Hernandez was necessitated by a hamstring tear to Nick Madrigal, the former No. 4 overall pick whom the South Siders had pegged as the second baseman of the future. That unfortunate injury also set the stage for the Sox to boldly trade an injured Madrigal, controlled another five seasons, in a crosstown deal that netted Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel. The entire gambit fell shy of the front offices hopes, and the ChiSox now face both a tough decision on Kimbrels $16MM option and a long-term hole at second base.

Hernandez mightve been a reasonable stopgap, but the White Sox decision to cut him loose points to the likelihood that the 2021 AL Central champs have their sights set higher. With the Twins expected to reload and try for better results in 2022, the Tigers expected to spend aggressively this winter and the Royals moving into win-now mode as their own top prospects bubble to the surface in the big leagues, next years AL Central could be the most competitive its been in years.

Chicagos decision to move on from Hernandez also speaks to the potential that hell find a rather tepid market for his services this winter. Hernandez has long been a solid regular at second base, but his two prior dalliances into free agency havent produced a multi-year deal. Hell now hit the market on the heels of his weakest all-around showing since 2014 and in advance of his age-32 season  an obviously suboptimal set of circumstances.

Hernandez signed a one-year, $5MM guarantee off a much better showing in the 2020-21 offseason, and the Sox are effectively indicating that the market doesnt value him at $6MM on a one-year term. Hernandez could have to settle for a lower base salary on an incentive-laden deal as he looks to recapture the form that saw him bat .280/.357/.396 in more than 2800 plate appearances from 2016-20.
The Story of Cisco: The rise, fall and rise again of a small Utah town
Grand County Commissioners and community leaders are working on a proposal for a public lands bill they hope will be considered by Congress in
Is anybody safe from arrest anymore? No. This column is not about the arrest of Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan and the vulture medias carnival around it. It is about the sense of outrage and anxiety triggered in the banking circles at the arrest of Pratip Chaudhuri, former chairman of the mighty State Bank of India (SBI). The issue applies equally to scores of students and activists who have been jailed and have lost their freedom only because their arrest was ratified by a court order.

This column will limit itself to banks and bankers, without holding a brief for anyone and with full awareness that public sector banks (PSBs) have not run up bad loans of Rs20 lakh crore without rampant corruption, behest lending and bending over backwards to please political masters. The shocking tales of callous bankers riding roughshod over small and medium enterprises and ruthlessly grabbing assets pledged by hapless entrepreneurs, at the first sign of trouble, are legion in India and also a part of this story. The very same banks that doggedly refuse to disclose the names of large corporate defaulters (read: https://www.moneylife.in/tags/bankloot.html ) think nothing of humiliating smaller borrowers by publishing their photos in the media, even when businesses have failed for no fault of the entrepreneur. All these issues have come to a head in Mr Chaudhurys arrest.

Consequently, while bankers accuse the media of irresponsible reporting, Mr Chaudhuris incorrect arrest has sadly generated very little public sympathy. WhatsApp groups of senior bankers, alarmed at the development, have shared details and are pushing for judicial restraint to avoid chaotic consequences if many more magistrates are in a hurry to jail retired heads of banks and corporate houses, on work-related civil matters.

This Issue

The Jaisalmer police arrested Mr Chaudhuri on 1st November and the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) rejected his bail application and remanded him to 15 days of judicial custody. The matter pertains to 2013 and the charge is that SBI seized two hotels belonging to a company, declared them non-performing assets (NPAs) and sold them to an asset reconstruction company (ARC). Mr Chaudhuri, then the SBI chairman, retired soon after and, in October 2014, joined the board of the same ARC that bought the property. The allegation is that the companys assets (one running hotel and another under construction, which defaulted on loan repayment) were worth Rs160 crore but were allegedly undervalued and sold to the ARC (read details here: SBI's Ex-chairman Pratip Chaudhuri Held for Selling Hotel Property Cheaper by Declaring It NPA ) and later went into the bankruptcy resolution process.

SBI has issued a press statement which said that all due processes were followed but the Bank had not even been asked for the details. The statement said that the court does not appear to have been correctly briefed on the matter. It is this that is worrying and, unless rectified, will throw public sector banking into a greater mess than it is in now.

Lets put things in perspective. Mr Chaudhuri retired as chairman of the 43rd largest bank in the world and the largest in India which accounts for a quarter of all loans and deposits in the country and assets of Rs50,33,914.35 crore and 24,000 branches. And he is arrested, eight years after retirement, on the charge of selling a bad loan asset (claimed to be worth Rs160 crore for a low Rs25 crore), following a legitimate and laid-down banking process.

Once the asset is transferred to the ARC, SBI has nothing to do with its eventual sale or valuation. There is nothing in the public domain to show that Mr Chaudhuri had any personal involvement in any of the decisions, including the alleged under-valuation, except that he joined the board of the ARC. Yet, his reputation has been ruined and he has spent a week in jail without giving him and SBI a chance to offer an explanation or give him proper representation.

According to bankers, SBI had followed the DRT/SARFAESI (debt resolution tribunal/Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest) Act route in this case and assigning the project to the ARC ensured that SBI recovered its entire principal of Rs24 crore and more (while the total dues, including interest, were Rs34 crore in 2012 and nearly Rs40 crore in 2014, when the debt recovery suit was filed). Things came to a head when the ARC invoked the bankruptcy law in 2017 to sell the asset and the entrepreneur used the opportunity to file a criminal complaint against the resolution professional (RP) appointed in the case. He too has had to seek legal protection from arrest.

According to banking circles, the promoter in this case is powerful and has constantly delayed recovery action. The arrest of the former SBI chief has certainly focused national attention on the case and, as it unfolds, we will know whether this is a hapless entrepreneur deprived of a valuable asset or a borrower who knows how to game the system.

On the flip side, a dispassionate study of DRT cases would reveal that borrowers of this size are routinely steam-rolled by a draconian and one-sided DRT law which was engineered by the same banking industry and politicians who work overtime to protect large defaulters.

Bankers are disturbed at the arrest of Mr Chaudhuri and are rallying around in support. Former SBI chairman, Rajnish Kumar has called the arrest a case of high-handedness, while another banker, Sunil Srivastava, accuses the defaulter of gaming the system. In a tweet, he calls for and overhaul of judicial processes to improve transparency and introduce accountability.

Absolutely pathetic , is the system being gamed again by defaulters despite all efforts by Modi govt, time for overhaul of judicial processes to improve transparency and introduce accountability @pmoindia  Sunil Srivastava (@srivastavsun) November 1, 2021

The last bit is crucial and, hopefully, this case will draw attention to it. Many assets are sold to ARCs for 15% of the outstanding value with a promise to pay more if recovered. But this does not happen; instead, the borrower is cheated. So what is urgently needed is to probe all ARC settlements, at least after 2014 during which period the sales speeded up, writes DT Franco ( Arrest Of Former SBI Chairman Pratip Chaudhari Opens Pandoras Box ), former general secretary All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC). Dr Rajendra Ganatra, former head of an ARC, points out that at 15% of outstanding value, this project would be correctly valued at Rs160 crore in 2014 and would now be worth Rs200 crore.

If true, this only raises many more uncomfortable questions about our debt recovery and bankruptcy process. Consider this. Under the draconian new bankruptcy law, we have a committee of bankers allowing several large projects, which are 10 to 100 times this one, to be sold at a 95% to 99% haircut (read: Stop the Loot via Bankruptcy Code: Better Solutions Are Possible ).

As recently as in May 2021, IDBI Bank, which has been repeatedly bailed out using taxpayers money, had accepted a one-time settlement (OTS) of under Rs500 crore from the notorious C Sivasankaran, against over Rs5,000 crore owed by him. They were stopped by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) from giving him a 90% write-off and the matter is now in appeal.

If C Sivasankaran (of Siva Computers and Aircel), who is under investigation by the CBI and has highly controversial dealings with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS), the Tata group and others, is allowed such a generous deal, can one really blame an entrepreneur if his Rs160 crore asset is sold off at 15% for a Rs40 crore gross outstanding?

Clearly, the system stinks. Bankers ensured that draconian laws like the DRT and the SARFAESI Act are effectively used against small entrepreneurs while big defaulters go scot-free. Corruption is rife throughout the lending process and also in bankruptcy. A country cannot do well if a cabal of accountants, bankers and asset reconstruction experts exploit a slow, broken and expensive judicial system. Hopefully, Mr Chaudhuris arrest, however unfair, will focus attention on the need to change, so that bankers are not wrongfully arrested, but genuine entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of any nation, are also not cheated. At the same time, bankers who are colluding with businessmen to give loans on inflated project costs without enforceable collateral, must also be held accountable for looting taxpayers money on such a gigantic scale.
This story was originally published by ProPublica.

IRS records reveal how Gov. Jim Justice, Gov. Jared Polis, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and other wealthy political figures slashed their taxes using strategies unavailable to most of their constituents.

As a member of Congress, Jared Polis was one of the loudest Democrats demanding President Donald Trump release his tax returns.

At a rally in Denver in 2017, he warned the crowd that Trump might have something to hide. That same year, on the floor of the House, he introduced a resolution to force the president to release the records, calling them an important baseline disclosure.

But during Polis successful run for governor of Colorado in 2018, his calls for transparency faded. The dot-com tycoon turned investor broke with recent precedent and refused to disclose his returns, blaming his Republican opponent, who wasnt disclosing his.

Polis may have had other reasons for denying requests to release the records.

Despite a net worth estimated to be in the hundreds of millions, Polis paid nothing in federal income taxes in 2013, 2014 and 2015. From 2010 to 2018, his overall rate was just 8.2%  less than half of the 19% paid by a worker making $45,000 in 2018.

The revelations about Polis are contained in a trove of tax information obtained by ProPublica covering thousands of the nations wealthiest people.

The Colorado governor is one of several ultrarich politicians who, the data shows, have paid little or no federal income taxes in multiple years, exploited loopholes to dodge estate taxes or used their public offices to fight reforms that would increase their tax bills.

The records show that rich Democrats and Republicans alike have slashed their taxes using strategies unavailable to most of their constituents. Among them are governors, members of Congress and a cabinet secretary.

Richard Painter, the chief White House ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration, said the tax avoidance of these top politicians is very, very worrisome since both parties spend like crazy and depend on taxes to fund their priorities, from the military to Medicare to Social Security.

They have the power to decide how much the rest of us pay and the power to spend the money, and then theyre not paying their fair share? Painter said.

That should be troubling to voters, both conservative and liberal. It should be troubling for everyone.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice , for example, is a Republican coal magnate who has made the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans. Yet hes paid very little or no federal income taxes for almost every year since 2000.

California Rep. Darrell Issa , one of the richest people in Congress, was one of the few Republicans to break with his party during the 2017 tax overhaul to fight for a deduction that  unbeknownst to the public  helped him avoid millions in taxes.

And the tax records of Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and Trumps education secretary, Betsy DeVos, showed that both employed a loophole, which was accidentally created by Congress, to escape estate and gift taxes.

As ProPublica has revealed in a series of articles this year , these tactics, if sometimes aggressive, are completely legal. And theyre not universal among wealthy politicians. ProPublica reviewed tax data for a couple dozen wealthy current and former government officials. Their data shows that many of them paid relatively high tax rates while employing more modest use of the fairly standard deductions of the rich.

The politicians who paid little or exploited loopholes either defended their practices as completely proper or declined to comment.

Continue Reading  The Governor has paid every cent of taxes he owes, he has championed tax reform and tax fairness to fix this broken system for everybody, to report otherwise would be inaccurate, Polis spokesperson wrote in an email
Weather Alert

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 114, 115, AND 117... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Fire Weather Watch for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Monday morning through Monday afternoon. * AFFECTED AREA...Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty, Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-Rocky Mountain Front, Chouteau and Fergus Counties and Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas. * WINDS...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Fire ignitions could spread rapidly in rangeland areas where receptive fuels are available. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible. A combination of gusty winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures will create high fire growth potential. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Fire Weather Watch. &&
You make our work happen.

The article youre about to read is from our reporters doing their important work  investigating, researching, and writing their stories.

We want to provide informative and inspirational stories that connect you to the people, issues and opportunities within our community.

Journalism takes a lot of resources. Today, our business model has been interrupted by the pandemic; the vast majority of our advertisers businesses have been impacted. Thats why the Weekly is now turning to you for financial support. Learn more about our new Insiders program here.

Thank you.

JOIN NOW
When Ivan Geronimo Gomez will get his day in court over the Dolan Fire is still uncertain. Here, he is seen at his preliminary hearing over a year ago, on Oct. 29, 2020.
November 05, 2021

U.S. Acknowledges The Tri-polar World

Andrei Martyanov has pointed to remarkable remarks the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, has recently made at the Aspen Security Forum 2021.

Milley is, to my knowledge, the first U.S. official who proclaims that we are entering a trilateral world where the U.S. Russia and China are somewhat equal great powers.

Martyanov quotes RT which quotes Milley:

"We're entering into a tri-polar world with the US, Russia and China being all great powers. Just by introducing three vs two you get increased complexity."

After the second world war the cold war saw two superpowers, each leading a block of states, who held each other in balance while engaging in various small proxy conflicts around the world. In the late 1980s the Soviet Union ended the cold war by dissolving itself. The U.S. then had its 'unilateral moment' which it, in contradiction international law, abused to mess up the Balkan and the Middle East. The end of the 'unilateral moment' came into sight when in 2007 the Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would no longer endure the creeping expansion of NATO to its borders.

While the U.S. was bogged down in Middle East conflicts Russia rearmed with new weapons and China silently extended its capabilities. In 2015 Russia reentered the Middle East by coming to the help of the Syrian state which the U.S. was trying to eliminate. The 'unilateral moment' was over. China finally joined the club when it finished off the color revolution nonsense the U.S. was trying in Hong Kong. That rejection of U.S. hegemony on its doorsteps made it, in the eyes of Washington DC, into an 'enemy'.

Milley understanding of all this is still a bit fazed:

China's aspiration is to challenge the United States globally, Milley said. "They've been very clear about that. They have a China dream, and they want to challenge the so-called liberal, rules-based order that went into effect in 1945 at the end of World War II. They want to revise it. So, we have a  country that is becoming extraordinarily powerful that wants to revise the international order to their advantage. That's going to be a real challenge over the coming 10 to 20 years, [and it's] going to be really significant."

The 'the so-called liberal, rules-based order' did not go into effect in 1945 but in the early 1990 when the U.S. used its 'unilateral moment' to reject international law and to replace it with a self defined 'rules-based order' that it made up and unilaterally changed whenever that was convenient. The U.S. defined 'rules-based order' is now becoming irrelevant as Russia and China insist on the rule of international law.

As Milley is the first U.S. official to publicly acknowledge the existence of the tripolar world. It will likely take some time for others, especially in the State Department and in the Senate, to accept that position. Those who see the U.S. as exceptional will continue to have difficulties to adopt to the new world order.

A sign of this can be seen in the Defense Department writeup of Milley's talk in which the above Milley quote from the RT report is misrepresented:

Calling the Cold War a bipolar war between the Soviet Union and the United States, Milley said the nation is entering into a tripolar war with the United States, Russia and China all as great powers. And adding in all the technologies that are coming at us very quickly, he said, we're entering into a world that is potentially much more strategically unstable than the last 40 to 70 years.

At 14:38 into the video of the talk at the DoD site one can clearly hear that Milley speaks of a "bipolar world" and a "tri-polar world", not of "war".

But that may just have been a bit too much realism and too little warmongering for the DoD's media department.

Posted by b on November 5, 2021 at 17:53 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
MRT file photo

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden should back off from domestic anti-oil policies if he wants to keep crude prices in check, according to one of Americas biggest shale drillers.

The President is realizing all the efforts when he came into office of stopping offshore leasing, stopping drilling on federal leases offshore, New Mexico, both in the Bakken and the Powder River, have been starting to backfire some, Pioneer Natural Resources Co. Chief Executive Officer Scott Sheffield said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. Hes got to back off his rhetoric on federal leases going forward.
Recent years have been transformational for the energy industry, buffeted by demands for an energy transition to a low-carbon or zero-carbon environment, constrained access to capital and a global pandemic.

But few companies have been as transformed as ConocoPhillips, which this year has seen its Permian Basin acreage leap from 167,000 net acres to 717,000 acres with the acquisition of Midlands Concho Resources. And by the end of the year, the company will add another 225,000 acres when it completes the purchase of Royal Dutch Shells Permian Basin assets.

Just as the Permian Basin has led ConocoPhillipss transformation, it will lead the nations energy production, said Aaron Hunter, vice president, Midland Basin.

The Permian Basin will lead US production growth, he told those attending Hart Energys Executive Oil Conference on Thursday at the Horseshoe. The Permian, he said, will be active 40 to 50 years from now and thats why ConocoPhillips is here.

Despite the calls for an energy transition away from fossil fuels, Hunter said the world will clearly need oil and gas for decades to come. Natural gas utilization will see strong growth through 2050, led by power demand as the fuel serves as the primary bridge source for electrification. The energy transition will take time and will need oil and gas to evolve toward a low-carbon future, he said.

This is a critical time for the industry, Hunter told the audience, as the energy mix evolves. The Permian Basin offers some of the nations lowest-cost energy supplies and operators can leverage technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Global oil and gas demand is expected to surge at least 34 percent by 2050, said Clay Gaspar, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Devon Energy.

Opening the conference, which was meeting in person for the first time since 2019, Gaspar said that when the energy transition is discussed, too often the focus is on the US while the 2 billion people around the globe living in energy poverty and their aspirations for better lives are overlooked.

Everything we love in the modern world  social media, the pictures we like to take and store. What feeds the Cloud is energy. The two-day delivery from Amazon that we love is fed by energy, he said.

As people move out of energy poverty to better lives, he said energy demand will experience sustainable growth well into the future. Not only will demand for oil and gas rise by 2050 but renewables will experience significant growth as well, Gaspar said. There also will be sustainable growth in demand for natural gas and petroleum liquids over the next 30 years, he said.

Meeting that growing demand will require all of the above and that we do it right, Gaspar said. We must hold ourselves accountable for any impact on the environment.

To address the energy transition, Gaspar said the industry must make substantial progress in reducing emissions because its incumbent upon the industry to do so, its the right thing to do and it is what stakeholders want.

Devon, which derives 70 percent of its production from the Delaware Basin, noted the criticism of goals to be net-zero by 2050 being too far off.

People overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade, he said. Cutting emissions will require technology, innovation and finding which technology offers the best approach to cutting emissions, he said.

There are also opportunities for what Gaspar said are adjacent businesses to oil and gas, such as installing solar arrays to power oil and gas operations or expansion into low-carbon fuels.
The guidance that Midland Health has been waiting for regarding unvaccinated employees is out.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid will not have an option for testing  they will need to be vaccinated.

Both CMS and OSHA released long-awaited emergency rules requiring COVID-19 vaccinations, Midland Health offered in a statement. Midland Health will take these regulations very seriously and do our best to comply. Currently, we are reviewing the regulations in detail and will develop and issue policies and procedures to govern the rollout. This will include a clear process for consideration of employee requests for medical and/or religious exemptions.

Earlier this week, Midland Health reported that the percentage of vaccinated staff is around 73 percent.

We still do have people, we believe, who will have some level of objection as the (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) mandate becomes real, Midland Health CEO Russell Meyers said earlier this week. We'll find that out in the near future. We'll see where we go, but we're prepared for that. And it won't really impact a whole lot of our people.

The new requirements from the Biden administration are expected to impact tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees.

Most will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or have the opportunity to be tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The testing option again will not be available to those working in facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.
The murder trial for David Wilson, who has been charged in connection to the death of Midland Police Officer Nathan Hayden Heidelberg, has been delayed until Monday afternoon.

Opening statements were expected to begin Friday following four days of jury selection. The trial is now expected to continue at 1 p.m. Monday in the 10th floor auxiliary courtroom of the Midland County Courthouse.

Heres what to know from the week of jury selection before the trial begins Monday:

-- Wilson was re-indicted on a murder charge on Oct. 28 after being indicted for manslaughter in May 2019. Assistant District Attorney Timothy Flathers told the Reporter-Telegram that Wilson was able to be re-indicted because the state presented a new legal theory. The defense had the option to request more time but chose to go forward with the trial this week, Flathers said.

The date that Wilson was re-indicted will likely be used as part of the defenses argument. The defense team requested on Thursday, when Wilsons indictment was read before the court, that the date of the indictment be stated for the record. District Attorney Laura Nodolf argued that the date wasnt necessary for the jury to understand the charge against Wilson, but Judge George Jody Gilles allowed the date of the indictment to be read in open court.

-- A jury panel was selected Thursday afternoon consisting of nine women and five men, 13 of whom are white, and one is Hispanic. Jury selection lasted so long because more than 700 Midland County residents were summoned for jury duty  the most in the history of the county, according to officials  and about 420 residents appeared for jury duty on Monday. The pool was narrowed down to 150 potential jurors through a jury questionnaire, then the defense and state each had 10 strikes they could use before the final 12 jurors and two alternates were selected.

-- Part of the states argument is expected to include that Wilson committed felony deadly conduct when he shot and killed Heidelberg while police responded to a burglar alarm call at Wilsons home. In Texas, an individual can be charged with murder if a person is killed while theyre committing another felony.

State prosecutors told potential jurors that a person can be convicted of murder regardless of if the jury agrees on how the murder occurred. For example, if some jurors believe a murder was intentional and some believe it occurred while the defendant was carrying out a felony, a jury can still reach a unanimous conviction.

-- The Castle Doctrine will more than likely play a role in the trial. Texas has some of the strongest Castle Doctrine laws in the country, as defense attorneys stated this week, which presume that deadly force is a reasonable response to protect ones home from a potential threat. Texas law also only requires that someone be in fear of unlawful entry when implementing the Castle Doctrine, and not in fear of their life.

-- The prosecution has the option to call about a dozen law enforcement officers to testify, including Midland Police Chief Seth Herman, according to a witness list. The defense has listed an expert witness to testify on the accuracy of police body camera footage, as well as subpoenaed employees from Wilsons home alarm company.

The defense previously filed a brief that claimed Wilsons alarm malfunctioned on the day Heidelberg was killed, and employees at the alarm company alerted the police of a potential burglar alarm although the system had been not armed.
Opening statements will be delivered Friday morning for the jury trial of David Charles Wilson, who has been charged with murder for the shooting death of Midland Police Officer Nathan Hayden Heidelberg in 2019.

A jury was selected Thursday afternoon after four days of narrowing down the pool of potential jurors. There were more than 700 Midland County residents summoned for jury duty  the most in the history of the county, according to officials  and about 420 residents who appeared for jury duty on Monday.

The final jury, consisting of 12 jurors and two alternates, is made up of nine women and five men; 13 members of the jury panel are white, and one is Hispanic. Presiding Judge George Jody Gilles asked the panel not to use social media, watch the news or read news articles about the trial or discuss the trial with anyone.

After the jury was sworn in, Wilson entered a not guilty plea for all allegations in his indictment.

Earlier in the week, the potential jurors were asked whether they agreed with several statements about a persons right to protect their home, the role of police officers in the community and use of deadly force if one believes their life is in danger.

The prosecution and defense also explained some specifics of Texas law during jury selection. According to state prosecutors, a person can be convicted of murder regardless of if the jury agrees on how the murder occurred. For example, Texas law allows murder convictions if the crime was intentional or unintentional, or if the murder happened while the defendant was committing another felony.

Defense attorneys explained concepts like Castle Doctrine, which allows for the use of force to protect ones home. The defense stated that Castle Doctrine only required the fear of unlawful entry, rather than that one must be in fear for their life. The attorneys also said that in Texas, deadly force is presumed to be a reasonable response to protect ones home from a potential threat.

Opening statements will begin at 9 a.m. Friday in the 10th floor auxiliary room of the Midland County Courthouse. An overflow room downstairs will stream the trial to members of the public who are not able to get a seat in the courtroom.

Heidelberg was shot and killed by Wilson while responding to a burglar alarm call at Wilsons home on March 5, 2019, according to police. Wilsons attorney later said in a statement that he mistook Heidelberg for an intruder.

Wilson is facing five to 99 years or life in prison if convicted of murder.
Abortion-rights advocates have found an unexpected ally in their fight to overturn Texas controversial abortion law: gun rights advocates, fearful that the same novel mechanism employed to enforce the statute could later be applied to infringe on gun ownership.

That issue played a key role in oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, where justices discussed how Texas method of implementing its abortion law could put other constitutional rights at risk.

The concern was first introduced in court by the Firearms Policy Coalition, a California-based nonprofit that advocates and defends gun rights laws nationally. The group authored an amicus brief  a type of filing offering information to the court but provided by an entity that isnt a party to the case  in support of abortion providers, who presented arguments before the high court to block Texas abortion restriction law, commonly referred to as Senate Bill 8.

If Texass scheme for postponing or evading federal judicial review is successful here, it will undoubtedly serve as a model for deterring and suppressing the exercise of numerous constitutional rights, Erik S. Jaffe, a lawyer for the group, wrote in the brief. New York is already experimenting with private enforcement of anti-gun laws and will no doubt gladly incorporate the lessons of this case to insulate its future efforts to suppress the right to keep and bear arms.

Six Supreme Court justices stressed the same point Monday  and the lead attorney defending Texas affirmed that he believed the method could indeed be used in laws targeting other rights.

Melissa Murray, a professor at the New York University School of Law, called gun rights advocates support for abortion providers a case of strange bedfellows.

Its like, Today its abortion, tomorrow its us, she said. Im sure they see the writing on the wall  if this can happen in Texas, whats to stop California from doing something on the Second Amendment?

Although their support might have been shocking at first, she said perhaps it shouldnt be.

Taken to its logical conclusion, this kind of enforcement mechanism can basically be used to chill a range of constitutional rights, she said. And what is as disfavored as abortion in some quarters? Its the Second Amendment.

The Firearms Policy Coalition said Texas law was written in a way that could provide a blueprint for other states to restrict gun rights by making it nearly impossible to challenge a state law in federal court.

Jaffe took the argument further, saying that if Texas law was allowed to go unchallenged, other states could create private bounty schemes to target persons who marry someone of the wrong sex or color, criticize the government, refuse to wear masks or get vaccinated, make negligent or harmless false statements on public issues, or engage in any other protected but disfavored conduct.

That argument seemed to gnaw at even some of the courts more conservative members. Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that if Texas method of skirting precedent was allowed by the court, it could hypothetically be used by any state to block constitutional rights.

Theres a loophole that's been exploited here, Kavanaugh said during the hearing. It could be free speech rights. It could be free exercise of religion rights. It could be Second Amendment rights  if this position is accepted here.

Texas abortion law has bucked judicial review by making it difficult to sue the laws enforcers  the traditional route to stop a law from going into effect. To block a law, courts typically issue orders directed to state officials, preventing them from enforcing it. But Texas new law forbids state and law enforcement officials from doing just that. Instead, it empowers private citizens to sue those who aid or abet abortions, making them the statutes de facto enforcers.

The Supreme Court on Monday, rather than rule on the law overall, considered arguments so it can answer a more narrow question as part of the lawsuit lodged by abortion providers: Can a state insulate from federal-court review a law that prohibits the exercise of a constitutional right by offloading its enforcement to the general public?

Texas top Republican officials, who touted the abortion laws passage as one of the Legislatures biggest successes of the year, have not expressed any concerns with how the law is enforced. The states top three leaders  Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan  have not commented publicly on the possibility that the laws enforcement mechanism could be used to limit other rights. None of them responded to a request for comment for this story.

But concerns over the potential propagation of the tactic is a key argument for the laws opponents. On Monday, in a separate Supreme Court hearing to review the U.S. Justice Departments challenge to Texas law, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued if the justices allow the law to continue, then no constitutional right is safe.

The justices have yet to make a ruling but are expected to do so soon. The justices on Monday seemed to lean toward allowing the providers' suit to proceed in its challenge to the law.

While the Firearms Policy Coalition argued that Texas' abortion law could lead to restrictions on gun rights in other places in the country, Texas gun rights groups have kept notably quiet on the subject.

The Texas State Rifle Association, Open Carry Texas and Texas Gun Rights declined Tuesday to comment on concerns that Texas law could create a path for other states to restrict gun access.

Their silence illustrates the tricky position these groups are in.

For years, they have fought to loosen the state's gun laws and push back on any attempts to restrict gun access in the state  even after mass shootings that have received national attention. But many of the groups' members and allies in the Legislature are social conservatives, complicating any attempt to speak out against an anti-abortion law that could eventually be copied and become a threat to gun access.

During Mondays proceedings, Kavanaugh continued to test the states perception of the limits of its own law. He posed a hypothetical directly tied to gun ownership rights.

Say everyone who sells an AR-15 is liable for a million dollars to any citizen, he began asking Texas lawyer. Would that kind of law be exempt from pre-enforcement review in federal court?

Texas Solicitor General Judd Stone, after some waffling, answered yes: The courts have no ability to overturn this type of enforcement, he argued, saying Congress could intervene but not courts.

Justice Elena Kagan pushed back on that idea.

Isn't the point of a right that you don't have to ask Congress? Isn't the point of a right that it doesn't really matter what Congress thinks or what the majority of the American people think as to that right?

She said if the court continues to allow Texas to skirt judicial review in this way, it will invite other states to violate constitutional rights or federal law whenever they disagree.

I mean, that was something that until this law came along no state dreamed of doing. And, essentially, we would be like, you know, We're open for business, she said. There's nothing the Supreme Court can do about it. Guns, same-sex marriage, religious rights, whatever you don't like, go ahead.

Murray said Stones assertion that the abortion laws enforcement mechanism could be applied to limit any right without the ability for courts to intervene was kind of a stunning concession.

But it was a concession they had to make, I think, given just the logic of how theyve pegged this enforcement scheme, she said. It left an opening for those justices who may be on the fence. Not because they have any interest in preserving abortion rights, but because more generally they are concerned about the prospect of rogue states saying there are constitutional protections we don't like and we found a clever way to avoid having to actually vindicate them.

Murray clarified: Although the fears over this kind of enforcement being used to erode the rule of law in other cases might ultimately motivate some of the conservative Supreme Court justices to rule against Texas, it hardly means the fight to defend abortion rights is over.

Looming over the litigation against Texas' abortion law is another lawsuit that could have even greater implications for abortion rights in the country. On Dec. 1, the court is set to hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which asks the justices to overrule Roe v. Wade.

If the court, with its conservative majority, votes to overturn Roe, the fight over the law might be largely redundant. Texas already passed a law that would automatically ban abortions if Roe is overturned.

Even if conservative justices who voted before to not block the law change their position, Murray said it would not be indicative of how they might vote to overturn Roe.

It does not mean that they have abandoned their skepticism of abortion rights, she said. It just means they're agreeing to allow this to happen in federal court, allowing this to proceed, which is purely a procedural question.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/02/texas-abortion-law-gun-rights/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
A real estate agent from suburban Dallas who flaunted her participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol on social media and later bragged she wasnt going to jail because she is white, has blond hair and a good job was sentenced on Thursday to two months behind bars.

While some rioters sentenced for the same misdemeanor conviction have received only probation or home confinement, prosecutors sought incarceration for Jennifer Leigh Ryan of Frisco, Texas, saying she has shown a lack of candor and remorse for her actions when the pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol building and delayed Congress certification of Joe Bidens Electoral College victory.

They also said Ryans belief that shes shielded from punishment shows she doesnt grasp the seriousness of her crime.

Ryan wasnt facing a felony for more serious conduct, but U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said she was still among the mob who overnumbered police in an attack that led to the deaths of five people and will have a lasting effect on government institutions.

Though Ryan said she was sorry for her actions, Cooper questioned whether she is remorseful and has respect for the law.

Your actions since Jan. 6 make me doubt some of those things, the judge said.

Prosecutors said Ryan traveled to Washington on a jet chartered by a Facebook friend, described Trumps rally before the riot as a prelude to war, livestreamed her entry into the building as alarms sounded, participated in chants of Fight For Trump, tweeted a photo of herself next to broken windows outside the Capitol and later said she deserved a medal for what she did.

Her lawyer responded that she was in the building for only two minutes, didnt act violently and has a First Amendment right to speak up on social media.

The judge then referred to Ryans March 26 tweet in which she wrote, Definitely not going to jail. Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail. Sorry to rain on your hater parade. I did nothing wrong.

In a letter to the judge, Ryan denied believing she was immune to punishment, saying she was responding to people who made fun of her appearance and called for her to be imprisoned. She said her attorney told her at the time that prosecutors would be recommending a sentence of probation.

I was attacked and I was answering them, Ryan said in court.

She is the 10th person charged in the Jan. 6 attack to get a jail or prison sentence. More than 650 people have been charged for their actions at the Capitol.

Prosecutors said Ryan has since downplayed the violence at the Capitol and falsely claimed to probation authorities that she didnt know there was a riot until she came to the Capitol, even though she had recorded herself in a hotel room watching news coverage of rioters climbing the walls of the Capitol.

After the riot, Ryan said she faced a backlash that included death threats, public heckling and graffiti painted on her real estate signs. She said she had to change her name and disguise herself in public.

Ryan tweeted a photo of herself next to broken windows and holding her fingers in a V sign, with a caption saying, Window at The capital. And if the news doesnt stop lying about us were going to come after their studios next...

Shortly afterward, Ryan posted another tweet about a crowd damaging equipment belonging to news organizations, including The Associated Press. She tweeted it was a cool moment when rioters went to town on the AP equipment.

Ryan is expected to start serving her sentence in January.

Also on Thursday, a Maryland woman who joined the mobs attack was sentenced to three years of probation, including two months of home detention.

Brittiany Angelina Dillon said her actions at the Capitol were inexcusable and unacceptable. She referred to Jan. 6 as the worst day of her life.

I never want to step foot in Washington, D.C., again, and I love that city, she said. I dont want to think about that day. Its horrible.

Judge Dabney Friedrich said text messages show Dillon clearly anticipated violence when she went to Washington on Jan. 6 and seemed intent on doing her part to stop Congress from certifying Bidens victory.

The judge said she was troubled by statements that Dillon made before and after the riot, including her reference to law enforcement officers as devils.

The attack she participated in was an attack on our institutions of government, the rule of law and our democratic process, Friedrich said.

According to prosecutors, Dillon pushed through a crowd of rioters to approach an entrance to the Capitol but was pushed back before she could make it beyond the buildings threshold.

She wasnt accused of engaging in any violence or property damage. Dillion pleaded guilty in July to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. _____ Billeaud reported from Phoenix and Kunzelman from College Park, Maryland.
AAS and Testicular Cancer

It does not appear there are strong anecdotal associations with long-term AAS misuse and cancer.

By William Llewellyn

While a great deal is known about the short-term effect of anabolic steroid use on markers of health, scientists are still trying to understand the potential long-term risks of steroid misuse. Case in point, there is still much argument over how much impact long-term AAS misuse would have on cardiovascular mortality. We still cant quantify how much of a risk this is, long term. Cancer is another area of confusion. While there appears to be little risk of cancer in the short term barring isolated cases involving the liver (typically in very sick individuals), there is still question about whether a career of steroid abuse might increase a persons risk of other cancer, such as prostate or testicular. On that subject, researchers at the University of Calabria in Italy used in-vitro experiments to establish a potential link between AAS use and testicular cancer.1

The researchers used a mouse tumor cell line, which was incubated with the anabolic steroids nandrolone and stanozolol. IGF-1 was also added to the mixture to see if it would have additional effects. In these experiments, the anabolic steroids increased the local expression of the aromatase (estrogen producing) enzyme. This was accompanied by the proliferation of the Leydig tumor cells. This effect was further increased when IGF-1 was also added to the medium. These results do suggest a potential link between steroids and the onset or growth of testicular cancer, though it is far too early to draw conclusions. These experiments are preliminary at best. Furthermore, this is not an area of large concern among the steroid-using community. It does not appear there are strong anecdotal associations with long-term AAS misuse and cancer, like we do have with issues of the cardiovascular system. Ill keep you posted if more data becomes available on this subject.

Supplements Gateways to Steroids?!

Weve all heard the gateway hypothesis. You know, the typical response a prohibitionist will give when you point out how wasteful cannabis criminalization has been. It usually goes something like this, Marijuana might not be addicting or very dangerous in of itself, but it makes kids more likely to use hard drugs. Therefore, the laws we have are very important and should be stronger. It might make sense for a split second, until you actually think about it. The gateway argument is extremely weak for many reasons; I dont think I need to get into them all here. However, I do want to point out another and perhaps even more absurd take on the concept. The Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors published an article suggesting nutritional supplements are a gateway to anabolic steroid use.2

The paper examined the relationship between nutritional supplement use and held beliefs about anabolic steroids. A total of 100 male and 101 female undergraduate students were interviewed for the study. The participants were assessed for many variables including illicit drug use, and psychological issues such as eating disorders, compulsive exercise and muscle dysmorphia. They were also asked if they had positive beliefs about the efficacy and safety of steroid and performance- and image-enhancing drugs. According to the paper, those individuals that had used fat-burning and muscle-building supplements had the strongest belief the steroids could be used safely and effectively. The researchers concluded that the use of these supplements was indirectly associated with future steroid use, and recommend interventions in young supplement users to prevent them from turning to steroids!

I probably dont need to point out all of the problems of this paper. Lets just touch on the obvious. First, people that use muscle-building supplements are (of course) going to be more interested in muscle-building drugs than the average person. They are looking to build muscle, after all. Also, how the researchers interpret the positive views is quite out of touch. Those who study anabolic steroids know that while these drugs certainly do have risks, these risks are highly overemphasized in the media, and poorly understood by the general public. The belief that these drugs, which are medicines after all, could be used safely is probably more reflective of an informed opinion. The people they are talking about here are likely more educated about steroids, not less! Again, steroid abuse certainly does have health risks. I am all for educating the youth about them. However, we need an honest and accurate message. I am not sure this is the place to begin looking for it.

William Llewellyn is widely regarded as one of the worlds foremost authorities on the use of performance-enhancing substances. He is the author of the bestselling anabolic steroid reference guide ANABOLICS and CEO of Molecular Nutrition. William is an accomplished researcher/developer in the field of anabolic substances, and is also a longtime advocate for harm reduction and legislative change. He built the website anabolic.org, an extensive online database of information on anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

References:

1. Chimento A, Sirianni R et al. Nandrolone and stanozolol induce Leydig cell tumor proliferation. J Cell Physiol 227(6): 2079-88.

2. Hildebrandt T, Harty S, Langenbucher JW. Fitness Supplements as a Gateway Substance for Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use. Psychol Addict Behav [Epub, ahead of print].

DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMS

SUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY

GET OFFICIAL MD STUFF

VISIT OUR STORE

ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:

Top
79, formerly of Muskogee left us November 15, 2021 in Nebraska. Her Service of Memory will be on Tuesday, 12pm at Worship Community Center 820 E. Okmulgee. Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc- Muskogee
While in Colonial Williamsburg, Oklahoma teachers will have the opportunity to meet character interpreters of 18th-century people and be immersed in early American history through hands-on activities and reenactments of historic events.
DUI Prosecutor Grant Award

The 15th Circuit Solicitors Office has received the DUI Prosecutor Grant award for the grant period through Sept. 30, 2022, according to Solicitor Jimmy Richardson.

The departments grant funded DUI prosecutor, Jess Glasgow, who has been with the office since Aug. 17, 2020, will continue to prosecute DUI cases for Horry County.

The 15th Circuit Solicitors Office is committed to reducing the senseless crime and occurrence of impaired driving in this state. From 2015 to 2019, Horry County ranked in the top 10 for all fatal and severe injury DUI alcohol and/or drug collisions.

To support the need for greater prosecution, and to increase the DUI-conviction rate, Glasgow will dedicate 100 percent of his time prosecuting DUI-related cases within the 15th Judicial Circuit. He will also work to keep DUI-related traffic cases moving through the justice system. The new Assistant Solicitor position is funded through SCDPS Office.

Suspect taken into custody

Horry County police said Monday that a person had been taken into custody in connection to the weekend killing of 55 year-old Amy Kopacz at her Little River home.

The Horry County Coroner's Office said Kopacz was found dead Saturday from injuries sustained during an assault and that police are investigating the death as a homicide. A police report lists the date of the offense as at 7 p.m. Friday.

Horry County police said Monday morning that a suspect had been taken into custody in Florida, but that he had not yet been charged nor had warrants been served. Police have not said if he's related to the victim.

According to a heavily-redacted police report that lists the offense as a motor vehicle theft, officers responded around 7:30 p.m. Saturday to a residence on the 4000 block of Little River Inn Lane for a report of a suspicious death. Horry County Fire Rescue was already on the scene and said the victim was in the residence, deceased.
A 38-year-old North Carolina man was convicted Thursday of felony driving under the influence resulting in death and felony driving under the influence resulting in great bodily harm, according to the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Judge Steven John sentenced Claybon Lewis Atwater of Burlington, North Carolina, to 22 years in prison after he was convicted by a jury.

Felony DUI is one of those crimes that is 100 percent preventable and therein lies the tragedy, said Solicitor Jimmy Richardson in a news release. A terrible decision leaves one person with severe injuries and a family without a loved one.

David Schnell was driving a three-wheeled motorcycle on Highway 17 in North Myrtle Beach when Atwater failed to yield and pulled out of a convenience store parking lot, the solicitor's office said.

His wife Donna Schnell was killed on impact, and David suffered a compound fracture in his leg, multiple broken ribs, a broken jaw, broken collar bone, dislocated shoulder and to this day remains debilitated, the solicitor's office said.

The case was investigated by North Myrtle Beach police, the State Law Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

I want to thank the NMB Police Department for their excellent and timely work on this case, said senior assistant solicitor George DeBusk in the news release. Although multiple agencies provided excellent assistance in the investigation, it was NMBPD that led on the case and their officers did an outstanding job."
It would take too many adjectives to adequately sum up the life of Amy Kopacz.

She was a beautiful, vibrant, devoted, kindhearted, forgiving, incredible human being, said Holly Kopacz, one of her two daughters. She just wanted to live life happily and the more people she made smile the better.

Her other daughter, Tamara Conboy, said her mother was her role model and the person she aspired to be. They shared a love of traveling and photography.

Youll never meet somebody that was as sweet and kind and accepting as my mother, Conboy said. She saw the best in everybody.

The 55 year-old mother and grandmother was found deceased in her Little River residence on Saturday. The Horry County Coroners Office said she died of injuries sustained during an assault. Her son Colby Kopacz, 29, was arrested in Florida and police say hell face murder charges in connection to his mothers death when hes extradited back to Horry County.

My mother never gave up on my brother. She was the only one who never got to the point where enough was enough, Holly Kopacz said. She gave every penny she had and devoted every second she had to thinking that she could save him and wasnt able to in the end. I cant tell you how much she has had to go through the be that only person for him. I want people to remember that she died trying, not giving up. She didnt deserve what happened to her. For us, the most important thing is she receives the justice she deserves.

Kopacz grew up in Vermont and New Hampshire, and went to nursing school straight out of high school, her daughters said. She raised her family in Walpole, New Hampshire, and worked as a nurse for decades. Holly Kopacz said after her dad became disabled in an accident, her mom held down two jobs at once to support the household and make sure the bills were paid.

Her life revolved around making people feel better and putting families back together.
Taking place at Hope Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Hope for the Holidays, an annual juried fine art fair held in the hallways of Hope, will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6.

More than 25 artists will be on hand at the event, which will offer opportunities to win gift baskets containing art donated by artist partners. There will also be a chance to view some of Hope church's "beautiful banners in the sanctuary," the church wrote on its Facebook event page.
Compared to other generations, rates for cervical cancer are 87% lower in women who got the HPV vaccine when they were between 12 and 13 years old, according to a study from the United Kingdom.

Cervical cancer has a 62% lower rate in teen girls that were vaccinated between 14 and 16 years old. Those between 16 and 18 years of age showed a rate that was 34% lower.

The rate of cervical cancer in women who were vaccinated between ages 14 and 16 was 62% lower. And in those vaccinated between 16 and 18, it was 34% lower.

The study was published in the Lancet and was released Wednesday. It relied on information from England's HPV vaccination program that began vaccinating girls at the age of 12, also offering what's being referred to as "catch-up" vaccines for older age groups.

"This represents an important step forwards in cervical cancer prevention. We hope that these new results encourage uptake as the success of the vaccination program relies not only on the efficacy of the vaccine but also the proportion of the population vaccinated," study co-author Dr. Kate Soldan said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a campaign to increase HPV vaccination rates in January, CNN reports. States with low vaccination rates were targeted in the campaign, and that includes South Carolina, Texas and Mississippi.

Additionally, CNN points out that the American Academy of Pediatrics found HPV vaccination rates to be getting better. Yet, fewer than half of young adults in the United States have received one or more doses.

Proffesor Marc Brisson of Universite Laval in Quebec told USA Today in 2019 that cervical cancer could be eliminated "if sufficiently high-vaccination coverage can be achieved and maintained."
Jacksonville already was in the spotlight this week as host of Illinois Main Streets annual conference.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Strattons visit as moderator of a conference panel on The Power of Main Street did nothing to dim the wattage.

What a gorgeous day here in Jacksonville, Stratton said during her visit. I had a wonderful opportunity since Ive been here today to  and its not my first time here  but I was able to get to a few places and picked up a couple of books at Our Town Books and then I had to, of course, stop for a wonderful lunch at Shiraz  then I went next door to Holly Cakes and picked up a cupcake. Things are really hopping here in Jacksonville.

The conference, with activities split between Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Hamiltons, has drawn representatives from Main Street organizations across the state. Activities started Wednesday and wrap up today.

Main Street organizations work to revitalize older and historic commercial districts in their communities. Strattons office and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity helped sponsor the conference.

During Strattons panel discussion, she commended Main Streets organizations in Illinois for how they have paved the way to revitalize our main streets.

Stratton, recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic placed a lot of strain on small businesses statewide, said she was happy to see the return of the Illinois Main Street conference. The conversation among advocates of main streets in towns across the state is necessary to boosting local commerce, she said.

The return of this conference is pivotal to the growth of our Main Street communities in Illinois that have suffered due to the pandemic, Stratton said. The dialogue and workshops will provide a wonderful opportunity to continue to embrace our main streets, with their unique businesses, extraordinary geography and amazing histories. The Illinois Main Street program has positively impacted communities in so many ways.

Stratton also announced that the state Main Street program would see increased state funding, which had dwindled in recent years.

Illinois Main Street deserves our support to do even more so, for the first time in years, Im proud to say that the program is going to see an increase in funding and we are already doing the work to make that happen because we know how valuable Illinois Main Street is, Stratton said.

Several national Main Street representatives, nationally recognized speakers, and Main Street program directors from across the state were among the more than 75 people who attended the conference to discuss a variety of topics related to Main Streets four-point approach of economic vitality, organization, design and promotion.
PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico (AP)  The shooting of two suspected drug dealers at a resort on Mexicos Caribbean coast is part of a fight among about a dozen gangs to carve up the lucrative market of selling drugs to tourists and locals, an official said Friday.

The chief prosecutor of the coastal state of Quintana Roo said that two main gangs are fighting for control of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun. Thursdays shooting occurred on a beach just yards from luxury hotels.

But about 10 gangs are fighting over street-level drug sales in Tulum, a beach town further south. A California woman and a German tourist were killed in the crossfire of a gang shootout two weeks ago, and three other tourists were wounded.

In Tulum we have about 10 groups of drug dealers and here in Puerto Morelos there are two groups fighting each other, prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Imagen Radio station.

Montes de Oca said the commando of about 15 masked drug gang gunmen arrived in vehicles and stormed the beach in Puerto Morelos by entering through a hotel parking lot  not coming by boat, as Gov. Carlos Joaquin had said the evening before.

Montes de Oca said Friday that they fled in a boat they commandeered after the attack.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun.

Montes de Oca said the presence of over 20 million tourists every year in the coastal state provided a strong draw for retail drug sales. We are facing an issue of supply and demand for drugs, he said.

Cartels fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade include the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. One person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not immediately determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest.

Joaquin called the attack a serious blow to the development and security of the state ... putting the image of the state at grave risk.

Antonio Chaves, the leader of Maya Riviera Hotel Association, told The Associated Press the shootings would impact the state's tourism industry, which is recovering the the coronavirus pandemic.

Clearly, we are going to suffer setbacks in the very short term, Chaves said, adding that, even though it causes suffering, it's unlikely to deter drug gangs.

They are criminal groups that don't care about the place, the time, the surroundings, and that affects the tourism zone," he said.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis.

Guests at both resorts posted social media images of tourists hiding or nervously milling in the lobbies.

Keith Jackson, a tourist from London, England, left the beach just before the shooting. But he said Friday, Were not sure we would come back. Were not sure we would come back after this.

The two women that were killed in Tulum, you know, in the crossfire, you know, this is what happened, Jackson said. So we all kind of worried that something will happen while were there and well get caught in the in the action.

Just before they left, Jackson and Marie Hitches, also of London, said they saw about five masked men walking down the beach before the shooting, asking questions even of a lifeguard and security staff, apparently looking for the rival drug dealers, who had masqueraded as trinket vendors.

They climbed up into the lifeguards' tower and they threatened and they were asking for information and they threatened him with a gun, asking him, you know, if Id seen the the two new guys walking up and down the beach, Jackson said.

And he (the lifeguard) radioed in, and thats when the security came out at that point, Jackson added, saying that while the security people spoke to the suspected cartel members, "nothing happened. It was about two hours later when the shooting happened.

Rival cartels often kill other gangs' street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after California travel blogger Anjali Ryot of San Jose, California, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were killed by crossfire during what prosecutors said appeared to be a clash over street-level drug sales in Tulum.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the Oct. 20 shooting at a street-side eatery right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens, If you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police staged a massive raid in October on the towns restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects  most apparently for drug sales  after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pinned tourism hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan Peninsula.

___

AP Reporter Fabiola Sanchez contributed to this report
WASHINGTON (AP)  Thousands of intelligence officers could soon face dismissal for failing to comply with the U.S. governments vaccine mandate, leading Republican lawmakers to raise concerns about removing employees from agencies critical to national security.

Overall, the percentage of intelligence personnel who have been vaccinated is higher than for the American public  97% at the CIA, for instance. But there are lower percentages in some of the 18-agency intelligence community of approximately 100,000 people, according to Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah.

Citing information that he said had been provided to the House Intelligence Committee but not released publicly, Stewart said several intelligence agencies had at least 20% of their workforce unvaccinated as of late October. In some agencies, as many as 40% are unvaccinated, Stewart said. He declined to identify the agencies because full information on vaccination rates was classified.

While many people will likely still get vaccinated before the administration's Nov. 22 deadline for civilian workers, resistance to the mandate could leave major agencies responsible for national security without some personnel. Intelligence officers are particularly hard to replace due to the highly specialized work they do and the difficulties of completing security clearance checks.

CIA Director William Burns disclosed publicly last week that 97% of the agencys officers have been vaccinated. The National Reconnaissance Office, which operates U.S. spy satellites, has more than 90% of its workforce vaccinated.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined several requests to provide figures for the intelligence community. The office also would not say what contingency plans are in place in case officers are taken off work due to not complying with the mandate.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines declined at a hearing last week to disclose what percentage of the workforce had been vaccinated, but said, we are not anticipating that it is going to be an issue for mission.

The vaccination rates provided by Stewart are mostly higher than those of the general U.S. population. About 70% of American adults are fully vaccinated and 80% have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Stewart called on the administration to approve more exemptions for people on medical, religious and other grounds, and delay any terminations of intelligence officers.

My question is whats the impact on national security if we do that? Stewart said. Youre potentially firing thousands of people on the same day. And its not like you put an ad on Craigslist and have people apply by Thursday.

Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee say theyre confident that the vaccination mandate will not cause a problem for the intelligence community. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said the agencies were doing quite well and that getting vaccinated was a sign of an employees readiness.

If somebody is not willing to do whats necessary to protect their own health and the health of their unit, that actually calls into question their ability to effectively do the job, Crow said in an interview.

President Joe Biden has issued several mandates to boost the vaccination rate in the U.S. affecting federal employees, contractors and health care workers. The White House has credited those mandates with driving up vaccination rates and reducing deaths from a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 people in the U.S. and 5 million people worldwide.

Federal regulators and independent health experts have certified that the available vaccines are safe. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that from April to July, unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely than vaccinated people to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19.

Mandates to get vaccinated have faced significant resistance, particularly given an already-tight market for businesses looking to hire workers. Some first responders have resisted vaccine mandates as have employee unions, arguing that mandates impinge on personal freedom.

The Biden administration classified information it gave the intelligence committee on each of the nations 18 intelligence agencies, said Stewart, who noted generally that agencies more closely affiliated with the military tended to report lower vaccination rates.

Several major agencies with large military components all declined to provide their vaccination rate when asked by The Associated Press, including the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The NGA, which produces intelligence from satellites and drones, said in a statement that it was working to ensure that all members of the workforce understand the process and documentation required prior to the deadline.

Stewart, a former Air Force pilot, has been vaccinated but said he opposes mandates as being intrusive and counterproductive.

If you say, you have to do this and we wont consider any exceptions to that, thats where you get people to dig in their heels, he said.

Rep. Darin LaHood, an Illinois Republican, echoed Stewart's concerns in a hearing last week and told agency leaders that the question of unvaccinated employees affects all of you and us globally.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he supported requiring vaccinations for federal employees. We need to be using every tool at our disposal to save lives and protect mission readiness, Warner said.

Federal employees who arent vaccinated or haven't received an exemption by Nov. 22 could face a suspension of 14 days or fewer, followed by possible dismissal. The General Services Administration has advised agencies that unique operational needs of agencies and the circumstances affecting a particular employee may warrant departure from these guidelines if necessary.

Steve Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies, said the vaccine mandate was still relatively new and he expected the numbers to change before the administrations cutoff.

Morrison said that as intelligence agencies broadly work with unvaccinated employees, theyre going to have to show some flexibility around the margins without compromising away the basic strategy and goals.

Getting control over this pandemic in the United States requires getting to a much higher level of vaccine coverage, Morrison said. Its a matter of national security.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  While people are now able to travel freely in Australia's more populated east, COVID-19-free Western Australia will maintain its tight restrictions into next year, state leaders said Friday.

Western Australia is the largest state, covering a third of Australias land area. It also has the nation's lowest vaccination rates, in part because the state has had few infections and life has been relatively normal throughout the pandemic.

Western Australia is the only Australian state or territory that does not intend to reopen this year. Vaccinated Australians have been free to travel the world through east coast airports in coronavirus-affected Sydney and Melbourne since Monday when a 20-month-old international travel ban was lifted.

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan on Friday set a vaccination target of 90% of the population aged 12 and older for the border restrictions to be relaxed. The milestone was forecast to be reached in late January or early February.

McGowan said he would set a date for the state to reopen once 80% of the target population had been vaccinated, which is expected to happen in mid-December.

Once that reopening date was set, it would stand even if the vaccination rate fell short of 90% by then.

As far as world standards go, a rate of 90% will be an amazing achievement, McGowan said.

Given our current vaccination rates, these targets are realistic and within our sights, he added.

Only 63.7% of the target population in Western Australia was fully vaccinated, according to state data. Nationally, 79.6% of the population aged 16 and older were fully vaccinated, according to federal government data released on Friday.

Other states have or intend to substantially relax pandemic restrictions once 80% of their populations aged 16 and older are vaccinated.

Western Australias sparsely populated north has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

McGowan said parts of the state could be isolated by intrastate borders if their vaccination rates continued to lag. Such areas include the Pilbara region where the nations lucrative iron ore mining operations are based.

Cutting off the Pilbara, or any region for that matter, is not something I want to do, McGowan said.

But if thats what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time, he added.

Government modeling showed that reopening that state at the 90% vaccination benchmark rather than 80% would mean COVID-19 cases occupying 70% fewer hospital beds, 75% few intensive care beds and 63% fewer deaths, McGowan said.

The difference in easing border controls at 90% rather than 80% is 200 West Australian lives are saved, McGowan said.

If the state falls short of the 250,000 additional people it needs to get vaccinated to reach the 90% target, additional pandemic measures will be required on the date it reopens, McGowan said.

Western Australia has accounted for only nine of Australia's 1,781 COVID-19 deaths.

Four of those deaths were passengers and crew from the German-operated cruise ship MV Artania who were brought ashore for hospital treatment in the capital Perth. The state's last COVID-19 death was reported in April 2020.
Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, concern has been growing about maintaining proper staffing levels at hospitals and other healthcare facilities to assure appropriate patient care. As more virulent variants of the virus now surge, nurses, in particular, have proven difficult to attract and retain. This has placed the stability of the entire American healthcare system at risk.

Faced with a lack of nursing staff, hospitals have been forced to reduce the number of beds available, including closing whole wings. Emergency rooms are overrun because there are no available beds within the hospitals to transfer patients who need added care and states where infections are particularly bad have resorted to utilizing the national guard to assist as hospitals struggle with staffing shortages. In short, the healthcare industry is trying to cope with difficult conditions that are unprecedented.

Against the backdrop of this public health crisis, certain labor organizations, including some nurses unions, are taking measures that could exacerbate this crisis. The largest nurses union in the United States, for example, National Nurses United, refuses to acknowledge that a nursing shortage even exists. They have staged protests at hospitals and have stirred up discontent across the country in recent months, demanding better hours and improved pay.

While no one disagrees that nurses must be fairly compensated for their work, continued pressure from these efforts could put the viability of our healthcare facilities as well as patient safety in jeopardy. The reality is protesting hospitals will not help solve these unprecedented issues. The facts also do not bear out the unions allegations.

Governmental data has found that the need for registered nurses is expected to grow by 12% from 2018 to 2028 compared to an average of 7% across all occupations. A diminished supply of nurses and those that are electing to undergo career transition have raised serious concerns that there will not be enough nurses to meet all of the future demand. Despite this difficult period, however, hospitals have intensified their efforts to attract and retain needed nursing staff by continuing to increase salaries and offering signing bonuses, more flexible hours, and additional benefits.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 2020 median annual salary for RNs of $75,330 with an annual increase of 3.9%, one of the highest annual increases in a profession. Nurses with advanced degrees such as nurse practitioners earn even more. According to the bureau, the median nurse practitioner salary is $114,510.

These salary figures  which do not include bonuses, employment benefits and other income enhancements  demonstrate how competitive pay in this field has become.

Working conditions have also been a hot-button issue. While there is no denying the unprecedented levels of burnout healthcare workers are suffering from, healthcare facilities are doing all they can to meet the needs of their staff. Hospitals continue to strive to offer nurses a work-life balance by offering flexible work schedules and U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks several nursing professions among the 100 Best Jobs in the country. Despite arguments to the contrary, nurses find tremendous satisfaction in their profession. An American Nurse Journal survey found 85% of nurses said they would become a nurse again even though they have been contending with the pandemic.

Nurses are a vital part of our countrys medical system and national surveys show that the public views nursing as one of the most trusted and respected professions. They deserve our honor and respect every day, and especially during these challenging times.

But given the strain our healthcare system faces treating COVID-19 patients who need extended hospital care, unions representing these healthcare heroes should find ways to better serve their members. Working collaboratively with hospitals to address staffing needs, as opposed to disrupting hospitals with picket lines and protests, would be a good start as the latter will not improve outcomes for patients nor healthcare workers.

Ending this pandemic once and for all will be an all-hands-on-deck effort, but we can overcome this obstacle if we work together.

Vickie Yates Brown Glisson is the former Kentucky Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and a nationally recognized health lawyer. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Watertown, SD (57201)

Today

Mostly sunny skies. Morning high of 32F with temps falling to near 20. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 19F. Winds light and variable.
Sonora Police vehicle View Photo

Sonora, CA  A crowbar was used in an assault with a deadly weapon arrest in downtown Sonora.

A patrolling officer was flagged down by a man near the Subway Sandwiches restaurant at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The male victim reported that he had just been assaulted at a nearby intersection of South Washington Street and Hospital Road by a man named Timothy with a tire iron. The officer responded to the area and found 28-year-old Timothy Michael Barlass, a transient, in a tent at a transient camp.

During questioning, the victim told the officer that he had gone to the camp to see how Barlass was doing. The victim says that is when Barlass allegedly became agitated, started yelling, and exited the tent with a tire iron, striking the victim twice on the upper left side of his body.

Barlass told a different story. He recounted that he was inside his tent when a man entered without announcing himself, scaring him. Barlass says he told the man to leave, which he did, but then he hung around outside the tent. He claimed he then walked towards the man with a tool from a truck but only swung it at him two times, not admitting to actually hitting the man.

Barlass was arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon and placed on a $40,000 bail.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP)  Croatian authorities will limit gatherings and widen the use of COVID-19 passes to curb soaring infections after the numbers of infected people hit new records again on Friday.

The countrys crisis team said after a meeting that the new rules for gatherings will apply starting Saturday while the use of COVID passes will take more time to prepare.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic complained that vaccination is going at snails pace after reaching some 50% of the population of 4.2 million.

That is not normal, Plenkovic said, according to the state HRT television. We have had a pandemic for nearly two years, more than 5 million people have died, and we have a situation where some of our citizens still do not realize the danger COVID-19 poses.

Like much of Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia has seen a huge rise in infections and hospitalizations in the past weeks due to low vaccination rates and relaxed virus rules.

Most countries in the region have vaccination rates of about 50% or less, which is lower than the European Union average of about 75%.

Alarmed by the raging virus, some Croats who so far have not gotten vaccinated could be seen lining up Thursday evening to get a jab at a vaccination point in the capital Zagreb.

Drago Coric said he had been skeptical about vaccines but changed his mind after daily new cases peaked to several thousand.

Croatia reported nearly 7,000 new infections on Friday after confirming around 6,300 a day before.

There are lot of (people) today and lately who have been infected, he said. Coric added he came to get his first shot for safety.

Blaz, who gave only his first name, said he wants to have full freedom in the coming holiday season when relatives from abroad come to visit.

I dont want to be restricted with movement and measures that will be imposed apparently, he said.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic announced that only gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed indoors from Saturday and they must end by midnight.

Bozinovic also said COVID passes will be introduced for employees in all state institutions, including the education system from mid-November.

Previously, Croatia had introduced the passes in health and social care systems, requiring proof of vaccination, a certificate that someone has had COVID-19 or a negative test.

Bozinovic said that depending on the situation, the use could be further extended.

We will monitor the situation, said Bozinovic. There is enough time for those who have not managed so far to vaccinate.

Most governments in the region have been reluctant to revert to lockdowns in response to the rise in infections, but have sought instead to boost vaccination.

In Slovenia, a government meeting will be held later Friday to discuss what measures to take amid reports in local media of divisions on the issue among ministers.

Slovenia has seen record numbers in the past weeks that have forced hospitals to scrap any non-urgent interventions. In a joint statement, medical directors of Slovenias hospitals said they are facing the most difficult days since the outbreak.

We will do everything in our power, the statement said, according to the STA news agency.

The small EU state of 2 million people reported 3,770 additional cases on Friday.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  A man accused of killing his wife and 3-month-old son in Texas by slashing their throats in 2016 has been found guilty of capital murder, prosecutors said.

A Tarrant County jury found Craig Vandewege, 40, guilty Thursday. He received an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole, the Tarrant County district attorney's office said.
3 1 of 3 Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office-Texas Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office-Texas Show More Show Less 3 of 3





On Wednesday, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Facebook page posted photos of what it described as an animal rescue and release operation of sorts. But the office wasnt dispatched to rescue a kitten from a tree. Instead, the situation involved a ditch, a deputy and an alligator.

It's all in a days work for JCSO Deputy D. Bailey and Texas Game Warden McFall, reads a portion of the Facebook post.
A Florida-based postal services company is opening its huge production facility in downtown San Antonio next week.

Postal Center International is opening its 100,000-square-foot production facility and regional office on November 12 on the Eastside business district of downtown San Antonio at 4958 Stout Drive, according to an announcement from the company.

PCI signed the lease in August as part of its ongoing expansion across the country. PCI offers mail presorting, fulfillment, printing and marketing services.

The new facility will bring 50 new jobs now and more than 100 new openings to San Antonio over the course of the next few years.

"San Antonio was selected as our first regional site because of its central location and fiercely entrepreneurial spirit, which closely aligns with our brand, said PCI President Ismael Diaz in a news release when the company first signed the lease.
Courtesy, Todd Coerver

P. Terry's San Antonio expansion is heading to the far West Side. The Austin-based burger chain's first San Antonio restaurant opened in Medical Center in June, when it also announced two more locations. Now, the company is ordering up for a fourth P. Terry's in the Alamo City.

CEO Todd Coerver tells MySA the newest P. Terry's filing in the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is for a burger joint at Potranco and Loop 1604 in the Shops at Dove Creek development. The restaurant will feature a dining room and double-lane drive-thru. Coerver shared a rendering of the new build, which shows a continuation of P. Terry's signature Googie aesthetic, a Southern California style influenced by the 1950s and 1960s Space Age.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Three people are suing Oklahoma County jail employees who investigators found forced them to stand handcuffed for hours and listen to the childrens song Baby Shark on repeat.

Attorneys for three former inmates filed the civil rights lawsuit Monday in Oklahoma City federal court, according to The Oklahoman.

Daniel Hedrick, Joseph Joey Mitchell and John Basco are suing Oklahoma County commissioners, Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, the jail trust and two former jailers, describing the discipline tactics as torture events.

A criminal investigation last year determined at least four inmates were secured to a wall with their hands cuffed behind them while the song played on a loop at a loud volume for hours in two separate incidents in November and December 2019.

In the lawsuit, attorneys called repeatedly playing Baby Shark a known device to torment. They pointed out how in West Palm Beach, Florida, the childrens song was blasted outside an event center in 2019 to keep the homeless from sleeping there at night.

The fourth former jail inmate, Brandon Newell, did not join the lawsuit as he was convicted of first-degree murder a month after the torture incident and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Two former detention employees, Gregory Cornell Butler Jr. and Christian Charles Miles, both 21, and their supervisor, Christopher Raymond Hendershott, 50, were charged with misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy as a result of the investigation.

A jury trial in the criminal case is set for February.
Jessica Phelps, Staff photographer / San Antonio Express-News

Good morning, San Antonio. Locals will have the chance to help city officials decide what to do with $229 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. This Saturday will be the first two meetings (there will be eight total) where the public can provide input on the matter. The first meeting will take place at Palo Alto College's Ozuna Library at 10:30 a.m. and the second at 3 p.m. at Las Palmas Library.

The funds could potentially be used to improve public infrastructure, support government services, fund premium pay for essential services, and respond to any negative impact from COVID-19.
A potato named Doug may be the largest ever unearthed CBS

The One Where We All Get Rich At The End The Heisenberg Report

A loan is income plus basis Interfluidity. [Treat] use as collateral as a realization event.

Officials estimate hundreds of giant sequoias were killed in the Windy Fire Wildfire Today

COP26/Climate

Mineral oligopoly overshadows worlds drive to decarbonization Nikkei Asia

Wealthy Countries Are Spending More on Border Security Than Climate Aid Gizmodo

#COVID19

Effects of covid-19 pandemic on life expectancy and premature mortality in 2020: time series analysis in 37 countries British Medical Journal. The Abstract: Reduction in life expectancy in men and women was observed in all the countries studied except New Zealand, Taiwan, and Norway, where there was a gain in life expectancy in 2020. No evidence was found of a change in life expectancy in Denmark, Iceland, and South Korea. The highest reduction in life expectancy was observed in Russia (men: 2.33, 95% confidence interval 2.50 to 2.17; women: 2.14, 2.25 to 2.03), the United States (men: 2.27, 2.39 to 2.15; women: 1.61, 1.70 to 1.51), Bulgaria (men: 1.96, 2.11 to 1.81; women: 1.37, 1.74 to 1.01), Lithuania (men: 1.83, 2.07 to 1.59; women: 1.21, 1.36 to 1.05), Chile (men: 1.64, 1.97 to 1.32; women: 0.88, 1.28 to 0.50), and Spain (men: 1.35, 1.53 to 1.18; women: 1.13, 1.37 to 0.90). Were only #2. What a shame. Case series: Reinfection of recovered SARS CoV-2 patients for the third time Clinical Case Reports (GM). From the Abstract: This set of cases provides important evidence of re-infection and recurrence of SARS-CoV-2 even for the third time. Consequently, this possibility should be considered more in recurrent patients with Covid-19 symptoms. And: Most recent studies show that immunity after acute respiratory syndrome infection can develop in infected people. This immunity is not permanent and creates a sense of false protection for people who have already been infected and defeated the disease. GM comments: Note that this is all within 2020. i.e. before variants. Likely there are people in Iran with four and five infections behind them (or in the grave because of the 4th or 5th round). Impaired function and delayed regeneration of dendritic cells in COVID-19 PLOS. From the Author Summary: Dendritic cells (DCs) recognize viral infections and trigger innate and adaptive antiviral immunity. COVID-19 severity is greatly influenced by the host immune response and modulation of DC generation and function after SARS-CoV-2 infection could play an important role in this disease. This study identifies a long-lasting reduction of DCs in the blood of COVID-19 patients and a functional impairment of these cells. Lambert here: Combine the above studies with Long Covid, possible brain and reproductive system issues, plus failure to pursue a layered strategy with non-pharmaceutical interventions like ventilation, and live with it may not be such an attractive proposition in a year or so.

* * *

Heres Why Rapid COVID Tests Are So Expensive and Hard to Find ProPublica. Both the Trump and Biden administrations banked on vaccines putting a swift end to the pandemic, holding off on large-scale purchases of COVID-19 tests that Americans could keep in their medicine cabinets. Continuities

Safe traveling in public transport amid COVID-19 Science. From the Results and Discussion: The scope of this study was limited to examining the formation of cough aerosols and their blockage by a mask. Eesh.

China?

Myanmar

Capitalism in a nutshell, the growth of cashews in Cambodia Globe_ and Low Prices and High Costs Squeeze Mango Farmers Cambodianess. No issues with rice. Yet.

The Koreas

South Koreas new workplace safety law alarms foreign companies FT. Under the new law, senior executives could be held criminally responsible for a range of accidents and work-related injuries and illnesses unless they can demonstrate compliance with a long list of criteria. But Surely these senior executives have nothing to be alarmed about?

Syraqistan

UK/EU

Biden Administration

Supply Chain

Maine will be the 1st state to add right to food to state constitution Bangor Daily News

RussiaGate

Igor Danchenko Arrested as Part of Durham Investigation [Updated] Jonathan Turley. Hilariously, Danchenko worked for the Brookings Institution. Breathless coverage of subpoenas from non-law enforcing Congressional Committees, virtually no coverage of actual arrests. One can only wonder why.

Assange

Courage beyond doubt. John Pilger, The Scrum

Donzinger

The Federal Court system is corrupt The Cavalier Daily. A student newspaper steps in to fill the mainstream void.

Class Warfare

While Other Sectors Experience Strikes, Farm Workers Are Still Fighting for Basic Human Rights The Real News

What are the limits of logic? Times Literary Supplement. Biography of Kurt Godel.

Hunt for Alien Life Tops Next-Gen Wish List for U.S. Astronomy Scientific American

Tourists a (major) problem at Mars analog site Space.com

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Yves here. Some readers have taken to comparing the Democratic Party to the Whigs, which collapsed in the mid 1850s. One of the reasons for the implosion, according to Wikipedia, is The party failed to develop an effective platform on which to campaign.

Voters are wising up on the Democratic Party failing to deliver on economic promises that they intended never to honor, and trying to distract from that with Orange Man Still Bad! and identity politics. Its hard to attribute voter rejection of a Clinton hack to progressives, but the Democratic Party is skilled above all at denial.

And the irony is that in 2016, the Democrats were braying that the future was theirs, that one-time minority groups becoming the majority was sure to consign the Republicans to a permanent diminished state. Apparently they never heard of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Having shelter and food are far more important than identity, yet the Democrats havent retreated from Let them eat wokeness mode.

By Michael Hudson, a research professor of Economics at University of Missouri, Kansas City, and a research associate at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College. His latest book is and forgive them their debts: Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption from Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year

History has been rewritten daily this week almost immediately as it occurs. A Wall Street Journaleditorial on November 4 spun its view of what is at issue for the Democratic Party: Voters warn Democrats to walk away from the Sanders-Pelosi agenda. The Democrats own leadership quickly agreed with this take, playing the blame game against the Progressive Caucus for insisting on economic reforms that opinion polls have reported are precisely what voters say they want.

But these are not the policies that the partys major donors want. What really is at issue is just whom the Democratic Party (and their duopoly partners the Republicans too, of course) support: corporate lobbyists and the Donor Class, or wage-earning voters seeking economic policies that benefit them as employees, consumers and debtors.

Can there really be doubt as to what is causing the apathy of voters to support the Clintonite Virginia candidate Terry McAuliffe? Was his loss really because voters opposed Sanders and the Congressional Progressive Caucus as radical extremists for supporting the policy platform that President Biden himself ran on and which got Democrats elected? Was it that Democrats are not sufficiently supporting their Wall Street and corporate donors and lobbyists, and that somehow voting for McAuliffe might empower Bernie Sanders, AOC and the Squad?

Democrats calling themselves centrist or moderate insist that the Progressives surrender to the Manchin-Sinema rewrite of the original version of the Build Back Better (BBB) act and make it into a grab-bag benefiting the Five Percent instead of the 95 Percent by replacing its most popular proposals with giveaways to the wealthy  as if this will win elections. Or at least, win campaign financing for the party.

One of the most popular proposals in the original BBB act was twelve weeks of paternity/maternity, sick and caregiving leave, child support and pre-schooling support. Such aid is provided by nearly every advanced nation for its for its citizens. But the Democrats assigned Senator Joe Manchin the task of opposing this as an anti-corporate move to subsidize employees getting paid without working. Nancy Pelosi and the House leadership obliged by removing it altogether, but then agreed to a rather stingy four-week support program. Even so, Joe Manchin will not commit himself to support the downsized BBB bill when it is sent over to the Senate, saying that he wants to work with Republicans on paid leave in separate legislation.[1]

In todays U.S. political duopoly the role of the Democratic Party is to protect the Republicans from attacks from the left. What the Republicans and centrists want is the hard business infrastructure program, not its pro-labor elements. The Progressives rightly warn that their only opportunity to get the pro-voter BBB version approved by Congress is to tie it to Bidens bipartisan infrastructure bill. Their fear is that Manchin will make good on his preference to wait a half year (meaning never in political time) before submitting the BBB that was downsized first from $6.5 billion to $3.5 billion, and now to a reported $1.8 billion.

Another popular element criticized as being too pro-labor to appeal to voters is dental and vision care for Medicare recipients, and payments for hearing aids and home health care. As medical and health insurance costs squeeze family budgets, most voters also back negotiating drug prices to stop the price gouging by the pharmaceutical companies. Governments throughout the world have long been doing this. But the centrists threatened to exclude it, and finally proposed some reduction in the most exorbitant monopoly prices by promising a give-back for their drug-company donors in the form of more patent protection (for research initially funded by the government itself). The aim is to prevent other drug companies from producing low-priced generic versions after the patents expire.

Student debt relief has been drastically cut back, along with plans two free years of community college. One after another, Bidens campaign promises are being broken  with Biden himself disowning them and showing impatience at how long it is taking the Progressives to surrender to reality.

Already thrown overboard at the start of the Biden Administration his promise to raise the minimum wage. The Senate parliamentarian pretended that this could not be submitted as a reconciliation agenda, on the ground that it did not affect federal revenue. That was nonsense, of course. Raising the minimum wage would reduce federal subsidies to families below the poverty level  a subsidy that has long saved Walmart and other minimum-wage employers dollar for dollar by enabling them to pay less than the actual living wage, with food stamps and other transfer payments making up the gap.

Joe Manchin sheds crocodile tears over how the government will pay for pro-labor policies, but shows no concern about giveaways to the wealthy to the corporate interest or for military spending  or for tax cuts for the highest income brackets. It is as if only pro-voter policies add to the national debt.

Neoliberal Clintonite centrists vetoed Progressive proposals to pay for their program by passing one of the most popular taxes of all: the carried-interest tax loophole that frees financial speculators and money managers from having to pay income tax on their profit share and even management fees, lowering the rate to the capital-gains tax rate. The heavy hand of Wall Street campaign donors far outweighs what voters want  including reversing the Trump Administrations income-tax cuts for the wealthiest classes.

While downsizing these early popular elements, Congress has increased its giveaway to the Donor Class in an attempt to win them over. Most egregious is cutting taxes for the wealthiest home owners, especially on the East Coast, by raising the income-tax deductibility of property taxes  the State and Local Tax (SALT)  from $10,000 to $72,500. As head of the Senate Budget Committee Chairman, Bernie Sanders sounded exasperated on election-day Tuesday when he explained that this $400 billion giveaway to the wealthiest 5 percent was so large, that the top 1% would pay lower taxes after passage of the Build Back Better plan than they did after the Trump tax cut in 2017. This is beyond unacceptable.

Sanders pointed out that Democrats campaigned and won on an agenda that demands that the very wealthy finally pay their fair share, not one that gives them more tax breaks.[2] But the Democratic leadership replied that without favoring the Donor Class, their campaign financing would shrink  a prospect that would lead Senate recipients of lobbying largesse to vote down the BBB.

The Democratic leadership argues that failure to raise subsidies and tax breaks for the economys wealthiest rentierlayer while cutting back support for wage-earners will threaten their electoral prospects  by reducing their fundraising appeal to the Donor Class.

The mainstream press chimes in with the view that pro-labor policies are so radical that they will frighten most middle-class voters as an attack on property and their own hopes to somehow join the ranks of the rich someday. President Biden is blaming Progressives for blocking the program by trying to preserve the policies that most voters actually want, and which he himself ran on in his presidential campaign a year ago.

But most voters are wage-earners, after all. And many need child support and other social welfare spending, and lower drug prices and other living costs. Voter polls in Virginia reported that economic issues were their most important concern, as they are in most of the United States.

The problem is that pro-labor social policies are not what the major lobbyists and campaign donors want for themselves and their clients. This that raises the obvious question: Did Democrats lose on Tuesday because their leadership was supporting opposing what their campaign contributors want instead of the Progressive agenda that most voters say want and what they voted for last November?

Is the U.S. political system a democracy, or oligarchy?

Put bluntly, is the Democratic Party an agent of democracy, or oligarchy? The past months Congressional debacle confirms Aristotle description of democracy. Many states have constitutions that are democratic in form, he wrote, but actually are oligarchies.

The reason, he explained, is that democracies tend to evolve into oligarchies as a result of the increasing concentration and polarization of wealth. That gives the leading families control of the political system. (In his schema, oligarchies aim at making themselves hereditary aristocracies.)

Translating the concentration of wealth into political control has been accelerating since the 1980s, and almost all increase in U.S. wealth and income in the year and a half since the Covid-19 outbreak struck in spring 2020 has accrued to the One Percent in the form of rising stock, bond and real estate prices. In the non-financial economy, prices charged by the oil, pharmaceutical and IT monopolies have led the rise, while housing prices have risen nearly 20 percent in the last twelve months. These sectors are the largest lobbyists and political campaign contributors.

The Democratic leadership policy is to back the candidates who are able to raise the most money. For most candidates the lions share come from these lobbyists and special interests, for whom their donations are a business investment. Only a minority of progressive candidates have been able to raise enough small sums from many individuals to become political players.

The situation is much like that of ancient Rome. Its constitution organized voting according to wealth cohorts, mainly measured by land ownership. The wealthiest Senatorial class, followed by the equite Knights, were assigned voting weight overshadowing that of the 99 Percent. In the United States, to be sure, all votes on election day are counted equally. The problem is how to be nominated in the first place and vie with rivals in the political primaries. In Rome, to succeed as a candidate running for office required heavy backing by the wealthy. (Crassus played this role, financing Caesars campaign, among others.) Leading politicians tended to be heavily in debt to their backers.

In the United States, the debt is not as crassly monetary. What is owed is political support. The job description for a politician is to deliver voter support to ones campaign contributors. That is how oligarchies suppress democracy, today as in the Roman Republic.

Centrists and Moderates Support Existing Oligarchic Trends in Economic Polarization

Upon taking office, President Biden said that nothing would really change. This was the opposite of Barack Obamas slogan of hope and change, but it was simply more honest. The Biden Administration not only has maintained Donald Trumps tax cuts for the wealthy, it has increased them under the BBBs SALT provision. Biden has extended offshore oil drilling rights, and policies benefiting the financial and corporate sectors.

This is called being a centrist or moderate. If the world is polarizing between the One Percent and the 99 Percent, between creditors and debtors, monopolists and consumers, where is the middle ground? The Chinese have a proverb: He who comes to a fork in the road and tries to go two roads at once will get a broken hip joint. Being a moderate means not interfering with the economic trends that are polarizing the U.S. economy between the rentierOne Percent at the top and the increasingly indebted 99 Percent.

That is the situation confronting todays economy. Refusing to take steps to change the dynamics that are enriching the oligarchy means not reversing or even slowing the trends that are polarizing the economy. The Democratic Party leadership has opposed the influence of the Progressive Congressional Caucus from the beginning. This is oligarchy, not democracy. It is not even the largely empty formalities of political democracy, to say nothing of substantive economic democracy.

What really is democracy, after all? It is the ability of voters to legislate the policies that they want  and which presumably are in their economic and social interests. But the process is manipulated by the DNCCs reliance on the Donor Class. Its political program is simply an advertising vehicle, with no truth in advertising regulation.

The question is, can it be reformed? Can democracy succeed without replacing the Democratic Party leadership with an altogether different political system from todays Democratic-Republican duopoly with its common set of donors?

What I cannot understand is why the Progressive Caucus has not insisted on naming their own supporters to the DNCC.

The current Democratic impasse shows that no progress can be made without changing the institutional structure of American politics. It seems that the only way to do this is to make sure that the Democratic Party loses so irrevocably in 2022 and 2024 that it is dissolved enough to enable the Progressives to revive the near corpse.

The Democrats Identity Politics  Any Identity Except That of Wage Earners

The Democratic role is to protect the Republican party from challenges from the left. Its tactic has been to replace the traditional economic concerns of voters as wage earners, consumers, debtors and, in a rising proportion of cases, as renters faced with losing their homes if they fall into arrears as rents and housing prices are soaring.

Identity politics is a strategy to fragment the wage-earning majority of voters into separate ethnic, racial and gender identities. That distracts attention from their class consciousness whose interests do not match those of the Donor Class that has gained control of the Democrat-Republican duopoly. This explains the DNCCs refusal to back progressive candidates.

Instead of appealing to wage earners, the Democratic leadership since the 1960s has aimed at getting voters to think of themselves as hyphenated Americans. Half a century ago it was Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans and so forth, with patronage along ethnic lines in the big cities.

Today the identity politics has broadened to aim at women  especially white suburban women (whose support they lost in Virginia), the Hispanic vote (which also faded this week), and support from black voters mobilized by House Majority Whip James Clyburn and what has been called the Black Misleadership Council (whose ethnic support finally is weakening as voters look at who their campaign contributors are). The Democrats calculation has been something like, OK, weve written off the working class. But maybe we can get some voters to think of themselves as some other identity. Theyve pandered to black voters with cultural applause, but not economic benefits. Theyve sought Hispanic support, but that is falling away as the Democrats hesitate to give economic support to low-income workers with families, whom they readily write off when offered enough Donor Class money from corporate lobbyists. The effect of cultural pandering to identity politics fails when voters see their economic condition as being the most important political issue.

Is America a Failed State?

For the moment (late Thursday evening), the BBB is still stymied as Congressional staff ponder over what has become a 2,135-page bill. Little trust is left regarding Manchins hint of support in the Senate. The fear is that the bipartisan $1 trillion business-friendly infrastructure bill will be passed, leaving the BBBs social programs abandoned.

The failure to solve this problem seems to be a duplicitous ploy of President Biden and the Democrats quasi-Republican Clintonite core. Why not simply remove Manchin from his committee memberships, and stop federal subsidy of his West Virginia constituency? Instead, they have put him in charge of the environment bill, which he has disfigured on behalf of the lobbying money he receives from the oil and coal sectors.

It is difficult to see what may take its place of todays political quandary. The United States does not have a European-style parliamentary system that permits new parties to run and be represented in government. If they did, the Democratic Party would probably go the way of European Social-Democratic parties and shrink to a merely marginal has-been.

But real political and economic democracy is blocked by the existing Constitution and the Senate filibuster requiring a 60 percent majority to pass laws, backstopped by a Supreme Court imposing 18th-century solutions to 21st-century finance capitalism and neo-rentiereconomies.

____________

[1]Alexander Duehren, Natalie Andrews and Richard Rubin, Paid Leave Is Back in House Bill, Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2021.

[2]Jordain Carney, Sanders: Proposed five-year SALT cap repeal beyond unacceptable, The Hill, November 2, 2021. The most recent report, as of Nov. 4, is that Sanders agreed to the tax giveaway for home owners making under $400,000, which is now being put forth as the top of middle-class income. SeeSenators Sanders and Menendez Propose Eliminating SALT Cap for People Earning Under $400K.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4984949/senators-sanders-menendez-propose-eliminating-salt-cap-people-earning-400k
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

In one small respect, 2021 hasnt been such a bad year. Weve seen some progress on the right to repair front.

If these reforms hold  and expand  itll be both good for consumers, who will be able to repair stuff they already own when items break, rather than having to pony up for higher-cost replacements. A widened right to repair would benefit the planet as well, as itll not be necessary touse resources to make replacement items, nor to dispose of the waste that discarded items generates.

Up til now, the the most significant right to repair initiatives have occurred at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The agency was blazing a right to repair trail earlier in the year. That trail was widened and extended after President Joe Biden issued an executive order in July directing the FTC to act and since new chair Lina Khan assumed the helm as chair of the agency (see FTC Votes 5-0 to Crack Down on Companies For Thwarting Right to Repair).

Theres been lots of state activity as well  although no state has thus far enacted a rcomprehensive ight to repair statute.

Massachusetts voters approved a significant state right to repair ballot referendum in November 2020 (see Right to Repair Redux: Massachusetts Ballot Questions). The 2020 initiative built on a landmark statute the state enacted after a 2012 ballot referendum that required dealers to share repair information with third-party services. The 2020 measure requires dealers to make diagnostics telematics information they collect available to both the vehicles owner and third-party repair services, rather than allowing dealers to hoard that data and instead force consumers to avail themselves of high-priced dealer repair options.

In Subaru Is Disabling StarLink In Massachusetts For Right-To-Repair Compliance, Jalopnik reported last week that Subaru has decided to disable its telematics system entirely  including for its own use  rather than comply with the Massachusetts requirement to share telematics information with consumers and third-party repair services:

Right to Repair has been a major debate for years, spanning industries like electronics, cars, and even tractors. Last year, Massachusetts voters weighed in on the discussion by passing one of the nations strongest right to repair laws  mandating that automakers make their telematics data easily accessible by third-party repair shops. Manufacturers claimed the mandate was impossible to meet, but Subaru seems to have found a way around it  by turning off StarLink completely for Massachusetts-delivered vehicles. Theres a lot going on here, so lets break it down. Well start with the vehicle telematics data, which is information recorded by the car thats wirelessly sent back to the manufacturer or dealers. This is increasingly used in diagnostics, with cars reporting information about faults and malfunctions directly to a local dealership, where that data can be used to fix the problem. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, theres a downside to that sort of readily available diagnostic data  namely, who its accessible to. If only dealerships can read that information, only they can fix the cars. It cuts out third-party repair shops or owners looking to get their knuckles greasy, and it forces people back to dealers for repairs. Thats often a costly endeavor for the owner.

Massachusetts tried to level out the playing field, so that not only dealerships had access to this information. The issue was not collecting the information per se  but who has access to it in order to fix the vehicle. Per Jalopnik:

The Massachusetts law tried to change that, not by banning telematics but by mandating they be opened up to owners and independent shops. Manufacturers and dealers still get to collect data on cars, but they dont get to be the only ones who can read it. The bill was a godsend for the right to repair movement, but dealers and automakers fought tooth and nail against it.

Now Subaru has found a way not to share the information. To repeat an old cliche, it seems the company is cutting off its nose to spite its face  but Subaru apparently decided that was a worthy trade-off. And as Jalopnik reports, perhaps other automakers will now follow Subarus lead:

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a group that represents nearly every automaker in the United States, argued that manufacturers cant open their telematics systems to the public. When the states Attorney General suggested turning off the systems entirely, the AAI said it would be a practical impossibility to do so only on cars in Massachusetts. And yet, thats exactly what Subaru has done. Any Subaru vehicle sold in the state, starting with model year 2022, will have its StarLink telematics system disabled. The company has essentially taken their ball and gone home  if they cant have exclusive access to repair data, then no one gets access. Of course, telling the state government its impossible to do something that you then proceed to immediately do is a bit of a legal faux pas. The Massachusetts Attorney General is looking to use Subarus move as evidence in the AAIs suit against the state, to undermine their position that compliance with the 2020 law is impossible

Well now have to wait and see as the next chapter in this saga unfolds. Will other automakers follow Subarus lead and shut down these diagnostic systems entirely. Will these systems now be rendered useless? Who will blink first?

Software Right to Repair

Subarus move to disable its telematic software ball in Massachusetts and go home is a right to repair setback.

Yet on the plus side of the ledger, far more significant is a move ny the Librarian of Congress to enact provisions under copyright law that establish a right to repair, as reported last week by Gizmodo in We Just Got the Right to Repairin Theory:

The people can now repair and tinker with their own devices under copyright law. The US Copyright Office (USCO) submitted recommendations, approvedtoday by the Librarian of Congress, to add exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)s rules governing access to devices and software. (This section.) The big one is the new right to get into any consumer software-enabled device (cellphone, laptop, etc) for the purposes of diagnostics, repair, and maintenance.

.

The update is meaningful for anyone who wants to cheaply replace a phone screen, as well as students and tinkerers whod like to learn how things work. But copyright law still cant do much to fix the fact that Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft have deadbolted their devices, shot down right to repair bills, and hoarded parts, all forcing us to simply throw out an otherwise fixable device and purchase a new one. So the change doesnt mean that manufacturers have to make it any easier onusers to crack open the back panel or provide the parts, but it gives you the right to try.

The latest copyright measures are only a start, and a rather modest one at that. Indeed, proponents of an expanded right to repair  especially for digitally-controlled devices  say they dont go far enough. Instead Congress will need to act eventually for consumers to enjoy a robust right to repair. Per Gizmodo:

Youre now also allowed under the DMCA to unlock your cell phone, meaning you can switch carriers without buying a new device. And justifiable jailbreaking has been expanded to routers and smart TVsmeaning you can work around the manufacturers software limitations in order to, for example, download previously inaccessible streaming apps. (Previously approved exemptions allowed users to jailbreak Alexa and Google Assistant.) But the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which proposed some of the exemptions, told Engadget that it was disappointed that the jailbreaking allowances didnt go further. While happy with the fact that the right to repair more broadly covers consumer devices, it stated that non-infringing modifications are critical to communities who are not served by a technologys default functions. Expanding on what the EFF would have liked, senior staff attorney Kit Walsch told Gizmodo that the organization had submitted various examples of non-infringing modifications that should be allowed, including improving digital camera software to enable new artistic options for photographers, making your smart litter box accept third-party cleaning cartridges, customizing a drone to operate on a wire instead of flying, improving the interface on a device to make it less distracting or more accessible (e.g. for colorblind users), and more. Those mods, she said, were left out without much discussion.

Moreover, the rules contain other provisions that drastically circumscribe their reach. According to Gizmodo:

iFixit, a marketplace for repair parts which also offered exemption recommendations, also pointed to the absurd limitations of new rules. The exemptions have to be renewed every three years. And iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens told Gizmodo via email that the USCO still allows the obstructive service contracts manufacturers can use to deny exemptions for commercial and industrial products, anyway. If repair is non-infringing then manufacturers monopoly-preserving service contracts shouldnt prevent the Office from granting an exemption. Until Congress finally fixes Section 1201 and grants a permanent right to repair, were going to be stuck on this ferris wheel with the Copyright Office every three years, Wiens added.

Other right to repair advocates suggest that the current system wastes everyones time and doesnt truly fix the problem. According to Gizmodo:

Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the Repair Association, told Gizmodo via email, adding that federal or state right to repair legislation is really what matters. The exemption process is a huge waste of time for the United States Copyright Office, for service providers and for attorneys on all sides, Gordon-Byrne added. We would be much better served by a law that separates actual evidence of infringement from theoretical speculation.

Not to mention that the Copyright Offices action only addresses software restrictions. Companies that are devoted to thwarting the right to repair, such as Apple, continue to have ample means to do so that render it difficult or even impossible for consumers to tinker with devices that they already own.

Over to Gizmodo:

But elsewhere, manufacturers can imagine innumerable ways to stop people from accessing their own devices. Apple can still obstruct third-party repairers by upping its technology so that certain features dont work unless you use their equipment, like tying face ID to its own screens. Which they do and they will.

Lets not pretend that Bidens executive order even begins to cover the right to repair universe.

Comprehensive legislation is necessary. Congress, where are you?

And states must also continue to chip away at the problem within their borders.
Yves here. It was not hard to anticipate that Defund the police was not going to succeed as a call to political action. Defund the police sounded too much like Get rid of the police when societies with high levels of income inequality have low levels of trust and high levels of crime. Important first steps like making it easier to prosecute and fire bad cops dont make for sexy slogans but would make a meaningful difference near term.1

Even though the Minneapolis ballot initiative was narrowly not a Defund the police measure, it was complex and some voters appear to have conflated with cutting the budget. As this post indicates, people of color who too often are the victims of police bias can live in neighbors with high crime rates and still want police to come when they call.

By Michelle S. Phelps, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Law, University of Minnesota. Originally published at The Conversation

Voters in Minneapolis rejected a measure that would have transformed the citys policing 18 months after the killing of George Floyd thrust the city into the forefront of the police reform debate.

By a 56% to 44% margin, voters said no to a charter amendment that would have replaced the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety focused on public health solutions.

Michelle Phelps at the University of Minnesota leads a project looking at attitudes toward policing in the city. The Conversation asked her to explain what happened in the Nov. 2, 2021, vote and where it leaves both Minneapolis beleaguered police department and police reform movements nationwide. An edited version of her responses are below.

What Have Voters in Minneapolis Rejected?

The wording of the amendment was quite complicated.

In essence, the amendment would have eliminated the existing police department in the city charter and replaced it with a Department of Public Safety charged with delivering a comprehensive public health approach to public safety, with the details of the new department to be determined by the mayor and city council.

So This Was a Defund the Police Bill?

The proposed amendment itself didnt require police numbers be reduced, but it removed a barrier to defunding. It was a chance for a new approach to policing.

The amendment would have eliminated a city charter requirement that Minneapolis maintain a minimum number of officers based on population size. And it would have shifted some of the power for policing matters from the mayor to the city council, which could have required the new department to focus resources on alternatives to uniformed police, such as unarmed community officers or mental health specialists.

Why Did the Amendment Fail?

The vote should not be seen as evidence that Minneapolis residents are content with city policing. Polls have shown that the Minneapolis Police Department is viewed broadly unfavorably, especially among Black residents. And 44% of voters did vote in favor of the amendment, so it is very much a mixed signal.

The reasons people voted against the amendment were complex. Yes, there was an element of resentment among white, more conservative Minneapolis residents who saw this as a radical attack on law and order. But it failed to get enough support among precincts with majority Black residents too.

One possible reason: As well as being more likely to face police brutality, Black Americans are also more likely to ask for the assistance of officers due to neighborhood violence. This bled into concerns over the impact that the amendment would have on police officer numbers.

As a result, the Black community was divided over the amendment. At the same time that some Black activists and city leaders were calling for dismantling or abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department, other Black residents in North Minneapolis were suing the city to hire more officers.

Who Voted Against the Amendment?

We dont have a full breakdown of the vote yet, but we have precinct heat maps that give a rough indication of who voted yes and who no.

Support for the amendment was high in some parts of South Minneapolis, especially the multiracial communities around George Floyd Square. There was also strong support in some gentrifying neighborhoods where there are a lot of young white voters.

In the southwest precincts  where there are clusters of wealthy, white residents  there was very strong opposition to the amendment. But most precincts in North Minneapolis, which has the highest proportion of Black voters, also voted no on average. When looked at through the lens of race, the story of the amendment is complicated.

Initial poll results also suggest age was an important a divide, if not more so than race.

In sum, both support for, and opposition against, question 2 in Minneapolis highlights the complex racial politics around both fear of police violence and fear of crime.

Are Those Fears Supported?

Certainly opponents of the amendment have tried to argue that efforts to reimagine policing has left Minneapolis less safe. It is true that a lot of officers have left the force since the summer of 2020  many have left to go to departments outside the city, while others are on medical leave for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

And there is a perception among the public that fewer officers results in greater community violence. But the truth of the matter is trickier. The city has not defunded the police  the budget for 2021 was roughly in line with 2020. So the drop in officer numbers is not a result of the city defunding the department. Instead, officers are leaving the force. And theres some evidence too that the officers that remain have at times shirked their duties to the public or pulled back in proactive activities.

It is too simple to say that the reduction in police numbers has resulted in the increase in violent crime. We also have to factor in the economic and social impacts of the pandemic, along with the fact that the courts were also shut down during that period.

At the same time, there has been an intense scrutiny on police violence in Minneapolis since George Floyds murder, and this has changed how officers and citizens interact  911 calls have declined, relative to the rate of shootings, and trust is at a low. Meanwhile the uptick in gun sales likely contributed to the increase as well. So there are a lot of factors beyond the number of police, or what they do, that can fuel violence or promote safety.

What Is Next for Police Reform in Minneapolis?

Im not convinced this is the end of the amendment  it could return in some form. Yes, it failed this time, but there is a core of residents, organizers and activists who want to move away from the status quo when it comes to law enforcement.

The immediate concern for the city will be hiring officers to comply with a court order to comply with the minimum officers standard in the city charter, in addition to continuing to work to reform the department. So we will likely see more officers, not less, in the immediate future.

But there is real momentum for transformations in policing beyond reform. It is still possible that Minneapolis gets a Department of Public Safety, but through city ordinances rather than amendment and without disbanding the Minneapolis Police Department. And the city is continuing to onboard new mental health professionals to respond to some 911 calls.

Meanwhile, we have an ongoing federal Department of Justice investigation. That could well end with a consent decree or memorandum of understanding that would mandate some of the changes that activists and community members are looking for.

How Will This Vote Affect the Wider Police Reform Movement?

After George Floyd, what happens with policing in Minneapolis is no longer just about Minneapolis.

For advocates of the type of transformative changes envisioned by the amendment, it is a mixed result. While some may argue that the failure of the amendment to pass confirms that police defunding or abolition is politically toxic, close to half of the electorate voted for it  momentum has never been higher, despite the loss.

And had it been followed by continued increases in shootings, the danger would have been that the amendment would have been held responsible. The silver lining for those pushing for a yes vote is that perhaps the city now has the chance to develop alternative public health models without as much national scrutiny.

One thing is sure: This is not the end of the conversation.

____

1 Remember that Derek Chauvin was a stereotypical bad cop, with a record of complaints. And a study of failed policing reforms in Los Angeles found that it was a classic power law problem: a small number of officers accounted for nearly all of the serious misconduct, and they were all repeat offenders. But it is rational for better cops to stay silent about abuses they see, lest they wind up with no backup when they are in a bad situation.
(Natural News) AUCKLAND  A 23-year-old warehouse worker did what her employer and government told her to do, in order to keep her job. Now she can no longer work and her prognosis is grim.

(Article republished from TheCOVIDBlog.com)

Ms. Casey Hodgkinson received her first Pfizer mRNA injection on September 25, according to her Facebook page. The adverse effects were severe and immediate. Her tongue went completely numb within an hour, followed by minor convulsions. The next day, her arms and legs went numb. Despite all that was going on, Ms. Hodgkinson tried to maintain normalcy. She went to work at Mighty Ape, an online retailer in New Zealand, on Monday, September 27. She works in the warehouse as an order picker and packer via a temp agency.

Co-workers noticed something was wrong with her. She somehow finished the day through sheer exhaustion, pain and weakness in her limbs. Ms. Hodgkinson arrived at work on Tuesday, but left early as the convulsion and weakness in her limbs worsened. She checked into the emergency room on September 29, according to Mike Wilson, who appears to have conducted an interview with Ms. Hodgkinson and her mother. Mr. Wilson made clear that he is not anti-vax.

Doctors admitted that Ms. Hodgkinson was having severe adverse reactions to the mRNA shots. But they also said it will settle soon and was a sign of a really good immune response. All the while, Ms. Hodgkinson was in a wheelchair because she could no longer walk on her own. By Friday, October 1, the convulsions were completely debilitating and extremely painful. Ms. Hodgkinson went to her regular doctor that day. He also exhibited completely aloofness, telling Ms. Hodgkinson that she should try to go for a walk.





At this point, a regular day for Ms. Hodgkinson looked like this.

Worsening symptoms, no help from medical establishment

By mid-October, Ms. Hodgkinson could no longer do anything on her own. She suffered ongoing full-body convulsions, vocal tics, muscles locking into place for hours at a time, excruciating joint pain, headaches, and numbness in between all that, according to her mother, Anna Hodgkinson. Anna made clear that she is not anti-vax. But she said Casey only got the injection to keep her job, which she can no longer do now anyway.

Weve covered some egregious post-injection medical indifference by doctors in Australia, Europe and the United States. But this case is perhaps the most blatant display of evil and contempt for human life by the global medical establishment. Casey visited North Shore Hospital a total of four times. The first visit is described above.

On the second visit, Casey was told that she might be the victim of TikTok hysteria and that her adverse effects are all in her head. Doctors referred to her inability to speak as conversation disorder. She tried a second general practitioner since the first one wouldnt help her. But the second one was even worse. They took her off the neurologist referral list and referred her to a psychiatrist. Both North Shore and the two GPs pushed the fallacy that Ms. Hodgkinson had a family history of tics and thats what shes experiencing now.

The situation was scary at North Shore. They would neither allow Ms. Hodgkinsons boyfriend to stay with her, nor even contact her by phone. She finally spoke out for herself via Facebook on October 18. The update is a microcosm of the sad reality for people who shares their stories of vaccine adverse reactions. Not only did Ms. Hodgkinson reiterate that she only got the shot to keep her job, but seemed to concede that her life will never be the same. The saddest part, unfortunately, is how her own family laughs at her and belittles her situation.

What has hurt me most of all.. is family members have treated my issue as if it is nothing.. trying to make themselves feel better. Because they believe in the Vaccine. I dont care if you are against it or not.. all I wanted was support from family.. not issues.. Ive had family members laugh at my ordeal. . . Ive had family members tell others to push my mum and sisters into getting the vaccine. And family members are saying wrong information. And I am sick of it..





Meanwhile her condition is worsening by the day. Ms. Hodgkinson was rushed back to North Shore Hospital on October 26 in severe pain and suffering a really bad episode. But once again she was discharged without being helped at all. She was essentially told to deal with it because doctors there are operating on the fallacious notion that Ms. Hodgkinson has a family history of tics and its simply hereditary. Anna, the mother, provided the update.

Anna posted another update on Caseys deteriorating health on October 29. Doctors gave Casey schizophrenia and anxiety medication for help. Casey is essentially a shell of her old self and her mother also seems to be accepting that theres nothing that can or will be done.

The most recent video of Ms. Hodgkinson is hard to watch. The interview with Ms. Hodgkinson by Mike Wilson can be seen here. He concludes the video asking Casey and Anna, are we anti-vaxx? Anna shook her head no. Casey, as best she could, said, No. If I was anti-vaxx, why the hell did I take it?

High-risk of this happening to all vaxxed people

These uncontrollable convulsions are the second-most common adverse reaction to these injections covered on this blog since January. Of course death is the leading adverse reaction to these injections, with blood clots coming in third.

No objective, pure human being can call post-injection convulsions and seizures rare anymore. Anyone using that type of language to describe this condition is the enemy. Dont bother exerting energy trying to communicate with those types. We can also definitively conclude that this specific adverse reaction happens immediately in all cases, meaning within hours or days after the shots. Thus if you escape the first few days or weeks without it, youre likely in the clear.

As evil as mainstream media and big tech are, you have to give credit where its due. These people have literally monopolized the narrative and disseminated these vaccines are safe and vaccine equal freedom fallacies globally. Despite all the indisputable evidence and stories of death and maiming, the cult stays loyal. The only zombie movie or show this blogger has ever seen (havent owned a television since 2008) is the Will Smith one (I Am Legend?). Is that really where this world is headed, like really soon?

Keep dried beans and rice in your home at all time in case of emergency. This blogger filled a 260-gallon water storage tank in three months just by filling the 5-gallon ones at grocery stores and dumping them in. Guns and ammo are also vital for those in the United States. No more time for lollygagging. Drop the dead weight in your life (i.e. zombie-like people) and look out for your own.

Stay vigilant and protect your friends and loved ones.

Read more at: TheCOVIDBlog.com
(Natural News) New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has found that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines are not even close to being safe for pregnant women like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims they are.

Dr. Simon Thornley, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, and Dr. Aleisha Brock, also from New Zealand, say that a re-analysis of the data clearly shows that pregnant women should not be getting injected for the Fauci Flu.

It turns out that miscarriages during the first trimester are as high as 91 percent in women who take the jab. The original data that was used by the federal government to authorize the jab for pregnant women in the first place clearly shows this.

Based on this data, the New Zealand researchers calculated a range of 81.9 percent to 91.2 percent spontaneous abortions in women who get injected for the Fauci Flu before 20 weeks gestation. (RELATED: The latest science shows that Chinese Virus injections are causing more disease.)

We question the conclusions of the Shimabukuro et al. study to support the use of the mRNA vaccine in early pregnancy, which has now been hastily incorporated into many international guidelines for vaccine use, including in New Zealand, the researchers wrote.

The assumption that exposure in the third trimester cohort is representative of the effect of exposure throughout pregnancy is questionable and ignores past experience with drugs such as thalidomide. Evidence of safety of the product when used in the first and second trimesters cannot be established until these cohorts have been followed to at least the perinatal period or long-term safety determined for any of the babies born to mothers inoculated during pregnancy.

Pfizer says small print admits that data does not support jabbing pregnant women

In an attempt to defend itself, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer noted that the fine print on its website does admit that the latest available data on its jab being administered to pregnant women are insufficient to inform vaccine-associated risks in pregnancy.

The CDC, on the other hand, is claiming ignorance. According to its researchers, there are not any obvious safety signals associated with jabbing pregnant women, so the green light was given to authorize them in this demographic.

We are aware that some of the data has been used to calculate a higher rate of miscarriage, the CDC claimed when it first authorized the jabs for use in pregnant women.

This is not an appropriate calculation based on the data available because more than 1,000 pregnancies were ongoing, and their outcome data was not available at the time of the report. About 1025% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. CDC experts will continue to study the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on pregnancies and closely monitor any safety concerns.

The CDC is doubling down in defense of the shots, claiming the miscarriage risk is well within the range of what is considered to be acceptable. The agency also says that the benefits of getting injected while pregnant far outweigh any known or potential risks.

With few exceptions, the CDC says that all pregnant women should roll up their sleeves and take the jab at warp speed. It is still pushing the narrative that not getting the jab increases the risk of fatality or severe outcome should one test positive for Chinese Germs.

No one should be taking that poison, noted one commenter at The Epoch Times about how these injections are unfit for any human body, pregnant or otherwise.

The latest news about injuries and deaths caused by Wuhan Flu shots can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Republican lawmakers accused Dr. Anthony Faucis National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of failing to properly oversee risky experiments funded with taxpayer dollars. These experiments occurred in Chinese laboratories at the city where the first cases of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) were detected.

At the heart of the issue is the research overseen by the EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit organization that received federal grants to conduct research on bat coronaviruses.

According to the terms of EcoHealths agreement with NIAID, the latter is supposed to be notified if the formers experiments in Wuhan resulted in the creation of a virus with enhanced growth of more than 10 times (one log).

One of the experiments that EcoHealth oversaw  which involved modified bat coronaviruses  resulted in a virus increasing by more than three logs. But EcoHealth did not stop the experiment or alert NIAID. (Related: Fauci under fire for funding inhumane experiments that tortured beagle puppies to death.)

As a result, NIAIDs oversight of the grant failed to detect the viral growth issue and, notably, did not hold EcoHealth accountable for violating the terms of its grant, wrote Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington.

McMorris Rodgers is the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Republican Reps. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Morgan Griffith of Virginia also signed the letter.

The three lawmakers, along with Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, have been probing EcoHealths research as it received nearly $4 million in taxpayer funding from NIAID since 2014.

In light of their concerns, the representatives are demanding that Fauci answer questions regarding the National Institutes of Healths (NIH) and NIAIDs role in funding EcoHealths coronavirus research.

Does NIH plan to stop funding Ecohealth until it is compliant with NIHs requests? wrote the lawmakers. Does NIH plan to recover the money paid to EcoHealth on its suspended grant?

Lawmakers calling on Fauci to resign or be fired

Multiple lawmakers have recently renewed their call for Fauci to resign or be fired for lying about the NIHs participation in coronavirus research in Wuhan.

The latest prominent politician to call for Faucis dismissal is Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. The senator wants Fauci to be fired over a lack of judgment.

He should be fired, said Paul during an interview on HBO program Axios on HBO.

The thing is, is just for lack of judgment of nothing else, and I, you know, hes probably never going to admit that he lied, hes going to continue to dissemble and try to work around the truth and massage the truth.

Pauls renewed call for Fauci to be removed from his position comes after Lawrence Tabak, the principal deputy director of the NIH, wrote a letter to McMorris Rodgers that revealed new details regarding the agencys grant to EcoHealth.

Paul accused Tabak and the NIH of admitting to conducting gain-of-function research, or research that involves manipulating viruses to make them deadlier or more transmissible. The federal health agency has explicitly denied this claim.

But in Tabaks letter, he admitted that unpublished data showed that laboratory mice infected with a bat coronavirus became sicker than those infected with a different kind of bat coronavirus.

In the letter they acknowledge that yes, the viruses did gain-of-function, they became more dangerous, explained Paul. So theyve created a virus that doesnt exist in nature to become more dangerous, that is gain-of-function.

Now they try to justify it by saying Well, it was an unexpected result,' he continued. Im not sure I buy that. Think about it. You take an unknown virus, you combine it with another virus and you get a super virus. You have no idea whether it gains function or loses function, thats what the experiment is, but I dont know how anybody could argue that thats not gain-of-function research.

Learn more about Faucis role in coronavirus research and his connection to Wuhan by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Republicans-EnergyCommerce.House.gov [PDF]

TheHill.com
(Natural News) The boom and bust of memecoin sensation Squid Game or Squid revealed the dark side of cryptocurrency.

According to CoinMarketCap pricing, Squid  inspired by the Netflix hit series Squid Game  surged more than 230,000 percent in the past week to $2,861.80 only to plunge 100 percent to less than half a cent as of Monday, Nov. 1.

Betting on the right coin can lead to jaw-dropping riches, said Antoni Trenchev, co-founder of crypto lender Nexo. The problem is, what goes up in a straight line tends to retreat in a similar fashion. You hear that some memecoin investors dont care about the losses. But once the selling starts, a cascading effect can play out. So its wise to only use money you can afford to lose.

However, investors cannot be faulted for betting on Squid. The S&P 500 Index more than doubled in the past five years, and Bitcoin rocketed more than 80-fold  albeit with much of the rally occurring in the past year. Memecoins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu have also surged, often for no particular reason.

Some digital assets have had eye-popping gains, with the past years bull market spreading beyond the likes of Bitcoin and Ether to other tokens, decentralized finance projects and more. Dogecoin, which started in 2013 as a joke, has soared 10,000 percent in the past year, according to CoinGecko pricing. Shiba Inu, which was created just last year, has soared more than 90,000,000 percent.

What happened to Squid revealed another side of the cryptocurrency frenzy. Theres always the possibility for demand to suddenly dry up or for developers to abandon a project and abscond with the funds in a scam known as a rug pull. (Related: The bitcoin bubble explained: Understanding the mathematics of the inevitable bitcoin crash.)

Whether thats what happened with Squid is still unclear. But even before the drop, there were inconsistencies around trading. CoinMarketCap posted a warning that it had received multiple reports that users werent able to sell the token on PancakeSwap, a decentralized exchange.

Please do your own due diligence and exercise extreme caution. This project, while clearly inspired by the Netflix show of the same name, is not affiliated with the official IP, it says at the top of the Squid page, referring to intellectual property.

Cryptocurrency frenzy driven by younger people willing to take risks

Raoul Pal, the co-founder of crypto investment platform Real Vision Group, said that the cryptocurrency frenzy is part of a seismic shift driven by younger people who arent looking for modest returns, but are instead willing to take huge risks in order to make huge amounts of money.

Others trace the speculative frenzy to the mountains of cash floating around the global financial system as the Federal Reserve and other central banks keep monetary spigots open to counter the effects of the Wuhan coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. But these easy-money policies have an eventual expiration date.

Theres just a lot of money looking for the best theme. Silly or otherwise. The hot ball of money effect, said Jonathan Cheesman, head of over-the-counter and institutional trading at crypto derivatives exchange FTX.

One consequence is that crypto projects that have invested significant time and energy from knowledgeable people who want to apply the technology to create utility  whether its in financial tools like with DeFi, or ownership rights like with NFTs or countless other potential areas  find themselves outranked by tokens that were seemingly created with almost no effort at all.

It is somewhat intellectually insulting to see a meme coin like #SHIB have a higher market cap than other projects like #Algorand, #Avalanche #Polygon #Stellar where years of R&D, innovation and PhD talent and time has been dedicated to advancing this space, PwC Global Crypto Leader Henri Arslanian said.

Crypto has delivered some wild rides. This reality may be easy to forget with Bitcoin and Ether both trading near all-time highs. Bitcoin, for example, dropped more than 80 percent from high to low between December 2017 and December 2018.

One doesnt need to go back that far to find another example. Just look at Dogecoin earlier this year.

On April 13 it was priced at 7 cents; 25 days later it peaked at 74 cents, and raced into the top 10 cryptos before slumping almost 80% in the next six weeks, Nexos Trenchev said. Thats how fast the crypto market can turn against you.

Investment history is strewn with examples of booms and busts. The verdict on this current craze has yet to be determined, but individuals who are piling in now risk learning a hard lesson somewhere down the line. Squid investors already did.

Follow BitcoinCollapse.news for more news related to the boom and bust of cryptocurrencies.

Sources include:

Finance.Yahoo.com

AnandMarket.in
(Natural News) Is your employer demanding that you get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) in order to continue working? If so, consider joining the tens of thousands of health freedom advocates from all across the country who will be participating in next weeks Nationwide Walkout & Stand for Freedom event.

Advocates for Citizens Rights, a California-based non-profit group founded by attorney Leigh Dundas, along with Robert Kennedy Jr.s Childrens Health Defense (CHD), have together organized a voluntary work strike across multiple key sectors of the economy, including healthcare, education, telecommunications, supply chain, transport and government. The strike will take place for four days from November 8-11.

Anyone is welcome to participate, of course, but these key industries really need to feel the heat as they are among the worst offenders when it comes to forcing Fauci Flu shots on their employees. The following flyer has more details about the four-day no-show event, which aims to put an immediate end to the Biden regimes fascist jab mandates.

This nationwide walkout has spread like wildfire, with white collar professionals joining the supply chain workers and truckers  and employees from every industry and all faiths, creeds, races and political affiliations  now pledging they will strike during the week of November 8, as a statement that jobs should never be conditioned on medical mandates and tyranny, Dundas is quoted as saying.

Will you stand in solidarity with Americas workforce to promote health freedom?

Up until this point, there have only been sporadic walkouts here and there that have had a nominal impact, but not enough to end the tyranny. Freedom-loving Boeing employees, for instance, started a grassroots movement where they are now skipping work every Friday as part of a routine sickout protest.

Employees at Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Amtrak, among others, are doing much the same thing, which is believed to be the reason for continued flight and train cancellations.

All of this is voluntary, just to be clear. Nobody is encouraging any employees to do anything illegal. The goal is simply to take a stand for what is right and hopefully put a stop to the escalating government overreach when it comes to peoples bodies.

Forcing people to get injected with mystery chemicals that they do not want is a form of medical rape that must not be tolerated. My body, my choice must always be preserved when it comes to the practice of medicine, as anything done to someone without their consent amounts to medical violence.

Among the supporters of this event are Clay Clark and General Flynn, who co-host the Re-Awaken America Tour, Dr. Simone Gold of Americas Frontline Doctors (AFLDS), Ann Vandersteel, and Doug Billings, among many others.

A couple weeks ago, I started getting calls from the blue-collar guys, Dundas is further quoted as saying. You know, the folks who actually run this country. Because Americans dont often have cause to reflect on this simple truth, but the fact is that this country does not run on the backs of people like you and me. It runs on the backs of blue-collar workers who make products, and who move products.

The blue-collar folks I talked to were working at large companies that were 40%, 50%, and often as high as 75% unvaccinated  and willing to hold the line. These guys are drawing a line in the sand, making a stand for freedom. And I believe in my core that the week of November 8 will go down in the history books as the day that freedom rose up, tyrannical mandates went on the run, and history was changed for the better.

The latest news about the Chinese Virus can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

HumanEvents.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Twenty states have filed lawsuits to block President Joe Bidens recent Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate for federal contractors.

The wave of lawsuits began in mid-September when Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed the first lawsuit against Bidens vaccine mandate.

The federal government cannot force people to get the COVID-19 vaccine, said Brnovich in a press release following the filing of the lawsuit. The Biden Administration is once again flouting our laws and precedents to push their radical agenda.

On Oct. 28, Florida became the second state to sue the Biden administration over the mandate. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said the mandate is unlawfully jeopardizing thousands of jobs.

Just because youre a business that does federal contracts, its not right for the federal government to come in and rewrite those contracts and then try and shoehorn this in, said DeSantis.

The very next day, a group of 10 states filed a lawsuit against an executive order signed by Biden last month that mandated vaccinations for all federal contractors, including millions of employees of private businesses that work with the government. This mandate does not provide an opt-out option that involves regular COVID-19 testing. (Related: Federal judge steps up, temporarily blocks Biden regime from firing federal workers, contractors over COVID vaccine mandate.)

The 10 states that filed a lawsuit together are Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. According to their lawsuit, they called the mandate unconstitutional, unlawful and unwise.

If the federal government attempts to unconstitutionally exert its will and force federal contractors to mandate vaccinations, the workforce and businesses could be decimated, further exacerbating the supply chain and workforce crises, wrote Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in a statement released on Oct. 29. The federal government should not be mandating vaccinations, and thats why we filed suit today  to halt this illegal, unconstitutional action.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The states are asking the court to declare Bidens vaccine mandate unconstitutional and to block the administration from enforcing public health mandates for federal contractors such as vaccinations and masking requirements.

Vaccine mandates force employers to make an impossible choice: fire the unvaccinated or lose federal contracts

Seven other Republican states brought another challenge against the federal vaccine mandate on Oct. 31.

The lawsuit is led by Georgia and it includes the states of Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia. These states are calling the mandate unconstitutional, illegal and logistically unworkable and they are asking the courts to place a permanent injunction on the mandate.

According to the lawsuit, the vaccine mandate forces contractors to make an impossible choice.

The mandate either forces employers to take enforcement action that may include firing every single unvaccinated worker they have or lose a lot of business from lucrative federal contracts.

And because the administration has already amended the guidance multiple times, there is no telling what other onerous obligations may put state agencies in breach at a moments notice, the lawsuit stated.

We will not allow the Biden administration to circumvent the law or force hardworking Georgians to choose between their livelihood or this vaccine, said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Biden has again demonstrated open disdain for the rule of law in seizing power Congress never gave him, said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.

The state of Texas also filed a separate lawsuit against the vaccine mandate on Oct. 29 in a federal district court in Galveston, Texas.

The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed its disdain for Americans for Americans who choose not to get a vaccine, and it has committed repeated and abusive federal overreach to force upon Americans something they do not want, said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who filed the lawsuit.

The federal government does not have the ability to strip individuals of their choice to get a vaccine or not. If the president thinks his patience is wearing thin, he is clearly underestimating the lack of patience from Texans whose rights he is infringing.

Learn more about the attempts to overturn the federal governments illegal and unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandates by reading the latest articles at VaccineWars.com.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com 1

LifeSiteNews.com 2

MeriTalk.com

InsuranceJournal.com
(Natural News) A study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that Americans who received Johnson & Johnsons (J&J) Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine have a higher risk of developing blood clotting conditions than the general population. Findings showed that women are also more likely to develop blood clotting.

For the study, scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, compared data from the general population before the pandemic to data gathered from reported vaccine side effects experienced by American citizens after inoculation.

Findings revealed that those given the J&J COVID-19 vaccine was at least 3.5 times as likely to develop brain blood clots compared to an average person before the pandemic.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and stroke risk

Blood clotting, particularly cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), is a common side effect of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. But despite the health risks of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, the scientists claim that the risk is rare and that the findings should still be considered in the context of the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing severe cases of the infectious disease.

For the study, the scientists harvested data from Olmstead County, Minnesota, which had a population of at least 158,000 people and is located 90 miles southeast of Minneapolis. The data gathered was from 2001 to 2015. During the 14-year period, there were 39 residents who developed CVST, a rare and potentially deadly blood clotting condition that can form in the brain.

The research team also used the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to find diagnoses of blood clots in people who were given the J&J COVID-19 vaccine between the vaccines approval date at the end of February to May 7.

Out of the 39 Olmstead County residents with CVST, 29 had a risk factor within the 92 days proceeding development of the blood clot like active cancer, infection or oral contraceptives (only in women).

After the data was adjusted for the population, the researchers reported that there were 2.46 cases of CVST out of every 100,000 person-years in Olmstead County residents who developed blood clotting during that period. In studies, person-years take into account both the number of people in the study and the amount of time they spend in the study.

A person develops CVST when a blood clot forms in their brains venous sinuses. This then prevents blood from draining out of the brain. This means blood cells can break, causing blood to leak into the brain tissues, forming a hemorrhage.

This chain of events is part of a stroke that may occur in adults and children, and even in newborns and babies still in the womb. CVST is also called cerebral sinovenous thrombosis.

Symptoms of the condition may vary, depending on the location of the thrombus. Some physical symptoms of CVST include:

Blurred vision

Headache

Loss of control over movement in parts of the body

Seizures

Fainting or loss of consciousness

Coma

Women are more likely to develop CVST after vaccination

An estimated 8.7 million doses of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the U.S. from February to May. The research team found 46 reports of CVST submitted to VAERS after receiving the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. However, eight reports were removed from the pool because some were either duplicate reports or were not professionally diagnosed.

Overall, the scientists identified 38 cases of CVST linked to the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 70 percent of the cases occurring among women. When adjusted for population, results showed that there were 8.65 cases out of every 100,000 person-years among people who received the vaccine, which is 3.5 times higher than the general population.

Additionally, the study revealed that vaccine recipients have a higher risk of developing CVST within the first 15 days after receiving the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. Women aged 30 to 64 had a higher risk of CVST following inoculation.

This isnt the first time that the J&J COVID-19 vaccine was linked to blood clotting risk among inoculated people.

On April 13, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration suspended the emergency use authorization of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine after six women developed blood clotting following vaccination. Records suggest all of the women had pre-existing conditions that put them at an increased risk of developing the clots. (Related: Massachusetts State Police officer taken to the ICU after receiving Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine.)

On April 23, the usage of the vaccine was resumed. However, the company issued a warning to women under the age of 50 about the blood clotting risk. Its no wonder that the J&J COVID-19 vaccine is the least popular of the three coronavirus vaccines available in America.

Visit Vaccines.news for more information about the adverse effects of different COVID-19 vaccines.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

VerywellHealth.com

HopkinsMedicine.org
(Natural News) Americans generally can be slow to anger as adults, willing to take things in stride for as long as possible when it comes to most political issues.

But they become fierce mama and papa bears when the Marxist Democrats come for their children.

For months, school board meetings have been rife with complaints from parents and other concerned citizens over divisive and wholly inappropriate materials being taught to their children, especially critical race theory, which pushes the lie that white supremacy is systemic throughout our society and that just because our institutions were founded and devised mostly by whites, that American society is inherently and hopelessly racist against people of color.

Granted, we werent always a perfect country, but our founders gave us the means to fix what wasnt working via our constitutional amendment and lawmaking processes. And it didnt hurt that our Constitution and Declaration of Independence were premised on the fundamental principle that all of us were created equal in Gods eyes.

But the extreme left has been pushing their destructive ideology via our public school systems for decades, slowly but surely, in a bid to create a society of mind-numbed Autobots who have been propagandized into oblivion. CRT curriculum was just the latest pabulum being spoon-fed to our kids, but it has proven to be a left-wing program too far, according to Breitbart News:

The victory of Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin (R) over former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has spurred excitement for future Republican wins, but the triumphs in local school board races hold special significance for those parents who fought big battles against leftist tyranny and Marxist-based Critical Race Theory (CRT) right in their own communities.

Ryan James Girduskys 1776 Project PAC has helped a number of candidates for local school boards win their elections. He and the PAC tweeted out the victories.

My PAC won 3 school board elections in Virginia tonight against CRT https://t.co/0E94xe5T0T  Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) November 3, 2021

Clean Sweep in Douglas County School Board, Colorado! Congrats to Mike Peterson, Becky Myers, Christy Williams, and Kaylee Winegar!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Another sweep! Congrats to Ivy Liu and Jamilynn DAvola who both won school board seats in Falcon District 49, El Paso Colorado!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

We won 3 school board seats in the very blue Johnson County, KS tonight! Congrats to Kaety Bowers in Blue Valley as well as Robert Kuhn and Brian Connell who won seats in Olathe County!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

We won 3 school board seats in the very blue Johnson County, KS tonight! Congrats to Kaety Bowers in Blue Valley as well as Robert Kuhn and Brian Connell who won seats in Olathe County!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Congrats to our endorsed candidate in Andover, KS  Tim Brunson who won his school board election!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Congrats to Sally Tong, our candidate endorsed in Cherry Hill, NJ who won her school board seat!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Congrats to Greg Young, Jessica Bradbury, and Marissa Ruggiero Rocco. Three Candidates we backed for school board in Montgomery County, PA. They all won tonight!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Clean sweep of anti-CRT candidates in Perkiomen School Board in the very blue Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Congrats to Don Fountain, Rowan Keenan, Jason Saylor, and Jason Geddes!  1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) November 3, 2021

Christy Williams, one of four Kids First Douglas County, Colo., candidates, addressed a rowdy crowd at a supporter appreciation party in Parker, Colo.

I am humbled to my core, she told Fox News. I think theres a lot to look at, but ultimately I hope to give parents the ultimate authority over their children.

Williams won along with Mike Peterson, Becky Myers and Kaylee Winegar.

Ill tell you what, free speech is back, Peterson told Fox News. No more cutting people off at two minutes, no more telling people that waving an American flag in support of a speaker is intimidation.

And were going to do the First Amendment in the boardroom, thats for sure, he added.

Parents can put up with a lot but they generally will not put up with other adults trying to brainwash their kids.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

AmericanWireNews.com

NewsTarget.com
(Natural News) The Twitter account Libs of Tik Tok has shared yet another shocking clip of some deranged mother (poor kids) who decided to log onto the China-owned app and threaten to infect the unvaccinated with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) once her infant children are able to get the jab.

Following the announcement by KCCI that Iowa prepares for COVID-19 vaccine rollout for kids age 5-11, the crazy-eyed woman, presumably also from Iowa, starts to celebrate the good news  watch below:

So, finally some good news: kids can get the vaccine, five and up, starting next week! she says gleefully. Thats great news!

The woman then immediately launches into a nonsensical tirade about how once her tiny kids are able to get their DNA permanently modified with deadly spike proteins at some point in the future, all bets are off, you anti-vaxxers.

Uh, yeah, she then goes on to say. If I, um, if I can spread it, like, unknowingly after that, um, Im gonna sneeze on ya, a lot of ya, a lot of you, all bets are off, because were all done, were all done with you.

On the surface, it would appear as though this woman really believes that her fully vaccinated sneezes are a danger to the unvaccinated, but only once her toddlers are able to get vaccinated.

It gets worse, though. The woman then proceeds to promise that she fully intends to harm the unvaccinated once her children are vaccinated, and hopefully get other peoples children taken away from them by the state.

So, as soon as these guys can be safe, screw the rest of you, the woman says plainly about her intentions.

Screw the rest of you. Because were done. Were done. Yeah, yeah. No more kind liberal here. Done.

Covidism is a mental illness

If this person truly believes that the unvaccinated are at risk from her coughing on them, then why not cough on them now? What is the point of waiting until after her infants are given the green light by Tony Fauci to get injected along with everyone else to start coughing biological weapons onto her political enemies?

She also does not seem to realize that her statements could be considered a terroristic threat. If the Chinese Virus really does exist and is spread contagiously in the way Fauci claims, then this woman is basically threatening to murder others out of spite.

And since when is there such a thing as a kind liberal? Talk about delusional. This woman would not know kindness if it smacked her upside the head, jarring her out of her maniacal stupor.

The sad thing is that some of your kids will die, but I hope they dont, she says at the end of her rant. Maybe theyll just take your kids from you. That would be good.

Commenters at Libs of Tik Tok had a heyday with this one.

In a sane world, shed be detained pending psychiatric assessment, one of them wrote.

The things I as a doctor could get that compliant woman to do are frightening, wrote another, partially in jest.

I imagine that this is what demonic possession looks like, jabbed another.

Does that mean after her kids get stuck we can go back to the way things were before the outbreak because all bets are off?' asked another. Im so ready!

More related news about the delusional tyranny of the Branch Covidians can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Hartford Healthcare in Connecticut started giving kids the Pfizer Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine just minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially approved its use for children aged five to 11.

The hospital reportedly vaccinated six children with low doses of Pfizers vaccine, causing a storm of controversy as there is zero evidence that vaccinating children is necessary. Data has shown that COVID poses little to no risk to the age group, with children accounting for less than 0.1 percent of COVID deaths in America.

On Oct. 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use authorization of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11. The decision puts the U.S. as one of the first countries in the world to officially approve a COVID-19 vaccine from that age group.

Meanwhile, British scientists warned officials against blindly following their footsteps as far as vaccination is concerned, advising them to weigh the risks extremely carefully.

David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia said that vaccinating children to protect adults via herd immunity is ethically dubious and scientifically weak. With fears of myocarditis detected in children, many critics say that they are better off catching COVID and getting natural protection than giving them injections with known adverse effects.

Adverse effects of vaccine on kids more concerning than COVID

The CDC convened a panel of independent scientists to review the available data on the status of COVID-19 outbreak in children and the effectiveness of Pfizers vaccine as well as its possible side effects. The panel unanimously recommended the vaccine, with the CDC endorsing the recommendation.

However, the main concern was the risk of myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle detected in mostly male adolescents and young adults after vaccination with Pfizer or Moderna shots.

There are also signs that natural immunity is already slowing down the epidemic.

Most cases of myocarditis after a COVID injection are mild and treatable, but the U.K. governments scientific advisers say the long-term effects of the inflammation are not yet understood. (Related: Study: 397 Children diagnosed with heart inflammation after receiving Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine.)

In what can be depicted as child abuse, the so-called data used to justify the FDA panels earlier decision showed that nearly 180 children would be expected to suffer from myocarditis for every death the vaccine would prevent if the rollout continues.

The Pfizer dose for children is only one-third of the original dose for adults and is given in two doses, three weeks apart. This lower dose was chosen to minimize side effects while continuing to produce strong immunity. The caps on childrens vials will also be orange, to make them recognizable from the purple caps on the vials for older groups.

Dr. Michael Kurilla, the director of the Division of Clinical Innovation at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, noted that while there may be children at high risk of severe COVID due to underlying conditions who could benefit from the vaccine, he is not sure if this is applicable to all kids in the five to 11 age group.

He also mentioned that those who have been infected with COVID in the past already have immunity. He added that current data does not suggest that the protection will last long enough for children and that the antibodies from the vaccine will eventually wane.

Meanwhile, the government has already secured enough vaccines for every child in the U.S., with the White House saying that vaccination will be fully up and running during the week of November 8.

Read more about how the COVID-19 vaccines can affect children at Immunization.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CNBC.com
(Natural News) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is being rapidly converted into a Nazi death squad  an enforcement arm for medical fascism and tyrannical rule. All U.S. businesses with one hundred or more employees will now be fined if they do not collect the vaccination status of employees and report it to the federal government. Businesses will be fined $14,000 for every unvaccinated employee. Anyone found to be non-compliant with vaccine mandates will be viewed as a liability and forced out of work. Discrimination, segregation and extortion are merging as one evil act.

The time to reject medical tyranny is NOW

Any employee who doesnt provide proof of full vaccination compliance (which now includes up to four FDA approved shots) will be discriminated against, their body violated by weekly covid swabs and daily mask mandates. Whether through forced vaccination, fraudulent swabs or oppressive masks, individuals are being subjugated, their due process rights vanquished. OSHAs deadline for compliance is set for January 4, 2022. After this date, federal employees may enter businesses, check papers and monitor people to make sure that everyone is following along with the medical tyranny.

Under duress and threat of extortion, many businesses will comply with the unlawful order, forcing endless vaccination, fraudulent PCR swabs and masks on their workforce. And it wont end there. If Americans dont fight back now, OSHAs medical tyranny will expand to all businesses, regardless of employee numbers. The time to say NO is now!

OSHA looking to expand vaccine, testing, mask mandates to all businesses

The emergency temporary standard, recently issued by the Labor Department, is neither temporary nor is it a standard. The entire mandate is a perpetual act of violence, a violation of basic human rights, medical ethics and the U.S. Constitution. These continuous acts of force know NO boundaries. According to the draft, OSHA is seeking public comment on the 100-employee rule. OSHA wants to make the rule apply to all U.S. businesses, regardless of the number of employees they retain. This escalating intrusion of basic civil liberties is referred to in the agencys 490-page document. OSHA seeks information about the ability of employers with fewer than 100 employees to implement COVID-19 vaccination and/or testing programs, the document says.

OSHA clearly states it is soliciting stakeholder comment and additional information to determine whether to adjust the scope of the ETS, or emergency standard, to address smaller employers in the future.

OSHA is asking for additional feedback from employers that have already implemented bodily requirements on employees. After OSHA receives the additional feedback, the agency will adjust the rule and prepare a finalized version of their current draft.

Health freedom can only be restored once every human rights violation is held to account

The Biden regime believes that they have the authority to force medical tests, experimental drugs and medical devices on anyone they want, because the country is still in a contrived state of emergency. The regime believes it has the power to declare the existence of an endless pandemic, giving OSHA emergency powers under the OSH Act.

Over twenty Attorneys General are suing the Biden regime over the OSHA mandates. This is good news, but a defensive approach to medical tyranny will not be enough in the coming phase of the war against humanity. Health freedom advocates must go on the offense now and demand complete autonomy over their own bodies. Liberty, medical ethics and justice can only be restored once every human rights violation is prosecuted. All entities engaged in this medical tyranny and the mass killing of people via vaccines must be held to account.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com

FederalRegister.gov

TheEpochTimes.com
(Natural News) During Vice President Kamala Harriss time as the Attorney General of California, her office colluded with abortion providers while pursuing a criminal case against pro-life journalist David Daleiden, who is also the president and founder of the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), according to his attorneys.

CMP released damning undercover videos exposing the role of Planned Parenthood executives in trafficking fetal tissue. While serving as AG, Harris used the release of the footage as justification for charging Daleiden with violating a state eavesdropping law in an unprecedented move. Part of her offices investigation involved seizing materials from the journalists apartment, including additional unreleased videos of Planned Parenthood and other technology.

According to attorneys for Daleiden, Deputy Attorney General Johnette Jauron, a Harris appointee, admitted in May that she had abused her offices powers by giving that footage, along with other materials that were seized during the 2016 raid on the journalists apartment during Harriss criminal investigation, to the National Abortion Federation (NAF) as they were in the midst of a civil suit against Daleiden.

Although the AGs office has argued that Jaurons words were taken out of context, billing records from civil attorneys for the National Abortion Federation show that attorney Alexandra Laks billed $262.50 for something listed as coordinate review of new videos. Although the entry did not contain any additional details, it is noteworthy that the date on it was April 6, 2016, which was one day after the police raided Daleidens apartment. In addition, lawyers for the journalist say that the timing of various releases provides further evidence that the new videos in question were materials that were seized from his clients apartment.

Documents also show that Harriss office met with executives from Planned Parenthood just a few weeks before the raid on Daleidens home and held a conference call with an attorney for NAF, Derek Foran, to discuss legal research regarding a redacted subject; Foran later noted there had been phone calls with superior court and California AGs office regarding status of flash drive of NAF materials lodged in criminal case.

Attorney Brent Ferreira told Fox News: No discovery was provided by Mr. Daleidens attorneys in civil cases filed by PP and NAF at that time. The reference to new videos can only relate to the videos seized pursuant to the search warrant.

Ferreira added that this case is the most egregious abuse of prosecutorial power that I have ever seen and I was a trial and appellate lawyer in the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office for [30] years.

Planned Parenthood, other abortion-related groups donated to Harris campaign

This is not the first time that Harriss cooperation with abortion providers has been questioned. In particular, there have been concerns about her relationship with Planned Parenthood, who is a major fundraiser for California Democrats in addition to being a target of Daleidens investigation.

Several Planned Parenthood entities, as well as other abortion-related groups, gave Harris a total of $81,000 for her campaign for California Attorney General as well as her bid for the U.S. Senate. It is also noteworthy that Harris never prosecuted Planned Parenthood, despite having evidence of their fetal tissue practices.

Daleiden told Fox News: Planned Parenthood, NAF, and the California Attorney Generaevil beginning with Kamala Harris colluded to silence my reporting on illegal fetus trafficking and to obstruct justice in ongoing investigations of their practices.

In a piece published on Breitbart last year, Daleiden commented that people should be free to speak without fearing censorship or retaliation from the government.

He added: I will never bow to Harriss radical disrespect for our freedoms to speak and think for ourselves. I hope that all Americans will unite together against her extremist attacks on First Amendment freedoms.

Sources for this article include:



LifeSiteNews.com

FoxNews.com

Breitbart.com
(Natural News) Missouri-based chiropractor Dr. Eric Nepute and his guest Karen Kingston denounced Wuhan coronavirus vaccines for children during the Nov. 2 episode of Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute on Brighteon.TV.

Children do not get SARS-CoV-2 and they dont develop COVID-19, so its statistically and clinically impossible to develop a vaccine thats going to be more powerful than their natural immune system. Why would we then inject them with a synthetic viral code to infect their bodies [and] override their natural immune system? asked Kingston.

Its nothing more than to harm the children, to kill the children. Theres no scientific or medical argument to vaccinate children. They dont get [COVID-19]  [and they] dont infect other people.

Nepute pointed out that the COVID-19 vaccines are clearly not safe and causing harm.

We know it causes heart issues but we dont know if its going to beneficial for children, he said. We are now more awake than weve ever been. We know that if we keep moving forward with common sense solutions [and] common sense practices, then were going to stop these draconian measures. Were going to set our world free and were going to set our children free. (Related: Dr. Eric Nepute slams draconian Covid measures for kids, featuring guest Karen Kingston  Brighteon.TV.)

Nepute noted that one of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisers said it would be impossible to determine any risks or benefits the Pfizer vaccine has on children aged five to 11 until injection is commenced.

They know and they actually state, We could never conduct a trial in children where we could show statistically some evidence that we can prevent symptomatic disease. So were just going to measure for an immune response that we would see in adults. If you read all the clinical data regarding the [SARS-CoV-2] spike protein from 2020, what they say is children have a very different immune response than adults, Kingston said.

Theres a sinister motive behind childrens vaccination

Nepute said: Ive seen the truth  [and] the data points. Its very concerning. We need the FDA and Pfizer to come out. A 17 to nothing decision to approve [the vaccines for children] is, in my opinion, absolutely disgusting and beyond criminal.

I watched the four-hour conversation that these [FDA] physicians had back and forth. They were absolutely disgusting; nobody answered any questions [or] gave any factual information.

There were over 50,000 negative comments about this vaccine being approved and they overlooked every one of them. They also overlooked all the negative testimonials that doctors, patients and everybody else put out there. (Related: Covid vaccines harmed and killed more teens in 2021 than all other FDA-approved vaccines combined.)

In response, Kingston said that there is a financial benefit to the FDA approving vaccines for a younger group. Obviously, people want to go along with the group that theyre part of  whether its the FDA, a school board or anyone in power thats either authorizing or mandating vaccines.

[Its] horrifying that many of us are realizing that most people have built their lives on their interests. Most people are not willing to make any sacrifices  whether its social, financial, material  to do whats right for other people. Whats really horrifying with the FDA is were talking about children.

I worked in the [pharmaceutical] industry; people screw each other over all the time. But there was always a line  you dont do [things] that harm a child. I mean, you just dont, and so I dont know that happened. I think these people are disconnected from any sense of humanity.

Nepute agreed with his guest.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely; humans do things out of sin. Theres no question about that. Look at the fact [about] the money trail on this. The reality of it is that if we can cut the money out of this thing, [it] ends tomorrow. As far as Im concerned, this is a plandemic [and] were over this thing, Nepute said.

This has never been a threat against national security. Thats the way that our government has perceived this, and thats why theyve gotten away with so many things.

Watch the complete Nov. 2 episode of Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute below. Tune in to Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute every Tuesday at 4-5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

FDA.news has more articles about the agencys approval of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged five to 11.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) On the latest episode of CHD.TVs Community Corner hosts Stephanie Locricchio and Aimee Villella McBride discussed the concept of freedom with Naomi Wolf, best-selling author, journalist and Rhodes Scholar.

(Article republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org)

Wolf, who also is CEO of the online information hub Daily Clout, said freedom needs urgent representation from both sides of the political aisle. Wolf described how she crossed party lines to join the medical freedom movement.

Wolf also discussed how to use Daily Clout to track and follow important federal and state legislation related to specific medical freedom issues and mandates, and the need for boots-on-the-ground activists for the Nov. 3 kick-off of Worldwide Walkouts.

Wolf said people have a limited time to act:

We need to ramp up  a transpartisan movement around the world of people who just love liberty. In my happier moments, thats what I do see when I read the headlines is people on the streets  in France, people on the streets, in Britain, people on the streets in the United States just saying, Give us our liberties  were entitled to liberties  were a family that needs to be protected by human rights.'

Wolf said it was obvious to her that fighting for liberty should be non-partisan. When she joined the medical freedom movement, she joined as a person, not a party.

She said:

Its not left versus right. Its all of us here and our bodies, and our children and our planet against these rapacious oligarchs and massive corporations that are trying to turn us into a state of what I call biofascism.'

Wolf discussed how to use her website to act on specific bills that affect peoples districts and voting blocs.

This tool is so amazing and we definitely want our listeners to know about it and use it and keep track of whats happening, McBride said. We are seeing that medical freedom is at the forefront in so many states. So for the first time ever it is top trending legislation.

The hosts closed the show with commentary on recent Project Veritas footage (starts at 57:30) of senior advisor to Phil Murphy, a democratic candidate for governor of New Jersey, saying his staff used the vaccine mandate to further his political career and win votes.

Watch this weeks episode of Community Corner here:

Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org
(Natural News) Many countries around the globe relied on vaccines to curb the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the shots appear to have caused more harm than good as hospitalizations and deaths increased significantly in well-vaccinated nations.

This was the observation of French oncologist and statistician Dr. Gerard Delepine. He published his findings on Sept. 26, highlighting a number of countries with high vaccination rate.

The British territory of Gibraltar, with a population of 34,000, began vaccinating its citizens in December 2020. It made use of the Pfizer vaccine on the majority of Gibraltarians, with a small percentage of AstraZeneca doses. According to a government press release, the AstraZeneca vaccine was reserved for individuals with multiple medication allergies.

The Gibraltar Health Authority commenced COVID-19 injections back when the territory only had 1,040 confirmed cases and five deaths. However, the number of new cases increased five-fold to 5,314 after Gibraltar achieved 115 percent vaccination coverage. The number of deaths also increased 19 times, hitting a total of 97.

Singapore is another country that has reported high vaccination coverage, with almost 80 percent of the population receiving at least one vaccine dose. However, the country saw an exponential increase in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant. From a two-digit case count in June, infections rapidly spiked to four-digit counts by Sept. 24. (Related: Singapore reports record-breaking number of COVID-19 infections despite being almost fully vaccinated.)

This led the Southeast Asian country to drop its zero COVID strategy in favor of a living with COVID strategy, which Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced during an Oct. 9 speech.

Even if we have been vaccinated, we are still at some risk of getting infected. This is why we must be prepared to see quite many COVID-19 cases for some time to come. Yet Singapore cannot stay locked down and closed off indefinitely. It would not work, and it would be very costly. We would be unable to resume our lives, participate in social activities, open our borders and revive our economy, said Lee.

Therefore, we concluded a few months ago that a zero COVID strategy was no longer feasible. So we changed [our] strategy to living with COVID-19.'

Israel, the perfect example of why vaccination does not work

Delepine also touched on Israels post-vaccination COVID case surge. The Middle Eastern nation made headlines following its successful injection of Pfizers COVID vaccine on the majority of Israelis. Israel, champion of the Pfizer injection, once everywhere cited as an example of effectiveness, is now being harshly reminded of reality and is now the model of vaccine failure, the French doctor said.

According to Delepine, 70 percent of Israels population had received at least one dose, while almost 90 percent had completed the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. Despite this achievement, more than 11,000 new cases were recorded on Sept. 14  surpassing the high numbers reported in January of this year by almost half.

The French doctor noted that the post-vaccination wave of new cases in Israel is accompanied by an increase in hospitalizations where the vaccinated represent the majority of those hospitalized. He pointed out that 71 percent of Israelis seriously ill with COVID-19 were fully vaccinated.

Israeli physician Dr. Kobi Haviv attested to this, warning that a huge percentage of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the country were injected with the vaccine. He told Channel 13 News: I understand that most of the patients are vaccinated, even severe patients.

Haviv estimated that the percentage of vaccinated patients were at 85 to 90 percent, and that 95 percent of vaccinated patients had the most severe symptoms. The increase in cases suggested that the vaccines effectiveness is waning, setting up a scenario where booster shots would become necessary. (Related: 95% of severe patients in Israeli hospitals are vaccinated, warns doctor.)

To claim that the vaccine protects against serious forms of the disease is a mistake. Vaccination does not protect against severe forms of the disease or against death. In order not to acknowledge its mistakes, the Israeli government remains in denial of this obvious failure and continues to propose only vaccination as a solution, Delepine concluded.

VaccineDamage.news has more articles about countries seeing increases in COVID-19 cases despite vaccination.

Sources include:

GlobalResearch.ca

Gibraltar.gov.gi

ChannelNewsAsia.com

InfoWars.com
(Natural News) Criminal minds have seen an opportunity as ports in the U.S. scramble to clear cargo backlogs. Thieves are now targeting containers with electronics and household goods.

In a press release, cargo theft tracking website CargoNet said there had been 359 incidents of supply chain theft and fraud across the U.S. and Canada in the third quarter of 2021. Of the 359 instances, 294 involved the theft of either cargo itself or a cargo transport vehicle. The site projects that cargo theft activity will remain elevated entering the final quarter of 2021.

CargoNet Vice President of Operations Keith Lewis said: What were going to see next year is probably going to be similar to what were going to see this year, as far as electronics and the same type of commodities [are concerned.] I dont see us coming out of that for a few years.

Theft reports along the West Coast increased 42 percent year-over-year. This comes as no surprise, as California continues to struggle with frequent thefts of high-end computer electronics shipments, CargoNets press release stated.

The website said California was the No. 1 state most targeted by supply chain thieves, followed by Texas and Florida.

Cargo thieves continued to show a strong preference for computer electronics shipments, and nearly 70 percent of these thefts in the third quarter of 2021 occurred in California. In contrast, household products thefts dropped 63 percent  largely because CargoNet recorded fewer pilferages of these products, CargoNet said.

Based on data from the website, cargo thefts from January to September 2021 amounted to about $45 million. Almost $68 million worth of goods were stolen in 2020, while $49 million worth of stolen cargo had been recorded in 2019.

During an appearance in the CBS program MoneyWatch, The Travelers Companies crime and theft specialist Scott Cornell touched on the supply chain thefts. The more that the supply chain in general is backed up, the more cargo youre going to have sitting. [That] creates a bigger opportunity for thefts, he said.

Thefts contribute to ongoing supply chain issues

CargoNets press release came amid cargo containers in Los Angeles falling victim to thieves. NBC 4 reported that thousands of boxes littered the sides of rail tracks, purportedly either falling or being thrown from cargo containers aboard Union Pacific trains. The train operator carries goods from the L.A. and Long Beach ports, which are experiencing cargo backlogs. (Related: West Coast ports log jammed with about 60 container ships still waiting to dock; supply lines continue to suffer disruptions.)

Union Pacific said it is aware of the cargo thefts on its trains and is working with local law enforcement to address the issues. The train operator also has its own police force responsible for securing cargo on the tracks. Meanwhile, a port spokesman told NBC 4 that all cargo containers at the L.A. and Long Beach ports are safe. (Related: Empty shipping containers being DUMPED in neighborhoods near ports in California.)

However, Lewis said that thieves often do not victimize cargo containers still in ports or rail yards. Pilferage on parked delivery trucks contributed to more merchandise loss. Thieves pilfering cargo only steal a small amount from delivery trucks stopping along the way to a distribution center or warehouse.

Experts say pilferage is particularly difficult to track as drivers dont often notice missing cargo immediately. Thus, they are unaware which law enforcement entity to report the theft.

Cornell noted that most drivers fail to notice the missing cargo until they reach their destination and unload. This contributes to the difficulty in reporting thefts as they do not know exactly where the thieves struck.

[Drivers dont] have any idea where that happened. So now, the [question becomes] who do we report this to? Well, if you cant tell somebody where it happened, you dont really have anybody to report it to, Cornell said.

Collapse.news has more articles about cargo thefts amid the ongoing supply chain crisis.

Sources include:

BusinessInsider.com

CBSNews.com

NBCLosAngeles.com
(Natural News) The government of Utah wants to tie residents Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine records to a new digital driver license scheme that is currently in development.

The program aims to marry driving privileges to not only a persons vaccination status but also his health records, financial reports, credit score, tax filings, vehicle registration, voting records, sex offender status, social credit score and even spending habits.

Utah is one of the test states for DDL, reads a flyer explaining how the digital driver license system will be unveiled, starting in Utah.

According to The Gateway Pundit, other states will also be adopting the scheme if it goes over well in Utah.

This will be the end of individual rights as we know it, the outlet reported.

Dont count on the fickle Supreme Court to help you. If the totalitarians are able to implement this you will no longer have any rights in America. It is the China model at work here in the U.S. and the globalists LOVE it.

The state of Mississippi is already talking about adopting DDL, though the name it has chosen for it is Mobile ID.

Reports indicate that the Mobile ID system allows users to store their virtual driver licenses digitally alongside their coronavirus vaccination card.

From a law enforcement perspective, it will allow a law enforcement officer approaching the car to interact via Bluetooth with that phone so that they can know exactly who theyre dealing with before they even get to the car, announced Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell.

And I think thats a great feature for law enforcement, and it would be able to be utilized for any lawful purchase that you could otherwise use a regular ID.

Red states lead the way in rolling out digital driver licenses tied to covid jab records

Both the Utah and Mississippi digital driver license programs are scheduled to be unveiled in 2022. The latter specifically failed to meet a statutory deadline, meaning it will have to wait until the next legal timeframe.

Often those kinds of deadlines are put in legislation, Tindell explained. And even from my days in the legislature, we put them there, but we understand, sometimes it takes a little longer for the nuts and bolts, to get it completed.

When they passed the legislation, a lot of these things werent thought out. And sometimes it just takes a little bit longer than the legislature might have planned or thought of, Tindell further rambled.

It is interesting that Utah and Mississippi are two of the reddest states in the country, politically speaking. That these particular two are implementing these little schemes before the blue states is curious, to say the least.

One would expect this type of thing in a place like New York or New Jersey, not the deep south and Mormon country. Nevertheless, it is happening and Americans from other states especially need to be wary and oppose it before it spreads.

Notice that this said the officer could interact with the drivers Bluetooth BEFORE they get to the car, noted one commenter at The Gateway Pundit. Does that invasion not bother anyone else?

I live in Utah and I am getting involved to help make sure that a few of these things dont happen, wrote another. It looks like that list includes things that could potentially make it onto this slave-collar program, but I called the governors office and found the bill that they said passed that is at play with this decision.

If enacted, this platform lays the groundwork in perfect fashion to enact these terrible things, so I am getting in touch with my local representative to start working on a bill to make sure that these things cannot be a part of this digital-drivers license system.

The latest news about Chinese Virus injection tyranny can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com

WLBT.com
(Natural News) Over the past months, Ukrainian politicians have been persistently throwing red meat to Moscow through the acts of aggression against the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, the recent escalation of the conflict in Donbass with the use of UAVs and the pressure on Ukrainian politician Medvedchuk, who is considered pro-Russian.

(Article republished from SouthFront.org)

All these actions had a shared ultimate objective and were aimed at forcing concessions from Moscow on issues of the Minsk agreements, Crimeas status and natural gas transit, especially considering Nord Stream 2.

Some Ukrainian experts warned about the danger of this plan, because in fact, there were many risks for Ukraine, and there were almost no counterarguments in case of offensive reaction from the Kremlin.

For now, we can observe that the situation in the energy sector is following the worst-case scenario for Kiev. On November 1, Russia suspended coal exports to Ukraine that can be regarded as more than depressing news for the country in the context of the energy crisis in Europe.

According to the statistics from the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, up to October 10, the coal stocks in warehouses of thermal power plants were estimated at 623.7 thousand tons that meet the needs for just 7-10 days of work. The demand for electricity is connected to of temperature and it will continue to grow because of the upcoming winter Electricity consumption has already increased by 2.8% to 408 million kilowatt-hours, as the Ministry of Energy stated.

At the same time, the world community is facing huge problems related to the depletion of coal reserves. Due to the global shortage of this type of fuel, the price is breaking records in the foreign markets, reaching $250 per ton. In addition to the price issue, it is extremely difficult to find out coal available for distribution in the market.

As for the imports to Ukraine, on average, 670,000 tons of Russian coal are shipped per month, while consumption at Ukrainian power plants amounts 1.8 million tons per month. Thus, Ukrainian thermal power plants will be deprived of a third of their needs in coal amid acute shortage of this resource.

The second point stands for usage of this coal at many Ukrainian power plants, such as Luhanska, Slavyanska, Kryvorizka, Darnitska, Sumska and Chernihivska. Thus, for now its apparent that these plants risk being completely stopped, as the overall level of generation in the country falls to critical levels.

Ukraine also faces challenges with an acute shortage of gas. The price per 1,000 cubic meters for public institutions has already reached $1,700, and the start of the heating season remains questionable. Gas prices for households have have undergone manifold increases, and this happens against the backdrop of increased re-exports to European countries, i.e. the Ukrainian company Naftogaz signed a framework agreement with the Moldovan company Energocom on supply of 700 million cubic meters of gas. This decision from the Ukrainian side arises several arguable questions: does Ukraine have so much gas to re-sell and does the Republic of Moldova have enough money, approximately $ 1 billion, to pay for energy supplies.

Ukraines rhetoric about its energy independence from Russia sound less and less convincing at the time of fuel starvation in the country, while the objective reality dictates its own terms. As a result of the auction, which was held according to the Ukrainian legislative reserved procedure on October 27, 8 Ukrainian energy supply companies have fully purchased access to the interstate cross-section at the border with Russia for November 2021. This means that several companies controlled by oligarchs will organize the purchase of electricity from Russia and deliver it to Ukraine at resale prices, proving that there is no energy sovereignty or any other sovereignty of Ukraine.

Russian motives for not completely cutting Kiev off from energy supplies are clear. Moscow is not interested in completely disintegrating Ukraine as a state, as it could only worsen the unstable situation near its western borders. At the same time, actions of the Ukrainian side can be regarded as irrational due to the external management of the Kiev regime by Euro-Atlantic elites, and the Ukrainian authorities choose to take risks even if their country is close to be considered as a failed-state. For the European community, this means a risk of further deterioration of the already unstable political situation with such consequences as increasing refugee flows, disrupted supply chains, worsening criminality in the region, and the cost of peacekeeping process.

Read more at: SouthFront.org
While the Earth is not in immediate danger, NASA aims to test "planetary defense" by crashing a spacecraft speeding at 15,000 mph (24,000 kph) with an asteroid next year.

The purpose of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is to see if this is an efficient approach to deflect an asteroid's route if one ever threatens the Earth.

In a briefing for media on Thursday, NASA gave details on the DART project, which costs $330 million.

"Although there isn't presently a known asteroid on a collision course with the Earth, we do know that there is a vast population of near-Earth asteroids out there," said NASA's Planetary Defense Officer Lindley Johnson.

"Finding them far before they become an impact threat is a key to planetary defense," Johnson added. "We don't want to find ourselves in a scenario where an asteroid is heading straight for Earth, and we have to put this skill to the test."

Launching DART

The DART satellite will be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 10:20 p.m. Pacific time on November 23.

If the launch occurs at or near that time, the asteroid will collide with Earth between September 26 and October 1 next year, at a distance of 6.8 million miles.

Related Article: "Giant Space Object Incoming" But, is it Really? (Debunking Alarmist News Headlines)



Dimorphos Asteroids

Dimorphos, which means "two forms," is a 525-foot-diameter asteroid that circles a bigger asteroid named Didymos, which means "twin" in Greek.

While neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, Johnson believes they are good candidates for the test since they can be observed using ground-based telescopes.

Images will also be collected by an Italian Space Agency-contributed small camera-equipped satellite that the DART mission will release ten days before impact.

Dimorphos completes an orbit around Didymos every 11 hours and 55 minutes, according to Nancy Chabot of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which created the DART mission.

The DART probe, which will weigh 1,210 pounds when it collides with the asteroid, will not "destroy" it, according to Chabot.

"It'll simply give it a little shove," she explained. "It'll divert its course around the bigger asteroid."

"It'll just be a 1% alteration in that orbital period," Chabot said, "so what was 11 hours and 55 minutes previously may be 11 hours and 45 minutes."

Learning How to Deflect Asteroids

The test is intended to assist scientists in figuring out how much momentum is required to deflect an asteroid if one ever approaches Earth.

"We want to get as close to head-on as possible to generate the most deflection," Chabot explained.

Dimorphos' composition will influence the degree of deflection, and scientists are unsure how porous the asteroid is.

According to Chabot, Dimorphos is the most frequent form of an asteroid in space and is 4.5 billion years old.

She described it as "regular chondrite meteorites." "It's a fine grain combination of rock and metal."

More than 27,000 near-Earth asteroids have been recorded, according to Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer, although none presently pose a threat to the planet.

Preparing for Bennu

In 2135, an asteroid named Bennu, which is 1,650 feet large and was found in 1999, will pass near half the distance between the Earth and the Moon. However, the likelihood of a collision is deemed very low.

Also Read: How Ancient Asteroids and Comets Helped Alter Early Earth's Oxygen Levels



For more Space news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Weather Alert

...FREEZING FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Visibility less than one mile in freezing fog. * WHERE...In Washington, Lower Columbia Basin of Washington, Yakima Valley and Foothills of the Blue Mountains of Washington. In Oregon, Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon. * WHEN...Until 10 AM PST this morning. * IMPACTS...Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility and potential frost on bridges. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Current observations through the Lower Columbia Basin, Yakima Valley and Walla Walla region indicate areas of a quarter mile visibility or less and below freezing temperatures. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. Also, be alert for frost on bridge decks causing slippery roads. &&
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)  A judge appointed Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt as a special prosecutor to consider criminal charges against a state lawmaker accused of having sex with a drunk woman while on duty as a cop years ago, Schmitt's office confirmed Thursday.

An office spokesman said Schmitt, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate, is reviewing whether to press charges against GOP state Rep. Chad Perkins, of Bowling Green.

The Missouri Highway Patrol launched an investigation after the allegations became public in May, and a patrol spokesman in October said the agency turned over a report on the claims to Pike County Prosecuting Attorney Alex Ellison.

Ellison said he asked a special prosecutor to take over the case because he knows Perkins personally. Pike County Circuit Judge Patrick Flynn last month ordered Schmitt's office to take on that role.

Weve been made aware of the Courts order and are reviewing the matter," Schmitt spokesman Chris Nuelle said in a statement.

Perkins worked in law enforcement in northeast Missouri before he won election to the state House in 2020.

Just a few months after Perkins assumed office, a local police chief sent documents detailing allegations against him to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the House speaker and other law enforcement agencies.

The woman involved told The Associated Press in June that she had fallen asleep in her car at a park around April 2015 when she was 20 years old and woke up to Perkins knocking on her car window.

She said Perkins drove her around in his police car for what seemed like a long time before he had sex with her in the backseat. She said she was still drunk and remembers only bits and pieces.

Perkins has said the relationship was consensual but denied they had sex when he was on duty or she was drunk.

The Missouri House is also investigating the claims against Perkins.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The State Department on Friday named a new coordinator for its investigation into cases of so-called Havana Syndrome, responding to increased pressure from lawmakers to investigate and respond to hundreds of brain injuries reported by diplomats and intelligence officers.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed a high-ranking deputy, Jonathan Moore, to coordinate the departments task force on the cases. He replaces Pamela Spratlen, a retired diplomat temporarily called back into service by Blinken before leaving in September. She had faced criticism from some victims.

Blinken also appointed retired ambassador Margaret Uyehara to lead efforts to directly support care for State Department employees.

Investigators have been studying a growing number of reported cases by U.S. personnel around the world and whether they are caused by exposure to microwaves or other forms of directed energy. People affected have reported headaches, dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms consistent with traumatic brain injuries.

Possibilities under consideration include the usage of a surveillance tool or a device intended to harm. The cases are known as Havana Syndrome dating to a series of reported brain injuries in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.

After years of investigation, the U.S. government has still not publicly identified what or who might be behind the incidents or whether they are, in fact, attacks. But leaders in the State and Defense departments and at the CIA have pushed employees to report possible brain injuries and in some cases removed leaders who were seen as unsympathetic to the cases.

This is about the health and security of our people and there's nothing we take more seriously, Blinken said Friday.

Several hundred cases are under investigation. There have been multiple reports in recent weeks of potential incidents linked to visits by high-profile U.S. officials, including a case involving a member of CIA Director William Burns' traveling party in India and incidents at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, prior to a visit by Blinken.

The State Department said Friday that Deputy Secretary Brian McKeon had met with diplomats in Vienna to discuss possible cases reported this year in Austria. The department said it had taken a number of important steps, none of which we can detail publicly, to protect our personnel.

Both Democrats and Republicans have pressed President Joe Biden's administration to determine who and what might be responsible for the cases and improve treatment for victims, many of whom have long said government officials aren't taking their cases seriously. Biden earlier this month signed a bill intended to improve medical care for victims.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said at a recent hearing that after speaking to victims, there was still "clearly a disconnect as to what is happening at the top levels of the State Department and how victims are being treated in some cases.

Shaheen has introduced new legislation to fix what she described as differences in how various agencies are investigating and treating cases.

Theres still not enough information thats being shared, not enough coordination thats being done, she said in an interview. Theres not a unanimity of response on how to deal with it.

CIA Director Burns, pressed on Havana Syndrome cases at a separate hearing last week, noted that the agency's investigation into the cases is led by a key leader responsible for the operation to find Osama Bin Laden. He did not refer to the cases as attacks after being asked by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., whether he would use that word.

Weve worked very hard to improve care, the care that our officers and sometimes their family members deserve, Burns said. And we have mounted an extraordinarily vigorous effort to get to the bottom of the questions of who and what may be causing these as well.

Dr. James Giordano, a scientist working on investigations into the cases, said the incidents were being viewed as an intentional engagement by a U.S. adversary or proxies, though he declined to specify suspected countries.

Speaking about attribution at this point in time is a very delicate matter because of the intelligence, military, and political ramifications," said Giordano, executive director of the Institute for Biodefense Research in Washington.

Writing for the Cipher Brief, a publication focused on intelligence, a group of former CIA officers said they had few doubts that Russia was responsible and expected the U.S. to eventually blame Moscow. The officers called for the U.S. to bolster its military presence in Eastern Europe, limit Russian business and tourist travel, and seek collective defense through NATO.

For at least a decade, Russia has conducted itself as in a state of conflict with the West in general and the United States in particular, the group said.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 29F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional light rain . Low 47F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities.
Mike Masilotti gets paid to get stoned.

At least once a week for the past several years, the Colonie native and professional comedian has consumed various forms of marijuana in a quantity that he calls a lot more than Id normally be comfortable with and then tries to tell jokes in front of an audience.

For a week and a half this month, hes doing it every night as part of a seven-state, 11-date East Coast tour that goes from Florida to Boston. Called "The Gateway Show," in a nod to cannabis hotly debated reputation among some as a precursor to use of harder drugs, the comedy evening comes to The Fuze Box in Albany on Friday night.

Promotional material says:

Stand-up comedians take to the stage and tell their BEST jokes, then they go to an undisclosed location to get WAY too high, only to come back to the stage and ATTEMPT to tell more jokes completely baked.

Its a great experience and certainly the most unique thing Ive ever done, says Masilotti, 34, chatting on the phone Tuesday morning from a tour stop in Washington. I feel more open and honest with the audience, he says, and with the majority of patrons high as well, Its this perfect dance: Im so vulnerable and the crowds are so good, so ready for you to talk to them. You look out, and its all smiles.

Masilotti, who graduated from South Colonie schools and attended Hudson Valley Community College and local trade schools before relocating to the West Coast a decade ago, is on tour with Billy Anderson, creator and host of "The Gateway Show." Held monthly for a number of years in Los Angeles and now a weekly feature at the Hollywood Improv club when not on tour, "The Gateway Show" is only partly about comedians telling jokes, says Anderson.

We say during the show that sometimes its insanely funny, and sometimes its just art, says Anderson, who hosts the show. It features him, Masilotti and three other comics, some local to each venue along the tour.

Theyre naturally funny people, he says of the comics, and when they perform while extremely high, for a crowd that understands the premise of the show and may also be under the influence themselves, Their vulnerability and natural funniness comes out, and you can see their most honest thought processes. Anderson continues, Youre watching somebody break down all the barriers.

Says Masilotti, Its really about talking honestly and sharing stories. Or random musings. In a video of a set performed after Masilotti had consumed a "huge handful" psychoactive mushrooms, he and the audience laugh often as he says things like, Home is where your house is. The video drew hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. In a juxtaposition that amused him, Masilotti found out while on a tour dedicated to getting high that he's been selected to perform a set and special to be shown online at a Utah comedy club that doesn't serve alcohol and specializes in clean comedy.

If you go "The Gateway Show" With Billy Anderson, Mike Masilotti and others When: Doors at 9:30 p.m., show at 10 p.m. Friday Where: The Fuze Box, 12 Central Ave., Albany Tickets: $15 in advance or $20 at the door for general admission, $20/$25 for reserved seating Info: facebook.com/gatewayshow See More Collapse

Masilotti says he consumes cannabis daily, in edible and smokeable forms, but the level ingested during "The Gateway Show" is of significantly greater magnitude. Its like, Lets see how high I can get, he says. I think of myself as someone who can handle a lot, but what we do for the show is ridiculous. Its like the difference between drinking a beer and pounding a whole bottle (of vodka).

Complete coverage of marijuana issues in New York

He does not, he says, consume to such excess prior to non-"Gateway Show" comedy gigs or in his other job, as owner of a podcast studio in Los Angeles, where he now lives.

It wouldnt be good, he says. In the context of "The Gateway Show," however, We always say its the closest you get to being the comic you want to be.

Smoking, of any kind, is not allowed inside the venues that host the show. But, promotional material says, We DO take an intermission for a reason and what you do once you leave the venue is your own business. We won't stop you and we aren't snitches.

Anderson says "The Gateway Show" has never had a problem with authorities, either in states where recreational cannabis use is legal, like California and Oregon, or where it is fully illegal, including South Carolina, where "The Gateway Show" was performed twice last week. Marijuana has been decriminalized in New York, and for the second year Gov. Andrew Cuomo has included in his state budget a proposal to legalize recreational use in the state.

Were always very particular about it not happening in the venue, says Anderson, and were definitely not trying to cause any problems for anyone  the comics, the venue or the audience.

As for the name of "The Gateway Show," it is, Masilotti says, both a good-natured joke and a poke at the anti-cannabis hysteria of decades past.

It hasnt been a gateway for him. Hes not doing heroin or meth. Just pot often, sometimes overabundantly. My mom and dad dont love it, he says. But Ive been smoking for more than half my life, and Im OK.

sbarnes@timesunion.com  518-454-5489  blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping  @Tablehopping  facebook.com/SteveBarnesFoodCritic
To see how Christmas has changed over the last century, Stacker explored how popular traditions, like food and decorations, emerged and evolved from 1920 to 2020. Click for more.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Rain early. A mix of sun and clouds by afternoon. High 53F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 21F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Longview, TX (75601)

Today

Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High around 70F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 44F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, widespread restrictions and bans on social and business gatherings, travel, and leisure activities in groups have been implemented. Furthermore, in-person teaching was halted in colleges and schools, leading students, staff, and faculty to transition to online learning environments.

After the rollout of several different types of COVID-19 vaccines that offer protection against symptomatic and critical disease, many academic institutions are looking at reopening again or have already begun classes on campus. This necessitates vaccine coverage of students in order to protect them and those in contact with them. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* explores the acceptability and usage of COVID-19 vaccines among the student community.

Study: Measuring College Student Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccinations. Image Credit: Tom Wang / Shutterstock.com

Background

The phase of online learning was a cumbersome period, especially when large universities were involved. Expensive new technologies and infrastructure had to be deployed to cover large numbers of students online to offer students an acceptable quality of online education.

The fact that students were no longer on campus also removed them from dormitories and campus activities, thus preventing students from participating in social interactions with each other in person and precluding their involvement in student organizations. These effects, however, have been shown to increase the retention rate of learning, as well as enhance the rate of graduation.

As a result, many institutions that offer higher education are looking at ways to reopen safely in the coming semesters. Besides benefiting the students themselves, institutions are hopeful that reopening their campuses will return the campuses to their normal states. Many thousands of workers who have lost their jobs or been furloughed will also be able to find employment again in their old positions, both in the United States and globally.

Vaccines against COVID-19 became available in December 2020, beginning with the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. With their clinical trial data indicating high efficacy and safety, these vaccines quickly received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and were initially prioritized for some high-risk populations.

Later expansion of the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 vaccines still covered only essential healthcare workers. However, to date, colleges with a sizeable on-campus population are confronted with whether student vaccination is a feasible and acceptable recommendation for college students. The current study also looks at whether students would rather leave their courses rather than comply with mandatory vaccination mid-semester and whether students know that COVID-19 vaccines are entirely free.

Study findings

The current study shows that of the approximately 1,200 students studying for higher education who were enrolled, most are willing to be vaccinated when it becomes mandatory under college rules.

Almost 70% of these students were first-generation students, and about 20% had disabilities of some kind. Nearly half of the participants were undergoing only online instruction; however, most other students were receiving hybrid classes.

Only 6% of the participants in the current study were receiving in-person instruction as their sole medium of learning at the time of the survey. Almost one in three were undergoing part-time instruction.

About two-thirds of students were not fiercely opposed to being vaccinated. That is, just over a tenth was somewhat agreeable to it, while just under a third and slightly under a quarter said they were quite agreeable and moderately agreeable to the procedure, respectively.

Conversely, a tenth of the study participants indicated that they were quite averse to the idea, and a quarter was more or less opposed. Overall, approximately 80% said they would get vaccinated before college campuses reopened if required.

If vaccinations were made mandatory midway through the semester, a third of the participants said they would rather not attend classes than stay on campus. Females were generally a little less comfortable with the vaccine and were more likely to indicate that they would rather withdraw from in-person instruction if vaccines became mandatory. This was also the case with students aged 25 years and over.

Among Black students, vaccines were slightly less acceptable, and mid-semester requirements particularly unwelcome, though they did not have greater unwillingness to comply with mandatory vaccinations. White and other non-Black students showed similar levels of compliance.

Surprisingly, many students at this level did not know that the COVID-19 vaccines are free. About one in seven were prepared to pay up to $99 dollars for the vaccine. Over a tenth thought, it would cost between $100-$199, and 4% thought it would be still more expensive. This indicates the need to communicate vaccine costs clearly to the student community and inform them about the procedure to get a shot.

First-generation students were more compliant; however, the proportion of those who said they would prefer to withdraw if vaccine mandates were issued was similar for first- and second-generation students. Full-time students were more compliant than part-time ones, as were those taking four-year courses.

Disabled students would prefer to withdraw rather than take mid-semester vaccination, as would students who thought they needed to pay for the vaccine. However, both of these groups were similar to other groups in terms of their comfort with the vaccine or willingness to take the vaccine. No other differences were observed based on the type of class currently being taken.

Implications

Many higher education institutional policies have concentrated on the need for vaccines and how to make them widely available to the students, staff, and faculty in order to contain the viral transmission, especially in the face of emerging novel variants. Vaccine supply shortages, coupled with vaccine hesitancy, have created chaos in many states and counties, with federal, state, and county officials often in competition rather than coordination in their vaccination efforts.

While higher centers of learning are useful as hubs of vaccine distribution, they also present a potential route for the dissemination of the virus in the community once students return. Student vaccination appears to many policymakers to be a promising approach to keep campuses safe while simultaneously help increase vaccination coverage.

The current study enquired about student willingness to take the vaccine in various situations, so as to shape policies on campus safety.

Our findings showed that students supported vaccinations before returning to campus, and universities are well positioned to provide guidance on the importance of vaccines on affecting community safety and a return to normal operations.

The incentives for such vaccinations could be the prospect of free interactions within the campus, without social distancing or mask use. Universities should also frame their messages to focus on disseminating correct information, combating vaccine misinformation, clarifying costs and insurance coverage, and setting out norms for vaccine eligibility.

Such policies must be communicated clearly to students at higher risk for vaccine hesitancy to ensure that all students understand that vaccines are free and available, besides being useful for their health and the health of their community.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused an estimated five million deaths globally, as well as over 248 million documented infections with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The rapid development of safe and effective vaccines was rightly given top priority, leading to the rollout of several vaccines at the end of 2020.

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* describes the results of the safety and efficacy phase trials of a new COVID-19 vaccine from Cuba.

Study: Efficacy and Safety of SOBERANA 02, a COVID-19 Conjugate Vaccine in Heterologous Three Doses Combination. Image Credit: Fit Ztudio / Shutterstock.com

Study findings

Vaccines are a high-priority public health intervention; however, the success of the vaccination program depends on the speed and coverage of the rollout.

SOBERANA 02 is the first conjugated vaccine to be developed against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine uses the recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein, chemically attached to the tetanus toxoid antigen in a molar ratio of 6:1 and adsorbed on 500 micrograms (g) of alumina. Conversely, SOBERANA Plus contains dimeric RBD 50 g, adsorbed on 1,250 g alumina, having been developed as a universal booster.

With this, SOBERANA 02 joins other conjugated vaccines, such as the protein-polysaccharide conjugated vaccine against Hemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

With the current experimental vaccine, two doses have been found to elicit neutralizing antibodies, along with both memory B- and T-cells, secreting interferon-gamma (IFN-) as well as showing a T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) profile of immunity.

This vaccine could also be used as a heterologous third booster dose to enhance the level of neutralizing anti-RBD antibodies. Following successful Phase 1 and 2a trials, the Phase 3 trial was launched to assess the efficacy and safety profile of two usage patterns of SOBERANA, which include a two-dose regimen of SOBERANA 02, and evaluate this regimen when combined with the third dose of SOBERANA Plus.

The participants of the current study were all healthy adults from different parts of Havana, Cuba. Each participant was assigned in a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled manner to vaccine and control groups. The mean age was 48 years, with an almost equal number of males and females.

One group (A) received the two-dose homologous regimen, the second (group B) the heterologous three-dose regimen, and the third (group C) the placebo. None of the final participants had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at any point.

There were 0.8 COVID-19 cases per 1,000 person-years (PY) in group A, and 2.7 in the placebo, corresponding to 198 and 155 cases, respectively, indicating a two-dose vaccine efficacy (VE) of 71% compared to placebo.

With the heterologous three-dose regimen, the VE was greater than 92% relative to the placebo, at an incidence of 0.1 per 1,000 PY in group B (170 vs 155 cases in groups B and C, respectively).

Protection against severe COVID-19 was 63% in group A and 100% for group B. Comparatively, when considering deaths due to COVID-19, VE was 59% and 100%, respectively.

Implications

The current study shows the SOBERANA 02 conjugate vaccine to be safe and effective in preventing severe COVID-19 in adults up to 80 years of age. A VE of over 60% was expected during the period when the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain was circulating. However, a VE of 62% was achieved, even during a period when the dominant strain was the Beta SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC).

The SARS-CoV-2 Beta strain made up 74% of isolated sequences at the time in Havana. The high VE was observed in spite of the presence of the E484K mutation that confers resistance to neutralizing antibodies in the sera of individuals who have been immunized by natural infection or by vaccination.

By the time the final analysis was conducted, the Delta VOC was the dominant circulating strain; however, the VE at two doses was 71% at this time. The heterologous three-dose regimen led to VE exceeding 92%, but it still remained high irrespective of VOCs in circulation.

Even at the two-month mark, the safety profile was impressive, with mild transient local reactions and no serious adverse reactions reported. The third dose of the vaccine had few side effects.

The final VE comes from the figures compiled 14 days after the last immunization, or 70 days after the first dose with the triple-dose regimen. While this vaccine apparently offered protection against the Beta and Delta VOCs, further work is essential to assess the durability of immunity and the VE for the circulating VOCs.

Taken together, our findings indicate that SOBERANA 02 is a promising vaccine that can be used in a two-dose regime or in heterologous three-dose combination with SOBERANA Plus to fight COVID19 pandemic in adults population. According to the safety profile and efficacy, it is a potential vaccine for pediatric age.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information
President Joe Biden's mammoth domestic spending bill would add hearing benefits to the traditional Medicare program  one of three major new benefits Democrats had sought.

The Biden administration appears to have fallen short of its ambition to expand dental and vision along with hearing benefits. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other progressives have long pushed for more generous benefits for seniors. Citing the cost, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) opposed such expansion.

Biden and Democratic leaders in Congress pared back the scope of the new benefits after the total budget bill  which funds health care and other domestic initiatives  was whittled from a proposed $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion to meet demands of the party's moderates. The new hearing benefits would become available in 2023.

Democrats have little room for maneuvering on the bill. They need all 50 Democratic senators to support it and can lose only three members of the House on a vote. Those tight margins have made for difficult negotiations and boosted the ability of any one lawmaker to set terms. The progressive and moderate wings of the party have been at odds on the deal for months, and negotiations are ongoing.

Nonetheless, if the hearing proposal survives, it would be a significant change. Here are answers to questions seniors might have about the benefit.

Q: What does the plan do?

The draft legislation unveiled in the House proposes adding coverage to traditional Medicare that includes hearing assessment services, management of hearing loss and related treatment. About 36 million people are enrolled in original Medicare. Many of the private Medicare Advantage plans other seniors have opted to join already offer similar hearing services. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, roughly 27 million seniors are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan this year. CMS projects that number will increase to 29.5 million next year.

The new benefits include coverage of certain hearing aids for "individuals diagnosed with moderately severe, severe, or profound hearing loss," and allows seniors enrolled in traditional Medicare to get a hearing aid for each ear every five years. The new benefits cover devices furnished after a written order from a physician, audiologist, hearing aid professional or other clinician. The Food and Drug Administration separately has moved to make hearing aids available over the counter, in a bid to make them cheaper.

Q: Why are the benefits needed?

Research has shown that hearing loss can undermine seniors' overall quality of life, leading to loneliness, isolation, depression, anxiety, communication disorders and more. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health Interview Survey, in 2019 nearly 1 in 3 people age 65 and over reported difficulty hearing even with a hearing aid. Biden administration officials said when unveiling the package last week that of seniors who could benefit from hearing aids, only 30% over age 70 have used them.

Hispanic adults 65 and up were more likely than other demographic groups to report having severe hearing problems, the survey found.

A KFF analysis from September found that the 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who used hearing services in 2018 paid $914 out-of-pocket on average. That figure includes seniors who receive benefits in traditional Medicare as well as people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.

Q: How many people would benefit?

The total is still up in the air as Democrats continue to negotiate details, but it's possible the number of beneficiaries could be in the millions. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 1 in 3 Americans ages 65 to 74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.

To date, there's been an important distinction between seniors enrolled in traditional Medicare and those in Medicare Advantage plans. A research paper published by the Commonwealth Fund in February found that nearly all Medicare Advantage plans offered dental, vision and hearing benefits.

Still, even with Medicare Advantage, seniors can struggle to afford care, and what is covered varies by the plan. The KFF analysis found that seniors in Medicare Advantage plans spent less out-of-pocket for dental and vision care than traditional Medicare enrollees in 2018, but there was no difference in spending on hearing care.

Q: Will dental and vision benefits be added?

Leaving dental and vision benefits on the cutting room floor will disappoint progressive lawmakers.

"In Vermont and all over this country, you've got senior citizens whose teeth are rotting in their mouth, older people who can't talk to their grandchildren because they can't hear them because they can't afford a hearing aid, and people can't read a newspaper because they can't afford glasses," Sanders said on NBC earlier this year. "So to say that dental care and hearing aids and eyeglasses should be a part of Medicare makes all the sense in the world."

According to KFF, the 31.3 million Medicare beneficiaries who needed dental services in 2018 paid $874 out-of-pocket on average. The 20.3 million who needed vision care spent $230.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization announced a global campaign to combat ageism  discrimination against older adults that is pervasive and harmful but often unrecognized.

"We must change the narrative around age and ageing" and "adopt strategies to counter" ageist attitudes and behaviors, WHO concluded in a major report accompanying the campaign.

Several strategies WHO endorsed  educating people about ageism, fostering intergenerational contacts, and changing policies and laws to promote age equity  are being tried in the United States. But a greater sense of urgency is needed in light of the coronavirus pandemic's shocking death toll, including more than 500,000 older Americans, experts suggest.

"Covid hit us over the head with a two-by-four, [showing that] you can't keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results" for seniors, Jess Maurer, executive director of the Maine Council on Aging, said in an October webinar on ageism in health care sponsored by KHN and the John A. Hartford Foundation. "You have to address the root cause  and the root cause here is ageism."

Some experts believe there's a unique opportunity to confront this concern because of what the country has been through. Here are some examples of what's being done, particularly in health care settings.

Distinguishing old age from disease. In October, a group of experts from the U.S., Canada, India, Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom called for old age to be removed as one of the causes and symptoms of disease in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, a global resource used to standardize health data worldwide.

Aging is a normal process, and equating old age with disease "is potentially detrimental," the experts wrote in The Lancet. Doing so could result in inadequate clinical evaluation and care and an increase in "societal marginalisation and discrimination" against older adults, they warn.

Identifying ageist beliefs and language. Groundbreaking research published in 2015 by the FrameWorks Institute, an organization that studies social issues, showed that many people associate aging with deterioration, dependency and decline  a stereotype that almost surely contributed to policies that harmed older adults during the pandemic. By contrast, experts understand that older adults vary widely in their abilities and that a significant number are healthy, independent and capable of contributing to society.

Using this and subsequent research, the Reframing Aging Initiative, an effort to advance cultural change, has been working to shift how people think and talk about aging, training organizations across the country. Instead of expressing fatalism about aging ("a silver tsunami that will swamp society"), it emphasizes ingenuity, as in "we can solve any problem if we resolve to do so," said Patricia D'Antonio, project director and vice president of policy and professional affairs at the Gerontological Society of America. Also, the initiative promotes justice as a value, as in "we should treat older adults as equals."

Since it began, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the Associated Press have adopted bias-free language around aging, and communities in Colorado, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Texas have signed on as partners.

Tackling ageism at the grassroots level. In Colorado, Changing the Narrative, a strategic awareness campaign, has hosted more than 300 workshops educating the public about ageist language, beliefs and practices in the past three years. Now, it's launching a campaign calling attention to ageism in health care, including a 15-minute video set to debut in November.

"Our goal is to teach people about the connections between ageism and poor health outcomes and to mobilize both older people and [health] professionals to advocate for better medical care," said Janine Vanderburg, director of Changing the Narrative.

Faced with the pandemic's horrific impact, the Maine Council on Aging earlier this year launched the Power in Aging Project, which is sponsoring a series of community conversations around ageism and asking organizations to take an "anti-ageism pledge."

The goal is to educate people about their own "age bias"  largely unconscious assumptions about aging  and help them understand "how age bias impacts everything around them," said Maurer. For those interested in assessing their own age bias, a test from Harvard University's Project Implicit is often recommended. (Sign in and choose the "age IAT" on the next page.)

Changing education for health professionals. Two years ago, Harvard Medical School began integrating education in geriatrics and palliative care throughout its curriculum, recognizing that it hadn't been doing enough to prepare future physicians to care for seniors. Despite the rapid growth of the older population, only 55% of U.S. medical schools required education in geriatrics in 2020, according to the latest data from the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Dr. Andrea Schwartz, an assistant professor of medicine, directs Harvard's effort, which teaches students about everything from the sites where older adults receive care (nursing homes, assisted living, home-based programs, community-based settings) to how to manage common geriatric syndromes such as falls and delirium. Also, students learn how to talk with older patients about what's most important to them and what they most want from their care.

Schwartz also chaired a committee of the academic programs in geriatrics that recently published updated minimum competencies in geriatrics that any medical school graduate should have.

Altering professional requirements. Dr. Sharon Inouye, also a professor of medicine at Harvard, suggests additional approaches that could push better care for older adults forward. When a physician seeks board certification in a specialty or doctors, nurses or pharmacists renew their licenses, they should be required to demonstrate training or competency in "the basics of geriatrics," she said. And far more clinical trials should include a representative range of older adults to build a better evidence base for their care.

Inouye, a geriatrician, was particularly horrified during the pandemic when doctors and nurses failed to recognize that seniors with covid-19 were presenting in hospital emergency rooms with "atypical" symptoms such as loss of appetite and delirium. Such "atypical" presentations are common in older adults, but instead of receiving covid tests or treatment, these older adults were sent back to nursing homes or community settings where they helped spread infections, she said.

Bringing in geriatrics expertise. If there's a silver lining to the pandemic, it's that medical professionals and health system leaders observed firsthand the problems that ensued and realized that older adults needed special consideration.

"Everything that we as geriatricians have been trying to tell our colleagues suddenly came into sharp focus," said Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, a professor of geriatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

Now, more Mount Sinai surgeons are asking geriatricians to help them manage older surgical patients, and orthopedic specialists are discussing establishing a similar program. "I think the value of geriatrics has gone up as institutions see how we care for complicated older adults and how that care improves outcomes," Leipzig said.

Building age-friendly health systems. "I believe we are at an inflection point," said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which is supporting the development of age-friendly health systems with the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association of the United States and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (The John A. Hartford Foundation is a funder of KHN.)

More than 2,500 health systems, hospitals, medical clinics and other health care providers have joined this movement, which sets four priorities ("the 4Ms") in caring for older adults: attending to their mobility, medications, mentation (cognition and mental health) and what matters most to them  the foundation for person-centered care.

Creating a standardized framework for improving care for seniors has helped health care providers and systems know how to proceed, even amid the enormous uncertainty of the past couple of years. "We thought [the pandemic] would slow us down, but what we found in most cases was the opposite  people could cling to the 4Ms to have a sense of mastery and accomplishment during a time of such chaos," Fulmer said.

We're eager to hear from readers about questions you'd like answered, problems you've been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn.org/columnists to submit your requests or tips.
Safe, in-person school during the COVID-19 pandemic requires research that involves community engagement in underserved or vulnerable areas of the United States, writes Alison Cernich, Ph.D., deputy director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and colleagues.

Earlier studies on safety measures in schools (e.g., masking, physical distancing and symptom monitoring) were often conducted in affluent and ethnically homogeneous neighborhoods. To address health disparities during the pandemic, NIH launched Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics - Underserved Populations (RADx-UP), which includes the Return to School Diagnostic Testing Approaches initiative. Projects from this initiative are also summarized in this special supplement of Pediatrics.

Without in-person schooling, many children miss out on social development, school-based meals, speech or occupational therapy and after school programs. Loss of such services disproportionately affects minorities, socially and economically disadvantaged children and children with disabilities or medical complexities. The return to school testing initiative addresses the needs of these communities by requiring a partnership between researchers and community members. Families, school staff and community members have communication channels to discuss testing preferences, test results and other questions with the research team.

Results from the initiative have already provided evidence-based strategies to help prevent infection, contain outbreaks, reduce the time needed for quarantine and to track viral variants in diverse school settings across the country. Ultimately, the goal of the initiative, which is coordinated with NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, is to facilitate safe, in-person learning by providing community-tailored access to COVID-19 testing and safety measures.
Jeffersonville, IN (47130)

Today

Rain. High 49F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Jeffersonville, IN (47130)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 49F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com.
We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy
(Newser)  Update: Hints that things had deteriorated for the Chinese citizen journalist put in prison for reporting on the coronavirus in Wuhan in early 2020 came over the summer. Now, more sobering news: Zhang Zhan's family says she is not far from dying after going on a hunger strike behind bars, reports the Guardian. "She may not survive the coming cold winter," a Twitter account said to belong to her brother tweeted Saturday. It notes Zhang now weighs less than 90 pounds. Reporters Without Borders says she can't walk or hold her head up without assistance, and an Amnesty International campaigner concurs Zhang is "at grave risk of dying," per a statement demanding her release. Her legal team has no info on her current condition. Our original story from December 2020 follows:

story continues below

Trying to keep a tight rein on news about COVID within its borders, the Chinese government has detained citizen journalists who've tried to push back on its propaganda regarding the virus. Now, what's believed to be the first sentencing of its kind: that of Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer who found out Monday she'll be spending four years behind bars for documenting how the coronavirus was ravaging Wuhan earlier this year, the New York Times reports. Zhang heard her fate in the Pudong New District People's Court in Shanghai after a trial that lasted less than three hours, in which she was convicted for the charge of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."

The South China Morning Post notes the offense, which is often used by police to target dissenters, carries a maximum sentence of five years. According to her indictment, Zhang had been detained twice before in 2019 on that charge, per CNN. The 37-year-old headed from Shanghai to Wuhan in early February and spent three-plus months there showing crowded hospitals and deserted storefronts via her social media accounts, including Twitter and YouTube, which are banned in China. She abruptly vanished in May, and it was discovered she'd been arrested and brought back to Shanghai.

Zhang's lawyers say she went on a hunger strike to protest her detention; they add that she was force-fed by authorities using a feeding tube and that her hands were restrained so she couldn't remove it. One of her attorneys, who notes she's lost a lot of weight and "may not survive," per CBS News, says she showed up in a wheelchair to her trial. Supporters, meanwhile, say they were denied access to the proceedings. "What was Zhang Zhan's crime?" a Chinese human rights lawyer asks the Times, deeming her experience "extremely cruel suppression." "She just went to Wuhan, saw some things, talked about them. That's it." (Read more China stories.)
(Newser)  Update: Jeff Bezos' space company has lost a federal lawsuit against NASA over the decision earlier this year to award a lunar lander contract to SpaceX. The US Court of Federal Claims ruled against Blue Origin, which argued in the August lawsuit that NASA disregarded "key flight safety requirements" when it awarded the $2.9 billion contact to Elon Musk's company, CNBC reports. NASA says it now plans to resume work with SpaceX on the "Human Landing System" as soon as possible. Bezos tweeted that the company is disappointed but will "respect the court's judgment," while Musk again poked fun at Bezos. His tweet featured a photo from the movie Dredd and the words: "You have been judged." Our original story from April 27 follows:

story continues below

Elon Musk mocked fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos when the Amazon CEO unveiled a moon lander in 2019and he poked fun again Monday when Bezos' space company, Blue Origin, protested NASA's decision to award a contract to its main rival, Musk's SpaceX. "Cant get it up (to orbit) lol," Musk tweeted after Bezos filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office. Blue Origin accused NASA of "moving the goalposts" before choosing SpaceX's Starship system over its lunar lander system and another one developed by defense contractor Dynetics, the Verge reports.

NASA, which had originally planned to pick two out of the three prototypes for further development as part of a plan to bring America's astronauts back to the moon as soon as 2024, said it had selected just one due to funding issues. It cited the cost and cargo capacity as its reason for choosing SpaceX. Blue Origin said NASA's decision was "flawed" and "high risk." The company complained that it wasn't given a chance to revise its proposal after finding out about the funding shortfall. The decision "eliminates opportunities for competition" and "not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the moon," Blue Origin said in a statement, per Reuters. (Read more Blue Origin stories.)
(Newser)  Skeletal remains found in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park are believed to be those of a 27-year-old man from West Germany who disappeared during a multiday mountaineering trip nearly 40 years ago, park officials said Thursday. Rudi Moder, an experienced winter mountaineer who was living in Fort Collins, started his excursion over Thunder Pass and into the park on Feb. 13, 1983. His roommate reported him overdue six days later, the AP reports.

story continues below

Searchers started looking for Moder the following day, but more than a foot of fresh snow prevented them from immediately finding tracks or other clues. The only major clues found during the four-day search were a food cache belonging to Moder that was discovered at the mouth of a canyon in the northwest corner of the park and a nearby snow cave with Moder's sleeping bag and other gear and items inside. The search included teams on skis and snowshoes, a dog trained to find people in avalanche debris, and a helicopter. Additional searches were conducted that spring and into the summer.

In August 2020, a hiker found human remains near avalanche debris in the Skeleton Gulch area. Park officials say a thorough investigation could not be completed at the time because they had to shift priorities to fighting two major wildfires. Snow then blanketed the area above 11,000 feet. This summer, park rangers returned to the area and found skis, poles, boots, and other personal items believed to have belonged to Moder. The Grand County coroners office tried to confirm the identity of the remains through dental records, but the results were inconclusive. Still, park officials said they consider the case closed and are working with the German government to repatriate the remains.

(Read more Rocky Mountain National Park stories.)
(Newser)  A few of the world's big oil companies will survive the switch to clean energy, Bill Gates said Wednesday. But not all. "Some of these giants will fall, you know, 30 years from now," he said in Scotland, Axios reports, while "some of those oil companies will be worth very little." Gates made the comments in a briefing at the United Nations climate conference. At the same time, he issued a caution about writing the oil companies off, suggesting not buying into the conventional wisdom that "new eras are marked by the falling of giants."

story continues below

They could well have a place in the future of energy, Gates said. "The whole idea of cutting off investment in the old as a tactic, as opposed to investing in the new, I just don't get that," he said. Although they're smaller parts of their businesses, some of the companies have diversified into renewables and EV charging and hydrogen, for starters. Gates has hope for "blue" hydrogen, for example, and said, "We have a pipeline infrastructure in the United States that probably can be retrofitted to transmit hydrogen." Scientists have had high hopes for blue hydrogen, but a recent study found its carbon footprint could turn out to be larger than that of existing fuels, per Smithsonian Magazine.

While at COP26, the billionaire expressed doubts that the global warming target specified in the Paris Agreement six years ago can be reached. It called for holding "global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels." Any success in that area would be helpful, Gates said, per CNBC, but he added, "1.5  will be very difficult, I doubt that well be able to achieve that." Almost 200 nations signed onto the agreement. Humans have never achieved such a daunting task as they face with climate change, Gates said. (Read more Bill Gates stories.)
(Newser)  Although Gov. Greg Abbott said a new voting law would make it "easier than ever" for Texans to cast a ballot, the Justice Department filed suit Thursday arguing that the legislation would instead disenfranchise various groups of eligible voters. The law makes many changes, but the suit emphasizes two provisions in particular, the Texas Tribune reports, concerning help for people in the voting booth and rejection of mail-in ballots. The filing says the law, which is to take effect before the primary elections next year, endangers the voting rights of citizens who have disabilities, don't speak English, are older, or don't live in the US, per the New York Times.

story continues below

"Texas already imposed some of the strictest limitations in the nation on the right of certain citizens to voting assistance," says the suit, which was filed in federal court in San Antonio. The new law "further, and impermissibly, restricts the core right to meaningful assistance in the voting booth." It says members of the military would be among those affected, per CNN. Abbott defended the law after the federal suit was filed. "Bring it. ... In Texas it is easier to vote but harder to cheat," the governor tweeted.

The Justice Department and Texas are already in court battles involving abortion rights, immigration enforcement, and vaccine mandates. "Finally, a Justice Department that fights for justice," the NAACP president told CNN. House Democrats had left the state in July to prevent Republicans from passing the legislation. Those Democrats welcomed the federal government's intervention on Thursday, expressing gratitude to the Justice Department "for taking decisive action to stop Texas Republicans' continued attacks on our democracy." They again pressed Congress to pass federal voting rights legislation. (Read more Texas stories.)
(Newser)  Manuelito Wheeler isn't sure why Navajo elders admire Western films. It could be that many of them were treated to the films in boarding schools off the reservation decades ago. Some, like his father, tell of gathering around a television growing up to watch gunslingers in a battle between good and evil on familiar-looking landscapes. Whatever the reason, the AP reports, Navajo elders have been asking Wheeler to dub a Western in the Navajo language ever since Star Wars IV: A New Hope was translated into Navajo and released in 2013. Now there's Beeso Dah YiniljaaA Fistful of Dollars, an iconic Western starring Clint Eastwood.

story continues below

In the film, Eastwood who plays a strangerknown as The Man With No Name"entering a Mexican village during a power struggle between families. The 1964 flick is the first in a trilogy of spaghetti Westerns produced and directed by Italians. Unlike many other Westerns produced in the US, it has no Native Americans in it. That appealed to Wheeler, the director of the Navajo Nation Museum. "Usually in Westerns, there are inaccurate if not offensive depictions of Native people, so this one had no Natives, period," Wheeler said. "That just eliminated that aspect for me."

A premiere for the crew and all-Navajo cast of voice actors is scheduled Nov. 16 at a theater in Window Rock, Arizona. It will be screened for free later this month at other places on or near the Navajo Nation, which extends into Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. At least 20 Indigenous languages are spoken in films that are being showcased by the National Museum of the American Indian in November during Native American Heritage Month. A Fistful of Dollars is just the third major film dubbed in Navajo, an effort financed by the tribe to preserve the language. Finding Nemo was the second. "I can't wait for my uncle to see this, for my dad to see this," Wheeler said. "The other feeling is I wish that those who have gone would be here to see this."

(Read more Navajo stories.)
(Newser)  A 16-year-old Georgia boy is dead after he was shot in the head while waiting for his school bus Tuesday morning. Timothy Barnes Jr. was a sophomore at Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, about 30 miles from Atlanta. A 17-year-old student at the high school has been arrested and charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony, NBC News reports. A police spokesperson tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigators believe the teens "had a history where they had some sort of conflict." WSB-TV reports the dispute may have started with an argument and physical altercation Monday; the teens lived around the corner from each other, Fox 5 reports.

story continues below

Barnes was at the bus stop around 6:30am when he was shot; he died late Wednesday after having been on life support. "He's just a good child overall," Barnes' mother tells WXIA. "I don't know what happened or why they did it. My son was into sports, school." An 18-year-old student at the high school was also initially arrested after the shooting, but police were still investigating whether he was involved and it is not clear whether he is currently in custody. Barnes' mom tells 11 Alive two teens from the neighborhood approached him from behind, one of whom shot him. (Read more Atlanta stories.)
(Newser)  On Thursday gunmen stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang in front of luxury hotels. The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the resort of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun, the AP reports. The two suspected drug dealers killed Thursday had apparently arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day, claiming it was now their territory. "About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area," the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Radio Formula station.

story continues below

Several cartels are fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade, including the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel. Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. He also said one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment. Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the commandos wore ski masks and arrived by boat at the beach. Montes de Oca said they fled in a boat after the attack.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis. Guests at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun posted videos and photos of tourists hiding. Guest Mike Sington tweeted, "Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun. Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens." Just two weeks ago, a Californian travel blogger and a German tourist were killed when they were caught in the crossfire during a shootout between drug dealers at a restaurant in the nearby beach resort of Tulum. (Read more Mexico stories.)
(Newser)  The latest Marvel movie comes out in the US on Friday, but in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, the release date for Eternals has been shifted from Nov. 11 to possibly never. Sources tell the Hollywood Reporter that Disney was not willing to make cuts demanded by censors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. The sources say censors did not approve of Phastos, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first openly gay superhero. The character, played by Brian Tyree Henry, is married and kisses his on-screen husband in one scene.

story continues below

Sources tell Deadline that the film has also been blocked in Bahrain and Oman, with censors concerned about the depiction of gods and prophets as well as a same-sex couple. The insiders say a version of the film without any scenes of intimacy, homosexual or heterosexual, will be released in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. In Singapore, Eternals has become the first MCU movie to be restricted to audiences 18 years or older, Variety reports. Sources say Singapore censors offered Disney the opportunity to get a lower rating by removing the scene with a same-sex kiss and other scenes depicting a same-sex family unit. (Read more movies stories.)
(Newser)  An early-morning program at a Saskatchewan school proved unusually exciting for the kids in attendance this week. The CBC reports that just before 9am on Thursday, a moose was spotted lurking around the Sylvia Fedoruk School in Saskatoon, just as a before-school program was wrapping up in a community room shared by the school and the St. Nicholas Catholic School. It seems the moose didn't want to be left out in the cold, however: Without warning, the creature smashed through a glass window, ending up dazed on the community room's floor.

story continues below

Saskatoon Public Schools spokeswoman Veronica Baker tells the New York Times that there were 14 students and one teacher in the room at the time, and that they all managed to get out safely. One student suffered minor injuries that didn't require medical attention. A conservation officer with the province's Ministry of Environment says it was a young moose, not more than 2 years old, who apparently got disoriented not far from her habitat. "It took a wrong turn and it ended up in a schoolyard," he says.

Photos soon started circulating online, showing the chaotic scene and the still-stunned moose in the now-empty room. Once wildlife officials arrived at the scene, they were able to tranquilize the apparently tuckered-out animal before releasing her back into the wild. "While we have dealt with moose and other wild animals on school property before, we haven't had a situation like this," Baker says, per the Canadian Press. "It seems unbelievable." (Read more moose stories.)
(Newser)  Every morning, in many cases for decades, condemned inmates in Japan wake up not knowing whether or not they will be hanged that day. Death row inmates are usually only notified of their execution a few hours in advance, but two of them are now challenging the practice in court, the BBC reports. Lawyer Yutaka Ueda, echoing the complaints of international human rights groups, calls the same-day executions "extremely inhumane." A lawsuit filed in Osaka Thursday argues that the practice is illegal because it does not give inmates time to file an objection. This is believed to be the first legal challenge to the longstanding practice. The lawsuit calls for an end to short-notice executions and seeks compensation of almost $200,000 for the two inmates.

story continues below

"The central government has said this is meant to keep prisoners from suffering before their execution, but that's no explanation and a big problem, and we really need to see how they respond to the suit," Ueda said, per Reuters. "Overseas, prisoners are given time to contemplate the end of their lives and mentally prepare. It's as if Japan is trying as hard as possible not to let anybody know." Japan has 112 prisoners on death row and only three or four are executed in a typical year, though 13 members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult were hanged in two mass executions in 2018. The country's most recent execution was in December 2019. (In 2014, a former boxer was freed after more than 45 years on Japan's death row.)
(Newser)  President Biden has set a Jan. 4 deadline for employees of businesses to be vaccinated. At that point, a Pfizer board member said Friday, the outbreak might already be in its next stage. "By Jan. 4, this pandemic may well be over, at least as it relates to the United States after we get through this delta wave of infection," said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who's also a former FDA commissioner. "And we'll be in a more endemic phase of this virus." He made the comments in an interview on Squawk Box, CNBC reports. Scientists around the world are trying to map out when the outbreak will wind down and the coronavirus will shift to being endemic disease, but it's complicated. Details:

story continues below

The transition : The US is at the top of the list for nations likely to soon leave the pandemic behind as the delta variant passes its peak, per Reuters. Portugal and India, for example, are in the same boat, as are other countries with high vaccination rates and greater natural immunity among their people from previous infections. "We think between now and the end of 2022, this is the point where we get control over this virus ... where we can significantly reduce severe disease and death," said Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist in charge of the World Health Organization's effort against COVID.

: The US is at the top of the list for nations likely to soon leave the pandemic behind as the delta variant passes its peak, per Reuters. Portugal and India, for example, are in the same boat, as are other countries with high vaccination rates and greater natural immunity among their people from previous infections. "We think between now and the end of 2022, this is the point where we get control over this virus ... where we can significantly reduce severe disease and death," said Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist in charge of the World Health Organization's effort against COVID. Trouble spots : Europe's outlook is worsening, per the BBC. Cases are up 55% over the past four weeks. A WHO official warned Friday of as many as 500,000 more deaths by February. The easing of coronavirus restrictions and the slowing pace of vaccinations get the blame. Deaths are up dramatically in Russia and Ukraine. "We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place," a WHO leader said.

: Europe's outlook is worsening, per the BBC. Cases are up 55% over the past four weeks. A WHO official warned Friday of as many as 500,000 more deaths by February. The easing of coronavirus restrictions and the slowing pace of vaccinations get the blame. Deaths are up dramatically in Russia and Ukraine. "We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place," a WHO leader said. Caveats: Although they're confident about the pandemic easing soon, scientists caution that the world is dealing with an unpredictable virus. It's still mutating as it moves through unvaccinated populations. A "doomsday scenario," with the virus mutating until it can defeat immunity, remains possible, per Reuters.

(Test results for anti-COVID pill from Pfizer show strong promise.)
(Newser)  Last month, a man's body was discovered on the pavement outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin. Now, more news on who the man was, though details are still murky. Der Spiegel reports that the deceased was a Russian diplomat, and that he'd apparently fallen from an upper floor. His body was found in the early morning hours of Oct. 19 by police guarding the compound; efforts to revive him were in vain.

story continues below

The man's name has not yet been offered, but reports say he was 35 and the second embassy secretary since 2019. The Russian Embassy has called his death a "tragic accident" but wouldn't allow an autopsy to be performed, with security sources deeming the cause of death as "unknown." The embassy says it kept things quiet on the death for "ethical reasons." A police probe was also not permitted due to diplomatic immunity. The body has reportedly been sent back to Russia.

A spokesperson for Germany's Foreign Ministry tells CNN that "reasons of personal protection of the persons concerned and their relatives" means nothing further can be said. The embassy's reticence may or may not have something to do with the fact that the investigative website Bellingcat says it has tied the man to the Russian FSB intelligence agency, per the BBCmeaning he was possibly a spy. He's also said to be the son of a high-ranking FSB official. FSB operatives are said to be tied to the 2020 poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Novalny. (Read more Russian spies stories.)
In recent years, there have been dramatic technology-driven changes in dark web criminal markets. These changes, which mainly surround the high use of cryptocurrencies and encrypted technology such as The Onion Routing (the famous TOR), have enabled the widespread use of these markets to trade illegal goods.

The anonymity of bitcoins happens to be one of the reasons why the dark web is such hype right now. This cryptocurrency enables sellers and buyers alike to perform a trusted transaction without knowing each other's identities. According to a Chainalysis report, bitcoin transactions on the dark web have reached more than $1 billion in 2019, and they keep going.

Though hidden transactions involving bitcoin and stolen financial data may sound nefarious, some experts argue that the dark web is also beneficial in circumventing internet censorship. While we all spend our time online on what is known as the "surface web" - the portion of the World Wide Web that can be accessed with search engines and standard browsers - it has become relatively easy for anyone to access the dark web.

What Is the Dark Web Exactly?

The dark web is a portion of the internet that isn't indexed by search engines. You've certainly heard of it as a hotbed of criminal activity - and it is. Researchers from King's College in London classified the contents of 2,723 live dark websites over a five-week period and found that 57% host illegal materials.

Another study shows that things have somehow become worse. The amount of dark web listings that could harm a business has reached 20% since 2016. Of all listings, 60% could potentially harm a business.

On the dark web, you can purchase basically all manner of drugs, credit card numbers, stolen subscription identifications, hacked Netflix accounts, and software that helps you hack other people's devices. You can buy passwords and usernames. You can hire hackers to do the dirty job for you.

But contrary to our expectations, not everything is illegal. The dark web happens to have a legitimate site as well. For instance, you can join a Black Book (Facebook for TOR) or a chess club.

Deep Web vs Dark Web: What's The Difference?

Let's start on the surface. When using search engines like Google to ask, say, "Why does my cat sleep so much?" -the results you get come from the surface web. The surface web involves content that's public on the internet that doesn't require logins or paywalls to access and is indexed by search engines like Google, Opera, Yahoo.

To put it simply, much of the content you access on the internet is part of the deep web: your online baking credentials, your email, your streaming subscriptions, or your private social media accounts.

The deep web isn't illegal nor fictitious. It consists of any content that lives behind authentication forms, paywalls, logins, or passwords - so you probably access the deep web on a daily basis.

Under the surface lies the dark web. Its content is intentionally unsearchable by traditional search engines like Google, but it can be accessed through The Onion Router.

Is It Illegal to Access the Dark Web?

While the dark web isn't necessarily the safest place on the internet, it's totally legal to access it from the U.S but not all countries. Due to anonymous browsing, much of the dark web is devoted to illicit activities. On the same side, its privacy protections are vital for activists and whistleblowers who work relentlessly to share information and expose corruption but can't risk revealing their identities in the process.

Access to the dark web, however, depends massively on the country you're in. In fact, renowned platforms like Facebook have created onion domains for users who want to remain anonymous or live-in areas where access to the normal Facebook platform is restricted. For that reason, dark web domains remain a vital communication method for activities in states where free speech is banned or limited and who want to share data or organize without being prosecuted.

How to Access the Dark Web?

Contrary to many inexperienced beliefs, the dark web isn't that difficult to access. First, you will need to download the TOR browser. From there, you can access any URL your mind takes you to. It should be noted that though they provide encryption, Tor and VPN are not the same. However, you might think that enabled browsers like Tor are supposed to keep your identity hidden by rerouting your traffic and encrypting your data through remote services worldwide.

So you don't need a VPN, right? Not really.

As dark web activity has become ubiquitous, ISP and government surveillance have skyrocketed. That means, if you're looking to add an extra layer of anonymity to your dark web browsing, you may want to consider to use a VPN service..

Reliable VPN services have hidden service in the Tor network that offers the anonymity and privacy of the Tor network. That means snoopers like internet service providers and the government won't know you're using the dark web, which is ideal for counteracting unwanted surveillance.

 Dark Web Engines

Even after you've made your way under the surface, you still have to figure out how to search on the dark web. These search engines exist, but they have a hard time providing quality results as websites constantly change appearance, domain and disappear frequently. More often than not, URL addresses are just strings of apparently random numbers and letters that are not easy to remember.

DuckDuckGo is one example of browsers that exist on the surface web but also has an onion version for the dark web. Most dark web search engines aren't free as they require payment to localize and use target-related websites specifically.

Don't be fooled into thinking that accessing the dark web is safe. Whatever your reasons, it's even more important to keep your anonymity intact. Under the surface the web is home to thousands of trolls, all spreading malicious content. To protect your device from malware, a virtual private network may do the job.
Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning will give way to cloudy skies and light rain late. High 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Breaking News We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen!

Calendar Would you like to receive our weekly Calendar updates? Signup today!

Deals Updates Would you like to receive Deals updates? Signup today!

Local Obituaries Each day's obituaries, delivered to your inbox.

News Updates Would you like to receive our weekly news? Signup today!
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

An Arab woman, accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend with a plate, had her charges annulled by the High Appeal Court. The court dropped the manslaughter charges levelled against her by the Prosecution following a trial.

The suspects clean background and absence of any prior litigation between the victim and the suspect influenced the decision. Court files say the suspect allegedly hit the victim with a plate following an altercation.

The man survived the attack but suffered injuries. Hospital records show a bacterial infection of a wound caused by the attack led to his demise.

Records also say the woman, in his thirties, herself took the man, in his sixties, to the hospital. The man, hospital records said, reached there in an unconscious state with his eyes badly swollen.

When asked by doctors about the mans condition, the woman told them that he slipped and fell at the toilet. However, the man later told police that he got injured from a plate thrown forcefully at his face by the woman.

Though doctors kept him in intensive care, the man succumbed to his injuries in a few days. Later, the victims brother told prosecutors that this wasnt the first time that the woman had attacked him.

My brothers girlfriend would always physically assault him, and this wasnt the first time, he said. The woman, however, rejected the allegations and said the victim was her sponsor and that she was staying with him as requested by him.

She told prosecutors that she landed in Bahrain three years ago and worked as a receptionist at a hotel before moving to another job as an accountant.


Thank you for trusting us for your local news coverage. You have reached the maximum number of free articles per month. Subscribe today for unlimited access to News-Press NOW. It's a fast and easy way to support local journalism.
DANBURY  Fresh from his mayoral win, Republican Dean Esposito said he plans to check out places to rent in the city this weekend.

Esposito owns a home in Brookfield, but has been staying at a family friends house near Candlewood Lake in Danbury since announcing his candidacy in May.

The location were at is awesome, but well probably end up renting a condo here in Danbury, he said.

He and his wife are friends with a real estate agent, who plans to show them spots this weekend and sell their home in Brookfield, he said. The couple has been sprucing up the Brookfield home, so they havent put it on the market yet, Esposito said.

He aims to put the house up for sale in a month, hopefully less.

The market is so strong and I dont want to miss it, he said.

But he said hes unlikely to become former Mayor Mark Boughtons neighbor in Kennedy Flats, a downtown luxury apartment complex. He and his wife are looking for a little more space, he said.

Esposito moved to Brookfield in 2008 after living in Danbury his entire life. The Danbury High School graduate still worked for the city at that time and was promoted in 2016 to the mayors chief of staff, a position hell hold until being sworn in as mayor on Dec. 1.

City Democrats criticized Esposito for owning the Brookfield home and living there shortly before getting into the race. In a mailer sent to residents, the Democrats called him Brookfield Dean  a knock on his nickname, Danbury Dean.

Espositos campaign provided mail dated this May to Hearst Connecticut Media showing he had received mailers to his Danbury address from his Democratic state representative.

The mayor is mandated to live in Danbury, but the city charter has not rules barring elected officials from owning property in other towns or requiring them to own property in Danbury.

No person shall be eligible for election to any City office who is not at the time of his election an elector of the City... the city charter states.

Esposito has met state rules to be an elector of the city he will become mayor in, according to the Secretary of the States office.

Spokesman Gabe Rosenberg described residency rules as an amorphous concept, particularly in this context with voting. College students, for example, may chose to register to vote in their hometown or community where they attend school.

It doesnt matter that he owns a home in Brookfield, Rosenberg said. As long as hes living in Danbury the whole time, then hes good.

Esposito and his wife, Sharon, have two adult children and wanted to downsize, he said. His daughter, Chloe, lives in Tennessee, while his son, Chase, works for the Federal Aviation Administration and lives in St. Thomas.

After he learned on Tuesday night that he narrowly won the race against Democrat Roberto Alves, Esposito had his daughter on FaceTime on one phone and his son on FaceTime on another.

It almost brought me to tears, Esposito said. It was a really great night for us, my family. Its such an honor to be elected mayor of my hometown.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Three statewide elected officials told the Ohio Supreme Court on Friday that even their combined 75 years of experience couldn't bridge the gap between legislative Republicans and Democrats to achieve 10-year maps of state legislative districts.

Gov. Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Auditor Keith Faber, all Republicans, were members of the new Ohio Redistricting Commission that failed to reach bipartisan compromise on the legislative maps in September.

The four-year map the panel ultimately approved along party lines is being challenged in three separate lawsuits before the high court.

The three officials used their joint filing to ask justices to dismiss the cases and, even if they go forward, to remove them as individual parties. But mostly, they spent the brief's 60 pages entering into the court record their failed efforts to strike a bipartisan compromise.

The statewide officeholders entered the discussions about the map filed with the Commission by the Republican legislative leaders with the sincere hope and desire to reach a bipartisan compromise on a ten-year map, a brief filed by the trio said. But even their considerable leadership experience could not bring the Commissions legislative Republicans and Democrats together.

DeWine believed it was best for him to act as a middleman" and so negotiated with Republicans and Democrats separately, carrying messages back and forth, to no avail. The governor also indicated he would have been willing to go past the constitutional midnight deadline, if it would have helped.

Faber, a former legislative leader himself, wanted to treat mapmaking as he would any other bill  hammering out amendments and revisions as the committee went along.

Failing that, he took on the role of mediator, approaching each commissioner to broker a deal, the brief said. Republican Senate President Matt Huffman told him he could move off of his position if the Democrats were willing to move off of theirs.

Faber encouraged the Democrats  state Sen. Vernon Sykes and House Democratic Leader Emilia Sykes, his daughter  to respond to Huffman's offer of 62 of 99 Republican-leaning House districts, only five seats different from what they had proposed.

Neither ever made a motion to change the Republican map, however. They preferred to ignore Huffman and Republican House Speaker Bob Cupp by pushing a brand new map, the filing said. Huffman, in turn, declared negotiations done.

Auditor Faber came to believe that negotiations broke down because the camps he was trying to bring together were either worried about a lawsuit or welcomed a lawsuit as a means of gaining a political or legal advantage in the negotiations, it said.

LaRose's idea was that he, DeWine and Faber act as convenors to broker an agreement between the four legislative caucuses: House Republicans and Democrats, and Senate Republicans and Democrats. He identified three areas that seemed to be tripping up the parties: the meaning of proportionality, creating minority opportunity districts and drawing two incumbents into the same district.

Secretary LaRose and Auditor Faber worked together, even sharing a car ride to a Commission meeting in Cleveland, in an attempt to broker a compromise, the brief said. Democrats made their map drawers available to LaRose and Faber, the two said, but fellow Republicans did not.

Secretary LaRose also met with Leader Sykes, Senator Sykes, and their respective teams several times with the goal of producing a map acceptable to all commissioners, the brief said. That joint effort, though, ran out of time.
BOSTON (AP)  A 16-year-old student whose school principal had told her to leave the area grabbed the woman's hair and punched her several times in the head and face, knocking the 61-year-old victim unconscious for several minutes, authorities said.

The girl appeared in Boston juvenile court Thursday to face several assault charges. Bail was set at $5,000. She was ordered to have no contact with the victim, stay away from the school and remain under home confinement with GPS monitoring.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  Manuelito Wheeler isn't sure exactly why Navajo elders admire Western films.

It could be that many of them were treated to the films in boarding schools off the reservation decades ago. Or, like his father, they told stories of gathering around a television growing up to watch gunslingers in a battle against good and evil on familiar-looking landscapes.

Whatever the reason, Navajo elders have been asking Wheeler to dub a Western in the Navajo language ever since Star Wars IV: A New Hope was translated into Navajo and released in 2013.

The result? Beeso Dah Yinijaa or A Fistful of Dollars, an iconic Western starring Clint Eastwood who plays a stranger  known as The Man With No Name  entering a Mexican village among a power struggle between families. The 1964 flick is the first in a trilogy of spaghetti Westerns produced and directed by Italians.

Unlike many other Westerns produced in the U.S., it has no Native Americans in it. That appealed to Wheeler, the director of the Navajo Nation Museum.

"Usually in Westerns, there are inaccurate if not offensive depictions of Native people, so this one had no Natives, period, Wheeler said. That just eliminated that aspect for me.

A premiere for the crew and all-Navajo cast of voice actors is scheduled Nov. 16 at the movie theater in Window Rock, Arizona  the first showing since the venue shut down in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Limited seats are available to members of the public who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and consent to a rapid test on site.

It will be screened for free later this month at other places on or near the Navajo Nation, which extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Other popular films dubbed in Indigenous languages include Bambi in Arapaho, Frozen 2 in Sami, and Moana in Maori. The cartoon series The Berenstain Bears was translated into the Dakota and Lakota languages.

At least 20 Indigenous languages are spoken in films that are being showcased by the National Museum of the American Indian in November during Native American Heritage Month, program manager Cindy Benitez said Thursday. Indigenous people increasingly are producing and directing their own stories, she said, including some entirely in Indigenous languages.

We have films from all gamuts, from all places, she said. It really gives me hope that these filmmakers are using that as a tool for language revitalization.

A Fistful of Dollars is the third major film dubbed in Navajo, an effort financed by the tribe to preserve the language. Elbert Jumbo voiced Bruce the shark and another fish in the Navajo version of Finding Nemo, released in 2016.

Jumbo, who retired from the U.S. Army and lives in Many Farms, also voices Ramon in the Western film. The character calls the shots, terrorizes the town and believes he's untouchable. Jumbo said he nailed the over-the-top super villainous laugh that is characteristic of spaghetti Westerns.

Jumbo speaks, writes and reads Navajo, a result of growing up in a home where that was the only option.

People feel a little more pride in knowing that we've come a long way with our language, said Jumbo, 47. It's sad to say but some of it we're losing to the younger generation. But at the same time, I think movies like this inspire them to learn, even if it's just a little word here and there.

It was supposed to be released last year, but it was delayed because of the coronavirus.

The Navajo Nation Museum teamed up with the New York-based Kino Lorber film distribution company and the Indigenous-owned Native Stars Studios in Gallup, New Mexico, for the film.

I cant wait for my uncle to see this, for my dad to see this," Wheeler said. The other feeling is I wish that those who have gone would be here to see this.
AP

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (AP)  Two 16-year-old students were charged with homicide in the death of a high school teacher whose body was found concealed at a park in southeast Iowa, authorities said Thursday.

Investigators said Nohema Graber, a 66-year-old Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, was reported missing on Tuesday and her remains were found later that day at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, located about 95 miles (152.89 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines, The Ottumwa Courier reported. The city has a population of about 9,400 people.
Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with and Colin Plant, Chair of the Capital Regional District, announced details of a $11.3 million federal allocation to support the creation of 45 new affordable homes for individuals and families in the Capital Regional District through the Cities Stream under expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill, was also on-hand to announce B.C. government support this project with $5.7 million through the Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund along with annual operating subsidies.

Located at 865 Catherine St. in Victoria, these new homes will support Indigenous Peoples in the region, who are experiencing homelessness, and will be operated by the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society. This four-storey modular housing project will provide residents with 24/7 culturally-appropriate supports. This project is expected to be completed in Spring 2022.

This is in addition to the Government of Canada's previous investment of $13.1 million through the first phase of the RHI to support the creation of 91 housing units in the CRD.

In its initial round, with funding of $1 billion announced in October 2020, the RHI exceeded its original target of 3,000 permanent affordable housing units and achieved 4,700 units nationally. Due to this success, an additional $1.5 billion for the RHI was recently announced to create 4,500 new units of permanent affordable housing across the country. Thanks to this expansion, this initiative will now create over 9,200 affordable homes for the most vulnerable Canadians across the country.

This new investment will create thousands of good jobs in the housing and construction sector, grow the middle class, and build back stronger communities, while getting us closer to our goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada

Quotes:

"Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Today's funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative will go a long way to support those who need it most by quickly providing 45 new affordable homes for Indigenous populations of the Capital Regional District, to keep them safe. This is one of the ways our National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind."  The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"Our government is working quickly with our partners to make sure people in need have access to permanent homes with supports in the Capital region, as part of our 10-year plan to build the homes that people need in every corner of the province. I look forward to seeing the significant difference I know these homes will have on the lives of the Indigenous peoples that will call this building home."  Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill

"The pandemic has laid bare the many gaps in our social fabric for those on the margins, particularly when it comes to housing. Only through true collaboration at every level of government can we make meaningful impacts to close those gaps. This project shows what we can achieve when we work together."  Lisa Helps, Mayor of Victoria

"The CRD works collaboratively with our municipal, federal and provincial partners to build safe, vibrant and accessible communities. We are committed to working with the community and government partners to leverage resources in order to create more housing to improve the quality of life of people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness."  Colin Plant, Chair of the Capital Regional District

"We are honoured to operate culturally supportive housing on the territory of the Esquimalt and Songhees nations. Our approach is to provide more than a physical home - through our Dual Model of Housing Care we will provide teachings deeply rooted in the land, and will provide pathways to healing and recovery. We look forward to fostering strong relationships with our neighbours and serving First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who are unhoused or underserved through love and humility."  Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi, Director of Housing Development and Research, Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society

Quick facts:

The RHI is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under the National Housing Strategy (NHS).

Canada's NHS is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home. Launched in 2017, the NHS will build and repair thousands of housing units, and help households with affordability support.

NHS is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home. Launched in 2017, the NHS will build and repair thousands of housing units, and help households with affordability support. Since 2017, the B.C. government has been aggressively working to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes, including the largest investment in housing affordability in B.C.'s history.

Through a $7-billion housing plan launched in 2018, the provincial government is working with partners to deliver 114,000 affordable homes over 10 years. The plan has also introduced new measures aimed at curbing speculative demand that has driven up the cost of living.

housing plan launched in 2018, the provincial government is working with partners to deliver 114,000 affordable homes over 10 years. The plan has also introduced new measures aimed at curbing speculative demand that has driven up the cost of living. The RHI is a $1 billion program launched in October 2020 to help address urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of affordable housing.

program launched in to help address urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of affordable housing. Due to this success, an additional $1.5 billion for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) was recently announced through Budget 2021 with $500 million in funding under the Cities Stream being allocated to the following municipalities: Burnaby , Calgary , Capital Regional District, Durham , Edmonton , Gatineau , Greater Sudbury , Halifax , Hamilton , Iqaluit , Kingston , Laval , London , Longueil, Montreal , Niagara, Ottawa , Peel, Quebec , Regina , Saskatoon , Surrey , St. John's , Toronto , Vancouver , Waterloo , Whitehorse , Windsor , Winnipeg , and Yellowknife .

for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) was recently announced through Budget 2021 with in funding under the Cities Stream being allocated to the following municipalities: , , Capital Regional District, , , , , , , , , , , Longueil, , Niagara, , Peel, , , , , , , , , , , , and . Under the Projects Stream: $1 billion will be allocated to eligible applications submitted during the RHI's initial application period last fall and having not yet received funding.

will be allocated to eligible applications submitted during the RHI's initial application period last fall and having not yet received funding. Based on feedback from stakeholders, CMHC has introduced new flexibilities to the RHI:

Program applicants will be eligible to receive funding for additional forms of new construction beyond modular, if units can be built within 12 months.



Non-profits will now have an opportunity to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to support the viability of units without government subsidy (self-funded).



Cities will have a longer time to submit projects (60 days instead of 30).



Project delivery timelines have been adjusted for projects located in the North and special access communities.

At least 25 per cent of this new funding will go toward women-focused housing projects. The units will be built within 12 months of when funding is provided to program applicants.

The RHI will continue to prioritize proposals that target units serving Indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups. It will also continue to provide flexibilities on timelines to Indigenous governing bodies or organizations as needed.

The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people under the NHS, including: women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2 individuals, racialized and Black Canadians, and recent immigrants or refugees.

CMHC supports the government's efforts to improve the well-being of Canadians facing housing and homelessness challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Associated links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

For further information: Media contacts: Mikaela Harrison, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]; Ministry of Attorney General and Responsible for Housing: Media Relations, 778 678-1572; BC Housing: Media Relations, [email protected]

Related Links

www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca


MONTERREY, Mexico, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Today, Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, met with Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, in Monterrey, Mexico, as part of his visit to the United States and Mexico.

The Minister and the Secretary discussed ways to work together on a green economic recovery, to build a circular economy and to boost Mexican investments in Canada. They also emphasized the continued need for a North Americawide approach to planning for future emergencies, including pandemics, and maintaining reliable supply chains.

The two sides recognized the importance of building new biomanufacturing capacity, including vaccine production, and the importance of building open and integrated North American supply chains to support this.

The Minister and the Secretary discussed their respective efforts to promote and enhance Indigenous-led businesses. They highlighted the importance of these measures and considered how Canada and Mexico could work together to build on them.

Minister Champagne raised Canada's concerns about Mexico's investment climate, particularly in the energy sector. He stressed the two countries' shared need to find solutions that will provide certainty to Canadian investors operating in Mexico, as well as ensure that our supply chains remain vibrant.

The Minister and the Secretary also discussed the implementation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) with respect to the rules of origin for vehicles and the way forward.

The Minister and the Secretary agreed to remain in close communication moving forward to advance their shared priorities.

Associated link

Stay connected

Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

For further information: John Power, Senior Manager, Communications and Media Relations, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/home


LAC-MEGANTIC, QC, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the communities of Lac-Megantic and the surrounding area, ensuring rail safety, and moving the bypass project forward as quickly as possible.

The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, wishes to inform the citizens of the communities of Lac-Megantic, Nantes and Frontenac of the project's significant progress in recent months.

A number of steps have recently been achieved, including:

An office was recently opened in Lac-Megantic to facilitate discussions with the owners and assist them during the negotiation process as part of the land acquisition. Owners can, by appointment, meet there with Government of Canada officials.

officials. The submitting of the first offers to purchase the land has begun, thus initiating the mutual negotiations with the owners. Offers will continue to be submitted gradually over the coming weeks.

A number of studies were completed in recent weeks, including those on soil and water quality, vehicle traffic, and archeology. The data obtained will help advance the plans and specifications under development.

The plans and specifications reached the 30% progress mark and were submitted to the Canadian Transportation Agency in order to initiate the project approval process.

A number of other studies and works are underway to incorporate the identified environmental protection measures into the project. This way, data will be obtained on noise levels, private drinking water sources, and fish habitat.

Transport Canada is listening to the citizens and will continue to inform the Lac-Megantic community and surrounding areas as the project progresses. To that end, a Neighbourhood Committee will be established with a mandate to provide information about the activities underway and next steps of the project.

Once all the required regulatory authorizations are obtained, the construction phase of the bypass can begin on the lands purchased for the project.

Quote

"I want to reiterate that the Lac-Megantic rail bypass will continue to be a priority for the Government of Canada until it is fully completed in 2023. We will make every effort to move the work forward and complete the project, and ensure that this line is operational in support of rebuilding the communities of Lac-Megantic, Nantes and Frontenac."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra

Minister of Transport

Quick facts

On May 11, 2018 , the Governments of Canada and Quebec announced joint funding for the construction of the Lac-Megantic bypass. The final route selection is based on many studies conducted as part of the feasibility study led by the Town of Lac-Megantic.

, the Governments of and announced joint funding for the construction of the Lac-Megantic bypass. The final route selection is based on many studies conducted as part of the feasibility study led by the Town of Lac-Megantic. Public hearings on the environment enabled Quebec's Ministere de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques to identify 138 environmental measures that were incorporated into the project. These measures can be found at (in French only): https://www.ree.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/dossiers/3211-08-013/3211-08-013-28.pdf

Ministere de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques to identify 138 environmental measures that were incorporated into the project. These measures can be found at (in French only): https://www.ree.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/dossiers/3211-08-013/3211-08-013-28.pdf The Government of Canada will have to acquire 80 lots, mainly parcels of lots, in order to complete the Lac-Megantic bypass project. Those properties belong to 44 owners, including the Town of Lac-Megantic and Quebec's Ministere des Transports. The government has committed to offering owners a fair and equitable value for their properties, including additional compensation.

will have to acquire 80 lots, mainly parcels of lots, in order to complete the Lac-Megantic bypass project. Those properties belong to 44 owners, including the Town of Lac-Megantic and Ministere des Transports. The government has committed to offering owners a fair and equitable value for their properties, including additional compensation. On May 27, 2021 , Transport Canada signed a contribution agreement with Canadian Pacific. This was an important step towards obtaining the plans, specifications, and regulatory authorizations needed for the project.

Related link

Lac-Megantic bypass

SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Allison St-Jean, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected]; Media relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.tc.gc.ca/


Raising concerns about the health condition of Chinese journalist and former lawyer Zhang Zhan, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) last month had urged the Chinese authorities to exonerate and release Zhang immediately.

Jailed Chinese citizen journalist and former lawyer Zhang Zhan is close to death following months of intermittent hunger strikes in protest at her jailing, a Washington based news service has learned. Back in December 2020, Zhang was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of a vaguely defined charge often levelled by the authorities against those critical of the Chinese authorities. I dont think shes going to live much longer, Zhangs brother Zhang Ju tweeted, US government-funded private non-profit news service Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. If she doesnt make it through the coming winter, I hope the world will remember her as she once was, he added.



Raising concerns about the health condition of Chinese journalist and former lawyer Zhang Zhan, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) last month had urged the Chinese authorities to exonerate and release Zhang immediately. Zhang covered the coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan in February 2020 exposing the methods employed by the Chinese authorities to contain its spread as well as the state of affairs in local hospitals. She was arrested in May 2020, accused of spreading false information through online platforms. The indictment document also said Zhang had speculated on the coronavirus outbreak while giving interviews to foreign news organisations.



Currently, Zhang is on a hunger strike to protest the arbitrary charges against her. Her health has since declined due to malnutrition. Zhang Zhans mother told RFA that her health seems to have deteriorated. She cant walk unassisted now, and her head keeps drooping as she speaks, her mother said. She will be in huge danger if they dont release her on medical parole, she added.
Acting interior minister in the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Sirajuddin Haqqani is reportedly playing a role of a mediator between Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to reach a broader peace agreement to bring an end to the two-decades of militancy in Pakistan, local media reported.

Pakistan has reached a possible understanding with the TTP after the direct, face-to-face talks between the two sides that are being held in South-western Khost province of Afghanistan for almost two weeks, reported Dawn citing the sources. However, it is not clear who on the Pakistan side is negotiating with the TTP.

The understanding includes the declaration of a nationwide truce and the release of some TTP terrorists based on certain conditions, as part of confidence-building measures. However, the TTP has yet not confirmed or denied the possible understanding reached between the two sides.



The number of terrorists who are to be released was not clear, however, the newspaper reported citing the sources that the number of such terrorists would not be more than two dozen. These are foot soldiers (terrorists), not senior or mid-level commanders. We are testing the ground. We are cautious. The truce will come into effect once the prisoners are released, Dawn quoted the sources as saying. Talks are being held directly between senior officers and senior TTP leadership. The TTP includes all groups without exception. There are several proposals on the table and both sides are working to hammer out a workable solution, Dawn quoted the source as saying. However, Dawn reported citing the source that it is clear that no tribal intermediaries were being engaged in talks with the TTP leadership at the moment.



The strong resurgence of Pakistani Talibans terror activities soon after the Talibans takeover in Afghanistan is raising new concerns about Pakistans overall stability, including the security of its nuclear arsenal, said a Canada-based think tank. According to an article in International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS), Pakistan efforts to pressurise the Taliban to ensure that the TTP is not allowed any sanctuary in Afghanistan, have failed to yield any visible results.

In recent times, the Pakistani Taliban has carried out multiple attacks in Pakistan. A ceasefire between Pakistans government and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced on October 1 has fallen apart in days as fears rise about the al Qaeda-linked groups true agenda, the think tank said.
STAMFORD  Synchrony, the countrys largest provider of private-label and store-brand credit cards, has announced it would launch digital-skills training programs for local high school students in 2022.

Starting early next year, 25 students will participate in an eight-month after-school training program and receive college and technology-career assistance. An additional 25 students will participate in a summer-immersion program. Both initiatives will take place at the Fortune 500 companys new skills center at its headquarters at 777 Long Ridge Road in Stamford, and the recruitment is focusing on students from Stamford High School, Westhill High School and the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering.

The new programming is part of Education as an Equalizer, an approximately $50 million company initiative in the next five years to support higher education, workforce training and financial literacy for its workforce and underserved communities.

Access to skills training is essential to growing our digital economy and building a more inclusive future, DJ Casto, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Synchrony, said in a statement. Investing in these public-private partnerships will help unlock career opportunities for underrepresented youth and grow the next generation of Connecticut leaders.

To support the development and implementation of the new programs, Synchrony and the Synchrony Foundation will donate grants totaling $300,000 to nonprofits Future 5 and District Arts & Education and the University of Connecticut Engineering Ambassadors student group.

Future 5 believes there is a path to success for every young person, Amanda Dubois-Mwake, executive director of Future5, said in a statement. We help connect motivated young people to their community, themselves and the tools they need to unlock their full potential. This program will help directly impact our local high school students and the community at large, as well as companies in Stamford.

Through a curriculum taught by DAE instructors, the first group of students in the after-school program will tackle real-world projects and hone critical skills in web development, UX design and data analytics, Synchrony officials said in their announcement of the initiative. DAE will also provide career support to help those high school juniors and seniors apply for entry-level technological roles, prepare for interviews or complete college applications.

The Synchrony Skills Academy High School Program perfectly aligns with our mission to bridge the gap between the world of corporate America and the needs and realities of underserved communities, A.M. Bhatt, DAEs co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. The opportunity to help reverse a decades-long trend in radical underrepresentation in tech careers is just as important to us as the development of the tech workforce and were delighted to collaborate with Synchrony on this dual mission.

Next summer, Synchrony and DAE plan to host an eight-week intensive program focused on web development and digital-content creation for social media and marketing.

Synchrony employees and representatives of the UConn Engineering Ambassadors will mentor students in the new programs.

As engineers, we make things that help people and we try to change the world, Justin Rastinejad, a vice president of UConn Engineering Ambassadors and a chemical engineering major, said in a statement. Through this partnership, we want to open students eyes to the opportunities that are out there so they can see themselves in STEM-related industries, and in the process teach them critical social skills and build their self-esteem.

On Tuesday, Synchrony hosted at the skills center a STEM Immersion Day where dozens of students from Stamford High, Westhill and AITE participated in group activities focused on coding, engineering and virtual reality. The skills center will host another STEM day on Nov. 11. Students must attend one of the STEM days to be eligible to apply for the 2022 programs.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
NEW DELHI (AP)  Millions of people across Asia are celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali, which symbolizes new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

The festival is celebrated mainly in India, but Hindus across the world, particularly in other parts of Asia, also gather with family members and friends to socialize, visit temples and decorate houses with small oil lamps made from clay. The festival is also marked by raucous parties and fireworks displays, often throughout the night.

Like every year, India has been lit up in a dazzling display of lights and colors. Brightly colored rangoli designs are drawn at the entrances of homes and offices, which are decked in fairy lights.

The celebrations were especially spectacular in Ayodhya city in northern Uttar Pradesh state, where over 900,000 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of the Saryu River as desk fell Wednesday. Hindus believe the city is the birthplace of the god Ram.

In eastern Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state, devotees worshipped their account books as the festival also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year.

The day was marked as Tihar, also known as Deepawali, in neighboring Nepal. There, the five-day celebrations began Tuesday and people thronged markets and shopped for marigold flowers, which hold huge cultural significance during the festival. On Wednesday, devotees celebrated dogs that are regarded as the guardian of the Hindu death god Yama.

In Malaysia, Hindu devotees prayed at temples and lit clay oil lamps. Some climbed the colored stairs to pray at the Batu Caves temple just north of Kuala Lumpur to pay homage to their deity, Lord Muruga.

People also celebrated with friends and families in Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan.

Diwali marks Hindu god Rams return to his kingdom after 14 years in exile. Hindus believe that during Diwali the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, will visit their homes if they are illuminated and decorated.

The Diwali festival is also observed among Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. While each religion marks the festival with different historical events and legends, they all represent the victory of good over evil.
NEW HAVEN  As one developer moves on, another could potentially fill the breach.

Asked whether Jaigantic Studios wanted to acquire the estimated 8 acres on River Street that the New England Brewing Co. has decided it likely wants to pass up, Jackie Buster, chief impact officer for the studios, was excited.

Thats our plan, Buster said after hearing about the craft brewerys proposed move to the waterfront in West Haven, where it would relocate and expand its popular business now located in Woodbridge. The relocation plan, touted by West Haven officials, would need to be approved in that city in order to take place.

Buster said it would be good not to have to look to other towns for additional space.

Alan Tuchmann, Jaigantics new vice president for finance, said any possible deal to purchase the additional property would depend on the price, the extent of contamination there and other factors, but adding it to the development does fit into its larger vision.

Jaigantic has said that it needed much of the acreage on River Street between Lloyd Street and Blatchley Avenue for production studios, where it also would train new talent, a proposal that has generated local support.

Its most ambitious plan includes ancillary features marked for city and privately-owned parcels for such things as a studio hotel, a first-run movie theater and day care center.

Tuchmann said at this point Jaigantic is concentrating its energies on content, its virtual studio space in Shelton and acquiring 46-56 River St. and 112 Chapel St. The first two properties are part of phase one of its development.

We are running a movie studio (in Shelton) in addition to moving forward in New Haven, Tuchmann said.

The city was sad to lose the brewery and had hoped to help both it and Jaigantic settle in New Haven.

Even with the disappointment that it did not work out on River Street, we wish New England Brewing all success at their chosen location in West Haven. As one of Connecticuts outstanding brands, it was a pleasure to work with Marty (Juliano) on his vision for growth and job creation, Michael Piscitelli, economic development administrator, said.

Tuchmann said they also sent congratulations to the brewerys owners, who are now adjacent to a restaurant Tuchman owns.

Douglas Gray of Eclipse Development had signed a memorandum of agreement with New Haven for an estimated 8 acres in the middle of the site at 100/140 River St., but was not happy with delays in the sale of the city property.

He said in August that he felt specifics of a Development and Land Disposition Agreement were in order and should have been sent to the Board of Alders for approval of the purchase months ago.

Grays plan was to lease the site to the New England Brewing Co.

He said at the time they were clear about their interest going back to January and had hoped to open next spring. The delay, he said, meant he would have to look at other sites because they could not wait to open until fall 2022.

Jaigantic Studios is actor and producer Michael Jai Whites proposed creator studio district, where he hopes to build 25 sound stages, generate 1,000 jobs and award apprenticeships, if he can acquire multiple properties along River and Chapel streets.

The city said at the end of September it sent a draft of a DLDA to Jaigantic for review as well as a letter outlining the documents it promised to provide.

That MOU covered about 3.6 acres at 46-56 River St. and 112 Chapel St.

As of last week, the city said it was waiting for a response as well as other items they would need to take to the Board of Alders to close that deal. They included: sources and uses of funds; amount of equity contribution from Jaigantic; the LEED compliance plan and a traffic study.

Donovan DeBoer, CEO at Jaigantic, said the sources and uses of funds and the amount of equity contribution from Jaigantic were given to the city some time ago.

He said he sent a letter to the citys economic leaders on Sept. 22 asking why Jaigantic did not have a draft DLDA yet. He said it came a week later.

Tuchmann said in the proposed DLDA, issues of zoning and operational concerns have to be sorted out.

Steve Fontana, deputy economic development director, in a recent interview, said there had been meetings between the citys environmental attorney and the brewerys environmental attorney.

Those issues have contributed to the delay in selling the properties. This all takes time, Fontana said.

Fontana said monitoring wells need to be put in place along that 8-acre site because there are some detectable amounts of chemicals that exceed state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection guidelines.

He said the city needs to monitor it to ensure that they are not coming from the site, but are chemicals that flow in and out underneath the property from the adjacent Quinnipiac River.

The economic director said the monitoring can go on separately from conveyance of the property, but any future owners would like to have a sense, at least initially, about where this is going before they conclude a sale.

Fontana said all the parties want to ensure that this is not a long-term issue.

The monitoring wells will go on the property that the city will retain along the waterfront as part of the 50-foot buffer that will serve as a public greenway.

There is one property of the three Jaigantic parcels included in the MOU that is more environmentally complicated than the others, Fontana said.

Buster said they plan to retain their operation in Shelton, where it has smaller stages that are devoted to virtual reality productions. She said there was no reason to drop it, given its location near Route 8 and the Merritt Parkway as they plan for a bigger facility in New Haven.

Buster said they are almost finished with a challenge they arranged with some 57 people interested in different aspects of producing who came together to show their writing, editing and designing skills in a team exercise. At the end of the contest, some will be hired.

A fan of the Jaigantic proposal, Lee Cruz, vice chairman of the Fair Haven Community Management team, said he wont miss having a large brewery on the River Street site.

It was not the highest and best use, he said.

A brewery is coming to the street now that Armada has all its land use approvals for a 3,000-square-foot taproom and brewery at 190 River St. in a renovated historic building.
MIDDLETOWN  Newly released body cam footage provides more insight into the July confrontation between a Connecticut state police sergeant and a New York YouTuber.

The YouTuber, SeanPaul Reyes, of Long Island Audit, captured part of the incident on his cellphone, including the moment the officer, Sgt. Bryan Fahey, appeared to grab Reyes by the shirt.

Reyes claims in the video he went to the Middletown state police headquarters on July 23 to file a complaint after he was detained and handcuffed earlier in the day inside Bradley International Airport, where footage showed he refused to show police his ID when they asked why he was filming.

Reyes, who has had other run-ins with police and officials in Waterbury and Danbury, is part of a national trend of activists and so-called auditors who attempt to film in public and government buildings. Auditors then film the reaction of police or officials who attempt to stop them. Other videos on Reyes channel include him confronting officials in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York over his right to film inside government buildings.

The body camera footage released by state police as part of a Freedom of Information Act request by Hearst Connecticut Media follows much of what is shown in an edited video of the encounter Reyes posted to his channel on July 25. The video posted by Reyes cuts out after Fahey steps forward and tells him, were gonna have a problem. Reyes claims his phone was broken during the confrontation, but he was able to retrieve the video from it.

State police have launched an internal affairs investigation into Fahey and Trooper Mathew Costello, who also met with Reyes outside the state police headquarters.

The video from Costellos body cam released by state police begins inside the state police headquarters. Audio cuts in as Costello and Fahey meet with Reyes, who is filming on his phone, outside the entrance to the building.

Reyes can be heard explaining to Fahey that he is an independent journalist working on a story as Costello assists other people waiting to enter the police headquarters. Fahey directs Reyes to the state police office in Meriden where he can lodge an in-person internal affairs complaint against officers in the Bradley incident. But Reyes continued to stand outside the entrance filming on his cellphone.

So youre going to stand here with your cellphone? Fahey asks.

I thought you were busy, Reyes responds.

I am  I am busy, Fahey says.

So you should get to work, Reyes says.

I should get to work? Is that what youre telling me? Fahey replies, stepping forward as Costello says sarge  sarge.

Reyes steps backward as Costello and Fahey advance toward him, his phone disappearing from view. His hand reappears empty, and its unclear from the video whether it was knocked or dropped from his hand.

Costello takes out a pair of handcuffs and can be heard telling Reyes he is interfering.

This is private property, youre not going to videotape me and have an attitude with me, Fahey tells Reyes, gripping him by the front of his shirt as the New York man tells him to get off of him and that hes trying to make a complaint.

Im not the one, I gave you your outlet, Fahey tells him, pointing at a complaint form still clutched in Reyes hand. You wanted to stand there and hold your cellphone in my face is what you wanted to do. Take your cellphone and go and make your complaint, he says before turning and walking away.

Reyes asks to retrieve his phone, but is directed to stay where he is while another officer gets it.

Whats wrong with you guys, man? Reyes asks Costello as Fahey walks away. Costello asks him where his car is parked.

Im going, Im going, Reyes says

... Why do you need to know where my cars at? You were about to arrest me man, for real?

In the video, Costello says police were going to detain him while giving Reyes his name and badge number.

The video ends with the officers following Reyes across the lawn to his car.

State police have also released body camera footage from when Reyes was detained at Bradley, and said an internal affairs investigation into the officer involved in that incident has been closed.

Hearst Connecticut Media has filed Freedom of Information Act requests for both internal affairs reports.

Records show Reyes has cases pending for arrests by Waterbury and Danbury police on May 19 and July 17, respectively. He was charged with first-degree criminal trespass in both cities, along with additional offenses in Danbury. He is due in court Dec. 8 in the Waterbury case, while the Danbury case is on the trial list waiting to be scheduled, according to the online court system. In a video on his channel, Reyes said he asked to be placed on a jury trial waiting list, rather than a list for a bench trial.

The trespassing charges in Danbury stem from a July 15 incident at city hall. Later that month, Reyes led a protest at city hall where he and supporters  some of whom said they were from out of state  entered and began filming.

Reyes has also filed a lawsuit against the city and four police officers who responded after he began filming in the library in a video that has been widely shared online.

One of the officers who responded was heard saying on body cam footage Reyes would be dead had the incident occurred years ago. That officer was later suspended for eight days while the other officers received reprimands ranging from a lesser suspension to training and counseling.
DENVER (AP)  The Denver Police Department's first therapy dog was originally trained to be a guide dog, but she turned out to be too friendly to focus on helping one person.

Now the department is counting on the Black English Labrador Retriever's outgoing nature to help it break down barriers and start conversations with people in high-crime areas and those wary of the police.

Shelby, an eager 19-month-old who will work with the downtown area's community resource officer, Teresa Gillian, was officially sworn onto the force Thursday by Judge Renee Goble. Goble crouched down in her black robe to get on dog level for the quick ceremony as Shelby's tail wagged.

Denver joins about 300 law enforcement agencies around the United States that have acquired therapy dogs for a range of duties, said Sgt. Jason Ratcliff of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Ohio. The department was believed to be one of the first agencies to use therapy dogs when it first acquired them in 2017, he said.

Some agencies use therapy dogs to accompany officers assigned to work in schools while others use the dogs to help officers who have suffered trauma or to help in community outreach, he said. Franklin County's dogs are mainly used to work with victims of crimes, including accompanying children to court, he said.

Since arriving in Denver late last month, Shelby has already been accompanying Gillian on her work in the community, which involves visiting schools and senior residents and attending meetings and community events.

Chief Paul Pazen said Shelby would also be used in five areas of the city identified as hotspots for violent crime.

Having her on the team and on the streets adds a level of comfort for our residents who may otherwise be hesitant to engage with a police officer," Pazen said.

On a visit to an alternative school, one girl who said she had PTSD was interested in Shelby but a little scared, Gillian recalled. Seeming to sense the girl's mood, the dog turned over on her back, offering up her belly to be scratched, and the girl relaxed, she said.

Gillian hopes the dog will help people get to know police as part of their community, rather than a group apart from it, following protests over the killing of George Floyd last year.

Shelby is the tool to help us bridge that gap, she said.
ROANOKE, Va. (AP)  A former Virginia attorney who specialized in elder law and estate planning has been sentenced to two years in prison for wire fraud and making false statements, a prosecutor said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia says in a news release that Cherie Anne Washburn, 45, of Lynchburg used money she fraudulently obtained to buy real estate and make donations to charities that her boss owned to make a favorable impression.
The Biden administration's sweeping new COVID-19 mandate will apply to 84 million workers at mid-size and large companies.

President Joe Biden described the rules issued Thursday as urgently needed to get more Americans inoculated. Though confirmed viral cases and deaths have fallen sharply since the start of the year, they remain dangerously high, especially in some areas and industries. Average case numbers have leveled off at about 70,000 new infections a day and confirmed viral deaths at more than 1,200 a day.

Too many people," Biden said, remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good.

Yet several states with Republican governors have vowed to challenge the Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations in court, calling them an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.

Here is a closer look at the new COVID rules and what they mean for companies and their employees:

___

WHAT DO THE NEW RULES DO?

Private-sector companies with 100 or more workers must require their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. These requirements will take effect Jan. 4 under an emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A separate rule requires workers at health care facilities that receive federal Medicare and Medicaid payments to be vaccinated. This rule, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will apply to 17 million workers at 76,000 health care facilities, including hospitals and long-term care facilities. But doctors offices with fewer than 100 employees will be exempt because they dont fall under the center's health and safety regulations.

Employers must give workers paid time off to be vaccinated and to recover from any side effects. Vaccinations will be paid for by the federal government, though employees may have to pay for testing. The federal government says the rules supersede state laws that conflict with the standards. Still, some states have threatened to sue.

___

WHY DID THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IMPOSE THE MANDATE?

About 70% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated. Yet that rate of vaccination hasn't been nearly enough to stop the spread of the virus, especially the highly contagious and now dominant delta variant.

Biden noted that businesses that have already imposed mandates on their employees, along with requirements for the military and federal contractors, have cut the number of unvaccinated Americans over age 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million.

Even so, more than 750,000 Americans have died from the virus, and tens of thousands of new cases arise daily. OSHA estimates that the new requirements will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations in the six months after the rules take effect.

Workplace exposures have played a central role in driving the pandemic, said David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is a professor of public health at George Washington University. Exposed at work, workers bring home the virus. They infect their children, they infect their parents, they infect their community.

Michaels called the rules an important step toward stopping virus transmission and gradually suppressing COVID.

___

HOW WILL THE RULES BE ENFORCED?

OSHA says it will enforce the new rules just as it does other workplace safety regulations  by relying largely on whistleblower complaints and some limited spot checks. But OSHA and its state partners that enforce its regulations have only 1,850 inspectors for 8 million workplaces nationwide.

The agency said it will work with companies to have employees vaccinated but would fine them up to $13,653 for each violation. Companies must collect proof of employee vaccinations and keep records. And employers must prove that unvaccinated employees have taken tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and that the tests are properly administered, said Allison Kahn, an employment attorney with Carlton Fields in West Palm Beach, Florida.

You cant just take an at-home test and tell your employer youre negative," Kahn said. It has to be somehow proctored.

___

ARE THERE EXEMPTIONS?

The rules do not apply to employees who work alone, at home or outdoors. In addition, workers may apply for religious or medical exemptions. Nicholas Hulse, an employment lawyer at Fisher & Phillips LLC, noted that companies that have issued their own vaccine mandates are already being deluged with requests to be excused from vaccine requirements.

Normally, Hulse said, religious exemption requests are straightforward: Someone, say, requests Sundays off to attend church or observe a day of rest. Now, he said, it will be difficult to tell if (anti-vaccine) beliefs are sincerely held, or are they just trying to use religion to get an accommodation?"

The Biden administration plan is sure to generate more such requests for exemptions.

___

DOES THIS AFFECT ONLY PRIVATE EMPLOYERS?

It's complicated. In 28 states and U.S. territories that enforce OSHA regulations, the new rule will cover both public and private employers.

These states and territories are:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

In the remaining states and territories, public employees are not covered by the new mandate.

___

WHAT DO BUSINESSES SAY ABOUT THE NEW RULES?

Some are relieved. They may have wanted to require inoculations but worried about alienating vaccine-wary employees and perhaps losing them to rival employers that didnt impose mandates.

This rule, at least to a certain degree, equalizes the workforce that way, says Amanda Sonneborn, an employment lawyer at King & Spalding.

Richard Wahlquist, CEO of the American Staffing Association, which represents temporary-help agencies and recruiting firms, said that some large companies see the mandate as relieving them of having to make an unpopular decision on whether to require the shots.

They say: Look, as a condition of our continuing to do business, weve just got to go with the mandate, guys,' " Walhquist said.

That said, companies covered by the new mandates still risk losing workers to smaller companies that are exempt from them, especially at a time when many businesses are struggling to fill job openings and workers are quitting in record numbers.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey last month found that 37% of unvaccinated workers say they would leave their job if they were required to get jabbed or submit to weekly tests  a figure that rises to 70% if testing isnt an option.

___

IS THE VACCINE-OR-TEST MANDATE LIKELY TO SURVIVE LEGAL CHALLENGES?

Across the country, Republican governors are lining up to challenge the rules in court.

This rule is garbage, Alan Wilson, South Carolina's Republican attorney general, said Thursday through a spokesman. Its unconstitutional, and we will fight it.

It was unclear when South Carolina or other states in opposition would make legal filings challenging it. But Wilson's spokesman, Robert Kittle, said the attorney general's objection was not over the vaccine itself but rather over OSHAs legal authority to impose such a rule.

Only 10 times has OSHA issued an emergency rule, which allows it to bypass normal administrative procedures, including the need to seek public comment. Until it issued an emergency rule in June covering COVID risks in the health care industry, it hadnt done so in 38 years.

And no wonder: The courts have overturned four emergency rules and partially blocked a fifth, according to a review by the Congressional Research Service. To fast-track its rules, the agency must show that it's acting to protect workers from a grave danger.

The Biden administration is betting that fighting a pandemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives clearly meets that standard.

___

AP Writers Christopher Rugaber in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
The Connecticut prison where two inmates contracted Legionnaires disease last month has a history of dirty, foul-smelling water that has led to complaints and illnesses among inmates, according to a class-action lawsuit filed over conditions there.

The drinking water at the prison, the Osborn Correctional Institution in Somers, was described as brown, cloudy or opaque, with a strong, acrid and offensive odor and taste in a complaint filed by current and former prisoners in 2018.

The lawsuit, which is ongoing, also alleged that several prisoners had become infected with a waterborne bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which is linked to crowded living conditions as well as contaminated food or water.

The drinking water is so disgusting that staff members at the prison do not drink it or cook with it; instead, they bring their own bottled water to Osborn, the lawsuit states. In fact, even therapy dogs brought to the facility to work with the inmates are provided with bottled water rather than the tap water given to inmates."

Officials with the state Department of Correction did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday, though attorneys for the state described the allegations as exaggerated or false in court filings.

In response to a 2019 request by the prisoners to order the prison to begin supplying them with bottled water, Assistant Attorney General Carmel Motherway wrote in a brief that the prisoners had failed to supply scientific evidence to support their claims of dirty, smelly water. In the decade before the lawsuit, she said the water at Osborn met all state and federal guidelines, except for one instance in November 2010 when arsenic above legal limits was found in the water.

The fact that 38-plus inmates are, metaphorically speaking, asserting that the sky is falling does not serve to make it so, Motherways brief stated.

In addition to unsafe drinking water, the prisoners also alleged that they were exposed to asbestos and chlorinated chemicals known as PCBs while housed in a group of aging buildings at the Osborn Unit, before the buildings were eventually closed in 2016. The case is stylized Toliver v. Semple, after the former prisoner who filed the first of the lawsuits against former prisons Commissioner Scott Semple.

U.S. District Court Judge Stefan R. Underhill allowed the lawsuit to proceed in 2019 as a class-action case, which includes any prisoner made to drink or bathe in the tap water at Osborn from November 2013 to the present.

In September, however, Underhill denied the prisoners request for a preliminary injunction that would order prison officials to provide them with bottled water.

The current and former prisoners involved in the lawsuit are being represented by attorneys for the Murtha Cullina law firm in Stamford. Those attorneys did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

According to prison officials, two prisoners at Osborn tested positive for Legionnaires disease while receiving medical care at a local hospital last month. Both individuals, who were not identified, were treated with antibiotics and returned to the prison, according to DOC spokesperson Karen Martucci.

Legionnaires disease is caused by a bacteria that can grow in large water systems such as heating and cooling units and is typically spread through water droplets in the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Less commonly, the disease can also be spread through drinking water.

While the disease can be treated with antibiotics, it is fatal in about 10 percent of cases.

According to Martucci, the population was moved out of the area where Legionnaires was discovered. Prisoners were not provided with bottled water, she said.

As of last week, officials said no other cases of the disease have been identified at the prison.
ORANGE  The Town Plan and Zoning Commission has voted in favor of a one-year moratorium on recreational cannabis sales in town so it can see how the retail sales in neighboring towns and around the state play out.

TPZC Chairman Oscar Ozzie Parente said the town could revisit the issue at any time in the next year after watching how it unfolds in neighboring municipalities of West Haven and Milford and other places.

The TPZC also spoke about consulting Police Chief Robert Gagne for his opinion.

The TPZC in recent months has thoughtfully weighed the pros and cons of several options, including to prohibit retail sale of cannabis, to impose a moratorium or create regulations around allowing sales. It also technically had the option to do nothing, which would have treated the sale the same as any other retail sales.

Only a handful of residents showed up at a recent public hearing to consider three options: whether to regulate the sale of cannabis in town, prohibit it or impose a moratorium. Of those who attended, only two spoke  resident Patrick ONeill , who was against the sale, and Selectman Mitch Goldblatt, who was for regulating the sale since the state made it legal.

ONeill said his concerns about such sales were related to the growing opioid addiction problem in general. ONeill, who identified himself as being in the biotech industry, said many experts consider cannabis a gateway drug and for those who have addictive tendencies thats a problem. He said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts more than 1,200 overdose deaths in Connecticut this year.

Its a crisis, he said.

Goldblatt said hes for creating regulations because the state passed the law to allow it and by not allowing it the town might not be perceived as business friendly.

We may not agree with it, but its legal, Goldblatt said.

He said the marijuana business would be highly regulated, as are pharmacies and liquor stores, both of which dispense drugs that are mind-altering, life-altering.

Goldblatt also said allowing sales could benefit the town financially because of a 3 percent tax on such businesses.

Under state rules, the number of retail cannabis establishments allowed in a municipality depends on the population  and that means Orange would be allowed one establishment.

Guilford, Madison and North Branford recently enacted moratoriums preventing cannabis establishments from opening in town for nine months to a year from now.

Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey told the Register recently that that towns moratorium allows for full community engagement and discussion.

Madisons moratorium is for nine months or until the commission adopts zoning regulations. It was approved unanimously Oct. 21.

Clinton passed an ordinance prohibiting cannabis-related land use, making it unlawful for any building, structure or land to be used as a cannabis establishment, producer, retailer, dispensary and more.

A cannabis establishment, according to Public Act 21-1, is defined a producer, dispensary, cultivator, micro-cultivator, retailer, hybrid retailer, food and beverage manufacturer, product manufacturer, product packager and delivery service or transporter.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A recount was underway Friday in a tight Democratic primary race for the South Florida U.S. House seat of the late Alcee Hastings.

Election officials in Palm Beach and Broward counties were required by law to conduct a recount after unofficial results from this week's election showed just a handful of votes separating Dale Holness and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
NEW HAVEN  The two young men, from two different continents, have traveled thousands of miles in their lifetimes.

Whats 3,000 more this month alone?

Anur Abdemma, who was born in Sudan, and Javid, an Afghan, arrived in the United States as refugees some two years ago, and now literally are doing the heavy lifting to help new arrivals resettle in Connecticut.

They are part of the paid staff of Maries Moving of Southbury, owned by Jim Anctil, who for four years volunteered to move goods into apartments for refugees throughout the state, but mainly in the New Haven and Bridgeport areas.

Anctil, whose father was an immigrant from Canada who spoke only French when he arrived, said he has a soft spot for immigrants.

He said he stepped up to help when former President Donald Trump instituted a ban on immigration from several mainly Muslim countries in 2017.

It was the last big influx of volunteers Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, the largest resettlement agency in Connecticut, headquartered in New Haven.

Anctil now is under contract with IRIS, at a discounted rate, as it helped welcome some of the 214 refugees who arrived in Connecticut in the past month. More than 500 are expected over a years time, mainly from Afghanistan.

Christine DeRosa / Hearst Connecticut Media

Without a moving company they would not be able to handle the volume, Anctil said.

On Wednesday, they moved furniture into an apartment on Scranton Street in New Haven that was donated by Quinnipiac University.

Abdemma came here during the pandemic lockdown, while Javid came in October 2019, learning English as part of the moving crew, one more language to the four he already knows  Dari, Farsi, Turkish and Uzbek  which has been helpful to the clients.

Anctil said they traveled some 3,000 miles around the state moving refugees into apartments this month.

Abdemma left his village in Sudan when he was 8, taking three months to cross the desert into Ethiopia to escape the violence in his country. He grew up in a refugee camp in Ethiopia.

He was able to bring his wife and three young children here. He said he did some teaching in Ethiopia and said he may look to pursue that here.

Javid, who is from Afghanistan, came to the U.S. from Turkey. He also was able to bring his wife and three children and now is settled in Waterbury after waiting five years to get refugee status.

Im happy here. I have a job. My children are going to school. My kids love it here, too, Javid said.

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

Officials in Connecticut will help him apply for humanitarian parole for a brother left behind in Afghanistan, he said. Javid is only using his first name to make sure relatives back in his home country are not targeted.

The family of four who will be moving into the Scranton Street apartment in New Haven are doubling up with relatives at the moment, said Chris George, who heads IRIS.

They recently arrived from one of the military bases where the large influx of Afghans are being processed before being sent to homes across the country.

George made an appeal Wednesday for landlords to step forward with apartments for the families here and those set to arrive shortly. He said leases are co-signed by IRIS and there are federal and state resources to help the refugees.
Evan Vucci/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  A person traveling with President Joe Biden to Europe this past week received a positive test result for the coronavirus, the administration confirmed Thursday, saying the individual did not have close contact with the president.

The fully-vaccinated person is asymptomatic and is remaining in Scotland to quarantine while undergoing additional tests after testing positive on a lateral flow rapid test issued by the UK government required for all attendees at the UN climate summit underway in Scotland. Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, the White House said.
GENEVA (AP)  The United Nations' top human rights official on Friday condemned actions by military leaders in Sudan following a coup almost two weeks ago and called on them to step back to let civilian rule return.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet decried excessive use of force by security forces that has left at least 13 people dead and more than 300 injured since the coup. She also expressed concern about numerous arrests and disappearances of civil society and protest leaders, journalists, and activists.

Bachelet spoke during an urgent Human Rights Council session on Sudan. Britain, the United States, Germany and Norway led a push to commission an expert to monitor the situation in the African country.

The Human Rights Council debate took place while the U.N. still recognizes the ambassador from the deposed Sudanese government as the countrys official representative in Geneva. No representative from among Sudans top generals seemed to be attending the session.

Events since the coup have recalled a somber page in the countrys history when freedom of expression was stifled and human rights were comprehensively repressed, said Bachelet, in reference to the 30-year rule of Sudan by former autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

I urge Sudans military leaders, and their backers, to step back in order to allow the country to return to the path of progress towards institutional and legal reforms," she added.

The Oct. 25 coup came more than two years after a popular uprising forced the militarys removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. It has upended the countrys fragile planned transition to democratic rule. Tens of thousands have taken to the street to protest since the takeover.

Massive anti-coup protests were in several instances met with excessive use of force, including use of live ammunition, as documented by the Joint U.N. Human Rights Office in Sudan, particularly in the capital, Khartoum, and the city of Omdurman.

According to medical sources, at least 13 civilians have been killed by military and security forces since Oct. 25, and more than 300 have been injured.

Sudans top general, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the forces loyal to him who dissolved Sudans transitional government and detained other government officials and political leaders, face increasing international pressure. Western nations have condemned the coup.

"Fundamentally, this is about respect for democracy and human rights," Simon Manley, Britains ambassador in Geneva, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. I hope that fellow council members will stand in solidarity with the brave people of Sudan today."

A draft resolution by the four Western countries presented earlier this week was considerably revised Friday. While the draft would have created a new, one-year post of a special rapporteur to monitor the situation, the final text asks Bachelet to appoint an expert to monitor the situation  until civilian rule is restored. The expert would work with her regional office in Khartoum and report back.

The resolution passed in the 47-member body without a vote.

The final text also jettisoned a call for immediate return to a civilian-led transitional government under Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was among those detained in the coup. Instead, it urges a restoration of the civilian-led transitional government without naming Hamdok, who is under house arrest but has been allowed to meet with U.N. and international diplomats as part of mediation efforts.

Many countries spoke out against the coup. But Russia and China, which often voice concerns about alleged international meddling in countries domestic affairs, took a different position. Chinese diplomat Li Song called for constructive dialogue and cooperation and cautioned that external pressure will only complicate the situation.

Russian representative Artur Chernyakov expressed Moscow's opposition to the special session arranged mostly by the Western countries, calling it a hasty decision. "

Any interference in the internal affairs of that state is counterproductive and unacceptable, Chernyakov said.

Inside Sudan, reports continue to emerge of new arrests of opposition figures.

The U.N. mission tasked with assisting Sudan's transition to democracy on Friday condemned the arrest of three leaders from the Forces for Freedom and Change, a coalition that was born out of the 2019 protest movement.

In a statement, the mission said Taha Osman Isahaq, Sharif Mohamed Osman and Hamza Farouk were arrested near the mission's headquarters in Khartoum on Thursday.

It said the new detentions were a step backward after reports that some officials held earlier would be released.

Sudans state-run news agency reported Thursday that Burhan had ordered the release of four government ministers who also were detained. A defense lawyer for the ministers said they had not yet been freed.



Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo, Egypt.
Westport, Weston and Fairfield have achieved Sustainable CT certification and will officially be recognized later this month for their effort in making their municipalities more efficient, resilient and inclusive.

The three towns are among a group of 23 Connecticut municipalities that have met the standards of sustainability. Westport and Fairfield qualified for the silver-level certification, the highest level of certification currently offered. Weston is one of 11 towns that qualified for bronze-level certification.

Congratulations to our newest Sustainable CT certified communities, said Lynn Stoddard, executive director of the program. Its particularly gratifying to see so many municipalities achieving certification this year.

Stoddard said the program is inspired by the leadership and collaboration of all of the elected officials that help make Connecticut communities healthy and strong.

Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe said that he is pleased that Westport was able to achieve the silver level after receiving the bronze in 2018. He said through the hard work of former Operations Director Sara Harris and the town department heads, the town was able to handle the complex submission to achieve the award.

Westport also received support from Sustainable Westport and Earthplace through the organizations programs such as the Zero Food Waste Challenge and home efficiency audits.

These organizations are pivotal in the movement towards achieving our goal of Net Zero by 2050, Marpe said.

The first selectman added that the residents of Westport have taken on the challenges to become involved in the growing movement to protect the environment for future generations.

With increased local engagement and impact, it will be possible to make our planet healthier and more sustainable, Marpe said. Westport continually demonstrates its commitment to sustainability now and into the future.

The application requires certified towns to demonstrate achievements in several sustainable impact areas. The areas can range from inclusive community buildings, thriving local economies and clean and efficient energy use to vibrant arts and culture, clean transportation and diverse housing.

Certified municipalities also address issues of belonging, equity, diversity and inclusion when implementing sustainability actions.

Fairfield received its bronze certification in 2018.

There are 125 municipalities registered for the program. Collectively, 64 municipalities, or 60 percent of the states communities, have earned Sustainable CT certification. Certification lasts for three years.

Weston is a haven for residents who support a sustainable lifestyle with stunning natural environments and the large land preserves and virtually no urbanization, said First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor. As we look to Westons future, Sustainable CT offers important frameworks for our planning and decision-making.

Nestor said the certification represents a collaborative effort by the Sustainable Weston Committee members, town administrators, student volunteers, interns and local advocates.

We are proud that Weston is taking sustainability seriously, she said.

Laura Francis, co-chair of the Sustainable CT Board of Directors, said the additional certified communities have also been able to use the Sustainable CT framework to recover from the pandemic and build long-term resilience.

Supporting local businesses, strengthening food networks and safeguarding natural spaces for our residents have always been important, but the pandemic further illuminated their importance, Francis said.

Westport, Weston, Fairfield and the rest of the 2021 certified communities will be recognized on Nov. 30 at the Annual Convention of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

Other recipients include Ridgefield for bronze and Greenwich, Hartford, Litchfield, Milford, New Milford and Trumbull for silver.

Sustainable CT Certified communities are models for all forward-looking local governments, said Joe DeLong, executive director and CEO of Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
NEW HAVEN  Emergency personnel descended upon downtown New Haven Friday afternoon after an unknown caller reported a bomb threat at multiple Yale University buildings.

The threat forced hundreds of Yale University students to evacuate from these buildings, including some dormitories, for hours, officials said.

The city later sent an alert around 6:36 p.m. saying all buildings were safe, and downtown businesses and streets were back open.

New Haven and Yale University police, as well as firefighters and other emergency personnel, searched the targeted buildings late Friday afternoon. Officials also called in extra bomb-sniffing dogs to investigate.

What we know

1. Downtown is safe

The New Haven Police Department deemed the Yale University buildings safe Friday night, Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana said around 6:30 p.m.

The city sent an alert to residents around 6:36 p.m. stating The Downtown area has been deemed safe. All businesses and streets are open and back to normal.

University officials said that the campus is back to normal operations as of 6:52 p.m.

2. Yale buildings were evacuated

Seven Yale facilities were threatened, including the University Theater, Jonathan Edwards College, the Yale Art Gallery, Vanderbilt Hall, Bingham Hall, Welch Hall and Grace Hopper College, according to Fontana.

Yale University Police issued an alert around 2:30 p.m. for everyone to evacuate these buildings, as well as Branford College and Saybrook College, according to Yale Police Chief Ron Higgins.

University officials also evacuated Bass Library.

Students were escorted to the universitys upper green, but were then moved to indoor locations to stay warm, make calls and do whatever they need to do, Higgins said.

3. Parts of downtown were closed for several hours

All streets and businesses in the area were closed out of an abundance of caution for about four hours, Fontana said.

The area encompassed a square chunk of downtown, from York to Elm Street, to College to Crown Street, Mayor Justin Elicker said.

Around 4 p.m., Acting New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez asked for patience as detectives and investigators thoroughly searched each targeted building.

The area will be shut down for a considerable amount of time because at some point we will have to make sure that all of the buildings are safe, Dominguez said.

Police asked New Haven residents to avoid the downtown area while the investigation ensued.

Higgins said state police arrived just before 4 p.m. At the time, the bomb squads were talking and splitting up into teams to search each building.

He added that James Rovella, commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, sent additional resources to New Haven to assist in the investigation.

What we dont know

1. It was not immediately known who called in the threat

The call came in to the New Haven Police Departments non-emergency number at 1:51 p.m. Friday. Elicker said the caller mentioned a bomb threat and referenced specific buildings.

Elicker noted to contact the police departments 911 dispatchers, the person would have to be in the city, but a person from anywhere can reach the non-emergency number.

Dominguez said her department is still trying to determine the identity of the caller. She added that the employee who took the call did a fantastic job trying to get as much information and keeping the individual on the phone as long as we possibly could.

2. It is unclear why the caller made the bogus threat.

Officials treated the threat as if it was legitimate, Dominguez said, thoroughly searching each targeted building.

However, He (the caller) did not provide a reason for the threat, Higgins said.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
There is no question that your net worth is a great indicator of your financial well-being. The old adage its not what you make, but what you keep is an absolute financial top 5 in my book.

As a financial planner, I have witnessed high-income earners with little to negative net worth. In Texas, they refer to this as having a big hat and no cattle. Its a tough state of affairs from a financial planning perspective.

In many cases, retail therapy has been taking place in a large way. If you are always inflating your lifestyle along with your raises at work, you will always find yourself on the debt treadmill. If you are guilty of spending at unsustainable levels, its not too late to make positive changes in your financial life.

As a bonus, paying down debt is a great feeling and, based on my conversations over the years, it seems that people who live within their means seem a lot happier overall. They are able to make a difference in their community through charitable contributions, are able to send their kids to college and make time for the things that really matter in life such as friends and family. I have nothing against buying boats or RVs, but just make sure you can afford them and the time commitment that these hobbies demand.

To calculate your net worth, simply add up all of your savings and investments along with your other assets such as real estate and automobiles. From there, subtract any debt or mortgage obligations that you have from the asset column. For example, lets say you have $200,000 in savings and $800,000 in investment accounts. Your home is appraised at $600,000 and your other assets including cars and a cabin in Vermont are worth $400,000. Your total assets in this case are $2,000,000. Now subtract any debts that you have. In this example, this individual has an outstanding car loan of $20,000. Overall net worth in this case is $1,980,000 ($2,000,000 - $20,000 = $1,980,000).

If you wish to increase your net worth, you have a few options to accomplish this. Set a goal to save more money or to pay down debts. I would also add in a sprinkling of patience as you strive to increase your net worth since market values will fluctuate along the way, causing your net worth to move up and down.

Good Luck!

Eric Tashlein is a Certified Financial Planner professional, founder and financial advisor at Connecticut Capital Management Group, LLC, 2 Schooner Lane, Suite 1-12, in Milford. He can be reached at 203-877-1520 or through www.connecticutcapital.com. This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice or legal/tax advice. Please consult your advisor/attorney/tax advisor. Investment Advisor Representative, Connecticut Capital Management Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Connecticut Capital Management Group, LLC and Connecticut Benefits Group, LLC are not affiliated.
Given the shortage of physicians providing primary care, APRNs should be given equal prescribing capability in all facets of drug distribution.

Come 2022, it will be nearly 10 years since Connecticut has legalized the use of medical marijuana for patients with qualifying conditions. During this time, health care providers, both physicians and APRNs, have certified patients eligible for palliative use of medical marijuana. In acute care settings, Dronabinol, a synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol, has proven useful in improving appetite for patients with poor oral intake.

As the caregiver of a family member with qualifying conditions, I have witnessed the benefits of such medications. There are improvements to appetite, pain management and mood enhancement. Overall, evidence suggests that cannabinoids are safe and moderately effective in neuropathic pain with preliminary evidence of efficacy in fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, a 2017 study found. In my previous assignments, pediatric patients with seizure history have had a notable reduction in seizure frequency when treated with sublingual cannabis.

However, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is deemed a Schedule 1 substance along the lines of ecstasy and LSD. In the eyes of the federal government, it has no acceptable medical use. In the state of Connecticut, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use as of July 2021. It should go without saying that the current classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug is an antiquated classification, preventing use for patients with APRNs as their primary care-giver.

Currently, patients receiving care from APRNs as their primary care provider are limited by the prescribing limitation as Medicare/Medicaid is a federal program. Pharmacies are not allowed to produce or dispense marijuana. Providers are only certified to recommend the use of the drug for objective diagnosis of qualifying conditions.

As a federal benefits program, providers risk facing violations from Medicare/Medicaid when they do not adhere to federal mandates. As the federal government continues prevents the legalization of medical marijuana, APRNs in states with legalization will continue to be limited to serve their patient populations. Currently, officials in the state of Connecticut can prescribe Schedule II to Schedule V medications if these class distinctions are clearly stated in the collaborative practice agreement.

Reconsidering the substance classification for marijuana will serve as the first step in permitting the safe administration and prescribing of medical marijuana. Physicians and APRNs alike must be given autonomy to provide total care for their patients. Given these prescribing privileges, APRNs will continue to fill the gap of physician shortages and provide more holistic care to patients in their care.

Jenelle Dunstan is a registered nurse who lives in Hartford, and is an acute care nurse practitioner candidate at the University of Connecticut.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Cloudy with occasional rain during the afternoon. High around 50F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Light rain early. Then remaining cloudy. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Days after soldiers withdrew from checkpoints and highways within Ondo State, men of the States Security Network Agency also known as Amote...





Days after soldiers withdrew from checkpoints and highways within Ondo State, men of the States Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun Corps have arrested suspected bandits allegedly planning to invade the state.

The suspected bandits, 18 in number were arrested in Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of the State.

They were said to have taken off from Kastina State before arriving the Ondo State.

According to the Commander of Amotekun in the State, Adetunji Adeleye, the bandits stormed the state in three 18-seater passenger buses.

He added that two of the buses escaped while his men were able to intercept one of the buses after escaping from different checkpoints before they were arrested in Ondo town.

The suspects concealed different seizes of knives, swords and guns inside tiger nut bags.
Candidates and political parties participating in Saturdays governorship election in Anambra State have signed a peace Accord, pledging to ...





Candidates and political parties participating in Saturdays governorship election in Anambra State have signed a peace Accord, pledging to shun violence.

At an event held at the Prof Dora Akunyili Womens Development Centre, Awka, 17 candidates contesting in the election and their political parties resolved to keep to the agreement of abiding by the peace treaty.

This is coming as the chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), called on candidates and their political parties to ensure they abide by the peace accord to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

Abubakar, a former Head of State, stated that the accord is not just a mere exercise but a clarion call for stakeholders to commit themselves to a peaceful electoral process.

He said: We are all aware of the consistent history of political and electoral violence in Nigeria. Almost every election in Nigeria is accompanied by violence, ballot box snatching, vote buying, outright disruption of the process and in some cases, the intimidation of ordinary citizens who simply want to select a leader that will govern them.

This violence has gone beyond just the period of election. Every day we hear stories of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and in most cases, outright criminality. This ugly trend continues to threaten the peace, security and stability of our dear country. The question is when will all this stop? How can we work together to ensure peace and stability both during and after the election cycle?

We the members of the National Peace Committee have come to Anambra State to support a peaceful electoral process. We cherish Anambra State, and we cherish the peace and unity of Nigeria. Most importantly, we want to contribute our own quota to see that the governorship election in Anambra State is devoid of violence.

We call on candidates, their parties and supporters to accept the outcome of the vote as long as it is adjudged to be free, fair and credible. In the letter and spirit of the Accord, any aggrieved party should not resort to violence, but follow a judicial process.

Therefore, the signing of the Peace Accord today (Thursday) is not a mere exercise. It is a clarion call for all the candidates and the political parties to commit themselves to a peaceful process, the former Head of State added.

Also, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu said the commission has concluded plans to ensure a hitch-free election while urging the parties to adhere to the Peace Accord and ensure that the election is conducted without any acrimony.

He said: The INEC is ready to organise a hitch-free election. The focus of the NPC was initially for the presidential election but having played a major role in a free, fair and credible elections in Edo and Ondo, we called your support for the Anambra election on Saturday and we are happy they responded.

We are also hopeful that this election will pass on without hiccups. We hope the political parties will adhere to the peace accord so that we can have a peaceful election and country, the INEC boss added.
Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, says the political elite sabotaged the amnesty programme launched for bandits in his state. Th...

Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, says the political elite sabotaged the amnesty programme launched for bandits in his state.

The governor spoke during the Urgent Conversations programme of RadioNow on Friday.

Mattawale was one of the governors calling for a dialogue and reconciliation approach to solving the banditry problem besetting Nigerias north-west.

In August, the governor claimed that the tactic had yielded a lot of results in Zamfara.

Matawalle, however, changed his stance in September, announcing that his administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits because they have failed to embrace the peace initiative earlier extended to them.

Explaining the cause of the change in strategy, the governor blamed politicians that have connections with the criminals who were telling them all sorts of things so that they shouldnt believe the governments amnesty and reconciliation.

Mattawale said security agencies have confessions from 2000 informants who have indicted several politicians.

After we initiated the dialogue, you know it was supposed to be a collective effort  between the government, the people of the state and other political gladiators. Unfortunately, when the government is trying to make sure we have peace, some political elites are thinking they dont want us to succeed, the governor said.

So theyve been making so many unprecedented comments about the dialogue issues and the reconciliation. And some of them that have connections with the criminals have been telling them all sorts of things so that they shouldnt believe the governments amnesty and reconciliation.

We have some records. Some of the informants that were arrested, we have over 2000 informants under the custody of security agencies, and some of them have opened up and indicted so many people. They said some of the politicians are the ones funding them, telling them the state and federal government are not serious on what we promise to them.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says he stopped attending a branch of a church in Abuja because...

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says he stopped attending a branch of a church in Abuja because the pastor was always attacking the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Adesina said this in an article on Thursday titled, This Kumuyi is simply different, which was written in support of a statement by the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi.

Although Adesina did not mention which church he stopped attending, his public profile states that he is a member of the Foursquare Gospel Church where he was ordained a pastor and has attended since 1988.

In the article, the Presidents spokesman said it was unfortunate that some pastors had turned their pulpits to soapboxes upon which they spew hatred.

He wrote, I used to attend a church in Abuja from 2015 to 2018, till the pastor began to see himself as someone who must bring the Buhari government down. Sunday after Sunday, it was all sorts of criticism from the pulpit. But I endured, since it was a branch of a church I had attended for over 30 years. Till one day, he overdid it.

The Dapchi girls were abducted and there was no name the pastor did not call President Buhari that Sunday. It was horrendous that such things could come from the pulpit. But I suffered long and sat through the sermon, or rather, what was supposed to be a sermon. I then went home, wondering what the church of God was turning to.

Adesina said after most of the Dapchi girls had been rescued, the pastor did not deem it fit to commend the President in subsequent service.

The Presidents aide, however, praised Kumuyi for saying last week that Christians should not disdain those in power because they appear not to be delivering on electoral pledges.

He stated that while a former Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Prof. Dapo Asaju, was within his rights to be angry over the state of the country, it must be noted that the Buhari regime was doing a lot to change the nations fortunes.

Adesina said there were some men of God who predicted that Buhari would lose the 2019 election but it turned out to be a fake prophecy.

Irrespective of the titles they bear, I hear bishops, apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, cursing the government, and issuing doomsday notices. One even said publicly that the Buhari administration was over, before the 2019 elections. But the man won handsomely, and that preacher still struts and frets on the pulpit every week, not repenting in sackcloth and ashes, said Adesina.

He noted that during the #EndSARS protests of 2020, some pastors came out to support the youths who were protesting but they quickly recoiled into their shells when the protests got out of hand.

Adesina added, Pastor Kumuyi also says if you are a true believer in Christ, you wouldnt go on the rampage, destroying government property But that was not what we saw in the country in October last year. The country was almost burned down under the subterfuge of EndSARS.

And sadly, they were encouraged by pastors and preachers, who simply hate the fact that a Fulani man is their President. Many of them are on record as having encouraged the protesters, till things went ugly, turned awry. And the pastors vanished into the thin air. Not a word of caution or restraint as the cities were burning, and policemen were being killed, and even eaten up.
The Lagos state government says family members of victims of the Ikoyi building collapse can visit the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) a...

The Lagos state government says family members of victims of the Ikoyi building collapse can visit the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) at Yaba, to identify their relatives.

The high-rise in Ikoyi axis of Lagos collapsed on Monday afternoon with many people trapped in the rubble.

There is still no official figure of how many people were in the building when the structure caved in.

As of Friday afternoon, recovery efforts were ongoing at the site.

Addressing journalists on Friday at the site, Gbenga Omotosho, the state commissioner for information, said the rescue exercise will continue until all those believed to be at the building before the collapse are accounted for.

Now, we have recovered 38 bodies and as you know, we have nine survivors and some bodies are ready for identification, Omotosho said.

People can go to IDH Yaba from 4pm to identify the bodies of their loved ones. For bodies that may be very difficult to identify, we will conduct DNA tests for such bodies to be identified. I will like to let you know that the operation continues.

The commissioner also said 32 persons said to be at the building before the collapse have been declared missing by their relatives.
President Muhammadu Buhari has described former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), late Dr Obadiah Mailafia as a man who ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has described former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), late Dr Obadiah Mailafia as a man who truly loved his fatherland.

President Buhari added that the love the former Deputy Governor of CBN had for the country was never in doubt recalling that the former 2019 presidential candidate left a sterling footprint by ensuring peace and harmonious relationship is maintained in the country.

The President was speaking during the service of songs and tributes organised for the late scholar at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

He hailed the late banker for the intelligence he brought to bear in both public and private life through his lifetime.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, President Buhari, explained that late Dr Obadiah Mailafia was a devoted Christian, well known Development Economist, International Polymath, Central Banker, academician per-excellence, astute administrator and strategist whose enormous contributions to the growth and development of our nations economy are unquantifiable.

President Buhari noted that he fondly remembers and appreciates Obadiahs indelible contributions to the transformation of the nations banking sector through the Banking Consolidation Exercise during his eventful stint as the then Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2005 and 2006, adding that this most birthed most of the technologically advanced banking services Nigerians enjoy today.

The President said Dr Mailafia was a complete family man and humanitarian whose selfless service to his family and contributions to humanity are enumerable, pointing out that he had made his mark as an outstanding individual whose personality transcended local and international borders for the love of humanity.

We have lost a rare gem and we will all miss him for his unimpeachable contributions to nation-building. His undisguised love for Nigeria was not in doubt, President Buhari lamented.

In his contribution, Governor Samuel Ortom thanked the late Mailafia for his courage and love for Nigeria, saying that his death was painful at a time the nation needed him the most to contribute to the development of the country.

Speaking through Dr Ishima Ayati, Governor Ortom commiserated with members of the family and prayed to God to grant eternal repose to the soul of Dr Obadiah Mailafia.

Also in his tribute, President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Pogu Bitrus, described the former CBN Deputy Governor as a distinguished son of the Middle Belt and national patriot who committed his entire life to ensure that Nigeria works for all irrespective of any section of the country.

He said it is painful to mourn the passage of a younger one, Dr Mailafia who was courageous, honest and fearless on issues that matter the most, stressing that his death has left a huge vacuum and prayed that the Almighty God raises up other Mailafias to continue where he stopped towards ensuring a peaceful society.

The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) noted that the late consummate writer and polymath was a symbol of the struggle to enthrone justice and equity for the diverse people of Nigeria for their overall benefit.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of SOKAPU, Elder Steven Bangoji noted that Dr Mailafia died for the oppressed and stood for those suffering from an unjust system, saying, As long as Nigeria continue to exist as a single political entity, his footprints will always be remembered.

Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank, sympathised with the family of Dr Mailafia and described the late banker as an intelligent personality whose contributions to the growth of the nation will remain indelible for as long as the country exists.

Professor Yusuf Turaki in a sermon, recalled the life and times of Mailafia, stating that his courage to stand by his principles at all times described the Sanga-born technocrat as a lover of humanity and someone who stood for truth.

Chairman of the Burial Steering Committee and former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, thanked Nigerians for attending the service of songs, saying that Mailafia was a true son of Nigeria who loved his nation with passion.

Thousands of Nigerians from all walks of life trooped to the National Christian Centre to pay their last respects to the man many described as a voice for the voiceless.
Two Professors and other members of staff of the University of Abuja who were kidnapped recently have regained their freedom. Reca...

Two Professors and other members of staff of the University of Abuja who were kidnapped recently have regained their freedom.

Recall that some criminal elements suspected to be kidnappers had invaded the staff quarters of the university on Monday and whisked some residents to unknown destination.

A day after their abduction, the kidnappers contacted families of the victims and demanded N300 million as condition for their release.

But the Police Public Relations Officer of the Federal Capital Territory Command, DSP Josephine Adeh confirmed their release on Friday morning.

According to her, the development followed the efforts of the command in a joint operation with other security agencies.

She stated that some suspects linked to the crime have been nabbed by security operatives.

The PPRO was, however, unable to state whether a ransom was paid prior to their release.
Nigerian Comedian, Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, on Friday stated that he declined an invitation to meet with Vice Preside...

Nigerian Comedian, Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, on Friday stated that he declined an invitation to meet with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

In a long Twitter thread on Friday, the activist stated that he refused to visit the Vice President because he didnt want to associate with Nigerian politicians.

A team of skit makers had on Wednesday paid a visit to the VP at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation, which came under the aegis of the Nigeria Skits Industry Awards, was led by its promoter, Bimbo Daramola.

Others on the delegation were Maryam Apaokagi, popularly known as Taaooma, Josh Alfred (Josh2funny), Ayo Ajewole (Woli Agba), Adebamiro Adeyanju (Mr Hyenana) and Adeoye Adeyemi Elesho (Yemi Elesho).

However, some fans has criticised the comedians who went on the visit while others questioned Mr Macaronis absence.

Speaking on his absence, the comedian stated that he wasnt happy with Nigerian leaders, hence his refusal to honour the invitation.

He said, First, I do not think there is an association of skit makers. If there is, then I dont know anything about it. And that would be fine because I am an Actor/Thespian first before the Tag Skit Maker.

So I dont think those that went to see the VP without me or anyone else meant to sideline me. I want to believe they were invited to see The VP by the organizers of an Award Ceremony the same way I was invited. The only difference is that I declined the invitation.

The reason I declined is simple. As a citizen, Im not happy with our leaders and I do not want to associate with them. Its ok if others believe that sitting with the Govt will change certain things and decide to try it out. I dont think they should be crucified for that.

I have just seen too much to know that The govt sees and hears everything. They and their workers are always on the Internet. They know what we cry and complain about and they do nothing about it. So what will sitting down with them to tell them what they already know change?

I dont know what was discussed in that meeting as I wasnt there. But I dont believe those that went would go there to say anything other than demanding for better governance and leadership as we all have been doing all these while. (sic)

The comedian further stated that if any politician wanted to engage them, hell pick a public place where all members of Press would be present so that he can bear his mind to the public.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low near 35F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
The French Dispatch, a weekly supplement to the Liberty, Kansas, Evening Sun newspaper, is filled with the types of stories that grab headlines: kidnappings, police chases, revolutionary protests, illicit prison liaisons and art world fraud. And as adrenaline driven as these stories are in Wes Andersons The French Dispatch, the framework is an homage to long magazine stories, as eccentric writers adventure their way through elaborate tales. Spurring them on is an indulgent and dedicated editor, played by a fatherly but gruff Bill Murray.

Anderson excels at the creation of whimsical and quixotic worlds, from the oceanic explorations of The World Aquatic with Steve Zissou to the intimate niches of stately old hotels in The Grand Budapest Hotel. In The French Dispatch, there are several small worlds, from the French city of Ennui-sur-Blase, where the magazine is headquartered, to the prison and other locales where several authors chase down their stories.

The expansive cast is full of stars, many of them regulars in Andersons movies. Murrays stable of writers includes Tilda Swinton as a cosmopolitan gadfly reporting on the artistic genius of a prisoner (played by Benicio del Toro) who discovered his gift while behind bars. Frances McDormand goes to the barricades to cover a student protest movement full of its own personal intrigue and infighting. Jeffrey Wright plays Roebuck Wright, a writer in search of a brilliant but secluded chef. Owen Wilson, as the reporter Herbsaint Sazerac, explores the underbelly of the town of Ennui on a bike ride. The prison artists muse is played by Lea Seydoux, whos busy career includes the latest James Bond films and Andersons Budapest Hotel.

The bit parts are an entertaining sideshow. Saoirse Ronan flashes brilliant blue eyes in a snippet as a showgirl keeping an eye on a kidnapped boy. There also are brief appearances by Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Henry Winkler and many more. Anjelica Huston narrates the film.

The timeframe is a throwback to decades before the age of smartphones and internet news. The student protests take place in the zeitgeist of 1960s social change and fashions. Murray plays a man from the plains of Kansas who became enamored with travel. His travelogue became the basis for the magazine bureau nestled in the romanticized and worldly outpost of Ennui. News breaks at a brisk pace and gallows humor infuses several stories. One rambunctious tale is revealed in a mix of animation and scenes out of an old crime thriller.

Anderson fills even the briefest scenes and pans of the camera with lush details, starting with an opening scene in which a waiter piles a tray with colorful drinks and snacks to take across the road to the offices of the Dispatch, where he climbs a maddening series of small staircases. A vintage plane is viewed in cutaway, much like the boats in Life Aquatic, so the camera can pan through every compartment of the vessel, revealing the activities of their occupants. Anderson teases many intriguing threads that he doesnt follow, like Ronans mysterious showgirl.

The film is steeped in an affection for journalism. The Dispatch is modeled on The New Yorker and some of its esteemed editors and writers. A series of Dispatch covers illustrated in the distinct style of the magazine makes that link more explicit.

Murrays Arthur Howitzer Jr. allows his writers all the space they need to tell their inspired stories, which suits Andersons attention to the smallest of details. Its hard to catch it all as the stories whisk by, but they seem larger than life.

The French Dispatch runs at The Broad Theater, The Prytania Theatres at Canal Place and AMC Palace theaters.
The St. Tammany Parish Council has agreed to rezone a 1.9-acre parcel near Abita Springs to allow development of a fabrication and welding business that drew opposition from area residents who fear the project will worsen drainage and noise in their neighborhood.

The council Thursday night voted 12-1 with one abstention to reclassify the property from a combination of neighborhood industrial and residential zonings to an I-2 Industrial zone, under which more heavily industrial uses are allowed. The property is located on Louisiana 36, across the street from the Abita Brewery. It abuts a residential area to the north.

The parishs planning and zoning commission recently failed to approve the rezoning request, setting the stage for Thursdays appeal before the Parish Council, which has the final say on such matters.

The proposed development involves the construction of a 60-by-190-foot warehouse-type building at the center of the nearly 2-acre parcel. All fabrication activities on the property will be conducted inside the building, which will be insulated to muffle noise, according to plans.

During the council meetings public comment period, eight residents from the surrounding area urged the council to keep the property under its current zoning classification. Most suggested that rapid development and lack of adequate infrastructure improvements make the site unsuitable for industrial development.

My biggest concern is the flooding, with all of the development in the area, said Robert Martin, who has lived adjacent to the property for 30 years. Its not the neighborhood I moved into. We have flooding now that we never had before. I dont want to stop them (the property owners) from doing business, but this is not what we moved into.

Paul Mendoza, a former welder who lives adjacent to the property, told the council that people who work in welding shops wear earplugs to protect their hearing. And, he said welding shops tend to keep their doors open to facilitate ventilation.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The noise is going to be a significant factor, Mendoza said. This is not the right fit for the area.

Attorney Jeff Schoen, representing property owners Justin Burke and Joshua Rick of Unity Welding and Fabrication, pointed out that the planning and zoning commission narrowly defeated the zoning request by a 5-5 vote. Since that vote, Schoen said the site plan for the proposed development was altered to increase the rear setback, which will create a larger buffer and preserve trees and underbrush at the perimeter of the property.

We believe that our request is very reasonable, we think its appropriate, we think its compatible, and hopefully the commitment Ive made this evening with regard to our site plan shows that my clients care and want to be good neighbors to the people that live to the north and believe they can good neighbors by not impinging on their quality of life, Schoen told council members.

After about 30 minutes of discussion, council member David Fitzgerald made a motion to allow the rezoning request.

Ive looked at the site very carefully over the past couple of months and I appreciate everyones concerns, said Fitzgerald, whose district includes the site. But Ive come to the conclusion after looking at all and angles of this that many of the concerns are not founded. Theyre not.

Echoing Schoens earlier comment, Fitzgerald said the site plans water detention system will not add to the drainage problems in the area, and will likely improve the situation. And, he said the proposed building will be minuscule in size compared to other industrial complexes in the area, including the Abita Brewery.

Its not a matter of trying to impose hardships on anyone around the (proposed) building, Fitzgerald said. Its not a far-reaching project. Its not something thats causing the apocalypse.
The Jefferson Parish public school system plans to lift its mask mandate for students and faculty starting Monday.

The school system, Louisiana's largest, initially held out to debate the issue after Gov. John Bel Edwards ended his statewide mandate Oct. 27, as the delta variant wave of the coronavirus largely subsided in the New Orleans area.

+2 Louisiana COVID numbers: Data on cases, deaths, hospitalizations, vaccines Editor's Note: Due to changes in the importance of various metrics used to track the pandemic, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate r

The school system's decision, announced Thursday, comes on the heels of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending pediatric doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Tuesday.

Despite lifting its mask mandate, the Jefferson system emphasized that face masks will be strongly encouraged for employees and students while in close proximity indoors, in accordance with the governor's preference.

The school system will require masks for larger gatherings and school events such as dances. School visitors must wear masks.

Kid COVID vaccines in Louisiana available now; here's how to get an appointment The Louisiana Department of Health gave the go-ahead Wednesday for medical providers to start inoculating kids between the ages of 5 and 11 wi

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Federal mask mandates on transit still apply, so students must wear masks on school buses.

The school system said a 10- to 14-day quarantine will continue to be enforced for vaccinated and non-vaccinated close contacts showing COVID symptoms.

Public schools in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles and St. Tammany parishes also have removed mask mandates. The Orleans Parish school system still has one.

Although the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been proven to reach peak effectiveness seven days after the second dose is administered, Jefferson has decided to lift the mandate less than a week after the vaccines was approved for children 5-11.

Even with COVID numbers declining in Jefferson Parish, we still must remain vigilant in our efforts to push back the virus and maintain safe, in-person learning," schools Superintendent James Gray said.

"We will continue to work with medical experts to ensure our mitigation measures prioritize the safety of students and employees and are appropriate for the current health situation.
Federal monitors were harsh in their assessment of the New Orleans jail last month, but a judge overseeing the consent decree offered Sheriff Marlin Gusman praise for how he managed the coronavirus in the city lockup.

In a hearing that came just over a week before voters decide whether Gusman deserves another term, U.S. District Judge Lance Africk said Wednesday that the sheriff's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was nothing short of life-saving. Africk also promised an end in sight to the jails eight-year-long reform agreement.

I think we've made noteworthy progress, and by everyone attempting to work together in the future, I can see the end of the tunnel, Africk said.

The judges comments arrived amid criticism of Gusman from his four opponents in the Nov. 13 election who blame him for inmate deaths and sluggish progress on the reform pact.

Gusmans highest-profile critic, former independent police monitor Susan Hutson, has seized on the Oct. 5 report from the monitors appointed by Africk. The report said the jail is regressing on mental and medical health care.

+8 Irvin Mayfield sentenced to 18 months in prison after blaming 'ego' for defrauding New Orleans library fund To hear famed trumpeter Irvin Mayfield tell it, greed wasn't the reason he siphoned $1.3 million from the New Orleans Public Library Foundatio

In one example, the monitors said there are major problems with how the jail watches inmates at risk for suicide. Medical staffers are watching far too many inmates at once and deputies tapped to help them had no idea what their duties were, the monitors said. Suicides and attempted suicides have been a persistent problem at the jail, including one death last year.

In addition to the suicide, one man died in an overdose in 2020 and another died of an overdose in June of this year, amid monitors' complaints about the constant smuggling of drugs into the lock-up.

Hutson said that some reports during the four-year period in which Gusman was sidelined had shown improvement before Gusman resumed control in November 2020.

The sheriff had the jail taken away from him from 16 and 20, Hutson said in a campaign forum last month. The last two report cards show that the jail is backsliding.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

However, Africk cast the critical report as a sign of the natural tension between his court-appointed monitors and the sheriff.

Theres always going to be issues between the monitors and the entity that is being examined, Africk said. But I do want to state that I've seen progress, and continued progress.

Africk also highlighted COVID-19. Amid several spikes of coronavirus cases last year, three deputies died. This year, the Sheriffs Office became one of the first agencies in Louisiana to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees. Last month, mass testing revealed no infections among inmates or staffers.

+21 Orleans Sheriff Marlin Gusman wants to cement a legacy, but challengers say that's the problem For most of his fourth term in office, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman yielded control of his jail to a court official.

Separately, a Sheriffs Office representative testified about a looming deadline for construction of the long-planned special needs building for inmates with mental and medical health problems.

As he has several times before, Africk said the controversial $51 million building is needed to come into compliance with the consent decree. But Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration has been fighting in court to halt its construction amid vocal community opposition.

A law firm advocating for inmates in the jail has voiced concerns that the city is dragging its feet. The Sheriffs Office says that if the building isnt substantially complete by August 2023, the city is at risk of losing FEMA funding.

The federal agency is supposed to provide $36 million of the buildings construction cost out of a Hurricane Katrina relief fund, but theres an 18-year deadline for using the money.

+5 Gov. John Bel Edwards endorses Moreno, Morrell and Gusman in New Orleans municipal races Gov. John Bel Edwards is backing City Councilmember Helena Moreno, former state Sen. JP Morrell, and Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman in t

Certainly, we continue to be concerned, Blake Arcuri, general counsel for the Sheriffs Office, said Thursday. Any rational person would hope that its done with the federal dollars that were made available.

Arcuri said the Sheriffs Office has raised the issue with the city but hasnt received a satisfactory response. The city declined comment.
A former Louisiana State Police trooper has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for distributing pornography depicting children as young as 3, the U.S. attorney's office in New Orleans said Thursday.

The punishment was handed down to Jason Boyet, 42, on Wednesday, more than a year after he pleaded guilty. Boyet, a Ponchatoula resident who was named State Trooper of the Year by the Slidell Elks in 2018, was caught after an undercover FBI agent was introduced to him via an app known as a "haven" for purveyors of child pornography, prosecutors said. The agent subsequently received sexually explicit and suggestive photographs of minors from Boyet, including a pre-pubescent girl whom Boyet claimed to control.

Child porn distribution charge filed against former Louisiana State Police trooper of the year A former Louisiana State Police trooper of the year distributed pornography depicting children as young as 3, federal prosecutors in New Orlea

Boyet was arrested Feb. 12, 2020, after FBI agents asked him to report to State Police Troop L headquarters near Mandeville, where he acknowledged having sent and received the illicit images. They executed a search warrant at Boyet's home, where they confirmed he had taken and distributed photos of the girl on at least three occasions dating from 2019, authorities said. Boyet also had accessed an online file storage system and had received 151 images and 195 videos showing illicit acts involving children as young as 1 year.

He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance, whom President Bill Clinton nominated to the court. Upon release from prison, Boyet must serve a five-year period of supervision, register as a sex offender, and pay a $100 fee.
The first jury trial in New Orleans to go to verdict since the pandemic resulted in an acquittal on Wednesday.

Jurors took half an hour to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict in the case of a man accused of cutting his girlfriend in the shoulder in the 3500 block of Broadway Street on Jan. 29. He was charged with battery on a dating partner with a dangerous weapon, which carries up to 10 years in prison.

Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Marcus DeLarge oversaw the two-day proceeding, which hinged on the girlfriends credibility.

+15 Criminal trials are back in New Orleans, but turnover and COVID precautions could snarl pace On Friday evening, Lurline Duncan gathered with loved ones to launch balloons in memory of her son, Gregory Heisser, who was shot to death wit

The trial came amid what appears to be a growing backlog of more serious charges and turnover among prosecutors and public defenders. There are 183 people in the New Orleans jail awaiting trial on homicide charges, according to City Council data.

There are six weeks of juror availability left in the year. The trial this week was the second time prosecutors under Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams have picked a jury since his Jan. 11 inauguration. Last month, an armed robbery trial was cut short when prosecutors agreed to let the defendant plead guilty to an amended count of first-degree robbery.

The first jury trial of the year resulted in our office securing a felony conviction for a crime of violence in our city. The second jury trial resulted in an acquittal, Williams said in a prepared statement. And, while we respect this jurys verdict, we will not and cannot waiver in vigorously prosecuting domestic violence cases in this city. Domestic violence cases are historically very difficult. However, these survivors deserve our unyielding effort and commitment to their cases.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Sweeping project to undo split-jury convictions in New Orleans hits speed bump Newly installed Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams launched his project to undo split jury verdicts with a flourish: a speech on 

The case was prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Joseph Zanetti and Tori Guidry. Attorneys Tory Green and James Miller of the Orleans Public Defenders were the defense team.

Danny Engelberg, chief of trials for the Orleans Public Defenders, declined comment on the case.

He said the agency still has concerns about the jury pools diversity, even though ultimately the right jury was selected.

CORRECTION: Tori Guidry's first name was misspelled in earlier versions of this story.
A New Orleans man out on bail for nearly two years while he awaits trial in a rape case has been accused of another sexual assault, police said Thursday.

Edward Budd is accused of raping a woman inside his residence in the Leonidas area on May 14. Police said he is being sought on a third-degree rape count.

The new accusation adds to earlier legal troubles for Budd, who was accused in an October 2019 indictment with allegedly raping a woman he brought back to his home after a night of drinking on her birthday. The woman said her last memory was of Budd offering her a shot glass.

Budd, 41, was charged with first-degree rape along with then-dating partner Echo Hurlburt in connection with those allegations. The charge carries a life without parole sentence upon conviction.

Budd's attorney said at the time of the arrest that the encounter was voluntary. He has been free since posting $150,000 bail in November 2019. Court records show his case has been set for trial three times, only to be delayed each time by COVID-19 precautions. Budd has a Jan. 10 pre-trial hearing.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Now, Budd has been accused of another sexual assault. Police did not detail the allegations in a press release.

Under Louisiana law, third-degree rape is sexual intercourse committed without lawful consent of the victim because they are incapable of understanding the act by reason of a stupor or abnormal condition of mind produced by an intoxicating agent or any cause and the offender knew or should have known of the victim's incapacity.

Budd may also be using the name Eddie Ortega, police said. They asked anyone with information to call NOPD Special Victims Section Detective Brandon McDonald at (504) 658-5522 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.

Budds attorney declined comment.
While serving probation for shooting his girlfriend three years ago, a New Orleans man allegedly stabbed another woman to death Thursday, got stabbed by her 9-year-old daughter, and then stabbed the daughter, too, during a brutal domestic fight, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

New Orleans police obtained a warrant to arrest Steven Donald Grant, 35, after he went to the hospital, the sources said. Hes considered to be in custody while hospitalized but had not been jailed yet as of Friday morning.

The identities of Grants alleged victims Thursday and his relationship to them havent been publicly disclosed, though police are treating the case as one of domestic violence. Its at least the second time since May 2018 that Grant has been accused of a ruthless attack aimed at women he knew.

In the earlier case, police said, Grant allegedly broke a window at a home in the 9400 block of Dinkins Street in New Orleans East and fired a gun four times at his girlfriend while she was asleep in bed. One bullet struck the woman, who was 30 at the time, and Grant temporarily fled while paramedics brought her to a hospital.

Police soon arrested Grant and prosecutors charged him with attempted murder as well as domestic abuse battery. He pleaded guilty to domestic abuse battery as well as aggravated battery in October 2019. Then-Criminal District Court Judge Paul Bonin ordered Grant to spend one year in prison and seven more years on probation, records show.

Grant was on the probation portion of his sentence when he allegedly stabbed another woman multiple times about 6:20 a.m. Thursday at a home in the 2300 block of Pauger Street. He himself was then stabbed by the womans daughter, who was defending her mother and herself, which then prompted Grant to allegedly stab the girl multiple times and flee, the sources said.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

First responders arrived at the home to find blood on the front door and steps. Paramedics took the wounded woman to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The daughter was also taken to a hospital. She is expected to make a full physical recovery.

It was not clear Thursday night when Grant might be discharged from the hospital where he went after being stabbed. He faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder. He would receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of murder.

Grant could not be reached for comment Friday. Calls to a cell phone number associated with him would not go through.

At a news briefing midday Thursday, Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said the killing of Pauger was one of at least 177 homicides reported in New Orleans this year. Thats an increase of about 6% from the 166 homicides through the same date in 2020, he said.
Police are searching for a man accused of fatally stabbing another man during a night of drinking and card playing at a Kenner warehouse.

Jose Manuel Mejia Majona, 57, is wanted on a count of second-degree murder, said Lt. Michael Cunningham, a spokesperson for the Kenner Police Department. Investigators suspect Mejia fled to his hometown of Houston.

+2 N.C. couple pleads not guilty to kidnapping, beating wife's alleged lover in Kenner rendezvous A Durham, North Carolina, husband and wife have pleaded not guilty to charges that they ambushed the wife's alleged lover during an arranged t

The victim, Jose Murcia Perez, 61, was a roofer from Honduras who was in the area working with construction crews to repair homes, according to authorities. Murcia and others were working out of and staying at a warehouse in the 2800 block of Tifton Street in Kenner, Cunningham said.

Mejia, a drywall installer, and several other workers were playing cards and drinking into the early morning hours on Wednesday when an argument erupted between between him and Murcia, according to authorities. The pair began to fight but were separated.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Moments later, Mejia and Murcia scrapped again near the warehouse kitchen. Mejia grabbed a kitchen knife and plunged it into Murcia's chest, Cunningham said.

Murcia's two sons, who had been asleep during the fight, helped other withesses load their father into a van, and they tried to drive him to the hospital, according to authorities. But they stopped the van and called 911 after realizing the seriousness of Murcia's wounds.

An ambulance arrived and took Murcia to the hospital, but he died a short time later, according to authorities.

Mejia, meanwhile, left the warehouse and the New Orleans area, officers suspect.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jose Manuel Majia Majano is asked to call Kenner Police at 504-712-2222. The public can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867. Callers do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment.
This article was produced in partnership with The Times-Picayune and The Advocate, which are members of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network.

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for ProPublicas Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published.

Over a half-century, Hazel Schexnayder saw her riverside hamlet of St. Gabriel transformed from a collection of old plantations, tin-roofed shacks and verdant cornfields into an industrial juggernaut.

By the early 1990s, shed had enough of the towering chemical plants and their mysterious white plumes, the roadside ditches oozing with blue fluid, the air that smelled of rotten eggs and nail-polish remover, the neighbors suffering miscarriages and dying of cancer.

We were inundated with plants, Schexnayder, now 87, said. We didnt need any more around here.

She and others began pushing back in 1993, and the following year, residents voted to turn their corner of unincorporated Iberville Parish into the city of St. Gabriel. They wanted sidewalks and other amenities, but more than that, they wanted some say over the chemical plants popping up in their backyards.

While the newly created city was able to keep new plants out, the petrochemical pileup continued unabated beyond St. Gabriels borders.

I bet you money there are 20 plants right now just around St. Gabriel, Schexnayder said, nearly twice as many as there were when the incorporation drive began.

Shes not even close. There are now 30 large petrochemical plants within 10 miles of her house, most of them outside the city limits. Thirteen are within a 3-mile radius of her home. The nearest facility, only a mile away, is the worlds largest manufacturer of polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam.

Stories of fed-up Louisianans like Schexnayder fighting back against corporate polluters have gotten worldwide media attention over the last year, as a raft of enormous new petrochemical facilities takes shape along the Mississippi River corridor. Much of the focus has been on the potential hazards posed by specific plants, including the $9.4 billion plastics factory that Formosa plans to build in St. James Parish and the long-standing Denka neoprene facility in St. John Parish, whose dangerous emissions were highlighted in an Environmental Protection Agency model that estimates cancer risk around chemical plants. Indeed, the stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is nicknamed Cancer Alley because of its concentration of petrochemical facilities.

Though the air quality here has improved significantly since the 1980s, as it has in the rest of the nation, the recent history is less encouraging. Not only is toxic air pollution in Louisianas industrial belt rising in absolute terms, the estimated air quality relative to its peers is getting worse, an analysis by ProPublica, The Times-Picayune and The Advocate found.

And the burden is not being shared evenly. Many of the new plants planned in Louisianas petrochemical heart are being built in or near communities that EPA models estimate already have some of the most dangerous air in America. Our analysis shows the problems are especially acute in predominantly black and poor communities, like St. Gabriel, but whiter and more affluent sections  like neighboring Ascension Parish  are hardly immune.

All told, seven large new petrochemical facilities and expansions have been approved for places in the river corridor since 2015, according to air-permit files from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Five more major projects  including the Formosa megacomplex in St. James  are awaiting approval.

Some of the heaviest polluters will be just outside St. Gabriel, which already has some of Louisianas most toxic air. Just across the river in Plaquemine, for instance, the Shintech ethylene plant recently got the green light for a $1.5 billion, 300-acre expansion, which will intensify pollution in an area where an EPA model estimates the toxic levels of cancer-causing chemicals to be double the already high Iberville Parish average. The new plant is expected to increase those levels by up to 16% in nearby areas, our analysis estimates.

Shintech officials said the company has a long history of safe operations at its existing plant. And they said they do not believe the expansion will have significant adverse impacts on the environment  while alternative sites the company considered would make less economic sense. As a result, it is believed that the social and economic benefits of the facility outweigh environmental impacts.

Formosa officials made similar arguments, saying they picked the site on St. James rural West Bank in part because of its remoteness. Spokespeople for both companies emphasized that their new facilities will comply with all state and federal requirements with regard to air pollution.

The Mississippi River corridor offers built-in advantages for manufacturers  easy access to some of the continent's busiest shipping lanes; plenty of cheap land for large facilities; and government officials that equate industrial investment with progress. A lax regulatory regime helps ease the path. Louisiana prides itself on having standards for toxic chemical concentrations in the air around plants, but it does not regularly monitor air near major polluters like other states, including neighboring Texas, does. While the EPA considers the effect of a variety of chemicals, taken together, Louisiana only looks at one chemical at a time, potentially undercounting the true effect on air quality.

Folks in St. Gabriel and elsewhere along the river say they dont need a weatherman  or a computer model  to know which way the wind blows. They see cancer everywhere, and they blame the plants, even if the state Department of Health and other researchers have yet to prove such a link exists.

Out of every 10 houses, theres a prospect of one or two people that have died of cancer, said Terry Frazier, a hospital receptionist from St. Gabriel. Her grandfather and stepmother died of cancer, and she has respiratory problems she believes are tied to the 600-acre petrochemical complex across a fallow field from her house.

Eugene Willis, 78, says air pollution killed his wife, Joyce. She convinced him to move to St. Gabriel from New Orleans, where he worked as a longshoreman. The city was no place to raise a family, she told him.

She said, Weve got to get out in the country, where theres clean water, clean air, he said. Little did I know we jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Joyce was 42 when she died from kidney problems and cancer, three decades ago.

From cornfields to Cancer Alley

St. Gabriel occupies a series of hairpin bends in the Mississippi River as it zigzags southeast from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. With the river on three sides and the Spanish Lake swamp to the east, the town is almost an island. Suburban sprawl from the capital isnt far away, but St. Gabriel feels a world apart.

St. Gabriel has long been a place to tuck away undesirables. A leper colony, once the largest on the continent, operated here for more than a century. The state stuck a prison in St. Gabriel in 1961, a second one in 1979, and added a military-style boot camp for at-risk teens in 1999. In 2005, the bodies of hundreds of Hurricane Katrina victims were trucked to a hastily built morgue here.

[INTERACTIVE MAP: In a notoriously polluted area of Louisiana, massive new chemical plants are still moving in]

St. Gabriel has no downtown, no commercial center. Within its city limits is a discordant patchwork of large steel petrochemical complexes, farm fields and small neighborhoods  Sunshine, Carville and Old St. Gabriel.

About two-thirds of St. Gabriels 7,300 residents are black. Many families have been rooted here for centuries, brought as slaves and forced to cut and process sugar cane on the vast plantations that once dominated the river parishes. After the Civil War, many stayed on as sharecroppers, free but still beholden to white landlords.

The town was black, but white-owned, said Reginald Grace, a career counselor who grew up in Sunshine. His mother was the only teacher at the only school for black children in St. Gabriel before 1955, a one-room schoolhouse now being re-envisioned as a museum.

Schexnayder grew up in New Orleans but was sent to live with her grandparents in St. Gabriel at 17. The city girl had no trouble falling in love with country life.

Some people still lived in those plantation houses, and there was nothing but cornfields around them, she said. I remember that coming in on the train. It was so pretty to see the cornfields blowing in the wind. We didnt have cameras to take pictures, but that stays in my head.

Her grandparents tin roof was rusty, and the outhouse never ceased to terrify her.

Still, we didnt think we were poor, she recalled. We ate every day, and didnt eat just anything. We had good meals.

Schexnayder misses the gravel roads, which kept traffic slow. She misses the quiet nights, unmarred by the blight of industry.

No fumes to be smelled back then, she said. It was just night air. It was clean.

Louisiana in the 20th century underwent a slow economic transformation. Politicians eagerly embraced the change from farming to industry, offering generous tax incentives in hopes that manufacturing would raise the state out of poverty.

During the first wave of development, in the 1940s, the chemical plants were clustered around Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Over the decades, they began to spread further, occupying the stretch of river between them.

During the 1950s, chemical manufacturers looking to set up shop avoided heavily populated places. The hulking plants they built tended to be near majority-black communities like St. Gabriel.

Given prevailing racial attitudes, those communities were, in effect, invisible, said Craig Colten, a professor of geography and anthropology at Louisiana State University who has published research about the states chemical industry.

Plants with emissions above certain thresholds are required to report them. According to EPA data, the number of industrial plants in Louisiana that reported their toxic releases grew from 255 to 320 in the last three decades, an increase of 25%. Nationally, however, the number of plants that reported dropped by 16% over that period.

Folks in St. Gabriel and similar riverfront communities once hoped industry would at least bring employment  better paying and less backbreaking  than the work they had grown up with.

We thought wed get better jobs, but they brought their own people here, said Willis, the former longshoreman, who worked as a dirt and gravel hauler most of his life. Theyd say we cant pass their tests; that were on drugs.

A 1995 employment survey conducted by the city of St. Gabriel just after incorporation found less than 9% of the full-time industry jobs in St. Gabriel were held by local residents.

Yet jobs were always promised when each new plant was proposed. Over time, residents have come to view such promises with skepticism.

St. Gabriel Mayor Lionel Johnson believes theres a reason companies dont want to hire workers who live too close to their plants: They might care too much about pollution.

If they live locally, the workers would be much more cautious and aware of whats happening at the facilities, he said. Theyd know it has a direct impact on themselves and their families.

If plants arent hiring locals, its likely because the candidates arent qualified, said Greg Bowser, president of the Louisiana Chemical Association.

Working at a chemical facility is a big undertaking, he said. To receive a job offer, it is necessary to have the proper training at a reputable center of learning.

Whether or not plant managers are hiring people from the surrounding community, its clear that the profusion of plants has never translated into prosperity for St. Gabriel. Today, the towns annual per-capita income is $15,000  nearly a third below the state average, and about half the national average. The poverty rate, 29%, far exceeds the state rate of 20%.

The lack of vitality is impossible to miss. The few wood-frame houses left in town are mostly boarded up and covered in vines.

All over, it was houses here, Grace said, motioning at a dilapidated section of Carville. Real houses  not these trailers. When houses fall apart [now], nobody has money to do repairs, and they put in a trailer.

He points at empty concrete slabs and foundations where bars, restaurants and schools once stood. Today, the towns de facto gathering spot is Freds, a truck stop with small diner and a windowless casino.

'Like raindrops but yellow'

The old custom of sitting outside on summer evenings fell out of favor long ago, residents said, thanks to nighttime chemical releases  sometimes so thick theyd fall as a golden mist.

Itd look like raindrops but yellow, Grace said. Wed have to hose our yards clean.

In the lawns, people would often find dead birds.

The move toward activism started in the late 1980s, when a St. Gabriel pharmacist began keeping a tally and found that as many as one in three local pregnancies ended in miscarriage.

Her findings were hotly debated, and industry representatives said they were being scapegoated. A subsequent Tulane study challenged the pharmacists findings; that study, in turn, came under fire.

In what would become a recurring theme, the competing findings provided little clarity to residents of Cancer Alley. No scientific study has ever proved a link to miscarriages  or cancer  but many residents remain convinced one exists.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Like many states, Louisiana attempts to track every reported case of cancer. The resulting tumor registry doesnt show any clear cluster in the river region, which state officials tout as evidence that the plants pose no health risk.

But the tumor registry doesnt rule out such clusters, either. The data is aggregated by census tract, irregularly sized areas across which emissions can vary widely. In order to protect residents privacy, some data for less populated areas, including St. Gabriel, isnt published. The specific locations of cases are not revealed.

EPA modeling that estimates the danger posed by industry, however, shows ample reason for concern. Near the Denka neoprene plant in St. John Parish, which emits chloroprene, EPA estimated the concentrations of cancer-causing chemicals and concluded they are among the highest in the country. The same is true for the section of St. Charles Parish near the Union Carbide plant, a major emitter of ethylene oxide.

The risk of cancer and respiratory disease will only go up with the crush of new plants slated for Louisianas river corridor.

State and corporate officials, meanwhile, downplay the risks outlined by EPA. Bowser, of the chemical association, said a 2018 EPA report dramatically overstated the danger posed by ethylene oxide in the river corridor, and Denka officials have consistently challenged the acceptable threshold for chloroprene set by EPA  a standard that lacks the force of law.

Comparison to the nation

By the 1960s, the American public was growing apprehensive about the dense smog created by petrochemical production. As a national environmental movement took root, Congress passed the Clean Air Act. A 1990 amendment required major polluters to reduce their toxic emissions.

In Louisiana, the new controls allowed the state to reach a goal in 1997 of cutting emissions by more than half. Still, the state has made less progress than most, our analysis reveals.

Using the EPA model, we calculated the estimated spread of toxic chemicals in Louisiana's air in the last three decades. Over that time, the state's 50 most polluted census block groups had improved by an estimated 75%. (A block group is an area of varying size that typically has fewer than 3,000 people.) But in the nations most polluted block groups, the median improvement rate was 94%, putting Louisiana among the 10 least-improved states.

The analysis also found that Louisianas share of the most heavily polluted block groups in the country increased from 3% to 7% over that period.

The backsliding may be a direct result of how Louisiana regulates industry. Following the passage of the Clean Air Act, many states developed their own rules to increase oversight of major polluters. And while the Louisiana DEQ calls its set of guidelines one of the nations most stringent, many other states have far stiffer standards.

Louisianas program lacks the specificity and actual monitoring that is found in other state programs, wrote Victor Flatt, an environmental law professor at the University of Houston, in a 2007 paper comparing air toxics programs in different states.

The paper stresses the importance of regular air monitoring of toxic pollutants, as Texas and Massachusetts do, to ensure emissions data provided by chemical companies is accurate. Flatt also pointed out that some states like Connecticut and New York regulate all sources of toxic pollution, not just major plants. Louisiana, instead, opts to monitor only major polluters, and in most cases it takes companies at their word on emissions.

Bryan Johnston, an air permits administrator at the DEQ, defended Louisianas methods.

Theres a perception that these [permits] are rubber-stamped, represented as a formality. That is not the case, Johnston said. Sometimes its not easy to secure an air permit in Louisiana.

Johnston explained that getting permits in some areas of the state is difficult because  owing to existing emissions  companies cannot demonstrate that nearby air quality will meet national standards. Even so, more than a dozen chemical plants are being built and expanded in the already-busy river corridor. Johnston said he does not recall the DEQ ever denying a permit, although he says companies do not always get permission to release exactly what they request.

Johnstons boss, DEQ Secretary Chuck Carr Brown, said in an interview this week that during his four years in office, he has turned away some industry proposals to build in certain locations because those communities had already borne their burden.

He declined to name the communities or the companies in question, saying, I dont want to pick one over the other.

I just kind of want to let you know that there are some that we looked at, he said. And there have been, in four years, no new permits issued there, because these communities have borne their share.

[OPINION COLUMN: Mark Schleifstein: Louisiana is backsliding after making environmental progress. It's troubling.]

Johnston also pointed out that Louisiana is one of the only states that has its own set of air quality standards that dictate, for each monitored toxic chemical, a maximum allowable concentration.

But Flatts paper indicates that Louisianas air safeguards are based on a relatively lenient risk standard  that is, the level of toxic exposure and cancer risk that remains after chemical companies install emission controls. While the EPA has dictated a range of risk levels it deems acceptable, it is up to states to set their own standards. Louisianas standards are at the loosest end of that spectrum.

Just by changing that standard changes what you would call risky and not risky, Flatt said. If the standard is loosened, you can have the best modeling, you can have great analysis and great enforcement, but you have just placed more people in danger.

Comparing maximum allowable chemical exposures in different states confirms Flatts claim. Louisianas benzene standard is more than twice as lenient as the Texas standard, which is over 30 times looser than that of Massachusetts. (States enforce their standards in different ways.)

'Wed had enough'

By the early 1990s, with the required publication of toxic emissions data, something that had been obvious to river communities became apparent to everyone else: The burden of industry wasnt being shared.

In 1993, about 105 pounds of air pollution and other hazardous materials were being released in Louisiana for every person in the state. But in St. Gabriel, the rate was three times as high, according to EPA data.

The rest of Iberville Parish had managed to avoid the pile-on of industry. The parish seat, where decisions about land use in St. Gabriel were made, was in Plaquemine, nearly an hours drive away. Many St. Gabriel residents felt parish officials from the more prosperous West Bank gave the petrochemical industry free rein on the mostly black and poor East Bank.

Meanwhile, St. Gabriels sidewalks, roads and other amenities provided by the parish deteriorated  even though St. Gabriel, thanks to the industrial activity, was generating a large share of the parishs taxes. A 1994 parish analysis found St. Gabriel was supporting 40% of the Iberville Parish budget but getting only 6% of the spending.

Community leaders began stumping for incorporation in the early 1990s. They promised a government run by St. Gabriel residents would finally build long-promised sidewalks and streetlights, patch up the roads and install a sewerage system to replace leaky septic tanks.

A 1993 proposal by Supplemental Fuels Inc. for a hazardous waste facility in St. Gabriel was the catalyst the movement needed. It pushed Schexnayder, then a member of the Iberville Parish School Board, into environmental activism.

It wasnt that SFI was particularly bad; it was that wed had enough, Schexnayder said. That got us together. We had to show them we mean business.

Anti-SFI yard signs cropped up alongside pro-incorporation signs. In August 1994, the vote for incorporation passed by a 3-1 margin. Parties broke out, and about 300 people paraded through town.

The new citys footprint was unusually expansive. At 30 square miles, its the states sixth-largest city by area but 52nd by population. The result is that St. Gabriel has control over an area well beyond its neighborhoods.

No large plants have been approved within St. Gabriels border since incorporation, but at least one facility that had already applied for a permit was built after 1994.

When companies come in here with a new plant, all we have to do is go to meetings and say, We dont want that here, Schexnayder said. If we fill a room, they know we can vote them out. They have to listen to us.

Zoning is the most powerful weapon in the citys arsenal. St. Gabriels leaders can determine whether a property is zoned industrial, commercial or residential, and thus what can be built.

The citys elected leaders reflect its population. All of the top officials  the mayor, five-member City Council and police chief  are black, and most have lived in the community for decades. If a new plant moves in, these officials are just as likely to be in the path of air pollution as their constituents.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, the chemical industry has opposed subsequent incorporation drives. Shortly after St. Gabriel became a town, its neighbor, Geismar, just downriver in Ascension Parish, tried to do the same. The industry, neutral on St. Gabriels incorporation effort, fought hard against Geismars.

Meanwhile, at the state Capitol, lobbyists persuaded lawmakers to bar new municipalities from taking in industrial areas. Geismars effort ended when Shell, Borden Chemicals and nine other large petrochemical companies obtained a court injunction preventing residents from taking further steps to incorporate. Few other communities have taken the initiative since.

Small wins, bigger losses

Twenty-five years after incorporation, St. Gabriel is seeing mixed results.

There are better roads, new sewer and water infrastructure, and sidewalks and parks. More ambitious projects have included a new police station and civic center.

There have been scandals, too  such as when Mayor George Grace, the towns first mayor, was convicted in 2012 on bribery, racketeering and fraud charges. And St. Gabriel still struggles with crime, poverty and other problems.

But as envisioned, city leaders have flexed their muscles to block unwanted projects. In 2015, St. Gabriel rejected a request from Chinese chemical giant Wanhua to rezone 3,000 acres for a vast industrial complex. Wanhua got a much friendlier reception when it took the plan downriver to Convent, an unincorporated community in St. James Parish, though the project is currently stalled.

In 2017, St. Gabriel thwarted Apex Oil Co.s plans for a 500-acre expansion. That same year, residents rallied against an expansion proposed by a hazardous waste incinerator, Adsorbent Solutions, that had numerous air quality violations. City leaders halted the proposal, and a few months later, the incinerator shut down.

Air pollution, of course, does not respect political boundaries.

Just outside St. Gabriels city limits, in Ascension Parish, the Occidental Chemical plant has been slated for a $147 million dollar expansion, and Praxair and Kinder Morgan have won approval for new facilities.

Theres little the towns political leaders can do about that. According to Cynthia Gould, who has contracted with the EPA for over 20 years to model toxic emissions, a plants highest stacks can carry pollutants 30 miles from their source.

In other words, pollution is not something that only affects fenceline communities. It is  or should be  a regional concern.

The highest concentrations normally happen fairly close in to the facility, but under certain conditions high stacks can increase concentrations further out, Gould said. When an area is affected by releases from different facilities, the combined exposure may be concerning.

Whats happening outside St. Gabriels boundaries underscores the towns limited power to control its own destiny.

The growth of the chemical industry has been aggressive outside of our city, said Johnson, the mayor. Its growing in Ascension Parish right alongside us, but its not as though Ascension pollution will stop at the Ascension border.

Still, overall, incorporation has been a blessing, Johnson said, adding: Its given locals control over their lives, and weve used that for the betterment of our lives.

Nonetheless, if Schexnayder were young today, she wouldnt dream of buying a house in St. Gabriel.

If I was one of these young people, nothing in the world would get me to move here, she said. Were still surrounded by plants.

[METHODOLOGY: How we determined that new chemical plants are being built in Louisiana's most polluted areas]

Al Shaw and Claire Perlman of ProPublica contributed to this story.

Tristan Baurick is an environment reporter for The Times-Picayune and The Advocate. Email him at tbaurick@theadvocate.com and follow him on Twitter @tristanbaurick. Joan Meiners is an investigative reporter and Ph.D. ecologist, focused on demystifying environmental issues of broad public concern. Email her at joan.meiners@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @beecycles.

Do you live in one of these affected parishes? Share your story with us. ProPublica and The Times-Picayune and The Advocate are investigating the massive chemical plants in the industrial stretch between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and hearing from you will help us tell more stories.

Talk to us if:

Theres a new plant in your neighborhood, and you can tell us how your community has been responding to it.

Youve been in contact with the DEQ and/or your parish government about a plant and can share with us what the responses from those entities has been.

You can talk to us about the impact of these plants in your community, including sharing evidence like signage, emails, residue or other anecdotes with us.

Heres how to talk to us:

Email us: pollution@propublica.org

Call or text us: 347-244-2134
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was six years overdue when it issued new Clean Air Act rules in 2020 to strengthen protection for communities against air pollution from chemical plants. But after urging from the industry, the agency has now agreed to reconsider how it assessed the cancer risk posed by one toxic air pollutant found in Louisiana: ethylene oxide.

Deemed a likely human carcinogen by the EPA, ethylene oxide is produced while manufacturing ethylene glycol, a raw material used to make a number of products such as antifreeze and polyester fibers for plastic. As of 2018, 13 of the 15 Louisiana plants that fall under EPA's rule release enough ethylene oxide that they must report it to the agency's Toxics Release Inventory public database.

The American Chemical Council, an advocacy group, argues that the EPA overestimated ethylene oxide's cancer risk when issuing the new rules. The council points to a Texas Commission for Environmental Quality assessment that suggests the EPA erred in evaluating the chemical. Using a different predictive model, the Texas agency found the cancer risk to "be 4,000 times lower" than EPA found, the American Chemistry Council said.

The Texas agency and the chemistry council pushed EPA to use the Texas study, and the federal agency agreed June 17 to reevaluate its rule. Should the EPA revise the rule, it could led to less regulation on the industry.

Environmental advocates and some scientists have raised concerns about the Texas study, which focused on ethylene oxide's role in causing lymphoid cancer while dismissing its role in causing breast cancer. The Texas commission said it found the data insufficient to deem causation.

Jennifer Jinot, a former EPA scientist who contributed to the agency's 2016 cancer assessment of ethylene oxide, said the Texas study's findings "dramatically underestimate" potential cancer risks due to its exclusion of breast cancer and the type of model used to estimate lymphoid cancer risk - a model that the EPA had rejected during its own assessment.

The Texas agency is also tied up in a legal battle with the Sierra Club over its refusal to release the documents that it relied on to determine risk value.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

A timeline for the EPA's new review is not certain, but it will result in a decision on the validity of the Texas findings.

Eleven environmental groups from across the country - including RISE St. James, the Louisiana Environmental Network and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade - have also petitioned the EPA for changes to its rule. They say the rule doesn't go far enough to protect people living near plants from the health risks associated with the emissions, and they call for measures such as requiring fenceline monitoring and removing loopholes for pollutants released during equipment malfunctions.

The EPA has not decided whether to accede to their requests.

Earthjustice senior attorney Emma Cheuse said this will be one of the first tests for President Joe Biden's EPA. Biden made campaign promises to strengthen environmental justice protections for communities facing air pollution, specifically offering his support to those living in Louisiana's heavily industrialized chemical corridor along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

+6 New EPA rules reducing emissions of toxic ethylene oxide won't apply to most Louisiana plants This article was produced in partnership with The Times-Picayune and The Advocate, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network.

"Five months into the new administration, we are still waiting to see whether EPA will take strong, definitive action to protect fenceline communities and public health from chemical and petrochemical plants pollution," Cheuse said. "EPAs review should be completed quickly and should end with affirmation of EPAs ... cancer risk value as the best available science, and with stronger rules based on this science."
Two investigators from the Louisiana attorney generals office on Friday interviewed a nursing home patient whose leg was amputated after a troubled Hurricane Ida evacuation to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish.

Lisa Renard, 62, almost died from diabetes-related gangrene while stuck in a wheelchair for four days inside the leaky and poorly equipped warehouse in Independence, where seven southeast Louisiana nursing homes owned by Bob Dean Jr. sent 843 patients to shelter. After being rescued by state health officials, Renards left leg was amputated above the knee, saving her life.

The attorney general's office previously announced it is investigating the care of the patients who were transferred to the warehouse, which also is owned by Dean. The Health Department revoked the licenses of all seven nursing homes, determining that five patients died as a result of the evacuation and conditions at the warehouse.

Renards cousin, Arthur Morrell, who is the clerk of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, said the investigators spent more than an hour getting Renards account from when she first arrived at West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey about a year ago through her evacuation ordeal.

They asked about her treatment from when she stayed at the rehab center all the way up to the amputation, Morrell said. They were concerned about how someone with a visible medical problem didnt get proper treatment.

+5 New Orleans woman loses second leg after botched evacuation of Bob Dean's nursing homes Lisa Renard worked with kids most of her adult life, first as a New Orleans school teacher, then as the director of a day-care center in the 7

Also on Friday, Renards attorneys filed a lawsuit against West Jefferson Health Care Center, alleging neglect and improper medical treatment. The suit asserts that the loss of Renards left leg was the direct result of her treatment before, during and after the Aug. 29 hurricane.

The warehouse that Lisa Renard was taken to in her extra-large wheelchair was not a nursing facility, did not meet the requirements of providing for nursing home patients, had improper bedding, if any, very few toilets, all augmented by portable toilets, with many patients having to relieve themselves in corners, the suit says. Besides the impoverished circumstances  [she had] constant pain in her remaining leg.

In an interview, Renard described relieving herself in her wheelchair because the portable toilets couldnt accommodate her. As her leg pain became intolerable, she said, she tried to get the attention of medical staff but was ignored.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Renard had been at West Jefferson Health Care Center for rehabilitation to use a prosthesis, after her right leg was amputated in 2020. As Ida approached, she said, patients were given almost no time before the evacuation to call relatives to get them out.

She said she didnt realize her remaining leg had been removed until it already was, at Baton Rouge General Hospital.

I didn't know until I woke up after they had performed the surgery, she said. They took my leg off.

Dean has been hit by at least 10 other lawsuits, from patients as well as employees. His is being defended by his insurers in civil court.

John McLindon, Deans criminal defense attorney, has appealed the state revocation of his licenses.

There was no cruelty or indifference to the welfare of any of the residents," McLindon wrote in a four-page appeal letter. "The nursing facilities were in substantial compliance with the nursing facility licensing laws, rules and regulations.

McLindon told WWL that Deans evacuation plans had been approved by the state and, just ahead of the storm, the warehouse was inspected by the Louisiana Department of Health.

+4 Who's responsible for evacuation plans for nursing homes? Louisiana officials aren't sure Louisiana state government does little to screen the nursing home natural disaster evacuation plans required by law or to ensure that nursing 

We executed the plan flawlessly. Even LDH agrees with that, McLindon said. The only thing that changed is that the storm turned and went straight to the evacuation facility.

Morrell said his cousin is simply seeking justice.

Shes lucky she didnt die, and shes unlucky that she lost her leg, Morrell said. Obviously, her life is altered forever by what happened. She deserves justice. There must be accountability.
Most major contractors working for New Orleans city government must certify that they and all their subcontractors are following appropriate labor laws - and could be temporarily barred from municipal work if they are not - under ordinances approved Thursday by the City Council.

The rules, which the council passed 6-0 with council member Jared Brossett absent, are the culmination of an effort that began after the Hard Rock Hotel collapse two years ago to ensure City Hall was doing business with responsible contractors. Despite that origin, the rules will apply only to municipal contractors and thus would not have affected the Hard Rock, which was privately developed.

+2 New Orleans City Council weighs rules for contractor accountability in light of Hard Rock collapse In the wake of public calls for more accountability in light of the Hard Rock Hotel's deadly collapse, New Orleans City Council members are co

In large part, the measures are aimed at preventing the government from engaging with companies that have issues, legal or otherwise, but would normally be allowed to seek municipal work and potentially win contracts with a low bid.

Under the responsible contracting ordinance, City Hall may disqualify firms with past violations of state or federal rules or with operations that send up red flags. That would largely be based on a form contractors must complete before they could be awarded a contract.

The exact wording of the questionnaire has yet to be developed. But during an August presentation on the topic, representatives of Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration suggested it could include details on the companys finances, insurance, past work and legal compliance.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

+2 Engineer blames Hard Rock collapse on 'overstressed' steel beams, bolstering OSHA theory A structural engineer who helped demolish the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel last year says video of the deadly disaster shows the buildi

Those responses would be used to determine whether a contractor was a responsible firm or should land on a list of non-responsible firms that would not be qualified to bid on contracts for three years. The exact criteria for winding up on that list have not yet been determined.

Contractors and their subcontractors also are responsible for notifying City Hall if they are under investigation by any government agency during the term of the contracts. The ordinance says this would not necessarily disqualify a company from municipal work.

Violations of the rules would allow City Hall to terminate a contract.

The new rules cover construction contracts worth more than $25,000, financial assistance contracts worth more than $100,000 and some professional service contracts. However, the rules don't apply to a range of contracts including those with other governments, those needed for emergency situations and those where there is only a single vendor to provide the goods or services being sought by the government. The administration is also empowered to waive the responsible bidder provisions if no reasonable alternative exists.
The FBI has interviewed at least three people about Kenners sudden turnabout on garbage pickup last year, when city officials abruptly changed firms less than halfway through a 10-year deal, dumping Ramelli Janitorial Services and giving the work instead to IV Waste, owned by Sidney Torres IV.

The move, which took effect May 1, 2020, prompted a number of lawsuits from Ramelli owner Robert Ramelli, who has accused the city of back-room dealing.

Mayor Ben Zahn and other Kenner officials said at the time that the change was due to poor service and unfulfilled promises made by Ramelli. They argued that the switch was permissible because Ramelli had signed a non-exclusive contract with Kenner, the sixth-largest municipality in the state, and the Kenner City Council approved the contract.

Ramelli sued the city in state and federal court. Ramelli noted that Zahn and members of the Kenner City Council had praised his service until shortly before dumping him in favor of Torres company.

+3 Ramelli sues Kenner over switch to Sidney Torres-owned garbage collection company The kerfuffle over Kenner's garbage pickup is headed into another court, as Ramelli Janitorial Services, which has been picking up Kenner's ga

In recent months, at least three agents with the FBI have interviewed people about the garbage collection deal, as well as some other issues in the city of Kenner, three sources said.

The agents conversations with the sources were cordial and lasted anywhere from nearly an hour to more than two hours. They ranged across several topics, but all of the sources said a number of questions revolved around Zahn and Kenner businessman Joseph Nicky Nicolosi, a former Kenner official who has long been active in city politics.

Nicolosi, a former chief administrative officer for the city, was a longtime consultant for Ramelli who quit his job in late 2019 or early 2020, shortly before the city decided to ditch Ramelli. Nicolosi who is also Kenners appointment on the New Orleans Airport Board, appointed by Zahn, did not return calls for comment.

In March 2020, Ramelli said he thought Nicolosi helped IV Waste land the Kenner deal, something Torres and Nicolosi said was false. "I did not bring Sidney Torres to Kenner. Period. Dot. Over and out," Nicolosi told a reporter then.

In an October deposition in Ramellis suit in Jefferson Parish, Nicolosi declined to answer most of the attorneys questions, including any related to his relationship with Zahn or whether he had done any work for Sidney Torres.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Ramellis attorney has asked a state judge to force Nicolosi to testify, arguing in a motion that Nicolosi cited the Fifth Amendment in refusing to answer essentially every substantive question asked, even when there was no possible risk of self-incrimination.

A transcript of the deposition, which is included in the court filing, shows Nicolosi answering basic questions about his name and address, but declining to answer anything to do with his relationship to Zahn, Torres or even whether he has a Facebook page.

+3 Kenner council OKs trash contract with Sidney Torres company, paving way to end ties with Ramelli In a clash of well-known garbage giants that provoked allegations of backroom deals and political influence, Sidney Torres' company IV Waste h

Nicolosi declined to answer 127 questions out of more than 150 asked, the filing says.

Zahn said he had never spoken to the FBI about the garbage contract and noted that qualifying for the citys elections is just two months away.

This is just politics, he said. I havent talked to them at all.

Torres also said he hasn't spoken to the FBI about his company's work in Kenner.

I have not been interviewed, he said. I would cooperate fully.

Torres reiterated that Nicolosi has never worked for him in any capacity.

My service speaks for itself. I dont need to give anybody anything," he said. Kenner came to me, I didnt go to them.

Lori Grice, a spokeswoman for the FBIs New Orleans office, declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, citing FBI policy.
Stay up to date on local news

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.
Politics Reporter

Reese Gorman covers politics and the COVID-19 pandemic for The Norman Transcript. He started as an intern in May of 2020 and transitioned into his current position as a staff writer in August of 2020.
Emma Keith is the editor of The Transcript, where she covers Norman Public Schools and the University of Oklahoma. Reach her at ekeith@normantranscript.com or at @emma_ckeith.
Williamsport, Pa. -- As students plan and register for spring classes, they are also beginning to think of what the summer will hold. Last year, rather than return home and work part-time until the start of the academic year, Milca Lopez Perez 23, computational communication major and computer science minor from Los Angeles, decided to seek an internship through the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE).

Lycoming Colleges CEAE is dedicated to helping students identify and participate in a wide-range of experiences that allow them to develop intellectually, professionally, and personally, including internships, student-faculty research, and global travel, according to a Lycoming College press release.

By working with career advisor Anne Landon, Lopez landed an opportunity at The Honest Company, a wellness brand founded by actress Jessica Alba that advocates happy and healthy lives through its beauty and baby products. Landon learned of the opportunity through Glenn Smith, associate director of major gifts, Lycoming alumni Glenn Klages 79, executive vice president of the company, and Corinna Guillaume 99, associate director, quality.

I love the mission of The Honest Company, Lopez said. They truly care about their consumers and employees. They also care a lot about giving back to the community, such as donating to non-profit organizations.

This was Milcas first hands-on experience in a professional work environment, and she rose to the occasion, Landon said. Corinna was Milcas direct supervisor and even paired her with a mentor who provided many opportunities to learn about careers for women in STEM. This is a great example of the importance of Lycoming Colleges alumni connections.

When asked about her experience working with former Lycoming graduates, Lopez replied, I felt very comfortable working with Lycoming alumni, Lopez said. Glenn and Corinna were very welcoming. I was lucky to be able to meet them and work alongside them in person.

At the beginning of the internship, Lopez attended weekly meetings, participated in discussions, and worked on a number of projects, such as updating the training matrix for the Standard Operations Procedures. In doing this, Lopez eliminated difficulties and made the system more manageable and effective.

When asked about how this internship experience will benefit Lopez in the future, she said, It exposed me to not only working in the quality and operations department of a business but also helped me network with people from other departments in which I had an interest in.

To ease the internship experience, the companys human resources team provided weekly meetings with the interns to help them with any questions they might have. Lopezs mentor not only helped her with work-related questions but also helped in setting up life and career goals.

All of us at The Honest Company are so grateful for the work she completed and the new, fresh perspective she brought to the table, Guillaume said. I feel this internship benefited Milca by exposing her to the corporate environment and her gaining transferable skills that can be used in any career path she chooses.

Lopezs career goal is to get a job with a company that has a great mission, much like the one at The Honest Company, according to the press release. She has interests in either becoming a software developer or working within the business setting, and because of her experience with the CEAE, she not only has made meaningful connections but has gained tools to help her attain her goal.

Overall, I really enjoyed this internship, Lopez said. My manager and mentor made the experience very engaging. Everyone was welcoming and made me feel confident in my work.
Williamsport -- The mysterious hellbender, a resident of some of our cleanest local streams, has been elevated from its status as a nuisance species in the early 1900s to its 2019 designation as the Pennsylvania State Amphibian through the work of local high school students.

Student leaders involved in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation played a crucial role in state recognition of the Eastern Hellbender. According to a Pa. government press release announcing the change, the hellbender represents river water quality.

"The hellbender is quite sensitive to poor water quality and pollution, so its presence in the states waterways helps us gauge how clean that water is," said Representative Sheryl Deloizer.

In an upcoming public meeting hosted by Susquehanna Chapter Trout Unlimited, Dr. Peter J. Petokas of Lycoming College will describe his 15 years of research on the hellbender salamander in Pennsylvania. He will address the species historical and current distribution in Pennsylvania and North America, its life history traits and evolutionary relationship to other amphibians, and conservation efforts to restore habitat and raise and release hellbenders to the wild.

Also scheduled at the meeting are the annual election of chapter officers and directors, and tribute to Bill OConnor, conservationist, renowned fishing mentor, and former owner of the historic E. Hille Angler Supply House.

The public meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.at Covenant Central Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, at the rear of 807 West Fourth Street in Williamsport (enter off of Campbell St.). For more information, please see the chapters website at susquehannatu.com.

Dr. Peter J. Petokas earned his Doctorate in Ecology from Binghamton University and a Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. His research interests include the study of amphibians and reptiles, conservation biology, vernal pool and wetland ecology, fish ecology, and the restoration of streams and watersheds.
Williamsport, Pa.  A former employee of Penn State University filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a supervisor in December 2019 and was harassed after she reported it.

The plaintiff, referred to by the pseudonym Jane Doe in court documents, worked as a dishwasher at the Nittany Lion Inn from April 2019 to February 2020.

Penn State was charged with three violations of Title VII policies including sexual harassment/hostile work environment, constructive discharge, and retaliation, according to the complaint. Other charges include two violations of Title IX including sexual harassment/hostile work environment and retaliation.

Doe alleges that she was sexually assaulted by John Roe, a pseudonym for a cook she worked with, on Dec. 13, 2019, at his residence. Roe was Does supervisor at the time, according to the complaint.

On Jan. 7, 2020, Doe found out she was pregnant. She told Jamison Steffen, an executive sous chef at the inn, that she could not lift more than 50 pounds due to her high-risk pregnancy.

Around that time, Doe also informed Roe of the pregnancy. He allegedly began harassing her at work after that.

Roe allegedly attempted to pressure Doe into getting an abortion. Roe also told her that he wanted no involvement with the baby and that she should tell people at work that she had a one night stand and did not know whose baby she had, according to the complaint.

By late January 2020, Jane Doe reported the alleged harassment to Steffen. She alleges Steffen did not take her claim seriously, according to the complaint. Steffen allegedly is friends with Roe and had told him he was the father of the child.

Despite telling Steffen of the harassment, nothing was done to stop it and the harassment continued, according to the complaint. Steffen allegedly began treating Doe differently and stopped mentoring her. He also allegedly approached her about her absences from work, which were due to doctor visits for the pregnancy.

At one point, Roe allegedly ordered Doe to perform a job that required her to lift more than 50 pounds which she had a medical restriction for, according to the complaint.

By Feb. 7, 2020, the harassment from Roe had gotten bad enough that Doe clocked out of work early, according to the complaint. Doe alleges she informed Steffen she could not continue to work at the inn since nothing had been done about the harassment, but he did not respond, according to the complaint.

Several days later, on Feb. 10, 2020, Doe reported the harassment to Carol Eicher, a human resources consultant for Penn State.

Doe told Eicher about the alleged sexual assault and that Roe had allegedly been harassing her since he was informed of the pregnancy, according to the complaint.

Eicher allegedly said the university would address the complaint. However, Eicher called Doe one week later and said she had spoken with Steffen and decided she would be moved to the inns housekeeping department. The housekeeping position was a lower paying position. Doe did not want the position because of the lower pay and also because she wanted to work her way up to a chef position, according to the complaint.

As a result of the harassment, Doe alleges she has suffered and continues to suffer damages, including lost wages, emotional pain and distress, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of lifes pleasures, according to the complaint.

"Penn State acted with malice or reckless indifference to Plaintiffs federally protected rights, the lawsuit alleges.

Doe is asking for back pay including fringe benefits and compensatory damage, as well as training for all university employees on the sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation policies.

A summons was sent Monday to the university by Does attorney, Stephanie J. Mensing of Philadelphia.

Judge Matthew W. Brann at the federal courthouse in Williamsport is presiding over the case.
Williamsport, Pa. When Pennsylvania State Trooper Taylor Arnold picked up a chase initiated by Old Lycoming Township Police, she took lead due to the vehicle crossing into Union County.

Arnold, a trooper with Montoursville PSP, said legal intervention by authorities eventually ended the chase. Once in custody, the driver was identified as Alan Rafael Seijas, 30, of North Brunswick, NJ.

Arnold said a search of the vehicles registration showed it was stolen. After being read his Miranda Rights, Seijas allegedly told troopers he broke into the Trout Run General Store and a garage located along the 1600 block of Log Run Road in Loyalsock Township.

According to an affidavit, Seijas not only told officers about the burglaries, but also went into detail about the items he took.

The owner of the store reported the theft after authorities said he discovered a door forcibly broken with a decorative ashtray. Arnold said a shovel was later used to gain entry to the garage at the address in Loyalsock.

Seijas allegedly took a cash drawer located inside the Trout General Store. At the Log Run address, troopers said a Martin guitar and other miscellaneous items were reported missing.

Arnold said she was traveling on SR15 when Old Lycoming Township police alerted him of the pursuit. According to the report, Arnold attempted several legal interventions of the vehicle as it traveled into Union County.

Seijas was charged with two second-degree felonies in burglary and criminal trespassing along with two third-degree felonies in receiving stolen property and attempting to elude officers. He was also charged with a second-degree misdemeanor of recklessly endangering another person and third-degree criminal mischief.

A court summary for Seijas shows he is being held at the Bradford County Prison on $85,000 monetary bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 11 with Judge William Solomon.

Docket sheet
South Williamsport, Pa. -- The Honorable Judge Joy Reynolds McCoy will join the senior executive team at Little League International in Williamsport as the organizations new Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, according to a news release from Little League International.

McCoy will conclude her term as a judge in the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas on Jan. 28, 2022, and will join Little League International on Jan. 31. She will oversee the organizations legal functions, insurance operations, and risk management departments, reporting to Patrick W. Wilson, Chief Operating Officer.

Joy brings a wide-range of legal experience through her many years of law practice and her distinguished tenure as a judge, said Hugh E. Tanner, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman.

Throughout her time at the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas, she has been an advocate for the protection, safety, and well-being of children, and I know she will bring that same passion and commitment to supporting the millions of boys and girls who wear the Little League patch each year," Tanner continued. "We are honored to welcome Joy to Little League International, and we look forward to her leadership as we continue to enhance the Little League experience in thousands of communities around the world.

McCoy joined the Court of Common Pleas in 2010. During her time there, she has served as the Administrative Judge for the Children and Youth Agency, Family Law Division, Domestic Relations Office, and Juvenile Probation Office. She was also the judicial liaison between the courts and the Domestic Violence Advocacy Center.

McCoy is credited with creating and implementing initiatives "to improve the judicial system to combat domestic violence, create a trauma informed courtroom, reduce truancy and juvenile recidivism, create early interventions for student behavioral issues, and increase child support collectionm" the press release said.

The past 12 years as a judge have been a truly rewarding experience, and it has been an honor to serve our community and support so many children and their families through some of the most traumatic, difficult moments of their lives, said McCoy.

As I look ahead to the third chapter of my professional career, Im excited to join the leadership team at Little League International as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. This unique position will allow me to continue to support the future dreams of children, while supporting this amazing organization and providing guidance and leadership from a legal perspective.

Prior to joining the Court of Common Pleas, McCoy was a partner and associate at McNerney, Page, Vanderlin, and Hall Law Firm in Williamsport.

From her time as an attorney through her tenure as a judge, Joy has become one of the most respected and highly regarded legal professionals in our greater Williamsport community, said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO.

We are looking forward to welcoming Joy to our senior executive team and bringing her breadth of experience to the Little League program, as we continue to evolve our legal, risk management, and insurance departments. I would also like to thank our current Chief Legal Officer, Karl Eckweiler, for his service in establishing the Chief Legal Officer position at Little League International and wish him and his family well in his retirement.

Mr. Eckweiler, Little Leagues current Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Corporate Secretary, announced his retirement, effective December 2021, earlier this year. McCoy will assume the same position at the end of Jan. 2022.

McCoy is a member of National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges, the Pennsylvania State Trial Judges Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, serves on the Executive Committee of the Lycoming Law Association, among other professional organizations.

She serves on the Advisory Board of Big Brother Big Sisters of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Nurse Family Partnership, and On the Pulse Media Outlet.

McCoy has been recognized with the Lycoming County YWCAs Unsung Hero Award, the YWCA of Northcentral PA Women of Excellence Award, the Lycoming County Court County Collaboration Recognition Award, and the Lycoming Law Associations Equal Access to Justice Award.

She holds her Bachelor of Science degree from Elmira College and her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce Law School.

Earlier this month, Judge Marc Lovecchio left his bench for private practice.

Related reading: Former Judge Lovecchio joins long-standing private practice law firm in Williamsport

Lovecchio joined the Williamsport-based firm, McCormick Law Firm after serving as judge for 12 years.

Lovecchio said the years watching the same individuals cycle through his courtroom with little change was frustrating. The local resources, he said, are ill-equipped to battle the problem.

My limitation in terms of what I could do as a judge and my inability to effectuate as much change as I had hoped, Lovecchio told On the PULSE in September. We do the best we can, given the limited resources.
Local

Uninsured in Georgia, South would win big under federal social spending, climate change plan

Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images/TNS U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) speaks during a U.S. Senate Rules Committee Georgia Field Hearing on the right to vote at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia on July 19.

At least 2.2 million low-income adults  nearly all in Texas and the Southeast  would be eligible for government-funded health insurance under the Democrats $1.75 trillion social spending and climate change plan.

Thats the number of people who are eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act but have been left uninsured because they live in one of the dozen states that have not expanded coverage under the 2010 law.

They are in the coverage gap  with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but below the $12,880 annual federal income minimum for an individual to qualify for subsidized coverage in the insurance marketplaces created by the ACA.

An estimated 60% of those caught in that Medicaid coverage gap are Black or Hispanic, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

And nearly two-thirds of those in the gap live in one of three Republican-controlled states: Texas (771,000), Florida (415,000) and Georgia (269,000), according to a KFF analysis.

Under the plan announced by President Joe Biden after negotiations with key Democratic lawmakers in Congress, those in the gap would qualify for ACA marketplace subsidies for four years starting in January. They would get additional cost-sharing protections starting in 2023 that would bring their out-of-pocket costs close to zero.

To encourage existing Medicaid expansion states to maintain their coverage levels, the bill would raise the 90% federal matching rate for the expansion population to 93% from 2023 through 2025.

To help pay for that coverage and incentivize holdout states to expand Medicaid, starting in 2023 the plan would permanently cut billions in special federal Medicaid funding to the non-expansion states that helps hospitals with disproportionately high rates of uninsured or Medicaid patients.

Those cuts have unsettled hospital industry officials, who worry that losing those special funds would mean less money to pay for services. We always are in favor of coverage expansion, said Beth Feldpush, senior vice president of Americas Essential Hospitals, which represents hospitals that treat many poor and uninsured patients. Our concern is it is paired with cuts to the safety net, and  that is a double-edged sword.

The American Hospital Association has estimated those funding cuts would total as much as $7.8 billion over 10 years. Industry groups say hospitals need the extra Medicaid funding to handle the more than 25 million people who would remain uninsured even after the coverage expansion.

But an analysis by Matthew Fiedler for the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy released Thursday found the expanded coverage would lift profit margins of hospitals in the non-expansion states by $11.9 billion in 2023 alone. The report cites two main factors for the improvement  hospitals getting paid for care that they already deliver but dont currently get paid for, and hospitals seeing more demand for care as people gaining coverage seek more services.

A big deal

Marketplace health plans generally pay higher reimbursement rates than Medicaid  but they also often come with higher deductibles that can be difficult for patients to pay and providers to collect.

Raphael Warnock is a key Senate advocate for the health insurance provisions in the social spending bill.

The massive spending package hinges on Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), whose support is critical. Democrats cant afford to lose one party member vote in the 50-50 Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris would break any ties and the GOP stands firmly against any government expansion. But Manchin has not yet said whether he will vote for the package.

Consumer advocates are ecstatic that Congress may no longer wait for intransigent Republican-controlled legislatures and governors to expand Medicaid. Republican leaders have cited a host of reasons for resisting, including that their states cant afford the 10% match and that nondisabled adults dont deserve Medicaid. States could not block the coverage expansion because it falls outside of Medicaid, which is jointly funded by the federal and state governments.

This is a big deal, said Anne Swerlick, a public interest attorney in Tallahassee who has lobbied Floridas legislature to expand Medicaid. It would make an extraordinary difference in the quality of life for tens of thousands of Floridians caught in the gap. In many instances, it will be a lifesaver.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), a key lawmaker advocating for the provision, said Congress needs to close the coverage gap in Georgia and the 11 other states where hardworking families wake up every day without health care coverage their neighbors in 38 other states enjoy. But on Wednesday, he said he and Georgias other congressional Democrats oppose the cuts to special Medicaid funding for hospitals.

While most states expanded Medicaid in 2014, no state legislature has adopted it since Virginias in 2018. Since 2017, six states have enacted expansion as a result of ballot initiatives, most recently Missouri.

Those that havent adopted it are in the South, save for Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Wisconsin already covers adults on Medicaid up to the federal poverty level but has not expanded it to match the 138% of that federal level called for under the ACA.

File Gov. Brian Kemp

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp and other GOP leaders have sought federal approval for a partial Medicaid expansion, which would require work or other activities for eligibility. But the Biden administration has so far resisted this approach.

R.D. Williams, CEO of Hendry Regional Medical Center in Clewiston, Florida, said the Democrats plan would cover about 60% of the uninsured who use his hospital, which serves one of the poorest parts of the state. It will definitely have an impact, he said.

Expanding coverage, he said, would help many patients better manage their health by getting access to primary care doctors and specialists. Medicaid enrollees make up 25% of Williams patients, while more than 30% have no coverage. Our largest payer group is the uninsured, he said.

However, Williams said he was still trying to figure out how much money he might have to give up in Medicaid funding under the bill. Those cuts would occur unless Florida expands Medicaid.

Elijah Manley, 22, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, racked up more than $2,000 in bills after going to a hospital emergency room for Covid-19 treatment last year. Without insurance, he has no way to pay and fears it will hurt his credit. Hes been uninsured since he aged out of Medicaid when he turned 21.

Manley works part time in a bar and also is one of several Democrats running for a special primary election for a state House seat in January. He hopes Congress will pass a plan that gives him access to free or low-cost insurance so he doesnt have to think twice about going to the doctor. It would be very helpful to me, as I have a couple things I want to check out, he said, noting he has a family history of diabetes.

Its been nearly a decade since the Supreme Court in 2012 narrowly upheld the ACA but made its Medicaid expansion provision optional for states.

Joan Alker, director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said the Democrats plan should motivate states to expand Medicaid because they could do so without losing their special Medicaid funding.

If it moves states, that would be great, but it aint going to happen, said Chip Kahn, president of the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents for-profit hospitals.

Sen. Jon Ossoff

Mississippi hospitals welcome the Democrats plan despite concerns about funding cuts.

Hospitals would prefer a straight-up Medicaid expansion, but at this point a thirsty man is not going to be really choosy about whether its bottled water, mineral water or tap water, said Richard Roberson, a vice president at the Mississippi Hospital Association. An opportunity for some coverage is better than nothing.

The Medicaid gap has contributed to the financial problems of rural hospitals in Georgia, leading to recent closures, said Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). On people stuck in the coverage gap: Its unfair, and folks are suffering and dying needlessly.

Anne Dunkelberg, health policy expert for the advocacy group Every Texan, said 80% of Texans in the coverage gap are in working households. I obviously am not going to celebrate till the ink dries, but Id be thrilled for the working poor in Texas to get coverage.
The Google Pixel Fold has leaked again, this time with camera specifications and a possible launch date. Google's first foldable smartphone is expected to debut Android 12L, a version of Android 12 optimised for large-screen devices. Unfortunately, the Pixel Fold may share more details with the Pixel 5 than the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro.

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

According to 9to5Google, the latest version of the Google Camera app has revealed new details about the Pixel Fold. Originally thought to be arriving this year, code in the APK points to the Pixel Fold running Android 12L. Specifically, Google has included the string 'isPixel2022Foldable', implying that the foldable will not arrive until next year.

For context, Google included equivalent strings for the Pixel 3a and Pixel 4 series, which were referred to as 'isPixel2019MidRange' and 'isPixel2019', respectively. Apparently, 'isPixel2022Foldable' links to the codename 'Pipit', with 'Passport' the presumed codename of the Pixel Fold until this point. 9to5Google clarifies that Google has switched codenames before, but usually because of a hardware change.

To that end, the Google Camera app states that the Pixel Fold has four cameras, all Sony IMX sensors. Hence, Google's first foldable smartphone will not share its primary camera with the Pixel 6 series, which relies on the Samsung ISOCELL GN1. Instead, Google will return to the IMX363, a 12.2 MP camera found in every Pixel from the Pixel 3 to the Pixel 5a.

Additionally, 9to5Google reports that the Pixel Fold utilises the IMX386 as its ultra-wide-angle camera, another 12 MP sensor and two IMX355 sensors as front-facing cameras. These 8 MP cameras will adorn the outer and inner displays, mirroring Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series.
Hands-on photos of Samsung's next premier smartphone have leaked, confirming that the Galaxy Note series is returning under a different name. Accordingly, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a built-in S Pen, flat edges and a curved display.

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

FrontPageTech has leaked the first hands-on photos of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, months before the device's expected release. While OnLeaks already gave an idea of how the device would look with several renders, they are not the same as seeing photos of an actual device.

Presumably, these are of a prototype or an engineering sample; we doubt that Samsung would have a retail model lying around when the Galaxy S22 Ultra has only just entered mass production. According to FrontPageTech, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has five cameras, with four on the back and one on the front. As previous leaks have suggested, its primary camera is a 108 MP sensor that Samsung complements with a 12 MP ultra-wide and dual 10 MP telephoto sensors offering 3x and 10x optical zoom.

In short, this is the same camera arrangement as the Galaxy S21 Ultra, even down to the megapixels of each camera. However, in every functional sense, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is a successor to last year's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Correspondingly, the handset has a built-in S Pen and flat edges, mirroring the Galaxy Note's design language. The display and back panel curve into each other too, with the smallest of side rails separating them.
According to DxOMark's in-depth analysis, the Pixel 6 Pro is Google's first smartphone to keep up with the best that Apple and Samsung have to offer. The Pixel 6 Pro even surpasses Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro in some disciplines, and by a considerable margin.

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

The Pixel 6 Pro is finally being put through its paces, having started shipping to people last week. It and the Pixel 6 are Google's first smartphones in years to not use the Sony IMX363, a camera sensor that the company has relied on since the Pixel 3 series.

The Samsung ISOCELL GN1 arrives in its place, a 50 MP camera that Google complements with a 48 MP telephoto sensor and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera. While Pixel smartphones have had excellent camera software for years, the Pixel 6 series combines this with flagship-grade hardware.

According to DxOMark's analysis, the Pixel 6 Pro matches the best of recent flagship smartphones, save for the Huawei P50 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. Specifically, DxOMark has awarded the Pixel 6 Pro a total score of 135 points, 2 points shy of the iPhone 13 Pro and 14 points ahead of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

While DxOMark praises the Pixel 6 Pro in many areas, the device is not without its shortcomings. For example, DxOMark criticised the Pixel 6 Pro for displaying image noise in low light and for its inability to show a bokeh blur effect when previewing a portrait shot. Additionally, the website noticed some 'depth estimation errors and instabilities' when using the bokeh mode, which is not ideal.
Students of the Triplett Tech culinary arts program who cooked breakfast for the Legislative Day greet attendees. Their meal offered multiple quiches, French toast, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit and pastries.
Community Healthcare System was recognized for reducing infant mortality last year.

The Indiana Hospital Association, in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Health, bestowed INspire awards on the hospitals of the Community Healthcare System for their commitment to infant and maternal health.

Community Hospital in Munster won the Hospital of Distinction Award. St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart earned the Category of Excellence Award. The awards recognize excellence in best practices in infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation and perinatal substance use.

"The lives of so many Hoosier babies and mothers are dependent and directly tied to your efforts, Gov. Eric Holcomb said. Infant maternal mortality are at the top of our priority list and because of you, we are making huge strides impacting the lives of infants and mothers, families and communities all for the better.

Indiana has made progress in reducing infant and maternal mortality though it has been focused on containing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
First Merchants, which has 18 branches in Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago area, is acquiring Level One Bancorp in suburban Detroit for $323.5 million.

The Muncie-based bank, the successor to Munster's Citizens Financial Bank, reached an agreement to buy Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Level One in a cash and stock deal.

Level One Bank was founded in 2007. It now has $2.5 billion in assets, loans of $1.7 billion and deposits of $2.1 billion.

Like First Merchants, Level One Bank has a strong customer-focused history and a deep-rooted commitment to community banking," First Merchants CEO Mark Hardwick said. "We are excited they have chosen to become the newest member of the First Merchants family.

Level One shareholders will get 0.7167 shares of First Merchants common stock and $10.17 in cash for each share of stock owned. The transaction is expected to be closed in the first half of next year, if approved by shareholders and regulators.
An economic impact study found Purdue University Northwest contributes $745.9 million in income to Northwest Indiana.

The research found the Purdue branch, which has campuses in Hammond and Westville, supports 10,494 jobs across Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.

The study found Purdue Northwest accounts for 2% of Northwest Indiana's gross regional product. Its students, alumni, research, start-ups and visitors support one out of every 36 jobs in the Region.

Purdue Northwest also contributed $1.4 billion in income, and supports 14,876 jobs in Cook and Will counties in Illinois and Berrien County in Michigan, all just across the state line.

The results of this study further confirm PNWs role as a premier metropolitan university, transforming students lives and our region at the most significant rate among all local public universities, PNW Chancellor Thomas Keon said. Every dollar spent by students on a PNW education increases their lifetime earnings fourfold. From a taxpayer perspective, every $1 invested at PNW returns $1.70 to the local economy, for a total value of $89.7 million in future tax revenue and government savings.
HAMMOND  A federal judge is adding two years of prison to the sentence of a man who keeps bouncing between state and federal courts for firearms violations.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon imposed those two years Thursday on 24-year-old Brandon C. Smith.

But Smith cannot begin serving this sentence until after he finishes a 2.5 year state prison term he received in August from a Lake Criminal Court judge.

He must serve a combined 4.5 year in both state and federal prisons.

Federal court records indicate Smith was involved in a spree of criminal violations the past five years that include a half dozen arrests and now three criminal convictions.

The first conviction took place Feb. 26, 2016, when Smith pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm on school property. He avoided prison at that time because a Lake Criminal court judge freed him on two years probation.

Nevertheless, Smith was back under police scrutiny four months later after he posted videos on social media, brandishing handguns and purchasing firearms ammunition for juveniles as well as an extended gun magazine for himself.
Nurses noticed Oct. 28 that Carlson did not have her baby with her as usual, police said. When they asked about the whereabouts of her child, "she indicated to them that the baby was fine, and he was in her vehicle."

Carlson reportedly told police she, her boyfriend and child had moved from Sacramento, California, to Indiana five days prior. The group had stayed with a friend in La Crosse the first two days but had to move because the situation became dangerous.

She said her 41-year-old boyfriend had been admitted to Northwest Health Porter Hospital three days prior, and she and her baby had been living in the vehicle in the hospital parking lot, according to the incident report.

Video surveillance footage showed Carlson entered the hospital without the child at 9:10 a.m. and then was escorted out with security at 9:58 a.m., amounting to the child being left alone for 48 minutes, police said.

Carlson is a registered sex offender out of Los Angeles with a non-compliant registration status, according to police.

Indiana Department of Child Services was notified and took the child because Carlson's boyfriend was hospitalized and unable to care for the baby, police said.
CROWN POINT  A Lake Criminal Court judge this week granted a motion from the Lake County public defender's office to withdraw from a case against a man charged with murdering a prominent Region attorney last summer.

Jason M. Vazquez, 38, was arrested in a SWAT raid Friday at his home in Hammond on allegations he shot attorney William "Bill" Enslen four times in the head, torso and left hand June 24 after Enslen arrived at his Hobart home to find Vazquez burglarizing it.

A magistrate on Monday entered not guilty pleas on Vazquez's behalf to charges of murder, murder in perpetration of a burglary and two counts of burglary. Vazquez requested a public defender.

Chief Public Defender Marce Gonzalez wrote in a motion his office was ethically precluded from representing Vazquez because of Enslen's role on the Lake County Criminal Division Public Defender Board.

Enslen was elected to the board by public defenders and served from 2013 until his death, according to court filings.

Judge Natalie Bokota granted Gonzalez's motion and reached out to the state public defender's office for assistance, records show.

Enslen's homicide isn't the first time Vazquez has been accused in a burglary involving a gun, court records show.
LAPORTE  A Valparaiso man died following a crash in rural LaPorte County early Thursday.

At 8:39 a.m. first responders were called to a two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Ind. 8 and County Road 875 West in rural Dewey Township.

LaPorte County Sheriff's Deputy Bobby Greer found the vehicles west of the intersection along Ind. 8.

Preliminary investigations determined that 79-year-old Joseph Barker, of Valparaiso, was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck south on County Road 875 West.

A 24-year-old Cedar Lake man driving a GMC Penske box truck was heading west on Ind. 8, when he told officers that as he approached the intersection, he suddenly saw the Dodge Ram and could not avoid the collision, police said.

A witness who was traveling westbound on Ind. 8 said she saw the Dodge Ram disregard a stop sign on County Road 875 West and enter Ind. 8, allegedly failing to yield to the box truck.

After the collision with the pickup truck, the GMC box truck left the south side of the road and hit a utility pole, coming to rest on top of a culvert.
Desmond L. Crews, 23, of Gary, was charged Wednesday with murder and attempted murder for the shooting. Police said there were multiple people in the vehicle that opened fire on the children, and an investigation into other possible suspects was ongoing.

Crews was arrested by a Hammond officer after a father of one of the trick-or-treaters began chasing him from the scene of the shooting, according to Lake Criminal Court records.

"I want to thank the community of Hessville, the men, the fathers that made it their job to stop that mad person," Anderson said. "They took him down, and they held him there until the police came. And I thank them from whatever is left of my heart."

Thomas was out trick-or-treating in Hammond's Hessville neighborhood, where his grandmother lived for more than 15 years. Anderson said she will not rest until justice is served.

Thomas' father, Thomas DeLaCruz Sr., called it a senseless act of violence.

"My son was a good kid, he didn't deserve it," he said. "It's a senseless act of violence. He just wanted to trick-or-treat."
Speaking to podcast co-host Kevin Smith, McDermott said Indiana is missing out on significant tax revenue and economic growth by so far declining to follow other states in allowing the cultivation, sale and consumption of marijuana.

He said Indiana farmers, retailers and Hoosiers all would benefit from marijuana legalization, and law enforcement no longer would have to spend its time arresting people who bring marijuana into Indiana from neighboring states like Illinois and Michigan where it already is legal.

"Indiana is woefully behind on this," McDermott said. "If I'm elected Indiana's U.S. senator, I'm a vote to decriminalize, I'm a vote to legalize marijuana  and I will.

"And I can tell you, as a former public defender, the only people that are truly penalized with these marijuana laws are the poor that can't hire lawyers and get out of this."

A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., who McDermott is likely to face in next year's general election, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on McDermott's marijuana use, Young's position on marijuana legalization, or whether Young ever has used marijuana.

McDermott quipped: "At least I know how to have fun. If Todd Young went to a Grateful Dead concert he'd probably be wearing a full suit."
Cook said the district must be adjacent to bodies of water, but the boundaries can be expanded over one-half mile away from the water.

The district in LaPorte starts beside Lily Lake.

Cook said the liquor licenses costing about $2,500, with a $1,000 annual renewal fee, must be returned if a business closes. In comparison, more traditional liquor licenses can cost six figures and are very limited in supply. Traditional licenses can be kept and used later or sold by the owners if they go out of business.

We have a pretty regular number of businesses saying theyd like to start a restaurant but cant get access to any kind of liquor licenses, either because theyre scarce and not available or theyre cost prohibitive, Cook said.

The LaPorte district was created in 2019. It has been used just once previously, to help with the opening of El Cantarito, a Mexican restaurant at the Pine Lake Shopping Center.

The City Council expanded the district to include the tapas restaurant site and a much larger area of the downtown.

Cook said theres a good chance at least three more licenses will be issued next year.
VALPARAISO  Three Porter County employees have been honored by the Board of Commissioners for their outstanding service.

Highway Department employee Jeff Grogan is retiring after 42 years. To put that in perspective, county Highway Superintendent Rich Sexton is 37 years old. Grogan was working five years before his boss was even born.

I am very blessed to have had this long career with you in Porter County, Grogan told the commissioners. He thanked them and the council for putting employees first, especially during the pandemic.

Youve been a blessing to us, thats for sure, Board of Commissioners Vice President Laura Blaney, D-South, said.

Grogan was given a golden shovel signed by his coworkers. His last day on the job is Dec. 1.

MS4 Program Coordinator Amanda Vandenoever was honored by the Indiana MS4 Partnership as the outstanding MS4 coordinator in the state of Indiana, County Engineer Michael Novotney said.

The MS4  Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems  program aims to protect water quality for fishable, drinkable water for everyone in the United States.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined several requests to provide figures for the intelligence community. The office also would not say what contingency plans are in place in case officers are taken off work due to not complying with the mandate.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines declined at a hearing last week to disclose what percentage of the workforce had been vaccinated, but said, we are not anticipating that it is going to be an issue for mission.

The vaccination rates provided by Stewart are mostly higher than those of the general U.S. population. About 70% of American adults are fully vaccinated and 80% have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Stewart called on the administration to approve more exemptions for people on medical, religious and other grounds, and delay any terminations of intelligence officers.

My question is whats the impact on national security if we do that? Stewart said. Youre potentially firing thousands of people on the same day. And its not like you put an ad on Craigslist and have people apply by Thursday.
During the last week of October a news item buried in msn.com should have been the headlines on all media news. This carries the most important impact on political power during my 82-year lifetime. The modernist left have been trying to negate the judicial branch of the United States government to prevent its consequences.

The Supreme Court has accepted a case challenging Congress's use of delegated authority and policy making through federal agencies. In essence, the legislative branch is going to be examined to see if it is passing specific laws with clear limits and budgets.

Why is this so important that the highest court accepted the case? Because Congress has since the 1930s created countless federal agencies controlling America. Up until the 1930s Depression, Congress and the government made laws which generally were specific and enacted by our capitalistic system.

The Depression affected American citizens and, worldwide, most of the people in major countries. The American solution was the New Deal by Roosevelt. The government based it's budget on socialist type work and handouts to the people. Several European countries also changed their governments to militaristic socialist styles. Within a decade they and we clashed in World War II.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

ON THE RIVER NIGER BRIDGE, Nigeria  After two hours spent in gridlocked traffic trying to cross a bridge spanning the mighty Niger River, despair kicks in. Weve not moved an inch. I fidget in the back seat. Will we ever make it to the other side?

After being stuck three hours  time mostly spent pondering why in Nigeria, the giant of Africa, this narrow bridge is the only major connection between two economically vital southern regions  acceptance arrives: This is where were spending the night.

People emerge from their cars and trucks to stretch, accepting it too. Half a dozen men drift to the curbside, to sit and joke. Women lean on the trunks of their cars and chat.
As quoted in the article, Cheryl LaFleur, a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, says that the United States now has the renewable energy technology and resources to reach the net-zero target by 2050. Advantages of renewable energy include an abundance of free, low-carbon footprint wind and sunlight, use of already disturbed lands, income to farmers and increases in local tax base. Disadvantages include visual and noise pollution, extended permitting process and high cost of transmission lines for distant wind and solar farms to where the energy is needed.

From Nov. 1 to Nov. 12, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, more than 100 heads of state, including President Biden, plus diplomats and activists are meeting to set new targets for cutting emissions from fossil fuels in the hopes of preventing the average global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with levels before the Industrial Revolution. The question is: does the U.S. have the will to expand its wind and solar footprint in order to reach this goal?

Here are some of the student headlines that capture the stories of these maps: Green Work Makes the Dream Work! How Green America Will Be in the Future! by The Montessori School of Shreveport, Louisiana; Catching the Wind and Sun for a Better Future by Hudson of Portland, Oregon; Can America Tolerate a Bigger Solar and Wind Farm Footprint? by Karen of Iowa; Wind and Solar Power: The Best Things In Life Are Free by Joey of New Hampshire; The Power of the Sun and Wind Against Climate Change. Which Will Win? by Emma of California; and Stopping the Climate Calamity: How Many More Solar and Wind Farms Do We Need? by JJ of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in New York City.

You may want to think about these additional questions:

Read The New York Times article What Is COP26? And Other Questions About the Big U.N. Climate Summit to learn more about the United Nations global warming conference in Glasgow that is running Nov. 1 to 12, 2021. Here are the links to New York Times graphs showing projected global carbon emissions and carbon emissions goals by country.

Look at the above 2050 map. What wind or solar locations are designated for your state? Has there been discussion in your area about either wind or solar farms? What are the reasons your area is appropriate for wind or solar farms? If there have been objections, what have they been? What is your opinion about reducing greenhouse gases by operating these farms in your area?

There are many factors that determine the economic, technological, and environmental feasibility of wind and solar generators. Why do you think there seems to be more land for wind generation than solar generation? Cost of construction? Cost of electricity transmission to where it is used? Availability of technology? Topography of land (the arrangement of natural and artificial surface features of land)? Acceptance of wind or solar farms by local residents? Other reasons?

Why do you think there are broad regions for wind farms in the Upper Mississippi area but not in the windy mountain states? Why do you think there are broad regions of solar farms on the East coast but not in the Southwest?

If you are from Louisiana, Kentucky and Maine, why do you think there are few wind or solar farms proposed for your state by 2050?

Keep noticing and wondering. We continue to welcome your online responses.

Next weeks graph on solving murder cases will be released by Friday, Nov. 5 with live-moderation on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The topic  solving gun murders. You can receive the 2021-2022 Whats Going On In This Graph? schedule by subscribing here to the Learning Network Friday newsletter. In the meantime, keep noticing and wondering.

________

Stat Nuggets for Where Wind and Solar Power Need to Grow for America to Meet Its Goals

Below, we define mathematical and statistical terms and how they relate to this graph. To see the archives of all Stat Nuggets with links to their graphs, go to this index.
SCHITTS PEAK In the darkest, loneliest, most discombobulating days of the pandemic, the six-season series Schitts Creek provided unexpected solace. Its viral stardom made a certain kind of sense: The show follows the travails of a formerly wealthy family that finds itself marooned in a roadside motel in a nowheresville town, with little hope of returning to a familiar life and the most rudimentary tools for building a new one. Who couldnt relate to the Roses slow-dawning realization that the world had irrevocably changed?

This week, Schitts Creek makes its debut on the best-seller list, with Best Wishes, Warmest Regards, an official tie-in by the shows father-son co-creators, Eugene Levy and Daniel Levy (who are, respectively, the patriarch and the elder sibling of the Rose family). The book is a colorful compendium of behind-the-scenes Schittsiana (if I may), including a look at the Roses bookshelf, which consists of a mini-library of entirely fictional  as in, made up  volumes ranging from Cypher Mind to Banshees on a Plane to Johnny Roses contribution to the business/self-help/leadership genre, Fast Forward to Success.

Our production design team went way above and beyond with the props, Daniel Levy writes. The book jackets were designed, front and back with copy, art and evocative titles. The level of care and detail that was put in was so extraordinary and it did not go unnoticed.

GIRL POWER Rick Riordan is such a veteran of the middle grade best-seller list, he may think its no big deal to find himself there yet again, this time with Daughter of the Deep at No. 2. But Riordans latest novel, a modern-day homage to Jules Vernes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, has an important distinction: Its his first one focused exclusively on a young woman. On his website, Riordan explains, Though obviously Ive had lots of female protagonists in my previous novels, this book is told first-person solely from the point of view of Ana Dakkar, a high school freshman who learns her parentage is every bit as complicated as Percy Jacksons, though it has to do with science, not Greek gods. In an introduction to Daughter of the Deep, Roshani Chokshi, the author of the Star-Touched Queen duology, writes, Ana is everything I wished I could be at 15.
Tired of critics raving about film festival titles that you havent yet had a chance to see? This holiday season will bring many of the years most acclaimed films to theaters and streaming, from Jane Campions The Power of the Dog, which will be available both ways, to the Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakuls Memoria, which is forgoing home viewing altogether. There will also be fresh takes on enduring classics of the stage: Steven Spielberg does West Side Story, while Joel Coen adapts Shakespeare in The Tragedy of Macbeth.

This is a highly select list of noteworthy films due out this season. Release dates are subject to change and reflect the latest information as of deadline. (Movies that have already opened in theaters but are coming soon to streaming  like Passing, Red Notice and Violet  arent included.)

November

THE DRUMMER Danny Glover plays a Vietnam veteran and lawyer who works at a coffee shop that serves as a gathering place for other vets. With attention and activism, he helps them work through post-traumatic stress. Eric Werthman directed. (Nov. 9 on demand)
That could clear an easier pathway for the governors unfinished legislative priorities, some analysts and legislators say. Despite losing some seats, Democrats will still control both houses of the Legislature.

Politically, its an incredible opportunity for Murphy, said Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. Sweeney keeping his seat and Murphy winning by 10 would be nowhere near as good.

Still, the day after the election, few Democrats were talking much about Mr. Murphys most contentious policy goals: codifying abortion rights to protect against the possibility of a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade; expanding gun control laws to allow victims to sue gun manufacturers; reducing long mandatory sentences for nonviolent crimes.

Were going to obviously revisit what weve been doing, said Senator Nick Scutari, a Democrat from northern New Jersey who led the fight to legalize marijuana in the state and is seen as a contender to become the next Senate president.

Mr. Scutari, a former municipal prosecutor in Linden, N.J., said he expected more discussion about kitchen table issues.

Making sure theres a strong economy, he said. Good strong job prospects. Making sure the taxes are stable and we do provide services because of those taxes.

George E. Norcross, an insurance executive and powerful Democratic power broker strongly allied with Mr. Sweeney, said the most potent issue in New Jersey has always been taxes.
SAN FRANCISCO  Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, downloaded a popular new app, Phhhoto, on Aug. 8, 2014, and took a selfie. Other Facebook executives and product managers soon followed suit. The social network then made overtures to integrate Phhhoto.

But the interest of Facebooks top executives in Phhhoto was just a show, according to a lawsuit filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York by the start-up, which is now defunct. Instead, Facebook simply wanted to squash the competition, according to the suit, which accused the company of antitrust violations.

In the suit, Phhhotos founders  Champ Bennett, Omar Elsayed and Russell Armand  claim that after Mr. Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives downloaded their app and approached them about a partnership, no deal materialized. Facebook instead launched a competing product that mirrored Phhhotos features. Facebook also suppressed Phhhotos content within its photo-sharing app, Instagram, the suit says.

Phhhoto is represented by Gary L. Reback, a well-known lawyer. In the 1990s, Mr. Reback persuaded the Justice Department to sue Microsoft for violating antitrust laws, a case that Microsoft ultimately settled in 2001. Phhhotos suit seeks unspecified monetary damages from Facebook.
Before the lights go down at New York Theater Workshop, Kristina Wong gets up from her Hello Kitty sewing machine, where shes been making a face mask, to deliver some trigger warnings about the solo performance shes about to give.

Her tone is tongue in cheek  she is, after all, a comedian  but her heads-up to the audience is for real, because shes wading straight into one of the great divides in live theater right now: between people hungry for drama that examines the last 20 months and people desperate for psychic escape from all that.

This show takes place in the pandemic, Wong says. I know. I know! Now you get to find out if watching live theater about the pandemic, during a pandemic, is your thing. And because its set in the pandemic, there are mentions of death, illness, poverty, mental health stressors, racism, trauma. A pause, and then she adds one more possible trigger: The last U.S. president.

Truth be told, I have not been clamoring for theater about dire recent events. And I confess that, en route to Wongs show, I was feeling particularly ground down by all the barefaced people Id seen, once again, on the subway.
But a senior Biden administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, disputed Mr. Kramers account. The official said that the health department had ended the contract, and that the termination was structured in such a way that the company would not fight it and the government would avoid a costly legal challenge. The company had been asking for payment since spring, the official added, but the government had not paid since the contamination was disclosed.

When the pandemic arrived last year, the Baltimore site still had not won regulatory approval to mass-produce any approved product, and a government assessment warned that relying on the largely untested facility was risky.

Mr. Kramer on Thursday said a lack of experience at the factory was attributable in large part to a lack of consistent government funding over the years. The necessary operational investments by all administrations fell short of what was needed to maintain capability in case of an emergency, he said.

Since May, Emergent has said it expected federal regulators to soon certify vaccine production at the Baltimore plant. But regulators have yet to issue that certification, although they have certified Johnson & Johnsons manufacturing operation in the Netherlands as well as plants that produce vaccines for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

Instead of giving the Bayview plant a green light, the F.D.A. cleared multiple batches of AstraZenecas and Johnson & Johnsons vaccines  and then only after special scrutiny, because of the plants problems. A batch can include as many as 15 million doses.

The cancellation appears to have no impact on the availability of coronavirus vaccines in the United States. The contract only involved production of AstraZenecas vaccine, which is not authorized for distribution in the United States.

Although Johnson & Johnson, one of only three federally authorized vaccines here, produced tens of millions of doses at the Baltimore plant, it did so under a separate contract with Emergent as its subcontractor.
Ive talked quite a bit about public confidence in the outcome of the trial, Judge Schroeder said. It is clear that the appearance of bias is present, and it would seriously undermine the outcome of the case.

The juror was excused, leaving eight men and 11 women  most of whom are white  on the jury. Ultimately, only 12 members of the jury will deliberate and be asked to reach a verdict. In Kenosha County, where 169,000 people live, 75 percent of residents are white.

A key witness to the shooting of the first victim testified.

Jurors on Thursday heard from a witness with a close-up view of the first of the three shootings. Mr. McGinniss of The Daily Caller testified that he saw Mr. Rittenhouse shoot Mr. Rosenbaum, 36, before Mr. McGinniss helped rush Mr. Rosenbaum to a hospital across the street.

Mr. McGinniss is both a witness and a named victim. One of the criminal counts against Mr. Rittenhouse accuses him of recklessly endangering the safety of Mr. McGinniss, who testified that he quickly checked to see if he had also been shot. Mr. Binger, the prosecutor, has emphasized that Mr. Rosenbaum, who joined the demonstrations that night, was unarmed when Mr. Rittenhouse shot him. Mr. Binger also has attempted to create doubt about Mr. Rittenhouses defense  that he was only defending himself  by raising questions about Mr. Rittenhouses decisions that night.

Mr. Rittenhouse had run down the street amid demonstrations with a fire extinguisher and a military-style rifle before the shootings began. Questioned about that, Mr. McGinniss testified, Its not the way that I was taught to handle a weapon in a public place.

Mark Richards, Mr. Rittenhouses defense lawyer, suggested in his questioning that Mr. Rosenbaum had posed danger to Mr. Rittenhouse in the period before the shooting. Mr. McGinniss told jurors that Mr. Rosenbaum ran at Mr. Rittenhouse, lunged at him and reached for Mr. Rittenhouses gun before Mr. Rittenhouse fired. At one point, Mr. McGinniss stood up as he testified to demonstrate how Mr. Rosenbaum had lunged.

The prosecution relied on graphic videos.

As Mr. Binger laid out the prosecutions case, he replayed in court lengthy videos that were captured on livestreams and cellphones that night. Some videos documented downtown Kenosha in the hours before the shootings, when groups of protesters and armed men lingered outside of gas stations, churches and other buildings.
WASHINGTON  A White House aide who traveled with President Biden to Scotland tested positive for the coronavirus this week and remains in quarantine abroad, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a medical issue.

The aide tested positive on Tuesday after taking a lateral flow test, which was a daily requirement to attend the United Nations climate summit held in Glasgow, but has not shown any symptoms of Covid-19. President Biden was not in close contact with the aide, the official said.

The aide has taken subsequent tests, but those came back inconclusive, the official said. The aide remains in quarantine in Scotland, and is waiting on the results of a P.C.R. test.

Mr. Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, the official said. The president, who is 78, received a booster shot in September.
She was a young moose, not even 2 years old, still getting used to her surroundings, when she took a wrong turn on Thursday and crashed through the window of an elementary school classroom in Saskatoon, in Canadas central prairie.

By days end, the moose, though a little banged up, had found her way into the hearts of Canadians across the country. Photos of the moose standing in the classroom, shards of glass surrounding her, had swept across social media, stirring a mixture of delight and concern.

Fourteen children attending a before-school program at the school, Sylvia Fedoruk Public, were in the room at the time, but they were uninjured and were immediately led away by staff.

Were still kind of all in shock about it, said Veronica Baker, a spokeswoman for Saskatoon Public Schools, in what might have been a bit of understatement.
If buyers did publicize their purchases, a person familiar with the White House plan said, government officials would be wary of requests from them for business or access.

Mr. Berges declined to be specific about the price tags for a Biden, though he acknowledged that one might exceed $100,000. He said none would reach $500,000, as was once reported.

Mr. Bidens art carries value because he is, by Mr. Bergess accounting, someone whose art will be remembered for a long, long time. He refers to a Biden painting as a totem of reflection, and with no hint of irony, he said: Hunter will go down as a great artist for this century. If anything, his father will be known as the father of a great artist.

Mr. Berges said part of what resonates with him about Hunter Biden is how, in a country suffering from an opioid crisis, Mr. Biden has overcome addiction to pursue a career as an artist. (Mr. Biden has spoken of grappling with drug problems.)

Hunter Bidens story is the American story. Its a redemptive story, he said.

Mr. Biden, who has no formal training as an artist, has been painting for decades, but whether he has previously sold many, or any, of his works is unclear. Mr. Berges said he did not know, and he was hesitant discussing whether, currently, he had sold any of the 25 paintings that hang on the walls of his New York gallery  works on canvas, metal and Japanese Yupo paper.
Writing to The Times from Lagos, Nigeria, where she said she is working on a series of artistic and institutional collaborations, Blankenberg also emphasized that the Benin Bronze process is part of a much wider context and strategy, and that the conditions that gave rise to the Bronzes being looted in the first place and displayed in museums around the world must never happen again.

The National Museum of African Art has 16 objects with provenance dating back to the 1897 raid, Blankenberg said. Ten of the objects were on display and have now been taken down. There may be others in our collection, Blankenberg said, but we are still doing research.

Linda St. Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Smithsonian Institution, said that while the National Museum of African Art is committed to repatriation, it is at the beginning of a process with the Benin Bronzes. To remove an artifact from a Smithsonian collection, officials must thoroughly research the provenance of objects in question, have the works appraised by outside experts and discuss the return of objects with relevant parties.

The Benin Bronzes are high-value objects, and deaccessioning them will require approval from the Smithsonian Secretary and the Smithsonians Board of Regents, St. Thomas said. When the process is complete, the Smithsonian will consider returning artifacts to their original home if they have been requested, she added.

Since the British Armys raid on the ancient Kingdom of Benin, thousands of items have been scattered through museums and private collections around the world. And in recent years, a movement to return the brass plaques, carved elephant tusks, ivory leopard statues and wooden heads that are collectively known as the Benin Bronzes has gained steam.
Dexter ended in 2013, with its protagonist self-exiled to the frozen North and most major characters dead. But you cant keep a high-functioning psychopath down. Dexter: New Blood, which premieres on Showtime on Nov. 7, finds Michael C. Halls Dexter Morgan working at a fish and game shop under an assumed name. His side hustles include bladesmithing, goat farming and maybe some vengeance.

In the intervening eight years, you may have forgotten a few details of the show  other than, say, its wildly unpopular finale. Here are a few mementos.

The Killer

Dexter Morgan, born Dexter Moser, grew up in Miami, the adopted son of Harry Morgan (James Remar), a Miami Metro police officer, and his wife, Doris. He has an adoptive sister, Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter). During the first season, it is revealed that Dexter also has a half-brother, Brian (Christian Camargo), and that the two boys witnessed their biological mothers murder, via chain saw, and were left with her dismembered body in a blood-flooded shipping container for days. If youre thinking trauma like that might make anyone into a serial killer, youre right! Twice!

When Dexter was still a child, Harry discovered the corpse of the neighbors yappy dog, which Dexter had buried alongside other animal bones. Accepting Dexters antisocial tendencies, Harry channeled those impulses into hunting  first animals, then, as Harry put it, other kinds of animals who have escaped justice. With Harrys permission, Dexter killed his first human at 20, offing a nurse who was overdosing her patients.
A center for skepticism becomes a Covid hot spot

The Italian port city of Trieste last month became the epicenter of protests against the governments new health pass. It is now home to a Covid outbreak linked directly to those protests that threatens to burden intensive care units, with an unvaccinated minority endangering public health.

Italys measures, which went into effect Oct. 15, require proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent Covid recovery to go to work. Though protests have died down elsewhere in the country, Trieste has developed a reputation as a center of vaccine skepticism, prompting a ban on demonstrations. The regions president put it bluntly: It is the moment to say with clarity: Enough idiocy.

Last week, new cases in the city of 200,000 doubled from the week before, to more than 800. Covid patients have taken up about 18 percent of the regions intensive care beds. Triestes top law enforcement official said that the current outbreak was strictly correlated to the protests.

Divides: In Germany, an increase in cases and hospitalizations has led the health minister, Jens Spahn, to warn of a pandemic mainly among the unvaccinated, and it is massive.
A group of current and former Boeing directors has agreed to settle a shareholder lawsuit over a pair of fatal crashes that led to the global grounding of the companys 737 Max jetliner for nearly two years.

Under the proposed settlement, announced Friday, Boeing would make safety and oversight changes, including the creation of an ombudsman program through which employees would be able to raise workplace concerns. The company would also add a board member with expertise in aviation, engineering or product safety oversight, and the defendants would pay $237.5 million to Boeing  benefiting the shareholders  through the directors insurers. The directors being sued denied any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit was filed in a Delaware court last year by the New York State comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, who oversees the pension fund for state employees, and by the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado. They accused Boeings board of failing to adequately oversee the company, allowing lapses that led to crashes of the Max in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people.

This settlement will send an important message that directors cannot shortchange public safety and other mission-critical risks, Mr. DiNapoli said in a statement.
LONDON  A once-unremarkable patch of ocean floor in deep waters northwest of Scotlands Shetland Islands has become a crucial test case for the British government, environmental groups and the oil industry.

An energy company says there is valuable oil and gas to be extracted from the site, but it needs the governments approval. Environmental activists want to stop the project and have seized on Britains role as host of a major United Nations climate conference in Glasgow this month as an opportunity to confront the government over its continued support for the oil and gas industry.

The government, so far, is keeping quiet.

Offshore oil drilling projects like this used to be approved routinely in Britain. Over the last half-century, oil platforms became a regular site in the North Sea, generating revenue, jobs and some energy independence for Britain.

This project, called Cambo, came into the spotlight in June when a company called Siccar Point Energy submitted a request for approval to the government. One of the companys main backers is Blackstone, the Wall Street fund management giant. Siccar Point owns 70 percent of Cambo, and Royal Dutch Shell the rest.
At this point, news about climate change, any news, is, at least to some extent, negative, he said, meaning that it tends to raise public concern about the future of the planet. As investors become more aware of the climate issue, they understand that regulations are coming, and that the situation will be beneficial to green firms and harmful to brown ones.

That increased public attention  and the accompanying preference of many investors for environmentally sensitive stocks  boosts the price of those stocks and hurts those of companies that are big emitters of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases, the scholars found. They also pointed out that this investor preference for green companies has made it easier and cheaper to raise money for environmentally useful projects.

But for people who want to do well while doing good, the researchers findings may not be entirely comforting.

For one thing, the very preference of many investors for green stocks  which creates a measurable green premium, or greenium, that elevates their share price  implies that these shares will have lower expected returns in the future. Thats just what happens in financial markets when demand for an asset soars and supply does not: Its price rises over the short run but, all else equal, it has less room for increases down the road. .

Wed say with this green preference, the market reaches a new equilibrium, said Robert F. Stambaugh, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. By pricing green stocks higher, investors are accepting lower expected returns, whether they understand that or not.
In a new assault on the global consulting giant McKinsey & Company, Congress on Friday started an investigation into the firms role in the opioid crisis, sending a letter demanding records related to its business practices, conflicts of interest and management standards.

The 12-page letter, which was sent by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, asked for names of McKinsey clients in the health care industry as well as documents connected to its work with opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The committee is also looking at how McKinseys consulting for drugmakers may conflict with work it has done for the Food and Drug Administration.

By advising opioid makers and the federal agency regulating their conduct, McKinsey may have had a significant negative impact on Americans health, the committee said.

The letter was signed by the committees chairwoman, Representative Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, who requested that McKinsey produce the documents by Nov. 19. McKinsey has a policy of not identifying its clients or the advice it gives.
Millions of employees remain on the job markets sidelines and are only slowly trickling back  posing a serious challenge for the Federal Reserve as its policymakers try to assess how far the United States economy remains from their full employment goal.

The labor force participation rate, a measure of how many people work or are actively looking for jobs, has been holding steady for months at 61.6 percent, down 1.7 percentage points from its February 2020 level.

Participation of people in their prime working years is ticking up gradually, rising to 81.7 percent in October from 81.6 percent in September, but that too remains depressed compared with the rate before the pandemic. In February 2020, 82.9 percent of those 25 to 54 years old were in the labor force.
Once an employee becomes a parent, there is little workplace support for child care issues. Many employers dont have lactation rooms, nor do they offer the scheduling flexibility so many parents very much need. What should be a joyful experience becomes incredibly fraught. People are forced to decide what they want more  family or career  when in a just society, this impossible choice would not be necessary.

When Do I Tell?

Im 13 weeks pregnant and recently started a new job. I found out after I accepted the offer. In a perfect world, I wouldnt have chosen to be at a new job while feeling sick every day, but here we are. Ive been advised by many people to not disclose my pregnancy until my probation period is up, but at that point Ill be giving only three months notice for my maternity leave, vs. five months if I give notice now. Im worried about being hated either way. I do not live in the United States and women here almost always take a year off for maternity leave, so this isnt a short-term replacement. When do I tell my new bosses Im pregnant?  Kate, Toronto

There are lots of opinions about when to disclose a pregnancy to an employer. There are also a lot of factors to consider. Is your employer family friendly? Will the work you do affect your pregnancy? Do you need accommodations? Do you intend to return to your employer after your parental leave? Do you need to have a postpartum plan in place so your responsibilities are covered? Will your disclosure affect any upcoming performance reviews? Its ridiculous that some of these factors need to be considered, but they do. You are clearly conscientious and want to do the right thing, but so long as you give notice, I dont think there is a wrong choice. I am sure your employer would prefer five rather than three months, but three months is still quite a lot of time for your supervisors to find someone to fill your position while you are on leave. Congratulations on both the job and the pregnancy. Tell your new bosses youre pregnant when youre ready, but do give them at least those three months.

What About When I Feel Sick?

Im currently pregnant with my first child and in my first trimester. Its been a joyous time, but Im struggling with extreme fatigue and morning sickness. I work at a fintech firm thats very fast-paced and young. Im 30 and pretty much the oldest person on my team, and no one else has a child. Working 55+ hours per week was acceptable before I got pregnant, but now its draining. I know the convention is to keep your pregnancy under wraps until youre in your second trimester, but Im wondering if its something I should share with my manager now. I hope the team can understand if Im not able to work at the same capacity as before. At the same time, I dont want to come off as someone whos asking for special treatment. My job is important to me, and Im afraid Ill be taken less seriously after I share this news. What should I do?  Anonymous

Receiving accommodations for pregnancy is not special treatment. It is the bare minimum that should be done if an employer is fostering a family friendly workplace. You can still do your fair share without working unreasonable hours that no one should have to work. If you have a good relationship with your manager and it wont jeopardize your position, yes, do share your pregnancy at your earliest convenience. Talk with your manager about reasonable expectations for your performance as well as how to cover any responsibilities you are unable to fulfill before and after giving birth. Regardless of how you approach this, remember that you are not a problem. You are not creating a problem. You have every right to have a child and a career.

What If I Want a New Job?

I have been miserable at my job for the last few years and am aggressively searching for a new job. This week, I learned I am pregnant. Along with the thrill and excitement, I now feel an immense pressure to lock down a new job immediately for fear that otherwise, I will have no choice but to remain in my current role for a year or more. Am I putting this pressure on myself unnecessarily? What are the ethics around applying for a new job while pregnant? How late in my pregnancy would it be reasonable or fair to an employer to assume a new position knowing I would have to take maternity leave in some months? At what stage should I feel morally obligated to disclose a pregnancy to a future employer, especially while interviews take place over Zoom, so my body would not be visible? I am overjoyed by the prospect of being a mother, but I am overwhelmed by the prospect of my condition limiting my work options.  Anonymous

There is nothing unethical about looking for a job while pregnant. A pregnancy you are embracing is not a problem. It should not be treated as such. You have as much right as anyone to look for new employment and you are legally protected from pregnancy discrimination in the hiring process. You cannot be unfair to an employer because a company is not a person. It is not your job to be fair to it. Being pregnant and taking a job at a company is not unfair in any way and any employer who would make you feel that way is a lousy employer. I strongly encourage you to stop putting this much pressure on yourself. Start looking for new work. If you are more than six months pregnant, yes, disclose your pregnancy so they know that, practically, youre looking for a job you would begin in earnest after your parental leave. Other than that, it is not something you need to share until you are ready and willing to do so. I wish you the best in all things pregnancy-related as well as in your job search.
Pfizer announced on Friday that its pill to treat Covid-19 had been found in a key clinical trial to be highly effective at preventing severe illness among at-risk people who received the drug soon after they exhibited symptoms, making it the second antiviral pill to demonstrate efficacy against Covid.

The drug appears to be more effective than a similar offering from Merck, which is awaiting federal authorization. Pfizers pill, which will be sold under the brand name Paxlovid, cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent when given within three days after the start of symptoms.

Pfizer said an independent board of experts monitoring its clinical trial recommended that the study be stopped early because the drugs benefit to patients had proved so convincing. The company said it planned to submit the data as soon as possible to the Food and Drug Administration to seek authorization for the pill to be used in the United States.

The results are really beyond our wildest dreams, said Annaliesa Anderson, a Pfizer executive who led the drugs development. She expressed hope that Paxlovid can have a big impact on helping all our lives go back to normal again and seeing the end of the pandemic.
What Do You Want to Know About Kids and Vaccines?

The Times is hosting a live chat with a pediatric infectious disease specialist and two reporters about the coronavirus vaccine and children. Wed like to hear your questions.













Read in app Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Give this article

Share





Read in app
LONDON  Nearly 25 years after her death, Diana, Princess of Wales, remains a fixture in British culture and on screens both sides of the pond.

Her life is often remembered as tragic: an unhappy marriage to Prince Charles, a complex private life hounded by paparazzi, a shocking death in a car crash at the age of 36. But she was also, truly, beloved, earning the moniker the peoples princess for her charity work and candor.

This complexity has inspired countless television and film adaptations of her life. The latest, in theaters Friday, is Spencer. Starring Kristen Stewart as Diana and directed by Pablo Larrain, the film takes place over one Christmas holiday with the royal family, as Dianas marriage (and possibly her mental health) unravel.

Each Diana production  made in every decade since she became a public figure  takes a different perspective on the princess. Heres a list of six varied examples, all available to watch online.
Kristen Stewart has sometimes been accused of just playing variations on herself, as if that isnt half the reason were drawn to movie stars. In Twilight (2008), she brought a specific and sullen appeal to a heroine conceived as a blank slate for female readers; later, in Personal Shopper (2017), when Stewart traded her polo shirts for a rich clients shimmering dress, you could see both the star and the character regarding her new look in the mirror: Is this me? Could I make it me?

At first, her new drama Spencer would appear to be a sop for the sort of moviegoer whod demand a more rigorous transformation from the Twilight actress: Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie), the movie is a psychological portrait of Princess Diana as she unravels, then rallies, over a three-day Christmas holiday. Instead of hiring a British actress, Larrain chose Stewart, a contemporary figure of California cool who met me on the day of our interview wearing a brick-red pinstripe suit, her jacket sleeves rolled up to reveal a small constellation of tattoos.

The 31-year-old actress who sat opposite me on a balcony at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood may not have looked like the obvious pick to play the peoples princess, but a funny thing happens as you watch Spencer: The distance that initially seemed so vast between the two women will close to the point where it seems like the canniest casting ever. Stewart, after all, knows a thing or two about a life lived in the public eye, the scrutiny leveled at a high-profile romance, and the private moments snatched away by paparazzi.

Stewart gave her all to the movie, studying Dianas posture, mannerisms and accent; the resulting performance, potent and provocative, has thrust her to the front of this years crop of best-actress Oscar contenders. I used to think that I needed spontaneity and anxiety to propel me into something truthful and that if I had too much control over it, it was immediately going to become fabricated, Stewart said. I just didnt have the confidence to hold that and be like, No, you can design something.
The combative former president of a powerful New York City police union retired on Friday, the same day officials announced that he had been found guilty of two disciplinary charges and fined about $32,000 for violating rules governing the use of social media.

The former union president, Edward D. Mullins, avoided outright termination despite being found guilty of departmental infractions at two administrative trials that centered on messages he posted on Twitter last year.

In one of the messages, Mr. Mullins, the longtime leader of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, made public a police report involving Mayor Bill de Blasios daughter. In the others, Mr. Mullins used vulgar language to denigrate city officials.

The penalty imposed by the Police Department fell short of the firing sought by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the citys police watchdog. The department said the punishment was in the medium to upper range of the disciplinary action it could take and noted that it was all but impossible to prevent Mr. Mullins from collecting a pension.
In one scenario, New York could retain a degree of discretion over who receives a license to carry a concealed handgun, but would be compelled to lower its standards, he said. In another, New York and states with similar laws might simply have to grant licenses to carry handguns to all applicants who meet a certain set of yet to be determined criteria, as is true in a number of other states.

New York politicians have expressed considerable concern about the case. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that it really worried him.

Its a little surreal that we have justices in Supreme Court suggesting that it would be great to have more and more people armed walking the streets of the city, he said.

The ruling is expected to come down after Eric Adams replaces Mr. de Blasio as mayor. Mr. Adams, who emphasized public safety as key to the citys recovery during his campaign, said that limiting the states ability to regulate firearms is a recipe for disaster.

We need fewer people carrying guns  not more  and the ability to keep our streets safe preserved, not reversed, he said in a statement. If this law is eliminated in New York, police departments in New York City and across the state will have to immediately prepare for more shootings and need additional resources to prevent them.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an interview with NY1 on Thursday that she believed gun owners had rights, but those rights do not include walking around with a hidden gun.

I really hope that Supreme Court sees the wisdom of what we put in place, she said.

While most guns used in shootings in New York City are not owned legally, research has shown that the vast majority of crime guns are often purchased legally in states with less restrictive laws and smuggled into the city. Iesha Sekou, an anti-violence activist in Harlem, said that weakening gun laws would only make the problem worse.
The picture is far darker for people who work in lower-paid support occupations, which have been devastated by the decline in the hospitality sector and the rise in remote work. Employment fell 34 percent from February 2020 through September 2021 in accommodation and food services, including a 39 percent decline in employment in full-service restaurants. Employment is down 15 percent in services to buildings and dwellings. Those jobs pay less, and the people who perform them have thinner safety cushions to fall back on. According to data from state unemployment insurance records, average annual pay in the leisure and hospitality sectors is $49,000, compared with an annual average of $261,000 in financial activities.

Its a full-blown recession here, says James Parrott, director of economic and fiscal policies at the New School Center for New York City Affairs.

To get an on-the-ground reading of the situation I interviewed Jessica Johnson, the chief executive of Johnson Security Bureau, a supplier of guard services that was founded by Johnsons grandparents in 1962 and is based in the Bronx, which had the citys highest unemployment rate in September, 12.4 percent. She employs more than 150 people. She agreed with Parrott that New Yorks employment decline amounts to a crisis: How can we have that high a percentage of the population sitting on the sidelines and think thats acceptable? Its not. So we have to come up with solutions.

Johnson said that even in New York, with its high unemployment rate, it can be hard to find workers who have the skills her company needs. Weve got to use several different approaches to solve that, she said. I feel like were living in bizarro land right now. Wages are going up. People are jumping from job to job to job.

The solution, she said, includes education, training and early exposure to the workplace. Johnson supports braided learning, in which children as young as 12 combine traditional education with exposure to various careers.
On Oct. 19, the Israeli Ministry of Defense singled out six of the most prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations, using secret, and thus far insufficient, evidence to accuse them of being terrorist organizations with links to a militant group. Just days later, Israel approved the construction of more than 3,000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank and announced plans to double the Jewish-Israeli population in the Jordan Valley by 2026.

The effective criminalization of Palestinian institutions and the expansion of the settlements are two sides of the same coin. The goal is clear: to silence the independent monitoring of Israels human rights violations that stand between total annexation of the occupied West Bank and international accountability. Since the 1990s, Palestinian civil society has expanded to fill the role of exposing and resisting the crimes of the Israeli occupation and the corruption of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. It has become the last line of defense. It will be harder to hold Israel to account if some of the most important Palestinian rights organizers are silenced, weakened or eliminated.

The targeted groups  Al-Haq, Defense for Children International Palestine (D.C.I.P.), the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Addameer, the Bisan Center for Research and Development and the Union of Palestinian Womens Committees  are stalwarts of Palestinian civil society. Their work varies widely  among other things, D.C.I.P. highlights the detention and abuse of children in the military court system, and Al-Haq has been providing crucial evidence to the International Criminal Court for its investigation into alleged war crimes perpetrated in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Together they form part of a civil society whose mandate is to represent and provide services to the five million or more Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation.

For over three decades, the groups rigorous documentation, monitoring, data collection and international advocacy have been vital to revealing the reality on the ground, and they are often the first port of call for diplomats, the United Nations and the wider international community that relies on them for assessments of whats happening in the occupied territories.
To the Editor:

Re The First Thing We Do, Lets Kill All the Leaf Blowers, by Margaret Renkl (Opinion guest essay, Oct. 26):

Our town of Winnetka, Ill., has had a summer-month ban on gas-powered leaf blowers for many years that has been largely ignored by landscapers. This past spring, local residents decided to change that. By June, our police department had secured voluntary pledges from 35 landscapers to obey the ban. The pledge wasnt perfect, but our town was quieter and the air cleaner than its been for years.

When people learn about how these antiquated machines harm people and the planet, theres a strong pull to do the right thing.

King Poor

Winnetka, Ill.

To the Editor:

As someone who has loathed these obnoxious, deafening, exhaust-spewing machines for years, all I can say  loudly, because of the noise  is: Yes!

I would add just one thing to Margaret Renkls case for banning these irritants. Theres an alternative to the leaf blower that is cheap, readily available and virtually silent.
The House on the Cliff is striking, but it has competition. Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou, principal architect and director of LAAV Architects, who grew up with a view of the sea in Greece, creates designs for even more daring projects to fit the kind of clientele who might like to live on the edge.

I think you need to be a little bit of a daredevil, he said.

Potential buyers have tracked him down for his designs, such as the Casa Brutale concept, renderings of which went viral in 2015  and for good reason: its a home that doesnt sit on a cliff but in it, like a drawer in a dresser, with a pool for a ceiling and glass windows flush with the rock face.

Alex Demirdjian, chief executive of Demco Properties in Lebanon, wanted to make the house a reality in Beirut. When Mr. Vassiliou partnered with Arup Group to lead the engineering, he found himself in a meeting with structural and mechanical engineers, where he asked, Is this possible? Is it feasible?

Well, whats the budget? asked one of the engineers. If there is a budget, everything is possible.

The budget in 2016 was equivalent to about $3.25 million today. Cliff homes present obvious challenges that can be costly to overcome. They have erosion, they have landslides, so they are tricky, said Mr. Vassiliou. But of course, from the standpoint of science and engineering, there are many solutions.

Even someone with the budget for it has to find the perfect location, a quest that has taken Mr. Vassiliou around the world. Geotechnical tests, which extract a core sample from the rock, have shown several spots to be untenable.
Joseph Valonis, who married Ms. Valonis in 1966 and died of heart disease, was a Navy veteran. Mr. Mirra joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953. After 51 months of active duty, he became a reservist. From 1957 to 1992, he was recalled to active duty twice: first in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis and again in 1990, during the Gulf War, where he served in Portugal.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Mirra said that, before he was 10, he was selling bananas off a truck on a street corner to help his mother, a factory seamstress, make ends meet for him and his sister, Della; their father died when he was 8. West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys kept him out of trouble. Going to Catholic school is one of the best things I ever did in my life, he said. The nuns would have me stand against the wall and beat my hands. It made me learn to stay home and study.

He and Elizabeth married in 1954, while he was stationed in Canada with the Air Force. In 1955, the couple had a baby who died upon delivery. In 1960, they adopted a daughter, Donna Mirra, now 62. Later, they adopted two sons: Michael Mirra, now 59, in 1963, and David Mirra, now 50, in 1970.

The Mirras 59-year marriage, 22 years of it spent raising their family in Norwood, Pa., before they moved to Morton in 1976, was happier than the Valoniss union. Ninety percent of it was perfect, Mr. Mirra said. When Elizabeth Mirra died in 2013, he was bereft. But he made an effort to keep busy. Ive always had a very active social life, he said. That September, he joined the Senior Community Services center in Folsom, Pa. Ms. Valonis was a member, too.

I saw him in the pool room, shooting billiards, Ms. Valonis said. It had been about 15 years, but he recognized me from church. He came over and gave me a big hug. Her mother, Agnes Pugh, who lived in Rutledge and occasionally attended senior center events with her daughter, saw the embrace, which sent her into Cupid mode.

Sometime that fall, Ms. Valonis and Ms. Pugh ran into Mr. Mirra in the parking lot and stopped to chat. After, my mother said, I think he likes you, Ms. Valonis said. She talked really loud. I was afraid he heard her. He hadnt, but her mother was right. And soon Ms. Valonis  and Ms. Pugh  were equally taken with Mr. Mirra.
On their first date, at a New York restaurant in late February 2020, Jessica Rosenblum told Steve Young that he looked like a lot more fun in his photo, which was provided by an acquaintance who had set them up. He laughed, delighted by her cutting sense of humor.

I thought it was hilarious, he said, adding that he was also enthralled by her background as a nightclub impresario. We had a very interesting conversation. I clearly wanted to see her again.

Ms. Rosenblum, 55, is an interior designer. But in the 80s and 90s, she was a fixture in the world of hip-hop who worked as an event producer, party promoter and D.J. manager. Before dropping out to pursue a career in the scene, she spent a couple of years at Barnard College.

Mr. Young, 62, had a somewhat more conventional trajectory. From Cincinnati, he graduated and received a masters degree in international relations from Miami University in Ohio, and studied law at George Washington University. He is now the global head of litigation for EY, the accounting firm.
When Julia Tishman gave Adam Elias her business card at a September 2017 networking event that doubled as a mutual friends birthday, she at first was unsure what to make of his follow-up email.

I remember chuckling at his first email to me on my official House email, Ms. Tishman said. At the time, she and Mr. Elias worked at the Capitol, each on the staff of a different representative that served on the House Committee on Financial Services. My first thought when he asked me to drinks, just the two of us, was, Is this a continuation of networking or is this a date?

Any uncertainty on Ms. Tishmans part was cleared up when they set a date for those drinks on a Sunday afternoon and the pair ended up spending seven hours together.

By that October, they were officially a couple.

I never had an experience before where it was so easy and fun to be with someone, Mr. Elias said. The feeling of love came very early.
I met Mr. Kale on the checkout line at Whole Foods in TriBeCa more than two years ago. It was in the cards  sort of.

A few hours earlier, my friend, Stephanie, had told me on the phone that she was now a practicing Wiccan  a modern witch who dabbled in white magic, offering guidance and predictions through candles and tarot card readings.

This was news for several reasons  one was that she had always been skeptical of anything out of the ordinary; the other was that by day she was a by-the-book lawyer in New York Citys family court system.

She explained through my surprise and doubt that she specialized in candle healings, adding, And I already have clients.
Its not clear whether the threat of labor action played a role in Modiss announcement to reverse its decision. Modis did not respond to a request for comment.

Modis supplies many of the temps who work in Googles 14 U.S. data centers. Most of the facilities are in states where Google does not have large offices and are in remote locations with access to cheap, renewable energy. When lobbying politicians, Google often holds up these centers as examples of jobs created by the company.

In a written statement, Google said the $200 weekly bonus program was set up by Modis and that it was put on temporary hold because of a billing error and miscommunication. The issue has been resolved and the workers have already started receiving the bonuses, the statement said.

The organized response offered a template for how labor unions of well-paid and well-treated employees at tech companies may be able to use their power to support the workplace rights of the armies of temps and contractors who work beside them. The union told the temp members that it would back whatever action they chose to do, and helped with drafting a potential letter as well as support to help organize the Modis workers.

Parul Koul, chair of the executive council of the Alphabet Workers Union, said what happened demonstrates how Googles two-tiered employment system is designed to exploit workers in order to extract labor from contractors, like Modis workers, who provide essential services to Google and other Alphabet subsidiaries.

For years, Google has relied on a large work force of temporary and contract staff to meet its labor needs. While Googles parent company Alphabet has more than 150,000 full-time employees, the number of temps and contractors exceeds that figure. It depends heavily on companies like Adecco to supply and manage these workers to free the company from the legal obligations of an employer.

This was not the first time Google and its staffing agencies have underpaid temp workers. Earlier this year, Google acknowledged that it had been using outdated pay rates for temps in many countries around the world in possible violation of equal pay laws.
In February, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot dead in the south Georgia neighborhood of Satilla Shores. In the two months that followed, no arrests were made. But local residents and lawmakers protested what they said was a deadly combination of racial profiling and flawed self-defense laws. When they stop you, make sure you got your cameras on. Make sure you got a video. Police did eventually arrest 2 suspects, but it was days after this video of the fatal shooting emerged. Gregory McMichael and his son Travis were charged with murder and aggravated assault. The case has reignited the national debate over racial violence. Im sure you saw the news about Ahmaud Arbery. It looks like murder. The American public saw the video. What exactly happened in the last moments of Mr. Arberys life? Using security camera footage, cellphone video, and 911 calls and logs, The Times has reconstructed the critical 12 minutes from when Mr. Arbery appeared on Satilla Drive to his death, less than 300 yards away. Its around 1 p.m. on Feb. 23 when Ahmaud Arbery is out, less than 2 miles from his home. A security camera at 219 Satilla Drive is recording when Mr. Arbery enters the frame at around 1:04 p.m. He may have been jogging in the area, but he stops on the front lawn of 220 Satilla, a house being built across the street. Arbery glances around and wanders into the open construction site. Inside, security footage briefly captures him looking around. Meanwhile outside, a neighbor walks from Jones Road towards Satilla Drive and calls 911. The neighbor waits by the street corner. He will later tell the dispatcher that Arbery resembles a recent trespasser in the area. On multiple occasions before Feb. 23, several trespassers were caught on camera at 220 Satilla. The owner routinely alerted the police. On four occasions, what appears to be the same man was filmed. Its unclear if this was Arbery, but even if it were, this does not justify his shooting by neighbors outside on the street. The sites owner says nothing was ever stolen from the house during these incidents or on Feb. 23, and no property was ever damaged. But neighbors were aware of the trespasses and the community was on alert. Now, back to the day in question. Its 1:08 p.m. and Arbery is walking around inside the house. Four minutes after he entered, he walks out and runs off. In the top corner of the security footage, we can see down the street to 230 Satilla, the home of Travis McMichael. At 1:10 p.m., Travis and his father, Gregory, grab their guns, jump in a white truck, and leave the house to pursue Mr. Arbery. We dont have footage showing the next 3 minutes, but testimony Gregory McMichael gave police at the scene, and interviews by another witness, Roddy Bryan, indicate what happened. Gregory and Travis McMichael follow Arbery onto Burford Road. Their neighbor Roddy Bryan sees the pursuit, gets in his car and follows. The McMichaels try to cut Arbery off. Arbery doubles back and passes them. Bryan tries to block Arbery, but Arbery runs past him and toward Holmes Road. Gregory McMichael climbs from the cab to the bed of the truck armed with a handgun. We dont know exactly what happens next. But Bryan and the McMichaels end up following Arbery on Holmes Road. And we next see Arbery at 1:14 p.m. running back down Holmes Road away from Roddy Bryan and toward the McMichaels. Roddy Bryan is filming and  a warning  these scenes are distressing. Gregory McMichael dials 911 at this time. Lets watch this back and break down what happens. This is Arbery. He has been running from the vehicles for almost 4 minutes. Travis is standing by the drivers side of the truck, armed with a shotgun. Gregory is in the bed of the truck on the 911 call. Arbery doesnt know where to run. He veers right, then left and then darts around the right side of the vehicle. Arbery comes around the front of the truck. We see his white T-shirt through the windshield and here is Travis now leaning toward him. This is the instant the first shot is fired. Arbery is hit in the chest, his right lung, ribs, and sternum are injured. The two men wrestle over the gun. Gregory shouts: Travis! Arbery punches Travis. In the back of the truck, Gregory drops the cellphone. A second blast goes off out of frame. But we see the shotgun smoke here. Arbery is heavily bleeding. He throws another punch. Travis fires a final shot, which hits Arbery in his left upper chest. Travis walks away holding his gun. Gregory gets off the truck clutching his .357 Magnum. According to the police report, Gregory rolled Arbery over to see if he had a weapon. He did not. Police officers arrive within seconds of the shooting, and a minute or so later at 1:16 p.m., Police Officer R. Minshew reports: Two subjects on Holmes Road. Shots fired. Male on ground bleeding out. The police took Gregory McMichaels testimony and let the two men go. But now the McMichaels both face serious charges. Hi, this is Malachy and I reported this story. For transparency, a note about the security footage used in this video, which was first published by The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The time code you see here is incorrect. We know this because we lined up what we see in this video with what we hear in two 911 calls and we confirmed the time of those calls. These details and police logs also allowed us to determine that Gregory McMichael called 911 from his sons phone just before the fatal shooting. So in this video, we used the real time that events happened. Thank you for watching.
The prosecutions assertion that the three men had no immediate knowledge that a crime was committed represents an effort to push back against the defense lawyers assertion that the men were making a legal arrest under Georgias citizens arrest law, which was largely repealed by the state Legislature after widespread outcry over Mr. Arberys killing. That law previously stated that a private person may arrest someone if the offense is committed in his presence or within his immediate knowledge.

Ms. Dunikoski described at length how the three men chased Mr. Arbery for five minutes as he ran through their neighborhood, trying to evade them  the McMichaels in one pickup truck and Mr. Bryan in another.

At some point during the pursuit, she said, Gregory McMichael, who was armed with a handgun, said to Mr. Arbery, Stop or Ill blow your fucking head off.

She said that Mr. Bryan, who had joined the chase later than the McMichaels, tried to hit Mr. Arbery four times with his pickup truck, at one point forcing him into a ditch.

Ms. Dunikoski stressed that Mr. Arbery was unarmed. And she played the video that Mr. Bryan recorded on his cellphone, showing the moments when the two trucks had pinned Mr. Arbery in. She said that Gregory McMichael later contended that Mr. Arbery had been trapped like a rat.

The video shows Travis McMichael pointing the shotgun at Mr. Arbery as he ran toward the McMichaels truck. The two men appear to meet head-on in front of the vehicle.
The pocket of California that has emerged as a leader in Covid-19 vaccinations may come as a surprise.

Seventy-eight percent of people living in Marin County are fully vaccinated against Covid  the highest rate of any county in California (and just about anywhere in the nation).

But Marin County, a wealthy enclave across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, has historically been a hotbed for anti-vaccine sentiment, a place where many have long shunned routine immunizations.

There are a few possible explanations for the apparent change of heart: The coronavirus pandemic has made the need for vaccinations very real while shifting the politics around getting shots. And anti-vaccine reputation aside, Marin County fits the profile of a highly vaccinated place: rich, college-educated and liberal.
We moved to Texas in 2019 and havent seen our loved ones face to face in over two years. We were due to fly to the U.K. the day everything was shut down! Fast-forward to now and I am probably a million times more excited to see my family and friends. Most of them have made it. Some have been through unthinkable experiences and Im sure that we all have been changed by the pandemic. I worry about the fact that I may have become a bit awkward and weird. Me and my husband were stuck at home together for over a year and so we cant tell if were a little odd these days, but Im sure my mum will let me know! The joy in my heart is unreal.  Eilidh Shaw, Texas

My brother got married in the U.K. earlier this year. No one in our family has met his new wife yet. The two of them will be flying back to spend Thanksgiving with our family in a couple weeks. Well have several days to catch up and welcome our new sister into the family!  Anya, New Mexico

My wife, daughters and I are reuniting with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. We last saw them exactly two years ago. My wife is from Mexico and because of Covid we have not been back to visit her family. In the last two years, we home-schooled our two daughters (who are now back in regular school) and my wife got pregnant. I know she has felt lonely, and has felt like she has carried the weight of our familys well-being during the pandemic. Her due date is less than five weeks away and her parents fly into town in just two weeks. Their seven-week stay will be most welcome and I know it will help my wife feel recharged and energized as the new baby arrives.  Orlando Barros, Frederick, Md.

I get to meet my baby niece for the first time and see my extended family for the first time since January 2019. Ill be traveling to San Francisco from Ireland. For me it means returning to some sort of normalcy. Ive been living in rural Ireland for a few years and the loneliness is overwhelming. Im dying to hug my mom and hold the new baby. It will also be my first Thanksgiving since 2018, so Im very excited to see my extended family and surprise them with my pregnancy!  Casey Scanlan, Ballinalee, Ireland

I will be meeting my dad and brothers in Hawaii. The last time I saw them was in Costa Rica, in February 2020, at the hospital where my mom was dying. She passed away the day my younger brother and I flew home for Costa Rica, leaving us gutted. We have not been able to have any kind of ceremony to honor her yet, so that is what we will do  have a family gathering to celebrate her life and remember the awesome woman that she was.  Megan Ives, Portland, Ore.

My parents are arriving from Italy next Wednesday. We last saw each other in October 2019. Even filling out this form makes me break up into tears. This reunion means the world to us. I had my second child last year, and he is about to turn 1. My older daughter is turning 4 and spent the last year asking me why her grandparents and aunt couldnt come to visit. We cant turn back time, but we can create new great memories.  Maria Di Filippo, Miami
A year ago, Michael Macey, a barber who lives in the suburbs outside Atlanta, was thrilled to help propel President Biden to victory, hopeful that Democrats would move swiftly to tackle policing laws and other big issues. But then he watched his hopes for sweeping changes wither in Washington.

Now, Mr. Maceys sense of optimism  like that of millions of Americans  has been dashed. By the pain of an unending pandemic. By rising prices. By nationwide bickering that stretches from school board meetings to the United States Capitol.

I dont like the division, Mr. Macey, 63, said. I dont like the standstill. We need something to get accomplished.

For so many voters in this November of discontent, the state of the union is just  blech.

Despite many signals that things are improving  the stock market is hitting record highs, hiring is accelerating sharply with 531,000 jobs added in October, workers are earning more, and Covid hospitalizations and deaths are dropping from their autumn peaks  many Americans seem stuck in a pandemic hangover of pessimism.
The funeral for Colin L. Powell, former secretary of state, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and national security adviser, brought out a Washington that barely exists anymore: Republicans and Democrats, including President Biden and two of his predecessors, uniformed military and diplomats, and people on all sides of the Iraq war.

No one would have been more amused by the assemblage than Mr. Powell himself, who often ran a smiling, half-whispered commentary on the citys temporary loyalties and back-room machinations. Yet on Friday, the Washington National Cathedral was filled with them all  former officials who were at Mr. Powells side in the Persian Gulf War and on the seventh floor of the State Department, where he often waged a behind-the-scenes battle for influence in the George W. Bush White House.

Mr. Biden did not speak, nor did the two former presidents who attended, Barack Obama and Mr. Bush, who made Mr. Powell his first secretary of state. Instead, among the eulogists was a Democrat who had often clashed with Mr. Powell over the generals reluctance to commit American forces to battles when the general, seared by the experience of his service in Vietnam, did not see a clear, successful outcome.

He said I almost gave him an aneurysm, the Democrat, Madeleine K. Albright, who served as secretary of state in the Clinton administration, told the mourners, recalling Mr. Powells reaction after she famously asked him, Whats the point of having this superb military youre always talking about if we cant use it?
The Justice Department searched two locations associated with the conservative group Project Veritas as part of an investigation into how a diary stolen from President Bidens daughter, Ashley, came to be publicly disclosed a week and a half before the 2020 presidential election, according to people briefed on the matter.

Federal agents in New York conducted the court-ordered searches on Thursday  one in New York City and one in suburban Westchester County  targeting people who had worked with the group and its leader, James OKeefe, according to two of the people briefed on the events. The investigation is being handled by F.B.I. agents and federal prosecutors in Manhattan who work on public corruption matters, the people said.

After this article was initially published online on Friday, Mr. OKeefe put out a video confirming that current and former Project Veritas employees had their homes searched on Thursday.

He said the group had recently received a grand jury subpoena and acknowledged that Project Veritas had been involved in discussions with sources about the diary. But he offered a lengthy defense of his groups handling of the diary, saying that he and his colleagues had been operating as ethical journalists.
Something seemed to stop me each time I passed that third ones coffin, he said, describing the selection he made on Oct. 24, 1921. Something seemed to say, Pick this one.

A few weeks later, the remains were entombed overlooking Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where today 4,723 unknown soldiers who died in battles dating to the Civil War are buried, along with more than 400,000 other war veterans.

Since 1948, a 24-hour military guard has kept the public from getting near the white marble sarcophagus. But on Tuesday and Wednesday, people will be able to walk close to the tomb again and place flowers to commemorate 100 years since its dedication.

Many are expected to visit the monument, which has become a sacred site for veterans, as well as visitors who watch the changing of the guard.

The tomb, however, was not always treated with such reverence.

From hallowed ground to picnic spot

On Nov. 11, 1921, thousands of people marched to Arlington National Cemetery to watch as the coffin Sergeant Younger had picked was lowered into a marble tomb. In a speech, President Warren G. Harding described how the soldier might have come from any one of millions of American homes.
NAIROBI, Kenya  For a year now, fighters from Ethiopias northern region of Tigray have faced off against Ethiopias army largely alone, repulsing their attacks, capturing towns and, this week, advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa.

But on Friday, the Tigrayans announced that they were banding together with eight other opposition groups to oust Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed  through political negotiation or military force if necessary  and install a transitional government.

We are left with one option  changing the situation; otherwise well all be massacred, said Berhane Gebre-Christos, who formerly served as Ethiopias foreign minister, speaking for the Tigrayan rebel group, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. He spoke on Friday in a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, joined by representatives from the other groups in the alliance.

He urged a resolution before Ethiopia implodes and affects the region.

Ethiopias attorney general and justice minister, Gedion Timothewos, dismissed the coalition as a publicity stunt, saying that some of the organizations had no traction or support.
GENEVA  The United Nations top human rights body decided on Friday to appoint an independent expert to monitor and report on abuses in Sudan since the military takeover less than two weeks ago, escalating international pressure on leaders of Africas third-largest country to restore civilian rule.

At an emergency session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, countries from all regions condemned the Oct. 25 coup, the Sudanese armys use of lethal force against pro-democracy demonstrators and the forced disappearance to secret locations of ministers, politicians, lawyers and activists. They called for their immediate release and the reinstatement of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was detained by the military.

The seizure of power by Sudans military threatened to upend a fragile transition to democracy in the country  the largest on the African continent behind Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo  just as it was emerging from decades of harsh autocratic rule and isolation.

The coup followed an uneasy power-sharing arrangement with civilian leaders that had been negotiated after a popular 2019 uprising that toppled Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudans longtime dictator, who has been wanted for years on genocide charges by the International Criminal Court.
The southwestern Chinese city of Ruili is small, remote and largely unknown internationally. It is also, when it comes to the coronavirus, perhaps the most tightly regulated place on earth.

In the past year, it has been locked down four times, with one shutdown lasting 26 days. Homes in an entire district have been evacuated indefinitely to create a buffer zone against cases from elsewhere. Schools have been closed for months, except for a few grades  but only if those students and their teachers do not leave campus.

Many residents, including 59-year-old Liu Bin, have gone months without income, in a city that relies heavily upon tourism and trade with neighboring Myanmar. Mr. Liu, who ran a customs brokerage before cross-border movement essentially stopped, estimated he had lost more than $150,000. He is tested on a near-daily basis. He borrows cigarette money from his son-in-law.

Why do I have to be oppressed like this? My life is important too, he said. Ive actively followed epidemic control measures. What else do we normal people have to do to meet the standards?
Japanese officials said on Friday that they would reduce the length of quarantine for vaccinated business travelers from 10 days to three, reflecting the incredible turnaround in the countrys control over the coronavirus.

Travelers with vaccination documents recognized by Japanese health officials will be allowed to go out for their necessary businesses or training, or use public transportation after quarantining for three days with a negative test for the virus, Seiji Kihara, Japans deputy chief cabinet secretary, said.

He added: We will examine the situation if we can allow group tourists to visit again, aiming at by the end of the year.

Japan has virtually closed its borders since the start of the pandemic, and the easing of rules comes as cases decline significantly. While new daily cases rarely went below 10,000 a day in August, peaking at 25,851 on Aug. 20, they have steadily declined to below 310 in the past week, according to data provided by the Health Ministry.
Human rights groups are urging Singapore to halt an execution next week of a Malaysian man convicted of smuggling heroin into the city-state, arguing that he should be exempt under international law because he has an intellectual disability.

Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, 33, was caught in 2009 with about 1.5 ounces of heroin strapped to his thigh as he entered Singapore from Malaysia. He is scheduled to be executed by hanging on Wednesday.

The courts have rejected appeals from his lawyers, who argue that his death sentence should be commuted because he has an I.Q. of 69 and is therefore not fully capable of understanding his actions. Mr. Nagaenthran has been on death row for more than a decade.

The impending execution has prompted protests in Malaysia and an online petition signed by more than 52,000 people imploring Singapores president, Halimah Yacob, to pardon Mr. Nagaenthran.
The continued dispute over the elections results has again highlighted that the systems for selecting leaders of Canadian political parties generally dont meet the high standards set by the independent agencies that run general federal and provincial votes.

In her court filing, Ms. Glover, a former Winnipeg police officer and federal cabinet minister, contends that she initially thought she had won the partys vote. In a sworn statement, she said that the party presented her with a spreadsheet early on Oct. 30 showing that 16,045 ballots had been cast. That afternoon, the partys president told her that she had received 8,042 of the votes.

Instantaneously, given the number of votes I had received, I believed I had won the election, she said in the statement.

Not so, the party told her.

Ms. Stefanson, who has spent most of her working life in politics, had won 8,405 making her the leader and premier. But, Ms. Glovers filing noted, the two candidates vote counts combined with the spoiled and disputed ballots totaled 16,546 ballots  501 more than the party said had been cast at the beginning of the day.
How many more of these should they hold until they realize that their inactions are destroying the planet? she asked.

A slew of activists from South America, Central America, Africa and Asia also addressed the crowd, calling out their national leaders for failings in their home countries and international leaders for ignoring the developing world.

During the march, veteran environmentalists stood alongside families with young children, union representatives, socialist campaigners and young students skipping school to demand greater action from world leaders to address the issue.

Glasgow residents lined the streets to watch the colorful spectacle pass by, as children clutched hand-drawn signs reading, Stop deforestation, Save the planet! and Act now.

Theres a real responsibility for young people that this will be ours to deal with, said Eilidh Robb, 26, a Scottish climate activist, speaking ahead of the event. And the mess that we didnt create will be left to us to manage.

Ms. Robb, who is originally from Edinburgh but is now based in Brussels, volunteers with the U.K. Youth Climate Coalition, a British nonprofit that mobilizes young people to take action on climate change. She traveled to Glasgow this week by train with hundreds of others to take part in the conference and in the protests.

While world leaders this week managed to secure new agreements to end deforestation and reduce methane emissions, raising hopes of real progress, the coming days will see diplomats haggle over further greenhouse gas reductions.
Greta Thunberg, the 18-year-old Swedish climate activist whose school strike inspired young people the world over to take action on climate change, criticized world leaders on Friday for allowing the exploitation of people and nature.

The leaders are not doing nothing, Ms. Thunberg said, addressing a crowd of thousands marching in Glasgow outside the United Nations climate summit. They are actively creating loopholes, shaping frameworks to benefit themselves to continue profiting from this destructive system.

One of the most recognizable climate activists in the world, Ms. Thunberg has painted a gloomy portrait of the summit in Glasgow, where officials from around the world are trying to reach agreements to reduce emissions and keep the average global temperature from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with preindustrial levels by the end of this century.

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit on Thursday, Ms. Thunberg said that COP26 was sort of turning into a greenwash campaign, a P.R. campaign, for business leaders and politicians to pretend that they are taking action on global warming without following through.
Persistent shortages are dragging down the German economy, Europes largest, as companies struggle to fill orders because the necessary parts or raw materials are not arriving from abroad.

Surveys and data released this week indicate that the ongoing crunch in the supply chain is the main factor slowing Germanys manufacturing powerhouse, causing the government to scale back its forecast for economic growth for 2021. Many economists are now predicting that the situation wont improve until well into 2022.

Industrial production shrank by 1.1 percent in September compared with the previous month, according to data released on Friday by the Federal Statistics Office. The drop was led by a fall in the production of mechanical, electrical and data processing equipment.

More than 90 percent of all manufacturers in the automobile and electrical equipment industries said that their production had been hampered by a lack of supplies, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Ifo Institute. Some economists are predicting the shortages could result in a bottleneck recession.
To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

PEVEK, Russia  The water was hot, steamy and plentiful, and Pavel Rozhkov let it flow over his body, enjoying a shower that is not for the squeamish: On his bare skin, he was feeling the heat produced by an atomic reaction, pumped directly from a nuclear reactor into his home.

Personally, Im not worried, Mr. Rozhkov said.

His shower came courtesy of nuclear residential heating, which remains exceedingly rare and was introduced in the remote Siberian town of Pevek only a year ago. The source is not a typical reactor with huge cooling towers but is the first of a new generation of smaller and potentially more versatile nuclear plants  in this case aboard a barge floating nearby in the Arctic Ocean.
The attorneys general in 11 states filed a lawsuit on Friday in an effort to prevent the Biden administration from requiring large companies to mandate coronavirus vaccinations, the latest sign of growing pushback against the federal governments biggest effort yet to enlist private businesses in combating the virus.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, the court filing says. Attorney General Eric Schmitt of Missouri led the group that brought the lawsuit, which was joined by private and nonprofit groups.

The Biden administration on Thursday set Jan. 4 as the deadline for large companies to mandate coronavirus vaccinations or start weekly testing of their workers.

The new rule, applying to companies with 100 or more employees, is expected to cover 84 million workers, roughly 31 million of whom are unvaccinated.
Burns and Ann Hargis were named the parade's grand marshals last year and returned to fulfill the roles this year.
A group of treasure hunters that has been searching for the fabled Lemminkainen Hoard treasure in Finland since 1987 claims that they are finally just meters away from finding it.

Known as the Treasure Twelve, the group of treasure hunters has spent every summer since 1987 looking for the Lemminkainen Hoard, the whereabouts of which were revealed to them by a mystic just before their death. Apparently, a labyrinthine cave complex near Helsinki is home to the most valuable treasure the world has ever known, with an estimated value of over $15 billion. Now, 34 years after their search for the Lemminkainen Hoard began the Treasure Twelve are closer than ever to finally getting their hands on it.

Photo: Janos Venczak/Unsplash

The massive Sibbosberg cave system, located 20 miles east of Helsinki, in Finland is where the members of the Treasure Twelve are convinced the Lemminkainen Hoard was stashed away hundreds of years ago. Although the existence of the treasure has never been confirmed, those who believe its a real claim that it contains over 50,000 gemstones including rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds, several 18-carat gold life-size human statues, as well as over 1,000 artefacts dating back thousands of years.

The story of the Lemminkainen Hoard began in 1984, when mystic Ior Bock claimed that his family were direct descendants of Lemminkainen, one of the heroes of Kalevala and a prominent figure in Finnish pagan mythology. Bock claimed that a sealed chamber on his estate contained the Lemminkainen Hoard and that his family had guarded against invaders for centuries.

Ior Bock died in 2010, after being stabbed by one of his personal assistants, but the hunt for the Lemminkainen Hoard continued without him. The cave system that Bock claimed housed the legendary treasure trove is known by some as the Temple of Lemminkainen. Despite countless official explorations and the expeditions of over 100 treasure hunters, the hoard has yet to be discovered.

The Temple Twelve are arguably the most dedicated of all the treasure hunters that have ever shown interest in the Lemminkainen Hoard. They have spent the last 34 years of their lives digging and exploring through the Temple of Lemminkainen, and they are allegedly on the brink of reaching their prize. But theyll have to wait until next summer to get their hands on it, as the rest of the year the cave system is filled with freezing rainwater.

The original Temple Twelve group consisted of 12 men and women from Finland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, America, and Germany, none of whom had any archaeological experience. They used rudimentary tools and worked with Ian Bock to explore the vast cave system.

Over the last 34 years, most of the groups original members either died or retired, but two of the original crew still remain involved in the hunt for the Lemminkainen Hoard and they now believe that they are only meters away from the sealed treasure chamber that has eluded them for so long.

Historian and author Carl Borgen, the worlds leading authority on the Lemminkainen Hoard, has chronicled the exploits of the Treasure Twelve in his book, Temporarily Insane.
05/11/2021 - The OECD and the Government of Viet Nam today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen co-operation over the next five years.





The MoU, the Organisations first with Viet Nam, will frame future co-operation and pave the way for an eventual OECD Country Programme with Viet Nam. It was signed in Paris by OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and Viet Nam Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in the presence of Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam.





The MoU aims to support Viet Nams reform efforts in areas where it is already working with the OECD, such as competition, investment, and tax policy. It will also support country-specific reports like the first OECD Economic Survey of Viet Nam, due in 2022, and can support the follow up of the OECD Clean Energy Finance and Investment Policy Review of Viet Nam, published earlier today.





The Review finds that Viet Nam has been successful in facilitating high levels of investment in clean energy in recent years. The rapid growth of the solar market, however, has resulted in challenges with integrating variable renewable generation into the grid and changes to renewable procurement mechanisms are emerging sources of investor uncertainty. Adapting standardised contracts to minimise investor risk perceptions would support greater flows of capital and reduce the cost of financing clean energy infrastructure. The Review also outlines recommendations to help Viet Nam mobilise finance and investment to turn the energy sector carbon neutral, a prerequisite to reach its pledge of net zero emissions by 2050, made at COP26 this month.





The clean energy sector will play a crucial role in making Viet Nams recovery sustainable and helping it to achieve its industrial targets, Mr Cormann said of the Review. Effective clean energy policies are increasingly a source of comparative advantage to attract foreign direct investment, particularly in the manufacturing sector, as international companies seek to make their supply chains carbon neutral.





Viet Nam currently participates as a Bureau member of the OECDs Southeast Asia Regional Programme, and hosted the 2016 OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum in Hanoi.

Note to Editors:





The OECD is an international organisation that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide. Working with member and partner countries, it provides a forum where governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to economic, social and governance challenges.





The OECDs 38 members are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.





The OECD engages with Viet Nam through country specific projects and the Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP). This engagement takes various forms such as participation in OECD Bodies, country-specific policy reviews, integration of relevant data series in OECD databases, benchmarking exercises, and adherence to OECD instruments.





Over the years, Viet Nam and the OECD have cooperated on a number of country-specific reports and publications including the Multi-dimensional Review of Viet Nam in 2020 and the SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in Viet Nam in early 2021. The former provided inputs to the Socio-Economic Development Plan 2021-2025. In 2018, the OECD published an Investment Policy Review, an Urban Policy Review, and a Peer Review of Competition Law and Policy in Vietnam. In 2015, OECD published the Agriculture Policy Review of Viet Nam and the Science, Technology and Innovation in Viet Nam.

Read more about OECD work with Viet Nam

For further information, journalists are invited to contact the OECD Media Office (+33 1 45 24 80 97).

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to preserve individual liberty and improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world

Related Documents
A 20-year-old man has spoken of how he is lucky to be alive after falling 20 feet from an apartment complex in the Midlands at the weekend.

Slovakian national Robert Makula (pictured) was rushed to hospital last Friday evening after falling from the second floor of a building along Great Water Street in Longford.

He was taken by ambulance to Mullingars Midland Regional Hospital where he spent two nights undergoing a range of tests and medical examinations before being discharged on Sunday.

In a miraculous chain of events, Robert said he slipped after attempting to climb through an upstairs window after finding himself locked out.

I dont know (what happened), said Robert, in an exclusive interview with the Longford Leader on Monday.

I cant remember anything, I was in a coma.

His girlfriend Michaela raised the alarm after finding a stricken Robert lying on the floor at the rear of the complex.

I looked down and he was just on the floor and couldnt get up so I ran to the next door neighbour, she said.

Gardai and emergency services attended the scene and have since ruled out any foul play or criminal element being involved in the lead up to the incident.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar today said that the Climate Action Plan 2021, published Thursday November 4, provides clarity and opportunity for businesses.

Speaking today, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said:

I know many businesses have just come through a period of huge uncertainty and challenge, with the pandemic forcing many to shut their doors and the unpredictability of Brexit, which I know caused significant disruption.

The Government yesterday published the Climate Action Plan 2021.

"Its a very ambitious plan and I think it is necessarily so given the scale and urgency of the threat of climate change. I know many business owners will be concerned about what this means for their business and how they are going to adapt, to what might sometimes seem to be an overwhelming challenge, especially given the past few years.

I want to reassure business owners today that the Government will help you make this transition. Whether youre a SME or large business, we will meet you where youre at and help you make the changes that are necessary.

Mr. Varadkar revealed a new website called the Climate Toolkit 4 Business, will be launching shortly which will allow businesses to input information and get an estimate of their carbon footprint and a personalised plan to reduce it.

The plan will then point users to grant funding available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for example, to help make changes to how businesses use energy.

Most of the emissions from the enterprise sector come from a small number of large energy users and my officials have already been working directly with them to help them make the shift away from fossil fuels and to explore new materials which are less damaging to the environment.

I also believe that there is a huge amount of opportunities in the transition. We will be creating entire new industries in retrofitting and offshore wind for example and creating new employment opportunities in the circular economy, clean mobility, green and blue infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and the bio-economy.

The Tanaiste continued to say the changes that need to be made will make Irish businesses more resilient and sustainable into the long-term.

The Governments Climate Action Plan 2021 published yesterday reflects the Governments ambition to meet a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

The Enterprise sector has an important role to play in meeting these targets. In 2018, the sector emitted 7.9 MtCO2eq., or 12.7% of Irelands total emissions. The enterprise sector has been tasked with reducing emissions to 5 MtCO2eq. by the end of the decade.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 outlines four core measures to deliver these reductions:
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is calling on the government and HSE to publish the highly anticipated winter plan for the health service.

The call comes after the group revealed news that 2305 patients were on trolleys during the first week of November, the highest since the pandemic began.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ni Sheaghdha, said, "Unless urgent action is taken we are going to see record-breaking numbers in our hospitals every week. It is now the first week of November and we have still yet to see a comprehensive winter plan from the Minister for Health and the HSE. This delay in publishing a fully funded solution to the overcrowding crisis that exists in our hospitals is unacceptable."

According to Ni Sheaghdha, staff in Irish hospitals are "exhausted" dealing with rising trolley numbers as well as increasing Covid-related hospitalisations.

She said, "We need funding to implement the Safe-Staffing Framework, which determines the safe levels of nurse-to-patient ratio. Just like we have a pupil-teacher ratio that advises on the optimum number of children in a classroom to one teacher. We are hearing examples in our hospitals of one nurse to fifteen patients in a ward. This is not a safe environment for the nurse or patients."
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.
(The Center Square)  Federal law enforcement officers arrested more than 17,300 migrants with past convictions of other crimes attempting to cross the border illegally last fiscal year. That's up from 9,447 in fiscal 2020.

The federal government's fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

An additional 8,979 in fiscal 2021 were of migrants with outstanding arrest warrants against them from other law enforcement agencies.

Those migrants have been convicted of crimes including assault, battery, domestic violence, burglary, robbery, larceny, theft, fraud, driving under the influence, homicide, manslaughter, illegal drug possession and trafficking, illegal reentry, illegal weapons possession and transport and sex offenses, among others.

Of the total apprehensions, 27% were repeat offenders previously caught in the same fiscal year.

In fiscal 2021, Border Patrol agents arrested 10,763 criminal migrants, of which 1,904 had outstanding warrants.

Office of Field Operation agents encountered 6,567 criminal migrants, and arrested 8,979 individuals already in the National Crime Information Center database. NCIC arrests include citizens and noncitizens wanted by law enforcement agencies nationwide.

CBP regularly reports the types of criminals being arrested and processed for deportation nationwide. Many of the criminals apprehended had been convicted in other states prior to deportation and illegal reentry in Texas.

Among them, more than 1,900 were arrested in fiscal 2021 in the busiest sector along the southern border in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

One recent apprehension includes a Mexican national and Los Paisanos gang member with a prior conviction of illegally transporting people into the U.S. in 2008. He had been sentenced to 24 months in confinement and was subsequently deported, only to get caught reentering the U.S. illegally again in Hidalgo, Texas.

Agents also apprehended Salvadoran nationals who were either Mara-Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members or 18th Street gang members in the RGV.

One Salvadoran national gang member, for example, had been convicted of accessory to murder after the fact and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Maryland. He was later deported, only to be caught again reentering the U.S. illegally.

A Mexican national previously convicted of murder in Dallas in 1998  who was previously deported  was also caught reentering the U.S. illegally again in the RGV.

Agents continue to apprehend registered sex offenders. One recent apprehension was of a previously removed Guatemalan national, Jose Yojcom-Rocche, who has an active warrant out of Los Angeles. The LAPD arrested him in 2019 for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, sentenced to 180 days confinement and five years probation.

Another recent apprehension was of Mexican national Humberto Tiburcio-Loyo, who was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old child in Brownsville. He was sentenced to six years in prison, released, and deported earlier this year, only to reenter illegally.

Another recent apprehension was of Mexican national and registered sex offender Fredy Flores-Galeana, previously convicted and imprisoned for possession of child pornography. He was also deported only to reenter the U.S. illegally.

Another recently caught registered sex offender, Honduran national Jose Alfredo Nunez-Izaguirre, was previously convicted in California of a lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age 14. He was sentenced to five years confinement and was subsequently removed from the U.S., only to be caught reentering the U.S. illegally again.

Drug-related apprehensions also continue. Agents recently apprehended a Honduran national and MS-13 gang member who had been convicted in 2008 of accommodating the sale, possession of a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Virginia. He was sentenced to five years in prison for each of the charges and was subsequently removed from the U.S., only to reenter again.

In Val Verde County, roughly 200 miles northwest of the RGV, Sheriff Joe Martinez told The Center Square that there were roughly 60,000 known got-aways, those who evade capture, in his county alone. These are mostly single men who want to evade capture and arent surrendering to CBP seeking benefits or asylum.

While Border Patrol agents are dealing with a massive influx of people who are surrendering at the border, Martinez said, its the got-aways that keep law enforcement up at night. If the got-aways were caught, CBP criminal conviction apprehensions would be much higher, he and others in law enforcement said. Many of these individuals are also believed to be coming from Special Interest Countries identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as generally being of concern to U.S. national security.

Whats scary, Martinez said, is we dont know where they [the got-aways] are going. How many were from terrorist groups from special interest countries?

Thats the unknown.
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

European private debt asset management firm Arcmont Asset Management has completed the fundraising of its Senior Loan Fund II and associated vehicles, attracting total investable capital of 5 billion ($5.8bn).

The private debt specialist said in a press release that the 5 billion raised exceeded Arcmont's initial target, with the success of the fundraise reflecting the strong support received from both new and existing investors globally, including public and private pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices. More than half of the commitments were from investors in Arcmont's prior funds, with strong participation from Europe, the United States, and the Asia Pacific.

To date, Senior Loan Fund II has already committed 60% of its capital, making a substantial contribution to the firm's record deployment over the last year of 5 billion, it added.

"Arcmont's Senior Loan strategy provides senior loans to upper mid-market European companies, with a focus on defensive industries and sectors that exhibit steady, stable, and cash generative characteristics. The strategy aims to generate strong cash yields and attractive risk-adjusted returns, with an emphasis on preservation of capital through conservative deal structuring and downside protection," the release said.

Arcmont was founded in 2011. It has raised 18 billion of assets with over 15 billion deployed across more than 190 transa......................

To view our full article Click here
Oskaloosa, IA (52577)

Today

Plenty of sunshine with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 53F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 24F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
For the Feast of Deepavali, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sent a message signed by its President, Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, and Secretary, Msgr Indunil Kodithuwakku Janakaratne Kankanamalage, entitled: Christians and Hindus: Together Bringing Light in Peoples Lives in Times of Despair. The following is the English text of the message.

Dear Hindu Friends,

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue extends its most cordial greetings to you on the occasion of Deepavali which falls on 4 November this year. May the observance of this feast even in the midst of anxiety and uncertainty arising from the present pandemic, and its resultant worldwide crises, light up your lives, homes and communities with the hope for a better future!

Besides the scars that are fresh in our minds of the first and second waves of the pandemic which upended the lives and livelihood of people, in one way or another, there runs through in all of us, in varying degrees, a sense of resignation, despair and despondency whenever devastating things happen across the globe caused by factors ranging from terrorism to ecological degradation. These not only instil fear in people but also add to their distress and despair. It is in this context, we wish to share with you some thoughts  in keeping with our cherished tradition  on how we, both Christians and Hindus can bring the light of hope in peoples lives in such challenging times.

As amidst the dark clouds of the current pandemic which have caused immeasurable suffering and trauma to the people there have been silver linings of solidarity and fraternity, it is within our ability to demonstrate that we can be together and overcome every crisis with resolve and love, even the seemingly insurmountable. The power of solidarity unleashed in alleviating the suffering and assisting the needy, more so with an interreligious character and responsibility, gives visibility to the light of hope by putting in evidence the response which adherents of all religious traditions are called upon to make in times of despair and darkness. Bringing light together in peoples lives through interreligious solidarity also validates the usefulness and resourcefulness of religious traditions in society.

A growing awareness of the need to be with and to belong to one another in the present pandemic period calls for finding, more and more, ways of bringing the light of hope where there is discord and division, destruction and devastation, deprivation and dehumanization. Only through a greater awareness among us that we are all part of one another, that we are brothers and sisters of one another (cfr. Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti  On Fraternity and Social Friendship, 3 October 2020) and that we have a shared responsibility for one another and for the planet, which is our common home, can we attempt to lift us out of despair of any kind. Moreover, by being interdependent and working in solidarity with others, we shall emerge out of every crisis better. Even the pressing global issues that threaten to disrupt the harmony between nature and people and the harmonious co-existence of people such as climate change, religious fundamentalism, terrorism, hyper nationalism, xenophobia can be effectively addressed since these are concerns that affect us all.

In times of crisis, while religious traditions  as repositories of centuries of wisdom  have the power of lifting our sagging spirits, they also have the capacity to help individuals and communities to reset their lifes compass with hope, with their gaze fixed beyond their present despair. Above all else, they instruct and invite their adherents to reach out, using every means in their power, to those who feel a sense of hopelessness so as to give them hope.

It is incumbent upon religious and community leaders, therefore, to nurture the spirit of fraternity among their followers with a view to helping them walk and work together with the people of other religious traditions, most especially during crisis and calamity of every kind. Fraternity, according to Pope Francis, is the true cure for the pandemic and the many evils that have affected us (Address to the Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, 8 February, 2021). Being responsible for one another inter-religiously is a sure means of strengthening solidarity and fraternity among us, and bringing succour to the afflicted and hope to the distressed.

As believers grounded in our own respective religious traditions and as persons with shared vision for and shared responsibility towards humanity, in particular the suffering humanity, may we Christians and Hindus, individually and collectively, and joining hands with people of other religious traditions and of good will, reach out to people who are in despair, to bring light into their lives!

We wish you all a Happy Deepavali!
At the end of the Angelus on Sunday, 31 October, the Holy Father expressed his hope that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor will be heard at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop26), so that it may may provide effective responses, offering concrete hope to future generations. Earlier, he had reflected on the Gospel Reading of Mark in which a scribe asks Jesus which Commandment is the first of all. The following is a translation of the Popes words.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Buongiorno!

In todays liturgy, the Gospel presents a scribe who approaches Jesus and asks him: Which commandment is the first of all? (Mk 12:28). Jesus responds by citing Scripture and stating that the first commandment is to love God; from this one then derives the second, as a natural consequence: to love ones neighbour as oneself (cf. vv. 29-31). Hearing this response, the scribe not only recognises that he is right, but in doing so, in recognising that he is right, he repeats the same words Jesus had said: You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices (vv. 32-33).

We can ask ourselves, in giving his assent, why did that scribe feel the need to repeat Jesus same words? This repetition seems to be more surprising if we think that this is the Gospel of Mark, who has a very concise style. So, what could this repetition mean? This repetition is a teaching for all of us who are listening. For the Word of the Lord cannot be received as any other type of news. The Word of the Lord should be repeated, made ones own, safeguarded. The monastic tradition of the monks, uses an audacious but very concrete term. It goes like this: the Word of God must be ruminated. To ruminate the Word of God. We could say that it is so nutritious that it must reach every aspect of life: to involve, as Jesus says today, the entire heart, the entire soul, the entire mind, all of our strength (cf. v. 30). The Word of the Lord must resound, echo and re-echo within us. When there is this interior echo that repeats itself, it means that the Lord dwells in the heart. And he says to us, just as he did to that good scribe in the Gospel: You are not far from the kingdom of God (v. 34).

Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord does not seek skilled commentators of the Scriptures, as much as he seeks docile hearts that, welcoming his Word, allow themselves to be changed within. This is why it is so important to be familiar with the Gospel, to always have it at hand  even a small-sized Gospel in our pockets, in our purses to read and reread, to be passionate about it. When we do this, Jesus, the Word of the Father, enters into our hearts, he becomes intimate with us and we bear fruit in Him. Let us take for example todays Gospel: it is not enough to read it and understand that we should love God and our neighbour. It is necessary that this commandment, which is the great commandment, resound in us, that it be assimilated, that it become the voice of our conscience. This way, it does not remain a dead letter, in the drawer of the heart, because the Holy Spirit makes the seed of that Word germinate in us. And the Word of God works, it is always in motion, it is living and active (cf. Heb 4:12). So each one of us can become a living, different and original translation, not a repetition but a living, different and original translation of the one Word of love that God gives us. This is what we see in the lives of the Saints for example. None of them is the same as another. They are all different, but with the same Word of God.

Today, therefore, let us take the example of this scribe. Let us repeat Jesus words, making them resound in us: To love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength and my neighbour as myself. And let us ask ourselves: does this commandment truly orient my life? Does this commandment resonate in my daily life? It would be good this evening, before going to sleep, to make an examination of conscience on this Word, to see if we have loved the Lord today and if we have done a little good to those we happened to meet. May every encounter bring about a little bit of good, a little bit of love that comes from this Word. May the Virgin Mary, in whom the Word of God was made flesh, teach us to welcome the living word of the Gospel in our hearts.

After the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters, in various parts of Vietnam, the strong, prolonged rains of these last weeks have caused vast flooding, with thousands of people evacuated. My prayer and my thought go to the many families who are suffering, along with my encouragement to all those leaders of the country and the local Church who are working to respond to the emergency. And I am near to the people of Sicily hit by bad weather.

I am also thinking of the people of Haiti who are living in extreme conditions. I ask the leaders of nations to help this country, not to leave it on its own. And all of you, when you return home, look for news about Haiti and pray, pray a lot. I was watching on the program A Sua Immagine (In His Image), the testimony of that Camillian missionary from Haiti, Father Massimo Miraglio  the things that he was saying  of all the suffering, all the pain that there is in that land, and how much abandonment. Let us not abandon them!

Yesterday in Tortosa, Spain, Francisco Sojo Lopez, Millan Garde Serrano, Manuel Galcera Videllet and Aquilino Pastor Cambero, priests of the Fraternity of Diocesan Worker Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, were beatified. All of them were killed in hatred of the faith. Zealous and generous pastors during the religious persecution of the 1930s, they remained faithful to their ministry even at the risk of their lives. May their witness be an example, especially for priests. A round of applause for these new Blesseds!

Today, in Glasgow, Scotland, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, is beginning. Let us pray that the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor may be heard; that this meeting may provide effective responses, offering concrete hope to future generations. In this context, the photographic exhibition Laudato Si is being inaugurated today in Saint Peters Square, the work of a young photographer originally from Bangladesh. Go see it!

I greet all of you faithful from Rome and pilgrims from various countries, in particular those who have come from Costa Rica. I greet the groups from Reggio Emilia and Cosenza; the children from the Profession of Faith of Bareggio, Canegrate and San Giorgio su Legnano; as well as Serra International Italia, whom I thank for their dedication in promoting priestly vocations, and the youth of the Immacolata.

I wish you all a happy Sunday. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!
During his visit to the French Military Cemetery on Tuesday, 2 November, feast of All Souls, the Pope walked past rows of graves, stopping every so often to pray and to give his blessing. Pope Francis placed white flowers on some of the graves and paused at tombs to pray in silence before he offered Mass on the cemetery grounds. In his homily, the Pope said that as he walked past the tombs, he noticed one without a name. It said: Unknown. Died for France, 1944. In the heart of God is the name of all of us, but this is the tragedy of war, Pope Francis said. He also asked the faithful to look at the graves of the fallen which speak of a message of peace, saying Stop, brothers and sisters, stop. Stop, arms manufacturers. The followings is a translation of the Popes unscripted homily which was given in Italian. Once the Holy Father returned to the Vatican, he went to the Vatican Grottoes in Saint Peters Basilica to pray at the tombs of the Popes.

A writing on the entrance door of a small cemetery which is up North comes to mind: You who are walking, think about your steps, and of your steps, think about the final step.

You who are walking. Life is a journey, all of us are on a journey. All of us, if we wish to do something in life, are on a journey. It is not a stroll, nor is it a labyrinth, no, it is a journey. On the way, we pass in front of many historical events, in front of many difficult situations. And also in front of cemeteries. The advice of this cemetery is: You who are passing by, halt your step and think, and of your steps, think about the final step. We will all have a final step. Some may say to me, Father, dont be so mournful, dont be so tragic. But it is the truth. The important thing is that that final step finds us on a journey, not strolling around; in the journey of life and not in an endless labyrinth. To be on a journey so that the last step finds us walking. This is the first thought that I would like to say and that comes from my heart.

The second thought, is the graves. These people  good people  who died in the war, they died because they were called to defend their homeland, to defend values, to defend ideals and, many other times, to defend sad and lamentable political situations. And they are the victims, the victims of war, that eats the children of the homeland. And I think of Anzio, of Redipuglia; I think of the Piave River in 1914  so many were left there ; I think of Normandy beach: forty thousand, in that landing! But it doesnt matter, they fell....

I stopped in front of a tomb: Inconnu. Mort pour la France 1944 [Unknown. Died for France 1944]. Not even the name. In Gods heart is the name of all of us, but this is the tragedy of war. I am sure that all these who went in good will, called by their homeland to defend it, are with the Lord. But do we, who are on the journey, fight sufficiently so that there will be no wars? So that the economies of countries are not fortified by the arms industry? Today the sermon should be to look at the tombs: Died for France; some have names, some others do not. But these graves are a message of peace: Stop, brothers and sisters, stop! Stop, arms manufacturers, stop!.

I leave you with these two thoughts. You who are walking, think about your steps, and of your steps, think about the final step: may they be in peace, in peace of the heart, all in peace. The second thought: these graves that speak, cry out, they cry out of themselves, they cry out, Peace!.

May the Lord help us to sow and keep these two thoughts in our hearts.
There is no time to waste. All too many of our brothers and sisters are suffering from this climate crisis; therefore, now is the time to act, urgently, courageously and responsibly. This is Pope Francis heartfelt appeal to participants at the 26th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, being held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, representing the Holy Father and the Holy See, read large excerpts of the message out loud to conference participants on Tuesday afternoon, 2 November. The following is the entire English text of the Popes message.

To His Excellency

The Right Honourable

Alok Sharma

President of COP26, the 26th Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change

Your Excellency,

A

s the Glasgow Conference begins, all of us are aware that it has

the vital task of demonstrating to the entire international community whether there really exists a political will to devote  with honesty, responsibility and courage  greater human, financial and technological resources to mitigating the negative effects of climate change and assisting the poorer and more vulnerable nations most affected by it.1

At the same time, we realize that this task has to be undertaken in the midst of a pandemic that for almost two years has devastated our human family. Covid-19 has brought immense tragedies in its wake, but it has also taught us that, if we are to succeed in overcoming the pandemic, there is no alternative: all of us must play a part in responding to this challenge. And that, as we know, calls for profound solidarity and fraternal cooperation between the worlds peoples.

Our post-pandemic world will necessarily be different from what it was before the pandemic. It is that world which we must now build, together, starting from the recognition of past mistakes.

Something similar could be said of our efforts to tackle the global problem of climate change. There is no alternative. We can achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement only if we act in a coordinated and responsible way. Those goals are ambitious, and they can no longer be deferred. Today it is up to you to take the necessary decisions.

COP26 can and must offer an effective contribution to the conscientious construction of a future in which daily actions and economic and financial investments can genuinely protect the conditions that ensure a dignified and humane life for the men and women of today and tomorrow, on a healthy planet.

We find ourselves facing an epochal change, a cultural challenge that calls for commitment on the part of all, particularly those countries possessed of greater means. These countries need to take a leading role in the areas of climate finance, decarbonization in the economic system and in peoples lives, the promotion of a circular economy, providing support to more vulnerable countries working to adapt to the impact of climate change and to respond to the loss and damage it has caused.

For its part, the Holy See, as I stated to the High Level Virtual Climate Ambition Summit of 12 December 2020, has adopted a strategy of net-zero emissions operating on two levels: 1) the commitment of Vatican City State to achieve this goal by 2050; and 2) the commitment of the Holy See to promote education in integral ecology. We fully realize that political, technical and operational measures need to be linked to an educational process that, especially among young people, can promote new lifestyles and favour a cultural model of development and of sustainability centered on fraternity and on the covenant between human beings and the natural environment. These commitments have given rise to thousands of initiatives worldwide.

Along these same lines, on 4 October last, I joined a number of religious leaders and scientists in signing a Joint Appeal in view of COP26. On that occasion, we listened to the voices of representatives of many faiths and spiritual traditions, many cultures and scientific fields. Very different voices, with very different sensitivities. Yet what clearly emerged was a remarkable convergence on the urgent need for a change of direction, a decisive resolve to pass from the throwaway culture prevalent in our societies to a culture of care for our common home and its inhabitants, now and in the future.

The wounds inflicted on our human family by the Covid-19 pandemic and the phenomenon of climate change are comparable to those resulting from a global conflict. Today, as in the aftermath of the Second World War, the international community as a whole needs to set as a priority the implementation of collegial, solidary and farsighted actions.

We need both hope and courage. Humanity possesses the wherewithal to effect this change, which calls for a genuine conversion, individual as well as communitarian, and a decisive will to set out on this path. It will entail the transition towards a more integral and integrating model of development, based on solidarity and on responsibility.

A transition that must also take into serious consideration the effects it will have on the world of labour.

Especial care must likewise be shown for the most vulnerable peoples, in whose regard there is a growing ecological debt related to commercial imbalances with environmental repercussions and to the disproportionate use of the natural resources of ones own and of other countries.2 There is no denying this.

The ecological debt raises in some ways the issue of foreign debt, the burden of which often hinders the development of peoples.3 The post-pandemic world can and must restart from a consideration of all these aspects, along with the setting in place of carefully negotiated procedures for forgiving foreign debt, linked to a more sustainable and just economic restructuring aimed at meeting the climate emergency. The developed countries ought to help pay the ecological debt by significantly limiting their consumption of nonrenewable energy and by assisting poorer countries to support policies and programmes of sustainable development.4A development in which, at last, everyone can participate.

Sadly, we must acknowledge how far we remain from achieving the goals set for tackling climate change. We need to be honest: this cannot continue! Even as we were preparing for COP26, it became increasingly clear that there is no time to waste. All too many of our brothers and sisters are suffering from this climate crisis. The lives of countless people, particularly those who are most vulnerable, have experienced its increasingly frequent and devastating effects. At the same time, we have come to realize that it also involves a crisis of childrens rights and that, in the near future, environmental migrants will be more numerous than refugees from war and conflicts. Now is the time to act, urgently, courageously and responsibly. Not least, to prepare a future in which our human family will be in a position to care for itself and for the natural environment.

The young, who in recent years have strongly urged us to act, will only inherit the planet we choose to leave to them, based on the concrete choices we make today. Now is the moment for decisions that can provide them with reasons for hope and trust in the future.

I had hoped to be with you in person, but that was not possible. I accompany you, however, with my prayers as you take these important decisions.

Please accept, Mr President, my cordial greetings and good wishes.

From the Vatican, 29 October 2021

Francis

1 Cf. Video Message to the Summit on the Climate, New York, 23 September 2019.

2 Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, 51.

3 Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, 126.

4 Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, 52.
In a letter sent to an Italian conference on safeguarding minors on Thursday, 4 November, Pope Francis referred to sexual abuse as a culture of death that can only be eradicated by systematic action from an alliance of parties. The seminar was co-financed by the European Union and was aimed at Italian religious organizations to help them integrate a policy of protection of minors as the first tool of prevention against all forms of abuse, and to offer training for recognizing, reporting, and preventing abuse. Included among the speakers was Cardinal Sean OMalley, Archbishop of Boston and President and Member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The following are excerpts from the Cardinals address. I am honored to speak with you today at the concluding Seminar of the European Project SAFE  Educating and ...

This content is reserved for Subscribers Dear Reader,

access to all editions of LOsservatore Romano is reserved for Subscribers. Click here to subscribe Subscribe by 30 November to receive the promotional yearly price of 20.
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

Today

Sunny with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 53F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years?

Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals.

If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge.
Beer is typically made of just four ingredients: barley, hops, yeast and water. But there are times when the liquid in your glass measures up to so much more than just the sum of its parts. A special worldwide, open-ended collaboration beer, with roots right here in Michigan, is being brewed up to help raise awareness for individuals with Down Syndrome.

I thought this idea up a while ago, but on a much smaller scale, said Pat Craddock, CFO of Griffin Claw Brewing Company. I used to be at a different brewery, and thought maybe we could collaborate with one brewery to do something like this.

Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest

Craddock explained that a few recent worldwide collaborations, like Sierra Nevadas Resilience, that raised money for the Camp Fire Relief Fund, and Weathered Souls Black is Beautiful beer helped him come up with a plan.

They really laid down a blueprint for how this could happen, he said.

The result is the Tri-21 Project beer, which is starting to pop up across Michigan, the country, and even in such faraway spots as Brazil, Mexico and France. Any and all breweries can choose to make this beer, there is a recipe provided to follow, but creativity is encouraged. Label art, social media kits, a special website are all provided free of charge. Craddock even arranged for discounts for ingredients like malt and hops from manufacturers. In exchange, the hope is that breweries will donate a portion of the proceeds from this special ale to any group that supports people with Down Syndrome.

Courtesy Photo

For us, beer is something that brings people together, and that people enjoy, said Chris Lasher, marketing director for Griffin Claw. Its kind of like ice cream, not really good for you, but everyone loves it. Beer can be impactful, it creates community, and for this beer, it goes to a great cause outside of it. A global collab like this can focus on bigger causes, and create bigger awareness. It shows the sheer strength of the brewing community, which you dont get in a lot of other industries. Its a win, win, win.

The name reflects the cause, as Down Syndrome is also referred to as trisomy 21, which refers to the extra chromosome that occurs with this condition. The cause is very personal to Craddock, as his son Ian was born six years ago with Down Syndrome.

He loves dinosaurs, and Thomas the Tank, and he literally loves elephants, said Craddock about his son. I mean literally, he has a whole herd of stuffed elephants.

One of Ians favorite activities is to visit GiGis Playhouse, and they go multiple times a week. The organization, which has over 50 locations across the world, including one in the Detroit area, welcomes families for developmental play, therapy, sharing resources, and most importantly, the creation of important support networks for both kids and parents. It is one of the recommended organizations for donations from Tri-21 Project.

Its hard to get Ian out of there, Craddock said, reflecting on their visits to Gigis. They offer literacy courses, math tutoring, and fitness classes geared to kids with Down Syndrome, which is so important. But more importantly, you meet parents and families who have been through it. It helps build a network, so when you have questions, you can call on these other people. Its been just fantastic.

Its a whole group of people that you dont know exist, said Garry Boyd of becoming part of the parents of Down Syndrome kids club. He is currently a bartender at Burzurk Brewing in Grand Haven, opened the original HopCat, and is a former board member of the Michigan Brewers Guild.

If your children are neurotypical you dont live in that world at all, he said.

Boyd, and his wife Kristal, welcomed their daughter Mackenzie in 2010, and after her diagnosis, found support at the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan.

Boyd explained how much therapy is needed from the very start, with work on muscle tone being key.

You have to start working on everything, Boyd said. As soon as possible. Eating, going to the bathroom, grabbing things, all these things you dont think of with neurotypical kids.

Then you become part of this community, Boyd continued. I dont know what we would have done without these resources, and the people that we met along the way.

A joyful little girl, Mackenzie loved Tinkerbell, swimming, Mom and Dad, and her siblings Charlie Rae and CJ. She unexpectedly passed away in 2017 and has left a hole that can never be filled. The Boyds are committed to keeping her memory alive, by helping other families with Down Syndrome.

Garry Boyd/Courtesy Photo

The support groups that exist, like Gigis Place and the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, are lifelines to parents dealing with a diagnosis.

They are a great resource for new parents, Boyd said. And a great resource moving on. From day one, such a great resource.

With this open collaboration, Tri-21 Project has an open schedule, and a recipe that is flexible to creativity and ingredients. Brewers can make the beer anytime they wish, with Griffin Claw kicking it off in early October in honor of Down Syndrome Month. The ingredient discounts will run through March 21, which is World Down Syndrome Day.

All of the label art is available on the website, and there is also downloadable promotional material to help promote the beer. Each brewery can choose what local organization theyd like to support, or are encouraged to send into Gigis Playhouse.

Courtesy Photo

The recipe for this special brew is for a Double New England IPA that Griffin Claw helped develop with their friends from HOMES Brewing in Ann Arbor. The original recipe clocks in at around 8.5%, and features quite a lot of hops, including Centennial and Citra, and phalanx of brewers choice. You can currently find Griffin Claws on draft and in cans in distribution around the state.

I stopped by Burzurk while owner Tyler Forbes and Boyd were just finishing up their batch of the beer. They are one of over 20 breweries that are currently signed up for the beer. Boyd was armpit deep in the tank, scoop out spent grain. A messy job, but one Boyd was happy to do.

I asked Tyler if he would be interested, Boyd said about brewing the beer before he leaves Burzurk to open his own bar, the Unicorn Tavern. He said fine, as long as I cleaned up all the wort.

Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest

Burzurks brew will be available on tap at the brewery in a few weeks. Their version will feature a few lesser known hops, including Sultana and Trident.

A big reason why we wanted to participate in this brew was because of Garry, said Forbes. Burzurk has only been open for about a year, and hadnt yet participated in a collaboration brew, but has donated to many local charities.

Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest

My wife Karen, shed just give it all away if she could, Forbes said. This one really struck a chord with us.

Forbes said this wont be their last collaboration beer, and it certainly wont be the last time they support Down syndrome.

Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest

From the first few days my son was born, the thought always ran through my head of how can I tap into this incredible industry filled with awesome people to raise awareness for Down syndrome, said Craddock via the projects website. With the hard work and support of the participating sponsors, were able to launch this project, and knowing the bond the brewing community has, we all look forward to the results this will bring.

Support the brewers and the movement Here is how you can join the cause:



Burzurk Brewing 1442 Washington Ave Grand Haven, MI 616-414-7775 burzurkbrewing.com Griffin Claw Brewing Company 575 S. Eton Birmingham, MI 248-712-4050 Griffinclawbrewingcompany.com Gigi's Playhouse 19799 W. 12 Mile Road Suite L15 Southfield, MI 248-557-9899 gigisplayhouse.org/detroit/ Find all the info on this special beer here: tri21project.com

Participating Michigan breweries (as of October 28, 2021) Cheboygan Brewing Company Grand River Brewery Austin Brothers Beer Griffin Claw Brewing Company Ogma Brewing Block Brewing HOMES Brewery Loaded Dice Brewery Watermark Brewing Company Burzurk Brewing Speciation Artisan Ales See More Collapse

So many people just love this beer, he said with pride. I can see us continuing to do it, its just one more way to help.
Hugs with friends. Birthday parties indoors. Pillow fights. Schoolchildren who got their first COVID-19 shots Wednesday said these are the pleasures they look forward to as the U.S. enters a major new phase in fighting the pandemic.

Health officials hailed shots for kids ages 5 to 11 as a major breakthrough after more than 18 months of illness, hospitalizations, deaths and disrupted education.

Kid-sized doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine cleared two final hurdles Tuesday  a recommendation from CDC advisers, followed by a green light from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At a Decatur, Georgia, pediatricians office, 10-year-old Mackenzie Olson took off her black leather jacket and rolled up her sleeve as her mother looked on.

I see my friends but not the way I want to. I want to hug them, play games with them that we dont normally get to, and have a pillow fight with her best friend, Mackenzie said after getting her shot at the Childrens Medical Group site.

With the federal government promising enough vaccine to protect the nations 28 million kids in this age group, pediatricians offices and hospitals began inoculating children. Schools, pharmacies and other locations plan to follow suit in the days ahead.

The atmosphere surrounding the launch of shots for elementary-age students was festive in many locations. California vaccine sites welcomed children with inflatable animals and handed out coloring books and prizes. Vehicles lined up before dawn at an Atlanta site.

Many pediatricians offices expected strong interest in the shots at least initially, but health officials are worried about demand tapering off. Almost two-thirds of parents recently polled by the Kaiser Family Foundation said they would wait or not seek out vaccines for their kids.

Brian Giglio, 40, of Alexandria, Virginia, brought his 8-year-old son, Carter, in for vaccination at Childrens National Hospital in Washington, where kids with underlying conditions got first dibs. Carter has Type 1 diabetes that puts him at risk for complications if he were to become infected.

Giglio said the vaccine was like a hallway pass for us to begin living life again. And Carter said he cant wait to leave masks behind once hes fully vaccinated, so he can smell the things he used to be able to smell without it.

Im ready to trash it, he said, though the CDC still recommends masks in schools and indoor public spaces where virus activity is high, even for the fully vaccinated.

Cate Zeigler-Amon, 10, was first in line Wednesday for a drive-through vaccination at Viral Solutions in Atlanta. The girl enthusiastically bounced around the car before the shot, which she broadcast live on her computer during morning announcements at her elementary school.

Afterward, Cate said she was looking forward to hugging her friends and celebrating her birthday indoors next month instead of having a freezing cold outside birthday party.

Hartford Hospital in Connecticut vaccinated seven youngsters Tuesday night, minutes after the CDCs director gave the OK, and three more early Wednesday. As they got their shots, one girl squeezed her eyes shut and a boy barely flinched, and other waiting kids applauded.

The vaccine  one-third the dose given to older children and adults and administered with kid-sized needles  requires two doses three weeks apart, plus two more weeks for full protection. That means children who get vaccinated before Thanksgiving will be covered by Christmas.

The timing before winter holidays is very fortunate, said Dr. Jennifer Shu, whose Childrens Medical Group office in Decatur, Georgia, began vaccinating first thing Wednesday. This age group will be able to spend holidays with friends and family more safely than they have been able to since the start of the pandemic.

Thousands of pediatricians pre-ordered doses, and Pfizer began shipments soon after the Food and Drug Administrations decision Friday to authorize emergency use. Pfizer said it expects to make 19,000 shipments totaling about 11 million doses in the coming days, and millions more will be available to order on a weekly basis.

Authorities said they expect a smooth rollout, unlike the chaos that plagued the national one for adults nearly a year ago.

Asked about parents having trouble finding vaccine appointments, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said the vaccines.gov website will be updated by Friday for parents to search for locations near them. He said the kid vaccination campaign will be at full speed next week as Pfizer continues to ship millions more doses to locations around the country.

More than 6,000 vaccination clinics are being planned at schools around the country before the winter holiday break, he said.

Walgreens planned to start kids vaccinations Saturday and said parents could sign up online or by calling 1-800-Walgreens. CVS was also accepting appointments online and by phone at select pharmacies starting Sunday.

Despite the initial enthusiasm, not everyone is rushing out to get shots.

Hannah Hause, a Colorado mother of four children ages 2, 5, 7 and 8, is herself vaccinated, but wants to see how the child vaccines play out and are studied in the larger childhood population.

Its not studied long-term. It just makes me nervous, she said. As long as I can wait, I will wait.

At a White House briefing Wednesday, Walensky said authorities thoroughly reviewed all available data on the vaccines safety, efficacy and the immune response it generates before recommending shots for kids.

Dr. Ada Stewart, a Black family physician in Columbia, South Carolina, and past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said shes seen the toll the virus has taken on younger children  not just in family illness and death but with school disruptions, slipping grades and mental strain.

School closures throughout the pandemic have disproportionately burdened children of color, widening academic gaps and worsening mental health, according to data presented Tuesday to CDC advisers. It showed more than 2,000 COVID-related school closures in just the first two months of the current school year.

A Pfizer study of 2,268 children found the vaccine was almost 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections. The FDA examined 3,100 vaccinated kids in concluding the shots are safe.

Some skeptics have questioned the need for kids to get vaccinated since they are less likely than adults to develop severe COVID-19. But with the delta variant, they get infected and transmit just as readily as adults do, Dr. Anthony Fauci said at a recent White House briefing.

Infected kids have also contributed to the U.S. toll  almost 46 million infections and more than 740,000 deaths.

Since the pandemic began, at least 94 children ages 5 to 11 have died from COVID-19, more than 8,300 have been hospitalized and over 5,000 have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus. Black and Latino youngsters and those with chronic conditions are among the hardest hit.

Kyevontay Jordan, 7, who is Black, has diabetes and got his shot at Childrens National Hospital in Washington. The vaccine gave his dad peace of mind.

Now I can sleep not worrying about him going to school, said Brian Jordan. Being exposed to the coronavirus could really affect him and mess him up.

___

Associated Press writers Patty Nieberg in Denver, Angie Wang in Washington, Lauran Neergaard in Alexandria, Virginia, and Kate Brumback and Ron Harris in Atlanta contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at https:(backslash)(backslash)twitter.com(backslash)LindseyTanner.

___

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.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tess DeGayner.

Wednesday, Nov. 3

11:46 p.m.  Officers responded to a crash resulting in property damage near the 3100 block of Camberley Lane. The driver was cited for operating while intoxicated.

8:28 p.m.  A deputy was sent to a Jerome Township residence for a report of a illegal use of 911 "call/bond violation." An intoxicated female called 911 and it was not an emergency. A report is being sent to the prosecuting's office for review.

4:53 p.m.  Officers responded to a driver who was driving with a suspended license and obstructing justice near Isabella Street and Currie Parkway.

4:39 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to Lincoln Township regarding an anonymous individual requesting a well-being check on a 46-year-old female. The deputies made contact with the female and checked her well-being, everything checked out OK.

4:25 p.m.  A 28-year-old Saginaw man called with custody issues, the man advised he went to pick up his 6-year-old daughter at the mother's residence, a 29-year-old Larkin Township woman. The man advised they were not there when he arrived within the designated timeframe. The man wanted the incident documented and no contact was made with "the other half."

3:36 p.m.  A 68-year-old female located a bike in a ditch near her residence. The bike was taken to the Midland Law Enforcement Center (LEC) until an owner can be found.

11:07 a.m.  Officers responded to a suspicious situation near the 400 block of Hawthorne Hallow.

8:59 a.m.  Deputies responded to a pick up truck-deer crash in Lee Township. A deer permit was issued.

8:58 a.m.  A deputy dispatched to a Warren Township location regarding a side-by-side ATV in a ditch. The ATV was located, suffered no damage and was tagged with caution tape until the owner can get it pulled out.

7:53 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to Ingersoll Township regarding a 74-year-old female dementia patient acting disorderly and refusing to take her medication, the deputies arrived on scene and assisted EMS. The situation was resolved without further incident and this case was closed.

3:38 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Greendale Township residence regarding a 33-year-old male reporting that he was arguing with his 21-year-old fiance. The parties were separated and no physical assault occurred.

12:31 a.m.  Officers responded to a dispatch regarding disorderly conduct near the 1400 block of Fournie Street.

12:18 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Hope Township address regarding a 44-year-old Hope Township male who claimed his 17-year-old daughter was talking to an older male online. The father advised he and his wife were handling the situation, he just wanted to file a report in attempt to locate the male talking to his daughter online.

12:16 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence regarding concern for the well-being of a 6-month-old Jerome Township male. The deputy located the child and the investigation is ongoing due to child abuse allegations.
DETROIT (AP)  The state of Michigan said Friday it agreed pay $300,000 to settle wrongful discharge claims by the only employee who was fired as a result of lead-contaminated water in Flint.

The deal with Liane Shekter Smith, who was head of the states drinking water division, came weeks after an arbitrator said she was wrongly fired in 2016 by officials who were likely looking for a public scapegoat in one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.

The state this week faced a deadline to appeal the order through the civil service system as well as an award of $191,880 in back pay and other compensation. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration instead paid 56% more to Shekter Smith to close the case.

"The department has decided to agree to the settlement amount of $300,000, which resolves the dispute and allows both the agency and Ms. Shekter Smith to move forward, said Hugh McDiarmid Jr., spokesman for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Asked why the state is paying more, McDiarmid said there was no guarantee that the arbitrator's figure would hold during an appeal. Shekter Smith had been seeking more than $900,000 in lost compensation.

A condition of the settlement is that she will not seek her job back. And her involuntary resignation will be changed to a voluntary one, he told The Associated Press, declining further comment.

In 2014-15, Flints water was drawn from the Flint River, a money-saving decision that was made by state-appointed managers who were running the ailing city. The highly corrosive water wasnt properly treated before it flowed to roughly 100,000 residents, eroding protective coatings inside the aging pipes. As a result, lead was released from those pipes.

By fall 2015, a local doctor and other experts rang the alarm about rising lead levels, especially in children, and then-Gov. Rick Snyder's administration finally acknowledged a crisis in Flint.

The Department of Environmental Quality was sharply criticized for not requiring corrosion control additives when Flint switched water sources. Specialists inside the agency insisted that results from 12 months of water sampling were necessary first, despite early troublesome lead readings and protests from angry residents who held up containers of foul water.

Some critics said the disaster in majority-Black Flint was an example of environmental racism.

There was a failure of leadership, Keith Creagh, who fired Shekter Smith, testified during the arbitration hearing last spring.

He dismissed her in 2016 shortly after taking control of the department at Snyder's request.

I found no record of Ms. Shekter-Smith, as they would say, throwing the flag. Saying that this is significant. The people of Flint have lead in their water. We need additional help, Creagh said, according to a transcript.

But the arbitrator, Sheldon Stark, found a plausible conclusion that political considerations were at play in the firing, especially when others with a direct role in Flint were not terminated.

Shekter Smith's attorney, Brian Morley, said she was grateful for the arbitrator's report.

Somebody said she was doing her job, Morley told the AP. There was no smoking gun. ... Liane has always said, I wish this wouldnt have happened in Flint. Shes a compassionate lady.

Shekter Smith told the arbitrator that she relied on her field staff to make critical decisions about Flint's water system.

Its a community water system that was obviously having some issues, she said, referring to 2014, the first year of using the Flint River. Im keeping an eye on being kept informed, keeping my management informed, but there were a lot of other things going on in the office at the time.

After her firing, Shekter Smith was charged with misconduct in office and neglect of duty. She was also put on notice that an involuntary manslaughter case would be pursued because bacteria in the water were linked to a fatal outbreak of Legionnaires disease.

But charges were dropped in 2019 in exchange for a no-contest plea to an obscure misdemeanor. The case was erased after a year, under a deal with special prosecutor Todd Flood.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez
Nonviolent Peaceforce Midland Chapter members Jeanne Lound Schaller and Judy Timmons conveyed hope and optimism as they discussed the chapter's work since its founding 10 years ago  and the possible eventual designation of Midland as a "City of Peace."

Fostering peace is hard work, and the Midland chapter has spent the past 10 years giving presentations at local schools, hosting Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) training sessions, and raising a total of $155,675 from 181 donors for NP since 2013, Schaller and Timmons told the Daily News in a recent interview.

According to Schaller, the Midland chapter, with 25 active members, is the largest NP chapter in the United States.

"Our main goal is fundraising for the international level, which includes the U.S.," Timmons explained.

For example, in the Minneapolis area, NP trained almost 400 community members in unarmed civilian protection, and these people in turn protected citizens during the trial of Derek Chauvin last spring, among other events.

What is Nonviolent Peaceforce?

According to its website, "Nonviolent Peaceforce is a global civilian protection agency based in humanitarian and international human rights law. Our mission is to protect civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies, build peace side by side with local communities, and advocate for the wider adoption of these approaches to safeguard human lives and dignity."

NP officially formed in 2002 and put its first peacekeeping team on the ground in Sri Lanka in 2003.

"NP is always asked to come into an area where theres a conflict. (Those who invite NP into a country) believe NP could negotiate between two warring factions," Timmons said.

And the intent, she said, is to involve local residents of the conflict region in the peacekeeping efforts, to make it sustainable in the long term.

"Theyve trained people from 40 countries in the world," Schaller said of NP. "A lot of them are fairly young. So its encouraging."

City of Peace

Part of NP Midland Chapter's recent work has been providing documentation to International Cities of Peace to have Midland designated as such a city.

"We're hoping in the next few months that we get it OK'd," Schaller said.

A total of 340 cities in the world are designated as International Cities of Peace, including five in Michigan: Detroit, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Hancock, and Houghton.

The stated foundational vision of International Cities of Peace is "To ensure everyones right to safety, prosperity, and quality of life, the consensus values of global peace."

Schaller said NP Midland Chapter has consulted with Midland Mayor Maureen Donker during the process of working to have the city designated as a City of Peace.

Timmons said she hopes that with that eventual designation, Midlanders will become more aware of organizations in the community that are working for peace and nonviolence, such as Midland Area Violence Prevention Partnership, Shelterhouse, Creative 360, NP Midland Chapter, and others.

"The idea is to make people aware that there are all these different organizations right here in our city," Timmons said. "On an annual basis, this could mean having events maybe at Creative 360. Maybe having signs as you enter the city that it is a City of Peace; being proud to be an International City of Peace."

In May 2022, for instance, NP co-founder Mary Lou Ott and Mel Duncan are scheduled to visit Midland.

"Violence is not the thing that humanity needs. How do we help build a better world for all?" Schaller said.

Helping young people become advocates for nonviolence

For several years, NP Midland Chapter members have been visiting classes in local schools, starting at the fourth-grade level, to promote the concept of nonviolence.

"We didnt want to just raise awareness. So we worked in the schools," Schaller said. "For us, teaching in the schools is so important because then were doing our local part."

"We discuss cyberbullying with them," Timmons said. "For example, if they got a nasty message from a friend, how would they handle that?"

"We're saying to students, 'You have a responsibility (to speak up against violence),'" Schaller said. "I grew up with (the motto), 'Children are to be seen and not heard.' Not anymore."

Timmons said another key concept is that those who are bullies at school have likely been bullied themselves elsewhere.

"One of my favorite comments from a fourth-grade girl was, 'I went and talked to a bully, and we became best friends,'" Timmons said.

The students are taught to be "upstanders, not bystanders," when it comes to stopping violence.

'Doing a small part'

Each member of the community can play a small but significant role in promoting nonviolence, Schaller said.

"Were just doing a small part (as NP Midland Chapter)," she said. "And thats all that people have to do. Like the kids with the anti-bullying (lessons), theyre doing their small part.

"Young people, with their energy and commitment, (are making a huge difference in the world)," Schaller continued. "It will be interesting to see what unfolds with them. Im very, very hopeful about that."

"(We need a) shift in mindset," Timmons said. "Stand up and speak up; dont think theres nothing you can do. Courage has the potential to break the cycle of violence."

For more information about Nonviolent Peaceforce Midland Chapter, email Schaller at jgschall@outlook.com.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed by Israeli fire during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian health officials said.

The teen, identified as Mohammad Daadas, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the stomach during clashes with Israeli forces near the northern West Bank village of Deir al-Hatab, said the health officials' statement. Daadas was taken to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead.

The Palestinian Red Crescent medical service said the Israeli army fired live ammunition, as well as tear gas and rubber bullets, at protesters while also closing off surrounding roads, preventing their ambulances from entering the site. No other serious injuries were reported.

In a statement issued later Friday, the army said dozens of Palestinians near Deir al-Hatab began hurling rocks at Israeli troops who responded with live fire.

According to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, Daadas was from the Askar refugee camp on the outskirts of the northern city of Nablus.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians are common across the West Bank on Fridays. Over the past six months, there have been weekly clashes in the nearby town of Beita, where Palestinians hold demonstrations against the establishment of an unauthorized Israeli settlement outpost that they say was built on their land. At least five protesters have been killed in the violence.

Under a deal in June between the Israeli government and the settlers of Eviatar, the settlers left the outpost but the settlements buildings remain intact and under army guard. The Palestinians have rejected the deal, saying it is a step by Israel towards taking their land.

Last week, the Israeli authorities approved 3,000 new settler homes in the West Bank, while also agreeing on Thursday to build 1,300 housing units for Palestinians who live in areas of the West Bank that are under full Israeli control.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war and has established dozens of settlements where more than 500,000 settlers live. Palestinians seek the territory  along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip  as part of their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to resolving the conflict.
To the editor:

John Moolenaar recently voted to not enforce a Congressional subpoena served to Steve Bannon to testify before the bipartisan House Oversight Committee looking into the events leading up to, during and after the insurrection of the United States government on Jan. 6, 2021. I called his office to tell him my disappointment in his vote to once again attempt to cover up the Jan. 6 terrorist attack on the U.S. Capital.

Moolenaar has enabled the seditious conspiracy to overthrow the duly elected government of the USA. The House is not attempting to try someone before the House committee as he states in response to my inquiry. The House is doing its constitutional duty of oversight in an attempt to learn more about the Trump regimes coup attempt. Moolenaar initially supported the coup when he wrote an amicus brief supporting a Texas lawsuit in an attempt to throw out all the votes of the people of Michigan in the 2020 presidential election.

Congresss contempt power is the means by which Congress responds to certain acts that in its view obstruct the legislative process. Although arguably any action that directly obstructs the effort of Congress to exercise its constitutional powers may constitute a contempt, in recent times, the contempt power has most often been employed in response to non-compliance with a duly issued congressional subpoena.

Congress has three formal methods by which it can combat non-compliance with a duly issued subpoena. Each method invokes the authority of a separate branch of government. First, the inherent contempt power permits Congress to rely on its own constitutional authority to detain and imprison a contemnor until the individual complies with congressional demands. Second, the criminal contempt statute permits Congress to certify a contempt citation to the executive branch for the criminal prosecution of the contemnor. Finally, Congress may rely on the judicial branch to enforce a congressional subpoena.

Clearly the U.S. House of Representatives is acting within the Constitutional remit it has for oversight. Moolenaars failure to acknowledge this and his attempt to cover up the coup attempt is appalling.

GREG MAYVILLE

Midland
Paducah, KY (42003)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 30F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Hillary Clinton's Espionage Thriller 'State of Terror' Is Delightfully Thinly Veiled

By Dustin Rowles | Books | November 5, 2021 |

I mostly gave up on reading political memoirs a while ago because even the best of them are facile and chock-full of platitudes. They exist to solidify legacies, and as someone who loves smutty, behind-the-scenes gossip, theyre too often lacking (unless its a memoir about the Trump presidency, and after the second or third one, those became achingly predictable and repetitive).

I dont know exactly what possessed me to pick up Hillary Clintons State of Terror (co-written with Louise Penny, the Canadian author best known for her Armand Gamache mysteries). Espionage thrillers arent really my thing, and Id rather pull my eyeballs out through my nose than read one of Bill Clintons potboilers co-written with James Patterson. But in State of Terror, the main character, Ellen Adams, is a Secretary of State, and at the very least, I imagined that Hillary Clinton might have some insight into the position.

What I didnt expect, however, was a thriller with characters who were so thinly veiled. Ellen Adams is the Secretary of State to the newly elected Douglas Williams, her biggest political rival who chose her as Secretary of State as a way to keep his enemies close. There is no love lost between the two. If that doesnt sound familiar, the Williams Administration is taking over after President Eric Dunn (also known as Eric the Dumb) ran the country into the ground and soured Americas relationship with every other country on the planet.

Though any similarities between the fictional characters and real ones are, uh, purely coincidental, theres also a Mike Flynn-like character, a James Mattis, a Huma Abedin, a Vladimir Putin, and even a Sean Spicer, a character named Pete Hamilton who is described as a doughy, baby-faced former Press Secretary to Eric Dunn. Though there isnt a lot of insight into the Secretary of States relationship with the President (it starts chilly, but they gradually come to respect one another), Hillary Clinton seems to delight in insulting her Eric Dunn characters intelligence.

As for the novel itself, its decent! After bombs go off on buses in three European cities, Ellen Adams  who ran a media empire that she completely severed ties with when she took office (handing control over to her daughter, Chelsea Katherine)  is tasked with finding the people responsible for the bombings and preventing them from setting off a nuclear attack in the United States.

I dont want to give too much away, except to say that it involves a vast right-wing conspiracy using Eric Dunn as its puppet that wants to reinstall him as President using a coup so that they can return America to the way it was meant to be. Read: White. A cartoonish Iranian arms dealer is also involved, although tracking him down requires that Ellen Adams forge cordial relationships with leaders in Iran and Pakistan. Ellen Adams son, meanwhile, is a reporter for Reuters. Shes also widowed, which saves us from any potential Bill Clinton stand-ins. Oh, and the Russian mob is involved, too. Naturally.

It is not, however, a wonky novel about foreign relations disguised as a thriller. Its like a season of 24 crossed with Madame Secretary, and while there are a few actions sequences, most of the sparring is verbal. Its not a terrifically written book, either; there are some clunky metaphors and more than a few tin-eared passages. And yet, its also a surprisingly entertaining page-turner, which is not what I expected, exactly. Nor did I expect the middle-aged protagonist to use as much profanity as she did, or to talk about the feelings some men stirred in her nether regions (*gasp*!). Mostly, though, I enjoyed gleaning Hillary Clintons insights into various regions of the world, her animosity toward the Trump Dunn Administration, the warm friendship between Adams and her Chief of Staff, and a surprising deftness when it comes to the whodunnit mystery. I sought out the novel to satisfy my curiosity, but I was pleasantly surprised with how riveting State of Terror actually is.

 Katie Porter Visits 'The Daily Show' With Hopes Of Holding Big Companies Accountable | Review: 'The Souvenir Part II' is a Sharply Realized Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman 

Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.

Header Image Source: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA)  The Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) on Friday asked former soldiers to register with the national army as nine armed groups form an alliance against the government and rebels push towards the capital, Addis Ababa
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Minister-Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic of Guinea, Colonel Amara Camara, on Thursday warned political actors and activists against any manoeuvres to destabilize the country
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Minister of Oil and Gas Mohamed Aoun has taken part in the ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) to review the state of the world oil market
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - International calls for the restoration of democratic government in Sudan continued on Friday, as the UN Human Rights Council met in special session in Geneva to discuss the recent military coup
Photo: (Photo : Eb Pilgrim/Pixabay)

A school board member has been receiving death threats after she shared on social media that she chaperoned a school field trip that brought the students to a popular Florida gay bar and grill.

Sarah Leonardi of the Broward County Public Schools shared the photos of the school field trip involving the kids from Wilton Manors Elementary School on her Twitter account. She also mentioned that they went to Rosie's Bar and Grill. The said eatery is known for its racy menus.

Speaking with NBC Miami, Leonardi said that "bigoted" people targeted her family, friends, and church community because of her post, prompting her to report the threats to the authorities. The school board member said she would like to focus on engaging the community with positivity as the representative of her school district.

I was SO honored to be invited to chaperone @WiltonManorsESs field trip to the incredible Rosies! The students and I had a fun walk over and learned a lot about our community! A huge thank you to @RosiesBnG for hosting this special field trip every year! pic.twitter.com/A3rpMbyUJP  School Board Member Sarah Leonardi (@bcpsleonardi) October 27, 2021

Read Also: Kentucky High School Lap Dance Involving Students and Teachers Sparks Investigations

Outcry from Conservatives

Christina Pushaw, who works as the press secretary for Gov. Ron DeSantis, reshared Leonardi's tweet and suggested that the school board member was forcing her liberal ideologies on the kids. In a second tweet, Pushaw also implied that Leonardi was likely expecting a protest from the parents so she could go to the press or the FBI to harp about threats and insurrection.

What if the Broward school board member took little kids to this bar EXPECTING that some parents would protest, so she could call the FBI and go on MSNBC to discuss all the threatening messages shes received from insurrectionist parents? pic.twitter.com/bkEFg9YIkC  Christina Pushaw  (@ChristinaPushaw) October 28, 2021

In recent weeks, school board members through the National School Boards Association have asked for assistance from the Department of Justice amid a spate of violent threats against school officials enforcing the rules. The DOJ has branded such acts as almost similar to "domestic terrorism," which has sparked a different controversy.

However, Leonardi said some of the comments and arguments regarding the school field trip had overstepped appropriate boundaries. Even John Zieba, the restaurant's owner, said he had received attacks and threats on the phone.

Why the Gay Bar?

After Leonardi's controversial tweet, Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton, who also chaperoned the school field trip, said the visit to the Rosie's Bar and Grill is part of teaching the kids about the neighborhood and its community members. The children did not see the racy menus as they were given child-appropriate food listings.

The restaurant was also not open to other patrons while the children were on the premises. Mayor Newton said that the trip was "very innocent" as it focused on helping the kids realize the things they can achieve if they try "to do something on their own." It also supported the school's Unit of Inquiry initiative, where the kids learn the best ways to give back to their neighborhood. In this case, it was a restaurant providing jobs and training for workers.

According to WFLA, Rosies' Bar and Grill has been hosting school field trips for a decade. Zieba expressed sadness that this incident was blown out of proportion.

"It's taking such a nice event and putting ugly labels on it and stereotypes and it's very troubling," Zieba said. He emphasized that they accept everyone at their restaurant regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, and color.

Related Article: Parents React Against FBI Crackdown on Threats to School Boards for Possible Domestic Terrorism
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions
According to a Courthouse news report, Apple clashed with app developers in a federal judges Zoom courtroom on Thursday over claims that it rejects certain apps to protect its own self-interest and monopoly power.

Small developer Dr. Jeffrey Isaacs, who created the apps "Caller-ID" and "WebCaller," told U.S. District Judge Edward Chen that he and other developer plaintiffs are prevented from competing with Apple on two fronts, app creation and distribution. Along with $200 billion in damages, they want an injunction that would bar Apple from keeping certain apps out of its App Store and charging developers a $99 yearly App Store submission fee.

Isaacs is joined by Coronavirus Reporter, an app developed "to capture and obtain critical biostatistical and epidemiological data as it happened," according the complaint. Completed in March 2020, Apple turned it down for not being affiliated with a "recognized institutions such as government, hospital, insurance company, NGO, or a university" and for containing "user-generated data has not been vetted for accuracy by a reputable source."

Meanwhile, Apple distributed a nearly identical Covid-19 app on the App Store and partnered with Google to create its own contracting-tracing app.

The developers stated in their motion for a preliminary injunction that "Apples conduct exploiting its market power substantially forecloses competition amongst emergency COVID pandemic response apps," adding that the tech giant wields "authoritarian control" over what they call the "smartphone enhanced national Internet backbone."

At stake, they argue, is the innovation and dynamism that drives the American economy.

For District Judge Edward Chen, the case hinges on whether the developers can define a relevant market. At Thursdays hearing on both the injunction motion and Apples motion to dismiss, he pressed Isaacs to explain how developers have been suppressed.

Isaacs said that it's the devices themselves. Since millions of people use iPhones exclusively, Apple can effectively control whose apps are available and how information is exchanged on the internet.

They [Apple] select who gets access to that network effect of iPhones. Were really talking about the physical; 180 million physical devices and how Apple controls access to that."

Thats all well and good, Apple attorney Rachel Brass told Chen, but in the end, it doesnt form the basis of a valid antitrust complaint. She said the developers had still failed to allege a relevant market for their claims.

"If the complaint is about access to the store then smartphones are not the relevant market," she said. "You have to be a competitor in the relevant market, and none of the plaintiffs here are smartphone manufacturers." Chen took arguments under submission.
In March 2020 Apple Inc. was fined a record 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) by French antitrust regulators for anti-competitive agreements with suppliers that thwarted independent resellers.

It's being reported today by Bloomberg that Apple has accused French antitrust regulators of blundering when they slapped the company with a record 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) fine for allegedly squeezing out resellers of iPads and Mac computers.

Melanie Thill-Tayara, a lawyer for Apple, told judges at the Paris court of appeals that watchdogs relied on a false "theory" that the U.S. tech giant entered into anti-competitive agreements with two wholesalers, hurting premium resellers of non-iPhone products and unfairly favoring its own stores and website.

Thill-Tayara said at a hearing on Thursday that "None of the measures set up by Apple sought to disadvantage" premium resellers, adding that the fining decision should be "purely and simply" reversed.

Silicon Valley firms have been facing intense French scrutiny in recent years. Google has been fined several times, including a 500 million-euro penalty in 2021 in a case over its use of publishers news content.
Ghanas total expenditure in 2022 is projected at 128.3 billion which will be 25.8% of GDP.



Data from the Ministry of Finance indicate that total expenditure (including payments for the clearance of arrears) is projected at 128.3 billion (25.8% of GDP) in 2022.



This means government expenditure in 2022 is expected to increase by almost 13% relative to the 113.8 billion expenditure in 2021.



In terms of revenue mobilization, government intend to raise an amount of 89.1 billion (17.9% of GDP) for 2022 and represents a nominal growth of 23% over the projected outturn for 2021.



Further analysis shows that the overall budget deficit (including finsec and IPPs cost) is projected at 39.2 billion (7.9% of GDP) for 2022.



The ministry also noted that for the second time in a row, interest payments are expected to be higher than compensation of employees. Interest payments is projected at 37.2 billion (7.5% of GDP) in 2022.



Additionally, compensation of employees is projected to increase from 31.5 billion (7.2% of GDP) in 2021 to 34.6 billion (7.0% of GDP) in 2022.



Interest payments and compensation of employees for decades have been the two main component of governments annual expenditure accounting for a little over 58% expenditure in 2021.



For the first time in 2021, government spent more on interest payments (30.3 billion) relative to compensation (35.9 billion).





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Zeepay MD, Andrew Takyi-Appiah officially introduced his company, Zeepay Ghana Limited to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to seek Otumfuo's blessings towards Zeepay Mobile Money and donates GH20,000 to Otumfuo Education Fund.



Asantehene expressed his delight at the wholly Ghanaian-owned mobile money company and commended them for taking the initiative to compete in an industry operated only by foreign companies - MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash and AirtelTigo.



The Asantehene further mentioned that he is exceptionally excited that one of his own, the late Dr A. K. Appiah is part of the starting founders of Zeepay, and therefore he receives Zeepay into Asanteman as his own.



Leading up to Akwasidae, Zeepay stormed Asanteman from Wednesday, October 27, 2021, to Sunday, October 31, 2021, where it conducted full scale market activations from Ejisu to Anloga Junction with support from local radio stations.



On Thursday, the float moved from Asafo to Adum and finally to Kejetia, announcing Zeepays presence in their town and signing locals onto Zeepay Mobile Money. On Friday, they visited Suame, Banatama and Abrepo with a crowing programme at a local chop bar called Efie Fufuo where locals were invited for free fufu with the Zeepay activations team.



The five-day event was climaxed by meeting the Asantehene at the Akwasidae celebration at Manhyia Palace during which Zeepay presented gifts to the Palace as custom demands. The Asantehene recalled his relationship to the late Dr Anthony Kwasi Appiah (Father to Andrew Takyi-Appiah), an old and dear friend of his and thanked the party for returning his lost son.



Finally, he offered his blessings and support to Zeepay Mobile Money. Zeepays MD said: This has been the single most effective campaign we have run in the Ashanti Region. We have indeed been honored to meet with the King to celebrate Akwasidae with the people of Asanteman and to be given the opportunity to donate to the Otumfuo Education Fund.



In attendance was Paa Kwasi Yankey, Chairman of the Board; James Quarshie, Zeepay Club Partner; Dede Quarshie, General Manager Commercial; Felicity Jaforktuk, Product Manager; Gloria Kumi, Service Delivery Manager; Morkor Quarshie, Brand Manager; Oscar Bempong, Author of Mindset Revolution; and Patrick Adjei Kontoh, Liaison Officer to Manhyia Palace.



Zeepay is the fastest growing mobile financial services company across Africa with operations in Ghana and the United Kingdom and terminating to 20 countries across Africa with termination agreements in over 90 jurisdictions globally.



Zeepay specializes in remittance termination into mobile wallets and is completely networked and partner agnostic.



The company is a wholly owned Ghanaian company and regulated in the UK by Financial Conduct Authority-FCA #592538 and in Ghana by Bank of Ghana- PSD/ZGL/20/03 under the Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987). Zeepay supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 and is considered a Financial Inclusion Company positioned to improve last mile access. Visit myzeepay.com for more information.

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.

Featured Video
The Volta Development Forum, a business society in the Volta region is demanding answers from the government and the Aviation Ministry as to why the Ho airport has since not been operationalized several months after domestic flight operators, African World Airlines undertook a test flight to the facility and declared it fit for purpose.



At a press briefing earlier today in Ho, the Executive Director of VDF, Daniel Agboka-Dzegede stated that the opening of the $25 million dollar facility has been long overdue and demanded from the government an immediate response and action.



It isworrying that many months after this test flight and all the promises that followed, the 25 million dollar Ho airport has since not been operationalized and this begs for answers. In just about a weeks time, the volta region will be opening to the business world its fixed trade and investment fair.



This trade fair will bring together hundreds of exhibitors, top business and investment personalities as we showcase once more the business opportunities the volta region can offer in the areas of tourismI want to state that the opening of the Ho Airport is long overdue and it will be very much appreciated if the government can expedite action in opening the Ho Airport for the benefit of all and sundry.



The $25 million dollar facility since its completion in 2017 has been left unopened despite the numerous calls from the public demanding its operationalization.



In April this year, domestic flight operators, African World Airlines undertook a test flight from the Kotoka International airport to the facility to explore the possibility of commencing commercial activities there and duly declared the airport as fit for purpose.



Other airlines, including Passion Airlines, were said to have shown interest in taking their operations to Ho.







Source: starrfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The government has begun the implementation of some initiatives to ensure a reduction of emissions in the cocoa and the shea sectors to improve livelihood opportunities for farmers, women groups and forest users in the country.

They are the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP) and the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reduction Project (GSLERP), which are in line with the REDD+ strategy.



The strategy is a UN mechanism demonstrating countries' effort to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.



The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, made this known at an event dubbed: Beyond the talk  Showcasing Ghanas forest sector climate solutions, at the ongoing climate change conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday.



The event was held at the Ghana Pavilion in Glasgow.



Implementation



Mr Jinapor said his outfit was sourcing funding for the implementation of the entire programme in Ghanas 20-year REDD+ strategy and other key national initiatives on afforestation and reforestation.



He said the country was pursuing an aggressive afforestation programme, and that earlier this year, the government launched a Greening programme, which included the declaration of June 11, each year as Green Ghana Day.



That, the minister said, was in line with actions the country was taking to meet its target under the Bonn Challenge and the Africa Forest Landscape Restoration initiative (AFR 100).



Ghana is also fully committed to the Joint Framework of Action (JFA) signed between the governments of Ghana and Cote dIvoire, the worlds two largest producers of cocoa, on the one hand, and 36 cocoa and chocolate producing companies, on the other, to halt deforestation and forest degradation due to cocoa production.



We are also implementing a forest investment programme (FIP) to address concerns about drivers of deforestation and forest degradation to enhance carbon stocks and also improve on the livelihoods of rural communities, he added.



Interventions



Mr Jinapor also said Ghana recently launched a national alternative employment and livelihood programme (NAELP) to create jobs for artisanal miners and also safeguard the forest landscape from further degradation through mining activities.



The forest sector offers us fast, reliable and empirical evidence-based actions to mitigate the effect of climate change. We must, therefore, make concerted efforts to safeguard our forests.





It is my hope that todays event will result in a renewed sense of commitment to protect our forests through real and measurable actions, he added.



According to the minister, the worlds climate was changing at an alarming rate through the actions and inaction of people.



Since the first COP in Berlin in 1995, we have made commitments and resolutions in successive COPs in our bid to reverse the negative consequences of climate change.



Unfortunately, we have not been successful at it.



The world keeps getting warmer, rain patterns are changing, ice in the Antarctic and glaciers are melting and sea temperatures are rising.



In Ghana, our savannah ecological zone is getting drier and more humid as our primary tropical and sub-tropical forests are being depleted, he said.













Source: Graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Controversial soothsaying pastor Nigel Gaisie has prevailed on Ghanaians to brace themselves for more surprises as Parliament readies to pass the anti-LGBTQI+ bill that seeks to criminalise same-sex activities in the country.



He said more surprises would follow after the passage of the bill in Parliament.



The founder and leader of Prophetic Hill Chapel made this revelation on Accra-based TV3.



According to him, Parliament will surely pass the anti- LBTQI+ bill in the face of some stiff opposition.



He was emphatic that the bill would be passed by March 2022 in spite of all the opposition to the bill.



He was quick to add that the bill will be passed by Parliament as expected by the leadership of the Christendom, but three prominent individuals in the country will take the matter to the Supreme Court on the matter of human rights abuse.



He said the Apex court would reverse the decision of the Legislature on the basis of human rights.



He called on the Christian community to continue praying in these times, adding that our culture and beliefs abhors LGBQI+ activities.













Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
As part of the governments plan of keeping Ghanaians abreast of its policies and programmes, the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has handed a refurbished state-of-the-art newsroom to the Information Services Department.



The newsroom is linked to an App Bonsu Platform set up at the Public Coordinating Division of the ISD to produce real-time reports of the activities of the government from Public Relations Officers at Ministries, Departments and Agencies.



Journalists in the newsroom will produce and post government development projects on the departments news portal, www.ghanatoday.gov.gh, GhanaToday Magazine and distribute the same to other media houses.



At a ceremony to hand over the newsroom to ISD, the Minister for Information, Hon. Oppong Nkrumah said even though the government had done enough to turn the economy around and improve the lives of Ghanaians, there was the misconception that the government had not lived up to expectation.



He said the central phenomenon fuelling this misconception among a section of Ghanaians was the lack of information on the government activities in the media space.



Hon. Oppong Nkrumah said it was against that backdrop that the government was transforming the ISD to perform its mandate of disseminating government programmes.



He said the implementation of the governments transformational agenda for the ISD started last year with re-structuring of the organogram of the department and re-alignment of staff to fill the positions they could perform effectively and efficiently.



He added that the Research Division was refurbished last year.



Early this year, the Public Coordinating Division was also refurbished to produce real-time reports of the activities of the government.



He said the newsroom has now been retooled and refurbished with modern electronic equipment that befits any news production organization in the country, adding that the newsroom staff were expected to produce accurate and relevant information that would impact the lives of Ghanaians.



The Minister also disclosed that the department had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Institute of Journalism to train the Public Relations Officers of ISD to aid their certification by the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana.



He said the Ministry and ISD were in consultation with the Office of the Head of Civil Service to make the Public Relations class in the Service.



He added that another MoU had been signed with the Ghana Statistical Services to train District Information Officers to gather and analyze public reaction reports on government projects scientifically.



On his part, a renowned journalists and communications specialist, Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, who was part of the technical team that redesigned the newsroom, encouraged officers of the newsroom to make a mark on the media space.



We all need a trusted source of information, and this is an opportunity for ISD to be the most trusted source for government information, he added





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.

Featured Video
The Police have arrested two persons for forcibly stripping two teenagers naked and publicly parading them on the streets of Akuapem-Adawso.



It is also alleged that the suspects severely assaulted the teenagers while parading them on the street on Friday, October 29, 2021, in the Akuapem North Municipality.



The victims were reportedly subjected to this abuse after they were accused of allegedly stealing 100 and a mobile phone.



A statement signed by the Director-General of Polices Public Affairs, ACP Kwesi Ofori said the two victims were being sent to the Police Hospital in Accra for medical attention.



Psychologists have also been assigned to counsel the families of the victims.



The police also cautioned the public against engaging in unlawful acts or risk being arrested and prosecuted.















Source: Graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Residents of Akyem Akokoaso in the Akyemansa District in the Eastern Region are sitting on a time bomb and face dire health consequences if nothing is done to stop illegal mining in their community.

Not only have illegal mining activities destroyed the main source of water for the community, the Aboabo River, reducing it to muddy water; the palm plantation which provides palm fruits to produce palm oil for commercial purposes has also become polluted with chemicals.



Again, the use of explosives such as dynamite is threatening the lives of residents, as their buildings have developed serious cracks.



The community has, therefore, appealed to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to, as a matter of urgency, extend the exercise to stop illegal mining and save water bodies to the area to save lives and properties.



The Leader of the youth group in the community, Mr Ernest Oteng, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the youth had tried to get the law to take its course and stop illegal mining there, but it had yielded no result, hence their call for national help.



It is not just about the perpetuation of the illegal activities; its impact on the community now and the future is what is agitating the youth - something must be done about it before it gets out of hand, he told the Daily Graphic.



Observation

When the Daily Graphic visited the area, it observed that the river that runs through a palm plantation had almost dried up and was also discoloured.

It also observed cracks in a number of houses.



Mining firm, expired licence



Mr Oteng said the problem began with the arrival of a mining firm headed by Chinese, the Jia Xin Company Limited, in 2018, after the company had bought the concession from Ofosua Mining Company Limited.



He claimed that although the licence was for prospecting, the firm had gone into full-scale mining and was working illegally.





He further alleged that in a bid to get quick results from the mining prospect, the management of the Chinese firm introduced the use of poisonous chemicals and also built a channel from the river to the mining site through which waste substances were released back into the river.



Mr Oteng, who is the leader of the Concerned Youth of Akokoaso, said the Chinese, working on the approximately 36.33-square kilometre concession, were operating with an expired prospecting licence, as the letter from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, dated July 17, 2018 and signed by the then sector Minister, Mr John Peter Amewu, and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akyemansa, Mr Paul Asamoah, expired on March 19, this year.



Stop work directives



He said as a result of agitation by the youth of the community, the assembly and the Eastern Regional Directorate of the Minerals Commissions had, on separate occasions, directed the Chinese company to stop its activities but they had been ignored.





The Daily Graphic sighted copies of the two letters.



The first one from the Akyemansa District Assembly, dated May 19, this year, signed by the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Peter K. Tetteh, and titled: Request to halt your mining exploration at Akyem Akokoaso, indicated that the exploration licence secured from the Minerals Commission expired in April this year and so the firm could no longer operate and directed it to move its equipment from the site to avoid it being destroyed.





The other letter from the Minerals Commission, dated July 24, this year, signed and stamped by the Eastern Regional Head, the Minerals Commission Inspectorate Division, Senior Assistant Chief Inspector of Mines Mr Joshua Quaye Sowah, and titled: Stop Work Order Minerals and Mining (Health, safety and Technical Regulations 22 (LI 2182 of 2012), made reference to a preliminary investigation report and instructed the Jia Xin Company Limited to stop work on two grounds - ongoing investigations into alleged illegal mining activities by the company and the issue of water pollution by the companys operations.



Unfortunately, these interventions have not yielded any results and we have been left with no option but call on the sector minister to intervene by extending the 'Operation Halt' to Akyem Akokoaso, Mr Oteng said.



Impact



He said due to the heavy pollution of the Aboabo River, which serves as the main source of drinking water, for other domestic chores, as well as for small-scale palm oil production at Akokoaso, residents now resorted to using sachet water for their various chores, but that could not be sustained.



There is no other source of water in the community and now we have to rely mainly on sachet water for our chores, but that cannot be sustained, given the cost, he said.



He again indicated that the use of explosives such as dynamite had left dangerous cracks on several structures near the mining site, posing a threat to the lives of the occupants of such buildings, as no one could tell when the worst could happen.



Again, he expressed concern about the safety of the people recruited to work at the mine and who, out of joblessness, had obliged.



He explained that recently, some of the youth recruited in the illegal mining activity almost lost their lives when the underground tunnel which had been created caved in at the site.



But for the timely intervention of some people around, those young men could have perished, he said.



He showed the Daily Graphic a couple of short videos on how the young men who were trapped in the caved-in tunnel after it had rained had been rescued.



Mr Oteng also said the situation had created an uneasy calm in the community, as the youth pushed for more protests against the managers of the firm, as well as the police for not acting, despite the complaints lodged



The concerned youth had previously clashed with the miners and the managers of the mine and it resulted in gunshots.



Instead of dealing with the illegal activities, the police rather arrested some of us in the middle of the night, tagging us as criminals.



This has led to some tension in the community and we appeal to Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, and the security services to take swift and proactive measures to stop the illegal operation of the Chinese firm before the situation escalates into something else, as we are determined to fight to protect our community and environment, Mr Oteng emphasised.



Firm declines comment



When the Daily Graphic visited the mine site, two men met there declined to comment, saying they had no prior knowledge of the teams presence at the facility.









Source: Graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Europe is once again at the epicentre of the Covid pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, as cases soar across the continent.



At a press conference WHO Europe head Hans Kluge said the continent could see half a million more deaths by February.



He blamed insufficient vaccine take-up for the rise.



We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place, he said.



The rate of vaccination has slowed across the continent in recent months. While some 80% of people in Spain are double jabbed, that number is lower in France and Germany  at 68% and 66% respectively  and lower still in some central and eastern European countries. Only 32% of Russians were fully vaccinated by October 2021.



Mr Kluge also blamed a relaxation of public health measures for rising infections in the WHOs European region, which covers 53 countries including parts of Central Asia. So far the WHO has recorded 1.4 million deaths across the region.



The WHOs technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said over the past four weeks cases across Europe had soared over 55%, despite an ample supply of vaccines and tools, and colleague Dr Mike Ryan said Europes experience was a warning shot for the world.



It came as Germany recorded almost 34,000 daily COVID cases in the past 24 hours, a record rise.



While the Covid numbers in Germany are below the UKs latest daily case numbers of more than 37,000, public health officials are worried that a fourth wave of infection could lead to a large number of deaths and pressure on the health system. In the past 24 hours 165 deaths have been recorded, up from 126 a week ago.



Lothar Wieler of Germanys RKI institute spoke of terrifying numbers. If we dont take counter-measures now, this fourth wave will bring yet more suffering, he said. Among the many Germans who have not been vaccinated are more than three million over-60s, seen at particular risk.



But as Hans Kluge pointed out, the surge in cases is not confined to Germany.



The most dramatic rises in fatalities have been in the past week in Russia, where more than 8,100 deaths were recorded, and Ukraine, with 3,800 deaths. Both countries have very low rates of vaccination and Ukraine announced a record 27,377 new cases in the past 24 hours.



The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.



Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies



Figures last updated: 1 November 2021, 09:31 GMT



Romania recorded its highest number of deaths in 24 hours this week at 591 while in Hungary, daily Covid infections have more than doubled in the past week to 6,268. Mask-wearing is only required on public transport and in hospitals.



At the moment we seem to be hell-bent on a course that says the pandemic is over, we just need to vaccinate a few more people. That is not the case, said Dr Ryan, who called for every country to plug the holes in their response.



This week the Dutch government said it would reimpose mask-wearing and social distancing in many public settings as it emerged that hospital admissions had gone up 31% in a week.



Latvia meanwhile is imposing a three-month state of emergency from Monday amid a record level of COVID infection.



Croatia recorded 6,310 new cases on Thursday, its highest number so far. Slovakia has reported its second highest number of cases and Czech infections have returned to levels last seen in spring.



Englands deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam said on Wednesday that too many people believed the pandemic was over.



However, in countries with the highest vaccination rates, infection rates are still relatively low.



Italy has one of the highest vaccination rates for over-12s but even here new cases are up 16.6% in the past week.



Portuguese infections have risen above 1,000 for the first time since September. Spain is one of the few countries not to see a rise in transmission with 2,287 cases reported on Wednesday.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Microsoft CEO, Bill Gates has called on governments to give billions in research and development funding to prevent future pandemics and 'bio-terrorism'.



The American billionaire warned that world leaders must prepare for disasters like 'smallpox terror attacks' and called for the formation of a new billion-dollar World Health Organisation Pandemic Task Force.



Bill Gates gave the warning and bid for funds during a Policy Exchange thinktank interview with chair of the Health Select Committee and former UK health secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday.



He said that countries like the US and the UK must spend 'tens of billions' to fund the research.



'I'm hoping in five years, I can write a book called, 'We ARE ready for the next pandemic', but it'll take tens of billions in R&D  the US and the UK will be part of that', he said.



'It'll take probably about a billion a year for a pandemic Task Force at the WHO level, which is doing the surveillance and actually doing what I call 'germ games' where you practise.'



Gates suggested that the 'germ-games' could include preparing for acts of bioterrorism such as smallpox attacks on airports, likening them to 'war-games' used by militaries to train for conflicts the world over.



'You say, OK, what if a bioterrorist brought smallpox to 10 airports? You know, how would the world respond to that?' Gates said.

'There's naturally-caused epidemics and bioterrorism-caused epidemics that could even be way worse than what we experienced today.'



The world's fourth-richest man also anticipated the 'incredibly beneficial' medical innovations that will come from increased funding for pandemic prevention.



'The nice thing is a lot of the R&D we need to do to be ready for the next pandemic are things like making vaccines cheap, having big factories, eradicating the flu, getting rid of the common cold, making vaccines just a little patch you put on your arm, things that will be incredibly beneficial even in the years when we don't have pandemics,' he said.



He added that he will continue to talk about pandemic preparedness, as part of his work as a philanthropist.



He said: 'So along with the climate message and the ongoing fight against diseases of the poor, pandemic preparedness is something I'll be talking about a lot.



'And I think it'll find fertile ground because, you know, we lost trillions of dollars and millions of lives. And citizens expect their governments not to let that happen again.'









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The government is to plant a minimum of 20 million trees next year as part of major effort to restore lost forest cover in the country, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has disclosed in Glasgow, Scotland.



Speaking at the World Leaders Summit on protecting the forests and oceans held on the sidelines of COP 26 yesterday, the President announced: Next year, we aim to plant a minimum of 20 million trees, and we have already begun earnest preparations towards this.



In June this year, I led the entire country, through the Green Ghana Project, to plant over seven million trees, far above the five million we had targeted, he told the gathering of world leaders and environmentalists who are participating in the summit.



UN COP26



From Sunday October 31 - November 12, 2021, world leaders and environmentalists are gathering in Glasgow to participate in the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN COP26).



Since 1995, global leaders have met annually to firm up plans to tackle climate change. And for the summit in Glasgow, the expectation is to accelerate action towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.



Initiatives



According to the President, in the last two decades, the government had been implementing initiatives such as the national forest plantation development programme and the Ghana forest plantation strategy, in line with measures to restore lost forest cover in the country.



That, he said, was because deforestation and forest degradation are the greatest challenges to sustainable forest management in the country.



The President also gave an assurance that from 2024 and beyond, Ghana intended to reduce emissions by some 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in the cocoa-forest landscape through the implementation of the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme, one of five ecological landscape-tailored initiatives in the countrys REDD+ Strategy.



He also said through nationally determined contributions in the forestry sector, Ghana was committed to supporting the global target of halving emissions by 2030 and attaining neutrality by 2050.



Ocean management



On the sustainable management of the ocean, the President said requisite structures and processes were being put in place to finalise the countrys sustainable ocean plan by 2025.



The pressing threats we face are marine security due to the prevalence of piracy and armed robbery on our seas, the mounting menace of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU), over-fishing and its attendant decline in fish stocks and plastic pollution, he said.



President Akufo-Addo further said in partnership with the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, we are also conducting an ocean governance study to help us strengthen our legal and institutional framework for ocean management.



In addition, he said, the country had implemented a close season for artisanal and industrial fishing to help reduce excessive pressure and over-exploitation of the sea in order to replenish the countrys falling marine fish stocks.



The results have been a phenomenal success.



We intend to continue to implement this policy over the medium-term.



We must leverage our collective political influence, build strong partnerships with business leaders and influencers in civil society to effectively drive the implementation of the transformation document by all countries, the President added.





Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Member of the finance committee of parliament and Member of Parliament(MP) for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has washed down the digitalization lecture of the vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.



According to him, "Digitalization is not a substitute for economic development".



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that there are real economic issues that need to be attended to by this government rather than trying to cover up their abysmal performance with an economic digitalization talk.



"Now that Dr Bawumia is digitalizing everything, your favourite delicacy which is fufu will even be digitalized," he told programme host Kwame Nkrumah 'Tikese'.



"This whole National Identification Card also known as GhanaCard initiative is meant to enrich a private business. The promotion by the Vice President is more of a business decision than a national interest.



"The fact is whenever a Ghanaian uses the Ghana card, the private business owner is paid an amount of money," he added.



The Vice President in delivering a statement on the theme TRANSFORMING AN ECONOMY THROUGH DIGITALIZATION- THE GHANA STORY on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at the Ashesi University, Berekuso in the Eastern Region disclosed a number of benefits in using the Ghana Card.



Watch video below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
FRIENDS OF BAWUMIA -FOB, has commended Dr. Bawumia for being the Vice President Ghana has always needed.



This follows the vice president's digitalization lecture at Ashesi University on the 2nd of November 2021 under the theme "Transforming An Economy Through Digitalization- The Ghana Story".

The group, Friends of Bawumia- FOB believes His Excellency Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia has over the years proven and remain a very formidable force within the political environment of Ghana.



Winfred Kofi Gidiglo,a.k.a Chairman Sadam national chairman of the FOB says the lecture has given Ghanaians a clear picture of how digitalization is gradually shaping the country and also proven why it is the way to go.

"We as group believes Dr. Bawumia after the lecture has cleared every doubt Ghanaians had about him and also showcased why he will be the right man to take over from H.E Nana Akuffo Addo by being the pioneer behind the digitalization of the economy.~Chairman Sadam said.



He further said that he feels sad after seeing major opposition members advertising their ignorance publicly by not appreciating the link between digitization and economic development after such a transparent lecture.



FRIENS OF BAWUMIA (FOB) however appreciate the Vice President Dr. Bawumia for that wonderful lecture and believes that their vision of seeing him become President will be a reality.

Source: peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority side of Ghanas Parliament is accusing the Majority side of playing mischief in their reaction to the Speakers decision to deny a police request for the Member of Parliament for Madina to assist in an investigation.



The Ghana Police Service on October 27, 2021, wrote to the speaker requesting the release of the Madina MP to assist them in investigations into some criminal activities that occurred during a demonstration he led against bad roads in his constituency.



In a response to the police, the speaker referred to some limitations in the 1992 Constitution and said he is unable to release the MP.



But in a reaction to the Speakers response to the police, the Majority side of the house has accused Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin of digressing from the precedent set by his predecessors in dealing with such matters.



However, according to the Minority, the police in their quest to have Francis-Xavier Sosu assist them in their investigation failed to utilize the appropriate means.



The Minority side in a statement subsequent to one issued by the Majority has said that their partners on the other side of the house are being mischievous and disingenuous in their claims.



"The Majority Leadership is being mischievous and disingenuous by ignoring the fact that the Police refused to comply with the established protocols of dealing with matters affecting MPs by not first of all contacting the Speaker who would have then made the necessary arrangements for them to meet with the affected MP."



Contrary to the Majoritys claims that the Speaker has diverted from precedence, the Minority said the Speaker has been upright in sticking to provisions of the law when it comes to such matters.



The Majority Leadership has lost its way for abandoning the truth and the facts of this Francis-Xavier Sosu matter. The Rt. Speaker of the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana has not changed any rule. The request of the Police Service for release of MPs who have complaints lodged against them at the Police Service are invited to the Office of the Speaker. After listening to them, the Speaker will then inform them of the decision to release them to the Police Service for investigation.



The Speaker will then convey his decision to the Investigators and remind them of the practice established by his predecessors of conducting the investigations in the Conference Room of the Speaker in the presence of their lawyers. The MPs are informed of the date to appear and attend to the investigations and to answer the enquiries of the Investigators and the MPs comply. This is the practice, the statement signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu stated.







Source: Ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Members of Parliament were angered that Cabinet Ministers and their deputies were stalling and undermining the work of Parliament by failing to honour invitations to the House to answer questions.



The lawmakers claimed that Parliamentary questions are tools they use to seek information or to press for action, hence Ministers are therefore obliged to explain and defend the work, policy decisions and actions of their Ministries through these questions.



They emphasized that there is only one Parliament in Ghana which is located in Accra, but not Kumasi, stressing that the democratic path the country has chosen should not be allowed to be undermined.



The frustrated Members of Parliament were of the view that the Minister has no justification abandoning parliamentary business today, Wednesday 3rd November for a meeting in Kumasi warning that the right of oversight over the Executive should always stands.



The anger was in connection with the inability of the Minister for Transport Kweku Ofori Asiamah to honour the invitation of the House to answer an Urgent Question which stood in the name of Pru East MP Hon. (Dr) Kwabena Donkor asking to know when new and reliable ferries would be supplied to Kete Krachi, Yeji, Dambai and Dorkorkrom.



The MP for Keta Kwame Gakpe also scheduled to ask the Minister the status of the work on the Keta Sea Port and the Keta Landing Beach while his Ekumfi colleague, Abeiku Crentsil was listed to ask the Minister the commencement date of the Ekumfi Landing Beach project.



The final question for the Transport Minister about the status of the construction of the Air Navigation Services Centre at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) stood in the name of the Member of Parliament for Sissala West Adam Mohammed Supkaru.



Deputy Minority Chief Whip Ahmed Ibrahim leading the outburst expressed his anger at the blatant disregard of the authority of the House by some Ministers and insisted that Parliament needed to bite hard to show that it had oversight responsibility over the Executive.



He said the attitude of the Minister was an affront to the authority of Parliament, a conduct intended to stall the conduct of business in the House especially as this Meeting, in which is programmed, the presentation of the 2022 Budget Statement and Government Financial Policy is scheduled to last for only nine-weeks.



Members in their contributions believed it was unfortunate that some Ministers who had been invited to answer questions were undermining the authority of the House and lamented that it is even more worrying when it is Ministers who are also MPs who are behaving like this.



The lawmakers in frustration were unanimous in agreeing it was because of this attitude of some Minsters of State towards Parliament that Ghanaians often ridiculed the House and suggested that it was time Parliament exerted its authority and stopped pampering Ministers.



The Second Deputy Andrew Asiamah Amoako then presiding, in defence of the Transport Minister, noted that he has been one of few Ministers who attended regularly to the House to answer and called for cool heads to prevail since the Minister was attending an equally important state function in Kumasi.



A visibly worried Deputy Majority Chief Whip Alexander Afenyo-Markin pledged to reschedule the questions and gave the assurance to summon the Minister to appear and answer the questions tomorrow on Wednesday 3rd July.



Meanwhile, a statement delivered MP for Juaboso Kwabena Mintah Akandoh on the tensions surrounding the confirmation of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by the various Assemblies nationwide degenerated into heated partisan debate among the MPs on both sides of the House.



A request by the Minority Side for the Speaker to refer the statement to the Local Government and Rural Development Committee was put on hold following the Majoritys disclosure that the Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Minister would soon make a formal statement in the House in respect of the confusions surrounding the confirmations.



The two statements, according to the Majority Group in Parliament could then be incorporated into one document for referral to the Committee together with the sector Minister Dan Botwe.





Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
It seems the constant comparison of old and new musicians is likely to be a never ending one with artistes from both sides sharing their opinions.



The latest to join the discussion is rapper Paa Dogo who said the new crop of rappers had nothing good to offer, adding that their works could not be compared to the old ones.



According to Paa Dogo, there was no sense in recent rap songs and it was unfortunate that was what Ghanaians seemed to enjoy.



When you talk about good rap and deep lyrics the likes of myself, Okra Tom Dawidi, Jay Dee, Obrafour, Tinny, Okyeame Kwame, Lord Kenya had that but the same cannot be said now. Now every rapper is talking nonsense and is getting the views and attention all over, he told Graphic Showbiz recently.



Paa Dogo said the new crop of rappers was not positively impacting the up and coming ones.



What is the new crop of rappers teaching the up and coming rappers? We took inspiration from the likes of Reggie Rockstone but what are they also teaching the young ones who take inspiration from them? he asked.





Read also: No mobile phone, no wahala Kwabena Kwabena



Paa Dogo has been missing on the music scene for a while now and said he was planning to come back big.



Sometimes, you need to take a break and restructure whatever you do. We did music with passion and even though it never paid at that time, I believe I left a mark with good rap. I had to do other stuff to take care of my family but I am coming back. I am coming out big, he said.



To Paa Dogo, he would prefer to wait for a long time and come out with something great than to rush and come out with something below standard.



When you set a standard, you dont have to reduce it. I have been praised by my peers and Ghanaians for being a good rapper so whats the point in releasing a song below standard. It wont make any sense, he stated.



Read also: Music not lucrative anymore  Kumi Guitar



Despite trying to come back big, Paa Dogo said he preferred to make it on his own than to ride on the back of current musicians.



With good promotion and a great song, getting a banger is easy. I dont need to ride on KiDi, Kuami Eugene or Stonebwoy for my comeback. Very soon, Paa Dogo will be one of the biggest artistes in Ghana, he said.



Paa Dogo who has worked with musicians such as Obrafour, Tinny and Okyeame Kwame is known for songs including Osumafour (Mmonto), Medo No and Tykun.

Source: Graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Rapper, Kwaw Kese born Emmanuel Kofi Botwe says he has taken a break from smoking because he is now a matured man.



Even though, he didnt state what exactly he smokes, he said he has gotten to the stage where he needed a break.



Now, I have taken a break. Now I am a mature man, I am grown, I have kids. I have slowed down on some things, he reportedly said on Hitz Fm.



I was crazy, now the craziness has toned down. Now it is beautiful madness, he added.

The Abodam crooner was on November 22, 2014 arrested by the Ghana Police Service in Kumasi for allegedly smoking marijuana in public.



He was subsequently granted bail on December 30, 2014 after spending over a month in prison. In between going to court and pursuing music career, he was engaged in advocacy to support prison inmates and also advise the youth to stay away from drugs.



He was later sentenced to prison for just a DAY with a fine of GHC1,200. Now he says he is breaking away with his smoking past.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Logansport, IN (46947)

Today

Becoming partly cloudy after some morning rain. High 49F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 22F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune.

You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.10 per week for 10 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month.
WSOP Temporarily Goes on Lockdown Over Suspect's "Suspicious Item"

November 05, 2021 Jon Sofen

During the Day 1a session of the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, the Rio Convention Center was put on lockdown, and poker players were left wondering what was going on. PokerNews reached out to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department for details on the scary situation.

Wild rumors were quickly circling as to what caused the situation, even moreso after Johnnie "Vibes" Moreno told his Twitter followers that he witnessed someone get tackled by five undercover officers.

Just saw a guy with a WSOP lanyard get tackled by 5 undercover on break of WSOP main event. The placed him under ar https://t.co/ROj6DKb4JQ  Johnnie VIBS (@JohnnieVibes)

According to Lieutenant Jesse Roybal of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, a suspect unrelated to the WSOP was chased by police to the Rio Convention Center where it was discovered there was a "suspicious item" inside the suspect's vehicle.

"As a precaution, ARMOR was requested to render the item safe," Roybal said. "The parking lot was briefly shut down during the process."

Officer Roybal didn't disclose information about the suspect or what sparked the incident.

No one was permitted to enter or leave the convention center for over an hour while police scoured the premises. The giant parking lot outside the convention center was blocked off and cars were unable to exit the lot during that period. The main Rio casino area, however, remained open during the situation.

@AlexFungali 100% lockdown for at least 2 more hours . U can not get your car https://t.co/ZOdW58FIWw  David (@TheColdStone)

Thursday was an eventful opening day to the 52nd annual WSOP Main Event. Doyle Brunson made an appearance, the defending champ Damian Salas made a quick exit, a player flopped a royal flush during the first level, and the session concluded during a lockdown. But, unlike what happened on Day 1 in 2019, at least no one dropped their pants and threw a shoe at a dealer.

Click here for a recap of the 2021 WSOP Main Event Day 1a
Support Local Journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution.
On November 3, Irans Press TV state news outlet released dramatic video footage of the seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

The footage depicts events that actually happened earlier (on October 25, according to Press TV), when Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commandos landed by helicopter on the deck of the Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker MV Sothys, which was being tailed by two U.S. Navy destroyers.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) releases detailed footage of its confrontation late last month against an American act of piracy targeting an Iranian fuel shipment, Press TV stated.

During the episode, American forces confiscated the tanker that was carrying a cargo of Iranian oil in the strategic Sea of Oman, transferring its consignment of crude to another vessel. The IRGC then staged a maritime operation against the second vessel, landing its helicopters on its deck and navigating the ship towards Iranian waters.

The Press TV report was accompanied by a dramatic, nearly seven-minute-long video.

Yet the Press TV report was false: The only act of piracy, it turns out, was carried out by Iran.

The oil export monitoring service Tanker Trackers Inc. monitored the incident as it unfolded and provided a summary based on data about the Sothys activities. (It should be noted that Tanker Trackers said the hijacking took place on October 24, not October 25.)

According to Tanker Trackers, the Sothys departed from the Middle East in June of this year, bound for Longkou, China, with 700,000 barrels of Iranian oil. It is believed the Sothys loaded the oil from a Liberian-flagged vessel called the Oman Pride.

In August, the U.S. Treasury Department had levied sanctions on the Oman Pride and its owners company for alleged involvement in smuggling Iranian oil to Asia. Yet, the ship was never confiscated or seized by the U.S. forces, and the sanctions came after the transfer of oil took place in June.

Once the Sothys reached the Chinese port, for unknown reasons it sat for six weeks without unloading. But the tanker then returned to Bandar Abbas in Iran, where it remains.

Vietnamese officials have reportedly been in contact with Iran to negotiate the ships return. Meanwhile, on November 4, the Iranian oil carried by the Sothys was reportedly offloaded to an Iranian-flagged vessel in Bandar Abbas.

The New York Times reported that IRGC-linked social media accounts claimed the Sothys was one of four ships confiscated by the U.S. in the Atlantic while en route to Venezuela last August.

However, reports at the time said those vessels, all of which were identified, were sailing under the Liberian flag.

On November 3, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby denied that the U.S. tried to intervene in the IRGCs operation to seize the ship.

I've seen the Iranian claims they are absolutely totally false and untrue, Kirby told reporters. There was no such effort by U.S. naval assets to seize anything. What this refers to is back on the 24th of October, U.S. Navy assets did monitor Iranian forces, illegally boarding and seizing a merchant vessel in international waters in the Gulf of Oman.

In the Iranian video, none of the U.S. vessels are seen attempting to intervene. There is audio of a dialogue between the IRGC operatives and one of the U.S. destroyers. When warned to stay away, a voice says in English: This is a coalition warship conducting routine operations in international waters.

Although Iranian speedboats can be seen very close to the American vessels, the video does not show any aggressive maneuvering by the latter.

Iran has established a pattern for attacks on oil tankers, including boarding and seizing ships.

Earlier this year, Polygraph.info reported on an attempt by Iranian forces to hijack a cargo ship called the Asphalt Princess. A small group of armed men boarded her and demanded that the crew head to a port in Iran.

Earlier, IRGC units harassed a ship owned by the same Dubai-based company. As in the Sothys incident, the Iranian commandos cruised alongside the ship with armed speedboats while a helicopter landed a squad on the ships deck.

In January, a South Korean ship was hijacked to an Iranian port and held until South Korea agreed to release $1 billion in Korean bank accounts frozen under sanctions. And in July 2020, another ship was hijacked near the United Arab Emirates and later found in Iranian waters.
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.
More work is being done on the iconic Morgan Fountain at the intersection of Laurens Street and Park Avenue in downtown Aiken.

Thats why the upper portion, which includes a small statue of a boy and girl walking under an umbrella, is missing.

Earlier this year, the fountain was disassembled and removed to be repaired and cleaned.

The Aiken Standard reported in mid-February that it was gone, but before the end of the month, the fountain was back in place, and water was flowing through it again by early March.

But since the fountain was rehabbed, weve had some issues, said Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh.

One of the problems was rust, so new paint was required.

In addition, one of the fountains two pumps needed to be replaced because it wasnt functioning properly.

Its just some touch-up stuff, but thats hard to do in the middle of an intersection, said Aiken Public Works Director Lex Kirkland as to why the fountain was dismantled again and much of it transported to another site.

The City of Aiken hired W.P. Law of Lexington to overhaul the fountain initially, and the company is back on the job again.

According to its website, W.P. Law, which was founded in 1970 in Lexington and has seven locations in South Carolina, is one of the Southeasts leading suppliers of fluid handling equipment for farmers, contractors, and industries.

The work being done now wont cost the City of Aiken anything.

It is covered by what we paid earlier for the fountain to be reconditioned, Kirkland said.

He is hoping the fountain will be up and running again by the end of the month.

Were looking forward to getting it back, Kirkland said. I think the turnaround will be quick, and hopefully it (the fountain) wont be missed too much."

According to scpictureproject.org, the Morgan Fountain was built in honor of Thomas Redman Morgan who was Aikens mayor around the end of the 19th century.

Morgan implemented multiple beautification projects. They included planting oak and magnolia trees, along with ryegrass, in areas around Aikens parkways.

A storm in the 1930s damaged the original Morgan Fountain, which stood in the same location.

It was replaced in 1963.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
COLUMBIA  Timothy Jones Jr., the Lexington County father whose murder of his five children stunned the country, will argue that the trial judge ruined his chances of winning an insanity plea during an automatic appeal of his death sentence before the S.C. Supreme Court on Nov. 9.

After three weeks of testimony, Jones was sentenced to death in 2019 on five counts of murder for the 2014 killings in rural Lexington County. Jones killed each of his children  ages 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8  at their Red Bank mobile home

He then drove around South Carolina and the Southeast with their bodies in his SUV nine days before leaving their trash-bagged remains on an Alabama logging road. He was later arrested in Mississippi.

A note found in Jones' SUV after his arrest had a list that read, Melt bodies! Sand bones to dust or small pieces.

He sits on death row at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, and its still unclear when Jones will be executed as his lawyers argue appeals through state and federal courts.

Under state law, death sentences trigger an automatic appeal to the state Supreme Court. Jones attorneys are asking justices to vacate his conviction and death sentence and order a new trial.

Jones and his lawyers have never disputed that he killed his children. Instead, Jones pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and his lawyers put multiple experts on the stand who asserted that Jones had schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

A court-appointed forensic psychiatrist, however, concluded that Jones was psychotic when he killed his children due to increasing drug use, not because of schizophrenia, which the expert believes Jones pretended to have.

Jones lawyers argue in court filings that Judge Eugene Griffith made several errors that skewed the trial against Jones, including allowing jurors to see photos of the bodies of his children after he dumped them in garbage bags along a logging road in Alabama.

Jones lawyers assert that Griffith should have allowed the defense to explain the consequences of a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict, which they suggest the jury didn't understand.

The court made another mistake, Jones' lawyers allege, by refusing to allow video testimony from Jones mother, who is institutionalized with schizophrenia, that could have provided support for Jones claims of mental illness.

An insanity verdict would result a trial judge committing the defendant to the S.C. State Hospital in Columbia for up to 120 days. The person could be released if a judge later determines they are no longer in need of hospitalization  with safeguards in place to protect the public.

Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard, who tried the 2019 case, and other lawyers for the state will ask justices to uphold Jones' death sentence.

If Jones appeals fail, hell likely spend years waiting for death sentence order.

Fred Singleton, 77, has been on death row since 1983. Another inmate, Donald Allen Jones, died in August from a stroke after more than 37 years on death row.

The last execution in the state was in 2011, when Jeffrey Motts died by lethal injection for killing his cellmate in 2005. Since then, the Department of Corrections has been unable to carry out executions after its supply of the three drugs needed for lethal injections expired.

In an effort to restart state executions, legislators passed a law in May that forces death row inmates to choose between electrocution or firing squad if lethal injections are unavailable.

But the state Supreme Court in June paused executions for two men until the Department of Corrections could assemble a firing squad. Because state law gives death row inmates the ability to choose the method of execution, justices ruled that the state needs to ensure both options are available.
GEORGETOWN  A ceremony to rename the Georgetown Post Office after Georgetown-native U.S. Rep. Joseph Rainey, the first African American U.S. Representative, will be held on Nov. 9.

U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-Myrtle Beach, sponsored the bill to rename the post office back in December 2020 after every member of South Carolinas delegation to the House of Representatives endorsed changing the name.

I never heard of Rep. Rainey until I was in Congress, and I saw a portrait of him in a stairway up to the House of Representatives, Rice previously said. I did more research on him and I was really proud of the fact that the first African-American representative in the history of our country came right here from our district.

Rainey was born enslaved in 1832, but his father Edward Rainey was allowed to work as a barber and keep part of his earnings, which he eventually used to buy the family's freedom in the early 1840s.

Joseph Rainey never received a formal education because of South Carolina's African American education laws, so he learned his fathers trade and became a barber.

After the Civil War, he helped found the South Carolina Republican Party and represented Georgetown on the partys central committee, and in 1868 he was elected to the state senate, where he chaired the senate finance committee.

In 1870, Rainey was elected to a U.S. House of Representatives. During his eight years in the House, he spoke out against white supremacists and intimidation, advocated for civil rights and promoted public education.

Rainey's childhood home also still stands in Georgetown and is a National Historic Landmark. The renaming ceremony will be held at Joseph Rainey Park in downtown Georgetown at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 9.
GREENVILLE  Lockheed Martin's F-16 production line is preparing for a possible 300 new orders for the fighter jet, with a recent hiring announcement intended to help fulfill aircraft already in the pipeline.

The Terminal Road facility in Greenville announced in late October it would add 300 new jobs by the end of 2022, in part of help fill the 128 current orders from five foreign governments.

However, the aerospace giant expects to produce hundreds of additional jets based on continued international interest. Most of the new orders are expected to fall under a $62 billion contract awarded in 2020, which was an open-ended order for the company to continue building F-16s well into the future, primarily for foreign military sales.

One new customer, however, will likely fall outside of that contract, according to Danya Trent, Lockheed Martin's vice president of F-16 programs.

The F-16 has just such a rich history, and it has such a bright future as well, Trent said.

The new employees will support the current backlog of work that comes along with the multi-year process of producing the F-16, Trent said. The positions are both for new production and a $900 million maintenance depot contract the Greenville site was awarded last year.

The company is also planning to incorporate new digital technologies, automation and manufacturing processes into its production line.

New roles at the Greenville site include airframe and powerplant mechanics, avionics technicians, painters, quality inspectors, sheet metal mechanics, tool makers, engineers, planners and supervisors. Some positions ask for aircraft-specific experience.

Lockheed will be working with state government organizations  South Carolina Governor's Office, the Department of Employment and Workforce, Department of Veteran Affairs and South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance  and local organizations such as the Greenville Chamber and Greenville Technical College to fill the positions.

The Bethesda, Md.-based company has 114,000 employees worldwide, with 700 currently based in Greenville.
The state health agency reported 825 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths on Nov. 5.

Currently, 63.1 percent of all eligible S.C. residents are have received at least one shot and 55.3 percent are considered fully vaccinated.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 560 confirmed, 265 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 722,791 confirmed, 179,538 probable.

Percent positive: 5.6 percent.

New deaths reported: Six confirmed, three probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 11,962 confirmed, 1,879 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 73.85 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 63.1 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 55.3 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Hardest-hit areas

On Nov. 5, Greenville (87), Horry (38), Lexington (36) and Richland (36) counties both saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases.

What about the tri-county?

Charleston County had 32 new cases on Nov. 5, while Berkeley had 25 and Dorchester 17.

Deaths

DHEC releases county-level data regarding COVID-19 deaths and the ages of those who have died from the virus on Tuesdays. According to the latest data, at least 177 people in South Carolina died from the virus Oct. 24-30, and their ages ranged from young adult (18-34) to elderly (65 and older).

Greenville County recorded 25 COVID deaths that week  the highest number of any county in the state. Health officials have reported the vast majority of patients who are dying from the coronavirus at this stage of the pandemic are unvaccinated.

Hospitalizations

Of the 535 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Nov. 5, 142 were in the ICU and 94 were using ventilators.

Variants of concern

DHEC sequences a small, random sample of positive COVID-19 cases each week to determine which variants of concern (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) are circulating in the state. According to the latest data published by the agency on Nov. 5, 82 percent of the variants tested in all regions of the state were identified as the delta variant, the dominant strain in South Carolina.

What do experts say?

Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge parents and caregivers to get children ages 5 and older vaccinated against COVID-19.

To that end, the Charleston County School District plans to host a series of COVID-19 vaccine clinics for children ages 5 to 11.

Now that the vaccine has approval, the school district is hosting 10 clinics with the help of medical organizations to vaccinate students. The clinics are divided into constituent districts, and guardians can sign their students up by visiting ccsdschools.com.

In addition, you can find a vaccine clinic for anyone who is eligible at vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov.
Dr. Rhonda Achonolu comforts her son Amechi, 7, as he is inoculated with first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children five to 12 years at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Wednesday, in the Bronx borough of New York.
CONWAY  Conway is looking to ban firearms during town-sponsored events, joining efforts by a trio of other cities across the state that have banned open carry of guns.

The move comes after South Carolina joined 45 other states nationwide on Aug. 15 in enacting an open-carry law to allow individuals with concealed weapons permits the ability to publicly carry firearms.

Georgetown approved ban on open-carry of firearms at city events on Oct. 21 and Florence followed on Nov. 1.

Columbia was the first S.C. city to prohibit the open carry of guns during events in September. Plus, Columbia City Council banned guns within government buildings and parks.

The push from other cities is what sparked Conway's recommendation, according to Conway Police Chief Dale Long, who presented the change to city council on Nov. 1.

Conway City Council is expected to vote on the first reading and public hearing of this proposed ordinance Nov. 15. If approved, it could go into effect as soon as Dec. 6.

The annual Conway Christmas Parade, slated for Dec. 11, could be the first local event to be affected by the proposed change, along with Riverfest and other downtown festivals.
HAMPTON  A grand jury has indicted Alex Murdaugh and Curtis Edward Smith in connection with Murdaugh's shooting over the Labor Day weekend.

Both men were indicted Nov. 4 on the charges of conspiracy and false claim for payment of $10,000 or more, according to a press release from S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson.

Murdaugh was also indicted on the charge of filing a false police report, while Smith was indicted on charges of pointing and presenting a firearm, assisted suicide and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.

Authorities allege Smith shot Murdaugh on Sept. 4 on a rural road in Hampton County as part of a suicide plot Murdaugh concocted so his son could collect on his $10 million life insurance policy.

Smith complied with the request, according to authorities, and then ditched the gun in an unknown location.

The attorney survived the shooting and called 911. In recordings of the phone call released by State Law Enforcement Division, Murdaugh told a dispatcher that somebody shot him after his car blew a flat tire.

Somebody stopped to help me, and when I turned my back they tried to shoot me, Murdaugh says in the call.

Murdaugh was airlifted to a Savannah hospital for treatment.

Both men were later arrested on criminal charges and released on bond.

Smith, 61, has denied shooting Murdaugh, telling The Associated Press that Murdaugh asked to meet with him but didnt give a reason. When they got to the road, Murdaugh asked Smith to shoot him. Smith refused, they wrestled over the gun and it fired once.

The indictment contains the same allegations that led to the men's arrests in September, but before a case can proceed to trial, prosecutors must prove probable cause.

One way to do that is to hold a preliminary hearing, an open-court proceeding where the prosecutor must present sufficient evidence to a judge to show that a trial is warranted.

Another method is to present the evidence to a grand jury, which can then choose to indict the defendant on the charges. Grand juries are secret proceedings that are not open to the public.

Jim Griffin, one of Murdaugh's attorneys, said he skimmed the indictments and did not see any allegations that were different from what was initially charged.

He said they had requested a preliminary hearing in the case, but the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to holding in-person court hearings, so he could understand why the attorney general's office chose to indict by grand jury.
Most S.C. students didnt spend September ripping soap dispensers off the walls of their school bathrooms while a friend videoed the vandalism. Most students didnt spend the month of October slapping their teachers, and most wont spend December exposing themselves for the camera or January sexually molesting their classmates.

But a few did and many more could, not because they dreamed up the stupid idea of committing crimes themselves but because those are all part of an insidious monthly school challenge on the social media site TikTok. And some kids will do anything to be popular.

Fortunately, the problem in South Carolina is relatively small, so far. The Post and Couriers Adam Benson found reports of about $20,000 worth of damage among the states 25 largest school districts and about two dozen students disciplined for participating in the first challenge: to rip down soap dispensers or worse. Videos from some states show paper towel dispensers, doors and even toilets carted off.

At least one S.C. elementary school student took up the October slap a teacher challenge. Again, not a crime wave, but enough, when combined with other incidents across the country, to freak out teachers who are already overly stressed by the combination of COVID, the mask wars and the outbreak of antisocial behavior that we're all experiencing.

Speaking of which: No one should be surprised that social media would drive some students to illegalities. After all, look at what they can cause in grown-ups, who are supposed to have better judgment: bigoted posts and nasty, profanity-laced responses that so coarsen people that the behavior bleeds over into real life. And who can forget the self-incriminating selfies that participants of the Jan. 6 assault on our government posted to social media. No, they didn't storm the Capitol because of a social media challenge, but they were primed for that behavior by the garbage they consumed on what would more appropriately be called anti-social media sites.

Its not clear that theres anything the Legislature could or should do to address the TikTok problem, although Rep. Todd Rutherfords idea of exploring a lawsuit against the platform might be worth pursuing if the costs continue to mount. For the time being, the best way to address the problem seems to be through publicity.

Mr. Benson reported on the smart approach a York County Family Court judge took to the problem: He called in the media to watch the normally closed-to-the-public hearing where he lectured 13 adolescents and sentenced them to arbitration for engaging in the vandalism-for-video performances. The judge also warned them that he wouldnt be so lenient in the future: His goal was to get the word out that these challenges are no joke.

Its an approach schools should copy. No, they cant name names, because of federal privacy rules, but they can certainly let students and parents and the public know when they catch a student participating in one of the challenges, they can publicize the punishment, and they can do all that in clear language that spells out the consequences, rather than the bureaucratese that school officials too often use to obliquely describe problems. They also can warn students and parents that theyre aggressively seeking out violators  and calling in the police when the behavior becomes criminal.

We believe that schools have been too quick to call the cops and criminalize normal if annoying adolescent behavior, which is why weve called for schools to handle discipline problems without police assistance and for the S.C. Legislature to amend or repeal our states disorderly conduct law, which a federal judge found has been used to send hundreds of students to juvenile prison every year for activities most of us wouldnt consider crimes.

But theres a big difference between talking back to the teacher, using a cellphone in class and not reporting a fight  some of the crimes for which S.C. students have been charged under that law  and ripping toilets off the wall, slapping teachers or stealing school supplies. Such behavior would be bad enough under normal circumstances; its worse when the aim is to garner online approval from a peer group that frankly no parents should want their kids aspiring to.

Fortunately, the November challenge to Kiss your friends girlfriend at school is relatively innocuous  although it could lead to some fights  and a lot of the early videos are clearly staged for the challenge, complete with the really bad acting youd expect from kids. Some of the other challenges also involve disruptive and unacceptable but not criminal behavior: Students are urged to skip school in May and Flip off in the front office in June, for example.

But December, January, March and April call for indecent exposure, sexual assault, vandalism and theft  all of which could, and as a part of these challenges, frankly, should lead to criminal charges. We dont want to send kids to jail for using social-media-fueled bad judgment, but we also dont want these challenges to get out of hand, and real punishment is part of the way to prevent that.
The Oct. 26 Post and Courier article Lowcountry hemp farmers say SC has a long way to go with the industry hit so many nails on the head that another industry response seems merited.

In 2019, I was part of a team retained by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to assess the future of hemp in the state.

Our findings were jaw-dropping.

With more than 50,000 known uses, the plant has been acknowledged as valuable by every sector of the S&P 500.

As a state-based, globally focused firm, we work to create a hemp supply chain.

We have watched clients in other states and countries race ahead in their adoption of, and adaptation to, a hemp-empowered world.

South Carolina has become a sad example of what ambivalent legislation and lack of public-private partnerships can lead to.

Permitting farmers was a good start, but without creating a virtuous circle of transport, testing, processing, marketing, capital access and more, the reality is tons of precious plants withered in the field or moldered in barns.

The hemp industry is still in its infancy. We believe its time for South Carolina to call a mulligan.

The Legislature should start with a blank slate and draw out a path to success. We must ensure that our growers have an accessible marketplace, align state institutions with these economic development opportunities and modernize law enforcement.

Burning a crop without due process is not an incubation strategy.

Taking a page from South Carolinas success in automotive and aerospace development proves that hemp requires and deserves a whole industry approach that incentivizes success. Anything less means that many state hemp pioneers wasted their time, treasure and talent.

ARTIE PERRY

Managing director

Hempgrid

Charleston

Mace is no Cheney

The Oct. 22 Post and Courier featured a story about nine Republican U.S. representatives who voted to find Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress.

The headline featured Rep. Nancy Mace as one of the nine.

I wonder why only nine voted yes as Mr. Bannon publicly thumbed his nose at a lawful congressional subpoena.

As a former longtime Republican, I cannot understand how Ms. Mace can vote for voter suppression, against a thorough investigation of the Jan. 6 riot, against COVID-19 relief, against infrastructure repair and against climate protection.

One thing is crystal clear: Nancy Mace is no Liz Cheney.

JOHN C. BUTERA

Seabrook Island

Voting law changes

I agree with almost everything in a Nov. 1 letter to the editor that there was no election fraud in 2020.

The writer, however, did not address what effect voting law changes  made without the approval of several state legislatures  had on the election.

I dont know who the winner would have been if every state had followed its lawful procedures for elections, but I know that this question is not going away.

My hope is that every state makes sure that its voting laws are followed in 2022.

PAT KILROY

Goose Creek

McMasters drama

Gov. Henry McMaster is on a tear revealing his headline-grabbing budget suggestions.

On Oct. 28, it was $500 million for rural waterworks.

Before that, $300 million for the proposed I-73 project.

And then, there is the $2.5 billion from COVID-19 funds that will be announced in the coming weeks.

These announcements seem to be those of a candidate seeking reelection.

Instead of seeing McMaster as the source of the spending spree, thank President Joe Biden and Congress.

McMasters charade is not about what is good for our state. This administration seems incapable of developing a vision to form a fully coherent plan to present to the Legislature.

The irony of all the choreographed drama is that COVID-19 and the health of our residents are ignored.

The gross disparities of the states health care programs revealed by the pandemic are still not front and center with McMaster.

Instead, his priorities are the promises of shiny new toys.

He has shown a lack of foresight to mitigate COVID-19 and climate change that are threatening our lives.

We have a governor stuck in the past of youthful exuberance with our one-time inheritance money in his pocket.

He seems to be able to see only one year around the corner on his way to November 2022.

FRED PALM

Edisto Island

Thank you, DMV

Praises to the new DMV office on Orleans Road in West Ashley.

The staff is very well-organized and keeps the process flowing from the time you walk in the door.

Your time there will be minimal. Thank you, DMV.

RICKY MARTIN

Charleston
COLUMBIA  Former South Carolina governor and 2024 presidential prospect Nikki Haley called for aging politicians to submit themselves to cognitive tests as a condition of service.

In a Nov. 4 interview with Christian Broadcast Network political analyst David Brody, Haley said a rash of recent gaffes by President Joe Biden  multiple instances where he appeared to call on a preapproved list of reporters at press conferences, and a botched security pact with the United Kingdom and Australia that cost France billions of dollars  have caused her and some of his critics to raise concerns about his ability to lead.

While her comments were focused on Biden, cognitive tests should not be a partisan talking point, said Haley, a former United Nations ambassador.

Rather than making this about a person, we seriously need to have a conversation that if you're going to have anyone above a certain age in a position of power  whether it's the House, whether it's the Senate, whether it's vice president, whether it's president  you should have some sort of cognitive test, Haley said. Just like you have to show your tax returns, you should have some sort of health screening so that people have faith in what you're doing. And right now, let's face it, we've got a lot of people in leadership positions that are old. And that's not being disrespectful. That's a fact.

A spokesperson for Haley declined to comment.

Haleys comments come at a time when the average age of Congress and the president has risen to its highest peak. At an average age of 64 years, todays U.S. Senate is the oldest in American history, according to the Congressional Research Service, while the age of the typical U.S. House member in the 117th Congress has risen by roughly eight years since 1981.

Meanwhile, Biden and former President Donald Trump each set records as the oldest presidents ever at the time of their inauguration, taking the oath of office at the respective ages of 78 years old and 70 years old.

Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email

Sign Up!

Haley has said she does not plan to run for president in 2024 if Trump seeks a second term.

During the 2020 campaign, then-Sen. Kamala Harris and Trumps vice president, Mike Pence, were asked about potential contingency plans if their running mates eventually became unable to serve during their time.

Both Trump and Biden found their cognitive health drawn into question, culminating in Trump subjecting himself to a cognitive test designed to detect early onset dementia at Walter Reed Hospital. Biden declined to take a similar test, likening it to being asked if he was taking cocaine.

"No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test?" Biden said in an Aug. 5, 2020, interview with the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Other groups, like the AARP, have likened questions for cognitive tests to ageism. But academics have long questioned where to draw the line between age discrimination and legitimate concern with politicians cognitive decline.

Based on the known neuroanatomical and neuropathological changes that occur with aging, we should probably assume that a significant proportion of political leaders over the age of 65 have impairment of executive function, reads the abstract of a 2016 paper on the topic published by UC Irvine professors Mark Fisher and David L. Franklin and George Washington University professor Jerrold M. Post.
COLUMBIA  Gov. Henry McMaster has issued an executive order barring his Cabinet-level agencies  including the states departments of the military, corrections and public safety  from enforcing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, a move he characterized as a preemptive strike against overreach by the Biden administrations own vaccination policies for federal employees.

During a Nov. 4 press conference in Columbia, McMaster said he would require all state agencies he has direct control over to report any communication with the federal government on vaccine mandates to prepare for an upcoming lawsuit with Georgia and six other states against the federal government.

We have been stunned by what we have seen  stunned, McMaster told reporters. I have never seen a president go as out of bounds of the law as this one.

Text of the executive order was released late Thursday saying it applies to the 19 state agencies that make up the governor's Cabinet.

The list of Cabinet-level agencies is extensive, including everything from the S.C. Department of Revenue, the State Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Social Services. The number of workers involved was not immediately available.

The move comes as the Biden administration has begun requiring federal contractors and subcontractors receiving federal dollars to vaccinate their employees by Dec. 8. Because many state agencies receive federal dollars, McMaster said he was concerned the administration could seek to deploy similar requirements on state agencies receiving federal funding.

McMaster noted South Carolina has joined a lawsuit with Georgia and six other states to fight those requirements. S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson also co-signed an Oct. 27 letter opposing the federal government's vaccine requirements on federal contractors with 20 other red state Attorneys General.

It is unclear what state agencies draw the largest shares of federal funding or how many state employees would be affected.

The Medical University of South Carolina, which operates a public university in Charleston and hospitals across the state, receives state money, but is not considered a Cabinet agency. MUSC put a vaccine mandate in place months ago and fired a few employees this past summer who refused to comply with the policy.

Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email

Sign Up!

MUSC spokeswoman Heather Woolwine said she was not aware that McMaster's office voiced any objections when MUSC issued its mandate earlier this year.

In the coming months, McMaster added his administration would pursue a lawsuit against new OSHA guidelines released Thursday requiring private businesses with 100 or more workers to implement mandatory vaccinations or weekly COVID-19 testing protocols by Jan. 4, 2022.

We will fight that aggressively, McMaster said. We will, we have been, and will continue to fight these unlawful regulations, acts and intrusions on the rights of our people with all the strength we have.

"This is garbage, and it's unconstitutional, so we will be fighting it," Wilson added in his own statement.

The Legislature issued similar guidelines to school districts through the state budget in June 2021 threatening to withhold funding from districts that required students to wear masks in schools. That ban was put on-hold after an October decision by an appellate court to allow districts to continue requiring masks while a larger lawsuit against the states COVID-19 policies filed by the ACLU continued.

The full list of the agencies covered includes:

The Department of Administration;, Office of the Adjutant General; Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services; Department of Commerce; Department of Corrections; Department of Health and Human Services: Department of Insurance; Department of Juvenile Justice; Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; Department of Motor Vehicles; Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism; Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; Department of Public Safety; Department of Revenue, Department of Social Services; Department of Transportation; Department of Employment and Workforce; Department on Aging; and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Lauren Sausser contributed from Charleston.
This week, were revisiting a topic that we discussed about a year ago on this podcast: the plans to potentially build a sea wall around Charlestons peninsula.

The idea is to protect the flood-prone area from storm surge if the city were to be directly hit by a hurricane. It would also be the citys most substantial defense yet against sea rise caused by climate change.

More Ways to Listen Understand SC is available in all major podcasting apps. Search for us or use one of these links: Apple Podcasts

Google Podcasts

Spotify

Simplecast

This project would be a massive undertaking  financially and logistically  and already, years of planning have gone into it.

In the last year, there have been some significant updates to the plans, and reporter Chloe Johnson, who covers the coastal environment and climate change for The Post and Courier, is back to recap those plans and explain all the important changes. For one, the estimated price of building the wall dropped significantly  by several hundred million dollars.

Well explain why, go over some of the questions that have been answered and new questions that have been raised.

Download the episode here or listen on your favorite podcast app.

What other stories do you want to hear on Understand SC? Email us at understandsc@postandcourier.com with your ideas.

Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina. This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams.

Related reading:
A citizen of Guatemala will admit that he lied to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents about his green card when he tried to board a flight from Guam to Hawaii in August 2020.

Carlos Enrique Salvatierra Morales, 36, signed the federal governments plea agreement that charges him with making a false statement.

He is scheduled to plead guilty Nov. 12 in the District Court of Guam.

Morales was initially indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and visa fraud, but he instead agreed to admit to an information filed against him in federal court on Friday that charged him with making a false statement.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

His plea agreement was also filed Friday.

On Aug. 13, 2020, Morales allegedly presented a fraudulent U.S. permanent resident card or green card to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents during pre-inspection for a flight from Guam to Hawaii.

He was accused of knowing the card was forged, counterfeit, altered, falsely made and unlawfully obtained, documents state.
That is what the Democrats are pushing, and anyone who is surprised hasnt been paying attention. Current polling shows that most people think Republicans, not Democrats, are the party of the working class, and they are right. Democrats represent, more than anyone else, wealthy urbanites in blue states who wrongly believe themselves to be elite. But these lefty urbanites have a serious problem: by virtue of living in blue states, they are heavily taxed. What to do about that? For a long time, the federal tax code included an unlimited deduction for state and local tax payments. Thus, working class taxpayers in low-tax states like South Dakota and Texas subsidized rich taxpayers in blue states like California, New York and Illinois.

That changed with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Actone of the Trump administrations signal achievementswhich capped the deduction for state and local taxes at $10,000. Thus, the vast majority of blue state taxpayers kept their privileged tax treatment. The only ones who lost out were high-income blue staters who are now only partly subsidized by blue collar taxpayers in Tennessee and Florida.

But the Democratic Partys core supporters are wealthy people in blue states, so restoring the full state and local tax deductioneliminating the $10,000 caphas been a top priority for Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, et al. Sure enough, the Democrats reconciliation billa Christmas package for the Leftwould restore full deductibility, in order to benefit high-income blue-staters. Dan Crenshaw comments, with data from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:

When tax the rich really means lets write catchy slogans on dresses but actually give the rich a $36,000 tax cut. Yes, this is what Democrats want to put in the reconciliation bill. No, this is not a joke. Price hikes for you, tax cuts for rich New Yorkers. pic.twitter.com/bgGXLL4XWK  Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) November 4, 2021



There is nothing surprising or controversial about this. When you eliminate a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, you obviously are only going to benefit high-income taxpayers. And you are doing nothing for middle-class taxpayers in states like Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and South Dakota that manage their finances wisely and dont overtax their residents.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with being the party of the blue-state rich. Democrats just need to own it. That is who they are.
Eli Lake has covered national security affairs during most of the time that Power Line has been around. Ive always found his reports to be worth reading. To cite just one example, his reporting helped defeat the nomination of Chas Freeman, the anti-Israel former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, to be the chairman of the National Intelligence Council during the Obama administration.

The Washington Post has published Lakes take on the indictment of Igor Danchenko by John Durham and on the Durham investigation generally. I think readers will find it of interest.

Lake contrasts Durhams work with that of Michael Horowitz, the Justice Departments inspector general. Given his position, Horowitz focused on the FBI. He found that the FBI cut corners and gamed the surveillance court.

As Lake sees it, Durhams findings show that the Clinton campaign gamed the FBI, or at least tried to:

[Durhams] last two indictments suggest that the FBI was not a villain but a victim, conned by Democratic operatives to pursue bogus investigations into the Trump campaign. In September, Durham indicted Michael Sussman, a lawyer who represented the Clinton campaign in 2016. That indictment alleges that Sussman failed to disclose to the FBI that he was representing the Clinton campaign when he presented evidence alleging that servers for the Trump campaign had unusual communications with servers from the Russian Alfa Bank. . . . Durhams lengthy indictment. . .says that if Sussman had acknowledged he was working for Clintons campaign, the bureau would have treated his claims with more skepticism. The FBI eventually concluded there was nothing to the. . .story [Sussman was peddling].

The Danchenko indictment is along the same lines:

Like Sussman, Danchenko is also charged with hiding his relationship to a prominent Democrat in interviews with the FBI about the dossier. . . . Durhams indictment says Danchenkos lies deprived FBI agents and analysts of probative information that would have, among other things, assisted them in evaluating the credibility, reliability, and veracity of the dossier. Again, Durham portrays the FBI as the victims of the Clinton campaigns efforts.

If Danchenko lied to the FBI as the indictment asserts, it wasnt merely a process crime. The alleged lying was in furtherance of a conspiracy by the Clinton campaign to enlist the FBI in order to discredit Donald Trump.

Importantly, however, Lake disputes any suggestion that the Clinton campaigns central role exonerates the FBI. It does not.

Lake points out that FBI agents were able to discern that Steeles information was worthless without the benefit of knowing Danchenkos relationship to the Clintonistas. They reached this conclusion over the course of four interviews with Danchenko in 2017.

Nonetheless, the FBI pressed ahead and, as Horowitz found, gamed the surveillance court. Thus, Lake concludes that the the real victim of these Democratic Party deceptions was not the FBI, but the American public. And, I would add, the American president, Donald Trump.
Ammo Grrrll draws on her professional experience in NO COUNTRY FOR SMART WHITE MEN. She writes:

Cmon, MAN! I JUST got my decorations for National Pronoun Day taken down when along comes TGWMCGAAD  Thank God White Men Cant Get Awards Anymore Day. Make it stop, make it stop, PLEASE, GOD, make it stop! So before I quote, recap (okay, crib) from a very good article in Daily Wire by one Ashe Schow, October 28, 2021, let me advise you to pour a strong drink before continuing. Its gotta be 5:00 oclock somewhere

Now I am not a big fan of awards-giving in general. I have sat through dozens and dozens of corporate awards banquets, mostly for longevity of service. A uniformly boring emcee will give a droning speech during dessert and coffee and then start reading the service award recipients, usually starting with the 5-Year Pins and maybe a $25 Gift Card at Target. Emily Aardvark.

Emily walks across the stage, and even though the emcee has implored people to hold your applause to the end, Emily will get a nice round of applause, slowing down the next name considerably. She also shakes hands with some bigshot while her picture is taken for the corporate newsletter. Everyone looks at the printed program and thinks, Land O Goshen, there are 180 people to go! Or words to that effect.

Alan Aaronson. Joe Blow. Lather, rinse, repeat. Somewhere around 9:30 p.m., Boring Guy will get to the stalwarts who have put in 25 Years of Service. By this time many people will have voted with their feet as to whether or not they wish to see 20 more people walk across the stage. Also by this time, not only will nobody still be clapping for the recipients, they will be chatting in groups, gathering around the open bar, and calling home to check on their sitters. Some will actually just be out in the hall. Especially back when people smoked.

By the time Boring Guy announces, And now our comedian!, that unfortunate person is playing to, maybe, half of the crowd, a third of those drunk and another third as asleep as a Senile *Resident at a Climate Scam Convention. No matter how many times I BEGGED the committee to put me on BEFORE the awards part, they always informed me that putting me at the end was to make people stay. Toward the end of my career, I would just say, They wont. Maybe they would stay for The Eagles or Larry the Cable Guy, but not for me.

I think my last awards banquet set was about 12 years ago when I opened for Louie Anderson for the Mayo Clinics 25-Years-Plus of Service Banquet. The Mayo had ALREADY given the people their bonuses and swag bags and it was just Louie and me in concert. We had a ball.

But because that awards banquet was 12 years ago, and many were 15-30 years ago, NOT ONCE did anybody say that we had to be concerned that too many of the recipients were WHITE or MALE. If you did the work that was being recognized, you got the award  what a concept!

Enter The Era of New Racism. No, not REVERSE racism, just good old-fashioned regular racist bigotry based on the color or shape of ones skin. Its just as ugly as it ever was.

We saw it with the Oscars So White. One year everybody who won was white. Cry me a river. And although I probably never saw ANY of the movies, I am reasonably confident that the artists who won had earned it, if for no other reason than watching Harvey Weinstein shower. At no time did any grievance-grubbing complainer posit just WHICH Person of Color it was who should have won over which of the winners of pallor. It was just taken for granted that something racist had occurred. Okay, thats Hollywood, right? But, what about actual scientific achievement? Surely, there must be some standards of excellence that do not include skin color, right?

In the Schow article in Daily Wire, it was revealed that, according to Scientific American, five of the nations top ice scientists  who knew that was a thing?  were tasked with reviewing peer-nominated candidates for the American Geophysical Unions (AGU) fellows program. Alas, even though a rigorous and lengthy process had produced the slate the committee had to choose from, after noticing that ALL the nominees were both white and male, the cowardly, craven committee decided not to move any of them forward.

Evidently, all these dedicated, worthy men were passed over due to the efforts of one Helen Fricker, Ph.D., from the University of Tasmania (really) who said in an interview that the fact that all the finalists were white men was kind of a bit of a showstopper for me. Well then. And the other two women and three men on the judging committee just caved to her? Did she have compromising pictures from the AGU company picnic?

Im not saying we should draw any conclusions from the fact that Ms. Fricker is a glaciologist. She looks nice enough on Wikipedia. However, she had been put on the committee because she had previously pitched a fit on the ground that there were not enough women on the committees. Not even to mention that she doesnt even know what showstopper means. In showbiz, hon, it is a GOOD thing. It means someones talent has been so obvious that the show stops right there to acknowledge it.

Like when the late great Pavarotti sings Nessun Dorma and brings the house down. Should it be twerked by Cardi B instead because she is a black woman? What say you, Helen?

Helen, please inform us what the proper ratio of nominees must be? Enlighten us poor benighted merit freaks. What if there had been one woman, one black man and three white guys as finalists? Would any of the white guys have had a chance? Then why even bother to submit their names? What if it were true and obvious that the white guys who were eliminated were actually much more qualified than the woman and black man? Does anybody care? And why the unspeakable bigotry toward Samoan transgenders or Jewish lesbians or disabled seniors? Bring on the categories! There can never be too many in Helen World, Hel for short.

I wish it were possible for me to cancel my subscription to the AGUs Ice and Snow Quarterly, or to write a letter to the head of the AGU with my suggestion for next years contest. When the fix is in and a woman wins, instead of saying, You have been peer-reviewed and acknowledged to be the best in your field of ice and snow study, you can now say, Congratulations! You are a woman! Thats why you won and you should be so proud!

Boy, Im glad these rules werent in effect when I was in high school. There were four co-valedictorians when I graduated in 1964 before Ms. Fricker was born, and THREE of us were female. I would have felt really bad if I had been the one eliminated because of Diversity.
Winsome Sears is the first African-American female elected to statewide office in Virginia. Douglas Wilder was the first African-American so elected.

Virginians elected Wilder lieutenant governor in 1985 and governor in 1989. He became the first African-American to serve as governor of any U.S. state since Reconstruction and the first ever elected governor.

Wilder had some thoughts on Tuesdays election results. He told the Washington Post that by nominating and electing Sears and Jason Miyares, the Latino who won the race for Attorney General, Republicans now hold a symbolic advantage over Democrats.

He explained:

Republicans, they can say: We not only one-upped you but you provided no reason why Democrats should continue to be blindly supported by those communities, Why didnt Terry McAuliffe put money in his budget for [historically black colleges and universitys] when he was governor [as the Republican candidates this year said they would]? Why didnt the current administration? The people are not stupid. Ive always maintained that Democrats cannot win a statewide election without strong Black support and you cant take the community for granted.

This is good analysis, but I question whether it goes far enough. Sears promises to Blacks werent limited to giving more money to HBCUs. Sears also strongly advocated government-funded school vouchers. Democrats hate this idea. And even if they didnt, their close ties to teachers unions would preclude them from endorsing it.

And there was more to Sears campaign than just spending promises. As the Post observes, she ran as an unabashed social conservative, supporting the Second Amendment and restrictions on abortions.

She also wore her religious faith on her sleeve. One Virginia political analyst told the Post, there are certain places where [Sears] faith-based politics will get a hearing in the African-American community. Maybe it already has.

Theres an even deeper level at which Sears rests her appeal. It was evident to anyone who watched her victory speech early Wednesday morning.

Sears is as big a booster of America as I have seen in a long time from a politician. She positively gushes over this country. She can barely stop expressing her gratitude for what America has meant to her and her father, both immigrants from Jamaica.

In this sense, Sears is the anti-CRT, anti-BLM candidate. Shes an arrow pointed at the heart of CRT and the BLM movement.

Sears denies that America is a racist country. She does not hold Blacks out as victims. Her unstinting message is that Blacks are not prevented from succeeding in America by systemic racism. They can succeed, as she has succeeded  the same way members of other races and ethnicities succeed.

Will this message carry the day with African-Americans? Probably not, at least not soon.

But I think it can make inroads. Maybe it already has.
Nigerias vision for a homegrown vaccine response to the coronavirus pandemic has received a boost from the efforts of microbiologists from six academic institutions in the country.

The scientists are from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State; Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State; Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State; University of Ilorin, Kwara State; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The team is led by Julius Oloke, a professor of Microbiology and Biotechnology who is the vice-chancellor of Precious Cornerstone University, a private university in Ibadan, while the lead researcher is Kolawole Oladipo.

Mr Oladipo, who holds a doctorate in medical virology, immunology, and bioinformatics, is also the head of the Department of Microbiology at Adeleke University.

Although the group had no prior experience with vaccine development, some of its members had produced an immune-boosting drug, Trino IB, while others had also participated in other research activities during their study years.

According to the scientists, Trino IB, which is said to be good for the management of sickle cell, diabetes, fibroid, and other medical conditions, has been approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Speaking on the current research effort, Mr Oladipo told PREMIUM TIMES that the objective of the study is for the team to contribute to scientific efforts towards fighting the pandemic, and that we also perceive that there will be variants and the effectiveness of vaccines will vary.

Mr Oladipo said the group is involved in translational research, one that an average person in the community can benefit from.

He said translational research seeks to produce more meaningful, applicable results that directly benefit human health, with the simple goal of translating basic science discoveries more quickly and efficiently into practice.

WHOs endorsement

The team is already enjoying an endorsement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has announced the initiative on its list of vaccine candidates in preclinical stage.

The endorsement has come as a boost to the team, with Mr Oladipo describing it as a huge surprise.

The research effort, which recently concluded its animal trial based on an approval from the Oyo State ministry of health, has been listed by the WHO as number 61 out of 185 vaccine candidates globally.

Industry experts believe the emergence of this initiative is significant at a time vaccine inequalities are rising, and COVID-19 cases and deaths continue. It may become Nigerias first human vaccine development trial in recent times.

About the research

The vaccine is a Protein Subunit vaccine. Subunit vaccines (sometimes called acellular vaccines) contain purified pieces of pathogens, which have been specially selected for their ability to stimulate immune cells. Subunit vaccines are considered safe because they contain fragments of the pathogen that are incapable of causing disease.

Funding challenge

There are however many hurdles to scale, of which funding is a major one. The researchers spoke of frustrations, saying a number of famous Nigerian philanthropists that they approached refused to help, while the public fundraising platform Go Fund also offered no comfort.

Yet we persevered as we have accepted the discomfort of a slowed pace because we believe that slow and steady wins, Mr Oladipo said.

Interestingly, President Muhammadu Buhari had in his independence speech on October 1 stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria has an ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Additionally, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund to enhance Nigerias domestic pharmaceutical capacity as a way of complementing the efforts of the CBN.

The group has, however, not benefited from any of these government initiatives to support research in Nigeria.

This newspaper reported how funding is affecting COVID-19 research in Nigerian universities, as researchers bemoaned lack of support from the government.

Speaking on funding challenges, a professor of virology and National President Nigerian Society for Virology, Clement Mboto, said they are a global problem and not exclusive to Nigeria.

Funding challenges are at their peak in Nigeria because we do not have value for research. If we did, the COVID-19 would have taught us a lesson, he added.

But fate appears to align with the beliefs of these researchers as CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services headquartered in Georgia has offered to partner them in conducting the clinical trials.

Will local vaccines resolve hesitancy?

Mr Oladipo believes that a homegrown vaccine will significantly reduce vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria. It will be some relief to the people and also acceptability because we are close to the grassroots and the people know us. I am very sure it will improve acceptability.

Speaking to the lack of access to vaccines and how it causes hesitancy, Mr Oladipo said he does not agree there is vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria and Africa, given that there are no vaccines or enough vaccines.

He said vaccine hesitancy can only be claimed when people have access to vaccines, which he said is not the case in Nigeria or Africa.

Also speaking, Nigerias foremost virologist, Oyewale Tomori, said; Local vaccine production will certainly change current perceptions about vaccines produced by foreigners. It will increase confidence in vaccines and vaccinations and reinforce national pride.

Mr Tomori said this is not the first human vaccine research effort in the country. However,he said lack of funding support, absence of requisite research facilities and infrastructure and lack of political will and commitment combined to nullify previous efforts.

Unless we address these issues, current efforts will end up the same way, he warned.

A former vice-chancellor of the University of Calabar and professor of medical microbiology and parasitology, James Epoke, also said a locally produced vaccine will reduce hesitancy if it is proven to be efficacious.

Mr Epoke said, vaccine research and development requires a lot of sophisticated equipment which was available in the now defunct Yaba facility. Definitely, funding will be a challenge.

He also added that because most people who can provide financial support to the initiatives are profit-inclined, they may not be willing to contribute to such initiatives.

Mr Epoke added that local research should be encouraged and researchers should also present their research for testing.

NAFDAC reacts

Nigeria has the capacity to manufacture vaccines in the country, if we put the interest of the country first, said Mojirayo Adeyeye, the director -general of NAFDAC.

Meanwhile, a vaccine company in partnership with the government is making great efforts to start manufacturing vaccines in Nigeria, she added.

Ms Adeyeye said although local production of vaccine will reduce vaccine hesitancy, some Nigerians will still be uncomfortable because it is made in Nigeria. However, she said there will be a better general acceptance of the vaccines.

When asked if the agency is aware of vaccine research efforts in the country, Ms Adeyeye said, NAFDAC is aware of some R&D on vaccines going on in some institutions in Nigeria. However, NAFDAC is not supporting these efforts now.

She said the agency was putting things in place internally to strengthen its regulatory system and get to a maturity level that will allow WHO to approve the country to manufacture vaccines.

Vaccination in Nigeria

Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, has fallen behind the curve in beating the COVID-19 virus through vaccination. This is largely due to a lack of access to vaccines.

According to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), the government agency in charge of vaccination and immunisation in Nigeria, out of Nigerias estimated 206 million population, only 5,693,300 people have received their first dose and 3,079,239 persons have been fully vaccinated.

This number represents 5.1 per cent and 2.8 per cent of Nigerias population respectively.

Data from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that cases, as well as death tolls, are rising as the virulent and more deadly delta variant continues to spread. As of the time of filing this report, there had been 212,339 cases and 2,900 deaths attributed to the pandemic in Nigeria.
The Federal Government would soon begin monitoring the implementation of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, which increased the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from N18,000 to N30,000.

The Chairman/CEO of National Salaries, Incomes and wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, said that it would be an interagency collaboration meant to gather evidence of compliance and difficulties faced by stakeholders, to be able to advise all employers, including governments at all levels.

Mr Nta said it would also allow early planning of the next national minimum wage Act and for all stakeholders to know the difficulties involved for better planning.

For those who have complied fully will be put on honors list and sanction those who have not and have no good reason.

Premium Times had reported in April, 2019 how President Muhammadu Buhari signed the new minimum wage bill into law.

The bill, which has now become a law, formally ushered in a new pay structure for Nigerian workers.

The National Assembly had passed the bill approving N30,000 as the minimum wage for workers.

State governors had opposed the N30,000 minimum wage with many of them saying they will be unable to pay their workers N30,000 minimum wage.

Mr Buharis aide on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, had told journalists that the new law has N30,000 as minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

He also said implementation of the new law was to start immediately.

Remuneration policies

Meanwhile, Mr Nta said the commission was collating real time data in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistic (NBS), so that we can render advice to government at the federal, state, and local government levels and private sectors in the formulation of remuneration policies.

He said that the commission has carried out remuneration survey in the private health sector, private tertiary education institutions and selected universities in collaboration with the National University Commission in phase one.

Mr Nta said that phase two would cover the private tertiary polytechnics and colleges of education.

The reason was to compare how much they are paid, allowances, and the services they render, among others in the private health and education sector that has ensured industrial peace.

He said that the commission collaborated with the federal ministry of health and issued a circular in October for the health sector requesting the updated statistics of staff in the federal hospital, medical centres, clinics in ministries, department and agencies in the first phase.

Mr Nta said that the second phase would cover the private health sector.

This will greatly assist the commission in its manning levels and computation of remuneration cost implications and all ministries, department and agencies are enjoined to cooperate with the commission to ensure success of these and other exercises as they come up.

He said that the commission also was not limited to only remuneration issues, as the commission carries out productivity improvement schemes.

The Chairman commended journalists for their constant support in their reportage and urged them to maintain the good job.

(NAN)
The six people recently kidnapped from the University of Abuja have been freed.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack on the Universitys staff quarters early Tuesday, leading to the kidnapping of six people, including a professor, Obansa Joseph, and his two children.

The vice-chancellor of the University, AbdulRasheed NaAllah, announced the release of the victims in a statement he shared with members of the university community Friday morning.

A statement by the University and signed by the head of information and university relations, Habib Yakoob, noted that the abductors had demanded N300 million as ransom but that the University paid nothing.

The statement reads in part; The victims were rescued following the operations of the combined security forces including the police, DSS, Military, and University of Abuja Safety Officers.

Though the abductors earlier demanded payment of three hundred million (N300, 000,000) naira ransom, our staff were rescued without any payment at all.

The statement expressed the institutions appreciation to the security operatives, the government of Nigeria and well-meaning Nigerians, for what it described as standing by the University while the rescue operation lasted.

It added; University management expresses gratitude to God Almighty; the joint forces, including military, DSSS, University of Abuja safety officers for the unconditional release of our staff.

At the moment, the university community is in wild jubilation as staff and students are congratulating and hugging themselves for this good news.

The management of the University is also grateful to all our staff, well-meaning Nigerians, who empathized with us in that moment of tribulation and trial. Without your relentless prayers and support, we might still be in a terrible mood.

The management restates its commitment to providing adequate security to the University community and will continue to work with security operatives to prevent a repeat of that ugly incident.

Kidnapping for ransom has become rampant in many parts of Nigeria.
Wireless operators want a reduction in the reserve price the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has fixed for licensing at an upcoming key auction expected to set in motion the launch of 5G technology in Nigeria.

The price, which is in the neighbourhood of N75 billion ($197.4 million), will be adopted for the bid round, said Oluwatoyin Asaju, director of NCCs spectrum administration unit, in Lagos at a consultative session for industry think tank on Thursday.

Africas most populous country is ramping up efforts to widen broadband access in its citizenry and has revealed a grand ambition to hit a target of 90 per cent by 2023 even though penetration is still mid-way through at 45 per cent.

More than three out of every five Nigerians are aged 35 years and below, and substantially digitally enabled, making the prospect of massive acceptance of IT services particularly promising for its estimated 216 million people.

MTN Nigeria recommended the reserve price be lowered to $50 million during deliberations on the draft information memorandum, also requesting an extension of the licence validity period to 20 years from the proposed 10 years.

Its rival Airtel made a similar call for a downward review of the cost of licensing, citing current economic realities in the business environment.

5G technology does not only offer enhanced broadband and ultra-reliable low latency communications, said Umar Garba Danbatta, the chief executive officer of NCC, who joined the talk virtually.

It also provides massive machine type communications, where lots of devices will seamlessly connect and interact independently with the Internet without human intervention, Mr Dandatta added.

Stakeholders said the success of the initiative will hinge on making the process competitive.

The 3.5 GHz spectrum auction requires an initial bid deposit equivalent to 10 per cent of the reserve price from interested firms.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has denied having any connection with the 21-storey building that collapsed at Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday.

At least 36 persons have died in the collapsed building, with some persons are still trapped underneath the rubble.

A report by Sahara Reporters had said the vice president allegedly owns the land on which the collapsed building was constructed.

The building developer, Femi Osibona, who also died in the collapse, was also said to be fronting for Mr Osinbajo.

But in a statement on Friday, Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, said the vice president has no interest whatsoever in said property.

Mr Osinbajo, who tagged the report as sponsored falsehood, said he does not own and has never owned the affected land.

He has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became Vice President.

At no time whatsoever did the VP buy this or any other piece of land from Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, or entered into any transaction for the sale of that land or any other piece of land from Chief Ade. Ojo or anyone for that matter. All property and assets owned by the Vice President have been publicly declared, the statement read.

The report also alleged the vice president of influencing the re-opening of the building after it was sealed by the Lagos state government for structural and building errors.

Meanwhile, Mr Ojo, who is the chairman of Elizade Motors, described the report as outright falsehood.

To be clear, I own a property next to the said building which, I have not sold and have no intention of selling to anyone.

Mr Osinbajo, through his spokesperson, said he has never spoken to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, or any other official regarding the unsealing of the said building, which subsequently collapsed.

He has, indeed, never acted to influence any other regulatory action on the collapsed building, or any other building for that matter, in Lagos State.

The Vice President restates categorically that he has no interest whatsoever, and has never had any interest, either legally or beneficially, in the land, the building or development, the statement read.

Mr Osinbajo said he has referred the publication by Sahara Reporters to his lawyers for prompt legal action.

Mr Osinbajo said he is saddened by the building collapse, and condoles with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured or affected in the collapse.

As of Friday, recovery operation is ongoing at the site of the collapse, with emergency responders digging through the rubble in search of persons trapped in the building.
Isaac Adibe sat leisurely on a pavement along Ekwulobia road in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra South Senatorial District, watching the deserted road on Friday.

The sexagenarian said he heard about the cancellation of the sit-at-home order given by separatist group, IPOB, on a radio breakfast news, but he had doubts.

His scepticism was fuelled by the attacks some members of IPOB, whom he called thugs among them, carried out on residents who breached the sit-at-home order.

Mr Adibe does his business in neighbouring Nanka, in Orumba North LGA, and he said he would brave it, nonetheless.

Asked if he would be safe, he said why not since the sit-at-home has been cancelled.

People are afraid, that is the truth because those touts claiming to be IPOB will break your motor (car) if you come out. That is the fear of people. They dont mind anybody.

If you see what they do on this road, he noted. On normal sit-at-home days like this, they will rush to destroy your windscreen, mirrors.

Where are you going to report them? If they do what they do and you go to the police, the police you are to go report to are also scared. Nobody is safe. You are having an issue with someone now, and you have nobody to report to. We are praying to God, if they cancel it.

Palpable fear

Even after the outlawed separatist group, IPOB, said it had cancelled its one week sit-at-home declared in Anambra, residents in some parts of the state have stayed off the roads.

PREMIUM TIMES reporters who visited towns in Aguata LGA, where the governorship candidates of the APC, APGA and PDP hail from, met deserted roads and locked stores.

A usually busy Ekwulobia junction where traders make brisk business and transporters collect passengers travelling around the state and to neighbouring Enugu was desolate on Friday.

Likewise, the road that leads to Isuofia also had scant traction of vehicles except for few motorcycles and human movement and one beer and food joint.

Isuofia is the hometown of Charles Soludo, the APGA candidate.

Other deserted towns and roads include those of Nkpologwu, Uga, Nanka, Nnewi, Akpo and Aguluezechukwu.

Not only are roads deserted and shops shut, some hotels, lodges and medical centres also said they were closed.

On Thursday, all the roads were bustling with life and trading continued into the night till as late as 10 p.m.

A representative of Landmark Diagnostics located on Ukpor road in Umudim Nnewi told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone, Friday morning, that the laboratory would not open until Sunday afternoon.

Residents expressed palpable fear and uncertainty despite the cancellation of the sit-at-home order.

The spokesman of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, Emma Powerful, had on Thursday confirmed to this newspaper that his group had indeed cancelled the partial lockdown order.

Turnout for election

Mr Adibe said he would vote and he believes his vote counts.

Three other residents interviewed said they will not vote. Their reasons ranged from fear to disinterest.

I will go and vote tomorrow whether there is sit-at-home or sit-outside (orders) or not. If we dont vote, the votes will still be counted even if there are two people. Why will I go inside? I must go outside to cast my vote because I want someone to govern Anambra, Mr Adibe said.

No Jupiter (one) can stop me unless INEC officers do not come tomorrow. I must carry my voter card outside to cast my vote, at least I have done my mind.

Im convinced that people will come out tomorrow too. If I dont, another person who is not your candidate will be elected by mobilising their people to vote.

They (politicians) have the power, they will call INEC persons to come so that their people can vote. You must go to your polling unit.

I must go to mine unless God does not give life tomorrow, he said, adding that he hopes to see a more peaceful Anambra after the election.

On the other hand, a motorcyclist who identified himself simply as Commander said he would not vote, but he would be out with his motorcycle to make money.

On Friday, he was one of the few motorcycles plying the deserted roads. He said he had been out since 4 a.m. transporting passengers around the towns.

Another resident identified simply as Dare said even though he participated in previous elections, he was not sure Saturdays election was one he would want to participate in.

He cited distance as a reason and more than that, the fear of violence in past elections but expressed uncertainty about the Saturday election.

The Ondo State indigene, who has lived in Anambra for 18 years, said he is also living in the circumference of the known fear among the residents.

I normally vote but I am not sure if I will vote tomorrow. Had it been that I am in my state, I could have dared anybody since it is my state but when you see these people you dont know them.

The guys that enforce sit-at-home often wear masks, so you have to behave yourself. Although nobody is happy about what is going on in this country, nobody wants to die.

The group, which had used force to enforce its earlier sit-at-home protests in the South-east, had declared the sit-at-home in Anambra to discourage residents from taking part in the November 7 governorship election in the state.

The sit-at-home, which had been condemned by political leaders in the South-east, was billed to commence on Friday, a day to the election.

The police have, however, assured that adequate security would be provided during the election.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Echeng Echeng, said he is impressed with the level of security across the state ahead of the poll.

Security deployment

What we are telling everybody in Anambra is to feel free at the sight of security men in their areas, because they are there to provide security and not to intimidate any lawful person.

We have equally told our personnel to be civil to the people, but for anyone coming out to make trouble, let them deal decisively with such trouble makers, he said.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, had announced the redeployment of over 34,000 personnel of the force in Anambra.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also deployed 20, 000 personnel outside those from the military and paramilitary.
The Lagos State Government on Friday said dead bodies recovered from the Ikoyi collapsed building are ready for identification.

It, therefore, called on families of the deceased to go to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba to identify the corpses of their loved ones.

The state government said 38 bodies have been recovered so far from the collapsed building as rescue operation entered Day Four on Friday, while family members had submitted 32 names of those still missing.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, while giving an update to the press, said the bodies would be ready for identification from 4 p.m. on Friday at the IDH, Yaba.

Mr Omotoso, who addressed the press conference in the company of the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins; and Physical Planning and Urban Development, Idris Salako; said an autopsy would be carried out on the corpses before they are released to their families.

He said the autopsy is important because the law says that whenever there is death as a result of such incidents like the collapsed building, an autopsy must be done before the body is released.

The Commissioner also debunked reports that the rescue operation team at the collapsed building stopped the search and rescue work on Thursday.

He said work was still ongoing and would continue until the government could account for everybody inside the building at the time of collapse and certify that nobody is left behind in the collapsed building.

He said: So far now, we have recorded 38 dead bodies. And as you know, we have nine survivors. Some bodies are ready for identification. So, people can go to IDH, Yaba as from 4 p.m. to identify the bodies of their loved ones.

For bodies that may be very difficult to identify, we are going to be conducting DNA tests for such bodies to be identified. There are rules for giving bodies to people.

There are some of the bodies that are in a state that it would be unprofessional for the hospitals to allow people to look at them in that present state and for them to be released the way they are. That is why we have the little delay that we are having. But if you go to IDH, Yaba from 4 p.m., you should be able to see some of the bodies and be able to identify who you want to identify.

Yesterday, Mr Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said one of the patients at the General Hospital was taken to LASUTH for a test and all that. The patient has been brought back to the hospital and he is said to be doing well. And all the patients who were there are doing well.

The multi-sectoral search and rescue operation was ongoing at press time and the effort is being led by teams of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), with the support of construction giants, Julius Berger, Craneburg, HiTech and China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).
The scandal surrounding the abduction in 2003 of Chris Ngige, the then governor of Anambra State, resurfaced on Monday at the political debate for three of the governorship candidates in the South-east state.

Charles Soludo, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said at the debate that Andy Uba was at the engine room stoking up all the fires for Mr Ngiges abduction, an accusation Mr Uba strongly denied.

I wasnt even in the country when it happened, Mr Uba said in response to Mr Soludos remark.

Mr Uba, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, appears to be the greatest threat to Mr Soludos chances of winning the November 6 election, among all the other 16 candidates, including Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Soludo knows the threat to be real and apparently targeted Mr Uba during the debate in order to diminish the APC candidate and get some of the 2.5 million registered voters not to vote for him.

He also accused Mr Uba of forging his secondary school examination certificate and not speaking up about the pro-Biafra group, IPOB, and its agitation while the APC candidate was a senator for eight years.

During the debate, Mr Soludo arguably floored Mr Uba who appeared quite uninspiring. He also arguably floored the other candidate, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But candidates performance in debates hardly influence election outcomes in Nigeria.

Already, Mr Uba has handed down heavy political blows to Mr Soludos APGA by luring the deputy governor, a senator, six House of Representatives members and eight House of Assembly members into APC, just a few days to the election.

More people are likely going to dump APGA even on Election Day, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

On Thursday, two days to the election, Governor Obianos aide, Tommy Okoli, announced his defection from APGA to PDP.

One newspaper reported that some additional aides, about five of them, also dumped APGA on Thursday.

And here lies one of the obstacles against Mr Soludo  How do you win an election when several of your chieftains are crossing over to other parties in droves with their supporters?

The defection of several politicians from APGA has been attributed to Governor Willie Obianos poor performance, especially with the dilapidated roads and lack of basic infrastructure in Anambra, and the desire of many to see the state move away from the control of a regional party so that it can attract support from the centre (the federal government).

Chike Okoye, a lawyer from Anambra, told PREMIUM TIMES that Saturdays election would have been a smooth sail for Mr Soludo, a celebrated economist and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, if Governor Obiano had performed well.

Obiano hasnt performed (well), the roads are in terrible shape, and many people are complaining. So its going to be a hard sell for him to deliver the candidate of APGA, Mr Okoye said.

Nobody wants a regional party. What has Anambra gained federally from playing regional politics? APGA is a regional party, it has not gone beyond Anambra State, he added.

Chris Chikwelu, from Anambra State, had been a foundation member of APGA before he crossed over to PDP, and then to APC. He said he is enthusiastic about Anambra and the whole South-east becoming part of a party that is truly national.

There is no way we as an Igbo nation can benefit from the project called Nigeria if we are not on the table where issues concerning revenue allocation, resource allocation, and some appointments would be discussed. That is why our people this time around, having been in an opposition party for almost 16 years, decided to get into a national political party, he said.

Anambra has a history of low voters turnout. If the situation deteriorates on Election Day because of the militarisation of the state due to the threat of violence, some people believe that this could put Mr Soludo and APGA in a disadvantaged position.

Can PDP candidate Ozigbo spring surprises?

Yes, he can, said the lawyer, Mr Okoye.

PDP has a very strong following in this state, considering the Peter Obi factor, the predecessor to Obiano.

Peter Obi has a lot of following and people listen to him, and considering his credentials and his track record in Anambra State, people will solidly vote for any candidate he brings out. And that candidate is Val Ozigbo, he said.

Apart from the Peter Obi factor, Mr Ozigbo is likely to gain the support from people who are tired of Governor Obiano and APGA and also view APC as a party which oppresses the South-east.

Our people regarded the APC as a Fulani party; that was the dummy sold to the people to confuse them, said the Anambra Deputy Governor, Nkem Okeke, who defected recently from APGA to APC.

If we hate APC because of Buhari, one day he must leave the party, if we negotiate well politically and an Igbo man becomes the president, then will we call it Igbo party? Mr Okeke said.

Mr Ozigbo, a former CEO of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), is intelligent, connects well with the youth, and has good communication skills and the ability to quickly turn the shortcomings of APC and APGA into his own advantage, something he did beautifully well at the debate.

Capitalising on the face-off between Mr Soludo and Mr Uba at the debate, Mr Ozigbo said, I am glad Anambra people are seeing this. These were the PDP of the past, both of them. This is the dysfunctional past we are moving away from. We have a better PDP today.

Mr Ozigbos message to the electorate is that Anambra is broken and needs some fixing, but that APGA and APC cannot be trusted to fix it because the two political parties were part of the problem.

For me, its heart-breaking thinking about my dear state the way it is being characterised. Weve just observed a minute silence for those who have died, but what are we doing to stop (the killing)? How do we take responsibility? Who is orchestrating this? At the state level we have APGA, at the national level we have APC. To what extent have they done enough to curb this? Mr Ozigbo said at the debate, in response to Mr Ubas call for a minute of silence for those killed in Anambra during Biafra agitation.

It is not enough to observe a minute of silence, we need to do more.

I believe what Anambra state requires today is a young vibrant CEO who has got the experience both global, national and sub-regional to be able to fix what is wrong with Anambra, we need people who are trendy, modern, (and) classy.

I am a child of grace who has done exceptionally well from school days and up to corporate life, the PDP candidate said.

IPOBs influence, other issues

IPOBs announcement that it has cancelled its sit-at-home order and that the election could go ahead came as a big relief for Nigerians, but there are concerns that several voters may still be reluctant to turn out for the election.

On Friday, on the eve of the election, major roads in Awka and other parts of the state were deserted, an indication that there may be low voters turnout despite IPOBs announcement.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, spoke on Thursday about the security threat in the state, and noted that there is a high likelihood of infiltration by criminally-minded individuals to Anambra State, before, during and after the polls.

The police have deployed 34,000 officers for the election. This is in addition to the many soldiers deployed to the state because of IPOB.

Aside from security issues, it is likely that some influential members of IPOB may want to influence who becomes the next governor of Anambra, whether openly or covertly.

In all of this, the election would determine the fate of APGA as a political party and also whether the people of Anambra would want to join the two dominant parties in Nigeria  APC and PDP.
The Borno State High Court in Maiduguri, has sentenced a civil servant, Maaji Arfo, to seven years imprison for engaging in an N86.1 million contract fraud.

The judge, Haruna Mshellia, at end of the trial, found him guilty of four counts out of the six preferred against him and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on each count.

He ordered that the sentences run prison run concurrently.

Mr Arfo was the General Manager of the State-owned Maiduguri Flour Mills Limited, where he committed the fraud.

He was arraigned on a six-count charge by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for offences bordering on abuse of office and conferring undue advantage on himself, a statement by ICPCs spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, said on Thursday.

The charges showed that Mr Arfo, while acting as the General Manager of the Flour Mill, between 2014 and 2020, engaged in multiple fraud in violation of Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under relevant Sections of the same Act.

One of the counts on which he was convicted revealed that he awarded multiple contracts to Falkwat Multilinks Limited, a private company where he was a director, to supply diesel (Automotive Gas Oil) and maize to Maiduguri Flour Mills.

Counsel for ICPC, Anas Kolo, while arguing the case, told the court that the convict in October 2015, awarded a N4.9 million contract to Falkwat Multilinks Limited to supply 40,000 litres of diesel to the flour mills.

The court further heard how Mr Arfo, while being a public servant, awarded several contracts between 2016 and 2017 to his private company, Falkwat Multilinks Limited, to supply maize to Maiduguri Flour Mills Limited.

For instance, he was said to have authorised the payments of N42.1 million to his company in July 2016 for the supply of 386.45 metric tonnes of maize and another N23 million to the same company in March, 2016 to supply 306.94 metric tonnes of maize to the state-owned flour mills.

He was convicted of an offence of approving the payment of N16 million to Falkwat Multilinks to supply 217.45 metric tonnes of maize.
The chairman of the #EndSARS panel in Abuja, Suleiman Galadima, on Thursday, reminded police authorities of their duty to account for all individuals arrested and detained in their custody.

Mr Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, gave the charge at the hearing of a case of an alleged violation of the right to personal liberty and enforced disappearance of one Eric Ezeala, who was reported to have been arrested in 2017 by members of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The victim has not been seen his arrest, his family told the panel officially referred to as the Independent Investigative Panel on allegations of human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian police.

The panel was set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest against brutality perpetrated against citizens by the operatives of SARS and other police units.

It is replicated in at least 28 other states with the mandates to recommend compensations for victims or their families and sanctions or prosecutions for erring police officers.

The #EndSARS panels, the common name given to the panels being a product of the last years #EndSARS protest, have submitted their reports in many states with implementation still hanging.

The Abuja panel, which recently resumed from an over-six-month break occasioned by lack of fund, again, on Thursday, expressed frustrations with the police, whose officers named in many cases continued to shun the panels invitations to answer questions.

Mr Galadima, the panels chair, told the respondents counsel led by James Idachaba that the police could not run away from answering questions on the enforced disappearance of Eric Ezeala and other victims.

We must get to the bottom of this case as quickly as possible, he added.

A member representing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the panel, John Aikpokpo-Martins, reminded the lawyer that the panel was running against time.

READ ALSO:

We have a timeline, and we must finish this national assignment within the time frame we have. The panel cannot wind up without confirming the whereabouts of victims in police custody, whether they are alive or dead, he said.

Police lawyer speaks

The leader of the defence team, Mr Idachaba, assured the panel that he would get involved personally to find out the whereabouts of the victim.

He said from a preliminary investigation carried out personally, Mr Ezela was arrested by the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and not SARS, as alleged by his family.

The case was adjourned till November 23, for the defences report on the victims whereabouts.

Hilda Ezeala, the mother of the victim and petitioner who lodged the complaint, had said her son was arrested in July 2017 by some policemen.

She said she was informed to come with her lawyer to the SARS office in Owerri, Imo State, where she was later told that he had been transferred to Abuja.
The body of human activist and former CBN deputy governor, Obadiah Mailafia, was laid to rest amidst tears at the Mambilla Barracks in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that sympathisers were seen in their dozens, especially women weeping on the loss of the man they described as the bread winner of their families.

In a sermon during the funeral service, Stephen Baba, ECWA President, urged all Christians to be prepared as they did not know when they would return to the great beyond.

Mr Baba advised Christians to always be prayerful, watchful and prepared.

Do good and render service to humanity,  he said.

He described Mr Mailafia as a great loss to the Christendom and to the country at large.

Also Joseph Daramola, the general secretary, Christian Association Nigeria (CAN), in a message from the association, described Mr Mailafia as a hardworking and committed patriotic Nigerian.

Mr Daramola said Mr Mailafia was a genuine Christian, adding that the consolation was that he died a foremost defender of the masses and the church.

Mr Mailafia reportedly died of coronavirus disease due to commorbidities on 19 September in Abuja.

He was born on 24 December, ,1956 in Randa, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, and survived by a wife, Margaret Mailafia and two children, Emmanuel and Samora.

One of his memorable quotes was Great states are not products of chance. They are products of imagination, creativity and purpose driven leadership.

(NAN)
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Army, Abdulrasak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), says poor and inadequate accommodation is the major cause of low morale in the Nigerian Army.

Mr Namdas, in his opening remarks at the budget defence of the Nigerian Army on Friday in Abuja, said the country had not done well in the area of providing accommodation for the officers and soldiers.

The Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, and some top officers of the force, appeared before the committee to defend its 2022 budgetary allocation.

Mr Namdas said for the best to be derived from the military, the officers must be in the right frame of mind, noting that living in dilapidated structures will not help.

He noted that the proposed N28 billion for the capital component of the Armys budget is not sufficient to rehabilitate all the 138 barracks in the country.

Mr Namdas, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on improving the accommodation of the men of the Nigerian Army.

We must tell you the truth, the morale of your men in terms of accommodation is low. A lot needs to be done in that area. This is because your men can only give their best if they are psychologically stable.

It is the wish of this committee, we have also drawn the attention of Mr President to the plight of officers living in dilapidated structures scattered across 138 barracks.

Proposing N28 billion as capital expenditure for the Army in 2022 budget is inadequate. Even if the entire money is spent on rehabilitation of structures, it will still be inadequate, he said.

He also noted that the passage and subsequent assent to the Armed Forces Trust fund bill would help to address the issue of funding of the sector.

In his presentation, Mr Yahaya lamented the reduction of the budget of the Army by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

According to him, the army proposed N710 billion but the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to a total sum of N579 billion.

He urged the committee to prevail on the ministry to jack up their budget to N642.7 billion for personnel cost, while N29.6 billion be approved for overhead and N37.6billion for 2022 capital component.

Mr Yahaya also made a case for removing the army from the envelop budget.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Faruk made the same request while appearing before the Senate Committee on Army.

Following the presentation, the army and the committee went into a closed-door session.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has said it received fresh complaints from some parents and students that some academic institutions now charge between N10,000 and N80,000 for regularisation of their admission details with JAMB.

This is after several threats it issued vowing to sanction tertiary institutions involved in what it described as illegal or irregular admission exercises,

The examination body, which condemned the conduct, distanced itself from the payments describing it as exploitative.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by JAMBs head of public affairs and protocol, Fabian Benjamin, said it had stopped regularising admission for anyone offered admission illegally beginning from 2017.

JAMB, however, noted that for those offered admission before 2017 and require such regularisation, they are only required to pay a maximum amount of N5,000 for the unified tertiary matriculation examination form to the examination body and not to any other institution.

The statement reads in part; The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has received complaints from some parents and students that one or two institutions are collecting money ranging from N10,000 to N80,000 from candidates purportedly for the processing of late or irregular admissions.

The Board unequivocally dissociates itself from this exploitative act as it has not requested any institution to collect any fee on its behalf. The Board also does not demand or accept any fee from any of the institutions.

It will be recalled that the Board had announced the stoppage of condonement of illegal admission (Deceitfully called Regularization) from 2017. This was to address the irregularities in the admission process, ensure the accuracy of admissi65Yon statistics as well as ensure transparency in the admission process.

JAMB also blamed the institutions for what it described as wanton disregard for regulations and ministerial directive, saying the institutions were fond of offering admission to desperate candidates through the backdoor.

It was, therefore, a rude shock to the Management of the Board to receive the disheartening news of this barefaced exploitation of hapless and desperate students. It is to be borne in mind that these candidates are in their present predicament, in the first instance, as a result of the wanton disregard of extant regulations by some institutions leading to the conduct of underhand or backdoor admissions thus creating room for the avalanche of requests for condonement (Regularisation) which had long been discontinued by the Board on the directive of the Government.

It was the seemingly hopeless situation of candidates seeking condonement that prompted the Hon. Minister of Education to graciously give approval for a final round of waiver or condonement, the statement added.

It added that the various submissions by each institution are being given necessary considerations before the affected candidates could be captured in its database.
The management of the University of Ibadan has explained that COVID-19 informed its decision to restrict physical presence to only first class graduands and those to be awarded prizes at the upcoming 2021 convocation and 73rd foundation day ceremonies.

The universitys director of public communication, Olatunji Oladejo, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the institution will not allow any form of partying or social gathering during the convocation period.

Mr Oladejo added that the university cannot stand the risk of hosting thousands of graduands and their families, saying as a law abiding institution, it would not flout the rules set by the government.

The statement said; We cannot take the risk of inviting over 7,000 graduates and parents, guardians, and well-wishers into the venue.

This is what is obtainable in all institutions all over the world at this time. Therefore, the University of Ibadan cannot flout the rules and protocols of the Federal Government of Nigeria governing COVID-19.

Given the above, attendance at the International Conference Centre is open to First Class Honours graduands and recipients of prizes and awards only as this is the number that can be conveniently accommodated with the maintenance of the appropriate physical distance.

He, however, directed parents, visitors and other categories of graduates to connect to the convocation proceedings online via the universitys website.

He further urged the physical attendees to comply with COVID-19 protocols, including wearing face masks, physical distancing, and use of hand sanitiser.

Mr Oladejo said the university did not bar or ban graduates without a first-class from participating in this years ceremony as being insinuated in certain sections of the media.

Graduation is a very important milestone in the lives of our graduates. We hereby congratulate these graduands on the successful completion of their programs at the university, he said.

COVID-19 impact

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria, public institutions across the country have had to restrict the number of physical attendees to a certain number to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

The University of Ibadan, which is the oldest Nigerian University, is located at Agbowo in Ibadan North of Oyo State.

Oyo State is the sixth state and second state in the South-west after Lagos State with the highest COVID-19 cases and deaths.

According to the latest data by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Oyo State has recorded 8,758 cases and 191 deaths as of November 4, 2021.

The state has 16 people currently down with the illness, while 8,551 people have been successfully treated and discharged.
I will like to begin this Keynote Address by congratulating the mass media across the world, especially the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) for the Pandora Papers. They leaked 11.9 million documents and 2.9 terabytes of data exposing corrupt dealings by the powerful and the global rich. The Pandora Papers which were released on October 3 exposed the secret dealings of 35 world leaders and over 100 billionaires and powerful people.

In 600 journalists from 150 media organisations, across 117 countries working together, shows not just the power of organisation, professionalism and commitment to make the world a better place, but also, the unstoppable power of the press.

I am proud that amongst the media organisations that worked on the Pandora Papers is the Premium Times of Nigeria whose courageous publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi is slated as one of the panellists on this platform. Let me thank Ghana for providing refuge for Nigerian journalists fleeing persecution. When the Abacha regime in Nigeria decided to physically eliminate Mr Olorunyomi in 1995, it was to Ghana he fled for refuge. When his wife, Ladi who had been held hostage was released on bail, it was Ghana that welcomed her and the children.

Also as you might know, when Nigerian employers were unwilling to hire Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of the greatest journalists that ever practiced in West Africa, it was Ghanaian employer, Mr A.J. Ocansey who in 1934 gave him a job to establish and run a fearless, Pan Africanist newspaper, the African Morning Post in this city. Azikiwe later moved back to Nigeria setting up one of the best and most fearless newspaper chain, the WEST African Pilot.

Press Freedom and Its Enemies

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Tragically, the high professionalism, exposure of sleaze and holding the powerful accountable as was done by the Pandora Papers, come at a very high prize. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) says that between 1992 and 2021, a total of 1,418 journalists were killed in the line of duty. That is some 50 journalists killed annually! This is a very high prize to pay and humanity owes journalists eternal gratitude for being watch dogs for the society, checking corruption, criminality and power abuse.

In West Africa, journalists have faced repression and death. This includes the October 19, 1986 mutilation of Mr Dele Giwa, the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian NEWSWATCH Magazine through a parcel bomb, and, the 1995 sentencing of four Nigerian journalists, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, Kunle Ajibade, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi to life imprisonment for reporting an attempted coup. There was the December 13, 1998 mafia-style execution and incineration of investigative Burkinabe journalist, Norbet Zongo, his brother, chauffeur and a friend.

The trend in the region as manifested in the countries mentioned and those like Ghana, show that perhaps the greatest enemies of press freedom is military rule.

Generally, development was not arrested in Togo until the January 13, 1963 military coup against Sylvanus Olympio. Degeneracy did not set in Ghana until the February 24, 1966 military coup against Kwame Nkrumah. Nigeria did not become a degenerate state until January 15, 1966 when the military overthrew the elected government of Tafawa-Balewa. The cumulative 29 years the military ruled Nigeria is mainly responsible for the quagmire the country is in currently. Today, the Nigerian coup-generals and their beneficiaries continue to recycle themselves in power. In the last 22 years of post-military rule, former military rulers, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari have been President for fourteen years during which they have continued the military culture of repression.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the African military, being a colonial creation for the oppression of the people, has been one of the greatest setbacks for development in West Africa. Fifteen of the sixteen countries in Wes Africa, experienced coups and military rule. The only exception is Senegal.

Although, we have tried to steer our countries back to civil rule  democracy is still unattained  military misrule is burrowing itself back to power. There was a military coup in Mali on August 18, 2020.

This year, there have been three military coups within five months; one in Chad on April 19, 2021, another in Mali on May 24, 2021 and a third in Guinea Conakry on September 5, 2021. If will add these to other contemporary coups on the continent like the March 22-24, 2013 coup in the Central African Republic, the General el-Sisi coup in Egypt in July 2013 and the long drawn November 14-21, 2017 coup in Zimbabwe against President Robert Mugabe, we will realise that there is the danger of other military takeovers. These would constitute threats to constitutional governance and press freedom.

So the media, especially in West Africa, must rise up to help galvanise the struggle not just against military rule, but also misrule by leaders like Alassane Ouattara in Cote dIvoire who unconstitutionally elongate their tenure in office, Fuare Gnassingbe of Togo who has transformed governance into a monarchy and leaders who implement economic programmes designed and imposed on Africa by imperialism.

The West African peoples and their organisations have a duty to join the mass media in fighting for press freedom. I do not mean press freedom to defend the selfish interests of the ruling class but the interests of the oppressed people who constitute the majority of people in each of the countries in Africa.

One of the immediate tasks is the decriminalization of press freedom. Permit me to salute the government of Ghana which has decriminalized freedom of expression, and the Liberian government which on February 28, 2019 did the same. I want to commend the Media Foundation for West Africa for its contribution to the campaign for decriminalization in the region. The MFWA has, successfully challenged the illegal arrest and detention of journalists in the Ecowas Court of Justice.

But we have a huge battle in our hands especially in countries like Nigeria which are speeding towards increasing repression and criminalization of freedom of speech. In recent years, we in Nigeria have battled against attempts and bills on Hate Speech attempts to chain the social media and closure of media organisations. But while it used to be easy shutting down media houses, today, with ICT, journalism has become like the rainbow; how do you pin down the rainbow? How do you shoot it down? Gradually, the power of states like those in West Africa to shut down the media is slipping out of their hands. Let me cite a case. On June 5, 2021, the Nigerian government placed an indefinite ban on Twitter for deleting tweets by President Buhari in which he threatened a major nationality in the country. However, Nigerians ignored the ban by switching to the encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel over which the government has no power. In a case filed against the suspension by the Socio Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) at the Ecowas Court of Justice the Judges have restrained the Government from carrying out the threat to prosecute twitter users pending the determination of the case.

Before then, the same Court had declared illegal, null and void the ban on the use of Internet in the Republic of Togo.

The Highway To Misinformation and Digital Media Regulation

Facts, for the media, are sacred. They are like a religious obligation and their violation, side stepping, mutilation and misrepresentation are like the cardinal sin. So disinformation, misinformation, falsehood, deception and fabrication are antithetical to journalism. Yet, these ancient practices thrive because these are ways the state and power manipulate society and try to keep it in chains. It is also a way for the exploiter to exploit the exploited. The digital age with its instantaneous dissemination of information has strengthened these.

No other world leader in contemporary times has abused this more than former America President Donald Trump who in holding misinformation in a vile grip, told 30,573 verifiable lies in his four years at the White House; an average of 21 lies or inaccurate statements for every day he was in office.

Let me state that this is not uniquely American. War time British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill propagated that: In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies. In other words, in times of conflict or assumed conflict, one of the first casualties is the truth or facts on which journalism built its practice.

State actors, non-state actors and all specie of human beings for various reasons disseminate fake news or what is elegantly clothed as alternative news. These are fed the citizenry, the innocent or the gullible.

Misinformation or fake news is a danger to journalism, but there can be no let-up in the struggle against the purveyors who in many cases, is the state. In fact, many countries establish fake news sites or farms where they plant, culture and harvest fake news which they disseminate.

Yet the same state turns round to try regulating and censoring the social media in the name of checking fake news. Indonesia has a whole agency to regulate online media while the German state is empowered to force the online media to delete what is considered hate speech or fake news.

There is no single solution to ensuring that this does not result in outright press censorship and the circumscription of the fundamental right to freedom of speech. My suggestions include that:

i. Journalism must remain true to its professional ethics of facts being sacred.

ii. The media should engage in self-regulation and expose unprofessionalism.

iii. Gate keepers especially News Editors, Rewriters and Editors in the media need to be alert and critical so that unverified information do not get past, and if they do, retraction is made in accordance with the ethics of the profession.

iv. The media should expose fake news sites and call out purveyors of such news.

v. Media houses should invest in technology that can fact check news or information.

vi. Media organisations should not repost or rebroadcast materials they cannot verify.

vii. Journalists should strive for a system that ensures social platforms use their real names so they can be called to order if they engage in misinformation.

viii. The mass media especially in Africa should not assume that news or materials from foreign news agencies or sources are true, or value free. So they should cross check such news or materials and rewrite, rather than just regurgitate them.

ix. There is need for an education system that challenges the student to think so that conscientious citizens would be produced who can question what they read, watch or experience.

Conclusion

Press freedom is the freedom of society; press development, is the development of society. Therefore, the society must fight to protect press freedom, expand its boundaries, ensure the wellbeing of the mass media and protect the journalist.

In conclusion is that as human beings, we owe it a duty not just to protect and defend journalists but to also ensure that the mass media in the face of digital development, changing technology and dwindling resources, remain on course. This is in the interest of basic freedom, human rights, democracy and the development of humanity.

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), writes from Lagos.

This is the text of the keynote address delivered at the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) that held on Friday, October 22 at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
The police in Zamfara State have rescued two persons, two weeks after they were kidnapped by bandits.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Mohammed Shehu, the police spokesperson in the state, said the victims were rescued during extensive search and rescue operations.

He said the victims, who were abducted in Magami in Kaura Namoda, were rescued in Dumburum and Gidan Jaja forest in Zurmi local government area.

The spokesperson said they had undergone medical treatment after which they were also debriefed by the police.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba N. Elkanah psc+ sympathised with the victims for the suffering they passed through within the period they spent in captivity .

He assures the people of the State that, Police in Collaboration with other security agencies and state government will continue to work assiduously to ensure the unconditional rescue of all kidnapped victims across the state.

The CP further called on members of the public to continue to support the security operatives in the ongoing Operations against recalcitrant bandits and other criminal elements in the State, the statement added

Zamfara, like Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi States in the north-west and Niger in the north-central, has been plagued by incessant bandits activities for more than a decade.

Despite recent security measures taken by Governors of the states, bandits still attack, kill and kidnap a number of people.
The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Farouk Salim, on Friday, advocated strong sanctions for all standards infractions following the collapse of the 21-storey building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Mr Salim said this in a condolence message to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and victims of the building collapse on November 1, in Lagos.

The SON chief noted that the agency had visited the site to commence investigation by taking samples of iron rods, concrete mix and other materials for laboratory tests and analysis.

He stressed the importance of promoting voluntary compliance in Nigeria as in other parts of the world, and described the incident as avoidable and one collapse too many.

On Thursday, Governor Sanwo-Olu inaugurated a panel to investigate the cause of the collapse.

Mr Salim commended the Lagos State government for setting up a panel of inquiry to unravel the root cause of the collapse.

The SON DG, also commiserated with the families of the dead and injured and called on all Nigerians, particularly authorities responsible for approvals and regulations, to make adherence to approved standards the watchword in the discharge of their duties.

He offered SONs technical support, given its mandate and abundance of competence in such investigation.

We offer our condolence to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the people of Lagos State on the unfortunate high-rise building collapse at Ikoyi and the attendant loss of lives.

Section 5 (1) b of the SON Act No. 14 of 2015 charges the organisation to undertake investigation as necessary into the quality of facilities, systems, services, materials and products, whether imported or manufactured in Nigeria.

Also, Section 5 (2) of the Act states that, For purposes of uniformity of Standards in Nigeria, all regulatory agencies or organisations dealing with matters pertaining to or related to standards shall do so in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

Part IX (48) of the Miscellaneous Provisions in the SON Act states that, in every government procurement, where compliance with standards is a requirement, no payment for execution for such contract shall be made unless compliance to the relevant standards have been verified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, he said.

Mr Salim said SON required the continuous support and collaboration of all Nigerians, other agencies and professional organisations to deliver on its mandate to the nation.

He added that SON was currently developing new procedures in line with the Act to verify that all material used in major construction projects across the country met the required standards.

(NAN)
White Bear Lake, MN (55110)

Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Morning high of 37F with temps falling to near 25. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 16F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Larry Rock, 76, of Charles Way, passed away on November 17, 2021 at his home. He was born May 17, 1945 the son of Clarence and Rose (Rell) Rock. Services will be private and held at the convenience of the family. Larry will be laid to rest in St. Mary's Cemetery in Champlain. Arrangements ha
Southbury, CT (06488)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
CHF 47 million investment will serve dynamic markets in Turkey, Middle East and 'Stans' countries

GENEVA, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned perfume and taste company, and MG International Fragrance Company today announce the construction of a new Regional Perfumery Production Hub on the MG International campus near Istanbul, Turkey. The 47 million Swiss franc investment in the new plant will provide 20,000 metric tons of additional capacity to serve customers in Turkey, the Middle East and 'Stans' countries.

"This project is a milestone in the partnership Firmenich signed with MG International Fragrance Company in 2019, demonstrating our shared dedication to provide winning service to our customers and the strength of our commitment to this dynamic region," said Firmenich CEO Gilbert Ghostine. "This state-of-the-art plant will be a true perfumery production hub, responding to fast-growing demand from small and mid-size customers across Turkey, the Middle East and the 'Stans' countries."

"We are very proud that our legacy of 186 years of combined business experience in fragrances continues to successfully expand the alliance that we started only two years ago," said MG International Fragrance Company CEO Aslan Gulcicek. "With the continued unparalleled investments by Firmenich in our country and in our business, we are demonstrating that we are committed to be a key player in these important markets in the region."

Construction of the Regional Perfumery Production Hub was formally launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on the MG International and Firmenich campus in the Gebze Organized Industrial Zone attended by MG International Fragrance Company's Honorary President Misel Gulcicek, Firmenich Chief Operating Officer Eric Nicolas and senior executives from both companies. The new facility is expected to become operational before the end of 2023, joining Firmenich's global network of 46 perfumery, flavors and ingredients plants across the world.

With approximately 15,000 square meters of floor space spread across four floors, the facility will house some of the most advanced digital production technology and quality assurance laboratories in the industry. The highly automated plant will help deliver high-quality and agile service to meet the bespoke needs of small and mid-size enterprises which are flourishing in the region.

Sustainability criteria were incorporated from the outset in the project design, in keeping with Firmenich's responsible business approach and its ambitious 2030 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. The plant is planned as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green building, meeting the highest standards for energy efficiency, environmental protection and a healthy working environment.

About Firmenich

Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895 and has been family-owned for 126 years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors and ingredients. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science and taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 4.3 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2021. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com.

About MG International Fragrance Company

MG International Fragrance Company provides services to over 55 countries and supplies fragrance compositions and ingredients to 1800 active manufacturers worldwide including the domestic market. With its environmentally conscious production, "employee-and-customer-first" oriented approach, and productive high technology utilization, the company, which is among the 650 largest companies in Turkey, places particular emphasis on working under healthy and safe environments. www.mgfragrances.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/798187/Firmenich_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Firmenich
The Prime Minister's speech was delivered at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership, held in London at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre on Thursday 4 th November 2021. UK investors were called upon to invest in a wide range of sectors including renewable energy, shipbuilding, automotive, light engineering, agro-processing, blue economy, tourism, knowledge based hi-tech industries, and ICT.

The London Investment Summit is regarded as a key step in strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and the UK. It was hosted by a high-level government delegation from Bangladesh alongside the Honourable Prime Minister, including the Chairmen of both the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, as well as the UK High Commissioner for Bangladesh. It was also attended by a range of senior representatives from the UK government  including Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister of State for Trade  as well as major corporates, banks and investment organisations.

The event featured a presentation on the potential of trade and investment in Bangladesh, a panel discussion on investment for sustainable growth, as well as speeches by high-profile business leaders and parallel sessions.

Following the summit, Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Securities Exchange Commission, said: "Bangladesh has experienced extraordinary growth to become a Middle-Income nation, and is now South Asia's fastest growing economy. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is on target to achieve a GDP of USD 500bn by 2026, likely overtaking powerhouses including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. We're thrilled that we have been able to demonstrate at the summit the promising opportunities and lucrative returns available for foreign investors in Bangladesh."

Mohammad Sirazul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), said: "We're delighted with the response we've had from investors at this Bangladesh Investment Summit in London and we're looking forward to hosting our next roadshow in Manchester. We seek diversification in our trade and investment, with a focus on green infrastructure and the blue economy. The UK is the perfect partner in this, with extensive experience in this area."

Saida Muna Tasneem, UK High Commissioner, said: "We're very proud to be a partner for the Bangladesh Investment Summit. The UK and Bangladesh have a long history and operate in close partnership, with the UK currently Bangladesh's third largest trading partner. This summit has enabled UK investors to see even more potential in Bangladesh, and we look forward to continuing to grow the partnership between our two nations."

Bangladesh is making leaps and bounds in addressing the challenge of being a climate-vulnerable country. In her COP26 address, the Prime Minister outlined the steps being taken including doubling climate-related expenses over the last seven years, investing in significant renewable energy programs, and cancelling plans for extensive coal-based power plants. The Prime Minister is one of the most vocal leaders internationally on tackling climate change and has been conferred the 'SDG Progress Award' by the UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network for Bangladesh's steady progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Notes to Editor

The next Investment Summit will be held in Manchester on Monday 8th November at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, where further UK-based investors will be able to learn about the green investment opportunities in Bangladesh. The UK events are the latest in a series of roadshows showcasing the investment potential of Bangladesh, held in the UAE, the USA and Switzerland.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) - https://www.sec.gov.bd/

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) - http://bida.gov.bd/

Bangladesh High Commission London - https://bhclondon.org.uk/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679549/Bangladesh.jpg

SOURCE Bangladesh Securities Exchange Commission
STOCKHOLM, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Storytel has joined the world's largest initiative for sustainable business, and has pledged to align operations with the ten principles of the UN Global Compact and report its progress. The new sustainability committee within Storytel's board of directors will lead and monitor the company's sustainability efforts.

Storytel is happy to announce its participation in the United Nations' Global Compact program. The initiative will encompass the Storytel group and its subsidiaries including Storytel Books where all of Storytels wholly owned publishing houses are included. Members pledge to align their operations and strategies with the UN Global Compact's ten principles that address human rights, labor law, environment and anti-corruption, and to take strategic actions to contribute to societal goals such as the UN global goals for sustainable development. Storytel also promises to issue a yearly report to the UN Global Compact regarding the company's sustainability progress and results.

The UN Global Compact is the world's largest initiative for sustainable business, with a local presence through national networks in approximately 70 countries. The worldwide network includes more than 14,000 companies and 3,000 organizations from more than 160 countries. In Sweden, where Storytel has its headquarters, the initiative is represented by the UN Global Compact Network Sweden, which conducts the country's largest collaboration in sustainability for trade and industry while also providing a forum for information exchange and support regarding sustainability work.

"The planet is facing enormous challenges. On the journey toward 2030, it's essential for Storytel to contribute to creating a better world. Storytel has pledged to incorporate the UN Global Compact principles into its strategy, culture, and daily work, and we commit to our involvement in projects and collaborative efforts that support the development of global sustainability goals. Sustainability must be a part of Storytel's DNA. Today, I'm very proud to announce our participation in the UN Global Compact," says Jonas Tellander, founder and CEO of Storytel.

"We're very excited that Storytel has chosen to join the UN Global Compact, as the most recent addition to more than 450 Swedish companies that have agreed to integrate our ten principles in their operations. By doing so, these companies not only take their fundamental responsibility to humans and the environment; they also lay the foundations for long-term and successful operations that make positive contributions to the Global Goals," says Philip Thormark, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Sweden.

Storytel has appointed a sustainability committee within its board of directors to lead sustainability work and monitor progress. The committee is headed by Helen Fasth Gillstedt, who has been a board member since 2019.

FNCA Sweden AB is the company's certified adviser. FNCA can be reached at info@fnca.se or +46 8 528 00 399.



For further information, please contact:

Sandra Olt, Global PR Manager People & ESG

Email: sandra.olt@storytel.com

Tel: +46 70 745 36 83

Dan Panas, Head of Global Communications & PR, Storytel AB

Email: dan.panas@storytel.com

Tel: +46 70 186 52 90



About Storytel

Storytel is one of the world's largest subscribed audiobook and e-book streaming services and offers listening and reading of more than 700,000 titles on a global scale. Our vision is to make the world a more empathetic and creative place with great stories to be shared and enjoyed by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Storytel's streaming business is conducted under the brands Storytel and Mofibo. Storytel's publishing business area is carried out through the audiobook publisher StorySide and acclaimed Nordic publishing houses such as Norstedts, People's and Gummerus. Storytel operates in 25 markets around the globe and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/storytel/r/storytel-accelerates-its-sustainability-work---joins-the-un-global-compact-initiative,c3447773

SOURCE Storytel
Who We Are : AIREM is the first Korean beauty-inspired medical aesthetic spa in the U.S based on the concept of gwallee, a centuries-old Korean principle of maintaining self-care . Located in Long Island, NY, AIREM offers medical-grade skincare, aesthetic and wellness treatments, beauty retreats, and plastic surgery in a brand new, luxury state-of-the-art facility designed to balance the Eastern and Western principles of beauty.

Nominate a Veteran who deserves a day of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.

About the Harmoni Relaxation Experience:

Immerse yourself in 60 minutes of meditative rest and relaxation. AIREM's Harmoni spa table utilizes harmonic and synchronized vibrational frequencies to target specific brainwaves to reduce stress, decrease anxiety and promote rest and relaxation. Harmoni offers a complete experience of impulses from audio and vibrational frequencies to calm the body and mind and bring both into a relaxed state.

The brainwave entrainment technology used in the Harmoni system, engineered by Gharieni and imported from Germany, has been tested and researched by the U.S. Army, at the Miami Veterans Affairs hospital. The system was developed by American scientists to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of American veterans. During clinical trials, in as little as 4 weeks, military personnel saw an improvement in mood disturbance, stress, anxiety, resilience and sleep.

The Science:

SYNCHRONIZATION OF BRAIN WAVES USING AUDIO AND VIBROACOUSTIC STIMULATION

Audio Stimulation:

Binaural sounds (both ears) are a phenomena that is perceived when two sounds with slightly different frequencies are applied separately via the left and right ear. The brain automatically generates a third frequency, creating synchronizations between the left and right hemisphere known as "brainwave entrainment". These binaural sounds are embedded in relaxing, specially composed music and work in a frequency range that is not perceptible to the human ear.

Vibroacoustic Stimulation:

The Harmoni experience utilizes technology of synchronized sinewaves that are delivered through transducers embedded in the surface of the spa table. Perceived as gentle vibrations which affect the energy centers of your body, the sinewave frequencies accelerate the brainwave entrainment process.

Harmoni is clinically proven to dip into the Delta level brainwave state, where our body releases serotonin, melatonin and endorphins responsible for feelings of wellbeing. Using Harmoni can allow for coveted minutes in deep delta level brainwave patterns, which can equal more than a full night's rest, prompting physical and emotional rejuvenation.

"When opening AIREM, exactly a year ago, it was important for me to incorporate aesthetic and wellness experiences. Both go hand-in-hand with our core principle of Gwallee, a centuries old Korean principle of maintaining self-care with purpose and intention." - Dr. Eunice Park.

Do you know a veteran who could benefit from the Harmoni treatment?

In honor of Veteran's Day, AIREM is gifting a complimentary Harmoni session to 5 lucky Veterans.

To Nominate, click here .

The five winners will be chosen on Veteran's Day, Thursday 11/11. Winners will be contacted directly and announced on @airemessentials IG story!

Source: https://www.gharieni.com/welnamis/

About Dr. Park:

A native New Yorker, Dr. Park graduated from Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan before obtaining her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine Degree from SUNY  Stony Brook School of Medicine. She went on to become a Macy Foundation Scholar and received her Masters in Public Health degree from Columbia University. Dr. Park completed her general surgery internship, head and neck surgery residency, and facial plastic & reconstructive surgery fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

Media Contact: To learn more about The Harmoni Experience and AIREM, please contact Juliet Cavallaro, Marketing/PR Coordinator [email protected] .

IG: @airembeautyrituals

Founder of AIREM: @dreunicepark

www.airem.com

SOURCE AIREM Modern Beauty Rituals

Related Links

www.airem.com


DALLAS, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas-based civil trial firm Aldous \ Walker LLP has been included the in the 2022 U.S. News  Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" rankings.

As in years past, the firm was named a Dallas / Fort Worth Metropolitan Tier 1 firm in two separate categories: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs.

"Best Law Firms" Rankings

Released by renowned rankings publisher U.S. News, Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" reviews over 13,000 individual attorneys and firms to recognize the most accomplished practices.

In addition to requirements that eligible law firms have at least one attorney named in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America (Aldous \ Walker had three), firms must also earn top marks based on evaluations of verifiable results, client reviews, and references submitted by peers.

Law firms with the highest scores ranked based on Best Lawyers' tiered system and included in final rankings. The Metro Tier 1 ranking is the highest available.

Aldous \ Walker LLP

Aldous \ Walker's latest selection among the "Best Law Firms" comes on the heels of another successful year and extensive recognition for its attorneys. This includes Attorneys Charla Aldous, Brent Walker, and Caleb Miller being selected to 2022 Best Lawyers and Aldous and Walker both being named to the Lawdragon 500, National Law Journal's Plaintiffs' Trailblazers List, D Magazine's "Best Lawyers in Dallas," and Super Lawyers  which further named Aldous among the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Texas.

In addition to its attorneys' accolades, Aldous \ Walker also played a critical role as part of the litigation team representing Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in his high-profile suit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over the Governor's controversial ban on mask mandates. For their work in the case, which is currently pending before the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, Aldous \ Walker attorneys received the John Howie Award from the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association in October.

Aldous \ Walker is a nationally recognized trial practice that has recovered millions for clients in complex civil claims involving serious personal injury, product defects, medical malpractice, and sexual assault and abuse. Based in Dallas, the firm serves clients across Texas and beyond. www.aldouslaw.com.

Media Contact:

Charla Aldous

[email protected]

SOURCE Aldous \ Walker LLP

Related Links

http://www.aldouslaw.com


Appsian Security Announces Acquisition of Q Software, A Leader in JD Edwards Security and Compliance Tweet this

"Q Software has provided the JD Edwards community with the strongest set of GRC audit tools available," said Mike Ward, CEO of Q Software. "But as organizations increasingly use multiple ERP systems, it's more critical than ever to ensure that internal controls are effective across a distributed environment, and proactive controls are in place to prevent risk in real-time. Appsian Security adds a best-of-breed approach for protecting data if threats are detected and will help give our customers greater visibility into the access and usage of their data."

For additional insight, JD Edwards customers and partners are encouraged to visit https://www.qsoftware.com , where Mike Ward has included additional thoughts about the acquisition.

The acquisition by Appsian Security is their second in less than six months, as the Company continues to expand its reach into ERP security, risk, and compliance. As an established leader in ERP data security, Appsian Security has built its brand in the Oracle and SAP markets by providing sophisticated access controls, data masking, and threat detection and response capabilities.

"Protecting ERP data is no longer just an IT or security concern, but an objective across the enterprise," said Piyush Pandey, CEO of Appsian Security. "By acquiring best-in-class software providers like Q Software, we're able to integrate our security capabilities with the established platforms ERP customers are using to manage user access, perform segregation of duties, and maintain audit readiness. All of these solutions, working together in one platform, can help the entire enterprise streamline and consolidate how they protect their business-critical data."

Appsian Security, Q Software, and the Quest Oracle Community will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, December 2nd, to demonstrate how Q Software can improve the efficiency and agility of JD Edwards security.

Click HERE to register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8540476778761923854.

About Appsian Security

Appsian Security focuses your ERP security and compliance strategy on what matters most  data. With over 350 customers worldwide, some of the largest and most complex organizations in the world trust Appsian Security to help provide total control and visibility over sensitive business data and financial transactions. Appsian Security capabilities include solutions for: Identity & Access Governance, User Management, Segregation of Duties, Data Loss Prevention, and Threat Detection & Response. For more information, visit www.appsiansecurity.com.

About Q Software

Q Software specializes in Security Management, Segregation of Duties, Auditing, and Compliance Reporting tools for users of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, JD Edwards World, Oracle E-Business Suite, and Oracle ERP Cloud. Established in 1996, we have over 300 customers in 58 countries, serviced by offices in the US, the UK, Australia, and a global network of sales and service partners.

Trademarks

Oracle EBS, PeopleSoft, and Oracle ERP Cloud are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Appsian

Related Links

https://www.appsian.com


San Antonio, TX, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Biglari Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BH.A; BH) announces its results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021.

Biglari Holdings Inc.'s earnings for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021 and 2020 are summarized below. To become fully apprised of our results, shareholders should carefully study our 10-Q, which has been posted at www.biglariholdings.com.

(dollars in thousands)















Third Quarter

First Nine Months

2021

2020

2021

2020















Pre-tax operating earnings (loss) $ 754



$ (854)



$ 18,036



$ (10,354)

Investment gains (15,697)



27,572



33,809



(87,413)

Income tax (expense) benefit 4,274



(5,617)



(11,544)



23,449

Net earnings (loss) $ (10,669)



$ 21,101



$ 40,301



$ (74,318)



Analysis of Results:

Investments affect our reported quarterly earnings based on their carrying value. We do not regard the quarterly or annual fluctuations in our investments to be meaningful. Therefore, our operating businesses are best analyzed before the impact of investment gains. As a consequence, in the preceding table we separate earnings of our operating businesses from our investment gains.

About Biglari Holdings Inc.

Biglari Holdings Inc. is a holding company owning subsidiaries engaged in a number of diverse business activities, including property and casualty insurance, media and licensing, restaurants, and oil and gas. The Company's largest operating subsidiaries are involved in the franchising and operating of restaurants.

Comment on Regulation G

This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. In addition to the GAAP presentations of net earnings, Biglari Holdings defines pre-tax operating earnings outside of the investment gains/losses of the Company.

Risks Associated with Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ markedly from those projected or discussed here. Biglari Holdings cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, for actual results may differ materially from expectations. Biglari Holdings does not update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. Further information on the types of factors that could affect Biglari Holdings and its business can be found in the Company's filings with the SEC.

***

SOURCE Biglari Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biglariholdings.com


MIAMI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Cansortium Inc. (CSE: TIUM.U) (OTCQX: CNTMF) ("Cansortium" or the "Company"), a vertically-integrated cannabis company operating under the Fluent brand, announces that it has changed its auditor from MNP LLP ("Former Auditor") to Baker Tilly US, LLP ("Successor Auditor"). At the request of the Company, the Former Auditor resigned as the auditor of the Company effective October 1, 2021 and the board of directors of the Company appointed the Successor Auditor as the Company's auditor effective October 15, 2021, to hold office until the next annual meeting of the Company.

There were no modified opinions in the Former Auditor's audit reports for the Company's two most recent financial years and ending at the date of the resignation of the Former Auditor. There are no "reportable events" (as the term is defined in National Instrument 51-102: Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102")) between the Company and the Former Auditor.

In accordance with NI 51-102, the notice of change of auditor, together with the required letters from the Former Auditor and the Successor Auditor, have been filed on SEDAR.

About Cansortium Inc.

Fluent by Cansortium Inc. is a vertically-integrated cannabis company with licenses and operations in Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Texas. Fluent is dedicated to being one of the highest quality cannabis companies for the communities it serves. This is driven by Fluent's unrelenting commitment to operational excellence in cultivation, production, distribution and retail. The Company is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Cansortium Inc.'s common shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "TIUM.U" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol "CNTMF." For more information about the Company, please visit www.getfluent.com.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based on many opinions, assumptions, and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in the public documents of the Company available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

For further information:

Company Contact:

Robert Beasley, CEO

(305) 900-6266

www.getfluent.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Sean Mansouri, CFA

Elevate IR

(949) 200-4603

[email protected]

SOURCE Cansortium Inc

Related Links

http://www.getfluent.com/


BOSTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brian Dougherty, a Managing Director in the Boston office of Compass and head of The Private Brokerage team has just confirmed the sale of 300 Stage Neck Road in Chatham for $15,000,000, which is a record price for the town and one of the highest property sales in Massachusetts this year. Dougherty, who represented the seller, said the sale included an adjacent parcel of land at 0 Stage Neck Road for the buyer, who was represented by Herb Entwistle of Cityscape Properties.

Chatham Property Sells for Record $15,000,000 Brian Dougherty

The 6.5 acre oceanfront estate property had been owned by the same family for more than 20 years and was used primarily as a summer home. They acquired the legacy property in the late 90's and set about a multi-year project collaborating with top designers and architects to build the stunning 10,000 square foot shingle-style residence. With a separate guest house, dramatic infinity edge pool, cabana and private beach, the gated property is incredibly private and surrounded on three sides by water.

"Our marketing strategy was designed to provide this magnificent property with exposure to qualified buyers who might not have considered Chatham to begin with," said Dougherty, one of the top realtors in Massachusetts. His efforts garnered interest from "more than a dozen" qualified prospects, and ultimately fetched multiple offers. He declined to name the buyer but noted that he is an accomplished CEO with a young family.

The Private Brokerage team was founded in 2018 within Compass to provide accomplished individuals, families and their advisors with access to the most personalized, sophisticated and confidential real estate support available. From the elevated and far-reaching marketing of special properties to the thoughtful representation of buyers seeking hard to find off-market properties, The Private Brokerage leverages tremendous resources, concierge-like services and a close network of global real estate relationships to deliver outstanding results to clients throughout the Greater Boston region.

To learn more about The Private Brokerage team at Compass, please call 617-217-1842 or email [email protected]

Media Contact:

Lucy Pear, Director of Operations

314-719-6770

[email protected]

SOURCE The Private Brokerage
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council for Inclusive Capitalism (Council) today shared the results of a monthslong initiative to help businesses ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are shared by workers, communities, and customers. The Just Energy Transition: A Framework for Company Action is part of a collaborative effort led by the Council, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and bp in consultation with the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to develop actionable guidance for companies to deliver an energy transition that advances social equity.

"The private sector has a key role to play in financing and contributing to this urgent global shift in a way that is just for everyone involved," said Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance and Prime Minister Johnson's Finance Adviser for COP26. "This initiative is only the start of the journey. It will take the commitment and collective action of all  government, industry, and civic leaders  to achieve a swift and just transition to clean energy and a net zero economy."

This collaborative initiative is building a resource hub of best practices, case studies, research, and actions that companies can use to lead a swift energy transition that benefits all involved. The Just Energy Transition: A Framework for Company Action and an accompanying whitepaper are among the initial resources developed by the group. Explore the framework here and download the whitepaper here .

Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Founder of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism and Managing Partner of Inclusive Capital Partners, said, "We all learn from experience, and it is the first movers who have the most to teach. The Framework and its building blocks for action for an inclusive transition to clean energy is applicable to all sectors, and the Council invites all companies to explore how they can do their part to be a uniquely powerful force in creating a more inclusive net-zero economy with the Framework."

The Just Energy Transition: A Framework for Company Action has four core pillars that each have five areas for action to guide companies as they consider the social and economic impacts of their transition:

supporting universal access to energy and a net-zero emissions world, evolving the energy workforce to support a low and zero carbon energy future, building community resilience, and fostering collaboration and transparency throughout the process.

The framework builds upon existing literature and was created in collaboration with partners Climate Action 100+ and the World Benchmarking Alliance developing just transition assessment methodologies used by investors so that markets can recognize and reward those companies transitioning justly.

"There will be no energy transition unless it is just," said Bernard Looney, CEO of bp. "We must ensure that workers and communities do not lose out as we strive to help our planet. We must take everyone with us. That is why developing this framework made sense to us at bp. We want a transition that ensures no one is left behind."

"Collaboration, transparency and leadership from the private sector will be critical to making a just transition to net-zero emissions," said Rich Lesser, Global Chair of BCG. "The framework and resource hub will help organizations on their journey, learn from each other and ensure the transformation is respectful and beneficial to a broader set of stakeholders."

With the release of Just Energy Transition: A Framework for Company Action, the Council invites all companies to make commitments to contribute to a just energy transition to be publicly documented on the Council's platform of company actions. For the global energy transition to succeed, governments, investors, businesses, and civil society must act intentionally and collaboratively, and the release of this framework is a starting point intended to catalyze longer-term action. Companies participating in the initiative have already shared their commitments to deliver on social as well as environmental goals on their way to achieving net zero emissions. Among those actions are:

ACEN commits to protect communities, including indigenous and vulnerable populations, which could be affected by new project developments and operations. They are developing a framework for measuring progress by 2023.

Anglo American is committed to creating shared, sustainable prosperity in their communities by creating or supporting three jobs off-site for every job on-site by 2025 and five jobs by 2030.

is committed to creating shared, sustainable prosperity in their communities by creating or supporting three jobs off-site for every job on-site by 2025 and five jobs by 2030. As they achieve net zero by 2035, Reliance Industries will develop new energy infrastructure and materials by investing INR 15,000 Crore (about USD 2B ) in independent manufacturers, partnerships, and technology to create new jobs by 2024.

(about ) in independent manufacturers, partnerships, and technology to create new jobs by 2024. bp is working to enable a just transition for their workforce by driving education and employment initiatives and programmes with industry partners, publicly sharing metrics by 2023.

As companies take actions, understand their impact, and share what they have learned, the Council will continue to add and update the examples of how to implement the framework. Visit the resource hub here.

This initiative convened seven international energy and energy intensive companiesACEN, Anglo American, bp, Eni, Reliance Industries, Repsol, and SSEtogether with academic, investor, civil, and social representativesBCG, CalPERS, the Grantham Research Institute, Inclusive Capital Partners, the International Trade Union Confederation, State Street, and the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance.

Meredith Sumpter, CEO of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, noted, "In light of the latest IPCC report, the time to transition to a net-zero economy is nowbut how we transition is as important as the environmental targets we set. These initial actions for an energy transition that advances and not impedes social equity are a starting point for the work that needs to be done. We invite companies, investors and governments to make use of the framework to deliver a transition that is just."

About the Council for Inclusive Capitalism:

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism is a global nonprofit organization established to harness the potential of the private sector to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and trusted form of capitalism. The Council is guided by faith-based and ethical leaders, and it is led by a core group of global CEOs and public leaders who take concrete actions to enable a more inclusive capitalism and who convene annually to advance the Council's mission. Further information can be found at www.inclusivecapitalism.com .

SOURCE Council for Inclusive Capitalism

Related Links

www.inc-cap.com


With smooth lines, the overall appearance of ORA GOOD CAT looks round and full, making it distinctive. Its LED headlights are round and look as cute as a cat's eyes. The two colors contrast, such as the combination of green and white, red and black, both in appearance and interior design, making it retro and trendy.

ORA GOOD CAT has an intelligent 3-in-1 integrated electric drive system, which is characterized by stronger power storage capacity, higher charging efficiency, effectively improving its range and charging speed. If you're in a hurry and forget to charge in advance, this system can charge a battery with a range of 100 km in 12 minutes.

It can reach a 30%-80% of battery level in 30 minutes, and a maximum range of 500km when fully charged.

In terms of driving experience, ORA GOOD CAT is equipped with smarter and safer configurations, making it more user-friendly. It has delicate leather seats, and the height of the seat and the angle of the backrest can be adjusted freely. It also has three sets of seat memories that can be activated quickly to fit different users' driving habits.

It's remarkable that the driver seat can even provide a massage function when the driver is tired.

Then there is the safety assistance configurations. ORA GOOD CAT is equipped with ACC adaptive cruise and 360-degree panoramic image system. When the user is driving on a congested urban road, the above function will enable the user to get a clear view of the surrounding environment. It can move automatically to follow a vehicle ahead, according to real-time road conditions and intelligently slow down when necessary. This not only ensures the user's driving safety, but also relieves the fatigue when driving for a long stretch of time.

The birth of ORA GOOD CAT means that GWM has achieved steady development in the new energy field with the support of dual-platform technology.

In fact, before the launch of ORA GOOD CAT in Thailand, the ORA brand has already presented several models at the IAA Mobility 2021, and officially announced that it will be available for pre-sale in Europe in December this year.

Dong Yudong, CEO of the ORA brand, said at the 2021 Overseas Distributors Online Conference that GWM is possessed of the most complete BEV supply chain and the largest manufacturing scale, and its product supply and cost advantages are the powerful backings for ORA to seize the global market share.

SOURCE GWM
SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Christian Bagge, Vice President of Digital Solutions at HealthCrowd, a leading communications platform-as-a-service innovator in healthcare, will present on November 9 at the 2021 Texas Association of Health Plans (TAHP) Texas Covered Health Care Conference and Expo at 1:30pm CDT at the Hilton Austin in Austin, TX.

The panel presentation, "A Healthy Nudge: Using Technology and Texting to Nudge Better Health Care" will help attendees better understand how to utilize technology to engage more members, close more care gaps and improve their experience with providers and the health plan. Recent legislative changes in Texas make texting Medicaid clients more of a reality than ever before. Attendees will learn key strategies and actions to take now and, in the future, to be competitive and best serve members' needs.

Health plans can register for this event by visiting the conference website: https://www.tahpconference.com/

About the Speaker

Christian Bagge is Vice President of Digital Solutions for HealthCrowd's Medicare business. In this role he has helped healthcare organizations activate their members to foster healthy actions by leveraging digital outreach. Christian is a digital member experience expert with over 10 years' experience building multi-channel engagement programs that cut through the noise and HELP members. He is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a Bachelor of Art in Political Science and Government.

About HealthCrowd

HealthCrowd is the leading consumer engagement company that successfully orchestrates healthcare communications to drive healthy actions and consumer satisfaction while managing compliance. Our technology platform enables organizations across the healthcare spectrum to control, coordinate and analyze all communications to their members and patients. We serve 4 out of 5 of the country's top managed care organizations. We manage lives in 34+ states. By changing consumer perception, we are increasing health insurance and health system literacy, making consumers better partners with the healthcare ecosystem. For more information, visit https://www.healthcrowd.com .

Media inquiries:

Leslie Groves

[email protected]

SOURCE HealthCrowd
With a strong commitment to his community, McCloskey has dedicated his career to helping seniors in the Northeast. He founded Stateline in 2000 to assist seniors transitioning to Medicare and is known for creating deep client relationships that help bring peace of mind about healthcare decisions. As clients increasingly have turned to McCloskey for retirement advice, Stateline has transitioned into managing their investment portfolios and helping them preserve assets. Today, Stateline assists clients with all aspects of retirement planning so they can enjoy their retirement years without fear of outliving their savings and investments.

"Integrity's partner network continues to grow and by partnering with the McCloskey team we also grow in character," said Bryan W. Adams, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrity Marketing Group. "Bill cares deeply about his clients' financial and medical security during retirement. His firm will use the scope of Integrity's resources to meet even more Americans' needs. Integrity offers many tools to help a partner of this caliber scale and grow, from marketing and technology to collaboration with the best minds in the industry. I'm honored to partner with Bill and his team and I know that Stateline Senior Services will play a significant role in Integrity's current and future success."

"We pride ourselves on providing the 'Stateline Experience,' which means caring for clients as if they were our own parents. Integrity brings that same code of ethics to its business," explained Bill McCloskey, President of Stateline Senior Services. "Ultimately, we share the same primary focus  to help more Americans. The retirement side of our business is growing rapidly and we need Integrity's platform of offerings to continue that growth. As an Integrity partner, we immediately gain access to resources, marketing support and technology that can help us achieve our objectives. This partnership will take our business to a much higher level than we ever imagined, and we're thrilled to join the Integrity family."

The Integrity insurtech platform offers partners proprietary technology to enhance existing processes and drive growth. Stateline will utilize resources such as MedicareCENTER, data and analytics, product development and a team of marketing professionals available to partners through Integrity's world-class marketing and advertising firm. Integrity will also provide Stateline with administrative support through its shared services, which include IT, human resources, legal, compliance, accounting and the most up-to-date technology.

Stateline employees will also receive meaningful company ownership through the Integrity Employee Ownership Plan.

"As with any team, each player brings a different skillset to the table," continued McCloskey. "Our deep experience joined with Integrity's continued innovation and the strength of its partner network is a winning combination. Having Integrity's team on our side puts us in a better position to serve."

For more information about Stateline's decision to partner with Integrity, view a video at www.integritymarketing.com/StatelineSeniorServices.

About Integrity Marketing Group

Integrity Marketing Group, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading distributor of life and health insurance and provider of innovative solutions for wealth management and retirement planning. Through its partner network, Integrity helps millions of Americans protect their health, wealth and legacy with a commitment to meet them wherever they are  in person, over the phone and online. Integrity's cutting-edge technology helps streamline the insurance and financial planning experience for all stakeholders. In addition, Integrity develops products with carrier partners and markets them through its distribution network of agencies, brokerages and RIAs throughout the nation. Integrity's almost 5,500 employees work with agents and advisors across the country. For more information, visit www.integritymarketing.com.

About Stateline Senior Services

Stateline Senior Services was founded in Somers, Connecticut, to specialize exclusively on the insurance and investment needs of the retired and soon-to-retire. Stateline helps clients find the best Medicare coverage for their situation and provides wealth planning services to help them get the most from retirement. Stateline founder Bill McCloskey has worked to help clients with retirement and investment planning since 1983. Stateline agents design income plans and can help with advanced long-term care planning as well as crisis planning. For more information, visit www.statelineseniorservices.com.

SOURCE Integrity Marketing Group, LLC

Related Links

http://www.integritymarketing.com


"Data shows market disruptions will persist through at least early 2022, and businesses will need to be strategic in their hiring and retention strategies," said Jay Denton, chief labor-market analyst at ThinkWhy. "The pace of consumer spending is slowing, and supply-chain issues aren't helping, especially with the holiday season upon us. These factors, combined with current pressures on wages and a lack of available workers, not only will produce extra staffing challenges but also impact revenues for many businesses.

"Businesses will need to focus on retaining the talent they have, in addition to filling open roles. Offering more money may not be enough in the current environment, because workers are looking for flexibility, remote and hybrid work, and other benefits."

LaborIQ Market Index: October's Key Takeaways

The proprietary LaborIQ Market Index enables businesses and talent acquisition professionals to closely evaluate which U.S. metros are primed for recruiting and attracting talent, regardless of geography or industry. The index tracks 10 key performance indicators that represent the greatest drivers of a market's economic growth or decline and track each metro's progress toward pre-pandemic employment levels and recovery.

"We continue to see geographic differences in recovery, with strong labor markets and recoveries across the southern U.S., Southwest, Mountain West and Pacific Northwest," Denton said. "Florida metros are gaining strength, due to job growth and migration. Even in high-growth areas, businesses should focus on retaining talent and even look to slower-growth metros to source new talent."

Top four metros stay strong  Dallas, Austin, Phoenix and Denver have held the top four spots in September and October. Dallas has been a top-performer since summer 2020  Always in the top 10, the metro has held the No. 1 spot since April 2021. Recent entrants make big gains  Houston moved up three spots to No. 5, followed by Seattle's jump from 10 to No. 6. Who's in, who's out  Naples, Florida, reentered the top 10 at No. 9, due to strong job gains and growth, while Salt Lake City dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since April 2021.

How It Happened

The COVID-19 Delta variant caused jobs gains to slow substantially in the late summer and early fall, after large gains June and July. With this slow-but-steady recovery, the U.S. labor market is approaching 97% of pre-pandemic employment.

Sixteen of the 150 metros ranked in the LaborIQ Market Index have already exceeded their pre-pandemic employment levels  which is up from nine and 10 metros, respectively, during July and August  and another 12 are within 1.0%

The recovery varies significantly based on location. Some metros in the Northeast, Midwest and Gulf Coast continue to struggle to recoup lost jobs and retain talent. Others  including Austin , Jacksonville , Phoenix and Tampa  are seeing job expansion above pre-pandemic levels.

Sunshine State's Strong Recovery

Metros in Florida have made a strong recovery, with many areas in the state reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic employment levels. Florida is home to six of the 16 metros in the U.S. that have recovered all jobs lost to the pandemic  the most of any state  and seven of its metros land in the top 25 of the LaborIQ Market Index rankings.

Jacksonville and Tampa recently became two of the five largest metros to reach pre-pandemic employment levels. Smaller Florida metros  Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville and North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton  have also recovered all jobs lost to the pandemic. Naples and Cape Coral-Fort Myers are not far behind and remain around 1% below pre-pandemic employment levels.

Miami is a bit further behind in terms of recovering jobs lost to the pandemic and remains around 5% below pre-pandemic employment, but strong jobs gains combined with population growth and net migration put the Miami metro in the top 25 in October.

The main challenge Florida faces in its recovery is the reliance on tourism and the high share of workers in the leisure and hospitality industry. Early in the pandemic, this industry was among the hardest hit and will be among the slowest to recover.

About LaborIQ by ThinkWhy

LaborIQ is a SaaS solution providing HR and talent-acquisition professionals with talent and labor-market intelligence. LaborIQ by ThinkWhy reports, forecasts and advises on employment conditions and the impact to jobs, industries and businesses across all U.S. cities. Our machine learning and advanced data science deliver precise compensation, talent-supply forecasts, retention tools and job-market answers for more than 20,000 job titles.

Visit ThinkWhy.com to learn more or request a demo. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Trademarks

All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

SOURCE ThinkWhy
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services' (LANES) platform is connected to the California Immunization Registry (CAIR). The ability to link seamlessly with CAIR is the latest addition to the LANES population health enablement platform, aggregating real-time health information.

CAIR is the immunization registry for California that consolidates and stores an individual's immunization records, including COVID-19 vaccine data. Physicians, nurses and other providers at L.A. County-based hospitals, health systems and community clinics can access this critical vaccine data routinely to monitor medical conditions and determine needed vaccines for disease prevention. Health plans use the data to support care coordination.

Tracking immunizations and other types of relevant clinical data amassed across the county, enrich the LANES platform designed for population health enablement and cohort management.

"We use the LANES community data to populate our Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Empaneled Life Management registry to support population health initiatives," said Guillermo Diaz Jr., M.D., Chief Medical Information Officer, Ambulatory Care Network, Los Angeles County DHS. "The LANES HIE data is used in a large-scale systematic manner to augment our data to both identify and address gaps in care. The real-time clinical data, such as hospital admissions and discharges, allergies, medications, lab results, diagnostic results and procedures is cross-referenced with DHS data on the ELM platform to help us manage health factors, which may impact patients' health and well-being."

The LANES HIE's platform allows care team members to securely access a patient's health information including vaccination records, regardless of facility and where it originates. The timely data can be used to inform care coordination, smooth transitions of care across healthcare settings and send timely electronic notifications of critical events to a patient's primary care physician.

"We continue to innovate our growing HIE to empower our participants with the highest quality clinical and behavioral health information," said Brad Hibbard, LANES Chief Strategy Officer. "We've reached a tipping point in which LANES provides a cogent presentation of data across the healthcare ecosystem that inform clinical decisions to help achieve the best possible health outcomes. Our participants can see the bigger picture of the patient's health."

LANES is the only HIE platform in L.A. County connecting to a broad range of health data sources for population health enablement through usable features and functionality. In addition to CAIR, LANES also has connectivity to CURES, the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System tracking controlled substances dispensed to patients. Licensed prescribers who participate in LANES can access CURES as part of the statewide effort to combat the opioid epidemic and promote safer prescribing practices.

About LANES

Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES) is a regional health information exchange (HIE) serving more than 600 participants that include health systems, hospitals, community clinics and health plans that administer care to residents of L.A. County. Connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit the LANES website for more information.

LANES Contact:

Brad Hibbard

Chief Strategy Officer

949.633.3900

[email protected]

SOURCE Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services

Related Links

https://www.lanesla.org


TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945

C$ unless otherwise stated

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife's Board of Directors today announced a 5 cents per share dividend on the common shares of Manulife Financial Corporation ("Manulife" or the "Company"), payable on and after December 20, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 1, 2021. Combined with its quarterly common shareholders' dividend of $0.28 per share announced on November 3, 2021, this supplementary dividend results in a total quarterly common shareholders dividend of $0.33 per share or an 18% increase. Manulife has a strong track record of delivering progressive dividend increases and is pleased to have combined the annual increase for 2021 with an accelerated annual dividend increase for 2022 by executing it one quarter earlier than the dividend increases we have announced in the past.

In respect of the Company's Canadian Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan and its U.S. Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan, the Company will continue to purchase common shares on the open market in connection with the reinvestment of dividends and optional cash purchases under these plans. The purchase price of these common shares will continue to be based on the average of the actual cost to purchase them and there are no applicable discounts.

On March 13, 2020, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions ("OSFI") announced its expectation that all federally regulated financial institutions halt dividend increases and suspend share repurchases. This dividend increase follows the announcement by OSFI on November 4, 2021, that this expectation is no longer in place. Manulife's last dividend increase was declared on February 12, 2020, shortly before OSFI's March 13, 2020 announcement.

Following OSFI's November 4, 2021 announcement, Manulife also announced today that, subject to the approval of OSFI and the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), it intends to launch a Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") permitting the purchase for cancellation of up to 39 million of its common shares, representing approximately 2% of Manulife's issued and outstanding common shares. As at September 30, 2021, Manulife had 1,942,349,528 common shares issued and outstanding.

Having an NCIB in place will provide Manulife with the flexibility to purchase common shares as part of its capital management strategy which is designed to maintain healthy regulatory capital ratios while balancing the objective of generating shareholder value.

Purchases under the NCIB may be made through the facilities of the TSX, the New York Stock Exchange, and alternative trading systems in Canada and the United States at market prices prevailing at the time of purchase or such other price as may be permitted. Manulife will file a notice of intention to make an NCIB with the TSX. The bid period will commence after the TSX has accepted the notice of intention and continue for up to one year. All common shares acquired by Manulife under the NCIB will be cancelled. Repurchases will be subject to compliance with applicable Canadian securities laws and United States federal securities laws.

In addition, Manulife may undertake repurchases of its common shares outside of Canada and the United States in compliance with applicable laws. Subject to regulatory approval, Manulife may also acquire common shares directly from other holders by way of private agreement pursuant to issuer bid exemption orders issued by applicable securities regulatory authorities. Any private purchase made under an exemption order issued by a securities regulatory authority will generally be at a discount to the prevailing market price. Manulife may also enter into derivative-based programs in support of its repurchase activities, including the writing of put options and forward purchase agreements, accelerated share repurchase transactions, other equity contracts or use other methods of acquiring shares, in each case subject to regulatory approval and on such terms and at such times as shall be permitted by applicable securities laws. The total number of common shares repurchased under the NCIB and all other potential arrangements will not exceed 39 million common shares.

Subject to regulatory approval, Manulife intends from time to time to enter into pre-defined plans with a registered investment dealer to allow for the repurchase of common shares at times when Manulife ordinarily would not be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Any such plans will be adopted in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and United States federal securities laws.

Caution regarding forward-looking statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbour" provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to possible future purchases by Manulife of its common shares. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual common share repurchases to differ materially from expectations include but are not limited to the fact that the amount and timing of any future common share repurchases will depend on the earnings, cash requirements and financial condition of Manulife, market conditions, capital requirements (including under LICAT capital standards), common share issuance requirements, applicable law and regulations (including Canadian and U.S. securities laws and Canadian insurance company regulations), and other factors deemed relevant by Manulife, and may be subject to regulatory approval or conditions.

Additional information about material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations may be found in our most recent annual and interim reports and elsewhere in our filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.

The forward-looking statements in this document are, unless otherwise indicated, stated as of the date hereof. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our global wealth and asset management segment, we serve individuals, institutions and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2020, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 118,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 30 million customers. As of September 30, 2021, we had CAD$1.4 trillion (US$1.1 trillion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made CAD$31.6 billion in payments to our customers.

Our principal operations are in Asia and Canada, and the United States, where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

Related Links

http://www.manulife.com


NextEra Energy, Inc.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns Florida Power & Light Company, which is the largest vertically integrated rate-regulated electric utility in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold, and serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts, supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive clean energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from seven commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune's 2021 list of "World's Most Admired Companies" and received the S&P Global Platts 2020 Energy Transition Award for leadership in environmental, social and governance. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NextEra Energy Partners acquires, manages and owns contracted clean energy projects with stable, long-term cash flows. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy Partners owns interests in geographically diverse wind and solar projects in the U.S. as well as natural gas infrastructure assets in Texas and Pennsylvania. For more information about NextEra Energy Partners, please visit: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com.



Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NextEra Energy) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NextEra Energy's and FPL's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning adjusted earnings per share expectations and future operating performance, statements concerning future dividends, and results of acquisitions. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NextEra Energy and FPL and their business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause their actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, or may require them to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in this news release and the following: effects of extensive regulation of NextEra Energy's and FPL's business operations; inability of NextEra Energy and FPL to recover in a timely manner any significant amount of costs, a return on certain assets or a reasonable return on invested capital through base rates, cost recovery clauses, other regulatory mechanisms or otherwise; impact of political, regulatory and economic factors on regulatory decisions important to NextEra Energy and FPL; disallowance of cost recovery by FPL based on a finding of imprudent use of derivative instruments; effect of any reductions or modifications to, or elimination of, governmental incentives or policies that support utility scale renewable energy projects of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and its affiliated entities (NextEra Energy Resources) or the imposition of additional tax laws, policies or assessments on renewable energy; impact of new or revised laws, regulations, interpretations or ballot or regulatory initiatives on NextEra Energy and FPL; capital expenditures, increased operating costs and various liabilities attributable to environmental laws, regulations and other standards applicable to NextEra Energy and FPL; effects on NextEra Energy and FPL of federal or state laws or regulations mandating new or additional limits on the production of greenhouse gas emissions; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to significant and increasing compliance costs and substantial monetary penalties and other sanctions as a result of extensive federal regulation of their operations and businesses; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of changes in tax laws, guidance or policies as well as in judgments and estimates used to determine tax-related asset and liability amounts; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of adverse results of litigation; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of failure to proceed with projects under development or inability to complete the construction of (or capital improvements to) electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities or other facilities on schedule or within budget; impact on development and operating activities of NextEra Energy and FPL resulting from risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; risks involved in the operation and maintenance of electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities, retail gas distribution system in Florida and other facilities; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of a lack of growth or slower growth in the number of customers or in customer usage; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of severe weather and other weather conditions; threats of terrorism and catastrophic events that could result from terrorism, cyberattacks or other attempts to disrupt NextEra Energy's and FPL's business or the businesses of third parties; inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage for protection of NextEra Energy and FPL against significant losses and risk that insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; a prolonged period of low gas and oil prices could impact NextEra Energy Resources' gas infrastructure business and cause NextEra Energy Resources to delay or cancel certain gas infrastructure projects and could result in certain projects becoming impaired; risk to NextEra Energy Resources of increased operating costs resulting from unfavorable supply costs necessary to provide NextEra Energy Resources' full energy and capacity requirement services; inability or failure by NextEra Energy Resources to manage properly or hedge effectively the commodity risk within its portfolio; effect of reductions in the liquidity of energy markets on NextEra Energy's ability to manage operational risks; effectiveness of NextEra Energy's and FPL's risk management tools associated with their hedging and trading procedures to protect against significant losses, including the effect of unforeseen price variances from historical behavior; impact of unavailability or disruption of power transmission or commodity transportation facilities on sale and delivery of power or natural gas by NextEra Energy, including FPL; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to credit and performance risk from customers, hedging counterparties and vendors; failure of NextEra Energy or FPL counterparties to perform under derivative contracts or of requirement for NextEra Energy or FPL to post margin cash collateral under derivative contracts; failure or breach of NextEra Energy's or FPL's information technology systems; risks to NextEra Energy and FPL's retail businesses from compromise of sensitive customer data; losses from volatility in the market values of derivative instruments and limited liquidity in over-the-counter markets; impact of negative publicity; inability of FPL to maintain, negotiate or renegotiate acceptable franchise agreements with municipalities and counties in Florida; occurrence of work strikes or stoppages and increasing personnel costs; NextEra Energy's ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, including the effect of increased competition for acquisitions; environmental, health and financial risks associated with NextEra Energy Resources' and FPL's ownership and operation of nuclear generation facilities; liability of NextEra Energy and FPL for significant retrospective assessments and/or retrospective insurance premiums in the event of an incident at certain nuclear generation facilities; increased operating and capital expenditures and/or reduced revenues at nuclear generation facilities of NextEra Energy or FPL resulting from orders or new regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; inability to operate any of NextEra Energy Resources' or FPL's owned nuclear generation units through the end of their respective operating licenses; effect of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets or actions by third parties in connection with project-specific or other financing arrangements on NextEra Energy's and FPL's ability to fund their liquidity and capital needs and meet their growth objectives; inability of NextEra Energy, FPL and NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc. to maintain their current credit ratings; impairment of NextEra Energy's and FPL's liquidity from inability of credit providers to fund their credit commitments or to maintain their current credit ratings; poor market performance and other economic factors that could affect NextEra Energy's defined benefit pension plan's funded status; poor market performance and other risks to the asset values of NextEra Energy's and FPL's nuclear decommissioning funds; changes in market value and other risks to certain of NextEra Energy's investments; effect of inability of NextEra Energy subsidiaries to pay upstream dividends or repay funds to NextEra Energy or of NextEra Energy's performance under guarantees of subsidiary obligations on NextEra Energy's ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock; the fact that the amount and timing of dividends payable on NextEra Energy's common stock, as well as the dividend policy approved by NextEra Energy's board of directors from time to time, and changes to that policy, are within the sole discretion of NextEra Energy's board of directors and, if declared and paid, dividends may be in amounts that are less than might be expected by shareholders; NextEra Energy Partners, LP's inability to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms could have an effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and on the value of NextEra Energy's limited partner interest in NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP; effects of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets on the market price of NextEra Energy's common stock; and the ultimate severity and duration of public health crises, epidemics and pandemics, including the coronavirus pandemic, and its effects on NextEra Energy's or FPL's businesses. NextEra Energy and FPL discuss these and other risks and uncertainties in their annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NextEra Energy and FPL undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results for NextEra Energy Partners, LP

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (together with its subsidiaries, NEP) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NEP's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning adjusted EBITDA, cash available for distributions (CAFD) and unit distribution expectations, as well as statements concerning NEP's future operating performance and financing needs. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "aim," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NEP and its business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause NEP's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties could require NEP to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders is affected by wind and solar conditions at its renewable energy projects; Operation and maintenance of renewable energy projects and pipelines involve significant risks that could result in unplanned power outages, reduced output or capacity, personal injury or loss of life; NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects can be materially adversely affected by weather conditions, including, but not limited to, the impact of severe weather; NEP depends on certain of the renewable energy projects and pipelines in its portfolio for a substantial portion of its anticipated cash flows; NEP is pursuing the repowering of wind projects and the expansion of natural gas pipelines that will require up-front capital expenditures and expose NEP to project development risks; Terrorist acts, cyberattacks or other similar events could impact NEP's projects, pipelines or surrounding areas and adversely affect its business; The ability of NEP to obtain insurance and the terms of any available insurance coverage could be materially adversely affected by international, national, state or local events and company-specific events, as well as the financial condition of insurers. NEP's insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; NEP relies on interconnection, transmission and other pipeline facilities of third parties to deliver energy from its renewable energy projects and to transport natural gas to and from its pipelines. If these facilities become unavailable, NEP's projects and pipelines may not be able to operate or deliver energy or may become partially or fully unavailable to transport natural gas; NEP's business is subject to liabilities and operating restrictions arising from environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, compliance with which may require significant capital expenditures, increase NEP's cost of operations and affect or limit its business plans; NEP's renewable energy projects or pipelines may be adversely affected by legislative changes or a failure to comply with applicable energy and pipeline regulations; Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) may claim certain immunities under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Mexican law, and the Texas pipeline entities' ability to sue or recover from Pemex for breach of contract may be limited and may be exacerbated if there is a deterioration in the economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico; NEP does not own all of the land on which the projects in its portfolio are located and its use and enjoyment of the property may be adversely affected to the extent that there are any lienholders or land rights holders that have rights that are superior to NEP's rights or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management suspends its federal rights-of-way grants; NEP is subject to risks associated with litigation or administrative proceedings that could materially impact its operations, including, but not limited to, proceedings related to projects it acquires in the future; NEP's cross-border operations require NEP to comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations of the U.S. government and Mexico; NEP is subject to risks associated with its ownership interests in projects or pipelines that are under construction, which could result in its inability to complete construction projects on time or at all, and make projects too expensive to complete or cause the return on an investment to be less than expected; NEP relies on a limited number of customers and is exposed to the risk that they may be unwilling or unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to NEP or that they otherwise terminate their agreements with NEP; NEP may not be able to extend, renew or replace expiring or terminated power purchase agreements (PPA), natural gas transportation agreements or other customer contracts at favorable rates or on a long-term basis; If the energy production by or availability of NEP's renewable energy projects is less than expected, they may not be able to satisfy minimum production or availability obligations under their PPAs; NEP's growth strategy depends on locating and acquiring interests in additional projects consistent with its business strategy at favorable prices; Reductions in demand for natural gas in the United States or Mexico and low market prices of natural gas could materially adversely affect NEP's pipeline operations and cash flows; Government laws, regulations and policies providing incentives and subsidies for clean energy could be changed, reduced or eliminated at any time and such changes may negatively impact NEP's growth strategy; NEP's growth strategy depends on the acquisition of projects developed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) and third parties, which face risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, the environment, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; Acquisitions of existing clean energy projects involve numerous risks; NEP may continue to acquire other sources of clean energy and may expand to include other types of assets. Any further acquisition of non-renewable energy projects may present unforeseen challenges and result in a competitive disadvantage relative to NEP's more-established competitors; NEP faces substantial competition primarily from regulated utilities, developers, independent power producers, pension funds and private equity funds for opportunities in North America; The natural gas pipeline industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could adversely affect NEP's business; NEP may not be able to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms, which would have a material adverse effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and pursue other growth opportunities; Restrictions in NEP and its subsidiaries' financing agreements could adversely affect NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; NEP's cash distributions to its unitholders may be reduced as a result of restrictions on NEP's subsidiaries' cash distributions to NEP under the terms of their indebtedness or other financing agreements; NEP's subsidiaries' substantial amount of indebtedness may adversely affect NEP's ability to operate its business, and its failure to comply with the terms of its subsidiaries' indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on NEP's financial condition; NEP is exposed to risks inherent in its use of interest rate swaps; NEE has influence over NEP; Under the cash sweep and credit support agreement, NEP receives credit support from NEE and its affiliates. NEP's subsidiaries may default under contracts or become subject to cash sweeps if credit support is terminated, if NEE or its affiliates fail to honor their obligations under credit support arrangements, or if NEE or another credit support provider ceases to satisfy creditworthiness requirements, and NEP will be required in certain circumstances to reimburse NEE for draws that are made on credit support; NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NEER) or one of its affiliates is permitted to borrow funds received by NEP's subsidiaries and is obligated to return these funds only as needed to cover project costs and distributions or as demanded by NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP (NEP OpCo). NEP's financial condition and ability to make distributions to its unitholders, as well as its ability to grow distributions in the future, is highly dependent on NEER's performance of its obligations to return all or a portion of these funds; NEER's right of first refusal may adversely affect NEP's ability to consummate future sales or to obtain favorable sale terms; NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (NEP GP) and its affiliates may have conflicts of interest with NEP and have limited duties to NEP and its unitholders; NEP GP and its affiliates and the directors and officers of NEP are not restricted in their ability to compete with NEP, whose business is subject to certain restrictions; NEP may only terminate the Management Services Agreement among, NEP, NextEra Energy Management Partners, LP (NEE Management), NEP OpCo and NextEra Energy Operating Partners GP, LLC (NEP OpCo GP) under certain limited circumstances; If the agreements with NEE Management or NEER are terminated, NEP may be unable to contract with a substitute service provider on similar terms; NEP's arrangements with NEE limit NEE's potential liability, and NEP has agreed to indemnify NEE against claims that it may face in connection with such arrangements, which may lead NEE to assume greater risks when making decisions relating to NEP than it otherwise would if acting solely for its own account; NEP's ability to make distributions to its unitholders depends on the ability of NEP OpCo to make cash distributions to its limited partners; If NEP incurs material tax liabilities, NEP's distributions to its unitholders may be reduced, without any corresponding reduction in the amount of the IDR fee; Holders of NEP's units may be subject to voting restrictions; NEP's partnership agreement replaces the fiduciary duties that NEP GP and NEP's directors and officers might have to holders of its common units with contractual standards governing their duties and the NYSE does not require a publicly traded limited partnership like NEP to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements; NEP's partnership agreement restricts the remedies available to holders of NEP's common units for actions taken by NEP's directors or NEP GP that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duties; Certain of NEP's actions require the consent of NEP GP; Holders of NEP's common units currently cannot remove NEP GP without NEE's consent and provisions in NEP's partnership agreement may discourage or delay an acquisition of NEP that NEP unitholders may consider favorable; NEE's interest in NEP GP and the control of NEP GP may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent; NEP may issue additional units without unitholder approval, which would dilute unitholder interests; Reimbursements and fees owed to NEP GP and its affiliates for services provided to NEP or on NEP's behalf will reduce cash distributions from NEP OpCo and from NEP to NEP's unitholders, and there are no limits on the amount that NEP OpCo may be required to pay; Increases in interest rates could adversely impact the price of NEP's common units, NEP's ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; The liability of holders of NEP's units, which represent limited partnership interests in NEP, may not be limited if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of NEP's business; Unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them; The issuance of securities convertible into, or settleable with, common units may affect the market price for NEP's common units, will dilute common unitholders' ownership in NEP and may decrease the amount of cash available for distribution for each common unit; NEP's future tax liability may be greater than expected if NEP does not generate net operating losses (NOLs) sufficient to offset taxable income or if tax authorities challenge certain of NEP's tax positions; NEP's ability to use NOLs to offset future income may be limited; NEP will not have complete control over NEP's tax decisions; Distributions to unitholders may be taxable as dividends; and, The coronavirus pandemic may have a material adverse impact on NEP's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders. NEP discusses these and other risks and uncertainties in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other SEC filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings made through the date of this news release. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NEP undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.; NextEra Energy Partners, LP
TOULOUSE, France, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenAirlines today introduces SkyBreathe Aircraft Performance Monitoring (APM), a new solution to help airlines continuously measure the performance of each aircraft in their fleet. The solution comes fully integrated with SkyBreathe 360 eco-flying platform the leading solution in the marketplace that covers all fuel best practices in all areas of an airline for increased fuel savings and CO2 reduction.

Fuel burn contributes up to 30% of direct operating costs. Monitoring each aircraft's degradation leads to better flight plans and optimized flight guidance, with immediate safety and fuel efficiency benefits.

Today monitoring aircraft performance is a cumbersome process. It is time-consuming and based on error-prone manual efforts to gather and manipulate data and run calculations. The process is even more tedious when airlines operate a mixed fleet. Therefore, fuel factor updates are infrequent leading to safety issues, and fuel overburn. By continuously and automatically integrating FDR data, SkyBreathe APM computes an always up-to-date aircraft performance degradation daily and with zero workload.

With existing APM tools, it is complicated to spot aircraft performance issues and identify their root causes. Aircraft performance degradation is fixed too late during scheduled maintenance actions instead of being dealt with on the spot. The new AI-powered solution notifies operators of abnormal performance degradation and quickly identifies the root cause. Airlines can solve issues faster, reducing fuel burn and maintenance costs. The digital solution automatically computes the impact of performance degradation and corrective actions on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and the airline's bottom line.

"APM was a natural SkyBreathe 360 extension. We wanted to reinvent the APM process, making it more agile, accurate, and meaningful with no effort, and we are glad that it quickly delivered on its promises. It's so easy that you literally need to do nothing. SkyBreathe APM's approach to detecting deterioration trends is completely automated and enriched with AI-powered insights." says Alexandre Feray, CEO at OpenAirlines.

About OpenAirlines

OpenAirlines provides consulting and software solutions for airlines flight operations. Since 2006, OpenAirlines has been on a mission to help airlines save 2-5% of their fuel consumption with its innovative SkyBreathe 360 eco-flying platform. The leading solution is now used by more than 50 airlines all over the world to reduce fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and costs. In 2019, their customers saved more than 150 million USD and 600,000 tons of CO2.

More information: https://www.openairlines.com

Contact:

Solveig Moisan,

[email protected]

SOURCE OpenAirlines
ALBANY, N.Y., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RDX and HMX are common constituents of military explosives. They are used for various purposes, prominently in the military sector. In the military sector, RDX and HMX are used in melt-cast explosives, nuclear devices, booster charges, rocket fuels, plastic explosives, and others. In civilian aspects, they are used in demolition blocks, fireworks, and others. The growing demand for these constituents in various civilian and military applications is expected to offer extensive growth opportunities to the RDX and HMX market during the forecast period of 2021-2031.

The rising need for defending national borders and safety concerns is leading many countries to increase their military equipment and materials. Government bodies of numerous countries are spending heavily on their military divisions to keep their borders secure. These factors are boosting the growth of the RDX and HMX market.

Transparency Market Research (TMR) has conducted an extensive research on various factors associated with the growth of the RDX and HMX market. The analysts at TMR predict the global market for RDX and HMX to expand at a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period. The global RDX and HMX market is prognosticated to reach US$ 22 Bn by 2031.

The rising demand for metals and minerals around the globe has led to an increase in the growth prospects of the RDX and HMX market. These explosive materials have vital applications in metal mining, quarrying, coal mining, and non-metal mining. An increase in the use of RDX and HMX explosive materials in coal mining applications may emerge as a vital growth contributor to the global market. These factors may have a profound impact on the expansion of the RDX and HMX market. Defense and mining sectorsare expected to grow at a rapid pace in the upcoming period. This may emerge as a massive growth-generating factor for the RDX and HMX market.

Get PDF Brochure for More Insights  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=82506

Key Findings of Report

Expanding Applications of RDX and HMX in TNT

RDX and HMX are used for making military munitions. These explosive materials can be used with other explosives such as TNT to create cyclotrons. The cyclotrons develop bursting charges for aerial bombs, torpedoes, mines, or can also be used as a base charge for detonators. These factors are projected to increase the growth prospects of the RDX and HMX market.

Ask for Special Discount on Report  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=82506

Rising Urbanization and Construction Activities to Drive RDX and HMX Market

Urbanization is increasing at a rapid rate across many regions. Due to rapid urbanization, construction activities are observing an uptick. The growing demand for infrastructure development in densely populated countries such as India and China coupled with an increase in infrastructure development will serve as growth factor for the RDX and HMX market. The spending on smart infrastructure due to global investments in the BRICS countries will also bolster the RDX and HMX market growth.

Some of the key players operating in the RDX and HMX market are Nuberg EPC, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company, Chemring Group PLC., PRVA ISKRA - NAMENSKA A.D., Austin Powder, REGENESIS, Dahana, and NITRO-CHEM S.A.

Request a Sample  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=82506

RDX and HMX Market  Segmentation

By Application

RDX

Military



Melt-cast Explosives





Plastic Explosives





Pyrotechnics





Others



Civilian



Fireworks





Demolition Blocks





Others

HMX

Military



Melt-cast Explosives





Nuclear Devices





Plastic Explosives





Rocket Fuels





Booster Charges





Others



Civilian



Fireworks





Demolition Blocks





Others

By Region

North America

Latin America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

& Turkic Region

Buy an Exclusive Research Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=82506<ype=S

Chemicals & Materials Industry battles Tangible Impact of Economic and Cultural changes, Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Chemicals & Materials Market:

Carboxymethyl Cellulose Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/carboxymethyl-cellulose-industry.html

Butene Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/butene-market.html

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information.



Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ

Contact

Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/rdx-and-hmx-market.htm

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP has launched an investigation into whether the board members of R.R. Donnelley (NYSE: RRD) ("Donnelley" or the "Company") breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Atlas.

On November 3, 2021, Donnelley announced entering into a merger agreement with Atlas. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Donnelley will receive only $8.52 per share in cash for each share. Following the closing of the transaction, RRD's stock will no longer be publicly traded.

Nationally recognized Johnson Fistel is investigating whether the proposed deal represents adequate consideration.

If you are a shareholder of Donnelley and believe the proposed buyout price is too low or you're interested in learning more about the investigation, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ([email protected]) at 619-814-4471. If emailing, please include a phone number.

Additionally, you can [ Click here to join this action ]. There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Johnson Fistel, LLP:

Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit https://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson Fistel, LLP

Jim Baker, 619-814-4471

[email protected]

[ Click here to join this action ]

SOURCE Johnson Fistel, LLP

Related Links

http://www.johnsonfistel.com


STOCKHOLM, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sawlog prices in countries around the Baltic Sea have tracked each other closely for most of the past 20 years. In the first decade, sawlog prices in the Nordic countries were paid at a premium over other regions, and in the following decade, the South-eastern markets (the Baltic States and Poland) had the highest log costs.

However, in 2021 the relatively small price discrepancy between the countries in the southeast and the Nordic countries changed when the log costs in the southeast region rose considerably to record high levels, while the cost increases in the Nordic countries were more modest (see chart). In the 2Q/21, the sawlog price index (in Euro terms) for the Southeast Baltic Sea region was up 63% y-o-y, while the index for the Nordic countries was up only 16% over the same period, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. For the nations around the Baltic Sea, prices rose the most in Latvia and Poland in 2021 compared to the previous year.

In 2020, just over 4.3 million m3 of softwood logs were shipped overseas between countries in the Baltic Sea region. A large share of the trade was from Estonia and Latvia to Finland and Sweden. There were also other significant trade flows were those from Norway to Germany, Finland to Sweden, and Germany to Lithuania. About half of the traded softwood log volume has been sawlogs, a ratio that has been relatively stable the past five years.

Softwood log exports from the Baltic States have trended downward since their 20-year peak in 2014, with estimated total shipments in 2021 being about 40% lower than in 2014. Instead, exports of softwood lumber have gone up during the same period, continuing a longer upward trend that started in 2008. As a result, the three Baltic States, less than 1% of Europe's forest area, now account for almost 10 percent of Europe's total lumber exportation.

Are you interested in worldwide wood products market information? The Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ) is a 75-page report established in 1988 and has subscribers in over 30 countries. The publication tracks prices for sawlog, pulpwood, lumber & pellets and reports on trade and wood market developments in most key regions worldwide. For more insights on the latest international forest product market trends, please go to www.WoodPrices.com

Contact Information

Wood Resources International LLC

Hakan Ekstrom, Seattle, USA

[email protected]

www.woodprices.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/wood-resources-international-llc/r/sawlog-prices-in-the-baltic-states-and-poland-grew-faster-than-in-the-nordics-in-202,c3448310

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1902/3448310/1492227.pdf WRI-Market Insights 2021 Baltic Sea Log Market Oct 2021

SOURCE Cision AB

Related Links

https://www.cision.com/


WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Self Storage Plus, a regional leader in the storage industry, is pleased to announce their newest acquisition located at 9600 Cosner Drive Fredericksburg, VA 22408. Formerly managed by MyStorage, this facility brings their management portfolio up to 51 locations and adds to their growing presence in the Fredericksburg market.

The Cosner Drive facility is a newly constructed facility built on 2.39 acres in the commercial core of Fredericksburg. The 3-story building consists of both climate controlled and drive-up units with sizes ranging from small lockers to large 10ft. by 30ft. units. Other features include a covered loading area, keypad entry, and a 360 drive aisle.

The property was developed by Graham Real Estate and formerly managed by MyStorage. The President of Graham Real Estate, W. Whitney Graham states, "As a self-storage developer and operator who began his career as a commercial real estate broker, I found the transaction with Arcland Property Company to be one of my easiest. Arcland was quick, professional, fair and they closed at the contracted price."

The property was purchased by Arcland Property Company, a local real estate company with a focus on the self-storage industry. Arcland develops, acquires, and manages self storage facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. Arclands' vision is to be pound-for-pound the best self-storage company by developing and operating exceptional facilities.

"We are excited to expand our acquisition portfolio by adding another high quality asset in the Northern Virginia market," said Anthony Piscitelli Vice President of Development & Acquisitions, Arcland Property Company.

For more information about Self Storage Plus, or to rent or reserve your unit online, visit www.selfstorageplus.com.

ABOUT SELF STORAGE PLUS: Self Storage Plus is proud to serve the storage needs of our local communities with 51 locations throughout the Washington-Baltimore Region. Our mission is to give our customers Room to Pursue Life.

SOURCE Self Storage Plus
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PT Aquila Cobalt Nickel (ACN), a subsidiary of the Swiss-based Solway Investment Group, signed a Sales & Purchase Agreement with the state-owned electricity company PT PLN for the supply of 200 MVA to its Aquila Project. The agreement allows ACN to obtain up to 100% of power sourced from renewable power generation.

Within its commitment to minimizing the Group's environmental and carbon footprint, Solway is working on implementing clean energy solutions across its business operations. The Group is continually researching technologies which will improve overall sustainability practices. Power generation sourced from renewable energy is an important part of Solway's future energy security. This partnership with PT PLN is an important step towards securing the Aquila Project's lasting circular value creation and maximising potential gains to society, not just minimizing or neutralise losses to it.

The Group's long-term strategy in Indonesia includes the development of processing facilities for nickel intermediates such as nickel matte and mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) for use in the production of battery-grade nickel sulfate material.

In support of the Indonesian government's plan to establish Indonesia as a global hub for the manufacturing of electric vehicles, Solway Group is developing a nickel smelter facility in Morowali, Central Sulawesi. The Aquila Project will process nickel laterite ore into nickel pig iron (NPI) via nickel laterite smelting processes technology as well as mixed hydroxide product (MHP) via a high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) technology.

Three nickel deposits around the island of Sulawesi will support the Aquila Project: Asera, Bahomoahi, and Sorawolio, with estimated resources of approximately 50 million wmt of nickel saprolite ore and 40 million wmt of nickel limonite ore. The smelter facility in Morowali will have the capacity to process up to 5 million wmt of saprolite and limonite nickel ore and produce up to 50,000 MT of Ni. The Aquila project will be implemented in several stages, with initial production to commence in 2023-2024.

Solway Group is currently concentrating its energies on nickel, copper, gold and silver, all materials critical to the global transition to clean, sustainable, green energy. The Group is focused on adding value holistically, across the entire value chains, lifecycles, and ranges of applications for these metals.

For further information or interview requests please contact us by email: [email protected] or call: +62.21 579.91516

SOURCE Solway Investment Group
MIAMI, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With a portfolio of more than 150 projects valued at more than US $8 billion, Colombia Investment Summit 2021, recently concluded its seventh year with promising business leads and impressive supporting testimonials from international companies that recognize the foreign direct investment potential in the country.

"The Colombia Investment Summit is a dynamic platform for networking and attracting foreign investment opportunities, which continues to captivate the interest of businesses from around the world and multilateral organizations that are inquiring about our country," said Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia. "The outcome is very satisfactory, and these leads ultimately contribute to the growth and economic reactivation of Colombia."

More than 300 multinationals from North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America participated and held meetings with Colombian entrepreneurs and project representatives. During this year's event, the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio Claver-Carone reaffirmed the support of the multilateral organization to the 5G road infrastructure program of the National Government. "The IDB is convinced of the enormous potential of Colombia as a destination for foreign investment and we are committed to helping the government and investors to take advantage of the opportunities", he said.

Part of these initiatives include the legal, financial, and technical structuring of the project to restore the navigability of the Magdalena River, valued at more than US $375 million.

The Colombia Investment Summit 2021 also left a strong impression amongst international business executives.

For Javier Villamizar, operating partner at Softbank, a multi-sector fund of Japanese origin, that has made significant investments in Colombian ventures such as Rappi, a delivery startup; Ayenda Hoteles, one of the fastest-growing hotel chains in Latin America; and Platzi, an e-learning platform, among others, Villamizar believes that Colombia has a friendly ecosystem to invest in. "We invest in talent and we bet on entrepreneurs. We need a country that has made investments over the last few years in talent training, and we've consistently seen this in Colombia for the last two years. The combination of talent and government support makes it an attractive market".

SOURCE ProColombia
To date, Bitcoin of America has 30 plus Bitcoin ATM locations across the city of Chicago. This new location is changing the way that most people think about interacting with cryptocurrency. It is rare to find a Bitcoin ATM in a social setting like a nightclub, but Bitcoin of America is finally making this all possible.

Bitcoin of America's is always looking to provide convenience to their customers. Their newest Bitcoin ATM location at Joy District also operates as a traditional ATM. Customers have the option to either withdrawal cash or choose the cryptocurrency of their choice. Bitcoin of America is looking to change the way that they interact with their customers by making their Bitcoin ATMs more accessible. They are hoping to help make cryptocurrency into more of a daily normality.

Bitcoin of America has made a large footprint when it comes to bringing cryptocurrency to the City of Chicago. They announced in early October that they are now the official entitlement sponsor of The Chicago Blackhawks Post Game show. In August of this year Bitcoin of America also announced that they would be working with WGN Radio Chicago. WGN even added a daily Bitcoin price update sponsored by Bitcoin of America. They are hoping to bring awareness to cryptocurrency by promoting it across all platforms.

SOURCE Bitcoin of America

Related Links

https://www.bitcoinofamerica.org


DUBLIN, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type; Transplant Type; Disease Indication; End User" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The artificial cornea and corneal implant market to reach US$ 696.18 million by 2028 from US$ 421.86 million in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% during 2021-2028. The report highlights trends prevailing in the market and factors driving its growth. The market growth is mainly attributed to factors such as the increasing prevalence of eye diseases causing corneal blindness and significant rise in elderly population. However, the high cost of ophthalmology surgeries and devices is hindering the market growth.



According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2021, there is a high demand for corneal donors around the world as ~10 million people need corneal transplants. However, the number of transplant recipients greatly exceeds the availability of corneal tissues. In densely populated counties, such as India, patients with blind cornea wait for corneal transplants for more than 6 months. According to National Center for Biotechnology Information, ~6.8 million people across the country have poor vision in one eye, and ~1 million people have both their eyes with poor vision, caused by corneal diseases. In 2019, corneal blindness affected ~120,000 people in India, and by the end of 2020, it is estimated to have 10.6 million cases of unilateral corneal blindness.

The country needs ~250,000 corneas each year; however, the total number of corneas donated each year is ~25,000. According to the Directorate General of Health Services, about 25,000 corneal transplantation procedures are performed every year against a requirement of one million dollars. Thus, the shortage of corneal donors, in contrast with the high prevalence of corneal blindness, is expected to provide high growth opportunities for corneal implant manufacturers.



The artificial cornea and corneal implant market, by type, is segmented into human cornea and artificial cornea. The human cornea segment is expected to hold a larger share of the market in 2021. However, the artificial cornea segment is anticipated to register a higher CAGR in the market during the forecast period. Based on transplant type, the artificial cornea and corneal implant market is segmented into penetrating keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty, and others. The penetrating keratoplasty segment is expected to account for the largest market share in 2021.

However, the endothelial keratoplasty segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. The artificial cornea and corneal implant market, based on disease indication, is segmented into Fuchs' Dystrophy, keratoconus, fungal keratitis, and others. The Fuchs' Dystrophy segment is expected to account for the largest market share in 2021.

However, the fungal keratitis segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. Based on end user, the artificial cornea and corneal implant market is segmented into hospitals, specialty clinics and ASCs, and others. The specialty clinics and ASCs segment is expected to account for the largest market share in 2021, and it is further estimated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period.



Reasons to Buy

Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market.

Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.

The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies.

Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.

Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.

Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin security interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Global Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology



4. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Market Landscape

4.1 Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.2.1 North America - PEST Analysis

4.2.2 Europe - PEST Analysis

4.2.3 Asia Pacific - PEST Analysis

4.2.4 Middle East and Africa - PEST Analysis

4.2.5 South and Central America (SCAM) - PEST Analysis

4.3 Experts Opinion



5. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Key Market Dynamics

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Rising Prevalence of Eye Diseases that Causes Corneal Blindness

5.1.2 Significantly Rising Elderly Population

5.2 Market Restraints

5.2.1 Expensive Ophthalmology Surgeries and Devices

5.3 Market Opportunities

5.3.1 Shortage of Corneal Donors Provides Opportunities for Corneal Implant Manufacturers

5.4 Future Trends

5.4.1 3D-Printed Human Corneas

5.5 Impact Analysis



6. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Global Analysis

6.1 Global Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Revenue Forecast and Analysis

6.2 Global Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market, By Geography - Forecast and Analysis

6.3 Market Positioning of Key Players



7. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Analysis - By Type

7.1 Overview

7.2 Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market, by Type 2021 & 2028 (%)

7.3 Human Cornea

7.3.1 Overview

7.3.2 Human Cornea: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

7.4 Artificial Cornea

7.4.1 Overview

7.4.2 Artificial Cornea: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)



8. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Analysis - By Transplant Type

8.1 Overview

8.2 Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market, by Transplant Type 2021 & 2028 (%)

8.3 Penetrating Keratoplasty

8.3.1 Overview

8.3.2 Penetrating Keratoplasty: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

8.4 Endothelial Keratoplasty

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 Endothelial Keratoplasty: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Overview

8.5.2 Others: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)



9. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Analysis - By Disease Indication

9.1 Overview

9.2 Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Revenue Share, by Disease Indication (2021 and 2028)

9.3 Fuchs' Dystrophy

9.3.1 Overview

9.3.2 Fuchs' Dystrophy: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

9.4 Keratoconus

9.4.1 Overview

9.4.2 Keratoconus: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

9.5 Fungal Keratitis

9.5.1 Overview

9.5.2 Fungal Keratitis: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

9.6 Others

9.6.1 Overview

9.6.2 Others: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)



10. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Analysis - By End User

10.1 Overview

10.2 Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Revenue Share, by End User (2021 and 2028)

10.3 Hospitals

10.3.1 Overview

10.3.2 Hospitals: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

10.4 Specialty Clinics and ASCs

10.4.1 Overview

10.4.2 Specialty Clinics and ASCs: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

10.5 Others

10.5.1 Overview

10.5.2 Others: Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)



11. Global Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market - Geographic Analysis



12. Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic on Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market

12.1 North America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

12.2 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

12.3 Asia Pacific: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

12.4 Middle East and Africa: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

12.5 South & Central America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic



13. Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market-Industry Landscape

13.1 Overview

13.2 Growth Strategies in the Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market

13.3 Inorganic Growth Strategies

13.3.1 Overview

13.4 Organic Growth Strategies

13.4.1 Overview



14. Company Profiles

14.1 AJL OPHTHALMIC S.A

14.1.1 Key Facts

14.1.2 Business Description

14.1.3 Products and Services

14.1.4 Financial Overview

14.1.5 SWOT Analysis

14.1.6 Key Developments

14.2 ADVANCING SIGHT NETWORK

14.2.1 Key Facts

14.2.2 Business Description

14.2.3 Products and Services

14.2.4 Financial Overview

14.2.5 SWOT Analysis

14.2.6 Key Developments

14.3 Aurolab

14.3.1 Key Facts

14.3.2 Business Description

14.3.3 Products and Services

14.3.4 Financial Overview

14.3.5 SWOT Analysis

14.3.6 Key Developments

14.4 CORNEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.

14.4.1 Key Facts

14.4.2 Business Description

14.4.3 Products and Services

14.4.4 Financial Overview

14.4.5 SWOT Analysis

14.4.6 Key Developments

14.5 LinkoCare Life Sciences AB

14.5.1 Key Facts

14.5.2 Business Description

14.5.3 Products and Services

14.5.4 Financial Overview

14.5.5 SWOT Analysis

14.5.6 Key Developments

14.6 KERAMED, INC.

14.6.1 Key Facts

14.6.2 Business Description

14.6.3 Products and Services

14.6.4 Financial Overview

14.6.5 SWOT Analysis

14.6.6 Key Developments

14.7 EyeYon Medical

14.7.1 Key Facts

14.7.2 Business Description

14.7.3 Products and Services

14.7.4 Financial Overview

14.7.5 SWOT Analysis

14.7.6 Key Developments

14.8 Florida Lions Eye Bank

14.8.1 Key Facts

14.8.2 Business Description

14.8.3 Products and Services

14.8.4 Financial Overview

14.8.5 SWOT Analysis

14.8.6 Key Developments

14.9 Corneat Vision

14.9.1 Key Facts

14.9.2 Business Description

14.9.3 Products and Services

14.9.4 Financial Overview

14.9.5 SWOT Analysis

14.9.6 Key Developments

14.10 CorneaGen

14.10.1 Key Facts

14.10.2 Business Description

14.10.3 Products and Services

14.10.4 Financial Overview

14.10.5 SWOT Analysis

14.10.6 Key Developments



15. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8owv8n

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


Dr. Tom Butera, Chief Executive Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics Development, LLC said "Being able to use the Nu.Q  Test to not only screen for cancer and help identify disease earlier, but also to monitor the disease progression as an early indication that a dog is coming out of remission, will meet a real unmet need in the market. We expect this disease monitoring product will be our second Nu.Q  Vet product . We believe that this product has significant potential to help improve the treatment and the quality of life for dogs as well as providing valuable additional information to inform the clinical decision-making process for the veterinarian and pet owner. Whilst the veterinary commercial team has been busy negotiating global licensing and distribution arrangements, I'd like to commend the hard work and joint research efforts of the Texas A&M University and Volition team; we are delighted to present these two studies at the world's leading veterinary oncology conference."

"The data demonstrate that Nu.Q Vet may serve as a more sensitive measurement of both minimal residual disease and remission and could be a useful monitoring test for dogs with cancer. Given Nu.Q is a simple blood test it would be incredibly useful in the clinic and general practitioner veterinarian's office," said Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, Professor at Texas A&M University, Chief Medical Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics Development LLC, and President of the VCS.

Dr. Robles added, "The second poster reports our first study using Nu.Q Capture, Volition's enrichment tool, to better understand the types of circulating nucleosomes and their genome patterns in the plasma of dogs with lymphoma. It was exciting to see that once again the animal data shows similar findings to human studies in that canine lymphoma patients have circulating nucleosomes lacking linker DNA (i.e., shorter nucleosomes) that are not detected in plasma from healthy canines and that Nu.Q Capture is capable of enriching canine cancer-associated nucleosomes in plasma of lymphoma patients. We look forward to expanding our research in this area."

https://youtu.be/-rifOI0LrgA

An interview with Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, Chief Medical Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics Development LLC.

The Abstracts

Evaluation of plasma nucleosome concentrations as a tool for treatment and disease monitoring in cancer bearing dogs.

Wilson-Robles, H[1], Miller, T[1], Miller, P[1], Jarvis, J[1], Butera, T[2], Matsushita, M[1], Terrell, J[2], Kelly, TK[2]

Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences[1]; Volition America and Volition Veterinary Diagnostics[2]

To view the abstract presentation, click HERE or download the Poster, click HERE





Enrichment tools to better understand the types of circulating nucleosomes and their genome patterns in the plasma of dogs with lymphoma.

Bourne, K[1], Miller, T[1], Jarvis, J[1], Butera, T[2], Kelly, TK[2], Davis, B[1], Wilson-Robles, H[1]

Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences[1]; Volition America and Volition Veterinary Diagnostics[2]

To view the abstract presentation, click HERE or download the Poster, click HERE





To learn more about Volition Veterinary and Nu.Q Vet please visit our webpage at https://volition.com/veterinary

About Volition

Volition is a multi-national epigenetics company that applies its Nucleosomics platform through its subsidiaries to develop simple, easy to use, cost effective blood tests to help diagnose and monitor a range of life-altering diseases including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis such as sepsis and COVID-19. Early diagnosis and monitoring have the potential to not only prolong the life of patients, but also to improve their quality of life. The tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics, which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream or other bodily fluid - an indication that disease is present. Volition is primarily focused on human diagnostics and monitoring but also has a subsidiary focused on animal diagnostics and monitoring.

Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with a small laboratory in California and additional offices in Texas, London and Singapore, as the company focuses on bringing its diagnostic and disease monitoring products to market.

For more information about Volition, visit Volition's website volition.com or connect with us via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/volitionrx

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volitionrx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolitionRx/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VolitionRx

The contents found at Volition's website address, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. The addresses for Volition's website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are included in this document as inactive textual references only.

Media / Investor Contacts

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to the effectiveness of Volition's blood-based diagnostic, prognostic and disease monitoring tests, Volition's ability to develop and successfully commercialize such test platforms for early detection of cancer and other diseases as well as serving as a diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring tools for such diseases, and the timing of product launches and publications. Volition's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, results of studies testing the efficacy of its tests. For instance, if Volition fails to develop and commercialize diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products, it may be unable to execute its plan of operations. Other risks and uncertainties include Volition's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products; a failure by the marketplace to accept the products in Volition's development pipeline or any other diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products Volition might develop; Volition's failure to secure adequate intellectual property protection; Volition will face fierce competition and Volition's intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics and disease monitoring market and its rapid technological change; downturns in domestic and foreign economies; and other risks identified in Volition's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that Volition files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Volition's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, Volition does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

Nucleosomics and Nu.Q and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this press release are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE VolitionRx Limited
World Science Scholars begin two years of learning and discover alongside Nobel and Breakthrough Prize winners. Tweet this

"We bring together some of the most talented math students in the world and show them where their skills can take them beyond pure mathematics," said World Science Festival Co-Founder and CEO Tracy Day. "WSS is designed to ignite curiosity, expand perspectives, and create an enduring community of young scholars that is mutually supportive and has expertise to tackle the world's most significant challenges."

The Scholars will begin a two-year journey of learning and discovery with WSS faculty, including Nobel and Breakthrough Prize winners, best-selling authors, and experts working at the cutting edge of their fields. Faculty members include renowned physicist and author Brian Greene, pioneering cardiologist and evolutionary biologist Barbara Naterson-Horowitz, trailblazing computer scientist Stephen Wolfram, Breakthrough Prize winner Cumrun Vafa, innovative biochemist Mande Holford, Nobel Laureate Barry Barish, and many more.

Scholars take advanced, self-paced courses with interactive demonstrations, exercises, discussions, and video lectures. They collaborate on projects, attend virtual lab tours, and have the unique opportunity to interact directly with these unmatched experts and teaching fellows through riveting lectures and live virtual discussions. Scholars also join a vibrant and supportive online community that encourages discussion, debate, and collaboration among the students, enabling them to forge lifelong connections with their peers.

Ranging in age from 11-17, the Scholars bring a variety of interests and accomplishments, in addition to their exceptional academic abilities. The new cohort includes top math and science competition winners, as well as a winner of the Scholastic Lexus Eco Challenge Competition for a smart greywater filtration system, a student who founded a national STEM education organization that has provided of 10,000 free courses in 28 states, and another who is researching a novel automated pediatric-powered exoskeleton.

The World Science Scholars program is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. Students are nominated for WSS by the World Science Festival's network of organizations and educational institutions or can apply directly to the program. The program's broad, multifaceted approach identifies students from diverse communities regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and location. For students with innate, exceptional abilities who may lack the means to access resources that will help them reach their potential, WSS' free high-quality digital, interactive programming can be a life-changing experience.

With the program now in its fourth year, the 2021 cohort brings the total number of Scholars to 150 students from 25 countries, with 74 active Scholars and 76 alumni. Upon completion of the program, Scholars become members of a growing alumni network who maintain bonds, help support future cohorts by serving as mentors, and provide informal college advice to new Scholars. Through the growing alumni network and mentorship opportunities, students are able to create an educational and social community of talented individuals that will extend well into the future.

The chart below presents the 2021 cohort of World Science Scholars.

NAME AGE LOCATION SCHOOL Abhinav Gurram 15 Morrisville, NC Green Hope High School Achyuta Rajaram 14 Sharon, MA Phillips Exeter Academy Akanksha Acharya 16 Katy, TX Seven Lakes High School Aman Burman 17 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Dubai College Ana Anariba 15 Tegucigalpa, Honduras DelCampo School Anish Mudide 16 Acton, MA Phillips Exeter Academy Anouksha Bansal 15 Chandler, AZ BASIS Chandler Anthony Lee 16 Chestnut Hill, MA Milton Academy Arnav Goel 15 Chicago, IL Whitney M Young Magnet High School Chigozirim Ifebi 15 Elmont, NY Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School Christopher Gilbert 14 Cumberland Foreside, ME Greely High School Duru Korkmaz 15 Istanbul, Turkey Bilfen Uskudar Science High School Ethan McHugh 15 Chicago, IL Northside College Preparatory High School Hei Man Ng 16 Hong Kong Phillips Exeter Academy Hannah Guan 15 San Antonio, TX Basis San Antonio Shavano Harshitha Jasti 15 Charlotte, NC Ardrey Kell High School Hrishikesh Shah 16 Gujarat, India G. D. Goenka International School, Surat Jacob Mark 16 Marietta, Georgia The Weber School Jahwin James 15 Akwa Ibom, Nigeria Bright Stars Model Secondary School Jose Nunez Sanchez 15 Malaga, Spain Nuestra Senora de la Victoria -Malaga Katherine Xu 17 Dublin, OH Dublin Jerome High School Kevin Zhu 16 Westbury, NY Jericho Senior High School Mahir Labib 15 Uttara, Bangladesh Rajuk Uttara Model College Mao Kobayashi 16 Kawasaki, Japan Senzoku Gakuen and Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Margaux Wong 14 Hillsborough, CA The Nueva School Maria de los Angeles Delgado Alvarez 15 Aragon, Spain Salesianos Huesca Marvin Martinez 16 Cochabamba, Bolivia Hughes Schools Megan Davi 16 Reno, NV Davidson Academy Michal Lipiec 16 Cracow, Poland The August Witkowski 5th High School Miguel Secillano 11 Ocala, FL Howard Middle School Monica Sing 16 Phnom Penh, Cambodia International School of Phnom Penh Mritika Senthil 16 Tega Cay, SC South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Nandana Madhukara 14 San Diego, CA Canyon Crest Academy Omar Suazo 14 Tegucigalpa, Honduras Macris School Owen Isaacs 16 Queensland, Australia Hillbrook School Paridhi Latawa 16 Austin, TX Liberal Arts and Science Academy Rafeek Cherradi 15 Mundelein, IL Mundelein High School Raymond Tsao 16 Taipei, Taiwan Kang Chiao International School Razzi Masroor 15 Toledo, OH Detroit Country Day School Rhea Werner 15 Victoria, Australia St Catherine's School Rohan Mehta 16 Whitehouse Station, NJ Moravian Academy Rushank Goyal 15 Bhopal, India 7i World School Shubhaankar Gupta 15 New Delhi, India Delhi Public School - R.K. Puram Sooraj Sahani 16 Parsa, Nepal National Infotech College Tsz Shing Abraham Yeung 15 Hong Kong Eton College Varun Gadi 12 Johns Creek, GA Fulton Science Academy Vishak Srikanth 15 Sunnyvale, CA Basis Independent Silicon Valley Yu-Ting Chang 15 Palo Alto, CA Henry M. Gunn High School

About

The World Science Festival (WSF) brings science to life through original theatrical works, in-depth conversations, gripping debates, educational programs, interactive experiments, and major outdoor experiences. Over 3.3 million people have attended World Science Festival programs around the globe, and the Festival's online content has garnered more than 140 million views with over a billion minutes of total watch time.

Our flagship live event, the World Science Festival, is an unprecedented annual tribute to imagination, ingenuity and inventiveness. Programming gathers world-class scientists, leading thinkers, and renowned artists, taking science out of the laboratory and into the streets, theaters, museums, and public halls of New York City, and making the esoteric understandable and the familiar fascinating. In March 2016, WSF launched the World Science Festival Brisbane, bringing its distinctive programming to new audiences and establishing the first annual Festival outside of New York.

SOURCE The World Science Festival
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- From vehicles to home appliances to power sources  Americans are starting to see a transition to more and more uses of clean, renewable energy in our everyday activities. President Biden's Build Back Better Act, coupled with additional clean energy investments from the bipartisan infrastructure bill, will help this transition and put money back in the pockets of consumers. Important policies like investments in energy efficiency and tax credits can save households up to $500 a year .

"We need the Build Back Better and the bi-partisan infrastructure plan. Our wallets and our environment are counting on it," says Cecile Brown, EDF Action.

Here are three ways Build Back Better will save Americans money.

1. Consumer rebates for more efficient appliances will put money back in the pockets of consumers and lower energy bills. Everyday household appliances and materials like furnaces, HVAC systems, water heaters, windows and doors, and roofs have improved enormously over the years when it comes to being energy efficient.

With the Build Back Better framework , consumers and homeowners can receive expanded rebates and tax credits for switching to updated appliances or retrofitting their home to be more energy efficient. As households become more efficient and rely less on costly energy from fossil fuels, they will see hundreds of dollars in savings a year on their energy bills .

2. The costs of renewable energy sources will decrease, saving consumers money. In many cases, renewable power sources are the cheapest option  now that costs have decreased in solar and onshore wind over the last decade. To give consumers easier access to renewable energy sources, the Build Back Better framework would cut the cost of installing rooftop solar panels for a home by around 30 percent and shorten the payback period by five years.

Depending on where you live and what solar energy system you end up installing, at-home solar installations can lower household electric bills monthly  keeping cash in your pocket  with a long-term, low-risk investment. From Florida to Texas to California to Massachusetts, installing a solar panel could give a single household up to $2,000 a year in savings .

Biden's framework would ensure that these savings would reach average Americans. Build Back Better includes targeted grants and loans available to rural communities through the Department of Agriculture. More accessible renewable energy sources and the savings they create will reach households all over the U.S.

3. Electric vehicle (EV) tax credits will make new and used EVs more affordable, so they are not just for the wealthy. And more charging stations across the nation will make sure you get where you need to go at a lower price! This one-two punch through the Build Back Better Act and the bipartisan infrastructure bill will save consumers where it matters daily  at the fuel pump.

President Biden's Build Back Better framework includes a $12,500 EV tax credit  a $5,000 increase from what's offered today  lowering the cost of American- and union-made EVs. For the first time, the EV tax credit will be refundable , allowing buyers to claim it at the point of purchase. Essentially, EV buyers are looking at a $12,500 discount on their car's price tag.

EV and hybrid EV drivers see lower fuel costs compared to drivers of gas-powered cars because of how efficient electric-transmission components run. Driving an EV can cost less than half as much per mile as driving a gas-powered car, saving drivers money on their commutes.

For more information, go to edfaction.org/power-up-america.

SOURCE EDF Action
SUZHOU, China, and ROCKVILLE, MD., Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that abstracts on six studies of the company's three drug candidates (olverembatinib [HQP1351], lisaftoclax [APG-2575], and pelcitoclax [APG-1252]) have been selected for poster presentations and one oral presentation at the 63rd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. These data include two clinical studies of the company's novel Bcl-2-selective inhibitor lisaftoclax and one preclinical study of the dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor pelcitoclax.

Drug Candidate Abstract Title Abstract# Format Olverembatinib (HQP1351) Updated Safety and Efficacy Results of Phase 1 Study of Olverembatinib (HQP1351), a Novel Third-Generation BCR-ABL Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), in Patients with TKI-Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) 311 Oral Presentation Updated Results of Pivotal Phase 2 Trials of Olverembatinib (HQP1351) in Patients (Pts) with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI)-Resistant BCR-ABL1T315I-Mutated Chronic- and Accelerated-Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML-CP and CML-AP) 3598 Poster Presentation Trial in Progress: Phase 1b Bridging Study of the Pharmacokinetic (PK), Safety, and Efficacy of Orally Administered Olverembatinib (HQP1351) in Patients with Refractory Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Ph+ ALL) 2551 Poster Presentation Lisaftoclax (APG-2575) A Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics (PK) and Pharmacodynamics (PD) of Lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a Novel BCL-2 Inhibitor (BCL-2i), in Patients (pts) with Certain Relapsed or Refractory (R/R) Hematologic Malignancies (HMs) 3730 Poster Presentation Trial in Progress: Phase 1b Study of Lisaftoclax (APG-2575) As a Single Agent or Combined with Other Therapeutic Agents in Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL) 1554 Poster Presentation Pelcitoclax (APG-1252) Antitumor Activity of Dual BCL-2/BCL-xl Inhibitor Pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma (NK/TCL) 2062 Poster Presentation

Among those studies, the multicenter, open-label Phase I study of lisaftoclax in patients with hematologic malignancies has demonstrated favorable tolerability of lisaftoclax, without evidence of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). As of data cutoff on July 27, 2021, 9 of the 25 patients who had received at least one tumor evaluation (of 31 enrolled patients) achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR). At doses  200 mg, all 6 patients with chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) achieved objective responses, including 1 with CR and 5 with PR.

"For the first time, we are presenting data of lisaftoclax and pelcitoclax, two key drug candidates of our apoptosis-targeted pipeline, at the ASH Annual Meeting, amid widespread interest in the therapeutic utility and potential clinical advantages of these two drug candidates," said Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma. "We are very encouraged by those promising data to be reported at this year's ASH Annual Meeting, especially the poster showing impressive potential efficacy and safety of lisaftoclax. Lisaftoclax is the first China-developed Bcl-2-selective inhibitor entering clinical development in China. We will accelerate the clinical development of this drug candidate in hematologic indications to allow patients in China and around the world to benefit from it as soon as possible."

The ASH Annual Meeting is one of the largest gatherings of the international hematology field, bringing together the latest and most cutting-edge research and development in hematology. The 63rd ASH Annual Meeting will take place on December 11-14, 2021, both virtually and in-person in Atlanta, Georgia, United States (information on these abstracts of olverembatinib are available in a separate press release published in parallel).

These two abstracts on lisaftoclax that have been selected for presentations at the 2021 ASH Annual Meeting are as follows:

A Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics (PK) and Pharmacodynamics (PD) of Lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a Novel BCL-2 Inhibitor (BCL-2i), in Patients (pts) with Certain Relapsed or Refractory (R/R) Hematologic Malignancies (HMs)

Format: Poster Presentation

Abstract: 3730

Session: 642. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical and Epidemiological: Poster III

Time: Monday, December 13, 2021 ; 6:00 PM  8:00 PM EDT

;  Highlights:

This Chinese, multicenter, open-label, single-agent, Phase I trial is evaluating the safety (including dose-limiting toxicity [DLT] and maximum tolerated dose [MTD]), efficacy, PK, and PD of lisaftoclax in adults with R/R chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).



As of July 27, 2021 , 31 patients had been enrolled and treated with lisaftoclax at doses ranging from 20 to 800 mg. Patients had a median (range) of 4 (1-14) prior lines of treatment and diagnoses of CLL/SLL (n=9), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL; n=6), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; n=3), follicular lymphoma (n=8), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n=2), lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (n=1), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (n=1), or mycosis fungoides (MF; n=1). DLT, MTD, and laboratory/clinical tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) have not been observed. The recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) is 600 mg.

, 31 patients had been enrolled and treated with lisaftoclax at doses ranging from 20 to 800 mg. Patients had a median (range) of 4 (1-14) prior lines of treatment and diagnoses of CLL/SLL (n=9), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL; n=6), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; n=3), follicular lymphoma (n=8), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n=2), lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (n=1), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (n=1), or mycosis fungoides (MF; n=1). DLT, MTD, and laboratory/clinical tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) have not been observed. The recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) is 600 mg.

Lisaftoclax was generally well tolerated. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) reported in 28 patients (87.5%) were mostly grade 1 or 2. Any grade TRAEs in > 10% of patients included thrombocytopenia (34.4%), anemia (28.1%), neutropenia (21.9%), leukopenia (21.9%), diarrhea (15.6%), hyperuricemia (15.6%), hyperphosphatemia (12.5%), and hypertriglyceridemia (12.5%). Grade 3-4 TRAEs were reported in 7 patients (21.9%), including thrombocytopenia (18.8%), neutropenia (12.5%), leukopenia (9.4%), and anemia (6.3%). Serious TRAEs occurred in 1 patient and included anemia and thrombocytopenia (in 3.1% each).



Among the 25 patients who have received at least one tumor evaluation, 9 achieved CR or PR, with a median (range) time to response of 2 (2-4) cycles. The highest response rates were seen in patients with CLL/SLL (ORR 66.7% [6/9]). At lisaftoclax doses  200 mg, an ORR of 100% (6/6 including 1 CR and 5 PRs) was observed. Responses were also observed in MZL, with a PR in 2 of 3 patients (ORR, 66.7%), and MCL, with a PR in 1 of 4 patients (ORR, 25%). In 1 patient with MF, skin tumor shrinkage was observed after 1 lisaftoclax treatment cycle. Favorable absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) profiles included reductions at lisaftoclax doses as low as 100 mg/day.



The preliminary PK profile showed that exposures increased with lisaftoclax doses from 20 to 800 mg, with an average half-life of 4 to 6 hours. On BH3 profiling, lisaftoclax rapidly triggered changes in BCL-2 complex in CLL/SLL patient samples, which were consistent with rapid clinical reductions in ALCs.

Conclusions: Lisaftoclax was well tolerated up to 800 mg/day. No TLS was observed, even with the daily ramp-up schedule. There were no significant new or unmanageable safety findings. Lisaftoclax showed single-agent antitumor activity in CLL/SLL, MZL, and MCL. The BCL-2i lisaftoclax offers a treatment alternative for patients with R/R HMs, with a daily ramp-up schedule that may be more patient friendly with a favorable preliminary safety profile.

Trial in Progress: Phase 1b Study of Lisaftoclax (APG-2575) As a Single Agent or Combined with Other Therapeutic Agents in Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL)

Format: Poster Presentation

Abstract: 1554

Session: 642. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical and Epidemiological

Time: Saturday, December 11, 2021 ; 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM EDT

; Highlights:

This new study is a global, open-label, multicenter, two-part Phase Ib dose escalation and dose expansion study to assess the safety and tolerability of lisaftoclax (Part 1) and lisaftoclax combined with rituximab or acalabrutinib (Part 2).



In a standard "3+3" dose escalation design (Part 1), lisaftoclax is being administered orally once daily in a 28-day cycle, with full doses of 200 to 1,200 mg (by 200-mg increments at 4 dose levels [400,600, 800, and 1,000 mg]) in parallel. To lower the risk of TLS, lisaftoclax was administered with a daily dose ramp-up.



Part 2 includes a further standard 3+3 dose escalation of lisaftoclax combined with rituximab, or acalabrutinib (in separate cohorts), with a further planned dose expansion at RP2D of these combination regimens.



As of July 19, 2021 , 71 patients have been enrolled (of 144 planned).

The abstract of pelcitoclax selected for presentations at 2021 ASH Annual Meeting is as follows:

Antitumor Activity of Dual BCL-2/BCL-Xl Inhibitor Pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma (NK/TCL)

Format: Poster Presentation

Abstract: 2062

Session: 203. Lymphocytes and Acquired or Congenital Immunodeficiency Disorders

Time: Sunday, December 12, 2021 ; 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST

; Highlights:

This study evaluated the potential antitumor effect of pelcitoclax in preclinical models of NK/TCL. Cell-based antiproliferation studies showed activity of pelcitoclax and its more potent metabolite APG-1252-M1 toward NK/TCL cell lines that overexpressed BCL-xL. Half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC) for pelcitoclax in SNK-1, SNK-6, and SNK-8 (EBV-positive NK/TCL) cell lines were 2.652  2.606 M, 1.568  1.109 M, and 0.557  0.383M, respectively. Corresponding values for APG-1252-M1 were 0.133  0.056 M, 0.064 0.014 M, and 0.020  0.008 M, respectively.



Mechanistic studies demonstrated that pelcitoclax and the APG-1252-M1 metabolite disrupted the complex of BCL-xL/BCL-2-associated X protein (Bax) and BCL-xL/BCL-2 homologous antagonist killer protein (Bak) in SNK-6 cells, thereby liberating these proapoptotic proteins and further activating downstream apoptosis pathways by cleaving poly-ADP ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and caspase-3. In an SNK-6xenograft model, administration of pelcitoclax at 65 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg either twice or once weekly resulted in significant antitumor effects, with tumor growth rate (T/C%) values ranging from 13.7% to 30.7%.



Furthermore, the combination of pelcitoclax with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor chidamide or DDGP (dexamethasone, cisplatin, gemcitabine, and pegaspargase) chemotherapy demonstrated synergistic effects. Pharmacokinetic assessment in mice showed that pelcitoclax had a long half-life in plasma (127 hours) and tumor tissues (25.2hours), justifying intermittent dosing schedules used in vivo. Importantly, the transformation of pelcitoclax to APG-1252-M1 was 16 times higher in tumor tissues compared to plasma (22% vs. 1.3%) after administration of pelcitoclax, thereby suggesting that pelcitoclax can reduce platelet toxicity caused by APG-1252-M1 in plasma.

Conclusion: Pelcitoclax has promising antitumor effects in NK/TCL, either as a single agent or in combination with an HDAC inhibitor or chemotherapy. These findings provide evidence to further evaluate APG-1252 as a potential treatment for NK/TCL.

About Lisaftoclax (APG-2575)

Lisaftoclax is a novel, orally administered small-molecule Bcl-2selective inhibitor being developed by Ascentage Pharma to treat hematologic malignancies and solid tumors by selectively blocking antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and hence restoring the normal apoptosis process in cancer cells. Lisaftoclax is the first China-developed Bcl-2 inhibitor entering clinical development in China.

Lisaftoclax is being studied in multiple clinical studies in countries and regions including the U.S., China, Australia, and the European Union, for a range of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and breast cancer. Lisaftoclax has been granted Orphan Drug Designations for five indications including Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, and follicular lymphoma.

About Pelcitoclax (APG-1252)

Pelcitoclax is a novel, highly potent, small-molecule drug designed to restore apoptosis through selective inhibition of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins. In preclinical animal models of EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, pelcitoclax plus osimertinib has demonstrated synergistic effects in models that were either sensitive or resistant to osimertinib, thus suggesting that pelcitoclax has the potential to become a new treatment option for this patient population.

About Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK)

Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 6855.HK.

Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of eight clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 40 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including five Major New Drug Projects, one New Drug Incubator status, four Innovative Drug Programs, and one Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), has been granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA. A New Drug Application (NDA) for HQP1351 has been submitted and subsequently granted Priority Review status and a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) in China. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 12 ODDs from the US FDA for 4 of the company's investigational drug candidates.

Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MSD, and AstraZeneca. The company has built a talented team with global experience in the discovery and development of innovative drugs and is setting up its world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. A pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs to fulfil its mission of 'addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world' for the benefit of more patients.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development.

SOURCE Ascentage Pharma

Related Links

http://www.ascentagepharma.com


PHOENIX, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University (ASU) has been selected by the Global Entrepreneurship Network to launch Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) on November 6 at the school's new state-of-the-art global headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz.

GEW is an international movement, powered by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, dedicated to making it possible for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a company. Over the course of the week, more than 10 million people will take part in 40,000 activities and events in 200 countries. An annual event, GEW unleashes more than $150 million to support entrepreneurs each November  from large, national campaigns down to small, local activities and everything in between.

"Phoenix is an up-and-coming startup hub supported by community leaders and institutions that recognize entrepreneurship is key to building economies back better post-pandemic," said Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of the GEN. "Today's launch is among the first of 40,000 events taking place globally to celebrate the world's most creative, innovative and resilient citizens  and support them to become part of a more sustainable and more equitable post-pandemic world."

"Thunderbird shares the Global Entrepreneurship Network's passion for equipping individuals and communities around the world with the skill sets and mindset to advance sustainable and inclusive prosperity through entrepreneurship," said Thunderbird Director General and Dean, Dr. Sanjeev Khagram. "We are honored with the privilege of launching such a transformative event at our new global headquarters in downtown Phoenix, itself a model for the power of educational institutions and cities as entrepreneurial hubs."

The City of Phoenix is listed as a "Top 100 Emerging Ecosystem" in the Startup Global Ecosystem Report  the world's most comprehensive and widely read research on startups with 280 entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems and 3 million startups analyzed.

One example of the power of educational institutions and cities working together to nurture vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems is Phoenix Global Rising. Launched earlier this year by Thunderbird, it is a transformative multi-stakeholder initiative committed to making the city a cosmopolitan innovation and inclusion vanguard for the 21st century. It reflects the inspirational leadership of Mayor Kate Gallego and focuses on major collaborative action projects with leading global organizations in Phoenix across the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Since 2004, more than 200,000 people across more than 100 countries have graduated from Thunderbird's entrepreneurship programs such as DreamBuilder. They are creating jobs, sharing knowledge and improving living conditions in their communities. The latest in this long line of programs  and another example of the power of educational institutions to nurture entrepreneurial innovation  is the new A. Masrin Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Family Business. Housed at Thunderbird's global headquarters, the center is named after the entrepreneurial father of distinguished Thunderbird alumnus Jimmy Masrin '87, who is President, Director, and CEO of PT Caturkarsa Megatunggal based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"In times of accelerated change, family business owners and leaders have an important role in promoting innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the many challenges we are currently facing," Masrin said. "I wanted to invest in family business and entrepreneurship at Thunderbird to build much-needed bridges between the communities of entrepreneurs and business leaders, helping us all better prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution."

Dr. Khagram explained that the A. Masrin Center distinguishes itself from other universities' entrepreneurship programs through a unique focus on two core principles: inclusion and global mindset. "With a world undergoing rapid change and disruption, family businesses have the opportunity to play a protagonist role in driving innovation and economic resilience. The center will help us support these family businesses and entrepreneurs who will further our vision of sustainable and equitable prosperity."

The fact that Thunderbird was selected for the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week is reflective of the entrepreneurial ecosystem the school and the City of Phoenix have worked hard to cultivate  an ecosystem strengthened by events like GEW and programs like Phoenix Global Rising and the A. Masrin Center.

About Thunderbird School of Global Management

Thunderbird School of Global Management is a unit of the Arizona State University Enterprise. For more than 70 years, Thunderbird has been the vanguard of global management and leadership education, creating inclusive and sustainable prosperity worldwide by educating future-ready global leaders capable of tackling the world's greatest challenges. Thunderbird's Master of Global Management was ranked #1 in the world for 2019 by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. ASU is ranked No. 1 "Most Innovative School" in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for five years in succession. To learn more visit thunderbird.asu.edu.

About Global Entrepreneurship Network

The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates a platform of projects and programs in 180+ countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross-border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems that create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. Learn more about GEN at genglobal.org and by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

For more information on Global Entrepreneurship Week, visit www.gew.co.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kaitlyn Hunter

LAVIDGE

505-450-2349

[email protected]

SOURCE Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University
"Today's first flight to Fort Lauderdale is an exciting bookend to this historic week," said Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy. "With our welcoming fares and service, getting to Fort Lauderdale has never been easier or more affordable. HVN's proximity to major highways and railways make it Southern Connecticut's ultra-convenient gateway to Florida."

This service on Boeing Next Generation 737-700 aircraft operates Thursday through Monday. The flight departs HVN at 9:00 a.m. arriving FLL at 12:10 p.m. The returning flight departs FLL at 12:50 p.m. arriving HVN at 3:40 p.m.

"Today's first departure destined for Fort Lauderdale is yet another exciting milestone in our rapidly-growing partnership with Avelo here at HVN," said Tweed-New Haven Airport Executive Director Sean Scanlon. "The energy here at the airport and in the community in the last few days has been incredible as we kick off a new and more vibrant era at HVN."

Fort Lauderdale: A South Florida Haven

The reasons to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale are as abundant as the sun and palm trees. There are over 300 sunny days a year, which gives visitors plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature, boating, diverse neighborhoods, events, attractions and unique "only-here" specialness that helps define Fort Lauderdale. With 24 miles of golden sandy beaches paired with waterfront dining and shopping, it's easy to spend a day at the beach. With comfortable year-round temperatures, the Atlantic Ocean is always inviting to scuba divers, snorkelers, stand-up paddleboarders and jet skiers. The destination also boasts luxury hotels, museums, nightlife, shopping, casinos and family-friendly fun.

"Avelo is a welcomed addition to the growing portfolio of domestic and international airlines at FLL," said Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport CEO and Director of Aviation Mark E. Gale. "With the launch of Avelo's nonstop service to New Haven, travelers can now fly more seamlessly between Fort Lauderdale and the Southern Connecticut region for leisure or business. We're thrilled to pin New Haven to the map of nonstop destinations now available from FLL."

The New Haven Way to Florida

Avelo initiated service from its East Coast base at HVN on Wednesday, November 3 with its inaugural flight to Orlando. Fort Lauderdale is the second of six popular Florida destinations Avelo serves from HVN. In addition to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Avelo will begin flying to Fort Myers, Palm Beach, Sarasota and Tampa in the days and weeks ahead.

Amidst the crowds, long lines, lengthy walks and traffic congestion encountered at other airports frequented by Connecticut travelers, HVN offers a refreshingly smooth and simple alternative hometown airport experience. HVN's adjacency to multiple major highways and commuter railways make it Connecticut's most convenient and easily accessible airport.

Avelo is the first airline to offer nonstop flights between HVN and Florida. Avelo's arrival to HVN also marks the largest expansion of service at HVN in more than 30 years. Avelo is investing $1.2 million to help upgrade and modernize facilities and operations as part of an overall $100 million project at HVN. The airport expansion will include a new terminal and extended runway spearheaded by airport operator Avports.

Over the past 90 days, Avelo has hired more than 85 HVN-based Crewmembers (what the airline calls its employees), including flight attendants, pilots, airport customer service representatives, operations-related roles, as well as managers and supervisors. Avelo and HVN expect to have more than 100 aviation professionals based at the airport by the end of this year.

A Different, Better and More Affordable Travel Experience

Avelo's everyday low fares have no change or cancellation fees. There is also no charge for Customers who choose to make reservations by phone. Additionally, Avelo offers several unbundled travel-enhancing options that give Customers the flexibility to pay for what they value, including priority boarding, checked bags, carry-on overhead bags, and for bringing a pet in the cabin.

The single-class, fuel-efficient 147-seat 737-700 mainline jets Avelo operates from HVN offer a more spacious and comfortable experience than the regional jets that historically served this airport. Customers may choose from several seating options, including seats with extra leg room, as well as pre-reserved window and aisle seating.

Avelo became America's first new scheduled airline in nearly 15 years when it initiated service on April 28, 2021, from its first base at Los Angeles' Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). The airline  which offers a convenient, affordable and caring experience  currently serves 14 popular destinations across the U.S.

Avelo is distinguished by its Soul of Service culture. The culture is grounded in a "One Crew" mindset that promotes a welcoming and caring experience. By caring for one another and owning their commitments, Avelo Crewmembers focus on anticipating and understanding Customer needs on the ground and in the air.

About Avelo Airlines

Avelo Airlines was founded with a simple purpose  to Inspire Travel. The airline offers Customers time and money-saving convenience, very low fares, and a refreshingly smooth and caring experience through its Avelo Soul of Service culture. Operating a fleet of Boeing Next Generation 737 aircraft, Avelo serves 14 popular destinations across the U.S., including its West Coast base at Los Angeles' Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and its East Coast base at Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN). For more information visit AveloAir.com. Avelo BROLL + Images here.

*The one-way $49 introductory fare includes government taxes and fees. The fare must be booked by November 19, 2021. This introductory fare is available on a limited number of flights and seats. Additional fees for carry-on and checked bags, assigned seats and other optional services may apply. For full terms and conditions, please see Avelo's Contract of Carriage.

Media Contacts:

Avelo Airlines

Mary Coursey

[email protected]

Tweed-New Haven Airport

Sean Scanlon

[email protected]

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

Arlene Satchell

[email protected]

SOURCE Avelo Airlines

Related Links

aveloair.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced it plans to report fourth-quarter 2021 financial results on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. This is a change from the previously announced date.

The results will be released at approximately 6:45 a.m. Eastern Time. The company will host a conference call for investors at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Details on how to participate in the conference calls will be provided closer to the scheduled quarterly results dates.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers, approximately 17,000 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with approximately 41 million active users, including approximately 32 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for email news alerts.

Investors May Contact:

Lee McEntire, Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.388.6780

[email protected]

Jonathan G. Blum, Bank of America (Fixed Income)

Phone: 1.212.449.3112

[email protected]

Reporters May Contact:



Jerry Dubrowski, Bank of America

Phone: 1.646.855.1195 (office) or 1.508.843.5626 (mobile)

[email protected]

Christopher P. Feeney, Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.386.6794

[email protected]

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

Related Links

www.bankofamerica.com


TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Now is the time in which doctors throughout the world should implement virtual medicine solutions at their clinic. Not only has the COVID-19 global pandemic reminded us of this technology's importance, but it's also educated a large cross-section of individuals about it.

(L to R): Scott Wilson and Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founders of Banty Inc.

In the past, non-in-person medical appointments could take place over the phone. Now, though, doctors have the ability to touch base with patients over a video call. Since these patients are familiar with the pluses of online doctor's appointments, it's now the responsibility of those who medically care for them to offer such a service.

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), 96% of health centers "predict patients will have a harder time accessing care and suffer poorer health outcomes unless flexible telehealth policies are continued."

Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder and Medical Director of telemedicine solution Banty Inc. , recognizes the importance of keeping helpful telehealth policies active for the sake of patients, because that'll help them:

Book more frequent appointments: Some patients are hesitant about booking several doctor's appointments to take care of a specific health issue. The hard reality is that in-person appointments can take people away from work for multiple hours, leading to lost wages  especially for those who are not salaried. Virtual medicine appointments, meanwhile, can be done quickly from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. All that's required is a private office space, or the ability to sneak away from one's desk for a break.

Some patients are hesitant about booking several doctor's appointments to take care of a specific health issue. The hard reality is that in-person appointments can take people away from work for multiple hours, leading to lost wages  especially for those who are not salaried. Virtual medicine appointments, meanwhile, can be done quickly from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. All that's required is a private office space, or the ability to sneak away from one's desk for a break. Experience beneficial virtual medicine solutions: Banty Medical was designed to give doctors and patients alike an easy and secure virtual visit experience. Here, doctors get to create a custom Banty room address (i.e., Banty.com/MyClinic ). This is the only link a patient will need to use in order to see their doctor. Banty Medical is also HIPAA/PHIPA compliant and end-to-end encrypted, meaning all appointments remain secure and private. Information disclosed in appointments will not leak to unwanted third parties, nor will it be stored by Banty.

Banty Medical was designed to give doctors and patients alike an easy and secure virtual visit experience. Here, doctors get to create a custom Banty room address (i.e., ). This is the link a patient will need to use in order to see their doctor. Banty Medical is also HIPAA/PHIPA compliant and end-to-end encrypted, meaning all appointments remain secure and private. Information disclosed in appointments will not leak to unwanted third parties, nor will it be stored by Banty. Connect from remote areas: There are numerous remote communities that do not have a doctor's office  or enough doctor's offices  in the immediate area. Thus, long commutes usually need to be made. By medical clinics who usually serve these communities offering virtual medicine appointments, patients will be far less inconvenienced  especially those with time constraints or mobility issues.

"If we really want to make sure all patients always get the care they need, it's time to make virtual medicine a standard service offered by medical clinics," adds Dr. Tytus. "The technology and the appetite for it is there."

Banty.com's video call service offers all subscribers a custom, permanent URL (i.e., Banty.com/MyMeeting ); a secure, end-to-end encrypted meeting space; excellent video quality; unlimited meetings each month; and straightforward scheduling tools.

Banty has a number of solutions that are meant to make it easy to meet with those who matter most to you. (Watch the 'Banty Is Easy' video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhmVdwrR_w8&t=10s )

Today, everyone has a mobile number and an email address. In the near future, everyone will have a Banty room address: Banty.com/YourName

About Banty

Founded in 2020, Banty offers exceptional video conferencing solutions for Businesses , Enterprise , Medical Practices , Virtual Events , and Personal use . Banty video conferencing is easy to use and ultra-secure. The platform provides users with a dedicated Banty.com URL , accessible via any desktop browser or through iOS and Android mobile apps.

In order to receive government approval to become a verified medical platform, Banty was upgraded to meet new cyber security standards, making it one of the most secure platforms available. Each day, the Banty team goes above and beyond to ensure the platform remains one of the most secure and innovative virtual meeting solutions in the world.

For more information, please visit Banty.org/solutions , or follow Banty on social media to learn more about the latest platform innovations: LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , Instagram .

Contact:

Scott Wilson

289-259-8059

[email protected]

SOURCE Banty Inc.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the release of the 25th anniversary edition of American R&B group Blackstreet's hit album Another Level, producer LLusion, known as "the remix guy" on TikTok is celebrating by releasing a brand new remix of their classic song "No Diggity," which is out now on all DSPs .

LLusion is an American music producer and remixer. With social media following of over 4.5 Million, LLusion has used TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Soundcloud to generate traffic to his projects; including his next EP set to release later this year.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Boqii Holding Limited ("Boqii" or the "Company") (NYSE: BQ), a leading pet-focused platform in China, today announced that the Company will participate in the Morgan Stanley Twentieth Annual Asia Pacific Summit on November 18-19, 2021.

Management will be available to meet with institutional investors during the event. Interested investors and analysts who wish to request a meeting should contact their Morgan Stanley sales representative or Boqii's investor relations department at [email protected].

About Boqii Holding Limited

Boqii Holding Limited (NYSE: BQ) is a leading pet-focused platform in China. We are the leading online destination for pet products and supplies in China with our broad selection of high-quality products including global leading brands, local emerging brands, and our own private label, Yoken and Mocare, offered at competitive prices. Our online sales platforms, including Boqii Mall and our flagship stores on third-party e-commerce platforms, provide customers with convenient access to a wide selection of high-quality pet products and an engaging and personalized shopping experience. Our Boqii Community provides an informative and interactive content platform for users to share their knowledge and love for pets.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Boqii Holding Limited

Investor Relations

Tel: +86-21-6882-6051

Email: [email protected]

The Blueshirt Group

Ms. Susie Wang

Email: [email protected]

In the United States:

The Blueshirt Group

Ms. Julia Qian

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Boqii Holding Limited
ATLANTA, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mammoth Holdings, LLC ("Mammoth"), an Atlanta-based conveyor car wash operator, announced that Busy Bee Car Wash ("Busy Bee"), a three-unit car wash operator in Miami, FL, has agreed to join Mammoth. Busy Bee's owner, Jim Mulholland, chose to invest into Mammoth's equity.

Dave Hoffmann, Mammoth's Chairman and CEO, explained, "The Mulholland family has built a special legacy in the Miami market. Busy Bee has been a staple in its communities for over 50 years, and we are excited that Jim chose us to continue that legacy." He added, "Jim [Mulholland] is exactly the type of partner we seek to grow with  a high-integrity individual committed to operational excellence. Jim will become a Vice President on Mammoth's executive team where he will be focused on driving expansion in the greater Miami area."

Jim Mulholland, Busy Bee's owner, stated, "It was very important to me to pick a partner that I trusted. I've known Jim Rooney, Gary Dennis, and Marcus Kittrell for a long time, and I hit it off right away with Dave Hoffmann." Mulholland added, "Mammoth provided exactly the structure I was looking for - long-term upside and a partnership with the best people in the industry."

Amplify Car Wash Advisors provided sell side advisory services on the transaction.

Mammoth is the first car wash platform formed by industry-insiders and is the 9th largest conveyor car wash operator in the United States according to Commercial Plus's Top 100 list. Mammoth is customer-focused operationally and operator-focused in its approach to partnerships and acquisitions and seeks to be the partner-of-choice for car wash operators who desire liquidity, growth capital, and a tax-deferred equity investment opportunity. Mammoth's multi-brand portfolio includes Marc-1, Wash Me Fast, Swifty, Ultra, Finish Line, Wiggy Wash, Shine On, Pit Stop, Lulu's, Ollie's, PureMagic, and now Busy Bee among others. Mammoth has significant growth capital at its disposal and is actively seeking acquisitions and development opportunities.

In October 2018, Mammoth partnered with Red Dog Equity LLC, an Atlanta-based private equity firm, which, through its partnership with Tom Pritzker's family business interests (advised by The Pritzker Organization), provides the equity for Mammoth's corporate development initiatives. Monroe Capital provides Mammoth's debt financing.

About Mammoth Holdings

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Mammoth Holdings operates 66 conveyor car washes under the Busy Bee, PureMagic, Marc-1, QuickWash Express, Ultra, Wash Me Fast, Wiggy Wash, Pals, Finish Line, Shine On, Lulu's, Ollie's, PitStop, and Swifty brands in Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, Utah, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee, and Florida. Mammoth was founded by Gary Dennis and Chip Hackett in 2002. To learn more, please visit one of our locations or see us online at: www.mammothholdings.com.

About Busy Bee

Busy Bee currently operates three high volume car washes in the Miami market. Busy Bee was founded by Miami local, Jim Mulholland, Sr., in 1969, and Jim Mulholland, Jr., has owned and operated the stores since 1991. To learn more, please visit any Busy Bee location or see them online at https://busybeecarwash.net/.

About Red Dog Equity LLC

Red Dog Equity LLC is a private equity firm that invests in lower middle-market companies poised for strong growth in partnership with driven, entrepreneurial business leaders ("Red Dogs"). To learn more, please visit: www.reddogequity.com.

About The Pritzker Organization

The Pritzker Organization is the merchant bank for the business interests of the Tom Pritzker family. Additional information can be found at www.pritzkerorg.com.

About Amplify Car Wash Advisors

Amplify Car Wash Advisors is a full-service car wash advisory firm founded by industry veterans, Jeff Pavone and Bill Martin to guide sellers through critical business decisions including mergers and acquisitions & capital advisory. For more information, please visit https://amplifywash.com/.

SOURCE Mammoth Holdings
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Caterpillar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) and a founding donor of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), is proud to announce a new collaboration with NMAAHC and the creation of the first-ever Caterpillar Curator of African American Innovation and Entrepreneurship through a $2 million grant.

The grant will support the creation of a new NMAAHC museum position named the Caterpillar Curator of African American Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This position will direct initiatives to help NMAAHC advance new conversations and understanding of diversity and inclusion through the lens of African American innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology. The grant will also establish an endowment for permanent funding to support creating and maintaining collections, exhibits and programs that highlight and preserve the history and culture of African Americans and the contemporary traditions of innovation and entrepreneurship in the African American community.

"Entrepreneurship has created opportunities for African Americans often when there were none," said Kevin Young, Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. "Those innovators have changed the ways that people experience the world today and forged a way for future generations to follow. We're excited to share their work through this collaboration with the Caterpillar Foundation as we continue to share the efforts of African Americans and their impact on American history and culture."

"Caterpillar's commitment to diversity and inclusion extends beyond our workforce. The Caterpillar Foundation's ongoing partnership with the museum provides a platform for thought leadership and best practice sharing," said Caterpillar Chairman & CEO Jim Umpleby. "The Caterpillar Foundation is pleased to support sharing lessons learned from generations of African American changemakers, providing tools and perspectives to inspire current and future innovators, and build resiliency among individuals and communities."

September marked the five-year anniversary of the NMAAHC and 10 years that the Caterpillar Foundation has partnered with the Smithsonian Institution through strategic grants and the matching gifts program.

About Caterpillar Foundation

Founded in 1952, Caterpillar's philanthropic organization, the Caterpillar Foundation, has contributed nearly $810 million to help make sustainable progress possible around the world by building resilient communities that thrive in a rapidly changing world. To learn more about the global impact of the Caterpillar Foundation, visit caterpillar.com/foundation. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

About Caterpillar

With 2020 sales and revenues of $41.7 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Since 1925, we've been driving sustainable progress and helping customers build a better world through innovative products and services. Throughout the product life cycle, we offer services built on cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise. These products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value to help our customers succeed. We do business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments  Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Energy & Transportation  and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/social-media .

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

Related Links

http://www.caterpillar.com


ORANGE, Calif., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Health of Orange County (CHOC) and University of California, Irvine (UCI) Health have been jointly designated a National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Rare Disease Center of Excellence, joining a new and highly select group of 31 medical centers seeking to expand access and advance care and research for rare disease patients in the United States.

The NORD Center of Excellence program aims to foster the sharing of knowledge between experts across the country, connect patients to appropriate specialists regardless of disease or geography, and improve the pace of progress in rare disease diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Dr. Jose Abdenur, chief of the division of metabolic disorders and director of the metabolic laboratory at CHOC, will serve as the primary representative in the NORD Center of Excellence partnership. He will work closely with Dr. Virginia Kimonis, tenured professor in the Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, with appointments in neurology, pathology and medicine at the UCI School of Medicine.

"Receiving this designation will increase our visibility, but more importantly, will increase access to many rare disease patients who may not know where to go," said Dr. Abdenur, whose division is involved in more than 30 clinical trials. "Working together with UCI, we can improve clinical care and research for patients of all ages and backgrounds in Southern California, and collaborating with other NORD Centers of Excellence is a great opportunity to deliver transformational changes for the rare disease community."

Dr. Kimonis is one of several UCI faculty members who provide genetics services at UCI, CHOC and Miller Children's and Women's Hospital Long Beach. Her lab at UCI has been a consistent trainer of the next generation of bench and clinical researchers studying rare and undiagnosed diseases, with a focus on rare neuromuscular disorders.

Dr. Kimonis believes that UCI's strength in research has the potential to advance translational breakthroughs in several rare diseases.

"Genetics has been a Cinderella specialty, with very little investment in rare diseases. However, insights gained in understanding rare diseases has led to several treatment breakthroughs, which has also benefitted common diseases," said Dr. Kimonis, who for many years has been working on research related to rare genetic diseases including mitochondrial and muscle disorders. "Hopefully this designation will attract more resources and recognition, with the potential to find novel cures for rare disorders."

Meeting the challenge

People living with rare diseases frequently face many challenges in finding a diagnosis and quality clinical care. In establishing the Centers of Excellence program, NORD selected clinical centers across the U.S. that provide exceptional rare disease care and have demonstrated a deep commitment to serving rare disease patients and their families using a comprehensive, state-of-the-art approach.

CHOC and UCI were selected by NORD in a competitive application process requiring evidence of staffing with experts across multiple specialties.

Most rare diseases are diagnosed in the pediatric population, but many remain unrecognized until adolescence or adulthood. CHOC is one of the few pediatric hospitals in the country with a Metabolic Rare Disease Program, conducting basic, translational and clinical research in lysosomal storage disorders, glycogen storage diseases, mitochondrial diseases, phenylketonuria and other rare metabolic conditions.

With the support of research administration, multiple other specialties perform basic and translational research to provide new solutions for rare forms of blood disorders, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, brain tumors, ulcerative colitis, muscular dystrophies, neurodegenerative disorders, leukemias, cystic fibrosis, hormone deficiencies, and other diseases.

Faculty members in UCI School of Medicine's Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine work closely with faculty in perinatology, neurology, medicine, cardiology and other departments and are actively involved in clinical, translational, and basic science research to develop leading-edge therapies for rare diseases that extend into adulthood. Rare diseases studied at UCI include inclusion body myopathies, other neuromuscular disorders, Prader Willi Syndrome, rare tumors, rare eye diseases, as well as lysosomal, mitochondrial, ataxias, and other disorders.

Setting the standard

Any disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. is considered rare, according to the National Institutes of Health. There are more than 7,000 rare diseases and between 25 million and 30 million Americans are estimated to be currently living with rare diseases. More than 90% of rare diseases lack an FDA-approved treatment.

"Right now, far too many rare diseases are without an established standard of care," said Ed Neilan, chief scientific and medical officer of NORD. "The Centers for Excellence program will help set that standard  for patients, clinicians, and medical centers alike. We look forward to many further contributions from CHOC and UCI as we collectively seek to improve health equity, care, and research to support all individuals with rare diseases."

Dr. Abdenur will serve as a representative on the NORD Center of Excellence Advisory Committee.

"My goal is to highlight the importance of both CHOC and UCI," Dr. Abdenur said. "I will try to make sure that we capitalize on our strengths and conduct more clinical trials as we move forward."

Dr. Kimonis said the NORD designation is a "wonderful and important opportunity" for CHOC and UCI Health to work together and build on each other's strengths in finding creative ways to help patients with one of the 7,000 rare diseases with no treatment currently available.

"This is absolutely a fantastic way forward for both institutions," she said. "I'm very excited."

CHOC and UCI's new NORD designation will last for three years, after which the partner institutions will re-certify to meet the most up-to-date designation criteria.

For more information on the NORD Rare Disease Centers of Excellence program and the full list of centers, visit the program website.



About Children's Health of Orange County (CHOC): Affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, CHOC's pediatric healthcare system includes two state-of-the-art children's hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo, a network of primary and specialty care clinics serving children and families in four counties, and several clinical programs of excellence providing the highest levels of care for the most serious pediatric illnesses and injuries, both physical and mental. CHOC's research and innovation institutes are focused on translating real patient needs into real-world treatments so every child can live the healthiest and happiest life possible. To learn more, visit www.choc.org.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE CHOC

Related Links

http://www.choc.org


Ms. Detrick brings more than 35 years of senior operating and executive leadership experience in the financial services industry as a bank CEO, as a partner with top tier strategy consulting firms, and as an experienced board director. She has deep expertise in the banking and insurance industries and has driven success across a wide array of sectors, including banking, asset management, credit cards, property & casualty and life insurance, payments, and other consumer finance segments.

Most recently, Ms. Detrick served as a Director, Head of the Americas Financial Services Practice, and Senior Advisor at Bain & Company, one of the world's leading management consulting firms. Prior to Bain, she served as a member of the Global Leadership Team, Board of Management, and Board of Directors at A.T. Kearney, Inc., where she was Global Leader of the Financial Institutions Group (FIG), and Leader of the Eastern United States across all industry sectors.

Further, she was a founding member of First Financial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in savings and loan institutions, and previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Louis Bank for Savings, among other executive positions.

"Christine brings the wisdom of her diverse set of experiences to our Board, with an impressive blend of executive management and board leadership roles across multiple industries. Her strong strategic mindset has been honed through years of strategy consulting, complemented by hands-on business experience, risk management expertise and elite governance skills," said Richard D. Fairbank, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Capital One. "I'm thrilled to have Christine join our board. As Capital One continues to focus on reimagining banking, her ability to see the big picture, along with her sound judgment and deep experience, will serve us well for years to come."

Ms. Detrick brings a wealth of board governance experience having served as chairs of Nominating and Governance, Compensation, Investments, and Technology Committees. She is currently a member of several boards, including Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), a Fortune 500 public company focused on life and health reinsurance, where she serves as chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Additionally, Ms. Detrick sits on the Board of Directors for Hartford Funds and has recently been named Chair of the Board. She also is on the Board of Directors for Charles River Associates, a public global consulting firm offering economic, financial, and strategic expertise.

Learn more about Capital One's Board of Directors on the Investor Relations Web Page.

About Capital One

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., had $305.9 billion in deposits and $425.4 billion in total assets as of September 30, 2021. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has branches located primarily in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Learn more about Capital One by visiting www.capitalone.com/about/

SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation

Related Links

http://www.capitalone.com


A pediatrician who previously worked at Cincinnati Children's for 8.5 years, Alessandrini was clearly the best choice for the job, Davis said.

"She brings an energy and a passion for making things better  and that inspires the people she works with to excel," Davis said of Alessandrini. "She can take on just about anything and put a team together and have it functioning really well. Evie is one of those people who when you're done working with her, you can't wait for the next project."

Alessandrini is expected to join Cincinnati Children's by January 2022. She is currently chief medical officer, interim chief operations officer, and executive vice president for UC Health, the hospital system affiliated with the University of Cincinnati. Alessandrini joined UC Health in November 2017 as chief medical officer after previously serving on the system's board of directors while an employee of Cincinnati Children's.

"I'm coming back to Cincinnati Children's because I love designing, building, and continuously evaluating structures  physical and organizational systems that deliver healthcare that quickly gets the best outcomes, experience, and value for kids," Alessandrini said. "That's what I love to do. And so, the opportunity to do that for kids  and help all 16,500 of the medical center's employees flourish in achieving that vision  is a gift. I'm so excited about taking on that ongoing challenge with the team at Cincinnati Children's.

"I'm aligned with the vision of being the leader in improving child health, and there is no space between me and the core values of Cincinnati Children's," Alessandrini added. "Those core values of telling the truth, making a difference, respecting everyone  that's what drew me to Cincinnati Children's to begin with. I had 8 amazing years there, where I learned, truly, how to be the leader in improving child health."

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Alessandrini has played a key role in coordinating the response of local hospitals. As co-chair of the Regional COVID-19 Hospital Steering Committee  along with Davis  she helped create policies and procedures designed to ensure the best care for patients and to safeguard healthcare workers.

Cincinnati Children's is the region's second largest employer  a $2.7 billion nonprofit with a workforce of more than 16,500 people. The medical center's 1.38 million patient encounters in 2020 benefited children from all 50 states and 51 countries, including those treated for complex or rare disorders.

Alessandrini first joined Cincinnati Children's in 2009, serving as director of the Place Outcomes Research Program and director of the Quality Scholars Program in Healthcare Transformation. In 2011, she rose to be assistant vice president of outcomes systems within the James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence, which entailed leading quality initiatives across Cincinnati Children's that focused on disease-specific outcome improvement.

Before working at Cincinnati Children's, Alessandrini was director of clinical transformation at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 2007-09. She was co-director of CHOP's Emergency Medicine Fellowship Training Program 2003-07, and she was the managed care liaison for the Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Health Net, from 1996-2002.

Currently, Alessandrini is on the board of REDI Cincinnati, also known as the Regional Economic Development Initiative, which is a nonprofit dedicated to driving job creation and investment in the Cincinnati region. She also is on the board of the Greater Cincinnati chapter of the American Heart Association.

Alessandrini received the Clinical Chair Award from Cincinnati Children's in 2016, and she was named a Healthcare Hero in the manager category by the Cincinnati Business Courier in 2020. She was recognized as one of the Top Women in Healthcare and Information Technology in 2021 by the Health Collaborative, which includes hospitals throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Born and raised in Wilmington, Del., Alessandrini received a bachelor's degree in biology in 1984 from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She earned a medical degree in 1988 from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Alessandrini received a master's in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics in 1999 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Alessandrini served a residency as a new doctor from 1988-91 at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where she was chief resident 1991-92. She served a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine from 1992-95 at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

SOURCE Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Related Links

https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/


NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Representing more than 200,000 law enforcement personnel from around the state of New York, this declaration was issued today by the New York State Union of Police Associations, Inc., Police Conference of New York, New York State Association of PBA's, New York City PBA, Nassau County PBA, Buffalo PBA, Rochester PBA, Yonkers PBA, Westchester County PBA, Town of Eastchester PBA, Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester, Inc., Syracuse PBA, New York City Sergeants Benevolent Association, New York City Lieutenants Benevolent Association, New York City Detectives Endowment Association, the New York City Captains Endowment Association, and the Suffolk County PBA:

"While ballots are still being counted, and the final results aren't yet tabulated, this week, New Yorkers shocked the partisan pundits and out of touch bureaucrats with stunning election night returns showing propositions 1, 3, and 4 moving to an unanticipated defeat.

"These three propositions would have removed our fair bipartisan election safeguards, and replaced fairness with widespread coordinated voter fraud, corrupting the faith and trust in our democratic electoral process.

"Law enforcement organizations across New York State sent a strong unified message to Albany, that our voices, our concerns, and our commitment to a safe and secure New York begins with free and open elections.

"For far too long, extremist views, divisive pandering, along with the rhetoric put out to justify how out of touch they are with mainstream views, has gone unchecked, with common sense, community values and everyday quality of life paying the price.

"Every day, thousands of police officers put on the uniform and are committed to delivering high quality service, protecting lives and property, being the voice for victims who are voiceless, and being good stewards of community resources.

"We thank the over 1.6 million New Yorkers who took the time to vote and stand shoulder to shoulder with the law enforcement organizations representing more than 200,000 law enforcement personnel from around the State of New York, to defend and protect the safety and security of our free, open, and fair election process."

MEDIA CONTACT: Braden Frame, Connect Political, 512.413.6953, [email protected].

SOURCE Connect Political
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Core BTS, a leading IT consultancy and managed services provider, today announced that five of its technical leaders now hold a Microsoft Most Valuable Partner (MVP) title. This announcement follows Core BTS' recent designation as a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider, further solidifying their position as an experienced Microsoft solution provider.

Solution Architect Ryan Wade was named the company's newest Microsoft MVP in the Data Platform category. Ryan joins four other Core BTS employees in a global community of approximately 4,000 total MVPs. The Microsoft MVP Award is an elite recognition given to those who have exemplified a deep knowledge of Microsoft technologies and services. MVP experts have showcased a passion for applying diverse platforms, products, and solutions to real-world problems. To be considered for a Microsoft MVP Award, a referral must first be submitted by either a Microsoft Full Time Employee (FTE) or an existing Microsoft MVP.

"We are very proud of Ryan for achieving this well-deserved and coveted Microsoft distinction," said Paul Lidsky, CEO at Core BTS. "Having five MVPs at Core BTS is a testament to our Microsoft expertise, real-world experience, and commitment to clients. Microsoft MVPs are some of the world's most innovative and talented individuals, and our MVPs represent the best of Core BTS through their exemplary work and profound knowledge of Microsoft services and products."

In addition to Wade, Core BTS' MVPs include Senior Solution Architect Gareth Gudger , Principal Architect Eric Potter , Senior Solution Architect Johnny Lopez and Principal Architect Greg Levenhagen . Of note, not only is Levenhagen a nine-time Microsoft MVP in the AI category, but he also serves as a Microsoft Regional Director. Microsoft Regional Directors are recognized as the world's top technology visionaries for their proven cross-platform technical expertise, community leadership, and commitment to business results. Microsoft's Regional Directors are hand-picked by Microsoft leaders, making this status one of the highest ranks a non-Microsoft employee can hold.

Earlier in 2021, Microsoft recognized Core BTS as an Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP) and the winner of Microsoft's FY21 Q4 Teams Top Partner Contest . The contest, launched by Microsoft earlier this year, was designed to honor partners who show commitment to the Teams application's practices and clients. Core BTS was the only Microsoft partner to make the list for all four quarters in FY21.

To learn more about Core BTS and the company's Microsoft capabilities, visit https://corebts.com/ .

About Core BTS

Core BTS is an award-winning IT consulting firm and managed service provider.

Recognized for accelerating the adoption of digital technology to transform business, Core BTS delivers robust cloud, modern workplace, collaboration, security, and networking solutions to clients nationwide.

Core is owned by Tailwind Capital, a private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments in targeted sectors within industrials, technology and business services, and healthcare.

About Tailwind Capital

Tailwind Capital is a private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments in targeted sectors within industrials, technology and business services, and healthcare. Tailwind partners with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to transform businesses through organic growth initiatives, acquisitions, and operational and strategic investments. Since inception, Tailwind has invested in 47 portfolio companies and over 140 add-on acquisitions.

Media Contact

Bridget Devine

Walker Sands

(312) 561-2492

[email protected]

SOURCE Core BTS

Related Links

http://www.corebts.com


Apidos XXXVIII will take CVC Credit's global assets under management to $30 billion Tweet this

Kevin O'Meara, Partner and Portfolio Manager at CVC Credit, said: "We are delighted to not only have successfully priced our fourth new U.S. CLO of 2021, but also to have raised it from such a wide base of both new and existing global investors, and priced at market tight levels."

Gretchen Bergstresser, Partner and Global Head of Performing Credit at CVC Credit, commented:

"2021 has been a year of unprecedented activity for us, with twenty two transactions priced so far and excellent growth across our platform. This is a clear sign of support from both our investors and the market for our leading transatlantic platform. It is also a real testament to the hard work and collaboration of our fantastic teams in London and New York."

About CVC Credit

CVC Credit is the credit management business of CVC. CVC Credit is a global credit asset manager with offices in the U.S. and Europe, over 60 investment professionals. CVC Credit seeks to generate for its investors positive absolute returns and attractive risk-adjusted returns on capital throughout the credit cycle. CVC Credit has built a diverse platform which creates significant synergies across its investment strategies. For further information please visit: www.cvc.com/credit.

SOURCE CVC
First having landed at Denver International Airport on Jan. 3, 2006, Southwest has since grown to become the preferred airline of Denver travelers starting or ending their trips in the Mile High City, offering more than 240 flights a day during peak travel seasons to nearly 90 destinations nonstop. In the 15 years since first touching down in Denver, Southwest has exponentially grown its local workforce and is now one of the region's largest employers with more than 4,400 People who deliver famous Southwest Hospitality to thousands of travelers passing through DEN every day.

The airline's economic impact reaches well beyond the runways and into communities throughout the state. The economic impact study found in 2019 Southwest Airlines' Denver operation supported:

More than 77,000 jobs throughout Colorado

Nearly $4 billion in wages for Coloradans

in wages for Coloradans $7.1 billion contribution to the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

contribution to the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) $12.3 billion in total economic output throughout Colorado

Source: InterVISTAS Consulting Inc., Economic Impact of Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport in 2019.

To read the full report, and view historical photos of Southwest in Denver, visit the Southwest Airlines Newsroom.

"We're grateful to Southwest for their continued commitment to Denver and their sustained emphasis on connecting the Mile High City to every corner of our country," said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. "Their growth in Denver has helped fuel our economy, creating thousands of jobs for our city and state. It is my pleasure to declare today Southwest Airlines Day."

More than an Airline

Southwest is more than an airline, it is a thread throughout the fabric that keeps communities together. The carrier's local workforce consistently shows their Heart by giving back to the community to make the Denver region a better place for all. During the 15 years of service, Southwest has invested more than $7.5 million through travel and cash contributions among nearly 2,500 organizations, and its Employees have volunteered more than 62,000 hours for 1,600 organizations throughout the Denver area.

"The power of our People and their Mile High Heart set Southwest apart from other airlines serving Denver. We're humble and grateful to the entire Denver region for supporting Southwest the past 15 years, as we've grown to become the preferred airline of the Denver-area traveler," said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Today's celebration serves as a testament to the dedication of our Customers, our People, and our community partners that continue choosing us to connect them to the people and places important in their lives."

"Southwest does an amazing job of connecting our companies and talented workforce to destinations across the country," said J. J. Ament, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. "We're also grateful for its engagement in the community including the volunteer hours and resources it dedicates toward great causes, while also championing issues important to the success of the greater Denver region. Southwest is a shining example of what we mean by 'corporate citizenship.'"

Preparing for the Future in Denver

Southwest continues to invest in infrastructure projects to support its planned growth in Denver. This week, the airline began operating out of its new ticket counter area, located near its previous space on the east side of Level 6 in the Jeppesen Terminal. The new area is part of the first phase of DEN's Great Hall Project. Additionally, the airline is on schedule to open a new maintenance hangar in the first quarter of 2022, which will support its Denver-based Technical Operations Employees. The airline also is preparing to expand its footprint within the C Concourse. In the first half of 2022, Southwest anticipates operating from the first operational gates of a 16-gate expansion project. The project will give Southwest the ability to operate out of 40 gates at DEN, the most number of gates in one airport for Southwest.

Growing throughout Colorado

The success of Southwest's service in Denver allowed it to expand throughout the state. Southwest now carries more originating Colorado Customers than any airline in the state1. In March 2021, Southwest became Colorado Springs' largest airline when it began serving the city with 13 daily nonstop departures to five destinations. Once seasonal service for Steamboat Springs (Hayden) and Montrose (Telluride/Crested Butte) has expanded to year-round service, giving travelers from around the country more access to outdoor recreation and business-related opportunities throughout the Centennial State, and giving residents in these Colorado communities more access to Southwest's network of 121 destinations across North America.

1Based on U.S. DOT O&D Survey for Q2 2021

Southwest Celebrates Denver with 30% Off Flights!

As a way to celebrate "Southwest Airlines Day" in Denver, the airline is thanking its Denver Customers with a special gift. Customers can book travel from/to Denver with the promotion code HEART4DEN, good for 30% off all Denver flights! Travel must be booked between today (Nov. 5, 2021) through Nov. 8, 2021, for travel between Jan. 5 through March 2, 2022, for bookings originating or terminating in Denver. *See complete terms and conditions below and at Southwest.com/HEART4DEN.

The Southwest flight schedule currently is open through April 24, 2022. To view and book flights, visit Southwest.com today.

Bringing Mile High Heart to Downtown Denver

Southwest also announced today that it is bringing more Mile High Heart to the heart of Downtown Denver for the upcoming winter season. The airline is proud to partner with the Downtown Denver Partnership as the official airline and presenting sponsor of the Downtown Denver Rink, a beloved tradition for Coloradans throughout the winter.

The Rink is located in the heart of Downtown Denver at Skyline Park. It's open daily between Nov. 24, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2022. Visit DowntownDenver.com to learn more.

Terms and Conditions

*The 30% promotion code savings is valid for one-way or round trip Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select fares booked on Southwest.com or swabiz.com from Nov. 5, 2021, through Nov. 8, 2021 ("Booking Period") for flights originating or terminating in Denver (DEN) or Colorado Springs (COS) and flown between Jan. 5, 2022, through March 2, 2022 ("Travel Period"). The promotion code savings is applied before government taxes and fees. Enter the promotion code HEART4DEN or WANNAGOCOS in the Promo Code box when booking. The offer is valid only for reservations originating or terminating in Denver or Colorado Springs. While selecting your flights, the discount will be visible as a strike-through of the original fare. After selecting your flights, savings are reflected in the base fare when entering the multiuse promotion code HEART4DEN or WANNAGOCOS in the Promo Code box on Southwest.com and swabiz.com when booking during the Booking Period. Please note that the DOT requires advertised fares to include all government taxes and fees; however, this promotion code savings applies to the base fare only.

The discount is valid on new reservations only. The discount will apply only for flights booked within the Travel Period. If one direction of the trip is outside the Travel Period and one is within the Travel Period, only the portion of travel falling within the Travel Period will be discounted. Changes made to the itinerary after purchase will eliminate qualifications for this promotion and will result in forfeiture of the promotion code savings. The discount is only valid with the provided promotion code and is not combinable with other promotion codes or fares. All reward travel is subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges of at least $5.60 per one-way trip. Applicable taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges can vary significantly based on your arrival and departure destination. The payment of any taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges is the responsibility of the Passenger and must be paid at the time reward travel is booked with a credit card, travel fund, or Southwest gift card.

The offer is not redeemable for cash, and may not be used in conjunction with other special offers, or toward the purchase of a gift card or previously-booked flight, or change to a previously-booked flight. The discount is only valid on Southwest.com and swabiz.com and is not valid on Group Travel or Southwest Vacations, fares booked via our Southwest Partner Services API or through Global Distribution Systems, or special fares, such as military and government fares.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 51st year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 54,000 Employees to a Customer base that topped 130 million Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust network of point-to-point service with a strong presence across top leisure and business markets. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier added service to Hilo, Hawaii; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami; Palm Springs, Calif.; Steamboat Springs; and Montrose (Telluride), Colo. Thus far in 2021, Southwest has initiated service to Chicago (O'Hare) and Sarasota/Bradenton both on Feb. 14; Savannah/Hilton Head and Colorado Springs both on March 11; Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif. both on April 12; Fresno, Calif. on April 25; Destin/Fort Walton Beach on May 6; Myrtle Beach, S.C. on May 23; Bozeman, Mont. on May 27; Jackson, Miss. on June 6; and Eugene, Ore. on Aug. 29. Southwest will begin service to Bellingham, Wash. on Nov. 7; and Syracuse on Nov. 14.

The carrier issued its Southwest Promise in May 2020 to highlight new and round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, along with a federal mandate requiring every person to wear a mask at all times throughout each flight. Additional details about the Southwest Promise are available at Southwest.com/Promise.

Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees, though fare differences might apply.

Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com


RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy continues to advance the largest offshore wind project in the United States by filing plans later today with the Virginia State Corporation Commission for approval to construct the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project, which will generate enough clean energy to power up to 660,000 homes.

The filing keeps the project on schedule and builds on recent economic development announcements, such as the Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy turbine blade factory at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and Dominion Energy's investment in the only U.S. flagged offshore wind turbine installation vessel, that establish Virginia as a leader in this rapidly growing new industry.

Economic benefits from offshore wind will continue to grow. According to a study performed by Virginia-based Mangum Economics and commissioned by the Hampton Roads Alliance, the CVOW commercial project could create approximately 900 jobs, generate $5 million per year in local and state tax revenue and $143 million in economic benefits annually during construction. During operation, the CVOW commercial project could result in 1,100 jobs, generate $11 million per year in local and state tax revenue and almost $210 million in economic benefits annually.

The project represents an investment of $9.8 billion. Customer costs will be reduced by applicable federal tax credits and offshore wind will have no fuel costs over the life of the project. Over this time, the net average cost of the project to a typical residential customer is estimated at approximately $4 per month, though this figure will initially be less and will vary from year-to-year. All of the project's costs are subject to approval by the State Corporation Commission which will also consider the applicable tax credits of more than $1 billion and expected fuel costs savings of more than $3 billion for the project's first ten years.

"Our customers expect reliable, affordable, and clean energy and we intend to deliver. In addition to solar, storage and nuclear, offshore wind is a key component of our strategy and a game changer for the Hampton Roads economy," said Robert M. Blue, Dominion Energy Chair, President and CEO. "CVOW is making Virginia the hub for this new industry. Virginia will host the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United States and be the home port for the only Jones Act compliant offshore wind installation vessel."

As part of the filing, Dominion Energy is also requesting State Corporation Commission approval to build approximately 17 miles of new transmission lines and other onshore infrastructure needed to deliver the clean, renewable energy generated offshore to homes and businesses across Virginia. A proposed transmission interconnection route is presented along with alternatives for the Commission to consider.

Dominion Energy identified the route options after a thorough study and meaningful engagement with Virginia Beach and Chesapeake officials, Virginia and federal agencies and land managers, and the local communities, including historically underrepresented communities and Native American tribes. The proposed route would be the shortest of the potential routes and would impact private property the least, with 92 percent of the route located within the former Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt corridor, owned primarily by the City of Virginia Beach and/or collocated with existing Dominion Energy transmission line corridors.

About Dominion Energy

More than 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information." Examples include information as to expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives and future financial or other performance or assumptions concerning matters discussed in this release. Our business is influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual results and are often beyond our ability to control or estimate precisely. We have identified and will in the future identify in our SEC Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. We refer you to those discussions for further information. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made.

SOURCE Dominion Energy

Related Links

http://www.dominionenergy.com


No more memorization of decontextualized sentences and words. With Linnet Chinese, there are real conversations, practical goals, constructive feedback, and professional guides. Students schedule their live classes based on their availability and then have fun with the engaging course material before meeting with their teachers and classmates. Learners don't even have to bring their questions to class anymore because the software already knows precisely what they need to work on, plus it's actively preparing them for language proficiency evaluations like AP classes, HSK, and other recognized examinations. Linnet's hybrid model is the future for online language education, and they guarantee the results, even with a notoriously difficult language like Chinese. You don't have to take this article's word for it  just follow the money: investors are betting on Linnet's vision to the tune of over 5 million USD in funding and counting. So, turn off notifications for the old apps. They've been undeniably successful in sparking an interest in foreign languages, but let's face it, they rarely help users achieve anything beyond a most basic, cursory introduction. They lack detail, longevity, and the human element: three of the most crucial aspects of mastering a new language that Linnet Chinese capitalizes on.
SAO PAULO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EMBRAER S.A. (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMBR3) releases its Third Quarter 2021 Earnings Results.

HIGHLIGHTS

Embraer delivered 9 commercial jets and 21 executive jets (14 light / 7 large) in 3Q21, bringing the year-to-date deliveries to 32 commercial jets and 54 executive jets (36 light /18 large). Following solid sales activity in the period across businesses, total company firm order backlog at the end of 3Q21 was US$ 16.8 billion ;

; Revenues in 3Q21 reached US$ 958.1 million , representing year-over-year growth of 26.3% compared to 3Q20, with double digit growth in all segments;

, representing year-over-year growth of 26.3% compared to 3Q20, with double digit growth in all segments; Excluding special items, adjusted EBIT and EBITDA were US$ 35.7 million and US$ 79.2 million , respectively, yielding adjusted EBIT margin of 3.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.3%. In the first nine months of 2021, adjusted EBIT margin was 3.8% and adjusted EBITDA margin was 8.9%;

and , respectively, yielding adjusted EBIT margin of 3.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.3%. In the first nine months of 2021, adjusted EBIT margin was 3.8% and adjusted EBITDA margin was 8.9%; Adjusted net loss (excluding special items and deferred income tax and social contribution) in 3Q21 was US$ (33.9) million , with adjusted loss per ADS of US$ (0.18) ;

, with adjusted loss per ADS of ; Embraer generated free cash flow in 3Q21 of US$ 21.3 million , and in the first nine months of 2021 free cash usage was US$ (160.2) million . The positive free cash flow in 3Q21 represented the first time in more than 10 years the Company generated cash in the usually seasonally weak third quarter. The free cash flow in both periods represented a significant improvement compared to the prior year periods on better profitability and working capital efficiencies, particularly with respect to inventory management;

, and in the first nine months of 2021 free cash usage was . The positive free cash flow in 3Q21 represented the first time in more than 10 years the Company generated cash in the usually seasonally weak third quarter. The free cash flow in both periods represented a significant improvement compared to the prior year periods on better profitability and working capital efficiencies, particularly with respect to inventory management; The Company finished the quarter with total cash of US$ 2.5 billion and net debt of US$ 1.8 billion ;

and net debt of ; Given better-than-expected free cash flow performance over the first nine months of 2021, Embraer is updating its guidance for free cash flow without M&A or divestitures to a range of US$ 100 million or better, from the prior range of US$ (150) million to breakeven. The Company reiterates its other financial and deliveries guidance for 2021 of commercial jet deliveries of 45-50 aircraft, executive jet deliveries of 90-95 aircraft, consolidated revenues in a range of US$ 4.0 to $4.5 billion , adjusted EBIT margin of 3.0% to 4.0%, and adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.5% to 9.5%.

Main financial indicators

in millions of U.S dollars, except % and earnings per share data IFRS 2Q21 3Q20 3Q21 YTD21 Revenue 1,130.5 758.7 958.1 2,895.9 EBIT 143.8 (37.7) 30.0 140.7 EBIT margin % 12.7% -5.0% 3.1% 4.9% Adjusted EBIT 104.7 (45.3) 35.7 110.8 Adjusted EBIT margin % 9.3% -6.0% 3.7% 3.8% EBITDA 199.8 (0.6) 73.5 287.8 EBITDA margin % 17.7% -0.1% 7.7% 9.9% Adjusted EBITDA 160.7 (8.2) 79.2 257.9 Adjusted EBITDA margin % 14.2% -1.1% 8.3% 8.9% Adjusted net income (Loss) 2 43.6 (148.3) (33.9) (86.2) Adjusted earnings (losses) per share - ADS basic 0.2373 (0.8058) (0.1843) (0.4690) Net income (loss) attributable to Embraer Shareholders 87.9 (121.2) (45.0) (46.8) Earnings (losses) per share - ADS basic (US$) 0.4785 (0.6585) (0.2450) (0.2548) Adjusted free cash flow 45.1 (566.5) 21.3 (160.2) Net debt (1,840.5) (2,365.1) (1,803.6) (1,803.6)

For additional information, please check the full document on our website ri.embraer.com.br

Investor Relations

Eduardo Couto, Chris Thornsberry, Caio Pinez, Marilia Saback, and Viviane Pinheiro.

(+55 11) 3040-6874

[email protected]

ri.embraer.com.br

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Embraer will host a conference call to present its 3Q21 Results on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 11:00 AM (SP) / 10:00 AM (NY). The conference call will also be broadcast live over the web at ri.embraer.com.br

Conference ID: EMBRAER

Telephones USA / Canada: +1 (412) 717-9627 / +1 (844) 204-8942

Telephones Brazil: +55 (11) 4210-1803 / +55 (11) 4090-1621

We recommend calling 15 minutes in advance.

SOURCE Embraer S.A.

Related Links

http://ri.embraer.com.br/


In the video Usain demonstrates in a fun and light-hearted way that cartridges are no longer the only option for printer ink. Usain and Roz explain that Epson's EcoTank printers have refillable ink tanks instead of cartridges and come with enough ink to last for up to three years, saving up to 90 per cent on printing costs.

Roz Addison said: "We are delighted to welcome Usain to the team. I was quite surprised when he asked to become a Mythbuster but as you can see, he is really good! And he's very very fast, he will definitely keep the rest of us on our toes!"

You can catch Usain's debut performance as an Epson MythBuster on our website, our social media channels, or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwvRO3AEeE. He will be starring in more Mythbusting videos later in the year.

You can also watch Epson's other Mythbusters on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/epsoneurope). Myths busted include Ink always runs out just when you need it, Ink is more expensive than champagne, printing from your mobile is hard and many more.

Last month Epson announced a European wide partnership with Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man. Usain is the face of a major awareness building campaign for Epson's cartridge-free EcoTank printers. Becoming a trainee Mythbuster is just part of the fun! Usain is also starring in a TV Advertising campaign in UK and Germany, as well as appearing on billboards, on Point-of-Sale in major retail outlets and on social media. You can watch Usain in action here - https://www.youtube.com/user/EpsonEurope

Based on print volume of 100 pages per month and the lowest yield produced from the first set of inks. ReadyPrint EcoTank  save up to 90% on printing costs

Epson ReadyPrint Unlimited calculation includes bundled ink bottles (included with printer) and relevant device activation fee together with a subscription cost of printing the max. pages within relevant plan over a period of 5 years, compared to the average cost to buy one printer (plus bundled cartridges) and print the same number of pages (A4 prints of ISO/IEC 24711) with the genuine consumables used in the 50 best-selling consumer printers (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Devices and Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19  Mar 2020 ). Cost per page calculated with reference to the average printing costs for these top 50 models, calculated by dividing the relevant cartridge sales revenue and total yield by unit sales (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19  Mar 2020). Average cost per page saving and average number of inkjet cartridges required to print the same number of pages as EcoTank "102" and "104"ink bottles. Comparison between average yield (A4 prints of ISO/IEC 24711) of EcoTank "102" and "104" bottles and the genuine consumables used within the 50 best-selling inkjet cartridge printers (according to GfK Inkjet Printing Devices and Inkjet Printing Cartridges Point of Sale panel market data for Germany , France , UK, Spain and Italy Apr-19  Mar 2020 ).

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson will become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion.

global.epson.com/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1676939/PR_Social_EPSON_UB.jpg

SOURCE Epson
STOCKHOLM, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The hygiene and health company Essity is collaborating with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and The Consumer Goods Forum's (CGF) Forest Positive Coalition of Action initiative to further strengthen responsible forest management, nurture high conservation value forests and increase the certification of forest operations in north-western Russia. Deforestation is a major topic at the ongoing climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, since deforestation and forest degradation affect climate change on a large scale.

Essity is co-financing the project, which aims to provide trainings and workshops to forest managers and government officials to increase the uptake of sustainable forest management practices in north-western Russia, as well as engage communities and other local stakeholders in a landscape planning process. The project is a follow-up to an earlier successful collaboration in which FSC, together with Greenpeace Russia and the WWF Russia, worked with the Russian government to introduce formal protection of high conservation value forests in the Dvinsky region. These forests in north-western Russia are Europe's largest intact forest landscapes with high nature values. In 2021, Essity is also collaborating with the members of The CGF's Forest Positive Coalition in several other projects to strengthen forest management and prevent deforestation. This endeavor to strengthen regeneration and identify high conservation value forests in need of protection is in line with Essity's commitment to promote biodiversity and that more forest operations are to be certified.

The Consumer Goods Forum is a global partnership organization for manufacturers and consumer goods retailers. In addition to the initiative to increase responsible forest operations, The CGF runs a range of different programs in sustainability, health and product safety. In conjunction with the ongoing COP26 in Glasgow, The CGF is holding a panel discussion on the industry's transition to net zero emissions, which Essity intends to achieve by 2050. Magnus Groth, Essity's President and CEO will be taking part in the discussion together with other business leaders and representatives from the United Nations. The discussions will focus on how fast-moving consumer goods companies and retail companies collaborate pre-competitively with industry peers and NGO stakeholders to achieve this interim goal and halve emissions by 2030 and be NetZero by 2050.

"We must increase collaboration if we are to achieve our own goals and contribute to our joint targets for greater sustainability. An exchange of knowledge and experiences will strengthen our ambitions and ability to reach targets in the short and long term," says Magnus Groth, President and CEO of Essity.

CONTACT:

For further information, please contact:

Henrik Sjostrom, Media Relations Manager, +46 8 788 51 36, [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/essity/r/essity-in-collaboration-for-responsible-forest-operations-in-russia,c3447553

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/15798/3447553/1491669.pdf Essity in collaboration for responsible forest operations in Russia

SOURCE Essity
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In less than four years, Thrasio has completed more than 150 acquisitions, raised more than $3.4 billion in capital and grown to more than 1,000 employees. And they've had a lot of fun while doing it: according to 97% of Thrasio employees , working at the global startup is a great experience.

Fortune Magazine and Great Place to Work announced today that Thrasio has been selected as the #1 Best Small and Medium Workplaces in Retail joining earlier inclusion on 2021 Best Workplaces for Millennials , and 2021 Best Small & Medium Workplaces lists. The next-generation consumer goods company was also named to Inc Magazine's Best-Led Companies list earlier this month, and named a Glassdoor Best Place to Work for 2021.

"I couldn't be happier for Thrasio to be recognized for these awards, because they result directly from the feedback and experiences of our team," said Carlos Cashman, CEO and co-founder. "When you think about a really great place to work, sure there are benefits and perks and flexibilityand we have all thatbut more importantly, it's a place that you want to put your best into every day. From our first employee, we set out to create a culture of opportunity where everyone is heard, we treat each other with respect, we give people the room to grow and develop, and we laugh a lot--so it doesn't feel like work. We've made an enormous effort to stay true to that as we've grown, and it's really gratifying to see that our team feels the same way."

"Thrasio makes headlines because of our rapid growth, the funds we've raised, and the impact we've had on consumer goods, but our amazing people are responsible for all of that," said Mellissa Santos, VP of People. "We hired most of our employees over the last year and a half, a trying time to say the least, and we've created perks and policies to adapt and provide flexibility. Employees are free to work remotely, but, for those who do want to head in, we have beautiful, comfortable offices with great amenities in New York City, Greater Boston, Houston and Salt Lake City, as well as across Europe and Asia."

Building a work environment that allows people to flourish requires more than competitive salaries and generous vacation policies. To ensure that employees are supported and secure, Thrasio offers all of the benefits you would expect from a great company, such as a 401k and a range of insurance plans, as well as a number of uncommon benefits, including:

A $10k emergency financial assistance grant for employees who encounter an unexpected financial hurdle.

emergency financial assistance grant for employees who encounter an unexpected financial hurdle. Meeting-free Fridays that give employees the space to be thoughtful, creative, and productive without the constant interruptions of Zoom calls

Half-Day Summer Fridays and floating holidays to allow the team to take the necessary time off to recharge.

Free access to Talkspace (virtual therapy solution), Headspace (online meditation support), Rocket Lawyer (free legal support)

Employee discounts on the thousands of consumer products Thrasio sells

"For as long as I've been with the company, Thrasio has built a culture that works hard, values collaboration and truly makes having fun a priority," said Ali Rosewood, senior manager of People Experience. "At every level, people happily share their time and knowledge, and employees are encouraged to 'fail forward' by taking risks and learning from them. I'm extremely proud to work at Thrasio, and I would recommend it to anyone."

Fortune and Great Place to Work surveyed more than 5.3 million US-based employees in making their selections. According to those surveys, 97% of Thrasio employees declared it a great place to work, compared to 59% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.

Survey highlights about Thrasio included:

99% of Thrashers are willing to give extra to get the job done

98% of Thrashers feel they are given a lot of responsibility

98% of Thrashers are proud to tell others where they work

98% of Thrashers say they were made to feel welcome when joining the company

97% of Thrashers believe the management is competent at running the business

These happy Thrashers have built a company that makes a real impact on consumers' lives. Boasting a portfolio of more than 200 brands and thousands of well-loved products, Thrasio has evolved into a next generation consumer goods company. With consumer feedback built into the business model, Thrasio quickly responds to shoppers' needs, helping people everywhere find high-quality, affordable products they'll genuinely love. What began in 2018 as an idea to aggregate Amazon-native brands has grown into a global company with products across nearly all categories selling in multiple channels, including retail, direct to consumer, Amazon, and other marketplaces.

To join Thrasio's fast-growing team, visit: https://www.thrasio.com/company/careers/

About Thrasio

Thrasio is a consumer goods company reimagining omnichannel commerce and consumer products and boasts an innovation engine that brings high-quality products to market across digital marketplaces, direct sales channels, and retailers globally. With the experience of evaluating 6,000 ecommerce businesses, data on consumer preferences from more than 200 brands, and the operational scale of thousands of products, Thrasio is the largest acquirer of Amazon FBA brands, including Angry Orange pet deodorizers and stain removers , SafeRest mattress protectors and ThisWorx car cleaning and detailing products . These brands compete with top household names, offering consumers more choice and exceptional value. Thrasio was founded in 2018 by Joshua Silberstein and Carlos Cashman. For more information, visit https://thrasio.com .

SOURCE Thrasio

Related Links

https://www.thrasio.com/


two drill rigs now turning at the Beechworth Project

diamond drilling also continues at Reedy Creek, Providence Project and at Enochs Point, Walhalla Gold Belt Project

in total, four drill rigs are now turning with assays pending from multiple ongoing drill campaigns

Fosterville South's initial diamond drill hole, HBDH001, on the Homeward Bound prospect interested 8.6m at 5.22 g/t Gold from, including 3.6m at 10.72 g/t Gold (see news release October 15, 2021). Initial assay results at Reedy Creek include 11m at 31.34 g/t Gold including 4m at 80.05 g/t Gold (hole RWRI3) and 0.70m at 238.1 g/t Gold (hole RWD01) (see news releases dated August 9, 2021, and October 14, 2021).

To date, 40 drill holes have been completed within the Beechworth Gold Project for a total of 3598 meters, most of which (22) have been scout drilling at various targets for which assays remain pending. The planned drill program for the two drill rigs amounts to a two phase 16 hole program for 3110 meters at the Homeward Bound prospect plus the ongoing scout drilling of a further 39 holes for 3510 meters, for a total of 6620 meters.

Reverse circulation drilling at Homeward Bound will initially target shallower zones to 150m depth of potential gold mineralization along strike, including the hanging wall and footwall mineralization associated with the old gold workings. The program aims toward deeper drilling with both diamond and reverse circulation techniques based upon the mineralization vectors achieved in the shallower drilling.

A reinterpretation of the previous drilling and the drilling carried out by Fosterville South indicates that wider zones of mineralization exist that were not previously mined. The previous diamond drilling from 1992 was highly selective in its assaying and has overlooked this broader scale mineralisation as evidenced by the initial results in HBDH01 which was terminated in old workings immediately adjacent to 8.6m @ 5.22 g/t gold from 192.6m downhole depth. The second diamond drill hole at Homeward Bound intersected significant widths of quartz and sulphide mineralization, with multiple assays pending.

Reconnaissance percussion drilling continues at various prospects found throughout the Beechworth Project targeting old workings and geochemical anomalous zones. This drilling campaign has also intersected various zones of quartz and sulphide mineralization, with further multiple assays pending.

The Homeward Bound prospect is in the Hillsborough goldfield, which forms part of the Beechworth Gold Project, occurring in the Tabberabbera Zone on the eastern margin with the Omeo Zones of the Lachlan Fold Belt in Victoria. Several key gold prospects and associated fault structures have been identified within the Beechworth Gold Project based upon extensive geochemical sampling, geological & LIDAR mapping and limited previous drilling. These gold mineralized zones are largely parallel striking NNW and include (from west to east) the Perseverance, Bon Accord and Homeward Bound faults. These include various historical producing mines located within the Hurdle Flat goldfield (21,715 ounces of production at 15.32 g/t Au) and Hillsborough goldfield (47,492 ounces of production at 17.48 g/t Au). Mineralisation is typical of mesozonal orogenic gold deposits, although the Hillsborough area occurs within a contact metamorphic aureole of a nearby granitic intrusion. Intrusion related gold mineralization has been found as rich float rock specimen samples nearby and will form part of a new drilling program in the coming year when permits are received.

Drilling Activities on Three Gold Projects

Fosterville South continues to actively drill on three (3) gold projects: Reedy Creek (Providence Project), Enoch's Point (Walhalla Gold Belt Project) and Homeward Bound (Beechworth Gold Project). The Providence Project and the Walhalla Gold Belt both occur within the epizonal district of the Melbourne Zone.

At Reedy Creek (Providence Project), Fosterville South is carrying out diamond drilling at the Prince of Wales Reef. These prospects contain significant old gold workings within extensive anomalous Au-Sb-As geochemical soil trends. After the initial drilling is completed at Prince of Wales Reef, Fosterville South will continue to focus on the discovery hole RWR13 (11m at 31.34 g/t Gold including 4m at 80.05 g/t Gold from 68m) and the recently announced high-grade intercept from diamond drill hole RWD01 (0.7m at 238.1 g/t Gold from 68.70m and 0.80m at 22.5 g/t Gold from 40.80m). Detailed geological mapping and sampling is continuing in support of the drilling program.

Fosterville South is currently diamond drilling at the Big River Au-Sb prospect in the Enoch's Point area. The Big River Au-Sb Prospect is hosted by Siluro-Devonian folded and faulted sediments and occurs in close proximity to the Jerusalem Inlet Fault, which is part of the Enoch's Point Thrust Fault Zone. This fault zone extends for approximately 85km through much of the Fosterville South (45km) tenure and beyond. The Big River prospect was worked in the 1960s for high grade stibnite concentrate from a single adit of 58m in length working epizonal quartz veins. A soil geochemical program was conducted at the Big River Antimony Mine, which outlined an area of As-Sb pXRF soil anomalism covering strike length of 3.2km and up to 600m wide. Follow up gold assaying of the soil samples confirmed that the Big River prospect is Au-As-Sb anomalous especially within an 850m by 450m central anomaly, including the old workings, epizonal quartz veins and zones of sulphide mineralised felspar porphyry dykes. Initially two diamond drill holes across the anomalous zone are being conducted.

As noted above, diamond and reverse circulation drilling is ongoing at the Beechworth Gold Project, which has been initially focused on the Hillsborough Goldfield.

About Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.

Fosterville South began with two, 100% owned, high-grade gold projects called the Lauriston and Golden Mountain Projects, and has since acquired a large area of granted and application tenements containing further epizonal (low-temperature) high-grade gold mineralisation called the Providence Project and a large group of recently consolidated license tenement applications called the Walhalla Belt Project, which contain a variety of epizonal and intrusion related style gold mineralisation, all in the state of Victoria, Australia. The Fosterville South land package, assembled over a multi-year period, notably includes a 600 sq. km property immediately to the south of and within the same geological framework that hosts Kirkland Lake Gold's Fosterville epizonal gold tenements. Additionally, Fosterville South has gold-focused projects called the Moormbool and Beechworth, which are also located in the state of Victoria, Australia. Moormbool project has epizonal style gold mineralisation and Beechworth has mesozonal and intrusion relation gold mineralisation.

All of Fosterville South's properties, with the possible exception of Moormbool, have had historical gold production from hard rock sources despite limited modern exploration and drilling.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rex Motton, AusIMM (CP), COO and Director of Fosterville South, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Historical records were verified by reviewing annual and quarterly reports from government records by the Qualified Person.

On behalf of the Company

Rex Motton

Chief Operating Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Fosterville South cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Fosterville South's limited operating history, its exploration and development activities on the Lauriston, Golden Mountain, Providence and Beechworth Properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fosterville South does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Fosterville South Exploration Ltd.
SEATTLE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Coherent Market Insights, The global cannabidiol market is estimated to account for 55,200.2 Mn in terms of value by the end of 2028.

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a derivative of cannabis sativa, the genus containing the plant with medicinal properties. CBD, as it is commonly referred to, is a plant-based drug with an entourage of different phytochemicals. These chemicals provide some of the medicinal characteristics of the cannabis plant. However, the benefits of this compound are not without controversy.

CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol are two of the most well-known compounds isolated from the Cannabis sativa plant. CBD exerts its anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic activity through various mechanisms.

Ask for Sample Copy @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/4613

Market Drivers:

High prevalence of cancer is expected to propel growth of the global cannabidiol market over the forecast period. For instance, according to the study, 'Cancer statistics for adults aged 85 years and older, 2019', published in ACS CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, in August 2019, in 2019, the projected number of cancer cases and deaths was 140,690 and 103,250 respectively, among adults aged 85 years and older in the U.S.

R&D in cannabidiol is also expected to aid in growth of the global cannabidiol market. For instance, in October 2021, Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. received approval from Health Canada to start Phase II trial to assess the safety and tolerability of CardiolRx for the treatment of acute myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.

Similarly, in July 2021, Enveric Biosciences received approval from the Israeli Ministry of Health to begin the Phase 1/2 portion of its study of EV101, designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of synthetic cannabidiol for the treatment of glioblastoma, an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord.

Market Opportunities

Medical use of cannabis is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for players in the global cannabidiol market. For instance, in July 2021, Georgia's medical marijuana board chose six companies that will be allowed to sell medical marijuana.

R&D in cannabidiol is also expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for players in the global cannabidiol market. For instance, in November 2021, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. started a new study that is set to determine whether DehydraTECHTM-CBD demonstrates superior ability to inhibit seizure activity compared to both generic cannabidiol and Epidiolex.

Market Trends

Major players operating in the global cannabidiol market are focused on geographical expansion to enhance their market share. For instance, in May 2020, Aurora Cannabis Inc. entered into an agreement to acquire Reliva, LLC, a producer of hemp-derived CBD products in the U.S.

Major players operating in the global cannabidiol market are also focused on R&D to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in October 2021, Ananda Scientific., a biotech pharma company, announced a clinical trial to evaluate Nantheia ATL5, an investigational drug using cannabidiol in ANANDA's proprietary Liquid Structure delivery technology for opioid use disorder.

Competitive Landscape:

Major players operating in the global cannabidiol market include, Aphria, Inc., ABcann Medicinals, Inc., Aurora Cannabis, Cannoid, LLC, Canopy Growth Corporation, Elixinol, ENDOCA, Folium Biosciences, GW Pharmaceuticals, plc, Isodiol International, Inc., Medical Marijuana, Inc., Maricann, Inc. (Wayland Group Corporation), NuLeaf Naturals, LLC, Organigram Holding, Inc., Pharmahemp d.o.o., Tikun Olam, The Cronos Group, and Tilray,

Major players operating in the global cannabidiol market are focused on R&D to expand their product portfolio.For instance, in October 2021, Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. expanded its LANCER trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of CardiolRx in preventing cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 patients, to include several hospital centers in Brazil, Mexico, and Canada.

Similarly, in August 2021, Tauriga Sciences, Inc. initiated a clinical trial to examine the effects of Cannabidiol doses on pregnant women with the diagnosis of Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

Buy This Premium Report Now @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/4613

Market Segmentation:

Product Type

Oil

Tinctures

Suppository

Transdermal Patches

Vape Oil

Isolates

Creams and Roll-on

Capsules

Tablet

Others

Source Type:

Hemp

Marijuana

Application

Medical

Chronic Pain



Mental Disorders



Cancer



Others

Personal Use

Pharmaceuticals

Wellness

Food & Beverages



Personal Care & Cosmetics



Nutraceuticals



Others

Distribution Channel

Hospital Pharmacies

Online Stores

Retail Stores

Global Cannabidiol Market, By Region:

North America

By Country:



U.S.





Canada

Europe

By Country



U.K.





Germany





Italy





France





Spain





Russia





Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

By Country



China





India





Japan





ASEAN





Australia





South Korea





Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

By Country:



Brazil





Mexico





Argentina





Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

By Country:



GCC Countries





Israel





South Africa





Rest of Middle East & Africa

Need Customize Report? Please Visit @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/4613

About Us:

Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having sales office at global financial capital in the U.S. and sales consultants in United Kingdom and Japan. Our client base includes players from across various business verticals in over 57 countries worldwide.

Contact Us:

Mr. Shah

Senior Client Partner  Business Development

Coherent Market Insights

Phone:

US: +1-206-701-6702

UK: +44-020-8133-4027

Japan: +81-050-5539-1737

India: +91-848-285-0837

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

SOURCE Coherent Market Insights
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Earthmoving Equipment market will register an incremental spend of about USD 32.95 Billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.35% during the five-year forecast period. A targeted strategic approach to Earthmoving Equipment sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. This report also offers market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download free sample report

Earthmoving Equipment Market Procurement Research 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 Earthmoving Equipment market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Earthmoving Equipment 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/earthmoving-equipment-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 2%-5%.

Identify favorable opportunities in Earthmoving Equipment 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.

SpendEdge presents a detailed picture of this procurement market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our Earthmoving Equipment market procurement report covers the following areas:

Some of the top Earthmoving Equipment suppliers listed in this report:

This Earthmoving Equipment procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Caterpillar Inc

Komatsu Ltd

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd.

To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment.

Subscribe Now for Free

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

Get instant access to download 5 reports every month and view 1200 full reports. With every purchase, we also offer complimentary research add-ons and Covid-19 impact assessments  Purchase Now!

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge

Related Links

http://www.spendedge.com


Officials from related government agencies such as the National Development and Reform Commission, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Shanghai Municipal Government, as well as about 150 guests from domestic and foreign civil aviation enterprises, industry associations, and colleges attended the forum.



They discussed the new model of sustainable development and international cooperation in the industry around issues such as carbon emission reduction in civil aviation and construction of world-class aviation hubs, and released a number of major achievements and important initiatives in the industry.



At the forum, Zhang Wei, vice mayor of Shanghai, said that this year is the year when the Shanghai International Shipping Center is basically in shape. Shanghai will adhere to building a world-class aviation hub with leading quality, accelerate the improvement of airport ground facilities, and enhance the coverage and accessibility of airline network.



"The city will improve the legal system for green development and accelerate the green development of the aviation industry, while joint efforts will be made to promote coordination of the world-class airport group in the Yangtze River Delta in terms of functional positioning, planning and construction, operation management and ground transportation," Zhang added.



Willie Walsh, director general of IATA, said that to give an indication of the scale of the pandemic disruption, losses of the airline industry were significantly reduced in 2021. With a 20 per cent share of the global commercial aviation market, China's domestic market is increasingly important. At present, IATA is actively dealing with the impact of the epidemic, and the industry remains confident about the future.



Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Eastern Air Holding Company Limited, said that the company will give full play to the features of the aviation industry with a long chain, strong driving effect and great influence radiation. With the new mode of digital transformation and intelligent upgrade, China Eastern will accelerate the building of smart aviation, inclusive aviation and airport cities. A new aviation economic ecology will take shape by developing "aviation + tourism", "aviation + finance", "aviation + exhibition" and the integration of aviation with other services.



Qin Yun, chairman of Shanghai Airport Authority, said the company will strengthen cooperation with airports and airlines around the world to build a green and ecological airport and a digital airport.



During the session of topic sharing, Li Yangmin, general manager of China Eastern Air Holding Company Limited, made a special sharing on the situation of aviation hubs in world-class cities, the development process of hubs and serving Shanghai's development into a world-class city. More than 10 guests delivered keynote speeches on cooperation and win-win of international civil aviation in the field of carbon emission reduction during the pandemic and construction and upgrading of world-class aviation hubs.



In the dialogue session, the speakers focused on the opportunities and challenges of reshaping the global industrial chain and supply chain, and discussed the development ideas from the perspectives of logistics industry development, aviation logistics, airport cargo terminal business and supply chain solutions.



At this forum, senior executives of 20 enterprises in the aviation sector released an initiative on global aviation industry carbon reduction cooperation via video.



The North Bund International Aviation Forum will be held in Shanghai every year as a parallel forum of the North Bund Forum, which will help the latter to become the "Davos" of the international shipping industry, better promote the Chinese shipping brands to the world and share Shanghai's perspectives. China Eastern will also host the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the World Air Transport Summit in Shanghai in June 2022.



Image Attachments Links:



Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=406632

Caption: North Bund International Aviation Forum



Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=406633

Caption: North Bund International Aviation Forum



SOURCE China Eastern Air Holding Company Limited
LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced positive results from the Phase III ASCEND (Anaemia Studies in Chronic Kidney Disease: Erythropoiesis via a novel prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor Daprodustat) programme for daprodustat, an investigational oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), during a presentation at the American Society of Nephrology's Kidney Week 2021. The positive primary efficacy and safety results confirm the potential for daprodustat to be a new oral treatment for patients with anaemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in both non-dialysis and dialysis settings. Daprodustat was developed based upon the unique Nobel Prize-winning science that demonstrated how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability.

The ASCEND programme is comprised of five Phase III studies assessing the efficacy and safety of daprodustat for the treatment of anaemia due to CKD across the CKD disease course. The programme enrolled over 8,000 patients who were treated for up to 4.26 years. Daprodustat was well tolerated in both non-dialysis and dialysis populations as assessed in the primary analysis. Data on daprodustat, including results from the two pivotal Phase III studies focused on non-dialysis (ASCEND-ND) and dialysis (ASCEND-D) patients, were shared at the American Society of Nephrology's meeting in a combined late-breaking oral presentation. Results for ASCEND-ND and ASCEND-D were also published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The ASCEND-ND and ASCEND-D studies each independently met their primary efficacy and safety endpoints. Efficacy results from both Phase III studies demonstrated that daprodustat improved or maintained patients within their target haemoglobin (Hb) range. In addition, results from the prespecified primary safety analysis of the intention-to-treat (ITT) population showed similar rates of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke independently within each trial. In the ASCEND-ND trial, results showed a hazard ratio reflecting time to first occurrence of MACE of 1.03; 95% CI, (0.89 to 1.19), achieving non-inferiority with the pre-defined margin of 1.25. In the ASCEND-D trial, results showed a hazard ratio reflecting time to first occurrence of MACE of 0.93; 95% CI, (0.81-1.07), achieving non-inferiority with the pre-defined margin of 1.25. The outcomes in each study and across treatment arms confirmed no increased cardiovascular risk for daprodustat compared to an erythropoietin stimulating agent (ESA), the current standard of care.

The most commonly reported adverse events in patients receiving daprodustat included hypertension, diarrhoea, dialysis hypotension, peripheral oedema and urinary tract infection.

Daprodustat is the first oral HIF-PHI to clearly show positive efficacy, along with no increased cardiovascular risk as assessed in the primary analysis of MACE in the ITT population compared to an ESA, across both non-dialysis patients and dialysis patients.

Dr. Hal Barron, Chief Scientific Officer and President, R&D, GSK, said, "Over 700 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease worldwide, and an estimated 1-in-7 of these patients suffers from anaemia. Grounded in research based on Nobel Prize-winning science, we believe these data show daprodustat has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for these patients, many of whom have limited treatment options today."

In addition to the primary analysis of the ITT population, several additional supplementary analyses were performed for both ASCEND-ND and ASCEND-D trials. Further details can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine publications (here and here).

Data from three additional trials within the ASCEND programme provided further support for the use of daprodustat. The ASCEND-TD trial showed positive efficacy results for three-times weekly dosing, in addition to the once-daily dosing regimen evaluated in ASCEND-ND and ASCEND-D studies, providing data to support additional dosing options for daprodustat. Additional results demonstrated treatment with daprodustat led to significant improvement compared to placebo in non-dialysis dependent patients' Hb levels and quality of life by measure of SF-36 vitality score (as determined by level of fatigue) in the ASCEND-NHQ trial, as well as the ability to maintain Hb levels in the high-risk incident dialysis population in the ASCEND-ID trial.

Dr. Ajay Singh, nephrologist/principal investigator, Chair of Executive Steering Committee and Steering Committee for the ASCEND Programme and Senior Associate Dean for Postgraduate Medical Education, Harvard Medical School, said, "As a nephrologist who regularly treats patients with anaemia due to chronic kidney disease, I think these are ground-breaking results and show that daprodustat has potential to be transformative for these patients. The ASCEND programme was designed to represent anaemia management in practice today, and these results provide strong clinical evidence to help nephrologists as they make the right treatment decisions for their patients."

Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford, Francis Crick Institute and Nobel laureate, said, "Derived from decades of research investigating how the cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability, it's extraordinary to see how this work has been translated into positive clinical evidence within the ASCEND programme. The data shared today demonstrate the importance of following the science and how better understanding the body's natural responses enables us to create medicines that can have a meaningful impact on patients' lives."

Daprodustat is currently approved in Japan as Duvroq for patients with renal anaemia. It is not approved anywhere else in the world. The results from the Phase III ASCEND programme will be used to support regulatory filings with health authorities worldwide.

Notes to editors:

Results from the ASCEND-ND and ASCEND-D trials

ASCEND-ND (Anaemia Studies in CKD: Erythropoiesis via a Novel PHI Daprodustat-Non-Dialysis) enrolled 3,872 non-dialysis dependent patients with anaemia associated with CKD who were either switched from standard of care (ESA) or not currently receiving ESA therapy to receive daprodustat or ESA control (darbepoetin alfa). Iron management protocols were instituted across both arms in the study. The study met its primary safety and efficacy endpoints. Results showed daprodustat improved and/or maintained Hb within target level (10-11.5 g/dL) for these patients, and the primary safety analysis of the ITT population showed that daprodustat achieved non-inferiority compared to ESA control.

(Anaemia Studies in CKD: Erythropoiesis via a Novel PHI Daprodustat-Non-Dialysis) enrolled 3,872 non-dialysis dependent patients with anaemia associated with CKD who were either switched from standard of care (ESA) or not currently receiving ESA therapy to receive daprodustat or ESA control (darbepoetin alfa). Iron management protocols were instituted across both arms in the study. The study met its primary safety and efficacy endpoints. Results showed daprodustat improved and/or maintained Hb within target level (10-11.5 g/dL) for these patients, and the primary safety analysis of the ITT population showed that daprodustat achieved non-inferiority compared to ESA control. ASCEND-D (Anaemia Studies in CKD: Erythropoiesis via a Novel PHI Daprodustat-Dialysis) enrolled 2,964 dialysis patients with anaemia associated with CKD who were switched to receive daprodustat or ESA control from a standard of care ESA therapy. A uniform iron management protocol was instituted across both arms of the study. The study met its primary safety and efficacy endpoints. Results showed daprodustat improved or maintained Hb within target levels (10-11.5 g/dL) for these patients, and the primary safety analysis of the ITT population showed that daprodustat achieved non-inferiority compared to ESA control.

About anaemia due to CKD

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), characterised by progressive loss of kidney function, is an increasing global public health burden.i Risk factors for CKD include hypertension, diabetes, obesity and primary renal disorders.i Furthermore, CKD is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.i Anaemia is an important and frequent complication of CKD.ii However, it is often poorly diagnosed and undertreated in patients with early-stage CKD, such as those not on dialysis.ii When left untreated or undertreated, anaemia due to CKD is associated with poor clinical outcomes and leads to a substantial burden on patients and healthcare systems.ii

About daprodustat

Daprodustat, an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), belongs to a novel class of oral medicines indicated for the treatment of anaemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adult patients not on dialysis and on dialysis. Inhibition of oxygen-sensing prolyl hydroxylase enzymes stabilises hypoxia-inducible factors, which can lead to transcription of erythropoietin and other genes involved in the correction of anaemia, similar to the physiological effects that occur in the body at high altitude. Daprodustat has been developed to provide a convenient oral treatment option for patients with anaemia associated with CKD.

About GSK

GSK is a science-led global healthcare company. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us.

GSK enquiries:





Media enquiries: Tim Foley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)

Dan Smith +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)

Kristen Neese +1 804 217 8147 (Philadelphia)

Kathleen Quinn +1 202 603 5003 (Washington DC)







Analyst/Investor enquiries: Nick Stone +44 (0) 7717 618834 (London)

Sonya Ghobrial +44 (0) 7392 784784 (Consumer)

James Dodwell +44 (0) 20 8047 2406 (London)

Mick Readey +44 (0) 7990 339653 (London)

Jeff McLaughlin +1 215 751 7002 (Philadelphia)

Frannie DeFranco +1 215 751 4855 (Philadelphia)

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2020, GSK's Q3 Results and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Registered in England & Wales:

No. 3888792

Registered Office:

980 Great West Road

Brentford, Middlesex

TW8 9GS



i Hill NR, Fatoba ST, Oke JL, et al. Global prevalence of chronic kidney disease - A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0158765.

ii St Peter WL, Guo H, Kabadi S, et al. Prevalence, treatment patterns, and healthcare resource utilization in Medicare and commercially insured non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients with and without anemia in the United States. BMC Nephrol. 2018;19(1):67.

SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline plc

Related Links

http://www.gsk.com/about-us


RICE LAKE, Wis., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Henry Repeating Arms is pleased to announce that a donation of 65 custom "Support 4 Sami" rifles raised a total of $46,700, all of which will benefit the family of 11-year-old Sami Bernadzikowski of Elkridge, Md. The money provides relief for the medical expenses incurred throughout Sami's treatments for multiple congenital heart defects, including five open-heart surgeries and over thirty catheterization procedures.

6th grader Sami Bernadzikowski of Elkridge, Maryland is the latest recipient of Henry Repeating Arms Guns For Great Causes program, which raised a total of $46,700 for her familys medical expenses. Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/support4samantha/.

The "Support 4 Sami" Golden Boy Silver lever-action rifles are a continuation of Henry Repeating Arms' Guns For Great Causes program, a charitable arm of the company that focuses on raising funds through firearms donations for individual sick children, children's hospitals, active-duty military and veterans organizations, wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, and supporting other Henry partners. The program has raised over $250,000 for six families over the past two years.

Anthony Imperato, CEO and Founder of Henry Repeating Arms, says, "Time and time again, the Henry family steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park with their unending generosity to help us with these Guns For Great Causes initiatives." Imperato continues, "To those of you who purchased one of these rifles or offered your support in some other way, I thank you for giving Sami another reason to show off that big smile."

The rifles, priced at $650 each, sold out in less than 24 hours after the initial announcement of their availability. The first and last serial numbers went to an online auction block, and the hammer fell at $2,725 and $3,025, respectively.

Henry firearms are purchasable only through a federally licensed firearms dealer. For more information about Henry Repeating Arms and its products, visit henryusa.com or call 866-200-2354.

About Henry Repeating Arms:

Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading rifle and shotgun manufacturers in the United States and a world leader in the lever action category. The company motto is "Made in America, or not made at all," and its firearms come with a lifetime guarantee backed by award-winning customer service. The company is also known for its Guns For Great Causes charitable program, which focuses on assisting the families of sick children, children's hospitals, military veteran organizations, Second Amendment advocacy groups, and wildlife conservation organizations. The company currently employs over 550 people and has over 330,000sf of manufacturing space in its Wisconsin and New Jersey facilities. The company is named in honor of Benjamin Tyler Henry, who invented and patented the Henry lever action rifle in 1860  the first practical repeating rifle. The lever action rifle is America's unique contribution to international firearms design and is one of the most legendary, respected, and sought-after rifles in the history of firearms. Visit Henry Repeating Arms online at henryusa.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/HenryRepeating, and @henry_rifles on Instagram.

SOURCE Henry Repeating Arms

Related Links

www.henryusa.com


PASADENA, CALIF., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California based law firm Hahn & Hahn LLP announced today that it has been included on the 2022 U.S. News  Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" list. The firm's Trust & Estates Law practice is ranked as Tier 1, the highest ranking available, regionally. The list is compiled annually by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers.

"We are honored to be acknowledged by Best Lawyers, especially as this recognition is based on feedback from clients and peers," said Managing Partner Christianne Kerns. "This acknowledgment by our peers is a testament to the dedication our attorneys have to the firm's clients."

Law firms included in the 2022 "Best Law Firms" list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers, according to the publication. The 2022 Edition of "Best Law Firms" includes rankings in 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan-based practice areas.

The 2022 rankings incorporate more than 8.2 million evaluations of more than 115,000 individual leading lawyers from more than 22,000 firms. The 2022 "Best Law Firms" rankings can be seen in their entirety by visiting bestlawfirms.usnews.com.

Hahn & Hahn LLP has been an active member of the Southern California business and legal communities since 1899. The firm represents entrepreneurs, innovators, business owners, family offices and charitable organizations in their corporate, real estate, employment, estate planning and family law issues and in litigation. For more information visit https://www.hahnlawyers.com/

SOURCE Hahn & Hahn LLP
HONOLULU, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stressing the urgency of the global effort to slow climate change, Hawaiian Electric, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HE), has set a goal to cut carbon emissions from power generation 70% by 2030.

Cutting emissions from power generation by 70%, compared with 2005 levels, would provide a significant portion of the reduction the entire Hawai'i economy needs to meet the U.S. target of cutting carbon emissions by at least 50% economywide by 2030. The reduction includes generation owned by Hawaiian Electric and independent power producers who sell electricity to the utility.

Hawaiian Electric has also committed to achieving net zero or net negative carbon emissions from power generation by 2045 or sooner, meaning that if there are any emissions, they will be captured or offset.

Led by the 70% emission reduction in the electricity sector, the rest of the state economy  including transportation, agriculture, construction and industry  would still have to cut emissions by at least 40% by 2030 to stay on the path to meet the U.S. target. The U.S. commitment made at the COP26 climate conference in Scotland, along with commitments by other nations, aims to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, avoiding some, but not all, of the threats posed by climate change.

"Hawaiian Electric has a critical role in reducing carbon emissions this decade in Hawaii, especially in transportation, so this new goal is significant," said Gov. David Ige, who is attending the climate conference. "The COP26 meetings made absolutely clear that even though Hawai'i has done a lot, we have to do even more. Working together, Hawai'i can do its part to hit these targets. We are not willing to wait for the rest of the planet to do what we know is in our community's best interest."

"The runway is getting shorter all the time," said Scott Seu, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. "The 2030 goal is a stretch for us, but we have to commit to bold actions in the next few years if we're to have any hope of stalling climate change. We want to look back at this time and know we did all we could do to stop things from getting worse."



"We have seen the power of setting a vision with Hawai'i's 100% renewable energy law, and today's announcement levels up our collective responsibility to move at the pace and scale required to avoid the worst impacts of climate change," said Melissa Miyashiro, executive director of Blue Planet Foundation. "Rapidly reducing carbon emissions in a way that allows our communities to thrive will take all of us. We hope Hawaiian Electric's announcement will inspire businesses and leaders statewide to make similar bold commitments and work collaboratively to turn those commitments into real action."

Hawaiian Electric's forecast for the next nine years anticipates a steady pace of cost-effective renewable energy resources coming online to reduce the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity.

Key elements of the 2030 plan include:

Shutting down the state's last coal plant in 2022

Adding nearly 50,000 rooftop solar systems to the 90,000 now online

Retiring at least 6 fossil-fueled generating units and significantly reducing the use of others as new renewable resources come online

Adding renewable energy projects capable of generating a total of at least 1 gigawatt, including shared solar (community-based renewable energy)

Using more grid-scale and customer-owned energy storage

Expanding geothermal resources

Creating innovative programs that provide customers incentives for using clean, lower-cost energy at certain times of the day and using less fossil-fueled energy at night

By 2030, Hawaiian Electric's renewable portfolio standard is expected to exceed 70%, with renewable resources available to provide close to 100% of the electricity generated on Hawai'i Island and in Maui County.

After 2030, progress on elimination of carbon from power generation assumes continued use of proven resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biofuels and energy storage, along with the development of new technologies.

Those may include offshore wind, green hydrogen, wave energy and carbon-capture  all currently under development around the world  as well as other solutions that will emerge. A diverse portfolio of resources will also enhance resilience to climate-related events.

"The climate change summit is a call to action to join with our children and grandchildren to care for island earth for future generations," said Shelee Kimura, senior vice president of customer service and public affairs who will become president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric on Jan. 1, 2022. "The progress we make this decade will determine the kind of future we're making for our families. This is a bold goal for all of Hawai'i, not just Hawaiian Electric, but the good news is we've already made a strong start and this commitment moves us further on the path to sustainability."

Achieving a 70% reduction in carbon emissions is especially challenging in Hawai'i, which has fewer generation options than utilities that use nuclear, natural gas and large-scale hydropower.

Hawai'i also can't import power from neighboring states. As Hawaiian Electric reduces its use of generators powered by imported fossil fuels, there's still a need for generation resources available 24/7 to provide reliable, resilient energy.

"In Hawai'i, we can and should be utilizing nature-based solutions to tackle climate change," said Ulalia Woodside, executive director of The Nature Conservancy, Hawai'i and Palmyra chapter. "It is absolutely right that Hawaiian Electric is looking at alternative energy sources. These efforts should be contemplated with strong and robust community input and consent, informed by the best science, and done in a way that preserves native habitats and species."

The Honolulu-based Institute for Climate and Peace also supports the Hawaiian Electric carbon emission commitment and the expansion of renewable energy resources.

"The Institute for Climate and Peace strongly supports rigorous emissions reduction objectives in Hawaii and everywhere, particularly at this important global turning point of COP26," said Zelda Keller, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Peace in Honolulu. "We applaud Hawaiian Electric for its commitment to significantly increasing renewable energy generation and energy storage capacity across the islands, and we hope that other institutions and companies will follow their lead. Extensive and reliable renewable energy networks in Hawaii will mitigate the harm done to our ecosystems by carbon-intensive energy production while also promoting sustainable, peaceful futures for all."

CONTACT: Shannon Tangonan, 808.351.4978

[email protected]

SOURCE Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hei.com


LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The chief of Copenhagen based SaaS company Nexcom has been honoured by Business Worldwide Magazine in its 2021 CEO Awards. Rolf Gordon Adamson was named the outright winner in his category: "Most Innovate CEO, Contact Centre Software Industry."

Unlike many other business awards that focus on company achievements, here the emphasis is at the individuals at their helm. By seeking to name and celebrate the world's most influential business leaders, the aim is to motivate others to achieve similar successes.

Nexcom already has an impressive track record in innovation and customer retention, and its new trio of cutting-edge tech projects is helping even more businesses embrace the digital revolution. This software makes such an impact that no customer has ever said no to it following a trial.

With headquarters in Copenhagen and offices in New York, USA, Nexcom typically works with clients with large customer bases, including the likes of Telenor Group, Groupon and Telia.

With 40,000 users servicing customers every day, Nexcom now provides its services in 23 different languages to users based in 11 different countries.

The focus on customer satisfaction has seen Nexcom's revenues consistently rise, and the company has not lost a single customer in the past nine years.

It's estimated that poor customer service costs companies upwards of $62 billion every year, and it has the very real potential to completely destroy a business. At the heart of Nexcom's offering are three technologically driven products that look to simplify the complex challenges of customer service and help companies provide the end customer with an effective and enjoyable experience. For Nexcom, it's simple - it's all about helping brands make their customers happy.

The first software product in the suite is e.Tray; a workforce management platform that automates time consuming tasks. The second, RevealCX, focuses on deep data insights about customer behaviour and needs, while the third, Nextgen AI uses voice-transcription technology and machine learning to identify specific areas of improvement for a company's customer experience.

It's this commitment to customers and innovation that has given Nexcom the confidence to commit to some very ambitious growth plans. Currently generating revenues of about 10.5 million DKK, the company is forecasting annual revenues of 41 million DKK within three years.

Rolf Gordon Adamson told Business Worldwide Magazine, "Our company has always maintained its focus on one simple, but exciting ambition: to help clients deliver a customer experience that is quick, correct and complete."

To learn more about Nexcom and its range of intuitive products and services, please visit https://nexcomglobal.com

Further information about the Business Worldwide CEO Awards can be found at https://www.bwmonline.com/ceo-awards-winners-2021/

About Business Worldwide Magazine



Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few.

Contact

David Jones

Awards Department

E: [email protected]

W: http://www.bwmonline.com

SOURCE Business Worldwide Magazine
HONOLULU, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE - HE) (HEI) today reported consolidated net income for common stock of $63.4 million for the third quarter of 2021 and EPS of $0.58 compared to $65.0 million and EPS of $0.59 for the third quarter of 2020.

"We're pleased with our consolidated third quarter results, with the utility achieving its efficiency targets and delivering good performance in line with expectations, and solid profitability at the bank," said Constance H. Lau, HEI president and CEO. "Following a sharp decline in new COVID-19 case counts, the governor's recent announcement encouraging visitors to return is a positive sign for our local economy. Working together, our state, our companies and our communities can continue to strengthen our economy and continue to show Hawaii's leadership in confronting climate change.

"Our utility's carbon reduction efforts go hand-in-hand with its work to provide affordable, equitable, reliable and resilient power for customers. We're on track to deliver on our management audit savings commitment for this year, providing $3 million to customers in the third quarter and an additional $3 million by year end. Cost efficiency remains a key focus. We're pleased with the collaboration with our policymakers, regulators and community to help move renewable energy and storage projects forward. We're also confident that we can continue to provide reliable power when we eliminate coal in Hawaii next year.

"Our bank's third quarter results reflect continued solid performance and good credit quality, the latter of which drove an additional release of reserves. We continue to build our capabilities to provide more value to customers by increasing digital banking services and customized financial solutions, while delivering the superior customer experience we're known for," said Lau.

_____________

1 Unless otherwise indicated, throughout this release earnings per share (EPS) refers to diluted earnings per share.

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY EARNINGS

Hawaiian Electric Company's (Hawaiian Electric) net income for the third quarter of 2021 was $50.3 million, compared to $60.1 million in the third quarter of 2020, with the difference primarily driven by the following after-tax items:

$6 million lower revenues, including (i) $5 million related solely to a change in the timing for revenue recognition within the year that eliminates seasonality and results in recognizing revenues more evenly throughout the year, with target revenues recognized on an annual basis remaining unchanged, and (ii) $1 million relating to the annual revenue adjustment mechanism, which included $3 million of management audit savings delivered to customers;

lower revenues, including (i) related solely to a change in the timing for revenue recognition within the year that eliminates seasonality and results in recognizing revenues more evenly throughout the year, with target revenues recognized on an annual basis remaining unchanged, and (ii) relating to the annual revenue adjustment mechanism, which included of management audit savings delivered to customers; $4 million from higher operations and maintenance expenses primarily due to an increase in generating facility overhauls performed in the quarter and delayed from earlier in the year, higher costs for energy management system upgrades, and higher medical costs due to a one-time credit in 2020, partially offset by $1 million lower labor expense;

from higher operations and maintenance expenses primarily due to an increase in generating facility overhauls performed in the quarter and delayed from earlier in the year, higher costs for energy management system upgrades, and higher medical costs due to a one-time credit in 2020, partially offset by lower labor expense; $1 million from higher depreciation expense due to increasing investments to integrate more renewable energy and improve customer reliability and system efficiency;

from higher depreciation expense due to increasing investments to integrate more renewable energy and improve customer reliability and system efficiency; $1 million related to lower fuel efficiency due to planned maintenance outages of certain generation units; and

related to lower fuel efficiency due to planned maintenance outages of certain generation units; and $1 million higher interest expense due to higher borrowings.

These items were partially offset by the following after-tax items:

$1 million lower non-service pension costs due to the reset of pension costs included in rates as part of a final rate case decision; and

lower non-service pension costs due to the reset of pension costs included in rates as part of a final rate case decision; and $1 million lower enterprise resource planning system implementation benefits passed on to customers in the third quarter of 2021 as compared to the same quarter last year.

AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK EARNINGS

American Savings Bank's (American) third quarter of 2021 net income was $19.3 million, compared to $30.3 million in the second quarter of 2021 and $12.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. The decrease in net income compared to the linked quarter was primarily due to the $12.2 million negative provision in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the negative provision of $1.7 million in the third quarter of 2021. The increase in net income compared to the prior year quarter was primarily due to the negative provision for credit losses of $1.7 million for the third quarter of 2021 compared to a provision for credit losses of $14.0 million in the third quarter of 2020.

_________________

Note: Amounts indicated as after-tax in this earnings release are based upon adjusting items using the current year composite statutory tax rates of 25.75% for the utilities and 26.79% for the bank.

Total earning assets as of September 30, 2021 were $8.4 billion, up 9.3% from December 31, 2020.

Total loans were $5.1 billion as of September 30, 2021, down 1.3% compared to June 30, 2021 and down 4.0% from December 31, 2020. The reduction in the loan portfolio during the quarter included approximately $111 million in forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, as well as declines in the home equity line of credit and consumer portfolios. The decrease in these portfolios was partially offset by growth in the residential, commercial and commercial real estate loan portfolios. Excluding PPP loan forgiveness, the loan portfolio grew by $46 million or 0.9% compared to June 30, 2021.

The investment securities portfolio was $3.1 billion as of September 30, 2021, up 39.8% from December 31, 2020 as growth in deposits continued to outpace loan growth. The portfolio is primarily comprised of securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or U.S. government sponsored agencies.

Total deposits were $8.0 billion as of September 30, 2021, an increase of 1.3% compared to June 30, 2021 and an increase of 8.0% from December 31, 2020. For the third quarter of 2021, the average cost of funds was 0.06%, down one basis point versus the linked quarter and down seven basis points versus the prior year quarter.

Overall, American's return on average equity2 for the third quarter of 2021 was 10.3%, compared to 16.8% in the linked quarter and 6.8% in the third quarter of 2020. Return on average assets was 0.86% for the third quarter of 2021, compared to 1.38% in the linked quarter and 0.61% in the same quarter last year.

In the third quarter of 2021, American paid dividends of $12.0 million to HEI. American had a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 8.0% at September 30, 2021.

Please refer to American's news release issued on October 29, 2021 for additional information on American.

_________________

2 Bank return on average equity calculated using weighted average daily common equity.

HOLDING AND OTHER COMPANIES

The holding and other companies' net loss was $6.2 million in the third quarter of 2021 compared to $7.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. The lower net loss was primarily due to higher Pacific Current income and lower corporate expense.

BOARD DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

On November 4, 2021, HEI announced that the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.34 per share, payable on December 10, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 23, 2021 (ex-dividend date is November 22, 2021). This quarterly dividend is equivalent to an annual rate of $1.36 per share. Dividends have been paid on an uninterrupted basis since 1901. At the indicated annual dividend rate and based on the closing price per share on November 4, 2021 of $41.14, HEI's dividend yield is 3.3%.

WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL TO DISCUSS EARNINGS AND 2021 GUIDANCE

HEI will conduct a webcast and conference call to review its consolidated results and

2021 earnings guidance and outlook on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 10:15 a.m. Hawaii time (4:15 p.m. Eastern).

To listen to the conference call, dial 1-844-200-6205 (U.S.) or 1-929-526-1599 (international) and enter passcode 181692. Parties may also access presentation materials and/or listen to the conference call by visiting the conference call link on HEI's website at www.hei.com under "Investor Relations," sub-heading "News and Events  Events and Presentations."

A replay will be available online and via phone. The online replay will be available on HEI's website about two hours after the event. The audio replay will also be available about two hours after the event through November 19, 2021. To access the audio replay, dial 1-866-813-9403 (U.S.) or 44-204-525-0658 (international) and enter passcode 965360.

HEI and Hawaiian Electric intend to continue to use HEI's website, www.hei.com , as a means of disclosing additional information; such disclosures will be included in the Investor Relations section of the website. Accordingly, investors should routinely monitor the Investor Relations section of HEI's website, in addition to following HEI's, Hawaiian Electric's and American's press releases, HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and HEI's public conference calls and webcasts. The information on HEI's website is not incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's SEC filings unless, and except to the extent, specifically incorporated by reference.

Investors may also wish to refer to the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Hawaii (PUC) website at dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms to review documents filed with, and issued by, the PUC. No information on the PUC website is incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's SEC filings.

ABOUT HEI

The HEI family of companies provides the energy and financial services that empower much of the economic and community activity of Hawaii. HEI's electric utility, Hawaiian Electric, supplies power to approximately 95% of Hawaii's population and is undertaking an ambitious effort to decarbonize its operations and the broader state economy. Its banking subsidiary, American Savings Bank, is one of Hawaii's largest financial institutions, providing a wide array of banking and other financial services and working to advance economic growth, affordability and financial fitness. HEI also helps advance Hawaii's sustainability goals through investments by its non-regulated subsidiary, Pacific Current. For more information, visit www.hei.com .

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release may contain "forward-looking statements," which include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and usually include words such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "predicts," "estimates" or similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance, ongoing business strategies or prospects or possible future actions are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and the accuracy of assumptions concerning HEI and its subsidiaries, the performance of the industries in which they do business and economic, political and market factors, among other things. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.

Forward-looking statements in this release should be read in conjunction with the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" discussions (which are incorporated by reference herein) set forth in HEI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and HEI's other periodic reports that discuss important factors that could cause HEI's results to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the report, presentation or filing in which they are made. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, HEI, Hawaiian Electric, American and their subsidiaries undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) and Subsidiaries CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA (Unaudited)





Three months ended September 30

Nine months ended September 30 (in thousands, except per share amounts)

2021

2020

2021

2020 Revenues















Electric utility

$ 679,499



$ 562,568



$ 1,846,242



$ 1,694,225

Bank

76,208



78,644



230,599



233,096

Other

1,197



215



3,266



237

Total revenues

756,904



641,427



2,080,107



1,927,558

Expenses















Electric utility

604,307



474,050



1,634,252



1,493,948

Bank

51,151



63,144



130,440



189,700

Other

4,130



4,672



18,212



13,091

Total expenses

659,588



541,866



1,782,904



1,696,739

Operating income (loss)















Electric utility

75,192



88,518



211,990



200,277

Bank

25,057



15,500



100,159



43,396

Other

(2,933)



(4,457)



(14,946)



(12,854)

Total operating income

97,316



99,561



297,203



230,819

Retirement defined benefits credit (expense)other than service costs

1,058



(1,102)



4,709



(2,970)

Interest expense, netother than on deposit liabilities and other bank borrowings

(23,477)



(22,086)



(70,530)



(66,474)

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

827



801



2,386



2,241

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

2,427



2,347



6,995



6,556

Gain on sale of investment securities, net









528



9,275

Income before income taxes

78,151



79,521



241,291



179,447

Income taxes

14,265



14,018



48,229



30,691

Net income

63,886



65,503



193,062



148,756

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries

471



471



1,417



1,417

Net income for common stock

$ 63,415



$ 65,032



$ 191,645



$ 147,339

Basic earnings per common share

$ 0.58



$ 0.60



$ 1.75



$ 1.35

Diluted earnings per common share

$ 0.58



$ 0.59



$ 1.75



$ 1.35

Dividends declared per common share

$ 0.34



$ 0.33



$ 1.02



$ 0.99

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding

109,311



109,181



109,272



109,126

Weighted-average shares assuming dilution

109,575



109,336



109,588



109,387

Net income (loss) for common stock by segment















Electric utility

$ 50,342



$ 60,065



$ 135,601



$ 126,299

Bank

19,265



12,150



79,105



41,925

Other

(6,192)



(7,183)



(23,061)



(20,885)

Net income for common stock

$ 63,415



$ 65,032



$ 191,645



$ 147,339

Comprehensive income attributable to Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

$ 52,110



$ 66,472



$ 152,796



$ 166,659

Return on average common equity (%) (twelve months ended)









10.3



9.4





This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in HEI filings with the SEC. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for future interim periods or the full year.

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric) and Subsidiaries CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA (Unaudited)





Three months ended September 30

Nine months ended September 30 ($ in thousands, except per barrel amounts)

2021

2020

2021

2020 Revenues

$ 679,499



$ 562,568



$ 1,846,242



$ 1,694,225

Expenses















Fuel oil

180,682



105,042



447,245



390,714

Purchased power

185,759



149,025



490,520



425,679

Other operation and maintenance

116,468



111,243



349,180



348,831

Depreciation

57,386



55,689



172,122



167,235

Taxes, other than income taxes

64,012



53,051



175,185



161,489

Total expenses

604,307



474,050



1,634,252



1,493,948

Operating income

75,192



88,518



211,990



200,277

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

2,427



2,347



6,995



6,556

Retirement defined benefits credit (expense)other than service costs

877



(432)



2,918



(1,195)

Interest expense and other charges, net

(18,148)



(16,836)



(54,126)



(50,768)

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

827



801



2,386



2,241

Income before income taxes

61,175



74,398



170,163



157,111

Income taxes

10,335



13,835



33,066



29,316

Net income

50,840



60,563



137,097



127,795

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries

228



228



686



686

Net income attributable to Hawaiian Electric

50,612



60,335



136,411



127,109

Preferred stock dividends of Hawaiian Electric

270



270



810



810

Net income for common stock

$ 50,342



$ 60,065



$ 135,601



$ 126,299

Comprehensive income attributable to Hawaiian Electric

$ 50,448



$ 60,113



$ 135,776



$ 126,398

OTHER ELECTRIC UTILITY INFORMATION















Kilowatthour sales (millions)















Hawaiian Electric

1,636



1,620



4,578



4,559

Hawaii Electric Light

273



244



774



721

Maui Electric

282



235



774



699





2,191



2,099



6,126



5,979

Average fuel oil cost per barrel

$ 86.77



$ 49.71



$ 74.93



$ 64.70

Return on average common equity (%) (twelve months ended)1









8.3



8.4





1 Simple average.

This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in Hawaiian Electric filings with the SEC. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for future interim periods or the full year.

American Savings Bank, F.S.B.

STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA

(Unaudited)





Three months ended

Nine months ended September 30 (in thousands)

September 30, 2021

June 30,

2021

September 30, 2020

2021

2020 Interest and dividend income



















Interest and fees on loans

$ 49,445



$ 51,026



$ 52,419



$ 150,418



$ 161,505

Interest and dividends on investment securities

11,996



11,040



7,221



31,709



22,939

Total interest and dividend income

61,441



62,066



59,640



182,127



184,444

Interest expense



















Interest on deposit liabilities

1,176



1,281



2,287



3,919



8,945

Interest on other borrowings

5



23



61



55



449

Total interest expense

1,181



1,304



2,348



3,974



9,394

Net interest income

60,260



60,762



57,292



178,153



175,050

Provision for credit losses

(1,725)



(12,207)



13,970



(22,367)



39,504

Net interest income after provision for credit losses

61,985



72,969



43,322



200,520



135,546

Noninterest income



















Fees from other financial services

4,800



5,464



4,233



15,337



11,906

Fee income on deposit liabilities

4,262



3,904



3,832



12,029



11,842

Fee income on other financial products

2,124



2,201



1,524



6,767



4,608

Bank-owned life insurance

2,026



1,624



1,965



6,211



4,432

Mortgage banking income

1,272



1,925



7,681



7,497



15,933

Gain on sale of investment securities, net













528



9,275

Other income, net

283



76



(231)



631



(69)

Total noninterest income

14,767



15,194



19,004



49,000



57,927

Noninterest expense



















Compensation and employee benefits

30,888



27,670



26,431



86,595



77,287

Occupancy

5,157



5,100



5,693



15,226



16,402

Data processing

4,278



4,533



3,366



13,162



11,052

Services

2,272



2,475



2,624



7,609



7,907

Equipment

2,373



2,394



2,001



6,989



6,630

Office supplies, printing and postage

1,072



978



1,187



3,094



3,577

Marketing

995



665



727



2,308



1,908

FDIC insurance

808



788



714



2,412



1,567

Other expense1

3,668



3,568



4,556



9,790



15,813

Total noninterest expense

51,511



48,171



47,299



147,185



142,143

Income before income taxes

25,241



39,992



15,027



102,335



51,330

Income taxes

5,976



9,708



2,877



23,230



9,405

Net income

$ 19,265



$ 30,284



$ 12,150



$ 79,105



$ 41,925

Comprehensive income

$ 7,581



$ 47,283



$ 13,543



$ 38,666



$ 62,885

OTHER BANK INFORMATION (annualized %, except as of period end)















Return on average assets

0.86



1.38



0.61



1.21



0.73

Return on average equity

10.26



16.76



6.75



14.31



7.95

Return on average tangible common equity

11.52



18.92



7.62



16.11



9.00

Net interest margin

2.90



2.98



3.12



2.94



3.34

Efficiency ratio

68.66



63.42



61.99



64.80



61.01

Net charge-offs to average loans outstanding

0.03



0.04



0.32



0.08



0.41

As of period end



















Nonaccrual loans to loans receivable held for investment

0.97



1.03



0.77









Allowance for credit losses to loans outstanding

1.48



1.51



1.67









Tangible common equity to tangible assets

7.3



7.5



8.0









Tier-1 leverage ratio

8.0



8.0



8.3









Dividend paid to HEI (via ASB Hawaii, Inc.) ($ in millions)

$ 12.0



$ 23.0



$ 



$ 40.0



$ 28.0







1 The three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 include approximately $0.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively, of certain direct and incremental COVID-19 related costs. The three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 include approximately $0.7 million and $4.5 million, respectively, of certain significant direct and incremental COVID-19 related costs. These costs for the first nine months of 2020, which have been recorded in Other expense, include $2.4 million of compensation expense and $1.7 million of enhanced cleaning and sanitation costs.



This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in HEI filings with the SEC. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for future interim periods or the full year.

Contact: Julie R. Smolinski Telephone: (808) 543-7300







Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Sustainability E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hei.com


SEATTLE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland America Line's new Rotterdam departs today, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. EST from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on its inaugural Caribbean cruise  a roundtrip five-day sailing that visits Bimini, Bahamas, and spends two days at Half Moon Cay, the cruise line's award-winning private Bahamian island. The ship arrived at Port Everglades Nov. 3 following its maiden transatlantic voyage that set sail from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Oct. 20.

Click to Tweet: Hello, Florida!  @HALcruises Rotterdam departs today on inaugural Caribbean #cruise! Four Holland America Line ships to sail in the region through spring 2022, all roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale & @PortEverglades.

Rotterdam marks the second ship to return to Florida cruising and the Caribbean for Holland America Line since the industrywide pause began 20 months ago. During November, the ship will be joined at Port Everglades by Pinnacle Class sister-ship Nieuw Statendam and Eurodam, which also kick off their Caribbean seasons. Nieuw Amsterdam began Caribbean cruising from Fort Lauderdale Oct. 23.

"We have been awaiting our return to the Caribbean for a long time, and having Rotterdam and our other ships restart operations out of Fort Lauderdale is an incredible moment for our company," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. "Rotterdam's maiden voyage from Europe was a huge success and we're getting a lot of positive feedback from guests about the ship."

The cruise line celebrated Rotterdam's Caribbean departure with fanfare to welcome guests on board, and Antorcha was on hand to greet embarking passengers.

Following the Nov. 5 cruise, Rotterdam will sail in the Caribbean through April, with all departures roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. The cruises range from six to 11 days and span the region on southern, eastern, western and tropical itineraries. Guests looking for a longer getaway can embark on a Collectors' Voyage  combined back-to-back itineraries that offer an in-depth exploration covering more than one area.

Every Caribbean cruise includes a call at Half Moon Cay, rated the number-one port of call in the Caribbean by the line's guests. This quaint sanctuary has evolved into a playground for cruisers and features the finest white-sand beaches, two-story villas and private cabanas, dining venues like Lobster Shack, a children's waterpark and a variety of fun-filled tours for nature lovers, adventurous travelers and explorers.

Holland America Line has been homeporting from Port Everglades since the 1990s. Operationally, each ship visit directly contributes $364,000 to the local economy in provisioning (fuel, food, flowers, piano tuning, supplies), port taxes and spending. Holland America Line works with nearly 100 local vendors who supply the company and its ships with goods and services.

Throughout the years, Holland America Line has been actively involved with more than 30 nonprofits in South Florida through giving, shipboard lunches and cruise donations, including Seafarers' House, Henderson Behavioral Health, Coast Guard Women's Leadership Initiative, Symphony of the Americas, The Opera Society and more.

About Rotterdam

Rotterdam has the highly successful amenities and innovations introduced with her sister ships, including the 270-degree surround screen World Stage, Rudi's Sel de Mer restaurant and Grand Dutch Cafe. The ship introduces the Half Moon Bar, an immersive experience looking at the history of Holland America Line and cruising through the lens of a cocktail.

Delivering the best of everything, Rotterdam celebrates live music with a collection of world-class performances each night  from Lincoln Center Stage and B.B. King's Blues Club to Rolling Stone Rock Room and Billboard Onboard.

Throughout the ship, Rotterdam showcases Holland America Line hallmarks that drive one of the highest repeat rates in the industry: exquisite cuisine guided by eight of the world's leading chefs; gracious, award-winning service; a museum-quality art collection valued at more than $4 million; and superbly appointed staterooms and suites, including family and single accommodations.

Rotterdam is the seventh ship to bear the name for Holland America Line.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Editor's note: Photos are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/q4gmpnsi.

 # # # 

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873 and was the first cruise line to offer adventures to Alaska and the Yukon nearly 75 years ago. Its fleet of premium ships visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world, offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience. A third Pinnacle-class ship, Rotterdam, joined the fleet in July 2021.

The leader in premium cruising, Holland America Line's ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalized travel. The best live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council of world-famous chefs.

CONTACT: Erik Elvejord

PHONE: 800-637-5029, 206-626-9890

EMAIL: [email protected]

SOURCE Holland America Line

Related Links

http://www.hollandamerica.com


HOUSTON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeSafe Alliance LLC has been awarded the global household goods contract by U.S. Transportation Command. The contract ceiling value is $20B with a potential 9 year term, inclusive of all options periods. HomeSafe will be the exclusive household goods move management service provider for the U.S. Armed Forces, Department of Defense civilians and their families.

Under this contract, HomeSafe  a joint venture between KBR and Tier One Relocation  will modernize and infuse technology to improve the domestic and international relocation experience for all military personnel and their families.

"We are honored to partner with the military community around the globe," said Alan Thompson, HomeSafe CEO. "Combining our HomeSafe Connect advanced digital solution and global program management expertise, we will dramatically improve the relocation experience for our service members, civilians and their families. Our solution will significantly expand and reward quality performance and is an important catalyst in the transformation of the military household goods moving industry."

About HomeSafe Alliance LLC

HomeSafe is dedicated to providing fast, easy, efficient relocation experiences. With cutting-edge technology and proven global logistics services expertise, it is transforming the moving process by continuously evaluating, refining, and improving its tools and techniques. HomeSafe is dedicated to making sure that every move is better than the last. For more information, visit www.homesafealliance.com.

About Tier One Relocation

Headquartered in Weirton, West Virginia, Tier One Relocation is a Department of Defense household goods relocation manager. The company coordinates military personnel household relocations throughout the continental U.S. and internationally. Tier One utilizes transportation service providers including moving, line haul, freight forwarding, packaging and storage providers while serving the men and women of the Armed Forces.

About KBR

We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 29,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries.

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long- term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the significant adverse impacts on economic and market conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the company's ability to respond to the resulting challenges and business disruption; the recent dislocation of the global energy market;; the company's ability to manage its liquidity; the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; the possibility of cyber and malware attacks; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company.

KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE HomeSafe Alliance LLC
SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HoneyNaps, a healthcare startup, announced the launch of ''SOMNUM'', a medical software to diagnose, predict, and prevent diseases by automatically analyzing data measured by Polysomnography using artificial intelligence algorithms.

According to a United States' sleep market report, more than 100 million people around the world suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia. Around 90% of those individuals do not receive medical treatment for the disorders, however.

SOMNUM, an artificial intelligence-based sleep disorders diagnosis solution

A variety of new technologies are being developed in the sleep industry worldwide to combat sleep disorders. As of 2020, the market size is worth more than $76 billion. On average, the annual growth rate of the sleep industry is expected to grow 14% by 2026.

HoneyNaps' 'SOMNUM' software is Korea's first deep learning-based analysis program that enables multi-channel real-time large-capacity signal analysis. It is completely different than the Artificial Intelligence(AI) software that has been released previously and will offer users far more insight.

It was developed based on artificial intelligence (XAI) that can automatically read polysomnography results, reduce time, and even predict diseases. 'SOMNUM' provides more accurate and sophisticated readings than conventional Auto-Scoring.

The polysomnography test is used to diagnose sleep disorders. It usually takes three to four hours for a somnologist to analyzes and review patient sleep data. HoneyNaps' 'SOMNUM' program can shorten the analysis to under five minutes.

According to a statement by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), in 2020, the use of artificial intelligence technology can lead to better treatment results for patients with sleep disorders.

"AI may be used to automate sleep scoring based on additional information from sleep data," Dr. Cathy Goldstein, an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center, said.

SOMNUM's validating and verifying artificial intelligence algorithms were announced in August 2020 at the Sleep 2020 Conference hosted by the AASM. Professors from leading sleep medicine centers from around the world participated in clinical trials and core technology development.

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review is currently underway with the aim of entering the U.S. market from 2022," a HoneyNaps representative said. "We have been recognized worldwide for securing higher accuracy compared to competitors through clinical trials. When FDA approval is completed, remarkable results are expected as we are set to sign copyright contracts with agencies in the eastern and western regions of the world and global insurance companies."

For more information on HoneyNaps and its cutting-edge 'SOMNUM''s platform, please visit the company's official website.

About HoneyNaps

HoneyNaps strive to contribute to mankind with the gift of healthy life. Now, HoneyNaps are working on developing essential technologies for disease diagnosis, bio-signal monitoring, assessments, and treatments.

Through breakthrough platform technology 'SOMNUM', they would like to share with medical professionals and researchers around the world, ultimately to make this world a better place to live, together.

For further information, please contact:

Christine Kwon

Email: [email protected]

Address: 5F, The Moon B/D, 668, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06140 KOREA

Website www.honeynaps.com

SOURCE HoneyNaps
For More Insights on Hosted PBX Market - Download a FREE Sample!

Market Dynamics

The market is driven by advances in network infrastructure. However, bandwidth limitations are hindering market growth.

The rise in popularity of SOA will have a positive impact on the growth of vendors. On the other hand, the system integration and interoperability issues is expected to reduce the growth potential in the market.

Regional Analysis

This market research report entails detailed information on the competitive intelligence, marketing gaps, and regional opportunities in store for vendors, which will assist in creating efficient business plans. 41% of the market's growth will originate from North America during the forecast period. The US is a key market for hosted PBX in North America. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in MEA and South America.

Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Avaya Holdings Corp., BullsEye Telecom, Cisco Systems Inc., Comcast Corp., InterGlobe Communications Inc., Lumen Technologies Inc., Mitel Networks Corp., NEC Corp., NovoLink Communications Inc., and Sangoma Technologies Corp., etc.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive scenario provided in the hosted PBX market report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.

Market Segmentation

By Solution, the market is classified into virtual development and setup, network traffic management, virtual assistance and support, configuration and change management, and other segments.

By Geography, the market is classified as North America , APAC, Europe , MEA, and South America

Related Report-

IT Monitoring Tools Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Global Translation Management Software Market

Hosted Private Branch Exchange (PBX) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 13.15% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 3.91 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 12.33 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 41% Key consumer countries US, UK, China, Japan, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Avaya Holdings Corp., BullsEye Telecom, Cisco Systems Inc., Comcast Corp., InterGlobe Communications Inc., Lumen Technologies Inc., Mitel Networks Corp., NEC Corp., NovoLink Communications Inc., and Sangoma Technologies Corp. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
CHICAGO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hub International Limited (Hub), a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Calculated Risk Advisors, LLC (Calculated Risk Advisors). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Located in Chicago, Illinois, Calculated Risk Advisors is a boutique risk consulting firm and professional liability insurance brokerage, which supports its clients on alternative risks, complex insurance and errors and omissions. Tom Firestine, Managing Principal, and the Calculated Risk Advisors team will join Hub Midwest West.

About Hub's M&A Activities

Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise. For more information on the Hub M&A experience, visit WeAreHub.com.

About Hub International

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 13,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, Hub's vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, please visit www.hubinternational.com.

CONTACT:

Media: Marni Gordon

Phone: 312-279-4601

[email protected]

M&A: Clark Wormer

Phone: 312.279.4848

[email protected]

SOURCE Hub International Limited

Related Links

http://www.hubinternational.com


On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, Humble Design will be helping Odell Johnson, a disabled veteran who served in both the U.S. Army and Navy. Johnson, 62, spent more than a year in a homeless shelter but is rebuilding his life and wants to help other veterans through the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.

"Mr. Johnson is on a waitlist at the VA for a knee replacement and is currently using a walker," stated Julie Dickinson, Director of Humble Design Chicago. "Once he has his surgery, he plans to be hired part-time at the VA to work with his fellow service members. He wants to help other veterans because they have helped him so much.

"Our team is privileged to be servicing Mr. Johnson and a number of veterans throughout the month," Dickinson added. "We're so grateful for everything our veterans have done for this country. This is one small way we can show our appreciation while also addressing the pressing issue of homelessness in Chicago."

Humble Design works with referring agencies and local shelters to identify persons seeking to move forward in their lives after bouts of homelessness, with an emphasis on assisting single parents with children and veteran families.

U-Haul serves as the charity's national sponsor, while Humble Design Chicago also receives local support from sponsors like Jewel-Osco, which is providing volunteers for Johnson's home deco and is sending a truck full of groceries to stock his home. Jewel-Osco is sponsoring a day of service on Nov. 12 as well to assist a mother of three and a domestic violence survivor.

"Jewel-Osco is honored to support Mr. Johnson and to recognize the sacrifice and courage of all of our veterans on this important day," said Mike Withers, President of Jewel-Osco.

Chicago media interested in attending Johnson's Veterans Day home reveal at 1 p.m. on Nov. 11 can contact Dickinson at [email protected] to RSVP and attain the address.

Humble Design Chicago will be servicing an Army combat veteran and a new mother on Nov. 23, two days before Thanksgiving. Last week the nonprofit provided a home deco for a Marine veteran.

Clients take a personal stake in their newly furnished homes, leading to a remarkable success rate  99 percent to receive Humble Design services have escaped the cycle of homelessness. In August, Humble Design serviced its 2,000th client nationally with milestone reveals at each of its five offices: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, San Diego and Seattle.

To learn about volunteer opportunities, corporate sponsorships, furniture donations or to make a financial gift, please visit humbledesign.org.

About HUMBLE DESIGN

Humble Design is a nonprofit that helps families transitioning out of homeless shelters by providing furnishings and design services. The organization turns empty houses into clean, dignified and welcoming homes  a very simple idea that can change a family's future. Founded in 2009, the organization primarily serves single parents with children and veteran families. Humble Design has served more than 2,000 families nationally through its offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, San Diego and Seattle. humbledesign.org

About U-HAUL

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 825,000 rentable storage units and 71.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America. uhaul.com

ABOUT JEWEL-OSCO

Locally great and nationally strong, Jewel-Osco was founded in 1899 and is owned by Albertsons Companies. The grocery and drug retailer has 188 locations encompassing Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and Iowa, and employs 31,000+ associates. For more information log onto www.JewelOsco.com and follow on social media at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, Instragam.com/JewelOsco, Pinterest.com/JewelOscopr and YouTube.com/JewelOsco.

Contact:

Jeff Lockridge

Sebastien Reyes

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-760-4941

SOURCE Humble Design

Related Links

https://www.humbledesign.org/


THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced it will host a meeting for investors and analysts on Tuesday, November 9, 2021. The agenda for the meeting will include a discussion of the Company's businesses and long-term strategy. Presenters will include Peter Huntsman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and other members of the senior leadership team. A live webcast of the event will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET. The webcast and presentation materials will be available the day of the event at www.huntsman.com/investor-day. A reply of the webcast will be available following the presentations.

About Huntsman:

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2020 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com.

Social Media:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Huntsman_Corp

Facebook: www.facebook.com/huntsmancorp

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/huntsman

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain information in this release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, ability to achieve projected synergies, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Huntsman Corporation

Related Links

http://www.huntsman.com


Invisible Fence of Columbus will be based in Westerville, OH and act as a full-service dealership of genuine Invisible Fence products and services. With each dealership's respective territories, Invisible Fence of Greater Columbus will serve over 49,000 satisfied customers.

"Expanding our footprint allows us to extend our customer service hours and offer new and innovative solutions that will help customers enjoy their pets even more  all while providing the same high-level of attention customers have come to expect." said Ed Hoyt, Senior Director of Invisible Fence.

Acquiring Invisible Fence of Columbus East and Invisible Fence of Dayton and Columbus West is the company's 15th acquisition of the year. Radio Systems Corporation just recently acquired Invisible Fence of Philadelphia and now has over 240 authorized dealers. Invisible Fence has the largest support network for pet containment in the US and Canada.

"Our mission is to help pet owners enjoy their pets more and worry about them less. We're confident that these dealers will help us continue to provide a premium experience to our customers and their beloved pets." said Hoyt.

Invisible Fence offers the exclusive Boundary Plus System, the most premier dog fence on the market, including professional installation and Perfect Start Plus Training. Highly recommended by veterinarians, dog trainers, animal behaviorists and other pet experts, Invisible Fence offers pet fences that can be customized for clients' unique needs.

With these two acquisitions, Invisible Fence will continue to support and be involved in the local community. Local animal shelter donations, adoption events and the Project Breathe Program are among some of the ways Invisible Fence will continue to contribute to local pet welfare.

For additional information or questions, customers can call 1-800-578-3647, visit InvisibleFence.com, and follow Invisible Fence of Columbus on Facebook.

About Invisible Fence Brand

Invisible Fence pioneered the pet containment industry in 1973, making it their mission to provide safe boundaries inside and outside of the home. The Radio Systems Corporation owned brand predominantly sells pet containment, avoidance and access solutions across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to offering award-winning products like Boundary Plus Technology, Authorized Dealers provide professional installation, Perfect Start Plus Training and integrated solutions that have protected more than three million pets to date. Invisible Fence also founded the Project Breathe Program in 2006, donating more than 33,000 pet oxygen masks to fire departments and first responders. For more information on Invisible Fence or to find a local dealer, visit InvisibleFence.com or follow the company on Facebook.

Contact: Courtney Gross

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (270) 217-7891



SOURCE Invisible Fence Brand
DALLAS, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnston Tobey Baruch is being recognized among the country's top law firms by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America, earning a spot for the ninth consecutive year on the Best Law Firms list.

The firm was ranked in the top tier among law firms in Dallas and Fort Worth for appellate, commercial litigation, and M&A litigation, as well as legal malpractice law (defendants and plaintiffs) and professional malpractice law (defendants and plaintiffs).

"Our focus has always been on providing sound counsel and excellent service to clients who are facing complex disputes and challenges," said firm shareholder Randy Johnston. "To know our work is being held in high regard by those outside our office walls is a great honor. Thank you to everyone who contributed to us receiving this recognition."

The 2022 Best Law Firms listing is just the latest honor for Johnston Tobey Baruch and its lawyers. In May, three firm attorneys were named to D Magazine's list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas. Shortly after, Mr. Johnston, Robert Tobey, Chad Baruch and Coyt Johnston were recognized in the annual Texas Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America legal guides. Mr. Tobey also earned Best Lawyers' Dallas-Fort Worth "Lawyer of the Year" honor for his expertise in legal malpractice litigation.

The U.S. News - Best Lawyers Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in the eld, and review of additional information provided by the rms. For more information about the methodology and selection process, or to view the complete list of 2022 Best Law Firms, visit https://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/ .

About Johnston Tobey Baruch:

Johnston Tobey Baruch is a dynamic law practice based in Dallas. Its trial and appellate attorneys have a broad range of litigation, arbitration, appellate and employment law experience. They are pioneers in the handling of legal and accounting malpractice, investment fraud, and business disputes. They also have an enviable track record with insurance bad faith matters, commercial litigation, fiduciary litigation, as well as civil, family and criminal appeals for many prominent Texas companies and individuals. For more information, visit https://www.johnstontobey.com/.

Media Contact:

Jennie Bui-McCoy

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Johnston Tobey Baruch

Related Links

https://www.johnstontobey.com


"With the opening of its new facility, KLA is helping us build Michigan's future," said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "The next generation of technology and innovation are happening right here in Ann Arbor, thanks to KLA and partners including the Michigan Economic Development Committee and University of Michigan. With KLA's bold investment and commitment to the community, we'll continue growing Michigan's economy, creating good-paying jobs, and securing our position on the world's high-tech stage. Together, we will usher in a new era of prosperity for our families and communities."

KLA is a Fortune 500 and global technology company that develops industry-leading equipment and services for the manufacturing of semiconductors, enabling innovation throughout the electronics industry. The new headquarters is home to KLA's AI Center of Excellence where machine learning applications help advance semiconductor manufacturing. Also constructed on campus is a 51,000-square foot clean roomone of the largest in Michiganto support the R&D of KLA's semiconductor manufacturing tools used around the world. Corporate functions including supply chain, procurement, IT, finance, legal and HR will also be operated out of the campus, led by a diverse executive team based in Ann Arbor.

The six-story, 230,000-square foot building was designed as a sustainable campus. Situated in a beautiful forest, the structure features a state-of-the-art green roof and a monumental atrium. Employees can also enjoy a woodland trail, onsite cafeteria, coffee shop, fitness center and electric vehicle charging stations.

Rick Wallace, KLA president and chief executive officer, added, "Michigan has proven to offer impressive and diverse talent, rich cultural life, scenic surroundings and proximity to university and automotive partners. Our Ann Arbor headquarters will not only play a critical role in serving the growing demands of our global customer base, but also in driving our mission to advance humanity. At KLA Ann Arbor, the future is ours to create."

KLA's founding headquarters are located in Milpitas, Calif., in Silicon Valley. Throughout its 45-year history, the company has been part of the most significant technological breakthroughs. Virtually no laptop, smartphone or smart car could be made without KLA technology. Every single chip produced passes through a KLA machine and 59,000 of its tools are in use worldwide. The company today employees more than 12,000 people in 19 countries and earned more than $6 billion in revenue in calendar year 2020.

More information about KLA Ann Arbor may be found at www.kla.com/michigan. Those interested in careers at KLA can visit www.kla.com/careers.

About KLA:

KLA Corporation ("KLA") develops industry-leading equipment and services that enable innovation throughout the electronics industry. We provide advanced process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. In close collaboration with leading customers across the globe, our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers design solutions that move the world forward. Additional information may be found at: www.kla.com.

SOURCE KLA Corporation

Related Links

www.formulapr.com


BEIJING, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kuke Music Holding Limited ("Kuke" or the "Company") (NYSE: KUKE), a leading provider of classical music content, licensing, subscription, and smart music learning solutions in China, today announced that it will initially screen the 16th International Beethoven Piano Competition in selected cities across China. The screenings are being held to celebrate Beethoven's 251st birthday and will run from November 6th through November 7th.

Kuke and its sister company Naxos sponsored the competition, and will both sponsor and launch the screenings, which will be shown at Lumiere Pavilions, a high-end cinema chain, in 5 cities across China.

Mr. He Yu, Chief Executive Officer of Kuke, commented, "We are pleased to sponsor the Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna and initially deliver the content in cinemas to Chinese audiences, thereby inspiring future generations of pianists in China. By leveraging Kuke and its sister company Naxos's strong position in classical music, we remain committed to creating and delivering innovative viewing experiences and enriched content for our customers"

About Kuke Music Holding Limited

Kuke is China's leading comprehensive music group encompassing the entire value chain from content provision to music learning services. By collaborating with its sister company Naxos, the world's largest independent classical music content provider in the world, the foundation of Kuke's extensive classical music content library is its unparalleled access to more than 900 top-tier record companies. Leveraging its market leadership in copyrighted classical music content in China, Kuke provides highly scalable classical music licensing and subscription services to over 700 universities, libraries and online music platforms. In addition, it has hosted Beijing Music Festival ("BMF"), the most renowned music festival in China, for 23 consecutive years. Through KUKEY, the Company's proprietary AI music learning system, Kuke aims to democratize music learning via technological innovation, bring fascinating music content and professional music techniques to more students, and continuously improve the efficiency and penetration of music learning.

Investor Relations Contact

Kuke Music Holding Limited

Email:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone: +1 (212) 321-0602

SOURCE Kuke Music Holding Limited

Related Links

www.kuke.com


MIAMI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vault Health, Inc. today announced the release of its COVID Compliance Solution, a new turnkey product offering for employers navigating the newly released rules around workplace testing. On November 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rolled out the new guidelines, consistent with President Biden's goal of expanding the percentage of the American workforce that is vaccinated and curbing the worst of the pandemic. Under the new guidelines, employers with staff of more than 100 people are now required to test certain unvaccinated workers on a weekly basis. Vault's COVID Compliance Solution offers a HIPAA-compliant way to track employee vaccination status; ship, supervise the completion of, and quickly return test kits; and monitor the compliance status of each employee.

"Running a business during the pandemic hasn't been easy, and this new federal mandate presents a huge logistical challenge for every HR and occupational health department," said Jason Feldman, Co-Founder and CEO of Vault Health. "Keeping your workforce safe and compliant has never been more important. Vault's COVID Compliance Solution takes the burden off employers, creating an auditable record, and easily enabling compliance under the OSHA rules."

A simple, turnkey solution



The COVID Compliance Solution is a full-service, robust, and intuitive product that handles all aspects of complying with the federal mandate. It begins by collecting and retaining the vaccination status of each employee. For those employees who are unvaccinated, the platform automatically ships weekly COVID-19 tests right to their home or place of employment. New employees can easily be added by HR in the clean, intuitive interface and employees can self-enter updates to their vaccination status. Employers can monitor real-time vaccination and testing data, providing them visibility on employees' ongoing testing compliance.

"No one wants to fight with their employees about vaccinations. Vault's COVID Compliance Solution makes the hard work of compliance easy for employers," continued Feldman. "Through an easy-to-use dashboard, employers also have real-time data at their fingertips, including vaccination and testing status."

As part of Vault's COVID Compliance Solution, most unvaccinated workers will have PCR saliva tests mailed to their homes each week. The tests can be performed at home, supervised over Zoom by a Vault clinician. Employees simply spit into a tube and drop the test in a prepaid UPS envelope, with digital results available within 24-48 hours of arriving at a lab. Feldman says a PCR test is ideal for employers, although Vault offers other point of care options allowable under OSHA's rules to meet the needs of every workforce.

"Businesses would be ill-advised to tell workers they're on their own to figure out weekly testing. They need to be able to operate a system that demonstrates for OSHA which employees tested in a given week, with what result, and have the evidence that it was in fact the person you think it is who tested. Our product provides all of those things."

A proven leader in COVID-19 testing

Vault Health is an established leader in the fight against the COVID pandemic. It brought to market the first FDA-authorized at-home PCR saliva test. To date, it has sold more than 10 million COVID tests nationwide and administered roughly half a million COVID vaccines. It is an established, trusted partner to more than 3,000 enterprise, government, public health, and education clients.

Vault's partners include 12 states, 46 of the Fortune 500 companies, and some of the nation's largest higher education institutions.

"Millions have trusted us for their testing needs," continued Feldman. "We know what works and how to work hand-in-hand with any organization to best meet their needs."

Organizations can send an email to [email protected] to start the process and get more information.

For consumers, they can order Vault's saliva PCR kit to easily and quickly test for COVID from the comfort of their homes, supervised via Zoom. To buy a test, click here.

About Vault

Vault Health has been a trusted leader in the fight against COVID-19. The telehealth company brought the first FDA-authorized at-home PCR test to market, and since then has delivered more than 10 million COVID-19 tests to consumers, employers, public health agencies, and school systems. Vault accelerates better health outcomes through faster diagnosis, innovative clinical research, and digital-first care delivery. Vault delivers care to patients on their terms, virtually or physically, by leveraging its national clinician network and data-driven tech platform to power its offerings, including Clinical Logistics, Clinical Research, and Clinical Care. Learn more at https://learn.vaulthealth.com/covid-corporate/ .

SOURCE Vault Health
"Opening at one of the largest malls in the nation, which is also located in a strong electric vehicle market, will provide excellent exposure for the Lucid Air and help us to further our mission to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy." said Zak Edson, Senior Director, Sales and Service, Lucid Group.

The Lucid Studio design has translated the company's post-luxury design aesthetic into a welcoming physical environment where customers can review options for the full Lucid Air lineup of luxury, high-performance EVs. This includes the Lucid Air Pure, a very well-equipped model available from $77,400 ($69,900 with available federal tax credit), through the Lucid Air Touring, which starts at $95,000 ($87,500 with available federal tax), and the Lucid Air Grand Touring, starting at $139,000 ($131,500 with available federal tax credit).

The lineup features models offering more than 500 miles of EPA-estimated range on a single charge and industry-leading efficiency of 4.6 miles per kWh on Grand Touring models. The opening follows first customer deliveries of the fully-reserved Lucid Air Dream Edition. Lucid plans to deliver 520 customer-configured Lucid Air Dream Editions, followed by deliveries of Lucid Air Grand Touring versions. Touring and Pure models are anticipated for delivery to customers during 2022.

Studio Experience

Every Lucid Studio offers a digitally oriented luxury experience tailored to each customer's preferences, whether they visit in-person, make inquiries entirely online, or combine the two. Lucid's Tysons Corner Center Studio allows customers to experience the brand and obtain information about its products in a location that underscores the company's unique design aesthetic. Exploring a Lucid Studio, visitors will get a vision of how the company draws inspiration from the beauty, innovation, and diversity of its home state of California. Lucid Studios augment the physical experience of seeing and touching a Lucid Air with an elevated digital experience. Using a 4K VR configurator, Lucid's Virtual Reality Experience combines the physical and virtual worlds to showcase seamless personalization of everything from interior finishes and materials to exterior color.

Virtual Experience

Mirroring the luxury one-to-one Studio experience online, customers can also take advantage of "Lucid Studio Live," a cloud-based configuration solution powered by ZeroLight's Concierge product. From the comfort of their own homes, customers can virtually interact with a car while a Lucid representative guides them through key features and configuration options.

Future Studio & Service Centers

The Lucid Studio in Tysons Corner Center serves as the first Studio in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. Additional locations will continue to open as Lucid expands its presence in North America and globally.

Customers can visit during normal business hours or can book a personal appointment by contacting the Lucid team at lucidmotors.com/contact. They can always start exploring the Lucid Air through the "Design Yours" Configurator.

About Lucid Group

Lucid's mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. The company's first car, Lucid Air, is a state-of-the-art luxury sedan with a California-inspired design underpinned by race-proven technology. Lucid Air features a luxurious full-size interior space in a mid-size exterior footprint. Customer deliveries of Lucid Air, which is produced at Lucid's new factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, are underway.

Media Contact

[email protected]



Trademarks

This communication contains trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights of Lucid Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company") and other companies, which are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's expectations related to the start of production and deliveries of the Lucid Air and Lucid Gravity, the performance, range, and other features of the Lucid Air, construction and expansion of the Company's AMP-1 manufacturing facility, and the promise of the Company's technology. These statements are based on various assumptions, and actual events and circumstances may differ. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including factors discussed in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, in each case, under the heading "Risk Factors," as well as other documents of the Company that are filed, or will be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that the Company does not presently know or that the Company currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication.

SOURCE Lucid Motors

Related Links

http://www.lucidmotors.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Hair Center Mexico , a hair transplant clinic in Tijuana, the number of American patient's visiting Tijuana has been increasing even with the current travel restriction.

The world has seen a change in patient mobility. People travel abroad to access tiptop medical care at affordable prices.





Health care abroad

Approximately 1.2 million travelers around the world visit Mexico for medical procedures which are costly in their countries or aren't covered by their insurance plans.

Mexico is one of the top-rated destinations for medical tourism, specifically for Americans and Canadians due to proximity. Around 800,000 to 1 million Americans travel to Mexico each year for medical purposes. According to the Medical Tourism Association, 8 out of 10 travellers who visit Mexico for medical procedures are American.

As reported by the Mexican Council for the Medical Tourism Industry, Mexico sees the highest influx of foreign patients looking for dental services, plastic surgery, bariatric surgery, etc.





On average treatments in Mexico are between 30% and 70% lower than the United States. Estimates made by the Medical Tourism Corporations show patients can save up to 70% of what they would spend in the United States.

The most performed medical procedures in Mexico are the following:





Hair Transplant (FUE). Patients suffering from baldness or alopecia are able to restore their hair with this surgical procedure.

The average price of a hair transplant in Tijuana, Mexico is between $2,990 to $6,990 .

Gastric Sleeve Surgery is popular worldwide due to its effectiveness and safety.

Patients lose an average of 65%-70% of their excess weight in a year.

Gastric sleeve surgery costs around $4,000 to $7,000 .

All-on-4 Dental Implant is a full mouth restoration procedure. A good option for patients with significant tooth loss or decay that want to restore all their teeth.

All-on-4 Dental Implants in Mexico cost up to $14,000 per arch.

Knee replacement surgery replaces damaged parts of the knee joint with artificial ones.

There is a dramatic reduction in pain and increase in mobility.

The cost of knee replacement in Mexico is between $7,000 to $15,800 .

As stated by Statista, 728,000 medical tourists visited Mexico in March 2020, making it a popular destination for medical tourism.

Mexico is a top destination for high quality medical procedures at a low-cost. However, it's important to research carefully, consider patient reviews, hospital accreditations and assess the potential risks.

Media Contact:

Christian Parra

737-618-0535

[email protected]

www.haircentermexico.com

SOURCE Hair Center Mexico

Related Links

http://www.haircentermexico.com


In 2017 the office of the State Attorney of Baja California determined that the current accusations did not deem criminal proceedings. However, in 2021 the congress of the state of Baja California suddenly decided to reopen the case file and has scheduled and rescheduled hearings since July, to attempt to rescinding previous resolutions and again present accusations against the water rights activists for protesting against corporate corruption and injustice.

This comes as no surprise after Leon Fierro, one of the activists was wrongfully accused in 2018 of "attempted murder" against police, for participating in a protest. 20 days later he was freed after it was determined there was no proof. The activists are scheduled once again for a hearing on November 16th in Baja California, Mexico.

Constellation Brands continues to threaten with water privatization in Baja California, Mexico, while Mexicali Resiste fights back!

What: Global Action  Re: November 16th Court Hearing

When: Monday, November 8th, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.  1:30 p.m. (PST)

Where: 101 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Who:

Mexicali Resiste

Alcohol Justice

Red Binacional de Mujeres Que Luchan

La Resistencia Los Angeles

Chiapas Support Committee

Guatemaya Los Angeles

Abolition Yuma County

Pueblo y Salud

California Alcohol Policy Alliance

Why:

Since January 2017, Mexicali Resiste has opposed the plans by Constellation Brands, a U.S. based alcohol corporation, to build a billion-dollar brewery using local water to import beer for American consumers in a region experiencing severe water scarcity.

Constellation Brands is expected to consume 20 million cubic meters of water annually from the Valley of Mexicali. This desert region has an over-exploited aquifer that is fed by the Colorado River with serious water shortages and serious drought issues in Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito and Ensenada. In 2017 Mexicali Resiste's advocacy efforts halted legislative efforts to privatize water in Baja California.

Then, in February 2020 the National Human Rights Commission released a report that determined that the process of approval and installation of the Constellation Brands Brewery violates the human right to water, which would lead to the detriment of the population and farmers of the Valley of Mexicali.

In 2020 the Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called for a Consultation for the people of Mexicali to vote to determine the future of Constellation Brands which resulted in a NO vote, halting the operation of Constellation Brands, however the company still has not left Mexicali. The current Governor, Jaime Bonilla, former President of the Otay Water Board in San Diego, CA, has continued to support efforts to allow Constellation Brands to continue operating in Mexicali.

#QueremosAguayLibertad

#MexicaliResiste

#TodosSomosMexicali

#AlcoholJustice

CONTACT:

Mayra Jimenez 323-683-4687

Michael Scippa 415-548-0492

Christina Mira 510-829-8982

SOURCE Alcohol Justice

Related Links

http://www.AlcoholJustice.org


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A pilot study conducted by the World Obesity Federation and RTI International (RTI), a nonprofit research institute, and published in BMJ Global Health, has estimated the economic impact of obesity could reach an average of 3.6% of annual GDP in eight countries. The study calculates national economic impacts are projected to double by 2060 if urgent action is not taken by political and public health leaders around the world.

The two organizations warn that the new evidence should not be used to scapegoat or further stigmatize people living with obesity, but instead be a catalyst for change with recommendations including a UN resolution on obesity and the delivery of joined up national policies which recognize and address the underlying root causes of obesity.

"We have a simple message for governments; inaction on obesity, lack of ambition and disjointed thinking in public health responses are hurting those who need it most, and the impact can be seen across society," said Johanna Ralston, CEO of the World Obesity Federation. "Investment and prioritization today will benefit everyone tomorrow."

The study was commissioned in response to continued political inaction on the root causes of overweight and obesity; a chronic, relapsing, and progressive disease that 800 million people are living with and is rising fastest in lower- and middle-income countries.

Despite the scale of the public health crisis, existing obesity strategies often focus solely on the individual and do not address the societal, biological, and environmental drivers that are responsible for rising levels of obesity such as genetics, lack of access to healthy food systems and aggressive marketing. By broadening the evidence base to look at national economic impact, the authors hope that real change will come.

"People living with obesity are the ones who will acutely feel and experience cost and impact every day, from direct medical expenses to the cost of delayed care associated with lack of health systems support, through to the broader social and societal consequences," said Ralston. "By looking collectively at indirect and direct economic impact at the national level, we can hold governments more accountable."

The pilot study of eight countries, which will be followed by a full global study of 140 countries in Spring 2022, found that high BMI had a significant economic impact in 2019.

The findings were calculated by looking at both direct, such as healthcare expenditures and costs associated with travelling to seek care, and indirect costs, such as premature mortality and absenteeism from work. It was found that the indirect costs accounted for 65% of total impacts.

The pilot study found that in 2019 high BMI cost India $23billion. In Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Australia costs amounted to $39billion, $19billion, and $24billion, respectively. This is the equivalent of 0.8%, 2.1%, 2.4% and 1.7% of GDP.

Significant economic impact was estimated regardless of income level and geography, with the full pilot showing similar trends also in Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Thailand.

If urgent action is not taken, the study reports that the economic impact in all eight countries is projected to double to an average of 3.6% of GDP by 2060. An estimated cost of $61billion, $160billion, $28billion and $93billion in Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand, respectively.

However, the study is also optimistic that reversing this trend is possible. The authors found that maintaining or reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity can diminish the economic impacts in the future. A 5% reduction in obesity prevalence from the projected levels would result in average annual savings of around 5.2% across all eight countries between 2020 and 2060. Alternatively, if prevalence remains at 2019 levels until 2060, this would result in average annual savings of 13%.

"We know that people living with obesity are at an increased risk of disease and death  something that the COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately made very clear," said Rachel Nugent, Vice President of Global Noncommunicable Diseases at RTI. "We hope that the reality of these risks, along with our findings, renew a sense of urgency to address the obesity crisis on a global scale. It is never too late to make meaningful policy changes in an effort to improve livelihoods and slow economic impacts."

Ahead of the full report in spring 2022, World Obesity and RTI are calling for implementation of evidence-based policies to support populations globally to live healthier lives. These policies must address the prevention, treatment and management of obesity, and focus on building healthy environments.

Progress will require all sectors of society including patients, governments, health care providers, educators, food manufacturers and employers to work together. Obesity prevention strategies must then be developed, tested, and implemented across all life stages, from pre-conception, through childhood, and into older age. Health care professionals have an important role to play and must be given access to obesity education and training.

To read the full study, click here.

About World Obesity Federation:

The World Obesity Federation http://www.worldobesity.org is the only global organisation focused exclusively on obesity. It brings together member organisations dedicated to solving the problems of obesity, representing professional members of the scientific, medical and research communities from over 50 regional and national obesity associations.

The World Obesity Federation is calling on Governments to adopt the 'ROOTS' framework for tackling obesity which was developed by a panel of global obesity experts last year. The 'ROOTS' framework for actions involves Recognising the root causes, monitoring Obesity data, investing in Obesity prevention, ensuring access to Treatments, and adopting a Systems-based approach.

The World Obesity Federation is a lead partner to global agencies on obesity, including WHO  with which it has formal consultative status, approved by the World Health Assembly.

About RTI International:

RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach  one that integrates expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering and international development. We believe in the promise of science, and we are inspired every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities and businesses around the world. For more information, visit www.rti.org.

Media Contact:

RTI International Media Relations

[email protected]

919 541 7340

SOURCE RTI International
Clear Branch Ranch is the largest ranch to come on the market in Coryell County in several years. It is also one of the largest ranches on the market in several of the surrounding counties. "It is rare to find a tract this size with the diversity and potential this ranch features," says Harlan Ray of the Burgher-Ray Ranch Group at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, which has the exclusive listing. "It is getting more and more difficult to find a legacy asset such as this one, especially being located almost halfway between the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area and the greater Austin-San Antonio areas."

One of the most spectacular ranches in Central Texas: Clear Branch Ranch in Gatesville, just 30 minutes from Waco.

The 3,268+/- acre ranch has been in the same family for more than a decade and has been primarily used as a high-fenced game operation as well as a cattle ranch. It has a mix of large open areas, grand vistas, tree-covered canyons, massive rock outcroppings, lush grazing country, dense pecan bottoms and excellent surface water. With more than a mile and a half of frontage on both sides of Clear Branch creek, combined with the lake, the property features a magnificent wetlands habitat, excellent fishing and even room to run a small boat or personal watercraft.

The ranch also offers a welcoming, three-bedroom main home, manager's house, three sets of working pens for cattle, four water wells and two barns for equipment and storage. The recreation and wildlife possibilities are almost endless, with deer, duck, exotic animals, bass, perch and catfish. It is not uncommon to catch upwards of 15 nice-size bass in an afternoon! It is extremely rare to have this magnitude of water features on a ranch, that contribute such a positive impact on wildlife and livestock.

Harlan Ray and David Burgher, founders of the Burgher-Ray Ranch Group, are working with all brokers and potential buyers, using a registration process for every prospect. "We want to protect the integrity of the asset and the integrity of the parties involved," says Ray.

For more information, contact the Burgher-Ray Ranch Group at 214-353-6601; burgherray.com.

SOURCE Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

Related Links

http://www.briggsfreeman.com


"At MJH we value the opportunity to collaborate with diverse organizations because it allows us to tap into new skill sets, resources, and offerings," said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, parent company of Ophthalmology Times  and Optometry Times . "I'm elated to welcome these new additions as they join us to provide expert insights into the world of eye care."

As an indication of its commitment to the global field of optometry, Optometry Times joined forces with the American Association of Corporate Optometrists, EyeCare4Kids, the American Academy of Optometry and the International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals.

To add to its distinguished panel of partners, Ophthalmology Times welcomed Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals and Real World Ophthalmology.

The SAP program brings together leading medical associations, health plans, advocacy groups, and medical institutions for national reach and visibility. By utilizing the MJH Life Sciences communication platform, these groups can showcase cutting-edge initiatives, content, research, and thought leadership. The SAP program also fosters collaboration and an open exchange of information among trusted peers for the benefit of patients and their families.

For a full list of Ophthalmology Times SAP partners, click here.

For a full list of Optometry Times SAP partners, click here.

About Ophthalmology Times

Ophthalmology Times is a multimedia platform that offers ophthalmology professionals digital resources they can use to help provide the best patient care, positively affect the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases, and promote progressive eye health. Ophthalmology Times is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

About Optometry Times

The leading source of breaking news, news analysis, emerging research reports in optometry, Optometry Times is an optometry-driven publication that disseminates news and information of a clinical, socioeconomic, and political nature in a timely and accurate manner. Optometry Times's practical content by optometrists for optometrists can be immediately applied to improve the clinical experience. Optometry Times is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Media Contact

Kristie Luff

1-609-516-3722

[email protected]

SOURCE Ophthalmology Times; Optometry Times
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for over 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Candelaria Mining Corp. (TSX-V: CAND;OTCQX: CDELF), a Canadian-based gold development and exploration company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Candelaria Mining Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Candelaria Mining Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "CDELF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

Mike Struthers, CEO, commented: "As the next step in increasing our trading liquidity and enhancing our capital markets profile, we are very pleased to report our elevation to the OTCQX Market. This will increase trading access for our U.S. investors, and also serves as recognition of our enhanced governance and reporting standards."

Securities Law USA, PLLC acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor.

About Candelaria Mining Inc.

Candelaria Mining Inc. is a Canadian-based gold development and exploration company with a significant upside in a portfolio of projects in Mexico, one of the world's best mining jurisdictions. Candelaria's goal is to produce 100,000+ ounces of gold per year at its flagship project, Caballo Blanco, to successfully complete construction and produce from the Pinos District project, and to further explore the KM66 project.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for over 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through our regulated OTC Link Alternative Trading Systems, the Company connects a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for their investors.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for over 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Gage Growth Corp. (CSE: GAGE;OTCQX: GAEGF), a vertically integrated, high-quality cannabis brand and operator in Michigan, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Gage Growth Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Gage Growth Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "GAEGF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The OTCQX Market provides investors with a premium U.S. public market to research and trade the shares of investor-focused companies. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

"We are excited to be upgraded to OTCQX, which allows us to increase visibility and improve liquidity" said Fabian Monaco, CEO of Gage.

Nauth LPC acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor.

About Gage Growth Corp.

Gage Growth Corp. is innovating and curating the highest quality cannabis experiences possible for cannabis consumers in the state of Michigan and bringing internationally renowned brands to market. Through years of progressive industry experience, the firm's founding partners have successfully built and grown operations with federal and state licenses, including cultivation, processing and retail locations. Gage's portfolio includes city and state approvals for 19 "Class C" cultivation licenses, three processing licenses and 15 provisioning centers (dispensaries).

For more information about Gage Growth Corp., visit www.gageusa.com or www.gageinvestors.com.

Instagram: @gagecannabis

Facebook: @gageusa

Twitter: @gagecannabisco

Gage Contact:

1-(833)-455-GAGE (4243)

[email protected]

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for over 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through our regulated OTC Link Alternative Trading Systems, the Company connects a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for their investors.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


PABLO AIR recently signed an IBN partnership contract with Malaysia' s National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) for a drone delivery project, marking a significant milestone in the company's expansion of its international business. Through the new partnership, PABLO AIR will be exploring the long-term feasibility of drone delivery services, with the greater goal of establishing a strong base in the Southeast Asian market. The contract signing comes on the heels of the company's recent successes in the United States, where PABLO AIR is a confirmed participant (along with EVA, an American drone station developer) of an empirical drone delivery project scheduled to be conducted in New York in April 2022.

Under the newly signed contract, PABLO AIR will be cooperating with the NTIS for an empirical drone delivery service, based on the technological and marketing strengths of both organizations, and for the conducting of a trial delivery service. As part of the cooperative efforts stipulated by the contract, PABLO AIR will also be actively engaged in: software and hardware development; technology/technology onboarding; integration of everyday operational technologies; cutting-edge drone technologies; product assessment/customized business solutions; identification of target consumers and customer access; and expos, trade shows, and other product showcases. Through these and other activities, PABLO AIR is expected to lay the foundations needed to establish its own drone delivery services in Malaysia.

The NTIS is a Malaysian government-affiliated institution that provides state funding to newly-established, high-tech companies for companies to test their products, services, business models, and delivery mechanisms in actual, real-life environments. The NTIS also provides support for the development of innovative solutions in all business stages, including R&D and preparation for product commercialization. Other partner companies of the NTIS include DHL, UNDP, GRAB, Microsoft, and Air Asia.

PABLO AIR's independently-developed PAMNet (Pablo Air Mobility Network ) is an integrated mobility system for the remote, real-time control and operation of unmanned mobility devices, such as drones, unmanned terrestrial robots, self-driving cars, and self-driving trucks. Currently, PABLO AIR is working to apply PAMNet technologies to other business areas, expanding outward from the field of distribution delivery services. The company hopes to develop a system for the surveillance/prevention of forest disasters, such as forest fires, landslides, and damage caused by pests. It is also seeking to develop its cluster flight technology-based software and hardware and host more drone shows.

PABLO AIR CEO Kim Young-joon said, "Our new partnership with the NTIS is itself evidence that PABLO AIR's technologies meet and surpass international standards. We will be using Malaysia as the starting point for a Southeast Asia-wide drone delivery service."

In September 2021, PABLO AIR was officially recognized overseas for its technological prowess and was named a finalist in the XCELLENCE in Operations category at the American AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards. The company also recently signed an MOU with 7-Eleven for the realization of "equal delivery services," which involves using drones to deliver convenience store items to customers living in areas that are not easily accessible by human delivery personnel.

For more detailed information on PABLO AIR, visit www.pabloair.com.

About PABLO AIR

Established in 2018, PABLO AIR (www.pabloair.com) succeeded in July in attracting investment of KRW 8.5 billion (USD 8 million) for the pre-Series B round, bringing total investment in the venture to KRW 11.5 billion (USD 10 million). In 2020, for the first time in Korea, the company produced a long-distance maritime delivery using two drones over a distance of 80.6 km (50.1 mile). In 2019, the company organized a drone art show using 100 drones for the first time in Korea, followed by performing approximately 30 drone art exhibitions using more than 300 drones and fireworks. With its own developed autonomous delivery software solution called Pablo Air Mobility Network (PAMNet), PABLO AIR was named as a 2nd place winner in the Operation of the AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards 2021.

About Born2Global Centre

Born2Global Centre (www.born2global.com) is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since its inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for a successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups to be engaged, equipped and connected with the global market.

Media contact

PABLO AIR: [email protected]

Born2Global Centre: [email protected]

SOURCE Born2Global Centre
As one of the youth retailer's newest categories, Pacsun Kids, was designed entirely without gender to cater to its youngest consumer yet, ages 4-14 years old, and now kids can shop their favorite styles at a new Pacsun created just for them.

Being digital-first when it comes to engaging with the Pacsun community, the brand hosted fun digital initiatives in celebration of the opening. Special guest influencer, local mommy blogger and mom of two, Jena Holliday (founder of Founder/CEO Spoonful of Faith ), hosted a livestream shopping event for online consumers to get connected with Pacsun and purchase new Holiday offerings from the brand in time for the Holiday season and gift giving. A special Holiday Instagram filter was created that shoppers could access through a seasonal in-store QR code, while customers also got the opportunity to be featured alongside an animated deer in photo and selfie mode.

"At Pacsun, we want our consumers to be free to express themselves and choose what they want to wear without boundaries, which was the driving factor behind introducing our Pacsun Kids label, completely without gender," said Brie Olson, President at Pacsun. "Expanding our offerings at the store level at Mall of America, where we've offered our main collection for years, was very important to us to continue empowering our youngest consumers yet to pick what they want from a Pacsun label and store created just for them."

After the official launch of the Pacsun Kids category earlier this year, Pacsun organized several Kids livestreams and pop-ups, including one at the Santa Monica location, the Irvine Spectrum Center in California, and most recently at the Scottsdale, AZ store. The brand will look to host more kids live stream events in the near future at the Cerritos, CA store and Brea Mall which are new locations for the brands upcoming Pacsun dedicated Kids spaces.

As we look ahead to 2022, Pacsun plans to open an additional 5 Pacsun Kids stores. All Pacsun Kids will feature a variety of must-haves from the Pacsun Kids brand, along with partnered brands like Land Rover, Fear of God ESSENTIALS, Adidas, Santa Cruz, Vans, Champion and many others.

Pacsun Kids at Mall of America Store and Opening Day Images HERE.

Opening Day Photo Credit: Courtesy of Pacsun

Store Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jackie Adelmann Photography on behalf of Pacsun

Visit https://www.pacsun.com/kids/ for more information and be sure to follow Pacsun Kids on Instagram and Pacsun on social media for real-time updates Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.

About Pacsun

Pacsun is a leading specialty retailer offering a cross section of emerging brands and trending fashion through the lens of youth culture. Throughout the contemporary, streetwear and active lifestyle markets, Pacsun partners with the best brands to offer curated collections, rare and exclusive products, and creative collaborations on every level. Founded in 1980, Newport, CA. Curated in Los Angeles. Follow @pacsun on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.

SOURCE Pacsun

Related Links

http://www.pacsun.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hoegh LNG Partners LP ("Hoegh LNG" or the "Partnership") (NYSE: HMLP) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and docketed under 21-cv-19613, is on behalf of persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded Partnership securities between April 3, 2020 and July 27, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Plaintiff seeks to recover compensable damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").

If you are a shareholder who purchased Hoegh LNG securities during the Class Period, you have until December 27, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

The Partnership was formed by Hoegh LNG Holdings Ltd., a leading floating liquefied natural gas ("LNG") service provider. The Partnership's purported strategy is to own, operate, and acquire floating storage and regasification units ("FSRUs") and associated LNG infrastructure assets under long-term charters. The Partnership has interests in five FSRUs, including the PGN FSRU Lampung based in Indonesia. Through agreements and business structures briefly described below, the Partnership has a 100% economic interest in the PGN FSRU Lampung.

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Partnership was facing issues with the PGN FSRU Lampung charter; (2) as a result, the PGN FSRU Lampung charterer would state that it would commence arbitration to declare the charter null and void, and/or to terminate the charter, and/or seek damages; (3) the Partnership would need to find alternative refinancing for its PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility; (4) the PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility matured in September 2021, not October 2021 as previously stated; (5) the Partnership would be forced to accept less favorable refinancing terms with regards to the PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility; (6) Hoegh LNG would not extend the revolving credit line to the Partnership past its maturation date; (7) Hoegh LNG would reveal that it "will have very limited capacity to extend any additional advances to the Partnership beyond what is currently drawn under the facility"; (8) as a result of the foregoing, the Partnership would essentially end distributions to common units holders; (9) the COVID-19 pandemic was not the sole or root cause of the Partnership's issues in Indonesia, in 2019, before the pandemic, there were already a very low amount of demand in Indonesia for the Partnership's gas; (10) the auditing, tax, nor maintenance of PGN FSRU Lampung were not the sole or root cause(s) of the Partnership's issues in Indonesia; and (11) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

On July 27, 2021, the Partnership issued a press release which announced that: (i) the Partnership had reduced its quarterly cash distribution to $0.01 per common unit, down from a distribution of $0.44 per common unit in the first quarter of 2021; (ii) the refinancing of the PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility, which had been scheduled to close by the end of the second quarter of 2021, was not yet completed due to the failure by the charterer of the PGN FSRU Lampung to consent to and countersign certain customary documents related to the new credit facility; (iii) the PGN FSRU Lampung charterer stated that it will commence arbitration to declare the charter null and void, and/or to terminate the charter, and/or seek damages in relation to the operations of the vessel and its charter; (iv) the revolving credit line of $85 million from Hoegh LNG will not be extended when it matures on January 1, 2023; and (v) Hoegh LNG will have very limited capacity to extend any additional advances to the Partnership beyond what is currently drawn under the facility.

On this news, the Partnership's common unit price fell $11.57 per common unit, or 64%, to close at $6.30 per common unit on July 28, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume, damaging investors.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

888-476-6529 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

www.pomerantzlaw.com


QI Tech will invest in the construction of new products, focusing especially on improving the consumer's credit journey (origination and collection) and on developing its data science team. To accelerate the launch of some capabilities, the company also plans to quadruple the team, which currently comprise 48 people. Inorganic growth through strategic M&A is also part of the company's agenda.

To date, QI Tech has a loyal user base of over 100 clients, ranging from fintechs, to fund managers, banks, and traditional companies, and including names such as Geru, iFood and Vivo Money. Since the beginning of its operation in mid 2019, QI Tech has handled more than $1 billion in credit transactions: $40 million in its first year of operations, $200 million in the second year, and over $800 million in 2021 until now.

"We are the first financial institution to create an exclusive Lending-as-a-Service model in Brazil and we aim to continue to break new ground in this market. We introduced a fully automated model that runs 24/7 and that can handle high frequency operations (several operations during a short window of time), which allows our customers to offer an unique experience to their clients. GIC's funding comes at a decisive moment in our trajectory, as we seek to take the next step towards improving the end-to-end credit journey experience and enabling any business to offer fully digital banking services through our proprietary technology", says Pedro Mac Dowell, CEO of QI Tech.

QI Tech was born with the purpose to meet an yet unsatisfied demand: to offer the services of a traditional bank, but 'as a service'; that is, to provide the necessary financial infrastructure as a service to companies, fintechs and other smaller financial institutions so that they can themselves innovate in offering credit solutions to the end consumer, from origination to collection.

"We offer all Lending-as-a-Service verticals, such as student finance, direct consumer credit, BNPL Buy now, Pay later, auto loans, home equity, working capital lines and secured credit operations. Thereby, any fintech, traditional company or bank can use QI Tech's APIs to offer these verticals to their end customers", explains Marcelo Bentivoglio, partner at QI Tech.

According to Bentivoglio, QI Tech has an intelligent platform embedded with a traditional bank's regulatory knowledge, thus eliminating an intermediary in the process, and bringing more promptness to the financial market. By doing so, QI Tech clients can focus their efforts on their businesses without bureaucratic concerns.

"Any company can offer financial products to their customers. Whether it's a fintech, retailer or service company, QI Tech has the infrastructure necessary for them to offer an end-to-end experience. We offer over 60 services through APIs, such as bank accounts, issuance and settlement of bank slips, payments including the new PIX instant money transfer that uses a dynamic QR code in the e-commerce checkout." complements Marcelo Buosi, co-founder of QI Tech.

Without the need of a traditional bank, QI Tech's clients can directly provide financial services to millions of people. In addition to promoting financial inclusion, the increased offer of loans also increases competition, which in turn generates better offers for the Brazilian population.

"The Brazilian largest banks are losing market share in credit to other companies such as retailers, service apps and national operators. QI Tech is the infrastructure that allows this change, in the asset-light model, it can be compared to the Uber of banks, since it is already the largest credit issuer in Latin America without carrying the loans in its balance sheet. The arrival of the GIC reinforces our commitment to always be looking ahead of financial services, in addition to maintaining our independence." completed the companies' CEO.

Vinci Partners and Quata Confidence were QI Tech's financial advisors for this funding round.

About QI Tech:

QI Tech is the first Direct Credit Company (SCD) approved by the Brazilian Central Bank. We are a technology company with a banking license, which allows us to operate as a financial institution and empower our partners to offer 100% digital banking services. We combine an intelligent platform with all the regulatory needs so that our customers can offer payments and credit services safely and with the best customer experience that fits their business model.

QI Tech, as an independent and conflict-free fintech, does not offer credit directly to final borrowers, since its core business is precisely to offer the infrastructure (technology, operational capacity, backoffice, legal authorization, etc.) for its customers, so they can provide financial products without the need to hold a banking license.

For more information, visit https://qitech.com.br/

About GIC:

GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to secure Singapore's financial future. As the manager of Singapore's foreign reserves, we take a long-term, disciplined approach to investing, and are uniquely positioned across a wide range of asset classes and active strategies globally. These include equities, fixed income, real estate, private equity, venture capital, and infrastructure. Our long-term approach, multi-asset capabilities, and global connectivity enable us to be an investor of choice. We seek to add meaningful value to our investments. Headquartered in Singapore, we have a global talent force of over 1,800 people in 10 key financial cities and have investments in over 40 countries.

For more information, please visit gic.com.sg or follow us on LinkedIn.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, OUR PRESS CONTACT

NR7 | Full Cycle Agency

Elaine Cotta ([email protected])

Bruna Sant'Anna ([email protected])

Nicole Almeida ([email protected])

GIC: Katy Conrad ([email protected] )

SOURCE QI Tech

Related Links

https://qitech.com.br/


Following a successful multi-year fundraising campaign chaired by Ridgefield residents Elaine and Kevin Cox, The Center has completed a new residential facility that will better and more efficiently serve the individuals and families for whom they provide safe and secure housing.

"Today's event celebrates the completion of the new facility, an effort made possible by a very strong partnership with the City of Danbury and an especially supportive donor community. We are both amazed and grateful for the generosity of individuals, families, and many wonderful local businesses who have supported our mission to provide prevention, crisis intervention, and support services to those in need," said Elaine Cox, Campaign Co-Chair.

The Center's new residential facility for women and children features nearly a three-acre campus that offers an ADA compliant safe housing option as well as a walking path and playground for children. The new facility has been named "Patricia House" in honor of Patricia Zachman, who has served as the organization's President & CEO for nearly 30 years.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to have this beautiful new facility named after me. It has been a dream for so long and know it will be a safe and empowering place for the adults and children in our care for many years to come." said Zachman.

For 46 years, The Center has been speaking up and speaking out to raise awareness about non-violence, safety, and respect in our 13-town community. The Center helps save and rebuild lives and fosters safer communities through crisis intervention, shelter, counseling, advocacy and education. Confidential services are provided at no cost 24/7/365 through their Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Hotlines, and Resource Services programs. This year alone, The Center has reached over 30,000 individuals.

Background:

The Center for Empowerment and Education, 2 West Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810

Email: the [email protected]

Website: http://www.TheCenterCT.org

(203) 731-5200 Counseling/Headquarters (203) 731-5207 Fax

(203) 731-5206 Domestic Violence Hotline (203) 731-5204 Sexual Assault Hotline

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube





About The Center for Empowerment and Education

Since its founding in 1975, The Center for Empowerment and Education has been a safe haven as the sole provider of services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in the Northern Fairfield and Southern Litchfield County areas. Each year, the Center serves over 30,000 individuals from area communities with confidential services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and are provided at no-cost.

The Center's key services include an emergency residential facility and support services, counseling and advocacy, crisis intervention, community education, primary prevention, and training. All funds provided to the Center support their critically needed domestic violence, sexual assault and resource services for adults and children in a 13-town service area, including: Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, and Washington. The Center is a member of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) and The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence.

SOURCE The Center for Empowerment and Education

Related Links

http://www.thecenterct.org


DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Turkish citizenship by investment program has proven extremely popular with foreign high net worth individuals looking to obtain a second citizenship through investment.

The program has naturalized more than 9000 people to date and continues to garner remarkable demand from all around the globe. The simplicity of the program, along with the quick processing times and affordable investment amount, has made it an attractive venture for many of the world's elite, especially those in close proximity within the Middle East  where the majority of applicants come from.

You Might Also Like: Citizenship by Investment  Grow Your Business In Europe

The program has various investment options, but the cheapest  and by far the most popular  is a 250,000 USD investment in immovable property within Turkish borders. The premise is simple; buy one or more properties amounting to 250,000 USD, submit an application, and obtain citizenship within six months.

But, within that simplicity lies a series of red flags you need to look out for; simple mistakes that could end up losing you time and money, even going so far as getting your citizenship application rejected. In this piece, we will highlight the three main concerns you need to keep an eye out for before investing in the Turkish citizenship by investment program.

Transferring the Investment Amount

One major issue to take note of is how you buy the property that qualifies you to apply for citizenship. We will talk about choosing the property later in this article, but for now, we want to highlight a trivial mistake that could have dire consequences  transferring the investment amount.

When buying a property to qualify for Turkish citizenship it is imperative that the investment amount be transferred directly to the developer selling you the property. The government will require proof that the money was sent from your account directly to the seller's bank account.

If you use a third party, say a broker, and send them the investment amount, and then they pay the developer on your behalf, your entire application will be in jeopardy. Having proof of investment between you and the seller is one of the few requirements of the program, and failing to do so can result in a rejection of your citizenship by investment application.

Look Out for Small Margins

In a recent development in 2021, the Turkish government will allocate you a property evaluation expert randomly from a select pool. This is a very important development that needs to be considered when buying a property.

If you buy a property for 250,000 USD, and then the evaluator you are assigned turns out to be extremely stringent, they may value it at 248,000 USD, which does not qualify you for Turkish citizenship. You then have to buy another property for the lowest amount possible to close the gap and be able to apply, which is a headache and a loss of money.

People Who Read This Article Also Read: Obtaining A Caribbean Second Citizenship Has Never Been Easier

Evaluating your property through a government-assigned evaluation expert before buying is key; failure to do so can prove extremely costly. If you evaluate prior to completing the purchase then you can ensure you meet the threshold required to gain citizenship before committing any money.

Also, keep in mind that, by Turkish law, you have 14 days to refund your property after buying it, so if you do forget to evaluate before your purchase, do it within the first week of buying so you can return the property and get your money back in case it does not meet the citizenship by investment requirements.

Remember to Adjust for Mortgages

Is it possible for someone to buy 1 million USD worth of property and see their investment not qualify for citizenship? Well, yes.

If you buy one or more properties and then take out mortgages on them, you have to adjust the entire investment amount. The Turkish government deducts the value of a mortgage from the overall investment amount, meaning you could buy for ten times the required minimum but not qualify if you take out mortgages on the property.

Related Article: Five Hidden Benefits of Turkish Citizenship by Investment

For example, if you buy a property worth 500,000 USD, but take out a mortgage of 300,000 USD on it, then the Turkish government will only take into account an investment amount of 200,000 USD, which leaves you 50,000 USD short of the minimum threshold.

An Outstanding Program With Sensitive Spots

The Turkish citizenship by investment program is becoming more popular by the day. It is simple, quick, affordable, and loaded with benefits that would enhance the quality of living of any person and their family members.

However, it is well worth noting that approaching the program without taking into consideration the flaws and mistakes that many make and ignoring the small  yet crucial  red flags that can derail your application, will lose you money, time, and peace of mind.

This is precisely what we at Savory & Partners help you avoid. Our in-depth expertise regarding the Turkish citizenship by investment program and all of its small intricacies allows us to easily find you a suitable qualifying investment, and help you prepare and submit an application with no holes or mistakes that could lead to rejection.

Don't Miss: Demand for Vanuatu Citizenship Skyrockets During Pandemic

We pride ourselves on being perfectionists within our craft, and for you and your family to enjoy the experience of obtaining Turkish citizenship, perfectionists are exactly what you need. If you would like to know more about the Turkish citizenship by investment program and how we can help you become a Turkish citizen, contact us today for a free, comprehensive consultation.

Savory & Partners is an accredited agent for multiple governments where citizenship by investment is offered. Founded in 1797, the agency has evolved from pharmaceuticals to family assets and legacy protection through second citizenship and residency. The company's professional, multinational staff is made up of expert advisors who have guided thousands of clients, including many North African investors, on their journey to find the most suitable CBI program for them. The Savory & Partners team will be happy to answer your enquiries in English, Arabic and French.

For more information, please send an email to [email protected]. You can also call +971 04 430 1717 or send a WhatsApp message to +971 54 440 2955.

SOURCE Savory & Partners
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Monmouth Real Estate (NYSE: MNR), for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Industrial Logistics Properties.

Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/monmouth-real-estate-investment-corporation or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Ademi LLP alleges Monmouth Real Estate's financial outlook and prospects are excellent and yet Monmouth Real Estate shareholders will receive only $21.00 per share in an all-cash transaction, valued at approximately $4.0 billion, including committed MNR acquisitions, transaction costs and the assumption of $409 million of debt. The merger agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for Monmouth Real Estate by prohibiting solicitation of further bids, and imposing a significant penalty if Monmouth Real Estate accepts a superior bid. Monmouth Real Estate insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements.

We are investigating the conduct of Monmouth Real Estate's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for Monmouth Real Estate.

If you own Monmouth Real Estate common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/monmouth-real-estate-investment-corporation.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Side , the only real estate technology company that exclusively partners with the best agents, teams and independent brokerages to transform them into market-leading boutique brands, has been named the 2021 Inman Innovator Company of the Year.

The award, which was announced during the annual Inman Connect conference in Las Vegas, reflects Side's rapid growth, partnering with agents, teams and indies to establish and grow hundreds of new boutique real estate companies in just five years. In 2021, Side raised $250 million from three of the country's leading tech IPO underwriters, valuing the company at $2.5 billion. Side is now expanding across the nation to help more top-producing agents, teams and indies grow a business that they actually own.

Since 1998, the Inman Innovator Awards have honored companies, individuals and new technology that increases productivity, efficiency and transparency for consumers and real estate professionals alike.

"In our view, this award should really be for Companies of the Year  because all the credit goes to our partners and the incredible boutique companies they have created and grown," said Guy Gal, co-founder and CEO at Side. "They are truly the best in the nation at what they do, and we could not be more thrilled that they are being recognized for their success."

Using its invisible brokerage platform, Side makes it possible for agents and teams to create and grow their own boutique companies without the cost, time or risk of operating a brokerage. In addition, indies hire Side to operate their back office so they can focus all of their attention on what matters most: clients and agents.

In just five years, Side has grown to represent over $25 billion in annual sales volume across all partner companies, making it a top 10 real estate brokerage nationwide by home sales volume. Side now serves over 300 top-producing partner companies across California, Texas and Florida, and the company is expanding into several new states across the U.S.

For more information on Side, please visit www.sideinc.com .

About Side

Side transforms high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages into successful businesses and boutique brands that are agent-owned. Named 2021 Inman Innovator Company of the Year, Side exclusively partners with the best agents, empowering them with proprietary technology and a premier support team so they can be more productive, grow their business and focus on serving their clients. Side is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.sideinc.com .

SOURCE Side

Related Links

http://www.sideinc.com.


binske is the latest premier luxury brand that Six Labs has launched within its suite of the industry's best brands that it produces and distributes throughout Michigan. Six Labs' estimates that its agreement with binske has a retail value of over $55 million.

"Our commitment is to produce and distribute superior products with the country's leading cannabis brands throughout Michigan," says Adam Duke, Director of Sales for Six Labs. "Working with binske as our partner in this most recent launch is evidence of that."

Initial Michigan retailers that will carry binske products include:

GAGE - Ferndale , Adrian , Lansing , Grand Rapids

, , , Cloud Cannabis - Utica , Muskegon , Ann Arbor

, , Quality Roots - Hamtramck , Battle Creek

, Breeze - Hazel Park

Cookies - Kalamazoo

Freddie's Joint - Clio

"We are excited to bring our products to the Great Lakes State," says Alex Pasternack, Executive Vice President at binske. "We embrace a true hands-on, homegrown culture, while sourcing the best raw ingredients from around the world. We are excited for more people to experience our farm-to-table products."

About Six Labs

Six Labs is a licensed cultivator in the state of Michigan focused on the cultivation of premium craft cannabis products that gives a consistent experience consumers can depend on, and trust. Its state-of-the-art cultivation lab is setting a new industry standard for award-winning cannabis products with a commitment to the highest standards in quality.

Six Labs won the Vangst's 2021 Top 20 Cannabis Companies To Work For. Six Labs is the parent company of Candela, Strollers and MISix. To learn more visit https://www.six-labs.com/ or follow Six Labs on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Leafly.

About binske

binske, a leading luxury cannabis and hemp brand, has pioneered the premium market through its meticulous focus on standards, quality and consistency. Lauded for its proprietary strains, craft ingredients, and best-in-class packaging, binske offers luxury, artisan-quality products using purposefully sourced ingredients that have earned multiple awards, including Leafly's Best Edibles, Best Concentrates and Best Overall Company. binske products are available in California, Florida, Nevada, Colorado, Washington and Michigan, with deals in place to launch in multiple additional states and internationally in the coming months. binske is a registered trademark of its parent company, Praetorian Global, which creates and develops unique portfolios of cannabis and hemp-related intellectual property, including specialized product formulations, proprietary cultivars and differentiated production techniques leading to award-winning luxury consumer products.

Media Contact:

Colleen Robar, 313.207.5960, [email protected]

SOURCE Six Labs
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SquaredFinancial Group of multi-asset fintech brokers has today announced its Q3 trading results. Highlights include a 266 per cent growth in volume, a 220 per cent growth in its client base and a 200 per cent increase in gross profits.

The Group has continued to increase its offering during the year, providing immediate access to over 10,000 trading instruments across different asset classes and adding cryptocurrencies to more traditional asset classes such as foreign exchange, commodities, stocks and indices, with Gold being the significant driver of the increase in volume year to date due to its perceived safety in uncertain times.

SquaredFinancial Group has also appointed three new board members to further strengthen the governance and future growth of the company. Dirk Van Daele, Vusi Thembekwayo and Philippe Preval will bring a wealth of technology, entrepreneurial and financial board experience.

Philippe Ghanem, Founder and Executive Chairman of SquaredFinancial Group, explained:



"We set out to build something different, listen to what clients want and provide stability and security.

"In the coming months, we will continue to release new products, new funding channels, more online banking services and asset management, access financial markets and help clients towards achieving financial freedom. Each new member of our Board, each one of them brings a specific and different skillset, strengthening our Corporate Governance, Emerging Markets and Corporate Finance expertise that will help build, grow and promote SquaredFinancial in the coming years.''

Dirk Van Daele, financial services entrepreneur and new board member of the parent company, commented:



"This is an exciting time to join SquaredFinancial. A dynamic new model on the convergence of asset management, but with an incredibly experienced leadership team and a clear pathway for progress.

"As a global FinTech, SquaredFinancial is able to offer more products and more capabilities than most peers. I look forward to working with Philippe and the team in the years to come and continuing to build the SquaredFinancial brand."

Vusi Thembekwayo, venture capitalist, entrepreneur and new board member of the parent company, stated:



"Timing and talent must meet at the intersection perfectly. The world of finance, capital markets and asset management is fast changing, and the most pressing question for customers is how to take advantage and benefit from these challenges. Crypto, broking and asset management have become mainstream, but clients need a trusted, secure provider, and this is where we want to make a difference".

Philippe Preval, CEO of Lusis and new board member of the parent company, said:



"My goal is to help change perceptions of how a FinTech company should be operated. With the utilization of Artificial Intelligence in trading as in other business areas such as payment fraud, credit scoring, loyalty and recommendations, SquaredFinancial can provide customers with unprecedented service and access."

SquaredFinancial

SquaredFinancial combines financial market expertise with dedicated customer support to provide a flexible technology-backed solution for first time traders to professional investors.

We are a group of experienced financial service professionals who share a passion and enthusiasm for online trading. We are determined to give you the support, investment tools and access to the products which will allow you to enter the financial markets.

www.squaredfinancial.com

SOURCE SquaredFinancial
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) today announced that a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to surgery demonstrated that TAVR with SAPIEN 3 is an economically dominant treatment strategy, offering improved outcomes and reduced cost. This analysis from the PARTNER 3 trial was presented during the late-breaking clinical trials at the 33rd Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

The study compared healthcare costs, life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy for patients with severe aortic stenosis at low risk for surgery, who were treated with TAVR or surgery in the PARTNER 3 trial.

A formal cost-effectiveness analysis conducted for the study found:

TAVR using the SAPIEN 3 valve resulted in cost savings of greater than $2,000 per patient through the 2-year study period. This was achieved through marked reductions in hospital length of stay and substantially lower follow-up costs, which overcame higher index hospitalization and procedural costs for TAVR.

per patient through the 2-year study period. This was achieved through marked reductions in hospital length of stay and substantially lower follow-up costs, which overcame higher index hospitalization and procedural costs for TAVR. Over the 2-year follow-up period, TAVR also led to a small but significant improvement in quality-adjusted life expectancy, driven by improved early quality of life and also survival.

The probability that TAVR is highly cost-effective versus SAVR is approximately 95%.

"In addition to the outstanding clinical results compared with surgery, the finding that TAVR with SAPIEN 3 is also a lower cost strategy for low-risk patients empowers both cardiologists and patients with real choice in determining the right treatment option for severe aortic stenosis," said David J. Cohen, MD, MSc, Director of Clinical and Outcomes Research at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and Director of Academic Affairs at St. Francis Hospital in New York. "TAVR is a unique technology with advantages over surgery from the perspective of both the patient and the healthcare system."

The PARTNER 3 trial randomized 1,000 patients at 71 centers between March 2016 and October 2017. Patients were assigned to undergo either TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve or surgery with any commercially available surgical valve. Clinical results from the PARTNER 3 trial were presented in 2019 and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

"As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the SAPIEN valves' FDA approval in the United States, it is inspiring to reflect on the impact this technology has had on the treatment of patients with severe aortic stenosis," said Larry Wood, Edwards' corporate vice president, transcatheter aortic valve replacement. "These data add to the substantial body of evidence showing the advantages of TAVR over surgery in terms of effectiveness and cost efficiency at all surgery risk levels. We are proud that SAPIEN TAVR continues to stand out as a unique technology that extends patients' lives, improves quality of life and saves money for the healthcare system."

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader of patient-focused innovations for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring. We are driven by a passion for patients, dedicated to improving and enhancing lives through partnerships with clinicians and stakeholders across the global healthcare landscape. For more information, visit Edwards.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements made by Mr. Wood and statements regarding expected product benefits, patient outcomes, product impacts to the healthcare system, future plans related to the product lines, objectives and expectations and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management of the company and are believed to be reasonable, though they are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement. Investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements based on a number of factors as detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021. These filings, along with important safety information about our products, may be found at Edwards.com.

Edwards, Edwards Lifesciences, the stylized E logo, Edwards SAPIEN, Edwards SAPIEN 3, PARTNER, PARTNER 3, SAPIEN and SAPIEN 3 are trademarks of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Related Links

http://www.edwards.com


OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF) (FRA: JAM1), a leader in cannabinoid-derived drug discovery and development, announced today the termination of its previously announced "at-the-market" equity offering program (the "ATM Program") with Canaccord Genuity Corp. as sole agent.

The termination of the ATM Program is effective as of November 11, 2021. Tetra will not be using the ATM Program. The ATM Program was established on May 28, 2021, allowing the Company to issue and sell up to $10 million aggregate amount of common shares of the Company to the public from time to time, at the Company's discretion. As of the date of this announcement, Tetra had not sold any of its common shares under the ATM Program.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma

Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF) (FRA:JAM1) is a leader in cannabinoid-derived drug discovery and development with a FDA and a Health Canada cleared clinical program aimed at bringing novel prescription drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. Our evidence-based scientific approach has enabled us to develop a pipeline of cannabinoid-based drug products for a range of medical conditions, including pain, inflammation, and oncology. With patients at the core of what we do, Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on providing rigorous scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing biopharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies.

For more information visit: www.tetrabiopharma.com

Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential acquisitions and financings) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company's business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, the success of the Company's research and development strategies, including the success of this product or any other product, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion and uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the timing of clinical trials, the timing and outcomes of regulatory or intellectual property decisions and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

SOURCE Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.
DALLAS, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trial firm Sargent Law, P.C., has earned recognition from U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America, ranking among the Best Law Firms selected for 2022.

Recognized since 2016, Sargent Law was honored once again for its defense work against personal injury claims in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The firm's clients include insurance companies and businesses of all types and sizes.

The Best Law Firms list is compiled based on client and attorney evaluations, including peer review, and editorial staff review. To be eligible, a firm must have at least one attorney recognized in the current issue of Best Lawyers in America, the oldest peer-review legal guide in the nation. For a list of this year's Best Law Firms, visit https://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/.

Firm founder David Sargent was selected to the 2022 Best Lawyers listing for his defense work in personal injury cases, an honor he has received since 2012.

Mr. Sargent is a top-rated attorney repeatedly honored by his peers. He received recognition on this year's Texas Super Lawyers list for his expertise in transportation law and has made the list each year since 2004.

A skilled trial attorney who has tried more than 100 cases to verdict in Texas federal and state courts, Mr. Sargent has experience with a range of high-stakes litigation and often represents clients in personal injury disputes, transportation accidents, on-the-job injuries, and premises and general liability cases.

Sargent Law, P.C., is a trial litigation firm with more than 100 years of combined experience defending companies and individuals in transportation, personal injury, general and premises liability, workplace injury and commercial litigation. Visit our website: http://sargentlawtx.com/.

Media Contact:

Sophia Reza

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Sargent Law, P.C.

Related Links

http://sargentlawtx.com


ROSEMONT, Ill., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has been awarded a 2021 Top Workplace honor by The Chicago Tribune. Based on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage , LLC., the award marks the second consecutive year the AAOS was recognized by the Chicago Tribune. The AAOS was previously honored as one of "Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" and one of the "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation" by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR).

"We are extremely excited to be honored by the Chicago Tribune two years in a row," said AAOS Chief Executive Officer, Thomas E. Arend, Jr., JD, CAE. "Together with the recognition we received from the NABR earlier this year, this award underscores our commitment to creating a culture that puts the wellbeing of our people first and strengthens our competitive position in the marketplace to recruit and retain high level talent. I am proud to be part of this fantastic team dedicated to the AAOS mission and the orthopaedic surgeons we have the ability to serve."

The Chicago Tribune's 2021 Top Workplace award is based on year-over-year anonymous employee feedback gathered by Energage. The survey measured 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization, including employee engagement, communication, innovation, efficiency and retention. AAOS is one of an elite list of organizations presented with this award. To learn more about the Chicago Tribune's 2021 Top Workplaces award and view the full list of winners, click here.

As a part of the five-year Strategic Plan launched in 2019, AAOS remains committed to the goal of maintaining an efficient, nimble, and fiscally disciplined organization that promotes an employee culture of teamwork, empowerment, accountability and a mindset of growth. The Academy is continually working on new initiatives aimed at achieving this goal and increasing employee satisfaction and retention, including engagement surveys and taskforces, an employee spotlight campaign on social media and an employee ambassador program.

National Recognition from the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Program

The 2021 Top Workplaces honor by The Chicago Tribune marks a steady pattern of human resources awards for the AAOS. As part of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For programs, the AAOS was evaluated by an independent research firm on a variety of criteria. These include compensation, benefits and employee solutions; employee enrichment; engagement and retention; employee education and development; recruitment, selection and orientation; employee achievement and recognition; communication and shared vision; diversity and inclusion; work-life balance; community initiatives and strategic company performance.

"It's been nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic brought a whirlwind of changes to the AAOS," Arend added. "In the face of all those changes, however, AAOS staff has remained dedicated and motivated to driving the AAOS forward. Employee feedback coupled with independent reviews like these are crucial for our organization to continue to grow and evolve in the years ahead."

The NABR has conducted the Best and Brightest program for over 20 years and continues to identify the best human resources practices and benchmarks for companies that continue to be leaders in employment programs.

Forge a Career at a Great Place to Work

AAOS values the contributions of its people, who truly make the company a great place to work. For more information on how to join the AAOS team, visit the careers page.

About AAOS

With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals at every career level best treat patients in their daily practices. The AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal health care issues, and it leads the health care discussion on advancing quality.

Follow the AAOS on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , and Instagram .

About Energage

Energage offers a fully unified SaaS platform, plus support and professional services, to help organizations recruit and retain the right talent. As a B-Corporation founding member, Energage has committed itself to the purpose of making the world a better place to work together. Based on 14 years of culture research, the engine behind 51 Top Workplaces programs across the country, and data gathered from over 20 million employees at 60,000 organizations, Energage has isolated the 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any business, and developed the tools and expertise to help organizations measure, shape and showcase their unique culture to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. For more information, please visit energage.com. Follow us on Twitter @teamenergage and Facebook and LinkedIn @energage.

About the Best and Brightest to Work For Program

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For is a national program that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. It is presented annually in several markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, West Michigan and Nationally. Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For is sponsored by Baudville Brands, Now Health Group, FONA International, Corp! Magazine, Assurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency, Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Sana Benefits, HR Source and Become Unmistakable  uMap.

SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Related Links

www.aaos.org


Ricoh and Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America won three Frank Awards each at the event held at the Madison Hotel in Morristown, N.J. What follows is a complete list of the winners:

Best Production Print Manufacturer : Ricoh USA

: Ricoh Best A4 Manufacturer: Kyocera Document Solutions America

Kyocera Document Solutions America Best-in-Class: Toshiba America Business Solutions

Toshiba America Business Solutions Best Marketing Strategy: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America Best Technical Service Provider: Ricoh USA

Ricoh Best Leasing Company: GreatAmerica Financial Services

GreatAmerica Financial Services Best Print Management Software Provider: PaperCut

Best ECM/Document Management Provider: DocuWare (a Ricoh subsidiary)

(a Ricoh subsidiary) Best IT Services Provider: ConnectWise

Best Female Executive: Nancy Langdale , Canon U.S.A.

, Canon Best Male Executive: Mike Marusic , Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America Best Manufacturer: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

The Frank Award winners were revealed at the Gala by dealer principals and executives from some of the country's top office technology dealerships. Frank Award winners are determined by the independent dealer community participating in The Cannata Report's Annual Dealer Survey conducted earlier in the year.

A highlight of the evening was the inaugural presentation of the Frank G. Cannata Philanthropy Award established to honor the founder of The Cannata Report, who currently serves as editor-at-large. Through the annual charity event that he oversees, Frank G. Cannata has collectively raised nearly $3 million for charities nationwide, including close to $1.3 million for Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation. In addition, he has worked tirelessly, and often anonymously, throughout his career to raise funds for many organizations, veterans' initiatives, and individuals. Frank G. Cannata was given the award named after him by his son, CJ Cannata, who succeeded him as president and CEO of The Cannata Report. A video saluting Frank G. Cannata was shown featuring over 40 of the leading executives in the business technology industry. In the future, the Frank G. Cannata Philanthropy Award will be given annually by The Cannata Report to honor an individual in the business technology industry who emulates Frank G. Cannata and inspires others with their philanthropic endeavors and giving spirit.

The Cannata Report also presented a special award to honor Jeremiah Shepard, general manager of technical services, Dove Print Solutions. Shepard, a U.S. Army veteran, was instrumental in creating the Business Technology Association's VETech (Veterans Enhancing Technology) initiative that assists veterans in transitioning their military training to gainful employment in the business technology industry.

"Our 36th Anniversary Awards and Charities Gala is a night to be remembered for many reasons," said CJ Cannata, president and CEO. "We are grateful for the generosity of our guests and the funds raised for medical research, the heartfelt tributes to our founder Frank G. Cannata, the extraordinary achievements of our Frank Award winners who were acknowledged by their peers in our Annual Dealer Survey, and the many leading dealers who served as presenters. Add to that the number of executives who attended from all segments of the industry and the camaraderie we enjoyed after having not been able to host a live event since 2019, and our Gala was a complete success. We have set the bar for future events and look forward to 2022."

Since its launch in 1982, The Cannata Report has been the leading intelligence resource for imaging reseller principals and senior executives within the business technology, managed services, and imaging industry. Forward-thinking analysis and thought leadership complement in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics, including professional services, workflow solutions, IT management, office products, production, industrial print, supplies, vendor finance, mergers and acquisitions, breaking news, market trends, and more.

SOURCE The Cannata Report

Related Links

http://thecannatareport.com


The appointments are further steps in the NDU Foundation's growth strategy to broaden and diversify its operational capabilities into key aspects that are consistent with the Foundation's philanthropic mission to support the National Defense University. These appointments reinforce the Foundation's commitment to identity new and strategic public private partnerships that align leadership and innovative capabilities to affect national defense and security, public policy, and industry to achieve domestic and global peace and stability.

"These Board appointments further our strategic efforts to partner with business, industry, and other organizations to ensure the National Defense University remains the international community's premier institution for national security, public diplomacy, and global security education. These appointees have demonstrated the ability to innovate new ideas and solutions in critically relevant domains of energy, space, cyber, nuclear capabilities, and national defense and security," said VP of Boeing Global Services, and NDU Foundation Chairman RADM Michael Manazir USN (Ret.).

Joining the National Defense University Foundation are:

Tina Dolph is president and CEO of Siemens Government Technologies (SGT), Inc., the separate but affiliated U.S. government arm of technology powerhouse Siemens. With project teams across the U.S. and internationally, SGT is a cleared provider of Siemens products, technologies, and software to solve some of the most complex government challenges in energy, automation, and digitalization.

Swami Iyer is the President of Aerospace Systems for Virgin Galactic Holdings. He is responsible for leading the manufacturing, engineering, and program management teams, processes, and facilities to support the design and build of Virgin Galactic's current and future fleet of vehicles. He has over 20 years of experience in commercial and highly classified aerospace, defense and cyber industries.

Sarah Mineiro is senior director for space strategy at Anduril Industries and has worked in the national security and defense sector for over 15 years. Previously, Sarah was the Staff Lead for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee for the House Armed Service Committee (HASC). She led the Subcommittee's legislative and oversight activities of all Department of Defense and Military Intelligence Program space programs, U.S. nuclear weapons, missile defense, directed energy, and hypersonic systems.

Pasquale (Pat) Tamburrino Jr. is a Vice President at LMI, leading the logistics practice area, providing customer support in acquisition and lifecycle management, supply chain and infrastructure resilience, and maintenance, distribution, and operations. A Navy nuclear submarine community veteran, Pat is a retired career member of the Senior Executive Service, serving in multiple roles of the chief of Naval operations staffs, the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Defense and the chief of staff for the DoD Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness performing the duties of the principal deputy undersecretary.

"These executives bring extensive experience to our work of advancing the Foundation's mission to support the post-graduate education and leadership development of strategic defense, national security, and peace-keeping professionals studying at the National Defense University Foundation," President and CEO James Schmeling said. "They offer varied perspectives and expand our current board of directors' expertise across the global and national industrial and defense sector and we look forward to their contributions."

About the National Defense University Foundation

The NDU Foundation focuses exclusively on supporting the education and leadership development of national defense, security and peacekeeping professionals studying at the National Defense University (NDU)., located at Ft. Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C. The Foundation provides NDU with vital resources to NDU to fulfill the mission to educate joint warfighters and other national security leaders in critical thinking and the creative application of military power to inform national strategy and globally integrated operations, under conditions of disruptive change, in order to prevail in war, peace, and competition. Learn more at NDUFoundation.org.

SOURCE National Defense University Foundation

Related Links

www.NDUFoundation.org


SKYNES FAGERHULT, Sweden, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The AGM 2019 has resolved that Concentric's Nomination Committee shall have five members which consist of the Chairman of the Board and one representative of each of the four largest shareholders. The members of the Nomination Committee shall, in accordance with the resolution of the AGM 2019, be appointed based on the ownership structure as of 31 August 2021. Due to changes in the ownership structure, the Nomination Committee has also been appointed based on the ownership structure as of 30 September 2021.

The members are:

Erik Durhan, Nordea Fonder, Chairman of the Nomination Committee, e-mail: [email protected]

Malin Bjorkmo, Handelsbanken Fonder, e-mail: [email protected]

Per Trygg, Lannebo Fonder, e-mail: [email protected]

Monica Asmyr, Swedbank Robur Fonder, e-mail: [email protected]

The nomination committee also includes the Chairman of the Board, Anders Nielsen, e-mail: [email protected]

Concentric's Annual General Meeting 2022 is planned to be held on 21 April 2022 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Shareholders, who wish to submit proposals to the Nomination Committee, can do so by contacting the members of the Nomination Committee by e-mail or by telephone to the number below. For the committee to be able to consider the proposals received with sufficient care, proposals should be submitted as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 10 January 2022.

For further information, please contact Lennart Lindell, telephone +46 76-610 40 04.

CONTACT:

For additional information please contact David Woolley, telephone +44-121-445 6545

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/concentric-ab/r/the-nomination-committee-for-concentric-s-annual-general-meeting-2022,c3447676

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Concentric AB
ATLANTA, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced new data on its investigational IL-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, bimekizumab, and its TNF inhibitor, CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol). Eleven abstracts are being presented at the ACR Convergence 2021 virtual congress on November 3-9, 2021, reinforcing UCB's ongoing commitment to developing treatments that address unmet patient needs.

UCB is investigating bimekizumab in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), among other therapy areas, as part of a robust clinical program. Bimekizumab is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults, and its efficacy and safety have not been established for any indication in the U.S.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to share data across our strong immunology clinical programs at ACR Convergence 2021 and beyond," said Jeffrey Stark, MD, Head of Immunology Medical Affairs U.S., UCB. "Our bimekizumab data support the selective inhibition of IL-17F in addition to IL-17A in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, and demonstrate the potential of bimekizumab to provide durable clinical responses over three years for people living with these severe, chronic conditions."

Bimekizumab Data Highlights

An oral presentation will highlight three-year bimekizumab data in AS from the Phase 2b BE AGILE study and its open-label extension (OLE).1 Data show the long-term safety profile of bimekizumab in patients with AS was in line with previous observations, and clinical outcomes were maintained and consistent over three years of treatment.1,2,3 In addition to the oral presentation, UCB is presenting two e-posters; one that will report three-year interim health-related quality of life data in patients with active AS from the Phase 2b BE AGILE study and its OLE, and a second that evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disease activity and health-related quality of life in patients from the BE AGILE OLE study.2,3

Two e-posters will also report bimekizumab data in active PsA from the Phase 2b dose-ranging study BE ACTIVE and its OLE.4,5 Data reported include the impact up to three years on patient reported outcome measures, and long-term efficacy and safety in the overall bimekizumab population and tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi)-naive population.4,5

CIMZIA certolizumab pegol) Data Highlights

UCB will also present six e-posters detailing CIMZIA data, including the first release of three-year results from the C-axSpAnd pivotal Phase 3 study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of CIMZIA in nr-axSpA.6,7,8,9,10,11 The analysis reports safety and clinical outcomes in nr-axSpA patients who entered the C-axSpAnd open-label safety follow-up extension (SFE) study. Data show CIMZIA improved signs and symptoms of nr-axSpA for up to three years, and there were no new safety signals.

Building on CIMZIA efficacy in nr-axSpA, a new analysis from this patient population in the C-OPTIMISE study shows that over a year of CIMZIA treatment, clinically relevant responses are achieved in MRI positive patients regardless of their C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Two e-posters also demonstrate that achieving higher thresholds of disease control with CIMZIA helps reduce the burden on work productivity for people living with axSpA and PsA.7,11

Following is a guide to the UCB-sponsored data presentations:

Bimekizumab Oral Presentation

Bimekizumab Long-Term Safety and Efficacy in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Interim Results After 3 Years of Treatment in an Ongoing Phase 2b Study

L. S. Gensler, A. Deodhar, D. van der Heijde, D. Poddubnyy, A. J. Kivitz, M. Dougados, N. de Peyrecave, M. Oortgiesen, T. Vaux, C. Fleurinck, X. Baraliakos (Abstract #0491  Saturday, Nov. 6; 2:45-2:55pm ET)

Bimekizumab e-Posters:

Bimekizumab Shows Sustained and Meaningful Long-Term Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Interim Results After 3 Years of Treatment in an Ongoing Phase 2b Study

A. Deodhar, M. Dougados, K. Gaffney, R. Sengupta, M. Magrey, N. de Peyrecave, M. Oortgiesen, T. Vaux, C. Fleurinck, V. Taieb, C. de la Loge, X. Baraliakos (Abstract #0922  Sunday, Nov. 7; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Minimal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patient-Reported Disease Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Receiving Bimekizumab: Post Hoc Analyses from a Phase 2b Study

P. C. Robinson, P. M. Machado, N. Haroon, L. S. Gensler, J. D. Reveille, V. Taieb, T. Vaux, C. Fleurinck, M. Oortgiesen, N. de Peyrecave, A. Deodhar (Abstract #0923  Sunday, Nov. 7; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Bimekizumab in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: 3-Year Results for Overall and Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor (TNFi)-Naive Populations from a Phase 2b Open-Label Extension Study

P. J. Mease, A. Deodhar, J. F. Merola, I. B. McInnes, D. Assudani, R. Bajracharya, J. Coarse,6 B. Ink, G. Schett (Abstract #1338  Monday, Nov. 8; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Sustained Improvement in Physical Function, Disease Impact and HealthRelated Quality of Life in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis Treated with Bimekizumab: 3-Year Results from a Phase 2b Open-Label Extension Study

L. Gossec, A. Asahina, A. B. Gottlieb, L. C. Coates, B. Ink, D. Assudani, J. Coarse, S. Hellot, J. Eells, P. J. Mease (Abstract #1350 - Monday, Nov. 8; 8:30-10:30am ET)

CIMZIA e-Posters:

Achievement of Stringent Thresholds of Disease Control is Associated with Reduced Burden on Work and Household Productivity in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis

M. Rudwaleit, P. M. Machado, L. S. Gensler, V. Taieb, N. de Peyrecave, B. Hoepken, D. van der Heijde (abstract #0362  Saturday, Nov. 6; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Certolizumab Pegol in Patients with Active NonRadiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: 3-Year Results from a Phase 3 Multicenter Study

D. van der Heijde, L. S. Gensler, W. P. Maksymowych, R. Landewe, M. Rudwaleit, L. Bauer, B,. Hoepken, T. Kumke, M. Kim, A. Deodhar (Abstract #0913  Sunday, Nov. 7; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Response to Certolizumab Pegol in Patients with Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis by Baseline C-Reactive Protein Cut-Offs: Post-Hoc Analysis from a Phase 3 Multicenter Study

P. C. Robinson, S. Hall, B. Hoepken, L. Bauer, E. Demas, M. Kim, A. Deodhar (Abstract #0914  Sunday, Nov. 7; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Disease Activity and Inflammation in Axial Spondyloarthritis Patients Who Did Not Experience Flares Following Certolizumab Pegol Withdrawal, Dose Reduction or Dose Continuation

L. S. Gensler, X. Baraliakos, L. Bauer, B. Hoepken, T. Kumke, M. Kim, R. Landewe (Abstract #0916  Sunday, Nov. 7; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Reduced Burden on Paid and Household Work Productivity with Stringent Thresholds of Disease Control: Further Results from Long-Term Certolizumab Pegol Treatment in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

W. Tillett, L. C. Coates, S. Kiri, V. Taieb, P. J. Mease (Abstract #1826  Tuesday, Nov. 9; 8:30-10:30am ET)

Other UCB e-Posters:

Development of a Deep Learning Algorithm for the Detection of Sacroiliitis on MRI in Patients with Active Axial Spondyloarthritis

J. Nicolaes, P. M. Machado, X. Baraliakos, M. Santosh, A. Carnell, N. de Peyrecave, A. N. Bennett (Abstract #0157  Saturday, Nov. 6; 8:30-10:30am ET)

About bimekizumab

Bimekizumab is an investigational humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively and directly inhibits both IL-17A and IL-17F, two key cytokines driving inflammatory processes.12 IL-17F has overlapping biology with IL-17A and drives inflammation independently of IL-17A.13,14,15,16,17 Selective inhibition of IL-17F in addition to IL-17A suppresses inflammation to a greater extent than IL-17A inhibition alone.12,17

Bimekizumab is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults, and its efficacy and safety have not been established for any indication in the U.S.

About CIMZIA in the US

CIMZIA is the only Fc-free, PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor). CIMZIA has a high affinity for human TNF-alpha, selectively neutralizing the pathophysiological effects of TNF-alpha.

CIMZIA is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease (CD) and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderately to severely active disease who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy.

CIMZIA is also indicated for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation.

In addition, CIMZIA is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO) in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. See important safety information including risk of serious bacterial, viral and fungal infections and tuberculosis below.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION about CIMZIA in the U.S.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

CIMZIA is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity reaction to certolizumab pegol or to any of the excipients. Reactions have included angioedema, anaphylaxis, serum sickness, and urticaria.

SERIOUS INFECTIONS

Patients treated with CIMZIA are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death. Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids.

Discontinue CIMZIA if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis.

Reported infections include:

Active tuberculosis (TB), including reactivation of latent TB. Patients with TB have frequently presented with disseminated or extrapulmonary disease. Test patients for latent TB before CIMZIA use and during therapy. Initiate treatment for latent TB prior to CIMZIA use.

Invasive fungal infections, including histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis. Patients with histoplasmosis or other invasive fungal infections may present with disseminated, rather than localized, disease. Antigen and antibody testing for histoplasmosis may be negative in some patients with active infection. Consider empiric anti-fungal therapy in patients at risk for invasive fungal infections who develop severe systemic illness.

Bacterial, viral, and other infections due to opportunistic pathogens, including Legionella and Listeria.

Carefully consider the risks and benefits of treatment with CIMZIA prior to initiating therapy in the following patients: with chronic or recurrent infection; who have been exposed to TB; with a history of opportunistic infection; who resided in or traveled in regions where mycoses are endemic; with underlying conditions that may predispose them to infection. Monitor patients closely for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with CIMZIA, including the possible development of TB in patients who tested negative for latent TB infection prior to initiating therapy.

Do not start CIMZIA during an active infection, including localized infections.

Patients older than 65 years, patients with co-morbid conditions, and/or patients taking concomitant immunosuppressants may be at greater risk of infection.

If an infection develops, monitor carefully and initiate appropriate therapy.

MALIGNANCY

Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with TNF blockers, of which CIMZIA is a member. CIMZIA is not indicated for use in pediatric patients.

Consider the risks and benefits of CIMZIA treatment prior to initiating or continuing therapy in a patient with known malignancy.

In clinical trials, more cases of malignancies were observed among CIMZIA-treated patients compared to control patients.

In CIMZIA clinical trials, there was an approximately 2-fold higher rate of lymphoma than expected in the general U.S. population. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, particularly those with highly active disease, are at a higher risk of lymphoma than the general population.

Malignancies, some fatal, have been reported among children, adolescents, and young adults being treated with TNF blockers. Approximately half of the cases were lymphoma, while the rest were other types of malignancies, including rare types associated with immunosuppression and malignancies not usually seen in this patient population.

Postmarketing cases of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), a rare type of T-cell lymphoma, have been reported in patients treated with TNF blockers, including CIMZIA. These cases have had a very aggressive disease course and have been fatal. The majority of reported TNF blocker cases have occurred in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, and the majority were in adolescent and young adult males. Almost all of these patients had received treatment with azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine concomitantly with a TNF blocker at or prior to diagnosis. Carefully assess the risks and benefits of treating with CIMZIA in these patient types.

Cases of acute and chronic leukemia were reported with TNF blocker use.

HEART FAILURE

Worsening and new onset congestive heart failure (CHF) has been reported with TNF blockers. Exercise caution and monitor carefully.

HYPERSENSITIVITY

Angioedema, anaphylaxis, dyspnea, hypotension, rash, serum sickness, and urticaria have been reported following CIMZIA administration. If a serious allergic reaction occurs, stop CIMZIA and institute appropriate therapy. The needle shield inside the removable cap of the CIMZIA prefilled syringe contains a plastic derivative of natural rubber latex which may cause an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to latex.

HEPATITIS B VIRUS REACTIVATION

Use of TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, may increase the risk of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients who are chronic carriers. Some cases have been fatal.

Test patients for HBV infection before initiating treatment with CIMZIA.

Exercise caution in patients who are carriers of HBV and monitor them before and during CIMZIA treatment.

Discontinue CIMZIA and begin antiviral therapy in patients who develop HBV reactivation. Exercise caution when resuming CIMZIA after HBV treatment.

NEUROLOGIC REACTIONS

TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, have been associated with rare cases of new onset or exacerbation of central nervous system and peripheral demyelinating diseases, including multiple sclerosis, seizure disorder, optic neuritis, peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

HEMATOLOGIC REACTIONS

Rare reports of pancytopenia, including aplastic anemia, have been reported with TNF blockers. Medically significant cytopenia has been infrequently reported with CIMZIA.

Consider stopping CIMZIA if significant hematologic abnormalities occur.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Do not use CIMZIA in combination with other biological DMARDS.

AUTOIMMUNITY

Treatment with CIMZIA may result in the formation of autoantibodies and, rarely, in development of a lupus-like syndrome. Discontinue treatment if symptoms of a lupus-like syndrome develop.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Patients on CIMZIA should not receive live or live-attenuated vaccines.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions in CIMZIA clinical trials (8%) were: upper respiratory infections (18%), rash (9%), and urinary tract infections (8%).

For full prescribing information, please visit

https://www.ucb.com/_up/ucb_com_products/documents/Cimzia_09_11_2019_en.pdf

CIMZIA is a registered trademark of the UCB Group of Companies.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With approximately 8,400 people in nearly 40 countries, the company generated revenue of 5.3 billion in 2020. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCBUSA.

Forward looking statements UCB

This press release may contain forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will", "continue" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions which might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of UCB, or industry results, to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: the global spread and impact of COVID-19, changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms or within expected timing, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, competition from other products including biosimilars, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws, and hiring and retention of its employees. There is no guarantee that new product candidates will be discovered or identified in the pipeline, will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Movement from concept to commercial product is uncertain; preclinical results do not guarantee safety and efficacy of product candidates in humans. So far, the complexity of the human body cannot be reproduced in computer models, cell culture systems or animal models. The length of the timing to complete clinical trials and to get regulatory approval for product marketing has varied in the past and UCB expects similar unpredictability going forward. Products or potential products, which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences disputes between the partners or may prove to be not as safe, effective or commercially successful as UCB may have believed at the start of such partnership. UCB's efforts to acquire other products or companies and to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as successful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of UCB's products that implicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect on sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally, a breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB's data and systems.

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any of such forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labelling in any market, or at any particular time, nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be or will continue to be commercially successful in the future.

UCB is providing this information, including forward-looking statements, only as of the date of this press release and it does not reflect any potential impact from the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, unless indicated otherwise. UCB is following the worldwide developments diligently to assess the financial significance of this pandemic to UCB. UCB expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report or reflect any change in its forward-looking statements with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless such statement is required pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.

Additionally, information contained in this document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

For further information, UCB:

Immunology

Communications, U.S. Nicole Herga U.S. Immunology

Communications, UCB T +1.404.226.7591

[email protected]

Investor Relations Antje Witte, Investor Relations, UCB T +32.2.559.94.14

[email protected]

1 Gensler LS, Deodhar A, van der Heijde D, et al. Bimekizumab Long-Term Safety and Efficacy in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Interim Results After 3 Years of Treatment in an Ongoing Phase 2b Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 491

2 Deodhar A, Dougados M, Gaffney K, et al. Bimekizumab Shows Sustained and Meaningful Long-Term Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Interim Results After 3 Years of Treatment in an Ongoing Phase 2b Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 922

3 Robinson PC, Machado PM, Haroon N, et al. Minimal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patient-Reported Disease Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Receiving Bimekizumab: Post Hoc Analyses from a Phase 2b Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 923

4 Mease PJ, Dedhar A, Merola JF, et al. Bimekizumab in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: 3-Year Results for Overall and Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor (TNFi)-Naive Populations from a Phase 2b Open-Label Extension Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 1338

5 Gossec L, Asahina AB, Gottlieb LC, et al. Sustained Improvement in Physical Function, Disease Impact and HealthRelated Quality of Life in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis Treated with Bimekizumab: 3-Year Results from a Phase 2b Open-Label Extension Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 1350

6 Nicolaes J, Machado PM, Baraliakos X, et al. Development of a Deep Learning Algorithm for the Detection of Sacroiliitis on MRI in Patients with Active Axial Spondyloarthritis [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 157

7 Rudwaleit M, Machado PM, Gensler LS, et al. Achievement of Stringent Thresholds of Disease Control is Associated with Reduced Burden on Work and Household Productivity in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 362

8 van der Heijde D, Gensler LS, Maksymowych WP, et al. Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Certolizumab Pegol in Patients with Active NonRadiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: 3-Year Results from a Phase 3 Multicenter Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 913

9 Robinson PC, Hall S, Hoepken B, et al. Response to Certolizumab Pegol in Patients with Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis by Baseline C-Reactive Protein Cut-Offs: Post-Hoc Analysis from a Phase 3 Multicenter Study [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 914

10 Gensler LS, Baraliakos X, Bauer L, et al. Disease Activity and Inflammation in Axial Spondyloarthritis Patients Who Did Not Experience Flares Following Certolizumab Pegol Withdrawal, Dose Reduction or Dose Continuation [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 916

11 Tillett W, Coates LC, Kiri S, et al. Reduced Burden on Paid and Household Work Productivity with Stringent Thresholds of Disease Control: Further Results from Long-Term Certolizumab Pegol Treatment in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis [abstract]. In: American College of Rheumatology Convergence; 2021 Nov 3-9; ACR; 2021. Abstract nr 1826

12 Glatt S, Helmer E, Haier B, et al. First-in-human randomized study of bimekizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody and selective dual inhibitor of IL-17A and IL-17F, in mild psoriasis. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2017;83(5):991-1001.

13 Yang XO, Chang SH, Park H, et al. Regulation of inflammatory responses by IL-17F. J Exp Med. 2008;205(5):10631075.

14 Hymowitz SG, Filvaroff EH, Yin JP, et al. IL-17s adopt a cystine knot fold: structure and activity of a novel cytokine, IL-17F, and implications for receptor binding. EMBO J. 2001;20(19):53325341.

15 van Baarsen LG, Lebre MC, van der Coelen D, et al. Heterogeneous expression pattern of interleukin 17A (IL-17A), IL-17F and their receptors in synovium of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis: possible explanation for nonresponse to anti-IL-17 therapy? Arthritis Res Ther. 2014;16(4):426.

16 Maroof A, Okoye R, Smallie T, et al. Bimekizumab dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F provides evidence of IL-17F contribution to chronic inflammation in disease-relevant cells. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76(2):213.

17 Glatt S, Baeten D, Baker T, et al. Dual IL-17A and IL-17F neutralisation by bimekizumab in psoriatic arthritis: evidence from preclinical experiments and a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial that IL-17F contributes to human chronic tissue inflammation. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77(4):523-532.

SOURCE UCB, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ucb.com


LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- We, the Governments of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories, are custodians of internationally important habitats which span the globe from the Antarctic to the Caribbean, the South Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Together with the UK we represent the world's fifth largest marine estate; over 90% of the UK's biodiversity; and are essential to the UK meeting its pledge by 2030 to protect 30% of the world's oceans. Climate change will have a profound impact upon our environments, economies and societies, a failure to act will impact not just us, but our children and all generations to come. To overcome the climate crisis facing our communities we must increase global solidarity and align our actions.

As coastal and island communities, our economies rely upon maintaining healthy, sustainable marine and terrestrial environments. We commit to take action to protect our fisheries resources and to conserve and, wherever possible, restore our marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Building on the good work already undertaken by the Overseas Territories, we reaffirm an alliance to take action to tackle the harmful effects of plastic pollution and marine litter, often as a result of other countries which have impacted our shores.

Our biodiversity, terrestrial and marine, support not only our wellbeing, but also contribute to our uniqueness, our nature-based fight against climate change and are important to those of us where tourism makes an important contribution to our economies.

It is imperative that all nations prioritise their response to prevent further acceleration of human-induced global warming, and collectively commit to developing preventative measures to ensure the surface temperature does not exceed an increase of 1.5C.

We, as individual Territories, pledge to work with the UK Government to develop Territory-led actions that tackle the specific challenges climate changes poses for each of us, to use our oceans and natural resources sustainably, for the benefit of current and future generations, and to take action to protect and restore our biodiversity.

As Overseas Territories we pledge to work with others in a spirit of cooperation to secure meaningful outcomes from COP26 that will make a tangible difference in tackling the impacts of climate change in our territories.

*Notes to Editor: the Falkland Islands are in the midst of a general election; post-election, it is anticipated the Falkland Islands will agree the pledge.

Video - https://app.box.com/s/6o1rrxytef66gmfg5skbtldho9122l5q

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679855/UKOTA_Logo.jpg

SOURCE United Kingdom Overseas Territories
LONDON, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading digital payments platform, Wirex, in partnership with popular fintech publication, UKTN, have announced the longlist of women on their 2021 'Rising Women in Crypto Power List'.

Returning after a successful inaugural year, the 2021 Power List has proven hugely popular yet again, seeking nominations of female industry-leaders that are helping the global crypto industry to thrive. With over 200 entries, the list aims to showcase the extensive and diverse roles that women are playing within the crypto sector, featuring those from the DeFi, legal & compliance, marketing, journalism, graphic design and coding sectors. Women from over 50 countries were mentioned, including the UK, US, Brazil, India and Singapore.

The 'Rising Women in Crypto Power List' is part of Wirex's wider 'Women in Crypto' campaign, endeavouring to showcase the incredible things that women in the crypto sector are doing. Aligning with Wirex's core mission, it aims to prove that anyone and everyone can get involved in crypto, countering its male-dominated stereotype and inviting women to experience the benefits of the digital economy too.

The 2021 'Power List' was launched last month with a brand-new event, 'Women in Crypto: Tech, Innovation & Digitisation'. Hosted live at tech accelerator, Level39 in London, it featured six female powerhouses talking everything DeFi, payments, and NFTs. Inspiring women across the world, the panellists provided unique, never-before-heard insights and demonstrated the exciting roles that women are undertaking within crypto, regardless of background or experience.

The final 10 winners of the Power List will be announced on the 11th November, being decided by the recently announced judging panel. Representing highly experienced crypto experts and those with a deep-rooted passion for the initiative, it will include George Coxon, Director of the Nano Foundation & Appia; Amy Barker, Global Head of People at Wirex; Hedi Krueger, Director of Digital & Innovation at Mastercard; Ria Shetty, Ambassador of the European Women in Payments Network; and Ada Vaughan, Growth & Partnerships at the Stellar Development Foundation. The result will be based on those displaying the highest levels of achievements, potential, influence, ambition, leadership skills and innovation.

Lottie Wells, Senior PR & Events Manager that played a pivotal role in managing the Power List, expressed: "The variety of roles and number of entries to the Power List this year once again shows the huge range of opportunities there are for women to get involved in the crypto sector. It's an honour to celebrate all the women included and use Wirex and UKTN's networks to spread awareness of this important message. I can't wait to work with the judges to finalise the top 10 women on the shortlist."

To view the longlist, please visit: https://wirexapp.com/blog/post/rising-women-in-crypto-power-list-the-2021-longlist-0462

The final 10 winners of the 'Power List' will be announced on the Wirex and UKTN websites on the 11th November.

To see more exclusive content from women within the crypto industry, and learn more about the campaign, please visit: https://wirexapp.com/blog/category/women-in-crypto-0009

About Wirex

Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world's first crypto-enabled payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend crypto and traditional currencies in real life.

Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life, Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for crypto and traditional currency transactions by incorporating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains

With nearly 4 million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple crypto transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ traditional and cryptocurrencies in more than 61 million locations around the world using the Wirex card.

Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licensing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex launched their own native utility token, WXT, and introduced the world's first crypto reward programme, Cryptoback, which earns cardholders up to 2% back in WXT for every transaction they make.

Wirex is based in London, with offices in Singapore, Kyiv, Dallas, Dublin and Atlanta. With over $5bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, including the US, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions.

| wirexapp.com |

SOURCE Wirex

Related Links

wirexapp.com


TAIPEI, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wiwynn (TWSE: 6669), an innovative cloud IT infrastructure provider for data centers, today announces that its Open Compute Project Yosemite V3 (OCP YV3) based server has completed the implementation of Open System Firmware (OSF) and obtained the OCP Accepted recognition. With the help from OCP partners, including Facebook, Intel and 9elements, Wiwynn has made an important milestone for the open community to complete the first OCP product contribution that includes not only hardware design but also OSF.

OSF is a formal OCP project with the goal to move the control of firmware to the system owner. It allows the system firmware (also known as BIOS) to be modified and shared openly. Starting in March 2021, "OCP Accepted" badge for servers requires that server systems support OSF. The openness of OSF will lower the entry barrier of OCP system adoption and accelerate product development. The synergies with other open source firmware communities, such as LinuxBoot and coreboot, will enroll more talents to join and make the ecosystem more open and complete.

Wiwynn's YV3, the 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor (codename: CooperLake) based single socket server, is the first product contribution that meets the new requirement of OCP Accepted recognition. 9elements will support the OSF code base maintenance, including rebasing to the tip of open source components, and making releases periodically.

"We have been devoted to the OCP community with more than 32 contributions and seen OSF become an important piece for modern server designs," said Steven Lu, Wiwynn's Senior Vice President of Product Development. "Thanks to Facebook, Intel and 9elements, we are able to move steps further to make OSF part of Wiwynn's YV3 server and obtained OCP Accepted recognition. We are looking forward to duplicating the successful model to more products to come."

"We are excited to see the ecosystem embrace Intel platforms to build the open system firmware," said Anjaneya "Reddy" Chagam, Intel's Cloud Architect. "It's our pleasure to work with Wiwynn, Facebook and 9elements to realize a successful OSF practice and accelerate the community development."

"This is a disruptive milestone for the OSF Community," said Christian Walter, 9element's Executive Director of Firmware Development. "We are excited to work together with Wiwynn supporting the OSF code base for the Wiwynn YV3. This is the perfect showcase of what can be accomplished working together on open systems, and we hope this will pave the way for more products to come."

"As one of the very first OCP Solution Providers, Wiwynn has shown its continuous commitment to the open community. The OCP Accepted Wiwynn YV3 is a phenomenal milestone that includes system firmware in the OCP product contribution for the first time. We are thrilled to see the great progress of OSF through the close collaboration of Wiwynn and its partners. We also look forward to more OSF projects to be inspired and thrive," said Rajeev Sharma, OCP's Director of Software and Technologies

For more OCP OSF details, please refer to the recent OCP blog post.

Wiwynn will also showcase Wiwynn's YV3 at the upcoming OCP Global Summit 2021 at booth #C2. There will be two in-depth engineering workshops around OSF and SW management for OCP DeltaLake and Yosemite V3 as well. Please follow Wiwynn's OCP event page and stay tuned.

About Wiwynn

Wiwynn is an innovative cloud IT infrastructure provider of high-quality computing and storage products, plus rack solutions for leading data centers. We aggressively invest in next generation technologies for workload optimization and best TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). As an OCP (Open Compute Project) solution provider and platinum member, Wiwynn actively participates in advanced computing and storage system designs while constantly implementing the benefits of OCP into traditional data centers.

For more information, please visit Wiwynn website or contact [email protected]

Follow Wiwynn on Facebook and Linkedin for the latest news and market trends.

SOURCE Wiwynn
ALBANY, N.Y., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of drivers at XPO Logistics in Albany, New York have voted to join Teamsters Local 294, but the final results are subject to National Labor Relations Board certification procedures that are scheduled to be completed over the next several weeks.

There are 36 drivers in the bargaining unit. The workers voted on Thursday, November 4.

"We welcome the drivers at XPO, who remained strong despite the company's vicious anti-worker, anti-union campaign," said John Bulgaro, President of Local 294 in Albany. "We will work with the drivers to address their issues in the upcoming contract negotiations."

"It feels great voting to form our union with Teamsters Local 294," said Richard Lazorischak, a driver at XPO in Albany for over 21 years. "We look forward to winning a contract that puts our rights and protections in a legally binding document."

"With the recent contract victories in Miami and in Trenton, and now this organizing victory, XPO workers are sending a clear message to the company that 'enough is enough,'" said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. "XPO workers across the country know that the only way to win real change on the job is to organize and negotiate a Teamster contract."

The workers are seeking protections from inward-facing tractor cameras and future constant surveillance; an end to unfair discipline; fair treatment for all; real seniority protections; adequate staffing levels; and a voice on the job.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Related Links

http://www.teamster.org


Lisbon, Nov 5 : Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has asked people to fight for economic and health recovery.

"We have to fight for something vital to overcome the pandemic, fight for life, for the health system, economic recovery, social inclusion, we have to recover," de Sousa told participants at the Web Summit held in Lisbon on Thursday.

"The digital transition and digital revolution depends on the people, not on the President and Prime Ministers," he said, urging young people to "make a difference ... in energy, in digital, in everything that means a better world." "This is the post-pandemic restart," he added.

The Web Summit started last Monday in Lisbon and attracted more than 42,000 participants from different countries, including startups, investors and technology developers, Xinhua news agency reported.
Kiev, Nov 5 : The Ukrainian Parliament has approved the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories, Oleksiy Reznikov as the country's new Defence Minister, the Parliament press service said.

Reznikov's appointment was supported by 273 lawmakers in the 450-seat Assembly on Thursday after he was nominated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

While addressing the parliament, Reznikov said in his new position he will pay attention to intensifying cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

Reznikov's appointment came after the Ukrainian Parliament on Wednesday accepted the resignation of former Defence Minister Andriy Taran, who left the office reportedly for health reasons.

Reznikov, a 55-year-old former lawyer, was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories in March 2020.

He also served as a member of the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine.
United Nations, Nov 5 : UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday strongly condemned the attack by members of the presidential guard of the Central African Republic (CAR) which wounded 10 peacekeepers.

Through a statement attributable to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the UN Chief "emphasizes that attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute a war crime. He calls on the Central African authorities to spare no effort in investigating and promptly holding accountable the perpetrators of this unacceptable attack," Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Secretary General wishes a speedy and full recovery to the wounded peacekeepers and civilians, and reiterates his gratitude to the people and the Egypt government for their contribution to peace and stability in the Central African Republic. The Secretary General also expresses his deep condolences to the bereaved family of the Central African civilian who was killed during the incident," it said.

"The Secretary General reaffirms the solidarity and continued support of the UN to the Central African Republic," it added.

The presidential guard shot at peacekeepers of the mission, known as MINUSCA, in Bangui on Monday. The police officers from Egypt landed at Bangui's airport earlier on Thursday. They are part of the periodic rotation and deployment of troops in the country.
Khartoum, Nov 5 : General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has issued a decision to release four Ministers of the recently dissolved transitional government, official Sudan TV reported.

The released officials included Communications Minister Hashim Hasabal-Rasoul, Transport Minister Ali Jiddo, Youths and Sport Minister Yousif Adam, and Information Minister Hamza Balol.

A number of Ministers in the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok were arrested on October 25 as ordered by Al-Burhan on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Volker Perthes, Head of the United Nations Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), is leading negotiations between the leaders of the Sudanese Army and the Forces of Freedom and Change Alliance (FFC), the civilian component in the ruling coalition, in a bid to end the crisis.

On October 25, the Sudanese Army took measures to end the partnership between the military and the civilian bloc within the coalition which was overseeing the transitional rule in Sudan.

Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency across the country and dissolved the sovereign council and government. The FFC has accused Al-Burhan of carrying out a military coup.

Since the announcement of foiling a coup attempt on September 21, the differences between the military and civilian partners within the transitional government, have continued to escalate.
Tunis, Nov 5 : Tunisian President Kais Saied has said he intended to speed up the end of the exceptional measures announced on July 25.

"These exceptional measures were decided in an attempt to rescue the country and our people," Saied said on Thursday in a video broadcast.

In his speech to the Ministerial Council, Saied insisted on his will and determination to "guarantee the rights and freedom of all citizens, in accordance with the constitution." "Tunisia has entered a new phase that requires new approaches and visions in order to manage public affairs," he added.

On July 25, the Tunisian President announced that he had removed Hichem Mechichi from the post of Prime Minister and suspended all activities of the Assembly of People's Representatives, or the Parliament. On September 29, he appointed Najla Bouden as the Prime Minister, Xinhua news agency reported.
Washington, Nov 5 : Initial jobless claims in the United States last week fell to 2,69,000 amid continued labor shortage, hitting a fresh low in the pandemic era, the US Labor Department has reported.

In the week ending October 30, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped by 14,000 from the previous week's upwardly revised level of 2,83,000, according to a report released by the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The latest figure was the lowest since March 14, 2020, when it was 256,000, the report said on Thursday.

The four-week moving average, a method to iron out data volatility, decreased by 15,000 to 2,84,750, according to the report.

In recent months, initial jobless claims hit fresh lows in the pandemic era on multiple occasions, but the declining trend was repeatedly reversed, indicating a bumpy economic recovery. The figure rose for three weeks in a row in September amid surging Delta variant cases, Xinhua news agency reported.

The latest jobless claims report also showed that the number of people continuing to collect regular state unemployment benefits in the week ending October 23 decreased by 134,000 to 2.1 million. That number peaked in April and May 2020, when it was over 20 million.

The continued decline in initial jobless filings came as companies were struggling to hire more workers and avoid layoffs amid continued labor shortage, and federal unemployment benefits for over 10 million people expired in early September.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs -- state and federal combined -- for the week ending October 16 fell by 157,731 to 2.67 million.
United Nations : , Nov 5 (IANS) The number of Afghanistan provinces agreeing to the full participation of women in humanitarian operations increased in the last two months from three to 14, UN humanitarians have said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday said it secured along with its partners half of the agreements in the past two weeks. The dialogue continues at every level -- district by district, province by province -- to ensure women's full and meaningful participation in humanitarian action.

"Over the past two-and-a-half months, OCHA has been engaging with the de-facto authorities in all provinces to help secure the full and unimpeded participation of women in humanitarian operations," the office added.

"This is essential to ensure principled humanitarian action, including the access of women and girls to life-saving assistance and services." The Taliban took Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on August 15.

Citing continuing progress, OCHA said a partial agreement for the full participation of women increased in three provinces to 19. There are 34 provinces in the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

The humanitarian office added that from the beginning of September to mid-October, the United Nations and partner non-government organizations provided 4.1 million people with food assistance; reached more than 580,000 people with primary healthcare services and treated more than 85,000 children under the age of 5 for acute malnutrition.

In addition, the humanitarians supported more than 28,000 people with psychosocial support services; assisted nearly 200,000 drought-affected people by trucking in water; reached more than 48,000 children with community-based education activities and supported more than 82,000 people with standard non-food assistance.
United Nations : , Nov 5 (IANS) United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, to find a political solution to the ongoing crisis during a phone call.

The Secretary General "encouraged the developments of all efforts toward resolving the political crisis in Sudan and urgently restoring the constitutional order and Sudan's transitional process," according to a release of the Secretary General's phone call with al-Burhan on Thursday.

The top UN official "reiterated his call for the release of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other civilians arbitrarily detained in Sudan," Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Secretary General reaffirmed that the UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan as they strive to fulfill their aspirations for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future," according to the release.

The Sudanese Army dissolved the power-sharing transitional government and detained civilian Prime Minister Hamdok and his cabinet on October 25.
Glasgow, Nov 5 : Little Amal, a 3.5m puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, will visit the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) from November 9 to 11.

This follows her completion of 'The Walk', a four-month travelling festival of art and hope over 8,000 km from the Syrian border to Manchester.

She has been invited to open the Gender Day high-level event in the COP26 Blue Zone alongside young Samoan climate activist, Brianna Fruean to represent young women and girls from the global South on this world stage.

She will also appear in the COP26 public Green Zone. In a collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland, the Citizens Theatre and Perth Theatre, Amal will meet young people and communities from across Glasgow. She will close 'The New York Times Climate Hub' on November 11.

Little Amal began her walk in Gaziantep, Turkey, on July 27. Her journey across Turkey, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France and the UK in search of her mother shone a light on the millions of displaced children who have made similar journeys out of acute danger in search of refuge.

As she ended her journey in Manchester on November 3, she was welcomed into a new community within which she can begin to build a new life.

Many of the young people Amal met on her journey have been forced to leave their homes due to violence, persecution, war or poverty. These circumstances are often caused or heightened by the climate crisis.

At COP26 she will meet changemakers from many of the countries she has visited, all of which are being directly affected by the climate crisis. She will stand alongside them as they embody and express the urgent need to take action.

Brianna Fruean, Pacific Climate Warrior, said: "I am looking forward to welcoming little Amal to Gender Day at the UN climate talks in Glasgow. On her journey, she has crossed areas already experiencing drought, extreme weather, heat and wildfires, and all the conflicts and crises that a heating world produces." "The difference is, she is a puppet and I am real. For a decade now, the storms in the Pacific have been getting more violent, the droughts have been longer and the floods deeper. Fishers cannot feed their families. Family-owned shops that are flattened in a cyclone are rebuilt, only to be destroyed by rising water." "But what Amal represents is that people like me, people like her, we refuse to be just victims to this crisis. We are not drowning, we are fighting and the world will hear us." Kim Bryan, 350.org, said: "Little Amal has been on a long journey to get to COP26. She has crossed areas already experiencing drought, extreme weather, heat and wildfires, and all the conflicts and crises that a heating world produces." "She has passed the weapons, walls and cages with which powerful countries are arming themselves to repel, injure and even kill future displaced people -- a project they spend more on than helping prevent climate-linked displacement." "Migration is barely on the agenda at the UN Climate Summit, yet as climate impacts escalate, more people will be forced to leave their homes in search of safety and dignity. Yet current policies see corporate actors profiting from increasing public expenditure on these policies."
Glasgow, Nov 5 : A team of experts comprising researchers from the World Bank Group and University of Birmingham has developed a roadmap to drive the cooling innovations that could help to avoid climate catastrophe, as increasing heat threatens human health and productivity and rising global demand for cooling further raise the planet's temperatures.

Their plan, dubbed the "Cold Road to Paris", calls on governments, industry and the international community to organize and implement a coordinated strategy to drive out greenhouse gas emissions from cooling by 2050 while at the same time providing the cooling services that are needed to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The world is off-track to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement's goal of limiting the rise in global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius while more than 13 new cooling devices are being deployed every second -- making cooling and refrigeration the world's fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.

The world is also off-track to meet the UN's SDGs and adapt to rapidly increasing temperatures due to climate change.

The report, published in time for COP26, calls for radical change. It provides insights into the relationship between cooling and already-agreed upon climate and development goals; presents the barriers, critical step-changes, and solutions needed to accelerate innovation and transformation; proposes aspirational targets and actions for each decade with the aim of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cooling applications by 2050; considers financing solutions; and suggest a framework for governments and the global cooling community to take action.

Report co-author Toby Peters, Professor of Cold Economy at the University of Birmingham, commented: "This report is a very timely and important document for COP 26 to consider. Conventional cooling technologies, such as refrigeration and air conditioning, account for more than seven per cent of GHG emissions and their use is growing rapidly." "The rapid surge in demand for cooling will create a vicious cycle of rising temperatures that increases demand for cooling -- thus boosting GHG emissions and further increasing temperatures. We need radical change in order to provide affordable access to clean cooling for all with minimal climate impact. Piecemeal improvements will not be good enough." Making decarbonisation policy work in practice will depend on deployment of effective novel technologies, such as those developed at the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage (BCES).

These focus on cost-effective, energy-and-resource-efficient thermal energy storage technologies, which fall into three broad categories: sensible heat storage, thermochemical energy storage, and phase change material (PCM)-based latent heat storage.

Another contributor to the report, climate finance and policy specialist Alan Miller, added: "The roadmap and work of the Centre highlight the multiple benefits attainable through sustainable cooling. Replacing Hydrofluorocarbons as called for in an international agreement, the Kigali Amendment, will avoid as much as 0.5C of warming, with additional warming avoided by reductions in power demand."
Kabul, Nov 5 : Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior has called on law enforcement agencies to beef up security measures and improve public order in the capital city of Kabul, an official said here.

In a meeting between a deputy interior minister and Kabul police district chiefs on Thursday, a decision was made to improve public order and deal with iron hand against those breaking the law and order elsewhere in the country, the statement added, Xinhua news agency reported Trust from the people in Kabul city can help the law enforcement agencies win victory in ensuring security and maintaining law and order, said the statement.

The meeting came days after a terrorist attack hit a military hospital in Kabul, in which at least 15 people were killed and several others wounded.
Los Angeles, Nov 5 : Chilean filmmaker Pablo LarraAn, whose movie 'Spencer' on Princess Diana is releasing on Friday, November 5, in the United States, is planning a third biopic centred around the life of a powerful woman.

'Spencer' has Kristen Stewart essaying the lead role and it is being released just ahead of the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in a Paris car crash that ended her life tragically.

It is the second Larrain film based on the life of a universally admired woman. HIs first was the Oscar-nominated 'Jackie' (2016), which had Natalie Portman playing Jacqueline Kennedy.

For an upcoming episode of the 'Variety Awards Circuit Podcast', LarraAn told 'Variety' that his next 'reimagined biopic' would be his last of this particular string of filmmaking, culminating in a trilogy. "I don't want to spend my whole life doing these types of movies," he said. "I love them, but I think it's good to put an end to it." Larrain also ruled out the possibility of his next subject being Britney Spears. He said: "What would be odd is making a movie about someone like Britney Spears, and who will play her? Would she play herself? Would someone else be playing her, and then she would be on set looking at herself played by another person? That operation, I think, is really weird."
Mathura : , Nov 5: (IANS) Nearly 1,589 stolen mobile phones worth over Rs 1.5 crore have been recovered from five people in a joint operation in Mathura district.

The operation was carried out on Thursday night. The phones were among a lot of 8,990 that were looted from a truck on the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border in early October while being transported from a factory in Noida to Bengaluru.

According to the police, the accused travelling in two vehicles were intercepted near Raipura Jat underpass under the Farah police station limits when they were proceeding towards Agra to dispose of the looted mobile phones.

On a tip-off, the operation was carried out jointly by teams of Farah police station, surveillance, SWAT, special operations group (SOG) and special task force (STF).

Superintendent of Police (City) Martand Prakash Singh told reporters that 1,589 stolen mobile phones were recovered and the five accused arrested. The recovered phones are worth Rs 1.5 crores.

The accused have been identified as Rahul a.k.a Aamir Khan of Mathura, and Shahid, Azharuddin, Samir and Ajmal of Nuh district in Haryana.

Earlier, 113 stolen mobile phones worth Rs 11.3 lakh had been recovered from eight accused.
November 05 : Alia Bhatt was all decked up for Diwali on Thursday as shared a bunch of pictures on her Instagram page. In one picture, the Gully Boy actress can be seen with her boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor, in which they can be seen with their arms wrapped around each other, as they looked lovingly into each others eyes.

Alia opted for a purple lehenga, as Ranbir wore a black kurta-pyjama. She also shared several solo pictures of herself posing with a candle and fairy lights. Sharing her solo pictures, Alia wrote, Some light Happy Diwali. She shared the image of herself with Ranbir and wrote, & some love Happy Diwali.

Image Source: Instagram/aliaabhatt Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor hug each other in Diwali post

Fans loved the couples picture together, and showered love on them. Jacqueline Fernandez and Zoya Akhtar were among those who dropped heart emojis on the post. Aww you both I can trade the world for you both, a fan wrote. Another commented, Alexa play Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge Hum Dono. LOVE IT. Get married already, yet another fan wrote.

Image Source: Instagram/aliaabhatt Alia shared solo pictures of herself posing with a candle and fairy lights

Ranbir and Alia have been dating for a few years now. Several reports suggest that the couple are planning to tie the knot this December. However, Alias mom and actor Soni Razdan denied the rumours and said in a recent interview that she is not aware when her daughter Alia and Ranbir will tie the knot. Even I dont know when itll (the wedding) happen. Even Im waiting for some information, she said. Soni further said, Well, theres a lot of time left. Itll happen sometime in the future, and thats a long way off. Now, when itll happen, I dont know.

Ranbir and Alia will soon be seen together in Brahmastra. Helmed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is reportedly a fantasy trilogy. It also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Dimple Kapadia and Mouni Roy, with Shah Rukh Khan reportedly making a special appearance.

Latest updates on Diwali Festival 2021
Guna : , Nov 5 (IANS) Three persons were burnt to death while four others suffered injuries on Friday when their vehicle caught fire after ramming into a stationary tanker near Barkheda in Madhya Pradesh.

Sub Divisional Officer of Police Munish Rajoria said the incident took place when a minibus was going towards Mathura from Indore.

According to police, efforts were made to rescue the passengers but three of them succumbed to their injuries on the spot.

The deceased were identified as Durga (13), Rohit Sharma (19), Madho (20).

The injured were undergoing treatment at a hospital.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : About half of the world's fossil fuel assets will be worthless by 2036 under a net-zero transition, The Guardian reported.

It highlights the risk of producing far more oil and gas than required for future demand, which is estimated to leave $11tn-$14tn in so-called stranded assets -- infrastructure, property and investments where the value has fallen so steeply they must be written off, the report said.

Countries that are slow to decarbonise will suffer but early movers will profit; the study finds that renewables and freed-up investment will more than make up for the losses to the global economy.

The lead author, Jean-Francois Mercure of the University of Exeter, said the shift to clean energy would benefit the world economy overall, but it would need to be handled carefully to prevent regional pockets of misery and possible global instability, the report said.

"In a worst-case scenario, people will keep investing in fossil fuels until suddenly the demand they expected does not materialise and they realise that what they own is worthless. Then we could see a financial crisis on the scale of 2008," he said, warning oil capitals such as Houston could suffer the same fate as Detroit after the decline of the US car industry unless the transition is carefully managed.

The challenge is evident at the ongoing Cop26 climate conference, where some of the nations most at risk of being left with stranded assets -- such as the oil and gas exporters Russia and Brazil -- are likely to try to slow down the transition as they have done at previous climate meetings, while those most likely to gain -- such as the fuel-importing EU -- are pushing for faster action, the report added.

The new paper, published in Nature Energy, illustrates how a drop in demand for oil and gas before 2036 will reshape the geopolitical landscape. Current investment flows and government commitments to reach net zero emissions by 2050 will make renewable energy more efficient, cheaper and stable, while fossil fuels will be hit by more price volatility. Many carbon assets, such as oil or coal reserves, will be left unburned, while machinery will also be stranded and no longer produce value for its owners.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Pakistani officials have reached a tentative understanding with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to seek a broader peace agreement to end nearly two decades of militancy in the country, Dawn reported.

Sources said the "direct, face-to-face" talks between the two sides being held in Afghanistan's south-western Khost province for nearly two weeks had resulted in a tentative understanding to declare a countrywide truce, conditional to the release of some TTP foot soldiers as part of confidence-building measures, the report said.

The interior minister of Afghanistan's Taliban regime, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has been playing a mediating role between Pakistan and the TTP, bringing the two sides under one roof to engage in face-to-face talks, said another source.

It was not immediately clear how many militants in Pakistan's custody would be allowed to go free, but sources said the number was not more than two dozen people. "These are foot soldiers, not senior or mid-level commanders," the sources said. "We are testing the ground. We are cautious," they added.

"The truce will come into effect once the prisoners are released," these sources said, requesting not to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

"The tentative month-long truce shall be extendable, depending on how these negotiations go forward," a source said.

It is not clear who from the Pakistan side is negotiating with the TTP, the report said.

"Talks are being held directly between senior officers and senior TTP leadership. The TTP includes all groups without exception," the source added. "There are several proposals on the table and both sides are working to hammer out a workable solution."
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Former Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has written a letter to FATF President Marcus Pleyer, seeking a probe into India's role in keeping Pakistan on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Dawn reported.

He has also written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan urging him to file a petition in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against FATF's discrimination and continued victimisation of Pakistan.

In his letter to the FATF president, Malik, who is also chairman of the Institute of Research and Reforms, called for investigating the confessional statement of the Indian foreign minister by a special team of FATF to expose the truth.

He said India was behind keeping Pakistan in the grey list, adding FATF was not taking Pakistan out of the grey list due to political pressure and influence by some countries, Dawn reported.

Malik said the confession by the Indian foreign minister had raised a big question on the integrity and transparency of FATF and confirmed the Indian involvement in pushing Pakistan into the grey list, Dawn reported.

"Unfortunately, FATF has not yet moved any action against Indian minister to prove the neutrality of FATF," he said, as per the report.

"Despite clear evidence of involvement in terror financing, money laundering and even in heinous crimes of nuclear proliferation, India is being spared and no legal action is being initiated against it by FATF," the letter added, as per the report.

He noted that some inimical countries were using FATF as a tool to put Pakistan under pressure with ulterior motives.
London, Nov 5 : Using high-energy X-rays, scientists have found how Covid-19 damages even the smallest blood vessels in human lungs.

Scientists from University College London and the European Synchrotron Research Facility (ESRF) used a new revolutionary imaging technology called Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT), to scan donated human organs, including lungs from a Covid-19 donor.

Using HiP-CT, the research team saw how severe Covid-19 infection 'shunts' blood between the two separate systems -- the capillaries which oxygenate the blood and those which feed the lung tissue itself.

Such cross-linking stops the patient's blood from being properly oxygenated, which was previously hypothesised but not proven, said the team in the paper published in the journal Nature Methods.

"By combining our molecular methods with the HiP-CT multiscale imaging in lungs affected by Covid-19 pneumonia, we gained a new understanding how shunting between blood vessels in a lung's two vascular systems occurs in Covid-19 injured lungs, and the impact it has on oxygen levels in our circulatory system," said Danny Jonigk, Professor of Thoracic Pathology, at Hannover Medical School, Germany.

The HiP-CT technique provides the brightest source of X-rays in the world at 100 billion times brighter than a hospital X-ray.

Due to this intense brilliance, researchers can view blood vessels five microns in diametre (a tenth of the diametre of a hair) in an intact human lung, whereas a clinical CT scan only resolves blood vessels that are about 100 times larger, around 1mm in diametre.

The UCL-led team is now planning to use HiP-CT to produce a Human Organ Atlas. This will display six donated control organs: brain, lung, heart, two kidneys and a spleen, and the lung of a patient who died of Covid-19. There will also be a control lung biopsy and a Covid-19 lung biopsy. The Atlas will be available online for surgeons, clinicians and the interested public.

The researchers believe that the scale-bridging imaging from whole organ down to cellular level could provide additional insights into many diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer's Disease.
Mumbai, Nov 5 : Action star Akshay Kumar has revealed why his latest release 'Sooryavanshi' is special to him in more ways than one.

Akshay on Thursday shared a still from the film, which is directed by Rohit Shetty.

Sharing details about what makes this movie so special to him, Akshay wrote: "I've done a lot of action in my career...hanging from helicopters, jumping across buildings, crazy bike chases. 'Sooryavanshi' is special to me in more ways than one, it is my ode to that old-school action but on a grander scale." 'Sooryavanshi' marks the fourth instalment of filmmaker Shetty's cop universe after 'Singham' franchise and 'Simmba'.

The film stars Akshay as Anti-Terrorism Squad chief DCP Veer Sooryavanshi and also features Katrina Kaif and Jackie Shroff.

The film revolves around Veer Sooryavanshi, the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad and his team who join forces with Inspector Sangram Bhalerao and DCP Bajirao Singham to stop a terrorist group planning to attack Mumbai.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Nov 5 : This festive season as we step closer to a COVID free world, it is time to celebrate the wonderful season with joy, light and all things bright! To help you achieve your best makeup looks for the festivities, Taapsee Pannu shares her top 6 picks from SUGAR Cosmetics that is a must-have for not only every makeup aficionado but every woman who believes in being confident and living beyond societal approvals.

SUGAR Cosmetics is one of the fastest-growing premium beauty brands of the country launched their latest campaign coined as #BoldAndFree featuring actress, Pannu last month.

Arch Arrival Brow Pen Score the ultimate brow goals with with- The Arch Arrival Brow Pen! Your messiah for full, thick, fluffy-looking and stunning brows, this brow pen with a three-pronged tip applicator mimics natural brow hair. This smear-free formula fills, lines and adds dimension to your brows instantly. The super-pigmented formula glides on and blends with ease - no tugging whatsoever! MRP: Rs 499

Eye Warned You So! Double Matte Eyeliner

An intensely pigmented liquid eyeliner with 17+ hour, moisture-resistant wear. With a highly precise application and an ultra-matte finish, the EYE Warned You So! Double Matte Eyeliner is available in 4 bold shades and is perfect for any eye makeup style.

MRP: Rs 699 Ace Of Face Foundation Stick

Make dreamy skin a reality in one simple step with the Ace Of Face Foundation Stick. Lightweight, creamy and beyond easy to blend, its long-wearing formula offers coverage that not just looks but also feels like a second skin. This handy stick blurs away enlarged pores, fine lines, dark circles, blemishes and more...so there's really no excuse left for you to flaunt anything less than picture-perfect skin.

MRP: Rs 999 Matte As Hell Crayon Lipstick

If excellent coverage and high colour pay-off is what gets you going, you will absolutely love the Matte As Hell Crayon Lipstick ! Available in 36 gorgeous shades, these crayons are apt to suit your taste and ever-changing mood! Super long-lasting and highly pigmented so you don't have to worry about constant re-application, this must-have crayon lipstick has a soft texture with a silky matte finish.

MRP: Rs 799 Contour De Force Face Palette

Look runway-ready in just a few swipes with Contour De Force Face Palette that houses a power-packed trio of a matte bronzer, a radiant highlighter and a dreamy blush. Step up your beauty game by experimenting with the highlighter to stay in the spotlight, the bronzer for an enhanced tan and the contour for a defined, sculpted look. Don't think twice, pick any one of the 3 variants! MRP: Rs 799

Grand Finale Highlighting Setting Mist

It's time to bid a farewell to melt and moving makeup and welcome a one-stop solution for all your Makeup setting needs. The Finale Setting Mist is here to lock and seal your makeup! MRP: Rs 699

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lucknow, Nov 5 : Morning walkers in Lucknow on Friday complained of burning sensation in eyes and breathing problems.

The AQI level in the state capital was found to be 302 which comes in the 'very poor' category.

People in Lucknow had a blast on Thursday night to mark Diwali festivities.

All concerns and cautions were thrown to the wind and the deafening sound of cracker-bombs continued till the early hours of Friday.

Dr Pratap Singh, a private medical practitioner, said, "I have received at least five calls from my patients complaining of burning sensation in the eyes and respiratory issues. This is because of the smoke emission from crackers and increased pollutants in the air. I would advise everyone to avoid morning walks for at least three days till the air clears up." Satish Kumar Agarwal, a septuagenarian, who walks in the Lohia Park daily, said that he returned home early on Friday because he started feeling uneasy after about 20 minutes.

"Everyone was worried but my daughter called up our doctor and he said it was due to pollution. In our colony, people burst so many crackers on Thursday that visibility became very poor at night," he said.

Police officials said that though they had tried to convince people not to use crackers but no one was willing to listen.

"They behaved like wild animals let loose. Everyone seemed determined to blow up the Covid blues on Diwali," said a senior police official.

Latest updates on Diwali Festival 2021
New Delhi, Nov 5 : The Rajya Sabha has asked its members to settle their air travel bills at earliest to clear the dues of Air India.

The Upper House's Secretariat in its letter to the members said that 'Air India has stopped extending credit facility for purchase of air tickets against exchange orders which was in practice in the past'.

"Members are requested to submit their travel allowance claims in the prescribed form along with original air tickets and boarding passes purchased against the exchange orders already issued either by the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha Secretariat for the purpose of attending Committee meetings, tours should be submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their settlement and clearing of Air India's dues at the earliest," the letter reads.

The RS communication also said that the air tickets from Air India may be purchased in cash till further instructions.

The Centre has disinvested the state owned Air India to Tata Sons and the process of handing over and clearance of dues are under process.

The Finance Ministry on October 27, 2021, wrote a letter to all union ministries and departments, directing them to clear all their dues towards Air India immediately, stating that the debt ridden national carrier was taken over by the Tata Sons in an open bid held recently. "All the dues must be cleared by all ministries and departments before the handing over process of the airlines gets completed.' the Ministry added.

ItA also informed the credit facility was stopped by the Tata Sons, hence the ticket must be purchased in cash from now onwards till further instructions..

AIn July 2009, the Department of Expenditure under the Finance Ministry had instructed government officials that the air travels for both domestic and international routes, including Leave Travel Concession (LTC) which is paid by the central government, would fly only on Air India
San Francisco, Nov 5 : Tech giant Google is preparing to beta test new search filters in Google Drive, which will hopefully make it easier to find the exact file you are looking for.

Dubbed "search chips," the feature adds a line of filters to the top of the Drive interface, letting you limit your search by things like file type, last modification date, or which other users are associated with a specific file, The Verge reported on Thursday.

Google Drive already has some search filtering options, but they are relatively basic and hidden in a sub-menu in the search bar, the report said.

In contrast, the new search chips are presented front and centre, and they look set to offer a wider range of filtering options. A similar feature was introduced in Gmail early last year.

For users who would like to try out the new Drive search chips beta, Google is directing interested users toward this sign-up form.

Search chips will eventually be available to all Google Workspace users, including G Suite Basic and Business customers, as per the report.

Recently, Google has announced the general availability of offline viewing for all file types in Google Drive on the web.

The new feature lets you access PDFs, images, Microsoft Office documents and other non-Google files even without an internet connection.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : The festival of lights turned into a bitter memory for teachers of the Delhi government funded DU colleges as they are yet to get their salaries.

According to Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), this Diwali was "Black" as teachers have not received salary for the past five months.

The professors have appealed to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to take strict and decisive action in relation to the 12 Delhi University colleges concerned.

They have also appealed to the UGC to take over these colleges.

DUTA president Rajib Ray said the Delhi government and administration have been reminded time and again about the plight of teachers and other staff, but despite repeated protests and reminders, no action has been taken so far.

DUTA Secretary Rajinder Singh said that teachers in these colleges have not received salaries for the past five months and the "delay" in the release of grants by the Delhi government is "condemnable and shameful".

He said, "Non-payment of salaries for months is an attack on basic human right of the teachers." The teachers say that protests organised by DUTA and a letter shot off to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to change the situation.

The festive season is an occasion for joy and gaiety, but it seems that the Delhi government is not worried about the plight of the helpless employees, Singh claimed.

Rajib Ray said that on October 20, DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh was apprised of the issue and his immediate intervention was sought, but nothing came out of it.

Ray said that there are a lot of irregularities in the Delhi government-funded colleges, and there are no rules about the release of grants.

Considering the plight of the teachers and students, the UGC should take over these colleges, he urged.

Latest updates on Diwali Festival 2021
Dharamsala, Nov 5 : Mayor-elect Aftab Pureval, the son of a Tibetan mother and an Indian father, has been appointed the first Tibetan-American to this post in the history of Cincinnati city in Ohio.

Elated over his election, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Penpa Tsering on Friday tweeted, "Immensely proud to congratulate @AftabPureval, the first-ever Tibetan-origin mayor in the US history.

"This historic win reflects your exceptional journey of perseverance and unwavering courage. As the son of Tibetan refugee, your achievement is an inspiration to Tibetans everywhere." After being elected, Pureval said, "Words can't express how honoured and excited I am to be the next Mayor of Cincinnati". "Tonight, we made history! Let's get to work!" Pureval was elected as Cincinnati's 70th Mayor on November 2. As Mayor, Aftab will rebuild the economy to make sure prosperity is shared in every corner of the city, according to mayorelectaftab.com.

He'll reform the police department and invest in public safety so every neighbourhood is safe. And he'll create more affordable housing and improve public transportation, it adds.
Mumbai, Nov 5 : As directed by the Bombay High Court, Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant on Friday visited the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to mark their weekly 3-hour attendance with the probe agency.

The trio arrived separately and were whisked off inside the NCB office where top officials were also present.

This was Aryan Khan's first foray into public view, a week since he got bail on October 29, but could manage to walk out of Arthur Road Central Jail only on October 30 -- after spending 29 nights away from his home.

While granting conditional bail to the trio, the Bombay High Court had stipulated, among several other things, that they must visit the NCB office every Friday between 11 a.m.- 2 p.m., deposit their passports and not leave Mumbai or India without prior permission.

The young trio was among the earliest detained with five other accused after the NCB's sensational raid on the luxury ship Cordelia Cruise on October 2, and all eight were arrested on October 3.

In the subsequent investigations into the alleged cruise rave party, the NCB arrested 12 more, including a couple of foreign nationals, and a majority are now out on bail.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Pan Macmillan India said on Friday it would comply with a Bombay High Court order restraining the publication of Vijaypat Singhania's book 'An Incomplete Life' and would seek legal advice on the remedies available to it.

"On the evening of 4 November 2021, the Bombay High Court restrained Pan Macmillan India from publication, sale and distribution of the book titled An Incomplete Life by Vijaypat Singhania. An intimation and a copy of the High Court's order have been sent to us and we have taken immediate steps to comply with the order," the publisher said in a statement.

"We want to clarify that Pan Macmillan India was not party to any proceedings in the Thane district court in 2019 between Raymond and the author's previous publishers. As such, we were also not made aware of any injunction by the sessions court at Thane regarding any prior version of the book.

"The contents of the manuscript submitted to us were vetted by a legal expert and we believe the book published by us to not be defamatory.

"While we are fully complying with the order of 4 November 2021 passed by the Honourable High Court, we are seeking legal advice as to the remedies available to Pan Macmillan India," the statement said.
Dharamsala, Nov 5 : Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Penpa Tsering has apprised Swiss National Council members in Bern about the brutal policies being practiced by China inside Tibet and its destructive impacts on Tibetan religion, culture, language, and identity.

Urging the Swiss parliamentarians to raise the issue of Tibet, Tsering said Tibet has never been a part of China historically and the issue of Tibet's environment and human rights is a matter of morality, not politics.

He further discussed future plans and activities to amplify the Tibetan movement and the just cause of the Tibetan people.

Swiss National Council member Nicolas Walder informed the CTA President about the Swiss Parliamentary Support group for Tibet and its current strength of 20 members.

He expressed his pleasure at meeting Tsering and said he is optimistic that the parliamentary support group for Tibet will get bigger with more members in the future.

The meeting between the Tsering and Swiss Parliamentarians was organised by the Swiss-Tibetan Friendship Association. The Swiss-Tibetan Friendship Association was established in 1983 to inform the Swiss public about the grim political and human rights situation inside Tibet and to counter the Chinese government's propaganda.
Sharjah, Nov 5 : India's top book publishers and distributors have expressed a huge sigh of relief at being able to return to on-ground events and activations.

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), several of them said that they were happy to be travelling again and interacting with people after travel restrictions around the world eased over the recent weeks.

Kanchan Wanchoo Sharma, who heads public relations and international exhibitions at National Book Trust (NBT), India, an apex body established in 1957 to encourage and promote books and reading under India's Ministry of Education, said it was refreshing to be able to do business like in pre-Covid times. "The Frankfurt book fair that we attended last month was more of a B2B (business-to-business) event. So this fair is our first big global event in that sense since the pandemic struck us and it means a lot for us," explained Sharma, who is also the training and promotional activities editor at NBT that's showcasing some 200 titles over 11 days at the ongoing SIBF.

Dr Aman Puri, the Consul-General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, during his official visit on Wednesday, November 3 to inaugurate the India corner at Sharjah Expo Centre's hall number 7 where NBT is exhibiting along with some 30 other top Indian publishers, said he was ecstatic to see the huge presence of Indian publishers at the festival. "I am delighted to see such an emphatic participation (by Indian publishers) at such an important international platform," he said while touring the NBT stall.

Almost every top private or government publisher from India was forced to give the SIBF, the region's top literary event and amongst the world's most reputed, a miss last year owing to the then on-going travel restrictions due to Covid-19. So the sentiments remain the same for all of them.

"This is one of the biggest annual book festivals in the world, alongside the ones in Frankfurt and London, but for us this is the first big event we are attending this year after flight restrictions began easing globally. So that should tell you why attending this event was so crucial for us. I see it as a start of our return to normalcy for us and our industry at large," said Maruf Alam, Business Manager of Publications Division, a Government of India (GoI) undertaking that functions as a division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), publishing books in Hindi, English and other regional languages, with a focus on Gandhian literature and Mahatma Gandhi's collected works.

It's the same story for CAPEXIL, another Government of India (GoI) undertaking, attending this year's SIBF. The New Delhi-headquartered Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council, a not-for-profit body run by India's Ministry of Commerce to promote trade and export, has funded half the cost incurred by book publishers every year to travel from India and set up stalls at SIBF. They are back this year too with as many as 23 exhibitors, just like every year. "That used to be the average number of stalls we facilitated every year until Covid-19 hit us hard. We couldn't participate last year for obvious reasons but it's business as usual again and we are relieved," said Sunil Kumar, the deputy director of CAPEXIL that's flown some of India's most reputed publishers to this year's SIBF including reputed names like Amar Chitra Katha, DC Books, Harper Collins India, Kairali Books and Penguin Random House.

Now in its 40th year, the festival is being held at the Sharjah Expo Centre in UAE by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) until November 13.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : More than 15.54 crore balance and unutilized Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, said Union Health Ministry on Friday.

The exact number of unutilized Covid vaccine doses available with states stand at 15,54,54,451.

Over 116.50 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and UTs so far through Govt of India free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category, said the Union Health Ministry.

As per the health ministry report, a total of 5,65,276 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours. India's mass vaccination coverage has exceeded 107.70 crore and stands at 1,07,70,46,116 as per provisional report till 7 a.m. on Friday. This has been achieved through 1,08,69,517 sessions.

The Healthcare Workers have got a total of 1,03,79,485 first dose of vaccines and 92,51,816 as second dose. The Frontline Workers have been administered a total of 1,83,72,277 vaccines as the first dose and 1,60,01,188 as the second dose.

Among the age group of 18-44 years, total 42,28,21,083 shots of first dose and 14,80,13,602 of second dose have been administered so far, as per the health ministry report. A total of 17,59,50,688 vaccines as the first dose and 9,82,24,169 vaccines as the second dose have been administered to the age group of 45-59 so far, said the health ministry on Friday morning.

However, among the elderly population of over 60 years, total 11,03,79,297 shots of first doses and 6,76,52,511 of second doses have been administered so far, said the health ministry.

Meanwhile, India continues to report declining trends in daily Covid caseload. India registered 12,729 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. In the same period, 221 new fatalities were reported, which increased the death toll to 4,49,873.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Joblessness is the top concern of Urban Indians in October 2021 while global citizens are more worried about poverty and social inequality, Ipsos What Worries the World global monthly survey has said.

According to the survey, unlike earlier, concern around Covid-19 has receded both for global citizens and Urban Indians. It sat on top as the top worry of global citizens (28 markets including India) for 18 months.

Among the Indians, the urban citizens are more concerned about unemployment (42 per cent), coronavirus (35 ), financial & political corruption (30 per cent), poverty and social inequality (26 per cent), crime and violence (24 per cent), education (20 per cent),among others.

For global citizens, the top concerns included, poverty and social inequality (33 per cent), unemployment (30 per cent), coronavirus (29 per cent), financial and political corruption (29 per cent), crime and violence (27 per cent), etc.

"Our biggest issue is of joblessness and it remains a major area of concern for most Urban Indians. Job creation and job openings need to keep pace with expectations. Right now, there is a disconnect. But there is this happy tiding in the form of worry around the coronavirus receding which could lead to more return to normalcy and for the job market to look up. Graft and social inequality are other concerns for citizens," said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.

The survey shows that the majority of Urban Indians (68 per cent) believe India is moving in the right direction. India is second in pecking order in optimism, Saudi Arabia remains most optimistic (83 per cent).

Global citizens stay circumspect with 64 per cent believing their country is on the wrong track. And the markets most downbeat were Colombia (90 per cent), Peru (83 per cent) and Argentina (82%).

"The biggest upside of Urban Indians is their never say die attitude. Despite the worries and hardships, they always believe the tide will turn, and it does. They do not give up mid way," added Adarkar.

Ipsos' What Worries the World survey is conducted in 28 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system.

A total of 21,516 online interviews were conducted between September 24 to October 8 among adults aged 18-74 in the US, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and Canada and age 16-74 in all other countries. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Nov 5 : The Teachers Union of Tamil Nadu has sought immediate withdrawal of a recent circular issued by the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) that requires various department heads to provide prior information on the seminars and lecture series they plan to conduct.

The move is being opposed by teachers' union of Madurai Kamaraj University (MSU), Mother Teresa and Alagappa University (MUTA).

MSU Vice-Chancellor Dr Pitchumani had issued a circular on October 28, asking the department heads to provide information on the subjects and the lecture series to be held by them. The circular also called upon the department heads to provide information on the speakers as well as their backgrounds.

The Circular read, "For conducting seminar, conference or workshop, respective departments must take permission in advance. The note/order must have the model invitation, details of the resource person/speaker and other information. This must be adhered to scrupulously." This was following the protests from Hindu Munnani and ABVP against a programme titled "Periyar and Islam" organised by the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in association with the Department of Sociology at MSU on October 27, Wednesday. Hindu Munnani and ABVP activists had tried to barge into the campus to protest against holding such a seminar at MSU.

The Hindu Munnani activists, led by its state secretary K. Kutralanathan, had demanded cancellation of the seminar alleging that some anti-nationals were using the platform of the university to spread their ideologies.

The seminar which was addressed by Dr Samuel Asir Raj of the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy and Riyaz Ahamed, Editor of Puthiya Vidyal magazine had to be wrapped up within an hour of the start amid protests.

Teachers' union and academics said that the University circular was against the freedom of expression and that even the University Grant Commission (UGC) has given freedom to conduct lecture series in respective subjects.

Head of Department of a college while speaking to IANS said, "This circular must be withdrawn immediately and the state government must direct the University to withdraw it. This robs the university of autonomy and intellectual freedom." MUTA general secretary M. Natarajan demanded that the circular be withdrawn immediately and that the University will have to face a series of protests if it is not withdrawn. The teachers union leader said that a university will have diverse views and expecting teachers and academics to toe its intellectual line was totally against the freedom of expression avowed in academic centres and universities.

Dr Pitchumani, however, said that issuing circulars are part of the administrative process and said that getting prior information on subjects that are included in seminars and workshops would help the University take necessary precaution.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : The latest resurgence of Covid-19 in China has shown a tendency of spreading among schools, affecting students and kindergarten children, as at least four places have detected outbreaks related to schools and kindergartens, Global Times reported.

New local infections in border city Heihe, Heilongjiang Province, have remained high over the past few days and hit a record of 44 cases.

The cumulative number of confirmed domestically transmitted cases in the province reached 189, of which 184 were from Heihe.

At least 20 confirmed cases in Heihe have some relation with schools and kindergartens, affecting at least one primary school and two kindergartens. A local university -- Heihe College -- was closed after 10 close contacts were found, local authorities said.

Two sites of outbreaks in Hebei Province -- Xinji and Shenze -- were also found to have been related to schools and kindergartens. On Wednesday, Hebei found 23 new confirmed cases, 20 from Shenze county and the other three from Xinji.

Students were among the 20 confirmed cases in Shenze, with the youngest said to be 2 years old. The other three from Xinji were all 11-year-old students at an elementary school.

Gansu, which reported at least 12 confirmed cases among students, suspended in-person classes in 10,818 schools and kindergartens - 62 percent of the total local schools. The move affected 2.84 million students and 250,000 teachers.

All universities in Gansu will be under closed-loop management.

Beijing's Chaoyang district also suspended classes at 18 schools after outbreaks of confirmed cases recently.

Zhang Yuexin, an expert on epidemic prevention and control, told the Global Times on Thursday that epidemic resurgences relating to schools should draw greater attention because infections of students could easily lead to transmission among communities. As young people have relatively lower vaccination rates, they could be naturally more vulnerable to the virus.
Kohima, Nov 5 : To create employment and to stop unscientific farming of crops, Nagaland has taken up coffee cultivation in a big way with a target to expand its farming to 50,000 hectares by 2030 from the existing 10,000 hectares, Agriculture Production Commissioner Y. Kikheto Sema said on Friday.

Sema said that the hills of Nagaland are now growing organic coffee, which is not only being sold locally but exported to the international markets.

He said that coffee was introduced to the farmers of Nagaland in the 1980s but lack of market linkages and other factors forced the farmers to give up the cultivation.

The Land Resources Department headed by Sema in 2016 again decided to revive coffee cultivation and learn about the new varieties of coffee seeds, how to plant and grow them in the cool and hilly climate of Nagaland.

"Nagaland currently cultivates coffee in nearly 10,000 hectares of land and it is taking steps to expand it to 50,000 hectares by 2030. The land resource department has exported 27.5 metric tonnes of coffee to a South African company, which earlier signed an agreement to buy Nagaland coffee for 30 years," he said.

Sema said: "Our aim is to generate at least one lakh jobs as Nagaland lacks industrial activities. Another aim is to prevent the impact of climate change by encouraging farmers to give up (slash and burn method of farming) cultivation and switch over to coffee." Nagaland Chief Secretary J. Alam accompanied by Sema and other officials on Thursday visited KAAS Coffee farm at Sendenyu village in Kohima.

The Chief Secretary said that the government could not focus on many developmental activities during the Covid-19 pandemic but learned how much the state is dependent on the outside world and how much requirement is there for the state to be self-dependent in terms of economic needs.

Alam stressed that the government employment has reached its saturation point, therefore the youths have to find and invest in other avenues, and coffee being a very promising crop, he urged the youths to take up these kind of activities which are labour intensive and provide sustainable income, an official statement said.

The Chief Secretary said: "Potential has always been there, and we are blessed with very fertile land and huge resources. For the last decades we have been experimenting in different land based activities for viable crops, unfortunately it failed because substantial activities were not taken into consideration." The Kebentsin Agri and Allied Cooperative Society (KAAS) coffee farm at Sendenyu village was started in 2015 on 25-26 hectares of land.

The total number of coffee plants within the farm at present is around 80,000.
Gurugram, Nov 5 : Two persons were shot dead while four suffered wounds after armed assailants opened fire at family of a former Sarpanch, who died three years ago, at Kasan village in Gurugram.

Personal enmity is said to be the reason behind the incident that occurred on November 4, police said.

The police said that two of the victims were involved in a murder in 2007 and were out on bail.

Complainant Rajesh Kumar said Yogender alias Rinku of Kasan village, Deepak alias Bholu of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Manish Rana of Bhiwani, Amit alias Gaath of Sonipat and a few other assailants barged into the house of former Sarpanch Gopal at around 8 p.m. and opened indiscriminate firing.

Rajesh Kumar told the police that he along with his nephews Balram and Sohanpal and Praveen, cousin brother of Balram, were inside the house, while his son Vikas Raghav and Balram's eight-year-old son Yash Chauhan were celebrating Diwali in the lawn when the attack took place.

"The assailants entered the house and opened fire on us. Vikas received several bullet wounds and after we raised an alarm, all the armed criminals fled the spot," he said.

"Vikas was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared brought dead by the doctors," the complainant told the police. One person died on the spot.

"Search is on to nab the absconding criminals," said Veer Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Pataudi.

The deceased have been identified as Vikas (21) and Sohanpal (35).

Sohanpal was the son of Gopal. His brother Balram was also injured in the attack and is under treatment at a private hospital. Rajesh is the third person to be injured.

The condition of Praveen is said to be critical while Yash Chauhan is out of danger.

Singh said Balram and Sohanpal were "involved" in the murder of Manoj, brother of the prime accused Yogender alias Rinku on Holi in 2007, and the attack could be connected to it.
Srinagar, Nov 5 : A group of terrorists escaped after a brief exchange of fire with security forces at SKIMS hospital in Srinagar district on Friday, officials said.

"There was a brief firefight between terrorists and security forces at SKIMS Hospital, Bemina. Terrorists managed to escape taking advantage of civilian presence," police said.

Additional police parties have reached the spot. The area has been cordoned off and an operation has been started to nab the fleeing terrorists.
Mumbai, Nov 5 : Director Vikash Verma's 'No Means No's release date has been postponed as the director feels that this was not the right time to release this movie. Earlier the director had planned to release it by November 5. But now looking at the scenario he postponed the date.

He says: "This is not the right time for an international movie like 'No Means No', a simultaneous worldwide release is not possible when most borders are sealed and tourists subjected to mandatory quarantine in anticipation, and uncertainty of a third wave." "Cinemas have 50 per cent occupancy and single-screen theatres are not prepared. Even in Public Transport, only fully vaccinated people are allowed, when many still have only the first dose. This makes us vulnerable, and I don't want to take any risk with my audience. So, June 2022 will be the perfect time, where total safety can be ensured." The Indo-Polish film 'No Means No' is mainly shot in Poland. It features Dhruv Verma, Gulshan Grover, Sharad Kapoor, Deepraj Rana, Neetu Chandra and some new faces like Kat Kristan and Anna Adore. Well known Polish actor Anna Guzik, and others like Natalia Bak, Sylwia Czech, Jerzy Handzlik, and Pawel Czech will also be seen in the movie.

'No Means No' will be released on June 17, 2022.
Patna, Nov 5 : With three more succumbing, the death toll in Bihar's Bettiah hooch tragedy rose to 12 on Friday, police said.

Nine persons had died on Diwali morning after consuming spurious liquor the previous night.

The victims belonged to South Telahua village under Nautan police station.

Following the incident, DIG of Champaran range Pranav Kumar, suspended the SHO and a 'chowkidar' of Nautan police station.

"Strict action will be taken against the negligent officials and those involved in manufacturing and selling spurious liquor in the region," Pranav Kumar said.

State Liquor Prohibition Minister Sunil Kumar said, "Bihar has lost 40 people to spurious liquor this year. Strong measures are being taken to prevent such incidents." "The liquor prohibition department and the district police have seized 187 lakh litres of liquor. As many as 700 police personnel were terminated from service and over 3 lakh persons involved in liquor consumption, trade and transportation in the state arrested," Sunil Kumar said.

Ten people have died in Gopalganj due to poisonous liquor since Tuesday evening. Gopalganj Superintendent of Police Anand Kumar suspended the SHO of Mohammadpur police station and a 'chowkidar' following the incident on Friday.

"We have suspended Shashi Ranjan, the SHO of Mohammadpur police station and a 'chowkidar' for their callous attitude, which led to a large number of deaths in three villages -- Mohammadpur, Kushar and Tuhra Tola -- that came under their jurisdiction," Anand Kumar said.

The villagers had consumed poisonous liquor on Tuesday evening and fell ill. While ten of them have died during the last three days, seven others are critically ill.

Four of them have lost their eyesight and are undergoing treatment in Gopalganj and Motihari hospitals.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have accused the Nitish Kumar government of hiding the actual death toll.

Since January, around 90 persons have died due to poisonous liquor in Bihar. Action against SHO and chowkidar are just an eyewash, they alleged.
Srinagar, Nov 5 : Denial of air space by Pakistan won't affect direct flights between Srinagar and Sharjah, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Raina said flights will continue between Srinagar and Sharjah, the only difference will be that they will take a longer route.

"Some days ago Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Srinagar and inaugurated direct flight between Srinagar and Sharjah, but it is extremely disappointing that Pakistan has closed its airspace proving it is the biggest enemy of people of Kashmir," Raina said.

"Flight operations will continue. Flights will not use Pakistan's airspace but take a longer route - from Srinagar to Delhi, Delhi to Mumbai and Mumbai to Sharjah. But Pakistan's actions and intentions have become clear before the world." Pakistan has not allowed the use of its airspace for the Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 23.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : The Income Tax Department has carried out search and seizure operations in the cases of persons engaged in the business of processing and trading of dry fruits.

The department said that during the search operations conducted on October 28, many incriminating documents including digital evidence were found and seized indicating that the assessee group has been inflating purchases of dry fruits exorbitantly over the years. Seized evidences also support the fact that unaccounted cash has been received back by the directors of the group against payment made for such purchases.

Evidence was also unearthed that one of the assessees was maintaining a parallel set of books of accounts and there was a huge difference between the sales and purchases recorded in both the sets of books of accounts.

One of the groups is also indulging in unaccounted purchases and sales of dry fruits. Excess stock to the tune of Rs 40 crore has been found. The analysis of seized material and evidence collected reveals that one of the groups is also running a 'benami' proprietary concern.

In both the groups, the claim of deduction under section 80IB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been found to be not genuine and is estimated to be around Rs 30 crore, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The search action has resulted in seizure of unaccounted cash of Rs 63 lakh and jewellery of Rs 2 crore. Fourteen bank lockers have been placed under restraint. The search action has led to the detection of unaccounted income exceeding Rs 200 crore. Further investigations are in progress.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Shopping app installs on India's app stores reached 113 million downloads in October 2021, at the height of the shopping season in the country.

Although 2020 brought a surge in online shopping, the pace has slowed in 2021, reports Sensor Tower.

Shopping app installs on India's app stores reached over 80 million in July 2021 with the Indian social e-commerce company, Meesho, contributing more than 12 million.

This was the first time the category had reached this threshold since October 2020 at the height of the shopping season in India, building momentum for a record-setting festive season in 2021.

Average Monthly Active Users (MAU) among the top 10 shopping apps were up roughly 40 per cent by Q2 2021 versus Q1 2019 in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Average MAUs in Indonesia also showed steady growth when comparing the two same periods. Meanwhile, the average MAUs among the top apps in India declined in Q3 2020 due to the removal of Club Factory during the previous quarter.

In Southeast Asia, monthly shopping category downloads spiked temporarily in April 2020. However, they have since declined and normalised near 2019 levels.

Indonesia has maintained its position as the largest market for shopping app installs in the region, while Vietnam had the highest year-over-year growth in July 2021.
Chandigarh, Nov 5 : Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said he has taken back his resignation from the post.

"I will continue to serve as state chief," said Sidhu, who had announced he was stepping down on September 28.

At a press conference here, he said he would resume work in office the day a new Advocate General is appointed and the panel on the new DGP is received.

His announcement comes days after Advocate General A.P.S. Deol resigned from his position and the Punjab government has sent a list of 10 names to the Union Public Service Commission for appointment of the Director General of Police.

Sidhu said: "Posts do not matter when you are on the path of truth".

Appointed the state chief on July 19, Sidhu resigned minutes after allocation of portfolios to ministers in the new government headed by Charanjit Channi who succeeded Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister.

In his resignation letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu wrote: "The collapse of man's character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress." One of the reasons behind Sidhu's resignation was the Congress government was appointing Deol as its Advocate General. This led to the government coming under fire from the Opposition, as Deol was till recently counsel for former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, the police chief during the incidents of sacrilege and police firing on protesters.

Sidhu told the media that the Advocate General and the DGP were two important officers to take the issues of Bargari sacrilege and drugs to a logical conclusion.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Nov 5 : The Chennai police have registered 758 cases for violating the Supreme Court order while bursting crackers during Diwali celebrations.

The police arrested the violators and charged them under Section 284 (negligence to endanger human life or likely to cause hurt or injury to any person) of the Indian Penal Code. They were later released on bail.

The Tamil Nadu government had issued guidelines to burst crackers from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. during Diwali celebrations. However, people burst crackers without sticking to any time frame throughout the day and at night also.

In Chennai city and surrounding areas like Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram firecrackers were burst throughout the day. After receiving complaints from local residents police took action and registered cases against those who burst firecrackers without adhering to any time frame.

A police officer told IANS, "People have to understand why the government and police have given a time frame to burst crackers. If they are not listening to our request, then we will have to take action and as a first step, we have charged 758 people under Section 284 which is a bailable offence.

Meanwhile, 20 people were admitted to various hospitals in Chennai following minor burn injuries during bursting of crackers.

The fire control rooms across Tamil Nadu received 169 distress calls. Fire and rescue personnel were deployed in places where there were emergencies.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, Nov 5 : Veteran actor K.K. Raina is back on the digital medium with his new show 'The Reunion - Chal Chalein Apne Ghar' where he plays the character of a widower, who tries to adjust to the changing world and his family's dysfunctionality.

The actor, who has delivered memorable performances over the years in cinematic gems like 'Ek Ruka Hua Faisla', 'Party', 'Aghaat, 'Ardh Satya' and many more, is an alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD), where he trained under the legendary Ebrahim Alkazi, the man who is credited with changing the Indian theatre scene forever.

Raina recently spoke with IANS where he shared the role of his guru in his life, he said, "Alkazi sir has been everything in my life. I come from a small town in Kashmir. I wanted to become an actor but did not know what actually an actor requires to do. More than what he taught us inside the classes, his teachings on life are something that I still hold close to my heart, small things like how an actor should dress up and carry themselves." "He used to have a very personal connection with his students. Alkazi sir was the only teacher who used to visit the boys' hostel in NSD and observe how we kept things or how students used to live in their rooms. He would then tell us to keep our things in an orderly fashion and the importance of cleanliness," he added.

Talking about his professional and creative learnings from his guru, the actor further said, "He taught me how to read a script from the perspective of an actor. He was very good at talking, he could talk about anything under the sun from world literature, paintings (he was a painter himself) or theatre. These conversations enriched us enormously. He always used to say that I can show you the road but it's you who has to walk down the path." "Whenever I get stuck somewhere as an actor or as a director when I direct I always remember him and the parts from there it becomes easier. If I start talking about his contributions to my life it would take years together to sum up the topic," Raina concluded.
Chennai, Nov 5 : Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan who is leading a team of ministers and legislators from the state to the Mullaperiyar dam site has said that the state is for raising the water level in the dam to 152 feet.

The opposition AIADMK has been alleging that the DMK led government in the state was eating out of the hands of Kerala and that water was released from the dam to suit Kerala. The AIADMK said that water being released will affect the farmers of Tamil Nadu, especially in the five agrarian districts of the state.

The statement of Duraimurugan, who was speaking to reporters after visiting the dam, has not gone down well in Kerala. Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Idukki constituency Dean Kuriakose came out strongly against the TN minister's statement.

Kuriakose told IANS," The Supreme Court and the supervisory committee appointed by the Supreme Court has fixed the water level at 142 feet but Kerala is not acceptable to even that height and the Tamil Nadu water resources minister making such a statement cannot be allowed." The Tamil Nadu government is in a fix after the AIADMK came out against the government and openly stated that the DMK had sold the interests of the state to Kerala. The AIADMK also announced protest marches and agitations in five southern districts to resolve the Mullaperiyar issue.

The statement of the minister that TN wants the water level in Mullaperiyar to be kept at a height of 152 m is seen by many analysts as a political statement against the AIADMK and to quell the allegations against the DMK government that it had sold out the state's interests to Kerala.
Bengaluru, Nov 5 : The Karnataka government on Friday lifted the night curfew between 10 p.m and 5 a.m. as the Covid-19 cases witnessed a decline in the state.

The government has allowed horse racing in the state.

With the lifting of these curbs, the state is now free from Covid-19 restrictions. However, strict vigilance will continue in the border districts on the movement of people especially from Kerala.

The government has ordered the reopening of Anganawadis and UKG, LKG classes from November 8.

Taking a serious view of the gathering of people in large numbers in Bengaluru recently following the death of Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, it has decided to ramp up Covid testing.

Chief Secretary P Ravikumar has issued orders for lifting night curfew and allowing horse racing. The order calls for stricter implementation of Covid guidelines and entry only to persons who have taken both doses of Covid vaccination.

The decision has been welcomed by the youth who missed night life in Bengaluru and other big cities for over 19 months.
Mumbai, Nov 5 : Hrishikesh Deshmukh, the son of former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh, on Friday skipped summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and is likely to move court seeking anticipatory bail, his lawyer said here.

Advocate Inderpal Singh said Hrishikesh Deshmukh was called for questioning by the ED, but he did not appear as he is likely to move the sessions court or the Bombay High Court for bail.

Singh added that he has sought a week's time to appear before the ED and he also may approach the courts for anticipatory bail.

Earlier, Hrishikesh Deshmukh had also avoided several ED summons and was called again after his father Anil Deshmukh was arrested early on November 2 after 13 hours questioning on Monday, and was later sent to ED custody till November 6.

The father-son duo is being probed for the alleged money-laundering case filed against them arising out of the letter alleging corruption written by ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in March.

The ED followed up by attaching properties worth around Rs 4.2 crore linked with the Deshmukh family and also arrested several of his aides for involvement in the alleged money-laundering racket.

However, on October 13, in a surprise move, the former Mumbai top cop - "missing" since several months - filed an affidavit before the Justice (retired) K.J. Chandiwal Commission saying that he had no further evidence to provide in the matter.

Anil Deshmukh, whose ED custody ends on Saturday, will be produced before the Special Court.

Meanwhile, a large number of supporters of Anil Deshmukh staged a demonstration in Katol assembly constituency flaying his arrest by the ED and demanded his release.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Banking on revival of economy and claiming its market interventions to keep prices in check are working, the Centre on Friday announced the ending of free distribution of ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) from November 30.

The scheme - initiated in wake of the nationwide lockdown due to Covid pandemic - envisaged distribution of 5 kg food grain (wheat or rice) per person per month free of cost for maximum 81.35 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) (Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Households), including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

"Since the economy is reviving, our OMSS (Open Market Sales Scheme) disposal is also being exceptionally good because of extremely good and consumer friendly OMSS policy this year. So there is no proposal to extend this scheme," Secretary, Food and Public Distribution, Sudhanshu Pandey told media persons.

Under the OMSS, the Food Corporation of India releases wheat and rice at predetermined prices in the open market from time to time to enhance their supply, especially during the lean season, to moderate the open market prices.

Asked about the Uttar Pradesh government starting a free ration scheme from this month, Pandey said: "We would be happy if any state runs the scheme entirely on its own. They are actually distributing rations from the share of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) pool, which has a 90 per cent subsidy by the Centre." Starting in 2020, the Centre had announced the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana' (PM-GKAY) for all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) as part of the pro-poor PM Garib Kalyan Package for the period April-November 2020.

It had earlier claimed that around 80 crore NFSA beneficiaries were allocated additional 5 kg of food grains, free of cost for a period of eight months (April-November 2020), thereby ensuring food security of poor/vulnerable beneficiaries/households in the wake of economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak in the country. It had recently extended the scheme till November 30.
Washington, Nov 5 : Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' space venture Blue Origin has lost out on its lawsuit against NASA over a contract to build the space agency's next human lunar lander, and has wished success to Elon Musk.

The judgement by the US Court of Federal Claims has put an end to Blue Origin's quest to develop a lander for the space agency, while upholding NASA's selection of SpaceX to develop and demonstrate a modern human lunar lander.

"Not the decision we wanted," Bezos said in a tweet, adding that "we respect the court's judgment".

Bezos also wished "full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract".

NASA in a statement said that it "will resume work with SpaceX as soon as possible".

Blue Origin sued NASA over its April decision to pick only SpaceX's Starship rocket system for the agency's first human lunar landing system since 1972.

The US space agency was expected to pick two lunar lander prototypes (including one of Blue Origin's) but funding cuts from the US Congress led the agency to select SpaceX over Blue Origin.

In retaliation, Blue Origin applied to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in April, and put SpaceX's lunar lander contract on hold for 95 days. The GAO squashed its challenge, arguing that NASA "reserved the right to make multiple awards, a single award, or no award at all".

Bezos even offered NASA a discount of up to $2 billion to give his space company Blue Origin the human lunar landing system contract.

When NASA didn't budge, Blue Origin in a last ditch effort lodged a sealed complaint in federal court in July, which has now been quashed.

In response to the ruling, NASA in a statement said that companies will have opportunities in the future to work on the Artemis programme.

"In addition to this contract, NASA continues working with multiple American companies to bolster competition and commercial readiness for crewed transportation to the lunar surface.

"There will be forthcoming opportunities for companies to partner with NASA in establishing a long-term human presence at the Moon under the agency's Artemis programme, including a call in 2022 to US industry for recurring crewed lunar landing services," NASA said.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : The supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhunzada, has warned the group that there may be "unknown" entities among their ranks who are "working against the will of the government", Al Jazeera reported.

The warning came in a statement attributed to Akhunzada that was circulated widely on Taliban social media accounts.

Since the Taliban took control of the country, its leadership has repeatedly warned of impostors and criminals joining the group in an effort to harm its image, the report said.

In September, acting Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob raised concerns in an audio message.

"There are some bad and corrupt people who want to join us... To fulfil their own interest or to defame us and make us look bad," he said.

Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, added that any rogue elements among the ranks would be dealt with, the report added.

In recent months, the Taliban has expanded its recruitment as it seeks to fulfil a pledge to maintain security in the country. But the group has faced a series of deadly attacks from rivals, including the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K) armed group, an ISIL-affiliate.

On Tuesday, at least 19 people were killed in an attack on a military hospital in Kabul claimed by ISKP.

The Taliban also declared a nationwide amnesty and promised to allow private media companies to continue to operate freely and independently. However, there have been reports of some Taliban fighters allegedly abusing journalists, and others have been accused of forcibly seizing property in several provinces, Al Jazeera reported.

Following the reports, Akhunzada's office issued a decree in late September banning the group's members from entering homes and offices "in Kabul or its surroundings under the pretext of checking vehicles or equipment. No one is allowed to take vehicles or equipment" in the name of the Afghan government, it said.

However, there have been continued reports of Taliban fighters forcing hundreds of families out of their homes in the central province of Daikondi, the report added.
Hyderabad, Nov 5 : Hyderabad police on Friday arrested two youth for allegedly taking video of a woman changing clothes in a trial room at a shopping mall.

The incident occurred at H&M Shopping Mall in posh Jubilee Hills area, police said.

The accused, present in a cubicle, was taking video of the woman from above when she was changing clothes in the adjacent cubicle. Noticing this, she raised an alarm and people present in the mall caught hold of the youth.

After receiving the information, personnel from Jubilee Hills Police Station rushed to the mall and took the accused into custody.

A police officer said they seized the mobile phone of the accused and were investigating if they were involved in similar activity at any other place.

The police also arrested the store manager for alleged negligence leading to the incident. "We will take action against the all three as per law," said Joint Commissioner of Police A.R. Srinivas.

The two accused, who had come to the mall as customers, entered into the trial area meant for women and were present in the cubicle next to the one where the woman was changing clothes.

The police officer said since the store had not taken the adequate precautions, the manager was also booked in the case.

This is the second such incident in Jubilee Hills in one and a half months.

An employee of a drive-in restaurant was arrested on September 22 after a hidden camera phone with its recording mode switched on was found in the women's washroom. A female customer of the restaurant lodged the complaint with the police after she found the hidden camera in an overhead shelf of the washroom.
Bengaluru, Nov 5 : Tamil star Suriya paid his respects at the 'samadhi' of late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar in Bengaluru on Friday, and said that Puneeth's smile will be "eternal" in his heart.

'Jai Bhim' star Suriya who came down to the city to pay respects to the Kannada star, was in tears at his 'samadhi' in the premises of Kanteerava Studio where he was laid to rest.

"My mother told me when I was a four-month-old baby, Puneeth was seven months old. We can't come to terms with his untimely demise. His father Dr Rajkumar was a model for all of us. I don't know what to tell Kannadigas. May God give them strength and may his soul rest in peace," Suriya said.

Suriya also visited his residence and spoke to Puneeth's family members.

Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar passed away on October 29 due to cardiac arrest.

Telugu actor Rajendra Prasad paid visit to Puneeth's residence and consoled Puneeth's wife Ashwini. "Puneeth was like my younger brother. We all are shocked in Hyderabad with the untimely death of Puneeth. He was a great human being," he stated.

The fact that more than 20 lakh people came to pay their homage itself testified to his popularity. "I met him at Kanteerava Studio last and he had invited me by giving a wedding invitation of his brother's son," he stated.

Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Chandrashekar also paid a visit to Puneeth's residence and met his family members.

"Puneeth was a son of Karnataka. I have come here to give my condolences to his family. Puneeth had involved himself in programmes of skill development. He gave succour to the helpless in society. His philanthropic activities should continue. We will always be there with his family," he stated.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh, claimed the US Department of Defense in its annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving China.

These and other infrastructure development efforts along the India-China border have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media, it stated.

The report also specifically points out that China has attempted to blame India for provoking the standoff through India's "increased infrastructure development" near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Asserting that its deployments to the LAC were in response to Indian provocation, Beijing has refused to withdraw any forces until India's forces have withdrawn behind the its version of the LAC and ceased infrastructure improvements in the area, it stated.

Chinese state-controlled media forcefully asserted China's intent to refuse any territorial concessions demanded by India.

"PRC (People's Republic of China) officials, through official statements and state media, had also sought unsuccessfully to prevent India from deepening its relationship with the US during and subsequent to the standoff, while accusing India of being a mere 'instrument' of US policy in the region," it stated.

The department also asserted that Chinese officials have warned US officials to not interfere with the their relationship with India.

Elaborating about India and China border dispute in the last 18 months, it stated that despite the ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues to reduce border tensions, the PRC has continued taking incremental and tactical actions to press its claims at the LAC.

The report stated that tensions with India along the LAC sparked an ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in mid-May 2020, which lasted through the winter.

The standoff escalated on June 15, 2020 after a skirmish ensued in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh between the Indian Army and PLA troops that resulted in casualties on both sides, including the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers.

In February 2021, the Central Military Commission (CMC) announced posthumous awards for four PLA soldiers, "though the total number of PRC casualties remains unknown".

The current standoff between the two nations resulted in the first deaths in the last 45 years.

Despite agreements to disengage in the spring of 2021, both sides maintain troops along the LAC as Corps Commander-level negotiations progress slowly.

The report stated that differing perceptions of border demarcations along the LAC joined with recent infrastructure construction, led to multiple unarmed clashes, an ongoing standoff, and military buildups on both sides of the border.

It also stated that throughout the standoff, PRC officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing's intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India.

The PRC seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the US.

As of June 2021, the PRC and India continue to maintain large-scale deployments along the LAC and make preparations to sustain these forces while disengagement negotiations have made limited progress, the report stated.
London, Nov 5 : Even as Covid-19 cases are rising in the UK, the government has launched a new campaign demonstrating the importance of simple ventilation techniques to reduce the risks of catching the infectious disease this winter.

The campaign by the Department of Health and Social Care urges people to open their windows for just 10 minutes every hour when socialising with others, to reducing Covid-19 levels indoors.

Doctors and scientists are backing the campaign across all media platforms to encourage people to ventilate their home to help disperse virus particles.

It will include a short film asking people to "stop Covid-19 hanging around" that clearly shows the difference in airflow and airborne particle movement when indoors in relation to Covid-19.

It demonstrates how, in a home setting, someone infected with the virus talking and interacting with another person produces a build-up of Covid-19 particles in the air. These particles then linger in an unventilated room, like smoke, meaning the risk of catching Covid-19 is significantly increased. However, Covid-19 particles disperse quickly when good ventilation is introduced, even for a short period.

"Small but important actions can help protect us against Covid-19. Getting vaccinations, wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces and taking regular Covid-19 tests all make an important difference but it is also crucial that we don't overlook the value of ventilation," said Dr Thomas Waite, a deputy chief medical officer for England, in a statement.

"With winter fast approaching and people spending more time indoors, it's vital everyone understands the importance of using ventilation, such as regularly opening windows - even if just for a few minutes - to keep the air moving and prevent infections," Waite added.

SARS-CoV-2 viral particles are known to spread between people more readily indoors than outdoors. Indoors, the concentration of viral particles is often higher than outdoors, where even a light wind can rapidly reduce concentrations.

Ensuring proper ventilation with outside air can help reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, including viruses, indoors, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JuH) President Arshad Madani on Friday blamed Tripura's ruling BJP for the riots in the state and said that it is very unfortunate that no action has been taken against the culprits so far.

"Tripura shares borders with Bangladesh but it has nevertheless remained a peaceful state. However, since a party with a particular ideology has come to power, sectarian elements and their organisations have been given a lot of freedom," he said, after a JuH delegation to the state submitted its report on Friday.

According to the report, "the brutality and barbarism displayed by the sectarian organisations shows how deep the poison of sectarianism has penetrated in the hearts of the people." Madani said that 12 mosques were attacked by frenzied mobs, and arson caused severe damage to places of worship and shops and other property.

"The Tripura riots have tarnished the image of the country. If such tragic incidents take place in a democratic country where all the citizens enjoy equal rights, and the both state and Central government do nothing, it raises a question on the rule of the law as well as the justice system," he added.

The JuH said that it was a shame that the mob chanted slogans during the procession and set fire to mosques and shops in the Muslim-majority areas, while the police and the administration remained a mute spectator.

Madani said: It is being believed that the violence came as retaliation to the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh. But if something happens in a foreign country, is it is right to take revenge on the citizens of one's own country? "We had strongly condemned the violence in Bangladesh. It should not happen in any civilised society." "Strongly condemning" the violence against the Muslims in Tripura, the JuH demands that the state government not only ensure their protection, but also take strict legal action against the culprits," he said.

If such people are shielded, they will get emboldened and continue to pose a threat to the law and order situation, he added.
Guwahati, Nov 5 : The Congress in Assam claimed on Friday that according to data from the Public Affairs Index-2021 (PAI), the BJP's handling of governance in Assam has led to the state slipping to the 14th position among 18 states of the country, a matter of deep concern and shame for the people of the state.

Assam Congress General Secretary Bobbeeta Sharma said "It is dismaying that the BJP is busy grabbing power at any cost when the people of the state are finding it hard and extremely difficult to make ends meet." Sharma, who is also the chief spokesperson of the Congress in the state, claimed that since the BJP came to power the rate of unemployment has increased rapidly in the state as well as the country. "Before the elections, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had promised jobs to 25 lakh unemployed youth but we have not seen any steps being taken in this regard. The BJP government is pushing the youth towards a dark future," Sharma said, demanding swift steps to address the unemployment problem plaguing the state. The government which promised development and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' has not done anything for the development or welfare of the people, she told the media.

The Congress leader said that while the BJP government has been making announcements of setting up medical colleges one after another, the reality is that there is a shortage of 1,382 doctors across the state. Along with growing maternal mortality, Assam stands in third position in the infant mortality rate as 80 out of every 1000 new-born infants die in Assam, she added.

There are no Intensive Care Units in hospitals in 16 of the 34 districts of the state, the Congress leader said, asking the BJP government to stop misleading the people with false promises and get down to the real business of governance that will touch every aspect of people's lives.
Islamabad, Nov 5 : The Pakistan government and the military establishment has been holding secret talks and negotiation with banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with an aim to formulate and agree on a ceasefire agreement to curb the ongoing targeted terror attacks on security forces and other civilian localities in the country.

As per reliable sources, Pakistani military officials and representatives of the TTP have had several round of talks in the neighbouring Afghanistan and have been working towards an agreement, which would enforce a ceasefire.

The source further revealed that the talks between Pakistan and the TTP are being facilitated and mediated by Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also heads the Haqqani network, the lethal arm of the Taliban, and is among the FBI's most wanted figures.

The secret talks hold massive significant as the TTP has been on a 14-year long insurgency in Pakistan and has carried out hundreds of terrorist attacks, claiming lives of thousands in the past. The recent surge in targeted strikes by the TTP has been linked with the Afghan Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban leadership has close links to the TTP as well as the Pakistani military establishment, which is being seen as the reason why negotiations are being held in Afghanistan and are being mediated by the leader of the dreaded Taliban Haqqani network.

The sources revealed that the talks have been going on for at least two weeks and are still in process of contemplation between the two sides.

The claim of talks between Islamabad and the TTP have been recently denied by the TTP.

However, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan confirmed on October 1, that his government was in talks with some factions of the TTP and was on what he called "a reconciliation process".

He stated that his government was willing to forgive the TTP militants if a ceasefire deal was reached.

Khan also confirmed that the talks were being held in Afghanistan, when asked if the Afghan Taliban were facilitating the talks.

"The talks are taking place in Afghanistan, so, in that sense, yes," he said during an interview.

Interestingly, reports about talks between Islamabad and the TTP in Afghanistan are also not in the knowledge of Pakistan's Ambassador to Kabul Mansour Ahmed Khan. However, he did not reject the possibility of talks with the TTP.

It has also been reported that some factions of the TTP have already ordered their fighters to observe a cease-fire. As per details, the Hafiz Gul Bahadar faction of TTP directed its fighters to observe a cease-fire for 20 days and halt all their operations against the Pakistani government and security forces.

"Among the TTP's demands is the release of 100 fighters in Pakistan prison. In return, the government has demanded a nationwide truce. Once the ceasefire is agreed, the Pakistani security forces will not take action against the TTP and the TTP will not carry out attacks on the security forces or civilians," the source said.

"The two sides are fine-tuning their demands and conditions for a ceasefire."
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Vedanta Limited (Cairn Oil & Gas business) has reiterated that it is a separate entity with no connection to Cairn Energy PLC.

Cairn Energy PLC, the Scottish oil and gas exploration company, that is also commonly referred to as Cairn Energy, will discontinue the use of the brand name 'Cairn' as part of its corporate identity by December 2021.

The brand 'Cairn' is exclusively owned by Vedanta Limited, the company said in a statement.

Discussing the change, Vedanta CEO Sunil Duggal said, "When Cairn Energy PLC exited its Indian operations in 2011 after selling its stake to Vedanta Group, it continued to use the brand name 'Cairn' though the brand 'Cairn' is owned by Vedanta Limited (erstwhile Cairn India Limited). At Vedanta, we have since then extensively invested in the company and expanded its footprint across the length and breadth of the country." After being taken over by the Vedanta Group, the company, Cairn India Limited, disassociated itself from Cairn Energy PLC -- the former having no association with Cairn Energy PLC and with both companies being separate legal entities with different promoters/shareholders. Cairn India Limited was later merged into Vedanta Limited in 2017.

Speaking on the development, Prachur Sah, Deputy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas, said, "The disassociation of Cairn Oil & Gas from Scottish company Cairn Energy was always a matter of fact. This clarity will help us disengage from issues involving Cairn Energy." As the two entities are separate, Cairn Oil and Gas, formerly known as Cairn India Limited, does not have anything to do with the Cairn Energy PLC's retrospective tax dispute case, the statement said.

Cairn Oil & Gas, a division of Vedanta Ltd, is the largest private oil and gas exploration and production company in India, accounting for more than a quarter of India's domestic crude oil production. It has an extensive resource base, with a current interest in 58 blocks in India, including the 41 blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) Round I auction, five blocks each under Round II and Round III, and two awarded under the Discovered Small Fields (DSF) Round-II.

In 2004, Cairn made the largest onshore discovery in more than two decades in India at Mangala, Rajasthan. In its operations of 20 years, Cairn has opened four frontier basins with numerous discoveries, 38 in Rajasthan alone.
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 5 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given its concluding report to the Kerala High Court stating that it was a CPM gang led by Kodi Suni who had killed the Islamic organization National Democratic Front (NDF) worker, Fazal at Thalassery. The CBI presented its report to the court on Friday and ruled out the involvement of the RSS in the murder.

The CBI report is a major setback to the ruling CPM as the party has been continuously maintaining that it was the RSS that was behind the murder.

Fazal, who was a newspaper vendor, had switched his political allegiance from the CPM to the NDF. He was found murdered in the early morning of October 22, 2006, at Saidarpalli in Thalassery in Kannur district. Thalassery is the hometown of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and politburo member and former state secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and a CPM bastion.

The CBI investigated the case after Fazal's widow Mariyu petitioned the Kerala High Court requesting for a CBI probe which the court agreed to. The CBI arrested eight CPM workers including party senior leaders Karayi Rajan and Karayi Chandrashekharan.

After the CPM came to power in Kerala and Pinarayi Vijayan became the Chief Minister in May 2016, a video clip had come out in July 2017, in which an RSS activist Subheesh was seen claiming that it was the RSS who had done away with Fazal.

Subheesh however denied this and on the very next day after the video was circulated, he addressed a press conference stating that the police had tortured him after he was arrested in another murder case. He said the police threatened him to make him state that the RSS was behind the Fazal murder.

The confession of Subheesh and his later denial prompted the family members of Fazal to approach the Kerala High Court for a further investigation by the CBI. The court in August 2021, directed the CBI to investigate the matter.

The CBI questioned Subheesh and his friend Shinoj and the duo confessed that they were tortured by the Kerala police and forced to record a statement that they had murdered Fazal. The CBI found that Fazal was murdered at 3.30 a.m. but according to the statement of Subheesh in the video it was stated that the murder took place at 1.30 a.m.

The agency also found that there were discrepancies in the statement of Subheesh regarding the weapon used for the murder when compared to the wounds on the body of Fazal.

The CBI filed its report in the court stating that Subheesh was forced by the Kerala police to give false statements and said that the murder was committed by CPM cadres led by Kodi Suni. He is now in jail in the murder case of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrashekaran.

Meanwhile, CPM Kannur district secretary, M.V. Jayarajan said that the party would take legal recourse against the CBI report.
Islamabad, Nov 5 : The weeks-long chaos, violence, and bloody confrontational protests staged by the banned Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) has forced the Imran Khan government of Pakistan to fall down to its knees and agree to the TLP demands through yet another agreement done secretly and kept away from public glare.

The whole episode, starting from the TLP launching a protest rally marching towards federal capital Islamabad and colliding in a bloody confrontation with the security forces, which resulted in casualties of police officials and serious injuries to hundreds others, to enforced change of stance by various sitting ministers, who were directed to change their strong tone against the TLP, has only brought what is widely being called "humiliation" to the Imran Khan government and has established the inability of the ruling political setup to maintain writ of the state against religious hardliners.

"There was nothing surprising about the government succumbing to the lawless brigade. The writ of the state has yet again crumbled in the face of violent extremism," senior strategic analyst Zahid Hussain said.

The Imran Khan-led government has apparently signed an agreement with the banned TLP, agreeing to not only release hundreds of its arrested protesters, charged with terrorism from Pakistani jails, but also its leader Saad Rizvi, who has also been in custody for heading a proscribed outfit.

Furthermore, the government has also reportedly agreed to allow the banned outfit to contest in elections (both provincial and general) as it is a registered political party.

The latest fiasco of the TLP protest is part of its demand of sending back the French Ambassador in Islamabad and cutting all diplomatic ties with France over its deliberate attempt to ridicule the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and endorsing the making of caricatures by "Charlie Hebdo" magazine under the umbrella of freedom of expression.

"This is the seventh time in the past five years that the TLP has brought the state to its knees. Each time it has returned with more empowerment," said Hussain.

The government's secret agreement with the TLP has sparked widespread criticism by the masses against the Imran Khan government, as they question him for allowing a banned organisation to paralyse the country and decide the country's political and ideological course, despite having no representation in the parliament.

Family members of police officers, who were brutally tortured and killed by the TLP protesters, have lashed out at the government's failure and have asked of why their loved ones were allowed to be killed when the government had to agree to the demands in the first place.

The matter has raised serious questions over the country's political and intelligence level linkages to such banned outfits, vivid details of which were shared by Justice Qazi Isa's ruling of the 2017 sit-in by the TLP.

The ruling shed light on role of political leaders and intelligence agencies in encouraging the mod in order to weaken the then federal government.

With the government, like many others in the past have succumbed to the TLP demands through an agreement, many believe that "the often repeated mantra of establishing the writ of the state has become a joke".

"The deal has legitimised a banned terrorist group. The crisis is far from over. Emboldened by their latest triumph, the radical clerics will soon be back with new demands. The country remains hostage to a terrorist band threatening to tear apart national security," said Hussain.
Kolkata, Nov 5 : A day after state panchayat minister and veteran Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee's death, a Facebook post by BJP leader Roopa Ganguly has triggered a controversy.

In her Facebook post the senior BJP Rajya Sabha MP wrote -"'Dhyat' (A Bengali expression to insult and ignore people) - Suddenly everyone seems to have become alone in Ballygunge ( place where Subrata Mukherjee resided) - Sorry Boss." Ganguly went on to write: "Only to make a colourful and luxurious puja and to raise money for the puja - apart from this he has no contribution. I have no respect for him - Sorry Boss". "They are the cause of a lot of damage in West Bengal," she added.

The posts resulted in widespread criticism among the netizens but the actor turned politician turned more aggressive: "This is my account, my place of writing. There is no need to give me advice unnecessarily," she wrote, adding that she doesn't need any response from anybody.

Many have also questioned her timing and taste but Ganguly brought up controversial issues and accused the Trinamool Congress. Ganguly also raised the issue of the death of BJP councillor Teesta Biswas, who died in a road accident recently and wrote, "You have taken Teesta, boss. Ma Kali will also take something back." However, it is not clear whether Ganguly was holding the Trinamool Congress responsible for the death of the BJP councillor.

She went on to say that Mukherjee had held talks with the BJP leadership and was thinking of switching over to the BJP before the assembly polls but the talks didn't mature. "He (Subrata Mukherjee) was supposed to join the BJP before the 2021 elections but the talks failed. I prefer to keep my mouth closed most of the time." On a day when all the political leaders cutting across political lines mourned the death of the state panchayat minister, the posts from the BJP leader came as a surprise to everybody. When asked about Roopa Ganguly's post, a senior Trinamool Congress leader who didn't want to be named said, "At present we are yet to come out of the shock of the death of our beloved leader. We don't want to speak on irrelevant issues. Her comments show the BJP culture in general."
Glasgow, Nov 5 : India on Friday released a digital publication titled, "Climate Literacy: Beyond the Written Word" that includes contributions from 20 academic institutions that have defined effective methodologies to generate concern for the planet amongst their students.

These approaches also help build awareness of how anthropogenic activity has harmed the planet, in particular, by increasing the carbon footprint and pollution, reducing green cover, and mismanaging waste. All the innovative methods described in this ebook are replicable.

EARTHDAY.ORG firmly believes that the key to earth's future lies in climate and environmental education opportunities for youths of all ages and backgrounds to develop them into informed and engaged environmental stewards.

Considering the grim conclusions presented by the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which prompted the U.N. Secretary General to announce a 'Code Red for Humanity,' EARTHDAY.ORG appeals to every country around the world to put in place educational systems that lead youths to climate stewardship and action for the environment.

This necessitates making climate education compulsory for all grade levels and providing an environment to empower climate literacy.

Such initiatives will also enhance the skills needed for jobs in the rapidly expanding green economy, including those related to conserving the natural wealth; reducing air, water, and land pollution; managing waste; and shifting to renewable energy sources.

In the ebook, readers will learn about how students in urban spaces weave and hang nests around the city to encourage house sparrows to come back to the crowded spaces they abandoned.

The publication features an entry on the 'Mr Cool App' which was developed by students in the tribal state of Chhattisgarh to help people measure their carbon footprints emanating from reckless energy use and educate on ways to reduce it.

Another piece focuses on a school in the northeastern hills of Assam where the fees are paid in plastic waste that the pupils collect and deposit. From composting, to nature discoveries, to the use of theatre and films to awaken stewardship, "Climate Literacy: Beyond the Written Word" highlights the range of climate education lessons and tactics.

The ebook is available digitally.

Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG said, "Climate education should be assessed and integrated into every classroom at all educational levels around the world." "We have no time to waste to make sure the next generation develops into engaged and educated environmental stewards. This new publication shines a light on the climate education programs taking place around the world that others can look to for inspiration."
Mumbai, Nov 5 : In a major development, the Narcotics Control Bureau's controversial Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede has been shifted from the investigations into the sensational cruise ship party raid of October 2 in which Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested.

However, questioned by media persons, Wankhede denied that he had been shifted from the case.

Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that Wankhede has been removed from a total of five cases, including the Cordelia Cruise case.

"This is just the beginning. A lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it," he asserted, adding that there are a total 26 cases that need to be probed.
Islamabad, Nov 5 : After US President Joe Biden recently nominated Donald Armin as the new Ambassador to Pakistan, Pakistan is also on the verge of changing its current envoy to US with Sardar Masood Khan, former President of 'Azad' Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Current Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan will soon be completing his tenure and reports reveal that Islamabad has already suggested the name of Sardar Masood Khan as his replacement.

Ambassador Khan presented his credentials to then US President Donald Trump in January 2019 and stayed in office for a term of three years.

Now, with his tenure ending, Sardar Masood Khan will be replacing him as the new envoy to Washington. The decision has come as a surprise to many as Masood Khan is someone who as President has held the highest political office in AJK and is now planning to accept the post of Ambassador to Washington.

Analysts believe that by appointing Sardar Masood Khan as Ambassador to the US, Pakistan wants to send a strong signal that it wants to highlight the issue of Kashmir.

Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to gather support on the issue of Kashmir against India, has not worked well in the past. Pakistan's Foreign Office also expressed its disapproval of the failure of its envoy in the US for failing to create contacts between Biden and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, the timing of the appointment of Sardar Masood Khan seems a little out of proportion as the US is currently focused on the changing situation in Afghanistan.

In a recent hearing in the US House of Representatives and the Senate, lawmakers have raised serious reservations on Pakistan's alleged role in the Taliban victory. Interestingly, the Biden administration did not oppose the proposal as well.

However, the process of appointment of Sardar Masood Khan is underway as the Pakistani Embassy in Washington has received his nomination papers. As per details, the it is expected to submit the papers to the US State Department on Monday.

While the nomination of Sardar Masood Khan to become the Ambassador to US has raised eyebrows, the move is being seen as Pakistan's efforts to have stronger engagements with the US to raise the issue of Kashmir and build their case against India.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Two days after Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel followed by reduction of tax in party ruled states, the BJP on Friday hit out at the opposition parties and said they must also show their sensibility towards people by reducing VAT.

BJP national spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatia said, "By reducing excise, the BJP government has shown its duties and responsibility towards people and the society in difficult times of Covid. This responsibility has been discharged by the union government and BJP government in the states. Now Congress and other opposition parties ruled state government must also show their sensibility and responsibility towards people by reducing VAT." Bhatia mentioned that two days ago, the central government reduced the excise duty of petrol and diesel and the union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made happy Diwali a reality.

"After this important decision of the central government, thinking about the people, the BJP ruled state governments have also reduced VAT. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath made petrol cheaper by Rs 12 and diesel by Rs 12. In Gujarat, petrol and diesel are cheaper by Rs 7. Similarly, in Assam too, petrol and diesel became cheaper by Rs 7. This shows our commitment and duties towards our people," Bhatia said.

Hitting out at the opposition parties Congress, AAP and TMC, Bhatia said, "Opposition leaders talked a lot about price rise but neither chief minister of Congress ruled states or Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal did anything. Learning from BJP ruled states, Congress, TMC and AAP should also provide relief to people by reducing VAT." Referring to the November 1 tweet of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Bhatia said, "On November 1, Rahul Gandhi tweeted - beware of pickpockets. There is no bigger pickpocket in the whole country than Congress. Loot, corruption, torturing common man is politics of Congress party."
Hyderabad, Nov 5 : Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is facing opposition from farmers of a village in Hanamkonda district for its mega public meeting, scheduled for November 29.

Farmers of Devannapet village in Hasanparthy mandal on Friday staged protest against the alleged attempts by authorities to take their agricultural lands for the meeting near Warangal.

A group of officials faced the ire of farmers when they went to survey the lands at the proposed venue of the meeting.

The farmers raised slogans against the TRS government and made it clear that they will not give the lands for 'Vijaya Garjana', as the TRS meeting is named.

One of them pointed out that the crops on their fields were ready for harvesting and said if their lands were taken they would suffer huge losses. They demanded that the TRS look for some other land for organizing the meeting.

Another farmer alleged that TRS leaders, revenue officials and police were threatening them for not giving their lands.

This is the second time in three days the farmers staged the protest, refusing to give their lands for the meeting. TRS leaders including government whip Vinay Bhaskar and former minister Kadiam Srihari had to face protest from the farmers on Wednesday. A local corporator of TRS and some party workers even thrashed a few farmers when they refused to allow the TRS leaders into their fields.

The protesters had stopped TRS leaders from entering their fields. Since the area is close to Hyderabad-Warangal highway, the ruling party is keen to hold its mega public meeting here.

The farmers are contending that since gravel will be used to level the ground as part of the arrangements for the meeting, this would affect the soil, making it difficult for them to raise any crops in future. They say the boundaries of their land holdings would also get erased.

TRS plans to mobilize 10 lakh people for the mega rally being organised to mark two decades of the party. The ruling party leaders said the meet would showcase the achievements of the party during the last two decades and the progress made by the State under TRS rule since 2014.

The opposition from farmers to TRS comes close on the heels of the party's defeat in Huzurabad Assembly by-election.

TRS had last month announced that the meeting will be held on November 15. But on Monday, a day before the counting of votes polled in the by-election to Huzurabad Assembly constituency, it decided to change the date to November 29.

Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao said he rescheduled the meeting at the request of party leaders from Warangal, who wanted the meeting take place on November 29, to coincide with aTelangana Deeksha Diwas'. It was on this date in 2009, the TRS chief began indefinite hunger strike demanding statehood to Telangana.

The hunger strike coupled with massive protests across Telangana had forced the then Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to announce that the process for formation of Telangana State would be initiated.
Mumbai, Nov 5 : In a significant development, the Narcotics Control Bureau's controversial Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede has been moved from the investigations into the sensational cruise ship party raid of October 2 in which Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested.

However, questioned by media persons, Wankhede denied that he had been shifted from the case.

Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that Wankhede has been removed from a total of five cases, including the Cordelia Cruise case.

"This is just the beginning. A lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it," he asserted, adding that there are a total 26 cases that need to be probed.

According to available indications, the five cases from which Wankhede has been rendered persona non-grata shall be probed by a new team to be headed by a senior NCB officer who will be deputed from New Delhi.

Wankhede has been under a cloud for a variety of reasons including allegations of corruption, fake caste certificate, a lavish lifestyle, and targeting high-profile individuals, especially from Bollywood and glamour industry with comparatively insignificant drug seizures, etc.

Malik and Wankhede have been engaged in an unprecedented war of words for the past one month, with the NCP leader making a series of shocking exposes on the NCB Mumbai head, besides an affidavit by a witness accusing him of extortion, allegations of Bharatiya Janata Party politicians and wanted criminals being roped in during the ship raid, etc.

The embattled Wankhede has been running from pillar to post to politicians to statutory panels to the courts seeking protection from action against him, and has been recently given relief in the form of 3 working days' notice in case of arrest by the police.

On the raid on an alleged rave party aboard the Cordelia Cruise ship, Wankhede had made a big catch of Aryan Khan and seven others, and later another 12 were arrested in the case which has hogged national attention for a month.
Srinagar, Nov 5 : In view of rapid increase in Covid-19 cases in J&K's Srinagar district, authorities on Friday declared 8 more areas as micro-containment zones.

District authorities said these areas fall under medical zones of Batamaloo, Zadibal, S.R Gunj, and Khanyar in Srinagar city.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, who is also the Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), said the recent spike in Covid-19 positive cases has prompted the district administration to take the step for protection of precious lives.

He said that Srinagar administration is mulling localised lockdowns in some specific areas of the city, if the number of positive cases do not decrease.

Srinagar has witnessed a spike in Covid cases in the past one week, prompting the administration to declare some areas in the city as containment zones.

Giving details, Asad said out of total active Covid-19 positive cases in J&K, about half of them come from Srinagar district only.

Cases from the other 19 districts, other than Srinagar, are either in single digits or nil.

"There are 476 active Covid-19 positive cases in only Srinagar district out of total 981 cases in J&K," he added.

Asad said currently there are 82 containment zones in Srinagar, including eight which were added on Friday.

"If people don't follow safety protocols, then Srinagar could be the reason behind the start of the third wave in J&K," he warned, asking people to follow Covid SOPs in letter and spirit and avoid large gatherings.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Chinese authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Zhang Zhan, an activist wrongfully imprisoned for reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic in the city of Wuhan in early 2020, Human Rights Watch said.

Her family says she is in desperate need of medical care.

Zhang, 38, has been on multiple hunger strikes since being detained in May 2020. She was hospitalized for 11 days in August 2021 but has since been returned to prison despite her worsening health condition.

Zhang's mother, who had a video visit with Zhang in October, said her daughter could not hold her head up for lack of strength. Zhang is 1.77 meters (5 feet, 10 inches) tall yet now weighs less than 40 kg and urgently needs medical treatment.

"The Chinese government needs to be held to account for allowing yet another peaceful critic to fall gravely ill while unjustly imprisoned," said Yaqiu Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Governments should call for Zhang Zhan's urgent release to prevent an already terrible situation from becoming a tragic one." The Chinese government should end all torture and ill-treatment of prisoners and detainees, including denial of adequate medical treatment. The authorities should accept an independent, international investigation - with the participation of forensic and human rights experts from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - into the mistreatment and deaths of activists in custody, HRW said.

Foreign diplomats in China should request visits with Zhang at Shanghai Women's Prison. If such requests are denied or receive no response, they should go to the prison and personally request access to Zhang and meet with prison officials to express concerns about her case.

"Unjust sentences handed down against activists in China frequently end up being death sentences," Wang said. "Governments around the world should send a clear message to Beijing that the wrongful arrest and mistreatment of activists needs to stop." In early February 2020, Zhang, a former lawyer, went to Wuhan, where Covid-19 was first identified, to document the coronavirus outbreak. In the three months she stayed in the city, Zhang uploaded videos to YouTube that showed scenes of Wuhan during the government's draconian lockdown and residents speaking about the impact of the lockdown on their lives. Her first video post was entitled "My Claim to the Right of Free Speech." In May, police detained Zhang and took her back to Shanghai, where she lived. In December, a court convicted her of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" and sentenced her to four years in prison. Zhang declined to appeal her conviction, telling her lawyers that she rejected the validity of the legal process used to imprison her.

In 2019, police in Shanghai detained Zhang for over two months for voicing support for the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. The authorities had previously cancelled her lawyer's license after she participated in various human rights activities, including signing petitions.

In February 2021, the authorities revoked the license of Zhang's lawyer, Ren Quanniu, for representing Zhang along with a group of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in a separate case. The authorities also warned Zhang's mother not to speak to the media.

Conditions in China's detention facilities and prisons are poor, usually with minimal nutrition and rudimentary health care, HRW said.

In recent years, a number of prominent dissidents in China have become seriously ill in detention, been denied adequate care, and died either in detention or shortly after being released.

In February, Tibetan activist and tour guide Kunchok Jinpa died less than three months after being transferred to a hospital from prison.

In July 2019, Fujian-based activist Ji Sizun died two months after being released from prison.

In January 2018, Islamic scholar Muhammed Salih Hajim died a month after being detained on unspecified charges. In July 2017, Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo died three weeks after he was transferred to a hospital under heavy security.

In July 2015, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a revered Tibetan lama, died while serving a life sentence after months of increasingly serious allegations that his health was deteriorating. In March 2014, activist Cao Shunli died in a Beijing hospital months after she was arbitrarily detained.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi/ Mumbai, Nov 5 : In a significant development, the Narcotics Control Bureau's controversial Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede was on Friday shifted out from the investigations into the sensational cruise ship party raid of October 2 in which Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested.

The NCB directorate on late Friday issued a statement saying that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officers from Operations Branch of the NCB Headquarters has been constituted by the Director General, NCB to take over a total of six cases from NCB Mumbai Zonal Unit which have national and international ramifications, in order to conduct deeper investigation to find out forward and backward linkages.

Questioned by media in Mumbai, Wankhede denied that he has been removed from the case.

"I have not been removed from the investigation. It was my writ petition in the court that the matter be probed by a central agency. So, the Aryan Khan case and Sameer Khan case are being probed by Delhi Special Investigation Team. It is coordination between NCB teams of Delhi and Mumbai." The NCB statement also said that no officer or officers have been removed from their present roles and they will continue to assist the Operations Branch investigation as required until any specific orders are issued to the contrary. It is reiterated that the NCB functions across India as a single integrated agency.

Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that Wankhede has been removed from a total of five cases, including the Cordelia Cruise case.

"This is just the beginning. A lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it," he asserted, adding that there are a total 26 cases that need to be probed.

Wankhede has been under a cloud for a variety of reasons including allegations of corruption, fake caste certificate, a lavish lifestyle, and targeting high-profile individuals, especially from Bollywood and glamour industry with comparatively insignificant drug seizures, etc.

Malik and Wankhede have been engaged in an unprecedented war of words for the past one month, with the NCP leader making a series of shocking exposes on the NCB Mumbai head, besides an affidavit by a witness accusing him of extortion, allegations of Bharatiya Janata Party politicians and wanted criminals being roped in during the ship raid, etc.

The embattled Wankhede has been running from pillar to post to politicians to statutory panels to the courts seeking protection from action against him, and has been recently given relief in the form of three working days' notice in case of arrest by the police.

On the raid on an alleged rave party aboard the Cordelia Cruise ship, Wankhede had made a big catch of Aryan Khan and seven others, and later another 12 were arrested in the case which has hogged national attention for a month.
Hyderabad, Nov 5 : The revolution in digital payment is sweeping through India with even petty shops and even roadside vendors using QR code but a video shared by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Twitter shows even alms-seekers are not left behind.

The 30-second video shows a traditional alms-seeker using a QR code scanner which is tied to the head of his decorated ox while a man is scanning the code on his mobile phone to make the payment.

"Recd a video of a Gangireddulata, where alms are given thru a QR code! India's #digitalpayment revolution, reaching folk artists," tweeted Sitharaman.

She wrote that in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Gangireddulavallu, a nomadic tribe in the states, dress up old oxen which are no longer helpful on farms, walk door to door during festivals and performing with their nadaswarams (musical instrument).

In the video posted by the minister, a man is seen scanning the PhonePe QR code tied to the head of the decorated ox carried by the folk artist, playing his instrument.

"It's done," the man is heard saying in Telugu after entering some amount and making the payment.

Playing nadaswarams, the uniquely-dressed folk artistes with specially decorated oxen visit houses and shops during festivals to seek alms.

They are usually seen going around in the villages during Sankranti, the colourful harvest festival celebrated with pomp and gaiety. People give them money, clothes or grain as alms.
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Goods purchased from Mongolia, which have arrived in Erenhot City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, tested positive for coronavirus, local health authorities said in a notice, Global Times reported.

Five residents reported to Erenhot City's epidemic prevention and control work team about having received goods they had bought from Mongolia. The packages were then sent for nucleic acid testing, and returned positive results.

The city's health authority urged local residents to stop buying items from abroad with high infection risks in light of pressure from imported coronavirus cases, the report said.

The notice also asked those who have received goods from high risk countries since September 15 to report to local authorities for proper disposal.

Since the latest epidemic outbreak, the province has registered a total of 163 domestically transmitted cases by Wednesday, with 14 in Erenhot city and 144 in the China-Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner, which experts believe could be the source of the virus in the latest epidemic surge.

The Chinese mainland reported another 87 new local cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to over 700 in just half a month since the first local confirmed cases were found in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Among the confirmed cases, 497 of the infected have direct or indirect links with the epidemic in Inner Mongolia or neighbouring northwest China's Gansu Province.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, Nov 5 : Rohit Shetty's "Sooryavanshi" finally released on Friday after hitting multiple roadblocks over the last 18 months, but it seems to have been worth the wait.

An addition to the director's cop universe after "Singham" and "Simba", "Sooryavanshi" is a classic Rohit Shetty entertainer with action, romance, humour, drama and thrills, all packaged into a delectable treat. And early reports about the Akshay Kumar-starrer's performance across territories have been encouraging enough to make Bollywood continue its Diwali celebrations.

Talking about the opening-day response to the film, senior trade analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh said: "It is an amazing start, more so because if you look at the 50 per cent occupancy still in force in Maharashtra, which is the largest market for the movie business, contributing 35-40 per cent of the film industry's earnings. I am confident that the film will cross the Rs 30-crore, which is fantabulous." Fellow analyst Komal Nahta echoes Adarsh's sentiments: "The opening of 'Sooryavanshi' should be considered extraordinary. The first day collections should easily cross Rs 25 crore, which is historic in times such as these. In Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana, the theatres are running at 50 per cent occupancy." He also pointed out that there's still a sense of fear among people about spending nearly three hours in a closed environment, "so the current business of Rs 25-30 crore translates into Rs 40 crore of the pre-Covid normal times." Nahta concluded his analysis by saying that it is "a moment of happiness" for the entire film industry. He said: "There's palpable excitement within the industry about bouncing back and these figures speak for themselves. They prove all those people wrong who said that cinemas don't stand a chance against OTT platforms." Media and Internet research analyst Karan Taurani concurred: "The response has been phenomenal, the opening-day numbers are closer to the pre-Covid figures. This was anyway expected. Earlier, people had written off the big screen, saying it wouldn't be able to stand up against competition from OTT platforms. Ultimately, good content drives people to the cinemas. So, I think the next three to six months are going to be very strong because we have a slate of good films waiting to be released." Talking about the backlog of content, Taurani said: "You will now see large films coming out week after week, compared with the pre-Covid years when only one blockbuster film was released in a month. It is going to be a very good time for cinema and we will see a lot of clashes. A lot of regional films will clash with Bollywood films, and Bollywood films will clash with international or Hollywood productions.
Tehran, Nov 6 : The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Iran's reserves of 60 per cent enriched uranium have reached 25 kg, Tasnim News Agency has reported.

"Iran is among the few countries that are able to produce it (60 per cent enriched uranium)," AEOI's Spokesman, Behrouz Kamalvandi was quoted as saying.

Iran's "stockpile of 20 per cent enriched uranium has surpassed 210 kg," he added.

According to a law passed by the Iranian parliament in December 2020, the AEOI was required to produce at least 120 kg of 20 per cent enriched uranium by the end of 2021.

Under the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran was obliged to limit its uranium enrichment to a 3.67 per cent purity and to stockpile no more than 300 kg of the material, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iranian authorities have said the boost in uranium enrichment, along with other measures to reduce some commitments under the JCPOA, is a reaction to the US unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the failure of European signatories to protect Iran's interests amid US energy and banking sanctions.

After six rounds of negotiations aimed at reviving the JCPOA in Austria's capital Vienna between April and June, Iran and the European Union on Wednesday agreed to continue the talks from November 29.
Congratulations to Actual SEO Media's Woodlands location for reaching one year. Actual SEO Media, Inc.'s Woodlands location has experienced a fruitful year.

As the year winds down to a close, many celebrations are starting. Actual SEO Media, Inc. is also celebrating this month. The company has several locations open, spread throughout the Greater Houston area. Their Woodlands location, the most recent of the company's expansion, is celebrating its first year anniversary.

Most companies drifted through the pandemic era, striving to maintain the minimum level to stay afloat in the turbulent economy. However, Actual SEO Media, Inc. not only managed to do so, but they also grew and expanded the size of their company during the pandemic. This growth included the opening of a new location in the Woodlands in November 2020.

Every location offers search engine optimization (SEO) and other digital marketing services. Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps its clients all over the nation with developing content and optimizing their websites to suit the ever-changing regulations set by Google's algorithm. With an office in the Woodlands, they were able to expand their physical area of service, allowing for better and faster service for distant clients.

After a year in the Woodlands, that location has become an integral part of that area's service. "We've always strived to help our clients expand their online presence," Benjamin Thompson, the company's CFO, said, "So we decided to expand our physical presence. And after a year in the Woodlands, we successfully expanded our own outreach to the area to uphold that promise."

Although this location opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, it still experienced its successes by allowing the company's Woodlands clients a more at-home experience. The Woodlands location allowed their clients in the area better accessibility to the company by serving as a closer focal point for communication and exchanges, even if it was mainly online. And as the pandemic wound down, it served as an optimal location for in-person meetings.

Moving forward, the Woodlands location strives to continue its quality service to the clients in the area. With a year under its belt, the location has added to the company's collective experience, allowing Actual SEO Media, Inc. as a whole to mature further. Here's to another great year for the Woodlands' location.

As a leading SEO company in the greater area of Houston, Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps clients to expand their online presence. By using a variety of techniques, the company aims to maximize clients' search engine optimization and widen their clients' scope of recognition. For more information, contact the office at (713) 201 - 7666 or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com.
BrandTruth, a branding SaaS company based in Denver, Colorado, will exhibit at the American Marketing Associations 2021 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education during both the online and live events November 3 - 9, 2021.

The hybrid AMA symposium offers three days of online programming and content (November 3-5) for marketers at all levels of an organization and then director level and higher in person at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Denver (November 7-9) for three days of networking and peer-to-peer learning.

The BrandTruth booth will be available in the virtual exhibit hall during the conference with company representatives available for online chat. At the live event in Denver, BrandTruth will exhibit in booth #1110 in the exhibit hall.

On Tuesday, November 9, BrandTruth will also host a roundtable discussion on brand strategy from 8:30 am-9:45 am. The location will be in the summit room.

BrandTruth delivers a faster and more cohesive branding experience during the initial discovery process. Using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and proven psychology, BrandTruth aligns employees behind one cohesive, collective statement, driving sales and customer attachment.

About BrandTruth:

Founded in 2020 in Denver, Colorado, by marketing veterans Shane George and Tom Cherrey, BrandTruth is the first brand discovery SaaS platform that empowers companies to define and align themselves around one distinctive statement through proven psychology, creating a foundation for accelerated value. Through objective, democratic surveys that encourage company-wide participation from the CEO to the junior executive, BrandTruth offers an inclusive, yet efficient solution based on decades of scientific research, allowing companies to move ahead with confidence and a unified vision. For more information: http://www.brandtruth.com
New Generation Wearable IoT Scanner Weve been in the field gathering information from warehouse workers for over 5 years now, helping us pinpoint what to focus on when designing our products. Soon after our first couple of visits, weve come to the conclusion that without happy workers, no one can have sustainable growth.

Thread in Motion, an industry-leading wearable IIoT manufacturer, helps logistics firms cut picking, sorting, goods receiving operations time in half with its smart glove Glogi. Unlike traditional solutions, Glogi does not interfere with the way workers execute their tasks, or push them out of their comfort zones.

The wearable technology, fed by industry 5.0 tenets, is designed to adapt to warehouse workers needs and solve their problems effectively. Its lightweight35gramsand ergonomic design relieves workers from the fatigue that usually comes after carrying traditional 600 grams handheld terminals during hours-long shifts, minimizing efficiency loss and the costs that come with it.

Glogis conductive yarn technology and hands-free usage grant freedom and flexibility to workers, allowing it to single-handedly reduce scanning-related operations time by half, saving 4 out of 8 seconds each time. In addition to that, it offers a multilayer feedback mechanism that alerts the workers when a mistake occurs. The haptic, optic, and acoustic feedback system reduces human error down to almost 0%, as well as the costs associated with.

Glogi is the smallest device with an embedded keypad and display that's capable of working over Wi-Fi. The all-in-one technology solves connectivity problems that rise in most logistics operations and can last for up to 10-hours on a single charge.

Employers often face a trade-off between employee happiness and productivity, but smart wearables like Glogi, which are in keeping with the spirit of industry 5.0, offload the burden from warehouse workers to assisting technologies that make workers lives easier. As a result, employers get to boost productivity, save time and money without sacrificing employee morale and health.

Kadir Demircioglu, the CEO of the company explains how they developed their technology:

Weve been in the field gathering information from warehouse workers for over 5 years now, helping us pinpoint what to focus on when designing our products. Soon after our first couple of visits, weve come to the conclusion that without happy workers, no one can have sustainable growth. And from that point on, we fed our design and manufacturing processes with data from the field, and continuously worked on making our products more human-friendly.

About TIM

Founded in 2016, TIM is an IIoT wearables manufacturer serving in over 13 countries and different industries like Manufacturing, Retail, Aviation, Home Appliances, focusing especially on optimizing processes in the Automotive and Logistics industries.
Synup, a digital profile management and customer experience optimization solution for businesses, is excited to announce an expansion of its network of partners which includes five of the top ten local search sources in the United States.

The new network partners will build upon the companys vision to create the most holistic local data distribution service while expanding on the platforms SEO optimization functionalities.

In growing their publisher network, Synup seeks to improve services in countries they currently service, as well as to expand their reach to countries where they aim to serve businesses in the future. Synup is one of the fastest growing startups, as recognized by Inc. 500, currently servicing over 600,000 locations globally. From this expansion, current and future customers will see an improvement in coverage for businesses internet searches, as well as better consistency and control of business information.

Synup accomplished this effort with the support of internal stakeholders, such as their recently hired Engineering leader, Ravi Petlur. Petlur hails from startups such as PhaseZero and Infosys, where he gained over 15 years of experience leading engineering teams through high-stakes growth periods focused on developing quality software products in both the United States and India.

Synups CEO, Ashwin Ramesh, commented on the network expansion this week, With our new expanded network, we cover over 95% of all local search traffic while building the most comprehensive Local SEO platform in the industry. Im excited to be part of this roll-out and the results our customers will be seeing.

About Synup

Synup transforms brands ability to deliver relevant and trustworthy business content across all locations, devices and digital media channels. Brands can now analyze and optimize how consumers engage with their businesses - from reviews to chatbots, videos to voice search, menus to product recommendations - with an easy-to-use SaaS platform. Synup clients can adapt their local business content and information - on the fly - to match consumer buying behavior. This increases customer acquisition, advocacy and loyalty, while improving brand experience and discoverability.

Today, thousands of companies use Synup to drive better business results. Synup is headquartered in New York City with operations in APAC, EMEA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and The United Kingdom. Learn more at http://www.synup.com.
The National STEM Scholar Program selects 10 middle school science teachers each year from a national pool of applicants to participate in a week of advanced STEM training, national network building and individual project development.

Applications are now open for middle school science teachers nationwide to apply for a spot in the 2022 class of the National STEM Scholar Program, a unique professional development program providing advanced STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) training, national network building, and big idea project support for the middle school teachers of aspiring scientists.

Created in partnership between the National Stem Cell Foundation and The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University (WKU), the National STEM Scholar Program selects 10 middle school science teachers each year from a national pool of applicants to participate in a week of advanced STEM training, national network building and individual project development on the campus of WKU. STEM Scholars also spend a day with a nationally or internationally recognized STEM speaker. Past speakers have included Dr. Eric Mazur, Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University, and Dr. John Medina, author of New York Times bestseller Brain Rules.

Scholars are selected based solely on the merit of questions answered in the application.

There are now 60 STEM Scholars representing middle schools in 29 states, from Alaska to New York and Wisconsin to Florida.

Each successful Scholar applicant receives the following:



Advanced education and leadership training on the campus of WKU May 29-June 4, 2022. All expenses  travel, lodging, meals  are included

A notebook/tablet (Chromebook or similar) to facilitate ongoing collaboration

A generous stipend for technology and supplies to implement a classroom Challenge Project

Sponsored attendance at the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) National Conference in March/April 2023. All expenses  registration, travel, lodging, meals  are included

Year-long mentorship and support provided by Gatton Academy faculty

Applications are open now. Please apply at http://www.wku.edu/gifted/nss.

About the National Stem Cell Foundation

The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) is a Louisville, Kentucky nonprofit that focuses on research, advocacy and education. NSCF funds adult stem cell and regenerative medicine research, connects children with limited resources to clinical trials for rare diseases, and sponsors a professional development program for middle school science teachers inspiring the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pioneers nationwide. We build collaborations, form partnerships and leverage our relationships across all three platforms to solve problems and magnify impact. For more information, visit http://www.nationalstemcellfoundation.org.

About The Gatton Academy

Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science is Kentuckys first state-supported, residential program for high school students with interests in advanced math and science careers. One of only 15 such programs in the nation, The Academy has been named to The Washington Posts list of top-performing schools with elite students for eight consecutive years. For more information, visit http://www.wku.edu/academy.
J. Keith Dunbar, FedLearn founder and chief executive officer, "Our relationship with Nova Space will provide customers in both the public and private sectors a means to deliver foundational knowledge about the space industry to their workforces in a cost-effective and scalable manner.

Nova Space announces a strategic sales partnership with FedLearn to rapidly introduce US Federal Government agencies to critical space and astronautics professional development courses. This partnership makes it easier for government clients to seek, integrate, and provide asynchronous space educational courses to the thousands of government employees, contractors, and specialists need to serve the changing space landscape. The Nova Space / FedLearn partnership immediately offers the Nova Space-Space Professional Courseto FedLearn customers.

The Space Professional Course is designed for novice and more experienced students and professionals who are interested in greater mastery of space operations and astronautics. The course covers a variety of topic areas through virtual interactions, including but not limited to:



Why space matters

Space history

Space environment

Electromagnetic spectrum

Space mission areas

Orbits

Launch and reentry

Mission design and engineering

Space operations support

Nova Space is excited to partner with FedLearn as we bridge the global space industrys skills gap by providing an effective training course designed for all types of learners, said Miguel Alvarez, Nova Space Chief Revenue Officer and space subject matter expert, Space is a growing ecosystem that will require generations of people who understand the intricacies involved with space operations. We aim to demystify the myth that space is hard and break down the perceived notion that you must be a rocket scientist to contribute to the space industry. Our courses provide learners the necessary foundation to collaborate with and work within the space ecosystem, ultimately ensuring humanitys mastery of outer space.

FedLearn is delighted to add Nova Space to our roster of content partners, said J. Keith Dunbar, FedLearn founder and chief executive officer, Space is critically important to national security and defense todayand will grow in magnitude tomorrow. Our relationship with Nova Space will provide customers in both the public and private sectors a means to deliver foundational knowledge about the space industry to their workforces in a cost-effective and scalable manner.

Nova Space brought together a group of space industry and adult e-learning experts to develop this first-to-market course designed to provide government, private industry and academia a cost-effective, rapidly scalable, and highly engageming means of training future workforces in the core functions of CWAthe space industry.

To learn more about FedLearn, visit fedlearn.com.

To learn more about Nova Space, visit novaspaceinc.com.
Dr. Michael Lotze, ACGT Scientific Advisory chair & with University of Pittsburgh, is being awarded the prestigious SITC Lifetime Achievement Award

Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) Scientific Advisory Council Chair Michael T. Lotze, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh, will be honored with the 2021 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Lifetime Achievement Award at the SITC 36th Annual Meeting, Nov. 10-14, in Washington D.C.

Dr. Lotze is currently Chief Cellular Therapy Officer of Nurix Therapeutics and professor of surgery, immunology and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is widely regarded as the leader in exploring cancer as a disorder of cell death and is devising novel strategies to approach the disease in this context. He initiated the first approved gene therapy protocols at the National Institutes of Health and has treated more than 100 patients on gene therapy protocols at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the co-inventor of 10 patents in dendritic cell vaccines and antigen discovery, and author of more than 500 scientific papers and chapters in basic and applied tumor immunology and cytokine biology.

Dr. Lotze leads the 14 members of the ACGT Scientific Advisory Council in rigorously reviewing and monitoring the research selected for funding by ACGT. The importance and value that the Council contributes to the ACGT funding process distinguishes ACGT from many other funding agencies. Council members are among the most accomplished thought-leaders in the field of cancer cell and gene therapy. They are experienced scientists whose decades of research and patient care have elevated them into important leadership positions at top institutions across the U.S. and in Canada.

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer is a member-driven organization dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science and application of cancer immunotherapy through educational programs that foster scientific exchange and collaboration. Learn more about SITC at http://www.sitcancer.org.

To learn more about Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and the ACGT Scientific Advisory Council, visit acgtfoundation.org, call (203) 358-5055, or join the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy

For more than 20 years, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) has funded research that is bringing innovative treatment options to people living with deadly cancers  treatments that save lives and offer new hope to all cancer patients. The organization funds researchers who are pioneering the potential of cancer cell and gene therapy  talented visionaries whose scientific advancements are driving the development of groundbreaking treatments for ovarian, prostate, sarcoma, glioblastoma, melanoma and pancreatic cancers. 100% of all public funds raised directly support research and programs. For more information, visit acgtfoundation.org, call (203) 358-5055, or join the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube @acgtfoundation.
This event represents a successful synergy between the supremacy of Italian wine and the en primeur method, for the first time in Italy.

The first-ever Barolo en Primeur successfully raised over 600,000 euro for various international nonprofit organizations during the inaugural edition of this unique event held on October 30th, 2021 at the Grinzane Cavour Castle in Italy. Hosted by the Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo Foundation, in conjunction with the CRC Donare Foundation and the Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani Consortium, the event attracted an international audience of bidders, streaming live to New York, as they auctioned off 14 barriques of Barolo Gustava from the 2020 vintage.

A bid of 50,000 euro was given to the Adas Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides pain management, psychological support, and palliative care at home. This foundation was matched with barrique No. 10, for which world-renowned wine critic and Founder of Vinous, Antonio Galloni says is, "one of the most interesting wines in this auction; a classic Barolo from the Grinzane area, featuring floral, spicy notes and red berry fruit, a medium-bodied structure and wonderful energy and finesse." The most generous bid of the night was for 140,000 euro placed on the only tonneau in the line-up, a large wine barrique equivalent to approximately 600 bottles of the Barolo del Comune di Grinzane Cavour 2020, which was unexpectedly added at the end of the auction by vice-president of the Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo Foundation, Ezio Raviola.

Hosting the main event in Italy was philanthropist, Evelina Christillin, President of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities Foundation in Turin and former President of ENIT, joined by auction presenter, Valeria Ciardiello, Italian journalist dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility, and Cristiano De Lorenzo, Director of Christie's Italia, who handled the live auction portion.

Bids for the fifteenth barrique will be collected on November 14th, 2021 during the World White Truffle Auction at Grinzane Cavour Castle, and will stream live to Hong Kong. The donation will go to the international charity "Mother's Choice," which has been working to help orphaned children and young mothers in difficulty since 1987.

Ezio Raviola, Vice-President of the Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo Foundation, commented on the recent charity event: "The success of Barolo en Primeur is a source of great satisfaction for the Fondazione CRC, thanks to a collaborated effort in our local area. Having involved extremely prestigious ambassadors of both wine and art, we have created a unique initiative, capable of linking a product like the internationally renowned Barolo with projects of great social value. As of today, we are looking forward to the 2022 edition which will introduce new features that will further enhance this initiative".

Matteo Ascheri, President of the Barolo Barbaresco Langhe Alba Dogliani Consortium, added, "The Barolo en Primeur charity event, made possible thanks to the CRC Foundation project, was fundamental in establishing the Barolo appellation on the world stage. Barolo, already appreciated beyond our region thanks to the relentless work of its producers, was donated for the first time in Italy in the 'en primeur' style. As a consortium, we are committed to involving the producers of the Langhe for the next edition of Barolo en Primeur to make its presence felt even more on the international stage."

In addition to Italy, this project was promoted in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK, in association with the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourist Board, the organization responsible for the Global Conference in Wine Tourism in Alba in September 2022.

This event represents a successful synergy between the supremacy of Italian wine and the en primeur method, for the first time in Italy. The auction involved several great experts of the international world of wine, such as Donato Lanati and the Laboratorio ENOSIS Meraviglia, responsible for the entire wine-making process, and Antonio Galloni, who hosted the auction simultaneously from New York. Galloni associated each barrique with an NFT (Non-Fungible Token), a digital certificate of authenticity guaranteed via blockchain. Barolo en Primeur is set for its second edition next year, and again for years to come. With a close personal involvement of the Barolo producers, it is sure to become a must-see international event for wine enthusiasts, collectors, and benefactors alike.

Following the mandatory aging period in January 2024, the approximately 300 bottles from each barrique will be numbered and adorned with a label created exclusively by Italian artist, Giuseppe Penone. The work of art by the artist and sculptor is an unprecedented drawing of a vine leaf together with a human hand; a visual synthesis expressing the deep relationship between the wine and its creator, conveying the core elements for making a masterpiece: intelligence, courage, and love.

Among the beneficiaries of the Barolo en Primeur auction event are: the East-West Philanthropic Forum (EWPF), a project of education through art and the search for gender equality in China; the intercultural collaboration platform promoting the issues of climate change, conservation, sustainability, education, women's leadership; a not-for-profit project aimed at acquainting children and families with contemporary art and sustainability promoted by the Rivoli Castle Museum of Contemporary Art; the restoration and valorisation project of the 17th century Cantinone of Villa Arconati located on the outskirts of Milan by the Augusto Rancilio Foundation, an organization dedicated to the study and research in the fields of Architecture and Design; the promotion and recovery of traditional knowledge and the landscape of the Alta Langa by the Alta Langa Cultural Park, a non-profit organization for the promotion of the Alta Langa aimed at fostering the socio-economic, cultural and tourist development of the area; the Thesaurus Monviso project, which aims to regulate the commitment of young people in the socio-cultural and environmental spheres in the area of the Monviso Valleys, implemented by the b612lab Association of Saluzzo, an international organization for the promotion of youth policies, and finally Opera Pio Barolo.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine updated guidelines to increase the recommended age for egg donors to 2134 as SGF expands the egg donor program to Norfolk, VA. The wider age range  which previously recommended egg donors be between ages 2132  allows more interested egg donors the opportunity to apply for compensated donation to help fulfill the dreams of parenthood for individuals and couples faced with infertility."

Based on updated guidance from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), egg donors between the ages of 2134 are now eligible for egg donation at participating Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) offices, including its latest expansion with SGF Jones Institute in Norfolk, Virginia.

The wider age range  which previously recommended egg donors be between ages 2132  allows more interested egg donors the opportunity to apply for compensated donation to help fulfill the dreams of parenthood for individuals and couples faced with infertility, explains Eric A. Widra, M.D., SGF Chief Medical Officer.

SGF is home to the largest fresh-cycle egg donor program in the country. Thanks to the generosity of egg donors, more than 10,000 SGF patients have become parents. SGF generously compensates egg donors at various points throughout the prescreening and donation process for their time, effort, and commitment, not for their actual oocytes/eggs. First-time SGF egg donors can receive up to $7,000 and repeat egg donors can receive up to $8,000.

Under SGFs stringent screening requirements, any prospective egg donor between the ages of 2134 who is healthy and has knowledge of their family history may be considered for egg donation. A short online application with a prompt reply identifies if a candidate is pre-qualified to become an egg donor at SGF. Once pre-qualified, all egg donor candidates must complete a comprehensive personal and family medical history questionnaire.

SGF is one of only a few centers in the nation that selects and prescreens its own egg donors prior to making them available on their donor registry. SGF recruits and medically, psychologically, and genetically prescreens all prospective, ready-to-cycle egg donors prior to listing them on the SGF donor registry. Much more commonly, fertility centers rely on an agency to select donors, which adds significantly to the cost passed on to the donor egg recipient, also known as the intended parent.

SGF Jones Institute offers patients access to the most advanced fertility care across the Hampton Roads region. The office is conveniently located at 601 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23507, on the Eastern Virginia Medical Center Main Campus minutes away from the U.S. 58 Midtown Tunnel and EVMC/Fort Norfolk Station.

To learn more about becoming an egg donor at SGF  including eligibility requirements, the donation process, compensation, and egg donation FAQS  visit Become an Egg Donor, or complete your initial egg donor application.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 100,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 43 locations, including new locations in Colorado and Norfolk, VA, as well as throughout CO, FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
The Boca Raton Community High School chapter of Youth Peace in Action ranks #2 in the United States for membership size. We see so many issues and unnecessary hate around the world. As students, we're aware but don't have solutions. We want to make a difference and help our school and community learn to build peace and start a domino effect that contributes to solve todays issues," said BRCHS junior Brooke Brown.

Boca Raton Community High School students who want to change the world have a new outlet and support to make a difference Youth and Peace in Action (YPA). A new global initiative organized by Alliance for Peacebuilding and Rotary International, YPA is an online education and activism platform that equips youth to become problem-solvers through peace education and is the largest youth peace-building initiative in the United States and Caribbean. The Boca chapter currently totals 214 members, as of October 26, 2021, and ranks as #2 in the United States and #1 in Florida in membership size.

Among the inaugural YPA members, Boca students were featured in the YPA Goes Live! kickoff event video that was released worldwide on September 21, 2021, the International Day of Peace. Spearheaded locally by Boca High Interact Club student leader Brooke Brown and Dean of Students Kala Sloan, the Boca YPA chapter also celebrated the launch of their local membership on September 21.

We see so many issues and so much unnecessary hate around the world," said Brown, a junior. "As students, we're aware but don't have solutions. We want to make a difference and help our school and community learn to build peace and start a domino effect that contributes to solve todays issues."

YPA membership is free and open to all Boca High students with the cost covered by Rotary District 6930. According to Rotary District 6930 Governor Michael F. Walstrom, the district has committed to raising and investing $30,000 to provide for YPA membership in all 46 high schools in their district, from Boca Raton to Titusville.

As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect, said Walstrom. YPA is specifically tailored to empower youth to approach and digest the often-complex topics around peace building  and then utilize their energy to take their passion from theory to action.

The 20-hour YPA online learning experience includes peace education content, challenges to promote and make peace, and opportunities to connect with other young peace builders. Courses are now in progress and will continue through May 2022. The coursework culminates in individual capstone service projects of each students own design, guided by adult faculty members, and the achievement of advanced certification. Boca students who complete the course will also receive credit from the high school for 20 hours of community service.

Our future is in the hands of our youth. We have to act now and teach tolerance and acceptance to our students so they can spread the message of peace and hopefully change the world, said Dr. Susie King, Boca Raton High School principal.

The Youth and Peace in Action: Engaging Youth Community Peacebuilders is the largest local peacebuilding initiative in Rotary Zones 33 and 34 including Rotary District 6930 and is part of their commitment to provide free peace education, training and project mentoring for high school students, teachers and youth service club members. Anyone interested in financially supporting this project may contribute to the YPA project online via Rotary District 6930's Current Projects. All donations are tax-deductible.
The year of 2021 marks an important occasion for historic winery Castello del Terriccio, as it celebrates 100 years under the ownership of the current proprietors family, Vittorio Piozzo di Rosignano. To honor this centennial achievement, the estate inaugurated its new restaurant and tasting room, Terraforte, in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef, Cristiano Tomei.

The goal of this project was to establish a unique experience for the winery guests by creating a truly relaxing ambiance. Terrafortes charming location, immersed on the Terriccio estate perched between the local Tuscan woodlands and the Mediterranean sea, is the perfect setting to highlight a menu of exceptional local ingredients and wine list containing a selection of Castello del Terriccio wines and high-end sparkling wines.

Since I was a child, when I used to visit my uncle Gian Annibale, I always knew that Castello del Terriccio was a magical place, timeless and full of charm, states Vittorio Piozzo, owner of Castello del Terriccio, and for this reason, I wanted to create a special and unique environment, and invite others to enjoy the estate as much as I do.

Piozzo continues, When Covid-19 hit the world, the plan of restoring the estate was put on hold, but now, finally, we are seeing the first results of our hard work. The ancient village farmhouse has been converted into a beautiful, modern yet authentic restaurant and tasting room, overlooking the Tuscan grounds, and we chose a chef to run the restaurant who was capable of interpreting the soul of Terriccio and enhancing it with his creativity. We couldn't have been happier when Cristiano expressed his enthusiasm to join our team at Terraforte!

A partnership born by chance! says Cristiano Tomei, the Tuscan Michelin-starred Chef and owner of LImbuto restaurant in Lucca, as well as Chef at Hotel Bauer Palazzo in Venice. Together we aim to celebrate Castello del Terriccios world where wine, olive oil, farming, animals, the land and the village coexist in harmony."

Tomei continues, Terraforte originated with the respect and deep awareness of its unique surrounding microcosm and the restaurants location was truly the inspiration for the menu; a mix of meat and seafood dishes, revamping old and traditional recipes while paying homage to the estates rich history.

About Castello del Terriccio

Iconic Tuscan estate owned by the Rossi di Madelena family, celebrating its 100th year in 2021, Castello del Terriccio is one of the leading winemakers of Italys coastal Maremma region and a historical producer of Super Tuscan wines. With world-renowned oenologist Carlo Ferrini as the estates winemaker since its modern founding, the wines elegantly express the terroir of the propertys vast holdings through polished Bordeaux blends defined by their Italian flair, with its Grand Vin, Lupicaia, considered a classic example of the style. A de facto organic estate with viticultural roots dating back to the ancient Etruscan period, Castello del Terriccio occupies a unique position in the world of Italian wine, bringing together local tradition and international grape varieties to produce sophisticated wines that are widely admired by critics and casual wine lovers alike.

About Colangelo & Partners

Colangelo & Partners is the leading fine wine and spirits integrated communications agency in the United States, sought after by top brands and industry players for the quality of their results, creativity, and return on investment. The professionals at Colangelo & Partners work with integrity and passion to influence how US audiences perceive their clients: Earning consistent, high-quality positive media coverage; organizing signature events; strategizing and executing standout digital campaigns; and implementing trade programs that strengthen relationships within the industry. Colangelo & Partners' clientele includes global, instantly-recognizable brands and passionate, up-and-coming vignerons and distillers; regional and national institutions; and technology and e-commerce companies innovating in the beverage alcohol sector. http://www.colangelopr.com
Catholics for Change in Our Church (CCOC), an independent organization of Catholics seeking a greater role for the laity in the Church, today released a Progress Report marking the third anniversary of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church. The timing of the Progress Reports release emphasizes the importance of the two-year global Synod inaugurated by Pope Francis in October 2021.

The statement provides a three-year assessment of the changes occurring in the Catholic Church of Pittsburgh as it responds to the sexual abuse crisis, and to declining participation from lay Catholics that has been accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the subsequent financial crisis, and the resistant entrenchment of clericalism in the hierarchy of the Church.

In the first two years after the Grand Jury Report, CCOCs more than 1,200 members were focused on working with the hierarchy to make the needed changes in our Church, said Kevin Hayes, President of CCOC. In the past year, however, our focus has moved away from the inability of the hierarchy to cope with the seismic changes in our Church, and instead we are exploring how lay Catholics are finding ways to discern and follow the Holy Spirits movement. This includes finding hope within Pope Francis call for synodality and co-responsibility as the way forward for all.

In September 2018, 200 committed, hurting and outraged Catholics met and formed Catholics for Change in Our Church (CCOC). Today members participate in seven focus groups in areas ranging from healing for sexual abuse survivors to financial transparency and the proper role of lay leaders in the Church.

The CCOC Progress Report provides a call to prophetically love the Church into new life. This will come from lay Catholics discerning how this is to be accomplished through prayer and study of scripture, but also through working with lay groups across the country and globe. The Report provides details of seven areas of focus for CCOC in the coming year.

We are the Church. Together. The clergy, the laity, and the central diocesan administration, said Gretchen Jezerc, Vice President of CCOC. The change thats needed will only happen if the laity both demand it and help do the work to get it done. We need to answer Pope Francis call to journey together through the synodal process to love our Church into new life.

About CCOC:

CCOC  Catholics for Change in Our Church  is an independent organization of 1,200+ concerned, committed Catholics, based in Pittsburgh, formed to affirm the laitys rightful role of co-responsibility in the Church. The goal of CCOC is to bring about positive changes grounded in working collaboratively with the clergy and having the qualities of transparency, accountability, and competency. The seven focus areas of CCOC in the coming year include facilitating synodality and co-responsibility; promoting spiritual resiliency; working to redress the wrongs within the Church and being more inclusive; supporting the Discerning Deacons Project; organizing social justice Masses; collaborating with other lay led groups; and taking steps to hold the Church hierarchy more accountable. For more information and resources or to get involved, please visit CCOC-pgh.org.

Contacts:

Kevin Hayes, CCOC President

khayes@hayesdesign.com

412-759-5782

Gretchen Jezerc, CCOC Vice President

gjezerc@gmail.com

724-600-6136

John Costantino, Supporting Abuse Victims/Survivors & Their Families Focus Group Coordinator

john_costantino@yahoo.com

412-508-1451
Young Liu, CEO of Foxconn, will be the keynote speaker at this years U.S.-Taiwan High Tech Forum (UTHF), which will take place virtually on Nov. 5 from 4:30 to 7:05 PST and on Nov. 12 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. PST. Liu will speak about the issues facing the semiconductor industry supply chain, which has recently experienced disruptions that have affected delivery of goods worldwide.

The forum is being hosted by the North America Taiwanese Engineering & Science Association, a non-profit organization based in Silicon Valley that fosters advancements in technology, and is sponsored by Taiwans Ministry of Science and Technology. Its free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, please visit https://www.uthf.net.

The theme of this years summit will be Blockchain, Semiconductors and Their Intersection in the Future of Finance, Work and Network Infrastructure. The Nov. 5 session will focus on the semiconductor industry supply chain, and the Nov. 12 session will focus on the blockchain and crypto currency industry.

After Liu kicks off the forum on Nov. 5, Jimmy Goodrich, vice president of the Semiconductor Industry Association, will then share his experience and insights about global supply chain policies. Brian Shieh, corporate vice president of Applied Materials, will follow with his perspectives about the display manufacturing industry, which includes the manufacturing of flat screen TVs and LCD panels. Colley Hwang, founder and president of DIGITIMES, will end the days session with a talk entitled, Perspectives on the Asian ICT Supply Chain Movement.

On Nov. 12, attendees will have the chance to hear from Edward Chang, an adjunct professor of computer science at Stanford University, who will discuss how to leverage blockchains for data security and privacy. Andrew Tang, chairman of Draper Associates/Draper Dragon, will discuss the emerging trends in blockchain technologies and applications, and their impact on crypto currencies and finance. Clara Tsao, founder of Filecoin Foundation, will conclude the presentations with her talk, entitled, Introduction to Web 3.0 and Emerging Trends in Global Blockchain Policy.

At the end of the second day of the forum, a panel of industry experts will discuss their perspectives on the blockchain and crypto currency industries. The panelists will include Tsao and Serra Wei, CEO of Aegis Custody.

The North America Taiwanese Engineering & Science Association is a non-profit and tax deductible professional organization founded in 1991. Its goal is to empower innovative leaders to broaden their impact by providing a forum to help them collaborate, share business insights, and promote the advancement of entrepreneurship within the community.

For more information about the event and to register, please visit https://www.uthf.net.
An employer being able to offer a 401(k) through a PEP gives employees somewhere to begin, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and achieve their financial goals.

Certified Financial Group, Inc., announced today the launch of the Certified 401(k) Pooled Employer Plan (PEP). The Certified 401(k) makes it possible for budget-conscious organizations of any size in any industry to offer their employees access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Until recently, it cost businesses significant time and money to provide employees with a way to save for retirement. With the passing of the SECURE Act, however, now organizations of all sizes are able to pool their resources in a single plan, lowering the price of 401(k) administration and eliminating the administrative burden on business owners.

This is a game changer, says Joe Bert, founder and CEO of Certified Financial Group (CFG) and host of On the Money!, one of the areas most listened to financial call-in radio programs. More and more people are coming to the realization that Social Security isnt going to cut it, and a retirement plan with tax deductibility is a silver bullet. We are proud to introduce the PEP to Central Florida to help businesses attract and retain employees with a 401(k) plan that could shape their financial future.

Certified Financial Groups PEP, the Certified 401(k), is a comprehensive, turn-key plan thats suitable for startups and large organizations. It brings together the experience and clout of two CEFEX-Certified firms, Certified Advisory Corp (CFG's Resident Investment Advisor) and Slavic, to provide affordable record-keeping, plan administration, and investment management services. Its an attractive alternative to SIMPLE and SEP plans as well.

Wynn Smith, Certified Financial Groups expert PEP Consultant and Specialist, is passionate about simplifying the process and helping employers understand this lucrative opportunity for their employees. Achieving financial goals isnt just for those in the upper income brackets, says Smith. Its for everyone; and some are starting on the lower end of the spectrum. An employer being able to offer a 401(k) through a PEP gives employees somewhere to begin, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and achieve their financial goals.

About Certified Financial Group, Inc.

Since 1976, the team at Certified Financial Group has provided retirement planning and asset management services for a fee to help hundreds of families in their search for financial peace of mind. With 14 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals under one roof and $2 billion in assets under management, CFG is one of the oldest and largest independent planning firms in Central Florida. To learn more about CFG and the Certified 401(k) PEP, visit http://certified401k.com.

Certified Advisory Corp offers Financial Planning and Asset Management for a fee.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER.
Global Action Initiative 2021  Project Earth airs from November 2 to 6.

CGTN America releases Global Action Initiative - Medias Role in Responding to Climate Change

The third day of our Global Action Initiative 2021  Project Earth, which aired at 7 p.m. ET, November 4, focused on rising sea-levels and the medias role in responding to extreme weather.

We filmed the show on location along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland in eastern United States. That region is a microcosm for climate change where warmer waters, extreme weather and threats to wildlife have put the area and its culture at risk.

We also discussed our ten-year record of covering the climate crisis from melting icebergs in Greenland to disappearing rain forests of the Amazon.

Next, we premiered the documentary  Zero Hour: Climate Change in Europe -- highlighting efforts by a new generation of scientists to find solutions as the continent is hit by droughts, floods, and tidal surges.

Our Day Fours event, which will air at 7 p.m. ET, November 5, will focus on how global citizens can make a difference by reducing their carbon footprint. And well go online to TikTok, filled with tips on how you can help save the planet and how small lifestyles changes can make a big difference.

Then well play the documentary  Zero Hour: Climate Change in Southeast Asia, focusing on a part of the world where cities are at the highest risk from rising sea levels and floods caused by extreme weather.

For more information about the Global Action Initiative 2021  Project Earth, please follow https://america.cgtn.com/gai/gai.html

This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
These awards reflect the many ways we are making a positive impact on the environment and addressing farmer challenges by leading with scientific excellence and innovation while also engaging directly with growers.

Corteva Agriscience was recognized as a winner in two Crop Science award categories at the 14th annual Crop Science Forum, hosted virtually from London on November 3. The prestigious awards celebrate best-in-class scientific, technological and leadership initiatives in crop protection and digital agriculture industries worldwide.

It is an honor to be recognized with such highly regarded awards in not one, but two categories, said Sam Eathington, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Corteva Agriscience. These awards reflect the many ways we are making a positive impact on the environment and addressing farmer challenges by leading with scientific excellence and innovation while also engaging directly with growers. Congratulations to the entire Corteva Agriscience team on these tremendous achievements.

Corteva achieved the highest accolades in the following categories:

Best New Crop Protection Product or Trait: Inatreq active fungicide

Inatreq active delivers superior efficacy on key diseases in cereals and bananas such as Septoria leaf blotch and black sigatoka, helping to make farmers businesses more profitable, reducing time pressure and making farming more sustainable. Inatreq is the first member of a new class of fungicides (picolinamides) providing the first new target site of action in wheat and bananas in over 15 years. This innovative and naturally derived fungicide helps increase yield and is an essential tool for managing fungicide resistance risk. It has excellent application flexibility, achieves uniform crop coverage, offers curative control and uniquely provides persistent protection.

Best Public Outreach Program: Ag Women Leadership Academy

The Ag Women Leadership Academy (AWLA) was created by Corteva in collaboration with the Brazilian Association of Agribusiness (ABAG) and business school Fundacao Dom Cabral. Piloted in Brazil in 2019, the AWLA and its impact continue to grow across Latin America, with more than 7,500 women impacted by established and new programs to date. The eight-month program supports and encourages the advancement of women in agribusiness, training future leaders through education, collaboration, and advocating for agricultural technologies, including crop genetics and crop protection.

About Corteva Agriscience

Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry  including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva became an independent public company on June 1, 2019 and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at http://www.corteva.com.

Follow Corteva on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

.

# # #

11/5/21

   Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies.


Colombia Arcila Cinnamon Pink Bourbon "With subtle cinnamon notes, this sweet cup offers a delightful complement to pumpkin pie and other seasonal desserts. We invite coffee enthusiasts to savor this unique coffee and relish the story of how it made its way to their cup." - Greg Ubert

Want to take your Thanksgiving spread over the top this year? Crown your feast with one of the worlds rarest coffees: Colombia Arcila Cinnamon Pink Bourbon.

Award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea airlifted this superb experimental micro lot to Columbus just in time for the holidays.

With subtle cinnamon notes, this sweet cup offers a delightful complement to pumpkin pie and other seasonal desserts, said Greg Ubert, founder and president.

We invite coffee enthusiasts to savor this unique coffee and relish the story of how it made its way to their cup.

The tale of this exceptional coffee begins 1,480 meters above sea level in the mountains of Colombias Quindio Region.

There, Grower Jairo Arcila has transitioned 10 hectares of his Finca Villarazo from avocados to coffee. His farm focuses on the superb Pink Bourbon variety.

A hybrid of Yellow and Red Bourbon, this variety has a high glucose content. It yields a sweet cup, with a silky body and luscious mouthfeel.

Some farmers report Pink Bourbon resists coffee leaf rust, a fungal disease threatening coffee crops in Central and South America.

As fourth-generation coffee growers and exporters, the Arcilas of Cofinet specialize in alternative fermentation processes that create exotic coffee varieties and unique profiles.

After visiting Finca Villarazo in October 2018, Crimson Cup Sustainability Director Brandon Bir met with Felipe Arcila in Armenia and Bogota.

We developed a friendship that grew over three years, culminating in our purchase of this experimental micro lot, he said.

Everything starts at origin, where the time we spend with small-plot farmers and communities yields remarkable coffees.

To create the unique coffee, Finca Villarazo workers exposed a micro lot of their best cherries to dry anaerobic fermentation of 72 hours.

During fermentation, they added tartaric acid and cinnamon to enhance the flavor. In the last step, they dried the cherries on raised beds to 10.5 percent moisture content.

The result is a sweet cup with subtle notes of cinnamon, said Sustainability Director Brandon Bir, who first discovered Finca Villarazo through Felipe Arcila of Cofinet. By any standard, its an outstanding cup.

Im thrilled were able to bring this competition-quality coffee to our coffeehouses and consumer tables.

While supplies last, coffee lovers can experience Colombia Arcila Cinnamon Pink Bourbon coffee at Crimson and Crimson Cup coffeehouses and select partner coffee shops.

Customers also can order a 12-ounce box of whole bean coffee for $70 on the Crimson website. When brewed, each box will yield about 26, 8-ounce cups of coffee.

The coffees cost stems from its rarity, risks of experimentation, transportation costs and the many hands that labor to produce this one-of-a-kind cup.

Crimson Cup roasts Colombia Arcila Cinnamon Pink Bourbon in small batches every Tuesday. Orders placed by Monday at midnight ship for free on Wednesday.

We recommend ordering by Monday, November 15 to ensure delivery before Thanksgiving, Ubert said.

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Columbus, Ohio, coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is a 2020 Good Food Award winner, 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year. Since 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee for consumers and wholesale coffee customers.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop.

Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot coffee farmers and their communities.

Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also operates several Crimson Cup Coffee Houses and a new Crimson retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.


Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw For more information about the class action lawsuit against Diesel Direct West, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against Diesel Direct West, LLC, alleging the company violated the California Labor Code. The lawsuit against Diesel Direct West, LLC is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 21CV388267. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

According to the lawsuit filed, Diesel Direct West, LLC allegedly (a) failed to pay minimum wages, (b) failed to pay overtime wages, (c) failed to provide legally required meal and rest periods, (d) failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, (e) failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, and (f) failed to provide wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in California Labor Code Sections  201, 202, 203, 226, 226.7, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct.

The complaint alleges Diesel Direct West, LLC committed acts of unfair competition in violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code  17200, et seq. (the UCL), by engaging in a company-wide policy and procedure which allegedly failed to accurately calculate and record all missed meal and rest periods by Plaintiff and other California Class Members. As a result of Defendant's alleged disregard of the obligation to meet this burden, Defendant allegedly failed to properly calculate and/or pay all required compensation for work performed by members of the California Class and violated the California Labor Code.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Diesel Direct West, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Ultra premium and global lifestyle brand, Etereo Tequila, has announced a global partnership with UFC Welterweight World Champion, Kamaru Usman.

Popularly known as the Nigerian Nightmare, Usman is a professional mixed weight martial artist and the reigning UFC Welterweight World Champion. On Saturday, November 6, he will again step into the ring for a rematch to defend his title against former Interim Welterweight Champion, Colby Covington.

Etereo Tequila sets out to present the most appealing and noteworthy tequila of the 21st century. The partnership between Kamaru Usman and Etereo is a marriage of excellence, class, taste, and energy.

Touted as a synergy of an American and French vision rooted in the London nightlife, Etereo Tequila offers a range of incredibly smooth, rich, complex, and unique tequilas. Etereo, which is Spanish for ethereal in English, means out of this world or heavenly. The brand was birthed by a savvy group of investors who shared an unforgettable moment and wanted to recreate that moment for everyone across the globe.

Co-founder of Etereo Tequila, Jimmy Ling said: We are excited about this partnership with Kamaru. We want to align our brand with the best of the best, and the partnership between Usman and Etereo is a marriage of excellence, class, taste, and energy.

Commenting on the partnership, Usman said: I am really honored to be partnering with Etereo Tequila. I love what the brand represents, and we all need a little pick me up after a long day, a long week and in my case a tough fight.

For further information about Etereo Tequila, visit: https://etereolifestyle.com.

About Etereo

Etereo Tequila is an ultra-premium tequila and global lifestyle brand founded by a savvy group of investors. The brand is a synergy of an American and French vision rooted in the London nightlife that offers an ethereal or out-of-body experience through its range of incredibly smooth, rich, and unique tequilas.

About Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman is a professional mixed weight martial artist and the reigning UFC Welterweight World Champion. The former freestyle wrestler and graduated folk style wrestler is also the #1 in UFC Mens pound-for-pound ranking.

###
WeVillage, the revolutionary childcare company, announced today plans to open a 4th location in the Greater Los Angeles Area in the first quarter of 2022. Karen Beninati started WeVillage in 2010 after a frustrating search for the perfect childcare option for her toddler son. Realizing that all the existing alternatives offered inflexible schedules, unappealing physical spaces and not enough enrichment, Beninati set out to break the mold of traditional childcare and WeVillage was born.

Today, WeVillage operates 3 locations, two in the Portland area and one in Los Angeles. Each location was thoughtfully designed for children by professionals, with the goal of stimulating imagination and creativity. At the cornerstone of the WeVillage model is flexibility without sacrificing quality. We know that no two families are alike, and thats why we offer both structured and flexible options for parents, says owner Karen Beninati. Regardless of whether you are doing our drop-in flexible options or a full-time schedule, your child is going to benefit from our best-in-class curriculum for their age.

WeVillage, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, is no stranger to the spotlight. Frequently featured in magazines and news segments, the locations are also popular with many celebrities. Beninati says that weathering the pandemic was challenging, but is proud to report all her staff are still with the company, and they are again operating at capacity with safety as the primary concern. The company is proud to be mandating the vaccine for all staff and to report a 100% vaccination status.

Beninati, a former film producer, has been recognized numerous times for her inspirational story as the founder and CEO of WeVillage and a role model for female entrepreneurs around the world. While details are still emerging, it is confirmed that the new location will be in the greater Los Angeles area. Having weathered the storm of the pandemic, we really feel like we have almost rebuilt WeVillage, said Beninati. And weve come back stronger and better than ever. Our teachers and staff are so excited to share our new curriculums and spaces with children again.

About WeVillage:

WeVillage is a revolutionary concept in childcare, founded in 2010 by female entrepreneur Karen Beninati. Operating in both the Portland, OR and Los Angeles, CA markets, the childcare facilities are expertly designed to stimulate childrens imagination and creativity, making them the perfect learning environment. WeVillage offers a variety of programs with both flexible and structured schedules for ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. For more information, please visit http://www.wevillage.com.
After a few months of tallying and analysis, ForConstructionPros.com and Best Companies Group are proud to congratulate the 2021 Best Contractors to Work For. As the leading media portfolio serving the construction industry at large, AC Business Media supports the best of the best. We want to congratulate the award winners and thank them for the undying dedication they have to the construction industry," said Amy Schwandt, CRO of AC Business Media.

ForConstructionPros.com, the largest construction network in North America, unveiled the 2021 Best Contractors to Work for in Construction.

The recognition program, hosted by the staff of ForConstructionPros.com and its affiliated construction brands (Equipment Today, Asphalt Contractor, Concrete Contractor, and Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction), honors the top construction companies that provide a positive workplace environment, competitive compensation, training, and opportunities for advancement.

To be considered, employers needed to register so that employees could then complete in-depth surveys, providing feedback and rating their employer. To be eligible, construction companies had to have 15 full- or part-time employees working in the U.S., and the companys primary business activity had to be either general building construction, earthmoving, paving, concrete or specialty and trades, such as underground, utility, electrical, HVAC, demolition and others.

It is our privilege to recognize the 2021 Best Contractors to Work for in Construction. Each of these companies are being identified as a superior business to work for, showing a commitment to excellence within the workplace and within our industry, said Amy Schwandt, CRO of AC Business Media. Receiving this honor illustrates the value and determination it takes to stand out as one of the elite in the business, a well-deserved distinction earned by each of them.

As the leading media portfolio serving the construction industry at large, AC Business Media supports the best of the best. We want to congratulate the award winners and thank them for the undying dedication they have to the construction industry.

Entry forms and surveys were handled by the Best Companies Group, which analyzed the data and created an insights report based on the results. After a few months of tallying and analysis, ForConstructionPros.com and Best Companies Group are proud to congratulate the following companies identified as a 2021 Best Contractor to Work for in Construction.

Winners include, in alphabetical order (company name, number of employees, headquarters):

A&A Paving Contractors, 19; Roselle, Ill.

Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, LLC, 430, North Venice, Fla.

Alpha Structural, Inc., 120, Sunland, Calif.

Builders Asphalt and Builders Paving, 39, Hillside, Ill.

Connolly Brothers Inc., 32, Beverly, Mass.

CSI 3000, Inc., 28, Cicero, Ill.

Dowdle Construction Group, LLC, 31, Nashville, Tenn.

Falcone Crawl Space & Structural Repair, 43, Charlotte, N.C.

Fessler & Bowman, Inc., 746, Charlotte, N.C.

The Garrett Companies, 130, Greenwood, Ind.

K&L Industries, 27, Canby, Ore.

Langston Construction Co. of Piedmont, LLC, 85, Piedmont, S.C.

Mashburn Construction Company, 89, Columbia, S.C.

McCrory Construction, 87, Columbia, S.C.

MSI General Corporation, 48, Oconomowoc, Wis.

Stronghold Engineering, Inc., 211, Perris, Calif.

United Contractor Services, 54, Kennesaw, Ga.

Vesta Foundation Solutions, 41, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Walsh Construction Co., 229, Portland, Ore.

Want to be considered for the 2022 Best Contractors to Work For? Please contact Cathy Somers at: CSomers@ACBusinessMedia.com.

About ForConstructionPros.com

ForConstructionPros.com is the largest construction network in North America, reaching contractors in the heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, pavement maintenance, and rental industries that are looking to gain industry knowledge in their field and make profitable business management decisions. The platform, housing Equipment Today, Asphalt Contractor, Concrete Contractor, Rental and Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, provides contractors with fresh, relevant content that is delivered through a combination of trusted print publications and online mediums such online articles, newsletters, emails, videos, webinars, podcasts, white papers and more.

About AC Business Media

As one of Americas top business-to-business media companies, AC Business Media reaches millions of professionals annually and leads the way in providing targeted content to top decision-makers and organizations. With a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, landscape, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain markets, AC Business Media delivers relevant, cutting-edge content to its audiences through its industry-leading digital properties, trade shows, videos, magazines, webinars, and newsletters. It also provides advertisers the analytics, data, and ability to reach their target audience.

###


Arlyn Mateo

The Haute Design Network, well known for its exclusive and luxurious lifestyle publication Haute Living, is privileged to present Arlyn Mateo, of AM House, as a member and expert in the interior design field. As a Haute Design partner, AM House exclusively represents the Interior Design market of Coral Gables, FL.

Designed as a partnership-driven luxury design portal featuring two leading interior designers in each prominent market across the world, Haute Design focuses on growing its members brands as key influencers on design and deemed to be the best in their specific market.

ABOUT AM HOUSE

Arlyn Mateo, founder of the newly opened AM House, is an art curator and dealer that does not believe in a world of mass production and soulless acquisition. Art has to be made inviolable. A painting is not a thing, it has a soul, it has life, it brings emotion.

Thats why she created an exquisite space that displays stunning art works that stimulate the viewer and leaves them wanting more. Arlyn is passionate about art and its undeniable influence in the global markets. She has a bachelors degree in business administration, a masters degree in finance, and a masters degree in fine arts.

At the beginning of her career, she was focused on finding blue chip art for her clients, including pieces from the masters of the 21st century. This sparked the passion to be part of the discovery and establishment of new artists that will go down in history like the masters of this generation.

Since its inception, AM House established itself as a global artistic platform for the worlds most distinctive talent.

The gallery, located in the most exclusive area of Coral Gables in Miami, made quite the impression. AM Gallery's design its quite something to admire and talk about. The space wants to offer the opportunity to not only acquire a piece of art youll love, but to welcome people to learn and engage in art talks that the art community can feel free to share ideas, inspire, and create life.

The inception of AM House had one main goal, to create an open platform for global, brilliant and powerful talent. AM House sets out to be a platform that is a more welcoming vessel for revolutionary ideas to recognize excellence by merit. The gallery successfully introduces the foundation of the career of contemporary artists.

AM House exclusively represents artists from all over the globe, including the talented and renowned Juan Carlos Reyes, Melissa Mejia Risik, Aquiles Azar Billini, Eilen Jorge, and many others.

AM House also offers collectors pieces of blue chip art from the likes of Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro, Julie Curtis and many, many more.
The Sabbath That Assassinated Atheism: a gripping discussion of the authors research into the Day of Trumpets. The Sabbath That Assassinated Atheism is the creation of published author Herman Cummings, the first baby born in the church (Christian Pentecostal Assembly) founded by his father, Elder Herman Cummings.

Cummings shares, Just how, and when, did all existence begin? According to the book of Genesis, the Moon and the rest of the universe were created three days after our Earth. So, that makes the universe about 5 billion Earth years old. We explain why we cant use light rays from distant galaxies as a gauge.

How did we get our Moon? Since the Moon wasnt captured, nor was it debris that convalesced into a perfect sphere, what force or intelligence placed the hollow Moon in a uniquely circular orbit?

How old is God (Yehovah)? Since He goes back to infinity, what was He doing to occupy Himself before He decided to create our universe? What is the origin of sin and Satan? Why did Lucifer turn evil, and when? Lucifer could not have recruited angels in Heaven to side with him, right under Yehovahs nose. So where did those rebel angels come from? Where are they now?

This book takes you on a journey, starting with infinity, and ending with eternity. Using the seven feasts given to the House of Jacob, well explain the seven days (weeks) shown to Moses, how the feasts were first enacted, and how each feast will have been fulfilled by Yeshua.

By the time that the Day of Trumpets in AD 2022 occurs, the belief system of Atheism will have been assassinated.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Herman Cummingss new book is an engaging discussion of biblical prophecies and the authors experiences with restricted research.

Cummings presents a thought-provoking discussion of prophetic writings, modern fallacies, and the projected date for the appearance of the two witnesses in Jerusalem within this uniquely crafted work. He shares in hopes of encouraging others to take steps towards reconnecting with God.

View a synopsis of The Sabbath That Assassinated Atheism on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Sabbath That Assassinated Atheism at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Sabbath That Assassinated Atheism, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Rise Up: a potent reminder of the power of God in the face of adversity. Rise Up is the creation of published author Jacqueline Hampton-Beverly, a loving mother who overcame adversity and drug addiction.

Hampton-Beverly shares, What she longs for in her heart would come through great trials and pain that would be shielded by a greater love than she ever hoped for. The streets would teach her and the addiction could not hold her because the greatest power in the universe had and have her in His hands. Through it all, she had to rise up.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Jacqueline Hampton-Beverlys new book offers readers a unique and compelling look into the life of a woman addicted to crack cocaine.

Hampton-Beverly shares in hopes of inspiring others who have faced similar difficulties in life to lean on Gods grace to draw the strength necessary to overcome the dark times.

Consumers can purchase Rise Up at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Rise Up, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the lawsuit against Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

T he San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a lawsuit against Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. alleging the company violated Labor Code  2699, et seq. seeking penalties for DEFENDANTs alleged violation of California Labor Code  201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 221, 226(a), 226.7, 351, 510, 512, 558(a)(1)(2), 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802. The lawsuit against Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 21CV387956. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

According to the lawsuit filed, Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. allegedly failed to fully relieve Plaintiff and other Aggrieved Employees for their legally required thirty (30) minute meals breaks. Employees were also allegedly required, from time to time, to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided the legally required ten (10) minute rest periods. The California Supreme Court defines off-duty rest periods as time during which an employee is relieved from all work related duties and free from employer control.

PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code.

For more information about the lawsuit against Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys Hand Out 1,000 FREE Frozen Turkeys with Side Fixings at Las Vegas Thanksgiving Giveaway During this season of gratitude and thanksgiving, our team is thankful to once again partner with the Clark County School District Police Department to give back to local families in need by offering a bountiful meal for them to enjoy over the holiday.

In partnership with the Clark County School District Police Department, Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys will be giving away 1,000 frozen turkeys and side fixings at their FREE Las Vegas drive-thru Thanksgiving Giveaway on Friday, November 19, 2021 from 3:00 p.m. through 5:30 p.m. at Manuel Cortez Elementary School (4245 East Tonopah Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89115). As the event is non-contact, families are asked to remain in their vehicles and just open their trunk or a side door to allow volunteers to easily place items inside. Only one Thanksgiving turkey meal will be handed out per vehicle, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

With another year of COVID-19 behind us, many families in the Las Vegas area are still experiencing challenges and hardships unlike anything that they have dealt with before. As such, during this season of gratitude and thanksgiving, our team is thankful to once again partner with the Clark County School District Police Department to give back to local families in need by offering a bountiful meal for them to enjoy over the holiday, said attorney Glen Lerner. Las Vegas also marks the fifth and final city of our 2021 Thanksgiving Giveaways. We are thrilled to have shared meals with 4,250 families and look forward to the kick-off of our annual 25 Days of Giving contest that starts the day after Thanksgiving.

For more information about Lerner and Rowes Las Vegas Thanksgiving Giveaway, visit our Facebook page, call 702-877-1500, or email Guy Williams at gwilliams@lernerandrowe.com.

More About Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is a powerhouse law firm in representing personal injury clients. Attorneys Glen Lerner and Kevin Rowe have grown their law firm into one of the largest personal injury firms in the country, with over 20 attorneys and nearly 400 support employees located in Nevada, Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, and Tennessee. The law firms continuous exalted levels of success can be attributed to the high levels of respect and dignity shown to victims and family members hurt in an accident.

For those injured outside one of the previously listed states, Lerner and Rowe has an established network of attorneys across the country, ready to help. The firm takes pride in nourishing these relationships as they know a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in obtaining fair compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of tortious conduct.

For more information about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas, please call 702-877-1500. To connect with the law firm socially, follow Lerner and Rowe on Twitter and Instagram, or become a fan of its Facebook page. Also, be sure to visit lernerandrowegivesback.com to learn more about the many other community services that the lawyers and legal support team of Lerner and Rowe actively support.
FREE Albuquerque Thanksgiving Giveaway to Bring 750 Holiday Meal Packages to Underserved Families After another year of uncertainty and challenges, our team is grateful to have the chance to give back and support local Albuquerque families who could use a bit of positivity.

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is hosting a FREE Albuquerque Thanksgiving drive-thru event on Thursday, November 18, 2021 from 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m. at The Pit (1111 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106) to give away 750 meal packages that local underserved families can use to create a delicious traditional meal. As the event is non-contact, families are asked to remain in their vehicles and just open their trunk or a side door to allow volunteers to easily place items inside. Please note that only one Thanksgiving package will be handed out per vehicle, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. No exceptions will be made.

"After another year of uncertainty and challenges, our team is grateful to have the chance to give back and support local Albuquerque families who could use a bit of positivity by hosting another Thanksgiving Giveaway. We hope that all who receive one of the meal packages our team packed with care and gratitude enjoys a Thanksgiving with loved ones that is full of happiness and light, shared attorney Kevin Row e. We also hope to spread even more holiday cheer with the kick-off of our annual 25 Days of Giving contest.

For more information about Lerner and Rowes Albuquerque Thanksgiving Giveaway visit LernerAndRowe.com/thanksgiving-giveaways, follow the law firms Facebook page, call 505-544-4444, or email Cindy Ernst at cernst@lernerandrowe.com.

More about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is a powerhouse law firm in representing personal injury clients. Attorneys Glen Lerner and Kevin Rowe have grown their law firm into one of the largest personal injury firms in the country, with over 20 attorneys and nearly 400 support employees located in New Mexico, Nevada, Illinois, Arizona, Tennessee, California, Washington, Oregon, and Indiana. The law firms continuous exalted levels of success can be attributed to the high levels of respect and dignity shown to victims and family members hurt in an accident.

For those injured outside one of the previously listed states, Lerner and Rowe has an established network of attorneys across the country, ready to help. The firm takes pride in nourishing these relationships as they know a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in obtaining fair compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of tortious conduct.

For more information about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in Albuquerque, please call (505) 544-4444. To connect with the law firm socially, follow Lerner and Rowe on Twitter and Instagram, or become a fan of its Facebook page. Also, visit lernerandrowegivesback.com to learn more about the many other community services that the lawyers and legal support team of Lerner and Rowe actively support.

###


Littman Krooks LLP has been selected among the 2022 U.S. News  Best Lawyers Best Law Firms.

The firm, with offices in White Plains and New York City, received this prestigious ranking in the area of Elder Law and Trusts & Estates Law. This recognition results from the firms combination of legal excellence and breadth of expertise.

The U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their relevant practice areas, and a review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process.

To be eligible for this distinction, a law firm must also have at least one lawyer included among the annual peer review assessment of Best Lawyers in America. For 2021, Best Lawyers in America has recognized Bernard A. Krooks, JD, CPA, LLM, CELA, AEP (Distinguished), and Amy C. OHara, Esq., partners at Littman Krooks, for excellence in Elder Law and Trusts & Estates.

Krooks was named as 2021 Lawyer of the Year for excellence in Elder Law. He is Chair of the firms Elder Law and Special Needs Department and is a nationally-recognized expert in all aspects of elder law and special needs planning. He is a member of the NAEPC (National Association of Estate Planners & Councils) Estate Planning Hall of Fame.

Along with Krooks, OHara is recognized as a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. She is Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Special Needs Alliance and is President of the Board of Directors of Westchester Disabled on the Move, Inc.

A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.

To learn more about Littman Krooks, click here.

About Littman Krooks

Littman Krooks LLP provides sophisticated legal advice and the high level of expertise ordinarily associated with large law firms along with the personal attention and responsiveness of smaller firms. These ingredients, which are the cornerstone of effective representation and are necessary to a successful lawyer/client relationship, have become the foundation of the firms success.

Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities.

Their offices are located at 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York and 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York. Visit the firms website at http://www.littmankrooks.com.


NCPDP Logo

NCPDP announced its 2021 Educational Summit on Value Based Arrangements (VBA) for Prescription Medications, a virtual event to be held from 11:00 a.m.  4:00 p.m. EST on November 15 and 16, 2021. VBAs for Prescription Medications are largely untapped opportunities to realize improved patient experiences, health outcomes and cost saving benefits of value-based care, providing a path to reimagine reimbursement, and to track, monitor, and measure the critical juncture between diagnosis and patient health outcomes. NCPDPs 2021 Educational Summit will present an engaging and informative overview of VBAs, with a variety of healthcare industry stakeholders sharing their knowledge, experiences and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of VBAs, as well as standards currently available to support them.

Each day of NCPDPs Educational Summit will begin with a Roundtable Discussion led by Sloane Salzburg, Vice President of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage, followed by in-depth presentations. On Monday, November 15th, government and payer panelists will discuss drivers of VBAs. The Roundtable Discussion on Tuesday, November 16th, will focus on provider, pharmacy, and vendor perspectives. The final session of the Educational Summit will recap current industry standards that support VBAs and a summary of new transactions or standards that NCPDP may pursue in conjunction with its strategic goals for VBAs. The Program Moderator will be Kim Diehl-Boyd, VP, Industry Relations and Government Affairs, CoverMyMeds.

Confirmed Speakers:



Sloane Salzburg, Vice President, Council for Affordable Health Coverage  Sloane specializes in health policies related to Medicare Part D, medication adherence, drug pricing, precision medicine and general health reform as well as third party alliance building and coalition management. Within CAHC, Sloane serves as Executive Director of the Campaign for Transformative Therapies, which is targeted at developing and advocating for policies that encourage value-based payment arrangements for gene therapies. She also serves as Vice President of Horizon Government Affairs, a DC-based health policy consulting firm.

John M. Coster, Director, Division of Pharmacy at the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, CMS - John M. Coster is Director of the Division of Pharmacy at the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, which is a component of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He is responsible for policy and operational issues relating to the Medicaid pharmacy program and the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP). He holds a MPS and Ph.D. in health policy from the University of Maryland Graduate School in Baltimore and a B.S in Pharmacy from St Johns University in New York. Prior to joining CMS, he has held senior government affairs executive positions with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access.

Peter W. McCauley Sr., MD, CPE, Medical Officer, Cigna HealthCare  In his current role as Medical Officer for Cigna Health Care, Peter W. McCauley Sr, MD has national responsibility for Cignas over 400 value based relationships. This includes over 250 Cigna Collaborative Accountable Care (ACO) arrangements serving over 3 million Cigna customers across the United States. Dr. McCauley and his teams work directly with large physician groups and hospital systems to build and maintain relationships which insure that Cigna clients receive the highest quality healthcare services at the most reasonable cost. Dr. McCauley continues to practice Pediatrics at the Clinic in Altgeld on Chicagos far south side where he has served as a volunteer for over 23 years.

Tony Rodgers, MSPH, Chief Executive Officer, VBCare  Tony Rodgers is an experienced healthcare executive who has held executive positions in both the public and private sectors, including with federal and state agencies, private health plans, and hospital systems. His past executive experience includes CMS Deputy Administrator, Center for Strategic Planning (CSP), where he oversaw CMS Medicare demonstrations and CMS community health database. While at CMS he also collaborated on many of CMSs Innovation Center Alternative Payment Models and delivery system reform initiatives. He is currently Chief Executive Officer, VBCare Network LLC and ABC Network LLC, which are value-based provider networks serving Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries in Arizona.

Ben Shirley, CPHQ, Director, Performance Measurement, Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) - Ben Shirley serves as the Director of Performance Measurement at the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA). He draws on a health policy background and several years experience in quality measurement to provide PQA with expertise in several phases of the measure development process including specification, analysis, endorsement, and maintenance. He plays a key role in executing PQAs pharmacy measure strategy, including directing measure-specific technical expert panels and developing pilot projects that integrate innovative metrics into pharmacy-payer value-based contracts. Prior to joining the PQA team, Ben worked as an Insurance and Value-Based Care Analyst at IMPAQ Health, where he supported CMS-funded hospital and health plan quality measure development contracts in the domains of care coordination and patient safety.

Nate Gosse, Vice President, Product Strategy, Ontada | McKesson Corporation  Nate Gosse is the vice president of product strategy for Ontada. He leads portfolio and partner strategy with the goal of driving growth and customer success for specialty provider technology as well as oncology insights and expert services. Nate joined McKesson in 2011 and most recently served as vice president of product strategy for the Specialty Provider Solutions business. Previously, Nate was a consultant for McKinsey and Company, and a biomedical researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. Nate has driven adoption of value-based arrangements  for commercial and government programs  in specialty care through multiple channels: launching provider technology and reporting tools, establishing collaborative payer-provider clinical pathways programs, and leading partner relationships to bridge meaningful clinical data between provider and payer intermediaries.

Justin Heiser, PharmD, Executive Vice President of Pharmacy Operations, Thrifty White Pharmacy  Justin Heiser, PharmD is the Executive Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Thrifty White Pharmacy. Since joining the 100 store employee owned pharmacy chain in 2007 he has held several roles with the company focused on strategy, business development, strategic partnerships as well as the development of proprietary technology that integrates data-driven value-based care programs into pharmacy workflow.

Heather Gibson, Associate Director, Performance Measurement, Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) - Heather Gibson serves as the Associate Director of Performance Measurement for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), providing expertise in several phases of the measure development process. She supports PQA in executing its pharmacy measure strategy, including directing technical expert panels and providing input on pilot projects that integrate innovative metrics into pharmacy-payer value-based contracts. Heather also played a key role in a recent PQA-led summit series, which convened multi-stakeholder thought leaders to identify and prioritize pharmacy measure concepts that would be suitable for use in payer-pharmacy value-based payment arrangements. Heather previously worked at HSAG as a Health Services Researcher, where she supported CMS-funded health plan quality measure development in the domain of patient safety.

J.W. Hill, MBAHCM, CNED, Executive Vice President & GM, NCPDP  John oversees and is responsible for all day-to-day business of the organization and leads the executive management team in achieving financial goals and operational performance; and provides strategic support to NCPDPs President & CEO. He is driving NCPDPs Three Year Plan goal on VBA: NCPDP shall be recognized for ensuring that value-based models of healthcare can achieve the goal of enhanced patient health outcomes.

Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians can earn Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) hours from the ACPE.

NCPDP's Educational Summit is open to members and nonmembers. Register by Sunday, November 14th, to take advantage of the extended Early Bird rate of $475. To register for NCPDPs 2021 Educational Summit on Value-Based Arrangements for Prescription Medications, visit https://ncpdp.org/Educational-Summit.aspx.

About NCPDP

Founded in 1977, NCPDP is a not-for-profit, ANSI-accredited, Standards Development Organization with more than 1,500 members representing virtually every sector of the pharmacy services industry. Our diverse membership provides leadership and healthcare business solutions through education and standards, created using the consensus building process. NCPDP has been named in federal legislation, including HIPAA, MMA, and HITECH. NCPDP members have created standards such as the Telecommunication Standard and Batch Standard, the SCRIPT Standard for ePrescribing, the Manufacturers Rebate Standard and more to improve communication within the pharmacy industry. Our data products include dataQ, a robust database of information on more than 80,000 pharmacies, resQ, an industry pharmacy credentialing resource, and HCIdea, an innovative prescriber database that provides continually updated information on more than 2.5 million prescribers. NCPDP's RxReconn is a legislative tracking product for real-time monitoring of pharmacy-related state and national legislative and regulatory activity. For more information about NCPDP Standards, Data Services, Products, Educational Programs and Work Group meetings, go online at http://www.ncpdp.org or call 480.477.1000.

###
Inspire 2021 has been our biggest conference to date and is all about celebrating our customers successes. Our customers are innovating at a record pace, and we are very pleased to honor this years inspiring award winners.Bobby Tindel, Senior Vice President of Customer Success, NetDocuments

NetDocuments, the leading cloud content management platform where legal professionals do work, concluded its Inspire virtual conference yesterday with its second annual Partner Award ceremony. Earlier in the week Inspire Customer Awards were held while also announcing the finalists and winner of the inaugural NetDocuments Hackathon competition.

Inspire 2021 Customer Awards Winners



Security Champion: Am Law 100 firm Sullivan and Cromwell was honored for its innovative application of NetDocuments security features and options in its unique environment.

Adoption Hero: Kean Miller shined as an example of how to seamlessly incorporate new technologies like NetDocuments into users daily workflows, while allowing the comfort of working in a familiar environment.

Top Integration: DuPont was recognized for its work with NetDocuments partner, Kroll, to add significant value and functionality to their implementation by effectively utilizing the open NetDocuments platform to promote user self-service through the use of NetDocuments APIs.

Business Expansion: Corteva was recognized for its continued efforts to expand the use of NetDocuments beyond its Legal and R&D departments. The agriscience companys work to advertise and showcase the many facets of the platform to other business units is an outstanding example of how organizations can successfully promote and leverage NetDocuments across their company.

Customer Zero: An annual award that represents innovation, this year recognized Husch Blackwell as the customer that expanded product expectations and possibilities with NetDocuments.

Inspire 2021 has been our biggest conference to date and is all about celebrating our customers successes. Our customers are innovating at a record pace, and we are very pleased to honor this years inspiring award winners, stated Bobby Tindel, Senior Vice President of Customer Success.

NetDocuments Hackathon Winner & Finalists

Over six weeks, 23 teams from four countries were up to the challenge of developing workable solutions that combined the power of NetDocuments and Microsoft Power Automate. Based on 14 submissions, five finalists emerged. The NetDocuments Hackathon contributed $15K to charities in the U.S. and Australia on behalf of the top five winning teams.



Hackathon Winner: Affinity Consulting developed a solution to create flexible retention policies using Power Automate and saved searches within NetDocuments.

2nd place: Kroll submitted a solution to simplify workspace creation in NetDocuments by providing a form with validated fields tied to the repository.

3rd place: Verlata submitted a solution that provides a more effective way to submit, review, and manage a precedent library.

4th place: Kutak Rock created a way to search for a document even if a user may have once had access but was removed through an ethical wall or being inadvertently deleted. This solution empowers users to help determine what happened to a document that they used to have access to.

5th place: Element Technologies used Power Automate and SharePoint Online to integrate a docketing calendar into the NetDocuments matter workspace.

Partner Awards

NetDocuments 870 Partners and ISVs have had a tremendous impact on the customer experience and the ability to enhance the value of the NetDocuments platform for each customer. The second annual Partner of the Year awards recognized those who have overperformed, garnered the highest customer satisfaction scores, and gone above and beyond with support and service. Inspire 2021 Partner of the Year winners include:



Implementation Partner of the Year: Kraft Kennedy

Strategic Law Partner of the Year: eSentio Technologies

ISV Partner of the Year: Centerbase

Latin America Partner of the Year: Pronet

Asia Pacific Partner of the Year: Verlata Consulting

EMEA Partner of the Year: Advanced

Corporate Law Partner of the Year: Affinity Consulting Group

Small / Mid-Market Partner of the Year: Element Technologies

For more details about Inspire 2021 awards and recognition, visit the blog article about award winners here.


Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites and Hampton Inn are the only new, branded hotels in easy proximity to Yosemite National Park. Travelers love to be awed and surprised by Yosemites natural wonders, which include two wild and scenic rivers, waterfalls, granite cliffs and ancient giant sequoias, but they like the familiarity of their favorite hotel brands. ~ Corry Oakes, CEO of OTO Development

OTO Development is moving into the Yosemite National Park market with the acquisition of two hotels in Oakhurst, California, and a contract on a third.

OTO, which is part of The Johnson Group, has purchased Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Oakhurst Yosemite and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakhurst-Yosemite Park Area from a family of independent hoteliers. The seller was represented by Stanley Wang of Marcus & Millichap. The deal also includes Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite, which is currently under construction.

The three hotels sit adjacent to each other and are located just 13 miles from Yosemites South Gate.

More than 4.5 million people come to Yosemite National Park in a typical year and were delighted to now count ourselves among them, says Corry Oakes, CEO of OTO Development. This dynamic market has so much to offer, from outdoor adventures to arts and culture to historical interests and more.

Holiday Inn Express opened February 2020 and Fairfield Inn & Suites, May 2021; the Hampton is expected to open in Q2 of 2022. Collectively this trio represents the only new, branded hotels in easy proximity to Yosemite National Park  indeed, theyre one hour closer to the gate than any other Marriott, Hilton or IHG property.

Travelers love to be awed and surprised by Yosemites natural wonders, which include two wild and scenic rivers, waterfalls, granite cliffs and ancient giant sequoias, but they like the familiarity of their favorite hotel brands, Oakes says. Our recently opened and soon-to-open Oakhurst properties offer convenience to the park along with the consistency visitors appreciate from Marriott, Hilton and IHG.

At four stories each, OTOs newly acquired hotels in their current configuration have a combined 337 guestrooms and a total of 183,150 square feet; each one has an exercise room, pool and business center. Planned upgrades include replacing four rooms with added meeting space, expanded F&B offerings and enhanced back-of-the-house, so ultimately each of the three properties will be a 111-room hotel. A shared pool amenity is in the design phase.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakhurst-Yosemite Park Area, Fairfield Inn & Suites Oakhurst Yosemite and Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite are located along CA-41 in Oakhurst, California. The leadership team at the three properties includes Lauren Hartman, Area Director of Sales, and Jatinder Mann, Complex General Manager.


PACENation announced today the adoption of 22 Consumer Protection Policies for Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) that will apply to R-PACE programs nationwide. The adopted policies establish a national framework for enhanced accountability and transparency within R-PACE programs, offering greater protections for all consumers and additional protections for low-income homeowners and those over the age of 75.

This comprehensive set of consumer protections is a major milestone for Residential PACE, said PACENation Executive Director Colin Bishopp. For the first time, we have a national standard for R-PACE programs that is more comprehensive and far more robust than anything set forth by state and local governments. The new standard incorporates established best practices alongside detailed recommendations made by consumer advocates and experienced policy makers. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure the highest quality of consumer safeguards for every homeowner who chooses Residential PACE.

The recently adopted consumer protection policies are the culmination of a year-long effort that included multiple conversations with consumer advocates, policy makers, civil rights organizations, and environmental and faith-based organizations. Some of the consumer protections are new to R-PACE. The new protections will be fully implemented by all R-PACE providers by March 30, 2022.

R-PACE financing enables homeowners to make critical home upgrades that improve the efficiency, safety and comfort of their homes, often while lowering their utility bills. R-PACE has proven itself to be an essential public policy for expanding access to affordable financing for homeowners who may not have access to traditional financing options.

Too often, access to affordable capital for home and business improvements is only available to the wealthy, leaving historically underserved communities behind. PACE financing helps address the access to capital crisis for underprivileged communities in a way that no other financing option does, said Adolphus Pruitt, President of the St. Louis City NAACP. Ensuring that homeowners who utilize PACE receive the strongest consumer protections will help to advance Residential PACE policy while promising that a continued investment in the clean and resilient economy is available to all Americans.

To date, R-PACE has helped finance improvements for more than 300,000 projects, representing more than $7 billion in clean and resilient investments, creating more than 120,000 jobs and generating more than $15 billion in local economic activity.

PACENations readiness to self-implement these robust standards on their industry is a reflection of their commitment to the communities they serve, said Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Julio Fuentes. Not only is R-PACE a local job creator, but it is also one of the few financing models out there that works to ensure equitable access to energy improvements for historically underserved communities. These consumer protections will safeguard R-PACEs ability to continue successfully providing solutions where traditional lending simply cannot.

Over the past decade, the R-PACE program has experienced significant growth. Today, R-PACE has a $15 billion impact on our economy and its consumer protections have evolved along with it to incorporate meaningful homeowner safeguards and protections, said California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce President and CEO Julian Canete. This set of 22 principles attests to PACENations ability to grow and evolve alongside the needs of its industrys customers, further boosting transparency and creating safer, more resilient communities.

Beyond the immediate benefits to homeowners, R-PACE is also a powerful public policy tool that enables state and local governments to meet important sustainability goals. Cities and counties across the country continue to adopt R-PACE programs because they help local governments to advance key policy priorities, such as storm hardening, reduced carbon emissions, higher energy savings, and water conservation.

In order to achieve energy sustainability, there must be equitable access to energy efficient options, said James Owen, Executive Director of Renew Missouri. The R-PACE program is a vital public policy tool, helping to develop new opportunities for millions of homeowners to live in more sustainable, healthy, and efficient homes, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions and improving the resilience of local communities. These 22 consumer protection principles will help to ensure R-PACE continues to be an essential tool to improve our environment well into the future.

For a detailed list and description of the 22 R-PACE Consumer Protection Policies, click here.

About PACENation

PACENation is the national nonprofit association that works alongside policymakers and community stakeholders to strengthen and expand access to assessment-based financing for residential and commercial projects that increase energy efficiency, clean energy, clean drinking water, and resilience against natural disasters. Our membership community includes state and local governments, environmental and faith-based organizations, energy efficiency and climate policy experts, small businesses, PACE administrators and PACE lenders. Members may have different individual goals, but they share a desire to create resilient and resource-efficient communities.

###


PechaKucha and UNESCO Host Live Global Event We are very pleased to further promote the dialogue and exchange of ideas about freshwater, at a time when its critical role for our lives, the ecosystems and our societies and economies is more evident than ever.

PechaKucha, a social storytelling platform used by millions of people around the world, and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean (IHP-LAC), are joining forces to present a live online global event focused on water security, accessibility and sanitation. The event will be broadcast on Wednesday, November 10 at 18:00 Uruguay Time / 15:00 Central Standard Time.

Agua Todavia  UNESCO x PechaKucha is a live virtual event that aims to address awareness of water sources and the Value of Water, which also is the motto of World Water Day 2021. Facing a sanitary emergency in the context of COVID-19, Agua Todavia will use PechaKuchas 20 slides x 20 seconds storytelling platform to highlight IHP-VIII on Water Security as well as Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) on Clean Water and Sanitation. It is one of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.

We are very pleased to further promote the dialogue and exchange of ideas about freshwater, at a time when its critical role for our lives, the ecosystems and our societies and economies is more evident than ever, said Miguel Doria, UNESCO IHP-LAC Regional Hydrologist. We encourage everyone to participate and to make a difference.

Some of the key goals for the Agua Todavia include the strengthening of international dialogue and cooperation to improve knowledge and innovation to address water security challenges, as well as the strengthening between science and decision making to reach water security at local, national, regional, and global levels.

Speakers will present on various water topics using PechaKuchas highly visual, time-based presentation format that limits talks to 400 seconds (6 minutes, 40 seconds). Topics include water routes, drought, climate change, the Guarani aquifer, the Amazon, the Andes, water quality, ecohydrology, water quality, ancient knowledge and more.

Key event details:

Date: November 10th, 2021

Time: 18:00 UYT / 15:00 CST

Advanced event registration is required to attend the live Zoom webinar

The event also will be broadcast via PechaKuchas YouTube channel and streamed on PechaKuchas event page.

The event is free and will be presented in Spanish

PechaKucha is humbled to partner with UNESCO for Agua Todavia, said Mark Dytham, PechaKucha Founder and Chief Community Officer. Our storytelling platform simplifies complex topics and motivates people to share, engage, and act. We are proud to join the effort to raise awareness about the critical need to protect and safeguard water.

About PechaKucha

PechaKucha, based in Chicago and Tokyo, is the fast-growing storytelling platform used by millions of people across the globe. Content creators, schools, businesses, and government agencies worldwide license PechaKuchas 20 images x 20 seconds platform to share visual stories, information and concepts for inspired action. PechaKucha community organizers host live events in more than 1,250 cities in 140 countries, with thousands of individual creators using PechaKuchas social storytelling platform for digital talks, sessions and chats. To gain inspiration from 50,000+ PechaKucha stories or to share your own, visit https://www.pechakucha.com.

About UNESCO IHP-LAC

The Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) is a cooperative scientific programme under which UNESCO supports research, education and capacity development for water resource management. From UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo, IHP-LAC runs regional and local initiatives by engaging with the involved countries through National Committees and Focal Points, within the framework of the programme objectives and using its implementation mechanisms.
We are grateful to our sponsored vendors and partners along with our generous customers who make our food drives an important event for the local non-profits who benefit

Planet 13 in partnership with Green Life Productions, is kicking off the holiday season by hosting the second annual Stoned Soup Drive benefitting the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, SHARE Village Las Vegas and SafeNest.

For two weeks from November 6  20, 2021, Planet 13 guests are encouraged to donate canned food generously, and as a thank you they will receive surprise gifts:



10  19 cans = 1 surprise

20  29 cans = 2 surprises

30  39 cans = 3 surprises

Along with Planet 13 and Green Life Productions, the Stoned Soup Drive is sponsored by: TRENDI, ROVE, Dreamland Chocolates, HaHa Edibles, Select, Stiiizy, AMA, Cannavative, Virtue, Verano, Silver State Wellness, Packwoods, KoKo Nuggz and Just Edibles.

We are grateful to our sponsored vendors and partners along with our generous customers who make our food drives an important event for the local non-profits who benefit, said David Farris, Planet 13 V.P. of Sales and Marketing. Last year there were over 50,000 donations and we hope to match or exceed that number this holiday season.

I would like to thank Planet 13 and Green Life Productions for this amazing humanitarian donation to Share Village Las Vegas, especially during the holidays, said Arnold Stalk PhD, Founder of Share Village Las Vegas.

"We are excited to be included in your annual food drive again this year. Thank you to both Planet 13 and Green Life Productions for putting this together for our community," said Heather Williams, Director of Development at Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

The Las Vegas Rescue Mission campus takes up two city blocks in downtown Las Vegas, helping hundreds of men, women and their children daily, and providing approximately 30,000 meals each month. SafeNest is Nevadas largest, most comprehensive nonprofit dedicated to ending domestic violence. SHARE Village Las Vegas provides direct relief to individuals, families and veterans in need of emergency food assistance, job referrals, affordable housing, medical and mental health services and more.

Planet 13 will continue to bring the community together for future charitable initiatives.

About Planet 13

Planet 13 (http://www.planet13holdings.com) is a vertically integrated cannabis company, with award-winning cultivation, production and dispensary operations in Las Vegas and dispensary operations in Orange County. Planet 13's mission is to build a recognizable global brand known for world-class dispensary operations and a creator of innovative cannabis products. Planet 13's shares trade on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) under the symbol PLTH and OTCQX under the symbol PLNHF.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to the ongoing operations of the Planet 13 Holdings, Inc. (the Company) and future charitable initiatives.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: risks associated with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases presenting as major health issues; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the Nevada cannabis market and changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis related products in the State of Nevada; and employee relations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States through licensed subsidiary entities in states that have legalized marijuana operations, however, these activities are currently illegal under United States federal law. Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business, including COVID-19, are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's annual information form dated April 5, 2021, filed on its issuer profile on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Robert Groesbeck or Larry Scheffler Co-Chief Executive Officers

ir@planet13lasvegas.com
PreCheck Named a Top 10 Healthcare Solutions Provider by CEO Views More than ever, we are committed to resolving healthcares talent acquisition challenges with our disruptive innovation in employment screening.

PreCheck, a background screening and credentialing firm specializing in healthcare, today announced it was named by CEO Views magazine as one of the Top 10 Healthcare Solutions Providers for 2021. This distinction recognizes the top healthcare solution providers who offer the best-in-class within the technology landscape. PreChecks suite of solutions address the compliance challenges and employment screening needs of healthcare organizations.

Its an honor to be recognized as a leading healthcare solutions provider by CEO Views, said Zach Daigle, President of PreCheck. In todays highly competitive, dynamically changing healthcare environment, the ability to provide quality care begins with hiring and retaining the most qualified talent. Throughout the years, PreCheck has become the pre-eminent provider of talent screening and credentialing for the healthcare industry. More than ever, we are committed to resolving healthcares talent acquisition challenges with our disruptive innovation in employment screening.

Today, PreCheck offers a wide range of tech-enabled services catered to healthcare organizations, including employment screening and credentialing, professional license monitoring, exclusion and sanction screening, immunization tracking, electronic I-9, E-Verify processing, drug testing and employee health testing. For more information about PreChecks award-winning suite of solutions, visit http://www.PreCheck.com.

About PreCheck

Founded in 1983, PreCheck has focused exclusively on serving the healthcare industrys background screening and employment qualification needs since 1993. PreCheck serves over 5,000 hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, educational institutions, and other ancillary healthcare organizations, across the U.S. PreCheck has evolved over time from a background screening provider into a turnkey outsourcing solutions provider, offering a full suite of background screening, compliance monitoring, and credentialing solutions all designed to help its clients adhere to the extensive regulations governing the healthcare industry. Based in Houston, PreCheck six-time recognized Inc. 5000 company and has achieved Background Screening Credentialing Council Accreditation by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA). Please visit http://www.precheck.com for more information.
Lawyers for the Association of American Publishers and a group of publisher plaintiffs are pushing back against an effort by the Internet Archive to obtain a range of the AAP's internal communications and documents for its defense against copyright infringement charges.

In a blistering November 3 reply letter, lawyers for the publishers outlined their objections to the scope of the IA's discovery requests in the closely watched lawsuit over the IA's program to scan and lend print editions of library books. And further, the plaintiff lawyers suggested that the IAs October 29 letter asking the court to intervene in a discovery dispute regarding the IA's subpoenas was being played up as a publicity grab.

Plaintiffs have already explained to IA why the withheld communications were made in a privileged context, the plaintiffs' November 3 response reads. Plaintiffs reminded IA of this on October 28 and offered to confer, but IA did not respond. Instead, IA and [the Electronic Frontier Foundation] promptly filed and then uploaded the [October 29 letter] to EFFs public website attached to a misleading blog on the case, further attempting to litigate this case and their desired policy gains in the press based on a false narrative rather than in the courtroom based on the facts and the law.

In their October 29 letter, IA lawyers told the court that the AAP and the plaintiff publishers were asserting various claims of privilege to withhold communications and documents that IA lawyers say could aid their defense, potentially shedding light on "the varying views of publishers regarding the Internet Archives activities, as well as whether the publishers "regarded themselves as having been harmed by those activities" and whether that harm was of a large or of a small magnitude.

IA lawyers told the court that it filed its letter after "seven written communications (letters and emails) and a lengthy telephonic meet" and it was clear that "further discussions between the parties will not be productive."

But in their three-page reply letter this week, lawyers for the AAP and the publishers insisted that the withheld communications are in fact privileged, and rejected the IAs claims that communications were at all relevant to the IAs defense.

Email statements cannot undo the objective market harm that IA causes from its systematic copying and distribution, the letter states, adding that the IAs efforts to gain access to the AAPs confidential internal legal deliberations" and related member communications "reeks in the context of the ongoing public policy battles on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in which the AAP, on the one hand, and IA and EFF, on the other, are on opposite sides of significant copyright issues.

Further, plaintiff lawyers say the problems with the IAs subpoenas go beyond seeking privileged communications, pointing out that, in addition to privilege, the AAP objected to the subpoenas based on "relevance, burden, and overall lack of proportionality, as well as the IA improperly trying to obtain broader non-party discovery in the context of this case. Those issues remain, the letter states. At the appropriate juncture, if necessary, the AAP will argue those issues and file declarations to demonstrate the burdens presented and that the assorted privileges discussed above apply.

The discovery dispute is the latest twist (and the second major discovery dispute) in the high profile lawsuit, first filed in June of 2020 by Hachette, HarperCollins, John Wiley & Sons, and Penguin Random House, and coordinated by the AAP.

The suit alleges that the Internet Archives program to scan and lend print editions of library books under an untested legal theory known as controlled digital lending is copyright infringement on a massive scale. IA lawyers contend that its program respects the rights of copyright holders and that the scanning and lending of library books under the CDL framework is protected by fair use.

A pre-motion conference is now set for December 2, before magistrate judge Ona T. Wang.
Ahead of the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, which runs November 2023 in San Antonio, Tex., PW is examining trends in academic religion publishing. New books by biblical and religious scholars are asking perennial questions about human well-being, searching for answers to division and disruption, and probing history for insight on todays racial justice issues. Even when it comes to academia, new titles reflect the times, says Cade Jarrell, managing editor at Baylor University Press.

Texts and teachings of tradition are reclaimed and repurposed in service of what it means to live fully and at peace with others across social, cultural, ethnic, and religious divides, he notes. Scholarship in these areas possesses an urgent need for true justiceespecially regarding the issues of race and migration.

Baylor recently released Believing into Christ: Relational Faith and Human Flourishing by Natalya A. Cherry, a Methodist studies and theology professor at Brite Divinity School. She argues that the biblical phrase believing into Christ actually demands that Christians do more than simply believe in Gods existence. Instead, believers should act on their faith by resisting systems of violence and oppression and cling to the Holy Spirit in a way that directs every relationship toward human flourishing, according to the publisher.

Also geared toward improving the future for all people, Deep Calls to Deep: The Psalms in Dialogue amid Disruption by William Brown (Abingdon, out now) draws on the psalms as a guide to cultivating conversations about not only biblical issues but also our contemporary crises. These include the pandemic, environmental catastrophe, and race-based hatred, according to Paul Franklyn, associate publisher, Bibles, leadership, worship, and textbooks at Abingdon. The book breaks new ground in biblical interpretation and advances psalms scholarship for a useful purposeto heal our wounds that stem from lack of trust, he says.

The first chapter of Deep Calls to Deep, titled after Psalm 42, draws on the white nationalist demonstrations that took place in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 and what Franklyn describes as the resulting echo chambers of our disrupted and polarized culture. He adds, We talk over each other and exacerbate our problems. Bill Brown shows how clusters of psalms are in critical dialoguemultiple voices and points of viewwith the other books in the Bible and with other psalms in the Psalter.

Jim Kinney, executive v-p, academic publishing, at Baker Publishing, strives to publish books that reveal our shared humanity. He is inspired by the Templeton Foundations humble approach to scholarship and the phrase How little we know, how eager to learn. He explains, I think academic authors are at their best when they reflect that sort of humility, even as they vigorously make their arguments.

For Kinney, every time Baker can connect an author and a reader in a meaningful way, there is the potential to create a transformation. I think we are, and will be, successful to the degree were able to find books that fulfill that potential.

In March, Baker Academic is releasing Called to Reconciliation: How the Church Can Model Justice, Diversity, and Inclusion by Jonathan Augustine, which argues for why the church can benefit from secular diversity and inclusion practices, and that the churchs work in reconciliation can serve as a model for society at large, according to the publisher. Kinney was drawn to Called to Reconciliation because it puts the church at the center of efforts toward racial reconciliation. Christian communities need to model justice, diversity, and inclusion, regardless of whatever messages and trends dominate in the broader culture, he says.

Studying religion and race

Religion scholars are looking closely at race in America, including racism and all of its evils. Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Chair and associate professor of ethics and society at Vanderbilt University, has a new book titled Religion, Race, and Covid-19: Confronting White Supremacy in the Pandemic (NYU, out now). It builds a case for how religious practices have profoundly changed due to the pandemic, and examines why Americas most vulnerable populationspeople of color and the working poorhave felt its impact the most.

Angela N. Parker, assistant professor of New Testament and Greek at Mercer Universitys McAfee School of Theology, is also looking at the intersection of race and religion. Her book, If God Still Breathes, Why Cant I? Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority (Eerdmans, Mar. 2022), examines how the Bible has been used to support white supremacist authoritarianism. Parker, whose womanist writings have won the Journal for Feminist Studies in Religions ESF New Scholar Award, argues that interpretations of scripture by white men in positions of power have been used to justify control over marginalized groups, according to the publisher.

In January, Zondervan Reflective is publishing Talking About Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations, by Washington, D.C., pastor Isaac Adams. The book calls on Christians to have honest conversations about race in order to achieve racial unity in their churches, Zondervan says.

Race, through time

Deep dives into historical events and religious movements of the past are shedding new light on current issues and movements surrounding race, including Black Lives Matter. The ongoing discovery of how race is tied up with every aspect of U.S. society continues to yield creative and innovative fruit in the ways we understand religion and religious texts, says Robert Ratcliff, editor-in-chief for Westminster John Knox.

The press recently released Getting to the Promised Land: Black America and the Unfinished Work of the Civil Rights Movement, by the president of Simmons College of Kentucky, Kevin W. Cosby. Ratcliff calls it the first theology of the American Descendants of Slaves movement. In the book, Cosby looks beyond Moses and the Exodus to other biblical leaders such as Solomon, Daniel, and Nehemiah. Getting to the Promised Land also examines the economic and social injustices, and lack of reparative justice endured by the only group whose ancestors were forcibly brought to America, enslaved, built much of the wealth of the country, yet continue to be specifically excluded from the same social, political, and economic rights of other Americans, according to the publisher.

Also from WJK, Unbroken and Unbowed: A History of Black Protest in America by Jimmie R. Hawkins (Feb. 2022) depicts protests that range from mutinies on slaver ships during precolonial times through demonstrations that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Hawkins also details responses to the various protests, such as during the Jim Crow era, the Red Summer of 1919, and with voter suppression.

Coming from NYU, The Myth of Colorblind Christians: Evangelicals and White Supremacy in the Civil Rights Era by Jesse Curtis (Nov.) examines the ideology behind colorblindnessin which personal kindness was viewed as a solution to racial problems, rather than systemic reformand how white evangelical communities avoided antiracist action and continue to thrive today, according to the publisher.

Lastly, Jesuits and Race: A Global History of Continuity and Change, 15302020 (Univ. of Mexico, June 2022), edited by Nathaniel Millett and Charles H. Parker, is a collection of essays on how Western understandings of race were shaped by the Jesuits. The religious orders global presence in missions, imperial expansion, and education lend insight to the differences in patterns of estrangement and assimilation, as well as coercion and enfranchisement, with people from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, according to the publisher.

Additional religious histories are available now. After Jesus Before Christianity: A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements (HarperOne), by Bible scholars Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, and Hal Taussig, reconsiders the roots of Christianity. Jesus in Context: Making Sense of the Historical Figure by David Wenham (Cambridge Univ.) draws on information from Roman, Jewish, and Christian texts, the gospels, and evidence of the apostle Paul to form a portrait of Jesus. Muslims of the Heartland: How Syrian Immigrants Made a Home in the American Midwest by Edward E. Curtis IV (NYU) explores the surprising history of Muslim life in the early American Midwest, according to the publisher. The Popes Against the Protestants: The Vatican and Evangelical Christianity in Fascist Italy by Kevin Madigan (NYU) recounts the little-known alliance formed between the Catholic Church and the Italian Fascist regime on an anti-Protestant campaign.

And taking a providentialist approach to general world history, Crossways Redeeming Our Thinking About History: A God-Centered Approach by Vern S. Poythress (Mar. 2022) aims to help Christians recognize Gods lordship while studying the past, according to the publisher. Crossway associate acquisitions editor Samuel Jones believes that the serious and careful study of history can help reveal the truthfulness, power, and providence of the God of scripture, he says. To encounter history is to encounter a story of mankind that points us toward Christ and motivates us to trust and believe him.

Holding up the Bible

Studies of the Bible are the bread and butter of many academic publishers, but how might increased Bible sales affect the category?

Any time Bible sales are up, it is good news for Oxford University Press, says Theo Calderara, editor in chief at OUP. We have been expanding our offerings in biblical studies for several years now, and we have plans to continue expanding, including new study Bibles and a commentary series. In December, OUP is re-releasing The Bible: A Very Short Introduction by John Riches with updates that include a new chapter on Galatians.

What we will seek to acquire will not change, says Katya Covrett, executive acquisitions editor at Zondervan Academic. At the same time, as each new generation reads the Bible for itself, we are always on the lookout for fresh and creative expressions of biblical wisdom for todays audiences.

Room for growth

Among the publishers new releases in biblical studies is The Theology of Paul and His Letters: The Gift of the New Realm of Christ by Douglas J. Moo, which focuses on the apostle Pauls letters and summarizes his major theological emphases, according to the publisher.

A core category for IVP Academic, biblical studies continue to grow in new and fresh ways, according to Anna Moseley Gissing, an associate editor. We are hard at work on several big projects this year, she says. A completely new edition of Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, a new translation of the New Testament by Scot Mc-

Knight, and a one-volume commentary on the New Testament with the working title The New Testament in Color, edited by Esau McCaulley, Janette Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, and Amy Peeler.

In the more immediate future, IVP is releasing Enjoying the Old Testament: A Creative Guide to Encountering Scripture by Eric Seibert (Nov.), which features literary, artistic, and other exercises intended to help audiences who find the Old Testament confusing, theologically troubling, or uninteresting.

Among the new titles that bring Christian teachings to bear on a number of contemporary issues, a few turn inward to examine the house of Godand, specifically, church membership. Looking toward the future, Bakers Jim Kinney suggests that academic books may offer new, more accurate takes on the health of the church. Seminary enrollments are strong even as we hear many reports about the decline of the church, he says. Those two narratives seem to be in tension with one another. I wonder if the supply side of the equationthe many leaders being trained in the seminarieswill change the narrative about the shape and the future of the church.

Also in spite of reports that church attendance rates are dropping, Cade Jarrell at Baylor sees no slowdown in the number of books on religion and human flourishing in the years to come. Religion does not give sign of waning in influence or importance in the human experience, he says. In order to ensure that religion will be a force for positive change, those who study scripture, theology, and religion recognize the need to better understand the way our faith traditions impact groups and societies, inclinations toward bias and harm, and the potential for reconciliation and healing.

Back to Main Feature
New Testament scholars Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill Levine share a goal: dissect and demolish 2,000 years of Christians disparaging portrayals of the Pharisees, the Jewish rabbis of Jesuss time. They are the coeditors of The Pharisees (Eerdmans, Dec.), a compendium of essays drawn from a May 2019 international conference at the Gregorian University in Rome, Jesus and the Pharisees: An Interdisciplinary Reappraisal, that brought together dozens of Christian and Jewish scholars who examined the origins and impact of slandering Jews from Jesus time to today.

Sievers, a Catholic priest and professor emeritus of Jewish history and literature of the Hellenistic period at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, led the conference. For the book, he teamed up with Levine, an emerita professor from Vanderbilt University, who joined Hartford Seminary in August as a professor of New Testament and Jewish studies.

The Pharisees tracks hateful portrayals of Jews not only in scholarly works but also in the arts, including Passion plays and cinema, as well as in textbooks and in preaching, Sievers says. Old and new prejudices and stereotyping, which are rampant today, are based often on ignorance or sometimes on false certainties. The Pharisees have been and are victims of both. A reconsideration has to be done by Jews, Christians, and other scholars together.

Levine, who is Jewish, encountered anti-Semitic tropes even as a child, growing up in a Portuguese Roman Catholic neighborhood in North Dartmouth, Mass. She recalls friends with crucifixes on the walls and rosary beads in their hands, one of whom said, You killed our Lord. She adds, I started asking questions then, and Im continuing to do so 60 years later.

Levine says that for Jews, the Pharisees are our spiritual ancestors, those who preserved the interpretations of Israels scriptures and adapted them for the people apart from the Jerusalem Temple. Many Christians, following certain Gospel passages, regard the Pharisees and, by extension the Jewish tradition, as lifeless, legalistic, and so toxic. After two millennia of misunderstanding and in consequence, bigotry, its time for a more historical, less negatively stereotypical understanding both of the Pharisees and of Jesus interactions with them.

In their own chapters in the book, the coeditors each give very specific suggestions for change in teaching, preaching, and cultural presentations of the Pharisees. Sievers writes that people need to recognize how elusive it is to know your own self, much less the historical Pharisees.

Levine writes, If priests, pastors, and religious educators would stop bearing false witness against Pharisees, if people in general will stop using Pharisee as a synonym for hypocrite, and if Jews and Christians had better knowledge of both our common roots and our distinct branches, wed be closer to the love of neighbor and love of stranger that Leviticus and Jesus command.

Andrew Knapp, Eerdmanss senior acquisitions editor, says, Ignorance and prejudice fueled anti-Semitism throughout history. The Pharisees, which also includes an address to the 2019 conference by Pope Francis, demonstrates the essential role of interfaith collaboration in the study of history, theology, and the practice of religion, Knapp adds.

Cathy Lynn Grossman is a veteran religion and ethics writer living in Washington, D.C.

Back to Main Feature
Katie Whittemore is a translator who lives in Valencia, Spain. She began translating books from Spanish to English three years ago and has since published translations of Four by Four by Sara Mesa, The Communists Daughter by Aroa Moreno Duran, Last Words on Earth by Javier Serena, and Worlds Best Mother by Nuria Labari, with four new translations coming next year. She spoke with PW about the growing English-language market for books from Spain and where she finds the as-yet-undiscovered gems.

Youve been quite prolific in such a short time. Clearly there is some demand for more translations from Spanish to English.

As a Spanish translator living in Valencia and working with authors from Spain, I really only feel qualified to speak about authors from Spain, but there is obviously solid demand for works in translation from Spanish from other countries. Actually, my sense as a translator is that, in the U.S. market at least, there have been more translations coming out of Latin American countries than Spain.

That may be about to change. Since Spain is the guest of honor country at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022, the Spanish government and cultural organizations like Accion Cultural Espanola [AC/E] have been putting money and resources toward programs to support international awareness and translations of Spanish literature.

This support comes in addition to longer-running programs like the online publication New Spanish Books. One of the most important things for U.S. and U.K. publishers to be aware of is AC/Es funding support for full-length translations from writers who reside in Spain. The call for applications is currently open until December 31.

What has been the challenge in translating books from Spain, as opposed to those from the Americas?

My sense, as a translator, is that some of the biggest challenges to getting books from Spain translated and published in English has a lot to do with the pipeline from Spanish publisher to literary agents to U.S. and U.K. editors.

The biggest opportunity I see for an increase in Spanish titles making it to the English-language market is to continue the relationship building between agents representing Spanish authorssuch as Casanaovas & Lynch, Ella Sher, the Carmen Balcells Literary Agency, and International Editors Co., to name just a fewand translators to combine efforts to produce quality samples and other materials and advocate for certain authors or books within their respective spheres of influence.

What is the 10 of 30: New Spanish Narrative program, and how has it helped in your work?

The 10 of 30 initiative of the AECID, Spains Agency for International Cooperation Development, is an excellent program that showcases books for potential translation: the organization has produced three volumes of 10 English translations, resulting in samples of 30 Spanish writers in their 30s. Its an opportunity to look beyond some of the best-known authors and help publishers take a chance on undiscovered talent, writers who are at the start of their careers with a whole literary trajectory ahead of them.

Some of these writers already have had or will have English translations coming out, including Cristina Morales, Juan Gomez Barcena, Aroa Moreno Duran, Almudena Sanchez, Irene Sola, Elena Medel, Katixa Agirre, and Jordi Nopca to name some, but there are others who are just waiting to be discovered and scooped up.

In what other ways can publishers better engage with Spanish publishing?

In terms of other areas of untapped potential just itching to be mined by acquiring editors, we have to highlight three main areas, in my opinion:

First, October 18 was the Dia de las EscritorasDay of Female Writershere in Spain, and I really want to highlight writing by women and encourage publishers to actively seek out and consider work by authors who identify as female. Some personal favorites who, to my knowledge, havent had full-length publications of their work in English include Aixa de la Cruz, Pilar Adon, Florencia del Campo, Raquel Taranilla, Esther Garcia Llovet, and Margarita Leoz.

Second, you can also look at works from the countrys official languages other than Castilian. Theres a wealth of writing in Catalan, Galician, and Basque, for example, and this includes some very interesting classic writers as well as new voices.

Third, look at works published by Spanish indie presses, such as Blackie Books, Impedimenta, Galaxia Gutenberg, Sexto Piso, Paginas de Espuma, Pepitas de Calabaza Ediciones, La Una Rota, La Bella Varsovia, and Candaya, to name some. All have lists that feature some of the most creative and intelligent fiction, poetry, and nonfiction published in Spain today.

Back to Main Feature
Click Here to go to PublishersWeekly.com
Grupo Planeta recently announced it will relaunch its publishing program in the U.S. Planeta, the largest Spanish-language publisher in the world, is based in Barcelona and first opened a U.S. office in Miami in 1994. While the Miami office still imports and distributes 600 titles a year, its U.S.-based publishing program closed in 2008 after operating for eight years.

In advance of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, we talked with Jose Calafell Salgado about the company and its operations throughout the Americas.

What is it we dont know about Planetas operations in the Americas that you would like to let U.S. readers know about, particularly now that you are relaunching English-language publishing?

Grupo Planeta was founded more than 70 years ago and, since its origins, Latin America was at the core of our founders business strategy. Currently, we have seven regional operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. In January 2022 we will add a U.S. office to oversee our Spanish-language publishing in this territory. These offices allow us to distribute our books and content to readers in over 20 countries in the continent.

Do the markets in Latin America differ from each other or those in Spain? Or is there a single overall strategy?

When we talk about Latin America we are alluding to an abstract concept. On a daily basis, each market faces its own reality and very specific challenges. This means that we have to be very creative in developing a variety of strategies and that our publishing teams must be sharp, accurate, and have a thorough understanding of their countries.

Our business philosophy in the region doesnt try to replicate the successful publishing model we have in Spain, since that model applies to a different market. Although we share best practices and common policies and strategies, we analyze the specific environment of each country and work hard to deliver the best books possible in each of them.

In that sense, our Latin American team looks to publish content that crosses country boundaries and is still relevant in many territories, proving that it is possible to connect different markets and readers, a goal coveted by many publishers in Spanish.

Are there specific markets that have proven challenging in the recent past?

I would mention two countries. First, Argentina, a country with a very tough economic forecast. I am very proud of the talent and commitment of our local team. They have proven to be a rock despite so many difficulties, always carrying on to serve one of the stronger and most loyal reader communities in the world. On the other hand, we have Brazil, where the publishing landscape is very competitive and retail is suffering tremendously due to the Covid crisis. There, we face a permanent challenge, but we are quite confident we will have an outstanding performance in the years to come.

Last but not least, I want to share with you and your readers a dream: we long to return to Venezuela and continue our long-time publishing project in the country. We had no option but to close our office there a couple of years ago. Still, we dont forget our readers and authors there.

How do you see Planeta competing with your main rival in the region, Penguin Random House?

We focus our talent and commitment on bringing the readers the best and most innovative content. We also aim to be the best partner for our authors, clients, and providers. And to follow this path we need to compete not only with PRH but also with other international groups and with brilliant independent publishing houses that are doing an outstanding job. This competition is welcomed, not only because it makes our teams be more creative and efficient but also because it makes our professional lives richer and much more fun.

Back to Main Feature
When Jasmine Guillory announced her forthcoming retelling of Disneys Beauty and the Beast on social media, she recalls, so many people were like, Belle is my favoriteshe loves books just like me.  In By the Book (Hyperion Avenue, May 2022), Guillory reimagines Belle as Isabelle, a 25-year-old editorial assistant and the only Black employee at her publishing house; Beau is a reclusive, cantankerous memoirist who has failed to deliver his manuscript.

It was a joy to write about a heroine that I know so many readers love, and who loves books and dives into reading and writing in a way that I always have, Guillory says. It feels natural to write a book about characters who love books.

Guillory isnt the only romance writer who feels this way. PW spoke with several authors and editors about the popularity and durability of bookish romances.

Sorry, Im booked

Even among book lovers, romance readers are famously voracious. Author Rachel Lacey, for instance, says shes met fans who read upward of 300 romance novels a year: Its the ultimate fantasy for a romance reader to fall for a person who shares that love and that enthusiasm for the books. In Read Between the Lines (Montlake, Dec.), Lacey presents a sapphic reimagining of the 1998 bookish rom-com Youve Got Mail. Online, bookstore owner Rosie Taft banters flirtatiously with her favorite lesbian romance author, Brie. In real life, the pair are at loggerheads. Brie is a pen name for Jane Breslin, who works for her familys property development agency and whos responsible for terminating Rosies lease.

Christian romance author Sarah Sundin centers the action on an English-language bookstore in her latest historical, the February Revell release Until Leaves Fall in Paris. Lucie Girard, an American ballerina living in France in 1940, buys her favorite bookshop so that its Jewish owners can escape. She meets Paul Aubrey, who runs a factory as a front to spy on his German customers for the U.S. Army. The bookstore becomes one of the characters in the book, says Vicki Crumpton, executive editor at Revell. Lucie holds events for kids. Paul is a recent widow; his daughter loves books. Though the child is shy, Crumpton says, Lucie, as a fellow book lover, is able to draw her out.

ISBN thinking of you

Author Emily Henrys favorite romances have a sense of place so strong it fills me up with longing, she says. Her breakout rom-com2020s Beach Read, which has sold 280,000 print copies, per NPD BookScanwas set in the world of publishing and starred a romance author and a literary darling. Libraries, bookstores, squashy reading chairs, bright offices filled with colorful bookshelves are all so innately romantic because of that sense of coziness, she adds.

In her next novel, Book Lovers (Berkley, May 2022), cutthroat literary agent Nora Stephens joins her sister for a monthlong getaway to a small town and keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a brooding editor she knows from the city and has no love for. Spoiler alert: sparks fly.

In fiction, we tend to see more bookworms of the shy, introverted variety, Henry says. Im excited for readers to get to know two book people of a different sort: ambitious, hard-edged, thorny.

Other authors who see the romantic side of the book trade include Shauna Robinson, who set the forthcoming Must Love Books (Sourcebooks Landmark, Jan. 2022) at fictional Parsons Press. Nora Hughes, the companys only Black editorial assistant, is barely getting by on her salary. After a pay cut, she takes on a second job moonlighting for a rival press. There, she crosses paths with bestselling author Andrew Santos, setting up a head-versus-heart collision.

In By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate (Putnam, Mar. 2022), ambitious romance editor Lanie leaps at the chance to work with reclusive, bestselling author Noa Callaway. Only one of the houses editors, who is away on maternity leave, has ever seen or spoken to Noa, but Lanie and the author have been online friends for seven yearsexchanging notes, playing virtual chess. The author serves as a mother figure to Lanie, who lost her mother at a young age. Noa is the reason Lanie pursued a career in publishing, says Tara Singh Carlson, executive editor at Putnam.

To earn a promotion, Lanie must help Noa beat her writers block and deliver a long-delayed manuscript. When Lanie finally meets the author in person, she turns out to be a man. Their romantic journey goes from her being so angry at him to coming to fall in love with him, Singh Carlson says. The twist, the power dynamics of her as editor and him as author who needs herthere are so many bookish layers to this story.

Youre just my type

Writer-protagonists abound in literature, and the romance genre is no exception. Juniper Blossom, the main character in Saranna DeWyldes It Happened One Midnight (Zebra, Jan. 2022), is a romance novelist who fake-dates her best friend in the hope of stopping her meddling fairy godmothers from interfering in her love life. Third in DeWyldes Fairy Godmothers, Inc. series, this romantic fantasys strong focus on communication makes the leads transition from friends to lovers believable and resonant, PW said in its starred review.

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (Thomas Nelson, Feb. 2022) stars Savanna Cade, an aspiring romance author who also works as an editor at a highbrow publishing house that wants little to do with genre fiction. By day, she edits books with titles like The Incredible World of Words: An Epistemophiliacs Guide. Whenever she can, she plugs away at her novel, often in the secret turret room of her Victorian office building. When she finds critical notes in the margins of her hidden manuscript and, later, when those marginalia turn romantic, Savanna becomes increasingly curious about the identity of her shadowy editor. Could it be blue-eyed William Pennington, new publisher and son of the presss romance-despising CEO?

In The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, due out from Berkley in February, protagonists Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen are coauthors of a runaway bestseller. They part ways over creative differences but are forced to reuniteto write a romance novel. Theres this meta quality to the story that I hope that readers find enjoyable, says Kristine Swartz, senior editor at Berkley. Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka, high school sweethearts turned husband and wife, have previously coauthored YA romances; this is their first adult romance.

Kris Rippers Book Boyfriend (Carina Adores, May 2022) follows Preston PK Kingsley, a struggling writer whos madly in love with a college friend named Art. PK attempts to win over Art by writing their relationship into his book. Thinking about the books I read as a child, there were a lot of books about books, Ripper says. I read not just for adventure, but also, I wanted to be seen. I wanted to feel like there were other people who reflected parts of myself back to me. This kind of preoccupation of writerswith reading and with booksmakes a lot of sense.

Book Lovers author Henry, too, sees the appeal of bookish books as a reader and an author. We big-time readers find joy just from being in our heads, immersed in other stories, she says. Its fun, as a writer, to put a character like that front and center. As a reader, its instantly relatable and affirming to watch someone like you live their own great romance.

Pooja Makhijani is a writer and editor in New Jersey.

Below, more about new romance novels of 2022:

Healing Hearts: PW Talks with Gia de Cadenet

The debut author of 'Getting His Game Back' (Dell, Feb. 2022), a contemporary romance, discusses toxic masculinity and depictions of mental illness in popular culture.

Hex Appeal: New Romance Novels 2022

Forthcoming books aim to enchant readers with the magic of romance.
If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.

Submit
The Wabash Township Fire Department has been functioning with only volunteer firefighters since June, and the township board and trustee disagree on how to move forward.
(The Center Square)  Customs and Border Patrol agents continue to apprehend foreign nationals entering the U.S. illegally who are gang or Mexican cartel members with criminal convictions.

They have been convicted of crimes including assault, battery, domestic violence, burglary, robbery, larceny, theft, fraud, driving under the influence, homicide, manslaughter, illegal drug possession and trafficking, illegal reentry, illegal weapons possession and transport and sex offenses, among others.

Of the total apprehensions, 27% were repeat offenders previously caught in the same fiscal year.

In fiscal 2021, Border Patrol agents arrested 10,763 criminal migrants, of which 1,904 had outstanding wants or warrants.

Those arrested with criminal convictions or wanted by law enforcement were apprehended by Office of Field Operation agents (OFO) or Border Patrol agents.

OFO agents encountered 6,567 criminal migrants, and arrested 8,979 individuals already in the National Crime Information Center database. NCIC arrests include citizens and noncitizens wanted by law enforcement agencies nationwide.

CBP regularly reports the types of criminals being arrested and processed for deportation nationwide. Many of the criminals apprehended had been convicted in other states prior to deportation and illegal reentry in Texas.

Among them, more than 1,900 were arrested in fiscal 2021 in the busiest sector along the southern border in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

One recent apprehension includes a Mexican national and Los Paisanos gang member with a prior conviction of illegally transporting people into the U.S. in 2008. He had been sentenced to 24 months in confinement and was subsequently deported, only to get caught reentering the U.S. illegally again in Hidalgo, Texas.

Agents also apprehended Salvadoran nationals who were either Mara-Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members or 18th Street gang members in the RGV.

One Salvadoran national gang member, for example, had been convicted of accessory to murder after the fact and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Maryland. He was later deported, only to be caught again reentering the U.S. illegally.

A Mexican national previously convicted of murder in Dallas in 1998  who was previously deported  was also caught reentering the U.S. illegally again in the RGV.

Agents continue to apprehend registered sex offenders. One recent apprehension was of a previously removed Guatemalan national, Jose Yojcom-Rocche, who has an active warrant out of Los Angeles. The LAPD arrested him in 2019 for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, sentenced to 180 days confinement and five years probation.

Another recent apprehension was of Mexican national Humberto Tiburcio-Loyo, who was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old child in Brownsville. He was sentenced to six years in prison, released, and deported earlier this year, only to reenter illegally.

Another recent apprehension was of Mexican national and registered sex offender Fredy Flores-Galeana, previously convicted and imprisoned for possession of child pornography. He was also deported only to reenter the U.S. illegally.

Another recently caught registered sex offender, Honduran national Jose Alfredo Nunez-Izaguirre, was previously convicted in California of a lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age 14. He was sentenced to five years confinement and was subsequently removed from the U.S., only to be caught reentering the U.S. illegally again.

Drug-related apprehensions also continue. Agents recently apprehended a Honduran national and MS-13 gang member who had been convicted in 2008 of accommodating the sale, possession of a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Virginia. He was sentenced to five years in prison for each of the charges and was subsequently removed from the U.S., only to reenter again.

In Val Verde County, roughly 200 miles northwest of the RGV, Sheriff Joe Martinez told The Center Square that there were roughly 60,000 known got-aways, those who evade capture, in his county alone. These are mostly single men who want to evade capture and arent surrendering to CBP seeking benefits or asylum.

While Border Patrol agents are dealing with a massive influx of people who are surrendering at the border, Martinez said, its the got-aways that keep law enforcement up at night. If the got-aways were caught, CBP criminal conviction apprehensions would be much higher, he and others in law enforcement said. Many of these individuals are also believed to be coming from Special Interest Countries identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as generally being of concern to U.S. national security.

Whats scary, Martinez said, is we dont know where they [the got-aways] are going. How many were from terrorist groups from special interest countries?

Thats the unknown.
Purdue President Mitch Daniels and guest Steve Koonin have a conversation about the influence of media and politics on the urgency of climate change action.
New York City, NY (11385)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 55F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 49F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Virtual Post, the UK-based post-production company, has announced the opening of a new facility in the heart of Brighton, which is becoming one of the UKs leading regional hot spots for creatives and TV production.

The company has also officially appointed David Swanson as head of post-production after he joined earlier in the summer from Radiant Post Production. Swanson is a respected senior post producer, experienced in working across multiple genres for both commercial and internal facilities.

Virtual Posts new regional home is located across the second floor of the iconic Barclays Bank building in the centre of Brighton. With a focus on high-end TV post production, four finishing and audio suites have been built with Dolby Atmos HE and HDR grading capabilities.

The facility design reflects feedback from clients on how they want to work post-lockdown, with a focus on remote working combined with access to the new premises. To this end, 25 remote offline and four remote online finishing suites are available, allowing for a truly flexible working approach. Virtual Posts entire infrastructure has now been fully migrated to the cloud in line with the companys vision of a flexible facility for the future.

Virtual Post will continue to offer flexible office space to its solid client base of regional TV production companies as it has done since its inception in 2014. The new premises features break-out areas, hotdesking facilities and a client lounge, ensuring that producers feel comfortable and can collaborate creatively in an environment that meets the physical and digital security standards of the Trusted Partner Network.

Earlier this year, Virtual Post and Ovation Data were awarded a collaborative research grant to fund a large-scale R&D project named Post Production Provided Anywhere (POPPA). The POPPA project is focused on creating a future-proof infrastructure and service-delivery system that will not only help companies to cope with emerging from the COVID crisis but will also provide a more sustainable workflow for the longer term.

Jon Lee, CEO and founder of Virtual Post, said: Our clients told us that a choice between remote and on-premise is where we need to be, so thats exactly what weve built. Over time and through the POPPA project we have engaged in an exhaustive listening exercise, taking note of what everybody involved in post-production needs today and wants for tomorrow. Its gratifying to see that the vision we pioneered when we founded Virtual Post  a vision that fused physical and remote working to create a more efficient, sustainable environment  is now pretty much reality.

Virtual Posts recent credits include Hey Duggee & Joe Wicks - The Workout Badges (BBC Studios/YouTube); Hammerhead Shark Stakeout (Big Wave/Discovery); Flat Out Fabulous (Ricochet/BBC3); The Nolans Go Cruising (Koska/QUEST RED); and Nick Knowles Home Improvements (Ten66/C5).
In unprecedented fashion, King Hassan instigated 350,000 civilians to march into Western Sahara, waving Moroccan flags and swiftly forcing Spains hand in giving up its colony.[14] In the years following Spains withdrawal, Morocco and Mauritania jostled for control of parts of the territory, fighting against guerrilla elements of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario), a group supported by the Algerian government.[15] When Mauritania agreed to a cease-fire in 1979 after a coup deposed its leader, Morocco moved into Mauritanias zone of control, and the fighting continued until the United Nations mediated a cease-fire in 1991.[16] In the thirty years since, attempts to establish a referendum for self-determination have been unsuccessful, and the conflict seems no closer to being resolved than it did in the 1970s.

Depth: Examining the Recent U.S.-Instigated Development

Howard also exhorted students of military history to pursue depth in their studies, encouraging them to look at case studies through a variety of perspectives and sources.[17] The intervention of the United States in the region this past year is a prime example of why such inquiry is critical. November 2020 saw the most serious escalation in aggression between Moroccan forces and Polisario guerrilla elements in nearly 30 years, breaching the U.N.-monitored cease-fire.[18] Yet, in December 2020, the Trump Administration took the unexpected step of recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the territorythe first country in the world to explicitly do so.[19]

This move was widely viewed as a quid pro quo for Moroccos U.S.-brokered normalization deal with Israel in the same month.[20] Several scholars have undertaken comparative studies of Israeli and Moroccan occupation, and Palestinian and Sahrawi activists have long linked the two peoples struggles.[21] But the actions of the U.S.namely, recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara at the same time as mediating a normalization deal between Morocco and Israelinterlink these struggles not only symbolically, but practically. While the Biden Administration has made significant changes to other aspects of U.S. foreign policy, the policy toward the Western Sahara conflict is anchored by strong American domestic support for Israel.[22]

The U.S. policy constitutes a major victory for the Moroccan government, which is now able to promote the legitimacy afforded by U.S. recognition both domestically and on the international stage. The significance of American recognition of Moroccan sovereignty in the Western Sahara was largely lost on an American public ignorant of the territorys history. Thus, the U.S. was able to reap some benefit from its involvement in the unprecedented normalization deal between Israel and an Arab nation. Yet, the U. S. was hardly the first or most prominent international actor to contribute to the unresolved conflict in Western Sahara.

The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) continues to fail in its fundamental mission thirty years on from its creation, and it is the only U.N. peacekeeping operation established since 1978 without a mandate to monitor human rights.[23] On Algerian support for the Polisario, John Damis argues that if Algeria had remained passive and neutral in the disputethere is little question that the Sahara issue would have soon receded from international attention.[24] Yet to properly apply Sir Michael Howards framework of historical analysis, one must inquire further, looking inward to the social, political, and cultural contexts of the conflict itself.

Context: A Closer Look at Domestic Strategic Calculations

Howard wrote that [w]ars are not tactical exercises writ large. Rather, he believed that wars are conflicts of societies, and they can be fully understood only if one understands the nature of the society fighting them.[25] To understand the conflict in Western Sahara, we must examine domestic conditions on both sides of the dispute. Howard may as well have been writing about the Moroccan states attitudes toward Western Sahara when he wrote about the prevalence of myth-making among nationalist historians who [write] with a definite didactic purpose, to awaken emotions of patriotism and loyalty.[26]

One of the main reasons for the conflicts endurance has been the utility of its rally-around-the-flag effect. Indeed, it appears that the late King Hassans investment in the Western Sahara issue, far and away the most important concern of the Kingdoms foreign policy since 1974, has paid off.[27] Opposition parties are united in their treatment of the territory as part of Morocco, citizens across the nation commemorate the Green March every year, and the state promotes tourism and development in the region.[28] The nationalist value of Western Sahara seems high enough to the monarchy to solidify its centrality in the Moroccan political discourse.

Nearly fifty years on from the so-called Green March, however, Moroccans are removed from the immediate nationalistic fervour of the conflicts early years. Economic factors may weigh even more heavily on the monarchy than nationalism. While actual figures are difficult to obtain, the Moroccan state has spent heavily on the conflict, including the cost of the active war in the 1970s and 1980s, of constructing a massive sand berm across the whole of the territory, and of investing in the part of the territory it occupies.[29]
For more than 60 years, air refueling tankers have served as the unheralded heroes of the American Air Force fleet. Carrying up to 83,000 pounds of cargo and refueling mid-air, Boeings KC-135 Stratotankers allowed the U.S. military to exert force anywhere at just about any time.

In June, the U.S. Air Force released a Sources Sought announcement for the Bridger Tanker Program, an initiative to replace aging KC-135s with an intermediary model. Similar to a prenuptial save the date, the U.S Air Force is basically saying, By the end of 2022, youll be invited to bid on a contract for 140 to 160 aerial refueling tankers. With French aerospace giant Airbus set to compete, Chicago-based Boeing will once again fight to preserve an American companys foothold in an American market.

Ten years ago, Boeing fought a similar battle and won, but politicians in Alabama where Airbus currently produces commercial jets and receives millions in taxpayer subsidies are favoring Airbus for the new contract. Military analyst Loren Thompson says fleet diversity would drive up costs for all taxpayers, adding another aircraft type to the fleet means new training programs for pilots and maintainers, unique stores of spare parts, construction of hangers that can house bigger aircraft, and other costs. Still, pressure from certain members of the Alabama delegation could motivate Congress to favor the European-manufactured aircraft.

The pressure from members of the Alabama delegation is a result of Airbus promising to hire Alabama labor to modify the French tankers for service in the U.S. air force. Congressman Jerry Karl of Mobile told NBC 15 News military leaders were being put in the hot seat, We are badgering them to death. We've had every ranking military person there Trust meI'm on record. We're gonna get it. Karl received a three-thousand dollar donation from the French company PAC this cycle.

Critics of the potential Airbus contract say the French will have to build a new plant in Alabama just to make some manufacturing tweaks for the sole purpose of making it look like the French-made tankers are Made in America. This seems like an added cost to manufacturing for the sole purpose of pleasing Alabama politicians.

Meanwhile, Boeings answer to the aging KC-135, the KC-46 Pegasus, is flight-tested and already in production. Since the 1990s, Boeing and Airbus have competed in the jetliner market, and in 2007, when the U.S. Air Force first set out to replace the then-50-year-old KC-135s, Airbus initially won the contract. But Boeing rebid and prevailed. The Airforce moved forward with the KC-46, an upgrade to the KC-135 with better refueling, cargo, and evacuation capabilities.

Problems with the KC-46 stalled production. But according to Thompson, those issues have been resolved. He wrote, The Air Force has spent $1.6 billion flight-testing Pegasus, and it is now certified to refuel the vast majority of combat aircraft in the joint fleet. It seems like an easy choice to go with an American-made refueling tanker over one that is more costly.

Why would the Airforce start over with a brand-new plane when it has already spent $1.6 billion on one that has proven itself? The only possible answer is politics and pressure from Alabama federal politicians who are desperate to help their economy. Nobody can blame them for trying but the rest of us should not be on the hook for a stimulus project in Mobile, Alabama.

The Pentagons final decision on a long-term contract for refueling tankers should be based on merits and not subject to political influence from one states delegation. Taxpayers and the Air Force deserve cost and quality as primary factors in the decision-making process when it comes to Americas national defense infrastructure. That French Airbus is trying to game the federal contracting process by using promised jobs for Alabamans to influence Congress at large is a slap in the face for American taxpayers.

Brittany Todd is a former GOP operative and policy researcher. She lives in St. Louis, Mo.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 11/04/2021



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
TRAVERSE CITY  For the second time in the pandemic, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are the first in the region to roll out availability for newly approved COVID-19 vaccines.

The child Pfizer vaccine will be available at the tribes Health Clinic starting Friday for tribal citizens ages 5 to 11 and members of their household. It will also include eligible children in households of GTB employees and tribal citizens.

The latest on COVID-19 Continuing coverage of COVID-19 and its impact. If you have a question about the novel coronavirus pandemic and haven't been able to find an a

The vaccine rollout follows only days after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle P. Walensky M.D., M.P.H, signed off on using the COVID-19 vaccine in children.

The Grand Traverse Health Department are taking appointments for their vaccine rollout in age group 5 to 11 starting Monday Nov. 8, but reported due to high demand, the entire week is booked out.

They will be re-opening appointments later in the week with availability.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan will begin to give COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5-11 years old starting this Friday, Nov. 5 in Mancelona, with subsequent clinics rotating throughout its service area. Check http://nwhealth.org/covid19childimm.html for the calendar and appointment links.

CVS Pharmacy also announced available appointments starting Nov. 7, scheduled online at CVS.com.

DHD#10 will begin offering COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 years and older starting Nov. 8 by appointment at www.dhd10.org/schedule.

The Pfizer-BioNtech pediatric vaccine, a two-dose series taken three weeks apart, was granted emergency-use authorization earlier this week by the Food and Drug Administration down to 5 years of age.

GTB tribal chairman David Arroyo said that the tribes vaccination efforts are a priority in ensuring the health of the children in their community and greater area.

Its important to keep our children safe, he said, adding that in the best efforts of the tribe to protect their most vulnerable, many of their events during the past year and a half of the COVID 19 pandemic were canceled or postponed.

Arroyo said that he hopes with new vaccine eligibility some events and community gatherings can begin coming back.

According to GTBs latest data provided by their Health Clinic, the tribe administered more than 4,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, resulting in 57 percent fully vaccinated GTB citizens in the six-county service area, ages 12 and over.

Now with roughly 400 children being eligible for the vaccination, there is hope that it will make significant progress in crossing the important 70 percent vaccination threshold, said Sandra Handysides, R.N, F.N.P, and GTBs health clinic vaccination coordinator.

Currently GTB is vaccinating all tribal citizens ages 12 and older and members of their household, along with all GTB employees and members of their household, along with offering booster shots of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccine to those eligible.

Children are our most vulnerable population right now, said Handysides, adding that her two children will be vaccinated at GTBs health clinic.

She said that it is an exciting feat for the tribe to be able to offer the vaccine to the age group in what she considers a race to get as many eligible GTB community members vaccinated.

This effort is important to ensure everyone in the community is protected against the virus, said Handysides.

She added that as a community and clinic, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians have made vaccinations a priority.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Cloudy with rain and snow showers this morning changing to all rain this afternoon. High 46F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Areas of dense morning fog. Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.
Greenville, NC (27833)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.
Williamston, NC (27892)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
A Montreal man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he was part of an effort to smuggle 1,500 kilos of cocaine from Peru to Vermont and then to Canada
Beckley, WV (25801)

Today

Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 36F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
AP PhotoA vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children five to 12 years old is shown at the Viral Solutions vaccination and testing site in Decatur, Ga.,Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. The U.S. enters a new phase Wednesday in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with shots now available to millions of elementary-age children in what health officials hailed as a major breakthrough after more than 18 months of illness, hospitalizations, deaths and disrupted education.(AP Photo/Ben Gray)
BRIDGEPORT  Arthur Peter Pete Ziegler III, a beloved career educator in the school district, died unexpectedly over the weekend. He was 51.

Ziegler was remembered by his friends, family and colleagues for his many decades of commitment to the Bridgeport schools, including Bassick High School, where in his final days he was an assistant principal.

So many students and colleagues are better off because of him, said Michael Testani, the district superintendent and one of Zieglers closest friends, both in and out of the school system.

Ziegler was born in Springfield, Mass., and spent many of his formative years in the Montville area. He later became a longtime resident of Trumbull and is survived by his wife and three kids.

Ziegler got his start in Bridgeport schools as a teacher-intern at Bassick in the 1996-97 school year. He was a long-term substitute teacher at the school for a couple of years, until he was hired full-time in 1998.

Hes an extremely smart guy, a phenomenal teacher. I think hed probably be most proud of the work he did as a teacher in the classroom, and the work he did developing relationships with kids, said Testani.

Over the years, Ziegler, a social studies teacher, taught a mixed bag of courses: world civilization, United States history, Latin American and Puerto Rico history, sociology and psychology. Ziegler was also part of an education committee working to revamp the social studies curriculum in grades 7 through 12, and served as a crucial voice on that team as it sought to meet the moment.

He was good at getting kids to discuss, argue and debate the issues that the country currently faces, said Testani. He described Zieglers classroom as an open forum for kids to share their thoughts and beliefs: Whatever point of view you had, he was open, welcoming and respected that.

Arthur Peter Ziegler IV, Petes son, recalled stories of his dad going the extra mile for his students, whether it was writing grants for more funding or hearing stories of his parents buying clothes or shoes for students who needed them.

Students in the early 2000s who couldnt afford prom dresses, he so happily took them out or gave them the money to buy the dress so they didnt feel left out, he said.

Among his most noteworthy accomplishments over a two-decade tenure were his efforts to partner with local colleges and universities for dual-enrollment and credit options for high school seniors.

Peter really helped us put this early college program together for high schoolers, said John Fabrizi, former mayor of Bridgeport. I traveled with him every day knocking on the doors of university presidents.

In 2012, Ziegler and his colleagues in the district fostered partnerships with Housatonic Community College, the University of Bridgeport, and Fairfield and Sacred Heart universities. Officials at those schools said the programs encourage students to top off their education with a college degree.

He was so strongly motivated to not only support his students, Fabrizi said, but help them become the best that they can be, help them imagine  and follow through  with their dreams.

Fabrizi, who was Zieglers direct supervisor while the duo worked in adult education, said he was also heavily involved in strengthening not the districts GED program, an alternative certification pathway to a high school diploma, but its push to get former dropouts back to class and, later, graduation.

Students that knew him earlier in his career, they would get so excited when theyd see Mr. Ziegler at night in the adult ed program, said James Denton, the director of adult education in the district. You could really see the impact he made on his students.

He was one of the most well-liked administrators at night school  he had a rapier wit, a quick smile and a great sense of humor, said John Burgeson, who worked with him there.

In recent years, Ziegler was an assistant principal starting at Central in 2013, before he returned to his first home in the school district, Bassick, in 2019. He was an administrator there, where friends described him as at his happiest.

Ziegler earned his bachelors degree in history and social sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, his masters degree in secondary education at the University of New Haven and his 6th Year Degree in educational leadership at Sacred Heart.

He earned several awards and fellowships as a teacher and administrators from the Bridgeport Public Education Fund and the Bridgeport Rotary Club, among others, and presented on school reform and social justice at the United States Department of Education.

He was also a frequent educator-mentor for teachers entering the profession and administrators taking on new roles, both informally and officially as a certified Mentor Teacher by the state of Connecticut.

He was one of a kind, said Fabrizi. Our school system is going to miss him terribly.

Apart from education, friends and family remembered Ziegler for his love of music, especially Jimmy Buffett; his hold on books and Thomas Jefferson, and books by and about Jefferson; his involvement in helping people with disabilities; and his devotion to his wife of 25 years, Stacie Gilleo Ziegler, and three kids.

A walk-through visitation was planned for Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home in Trumbull. Visitors were asked to wear masks and social distance, and may make contributions to the Special Olympics in lieu of flowers.
Tara ONeill / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  City firefighters responded to a Coggswell Street location Friday morning for an apparent chemical release, according to the fire department.

Shortly before 9 a.m., fire units responded to Coggswell Street for a reported chemical release. The fire department said the chemical is believed to be some kind of glue substance.
CHICAGO (AP)  A Chicago police officer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after her husband, also a Chicago officer, was fatally shot this week during a struggle in their home.

Jacqueline Villasenor, 39, was charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and was scheduled to appear in bond court Friday.
PHOENIX (AP)  Two prominent Democrats announced Thursday they're stepping down from the Arizona House, further shaking up a Legislature that has seen a flurry of resignations ahead of the 2022 session.

Rep. Charlene Fernandez of Yuma, the former House minority leader, accepted a job with President Joe Biden's administration. Rep. Randall Friese of Tucson, formerly the assistant minority leader and a trauma surgeon, said he's leaving to refocus my time and attention on my medical career and service.

Biden appointed Fernandez to be the U.S. Agriculture Department's state director for rural development in Arizona. Fernandez has represented the 4th Legislative District stretching from southwestern Arizona to the outer reaches of the Phoenix metro area since 2015. The district is home to farms producing most of the nation's lettuce during winter months.

I have had the opportunity to represent working families, teachers, farmers and so many more who have taught me the great need for continued action across our state, Fernandez wrote in her resignation letter addressed to Reps. Rusty Bowers, the Republican House speaker, and Reginald Bolding, the minority leader. I will continue serving those communities, with the same Democratic values, in a new capacity as I move on to a new chapter.

Fernandez has deep ties to Arizona Democratic politics, having previously worked for U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, former Rep. Ed Pastor and former Gov. Janet Napolitano. In the Legislature, Fernandez was a prominent progressive lawmaker and rose to be House minority leader steering the Democrats' strategy and messaging.

She gave up the minority leader job after a disappointing showing for House Democrats in the 2020 election, which included the unexpected loss by Democratic Rep. Gerae Peten to a Republican in the same district as Fernandez.

Friese in September abruptly dropped out of the campaign for an open congressional seat in Southern Arizona despite his fundraising lead among Democratic candidates. He cited his desire to focus on his medical career for that decision as well.

Friese treated then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was critically wounded in the Jan. 8, 2011, mass shooting in Tucson. He is a trauma surgeon who has served in the Arizona House since 2015.

I am extremely proud of my service to my community and the state during the seven years I represented Legislative District 9, Friese wrote in his resignation letter.

The departures of Fernandez and Friese further shake up the Legislature, which has seen an unusually high level of turnover this year with several lawmakers quitting for a variety of reasons or moving from the House to the Senate.

Fernandez is the second House Democrat to leave for a Biden administration job, following Arlando Teller's appointment earlier this year as deputy assistant secretary for tribal affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Both Fernandez and Friese said their resignations are effective Nov. 15. Democratic precinct committee leaders in each district will nominate a list of potential replacements, with the final decision made by the elected supervisors in their home counties. State law requires their successors to be from the same political party.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The federal government has canceled a multimillion dollar deal with Emergent BioSolutions, a Maryland-based vaccine manufacturer with facilities in Baltimore that were found to have produced millions of contaminated Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses this spring, the Washington Post reported.

Emergent disclosed the development Thursday in a conference call discussing its latest financial results, the Post reported. Emergent said it will forgo about $180 million due to the contracts termination, according to the Post.

Emergent BioSolutions played a role in the Trump administrations effort to speed up vaccine development and distribution. But after winning a contract from the previous administration, Emergent quickly ran into production problems.

In March, ingredients intended for use in producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shots contaminated 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The problems with the vaccines caused a monthslong delay in production.

After that, the Biden administration put Johnson & Johnson in direct control of vaccine production there.

In June, the Food and Drug Administration decided to discard at least another 60 million additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced at the plant.

The lapses at the Bayview factory in Baltimore hampered J&Js efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people, particularly in remote areas and poor countries. It only requires one dose and standard refrigeration and it's also cheaper than some other vaccines. But there have been problems with the Emergent plant.

The FDA repeatedly cited Emergent in the past for problems such as poorly trained employees, cracked vials and problems managing mold and other contamination around one of its facilities, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.
TORRINGTON  Carlo and Michelle Pulixis restaurant, Geppetto Osteria, was expected to open this month, but problems getting the necessary materials is throwing a wrench in their plans.

The couple has been renovating the East Main Street space, formerly OConnors Irish Pub, for nearly a year.

But like business owners around the country, Carlo Pulixi still is waiting for materials and supplies to finish the work  and he cant open until its done, meaning the restaurant wont open until next year.

Its terrible, really, Carlo Pulixi said. Delaying our opening is not by our choice. Things are back ordered, and we have to just wait. Its taking months and months to get some of the equipment we need.

According to Fortune.com, the crisis of shipping delays has been ongoing for nearly two years, with shipping routes strained by the pandemic, extreme weather and other factors.

Another challenge is finding skilled workers to fix things, Pulixi said.

We need to replace the fan in the hoods (in the kitchen) and were having a hard time getting people to come, even to just take a look at it, he said. Even specialists are very hard to find right now.

Hes also waiting for his plumber and tile installers to finish their work inside the restaurant. The tile guy has to finish. The plumber has to finish.

Were not going to open until probably the middle of January, Pulixi said. By the time we finish, well have been working on Geppetto for a year.

The couple also owns Convivium, a restaurant in Brooklyn, which they have run for more than 20 years. Pulixi said he and his wife have been spending more time in the city lately, running that restaurant. Ive been in Brooklyn more, working there, than I did all summer, he said. Before, wed go there once every two or three weeks, but now were there every week. Fortunately we got busy in Brooklyn. Its not back to normal, but its pretty close.

Restaurants like Convivium were able to stay open, he said, thanks to faithful customers, but the last year-and-a-half has been difficult for everyone. Now, business is improving.

New York is starting to pick up, he said. More places are opening, and more people are starting to go out.

Yet another challenge is finding employees. We still cant find all the help we need, he said. I was frustrated, even angry about it, but now I just have to accept it. I just cant wait to open.

The Pulixis are very happy that they chose to open Geppetto in Torrington. Were so very excited, Pulixi said.

To be honest, it was Michelle who pushed for Torrington. I wanted to be in New Milford, but it just didnt work out. And the people in Torrington have been just wonderful, so welcoming. The mayor (Elinor Carbone) stopped in one day, just to say hello, to introduce herself and see what we were doing. Shes been very supportive of us.

Geppetto will offer an Italian and European menu similar to Convivium, which is known for its 48-ounce steaks and regional Italian food.

The Torrington restaurants interior features a renovated copper bar and hand-made tables, benches and other furnishings, intended to create an atmosphere similar to eateries in Italy that were built inside old homes. Geppettos exterior walls recently were given a stucco finish, intended to further resemble vintage buildings in Italy.
Waterbury Police Department / Contributed Photo

WATERBURY  A 14-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the hand and thigh Tuesday afternoon, and officials alluded to the need of juvenile justice reform.

Police responded to a home on Congress Avenue around 1:36 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a gunshot victim. The victim, a 14-year-old boy, had gunshot wounds in his left hand and left thigh area. He was taken to St. Marys Hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
Obituaries for the Miami County Republic are free for the first 70 words. More information may be presented for an additional fee. For fee information, please consult your funeral director or call (913) 294-2311.



Funeral homes may fax information to (913) 294-5318 or email to obits@miconews.com. Please include your contact information. Photos may be emailed in jpeg format. Deadline to run in the printed paper is 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The Miami County Republic publishes on Wednesday.



Private-party obituaries are taken 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on holidays.

Go to form
Treating fans on the occasion of Diwali 2021, Rohit Shetty extended his cop universe by releasing the highly-anticipated action flick 'Sooryavanshi' in theatres. Originally slated to be released in April this year, the movie received setbacks owing to the prevailing conditions of the pandemic. However, the director's efforts allowed the movie to have a huge release on November 5 coinciding with the festival of lights.

Starring Akshay Kumar in the titular role, two other popular cops of Shetty's cop universe namely 'Simmba' and 'Singham' also reunited with 'Sooryavanshi' to chase the bad guys away. The star-studded cast and catchy songs were not just enjoyed by fans in India as the film lit up in a whopping number of screens overseas across many nations.

Sooryavanshi releases in 1300 screens overseas

According to a report from Bollywood Hungama, Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif starrer was released in 520 screens in North American, 19 screens in Italy, 107 screens in Australia,137 screens in the UAE, 36 screens in Germany and 29 screens in France. The tally of four major markets makes up to 924 screens but the film was widely released across 62 more countries along with Israel, Japan, Chile, Egypt, Iraq and Djibouti.

More on 'Sooryavanshi'

Released on November 5 in theatres, Rohit Shetty's 'Sooryavanshi' featured Akshay Kumar opposite Katrina Kaif. The cast also includes Ajay Devgn, Jackie Shroff, Ranveer Singh, Jaaved Jaaferi and more. The movie released three songs namely 'Aila Re Aillaa', 'Mere Yaara and Najaa', which provided a glimpse into the film. The vigorous promotions and songs released ahead of the theatrical release contributed to the major hype around the film. The festive season adds to the excitement as the film promised high octane action.

Earlier, Akshay Kumar shared an emotional note on his Instagram and revealed that the actions in this film are an ode to the old school action stunts. He wrote, 'Ive done a lot of action in my careerhanging from helicopters, jumping across buildings, crazy bike chases. #Sooryavanshi is special to me in more ways than one, it is my ode to that old school action but on a grander scale, releasing in cinemas tomorrow #1DayToSooryavanshi #BackToCinemas''

(Image: Instagram/@rohitshetty)
Dhenkanal (Odisha), Nov 5 (PTI) Tata Steel BSL on Friday said it has exported 9,000 tonnes of LD slag, a by-product of manufacturing the metal, to Bangladesh, in the first such shipment from India to the neighbouring country.

It shipped out the product through Dhamra Port to the Bangladesh market from its unit in Odisha's Dhenkanal district.

LD (Linz-Donawitz) slag is produced during the steel-making process.

"This endeavour is another milestone in the companys operations as it marks India's first export of LD slag to Bangladesh," it claimed in a statement.

Cemcoa Ltd, a Hong Kong-based trade house and an existing buyer of Tata Steel BSL, has shown keen interest in the market development of LD slag in the cement-making process in Bangladesh and facilitated the export, it said.

Test and trial of LD slag have already been done in the plant concerned in Bangladesh and the proposed plan is to export 100 KT (kilo tonne) of the by-product per annum.

Commenting on this initiative, Tata Steel BSL Chief Operating Officer Subodh Pandey, said, "The company has always looked at operational and market-oriented innovations by creating value out of its by-products as part of its quest to a sustainable future. With a customer-centric approach, this is one of the series of interventions we are doing to supplement our product portfolio and explore newer markets." The company currently produces approximately 1 million tonne of LD slag per annum.

In collaboration with its customers, the steel major has developed 0-6 mm size slag range for applications in cement making.

The company has been supplying LD slag to brick makers and for national highway work for hard surfacing and low land area filling.

It also supplies the product to cement companies in Odisha and West Bengal. PTI AAM BDC BDC

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that it is time to target a five-fold increase in the export of technical textiles in three years.

The minister was speaking to the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) in Delhi and said, "Centre would support Production Linked Incentives (PLIs) for the textile sector in states supporting the development and offering affordable infrastructure for textile manufacturing like cheap land and power."

Goyal further said that India must target the best standards in textile manufacturing to ensure that quality is maintained for both international and domestic consumers.

He further added, "It may be noted that the growth of technical textiles in India has gained momentum in the past five years, currently growing at an eight per cent per annum rate. Our aim is to hasten this growth to 15-20 per cent range during next five years."

He continued, "Current world market is USD 250 billion and India's share in it is USD 19 billion. India is an aspiring player with USD 40 billion in size in this market. The biggest players are the USA, Western Europe, China and Japan."

However, the minister emphasised that there will be investments in technology and indigenously innovated products as well.

Governments initiative to increase textile exports

Earlier in February 2020, the government launched the National Technical Textiles Mission to make India a self-reliant, vibrant, export-oriented economy in the world.

Piyush Goyal added, "Our aim is to transform India into a major player in innovations, technology development, applications in key areas with an emphasis on higher education and skilled workforce."

Goyal informed that the trade balance has been positive for the year 2020-21. It used to be negative (-Rs 2,788 Crore) in 2018-19 and (-Rs 1,366 Crore in 2019-20), however, the trade deficit has turned positive with Rs 1,767 crore. India's major share of exports were in PPE kits, N-95 masks, surgical masks and materials for the production of PPE kits and masks.

The minister also revealed that 92 items have been made mandatory for use by government organisations covering agriculture/horticulture, highways, railways, water resources, medical applications and nine concerned ministries have issued instructions in this regard.

(with ANI inputs)
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Friday has claimed that there will be an elected Chief Minister from the saffron party soon. Raina has also informed that the Assembly Elections in the Union Territory will be held soon once the delimitation process is over.

"Let me put it on record, the way people of union territory are accepting BJP, soon there will be BJP government headed by its CM in Jammu and Kashmir, Ravinder Raina told reporters on the side-lines of Bhavya Pooja at the famous Shankaracharya temple. "Once the delimitation process is over, long pending Assembly elections would be held in the newly carved union territory, he added.

Meanwhile, Raina also lashed out at Pakistan for denying airspace to direct flights from Srinagar to Sharjah. He remarked that Islamabad can never think about the welfare of Kashmiris and that it does not want development in Jammu and Kashmir. Raina has hit out at Pakistan for playing dirty games against Kashmiris.

Pakistan has time again proved that it can never think about the welfare of Kashmiris. Pakistan doesnt want development here. It has always played dirty games against Kashmiris, he said.

He also asserted that the flights between Srinagar-Sharjah and Srinagar-Saudi Arabia will still operate, but passengers will have to take longer routes. On October 23, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a direct international flight service between Srinagar and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. However, on November 3, the Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight was forced to take a longer route after Pakistan raised objections over the use of its airspace. National conference Vice-president and former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state Omar Abdullah was among the politicians who were critical of Pakistan's decision.

"Very unfortunate. Pakistan did the same thing with the Air India Express flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010. I had hoped that Go First Airways being permitted to overfly Pakistan airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations, but alas that wasnt to be, he tweeted.

Meanwhile, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti criticised the Centre for its move. In a tweet, she said:

Puzzling that GOI didnt even bother securing permission from Pakistan to use its airspace for international flights from Srinagar. Only PR extravaganza without any groundwork.

Image: PTI
Scientists have discovered a gene that doubles the risk of Covid-related respiratory failure and death, which could explain why people of South Asian ancestry are more susceptible to the disease, according to a study published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The gene, which affects how the lungs respond to infection, is the major genetic risk factor discovered so far, and it is carried by around 60% of people of South Asian ancestry compared to 15% of persons of white European descent. The discovery could help to explain why some areas in the United Kingdom are experiencing an increase in fatalities, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian subcontinent.

Prof James Davies, a geneticist at Oxford University's Radcliffe Department of Medicine and a senior author of the study, told The Guardian that there is a single gene that puts people of South Asian ancestry in danger. Other scientists noted that the findings needed to be confirmed, and that genetic explanations should not be used to dismiss other potentially more serious socioeconomic risk factors that ethnic minorities suffer, such as job exposure and unequal access to healthcare.

The Nature Genetics study on COVID-19 gene

Based on genetic sequencing of tens of thousands of hospital patients in the UK and other countries, the study expands on prior work that discovered a huge chunk of DNA that appears to determine how severely unwell people become from COVID. The most recent research focused on a single gene known as LZTFL1, which was discovered to double the risk of respiratory failure and mortality.

The previously unknown gene was discovered to operate as a switch that activates a critical defence mechanism that inhibits the COVID-19 virus from infected lung epithelial cells. This reaction was suppressed in the high-risk form of the gene, implying that the virus would continue to infiltrate, infect, and damage cells in the lungs for a long time after exposure. Davies noted that the discoveries could lead to new medicines that target the response of lung cells, according to The Guardian report. The majority of current treatments work by altering the immune system's response to the infection.

The findings may provide some insight into why south Asian populations have been the hardest hit by the pandemic. When compared to the general population, the risk of death was three to four times greater for persons of Bangladeshi origin, 2.5 to three times higher for those of Pakistani origin, and 1.5 to two times higher for those of Indian descent in England's second wave. Unlike the excess risk reported in black people in the first wave, once socioeconomic considerations were taken into account, there was still considerable unexplained risk in south Asian groups.

Image: Shutterstock/PTI
Astronomers have chalked out a plan for the next decade, where they have prioritised what major mysteries there are to solve out there in our vast universe. According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, presented a decadal report emphasising the need to hunt and locate potentially habitable planets and strengthen the extraordinary progress already made in astronomy, in the next 10 years. According to the news agency, the report stated,

"Life on Earth may be the result of a common process, or it may require such an unusual set of circumstances that we are the only living beings within our part of the galaxy, or even in the universe. Either answer is profound. The coming decades will set humanity down a path to determine whether we are alone."

Among the top priorities in the report are the discovery and study of hidden exoplanets  planets outside our Solar System  out in the universe and the exploration of the origin and evolution of black holes along with neutron stars, galaxies and ultimately, the entire universe. Another agenda that sits on the top is to make the field of astronomy more inclusive and diverse. Reportedly, the 614-page report stressed more women's participation among the male-dominated astronomy ranks and advised the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to prepare a diverse team for its future missions and research projects.

The report and its significance

Named 'Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s' the report is a roadmap for astronomical studies in a particular decade. As per Space.com, Fiona Harrison, co-chair of the National Academies' steering committee said, "This report sets an ambitious, inspirational and aspirational vision for the coming decade of astronomy and astrophysics. In changing how we plan for the most ambitious strategic space projects, we can develop a broad portfolio of missions to pursue visionary goals, such as searching for life on planets orbiting stars in our galactic neighbourhood  and at the same time exploit the richness of 21st-century astrophysics through a panchromatic fleet."

In order to ensure the three major goals, the formation of a "Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program" has been recommended, which reportedly is an extension of NASA's Great Observatories program that included the Hubble Space Telescope.

Sponsored by NASA, National Science Foundation, Energy Department and Air Force, the report also recommended NASA to oversee space observatories and overlapping missions in the coming decades by creating a new office. Moreover, it reiterated to the scientific agencies about adding more diversity in upper levels of administration and while funding a particular project, and suggested treating harassment and discrimination as forms of scientific misconduct".

(Image: Twitter/@NASAHubble)
Ethiopia's Tigray forces are forming an alliance with other armed and opposition organisations to push Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to step down after a year of catastrophic war.

The Tigray forces, who have been battling Ethiopian and allied forces, as well as the Oromo Liberation Army, and seven other organisations from around the country, signed the agreement in Washington on Friday, November 5, reported The Associated Press (AP). According to the US State Department, the fighters are approaching Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.

The alliance is taking shape as US special envoy Jeffrey Feltman meets with senior government officials in Ethiopia's capital amidst calls for a rapid cease-fire and talks to end the war, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people since November 2020.

On Thursday, November 5, he met with the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the defence and finance ministers, according to the US. However, it was unclear whether or not he would meet with Prime Minister Ahmed. In a statement released on Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a cease-fire and discussions, and urged Tigray and Oromo Liberation Army fighters to "immediately halt the ongoing march into Addis Ababa".

He also encouraged Ethiopia's government to put an end to its military campaign, which includes airstrikes in Tigray and ethnic militia mobilisation.

'New alliance wants to create transitional structure in Ethiopia'

According to Yohanees Abraha of the Tigray group, the new United Front of Ethiopian Federalist Forces wants to "create a transitional structure in Ethiopia", so that the prime minister can leave when it was feasible.

"Of course, meeting and communicating with countries, embassies, and international actors in Ethiopia and abroad will be the next step," he was quoted as saying by The AP.

According to him, the new partnership is both political and military in nature. He went on to say that it has had no contact with Ethiopia's authorities. Meanwhile, Ethiopia's government described the alliance as a "publicity stunt", claiming that some of the groups "are not truly organisations with any traction". It also claimed that life in the capital had a "sense of normalcy" and denied that the city was under siege.

(With AP inputs)

Image: AP
During his two-day visit to the Republic of The Gambia, Indian Minister of State (MoS) V Muraleedharan called on Gambian President Adama Barrow as well as other dignitaries and discussed the bilateral cooperation between the two countries on Tuesday, November 2. The MoS was on the visit to the West African country from November 1 to 3, according to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. The minister's visit comes President Ram Nath Kovind's first-ever state visit to The Gambia in August 2019. Muraleedharan held fruitful discussions with Barrow on a range of issues including Agriculture & capacity building & Infrastructure. The MoS also signed two agreements during his visit: a General Framework Agreement for Cooperation between India and The Gambia, and an Agreement on Exemption from Visa Requirement for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports.

During the visit, a repurposing of a USD 500,000 grant for the purchase of dialysis machines was announced, upon The Gambia's request. According to the press release, Gambian foreign minister Dr Mamadou Tangara and Muraleedharan jointly released the design for a commemorative stamp marking India's 75th anniversary of independence. The Minister of State also paid a visit to The Gambia's National Assembly Building Complex in Banjul, which is one of the most notable Line of Credit projects in West Africa. In the Greater Banjul area, he also toured two current Indian LOC projects  an Electrification Expansion Project and a water project to replace asbestos water pipes with UPVC.

Had the honour of calling on H. E. Mr. Adama Barrow, President of The Gambia.



Conveyed greetings of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji.



Impressed to hear his admiration for Mahatma Gandhi ji and his ideals. The anthology What Gandhi Means to me he wrote, reflects that. pic.twitter.com/aAj9qyYDBA  V. Muraleedharan (@MOS_MEA) November 2, 2021

Muraleedharan visits The Gamba's National Assembly

Muraleedharan also paid a visit to the construction site of the Katchikally Museum and the University of The Gambia, which is a Gambian government initiative being built by an Indian company, the release stated. Besides, the MoS also met with members of the Indian community in The Gambia and visited the country's National Assembly. According to him, the National Assembly is an "impressive building, built with our development partnership." The project includes a dome and skylight structure that allows natural light while conserving energy, he added. "Our development partnership speaks! Took a tour of the National Assembly of the Gambia with Speaker Ms Mariam Jack Denton and FM Dr Mamadou Tangara. An impressive building, built with our development partnership, has dome and skylight structure allowing natural light and conserving energy," Muraleedharan tweeted.

Our Development partnership speaks!



Took a tour of National Assembly of the Gambia with Speaker

Ms.Mariam Jack Denton & FM Dr.Mamadou Tangara



An impressive building,built with our development partnership, has dome & sky light structure allowing natural light & conserving energy pic.twitter.com/a7kdbJ5ukm  V. Muraleedharan (@MOS_MEA) November 3, 2021

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: Twitter/@V. Muraleedharan)
Those who advocate for Taiwan's independence will face life in prison and would be barred from entering Hong Kong and Macau, China announced on Friday, November 5, amid rising tensions with the island republic.

To set an example, China slapped sanctions on Taiwan's top public personalities, the first of its kind between the two countries. Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang, Parliament Speaker You Si-kun, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu have all been named on China's list of "stubbornly pro-Taiwan independence" officials, Independent UK reported.

Taiwan, a self-governing island republic that has refused to transfer power to China, is facing intensifying conflicts with Beijing. For more than a year, it has claimed that China's warplanes had conducted repeated missions. People on the list will not be allowed to visit the mainland or China's Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, Independent UK reported, citing China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian.

As reported by Independent UK China said that it wanted to convey a message to Taiwan that "those who forget their ancestors, betray the motherhood and split the country, will never end up well and will be spurned by the people and judged by history," according to Ms Fenglian.

She further stated that China will take whatever more steps necessary against Taiwan Supporters named on the list. Hence, people on China's blacklist will be unable to seek assistance from its firms. Profits from the mainland will be prohibited for companies and entities that sponsor them, according to the spokeswoman.

This might be a blow for Taiwanese politicians and leaders, who rely heavily on donations from mainland businesses to bankroll their election campaigns. At least tens of thousands of Taiwanese citizens work in China, and various enterprises benefit from doing business with the country.

China-Taiwan conflict

It is pertinent to mention that tensions between China and Taiwan have gained momentum since October 1 after the former flew over 100 fighter jets into Taiwan's Air Defence zone. This was followed by the latter's dependence on the US for military support.

Moreover, US President Joe Biden has stated that Washington would defend Taiwan if China dares to invade the isolated nation, signalling an increased conflict with Beijing, according to AP. Meanwhile, self-ruled Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly expressed willingness to remain independent against the Chinese goal of 'reunification.'

On the other hand, US and China have remained geopolitical rivals for decades and relations between them have further frayed due to Beijing's aggressive claims of sovereignty along the South China Sea fuelled by Chinese engagement in testing high-tech projectiles.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP
French fishermen from the port of Granville reacted with disdain Thursday to renewed negotiations between France and the UK over their fishing dispute.

The talks restarted on Thursday and are expected to continue into next week.

Many of French trawler owners felt the recent release without fine of a British fishing boat which had not kept in line with regulations displayed the apathy that the French authorities had over the issue.

They also lamented the time taken so far for discussions and shared one fisherman's request that the authorities "stop taking us for fools."

Although fishing is a tiny industry economically for both Britain and France, the issue of boats' access to waters that divide the two maritime powers has flared into a major irritant.

French President Emmanuel Macron faces reelection in 2022 and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has championed British independence from the European Union, so neither wants to look soft by climbing down.

Britain and its former EU partners are also still figuring out how to work together in the wake of their divorce, which is also why fishing has mushroomed into an early test of their new relationship.

The talks Thursday were closed door and low key, possibly signalling a desire on both sides to dial back tensions.

The French negotiator, Clement Beaune, posted a photo on Twitter of him and British counterpart David Frost smiling as they shook hands.

Beaune's ministry had no immediate comment after the talks.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
On Thursday, November 4, Vietnamese Pham Minh Chinh met with French President Emmanuel Macron and attended a banquet hosted by him. President Macron greeted PM Chinh's formal visit to France during the latter's first trip to Europe as Vietnam's Prime Minister. Macron praised Vietnam's role and position in the region and stated his desire further to bolster the strategic alliance between the two countries, reported VOV WORLD.

The French President expressed his gratitude to Vietnam for providing medical masks to France when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. He also stated that France will deliver an additional 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam through the bilateral channel and 970,000 doses through the COVAX mechanism, bringing the total number of vaccines donated to Vietnam to almost 2 million doses. Meanwhile, PM Chinh also praised France for its assistance with vaccines and medical supplies and expressed the hope that the European country will continue to assist Vietnam with medical supplies and pharmaceutical production technologies for COVID-19 treatment.

Both leaders also agreed to develop annual plans with particular targets to strengthen bilateral ties as 2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France. In addition, the year will also mark the 10th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership. President Macron stated that France is willing to work with Vietnam to prepare for the 12th decentralised cooperation conference between the two countries, which will be held in Hanoi in 2022. Discussing global and regional problems of mutual interest, Macron stated that ASEAN's significance in France's Indo-Pacific strategy is important, as is preserving security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight, reported the outlet.

PM Chinh hailed France's position in the EU and international arena

The French President also expressed his support for peaceful resolution of issues in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, especially about the East Sea issue. Meanwhile, PM Chinh praised France's position in the European Union and the international arena and encouraged other countries, including France, to fully embrace their roles and responsibilities in promoting regional peace, stability, and development. On PM Chinh's visit to France, the two leaders also agreed to issue a joint statement. PM Chinh also extended an invitation to the French President to visit Vietnam, which Macron gladly accepted, reported VOV WORLD.

Image: AP
Indonesia has recently voiced criticism over the COP26 deal to eliminate deforestation by the year 2030, just after signing the agreement with over 100 other nations. During the climate summit in Glasgow this week, countries agreed on a multibillion-dollar proposal to end industrial-scale forest cutting in less than a decade. However, Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, said on Wednesday that "forcing Indonesia to zero deforestation in 2030 is clearly inappropriate and unfair," the Guardian reported.

Furthermore, as per BBC, Bakar stated that the government could not "promise what we can't do". Even though during the summit the Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed the forest deal, yet she stated that development will remain Indonesia's top goal.

'No agreement could stop economic progress'

Environment Minister Bakar went on to say that deforestation could be described in a variety of ways and that no agreement could stop economic progress. Huge developmental initiatives have been taken by the President and this must not be halted in the name of carbon emissions or deforestation, she added.

The south-east Asian archipelago, Indonesia comprises nearly the worlds third-biggest rainforest, quoting Bakar, the Guardian reported, Indonesias natural wealth, including forests, must be managed for its use according to sustainable principles, besides being fair. In addition, Mahendra Siregar, Indonesia's deputy foreign affairs minister, stated that the agreement of the zero-deforestation commitment is false and misleading, as per BBC.

Forest deal yo end deforestation by 2030

According to the Guardian, the deal which was signed by Indonesia and other countries stated that the leaders pledged to work collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation. The deal has almost 14 billion which is nearly $19.2 billion in public and private money to invest in saving forests.

Meanwhile, Experts have praised the initiative and warned that the pledges should be kept, according to the BBC, after notifying against a previous deal inked in 2014, which had failed to decrease deforestation. Chopping down trees reduces forests, which leads to climate shifts since they are unable to absorb huge amounts of the global warming gas CO2. Further, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has described the accord as a landmark agreement to safeguard and regenerate the Earth's forests.

As per the Global Forest Watch, a tracking website, in the year 2001, the country possessed roughly 94 million hectares of forest area -- classified as tropical forest -- which has not been totally chopped, yet, by 2020, that area has reduced by at least 10%..

(Image: AP/ Twitter/ @SitiNurbayaLHK)
Notable Bangladeshi Swedish Author Taslima Nasreen over a series of tweets has brought up the reference of revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh while going on to state that the subcontinent (India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) would have been a much better place if the latter's ideas could be upheld. While speaking about the characteristic traits of the freedom fighter, Taslima mentioned that Bhagat Singh was a 'great revolutionary intellectual' while attesting that the freedom fighter believed in 'socialism'.

Bhagat Singh was a great revolutionary intellectual. If people could uphold his ideas, the subcontinent would have been a much better place without fanaticism, dogmatism, communalism, jingoism, capitalism etc.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) November 5, 2021

Twitter urges Taslima Nasreen to elucidate on aspect of 'Capitalism' referring to Bhagat Singh

Bangladeshi-Swedish writer Taslima Nasreen in a tweet on Friday while speaking about freedom fighter Bhagat Singh said, "If people could uphold his ideas, the subcontinent would have been a much better place without fanaticism, dogmatism, communalism, jingoism, capitalism etc." While her Tweet has got a lot of reactions, some even went on to questions aspects of the claims made by the author. One Twitterati asked her to emphasise on the aspect of Capitalism surrounding Bhagat Singh. To this Nasreen replied that the freedom fighter believed in Socialism. The writer went on to add that Bhagat Singh did not want a big cap between 'the rich and poor'

Taslima Nasreen defends Bhagat Singh's 1929 Parliament bombing

On 8 April 1929, Singh, Bhagat Singh accompanied by Batukeshwar Dutt, threw two bombs into the Parliament Assembly chamber from its public gallery while the session was on. The bombs had been designed not to kill. The smoke from the bombs had filled the Assembly so that Singh and Dutt could have escaped instead, they stayed shouting the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad!" ("Long Live the Revolution"). On claims of Bhagat Singh being a 'social Marxist' and his attack on the Parliament, Nasreen went on to defend the action while asserting that 'the bombing had been carried out on an empty place so that no one was injured. Take a look at the tweet below.

he bombed on an empty place inside the parliament so that nobody can get injured. I praise his writings with superb ideas.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) November 5, 2021

Bhagat Singh and his fearless life

The action and deeds of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh are not only noteworthy but have also served as an example for many. He is considered among the most respected freedom fighters of our Nation. As Bhagat Singh's contribution again come to light over Amazon Prime Video's Vicky Kaushal-starrer Sardar Udham - it is important to note that real-life hero Sardar Udham Singh, who orchestrated the killing of Michael O'Dwyer, considered Bhagat Singh as his 'Guru'. Udham Singh had assassinated O'Dwyer for his active involvement in the horrific killing of innocent protestors at Jallianwala bagh back in 1919.

Image Credits - Twitter
The Venezuelan government and Caracas residents reacted on Thursday to the International Criminal Court's announcement to open a probe into allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings committed by Venezuelan security forces under President Nicolas Maduros rule.

Maduro said he was the victim of "imperial lawfare" to present his government as the aggressor in a scenario in which they are "victim of aggressions, attacks, murder and coup attempts."

The opening of the probe was announced on Wednesday by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan at the end of a three-day trip to Caracas.

This is the first time a country in Latin America faces scrutiny for possible crimes against humanity from the court.

The opening of the probe was announced Wednesday by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan at the end of a three-day trip to Caracas.

People on the streets of Caracas reacted with optimism and skepticism to the news.

Juan Vicente Arena, a street vendor, was pleased by the diplomacy shown on state television when ICC prosecutor Karim Kahn spoke at the presidential palace.

At the same time, however, Arena said with disappointment that all diplomatic efforts in Venezuerla usually lead to no action or change.

Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's Attorney General, said the government made progress in search for justice, and that Venezuela is willing to follow recommendations.

The ICC's investigation follows a lengthy preliminary probe started in February 2018, focusing on allegations of excessive force, arbitrary detention and torture by security forces during a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017.

Maduro's government last year also asked the ICC to investigate the US for its policy of economic sanctions focused on removing Maduro.

Venezuela considers the US sanctions have spelled poverty for millions of Venezuelans.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
COP26 (or the 26th Conference of the Parties) President Alok Sharma urged delegates at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 5 to speed up talks in the next 24 hours to ensure a good outcome in the event's second and last week. The former UK business minister stated that because next week marks a more political, high-level phase of COP26, with ministers arriving to help design procedures, documents should be available for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) subsidiary bodies' concluding plenary on Saturday, November 6.

In a statement released by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Alok Sharma said, It is not possible for a large number of unresolved issues to continue into week two. In this context, I urge the Chairs, Groups and all delegations to expedite discussions over the coming 24 hours, focussing efforts on the balanced set of issues which are critical to what needs to be achieved here in Glasgow. The president of COP26 expressed his gratitude to all delegations for working so hard this week. He also thanked the Subsidiary Body Chairs for their leadership, as well as all of the co-facilitators who are working tirelessly to assist Parties in completing their work on all subjects.

India urges Int'l community to prioritise Solar Power at COP26

On Thursday, India urged the world community to prioritise solar power in energy deployment at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Union Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav is now representing India at a special event sponsored by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in conjunction with the United Kingdom under the Green Grid Initiative - One Sun, One World, One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG). During the event, Yadav emphasised the importance of grid interconnection in reviving regional integration and moving the country closer to a low-carbon energy system.

In May 2021, India and the United Kingdom agreed to combine the Green Grids Initiative and the One Sun One World One Grid projects in order to launch GGI-OSOWOG at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in November 2021. GGI-OSOWOG will provide additional technical, commercial, and scientific collaboration to help facilitate cross-border renewable energy transfer initiatives, giving OSOWOG global infrastructure. The Glasgow summit, which concludes on November 12, is considered to be the last opportunity to address climate change and enact serious commitments to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Image: AP
A White House aide is apparently still quarantined in Scotland after testing positive with COVID-19 while accompanying US President Joe Biden to the COP26 summit in Glasgow last week. According to AP, the administration verified the claim on Thursday, November 4, saying the individual had no close contact with the President. Biden was escorted to Europe by 13 cabinet ministers and other personnel, who were driven through Rome in an 85-car parade that garnered criticism for its large carbon footprint.

The fully vaccinated individual is asymptomatic and is being quarantined in Scotland while undergoing additional tests after testing positive on a lateral flow fast test issued by the UK government. All attendees at the UN climate summit currently taking place in Scotland, are required to go through the test. According to the White House, Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, November 2.

According to the White House, out of caution  and going above and beyond Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice  a few staff members who were in close contact with the individual did not return to the United States aboard Air Force One, but instead flew home on a different government plane. Travelers with Biden on his five-day trip to Rome and Scotland were checked on a daily basis using a combination of quick and more accurate PCR tests.

Several other US Officials were tested COVID positive earlier

The aide's diagnosis comes as White House press secretary Jen Psaki remains in quarantine after testing positive with COVID-19 on Sunday, preventing her from accompanying the president to Europe. Psaki's diagnosis came less than two weeks after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for COVID-19 just days after attending a presidential event. Psaki returned home from her foreign trip after one of her family members tested positive for the virus. She announced her diagnosis publicly on Sunday, saying she was experiencing minimal symptoms and would continue to work from home till the illness gets cured.

Meanwhile, several other foreign leaders such as China's president Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro did not attend the Group of 20 meeting in Rome and the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, citing concerns over the ongoing pandemic. However, Biden stated that he believed it was critical to attend the meetings in person, and he chastised China's president Xi Jinping in particular, for failing to do so.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP
Amid growing tension between Taiwan and China, a US report claimed Beijing would force the democratic Island to negotiate on their terms by 2027, Taiwan News reported on Thursday. The US Department of Defence released a report on Wednesday titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" that warned the Taiwanese government to take "extra care" of its territories. The report points out that a major new milestone for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is 2027, when China plans to achieve the capability to force Taiwan to accept a negotiated surrender and prevent any military interferencethe US forces.

The US defence report said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would make necessary changes in the PLA by 2027. Before the deadline, the Chinese government would make the PLA forces equipped with all modern arms technology. The document also says that once Beijing achieves its modernisation drive, it will render the communist regime with more "trustworthy military" options in a Taiwan contingency. It also said that the PLA's goals for 2027 include gaining the ability to blunt US forces in the Indo-Pacific region and "enforce Taipei's leadership to the negotiating table on Beijing's terms.

'China won't attack in Tsai's term'

On the other hand, replying to the US defence report, Taiwan's National Security Bureau chief Chen Ming-tong refused to accept any such report that predicted any negotiations between China and Taipei. According to the National Security Bureau Chief "China will not try to attack the nation's remote islands while President Tsai Ing-wen is in office". The 66-year-old Taiwanese Politician and intelligence chief's remark came during a question-and-answer session at the Taiwanese legislature, reported NHK World. Also, he ruled out any possibility of a China-Taiwan armed clash elsewhere during her term.

Taiwan urges Beijing to stop 'irresponsible provocative actions'

It is worth noting that the tension between both the countries increased multiple folds, with Chinese President Xi Jinping pledging to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowing to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. Taiwan has witnessed over 600 Chinese sorties breach its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) this year. Meanwhile, experts familiar with the day to day developments said these are the largest intrusions by the People's Liberation Army since Taipei began publicising such acts publicly last year. Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US.

Notably, after a record number of Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan's air defence zone, Taiwan urged Beijing to stop its "irresponsible provocative actions." Taiwan, home to 23.6 million people, split from China during a civil war that led to the Communist Party taking control of the mainland in 1949. Despite this, Beijing violated Taiwan's border claiming full sovereignty over Taiwan, even though the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. The Communist government, on several occasions, stepped up military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan, which it considers its own territory.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP)
Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico is now providing shelter for Afghan refugees as part of an initiative led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The base facility supporting refugees has a capacity to house 5,000 people and is currently about 90% full, according to a report from KVIA -TV.

Under Operation Allies Welcome, DHS is working with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of State to resettle Afghan refugees.

About 9,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. and more than 50,000 are living in temporary housing at military bases in the U.S., according to the Biden administration. Up to 30,000 more are projected to arrive over the next year or so.

The refugees fled after the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August and the Taliban took over.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Pacific Gas & Electric has reached a $125 million settlement agreement with California regulators over the destructive Kincade fire, which was ignited in 2019 by the utility's equipment in a remote area of Sonoma County.

PG&E shareholders would pay a $40 million fine to the state general fund and spend another $85 million in the removal of abandoned transmission equipment throughout the utilitys territory as part of the agreement expected to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission at its Dec. 2 meeting, the Press Democrat reported Wednesday .

The agreement was reached after the commission's Safety and Enforcement Division found fault with the maintenance and condition of a high-voltage PG&E transmission tower that remained energized for years even though it had served a Calpine power plant that no longer was active.

Though the tower was disconnected from the facility in 2006, the 230,000-volt transmission equipment not only remained energized but was also left with jumper cables suspended and unsecured. One of them broke and arced against the tower during extreme winds on the night of Oct. 23, 2019, igniting vegetation on the ground, the report said.

The Kincade fire would go on to torch nearly 122 square miles (316 square kilometers), destroying 174 homes and about 200 other structures, and injuring four people. An estimated 190,000 residents, almost two-fifths of Sonoma Countys population, were ordered to evacuate.

PG&E left abandoned equipment energized for thirteen years even though that equipment provided no benefit or convenience to the public, the enforcement division report said.

The agencys investigation was separate from one conducted by Cal Fire, which last year traced the wildfire, the largest in Sonoma County history, to the high-voltage electrical transmission tower in the Mayacamas Mountains.

It is also independent of a criminal case still pending in Sonoma County Superior Court, where PG&E is charged with five felonies and 28 misdemeanor counts alleging the utility recklessly caused the fire.

A PG&E spokeswoman said Wednesday that the utility disputes several features of the utility commissions investigation. In particular, the company believed the Calpine unit served by the tower to be on cold standby, meaning it could be put back into use, spokeswoman Lynsey Paulo said.

Calpine also continued to pay monthly service charges and had inspected the equipment as part of its wildfire prevention efforts, Paulo added.

The company agreed to settle with the commission, despite disagreeing with alleged violations, in hopes it will assist in allowing all parties to move forward with the fire, and permit us to focus on compensating victims and making our energy system safer, the utility said in a statement.

PG&E already has settled with Sonoma County and the cities of Windsor, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Cloverdale, agreeing last May to pay $31 million in damages related to the public safety response to the wildfire.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the 2018 Camp Fire, which wiped out most of the town of Paradise and was sparked by its equipment. It also faces numerous criminal charges for fires caused by its fraying equipment, including four charges of manslaughter filed in September by Shasta County prosecutors.

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, whose district sustained most of the damage from the Kincade fire, said Wednesday that he remains troubled by PG&Es lack of transparency and accountability.

You know, its interesting that a settlement is really about spending the money that you should have spent before on something, Gore said. Lets call it what it is.

A historic drought and recent heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists say climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
A relative who filed a complaint about the incident says police have yet to take action.

Three Cambodian workers trafficked in Phnom Penh and taken to work in an illegal Chinese-owned casino in the resort town of Sihanoukville are being illegally detained by their employer, while police have yet to investigate the matter despite the filing of an official complaint against the owner, a relative of the trio said Thursday.

The cousin of the three workers  two women and one man  told RFA on Thursday that a 35-year-old Chinese national surnamed Long owns the business and forced his relatives to work in the online gambling industry for two months without allowing them to leave the building where they work. The illegal operation in an unmarked building has no name.

The cousin, who lives in Poipet in Banteay Meanchey province but declined to give his name out of fear for his safety, said he filed a complaint with the Sihanoukville Police Commissariat on Nov. 1 .

His relatives  Hang Lily, Hang Tyty and Nguon Chim  told him by phone that they had been trafficked by Chinese criminals and confined to work in a casino located in the coastal town village No. 1 in commune No. 3. His cousins requested that local authorities help them because the owner forced them to work even though they became ill, he said.

The [Chinese] company threatened my younger cousins that if they didnt sign a contract with them, they would sell my cousins to other companies, the relative said. It was at that time when my cousins realized that they had been sold from Phnom Penh to Kompong Som [Sihanoukville].

I would like to request that authorities help to get my cousins released, he told RFA. I want them to conduct a raid at that company to see what they have been concealing  and not just my cousins.

In recent years, Chinese investors have flocked to Sihanoukville, which sits on a small peninsula that jets out into the Bay of Thailand. Dozens of Chinese-owned casinos and other businesses now operate there, generating jobs and economic activity, but also a growing list of workplace abuse allegations.

In 2019, the Cambodian government banned online gambling In Sihanoukville in response to growing domestic concerns about Chinese-led gangs, crime, illegal evictions, and land disputes that threatened public order.

The cousin wrote in the complaint he filed with police that his three relatives were recruited to work for a Chinese casino in Phnom Penh but were trafficked from one business to another and ended up in Sihanoukville where they now are being held against their will.

When they were recruited, the three were promised a monthly salary of U.S. $1,000 each, he said. They worked for the Chinese-owned company for about two months but received only half of what the amount they were promised. They submitted resignations, but the business owner refused to let them go and instead confined them to the building and forced them to sign a one-year contract.

Chuon Narin, Sihanoukvilles provincial police chief, told RFA on Thursday that he has yet to receive a complaint about the incident and urged the relative to personally submit the document at the provincial police commissariat so that relevant authorities could look into the matter and take legal action.

I must see the complaint first, Chuon Narin told RFA. Whether they submit it during the day or night, we will conduct an investigation regardless of whether it is a false claim, but I havent seen yet that they have filed a complaint with us. If there is anything illegal, I will take action and enforce the law.

In October, RFA reported that 437 workers, most of whom had contracted COVID-19, had been forced since March to remain inside and to continue working in the Chinese-owned Century Casino, an illegal online gambling business also located in Sihanoukville. The employees called on the provincial labor department on Sept. 25 to order the operator to stop forcing them to work.

Am Sam Ath, monitoring manager of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, a human rights NGO, said judicial police should not just wait until they receive hard-copy complaints before they take action.

In such cases of illegal confinement and trafficking as mentioned by the victims relative, authorities must promptly enforce the law and find ways to free the victims, Am Sam Ath said.

Cambodia handled 139 human trafficking cases and 59 sexual exploitation cases in the first six months of 2021, compared to 63 cases during the same period a year ago, Chou Bun Eng, secretary of state at Cambodias Interior Ministry and permanent vice-chair of the National Committee for Counter Trafficking, said in August.

Law enforcement agents arrested 291 suspects and rescued 721 victims, she said at the time, according to Xinhua news agency.

However, the Cambodian government is doing its best to eliminate all forms of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in order to enhance the respect for human rights, dignity and social justice, she was quoted as saying.

Reported and translated by RFAs Khmer Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Experts say the submarine might have gone too fast at depth in poorly charted waters.

The USS Connecticut submarine in an April 2011 file photo at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in Washington state.

The U.S. Navy says it has dismissed three top commanders of the nuclear-powered submarine that ran aground on an underwater mountain in the South China Sea last month.

A brief Navy statement issued late Thursday said the Oct. 2 accident involving the USS Connecticut was preventable, and Commander of the 7th Fleet Vice Adm. Karl Thomas had relieved the three officers of their duties due to loss of confidence.

They are the subs Commanding Officer Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani, Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin, and Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers, the statement said.

The accident happened at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea. A month-long investigation was completed earlier this week. It concluded that the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine hit an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific. A seamount is a mountain that rises from the sea bed.

Thursdays statement said: Thomas determined sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident.

Experts say the submarine might have gone too fast at depth in poorly charted waters. Eleven sailors were reportedly injured.

In most cases of avoidable incidents the commander of the vessel is relieved of duty and mostly this is the end of their naval career, Alexander Neill, a defense and security consultant based in Singapore, told RFA in an earlier interview.

China has accused the U.S. of a cover-up and lack of transparency over the accident. At a regular press briefing on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin urged the U.S. to provide a full account of the details of the accident and "stop its provocation," Reuters reported.

The USS Connecticut is one of three Sea Wolf-class submarines, commissioned in the Cold War era. It is 107 meters long and can carry around 130 sailors and officers. It is believed to cost over $3 billion to build.

According to the statement from the U.S. Navy, it remains in Guam while undergoing damage assessment and will return to its home base in Bremerton, Washington state, for repairs.
Indonesia, a signatory, and Laos, which did not sign up, say it is unfair to developing economies.

A barge carrying logged timber on the Mahakam River passes the town of Samarinda in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, Nov. 4, 2021.

Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand this week skipped signing a global pact to end and reverse forest loss by 2030, even as Southeast Asia  home to around 15 percent of the worlds tropical forests  is among its major deforestation hotspots.

The regions most populous and sprawling country, Indonesia, meanwhile, was among 133 nations that signed the pledge at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, but it took issue with some countries reading the language of the agreement too literally.

We therefore commit to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation, states the pledge, known as the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use.

Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Indonesias environment minister, had a problem with the expectation that ending deforestation means zero deforestation. She said it was unfair to ask Indonesia to do that.

That prompted green activists to wonder whether this meant Jakarta would renege on the pledge made on Tuesday.

After all, the agreement was hailed as a landmark one because Indonesia, Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which account for 85 percent of the worlds forests, signed on to protect their woodlands.

Southeast Asia lost about 80 million hectares of forest between 2005 and 2015, said a 2019 article in the journal Nature.

And yet, only Indonesia signed on to the pledge to preserve forests, and that, apparently with caveats.

Here is a look at how some Southeast Asian governments and country experts view the breakthrough COP26 agreement to stem forest loss:

Indonesia

A day after Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo signed the pledge in Scotland to protect forests, the environment minister said the country could not be made to commit to zero deforestation because that would hurt development.

Forcing Indonesia to commit to zero deforestation by 2030 is clearly neither fair nor right, because every country has its key problems and is mandated by the constitution to protect its people, Siti Nurbaya wrote on Twitter after speaking to Indonesian students at the University of Glasgow.

Indonesia is committed to controlling emissions from the forestry sector, but that does not mean that the country will completely eliminate deforestation, she said.

If the concept is that there is no deforestation, it means that there should be no roads, then what about the people, should they be isolated? Siti Nurbaya said later on via Facebook.

Siti Nurbayas comments drew criticism from environmental activists.

According to Greenpeace, the clear-burning of forest land to make way for plantations has generated nearly 104 million metric tons of carbon emissions during the past 19 years. That equals 33 times the annual emissions from powering all the homes in the Indonesian capital.

But according to the environment ministry, Indonesia has already made strides in stemming deforestation. The ministry said Indonesia lost 115,459 hectares (285,300 acres) of forest cover in 2020, a 75-percent drop from 2019.

On Thursday, Siti appeared to clarify her strong statement.

The presidents directive is clear, that development undertaking by the government must be in line with the policy to reduce deforestation and emissions, she tweeted.

There must be a balance.

Chopped trees are seen at the Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, March 2021. Credit: Cambodian Youth Network Laos

Like Indonesia, Laos, too, had reservations linked to its status as a developing nation, a government official told the Laos Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA), with which BenarNews is affiliated.

Laos didnt sign the deal because its still a developing country and still needs forests to develop its economy, said the official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

We still rely on the forest and agriculture to produce food and reduce poverty; however, our government has a policy to wisely use our natural resources and protect the environment at the same time.

The official said Laos still needed to clear land and forests for the development of infrastructure, including roads, railway, schools and hospitals.

Our government wants to develop its country to graduate from the least developed country status in 2026 too. Its impossible not to destroy some natural resources at all, the official said.

Still, the government has a policy to wisely use our natural resources and protect the environment at the same time, the official added.

Cambodia

Cambodia, which has lost 26 percent of its tree cover since 2000 according to satellite imagery  equivalent to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres)  did not sign the pledge to end deforestation.

Neth Peaktra, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, did not say why Cambodia didnt sign it.

The ministry supports the COP26 statement and reaffirms the government commitment to protect and preserve natural resources and the ecosystem, and restore and replant the forest, he told the Khmer Service of RFA.

Cambodia has about 8.5 million hectares of forest cover and about 41 percent of it is being protected by the ministry, he said.

However, according to San Maly, an activist with the Cambodian Youth Network, the government had failed to implement its commitment to protect forests.

Cambodias forests are declining due to illegal logging and forest crime, he told RFA.

Residents are evacuated from their flooded houses on a rescue boat following Typhoon Vamco, in Rizal Province, Philippines, Nov. 12, 2020. Credit: Reuters Malaysia

In Malaysia, where Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said that the country is striving to become carbon neutral by 2050 at the earliest, a local environmental NGO criticized the government for only sending a representative  and not the environment minister  to COP26.

We could only guess that it was done deliberately to avoid taking the international pledge to stop deforestation at COP26 with a bit of face saving, PEKA said in a statement.

For a country that wants to maintain 50 percent of forest cover, Malaysis is eighth highest in cumulative per-capita emissions from 1850 to 2021.

Malaysia may not fulfill a pledge of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, PEKAs founder, told BenarNews late last month.

Malaysia will miss the target by a mile with the current seriousness shown by the government  We are still in the mindset of blaming disasters on Acts of God, she said.

Philippines

The archipelago nation signaled its commitment to preserve woodlands by being one of the more than 100 signatories to save the worlds forests.

The Philippines is one of the worlds most climate-vulnerable countries, but contributes only 0.3 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions. Manila has, however, committed to reducing these emissions by 75 percent over the next decade as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

An average of about 20 typhoons strike the Philippines every year, some of them devastating. In 2013, the archipelago was hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan, the countrys most powerful storm, which caused devastating damage and led to the deaths of more than 6,000 people.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who attended the Glasgow summit, said rich countries must lead in finding hard solutions and help the more vulnerable ones.

The greatest injustice here is that those who suffer the most are those the least responsible for this existential crisis, Locsin said in a statement at COP26 on Oct. 31.

Attorney Ma. Ronely Bisquera-Sheen, executive director of environmental group Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense Nature), welcomed the forest pledge, but said it was too early to rejoice.

[T]he reality is that it will take tremendous political will to deliver this pledge, she told BenarNews.

The devil is in the details.

Report by RFA's Cambodia and Lao Services, and by Ronna Nirmala and Ahmad Syamsudin in Jakarta, Muzliza Mustafa in Kuala Lumpur, Jason Gutierrez in Manila for BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Observers say the bombing attacks show the juntas intention to disband the party.

Mandalay region NLD office (left) after a bomb blast on Oct. 27, 2021 and the Myeik township and district offices after a bomb blast on Oct. 20, 2021.

Dozens of offices of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) have been the target of bombings and other attacks since her government was overthrown by the military in a February coup, according to a top party official.

Kyaw Htwe, a member of the NLD Central Committee, told RFAs Myanmar Service that there have been 44 such incidents since the coup at party offices throughout the country.

They raided and destroyed our officesthey destroyed doors, signboards, flags, etc., he said.

The NLD headquarters in Yangon was raided three times and fire-bombs have been thrown at it. The Mandalay region office was similarly raided, and all manner of things were destroyed. All of these attacks were carried out at nighttime, despite Section 144 [night curfew].

According to Kyaw Htwe, there were at least a dozen attacks on NLD offices in October alone, including in Mon state, as well as Tanintharyi, Mandalay and Irrawaddy regions. October marked the highest number of times NLD offices were targeted in a single month since the military seized power, he said.

One of the latest bomb attacks on an NLD office occurred at around midnight on Oct. 27 in Mandalay. A resident told RFA on condition of anonymity that the blast shattered windows and damaged the entire facade of the building.

It happened while it was quiet at night, so we all heard the blast, but we didnt dare go out to look, the resident said.

We all know in our hearts who did it. We didnt go out because we didnt want to put our lives in danger.

The same office had been the target of an attack on Oct. 17, when portraits of detained party chief and former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were destroyed. The office has been closed since February and is not being monitored by security guards.

A map shows the location of attacks on National League for Democracy party offices since the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup. RFA NLD offices in Tanintharyi regions Myeik and Dawei townships were also bombed on Oct. 20 and 21, respectively. The head of an unidentified person was recently hung outside another NLD office in Tanintharyis Yebyu township.

In Mon state, offices in Kyaikto, Thaton and Bilin townships were all targeted in explosions on Oct. 24, while an office in Mawlamyine township was attacked a few days earlier.

Additionally, offices in Irrawaddy regions Pathein township and Sagaing regions Kyun Hla township were also the targets of recent attacks.

A resident of Kyun Hla, who declined to be named, told RFA that the NLD office there was set on fire after more than a dozen soldiers entered the area firing their weapons. They said that the local fire brigade was notified, but nobody showed up to extinguish the blaze.

The Dawae township NLD office in March 2021 (left) and what remains of the office after a bomb blast on Oct. 21, 2021. RFA Junta intentions

Nine months after the militarys Feb. 1 coup, security forces have killed 1,242 civilians and arrested at least 7,038, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisonersmostly during crackdowns on anti-junta protests.

The junta says it unseated the NLD government because, they claimed, the party had engineered a landslide victory in Myanmars November 2020 election through widespread voter fraud. It has yet to present evidence of its claims and public unrest is at an all-time high.

Following the coup on Feb. 1, security forces arrested several top leaders of the NLD, including Aung San Suu Kyi. NLD officials who escaped arrest fled to safety and have continued to oppose the junta. In the early days after the coup, multiple NLD offices were raided and the NLD headquarters in Yangon was bombed.

Analysts told RFA that the targeted attacks on NLD offices were aligned with the juntas intentions, noting that Thein Soe, chairman of the military-appointed Union Election Commission, said in May that the government was considering dissolving the party and prosecuting its top leaders for treason.

The aim is to disband the NLD in Myanmar politics so that the NLD cannot take part in future elections, said political analyst Than Soe Naing.

But I think what the junta is doing with its security forces is [instead] pushing the people to continue to support the NLD, at a time when its conducting nationwide crackdowns and killings. They will continue to do so until they have to relinquish power.

Than Soe Naing said he expects attacks on NLD offices to continue.

Attempts by RFA to reach junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for comment on the attacks went unanswered.

The junta is still seeking the arrest of several top NLD officials across the country and detained at least 458 NLD members in the eight months from February to September.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Vicky Xiuzhong Xu, an Chinese-Australian policy analyst and journalist known for exposing human rights abuses in China, is co-author of a new report detailing details the deep involvement of Chinese government agencies in a systematic effort to suppress Muslim Uyghurs and their culture in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang region. The report by the independent, nonpartisan Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is the latest document presenting evidence of the ramping up since 2014 of systematic human rights abuses of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in Xinjiang. The mounting evidence has drawn accusations of genocide in several Western capitals. Xu and the other two authors of the 80-page report titled The Architecture of Repression: Unpacking Xinjiangs Governance, reviewed thousands of Chinese-language sources, including leaked police records and government budget documents never before published, to map and analyze the mechanisms used by the Chinese government in Xinjiang during a period of mounting repression from 2014 to 2021. Reporter Kurban Niyaz of RFAs Uyghur Service talked to Wu about the reports findings. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFA: You mentioned in the report that responsibility for the ongoing genocide in Xinjiang is the widely discussed by numerous scholars and experts. Why is it important to discuss this?

Xu: it is important to talk about responsibility because in this situation this crackdown has been going on for seven years, but only a very small number of individuals, entities, or organizations have been held responsible for their involvement in these crimes against humanity. First, its important to understand who has been responsible, and by having that understanding means we can have more rounded understanding of the whole situation. Second, for historical reasons, it is always important to hold abusers responsible, so some kind of documentation is really needed. Thats what were trying to do here.

RFA: Mass campaigns and political movements have occurred in China since the late 1950s to the late 1970s. For example, current Chinese president Xi Jinping himself also suffered during past times of political chaos, so why are we seeing this again under his leadership at the beginning of the 21st century?

Xu: There have been repeated mass political campaigns that have subjected people, not just Uyghurs but everyone, to mass detention, labor reform, and unspeakable horrors throughout Chinas history. These things mostly stopped after the 1980s, but you can see that under Xi Jinping they have come back. Its impossible to know exactly why because neither you nor I can have an in-person conversation with Xi Jinping. We dont know, but we can only read his speeches and analyze his personal experience as well as the policies that came out of his office. By analyzing hundreds of policies that came out of Xinjiang, or East Turkistan, in the last seven years, the policies themselves are clearly similar to the policies during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s or later in the 1980s [with] the strike hard campaign nationwide. Its clear that Xi Jinping himself specifically in 2014 ordered Xinjiang officials to implement neighborhood informant policies, which means that he was using mass campaign methods. He is very consciously using campaign policies, despite that he hasnt admitted it. I mentioned in the report that in the 1980s when Xi Jinping was working as a party secretary in Hubei province, he told his colleagues that he didnt like campaigns because they cost a lot of money and are very damaging.  He said that the country suffered enough from campaigns, but 30 years on now what were seeing in Xinjiang and in greater China is that he has brought campaigns back.

RFA: Were seeing rule of law serving as a tool for the even harsher punishment in Xinjiang. Based on your study, how is rule of law being applied in Xinjiang?

Xu: To say that Xinjiang is ruled by law is an absolute joke, and we also found a lot of evidence for this. This is the first time we have solid evidence that police reports acknowledge that neighborhood police can just arrest people to fill quotas. And we have knowledge that local officials even brag in state media and on social media that law enforcement officers are not following the laws themselves.  There isnt a lot of following the law going on, not even by officials, but the slogan keeps being repeated. Its just hypocrisy at the highest level going on.

RFA: Your report notes that almost all local officials in Xinjiang are Han Chinese, while their deputies are Uyghurs. What does this tell us?

Xu: The reality is that there is just an incredible amount of racism going on inside of the Chinese party-state system. A decade ago I saw studies on how difficult it was for Uyghur youths to find jobsmeaningful employmentand how they were being discriminated against in wider Chinese society. Its no surprise that especially at a time like this when Uyghurs are under a crackdown that the Chinese government doesnt trust them. It presents us with another deep hypocrisy because the Chinese government calls the Uyghur homeland the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. So where is the autonomous region?

RFA: What are government departments doing to ensure social stability in Xinjiang?

Xu: Around 2017, I was traveling in China, and I met a Uyghur teenager on a train and asked him what was on in Xinjiang. He said that everything was terrible because it was about stability maintenance. I don't think I fully understood what he meant, but now after reading so many Chinese government documents, I think I understand what it means. It's very clearly spelled out in the Chinese governments 2017 policies. They want to achieve a state of comprehensive stability by the end of this year.  They really believe that theres something wrong with Uyghurs, and the campaign  this crackdown  has been going on for five years, and they have scared everyone into silence. They have locked away anyone who dared to speak. So, that's your comprehensive stability, which in this report we call manufactured stability.

RFA: We are seeing that atrocities and governance tools used in Xinjiang are now expanding beyond the border. How dangerous are they globally and why it is important for the world to do its best to stop them?

Xu: The Trinity mechanism, which gives the neighborhood committees so much power to watch peoples every step and watch their emotions, has been increasingly implemented in China more broadly especially during the COVID pandemic. Under Xi Jinping, you see a lot of these policies and being discussed and proposed elsewhere. There is a real danger that the sort of bureaucratic structure or governance tactics used in Xinjiang will spread to other parts of China. If the rest of the world thinks Xinjiang or the Uyghurs present a big ethical dilemma, then now that ethical dilemma is going to be multiplied and the possible human rights violations that would occur would just be unimaginable.

RFA: You began at an early age to speak about the injustice and the suffering of Uyghurs. There are so many other young Han Chinese who are not willing to talk about this issue or support justice for the Uyghurs. Why do you think Chinese youth in who live in Western countries dont do this?

Xu: I can't speak for other people, so I'll speak for myself. The Chinese government began putting pressure on me and my family in China from 2018 onwards. But I was a reporter for The New York Times, and I was supposed to tell the biggest stories about China that I knew. The story about the Uyghurs was one of them. It has been the most significant story about China for me for a couple of years now, and I just continued to do that work. But the price Ive had to pay has become heavier and heavier. Earlier this year I was practically declared a national enemy in China. Ive pretty much lost all of my relatives now, and it was very upsetting, but I don't have any regrets. Ive been doing the right thing and a good thing.

I can understand why others wouldnt be doing this. First, a lot of people in China dont have the privilege of using a VPN and having access to real news, and a lot of people never had the privilege to even learn how to think because they were what you would call brainwashed. So, these people dont have the ability to care or they dont have the privilege to having a sense of justice. Overseas Chinese are in free countries and can freely access news. But because these days diaspora communities like the overseas Chinese communities are still mostly controlled by mainland pro-China or pro-Chinese Communist Party voices, they are risking becoming an outcast in their own communities if they support the Uyghurs or Tibetans, you are risking being an outcast. I don't have a lot of Chinese friends in the diaspora. And the friends I do have in the Chinese diaspora dont want to admit in public that they are my friends because there is a social cost to supporting the Uyghurs. And its not just a social cost. Some people have been threatened with prison sentences just for being friends with me or just knowing me.

Edited by Roseanne Gerin.
Flooding caused by heavy overnight rains in Bosnia-Herzegovina has forced evacuations in parts of the country and caused power cuts in the capital, Sarajevo, officials say.

Homes and businesses were flooded in and around Sarajevo on November 5, with local roads blocked in the southwest of the country and schools closed.

"The water reached homes and a large number of residential buildings were flooded," Sifet Cengic of the Sarajevo canton's Civil Protection Administration said.

The Messer plant where oxygen tanks are filled for COVID-19 patients was also completely flooded in Rajlovac, close to Sarajevo, said Majda Kovac, spokeswoman for the Federal Civil Protection Administration.

Most of Sarajevo is without electricity due to the multiple disruptions on the grid.

Transmission company Elektroprijenos said it was uncertain when the electricity supplies would be brought back online.
For nine years, Gohar Eshghi has been grieving and seeking justice for the death of her son, Sattar Beheshti, an Iranian blogger who died in police custody in 2012.

But Eshghi's fight to bring the perpetrators to justice has put her and her family directly in the authorities' crosshairs.

On November 3, Eshghi and her daughter, Sahar Beheshti, were arrested in the family's home in Rabat Karim, a city about 30 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tehran.

Their arrests came just hours after Eshghi sent a video to RFE/RL's Radio Farda in which she condemned what she called widespread human rights abuses in the Islamic republic. Eshghi shared the video on November 3, which coincided with the ninth anniversary of her son's death.

"It's been 43 years that the Islamic republic has been killing our youth," Eshghi said in reference to the Islamic Revolution in 1979 that toppled the monarchy and brought Islamists to power. "They took away my Sattar, they killed him, and then they buried him," said the 75-year-old, holding a framed photo of her son.

Eshghi, who has no formal education, said she would not give up her struggle for justice even in the face of state pressure. "[The Islamic republic] has attempted to dissuade me but my God and the God of my child have not allowed it," said Eshghi, who has been wearing black since her son's death.

'Crisis Of Impunity'

Human rights groups have condemned the arrest of Eshghi and her daughter. Amnesty International on November 4 called on Iranian authorities to release the women "immediately and unconditionally."

"The illegal and arbitrary detention of Gohar Eshghi and her family once again reveals the crisis of impunity in Iran, where cases of torture and murder in detention are accompanied by the constant harassment of mourning relatives seeking justice," the London-based rights group said.

The Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on the arrests.

The 35-year-old Beheshti, a little-known blogger, was arrested in his home in Rabat Karim on October 30, 2012, on charges of "actions against national security on social networks and Facebook."

He died several days later after complaining that he had been tortured by his interrogators. Iranian opposition websites, citing fellow inmates, said he was beaten to death by his interrogators at Evin prison, Iran's most notorious facility.

Beheshti's family was informed of his death on November 6. The family said he was hastily buried and that they were prevented from seeing his body.

Iranian authorities later confirmed that he had been beaten in custody. A prosecutor said that the cause of Beheshti's death was most likely physical or psychological shock.

His death led to several arrests and the dismissal of the head of Tehran's cyberpolice. In 2014, a court sentenced a police officer to three years in prison after convicting him of involuntary manslaughter.

Eshghi's lawyer said the sentence was lenient, considering the serious nature of the crime. Eshghi has called for an open investigation and demanded that the police officer be charged with premeditated murder.

In a recent video uploaded on social media, Eshghi said she held Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responsible for her son's death. "The leader is the murderer of my child, I will never forgive him," she said.

Criticism of Khamenei is widely considered a red line in the Islamic republic, although a growing number of activists have publicly challenged the supreme leader in recent years.

In recent years, Eshghi has issued numerous video statements and letters in her persistent struggle for justice, becoming a prominent symbol of resistance against alleged state repression in Iran.

She has also joined other mothers who have lost their children at the hands of the state to push for accountability and justice.

Eshghi was among a group of women who met with former EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton during her 2014 visit to Tehran.

Human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who was part of the group, said that Ashton had embraced Eshghi and wept.
Dozens of member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have invoked the so-called Vienna Mechanism to request answers from Belarus on serious human rights violations and abuses taking place in the country following a disputed presidential election in August 2020.



In a letter dated November 4 and sent to the Belarusian permanent representative to the OSCE in Vienna, the United States, Canada, all EU member states except Poland, and seven other European countries said the situation in Belarus has deteriorated over the past year.

The 35 countries asked Minsk to provide answers on the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters, arbitrary or unjust arrests or detention, and more than 1,500 cases of credible reports of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, among other things.



The Belarusian authorities are requested to respond to the demand within 10 days.



Authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has cracked down hard on the pro-democracy movement and civil society after unprecedented anti-government protests erupted across Belarus following the August 2020 election in which he claimed reelection to a sixth term.



Thousands of people have been arrested, dozens of news websites blocked, and independent media shuttered as part of the sweeping clampdown, which has pushed most of the top opposition figures out of the country.



The opposition and the West say the presidential vote was rigged to keep Lukashenka in power. The European Union, the United States, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka as Belarus's legitimate leader.



More than a month after the election -- in September 2020 -- 17 OSCE member states triggered the so-called Moscow Mechanism to establish a mission of experts to report on human rights violations and abuses occurring before, during, and after the vote.



The report concluded that the elections results were neither free nor fair, and massive and systematic violations and abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms had been committed by the security forces.



The document also provided recommendations to the Belarusian authorities to help end the political crisis in the country, including establishing a dialogue with representatives of the opposition and civil society.
The U.S. administration is sending a top diplomat to Sarajevo amid growing concerns that the Serbian-majority entity that makes up part of Bosnia-Herzegovina could secede from the rest of the Balkan country.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar will arrive in the Bosnian capital on November 7, days after the top international official in the country warned of the "existential threat" from separatist actions by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.

In an interview with RFE/RL ahead of his trip, Escobar said that any moves to undermine the Dayton accords that ended the three-year Bosnian War in the 1990s were "very detrimental and very destabilizing to the region."

But he predicted there would not be another war in the country and that Dodik's separatist agenda is not supported by the international community.

"I really want the people of Bosnia to know that we're committed that there will not be a war. And believe me, all of the countries of the region, including the other signatories of Dayton, which includes Croatia and Serbia, are committed to not seeing a war in the region," the U.S. diplomat said.

The Bosnian War ended in 1995 with the U.S.-brokered Dayton accords that created two entities in Bosnia, the Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation. The country is still governed and administered along ethnic lines established by the agreement.

But Dodik, the Serbian representative in Bosnia's tripartite presidency, has been threatening to withdraw from state-level institutions, including Bosnia's joint judiciary, military, and tax administration.

In a report to the UN Security Council this week, Christian Schmidt, the chief UN envoy to Bosnia, issued a stark warning that Dodik's actions represent an "existential threat" to Bosnia's postwar peace deal.

The prospects for further division and conflict in Bosnia "are very real," Schmidt said, warning that the Bosnian Serb leader's threats to withdraw from Bosnian state institutions would "ultimately undermine the state's ability to function and carry out its constitutional responsibilities."

As the country veers into crisis, the Biden administration is working with European and regional powers to ensure Bosnia's territorial integrity and compliance with the Dayton accords.

In the interview with RFE/RL, Escobar insisted that the Dayton agreements had "held the peace for 25 years and it's the basis of our policy."

"With regard to the weakening of the central institutionsthe reason behind this is really about corruption. What Milorad Dodik is doing is he's trying to look for ways to protect his power and his money," he said.

"So I'm asking people not to match that, not to enable him to do that."
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is urging France to grant asylum to a Belarus-born man responsible for last month's massive leak of videos exposing mistreatment, torture, and sexual abuse in Russian prisons.

In a statement on November 5, the Paris-based media-freedom watchdog also called on Russia to drop all charges against Syarhey Savelyeu, who fled to France last month after he released graphic video evidence of hundreds of cases of inmate torture by other inmates at the direction of prison officials.

After placing Savelyeu on a wanted list on October 23 and announcing his "arrest in absentia," Russian authorities are reportedly planning to submit an international wanted notice for the IT specialist to Interpol.

"While such accusations are not new, this is the first time that videos of torture and sexual abuse carried out at the request of the very Russian prison administration have been brought to the public's attention," said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

Savelyeu "must be protected because of these shocking revelations about the prison system," she added.

The prisoners' rights nongovernmental organization Gulagu.net has published some of the videos provided by Savelyeu and reported on their contents.

Founder Vladimir Osechkin told RFE/RL that the organization will forward all the materials it received from Savelyeu to authorities in France.

Five senior prison officials have been fired since Gulagu.net published the leaked videos.

Savelyeu was arrested in Russia in 2013 on a drug-trafficking charge he denies. As an IT specialist, he helped operate a prison computer network that gave him access to the videos.

Gulagu.net has said guards and other prison officials bribed or forced inmates to torture other inmates in order to secure false testimony. The videos purportedly show hundreds of cases of rape and other mistreatment at Russian prisons and pretrial detention centers in several regions.
Amnesty International is calling on Iran to release two dual nationals who have been behind bars for more than a year for peacefully exercising their human rights.

German-Iranian Nahid Taghavi and British-Iranian Mehran Raouf were detained in Tehran's Evin prison in October 2020 and held in prolonged solitary confinement.

In August this year, a Revolutionary Court sentenced them to 10 years and eight months in prison on national-security-related charges following what Amnesty International called a "grossly unfair trial."

Both have denied the accusations.

Amnesty said on November 5 that the 67-year-old Taghavi was suffering chronic back pain and had been denied surgery on her spine that specialist doctors said she urgently requires.

Raouf, 64, has been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including being held in a room with the lights on 24 hours a day, Amnesty said.

The London-based human rights watchdog urged supporters to take action in support of the two prisoners of conscience and write a letter to Iranian judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejehi saying they should be immediately and unconditionally freed.

Pending their release, Taghavi and Raouf should be provided adequate health care and granted access to lawyers and family, as well as to consular assistance, it said.

According to Amnesty International, both were detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association, including supporting workers' and women's rights.
France says it could still take diplomatic action along with its partners against Iran for its lack of cooperation on nuclear issues, even as the sides have said talks on the matter will resume later this month.

On November 4, Paris said it was consulting with its allies over how to respond to Iran's lack of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UNs Vienna-based nuclear watchdog.

"Together with our partners, we remain very attentive to ensuring that Iran respects its commitments, and we remain in close consultation on the response to be provided," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre told reporters.

"Iran must resume dialogue and cooperation with the agency without delay to make progress on outstanding issues," she said.



Nuclear talks between world powers and Tehran on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal are set to resume in Vienna on November 29 following a five-month hiatus, amid growing Western concerns over Irans nuclear advances.

The talks will be chaired by EU mediator Enrique Mora and will be attended by representatives of the remaining parties to the agreement -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and Iran -- the blocs European External Action Service said in a statement on November 3.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, who serves as Tehran's chief negotiator, said on Twitter that the date was set in a phone call with Mora.

The State Department said U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will be heading the American delegation in Vienna and that Washington hopes Tehran returns to the talks ready to negotiate and in good faith.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the world powers' landmark accord with Iran in 2018 and reimposed crippling punitive measures despite Iran's compliance with the deal, which curbed its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

In response, Tehran has gradually breached limits imposed by the pact, including on uranium enrichment, refining it to higher purity, and installing advanced centrifuges.

Trump's successor, Joe Biden, who took office in January, has pledged to rejoin the deal if Iran returns to full compliance.

In September, Western powers decided against calling for a resolution criticizing Iran at the IAEA after Tehran agreed to prolong monitoring of some nuclear activities and invited agency chief Rafael Grossi to Iran for talks.

The decision not to push for a resolution by the IAEA's 35-nation board was seen as an effort not to escalate the dispute and possibly dash hopes of resuming the wider Vienna talks.

But the United States, Britain, France, and Germany have become increasingly frustrated that Iran has failed to fully comply with a monitoring agreement with the IAEA, that it continues to breach the 2015 accord, and has yet to allow Grossi to come to Tehran for talks that had been promised in September.



"Together with our partners, we remain very attentive to ensuring that Iran respects its commitments, and we remain in close consultation on the response to be provided on this," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Legendre said.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Iran says it has increased its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium to 25 kilograms, an almost fourfold increase from the level reported in June, as Tehran prepares for negotiations later this month with world powers to preserve a 2015 deal aimed at curbing its nuclear program.



"So far we have produced 25 kilograms of 60 percent uranium, which, except for countries with nuclear weapons, no other country is able to produce," Iranian media quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as saying on November 5.



Kamalvandi added that Iran's stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium has reached over 210 kilograms, well beyond the 120-kilogram target set by parliament.



The announcement potentially complicates efforts to revive the landmark 2015 deal between Iran and world powers. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement in 2018, but Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia have tried to preserve the accord.



President Joe Biden has said he is willing to rejoin the pact if Iran returns to full compliance, but indirect negotiations between Tehran and world powers that started in April in Vienna were put on hold in June after the Islamic republic elected hard-liner Ibrahim Raisi as president.



The nuclear agreement, which offered curbs on international sanctions in exchange for Iran's limiting its nuclear program, caps the purity to which Tehran can refine uranium at 3.67 percent -- enough for civilian nuclear energy and far below the 90 percent purity needed for an atomic weapon.



Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons and said its breaches are reversible if Washington lifts sanctions and rejoins the agreement.



Western officials and analysts believe Tehran's escalation of enrichment is aimed at gaining leverage during the negotiations that are due to resume on November 29 in Vienna.



Biden and European leaders criticized Tehran last week for continuing to enrich uranium to a higher levels, calling the move provocative.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa
EKIBASTUZ, Kazakhstan -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has denied reports that a violent brawl last week, which erupted following a fight at school between ethnic Uyghurs and Kazakhs in the Almaty region, was sparked by ethnic tensions.



The clashes between Uyghurs and Kazakhs that followed a mass fight between teenagers in a local school left several private houses and vehicles in Penzhim damaged and one house destroyed by fire.



Aset Ospanov of the Interior Ministry publicly described the clashes that left two people injured as interethnic violence, a term also used in local media to depict the events that took place on October 27.



But Toqaev rejected the characterization, saying during a speech in the city of Ekibastuz on November 4 that those who sparked the clashes were "provocateurs."



"There were no ethnic clashes! But certain groups of provocateurs and ill-wishers for our country prompted the event in question in a different way... Such provocateurs are undermining our country's national security," Toqaev said.



Officials in the former Soviet republic that is home to more than 100 ethnic groups have tried to avoid describing conflicts between such groups -- which have been on the rise in recent years -- as interethnic clashes.

Last year, Toqaev also rejected that clashes between ethnic Dungans and Kazakhs in the southern region of Zhambyl were interethnic, blaming unspecified "criminal groups" for the violence that left 11 people dead and forced about 23,000 Dungans to flee across the border to Kyrgyzstan. Authorities said at the time that the majority of Dungans returned to Kazakhstan days later.



In July last year, clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kazakhs in Kazakhstan's south left four people, including a policeman, injured.



Authorities have often downplayed the ethnic element in such conflicts, instead attributing them to "social issues."
In most Central Asian countries, the Central Election Commission does not do very much.

In countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, the election commission chief will announce the date of the elections, when the polls open and close, provide a running count of the percentage of voters who have voted, and announce when the requisite number of voters have participated for the election to be valid.

The next day the commission issues a preliminary vote count and usually one to two weeks later the official, final tally in an election that will be deemed neither free nor fair by Western-based election-monitoring groups.

The election commissioner's role is barely noticed and quickly forgotten after the elections are held.

But in Kyrgyzstan, the role of the Central Election Commission (BShK) is very different and, with just weeks remaining before the country conducts its November 28 parliamentary elections, this is evident once again.

Candidate No. 7

Talant Mamytov is the speaker of Kyrgyzstan's parliament -- or at least he was -- and when he was and wasn't is the problem right now.

The Yntymak (Unity) party held its nominating congress on October 12 and Mamytov was recorded as candidate No. 7 on the party's list. He was also the "toraga," or speaker of parliament at that time.

On October 24, which was a Sunday, the BShK approved the Yntymak party list except for Mamytov.

The BShK determined that Mamytov was ineligible to be a candidate because he was the toraga and, according to the law on elections, "a candidate, from the moment of nomination, ceases to exercise official powers if he or she is serving in a public office."

That includes the toraga.

The BShK applied the law to Mamytov and disqualified him from being a candidate.

Anyone who has followed Kyrgyzstan's elections for the last 30 years has seen that it is possible to contest a BShK ruling in court and have it overturned. And so it has been with Mamytov.

On October 30, Yntymak accused the BShK of violating procedural rules and also questioned why the BShK met on the weekend, in the absence of a quorum, and released this "loose interpretation of the law" disqualifying Mamytov late on a Sunday evening.

Yntymak also claimed that Mamytov had stepped down as toraga and handed over the responsibility to deputy speaker Aida Kasymalieva.

Yntymak took the case to the Bishkek Administrative Court. On October 28, the court overruled the BShK decision on Mamytov. The BShK then filed an appeal against the court's ruling.

Mamytov was obligated to step down as toraga on October 12, when he was officially included on the Yntymak party list, but he did not hand over his duties to Kasymalieva until October 22.

Deputy speaker of parliament Talant Sydygaliev is also running as a candidate from the Ishenim (Belief) party, and he did relinquish his post when he was included as a candidate.

Yntymak countered that Mamytov was also a deputy in parliament and the same law that forbids someone serving in public office ends by saying "...with the exception of members of parliament or the president."

On November 2, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal from the BShK because of the "power of attorney [was] not properly certified and therefore it was not possible to establish its authenticity and accept it as evidence."

The BShK returned the appeal the same day after correcting the problem.

On November 4, the Supreme Court again returned the appeal to the BShK, this time because the application deadline had expired.

Mamytov will almost surely be a candidate when election day arrives. He has friends in high places.

In 2013, Mamytov was on trial with current President Sadyr Japarov and the current head of the State Committee for National Security, Kamchybek Tashiev, for creating public unrest and trying to overthrow the government in October 2012.

They were all convicted in late March 2013, with Japarov and Tashiev receiving 18 months in prison and Mamytov one year. They were all released in June 2013.

Together Again

Mamytov was named parliament speaker on November 4, 2020, and on November 14 he became acting president after Japarov, who had been in a prison cell one month earlier after being convicted on a kidnapping charge, stepped down as interim president so he could run for president in an election in January 2021.

Mamytov, Japarov, and Tashiev's sudden rise in position came after gross violations preceding and during the last parliamentary elections, on October 4, 2020, sparked unrest in Bishkek on October 5 that quickly brought down the government.

The BShK was busy ahead of those elections also. In July 2020, there was a problem over which faction of the splintered Social Democratic Party could register and eventually the Supreme Court overruled a BShK decision.

In late August there were problems over the registration of the Kyrgyzstan party, which the BShK said submitted its registration forms three minutes after the deadline had expired and that the party's authorized representatives were not the people who submitted the documents.

Then a candidate from Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan, Tursunbai Bakir-uulu, complained to the BShK that his name was on the list of candidates approved at the party congress but was not on the list of candidates submitted to the BShK. The BShK disqualified Butun Kyrgyzstan for having two different lists.

But courts overturned the BShK decisions and both parties competed in parliamentary elections and won seats, or would have won seats -- but since the unrest brought down the government, on October 6 the BShK annulled the election results. Japarov's interim government then thwarted several attempts by the BShK to reschedule the parliamentary elections.

A Barometer For Election Problems

The actions that have been consistently taken by the BShK make it an interesting facet of the country's election process in that unlike the other election commissions in the region, it seems to function as it is supposed to.

The composition of and the selection process for the BShK has changed over the 30 years the country has been independent, but the body regularly calls out violations -- including ones that upset the government.

Article 19, Section 11 of the Law on Election Commissions to Conduct Elections and Referenda says BShK decisions "can be canceled...through judicial procedures," and most of the BShK's rulings in controversial cases -- which have been many over the years -- were overturned by the courts.

And the independence and impartiality of Kyrgyzstan's court system has been called into question many times since the country gained independence in 1991. But BShK decisions set the stage for how voters see the conduct of elections  and that is the case in the recent controversy over Mamytov's candidacy.

Political analyst and American University of Central Asia in Bishkek professor Emil Joroev told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk, that "this situation [regarding Mamytov] has a political context."

"The BShK could have just registered [Mamytov] and no one would have noticed," Joroev said. "The decision by the election commission to deny registration to a person who is a political heavyweight, close to the authorities, gave hope that the elections will be honest."

"But due to the cancellation of the BShK decision," Joroev continued, "the impression is that the voters were deceived."

RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service contributed to this report
Researchers say life expectancy in Russia fell by more than two years in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of 37 upper-middle and high-income countries studied, the highest drop in life expectancy was observed in Russia, research published in the British Medical Association's BMJ journal shows.

Life expectancy for Russian men fell 2.33 years, while the figure for women dropped by 2.14 years, the study said.

In terms of falling life expectancy, Russia was followed closely by the United States, where men lost 2.27 years and women 1.61 years. In third place is Bulgaria, with life expectancy falling 1.96 years for men and 1.37 years for women.

The Russian figures in the study represent a significant fall in life expectancy compared to data from state statistics agency Rosstat published earlier this year.

Rosstat said in July that life expectancy in 2020 fell by 1.8 years to 71.54 years in 2020.

Rosstat said last month that around 462,000 people in Russia had died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, the highest toll in Europe.

Overall COVID-19 fatalities reported by Rosstat compares to the figure of around 236,000 published by the Russian coronavirus task force.

Critics accuse Russian authorities of downplaying the death toll from the pandemic.

RFE/RL's Coronavirus Coverage Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region.

The discrepancy can be explained by task force figures taking into account deaths where the virus was established as the primary cause of death after a medical examination.

Rosstat publishes figures under a wider definition for deaths linked to the virus.

To more accurately measure the impact of the pandemic, some epidemiologists argue calculating excess mortality.

Reuters has calculated that the number of excess deaths in Russia between April 2020 and September 2021 was more than 632,000 in comparison with the average mortality rate in 2015-19.
IRKUTSK, Russia -- The wife of opposition figure Aleksei Tupitsin has suffered what he says doctors described as "a chemical poisoning," which he believes was an attack likely aimed at him.

Tupitsin told RFE/RL on November 5 that his wife, Vera Kuzakova, fell ill aboard a plane as the couple flew from Poland to the Siberian city of Irkutsk.

According to the activist, during a stopover at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, the two drank some tea at a cafe before boarding a plane for the second leg of their journey. While in flight, Kuzakova's body became covered with sores that resembled burns.

"I had to tear off her clothes because her body was covered with blisters and she had a fever. An ambulance team that I called in Irkutsk saved her. They immediately started an IV and confirmed my fears that it was a chemical poisoning," he said, adding that he believes the tea his wife ingested at the Moscow airport was meant for him.

"I think the poisoning is linked to our ongoing investigation of the controversial purchase of a local oil company's shares by local officials in the early 2000s," Tupitsin aid.

While in Poland, Tupitsin met with exiled Siberian opposition and rights activists Sergei Bespalov and Yevgeny Khasoyev, as well as Polish officials.

The incident bears similarities to a poison attack against jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny.

The Kremlin critic fell ill after boarding a plane on a flight from Siberia to Moscow. He was eventually taken to Germany for life-saving treatment.

European labs later concluded that he was poisoned with military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia, part of a group of nerve agents known as Novichok.

Navalny accused President Vladimir Putin of ordering the poisoning, which the Kremlin has denied.

In November 2006, a former officer in Russias FSB security service, outspoken Putin critic Aleksandr Litvinenko, fell ill after he drank tea that was poisoned with polonium-210, a rare, highly radioactive isotope.

He died several days later in a hospital in London.
Amnesty International is calling on the Russian authorities to release an imprisoned environmental activist who led anti-landfill protests near Moscow in 2018.

Vyacheslav Yegorov was sentenced last month to 15 months in prison on a charge of repeatedly violating regulations on holding public gatherings, and detained.

Ahead of Yegorov's appeal hearing scheduled for later this month, Amnesty International on November 5 called for the charges against him to be dropped, and for the activist to be released.

Yegorov's sentencing comes amid an intensifying crackdown on civil society, independent media, and the opposition across Russia.

Yegorov led several peaceful rallies protesting against the dumping of garbage from Moscow in landfills in the area of Kolomna, a historic city of some 140,000 people located about 120 kilometers southeast of the Russian capital.

He was held under house arrest in February 2019 after being charged with Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code that criminalizes "repeated violation of regulations of public assemblies."

He was released six months later, but the charges were not dropped.

Article 212.1 was introduced in 2014 "as part of the Russian government's measures to curtail freedom of assembly and contravenes Russia's human rights obligations," according to Amnesty International.
A Russian diplomat suspected of being an undercover agent of the Federal Security Service (FSB) was found dead in front of the Russian Embassy in Berlin last month, German media have reported.



Berlin police discovered the lifeless body on the sidewalk in front of the embassy building on the morning of October 19, Der Spiegel reported on November 5.

Following the report, a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said they were aware of the diplomat's death but could not provide further details.

The Russian Embassy provided no details, saying only that there was a "tragic incident."

"We regard the speculations appearing in certain Western media outlets in the context of this tragic incident as absolutely inappropriate," the embassy said.

Der Spiegel said the 35-year-old man is believed to have fallen from the upper floor of the embassy building onto Behrenstrasse in central Berlin, just steps away from the Brandenburg Gate.



The Russian Embassy did not agree to an autopsy of the body and German prosecutors could not carry out an investigation due to his diplomatic status, Der Spiegel reported.



According to an official list of diplomats, the man had been accredited as the embassy's second secretary since the summer of 2019.



However, German security officials suspect he was an agent for the FSB using diplomatic cover, Der Spiegel reported.

The man was believed to be a high-ranking officer in the FSB's Second Service linked by Western intelligence services to the so-called Tiergarten murder, in which a Georgian asylum seeker and former Chechen rebel commander, Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, was shot dead in broad daylight in Berlin in the summer of 2019.

Investigative outlet Bellingcat said that open-source data showed that the deceased was Kirill Zhalo, the son of Lieutenant General Aleksei Zhalo, head of the FSB's Second Service, or the Office for the Protection of the Constitutional System.

After examining a vehicle-registration database, the investigators said they found that Kirill Zhalo was registered at the same address as his father in Moscow and previously in Rostov-on-Don.

German prosecutors say the accused in the Tiergarten assassin case, Vadim Krasikov, did not act alone and likely received some support on the ground.

Bellingcat said Kirill Zhalo arrived in Berlin two months before the Tiergarten murder, although "there is no evidence that he was involved in the planning or logistical support for the assassination."

According to research by Der Spiegel, the investigative platforms Bellingcat and The Insider, and CNN, officials from the FSB's Second Service were also involved in the poison attack on Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny in the summer of 2020.

With reporting by Der Spiegel and Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signed into law a bill intended to curb the political influence of the country's oligarchs.

Zelenskiy signed the so-called anti-oligarch legislation on November 5, saying it would ensure the interests of society are served rather than that of a narrow elite of the rich and powerful.

"No matter how big a businessman is, he must work according to the law and on an equal footing with other economic entities. If someone is used to buying politicians to allow them to circumvent the law, then even the richest will have to say goodbye to this habit," the president said.

"There can be no other option but to dismantle the oligarchic system. Without this, it is simply impossible to overcome poverty in Ukraine and fully join the European community," he added.

Passed by parliament in September, the legislation introduces a legal definition for an oligarch, creates a register of tycoons, and requires officials to declare contacts with oligarchs or their representatives.

It also prohibits oligarchs from financing political parties, political ads, or demonstrations, and excludes them from privatization of state assets.

The United States and European Union have long called on Ukraine to rein in the handful of oligarchs who wield enormous political influence from behind the scenes to the detriment of everyday citizens.

However, critics of the law have warned that it opens the door for subjective targeting.

According to the law, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) would make the final determination of whether an individual meets the criteria of a person having significant economic or political influence in public life -- or oligarch.

The Council of Ministers, members of the central bank, the Defense Council, the Anti-Monopoly Ministry, or the Security Service (SBU) have the right to submit the name of a tycoon for review by the NSDC.
Welcome to The Week In Russia.



I'm Steve Gutterman, the editor of RFE/RL's Russia Desk.



Every Friday, I dissect the key developments in Russian politics and society over the previous week and look at what's ahead. Subscribe here.

The countrys COVID-19 crisis raged on during a Kremlin-mandated nonworking week, with daily death tolls reaching new highs. President Vladimir Putin drew vulnerable Belarusian autocrat Alyaksandr Lukashenka into a tighter orbit as a relentless clampdown continued in the smaller nation that is Russias closest ally against the West. Once again, troop movements and energy supply decisions were watched warily in Kyiv and beyond for signals about Russias intentions toward Ukraine. Russia expelled a Dutch newspaper correspondent, the second Western journalist to be kicked out in recent months. And amid severely strained U.S.-Russia ties, the CIA director made a rare visit to Moscow for talks with the hard men of the Kremlin.



But other developments attracted attention, as well: A Communist lawmaker who cried foul over the September elections found himself in hot water over an elk carcass. And a rash of arrests stemming from risque photos with churches and government buildings in the background raised questions about the priorities of the Russian state and the still-powerful legacy of the Soviet era.



Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.



'Monstrous And Cruel'



A piece of advice for members of the Russian political elite: Be careful what you keep in the trunk of your car -- or what others put in there.



In November 2016, Economic Development Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev was arrested in the middle of the night, and investigators said a bag containing $2 million had been found in his trunk.



When the highest serving official arrested in decades was tried, prosecutors said the money was a bribe he had solicited from Igor Sechin -- the head of Rosneft and a person several degrees less liberal and several steps closer to President Vladimir Putin than Ulyukayev is -- in exchange for his ministry's approval of the state oil giants bid to acquire a majority stake in a regional producer, Bashneft.

Ulyukayev denied it, saying he had believed the bag contained bottles of wine that Sechin had suggested he would give him as a gift -- not a bribe -- when they met earlier that day. In court, he protested his innocence, accusing Sechin of lying -- a claim that a lawyer for the Rosneft chief denied -- and contending that he was the victim of a monstrous and cruel setup.



The case was widely seen as part of a high-level turf war between the conflicting camps that jockey for position under Putin.



The outcome: An eight-year sentence for Ulyukayev, who was convicted in December 2017 and is serving his term in a strict-regime prison near Tver.



Late last month came another politically charged incident linked to an object found in a car trunk -- not cash, this time, but the carcass of an elk.



Police in the Saratov Oblast said they found the elk carcass in the back of a vehicle they pulled over following a report of gunshots.



Hunter Or Prey?



Behind the wheel was Valery Rashkin, a Communist member of the State Duma who protested in central Moscow to draw attention to allegations of fraud benefiting the Kremlin-backed United Russia party in September 17-19 elections to the lower house of parliament.



Rashkin retained a Duma seat in the balloting, but he and others alleged that several opposition candidates who would have won in a fair vote were deprived of their mandates by the state through manipulation of the online voting system that was used in Moscow and several other regions.

Communists called off further protests over the elections after police raided the headquarters of the partys Moscow branch, which Rashkin heads and where party members and lawyers were preparing a suit seeking to overturn the online voting results, on September 28.



Rashkin has also voiced support for Aleksei Navalny, the anti-corruption crusader and opposition leader who survived a nearly fatal nerve-agent poisoning last year that he blames on Putin and is serving a 2 1/2-year prison sentence on a parole-violation claim he contends is absurd and politically motivated.



Like Ulyukayev, Rashkin contends he was the victim of a provocation, claiming that he and the other man in the car had found the elk carcass and had planned to report it to the authorities. Police said they opened an investigation on suspicion of illegal hunting and also accused Rashkin of refusing to submit to a test for drunk driving, which he denied.

A member of parliament since 1999 -- the year Putin came to power -- Rashkin is not currently facing any potential imprisonment. For that to happen, fellow Duma deputies would have to strip him of his immunity from prosecution.



Others who have run afoul of the state authorities of late do not have that shield.



Risky Business



On October 29, a Moscow court sentenced blogger Ruslan Bobiev and model Anastasia Chistova to 10 months in prison over a photograph that showed them simulating oral sex with St. Basils Cathedral, perhaps the best-known symbol of Russia, in the background.



In the photo, Chistova is facing away from the camera and wearing a parka that says police on the back in Russian. Bobiev, a Tajik citizen who is also known as Ruslani Talabjon, was also ordered deported to Tajikistan.



The case was part of a wave of incidents in which people who have posted revealing or suggestive photographs of themselves with Russian Orthodox churches or government buildings in the background.



Bobiev and Chistova, also known as Asya Akimova, were found guilty of violating a law against public acts aimed at offending the religious feelings of believers.

In St. Petersburg, model Irina Volkova faces the same charge over a photograph that showed her posing in underwear with that citys most famous Russian Orthodox church, St. Isaacs Cathedral, in the background.



Following a hearing on October 31, in which she was handcuffed and kept behind bars in a courtroom cage, Volkova was freed on her own recognizance but could be sentenced to a year in prison if she is tried and convicted.



Russias religious feelings legislation has roots in the performance nearly a decade ago by Pussy Riot in which members of the punk protest group entered Moscows Christ the Savior Cathedral and belted out a song in which they took aim at the close ties between church and state and implored the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin.



That was during Putins sure-thing bid to return to the presidency for a third term in 2012, after a stint as prime minister, and weeks after the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, endorsed him -- despite the fact that Russia is formally a secular state -- by calling his time in power a miracle of God.



The current wave of cases seems to fit in with the trend of Putins third and fourth terms, in which he has promoted what he calls traditional Russian values and conservatism while accusing the West of seeking to impose its values on others.



Who's Offending Whom?



But observers suggest it would be a mistake to think the cases reflect an upswelling of such sentiments -- let alone widespread outrage at photos showing bare buttocks and landmark buildings, whether they are cathedrals, the Kremlin, or a police station.



For one thing, the criminal cases are often instigated following complaints not from long lists of petitioners but from individuals, some of whom seem to be acting on behalf of the state -- and some of whom seem far from being models of propriety or moral values.



A complaint that led to Volkovas arrest, for example, reportedly came from Timur Bulatov, a St. Petersburg man who has railed against members of the LGBT community and issued threats against LGBT activists on social media.



And government critics wondered out loud -- or on social networks -- why the police werent working harder to fight violent crime and catch a potentially far more dangerous kind of suspect.



Meanwhile, in social media posts on November 1, economist and political analyst Vladislav Inozemstev wrote that, among Russian Orthodox believers, no serious manifestations of dissatisfaction over the photographs had been reported.



Pointing to the Soviet states crimes against the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious organizations, Inozemtsev wrote that more than 30,000 clerics were killed and more than 50,000 houses of worship destroyed under Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, dictator Josef Stalin, and other Soviet leaders, he wrote.



So today, Id like to finally ask the most obvious question: Is the establishment of more than 100 monuments to Stalin in this country since 2005 alone, for example, not an insult to the feelings of Russian citizens professing Orthodoxy? he added. Is it not such an insult that the mummified remains of the main enemy of Russian Orthodoxy -- Lenin  lie in a mausoleum not far from the cathedrals of the Kremlin?

That's it from me this week. If you want to know more, catch up on my podcast The Week Ahead In Russia, out every Monday, here on our site or wherever you get your podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts).



Yours,

Steve Gutterman



P.S.: Consider forwarding this newsletter to colleagues who might find this of interest. Send feedback and tips to newsletters@rferl.org.
Richmond, KY (40475)

Today

A few showers early becoming a steady rain for the afternoon. High 56F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 32F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 64F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
A strong sense of community is a cherished asset for Jeffrey Harrison, a 1989 electrical engineering alumnus who is president/chief executive officer of Citizens Energy Group in Indianapolis, and a devoted Rose-Hulman trustee.

Compassion for others has alumnus and trustee Jeffrey A. Harrison being recognized as the Indiana Chamber of Commerces 2021 Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year award recipient in a gala event Tuesday, November 9, in downtown Indianapolis. The event will be attended by many peers, colleagues and longtime admirers of the president and chief executive officer of Citizens Energy Group.

Harrison also has been named chair of the new Business Equity for Indy Committee, a group of Indianapolis-based corporate leaders committed to advancing a fairer and more inclusive future for the citys Black population and other peoples of color. The committee is a venture of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Indianapolis Urban League.

Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar cites that a strong sense of community responsibility is a cherished asset for Harrison, a 1989 electrical engineering graduate who has been at Citizens Energy since 2003 and has led the Indianapolis utility since 2015.

Recognizing the importance of families having access to water during COVID-19, Citizens Energy implemented a policy of reconnecting/not turning off the vital water service for nonpayment  before any government moratorium was issued. The company continues to work with those facing financial hardships, extending payment arrangements up to a year.

If we look at those customers who are struggling, Ive walked more than my share of a mile in their shoes  Ive been on free and reduced lunch  grew up on food stamps and fairly poor. I get firsthand the struggles that take place in some of these households, shares Harrison in a chamber news release.

Business Equity for Indy Committee, led by Harrison, has identified several priorities for immediate action through specific activities, with key leaders in the community coming forward to drive responsive investments and programs. These areas include expanded hiring, promotion and leadership opportunities for the regions Black population and other peoples of color; expansion of minority-owned business enterprise participation and procurement opportunities in the regional economy for businesses owned by Blacks and other peoples of color; and addressing healthcare disparities, including maternal and child health, flu vaccinations for vulnerable populations, and food insecurity.

These early agenda priorities represent a confluence of insights from our local community in which Central Indiana businesses can actively drive change, stated Harrison in a news release announcing the committee. The potential of this committee and the breadth of the business community coming together to be a part of this is extraordinary and seeing this drive and passion for change and service is unique.

Harrison also is active in Rose-Hulman, serving on the Board of Trustees and as co-chair of the institutes successful $250 million Mission Driven Campaign. He also is the parent of 2020 mechanical engineering alumnus Zackery A. Harrison.
Rutland, VT (05701)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 41F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. High 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 48F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
A Hubble Space Telescope image shows wispy clouds of gas and a mysterious "superbubble" that may be linked to a supernova activity. NASA said that this superbubble that appears in the upper central part of the gas cloud called nebula N44 is something that interests scientists because it is unknown how this structure formed.

Two Leading Hypotheses on How the Superbubble Formed

According to Tech Explorist, Nebula N44 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud and consists of glowing hydrogen gas, massive stars, dark lanes of dust, and several populations of stars with different gas. But one of its most remarkable features is the starry gap that scientists call a superbubble that is visible in the recent image of the Hubble Space Telescope.

This complex nebula is filled with glowing gases, lanes of dust and stars of all agesbut what interests astronomers the most is what ISN'T there.



Go inside this mysterious "superbubble" captured by @NASAHubble:https://t.co/pJ2vSTTwcl pic.twitter.com/IY5WvBWwqs  NASA (@NASA) November 3, 2021

The gap, or hole, is measured to be about 250 light-years wide and remains a mystery to scientists. NASA said in a statement that there are two leading hypotheses that explain how the superbubble has formed. The first hypothesis suggests that huge stars blew away the gas with their stellar winds. However, this explanation is inconsistent with the measured wind velocities in the bubble.

On the other hand, the second hypothesis says that the expanding shells of old supernovae sculpted the cosmic cavern since the nebula is filled with massive stars that would die in large explosions. This explanation seems to have more credence because they found at least one supernova remnant near the superbubble.

More so they have identified an approximately 5 million year difference in age between the stars in the superbubble, which indicates multiple or a chain reaction of star-forming events.

Space.com added that this also points to a zone of intense star formation at the lower right part of the superbubble, as seen from the Hubble Space Telescope image. N44's glowing gas pegs it as an emission nebula, which means it has the molecules energized by star radiation. So when the gas emits light energy and begins cooling, it also produces the glowing effect.

ALSO READ: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Faces Another Glitch Yet Again; Team Fixing on Safe Mode

Hubble Spies Cleopatra's Eye

Aside from superbubble, the Hubble Space Telescope has captured recently, it also photographed many other celestial objects. One of these stunning images is that of a planetary nebula called Cleopatra's Eye or NGC 1535. This nebula has an unusual structure similar to another nebula called NGC 2392, which has an outer region and a brighter inner center.

 Gaze into Cleopatras Eye



Also called NGC 1535, this is a planetary nebula  but thats a misleading name.



Through early telescopes, astronomers thought these objects looked like planets: https://t.co/zaAa3zxZkU#NebulaNovember pic.twitter.com/EVoRn40Oir  Hubble (@NASAHubble) November 3, 2021

Planetary nebulae form when a star almost similar to the Sun dies and ejects all its outer layers into space as its core transforms into a white dwarf star. However, NASA emphasizes that planetary nebulae are not similar to actual planets.

According to NASA, the image of Cleopatra's Eye and the superbubble is part of a study of over 100 planetary nebulae located near the stars, which indicates a possible gravitational connection between their central stars and nearby stars. Their observations of Cleopatra's Eye nebula suggest that it is part of a gravitationally bound binary star system.

RELATED ARTICLE: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Releases New Images of Mysterious Celestial Object in a Spiral Galaxy



Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancer among women and kills thousands every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is usually caused by a human papillomavirus infection (HPV) passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse.

The first real-world data from the Cancer Research UK showed that the HPV vaccine effectively prevents cervical cancer. The vaccine program introduced in England in 2008 has resulted in an 87% reduction in the risk of developing cancer and precancerous changes.





A Historic Moment: HPV Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer

The study, titled "The Effects of the National HPV Vaccination Programme in England, UK, on Cervical Cancer and Grade 3 Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Incidence: A Register-based Observational Study," published in The Lancet, followed an HPV program in England since 2008.

According to CBS News, the program offered a routine vaccination called Cervarix to pre-teens and teenagers, which showed that the HPV vaccine was the most effective in preventing cervical cancer among their age group before they become sexually active.

The findings showed that the HPV vaccine reduced cervical cancer rates by 34% on those who received it ages 16 to 18. Meanwhile, those who received it at ages 12 to 13 have an 87% less likelihood of developing the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that it takes about 15 to 20 years for cervical cancer to develop in women with normal immune systems. Experts describe the findings as a "historic moment" that will help and save women's lives.

Moreover, the researchers also noted a reduction in the risk for precancerous changes, such as grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by 39% for those who received HPV vaccine at ages 16 to 18, and 75% for those who were vaccinated between 12 to 13 years old.

Cleveland Clinic said that this precancerous condition is caused by abnormal growth of cells in the cervix due to HPV. They noted that grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is the most severe form of this condition.

ALSO READ: What You Need To Know About HPV and Cervical Cancer





Cervical Cancer Might Became a Rar Disease

A similar report of The Hill says that public health officials in the UK began recommending Cervariz in 2008, but it was replaced by the vaccine Gardasil in 2012.

The study estimated less than 450 cases of cervical cancer and less than 17,200 cases of pre-cancers that are expected in vaccinated people. Study lead author Peter Sasieni said in a statement that seeing the real-life impact of the vaccine has been truly rewarding despite the knowledge that it is effective in preventing cancer.

He added that cervical cancer might become a rare disease in the future if most people continue to get the HPV vaccine and go for screening, given the positive effects of COVID-19 vaccines this year. More so, their findings showed that the HPV vaccine is effective in preventing some cancers.

RELATED ARTICLE: PAHO/WHO Hosts the Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer

Check out more news and information on Cancer in Science Times.
Westend61/Getty Images/Westend61

Washington residents can now receive a state-provided QR code that will serve as proof that theyve been vaccinated against the coronavirus, which should help streamline the process of getting into businesses or events that require proof of vaccination to enter.



Users can receive their QR code by visiting the state Department of Healths WA Verify webpage. They will be asked to enter their first and last name, their date of birth and their mobile phone number or email address. Theyll also be asked to create a four-digit pin number theyll need to enter when accessing their QR code.



If the state has your vaccine record on file, it will send you a link to your individualized QR code via text or email. You need to click the link and enter the four-digit pin you created to access your code. Once done, you can screenshot, download or print the code, which can then be presented at businesses or events that require proof of vaccination to enter.



Your vaccine provider is the one who uploads your information to the states immunization registry. The state will match the information you provided on its website to the information uploaded to its registry. If your record is not found  the author of this article received a link in seconds  the state recommends trying a different mobile phone number or email address.



If your record still isnt found, the state recommends contacting your vaccination provider to see if there are any inconsistencies between your information and the information they uploaded to the registry. You can also contact the state to see if your record exists. To do so, call 360-236-3595 or email WAIISRecords@doh.wa.gov.



If you had family members that were vaccinated using the same phone number or email address, you should enter each persons information individually  using the same number or address  and you will receive a different QR code for each person.



Other forms of vaccine proof  such as a CDC-issued vaccination card or a photo of one, a Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination from MYIRmobile, a printed Certificate of Immunization Status from the states Immunization Registry, or a note from your medical provider  are still acceptable forms of proof in Washington, according to the state Department of Health.



Proof of vaccination is required at nearly every indoor business or event in King County. Its also required at large events in Washington. However, a person is allowed to skip those requirements if they received a negative COVID-19 test at least 72 hours prior to the time of entry.



Gov. Jay Inslee is not yet considering mandating similar requirements for indoor businesses statewide, but has said its not off the table.
The black, four-blade drone sped toward the airfield at the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey Thursday, flying over the fence toward the runway and right past the "No Drone Zone" sign, coming within sight  and seconds  of a commercial jet taxing toward its gate.

In a first, the drone had already been spotted  not by the passengers, but by the Federal Aviation Administration.

"The red dots," Mike DiPilato, the FAA test director, explained as he pointed to a screen inside the trailer command center tracking the drone, was how "you can see it's moving."

"Now it is over the fence line."

New effort to protect airports

The six distinct drone detection tests at three locations conducted at this airport within the span of a few hours Thursday marked a new effort to protect Americas airports, passengers, and crews from wayward or malicious drones, known formally as unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

No member of the public or any journalist has seen this FAA initiative until now, when the agency invited the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit to observe a brisk series of exercises.

Jim Patterson is leading the FAAs research and testing of drone detectionand by next summer, drone mitigation  technology from about a dozen companies. Their names are not being disclosed at this stage of the process.

"We understand the threat," Patterson said. "We are going to fully understand these systems and be able to make a confident decision that they're safe for the airport environment."

Drone sightings spike

The threat is real. Drone sightings near U.S. airports or aircraft have reached nearly the entire total from 2020 in just the first six months of this year, according to publicly available FAA data.

Find drone sightings in your community using our interactive map

And yet, the FAA has repeatedly warned airports that federal law, for now, does not allow them to buy their own drone defense systems.

Leesa Papier, executive director of the FAAs National Security Programs and Incident Response section, is in charge of writing the rule that will one-day allow those systems nationwide.

"We're being very deliberate and methodical about our approach to this," Papier said, "because as we move forward in regulatory action, we want to make sure that we are as clear as we could possibly be to make sure that we help the airports, but at the same time, we do no additional harm."

When asked by a correspondent if she would acknowledge that many airports say they cant get drone detection and mitigation technology fast enough, Papier answered: "I do recognize that."

With new urgency, the first-of-their-kind tests will soon expand to a total of five commercial airports across the country, adding those in Washington (SEA-TAC Airport), Ohio, Alabama and New York, a process that began with a solicitation for airport hosts.

But those phases of the research and testing, spearheaded from the FAA Technical Center adjacent to the Atlantic City airport, are expected to last for another 18 months, putting a national rule for airports to follow  and the prospect of securing drone spotting and defense technology  even further beyond that. In an interview on the airfield after observing the initial testing, Papier would not commit to a specific timeline.

"We do not have a date at this point in time," she said. "We're being very safe, very deliberate."

Airports 'completely blind'

The agency is taking that deliberate approach, Papier says, so that any technology that meets the eventual FAA rule does not interfere with complicated systems on planes or at airports.

But the wait has its own risks.

Two years ago, the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit revealed new technology seeking to counter drone attacks, whether near the Super Bowl, against the U.S. military, or at airports.

The then-director of the San Luis Obispo Airport on the California coast, Kevin Bumen, said in an interview in 2019 that his airport, like nearly all the ones in the country, are without drone defense technology, a gap that left his commercial airfield "completely blind."

The director of the airport in Atlantic City where the FAA research testing occurred this week, Tim Kroll, agreed with Bumen. "We absolutely do need that technology. It's critical for safety and security of the airport," Kroll said.

Drone attacks pose growing threat

Attacks have already been launched against American troops overseas. The defense department says a drone attack struck a U.S. position in Syria just last month.

Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under Pres. George W. Bush, warned in an interview the country should "buckle up; youre going to see" UAS attacks on American soil.

"Look at some laws that perhaps in their current application are a little bit antiquated and revise them to take account of new technologies," Chertoff said. "Because otherwise we're going to wind up with drone attacks."

That is one of the drone-related problems the FAA is facing  and, it says, trying to solve.

Jim Patterson, the FAA official overseeing the research and testing now underway, explained a "new era" is taking off to meet the incoming threat.

"It's critical that we make sure we understand these technologies and how they behave," Patterson said.

Mark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko, David Postovit, and Madison Miller contributed to this report.

Know of drone threats where you live? Have a confidential tip or inside information? Send information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany recorded its second consecutive daily record for new coronavirus cases on Friday as infections pick up across Europe, and its disease control center said unvaccinated people now face a very high risk of infection.

The country saw 37,120 reported new infections over the past 24 hours, according to the disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute. That compared with Thursday's figure of 33,949  which in turn topped the previous record of 33,777 set on Dec. 18 last year.

While it's possible that the figures were pushed up by delayed testing and reporting following a regional holiday Monday in some of the worst-affected areas, they underlined a steady rise in infections over recent weeks. Another 154 deaths linked to COVID-19 brought Germany's total to 96,346 on Friday.

The country's infection rate has now exceeded its peak during a spike of cases in the spring, though it's still short of the worst-ever showing in December, according to Friday's figures. There have been 169.9 reported cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, up from 139.2 a week ago.

That's still a lower rate than in several other European countries, but it is ringing alarm bells. Officials point to a large number of unvaccinated people and to often-lax enforcement of regional rules, which restrict access to some indoor activities and venues to people who have been vaccinated, have recently recovered or been tested.

In a weekly report late Thursday, the Robert Koch Institute said unvaccinated or partly vaccinated people now face a very high risk to their health  a change from its previous assessment that they face a high risk. For fully vaccinated people, the threat is considered moderate, but rising in view of the increasing infection figures, it added.

It is important to break the momentum of infections, Bavarias state health minister, Klaus Holetschek, said after chairing a previously scheduled meeting with his federal and regional counterparts. In decentralized Germany, state governments bear the primary responsibility for imposing and loosening restrictions.

Holetschek said officials agreed that booster shots should in principle be available to everyone six months after they have completed their initial course of vaccination, and that obligatory testing at nursing homes  including of vaccinated visitors  should be expanded.

Authorities also are appealing anew to German residents who havent yet been vaccinated to get their shots. They say pressure on hospital beds is rising, particularly in regions where vaccination rates are relatively low.

Official figures show that about two-thirds of Germanys population of 83 million has completed its first round of vaccination, but there are significant regional variations. Authorities say 16.2 million people aged 12 or above remain unvaccinated, including 3.2 million over-60s.

Im sure all of us thought in the spring and summer that the number of people who simply dont want to be vaccinated would be smaller, but it is how it is, said Chancellor Angela Merkels spokesman, Steffen Seibert. However, we must now continue to work with information, clarification and all our good arguments.

A bit more than 2 million booster shots have been administered so far, a number that also falls short of officials hopes.

Boosters after six months should become the rule, not the exception, federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
Maribel Vilca didn't even bother to go to the community meeting giving information to her Indigenous community about COVID-19 vaccines.

What happens if I die with the vaccine? I have small children, she said, expressing mistrust of the government health services after bad experiences during two pregnancies.

The fears expressed by 38-year-old woman who lives near the shore of Lake Titicaca, are common among Peru's Indigenous people, who make up about a quarter of the country's 33 million people  and they have complicated the national vaccination drive.

While more than 55% of Peruvians have gotten at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccines, only about 25% of people in Indigenous areas have been vaccinated.

Authorities say thats partly due to the difficulty of getting vaccines to remote Andean and Amazon regions where many Indigenous people live and distributing them. Some clinics are so poorly funded they lack gasoline for their vehicles.

And some Indigenous representatives complain that, as in other countries around the region, the government has been slow to coordinate with Indigenous leaders on how best to reach those communities.

But it's also true that engrained distrust of government authorities has made people open to baseless rumors and conspiracy fantasies  spread by social media or word of mouth  about vaccines that could save many thousands of lives.

Despite overwhelming evidence, based on more than 7 billion vaccine doses delivered worldwide, that serious side effects are very rare, Vilca said she fears a shot might kill or harm her.

Rumors about vaccines, sometimes spread on local Quechua-language community radio, often mimic Q-Anon type misinformation spread across social media the U.S. and Europe about tracking microchips or terrible side effects.

And for Peru's Indigenous people, both ancient and recent history gives reason for mistrust.

Many recall a government project carried out by doctors and nurses that sterilized about 273,000 Indigenous women during the presidency of Alberto Fujimori from 1990 to 2000.

Perhaps no nation has been hit harder by the virus than Peru: It has reported more than 200,000 deaths, with a per capita fatality toll worse than any sizable nation according to data from Johns Hopkins University. On a per capita basis, Peru has lost more than twice as many people to COVID-19 as have the United States or Brazil.

Yet infections and deaths among the nation's Indigenous people have been far lower, with fewer than 700 Indigenous deaths from COVID-19 reported by the Ministry of Health  perhaps one reason why many feel less urgency to get vaccinated.

Julio Mendigure, director of Indigenous affairs for the ministry, said the most common rumors he hears are that the vaccines contain tiny chips, that they could be used to sterilize women or lower men's sexual vigor or cause early death.

Rural nurse Marina Checalla said others believe vaccines could cause a magnetic field that attracts metal or improves telephone signals.

In a small-scale effort to help overcome mistrust, the government turned to the Red Cross, which has a good reputation in rural areas. Starting in August, it sent nurses and volunteers into 64 communities to answer questions about the vaccines in local languages.

Red Cross health coordinator Paul Acosta said that of 1,777 people they had spoken with, 70% went on to be vaccinated.

The government also has allocated $6 million for a campaign to promote vaccines in Amazon communities, hiring local residents to help promote the shots.

But such efforts often come after people already skeptical of official intentions have spent months trading odd conspiracy theories.

In the highland village of Santa Cruz de Mijani in Peru's Puno region, 54-year-old Josefa Espinoza told Red Cross vaccine promoters that I'd rather die without getting vaccinated because she had heard that along with good vaccines were others that cause death.

Espinoza, who listens to local radio stations while tending to her cattle, said she believes the virus was created in a laboratory by rich countries" and that a new, more potent variant would be spread by fleas, bees and snakes produced by rich countries ... the rich guys will manipulate us and that's what worries me, she said.

In San Antonio de Putina, Alicia Chura said she had heard over a local Quechua-language radio station that the vaccines were being given to older people to kill them because the country is filling up with many people.

On the floating islands of the Uros in Lake Titicaca, boatman Joel Huilca said he'd been wary of vaccines since a measles shot as a child left him with pain for several months.

As for the COVID-19 vaccine, They say it leaves you like a zombie; they are going to put in a chip and they are going to know where you go and what you do.

The persistence of such ideas frustrates nurse Marina Checalla, who was trying to promote life-saving shots at the meeting that Vilca skipped in Jochi San Francisco,

There are myths that are causing damage and dont let us reach the populations, she said.

More than 70 people turned up, but only 30 got shots.

One of those who did was 82-year-old Celso Quispe, despite the fact his wife and three adult children had not.

There are comments, but I don't believe them, he said. What do the people know?"
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)  Back in May, the chances of Nicaragua President Daniel Ortegas reelection to a fourth consecutive term on Sunday were looking good. His party was arranging the electoral calendar in his favor and the opposition was divided.

Then a CID-Gallup poll gave him a scare: It showed five potential opposition candidates with higher favorability ratings than Ortega.

In the weeks that followed, all five were arrested, as were two other possible contenders.

Faced with that fear, Ortega decided to suppress any possibility of losing, said Oscar Rene Vargas, a political analyst. And that meant arresting everybody.

Fast forward to this Sunday. The potential opposition candidates are still jailed or under house arrest, their parties banned, as Ortega faces off against a handful of little-known candidates from small parties friendly to his own Sandinista Front  factions known locally as zancudos or mosquitos.

The vote has been condemned as farcical by the United States, European Union and Organization of American States, as well as human rights and pro-democracy organizations.

There is no choice. So the use of the word election is even in question because the broad opposition has been jailed or, in the case of Cristiana Chamorro, is in house arrest since June 2, said Jennie Lincoln, senior advisor to The Carter Center, an institution that helped validate the fairness of Ortega's election in 2006 but found significant deficiencies when he won reelection five years later.

Lincoln, who has worked as an election observer throughout the region, said with the lack of real opposition and calls for voters to stay home on election day, "that is nothing that approaches international standards of an election, period.

In Nicaragua, scenes of boisterous campaigns are absent. The government has banned massive campaign rallies under pandemic restrictions. There are no political ads on television. Even in the streets, evidence of the upcoming elections is limited to some small banners over streets and letter-size candidate posters pasted to light poles.

Ortega, who turns 76 on Nov. 11, and first lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo hardly appeared during the campaign.

In addition to the presidential contest, the country is electing a new congress and representatives to the Central American Parliament.

On Wednesday, Michael Campbell, a Nicaraguan official, made a full-throated defense of the elections in an online meeting of the Organization of American States. He accused those criticizing Nicaragua's electoral process of seeking to overthrow the government "and feeding terrorism as a formula to destabilize national sovereignty.

The country's economy continues to struggle and Nicaragua was one of the last in the region to receive COVID-19 vaccines. For much of the pandemic, the government minimized the threat and continued to hold mass gatherings. There were clashes in hospitals over the need to wear masks. Residents witnessed express burials of COVID-19 victims as the government tried to avoid panic.

Many Nicaraguans see little point in going to the polls but express fear of repercussions if they dont vote.

Ana Castillo, a former public official who now owns a small coffee farm south of Managua, said she didnt want to vote, but members of the local Sandinista Front council have been going door-to-door telling people they will be waiting for them at the polling place.

They say theyll take reprisals on Monday against those who dont have stained fingers, she said, referring to the indelible ink used to mark hands to prevent double voting.

Maria Moreno, a psychologist in Santa Teresa a town south of the capital, said she wont go near the local voting location. Theres no one to vote for, she said. Its obvious that Ortega already stole the election. The result is ready, theyre just waiting for the date to publish it.

Despite the crackdown, Ortega maintains a hard core of support. There are still those who see benefits from the government and remember its roots in the revolution that toppled dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. That is who Ortega speaks to when he alleges that the massive public protests in April 2018 were part of a coup attempt with foreign backing. At least 328 people were killed when the protests were violently put down.

One of those backers is Rafael Espinoza, a 60-year-old mechanic in Managuas San Judas neighborhood. Im going to vote because the Sandinista Front is the party of the poor, he said. Now we the poor have health, education and parks. Before, we didnt have that.

The potential challengers who were arrested this year  along with two dozen other opposition and student leaders  face charges related to money laundering or receiving foreign funding for what essentially boils down to treason. For weeks this summer, observers waited to see which opposition leader would be picked up next.

Often they were summoned to the Attorney General's Office for interviews and then arrested, their homes searched. For weeks they were held incommunicado without access to lawyers or visits from relatives. International condemnation had no effect.

What really happens on Sunday could be difficult to independently verify. Much of the foreign press been unable to get permission from the government to cover the elections.

The government has said some 30,000 electoral police will protect voting.

The Roman Catholic Church, which remains a powerful institution in Nicaragua, has been attacked by Ortega too, accused of collaborating with those he said were plotting the unrest of 2018. Some priests have gone so far as to urge people not to participate in the election.

This Nov. 7 my fingerprint will be clean, like my conscience, because equal opportunity to elect has been lost, competition was eliminated and they took some of their own to make the opposition, said the Rev. Uriel Vallejo, priest of the Divine Mercy Church in the north-central town of Sebaco  comments applauded by the opposition.

Earlier this year, with the electoral process already underway, the Supreme Electoral Council banned three opposition parties for alleged violations of electoral law.

Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst with International Crisis Group, said the candidates running against Ortega are very little known in the country and are running for parties that have been broadly perceived as collaborators with the government.

The Rev. Edwin Roman, priest of San Miguel Church in Masaya, a city near Managua that was site of some of the fiercest protests in 2018, said Ortega will face a group of sad candidates who do not represent the opposition.

The group Open Ballot Boxes, made up of government critics, called this week for the elections to be declared illegitimate and demanded that new ones be held with no political prisoners and with credible international observers.

Josep Borrel, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, also dismissed the vote as he met with journalists in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday.

Im most worried about Nicaragua, that there are elections that are a complete fake," he said. "We are not going to send a electoral observation mission because Mr. Ortega already took care of jailing all of the political opposition that were going to run.

__

AP writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  In a story published November 5, 2021, about the conflict in Ethiopia, The Associated Press erroneously reported the title of the countrys leader. Abiy Ahmed is Ethiopian prime minister, not the president.
Thank you for reading!

You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below.

We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here.
2 1 of 2 Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle 2019 Show More Show Less 2 of 2 San Mateo Police Department Show More Show Less



A San Francisco police sergeant was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of robbery of a Rite-Aid in San Mateo, according to police and public records.

Sgt. Davin Cole was off-duty when he was arrested on suspicion of robbery of a Rite-Aid on Concar Drive. Cole was released from custody on bond, public records show.
The Chronicle

Authorities identified the victim who died in a double shooting in San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury neighborhood Thursday afternoon as Samuel Jessop, a 21-year-old man from San Francisco.

The violent incident took place at Haight Street and Masonic Avenue at roughly 1:30 p.m., according to a tweet from San Francisco police investigations Cmdr. Raj Vaswani. He said then that at least two people had been shot.
Blue Bottle Coffee is shutting down its cafe near Oaklands Jack London Square, the former site of its headquarters and roasting facility, after more than a decade.

The cafe at 300 Webster St. will be open through Sunday.

The coffee chains lease ended in 2019. Knowing the rent would rise, the company moved its roasting operations to Sacramento that year, and it had already moved its offices to Old Oakland. But the landlord allowed Blue Bottle to continue serving coffee out of the space month-to-month until a new tenant for the entire warehouse came along, according to CEO Karl Strovink. Now theres a new tenant.

We are extremely grateful to our cafe regulars and the Jack London Square community who supported us at this location for so many years, Stovink said in a statement, encouraging regulars to walk the half mile to the Old Oakland cafe.

Its the end of an era for Blue Bottle  but the coffee company is a radically different one now than it was in 2009 when it opened the Webster Street space.

Brian Feulner/Special to The Chronicle 2018

Back then, it was Blue Bottles first Oakland location and its first major roasting operation with offices, a cupping room and a commercial kitchen in addition to the tiny coffee bar that drew customers from all over the East Bay. (Blue Bottle started in 2002 at an Oakland farmers market before expanding in San Francisco.) Led by founder James Freeman, it influenced the minimalist, third-wave cafes that now dominate the Bay Area, which typically source beans directly from farms and treat them as an artisanal product.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Since then, Nestle has purchased a majority stake in Blue Bottle, and the coffee companys locations have grown to about 100 around the world.

This story was updated to reflect that Blue Bottle moved its roasting facility to Sacramento and offices to Old Oakland separately.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
The Chronicle food teams latest installment on whats new on the Peninsula and in the South Bay includes an Indian street food pop-up in Sunnyvale, a Swiss chocolate shop in Palo Alto and a late-night Chinese barbecue spot in San Jose. Plus, popular local restaurants Udon Mugizo and Curry Up Now opened new outposts. Most of the recent newcomers are relatively casual restaurants. The pace of new openings in the region, after last years disruption, seems to be holding steady.

Read on for more on each opening.

Bao Bei, Los Altos

Meichih and Michael Kim, the former chefs of acclaimed Korean restaurant Maum in Palo Alto, are back with their second act: Bao Bei, a Korean-Taiwanese counter restaurant inside State Street Market in Los Altos. Head there for golden brown, deep-fried gua bao stuffed with shrimp, or dan dan mian with chewy noodles, saucy pork and Taiwanese black vinegar.

Takeout, indoor and outdoor dining. statestreetmarket.com/baobei

Boba Guys, Los Altos

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Good news for Peninsula fans of Boba Guys: The Bay Area-born mini chains newest cafe is open in downtown Los Altos. Head there for colorful strawberry matcha lattes and other popular drinks mixed with house-made syrups and tapioca pearls made fresh at Boba Guys own Hayward factory. The companys next South Bay location is headed to San Joses Santana Row.

Takeout. 201 First St., Los Altos. bobaguys.com

Bon Marche, Menlo Park

Courtesy Ali El Safy

Every Wednesday from 3-7 p.m., a downtown Santa Cruz block transforms into a European-style open-air market with macarons, charcuterie, fresh bread and produce. Bistro Vida owner Ali El Safy is behind the new Bon Marche market, which opened in front of his restaurant last week, aided by the fact that Santa Cruz Avenue is partially closed to traffic because of the coronavirus shutdown. Vendors include the Peninsulas popular Little Sky Bakery, San Francisco gelato shop Gio Galeti and local farmers. Come winter, El Safy plans to add mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.

600-700 block of Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park.

Curry Up Now, Stanford

Provided by Curry Up Now

Indian fast-casual chain Curry Up Nows newest location is on the Stanford University campus. The 300-square-foot space inside Tresidder Memorial Union serves samosas and rice bowls with lamb and daal. The Stanford outpost joins Curry Up Nows seven Bay Area restaurants and other outposts in New Jersey, Georgia and Texas.

Takeout, delivery, indoor and outdoor dining. 459 Lagunita Drive, Stanford. curryupnow.com

Udon Mugizo, San Jose

Japanese noodle specialist Udon Mugizos popular handmade, slurpable udon has arrived in San Jose. Born in San Francisco, Udon Mugizo is well known for a nonconventional take on udon, made with an uni-based cream sauce and Parmesan cheese, as well as udon soups and cold udon dishes. The noodles are made fresh daily and are also available uncooked to prepare at home. This location is only open for dinner.

Takeout, delivery, indoor and outdoor dining. 1072 Saratoga Ave., San Jose. mugizo-us.com

Fen, San Mateo

This rice noodle restaurant with locations in Oakland and Milpitas has expanded to San Mateo. Fen specializes in rice noodles from Guilin in southern China, served with everything from pork and brisket to spicy snails. Customers can order the noodles dry or with broth, and choose their own toppings.

Takeout and delivery. 121 W. 25th Ave., San Mateo. fencuisine.com

Jalebi Street, Sunnyvale

Sunnyvales rich Indian food scene has a new option: Jalebi Street, an outdoor pop-up that serves a compact menu of street food snacks. Theres kachori (a deep-fried snack stuffed here with lentils, or served with potato curry) and the namesake jalebi (a golden spiral of batter thats fried and soaked in syrup). Jalebi, made fresh to order, also comes with a side of creamy rabri, a sweet milk-based dessert with cardamom and other spices. Find Jalebi Street at Tasty Mobs permanent food truck market in Sunnyvale, with ample outdoor seating.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Takeout and outdoor dining. 1255 W. El Camino Real Sunnyvale. 650-441-5407

Laderach, Palo Alto

Provided by Laderach

Longtime Swiss chocolate company Laderach is now selling truffles and caramel-filled dark chocolate at Stanford Shopping Center (its next to Janie & Jack, near the Macys parking lot). The store has more than 85 kinds of chocolate made in Switzerland, including the popular FrischSchoggi, slabs of nut-studded chocolate bark in flavors like pistachio and strawberry that you can buy by weight. The Stanford opening is part of a larger expansion push for Laderach in the United States. Another Bay Area location is slated to open at Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose in 2022.

Takeout. 660 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto. us.laderach.com

Tong Sui, San Mateo

Another dessert newcomer is coconut pudding specialist Tong Sui, newly open in San Mateo. Jars of tapioca pudding come in flavors like black sesame, taro and peach. Try the coconut topped with a layer of coconut water jelly, or a seasonal pumpkin pudding topped with salted egg chips. This is Tong Suis second location, following the original in Sunnyvale.

Takeout and delivery. 390 First Ave. San Mateo. itongsui.square.site

Skewer Bar, San Jose

The lively new Skewer Bar serves all things charcoal-grilled, from hunks of eggplant and tofu skin to pork belly and Chinese sausage. To keep skewered meats from going cold on plates, every table is equipped with a small warmer. A large refrigerator is stocked with Chinese beer, soju and sodas.

Takeout and indoor dining. 3082 Landess Ave., San Jose.

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  An effort by prosecutors at Kyle Rittenhouse's murder trial to portray one of the men he shot as a hero never got off the ground Friday  and one legal expert said they were probably fortunate it didn't.

Rittenhouse, 18, is on trial on several counts including homicide in the August 2020 shootings during street unrest in Kenosha. Among the dead was Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester who was seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard before he was fatally shot.

Huber's great-aunt, Susan Hughes, was testifying about Huber in a matter-of-fact manner, talking about their relationship, how he ended up at the protest and how he always carried a skateboard.

Then prosecutor James Kraus posed a question: Weve seen video here, and you may have seen video as well, that Anthony Huber ran towards Kyle Rittenhouse while Kyle Rittenhouse was armed. Were you surprised, when you heard about that? Were you surprised by his actions?

As defense attorney Corey Chirafisi swiftly objected, Kraus posed another: Had you ever seen Anthony Huber run towards danger?

Hughes said, Yes, before Chirafisi objected again and testimony was stopped.

Without the jurors present, Chirafisi argued that if prosecutors were allowed to present evidence that characterizes Huber as a peaceful man, then the defense would be allowed to bring up evidence from Hubers past that could paint a different picture.

That included criminal cases involving alleged violence Huber committed against his own family members, with the defense reciting in courtroom a detailed account of those allegations.

I would normally not move to admit those, Chirafisi said. However, if theyre saying that this is a peaceful man... ."

Judge Bruce Schroeder agreed, and Kraus withdrew the line of questioning, effectively ending Hughes' testimony.

Mike Brandt, a Minnesota criminal defense attorney who is not connected to the case, said the judge made the right call and that prosecutors had tread on risky ground. The defense evidence would have left the jury with an image of Huber as hot-headed.

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.

Once you open the door, then its kind of like the wild Wild West, he said.

The issue over who was the first aggressor also was debated at length outside the jury's presence.

Prosecutors said that if the defense claims that Huber was the first aggressor by attacking Rittenhouse with a skateboard, then the state could use Hughes testimony to present their theory that Huber and others were trying to stop an active shooter and had been provoked. The state, frankly, believes that Mr. Huber is a hero and we can present evidence of conduct to rebut that claim that he is aggressively pursuing Kyle Rittenhouse with no basis," Kraus said.

That argument ultimately went nowhere.

___

Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP)  Shortly after sunrise on a recent Saturday in Benton Harbor, Michigan, residents began lining up for free bottled water so they could drink and cook without fear of the high levels of lead in the citys tap water.

Free water distribution sites are a fixture of life in the majority Black city in the southwestern corner of Michigan, where almost half of the nearly 10,000 residents live below the poverty line. For three years, tests of its public water system revealed elevated levels of lead.

Waiting for free bottled water is time consuming and some residents wonder why, in a state that recently dealt with the Flint water crisis, the problem wasnt fixed sooner.

Its tiresome, said Rhonda Nelson, waiting in line at a site run by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor.

I understand what Flint was going through, I really do, she said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has promised to spend millions of dollars to replace the citys lead service lines within 18 months  a blistering pace for a process that often takes decades. For now, residents have been warned not to cook, drink or make baby formula with tap water.

Residents worry what the elevated lead levels mean for their families' health. The problem is also inconvenient and stressful. Drivers line up at water distribution sites early, pulling people away from jobs and family. Bottled water must be used carefully so it doesnt run out. Even waiting in line has consequences  idling uses gas that drivers have to pay to replenish more often.

Waiting in line, LaKeena Crawford worried about the consequences for her 8-year-old daughter, who she has seen try to turn on the water.

Im like, No! Crawford said, adding that she wants her daughter to understand that lead in water is dangerous. But, I dont want to frighten her too much.

Lead exposure can slow cognitive development, especially in young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and federal officials say no amount of lead in drinking water is considered safe for their consumption. In recent months, activists have pushed for more immediate, aggressive action, and the state has ramped up its response.

Some wonder whether the problem would have been handled more quickly if Benton Harbor's residents looked more like those in neighboring St. Joseph, who are predominantly white.

Sometimes you just have to call out racism, and thats what it feels like, said Ambie Bell, helping distribute water to residents.

There are millions of aging underground lead lines connecting buildings to water mains across the country, mostly in the Midwest but also scattered across other states like New Jersey and Massachusetts. The old pipes can become an urgent public health risk. Newark, New Jersey, saw prolonged lead water problems that led to the rapid replacement of thousands of lead pipes. High test results in Clarksburg, West Virginia, raised alarm bells earlier this year. The word Flint is now synonymous with lead water problems.

Digging up and replacing lead service lines is costly, stressing tight local budgets. The infrastructure and reconciliation bills pending in Congress include billions to address lead line replacement that activists say could make a significant difference.

The lead water problem in Flint started when that city switched its water source to the Flint River as a temporary cost-saving move without proper treatment, corroding its lead pipes. But Benton Harbor's water source, Lake Michigan, is considered safe and many other places get their water there, City Manager Ellis Mitchell said.

Our problem is clearly our own infrastructure, he said.

On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency identified a range of violations at Benton Harbor's water facility. The federal inspection found problems so bad that the city needs to consider forfeiting ownership, the EPA said.

The people of Benton Harbor have suffered for too long, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

Water systems occasionally produce high test results, but in Benton Harbor, authorities havent been able to bring them down. The long-term fix involves replacing the roughly 2,400 pipes that may contain lead, state officials said.

The city also lacks resources. Prior governors installed emergency managers with broad decision-making authority that reduced staffing, and the citys population has declined, shrinking its tax base.

This results in a knock-on effect of reduced technical, managerial and financial capability at the water plant due to underinvestment in staff, equipment and training, said Scott Dean, a spokesman with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

After Flints water crisis, Michigan tightened requirements for lead in drinking water in 2018, boasting it had passed the nations most protective law. It imposed more stringent requirements for testing water for lead and mandated that old lead service lines be replaced.

Environmental groups and local activists filed a petition over Benton Harbor in September with the EPA, urging aggressive action. The Rev. Edward Pinkney, an activist whose name is on the petition, said if they hadnt filed, an aggressive official response may have taken even longer.

We couldnt take it anymore, Pinkney said.

The Michigan House of Representatives oversight committee held a hearing last month on Benton Harbor. Republican Committee Chair Steven Johnson questioned why the recent state response to the city's lead crisis feels like it has gone "from zero to 100 miles per hour even though the problem has persisted for years.

Michigan officials say they have taken the problem seriously, and on Thursday, Gov. Whitmer issued a directive calling for a review of current drinking water rules, including examining ways to reduce lead levels and ensure communities fully inform the public when there are problems.

Earlier efforts have included offering Benton Harbor residents filters to reduce the amount of lead in drinking water, though their effectiveness is being reviewed, and corrosion control to cut the amount of lead from pipes. While lead sampling results overall are still too high, the proportion of high readings has decreased, officials said.

Inspectors, however, have knocked the city for failing to notify water customers in their water bills about the problem over a recent year-long period.

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.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician and professor at Michigan State University who raised early alarms about Flint. She gets questions from parents about whether some developmental problem could be linked to lead in the water. It's extremely difficult, however, to draw a direct link between an individuals health problem and lead in the water.

Thats why lead poising has evaded diagnosis, treatment and prevention for so long, she said, adding that exposure to lead isnt safe for children and it's too soon to predict what the long-term impact may be. Lead levels can vary by household and individuals can respond differently to exposure. The impact can depend on other factors like poverty, too, making it especially important to address the issue in citys like Benton Harbor, she said.

Marc A. Edwards, a Virginia Tech professor focused on water treatment, said the attention on Benton Harbor highlights a national problem of cities struggling with elevated lead levels. He said lead water crises like Flint degrade public trust in official management of water systems.

Sylvester Bownes, who wears a prosthetic on his right leg, said he has consumed bottled water for years because he doesn't trust Benton Harbor's water.

Pushing a makeshift cart filled with several cases of bottled water a half-mile to his home, he said a water main rupture had temporarily shut off the public water supply, so with no running water, he not only needed bottled water for drinking, but water for basic needs like filling his toilets.

Water is everything, Bownes said. It's like gold.

Residents who are homebound can call a help line to get water delivered, but Bownes said the process takes too long and isnt reliable. State officials said hundreds of people have been added to a list for weekly deliveries. If there are problems, residents should report them, they said.

Mitchell, the city manager, said last month that customers are being billed for water that authorities say can still be used for tasks like laundry and washing dishes. He said the city is looking into whether theres some sort of relief we can get on that for residents.

At the Boys & Girls Club water giveaway volunteers handed out nearly 2,200 cases by noon.

Nelson, who has 12- and 14-year-old daughters and a 5-year-old son, said preparing dinner can take 15 to 20 water bottles. Hopefully they get it fixed soon, she said.

Greg Johnson, who was the first to pull up at about 8:15 a.m., said he arrived early so his family's supplies would be replenished for his daughters, ages 8 and 11.

It takes two cases in the morning to get them ready for school, he said. Theyve got to get washed up and all that. Its kinda hectic.

___

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/environment
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Businesses in South Carolina wont see a hike in their unemployment insurance taxes next year, state officials announced Thursday.

Those employer tax rates will either drop or stay the same in 2022, workforce officials said at a news conference.

South Carolina used hundreds of millions of federal coronavirus aid dollars to replenish its unemployment trust fund after the pandemic recession put a strain on the program. The fund has a current balance of about $1.19 billion.

The state didn't take out any loans to keep the fund afloat, a move that will save businesses money as South Carolina won't have to repay federal loans and interest, said Gov. Henry McMaster.

South Carolina did borrow nearly $1 billion from the federal government during the Great Recession to keep providing unemployment benefits. Lawmakers later passed new regulations requiring the Department of Employment and Workforce to rebuild the fund to be able to withstand a future recession without having to take out federal loans.

The state has paid out more than $6.5 billion in federal and state unemployment benefits since the start of the pandemic, according to the workforce agency.
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was elected in 2019 after running on a promise to approach crime differently than his predecessors, in part by no longer prosecuting lower-level offenses like recreational drug use. He also pledged to take more rape cases to trial, even if that meant he would lose those cases more frequently.

On this episode of the Fifth & Mission podcast, Chronicle reporter Susie Neilson cuts through the intense debate over Boudin's methods by breaking down exclusive figures showing how the district attorney, who's trying to fight off a recall attempt, is charging people for crimes including murder, rape, theft and drug dealing.

Also: Reporter Rachel Swan discusses a bike theft in the city that raises questions about how the criminal justice system and residents should respond.
The racket began around 3:30 a.m. on a recent Thursday, as two thieves rummaged through the basement of a three-unit Victorian in San Franciscos Castro district.

Startled by the noise, a dog in the house barked frantically. One of the residents, Mauricio, scrambled out of bed and grabbed a baseball bat. He heard a clunk. By the time the man got to the shared basement, Mauricio told The Chronicle, the burglars had stolen his bicycle and his neighbors e-bike.

Mauricio, who asked to be identified only by his first name because he fears retaliation, called the police. Within hours they had apprehended two suspects  Nicholas Tiller and Tyler Howerton  at Seventh and Market streets downtown, known to be the center of the stolen goods trade in San Francisco.

According to documents reviewed by The Chronicle, both men had extensive criminal histories: Howerton had been arrested seven times on suspicion of burglary since 2019; Tiller had been arrested 13 times in burglary cases since 2013. Both were on probation at the time they were apprehended.

What to do about the two men is a quandary for a city pursuing criminal justice reform while debating how to manage rates of property crime that for years have been among the highest in the nation. District Attorney Chesa Boudins office has charged them with felony first-degree residential burglary, among other counts, and they could face six years in prison if convicted.

The district attorneys spokesperson, Rachel Marshall, said in an email to The Chronicle that the office would consider other types of intervention, such as drug treatment, if there is a specific, viable plan that can address what is driving their behavior.

Superior Court Judge Brian Ferrall ordered Howerton released from jail with GPS monitoring. He did so over the objection of the District Attorneys Office, which noted that Howerton wasnt cooperating with his existing probation. However, as the judge pointed out, another prosecutor had not opposed Howertons release at his earlier arraignment.

Tiller remains in jail. Attorneys representing Tiller and Howerton declined to comment.

As of Oct. 31, San Francisco police had received reports of 810 burglaries or attempted burglaries this year in the jurisdiction of the Mission District Police Station, which includes the Castro. That number marks a 13% increase from the 716 reported by the end of October last year.

Police have dispatched more officers to the Castro and nearby areas to address the surge, fueled by a high-end bike boom and correlating with a drop in other forms of theft. The department also adjusted investigators work schedules, enabling them to respond to crimes in the moment. Such measures probably helped in arresting Tiller and Howerton, police said.

At the same time, residents and city leaders are searching for answers: Should they tolerate a high level of burglaries as a downside of city living, and focus on barricading their homes? Should people who are repeatedly accused of stealing be targeted with rehabilitation services, or incarcerated so they cant commit more crimes?

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is frustrated. Hes a longtime supporter of criminal justice reform whose policy views evolved as he grappled with property crime in his district  a persistent problem that makes residents feel vulnerable in their own homes.

It raises tricky questions about incarceration, Mandelman said. Because so far weve been unable to release (Tiller and Howerton) without them committing more crimes. And the question for reformers is, What do we do with someone like that?

The Castro and surrounding neighborhoods are hot spots for burglary, in part because many of the homes have garages or basements where residents stow bicycles  an enticement for thieves, because they are valuable and fairly easy to swipe.

Several factors are fueling the trend, from neighborhood architecture, to the e-bike craze, to the increased popularity of bicycles during the pandemic, because gyms were closed and people were driving less often. Thefts of e-bikes and bicycles took off at a time when auto burglaries became less appealing, owing to the dearth of tourist rental cars with luggage in their trunks.

Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to The Chronicle

Unfortunately a lot of these victims have bicycles inside their garages that are being targeted, San Francisco police Lt. Scott Ryan said. As head of the burglary and auto unit, he saw a rise in home break-ins as the pandemic got into full swing, along with another disturbing pattern: more burglaries happening in the early morning, when people were home asleep.

The timing of these crimes concerns police, in part because it could lead to confrontations between perpetrators and residents. To some, it makes the burglary feel more invasive. Castro resident and Google public affairs chief Rebecca Prozan shuddered, noting that a flight of stairs leads directly from her garage into her kitchen.

Burglars broke into the garage of her Victorian duplex twice at the beginning of the pandemic, she said, stealing bicycles, luggage and wine. They returned twice more to burglarize an adjacent mail room, after she secured the garage door.

Other residents say it doesnt matter whether a resident is home when a stranger breaks in; the crime still feels like a personal violation. For some, the recent burst in property crimes, many of them unreported, has caused feelings of unease to permeate the Castro. The historic district, long known as a safe haven for the LGBTQ community, has become such a hotbed that police now recommend people lock up their bikes inside their garages.

Its not a violent crime, but when someone is in your garage, where you keep your Christmas decorations, your tools, your bicycles  it just makes you feel less safe, Duboce Triangle resident David Burke said. Hes a civilian employee of the Police Department and serves as the public safety liaison for his district.

For many policymakers, burglaries present a vexing challenge. As Burke observed, the crimes are serious but not violent. The perpetrators are often methodical, repeat offenders with tools and expertise. They know how to drill holes and use wires to open garage doors; they dont have the desperation of people who steal packages from porches, or even of the drugstore shoplifters who grab toiletries from shelves and toss them into garbage bags.

And in the case of the most recent arrest, both defendants have long rap sheets. Tiller even made headlines in 2016 for participating in a robbery of the Make-a-Wish Foundation at 400 Market St. and stealing  among other things  a scooter autographed by former Giants right fielder Hunter Pence.

Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to The Chronicle

Boudin and other policymakers believe that incarceration fails to address the underlying factors in property crime, such as poverty and addiction.

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.

Although San Francisco offers diversion programs and collaborative courts that link people to treatment, the criminal legal system in general cannot resolve all of the major, structural problems  including poverty, a lack of housing, and widespread addiction that create the conditions for property crime, said Marshall, his spokesperson.

But some burglary victims have grown disenchanted with the citys emphasis on programs and services over jail.

When it comes to the point that these are repeat offenders who are well known and documented  thats probably the line, Mission Dolores resident Justin Forth said. Burglars broke into his apartment buildings communal bike storage three times in August, stealing bicycles and a trailer he uses to carry his dog.

While criminal justice experts and policymakers debate strategies and philosophies, Castro residents are taking steps to secure their homes. Eric Hansen said he has installed security cameras, upgraded locks on the windows and placed a sensor on the front door of his white stucco house, which was burglarized twice this year.

Police dusted for fingerprints and analyzed security footage after the second burglary, in September, but were unable to gather enough evidence to make an arrest. The man who jimmied open a door and stole a bike from Hansens garage had worn gloves.

Over the course of the year, Hansen and his neighbors acknowledged that property crime is inevitable in San Francisco. They began fortifying their homes with surveillance cameras, simulated TVs and timed lights, while also trimming back trees and removing retractable cords from garages.

Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to The Chronicle

Police gave us some ideas about how to improve not just our house, but the whole block, Hansen said. The basic message that they have is, If your block is anti-theft, they will go to another block.

Some residents grudgingly accept this element of city living. Others are appalled, saying theyve begun to lose faith in the legal system.

Prozan, the Castro resident who dealt with four burglaries during the pandemic, worked as a prosecutor under former District Attorneys Kamala Harris and George Gascon. She learned from experience that burglaries are difficult and time-consuming to investigate, and that police often see them as a lost cause, no matter who sits in the District Attorneys Office.

Forth knows this firsthand. Recently while walking through the Castro, he passed by an encampment and glimpsed one of his stolen bikes, as well as the dog trailer. He called police, who were aware that Forth had filed reports for both items.

But the two officers who arrived said they couldnt do anything. They believed Forth but lacked proof the bike and trailer were his.

So the situation had to be me going up to people who happen to be living on the street, and saying Hey, I think you stole that, Forth said. And I just wasnt willing to steal my bike back.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
San Francisco will need to elevate portions of the Embarcadero as much as 7 feet in coming decades to prepare itself for rising bay waters, according to a shoreline defense strategy taking shape at the Port of San Francisco.

Theres no timetable for precisely when this is needed, or how the changes would alter a busy stretch of the waterfront popular with locals and visitors alike. But its among the steps that could be taken to protect the Embarcadero and the blocks behind it, which include some of the citys most valuable real estate.

The prognosis  one never before stated so explicitly  is found in a staff report posted Friday on the ports website. The report is a prelude to a more detailed survey next month that will spell out an initial set of 20 or so early projects to begin preparing the shoreline for the likely impacts of a major earthquake. This would include upgrades to the hidden but vitally important seawall beneath the Embarcadero, which serves as the barrier between the city and the bay.

The price for that batch of upgrades alone could range as high as $2.5 billion, according to port officials.

Strengthening the seawall and the shoreline will be very expensive work, said Brad Benson, the ports director of waterfront resilience. Even so, were looking to advance all of these (early) projects over the next 10 years.

The current work is an outgrowth of Proposition A, a $425 million bond approved by voters in 2018 that is intended to seismically strengthen the Embarcadero  an engineered shoreline built in the early 20th century  while also beginning to adapt the area to the likely impacts of sea level rise.

Earthquake preparedness is the top priority: A destructive temblor could strike at any moment given San Franciscos proximity to the San Andreas Fault. But the sea level concerns are daunting as well: a 1-foot increase in daily tide levels, coupled with a 100-year storm, could be enough to cause the foot of Market Street to be significantly inundated, the report states  water surges that could spill into the subway tunnel beneath Market Street and paralyze service on BART and Muni.

To put this in context, the daylong deluge that hit the Bay Area on Oct. 24 was the result of a combination of a 25-year rainstorm and an intense low-pressure system. It dropped 4 inches of rain on San Francisco and caused portions of the Embarcadero roadway to flood, in part because the drop in pressure caused the bay to expand and tides to swell 1.5 feet higher than normal.

Through 2100, the states Ocean Protection Council anticipates a likely sea level rise of 3.5 feet in the bay. This would be enough to routinely flood the present-day Embarcadero during extra-high tides.

That looming threat is why port officials have coupled sea level rise adaptation with seismic upgrades in their studies  a dig once approach that the new report describes as a way to minimize disruption to the waterfront and maximize public benefit.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2019

The early projects, which are forecast to take roughly a decade to design and complete, would focus on spots that are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, as emphasized by the 2018 bond. The report doesnt preview any of the projects to be proposed next month, but a hazards assessment by the port last year found that large portions of the seawall north of the Bay Bridge are at high risk in a major temblor.

The challenge of raising the Embarcadero, and other future flood defenses, would be the emphasis after the early projects are in place.

The ultimate goal is to to elevate sections of the Embarcadero anywhere from 2 to 7 feet, depending on their current height. Pier 14, where water routinely sweeps onto the pedestrian promenade during king tides, is the lowest point along the bay.

The easiest solution would be to add a floodwall, or build terraced steps. Port officials, though, hope to find a way to do a gradual slope toward the inland blocks.

We want to gain raised shoreline gracefully, Benson said, though he conceded that whatever is done, thats a significant change to todays shoreline.

A more immediate challenge is finding the money to move beyond studies and reports into physical upgrades.

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.

In addition to the Prop. A funds, San Francisco will try and tap into $4.7 billion of climate resilience grants that will be distributed over the next three years. At the federal level, the infrastructure bill now tied up in Congress will, if passed, include $37 billion for resilience projects.

These revenue streams together could make most of the early projects happen, say port officials, while also helping to fuel planning and design work for longer-range efforts.

Everyone understands we need to embrace this opportunity, said Mike Martin, the assistant director of the port.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2019

The new report is being presented to the Port Commission at its Tuesday meeting. Specific proposals will be introduced at the December hearing. If all goes well, design and planning of individual projects could begin by summer.

If nothing else, the slow and complicated pace so far demonstrates how tough a task lies ahead. The staff report also emphasizes that adapting the shoreline will require collaboration with city departments  from the Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs light rail and streetcar lines along the Embarcadero, to the citys Public Utilities Commission, which has utility lines and water pipes behind the seawall.

Such work has been under way for several years, but is still taking form. Late last month, Mayor London Breed announced a new initiative, ClimateSF, to coordinate the climate change-related planning by the port and at least a half-dozen other departments.

John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron
Six new tenants have signed leases at San Franciscos 140 New Montgomery St., the former Yelp headquarters, in another sign of the citys office recovery.

New tenants include DataRobot, an artificial intelligence company valued at $6.3 billion, according to landlord Pembroke. Other tenants include a life sciences-focused venture capital firm, a private equity investor, and other tech companies, Pembroke said, declining to disclose specific names. A seventh tenant is also close to signing a lease, the landlord said.

The leases total 87,000 square feet, comprising almost a third of the 295,000-square-foot tower and roughly half the space that Yelp vacated after its lease expired in October. An additional 112,000 square feet remains vacant.

Stacey Spurr, Pembroke West Coast regional director, said tenants are showing a preference for high-end office space after remote work has become more popular.

Despite the numerous challenges related to COVID-19, many businesses are experiencing rapid growth and want to attract top talent. San Francisco remains resilient, with strong technology and engineering recruiting opportunities, drawing many companies back in that are looking to commit for the next 10-plus years, she said in a statement.

Venture capital investment has boomed during the pandemic, with a record $158 billion in global funding in the third quarter, according the research firm CB Insights. Silicon Valley, plus San Francisco, had $27.1 billion of funding, the most of any region in the world and more than a third of all U.S. funding. China was second with $25.5 billion in funding.

The money is helping bolster the beleaguered San Francisco office market, where vacancy exceeds 20%. DataRobot raised $300 million in July as it expanded its office space. Financial technology firm Chime raised $750 million in August with a valuation of $25 billion and in the third quarter it leased 191,833 square feet at 101 California St., the citys biggest new lease of the pandemic.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The 1925 tower at 140 New Montgomery, once known as the Pacific Bell Building, was designed by noted architect Timothy Pflueger. It was renovated from 2009 to 2013 and leased by Yelp in 2011.

The business reviews company didnt renew its lease this year, after it sought to downsize its office in the wake of remote work changes caused by the pandemic. Yelp instead subleased 53,596 square feet at 350 Mission St. from Salesforce.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
LATEST Nov. 5, 2:15 p.m. San Francisco's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner released a statement Friday identifying the decedent in a Nov. 4 shooting in the Haight-Ashbury as Samuel Jessop, age 21, of San Francisco.

"There is no additional information to disclose at this time," the medical examiner's office said in an email.

Nov. 5, 7:30 a.m. One person died and another was injured in a shooting Thursday afternoon in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, a neighborhood where gunfire has rattled residents amid a rise in violence in recent weeks. Two separate shootings along the Haight Street corridor last month left two injured.

The Thursday incident occurred in the area of Haight Street and Masonic Avenue after 1 p.m., San Francisco Police Cmdr. Raj Vaswani wrote on Twitter. Police temporarily blocked off the area to conduct an investigation and SFMTA bus lines were rerouted.

The shots fired in broad daylight on a sunny afternoon could be heard throughout the neighborhood of colorful Victorians.

I was helping a customer and we heard four shots and then we started seeing police cars. So I stepped outside and I saw the paramedics doing CPR on somebody, Lydia Louie, who works in the area, told CBS News.

District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston shared news of the shooting on Twitter and extended his condolences to the victims, their loved ones and the community.

"We encourage anyone who needs support to reach out to our office and we can connect you to resources," Preston wrote.

Police responded to a shooting at Haight and Buena Vista on the afternoon of Oct. 22. One victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A photo posted on Twitter showed the window of Ritual Coffee shattered by a bullet. On the night of Oct. 23, a driver was injured in a shooting in Lower Haight near Buchanan and Haight streets.

Police did not provide any additional details about the shooting, but asked that anyone who saw the incident or had video please call the police tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD
CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) _ American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) on Thursday reported a key measure of profitability in its third quarter. The results surpassed Wall Street expectations.

The real estate investment trust, based in Calabasas, California, said it had funds from operations of $131 million, or 35 cents per share, in the period.

The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of 34 cents per share.

Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.

The company said it had net income of $36.9 million, or 11 cents per share.

The real estate company posted revenue of $339.6 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $336.9 million.

American Homes 4 Rent expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $1.34 to $1.38 per share.

The company's shares have risen 35% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $40.50, an increase of 38% in the last 12 months.

_____

This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AMH at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AMH
MALVERN, Pa. (AP) _ CubeSmart (CUBE) on Thursday reported a key measure of profitability in its third quarter. The results topped Wall Street expectations.

The real estate investment trust, based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, said it had funds from operations of $118.4 million, or 56 cents per share, in the period.
SAN FRANCISCO  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg downloaded a popular new app, Phhhoto, on Aug. 8, 2014, and took a selfie. Other Facebook executives and product managers soon followed suit. The social network then made overtures to integrate Phhhoto.

But the interest of Facebooks top executives in Phhhoto was just a show, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in the Eastern District of New York by the startup, which is now defunct. Instead, Facebook simply wanted to squash the competition, according to the suit, which accused the company of antitrust violations.

In the suit, Phhhotos founders  Champ Bennett, Omar Elsayed and Russell Armand  claim that after Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives downloaded their app and approached them about a partnership, no deal materialized. Facebook instead launched a competing product that mirrored Phhhotos features. Facebook also suppressed Phhhotos content within its photo-sharing app, Instagram, the suit says.

Phhhoto is represented by Gary Reback, a well-known lawyer. In the 1990s, Reback persuaded the Justice Department to sue Microsoft for violating antitrust laws, a case that Microsoft ultimately settled in 2001. Phhhotos suit seeks unspecified monetary damages from Facebook.

The lawsuit stands out because of Zuckerbergs personal involvement, Reback said in an interview. He called Zuckerberg the monopolists CEO and said the Facebook founder had engaged in anti-competitive conduct to an extent not seen since Bill Gates, one of the founders of Microsoft.

Facebook did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The lawsuit is the most recent antitrust challenge to the worlds largest tech companies. Facebook, Google and Apple all have faced suits from rivals over the years, accusing them of copying their technology or buying them to squash them.

The lawsuit also adds to the woes for Facebook, which last week was renamed Meta. The Federal Trade Commission has sued the company, accusing it of violating antitrust laws by holding a monopoly on social networking through its acquisitions of Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp. The social network also has been under intense public scrutiny after Frances Haugen, a former employee, leaked thousands of internal documents detailing how the companys platforms have been used to spread misinformation, hate speech and conspiracies.

Even so, Michael Carrier, a professor at Rutgers Universitys law school, said the standards for antitrust litigation remain high.

Its hard to show monopolization, he said. The tumult across the political landscape isnt necessarily going to be reflected in how the courts rule.

Phhhoto was founded in 2012 and the app was launched in 2014. People used it to edit photos and link images together into looping videos. It became buzzy and was promoted by celebrities such as Beyonce, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.

After Zuckerberg downloaded the app in 2014, Kevin Systrom, a founder of Instagram, and senior managers at Facebook and Instagram also did so, according to the suit.

In February 2015, Bryan Hurren, then Facebooks strategic partnerships manager, reached out to Phhhotos founders to discuss a platform integration opportunity, according to the suit. Hurren offered to integrate Phhhoto into Facebooks News Feed, the suit says, which was prime real estate on the worlds largest social platform.

But Facebook strung Phhhoto along for months without making meaningful progress on the supposed integration, the suit says. Hurren told Phhhoto that Facebook was hung up on some legal conversations, the suit says.

On March 31, 2015, Instagram changed its settings so that Phhhoto users couldnt find their Instagram friends. When Phhhoto reached out to Facebook about the issue, Hurren told them that Instagram was apparently upset that Phhhoto was growing in users through its relationship with Instagram, according to the suit.

Phhhotos founders decided to move forward with an Android version of their app, which had only been available on iPhones. But on Oct. 22, 2015, just hours before Phhhoto was set to launch its Android app, Instagram unveiled a product that was a slavish clone of Phhhoto, according to the suit.

Instagram introduced other changes in March 2016 that reduced the visibility of Phhhotos content, the suit says. Phhhotos founders discovered the change when one of them posted two videos to Instagram, one through his Phhhoto-linked account and the other through a new Instagram account he had opened. Although the second account had a fraction of the followers, the video was viewed and liked more than the identical video posted to the Phhhoto-linked account, according to the suit.

Phhhoto shut down in June 2017, lacking investment or any other means to remain viable, according to the suit.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
CINCINNATI (AP)  A jury on Friday convicted a Chinese national of trying to steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies, including the theft of proprietary airplane engine fan technology.

The government alleged that beginning in December 2013, Yanjun Xu recruited experts who worked at aviation companies, including GE Aviation in Cincinnati.

Xu was a deputy division director at the Chinese Ministry of State Security, the countrys intelligence and security agency, the government said. Federal prosecutors said Xu and others would pay stipends for the experts to travel to China under the guise of delivering a university presentation.

Specifically, Xu was accused of trying to steal technology related to GE Aviations composite aircraft engine fan, unduplicated by other companies, to benefit the Chinese government, Vipal Patel, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, which includes Cincinnati, said Friday.

Xu and other operatives discussed how they would obtain highly sensitive information from the experts, court documents said. Xu was arrested in Belgium in 2018 after traveling there to meet a GE employee in Europe on business, and was later extradited to the United States, Patel's office said.

Xu was charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. He had pleaded not guilty but was convicted Friday of all charges after a two-week trial.

Xu faces up to 25 years in prison and a $5 million fine. No sentencing date was set.

Messages were left for his attorneys, who have argued Xu is not a spy, never asked for trade secrets, and that the case involved the legal exchange of trade information.
This story was supposed to be about Alamere Falls.

It was supposed to be about how Alamere Falls, an hour north of San Francisco, is one of just four U.S. tidefalls  rare coastal waterfalls that empty directly into the ocean.

It was supposed to be about how those falls are raging right now following an atmospheric river that soaked California and drenched the Inverness Ridge, which drains directly into Alamere Creek and then majestically spills over a 40-foot-tall cliff onto the Point Reyes National Seashores Wildcat Beach.

It was supposed to be about the nearly 14-mile round-trip trek to Alamere, up Pacific Ocean-facing cliffs, through a forest of coastal pines, between a trio of lakes and down a beach you can only traverse during low tide.

But its not.

This is a story about a shortcut I took to get there, and everything that happened afterward.

---

Charles Russo/SFGATE

Be careful not to miss the optional unmarked shortcut trail to the falls.

Its Thursday morning, and Im scrolling through AllTrails  a San Francisco-based hiking app that raised $75 million in 2018 and gobbled up 30 million registered users who, like me, land on it with just about any Google search that has the word hike in it.

AllTrails is the largest hiking app in the world, provides access to more than 300,000 trail maps and, apparently, has a way to turn the 14-mile hike to Alamere and back into a far more manageable 8-mile hike.

There is usually an arrow made of rocks on the trail indicating where you should turn left off the official trail. It's about 4 miles up. There's a little rock climbing involved at the end. The climb down to the falls is not maintained by the National Park service and can be dangerous. Please be cautious and wear the correct clothing and shoes.

I pay the $29.99 fee to download AllTrails Alamere Falls trail map (so I can use offline GPS when I inevitably lose all cell reception, which has gotten me into trouble before), then set out for the crown jewel of the Point Reyes National Seashore, which draws more than 2 million annual visitors.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

I cross the Golden Gate and take Highway 1 past Stinson Beach, veer off through Bolinas, then finally wind down Mesa Road  a narrow country byway that barely fits our photographers SUV despite a double-yellow line in the middle of it. The lines slowly disappear, as does the pavement beneath our wheels; the final mile is entirely along a rough gravel path that ends at a parking lot overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

We stuff our packs with enough water and snacks for an 8-mile trek, then hit the trail.

After about an hour and a half, we end right up on top of the shortcut that trims 6 miles off our journey, only to walk right past it. I check AllTrails as the trail starts to curve in the wrong direction, realize our mistake and turn back about 100 feet to find the easy-to-miss tree tunnel with a sad pile of four or five rocks very much not in an arrow formation.

We walk through the tree tunnel, and this is where things get hairy.

---

Charles Russo/SFGATE

It just gives us all headaches.

Im on the phone with Point Reyes National Seashore spokesperson Christine Beekman the day after the hike. She tells me the shortcut leads to probably two dozen rescues every year (other estimates have it as high as one emergency rescue per week).

In just the past decade, news sites are littered with wild rescue stories linked to the shortcut, including a 50-person rescue effort to save two men trapped halfway down the cliff (and a third trapped by the tide), a Sonoma County sheriffs helicopter rescue of a man who had fallen from the cliffs, a helicopter rescue of a 16-year-old girl who fell off the cliff and broke her leg and a harrowing rescue of a 6-year-old who slipped and slid down the falls for 15 feet.

Short of having a ranger [at the entrance to the shortcut] each and every day, a ranger right at the turnoff, saying, Nope, you wont go there ... theres nothing we can do, Beekman says. I know exactly which shortcut youre talking about, and I know weve contacted AllTrails. Its just not fair to people. I use AllTrails all the time. This is one route though thats not a designated trail, and we dont maintain it.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

The shortcut in question takes you underneath a canopy of trees, along an exposed path with loads of poison oak, scrambling down a few boulders, across the creek (where you have to step on the same four or five rocks that the 6-year-old fell on) and down an extremely dangerous shale crevice that takes you from the top of the cliff (about five stories up) to the beach. Because that final crevice is entirely made of shale, the walls crumble when you try to grab them for support, and the rock sheets youre scrambling down (which are covered in the crumbled shale pieces) make slipping and sliding an almost guarantee.

Anecdotally, the number of incidents that rangers respond to is just the tip of the iceberg, Beekman says. There are so many other people who have a near-miss. We know the situation visitors are putting themselves in is really dangerous.

Despite being two grown men wearing proper shoes and feeling entirely comfortable in challenging outdoors conditions, we opt to scoot down the entire crevice on our butts.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

There are lots of dangers to hiking Alamere. Theres the tide (you need to check for when low tide is and time your arrival with when the tide is outgoing), theres the ocean (never turn your back on the ocean), theres the exposure (we both burned through more than a liter of water by the mid-point, and had we missed the shortcut wed absolutely not have had enough water to stay safely hydrated), and theres nature  this is coyote, bobcat and mountain lion territory, plus the poison oak is plentiful.

Having hiked up and down California and climbed two challenging state high points, none of the above really concerns me. But the shale crevice does. Its just entirely set up for someone to get badly hurt in a remote area with no way to call for help.

---

Charles Russo/SFGATE

After talking to Beekman, I exchange several emails with John from the AllTrails support team, in a futile attempt to get on the phone with a real person.

If you can send me a screenshot of what trail you took and the area that was sketchy I can forward this to our media person but I can't guarantee they'll be able to respond [by end of day], he writes.

I send screenshots galore, including of the map waypoint that starts, If you want to shorten the trip by about 4 miles, turn left here, and again ask if I can speak to someone on the phone. He stops responding.

The next morning, I check my inbox. Still nothing. I head back to the AllTrails page for Alamere Falls to get started on my story, only to find that it looks nothing like it did the week prior. The map has been altered. The text has been altered. The previous call to not miss the shortcut has been replaced by There is an optional unmarked shortcut trail to the falls. The waypoint for the shortcut entrance  which is still on the map even though the highlighted shortcut trail is not  now has two additional sentences at the front of it: This shortcut trail is not maintained by the National Park Service and is at your own risk. This waypoint exists to educate you on this decision and not to validate the usage of this shortcut.

A few hours later, I get a call from Meaghan Praznik, AllTrails head of communications. I ask her why my email led to an immediate change when the National Park Services previous outreach did not. She mostly doesnt answer the question and instead talks about a new feature theyll be debuting soon, which will apparently let park employees monitor and edit illegal shortcuts added to their 300,000 trails. (This does not seem like something park employees will have time to do.)

What I can say is we really do pride ourselves on offering the safest routes possible, she says, after I ask her why they gave explicit directions to this incredibly dangerous shortcut. We just try to make sure were showing our users legal trails that are safe to hike on. We have a large team dedicated to incorporating feedback from users and park officials. We want to work with land managers as closely as we can, and theyre under a lot of stress now, especially with the pandemic, and theyre feeling overwhelmed. If a trail might be closed one day and opened the next, our team is committed to being on top of it in as real time as we possibly can.

I ask her how big a large team is, and she says the San Francisco-based company employs more than 100 people, but most of them work on engineering and data integrity.

So you only have a fraction of 100 people trying to keep up with more than 300,000 trails? I ask.

It is wild, she replies.

Not exactly the reply I was expecting, but it does lead to more questions: To what degree is the largest hiking app in the world responsible for the safety of hikers? Should shortcuts and hikes on private property or unsafe trails be something you can easily access on the first and most prominent Google result? I dig a little deeper on why they havent removed the waypoint that denotes the location of the shortcut.

We sometimes get this question on things like unsafe trails or trails on private property, and a lot of people are going to go anyways, she says, before referencing the Stairway to Heaven hike in Hawaii. We leave it up, because through the Instagram effect and word of mouth, people will know about it, and hopefully youre going to still need the nitty gritty details, like parking and directions. We leave it up with a note to make sure were making people aware that it isnt safe and is on private property.

And, as someone who thinks about Google all day, I can honestly say it probably doesnt hurt with search engine optimization either.

---

Charles Russo/SFGATE

The Point Reyes National Seashore maintains more than 150 miles of trails, and they do so with a very small staff that Beekman says largely doesnt have a solution for a shortcut that takes away from an otherwise unparalleled California experience.

Weve got a trails crew, its just a handful of folks, and as much as Id like to say we have the resources to redesignate that route, its just not on the horizon, she says.

The best bet would be to try to remove it from AllTrails, she says, something AllTrails only half-heartedly attempted to do during the course of this story  which again, was supposed to be about Alamere Falls itself.

And thats a shame. Alamere is easily one of the most incredible hikes Ive done in my life (and Ive done a lot of incredible hikes), and the payoff when you reach Alamere  at the midpoint of either the 8-mile or 14-mile trek, where the falls handshake with the oceans oncoming tide  is hard to put into words, even for someone who writes all day.

After a storm, Alamere will have additional runoff, Beekman says. This one was a little offseason, but those times are just magical because you can see the waterfalls in their full power.

Just dont take the shortcut to get there.

---

Alamere Falls is in the Point Reyes National Seashore's Phillip Burton Wilderness. You can access it via the Palomarin Trailhead just north of Bolinas, which you'll take to the Wildcat Campground, then loop back along the beach to the falls. It's a moderate-to-difficult 14-mile hike, you'll need lots of water, good shoes and have to time it exactly right so that low tide will hit when you arrive at the falls. You can find the official National Park Service map here, you can find daily tide information here, plus you can find a tips, advice and more on the official Alamere Falls page here (including lots of warnings to not take the shortcut).
According to Dave Chappelle, a lot of people want him canceled. Not me, though. What I want is for trans people to be able to claim the immensely observant and charismatic comic as a potent ally.

That is just never going to happen, though. Last night at Chase Center in San Francisco, Chappelle and a phenomenal parade of his performer-friends premiered Untitled Dave Chappelle Documentary, a feature-length project filmed at a makeshift outdoor comedy venue in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio, during the first tentative emergence from post-COVID-19 lockdown.

The premiere had the atmosphere of a party  an incredible party, if one at which everyones cellphone went into a Yondr pouch for the full four-and-a-half hours. Jeff Ross opened, the magnificently raunchy Luenell followed, and after the film came a crescendoing series of East Bay musical legends: Goapele, Raphael Saadiq, Too Short and E-40 (plus Lil Jon). In between their short sets, Chappelle lashed out at his critics, bemoaning his alleged cancellation to a crowd of 18,000 fans then mocking the idea of getting canceled. And he lashed out at transgender people whenever he could.

Three weeks into the controversy surrounding his intensely homophobic and transphobic Netflix comedy special The Closer, Chappelle remains the opposite of canceled. Still, the imbroglio has now included a joke apology, walkouts by Netflix employees, and an offer to meet with transgender advocates that may really have been a taunt. Famous people have rushed to his defense, as have at least a few LGBTQ+ comics and the family of Daphne Dorman, the late trans woman he mentions in The Closer who took her own life. At Chase Center, there were no visible protests outside, and no discernible heckling inside. The attendees were Chappelles most devoted fans, eager to see his latest project. Even the woman who got thrown out was a trans Chappelle supporter.

Shot in the summer of 2020 while comic Michelle Wolf was living with the Chappelle family on an extended basis, Untitled Dave Chappelle Documentary is a slightly self-indulgent but ultimately winning look at the comics urge to connect his wit to social causes, namely the Black Lives Matter movement. Interspersed with street actions and other protests in Yellow Springs  a progressive enclave home to the ultra-lefty Antioch College, where Chappelles father was once dean of students  the film shows the hasty development of an unlawful performance space that brought a lot of joy during the worst summer of our lives.

Scenes depicting the awkwardness of masking up or famous comics saying they havent performed in a while have about as much punch left in them as the tribulations of Carole Baskin. But an inner circle that includes Mo Amer and Chappelles Show veteran Donnell Rawlings keeps it going, with brief cameos by everyone from Tiffany Haddish to local shop owners to Erykah Badu dancing on a tarmac. Michelle Wolf, who truly was canceled, comes off as a person in genuine crisis, and it seems as though her residency (in every sense) was beneficial. Watch this film and you will remember how good it felt to hug people in July 2020, while wishing youd been there to see Chris Rock bomb.



Untitled Dave Chappelle Documentary even includes an antagonist, in the form of the local zoning inspector. Central Casting couldnt produce a more ready-made cartoon villain than this high-maintenance, white hippie who looks a little like Kurt Vonnegut and seems sincere in his desire not to let Yellow Springs turn into an unaffordable resort town. Chappelle et al. put up a fight, comparing their desire to spread joy during difficult times to the plot of Footloose.

Who couldnt root for them? Chappelles entire shtick  on screen as in real life  is about peace, mutual understanding and solidarity. And the man who famously walked away from many millions of dollars, spending years in the wilderness, has genuinely suffered for his work. Who would question the sincerity of someone who closes their documentary with Why get up one at a time if we cant get up together?

Yet a year-and-a-half later we have a different Chappelle, embattled and pugnacious. Hes not entirely changed; the pleas for the courage to be kind to one another are still there. But in The Closer, theyre interspersed with 75 minutes of sustained swatting at LGBTQ+ people in the form of low-wattage, unoriginal jokes about masculine lesbians and the like. And at Chase Center, he simply could not lay off the supposed conspiracy to keep him down. Lashing out at a trans community that he insists is large and powerful is positively irresistible.

The reason this sucks is because one of the best things LGBTQ+ people have had going for us is our enemies. Theyre either uptight prudes or blatant hypocrites or all-around jerks who openly denigrate other marginalized communities, too. In Chappelle, were confronted by the worlds chillest transphobe, a party animal whos also a TERF, unwilling to consider that his enormous appeal may actually be transferable to transphobia itself.

This is scary. Dave Chappelle is an ultra-high-net-worth man role-playing the persecuted underdog and railing against an amorphous they in a way that gets entire arenas of people to jump to their feet. Now who else does that sound like? No matter how blessed you are with the common touch, when youre famous and worth an estimated $50 million, youve exited the realm of the common man. If you can make E-40 appear out of a hat, or lure David Letterman and Chris Rock to rural Ohio to play before tiny crowds during a pandemic, youre wielding power and influence on an extraordinary scale. No one alive can match Chappelles ability to make critics seem as strident as an out-of-touch zoning inspector.

I wish his enormous reservoirs of urgency and empathy extended just a little further out. Chappelle grasps humors power of catharsis like no one else, and I have no doubt he could be the cis-het comic who makes queer people laugh the hardest, if only he would bother to try. Instead, hes committed to his blinkered zeal, which essentially says, LGBTQ+ people are nothing more than a subset of annoying, entitled white killjoys who invent grievances specifically to steal the political oxygen away from a cause that is dear to me, and Im comfortable mocking you as humorless scolds, even though my enormous cultural cachet can do a lot of damage to real people.

In truth, a lot of white LGBTQ+ people are entitled oxygen hogs, and are pretty racist, too. But Blackness and queerness have been tethered together since long before Stonewall and the Comptons Cafeteria Riot. Chappelle shows no interest in considering that.

Consequently, his routines are starting to take on the brittleness of right-wing comedy, which typically isnt about humor at all. Its about leading a collective ritual of ridicule against an out-group, of being bitterly united in a grievance, of Lets Go, Brandon. Say youre super-rich and you come to San Francisco after a long absence, but instead of mocking our humongous constellation of Zuckerbergs and crypto-bros and other juicy targets, you tell a meh joke about a homeless guy, which is exactly what Chappelle did. Thats all hes got, because thats where he wants to aim it. The audience laughed anyway, because theyre seated at the throne of Dave Chappelle, the very place that the funniest people in America and the hip-hop gods of the bay all clamor to be.

Imagine he had done a total end-run around his critics instead. No disrespect to Jeff Ross, who is brutally hilarious, but what if Chappelle had booked a Black trans comic like Dahlia Belle to open for him? He would have used comedy to defuse this whole thing, no apology required. I watched The Closer in its entirety and I was genuinely taken aback. I sat through the full premiere of Untitled Dave Chappelle Documentary and it was the loneliest four hours Ive had in years. I laughed at parts of both, because parts of both are hilarious. I did not cry, even though I wanted to. What I wanted most was to laugh so hard that I shed tears  the good kind, the best kind.

Peter-Astrid Kane (they/them) is the communications manager for San Francisco Pride and a former editor of SF Weekly.

If you are in distress, call the National Suicide Prevention hotline 24 hours a day at 800-273-8255, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more resources.
NEW YORK (AP)  Salma Hayek laughs when asked if she ever felt like the mom of the group on the set of Eternals.

Yes, because everyone also came to tell me about their problems ... and I liked it a lot, says the Mexican actor, who at 55 plays the matriarch of the superheroes in the new Marvel movie.

And as a sample, she said she had thousands of anecdotes.

For example, Barry (Keoghan), who plays the role of Druig, has dyslexia like me and came to my trailer every day: Help me, help me with the lines, Im ashamed that others hear how I read. And there I would sit with him and we would laugh a lot. It was like doing homework with my kid, Hayek said in Spanish during a recent video interview from London. He is much younger than me, and he is another actor with dyslexia.

Eternals, directed by Academy Award winner Chloe Zhao, opens Friday in theaters.

The film follows a group of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, and who now gather to fight the evil Deviants, a fictional race of humanoids. The cast includes Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan and Lauren Ridloff, the first deaf actor to play a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As Ajak, whose superpower is healing, Hayek's is the only character who has a direct connection to the Celestials, an ancient race of beings that possess vast abilities to manipulate matter and energy, and who sent the Eternals on a mission to Earth.

The actor, who had experience with CGI from Robert Rodriguezs Spy Kids movies, said she was surprised by how little the technology was used in Zhaos film. The Nomadland director is known for her rather naturalistic style.

Normally they dont use locations (for superhero movies), all the scenery is done later with computers. We filmed in the Canary Islands and here in the UK and I loved it, it all felt very organic," she said, noting that her only CGI scenes are those in which she speaks to a Celestial.

You are seeing a cross on a green wall while you have thousands of extensions that weigh a lot and this thing that I have on my head that also weighs, so I ended with some neck pain ... but I just did that a couple of times.

One of her biggest challenges, in fact, was related to the costumes. In addition to the headdress and extensions, some of the suits were so tight that gaining just a few pounds could be a problem.

I was terrified because the filming took like five months. I didn't go every day, but it was a period of five months where, if you gain weight  and I tend to be like this," she says, making waves with her hand. "I said, 'Oh, I am not going to be able to gain or lose any weight because of those suits.

I was absolutely right! she added with a laugh. After the pandemic, I had to do a couple more shots and the suit didnt fit anymore! Good thing that it was something very small, because it was really traumatizing. But hey, it happened to many of us.

Eternals is one of four Hayek films releasing in 2021. The Oscar-nominated actress (for 2002s Frida) starred this year in Bliss and Hitmans Wifes Bodyguard, and will next appear in House of Gucci with Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino.

Of the four, Eternals is the only one directed by a woman.

I have such an admiration for her, she said excitedly about Zhao. She is super strong, she knows very well what she wants. Some people said, 'Oh, but shes made very small movies, shes not going to know how to handle such a big production.' Uff, she is super technical, well-educated in cinema, she understands both the immense and the personal ... and she handles the actors super well.

Zhao made sure to put together a cast that couldnt be more inclusive. In addition to Hayek as a Latina and Ridloff as the first deaf superhero, Eternals also features Black (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) and Asian actors (Chan, Nanjiani and Ma Dong-seok, as Makkari, Kingo and Gilgamesh, respectively) and shows the first gay kiss in a Marvel movie.

Hayek said opined that while the inclusion of a diverse cast sometimes feels a little forced," that was not the case for Eternals.

"Like everything Chloe does, she really does it from her gut, because she believes in it naturally, she said.

___

Follow Sigal Ratner-Arias on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sigalratner.
MANISTEE COUNTY  U.S. health officials gave the final signoff this week to Pfizers kid-size COVID-19 shot, a milestone that opens a major expansion of the nations vaccination campaign to children as young as 5, the Associated Press reported.

The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11  doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.

Earlier this week, District Health Department #10 announced that is encouraging everyone eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Pfizer vaccine is now authorized for children 5 to 11 years old, and there is no cost to individuals, reads part of the departments news release.

The department stated in a release that it would begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 years and older starting Nov. 8 at its vaccine clinics and by appointment.

Kevin Hughes, DHD#10 health officer, said the department anticipated the approval and it is ready to begin administering the COVID-19 to this age group.

Vaccination continues to be our best tool for protecting individuals from serious illness and limiting the impact of COVID overall, Hughes said in the release. Combining vaccination with non-medical interventions like masks, distance and isolation or quarantine, provides as much protection as possible.

Parents can schedule appointments for their children online at dhd10.org/schedule. COVID-19 vaccines for children are expected to be widely available. Appointments allow for more accurate timing and appropriate spacing during indoor clinics. A parent or guardian is required to be present for vaccinating minors.

Anyone with COVID-19 questions for the health department should call 231-305-8675 or email covid@dhd10.org.

KIDS ON THE NATIONAL SCOPE

The announcement by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky came only hours after an advisory panel unanimously decided Pfizers shots should be opened to the 28 million youngsters in that age group.

The decision marks the first opportunity for Americans under 12 to get the powerful protection of any COVID-19 vaccine.

As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated, Walensky said Tuesday night, in a statement.

In remarks earlier in the day, she said while the risk of severe disease and death is lower in young children than adults, it is real  and that COVID-19 has had a profound social, mental health and educational impact on youngsters, including widening disparities in learning.

There are children in the second grade who have never experienced a normal school year, Walensky said. Pediatric vaccination has the power to help us change all of that.

President Joe Biden called the decision a turning point."

It will allow parents to end months of anxious worrying about their kids, and reduce the extent to which children spread the virus to others," he said in a statement. It is a major step forward for our nation in our fight to defeat the virus.

The American Academy of Pediatrics welcomed the decision as its members get ready to start the first injections into little arms, which the CDC said could begin as soon as possible. The 5- to 11-year-olds will receive two low doses, three weeks apart, of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech -- the same schedule as everyone else, but using a smaller needle.

Pfizer over the weekend began shipping millions of the pediatric shots to states, doctors offices and pharmacies  in orange caps, to avoid mix-ups with purple-capped vials of adult vaccine.

Many parents have clamored for vaccine protection for youngsters so they can resume normal childhood activities without risking their own health  or fear bringing the virus home to a more vulnerable family member. But CDC's advisers said they recognize many parents also have questions, and may be fearful of the vaccine because of rampant misinformation.

Members of the advisory panel said they want parents to ask about the shots  and understand that they're far better than gambling that their child will escape a serious coronavirus infection. As for safety, more than 106 million Americans have safely gotten two doses of Pfizers full-strength shots  including more than 7 million 12- to 15-year-olds.

I have vaccinated my kids, said CDC adviser Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, saying she wouldnt recommend something for other families unless she was comfortable with it for her own. We have seen the devastation of this disease.

In the U.S., there have been more than 8,300 coronavirus-related hospitalizations of kids ages 5 to 11, about a third requiring intensive care, according to government data. The CDC has recorded at least 94 deaths in that age group, with additional reports under investigation.

And while the U.S. has seen a recent downturn in COVID-19 cases, experts are worried about another uptick with holiday travel and as winter sends more activity indoors where its easier for the coronavirus to spread.

Pfizer's study of 2,268 youngsters found the kid-size vaccine is nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 -- based on 16 diagnoses among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got the real vaccination.

The FDA examined more children, a total of 3,100 who were vaccinated, in concluding the shots are safe. The younger children experienced similar or fewer reactions  such as sore arms, fever or achiness  than teens or young adults get after larger doses.

That study wasnt large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. Regulators ultimately decided the benefits from vaccination outweigh the potential that younger kids getting a smaller dose also might experience that rare risk.

Some of CDC's advisers said for some parents, deciding to get their children vaccinated may hinge on that small but scary risk.

The risk of some sort of bad heart involvement is much higher if you get COVID than if you get this vaccine, Dr. Matthew Oster, a pediatric cardiologist at Emory University, told the panel. COVID is much riskier to the heart.

Last week, FDAs advisers struggled with whether every young child needed a vaccine. Youngsters hospitalized with COVID-19 are more likely to have high-risk conditions such as obesity or diabetes. But otherwise healthy children can get seriously ill, too, and the CDCs advisers ultimately recommended the shots for all of them  even children whove already recovered from a bout of COVID-19.

CDC officials calculated that for every 500,000 youngsters vaccinated, between 18,000 and 58,000 COVID-19 cases  and between 80 and 226 hospitalizations  in that age group would be prevented, depending on the pandemic's trajectory. And CDC officials noted that COVID-19 has caused more deaths in this age group than some other diseases, such as chickenpox, did before children were routinely vaccinated against them.

What about younger children? Pfizer is testing shots for babies and preschoolers and expects data around the end of the year. The similarly made Moderna vaccine also is being studied with young children. But the FDA still hasn't cleared its use in teens, and the company is delaying its application for younger children pending that review.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Two women from different walks of life  one a rebel, the other a bureaucrat  face an unknown future in Afghanistan. One decided to work with the Taliban, the other is determined to fight them. Both vow they will never leave their homeland.

Karima Mayar Amiri, 54, heads a department in the Taliban-run Health Ministry. She is among the few women able to retain a leadership position in the new governments bureaucracy and believes Afghans must be served no matter who is at the helm.

Many years her junior, Rishmin Juyunda, 26, could not disagree more. Afghan women will never be served with the Taliban in power, she says. The rights activist is part of an underground network determined to fight harsh Taliban policies that restrict women's freedom.

They represent a broad spectrum of women who have remained in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan after many fled, fearing a return to the brutal repression that marked the groups previous rule in the late 1990s. The international community has linked recognition of a Taliban government to factors such as guarantees for womens rights.

It is not clear what rights women will be able to retain. Under the Taliban, women in most government ministries are now unable to work, teen-age girls are prohibited from going to school, the interim cabinet is comprised entirely of men. This deepens mistrust toward the Taliban.

But there are exceptions.

Amiri, a mother of six, retained her senior position as the director of the ministrys Quality and Safety Department after the collapse of the previous U.S.-backed government. Her case is rare; most senior female bureaucrats have been barred from work across government portfolios except for health.

She is at the office by 9 a.m. to manage a team of five. Nearly every day she meets with her Taliban-appointed superiors to review action plans to combat the spread of diseases from the coronavirus to dengue fever.

It was not a difficult decision for me to stay. I have my own department. If they request a plan, I will provide it. The Taliban leadership wants me to work for them, and I am ready, she said. As long as I am healthy, I will work for them, for my people, my country.

Juyunda is entering her last semester majoring in economics at Zahra University in Tehran. She chose to stay in the capital of Kabul and study remotely after the Talibans August takeover. Textbooks crowd her worktable, but her focus is interrupted by a buzzing phone. In a string of WhatsApp messages, rights activists proposed slogans for the next demonstration.

Like many young women who grew up after the U.S. invasion in 2001, Juyundas dreams were dashed overnight after the Taliban seized Kabul and consolidated control of the country. Many of her friends have left, unwilling to wait and see how the dust will settle following the dramatic U.S. exit.

She stayed. I will never leave Afghanistan. I have to stay and make a change, she said, her lively hazel eyes framed by a scarlet headscarf.

The decision to remain came amid large-scale evacuations.

Between the Aug. 15 fall of Kabul and the final U.S. exit two weeks later, thousands of Afghans, including many women, rushed to the city's airport in a desperate attempt to get out.

Amiri chose a different path.

Three days after the Taliban overran the capital, she was back in the office to help meet the growing need in the crumbling health sector. International aid that once funded hospitals and health worker wages had stopped abruptly. Hospitals across the country were being hit hard by an economic crisis brought on by international sanctions against the Taliban.

She requested that her Taliban superiors merge her department with another to improve quality control. They approved it.

When a Taliban guard attempted to inspect her bag at the ministry gate one morning, she refused and asked that a separate room be erected for female checks. They complied.

A graduate of Kabul Medical University 31 years ago, she has worked for the Health Ministry since 2004. Five health ministers have come and gone during her tenure. Why should the Taliban be any different? she asked.

The only change they introduced was for women to don Islamic dress. Amiri, a devout Muslim, was already in the habit of wearing a headscarf.

"Health is not political," Amiri insists. The guidelines her office formulates are sent to thousands of public hospitals, clinics and facilities across the country. Life goes on, she says.

But for Juyunda, life will never be the same.

It took her weeks to recover from the shock of the takeover. Her family of 11 had greatly benefited after the U.S. invasion. She and her four sisters were able to attend school in Ghor province. Her parents held well-paid government jobs. She was on her way to becoming an economist brimming with ideas to improve her country.

From social media she came to know of a womens protest organized outside the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul in September. Shortly after she arrived, a Taliban unit showed up and the group had to disperse. She stood there holding a sign Education is a right and repeated to herself, I am strong, they are weak.

She witnessed protesters being beaten with rifles and cables. This is war, she thought.

Numbers were exchanged, and soon a network of dozens of like-minded activists was formed.

The Taliban have said they have no issue with the right to protest, but that the activists must seek their permission to demonstrate. Subsequent sit-ins have not been able to draw large numbers. But Juyunda said to seek permission from the Taliban would be an implicit acceptance of their rule.

We will never do that, she said.

The lives of both women were shaped by Afghanistans turbulent history.

Amiri was a gynecologist in the conservative Wardak province, a Taliban stronghold as far back as the 1990s when the group was first in power.

To survive, she said, she made her world a little smaller.

During that time, I went to the hospital, I treated patients, delivered babies and did surgeries, and then I went straight home. That was my life, she said.

In 2021, she reverted to the same tactic. After 3:30 p.m., she leaves the office and goes straight to her Kabul home to spend the evening with her children and grandchildren.

Juyundas childhood was marked by the violence of the Taliban insurgency in the years after the U.S. invasion. She saw entire buildings go up in flames after rocket strikes and bombings.

At night she would sleep with a glass full of water. I thought, if a bomb ever hit our home, I could use it to put out the flames, she recalled, smiling at the thought of her childhood naivete.

The bombs have stopped, but Juyundas war for the rights of women continues.

Amiri, meanwhile, is hopeful. Lets see what happens, she said.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  American Civil Liberties Union attorneys said if Nevada redraws its political maps without reallocating thousands of inmates to their pre-prison addresses, they will be in violation of a 2019 state law.

The threat of a lawsuit and organization's insistence that prison officials compile more address could complicate the redistricting process that state lawmakers are expected to conduct this month.

Though the U.S. Census counts inmates at prisons where theyre serving sentences, Nevada is one of a growing number of states required to reallocate state residents in prison to where they previously lived.

Nevada lawmakers in 2019 passed legislation to ban so-called prison gerrymandering. It directs the Department of Corrections to compile the last known residential address of each offender immediately before the offender was sentenced to imprisonment in a facility or institution of the Department and subsequently provide to the State Demographer all available information.

Last week, prison officials said they only had usable addresses for 6,275 people out of the 12,214 counted in the 2020 census, or about 51%.

In a Friday letter sent to lawmakers and state officials, attorneys Holly Welborn and Chris Peterson allege that the thousands of missing inmate addresses "place the Legislature at risk of violating Nevadas Constitutional requirement to base reapportionment on accurate data.

Alejandra Livingston, an economist with the Department of Corrections, told lawmakers last week that it wasn't possible to provide last known residential addresses of all its inmates. Some may have been homeless or transient before incarceration, some may be from out of state, some may be serving long-term sentences and some have declined to provide their addresses when asked, she said.

Welborn and Peterson allege the Department of Corrections did not meet the requirements outlined in the law to compile inmate addresses. Their efforts  which included sending a questionnaire to gather missing addresses  do not qualify as an attempt to compile all available information, they said.

The extent to which people in Nevada prisons are reallocated has significant implications on the population and, in turn, voting power communities across the state will have through the next decade.

Lawmakers are required to draw districts containing relatively equal populations and where inmates are counted can change the recorded population of legislative districts by thousands.

The percentage of addresses prison officials sent for redistricting varied by facility. They provided 644 addresses from Pershing County, where the Lovelock Correctional Center houses 1,345 inmates. They provided 449 from White Pine County, where the Ely State Prison houses 649 inmates.

"The State Demographer is obligated to not use information that it knows is inaccurate, and the Legislature and other governmental entities are obligated to not reapportion representation based upon the inaccurate population estimates," Welborn and Peterson wrote.

The Legislature cannot rely on current numbers provided by the State Demographer without violating the Nevada Constitution and subjecting the state to potential litigation.

___

Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  Striking nurses and other employees at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo could be back on the job next week under a tentative agreement between their union and Catholic Health System.

We listened to our associates and their primary concerns were market-competitive wages and increased staffing, Mark Sullivan, president and CEO of Catholic Health said Thursday. These new contracts address both and more. We are ready to welcome our caregivers back to Mercy Hospital.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  Prosecutors have accused a Bismarck man of leading an illegal drug operation that trafficked thousands of oxycodone pills into Bismarck.

Layne Johs is charged with four felonies, including leading a criminal organization. Authorities allege Johs is the kingpin of an ongoing drug trafficking and money laundering organization that has a network of users, traffickers, distributors, and a supplier outside of North Dakota, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP)  A judge on Thursday found a Hawaii woman not guilty of murder in the death of a 3-year-old foster child she was caring for, West Hawaii Today reported.

Chasity Alcosiba-McKenzie opted to go to trial before a judge instead of a jury. She pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for the death of Fabian Garett-Garcia.

A 911 call on July 25, 2017, brought firefighters to a Waimea home where the boy was found lifeless and lying face down beside a pool of his vomit on a bed.

No parent should have to lose a child, and it may be easy to place blame, but the state has failed to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Judge Wendy DeWeese said.

There was reasonable doubt as to when the child was injured and while very rare, an accidental fall could have caused his death, she said.

Alcosiba-McKenzie reported the toddler fell from a bench while wearing virtual reality glasses. According to her, the boy didn't show any symptoms other than vomiting until she found him unresponsive hours later. She said she thought he was coming down with a flu like his sister had.

Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said his office was disappointed in the verdict.

The Hawaii Police Department and Prosecutors Office will continue to do its part to be the voice for those not here to speak for themselves, like 3-year-old Fabian, and will continue to protect our keiki, he said, using the Hawaiian word for children.

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the boy's parents is pending against the state Department of Human Services, Alcosiba-McKenzie and others.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch this week sent a letter to the White House requesting a meeting about Idahos federal district judge vacancy, saying it cannot be filled without a mutual agreement between them and the administration.

But the blue slip procedure that the Republicans referenced  a system that gave home-state senators a veto over federal judicial nominees  was thrown out during the Trump Administration, when federal judges were appointed over objections from Democratic senators.

The blue slip procedure regarding filling United States District Court vacancies is alive and well, the two senators wrote in a Nov. 2 letter to Dana Remus, counsel to the president, the Idaho Press reported.

Idahos top Democratic elected officials submitted an all-female list of four nominees to the White House in March, but theres been no further word on the nomination since then. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill took senior status in August, making Idaho eligible for another federal judge.

The slate of nominees that the Democratic officials sent the White House, in alphabetical order and not ranked, were: Idaho Falls attorney DeAnne Casperson; Boise attorney Keely Duke; Boise attorney Deborah Ferguson; and former U.S. Attorney for Idaho Wendy Olson.

Idaho is one of just three states with only two U.S. district judges and has not gotten an additional judgeship in 60 years, though caseloads have soared.

Idahos congressional delegation has long pushed for the state to get an additional judgeship, and all four of its members in Congress are sponsoring legislation to do just that, though it has not advanced. The nonpartisan Judicial Council of the United States has recommended a third judgeship for Idaho since 2003.

Wyoming, with less than a third of Idahos population, has three district judges. So does Montana, with less than two-thirds of Idahos population.

Idaho is also one of just two states that has never had a female U.S. district judge; the other is North Dakota.

Its been unclear since President Joe Biden took office how the Senate would approach the blue slip rule.

Russell Wheeler, a fellow with the Brookings Institution, former deputy director of the Federal Judicial Center and an expert on the selection of federal judges, said, Its not as if the blue slip is a binary choice, its either on or its off. Its more like there are various gradations.

Wheeler said Biden so far has nominated dozens of federal district and circuit judges, but nearly all were in jurisdictions with either two Democratic senators or no senators, like Puerto Rico and the federal circuit in the District of Columbia.

The only state that has a Republican senator thats gotten judicial nominations from Biden so far is Ohio, which has one Republican and one Democrat representing in the Senate.

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel D-Boise, who also was among the Democratic officials who interviewed and submitted nominees to the White House, said she met in-person with her White House contact a couple of weeks ago, and pressed for updates.

I didnt get any more sign of progress, she said. I certainly am doing everything I can to nudge progress on this front, because we certainly need a third judge here in the district of Idaho, but we certainly cant afford to get back to one.

Rubel bristled at the senators contention that the blue slip veto rule is back.

It would be one thing if that were something that was consistently honored by both parties, she said. If it continued to be a bipartisan tradition, then I would be supportive of maintaining that. However, the Trump Administration decided to blow that up in order to gain an advantage in judicial appointments while they had control of the White House and the Senate.

Crapos press secretary, Melanie Lawhorn, said in an email, We are aware that there are some candidates, but do not have information on how long the process has been under way or the status of the interviews and we are unable to say who at this time. Part of the request for the meeting is to understand the White Houses timeline and current status.

Crapo declined to comment on whether any or all the Democratic nominees are acceptable to the GOP senators.

Senator Crapo is requesting a meeting with the White House to discuss and work to find a mutually agreeable nominee, Lawhorn wrote. He is not commenting prematurely on individuals before any formal nomination.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  Maine's environmental commissioner said Friday she'll take the referendum vote into account when deciding whether to suspend a permit for a $1 billion electric transmission line in western Maine.

Commissioner Melanie Loyzim will close comments at the end of a new public hearing on Nov. 22 so she can expedite a decision.

Loyzim's letter to New England Clean Energy Connect points to an aggressive timetable after Maine residents voted Tuesday to halt the project. The law takes effect 30 days after election results are certified.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine told the commissioner that the permit should be revoked immediately to prevent further environmental damage during construction, which is continuing.

It would be a dereliction of duty for regulators to allow continued destruction" of woodlands while waiting for the law to go into effect, James Kilbreth, a lawyer for NRCM, wrote Thursday in a notice to environmental regulators.

The 145-mile (233-kilometer) power transmission line would serve as a conduit for up to 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydropower. Most of it would be built along existing corridors but a new 53-mile (85-kilometer) section is being cut through the woods to reach the Canadian border.

Utilities companies, some supporting and some opposing the project, poured more than $90 million into the electoral battle, making it the most expensive referendum campaign in state history.

Multiple state and federal agencies already gave their approval to the project, but the state's Department of Environmental Protection is reconsidering after a judge ruled that leases on a 1-mile section of state land were improperly granted. That ruling is being challenged in the state Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Central Maine Power's parent company is also suing over the referendum, saying it was unconstitutional.

In her letter, Loyzim said the referendum represents another matter to be considered along with the state leases.

I have determined that the referendum result, if certified such that it will become law, represents an additional change in circumstance that may require suspension of the NECEC order, she said.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP)  Plans for Dominion Energy's massive offshore wind farm near the Virginia coast are being filed with the State Corporation Commission, bringing the project one major step closer to becoming reality, the company said Friday.

Dominion plans to erect 176 wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean about 27 miles (43 kilometers) from the shores of Virginia Beach. The project is expected to generate enough power for about 660,000 homes.

Dominion said in a statement that the filing with Virginia's corporation commission keeps the project on schedule for completion by the end of 2026. Earlier this year, the company filed a request for federal approval through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Our customers expect reliable, affordable, and clean energy and we intend to deliver," Dominion Energy President Robert M. Blue said in a statement. In addition to solar, storage and nuclear, offshore wind is a key component of our strategy and a game changer for the Hampton Roads economy.

The Virginia Clean Economy Act sets a target for Dominion Energy to construct or purchase at least 5,200 megawatts of energy through offshore wind by 2034 and to achieve 100% carbon-free energy production by 2045.

Two wind turbines stand off the Virginia Coast. They are part of Dominion's pilot project, which is the first for offshore wind in federal waters.

The project reflects plans by President Joe Biden's administration to develop enough offshore wind energy by 2030 to power 10 million American homes for a year. An estimated 80,000 jobs are expected to be created.

State officials have said the offshore wind farm off Virginia's coast is expected to support about 1,100 long-term jobs, although there will likely be about 1,500 jobs during peak construction.

Last month, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will partner with Dominion on a $200 million factory making turbine blades for offshore wind projects. It's expected to create 310 jobs.

The factory will be located at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and will produce turbine blades for the project in Virginia as well as other offshore wind farms around North America.

Over the next 10 years, building and operating the offshore wind industry will be worth $109 billion to businesses in its supply chain, according to a recent report from the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind.

Dominion's pilot project off Virginia's coast is already providing useful information to the industry on anything from safety issues to coordinating with cargo ships heading for the Port of Virginia.

The company has also learned that the winds off the Virginia coast will provide slightly more energy than expected.

The company had initially expected its commercial turbines to generate electricity at full load about 41.5% of the time on average, said Joshua Bennett, Dominion Energy vice president of offshore wind. But now it's expecting them to generate electricity at full load about 43% of the time based on the performance of the two pilot turbines.

So, the pilot turbines are exceeding our expectations, he said.

___

This story has been edited to correct that Dominion Energy expects to generate electricity of about 43% at full load, not that the pilot turbines were operating at that percentage.
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP)  A presumed wolf-dog hybrid that escaped its enclosure over the summer in North Carolina has been found dead, officials said.

She was found Monday off state Route 86 near Hillsborough and was believed to be the last of the free-roaming wolfdogs in our area, Orange County Animal Services spokeswoman Tenille Fox said. It appears that she was hit by a car, news outlets reported.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The United Kingdom on Friday rejected European Union proposals to streamline the trade of goods in Northern Ireland as insufficient, further aggravating a standoff between both sides and bringing the prospect of a post-Brexit trade war closer.

The U.K. government said after unsuccessful talks between its negotiator David Frost and his counterpart Maros Sefcovic that the EU offers to revamp the Northern Ireland deal, which the 27-nation bloc saw as far-reaching and unprecedented, did not currently deal effectively with the fundamental difficulties.

Beyond rejecting his proposals, Sefcovic retorted that we have seen no move at all from the U.K. side. I find this disappointing.

On top of the dispute over how to smooth the trade in goods in the U.K.s Northern Ireland, where the complicated Brexit deal has left the region also in the EUs single trading zone, both sides also made no progress in negotiations over symbolically important U.K. fishing licenses off France.

Talks will now continue in London next week.

Frost also continued to wield the threat of suspending the Northern Ireland deal under the so-called Article 16 procedure. He said it was "very much on the table and has been since July.

Article 16 is a clause in the EU-U.K. protocol on Northern Ireland allowing either side to suspend that part of the deal in exceptional circumstances.

Sefcovic said the impact of such a move would be grave. "Let there be no doubt that triggering Article 16 ... would have serious consequences  serious for Northern Ireland. This is what leads to instability and unpredictability.

Northern Ireland, part of the U.K., shares a land border with EU member Ireland. The Brexit agreement gives it a special trade status that ensures there is an open border on the island of Ireland. It is a key pillar of Northern Irelands peace process since the 1998 Good Friday accord that ended years of violence.

Analysts say it would only be a small step from a suspension of Article 16 to a trade war.

The current deal that Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed has been controversial from the start since it means a new customs border in the Irish Sea for goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K., even though they are part of the same country.

That has brought red tape for businesses, and caused problems with some goods reaching Northern Ireland. EU rules on chilled meats led to a brief sausage shortage, and now Britain claims that Christmas crackers  festive noisemakers that are a holiday party staple  are being prevented from reaching Northern Ireland.

The EU said it has already offered major concessions in cutting red tape for trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, but London also wants to get rid of the legal oversight of the EU's top court, something Brussels has set as a red line.

Issues over fish licenses have further complicated relations. Although fishing is a tiny industry economically for both Britain and France, the issue of boats access to waters that divide the two maritime powers has flared into a major irritant on top of the Northern Ireland issue.

France says Britain is breaking a commitment of the EU-U.K. trade agreement reached last year by not giving sufficient licenses to its Normandy fishermen seeking access to Crown dependencies Jersey and Guernsey. Britain says it still has insufficient proof some of the fishermen have historical rights to go there.

___

Follow APs coverage of post-Brexit developments at https://apnews.com/hub/Brexit
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A week after abruptly canceling plans to attend the United Nations climate summit in Scotland, California Gov. Gavin has receded from public view to deal with with unspecific family obligations.

When the surprising announcement was made Oct. 29, a spokesperson said Newsom planned to participate virtually in the conference this week. But the California delegations schedule at the meeting this week, released by the governors office, did not include Newsom.

Instead, the schedule included in-person appearances by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who Newsom tapped to lead the state delegation in his absence; Sam Aseffa, director of the Governors Office of Planning and Research; David Hochschild, chair of the California Energy Commission and California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot.

After the federal government late Tuesday authorized Pfziers coronavirus vaccine for emergency use for kids 5 to 11, California implemented what state officials deemed a robust vaccination program. Its the kind of announcement that Newsom typically makes in-person in front of TV cameras.

But the governors office announced the plan with an emailed news release. His last public appearance was Oct. 27, when he received a coronavirus booster shot.

Newsoms office did not respond to questions Friday about what the governor has been doing this week.

Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon said the governor will appear virtually at the U.N. conference next week.

The Governor will participate in a couple events next week focused on global efforts to advance zero emission vehicles and to move beyond oil, she said Thursday.

Newsom submitted some prerecorded remarks to a transit conference earlier this week and his office announced some appointments to state agencies and boards. He also posted a photo on his Instagram account with his wife and four children, aged 5 to 12, dressed as pirates on Halloween.

His Twitter account went dark from Oct. 28 until Tuesday, when he tweeted Election Day support to fellow Democratic Govs. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Terry McAuliffe of Virginia, who were seeking reelection. As the week went on, Newson's Twitter account was more active.

It's rare, but not unprecedented, for Newsom to go a whole week without some type of appearance. Such absences are usually explained, including when Newsom leaves the state for vacation.

In this case, the only statement from Newsom's office came Oct. 29 and referred to unspecified family obligations. No additional information about the family's circumstances has been released.

It's a relatively slow time in Sacramento as the state Legislature is not in session and won't meet again until January. Recent storms mean no major wildfires are burning out of control, as has been the case in recent years.

Kounalakis returned from Scotland on Thursday. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon will lead a second delegation of state lawmakers to Scotland next week for a series of meetings with world leaders and a tour of off-shore wind energy in Aberdeen, Scotland.
SACO, Maine (AP)  The federal government and a Maine school district have reached a voluntary agreement that seeks to avoid unnecessary use of restraint or seclusion of students.

The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights said Friday it reached the agreement with Saco schools. The agreement calls on the district to find ways to reduce involvement of a school resource officer in instances of school misconduct that could be handled by school personnel.
KOTA BATU, Indonesia (AP)  Flash floods from torrential rains on Indonesias main island of Java killed at least six people and three others were missing, officials said Friday.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said rivers on the slopes of Mount Arjuno overflowed their banks on Thursday and their muddy waters inundated five hamlets in Kota Batu, a city in East Java province. It said 15 people were swept away and six were later rescued.

The agency chief, Ganip Warsito, said heavy rains are expected to continue and increase until February, partly because of a La Nina weather pattern.

Rescuers retrieved a body near Brantas river basin late Thursday and five more bodies were found on Friday, said the agencys acting spokesperson Abdul Muhari in a statement. They are still searching for the three missing people, he said.

Relief efforts were hampered by blocked roads covered with thick mud and debris.

Photos and videos released by the agency showed a damaged bridge, and houses and cars covered in thick mud.

Authorities were beginning to evacuate people in affected areas to government shelters, Muhari said.

Severe flooding was also reported in other areas of the country but no casualties were reported, the agency said.

Seasonal rains frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains.

The latest major floods were in April, when Tropical Cyclone Seroja triggered landslides and flooding that killed at least 183 people on Indonesia's side of the Island of Timor, which the country shares with East Timor. Another 42 people were found dead on East Timor's side of the island. The cyclone damaged thousands of homes and thousands of people were displaced.
PARIS (AP)  A former security aide to French President Emmanuel Macron who triggered controversy by assaulting a protester at a 2018 May Day march was convicted Friday of illegal violence and other offenses and sentenced to a years imprisonment.

A Paris court found Alexandre Benalla, 30, guilty of deliberate violence in the 2018 incident in the capital, at which Macron was not present. He was also convicted of illegally carrying a gun at a 2017 Macron campaigning event, and illegal use of diplomatic passports after he left the presidents service.

Benalla received a three-year prison sentence  two years of which were suspended  and will be allowed to spend the remaining 12 months at his mothers home provided he wears an electronic tag.

Benallas actions, and the way Macrons office responded to them, had caused the French leaders first political crisis.

In withering comments, the courts judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said Benalla had displayed a sense of omnipotence and impunity ... sowed doubt concerning the leadership of the Elysee and damaged the image of the presidency.

At the heart of the controversy was Benallas murky role at the presidential Elysee Palace, where a police security contingent is charged with protecting the president. There was intense media coverage and a televised parliamentary inquiry put top Elysee officials, normally invisible to the public, at center stage.

Criticism centered on why the aide had used violence against the demonstrator in the May Day confrontation as police stood by watching. Benalla was allegedly at the demonstration as an observer.

It was war, Benalla told investigators, insisting that as an observer he had no intention of acting violently but intervened because it was his civic duty.

You cast shame on the job of a police officer, Prevost-Desprez said Friday, addressing Benalla in court.

At the end of 2018, the French press revealed that Benalla held two diplomatic passports, used for travel to African countries, after being dismissed from his job at the presidential palace.

Benalla did not speak during the sentencing, and he did not answer questions from reporters outside afterwards.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany's environmentalist Greens are signaling that negotiations to form a new governing coalition are progressing slowly and differences remain over climate policy.

The Greens last month entered negotiations with the center-left Social Democrats and the business-friendly Free Democrats on a new government after all three parties made gains in Germany's Sept. 26 election. The alliance, in which Social Democrat Olaf Scholz would become chancellor, would send outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc into opposition.

The parties said at the time that they hoped to have a coalition agreement ready at the end of November and have Scholz take office in the week beginning Dec. 6. But the Greens are raising questions over whether that timetable will hold.

The party's general secretary, Michael Kellner, told news agency dpa on Thursday that we are seeing too little progress at the moment as far as substance is concerned."

The Greens' co-leader, Annalena Baerbock, told RBB Inforadio on Friday that she can't say when a coalition agreement will be ready because it isn't yet clear when negotiations on several central issues will wrap up.

It doesn't come down to four days more or less in the talks  we must take the time we need so that we can really renew Germany in the next four years," she said.

It's no surprise that the negotiations, which outwardly have been unexpectedly harmonious, are proving tricky. The potential alliance brings together two traditionally left-leaning parties with one, the Free Democrats, that has tended to ally with the center-right.

A preliminary agreement last month left a lot of open questions. It called for Germany to accelerate its exit from coal-fueled power, currently due by 2038, so it ideally happens by 2030, and speed up drastically the expansion of renewable energy generation.

The prospective partners said they wont raise taxes or loosen curbs on running up debt, at the Free Democrats' insistence, making financing a central issue.

Baerbock wouldn't detail where exactly there are differences. But she said that protecting the climate must be a priority across the government, including policy areas such as construction and transport.

A climate government can't be carried by only one partner, Baerbock said.

-

Follow APs coverage of Germanys transition to a new government at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election
Truck driver Edward Durr Jr., R, has defeated New Jersey state Senate President Steve Sweeney in one of the most stunning Democratic losses in this year's elections.

The Associated Press called the race Thursday morning, with Durr taking 52% to Sweeney's 48%. The latest tally shows Durr with 32,497 votes to Sweeney's 30,268.

Durr has never held elective office and ran unsuccessfully for a state Assembly seat in 2019. In this year's campaign, Durr and his two state Assembly running mates raised a total of $17,400 and spent a little over $2,300, according to Politico New Jersey.

Hours after the race was called in his favor, Durr faced calls to resign over past social media posts in which he denigrated Muslims, described Islam as "a false religion" and played down the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

"Islamophobes and other bigots should not be in policy-making positions impacting the lives of Americans of all faiths and backgrounds. Mr. Durr should either renounce his hate-filled statements or resign from office," the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement.

On his bare-bones campaign website, Durr describes himself as "blue collar" and says he has been a commercial truck driver for 25 years. A Durr campaign video opens with the candidate stepping down from his truck and discussing the toll that coronavirus restrictions have taken on small businesses.

"The Senate president has spent 20 years in Trenton," Durr says of Sweeney in the video. "Higher taxes, increasing debt and a rising cost of living. We deserve better. New Jersey, it's time for a change. So together, let's end single-party rule."

The ad ends with Durr riding away on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Lisa Camooso Miller, a former New Jersey Republican operative, said the victory of a political unknown such as Durr shows that Democrats had vastly misjudged the mood of voters in the district.

"That's a race of anybody-but-Steve Sweeney," Miller said of Durr's win. "That, to me, is a reflexive response. If there were nobody but a write-in, a write-in could have been more successful [than Sweeney], perhaps."

The Durr and Sweeney campaigns did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Washington Post. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sweeney said in a statement Thursday that he was not yet conceding the race.

"The results from Tuesday's election continue to come in, for instance there were 12,000 ballots recently found in one county," Sweeney said. "While I am currently trailing in the race, we want to make sure every vote is counted. Our voters deserve that, and we will wait for the final results."

In a Fox News Channel interview Wednesday night, Durr seemed somewhat unprepared when asked what his first task will be when he gets to the state Capitol in Trenton. "Uh, I really don't know," Durr said. "That's the key factor. I don't know what I don't know, so I will learn what I need to know. And I'm going to guarantee you one thing - I will be the voice, and people will hear me." He added: "If there's one thing people will learn about me, I got a big mouth, and I don't shut up. When I want to be heard, I will be heard."

Among the social media posts that circulated Thursday afternoon was a September 2019 Twitter post in which Durr said, "Mohammed was a pedophile! Islam is a false religion! Only fools follow muslim teachings! It is a cult of hate!" The post was still online as of Thursday evening.

In a May 2019 tweet, Durr responded to a Ramadan message from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) by claiming the governor "panders" to Muslims. The tweets were first reported by WNYC.

In its statement calling on Durr to resign, CAIR also pointed to a Facebook post in which Durr called the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol "not an insurrection . . . (but) an unauthorized entry by undocumented federal employers!"

Sweeney, 62, was first elected to the state Senate in 2001, defeating a longtime Republican incumbent, and has been state Senate president since 2010. He has easily won his reelection bids, often by double digits, and is widely considered one of the most powerful Democrats in the state.

In 2016, he considered a run for governor but announced that he would instead seek reelection to the state Senate, citing Gov. Phil Murphy's success at consolidating support among influential state Democrats.

State senators in New Jersey are elected on a "2-4-4" cycle, with a two-year term at the beginning of each decade followed by two four-year terms, meaning that Durr will be up for reelection in 2023.

In his campaign appearances, Durr frequently argued that Murphy and other state Democrats had stripped residents of their rights by imposing an array of restrictions during the pandemic.

"Our legislature sat by and allowed this to take place without one word out of the Senate president or the speaker," Durr told a conservative YouTube interviewer shortly before the election. "They forfeited any right to reelection."

New Jersey's 3rd Senate District sits at the far-southwest part of the state. It includes all of Salem County and parts of Cumberland and Gloucester counties.

Despite the shock waves that Durr's win sent across the political landscape, there have been signs in recent years that the area - and much of South Jersey - is tilting further to the right.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew, whose congressional district includes much of Sweeney's state Senate district, was elected as a Democrat in 2018 but announced a year later that he was joining the Republican Party, in large part due to his opposition to President Donald Trump's impeachment.

Trump later headlined a campaign rally for Van Drew in the state, and the lawmaker went on to win reelection in 2020, defeating Democrat Amy Kennedy by six percentage points.

President Barack Obama won Van Drew's district by eight percentage points in 2012, but Trump won the district in 2016 and 2020.

- - -

The Washington Post's David Weigel and Paul Kane contributed to this report.
A Dona Ana County grand jury has indicted a New Mexico man on a murder charge in a fatal shooting during an altercation last month in Las Cruces.

District Attorney Gerald Byers said Friday that Tyler Williams has been charged with first-degree murder and assault with a handgun in the Oct. 19 death of Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz died at the scene.
PHOENIX (AP)  Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs presented herself Thursday as an advocate for government efficiency, striking a centrist tone as she ramps up her campaign for Arizona governor in the wake of losses in Virginia that spooked Democrats around the country.

Hobbs has made a national name for herself as a critic of the 2020 ballot review led by Donald Trump supporters on behalf of Arizona legislative Republicans, decrying conspiracy theories suggesting Trump lost because of fraud. But she has been less vocal about others issues in the race so far.
RICHMOND, Va (AP)  Republican Glenn Youngkin spent months talking to voters about his plans to roll back Democrats' left, liberal, progressive agenda." When he takes office in January as Virginia's next governor, he'll need to talk to Senate Democrats about that.

Youngkin's victory was part of a Republican sweep that saw the GOP retake Virginia's two other statewide offices and Democrats concede control of the state House. But in the Senate, where no one was up for election this year, Democrats will still have a narrow majority.

Were the Senate Democratic Alamo, said one Democratic member, Scott Surovell.

Days after Youngkin's defeat of Terry McAuliffe, a former governor and longtime Democratic Party fundraiser, conversations in Richmond pivoted from campaign rhetoric to rosy talk of bipartisanship, with elected officials in both parties expressing hope that next years legislative session will provide opportunity to find common ground. Youngkin is reaching out by phone to Democrats and Republicans and planning to meet with Senate lawmakers at a finance retreat later this month, according to Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment. He also joined outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam for lunch, and gave public remarks suggesting he might turn to the Democrat with questions.

He said during the campaign he was going to govern in a bipartisan manner. His campaign was all about unifying Virginians under a specific vision for the future, and he intends to fulfill that promise, said Devin OMalley, a Youngkin spokesman.

Youngkin did position himself during the campaign as a unifier who would transcend the nation's partisan rancor. But he also selectively engaged with the news media, sought to avoid specifics on controversial issues such as abortion and gun control and spent months refusing to acknowledge that President Joe Biden had been legitimately elected, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats.

In a statement Friday, the state's Democratic Party chairwoman, Susan Swecker, said the fight for Virginia's future has begun.

Youngkin has made a handful of appearances in the news media  including with Fox News host Tucker Carlson  but has not held a formal news conference to take a wide range of questions. In a statement after election night, he struck a conciliatory tone, thanking his supporters and saying to those who voted differently, "Thank you for fighting for what you believe in. I look forward to coming together and earning your support over the next four years.

The former private equity executive and first-time candidate campaigned on what he called a Day One game plan, most of which cannot be enacted on his first day because it will need legislative approval.

It includes a wide range of tax cuts, including the elimination of the state's grocery tax, a 12-month suspension of the gas tax and one-time rebates. His platform also calls for boosting funding for law enforcement, raising teacher pay, opening new charter schools, restoring the requirement to show a photo ID to vote, and banning critical race theory, which holds that racism is systemic in Americas institutions. It is not being taught currently in any of the U.S.'s K-12 public schools, according to the The National School Boards Association.

Youngkin, who is independently wealthy and has pledged to donate the salary he receives as governor to charity, set up a transition office in a state government building this week. He told a conservative radio host that Jeff Goettman, a top campaign staffer and former official in the Department of the Treasury under President Donald Trump, would chair his transition. Inauguration Day is Jan. 15.

OMalley said Youngkin visited a food bank and a mosque Friday and was making his way through an extensive, bipartisan call list. He declined comment on whether Youngkin had been in touch with Dominion Energy, a powerful player at the state Capitol that drew the candidate's ire after it backed a secretive anti-Youngkin political action committee.

No other details about key staffers or Cabinet members were immediately announced.

Dick Saslaw, the Senate majority leader, said he had a very nice, friendly call with Youngkin that didn't veer into policy.

There could be a common ground on education, there could be a common ground on the environment. There could be a common ground on so many things. Well just have to wait and see, Saslaw said.

With just a 21-19 majority in the Senate  where newly elected Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears will cast tie-breaking votes  Democrats can't afford a single defector if they want to block a bill.

That reality has sharpened a focus on two Democratic members, Joe Morrissey  a Catholic who personally opposes abortion  and Chap Petersen, a moderate from northern Virginia. The two not infrequently vote against their caucus on a range of issues. But the GOP also has a few members who buck party-line votes.

The field may lend itself to bipartisan cooperation," said Republican Sen. Richard Stuart, who sometimes votes with an independent streak of his own.

Morrissey and Petersen have drawn comparisons to U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have forced cutbacks to President Joe Biden's sweeping policy initiatives. But several Democrats said that comparison was overblown and the caucus would stick together. Saslaw was adamant there would be no outright party-switching.

Morrissey said he would not vote for a Texas-style abortion law and sees the Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a womans right to an abortion as part of the fabric of the country. But he also said there has to be middle ground, implying that he would consider some restrictions.

He also expressed some skepticism about how long the post-election honeymoon period would last.

At the beginning of every session, everything is kumbaya, everyone holding hands, then it often takes about one week for the bipartisan divides to be created, Morrissey said. Its important for moderates on both sides to bridge those gaps.

Todd Gilbert, the House minority leader and a contender for speaker, said in a news conference that his caucus's priority will be education. While The Associated Press has not yet called each contested House race, Democrats conceded control Friday night.

He said Republicans will be focused on tweaking, not scrapping, a recently enacted marijuana legalization bill. Asked whether the GOP will seek to reinstate restrictions on abortion that Democrats rolled back when they were in full control of state government, he suggested that issue wouldn't be a focus.

Gilbert predicted the House and Senate might actually have a smoother relationship than when the Democrats controlled his chamber. The two groups of Democrats often spoke disparagingly of one another, and the House routinely pushed through bills, only for the more moderate Senate to spike them.

I think were going to get along fine from an institutional standpoint, Gilbert said.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  With Indianas state tax collections surging, a top Republican legislator is looking at possible significant changes to the state sales tax and cutting property taxes for some businesses.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Tim Brown hasnt offered details yet for what he could propose for the new legislative session starting in January, but such changes face concerns over the possibility of an economic slowdown and the impact on funding for local governments and school districts.

Topics in Browns sights include expanding Indianas 7% sales tax that covers merchandise purchases ranging from clothing to cars so that it also is charged for spending on services, which potentially could be anything from haircuts to hospital stays. Brown said his aim would be to lower the sales tax rate if it was applied to a broader range of spending.

Brown points to a trend of more spending on services, which federal reports show now make up nearly 70% of consumer spending.

Our sales tax base is changing a lot, so I am interested in looking at sales tax and sales tax affects everybody, Brown said. It doesnt matter how much money you make, you pay sales tax.

About a dozen states have extended their sales taxes for many services, but such moves have faced debates over which ones are appropriate to tax, said Purdue University economist Larry DeBoer, who has studied Indiana tax policy for more than 30 years.

It would be difficult to collect a significant amount from taxing services without it covering areas such as housing costs, including rent payments, and medical and legal expenses. Those areas account for more than half of services spending, according to federal reports.

When you start looking at the individual things youd have to tax, youre going to come up against some very powerful interest groups and some very powerful ethical arguments, DeBoer said.

Any tax debate in the Legislature would come as the state is flush with cash.

State government saw overall tax revenue grow 14% during the last budget year as collections bounced back stronger than expected from the COVID-19 pandemic recession, pushing its cash reserves to $3.9 billion as of June 30. Tax revenue has kept growing, with the state collecting about $560 million, or 10%, more than expected during the four-month span through October.

Brown also has his eye on property taxes charged on business equipment. The Legislature has exempted thousands of small businesses from the equipment tax in recent years, but it still makes up about 17% of all property taxes that primarily go to city and county governments and school districts.

Despite Indiana having cut its corporate tax rate from 8.5% to 4.9% over the past decade, Brown said the equipment tax is a burden on businesses that many other states dont have.

Republican Sen. Ryan Mishler, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, raised skepticism on whether more business tax reductions are needed as the top concerns he hears from business leaders are about the education and availability of workers.

Mishler said the state needed to stay prepared for any economic troubles.

With the national trends of increasing the fuel prices, the supply shortage, the increase in prices, I think were in for a downturn in the economy, Mishler said during a recent Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute program.

Local government leaders worry about a possible loss of tax revenue if major changes are made to the equipment tax. Reductions to that tax could mean higher property taxes for residential homeowners unless the legislators find another revenue source for local governments and schools.

Changes to the minimum depreciation levels set by the state for the equipment tax could make a big difference at factories being considered for upgrades, said Andrew Berger, senior vice president of the Indiana Manufacturers Association.

Elimination of that minimum level could mean about $300 million a year in lower tax bills for businesses, according to a report prepared for the 2021 legislative session. That makes up about one-fifth of the $1.4 billion raised by the equipment tax.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb hasn't weighed in on whether he'll support any tax changes, with his office saying he's awaiting updated state tax revenue projections coming out in December.

Democrats are suggesting the states revenue growth should go toward steps such as increasing the decade-old $3,000 annual limit on tax deductions for renters, greater tax breaks for student loan interest and allowing tax deductions for dependent and child care expenses.

Previous policies have given generous tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations, said Democratic Rep. Greg Porter of Indianapolis. New policies should be friendlier to working families who are the backbone of the states economy.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to protest against a Jewish womens group that holds monthly prayers there in a long-running campaign for gender equality at the site.

For decades the Women of the Wall group has campaigned for equality of worship at the wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites. Israels religious institutions are dominated by the ultra-Orthodox, who are opposed to any changes at the site, where men and women pray in separate areas.

The dispute has sharpened since the swearing-in of a new government in June pushed Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties into the opposition. A newly elected lawmaker who is also a Reform rabbi has used his parliamentary immunity to bring Torah scrolls into the women's section in defiance of rules enforced by the ultra-Orthodox administrators of the site.

Police set up metal barricades and deployed in large numbers to hold back the mostly male protesters, who blew whistles and occasionally surged forward only to be pushed back. The women carried empty mantles used to cloak Torah scrolls to protest the prohibition on bringing the scrolls themselves into the women's section.

Anat Hoffman, the founder of the group, said they are fighting for equality and religious pluralism and justice.

We cannot read from the Torah in the womens section in 2021, she said. Why not? Why the hell not?

Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right member of parliament who often makes provocative appearances at Jerusalem protests, approached the barricades with his entourage and argued with one of the women shouting, "dont harm the Western Wall. He left minutes later, as supporters of the women replied, Ben Gvir go home!

The protests were called for by ultra-Orthodox leaders, including Aryeh Deri, head of the Shas party. In a tweet on Friday that was shared by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Deri called on his supporters to come out so that heaven forbid this holy place is not desecrated.

Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi and newly elected parliament member from the center-left Labor party, had planned to bring a Torah scroll into the site for the women to use but called off his visit at the request of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who sought to prevent conflict at the site.

Netanyahu had shelved plans for an egalitarian prayer space at the wall in 2017 under pressure from the ultra-Orthodox parties who are politically allied with him.

The move infuriated adherents of more liberal strains of Judaism to which most Jews in North America adhere. The dispute has been a major point of friction between the two largest Jewish communities in the world, in Israel and the United States.

In Israel, ultra-Orthodox rabbis tightly control Jewish practices including weddings, divorces, and burials, viewing it as their responsibility to preserve traditions that have endured centuries of persecution and assimilation. They continually resist calls for reforms from liberals, often deeming them second-class Jews who ordain women and members of the LGBTQ community and are overly accepting towards converts and interfaith marriages.
JERUSALEM (AP)  A confidential Israeli dossier detailing alleged links between Palestinian human rights groups and an internationally designated terrorist organization contains little concrete evidence and failed to convince European countries to stop funding the groups.

The 74-page document appears to have been prepared by Israel's Shin Bet internal security service and shared with European governments in May. The Associated Press obtained the document from the online +972 Magazine, which was the first to report on it, along with the Hebrew-language Local Call. Israel may have additional evidence that has not been made public.

Last month, Israel designated six Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist groups, saying they were tied to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a secular, leftist political movement with an armed wing that has carried out deadly attacks against Israelis. Israel and Western countries consider the PFLP a terrorist organization.

But Israel has yet to take further action against the groups, which operate openly in the occupied West Bank. The Defense Ministry and the Shin Bet did not respond to requests for comment.

The six groups, some of which have close ties to rights groups in Israel and abroad, deny the allegations. They say the terror designation is aimed at muzzling critics of Israel's half-century military occupation of territories the Palestinians want for their future state.

The designated groups are the Al-Haq human rights group, the Addameer rights group, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Palestinian Womens Committees and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees.

The dossier relies almost entirely on the interrogation of Said Abedat and Amru Hamudeh, who worked as accountants for the Union of Health Committees, a separate group which was outlawed in January 2020. Both were reportedly fired in 2019 for embezzling funds, and were later detained by the Shin Bet. Their lawyers could not be reached for comment.

Neither appears to have ever worked for the six organizations outlawed last month.

In redacted excerpts from their interrogation by Israeli authorities, they allege that the six organizations are PFLP branches but do not provide any evidence beyond naming a handful of alleged PFLP members employed by the groups. They suggest that some of the employees forge receipts to siphon away donor funds, but do not provide proof or say where the money went.

Speaking about the Union of Agricultural Work Committees  one of the six  Abedat is quoted as saying, as far as I know, this organization affiliates to the PFLP." His "estimation is that the same printing company that helped him forge invoices also helped the other group.

Even when describing his own work in diverting funds to the PFLP, Abedat makes no mention of militant activities. We funded PFLP activities such as university activities, funding of the injured and sick for the PFLP, funding of families of martyrs and prisoners from the PFLP, he is quoted as saying.

Israel says the PFLP and other armed groups use such activities to recruit and indoctrinate members, and to provide financial support to militants and their families.

The dossier also details several forged invoices, all from the Union of Health Committees. In one instance, Abedat says: I estimate that this money went to PFLP activities." In the others, it's either unclear where the money went, or Abedat says it was used to cover the UHC's debts.

Several European officials have expressed skepticism about the allegations.

In a letter to Dutch lawmakers on May 12, caretaker Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag said new Israeli information on two Palestinian organizations that were indirectly funded by the Netherlands offers no concrete evidence of links with the PFLP."

Kaag acknowledged that two former employees of the UAWC who had received salaries from a Dutch-funded project were suspected in a deadly August 2019 bombing in the occupied West Bank that was blamed on the PFLP. She said the government had already suspended funding for that project pending an independent investigation.

Belgium's development minister told a parliamentary commission in July that her government also investigated Israeli information received in May but found "no concrete material evidence for possible fraud at the partner organizations.

The minister, Meryame Kitir, said the government had also examined annual audits of the groups carried out by international firms like Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers without finding any irregularities.

"I therefore see no reason today to freeze funds, nor to have additional external investigations carried out," she said.

Last month, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney expressed concern about the terrorism designation, saying previous allegations against Palestinian civil society organizations supported by Ireland and the EU have not been substantiated.

Shin Bet officials traveled to Washington last week to brief U.S. officials on the terrorism designation. They shared a summary of their presentation with the AP that largely matched the dossier, including excerpts from the same interrogations, but may have shared other evidence that was classified. State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to comment on those discussions or say whether the United States shares Israels assessment of the Palestinian groups.

NGO Monitor, a pro-Israel group that researches Palestinian nongovernmental organizations, says it has identified 13  including the six targeted with the terror designation and the previously outlawed UHC that together have employed more than 70 individuals with PFLP ties.

Gerald Steinberg, the head of NGO Monitor, said Israel trained its attention on the purported network after the August 2019 attack, which killed a 17-year-old Israeli girl, and appears to be building its case.

The HWC was the first one. Theyre looking to see where the money comes from," he told the AP. We identify organizations with sometimes 10, 11, 12 individuals in senior positions, in many cases the accountants, the treasurers, the board members."

Critics say pro-Israel groups aim to discredit Palestinian rights activists in order to shield Israel from criticism in world bodies like the International Criminal Court, which opened an investigation in March into alleged Israeli war crimes. Israel is deeply opposed to the investigation, and views the ICC and other international organizations as biased against it.

Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli lawyer who often represents Palestinians, said the dossier amounts to absolutely nothing" when it comes to the six organizations. He is providing legal representation to one of the six, Al-Haq, a human rights group founded in 1979 that gets only a passing mention in the dossier.

Sfard said the two detainees cannot be considered reliable witnesses, and that even if their statements are taken at face value, they don't prove anything.

Its all guilt by association. Even if it is true that people who work in certain organizations are PFLP operatives, it does not follow that the organization itself is part of the PFLP," he said.

"On all levels, this document in fact shows how weak the whole case against these six organizations is, he added.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report.
TOKYO (AP)  Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi on Friday said Japan will step up military cooperation with Germany in the Indo-Pacific region as he welcomed a port call by the first German warship to visit Japan in about 20 years.

The frigate Bayern is visiting Tokyo after two days of joint exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Samidare in the Pacific Ocean amid increasingly assertive maritime activities by China in the region.

The ship's visit is an important turning point in pursuing a free and open Indo-Pacific and secure one of the world's most important shipping lanes, Kishi said after inspecting the frigate with German officials.

"It shows Germany's strong commitment to actively contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, he said.

The frigate left Germany in August for deployment in the Indo-Pacific as part of the countrys recent shift to the region and follows similar moves by other European countries including Britain, France and the Netherlands. Warships from those countries recently conducted joint naval exercises in the East and South China seas.

Germany adopted a defense guideline last year focusing on the Indo-Pacific region and has since stepped up its military ties with Japan. The two sides signed an agreement in March on the protection of classified information exchanges, and held their first security talks involving defense and foreign ministers in June.

The Indo-Pacific is today one of the strategically most important regions of the world," Gen. Eberhard Zorn, chief of Germanys armed forces, said at a joint news conference with Kishi. "Here important decisions over freedom, peace and wellbeing in the world are being made. Deploying our frigate to the Indo-Pacific makes clear that Germany stands up for our common values.

China, which claims most of the disputed South China Sea as well as Japanese-held islands in the East China Sea, has defended its growing maritime activities and says it has the right to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

Japanese officials say Chinese vessels routinely violate Japanese territorial waters around the islands in the East China Sea, sometimes threatening fishing boats.

Zorn said the Bayern has conducted small-scale exercises with the militaries of eight countries since leaving Germany and made port calls at various locations including Guam and Australia.

Beginning in mid-November, the Bayern will conduct monitoring and surveillance under a U.N. Security Council resolution of maritime activities by North Korean ships, including possible ship-to-ship transfers of banned cargoes in regional seas.

___

Associated Press journalists Chisato Tanaka and Hiromi Tanoue contributed to this report.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida's ban on coronavirus mask mandates in the state's schools will stay in effect after a judge on Friday dismissed a challenge to the rule from several school districts.

Administrative Judge Brian A. Newman rejected the case from school officials in Miami-Dade, Leon, Duval, Orange, Broward, and Alachua counties, finding that the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis was within its authority to impose the rule.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A Kansas City woman who told police she shot and killed three people because she was "a bad person has been convicted in their deaths.

Lynnsey D. Jones, 37, was convicted Thursday of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of armed criminal action, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said in a news release.
LEBANON, Ky. (AP)  A deputy and a male suspect were both hospitalized after a shooting in central Kentucky, police said.

The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is investigating circumstances of Thursday's shooting involving a Marion County Sheriff's deputy, state police said in a statement. Details of the shooting weren't released.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Two lawsuits are challenging Alabama's newly approved congressional map, arguing it unlawfully dilutes the voting strength of African Americans with one majority-minority district out of seven.

An organization announced a lawsuit Thursday on the same day that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed the new congressional, legislative and school board districts into law. A previously filed lawsuit by two state senators and several voters was also updated Thursday to challenge the new map.

Alabama lawmakers this week approved a congressional map expected to maintain the current partisan balance: the seven-member congressional delegation with six Republicans elected from heavily white districts and one Democrat elected from the only majority-white district. Alabama has a population that is about 26% Black.

A lawsuit backed by an organization aligned with a Democratic group says the plan violates the Voting Rights Act because it strategically cracks and packs Alabamas Black communities, diluting Black voting strength and confining Black voting power to one majority-Black district.

The lawsuit was supported by the National Redistricting Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which is led by Eric Holder, who was attorney general under President Barack Obama.

It is the second lawsuit filed over the issue. A pending lawsuit filed by two lawmakers and four voters argues the state should have two districts, where Black voters might have an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

Today, the Voting Rights Act no longer requires maintenance of a majority-black Congressional District in Alabama. To the contrary, the state cannot rely on the Voting Rights Act to justify splitting county boundaries when Districts drawn without racial gerrymandering provide Black voters constituting less than a majority, combined with reliably supportive white voters, an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice, lawyers wrote in an amended complaint.

During the recent special session, Republicans voted down Democratic efforts to create one swing congressional district with a significant centered in Birmingham that would be competitive between Republicans and Democrats. The swing district would have a population that is 40% Black.

Republicans have maintained the approved maps comply with the Voting Rights Act and related court rulings.

Im ready to defend these maps in court," said Republican Sen. Jim McClendon, the co-chairman of the redistricting committee.

McClendon argued the maps could not be drawn with two majority Black districts Republican Rep. Chris Pringle, the other co-chair of the redistricting committee, argued that having two districts  where African Americans were a significant portion of the population but under 50%  could do the opposite of what Democrats want by making them more competitive for Republicans.
STANDISH, Maine (AP)  The boyfriend of a woman found dead in June was arrested Friday after being indicted on a murder charge, officials said.

Brandon Libby, 34, of Standish, was taken into custody without incident in Hollis by the state police tactical team and U.S. marshals, officials said.
CATSKILL, N.Y. (AP)  An upstate New York man was in grave condition at a hospital after police used a Taser to subdue him and he burst into flames, authorities said Friday.

The Times Union of Albany reported that 29-year-old man walked into the Catskill village police department last weekend and got into a confrontation with officers. Chief Dave Darling confirmed to the newspaper that officers deployed a Taser to subdue the man, who had just doused himself with hand sanitizer, and the man then burst into flames.
WISNER, La. (AP)  A man suspected of killing three people in the northwest Louisiana city of Shreveport was shot and killed hours later by state police after holing up at an apartment in northeast Louisiana and firing at local sheriff's deputies, authorities said Friday.

Barry Rigsby, 36, was killed Thursday afternoon in Franklin Parish. Authorities were searching for him in connection with the deaths of his wife, Adriana Perry Rigsby, 29; her son, Xavier Perry, 12; and her brother, Joshua Perry, 18. The three were found dead in the home they had shared with Rigsby in Shreveport's Cedar Grove area, according to news outlets.
DARIEN, Wis. (AP)  Two Wisconsin manufacturers are among those suing to block the Biden administration from instituting COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private-sector workers.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty filed the lawsuit Thursday on behalf of Darien-based Tankcraft Corp. and Plasticraft Corp.

The lawsuit challenges the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations new vaccine-or-test mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees. Companies that do not comply face penalties of more than $13,000 per violation, or more than $136,000 for a willful violation.

"The order is unconscionable. OSHA does not know how to run our companies. We do, said Steve Fettig, Secretary and Treasurer of Tankcraft and Plasticraft. OSHA does not know how to keep our employees safe. We do. And we have done so successfully since the start of the pandemic without the interference of a federal bureaucracy. We respect our employees fundamental right to make their own private, difficult medical choices.

The two companies say they had to decide between two impossible choices. If they imposed the mandate, they will lose employees who do not wish to be vaccinated or tested weekly and precious days of productivity due to testing, vaccinations, and vaccine side effects, the lawsuit said.

The conservative law firm filed the suit with the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Department belongs to the town of Ekalaka, according to a Montana Supreme Court decision that follows a dispute between the department and town officials.

The Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Department incorporated in 2016 after disagreements with officials in the town of about 300 people near the Montana-South Dakota border.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP)  The Navajo Nation on Thursday reported 103 more COVID-19 cases and five deaths.

It marked just the 13th time in the last 36 days that the tribe has recorded a coronavirus-related death.

The latest numbers pushed the tribes totals to 37,154 confirmed COVID-19 cases from the virus since the pandemic began more than a year ago.

The known death toll now us at 1,493.

Based on cases from Oct. 15-28, the Navajo Department of Health issued an advisory for 58 communities due to uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.

The vaccines for 5-to-11-year-old children will also soon be available once doses are distributed and ready to administer, tribal President Jonathan Nez said in a statement Thursday. The individual choices we make each day ultimately determine the number of new infections. We dont want to lose any more of our Navajo people to this virus.

The tribes reservation is the countrys largest at 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) and covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan formally accepted new congressional and state legislative maps from a panel on Friday that he plans to propose to the legislature. The governor also signed a proclamation for a Dec. 6 special session of the General Assembly to approve new districts for the state's eight congressional seats.

Legislative leaders, who petitioned Hogan to call the special session earlier in the day, created a separate panel months ago that is still working on its maps.

Because Democrats in the legislature hold a veto-proof majority, they ultimately control the redistricting process, but Hogan is using his unique position as a Republican governor during a Maryland redistricting cycle to call for taking politicians out of the process of drawing district lines.

At a news conference, Hogan said he will be submitting the maps produced by the panel he created. The commission had nine members, including three Democrats, three Republicans and three independents.

Their focus has been on fairness, transparency and accountability, and these maps actually respect natural boundaries and the geographic integrity of our jurisdictions, communities and neighborhoods," Hogan said.

Unlike past Maryland governors, Hogan said he kept himself out of the process of drawing new district lines.

I chose not to draw my own maps but to submit the ones from this esteemed citizen panel," Hogan said.

Over the past seven months, the commission has held 36 public meetings with more than 4,000 attendees. It provided an online mapping application portal for the public to submit maps  and a total of 86 maps were sent in for consideration.

Marylands congressional map has repeatedly been criticized and challenged in court for being unfairly drawn to benefit Democrats. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, Democrats hold a 7-1 advantage over the GOP in the states eight U.S. House seats.

Before Maryland last redrew the state's congressional districts a decade ago under Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, Democrats held a 6-2 advantage over Republicans. The state's western Maryland district was changed significantly, and Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett was defeated in 2012 by Democrat John Delaney, leaving Rep. Andy Harris as the lone Republican congressman in the state.

One of the most notable differences in the map Hogan is supporting would make the western Maryland district resemble what it once was with more Republican voters.

The governor has repeatedly proposed legislation to reform redistricting by taking politicians out of the process and putting it in the hands of a nonpartisan board, but the measure has never advanced.

For decades, Hogan said, Maryland's political powerbrokers have largely dominated the process, "rigging the system to eliminate competition by concentrating one partys voters as much as possible while segregating another partys voters into a larger number of districts.

This is exactly the kind of formula that leaves people to doubt whether their democracy is truly working for them," Hogan said.

House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, said lawmakers will look at what the governor presents. She also noted that the panel she and Senate President Bill Ferguson are on is still working and receiving input from the public. The panel includes several other state lawmakers, including two Republicans.

We havent finished our process yet," Jones said Friday.

The congressional map that ultimately ends up getting approved by the legislature would be subject to the governors veto, which would take a three-fifths vote to override.

If we thought the maps were unfair, I would veto them," Hogan said. "We would try to sustain the veto. If they overrode the veto, I think theyd probably be sued.

Maps also are being proposed for the 188 seats in the General Assembly. The governor will propose that map on the first day of the regular legislative session on Jan. 12. Lawmakers will then have 45 days to either accept that map or create an alternative.

The once-a-decade redistricting process is taking place because of the release of 2020 census data showing how populations have changed in neighborhoods, cities and counties since 2010.

____

This version corrects word Democrats to Republicans in 10th paragraph.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  The astronauts who will depart the International Space Station on Sunday will be stuck using diapers on the way home because of their capsule's broken toilet.

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur described the situation Friday as suboptimal" but manageable. She and her three crewmates will spend 20 hours in their SpaceX capsule, from the time the hatches are closed until Monday morning's planned splashdown.

Spaceflight is full of lots of little challenges, she said during a news conference from orbit. This is just one more that well encounter and take care of in our mission. So were not too worried about it."

After a series of meetings Friday, mission managers decided to bring McArthur and the rest of her crew home before launching their replacements. That SpaceX launch already had been delayed more than a week by bad weather and an undisclosed medical issue involving one of the crew.

SpaceX is now targeting liftoff for Wednesday night at the earliest.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who will return with McArthur, told reporters that the past six months have been intense up there. The astronauts conducted a series of spacewalks to upgrade the station's power grid, endured inadvertent thruster firings by docked Russian vehicles that sent the station into brief spins, and hosted a private Russian film crew  a space station first.

They also had to deal with the toilet leak, pulling up panels in their SpaceX capsule and discovering pools of urine. The problem was first noted during SpaceX's private flight in September, when a tube came unglued and spilled urine beneath the floorboards. SpaceX fixed the toilet on the capsule awaiting liftoff, but deemed the one in orbit unusable.

Engineers determined that the capsule had not been structurally compromised by the urine and was safe for the ride back. The astronauts will have to rely on what NASA describes as absorbent undergarments.

On the culinary side, the astronauts grew the first chile peppers in space  a nice moral boost, according to McArthur. They got to sample their harvest in the past week, adding pieces of the green and red peppers to tacos.

They have a nice spiciness to them, a little bit of a lingering burn," she said. "Some found that more troublesome than others.

Also returning with McArthur and Pesquet: NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. SpaceX launched them to the space station on April 23. Their capsule is certified for a maximum 210 days in space, and with Friday marking their 196th day aloft, NASA is eager to get them back as soon as possible.

One American and two Russians will remain on the space station following their departure. While it would be better if their replacements arrived first  in order to share tips on living in space  Kimbrough said the remaining NASA astronaut will fill in the newcomers.

___

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.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida has left so much debris along Louisianas eastern coast that shrimpers there may limit trawl times rather than using escape hatches for sea turtles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday.

A NOAA Fisheries investigation found that the debris is impeding effective use of turtle excluder devices, also known as TEDs, along more than half of the coast, the agency said.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  Three officers at a North Carolina jail were assaulted by an inmate who they were trying to move to a disciplinary unit away from the general population, the sheriff's office said.

The three officers were attempting to move 39-year-old inmate Eric Henderson to the detention unit at the Mecklenburg County jail on Tuesday, The Charlotte Observer reported. Henderson refused to heed the officers' commands and stabbed one of them with homemade weapons, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office said.
BANGKOK (AP)  Testimony by prosecution witnesses on Friday in the case of Danny Fenster, a U.S. journalist who has been detained in Myanmar for more than five months, established that official records did not accurately reflect where he was employed, his lawyer said.

The point may be crucial because it appears that Fenster is being prosecuted for alleged offenses by a news outlet at least seven months after he stopped working for the outlet. Authorities have not clearly described what Fenster is accused of doing and his trial is closed to the media and the public.

Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport May 24 as he was about to board a flight to go to the Detroit area in the United States to see his family. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, an online news magazine based in Yangon, Myanmars biggest city.

He has been charged with incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison.

Fenster was also accused of violating the Unlawful Associations Act for contacting opposition groups that were declared illegal by Myanmars military-installed government. The offense carries a penalty of two to three years' imprisonment.

An additional charge of violating visa conditions that is punishable by six months to five years' imprisonment was added this week.

Fensters lawyer, Than Zaw Aung, said prosecution witnesses, including police officers, testified under cross-examination on Friday that a letter from the Information Ministry declared that the publishing license of Myanmar Now, another online news site, contained Fensters name in its list of editors. The license was originally valid for a period lasting from 2015 to 2025.

Both Myanmar Now and Frontier Myanmar have issued statements saying that Fenster worked as a reporter and copy editor for Myanmar Now until July 2020 and that he joined Frontier Myanmar the following month.

The witnesses said that Danny is in charge of Myanmar Now according to a letter from the Information Ministry. They testified in this way as Dannys name is included in a letter sent by the Information Ministry. I dont know why his name is on the list, Than Zaw Aung told The Associated Press.

Last month, the judge said Fenster had been sought in connection with activities by Myanmar Now together with its chief editor, Ko Swe Win, according to Fensters lawyer.

The judge also told Fenster that after Myanmar Now's license was revoked in March of this year, the news outlet defied authorities by continuing to post stories about organizations opposed to the military takeover, Fenster's lawyer said.

Fenster is among about 100 journalists who have been detained since February, when the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. About 30 remain in jail.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price urged Myanmars government on Thursday to immediately release Fenster.

"His detention, the detention of so many others, its a sad reminder of the continuing human rights and humanitarian crisis facing the country of Burma, facing the Burmese, but also facing foreign nationals, including Americans, who happen to be in Burma. Price said, referring to Myanmar by its old name.



This version corrects that the visa violation charge was added this week, not last month.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  A man apparently killed his wife and his teenage daughter before killing himself in their Orlando condominium, police said.

During a news conference on Friday, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said the woman, 48, was originally from Spain and her husband, 53, was from Venezuela. Their daughter was 16 and attended an Orlando high school.

Rolon said the family had recently moved to Florida from New Jersey, and that the man had kept their whereabouts unknown to the woman's family.

The chief said that the woman's family in Spain had conducted an investigation and learned the family was living in Orlando, where they asked a cousin to check on them. When they got no answer at the condo, they contacted police.

Officers responding to the home saw a body through the window, Rolon said. Inside they found all three, dead for a few days.

Det. Teresa Sprague told the Orlando Sentinel that police had no prior calls to the familys residence. She said signs of potentially lethal domestic violence often go unreported, and children may not recognize abuse as abnormal.

If you feel as though one of your parents is living in fear, or you yourself are living in fear, or you and your siblings are living in fear, I want you to reach out to either someone in your school  a teacher, a dean, a principal, a counselor  or maybe even the parent of a friend of yours, she said. Please let someone know that you are living in fear in your home.
The spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians was released from a New York hospital on Friday and was expected to fly home to Turkey on Sunday after the completion of a U.S. visit that was extended for a medical procedure.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople spent two nights in Mount Sinai Medical Center after having a stent installed to open up a clogged coronary artery.

Bartholomew, 81, had originally been scheduled to return home Wednesday at the end of a 12-day U.S. itinerary, his first visit to the country in several years.

He was previously hospitalized overnight in Washington on Oct. 24 soon after his arrival, when he reported feeling unwell, according to church officials. That episode prompted him to seek follow-up treatment in New York at the end of the trip.

On Thursday the physician who performed the procedure, Dr. George Dangas, said Bartholomew was recovering well. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America said the patriarch expected to return to his base in Istanbul on Sunday.

Bartholomews trip included a visit with President Joe Biden, meetings with Orthodox and other faith groups and a ceremonial blessing at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine near the World Trade Center, which is replacing a church that was destroyed on 9/11.

As patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew is considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox patriarchs, which gives him prominence but not the power of a Catholic pope. He does oversee Greek Orthodox and some other jurisdictions, although large portions of the Eastern Orthodox world are self-governing under their own patriarchs.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
NAUGATUCK, Conn. (AP)  Three people have been arrested after a pickup truck fleeing a shoplifting incident struck and wounded a Connecticut police officer before leading authorities on a multi-town chase.

Naugatuck police said a local officer was directing traffic at a construction site on Route 63 on Thursday afternoon when the truck sped up and struck him after he signaled it to stop. The officer, who managed to call for help on his radio, was hospitalized with two broken legs and will need surgery, authorities said. His name has not been released.
DENVER (AP)  Denver police were investigating the shooting of three men early Friday.

The men were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, police said.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  A report by Kentuckys Council on Postsecondary Education has found that poor financial management by Kentucky State University leadership in recent years has resulted in significant financial losses, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.

The report also recommended that the institution receive $23 million in special appropriations from the state budget to cover current budget shortfalls.

The Democratic governor ordered the review of Kentuckys only public historically Black university after the universitys president resigned in August. The university is currently under state oversight.

When I heard about KSUs financial situation, I asked for a full, independent and transparent accounting of the universitys finances, and today we are releasing the findings of that assessment, Beshear said in a statement. We are committed to KSU and, as one of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Kentucky, KSU must be put on a path to stability so it is able to continue providing a high-quality education for generations to come.

The report, which includes an improvement plan, was required by the governors executive order for the university to be considered for additional funding.

KSU officials informed a legislative committee in September that the university will need emergency funding to stay open through the end of the academic year. They also reported that the school has a shortfall that includes $15.5 million from last years budget, as well as a $7 million shortfall for this years budget.

We are confident were going to be able to make it to January. We believe we can make it through April, KSUs vice president for finance, Gregory Rush, told lawmakers.

While KSU reported earlier this year that it received positive results from its annual independent financial audit, the councils report found evidence of poor financial management by university leadership resulting in financial losses beginning in 2018-19.

For instance, cash flow as reported on the audited financial statements was relatively stable in 2016 and 2017, at $19.9 and $18.7 million, respectively, before declining to $14.0 million in fiscal year 2018. Then, in fiscal years 2019 and 2020, cash flows declined to approximately $2 million.

The decline in cash reserves between 2016 and 2020 resulted from operating deficits totaling $35 million over the same period, the report said.

The councils report also outlines several inappropriate techniques used by university leadership to make payroll obligations. KSU failed to pay vendors in a timely manner and collect student debt owed to the university. Staff also indicated that they were told to not answer their phones when vendors called, and that they were threatened with termination if they disclosed that the university did not have sufficient cash for its obligations.

In addition to the $23 million to cover the fiscal year 2021-22, the university also requests $1 million per year until 2024. At a council meeting Friday, President Aaron Thompson said the funds will help stabilize KSU into the future.

Kentucky State University is vitally important to the landscape of higher education in Kentucky, and to our students, our workforce and our economy. This appropriation request supports the Councils commitment and our work that it not only survives, but thrives, he said.

Kentuckys General Assembly will consider the state budget in the upcoming regular legislative session, which begins in January.

___

Hudspeth Blackburn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)  A South Carolina man has been convicted of wire fraud and money laundering for lying on applications to secure more than $1.8 million in federal pandemic relief loans.

Jeffrey Gossett of Greer pleaded guilty Wednesday to the felony charges, according to a news release from the District of South Carolina U.S. Attorney's Office.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced Friday he had joined 10 other states to file suit against President Joe Bidens administration, challenging a new vaccine requirement for workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

The lawsuit filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the authority to compel vaccinations rests with the states, not the federal government.
MIAMI (AP)  A stabbing death in Florida has fueled criticism of the federal governments handling of immigration after local authorities discovered the suspect had lied about his identity and had recently been apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis, which alerted journalists to the case before the man's arraignment, cites reports that the 24-year-old suspect posed as a teenager at the border in order to cross as an unaccompanied minor  though federal officials havent confirmed that nor explained how he ended up in Florida. DeSantis' office says the case shows inadequate vetting as well as a lack of transparency in how the Biden administration transports immigrants who cross illegally.

The suspect, Yery Medina Ulloa, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a charge of second-degree murder.

With proper vetting, border agents should have determined Medina Ulloa was not a minor, was dishonest about his real identity, and should not be free to move around our country, governors spokeswoman Christina Pushaw said in an email.

DeSantis, who is up for reelection and is eyeing a 2024 presidential run, has taken a hard-line stance on illegal immigration. He has been attacking the administration of President Joe Biden for months, alleging in a lawsuit that Bidens policies are luring more immigrants to the border.

A recent review of The Associated Press and AIM Media Texas also showed how Biden was unprepared for the huge increase in people seeking refuge at the border at different points throughout the year.

It is still unclear how Medina Ulloa, of Honduras, was processed upon arriving in the U.S.

The State Attorneys Office in Jacksonville said he had been apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol earlier this year but could not confirm whether he used a different identity when this happened. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol, did not respond to questions on the case.

On Oct. 7, Medina Ulloa was found covered in blood by witnesses near a pond in Jacksonville. A witness says he received a call from Medina Ulloa where he said he had killed Francisco Cuellar because he hit him. Cuellar was found dead on the floor of his living room. Witnesses say he had been staying in Cuellar's house, and called him uncle, but they were not related.

He was first arrested and placed in a juvenile detention center after giving sheriff deputies a different name and saying he was 17. Six days later, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement obtained his real identity from the Honduran consulate, court documents show.

A woman who identified as his mother in Jutiquile, Honduras told the Spanish-language broadcast Univision that he had used a different name when encountering border authorities so that he would be placed in a shelter.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department said it does not comment on individual cases and did not confirm whether the man had been placed under its custody as it happens when minors are found by the Border Patrol.

About 13% of children who were released from government custody in August, the last month for which statistics are available, went with people who were either distant relatives or not related. The government generally requires documents proving the relationship with the child or the childs family existed before the child migrated to the U.S.

The public defender for Medina Ulloa did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.
NIAMEY, Niger (AP)  Suspected Islamic extremists ambushed a self-defense brigade in western Niger, killing 69 people in the latest attack in the volatile border region near Mali, the Interior Ministry said.

The violence took place earlier this week near Banibangou, some 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of the capital, Niamey, the ministry said in a statement Thursday.
NEWBERG, Ore. (AP)  The teachers union in Newberg, Oregon, has filed a lawsuit over a policy passed narrowly by its school board, limiting what kinds of images or signs school employees can display on campus.

The Ensuring Safe Environments To Learn policy bars school employees from displaying images relating to a political, quasi-political, or controversial topic. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the Newberg policy has been a lightning rod for controversy, with the ACLU, Democrats in the Oregon Legislature and the State Board of Education all issuing statements against it. The policy, backed by a four-member majority of the Newberg school board, started out as a directive to remove signs and posters showing support for Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ Pride.

In its 18-page complaint, the Newberg Education Association argues the policy violates two amendments of the U.S. Constitution: the first amendment protecting free speech, and the fourteenth amendment guaranteeing equal protection.

The suit also argues the Newberg policy violates Article I, Section 20 of the Oregon Constitution which protects, against vague laws that confer unbridled discretion, because such discretion creates the potential for unequal application of the law. And, the teachers suit contends the Newberg policy unreasonably discriminates against plaintiffs on the basis of the content of their speech in violation of the Oregon Constitution, Article I, Section 8.

The union is calling for the Yamhill County circuit court to block the Newberg School District from enforcing the policy.

The school district said it would not comment on pending litigation.
SEATTLE (AP)  Court documents show that initiative promoter Tim Eyman, who earlier this year was found liable for years of violations of Washingtons campaign finance laws and was fined $2.6 million, has not made his last two monthly payments on that fine and is now in default.

The Seattle Times reports Eyman is under a court-ordered plan that requires him to make $10,000 monthly payments to pay down the fine and other debts to the state.

He has not paid for either September or October, Attorney General Bob Fergusons office wrote in documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington.

Eyman filed for bankruptcy three years ago, saying at the time that Fergusons lawsuit against him, accusing him of the campaign finance violations, had crippled his finances.

Ferguson has requested that a Chapter 11 trustee be appointed who would have the power to make payments from Eymans estate and would be able to sell Eymans house and distribute the proceeds to his debtors, notably the state.

Eymans unwillingness to be transparent in his financial dealings and his decision to simply stop making payments without explanation requires appointment of a trustee, Ferguson wrote in court documents.

Eyman, in an email, said he spent last of the money paying his lawyer to appeal the judgment against him.

It drained me dry, he wrote in a fundraising plea in July, calling the case a gross injustice and abuse of power.

The Attorney Generals scorched earth approach throughout this protracted eight and half years of investigation and litigation against Mr. Eyman has financially ruined him, Eymans attorney, Richard Sanders, wrote in an appeal to the state Supreme Court in August. Everything hes earned in his lifetime is gone.

Eyman, in total, owes nearly $5.4 million to the state, a sum that includes $2.9 million that he was ordered to pay to cover the states attorney fees and costs over the nearly four-year lawsuit.

Under the terms of his bankruptcy payment plan, if he goes into default, Eymans full debt becomes immediately due and begins accruing interest at a rate of 12% annually.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter late Thursday rescued seven people who had been iced in since last week at a cabin about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the Yukon River community of Emmonak in western Alaska, the Alaska State Troopers reported.

The group was adequately supplied with food, water, shelter, and necessary supplies" before they were rescued Thursday night, troopers said.

U.S. Army helicopters had been expected to extract the individuals Friday morning, troopers had said. But a Coast Guard helicopter was able to make the trip from Nome after overcoming mechanical issues and getting a weather window, said Petty Officer 1st Class Ali Blackburn, a Coast Guard spokesperson.

Safely extracting the group as quickly as possible was a top priority for all of the agencies involved in this operation, said Austin McDaniel, a troopers spokesperson.

Blackburn said no injuries were reported at the time of the rescue. Blackburn said the individuals were taken to Nome.

KYUK Public Media reported the group was composed of hunters from Pilot Station that got stuck outside Emmonak on their way home. Hunters from lower Yukon River villages traditionally travel to the coast in the fall to hunt for seal, without problems. But as they were making their way back, ice began forming on the water.

Four of the hunters are volunteers with the Pilot Station search and rescue team and contacted Emmonak Search and Rescue with an emergency communication device. According to Emmonak Search and Rescue, the hunters provided their location and were directed to the nearest fish camp, KYUK reported.

McDaniel had said the group stopped at the fish camp cabin for the night on Oct. 28. While they were there overnight, the river iced over. So the ice on the river is too thick to run a boat, and its not thick enough to run snowmachine there, and theres no overland route to get to this spot, he said Tuesday.

Troopers said they were notified the individuals were stuck at the camp around 5:15 p.m. last Friday and that a supply drop of food and needed medications was made on Sunday.

Authorities had been pursuing use of a helicopter to pick the individuals up, McDaniel said. Weather conditions between the area and some hub communities, however, had previously hampered efforts to reach the site, he said earlier this week.

Blackburn said the Coast Guard also dropped supplies, including a radio, to the group before the rescue.

Paul Fancyboy, head of the Pilot Station search and rescue group, had told KYUK he was concerned with how long it was taking for the individuals to be rescued, calling it unacceptable.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Children ages 5 to 11 in Mississippi will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at county health departments on Monday.

Earlier this week, U.S. health officials gave the final signoff to Pfizers kid-size COVID-19 shot  doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults.

Mississippi Department of Health officials said appointments will be available for online booking starting after 7 p.m. Friday. Vaccinations for all Mississippians five and older can also be found from other providers including primary care providers, community health centers and pharmacies.

The Mississippi State Department of Health has ordered 51,000 doses of vaccine for this age group, officials said.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said Friday that Mississippi health officials are pleased the shots for children five and older have been approved, and that they recommend that all eligible children are vaccinated.

If you have questions or concerns, we urge you to please talk with your pediatrician or healthcare providers, he said in a press release.

Appointments can be made at covidvaccine.umc.edu for all county health departments. Appointments can also be made by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 866-498-4948 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Around 46% of the total population of Mississippi, a state of 3 million people, is fully vaccinated, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. Around 10,150 people have died of coronavorus in the state since the pandemic began.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Las Vegas-area school trustees ended a special meeting late Thursday without naming an interim superintendent or outlining a process for selecting a new chief of the fifth-largest U.S. school district.

A divided Clark County School District board rejected a call to accept letters of interest and resumes for a replacement for outgoing Superintendent Jesus Jara and board President Linda Cavazos gaveled the meeting to an end.

All seven trustees agreed that an interim superintendent will not be considered for the permanent position, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Jara was abruptly fired a week ago by the trustees on a 4-3 vote for convenience and without a publicly stated reason.

High school teacher Jim Frazee, vice president of the Clark County Education Association union that represents teachers called Jara's firing a political act and criticized the board on Thursday for failing to disclose reasons for the decision.

Frazee called for transparency in the search for an interim replacement, with a process established and explained from the beginning, and no personal agendas.

Our kids are watching and I cannot repeat that enough," teacher Jamie Tadrzynski said, according to the Review-Journal.

Jara is scheduled to remain on the job until Dec. 1, and drew criticism this week for acting after his firing to commit almost $409,000 to salary increases for more than a dozen of his top district executives.

In a letter to the board on Monday, Jara pointed to authorization he received in August to adjust salaries for at-will employees.

Jeff Horn, representing district principals, administrators and non-teaching staff with the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-Technical Employees, asked the board to rescind the raises.

He called them inappropriate and outrageous and "nothing less than unconscionable.

Jara has been superintendent since 2018. The board extended his contract on a split 4-3 vote last May. He may be entitled to his annual salary of $320,000 until January 2023.

The sprawling Clark County School District has 315,000 students, 18,000 teachers and 336 schools.
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP)  A West Virginia man was sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole for the 2019 killing of his girlfriend's teenage daughter.

Andy McCauley did not speak during his trial or at sentencing Thursday in Morgan County Circuit Court, news outlets reported. He was convicted of first-degree murder, death of a child by a custodian by child abuse and concealment of a body in the death of 15-year-old Riley Crossman, according to the reports.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday vetoed Republican-backed bills that would have created scholarship accounts for K-12 students to pay for educational expenses, including private school and tutoring, and given tax credits to people and corporations that donate to the program.

The veto, which was expected, came the same week proponents of the legislation preemptively launched a ballot drive that would enable the GOP-led Legislature to enact identical citizen-initiated bills without her signature.

The Democratic governor said the bills would cut state revenue by as much as $500 million in 2022 alone.

Simply put, our schools cannot provide the high-quality education our kids deserve if we turn private schools into tax shelters for the wealthy, she wrote to lawmakers, adding that she has worked to reverse disinvestment in public education.

School-choice proponents such as the Great Lakes Education Project criticized Whitmer saying the funds would have helped more than 1 million kids who fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gretchen Whitmer didnt just veto legislation  she took away tutors, mental health treatment, after-school programs, textbooks, broadband Internet access and reading supports from Michigan kids," executive director Beth DeShone said.

Under the plan, students would have been eligible for scholarships if their family income was no more than double the cutoff to receive free or reduced-priced lunch  $98,050 for a family of four currently  or if they had a disability or were in foster care.

Students attending private schools could have gotten up to 90% of Michigans minimum base per-pupil funding annually, which equates to $7,830 currently. Those in households with incomes at 100% to 200% of the free and reduced-lunch program threshold would have received less on a sliding scale.

Children enrolled in public schools could have gotten a maximum of $500 a year, or $1,100 if they were disabled.

The funds could have paid for school-related expenses: tuition, fees, tutoring, computers, software, instructional materials, summer school, after-school programming, transportation costs, athletic fees, educational therapies and school uniforms.

Democratic legislators and teachers unions likened the proposal to vouchers and said it would be unconstitutional, citing Michigan's ban on providing public assistance to nonpublic schools. The bills' supporters, however, said it would be legal because students would not receive state funds but rather money from individuals and businesses.

Whitmer did not mention the legality of the measure in her veto letter.

Let MI Kids Learn, a ballot committee organizing the initiative to bypass her veto, needs about 340,000 valid voter signatures to send it to the Legislature.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
WINNIPEG - Carson Lambos had a goal and an assist for the Winnipeg Ice in a 4-1 win over the visiting Red Deer Rebels in Thursday's lone WHL game.

Connor McClennon, Chase Bertholet and Mikey Milne also scored for Winnipeg (13-1-0-0), which boasts the best record in the league.
ORLEANS, Mass. (AP)  State police divers have found the wreckage of the small plane that went down in the ocean off the coast of Cape Cod last weekend, but the pilot remains missing.

The plane was found Thursday about 3.5 miles east of Orleans in 70 to 80 feet of water, Chatham Harbormaster Stuart Smith told the Cape Cod Times.
By Jana Kadah

Bay City News Foundation

San Jose State University's Student Homeless Alliance, a student group that represents the campus's roughly 4,000 homeless students, is frustrated with the administration's actions - or lack thereof.

After semesters of fighting to get the administration's promise to house homeless students, SHA and SJSU president Mary Papazian entered an agreement in January of 2020 that outlined a list of services needed to meet the demands of unhoused Spartans.

Since then, a couple of demands were met. The University opened a permanent location for SJSU Cares in October - a service that provides students with an immediate place to sleep. SJSU also launched a pilot program of having a dozen emergency beds on campus for students and it started offering emergency grants - all of which was initiated by SHA.

But there is still a couple of demands the university has failed to fulfill and with Papazian's tenure ending in a month, the student-led group turned to the public on Thursday in an effort to ensure institutional changes were made before Papazian left her post.

"Please know that SHA has been extremely patient in working with the administration over the past three months, and it has not gone to the press as we want it to solve these issues internally," SHA President and SJSU senior Lana Gomez said. "However, SHA has decided that it is time to go public to make changes more quickly."

She said since the press release was sent to members of the media, the university had been incredibly responsive.

"We have had more positive movement within the past week than in the past 90 days," Gomez continued.

At San Jose State, roughly 13 percent or more than 4,000 students experience homelessness within a year, according to a 2019 California State University report.

Another report by SJSU Cares found similar statistics. About 42 percent of students surveyed were housing insecure within the past year and more than 11 percent of students reported being homeless for at least a day - with many students couch surfing, living out of their cars or spending some nights in motels, hotels or shelters to get by.

It's a problem that has continued to get worse student leaders said which is why they said its essential to fulfill all aspects of the 2020 agreement.

Gomez said there were four demands that have surpassed their deadlines and have yet to been met.

The first and most important to student advocates is to remove the loan-maxing requirement. Currently, SJSU Cares requires students to exhaust financial aid options in order to get emergency housing, according to SHA.

Gomez said it's a practice that prevents students from getting the services they desperately need.

"Just look at the results," Gomez said. "Only one bed (out of the 12) has been used this whole semester with over 100 students asking for housing."

Sparky Harlan, CEO of the Bill Wilson Center said the loan requirement was a violation of the state's "housing first" policy which states that anyone experiencing homelessness should be connected to permanent housing as quickly as possible and that programs should remove barriers in accessing housing.

"Until you (SJSU Cares) drop your requirement to take out loans, you're not housing first," Harlan said.

The university said it did not have a loan-maxing requirement for students seeking short-term emergency housing and that case managers would work with students requiring longer-term housing to create a funding plan - which may include taking out additional loans.

However, university officials told SHA that students would receive 48 hours of emergency housing assistance before considering additional loans, students said.

"In some cases, this may include the common practice of taking out loans to pay for expenses, like housing, that is part of the college investment. If SJSU were to provide free long-term housing to some students and not offer the same to others, it becomes an equity issue relative to other students," the university said in a statement.

The other demands by SHA were to restructure the SJSU Cares Advisory Board Committee to give more space for student voices; require students who used SJSU Cares to take an exit interview; and redesign the SJSU Cares website so that information intake is more accessible.

"Right now, if you go on the website, the first questions are about documentation status and whether you have maximized your loans," Myers-Lipton said. "These are not the question you ask to get students a bed."

And the purpose of the exit interview, student leaders said, was to understand if students' needs were being met or how effective the program was.

"If we had an exit interview, we could understand why over 100 students asked for housing at SJSU cares so far this semester, but only one bed has been utilized," senior Samantha Shinagawa said.

The university said, however, from July to September of this year, SJSU Cares has provided a total of 85 days of temporary emergency housing -- 60 through university housing services and 25 using a hotel voucher program. During that period, SJSU Cares also distributed more than $27,900 in Student Crisis Support funds to 24 students.

"We know there is still work to be done to ensure that every Spartan can recover from unforeseen financial or personal crises, and we are committed to continuing this journey," Patrick K. Day, Vice President for Student Affairs, said in a statement. "Asking for help at a time of great need should be as easy as possible, and SJSU is dedicated to ensuring our students have the resources and services they need to be successful in their higher education journey and beyond."

But members of SHA said until all the aspects of the 2020 agreements are met, these are empty words and "broken promises."

"Instead of broken promises, we want to see action toward change," Shinagawa said. "We want hard dates, open communication with our students and efforts made toward helping the struggling population of housing insecure at San Jose State that is ever-growing."

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
A California woman is speaking out after a viral video showed her and her daughter being confronted by a Southwest Airlines worker and a police officer following a flight departing from the Bay Area.

Mary MacCarthy, a Los Angeles woman, and her Black, biracial 10-year-old daughter Moira, were de-boarding a Southwest flight from San Jose that landed in Denver on Oct. 22 when they were stopped by a Southwest worker and a police officer, according to footage provided to SFGATE and to multiple media outlets.

The flight attendants were just concerned about the behavior when you boarded the aircraft, the unidentified employee told MacCarthy in the footage. Were not suspecting anything, so its just our policy to follow up.

MacCarthy jumped in to explain the situation.

The family had booked a last-minute flight to Denver from Los Angeles  with a transfer in San Jose  to attend a funeral for MacCarthys brother, who she said was like a father to her daughter.

Its okay, sweetheart, MacCarthy said, comforting her daughter as shes crying. A police officer also reassures Moira that shes not in any trouble.

Among the concerns Southwest attendants on the flight allegedly had were that she had requested to be seated next to her daughter  the airline does not offer assigned seating  and that the two were quiet during their flight, both potential warning indicators for human trafficking. MacCarthy denied the claim that they were quiet, telling SFGATE that she slept on the plane while her daughter listened to an audiobook.

Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

She also mentioned speaking to a neighboring couple during the trip, and joking with a pilot on the jet bridge beforehand.

On the first leg of the flight, a Southwest attendant aided in helping them sit together  a luxury that was not afforded on the leg from San Jose to Denver, according to a police report obtained by SFGATE.

The airline worker in Denver apologized following the exchange, but MacCarthy told them that Moira has already, unfortunately, been traumatized by the police in her life.

Days later, after the funeral, MacCarthy told media outlets that she received a call from Denver polices human trafficking unit, with further allegations. According to a police report provided to SFGATE, the Southwest attendant alleged that "the mother did not allow the child to talk to flight crew." MacCarthy denied that allegation to SFGATE, saying she was "absolutely astonished to read that in the report."

MacCarthy said that she believes that the interaction was an incident of racial profiling, in which she was stopped because she was a white woman with a Black, biracial child.

The whole thing is based on what I believe to be a racist assumption about a mixed-race family, she said in an interview with The Independent.

MacCarthy told SFGATE that as the single mother of a biracial child, she knows that she has to be prepared with official documentation.

Courtesy of Mary MacCarthy

"What I do is I travel with her birth certificate, because I do raise her on my own," she said. "I have sole custody, and I'm prepared for any questions. Going through TSA, that might be sort of verifying that ... we are indeed family, and I'm open to, for example, TSA questioning me even on our racial differences, because that's the reality and that's fine and they're doing their jobs."

But in her many years of traveling, including as an international news correspondent, MacCarthy never had a confrontation like this, even as the pair has traveled to six different countries together, she said.

"There's a big difference between ... TSA checking to make sure that we're traveling under the proper circumstances as we go through security like they do with anyone and being accosted by armed police and being told that we've been acting suspiciously," MacCarthy said. "That's not the same thing at all."

The troubling incident is yet another public relations crisis for the embattled airline, which in recent weeks has dealt with pilots refusing en masse to get the COVID-19 vaccine, multiple delays and a pilot allegedly assaulting a flight attendant.

A Southwest spokesperson told SFGATE in a provided statement that the company is conducting a review of the situation internally, and said they will apologize to MacCarthy for the incident.

Our Employees undergo robust training on Human Trafficking, said the company representative in the provided statement. Above all, Southwest Airlines prides itself on providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for the millions of Customers who travel with us each year.

MacCarthy has yet to receive a formal apology from the airline, and has retained an attorney following the incident.
Sharon, PA (16146)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 29F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
 Convenient home delivery

 Unlimited website access 24/7

 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7

 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more!

Get the Ludington Daily News delivered straight to your door and receive unlimited access to our website and e-Edition when you purchase a Print + Digital Subscription.
Lusaka, Nov 6 (IANS) The Zambian government has refuted reports that the country has run out of Covid-19 vaccines.

"Firstly, reports of facilities running out of vaccines are unfortunate as we have enough stock," Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said in a release.

The country currently has over 32,000 doses of vaccines in stock, adding that an additional consignment of vaccines will be arriving in the country over the next few days, she added.
Paytm would consider bitcoin offerings if India authorities removed regulatory uncertainty surrounding the adoption of crypto currencies. The rules around these assets remain in a grey area, Chief Financial Officer Madhur Deora said in an interview to Bloomberg TVs Haslinda Amin and Rishaad Salamat on Thursday.

Bitcoin is still in a regulatory grey area if not a regulatory ban in India, Deora said. At the moment Paytm does not do bitcoin. If it was ever to become fully legal in the country then clearly there could be offerings we could launch.

Since then, the government has considered the adoption of crypto legislation, but the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) remains highly critical and continues to advocate for its ban. Deoras comments come as Paytm prepares for public subscriptions to its $2.5-billion initial public offering (IPO), after selling almost half to anchor investors. The listing is expected mid-November.

The countrys central bank had effectively banned cryptocurrency trading until the courts lifted the prohibitions in March 2020.

Paytm states that it has allocated shares worth $1.11 billion to more than 100 institutional investors, including the government of Singapore, ahead of what is expected to be Indias largest stock market listing.

Paytms offer garnered interest from 122 institutional investors who bought more than 38.3 million shares for ~2,150 apiece. BlackRock Global Funds, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority were among the investors.

Launched a decade ago as a platform for mobile recharging, Paytm grew quickly after ride-hailing firm Uber listed it as a quick payment option. Its use swelled further in 2016 when a ban on high-value currency bank notes in India boosted digital payments.

Paytm has since branched out into services including insurance and gold sales, movie and flight ticketing, and bank deposits and remittances. The companys offering will open on Monday and top investor Ant Financial, with a 27.9 per cent stake in Paytm, plans to sell shares worth ~4,704 crore.

Several companies, including Paytm, have tapped capital markets this year in a fund-raising frenzy on the back of record highs hit by the Indian stock market, which has outperformed Asian peers so far this year.

Paytms IPO is likely to be the biggest in the countrys corporate history, breaking a record held by Coal India Ltd, which raised ~15,000 crore more than a decade earlier.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is spreading its partnership with Celcom Axiata Berhad (Celcom), a leading telecommunications provider in Malaysia, to augment the latters core business support systems (BSS) using TCS HOBS and TCS TwinX hosted on Microsoft Azure.

With the new core platforms transformation project, TCS would enable Celcom to further enhance its digital and platform positioning through advanced digital capabilities like AI/ML-driven business simulations, an enterprise product catalogue, and partner ecosystem enablement.

Afizulazha Abdullah, chief operations officer (Technology), Celcom Axiata Berhad, says, Celcom continues its modernization journey by transforming our business operations by incorporating new technology to deliver awesome experiences to our customers. This includes enhancing Celcoms data analytics abilities, reducing time to market, ensuring seamless customer experiences across all Celcom touchpoints

To address the rapid and dynamic market growth, TCS will help Celcom adopt and integrate a microservices-enabled modular digital BSS core based on cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, business intelligence, machine learning and cloud technologies. This also enables Celcom to have access to real-time data and customer insights, enhancing business simulations for improved revenue, costs, and optimized operations.

Kamal Bhadada, business group head, Communications, Media, and Information Services, TCS says, By reimagining the concept-to-market value chain to create customer specific digital products and rapidly launch them in the market, TCS is accelerating Celcoms transformation into a leading digital platform company. The combinatorial capabilities of TCS HOBS and TCS TwinX will provide Celcom with real time product and pricing strategy guidance, collaborative ideation and experimentation, single touch federation, and enable competitive differentiation.

TCS HOBS is a plug and play digital business platform for subscription, device, and data management, offered in a software as a service (SaaS) model. Building on future-proof, microservices-based catalogue-driven architecture, TCS HOBS enables companies to leverage partner ecosystems and venture into B2B2X models.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Qantas has accelerated plans to return its mothballed flagship Airbus A380 fleet to Australia as a rush of international bookings buoys its expectations of demand for overseas flights next year.

Chief executive Alan Joyce told the airlines annual general meeting on Friday that international bookings had been patchy since the border opened on Monday, with strong demand from Australians returning home before Christmas. Going in the other direction youll find that aircraft are relatively empty, he said.

But there was enough interest for Qantas to further accelerate the return of its flagship A380 superjumbos, after putting them in deep storage at Los Angeles LAX airport early in the pandemic with the intention to leave them there until late 2023.

Qantas A380 superjumbos have been parked in the California since early in the pandemic. Credit:AP

Along with two of the 484-seat, double-decker jets entering service on Sydney-Los Angeles flights in April, three more will now return and fly to London - which was previously slated to happen by November - while a sixth A380 will now return to service by the end of 2022.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size For Melbourne-headquartered ANZ Bank, Freedom Friday on October 30 came an hour before the 6pm state set deadline for the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions on hospitality venues and mask-wearing outdoors. Around 5pm the banks legal officers received a letter from the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) that ended the competition watchdogs criminal cartel case against ANZ. In the letter, prosecutors declared they would drop all charges against ANZ and executive Rick Moscati over allegedly forming a cartel with three investment banks during ANZs 2015 capital raising to maintain the price of the banks shares. The criminal cartel case against the other defendants in the trial Citi, Deutsche and select executives from each bank, all of which were CCd into the CDPPs letter to ANZ  continues. (The third bank, JPMorgan, has received immunity for turning prosecution witness.) The dropping of charges against ANZ was a bruising defeat for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in one of its biggest cases in recent years. This week Justice Michael Wigney described the indictments prepared by prosecutors for the remaining defendants as a complete shemozzle. Its a big courtroom loss at the end of the near eleven-year reign by ACCC chair Rod Sims  whos second five-year-term finishes on August 1. Sims indicates he wont seek a third term, telling The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald he thinks hes held the position for long enough. The ACCCs mixed criminal cartel case scorecard in the past 12 months has taken focus away from the regulators important victories under Sims watch. This includes its successful consumer protection cases as well as its vigorous in-depth market studies and guidance directives to improve consumer and market outcomes in industries as diverse as telecommunications, electricity, gas pipeline lines, the Murray Darling Basin and digital platforms. There have also been losses, particularly in its courtroom challenges to mergers and acquisitions. Defiant, out-of-step with corporate Australia, or the peoples hero. How you view competition tsar Sims often depends on whether you sit on the defendants side of the bar table or are a consumer or small business.

Advertisement

Rod Sims fathers garage in Lorne, Vic, which the ACCC chairman still calls home when hes not in Sydney. Raised in Lorne on Victorias Surf Coast, Sims graduated from Melbourne University and went on to build a successful career as both a regulator, an economic adviser to the Hawke government and a corporate adviser to large companies before joining the ACCC in 2011 as chairman. He has been described as the most feared man in Australian business wielding incredible power to shape the Australian corporate landscape and market behaviour. Other regulators envy Sims who has escaped public lashings from Treasurers (unlike the corporate watchdog) and has been granted a wide remit by the government thanks to the ACCCs incredible success over his ten-year tenure. We have a market economy, which means people pursue the profit motive, which I think is terrific. Its the best way to organise ourselves as an economy. But that means you need some checks, you need the ACCC to be out there sending deterrence messages, and thats what were doing, he says. You dont want to be too cautious in that, he says. Sims readily riffs off the ACCCs achievements under his stewardship. This includes (perhaps controversially) the watchdogs roster of criminal cartel cases. It also includes the organisations advocacy that secured higher penalties for breaches of consumer getting the law changed in relation to market misuse powers (known as Section 46) and new laws about unfair contract terms.

Advertisement

One of Sims greatest achievements will be taming tech giants through his digital platforms inquiry. Credit:Louie Douvis Sims also cites the organisations advocacy in relation to the lack of regulation around monopoly infrastructure and achieving better regulation of gas pipelines, as well as, its market studies on the Murray Darling Basin and digital platforms. Hes particularly pleased by how quickly the ACCC reacted to the pandemic, which included providing 30 authorisations to companies to allow them to work together without running afoul of the law. We moved pretty quickly, and I was pleased that we were able to do that and play whatever role we could play in helping us all get through the crisis, he says. On his losses, Sims is often unrepentant. He frequently speaks out after a court case to push for law changes rather than issuing any statement of regret. It is the same story with the ANZ cartel case. To be completely clear, our role in criminal cartel matters is to do the investigations. We put them to the CDPP, they can take around six months to go through it all and decide what they want to do -- whether they want to lay charges; how many charges; against whom, thats all decisions they make. And obviously, theyve decided to narrow the charges. Thats completely their call, Sims adds. He is also quick to defend the ACCCs approach to criminal investigation amid criticisms from the defence barristers during the ANZ capital raising cartel case about its evidence collection processes.

Advertisement

Criminal (cases), obviously, is a different matter, and needs different processes, says Sims. Weve got people with quite a lot of experience in criminal matters inside the ACCC. But obviously, the defence barristers its their job to try and unpick these things. I respect that, he says, before quickly adding what could be interpreted as a minor concession: Look, we always look at our processes. Outside its criminal cartel cases, the ACCC has also copped flack for its approach to mergers and acquisitions from some of Australias biggest companies. ACCCs decisions to block mergers have been routinely overturned at the Federal Court. In fact, the regulator hasnt won a merger case before the courts in over 20 years and often roundly criticised for failing to understand the nuances of market forces in its challenges to corporate marriages. Extremely private David Teoh, then TPG boss, gave evidence at the TPG-Vodafone Federal Court competition case. Credit:Getty Sims, in his defence, points to the influence merger parties can have on the press when pursuing an ACCC-contested tie-up. As you find with most things, in particular the commercial world, people look at things through their own prism. And merger parties always think theres no competition issues.

Advertisement

Obviously, they then hire a range of advisers who advocate on their behalf. They advocate hard, and they talk to a lot of journalists. I get that. Its a strong push by journalists to report those things that are said, but merger control is a really important thing that competition regulators do because once someone has market power, its very difficult to stop them exercising it. The Federal Court is where the ACCC has lost many of its competition cases, while also winning key court cases for consumers. Credit:Edwina Pickles Linda Evans, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, is one of Australias leading competition lawyers and has worked on complex merger and other competition issues with Pacific National, Vodafone, and Seven West, among many other blue chip clients. She says there are clear issues with the way the ACCC has run its merger court cases. I would have chosen different cases, and I would have run some of their cases differently They have the view that capital markets work perfectly -- and they dont. It is not simple to write long-term contracts and there are real challenges in getting funding when backing uncertain demand and investing in new technology

Advertisement
The floodgates have broken. Diehard coal nations across the developing world have been lining up in Glasgow to forswear use of the dirtiest of fossil fuels.

Four of the biggest coal emitters in East Asia have signed the pledge, promising to abandon new projects and shut down existing plants far earlier than almost anybody expected.

It hardly matters any more whether or not Australias Scott Morrison joins the pact because there will not be much of a global market for his thermal coal exports in a few years. He might as well avoid all the political trouble and espouse virtue now.

Developing countries such as India are heavily reliant on fossil fuels for energy generation. Credit:Bloomberg

The really big surprises for all of us are Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, said Dave Jones from the anti-coal group Ember. These were countries that were planning an aggressive expansion of coal, and now they are on the list. So is South Korea, which is the fifth-biggest coal user in the world. We never thought wed see this in Glasgow.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Rosalie Gascoigne seems an unlikely bete noire. But for years, Lorraine Connelly-Northey dodged the sweet-looking older woman from Mount Stromlo who, at 57, turned from ikebana to making assemblages from road signs, softdrink crates and linoleum. The late bloomer produced some of Australias most original abstract landscapes and represented Australia at the Venice Biennale in 1982. Lorraine Connelly-Northey: Im the blackfella out there gathering up in the space to validate what Im learning. Credit:Jules Boag People kept saying my work is like hers, says Connelly-Northey, herself a celebrated Indigenous artist. Id never seen it. Didnt want to. Then one day, Connelly-Northey was flipping through an art book when the inevitable occurred. It fell open at Gascoignes Inland Sea (1986). I thought, God, here I go. Spread before her were sheets of undulating corrugated iron, a mutually admired material. An extraordinarily simple work, Inland Sea captures a lakes choppy rippling surface with corrugated-iron sheets laid out in a grid of alternating directions and differing heights. Unpainted sheets mix with rusty red, and painted green surfaces suggest a water source at once mud-stirred, reedy (perhaps algal) and clear. Rosalie Gascoigne, Inland Sea, 1986; weathered painted corrugated iron, wire. Credit: Rosalie Gascoigne Estate/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia I thought, God, what was I worried about, Connelly-Northey remembers. She certainly cuts to the chase and simplified it. And I thought, go Rosalie!, she says, laughing. The two artists never did meet. Gascoigne died in 1999. But Found and Gathered brings the artists together for the first time in a major exhibition that occupies the entire ground floor of NGV Australia.

Advertisement

In the gallery foyer, Inland Sea and Connelly-Northeys Fish Trap (20052013) herald the exhibition. Made from Connelly-Northeys signature materials of rusty barbed wire, her work reimagines the traditional trap of interwoven sticks and branches rammed into a creek (like a dam wall) before a flood. Stylised barbed fish like a kids drawing swim into it, while a barbed-wire canoe floats on a plinth nearby. Loading A crucial difference, as far as Connelly-Northey is concerned, is how the artists  both untrained  collect their materials. As the exhibition title suggests, Gascoigne finds, Connelly-Northey gathers. I work too hard to just be a finder, she says. Im the blackfella out there gathering up in the space to validate what Im learning. Im making shapes that represent traditional Aboriginal society, whether it be a bush bowl [coolamon] or a possum-skin cloak or a canoe. Growing up in Swan Hill and living along the Murray River with an Irish father and a Wiradjuri mother, Connelly-Northeys family experienced its share of racism. It was her father who taught her to appreciate the patina of discarded materials. A white man with respect for Blacks Country and bushcraft is how she describes him. He was always talking about the patina. Mum wouldnt have allowed it in the house. Mum liked fine china, not a bit of rust! Rosalie Gascoigne, 1993, from the National Portrait Gallery, Australia. Credit: Gregory Weight/Copyright Agency, 2021 Connelly-Northey, who turns 60 next year, has been weaving wire for 38 years and exhibiting for 20. Like Gascoigne, she values the character of weathered materials but objects to them desecrating Country. It partly explains her conflicted attitude to the notion of beauty. Im not just out there making things pretty, she says, referring to Gascoignes justly celebrated poetic landscapes.

Advertisement

Rosalie Gascoigne, Love Apples, 1992 reflective synthetic polymer film on plywood. Credit:Private Collection, Sydney Gascoignes cut-up timber softdrink crates anchored by lyrical names evoke classic Australian vistas. All Summer Long is a golden field of wheat with the heat shimmer across its edges in sliced black Schweppes type. Love Apples (1992)  assembled from her signature red, retro-reflective road signs  could be the magnified details of Cezannes apples abstracted into grid form. And instead of seeing shapes in clouds, Gascoigne sees Clouds III (1992) in composition board. Rosalie Gascoigne, Clouds III, weathered painted composition board on plywood. Credit: Rosalie Gascoigne Estate/Licensed by Copyright Agency Australia Nor, for that matter, does Connelly-Northey take to calling her works landscapes. I wouldnt want to put a whitefellas term on it, she says. Im not looking at what you see in a view. Im certainly looking at what we are standing on, existing on. But [Im] mixed heritage so always I want to find the middle thing. Could I be an On Country artist? Connelly-Northey concedes that she does try to make her work appealing and draw people in. Once they read whats in the information, it is to kick them in the guts and piss people off. Its reminding people that White Australia has a Black history. Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Narrbong (string bag) 2005. Credit: Lorraine Connelly-Northey

Advertisement

Connelly-Northey is sometimes known as the bag lady for her inventive reworking of the traditional narrbong (string bag) at various scales and different materials. The first to greet viewers in the entrance to the exhibition is simple yet powerful; Cable Wire Bag (2020) looks like a two-dimensional drawing. But this isnt just an exercise in artistic abstraction. This is a noose, reminding visitors that Aboriginal deaths in custody remains a scandalous issue. Loading But its her ambitious aerial works made from barbed wire and sheet metal that have brought her particular acclaim. If not beautiful, they are spectacular, impressive and confronting. The monumental Possum Skin Cloak: Blackfella Road (20112013), with its densely woven barbed-wire circles, represents Aboriginal burial sites that were desecrated when a road was built in Swan Hill. Around its edges is a fringe, representing the furry edge of a possum-skin cloak, made from cut sheet-metal that includes hand shapes and cultural objects  tools for hunting and gathering such as narrbong, coolamon, shields (made by flipping the coolamon), spear heads and boomerang. The fringe provides another symbol. Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Possum-Skin Cloak: Blackfella Road, 2011-2013. rusted iron and tin, fencing and barbed wire, wire 268.5  703.0 cm irreg. Credit:National Gallery of Victoria We are always on the edge, says Connelly-Northey. Blackfellas are fringe dwellers on our own lands. Were outcasts. Blackfella Roads edges are intentionally sharp. I try to make it so that you will get hurt and cut, to remind you of pain and the hurt we still suffer since colonisation. I make my work with pain included in it. You can see how I dont take too kindly to words like beautiful.

Advertisement

Another motivating factor behind Connelly-Northeys art is to clean up Country. It pleases me that it leaves Country to breathe and go back to its native state, she says. Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Three Rivers Country, 2010; corrugated iron, tin, mesh, wire. Museum of Contemporary Art. Credit: Lorraine Connelly-Northey The narrbong, with its rusty woven materials full of holes, could be a poignant metaphor for traditional ways being neglected or slipping away. But is it disrespectful to make traditional objects out of white mans rubbish? Are they a metaphor for Indigenous Australians and their culture being discarded on the scrapheap? No, I think [First Nations] people are so excited, says Connelly-Northey. True, we are not treated well. We end up in places you read about, like missions, not allowed to come to town and ending up on the fringes, close to the sewerage. When you look at that, it certainly validates that whole trash thing. How the combination of artists will be perceived is hard to predict. Just as the foyer plays off the two artists treatment of water, another room features their signature materials: Gascoignes road-sign landscapes and Connelly-Northeys narrbong, perhaps suggesting the Indigenous artist gathering in the field. Several works in the exhibition celebrate the importance of the river systems. In Three Rivers Country (2010), each is represented by a snake. In On Country (2017), a 23-metre snake flows on and off the wall and floor. Installation view of Lorraine Connelly-Northeys On Country, 2017, on display at MAMA, Albury. Credit: Lorraine Connelly-Northey Theres nothing interesting about pairing two artists because theyre similar, says co-curator Myles Russell-Cook. I think the juxtaposition is so interesting. They have this shared sense of materiality, but they could not be more different conceptually.

Advertisement
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size In the Western world, we greet someone with the words how are you? but in China they say have you eaten? It testifies to the central importance of food in Chinese culture  and perhaps the difficulties of getting enough of it over the past 5000 years. The Way We Eat at the Art Gallery of NSW is an exhibition devoted to food: to its preparation, storage, enjoyment and over-indulgence. Most pieces are Chinese in origin, covering a time span that stretches from the Neolithic period to the present day. Or to speak in terms of objects, from an earthenware jar from Qinghai province (c.2350-2050 BCE) to contemporary video and large-scale photography. Theres really no excuse for not seeing this show as its been running since April 3 and is set to continue until some unspecified date in the new year. For most of that time, its been inaccessible but has outlasted lockdown because its drawn from the permanent collection, supplemented with loans from Judith Neilsons White Rabbit Gallery. Li Jin, Southern beauty 2019 Credit:Art Gallery of NSW After my first post-lockdown visit to the AGNSW last weekend, Id recommend visitors wait until the Matisse blockbuster starts on November 20, because a good half of the building remains closed. A supplementary event called Matisse Alive turned out to be another of those patchwork affairs the AGNSW laughingly calls an exhibition. It consists of a random selection of abstract paintings hung in haphazard fashion in the main foyer, and a downstairs gallery crowded to the rafters with an equally arbitrary selection of still life and interior pictures. Both displays are drawn exclusively from the permanent collection. Loading Theres also a group of colourful, simplistic Polynesian textiles and a special focus on works by four female artists: Nina Chanel Abney (USA), Robin White (NZ), Sally Smart (Australia) and one of the AGNSWs absolute faves, Angela Tiatia (Samoa/Australia). Whatever the virtues of these artists, the connections to Matisse are tenuous. It looks suspiciously like a bunch of things the curators were going to show anyway and decided  for the sake of convenience rather than conviction  to fold them into the Matisse Alive concept.

Advertisement

Artist Angela Tiatia in front of her video work The Pearl - part of the Matisse Alive exhibition. Credit:Kate Geraghty The rationale seems to be: Matisse used colour, so well show some colour pictures; Matisse painted still-lifes, so well dig up some still-lifes; Matisse visited Tahiti, so well show some contemporary work relating to Polynesia. The same logic could be used to justify anything: Matisse wore socks, so well show pictures of people wearing socks, Matisse had a beard so... Looking at this shapeless pseudo-exhibition I had a terrible feeling somebody must have thought they were being ingenious. The Way We Eat also has a degree of randomness, because food or even food in China are subjects of encyclopaedic scope. Curator Cao Yin has attempted to impose order by dividing the display into four sections: essential, exchange, excess and enchanted. She has taken this opportunity to showcase areas of the collection such as oriental ceramics and lacquerware that are rarely put under the spotlight, to include new pieces by local Chinese-Australian artists such as Ah Xian, Tianli Zu and Jason Phu, and to acquire works for the collection by contemporary brush-and-ink master Li Jin. The contents may be diverse but logic is involved. The more spectacular items are displayed in the centre of each room, with small pieces grouped in glass cases around the walls. Tang dynasty (618907), Offering tray Credit:Art Gallery of NSW The show opens with Wang Gongxins Dinner table (2006), a video of a circular tabletop set for a banquet. We watch as the table is turned, with bottles, plates and implements sent sliding off the edge into the void. Its a vision of the precarious nature of human life in which feast and prosperity may quickly give way to famine. For the newly affluent Chinese of today, its a warning that fortunes quickly won can be just as easily lost  a point being proved by property developer Evergrande  a name that obviously tempted fate. Wang Gongxin, Dinner Table, 2006, still from video Credit:White Rabbit Gallery

Advertisement

In the first section, essential, the showpiece is Liu Jianhuas Container series (2009), comprised of a series of pale, porcelain vessels that appear to be filled to the brim with blood. The deep red, however, is but another form of glaze. The vases and plates, rendered dysfunctional, become metaphysical objects  meditations on the beauty and bloodshed contained within Chinese history. In nearby glass cases, we can examine more straightforward examples of Chinese ceramics such as a Qingbai conical bowl from the Song-Yuan dynasties (960-1366), a graceful object in the most delicate shade of pale blue. Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (173695), Longquan ware vase in double-gourd shape Credit:AGNSW, Jenni Carter This alternation between beauty and danger is a thread running through the exhibition. Tianli Zus Dinner is served (2020) presents another circular tabletop, part projection, part paper cut, in which circles of fruit and vegetables are fed by a ring of syringes. This reflects a genuine concern in China, where genetic modification has seen supermarkets filled with large, perfect foodstuffs found to have little flavour. Zus piece acts as a mock-celebration: an elaborate feast made from paper and light. In Chinas overheated economy, the exchange section leads quickly to excess. A classic Chinese banquet, even today, might provide three times as much food as anyone would be capable of eating. The wastage is a sign of your hosts wealth and generosity. To end with nothing left on the table would be viewed as a disgrace. The same thinking applies to the Chinese art market, where nouveau riche collectors are attracted by high price tags rather than quality. For some buyers, its a matter of indifference whether a piece is authentic, so long as one can boast about how much it cost. Loading Guo Jian mocks this culture of excess in his photo-collage Landscape No.1 (2016). What looks like a slightly fuzzy version of a traditional Chinese landscape is revealed on closer inspection to be a mass of tiny celebrity portraits retrieved from discarded wrappers and packaging. Hong Hao does something similar in In My things Tian A (2008), a large panel covered in miniscule photos of confectionery wrappers. In both works the aesthetics of mass consumption create a massive pile of rubbish.

Advertisement
For decades, its been one of Hollywoods darkest rumours: A teenage Natalie Wood was sexually assaulted by a top movie star more than twice her age when she met with him at a hotel in Los Angeles.

In a memoir coming out next week, Woods younger sister identifies the long-suspected assailant: Kirk Douglas.

I remember that Natalie looked especially beautiful when Mom and I dropped her off that night at the Chateau Marmont entrance, Lana Wood writes in Little Sister, alleging that the incident happened in the summer of 1955, around the time Natalie Wood was filming The Searchers. The meeting had been arranged by their mother, Maria Zakharenko, who thought that many doors might be thrown open for her, with just a nod of his famous, handsome head on her behalf, according to Lana Wood.

Actor Natalie Wood who died in 1981.

It seemed like a long time passed before Natalie got back into the car and woke me up when she slammed the door shut, she writes. She looked awful. She was very dishevelled and very upset, and she and Mum started urgently whispering to each other. I couldnt really hear them or make out what they were saying. Something bad had apparently happened to my sister, but whatever it was, I was apparently too young to be told about it.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Daniel Craigs Bond is so woke there are grumbles around Blokedom that hes lost the plot, gone all squishy, even sold out to the female gaze for godsakes. Bland was mentioned. What kind of a man! Few complaints about No Time to Die itself though, so there is that. The moderne swashbuckling heritage preserved. The film has pinged five-star reviews since launching in London a month ago. But the whole woke thing; those for a squishy, touchy, feely Bond, those against, bubbles on, and will here too when its released next week because thats what films in this franchise do: they divide. Daniel Craig, left, with Ana de Armas in the Alexandra dress by Sydney designer Michael Lo Sordo. Credit:AP Since Sean Connerys caddish snappy dresser appeared in Dr. No, the first filmed version of Ian Flemings agent 007 in 1962, the 27-film Bond franchise has plugged at intervals into the most sacred of social constructs: what it is to be a man? And not just any man; the ideal man. And not just any ideal man, but a man cracking on, doing ideal manly things with his ideal woman. (Enter, Bonds equally divisive sideline in social constructs: What it is to be a woman?) Imagine you had to dress him  and her  picking trousers and tuxes and frocks and bikinis that succinctly express  just so  all those rusted-on levels of meaning while keeping all demographics engaged and thrilled to the gills in a darkened cinema; the grumblers, the woke young blokes lapping it all up, the wanna-be Bond girls, the feminists appalled even a thread of the old Bonds  the womanising bounders!  might have nostalgic traction in this day and age. This is the magic of Suttirat Anne Larlarb, head of the costume crew on No Time To Die, a Bond fan since she was tiny and a reverent defender and interpreter of the franchises complex cultural legacy.

Advertisement

A Bond film is never NOT defined by what it looks like on every level, she says earnestly via Zoom from Los Angeles. Its a huge responsibility to be pushing it forward, making it relevant, also laying the gauntlet down for other films, other leading male characters, other leading female characters, as a kind of apex of design. Larlarbs apexes have already been dissected down to their sartorial semiotics and published as How to guides by detective fashion editors from Esquire, GQ and Vogue to bondonabudget.com. Before No Time To Dies premiere red carpet had barely unrolled, headlines started popping and stuff started selling: Dress like Bond, Everybodys crazy for Ana de Armas dress!, Be Bond, No Time to Die Style. Its the pop-cultural process and Larlarb works intuitively to fuel it. With a Bond film you do have this charge thrown at you which is to make everybody look, you know, kind of amazing as possible and as aspirational as possible so you wish you looked like that ... Aspirational: Lea Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann in No Time to Die. Credit:Nicola Dove  2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM She also lovingly explains there is another process behind that process that feeds into the whole woke thing. The director, Daniel Craig, all of the other actors and myself, all kind of cherish and value the idea of grounding the story and the characters enough so their emotional journey, their story journeys, their psychological journeys, all those things will resonate with the viewer so that it isnt just empty flash. One particularly lovely example of anything-but-empty-flash; a simple silk suspension frock discovered by Larlarb in a collection by Sydney designer Michael Lo Sordo. In No Time to Die the Alexandra becomes a miracle of silky plunges, hip slits and spaghetti straps worn without so much as a flash of knicker or nipple by Cuban actress Ana de Armas as she rolls, slithers and shoots her way out of a spot of bother as the glamorous, gorgeous, albeit believably real and relatable trainee agent Paloma. Net-A-Porter has one Alexandra left if youre quick.

Advertisement

In fact editorials of the How to dress like a Bond Girl ilk are relatively rare. (Scallywags helpfully suggest How to UNdress like a Bond Girl could be a tad more practical.) The pall of misogyny has clung to the franchise since way back to Dr. No when actress Ursula Andress, as Honey Ryder rose spectacularly from the sea, a dripping wet goddess to side-bends and jazzercise in a belted knife-holstered white bikini. Phwoar-Kwoar and an icon was born. Not that the Bond Girls wardrobes from then on were all skimpy bikinis, micro sarongs, peskily slippery silk pyjama tops and drop-dead curve-clinging gowns, but their otherwise sporty and chic business-like wardrobe options did pale in comparison. Or were paled. By 1995 Goldeneye theoretically capitulated to the rising waves of feminist revulsion (Judi Denchs character M even called Bond a sexist misogynist dinosaur) and even later, Daniel Craigs arrival appeared to recalibrate the machismo even more (hence the wokeness objectors). Lashana Lynchs look in No Time to Die is a far cry from the Bond Girl bikinis of old. Credit:Nicola Dove  2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM The eye-candy assumptions nonetheless stubbornly stick in some craws.

All four of our Bond women [in No Time to Die] are incredibly self-possessed, independent, enterprising, the complete package, Larlarb firmly assures. None of them are accessories to Bond ... it would feel weird if they just became decoration or eye-candy. Whatever project Im on, unless theres a specific thing in the script which says, Please, make this person unimportant, a side dish...  She laughs at the preposterousness. Lashana Lynch and Lea Seydoux are two of the self-possessed Bond women in No Time To Die. Photo: Greg Williams/Danjaq LLC/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Credit:Greg Williams/Danjaq LLC/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer On the other hand, the costume designers jigsaw bits of Daniel Craigs high-brow, low-flash, nonchalantly cool, often obscurely branded wardrobe are not in the least fraught. Larlarb envisioned every jigsaw component in a series of collaborative huddles with director Cary Joji Fukunaga and Daniel Craig himself (Hes that kind of actor, she says. He INFUSES) and their replicas, as per pop-cultural process, are also selling fast or sold out. (Sorry Australia.) Bonds Tanner brand combat style boots, for example, long gone. His waxed canvas utility jacket by LA brand Rogue Territory, his grey melange T-shirt by Orlebar Brown (Youre just constantly thinking iconic even if its just a T-shirt, Larlarb says), his camel corduroy suit and trench coat by Massimo Alba and  exquisite apex of Bond-esque tuxedo tradition  his satin lapelled jacket and slim-cut trousers by Tom Ford, all out of stock.

Advertisement

Another miraculous standout; a mere ribbed sweater by London brand N. Peal, is somehow perfectly pitched between elegance and machismo (how can this be?) with patches on the elbows and shoulders and a manly whiff of the Royal Navy (and Bonds origins) about it. At the time of writing it was still in stock but I suspect, not for long either. A costume sketch captures Daniel Craigs high-brow, low-flash, nonchalantly cool look in No Time to Die. Credit:Universal Films Even the relatively daggy Drake style loafers by Crosby that Larlarb scuffed and aged for Craigs opening scene in Jamaica, are selling like proverbial hot cakes. So too, his modified combat trousers, made as one-offs for the film by Larlarb but then replicated for ordinary human consumption by N. Peal, his Barton Perreira and Vuarnet sunglasses and, naturally, his Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch. Get in quick if you fancy a bit of Bond-James-Bond-esqueness in your life. Bonds style oscillates from ridiculously on-trend to low-brow norm-core to sleek hyper-masculine tailoring but, most seductive for those who plug into Larlarbs deeply nuanced fashion language by replicating bits of his wardrobe, it is utterly effortless. I wanted to make sure everything felt like it wasnt a tortured over-decision, says Larlarb, Like, he didnt toil, he didnt wake up that morning, open his closet doors and think, Which shirt am I going to wear today? Everything had to feel as incisively instinctual as Bond always is with even his action sequences, you know, everything is an instinct, everything is a big bet, a big risk and it always pays off ... Buy a bit of Bond or dress like his female co-stars and  voila  via this cheats access to the characters loaded fashion language, according to humanities academic Dr Lydia Edwards of Perths Edith Cowan University, we too might be read as effortlessly cool people, high-end luxury clothing connoisseurs. Clothing is probably the most intimate mirror, says the author of How to read a dress (Bloomsbury), a book whose second expanded edition, due out in January, is riding a swell of interest in the language of fashion. Examining garments ... can tell us so much about the wearer and their status in society.

Advertisement
Glasgow: On what was billed as youth day at COP26, some of the old men of the movement took to centre stage inside the United Nations blue zone to consider the week that had passed and call for more action and haste in the climate effort.

Most notable was the former US vice-president Al Gore, who quoted Winston Churchill, saying: The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close.

In its place, we are now entering a period of consequences.

Al Gore told the conference the world was entering a period of consequences. Credit:Getty Images

Mr Gore said a political tipping point had been reached, and that a green revolution larger than the industrial revolution and in pace with the digital revolution was under way.
Not since George Lazenby took over from Sean Connery as the worlds most overexposed undercover agent, has an Australian shaken and stirred the James Bond universe. Fortunately, the work of designer Michael Lo Sordo is earning raves rather than raspberries in Daniel Craigs final appearance in the franchise.

At the Australian premiere of No Time To Die on Tuesday, Lo Sordo will finally see his scene-stealing silk gown on screen, worn by actor-turned Bond Girl, Ana de Armas, as rookie CIA agent Paloma, in one of the films central fight sequences.

It all started like a spy film, Lo Sordo said. I received an email from the films costume designer, Suttirat Larlarb, back in June 2019, requesting one of my dresses for a film shoot in London. It was all hush, hush as they were unable to mention the films name.

Ana de Armas as Bond Girl Paloma in No Time To Die, wearing the Alexandra dress by Australian designer Michael Lo Sordo.

Familiar with the world of espionage, at least on screen, having dressed Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation in 2015, Lo Sordo set about creating 10 copies of the navy, silk satin Alexandra dress, with a plunging neckline, open back and handy slit for crippling high kicks.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ican pinpoint the precise moment I realised that horses, given the chance, want to connect with us beyond our normal, everyday riding and horse-care lives. Living in regional NSW, Ive hosted numerous volunteer helpers over the years, most of them drawn to my place because of their love of horses. This particular young woman, Michelle, asked if she could have a riding lesson on my big, old, grey horse, Beau. She was a bit stiff in the saddle, and I was explaining to her how to relax her pelvis, to shift her weight and turn her body, when I got the feeling that she needed to be on the ground with Beau, not on top of him. As she got off, I could almost see the relief emanating not just from her, but from Beau as well. Come on, I told her. Well have a bit of a play date. We untacked Beau, put a halter on him, and I showed her something Ive learnt over the years: that if you put your hands near a horses body and close your eyes, you can feel a golden thread of energy travelling from your hands to their body, and from their body to your hands. Michelle was nervous at first, but she did as I asked, closed her eyes, breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth, and held her hands close to Beaus body. We stood there in complete silence for several minutes, and gradually Michelle began to smile, as her hands seemed almost to find a life of their own, moving in towards, and away from, Beaus body. Beau lowered his head, his eyes soft and half-closed, and rested one back leg, while Michelle continued to hold her hands out towards him. You can move back, I told her. You wont lose the connection. And she did, back and back, until she was about three metres away from him, still with her hands out, and by now she was positively beaming with joy. After about five minutes, Beau began to shift his body, to yawn, and to shake his head. At the same moment, Michelle opened her eyes.

Advertisement

Oh my goodness, she said, that was amazing. But it wasnt quite finished yet. Just as I asked if she would like to give Beau a cuddle to thank him, she ran towards him, throwing her arms around his neck, and almost immediately burst into tears, burying her face in his mane, and blow me down if that beautiful big old horse didnt turn his head around towards her and give her what I can only describe as a horse cuddle. Beau has just healed something inside me that got broken years ago when my relationship ended, and I didnt even know it was still there. They stayed wrapped up in each other for a good five minutes, then Beau straightened up, yawned again and looked straight at me, as if to say, Well, thats all done then. Michelle stretched her arms high up above her head and looked at me, too. Wow, she said. Beau has just healed something inside me that got broken years ago when my relationship ended, and I didnt even know it was still there. Although I had for many years been witnessing wonderful moments  and some tragedies  with horses, that day made me stop and think about the healing connection between horses and humans. Its led me on some circuitous journeys, and deep into the centre of myself as Ive unwrapped the kernel of the horses that have come into my life, often rescue animals that have then turned around and offered me such gifts of trust and openness that Ive realised Ive been rescued right back.

Advertisement

Becoming an Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) practitioner some years ago put an umbrella qualification around the healing work I do with horses and humans, but in essence what Ive discovered is that, unlike humans, horses have no closed belief systems. Even a horse carrying deep trauma or abuse doesnt question whether energy work, hands-on healing, acupuncture, reiki, essential oils or animal communication works; they accept healing without a human analytical construct, and because of this they can also offer healing with an open heart. Loading The thing about trauma  of any kind  is that it occurs when someone feels powerless in the face of a serious threat. Being in nature, in the presence of horses, seems to help children, teenagers and adults to begin the work of reconnecting to the self, and to their environment. My small herd of horses contains two special healers: a stockhorse/Arabian cross, my silver-coloured Sapphire, or Sapphy, who came to me a flighty mess of nerves and anxiety, and my beautiful golden palomino quarter horse, Jewel, whom I bought when she was only six months old. When Jewel was six Id made the hard decision to sell her to a family in Victoria because of her ongoing suffering from a skin condition, known as Queensland Itch, that only occurs in horses living in hot, humid climates. Six years later the family decided to sell Jewel, and I knew that even if I had to manage her condition forever, I needed her back in my life. So, what is it that these two horses actually do? Well, Sapphy excels at connecting with people energetically. She will drop easily into what I think of as a state of limbic resonance. Limbic resonance is the idea that the capacity for sharing deep emotional states arises from the limbic system of the brain and can include heightened feelings of empathic harmony. (It can also work the opposite way, when we over-empathise with someone in trauma and drop into the same physical and emotional state  not as desirable.) Watching Sapphy at work with a client is to witness a sentient being dropping into an almost hypnotised state, her eyes almost closed, her breath soft, her head low while she and her human exchange  what? I cant even really define it, but something that makes peoples hearts open to an infinite sense of peace. Jewel has the safe, solid qualities of a good and gentle motherly mare. Shes submissive in the herd, but out of the paddock shes a lead mare, forward and brave. Shes safe and kind for people of all ages to sit on, shell simply stand still if required, or pony-ride on or off the lead, and she does it with a gentle kindness that always reminds me of how I started her under saddle when she was two  which was with absolutely no fuss and bother at all. In fact, when I first sat on her, she simply looked around as if to say, Oh, theres your foot, and that was that.

Advertisement

Of course, my healing horses are not unique. There are numerous organisations these days creating therapeutic relationships between horses and humans, ranging from the Equine Psychotherapy Institute, which offers a postgraduate training in equine psychotherapy, to EFL, Horses Helping Humans and Equine Assisted Therapy. There are also many individual practices all committed to creating safe spaces for people of all ages to explore ways of how they can  through interaction with horses  expand their emotional awareness and aid their mental health. Loading My teacher for EFL was Elaine Russell, the founder of Australian Equine Facilitated Learning, who arrived in Australia from the UK in 2009 along with her children, dogs, cat and her beloved horse, Chad. In the UK, Russell was a thoroughbred retrainer  preparing ex-racehorses for their post-racing life  with an interest in teaching children to ride who were, in her words, outside the square. My interest in EFL started when I went to one of Franklin Levinsons EFL clinics, Russell says, referring to the internationally renowned horseman and one of the founders of Equine Facilitated Learning, and he did a demonstration with horses and a variety of kids with various challenges, in front of an audience of mental health professionals, and I knew it was what I wanted to do. But despite Russells decades of teaching, and lifetime of horse experience, it wasnt until her own horse died that she really understood the emotional connection that can exist between a horse and a human. I was grief-stricken, she says. It was a profound experience, and I grew from that to understand that often children, teenagers and adults with problems are only able to get that emotional connection with horses. I dont know how it works. I dont need to, I just let it be. Its magic and everyone should experience the magic of horses at least once in their lives.

Advertisement
I dont know who first thought up the nickname for Sydneys new Crown Casino, but Packers Pecker is just perfect. It gives me a laugh every time I drive across the Anzac Bridge and observe the thing, in all its immodest, thrusting tackiness.

It is, of course, the latest of the many nicknames created by generations of Sydneysiders to describe their town and its various artefacts.

Crown casino, or, as it is known by Sydneysiders, Packers pecker. Credit:Peter Braig

Not far from Packers Pecker is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, known for ever as The Coathanger, or, sometimes, just The Hanger. Then, around the bend, theres Nuns in a Scrum, otherwise known as the Sydney Opera House.

Next door to the Opera House: the squat, controversial apartment block that was nicknamed by protesters even before it was even completed. The Toaster, of course.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size It happened in an instant: our eyes met across the dance floor and we moved towards one another. Something pulled us closer together. Whats your name? I asked with the confidence of a 24-year-old who had zero expectations of meeting anyone, let alone a romantic partner, at a rave party at 3am on New Years Day. Nick, he replied. Whats yours? It was his eyes and then his smile that drew my body closer to his. We danced until the sun came up. Then we went our separate ways and, as with all great millennial romances, a friend request on social media followed. By April, we were Instagram-official. Had the universe been turning its gears, preparing us both for that moment on the dance floor? Did the stars finally align? Perhaps it was simply pot luck. All I know is that seven years later, were to be married and, yes, we are very much in love. My experience is far from unique. Poetry, novels, music  all kinds of art  have popularised the phenomenon of love at first sight for centuries. But what is it, how do we measure it? Does it even exist? What happened on the dance floor that night? And was a romantic relationship inevitable? Credit:Artwork: Joe Benke. Animation: Monique Westermann What is love at first sight? One hundred milliseconds  thats precisely how long it takes to evaluate a potential sexual partner. And if, after that split second, you deem that person to be attractive, emotions will begin to kick in as well as some animal-like instincts. Anthropologist Helen Fisher explored the process of communicating our attraction to another person via a copulative gaze in her book Anatomy of Love, first published in 1992.

Advertisement

The gaze is probably the most striking human courting ploy, Fisher writes. In cultures where eye contact between the sexes is permitted, men and women often stare intently at potential mates for about two to three seconds during which their pupils may dilate  a sign of extreme interest. Then the starer drops his or her eyelids and looks away. So, what is it that makes our pupils dilate? What is it that triggers a snap judgement that could lead to a romantic connection? Unsurprisingly, looks matter. Studies reveal we are sexually attracted to people who look like us. In 1999, researchers asked subjects to rate pictures of faces morphed with their own and found the subjects each rated the morphed faces as being more attractive. Other physical traits can also seal the deal: Men and women around the world are attracted to those with good complexions. Everywhere people are drawn to partners whom they regard as clean. And men, in most places, generally prefer plump, wide-hipped women to slim ones, Fisher writes. The medial prefrontal cortex, near the front of the brain, is responsible for such judgements. Researchers in Dublin discovered that one particular area of this region  the rostromedial prefrontal cortex, a segment located lower in the brain  goes one step further in evaluating physical attractiveness by asking, Is this person a good match for me? This is the same brain region known to be important in social decisions, particularly how similar someone is to you, the studys authors explained. Essentially, we are evaluating someones attractiveness in those initial milliseconds while also determining their compatibility. But its all very unromantic, really, says Trish Purnell-Webb, a clinical psychologist at the Relationship Institute Australasia.

Advertisement

When were looking to mate, the brain will constantly search the environment and look for another person who will be a good mate and make strong babies, she says. You like what you see, so what happens next? There is a surge in the attachment hormone oxytocin, says Purnell-Webb. Oxytocin stimulates the secretion of other neurotransmitters  molecules that act as chemical messengers  such as dopamine, which fires up the brains reward centres. At this point, you begin to focus more intently on that person, and there will be a spark of interest in your eyes. Imagine a dog pricking up its ears when it senses its master has returned home  thats what a person who is experiencing attraction is like, says Purnell-Webb, adding that generally its subtler than with dogs, although not always. Often called the cuddle hormone, oxytocin compels us to get close; when we are feeling close to somebody else, we secrete more of it. Oxytocin is actually the hormone for poor decision-making, says Purnell-Webb. It makes you become a bit obsessed and compulsive. Youre being driven to try and make contact and attract the same interest back.

Advertisement

The more signs you get from the other person that they are interested in you, the more oxytocin is released. Its during this time that we often feel like our heart is racing, our palms get sweaty or we have butterflies in our tummy, says Gery Karantzas, the director of Deakin Universitys Science of Adult Relationships Laboratory. Its why we often hear love being referred to as a drug, says Karantzas. Its a virtuous circle and a delicious cycle. You develop these strong feelings for someone, particular parts of your brain get activated when you spend time with them, you therefore want to spend more time with them, which then releases more of these chemicals, and you feel more of those feelings and so on. Similar brain areas fire up if you take cocaine, as Fisher discovered in a groundbreaking experiment. She did MRI scans on 37 people who were madly in love, which showed a surge of activity in brain areas rich in dopamine. But romantic love is much more than a cocaine high  at least you come down from cocaine, Fisher said in a 2014 talk. Romantic love is an obsession, it possesses you. You lose your sense of self. You cant, she adds, stop thinking about that other human being. Credit:Joe Benke Whats love at first sniff? Pheromones  which are, essentially, scented chemicals that act like hormones outside the body  allow us to literally sniff out a potential match. Think of them as a primal form of communication; smell plays a major role in sexual attraction and can even trigger ovulation. But heres the thing: pheromones smell different to different people.

Advertisement

Male pheromones are often described as having a woody or musky smell while female pheromones smell more floral or sweet, says Purnell-Webb. At other times, depending on who is sniffing whose pheromones, they can smell bitter, sweaty or like stale urine. Some studies have suggested that, during ovulation, women are highly sensitive to the musk-like pheromones that men secrete. As you continue to smell the other person, attraction builds, and you move closer to them. Are you looking for anything in particular? Not really. Its more a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, says Purnell-Webb. We all have particular personal preferences, some people like beans, others peas, she says. There is some evidence to suggest attraction is part of our genetic imperative  our genes determine who and what we are attracted to  which raises the question, is there a perfect match out there for each of us? Thats the premise of the Netflix show The One, set five minutes into the future, in which finding a soulmate is as simple as snipping off a strand of hair and posting it to a DNA matchmaking company. Because the company claims to find perfect matches on a genetic level, attraction is inevitable, actually involuntary. Upon first meeting, the match smells right, looks right and demonstrates all the right characteristics. They also taste good. A 2000 study by Swiss biological researcher Claus Wedekind found that when humans kiss they exchange a wealth of biological and genetic information. Women tend to be more attracted to men whose MHC (major histocompatibility complex) genes, which are essential to the immune system, are different from their own. Having different genes produces offspring with stronger immune systems.

Advertisement
Double vaccinated international arrivals wont be subject to quarantine but those who arent vaccinated will be required to complete 14 days of quarantine in a designated facility. COVID-19 outbreak modelling the plan was based on found that if the state reaches a 90 per cent vaccination rate 117 people would die from the virus in the first year compared to 313 people at 80 per cent. WA is about three weeks behind the national vaccination rate, with 79.3 per cent of the population aged 12 and over having received a first dose and 62.7 per cent double-dosed. Mr McGowan said the transition would require the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions including face masks at high risk indoor settings such as public transport, hospitals and aged care facilities.

He said proof of vaccination would be required to attend nightclubs, the casino and large events where crowds of more than 1000 people gather. Loading Contact registers would continue to be used and entry to some remote Aboriginal communities would continue to be restricted. Step-up measures could also be brought online during an outbreak, which could include stricter face mask requirements and capacity limits as well as rapid workplace testing. Mr McGowan also flagged that they could cut off access into and out of regions for unvaccinated people with low rates such as the Pilbara, which currently has a first dose rate of 45 per cent.

Cutting off the Pilbara or any region for that matter is not something I want to do but if thats what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time, he said. WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said the 90 per cent target was about creating a soft landing. In what weve seen in the eastern coast is that it has a real impact on the general health of the population because they cant get the surgery they need, they cant get into the ICUs, so there are a lot of other people who have had adverse effects. This will actually give us that soft landing going forward, he said. The plan comes two days after Mr McGowan announced a $400 million boost to hospital funding, some of which would be spent on modular hospital rooms at existing hospitals to ensure the states already under-pressure health system can deal with COVID when it begins to circulate in the community.

Mr McGowans hardline zero-COVID approach was lauded by the broader community, but its popularity has been waning in recent weeks as other virus-free states released their plans to open up to domestic and international travel. Last week, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announced he would ease domestic border restrictions for double-vaccinated people from November 23. Tasmania will allow domestic travel to resume for double-jabbed people from December 15, when the state is estimated to reach a 90 per cent vaccination rate. The Northern Territorys plan will allow vaccinated travellers from low to medium-level COVID locations from early November, while Queensland will allow interstate visitors from December 17. The ambitious target may not be enough to stave off criticism of the governments cautious response to the pandemic.

Opposition leader Mia Davies said it was good to see a plan had finally been revealed but disappointing that a date had not yet been set. It would appear that we still have a great deal of uncertainty when it comes to allowing businesses in our community to plan for what that safe reopening will look like, she said. Travel agency Flight Centre said earlier in the week it was readying a legal challenge against border closures if the McGowan government did not allow travel back into the state when it hits 70 to 80 per cent double vaccination. Human Rights Watch also has the border in its sights. Spokeswoman Sophie McNeill said on Thursday that by this stage of the pandemic there should be measures in place to allow families to travel to WA from other states and reunite with loved ones.
French President Emmanuel Macron fancies himself in the role of the new leader of Europe. The position  recently vacated by retiring German Chancellor Angela Merkel  requires great statesmanship. Macron is demonstrating that he does not have what it takes.

Emmanuel Macron, right, accused Scott Morrison of lying to him. Credit:Stephen Kiprillis

This is the prism through which Europeans view the submarine stoush with Australia. The AUKUS deal is big news, as it represents a new Anglophone alliance across the oceans. The cancellation of Australias submarine contract with the French, however, is more of a footnote.

The exchange between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Macron, which has been plastered all over the Australian news, has been reduced abroad to a couple of paragraphs relayed by the south-east Asia correspondents of the international press who do not have a dedicated desk in Australia any more than they do in Tuvalu. Europeans have enjoyed the show put on by Macron and finding translations for the word sledging.

Australian internationalists take note. Your cringing is cringeworthy. There is nothing so insular as imagining your tiffs loom large outside your borders.
Keep your mouth shut

Good Weekends recent article on non-disclosure agreements [October 16] raises questions about what justice victims of sexual violence can expect. The Australian Governments decision to develop NDA guidelines is a step backwards. While they may prevent more egregious aspects of non-disclosure agreements, they send an unfortunate message that these legal gag instruments are legitimate, have the imprimatur of the highest office in the land, and that its okay to silence victims if one just follows the guidelines. Its time to follow Californias lead, which has now outlawed non-disclosure agreements, except in cases where victims themselves want them.

Professor Judith Bessant

RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic

Two of Us

Thank you, John and Lucy Brogden, for letting us into your lives at such a personal moment [October 16]. The retelling of what happened to you both took so much courage.

Robert Pallister

Punchbowl, NSW

Modern Guru

Dear Modern Guru,

I sense you are a modest fellow citizen, therefore I do not wish to seem over-complimentary, but if Bob Dylan can be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, why not you?

John Lind,

Avalon Beach, NSW

Want to chat? Wed love to hear from you. Send your letters to goodweekend@goodweekend.com.au (please include your suburb, state and phone number). Or give us your thoughts at Good Weekend online, or on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages.

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.
The lights were on. Moving through the house, Ford entered a bedroom and was confronted by a sight that obliterated his low expectations.

The loud thump of metal smashing into wood at the government-owned home woke neighbours as the quartet rushed in.

In a matter of seconds Ford levered the security screen off with a hux bar and, like a one-two punch, Masterson stepped in and rammed open the front door with a single blow.

Up front were the youngest two members of the team: Detective Senior Constables Kurt Ford, built like a bear, and the brawny Drew Masterson.

Detectives from the West Australian Police approached a blue duplex situated on the corner of a crescent street and made their way past a Colorbond gate ready to enter the right-hand-side unit.

As the sun-bleached town of Carnarvon slept in the early hours of Wednesday morning, four figures moved through the cool and breezy evening with purpose.

Holding on tight and nestled into Fords black and yellow hooded jumper she took a few seconds to reply as Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, one of WAs most experienced homicide officers and father to a daughter himself, asked her three times for her name.

Hey, bubby, come here, he said. Ive got you, bubby, youre alright.

Its 12.46am and 18 days after Cleo Smith went missing, presumed abducted, from her familys tent at a remote campsite 40 minutes drive north of the town, and the four-year-old has been found just three kilometres from her familys home in Carnarvon. She was awake and playing with toys.

The whole day were just laughing, when we opened ... I just waved the [store] flag and was running up and down like crazy.

Very, very happy. All day all the customers, I dont even know some of the customers, were just hugging each other and sharing the happiness.

It was just after 4am when Bakery Plus owner Joseph Nguyen, who had been kneading dough for two hours, got a call from a friend telling him the news.

Hearts were full all around Carnarvon  a coastal fishing, farming and salt mining town some 900 kilometres north of Perth  as word got around that Cleo Smith had beaten the odds.

Those four words have reverberated around the globe and filled the sudden void formed in the hearts of Cleos mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon when they woke on October 16 at the Blowholes campsite  their own childhood playground growing up  to find one of their two little girls gone. Reunited with Cleo, Ellie said her family was whole again.

Notice boards and posters welcoming Cleo home still adorn shopfronts as residents revel and share knowing looks. The odd round of applause or tooting of a car horn breaks out whenever police appear.

Driving around Carnarvon the past week it seems like everyone is having a party. Purple and pink balloons are tied up on row after row of letterboxes in the same way families use them to signal a birthday party is being thrown.

The baker had given the bubbly Cleo a biscuit just two days before she disappeared. This weekend Nguyen, who provided meals for searchers and police from day one, says he will give her a whole box of biscuits in celebration.

People came in with sad faces and after Cleo was found everyone came in with a smile.

The last 18 days I can tell you, the townspeople ... just did not feel like going anywhere, they just felt they wanted to go out there and look for Cleo, Nguyen says.

The mood in Carnarvon before Wednesday had decayed as much as one of the towns main tourist drawcards, a mile-long timber jetty ravaged by time, the ocean and most recently Cyclone Seroja.

One of them was that the suspect that we were observing ... could be mobile and would leave the premises, he says.

Detective Blaine says, armed with new information, police settled into a series of plans for what could happen next.

But ultimately senior officials say it was hard work, phone data and car sightings that helped to identify a person of interest on Tuesday.

One key clue was a car seen driving south from the Blowholes turnoff on the North West Coastal Highway at about 3am, which was within the 1.30am to 6am window when Cleo went missing.

Police have been tight-lipped about what exactly it was they found after so many information-gathering tools were deployed, from drone technology to picking through highway rubbish bins.

More details emerge each day about the dramatic rescue by police and how it was the result of a dynamic plan formulated by Taskforce Rodia, the 100-strong officer contingent looking for Cleo, on Tuesday afternoon when there was a sudden breakthrough in the case.

We talked about all the different scenarios ... and it was clear in my head what had to occur.

Loading

Minutes before Cleo was saved, her now alleged abductor and the man who had been living at the home she was found in, Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, was pulled over in Carnarvon by police and arrested.

Police are not looking for any alleged co-offenders in what is still an ongoing investigation which could last weeks with further forensics, CCTV and interviews with Cleo to be gathered.

Kelly has been described as a mysterious but friendly loner by his neighbours, mostly Aboriginal families, who were shocked to discover Cleo may have been kept next door since her disappearance.

A direct neighbour, who did not want to be named, says she had borrowed a lawnmower from Kelly on Monday, and he had spoken to her like nothing was amiss.

When she found out Cleo had been found in her neighbours home it gave her a fright and made it hard for her to sleep since her own granddaughter has been staying with her.

Another neighbour two doors down, Henry Dodd, says he did not have much to do with Kelly but had seen him driving around with dolls in his car.

Social media accounts appear to show Kelly had a doll room inside his house, and another image from last year shows him driving a doll around. It was captioned: I love taking my dolls for drive around and doing their hair and taking selfies in public.

A Carnarvon Toyworld worker says Kelly had bought several dolls over the years, but she did not know when he had last visited the store.

The same shop has now received hundreds of dollars from people wanting to buy gift vouchers for Cleo.

Kelly was not charged until Thursday afternoon after a delay in police being able to interview him after he self-harmed and needed to be taken to hospital, twice.

In the dock, Kelly, who had no family members or supporters in attendance, appeared heavier than many of his social media photos.

He wore a black short-sleeved button-up shirt, his dark curly hair sat just above his shoulders and he had a black beard.

Kelly spoke when prompted by the magistrate but threatened reporters in the gallery, saying he would get out of custody and come after them.

When the hearing concluded he stood up and pointed at the media as he turned and left. He was remanded in custody until next month. On Friday, he was flown to a high-security prison in Perth.

Rumours spread

There was an undercurrent of conspiracy theories and false information around town in the time between the official identification of Cleos alleged abductor and his arrest.

The image of a Pilbara man, who is not the accused, was circulated among Carnarvon residents shortly after the rescue before he was wrongly identified by a major media outlet as the alleged offender.

Superintendent Rod Wilde, the head of Taskforce Rodia, called for people to stop spreading rumours and instead have faith in the justice system.

The start of potentially lengthy court proceedings, however, is a new fight for Carnarvon to process as Cleo and her family start their recovery from the trauma of the past three weeks.

But Detective Blaine says it was amazing how well Cleo had adjusted to being back with her family.

[Its] heartwarming to see that shes ... still bubbly and shes laughing, he says.

Shes getting some sleep, shes playing in the backyard exactly how youd expect, like my daughter did when she was four.

Cleo has been sleeping in her parents arms and has even asked her mum if she could look over her while she fell asleep.

Detective Senior Constable Kurt Ford, Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, Detective Senior Constable Drew Masterson and Detective Sergeant Jason Hutchinson who entered a locked house in Carnarvon to rescue Cleo Smith. Credit:Peter de Kruijff

On Friday, Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon released a statement thanking police and the Carnarvon community for their help in finding Cleo, and asking for privacy.

We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country, the statement read.

We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.

As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.

North West Central MP Vince Catania says it was now important for the family to have clear air to navigate their healing process.

North West Central MP Vince Catania says its time for people to give space to Cleo Smiths family. Credit:Philip Gostelow

I think its incumbent on all of us, including the media, to give them some space to be able to process whats gone on and get back to some sense of normality for Cleos sake, he says.

Because although were all elated, and Im sure the parents are and Cleo is, theres going to be the need for them to heal and get their life back on track. The only way I think we can do that is to provide some peace to the family.

Criminologists describe alleged child abduction cases like Cleos as a black swan event because of the rarity in finding a missing person alive and well after so many days. Coincidentally, the black swan is Western Australias state emblem.

In some ways Carnarvon has been spared the avalanche of international and interstate media because of the closed state and international borders due to COVID-19.

But the scrutiny on the town has still been intense, with businesses bombarded by global news companies calling for information and television crews from all the major national networks.

Loading

The dearth of hire cars available, given the large number of police in town, has seen one news outlet spending thousands of dollars to hire out taxis every day.

Reporters have also been staked out at the house attempting to catch a glimpse of the family or clinch a paid interview.

Catania says everyone needed to be thinking about what was best for Cleo moving forward.

Whats best at the moment is to let the justice system take its course, he says.

Media come and go, politicians, the premier comes and goes, but the family is still here having to deal with living in a small community, living with media at their doorstep.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
In all, eight Marist Brothers who worked at St Josephs have been found or pleaded guilty to sexual or physical abuse of students that spanned decades. The Herald understands that at least five others who taught at Joeys have been credibly accused of molesting boys placed in their care. In response to a series of questions from the Herald sent on Wednesday evening, St Josephs on Friday acknowledged the abuse but said not all of the offences had been committed at the school. The majority were convicted of offences committed elsewhere In a separate statement, Brother Peter Carroll, The Marist Brothers Provincial, said: Eight men who worked at St Josephs as Brothers have been found guilty or pleaded guilty to crimes of abuse.

While not all of these men were convicted for abuse at St Josephs, that there were any who were is reprehensible. That these crimes occurred is appalling; that they were committed by Brothers is particularly shameful. John Patrick OBrien will spend at least five years behind bars. Credit:James Alcock I offer my apology to the victims of child sexual abuse at St Josephs. I extend this apology to the families of these men. We let them down as much as we let down their sons.

In relation to the photographs, the school said it had removed images and names of those who have been convicted or credibly accused of child sexual abuse. One of the prime movers for the removal of the sporting team photos is Steve Murray, a survivor of sexual abuse at St Josephs in the late 1960s. His tormentor was not John OBrien, but another now infamous Marist Brother, Brother Vales (his name rhymes with chalice). He taught at St Josephs from the mid-1950s until 1971. In the 1990s he was charged with a sexual assault on a student, but the matter was dropped. In 2013 police tried to charge Brother Vales with the sexual assault of Mr Murray, but Vales was seriously ill and died that year. Mr Murray and the Marist Brothers later negotiated a significant settlement. Brother Vales in St Josephs cadets in 1967 and (right) Brother John Patrick OBrien.

He said on Friday that the removal of the photographs containing the paedophile Brothers was a positive move by the school, although he believed that it should have happened many years ago. Mr Murray has also been pressing for the school to act on another matter. It involves what he and other survivors see as a grave and ongoing injustice  a glowing eulogy for Brother Vales published in the Old Boys Union magazine Cerise and Blue in November 2013. The article noted that he had served as Choir Master, Officer in Charge of Cadets, Bandmaster, Master of Discipline To the anger of many old boys it added he was a man of many talents who had a great capacity for work.

Mr Murray wrote to the St Josephs headmaster, Mr Ross Tarlinton, in August this year, saying he had seen the printed version of the eulogy and that, all these years later, it disgusts me  and it continues to mock me and other victims of Vales. For several months, St Josephs College has started removing old photographs from its hall of fame. Credit:Rhett Wyman On August 19, Mr Tarlinton responded by saying: I do not have any editorial responsibility for, or other authority over, the Cerise and Blue. He said it was not published by the college but by the Old Boys Union, a separate entity to the College. On Friday, in its statement, the school said a letter addressing this matter was now being published in the November edition of Cerise and Blue.

Mr Murray, who after leaving St Josephs went on to become a teacher at a Catholic school and then a principal at a primary school, before resigning almost 20 years ago, said he had never sought to be at the forefront of the fight to have SJC redress past wrongs. There are no victors in this unholy mess, he said. SJC had the second-highest number of victims of any Marist Brothers college in Australia. It is a most unpleasant subject but nevertheless one that must be addressed. He said he and other old boys believed there were upwards of 150 survivors of abuse at the school, many of whom, for a host of reasons, had never come forward.

My aim  and that of other old boys  is for them to be able to come forward and be OK to do so. Loading But he told the Herald that, while he and others still had many misgivings about the schools response, there was room for some optimism. His spirits had been lifted by the removal of the photos and the schools support for a Walking Together Memorial, to be designed by an eminent architect and to be placed on the school grounds. The school said in its statement on Friday that the memorial would hopefully be completed by May and would be inside the main entrance to the college.
The former financial controller of leading political strategy firm Crosby Textor has pleaded not guilty to hundreds of charges after he allegedly stole more than $850,000 from the business.

Mohammed Saderuddin Syed, 46, allegedly made numerous unauthorised payments from Crosby Textor bank accounts to his own accounts during his time at the company.

Mr Syed faced Downing Centre District Court in Sydney on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty. Credit:Rhett Wyman

On Friday, Mr Syed faced Downing Centre District Court for arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty to 396 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

When Mr Syeds matter was mentioned, Judge Dina Yehia asked if the charges could be presented in a truncated way, because reading each charge individually and waiting for Mr Syed to enter his plea would take half a day. The prosecutor and defence lawyer agreed.
The argument that Albanese and his senior colleagues are weighing at the moment is whether Morrison has inadvertently opened the door for Labor, or laid a booby trap. Has the PM made his and the governments position so complicated that it releases Labor to do much more than it dreamed on climate change? This is not a matter of pragmatism versus purity, but the more substantial issue of mandate. If the election is really Labors to lose, does it want government on Morrisons terms, with a bipartisanship of ambiguity on climate change? Loading Our allies in Washington and London would view a Labor victory as a sign that Australia is ready to step up. But Labor would be stuck with no feasible way forward if it minimised the differences with the Coalition beforehand. This, in fact, is the booby trap of pragmatism. The Coalition would have every incentive in opposition to revert to obstruction if Labor was too smart by half in the campaign. While Labor people are understandably spooked by the 2019 election, which the polls also showed was theirs to lose, it is the lesson of 2010 that is more relevant today. Remember Julia Gillard campaigned on the promise that there would be no carbon tax, and then promptly pivoted from poll-driven sceptic to believer after the election? Labor cant afford power on those terms again, where its agenda it set by the independents and Greens.

If Albanese thinks climate change will be a pressing reform for his first term of government, he needs to say so before the election. Loading So how would Labor frame a more ambitious climate change program without triggering a scare campaign that delivers another miracle victory to Morrison and his divided government? The clue is in Morrison Achilles heel: the states. Liberal and Labor premiers have already committed to more aggressive targets for the remainder of this decade. In the case of the Coalition government in NSW, a state where coal is the number on export earner, the target is a 50 per cent reduction by 2030, matching the position of Joe Bidens Democrat administration in the US. Albanese does not need to go that far. But he could codify the existing state and territory targets into a national target, and offer to work with the premiers and chief ministers to implement it. He could borrow from John Howards GST manual and promise that short-term targets would only be lifted in the future if the states and territories agreed. He can use Morrisons national cabinet as the forum for that negotiation. Many on the Labor side imagine there is a sweet spot between cynicism and crazy-brave reform. This is the Claytons option of falling broadly into line with the government, while seeking policy differences at the margin which highlight the rift within the Coalition.

Senior Liberals had hoped Morrison would take two commitments to Glasgow  net zero to 2050, and a higher interim target to 2030 than the one Tony Abbott adopted for the Paris conference in 2015. But the Nationals party room was not prepared to convert beyond the 2050 commitment. That left Morrison as the odd one out of the democratic leaders. He was stuck with the Abbott-era promise for a 26 to 28 per cent reduction in emissions even though he told the COP26 meeting that we would land at 35 per cent on current projections. Loading The temptation for Labor is to take that 35 per cent figure and formalise it as its own target. It might even add a percentage point or two. But the danger of playing it safe is it would release the PM from the burden of pretending to be for action in the cities, and against it in the regions. Morrison would tell Liberal voters in the cities that Labor isnt serious, while his message to the regions would be that Labor has a hidden agenda. It would be a stretch, but the debate would be back on Morrisons nuance-free terms. If Albanese takes the high road of co-operation with the states and territories he can adopt a target of at least 40 per cent based on their existing commitments. He can insure himself against a scare campaign by framing Morrison as the wrecker: the short-tempered politician who is more comfortable picking fights, and shifting blame, than solving problems.
The claim by an accused murderer that his wifes death was linked to disgruntled investors has been potentially cast in doubt after a court heard a recording of a crisis meeting between them.

Andrew John Cobby, 59, is accused of murdering mother-of-three Kym Cobby on the night of November 12, 2017, in the street where she lived in the Gold Coast hinterland suburb of Worongary.

Andrew Cobby was arrested the day after his wife was murdered in 2017. Credit:Nine News

Mrs Cobbys body was found in the gutter of Arthur Payne Court by her brother-in-law, who lived with her. Her children  two sons and a daughter aged from early teens to early 20s at the time  then emerged from their home 200 metres away and saw their mothers body.

The Brisbane Supreme Court trial of her estranged husband began on October 20 and was set to run for 2 weeks, but will now continue into next week.
Townsville-based Labor MP Les Walker has been found not guilty of common assault over an incident in the city centre more than three months ago.

Mr Walker, 56, was issued with a notice to appear for common assault and disorderly conduct.

Les Walker (left) with Transport Minister Mark Bailey (centre) and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) during the 2020 election campaign. Credit:Matt Dennien

The member for Mundingburra was accused of getting into a fight with Stephen Lane, an independent candidate for the nearby seat of Thuringowa in 2017, outside a restaurant on Townsvilles Palmer Street on July 30.

The matter came to a head on Friday with a full-day hearing in Townsville Magistrates Court where Mr Walker pleaded not guilty.
The expansive and twisted limbs of old eucalyptus trees spread out into the big Nagambie sky.

Grey box and yellow box gums host an array of bird species and nests, while brown snakes slither in dry, long grass below.

But an axe is dangling over 51 of these mature, majestic trees in this remaining stretch of native woodlands on the main road of the township, about two hours north of Melbourne.

Residents opposed to the removal of 51 trees at the Elloura development in Nagambie. Credit:Justin McManus

The trees are set to make way for a lifestyle village, which is part of a new stage in the Elloura housing estate that backs onto the waters of Lake Nagambie.
This weeks full resumption of face-to-face lessons has instead been a case of remote learning redux for primary school teacher Cyndi Smith.

One of her students tested positive to COVID-19 on Monday  the first day all year levels were back on-site  forcing Ms Smith and the rest of her year 5/6 composite class into isolation. She has been teaching them online this week while she quarantines at home.

Primary school teacher Cyndi Smith is in seven-day isolation and teaching from home. Her students are in 14-day isolation so wont be able to return to school with her on Monday. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Ms Smith, who teaches at a school in Melbournes east, will be free to go back to school on Monday to resume face-to-face lessons but most of her students wont join her.

They are under 12, unvaccinated and therefore confined to isolation for another week. It means Ms Smith will have to juggle a hybrid in-person and virtual classroom.
The race that stops the nation may be widely considered to be a day of cultural significance but many younger Melburnians opted to enjoy the public holiday on Tuesday without paying homage to the Melbourne Cup.

Monash University senior sociology lecturer Dr Brady Robards, who specialises in youth culture, said young people were more aware of problematic behaviour like binge-drinking and gambling, often associated with the Cup.

The field round the first bend in the 2021 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Credit:Getty Images

There is a really interesting generational consciousness shift around these issues, Dr Robards said. The Melbourne Cup is just one aspect of that.

Dr Robards said there was also increased concern over racing-related horse fatalities.
Inevitably, the word embittered soon bounced from Glasgow to Australia. A national newspaper quoted former minister Christopher Pyne as saying, in my experience, Scott Morrison never lied to me, under a headline declaring Liberals lash turncoat Turnbull over attack. Conservative talkback radio filled with sound and fury, and 2GBs Ben Fordham called Turnbulls rage one of the most unhinged attacks Ive seen in some time. Malcolm, what is wrong with you? Do you realise how bitter you sound? Fordham demanded.

Turnbull, like every political leader toppled by colleagues, undoubtedly remains stung by the experience of being deposed. Embittered, however, might not be the right word for an immensely wealthy man who is happy in marriage and who travelled to Glasgow pushing renewable energies with the International Hydro Power Association and as the chair of Australian Fortescue Future Industries. Call it, instead, vengeance. He is, after all, a student of ancient Rome, where blood flowed. A classical get-square, perhaps, for indignities leading back to two days before Turnbull was toppled in 2018 when Morrison threw his arm around him and beamed, Brutus-like: this is my leader and Im ambitious for him.

Turnbulls most vociferous onslaught did not focus on the climate plan that Morrison brought to Glasgow, though his disdain for it was mighty. I mean, he said, Australia has never been more out of step on a global issue with its friends and allies than it is on climate. Instead, it was about what had occurred at the G20. In Rome. Malcolm Turnbull and his then treasurer Scott Morrison in 2018 when Morrison declared this is my leader and Im ambitious for him. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen It was about mendacity. He took the opportunity to expand dramatically on French President Emmanuel Macrons accusation in Rome that Morrison had lied to him in relation to Australias sudden cancellation of the $90 billion submarines contract with France.

Turnbull is friendly with Macron and was prime minister when the original deal for the French submarines was signed in 2016. The way the contract was broken, Turnbull says, was a very shameful episode. Loading You know, it really is a breach of trust, a breach of faith, and it has damaged Australias reputation for trustworthiness, which is a very important asset whether its ... between nations or in business or personal life, he told Leigh Sales on the ABCs 7.30. A few months out from the next election, he may as well have said outright he couldnt bear to see Morrison returned to power. Little wonder former colleagues, including Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, have been almost falling over themselves to repudiate the charge that Morrison has a reputation for lying.

More exotic was Finance Minister Simon Birminghams suggestion that journalists shouldnt have asked Macron about Morrison in the first place. Over the past decade of frequent leadership coups in Australia, it has become almost a cliche to judge that former prime ministers who publicly undermine their successors are in danger of destroying their own legacy. Kevin Rudd set out to damage Julia Gillard after he was overthrown in 2010, and these days, with Turnbull, frequently speaks out against the Murdoch medias influence on politics, and in both their downfalls. Tony Abbott, having promised no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping after he was replaced by Turnbull, later undertook a damaging campaign from within the Parliament against the Turnbull governments direction.

Only Gillard has maintained a dignified silence about those who succeeded her. Loading Now it is Turnbulls turn, and hes not holding back, though he points out he is a private citizen in a free country and is entitled to say whatever he wishes. But do the words and actions of disappointed and angry ex-prime ministers really destroy their legacies? Those with longer memories might reflect that once the sourness eventually settles, former leaders bathe in a more mellow light.

Malcolm Fraser was reviled for years for his role in the dismissal of the Whitlam government. He mounted furious criticism of the border policies of Howards government during the 1990s and quit the Liberal Party altogether in 2010 over its conservative tilt when Abbott took the leadership from Turnbull. Yet Fraser, who died in 2015, is widely remembered as a significant humanitarian for his work with refugees. He eventually reconciled with Gough Whitlam, and they became elderly friends. Loading Bob Hawke fumed for years over losing his leadership to Paul Keating  though he took care to ensure he was not seen to undermine Keatings period as prime minister. In fact, Hawke resolved his greatest (largely private) loathing for Whitlam because he had become a sort of secular saint to the Labor faithful, although his short-lived government had dissolved into chaos. Hawke, who had run a much steadier ship of state, smarted at criticism that he had become too motivated by money-making after politics.

And yet, by the time Hawke was approaching death, he was lionised across the political spectrum like few before him as a great reformist prime minister. It remains to be seen how Keating and Howard will eventually be judged, though their legacies as warriors for their separate causes seem secure. Both, as it happens, are unusual in the modern era of leadership turbulence. They were not ousted by their colleagues, but by the voters. Judgement on Turnbulls legacy will have to wait until the bile settles, which we can be sure will be some time after the Morrison government is but a memory.
The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins has been committed to stand trial in the ACT Supreme Court and is due to face court again on November 18.

Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent with the former ministerial staffer on March 23, 2019.

Former political staffer Brittany Higgins Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

He appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday via telephone, with his lawyer Warwick Korn also appearing remotely.

Magistrate Robert Cook committed Mr Lehrmann to trial in the higher court on the papers, meaning no evidence was read aloud during the hearing.
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has questioned whether it was wise of Australian journalists to ask Emmanuel Macron if Scott Morrison had lied to him, as the Australian Prime Minister insists he is trying to move on from the diplomatic crisis.

Mr Morrison has for days been facing criticism from the French government and the federal Opposition after his office leaked personal text messages from the French President.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham questioned whether Emmanuel Macrons statement was the fault of Australian journalists questioning him. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Senator Birmingham was questioned about the leak of Mr Macrons text messages on Friday morning but sought to deflect the blame to Australian journalists who questioned Mr Macron on the sidelines of the G20 in Rome.

People could ask questions as to whether it was wise for journalists to pressure the French President, in regards to the comments he made, he told the ABCs Radio National.
Wellington: A mother who murdered her terminally ill daughter has been jailed for 6 years in New Zealand.

Cherylene Lawrence, 49, was sentenced in the High Court at Napier on Friday after pleading guilty to a charge of murder in September.

Cherylene Lawrence has been sentenced for 6.5 years for murdering her daughter. Credit:Stuff

Chevana Fox was 28 when she died on February 1 from injuries inflicted by her mother in the home they shared.

Justice Cheryl Gwyn said that although the law required her to punish Lawrence, it was clear that she had already suffered greatly. The circumstances of the murder meant it would be manifestly unjust to sentence her to a lengthy prison sentence, she said.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Ombudsman hereby highlights some important observations made by the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the three national ordinances in connection with cuts to the employment benefits of civil servants, (semi) public sector workers, and political authorities.

The Court established that it was understandable that the Ombudsman referred the case to the Court for review, even though the national ordinances were ruled not to be in contravention with the Constitution, under the circumstances and given the dilemma of government. After all, Parliament and the Government also must act in crisis situations such as the present within the limits of their powers laid down in the constitution. The Court decided given the dire financial situation the country found itself in, the temporary interference of the right to the peaceful enjoyment of possessions was not considered disproportionate. The Court further noted that: the judicial restraint to be observed relates not only to the assessment of whether the public interest is served by the austerity measures contained in the national ordinances as conditions for liquidity support but also to the assessment of the suitability and proportionality of these measures. In short, even if the Ombudsman could propose an alternative that could be said to be better than the one chosen by the legislator - without relying on hindsight - that would not be enough for the Constitutional Court to quash those measures. In a case such as the present, the Court will only be allowed to intervene if choices made by the legislator of Sint Maarten were manifest without reasonable foundation.

In this regard, the Ombudsman is also contented with the fact that the verdict will provide the necessary clarity to government and emphasizes that she will continue to address the Constitutional Court, on behalf of the people, whenever there is a legitimate possibility that law contravenes the Constitution and in doing so fulfill her role as Protector of the rights of the people and Guardian of the Constitution. It should be noted that the decision of the Court is final. It is not open to appeal. Pursuant to the Constitution, the effective date of the national ordinances shall be suspended until two weeks after the Court has issued its decision. This means that the ordinances are scheduled to go into effect during the third week of November 2021.

The Ombudsman notes that the Court agreed with the contention that the measures are incompatible with the non-discrimination principle, article 16 of the Constitution, insofar that certain public sector entities such as, but not limited to, the Integrity Chamber, Chamber of Commerce, and Sint Maarten Housing Foundation were incorrectly not included in the annexes of the laws.

The government acknowledged that these agencies were indeed overlooked and promised (during the hearing) that the omissions would be corrected. Considering that the established unjustified unequal treatment will be lifted, the Court used its discretion, provided by the Constitution and the National Ordinance Constitutional Court, not to annul the law in question. The Court also agreed with the Ombudsman that the (initial) position taken by the Government, that in the event of a (real) promotion to a higher position, no corresponding higher wage (than the wage that was previously paid) would be possible, is at odds with the principle of equality. The government later abandoned this position. Additionally, it is the opinion of the Court that the legal text, even though the explanatory notes conflicts with this, allows an interpretation on the basis of which a higher wage is possible in the event of such a promotion, considering that such an explanation is also quite reasonable and in accordance with common sense. Therefore, in view of the Government's statements, the Court assumed that the Sint Maarten Government is already following the reasonable explanation given. The Court took this as a basis and saw no reason to annul the provision in question under this circumstance.

The Ombudsman reminds the public that the Constitutional Court operates outside the regular court system. It conducts normative review in abstract proceedings before laws come into force. The relevant legal provisions, in this case, the three national ordinances, were reviewed without reference to a particular case in which the provisions were applied. In its first verdict of 8 November 2013, the Court had previously established two general principles regarding the review of national ordinances, namely judicial restraint, and the presumption of constitutionality. Simply put, this means that the legislator (parliament) enjoys a wide margin of appreciation in regulating their social policy. This margin is even wider when the issues involve socio-economic emergency law(s).

Absence of poverty line

Another important observation of the Court is that Sint Maarten has not established a poverty line. The court, therefore, assumed that the subsistence threshold or poverty line is lower than the statutory minimum wage, although it is not certain to what extent this corresponds with reality, due to the government's lack of concrete data. The Court also pointed out the present amounts for social assistance are very well below the statutory minimum wage.

Democratic deficit

Although not argued by the Ombudsman, the Court also stated in no uncertain terms that it does not have the power to give an opinion on the legality of the position of the Netherlands when imposing conditions on Sint Maarten as a condition for liquidity support. For example, because this would be contrary to the autonomy of Sint Maarten guaranteed by the Kingdom Charter or to proportionality requirements. The Court acknowledged that even though these are important questions, they cannot be addressed by the Constitutional Court.

The Ombudsman notes that this underscores the democratic deficit within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the urgent need for a dispute regulation.

Human dimension

Finally, the court concludes by reiterating that constitutional review is an abstract review in advance, which must be based on the facts as they can be established at the moment. As time goes on, the Court notes, it will become increasingly clear what the actual effects of these national ordinances are on the life of the ordinary citizen of St. Maarten. This will undoubtedly influence the decision as to how temporary these temporary national ordinances should ultimately be, and that both Sint Maarten and the Dutch governments will not lose sight of the human dimension.

The Court also references the provision in article 119 of the Constitution, whereby affected persons can test the practical implementation and application of the national ordinances in concrete terms against the fundamental rights laid down in the Constitution, while also examining any additional adverse circumstances in the specific case, which were not foreseen by the legislator.

The Ombudsman will be closely monitoring the practical implementation of the ordinances, particularly the provisions regulating promotions. Considering that the verdict was quite extensive (30-pages), the Ombudsman promises to delve deeper into other important facets, of the ruling of the Court, in the future. All documents regarding the proceedings including the verdict are available via the website www.ombudsmansxm.com under the Reports and Articles tab (Constitutional Court).
PHILIPSBURG:--- Sint Maarten has submitted a draft 2022 budget to the Board of financial supervision Curacao and Sint Maarten (Cft) and needs to adopt it this year still, in accordance with the Financial supervision act (Rft). The Cft insists in particular on limiting expenditure and increasing income by improving tax compliance, among others. The government of Sint Maarten is facing major challenges, but with the support of the Netherlands and the trust fund, it can implement much-needed reforms and work on structural improvements.

The economy of Sint Maarten is recovering well. For this year, the IMF estimates real economic growth of 4% and of 15% for the coming year. Next year, 1 million cruise passengers are expected and 1.1 million passenger movements at the airport. For further recovery, the renovation of the airport is essential. It is furthermore important to invest in the coming years in road infrastructure and the port.

Timely budget adoption

Sint Maarten has great difficulty with the timely adoption of budgets and documents on financial reporting. Sint Maarten adopted the 2021 budget on September 9th. According to the Rft, this should have already been the case on December 15th of the former year. Sint Maarten submitted the draft 2022 budget to the Cft on October 27th. The Cft insists that the 2022 budget be adopted in time, for the government to obtain a mandate from Parliament for the implementation of the budget.

Public debt and wage costs subsidy

In 2021 Sint Maarten received ANG 118 million in liquidity support from the Netherlands in the form of a 0% interest loan. Sint Maarten's public debt increases to ANG 1,398 million, which amounts to approximately 79 percent of gross domestic product. Per inhabitant, this amounts to more than ANG 23,000. An important part of this support was spent on wage cost subsidies. In 2020, ANG 72 million in wage cost subsidy was paid to companies, and the amount estimated for 2021 is ANG 53 million. The wage cost subsidy has been stopped per October 1st. Sint Maarten does have a considerable delay in the processing of the subsidy requests and the final determining of the wage cost subsidies. The Cft has urged to settle this backlog before December 1st, 2021, and to show which part of the wage cost subsidy has been overpaid.

Balanced budget in 2023

For 2022 Sint Maarten expects a still significant budget deficit. In order to limit a further build-up of debt, Sint Maarten should reduce expenditure and increase income, in the first instance through compliance-enhancing measures. Sint Maarten should arrange for a balanced budget before 2023 and a surplus for later years so that the debt repayment can be started. A balance on the regular budget service has the advantage that Sint Maarten can claim capital loans with Dutch registration.

Healthcare funds

The financial situation of the healthcare funds on Sint Maarten is troubling. The deficits of the Healthcare Insurance (ZV), Accident Insurance (OV), and the Retired Civil Servants Healthcare Fund (FZOG) are estimated to increase to ANG 328 million by the end of 2021. This is an unsustainable situation. Therefore, on January 1, 2022, the wage limit for the health and accident plan will be raised to ANG 120,000, the contribution for employees in the public sector will be brought more in line with that in the private sector and political authorities will start to contribute to health insurance. It is furthermore important to replace specific medicines with generic medicines in the short term. This will enable Sint Maarten to save approximately ANG 12 million annually.

Financial management

The Cft emphasizes the importance of improving financial management in collaboration with the temporary work organization and assumes that the deadlines set are actually met. The Cft is positive about the measures included in the Country Package, including setting up a compliance program at the tax authorities. It is necessary that the discussion with the Netherlands about making support available is concluded as soon as possible so that Sint Maarten can get started with these essential projects. Regarding financial management, the Cft has also drawn attention to asset management, including the capital goods transferred from the trust fund.

Trust fund

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the necessary progress has been made in the projects of the trust fund in recent years. The reconstruction of the airport terminal has started and will be completed in 2023. The Cft has taken note with interest of projects that make working capital and soft loans available to small and medium-sized companies and improve the social resilience of the population. However, some spatial planning projects will require a longer horizon than in 2025.

The members of the Cft Curacao and Sint Maarten visited Sint Maarten from November 2nd to 4th and held talks with the Acting Governor, the Minister of Finance, the Council of Ministers, and the Finance Committee of Parliament. The Cft also visited the National Recovery Plan Bureau (NRPB), Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), the General Audit Chamber of Sint Maarten (ARS), and the administrator of the Social Health Insurance (SZV).

On November 1st, the Cft Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba visited Saba and held talks with the Executive Council, the Island Council, and the electricity company of Saba.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on November 5, 2021.

This Central Committee meeting, which was adjourned on October 4, 2021, will be reconvened on Friday at 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Mr. Omar E.C Ottley will be present. The meeting will resume with the Minister providing answers to the questions posed by Members of Parliament on agenda point 3 and the handling of agenda point 4.

The agenda points are:

3. The current state of the labor market

4. Plans to support unemployed persons (IS/549/2020-2021 dated March 31, 2021)

Agenda points 3, 4 and 5 were requested by MP S.L. Duncan, MP G.C. Pantophlet, MP H.L. Richardson, MP W.V. Marlin and MP A.J.G. Romou

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and www.pearlfmradio.sx
PHILIPSBURG:--- Well-known island artist Roland Richardson will be featured in the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) Event Calendars 2022 edition. Richardson was nominated by the French tourism office (Office de Tourisme de St. Martin) and wholly supported by the SHTA.

Richardson is one of the best-known artists of the island, sometimes dubbed the Father of Caribbean Impressionism. The famous red Flamboyant tree, highly symbolic of his island of birth, is a recurring theme in his work.

His works are collected all over the world, in various American and European government institutions, and part of renowned private collections including those of Martha Graham, Jackie Kennedy, Prime Minister Raffarin, and Queen Beatrix.

Richardson has had over 100 one-man exhibitions throughout the Caribbean islands, France, the Netherlands, the Middle East, Belgium, Bulgaria, Russia, and extensively in the United States. Articles featuring Richardsons achievements have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Caribbean Travel & Life and Island Magazine and many other publications.

In 2007, Roland Richardson was awarded the honor of Knight of the Order of Orange Nassau, a Dutch Royal Decoration from the Court of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. He has also been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the French Government.

Richardson is honored to be this years cultural icon of choice and is grateful for the nomination of the Office de Tourisme de St. Martin and SHTAs support. In addition, he is delighted to collaborate with the calendars design talent, Loic Bryan.

Previously, icon Clara Reyes and prominent steelpan musician Isidore "Dow" York were the St. Maarten cultural professionals featured on the 2020 and 2021 editions respectively.

As the pandemic situation continues to ask for caution, the calendar will again address special guidelines for events including mask-wearing and social distancing for visitors of events small and large. Even though optimism is in place for 2022 as a year of return, SHTA will underline all listed events are subject to change as health safety will remain of the greatest importance.

In addition to ILTTs world famous brands Captain Morgan, Smirnoff Vodka, and Johnnie Walker Scotch, SHTA thanks Grant Thornton, TelEm Group, the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, and the Office de Tourisme de St. Martin for making the 2022 St. Maarten Event Calendar possible.

SHTA calls on companies and NGOs to send in events they are planning for the 2022 Calendar before November 5th via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if they have not done so as yet. St. Maarten residents can reserve a free personal printed version via the same mail address.
PHILIPSBURG:--- It is with great sadness that the Government of Sint Maarten learned of the passing of cultural icon and former senior civil servant Jocelyn Arndell on Friday, October 29. Arndell was a member of the famous string band Tanny & The Boys. He was a long-standing, well-respected civil servant who served in various government departments during his tenure contributions to the people of St. Maarten.

Fifty-one years (51) ago, the late Lt. Governor Reinier O. van Delden of the Windward Islands, attentive to the sentiments of the population of St. Maarten, recognized and saw the hunger in the people wanting to express themselves and display their culture to the world. Van Delden came up with a plan of action and commissioned Arndell to see how Carnival was organized in St. Thomas and he got a firsthand and birds-eye view of how St. Thomas Carnival was organized in a setting comparable to that of a village with temporary makeshift booths erected. Arndell thought on how something similar to what he witnessed in St. Thomas could work in St. Maarten and that was the genesis of our Carnival Village. Jocelyn brought the idea back to St. Maarten in April of 1970 and refined it to suit St. Maartens context and seven months later on November 11, 1970, the Carnival Village was born prematurely.

On behalf of the Council of Ministers, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the late Jocelyn Arndell. St. Maarten has truly lost a hero whose legacy will remain for years to come. May he rest in eternal peace," stated Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.

A condolence-memorial book will be opened at the Government Administration Building on Pond Island for one day to the public in connection with the passing of former senior civil servant Jocelyn Arndell tomorrow, Friday, November 5, 2021, from 8:00 AM  5:00 PM. Civil servants can sign the condolence book at any time throughout the day. The funeral will be held on Monday, November 8, at the Royal Funeral Home with a viewing from 9:00  10:00 AM. and service from 10:00  11:00 AM.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten Police KPSM is monitoring and analyzing the situation at one of the border crossings with the French side (St. Martin).

In the process of monitoring the Belvedere-French Quarter crossing, it became apparent that a group of masked individuals had barricaded the border with construction materials. The situation has now deteriorated to the point where those wishing to cross presumably have to pay a border crossing fee.

Due to the prevailing situation, KPSM urges drivers wishing to cross to the French side to use an alternative route.

The police will continue to monitor this situation.

KPSM Press Release.
Somerset, KY (42501)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies and rain during the afternoon. High 58F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 33F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Recent cyber-attacks have disabled and even shut down physical assets. Robust foundational security and training staff, able to recognise an attack can help mitigate the threat, as ABBs Rob Putman explains.

Edge devices and data analytics

As cyber security specialists, we must navigate an ever-changing threat landscape, one that is made even more complex by the increased interconnectivity between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), as companies look to leverage edge devices and data analytics, as well as remote connectivity, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the threat surface evolves, the industry must guard against attacks on key physical infrastructure, carried out by a range of malicious actors, including nation states and criminals intent on blackmail.

The chemicals sector, a high-value target for cyber-criminals

Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost

In 2017, not long after a ransomware attack that targeted Maersk, the worlds largest shipping firm, made the news around the world. Another cyber-attack, this time targeting physical industrial assets, generated fewer headlines, and yet could have resulted in both real, as well as financial, damage.

Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost, both financial and reputational, to the operator, should production be interrupted or stopped entirely.

Cyber security vulnerabilities put physical assets at risk

The attack in question, a Triton custom malware attack on a petro-chemical facility in Saudi Arabia, targeted a safety system, taking over system controllers. Bugs in the code triggered an emergency shutdown, but could have led to the release of toxic and explosive gases. It was a vivid reminder of how cyber security vulnerabilities are increasingly putting companies key physical assets at risk.

Two more-recent high-profile incidents illustrate my point. In February, a Florida water treatment plant was hacked. The malicious actor remotely accessed the system for three to five minutes, during which time they opened various functions on the screen, including one that controls the amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the water. The hacker changed the NaOH from about 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning event.

Colonial Pipeline cyber-attack incident

Then, in May, the Colonial Pipeline system that originates in Houston, Texas and carries gasoline, and jet fuel, suffered a ransomware attack. Using a VPN, hackers targeted back-office IT systems, forcing Colonial to shut down IT hosts and network infrastructure, severing communication with those OT systems that are responsible for communicating transactional data associated with fuel delivery.

In this instance, a single compromised password disrupted Colonials ability to invoice its customers. This dependency on OT data stopped pipeline and business operations, and the company was elected to pay the hackers an initial ransom of US$ 4.4 million, in order to restore operations. The Colonial attack was multi-dimensional, in that it not only impacted Colonials business, but also the wider US economy and national security, since the pipeline transports nearly half of the east coast's fuel supplies.

Outdated IT system elevates physical risk

The increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerabilit

Attacks such as these prove that, armed with little more than a laptop, an email account and access to the dark web, determined hackers can cause disproportionate damage to physical infrastructure.

As mentioned at the outset, the increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerability. Producers often want to know: Is it risky to connect a production asset or their operational environment to the Cloud? My answer is, if you do so without having done any risk audits around people, processes and technology, or without enhancing and maintaining that environment, then yes, that is risky.

For example, we often observe that the life cycle of a production asset far outlasts the IT systems that are used to run it. Take a cement kiln. Several generations of plant operators may have come and gone, but that asset may still run, using legacy software, such as Windows XP and why not?

Need to replace aging distributed control systems

Well, thats fine, if you are not concerned about having that asset compromised, and all that entails. A flat IT network, an aging distributed control system, and machines with legacy versions of Microsoft Windows, all these elements, which are still commonplace in many industries, make it much easier for attackers to find and infiltrate a company, without needing sophisticated tools.

The age-old mantra of not interfering with a piece of equipment or software that appears to be working, often applies to the individual assets. For example that cement kiln that are still controlled by the same Windows XP-based control software.

However, if were honest, things have changed quite a bit, not because something was broken, but because innovation came in. That same kiln control system is most likely connected to other systems, than when first commissioned and that opens it to exposure to threats that it was never designed for.

The human element

There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk

There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk, but many recent, high-profile cyber-attacks have been conducted from a laptop, by hacking someones VPN, or are a simple phishing/malware attack. In all these cases, the human element is partly to blame.

Take the Florida attack. The compromised computer at the water treatment facility was reportedly running an outdated Windows 7 operating system and staff all used the same password, in order to gain remote access via the Teamviewer app, which the hacker was then able to use.

Physical and human assets, key to robust cyber security

Discussion on the best way to mitigate the threat is often framed solely around specific technical solutions and ignores the fact that robust foundational cyber security is really driven by two very different, but equally important, types of capital: physical assets (e.g. production machinery), and human assets.

The truth is that smart digital software and industry-renowned cyber security applications, while critical, are in many cases, only as good as the weakest human link in the chain. Industry would, therefore, do well to ask itself the following question: Do we have a security problem, or a complacency problem?

At this juncture, it is important to point out that the majority of companies that ABB works with, are at least aware of the threat posed by cyber attackers, and the potential impact of an attack, on their revenues, reputation and bottom line.

User error and human-generated exposures

Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital

However, user error and human-generated exposures are where most of these attacks occur. Those human failures are mostly not due to malicious intent from employees, but to the lack of training of the employees on secure behavior.

Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital. However, there are also age demographics at play here. Much of the operations employee base is heading towards retirement and often, there is no plan or ability to backfill these people.

Need to invest in new digital and automated technologies

If you think you don't have enough people now, in order to stay on top of basic care and feeding of the OT environment, with regards to security, what is that going to be like in 20 years?

For this reason, there must be a major industry reset, when it comes to its workforce. Companies must invest in new digital and automated technologies, not only to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve and mitigate risk, but also to attract the next generation of digitally literate talent.

Robust cyber security is built on solid foundations

When we talk about foundational cyber security, we mean fundamentals, such as patching, malware protection, high-fidelity system backups, an up-to-date anti-virus system, and other options, such as application allow-listing and asset inventory. These basic controls can help companies understand their system setup and the potential threats, identify vulnerabilities, and assess their risk exposure.

The Pareto principle states that around 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes. In the context of cyber security, that means 80% of exposure to risk comes from 20% of the lack of security. If companies do the foundational things right, they can manage out a significant amount of this risk.

Importance of maintaining and upgrading security controls

However, having basic security controls, such as anti-virus software in place, is just the first step on that journey. Equally important is having someone within the organisation, with the requisite skill set, or the extra labour bandwidth, to operate, maintain and update those security controls, as they evolve.

Educating, training and recruiting existing employees, and the next generation of talent, along with forging partnerships with trusted technology providers, will ensure that industry can leverage the latest digital technologies, in order to drive business value, and secure physical assets against cyber-attacks.
Ethical consumerism has become a big trend in recent years, as consumers are becoming more concerned about where their money is going and its not just individuals. Large corporations, such as PWC, Barclays, Johnson & Johnson and government commissioners are all pledging to spend money with organisations that are prioritising their social, governance and environmental impact.

Choosing to buy social

It is now a boardroom level commitment for many companies to allocate their procurement budget with those suppliers that align with or complement their own ESG goals. Choosing to buy social, within the diverse supplier and social enterprise community, gives consumers and companies a transparent, ethical and accountable way to spend their money.

Diverse suppliers and social enterprise businesses (often the two go hand in hand) range in size and are spread, across a wide variety of sectors. From coffee and water suppliers, to toilet paper and socks, to design agencies and security companies, there are plenty of organisations to choose from, when it comes to meeting diverse supplier spend targets.

Social enterprise organisations

Social Enterprise UK is the leading global authority on social enterprise in the United Kingdom

To become a certified social enterprise organisation, businesses must satisfy several key criteria, which importantly include proving how profits are distributed and invested, as well as company ownership status, and evidence of a social mission.

Social Enterprise UK is the leading global authority on social enterprise and the biggest network of social enterprises in the United Kingdom. They are a strategic partner to government departments and have led public policy on social enterprise for 15 years.

Making a powerful ethical statement

Social enterprise organisations are founded on a social or environmental mission, and like any successful business, they are committed to making profit. Unlike other businesses, their profits must be re-invested or donated to charities, or sustainability projects, rather than paying dividends to shareholders.

Working with social enterprises and diverse suppliers is a simple way, in which larger corporations can make a powerful ethical difference.

The 1 billion challenge

In 2016, Social Enterprise UK launched the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, the worlds largest commitment to social procurement.

The government-backed initiative sees a group of high-profile businesses working together, in order to maximise their engagement with social enterprise suppliers. These partners now include over 27 global companies, including Zurich Insurance, GSK, and real estate giants, CBRE.

Social procurement through Social Enterprise

Large corporations are now, more than ever, concerned about the social and environmental impact that they are having

Large corporations are now, more than ever, concerned about the social and environmental impact that they are having. Many have or are looking to set up, a strategy to bring diversity, innovation, and sustainability to their supply chain. Social enterprises can help deliver on this strategy.

Janette Evans-Turner, the Head of Sourcing & Procurement UK & IOM, at Zurich Insurance, said More and more businesses are recognising just how powerful the impact - positive and negative - of their day-to-day business spend is on society. Here at Zurich, our ambition is to see our procurement practices drive positive social, environmental, and ethical outcomes.

Innovation and sustainability in supply chain

Janette adds, A core part of our strategy is engaging with business partners, which can bring diversity, innovation, and sustainability into our supply chain. The good news is that there is a ready-made solution out there which delivers all of this - social enterprises.

Adrian Dalmedo, Procurement Director, at CBRE, said Supply Chain Diversity is increasingly important for CBRE and our clients. CBRE have made a commitment to spend $1bn with diverse suppliers in 2021 and to treble this over the next 5 years. We firmly believe that a diverse supply chain is a catalyst for innovation, creativity and doing good.

Corps Security  an iconic global Social Enterprise

Since their inception in 1859, Corps Security has followed what they call the triple bottom line ethos of people, planet, and purpose. Thats over a century and a half of social value. Corps Security was originally founded to help veterans returning from the Crimean war to find gainful employment. To this day the Corps model still actively seeks to employee ex-military personnel.

In July 2021, Corps Security gained Social Enterprise status. This not only acknowledged the good work that Corps has been involved in since their beginning, it also sets them apart from all their competitors in the security sector.

Benefits of Social Enterprise status

Mark Rogers, Sales and Marketing Director of Corps Security, said Social Enterprise status brings many benefits. For our business, it guarantees that our social mission remains at the very heart of all we do and ensures we continue to operate in an ethical, transparent, and accountable way.

It also means our customers can increase their own environmental, social and governance credentials"

Mark Rogers adds, It also means our customers can increase their own environmental, social and governance credentials by choosing to work with us. My hope is that together we can achieve great things for our people and our planet, while supporting our purpose.

In common with all other Social Enterprise organisations, Corps Security re-invested their profits back into their business, to support their teams. They also make considerable charitable donations, to create positive social change within the ex-military community.

Combat Stress, charitable organisation

Combat Stress is their preferred charity and having Social Enterprise status means that Corps Security can secure regular funding for them. This helps to pay for research, clinicians and counselors, to support ex-military personnel, with their journey into civilian life and any mental health care that they may need.

Since the withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 17, 2021, Combat Stress has seen an increase in calls to their helpline, with many veterans feeling let down, angry and frustrated. Recent coverage may be triggering difficult thoughts and feelings, and could be re-traumatising some veterans or worsening existing conditions, such as PTSD.

Funding from Corps Security and clients

Thanks to Corps Securitys clients, Combat Stress has funded 109 Days for the helpline. That is 4,500 calls of which 2,070 were new callers, seeking help for the first time. They have given 131 veterans individual sessions with a psychiatrist, funded 575 one-to-one trauma-focused sessions and 862 video therapy sessions at home. In addition, 2,632 participants can attend one-to-one peer support group meetings, across the United Kingdom.

As well as meeting social enterprise criteria, earlier this year and joining the growing number of companies that are able to offer that diverse spend option, Corps Security have also recently been awarded the MODs Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award. This is in recognition of outstanding support for the Armed Forces community. Corps Security is also a Living Wage Foundation recognised service provider, since 2020 and theyre also a carbon neutral company, funding projects across the world and offsetting 477 tons of carbon a year.
The user may know that fixed licence plate reader technology (LPR) is one of the most powerful security tools available for protecting buildings and perimeters of geographical areas. Best practices for ELSAG Fixed Plate Hunter LPR systems include:

College, university, and school campuses

Airports

Casinos

Manufacturing facilities

Houses of worship

Transportation depots

Utility infrastructure

Municipal buildings

Military campuses

Ports and border stations

Fixed plate readers are also proving to be fundamental components of public safety missions designed to protect people in high-pedestrian areas, or those targeted by traffickers and predators. This case study offers three real-life instances of fixed or semi-fixed deployments that not only keep buildings and perimeters secure, but also people.

Identifying suspect vehicle

The ELSAG Fixed Plate Hunter ALPR in action fixed ELSAG ALPR cameras are attached to infrastructure like a utility pole or sign gantry.

Fixed cameras scan plates of passing vehicles, capturing licence plate numbers, date/time stamps and GPS locations.

The infrared camera captures b/w images of each plate and a colour camera captures overview images of each vehicle.

A computer reads the plate characters and compares them with a hot list.

Plates that match a white or hot list trigger instant alerts to security officials.

ELSAG Fixed Plate Hunter ALPR Performance:

Cameras read licence plates, day or night, in any weather.

Plates are processed at up to 150 mph (241 kph) passing speeds, from over 100 feet away.

Plates are recognised using specially designed protocols for each jurisdiction in which the systems are deployed ELSAG Fixed Plate Hunter ALPR Performance.

Alerts are sent to officials, command centres and other patrol cars instantaneously, upon identifying a suspect vehicle.

Captured data includes date/time stamps, GPS coordinates and photo of the licence plate.

Fixed systems can capture the speed of passing vehicles.

Hot list updates are wirelessly received and transmitted.

Keeping people safer

Duck, NC is a coastal community located in Dare County on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

There are flexible LPR technologies available that allows the user to address any law enforcement and security mission or challenge that involves vehicles with licence plates. Here are three examples of LPR programs using Leonardo systems that were started for routine purposes, then expanded to help keep people safer and more secure.

Duck, NC is a coastal community located in Dare County on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It hosts about 20,000 people during the summer months. In 2015 The Chief of Police began an LPR program with two fixed cameras to help manage burglary season on the island. Cameras read plates as vehicles enter and leave town. Almost immediately two arrests were made in separate cases of burglars who had been stealing from area homes for over a decade.

Identifying stolen vehicles

The Duck, NC program also identified stolen vehicles, located missing persons, and exposed narcotic activities, leading to the expansion of their LPR network. Additional fixed cameras protect the 30 miles from Manns Harbor to the Wright Memorial Bridge.

Additional fixed cameras protect the 30 miles from Manns Harbor to the Wright Memorial Bridge

The Dare County LPR program is now instrumental in keeping track of residents who adhere to hurricane evacuations and any who choose to stay on the island. LPR traffic tallies and licence plate numbers give officials an estimate of people who may need help during the crisis, and an address. Our LPR systems provided us a starting point to begin and end any type of situation or investigation. John Cueto, Retired Chief of Police, Duck, NC.

Pedestrian-heavy area

In 2015, BA Transito, the road traffic authority in Buenos Aires, used a network of fixed LPR cameras to support an initiative designed to protect the pedestrian-heavy area of the oldest part of the capital city known as the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Only taxi cabs, government officials and other select vehicles are allowed to use the streets there. If any LPR camera reads the licence plate of a vehicle without a permit, they are mailed a ticket. The success of the original LPR program led to a 2017 expansion to relieve traffic congestion in the area immediately surrounding the Autonomous City. This busy metropolitan area, the centre city ring, has multi-lane roads in several directions, dangerously busy with vehicle activity.

Cutting down daily traffic

To encourage compliance, every licence plate number read is prominently displayed on digital signs

BA Transito cut down daily traffic by half using fixed LPR systems. Licence plates ending with odd numbers can enter the centre city ring on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Plates ending with even numbers have access on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Police wait nearby to stop unauthorised vehicles. To encourage compliance, every licence plate number read is prominently displayed on digital signs for all other drivers to see.

The NTSCIU covers eight counties, looking for criminals who use interstates and highways to smuggle illicit contraband. In 2017 they started an LPR program with two mobile LPR units to read plates as officers patrolled. They expanded their LPR network in 2018 with the addition of a LPR radar trailer housing two fixed cameras to serve as a semi-fixed system that could be easily moved to different places along highways, as needed.

LPR radar trailers

In 2018, they purchased an additional trailer to use along strategic routes and support requests from other agencies within the NTSCIU to help curtail crimes such as burglaries. While there are countless headlines about NTSCIUs removal of illicit drugs from Texas highways and seizures of drug money and other contraband, aided by LPR technology, one of their most important cases was the recovery of a child abducted in California.

As described by an NTSCIU supervisor, that case alone paid for their entire investment in LPR technology

As described by an NTSCIU supervisor, that case alone paid for their entire investment in LPR technology. In 2018, the NTSCIU learned of an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang rally in their jurisdiction. They deployed LPR radar trailers around the event site to gather data (licence plate number, photos of each plate on a bike or vehicle, date and time stamps, and trailer identifier).

Fixed LPR technology

Should events occur during the rally that would require investigating, law enforcement could analyse the data for information to help resolve the issue. Agencies of every size will benefit from deploying fixed LPR technologyto aid security of places and people.

There are lease options and grants available to help with funding, and Leonardo even has a lower-cost video camera LPR solution available now. So, get your agency outfitted with this 21st-century technology that is changing law enforcement best practices by increasing capacity, productivity and facilitating creative ways to address any issue that involves a licence plate.
New York (United Nations), 5 November 2021 (SPS) - Algerian diplomat at the UN, Manel El-Ayoubi, rejected the "misleading" Moroccan report aimed at distorting the legal and political realities of the Western Sahara conflict and whitewashing Morocco's colonial practices in this non-self-governing territory.

The Algerian diplomat reacted to the hostile remarks made Wednesday by Morocco's permanent representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, before the 76th session of the general debate of the UN Fourth Committee, in charge of special political issues and decolonization, in which he blamed Algeria for the "creation" and "maintenance" of regional dispute in Western Sahara.

"We are forced to address the biased and distorted discourse of the Moroccan delegation and to recall that the issue of Western Sahara is and remains on the agenda of this august assembly since 1963 as a decolonization issue falling under the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples," said the Algerian diplomat before the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly.

"In accordance with resolutions 1514 and 1540 as well as the legal advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of 1975, the completion of Western Sahara decolonization must be achieved through the exercise, by its people, of their inalienable right to self-determination," she recalled.

"The recommendations of the 2021 regional seminar of the C24 as reflected in the report submitted to this committee, as well as the latest Security Council resolution adopted (2602), recalled the need to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution that would allow the right to self-determination of Sahrawi people," she added.

The Algerian representative to the UN said that "the far-fetched and hollow rhetoric of the Moroccan authorities aiming to present Algeria as the protagonist of a so-called regional conflict is nothing but another attempt by Morocco to hide behind a smokescreen of lies its cruel colonial nature.

062/700




Piotr Zajda | Shutterstock

The United States visit visa, or B1/B2 visa, provides users with permission to enter the U.S. for tourism and business purposes for a limited period of time. Under this visa category, the visa holder must adhere to the conditions of the visa and cannot work, study or open a business using this visa category. Therefore if a B1/B2 visa holder changes their intentions while in the U.S., it is pivotal for them to know the options they have for staying in the country legally.

The traveler could apply for an E-2 Treaty visa, which would mean they'd need to invest a minimum amount of $100,000 in a business enterprise. Under the program, the investor would obtain residency for their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21. Provided that the investor's country of citizenship has a trade treaty with the U.S., they would be eligible to participate in the program; many Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey and Pakistan are eligible. When approved, the applicant would be granted with a renewable two- to five-year residency within three months of application. Usually these visas are granted at consular posts abroad. However, understanding the dynamics of the pandemic, many U.S. consular posts are not processing this form of visa at the time. Thus, it might be prudent to look at this option of filing while within the United States.
The White House has extended a holiday gift of sorts to retail chains and package delivery companies  a post-New Years Day deadline to comply with mandatory employee vaccines and testing for COVID-19.

Many of those companies are struggling to fill open jobs amid advance Black Friday shopping, and an earlier deadline would have given them added headaches ahead of the December rush.

On Thursday, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration set a Jan. 4 deadline for compliance with a mandate from President Joe Biden that millions of employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, or get tested weekly for the virus and wear as mask while indoors at work.

Biden announced the mandate in September with no implementation date. The White House executive order has drawn several court challenges since, with municipalities and large employers nationally reporting employees having quit  some in key roles  rather than get vaccinated.

In a press briefing, senior officials in the Biden administration did not say whether the holiday hiring season factored into the decision to set a January deadline, when retailers and freight carriers let go many of their seasonal workers.

The rule applies to employers with 100 or more workers and to federal contractors, with exemptions allowed under civil rights laws for workers on medical or religious grounds. The vaccine mandate is universal for all health clinics regardless of size if they bill Medicare or Medicaid for services, with no testing option as an alternative.

The vaccine and testing requirements do not apply to employees who work exclusively from home or outdoors. OSHA has posted details on the Emergency Temporary Standard at www.osha.gov.

Significant uncertainty remains for companies that have vaccine mandates in place already or are moving ahead with an OSHA deadline now in place, said David Lewis, CEO of the Norwalk-based workplace consultancy OperationsInc. OSHA confirmed it is studying the capacity of smaller employers with regard to vaccination policy.

It is a very interesting chess game and strategy session here, because with the volume of jobs that are available and the demand for workers, does that create a false sense of security for people who are unwilling to get vaccinated and feeling like they are going to find jobs elsewhere? Lewis said. Or is that an unrealistic expectation, because push is coming to shove?

For employees that choose the testing option, face masks are required indoors and in vehicles with more than one passenger. Employers are not required to pay for COVID-19 tests.

OSHA officials said Wednesday they will conduct a program of inspections of U.S. businesses, with a standard penalty of $13,653 for each instance of noncompliance. Penalties could be more severe if OSHA determines employers are willfully flouting the new rules.

Its been pretty clear that employers have the right to implement mandatory vaccination policies, said Daniel Schwartz, an employment law attorney who is a partner in the Hartford office of Shipman & Goodwin. What this OSHA [ruling] does is give employers an off-ramp to avoid that fight all together. They can say, Fine  you need to be vaccinated, but if you dont you just need to be tested. Were not going to pick the fight.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Connecticut has more than 4,000 companies with at least 100 employees, which combined employ about 1 million people  more than half the workforce. In the aggregate, those payrolls total $72 billion annually.

More than a third of Connecticut business owners and managers signaled opposition to the concept of mandatory vaccines for their workers, among those responding to a Connecticut Business & Industry Association survey.

But many other businesses large and small set their own vaccination mandates well in advance of the White House directive. In some instances, those vaccination policies extend to staff of vendors they employ, Lewis, of OperationsInc., noted.

Lewis said it would not surprise him if the Jan. 4 deadline were pushed back if the new OSHA rules trigger a new stampede of legal challenges. And he noted that Merck and Pfizer have announced progress on pills that promise to greatly decrease the risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19, with the United Kingdom approving Mercks drug this week.

But if nothing else, Lewis said,the White House proclamations have been effective in getting larger numbers of people to get vaccinated who might otherwise have skipped doing so.

What its doing is exactly what the administration hoped it would do, he said, which is  pun intended here  move the needle.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
MIDDLETOWN  A new family is coming to the city, and their journey will be filmed for a documentary.

Local refugee resettlement organizations The Valley Stands Up and Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services have completed preparations to welcome a family of Afghan refugees in the near future, with a film crew capturing every step for a future documentary.

IRIS is a nonprofit based in New Haven that helps refugees and other displaced people establish new lives in Connecticut. While it works to locate displaced people in need, and handle any legal issues related to their resettlement, IRIS relies on local organizations in the state to prepare an appropriate setting for the individuals.

Thats where Mark Pierce and The Valley Stands Up comes in.

Pierce is a member of the organizations steering committee and the head of its refugee project. The organization began in November 2016 after members noticed an anti-immigrant sentiment growing.

We wanted to counter that, Pierce said.

The organization has grown to more than 30 volunteers across Middlesex County and the rest of the lower Connecticut River valley area. This will be the first family the organization helps to resettle in Middletown.

Pierce said Middletown is a prime spot for resettlement because the greatest needs for refugees are affordable housing and availability of public transport or walkability, as well as availability of adult education opportunities.

Middletown just checks all those boxes, Pierce said.

Mayor Ben Florsheim added an additional reason why the city is a good place to welcome refugees.

One of the things that defines us is, were a welcoming place, Florsheim said.

He said that following the events in Afghanistan, it seemed the universal sentiment was to help refugees settle in, be safe and live a good life, and that the city and local organizations were happy to make that happen.

Its one thing to say it but its another thing to make it happen, Florsheim said.

Volunteers with The Valley Stands Up already fully prepared the three-bedroom apartment the family will move into once they arrive. The apartment is across the street from one of the citys elementary schools, and now, Pierce said, they are just waiting for the family.

Any day now I expect to get a call from IRIS, Pierce said.

He said the organization will continue to support the family until they can support themselves.

The family has a big project on their hands and ideally the community can help, Pierce said. The goal, of course, is ultimately for the family to be independent.

While work was being done to prepare the resettlement situation in the city, a film crew working with IRIS was documenting the process. Marie-Marguerite Sabongui, with Blind River Media, said the goal is to inspire viewers to offer their support to the cause.

We hope that this encourages more Americans of all stripes to welcome newcomers, however they can, Sabongui said.

She said they have filmed with The Valley Stands workers up at the apartment, capturing them setting up the new home for the resettled family, and filmed an interview with Florsheim at City Hall.

Its important to hear the voices of people in power on how receiving refugees benefits the community, Sabongui said.

Florsheim said when the crew reached out to him he told them he would be happy to be involved.

We owe it to this population that were in harms way, Florsheim said. I was happy to be able to do it.

The scenes shot in Middletown will be part of a larger project that covers refugee resettlement and the broader welcome movement across the country, Sabongui said. She said that for now, Blind River Media plans to release a series of short videos beginning on Veterans Day, while a longer documentary is in the planning stages.

The videos will be available to view on the Welcome.US website and social media pages.
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP)  Aaron Feuerstein, who owned a textile mill in Massachusetts and famously continued to pay his workers even after a devastating fire, has died. He was 95.

Feuerstein, the former owner of Malden Mills in Lawrence, died Thursday night of complications from a fall days before at his home in Brookline, his son Daniel Feuerstein told The Boston Globe for a story Friday.

My father lived a full life, Feuerstein told the newspaper. I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of condolences from the entire Malden Mills community. The love went both ways.

Malden Mills had been a major textile factory known for its Polartec synthetic fleece fabric.

The sprawling brick mill complex burned in December 1995, but Feuerstein continued to pay his 1,400 employees for months after the blaze shuttered operations.

He also committed to rebuilding the factory, which his grandfather had opened in 1906 and his family had operated for three generations.

Im not throwing 3,000 people out of work two weeks before Christmas, Feuerstein told the Globe at the time.

Lawrence City Council President Marc Laplante told the Globe that Feuerstein exemplified good corporate citizenship and left a positive legacy in the largely immigrant mill city near the New Hampshire state line.

During an interview with 60 Minutes in 2002, Feuerstein was asked what he hoped his tombstone would read.

Hopefully itll be, He done his damnedest, he said. You know, that I didnt give up and I try to do the right thing.

Malden Mills reopened in 1997, but the company, later rebranded as Polartec, struggled in the ensuing years.

It filed for bankruptcy in 2007 and was eventually sold to a private equity firm, which closed the mill and moved its diminished operations to Tennessee. Milliken, a South Carolina-based industrial manufacturer, acquired the Polartec brand in 2019.

Funeral arrangements have not been made public. Feuerstein's survivors include two sons and a daughter, WFXT-TV reports. His wife, Louise, died in 2013.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of whats believed to be the worlds largest award in an arbitration case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos accused the Kremlin of taking down the company to silence its CEO, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

The decision further extends what already has been a yearslong legal battle between Russia and former Yukos shareholders. It quashed a lower court ruling, effectively setting aside a $50 billion award made to the former shareholders in 2014 and sending the case to another court in Amsterdam to consider Russian claims that the shareholders committed fraud in the original arbitration hearings.

However, the highest Dutch court rejected the rest of Russia's arguments, a move welcomed by the former shareholders, who said in a statement that they won on all substantive grounds of Russias appeal.

We will study the Supreme Court ruling, but are confident that the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam will dismiss the baseless allegations raised by the Russian Federation, and the arbitral awards will be upheld, said Tim Osborne, chief executive of GML, the holding company of former Yukos majority shareholders.

The Russian prosecutor-generals office welcomed the ruling but said it is regrettable" the high court didn't dismiss the award outright.

The Russian Federation expects that the Amsterdam Court of Appeal will interpret the remaining controversial issues in accordance with international law ... and take comprehensive measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian taxpayers, the office said in a statement.

An international panel of arbitrators concluded in 2014 that Moscow seized control of Yukos in 2003 by deliberately crippling the company with huge tax claims. The move was seen as an attempt to silence Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a vocal Putin critic.

Khodorkovsky was arrested at gunpoint in 2003 and spent more than a decade in prison as Yukos main assets were sold to a state-owned company. Yukos ultimately went bankrupt.

The state launched a full assault on Yukos and its beneficial owners in order to bankrupt Yukos and appropriate its assets while, at the same time, removing Mr. Khodorkovsky from the political arena, the arbitrators said in their 2014 ruling.

The original case was handled under the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is headquartered in The Hague. As a result, Russia appealed the arbitration decision in the Netherlands.

The Dutch Supreme Court ruled Friday that a lower appeals court in The Hague wrongly dismissed  on procedural grounds  Russias claim that shareholders committed fraud in the arbitral proceedings.

Sergey Alekhin, a Paris-based lawyer and expert on international arbitration who is not involved in the case, said Russia had alleged that the majority shareholders of Yukos fraudulently concealed who has the actual ownership or control over them, so they would allegedly submit false statements.

The Court of Appeal in Amsterdam right now will have to carefully analyze the merit, the substance of those serious allegations," he added. "Those are really serious allegations.

The process  including possible further appeals on the fraud issue  is likely to take years.

In April, an independent adviser to the highest Dutch court had recommended that its judges reject Russias appeal in full.

Khodorkovsky is not involved in the case, which was brought by former shareholders united in a company called GML Ltd.
Shortly after Gov. Ned Lamont announced a new screen and stay program available to schools to minimize the number of students who must quarantine after exposure to COVID-19, House Republicans gathered at the state Capitol Thursday and took credit for the decision.

House Minority Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said the much-needed proposal follows concerns from Republicans over the issue of the quarantining of healthy children in our schools, which really was the impetus for why the governor reacted to what he did today.

The governors spokesman Max Reiss said Thursday night the policy was being developed for weeks with officials from the state Department of Public Health and state Department of Education in discussion over how to minimize disruption to the school day while also keeping students safe.

One day missed for a student because of a quarantine is too many because we want kids in the classroom as much as possible, Reiss said.

Republicans have long criticized Lamont for his unilateral control over the states COVID rules, including in schools, where hes instituted mask mandates for students and required staff to be vaccinated.

But on Thursday, Candelora said the voluntary program, which will allow unvaccinated students who are exposed to COVID-19 to be screened, and return to school if they are not exhibiting symptoms, should be mandated across the board.

Why the governor would leave it up to each district to make the determination is troubling to me, he said.

He also said school districts should be required to provide additional help to students who are required to quarantine so they dont fall further behind in school.

In recent weeks, parents, teachers, students and even school nurses have raised questions over the quarantine protocol in schools and whether it is resulting in students unnecessarily having to stay home and miss in-person learning, said State Rep. Greg Howard, R-Stonington.

Just today, on my way here, I got a text message from a parent whose fourth-grader just got quarantined for 10 days for the third time since Aug. 25, Howard said, adding its putting a tremendous amount of stress on working families and single parents.

Howard said he and other House Republicans have pressed the state departments of education and public health to move toward this new protocol and questioned why the state didnt do it sooner.

Reiss said considering the states infection and high vaccination rates, both of which have improved compared to even a few months ago, theres now a much lower risk in schools, which is why we were able to do it.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
The United States is steadily chipping away at vaccine hesitancy and driving down COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to the point that schools, governments and corporations are lifting mask restrictions yet again.

Nearly 200 million Americans are fully vaccinated and the nations over-65 population, which bore the brunt of the pandemic when it started nearly two years ago, is enthusiastically embracing vaccines.

Nearly 98% of the over-65 population has received at least one COVID-19 shot and more than 25% of them have gotten boosters, just weeks after they were authorized. The improving metrics could get a boost from President Joe Bidens workplace mandate unveiled Thursday and the launch of COVID-19 shots in elementary-age students.

Seniors also are playing a role in getting other family members vaccinated. Erin Lipsker plans to get her 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son vaccinated as soon as possible so they can see her parents and her 98-year-old grandmother. An added motivation is that Lipsker was treated for cancer two years ago, and her 8-year-old daughter, Kennedy, has asthma.

The more children and adults are vaccinated, the quicker we will be able to resume a new normal. I want that for my kids. I want that for our planet, said Lipsker, of Spokane, Washington. I think I will feel much safer around our family. I have a 98-year-old grandmother that my kids adore. I will feel safer having my kids around her, and my parents.

But the pandemic has proven hard to control. In the U.S., winter is coming and diseases like COVID-19 often spread easier with people indoors and closer together. The worst surge in the nation happened last winter, before the vaccines were widely available.

While cases around the world are declining, the World Health Organization said this week new cases jumped by 6% in Europe, compared with an 18% increase the previous week. The U.S. plans to open its borders to international travelers Monday.

The trends in the U.S. have health officials feeling better for the first time in months and hoping the progress will continue as long as a new variant doesnt pop up or the rate of newly vaccinated people declines. But they have also been down this road before and have come to the conclusion that COVID-19 is going to be an issue for years to come.

It is going to be endemic. It is going to exist in our population for a long period of time, said Deborah Fuller, a professor of microbiology at the University of Washington. You saw what looked like an inflection point coming and, boom, here came the delta variant.

There are still plenty of encouraging signs in the U.S. Pfizer announced Friday its experimental pill for COVID-19 cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 90% among patients with mild-to-moderate infections and it will soon ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize its pill.

The number of Americans in the hospital with COVID-19 is averaging around 42,000, the lowest number since the beginning of August, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The hospitalization dip matches a dip in overall cases.

But deaths, which lag behind increasing case counts because it can take weeks for the disease to kill, continue to mount. The U.S. is averaging 1,100 coronavirus deaths per day, down from more than 1,600 two weeks ago.

More than 750,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. in less than two years, about the population of Denver. The latest 50,000 deaths happened in the past month.

With hospital beds emptying, case counts declining and an increase in vaccinated people, however, it has been a slow return to a new normal. Louisiana's Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards last week ended a face covering requirement almost everywhere but schools, saying he was optimistic, relieved that the worst of the fourth surge is very clearly behind us now.

Memphis also ended its mask requirement, and so did a number of schools around Atlanta as the spread of the virus decreased. Amazon ended a mask mandate for most vaccinated workers in places where local or state rules don't require them. Hawaiis governor ended pandemic capacity limits on businesses like restaurants, bars and gyms, but owners must continue to enforce social distancing rules.

Color-coded virus maps that were a sea of red in September have started to turn yellow and blue in recent weeks, indicating a much slower spread of disease. The CDC says about 350 counties are now experiencing moderate or low transmission, many of them in the Deep South.

In the U.S., nearly 60% of the population  more than 193 million people  are fully vaccinated. More than 21 million have received a booster dose, and those numbers are soaring each day. The average number of Americans getting booster shots has reached nearly 800,000 per day. That compares with about 265,000 people per day getting their first shot.

It's still too early to know how many children under 12 have gotten shots in the three days they have been available.

Lagging behind are Southern and more rural states and that rural divide even extends to states with higher vaccination rates like Maine, where more than 70% of the population is vaccinated. Many of the rural states are starting to experience cold weather that is driving people indoors and creating ripe conditions for more virus spread.

In Maine, the five counties with the lowest vaccination rates are rural ones along the border with Canada, where rates hover just over 60%.

One theory is that residents of those counties feel less at risk of infection because they interact less often with others. Vaccine hesitancy among residents of those counties also seems to dovetail with political identity factors. said Robert Long, a spokesperson for the Maine Center for Disease Control.

-

Associated Press Writer Mike Stobbe contributed.
Grace Duffield / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW CANAAN  After an election night where ballots were put aside after a poll worker at the high school allegedly gave incorrect instructions to several voters, the Democratic Town Committee will push for answers.

Chairman Alyssa MacKenzie released a statement on Thursday saying the group is in the process of pursuing complaints regarding potential Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission violations in light of these irregularities.
ATLANTA (AP)  Republicans on Friday advanced a plan projected to maintain a 33-23 GOP majority in the Georgia Senate, setting it up for a possible vote next week in the full Senate.

The proposal passed the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee on a 9-4 party-line vote over complaints that Republicans pushed too fast for a proposal released late Tuesday.

This process has gone too fast," said Sen. Harold Jones II, an Augusta Democrat. "We should really know what were talking about.

As senators voted, a House committee started considering new districts for the 180-member state House.

The General Assembly must redraw electoral districts at least once every decade to equalize populations following the U.S. Census. Georgia added more than a million people from 2010 to 2020, with urban districts generally growing and rural districts usually shrinking.

This will be the first time in decades that Georgia lawmakers wont be required to get federal approval of their maps after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a portion of the Voting Rights Act.

Committee Chairman John Kennedy, a Macon Republican, noted that this years redistricting process had been compressed because of delays in releasing census results. But he said that if people wanted different alternatives considered, they should have gotten their senators to introduce them.

No other maps have been introduced other than the minority leaders map and its not in a fashion or a state that she wants to take action on, Kennedy said. We have one bill on which we can take action.

Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, a Stone Mountain Democrat, presented a proposal Friday that was projected to trim the GOP's majority to 31-25 from its current 34-22, but did not seek a vote on it, saying citizens deserved more time.

The Democratic caucus wants to engage the majority, but it cannot do so if the committee effectively ends debate on Senate redistricting today," Butler said.

Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican, criticized Butler's map as inferior in part because it split more counties than the 29 proposed by Kennedy.

Its hypocritical to attack the chairmans plan that only splits 29 counties with one that splits significantly more for partisan advantage," Cowsert said.

Sen Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat who helped draw Butler's proposal, said it was superior because it was better on partisan fairness coming closer to the 50-50 partisan split seen in recent Georgia elections.

Fair Districts GA, a group that tries to prevent gerrymandering, gives the Senate proposal an F, saying its far too Republican to reflect the states overall partisan balance. The group also faults the map for having only one district where parties are expected to be competitive.

The Republican map seeks to protect all the incumbents, except for two Republicans who are running for statewide office. To offset population losses in south Georgia, the proposal removes Sen. Tyler Harpers district and relocates it to Gwinnett County. Harper, of Ocilla, is running for agriculture commissioner. The plan also dismantles Sen. Bruce Thompsons district and relocates it from Cherokee and Bartow counties to Roswell and Sandy Springs in north Fulton County. Thompson, from White, is running for labor commissioner.

Both those new districts might be won by Democrats, but Republicans shifted a district held by Democrat Michelle Au of Johns Creek to take in more Republican territory, possibly imperiling her.

The Republican proposal adopted Friday made some changes in suburban Cobb County, moving Dobbins Air Reserve Base from a district now represented by Democrat Jen Jordan of Sandy Springs to one represented by Michael Rhett of Marietta.

___

Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
NAUGATUCK  Two people were arrested after a pursuit Thursday that led to an officer being hit by the suspect vehicle and suffering leg fractures, according to police.

It began around 4 p.m. when officers were dispatched to Walmart at 1100 New Haven Road for a report of a shoplifting.

An officer responded and interrupted an alleged suspect trying to get into a vehicle in the area, police said. The individual, later identified as 49-year-old Francis Joseph Ibell, led the officer on a foot pursuit, but was quickly apprehended, police said.

He was charged with first-degree robbery, sixth degree larceny, interfering with an officer and possession of drugs, police said. His bond was set at $500,000.

While the officer apprehended Ibell, the getaway vehicle  a gray 2006 Honda Ridgeline  fled north on New Haven Road, police said. Police said the vehicle approached Naugatuck Police Lt. Mark Pettinicchi who was working an extra duty traffic post near 561 S. Main St.

After Pettinicchi signaled for the driver to stop, police said, the Honda accelerated and hit the lieutenant. Witnesses later described the act as intentional to investigating officers, police said. The officer called for help, and additional units responded to the area and began a pursuit with the driver, who refused to stop, police said.

Police said the driver led officers on a pursuit that went from Route 8 to Waterbury, Wolcott, back through Waterbury, and Interstate 84 west, before being taken into custody in Middlebury near the South Street overpass.

Throughout the pursuit, police said, the occupants of the vehicle tossed out drugs, money and a pistol. All were recovered and seized as evidence.

Naugatuck, Waterbury, Middlebury and Connecticut State Police helped in the arrest of the driver, identified by police as 29-year-old Stanton Ragar Trent, and the passenger, identified as 25-year-old Asia Shynise Paulin.

The Naugatuck Valley Collision Investigation Team responded to the traffic duty scene to process evidence where the officer was hit by the vehicle.

Police said Pettinicchi, who has been with the department for 19 years, was taken to Waterbury Hospital. The lieutenant had a shattered ankle, a fractured right tibia and a fractured right ankle and underwent extensive surgery, police said.

Incidents such as this highlight the dangers that police officers face every day and the danger of trying to apprehend suspects that jeopardize public safety, police said.

Trent, of Daggett Street in New Haven, was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, two counts of possession of drugs with intent to sell, second-degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, carrying a pistol without a permit, weapon in a motor vehicle and sixth-degree larceny. His bond was set at $1 million.

Paulin, of Division Street in Waterbury, was charged with two counts of conspiracy at possession with intent to sell and carrying a pistol without a permit. Bond was set at $300,000.

Police said when Trent was presented for arraignment, officers used Pettinicchis handcuffs.
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:

GLASGOW, Scotland  Environmental campaigners have awarded their Fossil of the Day award to the Polish government for giving  and then apparently backtracking on  a pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.

Climate Action Network, an umbrella group representing hundreds of non-governmental organizations, blasted Poland Thursday for committing at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow to end coal use, but then declaring itself a poor country and sticking to its previous deadline of 2049.

The little-coveted award went to the United States on Wednesday, for what climate activists say was a new measure that benefits mainly industrial agriculture companies rather than ordinary farmers.

The U.S. shared the prize with France for its efforts to get natural gas and nuclear power plants classified as sustainable forms of energy by the European Union, and with the International Emissions Trading Association for representing oil majors such as Chevron and Shell at the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 talks.

___

GENEVA  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says a new project trumpeted by U.S. President Joe Biden, in which companies underpin development of low-carbon technologies through their buying power, amounts to a big transformation.

The First Movers Coalition, spearheaded by the U.S. government and the World Economic Forum, aims to help meet an increasingly difficult target laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. So far, almost three dozen global companies in many sectors have committed to changing their purchasing practices to favor development of zero-emission technologies by 2030.

Designers of the project say half of the emissions reduction projected between now and 2030 will stem from innovations  like capturing carbon out of the air  that arent operating at a large scale.

Its a big deal, Kerry told many corporate leaders behind the project in Glasgow on Thursday.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has joined the tens of thousands of attendees whove been humbled by tough entry procedures at the U.N. climate summit.

Kerry apologized Thursday for appearing about 20 minutes late for a renewable energy event at the United States pavilion inside the summit site.

Kerry said he had been off-campus visiting a venue outside the summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

As you all know, getting back in is not easy, he told the crowd. Even for those of us who thought it might be.

The summits organizers have imposed firm rules for accreditation badges, masks and proof of daily negative results on tests for COVID-19. Lines to get in lasted well beyond an hour early this week, but have shrunk noticeably since.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  The British government says pledges of new or earlier deadlines for ending coal use have come from more than 20 countries including Ukraine, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia and Chile.

Meanwhile, Poland, the second-biggest user of coal in Europe after Germany, appeared to backtrack on any ambitious new commitments within hours of the announcement at the ongoing U.N. climate conference.

Energy security and the assurances of jobs is a priority for us, Anna Moskwa, Polands minister for climate and environment, said in a tweet, citing the governments existing plan which provides for a departure from hard coal by 2049.

Earlier in the day, it had seemed that Poland might bring that deadline forward by at least a decade.

Campaigners reacted angrily to the apparent U-turn.

Moskwa has underscored that her government cannot be trusted to sign a postcard, let alone a responsible climate pledge, said Kathrin Gutmann, campaign director of the group Europe Beyond Coal.

Meanwhile, the United States, Canada, Denmark and several other nations signed a different pledge to prioritize funding clean energy over fossil fuel projects abroad.

___

HELSINKI  Finland's capital city says it will no longer serve meat dishes at seminars, staff meetings, receptions and other events to reduce Helsinki's carbon footprint.

Instead, the city government plans to offer vegetarian food and sustainable local fish.

Liisa Kivela, Helsinki's communications director, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the change takes effect in January and excludes school and workplace cafeterias run by the city of about 650,000 residents.

Kivela said the the policy adopted by the City Council also allows deviations for certain high-level visits or similar events organized by Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen or the citys senior managers.

The policy also stipulates that coffee, tea and items like bananas offered at events will have to be sourced from fair trade producers. In addition, oat milk will replace regular milk, and snacks and refreshments no longer can be served in single-use containers.

The local government said in a statement that the measure is part of a broader effort which aims to reduce the climate impact of food and reduce the amount of natural resources used by the city.

The mayor, who assumed Helsinkis top post in August, said he was glad the city retains the option of serving meat on some occasions.

For example, should the king of Sweden arrive for a visit, then domestic game can be offered. Or some group for whom it would be natural to offer meat, then there must be discretion and common sense, Vartiainen told the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.

___

PARIS  French astronaut Thomas Pesquet used a video call from space to describe the view from the International Space Station of global warming's repercussions.

Pesquet told French President Emmanuel Macron during the call on Thursday that the space station's portholes revealed the haunting fragility of humanitys only home.

We see the pollution of rivers, atmospheric pollution, things like that," the astronaut said. "What really shocked me on this mission were extreme weather or climate phenomena.

We saw entire regions burning from the space station, in Canada, in California, he continued. We saw all of California covered by a cloud of smoke and flames with the naked eye from 400 kilometers (250 miles) up.

This is Pesquets second mission to the space station. He also spent 197 days in orbit in 2016-2017. The destructive effects of human activity have become increasingly visible in the interim, he said.

Macron said the goal for negotiators at the U.N. climate conference in Scotland must be to speed up humanitys response.

There is still a huge job ahead of us, and I think we are all aware of that, the French leader said.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland Several major coal-using nations announced steps to wean themselves off of the heavily polluting fossil fuel, although for some the weaning will happen slowly.

The pledges on Thursday to phase out coal come on top of other promises made at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. The head of an international energy organization said the earlier commitments trimmed a few tenths of a degree from projections of future warming.

But outside experts termed that comment  only in a tweet, not a rigorous report  optimistic.

Optimism also abounded in relation to the promises on coal, which has the dirtiest carbon footprint of the major fuels and is a significant source of planet-warming emissions.

Today, I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight, said Alok Sharma, who is chairing the conference of nearly 200 nations, known as COP26.

Forecasters with a more skeptical view noted that several major economies still have not set a date for ending their dependence on the fuel, including the United States, China, India and Japan.

Outside the COP26 venue, protestors clad as animated characters blasted Japans continued coal use.

___

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The Danish government said Thursday it will donate 100 million kroner ($15.6 million) to efforts to purchase and decommission coal power plants and invest in new energy sources.

As part of our comprehensive climate efforts, the Danish government is working to phase out coal while also investing massively in new green energy sources, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a statement.

Minister for Climate and Energy Dan Joergensen said the money will help coal-intensive countries reduce their coal consumption and create new income opportunities in local communities, which is absolutely vital to accelerating the energy transition.

Denmark's money will go to the Climate Investment Funds new Accelerating Coal Transition program, and the primary focus will initially be on South Africa, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Danish government said the program includes efforts supporting alternative employment of the local population in impacted areas.

___

SOULAINES-DHUYS, France  Nuclear power is a central sticking point as negotiators plot out the worlds future energy strategy at the climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland.

Critics decry its mammoth price tag, the disproportionate damage caused by nuclear accidents, and the radioactive waste left behind.

But a growing camp of vocal and powerful proponents - some climate scientists and environmental experts among them  argue that nuclear power is the worlds best hope of keeping climate change under contro.

They note that it emits few planet-damaging emissions and is safer on average than nearly any other energy source. They argue that nuclear accidents are scary but exceedingly rare, while pollution from coal and other fossil fuels causes death and illness every day.

Many governments are pushing to enshrine nuclear energy in climate plans being hashed out at the conference in Glasgow, known as COP26.

The European Union, meanwhile, is debating whether to label nuclear energy as officially green  a decision that will steer billions of euros of investment for years to come. That has implications worldwide, as the EU policy could set a standard that other economies follow.

But nuclear waste remains a major problem, with the most radioactive material still toxic for tens of thousands of years.

___ GLASGOW, Scotland  Britains government has claimed that the end of coal is in sight after 18 countries including Poland, Vietnam and Chile committed for the first time to phase out and not build or invest in new coal power.

The statement, issued late Wednesday during the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, said more than 40 nations are committing to end all investment in new coal power generation domestically and internationally, as well as rapidly scale up clean power generation. Participating nations also commit to phasing out coal power in the 2030s for major economies, and the 2040s for smaller economies.

Separately, the statement also said that Chile and Singapore have joined a U.K.-led alliance on phasing out coal that includes over 150 countries and businesses such as HSBC and NatWest bank.

U.K. business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said it was a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change.

But Ed Miliband, the opposition Labour Partys business spokesman, said there were glaring gaps such as a lack of commitment from China and other large emitters to stop increasing coal at home. There was also nothing on the phasing out of oil and gas, he said.
NEW CANAAN  The Health Department is partnering with local schools to begin immunizing children ages 5 to 11 with the Pfizer vaccine. Children will need a parent or guardian present who will be asked to complete a consent form beforehand.

The Health Department is also working with the local private schools and has scheduled youth vaccination clinics for them in the upcoming weeks.

There were 11 reported COVID-19 positive cases this week, down from 13 cases last week, according to Thursdays weekly report from First Selectman Kevin Moynihan. The cases are mostly mild cases with fever, sore throat, body aches, headache and congestion as primary symptoms, the update says.

The cases are due to family transmission, exposure at large crowded events, private parties, and travel, the update states. The cases range in age from under age 5 to over 60.

There are 18 students currently in quarantine in the public schools. Four students have tested positive for COVID-19 along with two teachers, according to the New Canaan Public Schools dashboard. There are two positive student cases at South School, one at Saxe Middle School and one at West School. There are eight students in quarantine at Saxe Middle School, six at South School, two at the high school, one at East School and one at West School.

To date, New Canaan has had 61 break-through cases out of 14,753 fully vaccinated residents for a 0.41 percent case rate. Break-through cases are considered rare, but are possible especially in large crowded groups of unrelated people where vaccination status is unknown.

Per CDC guidance, children over 12 cannot receive the pediatric dose, but a separate appointment may be scheduled with the Health Department for those children in need of a first or second dose of Pfizer.

Parents are encouraged to bring the VAMS and the consent form which is attached to the Sign Up Genius registration that will be provided by the School District.

The Health Department urges residents who are symptomatic, regardless of vaccination status, to get tested. PCR COVID-19 testing will be available for New Canaan residents and town employees next Tuesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Irwin House in Irwin Park at 848 Weed Street.
BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP)  A dormant hydroelectric plant in Vermont is planning to reopen under new ownership after its closure in 2018.

According to town property records, the Vermont Tissue Paper hydroelectric plant was sold to North Bennington Hydroelectric for $100,000 on Oct. 27.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by some light rain this afternoon. High 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Ashtabula, OH (44004)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High around 45F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional light rain...mainly this evening. Low 32F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Higher wind gusts possible.
When Fr. Claudiu Banu launched the Shoe a Poor Child campaign, he hoped to provide 1,000 children with winter boots. But there turned out to be so much support for this blessed work that they were able to provide 3,000 pairs of boots.

Fr. Claudiu is experienced in such work. He is the founder of the St. Arsenios the Great social home in Techirghiol, which provides food, clothing, and more for the needy.

Together with several sponsors and volunteers, Fr. Claudiu recently toured 11 villages in Constanta County to distribute the boots to children from families of limited means.

Fr. Claudiu personally shoed many of the children, while His Eminence Archbishop Teodosie of Tomis, who also accompanied the group, blessed the children and distributed other gifts.
The chairman of PSD (Social Democratic Party) Marcel Ciolacu declared that it is necessary for UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania) and national minorities to be part of this expected political construct of PSD-PNL (National Liberal Party), discussed during this period.

"I believe it is necessary for UDMR and the national minorities to be caught up in this political construct, because it is a political construct, and most important, to end this talk about a coalition Government, to talk about Romania's Government and a totally separate political construct," Marcel Ciolacu declared.

The social-democrat leader pointed out that it is very important for Romania to get through the following months, until March next year, when asked about how he sees a 7-year PSD-PNL governing.

"Nobody talked about a 7-year term, my opinion is that the priority is to see what can be done until February, March, and then to have discussions until the end of this term, if there won't be any early elections. It is very important to get through these months until March. If we all acknowledge this, then it will be what the Romanian people are expecting," Ciolacu declared.

Asked if PSD will accept a PM from PNL, Ciolacu replied: "We are once again taking the talks in an area that... I believe even mister Florin Citu realized that he can no longer be the Prime Minister of the Romanian Government, which is a very important aspect".
Social Democratic Party (PSD) first deputy chairman Sorin Grindeanu said on Friday that the proposal of the Social Democrats for the position of prime minister should be Marcel Ciolacu.

Asked at the PSD headquarters, what the proposal of the PSD for prime minister should be, Grindeanu answered: "Marcel Ciolacu."

He added that, in principle, the proposals of ministers with whom PSD should go in a possible government with PNL should be the people in the front line of the party and mentioned that at Thursday's meeting with the Liberal leaders there were not pronounced any names of possible ministers.

Also, asked for whom - PSD or PNL - is a greater compromise to build a government between the two parties, given that they had criticized each other quite a lot over time, Grindeanu said: "I have been with PSD for quite a long time, namely since 1996, we have seen various coalitions, alliances and so on, coalition governments, whether we are talking about the 2009 coalition that was between PSD and PDL, or we are talking about USL, which was much more than a governing coalition, it was a political project. A compromise is needed at some point. If the political class doesn't understand that we are in a serious moment for Romania and that Romanians expect solutions and not quarrel from the political class, it means that we should all go home. What we believe, as a social democratic party, is that Romanians expect solutions from us. That is why we met today as well, to come up with the first solutions and with our first proposals. These are the most important things."
18 migrants were caught by the western Arad Border Police while trying to cross the Hungarian border on foot, near the checkpoints of Nadlac II and Curtici, most of them being asylum seekers in Romania.

In the perimeter of the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point, the police have identified, on Friday morning, ten people who were on foot, next to the freight terminal.

"Because they could not justify their presence in that area, the people were led to the police station for verification. Following the investigation it was established that they are citizens from Afghanistan, with ages between 15 and 22, most of them being asylum seekers in our country," the Arad Border Police informed.

Furthermore, the Curtici border police also identified, in the terminal near the CFR (Romanian Railways) station, two groups of migrants, 8 people in total. These people are from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, having ages between 16 and 35, most of them being asylum seekers in our country.

Investigations will continue, and migrants could be criminally investigated for attempt to cross the state border illegally.
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant is hosting, Friday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00 hrs, the Fair of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel Feast, with 50 craftspersons, antique dealers and artists invited to take part, informs a press release from the museum sent to Agerpres.

One can find and buy ceramic objects, fabrics, icons, ornaments, wooden objects, but also "edibles", such as honey, cakes, gingerbread, herbs, brandy, natural juices, fruits and vegetables.

Visitors are also invited to browse, read and enrich their library with museum publications: books on ethnological themes, object books, albums or 'Martor (Witness)' magazine.

Access to the event is based on the "green certificate", the organizers calling for compliance with the rules of distancing and responsibility for their own health and the health of others.

AGERPRES is the media partner of the event together with other media institutions.

From a religious point of view, November is centered on the feast of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The first week of the month is popularly called the Stubble Week, because it is the week in which the autumn sowing ends and the plowing of the stubble for spring sowing begins, while the second week is centered on the feast of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, with their swords and protective powers over humans and flocks of sheep.

In the Romanian religious folklore, between the two archangels, Archangel Michael is the more revered, as he is said to carry the keys of heaven, is an ardent fighter against the devil and watches over the sick, if they are destined to live, being also a ruler of the air, alongside prophet Elijah.

On the Saturday before the day of Saints Michael and Gabriel, celebrations are held to commemorate the dead, and godchildren go to their godparents with round braided bread rings.
The boards of directors of pre-university education units issue the decision on how to resume courses, informing the county school inspectorates / Bucharest Municipality School Inspectorate (ISMB), provides for the joint order of the interim ministers of Education and Health.

According to the document, the transition from the online scenario to the scenario with physical presence is made by the decision of the boards of directors of pre-university education units, informing the county school inspectorates / ISMB, in case of reaching the percentage of 60% vaccination rate, this decision will bemade by reporting to every Friday, according to the situation regarding the vaccinated staff, published and updated weekly on the website of the county school inspectorate / ISMB.

The order stipulates that starting with November 8, 2021, the resumption of the courses with physical presence is carried out for all the pre-university education units in which a minimum percentage of 60% of the staff is vaccinated.

"Starting with November 8, 2021, the resumption of courses is done online for all pre-university education units in which less than 60% of the staff is vaccinated," the order reads.
Hot wallets: These are used for trading and purchasing crypto. The upside is theyre typically free and convenient, but the downside is theyre less secure because theyre always connected to the internet.

Cold wallets: These are used to store crypto for a longer period of time. Think of it like putting your crypto in a freezer.

The hot wallet is like a checking account  with money moving in and out  while the cold wallet is more like a savings account, where you park money for a longer time. You can have both at the same time.

Whoever holds the keys  that is, who maintains custody over a password of randomly generated numbers and letters  has access to your crypto. It could be you, a third-party crypto exchange or a hybrid of both.

Dont keep more than youre willing to lose on a third-party exchange as a long-term solution, says Alex Mejias, founder and managing attorney at James River Law in Richmond, Virginia. You dont control the keys. They could freeze your funds or get attacked. Mejias recommends a self-custody or hybrid option as the value of your crypto grows.

Keep your crypto secure and accessible
At book club  The member who chose this book said it spoke to her about how everyone has a story and is likely anxious about something in their lives. And in a society where people seem quick to judgment, its also a lesson in not making fast assumptions. Your view of a situation, as illustrated in Anxious People, may actually be wrong.

One member said that, though the author had brilliant insights, especially at the conclusion of the book, she had a hard time connecting personally and emotionally. She wasnt the only one. Those who listened to the audiobook said it was hard to follow  with police interviews and the many characters and storylines, its easy to see why.

So read, dont listen to, this book. Or just read A Man Called Ove.

The Midnight Library

By Matt Haig

What I thought  I read The Midnight Library earlier this year and enjoyed its uplifting message of finding the joy in living. Protagonist Nora Seed has hit rock bottom and attempts to end her life. She finds herself in the Midnight Library, where she is forced to confront her regrets and what-ifs. Each book in the library contains versions of her life story.
NEW DELHI (AP)  Millions of people across Asia are celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali, which symbolizes new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

The festival is celebrated mainly in India, but Hindus across the world, particularly in other parts of Asia, also gather with family members and friends to socialize, visit temples and decorate houses with small oil lamps made from clay. The festival is also marked by raucous parties and fireworks displays, often throughout the night.

Like every year, India has been lit up in a dazzling display of lights and colors. Brightly colored rangoli designs are drawn at the entrances of homes and offices, which are decked in fairy lights.

The celebrations were especially spectacular in Ayodhya city in northern Uttar Pradesh state, where over 900,000 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of the Saryu River as desk fell Wednesday. Hindus believe the city is the birthplace of the god Ram.

In eastern Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state, devotees worshipped their account books as the festival also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year.
Some of the same states said Thursday that they would sue over the mandate for private businesses, which comes with the potential for steep fines for noncompliance, once that rule is formally issued.

Walsh insisted that the Labor Department is on solid legal ground. Of the potential for a federal court to issue an injunction that would temporarily halt the measure, he said I cant worry about that at this moment.

He said his goal is to keep workers safe and that state attorneys general have the right to sue the administration.

Its the attorney generals rights, he said. If they want to do what they want to do, do it.

Missouris Attorney General Eric Schmitt, in a statement announcing his states lawsuit, called it an illegal, unconstitutional attempt by the Biden administration and the federal government to impose their will on private businesses and their employees.

The federal government does not have the authority to unilaterally force private employers to mandate their employees get vaccinated or foot the bill for weekly testing, he said.

Walsh said that employers will not necessarily be paying for the COVID-19 tests their unvaccinated employees will be required to take each week.
You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach, Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the past five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.
Both clinics will be held at Gateway Middle School, 1200 North Jefferson Avenue. The first will be held Nov. 13, and the second on Dec. 4. Both will run from 9 a.m. to noon.

Vaccines also will be available to older children who have not been vaccinated, officials said.

Superintendent Kelvin Adams called it a game-changer and a life-changing time for students at a news conference Thursday. He said 9,190 students became eligible Tuesday. More than 3,000 have had to quarantine at various times during the pandemic.

Officials stressed that the vaccine had been extensively tested and was safe and effective for children.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said, Pediatric vaccination is the key to protecting our babies. Protecting our schools and protecting our communities.

Jones, who received her booster Thursday morning, said more than 75% of city workers have been vaccinated.

Adams said 97% of school district staff have been vaccinated as of Oct. 15. As of that date, 136 staff members, including 46 teachers, were told to resign or face firing. Adams did not provide the number of staff who had been fired, saying some were entitled to a hearing.
Luerding also encourages patients to share their concerns with their providers. Weve had close to a dozen patients who have passed away from it (COVID-19), and Ive had have family members who have, so I dont take it lightly.

Dr. Guy Deyton is a practicing dentist in the Kansas City area. He also serves as the director of the Office of Dental Health within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, where part of his job has entailed informing providers about how to talk with concerned patients and share their disease mitigation strategies.

Weve encouraged them to be good listeners and to be very, very transparent  and to accept that there are going to be people that have some anxiety about getting care or even just going out into the world and interacting at this juncture, Deyton said.

Deyton also encouraged patients to not be shy about asking questions they need answered in order to feel safe.

Simply ask, Could you tell me if the staff is completely vaccinated? And if not, Would it be possible for me to have my care delivered by staff that have been fully vaccinated? Deyton said. I think everybody would be forthcoming with that information.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis judge declared a mistrial Thursday after jurors could not reach verdicts in a rape and sodomy trial for a Berkeley man.

Jurors deliberated for about eight hours in Brian Howard's case before informing St. Louis Judge Katherine Fowler that they were deadlocked on numerous sex charges.

Howard, 52, of the 8400 block of St. Olaf Drive, is facing charges of sexually assaulting two girls younger than 17 between 2004 and 2017. He stood trial this week on charges of abusing one of the girls between 2014 and 2017. He still faces trial in the second case.

Howard's then-girlfriend Jemecia Smith, 43, testified at Howard's trial this week. She pleaded guilty two years ago to child endangerment for allowing one of those children to have sex with Howard at homes in St. Louis between 2014 and 2017. She also has a pending child endangerment case in St. Louis County that accuses her of allowing a child under her care to have sex with Howard in Berkeley.
Greg Dunigan said his daughter does not have a lawyer.

Greg Dunigan said he and his wife lived in the same apartment building as Sabrina and her five children. All were upstairs. The family of eight were staying in the one-bedroom apartment, but Greg Dunigan said he and his wife were in a separate part near the back.

He said he and his wife were supposed to be watching the children when Sabrina Dunigan left to pick up her boyfriend from work around 3 a.m. Greg Dunigan repeated that account again Thursday but added, It just so happened we fell asleep.

He and his wife jumped from the apartments second floor to escape, but without the children. Sabrina Dunigan had returned home that morning, her birthday, to find her apartment filled with smoke and fire, she has said. She said she suffered burns on her arms and feet trying to reach her children but couldnt save them.

St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said four of the children died at the scene. A fifth died at a St. Louis hospital. Dye hasnt provided updates on the four who died in Illinois. But the St. Louis medical examiners office said Neveah, who died after being brought to St. Louis Childrens Hospital, died of smoke inhalation and the manner of death was classified as accidental.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Charles County man was charged Thursday with murder in a shooting death over the weekend in a north St. Louis neighborhood.

Tryston M. Corbin, 19, was being held without bail Friday on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Corbin lives in the 9100 block of Applerock Drive in O'Fallon, Missouri. He did not have an attorney listed in court files.

The victim, Kaleeb Barnes, 23, died at Barnes-Jewish Hospital after being shot just before 3:20 a.m. Sunday in the 4500 block of Alice Avenue, near Carter Avenue.

A witness told police that Barnes and Corbin had argued before the shooting; as Corbin was leaving a residence, he pulled a gun and fired a shot at Barnes, according to court records. Corbin then drove away, police said.
CLAYTON  A St. Louis County jury convicted a man Thursday in what authorities described as a brutal hourslong rape and beating of his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint last year.

The woman testified at Christopher Russells trial this week that as he raped and pistol-whipped her over three hours, he said he was Satans son, that her son and mothers lives didnt matter and that he would kill her.

I did whatever he wanted me to do to try to survive, the woman said. I told God, Please watch over my son and my mom because Im just going to give up.

The woman, then 24, recalled waking to Russell kicking down the door of her south St. Louis County apartment in the early hours of Aug. 19, 2020, and firing a shot into the floor. She said Russell forced her to crawl naked to the bathroom, smothered her with pillows until she blacked out and urinated on her bed. She said he also bit her, made her cut off her own hair, use a screwdriver on herself and stuffed her into a storage container.

It was pure evil, she said of Russell, 31, of St. Louis.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis County man who prostituted a single, homeless mother in 2018 was sentenced Friday to two years in federal prison.

Phillip L. Cotton met the woman via Instagram in January of 2018, and convinced her that he could help the single mother with severe financial problems, including homelessness. Cotton was using a variation of the user name "escorts wanted," his plea agreement says. She lived in Philadelphia.

She flew to Las Vegas in November of 2018, where Cotton had a photographer take pornographic photographs of her which he used in prostitution ads and sold online, the plea says. He flew her back to St. Louis County, where he posted online prostitution ads, and sent her to the Chicago area, where she worked as a prostitute at a business, "Spa Paris," run by Cotton's friend. She turned over money to both Cotton and his friend, the plea says.

In November or December of 2018, Cotton flew her back to St. Louis, where he arranged for more acts of prostitution.

She asked "to be allowed" to return home to see her 5-year-old son, and while in Pennsylvania in early 2019 called a national human trafficking hotline service for help, the plea says.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man who robbed three banks in St. Louis in 2020 was sentenced Friday to six years in federal prison.

In a combined plea and sentencing hearing held Friday by Zoom, Thomas Joseph Intagliata, 57, admitted robbing a U.S. Bank on Feb. 11, a First Community Credit Union on Feb. 28 and the Together Credit Union on March 12.

Intagliata biked to the first bank, at 5418 Hampton Avenue, where he presented the teller with a note warning against alarms, dye packs and GPS trackers and demanding no trouble, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke said during the hearing. Intagliata left with $2,427.

Police released photos of Intagliata after the U.S. Bank robbery, showing him pedaling away.

On Feb. 28, he gave the First Community Credit Union teller a note demanding money but snatched it back before the teller could fully read it. Forget everything you were trained, he said before being handed $2,880.

On March 12 at the Together Credit Union, 6600 Chippewa Street, the teller gave Intagliata $8,420, including five $20 bait bills, Goeke said.
LINCOLN COUNTY  Prosecutors here are planning to file a more serious charge against a Minnesota woman after the death of her 3-month-old last week.

Dectrini Vershun Boldien, 30, of Red Wing, Minnesota, was charged Oct. 18 with endangering the welfare of a child after a car crash that day that injured her and the baby. She turned herself in Thursday.

Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood said Thursday that with the death of her child, the charge would go from a B felony to an A felony, meaning the potential penalty would also grow from up to 15 years to 10 to 30 years in prison. Wood said prosecutors were planning to take the case to the grand jury soon.

Charging documents say a witness told the Missouri Highway Patrol that the infant was not in a car seat and was face down in a seat, not breathing, after the three-vehicle crash.

The witness performed CPR, and both Boldien and her baby were taken to the hospital.

Boldien lawyer Matthew Radefeld on Thursday said the infant was in a rear-facing car seat until after an initial accident.
In his veto message, Parson said the Capitol Police Department can handle the security needs of the Capitol complex.

Without the additional patrols, keeping the doors secure could alleviate some of the concerns about safety in a building where people are allowed to enter with concealed firearms if they have a concealed carry permit.

Visitors must undergo a screening by Capitol police and stay off the floors of the Senate and House chambers with their weapon.

The gun policy was put in place by Parson in 2018, nearly two years after former Gov. Eric Greitens barred most visitors and employees from bringing concealed firearms into the Capitol.

The change by Parson was not a surprise. As a former sheriff from Polk County, he had received perfect or near-perfect ratings from the National Rifle Association as a member of the Legislature.
The Democrats said the party is not engaged in commerce within the meaning of ... the National Labor Relations Act (the Act), and it does not affect commerce within the meaning of ... the Act.

The NLRB did not immediately provide a copy of its response to the motion to dismiss, but Conover forwarded a copy to the Post-Dispatch.

In it, Myers argues Missouri Democrats have a clear impact on interstate commerce.

Respondent raises millions of dollars per year in political contributions and spends over $1 million annually on out-of-state goods and services, the response says. Respondent has more than a sufficient impact on interstate commerce for the Board to assert jurisdiction.

The response also says the First Amendment does not prevent the Board from asserting jurisdiction over political organizations.

It said that in the U.S. Supreme Court case Associated Press v. NLRB, the Supreme Court found that the Boards assertion of jurisdiction over a newsgathering service did not infringe upon First Amendment guarantees of freedom of the press.
ZRENJANIN, Serbia (AP)  They are shivering in barracks without heat, going hungry and have no money. They say their passports have been taken by their Chinese employer and that they are now stuck in a grim plainland in Serbia with no help from local authorities.
A resounding no in Minneapolis

By a 12 percentage-point margin, Minneapolis voters smartly decided to reject a ballot proposition that sought effectively to abolish the citys police department and rebuild public security from the ground up. Its not that proponents hearts were in the wrong place  the citys police department was overdue for serious reforms highlighted by the 2020 police murder of George Floyd. But wiping out or harshly cutting back a police department in response was an approach fraught with disaster-inducing problems. Minneapolis police staffing already is one-third down from where it stood before the Floyd murder.

The ballot proposition sought to replace the police department with a department of public safety, which would be charged with responding to certain calls, such as people having mental health crises, using unarmed personnel specifically trained to handle such cases. Thats still a good idea and deserves implementation in departments across the country. But there are other moments of crisis, such as when a burglar is inside a home or someones life is being threatened, when a police response is precisely whats necessary. Minneapolis voters sifted through the ongoing, raw emotions surrounding the Floyd murder to make the right choice.

If you build it, theres no sun
More recently, the hot political non-issue was professional sports figures kneeling during the national anthem. Then Republican attention turned to bathrooms and transgender people. Those issues provided a steady stream of outrage for Republican candidates. The bathroom issue quickly died down after North Carolinas legislature passed a law banning transgender people from using bathrooms in government and public buildings if the bathroom didnt correspond with the gender on the users birth certificate. At that point, a court battle and nationwide boycott forced the state to back down.

Republicans seem in constant search of cultural wedge issues designed to distract from substantive issues while making unwitting voters feel that their families and way of life will come under attack if the Democrats arent stopped  even in cases where the Democrats arent even pushing such issues.
With Americans continuing to seek outdoor and socially distanced trip locations, U.S. national parks have hosted a record number of visitors in 2021, so much so that reservation systems have been implemented and concerns have arisen about the parks ability to maintain the integrity of their protected lands.

With the end-of-year holidays coming up, overcrowding and long lines are likely to remain an ongoing reality at airports  and in some destinations that used to be considered remote or isolated.

In its report, NerdWallet presented some key advice for surviving long lines and overcrowding on your next trip.

Apply for TSA PreCheck: Itll get you through TSA airport security checkpoints at lightning speed. The TSA reported that 96% of PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes in August 2021. Youll have to apply online, conduct a short in-person interview and pay an $85 application fee for a five-year membership.

Pack light: If youre able to fit everything you need in just your carry-on bag and one personal item, youll be able to skip the lines, hassle and fees at the baggage counter.
France, Britain and Denmark are sending seagoing patrol ships to provide more protection for international shipping operating in the West African Gulf of Guinea, especially near the Niger River Delta. The piracy problem in the in the Gulf of Guinea has been getting worse for several years and, as of September 2021, international ship owners associations declared the Gulf or Guinea a HRA (High Risk Area) which covers about 3.2 million square kilometers (910,000 square miles). Within this HRA the piracy risk is rising and some shipping companies refuse to send their ships into waters near the Niger River Delta, which is controlled by Nigeria that has experienced the most attacks. Some crews are demanding double pay to enter this area. While the Nigerian Navy has established guarded anchorages and purchased coastal patrol UAVs the risk remains. Nigeria will not allow any armed security teams on merchant ships, as has become common in the Somali HRA. This makes the crews feel even more vulnerable.

Nigeria reported that piracy incidents had declined 77 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. There have been sharp drops in piracy before, which did not last and the piracy returned. The joint training with European naval forces to learn new anti-piracy techniques is part of a program to keep the piracy incidents at low levels.

Before 2021 Gulf of Guinea piracy became so frequent that shipping companies warned of increasing maritime ship insurance rates and other piracy related costs that will be passed on to consumers in Nigeria and neighboring countries. Off the Nigerian coast the pirate activity is increasing despite growing Nigerian efforts to curb the threat.

There are no plans for a Gulf of Guinea international piracy patrol that was, and still used off the Somali coast to deter piracy. In the Gulf of Guinea there are no coastal towns where pirates can operate openly and bring hijacked ships and their crews to hold them for multi-million-dollar cash ransoms.

Somalia was the only place in the world where pirates could, for nearly a decade, take a large ship and anchor it off a small coastal town controlled by pirates. With no threats from local authorities, the pirates threatened to murder hostages, especially the ones taken ashore, if the anti-piracy patrol attempted to take back the ship. The lack of any Somali coast guard or government control along the entire coast was why Somalia was the only region seriously enough threatened by pirates that armed guards were allowed on large commercial ships passing through the most dangerous areas. In the other pirate hotspots, like the Gulf of Guinea, the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, and parts of the Caribbean, local police, navies, and coast guard keep the pirates under control and usually forbid armed guards on ships. The main risk outside Somali waters is nighttime raids by local pirates who rob the crew of valuables and the ships of anything portable.

These robbery tactics escalated in Nigeria over the last five years because the pirates realized that kidnapping key crew members and holding them for ransom was safer and more lucrative than hauling away portable valuables or some of the cargo. Kidnapping was slow to catch on because initially local security forces could locate the kidnappers hideouts and free hostages. That changed in Nigeria because pirates made deals with local political and military officials to share the large ransoms paid for kidnapped foreign sailors. Once these ransom sharing deals were in place it became more difficult to find the pirate hideouts where hostages were held. This corrupt profit-sharing arrangement is nothing new in Nigeria and has been a component of the crippling corruption Nigeria has suffered since independence in the 1960s. Currently about five million dollars in ransoms are being paid each year and that is increasing. This is what is threatening to raise ship insurance rates and the cost of shipping anything in or out of the Gulf of Guinea. Ultimately the customer pays, otherwise shippers could not continue doing business in high-risk areas.

These robberies and kidnappings are common in areas where a lot of large ships must anchor off a busy major port and await their turn to dock for loading or unloading cargo. What enabled the Nigerian pirates to become more of a menace was the entrenched gangster culture in the Niger River Delta. This is where most of Nigerias oil is produced. More of the oil is coming from offshore rigs and these became attractive targets for pirates. The seemingly entrenched gangster culture is made possible by the culture of corruption among local politicians and security forces. Many politicians adopt a local gang to provide muscle for ensuring voters select the most corrupt candidates.

Nigeria has been undergoing increasingly vigorous and effective reform efforts since 2000 but the gangster culture is so pervasive and entrenched that progress is slow in the more profitable areas. Nigerian leaders dont like being compared to Somalia, but there are similarities. One difference is that there is more to steal in Nigeria and that many Nigerians, unlike Somalis, consider the outlaw culture a flaw, not a feature.

The foreign warships must operate at least 22 kilometers from the coast because that is the extent of sovereign coastal waters. Nigeria does not allow foreign merchant ships to carry armed guards, as was the case off Somalia. Because of that the British and Danish patrol ships are visiting Nigeria to help train Nigerian sailors in anti-piracy techniques that were successful off Somalia. This includes training with Nigerian patrol ships. The HMS Trent also brought with it a contingent of Royal Marine Commandos who trained with their Nigerian counterparts on how to board and safely search a ship that might still have armed pirates on board.

Meanwhile the Nigerian pirates are applying many of the techniques that worked for the Somali pirates. The Nigerian pirates are locals who know their way along the many small waterways found in the Niger River Delta. Like the Somali pirates, the Nigerian freebooters depend on a network of middlemen, some of them local politicians, who help broker the ransom deals. Bribes and political influence will often prevent the police and navy from finding pirate hideouts deep in the delta. For a while Nigerian pirates tried to loot cargoes by arranging for another ship to meet with a captured one to transfer a lot of the cargo before daylight and curious police came to check on the ship whose crew was no longer responding to calls from port authorities or the shipping company that managed the ship. The police became more alert to the cargo transfer scam and did radio checks more frequently with large ships anchored off the major ports waiting to unload or take on cargo. The pirates have, so far, adapted more quickly than the shipping companies or local security forces.

The Gulf of Guinea HRA accounts for about a third of piracy incidents worldwide, including those that involve kidnapping senior crew and taking them ashore to hidden camps where they are held until ransom paid. If the piracy problem discourages enough foreign ships from using Gulf of Guinea ports, the nations involved, especially Nigeria, will have to cooperate with the growing number of nations sending patrol ships to operate in international waters to assist ships under attack by giving those ships another source of assistance when they send out a distress call.
The current military government is the third one in the last decade and like the others is considered temporary and the current one is supposed to be replaced by elections in early 2022. The five colonels who run the military government want to remain in power, despite threats by the UN and major foreign donors to withdraw assistance. Mali has long been one of the most corrupt nations in Africa and now proving itself the most resistant to changing that. The new temporary government has not yet agreed to a date for elections and is insisting they cannot reach a decision until sometime in December.

The Malian military has staged three government takeovers since 2012. The last one, in May 2021, was an internal dispute within the military. Since the May coup foreign donors have warned that most of the foreign aid will stop coming if Mali does not carry out a significant reduction in corruption, government ineffectiveness and overall instability. None of these three military takeovers were about corruption, but rather anger at the corrupt politicians stealing money meant to finance operations against Islamic terrorist and separatist minorities in the north. The unrest up there had been getting worse for several years before the 2012 coup. An increase in unrest in the north was not unexpected but the intensity of the violence up there was. By 2011, the fighting in the north was more than the army could handle. Mali never needed much of a military and that was reflected in how decades of corrupt rulers treated it as another source of jobs for supporters. Many of the officers were professionals who thought otherwise and argued for more realistic treatment of the military and the threats it was facing up north. That was ignored because the corrupt politicians feared being replaced by corruptible military officers.

Foreign aid donors agreed with the minority of Mali officers who called for more professionalism. The most popular, in the army, officers were both professional and corrupt and thats how we got a military government that staged a coup in 2020 and another in 2021. That may turn out to be a coup too far. France decided that the Mali leaders were incorrigibly corrupt; the expensive French counterterror operations in the north were no longer worth the effort. Neighboring nations were willing to cooperate in suppressing Islamic terrorism and France was reducing and redeploying it 5,100 counterterrorism troops to assist less-corrupt neighbors serious about reducing the terrorism. This involves reducing the French force by 2,000 personnel and those reductions are most visible in northern Mali, where some French bases are being shut as the troops depart.

The May coup was not well received by foreign aid donors. This includes France, which pays for its 5,100 counterterrorism troops who operate throughout the region. The military was not happy with foreign donor demands that they cooperate with political factions that made possible the 2020 coup. These groups and the coup leaders formed the interim (and foreign donor approved) CNT (National Transitional Council) government. The foreign donors insisted that a civilian lead the CNT with one of the military coup leaders as his deputy. The army and civilian members of the CNT did not get along. The main disagreement that triggered the May coup was about efforts to negotiate with Islamic terror groups and ineffective measures to prosecute corrupt politicians.

The May coup was led by the army colonel who was appointed deputy head of the CNT, and he replaced the civilian who originally held that job. The May coup promptly replaced many CNT officials with army officers or civilians known to be pro-military. When foreign donors, including France, criticized this, the army threatened to seek financial aid elsewhere. There was no elsewhere for the Mali coup leaders. The Mali officers threats said a lot about their motives, which was mainly about maintaining their power and helping themselves to a portion of foreign aid. The coup leaders did have one source of wealth, the Mali gold mines.

November 2, 2021: There are over 300,000 people displaced by fighting and terrorism. Thats more than triple the number forced from their homes a year ago. Most of the newly displaced are in central Mali, where tribal and Islamic terrorist violence has been growing for several years. The army coup earlier in 2021 was another cause of unrest.

November 1, 2021: Three Chinese captured by Islamic terrorists on July 17th escaped their captors and were able to contact some soldiers today. The three men were kidnapped in southwest Mali, near the border with Guinea, by armed men who attacked a road construction site and kidnapped three Chinese and two Mauritanian employees of the Chinese firm that is building the road. The raiders destroyed heavy equipment and stole five pickup trucks to carry their captives and loot. The largest Islamic terror group in Mali is JNIM (Jamaah Nusrah al Islam wal Muslimin, or Group for the support of Islam and Moslems) which later took credit for the attack and released videos of the captives to obtain a large ransom. Ransoms are less likely to be paid for foreign captives because it just encourages more kidnapping. China was pressuring Mali to find and free the captives even though ransom negotiations were still underway.

October 31, 2021: In the northeast, within the three-borders (Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso) area (south of Gao) there was another Islamic terrorist attack across the border in Burkina Faso that left five policemen dead. The three borders area has been a terrorist hotspot for over three years because Islamic terror groups can just cross the border to escape heavy counterterrorism efforts.

October 30, 2021: In Central Mali (200 kilometers north of the capital) two separate attacks on army patrols left seven soldiers dead and six wounded. Roadside bombs were involved in both attacks and some of the perpetrators were caught and arrested.

October 29, 2021: The UN is pressuring Mali to act against the hereditary slavery that still exists in some parts of the country. Recent violence against some of these slaves, which left several slaves dead and many people injured. Hereditary slavery has been around for thousands of years and was reinforced in parts of Africa that became Moslem, because Islamic scripture encourages and justifies the enslavement of non-Moslems who refuse to convert. In 1905 France outlawed slavery in Mali, but the practice survived in rural areas. Neighboring Mauritania was the last African country to outlaw slavery in 1981. Many Moslem-majority nations outlawed but continued to tolerate slavery after World War II and the establishment of the UN, which has long had an active anti-slavery program. Pressuring Mali to eliminate slavery is a far different from asking Mali to pass more laws against slavery. The problem is that too many Malians see slavery as part of their culture and religion and will not submit to pressure from infidels (non-Moslems) in the West or UN.

Britain spent most of the 19th century trying to suppress the practice of slavery in Africa. Colonial Nigeria, which supplied about 30 percent of the slaves sent to the United States, did not see slavery legally eliminated until about 1900 and for decades after that the practice continued in rural areas. There was a similar problem throughout the region and in countries like Mauritania and Sudan, where slavery is technically illegal, some groups get away with quietly trading and keeping slaves anyway. Islamic fundamentalists are particularly enthusiastic about this because Islamic scripture does have a lot to say about enslaving non-Moslems, or Moslems you consider heretics.

October 28, 2021: In the far north Islamic terror groups have learned that it is in their interest to disrupt cell phone use by regularly bombing the network of cellphone towers that connect cell phone users in the sparsely populated north. The large towers up there cost nearly $200,000 each to build and $2,000 a month to maintain. The Islamic terrorists realized that cellphone use was more of a danger to them than an asset. Locals calling in reports of Islamic terrorist presence was a major problem. Cellphone towers have become a major target, even if some of the key ones are guarded. Attacks often just damage the towers and disrupt or halt service in a large area for a few hours or days. Destruction of a tower can keep thousands of users offline for over a week. The additional costs of repairing or replacing towers has increased the fees charged to users, who become dependent on cell phones for more than just communications. Most personal banking is done via cellphone as are a lot of government transactions. The cellphone network attacks have made the Islamic terrorists even more unpopular but that is not important for groups that face extinction because of the tips provided by cellphone users.

October 26, 2021: The government expelled an ECOWAS (Economic Community of 15 West African States) official who was pressuring the military government to set an early date to carry out elections. ECOWAS suspended cooperation with Mali after the May coup and has not lifted the suspension yet. While ECOWAS does not supply as much foreign aid as non-African donors, they are more aware of what is wrong and thus more unwelcome by the current transitional government.

October 25, 2021: The FATF (Financial Action Task Force) has put Mali on the gray list. This means that a nation is tolerating money laundering or financial support of terrorist activity. If changes are not made Mali would be put on the blacklist. Currently only Iran and North Korea are on the blacklist and that means they have no access to the international banking system and are unable to obtain loans or sell bonds on international markets. FATF has been around since 2000 and its founding members were major industrial nations that, between them, are the international banking system. The gray list and blacklist were established as sanctions for nations found to be tolerating criminal organizations, including Islamic terrorists, using their financial systems to finance illegal activities. Banned activities were money laundering and raising money for criminal activities. Over the last two decades the existence of FATF has played an increasingly effective role in crippling illegal banking activities.

October 24, 2021: A UN delegation visited Mali to examine firsthand the situation and especially the attitudes of the current temporary military transitional government and concluded that the current transitional government seemed to be in no hurry to transition.

October 20, 2021: In the northeast, within the three-borders (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso) area (south of Gao) several British troops on patrol were ambushed by some Islamic terrorist gunmen. There was a brief gun battle and the two attackers were killed. There were no British casualties. This was the first time British troops came under fire since 2014, when British troops were still in Afghanistan. This time there are 300 British troops serving with the UN peacekeeping force in Mali. Some are special operations troops of the LRRG (Long Range Reconnaissance Group) who conducted extended patrols in the three-borders area where ISGS (Islamic State in Greater Sahara), one of the two ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) groups in the region operate. Since they showed up in 2018, ISGS operates mainly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, especially the area where the three borders meet. LRRG operate as small units that avoid detection and seek to detect and attack enemy forces unaware that LRRG is in the area. This worked during the 17-day September operation, capturing several ISGS members and seizing weapons, vehicles, and other equipment.

October 17, 2021: In the north (outside Timbuktu) Islamic terrorists attacked a small army outpost and were repulsed, leaving four of their dead behind. One soldier was killed.

October 15, 2021: In the northeast, within the three-borders (Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso) area (south of Gao) a French UAV used a missile to destroy a vehicle carrying Nasser Al Tergui, a senior al Qaeda leader and four of his associates. All five were killed. It took nearly a week to confirm that one of the bodies in the vehicle was Tergui

October 6, 2021: In central Mali (Mopti) an army patrol was attacked with a roadside bomb, killing sixteen soldiers and wounding nine.
Increasing ease of access to open accounts digitally is critical for banks and credit unions to compete in today's market

WILMINGTON, NC / ACCESSWIRE / November 4, 2021 / Apiture , a leading provider of digital banking solutions, today announced its partnership with MeridianLink , a leader in digital account opening and loan origination software. The partnership will enable Apiture's bank and credit union clients to deliver a new digital account opening solution to their customers and members through MeridianLink's award-winning platform.

MeridianLink Opening, an all-in-one digital account opening solution, allows consumers to open and fund accounts including checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, HSAs, minor accounts, and small business accounts from any online or mobile device. The partnership will offer Apiture clients the ability to choose the MeridianLink solution to seamlessly integrate with their Apiture Xpress digital banking system.

With the continued shift toward online banking, community banks and credit unions are searching for new and innovative ways to engage their communities digitally. Consumers increasingly rely on online channels to establish new accounts rather than visiting branches in person. Financial institutions that have the ability to onboard consumers digitally will maintain a competitive edge in attracting new users.

Apiture continues to seek relationships with digitally oriented partners that bring modern and streamlined resources to community banks and credit unions. Apiture recently announced the launch of Digital Customer Support with Glia and previously announced a peer-to-peer (P2P) payments service through Zelle.

"Our partnership with MeridianLink extends an exciting opportunity for Apiture's clients to offer digital account opening to their communities," said Chris Cox, chief operating officer and general manager of Apiture Xpress. "We've watched firsthand as digital adoption has increased dramatically across the industry. It is more important than ever for Apiture to offer our clients choice when it comes to digital capabilities like digital account opening."

"MeridianLink's partnership with Apiture underscores the importance of digital account opening to community and regional banks and credit unions," said Charlie Lee, chief marketing officer of MeridianLink. "We're thrilled to be able to offer the MeridianLink platform to Apiture's customer base, providing a new revenue channel to the hundreds of institutions that they serve."

Working with MeridianLink enables financial institutions to unify deposit account opening and lending for all channels and product types, including consumer (vehicle, personal, and credit cards), indirect (vehicle and retail), home equity, mortgage, and small business.

About Apiture

Apiture is a leading provider of digital banking solutions. Apiture provides financial institutions with the integrations, capabilities and resources that banks and credit unions have not had access to in the past. Offering two differentiated digital experience platforms, Apiture Xpress and Apiture Open, Apiture develops innovative solutions that can be used by financial institutions of any size. Apiture serves hundreds of financial institutions in the United States market. The company is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, with offices in Austin, Texas.

About MeridianLink

MeridianLink (NYSE: MLNK) is a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, specialty lending providers and consumer reporting agencies. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, MeridianLink provides services to more than 1,900 customers, including a majority of the financial institutions on Forbes' 2021 lists of America's Best Credit Unions and Banks. Further information can be found at www.meridianlink.com.

Media Contact

Heather Valle

Caliber Corporate Advisers

heather@calibercorporate.com

SOURCE: Apiture

View source version on accesswire.com:
SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the first national-level import-themed professional trade fair in the world, successfully led off at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) on Nov 5. Initiated by the Chinese government in 2018, the CIIE continues to be a significant platform for the nation's opening-up and enhancing international economic cooperation and free trade.

The CIIE has over the years become more well-organized, professional, and digital.

Featuring a wider range of industries, the fourth CIIE has attracted 3,000 offline exhibitors from 127 countries and regions to take part in the Business Exhibition. Three international organizations and 58 countries from five continents, especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, are participating in the Online Country Exhibition.

The Business Exhibition comprises exhibition areas Food and Agricultural Products, Automobile, Intelligent Industry & Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Medical Equipment & Healthcare Products, and Trade in Services. Thirteen themed subsections have also been set up to showcase the latest products and innovations related to low-carbon energy and environmental protection.

The total exhibition area of this year's CIIE has been expanded to 366,000 square meters. More than 80 percent of Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading companies from last year's CIIE are returning for this latest edition and will showcase products that are making either their global or regional debuts. These companies include the world's top three auction houses, top three fashion and luxury consumable groups, top four grain traders, top 10 automobile groups, and top 10 medical device enterprises.

More businesses from countries along the Belt and Road, Central and Eastern European countries, and LDCs have also signed up for the exhibition. The number of overseas small and medium-sized enterprises attending the CIIE as groups has continued to grow.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization. To mark this occasion, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, which is an integral part of the CIIE, will be holding a high-level forum themed "Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Solution for a Shared Future" to showcase China's achievements in opening up 20 years and its confidence in fulfilling its higher-level opening-up goal in the New Era. The forum will also publish the "World Opening Index" which evaluates the degree of opening-up in 129 world economies since 2008.

At this critical juncture in the global fight against COVID-19 and world economic recovery, a successful CIIE would demonstrate China's determination to promote sustainable world economic development, globalization and build a new development paradigm for its economy and society.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1077995/CIIE_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677870/CIIE_pavilions.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677872/CIIE_Exhibition_Center.jpg

Contact: Nie QingxinTel.: 0086-21-67008870/67008988

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ciie-2021-creating-new-opportunities-for-covid-recovery-301415488.html

SOURCE CIIE
DENVER, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gates Industrial Corporation plc (NYSE: GTES), a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions, today announced that the Company will participate virtually in the Baird 2021 Global Industrial Conference on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Ivo Jurek, Chief Executive Officer, will present at 2:35 p.m. Eastern Time.

To access the webcast and presentation materials, please visit the Events & Presentations section of the Gates Investor Relations website at investors.gates.com, and click on the event webcast link.

About Gates Industrial Corporation plc

Gates is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions. Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers, and to original equipment ("first-fit") manufacturers as specified components. Gates participates in many sectors of the industrial and consumer markets. Our products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and energy, to everyday consumer applications such as printers, power washers, automatic doors and vacuum cleaners and virtually every form of transportation. Our products are sold in 128 countries across our four commercial regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East & Africa; Greater China; and East Asia & India.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gates-industrial-to-participate-in-bairds-2021-global-industrial-conference-301417211.html

SOURCE Gates Industrial Corporation plc
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Lingo Media Corporation (TSX-V: LM) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA) ("Lingo Media") an EdTech company that is 'Building a multilingual world' through innovative online and print-based technologies and solutions, announces its intention to file a Form 15F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to terminate the registration of all classes of its registered securities under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as well as to terminate its reporting obligations under the Exchange Act. As a result of filing the Form 15F, Lingo Media's obligations to file reports under the Exchange Act will be suspended immediately and are expected to terminate 90 days after the filing, barring any objection by the SEC.

Lingo Media is undertaking this filing to reduce administrative burden and compliance costs and intends to continue to publish its periodic reports, annual and interim results and communications as required by applicable law on SEDAR and its website at http://www.lingomedia.com.

About Lingo Media (TSX-V:LM; OTC:LMDCF; FSE: LIMA)

Lingo Media is a global EdTech company that is 'Building a multilingual world', developing and marketing products for learners of new languages through various life stages, from classroom to boardroom. By integrating education and technology, the company empowers language educators to easily transition from traditional teaching methods to digital learning.

Lingo Media provides both online and print-based solutions through two distinct business units: ELL Technologies Ltd., d/b/a Everybody Loves Languages and Lingo Learning Inc. Everybody Loves Languages provides online training and assessment for language learning, while Lingo Learning is a print-based publisher of English language learning programs in China.

Lingo Media has established successful relationships with key government and industry organizations internationally, with a presence in Latin America, China and the U.S., and continues to both extend its global reach and expand its product offerings.

Follow Lingo Media On: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LingoMedia Twitter: https://twitter.com/LingoMediaCorp YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lingomedialm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lingo-media-corporation RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LingoMedia

Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. These statements are made in reliance upon Sections 21E and 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, performance, or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Lingo Media has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as "may," "should," "expect," "hope," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "estimate" and similar expressions. Lingo Media's expectations, among other things, are dependent upon general economic conditions, the continued and growth in demand for its products, retention of its key management and operating personnel, its need for and availability of additional capital as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors. No assurance can be given that the actual results will be consistent with the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by US Federal securities laws, Lingo Media undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian and United States securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE)ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lingo-media-plans-to-file-a-form-15f-to-deregister-in-the-us-under-the-1934-securities-exchange-act-301417892.html

SOURCE Lingo Media Corporation
Source: McAlinden Research for Streetwise Reports (11/5/21)

McAlinden Research Partners explains that while climate related disruptions have become standard in the agricultural industry, a new catalyst has recently emerged that could keep futures contracts climbing next year.



Agricultural commodity prices have steadily risen this year as a slew of supply side disruptions continue to hamper the production of several key cash crops. Climate related headwinds including droughts, fires, and floods have caused futures contracts of everything from corn to cotton to steadily rise throughout most of this year.

Recently, the cost of fertilizer has seen an enormous uptick, coinciding with a spike in natural gas prices that threatens to send crop prices even higher. A shortage of natural gas  feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers  has caused several companies across the European continent to announce production curtailments.

Related ETF & Stocks: Invesco DB Agriculture Fund (DBA), CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF), Nutrien Ltd. (NTR), Bunge Limited (BG)

Agricultural Commodities Battle Lingering Disruptions

Farmers across the US West have battled severe drought conditions throughout the year, and the dry weather is not expected to subside any time soon.

Last weekend, heavy rainfall across parts of California, Utah and Arizona helped alleviate some short-term drought impacts, yet major reservoirs and basins remain at historically low levels. According to the US Drought Monitor, even with the increased precipitation, long-term drought conditions will persist.

To receive all of MRP's insights in your inbox MondayFriday, follow this link for a free 30-day trial. This content was delivered to McAlinden Research Partners clients on October 28.

MRP has previously highlighted both droughts and frost that depleted Brazils coffee harvests, noting that weather abnormalities are likely to become more common across different parts of the world, sending crop futures contracts higher.

According to The Wall Street Journal, climate related disruptions across South America have continued to hinder crop production. Drought going on its third year is unlikely to abate, as climate scientists say recent weather patterns heading into rainy season signal further drought in the region next year.

Reduced rainfall and the subsequent weather events that follow in South America have resulted in as much as a 60% fall in the yield per acre of corn, wheat and soybeans. While those numbers can vary across the continent, yields have certainly fallen, on average, in recent years.

Further, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) put out their October World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, painting a bullish picture for some key agricultural commodity futures.

Cotton is trading at its highest level in a decade , driven partly by a post-pandemic surge in demand for consumer goods. The USDAs most recent outlook noted that supply and demand estimates for US cotton markets show lower production, lower stocks, and higher prices month over month.

The Wall Street Journal notes that Chinas appetite for cotton has also contributed to higher costs, as the pace of US sales of cotton to China is 83% greater than the same time last year.

The most recent WASDE report also predicts higher wheat costs as ending stocks for US wheat in the 2021/2022 period are expected to fall to the lowest level since 2007/2008.

While climate related disruptions have become standard in the agricultural industry, a new catalyst has recently emerged that could keep futures contracts climbing next year.

Fertilizer Costs Cause Fear in Ag Markets

Fertilizer, a crucial component in crop production, has been in short supply recently as the industry is the latest to be hit by skyrocketing natural gas prices. Natural gas is used as feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers and typically accounts for 80% of production costs.

Bloomberg reports that in Europe, fertilizer plants have had to temporarily shut down due to soaring natural gas prices, which are nearly six times as expensive as they were a year prior. Fertilizer output has dropped as much as 40% in the region, per The Wall Street Journal.

If natural gas markets fail to figure out how to handle runaway prices, fertilizer plants will not only curtail production further, but permanently close or relocate outside of the region.

In early October, fertilizer futures were above pre-financial crisis 2008 levels. Ammonia, the foundation of nitrogen fertilizers, has hit a thirteen-year high in Western Europe. Progressive Farmer writes that all but one of the eight major fertilizers experienced a price increase of 10% or more month over month, with urea leading the way with a 26% rise.

According to Hoards Dairyman, nitrogen-based fertilizer prices are nearly double what they were a year ago, partly due to a curb on exports from China. This has sent the crop planning process into overdrive for the 2022 season, as farmers are looking to lock in a lower price while fertilizer costs jump every week.

To make matters worse, elevated fertilizer prices come at a time when European farmers are at the heart of planting season. Bloomberg notes that the unprecedented costs are already supporting next seasons crop prices, as higher input costs for farmers are expected to be passed onto consumers.

In the US, the Texas Farm Bureau reports that fertilizer prices have jumped anywhere from 50-90%, and if supply chain disruptions persist, corn and soybean seed costs could rise 5-15% in 2022.

Corn appears to be the crop most affected by fertilizer prices. The Wall Street Journal notes that if fertilizer remains this expensive, more farmers are likely to opt next year for planting soybeans, as they require less fertilizer. Estimates from S&P Global Platts show that roughly three million acres of US corn could switch to soybeans next season.

Wheat, oats and barley are some of the other crops sensitive to price swings, according to the USDA.

Theme Alert

Skyrocketing natural gas prices have created a new catalyst for agricultural commodities to move higher. As fertilizer companies continue to curtail production, the cost of fertilizer is likely to remain significantly elevated and hamper crop production.

Worse, climate related disruptions are projected to occur more frequently and increase in severity in the years to come, likely contributing to reduced harvests and higher prices.

MRP uses the Invesco DB Agriculture Fund to track our LONG Agricultural Commodities theme, which contains the futures contracts of major crops including, but not limited to, corn, wheat, soybeans, coffee and cotton.

MRP added LONG Agricultural Commodities to our list of themes on April 7, 2021. Since then, the Invesco DB Agriculture Fund has returned 12%, slightly outperforming the S&P 500s return of 11% over that same period.

Originally published October 28, 2021

McAlinden Research Partners (MRP) provides independent investment strategy research to investors worldwide. The firm's mission is to identify alpha-generating investment themes early in their unfolding and bring them to its clients' attention. MRP's research process reflects founder Joe McAlinden's 50 years of experience on Wall Street. The methodologies he developed as chief investment officer of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, where he oversaw more than $400 billion in assets, provide the foundation for the strategy research MRP now brings to hedge funds, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and other asset managers around the globe.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosures:

1) McAlinden Research Partners disclosures are below.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy.

4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

McAlinden Research Partners:

This report has been prepared solely for informational purposes and is not an offer to buy/sell/endorse or a solicitation of an offer to buy/sell/endorse Interests or any other security or instrument or to participate in any trading or investment strategy. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is made or can be given with respect to the sequence, accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information in this Report. Unless otherwise noted, all information is sourced from public data.

McAlinden Research Partners is a division of Catalpa Capital Advisors, LLC (CCA), a Registered Investment Advisor. References to specific securities, asset classes and financial markets discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as recommendations to purchase or sell such securities. CCA, MRP, employees and direct affiliates of the firm may or may not own any of the securities mentioned in the report at the time of publication.

Charts and graphs provided by McAlinden Research Partners.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  A Filipina bartender in court Friday said she killed the 3-year-old boy left in her care by a U.S. soldier in September.

Jamaica Eblacas, 30, at her first appearance at the Pyeongtaek branch of Suwon District Court, told a judge that she killed Noa Calhoun, 3, the son of Army Pvt. James and Kourtney Calhoun.

Chief Judge Kim Seyong, part of a three-judge panel, asked Eblacas if she had killed the child. She replied that she had.

The Calhouns were present in court, both of them in black, civilian attire. James Calhoun is assigned to the 61st Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Company at nearby Camp Humphreys.

Authorities charged Eblacas, a local bartender, with murder in conjunction with child abuse, a crime that carries a minimum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum penalty of death.

The judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Eblacas before an evidentiary hearing to be scheduled later this month.

According to police, James Calhoun left Noa and his 7-year-old brother in Eblacas care in Pyeongtaek City the night of Sept. 5. Calhoun expected to pick his children up the next morning, he told Stars and Stripes in September.

However, police later that night responded to a disturbance call and discovered the boys bruised body in a home near the bar where Eblacas worked.

Investigators told Stars and Stripes that the Calhouns older son was found outside the home crying and telling neighbors, My younger brother appears dead.

Around the same time, police responded to a separate call of an incoherent woman, whom police later identified as Eblacas, wandering the streets nearby for about 40 minutes.

Chief Judge Kim Seyong addressed the Calhoun family prior to Fridays hearing.

As a representative of the judge panel, I express our condolences to you, he said. We hope your [other son] can overcome shock and pain and grow healthy and warmly.

Kim said he would deny any motion by Eblacas for a jury trial, saying it would be inappropriate for her  considering the nature of the case.

Eblacas appeared to have difficulty understanding the questions posed to her in English through a translator during the hearing. She provided several responses that prompted the translator and the judge, who spoke Korean, to repeat their questions.

Eblacas grew visibly emotional after admitting the charges. Asked by Kim if she had a message for the Calhouns, she did not reply.

She doesnt deserve to have emotions right now, Kourtney Calhoun told Stars and Stripes after the hearing. She deserves to pay for what she did.

Eighth Army and the 2nd Infantry Division, in an email to Stars and Stripes in September, described the incident as a terrible tragedy and said they will do everything possible to care for the family in this time of profound grief and loss.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.

Jamaica Eblacas, 30, in her first appearance at the Pyeongtaek branch of Suwon District Court on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, admitted killing the son of Army Pvt. James and Kourtney Calhoun. (Pixabay)

Crime and courts

David Choi
Buy Photo Auxiliary Personnel Lighter 67, a berthing barge that arrived recently at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, is meant to provide housing for sailors whose ships are dry-docked or otherwise unavailable. (Daniel Betancourt/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  The Navys newest berthing barge arrived recently at the home of the U.S. 7th Fleet to ease a shortage of living space for sailors whose ships are undergoing long-term maintenance.

Officially called an Auxiliary Personnel Lighter, but more commonly referred to as a barracks ship or berthing barge, APL 67 is meant to provide housing for sailors whose ships are dry-docked or otherwise unavailable.

The 269-foot-long vessel can accommodate 609 sailors: 537 enlisted sailors, 44 chief petty officers and 28 officers.

By mooring the barge near the vessel it supports, the ships crew has a place to live close enough to respond to emergencies, said April Bairdain, a supervisor with U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center.

The ready response teams and duty sections live onboard here, she told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. Also, if we have geo-bachelors who dont have housing on the base and habitability has been affected by [ship maintenance], then they have to live onboard the barge also.

Buy Photo Auxiliary Personnel Lighter 67, a 269-foot-long berthing barge that recently arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, can accommodate 609 sailors. (Daniel Betancourt/Stars and Stripes)

No one lives aboard the new barge just yet. Its moored in a dry dock while undergoing final preparations but should be in service by the end of December, Bairdain said.

But the barge offers more than just a place to sleep. It also provides a variety of amenities, including classrooms, mess halls, a convenience store, a barbershop, a clinic and a small gym.

Built for approximately $40 million by VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss., the barge arrived in Yokosuka on Oct. 19. With no means of propulsion, it was hauled by tugboats first to San Diego in July, then for 36 days across the Pacific Ocean.

The barge provides more space and amenities than the average warship, but its living spaces are still cramped and crowded. For example, compartments for enlisted sailors hold between 15 and 24 beds, with one or two bathrooms for each compartment depending on its size.

Sailors can expect to live aboard the barge four to nine months at a time, depending on their ships maintenance schedule, Bairdain said.

APL 67 joins two other berthing barges in Yokosuka, YRB 30 and APL 40, both of which were built in 1945. Despite their age, they are expected to be in service another 10 years, Bairdain said.

So many ships are undergoing maintenance at one time at Yokosuka that the two available live-aboard barges were overcrowded, she said. At one point, four ships crews were berthed aboard APL 40.

It was tough, until Pacific Fleet approved another barge, Bairdain said.

Buy Photo Auxiliary Personnel Lighter 67, a berthing barge that arrived recently at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, is meant to provide housing for sailors whose ships are dry-docked or otherwise unavailable. (Daniel Betancourt/Stars and Stripes)

Even with a new barge, Bairdain said, sailors still have a limited amount of living space available while their ship is dry-docked. She said the new barge could house two or three crews at a time, depending on the circumstances.

Naval Base Sasebo, in southern Japan, will also receive a new berthing barge, although its expected delivery is still three years out, Bairdain said.
Buy Photo Bar 894 Base near Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, is off-limits until further notice because of multiple curfew violations, base commander Capt. Rich Jarrett said Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  The base commander has placed a local bar off-limits to uniformed service members following several occasions where Navy shore patrol found troops drinking there after curfew.

Bar 894 Base, in the Wakamatsucho district of Yokosuka City, is off-limits until further notice, base commander Capt. Rich Jarrett announced on Thursday.

Citing reports and evidence of illicit activities, Jarrett said the bar constitutes an imminent and substantial risk of harm to service members.

Active-duty U.S. military personnel are prohibited from consuming alcohol in public off base between midnight and 5 a.m., according to the U.S. Forces Japan liberty order. The ban on Bar 894 is limited to uniformed personnel only, but Jarrett encouraged civilians and contractors affiliated with the Navy to also avoid the establishment.

A Bar 894 manager declined to comment Thursday to Stars and Stripes.

The ban was also posted to the bases official Facebook page, where it garnered nearly 40 comments as of Friday afternoon.

One commenter alleged that the bar was closing and locking its doors to hide sailors from shore patrol. Base spokesman Randall Baucom on Friday said he could not comment on those allegations. He said the illicit activities Jarrett cited refer specifically to finding sailors inside past curfew.

Baucom said base representatives have met with bar owners to discuss limitations placed on sailors.

We make a concerted effort to ensure that if there are questions about what the rules are and how they apply, that we have avenues which they can approach us with any questions  through our legal office, or base security or our military liaison, he said.

Bar 894 joins six other establishments deemed off-limits to service members in the region. In Tokyo, that list includes The Night Club, Empire Lounge Bar and Vibrations Bar. In Yokosuka, Monas Bar, Manila Vibe and Sasha Latin Resto Bar are prohibited.
The USS Antietam steams past the USS Shiloh as the Shiloh's sailors salute the guided-missile cruiser in the Philippine Sea, March 9, 2020. (Ryre Arciaga/U.S. Navy)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  The crew of a U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser recovered a body last week while the ship was in Tokyo Bay.

The USS Antietam was anchored near Yokosuka on Oct. 28 when its crew spotted a person in the water around 7 p.m., according to an email Thursday from Task Force 70 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Keiley.

The individual was clearly deceased when pulled from the bay, a spokesman for Japans 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters told Stars and Stripes on Friday. Government officials in Japan typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity as a condition of their employment.

The Antietam sailors carried the body to shore via a rigid inflatable boat, Keiley said.

He said the person was neither an American citizen nor an individual under the status of forces agreement that applies to people in Japan with the U.S. military. Keiley said he had no other information to provide.

The coast guard spokesman said the body has been identified, but he declined to identify the person or provide further details. He said no foul play is suspected in the death.
Since August, the U.S. military has prohibited or discouraged its population from visiting districts in South Korea that confirmed 50 or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over seven days. (U.S. Forces Korea)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Americans affiliated with the U.S. military in South Korea were free to move about the country as of Friday, when U.S. Forces Korea lifted its coronavirus travel restrictions.

USFK, the command responsible for roughly 28,500 American troops on the peninsula, said in a news release its troops and other personnel are no longer subject to travel restrictions meant to curb the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease.

Looser restrictions for U.S. personnel, including Defense Department civilian employees, contractors and family members, better align with the [South Korean] governments Living with COVID-19 initiatives, according to USFK.

The U.S. military population has lived with some form of travel restriction since the early days of the pandemic. At first, individual installations were locked down as cases erupted. Widespread curbs on travel and other activities became the norm and were imposed, eased and reimposed as the pandemic ebbed and flowed.

Since August, the U.S. military has prohibited or discouraged its population from visiting districts in South Korea that confirmed 50 or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over seven days.

USFK will continue to update its COVID-19 hotspot map but travel restrictions for those areas no longer apply. The U.S. military population is expected to adhere to local restrictions, however, and unvaccinated personnel are still prohibited from entering saunas, bathhouses, karaoke bars and adults-only businesses.

Individual commanders may be more restrictive in imposing additional social distancing measures at their discretion, according to USFK.

Were getting close to the end of the pandemic, thats for sure, USFKs command surgeon, Army Col. Douglas Lougee, told Armed Forces Network Pacific on Oct. 22.

The South Korean government on Monday announced it would loosen its social distancing measures due to the public fatigue from nearly two years of mitigating the coronavirus.

Over 76% of South Koreans felt a new social-distancing policy was called for due to the countrys vigilant response to the pandemic, according to a recent survey from Seoul National University.

Despite some setbacks in vaccinating its population, South Korea has been lauded for its COVID-19 response and enforcing mitigation measures earlier during the pandemic.

The plan announced Monday by the Ministry of Health and Welfare will relax restrictions in several steps and evaluate its efficacy over a span of two weeks. Each step would ease restrictions for business hours, curfews and group gatherings.

The ministry described its plan as the road map for gradual return to normal, with the goal of becoming the better Korea.

Today is a day we take the first step toward a gradual return to normal life, Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said during a public briefing earlier this week. We have gone through so many great and small crises.

The country reported 2,344 new COVID-19 infections Friday, down from the record-high of 3,273 daily cases in September, but higher than the weekly average of 2,133 cases.

Over 76% of South Koreans were fully vaccinated as of Friday, and at least 80% had received the first dose of a vaccine.
Col. Varman Chhoeung, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Presidio in Monterey, Calif., speaks with Zane Whetstone, who is moving to Japan with his family, as movers pack up his household goods in Pebble Beach, Calif., July 16, 2021. (Winifred Brown/U.S. Army)

The Defense Department on Thursday awarded a $6.2 billion contract to a Houston-based firm for managing the movement and storage of household goods for members of the military, Coast Guard and federal workforce.

HomeSafe Alliance LLC will provide complete door-to-door transportation of household goods, the U.S. Transportation Command said in a news release.

It represents the first time a single firm has handled household good moves.

The contract runs Dec. 1 to Aug. 31, 2025. The earliest any moves will take place under the new contract would be late 2022, according to the release.

HomeSafe won the contract after disputing the original April 2020 award to American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group. HomeSafe and another bidder, Connected Global Solutions LLC, appealed to the Government Accountability Office, which sustained their protest in October 2020.

The command and HomeSafe will integrate their information technology systems and processes as part of the changeover for the roughly 325,000 annual shipments of household goods.

The selection of a single company to handle movement of all goods is intended to streamline a system that uses more than 900 commercial entities, the release said.

The change is driven by complaints by military families about delays in pickups and deliveries of goods and damage to items during transportation.

A 2020 analysis by the Department of Defense Inspector General found that a fifth of all domestic household goods shipments in 2018 had at least one damage claim.

The analysis also concluded that the Transportation Command did not have reliable data to determine whether service members goods were being delivered on time or in fit condition.

The switch to contracting a single manager for shipments is a key part of the commands reforms aimed at improving on those problems for the thousands of service members and Defense Department employees who relocate each year, the news release said.

The long-term stability and consistent business this contract presents will provide industry with the confidence and rationale to make lasting capital investments and relationships with trusted suppliers to meet DODs demand, Air Force Col. Joel Safranek, director of the Defense Personal Property Program, said in the release.

In October 2020, the GAO overturned the American Roll On Roll Off contract after concluding that the Transportation Command had conducted misleading discussions with HomeSafe and had inadequately evaluated the technical capabilities of the bidding firms, among other shortcomings in the bid evaluation process.

Wyatt Olson
BERLIN - German authorities on Friday confirmed that a Russian diplomat was found dead in Berlin last month, an incident Russia described as a tragic accident while criticizing media reports that said the man was a spy and his death could be suspicious.

The German Foreign Ministry said the diplomat was found dead at 7.20 a.m. on Oct. 19, but declined further questions. Berlin police referred questions to the public prosecutors office, which did not immediately respond a request for comment.

The German magazine Der Spiegel reported, without detailing its sources, that German security authorities believed the 35-year-old diplomat was an agent of Russias domestic secret service the FSB. The cause and the circumstances of the death are unknown, according to the magazine, which was first to report incident.

It said the man had appeared to have fallen from an upper floor of the embassy complex on Behrenstrasse in the Mitte district of Berlin. Because he had diplomatic status, the public prosecutor was unable to investigate, it reported.

The Russian Embassy in Berlin described the incident as a tragic accident.

We consider speculations which have appeared in a number of Western media in the light of this tragic event to be absolutely incorrect, it said in a statement.

According to the Netherlands-based investigative outlet Bellingcat, the diplomat was the son of Gen. Alexey Zhalo, deputy director of FSBs counterterrorism Second Service and the head of the FSBs Directorate for Protection of Constitutional Order.

Bellingcat has previously linked FSBs Second Service to the assassination of Georgian asylum seeker and former Chechen rebel commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlins central Tiergarten park in August 2019. A Russian citizen is currently on trial for the murder.

The diplomat who died last month had been posted in Berlin since June 2019, according to Germanys diplomatic list. The Russian Embassy said that all procedures related to repatriating the diplomats body back to his homeland were promptly settled with responsible German law-enforcement and medical authorities.

The Washington Posts Isabelle Khurshudyan in Moscow contributed to this report.
Buy Photo The U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt will host a virtual information session Monday from 11 a.m. to noon. The session will provide information on resources available to U.S. citizens. (Stars and Stripes)

The U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt is holding an hourlong virtual information session Monday for veterans, military families and all interested Americans living in Germany.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and provide information on the resources available to U.S. citizens at the consulate as well as from the federal benefits unit.

That unit provides services from the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Labor and Medicare, among others.

This is a chance for Americans to hear directly from U.S. consular officers, ask questions and connect with staffers in the American citizen services unit, according to event organizers.

Join the meeting here. The meeting ID is 879 416 7658, and the passcode is Y3LHPY.

news@stripes.com
Members of the House select committee investigating the deadly pro-Trump invasion of the U.S. Capitol meet in a room ahead of the first hearing in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 27, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) - A federal judge sounded skeptical Thursday of former President Donald Trumps request to halt a House select committee from getting most of the White House records it has requested in an investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington heard arguments from lawyers for Trump, the Justice Department and the House as she weighs the former presidents lawsuit to stop the transmission of documents from the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA.

NARA said it would turn over the first batch on Nov. 12 absent a court order. Chutkan said Thursday that she would rule quickly on Trumps motion for an injunction.

The House Jan. 6 panel requested records related to dozens of people, both in and out of the Trump administration. That includes Trump and his family members, as well as any documents and communications involving White House personnel and any Member of Congress related to the Jan. 6 attack or the validity of the presidential election.

Chutkan raised concerns to the House about the scope of some of the committees requests, such as certain polling data and documents from 40 people that stretch back as far as April 2020, which she called unbelievably broad.

These communications could be about unrelated things, including conversations with foreign leaders or about national security, Chutkan said.

House General Counsel Doug Letter told Chutkan that the requests are broad, but the scope of an investigation is for Congress to decide. It would be startling for you to tell Congress, I know better than you what you need, you dont need that, Letter said.

The committee wants to know how much of an effort to discredit the results of the 2020 election came from inside the White House, or from members of Congress, or from outside groups such as the Proud Boys, Letter said.

How broad was this whole problem we now face? Where did it come from? Letter said. We want to make sure this never happens again and that means going way before Jan. 6 itself.

And Letter underscored that President Joe Biden, who as holder of the office of the president has the power to determine what should be covered by executive privilege, has told NARA to turn over the records to the committee.

Trump has asserted executive privilege over some of the documents, as well as a protective assertion of executive privilege over any additional materials that the Jan. 6 panel requests.

Letter said that if Trump wants to raise concerns about executive privilege of documents, he can do so with Biden, but thats not a question here for this court.

Chutkan said she would be on stronger footing to limit the scope of the committees request if Biden had disagreed with Congress on the executive privilege claims.

The judge had sharper questions for Trumps lawyer, Justin Clark, who said there were constitutional questions in the case  the first lawsuit in which a former president has disagreed with a current president about executive privilege claims. Clark told Chutkan that she should do a document-by-document review of the privilege claims and that allowing the request to go forward would open the door to partisanship of document requests and blow a hole in executive privilege. Not blocking the release of records now would mean damage that couldnt be undone if Trump has the better of that question, Clark said.

But the judge said that while that is a dispute between a former and current president, she didnt see a separation-of-powers issue for her to weigh in on because the executive and legislative branches agree on this request.

Chutkan also said she didnt see any language in a law or any case that convinces her that courts are required to get involved in this situation and do a document-by-document review.

Justice Department lawyer Elizabeth Shapiro told Chutkan that it would be very odd if a court didnt defer to the current presidents determination that the public interest in these documents clearly outweighs the confidentiality concerns underlying executive privilege.

Because essentially what plaintiff is asking you to do is for a court to superintend a sitting presidents decision not to assert privilege, Shapiro said.

Chutkans decision likely wont be the last word since the losing side could appeal. And a determined Trump could appeal such a case about presidential and congressional power to the Supreme Court before it is finally resolved. 2021 CQ-Roll Call, Inc.,

All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Platform Competition and Opportunity Act takes aim at large tech giants strategy of gaining dominance through buying other companies, which has become a growing concern of Washington lawmakers and regulators. This strategy is central to the Federal Trade Commissions lawsuit against Facebook seeking to unwind the companys acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

WASHINGTON - Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Friday introduced legislation that would make it easier for regulators to block large tech companies from buying up rivals or nascent competitors, the latest display of the bipartisan push in Congress to rein in the tech industry.

The Platform Competition and Opportunity Act takes aim at large tech giants strategy of gaining dominance through buying other companies, which has become a growing concern of Washington lawmakers and regulators. This strategy is central to the Federal Trade Commissions lawsuit against Facebook seeking to unwind the companys acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram.

Today, were increasingly seeing companies choose to buy their rivals rather than compete, Klobuchar, chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement.

When mergers are proposed, regulators need to prove that theyre anticompetitive to block them. But Klobuchars and Cottons legislation would shift the burden to the tech giants, requiring them to show that a deal is good for competition in order for it to go through.

The bill is just the latest in a flurry of antitrust proposals that seek to curtail the path that lawmakers say tech giants including Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google took to dominance. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

In October, Klobuchar and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced legislation that would make it illegal for these companies to engage in self-preferencing, practices that give their own products a boost over those of rivals using their platforms.

After years of rhetoric about cracking down on the tech companies, the bipartisan bills are the strongest sign yet that lawmakers are seeking to dramatically transform the business practices of major tech companies. But the bills are certain to face strong opposition from tech industry lobbyists, and its unclear if they have enough support to clear either chamber in a narrowly divided Congress.

NetChoice, a tech industry trade group that includes Amazon, Google and Facebook among its members, criticized the bill, saying it would drive investors out of the American tech sector and disadvantage U.S. tech companies globally. Despite the bipartisan support for the legislation, the group sought to pit Republicans against it.

As Republicans look to take back Congress from the hands of the Democrats, they should not support legislation that provides the Biden administration an incredible amount of unchecked power to run the U.S. economy how they see fit, Carl Szabo, NetChoices vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.

The House Judiciary Committee already has approved a similar tech acquisition bill that now awaits a vote by the full House, and the introduction of the bill in the Senate indicates that parts of House lawmakers antitrust package are gaining traction in both chambers. But senators have not yet introduced a companion version of the most controversial House antitrust bill, the Ending Platform Monopolies Act. That legislation would make it illegal for tech companies to operate another line of business that creates a conflict of interest.

New limits on mergers would amount to a fundamental shift in how Silicon Valley companies have operated. Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google have acquired hundreds of companies over decades to expand their businesses to new sectors. Amazon has used such deals to move beyond its e-commerce foundation into groceries, the Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles. Google bought up companies like YouTube and Android to move beyond the search engine into video sharing and mobile phones.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the October jobs report from the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

For President Joe Biden, the easy part was threatening a response. Now comes the tougher challenge of delivering one.

When last week Biden pressed OPEC+ to bring oil prices down with a large output hike, he warned of consequences if the cartel rejected his appeal: What were considering doing on that, Im reluctant to say before I have to do it.

Now, Biden has to match words with action or risk looking impotent in his struggle with oil cartel. On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ allies not only refused to boost output by more than the 400,000 barrels a day they had already planned, but also declined to make even a token gesture to placate Washington. It was nothing but a flat-out no.

The ball is back in Bidens court, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consultant Energy Aspects in London.

Within minutes of the OPEC+ announcement, the White House accused the oil alliance of putting the global recovery for countries around the world in jeopardy. We will consider the full range of tools at our disposal to bolster resilience and public confidence, a spokesperson said.

Biden certainly has tools a his disposal. Perhaps the strongest is the countrys strategic petroleum reserve, a huge crude stockpile of more than 600 million barrels kept underground in Louisiana and Texas for major emergencies. The SPR has enough crude to replace all the oil the U.S. imports from OPEC+ for more than a year.

There are more radical options. He could ban American oil exports, keeping more crude at home, or encourage American lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow the U.S. federal government to sue OPEC for acting as a cartel.

But all of those measures bring big political, diplomatic and market risks, according to traders, consultants and diplomats.

Biden is in a tough spot, said Bob McNally, president of consultant Rapidan Energy and a former White House official. Hes both raised expectations of doing something while simultaneously, and correctly, noting nothing he does can really lower gasoline prices near term.

The oil market is now abuzz with talk of a SPR release, either in coordination with allies inside the International Energy Agency, which includes the likes of Germany, the U.K., Japan and South Korea, or even alone. The U.S. could also seek to release the reserves in alliance with non-IEA countries like China and India.

The SPR is certainly on the table as an option. The president will have more to say about that, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told Bloomberg TV on Friday. The Biden administration is very concerned about the price at the pump, she added.

But many in the oil market question whether the current situation justifies a stockpile release. Beyond ad hoc responses to localized oil disruptions, the U.S. has only tapped its oil reserve a handful of times, notably in response to hurricanes in 2005 and armed conflict: the Gulf War in 1991 and in 2011 during the Libyan civil war.

The closest use of the SPR to todays situation nearly came in 2000, during the tight presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush. With oil prices rising, President Clinton ordered a 30 million barrels release in what one of his senior energy officials said was needed to make sure American families keep warm this winter. The release was technically a swap, with companies having to return the oil within a year. Oil prices initially fell in response to the release, but within weeks they set new highs.

Oil prices fell on Thursday on speculation that Biden would tap the reserve. In particular, traders unwound bets that oil inventories in Cushing, a key storage hub in Oklahoma, would fall further. The belief is that a SPR release would halt the drain on Cushings tanks, which has helped spur the rally in U.S. benchmark oil prices.

To tap the reserve, Biden will need to invoke special powers to deal with supply disruptions. Outside an emergency, an SPR release is limited to 30 million barrels. The impact of such a small amount is likely to be modest and temporary, according to Damien Courvalin, oil analyst at Goldman Sachs. He estimates that even an emergency-scale 60 million barrels release would knock down oil prices by less than 5%.

Even if Biden were to achieve a big price drop, it could also backfire. Any larger negative price impact that further slows the U.S. shale oil activity rebound would in turn lead to much higher prices next year, Courvalin said.

The White House can also release oil from the reserve through a back door. Since 2015, America has sold crude from its stockpile to pay for budget deals. These mandated sales have committed nearly 275 million barrels of oil for sale until the end of the decade. Although most of the sales are prescribed for specific fiscal years, the White House has some flexibility to front load them. For example, a 2015 deal mandates sales of oil of about 18 million barrels in 2022 and 2023, but the White House could sell that crude immediately.

But such a back-door SPR release is unlikely to impact prices much.

The SPR can only fill the gap during temporary production disruptions and not fix structural issues of underinvestment and rising demand, said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodities strategist at UBS.

The second most powerful tool is banning U.S. crude exports, keeping oil at home. The problem is that American refiners can only handle so much of the kind of crude pumped in the Permian and other shale basins. Trapping domestic supplies inside the U.S. would result in a price collapse for a few types of crude, while gasoline prices would remain elevated.

Politically, the most expedient tool is to encourage lawmakers to pass the so-called No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, or NOPEC, which proposes making the cartel subject to the Sherman Act antitrust law, used more than a century ago to break up the oil empire of John Rockefeller.

U.S. politicians have tried several times since 2000 to pass the NOPEC bill, but the White House opposed it -- both George W. Bush and Barack Obama threatened to use their veto. And Even Donald Trump, who spoke publicly in favor of it, ultimately didnt support it.

The problem with NOPEC is that it wouldnt lower prices in the short-term. And its passage would open a huge diplomatic conflict with Middle Eastern countries that the U.S. has long considered allies, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

For Biden, the biggest problem, perhaps, is that his administrations public diplomacy failed to move OPEC+, underlining the limits of its personal influence with a group that once used to pay close attention to what Washington had to say.

The White House said the battle wasnt over. Were going to continue to, you know, continue to work on this, this is not the end, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday.
The Chinese flag is seen outside the China Consulate General building in Houston, Texas, on July 22, 2020. (Scott Dalton/Bloomberg)

The U.S. and China are not considering reopening shuttered consulates in each country, the White House said Friday, after a report that said the move was under consideration as part of an upcoming virtual meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The meeting is part of our ongoing efforts to responsibly manage the competition between our countries, not about seeking specific deliverables, Dean Lieberman, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said in a statement.

It was issued after a report in Politico that consulate reopenings were likely to be announced, a move that would be one of the biggest steps yet to repair fractured ties between the global powers. Politicos report cited sources it did not identify. The U.S. is also seeking to make progress on trade and climate issues, as well as start a bilateral nuclear weapons dialogue -- something Beijing has resisted.

The U.S. flatly denied any such pending announcement. This is false. Reporting on reopening consulates is inaccurate. No such thing is even being considered or discussed, the NSC spokesman said. In advance of the meeting, weve been discussing a number of agenda items, and I can assure you that reopening consulates has not been part of that discussion.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin responded to questions about the Politico report by saying many incidents unilaterally provoked by the previous U.S. administration gravely undermined China-U.S. relations.

We hope the U.S. will redress its mistakes and work in the same direction with China to bring bilateral relations back on the right track, Wang added at the regular press briefing Friday in Beijing. Wang said he had no new information on plans for a meeting between Xi and Biden.

The Pentagon warned Wednesday that China is expanding its nuclear weapons capabilities more rapidly than previously believed, a development that comes after the U.S.s top uniformed military officer, General Mark Milley, said Chinas test of hypersonic systems was close to a Sputnik moment for America.

A group of four Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to Biden urging him to make nuclear risk reduction measures with China a top priority in his meeting with Xi, which has yet to be scheduled. China, which resisted joining U.S.-Russia arms control discussions last year, sees such moves as dragging China into unfair arms talks to contain China and justify American moves to strengthen its nuclear capability, the Communist Party-backed Global Times said in a report Friday.

Still, overall U.S.-China exchanges have increased after relations hit rock bottom in the final year of Donald Trumps presidency, as he poured pressure on Beijing after the pandemic hit during his re-election campaign.

In July 2020, Washington told China to shutter its consulate in Houston, prompting Beijing to retaliate with an order for a U.S. diplomatic facility in the southwestern city of Chengdu to close. The Trump administration said the move was necessary because China directed criminal and covert activity to steal trade secrets and carry out malign influence operations across the U.S., though it never provided evidence of that.

The two nations also traded visa restrictions on students and journalists during Trumps time in office.
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
It's no small feat to write a history book. But for a small group of Whakamarama locals, after 13 years of research, writing, editing and production, that's exactly what they've done.

Officially released on Sunday, October 31, at the re-opening of the Whakamarama Community Centre, the publication incorporates three key areas: Pirirakau - tangata whenua, the timber milling period, and land development for pastural farming through to land subdivision.

The publication was produced by Whakamarama Community Incorporated (WCI), a local community group that was established after the Whakamarama community staged a number of meetings to investigate how ratepayers' and residents' issues, ideas and needs could be better represented.

WCI committee member Anne Mackersey says as the population of Whakamarama has grown, it became apparent that there was a lack of information available for the residents to understand previous activities in the district.

"When WCI was established in 2008, understanding the district's history was identified as being of significant importance.

"Initial work to capture stories and information involved interviews throughout the country of elderly past residents or descendants of previous residents.

"The people interviewed remembered life here as far back as the timber milling and early farming years in the 1920s and 30s. Sadly the majority of them have since passed away. It makes these interviews all the more valuable and indeed form the backbone of the book."

Since then, research continued, and so did the writing, with the group interviewing many more residents over the years.

These first-hand accounts and a plethora of visual material will allow the reader to gain a real insight into life in Whakamarama over the course of the 20th century.

The first section of the book was a section that appeared least known about.

February 2017 marked 150 years since the local hapu, Pirirakau, had their land confiscated and were displaced to reside in the Te Puna area.

Following local commemorations organised by Pirirakau, stronger relationships were established between the local community and Pirirakau.

Graham Bidois Cameron wrote the background of Pirirakau for the publication, and Robert McGowan connected the reality of traditional living in the Whakamarama environment for Maori.

The second section of the book, timber milling, was first to be researched and completed, as there were a number of elderly contacts who were able first-hand to tell the story of timber milling at Whakamarama.

They enriched knowledge of this period at Whakamarama - a period that transformed the district significantly.

The third section of the book includes a unique collection of photographs accompanied by stories of local families and their challenges, entrepreneurship and collective ability to transform the district to what it is today.

The book is not intended as a scholarly text, but WCI hopes that a variety of readers will find it informative and entertaining, with something for everyone inside.

TECT funding of $7200 was sought to assist with the final collation of materials, design and layout to get to the printing stage.

Whakamarama Footsteps Through Time history book.

WCI committee member Katie Rogers says the work has been done on a voluntary basis by six local residents and Pirirakau representatives

"This book has been put together by volunteers, none of whom have had the time to dedicate themselves 100 per cent to the book," says Katie.

"It has been a real community effort with the design and layout done by Lisa Kemp from Creative Clicks, who grew up in the district.

"A few years ago, progress was halted because we ran out of funding, so we were overjoyed when TECT saved the day, so to speak, with a grant that allowed us to push on and finish the book. We are extremely grateful for our other sponsors over the years, including Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Lotteries and Legacy.

"The history group is also extremely grateful for the support and interest of the wider Whakamarama Community Inc committee."

TECT Trustee Peter Blackwell attended the official release at the Whakamarama Community Centre and says as a local trust, TECT was keen to support the community-led project preserving local history.

"It isn't often we get an opportunity like this to support a project led by the community, producing such a thorough and well-researched book that preserves local history.It was an application worthy of our support.

"It will provide an excellent educational resource for local schools, and with copies at the libraries and the Community Hall, as well as copies available to be purchased, people across our community can learn about the history of Whakamarama. It will allow those living there to gain a greater sense of place and a better understanding of what has taken place around them."

The book will not be available in stores but is available to purchase by contacting Katie Rogers by email: katierogers@outlook.co.nz or text 021 607 717 to order.

The cost for a softcover book, 170 pages, is $40.

Delivery will be free within Whakamarama. Payment can be made on internet banking to Whakamarama Community Inc's Kiwibank account: 38-9006-0885859-00.
The Bay of Plenty tourism sector has been dealt a blow with hopes of an early-2022 return of cruise ships to Tauranga suffering a significant casualty.

Norwegian Cruise Lines have pushed back plans for potential trans-Tasman voyages in February and March until later in 2022.

A summer staple, worth more than $70m to the local economy in 2019-20, cruise ships and their passengers have vanished from Tauranga since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, with Government plans to begin opening up borders in the first-quarter of 2022 on a risk-based system involving vaccination status and country of origin, Norwegian Cruise Lines had been taking bookings for potential trans-Tasman excursions.

The Norwegian Spirit was originally scheduled for a 12-day cruise beginning in February next year which would have taken in Tauranga as the penultimate location after Sydney, Eden, Tasmania, Timaru, Lyttelton, Marlborough, Wellington and Gisborne, before the final stop and disembarkation in Auckland.

In March, a further cruise was planned in which Tauranga was also on an itinerary which included Sydney, Melbourne, Dunedin, Akaroa and Napier.

Those voyage dates have now been scrapped.

Due to ongoing uncertainty around the resumption of cruise in Australia and New Zealand and in support of a gradual redeployment of our fleet, we have postponed Norwegian Spirits debut in Australia until 27 March 2022 and in New Zealand until December 2022, when Norwegian Spirit returns to the region for a full season, says a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our guests and travel partners with impacted bookings and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

A 10-location cruise leaving Sydney on December 22 is now NCLs next voyage set to stop in New Zealand, including Tauranga on January 2, 2023.

That time period, according to Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan, is now looking like an increasingly likely period for returning international cruise operations to the region.

This decision is unfortunate but not surprising, given the uncertainty that New Zealands current Delta outbreak is creating," says Oscar.

Its unclear when the Government is intending to ease the tight restrictions at our international border, and this is the key factor that will determine when cruise ships will actually be able to return to our ports. The 2022/2023 summer season is probably going to be a more realistic timeframe.

NCL say that all guests and travel partners will be contacted and receive a full refund, as well as a discount off any future cruise, due to the postponement.

At present, the maritime border remains closed to foreign vessels, with only a few exceptions, although entirely domestic cruises are currently permitted.

Other operators, such as Carnival and P&O do still have listings for voyages which will include Tauranga for the first quarter of 2022.

Viking Ocean Cruises have a 119-day voyage due to embark from Los Angeles on January 10 2022, with Tauranga one of its scheduled stops in February and excursions to Rotorua planned, on the round-the-world trip which ends in London.

A spokesperson for the Port of Tauranga recently told SunLive they are not budgeting for any cruise visits before the end of the current financial year on March 31.
MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and Auckland. "Unstable conditions this afternoon and early evening are expected to produce scattered thunderstorms across the central and upper North Island," says a MetService spokesperson. "There is a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms from south of the Manukau Harbour to Taumarunui and across to inland and eastern parts of Bay of Plenty." MetService advise that these thunderstorms may be slow moving and produce localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm per hour. "Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. "Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain." A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favourable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for possible Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the Civil Defence Get Ready website
New euthanasia law is effectively 'stalled' in Andalucia, claims Right to Die with Dignity association The first requests for dignity in death have been registered in the region, but the Junta has yet to set up the commission that authorises them

Dying with dignity, without suffering and receiving health care so that death occurs when the person who meets all the requirements for it requests it. That is the spirit of Organic Law 3/2021 regulating euthanasia in Spain.

And, according to the Right to Die with Dignity association (DMD), in Andalucia there have already been people who have submitted requests to doctors for the application of euthanasia.

The problem that applicants and doctors face is that in the region the 13 members of the Evaluation Commission have not yet been appointed. That is the body that is ultimately in charge of giving the green light to the application of euthanasia.

The commission must be made up of five graduates in Medicine, five graduates in Law and three graduates in Nursing.

Delays to end suffering

On 19 October, the Andalusian Government approved a decree both for the creation and regulation of the Evaluation Commission and the registry of conscientious objector health professionals. But the commission has not yet been formally constituted nor has its members been appointed, according to the president of the Andalusian Nursing Council, Jose Miguel Carrasco.

Meanwhile, the DMD Association has denounced that "the euthanasia law - in practice - has been stopped in Andalucia", which means a delay in the procedures for patients who have already requested help to end their suffering.

Patients who want help to die are often terminally ill with cancer, with conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or with other incurable and irreversible conditions. And the law recognises the right to euthanasia for people who have a serious, chronic and incapacitating condition that causes constant and intolerable physical or psychological suffering and, in addition, there is the probability that these limitations will persist over time with no possibility of cure or improvement. Help to die is also contemplated for people with a serious and incurable disease that causes constant and unbearable physical or psychological suffering, without the possibility of tolerable relief, and with a limited life prognosis.

Process

The request for euthanasia can only be made by the person who wants to receive help for their death. The process begins with a first written request from the patient to the responsible doctor, who must sign it and verify that he or she meets the requirements. Within two days there will be a meeting in which the doctor and patient will discuss the therapeutic alternatives available, as well as the possibility of accessing palliative care. At least 15 days later, the patient must submit a second request and meet again with the doctor to re-deliberate. If the patient decides to go ahead, they must sign an informed consent.

Next, the doctor will contact a second medical professional (consulting physician), unrelated to him or the applicant, who will assess whether the request meets the requirements provided by law and must interview the patient within 10 days. After that meeting, the doctor will make a report (favourable or unfavourable) in a maximum of 10 days.

Doctor and lawyer

If both doctors agree that the request for euthanasia complies with the provisions of the law, the responsible doctor must send a report with all the documentation to the chair of the Evaluation Commission, which will study the request. For this, a team consisting of a doctor and a lawyer will be appointed. Both will evaluate and submit their report to the commission in seven days. If the report is favourable, the responsible doctor will be informed that euthanasia can be carried out at the time that the person who requested it decides.

Once the doctor prescribes the application of euthanasia, a nursing professional is in charge of carrying it out, usually at the patient's home, through an injection that first makes them sleepy, then induces them into a coma and finally results in a cardiac arrest and death, explained the Right to Die with Dignity association.
A judge in Malaga has ordered the demolition of a holiday home in Paraje Loma de la Cruz near Frigiliana, 12 years after the first complaint was lodged against the owner. The judge considered that a Frigiliana resident converted a farmhouse having obtained a licence for a rental property. The owner, a local woman with the initials S.M.N.D, has been ordered to pay a fine of 1,080 euros for an urban planning offence.
Cudeca launches the Joan Hunt - One in a Million campaign In association with Talk Radio Europe, the initiative has been organised to raise money to convert the house where Joan lived into a children's unit

The house where Joan Hunt lived will become the first ever in-patient facility exclusively for children. / SUR

The Cudeca Foundation launched its latest campaign on Tuesday under the banner of Joan Hunt - One in a Million, an initiative that continues to pay tribute to the founder of Cudeca.

In association with Talk Radio Europe (TRE), the campaign has been organised to raise money to convert the house where Joan lived into a children's unit, or room 10, as it will be known.

Hosted by Financial Director Rafael Olalla Martinez, the launch was attended by vice-president Susan Hannam, and Medical Director Marisa Martin, who paid a moving tribute to Joan Hunt's life and legacy.

Joan had left special instructions in her will for the house, situated in the grounds of the hospice, to be used to enhance the charity's facilities. Cudeca are hoping to complete the adaptation and refurbishment of the premises by the summer of 2022.

Martin Nathan, Chairman of TRE, who devised the campaign, explained that to honour Joan's legacy, Cudeca would create the first ever in-patient facility exclusively for children and teenagers. The name of the campaign, he went on to say, was chosen "in recognition of the founder and driving force of Cudeca, who was a one in a million human being".

"While nobody chose to think about children dying, this campaign was designed to ensure that they could spend their last days in a dedicated facility with the very best of care and their family by their side," he added.

In order to raise the approximated 160,000 euros needed for the project, the campaign will focus on a crowd-funding weekend hosted by TRE from 26 until 28 November.

All pledges made during the weekend will be doubled by the campaign's sponsors.

For more information, see www.oneinamillion.es
Half the story THE EURO ZONE Clearly, jobs with a short lifespan continue to play an oversized role in the Spanish labour market, much to the detriment of large sectors of its workforce

Both September and October of this year were historic months for Spain's employment/unemployment levels. The former saw more than 20 million people employed for the first time since 2008, when the last economic crisis hit; and the latter was the first time that unemployment dropped in the tenth month of the year - the month that typically posts a sharp decline in tourist-orientated labour - since 1976. October was also the eighth month in a row to feature a fall in the jobless rate. Things, it seems, are definitely on the up.

Now, I don't want to sound like a grumbling, joyless cynic here, but I'm always initially sceptical when I see such figures. This isn't to say that I think they contain no positive message at all, because they do: in this case, they are a solid indication that general post-Covid economic activity is continuing apace and that the hospitality sector hasn't suffered from more restriction-induced setbacks. These are both welcome pieces of news. But a breakdown of the figures reveals that the recovery they advertise isn't quite as stable or long-term as it might seem on the surface.

The September statistic is the product of job-creation in the third quarter, during which 359,300 more people were employed than in the second quarter. Unsurprisingly, though, the majority of these new positions were in the tourist-dominated services sector, which always thrives during summer months - Spain, after all, is the world's second most-visited country after France. Of the 409,100 new contracts signed in Q3, 264,100 (64.5 %) were temporary, keeping Spain's temporary worker rate at around 20%, six points above the EU average of 14%. The same was true of a supposedly-bumper October, in which 88.8% of the 1.8 million new contracts were for temporary work.

Clearly, jobs with a short lifespan continue to play an oversized role in the Spanish labour market, much to the detriment of large sectors of its workforce. Another persistent stain on Spain's employment record is joblessness amongst under 25s, which increased by 2.3% last month. The country's youth unemployment rate remains the highest in the EU at 37.1%, almost seven points higher than second-placed Greece.

Employment minister, deputy prime minister and Podemos member Yolanda Diaz seeks a complete overhaul of the labour market measures introduced by Mariano Rajoy a decade ago, which gave businesses greater flexibility at the cost of worker stability. But she faces staunch opposition from the Socialists, who have greater clout in the coalition and favour a softer approach to the sector-wide problem - although they've yet to explain exactly what it is. But until something's done about this perennial scourge, record-breaking statistics such as those posted in September and October will only tell half the story.
Weekend weather will be marked by a sharp drop in temperatures and the possibility of a Mediterranean hurricane A cold air mass will cause the thermometers to drop 10 degrees below normal for this time of year throughout the Spanish mainland. On Thursday a temperature of -8 degrees was recorded in Andalucia's Sierra Nevada

A polar air mass hanging over the Spanish mainland will be responsible for the fact that in the coming days the temperatures will be up to 10 degrees below normal for the time of year, according to the spokesperson for the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), Ruben del Campo.

The cold snap, accompanied by snowfall in the northern mountains, will continue due to "the arrival of winds from the north that have driven a polar air mass to Spain that has caused temperatures to drop significantly."

But, as Del Campo pointed out, the polar air mass does not mean that it comes from the Pole, but that "the description is given to air masses from very high latitudes. For example, the origin of the current one could be the south of Greenland. But the air masses that come from much further north are called Arctic air masses," he specified.

Snow

For this reason, the temperatures since Wednesday have been between 4 and 7 degrees below normal in most of the Cantabrian Sea and the interior of the peninsula, while the snow has made an appearance in the mountainous in the centre and the northern half of the mainland, from 1,200 and 1,400 metres; and in high points of the Aragonese Pyrenees, above about 2,000 metres, where around ten centimetres of new snow accumulated.

Minus 8 degrees

Regarding temperatures, at 6am on 4 November, -8 degrees was recorded in Dilar (Granada), at an altitude of 2,800 metres in the Sierra Nevada, a value also recorded in Cap de Vaqueira and in Port Aine, both in Lleida, at an altitude of about 2,400 metres

Looking ahead to the weekend the cloudy skies will continue in the extreme north of the country, but with lighter rainfall and the snowfalls will gradually subside while in the rest of the country, slightly cloudy skies or with some intervals of clouds will predominate, but in general without rainfall except in the Mediterranean area.

Frosts

The cold will persist until Sunday, with temperatures below normal throughout the country. In Malaga, Saturday is expected to be the coldest day since autumn began. Del Campo has pointed out that temperatures in inland areas could be between 5 and 10 degrees below normal for the time of year. In addition, there will be frosts in areas not only in the mountains, but also on plateaus and moors.

As for the maximum temperatures, they will also remain below 15 degrees in most of the interior of the peninsula and below 10 or 12 degrees in large areas of the northern half.

Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone

The Meteored expert Francisco Martin has warned that this weekend an intense Mediterranean hurricane could form southeast of the Balearic Islands. As of Sunday, the medicane could develop in an area triangulated by the Balearics, Sicily and northern Algeria. Although its centre could be over open water, the effects would be noticeable in land areas and nearby islands, a situation that could lead to an intense storm of wind and rough seas in the western Mediterranean.

Stability next week

As of Monday, the thermometers will begin to rise and the situation will tend to normalise, reaching values more typical of the first half of November. For next week, no significant rainfall is expected, only some weak drizzle in the Cantabrian region.
The Russian Museum exhibits the hidden treasures of the avant-garde movement The gallery invites visitors to broaden their view on 20th-century art in an exhibition where Kandinsky, Malevich and Chagall share a room with lesser-known European artists

The space dedicated to Futurism, with a piece by Malevich in the centre. / NITO SALAS

The Russian Museum's collection Las Vanguardias en el arte Ruso, proposes a deeper exploration into 20th-century art with an exhibition in Malaga that goes beyond the fame of Kandinsky, Malevich and Chagall.

"Our goal is to expand the knowledge of European viewers about universal culture," said Commissioner Evgenia Petrova.

The collection invites the visitor to discover revolutionary artists of that time who hold their own against the big names with whom they share a wall.

An explosion of colour, shapes and techniques is distributed in five sections, which signal five ways of understanding artistic creations that coexisted simultaneously at a time of constant innovation and the breaking of tradition.

Neoprimitivism

The tour begins with Neoprimitivism, a movement that in Russia combined the influence of African and Oriental art with icons of Russian folk art.

Natalia Goncharova (noted for her works Sunflowers and Washerwomen), Vladimir Burliuk, Mikhail Larionov and Pyotr Konchalovsky (with his great painting Family Portrait with Chinese panel in the background) are some of the artists in the collection, with a modern painting style where simplicity and clean lines prevail.

Goncharova is one of the recurring names in the exhibition, with her works being present in almost all of the rooms.

She is one of the standard-bearers of futurism, a movement from Italy based on industrial themes and movement reflected in her works Cyclist and Factory.

The style has marked ironic, playful and grotesque components, evident in the piece Bridge. Landscape From Four Points of View by David Burliuk that shows the countryside from different angles.

For some Russian artists, however, futurism is mixed with cubism to create a new style in emblematic paintings such as Perfected Portrait of Ivan Kliun, signed by his friend Kazimir Malevich.

Cubo Futurism

Cubo Futurism gives way to the Abstract with examples of Malevich's Suprematism and the original techniques of Wassily Kandinsky's works such as Saint George on display. In the latter, the saint's struggle with the dragon can be sensed through the movement generated by the colours used. Goncharova also had an abstract phase at the end of her life, as revealed by this exhibition.

Metal, cork, cardboard and wood become artistic materials for Malevich's Suprematism, such as Wladyslaw Strzeminski (Tools and Industrial Products), Nadezhda Udaltsova (Cubist Composition) and Alexander Rodchenko (Constructions).

This innovative use of the elements leads to the last and one of the most powerful sections of the exhibition: Figurative art, which has always been present in Russia despite the heavy presence of all the avant-garde artists.

Malevich's two paintings (Two male figures and Peasants), Boris Grigoriev's fantastic portrait of director Vsevolod Meyerhold and Marc Chagall's Walk are all essential to this artistic movement.

The Russian avant-garde is one of the three temporary exhibitions that were inaugurated on Friday 29 October in the Russian Museum, along with a space dedicated to the poet Khrakovsky and a tribute to the famous writer Dostoevsky on the bicentennial anniversary of his birth (along with his funeral mask, which is exhibited "very rarely").

All three exhibitions have collaborated with La Caixa Foundation and can be visited until 17 April.

In addition, the luminous sculpture The Triumph of the Sun (2016-2020) by the artist Vasily Klyukin was inaugurated, which is now at the southern entrance of the Russian Museum.
Atlantic, IA (50022)

Today

Plenty of sunshine with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 48F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 22F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill.
Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
Cherokee Nation leaders gathered with leaders from Dahlonegah Public Schools and Greasy School on Oct. 29 after the tribe finalized its acquisition of the Greasy School campus in southern Adair County. Cherokee Nation will repurpose the site, which is currently operated by the Dahlonegah school system, into the tribes second Cherokee language immersion school starting with the 2022-2023 school year.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
dinu2506 Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,026 Thanked: 846 Times

View My Garage





Repairing a BMW Key Fob | A cheaper solution



But I don't remember my dealer telling me about this when I bought the car and it was only recently I came to know (after one of them failed) that the fob comes with a non-replaceable rechargeable battery. The correct way to use the key fobs is that - either both fobs are used in parallel by two people, or if only one is used at a time, make sure you switch the fobs at least once in 3-4 months to be on the safe side, so that they get charged during usage. FYI, the fobs get wirelessly charged when inserted in the slot while using the car. Unfortunately, it was too late by the time I read up and understood about this. One of the fobs was lying unused for more than 18 months and when I tried using, it was dead and the doors were neither locking or unlocking. The other fob was working perfectly. Now started the enquiries and was shocked at the options.



BMW provides replacement key fobs for obscene prices, if I understand, upwards of Rs 60k. Checked with my FNG and they too could not help and said we need to get the replacement from BMW but said he could convince the dealer for a goodwill warranty and get it at 50% cost which itself was too much for me. The thing is that the key fob still works when inserted in the slot and the car starts and runs (later on I found that for starting and running the car, the battery is not needed at all). The locking and unlocking would have to be done manually using the pull-out physical key. This was fine for me and made me decide that I'm not spending this kind of money for getting a new one. Tried some jugaads of trying to recharge the fob by placing on wireless phone chargers overnight and also connected the car battery to a charger and left the car switched on overnight. But nothing worked and the key fob was unable to open and close the doors. So, I concluded, either the battery was totally flat to the extent that it cannot be recharged or there is some problem with the PCB. Gut feel was that the battery is dead because I have hardly used this fob much.



Meanwhile I also started googling and came across many videos where people opened up the key fob and de-soldered the VL2020 battery and replaced with a new one and re-soldered the terminals and sealed back the case. Was not sure if I should try it as there were also lot of reports where it did not work even after replacing the battery. Firstly, I checked availability of the VL2020 battery - this is the same size as a CR2032 battery but has rivetted pins at a 90 degree orientation for the positive and negative terminals. There are also pins at 180 degree orientation but the X1 key fob needs one with 90 degree orientation. Not freely available and none of the popular sites had them but came across a seller STOPSHOPSWIPE who was selling for around Rs 1300.



Before placing the order, I mentally got prepared to open up the fob. The reason was as follows. Firstly, I had a working fob, secondly I knew the battery is only needed for opening and closing, so worst case if it does not work, I can still use the physical key. Opening up the key fob was much tougher than I thought. Its a really strong seal all around, so you need to use a really good strong blade and be very careful not to insert it too much inside and unknowingly damage the PCB. Never try to pry open with a screw driver or anything, it will damage the case for good and possibly make it unusable. Once that was done (took a good half day and lot of patience to make it in two halves), and de-soldered the VL2020 from the PCB. Checked the voltage and was showing only 1.69V (as against the rated 3V) which was the reason why it was unable to recharge. Before placing an order for a new battery, I still wanted to check whether it is a battery problem and thought of a jugaad. Got a CR2032 that was lying around, soldered short wires to the positive and negative sides and connected these wires to the points I de-soldered on the PCB. Took the PCB along with the jugaad CR2032 and pressed the buttons on the PCB. The X1 happily unlocked and locked. The third button for opening the rear hatch also worked. It was now certain that it is nothing but a battery issue.



Immediately placed an order for the VL2020 battery with the 90 degree pins. Now, this was frustrating. They took a full 6 weeks to deliver this item to me, in-spite of repeated follow-up. Finally it came and immediately I got on to the job of soldering in the new battery. Took the PCB to the car and it was working. Brought it back, placed inside the fob case and used Fevibond to seal it back. As I said, there is no way to avoid damage while opening, so it is virtually impossible to have a clean edge when fitting back, but not too bad either. Availed the services of my daughter who has steady hands and good at painting, to touch up the edges with black enamel paint. Overall, a worthwhile effort, and really happy and satisfied at bring back the fob to life.



I would assume many BMW owners might be facing this or probably have not even realized one of their fobs is dead. Hopefully this might help you with a solution rather than spending big money on a new one.



Key points

- If you have both fobs working, please make sure you keep using both and not leave anyone unused more than 6 months - this is something the dealer should tell the buyers

- Be extra cautious using the blade to open. Invest on a good quality blade and make sure you go just deep enough to cut the seal and not more

- Have lot of patience while doing the above

- Its a small PCB, so exercise caution while de-soldering and re-soldering so as not to touch or damage nearby circuits

- Be open to accepting some amount of damage to the case edges where the knife is used, its unavoidable

- never try prying open with things like screwdriver as it is sure to break the case - you need to cut open all round with the blade.



The following pictures should give you an idea and hopefully they help



Key Fob and Blade





Cutting Open







Opened









De-soldering







Battery removed and Checked







Jugaad with CR2032





New Battery along with Old











Positioning New Battery









Soldering in New Battery











Glueing back the Fob with Fevibond and Painting edges







Final Look



I'm not sure of the latest BMW cars but the 2012 BMW X1 that I have and the 320Ds etc of that period in India most probably would have Key Fobs that are fully sealed units. These are called "Non-Comfort Access" fobs. In global markets there are also cars that come with "Comfort Access" key fobs that have a replaceable CR2032 battery which is the norm in most other cars. I'm still not sure why we were given the "Non Comfort Access" key fobs. These are fully sealed units with a rechargeable battery called VL2020. These are supposed to last the life of the car, which it probably will, if used the way it is supposed to be used and the dealer specifically informs the buyers about this.But I don't remember my dealer telling me about this when I bought the car and it was only recently I came to know (after one of them failed) that the fob comes with a non-replaceable rechargeable battery. The correct way to use the key fobs is that - either both fobs are used in parallel by two people, or if only one is used at a time, make sure you switch the fobs at least once in 3-4 months to be on the safe side, so that they get charged during usage. FYI, the fobs get wirelessly charged when inserted in the slot while using the car. Unfortunately, it was too late by the time I read up and understood about this. One of the fobs was lying unused for more than 18 months and when I tried using, it was dead and the doors were neither locking or unlocking. The other fob was working perfectly. Now started the enquiries and was shocked at the options.BMW provides replacement key fobs for obscene prices, if I understand, upwards of Rs 60k. Checked with my FNG and they too could not help and said we need to get the replacement from BMW but said he could convince the dealer for a goodwill warranty and get it at 50% cost which itself was too much for me. The thing is that the key fob still works when inserted in the slot and the car starts and runs (later on I found that for starting and running the car, the battery is not needed at all). The locking and unlocking would have to be done manually using the pull-out physical key. This was fine for me and made me decide that I'm not spending this kind of money for getting a new one. Tried some jugaads of trying to recharge the fob by placing on wireless phone chargers overnight and also connected the car battery to a charger and left the car switched on overnight. But nothing worked and the key fob was unable to open and close the doors. So, I concluded, either the battery was totally flat to the extent that it cannot be recharged or there is some problem with the PCB. Gut feel was that the battery is dead because I have hardly used this fob much.Meanwhile I also started googling and came across many videos where people opened up the key fob and de-soldered the VL2020 battery and replaced with a new one and re-soldered the terminals and sealed back the case. Was not sure if I should try it as there were also lot of reports where it did not work even after replacing the battery. Firstly, I checked availability of the VL2020 battery - this is the same size as a CR2032 battery but has rivetted pins at a 90 degree orientation for the positive and negative terminals. There are also pins at 180 degree orientation but the X1 key fob needs one with 90 degree orientation. Not freely available and none of the popular sites had them but came across a seller STOPSHOPSWIPE who was selling for around Rs 1300.Before placing the order, I mentally got prepared to open up the fob. The reason was as follows. Firstly, I had a working fob, secondly I knew the battery is only needed for opening and closing, so worst case if it does not work, I can still use the physical key. Opening up the key fob was much tougher than I thought. Its a really strong seal all around, so you need to use a really good strong blade and be very careful not to insert it too much inside and unknowingly damage the PCB. Never try to pry open with a screw driver or anything, it will damage the case for good and possibly make it unusable. Once that was done (took a good half day and lot of patience to make it in two halves), and de-soldered the VL2020 from the PCB. Checked the voltage and was showing only 1.69V (as against the rated 3V) which was the reason why it was unable to recharge. Before placing an order for a new battery, I still wanted to check whether it is a battery problem and thought of a jugaad. Got a CR2032 that was lying around, soldered short wires to the positive and negative sides and connected these wires to the points I de-soldered on the PCB. Took the PCB along with the jugaad CR2032 and pressed the buttons on the PCB. The X1 happily unlocked and locked. The third button for opening the rear hatch also worked. It was now certain that it is nothing but a battery issue.Immediately placed an order for the VL2020 battery with the 90 degree pins. Now, this was frustrating. They took a full 6 weeks to deliver this item to me, in-spite of repeated follow-up. Finally it came and immediately I got on to the job of soldering in the new battery. Took the PCB to the car and it was working. Brought it back, placed inside the fob case and used Fevibond to seal it back. As I said, there is no way to avoid damage while opening, so it is virtually impossible to have a clean edge when fitting back, but not too bad either. Availed the services of my daughter who has steady hands and good at painting, to touch up the edges with black enamel paint. Overall, a worthwhile effort, and really happy and satisfied at bring back the fob to life.I would assume many BMW owners might be facing this or probably have not even realized one of their fobs is dead. Hopefully this might help you with a solution rather than spending big money on a new one.Key points- If you have both fobs working, please make sure you keep using both and not leave anyone unused more than 6 months - this is something the dealer should tell the buyers- Be extra cautious using the blade to open. Invest on a good quality blade and make sure you go just deep enough to cut the seal and not more- Have lot of patience while doing the above- Its a small PCB, so exercise caution while de-soldering and re-soldering so as not to touch or damage nearby circuits- Be open to accepting some amount of damage to the case edges where the knife is used, its unavoidable- never try prying open with things like screwdriver as it is sure to break the case - you need to cut open all round with the blade.The following pictures should give you an idea and hopefully they helpKey Fob and BladeCutting OpenOpenedDe-solderingBattery removed and CheckedJugaad with CR2032New Battery along with OldPositioning New BatterySoldering in New BatteryGlueing back the Fob with Fevibond and Painting edgesFinal Look Last edited by Aditya : 4th November 2021 at 07:52 . Reason: Edited for better readability
What just happened? Eric Adams, New York City's mayor-elect, wants to make the city the "center of the cryptocurrency industry." To show he's serious about these plans, Adams said he wants his first three paychecks paid in Bitcoin.

Adams announced his love of crypto on Twitter in response to Miami mayor Francis Suarez claiming he would take his next paycheck in BTC. "In New York we always go big, so I'm going to take my first THREE paychecks in bitcoin when I become mayor," Adams replied. "NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovativee industries! Just wait!"

In New York we always go big, so Im going to take my first THREE paychecks in Bitcoin when I become mayor. NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries! Just wait!  Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) November 4, 2021

The interaction does look like a crypto-love-measuring contest between the two men. Suarez has also said he aims to establish Miami as a hub for cryptocurrency innovation, and in August helped establish the MiamiCoin project, which lets people invest crypto into the cityit has already raised $7 million for Miami.

Suarez has announced that Miami plans to accept tax payments in bitcoin and let employees draw their salary in the cryptocurrency. The city also played host to the Bitcoin 2021 event earlier this year and has attracted several other big crypto conferences.

Adams said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio that this is all "friendly competition" with Suarez. "He has a MiamiCoin that is doing very well  we're going to look in the direction to carry that out," said the incoming mayor, who added that he plans to investigate what is stalling growth of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in New York.

Whether Adams really does get his first three paychecks in Bitcoin remains to be seen, given the potential payroll and tax issues this could raise. And even if he does, this sole act is unlikely to make New York seem like a much better crypto investment spot than Miami.

h/t: CNBC
In brief: Most people buying an iPhone 13 likely arent aware of the fact that Apple has made it more difficult to repair through independent repair shops. When it comes to the screen, choosing to repair it more cheaply now comes at the cost of losing Face ID functionality, and Apple has yet to explain the reasons behind the change.

Back in September, we learned that replacing your iPhone 13 display will render Face ID unusable, unless you choose to send it back to Apple for repairs, which can get quite expensive.

iFixit took a closer look at Apples newest iPhone and confirmed that if you decide to replace your iPhone 13 screen through a third-party repair shop, Face ID will indeed stop working. The company calls this change a dark day for fixers, both DIY and professional.

According to the analysis, Apple made it so youll need a microscope and several fine tools in order to complete one of the most common phone repair procedures, which has traditionally only required hand tools. If you own a small repair shop, youll likely need to purchase new equipment to stay in business. And if youre simply someone who likes to repair your devices when they break, this change means youll be forced to go to Apple if you still want to be able to unlock your iPhone with Face ID.

The problem stems from the fact that every iPhone 13 is paired to its screen using a small microcontroller, which effectively ties the part to the device. Tech repair specialists call this practice serialization, but this practice alone isnt what angers them. The worrying aspect is that in order to perform a screen repair on the new iPhone, authorized technicians will have to get access to the Apple Services Toolkit 2 as well as proprietary software needed to sync the serial numbers of the replacement part and the damaged iPhone.

As noted by iFixit, this gives Apple the ability to approve or deny each individual repair. Repair shops can theoretically join the companys Independent Repair Program, but that effectively means giving up their customers privacy in the process. Another option would be to use a recently discovered workaround, but thats a rather complicated process that involves transplanting the tiny microcontroller from the old, damaged screen onto the new one.

As of writing, Apple has yet to publicly comment on the reasons behind the change. Those who advocate for the right to repair devices you own scored a win last month thanks to the US Copyright Office, but were still a long way from true reform.
Recap: The attack that took the 5,500-mile Colonial Pipeline offline for four days back in May was one of the largest and most high-profile ransomware incidents in history. Now, the US State Department has announced it is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of those who lead the group responsible: DarkSide.

The Colonial Pipeline is the primary fuel line serving the US East Coast. It reaches over 5,500 miles and provides around 45 percent of the fuel needs of the region, so a ransomware attack on the operator that resulted in the pipe being shut down for four days was a major event. The attackers encrypted almost 100 gigabytes of the Georgia-based company's data, threatening to release it to the public if it didn't pay the ransom.

The attack led to fuel shortages in 17 states and Washington DC, panic buying, and concerns over how simple it would be for a foreign adversity to cripple vital US infrastructure. This is despite the group responsible, DarkSide, insisting the attack was solely about the money and that it didn't want to create "problems for society."

It was reported that Colonial paid 75 Bitcoin (around $4.4 million on the day of the transaction) in ransom to the Eastern European hackers, possibly using a cyberattack insurance policy.

The US Department of State is now offering $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of key DarkSide members. It will also hand over $5 million "for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of any individual conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in a DarkSide variant ransomware incident."

DarkSide later apologized for the "social consequences" resulting from the attack. It also claimed it later lost control over its web servers and a significant part of its funds. The group stopped operating after the incident, though experts believe many members simply rebranded as a new entity called BlackMatter.

If you do have any information you want to hand over to the State Department, fire up your TOR browser and head to: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
What just happened? In what appears to be a mysterious and unusual deal, Intel has agreed to pay VIA Technologies $125 million to poach some employees from one of its subsidiaries. The subsidiary itself isn't being sold, however, and further details are scarce at this time.

Taiwan company VIA Technologies sent out a press release this week briefly discussing the deal with Intel. All it says is that Intel will be able to "recruit" some employees of VIA's x86 subsidiary, Centaur Technology, while paying VIA $125 million. Intel won't actually buy Centaur wholesale and VIA will keep Centaur's business.

Centaur's website has been mostly wiped clean and currently just consists of a message telling visitors it's under construction.

Intel confirmed the deal to AnandTech but gave no further details following VIA's announcement, and Centaur still hasn't commented. According to AnandTech, Taiwan news site United Daily News further confirmed that Intel isn't getting the actual Centaur company, so other than some expertise, it's a bit unclear what exactly Intel is paying for.

VIA may be keeping ownership of Centaur along with its designs and patents, but the apparent reboot of Centaur's website signals some kind of significant change. No date on when the deal will close has been given.

VIA's press release mentions there are certain conditions in its contract with Intel, but doesn't go into what those conditions are. It only says Intel will pay the full $125 million when the deal closes.

Centaur has been with VIA since 1999. In 2019, Centaur revealed a class of server processors that WikiChip Fuse considered to be competitive with Intel's Skylake processors and AMD's first generation Zen CPUs.
Salary Surveys are a corporate thing. However, that does not mean that people should be disregarding this because they could also start their own business, look into improving their current companies, or as employees, recommend to their bosses or colleagues to look into it. Salary Surveys could potentially encourage a healthy and productive environment.

What Is a Salary Survey?

As the name suggests, Salary Surveys are processes that collect information regarding employees' compensation, the work they do, the hours they allot, and the service they render to clients or internal aspects of their jobs. It is known that the workforce or employees are one of the biggest assets of a company. Despite the many advancements in society, we still can't say that technology can now replace them.

A Salary Survey can help get a person's appraisal for the current job that they do, and it would help make them feel that they matter in the company. Also, it helps give a specific employee the rightful compensation for the job or task that they do. It helps retain them, rather than losing them to the competitive market out there.

Who Is CNA International IT?

CNA International IT offers a service for Salary Surveys. They focus on an analytical product with information about salaries in the Ukrainian IT segment, growing niches, expert comments from HR generalists and partners from product and outsourcing IT companies, trends of the market, and market insights together with salary charts.

The main competitive advantage of CNA International IT is that they are a British franchise with the main office in the UK, Birmingham, having 60+ years of history of business that gave the company its working approaches and procedures and its capability to handle sophisticated situations.

CNA International IT's Salary Survey: Why Do You Need It?

The main value of the Salary Survey is that the company can retain the current team by just knowing the precise information about salaries and benefits on the market. The service rendered by CNA International IT can help save time and effort in retaining a team or a group of employees that remained stagnant over time, especially regarding their salary.

The need for a Salary Survey is essential every once in a while. It helps retain employees in the company, making them feel special and valued and building up a relationship within the structure, particularly the management and its workforce.

A company may get to a point where it has set out all the grounds for every aspect, from business to clients, administration to production, and more. However, one of the most overlooked aspects here is the workforce, and it may stem from concerns regarding benefits, working conditions, and compensation.

Those factors mentioned above play massive roles in the productivity of a workplace or business, as these employees are entrusted with the responsibility to keep the business production running.

CNA International IT helps in bringing the solution for independent analytics on the market, which is lacking during these times. The company aims to ensure that the hype or popularity of the business would not affect its employment, as well as help retain the workforce even after the pandemic.

CNA International IT helps in boosting the salary market and understanding the expectations from individuals as they apply for the said client company.

What Does CNA International IT's Salary Survey Have To Offer?

The Salary Survey by CNA International IT usually guarantees a report after knowing the requirements of the task. The terms depend upon the difficulty of the task requested.

By knowing the requirements first, CNA International IT can define how the survey can be elaborated and ensure the quality of the work delivered to its clients.

Work starts after gathering all the vital information it needs to study a particular business structure. The company boasts of its massive respondent capabilities and a deep study of the IT sector, where it has diversified information readily available.

CNA International IT Salary Survey Features

10,000+ respondents

2,000+ senior positions

In-house analytical department

Original project ideas and implementations

Fresh market data are reviewed on a monthly basis and presented to the market twice per year

Independent Analytics - this feature from CNA International IT may help in giving the precise data that helps retain the team without any additional HR instrument. Also, it helps in holding leading positions having the idea about the market situation.

Except for salary charts, they provide information about benefits that companies propose to employees, trends of the market, explanation of them, information about growing niches, etc.

Pros

Has data about all main specializations of the IT segment, including C-level positions

Additional positions could be studied upon request

Expert Comments from HR generalists

Market Insights

Market Trends for a short-term perspective

Pioneer in the Ukrainian IT segment, a recruitment agency that conducts such a survey with a mentioned quantity of respondents and presents it in the form of a report.

Cons

Information only about the Ukrainian IT segment

The company has a lot of advantages or pros for its potential client, and it makes them a worthy consideration for one's business, especially if looking into the appraisal or survey of their companies. The company offers a lot to its clients, and it only shows its reliability as a company that handles sensitive topics like salary.

Furthermore, its only disadvantage is that it currently focuses only on the Ukrainian IT sector, but that does not mean that it would not branch out to other regions. CNA International IT would soon be offering a deep dive into the survey with its gathered information in the coming months or years to serve a diversified audience or clientele.

.

CNA International IT has certain parameters on how much they charge a business, and all are set into its package. Further research required from them would be the basis of the additional charges. Recruiting agencies and HR partners are among its clientele, as well as its specialty, the IT industry and outsourcing companies. Its data are gathered from its candidates which CNA International uses for its research.

Its positions are very well-detailed and patterned from the company itself, including the job requirements and everything else those entail. The company also prepares their research as early as six months ahead, giving them plenty of time to gather and analyze the business. They also offer research on-demand after the study if more information is desired.

Salary Surveys by CNA International IT is one of the many services that the company features on its lengthy portfolio that focuses on the many offers. Moreover, it also focuses on Ukrainian IT market insights that would benefit the companies.

The company ensures that its analysis and study of a particular business model and its Salary Surveys would help uplift employees' compensation. It would not be a randomized experience nor a generalized one for a specific position. It would take in data and information from different sources within the company, ensuring a fair and reasonable salary appraisal for everything the employee has done for the collective good.

The service rendered by the company gives them an idea of the business landscape in Ukraine, which then helps in the process of employment and hiring in the country. The main concern that clients have from them is the legitimacy and freshness of the data, something that CNA International IT boasts to be up-to-date and applicable even after the study.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"Orchestra" is a British company that has applied for an FCC filing of their low-Earth orbit internet satellite constellation that aims to penetrate the United States market. Starlink, which is known for the same business, has its CEO Elon Musk reacting on memes that were presented on the company, especially as it adds competition to the company.

Orchestra UK: Aiming to Penetrate US Market with Internet Satellites

According to Michael Sheetz, a new company is aiming to debut its LEO satellite internet services to the country, despite it having as many as three major players in the market already. This new company is from the United Kingdom, particularly from Great Britain, having the name of Orchestra.

The company has submitted its initial filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), one of the regulatory bodies that are concerned in this venture. No word from the FCC yet regarding the approval of this venture for the country, especially as it would analyze its service as well as its satellite if it interferes with those that are used by NASA and other space agencies.

Read Also: SpaceX Launch Return to Finish Starlink Satellite Shell, Elon Musk References 'Austin Powers' Villain

Starlink's CEO Reacts on Meme About New Service

A meme was replied to the said filing by Orchestra above, and it is with a scene from a popular kid's show, asking if the character has seen this before. The other one said that it has been apparent before this and is not a new thing anymore.

Here, Elon Musk reacted with laughing emojis, finding the meme and its context funny.

  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2021

Musk is known to be the CEO of Starlink and one of its founders, and Orchestra is an upcoming service that would rival theirs.

Starlink: The Internet Satellite at its Early Stage

Starlink is known to have launched its public beta offerings to those that have preordered the service of the company's satellite internet coverage that promises a fast connection for all. The release of Starlink for October aims to bring the internet satellite to more users in the country, as its release is nationwide.

The Musk company is currently working at processing the installation requests of people to bring the feature to them.

Indeed, the Starlink internet satellite is at an early stage, something that may easily be rivaled by anyone in the market today. Starlink is also known to have any competition in the market today, with OneWeb's growing satellite fleet that launches with the Soyuz rocket and other partners, as well as Amazon's famed venture at its early stages.

Now, another player enters the scene, and it is with United Kingdom's Orchestra LEO internet satellite service that aims to bring its initial features and services to the country. The service may not be here yet, but it is aiming to get its approval from the FCC for this venture already, indicating that it is ready with its services at present.

Related Article: Starlink Site Bug, Preorders Delayed by Years After Customers Change Service Area

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was placed in safe mode again as the United States space agency is taking steps to investigate its multiple error codes.

NASA Hubble Telescope Safe Mode

As per the report by New York Post, NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is working to understand the reason behind the latest issue with the Hubble Telescope shortly after the instrument suspended its science operations.

According to NASA, the telescope started showing error codes last Oct. 23, noting that it had something to do with a loss in synchronization message, which makes sure that the space instrument responds to both data requests and commands with utmost accuracy.

Nevertheless, the team working on the Hubble Telescope reset the telescope and went on to use the space instrument again the next day.

But after two days, or on Oct. 25 to be exact, the telescope named after astronomer Edwin Hubble showed more error codes.

This time around, the codes showed more issues with the synchronization messages of the telescope.

That said, NASA announced that the Hubble Telescope automatically went to safe mode status.

As such, the US space agency investigated why the Hubble telescope autonomously entered the safe mode and stopped with its science investigations.

It is worth noting that the last time that the Hubble Telescope went to safe mode was in March this year due to a software error.

Read Also: James Webb Space Telescope Referred to as 'Most Complicated' | NASA Says There are Over 300 Ways It Could Fail

NASA Continues Hubble Telescope Investigation

NASA went on to assure that the rest of the spacecraft is operating normally, but the telescope will be in safe mode until the investigation solves the issue behind the errors.

On Nov. 4, NASA said that the investigation on the Hubble Telescope continues as the space agency is still looking to solve the issue of why it automatedly stopped working.

The team members of the mission are now looking into two specific concerns to "better understand the synchronization issue and how to address it," such as the system diagrams and the spacecraft data.

On top of that, the folks in the mission are also "developing and testing procedures to collect additional data from the spacecraft."

NASA further said that all of these tests could last for a week.

However, after which, the Hubble telescope team will still continue its investigation, specifically looking into the Control Unit design diagrams, as well as all of the data linked with the lost messages.

Not just that, the team is also considering implementing some software tweaks to prevent it from occurring once again.

Related Article: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Worth $10 Billion Arrives at Launch Site-What's Next

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ Pool) 5G network

Verizon and AT&T confirmed on Nov. 4 that they have agreed to temporarily pause rolling out 5G service that uses a new set of radio frequencies.

The carriers will work with the US Federal Aviation Administration or the FAA to address concerns about potential interference between cockpit safety devices and towers on the grounds of transmitting 5G waves and signals.

Verizon and AT&T to Pause 5G Rollout

AT&T stated that it planned to delay its 5G deployment until Jan. 5 after getting a request from the Transportation Department.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Verizon confirmed to CNET that the company has also agreed to pause the deployment of 5G temporarily over the C-band spectrum in order to work with the FAA. However, he said that the company is still on track to deploy service using the mid-band spectrum.

The Verizon spokesman added that they are moving full speed ahead with their plans to bring 5G over the spectrum in early 2022.

Also Read: Verizon Deletes Tweet Saying 5G Drains Battery Life, Suggesting 4G LTE for Extended Use

Verizon had stated in the past that it planned to deploy service using the C-band spectrum in the first three months of 2022 to cover 100 million people.

The news of the delay in the deployment of 5G by AT&T and Verizon was reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The FAA and the Federal Communications Commission or FCC, which regulate the use of public wireless spectrum for communication, issued a joint statement saying they would work with the companies to mitigate safety concerns and to continue to coordinate efforts to ensure safety.

The FAA issued a special information bulletin on Nov. 2 alerting manufacturers, operators, and pilots about potential interference involving 5G and cockpit electronics.

The FAA has stated that towers on the ground transmitting 5G over the C-band of the wireless spectrum could interfere with automated cockpit systems like those that help aircrafts land when the weather is poor.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the agency had been planning to issue official mandates to limit the use of certain cockpit systems.

Telecom industry specialists said that there is no evidence of interference issues with regards to the C-band spectrum and flight equipment.

CTIA, the wireless industry lobby group, said in a filing to the FCC on Nov. 3 that almost 40 countries have already adopted rules and deployed hundreds of thousands of 5G base stations in the C-Band at the same frequencies and the same power levels, and in some instances, at closer proximity to aviation operations, than 5G will be in the United States.

CTIA stated that none of the 40 countries using the spectrum for 5G had reported any harmful interference with aviation equipment from these deployments.

The group also urged the FCC to make sure that C-Band 5G deployments remain on track in the United States.

New Spectrum for 5G

The spectrum that is used to transmit the 5G service in question is called a C-Band. This mid-band spectrum in the 3.7-3.98GHz band has been viewed by the wireless industry as the main technology to allow for faster 5G service that can give a better range than 5G service using high-frequency millimeter-wave spectrum.

Verizon stated that the new spectrum would allow it to give peak download speeds of 1 gigabit per second.

The FCC auction of the C-band signals earlier this year created a record-breaking $81 billion in proceeds, according to The Verge.

Verizon and AT&T were the two winners. Verizon won $45.5 billion worth of licenses, while AT&T spent $23.4 billion on its C-Band airwaves.

Related Article: Verizon 'THOR' is a Ford F650 Truck to Bring 5G, Cellular Connectivity on Disaster-hit Areas

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple Stores is dropping its mask mandate for customers for the second time around, at least over 100 locations. It comes with the positive development with the COVID-19 cases and vaccinations in these numerous areas.

It is to note that Apple Stores previously stopped requiring its customers to wear face masks when entering the retail stores as long as they are vaccinated.

However, with the raging threat of COVID in the face of its more transmissible variant, the Delta strain, the iPhone maker decided to backtrack its decision. It required all of its customers to wear the mask again in July.

Apple Stores Drop Mask Mandate for Customers

This time around, as per the report by Bloomberg, Apple issued an internal memo to its employees, announcing that the mask requirements are bidding farewell in some of its retail stores in the US.

The memo further attributed the latest move of the Cupertino giant to both the rise in vaccination rates in these locations where their stores are based, alongside the declining trend of new and active COVID-19 cases.

The memo obtained by Bloomberg said that Apple's team "have determined it's safe to update our guidance on masks for customers in your store."

That said, customers of Apple's retail stores in more than 100 of its total 270 locations in the US could now enter without needing to cover their faces with masks.

Apple Stores located in areas like Florida, New York, Louisiana, Connecticut, California, and New Jersey are dropping the mask mandate for its customers.

On top of that, Apple also does not require its visitors to show any proof of vaccination, according to the news story of MacRumors.

As such, the Cupertino tech giant is not only dropping the mask mandate for vaccinated visitors. Unjabbed folks could also enter Apple Stores without wearing any face masks.

Read Also: New iPhone 14 Leaks Show Apple Might Not Use 3nm Chip Fabrication Method: Why is this a Big Deal?

Some Apple Stores Still Require Masks

However, there are still some locations in the US that require people to wear their face masks as a protection against the transmission of COVID-19, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.

That said, Apple Stores in the said areas will still follow the local mask mandate until any changes occur.

The Cupertino giant hinted that easing mask mandate is still not a permanent rule after it bare plans of adjusting it depending on the local COVID data.

Although customers are no longer required to wear any masks inside Apple Stores, employees of the latter will still have to wear masks on their faces.

Related Article: New Apple Face ID Version Works Even When Your Face is Covered: Will iPhone 13 Have It?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) SpaceX origin

Blue Origin received a major blow from a federal judge on Nov. 3 after it ruled in favor of NASA in a dispute over who will build the lander that will take humans back to the moon.

Blue Origin Defeated in Latest Court Ruling

Blue Origin's CEO Jeff Bezos and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk, two of the wealthiest people on Earth, want their own companies to be at the center of NASA's plans to return astronauts to the moon.

However, NASA's budget can only accommodate one of them, and the space agency eventually decided to work with SpaceX, according to CNN.

Blue Origin has fought tooth and nail to get the contract, saying that NASA unfairly favored SpaceX. The space company argued that the space agency would be better served by funding both SpaceX and Blue Origin's plans to create vehicles capable of landing on the moon.

However, all of Blue Origin's efforts to overturn NASA's decision have been unsuccessful.

Also Read: Blue Origin Memes: Elon Musk Agrees with Entries Throwing Shades at Space Company Amidst Lawsuit

The legal dispute had put both NASA and SpaceX's work on the contract for the Human Landing System or HLS on hold. That work will now begin "as soon as possible," the space agency said in a statement.

The details about the lawsuit, which was filed in federal claims court back in August, have been sparse, as the companies asked the judge to keep the proceedings a secret from the media.

A filing on Nov. 4 said that lawyers would meet on Nov. 18 so they can come to an agreement on releasing a redacted version of the judge's opinion.

In a statement, a spokesperson of Blue Origin said that the lawsuit highlighted the important safety issues with the Human Landing System procurement process that must still be addressed, though the company also said it still strongly supports NASA's plans to go back to the moon.

The statement stated that returning astronauts safely to the moon through NASA's public-private partnership model requires an unprejudiced procurement process together with sound policy that incorporates redundant systems and promotes competition.

The spokesperson added that they look forward to hearing from NASA on the next steps in the Human Landing System procurement process.

Jeff Bezos posted on Twitter that it is "not the decision we wanted, but we respect the court's judgment and wish full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract.

The Backstory

The companies gave NASA two different proposals for getting boots on the moon. SpaceX plans to use the Starship, a gargantuan rocket and spacecraft system in development that Musk wishes will go on to colonize Mars in the future.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin gave a more straightforward plan to create a lunar lander much like those used for the mid-20th century NASA Apollo missions, which are the only missions that have ever put humans on the moon, according to NewsBreak.

Though Blue Origin did initially receive some development money from NASA, the current drama was kicked off when Congress allotted NASA about two billion dollars less for HLS than the initial $3.4 billion budget.

In April, the space agency chose to go with only one contract, which is SpaceX, for HLS. The space company's bid was the cheapest at $3 billion. Blue Origin's bid was for $6 billion.

NASA has repeatedly said that cost was a massive factor in its decision to select SpaceX as the sole awardee for the HLS program.

Related Article: NASA: Blue Origin Lawsuit Could Likely Delay Moon Landing Mission's 2024 Target Launch

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The United States announced on Thursday, Nov.4 that it is offering a $10 million reward for those who can disclose details about the DarkSide hackers. The authorities are now on the hunt to catch the Russian cybercriminals who have been carrying out ransomware attacks across the globe.

US Wants to Seize DarkSide Ransomware Gang

According to a recent report by Reuters, the State department of the country was hell-bent to identify the location and the identity of the individuals behind the DarkSide group.

The executive department added that besides the $10-million reward, it will also give $5 million to the affiliate who will coordinate for the arrest of the suspects.

The notorious organization of Russian scammers is also the same group that launched the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack back in May. The hacking persisted for several days which resulted in the closure of the largest pipeline system in the US.

The authorities have been keen on the conviction of the hackers. The members are said to be experts in carrying out cyber-extortion incidents, as well as system encryption and data-stealing strategies.

The most common tactic that the group does is demanding a ransom from the victim in exchange for an encryption key. Later, DarkSide will agree to store the further details kept in the company.

"In offering this reward, the United States demonstrates its commitment to protecting ransomware victims around the world from exploitation by cybercriminals. The United States looks to nations who harbor ransomware criminals that are willing to bring justice for those victim businesses and organizations affected by ransomware," the department said in a report by ZDNet.

Besides commercial industries, the DarkSide crew was also involved in the data breach that hit famous American clothing brand Guess. At that time, many employees and customers feared that their sensitive information would be exposed to the public.

Read Also: Should the Release of Ransomware Decryptors be Revealed to the Public? Bitdefender Labs Team Has an Important Announcement

BlackMatter Ransomware Shut Down

The revamped DarkSide which is called "BlackMatter" ransomware has reportedly closed following the extreme pressure put by legal authorities.

The cybersecurity experts from Emsisoft discovered erroneous coding done by the criminals. To help the victims get out of the loophole, the researchers gave them free access to the decryption tools.

Soon, the security analysts found out that BlackMatter is a reincarnation of DarkSide. The investigation further said that the group is still operating in limited numbers. The silent scheme reached even the health facilities and agricultural sectors.

Most Unforgettable Ransomware Attacks This Year

This week, Tech Times wrote a listicle about the most influential cyber attacks that happened so far in 2021. Besides the Colonial Pipeline attack, we also included the Kaseya cyberattack and the JBS data breach.

Apart from this list, we also shared important tips that you can follow to slow down these kinds of attacks. There are five ways that ISACA.org wrote for this reminder.

First, the site recommended that users should always have a backup for their files. It also suggested the use of ransomware-detecting software and updating all of their apps frequently.

To add, it's also good to conduct training for the employees and regularly monitor the system regarding this matter.

Related Article: Russia Uninvited to White House Big Meeting About Fighting Ransomware | 30 Nations and the EU Present

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : REUTERS/Andrew Kelly) The Pfizer logo is seen at their world headquarters in Manhattan, New York, U.S., August 1, 2016.

Pfizer has said that an interim analysis of its experimental COVID-19 pill shows that it can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by 89%. The experimental COVID-19 drug by Pfizer is called PAXLOVID.

Pfizer Pfizer has developed an experimental COVID-19 pill that the company says reduces hospitalizations and deaths by 89%.is planning to submit that data garnered from the analysis to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to apply for emergency use authorization.

The PAXLOVID is the second COVID-19 pill that has been deemed effective. The first one is the Merck COVID-19 pill that received authorization from the United Kingdom on Thursday.

Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Pill is Effective

Pfizer has said in a press release that its experimental COVID-19 pill called PAXLOVID can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

According to Pfizer, "The scheduled interim analysis showed an 89% reduction in risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death from any cause compared to placebo in patients treated within three days of symptom onset."

Per a report by The Verge, Pfizer is planning to submit the data to the FDA to apply for emergency use authorization. No specific date has been given as to when the company plans to submit the data.

The way that Pfizer's experimental COVID-19 pill works is that it stops the "coronavirus from making copies of itself inside cells."

To study the effectiveness of the PAXLOVID, the COVID-19 pill was tested on 1,219 COVID-positive adults who had mild to moderate symptoms. These adults have at least one underlying medical condition, which includes diabetes and lung conditions.

The adult participants were split into two groups. One group received placebo pills, and the other group received the active drug. No one among those who received the active drug died, and only three were hospitalized.

In the other group, a total of seven people died while 27 were hospitalized.

Related Article: Pfizer CEO Says COVID-19 Oral Pill Could Arrive At the End of 2021- Powerful Enough to Create 'End-to-End' Treatment Paradigm?

Merck's COVID-19 Pill

As The Verge's report has noted, Pfizer's PAXLOVID is the second COVID-19 pill that has been declared effective. The first one is the COVID-19 pill developed by Merck, Sharp, and Dohme.

Merck's pill was given authorization in the U.K. on Thursday. Per The Verge, the FDA is set to discuss it at the end of the month.

Pfizer and COVID-19

Pfizer has played a huge role in helping the world deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has developed one of the COVID-19 vaccines that is widely used these days.

The Pfizer COVID-19 is actually one the mRNA vaccines available to treat the virus. The other mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is Moderna.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was recently approved for children ages five to 11 years old. It was also allowed to be used as a booster show as well.

Read Also: mRNAs Are The Future of Vaccines After Pfizer, Moderna's Success Against COVID-HIV, Cancers Next-in-Line

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Regional Advisor IFF West Africa

The Global Programme Combating Illicit Financial Flows (GP IFF) implements a holistic follow the money-approach covering prevention, financial investigation, and asset recovery at the national, regional, and global levels. To this end, GP IFF supports its partners increase their compliance with important international standards, such as those of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to Combat Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).

The Regional IFF Advisor is responsible for advising regional counterparts in governmental and non-governmental agencies in accordance with the programme approach. As a member of the North and West Africa (NWA) Hub and the GP IFF global Team, the Advisor establishes links with activities on the national level in the West African region as well as with other regions and global activities. Close coordination with other GIZ projects in the region in the areas of governance, trade, financial systems development, police, and others is needed.

The regional position is based in Dakar as part of the North and West Africa hub of GP IFF.

A. Responsibilities

Responsibilities specific for GIZ IFF project

 Work closely with regional partners like GIABA and ARINWA in identifying needs, developing, and implementing innovative measures for combating illicit financial flows with the involvement of relevant national and regional authorities.

 Follow up on supported initiatives while advising on proper implementation and achieving results.

 Engage and supervise consultants and fulfillment of their tasks in consultation with the Coordinator and Team Leader NWA hub for achieving the program objectives

 provide technical backstopping to officials involved in the implementation of activities related to the program.

 provide professional advice to enhance cooperation among all stakeholders

 integrate results and experiences into the team and the work of relevant partners and stakeholders.

B. Tasks

The regional advisor performs the following tasks :

 implements the activities with regional partners in close collaboration with the NWA team

 supports partners like GIABA and ARINWA in organising activities and facilitating trainings of their members.

 ensure that the implemented activities are in line with the GIZ quality standards

 contributes to the programmes short and long-term organizational planning and strategy as well as contribute to the programmes monitoring, reporting and knowledge management

 Identifies needs, develops term of reference, sources regional and international experts, supervises their effective delivery of the contracted tasks and ensures quality control

Networking and cooperation

The regional advisor takes care of :

 the strategic development and management of key relationships with partners

 the support, cooperation, regular contact and dialogue with regional inter-governmental and non-governmental agencies and individuals in the programme environment

 communicating regional interests and efforts and encourages sharing ideas and information for the benefit of the programme partners

Knowledge management

 ensures knowledge transfer in the programme

 develops ready-to-use strategies and technical concepts, including guidelines, manuals and procedures

 formulates appropriate input for program reports including annual reports, and contributes to other reports required by the regional coordinator, NWA team leader or programme manager

 assists with research activities and studies on issues to support programme implementation and learning.

 compiles information on implementation of partners work plans and ensures knowledge transfer

Coordination tasks

 assists with project planning and develops project concepts and strategies including preparation, organisation and moderation of planning exercises and their implementation, monitoring, quality management, evaluation, communication and documentation

 assists in coordinating and prioritising relevant project activities at technical level (in the West Africa region) in cooperation with the partners, both as regards the organisational preparation and implementation of the activities

C. Required qualifications, competences and experience

Qualifications :

 M.Sc./B.Sc. in University degree in law, financial sector/accountancy, administrative sciences, economics or a similar discipline

Professional experience :

 At least 7 years professional field experience in the development context or international cooperation in criminal matters or rule of law.

 Relevant experience acquired through working with law enforcement agencies, asset recovery agencies, FSRBs, or other stakeholder in the AML/CFT context

 Knowledge and understanding of FATF and its recommendations

 Experience with GIZ or another body of international cooperation

Other knowledge, additional competences :

 Practical knowledge of ICT technologies (related financial software, data base and data management systems) ;

 Fluent written and oral mastery of the English language (team language), French would be an asset ;

 Proven analytical, organizational, problem solving and change management skills ;

 Excellent communication skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse stakeholder landscape ;

 High degree of political sensitivity in the context of complex consulting relationships ;

 Team player, able to work both independently and as part of a team in a highly diverse and agile working environment

 willingness to travel (abroad) regularly

 willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed  corresponding measures are agreed with management.

D. Application Package : :

 CV

 Letter of motivation

 Professional References

E. Application deadlines :

 Completed applications should be sent by 24.11.2021 to : [email protected] with the object of  Recruitment Regional Advisor IFF West Africa 

NB : Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the rest of the procedure
Kelly Brinkman, a Lafayette mother of two, welcomed this week's recommendation of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 with relief. The new vaccine will allow Avan, who is 8, and Graham, 5, to enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations with some sense of normalcy.

To me, it just made sense to get them vaccinated, she said Thursday. We still dont know how COVID affects the body years from now, and Id rather take the chance of a controlled environment vaccine made by professionals than a virus we dont know enough about yet.

For Acadiana parents such as Brinkman, deciding on whether to get their younger kids vaccinated can be a tough call. Anti-vaccination groups and pro-vaccine groups offer two opposite narratives.

+2 Our Views: Vaccines to protect younger children from coronavirus are free, safe It's official: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory groups have completed thoroug

I was sick to my stomach over the decision my husband and I had to make. I read everything I could find before we got this decision. I even read too much, Brinkman said. Her call was to get their children vaccinated as soon as appointments become available in Lafayette.

I think you can not trust the government and not be OK with what is going on, but you can still also see that public safety and public health is at risk and get vaccinated, she said. You can be against the politics but still see the science and data.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that just one-third of parents said they wanted to secure the vaccine for their children ages 5 to 11 as soon as possible. A third of the parents said they prefer to wait and see how the vaccines work before scheduling their appointments. And a third of parents said they wont get their children vaccinated at all.

Louisiana GOP joins other states in fight over federal workplace COVID vaccine mandate Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or 

We will not be getting our four children the vaccine. We do not have it either, said Alexandra Romine of Lafayette. Her husband brought the virus home last year during hurricane Laura. Almost her entire family ended up getting infected, including the 9-month-old, the 2-year-old and the 3-year-old children, along with Romines parents.

The kids didnt seem phased beside slight cold symptoms; they were still their normal selves, she added. At this time, we are not getting the vaccine.

Romine is not alone. Khouri Frisch, an operations manager from Lafayette, got COVID three months after giving birth to her daughter. Still, she and her husband decided not to vaccinate their youngest boy, who is now 6 years old.

COVID lasted just three days for me, she said. No one else caught it, not even the rest of our family.

14 Louisiana lawmakers dispute the need for children 5-11 to receive COVID vaccines Despite the advice of medical experts, 14 Republican House members Monday questioned the need for children ages 5-11 to get the coronavirus va

The Pfizer vaccine for children is one-third the of the adult dose and is on the same two-dose regimen scheduled three weeks apart. The child doses have an orange cap to distinguish them from the purple-capped vial for adults and kids 12 and older.

Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

On Wednesday, following CDCs recommendation, the Louisiana Department of Health alerted all vaccine providers for children in the state that they can begin administering the Pfizer pediatric vaccine immediately.

To minimize the transmission of the virus, we must maximize vaccinations  especially in our children who are more likely to be asymptomatic and unknowingly spread the virus to others, said Gov. John Bel Edwards.

But for some, the issue is that they think the approval of the new COVID-19 came prematurely.

I personally prefer to wait for long-term studies of the effects and effectiveness before we intentionally inject the antigens into our bodies, said Sara Townley Francis, who is a member of a Lafayette parents Facebook group and has two children, ages 11 and 16.

I am not an anti-vaxxer in the general sense though, she said. I am just not vaccinating my children against COVID any time soon.

Children tend to not get as sick as adults, data shows. Still, there have been at least 745 deaths among children nationwide, 18 of them in Louisiana. More than 1,000 children in the state have been hospitalized with COVID-19. According to the LDH database, since August, 25% of new COVID-19 cases in Louisiana have been among children.

I am just waiting for my daughter's pediatrician to say there are appointments, and I'm taking her, said Kelly Reily, a mother from Lafayette. Her daughter is 5 years old, and she cant wait to get rid of her mask next year.

She knows she's going to get the vaccine and is excited she won't have to wear a mask anymore.

The new recommendation by the CDC and the LDH made more than 421,000 Louisiana children in the 5 to 11 age group eligible for the vaccines. It represents about 9% of the total state population. For some Acadiana families, the authorization is an opportunity to get every member fully vaccinated by Christmas.

We want to get our 9-year-old son the vaccine, said Drea Love Carter, another mother from Lafayette. We are all vaccinated and honestly have been waiting for this one to come out so that we could get him vaccinated as well.

To improve awareness of the new vaccines, their safety, and effectiveness, Ochsner Health, one of 400 Louisiana providers that offer the vaccine, will host a question-and-answer session at 11 a.m. Friday on its Facebook page.

For parents like Kelly Brinkman, the key is dialogue.

It can be really hard to be so different from a majority, and people that disagree with you can  and will  attack you online for your thoughts, she said. Every time I see a comment section flooded with anti-vaxxers and that everything becomes political, I try to comment myself and just keep it short and simple saying my thoughts.

A earlier version of the story incorrectly quoted Stacy Charles instead of Kelly Reily.
One of 19th Judicial District Judge Beau Higgninbotham's criminal court colleagues is asking a retired jurist to dismiss his claim that he was unlawfully passed over for a seat in civil court despite his seniority.

Higginbotham was elected to the Baton Rouge-based 19th JDC Division M seat in fall 2014, then to the Division C seat nearer to his home in fall 2019. Both seats are criminal divisions.

When longtime 19th JDC civil Judge Janice Clark retired at the end of 2020, Higginbotham claimed he was "next in line" based on seniority to move to the civil bench.

+3 Why judge Beau Higginbotham is suing to move into a vacant civil seat in Baton Rouge Judge Beau Higginbotham, who has sat on the 19th Judicial District Court's criminal bench for six years, is fighting for what he calls his "ri

But a majority of Higginbotham's colleagues decided he lost his seniority on the court when he switched criminal divisions, and lost his right to lay claim to Clark's old civil seat.

Higginbotham is suing the entire 19th JDC bench, three former judges on the court and East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court Doug Welborn.

State District Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts, who sits on the 19th JDC criminal bench, filed court papers Thursday asking retired Judge Emile St. Pierre, who was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to hear the lawsuit, to dismiss Higginbotham's claims.

Foxworth-Roberts, who is represented by attorney Stephen Irving, pointed out that the state Supreme Court declared in 1997 that, "Just as a litigant may not choose a courtroom or a judge, a judge may not select his caseload, his litigants or the assignment of cases to his division."

The high court, however, has allowed litigants to challenge procedures by which cases are assigned, she noted.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"Thus, the right that Judge Higginbotham seeks to exercise is one belonging only to litigants and not to him or any other judge," her filing states.

Higginbotham initially sued only Welborn in December but was told by St. Pierre that he needed to add his 19th JDC colleagues as defendants because they are indispensable parties to the case. Higginbotham did so in July after unsuccessful appeals, and he also sued former 19th JDC Judges Clark, Bonnie Jackson and Richard Anderson.

Higher courts told a Baton Rouge judge to sue his colleagues. He did, and here's why Baton Rouge criminal court Judge Beau Higginbotham, who claims he was unlawfully passed over for a seat in civil court despite his seniority, 

Higginbotham, son of former state 1st Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Toni Higginbotham and ex-19th JDC Judge Leo Higginbotham, has declined to comment on the pending litigation.

His lawsuit says that at a Dec. 9 meeting of the 19th JDC judges, Higginbotham formally moved to be assigned to the civil bench, and Judge William Morvant seconded the motion, but it did not pass. Judge Don Johnson then offered a motion to assign the civil spot to his twin brother, Judge Ron Johnson, and the motion was approved.

Welborn told Higginbotham that he lacked the authority to assign civil cases to the criminal court judge after a majority of Higginbotham's fellow 19th JDC judges passed him over for the civil seat that Clark relinquished.

Higginbotham argues there was "no gap" in his service on the court and that he has a "rightful claim to the civil bench."

Nine of Higginbotham's 19th JDC colleagues told Welborn's office in a Jan. 4 order to allot the civil cases that formerly would have gone to Clark to Judge Ron Johnson, who was elected in fall 2019. A week later, a second order from 10 of the court's 15 judges informed the clerk's office that Ron Johnson and fellow 19th JDC Judge Kelly Balfour would evenly share those civil cases while also splitting a criminal docket.
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

The new requirements are the Biden administrations boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine that has been widely available for months  or face financial consequences. If successful, administration officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.

First previewed by President Joe Biden in September, the requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The new rules set up potential legal battles along partisan lines between states and the federal government. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and other Republicans around the country are threatening legal action.

Since Joe Biden proclaimed his desire to force medical procedures on the American people, my office and I have been exploring our legal options to prevent this overreach, Landry said Thursday. We intend to soon file a lawsuit in defense of our State and her hard-working people.

Several Republican governments also have threatened to sue. Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, the Democratic governor of an overwhelming GOP majority government, tiptoed lightly around Bidens order.

Without having had the opportunity to see the regulations, Im happy theres a testing option for those who are unvaccinated, but I encourage everyone to get vaccinated, Edwards said from Scotland where he and Biden are attending an international climate change conference.

14 Louisiana lawmakers dispute the need for children 5-11 to receive COVID vaccines Despite the advice of medical experts, 14 Republican House members Monday questioned the need for children ages 5-11 to get the coronavirus va

At least two conservative groups moved quickly to file lawsuits against the workplace safety mandate, and a growing roster of GOP governors and attorneys general said more lawsuits were on the way as soon as Friday. Some Republican-led states had already passed laws or executive orders intended to protect employers that may not want to comply.

Republican governors or attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and South Dakota said Thursday they would file lawsuits against the mandate as soon as Friday. The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

The U.S. Department of Labor says the new rules are on sound legal footing. The department's top legal official, Seema Nanda, said Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules preempt conflicting state laws or orders, including those that bar employers from requiring vaccinations, testing or face masks. OSHAs regulations will force the companies to require that unvaccinated workers test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.

COVID vaccine mandate will affect millions of Americans. See the new federal rules. Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get te

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. It asked for public comment on whether employers with fewer than 100 employees could handle vaccination or testing programs.

Tougher rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing  they will need to be vaccinated.

Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The requirements will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Biden framed the issue as a simple choice between getting more people vaccinated or prolonging the pandemic. While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, the president said Thursday in a statement.

Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million now.

Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases.

OSHA said companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, of Baton Rouge, and John N. Kennedy, of Madisonville, both joined other Senate Republicans who immediately launched a petition to force a vote to overturn the vaccine mandate. But with Democrats controlling the chamber, the effort is nearly certain to fail. This rule should be repealed. The federal government should not control peoples lives, Cassidy said.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said: The medical decision to get vaccinated should not morph into a Washington mandate that forces the firing of millions of hard-working Americans.

Other Republican congressmen from Louisiana followed the same themes as Scalise, the delegations dean.

We have to take COVID seriously, but the federal government cannot require that our citizens inject something into their bodies, This will only contribute to unemployment and supply chain problems. The proposal appears to offer limited flexibility in some cases, but this really needs to be left up to the employers and must have alternatives, said U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge.

Ive said since day one that Im against mandates, said U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Start. This vaccination has the power to save lives, but it should always be a personal decision between an individual and his or her physician.

The rules will require workers to receive either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Employees testing positive must be removed from the workplace.

Companies won't be required to provide or pay for tests for unvaccinated workers, but they must give paid time off for employees to get the shots and sick leave to recover from side effects that prevent them from working. Requirements for masks and paid time off for shots take effect Dec. 5.

Employers covered by the requirements must verify their workers vaccination status by checking documents such as CDC vaccination cards or records from doctors or pharmacies.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a separate rule requiring vaccination for workers in 76,000 health facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. A senior administration official said several large private health care organizations imposed their own mandates and achieved high vaccination rates  96% or higher  without widespread resignations.

Mark Ballard of the Capitol news bureau contributed to this report
Guest column: An energy transition has begun, and it's taken Louisiana jobs in energy with it
Outspoken regulator Rod Sims has given his strongest indication yet that he will not seek another term as chairman of the nations competition and consumer protection agency after more than a decade in the high-profile job.

Mr Sims current term as chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission expires in the middle of next year and his future has been the subject of intense scrutiny in business, political and legal circles. In an interview with The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Sims indicated he is unlikely to seek another stint in charge of the powerful body. By July next year will be 11 years. Thats a very long time in any organisation, Mr Sims said. As often stories are written about people who lead organisations staying too long, I think 11 years is a good run.

Rod Sims has been ACCC chair since 2011. Credit:Fairfax Media

There has been widespread conjecture that Mr Sims could seek or be persuaded to serve another term as chair of the ACCC given the vast amount of work the regulator has on foot that he has spearheaded during his tenure.

But Mr Sims latest comments suggest that is unlikely. The honest answer is that this is next years issue. Ive got a tonne of things to get done between now and Christmas, that will be next years issue, he said.
The book is published through Brisbane-based Connor Court Publishing, owned by Anthony Cappello, a former theology student and member of conservative think tank Institute of Public Affairs, whose executive director John Roskam sits on Cappellos editorial board. Loading After Jones gave Thrupp a leg up in his career, it is now Thrupp who appears to be driving Jones launch into the social media arena. It cant be ignored that Jones broadcasting career had become increasingly problematic for major media operators. He became a target of activist groups such as Sleeping Giants and Mad F---ing Witches, who famously bombarded advertisers on his show demanding they withdraw following Jones remarks about shoving a sock down New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns throat in 2019. Even his old stablemate Ray Hadley has turned, delivering a scathing rebuke of Jones conspiratorial missives on the COVID-19 pandemic and for referring to NSW Health Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant as a village idiot.

Critics argue he further marginalised many of his listeners with his pro-Trump narratives and for publicly aligning himself with anti-vaxxers such as former television chef turned political analyst from his Byron Bay teepee Pete Evans. Jones is leaving it to Thrupp to run his social media on his behalf as he turns his back on mainstream media, throwing himself at the mercy of Google searches and social media likes. I have been fortunate in encountering some people who are remarkably au fait with this process because, understandably, I wanted to monitor my own reach and judge the relevance of what I was saying, Jones said on Thursday. The results are significant. Cooking up a storm For half a century Giovanna Toppi was celebrated for her home-style southern Italian cooking. But behind the scenes, the Naples-born matriarch endured enough dramas to rival The Godfathers beloved Vito Corleone.

Even in the months before she succumbed to a long, unspecified illness on Wednesday, Toppi and her daughter Paola Toppi were embroiled in a $1.5 million legal stoush with a company of which Roosters chairman Nick Politis is a director. Paola Toppis company Bar M Pty Ltd is being sued in the Supreme Court by WFR Motors, of which Politis is a director. WFR Motors is the landlord of the familys restaurant Bar M on Neild Avenue in Rushcutters Bay. Giovanna and Caterina Toppi hang Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moores portrait at Machiavelli in 2005. Credit:Robert Pearce In October 2018, WFR Motors loaned Bar M $1.1 million, so it could settle another court case involving $837,000 that was owed to fit out the building. Giovanna Toppi was also being sued because she guaranteed the loan but denied she was liable, claiming she trusted her daughter and did not read the documents Paola asked her to sign.

The case was due back in court next month with WFR claiming a total of $1.135 million, which includes interest, vacant possession of Bar M and also the proceeds of the sale of 95 Macleay Street, Potts Point, the site of Giovannas iconic La Strada restaurant where she hosted the likes of Mick Jagger, Kerry Packer, Elton John and Shirley Bassey during the 1980s. The property sold earlier this year to Sydney marketing identity Peter Metzner, but WFR Motors placed a caveat over the premises, claiming it was put up as security for the loan. Apprentice chef Marcela Aviles with Giovanna Toppi in the kitchen at Machiavelli. Credit:Domino Postiglione In 2015 the Toppi family sold its famous Machiavelli restaurant business to a former Romanian who represented Australia in judo at the 1984 Olympic Games, Italophile Nicolae Bicher. But Bichers company sued Bar Machiavelli Pty Ltd and Paola Toppi, claiming it was owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. Then in June 2018 Paola put Bar M Pty Ltd into voluntary administration. ASIC documents stated the company owed more than $2.6 million to 66 unsecured creditors, though the case settled after reaching an agreement with the creditors ending administration in October 2018.

The legal headaches were a low point in an otherwise stellar culinary career for Giovanna, who was still active in her daughters Bar M kitchen until relatively recently. Loading Toppi arrived in Australia in the early 1950s unable to speak English. She married William, an SP bookmaker, and started working as a dishwasher before becoming head chef at Buona Sera and going on to run Sole Mio, Giovannas, La Strada and Machiavelli with daughters Paola and Caterina. She was also instrumental in the annual tradition of hanging portraits of VIPs around the various tables at Machiavelli, which over the years had become a barometer of Sydneys power ladder. On Thursday, Paola told PS her mother would be honoured at Bar M in Rushcutters Bay with her image projected on the walls, along with the likes of Fellini and Sophia Loren. A fitting salute.

Floating a sale Is Russell Crowe about to bid farewell to his ultimate bachelor pad in Woolloomooloo? Thats certainly the talk around the Finger Wharf where Crowe has been residing for nearly 20 years after setting a Sydney record in 2003 when he paid $14.35 million for it. Woolloomooloo boy Russell Crowe, but for how much longer? Credit:Getty Images The 11-bedroom home is an amalgamation of four lots with seven car spaces and a 35-metre marina berth. He reportedly knocked back an offer in 2017 for $25 million and withdrew it from the market. Crowe did not respond to PS this week, however if the rumours are true, the Oscar winner could soon pocket a hefty $40 million for the joint.

Crowe bought into the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf back in 2003. Credit: George and Julia head to Hammo George and Amal Clooney, along with their kids, are due to be waking up in paradise today after completing their  ahem  arduous two-week quarantine in the luxury, multimillion-dollar country estate hired in Robertson. The Hollywood A-listers departed their manor on Friday, bound for Hamilton Island and their next luxury digs ahead of Clooney filming the romantic comedy Ticket To Paradise. Julia Roberts and George Clooney, pictured here in Oceans Twelve, are shooting a romantic comedy in Queensland. Credit:Warner Bros.
The most noteworthy moment in The Many Saints of Newark, the new The Sopranos prequel movie, isnt the opening cameo from character Christopher Moltisanti from beyond the grave, or when the series familiar Woke up this morning musical refrain cuts in on a young Tony Soprano, but rather the films closing credits.

In an end-credits scene tangentially related to the story weve watched, the film explicitly points towards a follow-up, an instant sequel to the prequel. I never thought Id see The Sopranos, the revered TV series still widely considered the greatest of all time, taking its cues from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but here we are.

Michael Gandolfini (left) as a teenage Tony Soprano with Alessandro Nivola as his uncle Dickie Moltisanti. Credit: Warner Bros Entertainment

The scene puts a bow on the films - which was released simultaneously in cinemas and on HBO Max in the US and UK - reason for being. Its not so much a passion project or even a necessary exploration of the origin stories that led to the series proper; its just another move in streamings endless quest for more subscribers, and proof that nothing is untouchable in the streaming wars.

The Sopranos creator and the films screenwriter David Chase confirmed as much in an interview on Marc Marons WTF podcast in September when the comedian asked him if the film, which is set amid the racial tension between Italian-Americans and African-Americans in New Jersey between 1967 to 1971, first came about as an idea detached from The Sopranos.
Great works of art inspire us and expand our vision. And yet, at a time when we could all use some optimism, we see the government actively discouraging university students from engaging with the humanities by hiking up the fees and theatre studies courses disappearing from our campuses. The work of our greatest writer, Shakespeare, is increasingly becoming a specialised study at both a secondary and tertiary level, and our state theatre companies are performing one of his plays every couple of years, if that.

John Bell. Credit:Daniel Boud

I want to encourage a greater awareness of Shakespeare, a reminder of his profound effect on the way we think, speak and see the world. In this time of uncertainty and instability, it is a good time to look at Shakespeares advocacy of good governance and order versus chaos. He had strong ideas of what constituted good order, and the consequences of bad leadership: his platform for these ideas was the theatre.

In its origins theatre had a more profound purpose other than to entertain: a quasi-magical one, to connect human beings to the spirit world, to influence the forces of nature, to explain the origins of the universe and humankind. It has retained a serious function to the present day: it can be used to explore the forces that determine what sort of society we live in, and the complex behavioural elements that shape our actions and relationships.

Shakespeare articulates theatres function in Hamlet: the purpose of playingwas and is, to hold the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time is form and pressure. This is why Shakespeare is now mostly performed in modern dress. Just as he used past history to comment on the issues of his day, so we take him at his word and use his plays to reflect and comment on the world around us.
Rules about what to bring into an HSC exam are strict: black pens, water in a clear bottle, and an approved calculator. When exams begin on Tuesday next week, there will be one more rule. Students will have to wear a face mask.

After flagging his hope that year 12 would not have to cover their faces during exams, which could be irritating for those doing tests lasting up to three hours, Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday said they would remain compulsory for students.

Masks will be compulsory for the HSC Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

If a vaccinated student wore a mask, they would be considered a casual rather than a close contact, meaning they would not have to isolate for two weeks and miss other exams, Mr Perrottet told 2GB radio. I feel incredibly sorry for the students, theyve gone through enough already to have this imposed on them, he said.

The rule applies to all students, regardless of their school sector. Even students at The Kings School, which, unlike other sectors, did not mandate masks for high schoolers when schools re-opened, would be required to wear them for the HSC. Refusal would be a violation of HSC rules.
Pathology companies that made bumper profits from the public funding of coronavirus tests are putting pressure on the federal government to keep paying them $85 a swab for another 18 months.

Each test costs the companies $51 to complete, a public pathology group estimates.

Forty-four million coronavirus tests had been carried out across Australia since last March. Credit:Joe Armao

Public Pathology Australia chief executive Jenny Sikorski said: They have been making these huge profits out of COVID.

The $85-a-test subsidy ends on December 31 and the pathology industry  a donor to both the Liberal and Labor parties  says the fee must continue into 2022 and potentially longer.
Camping will be delayed at popular Mornington Peninsula sites for up to eight weeks after recent storms caused extensive damage in the region.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire has reported the areas affected include Rosebud, Rye, Sorrento and McCrae.

There were plenty of these scenes in Melbourne last week. Credit:Joe Armao

A council statement said there had been a high volume of calls from residents needing assistance after the recent bout of wild weather.

This week some residents of the Mornington Peninsula still remained without electricity after the storms caused extensive damage to power infrastructure.
It was less a much-anticipated roadmap than a plan for a plan.

Premier Mark McGowan has decided to put the freedom of movement of 2.7 million West Australians in the hands of 250,000 people who so far  whatever the reasons  have declined the abundant opportunity to be vaccinated.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has indicated the states borders will reopen around late January to early February. Credit:WAtoday

His policy design is to allow the unvaccinated to dictate terms to the vaccinated.

Rather than a road map, the Premier announced a series of preconditions for further decisions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has returned to Australia after a dramatic week in Europe to attend the G20 conference in Rome and the COP26 climate change summit Glasgow.

Mr Morrison intended to use G20 to take aim at social media platforms, but a doorstop interview with French President Emmanuel Macron, where he accused the Australian Prime Minister of lying over the doomed submarine deal, quickly dominated headlines.

Then as world leaders gathered for the Glasgow summit, attention turned to climate change with pledges made by some countries to end deforestation, cut methane gas emissions and reaffirm their commitment to capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Rich nations also renewed a commitment to contribute $100 billion to help developing nations transition away from fossil fuels and prepare for climate impacts.
Australian Border Force chief Michael Outram says there was no way for his agency to know that a migration agent was a key ICAC witness before it allowed her to leave the country.

Monica Hao, 58, was summonsed to appear before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on September 16 as part of its investigation into a cash-for-visa scheme linked to Daryl Maguire, the former NSW Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga.

Australian Border Force boss Michael Outram says there was no way for his agency to know that Monica Hao was an ICAC witness. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But Ms Hao flew to Dubai on Emirates flight EK415 on August 19, at a time when Australian citizens and permanent residents needed an exemption to leave the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She was given a travel exemption to leave the country by Border Force, which was never notified Ms Hao was the subject of a summons to appear before the ICAC and she was not on the nations movement alert list.
The rancour resurfaced within hours of his arrival in Rome. While the Prime Minister prepared for meetings, Macron held talks with United States President Joe Biden at the French embassy to the Holy See. Diplomats told American journalists it was a deliberate move to meet on French territory in Rome. What we did was clumsy, Biden said. It was not done with a lot of grace. I was under the impression that certain things had happened that had not happened. He mentioned AUKUS but not Australia. It was not clear whether the we he mentioned included Australia or was limited to his own administration. Even so, the admission of clumsiness seemed to reflect on all the AUKUS leaders, including Morrison. In Rome, Prime Minister Scott Morrison sought French President Emmanuel Macron (foreground) out in a private space. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Morrison tried to find a safe way to meet Macron the next day. Rather than risk an awkward moment in front of hundreds of cameras, he approached the French President in the privacy of the leaders lounge. The only known photograph of that moment is one taken by Morrisons official photographer, Adam Taylor, but even that image shows no warmth. The political pain was not a series of stumbles by Morrison. It was inflicted on him by a force he could not control. What motivated Macron to do this is a mystery: revenge at losing a deal, hurt over a bruised ego or a calculation about the next presidential election? The week was shaped by Macrons decision to break through the usual diplomatic protocols. In short, he went hard.

Macron was taken by surprise when journalists approached him at the central venue for the G20 talks, the exhibition area known as La Nuvola in the south of the city. It was Sunday afternoon and leaders were holding press conferences  Britains Boris Johnson in one room, Italys Mario Draghi in another. Macron held court with French media but the questions were chosen by his communications adviser. A bid to put in a question from an Australian journalist went nowhere. Two journalists, Andrew Probyn from the ABC and Pablo Vinales from SBS, waited in a corridor on the chance the French leader would walk by when he left his press conference. They chose not to set up cameras because the G20 officialdom would be sure to send them away. The approach worked: Macron stopped, shook Probyns hand and took questions while Vinales filmed on a phone. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to Europe correspondent Bevan Shields in Rome on Sunday. His answer to Shields final question would define Scott Morrisons European trip. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Bevan Shields from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age also began filming while the French President spoke at length, without pressure and with no sign he was unhappy to be asked. While his communications adviser raced over in alarm and his security detail panicked and held some journalists back, it was obvious Macron wanted to tell his side of the story. He felt no need to pretend much respect for the Prime Minister. That was clear when Shields asked the final questions about Macrons opinion of Morrison. Do you think he lied to you? Shields asked.

I dont think, I know, Macron replied. Loading It was the ultimate question. Macron answered with a mic drop. The press huddle ended and the President walked off. It was an hour before dawn in Canberra on Monday. The entire sequence was only possible because the Australian journalists were allowed into the inner sanctum of the G20 while they waited for Morrison to hold his press conference. They had one hour to wait. Sometimes there is nothing more dangerous than a journalist with spare time and an opportunity. Morrison had to front the cameras barely 20 minutes later. He began talking about Australia being open for business, but knew it would be all about Macron  his advisers had told him that much, although they did not know exactly what the President had said.

He says he doesnt think you lied to him, he knows you lied to him, one journalist asked. I dont agree with that, Morrison replied. Has he not told you that to your face? another asked. Its not true. Its not true: Morrison is grilled just 20 minutes after Macrons explosive remarks in Rome. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Morrison denied lying, and said he would always stand up for Australias interests and that he had been very clear to the French leader that conventional submarines would not suit Australias interests. He ended with a patriotic flourish: Im going to back Australias national interest and I know Australians are going to back Australians who back our national interest. It was a nightmare press conference. Morrison was totally exposed, forced to answer claims he had not been able to hear for himself at a press conference he had scheduled before those claims were even made. He thought he would be talking about his big theme at the G20: a crackdown on social media companies. He ended up having to defend his own integrity. Loading He was angry but kept it under control. There was no way out and fury would not help. But he seemed to know who was not backing the national interest: the media. Morrison claimed the Australian journalists asking him questions had been taking selfies with Macron just minutes earlier. It was a total falsehood, denied immediately. But it was true to the pattern of the Morrison office: when in doubt, blame the media. There was no time to reflect on every circle of this political hell. The Prime Minister and his entourage were off in a motorcade to Fiumicino airport and the RAAF flight to Glasgow. But there was time for some political spin.

The Prime Ministers office leaked some of Macrons personal conversation with Morrison in a bid to prove there was no lie. Over the next few hours, journalists from The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Australian Financial Review were told of a text exchange that took place about September 13, two days before the submarine contract was cancelled. Should I expect good or bad news for our joint submarines ambitions? Macron texted Morrison. This showed the French President knew a difficult decision was coming, but it also proved he was in the dark on the move to align with the US and Britain. He knew Australia was looking at alternatives, not that Australia had a done deal. There was a deception of some kind. The dispute turned on degrees of honesty: did Morrison state a falsehood, mislead by omission or simply fail to consult enough to prepare Macron for a hard decision? The leak did not include Morrisons reply. That meant the proof needed to refute Macrons accusation was missing. The headline in The Australian  Sacre bleu: PM sinks subs contract lie  was merely the wishful thinking of the Prime Ministers office. Arriving in the wind and rain of Glasgow in the middle of the night, the Prime Ministers team changed plans. An agenda meant to be about climate change was now about damage control. Rather than heading to the COP26 climate summit the next morning, Morrison went to a shipyard where defence giant BAE builds frigates for the Royal Navy.

Standing in front of a frigate under construction, Morrison gave his longest public explanation of the submarine decision. He said he had formalised most of it with Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June and spoke to Macron days later over dinner to tell him Australia was looking at alternative options. He confirmed he did not tell Macron of the UK and US discussions. He did not deny leaking the text. As he had the day before with his claim about selfies, Morrison denied dishonesty while injecting a falsehood into his press conference about an attack on Australia as well as himself. Ive got broad shoulders. I can deal with that, he said. But those slurs, Im not going to cop sledging at Australia. But there was no sledging of Australia. Macron had taken aim with care. The President had praised Australia while going after its leader. Morrison recovered his balance from this point onwards. He found a consistent theme for every question: that he had made the right call in the national interest.

The agenda shifted to climate change and the Glasgow summit, where 40,000 registered attendees queued for hours and swarmed around a trade show in the hope of gaining access to events where Greta Thunberg or Leonardo di Caprio might speak. Morrison met Prince Charles, a stream of business executives  one of them, Andrew Forrest, sporting a Louis Vuitton scarf  and Pacific island leaders. There was some protection, also, from the tension with Macron. Morrison and other national leaders were isolated in the walled city of the central meeting rooms. Few had the status to get through the security cordon to the rooms where decisions were made. When Malcolm Turnbull appeared at the trade show to revive the Macron affair, Morrison shrugged it off. Prince Charles meeting Scott Morrison in Glasgow on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Much was made of the fact that few turned up for Morrisons national statement, but the complaints in Australia missed the point. Nobody could turn up. The inner sanctum was barred to most in the crowd outside, including Australian journalists and observers. The summit worked as a series of set speeches: leaders took turns at the podium to speak to the cameras and their home audiences. Listening to each other was optional. This meant Morrison could turn his attention to bilateral meetings at the summit. Only when he had left the summit behind, landing in Dubai on Wednesday on his way home, did he field questions from the media again. The French ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault, had just spoken in Canberra and rebuked the government for its stab in the back over the submarines.

Asked his thoughts, Morrison offered an answer that combined weariness with a rational calculation that further talk would only do him more damage. Im not going to go further into these issues, he said. Its important now that we all just move on. The trip began with a question. Did Morrison really need to go? He was reluctant from the start and only decided on the visit after NSW rules changed so he could return without having to do 14 days in home quarantine. But the answer now is clear. The cost of the trip was staggering, measured in the days of dispute over his integrity and the slur on his honesty. And it was far greater than any benefit from meeting other leaders or taking the stage at COP26. Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivers Australias statement to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Whether the damage changes the federal election is another matter. The French assault has given Labor enough material to swamp Australians with attacks on Morrisons integrity when the campaign begins, but Labor leader Anthony Albanese has to tread carefully. Siding with a foreign leader against an Australian prime minister would be a risky manoeuvre. And the election will not be fought over the submarines contract, Morrisons friendships with other world leaders, or Macrons frustration about what he was told or not told.
Singapore: When British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British Parliament last week that Indonesia was bringing forward its target to phase out coal to 2040, it surprised climate change watchers in Jakarta.

After all, the south-east Asian nation is the 11th biggest consumer of the fossil fuel, the worlds leading exporter of thermal coal and is, with Chinese financing, continuing to build new coal-fired power plants until 2023.

Coal is loaded onto a barge in Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. Credit:Bloomberg

Previously, it had set 2056 as the year it would retire the last plants as part of its mission to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 or sooner.

Johnson, though, had been told the news directly by President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, and it was confirmed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this week.
There is a cold wind blowing through China. The country is facing the most coronavirus cases since the first outbreak in Wuhan, soybean prices have jumped by 30 per cent and shoppers are stockpiling vegetables and toilet paper.

The signs are ominous ahead of temperatures forecast to fall by up to 16 degrees in some regions as a Siberian gale sweeps through the country.

A boy holds a Chinese flag as people gather next to Tiananmen Square on October 1. Credit:Getty

In most winters, when La Nina events reach their peak, cold air tends to hit China more frequently and heavily, said Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Centre.

China, for so long a beacon of strong pandemic management, is suddenly looking vulnerable.
Berlin: German security services believe that a man found dead in a street outside the Russian embassy in Berlin last month was an undercover agent of Russias FSB intelligence service, Der Spiegel reports.

The body of the 35-year-old man was found early on October 19 by Berlin police officers guarding the building, the magazine said. Quoting security sources, it said the man had fallen from an upper floor at the embassy.

The man was found dead outside the Russian embassy in Berlin. Credit:AP

The officers called an ambulance, but medics were unable to resuscitate him, it added.

The embassy confirmed in a statement to Interfax news agency that a Russian diplomat had died but said it was not commenting on this tragic event for ethical reasons.
Brazilian-born percussionist Mauro Refosco began playing with former Talking Heads front man David Byrne during his 1994 In Constant Motion tour. American-born Karl Mansfield, a veteran Broadway keyboard player and synth programmer, first worked with Byrne on his Public Theater musical Joan of Arc. Together, they're the dual musical directors of Byrne's American Utopia, now at the St. James Theatre for a victory lap after its Tony-honored 2019 run and subsequent Spike Lee filming.

Here, the pair talk about developing the sound for the show, the hidden technical elements, and what it means to them, as musicians, to be featured so visibly when many other instrumentalists are not.

Karl Mansfield and Mauro Refosco

( Tricia Baron)

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

When David was describing this show to you, was his pitch the full idea of, like, "This is gonna be all of us shoeless in gray suits and none of the instruments will be visibly wired?"

Karl Mansfield: Pretty much. He literally took an envelope, drew a cube on the back, and a little stick figure inside the cube, and said "This is what I want the show to be." And I really didn't know what that meant, but it looked interesting. He said, "Do you think we could do this with keyboards?" And I said, "Yeah." I didn't know how, I didn't know what I was saying, but it turned out that we could.

Mauro Refosco: He sent me an email and asked, "Mauro, I want to do a show without anything set up on the stage. The stage is absolutely empty. How many percussionists or drummers do you think you would need?" And I was like, "Nothing's set up? Really?" So I brainstormed a little bit and said, "Minimum is four, maximum is eight," and he said, "Cool, you have six. Go assemble them."

How did you develop the orchestrations and general sound of the show?

Mauro: After that first email, I got ahold of the American Utopia record and the songs that David was thinking of from his catalogue and I started writing down the orchestra parts. Once I had a sketch, I sat down with the percussionists individually, listened to the music, and explained my ideas to them. It was a bit of a group effort with a little bit of guidance.

Karl: I did the same as Mauro. I listened to the American Utopia record and the back catalogue and realized that a lot of the music David wanted to do was keyboard and percussion heavy. So the idea of doing all those keyboard layers with one player and a small rig was very challenging, but very exciting. I have the keyboard split into multiple zones, and then layers within the zones. Some notes trigger, like, short samples and stuff like that. I can trigger that and then play something else while that's playing. Yeah, it's pretty complicated, but it's worked out so far.

But it looks effortless to an average spectator like me.

Karl: In some ways it is, which happens with theater shows. You do them so often that elements of it can become routine. But in our particular show, there's always an element ofnot danger, but adrenaline. You have 12 moving bodies onstage and a lot of equipment sticking out of them. We never get to just phone it in. It's also a testament to [director and choreographer] Annie-B Parson, because she was able to look at each one of us and identify things we could do and things we shouldn't try. If you watch closely, you'll notice that she always has me standing pretty still, so that makes my part look pretty effortless.

Mauro: We had a month of rehearsals to prepare for our first show. The very first week, we learned the music, and then the second week, we started with some of the tech aspects of it. The show is really high-tech. It appears to just be people walking around the stage and playing instruments, but inside our suits and inside of the instruments, there is all this technology  radio transmitters to transmit the light waves and microphone waves and our monitors. The technological aspect was really deep.

So the second week, we were getting the sound in our ear monitors, and at the same time, Annie-B was teaching us the choreography. She would do three songs a day, and then at the end of the day, we would run those three songs. The next day, she would add three new songs, and then we would run six songs. Until we learned the whole show.

Mauro, having worked with David since the 1990s, how has he developed as a musician over all that time?

Mauro: What I've noticed with time is that his singing has gotten so much better  he's in the prime of his voice. He's got this exuberant, beautiful voice, and his way of communicating it gets better and better. But he's an incredible guitar player. His rhythm guitar playing, man. It's something. I've seen him playing a couple of times solo and it was amazing. The idea of playing actual shows is like a kick in the butt. It makes you perform. I think David likes that challenge. He's never going to do 50 rehearsals. The first tour I did with him, we did a week of rehearsals and started playing shows. And you get better once you're on the stage. That's what happened with American Utopia.

What does that mean to you as musicians, as artists, to watch this film version and know that what you're doing will now live on forever?

Karl: Being part of that film is just an incredible honor and the show just keeps exceeding whatever I expect. I never thought it would come to a second Broadway run. And I'm proud that my kids get to see it. But it sounds unbelievable. I couldn't believe that we sounded that good and full and everything.

Mauro: When you're playing the show, you don't realize it. I went to a screening of the movie and I had never seen the show, even though I had played it 200, 300 times, and it was so beautiful I was crying. Watching it on the big screen with nice sound, I was like, "Wow, we're doing this?"
Can the old coexist with the new? Can the well-established make space for newcomers without fear? And do those old-timers have something to offer the newcomers, while also learning something themselves? These questions hover over both the onstage and offstage story of The Visitor, the sweet and sad  and ultimately disappointing new musical at the Public Theater.

It's based on Thomas McCarthy's 2007 film and features a score by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the team behind Next to Normal. Yorkey and Kwame Kwei-Armah have adapted McCarthy's screenplay for the stage under the direction of Daniel Sullivan. It retains the basic skeleton of the plot while stripping away much of the flesh that made McCarthy's film so very human.

David Hyde Pierce plays Walter in The Visitor at the Public Theater.

( Joan Marcus)

The show opens with Walter (David Hyde Pierce), a widowed economics professor at the University of Connecticut, listlessly lecturing his students on Keynes. A frown in a gray suit, he is the embodiment of exhausted liberalism  stricken by loss and the creeping notion he has nothing left to offer. A reluctant work trip to New York City changes all that.

When Walter enters his pied-a-terre, he is surprised by Tarek (Ahmad Maksoud) and Zainab (Alysha Deslorieux), a young couple who rented it from someone named Ivan. He's a drummer, and she sells jewelry. Both are immigrants who have already moved seven times this year. That this illegal sublet  to a drummer  has not raised the ire of the co-op board is the most fantastical part of the story.

Instead of calling the police, Walter takes up the churlish challenge hurled by so many nativists and actually invites them to stay until they secure a new place. In return, Tarek teaches Walter how to play the drum. Not long after, Walter hires a lawyer to help free Tarek from ICE detention after he is erroneously arrested for hopping a subway turnstile (another leap of imagination in 2021, although the script is never clear on what year we're in).

Ahmad Maksoud (center) plays Tarek in The Visitor off-Broadway.

( Joan Marcus)

While the film is set in a definite time with clear stakes (in the wake of 9/11, inside Michael Bloomberg's model fascist state), the musical is fuzzier in its storytelling. And even in its blurriness, that story feels mismatched with its form. Kitt and Yorkey seem to want to write the next The Band's Visit, translating the subtle seduction of independent cinema into musical theater. Unfortunately, they do nothing to retrofit their overwrought emotive style to this task. The result is a soaring and forgettable score that regularly finds the story paralyzed in the path of an oncoming glory note.

None of this is the fault of the cast, all of whom work overtime to keep us from noticing the gaping holes in the plot. Maksoud is utterly charming as Tarek, deploying a broad smile and instant ease that helps us understand how he and Walter become quick friends. Deslorieux is the opposite, guarded and moody, wordlessly conveying a history of exploitation that has led Zainab to trust no strangers. As Tarek's mother, Jacqueline Antaramian gets the closest to capturing the tone of the film in her quietly heartbreaking performance. Meanwhile, the ensemble vividly portrays the living, breathing city around them (Lorin Latarro's muscular choreography is the most vital part of the staging).

The ensemble of The Visitor performs Lorin Latarro's choreography.

( Joan Marcus)

Pierce once again shows why he is one of the greatest stage actors of our time by bringing warmth, depth, and empathy to a script that is short on all three. "Stay at my apartment," he abruptly offers Tarek and Zainab, immediately turning toward the audience with a look of confusion, as if he cannot quite believe he said it either. We instantly accept this clunky moment through the force of his relatable awkwardness. Unfortunately, not even Pierce can sell "Better Angels," a #resistance Facebook post masquerading as an 11 o'clock number.

Sullivan's production is sleek and polished: The metallic simplicity of David Zinn's set reminds us of the looming threat of detention, a pale streak of light slashing across its corrugated surface representing hope (lighting by Japhy Weideman). Toni-Leslie James costumes the ensemble in knitwear and coats, letting us know that the city is getting colder and meaner. A brief sound cue (by Jessica Paz and Sun Hee Kil) immediately transports us to the Staten Island Ferry.

Yet not even this crack design team can overcome the fundamental contradictions in The Visitor: Makeshift plastic drums with "Obama '08" and "Black Lives Matter" stickers slapped on them betray a desperate effort to marry professional-class liberalism with the demands of a younger radicalism that has no patience for vague promises of "hope and change."

Alysha Deslorieux plays Zainab, and Jacqueline Antaramian plays Mouna in The Visitor.

( Joan Marcus)

Squaring this circle would be difficult under the best conditions, but The Visitor has been through a troubled creative process: Originally slated to begin performances March 2020, it was postponed due to the pandemic. It lost one of its original principals a week into previews, which had already been delayed a week to respond to issues concerning race, representation, and identity.

Reports have described this as "de-centering whiteness," which seems like an impossible task when the protagonist with the most defined emotional arc in the source material is a middle-aged white man who gets his groove back through a close encounter with immigrant tragedy. This may not be the story the creatives are interested in telling anymore, but it's the one they chose when they began developing the musical.

Attempting to salvage what they have while tossing a bone to newly woke sensibilities, the creators of The Visitor have forged an unsatisfying compromise. This might be an essential task in politics, but it is usually deadly in art, as it is here. In its current form, The Visitor exudes all the forced joy and insincere fellowship of a Democratic Party rally in the 2022 midterms.
Acuras New Faster Flagship: High-Performance 2022 MDX Type S

November 4, 2021

2022 MDX Type S is now available to reserve at Acura.com/MDXTypeS

Made with drivers in mind, MDX Type S features Acuras 355-HP Turbo V6 engine, standard air suspension for superior ride and handling, Brembo brakes, massaging front seats and new 25-speaker ELS STUDIO 3D Signature Edition audio system

The most powerful and best performing Acura SUV ever, MDX Type S is the first Acura SUV to wear Type S badge and third Type S model to debut this year

Acura today revealed more details on the first-ever MDX Type S, as the most powerful, best handling and most lavishly equipped Acura SUV ever. A high-performance variant of the new Acura flagship, the 2022 MDX Type S will begin arriving at Acura dealers nationwide this December with pricing starting in the high-$60,000 range.



The third Type S model to debut this year, MDX Type S is a high-performance SUV to its core, built on MDXs extremely rigid model-exclusive platform created with the Type S model in mind. The 3-row MDX Type S takes Acura SUV performance to the next level with Acuras new 355 horsepower Type S Turbo V6, standard torque vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and an Adaptive Damper System paired for the first time with air suspension. Powerful Brembo front brakes and 21-inch wheel wrapped in performance rubber complete the package.

The MDX Type S is for people who love to drive, said Emile Korkor, assistant vice president, Acura National Sales. It delivers an unmatched combination of thrilling dynamics, premium features and family-friendly accommodations.

MDX Type S advances the fundamentals of Precision Crafted Performance with significant enhancements to all elements of the driving experience and a distinctive visual character inside and out. Type S models cater to spirited driving enthusiasts with additional power, enhanced handling and improved braking without compromising creature comforts or daily drivability.

Exclusive Type S Design

Numerous signature design features distinguish the MDX performance variant, including an exclusive front splitter and an open-surface Diamond Pentagon grille that increases air flow allowing about 10% more air to enter the engine bay. For additional cooling, the side vents flanking the grille route air to a sub-radiator on each side of the engine compartment.

In the rear, MDX Type S features a diffuser flanked on each side by two large round exhaust outlets. As with TLX Type S, MDX Type S will be available in an eye-catching, and Type S-exclusive, Tiger Eye Pearl paint.

MDX Type S also features exclusive 21-inch alloy wheels painted Shark Gray, or Berlina Black with a machined finish on the Advance Package. The wheels feature resonators to reduce road noise and are wrapped in 275/40ZR21 Continental ContiSeal tires, the first self-sealing tires ever fitted to an Acura product.

Type S-Exclusive Turbocharged V6

At the heart of the 2022 MDX Type S is the Turbo V6 created exclusively for Type S models. Acuras all-new, 24-valve, DOHC 3.0-liter V6 engine produces 355 horsepower and 354 lb.-ft. of torque with direct-injection and a single twin-scroll turbocharger. Developed by some of the companys most experienced powertrain engineers, including members of the team that developed the NSXs bespoke twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit, the engine debuted on the TLX Type S earlier this year. It makes the 2022 MDX Type S the quickest and most powerful Acura SUV ever.

Reengineered to match the additional torque of the new engine, the 10-speed automatic transmission is now stronger and shifts more quickly. Acuras Super Handling All-Wheel Drive with torque vectoring is standard. The system, now in its fourth-generation, can send up to 70 percent of the engines torque to the rear axle, and 100 percent of that torque can be distributed to either the left or right rear wheel.

Performance-Tuned Chassis

MDX Type S features a performance-tuned chassis with double-wishbone front suspension and the first air-suspension system ever used on an Acura vehicle. Acuras Adaptive Damper System, which continuously adjusts damping force based on sensor inputs, is also standard.

For Type S, the dampers use exclusive valve rates to give the SUV a sportier feel with more feedback in all seven drive modes of the Integrated Dynamics System. In addition to Normal, Comfort, Individual, Snow, Sport and the Type S-exclusive Sport+ mode, MDX Type S features a new Lift mode that increases ground clearance 2-inches to better navigate rough terrain and deep snow. To improve balance and handling, the battery has been relocated from under the hood to the cargo area.

The result is the best handling and most dynamic SUV in Acura history. A true drivers machine that also features exceptional ride quality, adjustable ride height, automatic load leveling and even programmable parking height.

Braking performance is improved with the addition of larger, more powerful Brembo front brakes. New red Brembo four-piston front calipers grip 14.3-inch in diameter (+0.5 inches) rotors for improved stopping power. The rear brake calipers are also painted red.

First developed for the second-generation NSX, Acuras electric-servo braking system has also been retuned to give MDX Type S a brake pedal stroke similar to the supercars. Standard on all MDX models, the system allows engineers to precisely control the brake pressure electronically to finely tune a vehicles brake pedal force.

A New Level of Acura Craftsmanship

Inside the 7-passenger MDX Type S, soft-touch Milano leather seats in Red, Ebony or new Light Orchid are accented with premium Black Ultrasuede inserts. Type S builds on the already stellar, standard MDX interior with a racing-inspired flat-bottom steering wheel with the Type S badge, contrast stitching on the dash, doors, and lower instrument panel, metal sport pedals and a metal-plated glove box handle. A 12.3-inch Acura Precision Cockpit all-digital instrument display is standard along with Acuras award-winning True Touchpad Interface paired with a 12.3-inch ultra-wide HD center display.

The 2022 MDX Type S with Advance Package takes Acura interior experience to the next level, adding full Milano leather with a special curvilinear quilting pattern to the front and middle row seats, and the exclusive availability of Azurite Blue leather. The Advance Package also features Acuras first application of massaging front seats and a new 25-speaker ELS STUDIO 3D Signature Edition premium audio system that creates a class-leading audio experience.

The massaging seats offer the driver and passenger nine different massaging options, including Wave, Shiatsu, Rejuvenation and Zen. Using Carnegie Halls Parquet section as a reference, the ELS STUDIO 3D Signature Edition premium audio system features more than 1000 watts through 25 speakers, two amplifiers, carbon speaker cones and illuminated speaker grilles keyed to the Acura IconicDrive customizable ambient lighting.

Advanced Safety and Driver-Assist Features

All 2022 MDX models including the new MDX Type S come with an expanded suite of AcuraWatch advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, including updated Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) plus new technologies like Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), a Driver Attention Monitor, Pedestrian Sensing and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Pedestrian AEB), and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR).

The MDX also offers a new front and rear low-speed braking system that uses sonar-based parking sensors to sense solid objects at low speeds and warn the driver or apply the brakes to help avoid or mitigate a collision. When the vehicle is driving forward or reversing between 1 and 6 mph, the system can detect objects in front of or behind the vehicle and assess if there is danger of a collision. If an object is detected, the system provides visual and audible alerts, and applies throttle control and braking.

Type S also delivers advanced levels of collision protection performance with Acuras proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and new front passenger airbag technology. The airbag uses a proprietary three-chamber layout designed to more effectively cradle and protect the front seat occupants head to help mitigate potential injury in more steeply angled frontal collisions.

As a result, all MDX models, including the MDX Type S, achieve a Top Safety Pick + rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and are expected to earn 5-star Overall Vehicle Score safety rating from the NHTSA.

Design, Developed and Manufactured in America

The 2022 Acura MDX Type S was designed, engineered and developed in America. Styling was led by the Acura Design Studio in Torrance, Calif., while full platform and vehicle development was led by engineers in the company's development center in Raymond, Ohio. Like MDX, the MDX Type S is built exclusively at the company's auto plant in East Liberty, Ohio, while the 3.0-liter turbocharged engine is produced at the companys Anna, Ohio, engine plant. The 10-speed automatic transmission is manufactured at the companys Tallapoosa, Georgia, plant, and the SH-AWD systems front power takeoff unit and rear differential are assembled in the companys Russells Point, Ohio, plant.

About Acura

Acura is a leading automotive nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance  a commitment to expressive styling, high-performance and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models  the ILX and TLX sport sedans, the RDX and MDX sport-utility vehicles, high-performance Type S variants and the electrified NSX supercar. All 2021 and newer Acura vehicles sold in America are made in the U.S., using domestic and globally sourced parts.

2022 MDX Type S 2022 MDX Type S

with Advance Package 3.0L V6 Turbo  355 HP, 354 TQ   Sport Tuned 10-Speed Automatic   Super Handling All-Wheel Drive   Adaptive Air Suspension with Auto Leveling   21-inch Wheels   Brembo Front Brakes, Electro Servo Brake System   Full-LED Exterior Lighting   True Touchpad Interface with 12.3-inch HD display   Precision Cockpit Digital Instrument Cluster   Head Up Display (HUD) -  Wireless CarPlay / Android Auto Integration   Alexa Built-In   Wireless Charging Pad   ELS Studio 3D - 16 Speaker, 710 watts  - ELS Studio 3D Signature Edition  25 Speakers, 1000 Watts -  7-Mode Integrated Dynamic System (IDS)

Lift, Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport, Sport+, Individual   12-way Power Front Seats  - 16-way Power Front Seats with 9-way Massage Function -  Heated & Ventilated Front Seats   Heated Rear Seats -  Flat Bottom Sport Steering Wheel  Heated Genuine Aluminum Trim  - Open Pore Wood Trim -  IconicDrive Ambient LED Lighting   Remote Engine Start with feedback   Surround View Camera -  Hands Free Access Power Tailgate - 

2022 MDX SH-AWD 2022 MDX Type S Engine 3.5-liter V6 3.0-liter Turbo V6 Transmission 10-speed AT Sport Tuned 10-speed AT Super Handling All-Wheel Drive Available Standard Peak Horsepower (SAE Net) 290 355 Peak Torque (SAE Net) 267 354 Double Wishbone Front Suspension  With Air Suspension and Adaptive Damper System Multi-Link Rear Suspension  With Air Suspension and Adaptive Damper System Stabilizer Bar (mm, Fr/Rr) 31.8x5 / 21.7 x 4 30.5 / 20.0 x 3.5 Belt-driven electric power-assisted steering with variable ratio   Braking System iBooster Electro Servo

Brembo Front Brakes Wheelbase (in.) 113.8 113.8 Length (in.) 198.4 198.4 Width (in.) 78.7 78.7 Height (in.) 67.1 67.1 Track (in., Fr/Rr) 67.7 / 67.7 67.7 / 67.7 Ground Clearance (in. unladen) 7.3 6.7 - 9.4 EPA Passenger Volume (cu. ft.) 139.1 139.1 Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind Third Row, Standard / Max 16.3 / 18.1 16.3 / 18.1 Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind Second Row, Standard / Max 39.1 / 48.4 39.1 / 48.4 Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind First Row, Standard / Max 71.4 / 95.0 71.4 / 95.0 Curb Weight (with Advance Package) 4,565 4,770

* Based on SAE J1100 cargo volume measurement standard.

2022 Acura MDX Type S Specifications and Features

2022 ACURA MDX SPECIFICATIONS & FEATURES MDX MDX with

Technology Package MDX with

A-Spec Package MDX with

Advance Package MDX Type S MDX Type S with

Advance Package POWER UNIT ENGINE Engine Type Aluminum Alloy V6 << << << Turbo Aluminum-alloy

6-Cylinder << Turbo Type - - - - Twin-Scroll << Displacement (liters) 3.5 << << << 3.0 << Horsepower @ rpm 290 @ 6200 << << << 355 @ 5500 << Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) 267 @ 4700 << << << 354 @ 1400-5000 << Valvetrain 24-Valve, SOHC i-VTEC << << << 24-Valve, DOHC << Variable Cylinder Management (VCM)      << Compression Ratio 11.5:1 << << << 9.8:1 << Fuel Injection Direct << << << Direct << Throttle Control Drive-by-wire Throttle System << << << Drive-by-wire Throttle System << Idle Stop      << CARB Emissions Rating ULEV70 << << << ULEV70 << Tune-Up Interval 100k +/- Miles No Scheduled Tune-Ups << << << 100k +/- Miles No Scheduled Tune-Ups << DRIVETRAIN Front-Wheel Drive   - - - - SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) Available Available    << 10-Speed Automatic Transmission       Sequential SportShift Paddle Shifters       Gear Ratios: 1st 5.25 << << << << << 2nd 3.27 << << << << << 3rd 2.19 << << << << << 4th 1.60 << << << << << 5th 1.30 << << << << << 6th 1.00 << << << << << 7th 0.78 << << << << << 8th 0.65 << << << << << 9th 0.58 << << << << << 10th 0.52 << << << << << Reverse 3.97 << << << << << Final Drive 4.17 << << << << << Max Towing Capacity (lbs.) - FWD 3,500 << - - - - Max Towing Capacity (lbs.) - SH-AWD 5,000 << << << << << FUEL ECONOMY EPA Fuel Economy Ratings (City/Highway/Combined) - FWD 19 / 26 / 22 << - - - - EPA Fuel Economy Ratings (City/Highway/Combined) - SH-AWD 19 / 25 / 21 << << << 17 / 21 / 19 << Recommended Fuel Premium Unleaded

91 Octane << << << << << Fuel Tank Capacity (U.S. gal) 18.5 << << << << << CHASSIS Double-Wishbone Front Suspension       Multi-Link Rear Suspension       Stabilizer Bar (front) 31.8 x 5.0 << << << 30.5 Solid << Stabilizer Bar (rear) 21.7 x 3.5 (FWD)

21.7 x 4.0 (SH-AWD) << 21.7 x 4.0 << 20.0 x 3.5 (SH-AWD) << Amplitude Reactive Dampers     - - Adaptive Air Suspension with Auto Leveling - - - -  << Belt-Driven Variable-Ratio Electric Power Steering (EPS)       Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) with Individual Mode       Agile Handling Assist       iBooster Brake System       Electro-Servo Brake (ESB) System - - - -  << Brembo Front 4-Piston Braking System - - - -  << Ventilated Front Disc / Solid Rear Disc Brakes (in) 13.8 / 13.0 << << << 14.3 / 13.0 << Aluminum-Alloy Wheels 19 x 8.5 20 x 9.0 << << 21 x 9.5 << Tires 255 / 55R-19 255 / 50R-20 << << 275 / 40R-21 << Steering Ratio (Variable) 14.6:1 << << << << << Turning Diameter, Curb to Curb (ft) 40.5 << << << << << DIMENSIONS EXTERIOR Length (in) 198.4 << << << << << Width (in) 78.7 << << << << << Height (in) 67.1 << << << << << Wheelbase (in) 113.8 << << << << << Track (in, front/rear) 67.7 / 67.7 << << << << << Ground Clearance (in, unladen) 7.3 << << << 6.7 - 9.4 << INTERIOR Headroom (in., first row / second row / third row) 38.5 / 38.1 / 36.2 << << << << << Legroom (in., first row / second row / third row) 41.6 / 38.5 / 29.1 << << << << << Shoulder Room (in., first row / second row / third row) 61.9 / 60.3 / 55.2 << << << << << Hiproom (in., first row / second row / third row) 59.3 / 57.8 / 40.6 << << << << << EPA Passenger Volume (cu ft) 139.1 << << << << << Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind Third Row, Standard / Max 16.3 / 18.1 << << << << << Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind Second Row, Standard / Max 39.1 / 48.4 << << << << << Cargo Volume (cu ft)* - Behind First Row, Standard / Max 71.4 / 95.0 << << << << << * Based on SAE J1100 cargo volume measurement standard. WEIGHT Curb Weight (lbs) - FWD 4,271 4,297 - - - - Curb Weight (lbs) - SH-AWD 4,503 4,529 4,534 4,565 4,741 4,788 Weight Distribution (% front/rear); FWD 60 / 40 << - - - - Weight Distribution (% front/rear); SH-AWD 58 / 42 << << << << << FEATURES ACURAWATCH ADVANCED SAFETY & DRIVER-ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGY Forward Collision Warning (FCW) System       Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Advanced Pedestrian Detection       Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System       Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)       Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) System       Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow       Traffic Jam Assist (TJA)       Traffic Sign Recognition       SAFETY & DRIVER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure       Lower Anchors and Tethers for Child Seat (LATCH)       Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS)       Next-Generation Passenger Front Airbag       Front Side Airbags       Side Curtain Airbags       Front Knee Airbags       Head-Up Warning Display (HUW) - - -  -  Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control       4-Wheel Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)       Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)       Brake Assist       Blind spot information (BSI) System       Rear Cross Traffic Monitor       Front and Rear Parking Sensors -      Low Speed Braking Control -      Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Tire Fill Assist and Location and Pressure Indicators       Theft-Deterrent System with Electronic Immobilizer       Tire Repair Kit  (FWD)  (FWD) - - - - Spare Tire T155/85D18  (SH-AWD)  (SH-AWD)   - - Self-sealing Tire - - - -   Maintenance Minder System       DRIVER CONVENIENCE Hill Start Assist       Electric Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold       Cruise Control       Multi-View Rear Camera with Dynamic Guidelines       Rear Camera Washer       Surround-View Camera System - - -  -  Auto-On/Off Headlight Operation with Wiper Integration       Auto High-Beam       Rain-Sensing Windshield Wipers -      Heated Side Mirrors with Reverse Gear Tilt-Down       HomeLink       CabinControl       CabinTalk - -     Compass -      AUDIO & CONNECTIVITY True Touchpad Interface       12.3-Inch HD Dual-Content Center Display       12.3-Inch HD Precision Cockpit Digital Instrument Cluster       10.5-Inch Head-Up Display (HUD) - - -  -  Key Fob Activiated Remote Engine Start with Vehicle Feedback - - -    Wi-Fi Hotspot Capability       Acura Navigation System with 3D View -      AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic with Street and Freeway Conditions -      Traffic Rerouting -      Natural Language Voice Recognition       AcuraLink Connected Services       Wireless Apple CarPlay Integration       Wireless Android Auto Integration       Alexa Built-In       Bluetooth HandsFreeLink Wireless Telephone Interface       Acura Premium Audio System with 9 Speakers  - - - - - ELS Studio Premium Audio System with 12 Speakers -  - - - - ELS Studio 3D Premium Audio System with 16 Speakers - -    - ELS Studio 3D Signature Edition Premium Audio System with 25 Speakers - - - - -  HD Radio       SiriusXM Satellite Radio       USB Audio Interface with Charging Port, Center Console 2.5A (1)       Charging Ports, 1st-Row USB-A 2.5A (1), USB-C 2.5A (1), Accessory Socket (1)       Charging Ports, 2nd-Row: USB-A 2.5A (2), Accessory Socket (1)       Charging Ports, Second Row: AC Outlet (1) - - -    Charging Ports, 3rd-Row: USB A 2.5A (2) - - -  -  Charging Ports, Cargo Area: Accessory Socket (1)       Bluetooth Streaming Audio       Speed-Sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC)       Wireless Charging Pad (Qi)       INTERIOR Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control with Humidity Control and Air Filtration       GPS-Linked Climate Control      Keyless Access System with Acura Personalized Settings       Pushbutton Ignition       Electronic Gear Selector       Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down, Auto-Reverse, Soft Close       Sport Seats with Leatherette-Trimmed Interior  - - - - - Sport Seats with Perforated Milano Premium Leather-Trimmed Interior -      Contrast Stitching -  - - - - Contrast Stitching and Piping - -     Front 12-Way Power Seats with Power Lumbar Support    - - - Front 16-Way Power Seats with Power Lumbar, Thigh Extension, Side Bolsters - - -   - Front 16-Way Power Seats with Power Lumbar, Thigh Extension, Side Bolsters & 9-way Massage Function - - - - -  Heated Front Seats       Ventilated Front Seats - -     Three-position Driver Seat Memory       Three-position Front Passenger Seat Memory -      Heated Rear Seats (Outboard Positions) - - -  -  2nd-Row 4-way Manual Seats       Multi-function 2nd-Row with Removable Middle Seat       2nd-Row Side Sunshades (manual) -      3rd-Row Access with One-Touch Smart Slide Walk-In       3rd-Row Seats with 50/50 Split       Power Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column       Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel   -  - - Leather-Wrapped, Flat-bottom Sport Steering Wheel - -  -   Heated Steering Wheel - - -  -  Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls       Hidden Cargo Storage with Reversible Smart Lid       A-Spec Interior Sport Appearance Package - -  - - - Type S Interior Sport Appearance Package - - - -   Interior Color-Matched Headliner   -  - - Ebony Headliner - -  -   Stainless Steel Sport Pedals - -  -   Active Sound Control       LED Task Light - Front ceiling/Inner Glove Box/Inner Console Box       Ambient LED Cabin Lighting - Door Handle, 1st-Row foot well  - - - - - Iconic Drive Ambient LED Cabin Lighting (27 Color Themes)- Door Accent (upper, door handle), 1st-Row foot well -   -  - Iconic Drive Ambient LED Cabin Lighting (27 Color Themes)- Door Accent (upper and lower, door handle), 1st-Row foot well, Instrument Panel, console & door pocket. - - -  -  Automatic Dimming Frameless Rearview Mirror       Retained Accessory Power for Windows and Moonroof       EXTERIOR Panoramic Moonroof with Tilt and Slide Function       Jewel Eye LED Headlights       Chicane LED Daytime Running Lights       LED Fog Lights - -     Chicane LED Taillights       LED Side Mirror-Integrated Directional Signals       LED Outer Door Handle Lights - - -    A-Spec Exterior Sport Appearance Package - -  - - - Type S Exterior Sport Appearance Package - - - -   Power-Folding Side Mirrors -      Acoustic Laminate Windshield and Front Side Glass       Remote-Operated Windows and Moonroof-Open Function       Power Lift Tailgate    -  - Power Lift Tailgate with Hands Free Access and Walk Away Close - - -  -  Roof Rails - - -  -  Capless Fuel Fill       COLORS & TRIM STANDARD EXTERIOR COLORS AVAILABLE INTERIOR COLORS Lunar Silver Metallic (NH-830M) Ebony Ebony, Graystone Ebony Ebony, Graystone Ebony Ebony, Azurite Blue Fathom Blue Pearl (B-588P) Parchment Graystone - Graystone - - PREMIUM EXTERIOR COLORS AVAILABLE INTERIOR COLORS Majestic Black Pearl (NH-893P) Ebony, Parchment Ebony, Espresso, Parchment Ebony, Red Ebony, Espresso, Parchment Ebony, Red Ebony, Red Platinum White Pearl (NH-883P) Ebony, Parchment Ebony, Espresso, Parchment Ebony, Red Ebony, Espresso, Parchment Ebony, Red Ebony, Red, Orchid Phantom Violet Pearl (PB-92P) - Ebony - Ebony - - Performance Red Pearl (R-568P) Parchment Parchment Ebony Parchment Ebony Ebony Liquid Carbon Metallic (NH-885M) Ebony Ebony, Espresso Ebony, Red Ebony, Espresso Ebony, Red Ebony, Red Apex Blue Pearl (B-621P) - - Ebony, Red - Ebony, Orchid Ebony, Orchid Tiger Eye Pearl (YR-651P) - - - - Ebony Azurite Blue, Orchid INTERIOR TRIM Brushed Aluminum Trim Bronze, Aluminum Bronze, Aluminum - - - - Geometric Patterned Brushed Aluminum - -  -  - Authentic Open-pore Wood Trim - - - Light, Dark - Dark

November 4, 2021
News

County passes maternity leave policy

With the passage of Ordinance 21-11 at the most recent Quorum Court meeting, Faulkner County now has a comprehensive maternity leave policy for its employees.

The ordinance allows employees 80 hours of paid parental leave with birth or adoption into an employees immediate family.

The ordinance spent several trips moving through the courts personnel committee and the court itself beginning in March, being returned each trip for further refinement. Its passage at the Oct. 19 court meeting was bipartisan, with all justices voting in favor of the ordinance.

The ordinance, sponsored by Justices Tyler Pearson and Justin Knight, was put in place in time for, reportedly, two county employees to take advantage of the new policy for planned November child births in their respective families.

Pearson, who is chair of the Personnel Committee, said the first idea for such a policy came up last year when a county employee who had borne several children reported she no longer had vacation or sick time accrued which would allow paid leave.

Faulkner County may be one of the first in the state with a comprehensive policy such as this. Pearson said with his research, Pulaski County did not have such a policy, and Washington County had something which approached parental leave but was difficult to understand.

Initially the proposal was for a plan modeled on the state paternal leave policy, which used catastrophic leave bank hours for paternal leave.

The catastrophic leave bank is made up of hours donated by employees, up to 8 hours per year, and pooled for use as leave during emergency, such as long-term medical care for disease. While a catastrophic leave-based paternity leave was proposed several times, it was repeatedly returned to committee. A common complaint was one voiced by Justice Rose Roland who felt it created a special class of employee. Other justices were concerned it would lead to employees not participating in the catastrophic leave pool since they did not have immediate family plans.

The catastrophic leave-based approach was rejected, and a new ordinance was proposed and sponsored by Pearson and Knight. This ordinance, much shorter than the previous proposal, centers on the statement being added to the county personnel manual: To assist and support new parents, full-time employees with one year of consecutive service who shall become parents through birth or adoption shall receive eighty (80) hours of paid parental leave.

The  or adoption clause had first been brought up during debate of the initially proposed ordinance during debate in the court.

When the ordinance was brought up for debate at the most recent court, co-sponsor and Personnel Committee member Knight pointed out that the county, which had recently passed a Pro-Life Resolution, would be in keeping with its pro-life standard by passing an ordinance in support of families.

The ordinances preamble cites supporting strong families is a core value in Faulkner County and ... a paid parental leave benefit for employees of the county will result in reduced infant mortality rates...

Justice John Allison stated the ordinance had addressed earlier concerns from previous debates in the court.

Pearson later expressed pride in the ordinance for two reasons: That the ordinance passed with 100 percent of the attending justices voting in favor, and that it has a positive impact for  children, families and the county without adding to our county budget.

The ordinance passed Oct. 19 just after a contentious debate regarding Premium Pay for county employees.
Mark Twain is often given credit for the quote, History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme. The quote emphasizes that events do not always unfold in the same way, but they often unfold in similar ways. The tale of Chinas military ambitions as a great power, just now starting to
Associate Editor

Brent Addleman is an Associate Editor and a veteran journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He has served as editor of newspapers in Pennsylvania and Texas, and has also worked at newspapers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky.
In this Aug. 9, 2017, file photo, former Indiana Rep. Todd Rokita speaks during a news conference outside of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.
Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.
Heavy machinery is used to cut trees to widen an existing Central Maine Power power line corridor to make way for new utility poles, April 26, 2021, near Bingham, Maine. On Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, voters rejected a $1 billion transmission line but that is not the end of the polarizing project in the woods of western Maine.
Regional Editor

Derek Draplin is a regional editor at The Center Square. He previously worked as an opinion producer at Forbes, as an editor at The Daily Caller, and as a reporter at Michigan Capitol Confidential and The Detroit News.
A mother migrating from Honduras holds her 1-year-old child as she surrenders to U.S. Border Patrol agents after illegally crossing the border Monday, June 25, 2018, near McAllen, Texas.
In this Wednesday. Oct. 13, 2021, file photo, audience members gather during a meeting of New Hampshire's Executive Council in Concord, N.H.
Philadelphia police officers gather near the statue of Christopher Columbus at Marconi Plaza on Monday, June 15, 2020, in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia.
News Updates

Would you like to receive our newsletter? Get local, Wyoming, and national news, the weather forecast, and more, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up today!
Instant unlimited access to all of our E-Editions and content on thechronicleonline.com.

The Chronicle E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street!

This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers.

(The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement)
Towanda, PA (18848)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by increasing clouds with showers developing this afternoon. High 49F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Oneonta, NY (13820)

Today

Mostly cloudy with some showers this afternoon. High 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Occasional light rain. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Ethos Asset Management Inc., USA Announces Deal in Rwanda with Baho International Hospital Ltd, to Build Brand New Hospital Facilities and Equip Them in Kigali
Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom.

Follow Melanie Tucker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Christine Flowers is an attorney and a columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times, and can be reached at cflowers1961@gmail.com.
Oil City, PA (16301)

Today

Rain and snow showers this morning. The rain and snow will change to all rain for the afternoon hours. High 42F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 29F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Hello!

Welcome to the Daily Digest, featuring the latest content from TheEastsiderLA.com.

We had a lot of breaking news since our last issue. Read on for the details.

Jesus Sanchez, Publisher

 Got a story idea or photo to share? Submit it here

 Support Community News: Contribute today to The Eastsider

THANK YOU THURSDAY

Many thanks to Mary Allen and Norma R. for their recent contributions. We appreciate all of our Reader Sponsors, but Mary and Norma get extra points because they opted to support The Eastside with monthly contributions.

These monthly and one-time contributions go a long way to help us provide you with the news, stories and info about our neighborhoods. Thanks for your generous support!

 Go here to contribute

NEWS

Fatal Echo Park crash

One person is dead after being ejected from a vehicle in a collision early this morning near Edgeware Road and Temple Street, where the victim had reportedly been ejected from a vehicle. The Eastsider

Pedestrian killed

A pedestrian was killed early this morning after being struck by a big rig truck on the 5 Freeway in Lincoln Heights. The Eastsider

Tree topples

A large tree toppled across a parking area at the Greek Theatre Wednesday night, landing on about 30 parked vehicles and injuring one woman, according to the LA Fire Department. The Eastsider

THE LATEST

A business built on tortillas and chile relleno burritos

Juan Villa knew nothing about making tortillas. Or burritos. Or running a business. He was a truck driver.

But that didn't stop Juan and his wife Candy from purchasing La Azteca Tortilleria in East LA more than a decade ago.

Juan continued his job as a truck driver for the first five years because they didnt have much business. What they did have was plenty of obstacles, including tough competition and a badly outdated restaurant in need of major refurbishment.

Fue dificil al principio, Juan said. It was hard at first.

But years of hard work have paid off. Loyal customers travel for miles for La Azteca's flour tortillas and chile relleno burritos. The couple has turned down offers to buy the business as it has prospered. And recently, La Azteca was added to Michelin's California Bib Gourmand Guide, which showcases more casual and lower-priced restaurants.

Read more

Homes with room for holiday guests

Since the holidays are coming up and family and friends will be spending the night or nights, a spare guest room would be nice. But wouldn't a separate guest house or living space with its own kitchen and bathroom be even nicer? We found three properties with guest houses in Boyle Heights, Elysian Valley and Silver Lake that are currently on the market.

Read more

Did someone forward you our newsletter?

 Go here to sign up for your free Daily Digest subscription

Sponsored by Great Public Schools Now

Relationships Matter Most When It Comes to the Next LAUSD Superintendent

Choosing a new LAUSD superintendent is no simple task. With applications due on November 5, and nearly 30,000 parent and community surveys submitted to date, the LAUSD Board has a lot to consider.

Prospective superintendents should be excited about coming to LA. This city is home not only to the second-largest public school district in America, but also to a thriving ecosystem of public, nonprofit, and philanthropic education institutions. With new rounds of education funding on the horizon, this is a chance to be part of an unprecedented journey of transformation.

Read more

NOTEBOOK

Curtain rising on new shows

Theaters are going live and in person once again. In East Hollywood, the Fountain Theater is putting on the Los Angeles premier of "The Children, a Tony-nominated thriller about two retired nuclear engineers and the world we have to leave behind for our children. The show opened Wednesday and is scheduled to continue until Jan. 23.

Meanwhile in Los Feliz, the Skylight Theater on Vermont Avenue is holding the world premier of "A Hit Dog Will Holler, in which a social media influencer and an activist help each other survive, as American racism manifests as a physical form, according to promotional materials. Performances start on Saturday Nov. 6, and run until Dec. 12.

Los Feliz style at Zara

Spotted at Zara in Pasadena: A Los Feliz Blvd. sweatshirt for $25.90. Maybe a Hillhurst Avenue hoodie will hit the racks soon.

Got Art

ArtUnite is an online and in-person art auction that will benefit Central City Action Committee, an Angelino Heights nonprofit that works with at-risk youth. Organizers are asking local artists and collectors are to submit work for the auction. The deadline is Nov. 12. (The Eastsider is an ArtUnite sponsor).

Sponsored by LACFEPS

Local Public Schools Offer Enriched Education for Student Success

Public schools like Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, Ednovate, Green Dot Public Schools-CA and KIPP SoCal Public Schools quickly learned that, even during a global pandemic, in todays competitive college-going environment, schools must offer students and their families an enriching public education requiring resources, services, and added supports so that they can succeed in college, careers and beyond.

Read more

CLASSIFIEDS

Text-only classified ads run for 3 consecutive days in the Morning and Evening editions of the Daily Digest, with nearly 6,000 subscribers.

 $19.99 for up to 25 words or $34.99 for up to 50 words

 Go here to submit your ad

CALENDAR

Nov 4: Popular Kids Club w/ Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kurt Braunohler + MORE!

Nov 4: Peacock: A Comedy Show

Nov 5: Los Angeles premiere of "The Children"

Nov 5: First Friday Campfire

Nov 6: Echo Park Stairway Walking Tour

 Go here for event details

SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS

The Eastsider provides free access to its breaking news and neighborhood features, including extensive coverage of COVID-19, as a community service. To keep our stories available to all during these difficult times, we need your support.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the World Leaders' Summit "Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment" session at the COP26 Climate Conference at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 2, 2021. (Steve Reigate/AFP via Getty Images)

11 States File Lawsuit Against Bidens Vaccine Mandate for Businesses

Attorneys general in 11 states filed a lawsuit Friday against President Joe Bidens administration in a challenge against a new vaccine mandate for workers and firms with 100 or more employees.

The lawsuit, filed in the Missouri-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, argued that only states have the power to compel vaccinations, not the federal government.

Arguing that the mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, the attorneys general led by Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said that over a century, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that policies on compulsory vaccination lie within the police powers of the States, and that [t]hey are matters that do not ordinarily concern the national government.'

On Thursday, the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a rule that requires the companies to either have their workers get the COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing or face hefty fines of tens of thousands of dollars. The mandate, slated to go into effect on Jan. 4, will affect tens of millions of private-sector employees.

In a statement announcing the move, Biden said that he wishes that he didnt have to resort to using the sweeping mandate to compel more vaccinations across the United States. However, he argued that its the best way to push the United States out of the pandemic.

As weve seen with businesseslarge and smallacross all sectors of our economy, the overwhelming majority of Americans choose to get vaccinated, Biden said in the statement. There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.

However, according to Fridays lawsuit, Schmitt and others said the federal government lacks constitutional authority under its enumerated powers to issue this mandate. Arizona, Nebraska, Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Wyoming joined Missouris lawsuit.

Schmitt added that Missouri has about 3,443 private employers who could be impacted by the federal vaccine requirement, with nearly 1.3 million employees.

The attorney general said the lawsuit is designed to protect personal freedoms, preserve Missouri businesses, and push back on bureaucratic tyrants who simply want power and control.

The Justice Department hasnt immediately responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit isnt the first and likely wont be the last against Bidens mandate. Just hours after OSHA unveiled the rule, several other states and organizations either filed lawsuits or announced they would file lawsuits against the administration.

The Daily Wire, a media company fronted by commentator Ben Shapiro, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday against the mandate. Firms in Ohio and Michigan represented by an advocacy law firm and several others also filed lawsuits.

Attorneys general in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee announced they would take legal action against Bidens mandate targeting federal contractors. The White House also until Jan. 4 delayed its mandate that all federal contractors get vaccinated, although unlike the requirement for private businesses, there is no option for workers to submit to weekly testing.

Unless we intervene, federal contractors in Tennessee will be forced to make sense of the mandates many inconsistencies that require their entire workforce be vaccinated or face potential blacklisting and loss of future federal contracts, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III said in a statement.
A Global China Export Tax

Use China tax for climate finance and defense of democracy

Commentary

China isnt like other countries. Its model, under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is to expand its power and control both vertically and horizontallythat is, in both territorial space and the individuals actions within that space.

This requires maximizing Beijings control relative to other countries, including through negotiations over climate issues.

Unlike those that attended Novembers COP26 climate negotiations in Glasgow, Beijing strives to beat other countries, not just solve the problem of global warming. It hopes that by skipping negotiations, other countries, subject to greater electoral pressures because theyre democracies, will agree to the necessary carbon reductions without China accepting significant reductions. That would increase Chinas economic power relative to democracies, aiding Beijings short-term goal of military dominance in Asia, and long-term goal of global hegemony.

For its bare-knuckle power politics of today, the CCP adeptly finds historical justifications. While China is the worlds biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, it claims that other countries previously emitted more, and so now its Chinas turn to pollute. Or the 19th-century Opium Wars against China somehow justify Chinas complicity today in the production and global distribution of deadly illegal drugs such as fentanyl. Or a nine-dash-line map drawn in the 1930s around the South China Seaa sea the size of India and used by all countries in the region, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Bruneimakes that vast body of water Chinas territory and, therefore, justifies the Chinese navy, today, in ejecting the fishing boats of its neighbors from waters that are just 12 miles off their coastlines, and more than 1,000 miles from those of China.

China leads other authoritarian countries, in particular its most powerful rogue ally, Russia, in flouting their responsibility to further decrease carbon emissions. While the United States and Australia both exceed China in emissions per capita, largely because China is less developed than these AUKUS allies, they cannot decrease their emissions relative to China without losing relative economic and military power. Thus, unilateral emissions reductions, if taken by countries key to the containment of the CCPs growing totalitarian threat, would be penny wise and pound foolish. They would simply shift the preponderance of economic and military power to Beijing, which has shown no real environmental ethos, but rather one that is exactly contrary to such an ethos: the unmitigated expansion of its own totalitarian power.

Emissions reductions, therefore, cant be divorced from an understanding of the political situation and trends in each country, and the goals that each country has for the international community. China is the worlds biggest emitter and the worlds biggest economy by purchasing power parity. Its on track to become the worlds most powerful military, and its seeking the expansion of its totalitarian model into an illiberal global hegemony.

Smoke belches from a coal-fueled power station near Datong, Shanxi province, China, on Nov. 19, 2015. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Ignoring these facts by allowing China to relatively benefit economically, and therefore militarily, is to quicken the worlds slippage toward a decidedly illiberal end. Considering the CCPs power-hungry past and its willingness to destroy the environment and to destroy the diversity of its own population through genocide, this cant be good for the worlds environment or people.

There is a way, however, to both defeat the CCPs hegemonic aims and simultaneously avoid global warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius. It involves acknowledging that China is different from all other countries, and that the same yardstick cant apply to its aggressive command economy that can be applied to countries with democratic market economies.

Countries that seek global hegemony through the use of a command economy, which today is only China, should be ring-fenced economically to bring them back to a model of freedom and respect for smaller nations. Decreasing the economic power of China achieves two goals: first, it would significantly decrease global emissions; and second, it would decrease the ability of China to use its powerful economy for military expansion into Taiwan, the South China Sea, Japanese islands, and the Himalayas.

Slowing Chinas economy could be achieved through the imposition of a global tax on Chinas exportsto be enforced by like-minded international actors including the United States, Europe, Japan, Britain, Australia, and India. The revenues could be used for climate finance and defense expenditures necessary to maintain the international rules-based system against the CCPs aggression.

Beijing would resist, of course. However, the alternative is to allow China to continue to increase its emissions even as it is the worst emitter, and to use those emissions to leap ahead of other countries economically and militarily. Down that road is likely the end of the environment, the international system of sovereign states, and democracy as we know it. Down that road is likely a global and illiberal hegemony ruled by Beijing.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Jon Tigges at Zion Springs, his wedding and bed-and-breakfast venue, in Hamilton, Va. (Caleb Spencer for The Epoch Times)

A Loudoun County Warrior at Peace

Jon Tigges on standing up and speaking up for what he believes is right

On June 22, more than 250 residents of a Virginia county piled into a local school board meeting. Most of them were there to voice their objections to a controversial critical race theory curriculum as well as proposed pro-transgender rules.

Jon Tigges, a Loudoun County resident, was one of the concerned parents.

While he was due to make remarks during the public comment session, the Loudoun County School Board cut the proceedings early, citing disruptive behavior by the crowd.

But Tigges wanted to press on.

You could feel the tension in the room, and people started singing the national anthem, he told The Epoch Times.

Its a public meeting; they have canceled the meeting. We have every right to continue to speak, whether theyre going to listen or not. Theres a whole bunch of cameras here. Lets get the word out. Lets let the rest of the world hear how we feel.

So he stayed and organized speeches from audience members who hadnt gotten a chance to comment during the session.

I knew I could stand up on a chair. Therell be enough people that knew me that would quiet everyone else and they would listen.

But after about half an hour, the superintendent declared the gathering an unlawful assembly. At that point, Tigges decided it was time to stand his ground, and he refused to leave the room. So he was arrested by deputies for trespassing.

Tiggess arrest thrust him into the national spotlight overnight. Within 24 hours of his release, he did a dozen media interviews, including on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.

On Sept. 22, Tigges was found guilty of trespass, a decision hes appealing. During the court hearing, Loudoun County school Superintendent Scott Ziegler acknowledged the unlawful assembly announcement as something incorrect.

In Tiggess view, what happened in Loudoun County is a microcosm of what the rest of the country is facing.

Every major institution in our country has been taken over by enemies of the Constitution. We spent the last more than 50 years losing it in retreat. Its going to take decades to win it back, he said.

Many conservatives have described Loudoun County as ground zero in the battle against lockdowns, critical race theory (CRT), and pro-transgender policies in schools; while liberal media outlets have referred to the county as a flashpoint in the culture wars. Either way, Loudoun, a wealthy county in northern Virginia, has become a showcase of grassroots disagreement with the policies and the way of governing by those in a position of power, elected or appointed.

The county school superintendent has repeatedly said that the schools dont teach CRT, a doctrine that contends that U.S. institutions and society are systematically racist. However, some parents and teachers say that the school system instills in teachers tenets from CRT, particularly in so-called equity training, which then has a trickle-down effect on students.

For Tigges, CRT, which ostensibly promotes racial equality, in fact, drives more division, and runs completely counter the value this country was founded on, which was to unite people.

Tiggess fight began way before June. An agritourism business owner, he took action in 2020 against the states lockdown policies: Last June, he sued Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam so that he could reopen his business; For more than six months, he protested against the COVID-19 lockdown every Friday morning in front of the county government building in Leesburg.

Since his arrest, Tigges has continued to speak up against the county policies virtually and in person.

What makes him so fearless and perseverant when others who share his views are afraid of speaking up? Surprisingly, peace was the theme throughout the interview.

It wasnt fun to be arrested. It wasnt fun to have the head bashed into the paddy wagon, said Tigges. But I knew at that point I had complete peace. God was going to use this to shine a disinfecting light on the Loudoun County School Board. And he did.

At Peace With Life and Death

Jon Tigges at Zion Springs, his wedding and bed-and-breakfast venue, in Hamilton, Va. (Caleb Spencer for The Epoch Times)

The greatest paradox of living is that you have to die to live, he said, adding that he didnt mean physical death, but more like making a tough choice or letting go of the fear.

The first time he found peace with death was in northern Iraq in 1996. He was in a safe house protected by the Peshmerga, the Kurdish branch of the Iraqi armed forces. On the first night, he believed he could die at any moment. He relinquished a lot of fear upon realizing his life was not in his own hands.

Tracers were going by his window, and his thoughts were relentless, too. He wasnt supposed to be there. Before the trip to Iraq, he learned that he had been selected for a doctoral program in Colorado. Then he learned that a generals favorite might be chosen for the program in his placethough he was assured that this wouldnt happen. Later, he was informed that unfortunately he had lost his seat in the doctoral program. And in addition, the Air Force was sending him to Iraq for four months.

Knowing that he shouldnt be at the front of the line for Iraq, he had a choice: to raise the issue or simply go. And the timing wasnt great. His fourth child was just one month old, and his widowed father-in-law was scheduled for open-heart surgery. Eventually, Tigges decided to step forward faithfully and have confidence in Gods plan. Following that, an amazing peace struck, he said.

His experience taught him that being afraid of a virus or some bully politician or administrator is ridiculous.

We have nothing to fear. If youre doing the right thing for the right reason, truth wins in the end, he said.

Right Here and Right Now

Similar experiences have occurred many times since then when he was up against challenging situations.

Its not always pleasant, he said, but doing the right thing for the right reason resulted in things working out by themselves in the end.

How he ended up in Loudoun is also such a story.

After 9/11, his work in the Air Force brought him to Virginia from Montana, reluctantly so. When a stroke disabled his father-in-law, he decided to invite him to move in. As a result, he bought a lot in Loudoun to build a custom residence that could host a family of eight and a grandfather. Yet shortly before the construction finished, his father-in-law died of another stroke.

By that time, the financial crisis had hit; Tigges had to stay in Loudoun to pay off some bills. He looked into acquiring property for event business, but all deals fell through. Then after the barn in the last agreement burned down in a fire two days before closing, he and his wife thought of moving back west.

The next day, while trimming trees, a neighbor who had crossed Tiggess path informed him of two lots for sale. Within two weeks, they finalized the deal, and Tigges had a business to run.

He said he didnt want to leave Montana. He didnt want to build his place initially, but it was the right thing to do for his father-in-law. Then it led to a business opportunity. He didnt want to deal with the government anymore, but running a business put the government right in his face.

God has continually challenged me in those ways. And when faced with it, just to be able to say, Am I supposed to take care of my father-in-law? He has no place to go. Yes, then we will make the sacrifices to do that. Am I supposed to stand up against tyranny when its in your face? And no one else wants to be the plaintiff; then I need to be the plaintiff. I need to be willing to put time and treasure and fight back against clear tyranny.

Patriot Pub Alliance

In April, Tigges hosted the first Patriot Pub event at his 24-acre farm in Hamilton, Virginia. He wanted to offer people a venue to meet and discuss in person. His event business made it possible. As a start, he invited those who joined the protests in Leesburg, Virginia, in 2020.

Shawntel Cooper, who was in one of the first viral videos of public comment during a Loudoun County School Board meeting in May, was one of the early Patriot Pub guests.

It was cold outside, but it was about to be spring, Cooper told The Epoch Times about her first meeting of about 20 people in April.

She credited Patriot Pub as the backbone of the beginning of everyones fight, taking a stand for their freedom, adding, everyone in the community has played a part in being warriors.

And Patriot Pub has kept up its momentum. In September, Tigges rolled out a Patriot Pub Alliance mobile app to mobilize action and build on crowdsourcing initiatives. He said it would be the mobile platform to help conservatives self-organize without censorship from Big Tech.

Ive got to stop saying, Whos going to do something? When theres an opportunity for me to do something, then I need to step forward. We cant live anymore in a world where we vote every other election and think thatll take care of itself, Tigges said.

Through the Patriot Pub events, people connect in a much deeper way. And they begin to trust one another and go to bat for one another, Tigges said. And thats why, on June 22, I felt completely unafraid to stand there and be arrested. As I knew, I had hundreds of other people that had my back, and still do.
Addicted to Power? Australian Premier Daniel Andrews Pandemic Overreach

Commentary

Rising vaccination rates in Australia continue to edge most states towards ever more significant easing of restrictions in time for Christmas.

Hopes are high in some parts of the country that COVID-19 lockdowns will now be consigned to history, never to be imposed again.

However, thanks to the zeal of Premier Daniel Andrews and his government, the people of Victoria face the prospect of a very different future.

Victorians have endured some of the longest lockdowns in the world, together with some of the most absurd and seemingly futile restrictions.

But now, in a new bill making its way through parliament, the Andrews government wants to claim even more stringent pandemic powers than it has wielded to date. Clearly, once habits of power are acquired, they can be tough to kick.

The governments Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management Bill 2021), introduced in the states lower house this week, is being hurried through the parliament before the current emergency powers expire in the middle of December.

But opponents of the Billalarmed by many of its draconian provisionsare attempting to apply the brakes to ensure the measure receives complete and appropriate scrutiny.

A woman holds a banner during a protest on Oct. 30 in Melbourne, Australia, to oppose the Victorian governments pandemic legislation. (supplied)

Intended to protect public health and wellbeing in Victoria, the Bill seeks to establish a regulatory framework for managing the serious risk to life, public health and wellbeing presented by the outbreak or spread of pandemics.

The proposed framework promises greater transparency and accountability, but what it will actually deliver, in three worrying steps, is legal authority to engage in the unreviewable and arbitrary exercise of power.

Step one in this framework is to grant the premier full power to make a pandemic declarationeven if there are no cases of pandemic disease present in Victoria.

And once in place, the Bill sets no time limit to the duration of such a declaration. If the premier says theres a pandemic, theres nothing the Victorian people can do about it.

Step two is to ensure that even though the premier is required to seek advice before making a pandemic declaration and is then required to set before parliament reasons for the declaration, any opportunity to question or challenge the advice received or the reasons given is denied.

All the premier will need to do is declare that they are satisfied that a serious risk of pandemic exists, even if its well in the future.

Step three is punishment in the form of 10-fold hikes in fines and the possibility of imprisonment.

An individual who breaks pandemic orders will face a new maximum fine of nearly $22,000 (US$16,300)which will be unaffordable for most people. The new penalty for a business will be $109,000 (US$80,700). Breaches of quarantine attract the most severe fines: $90,500 (US$67,000) for an individual or two years in jail.

Fired up by its management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Andrews government wants to ensure it has all the powers in place and is ready to be used in plenty of time for the next one.

And the governments message is clear: nothing less than total and submissive obedience to its orders and directives will be tolerated.

Dissent will be deemed a threat to public health and safety. There will be no more flouting of public health orders, no more taking to the streets to protest the destruction of lives and livelihoods, and no more slipping the bonds of quarantine captivity.

Police attempt to disperse construction workers and demonstrators protesting against COVID-19 regulations in Melbourne on Sept. 22, 2021. (Con Chronis/AFP via Getty Images)

Smooth assurances have been issued from the government that the legislation is intended only to secure public health and wellbeing in the face of a future pandemic. It also argues that the impact of pandemic orders can be reviewed by a new body, the Independent Pandemic Management Advisory Committee (IPMAC).

But not only is the IPMAC purely advisory; it will comprise human rights and public health experts hand-picked by the health minister.

However, such assurances have done little to quell concerns expressed by peak bodies, such as the Victorian Bar Association.

They argue that the Bill, in fact, poses a massive threat to the rule of law in their state because it sidesteps the kind of full parliamentary scrutiny of pandemic declarations, health orders, and the exercise of ministerial powers that ought to be a feature of parliamentary democracy. Instead, the Bill transfers power from parliament to the non-reviewable decision of a single person.

Andrews drive to seize more power bears out the old adage that once seized by a government in a time of crisis; power is seldom surrendered when the crisis abates.

As most of Australia begins to emerge from the long shadow of COVID-19, now is the time to be restoring freedoms and lifting the heavy hand of authoritarian government from the shoulders of all Australians.

Instead, clouds of discontent are already lowering over the people of Victoria.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Australian Minister of Defense Peter Dutton speaks at a news conference with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austinat the State Department in Washington, DC on Sept. 16, 2021. (Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP)

Australia Defence Minister Urges France to Move On and Focus on China

The Australian Defence Minister, Peter Dutton has urged France to put aside hurt feelings over the cancellation of the submarine contract and focus instead on the great uncertainty with China in our region.

France has been upset since Australia abandoned its submarine contract with it. French President Emmanuel Macron also alleged that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison lied about the cancellation of the contract. However, private text messages from Macron to Morrison were leaked which refuted Macrons claim.

This triggered what the French ambassador described as a new low, in relations although Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce justified the leak saying that Macron calling Morrison a liar was a bigger diplomatic issue.

Defence Minister Dutton said on Thursday that it was time for France to move on and recognise that weve made a decision that is in our countrys best interests [to cancel the contract].

Nobody from Scott Morrison down is going to apologise for that, he said.

The Defence Minister also said Frances current intense reaction is posturing before next years presidential election, and with the regional instability caused by Beijing, France should focus on more important issues rather than dwelling on the past.

(L-R) Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pose for a group photograph at the State Department in Washington, DC, on September 16, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The French have got an election coming up in April, you understand all of that posturing, Dutton told 2GB radio. The Communist Party of China has taken a particular course and we need to all work together to make sure that we have peace and stability in our region.

Any blip in relation to that, any concern, hurt feelings, frankly, needs to be put aside for us to concentrate on the bigger issue, which is making sure that we protect and defend our country, he said.

Australia cancelled the submarine contract with France and signed the AUKUS agreement with the United Kingdom and the United States instead, which will see Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines with the help of the other two countries.

On the eve of the AUKUS agreement, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg warned that Australia was on the front lines of strategic competition with China in an environment of increased global competition.

Frydenberg cited a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute that Beijing used coercive tactics against 27 countries and the European Union 152 times between 2010 and 2020, and that the communist regime was increasing its control over domestic and foreign business sectors.
Australian Territory Locks Out Unvaccinated, Locks Down Town After 1 New Case

The Northern Territory (NT) has put the town of Katherine into lockdown for 72 hours, while imposing what they called a lock out for anyone who is unvaccinated in the Greater Darwin area for the same time frame.

The measures came in response to one man testing positive for COVID-19 yesterdaythe territorys first locally acquired case on record.

The man is a contractor at Royal Australian Air Force Tindal base, who lives between Katherine and Humpty Doo. He began developing symptoms on Tuesday and tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

He was active in the community during his infectious period, visiting locations near Darwin and Katherine, which is 320 kilometres (198 miles) southeast.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said that the man had not travelled outside the NT recently and therefore had caught the virus inside the territory.

We dont know where and we dont know when, but this is community transmission, he told reporters on Thursday night.

The unvaccinated man was isolating in Katherine and will be transported to the Howard Springs quarantine facility by CareFlight.

His flatmates in both Darwin and Katherine have been tested and are in isolation, according to an NT Health release.

Lockdown Vs Lock Out

The NT government has placed Katherine and the Greater Darwin areas into either a lockdown or a lockout for 72 hours.

From Nov. 5, Katherine is in full lockdown. But due to a higher rate of vaccination in Darwin, the NT government has imposed what it called a lock out.

This means that fully vaccinated people are able to continue to live as normal within the following Local Government Areas: City of Darwin, City of Palmerston, Litchfield Council, Wagait Shire, Belyuen Shire, Dundee, Bynoe, Charlotte, and Cox Peninsula.

In Katherine, residents can only leave their homes for five reasons.

These are to seek medical treatment, which includes getting a COVID-19 test or vaccination; to buy essential goods and services; and to attend work considered essential.

They may also go out for one hour of exercise per day, with one other person, so long as they remain within a 5 kilometre radius of their homes. They may also leave their residence to provide care and support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves.

There are three main reasons why we need to do a full lockdown for Katherine, Gunner said. First, we dont know the source of the infection, second, he spent a full day while infectious working at Tindal, and third, the Katherine area is not yet 80 percent fully vaccinated.

Currently, 75 percent of Katherine residents have had at least one dose, while 65 percent have had the second shot.

Meanwhile, there has been a different response for Greater Darwin, Gunner said, due to higher vaccination rates.

In Greater Darwin, fully vaccinated people can go about their lives as normal, but have to wear a mask.

They have free movement and free access, meaning they can go to work, enter shops, and visit homes of other vaccinated people within the Greater Darwin area.

This means that those who are not vaccinated, and those who have only had their first shot, must remain home during the 72-hour lockout period.

They are only allowed to leave their homes for the same five reasons as Katherine residents.
People gather at the Opera Bar as hospitality reopens in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 16, 2021. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Baristas Offered $50 Per Hour as Sydney Bars Compete for Staff

Sydney bars and restaurants are competing fiercely for staff, with some employers offering baristas an hourly rate of $40 to $50 (US$29 to US$36).

The hospitality industry is in desperate need of labour after the New South Wales (NSW) lockdown was lifted.

This is because the industry is supported heavily by backpackers on holiday visas and international students, but they are not yet able to return due to border restrictions.

A proposal by the NSW opposition and the Restaurant and Catering Association would see a $250 bonus for working 10 days in 30, 3AW radio reported.

Wes Lambert, the CEO of Restaurant and Catering Australia, said many businesses have already started giving bonuses to their staff.

Weve heard of bonuses into the thousands of dollars, he told 3AW. Weve heard of some businesses so desperate [theyre] paying servers, baristas, bartenders up to $40 to $50 per hour.

That adds up to about $2,000 per week for working Thursday to Sunday.

Sydney bars and restaurants are in a fierce competition for staff. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

Lambert further explained that businesses will face a hard time if the situation doesnt improve soon.

Thousands of businesses are reporting that they normally were open six to seven days a week, doing two or three meal periods, and are now only open four or five days a week doing one or two meal periods, he said.

One Daily Telegraph reporter received over 10 job offers in just one hour, and another one was offered three while working in a Sydney bar.

By posting in the popular Facebook group Sydney Bartender Exchange expressing my interest for work, I received 12 responses in under an hour from  with flexible rosters, immediate start, and generous hourly rates listed as very tempting incentives, he wrote.

Some jobs do not even require work experience, background checks, or interviews, with free training offered.

Its very different from a few years ago when a simple waitressing role required five years relevant experience.

The NSW government announced this week free training opportunities to help fill skill shortages in the hospitality sector.

People from all over the State are lining up to get into pubs and clubs, and we want to support those businesses with enthusiastic and skilled staff, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
Be an Icebreaker, Not an Icemaker

Tips to master the craft of civilized conversation

Most of us pay attention to our appearance.

We may wear sweats and sandals around the house, but we put on appropriate attire when we head out for work at the bank. At the restaurant, we take a quick glance in the bathroom mirror to make sure the teeth arent showing a bit of salad. We work out at the gym for fitness, but also to shrink that belly and win the compliments of friends. We as a people spend a fortune on makeup, plastic surgery, and other cosmetics, all to improve our looks.

But how many of us give the same consideration to the way we converse with others, particularly when we first meet them?

When at a company convention, for example, do we ramble on while talking to a stranger? Are we so fixated on ourselves that we fail to read the signs on her face and in her body language that shes desperate for an escape route? Do we ask questions and then listen inattentively to the answers? Do we interrupt her when shes talking, like some of the hosts on talk radio? Do we tell inappropriate jokes and then wonder why she doesnt laugh?

In The Art of Civilized Conversation, Margaret Shepherd and Sharon Hogan write, Conversation, which is a craft as well as an art, requires only a little talent and a lot of practice.

Here are some tips to help you master that craft. Lets stick with the convention scenario, where our boss has introduced us to Abigail from accounting.

Remember names. A good number of us, including me, sometimes forget the persons name to whom weve just been introduced within minutes. Not good. Here, we can help our memory by repeating Abigail several times during the ensuing conversation. We can also use tricks of language. At my local laundromat, when I first met the manager, she said, Im Marty. Rhymes with party, and Ive never forgotten her name.

Keep an appropriate distance from Abigail. No one wants a stranger up close and personal. Stay at least an arms length away.

Maintain eye contact. If you look at the floor or into the distance when speaking, youre signaling disinterest. Focus on Abigail.

On the other hand, avoid staring. One man I know cocks his head and stares directly into my eyes for the entire conversation. I feel as if were in one of those see who blinks first contests from childhood.

Ask questions. If you discover Abigail grew up in Elkin, North Carolina, but now resides in Houston, youve just received a gift basket of questions. Whats Elkin like? How was it growing up there? Was the transition to Houston hard?

On the other hand, avoid interrogating her. Instead of asking question after question, bring your own experiences to the discussion.

LISTEN. That word deserves caps because listening is such a vital part of good conversation. We value people who possess this skill, who truly hear us. And we dont listen just with our ears. Our facial expressions and body language send the message that were focused on what Abigail is saying.

Leaving aside the first tip, these tools will enhance any conversation: a casual talk with a friend on the porch, a work-related discussion with fellow employees, even a chat with family members.

As Shepherd and Hogan remark, Civilized conversation, like all art, connects you to the best in other people and in yourself.
Jean Pierson (R), then managing director of Airbus Industrie, laughs as His Excellency Sir Michael Jay (L), the British ambassador to France, adjusts the insignia of Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the Airbus Industrie headquarters in southwestern France, in a file photo. (Reuters)

Bear of the Pyrenees, Former Airbus CEO Jean Pierson Dies

PARISJean Pierson, the Bear of the Pyrenees who propelled planemaker Airbus onto the global stage and began its transformation from a loose consortium into a European giant, has died, former colleagues said on Thursday.

Pierson died on Wednesday aged 80 in France, they said.

The Frenchman was Airbus longest-serving chief executive, between 1985 and 1998, and was credited with breaking into Boeings home market in the United States, kickstarting one of the worlds greatest business rivalries.

He was a great personality and leader. He brought Airbus from a startup to compete head-to-head with Boeing, said former spokeswoman Barbara Kracht, whose father co-founded Airbus.

A burly and voracious dealmaker who grew up outside the narrow Parisian-educated circle that dominated the French industry, Pierson strode factory floors, and exhorted sales teams to take on Boeing on its home turf despite executives initial wariness.

In 1997, he landed a breakthrough order for 400 jets from U.S. Airways for which he dropped his trousers in protest against a last-minute discount demand, a tactic first recounted in a 2007 book Boeing vs Airbus, which he later confirmed.

On another occasion, Pierson told Reuters, he ripped off his shirt, telling a tenacious airline boss that the garment might as well be thrown into the aggressively priced deal.

He was an inspirational leader. He didnt care about his salary and all he cared about was the people and the success of Airbus, said Mohamed El Borai, president of Reliance Aerospace, and a former Pierson employee.

Nicknamed the Bear of the Pyrenees, the gruff steak-loving businessman, and bon vivant took gambles that still shape an industry where success or failure is measured in decades.

He strongly backed the A380 superjumbo, which flopped in the market and is about to see its last delivery after just 14 years. But he accurately predicted that the A400M military plane would cause trouble for the then civil manufacturer. It has just won its second export order in 16 years and blown huge losses.

Liars Club

He knew how to build airplanes and knew that to succeed in a duopoly you cant be a small player, said John Leahy, the uncompromising American promoted over Europeans by Pierson to fill the job of sales chief, which he held for over two decades.

Pierson fought for the future A320 cash cow and threw aides who proposed a different cockpit for the sister A321 out of his office, Leahy said. The one-cockpit strategy set the stage for A321 sales that underpin profits of a new management today.

Pierson was a great humanist behind the bear facade, said current Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer.

Airbus was founded in 1969 as a venture between industrial groups in France, Germany, Spain, and Britain and went on to snatch Boeings crown as the worlds largest planemaker.

Crucially, former aides say, Pierson began a long process of integration by declaring the original consortium outdated.

A veteran of shareholder meetings known internally as the Liars Club after the propensity of partners to disguise costs, Pierson campaigned for Airbus to become a single company.

Rather than buying jets from shareholders and selling and supporting them abroad, Airbus would need more control.

After retiring to his fishing boat, Pierson made few appearances as the company plunged into more than a decade of in-fighting under new partners, but he broke silence in 2007 to warn Franco-German power-sharing would fail.

The idea was abandoned in 2013, though the countries remain as shareholders.

By Tim Hepher
Ben Shapiro, American conservative political commentator and editor-in-chief for The Daily Wire, speaks during CPAC 2018 in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 22, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Ben Shapiros Daily Wire Suing Biden Administration Over Tyrannical Vaccine Mandate

The Daily Wire, a news website founded by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro, is suing the Biden administration over its tyrannical vaccine mandate requiring large companies to ensure their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing.

In a statement issued Thursday, The Daily Wire said that the Dhillon Law Group Inc. and Alliance Defending Freedom had filed a lawsuit on its behalf against the federal government in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Attorneys for The Daily Wire will also file an emergency motion to stay the mandate.

In September, the Biden administration announced that federal workers and federal contractors will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Contractors have until Dec. 8 to mandate their employees to get the shot. Federal contractors cant allow their employees to opt-out.

This week, the administration released the new rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that requires 84 million private-sector workers to get shots, and also announced its rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requiring 17 million health care workers at facilities that receive federal funding to be vaccinated.

The White House said it is also pushing back the deadline for workers in those sectors to get fully vaccinated to Jan. 4, 2022, according to a senior administration official. That date also applies to federal contractors.

The Daily Wire will not comply with President Bidens tyrannical vaccine mandate, and we are suing the Biden Administration to put a stop to their gross overreach, Daily Wire Co-Founder and Co-CEO Jeremy Boreing said in the statement.

President Biden, the federal government, social media, and the establishment media have conspired to rob Americans of their freedoms in the name of public health. They have broken faith with the American people through conflicting messaging, false information, and by suppressing data and perspectives with which they disagree.

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, alleges that the Biden administration lacks constitutional and statutory authority to issue the employer mandate, and that the mandate failed to meet the requirements for issuing a rule taking effect immediately without the normal process of considering public comments.

Dhillon Law Group partner Harmeet K. Dhillon said the federal government does not have the legal authority to compel private employers to ensure their employees get vaccinated against COVID-19, and that the administration lacks both the constitutional power and police powers to regulate every aspect of our lives and enforce such a mandate.

The Biden administrations attempt to impose this unprecedented and unlawful federal medical mandate on the U.S. workforce without considering the publics views is arbitrary, capricious, unsupported by the evidence, and would produce a willfully ignorant rule, Dhillon said.

A medical worker prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine in Orange, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The OSHA rule requires employers with 100 or more employees to put vaccine requirements in place for all staff, or face fines of up to $14,000 per violation. The agency is allowed to put into place an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) when it determines workers are at grave risk.

Bidens vaccine requirement has faced backlash from critics, while numerous lawsuits have been filed against the Biden administration over the mandate. Others, including lawmakers, fear that the mandate may further exacerbate labor shortages amid supply-chain bottlenecks.

The attorneys general of Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee are just some of those who have announced they would take legal action against the White House over the rule and filed a lawsuit (pdf) in a bid to challenge the new rule.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt also said he would sue the administration over its mandate on private employers.

But the deadline has been praised by public health officials and Democrats as a way of boosting the U.S. vaccination rate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, the president also defended his actions, and stressed that it had so far not led to any labor shortages.

As weve seen with businesseslarge and smallacross all sectors of our economy, the overwhelming majority of Americans choose to get vaccinated, Biden said in a statement. There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the October jobs reports in the State Dining Room at the White House on Nov. 5, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

Biden Uses Positive Jobs Report to Tout COVID Vaccines and Rescue Plan

President Joe Biden has touted a positive jobs report as evidence that the countrys vaccine distribution, as well as the American Rescue Plan, are having a positive effect on the United States economy.

U.S. employers added half a million jobs in October to beat market expectations and improve upon a dismal report the month before.

The Labor Departments jobs report, released Nov. 5, shows that non-farm payroll employment rose by 531,000 last month, while the unemployment rate edged down 0.2 percentage points to 4.6 percent.

And 250,000 more jobs were added to the August and September reports that were initially disappointing.

So far this year, monthly job growth has averaged 582,000 and while 18.2 million jobs have been recovered from the stunning losses at the height of the pandemic lockdowns in April 2020, the U.S. remains 4.2 million jobs down on pre-pandemic levels.

I would humbly suggest this is significant improvement from when I took office and a sign were on the right track, said Biden in an address Nov. 5.

Biden framed the economic bounce-back from last years state-imposed lockdowns as a sign vaccines were having a positive impactdemonstrating need for his soon-to-be-imposed vaccine mandates for more than two-thirds of all American workers.

For our economy to fully recover, we need to keep vaccination rates up and COVID down, he said.

The report and Bidens speech come a day after the administration released a new rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requiring 84 million private sector workers to get vaccinated.

As well as a rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Assistance (CMS) requiring 17 million health care workers participating in federal health programs to be vaccinated.

The deadline for workers in those sectors, as well as federal contractors, to get fully vaccinated is now Jan. 4, 2022.

Earlier in the week, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave the go ahead for kids ages 5 to 11 to get the Pfizer vaccine.

The federal government said it is packing and shipping 28 million doses for children and will have 20,000 vaccine sites set up for children nationwide on Nov. 6.

Biden also said his proposed legislation will continue American economic growth. His $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan and $1.75 trillion Build Back Better spending plan continue to be debated in Congress.

Biden said those bills would put us on a path to not only compete, but to win the economic competition of the 21st century against all comers.

The president called for a House vote on both measures Nov. 5.

Biden did not take questions after his speech, but said: Ill be back to answer some of your questions when [the bills] pass.

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report
President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives to speak in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Build Back Better Agenda Will Not Have Zero Price Tag on Debt: Wharton Study

A new analysis of the economic impacts of President Joe Bidens Build Back Better budget reconciliation framework shows that, in contrast to the administrations claims of a zero price tag on the debt, the spending plans would increase the federal debt by 2.6 percent in ten years.

The White House on Oct. 28 released a framework for legislative priorities to be taken up by the Senate in the budget reconciliation process, which provides for $1.87 trillion in new spending over a decade. Provisions include a focus on clean energy and various social programs.

The Biden administration aims to pay for the plan chiefly by raising taxes on wealthier Americans and corporations. It has repeatedly said that the outlays would be fully paid for and not add to the federal debt.

We talk about price tags. It is zero price tag on the debt, Biden told reporters at a Sept. 24 briefing. Were going to pay for everything we spend.

The following day, Biden sought to drive home that point in a tweet, saying, My Build Back Better Agenda costs zero dollars.

But a Nov. 4 analysis from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania challenges that view, estimating that Bidens Build Back Better framework would, as written, increase spending by $1.87 trillion over the 10-year budget window while raising revenues by $1.56 trillion, adding over $300 billion to the federal debt.

That would mean that by 2031, government debt grows by 2.6 percent and GDP shrinks by 0.1 percent compared to the baseline, according to the Wharton analysis. The study also estimates that, in 2040, output would shrink 0.2 percent and the debt would grow by 2.3 percent, and in 2050, GDP would contract 0.1 percent and federal debt would grow 2.0 percent.

Further, the Build Back Better agenda provisions would crowd out some private capital, with Wharton estimating private capital declines of 0.4 percent in both 2040 and 2050, while having neutral impact in 2031.

The Wharton estimate for the Build Back Better agendas revenue-generating provisions differ from estimates provided by the Treasury Department, which forecasts around $2.15 trillion in income over the budget window and claims the legislation will not only be fully paid for, it will reduce deficits and the federal debt.

The Build Back Better legislation presents a historic opportunity to make investments that will cut costs for families, create good jobs, and increase economic growth for the long term, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

The investments and revenue provisions of the Build Back Better package would raise over $2 trillion in offsets, making the entire package paid for over ten years and would reduce deficits over the long term, she added.

The Wharton study differs from the Treasury estimates, which are based on an analysis by the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). The Epoch Times has reached out to both Treasury and Wharton with a request for clarification.

Richard Prisinzano, Director of Policy Analysis for the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM), said in an emailed statement that some of the revenue raisers that JCT incorporated in its estimatefor example, the nicotine tax, excessive employee remuneration, reinstatement of superfund excise taxes, state and local deductionwere not included explicitly in the framework outlined by the White House and, as such, were not incorporated in the PWBM analysis.

The estimates regarding the existing provisions in the framework varied for other reasons, Prisinzano added, noting different details than what the PWBM team understood from the White House framework.

Legislation obviously carries with it necessary details, and JCT likely had access to this information prior to PWBM, he said, adding that modeling differences also likely played a role.

JCT and PWBM understand taxes in a similar way, but economists make choices on things like model form or elasticity that can cause differences in revenue estimates, he said.

Other differences in estimates include things like the number of taxpayers subject to a certain tax (e.g., the surtax). PWBM has more revenue coming under that provision than JCT which suggests our model projects more taxpayers to be above the threshold, he explained.

Treasury did not respond to a request for comment.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are expected to vote on the Build Back Better reconciliation bill on Friday.

This article has been updated with comments from PWBM.
Front-line workers and first responders gather in front of Chateau Frontenac to protest Quebec's vaccine mandates, in Quebec City, on Oct. 15, 2021. (Sonia Rouleau/The Epoch Times)

Cancelled Vaccine Mandate for Quebec Health Workers Sparks Indignation, Relief

The Quebec governments decision to cancel mandatory COVDID-19 vaccination for health-care workers on Nov. 3 was met with mixed reactions, with the official opposition going on the offensive and a large union breathing a sigh of relief.

Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), the official opposition, attacked the move as political and said the government retreated when confronted with stubborn and conspiracy theorists. The PLQ said the ruling Coalition Avenir Quebec party has been incapable of imposing strong measures to allow the vaccination of more employees.

Once again, [Quebec Premier] Francois Legault proves he cant face the music, said PLQ Leader Dominique Anglade. How should we believe him after this?

Quebec Premier Francois Legault. The province cancelled its plan for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers on Nov. 3, 2021. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

For a large union representing health-care workers, however, the development was welcome news.

The government is realizing what weve been saying for weeks, says Isabelle Groulx, vice-president of the Federation interprofessionnelle de la sante du Quebec, a labour union representing close to 76,000 nurses and other health-care workers.

Theres absolutely no room to manoeuvre in the health-care system right now. The removal of hundreds of health-care workers was to be avoided at all costs in order to not deprive even more members of the public from access to essential care and services, she said.

The Quebec government said about 14,000 health-care workers are still unvaccinated and despite efforts to tackle personnel shortages, the fallout if they were banned from working would have been severe, with key services such as ER departments being impacted.

Questions remain however whether previously announced policies to ban unvaccinated health-care practitioners by colleges regulating physicians and nurses in the province still stand.

Quebecs college of physicians, CMQ, stated that its position hasnt changed.

We continue to say that vaccination is an ethical duty and a social obligation for our physicians, the CMQ said.

However, the colleges statement didnt make it clear whether non-complying doctors will still be suspended.

The CMQ did not respond to a request for comment on the issue, but a post on its Twitter account says the governments previous decree provided powers to accelerate the usual process to suspend the right to practice. Well have to see what the next version says.

The Ordre des infirmieres et infirmiers du Quebec, the organization that regulates the nursing profession in Quebec, which had previously said it would not allow unvaccinated nurses to work in the profession, said employers and not the Ordre will be responsible to suspend without salary the nurses who are not properly protected and who dont conform to the obligation to get tested.

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said in a radio interview on Nov. 4 that the professional orders might need to be the ones deciding whether to impose vaccine mandates.

Im expecting in the next few days that the professional orders will announce that their professionals are required to be vaccinated, he said, according to TVA Nouvelles.

Robert Beliveau, a retired physician and spokesperson of the advocacy group Reinfo Covid Quebec, told The Epoch Times he doubts the professional colleges will go down that route and decide to bear the legal responsibility of a mandate.

If some people suffer injuries, theres going to be lawsuits, thats for sure. If I were the president of the order, I would think twice about it, says Beliveau, whose organization raises awareness about what it says are contradictions and overreach by the government in imposing COVID-19 measures.

Beliveau says his group isnt anti-vaccine, but is against mandatory vaccination. He says he doesnt understand how the college of physicians can reconcile mandatory vaccination for doctors with their ethical duty to respect free and informed consent when treating patients.

A small organization taking the province to court on a variety of its COVID-19 measures saw the governments retreat as a huge victory, not only for healthcare workers, but for society as a whole.

The Fondation pour la defense des droits et libertes du peuple (Foundation for defending peoples rights and freedoms) says it will be hard for any employer to mandate vaccination when even the health-care workers who are in close contact with patients arent mandated.

We firmly believe this step will have a domino effect unless professional associations decide to do the dirty work themselves, as was asked by Health Minister Christian Dube. If they do so, well take them to court, says spokesperson Julie Levesque.
Cartelville, USA Exposes Illegal Drug Cartels Taking Over Small California Towns

Illegal drug cartels and gang activity are taking over small Southern California towns and causing residents to flee their homes, according to a new investigative documentary released by Daily Caller reporter Jorge Ventura.

Cartelville, USA, released Nov. 4, documents Venturas investigation into the illegal marijuana growing operations popping up in Los Angeles County, particularly in his native Antelope Valley.

I really wanted to shine a light on what was happening in my hometown, Ventura said. I felt that Americans living in these towns needed a voice on this story.

Ventura said the drug cartels typically smuggle drugs from Mexico and distribute them inside the United States through various channels.

However, this operations marijuana is now openly grown, and the cartels acquire the land for the operations by either squatting on land or buying properties in the rural Antelope Valley area.

As this continues with these cartels  [they] are actually taking [the communities] over and turning them into ghost towns, Ventura said in the documentary. Weve already seen three or four communities in the Antelope Valley and in San Bernardino County that have been completely taken over by these cartels and pushing families away.

A resident told the Daily Caller that, starting a year ago, the grows began popping up exponentially.

Within five miles of my house, there are probably 50 grows  blatant, open operations, said the resident, who was unidentified to protect privacy.

The presence of cartels also often leads to violence in communities. In July, an individual was killed and two others were injured at a Mariposa County cartel marijuana grow, according to the Merced Sun-Star.

Los Angeles Sherriff Alex Villanueva said at a June press conference that his department identified 150 illegal marijuana grows in Antelope Valley in 2020; this year, the number had grown to more than 500.

In the same month, a multi-agency law enforcement operation cleared many illegal marijuana operations in what the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) deemed the largest operation ever to take place in the history of LASD.

Over 200 locations were served with search warrants, while 375,000 marijuana plants and 33,000 pounds of harvested marijuana were seized.

The 10-day operation resulted in 22 felony arrests, 109 misdemeanor arrests, and 19 arrests, according to the LASD.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva speaks at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 2, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

The cartels also smuggle undocumented migrants, often minors, from Mexico to work on the operations.

San Bernadino Sheriff Shannon Dicus told the Daily Caller that the department often sees human trafficking in these grows.

The cartels are essentially making them work these grows and tend these grows so that they can get their citizenship, or whatever the trade is, Dicus said. And its all about the grow, not about people.

Ventura toured the inside of a San Bernadino grow operation that he said was worth $700,000.

The cartels use grow kits consisting of plywood, plastic, wire and tarp to construct the tent and an above-ground pool to mix chemicals. The grow kits allow the greenhouses to be built in a matter of days.

The operations also steal water from the communities water supply using trucks, Ventura said.

Ventura ultimately urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to revisit Proposition 64, which legalized cannabis use in the state and took the penalty for growing marijuana from a felony to a $500 misdemeanor fine.

The grow operations are lucrative, often yielding close to a million dollars, making the reward outweigh the risk for many people.

The investigative reporter also called on President Joe Biden to tighten enforcement at the southern border, which would lower the cartels source of labor.

Ventura has also been covering immigration at the Texas border for the past several months.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

CDC Director Refuses to Tell Senators How Many CDC Employees Have Gotten COVID-19 Vaccines

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday declined to share with a Senate panel how many of the agencys workers have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine.

The agency, or the CDC, has been at the forefront of pushing COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic since the first vaccine received emergency authorization late last year.

What percent of CDC employees are vaccinated? Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) asked Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs head, during a Senate Health Committee hearing in Washington.

Were actively encouraging vaccination in all of our employees and doing outreach in order to get our agency vaccinated, Walensky responded.

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the top Republican on the panel, revisited the topic just before the hearing ended.

Do you really not know the answer to the number of vaccinated individuals at CDC or did you just not want to answer Sen. Cassidys question? Burr wondered.

Walensky declined to answer directly. Were still actively working on collecting those data and those data are updated in real-time, she said.

Burr asked for the numbers to be sent to the committee by Nov. 8.

We are working toward updating that data. I would have to speak with my staff about where we are and whether those numbers are going to be available on Monday, Walensky said.

Burr noted that one of President Joe Bidens executive orders mandates all federal employees, including CDC workers, must produce proof of vaccination by Nov. 8 or face disciplinary action.

If the collection is still in process, how are you going to start disciplinary actions based upon the executive order? Burr asked.

Were actively updating those data. I just dont know exactly when they will be fully in, but certainly we will have those data by the appropriate deadline, Walensky said.

If the CDC doesnt have to live by the rules, why should employers have to live by the mandate rules? Burr then asked, referring to a vaccine mandate that was unveiled by the Biden administration earlier in the day.

I will make sure were complying with the rules because we want everyone else to as well, Walensky said.

Cassidy said he was told that north of 75 percent of CDC employees who had worked from the agencys headquarters in Atlanta are still working remotely, which Walensky declined to confirm but also did not deny. She said the agency was following federal guidelines.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies to a Senate panel in Washington on Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) speaks in Washington on May 11, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool/Getty Images)

The CDCs director and Dr. Anthony Fauci, another top health official in the administration, were also pressed during the hearing about the administrations push to get virtually every American vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19even Americans who have contracted the illness and recovered, giving them some level of immunity.

Burr noted that a real-world Israeli study found natural immunity, or that protection, was higher than the protection conferred by Pfizers vaccine, and other research has indicated that natural immunity results in memory B cells that keep protecting for up to one year after recovery. He also referred to the CDCs recent brief that says natural immunity lasts for at least six months.

Walensky downplayed the data, claiming that the studies showing vaccines provide protection are more robust than those supporting natural immunity. The data on infection-induced immunity, some of which you quoted, are murkier. They rely on retrospective studies, observational studies, and studies where we cant do a prospective study, she said.

Walensky touted a recently published CDC study that was said to have determined that people who remained unvaccinated and had natural immunity were about five times more likely to contract COVID-19. That study was also retrospective and criticized by some experts in comparison to the Israeli research.

Cassidy, a doctor, later said that the alleged lack of robust data on natural immunity seemed to be correctable. Why have we not done the research? he asked.

Im told you have patient-identifiable data, which would allow the agency to examine the issue, he added.

Fauci said that natural immunity and vaccination lead to memory B cell and T cell responses.

One of the goals over the next several months, which are currently being done by our grantees, is to determine the clinical correlation between the development and maturation of B cell and T cell responses and clinical effect. Were looking at that both post-vaccination, post-boost, and in individuals who have been infected, he said. Hopefully well get more definitive information over the next several months.
Taiwan flags can be seen at a square ahead of the national day celebration in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on Oct. 8, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

China Says It Will Hold Supporters of Taiwan Independence Criminally Liable for Life

China will make those who support Taiwan independence criminally liable for life, the countrys Taiwan Affairs Office said on Oct. 5 as the island faces growing pressure from the other side of the strait.

The grim warning on Friday was the first concrete punishment Beijing has spelled out revolving the sovereignty of the democratic ruling island, which Beijing claims as its own and threatens to seize by force if necessary.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the office, Chinas highest administrative body overseeing Taiwan-related issues, on Friday also named three Taiwanese officials, Taiwans Premier Su Tseng-chang, Parliament Speaker You Si-kun, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who she labeled as being stubbornly pro-Taiwan independence.

The three have been placed on a blacklist banning them and their relatives from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, Zhu said. Companies and entities associated with them will not be allowed to collaborate with mainland organizations or individuals, nor could they seek profits in the mainland, according to Zhu.

She said that the three officials had been guilty of fanning negative sentiment and smearing mainland China, as well as colluding with foreign forcesaccusations that Beijing has leveled against pro-democracy activists and Western lawmakers in the past.

Wu has been a target of Chinese state media attacks recently after he made a rare trip to Europe late last month, rallying like-minded nations to band together against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Party-controlled tabloid Global Times has run multiple articles claiming Wu was engaging in dollar diplomacy to alienate Europe from China, which Taiwan dismissed as smearing.

Czech Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil (L) gives Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu the Silver Commemorative Medal of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on Oct. 27, 2021 in Prague. (Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwans foreign ministry did not immediately return a request for comment.

Beijing had rolled out the sanction as it steps up a campaign of intimidation against the island. The regime has been displaying its military strength by sending fighter jets toward Taiwan, raising concern about a possible Chinese attack.

A top Taiwanese official a day prior revealed that Beijing has debated invading islands controlled by Taiwan lying near the mainland, although he considered the scenario unlikely before 2024.

Premier Su, when asked by a legislator from Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party how he feels about getting sanctioned by Beijing, said he was merely fulfilling his duties for Taiwan. The CCP has not been to Taiwan for a day but points fingers at Taiwans affairs, he said.

You, the president of Taiwans unicameral Legislative Yuan, apparently found humor in the sanction.

Again made the news in Xinhua, he wrote in a Facebook post on Friday, attaching a screenshot of a news report on the sanctions. Seems that my international renown has gotten another significant boost. Feeling honored! he said.

Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council on Friday said that their officials have been acting in the interest of national sovereignty and regional peace. The sanction list, the council said, is part of Beijings tactics to cow opponents to submit to its political whims.

If Beijing tries to do harm to our democracy and freedom and create opposition and disquiet, our government will take necessary reciprocal measures to ensure public safety, it warned. Were that to happen, it added, the CCP would have to bear any possible consequences.
Chinas Port Strategy Positions It for Global Dominance

China has added a new dimension in its strategic drive to control the worlds waterways

Commentary

Since the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy has been responsible for maintaining open and orderly overseas trade routes throughout the world. The United States has borne the costs of doing so, as those trade routes are a key part of the U.S.-led international order.

Of course, the results speak for themselves. Safe shipping routes have enabled global trade to rise to the highest levels in history. Theyre what allow nations to trade in oil, automobiles, agricultural products, and many other goods with relative ease and safety.

In turn, nations in far-flung regions have had safe access to markets and goods that they never would have otherwise had. Many nations of the world are much better off with access to free and safe sea lanes.

Few, if any, national leaders publicly discuss the possibility or even the probability that this underlying stability could change at any time.

But it certainly canand perhaps sooner than one would imagine.

A Smart Strategy to Challenge US Sea Power

In its long and deliberate march to replace the U.S.-led global order, China has pursued a different and quite clever tactic that comes with some serious strategic advantages.

The Chinese regimes military planners rightly concluded that it would take them years, if not decades, to build and learn to use a blue-water navy that could stand up to the U.S. Navy. Even in 2021, although it has made great strides, the Chinese Navy still isnt equal to U.S. naval might.

However, Chinese analysts have likely looked at a global map of all of the overseas trade routes. And in roughly the year 2013, they realized two simple facts.

The first fact was that they didnt have to compete head-to-head with the U.S. Navy in order to gain an advantage over it. Through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Maritime Silk Road (MSR), both launched in 2013, China started to buy existing ports throughout the world. It was a logical extension of its massive global export economy.

Control Harbors, Not Oceans

Doing so has also provided them with a significant presence in key trading nations and regions. Notably, however, via the MSR, China has maritime access to not just Southeast Asia, but to Africa and even to Europe as well. But its much more than just sea route access to those regions. China now owns all of the major ports along those routes.

Chinas ownership of ports and waterways includes those with strategic significance. Once established there, China has been able to customize the ports to its own trading needs and perhaps even military or intelligence needs and advantages. But more than that, Beijing is exerting influence over the ports home countries, as well as nations that need to deliver their products through China-owned ports.

By maintaining control over the access to goods needed by nations throughout the world, Chinas foreign influence has quietly, but significantly, expanded without the need for a single warship to be added to its fleet.

Gaining Control of the Sea Gates

The second fact learned by Chinese analysts in 2013 was that many ports in strategic locations through which much of the trade in the world passes are known as sea gates. Sea gates are strategic because theyre gatewaysor more often, narrow chokepointsto oceans or markets. To access routes, ships must pass through these sea gates.

Chinas port at Djibouti is the narrow, maritime passage at the mouth of the Red Sea and the southern access route to the Suez Canal, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea. Its position is strategic because it serves as a sea gate for Indian, Indonesian, and many African nations shipping access to the European market.

Chinese Peoples Liberation Army personnel attend the opening ceremony of Chinas new military base in Djibouti on Aug. 1, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Image)

Perhaps not surprisingly, Djibouti has also become Chinas first overseas military base (if those in the South China Sea are excluded from that category), and for good reason. Its not only a port, but a massive military presence in Africa, and its accompanied by a $3.4 billion railway system, which also allows for the transport and export of African natural resources back to China.

Thus, the port is a naval and military presence to protect vital resources for the Chinese economy. Key resource supply chains are well established in the North and Central African markets, as well as in the European and Middle Eastern markets. Djibouti enables Beijing to project power and influence at one of the most heavily trafficked crossroads in the world.

Chinas power and influence gained from ownership of the Djibouti port also extends to the massive oil shipments that come out of the nearby Straits of Hormuz, upon which China is dependent. In fact, port ownership is a principal feature of the Chinese regimes strategy for global domination and includes the U.S. ports of Houston and Miami, as well as the Panama Canal.

As is clearly evident, Beijings maritime port strategy is based on the simple fact that no matter where goods and ships may come from, theyll eventually need to come to a port to transfer their goods to market. At the very least, gaining control over ports throughout the world gives China leverage and revenues in port fees, the power to determine which ships can dock there, and so forth.

After all, who needs a global navy to run blockades and control trade when you can do the same thing all over the world without deploying a single naval vessel or firing a shot?

The Chinese regime benefits from this very smart strategy in multiple ways, at the expense of the United States and other competitors. It remains to be seen when and how Beijing will decide to fully exploit its advantage and what the United States will do about it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese security guards surround the entrance to a mine as family members arrive to find out the fate of the miners, following a gas explosion in Pingdingshan, central China's Henan province on September 8, 2009. (AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese City Public Transit Staff Go on Strike After Being Unpaid for Over 8 Months

A large number of public transit staff, including drivers, staged a strike in a Chinese city as they struggled through being unpaid for at least eight months.

On Nov. 1, crowds of public transit workers rallied at the headquarters of their employer, Pingdingshan Public Transit Group, and its subsidiaries, in the city of Pingdingshan of central Chinas Henan Province, state media outlets reported. The group had not paid its drivers for eight months and other logistical staff for more than 12 months. Moreover, the employer had suspended paying premiums for their social insurance programs since 2017.

Footage posted online shows protesters from the group were on sit-in strike. A shrill feminine voice can be heard shouting that they could no longer keep a living after they hadnt received wages for so many months.

The Epoch Times reached out to demonstrators on Nov. 2, but only one of them disclosed they had received part of the unpaid wages on the same day of the strike. The rest were hesitant to accept an interview due to widespread censorship in communist China.

However, an insider that requested to remain anonymous told The Epoch Times that about 1,000 front-line drivers attended the event. The 1-day rally lasted until around 6:00 p.m., paralyzing the whole citys public transportation system.

By the end of the same day, protesters had received two months of unpaid wages to placate the crowd, said the interviewee. A second payment for another two months would follow within the week, and the remaining part would be cleared by the end of this year, the interviewee added.

A local resident surnamed Lee said during the protest a team of riot police arrived at the scene and attempted to arrest one protestor. However, fellow demonstrators successfully pulled him out of police hands.

The Epoch Times reached out to the transit group for a comment, but the receiver in the office claimed they knew nothing about the event and suggested contacting their publicity and education department. The department did not answer calls despite repeated attempts.

I heard there was a shortfall of 190 million yuan [$29.7 million] unpaid for staff social insurance programs, said the insider.

Affected employees had previously organized a similar event, but they were interrupted, the insider told The Epoch Times. Whoever went on strike would be downright fired, he remembered.

The unpaid front-line drivers have to make money by serving as delivery or substitute drivers after their regular daytime shift, said Lee. Or they cannot be breadwinners for their families.

You may not know, the government of Pingdingshan City has great power, Lee said. But regular citizens live a miserable life, adding the workers were at their wits end.

State media attributed the unpaid wages to the pandemic impact, low bus fares, and delayed governmental subsidies. However, the interviewees blamed the local government for inaction to handle the incident.

Public data shows China has many local debt crises. The total debts of the countrys local governments had surged to 25.5 trillion yuan ($3.91 trillion) by the end of November 2020, according to Chinas Ministry of Finance.

Gu Xiaohua contributed to this report.
A man points at the New Yalu River Bridge designed to connect China's Dandong New Zone and North Korea's Sinuiju, in Dandong, Liaoning province, China, on April 20, 2021. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Chinese City to Expand Border Facilities With North Korea

The Chinese city of Dandong aims to build more facilites at its border crossing with North Korea as the two countries resumed cross-border rail freight traffic, media reported, fuelling anticipation of the complete reopening of the border soon.

North Korea shut its borders in January 2020, one of the first countries to do so after cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in neighboring China, its most important trade partner.

The Chinese regime has also been wary in opening its borders to other countries.

A Dandong government procurement tender notice dated Nov. 1 invites companies to bid for the management of construction at the port of entry at the New Yalu River Bridge, a vehicular dual-carriageway connecting Dandong with the North Korean town of Sinuiju.

The bidding notice did not specify what facilities are to be built on the Dandong-side, only that the winning company would be responsible for managing the entire process of construction, from planning to construction to inspection and evaluation.

Meanwhile, trains from Dandong resumed rail freight shipments across the Yalu River border to North Korea on Monday, the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia reported, citing unidentified sources.

The resumption of rail freight would mean supplies of trade goods and aid for North Korea as it grapples with an economic crisis and what foreign analysts believe is a serious food shortage.

The new bridge over the Yalu has never been used since construction was completed a few years ago because facilities on the North Korean side have yet to be built.

On the Chinese side, a customs building and complex of residential and commercial facilities have been built.

North Korea has for years relied on China for oil, fertilizer, and mechanical parts to stay afloat amid U.N. sanctions over its nuclear and missile program. China accounts for more than 90 percent of its trade.

By Yew Lun Tian
Kaisas troubles come amid concerns about a deepening liquidity crisis in the Chinese property sector, with a string of offshore debt defaults, credit rating downgrades, and sell offs in the developers shares and bonds in recent weeks.

The Shenzhen-based developer, which provides a guarantee for the wealth management product, said in a statement it is facing unprecedented liquidity pressure due to a challenging property market and rating downgrades.

It said it was raising funds to ease the pressure by measures including speeding up asset sales. It is ranked as the 25th largest developer in the country by home sales.

Kaisa has the most offshore debt coming due over the next year of any Chinese developer after embattled China Evergrande Group, which is reeling under more than $300 billion in liabilities.

Kaisas peer Fantasia had defaulted on an offshore bond tranche last month.

Fantasia and Kaisa declined to comment. The Shenzhen central sub-branch of Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) could not be reached for comment.

Kaisa senior management including group chairman Kwok Ying Ching spoke to WMP investors in a meeting on Thursday, the developers statement said, to discuss payment solutions.

Two investors told Reuters that Kaisa said during the meeting it has a total outstanding 12.79 billion yuan ($2.00 billion) in principal and interest, and it plans to pay it back gradually. But investors have pushed back strongly, they added.

Kaisa did not immediately respond to Reuters questions about its repayment plan.

Gradual Repayment

Kaisa, in common with other heavily-indebted Chinese property developers and conglomerates, issues high-yielding WMPs to mostly mom-and-pop investorsa popular way of borrowing that sidesteps stringent regime lending restrictions.

Evergrandes wealth arm, which raised more than 100 billion yuan in the past five years, missed its payments earlier this year, leading to protests by investors in several cities in September who feared they will never get their money back.

Hong Kong-listed shares of Kaisa, which has a market value of about $1 billion, plunged more than 15 percent on Thursday to an all-time low. Its December 2021 6.5 percent dollar bond slumped more than 17 percent to 51.5 cents, yielding over 1,000 percent, according to Marketaxxess.

Kaisa has around $3.2 billion in offshore senior notes due in the next 12 months, with the next maturity worth $400 million falling on Dec. 7. It has coupon payments totalling over $59 million due on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12.

Kaisa Finances headquarters was nearly empty on Thursday morning, with several police vehicles stationed outside the building.

Reuters reported last week that Kaisa is seeking buyers for its Hong Kong-listed property management unit, Kaisa Prosperity Holdings Ltd and two residential sites in the city.

Evergrande narrowly averted a default for the second time last week, but faces another hard deadline on Nov. 10 for more than $148 million in coupon payments that had been due on Oct. 11.

Its unit Scenery Journey has coupon payments totaling more than $82 million due Nov. 6, though the bonds terms grant a 30-day grace period on such payments.

Liquidity Crunch

Separately, smaller player Yango Group, which is seeking to exchange its dollar bonds to help avoid a default, said it has reached an agreement with investors in China to extend principal payments on asset-backed securities.

Shanghai Shimao Co. said it will limit investor participation in seven Shanghai-traded bonds starting Friday. It added it sees no major events that seriously harm its repayment ability.

Investor concerns about the broadening impact of the liquidity crunch sparked heavy selling of other Chinese developers bonds in onshore markets on Thursday.

Exchange-traded bonds of onshore units of developers Yuzhou Group and Shimao Group plunged more than 20 percent, triggering trading halts. Refinitiv data showed dollar bonds from Ronshine China Holdings, Zhenro Properties Group, and Guangzhou R&F falling more than 10 percent.

($1 = 6.3980 Chinese yuan renminbi)

By David Kirton, Clare Jim and Andrew Galbraith
Ciattarelli Not Conceding to Murphy Yet, Says Election Result Will be Legal and Fair

New Jerseys Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli is not conceding to Gov. Phil Murphy at this time, arguing the race is too close to call.

Murphy leads Ciattarelli in the vote count by about 1 percent with tens of thousands of ballots yet to be tallied.

The governors victory speech last night was premature. No one should be declaring victory or conceding the election until every legal vote is counted, Ciattarelli said in a video to supporters posted on social media on Thursday night.

Murphy was projected the winner by the Associated Press and some other outlets on Wednesday and the Democrat, currently in his first term, declared victory.

Ballots will be accepted through to Nov. 8, according to the New Jersey secretary of states website, and official results wont be certified until next month.

Murphy told supporters in Asbury Park just before midnight that he was humbled to be the first Democratic governor re-elected in the great state of New Jersey since my dear friend, the late governor Brendan Byrne, did this in 1977.

Stami Williams, the Ciattarelli campaigns communications director, noted that just 24 hours earlier, Murphy had said that were going to wait for every vote to be counted and thats how our democracy works.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy addresses supporters at an election night event in Asbury Park, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2021. (Rachel Wisniewski/Reuters)

According to unofficial counts, Murphy on Thursday had about 51 percent of the votes with 97 percent of the expected ballots counted.

Ciattarelli said the plan was to let the counties still tallying ballots continue and informed supporters that his campaign has people watching over the counting.

Any decision on a recount or audit will come at the end of that process.

The Republican also urged people not to fall victim to wild conspiracy theories or online rumors, though he said any and all credible reports would be considered and noted that any irregularities could be reported to a hotline set up by the New Jersey Republican Party.

Whats most important is for everyone to be patient and let the process play out, he said. Know thismy team is comprised of some of the best legal and political experts in the country. I promise you, whatever the outcome, the election result will be legal and fair.
Cultural Proficiency Is Not Critical Race Theory: California School District Advances Controversial Curriculum

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif.The Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) Board of Trustees held its second quarterly report Nov. 3 for its Cultural Proficiency Plan, a curriculum approved last December amid controversy.

Parents of the districts students attended the meeting to express their support for or concerns about the curriculums implementation after the topic drew parents concern of its linkage to critical race theory (CRT).

Ive been asked many times if we teach critical race theory here at Capistrano Unified, said Kristen M. Vital Brulte, superintendent of CUSD, during the Nov. 3 meeting. The answer is no.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Dr. Wenyuan Wu, the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation executive director, described CRT as the foundation to challenge equality, fraternity, and merit, promoting a narrow worldview that you are either a victim or an oppressor by your skin color.

It stokes racial division, she said. Its essentially racial stereotyping and racial discrimination. It encourages our students to look at themselves and their peers through the prism of race.

The Capistrano Unified School District in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2021. (Brandon Drey/The Epoch Times)

Brulte said the district doesnt weave CRT using words like equity, cultural proficiency, or racism in its social or emotional work. Instead, it promotes inclusion, safety, and acceptance for all, and students will know how to work with, collaborate, and understand people in a diverse world.

You guys already said its not CRT, but  its a slippery slope, and it might just go into it, a speaker said during the meeting.

The mission of the curriculum is to facilitate measurable systemic change that increases learning outcomes for all students by engaging in ongoing reflection to ensure an inclusive environment where students, staff, and the community value diversity, according to the plan.

While some may argue that such education should occur in the home and outside of school, and I dont necessarily disagree, the reality is that unfortunately, that does not always occur, a San Clemente High School teacher said during the meeting.

The Capistrano Unified School District in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2021. (Brandon Drey/The Epoch Times)

He said that rather than ignoring or denying student testimonies who face discrimination, educating all the students with cultural proficiency could prevent further discrimination in the future.

Students enrolled in a CUSD school will receive one lesson for one hour per year to prepare students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world that is increasingly global and diverse.

As we still see actions of hate on our campuses, which we are resolving much quicker in a supportive and inclusive manner, said a San Clemente High School student. I want to celebrate our efforts and stress this plan is so important. As a community, we are not predominately white, and our students of color deserve this support and attention in an intersectional way.

Gregory Merwin, the districts chief academic officer, shared the plans recent developments, specifically the online family resource center, including access to the cultural proficiency lessons and the California School Board Associations CRT frequently asked questions document.

The lessons support this work through promoting equity, appreciating differences, addressing bullying, and resolving conflict, said Merwin during the meeting. So clearly, cultural proficiency is not critical race theory, and we encourage the public to read it themselves in the family resource center.

The cultural proficiency plan aims to reduce suspensions for specifically identified groups by 25 percent. The groups included are foster youth, students with disabilities, homeless, black, Hispanic, or socioeconomically disadvantaged.

One public commenter at the meeting addressed the legal concern of the goal. She cited the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, adding that Californias 14th Amendment states that a person may not be denied equal protection of the laws.

If they fall within a certain class or category account, you dont need to be an attorney to know that you guys are discriminating based on the class that people have, which is illegal, she said. If a student commits an act which is wrong, their punishment should be colorblind, not based on the same category of where they fall.

Merwin responded to the legal concern by clarifying that the punishment is not separate for the different subgroups.

What were doing is we are monitoring the suspension rates of these subgroups; we are not treating them differently, he said. The strategies and the action steps are for all students to support all students with behavior.

The next quarterly report from CUSD discussing the Cultural Proficiency Plan is scheduled for Feb. 16, including student data, academic goals, and outcomes.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks during a press conference at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas on March 25, 2018. (John Hanna/AP Photo)

Democrat Governor Speaks Out Against Bidens COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said she opposes President Joe Bidens requirement that businesses with 100 or more employees get the COVID-19 vaccine or submit to regular testing.

Kelly, who is up for reelection next year, said that she believes Thursdays mandate unveiled by the Department of Labor wouldnt be the most effective move.

It is too late to impose a federal standard now that we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored for our specific needs, she said in a statement online. I will seek a resolution that continues to recognize the uniqueness of our state and builds on our on-going efforts to combat a once-in-a-century crisis, the governor continued.

During a Kansas City-area event hosted Thursday, Kelly said she supports encouraging people to get the vaccine rather than imposing requirements. Its not clear if she will take legal action.

Kellys disapproval of the mandate comes as numerous Republican governors and attorneys general said they would file lawsuits to block it.

On Friday, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and 10 others filed a lawsuit against the mandate for private businesses, arguing that the federal government lacks the authority and only the states possess such powers. News website The Daily Wire also filed a lawsuit against the challenge in a federal court on Thursday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday his state would join a lawsuit filed by Alabama, Georgia, and private plaintiffs seeking to nullify the rule.

The federal government cannot unilaterally impose medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation, DeSantis said. That is exactly what theyre trying to do here.

The Department of Labor set a Jan. 4 deadline for private businesses to comply with the mandate. If the requirement isnt blocked by the courts, businesses could face fines of tens of thousands of dollars due to noncompliance.

In explaining the move, Biden said that he didnt want to impose a vaccine mandate but that the requirement is the best way to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The president also dismissed concerns that the vaccine mandate would lead to mass worker layoffs and would create a significant downturn in the U.S. economy.

There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements, he said. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.

Other than the mandate for private-sector workers, the administration also delayed its requirement for federal contractorswho dont have the option to submit to weekly testingto Jan. 4. Similarly, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it would require all healthcare workers who work at Medicaid- or Medicare-funded hospitals to get the shot by the same date.
Diplomat Found Dead Outside Berlin Embassy Was Russian Secret Agent: Der Spiegel

BERLINGerman security services believe that a man found dead in a street outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin last month was an undercover agent of Russias FSB intelligence service, Der Spiegel reported on Friday.

The body of the 35-year-old man was found early on Oct. 19 by Berlin police officers guarding the building, the magazine said. Quoting security sources, it said the man had fallen from an upper floor at the embassy.

The officers called an ambulance, but medics were unable to resuscitate him, it added.

The embassy confirmed in a statement to Interfax news agency that a Russian diplomat had died but said it was not commenting on this tragic event for ethical reasons.

Berlin police declined to comment and directed all questions to public prosecutors, who said they could neither confirm nor deny the Der Spiegel report. The discovery of a body outside the Russian diplomatic mission had not previously been reported.

Security sources told the magazine it was unclear how the diplomat had fallen and what had caused his death. The Russian Embassy had not agreed to an autopsy, Der Spiegel said.

All formalities linked to repatriating the body of the diplomat were promptly settled with the responsible law enforcement and medical authorities of Germany in accordance with the practices in place, the embassy said in its statement to Interfax.

The man, who has not been named, was officially listed as a second secretary at the embassy, the magazine said. He was also a relative of a Russia-based senior officer of the FSBs second directorate, which deals with anti-terrorism.

The embassy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the Spiegel report.

A German Foreign Ministry spokesman told a regular news briefing on Friday that the German government was aware of the death of a Russian diplomat in Berlin but could not give any details.

By Thomas Escritt, Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, and Miranda Murray
U.S. Attorney John Durham speaks to reporters on the steps of U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn., on April 25, 2006. (Bob Child/AP Photo)

Durham Indictment of Danchenko Reveals Role of Clinton Advisor in Dossier Creation

News analysis

Igor Danchenko, the primary source for Christopher Steeles dossier, has been indicted on a five-count charge of making false statements to the FBI in the Eastern District of Virginia. The indictment and arrest of Danchenko was confirmed in a statement issued by the Office of Special Counsel John Durham, who noted that his investigation is ongoing.

Danchenko is the third person to be arrested as part of Durhams ongoing probe into the origins of the FBIs investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith was convicted of doctoring a document in relation to the FBI obtaining a FISA warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Former Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann pleaded not guilty last month to a charge of lying to the FBI while allegedly attempting to induce the FBI to investigate a false Russia conspiracy theory.

Danchenkos indictment appears to be the most significant development in the Durham investigation to date. As Steeles primary sub-source, Danchenko was ostensibly responsible for most of the content within Steeles dossier. The dossier was later used to obtain the FISA warrant on Page. Steeles dossier was commissioned by opposition research firm Fusion GPS on behalf of the Clinton Campaign.

A summary of the dossier was also attached to the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that blamed Russia for interfering in the 2016 election to help then-candidate Donald Trump. That assessment played a key role in efforts to investigate Trump, culminating in the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller.

Danchenko is charged with lying to the FBI about two specific facts.

Durham Reveals Democrat Party Operative as a Source for Steeles Dossier

Count One of Durhams indictment relates to denials from Danchenko to FBI agents that he had spoken with PR-Executive-1, now identified as Charles Dolan, about any material contained in Steeles dossier. As Durhams indictment lays out, Dolan, described as a long-time participant in Democrat party politics, was actually Danchenkos source for many of the allegations within Steeles dossier. Dolans role in the creation of the dossier was not known publicly until yesterday.

Dolans identity as PR Executive-1 has been confirmed through a brief statement from his lawyer, who also noted that Dolan was a witness in Durhams ongoing case.

Danchenko, who had worked at the left-leaning think tank Brookings Institute from 2005 to 2010, was introduced to Dolan in February 2016 by another Brookings employee, Fiona Hill, who had previously introduced Danchenko to Steele in late 2010. Following this introduction Danchenko began working for Steele in 2011. Hill would later become known to the public in 2019 during her testimony at the impeachment hearings of then-President Trump.

Durham notes in the indictment that Dolans role was highly relevant and material to the FBIs review of Steeles allegations because Dolan maintained pre-existing and ongoing relationships with numerous persons named in Steeles dossier.

Additionally, as Durhams indictment notes, allegations sourced to [Dolan] by Danchenko formed the basis of a [dossier] report that, in turn, underpinned the FISA applications made by the FBI on Trump campaign adviser Page.

Durham repeatedly notes that if Danchenko had not lied to the FBI regarding Dolans role, the FBI might have taken further investigative steps, including interviewing Dolan. While this assertion may be accurate, it also appears that the FBI failed repeatedly to investigate specific details or events that could have been easily verified or disproven.

Dolan and the Clintons have a lengthy history that dates back to the 1990s. In 2008, Dolan served as an adviser to then-Sen. Clintons presidential campaign and he actively campaigned on behalf of Clintons 2016 presidential campaign.

Clinton Advisers Role in Dossier and His Russian Connections

From 2006 to 2014, Dolan handled public relations for the Russian government and a state-owned energy firm. According to Durham, Dolan maintained relationships with the then-Russian Ambassador to the United States and the head of the Russian Embassys Economic Section in Washington. As Durham notes, both men would later appear by name in Steeles dossier.

Durhams indictment details Dolans communications with a number of high level Russian officials that took place at the same time that Clinton was accusing Trump of communicating with the Kremlin. Dolans ongoing work for Russia makes it likely that he should have been required to register with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but Durhams indictment does not address this matter.

Information from Dolan was featured in an Aug. 22, 2016, dossier report from Steele that ostensibly described the reasons behind the departure of Paul Manafort from the Trump campaign. Dolan told Danchenko that he had received this information from a GOP friend. But Dolan later acknowledged to the FBI that he had fabricated the meeting and instead relayed information he had obtained from public reporting.

It also appears that Dolan may have played a role, unknowingly or otherwise, in some of the more salacious aspects of Steeles dossier. In what was described as a June 2016 Planning Trip, Dolan stayed at a Moscow hotel. As Durhams indictment notes, Dolan was given a tour of the hotels presidential suite, and met with the manager and other staff of the hotel. During the tour, it was mentioned to Dolan that Trump had stayed in the presidential suite, but Durham notes that Dolan claims there was no mention of any sexual or salacious activity.

Allegations of a pee tape made at the hotels presidential suite during Trumps stay were contained in Steeles June 20, 2016, report. Steeles dossier falsely attributed the story to American businessman Sergei Millianbut Danchenko later claimed that he had characterized the alleged activity to Steele as rumor and speculation. Danchenko, who initially told the FBI he was at the hotel in June with Dolan, later admitted that he had not visited the hotel until October 2016.

Clinton Advisers Involvement in Dossier Apparently Extensive

Durham also includes an email from Dolan that appears to reference former UK Ambassador to Russia, Sir Andrew Wood. In an email discussing Steele, Dolan writes that he is [a]lso in conversation with former British Ambassador who knows [Steele].

Wood famously brought the Steele dossier to the attention of then-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) at a meeting in November 2016 during a private meeting in Nova Scotia, Canada. McCain sent an associate, David Kramer, to London to meet with Steele on Nov. 28, 2016. Kramer gave a copy of Steeles dossier to McCain who, in turn, provided a copy of the dossier to then-FBI Director James Comey on Dec. 9, 2016.

All the charges against Danchenko center around statements that he made in Eastern Virginialikely at his home. Durham might be strategically inclined to focus on these particular charges as they allow him to file outside of the Democratic-leaning D.C. courts. The geographic focus of the indictment may also explain why some of the material claims made in the dossier were either not discussed or mentioned only in passing in the indictment.

Durhams indictment notes a number of other meetings, conversations, and emails between Dolan and Danchenko showing that Dolan passed along other information also used in Steeles dossier.

Durhams indictment also reveals that Dolan may have provided some assistance to Danchenko. Durham notes that on June 10, 2016, Dolan emailed an acquaintance regarding efforts to assist Danchenko in obtaining a U.S. visa, stating that Danchenko owes me as his Visa is being held up and I am having a word with the Ambassador.

Additionally, Dolan appeared to have promised another alleged dossier source, Olga Galkina, a position in the Clinton State Department if Clinton was to win the 2016 presidential election. Galkina is cited in Durhams indictment as telling associates that Dolan would take me to the State Department if Hillary wins. The implication behind Galkinas claim is that Dolan was promised a role in Clintons administration himself.

Durham also describes how Danchenko recommended Dolan and his public relations firm to Galkina, who at the time was serving as Alexi Gubarevs personal secretary. Gubarev, a Russian internet entrepreneur, ultimately hired Dolan as his PR adviser. Strangely, Gubarev would end up being falsely accused in Steeles dossier of working with Russian hackers to infiltrate the Democratic National Committees computer systems. When Gubarev later sued Fusion GPS for defamation, Dolan served as Gubarevs spokesman.

The Fictitious Sergei Millian Phone Call

The remaining four charges laid out in Durhams indictment of Danchenko relate to Sergei Millian, an American national of Belarus descent. Many of the details behind these charges were already known to those who had been investigating the Russia-collusion stories.

Durhams indictment alleges that Danchenko lied to the FBI on four separate occasions, each time claiming that hed had a phone conversation in the summer of 2016 with someone he believed to have been Millian. For his part, Millian has always stated that he never met Danchenko, in person or by phone. Millians assertions are emphatically proven in Durhams indictment of Danchenko where it is repeatedly stated that Danchenko never spoke to Chamber President-1 [Millian].

Millian differed from all of Steeles other purported sources in that he had no actual contact with anyone within Steeles orbitincluding Danchenko. Steele has demonstrated a preference for his targets to be physically present with his operatives. And indeed, Steele told the FBI that he believed Danchenko had met with Millian on two or three separate occasions.

The allegations attributed to Millian are crucial to the Steele dossier. Steele used Millian as the supposed source for his allegations of a well-developed conspiracy of cooperation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was foundational to the Trump-Russia collusion narrative. Steele further attributed Millian as the source for allegations regarding secret communications between Russian Alfa Bank and Trump. Also ascribed to Millian were the Wikileaks email dump and the salacious pee tape story. All from a person whom neither Steele nor Danchenko had ever met with or spoken to.

Danchenko admitted to the FBI that his first outreach to Millian was on July 22, 2016, via email, which is cited in Durhams indictment. But by this point, Steele, apparently believing that Danchenko had actually met Millian, had already published two reports in his dossier that attributed specific allegations to Millian. As Danchenko admitted to the FBI in a November 2017 follow-up interview, Steele erroneously believed that there had been in-person meetings between Danchenko and Millian, a belief which Danchenko did not correct.

It is unlikely that Steele would have placed so much emphasis on Millian as a major source without a plausible scenario for how these stories were obtained.

FBI Continued Investigation of Trump Despite Danchenko Contradictions

Although Steele named Millian as one of his sources to the media, State Department officials, and the FBI, he was more guarded when it came to his other alleged sources. Their identities were only uncovered last year after internet sleuths extrapolated information from Danchenkos interview notes with the FBI. These individuals, friends and acquaintances of Danchenko, did not have any pertinent information about Putins thoughts or intentions, nor were they in a position to obtain any such information.

All six of these alleged sources have recently come forward and signed affidavits denying having ever told Steele or Danchenko anything in relation to the dossier.

While some commentators, including ex-FBI agent Peter Strozk, are now suggesting that the FBI was duped by Danchenko, that is categorically not the case. Durhams revelations with respect to Millian were known to the FBI by late January 2017 as they knew that Steele had attributed information in early dossier reports to Millian. At the same time, the FBI also knew that Danchenko had not yet reached out to Millian at that point. Similarly, Millians alleged phone call could have been easily investigated and shown to have been fabricated by Danchenko.

However, instead of taking these simple investigative steps, the FBI forged on with their investigation, a process that tied up the Trump administration for the next three years.

One important question remains. When Danchenko was interviewed by the FBI in January 2017, he was given what is known as a queen for a day immunity deal, which gave him the opportunity to walk away from the entire dossier affair, provided he told the FBI the truth. Danchenko had every incentive to tell the FBI the truth, but for reasons that remain unknown he chose not to do so.

Jeff Carlson Follow Jeff Carlson co-hosts the show Truth Over News on Epoch TV. He is a CFA-registered Charterholder and worked for 20 years as an analyst and portfolio manager in the high-yield bond market. He also runs the website TheMarketsWork.com and can be followed on Twitter @themarketswork.
Smoke belches from a coal-fueled power station near Datong, in China's northern Shanxi Province on Nov. 19, 2015. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Entanglement of Climate and Trade Overshadows US-China Relations: Experts

President Joe Bidens climate envoy John Kerry went to China twice in the last six months but failed to get Beijing to cooperate on climate issues.

In their meeting on Sept. 1, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Kerry, China-U.S. climate co-operation cannot be separated from the wider environment of China-U.S. relations.

However, later that month, Beijing suddenly ordered a series of blackouts allegedly to reduce carbon emission.

Taiwanese economist Wu Jialong thought that the true motivation behind the power cuts was political rather than environmental.

Wu said his point can be seen from two events. The first was on Sept. 9 when Biden made a phone call to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping. While the content of the call largely remains hidden from the public, it is known that the release of Huaweis Meng Wanzhou was discussed. Meng, the daughter of Huaweis founder, was arrested in Canada on Dec. 1, 2018, for possible violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Two weeks after the phone call, two things happened: Meng was released; Beijing ordered blackouts.

Wu told The Epoch Times, power cuts are temporary. It was in exchange for Mengs release. Xi wanted to impress Biden, see, I can keep my promise. But it cant solve the climate and emission issues. It is also impossible for Beijing to use power cuts in exchange for lowered tariffs.

Pro-CCP Think Tank Cautiously Optimistic

On Oct. 25, a China-based pro-CCP think tank, Intellisia, released a report saying that the China-U.S. relationship is moving in a direction favorable to the CCP.

In addition to increased communications between high-level officials, the report listed two indicators, namely the release of Meng and the inconclusive investigation of the coronavirus origin.

The Intellisia report said that the CCP considers the virus origin the most politically sensitive topic, yet the investigation result surprisingly did not point to China as the origin, instead it only asked for transparency and more data sharing from China.

Perhaps the Biden administration realized Beijings hypersensitivity and the strong stance against this issue, the report concluded.

Another event approved by the think tank was that on the same day Meng was released, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told The Wall Street Journal that she seeks to improve U.S. business ties with China, and she plans to bring American executives to China.

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton commented that Raimondo is not only doing the bidding of the China lobby, shes actively recruiting for it.

CCPs Renewed Climate Pledge Mission Impossible

On Oct. 28, China submitted an updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) on fighting climate change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ahead of the U.N. climate change talks in Glasgow.

In the NDC, China pledged to increase solar and wind power capacity, and become carbon neutral by 2060. Both Wu and financial analyst Huang Shicong told The Epoch Times that it is not that simple.

According to Wu, thermoelectricity power amounts to 77 percent of Chinas electricity production, while hydropower amounts to 17 percent.

To decrease carbon emission, one must change the energy structure, which is expensive to do but Beijing would rather spend the money on international organizations and American politicians, Wu said.

In addition, western China is where more wind and solar power plants can be built, Huang explained, and the eastern coastal area is where most power is consumed. So, there is the problem with power storage and long-distance power transmission. Their power grid is another big issue.

Both experts agreed that wind, solar, and hydropower rely heavily on the weather and are unpredictable.

Huang said that it is almost impossible for China to reach its own pledged goals.

The whole world is in doubt because they reopened quite a number of coal mines due to increasing electricity consumption, Huang said. It shows that what theyve done so far is a total failure. Who would believe what they said in the NDC?

Kelly Song Follow Kelly Song is a U.S.-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on all things related to China.
EpochTV Film Review: The Great Eclipse (The Creation Guys Series)

An Entertaining & Informative Video Episode About Solar Eclipses.

On Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, millions of people were staring at a magnificent sightone of the rare solar eclipses that grace our planet once in a while. Of course, that feat alone (looking safely at an eclipse) wouldnt be possible without wearing those iconic glasses that were probably all familiar with by nowyou know, the thin ones with the blocky horizontal rims.

This particular eclipse followed a specific patha path of totality if you will, which was a narrow portion of the United States that led from Salem, Oregon, and moved southeast across the United States down to Charleston, South Carolina. From there, it disappeared off into the vast environs of the Atlantic Ocean.

But there was also a secondary prize available for those who couldnt get to the direct path of totalitywhere observers will see the Moon completely cover the sun for about two and a half minutes. A partial sighting of the Aug. 21 eclipse was visible across the entire continent of North America, as well as in parts of Europe, South America, and Africa.

That was a special day because it was the first time since way back in 1918 that North America got the chance to experience the path of totality from coast to coast. Its something most of us will most likely never see again.

Back in 2017, Kyle Justice and Pat Roy of The Creation Guys produced their first episode titled The Great Eclipse, which was aboutyou guessed itthe eclipse of 2017. However, Kyle and Pat also delved deeper into both the mysteries and science behind these rare events, the latter being illuminated greatly by astronomer Dr. Danny Faulkner, of the apologetics ministry Answers in Genesis.

As Kyle points out early on in the episode, both men brought their families along to shoot the show on location just north of Salem, Oregon, on a hazelnut farm. Its a beautiful locale that provides a consistently lush and verdant backdrop throughout the entire video.

Kyle Justice (L) and Pat Roy in the episode The Great Eclipse (Awesome Science Media)

Ive often wondered how we humans are able to even know when these grand events are going to transpire in the first place. Fortunately, at one point Roy asks Dr. Faulkner how people here on Earth are able to predict the arrival of eclipses so far in advancetimescale-wise.

You were just showing us all of the mathematics involved in this, Dr. Faulknerwere able to predict eclipses way out, before they happen, Roy says. Why can we predict things like that?

Because theres a pretty regular pattern to natureGod has ordained that the Earth work by consistent patterns, Dr. Faulkner says. He goes on to point out historical benchmarks with regard to eclipses. For instance, as Dr. Faulkner explains, the first person to calculate the paths of eclipses was an English astronomer and mathematician named Edmond Halley (1656-1742), a friend of Isaac Newton.

From L to R, Kyle Justice, Dr. Danny Faulkner, and Pat Roy in the episode The Great Eclipse (Awesome Science Media)

Of course, through modern technology we can look far back in time to see exactly when eclipses have occurred. We can also figure out the distance between the Earth, the sun, and moon, down to the minutest of measurements. For example, the moon is slowly spinning away from the Earth at a rate of three centimeters per year, as Dr. Faulkner points out.

The show also has some humorous and entertaining moments, such as when Kyle and Roys daughters suddenly appear and use balls of various sizes to illustrate how eclipses are even possible in the first place. They explain that although our sun is 400 times larger in diameter than the moon, it just so happens to be 400 times farther away. This explains why the moon just barely manages to cover the sun up (although you can see the suns solar flares if looking through a telescope).

Overall, The Great Eclipse is great viewing for the entire family. Its not only well-produced, but also educational and has Biblical references. Indeed, as the shows description states, eclipses cause people to marvel as you explore the amazing design of Gods creation, see why a total solar eclipse is so unique in our solar system, hear from those that were there, and why such miraculous phenomenon should cause us to worship God as Creator and King.

Be sure to check out these links and get 10 percent OFF every purchase now. Enter this coupon code at checkout: EPOCHTV [click here]

The Great Eclipse (Awesome Science Media)

The Great Eclipse (The Creation Guys Series)

Starring: Kyle Justice, Pat Roy, Dr. Danny Faulkner

Running Time: 28:30 minutes

Release Date: 2017

Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Watch the film NOW here.

Follow EpochTV on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
COVID fears have triggered chaos in hospitals as people who tried to avoid the emergency department delayed treatment and developed more serious problems. (CHOKCHAI POOMICHAIYA/Shutterstock)

ERs Are Swamped With Seriously Ill Patients, Although Many Dont Have COVID-19

Inside the emergency department at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan, staff members were struggling to care for patients who are showing up much sicker than theyve ever seen.

Tiffani Dusang, the emergency rooms (ER) nursing director, practically vibrated with pent-up anxiety, looking at patients lying on a long line of stretchers pushed up against the beige walls of the hospital hallways.

Its hard to watch, she said.

But theres nothing that she could do. The ERs 72 rooms are already filled.

I always feel very, very bad when I walk down the hallway and see that people are in pain or needing to sleep or needing quiet. But they have to be in the hallway with  10 or 15 people walking by every minute, Dusang said.

The scene is a stark contrast to where this emergency departmentand thousands of otherswere at the start of the pandemic. Except for initial hot spots such as New York, in spring 2020, many ERs across the country were often eerily empty. Terrified of contracting COVID-19, people who were sick with other things did their best to stay away from hospitals. Visits to emergency rooms dropped to half their typical levels and didnt fully rebound until this summer, according to the Epic Health Research Network.

But now, theyre too full. Even in parts of the country where COVID-19 isnt overwhelming the health care system, patients are showing up to the ER sicker than before the pandemic, their diseases being more advanced and in need of more complicated care.

Months of treatment delays have exacerbated chronic conditions and worsened symptoms. Doctors and nurses say the severity of illness ranges widely and includes abdominal pain, respiratory problems, blood clots, heart conditions, and suicide attempts, among other conditions.

But they can hardly be accommodated. Emergency departments, ideally, are meant to be brief ports in a storm, with patients staying just long enough to be sent home with instructions to follow up with primary care physicians or sufficiently stabilized to be transferred upstairs to inpatient or intensive care units.

Except now those long-term care floors are full, too, with a mix of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. People coming to the ER get warehoused for hours, even days, forcing ER staffers to perform long-term care roles that they werent trained to do.

At Sparrow, space is a valuable commodity in the ER: A separate section of the hospital was turned into an overflow unit. Stretchers stack up in halls. A row of brown reclining chairs lines a wall, intended for patients who arent sick enough for a stretcher, but are too sick to stay in the main waiting room.

Forget privacy, Alejos Perrientoz learned when he arrived. He came to the ER because his arm had been tingling and painful for more than a week. He couldnt hold a cup of coffee. A nurse gave him a full physical exam in a brown recliner, which made him self-conscious about having his shirt lifted in front of strangers.

I felt a little uncomfortable. But I have no choice, you know? Im in the hallway. Theres no rooms, Perrientoz said, before joking, We could have done the physical in the parking lot.

Even patients who arrive by ambulance arent guaranteed a room: One nurse runs triage, screening those who absolutely need a bed and those who can be put in the waiting area.

I hate that we even have to make that determination, Dusang said.

Recently, staff members have been pulling out some patients already in the ERs rooms when others arrive who are more critically ill.

No one likes to take someone out of the privacy of their room and say, Were going to put you in a hallway because we need to get care to someone else, she said.

ER Patients Have Grown Sicker

We are hearing from members in every part of the country, said Dr. Lisa Moreno, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. The Midwest, the South, the Northeast, the West  they are seeing this exact same phenomenon.

Although the number of ER visits returned to pre-COVID-19 levels this summer, admission rates, from the ER to the hospitals inpatient floors, are still almost 20 percent higher. Thats according to the most recent analysis by the Epic Health Research Network, which pulls data from more than 120 million patients across the country.

Its an early indicator that whats happening in the ED [emergency department] is that were seeing more acute cases than we were pre-pandemic, said Caleb Cox, a data scientist at Epic.

Less acute cases, such as people with health issues such as rashes or conjunctivitis, still arent going to the ER as much as they used to. Instead, they may be opting for an urgent care center or their primary care doctor, according to Cox. There has been an increase in people coming to the ER with more serious conditions, such as strokes and heart attacks.

So, even though the total number of patients coming to ERs is about the same as before the pandemic, thats absolutely going to feel like Im seeing more patients and Im seeing more acute patients [if Im an ER doctor or nurse], he said.

Moreno works at an emergency department in New Orleans. She said the level of illness and the inability to admit patients quickly and move them to beds upstairs has created a level of chaos she described as not even humane.

At the beginning of a recent shift, Moreno heard a patient crying nearby and went to investigate. It was a paraplegic man who had recently undergone surgery for colon cancer. His large post-operative wound was sealed with a device called a wound vac, which pulls fluid from the wound into a drainage tube attached to a portable vacuum pump.

But the wound vac had malfunctioned, which is why he had come to the ER. Staffers were so busy, however, that by the time Moreno came into the room, the fluid from his wound was leaking everywhere.

When I went in, the bed was covered, she recalled. I mean, he was lying in a puddle of secretions from this wound. And he was crying, because he said to me, Im paralyzed. I cant move to get away from all these secretions, and I know Im going to end up getting an infection. I know Im going to end up getting an ulcer. Ive been laying in this for, like, eight or nine hours.

The nurse in charge of his care told Moreno that she simply hadnt had time to help this patient yet. She said, Ive had so many patients to take care of and so many critical patients. I started [an IV] drip on this person. This person is on a cardiac monitor. I just didnt have time to get in there.

This is not humane care. This is horrible care.

But its what can happen when emergency department staffers dont have the resources they need to deal with the onslaught of competing demands.

All the nurses and doctors had the highest level of intent to do the right thing for the person, Moreno said. But because of the high acuity of  a large number of patients, the staffing ratio of nurse to patient, even the staffing ratio of doctor to patient, this guy did not get the care that he deserved to get.

The instance of unintended neglect that Moreno saw is extreme and not the experience of most patients who arrive at ERs these days. But the problem isnt new: Even before the pandemic, ER overcrowding had been a widespread problem and a source of patient harm, according to a recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine.

ED crowding is not an issue of inconvenience, the authors wrote. There is incontrovertible evidence that ED crowding leads to significant patient harm, including morbidity and mortality related to consequential delays of treatment for both high- and low-acuity patients.

And already-overwhelmed staffers are burning out.

Burnout Feeds Staffing Shortages and Vice Versa

Every morning, Dusang wakes up and checks her Sparrow email with one singular hope: that she wont see yet another nurse resignation letter in her inbox.

I cannot tell you how many of them [the nurses] tell me they went home crying after their shifts, she said.

Despite Dusangs best efforts to support her staffers, theyre leaving too fast to be replaced, either to take higher-paying jobs as travel nurses, to try a less-stressful type of nursing, or to simply walk away from the profession entirely.

Kelly Spitz has been an emergency department nurse at Sparrow for 10 years. But, lately, she has also fantasized about leaving.

It has crossed my mind several times, she said. And yet, she continues to come back. Because I have a team here. And I love what I do.

But then she started to cry. The issue isnt the hard work or even the stress. She struggles with not being able to give her patients the kind of care and attention she wants to give them and that they need and deserve, she said.

Spitz said she often thinks about a patient whose test results revealed terminal cancer. She spent all day working the phones and hustling case managers, trying to get hospice care set up in the mans home. He was going to die, and she just didnt want him to have to die in the hospital, where only one visitor was allowed. She wanted to get him home and back with his family.

Finally, after many hours, they found an ambulance to take him home.

Three days later, the mans family members called Spitz: He had died surrounded by family. They were calling to thank her.

I felt like I did my job there, because I got him home, she said. But thats a rare feeling these days. I just hope it gets better. I hope it gets better soon.

Around 4 p.m. at Sparrow Hospital, as one shift approached its end, Dusang faced a new crisis: The overnight shift was more short-staffed than usual.

Can we get two inpatient nurses? she asked, hoping to borrow two nurses from one of the hospital floors upstairs.

Already tried, replied nurse Troy Latunski.

Without more staff, it was going to be hard to care for new patients who come in overnightfrom car crashes to seizures or other emergencies.

But Latunski had a plan: He would go home, snatch a few hours of sleep and return at 11 p.m. to work the overnight shift in the ERs overflow unit. That meant he would be largely caring for eight patientsaloneon just a few short hours of sleep. But lately, that seemed to be their only, and best, option.

Dusang considered for a moment, took a deep breath, and nodded.

OK, she said.

Go home. Get some sleep. Thank you.

And then she pivoted because another nurse was approaching with an urgent question. On to the next crisis.

Kate Wells is a Peabody Award-winning journalist currently covering public health and the COVID-19 pandemic. Shes also the co-host of the Michigan Radio and NPR podcast Believed. This story is part of a partnership that includes Michigan Radio, NPR, and KHN and was republished from Kaiser Health News.
An airlines worker works on an American Airlines plane that arrived at HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on May 19, 2020. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

FAA Refers 37 Most Egregious Cases of Unruly Airline Passengers to FBI for Criminal Review

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday said it has sent 37 of its more than 5,000 complaints of unruly passengers to the U.S. Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution.

The FAA said it has seen a disturbing increase in incidents of airline passengers disrupting flights with threatening or violent behavior. As of Nov. 2, the agency has received a total of 5,033 reports from airlines of unruly passengers so far this year, 3,642 of which were related to masks.

The FAA, which regulates commercial airline operations in the United States, can issue civil fines on individuals but has no authority to bring criminal charges. An FAA spokesperson said that the agency has initiated enforcement action on 227 passenger disturbances and only referred the 37 most egregious cases to the DOJ and FBI for review.

Let this serve both as a warning and a deterrent: If you disrupt a flight, you risk not just fines from the FAA but federal criminal prosecution as well, said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.

The announcement comes after an American Airlines flight en route from New York to California was forced to land in Colorado because of an alleged assault, in which a 20-year-old California man attacked a female flight attendant. The man is facing charges of assault and interfering with flight crew on a flight, according to U.S. prosecutors in Denver.

In a statement regarding the incident, the American Airlines said they have engaged local law enforcement and the FBI and are providing them with all the information they might need.

The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with American Airlines in the future, but we will not be satisfied until he has been prosecuted to the full extent of the law, the company said. This behavior must stop, and aggressive enforcement and prosecution of the law is the best deterrent.

While the Biden administration has yet to announce any plan to make a federal no-fly list for unruly airplane passengers, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has applauded the idea.

I think that should be on the table, Buttigieg said in an Oct. 31 interview with CNNs State of the Union.

The [FAA] stands strongly with flight crews. Its why youre seeing some really harsh penalties and fines being proposed, he said. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of treatment of flight crews in the air or any of the essential workers, from bus drivers to air crews who get people to where they need to be.

We will continue to look at all options to make sure that flight crews and passengers are safe, he added.
FBI Searches Homes of Project Veritas-Linked People: James OKeefe

Federal agents searched the New York homes of people tied to Project Veritas, according to founder James OKeefe on Friday.

In a video posted to Project Veritas YouTube, OKeefe said his organization obtained a grand jury subpoena before saying that current and former Project Veritas employees homes were searched by federal agents.

Apartment and homes of Project Veritas journalists and former journalists had been raided by FBI agents, he said, adding that it appears the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York is targeting the group.

Additionally, OKeefe said that a Project Veritas associate was contacted shortly after the FBI search by a New York Times reporter, despite the grand jury subpoena being issued in secret.

Within an hour of one of our reporters homes being secretly raided by the FBI  the New York Times contacted the reporter to ask for comment, OKeefe said, adding that we do not know how the NY Times reporter obtained information about the search warrant or the subject matter. Project Veritas sued the newspaper for defamation last year.

In November 2020, Project Veritas sued the New York Times for libel, claiming the papers coverage of a Veritas video was incorrect and was partially driven by NY Times reporters resentment. Lawyers for the newspaper filed its defense in April 2021, denying most of the allegations.

An FBI spokesman told The Associated Press that agents had conducted a court-authorized law enforcement activity at an apartment in Manhattan and an address in Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York. The spokesman did not appear to comment on whether the searches were linked to Project Veritas.

The Epoch Times contacted the FBI for comment.

In 2020, Project Veritas was contacted by individuals who claimed to have obtained a copy of a diary belonging to Ashley Biden, President Joe Bidens youngest daughter, OKeefe said in the video. Tipsters alleged that the diary was found abandoned in a room after she left and that the diary contained explosive allegations against then-candidate Joe Biden, OKeefe said.

Project Veritas lawyers, he continued, were in contact with the Department of Justice before the searches were carried out. Their lawyers told federal agents that they had conveyed unassailable facts that demonstrate Project Veritas lack of involvement in criminal activity and/or criminal intent, OKeefe also said.

Like any reporter, we regularly deal with the receipt of source information and take steps to verify its authenticity, legality, and newsworthiness. Our efforts were the stuff of responsible, ethical journalism and we are in no doubt that Project Veritas acted properly at each and every step, OKeefe added.

OKeefe said Project Veritas could not determine the authenticity of the diary and tried to return it to one of Ashley Bidens attorneys, but the lawyer refused to authenticate it. The organization instead gave it to law enforcement to ensure it could be returned to its rightful owner and never published it, he said.

Now, Ms. Bidens fathers Department of Justice, specifically the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, appears to be investigating the situation, claiming the diary was stolen, he alleged.
Federal Minister Contradicts Queensland Minister on Health Guidelines

Australias federal health department has contradicted a state health minister who said her state would not halve quarantine to seven days until there was a change in federal guidelines.

From Nov. 1, states and territories began lifting COVID-19 restrictions on international and domestic travel in line with a national plan.

But Queensland has opted instead to follow its own plan that sees it keeping some restrictions in place for longer, based on vaccination rates, while other states drop theirs.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth said her states roadmap might change depending on any changes to the guidelines of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).

Of course, we will continue to take the advice, DAth said this week.

If things change, if the advice were getting from the health professionals is that you can quarantine for shorter periods of time, or you dont need to put as many people into quarantine if theyre close contacts, then well take that advice. But at this stage, it is still testing tracing isolating and quarantining.

Meanwhile, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria have scrapped quarantine for international arrivals, but DAth has said their situations are different because those states have a high prevalence of the virus, whereas Queensland has almost none.

Its in effect, a bit simpler when youve got 1,500 plus cases every day to say, Well, its OK for people from overseas to come in with the virus because weve already got this virus spreading throughout our community, she told reporters on Monday.

However, a federal health department spokesman told 9News that Queensland didnt need AHPPC approval.

The Queensland Government is able to move to modified, or no quarantine arrangements as other state and territories have done already  [and] does not require the agreement of the AHPPC, the spokesman said.

While NSW and Victoria have dropped quarantine for fully vaccinated international arrivals now that the 80 percent vaccination threshold has been reached, Queensland will only do so once 90 percent has been reached.

DAth said there were many reasons for this, including the possibility that new virus variants might emerge overseas and that vaccines made overseas might not be as effective as locally made vaccines.

She also wont reduce mandatory quarantine from 14 days to seven, despite other states, including South Australia doing so.

Queenslands interstate borders remain closed until Dec. 17. But international arrivals will still need to quarantine until the state reaches its 90 percent vaccination milestone.

International arrivals into NSW and Victoria will need to prove theyve received a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and pass a COVID-19 PCR test before they board their flight.

For now, only Australian citizens, permanent residents, their immediate family members, some New Zealanders and those with appropriate visas are allowed to fly to Australia from overseas.
A CCTV still showing Michael Ugochukwu at the scene of Keon Lincolns murder in Birmingham, UK on Jan. 21, 2021. (West Midlands Police)

Fifth British Teenager Convicted Over Death of 15-Year-Old Birmingham Schoolboy

A fifth British teenager has been found guilty of unlawfully killing Birmingham schoolboy Keon Lincoln after buying weapons used in the killing, including a hunting knife found in a getaway car.

Kieron Donaldson was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter by a majority 10-2 verdict on Friday, a day after four other defendants were found guilty of murder.

Jurors had been instructed to consider whether Donaldson, aged 18, had assisted or encouraged one of 15-year-old Keons attackers to carry out the attack.

The panel, which deliberated for more than 17 hours at Birmingham Crown Court, was told that Donaldson was guilty of manslaughter if they could not be sure he intended the attackers to cause really serious harm to Keon.

Donaldson was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on November 29 alongside a 14-year-old gunman, a 16-year-old youth from Walsall, and 18-year-olds Tahjgeem Breakenridge and Michael Ugochukwu.

A five-week trial head that Keon was pronounced dead at Birmingham Childrens Hospital around two hours after being subjected to a short but brutal gang attack outside his home in Linwood Road, Handsworth, on January 21.

The court was told Donaldson, of Aston Lane, Perry Barr, bought around a dozen knives online in the months before the murder, including one bearing Keons blood which was found in a stolen Ford S-Max.

It was also alleged that Donaldsons fingerprints were found on the blade of the weapon, while Ugochukwus DNA was recovered from its sheath.

The trial was told Donaldson arranged for a taxi which picked up Breakenridge and Ugochukwu before the attack and dropped them off near his home.

Addressing jurors at the start of the trial, prosecutor Michael Burrows QC said of the knives and gun used in the attack: You will want to consider where those weapons came from.

Of course, weapons can come from many sources. But, as you know, there are restrictions on selling weapons.

For instance, people who sell knives should not sell any knife to anyone under 18.

The first four defendants were under 18 (at the time of the killing) but Kieron Donaldson was 18.

So, he could buy knives without restriction and, if he chose to, supply them to his friends and others under 18.

The prosecution assert that is what he has done in this case. That assertion is based on evidence.

In short, in a period of less than three months, from October 15 2020 to January 5 2021, Donaldson bought 10 hunting knives, two survival knives and two machetes.

The court was told all the purchases were made online using Donaldsons email address, but none of the knives were found when the police searched his home a month after the murder.

The 14-year-old was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, while the 16-year-old and Breakenridge and Ugochukwu were further convicted of having an offensive weapon.

The trial was told Keon suffered eight sharp force injuries and a fatal injury to his abdomen from one of two gunshots fired in Linwood Road at about 3.35pm on January 21.

The gunman, who cannot be named because of a court order, told jurors he was not at the murder scene but admitted he had lied to police.

The trial was told Breakenridge, of Oldfield Road, Balsall Heath; Ugochukwu, of Twyning Road, Edgbaston; and the youth from Walsall were all caught on CCTV armed with long-bladed knives.
The Canadian flag flies at half-mast on the West Block of Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 2, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Flags to Be Raised Before and After Remembrance Day, Government Confirms

Canadian flags will be raised at federal buildings and at the Peace Tower in Ottawa on Nov. 7, so they can be lowered in honour of veterans on Remembrance Day, the government says.

Raising the flag at this time will allow us to honour and remember important moments in Canadas history, said a joint statement from Canadian Heritage and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada on Nov. 5.

The flags had been lowered in May in recognition of the discovery of unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

Following Remembrance Day ceremonies, the government said the flags will remain at full-mast. They will be lowered to half-mast to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation every year on Sept. 30.

Besides Nov. 11, when the flags are traditionally lowered to honour Canadas veterans, they will also be lowered on Nov. 8 to mark Indigenous Veterans Day. They will again be raised on the same day at sunset.

The governments statement says the flags have remained at half-mast in memory of the Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools, for those who never returned home and in honour of the families whose lives were forever changed.

As the paramount symbol of our nation, the act of flying the national flag of Canada at half-mast for the longest period of time in Canadas history speaks to the extraordinary sense of loss.

The Liberal government had been criticized by the opposition Tories for keeping the flag at half-mast.

Canadas flag is our most important national symbol, which represents not only our dream for a better country, but our past. Thats why Canadas Conservatives have been calling for the flag to be raised today, with the start of Remembrance Week, Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole said in a statement on Nov. 5.

It was appropriate to lower the flag to recognize our tragic history of residential schools and the unspeakable trauma it has caused for generations of Indigenous peoples in Canada. What was not appropriate, was Justin Trudeaus decision to lower the flag without some form of protocol or plan to restore Canadas flag back to its rightful place.

Earlier on Nov. 5, the Assembly of First Nations said that it wants an orange every child matters flag to be raised alongside the national flag on federal buildings.

National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said the AFN is in agreement that the flag must be raised before Remembrance Day so that all veterans will be honoured when lowered to half-mast on Nov. 11. The assembly also said it supports the flags being lowered on Nov. 8 to mark Indigenous Veterans Day.

With files from The Canadian Press
Florida Court Reinstates Governors Ban on Masking in Schools

Parents celebrate victory for parents rights and DeSantis

In Floridas ongoing battle over masking mandates in schools, the First District Court of Appeal (DCA) overruled the decision of a Leon County circuit court judge on Wednesday, reinstating the governors ban on forced masking in schools. Some Leon County parents are cheering the ruling as a big win for parents rights and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Masking Battle

In August, Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled that DeSantis exceeded his authority in banning forced masking in public schools.

In September, the First DCA overruled Cooper.

But the following week, Cooper ruled that his order to prevent the state from enforcing school mask mandates should take immediate effect.

On Oct. 27 (pdf), the First DCA again overruled Cooper and emphasized three reasons why his ruling was wrong.

To begin, the First DCA ruled that the case never should have gone to trial because the plaintiffs did not have standing. The plaintiffs, a group of parents and students, could not sue to protect the institutional authority of local school districts and the Florida Department of Health.

Those entities alone must advance their own institutional rights, the First DCA wrote.

Second, the plaintiffs were not harmed by DeSantis order because the order took no action against them. In fact, all the governor did was direct other state agencies to protect parental rights.

Third, the plaintiffs claim of receiving injury because they were exposed to COVID-19 by unmasked students was not concrete or palpable enough to warrant judicial intervention in public health policy.

Most notable was how the First DCA admonished Cooper for inventing his own legal theory to ultimately rule against the governors school mask policy by saying DeSantis somehow violated the Parents Bill of Rights by giving parents more rights.

While the Parents Bill of Rights undoubtedly played a role in the governors issuance of the executive orderand was even pleaded as an affirmative defensethe [Plaintiffs] never sought relief in their complaint based on an alleged violation of the Parents Bill of Rights, the First DCA wrote. They certainly never requested an injunction against a state administrative actor proceeding in some way in contravention of the Parents Bill of Rights.

Similar court battles are playing out in other Florida counties. While the full appeal in the Leon County case is still pending, Christina Pushaw, executive press secretary for DeSantis said the preliminary ruling shows that the Plaintiffs have little chance of saving the trial courts ruling, so this is a win for Governor DeSantis and parents rights in Florida!

Florida now has the lowest COVID-19 case rate in the entire country, Pushaw told The Epoch Times. Infections statewide have declined more than 90 percent since schools in Florida opened. The rate of decline was the same for districts that had mask mandates and districts that followed state law by allowing parents to choose whether their kids wore masks or not.

According to the New York Times interactive map, COVID-19 cases in California as of Nov. 4 are nearly three times the rate in Florida per capita. Michigan has about five times Floridas per capita COVID case rate.

The map for Leon County, Florida, shows a 49 percent drop in the number of hospitalizations in a 14-day average between Aug. 6 and Nov. 4, with a test positivity rate of only five percent.

However, while Orange and Duval Counties imposed more stringent, long-term mask mandates, their numbers are similar, suggesting that masks had little if any effect on the numbers.

There is no evidence to support the argument that forced-masking in schools had any impact on COVID case rates, pediatric or overall, Pushaw said further.

Parents Celebrate

Of course were on the way out of the COVID wave, Priscilla West, a Leon County mom, told The Epoch Times. Floridas leadership understood all along that protecting the elderly was the top priority. For everyone else, this thing needed to run its course. Schools never shouldve been closed. Kids never shouldve been masked. Whether or not you believed masks did any good, healthy kids suffer a mild COVID illness. Their young bodies will never be better able to fight it than they are right now. Then they emerge with robust, lasting immunity, which is protective for society as a whole. Children shouldnt be subjected to experimentation with this new mRNA technology. Schools have no business pushing medical therapies on peoples Minor children.

Another Leon County mom, LaDonna Wagers, told The Epoch Times: I have attended and spoke at many Leon County school board meetings this fall. Despite our citing many studies that show masks have no significant effect on virus transmission and actually do more harm than good, the Leon County School board is more interested in feel good mask mandates and virtue signaling than science and parental rights. The board also used the National School Board Association and Merrick Garland calling parents who speak out at school board meetings domestic terrorists to now have parents who attend these meetings in Leon County go through a security check before entering the building. This will not intimidate us or stop us from continuing to speak out and stand up for our God-given rights of liberty and freedom!

Sharyn Kerwin, a Leon County mother with two children in the Leon County school system, says she is thankful for a governor who leads with science and not with fear.

DeSantis has stood boldly and remained steadfast on his mission to protect the elderly and those at highest risk of serious outcomes from COVID infection while also demanding that we protect Americans God-given freedoms which are protected by our constitution, Kerwin told The Epoch Times. Parents have a right to decide whats best for their childs medical and mental health. DeSantis knows this and our legislators supported this by passing the Parental Bill of Rights into law. I will never stop fighting for my children and my God-given authority to make decisions that are in their best interest!

Nathan Newell, a father with four children in the Leon County school system, told The Epoch Times: With all the scientific evidence available that shows the average mask is not effective, it is a shame school boards and governors are playing politics with our childrens well-being.

Brandi Andrews, a Leon County mother with two children in the Leon County School System, told The Epoch Times: It has been very troubling to watch our local school board defy the governor and parents rights. The CDC recently confirming Florida now has the lowest COVID rates per capita in the United States goes to show masks dont work being our state has a ban on masks/vaccines thanks to our great governor. I hope our school board will see the light since we finally dont have to mask our children up for school every day and the COVID positive numbers have remained at bay.

Stephanie Henningsen of Leon County told The Epoch Times that parents knew, as soon as local school officials imposed their illegal mask mandate upon students, they would ultimately try and claim the victory when the virus numbers inevitably bottomed out.

The thing is, numbers were already beginning to decline at the time they dictated their mandate and when one compared the data among schools that were unmasked compared to Leon County schools there was no significant difference in positive case percentages. The mandate was baseless and more about control and cashing in on the Biden reimbursement promise which ended up backfiring.

The forced masking of children is a form of child abuse and an overreach of local and state governments. Every parent should have a choice on what they deem healthy or not for their children; its their God-given right. Teachers and County School Boards should stay within the lanes of the authority they have, focusing on what is within their job description: educating children in regards to math, science, English, and history.

Ashley Crosby told The Epoch Times that the Leon County superintendent and members of the school board have dedicated a ridiculous amount of time, effort, energy, and local tax paying dollars to act as tyrannical dictators over the matter of masking children, which is completely outside of their jurisdiction.

Too many children have suffered mentally, emotionally, and educationally at the hands of these people. Its a shame that rather than being passionate about assisting these children overcome the setbacks that occurred in the school system in the last year, they have rabidly and passionately pursued any means necessary to not let parents have a choice on whether they want their child to wear a mask or not. The health and well-being of the children should be left up to each individual family, and it has been a blessing to have our Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, understand the significant difference in the role of teacher/school boards and parents, defending parents rights to make their own informed decisions.

Leon County mom Denee Williams told The Epoch Times that many of the parents who have been attending school board meetings for months expected Cooper to come back with a biased ruling. However they also knew the ruling would not stand because the law, and DeSantis, is on their side.

We were pleased to see that the First Circuit Court ruled in favor of parental rights, Williams said. Governor DeSantis has consistently stood as a barrier between liberal politicians who would strip Florida parents of their rights to make the best medical decisions for their families. Parents know best and we do not appreciate these liberal leaders attempting to take decisions out of our hands as if they know better.

Williams further said she is not surprised to know Florida has the lowest COVID-19 rate per capita in the United States.

Our numbers are low because our great governor has made common-sense decisions and refused to be bullied and also refused to make fear-based decisions, she explained. He is using the data available and making common-sense decisions and not caving to the liberal narrative that we should all stop living out of fear of this virus. Florida is open and thriving. I look around the country at these blue states and I think how thankful I am to live here in this great state.

Who Gets Credit

While some media try to downplay the governors role in the plummeting COVID-19 numbers, and others try to credit the fall in numbers to masking and vaccines, some Leon County parents attribute Floridas COVID-19 success entirely to DeSantis.

Crosby said her children attend a private, Christian school in Leon County and that the school board voted to allow parents to have a choice on whether or not they wanted to mask children. Thus far, Crosby said the overwhelming majority of children are unmasked, with maybe one in 50 wearing a mask. No teachers wear masks, and we have had a fantastic school year with no major outbreaks or problems, Crosby said. So in regards to Democrats or School Boards claiming low case numbers are due to masking, its simply not true. They have no science or evidence to prove that, and our school has done no masking since the beginning of August and we have had a normal year with no hiccups.

Williams said hearing some Democrats try to claim credit that the falling COVID numbers are due to a handful of counties in Florida defying Governor DeSantis Executive Order and requiring masks on our students is short-sighted. First, the vast majority of counties did not force masks on their students and the numbers still fell in those counties as well. Second, many children who were forced into masks at school did not wear them outside of school at sporting events or to hang with friends. The claim that forced masking did the trick is a false narrative that I believe most people see right through. Its laughable, honestly.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the Shul of Bal Harbour in Surfside, Fla., on June 14, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Florida Governor DeSantis Announces Lawsuit Against Bidens Unconstitutional Employer Vaccine Mandate

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Nov. 4 that he is suing the Biden administration over its unconstitutional employer vaccine mandate being issued through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

DeSantis said in a statement that the lawsuit against the administration would be filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit as soon as OSHAs unlawful emergency temporary standard (ETS) is published in the Federal Register.

On Thursday, OSHA announced details of the plan, which applies to businesses with 100 or more employees. It also announced its rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requiring 17 million health care workers at facilities that receive federal funding to be vaccinated.

The White House has pushed back the deadline for workers in those sectors to get fully vaccinated to Jan. 4, 2022, according to a senior administration official. That date also applies to federal contractors.

President Bidens administration in September announced that federal workers and federal contractors will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Contractors had until Dec. 8 to mandate their employees to get the shot. Federal contractors cant allow their employees to opt out.

The governor said the vaccine mandate will drastically impact Florida companies, both public and private, who receive millions of dollars in federal contracts annually.

We started with 15 days to slow the spread and now its get jabbed or lose your job. Were supposed to be a government of laws, not a government of men. This OSHA rule is 500 pages of a government of bureaucracy, a government that is being run by executive edict, not a government bound by constitutional constraints, said DeSantis in a statement.

The State of Florida will immediately challenge the OSHA rule in court because its inconsistent with the Constitution and not legally authorized through Congressional statutes. There is no federal police power and the federal government cannot unilaterally impose medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation. Individuals should make informed choices about their own healthcare. It is important to stand up for peoples individual ability to make decisions for themselves. And the practical result is that this is going to exacerbate a lot of the existing problems that we are seeing with the economy, DeSantis said.

The Florida governor pointed to a string of atrocious aspects in the OSHA rule, including a section which states that OSHA will issue an ETS if it determines that employees are subject to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards, and an ETS is necessary to protect employees from such danger.

If this was such a grave danger, why did it take 57 days from the announcement by President Biden to publish the rule and why wont it take effect until January 4another 60 days? DeSantis said.

Employees from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a NASA field center, hang a sign in protest of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate in Pasadena, Calif., on Nov. 1, 2021. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times)

Municipal workers protest against Mayor Bill De Blasios COVID-19 vaccine mandate in New York, on Oct. 25, 2021. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

DeSantis stressed that the new rule would impact nearly 9,000 employers in Florida and the 4.5 million Floridians they employ, making up 60 percent of the states workforce. Additionally, it would cost $2.9 billion, he added.

This OSHA rule must be deemed unconstitutional and Florida will be leading the way in taking the Biden Administration to court, DeSantis said.

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota also said Thursday that they would file lawsuits against the mandate as soon as Friday.

The attorneys general of Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee also announced they would take legal action against the White House over the rule and filed a lawsuit (pdf) in a bid to challenge the new rule.

Bidens administration said it plans to provide education and counseling to federal workers who dont get vaccinated by the deadline, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Oct. 20.

For the small number of people who do not comply by the deadline, the first step is a period of education and counseling, Walensky said.

Its important to remember that this is a process, and the point here is to get people vaccinatednot to punish them. So agencies will not be removing employees from federal service until after theyve gone through a process of education and counseling, Walensky added.

Meanwhile, the president also doubled down on defending the vaccine mandate this week, telling a press conference, As weve seen with businesseslarge and smallacross all sectors of our economy, the overwhelming majority of Americans choose to get vaccinated.

There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support, Biden said.
For Pennsylvania Veteran, Trust Is Missing Element in Vaccine Mandate

"At what point do I say no?"

I was gassing up my car getting ready to go get the vaccine, when I saw some social media that made me question it spiritually. I dropped the idea of getting vaccinated immediately, a federal civilian working in Pennsylvania for the Department of Defense told The Epoch Times in a phone interview.

We are calling him Victor. Disclosing his real name or specifics of his workplace could cost him his job, and he is trying to hang onto it, although he may lose it anyway, because Victor says he is definitely not getting the COVID-19 vaccine mandated by President Joe Biden.

In addition to having a serious health issue that makes him leery of the vaccine, Victors faith tells him to refrain from putting impurities in his body. His time in the military tells him a few things too.

I learned two things in the military: Anything you dont know, like bombs and firearms, can get you wrecked; and, the government needs to test some of its equipment on you.

He sees too many reasons not to trust the government.

This agreement we have between the people and the government, there is a trust factor, Victor said. People are saying no, Im not going to get a vaccine because I dont trust the people mandating it.

He has asked his employer for a religious and health exception. Victors hope is that he will get an approval and then get a workplace accommodation, such as being allowed to work from home, wear a mask, or get regular testing.

If he continues to resist the vaccination, Victor says his employer will require him to undergo counseling where he will be educated about vaccines.

It harkens back to the early 20th century communists, where they provided education to anyone who would not tow the party line, Victor said. Ill have to see how it goes when they do it. I have a feeling they will put the screws to me.

If all legal avenues are exhausted and attempts to hang onto his job fail, he figures his career of nearly 20 years is blown.

It will mean the loss of health insurance when I have a health condition, and I wouldnt be able to get a federal job again if they let me go with a discipline. It will cost me money and the stress of what is going to happen next. My wife might get fired too. Then we will lose our house and become homeless.

He wonders what the country is going to do when everybody who doesnt want the vaccine loses their job. And he wonders where the mandates will end. Because maybe the vaccine isnt the last requirement.

If we dont stop this now and put our foot down, this is going to get out of hand. People are going to have to start standing up because eventually they are going to ask you to do something you cant do.

When you join the military, you learn your duty as a patriot, Victor says, but every family man has to make a decision, at what point do I say no?

I have a friend saying yes to vaccine. He says his breaking point is his children. What if he has to save his job by making his children get vaccinated?

For Victor, the shot is his breaking point, and with the rules of COVID-19 vaccination constantly changing, trust in the governments plan is a tough thing to muster.
A GameStop store is seen in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of New York City, on Jan. 27, 2021. (Nick Zieminski/Reuters)

GameStop Gets New $500 Million Asset-Based Credit Facility

GameStop Corp. said on Thursday it entered into an agreement with a syndicate of banks for a new $500 million global asset-based credit facility to improve its liquidity.

The five-year credit agreement replaces GameStops existing one of $420 million, which was due in November 2022, the company said, adding that the facility would reduce borrowing costs and allow more flexibility.

Wells Fargo Bank served as the lead arranger of the facility and will serve as the administrative agent.

GameStop, which raised $551 million in late April, raised more than $1 billion in a share offering in June, cashing in on a social-media driven surge in its stock price in the beginning of 2021.

The company is undergoing a revamp as Chairman Ryan Cohen has hired executives from companies including Amazon.com Inc. in a push to pivot the company away from brick-and-mortar towards e-commerce.
A 3D printed Google logo is seen in this illustration taken on April 12, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Google to Allow Third Party App Payments for First Time in South Korea

SEOULAlphabets Google said on Thursday it plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply with a new law, marking the first time the U.S. tech giant has amended its payment policy for a specific country.

Googles announcement comes after a Korea Communications Commissions (KCC) request for Google and Apple Inc. to come up with compliance plans for the new law, which bans major app store operators from forcing software developers to use their payments systems. Most of the new law went into effect in mid-September.

The curb is the first such move by a major economy on the likes of Apple and Google, which face global criticism for requiring the use of proprietary payment systems that charge commissions of up to 30 percent.

In late August, parliament passed an amendment to South Koreas Telecommunications Business Actdubbed the anti-Google lawbanning big app store operators, such as Google and Apple Inc. from forcing developers to use their payment systems, effectively stopping them from charging commission on in-app purchases.

We respect the decision of the National Assembly, and we are sharing some changes to respond to this new law, including giving developers that sell in-app digital goods and services the option to add an alternative in-app billing system alongside Google Plays billing system for their users in South Korea, Google said in a statement.

Google, which charges developers a 15 percent service fee for distributing apps, said it would reduce this to 11 percent when users choose an alternative billing system, recognizing that developers will incur costs to support their own billing system.

It was unclear how beneficial that would be for developers.

Google added that alternative billing systems may not offer the same protection or payment options and features of Google Plays billing system.

The KCC said Googles plans would be implemented this year and would only apply to South Korea.

We were able to confirm Googles determination to comply with the law, and I hope [Google] will implement this policy change in a way to reflect the legislative purpose of the revised law, said KCC Chairman Han Sang-hyuk.

In October, Apple told the South Korean government that it was already in compliance with the new law, and did not need to change its app store policy.

The KCC said it would ask Apples South Korean unit for a new policy allowing greater autonomy in payment methods. If Apple failed to comply, it would consider measures such as a fact-finding investigation as a precursor to possible fines or other penalties.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

By Heekyong Yang
Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) calls for members of the military who chose to not get the COVID-19 vaccine to not be dishonorably discharged during a news conference in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. on Nov. 4, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

GOP Senators: Dishonorable Discharges for Unvaccinated Service Members Needs to Stop

A group of GOP senators criticized the Biden administrations vaccine mandate while seeking a ban on dishonorable discharge directives for unvaccinated service members.

Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and First Liberty Institutes general counsel, Mike Berry, held a press conference Thursday morning here they slammed President Joe Bidens vaccine mandate for the military.

The senators also discussed the COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Acta bill Marshall introduced in September to prohibit dishonorable charges for service members not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The bill was introduced as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act FY 2022.

I joined the Navy at 18 years old. I served as a rifleman, Scott said during the press conference.

I never imagined that our federal government that I took the oath to defend the freedoms of this country, will come back and say, if you dont put something in your body that you dont feel comfortable with, right or wrong,and I took the vaccine, Ive had COVIDthat were going kick you out of the military,  and were going to give you a dishonorable discharge.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 26, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Scott said with the dishonorable discharge, the Biden administration is trying to ruin the lives of those who choose not to get vaccinated.

A dishonorable discharge would mean that the individual would have to surrender a slew of rights and benefits, including ownership of any firearms and ammunition, access to the G.I. Bill for further education, Veterans Affairs home loans and medical benefits, military funeral honors, and reenlistment in another military branch.

This is disgusting. Its wrong. It needs to stop, Scott continued.

Joe Biden needs to start standing up for the men and women of our military instead of trashing them and tell them hes going to ruin their livesthats exactly what his goal ishe is going to ruin their lives by kicking them out of the military and give him a dishonorable discharge. This needs to change.

Wicker, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Biden has misjudged how Americans view the issue.

Our commander in chief is grossly miscalculating the will of the American people, Wicker said. Not only is he going to create a crisis in the United States military, but writ large these mandates across our economymandates to small businesses, mandates to businesses that would contract with the federal governmentthey are not going to be well received, Wicker said.

He is going to create a shortage in the military, he is going to create morale problems, and in the economy as a whole, he is going to create a recession.

Cramer said the vaccine mandate violates common sense and ethics.

Scripture tells us theres no greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend, Cramer said at the press conference.

These are the kinds of people who make these decisions to sign up to serve. They have a servants heart. And then to disrespect that servants heart with this kind of a rule just violates all kinds of common sense and ethics and great traditions of our great country.

Dishonorable discharge is bullying service members, Marshall told FoxNews.

I would use the term bullying, you know, the military has its ways, said Marshal, who spent seven years in the Army Reserve. So I get it. Theyre able to bully people if they want you to do something, he said adding that theyre able to apply peer pressure. And you know, it works.

Marshall explained why he wanted to get support for his bill, a legislature trying to prohibit dishonorable discharge for unvaccinated service members.

What really lit my fire was when I heard the White House say, we want them [to] have a dishonorable discharge, Marshall said. So next week is Veterans Day. Were honoring them this week [as] the president of the United States is dishonoring our military members.

Marshall has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The White House stated that it strongly opposes the senators bill, saying that it would detract from readiness and limit a commanders options for enforcing good order and discipline when a service member fails to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccination.

During a Sept. 28 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked if he supports dishonorable discharges for unvaccinated service members.

Taking a vaccine is a requirement. Ill just leave it at that, Austin replied at the time.

On Wednesday, Marshall and nine senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), pledging to oppose any legislation that would fund Bidens vaccine mandate.

President Biden is waging a cruel campaign to punish unvaccinated Americansdepriving them of their ability to provide for their families. This is nothing short of immoral, the letter reads.

Schumer hasnt provided a floor time for the National Defense Authorization Act. The delay has brought bipartisan anger against him.

Mark Tapscott and Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
Gretchen Daily Values Nature

Environmental scientist and tropical ecologist Gretchen Daily thinks about our environmental challenges, and the people affected by them, on many levels.

At one level, there are everyday farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and other producers.

People who work on the land, some who work on the water, she said.

At another level, there are the huge, often impersonal entitiesnation states, the European Union, the World Bankthat seek to structure those producers lives and, to at least some extent, the natural world in which we all live.

All of us are drawing from the same natural asset base, and we all need to somehow change the system togetherits way beyond the power of any one producer, or even any one major industrial or financial player in the system, Daily said.

The size and urgency of our environmental problems led her to think in new ways about natureand to encourage others to think in new ways as well.

What if, for example, we valued nature the way we value economic assets?

Daily did not invent the term natural capital. Yet the Stanford professors influential work on assessing the value of biodiversity, along with her co-development of the Natural Capital Project, netted her the 2020 Tyler Prize, seen by many as the environmental sciences closest equivalent to the Nobel, and positioned her as a world expert on the topic.

Today, Daily wants to integrate perspectives from the research community, governments, and the business communityparticularly the financial world, where she said new instruments are enabling a transition from fossil fuels to other energy sources.

We need to bring these values of natural capital in, in a way that puts out really inspiring models of success that then can be replicated, she said.

Daily admits that this can all seem a little abstract. But her hands-on experience applying the concept of natural capital to two Caribbean nations, Belize and the Bahamas, means she can turn to real-world examples.

How can we develop coastlines over, say, a ten- or twenty-year time horizon that factors in risks and impacts from climate change, and secures people and property in a way that leads to win-win outcomes?

Daily helped to come up with an answer. She worked with those two countries governments to develop plans to protect and restore natural capital, such as coral reefs and mangrove, while harmonizing the needs of key economic sectors, such as tourism, energy, and offshore shipping and fishing.

Belizes plan, approved in 2016, was implemented with initial financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Theyve [IDB] now changed their operations to mainstream the valuing of natural capital into all of their support for countries through loans and other investments, right from the beginning of the planning process, Daily says.

Were seeing the science of valuing nature incorporated from the beginning, through planning across country-level development, and being co-developed hand-in-glove with these major development banks and other international financial institutions to bring the plan and vision into reality.

Another example comes from the World Bank, which has developed what it calls a Global Platform for Sustainable Cities.

With urbanization expected to accelerate in coming decades, particularly in Asia and Africa, Daily sees a need for interventions that make cities healthier and more livable.

After all, the global move to cities is hazardous to health.

City living brings with it a more sedentary lifestyle, along with a rise in obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases.

The urban lifestyle also seems to promote mental illnessDaily cites significantly greater rates of depression, anxiety, and similar disorders in urban vs. rural or small-town dwellers.

Here again, Daily believes the concept of natural capital can help.

In concrete terms, what does this mean? For one thing, more parks.

Daily cites data from the Trust for Public Land, which has found that a third of Americans, or more than 100 million people, do not live within a 10-minute walk of a park.

What were seeing is a lot of cities now adopting this new science that pinpoints where to invest in cities, to achieve the greatest benefits from the greatest number of people, she said.

This can be accomplished, she continues, by adding green space, whether in parks or in making rivers that run through cities more green and safe, with lower risk of flooding, which were seeing more and more of, and cleaner water.

Another benefit of urban green space: urban cooling, which counteracts the well-known urban heat island effect.

Dailys software, Urban INVEST, is being used in 775 cities across the European Union to determine where new parks or other green spaces should be placed.

For all her appeals to large-scale urban planning and global financial institutions, Daily says she is sensitive to the need for solutions that are not simply imposed in a top-down manner on people or organizations that are smaller and less powerful.

My motivation in all this came from seeing how trapped smaller businesses or individual farmers and others are in transforming their own operations to be more sustainable, she says.

That cross-scale connection between policy at higher levels and how individuals experience it in small businesses and communitiesthats the crux of the problem.

She says that challenge is one big reason why she and her colleagues often test out their theories in small countries.

Her environmental war cry?

Simple, yet resonant on many levels: Valuing nature.

We forget how intimately connected we are to nature, Daily explained. Getting off this path and getting onto a better path hinges on recognizing the values of nature in all of our decision-makingand we need to do that in a more routine and mainstream way, so that its just second nature.

It doesnt mean just putting a price tag on itthat alone will do absolutely nothing, she added. Its much more about building this awareness in our consciousness and building access to nature into peoples lives.

The general movement is all about recognizing the many, many dimensions of nature that we value in different, meaningful waysspiritual ways, or aesthetic ways, or very personal ways of connecting with nature.
Health staff leave their uniforms in protest over Western Australia's vaccine mandates outside of Dumas House in Perth, Australia on Nov. 1, 2021. (The Epoch Times)

Hospitals in Western Australia Turn Away Patients As Vaccine Mandates Slash Staff

Several hospitals across Western Australia (WA) have begun refusing new admissions and surgeries following a health staff crisis that worsened after unvaccinated staff were told they could not return to work.

An email shown to The Epoch Times revealed that St John of God Subiaco in WAs capital, Perth, was forced to halt any new non-critical surgeries while preventing general admissions that were not deemed urgent due to a shortage of nursing staff.

In the email sent on Nov. 4, the hospitals director of medical services told staff that a severe shortage had been exacerbated by a busy day for admissions.

I apologise for this situation, but I trust you will understand that we are in the midst of a severe shortage of nurses and that we must ensure that our current patients and caregivers are safe, the director said.

St John of God Midland Hospital in Perth, Australia on Aug. 24, 2016. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)

These closures come after the WA government issued new health directives that mandated the COVID-19 vaccine to 75 percent of the states workforce, the most all-encompassing and ambitious of any Australian state. Individuals refusing to comply will be slapped with a fine of up to $20,000, with businesses having unvaccinated staff facing penalties of up to $100,000.

But WA health workers had previously warned of the imminent staff shortages and impact on hospitals brought on by the mandate.

Theres about 100 staff that havent had the vaccine at our hospital alone, a midwife at a large public hospital told The Epoch Times on Oct. 22.

Read More West Australian Hospitals Could Face Crisis As Staff Refuse Vaccine Mandate: Nurse

The news of the closures comes on the heels of thousands of WA health staff protesting the mandates throughout October, including rallies on the 1st, 16th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, 26th, 28th, and 30th of the month. Another protest was scheduled for Nov. 1the day of the vaccination deadline for hospital staff.

The hospital closures have also been repeated around the state.

St John of God Geraldton Hospital Acting CEO Jack Harding announced on Nov. 3 that there would be a suspension of maternity services at the hospital due to a shortage of midwives.

With the current shortage of qualified midwives, we are finding it increasingly difficult to fill rosters and ensure we are appropriately resourced to provide a safe service, the hospital stated in a Facebook post.

A midwife who had worked at King Edward Memorial HospitalWestern Australias largest maternity hospitalup until the vaccination deadline told The Epoch Times that her hospital had also begun implementing emergency measures to cope.

This included diverting patients to other hospitals and asking most staff to do double shiftsmeaning one midwife could work 14 or 17 hours in a row, depending on the shift.

Health staff leave their uniforms in protest over Western Australias vaccine mandates outside of Dumas House, the residence of WA Premier Mark McGowan, in Perth, Australia, on Nov. 1, 2021. All hospital staff must receive their first vaccination by Nov. 1 to keep working, part of sweeping mandates that will require 75 percent of the states workforce to be vaccinated by January 2022. (The Epoch Times)

The Epoch Times reached out to the WA government on Oct. 11 and WA Health Minister Roger Cook on Oct. 13 to ask if the state government was planning on addressing staff shortages following the vaccination deadline. The Epoch Times did not receive a reply.

WA Premier Mark McGowan had previously expressed apathy toward anti-mandated vaccination protestors following national protests on Sep. 18.

What are they protesting about? McGowan said reported WA Today before suggesting the protestors should grow a brain.

The WA government has not yet revealed how many health staff have been dismissed, although there is a portion of staff currently being suspended without pay.

Other states have also seen health staff losses as a result of vaccine mandates, with the Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth revealing that around ten percent of the 100,000-strong public healthcare workforce had yet to be vaccinated. The deadline for complete vaccination was Oct. 31.

There are 7,000 health workers who have not come forward saying they are vaccinated, but 3,000 of those are on leave, she told reporters on Nov. 1.

There are 4,000 who have not been vaccinated and will be given their show-cause and will be suspended with full pay, she said. There will be some disruptions, but we are managing those disruptions, she said. We will put in place measures to manage any workforce shortages that might occur.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and (L) House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) speak about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as the USMCA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 10, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

House Democrats Secure Inclusion of Four Weeks Paid Medical and Family Leave in Spending Bill

House Democrats have secured the inclusion of four weeks of federal paid medical and family leave in their $1.75 trillion compromise reconciliation bill, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) announced Nov. 3.

In a statement, the Massachusetts Democrat said the historic provisions had both been included as a part of the Build Back Better Act, as lawmakers seek to get it across the finish line after months of debate.

For far too long, American workers have had to make the impossible choice between providing for their families and caring for them. Now, because of the leadership and tireless advocacy of the peoples House, meaningful paid family and medical leave will be included as part of the Build Back Better Act, Neal said in a statement.

The Ways and Means Committee crafted a policy that will finally give workers and their families the peace of mind of knowing that when disaster strikes, they can rely on paid leave to avoid total crisis. We do this responsibly, fully paying for the means-tested program. This is a matter of financial security, worker productivity, and most of all, humanity.

The House Ways and Means Committee Chairman called the added provisions a victory for so many and credited the tireless advocacy of the paid leave advocates, the tenacity of our colleague Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, and the dogged work of so many of the Ways and Means Committee members, for getting them included in the bill.

Neal added that the paid medical and family leave provisions will level the playing field for small businesses across the nation who have struggled to provide such benefits and increase worker satisfaction and employee retention.

I will continue to do whatever is necessary to get this provision signed into law by President [Joe] Biden and give the American people the basic support they deserve.

As per the provision, on page 1,065 of the House Rules Committee-approved bill, every individual who has filed an application for a comprehensive paid leave benefit shall be entitled to such a benefit for each month during such benefit period.

The Houses bill states that in order to be paid, workers must self-attest their eligibility for the funds and have wages within the most recent quarter before their qualifying event to receive the benefit.

Benefits are also based on the individuals average wages over the past eight quarters, meaning that individuals who have had very little work recently or infrequent work would receive a very low amount of benefits.

But the provision could mean that Social Security funds will be able to be drawn upon by individuals who are unemployed, Fox News reports.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi havent responded to a request for comment by the time of publishing.

Democrats latest provisions have been stripped down to four weeks from Bidens previously envisioned program of 12 weeks, before it was scrapped from the bill last week. Although it has now been re-added, as of yet, it is unclear how the comprehensive paid leave will be funded.

Globally, more than 120 countries around the world provide paid maternity leave and health benefits by law, according to The International Labour Organization. The United States is one of only a handful of countries that does not have a national paid family and medical leave program.

However, eligible workers are entitled to take unpaid leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 while others may have access to paid leave through their employers or if states have enacted such paid leave programs.

The House Ways and Means Committee Republicans on Wednesday warned that the new paid leave plan will provide no protection for small businesses who cant afford to lose workers in a national labor shortage, as employees would only need to provide their boss with seven days notice prior to taking the leave.

They also warned that allowing individuals to self attest on the application that they are eligible for such benefits could lead to massive fraud.

Self-certification policies in Democrats untargeted, emergency pandemic unemployment programs allowed fraudsters to get away with an estimated $400 billion in taxpayer dollars, the committee said.
A group of people thought to be illegal immigrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard the Dungeness Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel on Nov. 3, 2021. (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Illegal English Channel Crossings Reach New Daily Record

At least 853 people illegally crossed the English Channel to the UK on small boats in a single day on Nov. 3, marking a new record.

The Home Office confirmed UK authorities had to rescue or intercept this number of people from 25 incidents.

The arrival tally eclipses the previous daily record of 828 set in August and is the highest number of crossings ever recorded in one day in the current crisis, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

It comes after French authorities said two migrants died this week while attempting the journey and several more were feared to have been lost at sea last week.

More than 21,000 migrants have made the crossing to the UK so far this year, analysis by PA shows. This is more than double the total for the whole of 2020.

In 2019, Home Secretary Priti Patel promised to make migrant crossings an infrequent phenomenon by spring 2020 and then pledged in August last year to make this route unviable. During this time, the Government has agreed to pay France millions of pounds to increase security on its northern coast.

Campaigners and aid charities have repeatedly called on ministers to overhaul the asylum system in light of the soaring numbers.

PA contributed to this report
Mrs. Florence Tugga, principal of Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State, Nigeria, at the high school after 121 students were kidnapped, on July 5, 2021. (Luka Binniyat/The Epoch Times)

In Nigeria, Terrorists Kidnap a Baptist Congregation

KADUNA, NigeriaAuthorities have yet to identify suspects or make arrests after a complete congregation of Baptists worshipers was kidnapped on the morning of Oct. 31 in a rural area 50 miles southwest of Kaduna City in north-central Nigeria. The attack is the latest instance of ethnic cleansing in the region, according to one expert.

At least 60 worshipers were kidnapped on Nov. 7 from Emmanuel Baptist Church, in Kakau Daji in southern Kaduna, according to Rev. Joseph Hayab, a Baptist cleric and president of the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. The attack has forced vulnerable Christian clerics to go into hiding, Hayab told The Epoch Times. The Baptist church is the worst-hit church in this state, he said.

In another recent instance of the Baptist Church being targeted, on July 4, 121 students from the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna state were kidnapped, bringing the total of students kidnapped this year to more than 1,000.

Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna Commissioner of Home Security and Internal Affairs, said on Nov. 1 that in the attack on Emmanuel Baptist Church, two worshipers were killed and two severely injured while an unknown number was abducted after gunmen said to be bandits attacked the church around 11 a.m.

Surviving as a Christian, and especially as a Christian cleric in Kaduna state, is largely by the mercy and grace of God if you are in these vulnerable communities, Hayab told The Epoch Times on Nov. 3.

These evil men came from nowhere and just went on a shooting spree at the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji.

After killing two persons and injuring two, they gathered those who could not escape and walked them into the bush and no one has challenged them till now.

We have verified and found out that 60 of our members were taken away by these haters of the church.

Rev. Joseph Hayab (courtesy Rev. Hayab)

Communication networks in areas where such attacks are common have been shut down by Kaduna state government under the directives of Gov. Nasir el-Rufai. This means that the criminals can come and do what they like, and no one has any means of calling for help.

Among the people they kidnapped were several pregnant women, some that will soon give birth; there are also very old men and women, and children below 6 years, among others.

Today is the third day, and they are yet to make contact with anybody. Put in mind that they kidnapped 121 Baptist students in July this year. Family members and sympathizers had to pay hundreds of millions of naira to secure their freedom in batches. And up till now we still have four students they are holding as hostages.

According to the International Committee on Nigeria, militants from the Fulani, a Muslim tribe, have been attacking and displacing farmers of other faiths in the Middle Belt of Nigeria for about 20 years. The attacks have accelerated since 2015. More than 43,000 people have been murdered in these attacks, according to Lara Logans documentary Nigeria, The New Face of Terrorism, 2021.

Clerics Targeted

In the past one year, not less 10 clerics have been killed by armed gunmen, and at least 30 kidnapped, some with their families, and given humiliating maltreatment and abuses, Hayab said.

This is all to suppress Christianity and destroy the church. We that find ourselves vulnerable have to devise ways of surviving, because Christian clerics are their prime targets.

Rev. Amos Doka Dan affirmed this, saying, I move from one place to another and never stay in a place for a day or two.

Dan was pastor of ECWA Church Unguwan Rohogo, which was burned when armed Fulani herdsmen invaded the community and killed 9 before razing the village on Aug. 21, 2021.

They killed two of my colleagues in nearby villages, and I was informed that I am a target, Dan said.

I am involved in the Act of Jesus as a caregiver to the needy in imitation of the kindness of Jesus, but I have to leave for now.

Rev. Fada Cosmas Magaji, the parish priest of St. Thomas Catholic Church, oversees the recently attacked Madamai Community in Kuara county, where 38 Christians were slain by armed herdsmen in September 2021. He said the security situation remains dire.

I have to ask for leave from my Bishop for security concern, even though I have made up my mind that I am not going to be far from my church, he said. The priest coordinated the mass interment of the 38 slain Christians.

For now, Madamai community is completely displaced.

The Rev Amos Doka Dan, who keeps changing locations after his church was attacked on Aug. 26, 2021, in Unguwan Rohogo, in southern Kaduna, central Nigeria (The Epoch Times)

Ethnic Cleansing

What is going on southern Kaduna clearly bears the signature of ethnic/religious cleansing, according to Emmanuel Umaru Musa, associate professor of criminology with Niger State UniversityLapai.

The political leadership of Nigeria and that of Kaduna state have subtly assured the so-called bandits that one religion is superior to the other, and as such, it is okay for them to stamp control over southern Kaduna and other parts of the Christian north.

Kaduna state has become a criminogenic environment, and no one is doing anything to stop it because the drivers of the crime come from the same tribe and religion with the men at the helm of affairs of the country and Kaduna state.

The aggressors that government have labeled bandits are all known to be Muslim Fulani armed men who are engaged in establishing an Islamic sphere in areas where Islam was rejected for centuries and Christianity entrenched almost as soon as European missionaries set foot in that area.

There is no crime committed by Boko Haram and ISWAP [ISIS in West African Province] that these bandits have not committed over and over. So the resolve of the federal government led by Muhammadu Buhari not to label them as terrorists is very indicting of his government.

It is true that they attack Muslims and kidnap some of them, but the purpose of that crime is to raise money for arms and recruit more terrorists. But when they attack a Christian enclave, their aim is to steal, destroy, kill, and occupy the community. They also kidnap Christians basically to humiliate them, rape their women, and even marry their women by force. They also take ransom, all to further impoverish their Christian victims.

Musas claim has long been backed by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union. The socio-cultural group has stated that 112 Christian communities covering thousands of square miles of forest savannah have been taken over by armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen in the past two years.
Visitors are seen at the Intel booth during the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, also known as ChinaJoy, in Shanghai on July 30, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Intel, Sequoia Linked to AI Company That Worked for Chinese Military: Report

News Analysis

Major U.S. firms, including Intel and Sequoia Capital, have maintained financial and research ties with a Chinese company known to provide artificial intelligence (AI) to the Chinese military, according to a new report by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) at Georgetown University.

4Paradigm, a major enterprise AI company headquartered in Beijing, has been awarded a contract to provide Chinas military, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), with AI capabilities. The contract is for a battalion and company command decision-making model and human-machine teaming software, according to the report, which didnt specify the date of the contract.

4Paradigm has also been working with Western partners on research projects that could be leveraged for its AI work for the military.

As of January 2021, the company was cooperating on Very Large Database research with Intel and the National University of Singapore, the report reads, referring to research on databases containing massive datasets.

4Paradigm also boasts a handful of U.S. investors, including angel investor, Sequoia Capital, which is its largest outside shareholder, according to the report.

Ambiguous Relationships

Intel confirmed to The Epoch Times that it had carried out research with 4Paradigm and the National University of Singapore, but the company described the relationship as academic in nature.

Intel Labs collaborates on research related to our industry with partners all over the world, a communications officer for Intel said in an email.

Our researchers participated on an academic research paper on in-memory database engine optimization along with researchers from 4Paradigm and the National University of Singapore. This paper was published and publicly presented in August of 2021 at the VLDB [Very Large Database] conference.

The paper provided experimental results that suggested that a new database system could provide speed boosts to enhance the efficacy of AI decision-making models.

Intel didnt comment on whether it had knowledge of 4Paradigms contract with the PLA.

A representative for Sequoia Capital said that its investments in 4Paradigm were made by the Sequoia China branch, which declined to comment on the extent of its current holdings in 4Paradigm or whether it had knowledge of the PLA contract.

Other U.S. companies, including Cisco, Genesis Capital, and Goldman Sachs, also invested in 4Paradigm during later funding rounds.

This isnt the first time that Intel and Sequoia have drawn attention for their ethically ambiguous conduct in China.

Sequoia made headlines earlier in 2021 due to its previous investments in Chinese facial recognition firms DeepGlint and Yitu Technology, both of which have been blacklisted by the U.S. government over links to ongoing human rights abuses against ethnic Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, which the U.S. government has characterized as a genocide.

Likewise, Intel and NVIDIA chips were purchased and used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to power a supercomputing center in Xinjiang that carries out its expansive surveillance operations targeting the regions Muslim minorities, according to a report by The New York Times.

Experts believe that the flow of wealth and other resources from major U.S.-based companies to Chinese tech startups is contributing to steady military advancements by the PLA, as well as aiding Beijings human rights abuses.

These are almost extranational entities that have huge wealth to deploy on what they think is the good bet for the future, said John Mills, former director of cybersecurity policy, strategy, and international affairs at the Pentagon. We have to disrupt this insidious interaction. We cannot allow these groups to deploy capital to fund Chinese AI development.

Though Silicon Valley often downplays its involvement in the rapid advancement of Chinas military technology, U.S. government agencies have sounded the alarm that such ties are undermining national security.

In October, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) commenced a campaign to inform U.S. companies in emerging tech sectors, including AI, of the dangers posed by Chinese counterintelligence operations aimed at co-opting U.S. technologies for Beijings own purposes. The NCSC stated that the Chinese regime uses an array of legal, quasi-legal, and illegal means to acquire critical technology from the West, including through research partnerships, joint ventures, and front companies.

The CSET report highlighted that the PLA didnt derive most of its AI capabilities from official defense entities, but from private Chinese corporations.

Contrary to conventional wisdom about bloating in the Chinese defense industry, we find that the PLA has made significant progress engaging the private Chinese technology sector to acquire AI systems and intelligent equipment, the report reads.

To that end, most of the PLAs AI equipment suppliers arent state-owned defense enterprises at all, but private tech companies founded after 2010. Some of these companies manufacture or research in mainland China, but others exist for the sole purpose of sourcing and importing critical technologies from the United States, according to the report.

Problems of Access

U.S. investments into AI research and development in China have been condemned by some in the national security community, and experts have recently called for a ban on so-called tech transfers of AI technologies to China.

This is because Chinas national security and intelligence laws grant the CCP at-will authority to demand access to any intellectual property or data owned by Chinese companies or companies doing business in China.

New data exit rules drafted by the Cyberspace Administration of China seek to ensure that the CCP has final say on whether a company can extract its data from China to elsewhere, even if the company in question is headquartered in a foreign nation.

Such laws grant the CCP and PLA potential access to any and all technology developed in China, including by U.S. companies such as Intel.

Despite this, Silicon Valley startups and multinational investment firms have continued to rush money into Chinese companies developing critical and emerging technologies over the past several decades.

Intel was among the first multinational companies to create a research institute in China back in 1998. Its Intel China Research Center in Beijing continues to conduct research into AI, 5G, autonomous systems, and robotics in mainland China to this day. Intel also maintains joint AI labs in mainland China with Baidu, Chinas largest search engine, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Both Baidu and Bytedance signed letters of commitment earlier in 2021, affirming that they would adhere to the Chinese Communist Partys new rules and regulations regarding the internet, including the right of the CCP to take ownership of private data, according to Chinese state-owned media.

The NCSC said some U.S. companies simply didnt understand the risks posed by Chinas national security laws, while others were fully aware that the technologies they were developing in China might be leveraged by the CCP and PLA.

Most major U.S. companies, such as Intel, Microsoft, and Google, appear to fall into the latter category.

It was revealed in 2019 that Microsoft had worked on AI, including facial analysis software, with Chinas National University of Defense Technology, which is operated by the Chinese military.

In late June 2018, Google and Chinas prestigious Tsinghua University announced that they would cooperate on AI and cloud technology. Googles AI chief also joined Tsinghua Universitys Computer Science Advisory Committee. Earlier that month, it was reported that the university received almost $15 million in funding from the Chinese military to work on a project aimed at advancing the PLAs AI capabilities.

In all, more than 10 percent of all the AI research labs owned by Facebook, Google, IBM, and Microsoft are located in China, according to another report by CSET.

There are currently few mechanisms in U.S. law capable of effectively preventing U.S. companies from freely investing in and researching AI with companies known to have ties to the CCP and PLA.

An executive order signed in 2020 by then-President Donald Trump and expanded upon in June by President Joe Biden bans U.S. investments into a list of Chinese companies with military links.

However, a key problem outlined by the CSET report is that the vast majority of companies that provide technologies to the PLA arent actually defense companies, but private-sector tech startups and thus are frequently overlooked with regard to possible restrictions.

Little Recourse

In high-profile circumstances wherein a Chinese company is accused of severely undermining U.S. national security, that company might be placed on the entity list, a trade blacklist used by the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security to limit the export of certain items to certain parties.

Theres one problem with the entity list, however: The vast majority of AI equipment suppliers to the PLA arent on it. Roughly 91 percent of AI equipment suppliers to the PLA werent on the entity list, according to the new CSET report.

One reason for this is the inability of the entity list to effectively respond to the threat posed by small companies that can easily resume normal business by restructuring under a new name. This means that companies that are formed to extract U.S. technologies for the PLA can simply dissolve, reform, and continue business as usual.

They are using the tradecraft we brilliantly used in the 50s, 60s, and 70s of front companies to evade the entity list, Mills said. And AI is their No. 1 priority.

They are creating shell company after shell company after shell company, and the entity list cannot respond fast enough.

Mills suggested that the United States create a new mechanism, similar in function to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Whereas CFIUS reviews foreign investments into the United States based on national security interests, this proposed mechanism would screen U.S. investments in foreign companies for security risks.

We dont have an analog [to CFIUS] that addresses U.S. entities funding foreign groups, except for the entity list, Mills said.

To that end, he said continued interactions such as those between Intel, Sequoia, and 4Paradigm could supercharge the PLAs expanding capabilities in emergent domains such as AI and machine learning.

We have allowed an interaction that 99 percent of the population doesnt understand, doesnt see, and isnt aware of, Mills said. We need to shine a light on it.

4Paradigm didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
Qualcomm logo is seen on this photo. (Courtesy of Qualcomm/Benzinga)

Is Qualcomm Headed to $200 by the End of the Year?

Qualcomm Inc is soaring after the company announced better-than-expected financial results.

What Happened

Qualcomm reported quarterly earnings of $2.55 per share, which beat the estimate of $2.26 per share. The company reported quarterly revenue of $9.34 billion, which beat the estimate of $8.86 billion.

Lebenthals Take: It just never deserved to be down at $120-$125 and it shouldnt be at $155, Cerity Partners Jim Lebenthal said Thursday on CNBC.

This stock is going to $200 and above and I think it will be there within six months, Lebenthal said. It might get there before the end of the year.

Earnings are expected to reach $10 per share this year and exceed $11 per share next year, he noted.

The operating leverage that Qualcomm is generating and the diversification of its business will be drivers for the stock, according to Lebenthal: This deserves a 20 times multiple easily.

If Qualcomm is able to earn $10 per share this year, a 20 times price-to-earnings ratio would put the share price at $200. When Qualcomm was trading in the $120 range, it was because of supply chain issues, Lebenthal said, adding that the market was getting it wrong.

Supply chain issues were temporary and theyre already over, he said. I know when I sound breathless about a stock, that can be dangerous, but Im telling you there are nothing but reasons to be breathless when you read the report from last night.

QCOM Price Action

Qualcomm has traded as high as $167.94 and as low as $122.16 over a 52-week period.

The stock was up 13.06 percent at $156.57 at time of publication.

By Adam Eckert

 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Is US Decoupling From China?

News Analysis

The pandemic and supply chain disruptions have exposed how dependent countries are on China as the worlds top manufacturing hub, and since last year, there has been a lot of debate about decoupling from China to reduce reliance on a single country.

But is decoupling really happening?

So far, data suggest that countries and companies continue to invest big in China. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country surged 19.6 percent in the first nine months of 2021 over 2020, according to Chinas Ministry of Commerce. Investments from Southeast Asia as well as Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries contributed most to the FDI flow.

Meanwhile, U.S.China trade is booming. Through the first nine months of 2021, goods imported from China jumped 19 percent and trade deficit widened 15 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

Yet one by one, foreign technology firms are pulling out of China. Yahoo Inc. is the latest U.S. company that has suspended its service due to an increasingly challenging business and legal environment.

Yahoos announcement came after Microsoft stated in October that it would shutter its professional networking platform LinkedIn in China. LinkedIn earlier came under fire for censoring American journalists, international scholars, and human rights activists on its China app.

Twitter and Facebook were banned from the country more than a decade ago and Google exited in 2010.

China today is far more selective about what it wants in terms of global capital and global investment, said Dexter Roberts, senior fellow at Atlantic Council.

Speaking at this years China Forum, hosted by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, Roberts noted that after Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, the communist regime welcomed foreign investment with open arms to help grow its domestic industries.

But now, China doesnt need Western know-how and capital to the degree it once did, he said.

So China is decoupling well before any other country. And this is because of the regimes dual circulation strategy, a long-standing ambition to make China self-sufficient while making other countries more dependent on the Chinese market.

China is forcing out foreign companies in the information and communication technology space where they have viable domestic competitors, according to Stephen Ezell, vice president at the U.S. think tank Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

But where theyre still trying to catch up, in areas such as semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, they still welcome foreign investment, he said.

While some American technology superstars dont feel welcome in China anymore, U.S. semiconductor companies are still expanding in the country. Chinas reliance on U.S. supply of semiconductor goods increased significantly in the past five years.

Nearly 73 percent of chip production in China comes from non-Chinese companies operating in the country. China relies heavily on the technologies of foreign companies as theyre more advanced compared to Chinese chipmakers.

China also welcomes with open arms U.S. big banks and investment funds. Wall Street firms have been steadily increasing their footprint in China since Beijing agreed to open its markets to U.S. financial institutions in 2020.

BlackRock, for example, became the first global asset manager licensed to start a wholly owned onshore mutual fund business in China this year. And Goldman Sachs has recently won approval to take full ownership of its securities business in the country.

Meanwhile, a national push to strengthen U.S. supply chains in manufacturing is slowly bearing fruit. Nonprofit Reshoring Initiative estimated that by the end of 2021, reshoring and direct investment activities will bring more than 220,000 jobs back to the United States, the highest yearly number recorded to date.

Many factories have been replacing imports of industrial goods with U.S.-made products.

Nicole Wolter, president and CEO of Illinois-based HM Manufacturing, has been a beneficiary of the recent reshoring trend. She sees a strong demand for her companys productspower transmission componentsas more customers try to bring their orders back to the United States.

In an interview with NTD Business, Wolter said that her firm saw an increase of 50 to 75 percent in demand thanks to ongoing reshoring initiatives. Like many U.S. manufacturers, however, she suffers from acute shortages of labor and raw materials.

A lot of the reshoring initiatives have been fantastic. But right now, were working a lot of hours just to try to keep up, she said.
Christopher Worrell is seen in pictures included in the Department of Justice's charging documents in an undated photograph. (Jon Elswick/AP Photo)

Judge Orders Release of Jan. 6 Detainee Because of Problems at DC Jail

A Florida man accused of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol grounds was ordered released by a federal judge this week due to ongoing issues with the Washington jail that was holding him and dozens of other people who allegedly committed crimes on Jan. 6.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan nominee, ordered in a decision filed Thursday that Christopher Worrell be released to home incarceration.

Worrell complained that officials at the Washington jail complex, which includes the D.C. Central Detention facility, blocked a recommended operation on his fractured finger and were not giving him access to proper medical treatment for his cancer.

Lamberth last month held Washington jail officials in contempt over the matter and referred the matter and other confirmed and alleges cases of mistreatment of Jan. 6 detainees to the Department of Justice for a potential civil rights investigation.

The agency said this week that Attorney General Merrick Garland received the referral and that a review has been initiated.

In court on Wednesday, Lamberth said Washington officials withheld medical records from the court and other authorities, and that Worrell was mistreated, the American Greatness reported.

Lamberth described the conditions at the lockup as deplorable, adding that This court has zero confidence the defendant will be treated in the way he needs.

We are pleased with the courts order allowing Mr. Worrell to obtain the life-saving cancer treatments he needs, Alex Stavrou, a lawyer representing Worrell, told The Epoch Times in an email.

We are also pleased that over 400 inmates will be transferred to facilities where they will receive proper treatment and care, and not be subjected to the deplorable conditions noted by the United States Marshals investigation, he added.

The U.S. Marshals Service conducted an unannounced inspection of the Washington jail system in mid-October, it announced this week. The inspection revealed no conditions that would necessitate the transfer of inmates from the Central Treatment Facility, where Worrell and other Jan. 6 defendants are being held, the service said. But it ordered the transfer of around 400 detainees from another facility in the system after authorities found conditions there do not meet the minimum standards of confinement.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) went to the facilities earlier in the week to try to enter to see firsthand the conditions but were denied entry. The pair, along with Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) later sent a letter to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, urging her to let them inspect the facilities.

It appears that at least some of those treated so vilely for suspected involvement in the January 6 events are political prisoners of the U.S. government, the lawmakers and Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) wrote in an Epoch Times op-ed.

Since the Washington officials were found in contempt last month, medical records submitted by both parties showed the doctor who examined Worrell after the fracture recommended hand surgery, but the surgery was repeatedly pushed back.

Jail officials claimed Worrell at one point refused surgery, blaming him for the delays, which prosecutors promoted in arguing against his release.

Prosecutors, though, said they could only relay opinions from doctors treating Worrell and draw conclusions from those. They also said an earlier statement that the D.C. Department of Corrections had always provided in a timely manner Worrells medical records was overbroad and acknowledged the department had not always done so.

The governments position was not unjust in that they argued the law in regard to seeking continued detention, and additionally believed Mr. Worrells care to be adequate, Stavrou told The Epoch Times.

In a separate motion, the lawyer noted that a doctor who initially said Worrell needed hand surgery shifted his position when speaking with prosecutors and U.S. Marshals, alleging the surgery was elective and there was no urgency in conducting it.

Jail officials and prosecutors now say the fracture has healed and does not require surgery.

Worrells untreated hand causes him pain and ended up deformed, Stavrou said. He wondered why the doctor who recanted was not questioned by the court.

Mr. Worrell is gravely concerned about his ongoing care from providers who have been found in contempt, investigated for civil rights violations, and whom would have no qualms about misleading this court, he said in asking for his clients release.
Founder, Chairman, CEO and President of Amazon Jeff Bezos unveils his space company Blue Origin's space exploration lunar lander rocket called Blue Moon during an unveiling event in Washington, on May 9, 2019. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)

Judge Rejects Blue Origin Challenge to NASAs Pick of SpaceX Moon Lander

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit by Jeff Bezos space company Blue Origin against the government over NASAs decision to award a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract to rival billionaire Elon Musks SpaceX.

Judge Richard Hertling of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington granted the governments motion to dismiss the suit filed on Aug. 16. The judges opinion explaining his reasoning was sealed, as were many other documents in the case, pending a meeting this month on proposed redactions.

Blue Origin, created by Amazon.com Inc. founder Bezos, expressed disappointment. Not the decision we wanted, but we respect the courts judgment, and wish full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract, Bezos wrote on Twitter.

NASA said on Thursday it will resume work with SpaceX on the lunar lander contract as soon as possible. The space agency added it continues working with multiple American companies to bolster competition and commercial readiness for crewed transportation to the lunar surface.

NASA halted work on the lunar lander contract through Nov. 1, part of an agreement among the parties to expedite the litigation schedule, which culminated in Thursdays ruling.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in July sided with the NASA over its decision to pick a single lunar lander provider, rejecting Blue Origins protest.

SpaceX, headed by Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Musk, joined the proceedings as an intervener shortly after the lawsuit was filed.

NASA had sought proposals for a spacecraft that would carry astronauts to the lunar surface under its Artemis program to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA said on Thursday there will be forthcoming opportunities for companies to partner with NASA in establishing a long-term human presence at the Moon under the agencys Artemis program, including a call in 2022 to U.S. industry for recurring crewed lunar landing services.

SpaceX did not immediately comment.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department speaks about a task force targeting wage theft outside of the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles, on Feb. 9, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Judge Throws Out Deputys Retaliation Suit Against Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELESA judge dismissed on Nov. 5 a lawsuit originally filed by a deputy in September 2020 alleging the Compton Sheriffs Stations life-threatening retaliation against him when he reported the criminal activities of a deputy subgroup known as the Executioners.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William F. Fahey had previously tossed Austreberto Art Gonzalezs lawsuit on Feb. 9, on grounds of procedural and legal deficiencies in Gonzalezs complaint filing.

However, Gonzalezs attorney, Alan Romero, revived the case, saying Faheys previous ruling had nothing to do with the substance of the case, which was then reinstated by Fahey in March.

Lawyers for Los Angeles County subsequently filed a second motion to dismiss the case in July, arguing there were no triable issues.

According to the original suit Gonzalez filed in September 2020, the Marine Corps combat veteran called an anonymous tip line in February 2020 to report the criminal activities of a deputy gang at Compton Station which existed to violate the rights of the public and other sheriffs department employees.

The department turned over a recording of Gonzalezs call to the gang, placing the plaintiff in danger, and took zero steps to curtail the deputy gang, according to the suit.

In March 2020, Gonzalez was passed over for a watch deputy position that was instead given to an Executioners prospect in violation of county policy, the suit stated. That same month, a sergeant forced Gonzalez to resign from his field training officer job, according to the suit.

Fearing for his safety and aware of a violent attack by the gang on another station deputy, Gonzalez contacted an attorney to represent him in his disputes with the department, according to his lawsuit.

Attorneys for the county argued in their court papers that there was no evidence the county retaliated against Gonzalez.

They said he asked to take time off from his role as a field training officer and to transfer from the Compton station and that both requests were accommodated. They also said he suffered no economic damages.
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is seen in Washington on May 13, 2021. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Labor Secretary Insists OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine Rule Is Not a Mandate

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, during a media blitz on Thursday, said that the new Biden administration rule that requires private employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or get tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis is not a mandate.

This isnt a mandatethis is a vaccine or testing, Walsh, a former mayor of Boston, said during an appearance on MSNBC.

What we want to do is just encourage people to get vaccinated, if they choose not to get vaccinated, were askingtheyre going to get tested and then, in the workplace, when theyre around other people, theyre going to wear a mask. This is not a mandate, he added on CNN.

The Labor Departments Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promulgated earlier in the day whats known as the emergency temporary standard that outlines the requirements for private employers.

The requirement mandates businesses with 100 or more workers to either obtain proof of COVID-19 vaccination from each employee or results from COVID-19 testing done on a regular basis, at least once a week. It may be expanded to smaller businesses before being finalized.

Critics said the standard is clearly a mandate.

This new rule is illegal and unconstitutional. It circumvents the normal legal process, along with Congress, to claim emergency powers to impose a mandate on American business, Rick Esenberg, president and general counsel at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, which is representing two businesses suing the administration over the standard, said in a statement.

Multiple lawsuits were filed within hours of the rule being unveiled. Many of them described it as a mandate.

The administration is citing the Occupational Safety and Health Act, a federal law enacted in 1970 after being passed by Congress and signed by then-President Richard Nixon.

The act lets OSHA issue an emergency standard if the agency determines that employees are subject to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards, and an ETS is necessary to protect employees from such danger. The agency says SARS-CoV-2, or the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19, constitutes a grave danger.

I dont believe were overstepping our bounds here, Walsh said, adding that hes confident, like other administration officials, that the standard will withstand legal challenges.

Using the labor secretarys rationale, a different requirement issued Thursday is a mandate.

The Department of Healths Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services separately announced that its requiring health care workers at facilities that receive funding from Medicare or Medicaid get vaccinated against the CCP virus. Those facilities, which employ over 17 million workers, are governed by the requirement, not the OSHA standard.

They do not have a testing opt-out option.

Asked what would happen to the health care workers who refuse to get a vaccine, Walsh said on PBS, Employers will be able to take the action that they think is right.
A pro-life campaigner displays a plastic doll representing a 12-week-old fetus as she stands outside the Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast, Northern Ireland on April 7, 2016. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Propose Bill to Ban All Abortions in Ohio, Going Beyond Texas Law

Republican lawmakers in Ohio proposed a bill seeking to ban all abortions in the stategoing farther than the new law in Texas that bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

The proposed legislation would ban abortion at any stage of pregnancyfrom the moment of conception, and regardless of whether a heartbeat is presentgoing further than the Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as Senate Bill 8, signed in May.

The measure is called House Bill 480 or the 2363 Act, which lawmakers say refers to the average daily number of abortions performed in the United States in 2017.

The bill defines an unborn child as an individual human being from fertilization until live birth.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no person shall purposely perform or attempt to perform an abortion, reads the text of the bill, which defines abortion as actions that seek to terminate the pregnancy of a woman, with knowledge that the termination by any of those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the unborn child.

Lawmakers designed the bill to have a similar mechanism of enforcement as the Texas Heartbeat Act, by empowering any personexcept state or local officials or employees, or the person impregnated the woman involved against her willto bring civil action against a person who performs or induces an abortion, or knowingly aided in the process.

Plaintiffs who file such lawsuits are able to ask for $10,000 or more against the defendants, including those paying for it via insurance, reported Cleveland.com.

State Reps. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Twp.) introduced the bill. The two are the youngest members of the Ohio House.

The 2363 Act is about protecting our fundamental, constitutional right to be born and live. Abortion kills children, scars families, and harms women, Powell, 27, said in a statement, reported multiple outlets. We can and must do better.

My generation will be the one to outlaw abortion, Hall, 26, said in a statement.

The bill is being co-sponsored by 33 Ohio House Republicans. The GOP caucus holds a 6435 majority in the House.

Live Action president and founder Lila Rose called the 2363 Act the beginning of the end of legally sanctioned abortions in America.

Meanwhile, Adrienne Kimmell, acting president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called the measure dystopian.

The Supreme Court convened this week to hear arguments in two lawsuits challenging the Texas Heartbeat Act. It has yet to rule on wheteher the cases can proceed or whether to block the laws enforcement while litigation plays out.

Starting Dec. 1, the Supreme Court will hear the case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which focuses on Mississippis 2018 Gestational Age Act that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, and asks the court to rule on the constitutionality of abortion restrictions before an unborn child is capable of living outside the womb.
Lawyer: PR Executive 1 in Durham Indictment Is Former Democratic Party Campaigner

Dolan reportedly attempted to later discredit Steele dossier

A lawyer on Thursday confirmed that Washington-based communications executive Charles Dolan Jr. is the individual referred to as PR Executive-1 in special counsel John Durhams indictment against Russia analyst Igor Danchenko, which was unsealed earlier this week.

The grand jury indictment of Danchenko alleges that he lied when he told the FBI that he never communicated with a public relations executive who had been active in the Democratic Party about claims in a dossier issued by former UK spy Christopher Steele.

Although the public relations executive, or PR Executive-1, is never named in the indictment, Dolans lawyer Ralph Martin told The Epoch Times on Friday that his client is the person in question.

Chuck understands and appreciates your interest, Martin told The Epoch Times, confirming reports on Thursday about Dolans identity.

I can confirm that he is PR Executive-1 in the indictment. As he is a witness in an ongoing case, it would not be appropriate for Chuck to comment further on the allegations in the indictment at this time, he added.

The Washington Post reported that in 2017, Dolan attempted to distance himself from the Steele dossier and wrote in an email to a client. Im hoping that this is exposed as fake news, Dolan said of the dossier at the time. I may be wrong but I have doubts about the authenticity.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Dolan is the senior vice president of Kglobal, although the company appeared to remove his biography in recent days, instead returning a 404 error page. An archived version of Kglobals website says that in the 1990s, Dolan served as the state chairman of the Virginia presidential campaigns of President Bill Clinton, was also the former executive director of the Democratic Governors Association, and had served as an advisor to then-Sen. Hillary Clintons presidential campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire in 2008.

Reports from the New York Times and CNBC, as well as other online biographies, said that he worked as an advisor to the 2008 Hillary Clinton campaign, served as state chairman in Virginia for Bill Clintons two presidential campaigns, and was executive director for the Democratic Governors Association. Martin did not reply to questions about Dolans work for the Clinton campaigns.

Durhams indictment revealed that Dolan and Danchenko were allegedly on speaking terms in April 2016 and discussed a potential business collaboration involving Dolans company. Later that year in August, the indictment alleges, Danchenko told Dolan that he was working on a project against Trump and asked for [a]ny thought, rumor, allegation related to former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who had just resigned from his position over allegations about his dealings with Ukraine.

Dolan allegedly told Danchenko in response that I had a drink with a GOP friend of mine who provided information to him before he communicated with a Trump campaign staffer who hates [Manafort] and still speaks to Trump regularly played a role, according to the court filing.

I think the bottom line is that in addition to the Ukraine revelations, a number of people wanted [Manafort] gone, Dolan allegedly added, according to the indictment. It is a very sharp elbows crowd.

Thank you for this. Any additional insights will be much appreciated. It is an important project for me, and our goals clearly coincide. Ive been following the Russia trail in Trumps campaign. It is there so what you read in the news is hardly an exaggeration. Some things are less dramatic while others are more than they seem, Danchenko replied, according to the indictment.

But at one point, prosecutors said, Dolan acknowledged to the FBI that he never met with a GOP friend in relation to this information that he passed to Danchenko and instead fabricated the fact of the meeting in his communications with Danchenko. The indictment alleged that Dolan obtained that information about Manafort through media reports before passing that to Danchenko.

According to prosecutors, Dolan appeared to have extensive ties with clients in Russia, and at one point, he and Danchenko traveled to Moscow in 2016. He also met with officials at the Russian embassy in Washington, that same year, the indictment reads.

Dolan had also maintained pre-existing and ongoing relationships with numerous persons named or described in in the Steele dossier, of which Danchenko had contributed, the indictment said.

In anticipation of the June 2016 Planning Trip to Moscow, the indictment states, PR Executive-I also communicated with Russian Press Secretary-I and Russian Deputy Press Secretary-I, both of whom worked in the Kremlin and, as noted above, also appeared in the [Steele dossier].

And from in or about 2006 through in or about 2014, the Russian Federation retained PR Executive-1 (Dolan) and his then-employer to handle global public relations for the Russian government and a state-owned energy company, according to the indictment. He also had served as a lead consultant during that project and frequently interacted with senior Russian Federation leadership whose names would later appear in the Steele dossier, the court papers said.

Many claims within the dossier, which is a collection of dozens of Steeles notes and memos, turned out to be false, triggering criminal, congressional, and inspector general investigations into how the reports were used for the basis of a secretive FBI surveillance campaign targeting a Trump campaign official, Carter Page.

The indictment further claimed that Danchenko lied about Dolans interaction with the Steele dossier when the FBI later tried to confirm its accuracy. This deprived the agency of the ability to find out about the reliability, motivations, and potential bias of the source, who had worked for Democratic politicians, prosecutors said Thursday.

Dolan told FBI investigators that he was not directed by the Clinton campaign and wasnt aware of his dealings with Danchenko, Durhams prosecutors alleged, although they said he also told the bureau that he didnt realize the information he provided to Danchenko would end up with the FBI.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.
The Biden administration has officially rolled out its forced vaccine policy for businesses with over 100 employees, and is already considering extending the policy to businesses with fewer employees. And in other news, the Chinese regime told its citizens to begin stockpiling food, causing panic buying throughout the country.

In this live Q&A with Crossroads host Joshua Philipp, well discuss these stories and others, and answer questions from the audience.

Subscribe to the new Crossroads newsletter and stay up-to-date!

Follow EpochTV on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus

Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV

Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv

Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV

Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV

Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV
People walk outside a vaccination centre at the University of Malta in Msida, on May 24, 2021. (Darrin/Reuters)

Malta, Germany Agree to Offer COVID-19 Booster Vaccines to All Eligible Citizens

The COVID-19 booster shot will soon be offered to everyone eligible in Malta and Germany, health officials in both countries announced on Friday, citing a recent increase in CCP virus cases.

Chris Fearne, Maltas health minister, said during a press briefing that the effectiveness of the vaccines is waning as the country registered 40 new CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus cases on Friday, the highest reported number in six weeks.

The decision to start giving a booster was the right one because immunity is waning and so the booster is crucial, Fearne said. We believe the booster will make a big difference in Malta, he added.

The booster shots are already being given to people aged over 70 and the vulnerable, mostly with underlying health conditions. The island nation located in southern Europe will soon start offering the jabs to everyone aged 12 and over, although Fearne did not specify the timeline.

Maltas Minister for Health Chris Fearne at a press conference in Valletta, Malta, on June 27, 2018. (Matthew Mirabelli/AFP via Getty Images)

Healthcare workers and teachers will get their boosters from next week. The shots will then be offered to other categories of people according to their age in a program that will continue well into 2022 for the youngest.

Malta has the highest vaccination rate in the European Union, with 94 percent of the people having been fully vaccinated. Already 75 percent of the 70 plus age group have received boosters.

Fearne said that although CCP virus cases are increasing again and more people are being hospitalized with COVID-19, most patients are experiencing very mild symptoms.

Germany Agrees on Booster Shots for All

Meanwhile, German health minister Jens Spahn said on Friday he had agreed with regional health ministers that in the future everyone should be offered a COVID-19 booster shot six months after receiving their previous injection.

Booster shots after six months should become the norm, not the exception, Spahn told reporters at a news conference after meeting with state health ministers.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn gives a press statement in Berlin on Sept. 22, 2021. (Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images)

Spahn made the remarks as German health officials registered its highest infection rate for two consecutive days since the start of the CCP virus pandemic. On Friday, authorities recorded 37,640 new CCP virus cases, marking the highest single-day count to date.

Michael Kretschmer, the prime minister of the eastern German state Saxony, said a new lockdown is likely if the country doesnt take immediate action to reverse the rise in cases.

If we take too much time now, it will end in a lockdown like last year, he told Deutschlandfunk radio.

Booster shots in Germany have already started being administered in September, with the priority given to health care workers and those deemed to be at a higher risk, such as people who dont have strong immune systems, the elderly, or the immunocompromised.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Man Proposes to Girlfriend at Hospital Bedside Moments After She Wakes Up From Month-Long Coma

A man gave his girlfriend something extra to fight for when he proposed at her hospital bedside, moments after she woke from a month-long coma. Laying eyes on the man she loves after 30 days in the dark, she said yes.

Public health student Viktoria Cupay, 25, has had lupus since 2016, an incurable autoimmune disease that can cause joint pain, fever, skin rashes, and organ damage. In 2019, Viktoria fell ill and her mother took her to the emergency room at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, thinking it was just another lupus flare-up.

However, it turned out to be much worse.

Viktoria Cupay with her fiance, Nicholas William Baldo. (Courtesy of Viktoria Cupay)

I mostly cannot remember the next few months, Viktoria told The Epoch Times, but I was suffering from toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), an extreme allergic reaction to a medication.

More than 50 percent of my body was burned, my skin peeled off, and my internal organs were damaged, she explained. I had to stay in a medically induced coma for about a month.

However, Viktorias boyfriend, Nicholas Baldo, was within arms reach when she woke. As soon as she stabilized, dressed in protective gear, he leaned in with a very special piece of jewelry in his hands: his grandmothers ring.

Nicholas at the hospital with Viktoria. (Courtesy of Viktoria Cupay)

In moving footage of the magical moment shot by Viktorias mom, Greta, he asks Viktoria, Will you marry me? Unable to speak, Viktoria gives Nicholas her hand to accept the ring and extends both arms to embrace him.

I was surprised and honored at the same time, she recalled. A music therapist was in the room playing music for us, and my mom made lots of paper flowers to decorate my hospital room.

Born in the Philippines, now living in Chicago, Viktoria had met Nicholas in San Francisco in 2018 while visiting a friend. Describing the 31-year-old software product manager as humble and kind, she was nonetheless bowled over by his conviction to stay, through thick and thin.

When you think of the unimaginable, such as me being in a comaand I changed so much, physicallyI wouldnt have thought of him staying, she said. When I was at my worst, Nick chose to see the best in me, and thats everything I have prayed for in a man.

The proposal almost never happened. The week prior, Viktoria had had several close calls and emergencies where she needed to be revived twice. Her loved ones watched over her 24 hours a day, practically living out of her hospital room. Viktoria strongly believes that she wouldnt have pulled through without them, her doctors, and nurses along the way.

At the hospital, I would just tell her how everythings gonna be okay and that we love her, Nicholas told Metro. If there was good news, I would always share that.

After a total of 240 days in different hospitals, Viktoria was discharged. And, slowly, her condition improved too.

However, with no cure available for lupus and the condition requiring lifelong management according to Cleaveland Clinic, Viktoria does face challenges.

Physically, lupus is a constant battle where there are always bad surprises, she told The Epoch Times. One year it might be kidney trouble, the next year it might be my intestines, and if it isnt the lupus causing problems, it will be the side effects of my medication. Mentally, lupus lowers my energy levels and causes me to live in fear of another flare-up.

Even when she is healthy, Viktoria takes several trips to the hospital every month for checkups and blood work. There is a high likelihood that lupus and TEN are linked, she claimed, since both are related to immune system function. Additionally, since her coma, Viktoria has battled complications owing to both conditions.

Due to her condition, its hard to make plans, Viktoria admits, yet she and Nicholas are excited about the future.

Were in the middle of planning our wedding right now, she shared. It will be in August 2022, in Chicago. We will be celebrating it with close family and friends.

The bride-to-be reflected: With life comes challenges, so acknowledge and cherish the people who will be there with you, no matter what. Never take anything for granted.

I am forever grateful to the people who have been there to support me in my journey, Viktoria added. I would not be here today without their love and support.

Watch the video:

(Courtesy of Cater News)

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Man Who Lived in Jungle 40 Years With Superhuman Survival Skills Sees Big City, Ocean for First Time

Movies have been made, books written, and urban legends told of humans living deep in the junglelike Tarzanhaving little or no contact with other humans, nor modern society, for decades.

Few will ever have a chance to meet a real-life Tarzan, though one emerged from the jungles of Vietnam relatively recently. And he shared his survival adventures with the worldbefore venturing grandly to see new sights and experience the outside world.

In 2013, Ho Van Lang, then in his 40s, and his father were found by the Vietnamese Army deep in their jungle home, where they had been living for four decades, and brought back to civilization. Raised in the jungle since he was a baby, Lang acquired what some might call superhuman survival skills, which garnered him his nickname the real-life Tarzan.

Lang demonstrates a technique for keeping dry during a rainstorm. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Lang lived in a village since 2013 but was unable to understand Vietnamese. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

His father, Ho Van Thanh, fled with his son into the jungle in 1972, during the Vietnam War, when he served in the military and his house was exploded by a bomb, killing his family; not once did they look back, but only delved deeper as humans drew nearer.

Langs wilderness exploits were brought to light and documented on video in 2015 when Spanish travel guide Alvaro Cerez, 40, sojourned to meet the real-life Tarzan to hopefully learn some survival skills from him. Lang was living in a village where reintegrating into society was a challengesocial concepts were completely alien to him.

Cerez recollected the joint adventure that ensued, as they entered each others wonderous worlds with eyes wide open, and shared it with The Epoch Times.

The connection between us was immediate because Lang never imagined someone could admire his survival skills; therefore, he was proud to show me them all, Cerez said. He got so excited that he decided to bring me deep in the jungle and show me the place he had lived all his life.

We spent one week living at his jungle-home in the same way he did during the past four decades.

Lang shows Cerez where he spent 40 years living deep in the jungles of Vietnam. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Lang showed Cerez how to do things that were incomprehensible to the guide.

He was a little kid with the skills of a superhuman, he said. When we were surviving together in the jungle, anything that could take me hours to achieve, he could do it in seconds. Climbing trees, making tool, hunting etc.  It was much faster to ask him to do it for me.

It was like having your own superhero

Cerez realized what a fascinating and endearing human being he had found in Lang and adjusted his perspective while they were on their excursion.

He was extremely sweet, Cerez said. Fascinated by his personality, the survival took a back seat and I decided to relax and enjoy being with this beautiful human being.

Food was abundant in the jungle and Lang procured it rather easily: setting up traps to catch rats; ingeniously finding bats hiding in bamboo shoots; and starting fires for cooking with little more than a rock, tinder, and a piece of scrap metal.

Lang demonstrates his trap-setting skills. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Lang is able to spark a blaze in a matter of a few seconds using a rock and metal tool. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

He and his father had made tools out of exploded bombs they had found in the jungle, which they used to cut down trees and make other tools. They made clothes out of banana leaves and lived in a tree hut. But Langs father had taught his son very little about the outside world. He didnt even know females existed, Cerez said. His only idea of the outside world were the planes that sometimes crossed him overhead in the sky.

His dad explained to him that they werent birds but hollow objects which had humans inside it.

Lang was fascinated by this.

That life changed in 2013 when Langs brother Ho Van Tri (living in civilization) had them brought back. And Lang experienced being driven in a truck for the first timewhich he thoroughly enjoyed.

After their jungle adventure, Cerez shared another journey with Lang in 2018, after his fathers death in late 2017.

He was his only company and connection to the human world during their time of being isolated in the jungle, the guide said. I realized it was time to help him retreat from the village for a little while where he had been living since 2013 

Lang was quite curious to know how the sea was and, most of all, he wanted to fly.

Lang experiences the big city for the first time in his life. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

(Left) Langs father, Ho Van Thanh; (Right) Lang and Cerez at a train station in Vietnam. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Cerez, originally from Spain, guides tourists to desert islands to enjoy tropical getaways, and offered to bring Lang to one of the islands he frequents.

During the long journey to the desert island, Lang discovered many new things for the first time, like seeing a big city from a distance while we spent the night in a hotel near the airport, Cerez said.

We made sure to avoid walking in the busy streets while being in the city, at all costs. I was always afraid that the emotional impact of finding himself in the crowd amongst people could have been too strong for Lang.

The following day, Lang jumped into the plane with enthusiasm for the first time, and at last saw the world from above, Cerez said, adding that he watched the clouds and the propellers with interest and couldnt understand how such a massive object could move while suspended in the air.

When finally they arrived at the sea, Lang was amazed. His father had told him about it, but hed never seen so much water stretching from horizon to horizon.

Previously unreleased footage shows Lang mesmerized while flying in an airplane for the first time in his life. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Lang sees the ocean for the first time. (Courtesy of Docastaway)

Langs least favorite part of the trek was the boat ride to the island. A little scared, he clung to wooden planks and crouched in the middle of the boat. Seeing himself surrounded by only water was a situation he had never imagined, said the guide.

As the silhouette of the desert island appeared, Lang looked at it although understanding what it really was, Cerez added. As soon as we landed, Langs face lit up.

The place was filled [with] trees, animals, nature  In other words, it was home. He quickly climbed a coconut tree and brought down a few coconuts.

The guide spent a number of marvelous days of survival on the island with the real-life Tarzanthough the first night was somewhat unnerving for Lang, who believed the island itself, like the boat, was floating and could sink at any time.

All the islands he saw in the distance were floating for him, Cerez said. Among other anecdotes, the one that made me laugh the most was when he woke up one morning all thirsty and, in his sleepy laziness, tried to open a coconut to drink from.

Failing to do so, [he] went directly to drink the sea water, and got shocked when he found it was so salty.

Months later, Lang passed away of liver cancer on Sept. 6, 2021, at the age of 52. Recently, previously unseen footage of their exploitsflying, seeing the ocean for the first time, arriving on the desert Islandwas released by Cerez for the world to be captivated by.

The clips show a shared sojourn of discovery with a real-life Tarzanwith all the wonder of a childeach tasting the others world for the first time.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Midnight Flights Carrying Illegal Aliens Into Florida Frustrating State Officials

Floridas newly appointed public safety czar says he is frustrated with the Biden administrations border policies and the fact that hundreds of illegals are being dumped onto Florida soil.

Larry Keefe says the illegal aliens are a burden to taxpayers and, if they commit crimes, to state and local law enforcement.

Keefe was appointed in September as Floridas public safety czar. He told The Epoch Times that the federal government is flouting the law and is making immigration policies because they couldnt enact them legislatively.

He said there is not an official count, but more than 70 private charter flights have been reported coming into the Jacksonville airport with at least 36 passengers aboard each flight.

This is not haphazard that these people are coming here this way, Keefe said. This is a precision, military-like operation where they are coming in a covert and clandestine way.

Keefe said that the flights land in the middle of the night and the people are met by handlers who escort the unaccompanied minors on to chartered buses and are dispersed throughout the I-10 and I-95 corridor and go as far down as Miami.

This number [70] is what we currently know, not counting what we dont. Its very frustrating, he said. Because only the feds can take action against immigration.

Keefe said he is trying very hard not to call this an investigation, because immigration is a federal act not a state one, but the federal government leaves the states no choice but to defend and protect themselves.

He said that he is receiving reports and cannot open an investigation until you have proof of a crime.

It is Keefes belief that Jacksonville was not randomly chosen, but targeted because of its central location and its close proximity to the two interstate systems.

These flights are secret and stealth and the state of Florida has no warning that they (illegal immigrants) are being resettled here, because private non-profit, sometimes religious agencies, are being utilizedand are paid in grants funded by the federal governmentto take the immigrants and resettle them throughout the state of Florida, he said.

The governors press secretary, Christina Pushaw, estimated that border patrol agents have encountered approximately 1.7 million illegal aliens this year.

Border patrol is overwhelmed, Pushaw told The Epoch Times. There is no effective vetting as to who these people are coming into our country.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis has reacted with an executive order and appointing Keefe.

DeSantis blames the border crisis on the Biden administrations failed immigration policies.

The borders are overwhelmed and cannot properly vet these immigrants, he said recently. They have no identifying papers when they get here, so there is no way to tell who someone is, or how old they are.

The governor explained that this is how some of the immigrants get past border security, such as in case of the man who told authorities that he was 17 and was processed as an unaccompanied minor.

He later turned out to be 24 years old and is currently facing a murder charge over the death of his benefactor, who was trying to help him build a new life in Florida.

The federal government is the curator of information where the illegals are concerned, Keefe continued. The state of Florida only know what the feds will tell them and what the illegal alien is willing to tell them.

Keefe said that often illegal immigrants will stay under the radar to the point that they become victims of other illegal cartels. This puts undue hardship on state and local law enforcement agencies, he said.

This is only going to be bad for law enforcement morale, Keefe said. They cant deport them, because they have no power to do so, they have to stand down and let it happen.

DeSantis signed an executive order in September to help combat the wave of illegal immigrants entering the state without warning.

The governor said he initiated the order because the influx of illegals is taking its toll on taxpayer dollars and overwhelming state agencies.

This executive order makes it clear that Florida resources will not be used to prop up the failed open border agenda enacted by this administration, he said in September.

The executive order addresses several things:

It directs the Department of Children and Families to refuse to renew licenses to facilities that house unaccompanied minors;

It asks the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to conduct audits of companiesto verify they do not employ illegal aliens;

It requires the FDLE to lawfully gather information on the number and identities of illegal aliens being transported from the border to Florida,;

Encourages state law enforcement to detain any vehicle transporting illegal aliens if there is reason suspicions it is being used for human or drug trafficking,;

and it requests information from state officials on the number of illegal aliens who are pending criminal prosecution or have been convicted of a crime.

Keefe said: As a former U.S. Attorney, I saw illegal aliens that would get deported, and come back, and then get deported, and come back, in an endless cycle.

The states, including Florida, bear the brunt of this cycle. Over the coming weeks and months, our state agencies will be addressing the impacts illegal immigration has had on our state.

Keefe said if people are illegally in the state, and they have broken (state) laws they will be punished.

The Epoch Times reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but phone calls and emails were not returned by press time.
Protesters sit at a barricade set up on the roof of a footbridge leading to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in Hong Kong, on Nov. 15, 2019. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

New Hong Kong University Classes Set Out Dangers of Breaking Security Law

HONG KONGLast month, several thousand Hong Kong university students, some under the watch of a CCTV camera, were the first to attend compulsory courses on the territorys national security law.

The content of the courses, some of which Reuters has seen exclusively, sets out the dangers of breaking the law, in one case demonstrating how a message in a chat group could be interpreted as a serious breach, punishable by up to life in prison.

At Hong Kong Baptist University, at least one CCTV camera was present in the lecture hall, while an unidentified photographer took pictures, according to two students who attended.

Critics said the courses represent an attack on academic freedom in Hong Kongs Western-style university education system.

In principle, making requirements on particular classes is a very serious infringement of academic freedom, said Katrin Kinzelbach, a political scientist at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany, who has conducted extensive research into academic freedom at universities around the world.

Academic freedom means you may study and teach what you are interested in. It also means the freedom to not engage in particular classes.

Hong Kongs national security law, imposed by Beijing last year, stipulates that national security must be taught in schools and universities. Hong Kongs Education Secretary Kevin Yeung said earlier this year that it was a requirement for higher education institutions to incorporate national security education into their curriculums, according to a government statement.

The law punishes anything Beijing regards as secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

A spokeswoman for Hong Kongs Education Bureau said in an emailed response to Reuters that it is a statutory obligation to promote national security education in universities.

The community would expect the universities to uphold good governance and accountability to the public, and their operations have to comply with the law and meet the interests of students and the community at large, the spokeswoman said.

The bureau, added, however, that academic freedom and institutional autonomy are important social values treasured by the Hong Kong government and enshrined in local laws.

Baptist University, a publicly funded liberal arts college with a Christian heritage, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on its course or why a CCTV camera was present in the lecture hall.

CCTV cameras are seen above Democracy Wall at Hong Kong University, in Hong Kong, on Oct. 19, 2021. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

The introduction of the courses is the latest move by the pro-Beijing government to clamp down on universities and their students, which Hong Kong and Chinese authorities blamed for stoking and leading some of the pro-democracy protests that took place in 2019.

Almost 4,000 of the 10,000-or-so people arrested in connection with the protests were students, according to police.

Since the introduction of the national security law, at least six liberal academics have been forced from their university jobs, according to a Reuters tally, while student unions have been disbanded or ousted from campuses and student leaders arrested. Starting next year, universities will be required to raise Chinas national flag daily, according to education secretary Yeung.

Critics say the clampdown is part of a broader move to neutralize the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. More than 150 people, including many opposition politicians, have been arrested for endangering national security over the past 16 months, while schools, churches, libraries, booksellers, and film-makers have all been subject to tighter scrutiny.

Ms. Naughty and Mr. Breach

Hong Kong, a global financial hub with a population of 7.5 million, was until recently regarded as one of Asias freest academic arenas, largely a legacy of British colonial rule that ended in 1997 when the city was given to the Chinese regime.

Hong Kongs schools and universities are now being forced to integrate so-called national security and patriotic themes into their teaching, bringing them closer in line with education in mainland China.

Four of the citys eight publicly funded universitiesBaptist University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Lingnan University, and Education University of Hong Konghave launched national security lectures, seminars, or talks as a graduation requirement. Hong Kong Metropolitan University, which is self-funded, told Reuters it would soon launch such a course but declined to specify when it would start.

The courses outline the national security laws 66 articles, detailing how they might be breached, while stressing the need for greater patriotism and national Chinese identity, according to course materials from two Hong Kong universities seen by Reuters, and interviews with five students.

At Baptist University, the course took the form of a two-hour seminar by pro-Beijing lawyer Alex Fan, who previously worked at Hong Kongs Department of Justice. In the seminar, he warned students of the sweeping powers of the security law and the severity of punishments for breaking it, according to a 200-page PowerPoint presentation seen by Reuters.

The presentation was followed by a compulsory 20-question multiple-choice test, seen by Reuters, in which students had to identify security law violations by characters with names such as Ms. Naughty and Mr. Breach. Several students told Reuters they failed the test.

One question in the test described a situation where Ms. Naughty asks members of a group on messaging app Telegram to block commuter trains to stop people getting to work, with the aim of compelling the government to implement universal suffrage for the citys legislature.

That was a tactic adopted by pro-democracy protesters in 2019 to achieve one of their five key demands, fiercely opposed by Beijing. Four choices were offered: incitement to secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. Each of those are punishable by up to life in prison under the national security law.

At PolyU, the site of violent clashes between students and police in 2019, a 109-page PowerPoint presentation for its national security course seen by Reuters paraphrases the English philosopher John Locke: The right to punish is essential to the [social] contract and to morality.

In one section the presentation asks: Is criticizing the government a crime under the national security law?

The answer given is: It depends. If the criticism involves any of the four major crimes under the national security law (secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with external forces), it may be counted as a crime.

In response to Reuters questions about the course, a representative for PolyU said the university places a strong emphasis on whole-person development and value education and that the course was necessary to help students develop a clear understanding of issues relating to national security in the city.

Student Reaction

Im scared that my university assignments might get me into trouble, said one 19-year-old Hong Kong student who identified herself only as Mandy.

Im scared that the government will charge me with crimes I didnt commit because of my coursework.

The course was an attempt at mind restructuring, said another Hong Kong student, who identified himself as Michael.
Newly-Elected Virginia Attorney General Says He Plans to Investigate Sexual Assaults at Loudoun County Schools

Virginias newly-elected Attorney General Jason Miyares on Thursday said that he plans to investigate the alleged sexual assaults in Loudoun County Public Schools and will develop new legislation granting his office the power to intervene when prosecutors are not doing an adequate job.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman just two days after the election, Miyares responded with a simple yes when asked by a reporter if he plans to investigate the sexual assault issue in Loudoun County Public Schools.

Were obviously aware of some pretty horrific cases that have made the public, where they failed to do their job. And if theres anything that I want to bring back to the forefront in this process are the victims, Miyares said.

As a former prosecutor, those are the individuals that you rememberthe victims, he said. I dont remember the defendants much and so thats been a little bit of my frustration that Ive seen as I think the victims have been forgotten. And when prosecutors are making plea deals on child rape cases, over the objection of the family, I have a serious problem with that. So, were going to have a legislative fix on that.

Loudoun County Commonwealths Attorney Buta Biberaj said she welcomed Miyares involvement in investigating the alleged assault cases from Loudoun County Public Schools while stressing that her office had been provided with only limited information regarding the investigation.

I am confident that any investigation will show that our office handled those matters appropriately and that the only limitations that will be identified will be in how information was given to us, Biberaj said.

Loudoun County elected me to ensure that we are always having a fair and just system and also to direct our resources towards stability in our community by approaching cases that deal with mental health, addiction, and poverty, differing from those that are violent, Biberaj continued.

If the attorney general-elect wishes to sit down and discuss how I represent my community, I welcome him to call me any day, she said. A woman sits with her sign during a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) board meeting in Ashburn, Virginia on Oct. 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) The Loudoun County Public Schools system has come under fire in recent months over its lack of transparency and failure to take appropriate actions after it was revealed that a student who allegedly sexually assaulted another student was transferred to another high school, where he proceeded to sexually assault a second student. The first alleged assault occurred on May 28 at Stone Bridge High School, in Ashburn, according to the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office. Deputies said school staff notified a school resource officer about a possible sexual assault against a 15-year-old girl. According to the victims family, the assault happened in a girls bathroom by a young boy who was allegedly wearing a skirt. A thorough investigation and evidentiary analysis was conducted over the course of several weeks by the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office Special Victims Unit, the Sheriffs Office said. That boy was later arrested in the case and charged in juvenile court with two counts of forcible sodomy, authorities said in a statement. The second alleged incident occurred five months later on Oct. 6 at Broad Run High School. According to a release from the sheriffs office, a 15-year-old male forced a female student into an empty classroom, held her against his will, and touched her inappropriately. The boy was charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student. On Oct. 25, Loudoun County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court Chief Judge Pamela Brooks found the evidence against the accused teenager to be sufficient for a finding of guilt. The teenager is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 15, as per The Loudoun Times. Meanwhile, Superintendent Scott A. Ziegler last month told a news conference that the school system, will have alternative placements for students involved in discipline infractions that protect the safety of the student body and the rights of the accused, and apologized for the school districts handling of the sexual assault allegations, The Washington Post reports. Let me say to the families and students involved: My heart aches for you, and I am sorry that we failed to provide the safe, welcoming, and affirming environment that we aspire to provide, Ziegler said.
NYC Firetruck Availability Down to 55 Percent, Manpower Shortages Due to Vaccine Mandate: NY Firefighters

City gives firefighters one day to to file for exemptions

Two NYC firefighters gave The Epoch Times an update on the present situation of the FDNY under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Most alarming was an internal document indicating that on Nov. 3, there were only 55 percent of firetrucks available. The normal number, according to him, should be about 90 percent.

A picture of an internal document showing the availability of fire trucks in New York City. (Provided to The Epoch Times)

ENG, short for engine, represents the firetrucks that have a water hose. LAD, short for ladder, represents the trucks that have a ladder.

My engine has about 25 guys, and of that, half of the guys went home, said the firefighter, who now has less than 30 days before termination.

A screenshot of the NYC Fire Wire App shows fires that took place in New York City on Nov. 2, 2021. (NYC Fire Wire App)

On Wednesday, there were four fires that went above 3rd alarm in the city, according to the two firemen that the Epoch Times interviewed and the NYC Fire Wire app that gives alerts and updates on the fires in the city.

Some of the comments in the app blamed de Blasios mandates for the fire, while others asked for civility.

Every subsequent alarm means that a fire is getting bigger or its persisting to the point that members on the scene need replacement. Two of the fires went up to 4th alarm and one of them went to 5th alarm.

Its very unusual. It doesnt happen often, the firefighter said, showing the Fire Wire app.

Most of the firemen want to keep working for the FDNY, but are not allowed.

A lot of guys are looking for a side job, some guys are looking to retire, not by will, but because they feel like theyve been forced.

They want to work. My company is out of service today as we speak, he continued.

A lot of guys have to show up every tour and say were here ready to go and you guys sent us home. Theyre not allowed inside the firehouse building, the firefighter said.

He noted that he did a lot of research on his own about COVID-19 vaccines and feels that they havent been thoroughly tested.

I listen to doctors. I personally dont want to take an experimental vaccine. I already had COVID and I have the natural immunity. I also was tested for the antibodies as well. So my natural immunity is working. I got sick at least twice from last year till now and I have recovered 100 percent every time by myself without any vaccines, he said.

Another fireman told The Epoch Times on Wednesday afternoon that there were three multiple alarms today in the city.

That doesnt normally happen. Thats a direct result of manpower shortages. So a third alarm, fourth alarm, a fifth alarm, all in 12 hours. Thats a direct result of manpower shortages. And the manpower shortages are a direct result of de Blasios mandate, theres no going around it. Those fires dont go more than a room or a mattress or anything other [than] a small fire, but now theyre [going through] entire floors of buildings.

Last Friday, Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro predicted that dozens of Firehouses could close due to the mandates.

According to the city, there are no firehouses closed, but theyll leave one member in the firehouse answering the phones, answering the door if someone knocks, and that counts as a firehouse being open. The companies are closed massively throughout the city. Thirty to 50 companies every tour, which is a huge number. Around the fourth alarm in Brooklyn today there were two engines closed in the first response ticket, there was one truck closed and there were multiple engines understaffed, the fireman said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote on Twitter on Monday that no firehouses have been closed and that response times were normal.

He recently imposed a vaccine mandate on all city workers, with no testing opt-out.

The firemen were given until Monday to get the vaccine or be sent home on unpaid leave.

The FDNY had already been short of staff since the pandemic began.

About a week ago, according to the Fire Department Union leaders, about 30 to 35 percent hadnt taken the vaccine, mostly citing natural immunity and religious objections.

In a press conference on Thursday, they updated the number: 20 percent still havent taken it.

But about 100 firefighters per day are now taking the vaccine, a daily 1 percent increase.

Another update from the conference was that the city finally answered the Unions demands at 7 p.m. on Thursday, giving them one daywhich the leaders said is an unreasonable amount of timeto file their religious exemption and medical exemption applications, otherwise they wont be allowed to work.

The Union representation said that they thought that the unusually high, multiple alarms were a result of the cold season, and not related to de Blasios mandates. They also said that for a firehouse to be counted as open, at least four or five firemen need to be present.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to the media at City Hall in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 30, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Parents Are Scared: Portland Mayor Proposes Investment in Police Amid Murder Spike

The mayor of Portland, Oregon wants to invest over $7 million towards public safety, including rehiring recently retired police officers, as the city deals with a spike in shootings and murders.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler laid out his proposal in a press conference this week.

Wheeler, a Democrat who also serves as police commissioner, voted with other Portland City Council members last year to cut funding to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and dismantle the bureaus team that focused on stopping and responding to shootings.

But he now says shootings have gotten so badrecently topping 1,000, including 70 murdersthat additional money should be allocated for the PPB.

Many Portlanders no longer feel safe in their city. Business owners have closed-up shop for fear of doing business in high-risk areas. Commuters fear for their safety whether taking public transit or by foot. Parents are scared to let their children play outside. People are leaving for work, going to the supermarket, or grabbing drinks with friendsand not returning home, Wheeler said.

I hear your fear and frustration. The tremendous loss our city has seen is not lost on me.

The City Council recently directed $4 million to gun violence intervention groups, but none for policing. Wheeler is proposing allocating funds to add 40 unarmed law enforcement officers who can respond to what he termed low-acuity emergency calls. Theres also a plan to boost bureau staffing by 300 in total, including 200 armed officers, with an eye towards rehiring recently retired officers.

One recruitment method will be offering $25,000 signing bonuses, pending negotiation with the Portland Police Association, a police union.

Wheeler also wants to offer bonuses to police officers to stop them from leaving the force, use $2.6 million to equip all officers with body-worn cameras, and create a position called the dean of police education and training.

Without these investments, the outlook for violence in our city is grim. We need comprehensive solutions, he said.

The police union hasnt reacted directly to the proposal, though it shared an article about two commissioners supporting allocating more money to policing.

The union called for the number of officers to increase, noting Portlands population has grown in recent years, and proposed hiring 840 additional officers over the next five years.

A bureau spokesperson told The Epoch Times last month that the bureau had 886 sworn officers in 2019, and it is down to 789 as of Oct. 21.
Illegal immigrants cross the Rio Grande River from Del Rio, Texas, to Acuna, Mexico, as seen from Acuna, on Sept. 20, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Pathological Self-Hatred of Western Elites Silences Debate on Immigration, Environment: Mark Krikorian

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, has studied immigration-related issues for decades.

He sat down with The Epoch Times at the National Conservatism Conference in Orlando, Florida, shortly before delivering his speech, Mass Immigration vs. Modern Society, at the event.

The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

The Epoch Times: Ive written a few times about the environmental impact of immigration, and particularly illegal immigration. Ive focused on carbon emissions in their home countries versus the United States. Youd expect this to not be controversial, but this is something it seems to me you cant discuss without being immediately accused of xenophobia or bigotry. What do you think thats about? I get the sense thats changed over the past few decades.

Mark Krikorian: Immigrants come specifically to increase their carbon footprint. And I dont mean theyre saying, Boy, Im going to increase my carbon footprint. What theyre doing is they want to come and have a decent house, and maybe be able to own a car and have a more prosperous life, which translates inevitably into increasing their carbon footprint.

If youre a peasant farmer in Honduras, youre not having much of an impact on the environment. If youre living in a modern society, even as a lower-middle-class working stiff, youre having a hugely greater impact on the environment.

That was not controversial in the past, when the population issue was mainly a matter of domestic fertilityin other words, when most population growth was driven by Americans having kids, then it was okay to be concerned about population growth on the left, because that was, in a sense, a way of being anti-American.

The Epoch Times: If you look at the response to countries that have adopted pro-natalist policies, I think thats a very consistent theme.

Say what you will about the Club of Rome and some other groups, but at least there was more consistency there on immigrationbut that seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Mr. Krikorian: I think the reason there was that consistencyits not so much because the people making those arguments hated America or hated the West, necessarilyalthough I think probably a lot of them didits that they werent forced to confront the contradictions in their own worldview.

In other words, that non-whites are inherently superior to whitesmorally, objectively superiorwhich is kind of a starting point for much of the left. As an inversion of an older, pro-white racism, this is anti-white racism.

That was there, even in the older 60s and 70s-era discussions of populations. But the conflict between that worldview and concern about population wasnt really in their face when they were talking about at least American population issues, because we still had relatively robust population growth, most of which was driven by domestic fertility. Its when immigration became the driver of population growth that you could no longer talk about population growth as a problem.

Personally, Im not a population or environment alarmist, but if youre worried about carbon emissions, one of the things you have to be worried about is large-scale immigration. How can you not? And yet, people arent.

Thats the companion sentiment to giving China a pass as a country for building coal plants and all the rest of it, is because you cant really criticize China, because theyre a non-Western country.

Even though the economies of the West have become much less harmful to the environment, you still have to focus on that, because focusing on China as the biggest driver of further problems for the environment is somehow racist, just as talking about the Wuhan virus is racist, even though thats obviously where that came from.

They are different versions of the kind of pathological self-hatred of the elites in the West. And one of the ways that shows up is this attenuationreally, disappearanceof concern about immigration driving increased carbon emissions.

The Epoch Times: You can see this same sort of strange reaction even in the context of how the left responds to Christian immigrants from the Middle East versus Muslim immigrants from the Middle East.

Mr. Krikorian: Its the same ideapathological self-hatred. Christians from the Middle East are still seen as somehow more like us, and therefore bad, even though theyre the ones getting the [expletive] end of the stick in the Middle East.

Mass immigration and de facto open borders are a non-negotiable value for the left now. So if youre an environmental group, open borders has to trump environmentalism. If youre a labor union, open borders has to trump the interests of workers.

The Epoch Times: Are there any other clear-cut environmental hazards or threats to ecosystems that are related to mass immigration?

Mr. Krikorian: The big issue is the carbon emissions and, generally speaking, water use and all the rest of it. The other is the on-the-ground, immediate impact that illegal flows in a fragile ecosystem like the Southwest have. It devastates the flora. Youve got smugglers knocking over saguaro cactuses that took 200 years to grow. You dont just plant a new saguaro cactus, you know what I mean?

That kind of devastation could be avoided, the left would say, by just opening the borders so nobody has to do that, and they could all come through ports of entry. But in the real world, there are going to be limits, and there are going to be people who want to skirt those limits, and theyre going to try to do it in environmentally destructive ways.

The mass illegal flows of people are much more damaging to the Southwest than they would be anywhere else.

The Epoch Times: One thing I often think about is, beyond whats happening just across our borders, when you have massive numbers of people traveling, often on foot, across thousands of miles, youd expect that to have an impact.

Mr. Krikorian: Especially where there are bottlenecks.

The Darien jungle of eastern Panamaits called the Darien Gap because theres a gap in the road system. You could drive from Anchorage, Alaska, almost to Tierra del Fuego, except for the Darien gap, where there are no roads.

The Epoch Times: Its lawless.

Mr. Krikorian: Completely lawless. And people are pouring through there, laying waste to the environment there. So its a similar phenomenon.

The leader of one of the Indian groups, the chief who lives down there, is screaming bloody murder because people are just overrunning their turf. It damages their way of life and ability to earn a living.

The Epoch Times: Im also wondering about your speech today, Mass Immigration vs. Modern Society. What do you mean by that phrase?

Mr. Krikorian: What I mean is thats sort of my unified field theory for immigration restriction. Everybody comes to immigration from a different angle. Some people are worried about security issues. Other people are worried about workforce or environment or government services or assimilation. My point is theyre all the same thing. Theyre all ways that mass immigration is incompatible with the goals and the characteristics of a modern society.

Were in a post-industrial, knowledge-based economy, and yet were importing a 19th-century workforce. Were importing poor people into a welfare state that never existed in the past. We have an elite that doesnt believe in assimilation, and yet were importing a million-plus people a year who have to be assimilated. And we have different environmental and quality of life values than we did in the past, and yet were importing people who are undermining those objectives of environmental stewardship.

The immigrants arent the problem, because the immigrants really arent particularly different from anyone 100 or 200 or 300 years ago. Whats different is us. Modern society is different in kind from anything thats existed in the past. We are running a 19th-century immigration policy in a 21st-century country, and it doesnt work.

Immigration is just a federal government program that we can upsize or downsize or change any time we want. Its just like farm subsidies or small business loans or something else.

The Epoch Times: And yet we spent the last few years discovering that, despite what the federal program may be, individual cities can apparently declare themselves sanctuaries and operate independently.

Mr. Krikorian: There is that. They cant formally amnesty anybody, but by not cooperating with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], ironically, what theyre really doing is protecting criminals, because the only people ICE picks up from non-sanctuary cities are people who were arrested for local crimes.

Editors note: In its fiscal year 2020 report on enforcement and removal operations, ICE reported that 68 percent of its administrative arrests were of convicted criminals, while 22 percent were of people with pending criminal charges and 10 percent were of other immigration violators.
Pennsylvania Governor Breaks Voting Law When Wife Delivers His Ballot

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfs vote was fraudulently cast in the general election, but it still counted in the results.

Wolf, a Democrat, casually mentioned during a Tuesday interview on KDKA Radio that his wife Frances Wolf dropped off his mail-in ballot at the York County Courthouse. Thats not allowed.

In Pennsylvania, voters may request to have a ballot mailed to their home. The ballot is then personally returned to a ballot box by the voter. Having someone else deliver the ballot is considered election fraud, punishable by a $1,000 fine and a year in prison.

The exception is voters with a disability, who may have someone else deliver their ballot if they get prior approval.

Here you have a guy who has said election fraud is minor and it never happens. This is election fraud. Hes not trying to manipulate the outcome, but this is an example of fraud, Republican state Rep. Seth Grove told The Epoch Times.

Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf (Commonwealth Media Services)

Wolfs office has called the situation an honest mistake.

But Wolf should have known better, since in June, he vetoed a voting reform bill that would have made this very action legal.

He vetoed a bill that would have fixed that, and ensured his wife wasnt a criminal, Grove quipped. At the same time, he could also pardon her. Just drop it off honey. Ill pardon you later. I dont know. I wasnt there for the conversation.

Vetoed House Bill 1300 would have allowed family members to drop off ballots as long as they prove they live in the same household, Grove said.

The key is to have election officials there and party observers watching, Grove said. The ballot box should be treated as a polling place.

The York County building, where county residents cast mailed ballots, has a drop box by the metal detector where people enter. A law enforcement officer operates the metal detector and monitors the box.

I told them they should have an election employee there to make sure they have it correct, said Grove, who also is from York County. If you bring in multiple ballots, those ballots are to be set aside and not counted. We know the governors vote counted because it didnt get pulled out. It went into the box.

Republican-led House Bill 1300 included a host of election reforms, updating Pennsylvanias 1937 Election Code, and soon, Wolf will have another crack at those reforms. They have been reintroduced as House Bill 1800.

It is out of committee, on the floor, ready to go, Grove said of HB 1800. I have confidence the General Assembly can move it to the governors desk. I think he needs to come to the table for election reform, to make sure every legal voter has access to participate.

The bill calls for voter photo identification, big fines for election tampering, and sets parameters for early in-person voting.

Will Wolf veto it again? His office offered no response.

The House is expected to move on it next week.
Reports emerge of worsening panic buying in China. Some have even been spotted fighting over goods in stores amid concerns over possible repeat pandemic lockdowns.

Donated organs come with official price tags in China. Six provincial departments co-released a price guide for transplants. But critics say it may encourage killing for profit.

Fourteen candidates are forced to withdraw from an upcoming election in Beijing. Police threatened them over not being appointed by the communist government.

Chinas nuclear threat level has increased 150 percent over the past year, according to the newest Pentagon report on China.

U.S. Customs has detained products from the worlds largest solar cell manufacturer. The Chinese company is accused of involvement in Xinjiangs human rights violations.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
People hold signs and flags in front of San Jose City Hall to protest vaccine mandates on Nov. 3, 2021. (David Lam/The Epoch Times)

People Hold Protest in San Jose Against Vaccine Mandates as Part of Worldwide Walkout

SAN JOSE, Calif.Nearly 100 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall on Nov. 3 to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to call for freedom of choice.

People from various cities across the United States participated in a worldwide walkout in which they took a day off from work to voice their opposition to vaccine mandates. San Jose was one of 64 cities to host a walkout.

The Nov. 3 protests were the kickoff for a series of rallies throughout November that are calling for more transparency regarding vaccines and vaccine mandates. Other participating cities included San Diego; New York; Miami; Las Vegas; Chicago; Honolulu; Concord, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and several others, according to a document from the Childrens Health Defense website.

No government in history has ever surrendered power in the absence of a demand. We need to tell these governments and their friends in the technocracy, the Silicon Valley billionaire boys club, the mainstream media, and the pharmaceutical industry that we will no longer tolerate their trampling of citizens rights, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., board chairman and lead counsel of Childrens Health Defense, said in an article on the website.

Protesters in San Jose waved U.S. flags and held signs with messages such as No Vaccine Mandate, Freedom of Choice, and Just Say No.

The biggest agenda that people need to be concerned about is this health passport and vaccine passports, Jeff Roberts, vice president of operations for the Committee to Recall Santa Clara County Supervisors, told NTD Television at the protest.

Attendees said vaccine passports are against the idea of freedom. Theyre calling for more walkouts to hold the government accountable on the issue of mandates.

The importance of the walkout is that the mandates are illegal, because all the shots that are available on the market today [are] under emergency-use authorization only, and so they cannot be mandated, Alix Mayer, president of Childrens Health Defense California Chapter, told NTD Television.

Rally attendee Louisa Ip spoke out against government overreach regarding the vaccine mandates.

If we dont question, we just let the government or the social media or bosses of the businesses [tell] us what goes into my body  you are giving up your body [and] mind, Ip told NTD Television.

Other attendees shared personal stories with NTD Television about their experiences regarding the vaccine.

Jamie Ivan, a rally attendee, said her mother and two other family members died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

I have clients that have taken the vaccine, and especially the Moderna, and their hair is falling out now, and most of them have anxiety. What I realized is that I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless, Ivan said.

Attendee Victoria Joan told NTD Television about a family discussion she had with her granddaughter regarding the vaccine.

My granddaughter is only 7 years old. She herself has voiced to me that she does not want the shot, Joan said. So far, she stands by that even though shes that young, but I think young children can understand danger.

Nov. 3 was also the day Santa Clara County began offering the vaccine to children aged 5 to 11, following the Food and Drug Administrations emergency use approval of Pfizers pediatric vaccines. The pediatric vaccines are one-third of the dosage of vaccines for people aged 12 and older.

The county of Santa Clara has begun accepting appointments for young children to receive the Pfizer jab. A county medical officer had previously said vaccination clinics could begin visiting school campuses as early as Nov. 4.

Our public health team operates multiple mobile clinics, and starting tomorrow, they will be visiting multiple schools in our highest-risk communities, where parents may not be able to take time off work, but have consented for their children to get vaccinated, Dr. Jennifer Tong, associate chief medical officer of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, told NTD Television.

Tong also advised parents to be attentive to potential side effects that their children may experience, which can include soreness in the arm, a slight fever, or, in some rare cases, heart inflammation. She said these are similar to the side effects that children aged 12 and older and adults have previously reported.

In October, California became the first state that will require COVID-19 vaccines for in-person learning after vaccines for children in grades K12 receive full FDA approval.

David Lam contributed to this report.
Scott Gottlieb testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on April 5, 2017 at on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Pfizer Board Member: Pandemic Could Be Over in US by January

Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner and current Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb said he believes the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States could be over by January 2022.

I think the bottom line though is that these mandates that are going to be put in place by Jan. 4 really are coming on the tail end of this pandemic, Gottlieb said Friday on CNBC, referring to President Joe Bidens deadline for a vaccine requirement or weekly testing for numerous private businesses.

Gottlieb added that by Jan. 4, this pandemic may well be over at least as it relates to the United States after we get through this Delta wave of infection. And well be in more of an endemic phase of this virus. The former Trump-era FDA commissioner was referring to the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

He also pointed to treatments, including a pill from his company, Pfizer, that the firm recently announced can reduce the hospitalization rate from COVID-19 by 89 percent.

Once we get through this Delta wave of infection over the course of the next two months, I think that this therapeutic and the other innovations that weve seen coming to market really mark the end of the pandemic in the United States, Gottlieb said. We need to think about how we put that victory sign on the side of the White House.

The United Kingdom this week became the first nation to approve fellow pharmaceutical giant Mercks COVID-19 treatment pill.

Britains Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recommended the drug, molnupiravir, for use in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness, such as obesity, older age diabetes, and heart disease.

It will be administered as soon as possible following a positive COVID-19 test and within five days of the onset of symptoms, the regulator said, citing clinical data.

Treatments to tackle the pandemic have so far focused mainly on vaccines, although a number of studies have shown that vaccines do not prevent the spread of the virus altogether. Other options, including Gileadis infused antiviral remdesivir and generic steroid dexamethasone, are generally only given after a patient has been hospitalized.

On Thursday and Friday, about a dozen states, companies, and other organizations filed lawsuits against President Joe Bidens order that all employers have until Jan. 4 to mandate their workers get vaccinated or submit to weekly testingas well as an order for federal contractors to mandate shots by the same date.

Reuters contributed to this report.
U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Anthony Ow sorts through mail in the back of his delivery truck in San Francisco on July 30, 2009. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Post Office Claims Surveillance Powers Under Same Law Used to Curb Cops

The same law that has been cited by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as the basis for a sweeping intelligence program has also been interpreted to be highly restrictive on postal policing activitiesraising questions among some critics regarding the legitimacy of USPS surveillance power.

When Postal Police Officers Association President Frank Albergo first read a leaked U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) memo about the monitoring of conservative anti-lockdown protestors, something in the fine print caught his eye.

Written at the bottom of the March bulletin, postal officials claimed the power to surveil and disseminate information about the right-wing protests under 18 U.S. Code 3061a statute with which Albergo is familiar.

As a labor representative for roughly 500 postal police officers, Albergo had previously fought with the USPS over the meaning of U.S.C. 3061. In summer 2020, Postal Service authorities stated that 3061 largely confines postal police officers to USPS propertyrestricting them from patrolling the streets to protect letter carriers, blue collection boxes, and mail vehicles.

Albergo and his union believe that USPS is restricting officers as a collective bargaining tactic to drive down their payby treating them as security guards, rather than full police. But putting that dispute aside, Albergo said hes puzzled by what he sees as a contradiction.

So, according to the Postal Service, the law allows the Inspection Service to surveil Americans social media accounts while at the same time, the law doesnt allow a uniformed police force to protect the mail and employees while away from postal premises, Albergo told The Epoch Times. Only in the topsy-turvy world of the Postal Service could this make sense.

Privacy advocates also have concerns about what USPS has called the Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP)the existence of which was first revealed in April by Yahoo News. USPS faces lawsuits from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Judicial Watch, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and the James Madison Project over iCOP.

EFF senior staff attorney Aaron Mackey said he has similar questions about where USPS derives its surveillance authority. While noting that hes not an expert in post office law, Mackey said he found it odd that the iCOP bulletin relied on U.S.C. 3061 as the basis for the program.

As I read the statute, it provides limited powers for Postal Service law enforcement to investigate crimes, seek search warrants, and make arrests. But the scope of those powers is limited to the functioning of the Postal Service, its property, and related laws that protect mail, he told The Epoch Times.

Its hard to square the sprawling iCOP surveillance program with the specific, limited law enforcement powers Congress created in section 3061. Thats partly why our FOIA lawsuit seeking records about iCOP has asked for documents that show the legal basis for the iCOP program.

However, Cato Institute senior fellow Julian Sanchez said he thinks that USPS may have legal authority for surveillance operations. While U.S.C. 3061 may confine postal police officers to USPS property, it provides broader authority for postal inspectors and other agents, Sanchez said.

None of this, of course, really solves the mystery of why the postal service inspectors would be monitoring social media posts related to protests, which on its face seems well outside their mandate of investigating crimes related to the Postal Service or the mail, he said. To the extent theres anything legitimately worth investigating here, youd think it would be the FBIs job.

Stressing that his theory is purely speculative, Sanchez said one reason for USPSs surveillance operations could be restrictions on FBI agents from participating in social media groups without disclosing their identity.

Other intelligence agencies are similarly required to have rules restricting undisclosed participation by Executive Order 12333, he said. But the postal inspectors arent part of the intelligence community, so conceivably this could be a way of circumventing those rules.

The USPISthe law enforcement wing of the USPSdidnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment about where it derives its authority for iCOP. USPS media contacts also didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Postal Service officials have previously defended iCOP as a legal open-source intelligence operation designed to protect its employees.

Albergo was more blunt in his assessment of whether U.S.C. 3061 authorizes surveillance programs such as iCOP.

Absolutely nothing in 3061 could be construed as allowing such broad law enforcement jurisdiction, he said, accusing USPIS of wanting to be a quasi-NSA.

Albergo also criticized the wisdom of USPIS devoting resources to surveillance operations at the expense of having officers on the streets. Multiple reports suggest that the postal service has been dealing with a drastic upswing in theft, fraud, and violent crime.

In September 2020, NBC News published a story reporting a 600 percent increase in mail theft reports over the past three years, to roughly 177,000 through August 2020 from about 25,000 in 2017. A May 2021 USPS inspector general report also found a 161 percent increase in mail theft complaints from March 2020 to February.

In October, Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale announced that USPIS had responded to more than 7,000 reports of violent crimes against post office employees over the past year, including threats, assaults, and homicides.

With the explosion in postal-related street crime, what exactly is the USPIS doing to stop it, other than spending huge sums of money on surveillance? Albergo asked. The USPIS would rather investigate crime after it happens, rather than stopping it.

Albergo is continuing to fight for his officers to be back on the streets.

The Postal Police Officers Association initially sued over the matter in September 2020, after Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) David Bowers issued a memorandum stating that U.S.C. 3061 confines postal police officers to USPS propertywhats now referred to as the Bowers Memo.

The Postal Police Officers Association sought an injunction on the policy confining officers until its grievance could be settled in arbitration. A U.S. district judge tossed the postal unions lawsuit in Nov. 2020, declining to put a halt on the USPS policy.

The parties are continuing to dispute the matter in arbitration.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gestures as she speaks during a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct.3, 2021. (Dan Peled/Getty Images)

Queensland May Mandate Restrictions to Prohibit Unvaccinated From Venues

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk may follow other states in mandating restrictions for unvaccinated people via health orders, prohibiting them from venues and premises in the coming months.

This comes as the Australian state prepares to lift restrictions for fully vaccinated people in line with its plan to reopen the state on Dec. 17.

What we will see in the future across Australia may be, until the vaccination levels are consistent across the nation, you will see some measures well put in that only vaccinated people will be able to go to certain venues, she told reporters on Friday.

Youre seeing that in New South Wales and Victoria at the moment.

I dont want to pre-empt whats happening in Queensland, but you could see businesses do that, you could see large festivals, for example saying to young people: You can only come here if you are vaccinated.

So its in everyones interest to get vaccinated.

From Nov. 1, states and territories began lifting COVID-19 restrictions on international and domestic travel in line with a national plan.

But Queensland has opted instead to follow its own plan that sees it keeping some restrictions in place for longer, based on vaccination rates, while other states drop theirs.

Queenslands interstate borders remain closed until Dec. 17. But international arrivals will still need to quarantine until the state reaches its 90 percent vaccination milestone.

International arrivals into NSW and Victoria will need to prove theyve received a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and pass a COVID-19 PCR test before they board their flight.

For now, only Australian citizens, permanent residents, their immediate family members, some New Zealanders and those with appropriate visas are allowed to fly to Australia from overseas.

Overall, 66.3 percent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, and 79.1 percent have had one dose.

However, Indigenous vaccination rates are lagging in the state, with 52 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people aged over 16 having had one jab and 38.9 percent being fully vaccinated.

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said more needed to be done.

He called for the government to improve access to vaccines and to go into Indigenous communities to spruik the jab.

Weve got to give people the confidence to get the jab, and Ive seen some of the nonsense thats on social media, and its running through these Indigenous communities, he said.

AAP contributed to this report.
Rep. Greene Tours DC Jail Holding Jan. 6 Defendants

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Thursday was able to tour D.C. jail facilities, including the section thats holding people accused of committing crimes in and around the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The tour lasted over three hours, according to Greene.

Ive never seen human suffering like I witnessed last night, she wrote on Twitter.

Greene said she witnessed some inmates engaged in continuing education classes but also saw others she described as truly suffering from long stays in solitary confinement for bad behavior.'

The tour concluded with the section of the D.C. jail system holding Jan. 6 defendants.

Greene said on Steve Bannons War Room that it was hard to detail what it was like when she, colleagues, and staff members entered the section.

It was like they were prisoners of war. They had lost hope. They felt forgotten. They said that some of their family members thought theyre dead. Theyre not dead. Theyre there. And they are being treated horribly. she said.

Greene is alleging the men were suffering from virtually no medical care and very poor food quality.

Greene and her staff members were putting together a report about what they saw.

I am committed to ending this political war and seeing that our justice system is never used against Americans as a political weapon ever again. I am also beginning a plan for real prison reform. Our nation is broken and our people are divided. Its time to fix it, she said.

The visit came after Reps. Greene and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) were blocked from entering the facilities on Wednesday. They then implored Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser to direct officials to let them tour the system.

The D.C. Department of Corrections referred comment to Bowser.

Several members of Congress asked for a tour of our DOC facilities and why not let them in if were conducting a tour. I think that would send an entirely wrong message to say that theres something to hide at the DC Jail, Bowser, a Democrat, told The Epoch Times in an email.

This is an important issue and we want people who have to be in the jail to be treated humanely, to have safe conditions, to have access to their lawyers, and to go to trial. And if theyve been sentenced to be transferred, to be transferred to wherever that sentence will be served. So we hold ourselves to a very high standard as well, and to the extent that the Marshals found deficiencies, I want to be very clear that we will deal with those deficiencies so that we have a safe jail until such time that the District is able to build a new one, she added.

U.S. Marshals conducted an unannounced visit to the jail last month, the agency announced this week. The visit uncovered poor conditions in the portion not holding Jan. 6 detainees, authorities said, prompting the transfer of hundreds of detainees to a facility in another state.

A federal judge, meanwhile, on Wednesday ordered Christopher Worrell to be released to home incarceration because of mistreatment in the D.C. jail. Worrell, of Florida, is accused of committing crimes on Jan. 6.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan nominee, had last month found Washington jail officials in contempt for resisting efforts to get to the bottom of what happened to Worrell, whose recommended hand surgery was repeatedly put off.
Traffic on the Las Vegas Strip streaks past the replica of the New York's skyline that forms the New York New York hotel, in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 16, 2001. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Republican Jews Meet in Vegas Amidst Rising Antisemitism and a Clueless Administration

Commentary

LAS VEGAS, NevadaThe Republican Jewish Coalition begins its annual conference in Las Vegas Nov. 5postponed a year due to COVIDunder a dark cloud with a hint of light.

The dark cloudit should not surprise readers to know, but it will some anywayis the ominous rise of antisemitism in our country. Its not exactly Germany 1938, but, according to a 2021 survey by the American Jewish Committee:

Approximately one in four (24 percent) American Jews has been the target of antisemitism over the past 12 months: 17 percent said they had been the targets of antisemitic remarks in person, 12 percent said they had been the targets of antisemitism online or on social media, and 3 percent said they had been the victims of physical attacks.

Consequently, approximately four out of every ten American Jews (39 percent) have changed their behavior out of fear of antisemitism.

Despite what some nostalgic liberal groups would like us to believe, the vast majority of this bigotry, soft or hard, comes not from the remnants of the KKK, but from the supposedly woke left, as well as the obvious Islamic extremists.

Much of this has been fueled by anti-Israel causes such as the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, especially after the recent Gaza War, but, more ominously, it has leaked into the United States Congress and the Biden administration.

The left, progressive wing of the Democratic Party, led by AOC and her Squadif you take the Progressive Caucus in its entirety that is nearly a hundred congressmen and womenhas taken such previously outlandish stands as refusing to fund replenishing the Iron Dome system.

This even though the Iron Dome is a defensive weapon that prevents people being killed or maimed by missiles aimed willy-nilly at civilians, large numbers of whom, ironically, are Palestinians themselves.

If these progressives actually know the Arab population of Israel is rapidly approaching two million, that by defunding the Iron Dome they would be murdering Arabs as well as Jews (not to mention Christians, Bahais, Hindus, and others who inhabit the diverseto co-opt their languagestate of Israel), they certainly dont give any indication of it.

What they give indication of is something approaching a bloodlust toward the Jewish stateand it comes straight out of the leftwing of the Democratic Party.

The current administration, despite having Jewish members itself, is fearful, perhaps even petrified, of the caucuses power and does little to counteract it. They will replenish the Iron Dome, but at the same time Biden and company are trying to revive an Iran Deal that was never adhered to and never made any sense in the first place, plus, deepening the wound, are planning to reopen the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem. (Two hundred House Republicans are objecting.)

So all this looms over the Vegas confab of the Republican Jewish Committee, a group that has been fighting the good fight for a long time under the able leadership of Matt Brooks and the generous sponsorship of the now-deceased Sheldon Adelson, among the GOPs most important and reliable financial backers.

A veritable gaggle of prominent Republican politicians is here at Adelsons Venetian-Palazzo complex to speak and vie for the approval of the seven hundred or so Coalition members in attendance, because these people are what you might call, in Chinese fashion, The Two Wellswell-informed and well-heeled. They are the kinds of activists who can propel a politician into the White House and the politicians know it.

This is also a group that exists under multiple ironies, the largest of which is that they consider themselvesand I would argue genuinely arebetter friends of both the United States of America and Israel than their Democratic brethren are of either.

And yet liberal Jews outnumber conservative Jews by at least two to one and have for decades.

The conundrum has been will this ever change? Which brings me to the hint of light I referred to:

The Biden administration may be the long-awaited gift to conservative Jews. Their absolute incompetence in so many areas, coupled with an obvious almost complete about face on the Trump administrations policieseasily the most pro-Israel ever from bringing the embassy to Jerusalem, to the epochal Abraham Accords, to the annexing of the Golan Heightsmight, just might, permeate the previously intractable opinions of some liberal Jews.

Working against this are decades of leftist tradition, even, sometimes especially, from the rich and famous, that functions like a bad habit similar to smoking, and an ambivalence toward Israel that often reads like embarrassment at the Jewish states success. (Israel was easy to love when it had no power.)

We shall see. I am here in Vegas to talk to Coalition members to get their views from the field and to hear what the pols have to say and, of course, to stay as far from the slots as possible.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chairman James Risch speaks to Brian Hook, State Department Special Representative for Iran, as he testifies during a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, on Oct. 16, 2019. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Republicans Introduce Bill to Fund Taiwans Military Development

Republicans introduced a bill on Nov. 4 that would provide $2 billion annually to bolster deterrence efforts in Taiwan and to strengthen the islands capacity to defend itself from aggression by mainland China.

The Taiwan Deterrence Act was introduced by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Corbyn (R-Texas), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

The defense of Taiwan is critical to the future peace and security of the entire Indo-Pacific region, Risch said in a press statement.

This legislation authorizes $2 billion a year in Foreign Military Financing for Taiwan, but it is not a blank check. This funding is contingent on Taiwans commitment to further advance initiatives championed by President Tsai to build a credible defense.

Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, when it broke from mainland China during a civil war. The Chinese regime considers Taiwan as part of its territory, however, and has led a campaign of military intimidation against the island over the last several years.

In response, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen vowed that Taiwan would do whatever it takes to defend its democracy and continued de facto independence.

Taiwan is an important friend of the United States, and it plays a significant role in promoting democracy and countering Chinas aggression in the Indo-Pacific, Romney said.

This legislation would ensure that the United States continues to support Taiwan in its effort to counter Chinese aggression and coercion by bolstering our support of Taiwans defense capabilities.

The bill would provide $2 billion annually from FY 2023-2032 for the purposes of developing asymmetric warfare capabilities to deter aggression from China and enhance Taiwans defense. Some of the specific capabilities mentioned in the bill include air and missile defense systems, cruise missiles, and conventional hypersonics.

In order to receive the monies, Taiwan would be required to commit matching funds, conduct joint long-range planning with the United States, and reach a formal agreement on how the money should be spent each year.

Taiwan would also be required to conduct multiple annual assessments of its forces to inform the United States of its current capabilities and any manpower or material shortages.

As Beijing continues to pose a direct threat to our interests in the Indo-Pacific, its important Taiwan has the necessary tools to defend itself, Rubio said.

The bill comes at a low point in trilateral relations between China, Taiwan, and the United States.

The same day the bill was announced, Chinese Communist Party leaders unveiled a new blacklist for supporters of Taiwan independence. China will now hold Taiwan independence backers to be criminally liable for life, subject to sanctions and barred from all contact with the mainland.

We all bear witness as China continues to destabilize the Indo-Pacific region, and as Americans we must honor our commitments to defend our allies and diplomatic partners like Taiwan, Cornyn said.

This legislation will make sure the U.S. is ready and able to come to Taiwans aid in the event China further encroaches on their autonomy.

The question of whether the United States would join Taiwan in a war to repel a Chinese invasion has plagued pundits and strategists alike.

President Joe Biden said in October that the United States has a commitment to defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion from the mainland, but his administration later walked back on the comments.

Regardless, the United States does maintain a legal commitment to minimally provide Taiwan with the military capabilities needed to defend itself and its autonomy, as outlined in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.

Taiwan also holds economic and strategic significance for the United States. It is the United States 10th largest trading partner, and the worlds foremost manufacturer of semiconductors, which are used to power everything from pickup trucks to advanced military equipment.

The self-governed island is also frequently championed as an emblem of democratic values, and its continued self-governance is often tied to the overall health of democracies worldwide.

As former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I prioritized strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance to advance the vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, Hagerty said.

A free and democratic Taiwan is critical to realizing that vision, and the United States should work with our allies and partners to push back against the Chinese Communist Partys malign behavior and aggressive threats against Taiwan.

It is currently unclear what kind of support the Taiwan Deterrence Act has, but similar efforts earlier in the month hint that the desire for such funding to Taiwan extends beyond the co-sponsors of the bill.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), for example, on Nov. 2 introduced a similar bill, the Arm Taiwan Act, calling for $3 billion annually to build credible asymmetric capabilities in Taiwan.

We should do everything in our power to help Taiwan urgently strengthen its defenses, Hawley said in an associated statement.

If Chinas recent actions have shown the world anything, its that Beijing will stop at nothing in its quest to dominate the Indo-Pacific and then the world. We must not let them succeed.
In this still image from video, U.S. warship USS Mount Whitney prepares to sail through the Bosporus Strait in Turkey toward the Black Sea on Nov. 4, 2021. (Reuters/Screenshot via NTD)

Russian Navy Tracks US Ship Mount Whitney in Black Sea

MOSCOWThe Russian navy has started tracking a U.S. naval command vessel in the Black Sea, news agencies quoted the defense ministry as saying on Thursday, amid tension over NATO activities near Russias borders.

The forces and means of the Black Sea Fleet have started monitoring the actions of the Mount Whitney command ship, which entered the Black Sea zone on Nov. 4, TASS news agency quoted the defense ministry as saying.

The U.S. Navy said on Monday that the USS Mount Whitney had arrived in Istanbul and that it would soon join forces with other ships in the Black Sea.

President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russian forces could observe the Mount Whitney through binoculars or in the crosshairs of [their] defense systems.

On Tuesday, the Black Sea fleet said its ships had rehearsed destroying enemy targets and that air defense systems had been put on alert at its bases in Novorossiysk and on Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Russia, which severed ties with NATO last month, complains frequently about alliance activity close to its borders or in what it regards as its post-Soviet sphere of influence.
Emergency medical staff and Callum Cherrett Cardiology AT (C) treat a patient with suspected heart issues in the Emergency Department of St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, on June 04, 2020. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

State Hospitals Failing to Reduce Wait Times Despite Lull in Patients During COVID-19: Doctors Association

Australians can expect longer wait times when they next visit hospital, even if they need urgent surgery, according to a new report card from Australias leading medical union.

Dr. Omar Khorshid, president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said that despite a drop in patient volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital systems performance did not improve.

Whats remarkable about this years report card is it shows hospitals continued to struggle in 2020 when Australians stayed home, and we werent dealing with the highly contagious Delta variant or high COVID-19 hospitalisations, Khorshid said in a press release on Nov. 5.

Korshid said unless dramatic action was taken to help our hospitals, this is as good as it gets when it comes to hospital performance.

Some key findings from the Public Hospital Report Card 2021 (pdf) outlined how Australians seeking Urgent emergency treatmentwhich needs to be carried out in 30 minutes or lesshad a one in three chance of being seen on time in the worst-performing jurisdiction in the country.

Ambulance attendants wearing full protective clothing prepare a gurney to transport residents to a hospital at the Wyoming Nursing Home in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 2, 2021. (Sean Foster/Getty Images)

So, if you are classed as Urgent, which can include being severely ill, bleeding heavily from cuts, having a major fracture or severe hypertensionyou have a one in three chance of being seen within 30 minutes in the Australian Capital Territory; and approximately a one in two chance in South Australia, and Western Australia, Korshid said.

At the very best, youll have a three in four chance of being seen in 30 minutes if you live in New South Wales, after arriving at the hospital, he added.

Delays in performing elective surgery, including heart valve replacements and cancer investigations, were also prevalent.

Only 75 percent within the recommended timeframe for whats known as Category 2 elective surgery, he said.

In reality, what this means is that 25 percent of people will wait longer than 90 days for surgeries, which in this category can include treatment for an unruptured brain aneurism, decompression of a spinal cord and treatment for ovarian cysts or unhealed fractures.

In Tasmania, there was a 63 percent chance that patients would wait longer than 90 days for elective surgery, noting that it was hard to believe for a world-class health system.

It doesnt matter where you liveyou will be waiting longer than ever if you rely on the public hospital system. Your condition will probably worsen. We need to tell the truth hereno single jurisdiction improved its performance on this measure, he said.

People wearing protective face masks are seen at the entry to Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, on June 30, 2021. (AAP Image/Darren England)

With this years report card covering a lockdown period, it was expected that performance would improve, across the board. The fact that it only improved a little, in a few places, in an inconsistent way should really worry all Australians.

COVID-19 has exposed the already fraught state of the countrys public health systems, with chronic issues such as ambulance ramping and mismanagement coming to light.

Further, as state governments enforce vaccine mandates, some public health services will see drops in staffing levels. For example, Queensland Health has already suspended 4,000 medical professionals for failing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

Former Queensland premier and now-Senate candidate Campbell Newman said weak political leadership had allowed competing interests within the states hospital systemadministrators and medical unionsto fester, contributing to poorer outcomes for patients.

The trouble is that our public health systems are highly unionised, and what we found in Queensland back when I was premier was there werent the controls and management measures in place to ensure that the system really was performing properly, he told The Epoch Times. Indeed, we found there were significant rorts going on as well.

Under Newman, the states hospital system dramatically reduced ambulance ramping and cut surgery wait times by implementing stricter accountability measures.

However, after Newman was voted out in 2015, the system relapsed into its previous state. The current Labor government has responded by pledging AU$100 million to address extensive delays and ambulance ramping issues that have proliferated again.
Raindrops are seen next to the Tesla logo on the bonnet of a Tesla electric car in Berlin's Kreuzberg district on March 15, 2021. (David Gannon/AFP via Getty Images)

Tesla EVs Now Support Square-Owned Tidal Music Streaming Service

Tesla Inc. is rolling out a new music streaming option Tidal in its electric vehicles after the latest software update, Electrek reported on Tuesday, citing app notes.

What Happened

The Norwegian subscription-based music, podcast, and video streaming service that offers audio and music videos is popular in many countries, and offers original content and curated playlists as well.

Tidal claims to provide access to more than 70 million tracks and 250,000 music videos.

The service is also integrating a cold-weather improvement and noise cancellation feature.

Tidal is majority-owned by payments company Square Inc., whose CEO also leads Twitter Inc. Square reportedly paid $350 million to buy an 80 percent stake in Tidal.

Why It Matters

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had at the companys Battery Day event last year revealed that support for Tidal would soon be available on the companys electric vehicles. Musk had not provided any timeline for the rollout at the time.

The feature is an add-on to existing services including one from Spotify Technology. Apple Inc. has its own music streaming service.

Price Action

Tesla shares closed 3.03 percent lower at $1,171.97 a share on Tuesday.

By Rachit Vats

 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Tyrannical Treatment of Jan. 6 Prisoners Is a Threat to Our Democracy

Commentary

Since the founding of this great nation, a God-blessed America has offered the hope of liberty to the world. In more recent years, we have come to realize that should our experiment in self-governance fail, there would be no other nation on Earth that could fill the void left in its wake as the defender of such freedom.

Never before had any nation been founded to safeguard the rights of the individual, which changed the course of human history from brute force dictating propriety to recognition that every individual has value. Our Declaration of Independence enshrined the truth that individual rights come from the hand of our Creator, acknowledging them to be established by the Almighty and therefore not defined by the brute force realm of human power.

It took a Civil War and civil rights movement for America to grow into the profound commitments of its Declaration of Independence and Constitution. The Declaration has stood the test of time to ensure liberty for all in our nation and as the beacon of hope for the rest of the world. Our nation has continued to move to right the wrongs of fallible human beings and build upon the past.

We were getting exceedingly close.

Under Bidens rule, for the first time in our history, normalizing the denial of civil rights and civil liberties based on ideology, not wrongdoing, is presented as a noble cause. Equal justice under the law for the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken a giant leap backward in embracing the medieval notion of might makes right in glorifying the denial of civil rights for political opponents. It is shameful and dangerous.

For months, elected officials representing the citizens of this country have been seeking truthful, non-politicized answers from the government about the events that unfolded on Jan. 6. We have been continually stonewalled, belittled, ignored, and even demonized by the DOJ, leadership at the Capitol Police, and the Bureau of Prisons. They each ignore requests and questions, refusing to allow oversight of their actions that gives every appearance of a cover-up of wrongdoing.

Think of the legal doctrine of spoliation. In court, if one party holds evidence and destroys it or refuses to produce it, the judge may instruct the jury to infer that the evidence is completely against the party hiding it. This is exactly what they are doing.

Should ideology and abuse of power continue to drive this administrations actions, the Rule of Law will cease to exist. The only safeguard against these obvious improprieties is transparency. Until recent times, our country protected our individual freedoms by dragging every ugly wart out into the light of day to examine the actions of our government. We gave deference to individual rights. By its actions, the Biden administration is shredding the foundations of our legal system and the rights of the peoples representatives to protect them from government abuse.

A number of Jan. 6 prisoners were held behind bars for months without ever being charged with a crime, and some without ever seeing evidence for or against them. Some have already accepted plea deals despite not having access to all of the evidence involving their cases, which is a civil rights violation and potential Brady violation. There also have been reports of heinous mental and physical abuses against these prisoners at the D.C. Central Detention Facility, although a recently released prisoner said things got better after four members of Congress attempted to tour the facility.

Now, imagine the outrage from Democrats and their accomplices in the media had Antifa and Black Lives Matter rioters been prosecuted with a fraction of the vigor with which the DOJ has gone after the Jan. 6 defendants. Undoubtedly, there would be leftists, including elected officials, chomping at the bit to call on their supporters to donate funds to assist these terrorists, just as our now-vice president did last year.

For reference, the riots in the summer of 2020 were reported, based on insurance claims, to be the most destructive riots in U.S. history.

Those riotous individuals terrorized American cities for months, set fires to federal and law enforcement buildings, and destroyed the livelihoods of innocent Americans. More than 2,000 law enforcement officers were injured during these mostly peaceful protests. These groups even attempted to breach the White House in May 2020, creating a threat so serious that Secret Service agents were forced to rush then-President Donald Trump into a secure bunker.

Of course, most of them will never face a day of judgment in court because, despite all of their criminal and terroristic actions, these rioters didnt express their support for Trump. In the mind of their Democrat apologists, including quite a number of Biden administration officials, they are absolved no matter the statutory offenses because they worship at the altar of wokeness with the heartfelt belief that America is evil and must endlessly be punished for its transgressions.

The apparent political revenge and retaliation against some of the Jan. 6 detainees by the Biden administrations DOJ should chill every American to their core. Even the way many were arrested is more reminiscent of Gestapo tactics, than those of a once-admired FBI. Those on the left have made one thing perfectly clear: If you are a Trump supporter facing prosecution, or even Donald Trump himself, you are guilty until proven innocent and are undeserving of the basic civil rights that all other Americans are supposed to be afforded under the Constitution.

It appears that at least some of those treated so vilely for suspected involvement in the Jan. 6 events are political prisoners of the U.S. government. If we as a country continue to allow this abuse of power to unfold and turn this nation into a banana republic, there is nowhere left in the world to take refuge for lovers of liberty and freedom.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at the COP26 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 2, 2021. (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Tories Lose 5-point Lead in Poll Amid Owen Paterson Debacle

The UKs Conservative Party was only one point ahead of the Labour Party in the latest voting intention poll on Thursday, narrowing the gap by five points compared to the previous week.

It comes as North Shropshire faces a by-election after its Conservative MP Owen Paterson announced his resignation on Thursday following accusations of breaching lobbying rules.

In the latest YouGov Poll published on Thursday, 36 percent of the respondents said on Wednesday and Thursday that they would vote for the Conservative Party if there was a general election on the next day, 3 points down from the number in the previous week.

Meanwhile, Labour stood at 35 pointsalmost closing the gapafter gaining 2 points.

The Johnson government has been accused of corruption and wallowing in sleaze after it whipped through a vote on Wednesday to block a 30-day suspension of Patersonwho was found by the cross-party Standards Committee to have repeatedly lobbied ministers and officials for two companies paying him more than 100,000 ($134,600) per year but has always maintained he was innocentby shaking up the disciplinary process.

The government was forced to abandon the plan on Thursday after opposition parties refused to participate in the proposed new Tory-led committee to review Patersons case and the current standards system. Ministers acknowledged that a mistake had been made by conflating the two issues, but are still left dealing with the fallout of the decision.

North Shropshire has been a safe Conservative seat, with Patersonwho served as MP for the English constituency for 24 yearsholding 62.7 percent of the vote in 2019.

While the idea of backing an independent anti-sleaze candidate was floated, the Labour Party said it will stand its own candidate to contest in the by-election, which date has not been set.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi arrives for a regional cabinet meeting at the Rolls Royce factory in Bristol, England, on Oct. 15, 2021. (Steve Parsons/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

On Friday, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi defended Prime Minister Boris Johnson, denying that the Paterson case called into question the judgment of the prime minister.

I think actually it says that the prime minister, when wanting to be following a process that makes the system fairer  wanted to do that, Zahawi told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

And very quickly realising that actually thats one thing that we should pursue on a cross-party basis and well come forward with proposals, and I hope, we can sort of set our politics aside and create a fairer system, because [the] right of appeal, I think, is important, and your listeners will see that as important, he said.

The Education Secretary also called for compassion for Paterson, whose wife Rose took her own life last yeara tragedy Paterson said was partly the result of the investigation against him.

The Ministers have been arguing that MPs should have the right to appeal after they are ruled to have broken parliamentary rules by standard watchdogs, while Paterson denied the accusations against him and said he cant clear his name under the current system.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has argued that the claim is completely wrong and that Paterson had been through the appeal by putting in his points in writing and making his case in person.

The House of Commons is set to hold an emergency debate on Monday on the consequences of this weeks events.

After Paterson announced his resignation on Thursday, Johnson said he was very sad but understood Patersons decision to put his family first.

Calling Paterson his friend and colleague  for decades, Johnson said Paterson had a distinguished career and has been a voice for freedom.

Johnson also backed Chief Whip Mark Spencer, whom some Conservative MPs blamed for whipping the vote on Wednesday.

Committee on Standards Report

Paterson was found to have breached lobbying rules after approaching government departments and ministers on behalf of clinical diagnostics company Randox and food manufacture Lynns Country Foods.

Undated photo of British Conservative MP Owen Paterson. (Stefan Roussea/PA)

According to the report by the Committee on Standards, Paterson approached the Food Standards Agency (FSA) after he had been made aware of concerns about the level of antibiotics in samples of supermarket milk analysed by Randox and subsequently promoted Randoxs superior technology which allowed the detection of the illegal products [that] have not been detected by the current testing regime in retail milk.

While Paterson argued that he tried to secure accreditation for Randoxs new technology as it would be a benefit to British consumers in the dairy industry to have a more modern technology, but the committee found Paterson went beyond providing evidence of a serious wrong and the accreditation would ultimately benefit Randox as well.

Paterson also approached the FSA with Lynns Country Foods about concerns that a global food producer was acting in breach of EU law by mislabelling a product.

Paterson argued that he was approaching the FSA with a serious wrong, but the committee said that regardless of Patersons own subjective motivations, he breached the rules as the resolution of the problem would only incidentally benefit Lynns.

Paterson said on Twitter on Friday that he will also step aside from his consultancy work to focus on his family and suicide prevention.

PA contributed to this report.
Undated handout photo of Dr. Samuel White, who is appealing against interim conditions imposed on his registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) following complaints about a video he posted to Instagram and Twitter in June. (PA)

UK Doctor Appeals Social Media Ban Over COVID-19 Misinformation

A British doctor banned from discussing COVID-19 on social media for raising concerns of the safety of vaccines and usefulness of masks is appealing the decision at the High Court, arguing his freedom of speech is under severe restriction.

Dr. Samuel White, a partner at Denmead Practice in Hampshire until his resignation in February, is seeking to quash restrictions imposed on him which include barring him from sharing his views on social media relating to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

He was penalised by the General Medical Council (GMC), a public body that maintains the UKs official register of medical practitioners after he posted a video to Instagram and Twitter in June.

In the seven-minute clip, Dr. White discussed why he could no longer work in his previous roles because of the lies around the pandemic which were so vast he could no longer stomach or tolerate them, the court was told.

He also raised concerns about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, the testing methods, and said, masks do nothing.

The video triggered complaints that it allegedly contained misinformation, and the GMCs Interim Orders Tribunal concluded in August that Dr. Whites way of sharing his views may have a real impact on patient safety.

The tribunal ruled that Dr. White must not share views on the pandemic and its associated aspects on social media and must remove existing posts on the subject.

Arguing against the ban, Dr. Whites barrister Francis Hoar told a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday: This is a claim about freedom of expression of a doctor, in particular his freedom to engage in medical, scientific, and political debate and discussion.

In written arguments, Hoar said Dr. White had an unblemished career and his beliefs were informed by libertarian principles.

He said Dr. Whites views were supported by large bodies of scientific and medical opinion and had been statements of fact and opinions about pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions in response to the pandemic.

He said the tribunal had erred in failing to accord sufficient respect for Dr. Whites right to freedom of expression.

Alexis Hearnden, for the GMC, said in written arguments that Dr. Whites views ran firmly against a national public health programme that was pro-vaccine and encouraged mask wearing in certain settings.

She said the tribunal had recognised serious concerns raised that he was using some language that echoed conspiracy theories about the pandemic.

She said the conditions were justified by a legitimate aim of pursuing public safety and for the protection of health.

PA contributed to this report.
Containers are seen on a container ship at Port Botany in Sydney, Australia, Nov. 4, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Unhelpful and Inaccurate: Australian Union Rebukes ACCCs Comments on Strikes Worsening Port Delays

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has called comments by the Australian consumer watchdog in its report on port delays an unhelpful and inaccurate intervention, adding that it was not their place to comment on workers pay disputes.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) noted in its report on Nov. 4 that industrial action and restrictive work practices have further disrupted the supply chain and exacerbated delays.

The ACCC should not recklessly conflate the astronomical international shipping costs, port congestion, and COVID-19 related pressures on Australias supply chains with waterside workers seeking fair pay, job security, and safety at work, MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin said in a statement.

The ACCCs role is to examine the regulatory and economic circumstances affecting Australian shipping, not to comment on the lawful right of workers to negotiate their employment agreements.

MUA-backed strikes occurred across several Australian ports in October, with more scheduled for this month after negotiations with container terminal operator Patrick Terminals broke down.

The report said the MUA used industrial action to push for restrictive work practices such as agreements for the majority of new recruits to be family and friends of existing employees or people chosen by the union.

Industrial action on top of pre-existing congestion has, unfortunately, put enormous strain on our international container ports at a time when they can least cope with it, and in the case of Port Botany, some shipping lines have decided the delays make using the port commercially unviable, ACCC chair Rod Sims said.

Crumlin said the ACCCs union bashing was unwarranted and blamed the issues on COVID-19 impacts and shipping company behaviours.

These economic realities only reinforce the importance of the MUAs call for a strategic Australian fleet of cargo vessels to protect our sovereign capabilities, he said.

Crumlin criticised the report for containing several contradictions and errors of fact, such as benchmarking Australian shipping terminals through idle time, which is the length of time ships spend berthed.

[This] is subject to so many variables as to be completely unhelpful, especially as the volume of containers carried on each ship has increased, he said.

Containers are piled up at Port Botany facilities in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 6, 2018. (Daniel Munoz/Reuters)

The report revealed that Australian port efficiency issues began long before COVID-19, which only worsened the situation.

We were told that some shipping lines were already withdrawing services from Australia before COVID hit. Australia needs to take decisive action to remain an attractive destination for global shipping lines, Sims said.

Meanwhile, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) called the MUAs actions a push to paralyse Australian ports that risks the nations economic recovery amid international supply chain disruptions.

The industrial action we are seeing in our ports isnt about the money. Indeed, the existing agreement in Sydney means waterfront workers are already paid on average $172,000 (US$127,000) a year for just 200 days of work, ACCI CEO Andrew McKellar said.

The reality is that the MUA is opportunistically ramping up pressure to maintain their grip over port operations, recruiting their family and friends, while they trash any measures for a more flexible and responsive workforce.
Sailors assigned to the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) return home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton after the completion of the multinational maritime Ice Exercise (ICEX) in the Arctic Circle in Bremerton, Wash., on May 7, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda R. Gray/Released)

US Submarine Officers Relieved of Duty for Collision

Three officers on the USS Connecticut (SSN 22), a nuclear-powered submarine, were relieved of duty for hitting an uncharted underwater mountain during a mission in the South China Sea last month, the U.S. Navy announced on Thursday.

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet, relieved Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani as commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin as Executive Officer, and Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers as Chief of the Boat, due to loss of confidence, the U.S. Navy said in a statement.

Thomas determined sound judgment, prudent decision-making, and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution, and risk management could have prevented the incident, the statement read.

Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani, commanding officer of the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22), right, speaks with Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, during a tour of the submarine at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Aug. 2. Connecticut is conducting maritime operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet to maintain a safe and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda S. Kitchner)

The USS Connecticut struck an object on Oct. 2 while submerging in the South China Sea, injuring 11 crew without life-threatening injuries.

The Navy said it would investigate the incident at the time.

The investigation determined USS Connecticut grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the IndoPacific region, a spokesperson for the Seventh fleet told USNI News.

The Seventh fleet is the largest forward-deployed U.S. fleet, and its area of responsibility includes the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The Navy hasnt provided any damage information but USNI News reported that the forward section of the submarine was struck, damaging the ballast tanks and forcing the submarine to transit on the surface for a week to Guam.

The Navy announced that USS Connecticut remains in Guam while undergoing damage assessment and will return to Bremerton, Washington for repairs.

The Navy also said Capt. John Witte would assume duties as interim Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Joe Sammur would be the interim Executive Officer, and Command Master Chief Paul Walters would act as interim Chief of the Boat.

On Tuesday, China Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the United States to give a detailed description of the incident and fully address regional countries concern and doubt.

The key is to stop deploying military aircraft and warships to harass and provoke others and flex muscles, and to stop harming other countries sovereign security, otherwise it will be inviting more, not fewer, similar incidents, Wang said during the press briefing.
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan (C) speaks at a press conference in front of the Carnarvon Police Station in Carnarvon, Western Australia, on Nov. 4, 2021. (Tamati Smith/Getty Images)

Western Australia Sets Ambitious 90 Percent Vaccine Target Before Opening Borders

Western Australia (WA) will maintain its closed border policy into the new year, only allowing vaccinated travellers into the state once 90 percent of WAs population is vaccinated, according to a new roadmap released by Premier Mark McGowan.

While eastern states, New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, and Queensland, have gradually opened their bordersor are planning to openthis year, WA will open sometime between January to February.

This puts us in the best possible position to transition with minimal impact on our health, our economy, and our way of life, McGowan told reporters on Nov. 5.

I want to stress the 90 percent target threshold could be reached earlier or later, but once we hit 80 percent and then set the specific date for transition, that date will be locked in, he said.

After nearly two years, were on the verge of a new chapter, he said. A chapter that will reconnect WA with the rest of the world, but done the right waythe WA way, safely, carefully, and responsibly.

He said rushing the reopening would increase risk and harm.

A general view of a Domestic arrivals sign at Perth Airport in Perth, Australia, on Jan. 8, 2021. (Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)

WAs Safe Transition Plan will only allow entry for fully vaccinated domestic and international travellers, with no need for quarantine. Arrivals must also provide evidence of a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure for WA and will need to download the G2G pass.

Intermittent restrictions will remain in the state including mask mandates, proof of vaccination, and contract tracing.

The premier expected the state to reach the 80 percent vaccination target by mid-December.

WA, along most Australian jurisdictions, have seen relatively low COVID-19 infections, compared to NSW and Victoriawho have dealt with the bulk of Australias case numbers.

This in turn has seen WA adopt tough measures to deal with any emergence of COVID-19 including snap city-wide lockdowns and high requirements for prospective travellers into the state.

This approach has seen WAs vaccination rates lag with only 63.7 percent of the target population having received two doses of an approved vaccine. Nationally, 79.6 percent of the population aged 16 or over are fully vaccinated.

In late October, McGowan, unveiled sweeping new vaccine mandates covering three-quarters of the states workforce, or 1.1 million residents.

The mandates will be enforced by major fines of AU$20,000 for individuals, and AU$100,000 for businesses.

The premier also warned regional areas that were lagging behind in vaccination rates that they could be cut-off from the rest of the state with intrastate border restrictions.

Cutting off the Pilbara or any region, for that matter, is not something I want to do, he said.

But if thats what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time.
Richard McGinniss, chief video director for The Daily Caller, testifies during the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 4, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/Pool/Getty Images)

Witnesses: First Man Shot by Rittenhouse Threatened Teen, Lunged for Gun

Two witnesses to the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum by Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year said Rosenbaum was amped up, threated Rittenhouse, and at one point tried grabbing the teenagers rifle.

I think it was very clear to me that he was reaching specifically for the weapon, Richie McGinniss, one of the witnesses, said while being questioned on Thursday at the Kenosha County Courthouse.

Ryan Balch, a former Army infantryman, was armed and patrolling Kenosha with Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020.

He told the court that Rosenbaum was acting hyperaggressive and ended up getting in his face, yelling and screaming.

Balch asked the man to calm down.

And he goes, if I catch you guys alone tonight, Im going to [expletive] kill you, Balch recounted.

Rittenhouse was near the pair and could hear what was said, he added.

Ryan Balch testifies during Kyle Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 4, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/Pool/The Kenosha News via AP)

Balch described Rosenbaum as acting out in a violent manner. Pressed on whether he witnessed the man hitting anybody, the former Army member said he was always having to be restrained by someone. He also said he saw him lighting objects on fire, smashing things, and hurling rocks.

Richard McGinniss is a Daily Caller videographer who captured video footage in Kenosha that night, including interviews with Rittenhouse guarding businesses from rioters. He later spotted Rittenhouse running with a fire extinguisher and a rifle and followed him to the car dealership where the first shooting happened.

McGinniss was still trying to catch up when he heard a lot of yelling and saw Rosenbaum move towards Rittenhouse.

Mr. Rosenbaum advanced towards Mr. Rittenhouse. Mr. Rittenhouse gave like a  a pivot and a run, he recalled.

Rittenhouse was being pursued by Rosenbaum as McGinnis chased both.

I saw Mr. Rittenhouse turn around and saw Mr. Rosenbaum lunging for the front portion of the rifle, he said. Thats when Rittenhouse opened fire.

Prosecutor Thomas Binger, who called McGinnis as a witness, later attempted to downplay McGinnis testimony, noting that the videographer had never met Rosenbaum and asserting he couldnt have known what he was thinking or intending.

Your interpretation of what he was trying to do or what he was intending to do or anything along those lines is complete guesswork, isnt it? he asked.

Well, he said, [expletive] you, and then he reached for the weapon, McGinnis said.

Binger pressed the videographer on the word lunging, trying to get that changed to falling. McGinnis did an interview several days after the shooting where he used the latter word.

Richard McGinniss, chief video director for The Daily Caller, testifies during Kyle Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Mark Hertzberg /Pool via AP)

He was lunging, falling. I would use those as synonymous terms in this situation because basically, you know, he threw his momentum towards the weapon, said McGinnis, who also narrated the events as the prosecutor played FBI aerial surveillance footage first shown in court on Wednesday.

Balch testified that Rittenhouse falsely told him he was 19, and a certified emergency medical technician. He also said Rittenhouse seemed to be a little underequipped and underexperienced as well, which is one of the reasons we kind of stayed with him and others.

I felt like as young as he looked, and the way he was, just the general way he was carrying himself, the protesters would have seen that as weakness and tried to exploit that, Balch said.

Balch also described one of Rosenbaums companions as armed but acknowledged Rosenbaum himself was not.

Balch got separated from Rittenhouse when he went to a nearby gas station.

After shooting Rosenbaum, Rittenhouse took off running. He was accosted by another man, Anthony Huber, who the teenager then fatally shot. A third man, Gaige Grosskreutz, was struck by bullets after he tried confronting Rittenhouse while wielding a weapon.

Rittenhouse faces up to life in jail if hes convicted on all counts.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  After nearly a century on its lofty perch, the northern mockingbird may be singing its last melodies as the state bird of Florida.

An effort is taking flight to replace the far-ranging musical mockingbird with a bird that is more identifiable as distinctly Floridian.

Part of what were working to do is highlight that Florida has these incredible species and we should recognize the bird that most represents Florida, said state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican whose legislation would strip the mockingbird of its title. To me, it's a fun conversation to have."

Suggestions for a new state bird are all over the map, but four main contenders have emerged: the Florida scrub jay, flamingo, osprey and roseate spoonbill. The white ibis, swallow-tailed kite and wood stork also get mentioned. Some joke it should be the construction crane.

The gray-and-white mockingbird, celebrated in literature and music, has been Florida's state bird since 1927, when the state was much more agricultural and less populated on the coasts. It may not be quite as representative of today's bustling, modern Florida  and four other states also call it the state bird.

But it has supporters, including Marion Hammer, the lobbyist in Florida for the National Rifle Association and executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida. She wrote in a recent opinion piece that the mockingbird deserves our continued love.

The mockingbird can sing up to 200 different tunes and mimic artificial sounds like car alarms. Its Latin name translates to many-tongued thrush.

The mockingbird is a well established, independent, prolific bird that doesnt need government protection or our tax dollars to survive, Hammer wrote. It can be seen, watched, studied and enjoyed by children and adults on any given day in all areas of Florida.

The same cannot be said of the Florida scrub jay, described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as the sole bird species found only in Florida. Trouble is, there are only about 4,000 of them concentrated in central Florida and the federal government lists them as threatened.

Brandes did not suggest a mockingbird replacement in his legislation. But separate bills in the state House and Senate would elevate the blue-headed scrub jay to the honorary post.

One of those bills is sponsored by Sen. Tina Polsky, a Boca Raton Democrat. She argued in a recent editorial that the scrub jay represents the hard-working, family-oriented nature of our residents.

Friendly, cooperative, family-oriented, bold, curious, talented builder, protective, shares chores, stays close to home  does this sound like someone you would want to represent your community? Polsky wrote.

Not to be left out, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted in early October to support naming the fish-preying osprey to represent the state. The commission did the same thing in 2009, after a poll of 77,000 school students resulted in a victory for the large raptor commonly seen building big nests or roosting on light poles near bodies of water.

That doesnt necessarily mean that thats the way its going to go, if you know the Legislature, said commission chair Rodney Barreto. But at least we can put a marker down.

The bright pink American flamingo is a different story. Often linked to Florida in popular culture  think state lottery ticket logos, plastic lawn ornaments or the Miami Vice opening credits  for decades it was considered a foreign interloper.

That changed in recent years when researchers proved flamingos are native to the Sunshine State but were mercilessly hunted to near extinction in the early 20th century. They have since rebounded, bolstered by captive flocks like the one at the Hialeah horse track, but exist mainly in the Everglades, the Florida Keys and around Biscayne Bay in Miami.

The roseate spoonbill, like the flamingo a large, pink wading bird, is more widespread in the state and is not listed as threatened. They have unique rounded bills used for scooping food in shallow waters and usually live near shorelines or on islands.

To Julie Wraithmell, executive director of Audubon Florida, any debate about Florida birds is a good thing  especially if it raises consciousness about what's needed to protect them such as habitat conservation, water quality improvements and Everglades restoration.

Being the state bird doesnt confer any protection on the bird. We just get excited when people are talking about it and acknowledge how integral birds are to our quality of life in Florida, Wraithmell said. Were hoping that through these conversations, people will want to get more involved.

The future of the mockingbird will likely be debated during the 2022 Florida legislative session that begins Jan. 11.

There is precedent for states switching their honorary state animals, including birds: In 1948, South Carolina shifted from the mockingbird to the Carolina wren. Brandes said it's time for Florida to also find a new feathered friend.

Why does the northern mockingbird make sense in the southernmost state? he said. "I think its a bird that doesnt make sense for Florida.

___

This story has been corrected to show that South Carolina shifted in 1948 from the mockingbird to the Carolina wren, not the Carolina thrush.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP)  A Czech model who was sentenced to eight years on charges of attempting to smuggle heroin from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates will be freed next week following her acquittal by an appeals court, her lawyer said Friday.

According to the lawyer, Tereza Hluskova was acquitted by an appeals court earlier this week in the eastern city of Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
NORWALK  The number of Norwalkers who turned out to vote in the citys municipal elections dropped by about 10%, compared to 2019.

Nearly 2,000 fewer people voted in local races this year, a decrease of about 10.6 percent, according to election data.

While about 14,000 Norwalk residents voted Tuesday, close to 16,000 voted in the mayoral and Common Council races during the 2019 election.

The decrease in voters was felt throughout the day Tuesday, with voter turnout consistently below the hourly average from the prior municipal election.

In the early afternoon Tuesday, 6,522 residents had turned out to vote, compared to 8,125 at the same time during the 2019 election. The polling station with the highest number of voters was District Ds West Rocks Middle School, which had 2,210 people. The polling location with the least number of voters was District As portion of Nathan Hale Middle School.

However, more residents voted by absentee ballot this year, according to voter turnout numbers shared by Town Clerk Rick McQuaid.

We had almost 600 absentee ballots in 2019, McQuaid said. 1,400 already returned as of 2 p.m. today (Tuesday).

McQuaid did not respond to a request for comment on why the total number of voters may have dipped.

Ultimately, incumbent Mayor Harry Rilling defeated Republican Jonathan Riddle by about 5,000 votes to secure a fifth term. This was a wider margin compared to the 2019 election, where Rilling won by just 1,700 votes against Republican-endorsed Lisa Brinton, according to election data from the secretary of the states office.

Of the thousands of residents who voted, fewer than 60 decided to choose a write-in option rather than vote for Rilling or Riddle, according to election records from the registrar of voters.

In 2019, Rilling received 55.5 percent of the vote. On Tuesday, Rilling received about 63.6 percent of the vote, an increase of about 8 percent, unofficial election results showed.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
EDWARDSVILLE  As a veteran, Mick Ahrens always welcomes the opportunity to put other veterans in the spotlight, and thats why hes excited about being the grand marshal for Edwardsvilles annual Veterans Day Parade.

This years parade is slated for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11 in downtown Edwardsville.

The parade this year is a pared-down version of what we used to do, and thats partly because of the pandemic, Ahrens said. We only have two bands.

Everybody is welcome to come out and wave flags along the sidewalk (on Main Street). Its really an uplifting experience for the veterans to be out there and be recognized.

This is the first year as grand marshal for Ahrens, who is the chaplain and historian for Edwardsville American Legion Post 199.

Somebody thought we ought to have a grand marshal for the parade, so here I am, said Ahrens, who is a past commander and finance officer for Post 199. Ive done everything else at this post, so I might as well do that too.

For Ahrens and his fellow veterans at Post 199, the Veterans Day Parade is something they look forward to every year.

Weve done the parade continuously for many years, but a couple of years ago, it was snowing, and they had to cancel the parade, Ahrens said. One of our post members, Larry Miller, decided he was still going to go out there and march, and a few other people joined him.

He made it about halfway before the cold and the snow got to him. But it shows how committed he and some other people are to having this parade and recognizing veterans.

After the parade, Post 199 will host its annual Veterans Day party, with free chili and dessert as well as beer.

We started doing it a number of years ago and it really went over well, Ahrens said. The Shriners Band will be playing in our hall, which is where the party is going to be for a couple of hours. Again, everyone is welcome.

For the 72-year-old Ahrens, who lives in Glen Carbon, service to his country has been a way of life.

I grew up in York, Pennsylvania, which has a large German population, and Ahrens is kind of like Smith over in Germany, Ahrens said. I moved out to the Midwest to Kansas City and spent 17 years there working for the federal government. I spent the rest of my time around the Alton area also working for the federal government.

I retired after 33 years and decided that I needed to do some handyman work. Before that, I was working on things having to do with computers. I shot off my big mouth one day and said, I can do it better than these IT people and I proved them right, and they paid me 20% extra to do that.

Ahrens military service included three years in the U.S. Army from 1970 through 1973 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he took his advanced individual training (AIT) in artillery and helped to start one of the Armys first Lance missile battalions.

The Lance is a small mobile missile and we sold those to the folks over in Israel, Ahrens said. If anybody ever wondered whether they had missiles back then, I guess that answers the question.

As a second lieutenant, I trained some of those people too. I spent my whole time in the military here in the United States. Our OCS (officer candidate school) went to Vietnam for six months and most of them made it back.

After three years of active duty, Ahrens spent another 12 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, including trips back to Fort Sill nearly every summer.

Ahrens is a longtime American Legion member and has been part of Post 199 since 1995. Prior to that, he was a member of a post in Blue Springs, Missouri, in the Kansas City area, for five years.

Ive put in a lot of time out here improving the infrastructure, Ahrens said. I put electricity in a couple of the buildings. Im not an electrician, but I learned that skill along the way.

I also put in the patio (next to On the Hill Lounge). It was myself and a young fellow that needed the work, so I hired him for $100 a day. We put down about 1,800 bricks and I even got a plaque for it, which is out by the corner of the patio.

Due to COVID-19, many of the events at Post 199 were canceled, but Ahrens feels that things are slowly getting back to normal.

Before the end of the year, were going to start up bingo again, which will be at 7 p.m. on Monday nights, Ahrens said. It had been shut down during most of the pandemic and we started having it in August, but then the Delta variant popped up and shut us down again. Plus, the governor (J.B. Pritzker) issued an edict about not having large gatherings.

Other than our gaming machines, bingo is about the only income we bring in as a post. Getting that started again will really help us.

Post 199 also earns income in the form of hall rentals, which are starting to pick up as well.

If people want to use the hall for weddings or any other events, all they have to do is call us and well get them set up, Ahrens said. We serve food and drinks and try to make it a pleasant place for everybody.

For more information about the Veterans Day Parade, hall rental or other events at Post 199, go to https://www.edwardsvillelegion.com/ or call 618-656-9774.
COLLINSVILLE  John Parciak, a second-grade dual language teacher at Kreitner Elementary School, has been selected as one of Emersons 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award recipients.

Parciak is among more than 80 teachers from across the St. Louis metropolitan area who are being recognized this year through the annual program that honors truly outstanding educational excellence. He has taught for eight years at Kreitner, the first two in first grade.

He said while each grade is special in its own way, second graders bring fun to school.

Theyre still really excited to learn and come to school and they ask questions, he said. They are still very interested in learning and we have a lot of good interactions.

He was nominated by Kreitner Principal Dr. Kari Daugherty, who wrote, he gives of himself and his time to make a positive impact at all levels both inside and outside the classroom and beyond the nine-month school year.

Parciak said he was very surprised to learn he was the schools Emerson honoree.

I work with so many awesome people here that to have been selected was a really big honor, he said.

During his eight years at Kreitner, Parciak has completed his masters degree and served on multiple district- and building-level committees, including n8 Building Leadership Team, PBIS Team, district EL Department/Committee and REACH summer program, in addition to PTA and union leadership positions.

He is always a student of teaching, said Dr. Daugherty, seeking evidence-based methods of instruction, designing approaches to further personalize instruction and learning for his students, and identifying and piloting programs to meet students individual needs and goals.

Parciaks successes reach far beyond his professional achievements to include important social-emotional support for his students and their families. He fosters relationships with his students that address their social traumas, well-being and academic mindset.

He said some of the benefits of teaching dual-language students are that they are able to use their first language at school and at home.

They learn to read and write in Spanish and in English, he said, noting the future opportunities it creates for bi-lingual speakers.

On the flip side, Parciak said teaching two languages is a process and one cannot become impatient with the outcomes.

It can take several years to see the fruits of our labors, he noted.

Saying his students love him does not do justice to how much his students care for him and how much they cherish him as a teacher, according to Dr. Daugherty. Because of his work in the bi-literate classroom, John has been able to establish strong relationships with parents who now trust him implicitly. These relationships are the bedrock of our students and our schools success because we serve a population of people who struggle with communication and are hesitant to trust.

Dr. Daugherty added, He is a quiet and constant support who provides guidance and input with students best interest always at the forefront. He is an irreplaceable member of our Kreitner family!

Parciak lives in Belleville with his two dogs, Molly and Jackson. When hes not teaching, he enjoys playing the piano, reading books and watching movies.

The Emerson Excellence in Teaching Awards, now in its 32nd year, is one of the St. Louis regions most recognized teacher recognition programs. The program annually recognizes educators in the St. Louis metropolitan area  from kindergarten teachers to college professors  who are examples of excellence in their field.

Emerson is proud to sponsor this program as a way of helping the St. Louis community express our collective admiration and gratitude for your dedication to teaching our areas students, said Emerson Vice President of Diversity and Social Responsibility Akberet Boykin Farr.

During the week of Nov. 15, all recipients will receive their Excellence in Teaching Award from Emerson by delivery to their school address. The package will include an engraved crystal apple from Tiffany & Co. and other tokens of appreciation. This years honorees will be recognized in a commemorative advertisement that will appear in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Nov. 21.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735
From the first time, Popeye strode across the boards of a black and white pier, his blimpy forearms and clenched fists gyrating in piston motion, I was hooked.

Popeye was a balding man. Short as a shot of whiskey and explosive as a belch. A corncob pipe hung between his lips; he chomped it tight like a grudge.

He wore his sailor suit most of the time, only changing to a top hat and tails for a special night out with Olive (which got shredded in a fight every time he wore it).

But Popeyes most distinguishable characteristic was this: he muttered. Every episode of the cartoon was laced with his loutish, pessimistic commentary, like barnacles on a rotting hull.

Olive Oyl was my first female TV role model. Her figure was a perfect 19-19-19. Watching her flat chest flail in female hysteria made me wonder about her female magnetism, but men were crazy for Olive, so I wanted to look like her.

Miss Oyls whiny voice could penetrate the thickest pea-soupy fog ever found floating above the seven seas. She squawked a command and the men in her life jumped to comply. Swizzle-stick Olive was the only gal in town, and she knew it.

Bluto (or was it Brutus?) was Popeyes nemesis and Olives other suitor. When he lumbered across the screen, headed for Olives house, my pupils dilated for a closer look. Blutos hammy fists strangled a clump of flowers and his face wore a Jack Nicholson grin of fiendish intent. He was bad-boy beautiful.

How could Olive resist a man who could sweep her onto the dance floor, fling her body into the air like a javelin and catch her in one meaty palm? Like she said: Hubba, Hubba!

But he always went overboard. He clenched Olive too tightly and squeezed a bagpipe screech of protest from her reedy vocal cords. That was Popeyes cue.

Hed take a hit of his spinach-filled pipe or crush a can of the vegetable that always seemed to materialize just in time, and throw his bowlegged body into action.

After minutes of mayhem, underscored by the jaunty tune that always played during the fights, scrawny GOOD prevailed. Popeye beat Bluto to a burly pulp.

Olive, sporting size 16 saddle shoes (or kitten heels on date nights), ran to her hero and sighed like a leaky radiator: Oooooohhh Popeye!

I dated Popeye boys. But I secretly lusted after Blutos. Like Olive, I struggled with the inner conflict of wanting what wasnt good for me. When the episodes of my cartoonish life started wearing thin and tattered on the reel, I married my husband, Johna balding man who loves spinach and mutters more each year.

But I still retain those five oclock-shadowed memories of Blutos burly-buff bravado and I have fantasies of fistfights for my affection, instead of fumbling grabs for the last biscuit on the breakfast plate at our kitchen table.

Popeye cartoons stained my gray matter with inkblots that shaped the woman I grew up to be. And just like him, I yam what I yam.

I dont know whether to toot a corncob pipe or bake a spinach souffle.

Robin Leach is a freelance writer and columnist. Her column, Robin Writes, is published in numerous newspapers in Missouri and Illinois.
EDWARDSVILLE  Kyle P. Swanson, the former head of KTS (Keep Them Safe) Predator Hunters, LLC, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Madison County States Attorneys office.

Begun in 2019, the group was known for independent sting operations where they would confront and record people they accused of attempting to meet up with under-aged victims.

On May 6, Swanson, 31, of Wood River, was indicted for unlawful restraint and obstructing justice, both Class 4 felonies, and assault, a Class C misdemeanor, stemming from a Jan. 12 incident. One month later, KTS Predator Hunters announced it was ending its work.

Last week Swanson, a veteran, entered into the deferred prosecution agreement with Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine. Now living in Fort Worth, Texas, Swanson agreed to discontinue any predator sex stings in Madison County. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the case against Swanson, but reserved the right to reinstate the case if he does not meet the terms of the agreement.

It is the policy of this office to give first-time offenders, especially those with honorable military service, due consideration in the disposition of cases, Haine said. We seek to balance the demands of justice with a culture of second chances.

The agreement states it is in the best interest that Swanson obtain employment and lead a law-abiding life from this day forward.

Swanson also agreed to participate in 20 hours of community service, to provide proof of treatment for his self-disclosed post-traumatic stress disorder, and to cooperate with any investigations or pending criminal cases concerning his sting operations in Madison County, including providing all digital evidence if requested.

Madison County officials had been at odds with KTS Predator Hunters over its methods. At least one lawsuit had been filed against the group after the subject of one of their operations lost his job.

Court documents state that, on Jan. 12, Swanson detained and threatened a man he enticed into his vehicle, and then tried to destroy evidence in the form of cell phone videos. Swanson posted a $40,000 bond and was released.

In July 2020 KTS Predator Hunters and the Madison County Sheriffs Department became involved in a dispute over an incident in a Walgreens parking lot. Both Alton and Madison County law enforcement officials said they received either no or haphazard information prior to the actual incident.

KTS Predator Hunters was credited with helping expose potential pedophiles. Group members would converse online with men who thought they were chatting with underage girls and, eventually, arrange face-to-face meetings during which suspects would be met by law enforcement officials instead of teenagers  many times while KTS taped or live-streamed the meeting for its 40,000-plus followers.

At one point Swanson had posted on the groups Facebook page that he planned to run as a write-in for Madison County Sheriff in 2022.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Sunny with gusty winds. Morning high of 37F with temps falling to near 25. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 18F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Sevierville, TN (37876)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 42F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 49F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 28F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

Rain likely. High 49F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 28F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Instant unlimited access to all of our content on thenewsguard.com.

The News Guard E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street!

This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers.

(The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement)


IUP offers students a variety of scholarships to help with the cost of their college education. More information about these scholarships can be found at https://www.iup.edu/admissions/undergraduate/costs-financial-aid-scholarships/.
Cabinet approves B2.3bn for local vaccine

BANGKOK: The cabinet has approved a budget of B2.3 billion to support the development of the homegrown messenger RNA (mRNA)-based ChulaCov19 vaccine against COVID-19, said deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccine

By Bangkok Post

Friday 5 November 2021, 08:51AM

Prof Kiat Ruxrungtham from the Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research Center and Development. Photo: courtesy of Chulalongkorn Hospital via Bangkok Post

She said the money, to be drawn from the B500bn loan decree, would be spent to subsidise third-phase trials and registration for emergency use of the jab candidate being developed by Chulalongkorn Universitys vaccine research centre. In August the research team announced the vaccines success in its first phase of human trials, reports the Bangkok Post. The second phase on 150 volunteers is planned shortly while Phase 2b is scheduled for later in the year with 5,000 volunteers. According to Ms Rachada, the cabinet has also approved in principle an allocation of B1.3bn to fund the development of a tobacco-based vaccine known as Baiya. The plant-based vaccine is being developed by by Baiya Phytopharm, a startup company under the CU Enterprise programme.
Darasamut Underpass to close for light maintenance

PHUKET: Traffic passing through the Darasamut Underpass will be affected tomorrow (Nov 6) while workers from the Phuket Highways Office carries out maintenance on the lighting system throughout the tunnel.

transport

By The Phuket News

Friday 5 November 2021, 03:00PM

Traffic through the Darasamut Underpass will be affected tomorrow (Nov 6). Image: Phuket Highways Office

According to an announcement by the Phuket office of the Highways Department issued earlier today, traffic through the underpass will be affected as the lanes will need to be closed while the cleaning is being carried out. The Phuket Highways office apologised for any inconvenience caused by the works.
Man arrested over B184mn glove export scam

BANGKOK: A 50-year-old man has been arrested in Chatuchak district, Bangkok, for suspected involvement in a rubber glove export fraud, which cost the buyer about B184 million.

crimeCOVID-19healthpolice

By Bangkok Post

Friday 5 November 2021, 05:24PM

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit said visible progress has been made by authorities probing the export of used medical gloves to the United States. Photo: NNT

The man, identified by police as Khamphi Khamperayannon, was arrested by a joint team consisting of officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division and Crime Suppression Divisions Subdivision 1, following an order issued by Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, reports the Bangkok Post.

The suspect was wanted over his ties to a rubber glove factory in Sa Kaeos Watthana Nakhon district, which turned out to be non-existent, police said.

Police said a firm based in the United States entered into an agreement with Khamphis company to purchase two million boxes of powder-free nitrile gloves.

The firm found Khamphis company through a Chinese broker, who believed the company to be legitimate after reviewing its website.

The firm entered into a deal to buy 2 million boxes of rubber gloves for US$15.5mn, which was to be paid in 12 monthly instalments, by agreeing to put down a deposit of US$6.2 million (B184mn).

When the firm demanded to inspect the factory, Khamphi refused, citing the pandemic, police said.

On June 14, the firm sent its representative to inspect an address in Sa Kaeo where Khamphi said his factory was, but there was no factory there, police said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit said visible progress has been made by authorities probing the export of used medical gloves to the United States, with the public prosecutor having delivered a prosecution order on Paddy The Room Trading Co Ltd and the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court handing down four-year sentences to the culprit, reports state news agency NNT.

Progress was being made on two fronts, Mr Jurin said. On the part of Paddy The Room Trading Co Ltd, a prosecution order has already been given and the intellectual property court has handed down a 4-year sentence to the offender, without a possibility of a suspended sentence.

An arrest warrant has also been issued for the Hong Kong person who owned the company, Mr jurni added.

On the part of Sufficiency Economy City Co Ltd, the owner of the SkyMed trademark of medical gloves, Mr Jurin said arrest warrants have now been issued and the accused were being summoned

He added that police representatives have promised to accelerate proceedings and yield progress in the case within 30 days.

Mr Jurin added that the Thai Rubber Gloves Exporters Association has confirmed that the scandal was not affecting glove exports and no order cancellations have been made by clients.

Regarding the Paddy the Room Trading case, Prayuth Petchkhun, deputy spokesman of the Attorney-General (OAG) said on Tuesday that Phiphatphon Homchanya, an employee of Paddy the Room Trading, was at first given eight years in a ruling handed down by the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court last Wednesday.

The sentence was commuted to four years because the accused confessed, Mr Prayuth said, the Bangkok Post. noted in a separate report.

The other two parties named as suspects were Paddy the Room Trading and Luk Fei Yang Yang, a Chinese executive of the company, said Mr Prayuth.

The three faced multiple charges for colluding to produce medical supplies without permission and using trademarks belonging to other companies with intent to deceive customers, he said. Luk Fei Yang Yang, meanwhile, has since gone on the run. Police are still trying to track him down, said Mr Prayuth.

Luk Fei Yang Yang was first detained when the police raided the companys factory in Pathum Thanis Lam Luk Ka district on Dec 24, said a source.

At that time, machines worth about 300 million baht were seized for inspection, said the source.

The machines were believed to have been used to produce counterfeit medical supplies including medical gloves, said the source, adding that a large number of medical glove packages with the trademark SkyMed on them were also found at the scene.

Sufficiency Economy City, which owns the trademark, subsequently lodged a complaint with the police insisting it had nothing to do with Paddy the Room Trading or the companys unlawful use of the SkyMed trademark, said the source.

A months-long CNN investigation found that tens of millions of counterfeit and second-hand nitrile gloves have reached the United States, according to import records and distributors who bought the gloves  and thats just the tip of the iceberg.

Some of the gloves had been washed, others still had marks and even bloodstains still on them. Some had dates from two years ago written on them with markers.

In February and March this year one US company warned two federal agencies  Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration  that it had received shipments filled with substandard and visibly soiled gloves from one company in Thailand, according to the in-depth report by CNN.

The Thai company managed to ship millions more gloves in the following months, the report said.
More than 65,000 sign up for Thailand Pass

BANGKOK: More than 65,000 people have submitted their application for the Thailand Pass in just four days since the countrys reopening, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed yesterday (Nov 4).

CoronavirusCOVID-19Vaccinetourism

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Friday 5 November 2021, 09:10AM

Suvarnabhumi airport staff take part in a drill for the handling of international arrivals on Oct 27, ahead of the official reopening of the country to foreign visitors on Monday. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb

They added that they had already granted approved of the electronic entry document to almost 13,000 people ahead of their visits.

Mr. Tanee Sangrat, MFA Director General of the Department of Information and Spokesman, said the MFA received 65,338 Thailand Pass applications from Nov 1 until 8am yesterday, with 12,607 applications approved within the same period.

The spokesman said the ministry has acknowledged some issues with the system, mostly due to external interferences. He said the MFA is now working with the Digital Government Development Agency to constantly improve the system, with the latest feature being the official support on mobile devices.

On Wednesday (Nov 3), Anucha Nakasai, the Minister attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, admitted that there had been some issues with people registering through the Thailand Pass website but that they have been addressed.

Thailand Pass is a new web-based system for eligible visitors to apply for their entry documents prior to travel.

Visitors and returning Thai nationals can now apply for Thailand Pass by visiting http://tp.consular.go.th/. They can fill in personal information and upload their health documents there.

Mr. Tanee said the MFA is working to provide detailed information on the current entry protocols, as well as answers to frequently asked questions. This information is available on the MFAs website.
Nightmare scenarios continue in wake of Thailand Pass launch

PHUKET: While officials are boasting the high number of successful registrations through the Thailand Pass website in order to enter the country, many people are still finding themselves confounded by the lack of information being made available to successfully register for their Thailand Pass permit.

tourismCOVID-19

By The Phuket News

Friday 5 November 2021, 02:01PM

Image: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Thai Department of Consular Affairs was inundated with complaints on Monday by Thais and foreigners unable to register through the web portal, https://tp.consular.go.th/. The main complaint was the registrants receiving an API Error, and not even receiving recognition that their registration had been accepted.

Anucha Nakasai, the Minister attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, on Tuesday announced that some issues with people registering through the Thailand Pass website, in order to be issued a permit to enter Thailand as a tourist, had been noticed.

He also said those issues had already been addressed.

Tanee Sangrat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General of the Department of Information and Spokesman, yesterday (Nov 4) boasted that 65,338 Thailand Pass applications had been received since Monday, with 12,607 applications approved within the same period.

Mr Tanee also acknowledged some issues with the system, which he said was mostly due to external interferences.

The MFA is now working with the Digital Government Development Agency to constantly improve the system, with the latest feature being the official support on mobile devices, noted a report by state news agency NNT.

However, the slew of complaints are continuing with people still unable to register.

One Phuket expat explained to The Phuket News that he was stuck in London, where he has returned to attend his daughters wedding.

I was not coming here initially as Thailand was a red area for the UK and once this changed so did the requirement for 2 weeks quarantine on arrival. So I immediately booked my flight, then contacted Thai Elite on 8 October to start the process for a COE, the expat wrote.

I departed Phuket 3 weeks later on 29 October with the intention of staying 10 days and then returning arriving 9 November. I was double vaxed [sic] with AstraZeneca on 28 June and again 27 August  so well past my 14 day requirement.

I booked and paid for a Sandbox SHA+ hotel, COVID tests on arrival and day 6 as well as travel insurance. Simple and I thought all OK, he explained.

Then the Thai Government announced that the COE would be replaced by a Travel Pass [the Thailand Pass] and declared that those arriving after 8 November would need a Thailand Pass but the registration system would not start until 9:00 am on 1 November. I then received an email rejecting my COE application.

So I got up at 2:00am in London on Monday (9am Bangkok time) to register for a Thailand Pass. I was concerned with the rules changed, that as I was leaving on 8 November, in just 7 days time, I needed maximum time to get the Thailand Pass, he noted.

I spent over 9 hours on a keyboard, chat sessions and chatting to people trying to get an application received by MFA. To cut a long story short, the lessons I learnt were"

You had to use Google Chrome - other browsers didnt work

Whilst you got an error message error in API server you could get around that by downloading the CORS extension for Google Chrome

Next it rejected the passport number with the message, Passport number already used. It seems the field was looking for 12 characters. The solution was adding spaces to get to 12 digits.

You have to upload 5 documents into your application in JPEG format only:

a) copy of photo page of passport

b) copy of vaccination certificate for each vax jab

c) the QR code for each vax jab - need to copy and trim just the QR code image

d) evidence of SHA+ accommodation confirmation

e) copy of travel insurance



Finally I had problems with email. The system responds best to Gmail.com email addresses. I gather it doesnt respond at all to Hotmail, he added.

All up, I have spent almost 15 hours researching and inputting on my laptop. I have made 3 calls and 5 emails to Thai Elite - they cant help. Apart from having a Thai Elite visa, I also have an APEC card, he added.

I visited the Thai Embassy in London and chatted and explained in seeking help. The staff were nice and all I heard was, We know, we know but cant help as it is managed by MFA in Bangkok.

He [the embassy official] confirmed hundreds or thousands globally were having this problem. Those returning so far were the last of those with a COE, he said.

If I fail to get a Thailand Pass in time then I have to delay my flight, change the hotel booking and COVID tests, book extra days in a hotel, BUT if I change the date then I have to put in a new application. The application needs definite dates for flight arrivals and hotel bookings  so how long do you allow? he posed.

Having started the process a month before my return travel date, I am essentially faced with ever-increasing hurdles. Essentially I picked a date of November 9 a month ago not knowing how crucial one day is.

I need to be back in Phuket, but if I were a tourist, I would have given up, he said plainly.

One American who contacted The Phuket News was unable to register, despite the fixes given by other travellers, as no official advice has been issued.

It also looks like their system does not work with Microsoft email systems (Hotmail & outlook), he noted.

No submission receipt and no QR code received, the American confirmed.

One woman who has been trying to register since Monday explained to The Phuket News this morning (Nov 5), We are a family of 5 people. We are coming from Paris and we are supposed to fly on Sunday [Nov 7].

When I wanted to apply for the COE at the end of October I was told to wait for Nov 1st and the Thailand Pass. I have submitted my application since Nov 1. I have tried several times. In the end, we managed to get my husband and my eldest daughter a QR code. I still havent heard anything for me, because I am submitting my request including dependent children. And it simply doesnt work! she wrote.

They amended their website between yesterday and today, I submitted each time but still no QR code. It is a total nightmare. Any suggestions on where to call, reach? I am desperate to find a solution, the woman pleaded.

The woman, whose children attend school in Phuket, confirmed she first submitted my application on Monday using a hotmail address. First I got the API error and then at the end of the day it worked and got the successful green tick screen but never received a confirmation email, she said.

Then I read on Facebook that we should use a Gmail address and not a hotmail. So I did it again. It then worked for my daughter, who is older than 12, and my husband. The QR code was received immediately, she confirmed.

Then I did mine which includes two children under 12. There was nowhere to input their insurance and got the API error. The next day, about 7 hours later, they had amended the website and I did it again and was able to input the insurance for the kids, but there is still nowhere to include their booking number for the hotel, she noted.

Anyhow, it worked and I received the confirmation email. It has been 24 hours since my last successful attempt and I havent heard anything from Thailand Pass.

It is Friday morning here in Paris and we fly Sunday morning, Nov 7, arriving on Nov 8. I am very worried. We need to do our PCR test but still dont know if I will receive the approval or not. Are they working 24 hours a day even on weekends? Are they considering the requests depending on the departure date? I hope so, she added.

UPDATE: Since this story was posted another foreigner unable to register contacted The Phuket News.

I submitted my pass on the 2/11/2021 after they fixed the site. I got a response after 6 pm on Friday saying rejected due to not enough insurance. I had US$100,000 cover, more than enough. They are obviously not checking correctly.

Now i submit again with no one to be able to talk to. Very unlikely to get approved intime for my next week holiday. So i will end up losing my flight money and hotel and other expenses i paid for. Because there is no way to chase it up. Very poor system. Very annoyed. They need to fix this."
Police urge caution as car slams into street lamp

PHUKET: Police are urging drivers to exercise caution after another single-vehicle accident occurred on Thepkrasattri Rd at the Tha Reua U-turn, south of the Heroines Monument, early yesterday morning (Nov 4), when a car slammed into a street-lamp pole on the central reservation.

accidentsSafetytransportpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 5 November 2021, 11:45AM

Police and rescue workers were called to the scene, about one kilometre south of the Heroines Monument, at about 5:48am.

The first-responders arrived to find a green, Bangkok-registered Nissan March with heavy damage still resting against the street lamp posted on the central reservation.

The car had also levelled a traffic signal lamp post.

The driver had sustained minor injuries in the impact.

The driver, believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel, was travelling northbound when the accident happened, noted Lt Col Patiwat Yodkwan of the Thalang Police.

The accident yesterday follows a Ph Khlok couple sustaining injuries on Monday (Nov 1), when the pickup they were travelling in slowly veered off the road, clipped a tree and slammed into a roadside power pole, Lt Col Patiwat pointed out.

In that accident, the driver also fell asleep at the wheel, Lt Col Patiwatnoted.

In both accidents, the vehicles were travelling northbound, he added.

Please be careful when driving on such roads, especially during the rush hour, he said.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 66F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Progress_news

Morris Twp. moves forward with litigation, MATOM seeks space

MORRISDALE  Morris Township Supervisors authorized their solicitor to move forward with litigation designed to determine who holds a Moshannon Valley Joint Sewer Authority board seat.

At the last meeting, the MVJSA board decided to keep Vic Couturiaux in the post. Prior to the MVJSA board meeting, Morris Township authorized Mark Rusnak in October to fill the declared open seat.

The township believes Couturiauxs appointment was improper as he was appointed by the Municipal Authority of the Township of Morris prior to the end of his term.

Supervisor John Saggese opposed the prospect of litigation.

In my own personal opinion, and Ill stick to my guns, this was a personal vendetta, Saggese said. This is how I feel. I oppose this whole situation.

Later in Wednesdays meeting, MATOM requested permission to build a garage on the end of the townships garage, reported MATOM board Vice Chairman Chad Baughman.

The 32 by 60-foot addition would have two garage doors and be able to fit the truck, according to Baughman.

MATOM needs space to store equipment, he noted. It currently has equipment around pump station two. This is a problem both for the care of the equipment and for potential legal reasons.

The municipal authority has more equipment than anybody just sees, said Baughman.

MATOM board Chairman Jim Hummel noted the authority has been paying about $371 a month for a trailer sitting outside. It has also been addressing various issues. MATOM recently bought three pumps for pump station four, according to Hummel.

We started cleaning up some of the pump stations, said Hummel. A lot of this was let go for a long period of time. Some people think Vic was a god. He wasnt a god.

MATOM also expressed interest in using opening space within the municipal building. After discussions with Cooper Township, the space previously used for the Morris-Cooper Regional Police Department is now available, according to Supervisor James Williams.

Its now accessible by the township, said Williams. The garage is yet to be cleaned out. Theres still some items in the garage that well be moving forward on getting rid of in the next couple of weeks.

During discussion, Hummel presented the potential long-term intent of MATOM.

The ending result of this is the municipal authority wants to abolish and give the supervisors the sewer authority, Hummel said.

Solicitor Dan Nelson noted this would occur sometime in the far off future. He also offered his input, pointing out the need for a formal agreement.

I do think you need some type of inter-municipal agreement that delineates who occupies what under what terms and conditions, said Nelson.

Supervisors made a motion to allow preliminary approval to lease space to the authority and to allow the solicitors to start up with the necessary paperwork for this to occur.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A former assistant attorney general who aligned himself with former President Donald Trump after he lost the 2020 election has declined to be fully interviewed by a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, ending a deposition after around 90 minutes Friday.

Jeffrey Clark, who championed Trumps efforts to overturn the election, presented the committee with a letter saying he would not answer questions based on Trumps assertions of executive privilege, including in an ongoing court case, according to a person familiar with the closed-door meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss it. Clark left the interview with his lawyer, who told reporters that they were heading "home.

Clark, who was subpoenaed by the committee to appear, would not answer any questions from reporters as he departed.

In a statement Friday evening, Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committees chairman, confirmed that Clark refused to answer questions and said it was unacceptable. He said he had rejected the claims of privilege and said Clark has a very short time to reconsider and cooperate.

Its astounding that someone who so recently held a position of public trust to uphold the Constitution would now hide behind vague claims of privilege by a former President, refuse to answer questions about an attack on our democracy, and continue an assault on the rule of law, Thompson said.

Clark's refusal is just the latest fallout from Trump's attempt to assert executive privilege in a lawsuit he filed against the committee and the National Archives. The suit aims to block the government from releasing a tranche of internal White House documents, including call logs, drafts of remarks, speeches and handwritten staff notes from before and during the insurrection. President Joe Biden has so far waived executive privilege on nearly all the documents that the committee has asked for, citing the panels need to investigate the violent attack.

Amid the legal wrangling, the House panel has struggled to gain cooperation from some of Trumps other top allies  including his longtime associate Steve Bannon and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows  as it conducts a sweeping investigation outside of public view. The committee has so far interviewed more than 150 witnesses so far, according to two people familiar with the interviews who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them.

The interviews have included a broad swath of former and current executive branch officials, Trump campaign aides, law enforcement officials and others. The panel has also talked to several people who helped organize a rally the morning of Jan. 6 where Trump told his supporters to fight like hell.

The committee has also interviewed Justice Department officials who were in office after the election. Thompson said Clarks refusal to answer questions about the former Presidents attempt to use the Department of Justice to overturn the election is in direct contrast to his supervisors at the Department, who have come in and answered the committees questions on these important topics.

Clark is one of almost 20 people the committee has subpoenaed so far. A report issued by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee last month detailed how he championed Trumps efforts to undo the election results and clashed as a result with Justice Department superiors who resisted the pressure, culminating in a dramatic White House meeting at which Trump ruminated about elevating Clark to attorney general. He did not do so after several aides threatened to resign.

Thompson wrote in Clarks subpoena that the committees probe has revealed credible evidence that you attempted to involve the Department of Justice in efforts to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power and his efforts risked involving the Department of Justice in actions that lacked evidentiary foundation and threatened to subvert the rule of law.

It is unclear whether the panel will move to hold Clark in contempt of Congress, as they did with Bannon. Thompson said the committee needs the information Clark is withholding and is willing to take strong measures to hold him accountable.

The House voted last month to recommend the charges against Bannon, and it is now up to the Justice Department to decide whether to prosecute.

As they voted to hold Bannon in contempt, lawmakers on the panel  including two Republicans  made clear they would fight any assertions of executive privilege, which was developed over the years to protect a president's private conversations and communications. Thompson said then that the panel won't be deterred by any such claims.

A federal judge hearing the case also appeared to question Trumps assertions this week, expressing skepticism when Trumps lawyers argued the House panel did not have a legislative purpose for obtaining the documents.

The Jan. 6 riot happened in the Capitol, said U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. That is literally Congress house.

The House committee could pursue similar contempt charges against Meadows and former Trump administration aides Dan Scavino and Kashyap Patel, who have all been in extended discussions with the committee about testifying after they were subpoenaed.

Despite Trumps false claims about a stolen election  the primary motivation for the violent mob that broke into the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Bidens victory  the results were confirmed by state officials and upheld by the courts. Trumps own attorney general, William Barr, had said the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have changed the results.

___

Associated Press journalists Rick Gentilo and Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
Like our work? Dont steal it! Share the link orfor information on how to get permission to use our content.

Click here to report an accessibility issue.
The CA Diffusion case involved several violations of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules (UTR), during which millions of unsolicited calls were made to Canadians  some of which were made to telephone numbers registered on the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) and outside of permissible calling hours. The company, located in a Laval industrial park, enlisted the services of call centres based in Senegal and Morocco.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and Louie Gohmert  both of whom Rolling Stone reported were intimately involved in the planning of the Jan. 6 events that turned violent  think the people who carried out that violence have been getting a bad rap.

They went down to the D.C. jail to visit some of them on Wednesday but ran into a little trouble when the deputy warden wouldnt let them parade through the facility without first securing the necessary approval for a tour.

Reps. Greene and Gohmert responded by harassing the deputy warden for minutes, telling her they had the right to tour the facility and that she was out of line for not allowing it. They then threatened to get her fired.

It sounds like the only way were going to get approval is to get the federal judge to hold deputy warden here in contempt, Gohmert said.

Since shes the one who has denied us entry, Greene replied.

The warden that was held in contempt got fired and is gone, right? Gohmert asked after turning to the deputy warden.

Greene posted a video of the incident on her Gettr account, directing her followers to call the jail and demand transparency. The D.C. Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to questions about the incident from Rolling Stone.

Marge Greene and Louie Gohmert are making asses of themselves at the DC jail again today, trying to break in to see the insurrectionists without prior approval. pic.twitter.com/cvZS9wBQZd  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 3, 2021

The treatment alleged Capitol rioters are receiving in jail has been a topic of their court hearings. The most prominent case is that of Christopher Worrell, a Proud Boys member who has been accused of using pepper spray to assault federal officers during the insurrection. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth last month ordered the director of the D.C. Department of Corrections and the warden of the D.C. jail to be held in contempt, saying it is clear that Worrells civil rights were violated, referencing a delay in an operation Worrell needed on his hand.

Judge Lamberth asked the Justice Department to investigate whether inmates rights were being abused. A few weeks later, Justice Department lawyers called bullshit on Worrells claims. The government has repeatedly been unable to sort fact from fiction in reviewing Mr. Worrells many claims of medical mistreatment because those claims have often been refuted, or at best unsubstantiated, by the medical notes and records that the government later obtains, they wrote in a filing last week.

Worrell is one of several alleged rioters who have claimed they have been mistreated in jail, a trend that has frustrated some judges presiding over their cases. Theyre running a jail, not a hotel, Judge Emmitt Sullivan said in a hearing last Wednesday. Some people want hotel services.

Greene and Gohmert have spent the bulk of the year pushing for better treatment for incarcerated Jan. 6 rioters. Sadly, two systems of justice exist in America today: one for former President Trump along with those who support or dont hate him and the other for everyone else, Gohmert tweeted in July, an apparent play on comments Vice President Kamala Harris made last year following George Floyds death about how America has separate systems of justice for Black and white Americans.

Gohmerts tweet was in service of a press conference he, Greene, and other lawmakers held to advocate for jailed rioters. The press conference was broken up by protesters soon after it started.

Prior to this year, however, neither Gohmert nor Greene had exactly been advocates for equitable treatment under the criminal justice system. Gohmert in 2018 was one of only a few dozen House members to vote against the First Step Act, the criminal justice reform bill that even President Trump supported. Around the same time, Greene was calling for the execution of prominent Democrats on Facebook.
On Thursday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education in partnership with the Illinois General Assembly, announced that $1 million in funding will be utilized to add all of the state's public universities onto the Common App platform.

This means that first-year university students will be able to apply to any of Illinois' 12 public universities, plus dozens of the state's private higher education institutions, with one form.

For students and families concerned with the price of applying for college, waivers are also available for low-income Common App applicants. In 2019-20, more than 470,000 Common App applicants across the country were granted a fee waiver. Some colleges and universities either have no application fees or will waive them if needed.

"Expanding access to educational opportunities for everyone has always been a top goal of my administration. We want to make it easier for everyone, especially people of color, low-income students, and adult learners, to find a place at Illinois institutions of higher learning," Pritzker said in a statement. "This $1 million investment will not only make it easier for Illinois students to apply to multiple of the states world-class universities but will also encourage students from out of state and across the globe to take the next step in their educational journey right here in Illinois."

Three public universities, the University of Illinois Chicago, Northern Illinois University and Chicago State University, were previously available on the Common App. The $1 million investment allowed the remaining public universities to join the program. The last outstanding university, Northeastern Illinois University, will be implemented later this fall.

"Having all of the public universities on the Common App will make it easier for students to apply," Ginger Ostro, executive director, IBHE, said in a statement. "We see this as a tool for more students to explore the opportunities at all Illinois colleges and universities and remain in Illinois for their post-secondary education."

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission offer free support throughout the state for students who need help completing college and financial aid applications.

For more information about the Common App, visit the website.
ALTON  Deluxe has announced the release of President and CEO Barry C. McCarthys new book, Small Business Revolution: How Owners and Entrepreneurs Can Succeed.

The small business resource features stories from the companys 106-year history and anecdotes from its Emmy-nominated TV show Small Business Revolution.

Filmed in Alton, the reality series third season showcased Deluxes partnership with six small businesses: Shampooches Dog Grooming, Bluff City Outdoors, Todays Hair Supply, Morrisons Irish Pub, Lighthouse Sounds and Lovetts Soul Food.

The book provides tips on how the businesses were able to successfully overcome individual business challenges.

McCarthy also offers advice on how to better reach customers, recruit employees and understand finances. Readers will learn how to rein in costs, implement and master payments and payroll technologies, and retain existing customers while successfully prospecting for new ones.

Published by Wiley Publishers, copies are available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold. All book proceeds will benefit the Deluxe Corporation Foundation which has awarded nearly $110 million in grants to strengthen American communities, from financial literacy programs to job-skills training.

As COVID-19 challenges persist, my book provides practical strategies and ideas to help steady and grow small businesses, said McCarthy. In fact, it is dedicated to the millions of brave, inspiring and strong entrepreneurs who plan to start or run a small business. After developing and delivering tech-driven solutions for small businesses and others for many years, it serves as a pay-it-forward to the next generation of businesses.

McCarthy was selected to lead Deluxe in November 2018, after serving more than 15 years as a financial technology executive. His background in product development, sales, marketing and technology innovation has driven the transformation of Deluxe from a traditional check manufacturing company to a Trusted Payments and Business Technology company serving millions of small businesses, thousands of financial institutions and hundreds of the worlds largest consumer brands.

To learn more about Small Business Revolution: How Owners and Entrepreneurs Can Succeed, visit https://www.deluxe.com/about/small-business-revolution-book/.
EDWARDSVILLE  Kids 5-11 years old will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations through the Madison County Health Department as early as next week, according to an MCHD announcement Friday.

Currently the only manufacturer approved for a COVID-19 vaccine for this age group is Pfizer-BioNTech.

The MCHD will begin including children 5-11 years old at its vaccination clinics starting Nov. 10, according to Amy J. Yeager, MCHD Public Information Officer. Minors 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

All vaccinations are by appointment only; visit www.madisonchd.org and click the green Appointments for Vaccines are Open button, or call 618-692-8954 x 2.

In a statement, Yeager said the new COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 years old is also available at several other locations throughout the county.

Several pediatrician offices have the vaccine or anticipate receiving it soon, she said. Some offices will give the vaccine to people who are not their current patients.

For a list of pediatrician offices in Madison County known to have or will be receiving the vaccine, and information about who they will give it to, visit https://coronavirus-vaccine-outreach-madcoil.hub.arcgis.com/pages/covid-19-vaccine-appointment-scheduler.

Yeager said many pharmacies also have or will be receiving the new vaccine soon. She advised people to check with their pharmacy for availability and scheduling.

More Information Cases/deaths by county Madison - 40,230/607 Jersey - 3,405/53 Calhoun - 667/5 Greene - 1,979/63 Macoupin - 7,482/141 Montgomery - 5,049/83 St. Clair - 36,809/607 Clinton - 7,223/104 Bond - 2,624/27 Monroe - 5,337/105 Randolph - 5,603/103 Washington - 2,154/29 Source: IDPH COVID-19 cases by ZIP code 62002 (Alton) - 4,875 62010 (Bethalto) - 1,910 62067 (Moro) -404 62035 (Godfrey) - 2,663 62037 (Grafton) - 260 62012 (Brighton) - 1,053 62014 (Bunker Hill) - 556 62052 (Jerseyville) -2,086 62095 (Wood River) - 1,731 62084 (Roxana) -238 62048 (Hartford) - 180 62087 (South Roxana) - 290 62018 (Cottage Hills) - 496 62024 (East Alton) - 1,308 62025 (Edwardsville) - 4,790 62034 (Glen Carbon) -2,002 62062 (Maryville) -1,217 62294 (Troy) -2,520 62040 (Granite City/Pontoon Beach) - 6,101 62234 (Collinsville) - 4,807 62249 (Highland) -2,926 62281 (St. Jacob) - 510 62097 (Worden) - 408 62088 (Staunton) -1,072 62069 (Mt. Olive) - 455 62033 (Gillespie) - 829 62626 (Carlinville) - 1,488 62016 (Carrollton) - 570 62044 (Greenfield) - 271 62092 (White Hall) - 537 62082 (Roodhouse) - 383 62047 (Hardin) - 242 62022 (Dow) - 155 For a complete list of cases by ZIP code, visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. Source: Illinois Department of Public Health See More Collapse

More organizations and locations will be added over the coming weeks as additional vaccine for this population arrives in Madison County, she said.

The CDC has a vaccine finder that lets people select which vaccine they are looking for and provides the locations that currently have it, Yeager said. Additional details are online at www.vaccines.gov, by calling 800-232-0233 or texting your zip code to 438829.

Many locations offering the new pediatric (kids 5-11 years old) vaccine also have the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 12 years and older, she said. If you would like to get the vaccine or need your booster, check with the location to see if you can schedule your vaccine for the same time as your 5-11 year olds vaccine. You do not need to go to the same place for your booster that you received your original doses.

In Madison County, 138,065 residents  or 52.21%  are fully vaccinated. Other county fully vaccinated rates include Monroe County with 54.6%, St. Clair at 50.25%, 50.61% in Clinton, 48.59% in Jersey, 48.48% in Macoupin, 45.53% in Montgomery, 41.96% in Bond, 37.88% in Calhoun and 35.49% in Greene.

The MCHD is offering COVID-19 vaccinations at its office, 101 E. Edwardsville Road in Wood River, on Wednesdays and Fridays. The clinic is by appointment only; for details visit www.madisonchd.org or call 618-692-8954, Ext. 2.

The YWCA in Alton is partnering with the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer free COVID-19 vaccination clinics Nov. 13 and Dec. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The clinics will be in the YWCA gym located off the parking lot on George Street between East 3rd and 4th streets in Alton.

Three vaccinations will be available. The Pfizer-BioNTech is authorized for ages 12 years and up. The Moderna vaccine is authorized for ages 16 years and up. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is authorized for ages 18 years and up. IDPH officials will also have boosters available for those who have been fully vaccinated.

Walk ins are welcome, although registration is suggested; call 618-465-7774 or go online to https://tinyurl.com/3hrjy84k.

Of Illinois total population, 66% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and almost 61% of Illinois total population is fully vaccinated according to data released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 17,462 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 183 additional deaths, since its Oct. 29 report. To date the IDPH has reported 1,712,986 cases, including 25,948 deaths. As of Thursday night, 1,257 people were reported to be in Illinois hospitals with COVID-19. Of those, 282 were intensive care unit patients and 148 were on ventilators.

Since Monday, the MCHD has announced one additional COVID-19 related death, a woman over 100. To date the county has recorded 607 deaths. Unofficially, the MCHD recorded 25 COVID-19 related deaths for October, compared to 24 in September and 20 in August.

On Thursday afternoon there were 16 COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals, one on a ventilator. To date, the county has recorded 40,230 cases and 519,787 COVID-19 tests.
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP)  A girl was shot after getting off a school bus in Louisiana and is in stable condition following surgery, her family says.

The 9-year-old was wounded Tuesday as she entered her apartment in Lafayette after school, her grandmother, Anna Bob, told KLFY-TV. A bullet hit her liver and caused her lung to collapse.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian authorities on Friday seized four plots of land owned by the youngest son of former dictator Suharto as part of efforts to recover money owed the government since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

The confiscation was part of government attempts to recover the outstanding debt of PT Timor Putra Nasional, a carmaker owned by Hutomo Mandala Putra, also known as Tommy Suharto, after it defaulted on loans from state banks worth 2.6 trillion ($180.8 million) made during the financial crisis, Finance Ministry official Rionald Silaban said.

The four plots of land in West Javas Karawang district total 124 hectares (306 acres), he said in a statement.

A government task force established in April has began confiscating assets from people who were bailed out with central bank funds during the financial crisis. It has so far seized 49 plots of land totaling 520 hectares (1,285 acres) from debtors of a Bank Indonesia liquidity support fund known as BLBI.

The task force is mandated to recover around 110 trillion rupiah ($7.7 billion) in unrepaid loans through civil litigation by the end of 2023. Silaban said the seized land would be sold in open auctions.

Authorities deployed more than 400 police and soldiers to protect members of the task force as they carried out Fridays confiscation because they faced several obstacles in executing the seizure, the statement said.

Tommy Suharto and his team of lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment.

The 59-year-old former playboy come to symbolize the excesses committed by Indonesias ruling class during Suhartos 32 years in power, which ended in 1998 after widespread pro-democracy demonstrations.

An Indonesian court in 2002 sentenced Tommy Suharto to 15 years in prison on charges of paying two hit men to murder a Supreme Court justice who convicted him of corruption, but he was released in less than four years.

With a reputation as one of the most corrupt leaders in the world, Suharto and his family were estimated by some to have accumulated between $15 billion and $35 billion while he was president.

In November 2018, a court directed the seizure of a 14-story office building in downtown Jakarta owned by the Suharto family after the Supreme Court ordered a foundation set up by the former dictator to pay a fine of 4.4 trillion rupiah ($306 million) for misusing scholarship funds.
A new lawsuit has been filed against Ancestry.com for allegedly disclosing Illinois residents' genetic information to Blackstone, a multinational private equity company that bought Ancestry last year, during the acquisition process.

A class action complaint was filed on Oct. 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Ancestry.com DNA, LLC, alleging violation of the Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act, according to the Madison-St. Clair Record.

GIPA, similar to the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, became law in 2020. The bill mandates that the defendant may not release genetic testing information to anyone other than the individual tested or to people specifically authorized in writing.

The plaintiffs are attempting to file the case as a class-action lawsuit for all Illinois residents whose genetic information was disclosed or released by Ancestry.com to Blackstone. The plaintiffs are seeking trial through the federal court because the amount in question exceeds $5 million and there are more than 100 putative members of the class. The suit states that the case concerns the illegal disclosure of thousands if not millions of individuals' genetic information.

The plaintiff alleges Ancestry.com violated the class members rights under GIPA to prevent disclosing their genetic information to unauthorized third parties without their consent, according to the Record.

The lawsuit states that Ancestry.com's consumer genomics business "uses DNA collected from its customers' saliva to provide its customers with information about their heritage as well as genetically related health characteristics." As such, this resulted in Ancestry.com collecting a "massive database of genetic information" that in part made it an attractive acquisition target for Blackstone.

"Compliance with GIPA is straightforward and may be accomplished through a single, signed sheet of paper or its electronic equivalent," the suit says. "GIPAs requirements bestow a right to privacy in ones genetic information and a right to prevent the disclosure of such information without their consent."

Ancestry.com allegedly stated on its website that genetic information would be given to Blackstone but did not offer any method to prevent said release. Under GIPA, the results of a DNA or genetic test are confidential and the subject of such testing has a right to prevent others from receiving their genetic test results without written consent.

The suit further alleges that Blackstone acquired all of the accompanying information gathered by Ancestry.com, including personal information that could be used to identify individual plaintiffs, including first and last names, email addresses, and/or home addresses, including age and gender in some instances.

The plaintiffs seek an order declaring the defendants actions as violating GIPA, an injunction requiring the defendant to comply with GIPA, statutory damages of $15,000 for each willful or reckless violation of GIPA, statutory damages of $2,500 for each negligent violation of GIPA, or actual damages  whichever is greater  attorneys fees, court costs, interest and all other relief the court deems just.
LISBON, Portugal (AP)  Portugals parliament approved Friday new labor laws on working from home, introducing additional protection for employees who do their job away from company premises.

The new rules are a response to the trend of more staff working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Portugals Socialist government said. It said it sees benefits in working from home but wanted to adapt labor legislation to it.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Republican state officials reacted with swift rebukes Thursday to President Joe Biden's newly detailed mandate for private employers to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, threatening a wave of lawsuits and other actions to thwart a requirement they see as a stark example of government overreach.

At least two conservative groups moved quickly to file lawsuits against the workplace safety mandate, and a growing roster of GOP governors and attorneys general said more lawsuits were on the way as soon as Friday. Some Republican-led states had already passed laws or executive orders intended to protect employers that may not want to comply.

This rule is garbage, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said Thursday through a spokesperson. Its unconstitutional and we will fight it. His state's governor, Republican Henry McMaster, said he is planning to issue an executive order keeping state agencies from enforcing the rule.

States have been preparing for the requirement since Biden previewed it in September. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements released Thursday call for companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation. Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers.

The White House said the administration has the authority to take actions designed to protect workers and expects the rule to withstand legal challenges.

Republican governors or attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and South Dakota said Thursday they would file lawsuits against the mandate. The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, filed a challenge in federal court on Thursday. So did companies in Michigan and Ohio represented by a conservative advocacy law firm.

Robert Alt, a lawyer representing the Midwest companies suing manufacturer Phillips Manufacturing & Tower Company and packaging firm Sixarp  said both companies are already facing staffing shortages amid the pandemic. The mandate will make things worse, he said.

It adds insult to injury and forces them potentially to fire trained employees," said Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, a conservative advocacy group.

States say they are focusing on the role of the federal government in the lawsuits they're preparing.

"While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.

At a news conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized what he called an executive fiat for the private sector. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds characterized the mandate as an imposition on personal choice, saying people should be able to make their own health care decisions. She recently signed a bill guaranteeing that people who are fired for refusing a vaccine can qualify for unemployment benefits.

At least 19 Republican-led states previously sued the Biden administration over a separate mandate requiring vaccines for employees who work for federal contractors. Several more filed similar lawsuits Thursday.

Biden, in a statement Thursday, dismissed the argument from many GOP governors and lawmakers that a mandate for employers will hurt businesses' ability to keep workers on the job.

There have been no mass firings and worker shortages because of vaccination requirements, he said. Despite what some predicted and falsely assert, vaccination requirements have broad public support.

The administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, said during a briefing Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

So you know, the question that we always have and that we ask to the Republicans is, why are they getting in the way?" Jean-Pierre said. Why are they getting in the way of trying to protect and save lives? Thats all were trying to do.

Challenges to the workplace mandate from Republicans and conservative groups are expected to be broad-based and quick, reflecting yet another aspect of the COVID-19 response  from mask requirements to social-distancing guidelines  that has fallen into a partisan divide. Democratic governors and attorneys general were relatively quiet after the OSHA rules were announced on Thursday. From California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a simple Twitter message: The right move. Another Democrat, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, defended mandates in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates tend not to work and that she wanted a Kansas-focused way to meet, them but did not give details.

All 26 Republican state attorneys general have previously said they would fight the requirements, and most of them signed a letter to Biden saying as much.

Key to their objection is whether OSHA has the legal authority to require vaccines or virus testing.

In the letter to Biden, the top state government lawyers argued that the agency can regulate only health risks that are specific to jobs  not ones that are in the world generally. Seema Nanda, the top legal official for the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, says established legal precedent allows rules that keep workplaces safe and that those rules pre-empt state laws.

That hasn't stopped state lawmakers and governors for taking a variety of actions aimed at undercutting federal mandates.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an executive order prohibiting private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. An Ohio lawmaker has proposed a bill barring schools and colleges from expelling students who refuse vaccines and preventing employers from firing workers who do so.

Arkansas has adopted a law creating a vaccine-mandate exemption for workers who can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies, although a broader measure banning employers from asking about vaccination status failed in the Legislature. The OSHA rule does include a religious exemption, as well as one for people who work exclusively outdoors or away from others  such as from home.

Lawmakers or governors in states including Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming have called for special legislative sessions to counter vaccine mandates. In Nebraska, not enough state lawmakers agreed to a special session to get one on the calendar, but Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican in a GOP-dominated state, has been pushing them to keep trying.

In Ohio, factory owner Ross McGregor said he will follow the rules as he would any federal workplace mandate, but not because he agrees with them. McGregor, who said he is vaccinated, is opposed to the new requirement, just as he has publicly opposed efforts by Ohio Republican lawmakers to prevent him from mandating the coronavirus vaccine for his workers.

At the end of the day, every employer, and every employment situation, dictates what is best, said McGregor, a former Republican state lawmaker and owner of axle and brake component manufacturer Pentaflex, where he estimates that about half the 115 or so employees are vaccinated. Having either a ban on mandates or an imposition of mandates goes against that



This version corrects new paragraph six to say it is the The Daily Wire, not Daily Caller, that filed a lawsuit, and to remove a reference to a lawsuit filed by Indiana, Louisiana and Mississippi. That suit filed Thursday addresses a separate, narrower mandate for federal contractors.



Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Tom Davies in Indianapolis; Heather Hollingsworth in Lake Quivira, Kansas; Alexandra Jaffe in Washington, D.C.; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report, along with other AP reporters from around the U.S.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey's longtime state Senate president, Democrat Steve Sweeney lost reelection, falling to a Republican newcomer who spent little money and underscoring Democratic woes in the Biden era.

Edward Durr, a furniture company truck driver and first-time officeholder, defeated Sweeney in New Jerseys 3rd Legislative District, according to results tallied Thursday.

Sweeneys defeat was unexpected, and has cast the fate of state government into uncertainty.

It is stunning and shocking and I cannot figure it out, said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said in an interview.

His loss unfolded in a politically competitive suburban Philadelphia district whose counties split their votes between Democrats and Republicans in the presidential elections in 2016 and again in 2020.

It also coincided with boosted GOP turnout even in an off-year election that saw Republicans make gains across the state. Durrs victory Thursday netted about 3% more votes than Sweeney did in 2017 in unofficial returns.

Sweeney's attention was also focused on tight Senate races elsewhere in the state.

I dont really think it was Steve Sweeney, said incoming Republican Senate Leader Steve Oroho. I think it had to do with the message coming from people who were just annoyed at all the executive orders and all the mandates and being sick and tired of being told what they can and cant do.

The loss says more about the headwinds Democrats are facing after losing the governor's race in Virginia and winning a narrow victory in New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's race against Republican Jack Ciattarelli, experts said.

This was a protest vote against the Biden administration and Murphy, said Montclair State University political science professor Brigid Harrison. Steve was in many ways just how people voiced their dissatisfaction and anger with the larger political structure.

Sweeney said in a statement Thursday he was waiting for more votes to come in before acknowledging the loss.

While I am currently trailing in the race, we want to make sure every vote is counted. Our voters deserve that, and we will wait for the final results, he said.

Sweeney has served as Senate president since 2010 and was responsible for shepherding Democratic Gov. Phil Murphys progressive agenda through the Legislature, including a phased-in $15 an hour minimum wage, paid sick leave and recreational marijuana legalization.

He is also known for his high-profile reversal on opposition to gay marriage. Sweeney said in 2011 that he made the biggest mistake of my legislative career when he voted against marriage equality.

Though Sweeney was a fellow Democrat, he fought Murphy at the start of his administration over raising income taxes on the wealthy and worked closely with Republican Chris Christie during his eight-year term in office ending in 2018.

A deal he worked out with Christie to overhaul public worker pension put Sweeney at odds with public sector unions, who would go on to become key supporters of Murphy.

Sweeney's loss was cheered by progressive Democrats from southern New Jersey, who saw him as a product of transactional, machine politics.

Today is glorious, said Sue Altman, director of New Jersey Working Families, in a tweet. Altman is a longtime critic of Sweeney's and saw him as focused on trying to maintain control of the Democratic party, particularly in southern New Jersey.

His allies say he was open-minded and eventually delivered for the left.

I think he was a remarkable senator and Senate president, and as I have often reminded my progressive friends that we never could have gotten all those bills on Gov. Murphy's desk for him to sign without the cooperation of the Senate president," Weinberg said.

Sweeney had faced electoral opposition before. In 2017, his feud with the states biggest teachers union over retirement benefits among other issues led to a battle in which the New Jersey Education Association spent millions to try to defeat Sweeney. The unions effort failed.

But this year, Durr defeated him, spending $2,300, according to an Election Law Enforcement Commission document filed online on Thursday. Earlier reports had shown he had spent just $153.31 on his campaign.

Messages seeking comment have been left with Durr.

Durr describes himself as a 2nd Amendment rights advocate and fiscally conservative, who wants to lower taxes. In an interview with NJ.com, he described how unlikely he viewed his victory to be. He has previously run unsuccessfully for state Assembly in 2017 and 2019, but this is his first elected position.

I joked with people and I said, Im going to shock the world, Im going to beat this man, Durr said Wednesday afternoon. I was saying it, but really kind of joking. Because what chance did a person like me really stand against this man? Hes literally the second-most powerful person in the state of New Jersey.

Sweeney is an ironworker by trade who has served as an executive with the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. He is also a key ally and friend of Democratic power broker, George Norcross, whos widely considered to be one of the most powerful unelected people in the state.

It's unclear who will become the next Senate president. If Democrats maintain control of the chamber, as incomplete results show they could do, then Democratic senators will meet to choose their next leader.

The 3rd Legislative District covers parts of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Coming into Election Day, Democrats had controlled the state Assembly with 52 seats to Republicans 28. In the state Senate, Democrats had 25 seats to the Republicans 15.



This article has been corrected to show that Durr is not a first-time candidate. He ran unsuccessfully for state Assembly in 2017 and 2019.
London, KY (40741)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain ending overnight. Low near 35F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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.

Vote

View Results
British Airways' parent company has warned it expects to lose 3billion this year, following 12 months of arduous travel curbs brought about by the pandemic.

International Airlines Group (IAG) recorded a 574million loss in the quarter ending 30 September, a much smaller loss compared to the same time last year, but it still means it made a loss of 2.62billion for the first nine months of 2021.

The FTSE 100 firm, which also owns Irish low-cost airline Aer Lingus, said that despite a recent recovery in traveller numbers and revenues, it does not believe passenger demand will reach its pre-Covid levels until 2023.

Improvement: International Airlines Group (IAG) recorded a 574million loss in the quarter ending 30 September, a much smaller loss compared to the same time last year

BA's operations continued to be impacted by the traffic light system and burdensome testing requirements in the UK, which was criticised for being too complicated, expensive and discouraging overseas trips.

A further knockback came from the UK Government's delayed lifting of 'Freedom Day' to the middle of July, due to rising cases of the Delta variant among the British public, many of whom opted to take a summer staycation instead.

Restrictions in Argentina also hit trade at its low-cost Level brand, and the company's total third-quarter passenger capacity was less than half its levels in 2019, though more than double its 21.9 per cent capacity from April to June.

However, the lifting of travel restrictions still led to passenger revenues more than doubling to 2billion, the number of flyers rising by around 9 million and seat factor increasing by 20.2 percentage points to 69.1 per cent.

IAG also said its Iberia division returned to profit while low-cost airline Vueling hit breakeven level after seeing domestic capacity return to pre-Covid levels thanks to strong performances on routes going towards the Balearics and Canary Islands.

Meanwhile, cargo revenues continued to go from strength to strength, making a record amount of 1.17billion for the first nine months of the year even though cargo-only flights started to decline as passenger flights ramped up again.

Weak demand: International Airlines Group, which also owns Irish low-cost airline Aer Lingus, said it does not believe passenger demand will reach its pre-Covid levels until 2023

Chief executive Luis Gallego said there is a 'significant recovery underway' with the group's operating cash flow returning to positive territory and all its air carriers have 'shown improvements.'

He added that the transatlantic travel corridor's reopening from next week 'is a pivotal moment for our industry.

'Long-haul traffic has been a significant driver of revenue, with bookings recovering faster than short-haul as we head into the winter. Premium leisure is performing strongly at both Iberia and British Airways, and there are early signs of a recovery in business travel.'

Mr Gallego also appeared to flag that a new budget airline operating out of Gatwick remained very much in his thoughts, after suggestions that it could be scrapped.

Domestic holiday: British Airways was hit by the UK Government's delayed lifting of 'Freedom Day' due to rising cases of the Delta variant among the British public, many of whom opted to take a summer staycation instead (Pictured: Bournemouth beach)

He said: 'Our teams are creating opportunities and implementing initiatives to transform our business and preparing it for the future so that we emerge more competitive.

'This includes initiatives such as our new short-haul operation at Gatwick, Vueling's expansion at Paris-Orly, Aer Lingus' services from Manchester to the US and the Caribbean and our new maintenance model in Barcelona.'

In anticipation of rising demand, British Airways recently declared it would recruit more cabin crew for the summer season next year after making 4,700 redundant in 2020 when demand plummeted.

It plans to resume Airbus A380 flights from next Monday to Frankfurt and Madrid before recommencing long-haul flights to the cities of Miami, Dubai and Los Angeles.

Peter Knapp, the chairman at brand consulting agency Landor & Fitch, said: 'Confidence in flying is returning as people jet off on their long-delayed holidays.

'But despite todays financial results, those at the top of IAG and BA have no time to stand still -travel requirements are changing and theres likely to be further seismic industry developments in the near future.

'While tourist travel is up, business travel - an area that used to deliver significant margins for airlines - is yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Those benefiting from our recent return to the skies are low-cost carriers, meaning BA has little choice but to evolve in order to attract a wider audience.'

Shares in IAG closed trading 6.1 per cent higher at 180.2p on Friday.
Instant unlimited access to all of our content on tillamookheadlightherald.com.

The Headlight Herald E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street!

This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers.

(The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement)
Obituaries will be accepted only from funeral homes, or from an individual only when legal documentation is presented at our office, of that individual's executor status over the estate of the deceased. Obituaries must be received with prepayment before 4 p.m. for publication the following day. On holidays, obituaries must be received with prepayment before noon for publication the following day. If you have questions, please call 256-740-4709
Carolyn Sue Bryant Ellis, 78, of Fort Walton Beach, FL, passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2021 at Somerby of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Born March 15, 1943, at Dr. Daniel's Hospital in Pavo, Georgia, Carolyn was the youngest of nine children born to Franklin and Marie (Dailey) Bryant, of Route 2
This photo shows Weaver Pike  traveling south and approaching the main entrance to Sullivan East High School. The two-lane state roads paved shoulders are inches wide. The main entrance to the high school is just this side of the red truck, and the student entrance is about where the dark vehicle can be seen in this photo.
The next step under Tennessee law is if Hawn contests the move, a hearing officer will rule on the matter, followed by a possible move back to the school board for another vote and then to Chancery Court.
The writings of New York Times best-selling author and public speaker Malcolm Gladwell have inspired and intrigued readers across the globe. His book Outliers, which explores the differentiators that lead to success, contains lessons that hit close to home for entrepreneurs.

In the book, Gladwell investigates the complex relationships among individual talent, hard work, opportunity, and luck. Outliers are the highly successful entrepreneurs, famous academics and star athletes that rise to the top.

Many of his concepts are applicable to the personal and professional experiences of the women and men who venture out on their own. Here are three key lessons from Outliers that I found to connect clearly to my own entrepreneurial journey.

The Self-Made Man

First, Gladwell believes the idea of a self-made man or woman is fiction, because everyone is shaped by outside forces and circumstances beyond their control, and he is right. I personally have never described myself as self-made, because of all the tremendous advantages and benefits I have enjoyed since birth.

I was lucky to be born in the United States to a middle-class family that guaranteed safety and security. All of the basic needs defined in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs were met. I also grew up in a family that celebrated learning, education, and growth and my parents encouraged my siblings and me to find our paths and pursue areas of interest.

I am grateful for this reality and the backing of my parents, who always made sure that my brothers and I were loved and supported.

Today, I am trying to do the same for my own children. Thankfully I had great role models who to set the standard.

Clocking Your 10,000 Hours

Second, Gladwell posits that for anyone to become an expert in a specific arena or skill, they must first devote a minimum of 10,000 hours to the activity. He offers multiple examples, including the Beatles mastering musicianship playing long gigs in Germany and Bill Gates exploring the computers conveniently located across the street from his high school where he met his future business partner.

Hands-on experience is often the best teacher, and for me it came early in my career employed by an intense, Washington-based advocacy organization that taught me the basics of strategic communications, skills which I still employ today as CEO of crisis PR firm Red Banyan. For years, I worked extremely long days at the direction of smart people who were extremely dedicated and modeled high-integrity leadership.

Due to this opportunity, I was able to move much faster through my requisite 10,000 hours and gain exposure to more valuable activities at an earlier age than many others. I didnt have to spend years wading through a series of disappointing jobs, which is often what happens to young people entering the workforce.

Practical Intelligence as a Differentiator

Third, Gladwell notes a clear difference between practical intelligence and academic intelligence, holding up practical intelligence as a critical driver of success. I share the view that real-life lessons are markedly different than academic learning.

In Outliers, the author cites numerous examples of people who are amazingly intelligent, but not necessarily successful in their careers. Some have a hard time applying the intelligence of academia to a real-world setting.

Knowing how to apply what you have learned to real-life, being resourceful, learning to engage others, and knowing how to tap into a network of people who can assist is the foundation of practical intelligence. This balance is incredibly valuable in the public relations space.

The most remarkable PR professionals are naturally curious, unafraid to engage with other people. Being unafraid to ask for help or to talk to people are skills that offer a huge advantage when it comes to getting ahead. Essentially, this is the successful application of practical intelligence and should be a priority.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Closer to home, I believe it will be far less important how my children score on standardized academic tests than if they can successfully apply practical intelligence in this increasingly connected, dizzying, fast-moving world. My hope for them is that they will be lifelong learners, able to reach high levels of success in life by being positive contributors within their community.

Practical, emotional intelligence is a concept that my leadership team and I seek to reinforce with our colleagues. Having a high level of practical intelligence not only provides an advantage in a work environment but also on a personal level.

We encourage every one of our employees to use their time at work and home to improve themselves professionally and personally, finding ways to make positive contributions in as many ways as they can.

The Journey of Business and Life

An entrepreneurs journey through recognizing the unique circumstances that gave them their tipping point for success is ongoing. Moreover, putting in the hours to reach and maintain expertise in a particular field never really ends. For business owners and other leaders, possessing the ability to pragmatically reflect on what makes them an outlier sets them up for success in a world where the odds are not always in your favor.

Gladwells Outliers provides a clear recipe for accomplishment: recognize and take advantage of the gifts and circumstances beyond your control, develop practical intelligence, and rapidly acquire the requisite 10,000 hours needed for mastery of any area of interest. With the right focus, success becomes less elusive and more inevitable.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The latest in New York politics This article was featured in the Capitol Confidential newsletter. Sign up here to get it each morning.

Before voters went to the polls on Tuesday, the state Conservative Party spent $3 million attempting to defeat three proposed constitutional amendments, but the public had no know way to immediately know who had funded the multi-million dollar campaign against the initiatives, including attack ads. It exposed what critics view as a major loophole in state election law. (TU)

The rejection of a constitutional amendment that would have tweaked the state's troubled redistricting process has left reform advocates and Democrats looking for a potential fallback  but options are limited without a special session of the Legislature. (TU)
When Democrats take votes on two giant bills containing President Joe Biden's signature priorities, U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam will be a yes vote on both, despite previously holding out his support for the infrastructure package.

In an interview with the Times Union, Tonko explained he now felt enough assurance that both priority bills  containing investments in climate, child care, roads and more  will pass Congress, allowing him to offer his backing for the legislation.

Tonko was previously part of a group of progressive Democrats who took a 'both or neither' approach to the bills. He said he couldn't vote to pass a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill without the other budget bill that funded measures to combat climate change.

After months of feisty negotiations and a tough Election Day Tuesday, Democrats in the House now plan to pass both bills Friday. But Senate passage still isn't guaranteed, with centrist Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia still expressing reservations about the legislation's impact on the national debt.

"I trust the president has those votes in the Senate and he will work them in a way that gets us where we need to be," Tonko said.

The infrastructure bill invests hundreds of billions to upgrade the nation's roads, bridges, electric grid, broadband, water systems and environmental remediation. It includes major funding for transportation including trains, airports and electric vehicles and their charging stations. The bill was negotiated through bipartisan discussions and passed the U.S. Senate in August.

Meanwhile, the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act funds universal pre-kindergarten for all three and four-year-olds, invests in other child care providers, expands Medicaid to cover hearing benefits, pays for affordable housing construction and extends the enhanced child tax credit for one year. To fight climate change, it also provide tax credits to bolster electric vehicle sales and encourage the production of renewable energy.

The legislation has been whittled down from a proposal twice its size to win the more support from Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. A key climate proposal that would held utility companies accountable for meeting certain renewable energy standards was cut from the bill due to Manchin's objections. Tonko said his staff held discussions with Manchin's team to review the climate measures.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

"I would have liked that standard, the very first one that came out of the first round of House expression, to be the outcome, but I understand we have to build by consensus and if we can incentivize the system to have ways to reduce, to decarbonize and address the climate issue, we are accomplishing a great deal," Tonko said.

The Build Back Better Act has no Republican support and Democrats plan to pass it using a budget mechanism called reconciliation so they don't need to rely on any GOP votes.

The version the House plans to pass includes four weeks of paid family and medical leave and raises the cap on the state and local tax deduction, a priority for lawmakers from high-tax states like New York.
On Tuesday Nov. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave the final approval for kids ages 5 to 11 to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. Here in the Hudson Valley, parents are now sorting out where to go to get the vaccine.

The rollout begins just weeks before the holiday season, a time when kids might be around older relatives who would be at higher risk if they contracted the virus. While COVID cases in the U.S. have been falling steadily, experts have warned that indoor gatherings may lead to a higher case load.

As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated, said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky in a press release.

Vaccines have not yet arrived at many pediatric offices, one of the main vaccination sites for this age group. The complete rollout is anticipated to begin the week of Nov. 8, but some parents have been able to find available appointments at select area pharmacies to get their children vaccinated early.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were anywhere between 10 to over 30 appointments available this weekend at Walgreens locations across the Hudson Valley. By Friday morning, weekend slots were swiped up, but limited appointments were available for Monday and Wednesday of next week.

While the hope is to get shots into kids arms quickly, there are a few hurdles to a fast deployment. COVID vaccines for children in this age group are not identical to the ones for adults or adolescents 12 and older. This younger cohort will receive one-third of the standard dose, drawn from smaller vials to avoid mix-ups with adult and adolescent doses, using smaller needles.

Similar to adults and older kids, however, this group will return three weeks after the first dose for a second shot.

Few children ages 5 to 11 will be fully immunized by Thanksgiving, but even partial vaccination will provide some protection against the virus. The CDC reports that every million doses given to children in this age range would prevent about 58,000 cases and 226 hospitalizations.

COVID cases in children surged this summer with the delta variant. The CDC reported that during a six-week period in late June to mid-August, hospitalizations among children and adolescents increased fivefold. About 1.9 million kids in the 5 to 11 age range have been diagnosed with COVID, and around 8,300 have been hospitalized.

Where to get vaccinated in the Hudson Valley

Pediatric vaccinations were permitted as soon as the CDC gave the green light, but vaccine distribution wont be at full scale until next week, officials say.

Currently, the main option for parents in the region wishing to make a vaccine appointment for their child is at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens and some independent pharmacies. In the region, Walgreens begins its rollout this weekend, starting Saturday, Nov. 6. Appointments can be made through the website, app or by calling 1-800-Walgreens.

More appointment slots will be made available in the coming weeks as more doses are received. Walgreens has experience administering over 300,000 flu immunizations to children in the same age range. Children can receive the flu shot at the same time.

Approximately 40 percent of Walgreens stores will offer the vaccine, with appointments during times that are after-school or on Saturdays. When you go to the Walgreens website, it will prompt you to select COVID vaccine, and later to input the date of birth which will guide customers to stores where vaccines are available for the youngest age group.

CVS will have the vaccine at 1,700 locations nationwide, with 126 select locations in New York. Appointments are now being accepted, with the earliest on Sunday, Nov. 7. Similar to Walgreens, appointments can be made through the website or the app. The scheduling tool will only display appointments at locations that have the pediatric vaccine once the childs age is provided.

In the Hudson Valley, CVS locations in at least Cornwall, Pawling, and Mahopac, and Walgreens locations in at least Kingston, Middletown, Poughkeepsie, and Vails Gate are offering vaccines. Each website has a closest location finder in its scheduling tool to help identify where to go.

Our immunizers have been preparing for this important role, and stand ready to help answer parents questions, guide them and their children through the process, and administer the vaccines safely, with kindness and caring, said Troyen A. Brennan, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health in a statement.

Rollout plans at the county level

At the Department of Health level in counties across the Hudson Valley, vaccine rollout plans are still in the works. Dutchess County, for example, is recommending that the best course of action is for parents to talk with their pediatrician or doctor for more information and to schedule an appointment.

Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter.

In Orange County, health commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman said the county has been preparing for months, and [is now] finalizing plans for this demographic.

In a statement Dr. Gelman said: The Orange County Department of Health has been working closely with BOCES/schools, the Orange County hospitals, local pediatricians and other community stakeholders.

Ulster County Department of Health will begin to administer the vaccine starting on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the Hudson Valley Mall (former Best Buy site) from 3 to 7 p.m. It will be the countys first pediatric Point of Dispensing (POD) site. A second is already planned for Saturday, Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The PODS will be separated from adult PODS. Appointments can be made online. Walk-ins are not available at this time.

Our pediatric PODS, working with our healthcare team, have been specially designed to accommodate the needs of younger patients and their families, said Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan at his Thursday COVID-19 briefing.

The vaccination sites will have activities for kids and include private areas to be vaccinated.

We are also engaging with all of our pediatricians to make sure they have all the information and resources to work with them for storage and distribution of the vaccines, said Ryan. We wanted to make sure, particularly for equity and access reasons, that we as a county make this available for 5- to 11-year-olds if they dont have a regular pediatrician or health insurance.

Ulster County is also looking for volunteer help from those who have a background in pediatrics.

Pediatric offices across the region are also prepping to begin vaccinating this age group. The Childrens Medical Group, with locations in Kingston, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and more, has already started its wait list for patients.

The group is expecting to get the shots next week, but has no details on when exactly supplies will arrive. So far, they have seen more interest from parents in this age group then they did with 12 to 18 cohort.
SCHENECTADY  SRO 2.0 is what Schenectady Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. calls the launching of a pilot program that will station two veteran police officers at the high school to serve as a resource for students, staff, parents and the community.

The SRO stands for school resource officers.

In this reboot, Sgt. Adriel Linyear and Patrolman Albert Rivera, will be community engagement officers, said Soler this week at the Board of Education meeting where he unveiled the program with Police Chief Eric Clifford and the two officers.

They dont look like traditional school resource officers, theyre going to dress differently, theyre going to approach differently, and more importantly, theyre going to be trained differently, he said.

Some of that training will focus on harm reduction, community health, de-escalation, homelessness, and anti-racism.

I want to be clear to the board, theyre not here to enforce the code of conduct, thats the administrators job, thats the schools job, but theyre here if something gets extremely violent, if theres a weapon, if theres something going on outside the building, Soler said.

Soler credited Clifford with coming up with the idea contained in the plan Schenectady sent to the state as part of mandated reforms.

Its an opportunity to engage the officers in a very different manner, its an opportunity for us to define what engagement looks like, he said. I like to call it SRO 2.0, the new version of it.

The police department is covering the cost of the pilot.

Soler said early conversations with police brass before the launch of the focused on how do we break some of this barrier between community and police?

I said we have to re-ignite this conversation around support, partnership, not so much disciplinarian, but around support and help, said Soler. He said the engagement officers will also be able to take some of the training, including, trauma informed and social emotional learning, that the district offers to its employees, added Soler.

Clifford said "were looking to have the school community tell us how they want to be served"

Schenectady hasn't had school resources in the high school for at least a decade, according to a a school board member. The district, however, has safety officers  one at the high school and one at each of the three middle schools  who patrol the hallways.

On his first day in the new detail, Rivera, who speaks Spanish and graduated from the high school in 2006, said Thursday he sees himself in some of the students.

"I even saw it today, some kids walking through the hallway speaking Spanish, and sometimes thats they only language they have, so its nice to know that guy speaks Spanish or he can understand where I came from, said Rivera, who has nearly 11 years on the force.

He recalled himself being able to only speak Spanish when he moved with his family from Miami to Schenectady at age 6.

Its those type of connections police and school officials are hoping will lead to lasting bonds that will also change the negative perceptions some teens have of police.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Linyear, who has 15 years on the force and was previously with the departments youth services bureau, is hoping to serve as a role model to teens.

In the current times, we talk about reform and reinvention, what better way to take advantage of building those bridges with the youth and showing them that their perception of the police is not what they might read or hear about, and give them an opportunity to see that for themselves, said Linyear, who is Black. We want the kids to know that there are police officers who look like them and talk like them.

Recently some students raised objections to changes Soler made at the high school by doubling class times and converting to a closed campus, meaning that only seniors with permission from a parent could leave the campus for lunch. The district is also grappling with more school fights.

Clifford said with the exception of more higher profile incidents involving adults, the police response to the high school so far this school year for fights is on par with past years. He said community conversations this year and last that were part of the state-mandated police reform process led to the community engagement officers.

Throughout the reform and reinvention conversations, it became very apparent to me that engaging with the community is something we need to do more of, and being in the schools engaging with the students is such a great opportunity for us to do that, he said.

The chief reiterated Thursday how he views the role of the two officers.

We are there to be monitors, we are not there to be the muscle of the administration for students that arent behaving, we are there only to deal with police matters that are criminal in nature, we are not there to police the students, and that includes violation level (offense), theres no disorderly conduct in the school unless its a non student, he said.

Officers will only intercede if a student becomes violent. We want to be a resource to the students and the staff, we want to build the relationship where they want to come to us, both to have conversations, to ask questions, to ask for help for things in and out of school.

He said the officers, who will have their body cameras, will also be patrolling the high school perimeter to ensure students authorized to leave campus are not being disruptive in the neighbor around the school. On Thursday, Clifford said hes open to extending the one month pilot if they need more time to analyze if its working.


Former WNYT Channel 13 television anchor Kari Lake used to greet Capital Region viewers with the news of the day.

Now, Lake is greeting supporters who include a Jan. 6 insurrectionist, an anti-mask advocate and a Nazi sympathizer in her bid for governor of Arizona.

Lake, 52, a Republican endorsed by ex-President Donald Trump, is considered an early front-runner in the GOP primary to succeed term-limited GOP incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey in Arizona, where Lake has lived for more than two decades.

The Davenport, Iowa, native was working at an NBC affiliate in Phoenix when, in August 1998, she moved to the Capital Region, a far smaller market than the Valley of the Sun. She replaced longtime popular evening news anchor Chris Kapostasy, now known as Chris Jansing from MSNBC.

At the time, Lake told the Times Union, stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco courted her, but she just wanted to live in a real nice place. And that is Albany.''

Some 15 months later, Lake was finished in Albany. Her husband, onetime videographer Jeff Halperin, had already returned to Arizona. The subject of Lake's pending departure was already a topic of conversation on Capital Region talk radio.

"It is so parochial here. I could be here 30 years and feel sort of new," Lake, who lived in East Greenbush, told the Times Union. "We came all the way across the country, to find out just how much we miss home."

During her short time in the Capital Region, Lake appeared at an April 1999 anti-child abuse event in Saratoga Springs, where she told the crowd: "We can't give up the fight. Think of children, become a voice for them."

More than two decades later, Lake is a voice for anti-maskers. She recently led an anti-mask rally at Arizona State University where the gubernatorial hopeful urged college students to defy school regulations requiring they wear masks.

Lake threw a mask on the ground and stepped on it, according to12news.com, an NBC affiliate in Phoenix.

"Remember, slow the spread? We're on Day 515 of these bastards trying to destroy our lives," she told the crowd.

And she said: "If they arrest you, on Day 1 when I'm governor, I will pardon every patriot who stood up against this tyranny."

The crowd included Micajah Joel Jackson, a man charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and anti-mask advocate Ethan Schmidt-Crockett, who previously posted a video of himself unmasked, refusing to leave a Mesa wig shop frequented by cancer patients at higher risk of COVID-19, the news station reported.

Lake appears to have come full circle: The longtime news person now calls for the imprisonment of journalists, as well as Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, without any legal basis. And she said she would not have certified President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory in Arizona, according to a CNN report that fact-checked Lake's claims and reported on her cozying up to extremists, including QAnon-linked conspiracy theorists.

At an August campaign event, Lake met with Greyson Arnold, identified in the CNN report as a Nazi sympathizer, and tweeted on her campaign account to him: "It was a pleasure to meet you, too!"

In a 2020 tweet, Arnold tweeted that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was "definitely a complicated historical figure which many people misunderstand."

On Friday, in response to the CNN report, Lake tweeted from the campaign account that "left and the Marxist media like CNN, etc have tossed around these awful slurs so often to describe everyone who doesn't agree with their dead-end ideology that they've rendered these words meaningless. It is really unfortunate."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

In response, Arnold tweeted: "Thank you Kari Lake for standing with Patriots against the fake news slander. When it comes to saving America, it isn't about color, it's about character."

In a statement, Lake said: "It is impossible to vet everyone who comes to a public rally, or know the backgrounds and beliefs of every one of the thousands routinely in attendance at our events-PHOTOS. I condemn racism and antisemitism in every form, including the pernicious and pervasive racism of the left who wants to paint everyone in this country as either oppressor or oppressed, and constantly seek to divide us on racial lines."

Lake stated: "My campaign will continue to take on the corrupt media and the career politicians so that we can get Arizona and America back on track. Baseless, racially charged accusations didnt work in Virginia, and they wont work here."

On her campaign website, Lake said she left Fox 10 News in Phoenix and became a symbol of truth in journalism when she walked away from the mainstream media despite being number one in the ratings for more than two decades.

Lakes platform is common sense conservatism dedicated to individual liberties, low taxes, limited regulation, and protecting Arizona's great Western heritage, her website said.

It further states: Kari Lake continues to be a voice for the silent majority suffering at the hands of cancel culture, critical race theory, and the devastating effects progressive policies are piling up on America's formerly great cities."

Trump endorsed Lake, stating: "She is a fantastic person who spent many years working as a highly respected television anchor and journalist. Because of this, few can take on the Fake News Media like Kari."

Trump praised Lake, saying she would restore "election integrity," and opposes COVID-19 lockdowns, cancel culture and would end "woke" curriculum in schools.

Lake, in turn, said on her website it means the world to have (Trumps) endorsement to be Arizonas next governor. My commitment to the great people of this state is to always put Arizona First, just as he put America First.
BANGKOK (AP)  Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson left Myanmar on Thursday after finishing a private humanitarian mission in which he sought to boost the Southeast Asian countrys efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic and facilitate the delivery of aid.

The main focus of my discussions was to identify specific ways to speed the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility to Myanmar and to help mitigate a possible fourth wave of COVID-19, he said, according to a statement issued by his Richardson Center for Global Engagement.

COVAX is a U.N.-backed effort to even out global vaccine distribution by supplying doses to low- and middle-income countries. Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Asia.

During his visit, Richardson met with the leader of Myanmars military government and other top officials, members of the foreign diplomatic corps and representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, the statement said.

It said he recommended a range of specific humanitarian measures, mainly to facilitate the delivery of assistance to remote areas.

The situation has been worsened by armed conflict following the militarys seizure of power in February, when it ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Opposition to the takeover has grown into an incipient insurgency that some U.N. officials have warned could turn into a civil war.

Richardson, who has also served as secretary of energy and governor of New Mexico, also encouraged Myanmar authorities to engage with the U.N. and ASEAN Special Envoys, suggesting creative solutions to break the current impasse, the statement said. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has sought to mediate a solution to the violent conflict, but Myanmars leaders have been uncooperative.

Richardson said he was able to secure the release from prison on Wednesday of a woman, Aye Moe, who used to work with his center. The military-installed government has arrested more than 9,700 people on political charges since it took power, though many have since been freed.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Richardson is known for his past efforts to gain the freedom of Americans detained in countries with which Washington has poor relations, such as North Korea. His visit had raised hopes that he might obtain the release of U.S. journalist Denny Fenster, who has been jailed for more than five months on political charges, but the statement did not mention his case.

The U.N.s top humanitarian official in Myanmar, Andrew Kirkwood, said at the end of September that Myanmar's severe crisis is the result of increasing communal strife, the military ouster of the countrys democratically elected government and the coronavirus pandemic, which had a devastating third wave of infections this past summer.

The per capita death rate in Myanmar was the worst in Southeast Asia during one week in July, when bodies were lined up outside overwhelmed crematoriums. Even before the surge, the countrys central health care system was collapsing as the military attacked and drove underground many medical workers who were early opponents of the February takeover.

As of Nov. 2, about 13.5 million of Myanmars roughly 55 million people had received at least one vaccination dose.
The juror dismissed from Kyle Rittenhouses murder trial apparently was trying to be funny when he cracked to a court security officer about a police officer's shooting of Jacob Blake, the event that set off the protests where Rittenhouse shot three people, two fatally.

Blake, who is Black, was shot by a white officer three months after the murder of George Floyd by a white officer in Minneapolis prompted protests over racial injustice nationwide. When Judge Bruce Schroeder said Thursday that the joke  which the juror didnt want to repeat in open court  showed bias that would seriously undermine the outcome of the Rittenhouse trial, the man objected.

It wasnt anything to do with the case, the juror told Schroeder Thursday. It wasnt anything to do with Kyle.

The moment captured the bias  sometimes explicit, but often implicit or unconscious  that experts say is especially damaging in criminal proceedings. Jurors who may not see their biases as problematic or even realize they exist are asked to weigh witness testimony and ultimately decide a defendants fate. And while the juror in Kenosha, Wisconsin, may have vocalized his beliefs, sharing the joke while being escorted to his car after jury duty, in most cases these biases are difficult or impossible to detect.

Its one of the most significant problems facing the criminal justice system in both state and federal courts, said Mark Bennett, a retired federal and state judge who directs the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation at Drake University Law School in Iowa.

In some places, courts and judges have taken steps to educate jurors, attorneys and others about implicit bias. Questions to potential jurors go well beyond asking if they can be impartial, instead asking about stereotypes they may hold or their interactions with others.

In part of Washington state, potential jurors are shown a video about implicit bias, and attorneys are encouraged to ask questions during jury selection such as what they thought about the video. It's not clear whether that happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where 20 people were seated for the Rittenhouse jury in one day. The 12 who decide the case will be announced later, the judge said.

Bennett, who wrote a jury instruction on implicit bias and has studied bias in judges, said Schroeder did the right thing in dismissing the juror. Any person who would joke about Blake while at the courthouse during jury duty doesn't have the kind of mindset a judge would want on the case, he said.

But Bennett also said a one-day jury selection isnt enough time to root out people with explicit or implicit biases, particularly in racially polarizing cases. In one major federal trial, Bennett took 14 days to select a jury. He also has had potential jurors fill out a questionnaire  one as long as 99 questions  at home, where theyre more likely to answer candidly, before coming to the jury selection.

You cannot do it in one day, he said. Im sorry, you just cannot.

Margaret Russell, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law and co-founder of the Equal Justice Society, agreed, saying the jury selection seems astonishingly quick for a case that involves some of the most contentious, inflammatory issues of our day.

Rittenhouse is white, as are the three men he shot in August 2020. But the case has raised questions about racial justice, policing, firearms and white privilege that have polarized people far outside Kenosha.

Blake, who was shot by the officer two days before Rittenhouse shot the three men, was partially paralyzed in the shooting. Police say it occurred while they responded to a domestic disturbance call and that Blake was holding a knife. The county prosecutor later declined to charge the officer.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Protests following the Blake shooting at times turned violent and destructive, with rioters setting fires and ransacking businesses. Rittenhouse, then 17, traveled to Kenosha from his home in Illinois, just across the Wisconsin state line. The former police youth cadet said he went to Kenosha to protect property. As he walked the streets he carried an AR-style rifle.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the three shootings, while his lawyer says Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

After his arrest, conservatives called Rittenhouse an American patriot, with people contributing millions of dollars to a legal defense fund and helping the now 18-year-old post a $2 million bail to leave jail.

Russell said she also believed Schroeder was correct to dismiss the juror Thursday, saying his actions show a shockingly ignorant sense of the case and the issues involved. The fact that the man didnt want to repeat his joke in open court suggests he knew it was inappropriate, she said.

Russell also was troubled by the jurors use of Rittenhouses first name as he referred to the defendant. Calling him Kyle, she said, showed a sense of familiarity that perhaps means hes not viewing the case through an unbiased lens.

___

Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  A Dutch newspaper reporter has been expelled from Russia, a move denounced Thursday as unacceptable by the Netherlands' foreign ministry.

The De Volkskrant newspaper reported Thursday that its Moscow correspondent, Tom Vennink, was ordered to leave Russia earlier this week after his residency permit was withdrawn over what authorities described as administrative violations.

Vennink is not the first reporter thrown out of Russia this year. In August, Russia refused to renew the visa of Sarah Rainsford, a longtime reporter for the BBC in Moscow. The U.K.'s Foreign Ministry said the action was retaliation for the British government's refusal to extend a visa to a Russian news agency correspondent.

Independent Russian media also are under increasing pressure. The government added several prominent news outlets, including the Dozhd television station and the online news site Meduza, to its list of foreign agents this year.

The designation, which media organizations see as an attempt to undermine an outlet's credibility. requires listees to preface their stories with a statement that the report comes from an organization that is considered a foreign agent.

Relations between the Netherlands and Russia plunged into a deep freeze following the 2014 shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board, many of them Dutch citizens, died. The Netherlands has held Russia liable for the downing of the aircraft, a charge Moscow denies.

But Volkskrant Editor-in-Chief Pieter Klok said in the newspapers story about Venninks expulsion, It is a mystery to us why the Russian government has chosen to do this now.

Volkskrant reported that Vennink had to pay a fine in November 2019 for not registering his Moscow address with local authorities on time and that he paid another fine in January 2020 for visiting a province in northern Russia without seeking permission from the governor.

In previous years, such administrative violations were never an obstacle to extending the residency permit, Klok said.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it deplored the decision not to extend Vennink's visa and was seeking clarification from Russian authorities.

For the Netherlands, it is unacceptable that a journalist has to leave a country against his or her own will, the ministry said in a statement. Press freedom is a fundamental public good, and we are dedicated to ensuring that journalists can continue to do their job.

____

Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed.
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:

GLASGOW, Scotland  Greta Thunberg branded the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow so far a failure, accusing leaders of actively creating loopholes in the rules and greenwashing their countries emissions.

Speaking at a rally outside the conference venue, Thunberg called for tougher rules to clamp down on polluters instead of what she termed distant, non-binding pledges.

World leaders are obviously scared of the truth, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot escape it, she said. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus, and above all they cannot ignore us - the people, including their own children.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Developed nations will start making good on their joint pledge of $100 billion in annual climate aid to developing nations next year, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Friday.

Thats at least a year earlier than some estimates. So there is genuine progress, Kerry told reporters at a press conference, listing advancements that have moved climate efforts forward over the past year.

The United States and other developed nations committed to the financing pledge under the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord.

Less wealthy countries say they cannot switch their economies to cleaner fuel, and protect their people from increasing natural disasters as the Earth warms, without substantial foreign aid.

And they say established economies, like the United States, should pay, since they historically have been responsible for most of the climate damage from burning coal and petroleum.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has compared the worlds complacency on climate change to the way it failed to take seriously the threat of fascism during the 1930s.

Invoking Winston Churchills famous warning that the era of procrastination (...) is coming to its close, Gore told the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow that the impacts of global warming would soon spur momentum for action.

We are now experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis in every part of our world, he said Friday, echoing Churchill. The scientists warned us that these consequences were coming.

Gore starred in An Inconvenient Truth, an Oscar-winning 2006 documentary about the threat of climate change.

In Glasgow, he praised countries and companies that recently made new pledges to curb emissions but added that the fulfillment of those commitments must be closely watched.

Gore advocated for radical transparency that includes monitoring emissions from the ground, the sea, by air and by satellite to identify those responsible for releasing greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

He also warned that the rising number of climate refugees expected over the coming decades risked triggering xenophobia and anger which in turn could fuel authoritarian populism around the world.

___

ANKARA, Turkey  The leader of Turkeys main opposition party is appealing to foreign investors to steer clear of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans project to construct a shipping canal skirting Istanbul, saying it would exacerbate the climate change crisis.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on Twitter Friday that he sent letters to all the foreign embassies in Turkey, urging them to tell investors in their countries that the Canal Istanbul project is against the worlds climate.

The Canal Istanbul will play havoc with the ecological system and will harm not just Turkey, but the whole world, Kilicdaroglu wrote in the letter.

Erdogan first suggested in 2011 the idea of constructing a canal linking the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, which he dubbed his crazy project. His government took steps toward its construction this year.

The government says the 45-kilometer (28-mile) canal would relieve pressure on the Bosporus Strait, one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, and reduce the risk of accidents.

Opponents claim it will cause widespread ecological damage to the region, increase the dangers posed by earthquakes and saddle Turkey with further debt.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says American climate negotiators are having meaningful talks with their Russian and Chinese counterparts at the U.N. summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Thats despite Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping skipping world leaders current rounds of climate talks, a decision that sparked complaints from U.S. President Joe Biden when he attended a few days ago.

Kerry told reporters he came late to a Friday press conference because Americans had been talking with Russian officials at the summit on efforts to reduce pollution from methane, a potent climate-damaging gas.

We were talking about how we might deal with methane, possibly work together, Kerry said of Russians.

And were meeting with China here, and weve been talking for several days trying to figure out, is there common ground, as a way to try to move forward, Kerry said. Theres a sense of urgency.

Biden last weekend blamed Xis and Putins not showing up for lack of more progress at Group of 20 climate discussions on the eve of the summit. China is the worlds largest current emitter of climate-wrecking fossil fuel emitters, the United States the second, and Russia in the top five.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Hundreds of environmental activists have gathered in a Glasgow park to call on governments at the nearby U.N. climate talks to step up their action against global warming.

The activists, most of them young, carried banners at Friday's rally with slogans such as I have to clear up my mess, why dont you clear up yours? and Stop climate crimes.

The protest was part of a series of demonstrations being staged around the world Friday and Saturday to coincide with the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 U.N. climate change conference in Scotland.

Some at the Glasgow demonstration accused negotiators at the COP26 conference of greenwashing failures to curb greenhouse gas emissions and promoting policies that wont do enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises in the coming decades.

We are here as civil society to send them a message that enough is enough, Valentina Ruiz, an 18-year-old student from Brazil, said.

Brianna Fruean, a 23-year-old activist from Samoa, said, My biggest fear is losing my country. Samao, a low-lying Pacific island nation, is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and cyclones,

Fruean was given the stage at the beginning of the conference, known as COP26, where she told leaders about the effects of climate change already being felt in her country.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

I will know if Ive been heard by the end of COP, she said.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Major shipping companies called Friday for governments to put more money into researching and developing cleaner technologies to help the industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

The International Chamber of Shipping said the industry isnt on track to meet its goal of cutting carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 with current policies.

The trade group represents shipping companies that include MSC and Hapag Lloyd. Industry representatives and government ministers are meeting at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow.

The group said it is asking governments to increase R&D spending, including by backing a proposal at the International Maritime Organization that would see ship owners set up a $5 billion fund to boost clean shipping technology.

Shipping currently accounts for about 3% of global emissions.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Anti-poverty charitable confederation Oxfam says the worlds richest people continue to produce the lions share of greenhouse gas emissions.

A study released Friday on the sidelines of the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow concluded that the richest 1% of the planets population is expected to account for 16% of total global emissions by 2030.

The study, commissioned by Oxfam, calculated that each member of the richest 1% will emit 30 times more than the 2.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide deemed compatible with the goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit).

The poorest 50% on the planet, meanwhile, will continue to emit less than that amount per person by 2030.

Oxfam said the study indicates that a tiny elite of ultra-rich people appear to have a free pass to pollute.

The emissions from a single billionaire space flight would exceed the lifetime emissions of someone in the poorest billion people on Earth, said Nafkote Dabi, head of climate policy at Oxfam.

Emissions caused by the wealthiest 10% alone could put the 1.5 C-goal out of reach by the end of the decade, Dabi added.

Tim Gore of the non-profit Institute for European Environmental Policy, wrote the study. He suggested that measures are needed to limit carbon emissions from luxury consumption such as mega-yachts, private jets and space travel.

___

GLASGOW, Scotland  Environmental campaigners have awarded their Fossil of the Day award to the Polish government for giving  and then apparently backtracking on  a pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.

Climate Action Network, an umbrella group representing hundreds of non-governmental organizations, blasted Poland on Thursday for committing at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow to end coal use, but then declaring itself a poor country and sticking to its previous deadline of 2049.

The little-coveted award went to the United States on Wednesday, for what climate activists say was a new measure that benefits mainly industrial agriculture companies rather than ordinary farmers.

The U.S. shared the prize with France for its efforts to get natural gas and nuclear power plants classified as sustainable forms of energy by the European Union, and with the International Emissions Trading Association for representing oil majors such as Chevron and Shell at the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 talks.

___

Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Ethiopia's government marked a year of war by lashing out Thursday in response to international alarm about hate speech, comparing the rival Tigray forces to a rat that strays far from its hole and saying the country is close to burying the evil forces."

The statement from the government communication service, posted on social media and confirmed by a government spokesman, came amid urgent new efforts to calm the escalating war as a U.S. special envoy arrived and the president of neighboring Kenya and others called for an immediate cease-fire.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that we are speaking as starkly as we can in urging U.S. citizens to leave the country.

The war that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions since November 2020 threatens to engulf Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Tigray forces seized key cities in recent days and linked up with another armed group, leading the government of Africas second-most populous country to declare a national state of emergency with sweeping detention powers.

U.S. special envoy Jeffrey Feltman, who this week insisted that there are many, many ways to initiate discreet talks toward peace, met Thursday with Ethiopias deputy prime minister and ministers of defense and finance, and his visit continues Friday.

Efforts to engage Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, on peace talks have failed. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he spoke with Abiy on Wednesday to offer my good offices to create the conditions for a dialogue so the fighting stops.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled a open meeting followed by closed consultations Friday afternoon on the escalating violence in Ethiopia at the request of Ireland, Kenya, Niger, Tunisia and St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

Council members are considering a press statement calling for an immediate cessation of the expanding and intensifying military clashes, an end to hate speech, and unrestricted access to tackle the worlds worst hunger crisis in a decade in the Tigray region, according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press.

But last week a congressional aide told The Associated Press there have been talks of talks with officials, but when it gets to the Abiy level and the senior (Tigray forces) level, the demands are wide, and Abiy doesnt want to talk.

Instead, the prime minister has urged citizens to rise up and bury the Tigray forces who long dominated the national government before he came to power. On Wednesday, Facebook said it had removed a post by Abiy with that language, saying it violated policies against inciting violence. It was a rare action against a head of state or government.

The government statement on Thursday took aim not only at Facebook, accusing it of showing its true colors, but also at media, humanitarian groups and others allegedly working hand in hand with the enemy in propagating its false narrative.

But Ethiopia's government aimed its harshest language at the Tigray forces. TPLF and its puppets are being encircled by our forces. As the saying goes, a rat that strays far from its hole is nearer to death, the statement said, referring to the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front.

The U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, told an online event Thursday that dehumanizing speech in Ethiopia is of extreme concern, and she warned that the risk exists of the war spilling across borders and becoming something completely unmanageable. She warned that ethnic-based militias are so dangerous in this context.

Kenya increased security along its borders amid fears of a wave of Ethiopians fleeing as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises spreads, while its foreign ministry said statements inciting ordinary citizens into the conflict must be shunned. Ugandas president called for a meeting of East African leaders, and the European Union warned of fragmentation and widespread armed conflict.

Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda said the fighters had joined hands with another armed group, the Oromo Liberation Army, to seize the city of Kemisse, even closer to the capital.

Joint operations will continue in the days and weeks ahead, he tweeted.

A security source confirmed the claim and said Tigray forces were pushing east as well as south toward the capital. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists.

All sides in the war have committed abuses, a joint U.N. human rights investigation said Wednesday, while millions of people in the government-blockaded Tigray region are cut off from the world. The U.N. says no humanitarian aid has entered Tigray since Ethiopian military airstrikes resumed there on Oct. 18, and 80% of essential medication is no longer available.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The Tigray forces say they are pressuring the government to end the blockade, but the spreading insecurity as they push south through the neighboring Amhara region has hampered aid delivery to hundreds of thousands of hungry people.

A university staffer who fled the Amhara town of Woldiya before Tigray forces arrived weeks ago said friends there were climbing nearby hillsides to call the outside world with reports of low food supplies and people drinking from rivers, while electricity is cut. There is no aid in the occupied areas, Alemayehu said, giving only his first name for his security.

I wish the war ends before it moves to the capital, thats my prayer to God," he said, adding that he opposes the Tigray fighters.

With the government statements and the new state of emergency, ethnic Tigrayans in the capital told the AP they were hiding in their homes as authorities carried out house-to-house searches and stopped people on the streets to check identity cards, which everyone must now carry.

One lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, estimated that thousands have been detained this week, citing conversations with many people from the four corners of the city. He said Tigrayan lawyers like him were powerless to help because of their ethnicity.

Our only hope now is the (Tigray forces), said one young woman, Rahel, whose husband was detained on Tuesday while going to work as a merchant but has not been charged. They might not save us, to be honest. I've already given up on my life, but if our families can be saved, I think that's enough.

Another Tigrayan, Yared, said his brother, a businessman, was detained on Monday, and when he went to the police station, he saw dozens of other Tigrayans.

Its crazy, my friends in Addis, non-Tigrayans, are calling me and telling me not to leave the house, Yared said.

They go through your phone, and if you have some material about the Tigray war that would be suggesting supporting the war, they would just detain you, he said. The past four days have been the worst by far, the scope at which they're detaining people, its just terrorizing. We dont feel safe in our homes anymore.

___

Matthew Lee in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
fizkes // Shutterstock

In this age of division, there is one thing all sides can agree on: the sheer stupidity of changing our clocks twice a year.

"Daylight wasting time" is upon us Sunday as we fall back an hour. Many will find themselves with the sun glaring above the horizon for an extra three weeks a year during their morning/evening commutes. Some say time change improves safety for school children in the morning, but I am willing to bet there isnt a single teacher whose students don't suffer while they adjust to "spring ahead."
The following is from a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial:

Even as the Biden administration tries to close the book on U.S. misadventures in Afghanistan, it still has yet to open the books on embarrassing information that could expose how badly the 20-year stabilization effort was mismanaged.

Classified information was made available to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction as he prepared his most recent report on waste, fraud and abuse in the war and rebuilding effort.

But the American public and some members of Congress still arent allowed to see it. President Joe Biden must honor pledges for full transparency and declassify this information immediately.

Although Biden presided over a disastrous, rushed withdrawal in August, the vast bulk of the war occurred under his three predecessors. Each committed blunders that deserve a full public airing to avoid repeating their mistakes in the future.

Special Inspector General John Sopko has monitored these failings since 2012, and anyone who has bothered to read his offices 53 quarterly reports would probably agree with his assessment that the collapse of the Afghan security forces and rapid Taliban takeover was predictable.

There is a lot of information that was classified or withheld from the American people over the years, particularly since 2015, to protect the Afghan government from embarrassment, Sopko told National Public Radio.

Since the Taliban is now in power, theres no one left in Afghanistans government to be embarrassed if this information were released. Its not clear why the information was classified to begin with, since public embarrassment isnt one of the standards by which the U.S. government labels national security information secret.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Aside from the massive expenditures to support the U.S. militarys presence since 2001, U.S. taxpayers funded $145 billion trying to rebuild Afghanistan, train its security forces and strengthen its civilian government institutions, economy, and civil society, Sopko says in the 53rd quarterly report to Congress, released last week.

The Taliban takeover wiped out virtually everything the United States spent two decades trying to build.

For the federal government, Congress and taxpayers to learn from this experience, they need to have access to information arbitrarily kept from public view by an overly protective State Department.
ALBANY  The rejection of a constitutional amendment that would have tweaked the state's troubled redistricting process has left reform advocates and Democrats looking for a potential fallback  but options are limited without a special session of the Legislature.

Due to the failure of the proposal on Tuesday, the state will count incarcerated people where they are being held and not in their prior place of residence for the drawing of congressional maps. And the deadlines for the state Independent Redistricting Commission to accomplish all of its political map-drawing could be on a collision course with the June primary.

"The current deadlines do not allow enough time for the public and the state of New York to be able to implement new plans," said commission Chairman David Imamura, a Westchester Democrat.

The proposed changes to the commission's deadlines, Imamura said, were the "most important thing coming out of this referendum, so now the process is more difficult as of a result."

The two issues and more were addressed in a densely worded Proposal 1 on the ballot, which received just 38 percent voter approval. It failed at a similar rate to the third and fourth ballot questions, which would have expanded voting access. Those proposals were assailed by a campaign waged by the state's Republican and Conservative parties that cast them as dangerous invitations to election fraud.

Two of the elements of the lengthy proposal sought to line up state and federal law on redistricting.

When New Yorkers agreed to the Independent Redistricting Commission in 2014 in a ballot question, the state's primary was still set for September. A federal court order requires that the congressional primaries be held the fourth Tuesday in June. The state has since adjusted its primary schedule, including state Assembly and Senate races, to be in June, but has not adjusted the redistricting schedule to match.

The proposal would have sped up the time frame for the commission to submit its maps to allow more time for people to know where their new districts are; for candidates to know if they still live within the new borders; and for office-seekers to collect nominating petition signatures within those new political boundaries.

"This was a part of the common-sense package of changes to the redistricting process that we thought were absolutely essential and that need to get done with for everybody's political sanity," said Sarah Goff, deputy director for the good government group Common Cause. "Regardless of where you fit along the political divide, this will be something that impacts all candidates. We are hopeful the state Legislature will take this up next year, in a matter of weeks."

An orderly process without the Legislature changing anything would be "nearly impossible," according to Jeffrey Wice, senior fellow at the New York Census & Redistricting Institute at New York Law School. The issues with the schedule would happen even if a legal challenge isn't waged against the approved maps  something the state Republican Party has suggested it is likely to pursuit.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The commission needs to send an agreed-upon set of maps to the Legislature between Jan. 1-15. If that package is rejected, the second and final set could be sent by Feb. 28. Under the rejected proposal, the first deadline would have been Jan. 1 and the second Jan. 15  attempting to account for the earlier primary calendar.

Republican leadership has said the earlier deadlines were intended to set up the commission to fail, making it more likely that the Democratic-controlled Legislature would be able to draw its own maps. Watchdogs of the process believe its likely the Legislature is eager to draw its own maps regardless of the deadlines, based on prior public comments by top Democrats like Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"Probably the train has left the station in trying to influence redistricting this time," said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy said the majority conference would consider any necessary changes, but would need to discuss it internally first.

"Gov. Hochul strongly supports efforts to strengthen our democracy and expand voting access for New Yorkers," her spokesman Avi Small said.

The Legislature could take up the issue in its first days of session in the new year. But it would need to act swiftly given the short time frame for moving up deadlines, and for the map-drawers to decide whether to work with new data sets for the count of incarcerated people relative to congressional districts.

New York's lawmakers previously agreed to count incarcerated people in their prior residences for state but not congressional maps because it was unclear if they could do both, Wice said. Maryland went with counting them in their prior residences for both sets, and its decision was upheld in federal court, Wice said  which means the New York Legislature could likely make the same change.
ALBANY  Before voters went to the polls on Tuesday, the state Conservative Party spent $3 million attempting to defeat three proposed constitutional amendments  an effort that proved successful.

By late Tuesday, it became clear that propositions 1, 3 and 4, which would have altered the states redistricting process and allowed same-day voter registration as well as no-excuse absentee ballots, were all defeated.

Still, the public had no know way to immediately know who had funded the multi-million dollar campaign against the initiatives, including attack ads. The origin of the funding may not be known until January because the ads were paid for by a political spending vehicle that critics have long derided as a major loophole.

State Conservative Party Chairman Gerald Kassar confirmed that the $3 million effort was paid for by the Conservatives housekeeping account.

State Senate Democrats also used money to try and counter the opposition to the measures, spending $327,000 through a housekeeping account to support the three ballot questions, a spokesman confirmed.

Both the Conservatives and Senate Democrats maintain the practice was legal, though the language of state law is not clear on the subject. According to state Election Law, a housekeeping account can be used to maintain a permanent headquarters and staff for a party, and carry on "ordinary activities" which are "not for the express purpose of promoting the candidacy of specific candidates.

It's not clear whether the ballot spending would be considered "ordinary activities." A state Board of Elections spokesman, John Conklin, told the Times Union there are questions about the spending mechanisms for the board, which enforces state election law.

"Our compliance unit is reviewing their filings," Conklin said. "But we dont know what transactions occurred when until they make their disclosures. Ordinarily, a housekeeping account is only required to make two disclosures per year, the January and July periodic reports, so its possible they were operating under that belief. If they were treating it like a ballot prop committee, depending on when the transactions occurred, its possible they may have to do some additional disclosures."

If legal problems do emerge with the spending, Board of Elections enforcement counsel Michael Johnson would likely be the person tasked with pursuing potential violations.

Housekeeping accounts are a long-controversial vehicle in Election Law. They can take in uncapped campaign donations and engage in unlimited spending. Housekeeping accounts also face less frequent disclosure requirements than other types of political committees, allowing housekeeping donors to go unknown past election day.

By contrast, a group this year called Yes on 1,3,4, founded by the immigrant rights group Make the Road New York, was required to disclose its donors before the election, and reported taking in seven contributions totaling about $48,000. Housekeeping accounts must only file reports twice a year, on Jan. 15 and July 15.

Spending through the housekeeping account was legal, Kassar said, because the spending was on constitutional ballot questions  not to support or oppose political candidates.

Ballot propositions do not fall into the realm of the election or defeat of a candidate, they fall more into the realm of free speech, Kassar said. I think it was a Supreme Court decision; I think this comes under various rulings over the years.

Kassar said the spending was reviewed by an attorney for the party.

Housekeeping accounts are currently the exclusive privilege of four political parties in New York: Democrat, Republican, Working Families and Conservative. During the 2020 presidential election, those parties gained sufficient support to retain their ballot lines through at least 2022.

Kassar declined to provide details on who funded the $3 million in spending, which went to both radio and television ads, but said it was not from just a few major donors.

I dont feel a need to give that level of detail, Kassar said. There was a broad base, but Ill let the report speak for itself.

Asked if the party had exploited a loophole, Kassar said: We operated under the letter of the law. Some people have different interpretations. We dont operate under the interpretations of opponents.

In prior years, spending by the Conservative Party has paled in comparison to that by other parties, including Democratic, Republican and Working Families.

In recent days, Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy held a spate of events across the state opposing the ballot initiatives, but did not spend on the airwaves.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

A state GOP spokeswoman, Jessica Proud, said any spending through the party's housekeeping account was related to efforts to turn out the vote, which she said was clearly established as legal for a housekeeping committee.

Notably, the state Democratic Party did not spend anything this year to support the ballot questions, one factor taking blame for the losses on Tuesday.

Kassar said he couldn't speak to why the Conservative Party's fundraising had been so outsized this year, but said his party did reach out to donors and seek contributions for the short term effort.

It is very fair to say this is one of the largest things weve ever done, Kassar said.

Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy confirmed that the party's $327,000 in spending was done through the Senate Democrats housekeeping account for expenses such as a social media campaign and mailings in support of the ballot questions.

Murphy said the counsel for the Senate Democrats housekeeping account had written an opinion finding it was legal to spend housekeeping funds on ballot questions.

One difference with the Conservative Party, Murphy noted, was that Senate Democrats have regularly had substantial funds in their housekeeping account  so the public has some idea of the sources  while the Conservative Party has historically had comparatively little money to draw upon.

The Conservative Partys housekeeping account had a balance of less than $44,000 in July, indicating a lot of money flowed into its coffers after that in order to fund the effort to defeat the ballot propositions.

In 2013, the government-reform group Common Cause New York put out a detailed report, The Life of the Party, that detailed abuses of housekeeping accounts, including the money seeping into campaign activities.

Soft money is not supposed to be used to support candidates and their campaigns, but this legal barrier does not hold up in practice, the report found.

One of the prime examples cited by Common Cause concerned spending by the Conservative Party in 2010. The party received a $1 million housekeeping donation, much of which went to ads supporting a Republican gubernatorial candidate's stance against the so-called Ground Zero Mosque." The Republican candidate, Rick Lazio, was also supported by the Conservative Party in the 2010 election.

A 2020 state law  mirroring recommendations by a 2019 commission  instituted a forthcoming publicly funded elections system in New York, and lowered contribution limits to candidates. But the commission was criticized for continuing to allow party committees to raise huge amounts of money, including the uncapped contributions to housekeeping accounts.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., who has been a key holdout on President Joe Bidens ambitious domestic package, peers out from an elevator after a vote, at the Capitol in Washington on Nov. 3. Progressive and centrist lawmakers, particularly Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., have fought over details of the sprawling 1,600-page package.
A prosecutor says a 22-year-old man dressed in battle gear fired at least 20 shots outside and inside a Las Vegas convenience store, killing a man sitting in a parked car but missing customers in store aisles
No bail for NY trooper charged with murder in Thruway chase

A judge has denied bail for a New York state trooper charged with murder after a pursuit on the Thruway ended with the death of an 11-year-old New York City girl
A professional pianist has been charged with the killing of a South Carolina woman who was found stabbed to death in her home last month
The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled in favor of two government watchdog groups who sued to stop the Legislatures use of gut and replace tactics on legislation
Second person charged in deaths of men floating dead in lake

A second person is now charged with murder in the August deaths of two Georgia men whose bodies were found floating in a lake
Denver Emergency Call Centers Struggle with Occupancy and Vacancy

Occupancy is one of the most important metrics in the call center today. Generally defined, its how busy a call centers agents are. Its calculated with a formula that goes like this: total handle time/total time available for work. Essentially, its the percent of time call center agents are logged into the system and ready to work.

High occupancy rates in the call center are considered essential for a properly run operation striving to meet its service levels. While occupancy rates vary from industry to industry, studies have found that most call centers prefer an occupancy rate of between 85 percent and 95 percent. In the COVID-19 era, many call centers are having to make do with lower occupancy rates.

At least one 911 emergency call center is having to make do with significantly lower occupancy rates. The Denver Post has reported that vacancy rates at five of the largest communications centers in the Denver metro range between 15 percent and 42 percent. Leaders of the five call centers  the Adams County Communication Center, Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office 911 Communications, Aurora 911, Denver 911 and Jefferson County Communications Center  told the newspaper they are struggling to find candidates available for hire.

How do we compete with so many available jobs right now that are not shift work, that are not 24/7, 365 days a year? said Tina Buneta, director of Auroras public safety communications department.

There are a variety of reasons workers dont necessarily want an emergency call center job. The stress levels are high, and the jobs dont always pay what workers feel they are worth. In many cases, workers taking calls are facing hostile and even downright abusive callers. Andrew Dameron, director of Denver 911 told the Denver Post that the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that go along with it has increased the problem of angry callers in the last year and a half.

Calls that are relatively routine have taken a horrible tone, Dameron said, noting racial slurs directed at his staff have become more common. Ive had a couple whove left who said, I just dont want to get yelled at anymore.'

Edited by Maurice Nagle
November 05, 2021





Technology has had a huge impact on entrepreneurs around the world. As technology advances, entrepreneurs have taken advantage of increased speed, accuracy, and integration of their work functions each day.

Jack Howley, an expert business and personal wealth advisor from Naples, FL, shares how technology has positively impacted entrepreneurs and helped them accomplish their goals.

Better Customer Communications

One of the greatest benefits of technology for entrepreneurs is the increased ease and efficiency of communicating with clients. Websites and AI chatbots allow customers to answer their questions 24 hours a day. Better communication with customers is possible using email, telephone, and smartphones.







When clients can use technology to facilitate communication, the business benefits because timely communication creates a better public image. Responsiveness to customer concerns is one of the best ways to build a businesss reputation.

Better Business Culture

Entrepreneurs can build a more positive work atmosphere and a better company culture when using technology to communicate with their employees. Workplaces where communication suffers are more likely to experience problems.

Security

Today, all businesses are subject to vandalism and security threats. Technology can help to protect sensitive financial data and other proprietary data. In the case of proprietary data, a business may lose its competitive advantage if a rival company accesses its secrets.

The security provided by technology also helps companies keep their data safe from hackers and other bad actors. If companies are not careful with their computer systems, they may find that they are being held hostage by ransomware hackers. Having robust computer security can help companies accomplish their mission as easily as possible.

Researching New Opportunities

Technology helps companies discover new markets. With proper planning, companies can explore the possibilities of a new market without risking any concrete resources. Market research is a huge help when it comes to creating a new product or service and moving into a new geographic area. Electronic research means that companies can quickly and easily research any area where they plan to begin operations.

Project Management Software

Project management software has been a huge help for many entrepreneurs and their businesses. These software packages help entrepreneurs delegate tasks, manage workflow, and make sure that things get done in a timely fashion. Having a birds eye view of the entire project is a great way to visualize how much work has gone into it and how much remains before it is complete.

Marketing Opportunities

Technology presents amazing opportunities to market an entrepreneurs products and services. Today, a large portion of marketing efforts have moved online. From social media connections to digital ads, there are many potential avenues for marketing a product online. Smart entrepreneurs know how to leverage their increased online visibility to create a successful product or service.

Personalizing the Customer Experience

Technology allows entrepreneurs to personalize their customers experiences. Big data, artificial intelligence, analytics platforms, and blockchain can help companies make each customers experience unique. This means that they are more likely to be retained as customers and are more likely to buy products or contract services.

Reducing Costs

Technology enables entrepreneurs to reduce the cost of doing business. By removing duplicate efforts and making employees more efficient, the overall cost of getting things done is improved. Having a good handle on how much it costs to acquire a new lead or introduce a new product is an excellent start in reducing costs.

Reaching Customers Where They Live

Technology enables entrepreneurs to reach their customers where they spend most of their time. People still use PCs, but they spend up to 4 hours and 30 minutes per day on mobile platforms like smartphones and tablets. Websites and marketing materials must be 100 percent accessible via mobile, or a companys efforts will be regarded as hopelessly out-of-date. Entrepreneurs are reminded that reaching a customer where they live is more likely to increase sales and make it easier to retain prospects.

Falling Behind Leads to Problems

Entrepreneurs must make sure that they are keeping up with the march of technology. If they fall behind, their competition is likely to infringe upon their territories. Having a robust use of technology is best for both entrepreneurs and their customers.

Ensuring the Proper Use of Technology

Jack Howley believes that entrepreneurs who do not keep up with technological change will be at a serious competitive disadvantage. He encourages all entrepreneurs to look into tech solutions to all of their most pressing problems. They will reduce the number of employees needed to do a job, stay organized, stay secure, and reach customers where they live.

Overall, technology should be a high priority for all entrepreneurs. Having a good handle on how technology can help a business grow is a way to ensure its success. Jack Howley encourages all business leaders to increase their adoption of technological solutions.
[November 05, 2021] Energy And Water Development Receives Global Trademark Protection for Their Name and Logo

Saint Petersburg, Florida, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Energy And Water Development (EAWD) is pleased to announce the companys filing for global trademark protection of their name and logo has been accepted. Once final official registered protection has been received, the company will ramp up marketing initiatives and introduce the company to a wider audience who can benefit from the companys groundbreaking energy-supplied Atmosphere Water Generation systems (eAWG).

This comes on the heels of the acceptance of their international patent application by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). A global alliance that ensures the protection of trademarks and patents, WIPO protects patents and trademarks in more than 150 countries including the United States, EU, Russia, China, India, and Brazil. More news on the status of this application will be coming shortly. The eAWG system overcomes the two main challenges of atmosphere water generation process: energy consumption and a large carbon footprint. EAWD innovative eAWG is constructed with the state-of-the-art energy management and storage system, as well as high efficiency compressors and high-performance efficiency solar glass panels that generate all the energy each unit needs to turn moisture in the air into clean water for drinking, agricultural, and industrial use.



EAWDs innovative technology is in the process of being installed in the city of Grunheide (Mark), 7 Km from the Tesla Gigafactory, just outside of Berlin, Germany. When this custom-built system comes online at the end of spring 2022, it will produce as much as 2.6 million gallons of water per day for the city. Regardless the challenges that companies like EAWD must face, we have been moving forward with several initiatives to strengthen our company while awaiting our trademark protection, said Irma Velazquez, MSc  COO. Now that this is in place you will see rapid progress in the deployment of our eAWG systems to alleviate the water scarcity crisis in markets around the world. We are looking forward to sharing more good news about the company in the very near future.

About Energy And Water Development Energy And Water Development is an engineering solutions company focused on delivering innovative and sustainable solutions of water and energy. EAWD builds its systems out of proven technologies, using their technical know-how to customize solutions to their clients needs. The Company offers design, construction, maintenance and specialty consulting services to private companies, government entities and non-government organizations (NGOs). For more information contact: Harvey Briggs

Chief Communications Officer

Force Family Office

[email protected] EAWD

[email protected]

www.energy-water.com Attachment Energy And Water Development



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Learn to Cook People's Favorite K-Food Dishes in K-Dramas

SEOUL, South Korea and BANGKOK, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Korea Agro Trade Fisheries & Food Corporation (aT) will host an online cooking class for consumers based in Thailand on November 10, 2021 called 'K-Food Fair Live On'. In the event, participants will learn to cook various dishes featured in K-dramas - such as 'Squid Game' and 'Itaewon Class' - that are gaining popularity worldwide in global OTT channels. The cooking show will be hosted by Chef Michal, a chef well-known and loved for his featuresin JTBC's 'Chef & My Fridge', SBS's 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2', and many more television appearances. The event will be MC'ed by Prae, a popular Youtuber also known as GOT7's BamBam's cousin.



The recipes for the event are developed by Chef Michal, who although is a foreigner, has lived in South Korea for a long duration and has developed a good understanding of Korean foods and ingredients. He has targeted the Thai audience by developing dishes that would suit the Thai palette. The event will have one learn how to make 'kimchi pad thai', a localized menu using kimchi, a staple K-Food. One will also be able to learn how to make 'tteokbokki', a great dish to be introduced to the Korean 'gochujang' and a 'shine muscat ade', a drink apt for Thailand's hot weather. 'K-Food Fair Live On' will be held through the video conferencing platform Zoom. One will be able to register for a possible spot in the live event through the aT Thailand branch's Facebook page until November 7th 2021. Out of the applicants, 50 will be selected to partake in the event and given a kit containing ingredients needed for the class. Along with the cooking class will be additional events where prizes are given to those who try the recipes on their own and upload a photo and or video on their social media platforms. If one is interested in Korean food and Hallyu, or is looking to learn a fun, creative recipe, it is a must that one signs up.

SOURCE Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT)

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Patriot One Secures $2.0M USD from Raytheon Technologies Corporation

TORONTO, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Patriot One Technologies Inc. (TSX: PAT) (OTCQX: PTOTF) (FRANKFURT: 0PL) (Patriot One or the Company) is pleased to announce a $2.0 million USD Industrial and Technological Benefits transaction through a partnership with defense contractor Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX) (Raytheon). The funds will be used for the continued innovation and development of Patriot Ones AI-powered Platform for threat and weapon detection.

This transaction is the second partnership transaction arrangement with the defense contractor, one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world. Raytheon will fund Patriot One with $2.0 million USD in non-dilutive cash financing for continued development of Patriot Ones AI-powered platform. This investment was made under the Government of Canadas Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy as a result of the Canadian Governments procurement of the CF-18 Hornet radar upgrade. We are delighted that Raytheon has selected us for their continued support and their strategic partnership in the development of our threat detection and patron screening solutions, expressed Peter Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Patriot One. This support again signals the importance of our vision to become one of the foremost proponents and providers of innovative commercial threat countermeasures for community safety. The ITB Policy leverages defense and security procurement to create jobs and economic growth and requires companies awarded defense contracts to do business in Canada equal to the value of their contracts. About Patriot One Technologies

Patriot One Technologies makes unobtrusive, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven weapons and threat detection systems that enable arenas, casinos, schools, theaters and other businesses to provide unprecedented safety while also improving the patron experience. The companys Multi-Sensor Gateway enables companies to covertly screen for weapons at points ofentry without disrupting the flow of traffic, and its AI-based Video Recognition System enables venue and building operators to identify weapons and other threats inside and outside of facilities, while also providing valuable intelligence for optimizing operations. Follow us on Twitter @patriot1tech.



About Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses ? Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ? the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. For further information, please contact:

Patriot One Technologies Inquiries

[email protected]

www.patriot1tech.com Media Contact

Caroline Metell

[email protected] CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:

No securities exchange has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to system sales, product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects, believes, and similar expressions or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include counterparty default and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 04, 2021] Scottish agritech business IGS achieves 42 million Series B fundraise with announcement at COP 26

GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelligent Growth Solutions Ltd (IGS), the UK agritech business, has today announced the conclusion of its Series B funding round with a total raise of 42.2 million. The latest investment round has been supported by a conglomerate of new investors including COFRA AG (Zug, Switzerland), Cleveland Avenue LLC (Chicago) and DC Thomson (Dundee, Scotland). For lead investor COFRA, a sixth-generation family-owned business, this is a first investment into sustainable food systems and agritech as part of its strategy to contribute to the food system transition. The investment is part of COFRA's broader commitment to contribute positively to society and the environment through its businesses and investments. COFRA, Cleveland Avenue and DC Thomson were joined by existing institutional investors Ospraie Ag Science (New York City), S2G Ventures (Chicago), venture capital firm AgFunder (San Francisco); and Scottish Enterprise in the Series B investment round, with private shareholders and IGS staff also contributing. Donald Brenninkmeijer, Director appointed by COFRA, commented: "With a growing population putting ever greater strain on resources and the environment, there is an urgent need for sustainable, high-yield forms of food production. We're excited to support IGS on its journey to resolve the dual challenge of food insecurity and environmental degradation through its vertical farming technology. "IGS's technology is unique, its growth plan solid and we are confident in its potential to rethink the future of agricultural food systems. This first investment in sustainable food systems is consistent with COFRA's longstanding commitment to using business and capital as a force for good and I look forward to working with the IGS Board and management team to further support their growth." Donald Brenninkmeijer and Jason Mraz from Ospraie Ag Science LLC have both been appointed to the IGS Board as non-executive directors. IGS designs and builds award-winning vertical farms for farmers and growers in food, pharmaceutical and fragrance markets around the world. It has deployed its technology to customers across four continents to date, with a sales pipeline that has quadrupled in the past 12 months. IGS Chief Executive Officer David Farquhar said: "The conclusion of a hugely over-subscribed Series B round represents another exciting step for IGS and our investors. We have been supported with this investment by well-established, globally recognised and highly ethical investors in COFRA, Cleveland Avenue and DC Thomson, who understand the transformational potential of our technology for controlled environment agriculture." About IGS: Founded in 2013, IGS brought together decades of farming and engineering experience to create an agritech business with a vision to revolutionise the indoor growing market. Its commitment to innovation has cotinued apace to develop patented plug-and-play technology which delivers solutions designed to drive efficiency and create an indoor environment with economy and simplicity at its heart.



IGS launched its first crop research centre in August 2018 and has since deployed to customers across four continents. About COFRA:

COFRA is a privately held group of companies active in various business sectors, including asset management (Anthos Fund & Asset Management), private equity investment management (Bregal), apparel retail (C&A), real estate investments (Redevco) and renewable energy (Sunrock). Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, the group employs more than 74,000 people across its business operations in Europe and the Americas. Each business operates independently in a spirit of engaged entrepreneurship while striving to be a "force for good" in the world  a guiding principle that has characterised the Brenninkmeijer family owners' activities for six generations, since the founding of C&A in 1841. For more information, see www.cofraholding.com. About Cleveland Avenue, LLC: Founded by Don Thompson, the former President and CEO of McDonald's Corporation, Cleveland Avenue is a venture capital firm that invests in food and beverage brands, and technology companies that positively disrupt large and growing markets. Learn more about Cleveland Avenue at clevelandavenue.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. About DC Thomson: DC Thomson a leading media and technology group in the UK with a proud heritage of creating trusted brands that enlighten and entertain audiences across the globe. Established in 1905, it is a privately owned, family-run business with people, customers and communities at its heart. DC Thomson Capital invests in pre-IPO and future facing industries on behalf of the group with specific focus on E-commerce/Retail, Agtech, the Circular and Blue Economies and Water. Consistent with the company's values, our desire is to collaborate and invest alongside other family offices and professional investors and to actively support the companies we invest in over the long-term. About Ospraie Ag Science: Ospraie Ag Science LLC (OAS) identifies solutions to help farmers "Do More With Less". By increasing profitability, improving quality-adjusted yield, and reducing environmental impact, OAS's companies not only benefit producers, but generate smarter, healthier, and more efficient food for consumers globally. Utilizing its extensive network and 25 years of experience investing in agriculture, OAS is positioned to help farmers achieve a sustainable future. About S2G Ventures:

S2G Ventures is a multi-stage venture fund investing across the food, agriculture, oceans and seafood markets. The fund's mission is to catalyze innovation to meet consumer demands for healthy and sustainable food systems. S2G has identified sectors across the food system that are ripe for change, and is building a multi-stage portfolio including seed, venture and growth stage investments. Core areas of interest for S2G are agriculture, oceans, ingredients, infrastructure and logistics, IT and hardware, food safety and technology, retail and restaurants, and consumer brands. S2G Ventures is a part of Builders Private Capital, the direct investment arm of Builders Vision, an impact platform dedicated to building a humane and healthy planet. For more information about S2G, visit s2gventures.com, tune-in to our podcast, or connect with us on LinkedIn. About AgFunder AgFunder is a global Venture Capital Platform investing in the bold and exceptional entrepreneurs transforming our food and agriculture system. Our in-house technology enables us to invest globally and at scale, make better investment decisions, and support our portfolio companies. Through media and research, AgFunder has built a community of over 90,000 members and subscribers, giving us the largest and most powerful network in the industry. Stay up-to-date with Food Tech and AgTech startup news, and other reports, by signing up to our newsletter here. About Scottish Enterprise Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's national economic development agency. We're committed to growing the Scottish economy for the benefit of all, helping create more quality jobs and a brighter future for every region.? View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scottish-agritech-business-igs-achieves-42-million-series-b-fundraise-with-announcement-at-cop-26-301417114.html SOURCE IGS Limited

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 04, 2021] iRocket And Turion Space Ink Agreement For 10 Launches To Low Earth Orbit

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 4, 2021, iRocket announced that the company signed an agreement with Turion Space Corp in Irvine, CA. Said iRocket CEO Asad Malik, "We are excited about this new partnership with Turion Space to provide rapid access to space and cost competitive launch costs for their 20 Droid satellites and the low-cost final orbit delivery option their Droid satellites will bring to some of our own customers." iRocket is a New York startup building 100% fully reusable rockets since 2018 to cargo micro, nano, cube, and constellations to LEO orbit on its Shockwave launch vehicle. The company develops cost-effective launch vehicles that can support rapid launching within 24 hrs. for 400kg and 1500 kg payloads for satellite constellation providers for National security satellites, 5G internet constellations, the Internet of Things (IoT), Biotech Research, and Space exploration. In addition, there reusable upper stage will target space junk removal in LEO orbit. iRocket is currently fnded by the U.S. Space Force  Space Systems Command, The M&J Engineering Group, & Village Global a venture capital firm backed by Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, Jeffrey Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Abby Johnson.



Said Turion Space CEO Ryan Westerdahl, "Turion Space looks forward to a strong partnership with iRocket for access to space and for providing us with a pipeline of future customers that will utilize the final orbit delivery services our Droid spacecraft can provide." Turion Space is building spacecraft to remove orbital-debris and provide orbit-modification and domain-awareness services to existing space assets. Solving space debris is a crucial problem that must be solved to ensure a sustainable LEO economy and is the first technological step towards mining Asteroids. Turion Space plans to launch their D-1 satellite in October 2022. Solving this problem is crucial to ensure a sustainable space economy and is the first step towards our longer-term vision of mining Asteroids. Turion Space is funded by Y Combinator, Soma Capital, Forward VC, Pi Campus, FoundersX Ventures, Harvard Management Company, Imagination VC, among several others.

The two companies also hinted at possible future collaborations on in-orbit servicing. Westerdahl suggested that Turion could work with iRocket to perform final in-orbit deliveries for a fraction of the launch company's payload, combined with space junk removal. CONTACT: iRocket, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/irocket-and-turion-space-ink-agreement-for-10-launches-to-low-earth-orbit-301417280.html SOURCE iRocket

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 04, 2021] AiAdvertising Adds Three Independent Directors to Its Board

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AiAdvertising, Inc. (OTC: AIAD), a technology driven provider of digital advertising solutions, today announced that it has strengthened its board by adding three independent directors who have deep industry experience.

With these three independent board members, the Company has fully established Its Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee in preparation for the future growth of the business. On October 7, 2021, the Board of Directors of AiAdvertising, Inc. appointed Richard Berliner to serve on the Companys Board of Directors. Mr. Berliner has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fifth Gen Media, Inc., a marketing and publishing company, owned by Mr. Berliner since 2016. Mr. Berliners prior experience was as Chief Executive Officer of a wireless construction company, Redwing Electric from 2012-2015, which was later sold to an investor group. Mr. Berliner did a one year consulting project for the Swedish equipment manufacturer Ericsson, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer in 2011. Mr. Berliner was the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Berliner Communications or BCI (BCI) which he started in 1995, which subsequently merged with another firm in 2010. Mr. Berliner handled the firms quarterly earnings calls and the annual meetings in his role as Chairman. Mr. Berliner graduated from Rutgers with a BA in Business in 1975. He is a Fellow in the Radio Club of America and was elected in 2004. On October 26, 2021, the Board of Directors of AiAdvertising, Inc. appointed Virginia Rose OMeara to serve on the Companys Board of Directors. Mrs. OMeara has been Chief Revenue Officer at GroundTruth, a location-based marketing and advertising technology company, since October 2020. Mrs. OMeara was Senior Vice President of GroundTruths Platform Self-Serve business from October 2019 to September 2020. Mrs. OMeara was Vice President of Customer Success at a4Media, the media division of Altice USA, from September 2018 to September 2019. Mrs. OMeara was Chief Executive Officer of Zapp360 beginning in January of 2018 and led its acquisition by Altice USA in September of the same year. Prior to serving as Chief Executive Officer at Zapp360, Mrs. OMeara also served as Chief Operating Officer from August 2017 to January 2018, Vice President of Customer Success from April 2016 to July 2017, and Director of Business Development from August 2013 to March 2016. Mrs. OMeara held sales roles as a Director of Mobile Ad Sales at Verve Mobile from July 2012 to August 013 and as a Digital Account Executive at ITN Digital from January 2010 to July 2012, selling digital and mobile advertising solutions to holding company agencies and brand direct clients on the East Coast in both roles.



On November 4, 2021, the Board of Directors of AiAdvertising, Inc. appointed Mark Fruehan to serve on the Companys Board of Directors. Since September 30, 2021, Mr. Fruehan has served as Chief Executive Officer of First Screen of the Americas, which offers digital first brands and content creators alternative distribution and billing mechanisms to monetize content. From July 2020 to June 2021, Mr. Fruehan was Chief Revenue Officer of Tradeswell, the leading AI-driven eCommerce solution, which helps brokers and resellers sell on Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Prior to serving as Chief Revenue Officer at Tradeswell from April 2018 to July 2020, Mr. Fruehan served as President and Chief Revenue Officer at Verve Group, a Media and Games Invest SE portfolio company (Berlin) and a privacy-first omnichannel ad platform offering programmatic solutions that connects advertisers and publishers to people in real time. In October 2016, Mark co-founded Amplify.ai, a global enterprise chatbot platform funded by Costanoa Ventures, which was recently acquired by Triller.net; leading the sales and partner development through their start-up phase until March of 2018. Mr. Fruehans roots in the mobile and wireless industry run deep, with leadership roles at Opera Mediaworks & AdMarvel as President, and Head of Business development and innovation at VeriSign and CellStar.

We are thrilled to welcome Rich, Rosie and Mark as the newest members of our Board of Directors, said Andrew Van Noy, CEO of AiAdvertising, Inc. All three of these individuals have an enormous depth of experience that will be invaluable in helping guide and direct our business in the next stages of our growth. Their strategic oversight will further professionalize our business and its management and will help us to grow aggressively in the future. These are really exciting times in the ad tech industry and we believe our SWARM artificial intelligence platform can play a significant part in the recently disrupted markets. For more information about AiAdvertising, please visit the Companys new website at www.AiAdvertising.com. About AiAdvertising AiAdvertising (formerly CloudCommerce) is an innovative technology company harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to eliminate waste and drive performance of digital advertising. Our flagship solution, SWARM, analyzes a robust mix of audience data to help businesses find who to talk to, what to say to them, and how to market to them. We do this by applying advanced data science, behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and market research techniques to discover, develop and create custom audiences for highly targeted digital marketing campaigns. For more information about the Company, please visit www.AiAdvertising.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors section of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. Press Contact:

AiAdvertising, Inc.

Tel: (800) 673-0927

[email protected]



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 04, 2021] Veritas Announces Strategic Collaboration with Microsoft to Transform Cloud Native Data Management for the Enterprise

SINGAPORE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Veritas Technologies LLC, at Microsoft Ignite 2021, announced a strategic initiative with Microsoft to further advance Veritas Enterprise Data Services with Microsoft Azure. Building on a 20+ year relationship, Veritas will collaborate with Microsoft to simplify data management while reducing IT complexity for the enterprise by delivering solutions built on Microsoft Azure. Through the existing multi-year innovation relationship, Veritas NetBackup already offers advanced data protection capabilities for Microsoft Azure and Azure Stack HCI, including integration with Azure Blob Storage for secure, durable, compliant and scalable long-term retention of hybrid Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) data, automated storage tiering with highly optimized client side deduplication, scalable disaster recovery and migration orchestration, integrated IaaS, PaaS and SaaS backup and recovery and ransomware resilience integration including network-isolated automated recovery. The collaboration between Veritas and Microsoft aims to address some of the biggest challenges facing enterprises today, such as the growing threat of ransomware while operating in complex hybrid cloud environments with unprecedented data growth. Veritas will work with Microsoft to significantly simplify the traditionally siloed data management and data services across on-premises, virtual, cloud and SaaS environments. Strategic collaboration between both companies will focus on: Ransomware resilience built for on-premises, virtual, cloud and SaaS environments with integrated threat detection, immutability, and automated recovery.

Delivering agile and operationally scalable data protection solutions built on Microsoft Azure Blob Storage.

Reducing total cost o ownership related to data management through Azure integrated cloud management and subscription models.

Reduced compliance risk by delivering unified visibility across on-premises, hybrid, Azure data and workloads, with integrated analytics.



Rob Greig , Global Chief Information Officer at Arup said: "Veritas and Microsoft deliver the combined capability and reliability which enables Arup's hybrid cloud environment to scale. The business-critical solutions make it seamless to move and manage data to the Azure Cloud and helps us manage workload risks including vulnerabilities and ransomware. The deeper collaboration will provide us with even more integrated solutions across our ecosystem." In addition to the outcomes described above, the collaboration will simplify how customers take advantage of the Veritas Enterprises Data Services built on Microsoft Azure. For instance, Veritas will bring data protection and archiving built on Azure to SaaS applications and data by providing NetBackup SaaS Protection as an Azure Marketplace subscription offering.

Deepak Mohan, Executive Vice President, Products Organization of Veritas, said: "Enterprise customers across the globe have long relied on Veritas to provide the most scalable and reliable data management solutions for the hybrid cloud. Now with Microsoft, we are committed to delivering the next generation of cloud enabled data management capabilities through rapid innovation to help our customers keep their data protected and always available in today's reality of looming and persistent ransomware threats." With a commitment to work collaboratively on further engineering projects and go-to-market strategies, Veritas expects to be able to spotlight further joint initiatives with Microsoft as the relationship continues to evolve. Judson Althoff, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Microsoft, said: "Veritas has long collaborated with Microsoft to deliver data protection solutions to enterprise customers. We will build on that relationship to address some of the most pressing challenges facing enterprises today. With Veritas' Enterprise Data Services built on Microsoft Azure, customers will benefit from hardened ransomware resiliency and simplified management of hybrid cloud environments." For additional information on Veritas activities at Microsoft Ignite 2021, or the customer benefits associated with this partnership, please visit here. For information on the recently introduced Recovery Vault benefits, and to find out about strategic promotions, please visit here. About Veritas

Veritas Technologies is the global leader in enterprise backup and data recovery solutions. Over 80,000 customersincluding 87 percent of the Fortune Global 500rely on us to abstract IT complexity and simplify data management. The Veritas Enterprise Data Services Platform automates enterprise data protection, ensures 24/7 availability of business-critical applications, and provides enterprises with the insights they need to comply with evolving data regulations. With a reputation for reliability at scale and a deployment model to fit any need, the Veritas Enterprise Data Services Platform supports more than 800 different data sources, over 100 different operating systems, more than 1,400 storage targets, and more than 60 different cloud platforms. Learn more at www.veritas.com. Follow us on Twitter at @veritastechllc. Veritas, the Veritas Logo and NetBackup are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Veritas Technologies

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] OneConnect Announces Partnership with Indonesia-based Bank Mayapada, to Enable Digital Onboarding through a Comprehensive Suite of Innovative Solutions

SINGAPORE, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PT OneConnect Financial Technology Indonesia (OneConnect), the leading technology-as-a-service provider and an associate of Ping An Group, today announced a partnership with Indonesia-based PT. Bank Mayapada Internasional, Tbk. one of Indonesia's largest private banks with more than 216 offices and branch offices across Indonesia, to enable digitisation of banking services through a comprehensive suite of technological solutions developed by OneConnect. Through this partnership, Bank Mayapada aims to digitalize its customer onboarding process and achieves both cost saving from reducing manual intervention as well as quicker time to revenue from speeding up the onboarding process. OneConnect has been chosen for this partnership amongst a host of other platform providers due to its strong domain expertise and reputation for providing and implementing world-class digital solutions within the Southeast Asian region. The solutions provided by OneConnect through this partnership will ensure that Bank Mayapada's digitization of its banking processes as well as maintain compliance with Indonesia's digital banking regulations passed in 2018, and at the same time ensuring a seamless yet secure banking experience for the bank's customers. This partnership will see OneConnect provide Bank Mayapada with electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) technology, augmented with artificial intelligence (AI) technology to validate the authenticity of customers' indentities. In addition, OneConnect's Face Liveness Detection (FLD) technology will be implemented to prevent spoof attacks. This will also ensure that Bank Mayapada delivers a superb customer experience while meeting regulatory requirements. According to research conducted in 2021 by Macquarie, a significant portion of the Indonesian population currently does not have sufficient access to formal financial institutions, with 51% being unbanked and 26% having insufficient access to financial institutions[1]. This represents an opportunity for Bank Mayapada to utilize solutions provided by OneConnect to resolve current gaps, and ultimately accelerate financial inclusion in Indonesia by providing easy access to financial institutions for the unbanke and the insufficient access population.



Mr Hadiyanto, Head of IT Strategic Planning, PT. Bank Mayapada Internasional, Tbk., said "We are pleased to strengthen Bank Mayapada's digital journey with next gen technologies together with OneConnect." Mr Yao Jing, CEO and President Director, PT OneConnect Financial Technology Indonesia, said, "We are honored and excited to be able to bring our strong domain expertise and cutting-edge technological solutions to empower Bank Mayapada in their efforts to digitize their services. It has been apparent that digitalization of bank processes is imperative for financial institutions to thrive, made even more apparent with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and we are glad to be able to play our part in assisting Bank Mayapada in their digital transformation."

About PT Bank Mayapada Internasional Tbk PT. Bank Mayapada Internasional, Tbk. (IDX: MAYA) established in 1989, currently operating 216 offices network spreading throughout Indonesia. As one of the most fast growing banks in Indonesia, Bank Mayapada has entered BUKU III Bank Group in 2017 with total aset Rp111,7 Trilion per June 2021. The Bank is confident in moving forward together with stakeholders to become one of the largest bank to provide the best quality banking services in Indonesia. Bank Mayapada is registered and overseen by Otoritas Jasa Keuangan. About OneConnect Financial Technology OneConnect Financial Technology Co. Ltd. ("The Company") is a leading technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions. The globally-recognised Company is a high-tech enterprise that was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019 (NYSE: OCFT). The Company integrates extensive financial services industry expertise with market-leading technology to provide technology applications and technology-enabled business services to financial institutions. These solutions enable our customers' digital transformations, which seek to increase revenue, manage risks, improve efficiency, enhance service quality and reduce costs. OneConnect is an associate of Ping An Group. By leveraging on Ping An Group's extensive experience of over 30 years in financial services, OneConnect has established long-term relationships with financial institutions to serve and accurately address their digital transformation needs. Above its expertise and experience as a leading digital banking solutions provider, OneConnect also actively promotes digital transformation for financial institutions and provides trade, credit, supply chain, data security, risk management and other related scientific and technological services for government, regulatory and enterprise users. As of 30 June 2021, the company has served over 100 customers across more than 20 countries and regions, largely in Southeast Asia. OneConnect has world-leading technology capabilities for financial services in AI, Big Data Analytics, Blockchain and Financial Cloud. As of 30 June 2021, the Company had submitted 5,075 global patent applications, including 1199 overseas patent applications. The Company has also won 51 technology awards in international competitions, including four consecutive IDC Awards, BAI Global Insurance Certification Award, the first prize in the OMG Micro-expression Competition, the first prize in Machine Learning in DROP Leaderboard and the CMMI5 international certification, among many others. [1]https://www.macquarie.com/au/en/perspectives/delivering-digital-financial-inclusion-in-southeast-asia.html View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oneconnect-announces-partnership-with-indonesia-based-bank-mayapada-to-enable-digital-onboarding-through-a-comprehensive-suite-of-innovative-solutions-301417400.html SOURCE OneConnect

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Cian Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

Cian PLC ("Cian" or the "Company"), a leading online real estate classifieds platform in Russia, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering (the "IPO") of 18,213,400 American Depositary Shares (the "ADSs"), each representing one ordinary share of Cian, 4,042,400 of which are being offered by Cian and 14,171,000 of which are being offered by certain selling shareholders of Cian (the "Selling Shareholders"), at a price to the public of $16 per ADS. The Selling Shareholders have also granted the underwriters of the IPO a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,732,010 ADSs, at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The ADSs are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Moscow Exchange on November 5, 2021 under the symbol "CIAN." The offering is expected to close on November 9, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs International, and J.P. Morgan are acting as joint lead book-running managers for the IPO. BofA Securities, Renaissance Capital, VTB Capital, Alfa CIB, AO Raiffeisenbank and Tinkoff are acting as joint bookrunners. A registration statement relating to the proposed sale of these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the U.S. Securitie and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)"). The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus relating to this offering, when available, may be obtained from any of the following: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York, 10014; Goldman Sachs International, Plumtree Court, 25 Shoe Lane, London EC4A 4AU, or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179.



This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Cian

Cian is a leading online real estate classifieds platform in the large, underpenetrated and growing Russian real estate classifieds market, with a strong presence across Russia and leading positions in the country's key metropolitan areas. Since its inception in 2001, Cian has become a household brand in the Russian real estate and a premier destination for property searchers, real estate agents, developers, private sellers and other real estate market participants. The Company ranks among the top ten most popular online real estate classifieds globally in terms of traffic (based on SimilarWeb traffic data for other online real estate classifieds and Google (News - Alert) Analytics data for Cian for September 2021). Cian's networked real estate platform connects millions of real estate buyers and renters to millions of high-quality real estate listings of all types - residential and commercial, primary and secondary, urban and suburban. In the first half of 2021, the Company had over 2.1 million listings available through its platform and an average UMV of over 20 million. Through its technology-driven platform and deep insights into the Russian real estate market the Company provides an end-to-end experience for its customers and users and helps them address multiple pain points on their journey to a new home or place to work. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211104006439/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Alibaba Group Will Announce September Quarter 2021 Results on November 18, 2021

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA and HKEX: 9988, "Alibaba" or "Alibaba Group") today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, November 18, 2021, and will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8:30 p.m. Hong Kong Time) the same day.

Details of the conference call are as follows:

International: +65 6713 5330

U.S.: +1 347 549 4094

U.K.: +44 203 713 5084

Hong Kong: +852 3018 8307

China Landline: 800 820 2079

China Mobile (News - Alert): 400 820 6895

Conference ID: 7764117 (English)

Conference ID: 3674549 (simultaneous interpretation in Chinese, listen only mode)

A live webcast of the earnings conference call can be accessed at https://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/earnings. An archived webcast will be available through the same link following the call. A replay of the conference call will be available for one week (dial-in number: +61 2 8199 0299; same conference ID as shown above).







Please visit Alibaba Group's Investor Relations website at https://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/home on November 18, 2021 to view the earnings release and accompanying slides prior to the conference call.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group's mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company aims to build the future infrastructure of commerce. It envisions that its customers will meet, work and live at Alibaba, and that it will be a good company that lasts for 102 years.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005370/en/
[November 05, 2021] American Equity Commits $1 Billion to Monroe Capital's Software, Technology and Recurring Revenue ("STARR") Investment Strategy Through a Strategic Partnership

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company ("American Equity") (NYSE: AEL), a leading provider of financial dignity solutions through general account annuities for individual clients in the United States and Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe"), a premier boutique $11.2 billion asset management firm specializing in private credit, announced today a $1 billion investment in Monroe Capital's dedicated technology lending platform focusing on middle market Software, Technology and Recurring Revenue ("STARR") loans originated and underwritten by Monroe. The investment focus will be on software and technology enabled companies that will offer mission critical, high return-on-investment software or technology solutions for its customers. "Our commitment to the STARR strategy demonstrates the ability of our investment platform to find assets that generate attractive investment income on a risk-adjusted basis," said Jim Hamalainen, CIO of American Equity. "We are excited to partner with Monroe, whom we view as a best-in-class partner, as we build toward our long-term strategic asset allocation to private assets." Ted Koenig, Chairman and CEO of Monroe added, "We are thrilled to partner with American Equity in our technology lending platform. It is a strategy where we can add differentiation for our investor's portfolios while generating "alpha". Having a strategic partnership with American Equity will allow us to continue to scale our efforts in this fast-growing space. American Equity will be helpful in the distribution to other like-minded private credit investors throughout the world looking for a unique STARR investment strategy with an experienced manager known for generating consistent returns." Under the terms of the agreement, American Equity and Monroe will work together to scale the technology lending platform with third party investors, including other insurance companies, through structured products based on the STARR lending platform. "STARR has emerged as a vibrant sub-sector of the U.S. economy, similar to where the health care sector was about a decade ago. It represents a highly resilient part of te U.S. economy given the focus on businesses with capacity for recurring revenue from mission critical solutions to their customers," explained Anant Bhalla, CEO of American Equity. "This is why it has been a prime lending sector opportunity on our radar as we rolled out plans for private assets. American Equity is excited to enter this higher growth, alternative credit sector with a proven partner like Monroe."



Zia Uddin, President of Monroe Capital and responsible for technology investments for the firm stated, "While we have been investing in technology for almost two decades, we are still early in the digital transformation for many companies, especially in the middle market. We believe there is a great opportunity set for investment in the technology sector through credit. Technology investing is specialized, whether in equity or credit, you need a deeper understanding of the technology and end products to be successful. By partnering with American Equity, we have the ability to strengthen our industry leading scale in the space with a partner that understands the investable landscape as well." About Monroe Capital

Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe") is a premier boutique asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, asset-based lending, specialty finance, opportunistic and structured credit, and equity. Since 2004, the firm has been successfully providing capital solutions to clients in the U.S. and Canada. Monroe prides itself on being a value-added and user-friendly partner to business owners, management, and both private equity and independent sponsors. Monroe's platform offers a wide variety of investment products for both institutional and high net worth investors with a focus on generating high quality "alpha" returns irrespective of business or economic cycles. The firm is headquartered in Chicago and maintains offices in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Naples, New York, San Francisco and Seoul. Monroe has been recognized by both its peers and investors with various awards including Creditflux as the 2021 Best U.S. Direct Lending Fund; Global M&A Network as the 2021 Mid-Markets Lender of the Year, U.S.A.; Private Debt Investor as the 2020 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Year, 2020 Lender of the Year, and 2020 CLO Manager of the Year, Americas; and Pension Bridge as the 2020 Private Credit Strategy of the Year. For more information, please visit www.monroecap.com. About American Equity American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, is a leading issuer of general account annuities through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers and will continue to expand its capabilities in private asset origination via strategic investments, joint ventures and other initiatives. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa with satellite offices slated to open in 2022 in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The forward-looking statements in this release, such as capability, toward, and will, are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the "Risk Factors" American Equity describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. American Equity's future results could differ, and it has no obligation to correct or update any of these statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005244/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] GlycoEra AG Raises CHF 45 Million (US$ 49 Million) Series A Financing to Develop Novel Biologics Based on Innovative Glycoengineering Platform

GlycoEra AG announced today the close of a CHF 45 million ($49 million) Series A financing round, co-led by renowned US and European life science investors, 5AM Ventures, Roche Venture Fund and Sofinnova Partners. LimmaTech Biologics AG, from which GlycoEra was spun-out, also participated in this round. The proceeds will be used to support the growth of the company and to demonstrate the breadth and value of its CustomGlycan Platform technology in developing assets that can unlock unique biological activities for therapeutic targets in several disease indications. In conjunction with the financing round, Mira Chaurushiya (5AM Ventures), Monique Schiersing (Roche Venture Fund) and Graziano Seghezzi (Sofinnova Partners) will join the company's Board of Directors that is comprised of GlycoEra's co-founders, Veronica Gambillara Fonck and Amir Faridmoayer, as well as biotech advisor and strategist, Ganesh Kaundinya. "The size and interest for this round and the international investor syndicate we have garnered are a significant validation of the potential of GlycoEra's CustomGlycan platform," said Veronica Gambillara Fonck, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of GlycoEra. "This is a major milestone for our company, which has been made possible by the foundational work from our Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder, Amir Faridmoayer, and the entire GlycoEra team. I look forward to this new stage of our corporate development and to demonstrating the value of our technology in producing therapeutics that previously were not possible." Mira Chaurushiya, Partner at 5AM Ventures, said: "We believe GlycoEra's world-class team has developed a platform that is a step change for the fields of biologics and glycosylation. The platform uniquely enables the translation of glycobiology into meaningful therapeutics via diverse mechanisms and for a wide range of diseases." Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner at Sofinova Partners, said: "Backing teams is a core part of the Sofinnova strategy, so we are delighted to be working, once again, with a group of veterans who were instrumental in the success of another Sofinnova portfolio company, GlycoVaxyn. In addition, this is a top-notch investor syndicate with whom we have invested in the past. We have enormous confidence in GlycoEra's potential to carry its groundbreaking technology forward into multiple therapeutic areas."



### About GlycoEra AG

GlycoEra's innovative CustomGlycan platform unlocks the power of glycan-mediated biology to develop a pipeline of novel biologics for a broad range of indications. Founded by a highly experienced team of glycoengineering leaders, the company is based in Schlieren, Switzerland. For further information, please visit www.glycoera.com. About 5AM Ventures Founded in 2002, 5AM Ventures is a leading venture capital firm focused on building next-generation life science companies. Based in San Francisco and Boston, 5AM takes a hands-on approach to investing and company building, often going beyond traditional board roles to leverage our diverse team of scientists, clinicians, drug developers and executives throughout a company's life. With over $2.0 billion raised since inception, 5AM has invested globally in 100 public and private companies. For more information, please visit www.5amventures.com. About Roche Venture Fund The Roche Venture Fund invests in early stage biotech and diagnostics companies to develop commercially successful innovative life science companies. Based in Basel, Switzerland with an office in South San Francisco, the Roche Venture Fund invests globally with a portfolio of over 40 companies. For more information, please visit Roche Venture Fund. About Sofinnova Partners Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future. Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a deeply-established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over 2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: www.sofinnovapartners.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005407/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Tokens.com Announces Q3 2021 Financial Results

Tokens.com Corp. (NEO Exchange Canada: COIN) (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: 76M) (OTCQB US: SMURF) ("Tokens.com" or the "Company"), a publicly traded company that invests in revenue-generating crypto and blockchain assets linked to Decentralized Finance ("DeFi"), Non-Fungible Tokens ("NFT") and metaverse real estate, is pleased to announce its financial results for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2021 ("Q3 2021"). All dollar figures are in United States dollars ("USD"), unless otherwise stated. Q3 2021 Highlights: 65% growth of digital asset inventory during Q3.

Net income of $4.1 million or $0.05 per share (CAD$5.2 million or CAD$0.06 per share).

Comprehensive income of $6.3 million or $0.08 (CAD$7.9 million or CAD$0.10 per share).

Earned staking rewards valued at $719,051 (CAD$913,194) and $1,532,741 (CAD$1,946,581) for the three and nine months ended September 30th, respectively.

Purchase of additional tokens during Q3 - Axie Infinity Shards, Ethereum, Polkadot and Smooth Love Potion.

Commencement of trading in the United States on the OTCQB venture market under ticker symbol "SMURF".

Appointment of Ian Fodie as Chief Financial Officer.

Introduction of new brand identity and redesigned website.

Announced agreement to purchase a 50% stake in Metaverse Group, one of the world's first virtual real estate companies (closed October 15, 2021). Tokens.com's philosophy is to bring the fastest growing areas of crypto and blockchain to public market investors. Management has identified crypto staking and the metaverse as the two most exciting and fastest growing areas in blockchain. Our strategy is to continue to buy assets in these sectors and use technology to earn revenue from those assets. During Q3, there was a pronounced recovery in cryptocurrency markets from the correction experienced during Q2. In addition, the one-time expenses incurred during Q2 related to the legal and administrative costs of going public were behind us. Management was also successful in keeping operating and overhead costs low. During Q3, Tokens.com management was successful in completing several initiatives, the most significant being entering into an LOI to purchase 50% of Metaverse Group, which closed on October 15th. Management is excited about this transaction and the growth potential of being a landlord in the metaverse. We look forward to working with Metaverse Group to continue to expand its business model of acquiring top digital NFT based real estate in various metaverses. As a result of the increased demand for our common shares, the Company announced a private placement financing on October 25, which is described in more detail below. The proceeds from this financing, scheduled to close in mid-November, will be to grow our two main areas of focus - crypto staking and, through Metaverse Group, accumulate more NFT based metaverse assets. Q3 was our second quarter as a public company and our first full quarter with the proceeds from our April 2021 fundraise fully deployed. Tokens.com benefited significantly from the rebound in cryptocurrencies during Q3 as is evidenced by the token price appreciation of the top 5 cryptocurrencies held by the Company during Q3, which has continued into Q4 as follows:







Price at Token June 30, 2021 September 30, 2021 October 31, 2021 Bitcoin $ 35,040.84 $ 43,790.90 $ 61,888.83 Ethereum $ 2,274.55 $ 3,001.68 $ 4,325.65 Polkadot $ 16.40 $ 28.58 $ 42.75 Binance $ 303.30 $ 387.06 $ 527.92 Oasis Rose $ 0.06 $ 0.16 $ 0.19

Management is confident that the digital assets it owns are linked to the macro growth in DeFi and NFTs. Consequently, we view the potential for ongoing appreciation of these assets to be high. Q3 2021 Financial Review Three months ended September 30, 2021 Nine months ended September 30, 2021 Revenue $ 448,976 $ 754,575 Gross profit 433,282 724,288 Operating expenses 600,613 3,003,112 Revaluation of digital assets 6,309,963 (324,335) Net income (loss) 4,112,756 (4,561,758) Comprehensive income (loss) 6,250,431 (2,333,538) Net income (loss) per share 0.05/CAD0.06 (0.08)/CAD(0.10) Comprehensive income (loss) per share 0.08/CAD0.10 (0.04)/CAD(0.05) Included in operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, is a one-time listing expense of $1,108,883 incurred during Q2. Tokens.com marks its digital asset inventory to market at the end of every quarter and the positive revaluation of digital assets of $6.3 million was reflective of the crypto market rebound from its correction in Q2. "Tokens.com continues to compound its revenue by re-staking the tokens it receives as revenue to create higher returns on capital. We believe this strategy will allow us to grow our digital asset inventory and position it for positive and compounding appreciation as the market continues to grow," said Andrew Kiguel, CEO. "Our digital assets, linked to the growth of DeFi and NFT applications, have the potential to appreciate further over the next several years. Through staking, we earn additional tokens daily resulting in the organic growth of our digital assets," added Kiguel. A complete financial reporting package, including the Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion & Analysis, is available on our corporate website (www.tokens.com), and the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). An investor call has been scheduled to discuss the Company's Q3 2021 financial results, hosted by CEO Andrew Kiguel starting at 10:00 am ET on November 5, 2021. Date: November 5, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. ET

Dial-In: 1 (800) 697-5978

Passcode: 7469627# Financing On October 26, 2021, the Company announced a proposed financing of up to $16.0 million including the underwriters' over-allotment option. Approval of the financing by the NEO Exchange requires the Company to obtain the approval of the financing from at least 50% of the holders of the Company's issued and outstanding shares, pursuant to the exemption in Section 10.09(2) of the NEO Exchange Listing Manual. The Company can now report that this requirement has been exceeded. About Tokens.com Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded company that owns an inventory of DeFi and NFT based cryptocurrencies. Through a process called staking, Tokens.com's inventory of cryptocurrencies is used to earn additional tokens. In addition, Tokens.com co-owns Metaverse Group, one of the world's first NFT based, virtual real estate blockchain companies. Through its growing digital asset inventory, Tokens.com provides public market investors with a simple and secure way to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies linked to DeFi and NFTs. Further information can be found on the Company's website: Tokens.com. Keep up-to-date on Tokens.com developments and join our online communities at Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies, as described in more detail in our securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005181/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Orchestra BioMed Announces Presentations at TCT 2021 of Positive Long-Term Clinical Results from the MODERATO II Study Showing the Significant Clinical Impact of BackBeat CNT on Isolated Systolic Hypertension and Pulse Pressure

BackBeat CNT treated patients experienced a mean reduction of 17.5 mmHg in office systolic blood pressure measured 24-months following therapy activation.

Patients with Isolated Systolic Hypertension (ISH) treated with BackBeat CNT experienced clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions of 7.4 mmHg in ambulatory systolic blood pressure and 9.4 mmHg in ambulatory Pulse Pressure at 6 months compared to controls. ISH is the predominant form of hypertension in patients over 60 years old and the most challenging to treat; elevated Pulse Pressure is a significant, independent risk factor of coronary heart disease. NEW HOPE, Pa., Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchestra BioMed, Inc., (Orchestra BioMed or the Company), a biomedical innovation company focused on developing transformative therapeutic products for large unmet clinical needs in procedure-based medicine, today announced multiple presentations of long-term clinical results and ISH subgroup data from the MODERATO II study of BackBeat Cardiac Neuromodulation Therapy (BackBeat CNT) in patients with hypertension and an indication for a pacemaker at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2021 annual conference being held in-person in Orlando, Florida, and virtually from November 4  6, 2021. Results showed a mean reduction of 17.5 mmHg in office systolic blood pressure (oSBP) among all BackBeat CNT treated patients who completed 24-month follow-up. The previously reported primary endpoint of the 6-month double-blind, randomized portion of the trial demonstrated that BackBeat CNT treated patients experienced a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction of 12.3 mmHg in oSBP and 8.1 mmHg in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (aSBP) when compared to control patients (p=0.02, p=0.01). In a subgroup of patients with ISH, a dangerous and challenging to treat form of hypertension prevalent in older patients, treatment with BackBeat CNT resulted in clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions of 7.4 mmHg in aSBP and 11.9 mmHg in oSBP when compared to control (continued medical therapy) patients at 6 months. Further, in patients with ISH, BackBeat CNT drove statistically significant reductions of 9.4 mmHg in ambulatory Pulse Pressure and 13.3 mmHg in office Pulse Pressure at 6 months as compared to control patients. We are very encouraged by the exploratory findings highlighting BackBeat CNTs impact in patients with ISH, particularly since a substantial reduction in Pulse Pressure can dramatically lower overall cardiovascular risk, said Daniel Burkhoff, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Heart Failure, Hemodynamics and Mechanical Circulatory Support Research at Cardiovascular Research Foundation, who presented the study findings. The results from the MODERATO II study offer compelling preliminary evidence that BackBeat CNT may provide a safe and effective therapy for ISH, which is the most common form of hypertension in older patients and one that is difficult to treat. The challenging nature of ISH often leads to the exclusion of these patients from hypertension therapy studies and contributes to their position as the majority of inadequately treated hypertension patients. MODERATO II was a European prospective, multi-center, double-blind study investigating the efficacy of BackBeat CNT in patients with persistent hypertension (aSBP =130 mmHg and office systolic blood pressure (oSBP) =140 mmHg) despite one or more anti-hypertensive medications. Following a 30-day run-in period, during which patients received only standard pacing along with anti-hypertensive medications, 47 patients who met follow-up screening criteria for daytime aSBP were randomized to BackBeat CNT (n=26) or control (n=21) groups. Due to the advanced age and general poor health of the pacemaker population, the majority of the patients enrolled in the study had ISH, 23 patients in the treatment arm (88.5%) and 15 patients in the control arm (71.4%). ISH is defined as an oSBP >140 mmHg and diastolic BP <90 mmHg. Although patients with ISH were not a prespecified subgroup, exploratory findings revealed statistically significant improvements in aSBP, oSBP and Pulse Pressure in ISH patients treated with BackBeat CNT as compared to control. Additional key findings from study participants with ISH include: Mean aSBP was reduced by 9.5 mmHg in the BackBeat CNT group as compared to a reduction of 2.1 mmHg in the control group, a net treatment effect of 7.4 mmHg (p=0.03) at 6 months.

Mean oSBP was reduced by 10.6 mmHg in the BackBeat CNT group as compared to an increase of 1.4 mmHg in the control group, a net treatment effect of 11.9 mmHg (p=0.04) at 6 months.

A significant reduction in oSBP of 15.8 mmHg was sustained out to 24 months in the treatment group in open label follow-up after the end of the 6 months randomized portion of te study.

There was a significant reduction in ambulatory Pulse Pressure of 9.4 mmHg in BackBeat CNT treated patients at 6 months vs. control (p=0.01).

There was significant reduction in office Pulse Pressure of 13.3 mmHg in BackBeat CNT treated patients at 6 months vs. control (p<0.01); a reduction of 13.9 mmHg was sustained at 24 months in the treatment group in open label follow-up.

Overall, there was a very low rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), with no events in the treatment group and two events in the control group (no statistical difference between groups at 6 months).



About Isolated Systolic Hypertension, Elevated Pulse Pressure and Pacemaker Patients

Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III, 74.5% of U.S. adults over 60 years old have hypertension, with over 65% of them suffering from ISH. ISH patients have elevated systolic blood pressure (>140 mmHg), while their diastolic blood pressure remains normal or low (=90 mmHg). ISH is a more difficult to treat form of hypertension because antihypertensive medications generally impact both systolic and diastolic pressure. It is estimated that over 80% of treatment failure patients over 60 years old have ISH.1 ISH patients experience elevated Pulse Pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures), which is a known significant, independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. According to published literature, a 10 mmHg increase in Pulse Pressure is associated with a 32% increase in risk of heart failure and a 24% increase in risk of stroke (after controlling for systolic BP and other risk factors)2. In addition, in men =60 years old (which happens to be the typical age of pacemaker patients), risk for coronary artery disease is three times larger in patients with Pulse Pressure of =70 mmHg compared to those with Pulse Pressure of 60 mmHg3. Over 1.1 million pacemakers are implanted annually worldwide.4 More than 70% of patients indicated for a pacemaker suffer from hypertension.5 Given that pacemaker-indicated patients are typically older, it is estimated that the majority of hypertensive pacemaker patients suffer from ISH.1 About BackBeat CNT BackBeat CNT, a flagship therapy of Orchestra BioMed, is a bioelectronic treatment designed to immediately, substantially, and persistently lower blood pressure (BP) while simultaneously modulating the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Orchestra BioMeds CE Mark-approved Moderato implantable pulse generator system delivers BackBeat CNT while also providing standard pacemaker functions. BackBeat CNT is designed to mimic the effects of multi-drug hypertension therapy by targeting preload, afterload and sympathetic tone. The initial target treatment population for BackBeat CNT is patients with uncontrolled hypertension who are also indicated for a pacemaker. BackBeat CNT has the potential to be integrated into any dual-chamber pacemaker system, making this therapy highly suitable for Orchestra BioMeds risk-reward sharing strategy of pursuing commercialization through a strategic partnership with a leading cardiac rhythm management company. About Orchestra BioMed



Orchestra BioMed is a biomedical innovation company focused on developing transformative therapeutic products for large unmet needs in procedure-based medicine. The Company is led by a highly accomplished, multidisciplinary management team and board of directors with extensive experience in all phases of medical device development. Orchestra BioMeds partnership-enabled business model focuses on forging strategic collaborations with leading medical device companies to drive successful global commercialization of products it develops. Orchestra BioMed was formed in 2018 by assembling a pipeline of multiple late-stage clinical product candidates originally developed by the Companys founding team. The Companys flagship product candidates are Virtue Sirolimus AngioInfusion Balloon (SAB) for the treatment of artery disease, the leading cause of mortality, and BackBeat Cardiac Neuromodulation Therapy for the treatment of hypertension, the leading risk factor for death worldwide. Orchestra BioMed has a global strategic partnership with Terumo Corporation, one of the worlds largest medical device companies, for development and commercialization of Virtue SAB. The Company has additional product candidates in its pipeline and plans to thoughtfully expand its product pipeline in the future through acquisitions, strategic collaborations, licensing, and organic development.



Forward-Looking Statements



Some of the statements made herein constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future financial and other performance or anticipated plans and are identified by words such as may, will, should, expect, could, scheduled, plan, intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, potential, propose and continue or negative variants of such terms. These and similar forward-looking statements discuss the Companys future expectations and plans. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. Given these risks and uncertainties, the Company cautions against placing undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements are only estimates of future performance. Actual performance or events may not meet such expectations or estimates and may, in fact, differ materially.



Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements made herein are reasonable, the Company cannot and does not guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Moreover, the Company does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of such forward-looking statements in the future. The Company does not plan and, subject to applicable law, undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made herein.



Investor Contact:



Bob Yedid

LifeSci Advisors

646-597-6989

[email protected]



Media Contact:



Gloria Gasaatura

LifeSci Communications

646-970-4688

[email protected] 1Franklin SS, Jacobs MJ, Wong ND, et al. Predominance of isolated systolic hypertension among middle-aged and elderly US hypertensives: analysis based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III. Hypertension. 2001 Mar;37(3):869-74. doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.37.3.869. PMID: 11244010. Accessed November 3, 2021

2Vaccarino V, Kasl SV, Abramson J, Krumholz HM. Depressive symptoms and risk of functional decline and death in patients with heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001 Jul;38(1):199-205. doi: 10.1016/s0735-1097(01)01334-1. PMID: 11451275. Accessed November 3, 2021

3 Gerd A, Paul C, Thomas E, et al. Importance of arterial pulse pressure as a predictor of coronary heart disease risk in PROCAM, Eur. Heart J. 2005 Oct; 26(20): 21202126, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehi467. Accessed November 3, 2021

4 BIS Research, 2017, Global Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) Market. Accessed November 3, 2021

5 Guha A, Xiang X, Haddad D, et al. Eleven-year trends of inpatient pacemaker implantation in patients diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2017;28(8):933943. doi:10.1111/jce.13248. Accessed November 3, 2021



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Insights on the Healthcare Smart Beds Global Market to 2027 - Featuring Stryker, Hill-Rom Holdings and Arjo Among Others

DUBLIN, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Healthcare Smart Beds Market By Application (Hospitals, Outpatient Clinics, Medical Nursing Homes and Medical Laboratory and Research), By Regional Outlook, COVID-19 Impact Analysis Report and Forecast, 2021 - 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Healthcare Smart Beds Market size is expected to reach $880.9 Million by 2027, rising at a market growth of 8.8% CAGR during the forecast period. Smart beds and mattresses are easily movable & flexible and are totally different from traditional bed functionality. To provide better facilities like comfort, sleep, and health, a variety of technology applications are fixed in the healthcare smart beds. These beds comprise built-in biometric sensors, which help in tracking heart rate, breathing pattern, sleep duration, and body movement while sleeping. Smart beds are capable to study data based on the information of the user's sleep quality. This examined data is later utilized by smart beds to adjust themselves to the changing positions at the time when the patient is sleeping. Many beds are also fixed with anti-snoring devices. The patient has the choice to connect with their most preferred digital application to manage the temperature and scheduled exercise time. Many of the smart beds can be operated by phones while some of the smart beds are unmanageable by phones for which patients need to get up and change the adjustments & settings. The growth of the healthcare smart beds market is witnessing a significant surge in its demand from the hospital sector as they are helpful in monitoring the patients from distant locations. In addition, the healthcare sector of the emerging nations is investing a huge amount for deploying smart beds, which is giving rise to the demand for healthcare smart beds. Additionally, the growing number of aging population is accountable to contribute to the demand for smart beds and mattresses in several big hospitals. In the evolving world, hospitals are choosing smart beds instead of traditional beds as they are able to examine data of the patient, which helps in enhancing the quality of care provided to the patient. COVID-19 Impact Analysis The negative impact of COVID-19 is witnessed across all industries. The pandemic compelled people to stay at their homes as it was a rapidly spreading virus. Also, governments across the world imposed stringent regulations, which restricted the movement. Various industries witnessed a slowdown in the manufacturing and productivity of the products. In addition, the supply chain of products was disrupted as traveling was banned in most of the countries. Besides this, significant growth was seen in the demand for essential products and medical products & devices. Similarly, the demand for healthcare smart beds witnessed gradual growth in its demand. Around the world, many people were infected by COVID-19 due to which, hospitals were overburdened wit an increased number of patients, which has also expanded the need for smart beds during the pandemic. Moreover, it is anticipated that the demand for healthcare smart beds will rapidly rise around the world in the upcoming years.



Market Growth Factors: Growing prevalence of chronic diseases

The cases of chronic diseases are constantly rising across the world. The major factors contributing to surging the common and costly long-term health problems are changes in societal behavior and an aging population. Also, the middle class is growing due to which regions are getting urbanized and people are inclining towards a sedentary lifestyle. This has resulted in an increasing rate of obesity and cases of diseases like diabetes. Integration of latest technology with smart beds Latest scientific achievements and technology improvements have introduced a number of new & advanced medical devices, aided with highly developed embedded-control functions and interactivity. Healthcare smart beds comprise integrated devices for patient assistance, care, and monitoring, based on an inclusive, multidisciplinary design approach. Smart beds are integrated into the healthcare system and comprise a unique opportunity in enabling more efficient efforts for caregivers and more responsive environments for patients. Market Restraining Factor: The high production cost of healthcare smart beds The sales of healthcare smart beds are still at a low rate due to which, the demand for smart beds is declining. Various developing and underdeveloped nations do not have a robust economy, this is the major factor hampering the growth of the healthcare smart beds market. Smart beds are embedded with a lot of the latest technologies, sensors, automation devices, artificial intelligence, real-time system devices, and others that help in better treatment procedures but this integration leads to an increase in the cost of the smart beds. Application Outlook Based on Application, the market is segmented into Hospitals, Outpatient Clinics, Medical Nursing Homes and Medical Laboratory and Research. The hospitals segment acquired the maximum revenue share of the market in 2020. This surge in the segment is witnessed due to the growing number of chronic diseases like kidney failure, heart diseases, and cancer, which is giving rise to the number of patients. Regional Outlook Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. North America acquired the largest revenue share in 2020. Factor such as the increased usage of healthcare smart beds for long-term or acute care facilities are responsible for the massive share of the regional market. Healthcare Smart beds assist medical teams and professionals by providing continuous monitoring of the patient's health in a non-invasive way. In addition, these beds automatically transfer the real-time data through a wireless network, which enables the doctor to review the data and monitor the patient's vitals in real-time, this helps in increasing the safety of the patient. The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Stryker Corporation, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Invacare Corporation (Johnson & Johnson Private Limited), Paramount Bed Co., Ltd. (Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd.), LINET spol. s r.o. (WIBO Holdings GmbH), Joerns Healthcare LLC, Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG (Joh. Stiegelmeyer & Co. GmbH), Arjo AB, Volker GmbH, and Favero Health Projects SpA. Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology



Chapter 2. Market Overview

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Overview

2.1.1.1 COVID-19 impact

2.1.1.2 Market composition and scenario

2.2 Key Factors Impacting the Market

2.2.1 Market Drivers

2.2.2 Market Restraints



Chapter 3. Global Healthcare Smart Beds Market by Application

3.1 Global Hospitals Market by Region

3.2 Global Outpatient Clinics Market by Region

3.3 Global Medical Nursing Homes Market by Region

3.4 Global Medical Laboratory and Research Market by Region



Chapter 4. Global Healthcare Smart Beds Market by Region



Chapter 5. Company Profiles

5.1 Stryker Corporation

5.1.1 Company Overview

5.1.2 Financial Analysis

5.1.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

5.1.4 Research & Development Expense

5.2 Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.

5.2.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

5.2.5 Recent strategies and developments

5.3 Invacare Corporation (Johnson & Johnson Private Limited)

5.3.3 Regional Analysis

5.4 Paramount Bed Co., Ltd. (Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd.)

5.5 L I N E T spol. s r.o. (WIBO Holdings GmbH)

5.5.2 Recent strategies and developments:

5.5.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

5.5.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

5.5.2.3 Acquisition and Mergers:

5.6 Joerns Healthcare LLC

5.6.1 Company Overview

5.6.2 Recent strategies and developments:

5.6.2.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

5.7 Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG (Joh. Stiegelmeyer & Co. GmbH)

5.7.1 Company Overview

5.8 Arjo AB

5.8.1 Company Overview

5.8.2 Financial Analysis

5.8.3 Regional Analysis

5.8.4 Research & Development Expenses

5.9 Volker GmbH

5.9.1 Company Overview

5.10. Favero Health Projects SpA

5.10.1 Company Overview



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bem3ps Media Contact: Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insights-on-the-healthcare-smart-beds-global-market-to-2027---featuring-stryker-hill-rom-holdings-and-arjo-among-others-301417543.html SOURCE Research and Markets

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Voya Financial to webcast 2021 investor day

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that it will host an audio and video webcast of its 2021 investor day on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021 beginning at approximately 1 p.m. ET. During the event, members of senior management will discuss Voya's strategy as well as the company's businesses and financial performance. The webcast, which will include a slide presentation, will be streamed live on the company's investor relations website at investors.voya.com. Please access the webcast at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the event to download and install any necessary software. A replay of the webcast will be available at investors.voya.com starting at approximately 11 a.m. ET on Nov. 16, 2021. About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. NYSE: VOYA) is a leading health, wealth and investment company that provides products, solutions and technologies that help Americans become well planned, well invested and well protected. Serving the needs of 14.8 million individual, workplace and institutional clients, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $7.6 billion in revenue in 2020 and $718 billion in total assets under management and administration as of Sept. 30, 2021. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is purpose-driven and is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible. Voya has earned recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute; as the No. 1-ranked financial services firm among Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies for three consecutive years; as a member of the Bloomberg (News - Alert) Gender Equality Index; and as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" on the Disability Equality Index. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) @Voya.



VOYA-IR VOYA-CF

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005207/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] CACI's Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, U.S. Army (Ret.), Receives Prestigious NDIA DeProspero Lifetime Achievement Award

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today that Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, U.S. Army (Ret.), Corporate Strategic Advisor and Senior Vice President, received the National Defense Industrial Association's (NDIA) Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) DeProspero Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Nagata, said, "I am only able to accept this generous recognition because of the extraordinary U.S. military and government heroes that I once had the honor to serve with; who made me better and more successful than I could have ever been otherwise." In his role at CACI, Mr. Nagata leads corporate efforts to advance CACI's presence in national security, support the development and evolution of CACI corporate strategy, and support the development and expansion of key client relationships. His more than three decades in top posts with Special Operations Forces, the Intelligence and Counterterrorism communities, and in Diplomatic efforts abroad, bring increased value to CACI's ability to provide world-class support to our customers' missions. Before joining CACI, Mr. Nagata served as Director of Strategic Operational Planning at the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. He previously served as Commander o Special Operations Command Central, where he helped to oversee the campaign against the Islamic State terrorist group. As a general officer, he also served as Deputy Chief of the Office of the Defense Representative to Pakistan, and as the Deputy Director for Special Operations and Counter Terrorism (J-37) of the Joint Staff.



The DeProspero Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes sustained, distinguished service and is presented annually to an individual who has made distinctive lifetime contributions with significant impact in the areas of Special Operations, Low Intensity Conflict, or Irregular Warfare. The award was presented at NDIA SO/LIC's annual awards dinner on November 4, 2021, at the JW Marriott Washington in Washington, DC. The award is named for Colonel Albert A. DeProspero, a retired Army Special Forces Colonel who was a founding member of the SO/LIC Division of NDIA, a former Chairman of the SO/LIC Executive Board, and a lifelong supporter of and advocate for the SO/LIC Community.

About CACI

CACI's approximately 22,000 talented employees are vigilant in providing the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address our customers' greatest enterprise and mission challenges. Our culture of good character, innovation, and excellence drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. As a member of the Fortune 500 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index, we consistently deliver strong shareholder value. Visit us at www.caci.com. There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts, and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005011/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] GEICO's Iowa Regional Office Increases Starting Salaries Significantly for Many Positions

GEICO significantly increased starting salaries for service and sales positions in North Liberty, Iowa. Sales and service associates at GEICO are licensed, professional insurance agents, provided with extensive training and continuing education. GEICO offers an excellent benefits package and is currently looking for energetic people who have a positive attitude, enjoy helping others and thrive in a dynamic environment. North Liberty associate April Contreras came to GEICO seven years ago. She saw that GEICO was hiring and heard that it had great career opportunities, so she put in an application. "I went from just having a job where I got a paycheck to a career with so many future possibilities and job security." Like most associates, Contreras had little knowledge of insurance before joining. "Like any new opportunity, starting is the hardest because you have to learn from the bottom-up. But GEICO does an amazing job prepping you," Contreras said. "From A to Z, they walk you through the ins and outs of insurance and teach you everything." "That said, it wasn't always smooth sailing," she said. "When I first got hired, I wasn't hitting the top tier. But one great thing about this job is that you get guidance and you rapidly get better and they lay out the incentives well. Once I understood the job, I moved up the tiers and could see how to get more responsibility and higher paying positions." When asked what has kept her at GEICO for seven years, Contreras answered, "Usually I would say money but it's not just money. GEICO is really like a family." "Through my career here I've gotten married, had kids and the usual ups and downs," she said. "GEICO and my colleagues always made it so I could make my schedule flexible and be there for my family. I never have to pick one or the other. GEICO makes the job work with family life." To that point, Contreras has made use of the numerous benefits GEICO provides. "When I first started, GEICO gave access to a service that can help with life issues - whether social, financial, mental health, etc. It's total support. It even helped me figure out some finances so I could purchase my first home," said Contreras. An extension of this family atmosphere is all the community outreach done in North Liberty. "We are always volunteering and having outings - whether it is the Hawkeyes or the Field of Dreams event - GEICO is involved in every fabric of our community," she said. Contreras's experience is shared by many of her North Liberty colleagues, according to Regional Vice President Shane Wheeler. p> "There are so many stories like April's. Our North Liberty office does a phenomenal job of getting Iowans in the door, training them up, promoting them and opening new positions - like those we're hiring for now. At the same time, there's always flexibility for family and community life - and the work they do to volunteer and with charities is great," said Wheeler.



A member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies, GEICO is a stable company that was founded 85 years ago. The company's Total Rewards benefits package includes health, dental and vision coverage, paid vacation and holidays, and continuing education and tuition reimbursement. When asked what she would tell people about GEICO, Contreras answered, "First, I tell everyone I know to apply to GEICO - even people that have a job and say they are happy. There are opportunities to quickly increase your salary and move up the levels. And, if they have a family and are trying to balance that and want the best of both worlds, GEICO is the place for you 100%."

Applications are being accepted now at GEICO.jobs/North-Liberty. GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies, GEICO employs more than 40,000 associates countrywide. GEICO constantly strives to make lives better by protecting people against unexpected events while saving them money and providing an outstanding customer experience. Along with personal auto insurance, commercial auto and personal umbrella coverages are also available. Homeowners, renters, condo, flood, identity theft, term life, and more coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Visit geico.com for a quote or to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005539/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Chicago Tribune Names Flexera a Winner of the Chicagoland Top Workplaces 2021 Award For 10th Consecutive Year

ITASCA, Ill., Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexera, the company that helps organizations maximize business value from their technology investments, has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2021 honor by Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces for the tenth consecutive year. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

Receiving this award for the tenth consecutive year reaffirms that our culture continues to be one where employees feel supported, connected and valued, said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Flexera. On behalf of our company and our customers, I thank our employees for giving us this honor again. "During this very challenging time, Top Workplaces has proven to be a beacon of light for organizations, as well as a sign of resiliency and strong business performance," said Eric Rubino, Enegage CEO. "When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward. Top Workplaces draw on real-time insights into what works best for their organization, so they can make informed decisions that have a positive impact on their people and their business."



ABOUT

Flexera helps companies turn technology into a competitive advantage, whether they make it or use it. Our Flexera solutions enable enterprises to maximize business value from their technology investments. Our Revenera solutions allow technology companies to drive more value from their software while protecting their IP. Headquartered in suburban Chicago, Flexera's more than 1300 employees serve customers across the globe. COMPANY CONTACT

Ashleigh Giliberto

[email protected], 847-466-4302

https://www.flexera.com/

ABOUT ENERGAGE

Making the world a better place to work?together.TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces.?Built on 14 years of culture research and the results from 23 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, ?Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available.?With access to a unique combination of?patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture.?For more information or to nominate your organization,?visit energage.com or topworkplaces .





[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Urbanite Capital, LLC Announces the Full Repayment and Closing of its GCM Fund

Urbanite Capital, LLC ("Urbanite"), a leading real estate credit firm headquartered in San Francisco, has announced that it is closing its GCM Fund, which successfully provided capital over the past three years across eight real estate loans. Launched in 2018, the GCM Fund focused on investing in senior and mezzanine debt primarily for multi-family and mixed-use developments. All investors were fully repaid this month.

"The success of our GCM Fund is an exciting achievement for Urbanite," saidMark Jorgensen, Managing Partner of Urbanite. "The GCM Fund provided clients with portfolio diversification, a stable return, and full repayment of principal through investments in high-quality real estate projects."







Founded in 2014, Urbanite seeks attractive investment opportunities to deliver diversified risk adjusted returns from real estate throughout the United States. As a result of regulatory restrictions imposed by Basel III, CCAR, and Dodd-Frank following the 2008 financial crisis, Urbanite launched its credit fund platform in 2017 to fill a funding gap left by traditional bank lenders by providing private capital to real estate projects. Urbanite is well-positioned to address the large market opportunity for highly structured real estate loans.

Please visit www.urbanitecapital.com/ for additional information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005090/en/
[November 05, 2021]

Government of Canada continues to show progress on reducing prices for cellphone data plans

Latest quarterly reporting shows continued price reductions for mid-range plans

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - Canadians are more connected than ever before, and they rely on telecommunications services to be connected at work, school and home. Access to high-quality and affordable services is essential, which is why the Government of Canada has introduced measures to reduce the cost of wireless services. The commitment to track the reduction of costs for some of the most popular wireless plans by 25% over two years is a critical part of these efforts.

Today, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the publication of the latest quarter of wireless pricing data on 2 GB to 6 GB data plans, which covers the July to September 2021 period. The latest data show that prices for most mid-range plans have decreased by between 10% and 25% compared to the benchmark prices collected in early 2020 and that prices of mid-range data plans are continuing to move in the right direction.

Enhancing competition contributes to better prices for consumers. That is why the government has taken the following steps to increase competition in the marketplace:

set out pro-competition rules for the 600 MHz band spectrum auction that led to regional providers more than doubling their share of low-band spectrum

issued a policy direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that requires the Commission to consider how its decisions can promote competition, affordability, consumer interests and innovation

reserved 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz spectrum auction for small and regional telecom companies

Over a two-year period, the three major wireless providers and their flanker brands, which represent 90% of the national market, are expected to offer plans in the 2 GB to 6 GB range that are 25% cheaper tha the established national benchmarks. If they do not meet this goal, the government will look to other regulatory tools to further increase competition in the marketplace and reduce prices.







Quotes

"Access to high-quality and affordable wireless services is no longer a luxury for Canadians. In my role as minister, my priority is to improve affordability, competition and innovation in the wireless services available to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. This report shows important progress toward our goals, but there remains significant work to be done."

 The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Quick facts

The benchmark price, or the price to which the 25% reduction will apply, is based on prices advertised on company websites in early 2020 for postpaid, bring your own device (BYOD), unlimited talk and text 4G/LTE plans in the 2 GB to 6 GB range.

The two-year period to reduce wireless prices ends in March 2022 , following a March 2020 announcement to track wireless prices.

, following a announcement to track wireless prices. This quarter's results track plans over the July to September period and do not include recently reduced-price plans introduced in October. These results will be reflected in next quarter's reporting.

While distinct from the quarterly benchmark price tracking, the 2020 Price Comparison Study shows a similar trend, with prices for the low- to mid-level service range decreasing by between 19% and 28% compared to 2019.

The benchmark price tracking is part of a suite of federal initiatives to improve the quality, coverage and price of telecommunications services, which includes the Universal Broadband Fund, a $2.75 billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Up to $50 million of the $2.75 billion total is available to support mobile connectivity projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples.

Associated links

Stay connected

Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: CanadianInnovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
[November 05, 2021] HMLP Shareholder Alert: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Notifies Hoegh LNG Partners LP Shareholders of Class Action and Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 27, 2021

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hoegh LNG Partners LP ("Hoegh" or the "Company") (NYSE: HMLP) on behalf of purchasers of Hoegh securities between August 22, 2019 and July 27, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/hmlp. This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (1) Hoegh LNG Partners LP (the "Partnership") was facing issues with the PGN FSRU Lampungcharter; (2) as a result, the PGN FSRU Lampung charterer would state that it would commence arbitration to declare the charter null and void, and/or to terminate the charter, and/or seek damages; (3) the Partnership would need to find alternative refinancing for its PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility; (4) the PGN FSRU Lampungcredit facility matured in September 2021, not Otober 2021 as previously stated; (5) the Partnership would be forced to accept less favorable refinancing terms with regards to the PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility; (6) Hoegh LNG would not extend the revolving credit line to the Partnership past its maturation date; (7) Hoegh LNG would reveal that it "will have very limited capacity to extend any additional advances to the Partnership beyond what is currently drawn under the facility"; (8) as a result of the foregoing, the Partnership would essentially end distributions to common units holders; (9) the COVID-19 pandemic was not the sole or root cause of the Partnership's issues in Indonesia, in 2019, before the pandemic, there were already a very low amount of demand in Indonesia for the Partnership's gas; (10) the auditing, tax, nor maintenance of PGN FSRU Lampung were not the sole or root cause(s) of the Partnership's issues in Indonesia; and (11) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.



A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/hmlp or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Hoegh you have until December 27, 2021, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005003/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] University of Phoenix Employees Celebrate Phoenix Pride Parade

University of Phoenix employees support the Phoenix Pride Parade, held November 6, the annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community held in Phoenix, Arizona. University of Phoenix Employee Resource Group (ERG), Allies of Pride, with over 500 members, promotes the event to staff, students and faculty and provides volunteer support. During the pandemic, many similar celebrations and in-person community events and support opportunities were cancelled or delayed. "It's important to remember that Pride is not just a parade or a specific month in which we celebrate. Pride is what we do every day. It's what's inside us, how we live our lives open and honestly and how we support each other. Pride is never cancelled," shares Julie Fink, vice president of Human Resources at University of Phoenix. "However, we are excited to have a visual and in-person celebration of our community and support for each other, which is so critical as we emerge from a very difficult year and a half. This parade is an opportunity to celebrate, be together, and to support our loved ones, family members, and each other." The purpose of Allies of Pride employee resource group is topromote awareness within the University and community of LGBTQ understanding and acceptance. Additionally, the goal is to attract "allies" who support LGBTQ causes and rights to create a stronger support network both internally and externally of the organization.



"The University of Phoenix is dedicated to the work of advancing inclusion as part of its focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)," Fink states. "It has received perfect successive scores on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. This highlights the University's willingness to review practices to make changes or adapt to evolving nondiscrimination views." The HRC Corporate Equality Index is a self-reported system that evaluates workplace equality in regard to specific criteria, including workforce protections, inclusive benefits, supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility, and responsible citizenship. University of Phoenix has received a perfect Equality Index score consecutively over the past four years.

Learn more about the Phoenix Pride Parade here. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005662/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] IDC FutureScape: Top 10 Predictions for the Future of Digital Infrastructure

International Data Corporation's (IDC) top 10 predictions for the Future of Digital Infrastructure point to a digital infrastructure strategy that addresses resiliency and trust; data-driven operational complexity; and business outcomes-driven sourcing and autonomous operations. Organizations must invest in and foster a digital-first culture that leverages trusted industry ecosystems, generates profitable revenue growth, provides empathetic customer experiences, and demonstrates an ability to adapt operating models to complex customer requirements. In the coming years, organizations will deploy, operate, and scale digital infrastructure to ensure consistent security, performance, and compliance across all resources, regardless of where and how they are deployed. These organizations will invest in more intelligent, autonomous operations and take advantage of flexible consumption and strategic vendor partnerships to promote agility and ensure that the business, and its digital infrastructure, can continue to perform in the face of a wide range of unexpected scenarios - social, geopolitical, economic, climate, or business related. "Digital infrastructure spans compute, storage, network, and infrastructure software, including virtualization and containers, and the automation, AI/ML analytics, and security software and cloud services needed to maintain and optimize both legacy and modern applications and data," explained Mary Johnston Turner, research vice president, Future of Digital Infrastructure. "IDC's (News - Alert) 2022 predictions for the future of digital infrastructure identify critical shifts in governance, operations, architecture, and sourcing that need to be factored into enterprise digital transformation strategies going forward." The top 10 predictions from the Worldwide Future of Digital Infrastructure 2022 report are: Prediction 1: By 2023, G2000 leaders will prioritize business objectives over infrastructure choice, deploying 50% of new strategic workloads using vendor-specific APIs that add value but reduce workload portability.

By 2023, G2000 leaders will prioritize business objectives over infrastructure choice, deploying 50% of new strategic workloads using vendor-specific APIs that add value but reduce workload portability. Prediction 2: In 2023, over 80% of the G2000 will cite business resiliency to drive verifiable infrastructure supply chain integrity as a mandatory and non-negotiable vendor evaluation criterion.

In 2023, over 80% of the G2000 will cite business resiliency to drive verifiable infrastructure supply chain integrity as a mandatory and non-negotiable vendor evaluation criterion. Prediction 3: By 2023, most C-suite leaders will implement business critical KPIs tied to data availability, recovery, and stewardship as rising levels of cyber-attacks expose the scale of data at risk.

By 2023, most C-suite leaders will implement business critical KPIs tied to data availability, recovery, and stewardship as rising levels of cyber-attacks expose the scale of data at risk. Prediction 4: By 2024, 75% of G2000 digital infrastructure RFPs will require vendors to prove progress on ESG/Sustainability initiatives with data, as CIOs rely on infrastructure vendors to help meet ESG goals.

By 2024, 75% of G2000 digital infrastructure RFPs will require vendors to prove progress on ESG/Sustainability initiatives with data, as CIOs rely on infrastructure vendors to help meet ESG goals. Prediction 5: By 2024, due to an explosion of edge data, 65% of the G2000 will embed edge-first data stewardship, security, and network practices into data protection plans to integrate edge data into relevant processes.

By 2024, due to an explosion of edge data, 65% of the G2000 will embed edge-first data stewardship, security, and network practices into data protection plans to integrate edge data into relevant processes. Prediction 6: By 2025, a 6x explosion in high dependency workloads leads to 65% of G2000 firms using consistent architectural governance frameworks to ensure compliance reporting and audit of ther infrastructure.

By 2025, a 6x explosion in high dependency workloads leads to 65% of G2000 firms using consistent architectural governance frameworks to ensure compliance reporting and audit of ther infrastructure. Prediction 7: By 2025, 60% of enterprises will fund LOB and IT projects through OPEX (News - Alert) budgets, matching how vendors provide their services with a focus on outcomes that are determined by SLAs and KPIs.

By 2025, 60% of enterprises will fund LOB and IT projects through OPEX (News - Alert) budgets, matching how vendors provide their services with a focus on outcomes that are determined by SLAs and KPIs. Prediction 8: By 2025, 70% of companies will invest in alternative computing technologies to drive business differentiation by compressing time to value of insights from complex data sets.

By 2025, 70% of companies will invest in alternative computing technologies to drive business differentiation by compressing time to value of insights from complex data sets. Prediction 9: By 2026, 90% of G2000 CIOs will use AIOps solutions to drive automated remediation and workload placement decisions that include cost and performance metrics, improving resiliency and agility.

By 2026, 90% of G2000 CIOs will use AIOps solutions to drive automated remediation and workload placement decisions that include cost and performance metrics, improving resiliency and agility. Prediction 10: By 2026, mid-market companies will shift 65% of infrastructure spending from traditional channels towards more app-centric trusted advisors.



IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Future of Digital Infrastructure 2022 Predictions https://www.idc.com/events/futurescape?tab=latest-research. The Digital Infrastructure predictions were also presented in a webinar hosted by IDC's Mary Johnston Turner, Ashish Nadkarni, and Susan Middleton. Details and registration for an on-demand replay of the webinar can be found at: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1494479&tp_key=459af86cb9.

Finally, IDC has published a blog which further explores the implications of this year's digital infrastructure predictions. The blog can be found at: https://blogs.idc.com/2021/10/27/idcs-worldwide-future-of-digital-infrastructure-2022-predictions/ About IDC FutureScape IDC FutureScape reports are used to shape IT strategy and planning for the enterprise by providing a basic framework for evaluating IT initiatives in terms of their value to business strategy now and in the foreseeable future. IDC's FutureScapes are comprised of a set of decision imperatives designed to identify a range of pending issues that CIOs and senior technology professionals will confront within the typical 3-year business planning cycle. To learn more about the IDC FutureScape reports for 2022, please visit: https://www.idc.com/events/futurescape. About IDC's Future of Digital Infrastructure Research Practice IDC expects the Future Enterprise will rely on an autonomous cloud-native digital infrastructure foundation to enable the development and delivery of resilient, secure digital business services and digital experiences. IDC's Future of Digital Infrastructure research practice helps organizations optimize and gain competitive advantage from digital infrastructure investments and operations spanning dedicated on-premises, public cloud, and edge platforms for compute, storage, networking, AIOps, automation, security, virtualization, containers, and lifecycle services. To learn more about IDC's Future of Digital Infrastructure research practice, please visit https://www.idc.com/promo/future-of-x/digital-infrastructure. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005667/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, a Leading Securities Fraud Law Firm, Announces Investigation of ON24, Inc. (ONTF) on Behalf of Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of ON24, Inc. ("ON24" or the "Company") (NYSE: ONTF) investors concerning the Company's possible violations of the federal securities laws. If you suffered a loss on your ON24 investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/on24-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at [email protected] to learn more about your rights. In February 2021, ON24 conducted its initial public offering ("IPO"), selling 8,560,930 shares of its common stock at a price of $50 per share. Then, on August 10, 2021, after the markets closed, ON24 announced its second quarter 2021 financial results and provided guidance for the remainder of the year. Specifically, ON24 expected revenue of no more than $48.5million in the third quarter and $204.5 million for fiscal year 2021, missing analyst consensus estimates by $2.7 million and $4.5 million, respectively.



On this news, ON24's stock declined $10.00, or nearly 31%, to close at $22.31 per share on August 11, 2021. Since the IPO, ON24's stock has traded as low as $18.66 per share, 63% below the IPO price of $50 per share. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Whistleblower Notice: Persons with non-public information regarding ON24 should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC (News - Alert) Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected]. About GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. ISS Securities Class Action Services has consistently ranked GPM in its annual SCAS Top 50 Report. In 2018, GPM was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements. With four offices across the country, GPM's nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPM's lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct including cases involving financial restatements, internal control weaknesses, earnings management, fraudulent earnings guidance and forward looking statements, auditor misconduct, insider trading, violations of FDA regulations, actions resulting in FDA and DOJ investigations, and many other forms of corporate misconduct. GPM's attorneys have worked on securities cases relating to nearly all industries and sectors in the financial markets, including, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, real estate and REITs, financial, insurance, information technology, health care, biotech, cryptocurrency, medical devices, and many more. GPM's past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times (News - Alert), Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005160/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] WEB SUMMIT 21: Huawei Hosts Developer Conference Announcing Vision of Open and Collaborative HMS Ecosystem

Q3 figures show big gains in Huawei's ecosystem growth

Global conference welcomes 300+ developers

New updates for Petal Maps and Search LISBON, Portugal, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - HUAWEI Mobile Services (HMS), part of the world leading technology company Huawei, kicked off its annual flagship Developer Conference (HDC.Europe) today at the Web Summit 21. The gathering of over 300+ developers and business leaders discussed HUAWEI Mobile Services' recent business developments, exciting services updates and growing support for innovation in the industry. Industry leading ecosystem

In its opening session Huawei has announced the latest Q3 ecosystem growth figures confirming the development of HMS is well on track and expands at pace. The company has seen all key growth indicators surge, including an overall volume of apps, registered developers and monthly active users (MAUs), reaffirming its position as the third largest global mobile ecosystem. Huawei is now helping 5.1 million registered developers connect with over 730 million device MAUs around the world; the number of applications integrated with HMS core has risen by 81% year-on-year to 173,000 and in the first three quarters of this year, AppGallery saw over 332.2 billion app distributions worldwide, an annual increase of 13%. Since its global launch in 2018, HUAWEI AppGallery has reached over 560 million global MAUs, including 42 million in Europe. Huawei has also seen large gains in its own suite of core HMS apps with HUAWEI Petal Maps now at 7m monthly active users in Europe and HUAWEI Petal Search with 32m MAUs worldwide and more than 3000 partners now actively involved in listings across 20 categories. The revenue share to partners also increased by 62% in comparison to last year. Jervis Su, Vice President of Mobile Services, Huawei Consumer Business Group commented, "Innovation is key to building ecosystems of the future and Huawei is committed to bringing together our capabilities with the powerful minds of developers, to accelerate our journey towards an interconnected, all-scenario future." Petal family, evolving for consumer needs

The popular Petal app series including Petal Search, Petal Maps and Petal Assistant are being constantly enhanced by partnerships in vertical sectors such as travel, shopping and 'nearby'. At the conference delegates were updated on Petal Search 2.0, the next-generation AI multi-modal search engine, which will offer an innovative search experience in over 20 different industries including news, videos, shopping, flights, local businesses and more. With Search as a Service, Huawei will expand Petal Search capabilities through the device-side SDK and cloud-side APIs, enabling ecosystem partners to quickly provide the optimal mobile app search experience. With an average of 8 billion searches per day, Petal Search allows partners to efficiently distribute content to users through Huawei's proprietary UniBox platform. From a travel perspective, Petal Maps, which is available in over 166 countries and regions, and was also recently the recipient of a prestigious Red Dot Design Award, now has an estimated 20m global MAUs. The latest Petal Maps upgrade will see the platform equipped with even more capabilities, including high-precision positioning, topographic map display, diversified map interactive experiences, in-depth data search, high-quality lane-level guidance and Map Studio. All of which ultimately provide the end user with a truly interactive and informative navigational experience. Huawei Ads, an agency conscious partnership program across Europe

HUAWEI Ads is a real time advertising marketplace tailored for HUAWEI devices. It is now open to media agencies and app publishers worldwide. The platform also includes HUAWEI Ads publisher services, allowing developers to integrate HUAWEI Ads kit and generate additional revenue from their apps. HUAWEI Ads gives advertisers the ability to choose placements across the HUAWEI ecosystem including direct placements on devices, custom placements on AppGallery, as well as new search ads on Petal Search and display ads across HUAWEI apps and thousands of third-party apps. Tools like Smart Bidding and Smart Banner, along with one click installation links, give advertisers increased controls and production capabilities to maximize their return on investment. Since its launch in January 2020, HUAWEI Ads's daily traffic has reached over 600M in Europe, and has also been listed as one of the fastest growing platforms in Europe according to AppsFlyer's latest report. HUAWEI Ads also offers partners an incentive program, including a free trial amount, early bird incentives and premium on-device media resources for direct advertisers and certified agencies in Europe. New kits to support developer creativity

Also announced at Web Summit were the newly launched HMS Core 6 developer kits to support the creation of more competitive functions for apps  a total of 69 Kits and 21,738 APIs. The full range of HMS Core capabilities will empower developers to create quality apps with its intelligence, contextual and scenario-based solutions across multiple smart devices including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, wearables and audio products. These open capabilities can also be used to create apps running on Android, HarmonyOS and iOS by using cross-platform development frameworks such as React Native and Cordova. Huawei reaffirmed its commitment to the spirit of cooperation across all areas of technical innovation by announcing multiple support programs that will be offered in Europe to individual developers like the Huawei Student Developer (HSD) and Huawei Developer Group (HDG), etc. These communities thrive on sharing knowledge of emerging technologies and seek to support fellow developers in their creation of new and innovative apps. New partnerships

2021 has seen Huawei develop existing and new partnerships with leading brands. At the HDC.Europe event, they showcased their visions and thought leadership in a series of workshops covering all-scenario application innovation. "We welcome our new partners and also look forward to working even closer with our existing partners", says Dr. Jaime Gonzalo, Vice President of Mobile Services Europe, Huawei Consumer Business Group. "These alliances create completely new exciting and personalized services and offer unique premium local experiences. Together with our partners, we continue to build an open and intelligent ecosystem that will better connect the world." During the workshops partners outlined their cooperation plans for distributing exclusive content and services to Huawei users. The topics covered the evolving range of apps & services within the Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem, from e-commerce & transportation integration with Petal Search and Maps (iTaxi, Awin, Dott), mobile payment (Curve, Lydia), health (Runtastic, Fifty), AppGallery & HMS Core innovation (Joom, Vimage, Goodgame) and HUAWEI Ads cooperation (NYBA Media, App Samurai and HAVAS Portugal). Notes to editor: *Q3 2021 data:

HUAWEI AppGallery (MAUs: global 560M ; 42M in Europe )

; in )

Browser (MAUs: global 380M ; 9.2M in Europe )

; in )

Cloud (MAUs: global: 330M ; 30.7M in Europe )

; in )

Themes (MAUs: global: 120M ; 7.9M in Europe )

; in )

Petal Maps (MAUs: global: 20M ; 7M in Europe )

; in )

Music (MAUs: global 210M ; 10.3M in Europe )

; in )

Video (MAUs: global 230M ; 14.3M in Europe )

; in )

Assistant (MAUs: global: 360M ; 17.6M Europe )

; )

Petal Search (MAUs: global 32M ; 5.3M in Europe ) The third largest mobile ecosystem in the world (Q3 2021 data): 5.1M+ Registered developers (+155% YoY)

173K+ HMS Core integrated apps (+81% YoY)

560M+ AppGallery global MAU (+12% YoY)

332.2B+ App Distributions in Q1  Q3 2021 (+13% YoY) Petal Search 3000+ partners

20+ verticals

550M+ E-commerce SKU Petal Maps 400+ partners

260M+ POI

9.7M+ Portal Address HUAWEI Ads 150+ Industry Advertiser

33K+ Ads Kit Integrated Apps

10 times inventory growth







*Q3 2021 data

*Taking part in Huawei's developer and growth sessions at Web Summit 21 were: Vimage, Joom, Curve, Runtastic, Fifty, Dott.pt, Good Game, Lydia, AWIN, App Samurai, NYBA. About HUAWEI Consumer BG

Huawei's products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world's population. Fourteen R&D centres have been set up in Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. HUAWEI Consumer BG is one of HUAWEI's three business units and covers smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. HUAWEI's global network is built on almost 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world. For more information, please visit https://www.huawei.com/en About AppGallery

HUAWEI's official app store, the HUAWEI AppGallery, provides users of HUAWEI devices with a simple and secure platform to search, install and use a wide variety of apps. The HUAWEI AppGallery enables easy installation of apps and convenient management for users. HUAWEI continuously develops its HUAWEI AppGallery with great effort. In this way, the company ensures that users always find directly what they really need. HUAWEI's exclusive service has a professional, fourfold security system to ensure that privacy is protected all around. The system reliably detects harmful behaviour and is consistently scanned for potential security risks. It also manually checks the security of real names and devices, and authenticates real environments to guarantee the security of all apps at all times. In addition, the HUAWEI AppGallery always offers lucrative discounts and VIP privileges for HUAWEI users. SOURCE Huawei Consumer Business Group

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Tauriga Sciences, Inc. Reports Continued Strength and Accelerating Growth in its Highest Margin E-Commerce Business Segment

NEW YORK, NY, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a New York based diversified Life Sciences Company, has today reported continued strength and accelerating growth in its highest margin E-Commerce business segment (E-Comm). The Company generated strong monthly E-Comm sales for the recently completed month of October 2021. As of todays date, November 5, 2021, the Company is firmly on track to generate record quarterly E-Comm sales  for its current operating quarter (October 1st December 31st 2021).

The Company is working with great diligence to capitalize on the upcoming 2021 Holiday Season (i.e. Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas, and New Years Eve). The Company will be introducing its Holiday Special(s), over the course of the next week or so. In other news, the Company continues to realize important levels of progress with respect to a number of ongoing corporate initiatives. The Company is focused on creating lasting shareholder value and building a world-class brand. ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail products and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is Kosher certified, Halal certified, and Vegan Formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate), (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Peach-Lemon, Black Currant), (DELTA 8 THC Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Evergreen Mint), (Vitamin C + Zinc Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Pear Bellini), (Caffeine Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Cherry Lime Rickey), & (Vitamin D3 Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Golden Raspberry). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad aray of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at http://www.tauriga.com



Complementary to the Companys retail business, is its ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative. This relates to the development of a proposed Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed for the following indication: Patients Subjected to Ongoing Chemotherapy Treatment). On March 22, 2021, the Company announced that it had Converted its U.S. Provisional Patent Application (filed on March 17, 2020) into a U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. On December 18, 2020 the Company disclosed that it had entered into a Master Services Agreement with CSTI to lead the Company's clinical development efforts. The Company is headquartered in Wappingers Falls, New York. In addition, the Company operates two full time E-Commerce fulfillment centers: one located in Montgomery, Texas and the other in Brooklyn, New York.

DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Contact: Tauriga Sciences, Inc. 4 Nancy Court, Suite 4 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seth M. Shaw Email: [email protected] cell # (917) 796 9926 Company Instagram: @taurigum Personal Instagram: @sethsms47 Twitter: @SethMShaw Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com Attachment 1) Nov 5 PR Ima



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] If You Bought a Film Capacitor From Distributors Since 2002 You Could Get Money From New Settlements Reached Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP Announces

Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP: You Could Get Money From New Settlements Defendants Shinyei Kaisha, Shinyei Technology Co., Ltd., Shinyei Capacitor Co., Ltd., Shinyei Kaisha Electronics (M) SDN. BHD., and Shinyei Corporation of America ("Shinyei") and Taitsu Corp. ("Taitsu") (collectively, "Settling Defendants") have agreed to Settlements resolving claims that they allegedly fixed the prices of film Capacitors. Capacitors are electronic components that store electric charges between one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator. Am I Included? You may be included if, from January 1, 2002, through February 28, 2014, you purchased one or more film Capacitors in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, or New York from a distributor that a Defendant or alleged co-conspirator manufactured. "Indirect," as that term is used below, means that you bought the product from someone other than the manufacturer, such as a distributor. A more detailed notice, including the exact Class definitions and exceptions to Class membership, is available at www.capacitorsindirectcase.com. What do the Settlements provide? The newly reached Settlements provide for a combined payment of $300,000 in cash. How can I get a payment? In order to be eligible to receive a payment from the Settlements you must have purchased the film Capacitors in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska or New York and submit a valid Claim Form. If you already submitted a Claim Form in response to previous notices, thn you do not need to submit another Claim Form. If you did not previously submit a Claim Form, you may submit a Claim Form either online or by mail. Both options are available at the website www.capacitorsindirectcase.com. If you did not previously submit a Claim Form, you must do so by the Court ordered deadline of February 18, 2022.



When will I get a payment? Payments from the Settlements will not be distributed until the Court grants final approval of the Settlements, any objections or appeals are resolved, and all claims have been processed and verified. Updates will be provided on the Settlement website at www.capacitorsindirectcase.com.

What are my rights? If you do nothing, you will be bound by the Court's decisions concerning these Settlements. If you want to keep your right to sue one or more of the Settling Defendants regarding Capacitor purchases, you must exclude yourself in writing from the Class by February 18, 2022. If you do not exclude yourself and believe it is appropriate, you may object in writing to the Settlements by February 18, 2022. The Settlement Agreements, along with details on how to exclude yourself or object, are available at www.capacitorsindirectcase.com. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California will hold a hearing on March 24, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 19th Floor, Courtroom 11, San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) 94102 to consider whether to finally approve the Settlements. The Court has appointed the law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP as Class Counsel to represent Indirect Purchaser Class members. In connection with this round of settlements, Class Counsel will not be requesting an award of attorneys' fees. You or your own lawyer may appear and speak at the hearing at your own expense, but you don't have to. The hearing may be conducted remotely or moved to a different date or time without additional notice, so it is a good idea to check the above-noted website for additional information. Please do not contact the Court about this case. For More Information: 1-866-217-4245/www.capacitorsindirectcase.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005153/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021]

Canada Invests in a New Global Initiative for Transitioning Remote Communities to Renewable Energy

GLASGOW, UK, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - Access to reliable, clean and affordable energy is a global challenge. Many communities throughout the world reside in isolated areas too distant or too difficult to connect to traditional energy grids. A large number of these remote communities rely on diesel fuel for heat and power, polluting the air in those communities and releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in projects to help remote communities transition away from diesel and toward clean forms of energy.

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, today announced that Canada will invest $500,000 in a new partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to support the transition of remote communities to renewable energy.

The initiative was officially launched by Minister Wilkinson, IRENA's Director-General Francesco La Camera and CEC's Director of Government Relations Nathalie Daoust during the session on Global Renewable Energy Microgrids Strategy, which was hosted by Indigenous Clean Energy at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

As founding members, Canada and Indigenous climate leaders will be able to demonstrate their experience and expertise in transitioning diesel-reliant remote communities toward clean energy with a focus on increasing local ownership of clean energy projects and on building local capacity and economic opportunities, including jobs for youth and women.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), a tri-national organization that is part of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, will lead the initial North American component of this initiative. Through the CEC, Environment and Climate Change Canada will work with its counterparts in the U.S. and Mexico to develop best practices for transitioning remote communities to renewable energy and provide models and strategies for countries around the world facing similar challenges.

Mircogrids powered by renewable energy are essential components of a sustainable energy system in remote communities. In Canada, Indigenous remote communities can unlock the potential of renewables  such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass  as part of their pathway to energy independence.

Through the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program, Natural Resources Canada is supporting the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise's Three Island Energy Initiative . This project aims to accelerate the global deployment of clean energy microgrids through local leadership, information and knowledge sharing by Indigenous, island, coastal and unconnected communities through partnerships with clean energy enterprises and financial institutions.







The Government of Canada and IRENA invite all countries participating at COP26 to join this new and very important initiative.

Quotes

"Canada is proud to be the founding member of this important IRENA initiative. Our partnership will build a new global platform that will let Canada share its experience and expertise in clean energy for remote communities, helping communities around the world build their own capacity."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Natural Resources

"Decentralized renewable energy represents a viable solution in providing affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity to remote communities. IRENA will use its global membership and convening power to support remote communities in their energy transitions in pursuit of energy security and resilience, alleviating energy poverty and taking the next step toward an inclusive, just transition."

Francesco La Camera

Director General of IRENA

"Isolated and remote communities are some of the most vulnerable to a changing climate, and must be given every opportunity to transition to cleaner, renewable and reliable sources of energy, both for local capacity building and for economic stability. By consolidating best practices and sharing them internationally, CEC is a model of cooperation and collaboration to help remote communities transition to cleaner energy."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Remote and Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by energy challenges. The CEC's North American initiative will help lay the foundation for a global effort to support communities in their transition to renewable energy and provide benefits, such as improving local air and water quality, enhancing energy security and providing new sources of revenue and economic opportunity."

Richard A. Morgan

Commission for Environmental Cooperation

"Indigenous-led renewable energy in remote areas on Turtle Island (Canada) is making lasting and positive impacts to energy systems, environmental protection, social programs and circular economies, to name a few. The power of community-led initiatives go beyond measure and need to be at the forefront of climate action."

Chris Henderson

Executive Director, Indigenous Clean Energy

Quick facts

The Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities is an eight-year, $220-million program to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in rural and remote communities by deploying and demonstrating renewable energy, encouraging energy efficiency and building local skills and capacity.

is an eight-year, program to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in rural and remote communities by deploying and demonstrating renewable energy, encouraging energy efficiency and building local skills and capacity. Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure Plan , the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Associated links

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Commission of Environmental Cooperation Council (CEC)

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Indigenous Clean Energy

Three Island Energy Initiative

Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities

Investing in Canada infrastructure Plan

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan ( http://twitter.com/nrcan )

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
[November 05, 2021] Signiant Acquires Levels Beyond

LEXINGTON, Mass., Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ -- Signiant Inc. today announced the acquisition of Levels Beyond, the company behind the media workflow software suite known as Reach Engine. Levels Beyond's talent and technology will be used to extend the functionality of Signiant's market-leading SaaS platform, adding new capabilities for simplifying and modernizing media workflows. Commenting on the company's second acquisition of 2021, Margaret Craig, CEO of Signiant, notes the unique value proposition of a unified multi-tenant SaaS platform that serves the entire media industry. "By virtue of our underlying acceleration technology and broad-based role in the global flow of media, Signiant can provide customers with a foundation that addresses multiple supply chain challenges efficiently and at scale. Our SaaS platform has critical mass, it serves as the core of the B-to-B media ecosystem, and it is the ideal anchor point for adjacent media-centric functionality." The company recently acquired Lesspain Software to facilitate organizing, finding, and interacting with media assets, and the Levels Beyond acquisition will now extend Signiant's offerings to include a range of configurable workflow building blocks. Signiant Chief Solutions Oficer Mike Flathers adds, "The media industry looks to Signiant for innovation and creative problem-solving, and workflow orchestration is ripe for disruption. By leveraging know-how from Levels Beyond and the power of the Signiant SaaS platform, we can give customers what they're asking for  which is a much lighter-weight, simpler, more productized approach to workflow implementation. The industry demands best-of-breed optionality and a high level of configurability, but complex one-off deployments simply cannot deliver the necessary flexibility and economies of scale. It will be great to have the Levels Beyond team at the table to help turn our vision into reality."



Key members of the Levels Beyond team will continue to be based in Denver, where Signiant will operate a development center. According to Art Raymond, founder of Levels Beyond, the decision to join forces with Signiant was clear. "We're excited to become part of a high-growth, customer-centric software company that is committed to the media industry. Signiant's cloud-native SaaS experience is unparalleled, and the Levels Beyond team brings complementary skills that include deep media workflow experience and extensive knowledge of third-party integrations. The combination will be unstoppable." Raymond further notes that the companies share a number of key customers who see the acquisition as highly compelling. "Customer expectations for the next-generation media technology stack are clear, and there's only one software company in our space that can meet the media industry's requirements for agility, optionality, and favorable economics. This is the perfect way to extend the Levels Beyond legacy of solving our customers' toughest workflow problems." About Signiant:

Signiant's enterprise software provides people and systems with fast, reliable, secure global access to valuable media assets  regardless of storage type or location. Our cloud-native Software Defined Content Exchange (SDCX) SaaS platform anchors the next-generation media technology stack, optimizing content flow within and between more than 50,000 media companies of all sizes. From content creation through distribution, Signiant plays a mission-critical role in file-based workflows and cloud upload/download across the media supply chain. For more information, please visit http://www.signiant.com . Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1680236/Signiant_Acquires_LevelsBeyond_Social.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/signiant-acquires-levels-beyond-301417789.html SOURCE Signiant

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] LDI FINAL DEADLINE: ROSEN, A TOP RANKED LAW FIRM, Encourages loanDepot, Inc. Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important November 8 Deadline in Securities Class Action - LDI

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of loanDepot, Inc. (NYSE: LDI) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with loanDepot's February 16, 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO") of the important November 8, 2021 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased loanDepot securities pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the loanDepot class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2156.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 8, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation.Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.



DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement featured false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) loanDepot's refinance originations had already declined substantially at the time of the IPO due to industry over-capacity and increased competition; (2) loanDepot's gain-on-sale margins had already declined substantially at the time of the IPO; (3) as a result, loanDepot's revenue and growth would be negatively impacted; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about loanDepot's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the loanDepot class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2156.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005806/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Hawaiian Electric sets goal of 70% carbon reduction by 2030, envisions zero emissions by 2045

HONOLULU, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stressing the urgency of the global effort to slow climate change, Hawaiian Electric, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HE), has set a goal to cut carbon emissions from power generation 70% by 2030. Cutting emissions from power generation by 70%, compared with 2005 levels, would provide a significant portion of the reduction the entire Hawai'i economy needs to meet the U.S. target of cutting carbon emissions by at least 50% economywide by 2030. The reduction includes generation owned by Hawaiian Electric and independent power producers who sell electricity to the utility. Hawaiian Electric has also committed to achieving net zero or net negative carbon emissions from power generation by 2045 or sooner, meaning that if there are any emissions, they will be captured or offset. Led by the 70% emission reduction in the electricity sector, the rest of the state economy  including transportation, agriculture, construction and industry  would still have to cut emissions by at least 40% by 2030 to stay on the path to meet the U.S. target. The U.S. commitment made at the COP26 climate conference in Scotland, along with commitments by other nations, aims to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, avoiding some, but not all, of the threats posed by climate change. "Hawaiian Electric has a critical role in reducing carbon emissions this decade in Hawai?i, especially in transportation, so this new goal is significant," said Gov. David Ige, who is attending the climate conference. "The COP26 meetings made absolutely clear that even though Hawai'i has done a lot, we have to do even more. Working together, Hawai'i can do its part to hit these targets. We are not willing to wait for the rest of the planet to do what we know is in our community's best interest." "The runway is getting shorter all the time," said Scott Seu, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. "The 2030 goal is a stretch for us, but we have to commit to bold actions in the next few years if we're to have any hope of stalling climate change. We want to look back at this time and know we did all we could do to stop things from getting worse."

"We have seen the power of setting a vision with Hawai'i's 100% renewable energy law, and today's announcement levels up our collective responsibility to move at the pace and scale required to avoid the worst impacts of climate change," said Melissa Miyashiro, executive director of Blue Planet Foundation. "Rapidly reducing carbon emissions in a way that allows our communities to thrive will take all of us. We hope Hawaiian Electric's announcement will inspire businesses and leaders statewide to make similar bold commitmnts and work collaboratively to turn those commitments into real action."



Hawaiian Electric's forecast for the next nine years anticipates a steady pace of cost-effective renewable energy resources coming online to reduce the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Key elements of the 2030 plan include:

Shutting down the state's last coal plant in 2022

Adding nearly 50,000 rooftop solar systems to the 90,000 now online

Retiring at least 6 fossil-fueled generating units and significantly reducing the use of others as new renewable resources come online

Adding renewable energy projects capable of generating a total of at least 1 gigawatt, including shared solar (community-based renewable energy)

Using more grid-scale and customer-owned energy storage

Expanding geothermal resources

Creating innovative programs that provide customers incentives for using clean, lower-cost energy at certain times of the day and using less fossil-fueled energy at night By 2030, Hawaiian Electric's renewable portfolio standard is expected to exceed 70%, with renewable resources available to provide close to 100% of the electricity generated on Hawai'i Island and in Maui County. After 2030, progress on elimination of carbon from power generation assumes continued use of proven resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biofuels and energy storage, along with the development of new technologies. Those may include offshore wind, green hydrogen, wave energy and carbon-capture  all currently under development around the world  as well as other solutions that will emerge. A diverse portfolio of resources will also enhance resilience to climate-related events. "The climate change summit is a call to action to join with our children and grandchildren to care for island earth for future generations," said Shelee Kimura, senior vice president of customer service and public affairs who will become president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric on Jan. 1, 2022. "The progress we make this decade will determine the kind of future we're making for our families. This is a bold goal for all of Hawai'i, not just Hawaiian Electric, but the good news is we've already made a strong start and this commitment moves us further on the path to sustainability." Achieving a 70% reduction in carbon emissions is especially challenging in Hawai'i, which has fewer generation options than utilities that use nuclear, natural gas and large-scale hydropower. Hawai'i also can't import power from neighboring states. As Hawaiian Electric reduces its use of generators powered by imported fossil fuels, there's still a need for generation resources available 24/7 to provide reliable, resilient energy. "In Hawai'i, we can and should be utilizing nature-based solutions to tackle climate change," said Ulalia Woodside, executive director of The Nature Conservancy, Hawai'i and Palmyra chapter. "It is absolutely right that Hawaiian Electric is looking at alternative energy sources. These efforts should be contemplated with strong and robust community input and consent, informed by the best science, and done in a way that preserves native habitats and species." The Honolulu-based Institute for Climate and Peace also supports the Hawaiian Electric carbon emission commitment and the expansion of renewable energy resources. "The Institute for Climate and Peace strongly supports rigorous emissions reduction objectives in Hawai?i and everywhere, particularly at this important global turning point of COP26," said Zelda Keller, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Peace in Honolulu. "We applaud Hawaiian Electric for its commitment to significantly increasing renewable energy generation and energy storage capacity across the islands, and we hope that other institutions and companies will follow their lead. Extensive and reliable renewable energy networks in Hawai?i will mitigate the harm done to our ecosystems by carbon-intensive energy production while also promoting sustainable, peaceful futures for all." CONTACT: Shannon Tangonan, 808.351.4978

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hawaiian-electric-sets-goal-of-70-carbon-reduction-by-2030-envisions-zero-emissions-by-2045-301417810.html SOURCE Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Lingo Media Plans to File a Form 15F to Deregister in the US Under the 1934 Securities Exchange Act

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Lingo Media Corporation (TSX-V: LM) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA) ("Lingo Media") an EdTech company that is 'Building a multilingual world' through innovative online and print-based technologies and solutions, announces its intention to file a Form 15F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to terminate the registration of all classes of its registered securities under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as well as to terminate its reporting obligations under the Exchange Act. As a result of filing the Form 15F, Lingo Media's obligations to file reports under the Exchange Act will be suspended immediately and are expected to terminate 90 days after the filing, barring any objection by the SEC.



Lingo Media is undertaking this filing to reduce administrative burden and compliance costs and intends to continue to publish its periodic reports, annual and interim results and communications as required by applicable law on SEDAR and its website at http://www.lingomedia.com. About Lingo Media (TSX-V:LM; OTC:LMDCF; FSE:LIMA) Lingo Media is a global EdTech company that is 'Building a multilingual world', developing and marketing products for learners of new languages through various life stages, from classroom to boardroom. By integrating education and technology, the company empowers language educators to easily transition from traditional teaching methods to digital learning. Lingo Media provides both online and print-based solutions through two distinct business units: ELL Technologies Ltd., d/b/a Everybody Loves Languages and Lingo Learning Inc. Everybody Loves Languages provides online training and assessment for language learning, while Lingo Learning is a print-based publisher of English language learning programs in China. Lingo Media has established successful relationships with key government and industry organizations internationally, with a presence in Latin America, China and the U.S., and continues to both extend its global reach and expand its product offering.



Follow Lingo Media On:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LingoMedia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LingoMediaCorp

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lingomedialm

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lingo-media-corporation

RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LingoMedia Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. These statements are made in reliance upon Sections 21E and 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, performance, or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Lingo Media has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as "may," "should," "expect," "hope," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "estimate" and similar expressions. Lingo Media's expectations, among other things, are dependent upon general economic conditions, the continued and growth in demand for its products, retention of its key management and operating personnel, its need for and availability of additional capital as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors. No assurance can be given that the actual results will be consistent with the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by US Federal securities laws, Lingo Media undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian and United States securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml .

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE)ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lingo-media-plans-to-file-a-form-15f-to-deregister-in-the-us-under-the-1934-securities-exchange-act-301417892.html SOURCE Lingo Media Corporation

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[November 05, 2021] Biocom California Opposes New Drug Pricing Proposal as Written

Biocom California, the association representing the California life science industry, issued the following statement regarding the drug pricing portion in the "Build Back Better" legislation. The statement can be attributed to Joe Panetta, Biocom California's president and CEO: "On behalf of our more than 1,500 members across California, I am deeply concerned that the U.S. House of Representatives has decided to move forward with a drug pricing and access proposal that endorses price setting, undermines intellectual property protections, and would place an unfair burden on innovative life science companies, despite repeated warnings by the biomedical research community that such policies would hurt innovation and reduce patients' access to life-saving products. "The United States produces more new medicines than the rest of the world combined, and our industry relies heavily on strong intellectual property rights and significant investments in research and development to bring new products to market. California is the global leader in biomedical innovation and a vital contributor to the state's economy, generating over $400 billion in annual economic activity and supporting almost 1.4 million jobs. As such, California companies will be disproportionally harmed. "The proposal put forward this week ignores reports, including by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), that price setting mechanisms reduce the number of drugs ultimately available to patients. The measure also discourages further innovation for pediatric populations and new indications. Lastly, while it establishes a long overdue $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket patient spending which we support, direct benefits to patients will be limited and outweighed by the harmful impact the bill will have on the development of innovative medicines. "While we are deeply disappointed in the current legislative proposal, we want to recognize the tremendous efforts made by moderate Democrats with deep technical knowledge of our biomedical innovation ecosystem to abandon more detrimental proposals that would have allowed the importation of foreign price controls and more severely harmed small and emerging companies. In particular, we want to thank Congressman Scott Peters of San Diego and his like-minded colleagues for allowing a much-needed conversation around what it takes to bring products to market and the need to ensure the development of future treatments and cures. "We believe that all patients should be able to access the medications they need and strongly support reducing out-of-pocket costs. As we have expressed before, we stand ready to work with Congress and the Biden Administration to enact reasonable and bi-partisan proposals that will make a true difference in what patients pay at the pharmacy counter. We will not succeed if we do not bring to the table all the stakeholders that determine health care costs." About Biocom California Biocom California is the leder and advocate for California's life science sector. We work on behalf of more than 1,500 members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.



Founded in 1995 in San Diego, Biocom California provides the strongest public voice to research institutions and companies that fuel the local and state-wide economy. Our goal is simple: to help our members produce novel solutions that improve the human condition. In addition to our San Diego headquarters, Biocom California operates core offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, satellite offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, and has a continuous staff presence in Sacramento. Our broad membership benefits apply to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, genomics and diagnostics companies of all sizes, as well as to research universities and institutes, clinical research organizations, investors and service providers. For more information on Biocom California, please visit our website at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (News - Alert) (@BIOCOMCA).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211105005858/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Remember that even KC Tenants called this a "slush fund" and seemed to part ways with the current city hall administration.



Here's a peek at the "sitch" concerning this local cash hideaway . . .



"The Kansas City Council established a trust fund in 2018 to support affordable housing, but it never had any actual money to spend. Some housing advocates say the fund still doesn't fully address the needs of low-income renters."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
The aftermath of today's cowtown pandemic policy switcheroo creates even more COVID confusion amongst denizens of the Kansas City metro.



Special thanks to KICK-ASS TKC READERS for sending us this consideration . . .



"The outlying Jackson County areas will be the only residents under mandate.

"You cant tell me that Eastern Jack hosts COVID positive rates and hospitalizations so much higher than KCMO as to warrant face covering requirements in Lees Summit, Blue Springs and Grandview.

"It's obvious that Executive Frank White and all of his supporters on the Legislature DON'T understand the current state of the pandemic and/or the data."



We think this comment deserves to be highlighted if only because the discrepancy in public health policy CLEARLY isn't related to "the science" whatsoever . . . Instead recent municipal COVID decisions seem to be predicated on the political makeup of local governing bodies. Annnnnnnnd . . . Incompetence. Natch.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Mask mandate in KCMO extended for students under 18 KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A citywide mask mandate has expired in Kansas City, Missouri, except for students in schools. The full city council met this afternoon to discuss keeping masks in schools. Now, we won't be seeing as many masks in KC outside of a school setting.

KCMO Mask mandate extended for students The Kansas City Missouri City Council has voted to let the current mask mandate that expires at midnight tonight expire for adults but not for school age children. The resolution which passed the City Council this afternoon keeps the mask mandate in place for students under the age of 18 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas City, Missouri council adopts new mask mandate Hide Transcript Show Transcript CI,TY MISSOURI HAS JUST VOTED TO CHANGE ITS MASK MANDADTE ONLY APPLIES NOW AT SCHOOLS AND ON SCHOOL BUSES THE MANDATE FOR EVERYONE ELSE EXPIRES AT THE END OF TODAY. THIS CHANGE MEANS ALL PEOPLE IN ALL SCHOOL BUILDINGS FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE WILLTI SLL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK.

Kansas City implements new mask mandate for strictly schools, buses; current order will expire KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The indoor mask mandate for Kansas City, Missouri, expires at midnight but not for everyone after a city council vote Thursday afternoon. The Kansas City Council voted 11-2 to make mask-wearing only required in school buildings and on school buses. The new school mask mandate will be in effect through Dec.

Sadly, it seems that masks might be in our future either way . . .

COVID cases break records across Europe as winter takes hold BUDAPEST, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Coronavirus infections are hitting record levels in many countries across Europe as winter takes hold, prompting a call for action from the World Health Organization which described the new wave as a "grave concern".

Developing . . .
Here's a peek at the next round of fighting betwixt Mayor Q and police.



Here's the summary quote from a lesser blog . . .



The board voted 4-1, with Lucas abstaining. Lucas said the police board would now need to negotiate with the City Council on how it would spend roughly $150 million in the rest of the budget.



We need to make sure that is reasonable, that it is well spent and it relates to the priorities that Kansas Citians have discussed. So this only begins the conversation, he said.



The revised budget of $281 million includes pay increases for officers. Its about $8.1 million more than the $272 million budget request Police Chief Rick Smith initially distributed to board members. That proposal included a 6% increase from the previous years budget and calls for money to pay for new police academy classes.



It also includes spending about $10 million to replace the departments aging portable radio system. The vendor no longer supports the departments radio system.



Smith said that he wants the police department to add more officers and conduct several police academy classes in the next fiscal year.

It's worth noting that Mayor Q abstained from the vote AND talked about a "disscussion" in distributing the rest of the cash.

Update . . .

HERE IS THE STATEMENT THAT POLICE JUST RELEASED . . .

The Police Department and the Board of Police Commissioners have put much effort into creating the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget.



Today, the Board voted to approve the proposed budget submitted to them by KCPD Staff. The requested budget will now be submitted to the City Manager as the next step in the budget process.



The BOPC believes the requested budget, which includes pay raises for employee retention and funds for new recruits, will provide the necessary resources in order to keep Kansas City and its community safe.



We are early in the budget process and look forward to meeting with the City Council on December 7, 2021, to discuss our requested budget and continue the collaboration to meet the needs of our community.



The BOPC would like to thank the police department staff for their hard work in helping prepare this budget.



#############

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
For a hot second we're without a mask mandate.



Don't get too comfy, Europe coping with a COVID resurgence means that it's only a matter of time before we mask up again.

And only God know what kind of awful disaster awaits voters before the midterms.

Nevertheless . . .



The mask orders end today and now locals will make their own decisions about face coverings.



Expect to see them around if only because the pandemic revealed that there are quite a few people in poor health walking around.



So, as always, we hope locals will take care and show a bit of kindness to people in the real world coping with this next phase of the plauge.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

The 'great unmasking of Kansas City' starts Friday, residents hopeful for future KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After months of masking in Kansas City, after midnight on Friday many people can put them away. The City Council approved a new ordinance focused on masking in schools. Businesses, restaurants, bars, and many more will no longer need to require masks to enter.

Change in KC mask mandate means some workers won't have to check for compliance For over a year, every time the door opens, service workers have been checking for compliance."Playing that mask police, it gets a little stressful," said Justin Clemons, of the Quaff Bar and Grill.At a time when staffing is short, workers now will have one fewer task to worry about.

Business owners decide whether to have own mask mandates after KCMO's expires KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Kansas City's mask mandate for indoor public places expired Thursday. A mask mandate is still in effect, however, for anyone inside school buildings and school buses in KCMO. Now, private business owners in KCMO can choose if they want to require masks or not.

Developing . . .


This case is earning a great deal of media play and political debate but, again, we're not certain if the social justice struggle resonates amongst the plebs.



Here's the latest summary . . .



A judge rejected Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitts effort to restrict evidence in Stricklands evidentiary hearing on Thursday.



Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker believes Strickland is innocent of a 1979 triple murder for which he has spent 43 years in prison. A Missouri law passed in April gave her the right to ask the court to vacate Strickland's guilty verdict, but Schmitt is fighting it.



Strickland's attorney considers Thursday's rulings a win.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Kevin Strickland's push for innocence moves closer to judge's decision A judge heard final arguments Thursday before a groundbreaking hearing scheduled for next week in the push for innocence for Kevin Strickland.Strickland has served 43 years for a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City that prosecutors said he did not commit.Thursday's hearing sorted out arguments between Kevin Strickland's lawyers, the

Judge: Strickland case can proceed as scheduled KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A retired Missouri judge appointed to oversee the case that could lead to the exoneration of Kevin Strickland ruled Thursday that the case can proceed as scheduled. Judge James E. Welsh said during a motions hearing on Thursday that prosecutors could present their arguments in support of exonerating Strickland's 1979 triple murder conviction on Monday, Nov.

Judge rejects Missouri AG's requests to restrict evidence in Kevin Strickland case KANSAS CITY, Mo - It was a big day in court for Kevin Strickland and Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Strickland hearing set for Monday, as attorney general's motions denied KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- A judge ruled a hearing for Kevin Strickland will take place Monday as scheduled. The Missouri Attorney General's motions were denied. Those motions asked for some evidence and several affidavits to be excluded from the hearing. The Missouri Attorney General disputes Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker's conclusion that Kevin Strickland is innocent.

Developing . . .
Court drama postscript and a glimpse at a killing that led up to one of the most violent years in local history . . . Here's the aftermath . . .

Jackson County jury convicts KC woman in October 2019 triple murder

A Jackson County jury late Thursday convicted a Kansas City woman in the triple murder in October 2019 in the area of 45th and South Benton Avenue in Kansas City, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Lynnsey D. Jones, dob: 9/5/1984, was convicted of three counts of Murder 1st Degree and three counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to the area of 45th and South Benton Avenue on the sound of gunshots. A woman, the defendant, was taken into custody at the scene. A firearm was recovered from the vehicle that she was observed entering on the passenger side. Another suspect also was taken into custody. Police located three deceased victims at the scene.

Jones will be sentenced by a Jackson County judge in a future hearing. A second defendant in the murders awaits trial.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Jeremy Baldwin, Dion Sankar and Clayton Whitworth prosecute the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.

############

Developing . . .
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. High 46F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 34F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Showers early, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 24F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Oct. 26Cherokee Sheriff's Office detectives are looking to interview two people who were at the Oct. 17 shooting that claimed the life of 14-year-old Landon Andrews and injured a 19-year-old. So far, investigators have conducted about 80 interviews and continue to follow up on leads and review video evidence from the party at a home on Victoria Road, where the shooting started. One of the ...
Late actor Paul Newman was known for iconic roles in The Hustler, Hud and Cool Hand Luke. Soon, readers will get to learn about his life in a previously unreleased memoir.

According to the Associated Press, Newman began the memoir in his Westport home in the 1980s with the help of screenwriter Stewart Stern, then left it there unpublished.

Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Wednesday that the untitled memoir will include Newman's thoughts on "acting, directing, boyhood, family, fame, Hollywood, Broadway, love, his first marriage, his 50-year marriage to Joanne Woodward, drinking, politics, racing, his ultimate ride to stardom, and aging gracefully.

The untitled memoir was recently found in the Connecticut home that Newman and Woodward shared.

The home stands at the center of a 10.46-acre estate in the Coleytown section of Westport.

Newman's daughter, Melissa, said she had fond memories of life there, including sledding down the hill with her siblings while her famous father steered a sled.

Newman's legacy in Connecticut is centered more on philanthropy than acting.

In 1982, Newman and his neighbor, the writer A.E Hotchner, started Newman's Own, the company that sold Newman's original oil-and-vinegar dressing. The company grew into a multimillion-dollar business selling popcorn, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce and other foods. All of the company's profits are donated to charities.

Later in 1988, Newman founded The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford. The camp was created for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. He then established similar camps in several other states and in Europe.

Newman's memoir is set to be released in the fall of 2022, according to the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Two vacant Ohio congressional seats were filled Thursday after Republican Mike Carey, a coal lobbyist from Columbus, and Democrat Shontel Brown, a Democratic Party leader from Cleveland, were sworn in as members of the House after Tuesday's special election.

Brown will represent the Cleveland-area seat vacated by former Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge, who stepped down to join President Joe Biden's cabinet as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Carey takes over for former Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, who resigned in April to become CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

I take this responsibility seriously, Brown said from the House floor shortly after she and Carey were jointly sworn in. I ran for Congress because I believe in the resiliency of the community I love and call home.

Carey paid homage to his roots in small-town Sabina, Ohio, and said he was humbled to stand here today to serve in the peoples' House.

Later, Brown, Carey and their families took turns making small talk while posing for photographs with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi against a backdrop of American flags.

The swearing-in ceremonies leave Democrats with a 221-213 advantage over Republicans in Congress, with Brown and Carey each retaining a seat that was held by their respective parties.

Carey, 50, was backed by former President Donald Trump. He bested two-term Democratic state Rep. Allison Russo, a public health policy consultant, in the 15th Congressional District after the most competitive race there in years.

Carey told celebrants at a victory party Tuesday, We have too many career politicians in Washington. Thats the last thing that I will ever be.

Brown, 46, coasted to victory in the heavily Democratic 11th District that stretches from Cleveland to Akron, defeating Republican Laverne Gore, a business owner and activist. For Brown, who also chairs the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, the real contest was the Democratic primary in which she bested Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator who was a top surrogate for Bernie Sander's presidential campaign. The race drew an intense media spotlight and millions of dollars in spending.

I am committed to going to Washington as a unifier, and will work with President Biden and Democratic leaders in Congress to lead a swift health and economic recovery from the pandemic for Ohioans, Brown said Tuesday.

Both winners will fill the remainder of their predecessors terms, which run until January 2023. They must face reelection again next year under a congressional map thats being redrawn to hold onto the seat.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House approved a $1 trillion package of road and other infrastructure projects late Friday after Democrats resolved a months-long standoff between progressives and moderates, notching a victory that President Joe Biden and his party had become increasingly anxious to claim.

The House passed the measure 228-206, prompting prolonged cheers from the relieved Democratic side of the chamber. Thirteen Republicans, mostly moderates, supported the legislation while six of Democrats' farthest left members  including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri  opposed it.

Approval of the bill, which would create legions of jobs and improve broadband, water supplies and other public works, whisked it to the desk of a president whose approval ratings have dropped and whose nervous party got a cold shoulder from voters in this weeks off-year elections.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates were defeated in Virginia and squeaked through in New Jersey, two blue-leaning states. Those setbacks made party leaders  and moderates and progressives alike  impatient to produce impactful legislation and demonstrate they know how to govern. Democrats can ill afford to seem in disarray a year before midterm elections that could result in Republicans regaining congressional control.

Simply freeing up the infrastructure measure for final congressional approval was a like a burst of adrenaline for Democrats. Yet despite the win, Democrats endured a setback when they postponed a vote on a second, even larger bill until later this month.

That 10-year, $1.85 trillion measure bolstering health, family and climate change programs was sidetracked after moderates demanded a cost estimate on the sprawling measure from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The postponement dashed hopes that the day would produce a double-barreled win for Biden with passage of both bills.

But in an evening breakthrough brokered by Biden and House leaders, five moderates later agreed to back that bill if CBO's estimates are consistent with preliminary numbers that White House and congressional tax analysts have provided. The agreement, in which lawmakers promised to vote on the social and environment bill by the week of Nov. 15, stood as a significant step toward a House vote that could ultimately ship it to the Senate.

Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century," Biden said in a written statement early Saturday.

The president and first lady Jill Biden delayed plans to travel Friday evening to their house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Instead, Biden spoke to House leaders, moderates and progressives, said a White House official who described the conversations on condition of anonymity.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Biden even called her mother in India, though it was unclear why.

This was not to bribe me, this is when it was all done," Jayapal told reporters. The lawmaker said her mother told her she just kept screaming like a little girl."

In a two-sentence statement, the five moderates said that if the fiscal estimates on the social and environment bill raise problems, we remain committed to working to resolve any discrepancies" to pass it. The five included Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., leader of a group of centrists who this summer repeatedly pressured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to schedule earlier votes on the infrastructure bill.

In exchange, progressives agreed to back the infrastructure measure, which they'd spent months holding hostage in an effort to pressure moderates to back the larger bill.

The day marked a rare detente between Democrats' moderate and progressive wings that party leaders hope will continue this fall. The rival factions have spent recent weeks accusing each other of jeopardizing Biden's and the party's success by overplaying their hands and expressed a deep distrust of each other.

But Friday night, Jayapal suggested they would work together moving forward.

Let me tell you, were going to trust each other because the Democratic Party is together on this. We are united that it is important for us to get both bills done," she said.

The agreement came together after the White House issued a statement from Biden explicitly urging Democrats to support both bills. I am confident that during the week of November 15, the House will pass the Build Back Better Act, he said.

When party leaders announced early in the day that the social and environment measure would be delayed, the scrambled plans cast a fresh pall over the party.

Democrats have struggled for months to take advantage of their control of the White House and Congress by advancing their top priorities. Thats been hard, in part because of Democrats slender majorities, with bitter internal divisions forcing House leaders to miss several self-imposed deadlines for votes.

Welcome to my world, Pelosi told reporters, adding, We are not a lockstep party.

Progressives had long demanded that the two massive bills be voted on together to pressure moderates to support the larger, more expansive social measure.

Democrats day turned tumultuous early after a half-dozen moderates demanded the CBO cost estimate of the sprawling package of health, education, family and climate change initiatives before they would vote for it.

Party leaders said that would take days or more. But with Fridays delayed vote and lawmakers leaving town for a weeks break, those budget estimates should be ready by the time a vote is held.

The infrastructure measure cleared the Senate in August with bipartisan support. The package would provide huge sums for highway, mass transit, broadband, airport, drinking and waste water, power grids and other projects.

But it became a pawn in the long struggle for power between progressives and moderates. Early Friday, Jayapal said the White House and Congress nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation had provided all the fiscal information lawmakers needed for the broad bill. She suggested that progressives would oppose the infrastructure bill unless the two measures were voted on together.

But that changed after the two Democratic factions reached their agreement.

House passage of the social and environment package would send it to the Senate, where it faces certain changes and more Democratic drama. Thats chiefly because of demands by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to contain the measures costs and curb or drop some of its initiatives.

Moderates have forced leaders to slash the roughly 2,100-page measure to around half its original $3.5 trillion size. Republicans oppose it as too expensive and damaging to the economy.

The package would provide large numbers of Americans with assistance to pay for health care, raising children and caring for elderly people at home. The package would provide $555 billion in tax breaks encouraging cleaner energy and electric vehicles. Democrats added provisions in recent days restoring a new paid family leave program and work permits for millions of immigrants.

Much of the packages cost would be covered with higher taxes on wealthier Americans and large corporations.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri, Kevin Freking, Aamer Madhani, Alexandra Jaffe, Mary Clare Jalonick and Brian Slodysko contributed to this report.
Tullahoma, TN (37388)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing this afternoon. High 62F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Periods of rain early. Thunder is possible early. Low 39F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Ukrainian counterintelligence operatives with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) suspect an Army colonel with top security clearance, commander of the military units, who turned out to have gained Russian citizenship, of an unauthorized gathering of classified military documents.

Thats according to the SBU press center, Ukrinform reports.

During the warranted search at the serviceman's home, hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, and a laptop containing sensitive data were found and seized as well as documents and notebooks holding classified information.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted under Part 1 of Art. 422 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (disclosure of secret military data).

Read also: SBU neutralizes extortion gang led from by mob bosses from abroad

The inquiry found that the culprit has been in contact with the active-duty servicemen of the Russian armed forces and residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Further investigation is underway to establish whether the officer had been gathering classified data in the interests of Russias intelligence.

Law enforcers are yet to press formal charges against the exposed officer, while the court is to select a measure of restraint pending investigation.

Read also: SBU nabs Russian military intelligence asset

As Ukrinform reported earlier, in June 2021, Ukrainian prosecutors filed with the court an indictment against an employee of the police classified documentation unit who is believed to have shared classified data with third persons.

im
Over the past 24 hours, Russian occupation forces committed nine ceasefire violations, four of which involved weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements.

Thats according to the press service of the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters, Ukrinform reports.

Near Maryinka, the enemy opened fire twice with 82 mm mortars. In the direction of Popasna, the adversary fired automatic machine grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and other small arms.

Ukrainian positions near Zaitseve twice came under enemy fire as the Russian occupation forces employed grenade launchers of various systems, 120 mm mortars, and 152 mm artillery.

In the area of Maiorske, the invaders twice opened fire using grenade launchers of various systems and 82 mm mortars.

Not far from Novotoshkivske, Russian mercenaries fired twice, employing grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms.

No casualties were reported among the Joint Forces. Ukrainian defenders returned fire to the enemy's armed provocations, while refraining from using weapons banned by the Minsk accords, and forced the opposing side to cease firing, reads the report on the developments in the JFO zone.

As of 7:00 Kyiv time on November 5, Ukraine military reported no new ceasefire violations by the Russian occupation forces.

According to the JFO HQ, the Ukrainian troops are monitoring the situation in the area and continue to perform tasks assigned to deter and repel Russias armed aggression.

im
Ukraine has called on the OSCE member states and the OSCE Office for Media Freedom to facilitate the release of all civic journalists and other media professionals illegally held in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

This was stated by Ukraines Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, who spoke at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, Ukrinform's own correspondent reported.

"The Russian occupation administration continues to persecute and repress free journalism. Civic journalists and other media workers are persecuted and imprisoned for their civic stance and journalistic work," Tsymbaliuk said in a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

The chair of Ukraines mission to the OSCE recalled that among the illegally held journalists are Vladyslav Yesipenko, Nariman Dzhelyal, Server Mustafayev, Timur Ibragimov, Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliyev, Remzi Bekirov, Ruslan Suleimayev, Osman Arifmetov, and Rustemov Ristem Ameykha -Usein.

In order to draw additional attention to the persecution of journalists and violations of freedom of expression by the Russian occupation administration in Crimea, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has launched an initiative to protect civic journalists, illegally held by Russia, involving international foreign public figures.

Read also: OSCE records increased presence of heavy equipment in exclusion zone

The diplomat has encouraged OSCE member states to support the initiative to facilitate the release of all illegally held civilian journalists and media professionals in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. He said the Mission also expected assistance in this crucial issue on the part of an OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

im
Ukraine has joined the Net Zero World initiative, which will help get access to the expertise of the U.S. Department of Energy for the possible implementation of pilot projects on decarbonization, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry has reported.

"Through its participation in the initiative, Ukraine will have access to the expertise of 17 research laboratories of the U.S. Department of Energy for the possible implementation of pilot projects on decarbonization. Ukraine is an equal partner of the initiative, offering in-depth cooperation in nuclear energy that will help provide Europe with affordable energy without carbon emissions," the report reads.

The Net Zero World Initiative was presented as part of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in the format of a panel discussion.

Earlier reports said that more than 40 countries, including Ukraine, have agreed to phase out their use of coal-fired power, the dirtiest fuel source, at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Major coal-using countries, including Canada, Poland, Ukraine and Vietnam, will phase out their use of coal for electricity generation, with the bigger economies doing so in the 2030s, and smaller economies doing so in the 2040s.

op
In October compared to September 2021, gas imports to Ukraine decreased by 77%, Ukrinform reports, referring to the Gas Transmission System Operator (GTSO) of Ukraine LLC.

"Gas imports decreased by 77% or 510 million cubic meters compared to the previous month. After the physical gas transit to Hungary was halted, imports from this country to Ukraine decreased 16 times, but did not stop completely due to virtual reverse [flows]. In October, 37 million cubic meters of gas was imported from Hungary, reads the report.

It is noted that the largest amount of gas imports came to Ukraine from Slovakia, whose share of total imports amounted to almost 75% (115.9 million cubic meters). Imports from Poland dropped to 1.8 million cubic meters.

In October, gas exports and re-exports increased by 81% compared to September and amounted to 479.3 million cubic meters. Customers exported 223 million cubic meters to Hungary, 191.7 million cubic meters to Slovakia, and 53.3 million cubic meters to Poland. In addition, in October, five suppliers exported 11.2 million cubic meters of gas from Ukraine to Moldova.

As reported, in September compared to August 2021, gas imports to Ukraine from Europe rose by 17% to 665 million cubic meters.

From October 1, 2021, the transit of natural gas through the territory of Ukraine in the direction of Hungary was halted.

iy
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted Law No. 0060 "On the Ratification of the Protocol between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on the Introduction of Amendments to the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on International Road Haulage of December 17, 1992."

A total of 281 MPs voted for a respective decision at a parliament meeting on Friday, November 5, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The protocol was drawn up on February 6, 2020 in Minsk in order to intensify the liberalization of international road haulage, including the exemption from international road haulage permits," the explanatory note to the law reads.

It notes that the ratification of the protocol will lead to favorable political, legal and socio-economic consequences.

The protocol provides for exemption from the permit system of non-scheduled passenger traffic and road haulage. The implementation of the protocol will provide domestic transport companies with new opportunities in carrying out their activities. In addition, Ukraine will be able to attract additional freight and passenger flows, as Belarusian transport companies will be able to perform transportation to Ukraine without permits as well.

According to the explanatory note, the absence of barriers in the form of a permit system will be a prerequisite for increasing trade between Ukraine and Belarus, and unimpeded transit is currently essential for a number of EU countries due to restrictions on transit across Poland.

In addition, the exemption from permits for non-scheduled passenger traffic will help attract additional passenger flows, which will only increase every year.

Also, the protocol will regulate the issue of increasing the length of stay of bus crew members engaged in scheduled passenger transportation and truck drivers engaged in international road haulage if they have supporting documents.

op
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried has said the U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership is a cornerstone for security, democracy and human rights in the region.

According to Ukrinform, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine reported this on Facebook.

In meetings with Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Donfried reinforced unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's aggression, the report said.

She also underscored the message that the United States remains Ukraine's close partner in efforts to achieve Euro-Atlantic integration, restore Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, and build a secure, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine.

Donfried arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, November 4.

Photo credit: U.S. Embassy in Ukraine
The newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said she would focus on the humanitarian aspect in the policy of reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories.

The statement came as Vereshchuk was speaking at a panel show on 1+1 TV Thursday, answering the question of whether she will pursue any changes in the policy of reintegration of war-torn areas in eastern Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"As for the reintegration and the processes that will take place in this case, we are talking about the humanitarian component as I will place great emphasis on this," Vereshchuk said.

She also noted her plans to pay a visit, besides Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine mainlands southern Kherson region de facto bordering with the temporarily occupied Crimea.

"If all goes well, I will go to Donbas as early as next week where Ill be meeting with people. Then its Kherson region thats in my plans. There well look into what we can actually do to help people who look out to the Ukrainian authorities and wish to get that help," Vereshchuk said. .

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on November 4, the Verkhovna Rada approved Iryna Vereshchuks appointment to the post of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.

During a briefing in the Verkhovna Rada following the vote, Vereshchuk said she intended to go for a working trip to Donetsk and Luhansk regions as early as next week.

im
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs proposals for holding a meeting of Normandy Fours top diplomats leave no doubt that the head of Russian diplomacy, in fact, continues to avoid such a meeting.

Thats according to Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba who spoke at a panel show on 1+1 TV, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Among the latest developments on the diplomatic track, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has submitted its proposals to Germany, France, and Ukraine  their vision of what the final document of a potential meeting of foreign ministers should be like," Kuleba said.

"But this document is spelled in such a way that it leaves no doubt, confirming that Minister Lavrov continues to avoid such a meeting, while were seeing intensified Russian propaganda spins and the acceleration of this hybrid war flywheel," the minister said.

Kuleba also stressed that both Paris and Berlin are aware that its Russian officials who are responsible for the delay in holding the Normandy Four foreign ministerial.

As reported, on October 31, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had handed proposals to the leaders of France, Germany, and Ukraine to meet in the Normandy format and "awaits a response."

Meanwhile, Ukraine, Germany, and France are ready to hold a new summit of the Normandy Four leaders before Angela Merkel resigns. For its part, Russia has been hindering the process. The latest such summit took place in Paris in December 2019.

im
The U.S. Department of State has officially announced the date for a meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission, which will take place on November 10 and will be chaired by Foreign Ministers Antony Blinken and Dmytro Kuleba.

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said this at a press briefing on Thursday, November 4, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We are pleased to announce that Secretary Blinken will host Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba next week for the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission. That will take place next week, on November 10th," Price said.

He recalled that the commission was established in 2008 and has been an "important mechanism" for cooperation between the two countries.

"Thirteen years later, the U.S.-Ukraine bilateral relationship has strengthened and matured, resulting in the need to refresh the Charter [on Strategic Partnership] to address the challenges of the 21st century and to reflect the elevated bilateral partnership we have with Ukraine," Price said.

He noted that the United States and Ukraine intend to continue to advance the bilateral priorities set forth in the September 1 Joint Statement on U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership.

Price also said that Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried is currently in Kyiv to meet senior leaders in the Ukrainian government.

"The meetings this week and next are an important opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to  and support for  Ukraine's independence, its sovereignty, and its territorial integrity, including in the face of ongoing Russian aggression," Price said.

op
It is time for Europe to draw up a clear roadmap for Ukraine's accession to the European Union and NATO, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

He said this at the online forum "Re:Open Zakarpattia" on Friday, November 5, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"It is time for Europe and each of us to draw up a clear roadmap for Ukraine to finally join NATO and the European Union and start writing a new history - the history of our common European success," he said.

In his speech, Kuleba noted that "the success of Ukraine as part of the European family will be the success of the region, Europe as a whole, all our international partners."

"This concerns the sustainable development of Zakarpattia region, the consolidation of the region and the creation of a stronger, more effective and capable Europe. Like all the Central European countries that are now members of the EU and NATO, we really need a clear European and Euro-Atlantic perspective in order to continue moving forward and speed up this movement," Kuleba said.

op
In case Ukraine is taken off the European Unions list of safe countries in terms of the COVID-19 spread, this will not imply a total closure of EU borders to Ukrainians.

Thats according to Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba.

"After Ukraine's exclusion from the EU's 'green list,' there will be no total shutdown of the EU borders. This is a recommendation, while the final decisions lie with every individual EU member state," Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Kuleba noted that the foreign ministry is actively working with partners to maintain maximum travel freedom for Ukrainians.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, during an online briefing on October 20, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the European Union was likely to take Ukraine off the travel list of safe countries amid the rapid increase in COVID-19 incidence.

im
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said he is convinced that Hungary will return to "loud" support for Ukraine's membership in NATO after controversial issues in bilateral relations are resolved.

He stated this at the online forum "Re:Open Zakarpattia" on Friday, November 5, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Commenting on the fact that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto did not mention Ukraine in the context of NATO's open-door policy in his speech at the Warsaw Security Forum, Kuleba said that "it was a diplomatic pin."

At the same time, he said that given the history of bilateral relations, it is in Hungary's interest to see Ukraine as a member of NATO. He also noted that Hungary "at all levels, in all possible formats" supported Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

"The dispute in our relations, first because of misunderstandings about Ukrainian educational legislation and now because of Hungary's decisions in the energy sector, stimulates some verbal correction of the signals that are being sent. But I have no doubt that after we overcome the misunderstandings we have with Hungary, it will return to loud support for Ukraine's membership in NATO," Kuleba said.

Photo credit: Re:Open Zakarpattia
Saratou and her seven children fled their village in Nigeria to the border area in Maradi, Niger, after attacks by criminal gangs.  UNHCR/Selim Meddeb Hamrouni

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed at surging violence in north-west Nigeria which has fuelled displacement into neighbouring Nigers Maradi region, where violence is also on the rise.

Fearing armed groups and communal clashes, more than 7,660 refugees have fled Nigeria into Maradi this year and another 3,500 citizens of Niger have been displaced inside the country. Most of the refugees are women and children, displaced following recent attacks in Nigerias Sokoto state.

The Maradi region, in southern Niger, now hosts nearly 100,000 displaced people, including 77,000 Nigerian refugees, who have fled relentless attacks in Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.

UNHCR commends the generosity of Niger as it continues to grant access to asylum, despite border restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNHCR teams in Niger have recorded a spike in deadly violence inside Maradi itself, with more casualties and serious incidents reported in January and February 2021 than in the second half 2020. Refugees describe gruesome murders, kidnappings for ransom, and looted villages. Many have also been caught up in clashes between farmers and herders as well as vigilantism, as self-defence groups are being set up in most villages.

People fleeing are in urgent need of water, food, shelter, and health services. Most have fled empty handed in the rush to save their lives.

UNHCR is providing life-saving assistance and protection and has scaled up border monitoring activities. Our teams are also registering new arrivals to identify people with vulnerabilities and other specific needs.

We are working closely with Nigerien authorities to relocate refugees away from the border and into safer localities where basic assistance and services are available. Since October 2019, some 11,320 refugees have been relocated to other villages where UNHCR and its partners have strengthened water, health, sanitation, and education infrastructure for the displaced and their hosts, helping to ease pressure on communities who have shown incredible generosity but have limited means.

Armed groups in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions have been fuelling one of the worlds fastest growing displacement and protection crises. To date, more than 3.2 million people have been displaced by violence in the Lake Chad Basin.

Humanitarian efforts to respond to the emergency are dangerously overstretched UNHCRs Lake Chad Basin operation requires US$128.6 million and is only 10 per cent funded. UNHCR is urging the international community to boost support for the region and to help governments root out the causes of this forced displacement and to boost strategic and sustainable development.

News footage is available below for media and broadcasters.

Rampant attacks in north-west Nigeria displace thousands in first two months of the year - BROLL: https://media.unhcr.org/Share/tlqr1s662s2k120ei6rs4l4w35tf25l0

For more information on this topic, please contact:
An asylum seeker holds her baby as she prepares to board a bus taking them to the airport for a flight out of Libya.  UNHCR/Mohamed Alalem

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, evacuated 172 vulnerable asylum-seekers out of Libya to safety in Niger on the evening of 4 November. It was the first evacuation flight to Niger in more than a year, after the Libyan authorities lifted a blanket ban on humanitarian flights.

UNHCR is relieved to see the resumption of these life-saving evacuation flights, said the agencys Chief of Mission in Libya, Jean-Paul Cavalieri. However, considering the limited number of places, evacuation can only be a solution for extremely vulnerable people, in urgent need of security and protection.

Many of those evacuated had previously been detained in extremely dire conditions, were victims of trafficking or had experienced violence in Libya. The group included families, children traveling alone, and a baby born just a few weeks ago. Evacuees said they were relieved to be leaving Libya.

UNHCR welcomes the intervention of the Libyan Presidential Council, the Prime Ministers Office, the Foreign Ministry and the Attorney Generals Office, who worked to end the suspension of the lifesaving humanitarian flights.

The evacuation took place through the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) established in 2017 thanks to the Government of Niger, which generously agreed to temporarily receive on its territory refugees facing life-threatening situations in Libya so that UNHCR can work on identifying durable solutions for each of them.

In Niger, UNHCR provides mental health care support to those who have faced traumatic events while in Libya, as well as access to educational and vocational training opportunities. So far, 3,361 refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from Libya to Niger, of whom 3,213 have departed from Niger to third countries on resettlement and complementary pathways.

News footage is available below for media and broadcasters:

For more information please contact:
A formerly stateless family display their newly-obtained identity documents at their home in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.  UNHCR/Didor Saidulloyev

More action is needed to resolve the plight of millions around the world who are still without citizenship, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, urged today as it marked seven years since the launch of its #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness.

Significant progress has been made over the past few years, but governments must do more to close the legal and policy gaps that continue to leave millions of people stateless or allow children to be born into statelessness, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Statelessness, or the situation of not being recognized as a citizen by any country, affects millions of people around the world. Stateless people cannot often access the most basic of rights, including being able to go to school, work legally, access health services, marry, or register the birth of a child.

Since UNHCR launched its #IBelong campaign in 2014 to raise attention and advocate for an end to global statelessness, more than 400,000 stateless people in 27 countries have acquired nationality, while tens of thousands of people across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas now have a pathway to citizenship as a result of newly enacted legislative changes.

Over the past seven years, 29 states have acceded to the Statelessness Conventions, signalling strengthened political will to end statelessness.

We are encouraged by this global momentum to tackle statelessness, which with concerted efforts by States, we can eradicate. But unless progress accelerates, the millions who remain deprived of a nationality will be stuck in a human rights limbo, unable to access the most basic rights, said Grandi.

Statelessness has many causes which are typically the result of gaps or flaws in nationality laws, and how they are implemented. Discrimination  including on the basis of ethnicity, religion and gender  is a major driver of statelessness.

Because they are not recognized as citizens, stateless people are often deprived of legal rights or basic services. This leaves them politically and economically marginalized and vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and abuse. They may also not be able to access COVID-19 testing, treatment or vaccination, and may have little access to support or protection in the face of climate risks.

Governments hold power to enact legal and policy reforms that can help stateless people on their territory acquire citizenship or prevent statelessness from occurring in the first place, sometimes with the stroke of a pen, or a relatively simple legal change. It remains an easily avoidable and solvable issue.

UNHCRs decade long #IBelong campaign calls on states to end statelessness by 2024.

Background notes for editors:

Worldwide, UNHCRs statistical reporting counts 4.2 million stateless people in some 94 countries. Given that most countries do not collect any data on statelessness, the actual figure is believed to be substantially higher.

To date, 96 States are party to the 1954 UN Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, and 77 are party to the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Since the start of the #IBelong Campaign:

1 State, Kyrgyzstan resolved all known cases of statelessness and 11 others made progress towards resolving major situations of statelessness.

17 States have also established statelessness determination procedures to identify stateless people on their territory, with some offering a facilitated pathway to citizenship.

12 States have created processes to facilitate naturalizing stateless migrants.

14 States have amended their nationality laws to grant nationality to children born in their territory who would otherwise be stateless.

2 States have reformed their nationality laws to allow mothers to confer nationality to their children on an equal basis with fathers.

Support our work

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Finn Washburn, 9, receives an injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, as his sister, Piper Washburn, 6, waits her turn. The U.S. entered a new phase Wednesday in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with shots now available to millions of elementary-age children. Vaccine clinics for children in Walla Walla County begin Saturday, Nov. 6.
Representative Brad Klippert speaks to hundreds of people who gathered in a north Richland parking lot along Stevens Drive on Wednesday to rally against the federal vaccine mandate on behalf of Hanford and PNNL workers.
Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel stands amid the debris of plastic hoop houses destroyed by law enforcement, used to grow cannabis illegally, near Selma, Ore., on June 16, 2021. Over 100 workers, most or all of them immigrants, were found at the site.
Mrs. Evelyn Holland Reddick Dixon, 81, passed away on Nov. 14, 2021. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, at 11 a.m. in the Williams Funeral Home Chapel in Milledgeville. A burial service will be held at 2 p.m. in the Alligood Cemetery in Laurens County. The family wil
(@FahadShabbir)

Boeing has agreed to pay about $225 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit that claimed the company's directors failed to monitor safety issues related to the crashes of two 737 MAX planes, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing informed sources

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th November, 2021) Boeing has agreed to pay about $225 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit that claimed the company's directors failed to monitor safety issues related to the crashes of two 737 MAX planes, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing informed sources.

The agreed payments will reportedly be transferred to the group's accounts out of the directors' insurance funds.

As part of the settlement, Boeing also decided to hire an ombudsman to deal with the company's internal affairs. According to the Wall Street Journal, it also intends to appoint a person with wide aviation security experience to the board of directors.

The newspaper notes that the agreement does not mean that Boeing directors pleaded guilty.

The proposed settlement is expected to be approved by Delaware's Court of Chancery, which was filed with the lawsuit in February.

Two Boeing 737 MAX passenger airlines crashed, one in Indonesia in October 2018 and the other in Ethiopia in March 2019, killing a combined 346 people. The use of the 737 MAX was suspended worldwide. Boeing admitted that in both cases, there was a malfunction in the maneuverability enhancement system before the planes crashed.
Canada's jobless rate posted its fifth straight monthly decline in October, dropping to 6.7 percent, its lowest level since the start of the pandemic, the government reported Friday

Montreal, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Canada's jobless rate posted its fifth straight monthly decline in October, dropping to 6.7 percent, its lowest level since the start of the pandemic, the government reported Friday.

Statistics Canada said employment remained steady last month as the economy added 31,000 jobs.

Employment increases in industries including retail trade were offset by declines in accommodation and food services, the agency said.

October's jobless rate is one percentage point above that of February 2020, before the start of the pandemic.

"The effect of population aging continues to shape the overall labour force participation rate" as among people 65 and older it is substantially lower than among younger people, the agency said.

Among those 25 to 54, the labour force participation rate was 88.2 percent, the highest level since 1976.

"The future supply of workers, and the possibility of shortages impeding economic growth and innovation, is one of the most central questions facing the Canadian labour market," Statistics Canada said.
(@FahadShabbir)

A team of Education department's officials inspected the school and found hidden cameras there inside the washroom for its teaching staff in Karachi.

KARACHI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Nov 5th, 2021) Sindh School Education departments vigilant team found hidden cameras in the washroom for the teaching staff of a private school on Friday.

The hidden cameras inside the washroom surprised the vigilant team.

According to the reports, the School Education department issued show-cause notice to the private schools administration.

The officials said that videos of women were being made with the hidden cameras installed inside the washroom. The several women had lodged a complaint with the education department regarding the cameras.

After that, a team of education department officials had visited the school on Wednesday to check.

They found hidden cameras from the washroom during their visit, the officials confirmed, adding that a vigilance team has submitted a report on the hidden cameras to the education department.
A ground-breaking vaccine against malaria has stoked hopes in Africa of rolling back a disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them youngsters

Abidjan, Nov 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :A ground-breaking vaccine against malaria has stoked hopes in Africa of rolling back a disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them youngsters.

Since 2019, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have immunised more than 800,000 children under a pilot programme using the RTS,S vaccine.

It is the first to show significant protection against the parasite-borne disease, cutting the risk of severe malaria by 30 percent, trials have shown.

On October 9, the World Health Organization (WHO), after sifting through the results of the pilot scheme, recommended the vaccine for children aged above five months in locations with malaria risk.

Some 260,000 children under five die from malaria each year in Africa, which accounts for about 90 percent of the global caseload.

"From a scientific perspective this is a massive breakthrough," said Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Djermakoye Hadiza Jackou, coordinator of Niger's National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP), said the WHO announcement was "welcomed with great joy." "This is something that was eagerly awaited." - 'Super excited' - Pointing to a major issue in vaccine rollouts, the WHO said it found "strong" public demand for the jab. The vaccine is made by the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), with the commercial name of Mosquirix.

Many parents who spoke to AFP also warmly supported the vaccine, although some were hesitant about possible side effects.

"I'm super excited about it," said Hajia Aminu Bawa in southern Ghana's Gomoa region, the mother of an 11-month-old girl.

"My child took the vaccine and nothing happened... I want to encourage every family with children below age two to go for the vaccine because it will go a long way to save lives." The vaccine aims to trigger the immune system to defend against the first stages of malaria.

The WHO says that the main side effects can include soreness at the injection site and fever, a similar reaction seen in other vaccines given to children.

Prince Gyamfi, the mother of a six-month-old boy in Gomoa, said she didn't hesitate to get her child vaccinated.

"I have read about vaccines and how they work. I voluntarily came to vaccinate my child and so far nothing has happened," she said.

"Some people discouraged me from giving him the vaccine because they said it's new and can kill him but I think they said it out of ignorance." In Niger, which was not included in the pilot programme, AFP spoke to a mother named Fati, who was waiting outside a private clinic in Niamey, where her child was hospitalised with a new bout of malaria.

"When the vaccine arrives, it will be a great relief," she said.

"Malaria kills our children and it doesn't spare their parents, either." - Unhealthy conditions - In neighbouring Burkina Faso, another vaccine developed by Britain's University of Oxford in cooperation with the US firm Novavax has also shown promising effectiveness after a clinical trial in 2019.

But Niger's Jackou and others cautioned against reliance on just a partial vaccine shield.

It is crucial to maintain time-honoured prevention techniques such as distributing insecticide-treated bed nets and early use of drugs to treat infection, they said.

In Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, these methods have been widely introduced since 2014, "reducing malaria-linked deaths by 25 to 30 percent," said Wilfried Sawadogo, a local doctor.

Another enduring problem in malarial regions in sub-Saharan Africa is drainage -- fighting the conditions that enable the Anopheles mosquito to breed and spread the parasite when it bites a human for a meal.

"If we die of malaria in Africa, it is because we live in totally unhealthy conditions, which means mosquitoes," said Ousmane Danbadji, a sanitation specialist in Niger.

- Who will pay? - The WHO announcement has raised the big issues of access to money and technology.

"Who is going to finance (a rollout)? Is the international community willing? That's the first question. And will there be sufficient quantities?" asked Serge Assi, a researcher at the Pierre Richet Institute in Bouake in central Ivory Coast.

Christian Happi, director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Ede, southwest Nigeria, said it was time for Africa to manufacture the vaccine and not just buy it.

"It is now up to Africa to grasp this technology, this knowledge, and produce vaccines rather than import them," he said.

"This is a major challenge."
Conakry, Nov 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Guinea's coup leaders accused political parties and activists on Thursday of "disturbing public order and social peace" in the West African country.

These groups aim to "undermine the peace and quiet of Guineans and damage the ongoing peaceful transition", the junta, which calls itself the National Rally Committee for Development (CNRD), said in a statement read on state television.

Though the announcement did not name the allegedly destabilising groups, it came after a press conference called by deposed president Alpha Conde's party.

The former president of the National Assembly asked the junta to release Conde, 83, who has been under house arrest since he was overthrown.

A 41-year-old former French legionnaire seized power on September 5, accusing Conde of corruption and authoritarianism.

Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, sworn in as interim president last month, has promised to "re-found" the Guinean state and hold elections at the end of a transition period of unspecified length.

The junta has so far dissolved the government and institutions and replaced ministers, governors and prefects with administrators and soldiers.

On October 6, Doumbouya appointed a transitional prime minister, Mohamed Beavogui, a former UN under-secretary-general.

Anyone taking part in the interim administration will not be able to stand in the polls, according to the junta.

Conde became Guinea's first democratically elected leader in 2010, but last year sparked mass protests when he changed the constitution to allow himself to seek a third term. Though Conde was re-elected, his critics denounced the poll as a sham.
Lisbon, Nov 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov was beaten by a supercomputer -- but when it comes to artificial intelligence, he is firmly convinced that it's the humans who pose the real threat.

Kasparov has remained fascinated by technology since his famous matches against IBM's Deep Blue computer in the 1990s.

When he wasn't busy taking on 10 simultaneous chess opponents at Lisbon's Web Summit this week -- handily beating them all in 45 minutes -- he spoke to AFP about AI's growing role in society.

"We live in a world where machines are playing bigger and bigger roles. Whether you like it or not, it's happening," he said.

"There is simply no evidence that machines are threatening us. The real danger comes not from killer robots but from people -- because people still have a monopoly on evil." The true threat, the Kremlin critic says, comes from "the dictatorial, totalitarian countries and the terrorists who will use this technology to harm us".

While Terminator-style robo-assassins remain the stuff of science fiction, human rights groups are already pushing for international laws to restrict the use of so-called "killer robots", predicting that AI will transform warfare in the years to come.

At the Web Summit, meanwhile, tech gurus have spent the week discussing more positive potential applications of AI, from intelligent chatbots that boost our mental health to sorting plastic waste.

- 'It will be painful' - Kasparov might be described as a techno-optimist, but he does not totally dismiss the fears of AI naysayers who worry that robots will replace jobs once done by humans, from factory workers to truck drivers.

"It will be painful, no doubt about it. I don't want to sound callous -- people will lose jobs. But look at the big picture," he said.

"Humanity always wins with more technology brought in." He pointed to the speed at which vaccines were developed in response to Covid-19, a lightning effort compared to work fighting earlier diseases, as something that made him hopeful about the power of innovation.

But he called for better regulation worldwide to help limit the negative impact of social media and other evolving technologies.

"What I want is a good public debate that will end up with recommendations to the government," he said.

"Because it's governments who could make legislation to force corporations to start doing things that will minimise the damage." He spoke amid growing international calls for the immense power of tech giants like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon to be reined in.

Facebook in particular has faced intense criticism over leaked documents showing that company executives knew about their sites' potential to harm people's safety on numerous fronts.

Kasparov suggested that authorities have struggled to regulate fast enough to keep up with the social media revolution partly "because governments look at big tech as a source of income".

However we end up regulating social networks, he predicted that no legislation can totally eliminate the harm it causes, from hate speech to making teenagers feel bad about themselves.

"Anybody who tells you we can eliminate it, it's absolutely impossible," he said.

"Because social platforms are the kind of business where conflict is built-in."
Cancn, Mexico, Nov 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :A shooting involving rival gangs on a beach near Mexico's Caribbean resort of Cancun left two suspected drug dealers dead on Thursday and sparked panic among foreign tourists.

The armed clash, the second to shake Mexico's Riviera Maya in recent weeks, is another blow to a tourism industry still recovering from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

"There was a confrontation between members of opposing groups of drug dealers on a beach in Bahia Petempich, Puerto Morelos," the Quintana Roo state attorney general's office tweeted.

"Two of them lost their lives," it said.

No tourists were seriously injured or kidnapped, the Quintana Roo public security department reported.

Tourists staying in hotels next to the beach described how people ran for cover after shots were fired.

"Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun," tweeted Mike Sington, a tourist from the United States staying at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort.

"Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens." Videos posted on social media showed dozens of tourists, some in bathing suits, waiting in the hotel lobby along with staff.

"People are hugging each other and crying," said Sington, who describes himself as a former senior executive at NBC Universal.

Forensic service personnel, as well as members of the National Guard, arrived at the scene while a military helicopter flew overhead, an AFP reporter saw.

Looking tense and covering their faces, employees evacuated the hotel on company buses.

Mexico is plagued by cartel-related bloodshed that has seen more than 300,000 people murdered since the government deployed the military in the war on drugs in 2006.

While the Riviera Maya, home to Cancun and other leading resorts including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, is generally considered safer than much of the country, there has been an increase in violence.

Last month, two tourists from Germany and India were killed in a shootout between suspected drug dealers in Tulum, while several others were injured.

In 2017, three foreigners were among five killed in a shooting at an electronic music festival in Playa del Carmen.

The incidents have led European countries and the United States to warn their citizens about the risks of visiting the Mexican Caribbean, among the world's top beach destinations.

Other major Mexican destinations, including the Pacific coastal city of Acapulco, have also faced serious security problems for years.

Tourism represents 8.5 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product and is the main economic activity in the southeast region, which includes the Riviera Maya.

Although Mexico has remained open to foreigners during the Covid-19 pandemic, a slump in visitor numbers has taken a heavy toll on the country's tourism industry.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at Governor House here on Friday

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at Governor House here on Friday.

They, on the occasion, discussed overall political situation in the country, ongoing development projects in Sindh province and other issues of mutual interests.

The Governor said that the Federal government was fully cooperating for the development of the metropolis.

The Foreign Minister said that the federal government was following the vision of equal development across the country.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin on Friday expressed government's resolve for the development and progress of the Gilgit-Baltistan

ISLAMABAD, Nov 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin on Friday expressed government's resolve for the development and progress of the Gilgit-Baltistan.

In a virtual meeting with Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khursheed, the advisor reemphasized that the development of GB was the top priority of the present government.

He said, the Federal government was ready to support Gilgit-Baltistan government for the provision of funds.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan apprised the advisor on the financial constraints of the GB administration during the current financial year for the timely completion of public welfare projects and to ensure good governance.

He also thanked the adviser for his support and encouragement.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Nigerian security forces Friday rescued six people who had been seized at a university near the capital's international airport, police said

Abuja, Nov 5 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Nigerian security forces Friday rescued six people who had been seized at a university near the capital's international airport, police said.

The victims were kidnapped Tuesday from the University of Abuja in Giri, raising fears for security around the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport some 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.

"All abducted victims of the University of Abuja were rescued and reunited with their families," Abuja police spokeswoman Josephine Adeh said in a statement.

After the incident, Adeh had confirmed that six people were abducted "by criminals." The university said on its Facebook page that those taken were four staff members and their children.

Police said Friday that the hostages were rescued in the "early hours of today" in a joint operation by security agencies.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation of some 210 million inhabitants, is struggling with widespread criminality.

Gunmen known locally as bandits have increasingly targeted schools and universities in recent months.

Gangs have kidnapped at least 950 students since December, according to the UN.

Most of the victims are released after negotiations with the captors. The gangs are not known to have any ideological motivation.

The violence is just one of the challenges facing President Muhammadu Buhari's government, also battling a 12-year-old insurgency in the northeast and separatist agitation in the southeast.
The military coalition in Yemen said Friday it has killed another 126 Huthi rebels in the past 24 hours in raids around the northern pro-government stronghold of Marib

Marib, Yemen, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :The military coalition in Yemen said Friday it has killed another 126 Huthi rebels in the past 24 hours in raids around the northern pro-government stronghold of Marib.

The coalition, which backs Yemen's internationally recognised government, has reported near-daily strikes over the past month against the Huthis, each time claiming high losses.

The rebels, who have for months waged an offensive against the government stronghold, rarely comment on losses. AFP cannot independently verify the tolls.

On Friday, the coalition said its strikes "destroyed 16 military vehicles and eliminated 126 terrorists", the official Saudi SPA news agency reported.
The European Union on Friday warned Britain of "serious consequences" if London makes good on a threat to try to suspend part of the Brexit treaty dealing with Northern Ireland

Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :The European Union on Friday warned Britain of "serious consequences" if London makes good on a threat to try to suspend part of the Brexit treaty dealing with Northern Ireland.

The two sides are locked in talks seeking to resolve problems caused by the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland agreed as part of the Britain's acrimonious departure from the bloc.

The EU has offered to ease customs checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom, a key point of anger for pro-British parties in the province.

But London says it could move to suspend the protocol unless Brussels agrees to more sweeping changes to rewrite the accord.

"This was a big move by us, but until today we have seen no move at all from the UK side," said European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic after a fresh round of talks with Britain's Brexit minister David Frost in Brussels.

"I find this disappointing, and once again, I urge the UK government to engage with us sincerely." Sefcovic hit back at threats from the UK to trigger Article 16 of the agreement that could lead to its suspension.

"There'll be no doubt that triggering Article 16 to seek the renegotiation of the protocol would have serious consequences -- serious for Northern Ireland... and serious also for the EU-UK relations in general," he said.

He said the two sides would hold talks again in London next Friday, adding "I see next week as an important one".

- Talks on 'gaps' - The differences over Northern Ireland have embittered relations between Brussels and London and risk causing a trade war that could bring bilateral trade to a standstill.

A British government statement after the talks said progress has been "limited", but added "these gaps could still be bridged through further intensive discussions".

"The EU's proposals did not currently deal effectively with the fundamental difficulties in the way the protocol was operating," the statement said.

Britain has previously threatened to use Article 16 if the EU does not redraw the protocol. Europe could retaliate a month later under the terms of the treaty.

A European diplomat said Brussels was increasingly readying itself for the possibility London could trigger Article 16 and warned of a "strong reaction" from the EU if that happened.

The diplomat said that might involve Brussels suspending the overall post-Brexit trade deal -- a move that could plunge ties between the two sides to an acrimonious low and take them back to square one.

The dispute over Northern Ireland comes as Britain and France are locked in another furious post-Brexit dispute over fishing rights.

The row has added to a litany of problems between the Channel neighbours in the wake of Brexit that has plunged relations to a level of rancour rarely seen in recent years.
BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th November, 2021) German acting Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called on the parties to the conflict in Ethiopia to immediately cease hostilities.

"The conflict in northern Ethiopia has dangerously escalated a year after its eruption. All the warring sides must immediately cease the hostilities. As earlier, Germany and its partners are calling for negotiations and the peaceful resolution of the conflict," Maas said on late Thursday, as quoted by his press service.

He called on the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) to stop the offensive, and on the Ethiopian government to end airstrikes and calls for the mobilization.

Maas also pointed out the need to ensure humanitarian access to the conflict-hit regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar.

On Tuesday, the Ethiopian government declared a national state of emergency as part of measures to protect the population from the advance of the TPLF.

The Ethiopian government and TPLF rebels have been engaged in year-long hostilities over control of the northern part of the country.

The rebels are now moving southward and took control of the town of Kombolcha on October 31, less than 370 kilometers (230 miles) north of Addis Ababa. The authorities have called on the Addis Ababa residents to use weapons to defend their neighborhoods.
An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts will visit Japan from November 9-12 to collect samples from the coastal waters near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, according to a statement published on the agency's website on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th November, 2021) An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts will visit Japan from November 9-12 to collect samples from the coastal waters near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, according to a statement published on the agency's website on Friday.

"IAEA experts will visit Japan next week to collect samples of seawater, marine sediment and fishery products from coastal waters in Fukushima Prefecture. The goal is to support the quality assurance of radioactivity data collection and analysis by Japanese laboratories involved in a project initiated in 2014," the statement said.

The mission team will include two specialists from the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco and three experts from the Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity.

In addition to taking samples from the coastal waters, the experts also plan to examine fish from the markets in Fukushima Prefecture.

The mission will become the 11th IAEA visit to the prefecture to collect marine samples for radioactivity analyses. It will be carried out under recommendations on decommissioning of the plant and marine monitoring, made by the IAEA International Peer Review Mission in 2013.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility experienced core meltdowns as a result of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. The 2011 accident was the worst at a nuclear power plant since the Chernobyl accident a quarter of a century earlier.
Iceland on Friday said it would tighten its Covid rules as it battles a rise in new cases, including capping gatherings and mandating masks in crowded areas

Reykjavik, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Iceland on Friday said it would tighten its Covid rules as it battles a rise in new cases, including capping gatherings and mandating masks in crowded areas.

The new measures were announced after the World Health Organization said Thursday that Europe was facing an alarming surge in cases, warning another 500,000 could die by February.

Iceland has recorded 179 new infections in the past 24 hours, a record since the start of the pandemic, according to health authorities.

"It's uncomfortable to see how steep the curve is and the increase is greater than what we've seen before," health minister Svandis Svavarsdottir told reporters following a ministerial meeting.

The government said one-metre social distancing should be maintained in all public spaces.
(@FahadShabbir)

President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard received a three-year sentence on Friday for assaulting two young demonstrators during an anti-capitalist protest in 2018, an incident that caused deep embarrassment for the president

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard received a three-year sentence on Friday for assaulting two young demonstrators during an anti-capitalist protest in 2018, an incident that caused deep embarrassment for the president.

Alexandre Benalla -- who will not see the inside of a prison after the court suspended two of the three years and ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet for one year -- was also convicted of faking documents and illegally carrying a firearm.

Macron, who had made integrity in office a cornerstone of his 2017 election campaign, fired Benalla after a video emerged showing him striking a young man and grabbing a young woman by the neck at a May Day protest in Paris.

The former bouncer, now aged 30, was wearing a police helmet, even though he had only been given leave to attend the protest as an observer.

"Benallagate" ballooned into the first major test for Macron's presidency, which was accused of a cover-up for failing to report Benalla to the police until French daily Le Monde revealed the existence of the video two months after the incident.

Benalla denied the charges at his trial, saying he had acted "by reflex" to help officers arrest unruly protesters.

Benalla started working as a bodyguard for Macron in 2016 and was promoted to a senior security role after Macron's May 2017 victory, becoming a trusted confidant and right-hand man seen at Macron's side in countless photos.

After the scandal broke, Benalla also admitted carrying a handgun during outings with Macron, even though he was only authorised to have it within Macron's party headquarters, where he was nicknamed "Rambo".

Investigators found that he continued to use diplomatic passports for trips to Africa and Israel, where he was trying to build up a consulting business.

He was also found guilty of using faked documents to obtain one of the passports.

Reading out the verdict, presiding judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said that Benalla seemed to believe he could act with "impunity" and "felt all-powerful" during and after his work for the president.

"You were given a certain power, that was real as far as your job went, and assumed because you were close to the president," she said. "You betrayed the trust that you were granted through this appointment." A former senior campaign official described Benalla "as someone who could fix all the practical problems very efficiently. He thought of everything, he was our Swiss Army knife." He also secured perks usually reserved for top administration officials, including an apartment near the Elysee Palace and access to the National Assembly and its private gym and library.

Macron's government survived two no-confidence votes in parliament following the scandal, but a Senate investigative panel that questioned key Macron aides found "major flaws" in the administration's handling of the affair.

Friday's sentence was harsher than the punishment requested by prosecutors who had asked for an 18-month suspended prison term for Benalla during his trial in September.
Mali's former head of domestic intelligence has been charged on suspicion of attempting a coup, and others are also being investigated, legal sources in the troubled Sahel state said Friday

Bamako, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Mali's former head of domestic intelligence has been charged on suspicion of attempting a coup, and others are also being investigated, legal sources in the troubled Sahel state said Friday.

The public prosecutor's office in the capital Bamako said it had opened an investigation into Colonel Kassoum Goita, the country's ex-head of internal security.

Five other men including a police commissioner are also being probed on suspicion of criminal association, attempted murder and "conspiracy against the government," the statement added.

A legal source, who declined to be named, told AFP that all six had been arrested on suspicion they were planning a coup.

Col. Goita is one of the army officers who overthrew elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in an August 2020 military putsch, led by Colonel Assimi Goita.

Under diplomatic pressure, the army subsequently handed power to a civilian-led interim government tasked with steering Mali back towards civilian rule.

Kassoum Goita became the head domestic intelligence under this government.

However he was dismissed after Assimi Goita overthrew the leaders of the interim government in May, in a second putsch, and was declared interim president himself.

The two men share the family name of Goita but it was not immediately known if they are related.
Jacinda Ardern has warned the Glasgow climate summit is "make or break" in the fight to curb global warming, saying the world is now paying the price for decades of procrastination

Wellington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :Jacinda Ardern has warned the Glasgow climate summit is "make or break" in the fight to curb global warming, saying the world is now paying the price for decades of procrastination.

The New Zealand leader called for the UN-brokered talks to result in immediate and meaningful action, adding "we're definitely at a point now where it's moved beyond targets".

"Glasgow is critical and I think everyone has recognised this juncture we're at," she told AFP in an interview conducted in partnership with Covering Climate Now, the New Zealand Herald and NBC news.

"This is the moment where it will be make or break for those ambitions that we've seen around 1.5 degrees.

"We know what falling short of 1.5 degrees means for the rest of the world, for ourselves and our region." Ardern said climate change was already fuelling extreme weather in New Zealand and neighbouring Pacific atolls faced inundation as rising waters overran their protective seawalls.

"For us, it's in our backyard, and it does make it immediate," said the 41-year-old, who has previously described the issue as a life-and-death generational challenge.

- 'Steep drop to the bottom' - The Glasgow talks have brought together negotiators from 196 countries in the biggest climate conference since a landmark meeting in Paris in 2015.

Delegates in Scotland's largest city are tasked with bringing to reality the ambitious goal set in Paris of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.

While unable to attend personally because she is hosting this month's APEC economic summit -- and is dealing with a Covid-19 crisis at home -- Ardern has released policies she says put New Zealand at the vanguard of climate action.

They include halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, quadrupling foreign aid for climate mitigation projects and forcing financial markets to reveal how their investments impact global warming.

Ardern admitted New Zealand, like many countries, had long talked a big game on climate change, then failed to back up its rhetoric.

"For a number of decades, targets were set but investment and changes were not made to align with it and help us achieve that," she said.

The centre-left leader, who took office in 2017, said her government was committed to climate action regardless of what other countries were doing or the prospect of domestic blowback over its economic cost.

"We can't get ourselves into a situation where our action is reliant on the action of others, because who pays the price in that game, but all of us?" she said.

"It's not enough to simply say, 'we'll wait until everyone else does their bit'. I've heard that argument. We have to do ours now, lest we all end up on a steep drop to the bottom." - Criticism - However environmental groups have criticised New Zealand's climate policies, notably for excluding its lucrative but heavily polluting agricultural sector from plans to achieve zero net emission by 2050.

Greenpeace Aotearoa's Christine Rose said the sector accounted for almost half of New Zealand's emissions -- largely through methane from livestock -- and excluding it rendered the government climate pledges "meaningless".

"Unless we take action to address agricultural emissions now, the heavy lifting is left to the rest of us while agribusiness continues to profit from pollution," Rose said.

Climate activists Generation Zero also last month called New Zealand's policies a "disgrace", citing the failure to take into account agriculture.

And Greta Thunberg has panned Ardern, saying the prime minister was not a climate leader.

Ardern said she stood by her record, while defending the young Swedish activist's right to speak out on behalf of her generation.

"In my view, the world needs those who are out there holding us to account because this is not just about 'set a target, walk away and hope for the best' -- those activists are seeking tangible changes now," she said.

Ardern said it was important to consider the plight of those on the frontline of climate change, such as Pacific islanders dealing with increasingly violent cyclones, ocean warming and coastal erosion.

She was hopeful such voices had been heard in by the delegates debating the planet's future in Glasgow.

"I will always be an optimist, and so I want to wait and see what we're able to generate out of COP," she said.
A record-breaking number of 853 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats on a single day this week, the UK's interior ministry said Friday

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Nov, 2021 ) :A record-breaking number of 853 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats on a single day this week, the UK's interior ministry said Friday.

The Home Office said that UK authorities had rescued or intercepted at least 853 migrants in 25 separate incidents on Wednesday.

This exceeded the previous highest figure of 828 set in late August and is the highest number since the crisis began.

The past three years have seen a significant rise in attempted Channel crossings by migrants, despite warnings of the dangers in the busy shipping lane between northern France and southern England, which is subject to strong currents and low temperatures.

According to a count by Britain's domestic news agency PA, more than 21,000 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.

Attempted crossings increased this week due to favourable weather and excellent visibility as well as migrants wanting to get over before the winter.

French authorities said that more than 400 people were rescued on Wednesday when several vessels sank in the Channel while one man drowned and another migrant was missing.

On Thursday, a migrant's body was found in a boat that washed up on the French shore near Calais with two other passengers aboard suffering from hypothermia.

The issue of policing migrants wanting to cross the Channel is a constant source of friction between France and the UK.

The UK government is pushing through new legislation that would significantly toughen penalties against such migration, and Home Secretary Priti Patel says she is reviewing maritime tactics to deter people-smugglers.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th November, 2021) The Somalian authorities declared Simon Mulongo, the African Union Commission for Somalia (AMISOM) deputy special representative, a persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within a week, the country's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

"The ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the federal government of Somalia commends the African Union Commission and we are honoured the commission that the following person has been designated a 'persona non grata' and has been instructed to leave Somalia within 7 days," a ministerial letter to the African Union read, as cited by the Horn Observer media outlet.

The reason behind Mulongo's expulsion is his alleged engagement "in activities incompatible with AMISOM mandate and Somali security strategy," the letter added.

Somalian Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdirizak took to Twitter to comment on the issue.

"The FGS (the Federal Government of Somalia) will hold accountable AMISOM personel, particularly those at the leadership level, who are expected to be beyond reproach in their integrity as they discharge their duty under the UN/AU mandate," Abdirizak tweeted.

AMISOM was formed in 2007 to train the Somalian Armed Forces, ensure the provision of humanitarian aid and promote political stability in the country.
In this episode of the Checkerboard Chat, Josh Lane, Ethan Stone, Riley Thomas and Andrew Peters talk Georgia, South Alabama and a potential bowl game, men's and women's basketball, Tennessee soccer and more!
Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Morning clouds will give way to afternoon sunshine. High around 75F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
Lincoln, RI (02865)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. High 56F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
The Papal foundation that supports persecuted Christians across the world approves two new projects for displaced Christians. They will help those fleeing Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique, and Nigeria's Borno state.

By Lisa Zengarini

The Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), will launch two newly approved projects to help Christian communities fleeing Islamist militias in Nigeria and Mozambique. Over the past years, the upsurge of attacks by local and transnational Jihadi groups in several African countries has forced thousands of people to leave their homes and livelihoods causing major humanitarian crises. Among them, Mozambique and Nigeria are the most hit by the violence.

The conflict in Cabo Delgado

Since 2020 northern Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado has seen an escalation of attacks by Islamist insurgents linked to the so-called Islamic State targeting state authorities, the military, police forces, and civilians, both Christian and Muslim. Two-thirds of these attacks have been carried out against civilians, displacing an estimated 730,000 people since 2017, when the insurgency began.

Boko Haram in Nigeria

Similarly, in Nigeria local communities have been exposed for over ten years to terrorist attacks and kidnappings by Boko Haram Islamist militias in the context of long-standing issues of religious and ethnic violence. Violence escalated dramatically in 2014, with over 10,000 killed, while the terrorist group which has more recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, has drastically expanded its territories.

The two projects

In this context, ACN is sponsoring two new projects to help Catholics fleeing Islamic violence in the two African countries. The projects add to over 25 relief initiatives it sponsored in 2020 for a sum total of over 1.7 million Euros. The first project will benefit St. Paul Parish in Pulka, which hosts many Christian refugees escaping the city of Maiduguri, in Nigeria's Borno State. Attacks by Islamic militias are very frequent here and the parish priests are in urgent need of drinking water for the refugees. ACN's Italian office is collecting money to build a well, equipped with a pump powered by solar panels. The second project is intended for the Diocese of Quelimane, in Mozambique, which is helping Christian refugees from Cabo Delgado. The funds raised will support its relief efforts for 500 displaced families living in the area.



Violence causing growing poverty

Commenting on the two projects, ACN's Italian office director, Alessandro Monteduro, noted that in addition to causing victims, jihadi violence also destroys infrastructures, and results in the loss of livelihoods and the forced displacement of farmers who cant harvest their crops, thus resulting in famine. He also warned of the risk that some frustrated youth might be tempted by extreme poverty and extremist propaganda to join the ranks of the jihadi militias. The combination of these factors will probably force the international community to react, not so much out of noble reasons but to stem the growing migratory pressure from Africa, he said.
Caritas Internationalis is hosting a series of online Conferences until December 12 marking the 70th anniversary of its foundation in 1951. Following the webinar on Caritas work in North America, a second webinar was held on November 4 with a focus on Europe.

By Lisa Zengarini

Caritas Internationalis held the second of its seven online Conferences being organized in the context of its 70th anniversary on Thursday. Titled Solidarity in action following the signs of the times, the webinar was focused on Caritas work in Europe, and specifically in Germany, Ukraine and Georgia.

Introducing the session was Aloysius John, Secretary General of the Confederation, who highlighted that, since its foundation on 12 December 1951, the poor have always been at the heart of Caritas work across the world.

Caritas never closes

Bishop Michael Landau, President of Caritas Europe, noted that, along with bringing aid and relief to the needy the 160 members of the Confederation bring hope.

In Europe, he said, Caritas has worked relentlessly for the most vulnerable amidst incredible suffering, wars and natural disasters and even under dictatorships. This work continues today in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that has become a social crisis, the Austrian prelate added, recalling the Catholic organizations slogan during the crisis: Caritas doest close.

Our fundamental mission remains unchanged: to see the needs and act, he pointed out. We must be a ray of light, the crack through which the light of hope passes.

Fighting the causes of poverty

For her part, Maria Nyman, Secretary General of Caritas Europa, highlighted the importance of Caritas work on the underlying causes of poverty, including unemployment and inequality in education.

We deal with projects aimed at stimulating employment and social policies and international cooperation, focusing on young people, innovation, and integral ecology in collaboration with Caritas Internationalis," she explained.

She noted that many people have become poor and lost their jobs because of the pandemic showing the inadequacy of the existing welfare system in Europe. If we want to overcome this crisis we need to address these issues, Nyman pointed out.

Other speakers at the webinar included directors and spokespersons of Caritas Germany, Ukraine and Georgia, who spoke about their work in their respective countries.

Caritas in conflict-torn Ukraine

Tatiana Stawnychy, president of Caritas Ukraine, focused on its work in the conflict-ridden Eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhanska, with the support of Caritas Germany and Caritas Austria.

She explained that overall there are 2.9 million people needing relief in the area and that Caritas aid is focused on the growing number of displaced people. Since the conflict broke out in 2014, over 800,000 people have received humanitarian aid. Stawnychy said support from partner organizations in Germany and Austria has been crucial to meet the growing needs of the population affected by the conflict.

Andryi Postnikiv, head of the humanitarian aid office of Caritas Ukraine, pointed out to the difficulties of conducting humanitarian operations in the two regions, where civilians live under the constant threat of landmines and many people dont have access to drinking water or health services.

Caritas staff is prevented from operating in the area controlled by the separatist Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic and is also limited by landmines, he explained.

In this context Caritas does its best to provide relief to the most vulnerable, including elderly people, disabled and children. It also supports development and peace building projects.

Caritas Germany managing over 25,000 facilities

Mathilde Langendorf, spokesperson for Caritas Germany, which is the oldest Caritas in Europe, spoke about its 125-year history and present activity.

She highlighted that the organization survived during the Nazi regime because of its work for the poor. Today, Caritas Germany is still working for the needy and people living at the margins of society with a number of social projects and advocating for their rights.

Presently, Caritas Germany manages over 25,000 facilities and services and is staffed with 700,000 employees, 81% of whom are women, and thousands of volunteers. The main challenges for the future, Langendorf said, are digitization, staff training as well as resisting the rules of the market to preserve its Catholic identity.



Caritas Georgia: the youngest in Europe

Also speaking at the webinar was Anahit Mkhoyan, director of Caritas Georgia, the youngest in Europe.

It was founded on 3 November 1994, and entered Caritas Internationalis in 1998. He said that becoming a member of the Confederation helped Caritas Georgia improve its humanitarian work for the most needy in the country.

The organization played an important role during the humanitarian crisis caused by the second war between Russia and Georgia in 2008 over the separatist region of South Ossetia.

Since then, Mkhoyan said, Caritas Georgia has further increased its activity, especially with young people of all faiths. The organization has also been on the frontline during the pandemic.
Vietnam Briefing discusses the COP26 and Vietnams climate action plan including its commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The UK in partnership with Italy is hosting the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from October 31 to November 12, 2021, in Glasgow. COP26 is expected to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by accelerating a climate action plan that has international consensus.

The primary agenda will be to establish tangible actions against climate change. Vietnam has also committed itself on achieving the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

COP26 follows the assessment report on Earths climate published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This report highlights various climate change-induced events like heat waves, droughts, extreme rainfall, and sea-level rise in the coming decades.

What is the Conference of Parties (COP)?

The COP comes under the UNFCCC, which was established in 1994, to work towards the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The UNFCCC has 198 member states, including Vietnam, India, the US, and China. The first COP was held in 1995, and since then 25 such conferences have been held.

At COP3 in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted where significant decisions were made regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by member states. COP21, which was held in 2015 in France, was another milestone conference where the Paris Accord was signed to set a target for limiting global warming to below two degrees Celsius  preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius  compared to pre-industrial levels.

The member states are expected to fulfill responsibilities like formulating measures to mitigate climate change, cooperating in preparing for adaptation measures to deal with the impact of climate change, as well preparing public awareness material to promote education and training material related to combatting climate change.

What is on the agenda at COP26?

According to UNFCCC, COP26 aims to work towards the following goals:

Ensure global net-zero by 2050 and keep the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach: The UNFCCC recommends that countries fast-track the phase-out of coal, restrain deforestation, accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, and encourage investment in renewables to meet this goal.

The UNFCCC recommends that countries fast-track the phase-out of coal, restrain deforestation, accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, and encourage investment in renewables to meet this goal. Bring in adaptation measures to protect communities and natural habitats: It is envisaged that countries must work together to safeguard and restore ecosystems and build resilient systems, infrastructure, and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods, and lives.

It is envisaged that countries must work together to safeguard and restore ecosystems and build resilient systems, infrastructure, and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods, and lives. Mobilize climate finance to enable member states to achieve their climate goals: The UNFCCC proposes that all countries must have National Adaptation Plans in place and must produce Adaptation Communications sharing best practices to help turn ambition into action.

The UNFCCC proposes that all countries must have National Adaptation Plans in place and must produce Adaptation Communications sharing best practices to help turn ambition into action. Coordination to finalize Paris Rulebook: The leaders and representatives of member states must work together in coordination to frame a detailed list of rules that will help fulfill the Paris Agreement.

Vietnams climate action commitment at COP26

Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that Vietnam will reach its net-zero carbon emission target by 2050 and called for fairness and justice in climate change issues. Chinh reiterated that developed countries should share in the countrys difficulties and offer assistance in HR, national governance on sustainable development and provide Vietnam with preferential green finance and technology.

Vietnam also strived to introduce stronger measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on its own abilities as well as international support in terms of finance and technology transfer. It also vowed to continue implementing goals as stated in the Paris Agreement.

In line with COP26, Vietnam made a commitment to stop deforestation by 2030 and phase out coal-fueled power generation by 2040. Other developed countries have vowed to do so by 2030.

Vietnam has targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 9 percent with domestic resources and 27 percent with international support by 2030 as per the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The country has been one of the hardest-hit countries by climate change and is working to build up its climate resilience planning and economic development in line with international standards.

Rising sea levels key concern for Vietnam

Asia is home to 13 of the 20 cities around the world that are most vulnerable to flooding, including in places such as China, India, and Vietnam.

Vietnam had earlier reiterated the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change especially in the most vulnerable regions in South Vietnam, home to more than 20 million people. The region also produces almost half the countrys rice harvest. A significant amount of land is periodically affected by flooding resulting in damage to crops and peoples livelihoods.

Ho Chi Minh City itself is regularly prone to flooding. The governments plan is to develop the city as a financial center and a smart city by 2025. A report by McKinsey however states that the annual flooding in the city may cost about US$1.3 billion a year, mostly from damage to real estate. This trend is likely to increase as costs related to floods may increase faster than economic activity.

Vietnam has plans to increase ecological farming and adopt new technologies. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is also developing a master plan for the Mekong Delta region for 2021 to 2030 with a vision for 2050.

Vietnams goals on right track but implementation will be key

Vietnam is also heavily dependent on coal and may double the amount of coal-fired electric generation by 2030 as per a draft report seen by Reuters. Nevertheless, the commitment to cut coal by 2030 for developed and by 2040 for developing countries is promising. Government officials have stated that they will double the installed wind and solar power generation capacity to 31-38 gigawatts by 2030.

Given these factors, its imperative for Vietnam to continue imposing measures to increase sustainable development while also asking international partners to share its goals on climate change. Action on these goals will require a significant amount of resources from the government as well private sectors to ensure that Vietnam is able to follow through on its commitments. Vietnams commitment on climate change goals as well as commitments by other countries will have a significant impact on future economic growth.

With Vietnam looking to bounce back and revive economic activity after the fourth wave, its commitments on climate issues will be challenging but needed and beneficial in the long term.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2021 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam....
On Thursday, Nov. 4, a group of U.S. senators led by Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Taiwan Deterrence Act legislation to bolster deterrence across the Taiwan Strait and strengthen Taiwans ability to defend against aggression and coercion from the communist regime in mainland China.

This legislation authorizes $2 billion a year in foreign military financing for Taiwan, which has seen heightened military provocations from the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in recent years.

Other cosponsoring senators include Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).



As stated by Sen. Risch, This funding is contingent on Taiwans commitment to further advance initiatives championed by President Tsai to build a credible defense. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress, the executive branch, and Taiwan on our shared vital interests in the Indo-Pacific.



Chinas increasing efforts to militarily overwhelm Taiwan is a threat to international diplomacy and regional security, Sen. Crapo said. It is imperative to get asymmetric capabilities, training and readiness resources to Taiwan quickly so it can protect itself from Chinas encroaching aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.



Sen. Bill Hagerty, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, stressed the importance of Taiwan from the perspective of the U.S-Japan alliance: A free and democratic Taiwan is critical to realizing that vision, and the United States should work with our allies and partners to push back against the Chinese Communist Partys malign behavior and aggressive threats against Taiwan.



Senator Rubio said, As Beijing continues to pose a direct threat to our interests in the Indo-Pacific, its important Taiwan has the necessary tools to defend itself,



The proposed Taiwan Deterrence Act includes authorization of $2 billion a year for Taiwan in foreign military financing, subject to Taiwan meeting certain conditions. It would also amend the Arms Export Control Act to better facilitate arms transfers to Taiwan, as well as require an annual assessment on Taiwans efforts to advance a credible defense strategy vis-a-vis mainland China.



The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that Taiwan is a rightful part of its communist Peoples Republic and does not rule out the use of force to achieve unification. Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), which used to govern all of China before the communists conquered the mainland.



In early October during the CCPs 72nd-anniversary National Day celebrations, the PLA sent 150 combat into Taiwans air defense identification zone over a period of four days, the biggest such provocation since Beijing began making such shows of force in recent years.



At the ASEAN Summit, President Biden reiterated the United States rock-solid commitment to Taiwan and criticized Beijing for undermining regional stability. The mainland side accused Washington of exacerbating tensions by supporting Taiwan through arms sales and sending warships through the Taiwan Strait.



On Nov. 3, the Pentagon released its annual report on Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China. The report emphasized that Beijing had never given up its option to attack Taiwan by force.



The report summarizes several options for a PLA assault on Taiwan, including an air and sea blockade and an amphibious invasion of Taiwan. The ROC armed forces are actively developing capabilities to strengthen its defense and turn the island into a sea fortress.



On Nov. 2, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Arm Taiwan Act of 2021, which would require the Secretary of Defense to plan a Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative (TSI) and authorize $3 billion per year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
Cambodia is off to a combative start to its coming ASEAN chairmanship, dismissing Malaysias call to reappoint the blocs special envoy to Myanmar and reiterating Cambodias authority to assign its own diplomat to the post in January.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Koy Kuong told VOA Khmer that Bruneian Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusofs tenure as blocs envoy to Myanmar would conclude by the end of December, when Bruneis chairmanship wraps up.

The remarks from Phnom Penh came after Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah suggested in a speech that Yusof, who was appointed to the post in August, should remain in the post after the change of ASEANs chair.

The opinion of Malaysian foreign minister regarding the ASEAN Chair's special envoy could put into question his prejudice on Cambodias resolve and privilege as ASEAN chair in 2022 to resolve the Myanmar crisis, said Koy Kuong, who is also a secretary of state at the foreign ministry.

While Japanese news outlet Nikkei Asia cited unnamed Cambodian officials as saying the new envoy could be the Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Koy Kuong declined to name potential candidates.

You will know when it is the time, he told VOA Khmer.

Since Myanmars military junta ousted the democratically elected government in February, some 1,000 people have been killed in clashes with armed forces, some 6,000 have been arrested, and the countrys economy is expected to contract 18% this fiscal year.

In a rare rebuke of one of its own members last month, ASEAN refused to allow leaders of the junta to represent Myanmar at the annual ASEAN summit, inviting a nonpolitical representative instead.

That followed the military government refusing Yusofs request to visit toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been on trial for myriad charges widely seen as politically motivated.

Koy Kuong said Yusof deserves praise for his brief tenure in the ambassadorial role, adding Cambodia will endeavor to fulfil its roles in forging solidarity to implement the five-point consensus on Myanmar and in strengthening the ASEAN's unity and centrality.

Yusof was appointed to enforce the implementation ASEANs so-called five-point consensus on Myanmar, which was struck during an April summit and calls for a cessation of violence, constructive dialogue, provision of humanitarian assistance, the appointment of a special envoy, and a visit by that envoy to Myanmar.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, during the ASEAN summit last month, blamed the slow progress on the plan on the Burmese juntas lack of cooperation, adding the countrys top general would not be invited to the upcoming Asia-Europe meeting hosted by Cambodia later November.

Sun Kim, a lecturer of international relations at Phnom Penhs Pannasastra University, said Cambodias next move on Myanmar as ASEAN Chair will depend on the rest of the bloc and major external powers, including China.

Cambodia may want to stand in line with other member states and it may prefer to play a more coordinating and reconciliatory role rather than a commanding one, Sun Kim told VOA Khmer.

Critics of Hun Sen, including longtime opposition leader in exile Sam Rainsy, have questioned the governments role to lead ASEANs efforts to rein in Myanmars junta, given its deteriorating human rights records at home.
John Fortier, resident scholar at The American Enterprise Institute, and Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at Third Way, discuss the main issues dominating the US political landscape with host Carol Castiel, including the implications of the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races for the 2022 midterm elections. A decisive Republican victory in Virginia is seen as a wake-up call for Democrats nationwide and a good omen for Republicans who seek to win back one or both houses of Congress in 2022. Program Note: Late Friday night (11/05/21), Democrats set aside differences and passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, sending it to President Joe Biden to sign into law. This program was recorded before the legislation was passed.
Five civilians, four soldiers and 40 armed attackers were killed Sunday in a clash in Nigers restive southwest region near the border with Mali, the government said.

Around 100 heavily armed terrorists riding motorcycles attacked the Tchoma Bangou village, striking around 3 p.m. Sunday, Nigers Ministry of Defense said in a statement read on public television that did not identify who it suspected was behind the latest deadly incident.

The prompt and vigorous reaction by the Defense and Security Forces made it possible to repel the attack and inflict heavy losses on the enemy, the ministry said, adding that its soldiers had seized motorcycles and a cache of weapons, including AK47s and machine guns, from the assailants.

Tchoma Bangou is located in the Tillaberi region, bordering Mali and Burkina Faso, an area known as the three borders that has been regularly targeted by jihadist groups.

Tillaberi has been under a state of emergency since 2017. The authorities have banned motorbike traffic night and day for a year and ordered the closure of certain markets suspected of supplying terrorists.

One of the poorest countries in the world, Niger has for years battled jihadist insurgencies on its southwestern flank with Mali, as well as Boko Haram on its southeastern border with Nigeria. The repeated attacks have claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands to flee their homes.

In January, 70 civilians were killed by gunmen in Tchoma Bangou and 30 in the neighboring village of Zaroumadareye.

Last month, 19 people were killed in villages in the same commune, according to officials.

According to United Nations estimates, there are more than 300,000 internally displaced people in Niger, many of whom fled terrorist violence that has escalated since 2015.
Chad's new leader Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby traveled to Niger on Monday, making his first international trip since the military put him in charge last month following the death of his father.

Deby arrived in Niger's capital, Niamey, where he was greeted by Niger's Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and other dignitaries. The 37-year-old Chadian head of state is expected to meet with Niger's new President Mohamed Bazoum.

Some 1,200 Chadian soldiers are deployed in western Niger near the border with Burkina Faso, where extremist attacks have been increasing over the past few years.

Chad and Niger are both members of the G5 Sahel, a regional security force battling extremism, alongside Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania.

Chad's military government now in charge has blamed the death of longtime President Idriss Deby Itno on a rebel group, and said some of the militants had then retreated across the border into Niger.

The younger Deby has sought to move forward despite lingering concerns by opposition groups that he should not have been handed control of the country. Under the country's constitution, power should have been given to the president of the National Assembly.

However, a number of opposition politicians have since been named to prominent positions within the military-led transitional government, including the posts of prime minister and justice minister.
The U.N. Childrens Fund is urging the international community to pay more attention to Niger, where more than 2 million people are malnourished and living in dire conditions.

More than 3.8 million people in Niger, more than half children, are facing a humanitarian crisis because of a combination of natural and human-caused disasters.

Niger, a landlocked country, is facing attacks by Islamist militants and other armed groups along its borders with Nigeria in the south, Burkina Faso in the southeast, Mali in the west and in the Lake Chad region in the east. This has led to significant displacements in the country and is creating havoc for hundreds of thousands of children.

Besides conflict, the U.N. Childrens Fund reports Niger is dealing with food shortages, malnutrition, recurrent epidemics, climate-related disasters such as floods and drought, and the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UNICEF representative in the Niger country office, Aboubacry Tall, said malnutrition remained a major threat to childrens health and development. Speaking on a video link from the capital, Niamey, he said the rate of acute severe malnutrition remained extremely high. He said 2.2 million people needed nutrition assistance, of whom 1.6 million were children under age 5.

Also, he said, there are "about half a million  450,000 exactly  who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and therefore become almost condemned to a life of underachievement if they survive.

Hundreds of schools close

UNICEF reports more than 370 schools have been forced to close over recent months because of insecurity in conflict-affected areas. It says attacks on schools and threats to education are destroying the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of children.

Tall said UNICEF was working across the country to help those affected by emergencies and conflicts. He noted that displaced people mostly live in host communities and share everything with them  shelter, land, food.

He said displaced people were not relying totally on humanitarian assistance to survive.

"People grow food. People do small businesses on the side, buying and selling goods, for example," he said. "There is a lot of economic activity, which some of the humanitarian programs do also support through cash transfers to support to food production.

Tall said UNICEF was working with the government and humanitarian partners to respond to acute emergencies, such as population movements, and to mitigate risks. He said the agency needed more than $100 million to deliver vital humanitarian aid to children throughout the country this year.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appointed senior deputy Jonathan Moore to lead the State Departments task force on the mysterious Havana Syndrome that has sickened U.S. diplomatic and other personnel overseas.

Blinkens announcement Friday came amid criticism from a bipartisan group of U.S. senators who contend the Biden administration is not taking the illness seriously enough.

Moore replaces Pamela Spratlen, a diplomat who had previously retired before Blinken called her back into service, and who faced criticism from some victims.

Blinken also announced the appointment of retired ambassador Margaret Uyehara to head efforts to care for State Department employees.

This is an urgent priority for President Biden, for me, for our entire government and we will do absolutely everything we can, leaving no stone unturned, Blinken said at a State Department briefing.

The syndrome first came to the publics attention in 2016 when dozens of diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Havana fell ill with what is now known as Havana Syndrome, an ailment that causes symptoms such as migraines, dizziness and memory lapses, all consistent with being exposed to directed energy.

Since then, some 200 American diplomats, officials and family members abroad are believed to have been sickened by the syndrome. U.S. intelligence and defense agencies are investigating the cases, about half of which involve intelligence personnel. U.S. officials have not determined the syndromes cause or whether an adversary is responsible.

Were working tirelessly with partners across the government to identify what is causing these incidents and to learn who is responsible, Blinken said.

In the face of congressional criticism, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into a law on October 7 a bill that provides financial assistance and improved health care to those suffering from the ailment. The new law also provides funding for more intelligence gathering and analysis to determine the cause of the syndrome.

Some information in this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters.
China on Friday criticized a press freedom survey from the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club that found nearly half of its members were considering leaving the city.

The survey said the members were concerned about a decline in press freedoms under a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Eighty-three of the 99 journalists polled said that the working environment had "changed for the worse" since the law was introduced last June. The law outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion to intervene in the city's affairs, and has since been used to arrest more than 120 people in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

"These results clearly show that assurances that Hong Kong still enjoys press freedom, guaranteed under the Basic Law, are not enough," FCC President Keith Richburg said. "More steps need to be taken to restore confidence among journalists and to make sure Hong Kong maintains its decades-long reputation as a welcoming place for the international media."

In a statement, the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong warned the FCC to stop making "noise" and accused the organization of being "black hands" that intervene in the city's affairs.

"There is no absolute press freedom in the world that is above the law," the statement read. "It is a common international practice for countries to supervise the news media working in their own countries in accordance with the law."

The survey comes as authorities are cracking down on political dissent in Hong Kong. Most of the city's prominent pro-democracy activists are in jail. Critics say the security law has rolled back freedoms promised to Hong Kong for 50 years when it was handed over to China in 1997.

The former British colony was previously known for its vibrant press freedoms, and for decades has served as regional headquarters for many English-language news outlets.

The national security law has been used against journalists in the city. The pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was forced to close in June after millions of dollars in assets were frozen and several top editors and executives were arrested.

The New York Times has transferred some of its staff from Hong Kong to Seoul because of the uncertainties about the city's prospects for journalism under the security legislation.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday at a regular news briefing that the rights of foreign media and journalists in Hong Kong will be "fully protected" as long as they report in accordance with the law.

Wang said that as of April this year, there were 628 foreign employees with work visas for foreign media in Hong Kong, a 18.5% increase from the same time last year.

"It is a true reflection of how people from all walks of life, including foreign media in Hong Kong, see and feel about the economic and social and media reporting environment in Hong Kong," he said.
China will make people who support Taiwan independence criminally liable for life, a spokeswoman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said on Friday.

This is the first time that China has spelt out concretely punishment for people deemed to be pro-Taiwan independence, as tensions rise between the mainland and the self-ruled island China claims as its own.

The office named Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang, Parliament Speaker You Si-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu as people who are "stubbornly pro-Taiwan independence," and made public for the first time it has drawn up a list of people who fall into this cateogry.

China will enforce punishment on the people on the list, by not letting them enter the mainland and China's Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, said spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian in a statement on Friday.

The blacklisted people will not be allowed to cooperate with entities or people from the mainland, nor will their companies or entities who fund them be allowed to profit from the mainland, she said.

Taiwanese politicians partially rely on donations from companies to fund their election campaigns. Many Taiwanese companies derive profits from doing business with the mainland. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese currently work in the mainland.

China will also take "any other necessary measures" against these people, Zhu said.

She said the message China wants to send to supporters of Taiwan independence is: "Those who forget their ancestors, betray the motherland and split the country, will never end up well and will be spurned by the people and judged by history."

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fisherman Mert Youb doesnt want his teenage son to make his living at sea.

I want him to study and become a teacher or do other work, because I think fishing at sea could be really risky in the future. I dont want him to be like me, Mert Youb told VOA Khmer in early October.

Last month, there was a boat that sank due to strong wind, but the fisherman was rescued on time, added the 41-year-old fisherman.

Climate change is bringing more storms and strong winds to Mert Youbs coastal community, making life even tougher for fishers already facing smaller catches due to illegal fishing practices and unchecked development ravaging the seascape.

These days, Mert Youbs daily haul of shrimp, crabs, octopus and small fish is about equal to what he used to catch in shrimp alone  though higher prices mean he still brings in about $22.50 for a 12-hour day.

Global experts say one major effect of global warming  more frequent and intense severe weather  will be felt most in developing countries where people rely on fishing for income and sustenance.

One NASA study from late 2018 "supports the notion that global warming is causing the number of extreme storms to increase, at least over Earths tropical oceans (between 30 degrees North and South of the equator)." Cambodia is between 10 and 14 degrees latitude north of the equator.

Thats already playing out in coastal zones in Cambodia, where sea levels are slowly rising and storms are adding a new element of danger to an already hardscrabble way of life.

According to a 2021 World Bank report, Climate Risk Country Profile for Cambodia, the countrys coastal zones are known to hold exposure to cyclone and tsunami-induced storm surge, albeit at lower levels than a number of other Southeast Asian nations.

Without adaptation sea-level rise is likely to increase the overall risk faced by the agricultural communities in the countrys southwestern region, the report said. Also, The impacts of sea-level rise in Cambodia are understudied.

Les Kert, 48, another fisherman, said his teenage son dropped out of school during the COVID-19 pandemic and now works on a fishing boat, earning about $7.50 to $10 a day.

If there is rain or wind, it can put our lives at risk, Les Kert said. My wife always cries when we meet strong wind.

Both Mert Youb and Les Kert said rapid development of the coastline and illegal fishing practices like electrified nets and industrial-scale trawling  often by Vietnamese boats crossing into Cambodian waters  were largely to blame for their troubles. But erratic weather and increasing temperatures are compounding their struggles.

The weather has changed completely. In the past, we had the same strong wind, but it occurs predictably. But now it can happen at any time, said Mert Youb.

And they both worry about what it means for the next generation. If we lose places to fish, what can they hope for? said Mert Youb. In the future, they can only work as laborer for others since they cant fish at sea, said Les Kert.

All of Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change because so many people are barely scraping by and there are limited government resources to help them, according to reports from the United Nations and the Cambodian government.

However, few areas are feeling the effects as strongly as the areas along Cambodias 450-kilometer coastline, where agriculture, fishing, tourism and shipping are all vulnerable.

Cambodias sea level could rise by more than half a meter by 2090, inundating 25,000 hectares and forcing thousands to relocate, according to the governments 2013 Climate Change Strategic Plan. Temperatures are expected to rise by between 0.13 and 0.36 degrees Celsius per decade.

According to a study on public perceptions of climate change in Cambodia, Understanding Public Perception of Climate Change in Cambodia: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Cambodia, published earlier this year, people in coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. And yet coastal residents were also the most likely to say that they did not know how to take action, the report said, citing lower income and education levels as a possible explanation.

Sim Him, chief of Trapeang Sangkae fishery community, which has been turned into an ecotourism site, said recent storms knocked down 300 homes in the area. And the rising temperature is reducing fish production, he added.

But the biggest threat to his community, which revolves around its mangrove forests, is the creeping development. If there is more and more encroachment, our community will be ruined, said Sim Him. As of now, it is unclear whether the development will be residential, commercial or mixed use.

Mov Chheang, the Trapeang Sangkae commune chief, said the number of fishing families has decreased, as local people go to work on construction sites or in factories. Some of those jobs are elsewhere in the province. Others are in Cambodias big cities.

Hak Mao, director of the Department of Climate Change of the Environment Ministry, said the Cambodian government wasnt keeping data on the current conditions along the coast. We just know that wind is more serious now since it is frequent, he said.

For fisherman Les Nos, 37, its the unpredictability  of the weather, his daily catch and his income  that has him on edge. Every day he heads out on his motorboat at 5 a.m. and returns home to his fishing community in Kampot province at 10 or 11 p.m.

Some days, I can catch around 5 to 7 kilograms per day. And sometimes, I can catch only a few kilograms of fish, Les Nos said.

And he only sees things getting more dire, saying, I am concerned as the weather becomes worse and worse, I wont be able to fish since there are big storms and waves.
The "end of coal" is in sight, according to Britain, host of the COP26 climate summit, after dozens of countries pledged to stop using coal and end the financing of fossil fuels.

Burning coal is the single biggest contributor to climate change, accounting for about 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions, Britain said. At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, Thursday, more than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal entirely.

The signatories included big coal consumers such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Poland and Ukraine. They, alongside several global banks and financial institutions, also committed to ending all investment in new coal power generation.

End of coal

COP26 President Alok Sharma hailed the agreement as a major step toward combating global warming.

"Today, we are publishing the Global Coal to Clean Power transition statement, a commitment to end coal investment, to scale up clean power, to make a just transition and phase out coal in the 2030s in major economies, and in the 2040s, elsewhere," Sharma told delegates Thursday.

"I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight," he added. "The progress we've seen over the past two years would have seemed like a lofty ambition when we took on the COP presidency back in 2019. Who would have thought back then that today we're able to say that we are choking off international coal financing, or that we would see a shift away from domestic coal power?"

But the world's biggest coal consumers, including China, the United States, Australia and India, did not sign the deal. Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International, wrote on Twitter that without those countries, "there's still a very real danger that the end won't come soon enough."

Separately, 25 countries, including the United States, also pledged to stop public financing for all overseas fossil fuel projects by the end of next year and to prioritize clean energy finance. Key Asian coal investors China, Japan and South Korea did not sign up. Katharina Rall, an environmental researcher at Human Rights Watch, criticized their absence.

"Countries that choose not to sign on, including Japan and South Korea, are signaling a lack of regard for their human rights obligations and for the rights of communities around the world already facing a mounting toll from climate impacts," she said.

Accusations of hypocrisy

Britain has also been accused of hypocrisy as it considers opening a new mine to produce coking coal for steelmaking. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently voiced opposition to the plan but said it was a planning matter for local government.

Mike Starkie, mayor of Copeland Borough Council in Cumbria, where the mine is planned, explained his support for the project.

"The coal that will be extracted from this mine is exclusively for the use of making steel, and if we are going to have the green industrial revolution that we need in developing solar, wind, wave  and certainly here we'd love to develop more nuclear  it's all going to take significant amounts of steel," Starkie told The Associated Press.

"And if the coal that produces the steel is not mined here, we're going to be shipping it in from around the world, leaving a huge transport carbon footprint from mines that aren't net-zero extraction, like the most modern mine that will ever be built, here in Whitehaven," he said.

Britain is also considering the development of a new oil field off Scotland's Shetland Islands, north of Glasgow, the host city of the climate summit.

Emissions rebound

A new report warns that emissions of carbon dioxide have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

"The rebound is caused by emissions from coal and gas, which grew more in 2021 than they had fallen in 2020. And behind this, we see a rapid rise in emissions in China, particularly pushed by probably economic stimulus packages, whereas other countries have tended to follow the trajectory pre-pandemic of decreasing emissions in the U.S. and Europe and increasing emissions in India," Corinne Le Quere a professor at the University of East Anglia and co-author of the report, told the AP.

The International Energy Agency said Thursday that if all the commitments made at COP26 so far were fully implemented, global warming would be limited to below 2 degrees Celsius  a significant improvement on the 2.7 degrees Celsius rise the U.N. forecasted before the summit.
China now depends almost entirely on its own online content providers, as the number of big foreign companies in the market, such as Yahoo and LinkedIn, keeps dwindling, giving the government a boost in controlling the internet, analysts say.

On Monday the Silicon Valley internet service provider Yahoo closed all of its services in China, following LinkedIns pullout announcement in October and earlier blockages of Google content.

In an e-mailed statement, Yahoo cited an increasingly challenging business and legal environment in China. Many Yahoo services were largely blocked in China, where the email and search engine provider has operated since 1999.

My first reaction was, I didnt know Yahoo was still alive in China, said Danny Levinson, Beijing-based head of technology at the seed investment firm Matoka Capital.

Domestic services flourish

Chinese netizens seldom use Yahoo or other major Silicon Valley internet services, especially for media and communications, as domestic rivals have flourished over the past two decades. The government can handily monitor local providers for what it considers subversive content by calling in company managers for discipline.

Chinese use China-based WeChat for the bulk of their daily communication, watch TikTok videos instead of YouTube and check Chinas Baidu.com rather than Wikipedia. Alibaba, headquartered in Hangzhou, takes care of e-commerce, although foreign rivals can still get into China given their trades lack of political sensitivity.

They had all the ingredients in place, said Kaiser Kuo, a U.S.-based podcaster who has worked in Chinese tech. You had a really large, very fast-growing market. There was a need for people to come in with services that were catered to Chinese language users and Chinese tastes. On top of that, it was so cutthroat that foreign internet companies just couldnt compete very well.

The roughly 1 billion Chinese who use the internet have spawned an industry with an operating revenue of about $155 billion in the first 11 months of 2019, up 22.4% over the same months of 2018, according to Caixin Globa, a Chinese economic news-focused website.

Chinese mass media have said the country aims to become technologically self-sufficient by 2030 and get around U.S. government bans on doing business with some of its flagship companies.

Chinese netizens contacted this week say theyre unfazed by Yahoos withdrawal. Many Chinese have never visited Yahoos homepage, one veteran Beijing internet user said.

Laws discourage foreign providers

China has monitored the internet for two decades, by blocking websites and filtering social feeds, to intercept anti-government material. Its latest effort, the Data Security Law, restricts outflows of sensitive data from China and requires internet operators to give their internal data to law enforcement agencies.

Getting around that law can be costly and upset users outside China who oppose censorship, some analysts say.

If there was a platform that was willing to go into China and completely cede control to the Chinese government and regulators to manage that, I think there would be an opportunity to grow, but so far most companies have chosen not to, said Zennon Kapron, director of the finance industry research firm Kapronasia.

China previously blocked Facebook, Google and most other global social media sites and search engines as well as flagship Western news websites. Foreign media content providers havent been really there for a long time in force, said Ma Rui, founder of the San Francisco-based consultancy Tech Buzz China.

Users in China can still access foreign internet content by using a virtual private network, but authorities search out and block overseas-based VPNs that are not authorized for specific companies doing business in China. The efficacy of VPNs to stop filtering or blocking of content has declined over the years, Levinson said.

Emailing can still take care of Chinese peoples overseas business matters, Ma said, while foreign companies active in China normally use WeChat. China, however, does not allow end-to-end encrypted e-mail or chats.

"The email gets through, but based on the originating DNS [domain name system], it might get blocked, and it might get filtered. So its not a 100 percent panacea, but for normal business communication itll be fine, Levinson said.

Chinas constitution affords its citizens freedom of speech and press, but authorities target web content that the government believes will expose state secrets or might endanger the country, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, a research group.
Germany's health minister, Jens Spahn, called Friday for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for anyone who was fully vaccinated at least six months ago, as the nation faces a fourth wave of coronavirus infections.

Speaking to reporters following a two-day summit in Bavaria with health ministers from the 16 German states, Spahn said Germany's COVID-19 situation is entering a very difficult period, as the country's Robert Koch Institute reported a record 37,120 new daily cases Friday.

Spahn said the "fourth wave" is not only here, but it has "been here for a long time," and is gaining strength "and has clearly accelerated."

The minister said some German state leaders have warned the country may need a new lockdown if urgent action is not taken.

The surge in Germany is part of a rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Europe that have made the region the new epicenter of the pandemic, Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Europe regional director, said Thursday.

At a regular COVID-19 briefing at the agency headquarters in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other experts discussed the surge in Europe, where cases have risen 55% in the past four weeks, despite an ample supply of vaccines.

"Let me be very clear: This should not be happening. We have all the tools to prevent COVID-19 transmission and save lives, and we continue to call on all countries to use those tools," Tedros said.

The WHO chief also decried the fact that the world's low-income nations have received only 0.4% of the world's vaccines. He said those nations rely almost exclusively on vaccines distributed through the Gavi, WHO and CEPI co-led global vaccine cooperative, COVAX.

Tedros said no more vaccines should go to nations that have vaccinated more than 40% of their populations and no more boosters should be administered, except to patients who are immunocompromised, until COVAX gets the vaccines it needs to inoculate low-income nations to the 40% level.

Separately, in the United States, the Biden administration says it has severed ties with a U.S. company that was awarded a $628 million deal by the Trump administration to produce COVID-19 vaccines.

Earlier this year, Emergent BioSolutions was found to have contaminated 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with ingredients designated for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration later threw out at least 60 million more Johnson & Johnson shots produced at the Baltimore plant.

Americans who work for companies with at least 100 employees must be fully vaccinated by January 4 or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19, the Biden administration said Thursday. The new rule affects about 84 million workers, but it is not immediately clear how many of those workers are unvaccinated.

WHO has issued an alert about fake AstraZeneca vaccines in Iran. WHO said the "difficult to detect products" are "illicitly refilled vials of used and discarded genuine COVID-19 VACCINE AstraZeneca" and pose a risk for being "illicitly or accidentally inserted into the regulated supply chain or authorized immunization program."

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said early Friday that it has recorded 248.7 million global COVID-19 cases and more than 5 million deaths. The center said 7.1 billion vaccine doses have been administered.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence-France Presse.
This week on Healthy Living, a look at Africa's medical brain drain. We head to Nigeria where the country is losing doctors due to poor salaries and working conditions. We also have an exclusive interview with Bill Gates from the climate summit COP26. These topics and more on this week's show.
Hundreds of people marched in Washington on Thursday to denounce the Ethiopian government on the first anniversary of its deadly military conflict with forces in the countrys northern Tigray region.

VOA estimated that several hundred people joined the peaceful protest organized by ethnic Tigrayans living in and around Washington. The protesters marched from the Capitol to the U.S. Agency for International Development then on to the State Department, where U.S. foreign service officer Geoffrey Parker met and spoke with some of the organizers outside the building. There was no immediate word on what they discussed.

The protesters chanted slogans and held signs accusing the Ethiopian government of committing genocide against the Tigrayan people and driving them into a famine. Mesfin Reda, one of the organizers, told VOA that he has relatives in Tigray.

We want to make sure that we are the voice of the people who are being killed in the darkness, he said.

Many of the marchers carried the red and gold flag of the Tigray region. Some joined the protest from as far away as the U.S. West Coast states of California and Washington. They concluded the march with a vigil near the White House and planned to gather for more protests in the U.S. capital on Friday and Saturday.

Thursday marked the first anniversary of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds deployment of troops to Tigray in response to forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front seizing military bases a day earlier. The ensuing conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced several million from their homes and left 400,000 residents of Tigray facing famine, according to a July estimate by the U.N.

A joint investigation by the United Nations and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission published on Wednesday found that all sides in the conflict have committed human rights violations, including torturing civilians, gang rapes and arresting people based on ethnicity. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said some of those abuses may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Abiy said Wednesday that he accepted the report despite some serious reservations and noted that it did not accuse the government of genocide or using food as a weapon. He said a civil-military taskforce would be established to investigate all of the reports allegations.

Eritrean troops allied with the Ethiopian federal military and regional Amhara militias were also implicated in the joint report. However, the Eritrean government denounced the findings. Eritreas Minister of Information Yemane Gebremeskel said the report replicates fallacious narrative on the origins of the conflict - (that the war was unleashed by the Federal Government!) he said in a Twitter post. If the Joint Investigative team cannot get this fundamental fact right, the credibility of its report cannot be taken seriously by any standards.

The TPLF led Ethiopias ruling coalition for nearly 30 years but lost control when Abiy took office in 2018 following years of anti-government protests. Abiys relations with the TPLF soured after they accused him of centralizing power at the expense of Ethiopia's regional states, an accusation Abiy has denied.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washingtons special envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman, who arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday to try to start a dialogue between the warring parties, had a productive first day of meetings with members of Abiys government on Thursday.

But Paris-based Horn of Africa historian Gerard Prunier told VOAs South Sudan in Focus program that he is skeptical about Feltmans chances of success.

Right now, both sides want to fight to the bitter end, Prunier said. Abiy says we should all die defending Ethiopia, meaning his government. And the Tigrayans  it is clear that they want to go on until they win. The U.S. shuttle diplomacy, I'm sorry, is not very useful for the time being. Once the shooting stops, perhaps [it will be].

Sara Fissehaye of VOA Horn of Africas Tigrigna Service and John Tanza of VOAs South Sudan in Focus program contributed to the report. Some information also came from AFP and Reuters.
Time passes, but the rice cycle remains the same. This was the essential truth for Nget Srey and other farmers in this remote village in coastal Preah Sihanouk province.

Or so it was until two years ago, when salt water started spilling over the dike containing the nearby estuary. The salt water flooded their rice fields, killing a crop that requires fresh water to thrive.

Last year, Nget Sreys paddy was almost ready to harvest when her 2-hectare field became inundated with seawater, wiping out her crops, slashing her main source of income and destroying her way of life.

My paddy was really good by then, and salt water spilled over and it died out. So did other neighbors rice paddies, said the 58-year-old farmer in Prey Nob districts Champou Khmao village.

Now I am really concerned that I cant farm anymore, she said.

Nget Srey and her neighbors, like other coastal farmers around the world, are feeling the effects of saltwater intrusion, a phenomenon in which seawater infiltrates freshwater sources such as groundwater, rivers and aquifers. Today, a combination of unchecked development and climate change is accelerating the process.

Coastal flooding predicted

While reports forecasting the effects of climate change in Cambodia have predicted that saltwater intrusion will threaten coastal agriculture, none described the effects.

In general terms, Cambodias sea level could rise by more than half a meter by 2090, inundating 25,000 hectares and forcing thousands to relocate, according to the governments 2013 Climate Change Strategic Plan. Temperatures are expected to rise by between 0.13 and 0.36 degrees Celsius per decade.

The governments point person on global warming said he wasnt sure how big the problem was for farmers along the 450-kilometer coastline stretching from Kep to Koh Kong.

There is no data showing saltwater intrusion, said Hak Mao, director of the Department of Climate Change of the Environment Ministry, but there might be some areas affected, and we need to study more.

During a trip to coastal communities in early October, VOA Khmer spoke with a half-dozen farmers who said saltwater intrusion was affecting them. Some say that as their rice fields turn more saline, they are giving up rice cultivation altogether, leaving themselves without a reliable food source and a stable income.

Nget Srey, a mother of six, said she harvested only 20% of her normal paddy rice yield last season, which was hardly enough to feed her own family for the year.

Next to Nget Sreys house lives Sorn Touch, a rice farmer who said salt water flooded his 3 hectares of paddy field late last year, costing him around $1,000.

I have lived here for more than 30 years, and there was never such big water, the 60-year-old told VOA Khmer.

Normally, he said, the water rises from October to December, but it was becoming less predictable  and more difficult for the dikes to hold it back.

Salt water easily gets into our land via the dikes, he said.

Sorn Touch and his wife, Sem Rem, 54, who have five children, also rent land nearby to grow rice to eat and sell. But they lost last years harvest from that plot, and about $1,500.

Last year, I couldnt harvest even a seed, said Sem Rem. This year, Im not farming on the rented land since I am afraid of losing it again.

Rising sea levels play role

While saltwater intrusion can be caused by a number of factors  from deforestation to river dredging  rising sea levels, caused by climate change, are a major contributor. Sea level rise is caused primarily by two factors related to global warming, according to NASA: the addition of water from melting ice sheets and glaciers and the expansion of seawater as it warms.

In Cambodia, the sea level could increase by more than half a meter by 2090 under the worst climate scenarios, which would inundate some 25,000 hectares; significantly increase vulnerability to storms; and negatively affect coastal tourism, according to a government report published in 2013.

In Kampot province, 40-year-old farmer Deu Bern said salt water destroyed half a hectare of her paddy last year.

Now people here have stopped growing rice. There is only me doing it, said the mother of two teenage daughters. Some have sold their land already.

Hang Sophea, a 38-year-old farmer in Koh Kong province, believes more could be done to address the saltwater intrusion. She notes that dikes in the area are small and often broken.

I dont know whom I should ask to help. But I want authorities to fix the dikes and build them higher, she said.

The provincial agriculture department referred questions about the dikes to the provincial water resources department, which did not respond to questions from VOA Khmer.

Hang Sopheas neighbor, Ho Sophal, 58, a rice farmer and primary school teacher, blamed the floods in part on the nearby forests being destroyed. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study of the Amazon rainforest ecosystem, tree root systems hold the soil together to slow the rate of flooding," and "trees themselves also absorb water during the rainy season.

Ho Sophal believes the warnings that the rising sea will eventually inundate the lower areas along the coastline, and he worries that the rice fields wont be the only thing destroyed in his coastal community.

It is always risky to live nearby salt water, he said. I am concerned that a big rise in the seawater could wash villagers houses away in the future.
Fourteen activists who planned to participate in the Beijing provincial assembly election have withdrawn four days ahead of the November 5 vote, saying their personal safety is at risk.

Many of the activists are related to people arrested in a July 9, 2015, purge. Authorities arrested more than 300 lawyers and activists in what has become known as the 709 Crackdown.

The 14 activists declared their candidacies on Oct. 15 only to issue a joint statement on Nov. 1 saying that out of consideration of freedom and personal safety, all 14 decided to withdraw from the race.

Wang Qiaoling, whose husband, lawyer Li Heping was arrested in the 709 crackdown, sent the statement via Twitter. It stated that 10 of the candidates had been placed under strict government supervision since declaring. Some were taken to the police station to drink tea, a tactic used by Chinese secret police to intimidate dissidents. Some were constrained to their neighborhoods.

The provincial assembly focuses on street-level functions, such as establishing local policies and approving local budgets and expenses.

According to the statement, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau set up a special case team and [the candidates] will know the result in two months.

To become a formal candidate, a hopeful must pass a political screening process. According to an article in China Daily by the state-owned Xinhua News Agency, a citizen must first register and win confirmation of his or her qualifications for lawmaker candidacy. Then receive a nomination as deputy candidate by political parties, social organizations, or 10 or more voters in one constituency.

The article also said, There is no such a thing as an independent candidate, as it's not recognized by law.

Wang Qiaoling told VOA Mandarin that its not convenient for her to say anything beyond the statement.

When asked whether shes under pressure to refrain from making further comments, she answered definitely yes.

VOA Mandarin contacted one of the candidates, Ye Jinghuan, who replied to say because authorities are monitoring her phone, she takes calls only from close relatives.

VOA Mandarin contacted her sister, Ye Jingchun, who is also a rights activist. She said the 14 candidates had no choice but to withdraw.

There is also pressure from their relatives and friends, she told VOA Mandarin. The authorities usually talk to those around you to put pressure on you, making it hard to bear the mental burden.

Ye Jingchun, who participated in the 2011 and 2016 Beijing provincial assembly elections as an independent candidate, said this time theres even more pressure from the authorities.

She said in 2011 and 2016, independent candidates would receive police attention only for their campaign activities. But this year, everyone is placed under surveillance. They are no longer free to take a call from outside of the country. ... Some were forced to travel, some were forced to stay home. I think it will last until Nov. 5, the election day, she told VOA Mandarin. Authorities employ forced chaperoned travel to send dissidents away from events of domestic or international importance.

Ye Jingcho endorsed the high-profile announcement the 14 candidates used to declare their candidacies and then withdraw. So, when you quit, people understand why, she said.

Local elections will be held in the Beijing municipal area on Nov. 5 to select about 5,000 district Peoples Congress representatives and more than 11,000 township Peoples Congress representatives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a central conference focused on work related to people's congresses held on Oct. 13-14 that "Democracy, a shared value of humanity, is a key tenet unswervingly upheld by the CPC and the Chinese people.

The local level elections are the only ones in China that use a direct election system, where candidates who win a majority of votes will be elected as local representatives.

"We all know the chances of being elected are very small, Ye said, but even if I didnt win, my neighbors, my friends get to know a little bit more about the meaning of voting, so I have no complaints or regrets.
Myanmar's military council has amended the country's broadcasting law in a move that rights groups and lawyers say will further restrict the media.

The changes, passed Monday, relate to several sections of an existing law passed by Myanmar's quasi-civilian government in 2015.

That law applied only to radio and television, but the military council expanded the remit to include "any other technology" that people use to access radio and TV broadcasts.

The changes could extend to people uploading content to news websites, Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites, the rights groups Free Expression Myanmar said in a statement.

The changes are broad, applying to anyone broadcasting without a license issued by Myanmar. This has the potential to impact a range of outlets, including those running unofficial radio networks or even foreign media operations such as BBC Burmese, the group said.

The military council increased penalties to include prison time for violations such as broadcasting without a license, including via the internet; reporting after a license has been revoked; and attempting to secure multiple licenses.

The amendments "severely punish the media" said Min Lwin Oo, a human rights lawyer based in Norway.

"In the past, only fines were imposed. The amended law's punishment ranges from three to five years in prison," Min Lwin Oo told VOA Burmese.

The changes alter Myanmar's first broadcasting law. Passed in 2015, it was seen as a step to opening up the private media sector. The law offered five types of broadcast licenses and established an independent supervisory council.

But the changes made by the junta Monday add to an increasingly restrictive media environment. Since seizing power in a February 1 coup, Myanmar's military has revoked the licenses of at least nine news outlets and arrested dozens of journalists. The crackdown has forced many news outlets to change how they operate or to work from hiding or self-imposed exile.

The situation facing Myanmar's media was raised by the United Nations at a Tuesday briefing.

Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general, said UNESCO continues to voice its concern over the "restrictive policies and practices by the military authorities."

"Threats of violence and attacks against journalists in Myanmar have created a climate of fear for media professionals, impeding the free circulation of information, opinion and ideas," Haq said.

Since the February 1 coup, at least 126 journalists have been arrested and 47 remain in custody. News outlets are also under pressure, with 20 independent stations suspending operations, and raids carried out against nine media companies, Haq said.

The military announced an amnesty last month for thousands of people detained since February. However, several journalists named on the release list, including veteran journalist Sithu Aung Myint, who contributes to VOA, remain in custody. Sithu Aung Myint has been detained since August 15.

Nathan Maung, an American journalist of Burmese descent who spent 98 days in a Myanmar prison, said the military is amending laws as it pleases.

Under civilian rule, the drafting of new laws would often include consultation with a committee of lawmakers and ministry officials or provisions for a regulatory body, as under the 2015 broadcasting act. But under the junta, "there are no rules and regulations," Maung said. And authorities have not said whether a broadcasting council will be formed to mediate complaints.

Maung and his colleagues were arrested in March, when authorities raided the offices of independent news website Kamayut Media, where he was editor in chief. In an interview with VOA in June, the journalist recalled the harsh interrogation he was subjected to and his fears for colleagues still detained.

In the U.N. media briefing this week, Haq called on the military to release all those detained under the coup, including journalists.

This story originated in VOA's Burmese Service.


Advocates for media freedom say nations in the Southern Africa Regional Bloc, SADC, are enacting restrictive cyber laws that have a chilling effect on journalism and freedom of expression.

In a hybrid forum on the state of internet regulations, Tabani Moyo, the director of Media Institute of Southern Africa, said his organization is worried about a trend toward less tolerance for journalists and dissent in the region.

He said the trend began last year, after a meeting of SADC leaders where heads of state resolved to take pre-emptive measures against what they called external interference, the impact of fake news and abuse of social media.

"In the wake of this resolution, we have seen a dangerous consensus towards crackdown of expression online," Moyo said. "A number of southern African countries moved with speed to come up with what they referred to as cybersecurity laws and frameworks. To us, [this is] somewhat problematic as the proposed pieces of legislation have serious chilling effect on expression, media freedom and right to privacy."

The effects have been most visible in Tanzania, where the Uhuru newspaper was suspended in August for publishing what authorities called a false story saying President Samia Suluhu Hassan would not run for office in 2025.

In September, Raia Mwema, a Swahili-language weekly, was suspended for 30 days for "repeatedly publishing false information and deliberate incitement."

Meanwhile, Zambia's government under former president Edgar Lungu used cyber laws to block social media, on the pretext the opposition was committing crimes with its posts on Twitter and Facebook.

SADC secretary Elias Mpedi Magosi  in a speech read by SADC director of infrastructure Rosemary Mapolao Mokoena  defended the move toward stronger internet laws.

"As more people get connected to access information, it attracts more cyber criminals to our shores," Mokoena said. "SADC has already commenced the process to review and modernize the SADC cyber space legal regulatory and institutional frameworks.  Misinformation being spread on the safety of 5G mobile networks risks has caused a negative risk on the ICT industry."

However, Namibia's Minister of Information and Communication Technology Peya Mushelenga called on countries to allow free expression online.

"Thus, it is incumbent upon all players  development partners, civil society organizations, government and intergovernmental organizations  to reinforce among each other in order to safeguard and enhance guarantees the full exercise of the right to information and freedom of expression both online and offline, with a particular focus on strengthening media diversity its independence, ability as well as transparency of digital platforms," Mushelenga said.

Zimbabwe's Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced this week the government had set up a cyber team to monitor what people send and receive, a move that is being condemned by many rights groups.


Nigerian journalists are raising renewed concerns about their safety after an Abuja newspaper reporter went missing last month, and journalists were manhandled while trying to cover two major news events.



"He's always there with me watching the television, he likes News," says Torkwase Kuraun of her missing brother, Tordue Salem, as she stares at a picture of him in the family photo book in Abuja.

Salem, who has been gone for 23 days now, is a parliamentary reporter with the Vanguard News - an independent Nigerian newspaper. Kuraun says she last saw her younger brother the morning of October 13.

"He was in front of the gate when I was leaving, so I just waved [at him], then two hours after, he left for work. Since then, I've not seen him."

The cause of Salem's disappearance is still unclear. The Nigerian police authorities said they have interrogated six people he last contacted that day, but no arrest has been made, and no one has claimed responsibility for his disappearance.

The issue has raised worries among fellow journalists. Journalists in Nigeria have, on some occasions, been attacked or even detained as a result of their reports. No one could prove Salem's case was work related.

But this week, as the Nigerian Union of Journalists marked the global Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, they urged authorities to take urgent action on the matter.

Soni Daniel is a regional editor at Vanguard News. "We're all humans and we feel sad. We recognize the horror, the suspense, the anxiety. It could have happened to anybody, Daniel expressed.

This year, Nigeria ranked 120th in the World Press Freedom Index, dropping five spots from last year's tally.

Last month, journalists covering the End SARS memorial procession were manhandled by security agents.

Another group of journalists also were harassed and barred from entering an Abuja courtroom where the trial of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu was being held.

Adefemi Akinsanya, a correspondent from Arise News says she was antagonized during the SARS procession at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos state. "I just thought, had they discharged their weapon[s], even accidentally, would it have been worth it? Press freedom is so important, and I say it's the hallmark of a free and just society and that is what we want from Nigeria, a free and just place," she noted.

Nigerian journalists say without better treatment from authorities, the country will become too risky for them to perform their jobs.
U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced Friday its new COVID-19 pill showed an 89% reduction in risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death in clinical trials and they plan to submit the drug to U.S. regulators for emergency use approval.

In a release Friday, Pfizer said the latest clinical trials of its pill, Paxlovid, featured a randomized, double-blind study of non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness.

The company said interim analysis of the oral antiviral showed an 89% reduction in risk compared to a placebo in patients treated within three days of symptom onset.

Pfizer said it has received an independent data monitoring committee recommendation to pause enrollment in the Phase 3 trial due to the overwhelming efficacy demonstrated in the latest results.

The company plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing application to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization as soon as possible.

Pfizer is now the second drug manufacturer to develop an oral treatment for COVID-19. U.S. company Merck last month introduced its COVID-19 pill, which clinical studies showed to provide a 50% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. It has been submitted to the FDA, and the federal agency is scheduled to rule on it late this month.

Currently, all COVID-19 treatments approved in the United States require injection or intravenous drip. Pills have the advantage of being distributed by pharmacies and taken at home.

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved Merck's pill, known as Molnupiravir, Thursday. The European Union's drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), said it would speed up its review of the Merck pill, and is prepared to give advice to individual EU member states so they can make the pill available for emergency use ahead of the EMA authorization.



When Merck's pill was submitted for approval last month, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said the U.S. government had already arranged to buy 1.7 million doses of the pill, with an option to acquire more if needed.


On this episode of Red Carpet, weve got South African Fashion Week, European powers return looted African art, and the Congo in Harlem Festival is back after being on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. These stories and much more on this week's show.
Pakistan is engaging in peace talks with the outlawed militant alliance known as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an effort to steer them away from years of anti-state violence, according to unnamed officials who are playing down the significance of negotiations in its early stages.

Multiple officials in Islamabad confirmed Friday the dialogue is ongoing in Afghanistan, and that the neighboring country's new Taliban rulers are aiding the process.

"It is ongoing. Nothing concrete as of now," one of the sources, who asked that his name be withheld to speak candidly, told VOA.

Another source said the process is aimed at bringing TTP "foot soldiers who are not involved in serious crimes against the state" back into Pakistan's constitutional and legal framework. A proposed amnesty for the militants also is under consideration in line with the country's constitution, they added.

Pakistan's national security adviser, Moeed Yusuf, defended the negotiations Thursday while speaking to a virtual event at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. He said the Pakistani government previously had also undertaken such initiatives.

"All states should talk, and if there are ways to bring your own citizens back into the fold of normal legal structures and bounds and constitution, we should," Yusuf said.

But the adviser played down the media hype around the peace talks with TTP.

"I think it has been taken out of proportion. There isn't any mega-negotiation project as such," Yusuf said.

"There has been a change in Afghanistan, and we want to see whether better sense will prevail," the Pakistani adviser continued, adding that he hopes the TTP "will realize that there is a constitution of Pakistan, [that] there is a legal structure within which, if they want to operate, they will actually be better off."

Confidence-building measures

The English-language Dawn newspaper reported Friday that "a tentative understanding" had been reached between the two sides, requiring TTP to declare a countrywide truce in return for the release of an unknown number of their prisoners from Pakistani jails "as part of confidence-building measures."

The monthlong truce would come into effect once the prisoners are released, possibly paving the ground for a "broader peace agreement" to end nearly two decades of militant violence in Pakistan, the paper quoted its sources as saying.

Last month, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed for the first time in a television interview his government had been engaged in talks with "some groups" within TTP, saying Afghanistan was hosting the process and Taliban rulers there were acting as mediators.

The Pakistani militant alliance responded by denying Khan's assertion that the two sides were in negotiations; neither the Afghan Taliban nor TTP militants have since commented on the negotiations.

Years of violence, failed negotiations

Tens of thousands of Pakistanis, including security forces, have died in terrorist attacks claimed by the Pakistani Taliban since the group emerged in 2007.

Failed talks with the TTP prompted Pakistan to launch counter-militancy offensives against the group's strongholds near the Afghan border in 2014, killing several thousand militants and forcing others to flee across the border into Afghanistan.

While security measures reduced militant violence in Pakistan for several years, the country has witnessed a resurgence of TTP attacks since the start of 2021, which have killed and injured hundreds of security forces.

Islamabad had strained diplomatic ties with the Western-backed former Afghan government that collapsed in the face of the stunning Taliban victories that enabled the Islamist movement to seize control of Kabul in August.

Pakistan consistently accused the previous Afghan rulers of sheltering fugitive TTP leaders and helping them to orchestrate cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan. Pakistan's alleged support for the Afghan Taliban is believed to have played a role in helping the insurgent group wage and sustain attacks against the former Kabul government forces, as well as U.S.-led foreign troops in Afghanistan over the past 20 years  charges Islamabad denies.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister of the Taliban's interim government in Afghanistan, is said to be acting as a mediator in Pakistan's peace talks with TTP. He heads the notorious Haqqani network of militants designated as a global terrorist by the U.S. He himself is wanted by the U.S. and carries a bounty of $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

The Afghan Taliban interior minister allegedly maintains ties with the Pakistani spy agency and the TTP, which is designated as a global terrorist group by Washington and the United Nations.

Critics say Pakistan's long-running support for the Taliban has prompted Islamabad to seek payback by pressing the acting Kabul government to help in containing TTP-led violence.


The United States is keeping a close watch on Russian troop movements near the countrys border with Ukraine, describing the activity as unusual.

We continue to monitor this closely, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Friday, while calling on Moscow to publicly explain its intentions.

Without getting into greater detail right now, I think it's really a matter of scale. It's a matter of the size of the units that we're seeing, he said, adding, Any escalatory or aggressive actions by Russia would be of great concern.

Ukraines Defense Ministry said earlier this week that an estimated 90,000 Russian troops were positioned along the border and in rebel-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine.

For its part, Moscow has denied any saber-rattling.

Russia maintains troops presence on its territory wherever it deems necessary, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a call Wednesday, the same day the United States highest-ranking military officer called Moscows military movement significant.

"We've seen this before, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a security forum in Washington, saying that at that point there was nothing overtly aggressive about Russias actions.

So, what does this mean? We don't know yet, Milley added. But we're continuing to monitor with all of our capabilities.

U.S. military and intelligence officials voiced repeated concerns in April after Russia massed as many as 150,000 troops along its border with Ukraine, calling that buildup the biggest since Moscows invasion of Crimea in 2014.

Tensions between Russia and the West appear to be rising.

Russia earlier this week complained about U.S. and NATO activity in the Black Sea as its naval forces practiced destroying enemy targets there.

And last month, Russia suspended its diplomatic mission to NATO in retaliation for the expulsion of eight Russian officials.

In June, the U.S. gave Ukraine a $150 million security package that includes training and equipment, aimed at bolstering the countrys defensive capabilities.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEFs director of health programs, has been in Zimbabwe for a week to assess the progress of countrys maternal, newborn and childrens health systems nearly 10 years after the U.N. agency injected millions of dollars into them. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Mount Darwin, Zimbabwe. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe.
Somalias government has declared a senior African Union official persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within seven days.

In a statement Thursday, Somalias Foreign Affairs Ministry ordered Simon Mulongo, the deputy special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, to leave the country.

It said Mulongo was being expelled because of activities that were described as incompatible with the mandate of the AU mission in Somalia and the countrys security strategy. The statement did not elaborate.

Somali Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdirizak warned that his government will hold accountable AMISOM personnel, particularly those at the leadership level, who are expected to be beyond reproach in their integrity as they discharge their duty under the UN/AU mandate.

Growing split on peacekeeping force

Ismail Dahir, a security analyst and former Somali national intelligence deputy director, said Mulongs expulsion was a clear indication of growing disagreement between the Somali government and the AU Peace and Security Commission over the proposed reconfiguration of the AU peacekeeping force into a multinational agency, which Mogadishu strongly opposes.

"The AU Peace and Security council has done very little to gain the trust of the citizens in Somalia," Dahir said. "AMISOM has never operated as a cohesive humanitarian mission but rather as an individual military function comprised of external troops drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia, and each function is further isolated from each other by deployment regions. And the proposed option for the extension mandate is exclusively focused on achieving more funding for AMISOM and AU mission at the expense of the security and stability of the country.

In 2019, Somalia expelled the United Nations top envoy, Nicholas Haysom, accusing him of interfering in Somalias domestic affairs.

Researcher and diplomacy analyst Sakariye Cismaan said the Somali government and its international partners need to focus on the larger goal.

These issues have repeated themselves, and that unfortunately hinders any progress needed to help defeat terrorism," Cismaan said. "So it is really important for both Somalia and these world bodies to put aside their small differences and unite in the fight against terrorism.

There are more than 20,000 AU peacekeepers in Somalia, operating under a U.N. mandate to help the federal government with security and peace building.
In a tit-for-tat round of recriminations, Belarus summoned Polands top diplomat in Minsk on Thursday to protest claims made earlier this week by Warsaw that Belarusian border guards had threatened to open fire on a Polish patrol.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said Polish allegations were unfounded and it accused Poland of engaging in megaphone diplomacy and issuing dogmatic statements for the media.

Amid rising tensions between the two countries over Belarus being used, with Minsks encouragement, as a transit point by migrants, mainly from Iraq, Poland's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Belarus' top diplomat based in Warsaw to complain about Belarusian guards crossing into Poland. The incursion was said to have occurred Monday.

Stanislaw Zaryn, spokesman for Poland's security services, said the Belarusians encroached 300 meters into Poland and were confronted by a Polish patrol. The Belarusians reloaded their weapons and then departed, Zaryn said.

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have been militarizing their borders with Belarus to try to stop record numbers of migrants crossing their borders. They accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating migrant crossings as a form of hybrid warfare against the European Union in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Belarus over last years disputed elections. Those elections were widely seen as rigged and led to a harsh crackdown on protesters who challenged the legitimacy of Lukashenkos rule.

The EU, United States and Britain also imposed sanctions in June targeting 86 officials and Belarusian state-owned entities in response to the forced landing in Belarus airspace of a Ryanair plane, which was carrying a Lukashenko critic.

'We are forced to react'

Lukashenko has halfheartedly denied hes seeking to needle or blackmail Europe by trying to fuel a migrant crisis, but said he was reacting to foreign pressure. We are not blackmailing anyone with illegal immigration, he told journalists in Minsks Independence Palace in August. Were not threatening anyone. But you have put us in such circumstances that we are forced to react. And were reacting."

In October alone, Poland recorded 15,000 attempted illegal border crossings. Last week Poland deployed 2,500 more troops to the border, bringing to 10,000 the number of soldiers reinforcing the countrys border guards.

Piotr Wawrzyk, a deputy foreign minister, said: The actions taken by the Belarusian authorities in recent weeks have the increasingly evident hallmarks of a deliberate escalation. He told The Associated Press this week that there had been a series of incidents and provocations organized by Belarusians, but described the border crossing by Belarusian guards as the most dangerous incident so far.

Lithuanian officials also accuse Lukashenko of weaponizing migrants and of being behind a surge in Iraqi and Syrian asylum-seekers trying to cross their borders illegally.

Earlier this year, they said Belaruss state-owned tourism agency had been organizing flights to Minsk from Baghdad and Istanbul for migrants, charging them from $1,800 to $12,000, and then handing them over to Belarusian border guards to transport them to the mainly forested 680-kilometer border Lithuania shares with Belarus.

Lithuania finished this week the first stretches of a razor-wire-topped steel wall it plans to extend along much of its border with Belarus. It has allocated $175 million for the project and plans to complete it in a years time.

Poland and Latvia have also laid stretches of coiled razor wire on their borders to stop the migrants. Polish officials, who accuse Belarusian border guards of slashing the wire, are bracing for even larger asylum-seeker surges.

Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan reported last week that Minsk International Airport published a new schedule for the coming winter according to which at least 55 planes will be flying from the Middle East to Minsk every week.

Formal protests

The rising tensions along the Poland-Belarus border have seen the Poles summon the Belarusian charge daffaires in Warsaw three times so far to the Foreign Ministry to be handed formal diplomatic protests.

The burgeoning crisis is also souring relations between EU member states and Poland about how to handle the asylum-seekers. According to analyst Elizabeth Braw of the Washington-based think tank American Enterprise Institute, that likely fits into what she dubs Lukashenkos sinister game.

The Belarusian ruler knows that immigration is a hugely divisive issue within the European Union, and within individual EU member states. Polands strategy of pushing migrants back into Belarus has already caused a rift with Brussels  and thus worsened Polands already tense relations with EU headquarters, she wrote in a commentary for the news site Defense One.

EU officials say Poland is in breach of international norms by trying to force migrants back into Belarus and that it is obliged to offer them protection.

Poland has declared a state of emergency along part of its border with Belarus, hindering journalists and NGO workers from monitoring whats happening in an exclusion zone in the Podlasie forests. NGOs say there is an urgent need for them to gain access to the militarized zone on the Polish side of the border and they have accused Poland of using the migrants as political weapons.

Eight migrants have died trying to cross the border so far, the latest a 19-year-old Syrian man whose body was retrieved from the River Bug by divers on October 21.Disgraceful things are happening on the Polish-Belarusian border, said the Polish refugee charity Fundacja Ocalenie, or the Salvation Foundation.

'Illegal and inhumane practices'

In a letter in September to the EU commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson, the charity said it had documented numerous illegal and inhumane practices of the Polish authorities along the border.

They included denying migrants the right to apply for international protection, rounding up migrants on Polish territory and illegally transporting them back to the border and forcing them to cross the border back to Belarus. The charity said sometimes the migrants were deposited in dangerous areas, such as swamps, exposing these people, including young children, to life-threatening conditions.

Fundacja Ocalenie said it and other humanitarian organizations had been denied the opportunity to provide assistance to migrants trapped in a no-mans land between the borders, including dozens of Afghans camped in the Usnarz Gorny area.

Rights organization Amnesty International has also complained about 17 Afghans at the border being violently pushed back into Belarus by Polish guards.

Two former Polish officials, Adam Bodnar, a former ombudsman of Poland, and Agnieszka Grzelak, who served as a deputy director of the Constitutional, European and International Law department in the office of the ombudsman, urged Brussels on Thursday to intervene with Warsaw, saying, The EU cant sit by while migrants die at the Belarusian border.

Writing in Politico.eu, a news site, they said: A few days ago, a former colleague from the Ombudsmans office carried a three-year-old child out of the forest in his arms. If he had not found and taken care of him, or forced the border guards to register him, the child and his family would have been pushed back from Polish territory without any guarantee of safety by Belarusian authorities.
Texas' abortion law has landed in the nation's capital this week, as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether limitations on a woman's ability to terminate her pregnancy are legal. Lawmakers heard from experts Thursday who urged the high court to strike it down. VOA's Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has more. Producer: Katherine Gypson.
Editor's note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch.

Leaders talk global warming in Glasgow

 World leaders met in Glasgow, Scotland, this week to try to halt global warming. But with some of the world's biggest emitters like China and Russia skipping the conference, known as COP26, hopes dimmed that leaders will find a way to keep the world from warming more than the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius this century.

Hope Eroding as COP26 Climate Pledges Fall Short

 Burning coal is the single biggest contributor to climate change. Phasing out its use between 2030 and 2040 is one of the United Nation's most ambitious appeals. More than 40 countries made coal-related pledges on Thursday at COP26.

COP26: Britain Hails Global Deals to End Coal but Plans New Mine

 The world's youth have the most at stake as the planet warms, and they have been vocal advocates for change. On Friday, they took center stage during Youth and Public Empowerment Day at COP26.

'It's Our Lives on the Line', Young Marchers Tell UN Climate Talks

War crimes committed in northern Ethiopia

 The conflict between the Ethiopian federal army and Tigrayan fighters in northern Ethiopia reached the one-year milestone this week. A report written by a joint investigative team from the United Nations and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was published Wednesday, saying all belligerents have committed atrocities during the year-long conflict.

UN Report Says Ethiopia's War Marked by 'Extreme Brutality'

 The U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffery Feltman, traveled to Ethiopia on Thursday, as the internal armed conflict intensified. On Tuesday, the Ethiopian federal government declared a state of emergency, saying Tigrayan fighters were advancing toward the capital, Addis Ababa.

US Envoy to Visit Ethiopia After Government Declares State of Emergency

News in brief

World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley has for months been trying to attract the attention of some of the world's richest men on Twitter, seeking $6 billion to assist 42 million people who are "marching toward starvation" due to conflict, climate change and COVID-19. On Monday, he finally caught the attention of the world's richest man, Tesla founder Elon Musk.

Quote of note

"We are not drowning, we are fighting. This is our warrior cry to the world."

 Samoan climate activist Brianna Fruean, 23, of her Pacific Island peers to world leaders at the opening of COP26 on Monday.

What we are watching next week

An international conference on Libya will be held in Paris on November 12. Libya is set to hold elections on December 24, but concerns are growing that it may not be on track to carry out a free and fair election on time.

Did you know?

The 15 members of the U.N. Security Council take turns being council president for a month at a time. Rotation is in alphabetical order. Kenya was president in October, Mexico took over Monday for November, and Niger will finish out the year in December.

To mark their presidency, Mexico donated a new sculpture now on display at U.N. headquarters in New York City.
A U.S. federal grand jury has indicted the Russian analyst who contributed to the "Steele dossier" alleging potential ties between Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia, a special prosecutor investigating the matter said Thursday.

Analyst Igor Danchenko is accused of five counts of making false statements to the FBI relating to sources for the material he gave a British firm that prepared the dossier, said John Durham, the special prosecutor appointed by the U.S. Justice Department during Trump's administration.

At a brief hearing on Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa Buchanan ordered Danchenko's pretrial release on $100,000 unsecured bail after his lawyer told the court he lived with his family in Virginia.

Danchenko's lawyer indicated his client would plead not guilty to the charges although his plea was not formally entered. A prosecutor said that, if convicted, Danchenko could face up to five years in prison on each count of his indictment.

The indictment alleges that between June and November 2017, Danchenko made false statements regarding the sources of certain information he provided to a British investigative firm which Durham did not identify.

Sources identified the firm to Reuters as having been linked to former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The dossier, which was circulated to the FBI and media outlets before the November 2016 election, set out still-unproven assertions that Russia had embarrassing information about Trump and some of his Republican campaign's advisers and that Moscow was working behind the scenes to defeat his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

The indictment alleges Danchenko made false statements about information he said he had received from an anonymous caller who claimed the Kremlin might have been helping to get Trump elected. It says Danchenko knew the information to be untrue. A lawyer for Danchenko did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Two sources familiar with Durham's activities said he had issued subpoenas seeking evidence from multiple sources, including people linked to Fusion GPS, the Washington investigations firm that commissioned the dossier.

Steele is a former British intelligence officer who prepared the dossier for Fusion GPS, which was working for a law firm that represented the Democratic Party and Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Steele declined to comment in an emailed message.

One of the sources familiar with Durham's activities said Fusion GPS was not a target of Durham's investigation. Steele had previously declined to cooperate with investigators working for Durham.
The U.S. State Department on Friday urged all Americans to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible, according to a security alert posted on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa.

The alert called the security situation in the country very fluid.

According to Reuters, a group of anti-government forces threatened to march into the capital city.

The State Department also warned Americans from traveling to the country on its travel advisory website, saying: Do not travel to Ethiopia due to armed conflict, civil unrest, communications disruptions, crime, and the potential for terrorism and kidnapping in border areas.

The warnings come as Ethiopia sinks deeper into a crisis sparked by an ongoing war in the countrys northern Tigray region.

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Wednesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrive in the capital.

Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty and unity. And we cant dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures, Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos said during a state media briefing.

Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray region, blamed the Ethiopian government and its allies for causing the suffering of the past year.

The warmongers decided to continue with the war, and we entered into this war because the only option we had is to destroy our enemies by force, he said.

Thursday marked the first anniversary of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds deployment of troops to Tigray in response to forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front seizing military bases a day earlier. The ensuing conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced several million from their homes and left 400,000 residents of Tigray facing famine, according to a July estimate by the U.N.

A joint investigation by the United Nations and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission published on Wednesday found that all sides in the conflict have committed human rights violations, including torturing civilians, gang rapes and arresting people based on ethnicity. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said some of those abuses may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Some information in this report came from Reuters.
China has a new tool to wield during any future flareups along its borders with foreign entities, whether those be the Indian government, Afghan refugees or Myanmar rebel groups.

Announced on October 23, the new Land Borders Law authorizes the use of weapons to halt "illegal" border crossings and lists reasons for Chinese authorities to ban those crossings.

Scholars say the law appears to be aimed at legitimizing military and armed police actions along 22,117 kilometers of largely remote, rugged borders while warning other states against testing China's resolve in any sovereignty spats.

China has enforced similar laws in the past, largely to cast doubt on the legality of any activities by other countries that challenge Chinese sovereignty, said Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Dean Cheng in a May 2021 study. Such laws cover Taiwan, Hong Kong and countries bounded by the South China Sea.

"Beijing is now employing the same lawfare approach it successfully employed in the South China Sea to provide legal cover for its territorial expansion," said Mohan Malik, author of the 2011 book "China and India: Great Power Rivals." "It shows that China's domestic laws now override bilateral agreements, established norms and international law."

Multiple threats, multiple laws

China, which has rankled several neighbors with its aggressive maritime claims, has reason to be concerned about several of its land borders.

Beijing officials are closely watching Myanmar for any spillover of fighting between ethnic minority rebel groups and the Southeast Asian state's military government.

Scholars say the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August poses another concern for China, which worries about an influx of refugees or Islamic extremists across the two countries' short, mountainous boundary.

Beijing's health officials meanwhile are watching all borders  which touch on a total of 14 countries  for anyone who could be carrying the virus causing COVID-19.

China also disputes two tracts of land with India, prompting both sides to send troops in 2017 and 2020.

Less recently, China fought a border war with Vietnam in the 1970s and had skirmishes with the former Soviet Union in 1969.

Other new Chinese legislation includes a law passed early this year that formalizes Beijing's use of the coast guard to defend its disputed claims in the South China Sea, and the Hong Kong Security Law of 2020 that bans subversion in the former British colony.

The Anti-Secession Law of 2005 drew attention to Beijing's insistence that self-ruled Taiwan should fall under the Chinese flag.

Afghanistan, India, Myanmar

The new border law could foreshadow paramilitary action as needed against other countries, said Nguyen Thanh Trung, director of the Center for International Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City.

"I think that China may not use military force, but they could use some kind of force that has a lot of power, like ... what they are doing in the South China Sea  the paramilitary or the coast guard   [which is] fully equipped with weapons," Nguyen said. China is building up tiny tropical islets in the sea disputed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

China is using the Land Borders Law particularly as "leverage" against India, said Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research. India and China are engaged in a 17-month-old border standoff that has led to deadly clashes high in the Himalayas.

"The law gives the stamp of approval to China's assertive and expansionist actions in recent years along its land borders, especially in the Himalayas," Chellaney said. "These actions follow in the footsteps of China's efforts to redraw its maritime frontiers in the South and East China seas."

The threat of Afghanis fleeing into the Xinjiang region, a mainly Muslim area where China has tried to throttle ethnic Uyghur dissent for four years, plus the specter of ethnic minority rebels in Myanmar pushing north into China as spillover from the post-February coup, make China especially nervous, scholars say.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, points to Afghanistan and Myanmar as the top border threats, though not the only ones.

"The new security law is ... designed to safeguard and secure China's borders in a more hostile security setting," Pongsudhirak said. "This is a time of unprecedented, I think, insecurity for China."

Along the Chinese border with Laos, the professor added, China hopes to "consolidate" Chinese influence ahead of a railway line opening in December.

Drones, floating objects and the PLA

Borders can be shut due to disasters or "security" threats, the text of the new border legislation says. Military personnel will answer any "illegal border crossings" by foreign troops, it says, while armed police agencies may handle other crossings.

"No organization or individual may engage in activities that endanger national security or affect China's friendly relations with neighboring countries by means of sound, light, display of markers, throwing or passing objects, placing floating objects, etc., near land borders," the legislation says.

But the law spells out, too, that China's government "adheres to the principles of equality, mutual trust, and friendly consultation, and handles land borders and related matters with land neighbors through negotiations, and properly resolves disputes and border issues left over from history."

Most of China's Land Borders Law specifies which government agencies, including the People's Liberation Army, should handle which aspects of border work.

That language also may reflect "bureaucratic and inter-agency conflicts" within the Chinese government, Pongsudhirak said.


The White House is taking a firm stance with its onetime close ally, Ethiopia, threatening sanctions and a suspension of a key economic program over what Washington says are gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in an ethnically motivated conflict that has killed thousands of people in the past year.

Those strong words came as the landlocked East African nation faces a rebel siege on the capital in coming months, or sooner. The Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, one of the main parties fighting the government, has in recent days joined forces with the Oromo Liberation Army and is advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa.

Human rights group Amnesty International on Friday warned that the nation is teetering on the brink of a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed this week imposed a state of emergency and urged Addis residents to take up arms to defend the city. In making this call, Abiy used language so strong and provocative that Facebook took down his post.

A short time later, President Joe Biden issued a warning that he would revoke the nations membership in the African Growth and Opportunities Act, a program that allows African countries to export materials to the U.S. duty-free. Ethiopias government says that program created 200,000 direct jobs and 1 million indirect jobs in the impoverished nation.

We look at the impact of removal but in this case the law is clear and there are rules that governments must observe to retain their AGOA eligibility, a senior administration official told VOA. If Ethiopias AGOA benefits are revoked, the responsibility will fall solely upon the government of Prime Minister Abiy. There is still time for this determination to be reversed. We urge the government of Ethiopia to address the human rights, humanitarian and political crises by January 1 to retain or regain its AGOA eligibility.

Ethiopias Ministry of Foreign Affairs called this decision misguided.

Unjustified intimidation to jeopardize the economic livelihoods of innocent citizens, which we believe is propelled by the enemies of Ethiopia behind the scenes, will not give a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the ministry said in a statement.

What now?

What will resolve this conflict, which has raged for a year? The Biden administration said it had exercised many other options before getting to this point.

The United States has engaged with the government of Ethiopia for months, raising our concerns about gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, the senior administration official said. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that Ethiopia risked losing its eligibility for AGOA under U.S. law if these violations went unaddressed.

In September, Biden threatened harsh sanctions against all sides involved in the war, including the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The executive order warning of sanctions did not name any individuals, but the criteria are broad and extensive, including even the spouses and adult children of individuals the State Department deems to have met the criteria. The order also provides for sanctions against the regional government of the Amhara region, and the rebel TPLF.

U.S. Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman landed in Ethiopias capital on Thursday and has since met with the countrys deputy prime minister and defense and finance ministers. It was unclear when or whether he would meet with Abiy.

Growing humanitarian crisis

But human rights advocates say this is more than a diplomatic disagreement. The conflict has triggered the worlds largest hunger crisis, leaving millions of people in need of humanitarian aid.

The dire humanitarian and human rights crisis which began one year ago in Tigray has been spilling into other areas of the country, said Deprose Muchena, regional director for eastern and southern Africa at Amnesty International. To stop the situation [from] spiraling out of control, the Ethiopian authorities must urgently take serious action to ensure human rights and international humanitarian law are respected.

Makila James, a senior adviser at the U.S. Institute of Peace and a former U.S. diplomat in Africa, said the situation is especially tragic considering the lengthy relationship between the United States and Ethiopia, once a staunch ally and bulwark against terrorism in the region. The U.S. is the single largest aid donor to Ethiopia.

I think it's very important to underscore: The U.S. has been a long-standing partner of the country, and the people of Ethiopia, James said. This is not a new relationship. It goes back many, many, many, many, many decades. And particularly with Prime Minister Abiy, the U.S. government had been a strong supporter, a strong partner of his democracy and reform agenda. And so there's a great deal of disappointment and concern about what is happening in the country that has taken all of that off track.

Ahmed Soliman, a researcher from London-based Chatham House, said time is running out to find a diplomatic solution.

We're at a stage where the pendulum has shifted, but the next shift is one where we're talking about an irreversible situation, he said. So unless the parties can be brought to the table now, they're not going to be brought to the table, because one side will potentially usurp the other. ... I think what we need to kind of impress on the parties is that there is still an opportunity to pull back from the brink.

James stressed that the solution has to be diplomatic.

There is no military solution in this conflict, she said. It is one that is a lose-lose all around.

On Friday, the U.S. State Department urged all Americans to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible, in a post on the website of the U.S. Embassy to Addis Ababa.

Cindy Saine contributed to this report.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged foreigners to invest in various sectors in Zimbabwe, including mining, agriculture, tourism and others. Mnangagwa addressed business executives and Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the U.N. Climate Change Summit in Scotland.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEFs director of health programs, has been in Zimbabwe for a week to assess the progress of countrys maternal, newborn and childrens health systems nearly 10 years after the U.N. agency injected millions of dollars into them. Columbus Mavhunga reports
Support for South Africa's ruling African National Congress party fell below 50% in local elections this week for the first time since the end of apartheid.

The results announced Thursday for many of Monday's municipal wards showed the ANC received about 46% of the 12.3 million votes cast nationwide. Not since it became the nations dominant party in 1994 has the ANC seen such low support.

The party still achieved a majority in 161 municipalities, compared to 13 for the opposition Democratic Alliance and 10 for the Inkatha Freedom Party. No party won control in 66 other municipalities  in those areas the ANC likely will be forced into forming coalitions to hold power.

The ANC faced widespread criticism as many municipalities it governs are bankrupt and mostly are failing to deliver basic services.

In an interview with VOA, Sheila Camerer, a former member of parliament for the main opposition party Democratic Alliance, said her party's platform hinged on better local governance.

The message we took to the voters is the city works when the DA is in charge," she said, citing results in Midvaal Local Municipality in Gauteng where the DA won more than 70% of the vote.

"We are not like the ANC," she said. "We are not corrupt, and we do not let everything disintegrate."

ANC leaders downplayed this week's results and said it does not reflect a larger trend.

Preliminary results indicate that well have more hung councils than in the previous local elections," said ANC Acting Secretary-General Jessie Duarte, speaking at the Independent Electoral Commissions center in Tshwane.

"This will necessitate the need for coalitions or other forms of cooperation with other political formations," he said. "This is nothing new. Weve done so since 1994.

Forming many coalitions, however, could be a formidable challenge for the ANC.

An increasing number of leaders of smaller political parties, such as Action SAs Herman Mashaba, seem bent on isolating the ruling party.

Action SA will not go into coalition with the ANC," he said.

The Freedom Front Plus, a conservative, almost exclusively white Afrikaner party, doubled its share of the vote this week to five and a half percent when compared with 2016.

Party leader Pieter Groenewald said it hopes to be a potential kingmaker in several municipalities.

Were available as far as coalitions are concerned," he said. But he added that the party will not join a coalition with ANC.

But some minority party leaders said joining a coalition with the ANC could work in their favor.

The Economic Freedom Fighters party got more than 10% of the vote this week, and in some wards, the party received the third most votes.

Deputy leader Floyd Shivambu said the party will put anyone into power, including the ANC if it means receiving leadership positions for EFF officials.

"The EFF wants to be part of government now," he said.

The ANC's Duarte wasnt prepared to say which parties the ANC is willing to work with or what it would be ready to offer them in exchange for staying at the helm of major cities such as Johannesburg, Durban and Nelson Mandela Bay.

The ANCs approach to coalitions remains based on principle, not expediency, and guided by the spirit, mandate, and interest of the voters, he said.

VOA's James Butty contributed to this report.
Ethiopia Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of brutal fighting between government forces and regional Amhara militiamen aligned with Eritrean forces against rebels in the northern Tigray region. Now, Tigrayan forces say they are advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa, and that it could fall within months or even weeks.

In recent weeks, the Tigrayan forces and the Oromo regional forces have joined in the fight against the central government and claimed to make significant advances.

Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed that his government would prevail.

Ethiopia will not collapse. Ethiopia will prosper, Abiy said speaking in Addis Ababa on Wednesday. Ethiopia will forever exist with her honor by defeating all who test her through the blood and bones of her children.

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Wednesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrive in the capital. Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty and unity. And we cant dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures, said Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos during a state media briefing.

Debretsion Gebremichael, the president of the Tigray region blamed the Ethiopian government and its allies for causing the suffering in the past year. The warmongers decided to continue with the war, and we entered into this war because the only option we had is to destroy our enemies by force.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price called on all the warring parties to end the fighting and protect the lives and rights of citizens. He said the State Department has now updated the travel advisory for Ethiopia to Level 4.

What that means is we are advising U.S. citizens, do not to travel to Ethiopia, Price said. We are recommending that U.S. citizens in Ethiopia consider departing now using commercial options that remain available.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the yearlong conflict was marked by extreme brutality.

We have reasonable grounds to believe that during this period, all parties to the Tigray conflict have committed violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law, The U.N. human rights chief said during a press briefing on Wednesday. Some of this may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Civilians in Tigray have been subjected to brutal violence and suffering.

A joint report by the U.N. human rights office and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission found that sexual violence has been rampant in the conflict, detailing reports of gang rapes by various parties against women and girls, but also against men and boys.

The yearlong conflict has plunged about 400,000 people in the Tigray region into famine, killed thousands of civilians and forced more than 2.5 million people in the north to flee their homes, according to the U.N.

Some information in this report came from Reuters.
A senior Zanu PF official and former Cabinet Minister has been linked to the controversial compulsory acquisition of a farm owned by three black farmers, including Siphosami Malunga, the son of a national hero, Sydney Malunga, laid to rest at Zimbabwes Heroes Acre in Harare.

VOA Zimbabwe Service is in possession of documents indicating that Lands Minister Anxious Jongwe Masuka, wrote an offer letter to the Zanu PF official (name supplied) when owners of Keshelmar Farm - Malunga, Charles Moyo and Zephaniah Dhlamini  were in the process of seeking help from him to stop the acquisition of the land also known as Esidakeni Farm in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North province.

The offer letter was written a few days after the three gave Masuka some detailed documents on how they acquired the farm from a white commercial farmer, who now lives outside the country.

In the offer letter, written and signed by Masuka on June 30, 2021, the piece of land was parceled out to Mswelangubo Farm, said to be owned by the former Cabinet Minister, who was not available for comment last night.

The offer letter reads in part, I am pleased to offer to Mswelangubo Farm the following farm, which was compulsorily acquired in Umguza District Matabeleland North province for use by the Mswelangubo Farm  Please note that the land in question is for institutional use by Mwelangubo Farm and shall remain state land on which terms and conditions for state land apply.

Mwelangubo was given 145 hectares of the said land. The government has in the past claimed that it acquired the farm a few years ago.

Masuka, Malunga, Moyo and Dhlamini were unavailable for comment as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones.

With the Zanu PF and former Cabinet ministers alleged role in attempts to seize the land from the three farmers, it seems possible that he will be included in court proceedings challenging the acquisition.

The High Court recently granted Malunga, Moyo and Dhlamini an order to evict one Dumisani Madzivanyati, who was claiming that he was offered the same piece of land by the Ministry of Agriculture. Madzivanyati was ordered to leave the farm within 24 hours.

Esidakeni Farm cultivates tomatoes, vegetables and other plants worth millions of dollars.
The World Health Organizations regional director for Europe said Thursday the continent is now the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for 59 percent of all cases globally.

At a virtual news briefing from Copenhagen, Hans Kluge said the current pace of transmission across the regions 53 countries is of grave concern. He said new cases are approaching record levels, with the delta variant of the coronavirus driving the surge.

Kluge said his agencys latest data shows hospitalizations in the region more than doubled in one week.

He noted officials are seeing increasing trends across all age groups, but that the rapid increase in the older population is of the most concern. He said this is translating into more people having severe cases and dying, with 75 percent of the deaths among persons aged 65 or older.

Kluge said one reliable projection indicates that at the current pace, Europe could see another half a million COVID-19 deaths by the first of February. COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus.

He also cited uneven vaccination rates and the relaxation of public health and social measures throughout the region as the cause of the surge.

While a billion doses of vaccine have been distributed, in Europe, only 47 percent of the total population are fully vaccinated. He says in eight nations, at least 70 percent of the people have been inoculated fully. Kluge notes the rate remains below 10 percent in two other countries.

Kluge encouraged nations with low vaccination rates to increase coverage, particularly among priority groups such as the elderly. He urged nations with high vaccination rates and ample supply to share with less fortunate nations.

He also said that vaccines are most effective when used with other preventive measures, such as social distancing and mask-wearing. Kluge said if the region achieved universal mask use, 188,000 lives could be saved between now and February.

The WHO region chief said, We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place.
One on One with Joe Korkowski, as heard Saturdays on KXRA-1490AM (@7:40am) and KXRA-92.3FM (@8:00am), as well as each Sunday morning on KXRZ Z99.3fm (@10:15am).

The interview is also re-broadcast on Monday mornings on KX92 at 10:00am and on Z99 at 9:10am.
Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM

News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.



Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.

Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.

Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation advanced or completed 261 road and bridge projects during the 2021 construction season.

This years construction program delivered new bridges and smoother roads, and improved designs to create better connections and mobility for people walking and biking. Several projects also addressed aging infrastructure to help rejuvenate main streets in communities across Minnesota, said MnDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher. The projects completed this year will help us achieve our long-term vision of a safer and more sustainable and equitable transportation system that serves all Minnesotans.

2021 was the second full construction season to occur during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and additional safety protocols  as well as some minor delays due to the drought and water restrictions  MnDOT crews and contractors worked tirelessly to complete most projects on-time and on-budget.

We are grateful to the crews, contractors and suppliers who worked diligently to overcome supply chain challenges  and to all Minnesotans for their patience during road construction, added Commissioner Anderson Kelliher. Some work zones around the state will remain active into November, so motorists should remain alert for crews and equipment. Always slow down, move over to give workers room to safely work, and be courteous of other drivers in the work zone with you.

Major projects completed in 2021

Notable projects completed during the 2021 construction season include 35W@94 Downtown to Crosstown in Minneapolis, I-94 Maple Grove to Clearwater, Highway 14 Dodge Center to Owatonna, the Highway 72 International Bridge in Baudette and Highway 61 in Grand Marais.

More construction highlights by region can also be found at www.mndot.gov/construction.

Twin Cities

 I-94 Maple Grove to Albertville  Crews are nearing completion on work that includes concrete resurfacing, adding lanes between Highway 610 and Highway 101 and between St. Michael and Albertville, improving bridges and ramps, improving the Elm Creek Rest Area and building a new interchange at Dayton Parkway.

 I-35W Minnesota River Bridge in Burnsville, Bloomington  Completed multiyear project to replace the I-35W Bridge over the Minnesota River, replace pavement and add a new trail.

 I-35W Roseville and Blaine  Completed third and final year on I-35W North that included resurfacing I-35W and ramps, constructing an E-ZPass Express Lane in each direction, reconstructing eight bridges and installing seven noise walls.

 I-35W@94 Minneapolis  Completed four-year project on I-35W in Minneapolis that included rebuilding ramp from I-35W North to I-94 West, adding E-ZPass Lanes, constructing Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Station and repairing bridges and pavement.

 Highway 52 in St. Paul, West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights  Completed resurfacing between I-494 and Concord Street, concrete repair between Concord Street and Plato Boulevard, and accessibility improvements.

 Highway 12 safety improvements in west Twin Cities metro  Added new concrete median barrier between County Road 6 and Baker Park Road, and a roundabout at County Road 90 to improve safety.

Northeast Minnesota (MnDOT District 1)

 Highway 61 Grand Marais  Completed a two-year urban reconstruction project in Grand Marais with complete streets improvements.

 Highway 61 Grand Portage  Resurfaced Highway 61, replaced culverts, improved intersections and built a new bridge at Hollow Rock Creek.

 Highway 2 Itasca County  Repaved 19 miles of Highway 2 between Prairie River and Grand Rapids.

 Highway 37 Gilbert  Completed a two-year project through the city of Gilbert with resurfacing, safety and accessibility improvements.

 Highway 53 near Pike Lake in St. Louis County  Resurfaced southbound lanes between Midway Road and Independence.

Northwest Minnesota (MnDOT District 2)

 Highway 72 International Bridge in Baudette  Completed and opened the new Highway 72 Baudette/Rainy River International Bridge, in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

 Highway 200 in Laporte  Raised road and installed new culvert to reduce flooding.

 Highway 2 in Bagley  Resurfaced Highway 2, resurfaced multi-use trail, improved accessible pedestrian ramps curb and gutter, storm sewer and highway lighting.

 Highway 2 and Highway 6 in Deer River  Reconstructed Highway 2 and Highway 6 in Deer River, replaced sidewalks, underground utilities and culverts.

Central Minnesota (MnDOT District 3 and District 4)

 I-94 Maple Grove to Albertville  Crews are nearing completion on work that includes concrete resurfacing, adding lanes between Highway 610 and Highway 101 and between St. Michael and Albertville, improving bridges and ramps, improving the Elm Creek Rest Area and building a new interchange at Dayton Parkway.

 Highway 10 Elk River  Reconstructed highway between Simonet Drive and Lowell Avenue, added multi-use trail and improved access at Proctor Avenue. All lanes open by early November.

 Highway 95 west of Cambridge  Reconstructed 12 miles and replaced 16 pipes from Isanti County Road 15 near Wyanett to west side of Cambridge, added new roundabout at Highway 95/65.

 Highway 210 Crosby, Ironton  Reconstructed Highway 210 from Second Street SW to Third Avenue NE in Crosby, replaced underground utilities and sidewalks, resurfaced from west of Seventh Avenue in Ironton to Second Street SW in Crosby and upgrade sidewalks.

 Highway 87 Frazee to Becker/Wadena County Line  Reconstructed and resurfaced 26 miles of pavement, widened shoulders between Frazee and Evergreen, replaced bridge over the Otter Tail River near Frazee.

 Highway 12 Ortonville to Highway 59  Reconstructed and resurfaced 26 miles of pavement, widened shoulders, replaced box culverts. Road is expected to open in November.

Southeast Minnesota (MnDOT District 6)

 Highway 14, Dodge Center to Owatonna  Completed new 12.5-mile, four-lane section, new bridges over the highway near Claremont, two new interchanges, removed 13 at-grade railroad crossings in Dodge and Steele counties. Traffic expected on new route in early November. Some work on local roads planned in 2022. Construction began in 2020.

 Highway 63/I-90 interchange  Completed two-year project that replaced two Highway 63 bridges over I-90, reconstructed I-90 off-ramp to northbound Highway 63, constructed new off-ramp to southbound Highway 63 included acceleration lanes and rerouted Highway 30 intersection.

 Highway 74 Whitewater State Park  Rehabilitated four historic bridges on Highway 74 in Whitewater State Park.

Southwest Minnesota (MnDOT District 7 and District 8)

 Highway 60, Madison Lake, Elysian, Waterville  Resurfaced 17 miles, reconstructed through Madison Lake, improved sidewalks and crossings, updated pedestrian ramps, modified access and turn lanes, improved county road lighting.

 Highway 19 downtown New Prague  Reconstructed Main Street in downtown New Prague, year two of a two-year, city-led project.

 Highway 99, Nicollet to St. Peter  Resurfaced 11 miles, replaced and lined culverts, added intersection lighting, lengthened turn lane.

 Highway 91, Adrian  Replaced bridge over Interstate 90, drainage and guardrail replacement.

 Highway 71, Sanborn bridge  Replaced bridge spanning the Cottonwood River, improved drainage and wildlife passage.

 Highway 71 in Willmar  Completed several road and safety improvements along six miles, including a reduced conflict intersection, median construction, culvert replacement, U-turn access, pavement maintenance, and concrete pedestrian crossings.

For a complete list of current MnDOT construction projects, plans and studies, see www.mndot.gov/roadwork.
Syria responded to the Security Council regarding the situation in Lebanon [1]. This is the first time in more than a decade that Damascus is getting involved in Lebanese politics.

This shift in attitude would indicate that Russia and the United States have acceded to Syrias conditions for accepting their proposal to be in charge of the situation in Lebanon, as it had done, at the request of the international community, after the end of the Lebanese civil war (1975-90).

This option, which we announced several months ago, would divest France of its design to have administrative control over the country of the Cedar trees.
From Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, at New York Theatre Workshop. Photo: Joan Marcus

As someone who once worked  sort of, long ago  in the literary department of a theater, I am familiar with the typical response to a season proposal. A writer or a dramaturg or a director pitches a show, and the artistic director steeples his fingers and nods thoughtfully. Why this play? he asks. Why now? In these conversations, relevance is always king. But even in quieter years than this one, chasing currency had its dangers. Theater is a slow-moving form, and what seems on-point early in a development process can change past recognition by the time the show actually happens. Also  the world is always with us. Do audiences want to walk into a theater to see exactly whats outside? How much relevance can we bear?

Just a few blocks apart in New York, two theaters are struggling with these questions. They dont struggle equally: One of the shows is embarrassing, while the other is delightful and moving. But in this one way, theyre alike. Hamlet said that the theaters purpose was to show the very age and body of the time his form and pressure. In The Visitor and Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, you see the body of the time exerting a whole hell of a lot of pressure back.

The bad show is The Visitor. The Public Theaters musical adaptation of Tom McCarthys 2007 movie is poorly made enough that post-shutdown gratitude cannot help it; its confused enough that some performers looked reluctant even when taking their bows. Tone, taste, pace, executionall are a mess. And after a certain point, its choices pratfall into chaos, becoming accidentally hilarious. To illustrate: Theres a super-serious dance number staged in an immigration detention center (5, 6, 7  lift that detainee!) that still gives me the horrified giggles.

What went wrong? Its a little hard to understand the allure of the original material, for one thing. McCarthys film about of a white professor named Walter who befriends the undocumented immigrants Tarek and Zainab, one of whom gets imprisoned by ICE, succeeds in a few intimate moments, but even this delicacy fights the rough requirements of the theater. The director Daniel Sullivan and the adaptors (composer Tom Kitt, lyricist Brian Yorkey, and book-writers Yorkey and Kwame Kwei-Armah) have fumbled the transition from screen to stage, and there are few rewards in a show that includes such faceplant verses as

There will be home Somehow, youll see We will find home For you and me.

But what kills the show stone-dead is its intersection with the moment. Many of the shows problems have made the news, including a postponement due to what the theater called conversations and commitments around equity and anti-racism, which led to a weeklong attempt to decenter whiteness. Walter sits at the heart of the plot, and the show has been in development for more than half a decade. What could they do in a week? Then, seemingly hours before the first preview, Ariel Stachel, who had been playing Tarek for the six-year-long workshop process, left the production by mutual decision. (Ahmad Maksoud now plays the part.) Whatever conversations, whatever adjustments the team was making were clearly melting down.

The Publics decision to produce The Visitor goes back ages. I can imagine how the original choice radiated relevancewe need to address the cruelty of our immigration systemand following through on a long-term commitment to a group of artists is a moral decision. But when the material becomes odious to the people making it, surely the answer is not to make a show that apologizes for itself as its happening. This shrinking quality is what makes The Visitor so difficult to watch. The dancing detainees or the cheesy drum circle (dont ask) are at least ridiculous, but among the principals, theres an unamusing fog of shame rolling off the actors and seeping into the audience. David Hyde Pierce plays Walter, and hes left alone on stage to sing the shows 11 oclock number:

Its such a poor, pathetic sight: One old man, one errant knight Awakened to this world at last. But if there is a god, well, then A thousand old and tired white men A million old and scared white men Will wake up just like me  And fast.

Clearly the effort to decenter white men hasnt gone great. But that, in and of itself, isnt the trouble here. The show has begun to turn its anger inwards, and a musical must have confidence to survive. The world got into the rehearsal room; the confrontation tore this project apart. As its performances continue, the voices will get surer, and the odd uncertain wobbles will perhaps resolve as the company settles into production and puts those mid-October fights behind them. But the musical itself has also been shaped by those struggles, pummeled by them, humiliated by them. And thats what were left withthe sound of a show that doesnt believe in what its doing anymore.

If you want belief, youll have to go two blocks over to New York Theatre Workshop. There, Kristina Wong, performance artist and recently minted community organizer, is doing her one-woman show Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord. Onstage, Wong has two sharp weapons at her disposal: Shes funny, and she can sew. Her shows often include homemade propshere she brandishes a felt iPad and a bandolier packing a pair of huge scissors stitched from clothand it gives her productions an instant sweetness and warmth. Even though Wong is discussing events of the past 16 months, sometimes in upsetting detail, Junghyun Georgia Lees set includes ottoman-size pincushions and colorful fabric boxes, which makes the show (directed by Chay Yew) seem as approachable as a nursery rhyme.

From The Visitor, at the Public. Photo: Joan Marcus

The last 500 days werent childs play, though. In 90 minutes, Wong walks us through her experience of our-crisis-so-far, cracking jokes (Did the same guy who came up with immunization tiers come up with ambrosia salad?) while also reminding us of the way-markers of 2020 and 2021. Have we already forgotten the standoff at the Michigan statehouse? Or when the papers called Cuomo The Love Gov? Through video and her strictly chronological storytelling, Wong takes us back through our shared, hazily remembered months as if shes ripping out stitches. So much of it was awful. Heres the first lockdown order, rrrip. Here are the Atlanta spa killings, rrrip.

So far, so much we all remember. But Wong did do a few things differently from the average run of pandemic-lockdownees. For instance, she organized the Auntie Sewing Squad over Facebook, pressing acquaintances, her mother, and then total strangers into an enormous network of mask-sewing, medical-supply-distributing, support-offering volunteers. At its peak, ASS (she gets a lot of mileage out of the acronym) had hundreds of people participating across more than 30 states. Most of the aunties are Asian women. Wong talks about the terrible cost of assimilation in her family, the language and customs lost, the details of family trees wiped out. What she has inherited is an ability to sew, handed down her Chinese-American matriarchal line. She impresses on us that her group should not have needed to provide so much support to groups like the Navajo nationshe is particularly outraged by moments when a government agency asks her for masks. She also tells us that the experience has been the great, unexpected, sustaining gift of her life.

So here it is, a show about the COVID era. We knew it was coming. How could it not? But its also an interesting test for theories about the palatability of something so  relevant. Some folks have said they dont want to see any pandemic plays. Others have said that they hope that our artists are the ones to help us understand and think about what weve been through. (I am in both camps, on alternating days.) And in an unscientific poll of the single person I saw it with, I found that some folks do still find our near history too painful to watch even when its presented with such brio. I didnt have that reactionI was impressed through-and-through. But even for those whom the work stings, its still clearly a valuable archive of the experience. Wong has stopped sewing masks but shes taken on yet another burden, that of living witness. We ought to put her in the Smithsonian. Yes, the future will remark, this is how it was. And then shell throw a pincushion at them.

The Visitor is at the Public Theater through December 5.

Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord is at New York Theatre Workshop through November 21.
Click here for updates on this story

CANON CITY, Colorado (KCNC)  The federal Bureau of Land Management says its necessary to periodically remove groups of wild horses from the Sand Wash Basin to protect the resources there. Once theyre rounded up, the horses are sent to a state prison ranch in Canon City, where CBS4 recently received a rare tour of the facility and spoke with two inmates who care for the horses.

They say the animals have changed their life.

David Jackson, 38, is one of 35 minimum-security inmates who has been selected to take care of the wild horses that are brought in to the East Canon City Prison Complex.

He and inmate Alex Cockrell, 32, said they work up to eight hours a day with the horses.

It is pretty dang rewarding, Jackson said of the work.

The inmates give the horses feed and water, and clean out the water tanks. They have also learned how to trim the horses hooves. Inmates also train the horses and help prepare them for adoption, according to prison officials.

Youre taking care of something, and if youre not there, doing your job, you know, youre not just the one that suffers, but so are they, Cockrell said. Its a really good program to learn the self satisfaction of a hard days work.

Cockrell has been working with the horses for two of his four years as an inmate.

While rounding up mustangs out of the wild to be taken to the prison pens has been controversial, Cockrell believes its for the best.

I think the horses are a lot better off here than they are hungry on the range, Cockrell said. They get taken care of here, especially like during droughts. Their water gets checked every day here ... they get a lot better food quality here  they get to eat every morning without traveling who knows how many miles to find a little bit of food.

But horse advocates say the horses are healthy and thriving in the wild. Carol Walker photographs the mustangs regularly on the range, and her pictures show the horses with shiny coats and robust bodies. She believes on the range is where they should stay.

They are being treated like a disposable nuisance, and they really arent, Walker said. They are majestic creatures that deserve to live their lives, wild and free, and allow Americans to spend time with them on our public lands.

The federal Bureau of Land Management  the agency that runs and pays for the Canon City wild horse program  said horses do tend to lose weight in transport from the range to the prison, but the roundups are necessary to protect the ecosystems and resources in the Sand Wash Basin.

While there have been concerns about possibly preventable horse deaths at the Canon City facility, Cockrell said they work hard to keep the horses healthy.

So, for example, some of these horses, when they first get here off the trucks, a lot of them will look a little skinny, they dont look like theyre in good shape, and then you come in, you do your job every day, and you start to see them put on weight, start to mellow out around people, Cockrell explained. Thats really nice; theres a lot of self satisfaction to that.

There are 2,382 wild horses at the Canon City facility, according to the BLM. Cockrell and Jackson said working with all of them has been therapeutic, giving them hope for a career when they leave prison.

I feel very, very fortunate  almost a stroke of luck, you know," Jackson said. "I never thought Id even have an opportunity like this. Even if I feel a little sick, I still get up every day come out to work, because it feels so much better just to be out here in the open. To be with the horses is truly awesome.

They wish more programs like this were available to inmates.

Its just all around super rewarding, and the connection I feel  theres no words for it, Jackson said.

Prison officials say the Wild Horse Inmate Program has been around since 1986 and has grown from caring for only 450 horses to now having the capacity to hold up to 2,950 horses comfortably.

Inmates and staff members who work for WHIP take pride in providing a safe transition for the wild horses, so that they can receive the care they need to go on to live long, healthy lives, prison officials wrote in a statement. This program not only gives the horse a second chance, but it also allows the inmates to perform an important service to the community and form caring bonds with the animals."
The federal government on Thursday announced companies with more than 100 employees have until Jan. 4 to get their workforce vaccinated. If not, they could face tens of thousands of dollars in fines.

In Alabama, politicians continue to fight against the rule, saying it's a government overreach. But some major companies, like Tyson Foods, have no problem with the federal mandate, because they already require vaccines.

Tyson Foods plant Tyson Foods plant

Tyson made the announcement back in August that they would require their employees to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by November. Tyson is happy to report 96% of their workforce is now vaccinated.

"We decided that getting vaccinated was the single most effective thing team members could do to protect themselves, their families and the communities where we operate," said Derek Burleson, spokesperson for Tyson Foods.

He said protecting one another was the goal, and the significant decline in cases among employees is a sign they made the right decision.

It was a decision made easier with an incentive.

"For each team member at our plant facilities, there was a $200 thank you for those that were vaccinated," Burleson said.

Although 96% of their workforce got the vaccine, not everyone was on board. Burleson said when November came around, "there were others that chose not to be vaccinated that have left the company."

That's the concern some Alabama politicians have with the federal vaccine mandate.

"We do not need to be letting people go that are working very hard," Sen. Tommy Tuberville said. "... Up here, we're just  we're writing letters, trying to get to the Democrats to let them know these mandates do not work."

Rep. Mo Brooks echoed Tuberville, saying, "The time for action is now. I refuse to idly sit by as people lose their jobs."

Brooks introduced a one-sentence bill "to prohibit the use of federal funds to establish, implement or enforce any vaccine mandate."

But for companies like Tyson that have already implemented a mandate?

"We're going to move forward, knowing that we did what we could to protect our folks," said Burleson.

The federal vaccine mandate will apply to more than 80 million workers, but it's unclear how many of those workers are currently unvaccinated. As for the 4,000 Tyson employees in Alabama, they won't be affected by the new mandate because they already got their shot.
After being ordered by a federal judge, Huntsville Police released previously unseen body camera video from the day Crystal Ragland was shot.

The officer-involved shooting occured May 30, 2019, and resulted in a lawsuit against the city of Huntsville and responding officers.

Raw video of body-cam footage released in the shooting of Crystal Ragland resulting in her death. Raw video of body-cam footage released in the shooting of Crystal Ragland resulting in her death.

The video released Friday shows two officers responding to Stadium Apartments on Westheimer Drive after a manager of the complex called 911 with concerns about Ragland, an Army veteran.

The manager tells officers on-scene that Ragland was reportedly pointing a weapon at other residents before officers arrived. Officers were told by this manager that Ragland suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and was "not stable."

Two body-worn camera recordings were released by HPD Friday. The first video shown belongs to the body camera of Officer Jonathan Henderson. The second video shown belongs to the body camera of Officer Brett A. Collum.

Henderson speaks with the apartment manager beginning at 8:40 a.m. He is later joined on the scene by Collum.

The two officers approach Ragland's apartment building at 8:42 a.m. Henderson knocks on the door to the apartment and identifies himself and his partner as police officers. Meanwhile, Collum moves near another entrance to Ragland's apartment.

Ragland leaves the apartment through the door closest to Collum. One of the officers orders Ragland to put her hands up. Ragland can be heard on the recording, saying, "Shoot my (expletive) (expletive)."

She then reaches for her waist area. In the presentation from HPD, they offer a slow-motion, zoomed-in view, in which the handle of what appears to be a firearm is visible. It is later confirmed to be a "realistic replica" of a .45-caliber handgun.

Ten shots fired by police can be clearly heard. Ragland falls to the ground, bleeding. In accordance with HPD policy, officers approach and handcuff Ragland after ordering her to keep her hands away from the "gun."

At this point, you can see Ragland moving on the ground. According to HPD, she was still breathing at this point. Officers request a medical kit and unit. Ragland is transported to a local hospital, where she died the next day.

Following this officer-involved shooting, the Madison County District Attorney's Office launched a review of the incident and found that officers acted reasonably because a "reasonable officer would believe Ragland could show harm."

Huntsville Police also reviewed the incident internally and found officers did not violate any department policy.

The Ragland family later filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit, but the family is appealing that decision. An attorney for the family told WAAY 31 that the city has "created a culture where police officers can use excessive force."

In response to the video being released after a judge ordered the city to do so, attorneys for the Ragland family ask for continued prayers.

"Mental health is a major issue in terms of police interaction," family attorney Martin Weinberg said. "We just hope there are some changes so something like this does not happen again."

Ragland's sister, Brandi Robinson, requested the court make the video public. Because of the sensitive nature of the video, HPD said the footage would not be released without a court order.

According to Weinberg, the city's legal team fought the release of the video in the courts.
Extra campsites, extended roads and more are planned for Lake Guntersville State Park, thanks to a $200,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the grant Tuesday. ADCNR will use funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission to restore and improve a campground at the park that was damaged by a tornado in 2011.

Town Creek Campground has since reopened to the public, but this grant will allow additional work and in turn allow more visitors to enjoy the park, the department said.

Alabama has an abundance of natural resources, and our state parks are great preservers of that, Ivey said. Every year, our parks attract thousands of people both from Alabama and out of the state who are seeking venues to relax and enjoy nature and the company of others.

According to a release, the ARC funds will be used to build 12 campsites, extend a gravel road and provide water, electrical, drainage and sewage improvements to each campsite. Officials expect the upgrades to draw 8,000 additional people to the campgrounds, which already average more than 50,000 visitors a year, according to ADCNR.

Guntersville State Park with all its amenities is a major cog in attracting visitors who add to Alabamas tourism industry and to local economies in the region, said Kenneth Boswell, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, which administers the ARC program in Alabama.

Boswell said he and ADECA are pleased to join Ivey in announcing the grant and helping make this state park an even more sought-out destination.
The superintendent of Lawrence County Schools has suggested the school system shut down one of its high schools due to funding and low student enrollment.

Superintendent Jon Bret Smith presented his proposal during Mondays school board meeting, calling it a tough decision that was not made hastily.

Overall, we cannot lose focus on what is best for our students, Smith said in a statement. Unfortunately, there are several issues facing R.A. Hubbard High School.

Those issues, he said, include an enrollment that consistently falls below 150 students  the 712 school currently has 147 students  and limited funding. Smith said the funding issue in particular has meant students at R.A. Hubbard do not have the same access to resources and opportunities that are available for larger schools.

As a result, he has suggested closing the school and splitting the students among Hatton High, East Lawrence Middle and East Lawrence High schools.

This would also allow the school system to further desegregation efforts. About 70% of the R.A. Hubbard student body is Black, according to Smith, and the proposal  if approved  would allow the district to improve its racial balance among upper grades.

A slideshow included with his presentation at the school board meeting can be viewed by clicking here, then visiting the RAH information tab. Members of the community are encouraged to provide feedback on several related questions on the website as well as in the front office of any of the schools in the system.

Community members can also email their answers to rahproposal@lawrenceal.org.

Feedback will be accepted until Nov. 30. The board is expected to vote on the proposal at their December or January meeting. Once approved by board members, it will make its way to a federal judge, as the school system is operating under a federal desegregation order.

This is the same process used in 2009, when a federal judge approved closing Hazlewood, Speake and Mount Hope high schools in Lawrence County. Students who were attending Hazlewood at the time were transferred to R.A. Hubbard.
A Guntersville woman reported missing earlier this week has been found safe, according to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office.

Casey Brooke Yancy, 27, was reported missing by her husband Tuesday. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency assisted MCSO in the search for Yancy.

MCSO said the search was given particular urgency based on items found at her residence around the time of her disappearance. MCSO's Steve Guthrie said the department was thankful for the media and public's help in sharing information and that it ultimately led to her whereabouts.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance continues, Guthrie said.
Stars Dancing for HEALS (Health Establishments at Local Schools) gets underway at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville

The ballroom competition event raises money for HEALS Inc., a nonprofit organization in Huntsville that provides free health care for children in schools.

If you weren't able to get tickets to the sold out event, you can watch it HERE.

WAAY 31 Morning Anchor Megan Reyna and WAAY 31 VP/General Manager Mike Wright are the emcees of the evening.

Don't forget to donate if you can!
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Rain showers this morning with some sunshine during the afternoon hours. High near 55F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Throughout the years, the Italian lifestyle seen through the eyes of tourists formed stereotypes which categorized the nature and customs of the average Italian.

Italy is one of the most fascinating countries in the world attracting tourists to explore its culture through food, traditions, art, architecture, and its strong relationship with the past seen through the beautiful landscapes.

The Italians themselves are a reason to visit the Mediterranean peninsula, as they attract visitors with their concept of the good life and good food, also called dolce vita. Throughout the years, the Italian lifestyle seen through the eyes of tourists formed stereotypes which categorized the nature and customs of the average Italian.

This ultimately created a character that foreigners associate with when thinking about the country. Stereotypes are in fact created through the categorization of a social group that share socially significant characteristics such as race, social status, cultural background, or religion.

The formation of the stereotypical Italian figure in modern society was contributed by their representation in movies, as in Roman Holiday (1953), the figure of the average Italian was seen as romantic, passionate, and adventurous, given by the setting of the story, while in The Godfather (1972), the figure changed into being associated with corruption and the Mafia.

Furthermore, the Italian territory is so vast that even within its regions there are stereotypes, as the North is seen as hard-working, very active and focused on business, while the South is often seen as lazy, inefficient, poor, uneducated, and only engaged in agriculture.

Therefore, stereotypes can be positive and negative, creating a prejudice for the ones who havent experienced the culture themselves and often limiting the opportunities of social groups to demonstrate their true nature ultimately defying the stereotypes.

The best way to understand whether certain Italian stereotypes are true or not is to travel and fully experience this beautiful culture firsthand. In the meantime, lets explore 10 of the most common Italian stereotypes that characterize the foreign representation of this population.

1) Italians eat pasta and pizza every day

Statistically, the average Italian eats around 23.5kg of pasta every year, making Italy the first pasta producer and consumer in Europe. On the other hand, all the pizzerias in Italy combined make 1 and a half billion pizzas every year, underlining the vital role of this dish for Italy. However, after a few hours in Italy youll realize that Italian cuisine is much more complex, as each region has its own specialties and families hand down traditional recipes from generation to generation. Italy also offers a wide variety of street foods and is home to more than 350 Michelin star restaurants. It is therefore very difficult for Italians to limit themselves to eating only pasta and pizza every day.

2) Italians speak with their hands (gestures)

This is one of the most common Italian stereotypes and may be one of the truest. In fact, Italians often use their hands to reinforce a concept and meaning of the words that could be said instead. According to an article published by the New York Times, there are approximately 250 gestures that Italians use to communicate with each other, emphasizing their intentions and establishing a widespread body language.

3) Italians drive crazy and mostly on Vespas

There are many cliches linked to the chaotic Italian traffic and the prestigious cars, emphasized by their representation in movies like Roman Holiday, with the iconic Vespa. This stereotype refers to the fact that Italians dont know how to drive, as they either drive too fast or too slowly, depending on the situation. A fairly common quote states that In Milan, traffic lights are indications. In Rome, they are suggestions. In Naples, they are nothing more than Christmas decorations."



4) Italians are obsessed with fashion

Italians are often seen as well dressed, attentive to detail and lovers of fashion. It is no coincidence that Italian fashion and the Made in Italy are well known and appreciated in the world, as Versace, Prada, Valentino, Armani, Moschino have marked the history of fashion. Shopping in Italy attracts many foreigners, and the Made in Italy is a sign of quality craftsmanship.

5) All Italians are connected to the Mafia

Unfortunately, many Italians are often thought to be linked with the Mafia, a criminal organization composed of people engaged in illegal, secret, and lasting activities, which impose their will by illegal and violent means. However, this stereotype was formed throughout history due to the Mafia presence in Italy as well as its representation in the film The Godfather (1972) directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The Mafia has always been present in southern Italy, but unfortunately it is found, in various forms, also throughout the peninsula.

6) Italians are very attached to their mothers

In Italy, there is the stereotype of the sons being very attached to their mothers, living in their parents house until they are 30 years old. In fact, when the mother is overly protective, she is called chioccia meaning hen, while the overly attached son is called mammone meaning mammas boy. This may be the case for some, but not for all Italians under 30 who decide to move out and start working, achieving their independence. However, there is a great truth behind the cliche of Italians attached to their mothers and it is that for Italians, the family is important.



7) All Italians are creative and artists

Italians are considered very creative due to influential figures such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Caravaggio, or Dante. Italy is also filled with poets, architects, sculptors, painters, writers, artisans, inventors, and its museums and churches are among the richest. This could be the reason why they are often associated with creativity, but it could also be because they enjoy living the dolce vita, which gives them more time to think and create.



8) Italians are always late

This can vary a lot from person to person, as more people are more attentive to time and tend to be very punctual, while others prefer to take it easy and stop for a smoke or a coffee break before the appointment, ultimately showing up habitually late. On the streets you will notice that some people walk at a relatively leisurely pace while others will have a fast pace.



9) Italians love coffee (Espresso)

The coffee ritual is a must in Italy, even several times during the day. Italians drink it for breakfast with the family in the classic moka machine and after lunch at the bar with colleagues. In fact, most Italians drink coffee to face the day's commitments, but it is also a great way to spend time and chat with friends. Italians will often say Lets go for a coffee! as an invitation to hangout and talk about the latest news in their lives.

10) Italians are impulsive and passionate

Finally, Italians are often considered to be romantic lovers that arent scared of showing affection in public, as they are confident and often accept the displaying of a kiss to their loved ones in front of strangers. The stereotypical Italian romanticism also includes the man who brings you flowers, that cares about you very much and that buys you many gifts as well as inviting you on a date and offering you dinner. However, Italians are also known for infidelity, as in the movies the stereotype of the couple that often fights because of betrayal became widespread in the Italian culture.

Now that youve explored how stereotypes are formed as well as some of the most common Italian stereotypes, you will see that categorizing social groups through shared characteristics only partly reflects the nature of a population and sometimes constructs false prejudices that impact their representation to foreign societies.

For this reason, stereotypes can only provide an over simplified version of a group and shouldnt be used for classifying individuals in their entirety. The only way to evaluate whether some of the previously listed stereotypes somewhat reflect the true Italian nature is to travel without prejudices and spend as much time as possible within the community.

Ph: Nadezhda Kharitonova / Shutterstock.com
Funds granted to help Rome-based firm develop vaccines against covid-19 and HIV.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a grant of $1.4 million to the Italian biotech firm ReiThera for the development of vaccines based on its novel GRAd vector technology.

In a statement the Italian company said that funding will focus on two key goals: "developing innovative second-generation vaccine candidates able to provide broader coverage against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern" and "supporting the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation HIV vaccine initiative to generate new vaccine candidates."

The research is designed to benefit mostly those in lower and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, which are impacted disproportionally by HIV and are currently without or with very limited access to effective covid-19 vaccines, the company said.

Stefano Colloca, CEO and co-founder of ReiThera, said he was "thrilled" at news of the grant which "validates the potential of our novel GRAd vector technology to develop much needed vaccines for both new covid-19 variants and HIV", adding that it would also enable the company to access the foundation's "network of highly experienced scientific collaborators."

ReiThera has already developed GRAd-COV2, a "candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2", with initial studies showing that it is "safe and well-tolerated in adults and elderly" and in people with comorbidities.

Based at Castel Romano, near Rome, ReiThera is dedicated to the technology development, GMP manufacturing and clinical translation of genetic vaccines and medicinal products for advanced therapies.
The domestic shale boom has allowed the U.S. to join the ranks of the worlds biggest oil producers, lending weight to arguments that the emergency reserve is past its sell-by date. But in recent months U.S. crude production has stalled, demand has increased and imports have been trending upward. In the past the reserve has been used to pay government bills ranging from roads to deficit reduction and drugs, and current plans are for the stockpile to be cut almost in half over several years. But periodic use of the reserve after natural disasters may be the most effective rebuttal to the case for doing away with it.
An Iraqi Kurdish family of seven have already spent 20 days in the wood. (Kasia Strek)

Some migrants were found near death. Others begged for food or warm clothes.
Then there is the outcome of Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorseys $29 billion bet to acquire buy-now, pay-later firm Afterpay Ltd. Square plans to close the deal early next year and integrate the service  which gives consumers the ability to pay for merchandise in four interest-free installments  into its payments app and checkout service for physical stores.The Square-Afterpay combination doesnt look like an automatic success. First, there is tremendous competition in the sector. Buy-now, pay-later players like Affirm Holdings Inc.  which recently scored a partnership with Amazon.com Inc.  and Klarna are winning deals with merchants. With half of Afterpays business concentrated in its home geography of Australia and New Zealand, there is also no guarantee it will become the leader in Western markets. And larger companies such as Apple Inc. and PayPal Holdings are planning to compete in the buy-now, pay-later market and could offer better deals, crimping the industrys profitability.
A low-margin, high-volume business can create its own data moat. Since most of Indias retailers are too small and too informal to otherwise be able to access credit, digital payments act as valuable  and often the only  informational collateral. The money-making opportunity is in extending credit to mom-and-pop stores, based on their digital cash-flow trail. As Paytm founder Sharma told BloombergQuint, Indias GDP will not grow because payments are digital, but because payments being digital have enabled lenders to give credit.
If it was ever against the law, we would never have done it, Maybo, the former lodge president, said in a recent interview. After all, he said, the whole thing was done by police officers, in front of police officers. I would imagine that if Im doing something illegal, if the FOP were doing something illegal, somebody would have said that. And it went on for years.
Bowsers office on Friday released a statement saying that the mayor holds every employee and appointee to the highest ethics standards and expects them to make decisions to earn and keep the trust of DC residents. The statement went on to say that the mayor had referred the matters raised to the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability.
Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

Email address

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Chanty said in an interview with The Post that she realized who the teen was when she looked at his ID. Upon seeing his age, she said she informed him that he must be at least 18 to be eligible to vote in Virginia. Under Virginias election laws, the only time 17-year-olds can vote is in a primary election if theyll be 18 by the time of the general election.
Importantly, these arguments dont tend to carry much in the way of evidence. And its not clear that evidence is even available to bolster them. If you want to look at a broader context for, say, Virginias gubernatorial elections, you might notice that the presidents party often loses. Indeed, the presidents party has won Virginias governors office only once since 1973. With its unusual odd-year statewide elections, Virginia has a long history of waning turnout from the previous years presidential contest. Those who helped the president win sometimes dont turn up for the next election, and theyre less motivated than the presidents opponents are. Theres some persuasion going on, according to exit polls  about 5 percent of Virginias Biden voters swung to Youngkin, while just 2 percent of Trump voters supported McAuliffe. For the most part, though, this is a turnout story. One million more voters showed up for this race than the last gubernatorial election. You wouldnt know that from most of the immediate reactions to Tuesdays election, many of which seemed divorced from evidence and history.
Politicians often speak of child care and prekindergarten as if they are two distinct programs. The New York Times reported during an earlier round of Build Back Better negotiations that while Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) has repeatedly raised concerns about spending on paid leave, child care and child tax credits, he has said he is all in on the goal of universal pre-K. Even Biden, speaking to rally support for his social programs as president-elect last December, clearly distinguished between the two: Im not talking about day care. Im talking about universal pre-K that is starting at age 3, 4.
To choose candidates for state office, the Virginia GOP sometimes runs a primary and sometimes holds a convention. To reduce the chances that a Trumpist candidate would run away with the nomination, party insiders this year pushed for a convention. (Because of the pandemic, it ended up being an unassembled convention, with delegates voting in 39 sites around the state.) To be sure, extremist candidates can also prevail at conventions, as such gatherings attract the most ideologically committed party members. But Virginia Republicans offset that tendency by instituting a system that let the delegates  some 53,000  list their preferences in ranked order for all seven gubernatorial candidates, and requiring that the nominee secure a majority of votes (not just a plurality). That process forced candidates to reach out to the broadest possible spectrum of delegates, putting a thumb on the scale against the most extreme populism.
The sheriffs filing of the complaint also blindsided Soares, whose office is independently investigating Cuomos conduct. Complicating matters is Apples claim that he, too, was caught off guard by the speed with which court officials issued the complaint against Cuomo after his office filed the paperwork last week. Apple said he expected it would take several days for the news to become public and that he was planning to inform Soares at a previously scheduled meeting.
For Xi, who has amassed personal control of the party to a far greater degree than his immediate predecessors, the passage of a history resolution paves the way for him to break with precedent and take on a third term in power in late 2022. After scrapping presidential term limits in 2018, Xi hopes to fortify expectations of his continued rule by laying out a vision for China comparable in ambition to Maos and Dengs.


The ad, and others like it, are a noticeable escalation in the governments struggle to get the upper hand on the pandemic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to accelerate the pace of vaccinations after months of a slower approach focused on rolling out the vaccination drive and delivering basic information on the range of vaccines in Ukraine: AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac.
The protesters, however, did not disperse. By late afternoon in an area to the south of the Green Zone, young men were pounding sections of the sidewalk into pieces, before hurling them at security forces. Why are you just standing there? one of the men called to others gathered. Come and stone them with us!
MARY RUTH WAGLER  The funeral for Mary Ruth Wagler was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at First Mennonite Church, with Chris Raber, Gaylon Sommers and David Lee Stoll officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Dave Crooks is president of DLC Media which owns and operates seven radio stations in Indiana and Illinois. Dave served as Indiana State Representative (District 63) from 1996-2008. He was the 2012 Democratic nominee for United States Representative (Indianas 8th District). He resides in Brazil, Indiana with his wife Shelley and two dogs, Buddy and Luna.
Energy giant Santos has struck a deal with the CSIRO to trial technology aiming to suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and pump it underground, as governments and industry explore new ways to neutralise emissions and stop the planet from overheating.

The collaboration will seek to develop a so-called direct air capture project  the first of its kind in Australia  and connect it to Santoss $220 million Moomba carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, which the Santos board agreed to finance earlier this week.

Pods for storing carbon dioxide underground at the worlds largest commercial direct air-capture plant in Iceland. Credit:Bloomberg

Direct-air capture has long been criticised as too costly and an impractical solution to arrest global warming. But the fledgling technology is attracting a growing level of interest from governments and investors worldwide as scientists warn of the need to remove more carbon from the atmosphere this century than tree-planting programs are capable of absorbing.

In a separate announcement on Friday, Australian energy giant Woodside said it was investigating the feasibility of storing carbon emissions in gas reservoirs off the Pilbara coast.
THRILLERS: The Presidents Daughter, Bill Clinton & James Patterson, Century, $32.99

State of Terror, Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny, Macmillan, $32.99

His begins on board a Black Hawk helicopter somewhere off the coast of Libya on a clandestine special forces operation that will inevitably go pear-shaped. Hers opens with an exhausted and dishevelled Secretary of State just back from a humiliating diplomatic failure in Seoul and already late for a State of the Union address. Both of them feature dastardly terrorist threats emanating from the Middle East that will have dire repercussions for close friends, family and America. But there the similarity ends.

Except, of course, that you cant help wondering just how much of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Clinton there is in these fast-paced political thrillers and to what degree this was tempered by the wisdom of their co-writers, the impossibly best-selling James Patterson and Canadian treasure Louise Penny, whose Inspector Gamache manages to make a cameo late in the day.

The political commentary in Louise Penny (left) and Hillary Clintons book is terrifying in its implications. Credit:

For Bill and James, its the second time round the block (after The President Is Missing) in what often reads like a boys own adventure. Theres a lot of attention to the kinds of military and weapons technology that is largely a waste of space for those who simply dont care about such authenticity. When ex-president Michael Keating eventually weighs into the action, it takes the best part of half a page to describe his weapons and his kit, which includes a level III high cut ballistic helmet, with an ATN PVS14 night vision device extended up into the air. Its quite a look.
More recently, Orner has tackled another problem in her native country: climate change and the bushfires of 2019. In Burning  which will screen at this weeks climate change conference in Glasgow, where Orner will be a guest  she descends on locations including Kangaroo Island and the bushfire-ravaged country towns of Mallacoota and Cobargo, asking the question: why did nobody in government listen when former fire commissioner Greg Mullins sounded the alarm months earlier? In April 2019, Mullins wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, warning of an unprecedented disaster. He received no response. Burning aims to pinpoint the bigger issue  how Australia has failed to confront the burgeoning problem of climate change. The documentary has just won the $10,000 inaugural Sustainable Future Award at the Sydney Film Festival, where it premieres this weekend.

Orner is best known for producing the Academy Award-winning Taxi to the Dark Side (2008), about US policy on torture following 9/11 (she shared the award with director Alex Gibney). She also produced and directed 2016s riveting Chasing Asylum, on Australias treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

Last month, Australian filmmaker Eva Orner was in Colorado shooting a documentary about survivors of the FLDS Church, a polygamous Mormon denomination whose former prophet is in jail for child sexual abuse. Orner and her producer, Abazar Khayami, were knee-deep in snow when he turned to her and said, Can you do something in Maui next? Given that Orners usual shooting schedule includes locations as brutal as her documentary subjects, she had to laugh.

It was an idea that began when Orner was visiting Australia from Los Angeles during the Christmas of Black Summer. Walking around in Melbourne, it struck her that the sizzling temperature  47 degrees that day  was hotter than anything she had remembered, but the locals shrugged it off whenever she mentioned it. By the time she left in January, Sydney was immersed in a haze of black smoke; she and her partner, academic Giorgio Coricelli, boarded their plane back to LA with burning throats and red eyes. By the time we landed, I said to him, I think we should make a film about this. 

Executive produced by Cate Blanchetts company Dirty Films  Orner met Blanchett when they were the only two Australians nominated at the Academy Awards in 2008  the film hears from a range of voices including Mullins, scientist and author Tim Flannery, young climate activist Daisy Jeffrey and tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, who comes in and says, if the government is not going to do something, were going to do it ourselves, says Orner.

Australia glows red in this still from Eva Orners Burning. Credit:Amazon Prime

They are joined by people who survived the Black Summer fires, even if their properties did not. Burning is a call to arms for audiences, a rallying cry about the havoc that climate change has wreaked. Orner hopes that audiences will walk away and make climate change their number one voting issue.

It is not designed to scare you but its telling the truth and thats scary, she says. Its important to understand that acting now is already too late, but if we act immediately, weve got a chance to reverse things in 20 to 30 years. If we give it another six or 12 months, were going to be in serious trouble and were already in trouble. Our 2030 targets need to be a lot more ambitious.
Farm workers in Australia have toiled for as little as $1 an hour. Or they can slave away all day filling a bucket with oranges for $5 an hour, so it amounts to just $40 in wages.

Until now. On Thursday, in a landmark decision, the Fair Work Commission has ruled that farm workers can no longer be paid below the hourly minimum wage through the use of piece rates. This is a foundational step to ending the endemic exploitation of migrant farmworkers.

Pay ruling will transform fruit picking. Credit:Justin McManus

Paying by piece without a minimum wage floor has meant that unscrupulous growers could pay a worker appallingly low wages.

In my research we encountered workers effectively being paid $1 an hour on piece rates and more generally we found piece-rate workers earned less than $15 an hour, more than $5 below the legal minimum hourly rate for a 38-hour week.
Alan Jones is leaving Sky After Dark, effective immediately. Some people fall from grace, others are pushed, and despite an offer for a minor new role it is clear he was given a blindfold, a revolver and left alone in the drawing room to contemplate his future. Some will sob, while others will quietly open champagne.

His number was up because his numbers were down. When he started at Sky he had 109,000 viewers, but that tobogganed down to lows around 30,000, and the harsh arithmetic of media made his continuing a continuing problem.

Sky News ousted host Alan Jones. Credit:Bianca De Marchi

There were some own goals that didnt help. Calling NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant a village idiot was one. Attacking a target as large and easy as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews by misrepresenting research was another. These and other things increasingly gave him the aspect of a polar bear on an ice floe, waiting to see if climate change is real.

Jones left 2GB in May 2020 after 35 years of facts, outrage, applied intelligence and bombast aimed to the West of Sydney. He had the ability to terrify politicians, to drive listeners into frenzies and bend both opinions and results to his will.
Here are some of the pledges made so far this week at the UN climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland:

Deforestation

More than 100 global leaders pledged to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by the end of the decade, a promise underpinned by $US19 billion ($25 billion) in public and private funds to invest in protecting and restoring forests.

The statement was initially backed by leaders of countries including Brazil and Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia, which collectively account for 85 per cent of the worlds forests.

But Indonesias environment minister later dismissed the plan as inappropriate and unfair.
Washington: Colin Powell, the trailblazing American soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first black secretary of state, has been remembered by family and friends as a principled man of humility and grace whose decorated record of leadership can serve as a model for generations to come.

The example of Colin Powell does not call on us to emulate his resume, which is too formidable for mere mortals, his son, Michael, said in a touching tribute at his fathers funeral service at Washington National Cathedral on Friday (Saturday AEDT). It is to emulate his character and his example as a human being. We can strive to do that.

A military bearer team carries the casket at the funeral for former secretary of state Colin Powell. Credit:AP

His voice breaking at times, Michael Powell said his father was a great leader because he was a great follower. He knew you could not ask your troops to do anything you were unwilling to do yourself.

At a time of seemingly unsurmountable rancour and division in Washington and across the United States, Michael Powell said he frequently heard people speak of his father and ask, Are we still making his kind?
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 55F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 46F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Reporter

I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.
Officers with LMPD's Fourth Division responded to a fatal shooting in the 200 block of East Kentucky Street in Old Louisville on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (WDRB photo)
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture logo. Photo from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Facebook page
Retired U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Dana Bowman parachuted from a helicopter, bringing with him a large American flag as he landed on the Weatherford Christian School field Tuesday, Nov. 9 for a special ceremony in honor of Veterans Day.
Catalytic converters are being stolen off cars around the country and in Connecticut. But what is a catalytic converter? And what makes them such a sought-after item?

From where they are stolen and how to protect your car from being targeted, heres what you need to know about catalytic converter theft.

What is a catalytic converter?

According to Farmers Insurance, a catalytic converter is a filter bolted to the underside of gas-powered cars. It's part of the car's exhaust system that reduces harmful emissions.

How do I know if my catalytic converter was stolen?

Allstate Insurance notes that starting the engine of a car will often indicate whether the converter is missing. If it is missing, the car will make a loud roaring sound that will get louder as you push the gas pedal, according to information Allstate attributes to The Spruce. The car could also make a sputtering sound as you change speed or not drive smoothly, Allstate notes.

Why are catalytic converters stolen?

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau president David Glawe, the motivation to steal these car parts  which has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic  might be connected to supply and demand.

As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices, he said in a statement. There is a clear connection between times of crisis, limited resources, and disruption of the supply chain that drives investors towards these precious metals.

Farmers Insurance notes that the metals contained in catalytic converters are more precious than gold, making them especially desirable by thieves.

Where are they typically stolen?

According to NICB, catalytic converters tend to be stolen from anywhere cars are parked.

Weve seen them stolen from fleet yards where there are a lot of vehicles in one spot and thieves can steal many in very short order, according to a statement provided by NICB to Hearst Connecticut in an email. Weve seen them stolen from in front of homes, right from the driveway and even just cars parked on the street.

Where have catalytic converters been stolen in Connecticut?

Individuals and organizations have reported thefts of catalytic converters across the state over the past year, including:

Are certain types of vehicles targeted more often than others?

According to NICB, converters tend to be stolen from larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks or delivery vehicles, due to their higher clearance and easier access to the underside of the car. Additionally, the Toyota Prius tends to be a major target of catalytic converter theft, NICB notes, since they contain two catalytic converters as well as the fact that as a hybrid, these converters tend to see less wear (corrosion) than those of other vehicles with equal miles, and therefore more valuable to thieves.

Farmers Insurance also notes that SUVs can be targeted because of their higher clearance; all-electric cars do not have catalytic converters and are considered safe from this type of theft.

How much does it typically cost to replace a catalytic converter?

According to auto parts retailer Auto Zone, direct-fit replacement converters can cost between $300 and $2,500 for the cost of the part, depending on the model necessary for the car. Labor costs can also range from $70 to $130 per hour to install the part.

What metals are in catalytic converters that make them a target for theft?

Information provided by the National Insurance Crime Bureau lists platinum, palladium and rhodium as the three valuable metals used in catalytic converters. These metals also come with high price tags per ounce. Rates available on KITCO.com, an online retailer of precious metals, showed that prices for rhodium had a 2021 high between March 19 and March 22 with a rate of $27,000 per ounce, according to NICB.

In the first week of November, KITCO.com showed rhodium prices at $13,250 per ounce, according to NICB, while palladium was $1,934 per ounce and platinum was $1,028 per ounce. Palladium reached its 2021 peak price on May 6 at $2,890 per ounce, according to NICB, while platinums 2021 peak came on Feb. 19, totaling $1,266 per ounce, prices on KITCO.com showed.

Is catalytic converter theft on the rise?

According to a report by NICB, data does show an increasing trend toward stealing the car parts nationwide.

In 2018, there were 1,298 catalytic converter thefts reported. In 2019, it was 3,389 reported thefts, the report notes. In 2020, reported catalytic converter thefts jumped massively to 14,433, with December leading the way with 2,347 thefts, or roughly 16 percent of the yearly total  in just one month.

However, the report provided a snapshot of the national trend based on claims data, not a number of total thefts, according to information provided by NICB to Hearst Connecticut Media.

The reason for this is in our look at thefts, we realize that the reported thefts  in other words, thefts for which an insurance claim was filed  would be significantly underreported, and they are underreported, NICB information states in clarifying that the report does not show the total number of catalytic converter thefts.

Why is there not a total number of catalytic converter thefts available?

While auto insurance does cover the replacement of stolen catalytic converters, NICB states that there are some caveats. Liability insurance  which covers damage to another car in an accident caused by the policy holder  is mandatory in all states, but collision coverage (for damages in an accident) or comprehensive coverage (for theft or damage not caused by an accident) is not required, according to NICB. This means those driving older cars, for example, may not opt for comprehensive coverage, NICB notes, while those leasing cars or with car loans might have comprehensive coverage.

But even if they did have coverage for stolen converters, a drivers deductible then comes into play.

If the deductible was $1,500, and the cost to repair was less than the deductible, there would be no coverage, according to NICB. Even if slightly above, the victim may decide it isnt worth filing a claim to recoup $100 to $200 or so. Lastly, some victims even with coverage may treat the problem as a mechanical issue and just pay for it themselves and never notified their insurer.

How can I protect my car from catalytic converter theft?

According to Farmers Insurance, there are three ways to protect a vehicle from converter theft:

Etch the license plate number on the converter to make the part easily identifiable to police.

Park in well-lit areas and set a vehicle alarm. Adding bright motion-sensor lights to outdoor areas where possible can help deter thieves, as well.

Install an anti-theft metal shield to the car frame to cover the catalytic converter.

NICB also notes that any fleet vehicles  such as those belonging to a rental car company  should be parked in an enclosed and secure area that is locked, well-lit and alarmed.

What do I do if my catalytic converter was stolen?

NICB recommends notifying local police and contacting your car insurance company to report the catalytic converter theft.
Wednesday and Thursday, the Black Nurses of Evansville held a 2-day informational meeting for the Southern Indiana Nurse Honor Guard. Any active or retired, RN, NP, or LPN can join. They say, they are even seeking nursing students to join.

The purpose of this program, is to recognize and pay respect to fellow nurses, at the end of life's journey. The serivce is similiar to a military tribute, and officially releases the nurse from their duties.

"When you see a Military Honor Guard at a funeral, It's just so moving to me. I just thought, we could do this for our nurses and honor their legacy," says Retired Rn, Terri Graham.

Nurses dress in their white uniforms, caps, and badges to conduct a five-minute serivce. They can provide the presenation at any Indiana visitian, funeral, or memorial, per the families request.

Organizers say, this has been In the work for almost two years, and to see it coming to light, is unreal. "I am just overjoyed, and tearful It's finally happening," says Arlinda Payne.

Both meetings had a huge turnout, and they hope more will express their interest soon. They plan to have everything finalized by the new year.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
The Dutch Supreme Court has handed Russia at least a temporary victory in its appeal of a $50 billion arbitration award to former shareholders of bankrupted oil giant Yukos. The decision Friday quashed a lower court ruling, effectively setting aside a $50 billion award made to the former shareholders in 2014 and sending the case to another court in Amsterdam to consider Russian claims that the shareholders committed fraud in the original arbitration hearings. However, the highest Dutch court rejected the rest of Russias arguments, a move welcomed by the former shareholders. Russian officials welcomed the ruling but said it is regrettable the court didnt dismiss the award outright.
In 2006, Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced by the Iraqi High Tribunal to hang for crimes against humanity, and more events that happened on this day in history.

Video 1872: Susan B. Anthony 1935: "Monopoly" 1968: Richard Nixon 1989: Vladimir Horowitz 1994: Richard Reagan 2003: George W. Bush 2006: Saddam Hussein 2007: Hollywood Writers 2009: Fort Hood 2011: Jerry Sandusky 2016: Arrogate 2016: Donald Trump 2017: Church Shooting 2020: Donald Trump
The musical version of hit film Mrs Doubtfire will arrive on UK shores in 2022, it has been revealed.

Currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Broadway, the piece is penned by Wayne Kirkpatrick, Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell and based on the Twentieth Century Studios movie. It follows a down-and-out actor who creates an "alter ego" in the form of Euphegenia Doubtfire to stay close to his children.

Mrs Doubtfire is directed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks, and runs at the Manchester Opera House on Friday 2 September 2022, with a strictly limited season through until Saturday 1 October.

Casting is to be revealed, while the creative team features scenic designer David Korins (Hamilton), choreographer Lorin Latarro (Waitress), and music supervisor Ethan Popp (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical).

Producers Kevin McCollum and Jamie Wilson said: "We are thrilled to announce that Mrs Doubtfire will make its UK premiere next year. Manchester is one of the great cities of theatre, and we can't wait to bring Mrs Doubtfire to the Opera House. We hope audiences will take this hilarious and touching show to their hearts, and promise a great evening for everyone!"

Sarah Bleasdale, general manager of the Palace and Opera House Theatres, said: "We're incredibly excited to have another production launching in the UK from Manchester, and this time  direct from Broadway. We continue to proudly showcase the very best in new musical theatre under our Manchester gets it first banner and know that our audiences have a real treat on the way with the iconic Mrs Doubtfire. A big moment for our theatres and the city, and a production we cannot wait to open our doors to."

Mrs Doubtfiree was first seen in 2019 in Seattle, where it ended up breaking the record for bestselling new musical in the history of The 5th Avenue Theatre.

The show goes on general sale next Thursday (11 November).
The Fisherman's Friends musical will embark on its first UK and Ireland tour from next August.

Playing from 1 September at Theatre Royal Plymouth, the piece is based on the group of Cornish Fisherman who took shanties from their local hall to the Glastonbury stage. After Plymouth, the show will visit Birmingham, Cheltenham, Salford, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Dublin, Cardiff, Bath and Leeds, with dates into 2023 to be revealed.

The band said: "Well not only did they make a film that we are not in, now there is a musical which we are not in as they dint think we were handsome enough to play ourselves! BUT we are thrilled that our musical is going on tour next year. We've seen it and it's bloody fantastic and the music will blow you away. You're all going to have a brilliant time."

The tour is directed by James Grieve and written by Amanda Whittington, with choreography by Matt Cole, set and costume design by Lucy Osborne, musical supervision and arrangements by David White, sound design by Dan Samson, lighting design by Johanna Town and casting by Jim Arnold.

Cast for the tour is to be announced.
Thank you for reading the Herald-Whig

You have reached our free-content limit. If you are a current subscriber, please log in to continue viewing content or purchase a subscription by clicking the Subscribe button below. Thank you for supporting independent Journalism.
Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Partly cloudy and windy. Morning high of 36F with temps falling to near 25. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 17F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Click here to read the full article.

After JFK Jr. failed to materialize in Dallas on Tuesday, Nov. 2, per the abstruse predictions of a numerology-obsessed QAnon sect, some of the followers of the theory have surmised that Keith Richards is, in fact, JFK Jr. in disguise. Oh, also Michael Jackson is impersonating Mick Jagger.

If this sounds completely unhinged, thats because it is. This latest twist in the labyrinthian belief system comes after dozens of JFK Jr. truthers  who waited for hours at Dealey Plaza for the Camelot scion to appear  went on to attend that nights Rolling Stones concert at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Handfuls of JFK Jr. truthers wearing Tiffany Blue bandanas were spread throughout the audience but were otherwise swallowed up by the crowded arena.

Dallas resident Mark Wootton, who attended the concert, tells Rolling Stone that he made a joke about not seeing JFK Jr. as he walked out of the Cotton Bowl. Several truthers responded with knowing comments. I know, right? Whats going on? Wootton recalled them saying.

During and after the concert, members of a Telegram chat called Occupy Dealey Plaza shared theories linking JFK Jr. and the three surviving Rolling Stones along with numerological predictions and photos from the concert.

When some members questioned why JFK Jr. had failed to show himself, others theorized that they had indeed seen JFK Jr., but that he was in disguise. The lyrics of the song Sympathy for the Devil were cited in particular as a reason to believe: I shouted out, who killed the Kennedys?/ When after all, it was you and me.

People are saying that Elvis was in a mask playing the keyboard, read one message from a user named Mustang Debbie. Michael Jackson was there maybe playing Mick Jager [sic]JFK Junior was playing the guitarist Keith Richards in the yellow shirt and they all had masks onThey are saying it wasnt event [sic] the Rolling Stones doing the concert. (A representative for the Rolling Stones declined to comment.)

Such outlandish theories could easily be dismissed as the work of internet trolls trying to make QAnon believers look bad in a public Telegram chat. But, unfortunately, these theories align with the believers tendency to accept conspiracy theory over truth. At the QAnon gathering in Dealey Plaza, when a local Dallas resident wearing a NASA shirt asked the crowd if they believed we landed on the moon, dozens exclaimed No! in unison.

Whats more, multiple attendees at the Dealey Plaza gathering described their beliefs that various dead celebrities were secretly alive, either in a form of witness protection or living out their lives in sophisticated disguises. Mike Lindell is actually JFK Jr. in a mask, said a man named Greg, who said he was a military veteran. Theyre extremely sophisticated.

This isnt the first time QAnon affiliated JFK Jr. truthers have shifted the goalposts. In 2019, they predicted JFK Jr. would return on July 4. That didnt happen.

But not all in the Telegram chat were satisfied by the Keith Richards theory. Others thought perhaps that Jagger and Richards had been using adrenochrome to stay virile, building on years of conspiratorial speculation about their ability to stay healthy despite their lifetime of libertine antics and hard drug use. In a nutshell, adrenochrome is a common chemical compound that forms when the stress hormone adrenaline is oxidized. Adrenochrome has become the focus of a popular QAnon theory that is basically a reformed version of the century-old anti-semitic blood libel theory that says political elites torture children to harvest their essential body fluids.

Mick looked healthy, not like the usual skeletor, one believer wrote on Telegram. Whether thats from taking a couple of years off the road, or being replaced by a pop star who died more than a decade ago, we may never know.
State Rep. Kurt Vail says he plans to reintroduce a bill that would move Connecticut and neighboring northeast states into Atlantic Standard Time.

In practical terms, the bill would see the region stick with Daylight Saving Time year-round, so residents just wouldnt set their clocks back an hour in the fall  as they will at 2 a.m. Sunday.

Vail, a Republican whose district includes Somers and Stafford, first proposed changing the states time zone in 2017. He noted the idea has support from both sides of the aisle.

Ill keep moving forward with this until we get something done, he said in a phone interview.

The change would only go into effect if lawmakers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York passed similar laws in their states.

Thats the same way its being introduced in those states, Vail said Were all working together.

Legislators are able to submit ideas for bills to committee, which can then decide whether to take them up. The plan would be identical to one proposed in the legislative session earlier this year that called for Gov. Ned Lamont to request the United States Secretary of Transportation to change Connecticuts time from Eastern Standard Time to Atlantic Standard Time, moving clocks ahead one hour permanently. Lawmakers could then eliminate Daylight Saving Time.

The state, he reasoned, is on the eastern end of the eastern time zone, so when the sun goes down in Connecticut, Detroit still has an hour of daylight.

Wed rather be on the western end of the other time zone, Vail said.

The idea of ending Daylight Saving Time has gained traction in recent years, sometimes resulting in odd political alliances. The Daily Show last year profiled Arizona, which eliminated Daylight Saving Time in the late 60s, putting it an hour behind the rest of the nation for most of the year. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, meanwhile, reintroduced a bill with bipartisan support earlier this year that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide.

The overwhelming majority of members of Congress approve and support it. Let's get it done. Lets get it passed, so that we never have to do this stupid change again, the Republican senator said in a video released this week.

Vail said the idea came from talks with his constituents. They just said, whats the point anymore? he recalled. I went and talked to local farmers and they were like, yeah, we have no purpose for it. They prefer not going back and forth.

He cited a 2017 special commission study for the Massachusetts legislature that found the spring transition to Daylight Saving Time corresponds with an increase in traffic fatalities, workplace injuries, and heart attacks. He also cited energy savings and economic activity as reasons to make the switch.

The arguments against setting clocks an hour ahead permanently include children having to wait for the school bus in darkness. Vail said the Massachusetts study suggested moving school start times later  something he favors, but said should be left up to local school boards to decide.

He said the proposal is also opposed by broadcasters.

Chances are tough when you have the broadcast industry going up against you, but they find a way to broadcast games in Arizona, which they dont change their clocks, he said.

Vail claimed that if someone were to propose Daylight Saving Time now, had it never existed, the idea would be taken as utterly ridiculous.

Its just that we got used to this and sometimes people are reluctant to change, he said.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 49F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 41F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High near 50F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 41F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang.

Government forces guard the entrance of hotel after an armed confrontation near Puerto Morelos, Mexico, Thursday, November 4, 2021. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. (AP Photo/Karim Torres)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the resort of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun.

The two suspected drug dealers killed Thursday had apparently arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day, claiming it was now their territory.

Government forces guard the entrance of hotel after an armed confrontation near Puerto Morelos, Mexico, Thursday, November 4, 2021. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. (AP Photo/Karim Torres)

About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Radio Formula station.

Montes de Ocas office said earlier in a statement that there was a clash between rival groups of drug dealers on a beach near the hotels. Several cartels are fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade, including the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel.

Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before dying. The other was killed on the beach. He also said one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment.

Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the commando wore ski masks and arrived by boat at the beach. Montes de Oca said they fled in a boat after the attack.

Hotel workers leave the area as a police vehicle enters a hotel after an armed confrontation near Puerto Morelos, Mexico, Thursday, November 4, 2021. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. (AP Photo/Karim Torres)

Joaquin called the attack a serious blow to the development and security of the state ... putting the image of the state at grave risk.

The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis.

Guests at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun posted videos and photos of tourists hiding or nervously milling in the lobby and hallways of hotels during the incident.

Guests at the nearby Azul Beach Resort also posted videos of people taking shelter or gathering in the lobby. An employee who answered the phone at the hotel said the shooting occurred on the beach near the facility.

Government forces guard the entrance of hotel after an armed confrontation near Puerto Morelos, Mexico, Thursday, November 4, 2021. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. (AP Photo/Karim Torres)

Mike Sington, a guest at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, wrote in his Twitter account that Guests are telling me they were playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun. Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens."

Sington tweeted Ive never been so scared, literally shaking," before adding Im fine now, barricaded in my hotel room for the night, just trying to decompress.

Rival cartels often kill another gang's street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles.

The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout in the beach town of Tulum.

A San Jose, California woman born in India, Anjali Ryot, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were apparently hit by crossfire from the Oct. 20 drug dealers' shootout in Tulum, south of Puerto Morelos.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulums main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.

The Tulum gunfight also apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors.

Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms.

There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid in October on the beach towns restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects  most apparently for drug sales  after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans, the prosecutors office said about the raid.

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pinned its hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.
CALGARY - A man who removed his mask and deliberately coughed on a server at a Calgary bar last year has been convicted of assault.

CALGARY - A man who removed his mask and deliberately coughed on a server at a Calgary bar last year has been convicted of assault.

In a decision released last week, provincial court Judge Heather Lamoureux wrote that emitting a force consisting of lung-air molecules can qualify as use of force under the Criminal Code.

The Calgary Courts Centre is pictured in Calgary, Alta., Monday, March 11, 2019. A man who removed his mask and deliberately coughed on a server at a Calgary bar last year has been convicted of assault. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

"The cough was not a reflexive action, but rather an intentional physical act," Lamoureux wrote.

The man, identified in the decision as 35-year-old Kyle Pruden, was also found guilty of assaulting a bar patron.

Court records show he received a conditional discharge and two years of probation for both assaults.

The altercations happened in November 2020 at the Black Swan Pub in Calgary.

The court decision says Pruden was in the pub playing on a video lottery terminal when he went to the bar to cash out about $160 winnings, the court document says.

Cayla Cossette, the employee, told Pruden that she was unable to pay out the winnings because the bar owner hadnt replenished the cash float.

The judges ruling says Cossette testified that Pruden then took off his mask, started coughing at her and uttered: Is this because of COVID?

She testified that she was behind the bar when Pruden coughed on her, so he was less than two metres away.

A 60-year-old frequent patron of the bar gave Pruden $60 and he left the pub.

The court document says Pruden went to Boston Pizza to have beer and pizza before returning to the pub to recover the rest of his winnings.

At that point, it says, Pruden thought the bar patron was an employee and demanded the rest of his money.

The bar patron told him he had no more money to pay him and Pruden hit the man, bruising him.

In her decision, Lamoureux noted that there have been three other cases where people were convicted after coughing on others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is important to note that the court in each of these cases was not presented with any arguments on the issue of force or intention, she wrote. In each instance, guilty pleas were accepted by the court.

She also wrote that neither the Crown nor defence were able to find any reported trial decisions on whether such an act qualified as a crime.

Lamoureux relied on scientific consensus from the World Health Organization that COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets, which a person carrying the virus would expel when coughing.

Air pressure is a force at the molecular level in the same manner as physical force visible to the naked eye. This is basic science, uncontroverted, and not requiring any expert opinion, her decision says.

"Accordingly, when Mr. Pruden engaged in an intentional act of coughing, he was emitting a force consisting of lung air molecules into the atmosphere.

This is an act of force within the definition of force in  the Criminal Code of Canada.

 By Daniela Germano in Edmonton

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2021.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida's ban on coronavirus mask mandates in the state's schools will stay in effect after a judge on Friday dismissed a challenge to the rule from several school districts.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida's ban on coronavirus mask mandates in the state's schools will stay in effect after a judge on Friday dismissed a challenge to the rule from several school districts.

Administrative Judge Brian A. Newman rejected the case from school officials in Miami-Dade, Leon, Duval, Orange, Broward, and Alachua counties, finding that the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis was within its authority to impose the rule.

The ruling comes as part of a quarrel between the districts and the state that has resulted in docked school board salaries, withholding of district funding and the ire of the U.S. Department of Education. DeSantis, a Republican, has been a leading voice in resistance to coronavirus mask and vaccine mandates, elevating his star in the GOP as he eyes a 2024 presidential run.

Last month, the state began deducting an amount equal to a months pay from school board members in counties that defied the mask mandate ban. It also slashed overall funding to Alachua and Broward counties to offset federal aid packages meant to blunt the states sanctions on mask requirements.

The U.S. Department of Education has filed its own request with an administrative judge at the federal level to block Florida from withholding funding from Alachua and Broward.

The school districts on Friday filed a notice to appeal Newman's ruling.
OTTAWA - Nearly a dozen years ago, Micheal McNeil was hit with an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. The former combat engineer, who is now a 40-year-old father of three in Saint John, N.B., has traded a fight with the Taliban for a constant battle with the federal government instead.

Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay uses his phone as he arrives for a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service are waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - Nearly a dozen years ago, Micheal McNeil was hit with an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. The former combat engineer, who is now a 40-year-old father of three in Saint John, N.B., has traded a fight with the Taliban for a constant battle with the federal government instead.

"They want you to walk away. Theyre literally: delay, deny, watch you die," he says.

"They want you to walk away from the benefits. They don't want you to get them. And that's why they make it so hard."

McNeil is one of tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service and are now waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims.

In McNeils case, he has been waiting more than two years to find out whether the seizures he started experiencing in 2018 will be recognized as related to his service in uniform. If so, his family would receive benefits if he dies from the condition.

The disability benefits backlog has emerged over the past five years as a major source of stress, frustration and fear inside Canadas veterans community.

The government has blamed the backlog on an explosion in the number of claims from injured veterans over the past six years, as more benefits became available and more former service members heard about them.

The influx followed a dramatic reduction in the size of the federal public service starting in 2012 as Stephen Harpers Conservative government tried to cut spending and balance the books.

Veterans Affairs was particularly hard hit just as Canada's involvement in the war in Afghanistan was winding down. Nearly one in three positions were axed. The Liberals later hired hundreds back, but demand continued to outpace resources.

The Canadian Press was the first to reveal the existence of a backlog in December 2017. At that point, there were 29,000 applications pending with Veterans Affairs Canada. By March 2020, that number had jumped to nearly 49,000 claims.

Veterans Affairs acknowledges the existence of a backlog, but says the actual size is much smaller. It only counts the total number of complete applications that have been officially assigned to a staff member and been left unresolved longer than 16 weeks. Most experts and advocates say such a breakdown misstates the real extent of the problem.

Veterans whose applications are approved are entitled to different benefits and support depending on their condition, including financial compensation for long-term injuries, income replacement for those unable to work, job training and medical treatment.

Ray McInnis is the director of the Royal Canadian Legions service bureau, which helps veterans with the often complex process of applying for disability benefits. That includes helping obtain medical documents and filling out and submitting various forms.

"When we submit a disability application, our main focus is to get entitlements so that they can get treatment," McInnis says. "The treatment is the most important part."

Amy Green has been waiting since September 2019 to hear whether Veterans Affairs will approve her claim for a traumatic brain injury, which she says was sustained after an Afghan civilian intentionally crashed his motorcycle into her G-Wagon in Kabul in 2004.

Now living in London, Ont., Green has struggled with post-military life after being released from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2014. She says she hit bottom in 2019 after she hit and kicked police officers following a car crash that triggered "a huge spiral downwards."

"I thought I was in an explosion in Afghanistan, but Id actually caught my car on fire," she says. "So I went to a treatment facility and just started getting my life back on track."

Veterans Affairs currently pays for treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, which includes counselling. But Green says approval for a traumatic brain injury, which is a physical wound, would give her access to different treatment.

"The difficult part is everythings in limbo," she says. "Everything that I would like to do."

Many veterans support groups and organizations have stepped up to fill the gap by offering treatment to injured ex-soldiers whether they are getting support from Veterans Affairs or not.

But that shifts the financial burden from the government to organizations such as the Vancouver-based Veterans Transition Network, which relies on fundraising to make ends meet.

"It costs us a lot of money every single year, but we do it because that's the position that the organization takes," says Oliver Thorne, the group's operations director. "Our mission is to make the program as accessible as possible."

The backlog is also believed to have discouraged many veterans from submitting claims, even though a successful application opens the door to extensive support and benefits.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay has described the backlog as "unacceptable" and committed $192 million in June 2020 to hire 540 temporary staff to help clear it.

The number of outstanding claims has fallen since the 49,000 peak recorded last March and stood at just over 40,000 as of June. But there are concerns the progress will be fleeting.

The number of new claims plummeted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic as many veterans were unable to get the medical records needed to apply. There could be a flood of new claims after funding for the temporary staff expires in March.

Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux warned the government about exactly that scenario in September 2020. Internal documents obtained through the Access to Information Act show Veterans Affairs officials agreed with that assessment in May.

"There is a possibility that the department could see an influx of applications once the country begins moving into a normal state," reads an internal report. "We need to realize significant efficiencies to start to offset the reduction in resources and increased intake."

The department has since said it has approval to extend some of the temporary staff past March, but did not say how many.

"Currently, various factors are being considered with regards to staff retention," Veterans Affairs spokesman Marc Lescoutre said in an email.

The government has faced calls for changes beyond hiring more staff. One is to expand the list of common conditions afflicting Canadian veterans that are automatically approved to make sure former service members get the support they need.

Brian Forbes is executive director of the War Amps and national director of the National Council of Veterans Associations, an umbrella group for 60 veterans organizations, and has been seeking such a change for years.

"The thing that is quite irritating is that post-traumatic stress claims are approved around 96 per cent of the time," he says. "Why dont we just recognize that this case is going to be approved and lets give them the treatment benefits?"

Forbes isnt the only one calling for such an approach; a House of Commons committee recommended MacAulay amend existing legislation to allow for the pre-approval of claims so veterans can get faster support.

MacAulay told the committee that Ottawa was looking at the Australian and American experiences with pre- and automatic approval to see what lessons can be learned, but otherwise stood by the current process.

Some veterans like McNeil believe Ottawa doesnt want to fix the problem. He says he thinks the federal government has put up barriers to keep from having to shell out money to those who got injured while in uniform. That has brought anger and a sense of betrayal.

"I have more PTSD from fighting the government in the last 3,000 to 4,000 days than I do from Afghanistan," he says. "Because it's so goddamn traumatic."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.
OTTAWA - Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu says she and other colleagues are forming what's shaping up to be a "mini-caucus" within the existing Tory caucus to advocate for Canadians concerned about the impacts of vaccine mandates.

Marilyn Gladu addresses the crowd at a federal Conservative leadership forum during the annual general meeting of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative party in Halifax on Saturday, February 8, 2020. Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu says she and other colleagues are forming a "mini-caucus" within the existingTory caucus to advocate for Canadians concerned about the impacts of vaccine mandates. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

OTTAWA - Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu says she and other colleagues are forming what's shaping up to be a "mini-caucus" within the existing Tory caucus to advocate for Canadians concerned about the impacts of vaccine mandates.

She says the group is still sorting out logistics, but wants to make one thing clear: "This is not about Erin O'Toole's leadership. Has nothing to do with that."

"It's really hearing from our constituents and trying to figure out what we can do to bring those questions forward, get some answers, raise attention and awareness," Gladu said in an interview Thursday.

She estimated between 15 to 30 Conservatives, including senators, could join and imagines the group could function like a parliamentary committee, which would call legal or medical experts to speak at public meetings.

Another option would be a group Facebook page, she said, adding that some Conservatives are likely waiting to see if they will be asked by O'Toole to take on a critic role, and how much time they will have to devote to the matter.

"We have had a few meetings, and we're planning to keep meeting, but we haven't officially kicked off the caucus as a caucus. We've just been saying that that's sort of seeming what it is turning into," she said.

Gladu, who has represented the Ontario riding of Sarnia-Lambton since 2015, said the idea came about after she and some colleagues shared concerns they were hearing from constituents, decided to invite others and kept talking.

"Look, if people are losing their jobs right now, we really need to understand, you know, how can we get to a place where there's reasonable accommodation?" she said.

"Other places like Quebec and Ontario  in the U.S., we've seen where people are providing rapid testing as a reasonable accommodation for people and I think that that is something that should have been considered."

The provincial governments in both Quebec and Ontario recently decided against mandatory vaccination for health-care workers in hospitals, citing the potential for staffing shortages if people who are unwilling to get the jab are removed from the job.

Besides employment, Gladu said, there are concerns about unvaccinated people being unable to travel and worries from parents about immunizing their children.

She said what format the mini-caucus will take depends on what resources they find available.

Despite emphasizing that their group isn't about O'Toole,there's a good chance it could create challenges for him as leader,given his recent federal election loss and internal divisions over what to do about vaccine mandates, including for MPs.

Former Conservative cabinet minister James Moore tweeted his opposition Thursday to the mini-caucus idea, which could shine an even brighter light on the issue for the party, at the expense of more pressing ones.

"Cost of living? National economic unity? Post COVID growth & pandemic recovery? Housing crisis? No no. Be a voice for those who reject consensus medical science and block getting past COVID and saving lives. This is not where Canadian public interest/opinion rests. Stop this," he said on Twitter.

O'Toole has been trying to straddle the divide between those who support mandatory vaccination and those who don't.

Last week, following a four-hour caucus meeting, he announced that Conservative MPs will abide by a decision of the governing body of the House of Commons requiring anyone entering the Commons precinct to be fully vaccinated. But he said the party will also challenge that decision once the House resumes on Nov. 22.

"I think that the communication has had to be clarified multiple times," Gladu said of the Conservatives' handling of the issue.

The Conservatives are the only federal party that has refused to disclose the vaccination status of its elected members. All the others say their MPs are fully vaccinated, save for one Liberal MP who has a medical exemption.

Earlier in the week, the president of the National Citizens Coalition, a group that promotes "conservative" values, like freedom and less government, said the vaccine issue had become a distraction for the Conservatives.

That was echoed before last week's caucus meeting by Alberta MP Ron Liepert who said as the official Opposition, Conservatives don't have the luxury of arguing over whether people are vaccinated.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who appeared on stage with O'Toole during the recent federal election campaign, suggested in an interview Sunday with CTV News that O'Toole should order all his MPs to get vaccinated and throw those who refuse out of caucus.

The most recent analysis by The Canadian Press shows at least 82 out of 119 Conservative MPs say they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with a handful of others saying they won't disclose such information because it's private and two saying they can't be vaccinated for medical reasons. The rest simply didn't respond when asked directly.

Among those choosing to keep their vaccination status quiet is rookie Ontario MP and former leadership contender Leslyn Lewis, who has posted on social media that vaccinating kids against COVID-19 "neither prevents transmitting or getting the virus," even though health experts overwhelmingly say the shots prevent serious illness and death.

The issue became problematic for O'Toole at the outset of the recent federal election campaign and he wasn't able to shake it over the course of the 36-day race, which ended Sept. 20 with a re-elected Liberal minority government.

Faced with the announcement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the eve of his election call that he would bring in a mandate requiring all air and train travellers, federal public servants and workers in its regulated industries to be double-vaccinated against COVID-19, O'Toole decided to oppose it.

Although fully vaccinated himself and personally supportive of immunization, O'Toole argued that taking the shot is ultimately a personal decision and those who aren't vaccinated should have the option to take daily rapid tests.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2021.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2021, file photo, a syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa. Companies with at least 100 workers will be required to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and paid sick leave if they have side effects from the shots. That's according to a Biden administration official who spoke Monday, Nov. 1, about pending vaccine-mandate rules from OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against states' rights.

The requirement issued Thursday by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration applies to businesses with more than 100 employees. Their workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests. The lawsuits ask courts to decide whether the administration's effort to curtail the pandemic represents a federal power grab and usurps the authority of states to set health policy.

At least 27 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule.

This mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a court filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of 11 states.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way out of the pandemic. A White House spokeswoman said Thursday that the mandate was intended to halt the spread of a disease that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the U.S.

The administration says it is confident that its requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

Seema Nanda, solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor, said in a statement Friday that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act gives OSHA the authority to act quickly during an emergency if it finds workers are subject to a grave danger. The agency contends its temporary rule also preempts any state or local bans on employers' ability to require vaccines.

FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2020, file photo, an Exam Corp Lab employee, right, wears a mask as she talks with a patient lined up for COVID-19 testing in Niles, Ill. Companies with at least 100 workers will be required to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and paid sick leave if they have side effects from the shots. That's according to a Biden administration official who spoke Monday, Nov. 1, about pending vaccine-mandate rules from OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court," Nanda said.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the World Health Organization's center on health law, said the half-century-old law that created OSHA gives it the power to set minimum workplace safety measures.

I think that Biden is on rock-solid legal ground, he said.

Critics have taken aim at some aspects of the requirement, including that it was adopted as an emergency measure rather than after the agency's regular rule-making process.

This is a real emergency, said Gostin, who has spoken with the Biden administration about the requirement. In fact, its a national crisis. Any delay would cause thousands of deaths.

Missouri's lawsuit was joined by the Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Also joining the lawsuit was the office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, the only Democratic attorney general to take part in the legal challenges to the mandate.

In a statement, Miller said he was filing at the behest of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican: It is my duty, under the law, to prosecute or defend any actions in court when requested by the governor."

Other coalitions of states also filed lawsuits Friday: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit; and Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit. Later Friday, Indiana filed in the Chicago-based 7th Circuit.

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations after touring a Clayco Corporation construction site for a Microsoft data center in Elk Grove Village, Ill., Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. President Joe Bidens plan to require vaccinations at all private employers of 100 workers or more has already hit a wall of opposition from Republican governors, state lawmakers and attorneys general.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

The states filed the lawsuits in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, courts where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It's unclear whether different judges will rule on the challenges separately at first, or whether the cases will be consolidated in one court early in the process.

Several businesses, associations and religious groups also joined with the states petitions, and some filed lawsuits on their own.

Among them are a conservative media company, two Wisconsin manufacturers, companies in Michigan and Ohio, the owner of 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a group of remote workers in Texas. All are represented by conservative law firms.

Over the past 20 months, my employees have showed up to work and served their communities in the face of COVID and hurricanes. Now Im being told by the government to insert myself into their private health decisions?" Brandon Trosclair, owner of grocery stores that employ about 500 workers, said in a statement. "Thats wrong and I wont stand for it.

The Daily Wire media company objected on several fronts, including the idea that employers will have to track which workers have been vaccinated and treat those who have received shots differently from those who have not.

What the government is asking us to do is discriminate against our own employee over their own personal health care decisions, said Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of the company.

Shannon Royce, president of the Christian Employers Alliance, said the group wasnt challenging the rule out of opposition to vaccines, noting that some group members have provided incentives for employees to get the shot. Instead, they oppose being used as a tool of the federal government.

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the workplace rule also changes religious organizations relationship with their employees.

That, I believe, is a form of government coercion  turning a religious institution into a form of government coercion that we must resist, Mohler said.

So far, courts have allowed businesses on their own to require employees to be vaccinated. But Michael Elkins, a Florida-based employment lawyer, said those decisions do not necessarily mean judges will rule the same way when it comes to the federal government's requirement.

You may see a federal judge, or a bunch of them, say, This is just overreach,' Elkins said.

Benjamin Noren, a New York-based labor lawyer, said he thought the rule is likely to be struck down because OSHA was intended to deal with workplace hazards such as chemicals, not a virus. He said OSHA has made 10 emergency rules in the last five decades. Of the six that were challenged, only one survived intact.

Its an innovative use by the Biden administration to figure out some way to mandate vaccination in the private sector, Noren said. I hope it works. I have doubts.

Ahead of the OSHA rule, several states have passed laws or issued executive orders blocking or limiting employer mandates related to the virus.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed such a bill to become law without his signature. It takes effect early next year and allows employees to opt out of vaccine requirements if they are tested weekly for the virus or can prove they have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. Health officials say antibody testing should not be used to assess immunity against the virus and that people who have had it should still be vaccinated.

Hutchinson, however, noted that his states opt-out law creates a difficult scenario for businesses if both it and the federal requirement  which does not allow for antibody tests in place of vaccinations  are in effect.

Weve put our businesses in a catch-22, he said. Youre going to be violating somebodys law here.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas. Also contributing were Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Alexandra Jaffe and Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C.
The number of people hopping on planes at Winnipegs airport skyrocketed this summer as travel restrictions eased and more routes became available.

The number of people hopping on planes at Winnipegs airport skyrocketed this summer as travel restrictions eased and more routes became available.

Winnipeg Richardson International Airports passenger traffic increased 157 per cent in its third quarter, from July 5 to Sept. 26, compared to the same time last year.

"To me, its purely a reflection of our community," said Barry Rempel, president and CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority.

"Its just a whole lot better feeling than what it was a year ago."

In August, 193,943 travellers took planes via Winnipegs airport  each week saw at least 20,000 passengers, with some weeks hitting near 50,000. In August 2020, the number of weekly passengers never reached 20,000.

Even so, August only saw a 39.7 per cent return to pre-pandemic travel levels.

The boost in traffic came amid rising COVID-19 vaccination rates in the province, loosening travel restrictions and re-established flight paths.

Delta Airlines relaunched its direct U.S. commercial passenger flights with service to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Air Canada restarted direct service to Montreal, and Flair Airlines connected Winnipeg to Waterloo, Ont.

"This is, by and large, a leisure-led recovery," Rempel said, adding business-related flights have had slow uptake.

Winnipeg Airports Authoritys consolidated revenue hit $28.3 million this third quarter, a midpoint between the $12.2 million of last years period and the $36.1 million of 2019s.

Earnings before interest, depreciation and taxes were $16.8 million  a big leap from the $2.6 million garnered during the same quarter in 2020. More travellers, plus $5.7 million through Ottawas Airport Relief Fund, contributed to the gains.

The number of cargo planes landing in Winnipeg increased 15 per cent from 2020s third quarter, and the gross takeoff weight climbed 18 per cent.

Winnipeg Airports Authority plans to offer more international routes as winter approaches, including direct flights to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Phoenix-Mesa.

Such trips should return before 2022, according to a Winnipeg Airports Authority news release.

Rempel hopes Winnipegs airport will see its 2019 traffic levels  13,000 to 14,000 travellers daily  by 2025. Carriers aim to return to 2019 capacity by the end of 2023s first quarter, he said.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
LOS ANGELES (AP)  California regulators voted Thursday to increase the capacity of a Los Angeles-area natural gas storage field where a 2015 blowout caused the nations largest-ever methane leak and forced thousands from their homes.

FILE - This Jan. 12, 2017, file photo, shows a gas gathering plant on a hilltop at the Southern California Gas Company's Aliso Canyon storage facility near the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles. California regulators on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, voted to increase the capacity of a Southern California natural gas storage field where a 2015 blowout caused the nation's largest-ever methane leak and forced thousands from their homes. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  California regulators voted Thursday to increase the capacity of a Los Angeles-area natural gas storage field where a 2015 blowout caused the nations largest-ever methane leak and forced thousands from their homes.

The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to increase the storage capacity of the underground Aliso Canyon field to 41 billion cubic feet (1.1 billion cubic meters) of natural gas from the current capacity of 34 billion cubic feet (962 million cubic meters).

The move is aimed at ensuring supplies of natural gas for the upcoming winter months in a safe and reliable manner" even as the PUC continues working on longer-term plans to close the field, Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said in a statement.

Neighbors and activists who want Aliso Canyon permanently closed said the increase was unnecessary and had urged the PUC to reject it.

The field, which stores gas in old wells, has been at 50% capacity since 2018, but the PUC vote raises that to 60%. The PUC rejected an alternative plan to allow the field to operate at 100% capacity.

The commission regulates natural gas utilities, including Aliso Canyon's operator, Southern California Gas Co.

A well failure at the field on Oct. 23, 2015, led to the release of nearly 100,000 tons of methane and other substances into the air for nearly four months before it was controlled.

The blowout was blamed for sickening thousands of residents who moved out of homes near the San Fernando Valley to escape a sulfurous stench and maladies including headaches, nausea and nose bleeds.

Ahead of Thursday's vote, some told the commission that they still smell gas and one Porter Ranch resident said she was afraid to open her windows, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The PUC's decision was in favor of fossil fuel interests, not the wellbeing of California ratepayers, said a statement from Alexandra Nagy, California director of Food & Water Watch.

The move is not only dangerous, it is needless" and will create a disastrous glut on natural gas," Nagy said.

SoCalGas said Aliso Canyon and other storage facilities will play a key and essential role" in delivering gas and keeping energy prices stable this winter, when prices are expect to rise nationwide and interstate pipeline repairs limit regional supplies.

SoCalGas spent more than $1 billion on the the blowout  with most going to temporarily relocate 8,000 families.

State regulators found SoCalGas failed to investigate previous well failures at the storage site and didnt adequately assess its aging wells for disaster potential before the blowout.

Last month, SoCalGas and its parent company, Sempra Energy, agreed to pay up to $1.8 billion to settle lawsuits by 35,000 people. The agreement is subject to about 97% of plaintiffs accepting it and could be reduced if fewer agree.

The utility faced hundreds of lawsuits on behalf of 48,000 people.

SoCalGas previously reached a $120 million court settlement with the state attorney general and agreed to a $4 million settlement with Los Angeles County prosecutors after being convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of failing to quickly report the leak to state authorities.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of whats believed to be the worlds largest award in an arbitration case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos accused the Kremlin of taking down the company to silence its CEO, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

FILE - A police officer patrols near the headquarters of the bankrupt oil giant OAO Yukos during an auction of shares in Rosneft that had been owned by Yukos, Moscow, Tuesday March 27, 2007. The Dutch Supreme Court is ruling Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in a $50 billion legal battle between Russia and former shareholders of the country's bankrupted oil giant Yukos.(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev, file)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of whats believed to be the worlds largest award in an arbitration case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos accused the Kremlin of taking down the company to silence its CEO, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

The decision further extends what already has been a yearslong legal battle between Russia and former Yukos shareholders. It quashed a lower court ruling, effectively setting aside a $50 billion award made to the former shareholders in 2014 and sending the case to another court in Amsterdam to consider Russian claims that the shareholders committed fraud in the original arbitration hearings.

However, the highest Dutch court rejected the rest of Russia's arguments, a move welcomed by the former shareholders, who said in a statement that they won on all substantive grounds of Russias appeal.

We will study the Supreme Court ruling, but are confident that the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam will dismiss the baseless allegations raised by the Russian Federation, and the arbitral awards will be upheld, said Tim Osborne, chief executive of GML, the holding company of former Yukos majority shareholders.

The Russian prosecutor-generals office welcomed the ruling but said it is regrettable" the high court didn't dismiss the award outright.

The Russian Federation expects that the Amsterdam Court of Appeal will interpret the remaining controversial issues in accordance with international law ... and take comprehensive measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian taxpayers, the office said in a statement.

An international panel of arbitrators concluded in 2014 that Moscow seized control of Yukos in 2003 by deliberately crippling the company with huge tax claims. The move was seen as an attempt to silence Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a vocal Putin critic.

Khodorkovsky was arrested at gunpoint in 2003 and spent more than a decade in prison as Yukos main assets were sold to a state-owned company. Yukos ultimately went bankrupt.

The state launched a full assault on Yukos and its beneficial owners in order to bankrupt Yukos and appropriate its assets while, at the same time, removing Mr. Khodorkovsky from the political arena, the arbitrators said in their 2014 ruling.

The original case was handled under the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is headquartered in The Hague. As a result, Russia appealed the arbitration decision in the Netherlands.

The Dutch Supreme Court ruled Friday that a lower appeals court in The Hague wrongly dismissed  on procedural grounds  Russias claim that shareholders committed fraud in the arbitral proceedings. Those fraud claims weren't immediately clear.

In April, an independent adviser to the highest Dutch court had recommended that its judges reject Russias appeal in full.

Khodorkovsky is not involved in the case, which was brought by former shareholders united in a company called GML Ltd.
Air Canada's new chief executive ignited a PR disaster by his inept handling about his mastery of the French language that could have repercussions for the airline as it attempts to get back on its feet from the COVID-19 pandemic, public relations experts say.

Air Canada's new chief executive ignited a PR disaster by his inept handling about his mastery of the French language that could have repercussions for the airline as it attempts to get back on its feet from the COVID-19 pandemic, public relations experts say.

"I can't remember a more tone deaf and ham-fisted handling of a new CEO's debut on the public stage than this," said Bob Pickard, a veteran public relations expert and principal at Signal Leadership Communication Inc.

While former Air Canada chief financial officer Michael Rousseau may be very capable, Pickard said his maiden speech as CEO Wednesday  delivered almost entirely in English, coupled with a defensive response to reporters and then an unsatisfactory apology the next day  demonstrate a failure of emotional, cultural, communications and social intelligence.

Rousseau should have addressed his language shortcomings head-on and either not made the speech to begin with, or proactively addressed them.

Instead, he showed great disrespect to Air Canada employees and customers, especially by releasing an apology on the company's website a day later rather than a personal video where he could try to strike the right chord of contrition, Pickard said in an interview.

Just saying sorry to those who were offended is PR 101 nowadays, he said.

"It may be too late to put the toothpaste back into the tube from a public relations perspective.

"However, if he were to follow up the text-based apology with an immediate statement and to do his best in the French that he does speak, even if it's filled with errors or sounds strange with a heavy accent, I believe just making the effort signals the respect."

Canadian politicians piled on Rousseau, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it "an unacceptable situation," noting that the minister in charge of official languages is "following up."

The New Democratic Party called for Rousseau's resignation. NDP deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice, the party's lone MP in Quebec, says Rousseau was "spitting in the face of Quebecers and all members of French-speaking communities across the country."

He said Rousseau should be ashamed for boasting that his mother and wife speak French while never learning the language.

Boulerice noted that Canada's largest airline, based in Montreal, is subject to an average of 80 complaints annually to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. A spokesperson for the commissioner of official languages said Friday afternoon that more than 1,000 complaints about Air Canada have been filed since the incident on Wednesday afternoon.

Public relations expert Jason Patuano, senior director of public relations firm TACT, said Rousseau's lack of sensitivity could have a ripple effect on the airline, just as United Airlines faced a couple of years ago when its removal of a passenger from one of its flights went viral and had a large impact on the value of its stock.

He noted that an Air Canada ad on Facebook Friday attracted comments from customers vowing to boycott the airline.

So far, investors don't seem too troubled. Air Canada's shares climbed 6.2 per cent as the Toronto Stock Exchange set new record highs.

Patuano said it's too soon to say if Rousseau can survive the blunder.

"You don't have the chance to make a good first impression two times."

He said this event will linger in the background for several years and be very challenging for the airline.

The PR expert said it's important for companies to recognize there's no such thing as local news anymore with social media.

"My advice is always for people to remember that whatever they say, they need to remember that it can go more broadly very, very quickly."

Pickard said Air Canada's board of directors should intervene, at the very least, by installing a chief communications officer instead of relying on a lawyer who oversees several portfolios including human resources and public affairs.

He said Air Canada is known in the PR industry as being poor at corporate communications but Pickard said its unbelievable that Rousseau wasn't briefed in advance by a savvy communications person about issues and major cultural questions he could face.

The airline's board, which includes a chairman based in Britain and just two directors from Quebec, has yet to comment on the matter.

Air Canada didn't respond to a request for comment, including whether the board continues to have confidence in Rousseau.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:AC)
TORONTO - Manulife Financial Corp. is raising its dividend after a federal regulator lifted a ban on increases by the country's banks and insurance companies that was put in place in the early days of the pandemic.

Signage is seen on Manulife Financial Corp.'s office tower in Toronto, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

TORONTO - Manulife Financial Corp. is raising its dividend after a federal regulator lifted a ban on increases by the country's banks and insurance companies that was put in place in the early days of the pandemic.

The insurer announced a supplementary dividend of five cents per share in addition to the 28 cents per share it had already announced for the quarter.

The extra payment results in a quarterly dividend of 33 cents per share, an increase of 18 per cent.

Manulife also announced a plan to buy back up to 39 million or about two per cent of its shares.

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions lifted COVID-19-related restrictions Thursday when it said banks and insurers were free to increase dividends, resume share buybacks and raise executive compensation.

The federal regulator said the financial and economic risks of the pandemic have eased so the restrictions imposed in the early days of the outbreak no longer stand.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:MFC)
CALGARY - Soaring heating prices in Europe and an electricity crisis in China are proof that the global transition to a low-carbon economy needs to be driven by a "mix of balanced policy solutions," the chief executive of pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. said Friday.

The Enbridge logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Soaring heating prices in Europe and an electricity crisis in China are proof that the global transition to a low-carbon economy needs to be driven by a "mix of balanced policy solutions," the chief executive of pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. said Friday.

In a conference call with analysts, Al Monaco said that post-pandemic supply disruptions and high demand for both oil and natural gas are proof that economic growth is dependent on conventional energy. He said the energy crunch being experienced right now in parts of the world is a direct result of a failure to invest in energy infrastructure.

"This energy crisis that we're in right now is entirely about underinvestment in all forms of energy, which is creating havoc with consumers, industrial competitiveness and inflation," Monaco said.

"It's clear if it wasn't before, that conventional energy will be a critical part of the supply mix for a long time."

Enbridge, which Monaco said views itself as a "bridge" to a cleaner energy future, has been transitioning its asset mix toward lower-carbon sources of energy for several years. It has significantly expanded its natural gas business and connections to LNG markets, built up a renewables business, and is now investing in hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

While the energy transition is real, Monaco said, governments must be "thoughtful" about the pace and scale of execution, keeping the consumer in mind.

"Most important, in our view, we have to embrace natural gas because it's simply the enabler of building more wind and solar supply, among other things. And it's a great source of reducing emissions just like it has been to this point," he said.

Monaco said the key to the transition will be incentivizing consumption-based economy-wide emissions reductions and efficiency measures. He also called for an immediate focus on "regulatory certainty" and support for CCUS investment.

"We've probably got $2 billion in flight now in terms of the energy transition category. And I would say that over the next five years, you're probably looking at that same level  call it $1 billion a year," Monaco said. "I think what's to be determined, though, longer term, is how fast hydrogen and other areas like CCUS develop."

Gas prices in Europe have increased by more than 170 per cent since the start of the year, mainly due to surging global demand for energy, and gas in particular. EU member states are at odds on how to respond to the supply crunch in the long term.

In China, local governments have been doubling down on meeting energy consumption targets set by Beijing in September to ensure China's carbon emissions peak by 2030. Factories and companies were ordered to reduce or even halt production temporarily.

Enbridge Inc. reported a third-quarter profit of $682 million, down from $990 million in the same quarter last year.

The pipeline operator says the profit amounted to 34 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from 49 cents per share a year ago. Operating revenue grew to $11.47 billion compared with $9.11 billion.

On an adjusted basis, Enbridge says it earned 59 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 48 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of 57 cents per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

During the third quarter, Enbridge successfully brought its Line 3 pipeline replacement project into service. The 1,765-kilometre, $9.3-billion project will carry oil from Alberta to Enbridges terminal in Superior, Wis.

Also during the quarter, Enbridge Inc. signed a US$3-billion deal to purchase a U.S.-based terminal and logistics company, Moda Midstream Operating LLC. As part of the agreement, Enbridge acquired the Ingleside Energy Center  the largest crude export terminal in North America  located near Corpus Christi, Texas.

"We closed the transaction a few weeks ago now, but I would say our Q4 outlook and our '22 outlook is quite encouraging. We're seeing export loadings ramping up quite nicely and in line with upstream drilling rig account trajectory," Monaco said Friday.

Enbridge also announced the appointment of former Aera Energy chief executive Gaurdie Banister and Jane Rowe, vice-chair of investments at the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, to the company's board of directors.

The pair replace Marcel Coutu and Maureen Kempston Darkes, who stepped down from the board on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ENB)
OTTAWA - The national flag is set to be hoisted Sunday at federal buildings across Canada and the Peace Tower in Ottawa following the longest period in the country's history that it has flown at half-mast.

A ceremonial flagged is raised as people attend the Xe xe Smun eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day Every Child Matters ceremony to honour victims of the Canadian Indian residential school system while at Centennial Square in Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The Assembly of First Nations says it has found a solution to raising the Canadian flag on Remembrance day, while continuing to grieve for Indigenous children who died at residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

OTTAWA - The national flag is set to be hoisted Sunday at federal buildings across Canada and the Peace Tower in Ottawa following the longest period in the country's history that it has flown at half-mast.

The federal government announced Friday its decision to raise the flag after talks with Indigenous groups. It was lowered in May in honour of Indigenous children who suffered and died at residential schools.

The flag will be hoisted at sunset on Sunday in time for Remembrance Day next week, when it is traditionally lowered to honour Canada's veterans and war dead.

It will also be lowered at sunrise on Monday to mark Indigenous Veterans Day and raised again that evening at sunset.

The flags were lowered to half-mast on May 30 after the finding of what are believed to be hundreds of unmarked graves at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C. In June, the Cowessess First Nation located over 700 unmarked graves on the grounds of a former residential school in Saskatchewan.

A joint statement from Canadian Heritage, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Friday said the flags have "remained at half-mast in memory of the Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools, for those who never returned home and in honour of the families whose lives were forever changed."

"As the paramount symbol of our nation, the act of flying the national flag of Canada at half-mast for the longest period of time in Canada's history speaks to the extraordinary sense of loss."

It added that raising the flag "will allow us to honour and remember important moments in Canadas history."

In the future, the flag will be lowered to half-mast to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation every Sept. 30, the statement said.

The government said it would also fly the orange National Centre for Truth and Reconciliations survivors' flag on the parliamentary precinct.

It is preparing to build a national monument in Ottawa to honour residential school survivors and "all the children who never returned home."

The Assembly of First Nations said earlier Friday, before the government made its announcement, that it wants an orange "every child matters" flag to be raised on federal buildings alongside the national flag.

National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said the orange flag should fly alongside the Canadian flag until all children who died at residential schools are recovered, named and returned to their homelands  physically or symbolically  with proper ceremony.

The assembly's executive passed a motion on Thursday calling for the flag to be raised on all federal buildings on Sunday alongside the "every child matters" flag.

In a statement, the assembly said it recognized the need to honour veterans by lowering the flag on Nov. 11. It also supported the flag being lowered on Monday to recognize Indigenous Veterans Day.

Speaking after the government announcement, Archibald said she was glad that the survivors' flag, which is also orange, would fly on Parliament Hill. She said the assembly would hold discussions about whether to fly it at half-mast or full-mast after consulting its knowledge-keepers.

"We are happy there will be a place for the orange flag on Parliament Hill and so that is certainly a positive step," she said.

She also welcomed the government's decision to lower the national flag on Indigenous Veterans Day, which she said was proposed by the assembly.

She warned that the assembly would be holding the government to its promise to take further action on truth and reconciliation. She said she wanted to see "a report card annually" measuring progress.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Chiefs, said he supported raising the orange flag alongside the national flag, as proposed by the assembly.

Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said "with the flags down, it reminded us how real this was."

"When Kamloops and the Cowessess told their stories, this country was in shock and disbelief," he said. "We inherited this and if we don't address it, we are telling our children, and children's children, to deal with this. We must take aggressive action."

Lori Idlout, NDP critic for Indigenous relations, welcomed the decision to raise the orange flag on Parliament Hill.

"Moving forward we must ensure that all Indigenous voices are heard on this issue and that First Nations, Inuit, and Metis voices are all contributing to the healing process," she said.

But Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said "symbolic acts are not a substitute for concrete action on reconciliation."

Canadas flag is our most important national symbol, which represents not only our dream for a better country, but our past. Thats why Canadas Conservatives have been calling for the flag to be raised today, with the start of Remembrance Week," O'Toole said in a statement.

It was appropriate to lower the flag to recognize our tragic history of residential schools and the unspeakable trauma it has caused for generations of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. What was not appropriate was Justin Trudeaus decision to lower the flag without some form of protocol or plan to restore Canadas flag back to its rightful place."

The flag will be lowered at the National War Memorial on Nov. 11 by the Royal Canadian Legion, which is in charge of the site on Remembrance Day. It has recommended that legion branches throughout Canada also lower the flag to honour the country's war dead.

It said legion branches across Canada had the choice to continue flying their flags at half-mast "in tribute and remembrance."

The legion said "our First Nations friends" will "always be in our hearts."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.
OTTAWA - A Conservative MP who is part of a group planning to advocate for those facing consequences for being unvaccinated against COVID-19 said Friday the cohort won't do anything to contradict Leader Erin O'Toole.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole puts on his mask as he steps up to the podium at a news conference on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. O'Toole's efforts to balance his caucus's varying views on vaccine mandates has run into the reality some Conservatives plan to take it upon themselves to push against them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - A Conservative MP who is part of a group planning to advocate for those facing consequences for being unvaccinated against COVID-19 said Friday the cohort won't do anything to contradict Leader Erin O'Toole.

The assurance comes as O"Toole tries to move past his election loss, but has found himself grappling to bridge divides within his 118-member caucus about what to do when it comes to vaccine mandates.

Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu tweeted a statement on Friday, a day after revealing that between 15 and 30 Conservative MPs and senators were organizing a "mini-caucus" around the issue.

In the statement, she reiterated she supports her leader "as well as his positions on COVID-19."

Gladu said earlier the idea emerged after several of her colleagues shared that they had fielded concerns from constituents about people losing their jobs because they weren't vaccinated against COVID-19.

She emphasized the formation of the group, dubbed the civil liberties caucus and operating within the broader Tory caucus, had nothing to do with O'Toole or his leadership, but was meant to address concerns being raised about the sweeping impacts of vaccine mandates.

"The civil liberties caucus will serve as a mechanism to bring forward ideas to the Conservative national caucus and will not take any position that is contrary to the collective perspective of our leader and the national caucus," she said in Friday's statement.

Still, the move raises eyebrows as O'Toole has spent hours trying to sort through issue with fellow MPs. Some champion medical privacy and want Conservatives to maintain a strong stand against vaccine requirements, while others believe it's a lesser issue and has sucked up too much time from dealing with other matters.

Neither O'Toole nor his office has publicly responded to Gladu's comments.

Despite her emphasis that the group's formation isn't about O'Toole, there is little doubt it will give political opponents a target to keep attacking Conservatives over the issue, according to one strategist.

Shakir Chambers, who helped Doug Ford win Ontario's 2018 provincial election, said O'Toole struggles from a lack of clarity about where he stands on the matter, and he would be wise to pick a side.

"The longer that there's this grey area, the more uncertainty that there is, the more Canadians are going to look at you and just not think it's credible leadership," he says.

"You allow certain caucus members who have their own views to kind of go in the direction they want to go into, because they don't think that you're being very firm on either position."

Another reality O'Toole faces is his caucus having the power to force a vote on his leadership if at least 20 per cent sign their name to a letter seeking a review.

He insists his team is behind him, and many MPs have expressed that's the case.

Nevertheless, the vaccination issue has proved problematic.

During the federal election campaign, O'Toole opposed mandatory vaccinations and said rapid testing should be available to those who are not immunized.

He didn't make double vaccination a prerequisite for candidates to run under the Conservative banner. The issue re-emerged after the race when the board of internal economy, an all-party parliamentary committee that governs the House of Commons, introduced a mandatory vaccination policy for MPs.

What followed was a shifting response from Conservatives.

At first, their whip, Blake Richards, said they didn't agree that such a decision was made by a group of MPs instead of the House of Commons as a whole, but didn't say whether the party would challenge the decision.

Shortly after, O'Toole told "The Agenda with Steve Paikin" during his first sit-down interview since the election that he respects the committee's decision.

A spokesman then issued a clarification, saying while the Conservatives respect that the board has the ability to set rules for Parliament, it rejects that it "has the jurisdiction to infringe on a members right to take their seat in the House of Commons."

That led to a news conference last week where, after a four-hour meeting with his caucus, O'Toole announced his MPs would follow the rules set out for the chamber, but would challenge the policy with the Speaker after Parliament resumes Nov. 22.

At the time, O'Toole didn't say what his message was to Conservative MPs who may still be unvaccinated or disclose how many of his 118 members are fully immunized.

An analysis by The Canadian Press shows at least 82 of the Conservative's 119 elected members, including O'Toole, are double vaccinated against COVID-19. At least two say they can't be vaccinated for medical reasons and several others say they don't disclose their status because it's their private health information. The remainder has yet to respond.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.
A Palestinian refugee convicted of killing a customer outside the cafe where he worked has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 11 years.

A Palestinian refugee convicted of killing a customer outside the cafe where he worked has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 11 years.

Mahfouth Assi, 24, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the April 2019 stabbing death of 20-year-old Yazan Al Horani and attempted murder for an attack on a second man outside the Ramallah Cafe and hookah lounge on Pembina Highway.

FACEBOOK 20-year-old Yazan Al Horani was stabbed to death outside the Ramallah Cafe restaurant in April 2019.

Assi, who never denied attacking the men but claimed he had been provoked, faces almost certain deportation after completing the custodial portion of his sentence.

Assi agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault at the beginning of his trial, but the offer was not accepted by prosecutors.

Court of Queens Bench Justice Anne Turner rejected Assis contention he "acted on the sudden" following an angry argument with the second victim, Moussa Almousa, inside the cafe. The judge said Assi had time for his "passion to cool" before attacking the two men outside.

"Both victims were unarmed and standing outside on a busy city street," Turner said. "Clearly they thought the altercation from inside the cafe was over and there was no impending danger."

Court heard at trial that Almousa visited the cafe with Al Horani and about 10 friends to celebrate Almousas birthday.

Assi and Almousa became embroiled in a heated exchange of culturally charged insults after Assi took exception to Almousa standing on a bench to take a selfie with his friends.

Following the selfie dispute, Assi raised the matter with a cafe manager, at which point Almousa shoved Assi and the two men insulted each others female relatives.

As the dispute escalated, Almousa grabbed a knife from a table but quickly surrendered it to staff who had separated the two men. A manager told Almousa, Al Horani and their friends to leave the restaurant, which they did, and they told Assi to go home.

Assi grabbed a knife from the kitchen, left out the back door and stopped briefly at his car before rounding the corner of the building and stabbing the two victims as they stood with their friends in front of the cafe.

"Once the group attending Mr. Almousas birthday party was out the front door of the cafe and Mr. Assi was told to go out the back door and go home, the whole incident could have been over," Turner said. "It should have been over. Mr. Assi should have simply driven away."

Al Horani, who stood in the way of Assi and Almousa, was stabbed once in the heart and died almost immediately.

Almousa was stabbed in the chest and flank and spent 22 days in hospital.

Al Horani and his family emigrated from Syria in 2017, after spending years in a refugee camp in Jordan, a family friend told the Free Press following his death. He was taking adult education courses, had started a job at Blady Middle Eastern grocery store and was recently engaged to be married.

"Our life has become a barren desert," his father wrote in a victim impact statement previously provided to court. "We do not believe and do not want to believe that he is gone."

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Surging COVID-19 cases and a nearly 15 per cent test positivity rate in southern Manitoba are the "tip of the iceberg," sparking warnings the whole province will pay the price.

Surging COVID-19 cases and a nearly 15 per cent test positivity rate in southern Manitoba are the "tip of the iceberg," sparking warnings the whole province will pay the price.

The spread of novel coronavirus in that region means Manitoba will likely have to add more public health restrictions and/or increase enforcement of the existing rules that limit the number of unvaccinated people who can gather, experts say.

The 14.5 per cent test positivity rate in the Southern Health region, revealed in provincial data Friday, is triple the provincewide number. It indicates there is a much wider spread that is undetected, said Winnipeg medical microbiologist Dr. Philippe Lagace-Wiens.

Test positivity in Manitoba, by region Click to Expand Reported on Nov. 3, 2021: Southern: 14.5 Northern: 9.5 Interlake-Eastern: 5.3 Prairie Mountain: 4.8 Winnipeg: 2.0

It means too few tests are being conducted; too many people are not getting tested at all or are not getting tested until they are very sick and need to be admitted to hospital, he said.

"That's very concerning because what it means is that there's probably a large amount of people out there with minor symptoms who are potentially spreading the virus within their communities," he said. "Basically, it suggests that we're seeing the tip of the iceberg, that there's probably a lot more community disease than we know about."

It's "worrisome" for the whole province, Lagace-Wiens said.

"We can't stop people from travelling within the province... So how it's going to affect all those nearby areas is a little bit more of an unknown."

Case counts are climbing in every health region, even Winnipeg, where the majority of adults are vaccinated.

These charts show the five-day test positivity rate (top) and COVID-19 testing volumes among Manitobas regional health authorities over the last two weeks. Test positivity rates can be highly variable, particularly in regions with smaller populations, based on the number of tests conducted and whether there are communities in an active outbreak, provincial officials said. (Province of Manitoba)

"But I'm worried it's not going to be enough to prevent an impending crisis. Our hospitals are quite full with COVID patients and, of course, with other patients who have all sorts of medical conditions," Lagace-Wiens added.

"We may be finding ourselves in a precarious situation shortly."

Such a high test positivity rate is three to five times what would be considered controlled spread of the virus. The overall test positivity rate in Manitoba reached 14.5 per cent near the peak of the third wave earlier this year, when 57 COVID patients had to be sent out of province for treatment because local ICUs were full.

"My hope is that we're not looking at a provincewide set of restrictions, but the challenge is we're a highly interconnected population and we can't just assume that if we're not in that region, we're not at risk."  Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr

Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said looking at all of the indicators  test positivity rates, along with vaccination rates, case counts and hospitalizations  "It's a pretty serious picture for that region, and we've got to look at ways to shut it down."

"My hope is that we're not looking at a provincewide set of restrictions, but the challenge is we're a highly interconnected population and we can't just assume that if we're not in that region, we're not at risk."

Carr said restricting travel by region is likely not achievable. She urged the province to focus on tackling the misinformation fuelling vaccine hesitancy.

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Epidemiologist, Cynthia Carr.

"Unfortunately, a targeted shutdown in a region is going to be something like a school or business. It's going to impact certain people most significantly, while those people who aren't vaccinated can just continue to travel and go somewhere else," Carr said.

"So we need to, again, look at messaging: what do we need to do here to enhance credibility and trust within the region, shut down this info-demic of false narratives and continue to provide opportunities for people who are vaccinated?"

On Friday, Manitoba reported 130 new COVID-19 infections and three deaths. Of the cases, 64 were in Southern Health, home to the highest proportion of unvaccinated residents. The provincial average test positivity rate was 4.9 per cent.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon.

A request to interview Manitoba's health minister about the surge in Southern Health wasn't granted.

Case numbers increasing week over week in the region "are concerning," Health Minister Audrey Gordon said in a prepared statement. It acknowledged half of Manitoba's ICU patients are Southern Health residents, but was careful not to point the finger of blame.

The government is closely monitoring the situation "across the province" and "changes to public health orders are always an option We also recognize that there are some portions of the population who are not interested in following public health orders, being tested or being vaccinated. We are actively seeking ways to understand these groups and learning how we can provide information in a helpful manner that might bring change," the health ministers statement said.

"What will not work is being disrespectful, shaming or creating division. We should be talking and trying to work through the divisions with the best information we can."

DAVID LIPNOWSKI / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Manitobas new premier, Heather Stefanson.

When asked Tuesday about the rising COVID-19 case count in Southern Health, newly sworn-in Premier Heather Stefanson said her government would take "any measure" to keep businesses in the region open. She planned to meet as soon as possible with chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin and would consult with cabinet and caucus, who met Wednesday, to discuss "how we want to see things moving forward."

When the province revealed  for the first time Friday  Southern Healths out-of-control test positivity rate, Stefansons office didnt respond to a request for comment.

"Whats going on in Southern Health doesnt just affect Southern Health, it affects Winnipeg, it affects everyone across this province," said NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara. "She needs to make decisions that recognize and reflect the reality for all citizens across the province, not just catering to the needs of a select few in a particular community."

"Part of whats concerning to me is we havent seen premier Stefanson come out with Dr. Roussin and provide Manitobans with a plan of action."

Public health officials had repeatedly refused to disclose test positivity rates outside of Winnipeg, saying the data varied because of smaller population sizes. During a COVID-19 briefing Wednesday, deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal said officials had reversed that decision and would make the data public.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Katie May

Reporter Katie May reports on courts, crime and justice for the Free Press. Read full biography
THERE is no legitimate religious reason for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, says a Steinbach councillor who spoke about anti-vaccine sentiment in the southeast Manitoba city at a recent civic meeting.

THERE is no legitimate religious reason for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, says a Steinbach councillor who spoke about anti-vaccine sentiment in the southeast Manitoba city at a recent civic meeting.

"There is nothing in the Christian faith tradition that prohibits vaccination," Michael Zwaagstra said. "The simple reality is that any Christian who objects to the COVID-19 vaccines is doing so out of personal preference and not because of anything taught in the Bible."

GRANT BURR / THE CARILLON Michael Zwaagstra.

Zwaagstra, who has been a city councillor since 2006, made the remarks Tuesday.

He said he respects people who decide not to be vaccinated for personal reasons but "We must remember that accepting or refusing a vaccine is a personal choice and not a test of religious faith."

Zwaagstra took issue with the claim being anti-abortion is a reason to not be vaccinated.

Citing research found on the provincial government website, and other "reputable" medical websites, he said fetal tissue was not used to develop the COVID-19 vaccines.

Instead, he said, they were tested on fetal cell lines grown in a laboratory and aborted fetal cells that made up those lines were collected decades ago.

"If you boycott the COVID-19 vaccines, you will also need to avoid drugs such as Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, Claritin, Tums, Benadryl, Robitussin and Pepto Bismol," he said, noting those drugs were tested on the same fetal cell line as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Even Ivermectin, which is touted by anti-vaxxers as a cure for COVID-19, was tested the same way, he said.

In an interview with the Free Press, Zwaagstra, 45, who is vaccinated and in the process of becoming a member of the Steinbach Mennonite Brethren Church, said he made the remarks because he has heard people argue against the vaccine based on religious reasons.

"People tell me it goes against the Christian faith," Zwaagstra said, adding he decided to speak out when he learned Springs Church in Winnipeg planned to offer a "religious exemption" to its members.

"But there is nothing in the Bible or Christianity at all that says that."

If anything, said Zwaagstra, who teaches at Green Valley School in Grunthal and is an adjunct faculty member at Steinbach Bible College, "There is a stronger biblical case for getting vaccinated such as obeying the government and loving your neighbours."

Response to his stance has been positive, he said, both from those who are vaccinated and those who oppose vaccinations.

"They agree that we shouldnt turn getting vaccinated into a religious test," he said.

He also received support for his view its a mistake to insert the abortion debate into the vaccination issue.

"Im pro life, and if I thought making the vaccines would lead to more abortions, then I would have a different view," he said.

He praised the Manitoba government for taking a "balanced" approach to mandates rather than taking a hard-line stance.

Zwaagstra knows people who have battled COVID-19, some of whom have died.

"This is real," he said, adding the surging number of cases and deaths in the Southern Health region, which includes Steinbach, means fewer people are claiming the pandemic is made up.

"The ICUs are full," he said. "Its a real problem."

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca
For years, councillors and residents have complained about illegal rooming houses near the University of Manitoba because they feared crowded dwellings might put student tenants in danger.

For years, councillors and residents have complained about illegal rooming houses near the University of Manitoba because they feared crowded dwellings might put student tenants in danger.

Now, one city councillor believes pandemic conditions and new developments are beginning to alleviate the problem.

"The pandemic has created, I would say, a silver lining," said Coun. Janice Lukes.

COVID-19 forced a shift to remote learning, which meant many landlords of crowded homes in Fort Richmond and University Heights lost student renters, said Lukes. Some of those homes were sold and families moved in, she said.

In addition, developers have created almost 1,700 new rental units to address demand in the area  including 775 units in four apartment blocks that have opened over the past two years  since Lukes began lobbying for changes in 2014.

Since many units can be shared by multiple students, she expects that will offer affordable rents and better living conditions.

"Some of (the rooming) houses that were renting apartments would have an 1,100-square-foot house with eight bedrooms. The safety, the fire hazards were just off the scale," said Lukes.

In a 2017 report, Lukes estimated there were as many as 150 illegal rooming houses around the U of M based on calls to her office. The report has not been updated.

The councillor noted Fort Richmond complaints have generated the most illegal rooming house investigations of any Winnipeg neighbourhood each year since 2017. Those complaints triggered 13 investigations in 2020, down from 19 in 2019, 26 in 2018 and 35 in 2017.

The city proactively investigated an additional 29 illegal rooming house concerns last year.

Jacquie Field, chairperson of the Fort Richmond University Heights Neighbourhood Association, also believes families have moved into some houses that had been occupied by multiple students, although there is no official count of the apparent trend.

Three homes on her street were sold this summer, and it appears families have moved in, she said.

"Overall, my impression is that it is better, its improved but that does not mean that there are not houses where theyve put a bedroom in a living room and dont have a (fire) escape," she said.

Developers have created almost 1,700 new rental units to address demand in the area surrounding the University of Manitoba, including this new apartment block at 30 University Crescent. (Shannon VanRaes / Winnipeg Free Press)

A Fort Richmond resident who lives next door to a suspected rooming house, said the issue is a constant source of frustration.

"Theres vehicles all over the driveway, theres vehicles on lawns, theres vehicles up and down the street from very few houses. The houses are in disrepair theres garbage in the back," said David, who did not want his last name published.

"It just leads to terrible-looking properties."

He believes there are at least three rooming houses on his street, with seven to 10 people living in each one. While few students are currently heading to the university for classes, many rooming houses have been filled with non-student tenants instead, he said, adding he fears the problem will grow worse once students finally return to classes, which is expected to occur this winter.

"Im skeptical that (this issue is) being resolved," he said.

Such concerns remain a pressing issue, Coun. Markus Chambers said.

"For those that are living there, it is having an impact potentially on the decline of neighbourhoods," said Chambers.

A city report notes 80 illegal rooming house complaints made by members of the public were investigated in 53 neighbourhoods last year, in addition to 60 city-initiated investigations.

The report states there were 520 fire-prevention bylaw infractions in Winnipeg rooming houses last year, up from 351 in 2019. The violations included problems with fire extinguishers, "fuel-fired heating," fire alarms, smoke alarms, dryer vents and exits, among other issues.

Coun. Sherri Rollins, chairperson of councils protection committee, said that increase poses serious concerns.

"(At) these converted residential dwellings (rooming houses), the life-safety risks are even higher because theres that many more people living in close proximity to one another. When they cant get... out of the building, weve seen people die," said Rollins.

The trend shows the city must continue to focus on fire-safety education, she said.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
The benefit of allowing grassroots members of political parties to elect their leaders is it gives them a direct say in the future of their party.

The benefit of allowing grassroots members of political parties to elect their leaders is it gives them a direct say in the future of their party.

The downside is it allows rogue candidates to sign up scores of instant members with no previous involvement in the party who can affect the outcome of a leadership race.

Thats one of the reasons Manitobas Progressive Conservative party in the 1990s resisted dropping its delegate system (where leaders are chosen from slates of delegates through constituency associations) in favour of a one-member, one-vote model, which it adopted in the early 2000s.

Manitoba's newly elected Progressive Conservative Leader and the province's new premier, Heather Stefanson, right, greets opponent Shelly Glover. THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/John Woods

Many were concerned people with ulterior motives could buy memberships on the eve of a leadership contest and disrupt the process.

Those fears were realized at last weekends Tory leadership convention.

The majority of the approximately 25,000 members who were eligible to vote last week (just over 16,000 cast a ballot) were not members prior to the 2021 campaign. The party had an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 paid-up members before the race.

Some of the recent sign-ups were renewals but many  maybe most  had never been PC party members until a few weeks ago. Yet, their ballots (the deadline to buy a membership to vote was Oct. 1) carried the same weight as longtime party members. Its a flawed system.

Heather Stefanson, gives her first media scrum as Manitoba's newly elected Progressive Conservative Leader.THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/John Woods

It allowed candidates, including former Conservative MP Shelly Glover  who is now contesting the results of the vote  to sign up people whose motivation for voting had little, if anything, to do with the future of the PC party.

Glover was courting Manitobans who were opposed to the provinces COVID-19 vaccine mandates and its pandemic public health orders. She fuelled anti-vax sentiment and exploited vaccine misinformation to sell memberships. Her strategy was effective: she almost won.

Thats not a healthy or desirable way for political parties to elect leaders. It may have the semblance of a grassroots, democratic approach, but it leaves parties open to hostile takeovers.

The alternative is not necessarily to return to a delegate system, which Manitobas New Democratic Party still uses.

Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press files Shelly Glover speaks to media after opponent Heather Stefanson was announced the first female Premier of Manitoba.

That has its downsides, too: its more easily manipulated by the party establishment (in the NDP's case, that includes organized labour, which is guaranteed a minimum number of delegates). It prevented the NDP from electing a dynamic, competent female leader in 2015, when delegates chose then-premier Greg Selinger over former health minister Theresa Oswald. The process was seen by many New Democrats as a failure.

There is one immediate step the Tories could take to improve the leadership selection process: limit voter eligibility to those who have been party members for a minimum period of time, such as six months or a year, prior to a leadership vote. It would prevent recent sign-ups from hijacking the process, while still allowing grassroots party members to elect a leader. Candidates could be nominated by existing party members.

Granted, it would prevent the party from capitalizing on the excitement of a leadership race by signing up new members in the weeks and months leading up to a vote. However, many of those new sign-ups tend to be fleeting members who are less likely to volunteer or contribute once the race is over. How many of the anti-vaxxers and COVID-19 deniers who bought memberships in the Tory leadership race are going to volunteer for the party (or even vote for them) in the next provincial election?

Even if some become permanent members, the downside of allowing a flood of instant members influence the outcome of a leadership race far outweighs the benefits.

There is no perfect system for electing party leaders. Even a one-member, one-vote system allows party brass to manipulate the process, including through procedural rules (as we saw in the Tory leadership race). But limiting voter eligibility based on a minimum time period would ensure those who are voting are bona fide party members.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Academics at the University of Manitoba have proposed the administration agree to a cumulative wage hike of 6.5 per cent over three years to end the strike.

Academics at the University of Manitoba have proposed the administration agree to a cumulative wage hike of 6.5 per cent over three years to end the strike.

The faculty association, which represents upwards of 1,200 U of M professors, instructors and librarians, announced Thursday it had tabled an offer that's the equivalent of an $8.3-million request that it says would address recruitment and retention issues.

The proposal includes a three-year agreement that includes two per cent annual wage increases during the initial two years and a 2.5 per cent raise in the final year. The union wants increases to recruitment and retention adjustments over the term and instructor wages raised in line with the librarian pay schedule.

Prior to the start of the strike, the U of M had proposed a two-year agreement with general increases of 1.25 per cent and 1.5 per cent, in addition to a two per cent hike from changes to pay scales. The administration did not provide an update on its bargaining website Thursday, aside from indicating mediation had resumed.

Union president Orvie Dingwall said the administration has not strayed from the 1.25 and 1.5 per cent figures in more than a week, leading her to believe the university is in line with a provincial mandate that stands in the way of addressing low wages, which have affected staffing challenges.

"We can't afford to fall any further behind," said Dingwall, noting the average salary at the U of M is the second-lowest of Canadas 15 esteemed research universities. "The salary offer we tabled (on the third day of the strike) is going to keep us competitive."

The province has repeatedly declined to comment on bargaining and its wage increase mandate because it is not the employer. It claims the mandate itself, however, is standard practice and does not amount to interference  contrary to the unions allegations.

JOE BRYKSA/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

Last year, the average annual salary at U of M, dean wages included, was nearly $137,000. The same sum at the University of Saskatchewan  another U15 institution in a city on the Prairies with a comparable cost of living, albeit slightly higher than Winnipeg's  was around $159,000.

The current floor salary for an instructor at U of M is about $60,000. Assistant, associate and full professors make at least $73,000, $85,000, and $105,000, respectively. The base wage for a general librarian is around $58,000, with full librarians making at least $97,000.

The author of an analysis piece on the labour dispute, which was published on the Higher Education Strategy Associates blog on Thursday, suggested it's time for faculty and administration to find middle ground.

"The two parties should split the difference and end the strike," wrote Alex Usher, founder of the consulting firm. "A long strike over a gap this small would be silly."

Thousands of students are counting on a quick resolution so they can resume studies after repeated interruptions throughout the pandemic.

"It's very uncertain in terms of what the long-term impacts of this will be (on my program), which is uneasy, unnerving," said Morgan Stirling, a PhD student in community health sciences, who has been supporting faculty strike efforts via virtual picket.

Students Supporting UMFA is organizing a campus march in solidarity with the faculty association on Friday.

Throughout bargaining, U of M leadership has indicated it aims to conclude an agreement that addresses staffing challenges while supporting quality education, stability in operations, and sustainability.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
A Manitoba Tory MLA requires constituents to sign a privacy waiver before discussing government policy.

"Its unusual that youd have to sign a waiver or fill out a form before an MLA decides if they want to talk to you or not," said Chris Wiebe, who lives in the electoral district of Dawson Trail.

On Oct. 30, Wiebe wrote to his MLA, Bob Lagasse, asking whether claims the PC government was intervening in the University of Manitobas collective bargaining were accurate.

Lagasses staff responded, asking him to sign a form to "Hereby authorize to exchange all personal information contained in my file regarding the aforementioned issue."

Wiebe, who is seeking the NDP nomination in the constituency for the expected 2023 provincial election, said he wasnt expecting a bunch of legalese.

"I was very surprised, because I think MLAs should be accessible and accountable," he said. "Other constituents, if they got that, they might be intimidated."

The form asked for Wiebes address, phone number and a summary of his concern, all of which were in his original letter.

Wiebe said he had written to Lagasse with concerns multiple times, and claims he either got no answer or a list of talking points. "It seems like another barrier of communication."

Lagasse was not made available for an interview Thursday. His staff didnt respond to Wiebes concern that they steer away constituents from interacting with their MLA.

"The constituent intake form is a standard process in our office to ensure all relevant constituent information is collected and then disseminated to the appropriate government department," the office wrote, adding staff can also fill out the form if they get verbal consent.

"The authorization is required to share all personal information with government personnel."

The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba did not respond to emails asking whether it has a policy on how its MLAs handle questions from constituents.

The NDP and Liberals say they might ask a constituent to authorize sharing personal information for casework  such as to sort out whats happened with a pension or problems accessing welfare  but not to discuss a policy issue.

"Constituents who come to us are seeking different levels of advocacy  and its up to MLAs offices to serve, while being conscious of barriers," wrote NDP public affairs critic Malaya Marcelino. "At the NDP, we are committed to serving community members in the most accessible and safe way possible."

The Liberals take the same approach.

"If there are questions about where they stand on an issue or what they are doing on a particular issue, the office or MLA will respond directly," wrote Liberal spokesman Colin Roy.

Last month, the Liberals filed a complaint to the elections commissioner, due to Lagasse offering a pair of sneakers in a draw to anyone who signed up as a PC membership in support of then-leadership candidate Heather Stefanson.

The Liberals have asked whether that violates financing rules.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The campaigning is over, the ballots have been counted and Manitobas first female leader has been sworn into office. Yet, while Premier Heather Stefanson was celebrating the historic moment, her rival was busy disputing the results and mounting a court challenge. Its a troubling post-election trend that, these days, is becoming increasingly familiar.

The campaigning is over, the ballots have been counted and Manitobas first female leader has been sworn into office. Yet, while Premier Heather Stefanson was celebrating the historic moment, her rival was busy disputing the results and mounting a court challenge. Its a troubling post-election trend that, these days, is becoming increasingly familiar.

On Tuesday, Progressive Conservative candidate Shelly Glover said, "I am the premier, not her," during an interview with CBC News. That same day, she filed documents asking Manitobas Court of Queens Bench to declare the results invalid and order a new election.

Shelly Glovers case centres on alleged irregularities in the vote count and claims that ballot boxes werent properly secured. (Winnipeg Free Press files)

Ms. Glovers case centres on alleged irregularities in the vote count and claims that ballot boxes werent properly secured. The PC Party election committee has denied the allegations and maintains the electoral process was run fairly and that Ms. Stefanson won by a margin of 363 votes.

Despite meeting with party officials on Wednesday, the former candidate is pushing ahead with her legal battle. Ms. Glovers lawyer asked the Court of Queens Bench for an expedited hearing and, on Thursday, a Nov. 19 date was set to decide whether the court has jurisdiction to hear alleged election irregularities in the PC leadership race.

It was a tight campaign marred by controversy. Days before the leadership convention, the party was scrambling to get ballots to more than 1,000 members who claimed not to have received theirs by mail. The party says it mailed out more than 25,000 ballots and set up pick-up and drop-off stations across the province to ensure members who wanted to could vote.

While its, perhaps, no surprise that the losing side is calling foul, the stolen-election rhetoric feeds into a disturbing trend.

Elections Manitoba doesnt oversee internal party politics and so it will be up to legal challenges, including the possibility of a lawsuit against the PC Party, to decide whether Ms. Glover can provide sufficient evidence to support her claims of tampering. Whats happening outside of the proper legal channels, however, is nothing short of Trumpian.

Heather Stefanson hugs Shelly Glover after winning the PC Party leadership race. Glover is contesting the victory. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press files)

In the days since Premier Stefanson was named the winner, her challenger has effectively prompted supporters to organize a change.org petition calling to overturn the results and a protest outside the Manitoba Progressive Conservative headquarters, where dozens gathered holding signs that read "Democracy Denied."

No one likes to lose, but alas, thats the reality of the electoral process. There are winners and there are losers. Claiming, before and after the fact, that you were cheated out of a seat is a tactic popularized by Donald Trump during the 2020 United States presidential election and spurred on by conspiracy theorists.

Its become normal for politicians and their supporters to rally around claims of voter fraud and election rigging to dispute results they dont like. Asserting fraud doesnt make it so, but it does degrade public faith in the democratic process.

Down south, election officials in dozens of states found no evidence of fraud or other irregularities following the 2020 race, according to The New York Times. Still, last month, the denialism was on full display during the California recall election, during which Republicans blamed voter fraud for Gov. Gavin Newsoms win before the results were even in.

Its to be hoped the U.S. penchant to falsely cry voter fraud isnt crossing the border into Manitoba. If Ms. Glovers allegations are substantiated in court, Tory brass need to be held accountable and members deserve a recall. If not, the candidate needs to apologize for her accusations and overblown reaction to a fair election. Both circumstances are a disappointing slap in the face to democracy.
Winona, MN (55987)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Morning high of 41F with temps falling to near 30. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 17F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Now that the ticks are decreasing, Im heading back to the meadows and woods. Thats where I find the most peace as well as inspiration. I may even start those books Ive been thinking of writing for children as well as one for adults.

Several years ago, the cable installer told me television was on its way out. He was right. But that addiction has given way to another, more insidious addiction: cell phones.

Whereas television is watched at home, cell phones are available anywhere, any time. Its obvious everywhere we go that some people look at their phones a lot more than they look at their children or partners. And, many of their kids are hooked, too. As were finding out, the creators of those phones and their apps planned it that way. Its all about the money from advertisers, of course.

The same thing applies with news coverage. The old expression, If it bleeds, it leads applies to television news as well as to journalism. The more shocking the story, the more audience it gets, and the more audience it gets, the more advertising dollars the network makes. As always, follow the money.

We cant change other peoples habits, but at least we can alter our own and expand our views beyond what we see and hear on television and cell phones. We can start by actually looking at and listening to the people we care about. In addition, there are innumerable things we can do that give us joy, help others, and broaden our outlooks on life. What do we have to lose?

Pat Nash has lived in the Baraboo area, off and on, for more than 35 years. Contact her at patnash5149@gmail.com.
The Madison original American Girl Dolls was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday in recognition of its influence on the toy industry.

The strategy board game Risk and sand, which the group called perhaps the most universal and oldest toy in the world, were also inducted.

All three were honored during a ceremony at the hall after winning over a panel of experts who voted for them from a group of 12 finalists.

American Girls induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong (Museum of Play in Rochester, New York) is an incredible honor and further proof of the brands commitment to do good things for girls, Pleasant Rowland, founder of the doll company, said in a statement to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Im so proud of the American Girl family  past and present  who have been faithful stewards of this brand for more than three decades, helping to capture the hearts of an entire generation of girls, Rowland said. I cant think of anything more important.

Also in the running this year were four other competitive games: Battleship, The Settlers of Catan, Mahjong and billiards, as well as Cabbage Patch Kids, Masters of the Universe, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, the toy fire engine and the pinata.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear appeals from two doctors who were convicted of illegally distributing pain medication after writing thousands of prescriptions in short periods.

The court will take up the case of Xiulu Ruan of Mobile, Alabama, and Shakeel Kahn, who practiced medicine in Ft. Mohave, Arizona, and Casper, Wyoming.

Ruan and a partner, James Couch, were convicted of overprescribing medications at their Physicians Pain Specialists of Alabama clinic and a pharmacy.

The two doctors wrote 66,892 prescriptions in 2014, investigators said. They grossed $20 million between 2012 and a raid in 2015, prosecutors said.

Kahn was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances resulting in death, including oxycodone, an opioid pain reliever, and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.

Jessica Burch, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was a patient of Kahn's who died from an overdose in 2015.

He wrote nearly 15,000 prescriptions for controlled substances between 2011 and the end of 2016, totaling nearly 2.2 million pills and of which nearly half were oxycodone, prosecutors said.
So you know, the question that we always have and that we ask to the Republicans is, why are they getting in the way?" Jean-Pierre said. Why are they getting in the way of trying to protect and save lives? Thats all were trying to do.

Challenges to the workplace mandate from Republicans and conservative groups are expected to be broad-based and quick, reflecting yet another aspect of the COVID-19 response  from mask requirements to social-distancing guidelines  that has fallen into a partisan divide. Democratic governors and attorneys general were relatively quiet after the OSHA rules were announced on Thursday. From California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a simple Twitter message: The right move. Another Democrat, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, defended mandates in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Laura Kelly, the Democratic governor in Republican-dominated Kansas, was trying to walk a fine line on the new workplace rules. She said after a chamber of commerce event Thursday that federal mandates tend not to work and that she wanted a Kansas-focused way to meet, them but did not give details.

All 26 Republican state attorneys general have previously said they would fight the requirements, and most of them signed a letter to Biden saying as much.
BURLINGTON  A man wanted in the fatal stabbing of his mother in northern Wisconsin has been captured in Burlington, police said Thursday.

Police in Antigo in Langlade County had been searching for Derek Goplin, 38, since his mother was found dead Monday morning.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer Just $5 gives you full access for 5 months to exclusive content from The Journal Times. The incredible deal won't last long, so support local 

According to the Burlington Police Department, Goplin was taken into custody after police learned that he was in the city at 7:14 p.m. Wednesday. He was arrested near the Aurora Medical Center Burlington, 252 McHenry St.

Officers located Derek, established his identity, and confirmed he had a warrant for his arrest, Burlington Police Sgt. Robert Jones said in a release.

Police did not specify the exact location where Goplin was taken into custody, saying only that he had been dropped off in the area of the medical center.

The Waterford Police Department reported that Waterford officers responded to a call about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday that led them to the Tichigan Boat Launch on Bridge Drive in the Town of Waterford.

A caller had told Racine County dispatchers that he was transporting an unknown subject to Aurora Medical Center Burlington and that the subjects vehicle would be left at the boat launch.
Garbades complaint about racial discrimination against her daughter led to a state Department of Public Instruction finding of a severe, pervasive and persistent ... racially hostile environment within the Burlington Area School District  a conclusion the school district has not contested. Garbade filed the complaint first with BASD, then appealed to the state after the district said it found no evidence of widespread racism.

Asked to comment on Garbades impact on Burlington in the last two years, School Board Member Rosanne Hahn said: Ill just say she had an impact, and leave my comment at that.

Garbade said BCDRs leadership positions are held for two years. After she founded the coalition two years ago, it was time for a new face to lead, she said.

Bielefeldt, who has been active with BCDR almost since its inception and whose children have publicly shared their experiences with racism in Burlington schools, said she wants to build on the foundation Garbade built.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The state Republican Party chairman is not backing Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling's recommendation that five of the state's six elections commissioners be charged with election fraud and related criminal offenses.

Schmaling said Wednesday that he referred charges to the Racine County District Attorney's Office following his office's investigation of allegations of election fraud at Ridgewood Care Center, a Mount Pleasant nursing home.

During a call with reporters Friday, Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Paul Farrow said Im not going to say I want to see them charged," regarding Schmaling's referral for charges for all of the commissioners except one, Republican-appointed Robert Spindell. "I want to see a clean system moving forward that adheres with state law.

At Ridgewood, investigators allege, eight elderly people with diminished mental capacity were "taken advantage of" when staff at the nursing home executed the vote. One of the eight, Shirley Westphal, died before Election Day but her ballot was still counted.
UTICA, N.Y. -- A new Utica nightclub will hold its grand opening this weekend, waiving the entry fee Thursday through Saturday.

Parliament Nightclub, located at 700 Varick Street, officially opens Thursday night at 8 p.m.

On its Facebook page, the club is described as an exotic nightclub adventure, that brings VIP talent, top shelf liquor, and the top mixologists in the country.

Local DJs will provide the tunes, and club co-owner, Amil Alagic, says they will play an array of music.

We try to inquire as much of that different theme when it comes to pop, rock, and other ethnicities. Spanish, Bosnian music and so forth, so we really try to collaborate with a little bit of everything. That way we have a wide variety of music," said Alagic.

DJ Derrick J will be featured on opening night.

As part of the dress code, men must be wearing long pants and cannot wear hats.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A prosecutor investigating accusations that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo groped a woman has asked a judge for more time.

Albany Country District Attorney David Soares said in a letter Friday that the criminal complaint filed last week by the local sheriff was potentially defective.

The request throws the high-profile case into turmoil a week after Cuomo was accused in the sheriff's complaint of committing a misdemeanor sex crime.

Soares said in a letter to Judge Holly Trexler that his office had been investigating the matter for several months but still has a large volume of material to review.

A spokesperson for Soares said the court granted a delay until Jan. 7, 2022.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
ROME, N.Y. -- A Rome man who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing a man at the Red Carpet Inn nearly one year ago was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison Friday following an outburst in court.

Wilfredo Cotto Jr., 40, fatally shot 28-year-old Benjamin J. Davis, of Ulster County, on Nov. 15, 2020.

After a five-month investigation, a grand jury indicted Cotto for second-degree murder in late April.

When he appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing in September, he stopped the testimony to plead guilty to the murder charge and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

Davis' sister Sadie Lesane made a victim impact statement to the court Friday, saying "On Nov. 15, 2020, our lives were ripped apart and changed forever. I will never forget that knock on my door of my apartment. A knock that no one ever wants to hear. Sometimes I still hear that knock on my door."

Just before he was sentenced, Cotto went on a profanity-laced tirade, threatening to shoot the judge and prosecutor if he ever gets out of prison.

"I ever make it back to Oneida County the first one I'm going to shoot is you," Cotto said to the judge.

The outburst went on for about 15 minutes before he was escorted out of the courtroom.
ROME, N.Y. -- A man in a trench coat allegedly showed an employee a gun while stealing merchandise from Rue 21 in Rome Thursday night.

Rome police were called to the store, which is located in Freedom Plaza, around 8:15 p.m. for a report of a robbery.

The caller told officers a man was trying to leave with items he did not pay for, and lifted his trench coat to show a gun in his waistband before running out of the store toward the Shoe Department.

The suspect is described as a man in his 40s or 50s, about 5 6 or 5 7 tall, medium build, with brown eyes and no facial hair. In addition to the black trench coat, he was wearing a black winter hat, a black T-shirt, jeans and a camouflage face mask.

Rome police ask that any nearby businesses or residents with surveillance video check the footage from Nov. 4 between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and report any suspicious activity to Det. Kelly Lupinsky at 315-339-7717 or leave an anonymous tip with Mohawk Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-866-730-8477.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)-It was a celebration of culture Thursday night at the Port of Hope Fundraiser. Food from several different countries was served, all while thanking the community for their support of the Immigration services LUM offers.

"Many people in our community need a little help with immigration services so we provide those legal immigration services to people in the greater Lafayette area," said LUM Executive Director Wes Tillet.

One of those immigrants who used LUM's services is David Gonzalez. He says LUM helped him and his family get on their feet when they moved to the area.

"Nowadays I have a more stable life thanks to the services," said Gonzalez.

Now, Gonzalez is giving back to LUM. In his home country, he studied engineering and IT. He has worked to create a bot answering system on the organization's Facebook page that allows people to get answers to their questions both in English and Spanish.

"It will be very helpful for people that are looking for help," said Gonzalez.

LUM provides services to around 120-250 immigrant families a year. This fundraiser allows them to continue the work, which can be life-changing.

"To have that service provided often free of charge because of the generosity of people in this community it is a whole new chapter in life for those individuals," said Tillet.

LUM hopes the event raised about $45,000 dollars. For more information about the immigration services, the non-profit offer click here.
Photo taken on November 4, 2020 shows an exterior view of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue for the third China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai. [Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe]

BEIJING, November 4 (Xinhua)  President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

At previous CIIEs and forums, Xi has introduced a slew of opening-up policies and talked about economic globalization in the past three years. The following are some highlights of his quotes:

 Answering to the changing circumstances and new requirements, we have set out to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. What we envision is not a development loop behind closed doors, but more open domestic and international circulations. We will do so not only to meet China's own development needs but also for the greater benefit of people in all countries.

 Our aim is to turn the China market into a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all. This way, we will be able to bring more positive energy to the global community.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with foreign leaders who are attending the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), tour the exhibitions after an opening ceremony of the CIIE in Shanghai, east China, November 5, 2019. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

 Economic globalization represents the trend of history. Like the world's great rivers, the Yangtze, the Nile, the Amazon and the Danube  they all surge forward in relentless flow, and nothing can stop their mighty movement, not the current of undertows or hidden shoals or rocks beneath the water.

 We need to "join hands" with each other instead of "letting go" of each other's hands. We need to "tear down walls," not to "erect walls." We need to stand firm against protectionism and unilateralism. We need to continually bring down trade barriers, optimize global value and supply chains, and jointly foster market demand.

 Efforts to reduce tariff barriers and open wider will lead to inter-connectivity in economic cooperation and global trade, while the practices of beggaring thy neighbor, isolation and seclusion will only result in trade stagnation and an unhealthy world economy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai, east China, November 5, 2018. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

 China will remain a strong advocate of openness at the global level, and will continue to act as a stable engine of global growth, a big market with enormous opportunities and an active supporter of global governance reform.

 China's initiative to expand imports is not a choice of expediency. It is a future-oriented step taken to embrace the world and promote common development.

(Source: Xinhua)
Bird conservationists at Chester Zoo successfully breed rare plum-sized red-billed curassow chicks

Conservationists at Chester Zoo have successfully hatched one of the worlds rarest bird species in a bid to prevent its extinction.

The two precious red-billed curassow chicks hatched after their eggs were carefully incubated for 30 days by the zoos team of bird experts.

Fewer than 200 red-billed curassows now remain in the wild and the species is on the verge of becoming extinct  a result of deforestation and hunting in its native Brazil.

The birds are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Chester Zoo is currently the only zoo in the UK to care for the species and conservationists say the two new arrivals will play a vital role in a global conservation-breeding programme that is working to prevent the extinction of the species.

Andrew Owen, Curator of Birds at the zoo, said:

This is such a significant moment for us, and for the species. When we saw that the parents had produced eggs we were overjoyed, but we quickly noticed that the female wasnt sitting on them and, with the birds being so rare, we just couldnt take any chances.

We stepped in and decided to artificially incubate them ourselves.

Once hatched, we carefully returned the chicks to the parent birds for rearing and they were quickly welcomed back into the family.

Its been great to use our avicultural experience to hatch the eggs and wonderful to see the parent birds rear their chicks naturally  a technique which may help in the conservation of this species in the future, and an incredible achievement the whole team who were very proud of.

On hatching, the plum-sized chicks weigh just 100g, but theyll grow to be 3.5kg, around the same size as a turkey, after just one year.

Thats why in their native Brazil theyve been hunted for meat by local people and feral dogs.

They, like many other bird species, are declining due to habitat loss, forest fragmentation and deforestation.

These magnificent birds are on the verge of becoming extinct in the wild, with estimates of less than 200 left in the wild.

For that reason, these two chicks are very important additions to the global population and the conservation efforts to help save this unique species from extinction.

Red-billed curassows are endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil and have been restricted to tiny areas in the rainforest.

Adult red-billed curassows are mostly black, but their chicks are a speckled brown, which helps to camouflage them from predators in the dappled leaves of the rainforest.

These birds live to around the age of 20 and their natural predators include big cats such as jaguars and ocelots, as well as eagles.
Unprecedented demand on regions health and social services causing significant delays in care provision

Unprecedented demand on the regions health and social care services is causing significant delays in care provision.

Health and community leaders say that a difficulty in discharging medically-fit patients from hospitals across in North Wales is leading to bed shortages.

This leads to lengthy ambulance waits outside hospital emergency departments and means that paramedics are unable to respond to other emergency calls.

In a joint statement released today, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, Gwynedd Council, Anglesey Council, Conwy Council, Denbighshire Council, Flintshire Council and Wrexham Council have called on relatives to help ease the pressure by caring for loved ones at home where possible.

The statement said: There is currently an unprecedented demand on health and social care services across North Wales, which is leading to significant delays in care provision and pressure on our emergency services.

Our social care and health teams are doing everything possible and using a number of services to support people who are well enough to leave hospital but need ongoing care.

We recognise there is a national shortage of care workers but its particularly challenging in North Wales and despite doing everything we can to recruit, we need more people in these positions and quickly.

We would urge anyone who has an interest to work for the care sector to contact their Local Authority or visit https://wecare.wales/ to explore the opportunities available.

Our priority is always to ensure that every patient is discharged from hospital at the right time, because of the current challenges this is increasingly difficult which results in patients experiencing protracted delays in hospital beds.

If you have a relative or loved one in hospital who is assessed as being well enough to go home, but is waiting to be discharged with homecare and community health support, you may be able to help them to get home more quickly if you and your family are in a position to support them at home.

If your relative is waiting for a formal package of care, you may be able to offer support and care in the short term.

If you feel that this is an option that you could consider, to facilitate hospital discharge please speak to the ward manager or your social worker to explore further.

The difficulty in discharging medically-fit patients from hospital is leading to significant bed shortages across our hospitals.

This is having an impact on planned surgery being able to go ahead and also lengthy ambulance waits outside our Emergency Departments, which means that paramedics are unable to respond to other emergency calls in our communities.

Spending as little time in hospital is better for patients and means that NHS beds can be freed up for others with urgent care needs.

Supporting older patients to get home from hospital efficiently is an important part of their recovery and it also protects them from negative consequences of hospital admission, such as hospital acquired infection, falls and a loss of independence.

Coronavirus is also continuing to put pressure on the health service, with 100 patients infection with the virus receiving care in the regions hospitals.

A small number of those are being treated in intensive care units.

The statement continues onto say: This is a timely reminder that we need to continue to follow the rules in place to protect ourselves and our loved ones and help to minimise the risk of spreading the infection in our communities.

Winter is always a challenging period and the demands on our health and social care system have never been greater than this pandemic period.

We will continue to deliver essential services and are doing everything we can to ensure planned care continues through this busy period.

Everyone can play their part too by getting their COVID and flu jabs and thinking about the different options for getting the care they need.

For more information on the flu and COVID vaccinations visit General Vaccination FAQs  Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales)
Adam Kinzinger isn't ruling out a 2024 presidential bid as he considers his future after the House
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Metro Police have arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with a road rage shooting in Germantown on Friday morning.

Police on the scene confirmed that the shooting occurred in the 1700 block of 5th Ave North around 11:15 a.m. Investigators said Miles Chase Frye fired multiple shots into a truck. Police said EMS rushed the driver of the truck to the hospital, but the driver was "not seriously hurt."

As Frye was fleeing from his jeep, Metro Police arrested him. He is charged with Miles Chase Frye.

Miles Chase Frye Metro Police have arrested 23-year-old Miles Chase Frye in connection with a road rage shooting in Germantown on Friday morning.

Metro Police released Ring camera footage of the shooting. Emma Adcock heard the gunshots right outside her house. She said she thought it was construction noise but soon learned it was something else.

This video from today on 5th Avenue North shows just how senseless and dangerous road rage actions are. pic.twitter.com/odPqkXQlhH  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) November 5, 2021

At first, thought it was that, and then I looked out the window, saw the two cars and saw a man running down the street, and I realized it was gunshots, Adcock said.

Adcock said she locked herself in the bathroom and called 911 after realizing it was a shooting.

"We've lived here for over a year, and we have never had anything of this nature happen, so it's certainly very shocking and scary," Adcock said.
LEBANON, TN (WSMV) - Nearly 100 puppies are getting the urgent help they need at the Animal Rescue Corps facility after being rescued from horrific conditions at a puppy mill in Iowa.

Several other rescue groups collaborated to save more than 500 dogs from the puppy mill, which included dogs crammed into small cages, some with illnesses.

In just a matter of days, Animal Rescue Corps brought 89 of those puppies to its facility in Lebanon and began treating the dogs for parasites, hunger and behavioral issues.

Whats really important here is that we take it really slow, and we dont create any negative new experiences, Michael Cunningham with American Rescue Corps said. They dont know what love is, they dont know what love is, they dont know what kindness is.

+2 Sheltered dogs, cats being evacuated from Idas path to Lebanon Homeless dogs and cats at a shelter in Baton Rouge, LA, are being evacuated to Lebanon because of Hurricane Ida.

The rescue at the Iowa puppy mill came a week after alleged abuse at the Humane Society of the Delta in Arkansas. Dozens of those dogs were also relocated to the Lebanon facility to recover.

Cunningham said many of them dont know how to eat from a bowl, walk on a concrete floor or show love. Some of them hadnt even been outside before.

Usually, the rescued dogs are in ARCs care for less than a month. Once theyre healthy and ready, they will be released to shelters for adoption.

To help with the sudden influx of dogs, Cunningham is hopeful for more volunteers at its rescue operation center in Lebanon. If youre interested in volunteer, click to send an email.

To help with the sudden influx of dogs, Cunningham is hopeful for more volunteers at its rescue operation center in Lebanon. If you're interested, send an email. Click to learn more about Animal Rescue Corps.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Submit
Intelligence agents and elite counterinsurgency troops trained by the CIA and the Pentagon during the 20-year US occupation of Afghanistan are reportedly joining the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K).

The Wall Street Journal this week reported on the influx of these US-trained forces into ISIS-K, citing unnamed Taliban leaders, officials of the ousted US puppet regime and people who knew agents and soldiers who had joined the group.

In a November 1 interview with Foreign Policy, Rahmatullah Nabil, former chief of the US-backed Afghan regimes intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), reported the same phenomenon: Of the ANDSF [Afghan National Defense and Security Forces] who were left behind, I am receiving reports from different areas that, in order to have some protection, they see the Islamic State as a better platform for themselves. And I think the Islamic State is accepting them.

Former National Military Academy of Afghanistan (NATO)

In its report, the Journal noted that Importantly, these new recruits bring to Islamic State critical expertise in intelligence-gathering and warfare techniques, potentially strengthening the extremist organization's ability to contest Taliban supremacy.

ISIS-K is engaged in a brutal campaign of terrorist bombings against civilian targets aimed at destabilizing the Taliban government. On Tuesday, it claimed responsibility for an attack on the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan hospital, the largest hospital in Afghanistans capital, Kabul, which killed 25 people and wounded more than a dozen others. The attack included a suicide bombing and an invasion of the hospital by gunmen, who shot a number of wounded Taliban fighters in their hospital beds.

This latest attack follows suicide bombings in Kandahar in the south and Kunduz in the north, which claimed well over 100 lives. In both cities, the targets were prayer services at Shiite mosques. ISIS-K identified the attacker in Kunduz as ethnic Uyghur, the largest population in Chinas western Xinjiang province, which borders Afghanistan.

Given US imperialisms record in Afghanistan and the CIAs intimate connections to the emergence of ISIS, there is every reason to ask whether this bloody campaign is backed by Washington with the aim of destabilizing Afghanistan and preventing the emergence of any regime not under its thumb.

The US armed intervention in Afghanistan began more than 40 years ago with Operation Cyclone, in which Washingtontogether with its allies Saudi Arabia and Pakistanarmed and funded Islamist mujahedeen fighters in a war against the Soviet-backed government in Kabul. The largest operation ever mounted by the CIA, it provoked a civil war that ultimately claimed the lives of millions. It also gave rise to both Al Qaeda, which was allied with the CIA, and the Taliban, which Washington initially supported when it took power in 1996.

In October 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan on the pretext of retaliating for the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington, which were blamed on Al Qaeda. It was the start of a two-decade occupation in which some 800,000 US troops participated under four presidencies, cost over $2 trillion and led to the deaths and maiming of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Afghans.

A decade into the global war on terror, which was also the pretext for the even bloodier 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Obama administration launched a pair of new wars, in Libya and Syria. In both of these wars, Washington shifted from its supposed global crusade against Al Qaeda into supporting, financing and arming Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militias in the toppling of the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi and the attempt to bring down that of Syrias Bashar al-Assad.

In 2014, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh exposed the existence of a CIA rat line running from Libyas eastern port city of Benghazi through southern Turkey and into Syria, which was used to smuggle in weapons and foreign fighters to wage the US-backed war for regime change.

There are strong indications that a similar rat line into Afghanistan was created following the rollback of ISIS by the US military along with Iraqi Shia militias, Syrian government forces and US-backed Kurdish militias.

A report issued in June by the United Nations cites information that the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), an Islamist separatist group dedicated to carving out a Uyghur state in Xinjiang, China had established corridors for moving fighters between the Syrian Arab Republic, where the group exists in far larger numbers, and Afghanistan, to reinforce its combat strength and facilitate the movement of fighters from Afghanistan to China. The ETIM has aligned itself with ISIS-K against the Taliban government.

How ETIM and other foreign fighters could establish corridors into an Afghanistan occupied by the US and NATO, the UN report does not explain.

Among those charging that ISIS-K is a creature of the US is Washingtons longtime puppet Hamid Karzai, who was president in the Kabul regime from 2001 until 2014. In 2017, he told Al Jazeera, In my view, under the full [US] presence, surveillance, military, political, intelligence, Daesh [the Arabic acronym for ISIS] has emerged. And for two years, the Afghan people came, cried loud about their suffering, of violations. Nothing was done.

In the same period, Karzai told Voice of America: I consider Daesh [the US] tool. He added, I do not differentiate at all between Daesh and America.

There were numerous reports from Afghanistan of unmarked helicopters flying weapons and supplies into areas occupied by ISIS-K. At the time, the US and NATO were in full control of Afghanistans airspace.

For its part, the Taliban has alleged a foreign hand in the recent terrorist bombings and has rejected US proposals for cooperation in fighting ISIS, charging that the group had grown with US support.

In addition to the former intelligence agents and special forces troops that have joined ISIS, the US evacuated from Afghanistan thousands of commandos of the so-called Zero units that operated under the supervision of the CIA, carrying out night raids, assassinations and other war crimes. This provides the US intelligence agency with a pool of recruits for an intervention aimed at provoking a new civil war in Afghanistan.

Washington is pursuing a policy designed to provoke maximum instability and upheaval in the country that it occupied for 20 years. It has refused to allow access by the Taliban government to close to $10 billion held by US financial institutions, and has cut off all aid, which previously accounted for 80 percent of the Afghan governments budget. The result has been an economic meltdown and the paralyzing of the countrys health care system as well as foreign aid groups on the ground. This, as the World Bank reports that 14 million peopleone out of three Afghansare on the brink of starvation, and winter is approaching with the threat of even worse conditions of famine.

US imperialism views Afghanistan through the prism of its declared military strategy centered on great power confrontation with China and Russia. Just as US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski promoted the CIA-orchestrated mujahedeen war of the 1970s and 1980s as a means of giving the Soviet Union its own Vietnam, today Washington sees an Afghanistan in chaos undermining Chinese and Russian interests in Central Asia and potentially provoking terrorist campaigns against both countries.

The Ahmadi family home in Kabul, Afghanistan, after a U.S. drone strike on August 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Khwaja Tawfiq Sediqi)

Meanwhile, the Pentagon issued a report Wednesday exonerating the US military for the August 29 airstrike in Kabul that killed 10 innocent Afghans, including an employee of a Western humanitarian organization and seven children. The US military initially claimed that it had killed four ISIS-K bombers.

The report found no violations of law or of the law of war, but rather an aggregate process breakdown, in which many people are involved. It insisted that the drone missile massacre had to be seen in the context of the attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 US service members and resulted in the deaths of scores of Afghan civilians. In the wake of this attack, there was a US drive to exact revenge.

This Pentagon report constitutes a deadly warning that such massacres will continue under the mantle of the US militarys so-called over the horizon operations against alleged terrorists in Afghanistan.

After more than four decades, it is apparent that the tragic encounter of the Afghan people with US imperialism is far from over.
The following remarks were delivered by Sue Phillips, national convenor of the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), at a Socialist Equality Party (Australia) public meeting on Sunday, October 31.

The meeting, which can be viewed in full here, outlined the relationship between anti-democratic electoral laws, aimed at deregistering minor parties, the homicidal and pro-business pandemic policies of the ruling elite and the deepening crisis of the capitalist system. Speakers explained that the electoral measures are an attempt to prevent mounting social opposition from finding political expression, and outlined the SEPs campaign to defeat them.

The CFPE is holding an online meeting for educators, parents, students and workers on Saturday, November 13 at 4pm (AEDT). To participate in the event, entitled Oppose the dangerous opening of schools in Australia! Form rank-and-file action safety committees! register here.

Sue Phillips

On October 5, less than four weeks ago, the Committee for Public Education published a statement titled Oppose the dangerous reopening of schools in Australia! Form rank-and-file action safety committees!

On the same day we circulated a video of educators speaking out against the Victorian Labor and the New South Wales (NSW) Liberal-National governments pro-business agendas of living with the virus, which included the opening of schools and recklessly putting the lives of students, educators, parents and the community at serious risk.

Everything we warned about has been vindicated with surging infections in primary, secondary, specialist schools and childcare centres. In less than a month, more than 300 schools have been closed in Victoria and more than 150 in NSW. In these two states almost 500 schools have closed, and we can say without doubt these figures are an underestimation.

This data is not published by the government, the media, the Australian Education Union or the New South Wales Teachers Federation, which are complicit in this dangerous experiment. All of them are suppressing information about how widespread the infections are, fearing growing parent and teacher opposition.

CFPE members have been diligently tracking the closures, collating hard-to-access public health data, social media and information from parents and teachers. It was only after we began exposing the alarming numbers on social media, and thousands of parents and teachers began accessing and spreading the data, that the Age, the Guardian and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation suddenly began highlighting some of the closures.

The refusal of public authorities to publish comprehensive accounts of COVID-related school closures is just one expression of the extraordinary censorship that has accompanied the reopening drive. Basic public health data, including the number of infected teachers and school workers and the source of those infections, is being kept secret.

Some schools have had multiple infections and closed several times in a month but now, under new guidelines, when schools have infections, they dont have to close, only single classes isolate. What is being implemented in the schools is a policy determined by the corporate and financial elite, best described as let it rip.

Even during Term 3, when schools in Sydney and Melbourne were largely working online with only small numbers of children onsite, over 200 schools closed in NSW and nearly 100 in Victoria. Despite these appalling statistics and in defiance of scientific knowledge and bitter international experience, governments have made clear that nothing is to stand in the way.

In mid-September, Daniel Andrews, using language employed by Morrison, and Berejiklian declared: We cannot permanently suppress this virus We are opening up, no doubt about that, there will be no turning back. We cannot have a perpetual suppression of this virus. There will be pain, it will be challenging.

In other words, schools must be opened as the first step in reopening the economy. This is a policy driven not by medical science but by class interests, with the aim of maximising corporate profit without regard for health and safety. Any attempt at eliminating the virus through measures such as lockdowns is to be ended and basic health and mitigation measures removed.

Term 4 began in Victoria with more than 50,000 VCE [Victorian Certificate of Education] students rushed back into the school for General Achievement tests. This was completely unnecessary and led immediately to infections. A similar process took place in NSW during Term 3.

Despite community infections sometimes reaching 2,000 a day in Victoria in recent weeks, staggered school returns were brought forward under new guidelines that lifted previous restrictions; the same process already underway in NSW.

Senior student examinations are proceeding. Students that are primary close contacts of a positive COVID case are still doing the exams onsite but in a separate room with minimal precautions. In other cases, VCE students who are close contacts of other infected students have been given exemptions from self-quarantining to attend school.

Schools are doing their own contact tracing, deep cleaning has basically been eliminated and only teachers who have had contact with an infected individual for more than two hours have to quarantine. This is being imposed under conditions where a person can be infected with Delta in seconds.

The Age reported last weekend that primary close contacts of COVID infected individuals will soon be able to return to the classroom if they return a negative 15-minute rapid antigen test carried out by the school, instead of the Health Department.

This is what normalisation means: a dangerous and potentially-deadly experiment where young children and teachers are being used as guinea pigs and where lives are regarded as expendable.

Similar herd-immunity policies pioneered in the US and UKaccompanied by government and media lies that children are not easily infected, do not spread the virus like adults and are not at risk of serious illness and deathhave been devastating. In every country where schools have been opened amid widespread community transmission of the virus, they have functioned as vectors, as shown by the following international data:

United States: On average three children die every day from COVID, with last week a record 26 children perishing from the virus. More than a third of all US child deaths from COVID234 out of 584 reported fatalitieshave occurred in the last three months. Over 2.1 million children have been officially infected with COVID-19 in the same period.

UK: Up to 20,000 children are being infected every day with COVID-19, with a total of 100 children dying so far. One in every 33 children in primary school and 1 in 12 in secondary are infected. In the first two weeks of schools opening in the UK, 59,000 students were infected. Currently 50,000 children are living with long-COVID and 11,000 of them have had symptoms for over a year.

Brazil: COVID is now the leading cause of death among children in Brazil, with 1,518 children aged from 10 to 19 dying from the virus in the first half of 2021.

Indonesia: Over 700 children died from COVID-19 in July alone.

This horrific situation has led to growing opposition among teachers, students and workers. This is most sharply expressed in the school strikes that began on October 1 and 15, led by Lisa Diaz and other UK parents. These strikes and their global online picket are winning ever increasing support from educators and workers everywhere and express the striving of the working class internationally to put lives above profit.

Opposition is emerging in Australia, among teachers and parents who are contacting the CFPE for support and information. Educators from specialist schools as well as teachers of vulnerable children with complex needs are being treated with utter contempt by the government, education departments and the unions. Parents are reporting schools being totally unequipped to deal with the pandemic or heartbreaking stories of tearful 13-year-olds being sent to school, afraid of bringing COVID home and infecting their younger siblings.

Significantly, the UK schools strikes are being organised outside the teacher unions which internationally have endorsed the murderous policies of their own governments.

From the beginning the unions have unquestioningly echoed and imposed every government announcement. Their modus operandi on school reopenings is to say as little as possible, post nothing on social media about the issue, present COVID-safety as a matter for individual schools and teachers and attempt to silence and intimidate people opposing the reopenings, above all teacher members of the Committee for Public Education.

That is why the CFPE has fought for educators to form rank-and-file safety committees in every school, independent of the unions, to develop the widest public discussion on the dangerous situation in the schools. These committees must be based on the most accurate epidemiological research and the full release of all relevant public health data, including the number of infections in the schools and the number of clusters attributable to the schools reopening.

On this basis, rank-and-file safety committees can collectively develop the necessary measures to protect the health and safety of educators and students, and potentially organise industrial action and strikes in alliance with other educator rank-and-file committees as part of an international network.

We urge all educators and parents to contact the CFPE, the organising centre for the formation of safety committees, report on the situation in your communitys school, alert others to the dangers and join the discussion on the necessary collective and international response. Above else, if you are not an electoral member of the SEP, decide today to join the only political party fighting for a socialist perspective.

Contact the CFPE here:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: @CFPE_Australia
In a press conference yesterday, World Health Organisation (WHO) director for Europe Hans Kluge issued an urgent warning: Europe and the republics of the former Soviet Union are now the epicentre of the pandemic. Kluge warned that there could be 500,000 more coronavirus deaths in Europe in just the next three months, beyond the 1.4 million who have already died.

People wait to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Zagreb, Croatia, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe reported spiraling coronavirus cases Thursday, with several hitting new daily records in the regions that have lower vaccination rates than the rest of the continent. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Today, every single country in Europe and Central Asia is facing a real threat of COVID-19 resurgence, or already fighting it, he said. The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the EU region is of grave concern. COVID-19 cases are once again approaching record levels, with the more transmissible delta variant continuing to dominate transmission across Europe and central Asia.

He continued, Last weekwith more than 1.9 million new cases and 24,000 deaths reportedEurope and Central Asia saw a more than 6 percent and 12 percent increase in cases, respectively, as compared to the previous week. Over the past 5 weeks, Europe has seen a more than 55 percent increase in COVID-19 cases. Last week, Europe and Central Asia accounted for 59 percent of all global cases and 48 percent of reported deaths.

According to one reliable projection, we could see more than half a million COVID-19 deaths in Europe and Central Asia by the first of February next year, Kluge said, and 43 countries in our region will face high to extreme stress on hospital beds at some point through the same period.

Death rates in eastern Europe, which has particularly low vaccination rates, are staggering. In the last seven days, 8,000 people died in Russia, 3,800 in Ukraine, and 3,000 in Romania, a country of less than 20 million people. Latvia, with a population of less than two million, is recording weekly death totals of approximately 250equivalent to approximately 43,000 weekly deaths in a country the size of the United States. Lithuania, with a population of 2.7 million, recorded over 250 deaths in the past week.

There were over 1,000 deaths in the UK over the past week, and over 600 in Germany and Poland. More than 200 weekly deaths are still being recorded in France, Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Serbia.

The WHOs latest 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate released yesterday shows much of eastern and northern Europe classified as either red or dark red, meaning case numbers of over 200 and 500 cases per 100,000 people, respectively. Dark red is the highest urgency indicator.

WHO Europe 14-day COVID-19 case notification rate, updated November 4. Dark red indicates the highest urgency rate of 500+ cases per 100,000 people.

Hospital admissions across Europe have more than doubled over the past week, Kluge said: Of most concern is the rapid increase among older aged groups since Week 38 [four weeks ago]. This is translating into more people with severe disease and dying.

Even before the northern hemisphere goes into winter, typically the deadliest season for COVID-19, Europe is seeing over 250,000 confirmed cases and 3,000 to 4,000 deaths each day. These numbers are rising rapidly as colder weather leads people to gather together in closed spaces indoors, where the virus is more easily transmitted. Moreover, the surge in Europe is likely just the beginning of a surge spreading across the northern hemisphere this winter.

Kluge urged health authorities to act immediately to halt the spread of the virus and prevent another deadly winter. From November 2020 to April 2021, Europes COVID-19 death toll surged from under 300,000 to over 1,000,000. Kluge said, Europe is back at the epicentre of the pandemic, where we were one year ago. The difference today is that we know more and we can do more.

We must change our tactics from reacting to surges of COVID-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place, Kluge concluded. With a widespread resurgence of COVID-19, I'm asking every health authority to carefully reconsider the easing or lifting of measures at this very moment  Ultimately, we are only getting out of this pandemic if politicians, scientists and the public work together.

The measures that can halt the pandemica combination of lockdowns, contact tracing, vaccination and other public health measures to eliminate viral spreadare known. A number of Asia-Pacific countries including China, New Zealand and Vietnam have successfully eliminated the virus on their territories for months or years during the pandemic. If applied on a global scale, such policies could end the transmission of the virus.

Kluges appeals are falling on deaf ears, however. As the pandemic hit Europe last spring, capitalist governments were forced to implement strict lockdowns across much of the continent: a wave of strikes spread at major industrial facilities from Italy across much of Europe, as workers in non-essential industries demanded the right to shelter at home. While the strict lockdowns brought cases down to low levels, however, these lockdowns were ended prematurely while the virus was still circulating and contact-tracing procedures were not set up.

Keeping workers at work, and youth at school to ensure a steady stream of profits to the banks, European governments have since overseen a politically-criminal policy of continued circulation of the virus. What is unfolding now in Europe is the product of this policy of social murder. While vaccinations and warmer weather led to slower infections in the spring and summer of 2021, a new, even greater surge is underway.

COVID-19 deaths and infections are rising faster than they were a year ago, despite the vaccination of hundreds of millions of people in Europe. While Europes COVID-19 death toll last year rose by 50,000 from October 18 to November 11 of 2020, from 250,000 to 300,000, Europe is on track to record tens of thousands more deaths in the same period this year.

European officials continue to claim that vaccination is the sole tool to halt the pandemic, even as they send unvaccinated children back into schools, workers back to work, and infections and deaths skyrocket. In France, where daily cases have just reached 10,000, Health Minister Olivier Veran recently told Liberation that because of vaccination, he is less concerned about the rise in COVID-19 cases.

He said: We are following this very closely, of course. This rise is taking place across Europe, unsurprisingly, as we know climate conditions favor the spread of respiratory viruses. However, we know vaccination has strongly limited the correlation between the number of infections and the number of serious cases and hospitalizations and deaths. So today, what I look at carefully, beyond the spread of the virus and incidence rates, it is mainly the pressure on hospitals, which is the fundamental indicator.

In Britain, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson infamously declared, No more f*cking lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands, the government claimed it would take further measures only if COVID-19 deaths exceeded 1,000 weekly, or 52,000 per year. This figure has been reached, but the government is still not proposing any significant new public health measures.

In Germany, where daily infections have surged above 35,000, Health Minister Jens Spahn recently announced that the government is canceling the legal finding of an epidemic situation of national scope, ending the legal basis for anti-COVID-19 health measures. In Spain, the judicial system has repeatedly ruled that the lockdowns imposed last year to halt the pandemic were illegal.

Elimination of the coronavirus is a realistic and feasible policy, as scientists have made clear in webinars hosted by the International Committee of the Fourth International. Averting truly monumental loss of life requires the mobilization of a conscious, international movement in the European working class, opposed to Europes capitalist governments, and consciously fighting for the elimination of the virus and for socialism.
The protest by students at Howard University in Washington, DC entered its fourth week on Tuesday, with as many as 50 students continuing to occupy the Blackburn University Center while dozens more camped out in tents outside.

The occupation at the crown jewel of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) was launched to protest abysmal living conditionsstudents complained of mold growing in their dorms, mice, cockroach and flea infestations and poor plumbing and ventilationas well as the lack of student and faculty representation on the university board of trustees, among other grievances.

Howard University (Photo: Derek E. Morton)

Student protesters have advanced four main demands: an open town hall meeting with university president Wayne A.I. Frederick and other administrators; the restoration of student, alumni and faculty representation on the board of trustees; a meeting with administrators to discuss housing conditions; and finally, academic and legal immunity for protesters.

Rising tuition costswhich now exceed $28,000 annually, up from just over $27,000 last yearadd insult to injury, as students pay more to live in deplorable conditions. On October 21, in apparent response to this, the university announced that $11 million in pandemic-relief funding would be distributed to students facing financial difficulties. This would amount to an average of $834 per student, an absolute pittance.

Last week, Frederick released an open letter, his first public commentary on the protests, in which he demanded an end to the student occupation. Howard Universitys proud tradition of student protest has never beenand can never be invoked as a justification for tactics that harm our students, said Frederick, apparently unaware that the conditions inside the dorms had provoked the uproar.

The current occupation of the Armour J. Blackburn Center is a departure from past norms, the university president declared. Frederick claimed there was a distinct difference between peaceful protest and freedom of expression and the occupation of a University building that impedes operations and access to essential services and creates health and safety risks The occupation of the Blackburn center must end.

He added that he was committed to expanded regular meetings with student leaders and that his team was prepared to deliver rapid and responsive care to the living and learning conditions of our students. Frederick failed to provide any hint of concrete steps that had been taken to address students concerns.

Student protesters expressed hostility and defiance to Fredericks letter. Howard freshman Autumn Hester told the Washington Post that she had reported mold growing in her dorm room, but she had not been transferred to another dorm. Hester explained that the building occupation was necessary to get the schools attention: The moment we leave, we lose leverage Were staying put, no matter what he says.

On October 26, Frederick and other university officials met with student leaders. The student-run university newspaper the Hilltop reported that Frederick, rather than addressing student concerns, focused on downplaying the extent of the students grievances. The publication reported Frederick saying that only 38 instances of mold had been found on campus. The university president went on to say that these were the necessary result of damp and humid conditions, and that Were going to have more.

Frederick went on to address the shortage of student housing on campus, as well as the outrage over the universitys leasing of several dorm buildings, which had contributed to the housing shortage. Frederick claimed that the university could not afford to repair the buildings, and had leased them out to obtain immediate revenue, which was supposedly utilized to fund renovations on other buildings.

Students expressed their frustration at not having their grievances answered. The Hilltop reported a statement by Student Association President Kylie Burke saying ,[r]ather than providing an open forum for present student leaders to ask their own prepared questions, the meeting consisted almost entirely of a University Master Plan presentation  the attending student leaders were sent a blank invitation with less than 24 hours notice, were not provided an agenda beforehand, nor were we notified of the presentation format.

The university administration, which both received and doled out millions to create faculty positions for media celebrities such as Nikole Hannah-Jones of the New York Times 1619 Project, a racialist falsification of American history, and race-based reparations advocate Ta-Nehisi Coates, as well as for the $1 million-plus salary of Frederick himself, is clearly not interested in bargaining with the students for better conditions.

On Monday, in an effort to drive a wedge between the students and highly exploited campus workers, the university announced on Twitter that it had laid off an unspecified number of cafeteria workers, a supposed unintended consequence for the HU community caused by the protesters occupation. Due to the cafe being closed, some Sodexo workers have been laid off. We are committed to working with our students to avoid more repercussions like this one,' the university stated threateningly.

A critical stage has been reached in the protests at Howard University. The conflict at the predominantly black school demonstrates the woeful bankruptcy of identity politics, which seeks to cover up the class interests of the venal upper middle class elite and divide the working class. On their part, neither Hannah-Jones nor Coates have so much as tweeted their support for the students demanding decent living quarters.

The Howard University student protesters must see their protests as part of a broader movement developing among the working class of all ethnic, national and racial backgrounds against social inequality and austerity on every continent. The Socialist Equality Party in the United States and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth movement of the SEP, call on students at Howard to turn their struggle toward building a mass movement of all working people and youth and to take up the fight for socialism.
Authorities in West Texas reported several dead and multiple injuries after an SUV carrying immigrants overturned near a highway in Culberson County around 5:30 a.m. last Friday. Texas state troopers, sheriffs deputies, and Customs and Border Protection agents responded to the scene near State Highway 54, 24 miles north of Van Horn and one mile north of Blue Origins gate, the launching pad of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos space program.

Four migrants were killed and 11 others injured; five of the victims were flown to University Medical Center in El Paso in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesman. All of the 15 migrants on board the SUV were from Guatemala and were between the ages of 20 and 25.

An SUV carrying 15 migrants rolled over, killing four people early Friday morning in Culberson County, Texas. (Culberson Sheriffs Office)

Sheriff Oscar Carrillo told media that the migrants were being smuggled and were picked up by the SUV about an hour before the crash. The driver of the vehicle left the scene of the accident and was picked up by another SUV that was traveling along with them.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said the crash was not the result of a chase in pursuit of the vehicle by police but instead it appeared that the driver may have lost control of the vehicle along a curve in the road. The crash investigation is still ongoing and the driver of the vehicle has not been apprehended.

Car crashes involving immigrants are not uncommon along the border regions of the American southwest. In March of this year, a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying more than two dozen people in Imperial County of California, killing 13 (See:  13 killed in deadly SUV crash near US-Mexico border in southern California ).

In 2020, seven people died when a car carrying immigrants tried to out run Border Patrol vehicles and crashed in El Paso, Texas. A year before, a police chase in south Texas resulted in six dead, the victims also being migrants.

The latest crash in Texas came on the same day that a migrant woman drowned in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego as she sought to swim around the barrier which juts 300 feet into the water along the US-Mexico border. She was suspected to be among a group of 70 people who were trying to swim into the US along the treacherous route.

Last weeks fatal car crash came at a time of unprecedented detentions of migrants along the El Paso Sector of the US-Mexico border. Government figures show a 28-year record of border crossings for the 2021 fiscal year, with Border Patrol agents apprehending 193,918 immigrants, a 265 percent increase from last year.

Although many had hoped that the new Biden administration would lessen the anti-immigrant policies of the previous Trump administration, the recent deaths should serve as another example that the border region continues to be as deadly for migrants as ever and will continue to be no matter which party is in power.

The Biden administration has continued to use the Title 42 provision invoked by Trump to rapidly deport migrants, including children, under the public health grounds of the pandemic. Since its implementation 380,000 people have been expelled from the US, including 1,500 children.

In September, the Biden administration carried out a ruthless crackdown on 15,000 mostly Haitian migrants gathered under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, sending federal agents on horseback to corral and detain them or push them across the river into Mexico. By September 24, 2,000 had been deported back to Haiti, 5,000 were being processed and 8,000 forced back to Mexico.
On Wednesday evening Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders convened an online forum titled Labor Strikes Back, ostensibly to discuss the strike wave in the United States, featuring former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich and several union officials.

Sanders at town hall event

Held in the immediate aftermath of the rejection by striking workers at farm equipment maker John Deere of a sellout contract brought back by the United Auto Workers, the forum barely took notice of this development. There were only a few hundred viewers, reflecting the increasing isolation of Sanders, who at one time had a mass following, particularly among younger people and workers.

During the forum Sanders reprised his standard script, using bits of left-sounding demagogy to cover up for the reactionary of the role Democratic Party and the trade unions. The alienation of millions of workers from the Democratic Party was on display this week in the crushing electoral setbacks Democrats suffered in Virginia and other states. At the same time, the revolt against the corporatist unions and growing militancy of the working classshown by the Deere workers second rejection of a UAW-backed contract this weekis no more welcomed by Trump and the Republicans than Biden and the Democrats.

The lies and distortions presented by Sanders and other participants in the forum were numerous and would require more space than is available in this article take up. However, the essential lie presented at the forum, and advanced by all the participants, was that the unions are organizations that fight in the interests of the working class. However, to the extent that a massive strike wave is now expanding, including struggles at John Deere, Kellogg, Warrior Met Coal in Alabama, Buffalo nurses, ArcelorMittal steelworkers in Ohio, Scranton teachers and many other locations in the US and internationally, it has been in repudiation of sellout concessionary deals negotiated by the unions.

The forum took place in the context of the Biden administrations effort to bolster the unions against the threat of working-class militancy and in furtherance of the nationalist and militarist drive against China. To promote the unions Biden has sponsored the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize Act), primarily designed to shore up union treasuries while placing additional obstacles to strikes.

The five panelists included Sanders and Reich; Chris Laursen, former president of United Auto Workers Local 74 at the Deere plant in Ottumwa, Iowa; Trevor Bidelman, president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) Local 3-G in Battle Creek, Michigan; Melissa Piechowicz, a respiratory therapist at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, where members of the Communications Workers of America are on strike; and Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants affiliated with the CWA.

Sarah Nelson at forum

The narrow, parochial view of the participants was revealed in the fact that no one mentioned a single strike or other event outside the United States despite a global wave of strikes and protests, including general strikes in India and other countries.

Perhaps the most honest and revealing remarks were made by Reich, who served under President Bill Clinton. Reich argued that the ruling class had to support the unions out of enlightened self-interest, the alternative being the uncontrollable growth of class struggles.

Affirming his loyalty to the ruling elite, Reich explicitly rejected any identification with the working class, declaring, I am not a class warrior, I am a class worrier. He declared, I am afraid of the country coming apart at the seams, referring to the danger posed to the ruling class by the uncontrolled reaction of workers to rampant inequality. Unions, along with certain mild reforms along the long discarded Scandinavian model, he later insisted, were vital to discussions about whether capitalism can survive.

However, even the paltry reforms championed by the likes of Sanders and Reich have been stripped out of Bidens budget bill in the face of the implacable opposition by the corporate interests that call the shots in the Democratic Party. That has not stopped Sanders from continuing to promote the budget bill as the most progressive in history.

Other panelists described, at times rather graphically, the appalling conditions that workers face: endless amounts of mandatory overtime, abysmal wages, constant fear of infection and death during the pandemic. All of this has been magnified under conditions of a global pandemic, that has killed over 750,000 in the US alone. No one, however, noted the obvious irony: The oppressive conditions behind the strike wave, including countless lives lost to COVID due to the homicidal reopening policies, were imposed with the collaboration of the very same unions the panel promoted as the supposed champions of workers.

Laursen, for example, explained that the conditions that sparked the rebellion by Deere workers, were created by a series of concessionary contracts imposed by the UAW going back to 1997, when the union agreed to the reactionary and divisive multi-tier wage and benefit structure. The strike only happened, however, when Deere workers voted down by a 90 percent margin a sellout contract brought back by UAW officials last month that maintained the tier structure and other concessions. An attempt by the UAW to end the strike was rebuffed this week when workers rejected a slightly modified version of the same sellout package by a 55 percent margin, a deal that Laursen supported.

In his remarks, Bidelman of the BCTGM at Kelloggs in Battle Creek, Michigan restated the reactionary nationalist poison being spewed by the union bureaucracy, which is presenting the fight at Kelloggs as a battle between US and Mexican workers over jobs. In a video interview published on Yahoo News in October, Bidelman launched a nationalist jab at Mexican workers declaring, I mean, if you look at it, youre told quite regularly not to drink the water in Mexico. So, I dont know why you would want to eat the food that was made from that water.

The most demagogic presentation was given by Nelson of the flight attendants, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Nelson was the only top-level union official invited by Sanders; a tacit recognition of the deep alienation felt by workers toward these organizations.

Nelsons name was briefly floated as a possible replacement for former AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka who died last August.

In rambling and disjointed comments, Nelson referenced capitalism, general strike, Mother Jones and the 1934 Toledo Auto Lite strike, without mentioning any actual concrete struggle that workers are engaged in. At one point she denounced the divide, delay, distract, demoralizetactics of unionbusting, the very tactics used by the trade union bureaucracy to subvert and sabotage workers struggles.

Citing her own flight attendants union, Nelson later in the forum admitted, [w]e are barely pushing forward from all the concessions post 9/11. She then went on to blame workers themselves for this situation declaring, We have let it slip back because we havent been willing to fight. In fact, AFA and other airline unions have done the bidding of management, pushing concessions on a hostile rank and file in the name of saving jobs.

Not surprisingly at no point did anyone on the panel suggest the broadening or unification of the various struggles, a common set of demands or the joining together with workers globally. Moving to wrap up the discussion Sanders asked Nelson how workers could organize unions at their workplaces, to which the AFA chief fumbled around for a reply.

In the end all that Sanders and Reich could offer were pathetic calls for the passage of the PRO Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, toothless measures that the Democratic Party appears prepared to ditch.

The growth of strike struggles in the US and globally, after decades of suppression by the unions, is an event of world historic significance. Workers need organizations but not the rotten pro-capitalist unions. The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Parties have spearheaded the fight for the building of rank-and-file committees independent of the unions to be the democratic and fighting voice of workers. To be successful, the counteroffensive against the assault of the ruling class on living standards must be politically independent of both capitalist parties and based on the international unity of the working class.

The working class is increasingly disgusted with the phony political revolution of Sanders, which has amounted to begging the ruling elites for a few crumbs while covering up for the Democratic Party, a party of Wall Street, the Pentagon and the affluent upper middle class layers, whose endless promotion of identity politics divides workers and has been a gift to Trump and his fascistic supporters.

The working class needs genuine revolutionary leadership to prepare the fight for workers power, the expropriation of the pandemic profiteers and other billionaires and multi-millionaires and the socialist reorganization of economic life in the US and internationally based on human needs not private profit. That is what the Socialist Equality Party is fighting for.
The Socialist Equality Partys (SGP) complaint against its surveillance by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germanys secret service, is of great political importance, because the government wants to criminalize socialist ideas.

Hundreds of WSWS readers and workers have quickly recognized this fact. An online petition, which will be submitted to the court to defend the SGP, has received over 700 signatures in just a few days. Over 550 signatures have come from Germany and around 150 from the US, Australia, France, Britain and many other countries.

SGP demonstrating against fascism, war and social inequality at a demonstration on October 13, 2019, in Berlin (Credit: WSWS Media)

Numerous supporters have made clear in written comments why they are signing the petition. Users from all over the world are also supporting the fight on social media using the hashtag #defendSGP. The hashtag has been used well over 200 times.

All of these comments make clear the importance of the case. Should the court dismiss the SGPs lawsuit on November 18, it will mark a step towards an authoritarian regime that can brutally suppress any resistance to militarism, inequality and the profit before life policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SGP is the only party that supported us airport workers in the fight against the WISAG Group, writes Cemaleddin Benli, an airport baggage handler who was dismissed by WISAG. An attack on the SGP is an attack on all workers who are fighting against exploitation, layoffs, wage robbery and Coronavirus. #defendSGP!

The FRG (Federal Republic of Germany) is developing more and more into an authoritarian police and surveillance state with a facade of democracy, writes Thomas Bautzer. That worries me.

Jan Robin Hengfoss from Leipzig explained the reasons for his signature, writing, The SGP, which is actively fighting against the crimes of the governmentbe it against the criminal coronavirus policy, which claims thousands of lives, or against the ever-increasing shift to the right and militarism, is being unjustly surveilled. Anyone who actively supports human life and the rights of workers should not be under observation by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. This observation shows that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, like the government, is not acting in the interests of democracy. You are actively acting for the bourgeoisie through this unlawful condemnation of the party and socialism.

Tina Meier from Bochum added, The judiciary of the Federal Republic of Germany is reminiscent of the darkest chapters of German history. The political persecution of communists and government opponents must never be repeated. In times like today we are more dependent than ever on socialists who fight against capitalism, environmental destruction, mass infection and exploitation!

Felipe wrote on Twitter, I have already signed and I think the lawsuit is justified. Basically, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies all Marxists as suspects. That is absurd!

He continued, As a foreigner, I was immediately concerned about whether my participation in events of a political organization with Marxist views would have a negative effect on my naturalization process. That means: The surveillance by the office for the Protection of the Constitution intimidates and thereby restricts freedom of expression. I would never have expected that from this country. It confirms the Marxist view by betraying the highly reactionary character of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution: It defends the capitalist system, not the Constitution.

The political scientist and trade unionist Dr. Torsten Bewernitz writes, Without agreeing with the party mentioned, I consider it extremely dangerous and downright threatening to classify an organization that is committed to more democracy, equality and socialism as unconstitutional. His contribution ends with the words: The greatest threat to a free democratic order is evidently the Office for the Protection of the Constitution itself.

Comments came not only from Germany, but also from many other countries.

Steven Brust from Minnesota, an author of socially critical fantasy novels and a musician, referred to the considerations of the German ruling class that underlie the attack on the SGP, writing, It is impossible to care for the equality of all people, justice and basic dignity and at the same time accept that the discussion of how these goals can be achieved is suppressed. The fact that the elite tries to prevent a free and open discussion only shows how much they fear the working masses using the weapon of reason in the fight against oppression and inequality.

Sunanda Marasingha from Colombo, Sri Lankas capital, wrote, I strongly condemn this blatant and egregious attack by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution on democratic rightsnot only of the working class in Germany, but around the world. This opens the door to fascism. Dissolve this center for right-wing conspiracies!

Freedom of thought and expression are human rights, states David Sawyer from North Carolina (US). The best ideas for human survival come from the free exchange of ideas, not from oppression. Governments should defend these human rights and not violate them.

Mitchell Nugent from Australia wrote, Hands off the SGP! Germanys rulers will face the wrath of the working class as long as they attack more and more achievements that workers and youth have won in long and bitter struggles. Stop monitoring political groups that oppose war, censorship and inequality!

Many of the signatories associated the defense of the SGP with social issues and the fight against capitalism and the threat it poses to human culture and civilization. We have to stop capitalism before it devours the planet, writes James Wohlgemuth, a retired teacher from the US state of Tennessee.

Looking at German history, Ross Murray from Massachusetts recalled the systematic struggle of the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International against the rehabilitation of Hitler, the falsification of the Nazis crimes and the trivialization of the Holocaust.

The fact that the federal government is now declaring socialists to be criminals for the third time, in line with what took place under the Kaiser and Hitler, is an alarming development in the eyes of many international signatories.

I support the SGP and strictly reject right-wing attacks on socialism, explained Carolyn Zaremba from San Francisco. I am appalled that Germany seems to be repeating the crimes of the Third Reich. My father fought the Nazis in World War II. His fight must not have been in vain!

Anthony Matthews from southern England wrote, Socialism is a legitimate alternative to the problems our world is facing. The attempt to silence its advocates is nothing less than fascistoid.

As the SGP declared in its statement, the Interior Ministrys pseudo-legal arguments can be directed against anyone who addresses the existing, outrageous social inequality. Left-wing newspapers, anti-capitalist environmental groups and critical artists have appeared on the blacklists of the German police and secret service apparatus, while the same forces prevent the exposure of right-wing extremist elements who are preparing for a civil war.

In two weeks, on November 18, the SGPs lawsuit will be heard in court. The World Socialist Web Site calls on all its readers to support the SGPs lawsuit against the federal government and against its surveillance by the secret service. Sign the petition today, write a strong comment and discuss these questions with your friends, families and colleagues!
University of Michigan (UM) officials responded Thursday to an open letter from some 740 faculty members protesting the witch-hunt organized against composer and Leonard Bernstein Distinguished University Professor of Composition Bright Sheng.

Bright Sheng [Credit: brightsheng.com]

Sheng was forced to give up his class in musical composition last month after certain students condemned him for screening the 1965 film version of William Shakespeares Othello, featuring actor Laurence Olivier, in a class on Giuseppe Verdis opera Otello (1887). A number of students complained about Olivier, a white performer, playing a black character in dark make-up. They ignorantly referred to this as blackface.

The university took immediate action against Sheng, without the pretense of due process of any kind. The dean of the School of Music, Theater and Dance (SMTD), David Gier, sent out an e-mail claiming that Professor Shengs actions do not align with our schools commitment to anti-racist action, diversity, equity and inclusion. The professor who replaced him, acting as judge and jury, declared that the showing of the 1965 film was in itself a racist act.

UM officials announced they were referring the matter to the universitys inquisitorial Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX office for investigation of discriminatory practices on the part of Sheng. Two weeks later, they privately informed Shengs lawyer that there would be no such investigation.

In their open letter, dated October 21 and still accumulating signatures, the faculty members deplore the universitys conduct. They note that certain students and faculty had attempted to portray the showing of Oliviers Othello in class without content warnings as an inherently racist act that made the classroom an unsafe space and to demand administrative sanctions against Professor Sheng.

They continue, We have seen this play out on other campuses. The assertion of creating an unsafe environment is used to silence, intimidate, and to justify administrative sanctions. While claiming safe space for themselves, Professor Shengs detractors deprive him of it and are willing to go as far as to disrupt his livelihood and teaching process. As concerned faculty members, the open letter explains, we deplore the treatment meted out to Professor Sheng and the denial of due process. We further decry the efforts to besmirch his reputation.

The administrations November 3 reply is a model of deceit and hypocrisy. In spirit, if not in intellectual depth, it is worthy of Shakespeares honest Iago, the Machiavellian character who deliberately sets aboutthrough craft, two-facedness and open treacherythe destruction of the Moorish-Venetian general, Othello.

Having been caught red-handed in the midst of an anti-democratic smear campaign, and now facing substantial opposition, university officials are clearly on the defensive.

Their statement begins with an obvious, provable lie, that the University of Michigan strongly supports free speech and academic freedom. Officials can repeat this all they like, but their actions have just demonstrated the opposite, that they are enemies of both free speech and academic freedom.

Their next contention, We also work hard to establish an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, is meant as a qualifier: we support free speech and academic freedom unless it detracts from such an environment. But how does the screening of a well-known version of a 400-year-old play do that? Thats the thing the university has to prove, and, of course, cannot prove.

In fact, the administration gave in, at the drop of a hat, to the identity politics hysteria infecting a portion of the student body and faculty. It immediately took the side of those demanding Shengs head, denounced him and supported his replacement, and then referred the matter to the campus thought police for possible retribution (something to which Wednesdays statement does not refer).

The universitys new statement pays belated tribute to Sheng as a highly valued member of the UM faculty. He continues, it asserts, to teach composition lessons this semester in SMTD and is scheduled to teach a regular course load during the upcoming winter term. No sanctions have been imposed on him. A few weeks ago, Sheng was a pariah, essentially dismissed by officials as a racist and the issue of sanctions was very much in the air. He has been treated shabbily, shamefully. There is no retraction or apology here, simply bullying by other means.

On the central question of Shengs reinstatement to his class, the university states: A different instructor in Undergraduate Seminar allowed students to best continue their studies while working through the complexities of these circumstances. That is, there will be no reversal of course.

When the statement argues that the universitys approach was developed after discussions with Professor Sheng, the image that comes to mind involves police interrogators developing their approach during discussions with an unfortunate prisoner in the backroom of the local precinct house.

The November 3 press statement repeats one of the falsehoods at the center of the attack on Sheng, and Olivier. The depiction of a white actor in blackface is deeply offensive. Such imagery must include proper context and be presented with care and sensitivity. Again, Olivier is not in blackface, he appears in make-up, in an attempt to represent a black man. (A pro-censorship open letter now circulating and signed by 100 faculty members simply solves the issue by referring ad nauseam to racist content in Shengs classroom.)

The university is so nervous and cowardly that its missive cannot refer to Olivier by name. The whole thing would fall apart on contact, so to speak. It is well known, or, in any case, any honest inquirer could discover, that the famed Shakespearean actor was attempting to add realism to his performance. He was consciously rejecting a tradition that had presented Othello, in his own words, as a coffee-colored compromise, out of fear of offending those appalled by the sight on a public stage of a black man (Othello) and a white woman (Desdemona) passionately in love with one another.

What Oliver did, in putting on black make-up, is commonly referred to as acting, the imitation by performers of other peoples behavior in front of audiences for the conscious purpose of shedding light on human conduct and psychology. In this case, Iagos definition of his own position in the course of the play stands positively as an explanation of the acting profession as a whole: I am not what I am. Olivier clearly intended to bring out Othellos contradictions, as a dignified, courageous and larger-than-life personality, someone with great gifts as a military strategist, but also an individual with serious flaws, especially vulnerable to social and personal insecurity as a black man isolated in an alien setting.

This sort of play-acting has been going on for several thousand years. The Greek actors who portrayed gods, goddesses and other creatures were not themselves gods, goddesses and other creatures. The Elizabethan and Jacobean performers who played Romans, Greeks, Trojans, Mongols, ancient Britons, Illyrians, Tyrians and the rest did not belong to those nationalities, regions or epochs, real or imagined. Australian and British actors today who remarkably emulate American accents are not doing anything offensive, they are merely seeking employment.

The administration letter, in its mealy-mouthed fashion, goes on to explain that the 1965 films disturbing content provides teachable moments to address complex issues and to deepen understandings.

Like the villainous Iago, administration officials must regard the readers of their miserable press release to be of a free and open nature, who think men honest that but seem to be so, and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are.

First of all, that Shakespeare, his Othello, Oliviers performance and Shengs class present disturbing and complex issues should be heartily welcomed. University students are not infants, or are not supposed to be. As we noted in our original statement, students crying about safe spaces and a harmful environment created by the showing of Othello should grow up and actually learn something.

In the second place, there would not have been any teachable moment if the university had had its way. Very likely, Professor Sheng would have been on his way out the door, like his counterparts in similar circumstances on other campuses, in the media and in the arts.

One of the critical differences here has been the presence of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) on the UM campus, which took the lead by denouncing the attack on Sheng, intervening with an open letter and helping mobilize opposition.

In its unprincipled response, the university ignores the calls of faculty and students to restore Sheng to the undergraduate course, if he so desires, and issue a public apology. The university does neither. It is acting on behalf of powerful political and economic forces of a deeply reactionary character, bound up with the Democratic Party and its upper middle class orbit.

This is a classic witch hunt. It must be rejected. The university must apologize to Sheng and restore him to the class. More, the entire apparatus of racialist and gender identity politics intimidation and thought policing must be dismantled.
Members of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Committee for Public Education (CFPE) intervened in a meeting of over 200 students at the University of Sydney last week called to oppose cuts at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Business School, and School of Dentistry. The joint pseudo-left/Labor run meetings real purpose was to promote the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) while providing no perspective for students to fight the cuts.

University of Sydneys Main Quadrangle. (Image credit: Jason Tong/Wikipedia)

The meeting culminated in a rushed attempt to push through a motion stating opposition to the cuts, restructuring and casual job losses. It concluded with a declaration that those present would:

To stand in solidarity with staff if they choose to strike during their Enterprise Bargaining Period and support the NTEUs log of claims.

To commit to building a mass campaign against all university cuts.

To support the No USyd Cuts campaign.

Anxious to prevent any discussion, the joint chairs, Eddie Stephenson, a member of Socialist Alternative, and Lia Perkins, a Student Representative Council welfare officer, read out the resolution and immediately asked if there was any dissent, giving students next to no time to consider the motion. A member of the CFPE and IYSSE both said they dissented in the meeting chat and the CFPE member was given one and a half minutes to speak.

The CFPE member said that while they agree with the resolutions stated opposition to restructuring and the universitys alignment with the military, what the resolution doesnt make clear at all is the manner in which this is to be opposed.

He said that the unification of staff and students was undermined by the resolutions call for solidarity with the NTEU, because the union has been collaborating with management for the past few decades as well as from the beginning of the pandemic.

The speaker referred to the proposal by the NTEU national leadership last May, behind the backs of union members, for wage cuts of up to 15 percent and 10,000 job losses. When the national framework was rejected by the major universities, for fear the NTEU could not enforce it, the union proceeded to strike deals that contained similar cuts, with individual university managements. The unity of staff and students, the CFPE representative stated, has to be taken up outside of the NTEU.

The basis for a mass campaign against the cuts must be a rejection of the foundation of the attacks, which the CFPE member said, is the linking of research to business and of education to the market. That means the taking up of a socialist perspective, which this resolution doesnt raise at all. A recent EY report made clear the agenda being implemented when it called for the transformation of universities into corporate vocational and research services and proclaimed the death of higher education.

Perkins asked if there was anyone who wished to respond, but none of the meeting organisers or pseudo-left members raised their hand. Zach Diotte, president of the IYSSE club at Western Sydney University (WSU), called for further discussion on the points made by the CFPE member. He was told by Roisin Murphy, a Labor Party staffer and vice president of the SRC, Youre not a USyd student, youre unable to call for that.

One student called for an amendment to the resolution, stating in the chat, [I] like the motion in principle but the expression of solidarity wit[h] NTEU is unnecessary. I think we should express solidarity with casual and professional staff. She was ignored.

The vote was conducted and declared passed and then time given for contributions, again capped at one and a half minutes.

Diotte spoke, explaining, What were dealing with [at WSU] is nothing different to what is going on at USYD. Around 300 staff were lost last year, and this was called a victory by the union.

Diotte said the unions have become integrated with capitalism, they cant be relied on anymore. Staff at Macquarie University have been given impossible workloads that were passed by the NTEU, he said. The union hasnt opposed these cuts at all, instead they have called for the redundancies to be clarified, facilitating the job losses.

Compelled to respond, Stephenson attempted to defend the NTEU but did not address the record of the union presented by the CFPE and IYSSE speakers.

Stephenson said that the motion passed by the meeting was to stand in solidarity with the NTEU, which is the union that organises staff members at this university. The NTEU was hopefully organising towards industrial action as part of the current negotiations with management for a new Enterprise Agreement for improved wages and conditions. Stephenson said she does not swear off the union because it contains really important activists who are doing really good work.

The activists Stephenson is referring to are members of Socialist Alternative, who have fought through the NTEU Fightback union sub-group to prevent any break among staff from the NTEU after the mass outrage at the unions proposed wage and job cuts last year. NTEU Fightback has fully endorsed the NTEUs log of claims that commits the union to nothing while integrating itself more fully with managements restructuring.

NTEU representative Catherine Sutton-Brady attempted to defend the role of the union, claiming that the branch did not support the cuts advanced by the NTEU national leadership. This is a cynical argument because although the vast majority of NTEU members, and non-NTEU staff were deeply hostile to the leaderships national framework, to the point where it had to be abandoned, the branch leaderships either tried to enforce it, or found other ways of working with management to implement the restructuring measures. Sutton-Bradys contribution at the start of the meeting made clear that the branch leadership at USYD did the latter.

Under a new Draft Change Proposal, workers in the Business Schools Research Services Office are being subject to a spill and fill operation in which, all these people are being told that their jobs are gone, and they have to apply for new jobs, said Sutton-Brady. The most frustrating aspect, she said, was the universitys consultation process. Staff and the union have provided detailed feedback to management explaining their opposition to the cuts, but the Revised Change Proposal has no revisions because management has simply ignored all the feedback they got.

What Sutton-Brady left out is that the union endorsed the universitys consultation process in the previous 2019 Enterprise Agreement, which clearly states that consultation does not necessarily mean that agreement will be reached. So, while Sutton-Brady complains about management ignoring workers opposition to cuts, she defends those who created the conditions which has made this possible.

This is not a mistake. Prior to the start of the latest bargaining round, NTEU Fightback lauded USYDs consultation process as the best in the country. This is because the aim of the union and their hangers on is not to oppose the restructuring but to be consulted on how best to implement it.

The student general meeting again exposed Socialist Alternative and the pseudo-left as the most determined defenders of the unions, which are an industrial police force of corporate managements and the government.

Socialist Alternative insisted that the only way forward for students was a single-campus campaign, aimed at pressuring management, within the framework of union enterprise bargaining. This perspective, which presents the assault on education as the product of individual administrators, serves to cover-up the bipartisan responsibility of Liberal-National and Labor governments for the onslaught on higher education, and the unions for enforcing it. The thin gruel of protest politics is directed against a unified movement of students and staff across Australia and internationally and facilitated one round of cuts after another.

Socialist Alternatives close collaboration with Labor, including their joint opposition to the discussion of a socialist perspective, demonstrates the real character of the pseudo-left. While they may occasionally use socialist phraseology, they are hostile to the fight for an independent political movement of the working class, and function as adjuncts of Labor and the unions. The pseudo-left speaks for an affluent layer of the upper-middle-class that is itself increasingly integrated into the union officialdom.

The failure of the Socialist Alternative and Labor representatives to answer the points raised by the CFPE and IYSSE speakers underscores their political bankruptcy. Defending the NTEU, an organisation that has presided over the destruction of tens of thousands of jobs in the past year, meeting organisers could only resort to bureaucratic suppression of discussion.

The perspective advanced by the IYSSE, the CFPE and the Socialist Equality Partyfor a rebellion against the unions and the formation of independent rank-and-file committees of students and staffis the only way a struggle to defend public education can be organised. Such committees would unify educators and pupils at universities across the country and freely discuss a socialist perspective that places social need, including high-quality, free public education and secure jobs for all staff, above corporate profit and government austerity programs.
GREENE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - Indiana State Police says they were able to stop a scam from happening to a Greene County woman - in real-time.

It started on Thursday night when police were called to the home of a Bloomfield woman for a well-being check. Police learned the woman received a phone call from two men who said they were law enforcement.

Scammers told the potential victim that she had to go to Fort Wayne to pay a fine or she would face criminal legal action. Police learned the woman was on the phone with the scammers for hours.

An Indiana State Police Trooper Richard Klun got onto the phone with the scammers and even identified himself as a police officer, but that didn't stop the men from continuing their scam attempt.

The scammers allegedly told the trooper one was with a police department in Allen County, and the other was a federal agent.

The pair threatened to arrest the Klun for getting in the way of their investigation.

Eventually, Klun got the men to admit it was a scam before they hung up.

ISP, along with officials in Fort Wayne, are working to identify the men behind the scam.

Here's how you can avoid getting scammed:
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- It was April 8, 1992, and Robin Fuldauer was one of only two full-time workers at The Payless Shoe Source in Indianapolis, just north of Interstate 70.

When a co-worker called in sick that day, Fuldauer knew she would be busy, and sometimes alone. Payless was in a single building, with its own parking lot. Next door was a gas station. Across the street was a paint store.

The morning was routine. She grabbed lunch and ate through the noon hour. Across the street, a witness reported seeing a strange man carrying a long bag repeatedly circling the store, then sitting for nearly a half hour at a curb nearby before disappearing. Sometime between 1:30 and 2 p.m., a killer entered the Payless store, led Fuldauer to a storage room and shot her in the head with a .22 caliber handgun. Only a small amount of money was taken from the register. The killer left through a back door.

Fuldauer was 26 years old. The witness later saw the man calmly trying to hitch a ride along the highway. The I-70 killing spree had begun.

It would end 29 days later. Or maybe it wouldn't. There are other killings, not officially attached to the I-70 killer, that could eventually be tied to him. But now, nearly 30 years after the murders, police departments from Indianapolis, Wichita, Terre Haute, St. Charles, and Raytown are preparing to come together again, this time with help from federal agencies, in an effort to take one more look at a case that has stymied investigators for decades.

CHASING A MURDERER

All of the killings occurred in small shops. All had only one or two workers on duty. All were within a short distance of either Interstate I-70 or I-35. It's 700 miles from Indianapolis to Wichita, where the killer struck three days after Fuldauer was killed.

The La Bride dElegance and Sir Knight Tuxedo and Formal Wear was due to close at 6 p.m., but a customer who ordered a cummerbund for his tuxedo was running late. He called and asked if there was any way he could come by at 6:30 to pick it up.

Smith and Magers

Patricia Magers, left, and Patricia Smith, right, were found shot to death in a bridal store in Wichita. Both are considered victims of the I-70 killer.

Patricia Magers and Patricia Smith both agreed to stay to help the customer. When he arrived at 6:30, he couldn't find either woman in the store. Instead, he came face to face with a man who he said tried to lure him toward a back room. Sensing something was wrong, the customer fled the store.

Police would find the bodies of Magers and Smith in that back room, both shot in the head. Again, only a small amount of money had been taken. The customer was able to give police a description: slight of build, maybe 5'7, dull red hair, around 150 pounds. Ballistics tests confirmed that the women were killed by the same gun as Fuldauer, a semi-automatic .22 caliber pistol.

Police departments around the country soon realized they had a serial killer on their hands. He was quiet for two weeks before his next stop: Terre Haute. His killing there gave investigators pause.

Sylvias Ceramics Shop was another small store along Interstate 70. It was the scene of another murder in broad daylight. Another small amount of money was taken.

But this time, the victim was a man. 40-year-old Michael McCown never saw his killer. He was not lured or forced into a back room. He was stocking his shelves when the killer fired a bullet into the back of his head. Was the killer no longer targeting women? Maybe. But McCown had long brown hair that he wore in a ponytail, and was wearing an earring at the time he was shot. And there was also something else about this murder scene. The killer fled with McCown's wallet.

His next stop, just one week later, would be in St. Charles, Missouri.

It was a beautiful spring day on May 3. Nancy Kitzmiller could not have been more excited. She had just graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in geography, and was hoping to land her dream job, cartography with the Defense Mapping Agency in St. Louis. It was no surprise that she was working at a store called Boot Village until then. She loved the western lifestyle, from her clothes, to line dancing, to her boots. With blue eyes and long curly hair, and those boots, she was hard to miss.

She opened the store at noon that Sunday in the Bogey Hills Plaza, just south of Interstate 70 at Zumbehl Road. Boot Village nestled between a beauty salon and a veterinary clinic. The plaza was busy, with shoppers throughout the day. Kitzmiller was working alone. A shopper passing by the store just before 2:30 p.m. saw Nancy waiting on a customer, described as medium height, with dull red hair. Minutes later, different customers found her dead. The man with the dull red hair was gone. A small amount of cash was missing from the register.

Just 24, Kitzmiller was buried in Oklahoma City, with her boots on. The local community mourned.

It only took four days for the killer to strike again, this time down the road in Raytown. Sarah Blessing started her day with an early breakfast, fed her pets, and headed to a friend's house. She opened her Store of Many Colors at noon, selling health goods and miniature trampolines. The store had just opened a month earlier, with Blessing and four of her friends taking turns usually working alone. Around 6:15 p.m., a witness spotted a man in a gray sport coat, walking toward Blessings store. Near the same time, another store owner reported a mysterious unidentified man hanging around the area. And a worker at another business nearby heard what he thought was a gunshot coming from the Store of Many Colors. He ran inside and found Blessing's body. A grocery store clerk was gathering carts nearby. He reported seeing a man leave Blessing's store. Another witness told police they saw the same man walking toward Interstate 70. Raytown provided police with more witnesses than the other sites, but the killer's identity remained a mystery.

Then, the killings appeared to stop. At least killings with that particular .22. But soon there would be more grieving families, and more victims killed along the interstate in shops that bore a striking resemblance to the ones that were the setting of the horrors of early 1992.

A year later, a rash of shootings occurred along highways in Texas. Mary Ann Glasscock, a clerk at Emporium Antiques in Fort Worth, was shot in the head on Sept. 25, 1993. A month later, Amy Vess was shot inside Dancers Closet apparel store in Arlington. Then Vicki Webb was shot at a Houston gift shop but managed to survive by playing dead. Dark haired women, killed along the interstate. At the time, Texas authorities called the link a "definite possibility." But ballistics did not match, and police began to sour on the connection. But that didn't stop the nation from going on alert. Small stores across the country took notice if they were near major highways.

Years went by. Then, police had a lead: the gun. Police identified it as a very rare model, either an Intratec Scorpion or Erma Werke Model ET 22. It's a gun that holds a small caliber bullet, a remake of an old German navy pistol. And strangely, the killer rubbed the bullet casings with jewelers rouge, a polishing designed to make the bullets slide easily into the chamber.

Herb Baumeister grew up in Indianapolis. After a difficult childhood that saw him committed to a mental institution for schizophrenia, and then losing numerous jobs, Baumeister became a respected businessman in the Indianapolis community after opening a string of Sav-A-Lot stores. He lived in an 11,000 square foot mansion north of Indianapolis. In 1993, one year after the I-70 killings, gay men began disappearing in the Indianapolis area. Eleven of their remains were found on Baumeister's property. Baumeister fled to Canada where he committed suicide. Police would eventually link Baumeister to nine more men, whose bodies were discovered between Indiana and Ohio, along Interstate 70. With his death, it became impossible to verify if he as linked to the killings, but given that so many of the I-70 victims were women, he didn't fully fit the profile.

Donald Waterhouse lived with his parents in Dyersburg, Tennessee. A month before the I-70 murders, Waterhouse's parents were found shot to death in their home, and Waterhouse had vanished. Like the I-70 victims, they were shot in the head with a .22 caliber weapon. And after police had a composite sketch of the I-70 killer, it resembled Waterhouse. Eventually, Waterhouse was found in October of 1992, just months after the I-70 murders, after an episode of "America's Most Wanted" led to a tip. His truck had been abandoned in East St. Louis.

Despite the possible links, he was eventually cleared in 2012 when police determined there was no concrete evidence he was the shooter.

And there were others, as police departments across the country searched for any leads possible. But they all fizzled.

Now, nearly 30 years after the killings, police agencies from those cities, along with federal agents, will soon come together again, to take one more crack at trying to solve the case, and hunt down the man responsible for at least six deaths in five cities in one month in 1992. New faces will look at old files. Old voices will be heard for what could be the final time. It's all hands on deck in the hunt for a serial killer.

---------

Editor's note: This story first ran KMOV.com. Click here for continuing coverage.
Statement from Tanoos's Attorneys

"It has been an honor to represent Dr. Daniel Tanoos over the last few years. He has maintained his innocence as to the charges brought against him. Dr. Tanoos dedicated his professional life to Vigo County School District. He started as a teacher, then as an elementary school and middle school principal and ultimately to his 20+ years as superintendent. Dr. Tanoos legacy will be remembered as a great educator and mentor to students and staff of the Vigo County School Corporation.

Dr. Tanoos has accepted responsibility for an A misdemeanor through the advice of his legal team that is now categorized as a C infraction (since 2019). Dr. Tanoos violation of this law will result in the following: no probation; zero days in jail or suspended; no fines other than court costs of $185.50 and he can expunge the case in one year. It needs to be stress that Dr. Tanoos actions in this matter caused no financial loss to the Vigo County School Corporation. In fact, the work done by this vendor greatly reduced energy cost for the school district and was beneficial to the district over the years.

Dr. Tanoos, as superintendent, inherited a budget with a $2 million deficit. At his retirement after 20 years, he left the current administration with a $21 million cash balance. He cared for the students as well as the employees and always had an Open-Door policy.

Dr. Tanoos dedication to education was evidence by the honors he received. He served on the State Board of Education under 2 governors and was appointed to serve on the Indiana Education Roundtable and State of Indiana Leadership team. He formed collaborations with his schools and community businesses, local colleges and non-profits.

Dr. Tanoos dedication to the community went beyond his service to the school district. He gave back in the following positions: Ivy Tech Board of Trustees; Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club Board; President of the Covered Bridge Special Education Board; Rose Hulman Community Relations Board, Union Hospital Board and its foundation board; and St. George Church Board, to name a few.

Dr. Tanoos knows this will not define him or his career. Dr. Tanoos has been an excellent leader, educator, public servant, father and husband. His legacy will be his self-less service to the Vigo County School Corporation and the community that he loves so much.

James H. Voyles and Jennifer M. Lukemeyer, Attorneys for Dr. Daniel Tanoos"
ST. CHARLES, MO (WTHI) - We have new information in the case surrounding the I-70 Killer.

Homicide investigations from April and May of 1992 remain unsolved in five cities - including Terre Haute.

All of the crimes were committed right off the I-70. In all, six people were killed.

LINK | The I-70 killer murdered six people in 1992 - including one in Terre Haute. Now, police have released new sketches of the suspect

Police believe one person is responsible for all of the murders.

The Investigation

Earlier this week, over the course of two days, investigators from police departments in Indianapolis, Wichita, St. Charles, Raytown and Terre Haute met in St. Charles, Missouri.

Agents from the FBI also attended the meeting. They discussed each of the open homicides in detail, reviewed evidence, and talked about how advanced forensic technology can help them bring this case to a close.

The Crimes and suspect

Michael McCowan of Terre Haute was killed in 1992. He was shot inside of his family's ceramics store on South 3rd Street.

All of the departments involved are asking for the public's help in solving this murder.

Investigators are looking for a white male, 5'6" to 5'7" tall, weighing between 140 to 160 pounds. He has sandy blonde hair with a red tint.

Police have released several composites of what he could have looked like at the time of the murders and what he could look like now.

Another important piece of information surrounds the murder weapons used to kill the victims. Police have called them unique.

Police are looking for your tips. If you have information call 800-800-3510. You can also submit tips at this link.

The reward for information leading to the killer now stands at $25,000.
SALTILLO, Miss. (WTVA) - Leaders at Bauhaus Furniture Group said they are looking forward to bringing more jobs and furniture to Northeast Mississippi.

Manger of Bauhaus' Saltillo plant, Wayne Ward said they want to hire about 100 people for their Ripley location.

Anytime you can give someone a job to help them progress in their lives its always exciting, he said.

President of Bauhaus, Mark Schultz said they decided to expand the company because of the rise in product demand.

Schultz said hes grateful for their customers support, especially during the pandemic.

Especially this time of year or this time of the economy when its hard to do that and get materials. Were able to do that, and expand our business, and keep our customers satisfied, he said.

Bauhaus Furniture Group plans to host a grand opening in Ripley in December.
GRENADA, Miss. (WTVA)  Police in Grenada are trying to figure out who shot an Army National Guard soldier as she was driving her car on Highway 8.

Chief George Douglas said someone opened fire on Arianna Butts about 8:30 p.m. Saturday near Jones Circle from a red car that pulled up next to her as both were heading east.

He added Butts reportedly was in the area for National Guard training.

A helicopter flew her from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Grenada to another hospital to be treated for her injury.

The chief asks anyone with information that can help his officers solve this case to call the Grenada Police Department at 662-227-TIPS.
Here is the latest Minnesota news from The Associated Press at 1:40 a.m. CDT
Here is the latest Wisconsin news from The Associated Press at 1:40 a.m. CDT
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - Floodplain professionals from Minnesota and Wisconsin shared their mitigation tactics and Coulee Region Spring flooding predictions at the 'Flooding Knows No Borders' conference on Thursday at the La Crosse Center.

Wisconsin Association of Floodplain Managers Vice Chair Doug Kerns said the conference happens about every 10 years.

"These are the best of the best when it comes to floodplain issues," Kerns said. "They identify large river risk and in the same conversation you're going to identify smaller river risks [like] flash flooding type of issues."

Wisconsin Emergency management Officer Guen Drewes responds to flood disaster declarations in the Driftless Region, studies their impact and was one of the 36 guest speakers at the conference.

"In the last ten years we've had a dozen declarations which is crazy that's more than one per year," Drewes said. "One dry year makes it look like a stream is chilling out but it's not the thing. These events continue to strengthen and they continue to be more intense."

She's studied the La Crosse River and said its current level could contribute to how it might flood in the spring.

"If we have where we don't necessarily get a lot of snowfall that means when it melts it won't necessarily cause a lot of groundwater issues or runoff issues that way the ground can actually absorb the water rather than having some kind of runoff," Drewes said.

However, other rivers in the area act differently each season.

"One river shows there's clearly an increase in peak discharge and another river shows that it's slowly decreasing over the life of the gauge so it can change from year to year," she said.

By 2030, Drewes explained she will have more evidence to better predict exactly where flooding will happen based on previous patterns.

She also shared resources for communities to apply for mitigation grants through the Wisconsin Emergency Management website.

People can access applications for property acquisitions buyouts, flood proofing and elevation grants here.
Bahman Ghobadi, the Kurdish-Iranian director whose The Four Walls has its world premiere this week at the Tokyo International Film Festival, wants people to watch his film on a big screen.

If you watch it on a computer you might think that The Four Walls is about a building, he says. But watching in the cinema you will be able to understand that it is a metaphor, to feel the different forces pressing in.

More from Variety

Bahman Ghobadi - Credit: Mij Film

Mij Film

The story, loosely based on Ghobadis own experiences, involves a man who works for years to buy a small home with a sea view and to have his family move in with him. But, when he returns after a period of enforced absence, he finds that a developer is building a new property that will block his cherished vista. The mans fight to reclaim what he has lost is humorous, tragic and enraging.

The film is set in Istanbul, the Euro-Asian megalopolis that is just one of the many places that Ghobadi has temporarily settled in since leaving Iran. Ghobadi made his Kurdish-language A Time For Drunken Horses, which earned him the Camera dor for best first film in 2000, while still living in Iran. But he has since spent 13 years away from home, ten of those living in hotel rooms.

Now his furniture is scattered around the world in places including Istanbul, Los Angeles and New York. I dont want to feel like an exile, he says. But I do miss my little table for writing.

Ghobadi says that he chose to set The Four Walls in Istanbul because it is a place where there is a large Kurdish population and no fighting. In that respect, it offered a narrow pathway between the political walls that seem to hem him in and allowed Ghobadi to fulfil his ambition of making another film about Kurds.

Story continues

He keeps his distance from the Iranian authorities who banned his 2006 film Half Moon and would like to shut him down. And he is suspicious of Kurdish authorities with whom he has clashed on cultural and art issues. The Turkish government has been involved in an armed conflict with Kurdish insurgent groups since 1978, but the issue is mostly localized on the countrys southern border.

So, Ive ended up making the film in the Turkish language, which I dont speak at all, but it is a way of making sure I can show my movie (in Turkey), he says.

The Four Walls has an important theme, namely that even if justice is not available, people should at least act with a good conscience. But as well as delivering that moral message, Ghobadi intends that the picture pack a mix of drama, anger and humor. I dont want to punish my audience, I want them at least to taste the food, he says.

Away from the immediate business of making movies, Ghobadi has recently begun campaigning for AMPAS to create a system where the Oscars can accept submissions from filmmakers who, for political reasons, cannot be nominated by their home territories. There are so many great filmmakers, who [are exiled and] can never be submitted [Mohammad] Rasoulof and [Jafar] Panahi, for example.

Ghobadi says that the Academy is considering his suggestion, but it has not yet responded formally.

Nevertheless, the U.S. is likely to be seeing a lot more of Ghobadi. He is currently preparing two independently-produced TV series and his first English-language feature.

Martin Scorsese, an ally who previously gave Ghobadi a minor acting role in The Irishman, is to executive produce Two Brothers. Expanded from a previous short film, the project focuses on two brothers who, though physically joined at the hip, have opposing religious views. The narrative tracks the last ten days before they have surgery that will separate them.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Johnny Depp Amber Heard

Marc Piasecki/WireImage; Phillip Faraone/Getty Johnny Depp (L); Amber Heard

Johnny Depp and his legal team have reportedly been granted access to Amber Heard's phone records in an attempt to prove their claim that the actress "faked" photos of abuse.

A Virginia judge in Fairfax County granted Depp's attorneys access to the records to have an expert assess whether photos showing Heard's alleged injuries in 2015 were fabricated, according to The Independent.

"Ms. Heard's counsel has repeatedly used these phony photographs at deposition," Benjamin Chew, an attorney for Depp, said in the court filing, according to the outlet.

Attorneys for Heard, who have denied Depp's claims, and Depp did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Page Six reports Chew alleged in the filing that when the LAPD responded to the 2015 incident between Depp and Heard, "they found no injury upon Ms. Heard and no disruption to the penthouses."

RELATED: Johnny Depp Granted Permission to Proceed with $50 Million Defamation Suit Against Amber Heard

"Ms. Heard and her friends then fabricated photos that she used to obtain an ex parte TRO [temporary restraining order] and a $7 million divorce settlement," Chew alleged in his filing, via Page Six.

Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft told Page Six that Heard "welcomes the opportunity to present her evidence in a trial by jury, in a court of law" in 2022.

Johnny Depp

Bredehoft added, "This is a dirty strategy (after having been found to have committed multiple significant acts of domestic violence against Amber Heard) by Mr. Depp's legal team, to present false claims while avoiding accusations of defamation because of judicial immunity."

"While legal hearings are protected from defamation, they are not protected from leaks to the press, which is exactly Mr. Depp's intentioneven though he lost every one of these arguments in the UK trialhis first choice of forum," Bredehoft stated. "He is trying to interject out-of-context and already proven to be false pieces from his unsuccessful efforts in court to attempt to deceive the public, pretending these issues have not already been fully tried, in his court of choice, where he lost. Now, in yet another court of law, he is unable to submit his own evidence because he has nothing to prove his claims."

Story continues

Depp is suing Heard for defamation after the Aquaman actress wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post in 2018 about surviving domestic violence (Heard never named Depp in the op-ed, but she did accuse the actor of domestic violence amid their 2016 split, which he denied).

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In November 2020, the Pirates of the Caribbean star lost his case against the British tabloid The Sun, which called him a "wife-beater." The court upheld the outlet's claims as being "substantially true."

In August, a judge granted Depp the right to pursue his lawsuit against Heard, denying the actress' supplemental plea to dismiss the case after Depp lost his libel lawsuit.

Heard's plea to dismiss Depp's lawsuit, filed in Virginia in March 2019, came as the actress argued the U.K. judgment should hold sway on the proceedings in the U.S. since both lawsuits center on allegations of the actor as an abuser.

RELATED VIDEO: Johnny Depp Agrees to Resign from Fantastic Beasts Role After Losing 'Wife Beater' Libel Case

Three months after Heard's op-ed was published, Depp filed a defamation lawsuit against the actress for $50 million. At the time, Depp's lawyers said in the lawsuit, "Mr. Depp never abused Ms. Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016. They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career."

In response to the lawsuit, Heard's rep told PEOPLE in a statement at the time, "This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depp's repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard. She will not be silenced. Mr. Depp's actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior. But while he appears hell-bent on achieving self-destruction, we will prevail in defeating this groundless lawsuit and ending the continued vile harassment of my client by Mr. Depp and his legal team."

Following the loss of his libel case against The Sun, Depp attempted to appeal, but two U.K. justices refused his application for a fresh trial on the grounds that a second hearing was unlikely to produce a different outcome.

Depp also agreed to exit the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spinoff series, Fantastic Beasts.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Activist and influencer calls out 'inclusive' brands for leaving out mixed Indigenous voices. When tuning in to one of Kara Roselle Smith's Instagram reels, expect glowing complexion. Don't expect to walk away with only product recommendations. "...the majority of those in the Indigenous community booking campaigns and securing features fit the European beauty standard," Smith captioned one reel. steps have been taken by beauty companies to be more inclusive in recent years. . Smith says brands are barely scratching the surface. . After promoting its Indigenous History Month campaign, Sephora Canada had to issue an apology for lacking diversity. Smith says she has had enough of this lack of representation. Smith wrote on Instagram. "If your 'inclusive' Indigenous campaigns and conversations don't also include those who identify as Afro-Indigenous, they are not inclusive.". Smith wrote on Instagram. "If your 'inclusive' Indigenous campaigns and conversations don't also include those who identify as Afro-Indigenous, they are not inclusive."
In the pantheon of prestigious international awards supporting young designers  Andam, LVMH, Hyeres, Triestes ITS  the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize is claiming its place as a glamorous (and well-funded) recent addition. The brainchild of Lebanese-born entrepreneur Tania Fares, FTA launched as a non-profit initiative in 2018 under the royal patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar and her daughter and co-chair, Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Intended to provide financial support and international recognition to emerging talents of the Middle East and North Africa region, it grants each winner up to $200,000, and offers business mentorships and sustainability training.

As an Arab woman, said Fares, it was my dream to do something to help build a fashion community in the Middle East and put my expertise and knowledge at the service of talented designers. During the years she spent in London, Fares partnered with Fashion Easts Lulu Kennedy, worked with the British Fashion Council, and founded the Global Fashion Trust. In 2017 she met with the Qatari mother-daughter duo, who are both active in promoting access to education and the arts.

The first edition of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize coincided with the 2019 opening of the National Museum of Qatar in Doha, a stunning piece of architecture envisioned by architect Jean Nouvel inspired by the shape of a desert rose. The pandemic forced last years edition of the Prize to go virtual, but this week it returned to a physical format. Among those who traveled to Doha FTA were Pierpaolo Piccioli, Virgil Abloh, Remo Ruffini, Juergen Teller, and Muglers Casey Cadwallader. The events were bookended by a Valentino party launching a capsule of haute couture abayas at the Islamic Museum and Virgil Ablohs Figures of Speech exhibition, which traveled from Chicagos MCA to Dohas Fire Station. In between, the award ceremony was held at the National Museum of Qatar with a gala dinner.

Story continues

A look by Abdelgader El Tayeb Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia

From the 700 applications received, the advisory board picked 24 finalists, six of whom received awards. Iraqi-born, LA-based Zaid Affas was the winner of the ready-to-wear category; Moroccan-born, Amsterdam-based Mohamed Benchellal was awarded for eveningwear; Alia Bin Omair was the jewelry designer winner; Bilal Fellah was granted the accessory designer prize; and French-Sudanese Abdelgader El Tayeb scooped up the Franca Sozzani debut talent award. This editions guest nation was Colombia, with designer Agustin Nicolas Rivero taking home the first prize.

Although individual and diverse, with aesthetic choices running the gamut from minimalism to flamboyance, the majority of the designers addressed social and environmental issues, emphasizing the need to protect local artisanal communities and to preserve sustainable savoir-faire traditions. What I like is when I see identity and culture merge to become fashion, said Pierpaolo Piccioli. I liked the variety of their experiences. You can feel an individual truth at the heart of each work. Piccioli singled out the project of Abdelgader El Tayeb for its exemplary balance of good intentions, personal inspiration, and over-the-top aesthetics, rendered with pristine execution.

A graduate of Brusselss La Cambre, El Tayeb presented a flamboyant collection celebrating traditional Sudanese dress through a contemporary lens, combining basket weaving techniques with boldly-colored, playful silhouettes. He works with fabric leftovers, scraps of leather, and recycled beads, which he transforms into imaginative textures. His affinity for artisanal weaving has caught the eye of Bottega Venetas Daniel Lee and he was offered an internship at the label. What I love at Bottega is how Daniel has pushed the traditional Italian intrecciato into a fresh new territory, very contemporary and playful, he said. It inspires me in the way I want to bring novelty to the techniques Ive known since I was a child. Basketry is applied all around Africa to everyday objects, and I want to use it for fashion in an imaginative way. I want to bring my African heritage into the future. Itll stay at the very heart of my work.

Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia

Agustin Nicolas Rivero is on El Tayers wavelength. Bogota-based, Rivero focuses on the artisanal as a way of giving fashion a more meaningful and value-based relevance. His collection references traditional South-American tropes like ponchos, capes, layered tunics, and square-cut jackets, made modern and no-gender via pure, functional cuts. Rivero works closely with craft communities in Colombia. I travel across the country to stay with the artisans in their territories, where I understand the many issues they have to confront in their daily lives, he said. Colombia has been plagued by war for 60 years and this has altered artisans capability to keep producing their work. Theyve been forced out of their lands to take up completely different jobs to survive, losing their traditional art and knowledge. My contribution is to give them a chance to re-energize their craft.

Rivero sources most of the natural fabrics he uses in Colombia, but he also tries to activate a sort of connection between different communities, inspiring a dialogue that can bring about fresh creative perspectives: I import linen from India, for example, and I have it embroidered in Peru or Colombia, so the artisans have to connect, talk to each other, and learn new techniques. Today, technology has made borders softer, and it makes for unexpected, fruitful connections.

Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia

In her speech introducing the winners at the Award ceremony, HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani emphasized the importance of glamour and sustainability coexisting. A good example is the work of Mohammed Benshallah. I started in 2015 and from the very beginning and out of necessity Ive always used deadstock, leftovers, and recycled fabrics, he said. Im a one-man company, I do everything myself, from the design to the shipping. I didnt have the means to afford expensive fabrics so I had to be clever and reuse materials, and Ive kept it that way. At this point, I dont even know what to do with a yard of expensive silk! Benshallahs collection was a virtuoso exercise in controlled extravagance; his air mesh gowns can be folded into the smallest suitcase and pop back up in perfect shape.

Zaid Affas takes a completely different approach. is work is resolutely minimal and functional, with no indulgence of decoration. My father is an architect. I see myself more as an industrial designer than a fashion designer, he said. For me whats important is the pure form, a concept of timeless luxury.

A look by Zaid Affas Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia

Gherardo Felloni, the creative director of Roger Vivier, praised the winners individuality. Their approaches to common issuessustainability, environmental responsibility, the love for craft, no-gender identitiesentail rather distinctive narratives, which is beautiful. The belief is there, embraced by all the designersand it feels honest. I hope that their storytelling remains at the core of what they do. Fabio Piras, MA Fashion Director at Central Saint Martins, agreed. You can see the designers honest attention in celebrating their provenance, to collaborate with and enhance local expertisesto create special pieces, not only a product. Theres authenticity and honesty in their artistic practices and in the way they present themselves. I find it promising.

Originally Appeared on Vogue
The coronavirus pandemic may have created uncertainty for the travel industry and put a lot of plans on hold, but Australian carrier Qantas said it hasn't given up on its "Project Sunrise," an ultra-long nonstop flight from London and New York.

"We still have Project Sunrise in the pipeline, which is our ability to fly from Sydney and Melbourne to the last horizon, the last tyranny of distance, direct into London, direct into the east coast of the United States," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told CNN. "That will be a unique value proposition that no other airline in the world will be offering."

The airline's hope for the future comes as Australia has reopened its borders for fully vaccinated Australian citizens, but with no plans for a broad international reopening until next year. For its part, Qantas has resumed flights between Australia and the United States and United Kingdom and Joyce told CNN the carrier is focused on replacing its domestic fleet as well.

A Qantas passenger plane takes off at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney, Australia.

James D. Morgan/Getty Images

"Once we finish that, which we'll do early in 2022, we'll revisit Sunrise and the likelihood is somewhere like 2024 or 2025 for the first aircraft arriving, given the delay," Joyce said.

Qantas started testing the ultra-long routes in 2019 with 20-hour flights from Sydney to London and New York to see how the human body could handle spending an entire day in the air.

At the time, Joyce said the nonstop flights were "truly the final frontier in aviation."

When they do finally take off, they will be aboard Airbus A350-1000 aircraft equipped with an additional fuel tank. Joyce told CNN the airline still plans to order these modified Airbus planes for the routes.

Qantas isn't the only carrier to fly these ultra-long routes. In 2018, Singapore Airlines (voted the best international carrier in the world by Travel + Leisure readers) launched a nearly 19-hour flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Singapore, then dubbed the world's longest flight.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
Coronavirus cases are plateauing nationally, which isn't the same as going down. Should you be concerned and how can you remain safe? Dr. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, appeared on his podcast to tell is straight and tell you how you can stay safe. Read on for 5 pieces of life-saving adviceand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

1 Dr. Osterholm Said 24 States are Seeing Increasing Cases

Doctors and nurses are working on corona virus/covid-19 infected patient in the ICU/ hospital.

"If we take a look at what's happening at regional or statewide levels, it's hard to decipher where we're headed while we're seeing persistent declines in many of the Southern Sunbeltstates that were just red hot a couple of months ago," said Osterholm. "Some states in the west Midwest and Northeast are ticking upwards. For example, if you look at cases reported over the last week as reported in the Washington Post, there are 24 state reporting increasing cases and 27 states reporting declinessome recent hotspots like Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are reporting declines, but overall activity there still remains high."

RELATED: The One Sure Sign You May Have a Heart Problem

2 Virus Expert Warns This is Not a Good Omen

Emergency medic and doctor moving patient to emergency room in hospital

"Average daily case in this country sit at about 74,000, that's well below where we were at the height of the Delta surge, but it's still six times higher than the level reported in late June as expected with the drop in cases. We've also seen hospitalizations fall from nearly 104,000 to around 47,000 and average daily deaths have dipped from more than 2,000 to 1,300 deaths a day, again, real and welcome decline, but they're still sitting at levels well above where we were pre-Delta. So if this does end up becoming our new baseline, it's not a good omen."

Story continues

RELATED: Stop Doing This or You'll Get Alzheimer's, Say Experts

3 Dr. Osterholm Warned This Could Go Either Way

Female and male doctors wearing masks and uniforms are visiting to check the symptoms of middle-aged female patients lying in bed.

"While I'm confident there are a lot of people in this country still vulnerable to this virus, I don't really know where we will find ourselves in the coming weeks," admitted Osterhoilm. "That crusted mud is getting harder and harder to scrape off that crystal ball. The initial pattern we were seeing play out in countries hit by Delta withthat dramatic surge followed by a precipitous drophas seemed to hold true in some places, including India, Iran, Indonesia, but it also has materialized in a number of other countries. In certain instances, the initial drop is being interrupted by this apparent plateau, which we're now seeing signs of here in the U.S. South Africa saw a similar phenomenon with their plateau lasting for nearly a month before then additional declines brought them back to pre Delta levels."

"On the other hand," he continues, "countries like Russia and the UK had case surges back up again after experiencing relatively short-term plateaus. So I'm not sure there was an exact model we can really use to predict what's going to happen. I certainly hope we will see eventual declines like in South Africa or India, but we could also just as easily head in the other direction. And let me just emphasize again, anyone who comes out with modeling that's more than 30 days out from today is basing that on pixie dust.No model could pick up the kind of activity that we're actually witnessing today.

RELATED: The #1 Cause of Abdominal Obesity

4 These States are in Trouble Right Now

Anchorage Skyline with a winter reflection

"The overall national rate of cases in this country is about 22 per a hundred thousand population. If you look at what's happened over the past two weeks, there's been an 8% decrease in cases. However, if you look at the last seven days, that's almost been a zero decrease. It appears to be clearly plateauingAlaska, which is an 82 cases per a hundred thousand, almost four times higher than the national average has seen a 30% reduction in cases over these past two weeks. But now we're seeing something emerge in the four corners area we had not seen before. Arizona is at 45 cases per a hundred thousand, twice the national average, and that is a 50% increase over the past two weeks. New Mexico is at 45 cases per a hundred thousand, a 38% increase in the last two weeks. Colorado is at 51 cases per a hundred thousand, a 23% increase in cases. And in fact, in a state where the Governor just earlier this week declared that hospitals could defer all elective surgeries because of the strain that was starting to be experienced by Colorado hospitals. And the last of the four corners area states Utah is also at a rate of 45 cases per a hundred thousand has seen a 13% increase in the last two weeks.

We know that we're seeing right now an ever increasing number of cases in the Navajo nation, a group that has over a 70% vaccination rate. We don't know how much of this in the four corners areas is being accounted for by that. It surely appears to be more. Let me take another area. One that is obviously near and dear to my heart, the Upper Midwest. If you look at what had been happening in our area, we have this initial surge that seemed to have peaked in late September, early October, started to come down and now that's changing North Dakota, which is at 65 cases per a hundred thousand, almost three times the rate of the national average, the number of new cases is flat. It's not decreasing anymore. Even at that high level, Minnesota is at 43 cases, per hundred thousand. We're flat. Michigan's at 43 cases, per hundred thousand. It's flat. Wisconsin's at 38 cases per hundred thousand with only a 2% decrease in the last two weeks. And finally, Nebraska is also at 35 per a hundred thousand with a 17% increase the past two weeks. What's happening here? This is bucking the national trend. We don't know. So I have to say, we seem to have found ourselves in a holding pattern and the overall us trajectory will depend on what plays out in some of these pockets of smolder and activity that are scattered around a number of different regions of the country."

RELATED: People With Delta Usually Feel This at the Start

5 Dr. Osterholm Said a Lot More People Need to Be Vaccinated

Young woman taking a vaccine from her doctor.

"Hopefully we've done everything to be prepared to respond to it. And despite news covering the announcement of approval for vaccines in children or mandates in certain workplaces, we still have a lot of progress to make in this area. An average of less than 1.3 million doses of vaccine are being administered each day in this country. And nearly two thirds of these are booster doses. In addition, there are still 14 states that haven't fully vaccinated, more than half of their population. Even the states with the highest rates such as Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts, each of which have fully vaccinated is 70 to 71% of their populations remain below the levels of vaccination we're seeing in some of those Western European countries reporting these current surges. So for now I think the cases will serve as an important role as a bellwether. Eventually we could reach a point where the inevitable wave of hospitalizations and deaths, the trail behind cases becomes much less pronounced, but I think case counts will continue to be meaningful for the foreseeable future in most places." So get vaccinated, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
A Parsippany man accused of fatally stabbing a Boonton man multiple times  the result of a drug-fueled jealous rage, according to prosecutors  was sentenced on Thursday to 18 years in prison.

Edilson Trejo, 23, pleaded guilty in October to aggravated manslaughter, reduced from murder in the death of Benjamin Cruz, 35.

The sentence aligned with the recommended plea by Kelly Sandler, a Morris County assistant prosecutor, who argued Trejo reacted in a fit of rage upon finding his girlfriend speaking to Cruz in his bedroom during a party in Trejo's apartment complex. Joseph Corazza, Trejo's attorney, sought a 16-year sentence, and refuted prosecutors' arguments that Trejo stabbed the man eight times out of "jealousy."

How we got here: Parsippany man admits he killed man after seeing him talk to his girlfriend

"The fight started because the alleged victim entered my client's apartment armed and began the altercation," Corazza said during the virtual sentencing in Morris County court. "This is not an attempt in any way to blame the victim nor to in any way minimize or dispute his guilt in this matter. Just a dispute on how this tragic event began."

Edilson Trejo appears from a Morris County holding cell on June 25, 2020.

But Sandler said the motive was "not plucked out of thin air" and instead corroborated by a 9-year-old girl who witnessed the incident and by Trejo's girlfriend, who provided information that made it "clear" Trejo did not want another man speaking to her outside his presence.

Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor struggled to find factors that weighed in Trejo's favor, other than his young age at the time of the incident, and did not find Trejo had completely accepted responsibility for his actions.

"I find that because his version of the facts seeks to blame the victim and I don't find his version of events are supported by the facts and common sense and logic," Taylor said.

Taylor said that despite the girl's age, he didn't find any motive for her to lie but inversely believed Trejo had reason to lie.

Story continues

Related: Two children in residence at time of Parsippany stabbing death, police say

"The defendant believed the victim was trying to make the girlfriend fall in love with him," Taylor said. "Unfortunately it's an all too common human emotion, that far too often leads to violence especially when the jealousy is further fueled by alcohol and illicit substances."

Trejo had alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in his system at the time of the fight, which Taylor believed exacerbated the situation.

Trejo spoke with the assistance of a Spanish translator Thursday and said he has asked God for forgiveness as well as the victim's wife and his family.

"I know that this is painful for them and I never intended for this to happen and I am truly remorseful for it," he said. "I know that I am not the best person in the world but I also know I am not the worst person. I made a mistake and I am here to pay for it."

How it happened

Trejo admitted in October he left a party in the basement of his Parsippany Road apartment complex, went up to his bedroom and found his girlfriend talking to Cruz in the doorway. He allegedly asked Cruz to leave, but an argument ensued. During the fight, Cruz pulled out a knife, which Trejo said he grabbed and stabbed Cruz several times. A witness told police Trejo used a chair to hit Cruz on the head and also heard Trejo tell his girlfriend, "I told you that for you I will kill," according to Sandler. Trejo denied doing either.

Trejo allegedly dragged the victim's body into the living room and told his girlfriend to clean up before he took off his bloody clothes and showered, Sandler said in October. Trejo, who had a small cut from the quarrel, fled and did not call for help, she said.

Morris County news: Cell phone ties Dover motorcyclist to hit-and-run that injured three

Corazza argued that Cruz entered the residence armed, and without provocation, began to fight with Trejo. Prosecutors maintained Trejo was a jealous, enraged boyfriend.

Corazza said in June he planned a self-defense case, but said a grand jury did not believe there was evidence that negated any criminal liability against Trejo. Trejo initially declined a 30-year plea offer.

An autopsy showed that the victim had a knife in his pocket and a second, bloody knife was found at the scene, Taylor said. If true, Taylor said he would have had to believe Cruz entered the home with two knives.

The nature of the wounds show a "particular viciousness," Taylor said. Cruz was stabbed in the back, neck, ear and head, with a fatal stab wound roughly 3 inches deep in the upper left chest, Taylor said the medical examiner's report showed.

Prior to the incident, Trejo was working full time with several landscapers and in restaurants as a busboy or dishwasher, Corazza said. He sent a portion of his income to his parents in Honduras, he added.

Trejo has a 2018 conviction for unlawful entry into the United States through Texas, Sandler said. Trejo will be deported following his sentence.

Trejo will have to serve 85% of his sentence before parole eligibility, or roughly 15 years and four months. He was given credit for 501 days of time served in the Morris County jail. He will serve five years of parole supervision upon his release from prison.

Lori Comstock can also be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Parsippany NJ man who fatally stabbed Boonton man gets 18 years prison
The United States is advising any of its citizens and all non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families who are in Ethiopia to leave "as soon as possible" due to deteriorating security conditions. A security alert posted Friday by the U.S. embassy in Addis Ababa warned Americans to depart the country without delay, and offered assistance in obtaining air travel from Bole International Airport.

Fighting has raged in the north for a year now, ever since Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops in to crush rebellious forces in the country's Tigray region. The U.N. said Wednesday that all parties to the conflict have violated international humanitarian law, citing reports of massacres, gang-rapes and ethnic cleansing. Most of the offenses have been carried out by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said.

The war has worryingly crept closer to the capital in recent days.

"The security environment in Ethiopia is very fluid. We advise US citizens who are in Ethiopia to leave the country as soon as possible," the embassy said in a statement, as fears mount of Tigrayan rebel fighters advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa.

It went further than a warning earlier this week by the State Department for Americans to avoid traveling to Ethiopia and consider leaving if they are already there.

Armed Tigray forces, center, accompany captured Ethiopian government soldiers and allied militia members as they are paraded through the streets in open-top trucks, as are taken to a detention center in Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. / Credit: AP

The warning follows comments by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who urged all parties in the conflict in Ethiopia to open ceasefire negotiations. Blinken said the inflammatory language on all sides of the conflict "pushed a peaceful resolution further away," adding that "the US is concerned about reports of arbitrary detentions based on ethnicity in Addis Ababa."

He spoke strongly to all parties involved in the conflict, calling on the Ethiopian government to halt its military campaign, demanding Eritrea remove its troops from Ethiopia and insisting the Tigrayan rebels stop their advance towards the capital.

Story continues

One of the biggest concerns right now is humanitarian aid. Over 900,000 people are facing conflict-induced famine-like conditions, but aid organizations have often been unable to reach them.

Residents sift through rubble from a destroyed building at the scene of an airstrike in Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. / Credit: AP

Pressure is mounting on the prime minister as the year-long conflict has now intensified, with a broad coalition of nine anti-government factions saying they plan to form a new alliance to fight against him.

The group calling itself the United Front of Ethiopian and Confederalist forces includes the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Army. The announcement of the alliance comes during a two-day visit to Addis Ababa by the U.S. special envoy to the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman.

Houston officials provide update on Astroworld music festival incident that left 8 dead

Glenn Youngkin's chief strategist discusses successful Virginia gubernatorial campaign

Police looking into claims of drug spiking incident at music festival, source says
Chinas military provocations toward Taiwan and President Joe Bidens mixed messages are igniting a debate on Capitol Hill over whether to adopt a more aggressive official posture  including the possibility of preemptively authorizing Biden to use military force if Beijing invades the island nation.

The conversations, coupled with the White Houses efforts to walk back some of Bidens apparent slips of the tongue, are fueling bipartisan efforts to ditch strategic ambiguity, the policy that has governed the U.S. posture toward the conflict for more than four decades. The strategic ambiguity doctrine, enshrined in the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, stipulates that the U.S. remains purposely noncommittal about whether it would defend Taiwan from an attack or invasion by China.

But a push to proactively send Biden a war authorization could subvert ongoing efforts by Congress and the Biden administration to restrict presidential war powers. And undermining the status quo on Taiwan, both parties worry, could be seen by Beijing as a provocation, rather than a deterrent.

This needs a very directed response from all of us that is properly worded, said Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Because theres a very delicate balance here, and we have maintained that delicate balance for many, many years. And it would be troublesome if we upset that.

Im not interested in a cold war or a hot war, said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a longtime proponent of reining in presidential war powers. And I think that we ought to be focused on finding ways to prevent any kind of confrontation.

Biden himself has been the source of some uncertainty about the U.S. position. In a recent CNN town hall, the president said we have a commitment to come to Taiwans defense if China attacks or invades the island nation  seemingly contradicting the strategic ambiguity policy.

White House officials quickly clarified that Biden was not announcing a policy change and that he was reiterating the U.S. commitment to Taiwans defense. But many Republicans  and, indeed, some Democrats  had hoped that he was, in fact, telegraphing a shift.

Story continues

Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), a retired Navy officer and the vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said in an interview that Congress should consider sending Biden a very narrow and specific contingent authorization for the use of military force to defend Taiwan. That action would effectively gut strategic ambiguity and allow the president to respond immediately to a Chinese attack or invasion without waiting for Congress to send him an authorization.

Luria added it could take weeks or months for Congress to consider and debate a war authorization if China were to attack. The U.S. would need to be ready to respond at a moments notice, she said, and that means being less ambiguous about what our intentions are.

If we are going to intervene in a way that would limit the scope of conflict, prevent China from invading Taiwan, or deter them, then we could avoid a full-scale war, she said.

Most members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, are reluctant to give the president front-end authority to intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Such an effort would also come at a time when bipartisan majorities in both chambers are moving to rein in, rather than ramp up, presidential war powers by taking outdated authorizations off the books.

I am not a fan or advocate of giving war powers proactively to a president, Senate Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a brief interview. If the president feels that thats necessary, then he needs to come to Congress and then he can get an authorization for the use of military force.

A senior administration official told POLITICO that the White House will continue to engage with Congress on these important matters, and that the Biden administration remains committed to the existing U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

At the same time, though, some lawmakers are expressing an openness to further bolstering Taiwans defensive capabilities  in ways that could muddle the strategic ambiguity policy.

I do think that there are ways that we can enable Taiwan, whether thats through foreign military sales, whether it is leverage with China, whatever we can find, said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Earlier this week, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), an Armed Services Committee member, introduced legislation that would send $3 billion each year to Taiwan for the purpose of boosting its military capabilities as a deterrent against Chinese aggression. He warned, however, that the U.S. should not suggest to Taipei that Washington would be standing by to head off an attack.

Its really important that we arm Taiwan and help them to defend themselves. China wants to gobble them up, Hawley said in a brief interview. But I think its also a mistake for [Taiwan] to say, well, if something happens, the United States will just bail us out. Theyre a long way away.

Biden, a former senator and chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, has long been wary of drawing the U.S. into a war with China over Taiwan. In a May 2001 Washington Post op-ed, Biden criticized then-President George W. Bush for declaring that the U.S. has an obligation to defend Taiwan, similar to what the now-president said in the CNN town hall.

No one expects world leaders to always stick the landing on their rhetoric, said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), a Foreign Relations Committee member. And the strategic ambiguity is maintained when, after a media event, one clarifies ones comments.

At a news conference in Glasgow earlier this week, Biden said he was not worried about an armed conflict with China or even something happening accidentally.

This is competition. It does not have to be conflict, Biden said.

Indeed, the Biden administration has shown little interest in stepping back from strategic ambiguity, even as the president himself has hinted at a policy change in his off-the-cuff remarks. And some lawmakers are cautioning against statements and other actions that could upend the long-standing U.S. policy toward Taiwan, noting that the situation remains extraordinarily fragile.

I think we have had a reasonably solid policy around Taiwan for going on 40 years now, and I dont see a need to make that sort of an abrupt change to it, said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee.

Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview this week that the U.S. absolutely has the capability to defend Taiwan. While he doesnt believe an invasion is likely in the near-term, the Chinese are clearly and unambiguously building the capability to provide those options to the national leadership if they so choose at some point in the future, he added.

That includes Chinas recent test of a hypersonic missile, which some analysts have referred to as Beijings Sputnik moment, as well as its recent strike-group flyover which triggered Taiwans missile defense systems.

Others, like Adm. John Aquilino, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, say that the possibility of a Chinese invasion is much closer to us than most think, adding that Beijing views a Taiwan takeover as its number-one priority.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), an Armed Services Committee member and a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, noted that the U.S. has always reacted forcefully to actions by the Chinese that might portend a military conflict.

But, he said, I think we need to think really hard about whether and to what degree we change the current posture.
The 2021 documentary "Attica"

In the final moments of the new documentary "Attica," from acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson, one of the men who tried to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the 1971 Attica prison uprising looks into the camera and says, emphatically, "It didn't have to be that way."

That man, Clarence Jones, is now 90 years old. At the time of the riot, he was the editor and part owner of "The New York Amsterdam News," one of the nation's oldest newspapers for Black audiences.

He along with others  "The New York Times columnist Tom Wicker and civil rights lawyer William Kunstler among them  had been sought out by inmates as a team of "observers" to oversee negotiations between prisoners and state and corrections officials. The hope was for a resolution to the inmate standoff without loss of life.

Instead, the observers watched, helplessly, as State Police stormed the prison on Sept. 13, 1971, and fatally shot 29 inmates and 10 Attica employees who had been held hostage by the prisoners.

Nelson's visceral documentary for Showtime (premiering Saturday) can perhaps be summed up by those seven words from Clarence Jones: "It didn't have to be that way." After 50 years, it may be difficult to believe that a historic upheaval revisited as often as the Attica prison riot can continue to shock, yet in Nelson's able hands, it does.

"The biggest lesson (from Attica) is the state will do everything it can to squash you," Nelson says in a Zoom interview with producer and co-director Traci Curry.

Learn more: 50 years later, Attica prison riot remains deadliest in U.S. history

The 50th anniversary of the uprising  the nation's deadliest prison riot  has prompted numerous retrospectives, with several documentaries among them. None have been awaited as eagerly as Nelson's. Already, it has been nominated for three Critics Choice Documentary Awards: best documentary feature, best director, and best historical or biographical documentary.

Story continues

"Stanley Nelsons stirring, scalding documentary about the 1971 Attica prison uprising is an essential film that can now stand as a definitive vision of that epochal event," Variety writes.

Nelson and his crew were assisted by historian Heather Ann Thompson, who wrote the Pulitzer-winning "Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and its Legacy," a history also considered the definitive rendering of the uprising.

Nelson says he has long wanted to latch onto the history of the uprising for a documentary; it provides a portal into American ailments that persist to this day. And now, as the nation confronts a reckoning with racism and the reach of law enforcement, the uprising still resonates, he says.

"It's striking how history repeats itself and history repeats itself with the same language," Nelson says.

'Criminalizing Blackness'

The Attica uprising has never lacked for archival video footage, yet Nelson's documentary weaves historical and news footage together as if creating it anew.

As helicopters hover over the prison ground on Sept. 13, with inmates being told by loudspeaker that they will not be harmed if they peacefully surrender, the incessant and staccato sound of gunfire continues. The disconnect disturbs, especially as the dead fall in the prison yard.

Even a taped conversation between New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and President Richard Nixon  a conversation that has been used in past documentaries  manages to sting again as Nixon inquires whether "the Blacks" were the cause of the uprising.

"This is the president of the United States talking to the governor of New York, one of the richest men in the world, and the first thing he says is, 'Was it the Blacks?' " Nelson says.

"Nobody talks to me like that. (With) me, everybody's cool. But that's the racism that exists."

While the Attica prison population was largely Black and Latino inmates, there was a clear unity after prisoners took control of Attica on Sept. 9, 1971. That unity, with inmates of all colors collaborating in the days after the violent seizure of the prison, is evident in the documentary.

In the months before the riot, inmates had tried to peacefully address abysmal conditions, ranging from basic hygiene concerns  one shower a week and a roll of toilet paper a month  to censorship of inoffensive materials sent to prisoners and barriers to Muslim inmates' ability to practice their religion. Corrections officers, aware of the simmering unrest, also urged prison officials to make changes.

They didn't.

"They're all saying, 'Attica is all of us,' " Curry says. "What was so galling to me about that call with Nixon was  how necessary it was to justify what happened by kind of criminalizing Blackness."

Traci Curry

Stanley Nelson

Instead of seeing the uprising as a response to inhumane conditions, the Nixon-Rockefeller conversation instead transforms the riot into a story "about unruly disordered Blackness that must be controlled," Curry says.

"If you make it about that, that ultimately justifies everything that happened to people on the 13th," she says.

The documentary does not shy away from the reality that there were violent prisoners, especially on Sept. 9 when the riot erupted. Inmates also killed three of their own during the standoff.

One prisoner tells how he needed to be careful during the days of standoff  as inmates held more than three dozen prison workers hostage  because of some of the "psychopaths and sociopaths" among the prison population.

And Deanne Quinn Miller, whose father William Quinn was a corrections officer brutally beaten by prisoners on Sept. 9, is also among those interviewed.

She tells of the assault on her father, who died on Sept. 11, 1971. Near the film's end, Miller reiterates a request made by her and dozens of others who suffered in the aftermath of Attica: She again asks for an apology from the state of New York, which current Governor Kathy Hochul has said she is considering.

Quinn was the only prison worker killed by inmates. All others were killed by gunfire on Sept. 13.

In the film, Nelson returns to the question of whether Rockefeller could have staved off the retaking had he agreed to the prisoner's request to come to Attica. He refused, a decision many think was driven by his desire for higher office.

"Everything had to have been tried, and it was not," Nelson says. "Whether it would have made a difference or not, we'll never know ... but should he have come, yes."

"They weren't asking him to come inside (the prison)."

Among those interviewed was the late state Senator John Dunne, who as chair of the Senate Corrections Committee in 1971 also met with inmates and tried to reach a settlement. Dunne, who died in 2020, long contended that the retaking of the prison was a seismic mistake with historically tragic consequences.

"It was clear that it was a struggle for him," Curry says of the interview with Dunne, which lasted more than two hours. And Dunne, like Jones, questioned decades later if there was something he could or should have done that he did not.

"You get the sense there isn't anything they could have done differently to change the outcome, yet all of them feel like it's been a personal failing on their part," Curry says.

"You feel for them watching the film."

Gary Craig has written extensively of the Attica uprising and is co-author with Deanne Quinn Miller of "The Prison Guard's Daughter: My Journey Through the Ashes of Attica."

50 years later, Attica prison riot remains deadliest in U.S. history. Learn more

To view the Attica experience in augmented reality:

Download the latest version of the USA TODAY app on your Android or iOS AR-capable device.

Open the app, and look for Augmented Reality in Sections at the bottom of your screen.

Tap on the experience in the Augmented Reality menu.

Attica QR codes

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 'Attica': Showtime documentary relives still-shocking prison uprising
WASHINGTON  A former top Justice Department official accused of using his position to try to overturn the 2020 election made an abbreviated appearance before a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attacks Friday, indicating he would not answer key questions about his work during the Trump administration.

Jeffrey Clark, a former acting assistant attorney general during the final days of the Trump administration, submitted a letter to the committee through his attorney claiming that he would decline to testify, citing former President Donald Trump's assertion of executive privilege.

The former Justice official, who has emerged as a central figure in the former president's efforts to deny President Joe Biden's election, had been subpoenaed to discuss his efforts to enlist the Justice Department in an effort to sow doubt in election results in Georgia.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., flanked by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., left, and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks as the House select committee tasked with investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol meets to hold one of former President Donald Trump's allies in contempt, former strategist Steve Bannon, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday evening, Oct. 19, 2021.

Mr. Clarks complete failure to cooperate today is unacceptable," said House Select Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. "His refusal to answer questions about the former Presidents attempt to use the Department of Justice to overturn the election is in direct contrast to his supervisors at the Department, who have come in and answered the committees questions on these important topics.

"Its astounding that someone who so recently held a position of public trust to uphold the Constitution would now hide behind vague claims of privilege by a former President, refuse to answer questions about an attack on our democracy, and continue an assault on the rule of law. As prescribed by the House Rules, I have considered Mr. Clarks claim of privilege and rejected it."

Thompson warned that Clark had "a very short time to reconsider and cooperate fully" before the panel weighed other punitive measures.

More: Jan. 6 committee subpoenas former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, accused of attempting to overturn 2020 election

More: Rep. Liz Cheney says Jan. 6 committee has conducted more than 150 interviews

Story continues

Clark's attorney, Harry MacDougald, declined comment Friday following the shortened House session. A source familiar with the matter confirmed that the panel had received MacDougald's letter outlining Clark's refusal to answer the committee's questions.

The contents of the letter were first reported by Politico.

Clark's action creates new drama for a committee which already has held former Trump adviser Steve Bannon in contempt for refusing to cooperate with the panel's request for testimony and documents.

The contempt citation was referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution, but there has been no public decision on whether federal authorities will pursue the case.

Trump also is pressing a lawsuit challenging the committee's request for documents, claiming the demand was "sweeping" in scope and violated his privilege authority. A ruling is pending in that case after a federal judge heard arguments Thursday.

For his part, Clark was featured prominently in a damning Senate Judiciary Committee report last month that found he attempted to countermand the top leaders at the department by drafting a letter to Georgia officials seeking to delay the state's certification of election results.

According to the Senate committee report, Clark sought to enlist then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen to assist in "Trumps election subversion scheme," telling Rosen that he would decline Trump's offer that he take Rosen's place if Rosen agreed to join.

The Senate report also recounted a contentious Jan. 3 Oval Office meeting when Richard Donoghue, then-acting deputy attorney general, warned that a mass resignation of Justice Department officials and federal prosecutors would follow if Trump moved to replace Rosen with Clark to aid the president's election subversion scheme.

During the three-hour meeting, then-White House counsel Pat Cipollone and deputy counsel Patrick Philbin also threatened to tender their resignations, reportedly calling Clark's efforts to pursue unfounded voter fraud allegations as murder-suicide pact.

Since Jan. 6, Trump and allies have repeatedly worked to downplay the violent events of that day, and criticized congressional efforts to investigate the violence at the Capitol. Trump has called the investigation "the Unselect Committees Witch Hunt on the events of January 6th."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeffrey Clark refuses to answer Jan 6 panel questions
The request and subsequent response from a longtime patient left Dr. Kavita Patel befuddled, frustrated and angry.

Earlier this week, Patel's patient lost her job and health insurance because she refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine as part of an employee mandate.

The patient asked if Patel could write an exemption to return to work. Patel refused and asked the patient, whom she treated for COVID in June 2020, why she was so adamant against a vaccine.

"She believes what her friends on social media told her that the vaccine will give her COVID," said an exasperated Patel, a physician and a fellow at the Brookings Institute. "I'm still trying to get through to her to reconsider!"

Patel is among the more than 500 U.S. public health care professionals battling the ongoing spread of COVID who signed a letter demanding Facebook disclose its data regarding disinformation about the virus and the vaccine. The letter, shared exclusively with USA TODAY, urges the tech giant to end a "national nightmare" and "go beyond providing select data points." The doctors pointedly say "the lack of shared data and transparency to researchers and the public is deadly."

The story of Carol and Karen: Two experimental Facebook accounts show how the company helped divide America

Could Facebook have done more? Facebook Papers reveal company knew it profited from sex trafficking but took limited action to stop it

"This deception must end now," the letter said. "So many deaths could have been prevented, and we must act with haste to prevent more, particularly with vaccines becoming imminently available for young children. We simply cannot afford another deadly round of covid and vaccine misinformation."

The letter comes a week after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg changed the parent company's name to Meta as a pivot toward the metaverse. Two months in the making, the doctors' letter further gained momentum following leaked documents provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen to the Securities and Exchange Commission and Congress about the harms caused on Facebook and Instagram, and its parent company's failure to take action.

Story continues

"The recent Facebook whistleblower disclosures have confirmed what many of us have suspected for a long time: that Facebook has repeatedly stonewalled the public, lawmakers and academics over the last 18 months despite having had "deep knowledge" about the scope and nature of COVID-19 and vaccine disinformation across its apps," the letter said.

The Backstory: 17 news orgs teamed up to examine the Facebook Papers. Here's what we found.

In this file photo illustration, a smart phone screen displays the logo of Facebook on a Facebook website background.

In an emailed statement, a Meta spokesperson said Friday that the company is working hard to distribute "reliable information," about COVID and that vaccine hesitancy among U.S. Facebook users has declined by about 50 percent since January.

"Tracking and sharing data on the prevalence of misinformation is difficult for any subject, but especially for COVID-19 where the facts and guidance about the pandemic are updated over time. This is why no major tech company releases this data," the spokesperson said. "Despite all of these complications, weve removed more than 20 million pieces of content that violate our COVID misinformation policies, permanently banned thousands of repeat offenders from our services, and connected more than 2 billion people to reliable information about COVID-19 and vaccines.

"We will continue our dedication to ensuring billions of people are getting reliable information about COVID-19 on our services," the Meta spokesperson concluded.

Yet, the disinformation on Facebook has been a nearly two-year battle for physicians on issues ranging from the debate over catching the virus to wearing masks to now whether or not to get a vaccine, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious diseases specialist and a clinical assistant professor of medicine at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine.

The doctors write in the letter that the "viral spread of lies and conspiracy theories online have led people to refuse safe and effective vaccines" and enabled a deadly wave of the Delta variant. Gounder cites a recent report from the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate that found a dozen accounts were responsible for 65% of the anti-vaccine misinformation spreading on Facebook and Twitter.

"Its beyond maddening when (misinformation) prevents you from doing your job because they keep parroting information that they see, and share, on Facebook," said Gounder who served as a coronavirus advisor for President Biden's transition team. "Facebook has become a threat to public health."

Talking Tech: Subscribe to USA TODAY's free weekly newsletter

Despite the heavy criticism, Zuckerberg wrote a post in March about Facebook's push to help 50 million people get vaccinated as the campaign began to expand in the U.S. and elsewhere globally. He also told his followers about a COVID information center and when and where to get vaccinated.

"The data shows the vaccines are safe and they work," Zuckerberg said. "They're our best hope for getting past this virus and getting back to normal life."

Nonetheless, the doctors' letter said that this "infodemic has polarized and politicized our societys dialogue." The misinformation on Facebook, the doctors write, has directly led to harassment and violence not only toward public health officials and healthcare professionals, but other frontline workers ranging from grocery store employees to airline staff.

The health care experts write that while Facebook claims it is taking responsible steps toward removing, labeling or down-ranking disinformation, it's far from enough.

One of Facebook's strategies is "not to engage but ignore," said Gounder, who testified before Congress in April about COVID misinformation. She added that while the U.S. is among the biggest exporters of misinformation and Facebook amplifies that, it's even worse in other countries that have less access to healthcare.

And as far as limiting the spread of health misinformation, Gounder believes Facebook also has "a moral and ethical obligation" to stakeholders and not just its shareholders.

Gounder said any product intervention by Facebook, including "hiring legions of people to take down stuff or creating AI to do it," would be cost-effective because any "real intervention" would reduce user engagement and cut company profit.

"They do things around the margins that have very minimal impact on its profits," Gounder said.

Her thoughts echo a request the doctors make at the letter's conclusion.

"Put saving lives ahead of a narrow-minded view of your business. Rather than allowing COVID to continue to kill us, help us bring this national nightmare to an

end," the letter said. "Facebook, disclose your data NOW."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Doctors: Facebook must stop 'viral spread' of COVID misinformation
Significant direct oversight of the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which provided more than $800 billion in forgivable loans to U.S. business during the pandemic, was placed in the hands of the community banks and lending institutions that issued the loans.

Jaime Wood, South Dakota director for the U.S. Small Business Administration, said the SBA has entrusted much of the vetting of PPP applications to the lending agencies that processed the loan applications and distributed the money. In many cases, those lenders had pre-existing relationships with borrowers who sometimes received large sums of money.

Jamie Wood

The lenders are responsible for confirming how many employees the applicant has, where the business is located and whether it is legally registered, among other things, Wood said.

Were heavily leaning on the input that the community lenders give, Wood said. Many businesses have accounts with these lenders already  and were pretty confident in the integrity of the Paycheck Protection Program.

PPP loans were designed to help businesses continue to pay expenses for employees and other costs during the major slowdown during the pandemic. Loans are forgivable if the money was shown to be used for the purposes outlined in the PPP application.

A South Dakota News Watch investigation published on Oct. 11 has raised questions about whether a business owned by Chris Cammack, son of Senate Majority Leader Gary Cammack, operated in South Dakota and had employees working there during the pandemic. Chris Cammack applied for and received more than $300,000 in PPP loans for Prairie Mountain Wildlife Studios, a business he said operates in Union Center, S.D., but which property records and legislative testimony by Chris Cammack indicate actually operates in Cypress, Texas.

Chris Cammack did not return calls and emails for comment for the Oct. 11 article and did not return a call or email seeking comment for this article.

Prairie Mountain Wildlife Studios in Union Center received a $153,600 PPP loan in April 2020 to protect 10 jobs with an annual payroll of $737,280 in 2019, according to SBA records on Federalpay.org.

Story continues

Chris Cammack's business in Texas, PM Wildlife Studios, received more than $480,000 in forgivable PPP loans in 2020 and 2021, at the same time his business in South Dakota, Prairie Mountain Wildlife Studios, received two PPP loans valued at more than $300,000.

The business in Union Center received a second PPP loan of $161,417 in January 2021, also to protect 10 jobs. Both loans were designed to cover payroll expenses, the records show.

Meanwhile, Chris Cammacks business called PM Wildlife Studios in Cypress, Texas, received a $241,600 PPP loan in April 2020 to cover payroll, utilities and mortgage interest, according to SBA records. That loan was to protect 25 jobs at an estimated annual 2019 payroll of $1.16 million.

PM Wildlife Studios in Texas then received a second PPP loan of $241,600 in January 2021 to cover payroll for 27 jobs at an estimated annual payroll of $1.16 million, according to Federalpay.org.

In South Dakota, through two rounds of PPP lending in 2020 and 2021, about 300 qualified SBA-approved lenders made more than 64,000 loans valued at $2.7 billion, according to federal records. Nationally, the PPP program that has now ended had nearly 12 million loans valued at almost $803 billion over 2020-21.

An SBA regional official said he was unable to discuss the PPP loans made to Cammack or any other individual applicant.

Chris Chavez, spokesman for the regional SBA office based in Denver, said the SBA takes any complaint of potential fraud very seriously. Chavez said in an email to News Watch that the SBA wants to hear from anyone who suspects fraud has been committed within the PPP program.

The SBA takes fraud seriously, and, as such, all applicants are required to provide certification of their eligibility upon application, Chavez wrote. Misrepresentation of eligibility is unlawful, and, when appropriate, these cases are referred to the Office of the Inspector General. The Office of Inspector General and the agencys federal partners are working diligently to resolve the fraud incidents. The SBA encourages anyone suspecting fraud or misuse of relief programs to visit sba.gov/fraud.

Chris Cammack is not known to be under investigation and has not been charged with any crime at this time.

Several criminal cases alleging criminal fraud in the PPP program have been filed by federal authorities.

According to the law firm Arnold & Porter, which is tracking COVID relief fraud, several criminal cases of PPP fraud are pending across the country. In one case, a Delaware woman was charged with inflating revenues and number of employees at her business to obtain $246,000 in PPP loans. In another case, a Tennessee man was charged with obtaining $6 million in PPP loans by inflating the revenues and number of employees at his company and then misusing the PPP funds to buy a home and a car.

Dave Kroll

Wood, SBA director in South Dakota, said she is not directly involved in auditing of applications or PPP loans awarded. While refusing to comment directly on the loans obtained by Chris Cammack, Wood said it was not uncommon for a business owner to live in one state and have businesses qualify for PPP loans in another state.

The lender on both PPP loans made to Cammacks business in South Dakota, and one of the PPP loans made to his business in Texas, was First Dakota National Bank. First Dakota is based in Yankton, S.D., and has branches in several South Dakota cities.

Dave Kroll, chief lending officer for First Dakota, said his institution made more than 4,000 PPP loans totaling more than $200 million.

Kroll said privacy laws prevent him from speaking about any specific loan or applicant.

Kroll said First Dakota is proud of its efforts to efficiently provide loans that helped businesses stay afloat during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Kroll said working with the rapidly changing rules of the PPP program and desire to distribute funds quickly created a hectic time for lenders.

Kroll said all PPP applicants were required to provide documentation of business location, operations and employment. In general, if the proper documentation was submitted, First Dakota approved the loans and distributed the federal funds.

Because of the nature of the program, we followed what was required, Kroll said. If they provided everything that was required, we certainly werent denying them access to the PPP program.

Kroll said First Dakota felt comfortable with the PPP loans it made because the bank followed program rules closely and in part because the bank knew many of its PPP customers through prior relationships.

As a whole, First Dakota does business in South Dakota largely with people we know, Kroll said. It was still a manual process, and I feel good in our due diligence in reviewing the PPP documents that were required.

Kroll said lenders and applicants who engaged in the PPP program were generally aware that much of the resulting loan information would be open to public review, as it would with any government program.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Federal government relied largely on local lenders to vet more than $800 billion in COVID-19 loans
House Republicans unveiled their proposed congressional map for Ohio.

Republicans in the Ohio House and Senate unveiled two different maps Wednesday for the state's 15 congressional districts. Both would leave Democrats with two safe seats despite voter-approved changes to curb gerrymandering.

And both maps would give all of Marion County a different representative in Congress.

Marion County is currently split between the 4th District, represented by Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, and the 12th District, represented by Troy Balderson, R-Zanesville.

The state is required to draw new Congressional district lines to coincide with data from the 2020 Census. Ohio is also going from 16 to 15 seats in Congress because its population did not grow as fast as several other states.

The House Republicans released a map that would place all of Marion County into the 9th District, which is currently represented by Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, but would likely be won by a Republican in the 2022 election based on demographics.

The Senate Republicans released a map that would place all of Marion County into the 5th District, currently represented by Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green.

Senate Republicans released a draft congressional map for Ohio's 15 congressional districts.

Both maps return Marion County to a single district instead of being split across two districts. Neither Jordan nor Balderson held an office in Marion, with Jordan's office in Bucyrus being the closest.

The Senate GOP map splits 14 counties, far fewer than the current congressional map, which divides 23 counties. Several counties must be divided because their populations exceed that of a congressional district.

Democrats and some non-partisan groups have criticized the proposed maps as being drawn to heavily favor Republicans.

Ohio's current congressional delegation includes 12 Republicans and four Democrats. Maps proposed by Ohio House Republicans and Ohio Senate Republicans could give the GOP as much as a 13-2 advantage. The Senate plan has more competitive districts than the House's, according to popular redistricting analysis website Dave's Redistricting App.

Story continues

See the House GOP map here and Senate GOP map here.

Both maps have changes that are likely to be nonstarters with legislative Democrats. For example, the 4th Congressional District represented by Jordan, of Urbana, would include Democratic strongholds in Columbus, such as Linden and Clintonville.

Jessie Balmert, a reporter for the USA Today Network Ohio Bureau, contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who will represent Marion County in Congress in 2023? not Jim Jordan
Over the past year, Yakima Herald-Republic has been checking in with Dr. Roy Simms of Community Health of Central Washington, who has been a pediatrician for 40 years. He discussed the recently approved pediatric COVID vaccine, its safety and what advice he has for parents.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A person traveling with President Joe Biden to Europe this past week received a positive test result for the coronavirus, the administration confirmed Thursday, saying the individual did not have close contact with the president.

The fully-vaccinated person is asymptomatic and is remaining in Scotland to quarantine while undergoing additional tests after testing positive on a lateral flow rapid test issued by the UK government required for all attendees at the UN climate summit underway in Scotland. Biden tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, the White House said.

Breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people are rare, but have occurred somewhat more frequently as the more transmissible delta variant of the virus has become the dominant strain in most of the world. The vaccines still dramatically reduce instances of serious illness and death.

The White House says out of an abundance of caution  and in a move above and beyond Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance  a few staff members who were in close contact with the individual did not return to the U.S. aboard Air Force One, and instead flew home on a different government plane.

Travelers with Biden on his five-day trip to Rome and Scotland were tested daily with a mix of rapid testing and more-accurate PCR tests.

The instance is not believed to be related to White House press secretary Jen Psaki's diagnosis with COVID-19. She stayed home from the foreign trip after a member of her household tested positive for the virus. She confirmed her diagnosis publicly on Sunday saying she had mild symptoms" and was continuing to work from home while waiting for the infection to pass.

Bloomberg first reported on the positive case.
Yankton, SD (57078)

Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 41F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 24F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Gusty winds diminishing during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.

Tomorrow

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Archbishop Geoge Lucas (Archdiocese of Omaha), Bishop James D. Conley (Diocese of Lincoln) and Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt (Diocese of Grand Island) issued a joint statement regarding the attorney generals report. In it they said, We acknowledge with sadness that so many innocent minors and young adults were harmed by Catholic clergy and other representatives of the Church. It is clear that the hurt is still felt, even if the abuse was perpetrated many years ago. We apologize to the victims and their families for the pain, betrayal and suffering that never should be experienced in the Church. This report also points out mistakes made in the way dioceses received, reported and responded to allegations of sexual abuse in the past. We have been committed in recent years to comprehensive measures to protect young people and vulnerable adults, preventing abuse, offering healing for past victims of abuse and fully cooperating with civil authorities in these matters. We have made our own public disclosures of offending clergy. Anyone who believes that a member of the clergy, church worker or church volunteer has engaged in inappropriate conduct with a minor should contact law enforcement and the Victim Assistance Coordinator of the Diocese when the conduct occurred.
New Delhi: The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has announced the line-up for Indian Panorama segment films for the year 2021, and once again the regional-language movies have dominated the segment. The nine-day film gala will be organised in a hybrid format - virtual and physical - from November 20 to 28.

The organisers have picked up 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films for screening under the Indian Panorama segment, a press release stated. Acclaimed Filmmaker and actor SV Rajendra Singh Babu headed the jury that picked the movies for the feature category from a wide pool of 221 contemporary Indian films. Filmmaker Aimee Baruah's Dimasa-language movie 'Semkhor' will be the opening feature film.

India's entry for the 2022 Academy Awards, Tamil movie 'Koozhangal', will be screened in the category, which is dominated by Marathi and Bengali movies. Actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay's directorial "Abhijaan" is among the five Bengali movies, while Marathi films include features like "Godavari", "Funeral" and "Bittersweet". There are four Kannada movies in the segment as well. Hindi-language movies are "Eight Down Toofaan Mail" and "Alpha Beta Gamma", besides two Malayalam films.

For the non-feature category, director Rajiv Parkash's "Ved?The Visionary" will serve as the opening movie.

A jury headed by documentary filmmaker S. Nallamuthu considered 203 contemporary Indian non-feature films before picking the final 20.

The list includes seven Hindi films such as "Bharat, Prakriti Ka Balak", "Teen Adhyay", "Jugalbandi" and "The Knocker". It also has three English movies, along with two Bengali and one film each from Assamese, Garhwali, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, Manipuri, Santali and Tamil languages.

According to the organisers, the package of films exemplifies the capacity of "our emerging and established filmmakers to document, investigate, entertain and also reflect contemporary Indian values".

The 52nd edition of International Film Festival of India is being organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the Goa government.
Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgn

Ratings: 3.5/5 Stars

After almost 2 years, the audience gets to finally witness Rohit Shetty's cop universe with Sooryavanshi. Akshay Kumar anchors this mega-ship as DCP Veer Sooryavanshi, who is the best we have. He plans, jumps, executes and marvels at everything he does. He is basically, what we all dream and want our desi hero to be.

The basic plot moves ahead with a flashback to the 1993 Mumbai attacks and how a massive terror attack is on the anvil as several sleeper cells seem activated in the city. Enter at the right time, Mr Veer Sooryavanshi aka Khiladi Akshay Kumar, who as a committed and dedicated cop tries his best to nip the bud of such terror planning.

Katrina Kaif plays Ria Sooryavanshi, Veer's wife and the duo has a son named Aryan. The reel chemistry between Akshay and Kat is refreshing and they complement each other in that space. A few happy songs and heart-thumping music in the background does add to the feel of the genre.

Well, in a Rohit Shetty film, you can't possibly forget to mention the flying cars, screeching bullet sounds and some jaw-dropping action sequences keeping you glued for over 2 hours. So yes all of that is there - but the screenplay could have been tighter with some focus on making it appear more real than overtly dramatic.

With some loaded dialogues like 'Jis goli se tu marega uske upar aisa bade mein likha hoinga ... Made in India' and 'Mumbai police passport pe religion dekhkar goli nahi chalati ... criminal record dekhkar thokti hai', you know it's an Akshay Kumar brand of cinema you are watching. For others, the script could look predictable and far too stretched.

The cherry on the cake is coming together of Singham Ajay Devgn, Simmba Ranveer Singh and Sooryavanshi Akshay Kumar in the high-octane actioner. The shot where these 3 muskteers walk together with Katrina Kaif calls for a freeze-frame.

The supporting cast including Kumud Mishra as mastermind Bilal, Jackie Shroff as Lashkar chief Omar Hafiz, Abhimanyu Singh, Mrunal Jain, Gulshan Grover, Nikitin Dheer and Sikander Kher have delivered noteworthy performances.

All in all, the highs are more than the lows and this is a mass entertainer we all needed to watch on the big screens after the lockdown restrictions were eased.

Watch out as 'Aa Rahi Hai Police'!
NEW DELHI: As the festivities for Diwali concluded with much pomp and glory, millions of Hindus across India will soon be celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters on Bhai Dooj, which will fall on November 6, just two days after Diwali.

As mentioned, Bhai Dooj is celebrated annually to mark the bond between brothers and sisters. Sounds familiar, right? That's because while there are festivals of different importance all over the world but those that celebrate the sacred and auspicious bond of brothers and sisters are few like, Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan.

What many might find puzzling is that when there already is Raksha Bandhan, then what makes Bhai Dooj so significant when it comes to celebrating sibling love? And also, what's the difference between Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj?For starters, both occasions have different origins in holy texts.

The origins of Rakshabandhan can be found during the events of the Mahabharata. Legend dictates that when Lord Krishna accidentally nicked his finger on his 'sudarshan chakra', Princess Draupadi tore a piece of her saree and tied it to his finger to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna was so touched by this gesture that he vowed to always protect and cherish her.

Whereas, Bhai Dooj has two origin stories. The first legend narrates that after slaying the evil demon Narakasura, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied tilak on Krishna's forehead.

The other story is that Yamraj, God of Death, had gone to visit his twin sister, Yamuna. In return, she welcomed him with a tilak ceremony, garlanded him and fed him special dishes. They dined together after a long time and exchanged gifts.

Hence on Bhai Dooj, the aarti and tika play a huge part, whereas, on Raksha Bandhan, a sacred thread is tied on the brother's hand. The tying of Rakhi symbolizes the promise of a brother to protect and safeguard his sister from all evil forces. While on Bhai Dooj, with the tika put on the brother's forehead, the sister vows to protect her brother from any evil at all costs.

Though the application of tilak is a common ritual in both Bhai Dooj and Rakhi celebrations, it holds a special significance during the festival of Bhai Dooj.

Further, while Raksha Bandhan is not limited to celebrating only between brothers and sisters. It can be performed between sisters, only brothers, and friends as well. On the other hand, Bhai Dooj is especially for the brother-sister duo.

Another key difference among the festivals is that, as per the Hindu calendar, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon of the Savan month of the Hindu year. The month of Savan is considered an auspicious period among the Hindus and Lord Shiva is worshipped every Monday during this entire time.

Bhai Dooj, which is also known as Sodara Bidige in Karnataka, Bhai Phota in Bengal, Bhai-Beej in Gujarat and Bhau Beej in Maharashtra, is observed on the second lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the Kartika month of Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar. The occasion marks the last day of the five-day-long celebrations of Diwali or the Tihar festival.

With all these stories, rituals, facts, and legends associated with Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj, you should be able to distinguish between the two festivals. With only a day left for Bhai Dooj, choose the best and truly special present for your siblings or cousins and surprise them with memories to cherish for a lifetime.
New Delhi: Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-led government, on Friday (November 5), announced a cut in value-added tax (VAT) charged on petrol and diesel by Rs 5.20 per litre each. The decision was taken two days after the Central government announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10, respectively.

The step was taken in a state government's Cabinet meeting, post which Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the state government had already slashed VAT on petrol from 31.62 per cent or Rs 17.60 per litre to 20 per cent, and from 22.59 per cent or Rs 12.50 per litre to 12 per cent on diesel in February 2021.

With today's decision, we have further reduced the tax percentage on petrol from 20 per cent to 13.5 per cent per litre and from 12 per cent to 5 per cent per litre for diesel. The amount, if converted to cash, comes to Rs 5.20 per litre for both petrol and diesel. After reduction of VAT on the prices of both the fuels, Meghalaya will have the lowest price of petrol and diesel in the country, the deputy chief minister claimed.

In line with the advice of the Government of India, the state government has decided that further reduction on the prices of petrol and diesel has to be implemented immediately from Friday midnight, he said.

In response to a media query, Tynsong said that following the decision to cuts its share of taxes on fuel, the state will incur a revenue loss of about Rs 100 crore for the next five months from November to March 31, 2022. Also Read: Elon Musk's Starlink to collaborate with Indian telcos for broadband service

Right now the government has taken serious note of this and discussion is going on with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and once we have our depot, we will roughly benefit by another 1.5 to 2 per cent, he added. Also Read: Cairn Energy changes its name to Capricorn Energy

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: Five people allegedly robbed Rs 2 crore cash and jewellery from a businessman's house in Delhi's Paschim Vihar area, said the police.

According to the police, a PCR call was made by complainant Harmeet Arora at 6 pm on Tuesday about the robbery.

As per the police, five people were involved in the robbery including two maids who had conspired to the entire robbery plan with the help of three other male friends.

The accused robbed the house after threatening Harmeet Arora and tied her up along with her son in the house, stated the police.

READ | Three men enter hardware store, open fire and flee with cash leaving shopkeeper injured in Delhi

A case has been registered under Section 392, Section 397, Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code by Police Station Paschim Vihar East, said the police.

The suspects are yet to be identified. An investigation into the matter is underway.

Live TV
A trial of Pfizer Inc's experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 was stopped early after the drug was shown to cut by 89% the chances of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of developing severe disease, the company said on Friday (November 5). The results appear to surpass those seen with Merck & Co Inc's pill, molnupiravir, which was shown last month to halve the likelihood of dying or being hospitalized for COVID-19 patients also at high risk of serious illness. Full trial data is not yet available from either company.

Pfizer shares surged 11% to $48.55, while those of Merck fell 8.5% to $82.80. Shares of vaccine makers also took a hit, with Moderna Inc, Pfizer`s German partner BioNTech SE and Novavax all down nearly 7%. Pfizer said it plans to submit interim trial results for its pill, which is given in combination with an older antiviral called ritonavir, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of the emergency use application it opened in October.

That filing is expected to be submitted before Thanksgiving, Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said in an interview with CNBC. The combination treatment, which will have the brand name Paxlovid, consists of three pills given twice daily. The planned analysis of 1,219 patients in Pfizer`s study looked at hospitalizations or deaths among people diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 with at least one risk factor for developing severe disease, such as obesity or older age.

It found that 0.8% of those given Pfizer's drug within three days of symptom onset were hospitalized and none had died by 28 days after treatment. That compared with a hospitalization rate of 7% for placebo patients. There were also seven deaths in the placebo group. Rates were similar for patients treated within five days of symptoms - 1% of the treatment group was hospitalized, compared with 6.7% for the placebo group, which included 10 deaths. Bourla said that works out to being 85% effective.

The data compared favorably to Merck's oral antiviral in a similar patient population, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Louise Chen said in a note.

With the virus still circulating widely and current therapeutic options requiring access to a healthcare facility, antiviral treatments that can be taken at home to keep people with COVID-19 out of the hospital are critically needed, Chen said. Antivirals need to be given as early as possible, before an infection takes hold, in order to be most effective. Merck tested its drug within five days of symptom onset.

"We saw that we did have high efficacy, even if it was five days after a patient has been treated ... people might wait a couple of days before getting a test or something, and this means that we have time to treat people and really provide a benefit from a public health perspective," Annaliesa Anderson, head of the Pfizer program, told Reuters. The company did not detail side effects of the treatment, but said adverse events happened in about 20% of both treatment and placebo patients. Ritonavir's possible side effects include nausea and diarrhea.

"These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations," Bourla said in a statement.

Pfizer said it was currently expecting to produce more than 180,000 packs by the end of 2021 and at least 50 million packs by the end of 2022, of which 21 million would be produced in the first half.

Infectious disease experts stress that preventing COVID-19 through wide use of vaccines remains the best way to control the pandemic, but only 58% of Americans are fully vaccinated and access in many parts of the world is limited. Pfizer's drug, part of a class known as protease inhibitors, is designed to block an enzyme the coronavirus needs in order to multiply. Merck's molnupiravir has a different mechanism of action designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus. Merck has already sold millions of courses of the treatment, which was approved this week by U.K. regulators, to the United States, the U.K. and others. Britain said earlier this month it had secured 250,000 courses of Pfizer's antiviral.

Pfizer is also studying whether its pill could be used by people without risk factors for serious COVID-19 as well as to prevent coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus.

Live TV
Sameer Wankhede, who has been spearheading the drugs case of Aryan Khan, has been dropped from the investigation team. As per a report on NDTV, a Special Investigation Team led by Sanjay Singh, will take over the case.

Wankhede has been facing allegations of Rs 8 crore payoff and extortion.

NCP leader Nawab Malik also tweeted the news. He wrote, "Sameer Wankhede removed from 5 cases including the Aryan Khan case. There are 26 cases in all that need to be probed. This is just the beginning... a lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it."

Sameer Wankhede removed from 5 cases including the Aryan Khan case.

There are 26 cases in all that need to be probed.

This is just the beginning... a lot more has to be done to clean this system and we will do it.  Nawab Malik     (@nawabmalikncp) November 5, 2021

READ | Will give 3 days notice before arresting Sameer Wankhede: Maharashtra govt tells High Court

The role of Wankhede came under scanner when a witness in the case--Prabhakar Sail--alleged that Wankhede could be a part of the payoff trail.

The NCB has said that Wankhede will continue to operate as the Zonal Director of the agency.

NCB officials told PTI that the drugs case is among six cases transferred to Delhi operations unit of NCB from Mumbai.

Mumbai | Total 6 cases of our zone will now be investigated by Delhi teams (of NCB), including Aryan Khan's case and 5 other cases. It was an administrative decision: Mutha Ashok Jain, Deputy DG, South-Western Region, NCB (File photo) pic.twitter.com/vmjP65YOOv  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

According to ANI sources, the Mumbai NCB team under Wankhede will also not be probing the case against Sameer Khan, son-in-law of Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik.

Speaking to ANI, NCB Deputy Director South-Western Region General Mutha Ashok Jain said a total of six cases including Aryan Khan`s case and 5 others of the Mumbai zone will be now investigated by teams from Delhi. "It was an administrative decision," Jain said.

Meanwhile, Wankhede said that he has not been removed from the investigation and it was his writ petition in court that the matter be probed by a central agency. "I have not been removed from the investigation. It was my writ petition in court that the matter be probed by a central agency. So Aryan case and Sameer Khan case are being probed by Delhi NCB's SIT. It is in coordination between NCB teams of Delhi and Mumbai," he told ANI.

The team of Delhi NCB is arriving in Mumbai tomorrow.

Earlier on Tuesday, Wankhede said, "The drug mafia is trying to frame him and his family in false cases."

He has been accused of extortion and forging documents to secure a government job.

Nawab Malik had alleged that Wankhede was born a Muslim but he forged documents, including a caste certificate, to pass off as a Scheduled Caste (SC) person to get recruitment under quota after clearing the UPSC exams.

Live TV
Washington: China has been taking "incremental and tactical actions" to press its claims at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India and has unsuccessfully sought to prevent New Delhi from deepening its relationship with the US during and subsequent to the standoff, the Pentagon has said in a major report on China's military modernisation.

The Pentagon report comes amid heightened tensions between the US and China over the issue of Taiwan and was published hours after the most senior US General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley issued a stark warning about China's military progress. The Pentagon has repeatedly referred to China as the "pacing challenge" for the US.

"The PRC (People's Republic of China) seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the United States. PRC officials have warned US officials to not interfere with the PRC's relationship with India," the Department of Defense told the US Congress on Wednesday.

The Pentagon regularly reports to the Congress on the India-Chinese military standoff in eastern Ladakh. The Department of Defense has categorically said China is indulging in aggressive and coercive behaviour with its neighbours, India in particular.

Chinese officials, through official statements and state media, had also sought unsuccessfully to prevent India from deepening its relationship with the United States during and subsequent to the standoff, while accusing India of being a mere 'instrument' of US Policy in the region, the Pentagon said.

Beginning in May 2020, the Chinese Army launched incursions into customarily Indian-controlled territory across the border and has concentrated troops at several standoff locations along the LAC, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said despite the ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues to reduce border tensions, China has continued "taking incremental and tactical actions" to press its claims at the LAC.

As of June 2021, China and India continue to maintain large-scale deployments along the LAC and make preparations to sustain these forces while disengagement negotiations have made limited progress, it said.

In addition, a substantial reserve force from the Tibet and Xinjiang Military Districts were deployed to the interior of Western China to provide a rapid response, the Pentagon report said.

The acute tensions and clashes along the border with India in 2020 resulted in significant PLA force buildup and establishment or enforcement of forward positions along the LAC. "These tensions likely provided the PLA with valuable real-world operational and tactical experience," it said.

According to the report, at the height of the border standoff between China and India in 2020, the Chinese Army installed a fiber optic network in remote areas of the western Himalayas to provide faster communications and increased protection from foreign interception.

The PLA field commanders view near-real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and situational data as well as redundant and reliable communications as essential to streamlining decision making processes and shortening response timelines, it said.

The June 2020 skirmish in Galwan Valley, which led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, marked the first loss of life on the LAC since 1975.

In February 2021, China's Central Military Commission (CMC) announced posthumous awards for four PLA soldiers, though the total number of Chinese casualties remains unknown, it said.

In 2020, China built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Chinese Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh state in the eastern sector of the LAC.

"These and other infrastructure development efforts along India-China have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media," the Pentagon said.

In contrast, China has attempted to blame India for provoking the standoff through India's increased infrastructure development near the LAC, the report said.

Asserting that its deployments to the LAC were in response to Indian provocation, Beijing has refused to withdraw forces till India's forces have withdrawn behind the Chinese version of the LAC and ceased infrastructure improvements in the area, the Pentagon said.

As the standoff continues, China has expressed its aim to prevent the standoff from worsening into a wider military conflict, the report said, adding that Beijing has voiced its intent to return bilateral relations with New Delhi to a state of economic and diplomatic cooperation it had perceived to be improving since the 2017 Doklam standoff.

China's state-controlled media forcefully asserted China's intent to refuse any territorial concessions demanded by India.

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 and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February.

However, India and China failed to make any headway at their 13th round of military talks on October 10 in resolving the standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.

India has voiced hope that China will work with it to bring a satisfactory resolution to the current issues, keeping in view each other's sensitivities and interests.
New Delhi: The Delhi Fire Service on Friday (November 5) said it received 152 fire-related calls on Diwali, which was less than 25 per cent from last year and the lowest so far on the festival. Director of Delhi Fire Service, Atul Garg said that no major fire incident or casualty was reported.

As per the fire department, only four Out of the 152 fire-related calls were suspected due to crackers while other calls were related to short-circuit, fire in the garbage, and lighting of earthen lamps.

"There has been no major fire-related incident this Diwali and no casualty was reported due to fire. In total, we received 152 calls which is less than 25 per cent from last year and the lowest so far on Diwali," Garg added. Last year on Diwali, the fire department had responded to 205 fire-related calls, said officials.

Around 3,000 firefighters were on duty for the last two days and Delhi Fire Service teams were deployed in over 30 specific locations across the capital to tackle any incident, informed the fire department.

Fire tenders were deployed at 22 locations across the national capital including Bara Tooti Chowk, Tilak Nagar, Lajpat Nagar (Central Market), Lal Kuan Chowk, Lahori Gate, Nangloi, South Extension, Sonia Vihar, Mehrauli, Ghitorni metro station, among others.

Following the celebrations of the festival, the air quality in various parts of the National Capital Region deteriorated as it entered the `severe` category on Friday (November 5) morning.

As per the Ministry Earth Sciences` SAFAR-India application, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Noida slipped to the `severe` category.

Meanwhile, Mumbai received only 33 calls specifically related to firecracker bursting on Diwali night.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
Ghaziabad: Diwali turned into a night of horror for an elderly couple at Patel Nagar in Ghaziabad. The aged duo were brutally murdered, battered to death in their house, police said on Friday (Novmber 5). The matter came to light when one of their daughters living in Noida called them up repeatedly and finding no response from them, alerted her parent's neighbours, City Superintendent of Police (II) Nipun Agarwal said.

He added that on reaching the couple's residence, the neighbours found its doors ajar with the bodies of 72-year-old medicine dealer Ashok Zaidka and his wife Madhu Zaidka lying in a pool of blood inside the house. The neighbours, in turn, informed the police who rushed to the spot and sent the bodies for post mortem, the SP said. Agarwal said the couple had been battered to death by a blunt object at around 9 pm on Diwali night.

Also read: 32 students get ill after mid-day meal in Telangana

The ornaments and the cash in the house, however, were found intact in the almirah and clothes were lying scattered in the room, the SP said, adding it prima facie seems that the assailants were searching something in the house and their purpose was not robbery.

Police are working on several angles to unveil the murders mystery, he said, adding even Meerut range IG Praveen Kumar visited the spot.

(With Agency inputs)

Live TV
The morning after Diwali didn't look like a very happy one for the residents of Delhi-NCR. At least, environmentally. A thick blanket of toxic smog engulfed the entire region, as the Delhi government's 'cracker ban' on Diwali literally went up in smoke.

According to a report in Reuters, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital surged to 451 on a scale of 500 - the maximum recorded this year - indicating "severe" conditions that affect healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases. All the neighbouring areas - Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida also recorded 'severe' air quality.

But what's more worrying is that this isn't new. Is this not going on for a little too long now? Every year, we end up in the same space which is followed - and preceded - by the same set of arguments. Why blame only the crackers when there are vehicles adding to the pollution, when there's stubble burning and of course, the fact that bursting crackers is an inseparable part of Diwali festivities and banning them is being 'anti-Hindu'.

Let's take the last point first. Because festivals are all about emotions, and we Indians take our festivals very seriously. Believed to be the world's oldest religion by many scholars, Hinduism is known to have roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Whereas, firecrackers are said to have made their way into India only in the 13th century. In History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900, published in 1950, late historian P.K. Gode in his account stated, The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare."

We have no proof that people of Ayodhya had burnt fireworks on the arrival of Lord Rama, but there's scriptural evidence that joyous people lit diyas. It is said that it was the Chinese alchemists who accidentally discovered gunpowder - key ingredient of fireworks - between 10th and 11th century while the use of firecrackers flourished in the Mughal reign in India. So, it's definitely a far more 'current' trend and does not attack the sentiments of a religion as old as Hinduism.

But yes, we have been bursting crackers for a long time, nevertheless, on Diwali. However, times change. The world has changed and so has its air. The pollution level in the capital and several other cities in India (and around the world) are in such precarious state that they pose a severe health threat to the coming generation.

Now coming to the part of depriving children the 'fun'. Yes, we might have had fun bursting crackers while we were children, but we were deprived of several joys that kids today have and we have survived. And so will the children, literally, even if they are 'deprived' of the 'joys' of cracker bursting. A healthy planet that lets them breathe and grow into healthy adults, and see kids of their own - of course if they chose to - this would be far more joyous for them than the temporary high of firecrackers. We lived in a different time and we did not know better. Now that we know how toxic this pollution can be, are we going to sit by and watch our children inhale this air?

Pollution is definitely caused by stubble burning in the capital. Vehicular and industrial emission are also important factors and should be addressed with equal seriousness. But dismissing one valid issue by pointing at other existing problems, won't lead us to any solution.

The farmers need to stop burning stubbles and for that, the governments need to help them with adequate infrastructure. A future should be envisioned with clean fuel and electric cars in mind. Parents also need to understand it's essential to pass on the right message to children. Say no to crackers for the kids' sake. No one issue is responsible for the hazardous air, but we need to be worried. Very worried. And we all need act and do out bit.

Here's wishing light and joy!

Live TV
New Delhi: The Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan will be held on November 10, Russia, Iran and Central Asian countries have confirmed their presence. India is hosting the meeting and will be chaired by National security advisor Ajit Doval.

Sources told WION that, "There has been an overwhelming response to Indias invitation" ,calling the "high-level participation" in the meet hosted by New Delhi reflective of "widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other. India has an important role to play in this process."

Importantly for the first time, all central Asian countries will be present at the meet, not just countries like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan who share land border with Afghanistan. Sources explained, "The enthusiastic response is a manifestation of the importance attached to Indias role in regional efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan."

For central Asian countries, concerns of a spillover from Afghanistan have been increasing, and they have been raising the matter in multiple ways. Last month Russia hosted a meet on Afghanistan in which India was invited. The "Moscow format" meet on Afghanistan has been taking place for last few years and this was the first since the collapse of Afghan republic under President Ashraf Ghani.

The meet comes months after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August. Since then, situation has deteriorated in the country and worries mounted over worsening humanitarian situation. In the past 2 meeting under the current NSA format has met in Iran, in September 2018 and December 2019. The 3rd such meet was to take place in India but that could not happen due to pandemic.

China has not responded yet to India's invite while Pakistan's National security Advisor Mooed Yusuf has publicly announced he will not participate terming India as "spoiler". Asked on Pakistan's decision, sources said, "Pakistans decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate. Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format", adding the "media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan."

Pakistan has also not yet responded to Indian proposal to send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan via Wagha border. Islamabad has been backing Taliban to the hilt and working on at international floras to get the govt under the grouping legitimacy. Pakistan Foreign Minister SM Qureshi had recently visited Kabul and engaged with top Taliban leadership.

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Dehradun airport on Friday (November 5, 2021). PM Modi is going to offer prayers at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand and inaugurate Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi, which has been reconstructed after its destruction in 2013 Uttarakhand floods.

PM Modi was received by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami at the airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Dehradun airport, to proceed to Kedarnath to offer prayers at the shrine and inaugurate Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi The PM was received by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami (Pic source: CMO) pic.twitter.com/wA1HFgZquz  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

Meanwhile, preparations are underway at the Kedarnath shrine ahead of PM Modi's visit. Take a look:

Preparations underway at Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit today. PM will offer prayers at the shrine, inaugurate Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi & unveil their statue. pic.twitter.com/kYd6tz0CuX  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

PM Modi will also inaugurate key infrastructure projects worth Rs 130 crores, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.

PM Modi is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for multiple projects in the hill state and address a public rally during his visit to the shrine. His visit comes ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls in the state.

This will be the prime minister's second visit to the temple during his term; the last time he visited the Kedarnath temple was in 2019.

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Kedarnath Temple on Friday (November 5, 2021). PM Modi will reach the hill state on Friday morning to offer prayer at the temple and inaugurate the reconstructed samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya.

The prime minister will also unveil a statue of the seer at the temple premises and review the ongoing construction works.

The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 Uttarakhand floods.

Bagish Ling, a priest of Kedarnath Temple, in an interview with ANI said, "We will all welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi will reach here in the morning. He will do the Maha Rudra Abhishek and pray for the welfare of the nation. He will also unveil the statue of Adi Shankaracharya. The temple has been decorated with flowers."

PM Narendra Modi will reach Uttarakhand at 6.30 am on November 5, said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, Dhami said, "The Samadhi site of Adi Guru Shankaracharya has been completed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it tomorrow. Along with this, Saraswati Ghat, the residence of the pilgrimage priests, has also been ready, which will be dedicated tomorrow. PM will reach here at 6:30 am."

This will be PM Modi's second visit to the temple during his term; the last time he visited the Kedarnath temple was in 2019.

Following this, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate key infrastructure projects worth Rs 130 crores, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for multiple projects in the hill state and address a public rally during his visit to the shrine.

Meanwhile, ahead of PM Modi`s visit to Uttarakhand and on the occasion of Diwali, the Kedarnath Temple was illuminated with colourful lighting on Thursday evening and the `Aarti` was performed at Kedarnath Temple. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Dr. S S Sandhu visited the Shri Kedar Nath Dham site to review preparations today. He took stock of the ongoing reconstruction works in the Dham and gave necessary directions to the subordinate officers to finalise the preparations.

On Diwali, PM Modi met soldiers at the Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir and lauded the role played by the brigade there in surgical strikes. India had conducted surgical strikes on September 29, 2016, across the Line of Control as a response to a terrorist attack on an Army base in the Uri sector.

PM Modi also distributed sweets among army soldiers on the occasion of Diwali and interacted with them. The Prime Minister also honoured and interacted with Army veterans at Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir. While addressing the soldiers, he lauded them for their effort in protecting the Indian borders and said that they are the "suraksha kawach" (armour) of the nation. Earlier in the day, he paid tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

On the other hand, many world leaders also extended greetings on the occasion of Diwali. Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett wished his "friend" and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Diwali. "Happy Diwali to my friend Narendra Modi and to all the people celebrating in India and around the world," he said in a tweet.

US President Joe Biden also extended greetings to people celebrating the festivals of Diwali all around the world. "May the light of Diwali remind us that from the darkness there is knowledge, wisdom, and truth. From division, unity. From despair, hope," Biden said in a tweet.

"To Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists celebrating in America and around the world - from the People's House to yours, Happy Diwali," the tweet added.

Live TV
Kedarnath: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (November 5) inaugurated re-development projects worth Rs 130 cr at Kedarnath including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.

Addressing the function, the Prime Minister said, "A number of infrastructure works are planned for Uttarakhand including road connectivity to Char Dhams and ropeway near Hemkund Sahib to facilitate devotees."

He said, "This decade belongs to Uttarakhand. In the next 10 years, the state will receive more tourists than it did in the last 100 years."

"There was a time when spirituality and religion were believed to be associated only with stereotypes. But, Indian philosophy talks about human welfare, sees life in a holistic manner. Adi Shankaracharya worked to make the society aware about this truth," said PM Modi.

There was a time when spirituality and religion were believed to be associated only with stereotypes. But, Indian philosophy talks about human welfare, sees life in a holistic manner. Adi Shankaracharya worked to make the society aware about this truth: PM Modi at Kedarnath pic.twitter.com/qhozsmNnn9  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

He also referred to the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya and said "A grand Ram Temple is being constructed in Ayodhya. Recently, Deepotsav was celebrated there. Work on Kashi Vishwanath corridor project in Varanasi is also progressing rapidly....Now, the country aims high and also sets a time limit to achieve these aims."

The Prime Minister said, "You all are witness to the inauguration of Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi here today. His devotees are present here in spirit," adding "All maths and 'jyotirlingas' in the country are connected with us today."

"After the 2013 destruction, people used to think if Kedarnath could be redeveloped. But a voice within me always told me that Kedarnath will be redeveloped again," ANI quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

PM Modi further said, "I have regularly reviewed redevelopment works at Kedarnath from Delhi. I reviewed the progress of different works being carried out here through drone footage. I want to thank all 'rawals' here for their guidance for these works."

Earlier today, the Prime Minister unveiled the statue of Adi Shankaracharya at the premises of the Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag district. The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 Uttarakhand floods.

Prior to the inauguration, the Prime Minister offered prayers and performed `aarti` at the ancient temple, and walked to the "Bheem Shila" behind the temple. The huge rock had rolled down the mountains during the June 2013 deluge and stopped right behind the temple and is credited for protecting it from the disaster.

Located on the bank of the Mandakini river, Kedarnath Temple is the of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as `Char Dham` which also include Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath.

Built-in the 8th century AD by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya, Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Work on the Shankaracharya statue, weighing around 35 tonnes, had begun in 2019. Its unveiling was streamed live at 12 jyotirlingas, four mutts or monasteries established by the eighth-century seer, his birthplace and a number of prominent temples across the country.

The prime minister sat in meditation at the foot of the statue for a while before taking a walk around Kedarpuri to review the reconstruction work carried out over the last few years.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) were also in Kedarnath along with the PM, whose visit came a day ahead of the Himalayan temple's closure for winter on Saturday.

PM Modi was received at the Dehradun airport in the morning by the governor and the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues Subodh Uniyal and Ganesh Joshi, besides Assembly Speaker Premchand Aggarwal.

Kedarpuri reconstruction is considered the prime minister's dream project whose progress is reviewed personally by him at regular intervals. His visit comes ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls in the state.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
Chandigarh: The windshield of BJP MP Ram Chander Jangra's car was smashed after some miscreants allegedly threw lathis on the vehicle during a protest by farmers over his visit to Haryana's Hisar district on Friday. However, no one was hurt in the incident that the minister described as "a clear murder attempt".

Farmers protesting against the Centre's three farm laws enacted last year have been opposing programmes of leaders of Haryana's ruling BJP and Jannayak Janta Party. A group of protesters carrying black flags blocked Jangra's route in Hisar's Narnaund, according to police. Later, the road was cleared, allowing the Rajya Sabha MP to proceed, the police said.

Jangra said police officials informed him that two people have been arrested in connection with the incident. "After concluding my programme, I was on my way to attend another function when some miscreants threw lathis on my car, leaving it damaged. No one was hurt," Jangra told reporters.

READ | Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reaches Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur to meet family of dead farmer

He was sitting in the back seat of the car. "I spoke to Haryana DGP and the SP regarding this incident. I have demanded strict punishment as per law against the culprits. This is a clear murder attempt," the MP said.

"I was going to attend two more programmes in Narwana and Uchana. As my car was damaged, I had to cancel the visits," Jangra said.

"I was attending a social function. It was not a political function. Will they (farmers) oppose social functions too?" he asked.

Hundreds of farmers are encamped at Delhi borders since November last year demanding that the government repeal the three agri laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

They claim that these laws will leave them at the mercy of corporates. They are also demanding a new law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The Centre, which has held 11 rounds of talks with farmers to break the deadlock, has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer.

Live TV
New Delhi: Karnataka on Friday (November 5,2021) withdrew night curfew imposed from 10 pm to 5 am which is imposed as a mwasure to check the spread of coronavirus cases in the state. The night curfew was imposed from July 3 onwards at the end of the two-month lockdown when the second wave hit the state starting from the April-end.

The new SOPs were issued by the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department. In a statement issued by the Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar on November 5, the order states: Night curfew, which is being imposed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., is herewith withdrawn.

Karnataka government withdraws night curfew that was enforced due to COVID19 pic.twitter.com/KJ4ar6BnA7  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

Also, the order gave nod for horse racing. The order read: "Number of racing patrons attending horse racing shall be strictly as per the seating capacity of the venue and only fully vaccinated people with COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed entry into such premises."

Night curfew was in force in Karnataka for the past few months following the second wave of COVID-19. As there has been a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases, the government has decided to withdraw the night curfew.

The state reported 261 fresh COVID-19 cases, five deaths and 8,267 active cases on Thursday.

Live TV
New Delhi: PB Fintech Limited, the parent company of online insurance aggregator PolicyBazaar and credit comparison portal Paisabazaar, opened its initial public offer (IPO) for subscriptions on November 1 for three days till November 3. Investors who had subscribed to the offer must be willing to check PolicyBazaar IPO allotment status.

The IPO was overall subscribed 16.59 times on the last day of subscription on Wednesday, November 3. National Stock Exchange data points out that the issue received bids for 57,23,84,100 shares against 3,45,12,186 shares on offer.

The share allotment process is expected to be completed by next week and investors will be able to check PolicyBazaar IPO status starting from November 10, 2021. Retail investors are expected to receive the equity shares in their Demat accounts on Friday, November 12.

Steps to check PolicyBazaar IPO allotment status:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the official registrar for the IPO, which is Link Intime India Private Limited in this case.

Step 2: Select PB Fintech Limited from the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Enter your PAN Card and other details.

Step 4: Click on the check status option.

Using the above-mentioned steps, investors will be able to check the allotment status for PolicyBazaar. Moreover, they can also visit the official BSE website to check the position of their bids. Also Read: THIS Post Office scheme will make you a millionaire; heres how

PolicyBazaar plans to use the funds from the fresh issue to enhance visibility and awareness of the company's brands. The company will also invest the funds to look for new opportunities to expand growth initiatives to increase the consumer base including offline presence. Also Read: IT Dept conducts searches in J&K, Punjab, unearths Rs 200 crore unaccounted income of dry fruit traders

Live TV

#mute
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, who was granted bail in the drugs-on-cruise case, appeared before Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to mark his weekly (every Friday) presence before the agency.

On October 29, Bombay High Court had issued a detailed bail order of Aryan Khan which stated that he should appear before NCB every Friday and was asked to surrender his passport.

Mumbai | Aryan Khan appears before Narcotics Control Bureau, to mark his weekly (every Friday) presence before the agency, as per one of the conditions set by Bombay High Court while granting him bail in drugs-on-cruise case pic.twitter.com/c8SKIBtjNP  ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2021

The court had asked all three bail applicants - Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmum Dhamecha - to appear before the NCB Mumbai office every Friday, between 11.00 am to 2.00 pm to mark their presence.

The court granted bail to Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha on October 29. Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3.

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.

A total of 20 people, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested so far in the case.
MUMBAI: The Pune court on Friday (November 5) sent Kiran Gosavi, an independent witness in the NCB cruise raid case and an accused in a cheating case registered with Faraskhana police station of Pune, to police custody till November 8.

Earlier, Gosavi was sent to police custody till November 5. On October 28, Gosavi, a key witness in the Mumbai cruise drugs case in which Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan had been arrested, was held by Pune City Police in connection with a cheating case of Rs 18 lakh in the year 2018.

He had duped one Chinmay Deshmukh, promising to give job in Malaysia and collected Rs 18 lakh. Deshmukh was sent on a tourist visa to Malaysia and according to the complainant (Deshmukh), Gosavi had assured him that the tourist visa would be converted once he lands in Malaysia. But he had to return to India before the expiry of the tourist visa.

Deshmukh had filed a complaint against Gosavi in 2018 and a chargesheet was filed in the case. Since then, he was on the run. On October 31, the Pune Police lodged one more case against Kiran Gosavi, an NCB witness in the drugs-on-cruise case, at Wanowarie Police Station for threatening victim and conspiracy related sections.

The Pune City Police informed that Gosavi has been booked under sections 420, 409, 506(2), 120(b) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and arms act 3(b) for threatening victim and conspiracy related sections.

This was the third case lodged against him.
New Delhi: Veteran actor Himani Shivpuri recently recalled not being part of the climax scene of 1995 blockbuster 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)', due to the demise of her husband. The actress had essayed the role of Kajol's aunt in the film. In an interview with Free Press Journal, Himani said that the climax scene was supposed to feature the culmination of her story with Anupam Kher in the film.

In the film, Himani's character develops a cute-romantic connection with Anupam Kher's character, who essayed the role of Shah Rukh's father.

"I was the only actor who was missing in the climax of DDLJ because my husband passed away just before we had to leave for the outdoors. The Yash Raj unit was very understanding even though there was supposed to be a culmination of my story with Anupam Kher. I had no time to think about all that because I was alone in a strange city, arranging the funeral of my husband, then carrying the ashes to Haridwar," she told the publication.

In another interview, Himani had shared that she never thought the film would turn out to be a milestone.

Directed by Aditya Chopra, 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' featured Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in lead roles. It became one of the biggest blockbuster in the Hindi cinema, and continues to remain one of the most-loved films. Other actors who featured in the film were Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Mandira Bedi, Parmeet Sethi and Satish Shah.
New Delhi: Bollywood's Greek God Hrithik Roshan celebrated Diwali this year with his parents Rakesh Roshan and Pinky Roshan, sister Sunaina Roshan and uncle Rajesh Roshan's family. The actor shared a series of photos from the celebration on his Instagram handles where is he seen surrounded by his family members. While the fans were super excited to see a glimpse of most of Roshans celebrating the festival of light with his family members, they noticed that Hrithik's sons - Hrehaan and Hridhaan were missing from the pictures.

Well, it happened because the kids spent the festival with their mother and Hrithik's ex-wife Sussanne Khan at her place.

Sussanne shared the Diwali post where she is seen enjoying with her sons - Hrehaan and Hridhaan. She is seen decked up in a yellow and red embroidered suit as she sat on the floor, whereas her son sat on chairs next to her. While Hridhaan twinned with her mom and wore a yellow kurta with black pants, Hrehaan opted for a black shirt with grey pants.

Sussanne wrote, "May all the light in the world surround us today, and through the rest of this year..Let there only be Love, joy, empowerment and grace Happy Diwali to all of us and our loved ones#lightandlove #happinessandhealth #graceandgratitude #Diwali2021."

It is to be noted that Hrithik and Sussanne have maintained a cordial terms even after their divorce.

On the work front, Hrithik recently returned to the sets of 'Vikram Vedha' remake, also starring Saif Ali Khan.
New Delhi: Permanent Account Number or PAN card is a crucial 10 digit number that is required to avail of most of the financial services offered by state and private agencies in the country. From Income Tax Department to banks, most of the finance-related work requires a PAN card. Cardholders are required to update their surname and address on PAN so that they dont face any troubles while availing of such services.

Moreover, cardholders can also use PAN as ID proof in many cases. So, its important to change the surname and address on the PAN card, especially after marriage. If you want to update these details on your PAN card, then you need to follow simple steps. The steps are online.

Heres how you change surname and address in PAN card:

Step 1: Visit https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserRegisterContact.html.

Step 2: Fill the application form.

Step 3: Enter all the required details

Step 4: Click on the Submit button.

Step 5: In the bracket in front of your name, enter PAN details.

Step 6: Click on the 'Validate' option.

Step 7: Finally, click on the Submit button.

Step 8: Cardholders are required to pay a fee of Rs 110 for changing the address or surname. However, if the address is out of India, then the cardholder will have to pay Rs 1020 to complete the transaction.

Step 9: After paying the fee, cardholders will have to download and fill the PAN application form. They will need to paste two passport size photographs on the form and sign on it. Also Read: Apple rolls out Fitness+ subscription in 15 more countries, India still missing from list

Step 10: Send the application to Income Tax PAN Services UNIT (Managed by NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited) to NSDL Address. Do not forget to send the required documents along with the form. Also Read: Have THESE 1, 5 and 10 rupee notes? You can become a millionaire; heres how

Live TV

#mute
Kolkata: The mortal remains of Veteran Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee was cremated with full state honours in Kolkata on Friday evening, with political leaders cutting across party lines paying their last respect to him.

The panchayat minister was given the gun salute at the Keoratola crematorium in the southern part of the city.

The state government declared seven-day mourniTMC veteran Subrata Mukherjee cremated with full state honoursng following the death of the ailing 75-year-old minister following a massive cardiac arrest at a state-run hospital on Thursday night.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had described the demise of former Kolkata mayor as a "big personal loss" remained indoors as her nephew and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee paid floral tribute to Mukherjee at the crematorium after which the last rites were performed.

Mukherjee was considered the political mentor of Mamata Banerjee during her initial years in Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the Congress. "I will not be able to see Subrata-da's body," she had told reporters on Thursday.

Senior Trinamool Congress leaders Firhad Hakim and Arup Biswas, the Congress' Abdul Mannan and Pradip Bhattacharya, as well as Dilip Ghosh and Rahul Sinha of the BJP paid tributes to Mukherjee.

CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra and party spokesperson Sujan Chakraborty also paid their last respects to Mukherjee.

"I have grown up seeing Subrata-da. He was my childhood hero. There were numerous instances when I approached him for advice and he always guided me. I have lost my big brother," Hakim told PTI.

Ghosh, vice-president of the BJP, said, "His contribution to Bengal politics will never be forgotten. He was the 'Bhishma Pitamah' of Bengal politics. This is a big loss for all of us."

In his condolence message, industrialist Sanjiv Goenka said, "In Subrata Mukherjee, we have lost a very good and a very capable leader. At a personal level, I had known him for over 35 years. It's a very deep personal loss."

Mukherjee's body was kept at a mortuary on Thursday night and from there it was first taken to Rabindra Sadan, a state-owned auditorium, on Friday.

Thousands of admirers and supporters of the veteran politician assembled at Rabindra Sadan to pay homage to their beloved leader.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikary and other MLAs paid their last respect to Mukherjee at the assembly when Mukherjee's mortal remains were taken there.

The body was then taken to his Ballygunge residence and later to the 'Ekdalia Evergreen' club where he has been playing a pivotal role in organising one of the most popular Durga Pujas of the city.

Thousands of party workers and common people took out a procession from Ballygunge area and escorted the hearse to the crematorium.

Mukherjee, who was hospitalised on October 24 following breathing problems, underwent angioplasty and two stents were inserted inside his blocked arteries on November 1. He died at 9.22 pm on Thursday.
Washington: A Pentagon report on Wednesday said that China through its national strategy aims to achieve "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by 2049 to match or surpass US global influence and power, displace US alliances and security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. It said that China also aims to revise the international order to be more advantageous to Beijing`s authoritarian system and national interests, according to an ANI report.

The Pentagon`s report titled Military and Security Development Involving the People`s Republic of China, 2021, said that this strategy can be characterised as a determined pursuit of far-ranging efforts to expand China`s national power.

Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Beijing continued its efforts to advance its overall development including steadying its economic growth, strengthening its armed forces, and taking a more assertive role in global affairs, the report stated.

It further said that in response to both long and short-term economic trends, the CCP unveiled a new economic strategic task, or a new "development pattern," called "dual circulation".

Beijing has characterised China`s view of strategic competition in terms of a rivalry among powerful nation-states, as well as a clash of opposing ideological systems.

China views the US as increasingly determined to contain Beijing, creating potential obstacles to its strategy. Additionally, the Chinese leaders are increasingly willing to confront the US and other countries in areas where interests diverge.

It further added that the Communist regime`s strategy aims to realise "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". This objective, which President Xi Jinping calls "the Chinese Dream," is a national aspiration to restore Beijing to a position of strength, prosperity, and leadership on the world stage.

Pentagon report on Chinese missile development programme

According to the report, China may try to use aspects of the S-400 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system it began receiving from Russia in 2018 to reverse-engineer capabilities it lacks.

China in 2020 fielded its first missile with a hypersonic glide vehicle and advanced its scramjet engine development, which has applications in hypersonic cruise missiles, the Pentagon said, adding that China produces a wide range of missiles--ballistic, cruise, air-to-air, and surface-to-air--for the PLA and for export.

The Chinese Navy revealed during its 70th-anniversary celebration in April 2019 that its new guided-missile cruiser can employ long-range land-attack cruise missiles. Within the past 2 years, Beijing made its first sale of a surface-to-air missile system to a European nation, Serbia, the report stated.

Beijing is developing a ramjet-powered air to air missile in addition to the beyond-visual-range PL-15, which was featured at the 2018 airshow in Zhuhai. Beijing`s space industry, historically managed by the PLA, is rapidly expanding its intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, navigation, and communication satellite constellations, the report read.

China, the top ship-producing nation in the world by tonnage, is increasing its shipbuilding capacity and capability for all naval classes, including submarines, warships, and transport and amphibious ships.

The report said that Beijing domestically produces naval gas turbine and diesel engines, as well as almost all shipboard weapons and electronic systems for its shipbuilding sector, making the sector nearly self-sufficient for all shipbuilding needs.

China`s production capacity is improving in nearly every category of PLA ground systems, including armoured personnel carriers, assault vehicles, air defence artillery systems, artillery systems and pieces, and main and light battle tanks, the report added.

China, however, said that the recent Pentagon report is full of prejudice and disregarded facts that claimed Beijing is rapidly expanding the number of its nuclear delivery platforms.

Citing the Global Times report, an ANI report quoted the Chinese Foreign Ministry`s spokesperson Wang Wenbin as saying that the US hyping up China`s "nuclear threat" is nothing but a trick to manipulate words and confuse the public which the international community is fully aware of.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
Washington/New Delhi: The US set to lift all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, from November 8 but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country, according to an official statement.

The travel guidelines included protocols around testing. To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travellers - whether US Citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or the small number of accepted unvaccinated foreign nationals - will now need to test within one day of departure.

And fully vaccinated travellers will continue to be required to show a pre-departure negative test taken within three days of travel to the US prior to boarding, the statement said.

Unvaccinated minors will need to test at the same time as the adults with whom they are travelling " three days with vaccinated adults and one day with unvaccinated adults, it said.

According to the statement, passengers will need to show their vaccination status, and the airlines will need to match the name and date of birth to confirm that the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination; determine that the record was issued by an official source (e.G., public health agency, government agency) in the country where the vaccine was given and review the essential information for determining if the passenger meets CDC's definition for fully vaccinated such as vaccine product, number of vaccine doses received, date(s) of administration, site (e.G., vaccination clinic, health care facility) of vaccination.

Airlines must deny boarding to passengers who do not meet these requirements or those who test positive for COVID-19, it said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that for purposes of travel to the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorised and World Health Organisation (WHO) emergency use listed (EUL) vaccines. The American travel industry has been asking for President Biden to lift the ban.

Live TV